![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shiori_makiba) wrote2016-03-11 10:54 pm
Demi-Fiction: Excerpt from 'Figures of Rumor and Legend'
by shiori_makiba / Ashley Weyer
Words: 680
Part of the Capes and Masks universe, my super-hero setting. Figures of Rumor and Legend is an in-universe book about super powers, the people who have them, and those who take up the cape without any super powers at all.
Warning!: References to violence, bigotry, and bigotry-related violence.
Excerpt from Figures of Rumor and Legend by Richard J. Barclay.
Super powers exist.
Truth be told, super powers have probably always existed. There have always been people who were just a little bit smarter. Just a little faster or stronger or could taste better or smell better or hear better than the average person. Enough to be noticeable when compared and amazing to be sure but often subtle enough that it was easy to ignore. Or treat it as too big of a deal.
Those handful of people whose powers were not subtle were so few and far in-between that is was easy to write them off as just stories. Something you heard from the friend who knew somebody who knew somebody who knew somebody who was saved by x. Rumors that, if you wanted to, you could easily dismiss as false.
That all began to change at the turn of the century. No one was sure why but starting at around 1900, more and more super powers and super powered people began to appear. It became harder and harder to ignore that these powers and people existed. Eventually it became impossible.
When that realization sank in, the reaction was mixed.
Some people were thrilled. Maybe because it explained what was going on with them. That they weren't crazy. Or they just thought the idea that someone could bend steel bars into a pretzel was just too cool to not be amazing.
Some people were terrified. What if someone used their powers to hurt others? Read your mind and uncover all your deepest, darkest secrets?
Still others, as humanity was wont to do, latched onto super powers as yet another excuse to hate. Several of them overlapped with the terrified ones. They were the ones who lobbied to have those with powers declared inhuman or be required to register themselves or any number of laws that would make it clear that supers were a them and the rest of humanity was an us. And you couldn't trust a them.
Sometimes they succeeded in their goal. I'm not sure if rivers of blood, uncountable dead people, and more than few people driven insane was their end game but that's usually what they accomplished with their laws.
Some nations learned from those lessons. Others did not.
Some people were just plain curious. Some were polite about it, merely asking questions or observing and backing off when asked. Others were less polite and others were horrendous. The former most tried to install better manners into. The latter usually had a short life expectancy once what they were became obvious. Either at the hands of one of their victims or someone who had already lived through one mad scientist and had no desire to see another one running around doing the gods only knew what to people.
Some people just wanted to help. Many of those were decent enough people who just wanted to make manifestation less scary for the kids – because it was usually kids manifesting super powers. Most at around puberty but more and more were being born with active powers. That could be very scary.
Sometimes the help was actually helpful. Sometimes it wasn't. Either because of ignorance or because the 'help' being provided had more to do with what others thought was best for the person.
'It's for your own good' has got to be one of the foulest phrases in the English language. Or in any language.
Humans aren't the only ones either. Animals and plants have joined the party too. Which is a can of worms in and of itself. Not least of which was that super-powered plants and animals, regardless of what exactly their power was, tended to be sentient. In a world where too many humans did not treat members of their own species well for being different.
I've heard rumors that known plants, animals, and people aren't the only ones sharing this planet. So far, as far as I know, it has only been rumors and stories. But once upon a time, the same could be said about super powers so I'm keeping an open mind.
no subject
• bend steel bars into a preztel was just too cool not be amazing.
-> pretzel
-> not to be amazing [or] to not be amazing
• So far,as far as I know,
-> So far, as far as I know [insert space]
• I'm keeping an open-mind.
> an open mind.
no subject
Working on an actual story - trying an introduction to several people piece so the characters stop arguing about who gets to be on stage first and creating a log jam.
no subject
Just noticed:
• Exert from 'Figures of Rumor and Legend'
-> Excerpt (add C and P)
no subject
no subject
• sharing this plant.
-> planet
• make manifestation less scary of the kids
-> for the kids
no subject
>>... And why didn't I notice these before?>>
Couldn't see a tree for the forest? There were a lot of other errors you spotted earlier . . .
Or maybe you were just tired when you were reading it?
no subject