Not an average day in the City.

[sarah_branigan]

It's morning in the City. Newspapers and milk have already been delivered; most people are getting ready for work or starting their days in their own way

Comments

[sthenyaer]

Mel is kind of in a constant state of fidget, right now. She's wearing a dress. Melinda also looks like she's about to hide behind Sarah. But Sarah said John wouldn't be mad at her, but she still feels that it's somehow her fault.

[janitor_thorn]

Aware of the effect of his gaze, Thorn also begins to study the table intently, but the flow of energy and Sarah's coughing gets his attention. "Um..." He sniffs the air and blushes faintly, as if attempting to bear her embarrassment for her. Unasked, he stands and fetches another cup of tea.

[sarah_branigan]

Sarah blushes, embarrassed, both at what she did and the sudden attention of the rest of the room. "I'm fine," she says shakily. "I just... I did something to the tea." She rests a hand on her head again and rubs the bridge of her nose. She's half-tempted to keep sipping from her old cup of tea. Perhaps one of her past selves was an alcoholic?

[sthenyaer]

"What were you thinking about? Maybe if you recognize what causes something, you can avoid doing it. When I used to get really mad or scared, sometimes my powers would go out of control..."

Melinda tries to take a deep breath in. "We really need to find a place for you to practice. I've been thinking about it. Probably somewhere on Triv's world, and starting really small." she runs a hand through her hair, sighing.

[dr_schreber]

Schreber nods a little and strokes her shoulder. He is not taking the cup away from her but it looks like Thorn is bringing her a refill. "Practice... might be a good thing. Even though it's just tem...porary." He smiles weakly. "It can't hurt to have it under control in the meantime."

[janitor_thorn]

He'd never begrudge her the other drink, but it seemed a bit strong for her tastes. Thorn sets a fresh cup of tea near Sarah's hand and resumes his seat, quiet and unobtrusive as he can possibly manage to be.

[sarah_branigan]

Sarah doesn't want to say what she was thinking about, but Mel can probably guess. That's some pretty strong stuff in that teacup. She smiles at Thorn gratefully and takes a sip of hew new, unaltered tea. "Yes. I think practicing is in order." She exhales deeply. "And you're right, Mel. Practicing here would be a bad idea." She glances out the window and the sand beckons to her, a giant malleable plaything. "Is there any limit to what you can make? Or reshape? Other than the flaws, I mean."

[sthenyaer]

"I'm not good at making food. Money, too. A good conterfiet, maybe, but not the real deal." Mel takes another sip of her tea, and notices she's almost out. "The louder the humming and the brighter the blue, or the more the blue takes up the world, generally the bigger something's gonna end up. I was always scared that if I tried to make something too big, I'd either go deaf or blind... When the other city was destroyed and I made a portal to get us all out, all I could see was blue and all I could hear was the humming, even though people were screaming. But portals are harder than other things." This is, possibly, one of the few times she's meantioned the other city. "Changing something into something like it is easier. Like, if I wanted to change a bug, I'd change it to either something the same size as it, or into another bug. Changing a lady-bug into an elephant would... nnnot be easy, but a lady-bug into a dragonfly would be at least likely."

[dr_schreber]

Schreber winces just a little bit and nods. This is fascinating but he doesn't like remembering the changed city either. Is it like this for John? The power sounds so crippling in its own way. It's scary thinking that either of them has this going on in their heads.

[janitor_thorn]

Thorn will dutifully refill Melinda's cup as well, if need be. Either version is quite good at quietly serving others.

[sarah_branigan]

Sarah listens intently to Melinda's explanation, looking a little horrified. She can't help it -- she's thinking of all the things she now has the power to do. Not that she wants to do any of them. What if she accidentally turns Clio into a dog? Why would you even want to turn a bug into an elephant in the first place??

"Oh... this is awful. I don't want to be able to do any of this." She blushes a little. "Not that I think it's a bad power, but it's different when it's you doing it, Mel." It says a lot that Sarah inherently trusts Mel with such power. "I'm liable to screw it up somehow."

[sthenyaer]

Mel was using the bug/elephant thing as a metaphor. But if you had to move something really big, and needed a ride as well, and were in a place that elephants were often ridden, bugs into elephants might be a good idea.

"Once we get you practicing, and once you get control over the small things, you'll probably be able to stop yourself." a pause, then a blush when Sarah compliments her. "Thanks. We just... have to hang on until it's over."

[dr_schreber]

No elephants in the city please! Maybe they could work together to make fish though. He gives Sarah another pat on the shoulder and looks hopeful. "I'm sure there's a way to reverse it, and in the mean...time, maybe... it'll turn out to be fun?"

((Shad says to skip Thorn this time.))

[sarah_branigan]

Sarah nods and smiles a little, even though she doesn't feel like it. Maybe she'll just avoid living things in general. "I don't know about fun, but..." she takes Daniel's hand and gives it a squeeze. "I'll try as best I can."

"When did you want to start teaching me, sensei?" she asks Mel, teasing just a little. Maybe it really won't be all that bad.

[sthenyaer]

Mel sticks her tongue out at Sarah. "When do you want to start? I think I've got a place in mind, and I think I might know how to start..."

[dr_schreber]

Schreber is just glad to see Sarah making a joke. "We'll find a way to reverse it. Even if it's not... some kind of traditional solution." He will just let them go practice somewhere outside the city...