Non-Fiction (Sohl/Edge)

[NightshadeVII]

The library had always been a good place to nap. It was quiet, cozy, usually warm and had plenty of nooks and crannies to tuck away in, from tables hidden away between shelves to a small couch pressed up against a radiator in a corner, the possibilities were endless. And not only was the library full of wonderful nap spots, it was also full of books, which was a great pass time, when there weren’t any plans for the day. That was why Edge found himself at th library now. He had a come to pick up a book, even though he already had plenty at home, but since he didn’t have a shift at work today or a concert planned, he had decided to take some time to browse through the shelves.
It was a mindless activitity of sorts, legs carrying him whereever they pleased while soft purple eyes scanned lines upon lines of books, looking for something that seemed interesting. He had frequented the libraries in his home world as well, and as such, could remember certain covers or titles just by glancing at them, but coming to Wathais had changed that. There wasn’t the same sense of familiarity anymore. In a way, that was both a good and a bad thing. It reminded him of the parts of his situation that he’d rather forget, but also meant that there was new things to experience and learn. A strange split through down the middle of his thoughts about it.

But it was just another day, he didn’t want to bring himself down by thinking about such things, all he wanted to do was relax and find another book to read. He was humming silently to himself as he walked, a little tune with no particular meaning.

Finally something caught his eye, at first it was the spine of the book, slightly used, but not much, and the it was the title itself. It seemed like it could be an interesting read. However there’s was one problem; the book was located on the lowest shelf, barely above the floor and the idea of crouching down was less that appealing. The Darai had been dealing with some reorrcuring joint soreness during the week, yesterday, his neck and shoulders had protested every time he had wanted to move, and today it was it knees and ankles. Crouching down, while not off limits, would be far from comfortable.
Without even thinking, Edge looked over his shoulder, seeing if there were any people around him, and specifically any people paying him particular mind. What he was about to do was somewhat lazy, but more importantly than that, it wasn’t something people were really supposed to see. So when he was satisfied that there was no one around to observe his little trick, he placed a hand on the bookshelf, feeling the cool, smooth wood underneath his hand. It didn’t take much nudging before the shelf reacted, coming alive at his request. The lower bookshelf moved upwards, the shelves above squeezing together in what could only be described as an unnatural way. Solid matter was in no way meant to bend like that, and yet it did, calmly twisting and reshaping itself, as if it was natural.

When his fingers brushed the book, he pulled it from the shelf, and released his grip on the object, allowing it to quickly revert back to its old shape, straightening itself out and twisting back into place, like a stressball that had been squeezed and was now righting itself again.
Luckily, no one had seen that little trick. Or so he thought.

[MP]

A complacent eye, used to the lifelong comfort of a secure, controllable environment, might miss Edge’s surreptitious movement. A human eye could not have picked it out across the distance and clutter. But when Edge took a seat at the usual table - a cozy spot in the nook of the wall and warmed by the light of a nearby window, the blond youth currently sitting there was sneaking sideways glances at him.

Sohl knew better than to stare outright or otherwise draw attention. When Edge settled down in his chair, he pretended to read his book, turning the page for good measure and pitching his voice to an undertone.

“You can do magic?”

[NightshadeVII]

A soft smile touched Edge’s lips as he gained eyecontact with Sohl. The two had gotten used to seeing eachother here at this library exchanging book suggestions. It was a casual acquaintanceship, but still a nice thing none the less, a welcome addition to the day for sure. He settled down soon after, making himself comfortable, and stretching his legs beneath the table. A thread of sunlight fell across him, bringing a sense of warmth with it.

For a moment, silence stretched between them as Edge began reading and Sohl seemed to continue with his. But this peace dissipated soon enough, as Sohl spoke quietly.
“You can do magic?”

A chill ran down Edge’s spine, despite his efforts to play it cool. Oh no. He had thought that no one had seen, but he had been very wrong. Already he was trying to figure out how to explain what had just happened, without making a fool of himself. He was supposed to lay low and blend in here, not alert people to who and what he was. Having just messed that up was made all the more menacing by the fact that, for all he knew, he was the only Darai here. He didn’t exactly want to cause a scene and reveal himself to a library full of people, should worst come to worst.

He looked up at Sohl, eyebrows raised as if in surprise.
“Oh, uh, that... that wasn’t-“, Edge chuckled a little, sending Sohl a sheepish smile, “That’s wasn’t anything... a trick of the light, maybe.”
Well that was an exceptionally shitty excuse. Great going. How could Sohl even believe that?

[MP]

“It’s okay.”

Sohl flashed a smile at Edge. As he did, his scleras seemed to darken, fading from white to smoky grey to pitch, the yellow of his irises standing in lurid contrast. In the past, he’d only ever given close-lipped smiles. Now, his smile revealed large crushing fangs, unmistakable as anything but those of a predator.

All this in a moment. Then the white returned to his scleras. The smile faded, covering the teeth. Sohl turned back to his book as if nothing had happened at all.

“No one else saw it. So you’re fine.”

[NightshadeVII]

Edge had expected laughter, to be called out on his bullshit or perhaps just for Sohl to get suspicious and closed off. What he hadn’t expected was reassurance and a soft smile from the other. And as Sohl flashed black scleras and sharp, predator-like teeth, Edge was sure that he looked even more surprised than before. It wasn’t necessarily a bad kind of surprise, it was just... so far from what he had expected of Sohl.

“Wait... you too?” He asked, as if to confirm what he had just seen, that Sohl really was something other than human, like Edge. He was almost a little happy at the thought actually. Even though Sohl clearly wasn’t Darai, it was still nice to meet someone else, another super, because, despite the four-ish years Edge had lived here, he didn’t know a lot of supers.

Then he shook himself out of it, sending Sohl a grateful smile.
“Thanks. I was afraid I’d scare you or something”, the Darai chuckled briefly, looking over at the bookcase he had manipulated moments ago.

“To answer your question... I suppose magic isn’t exactly the right word for it.” He finally admitted, closing his book and looking back at Sohl, “there’s no spells, magic words or runes involved at least.”

[MP]

"Then what is it? A natural ability?"

Sohl was careful not to look at the bookshelf, or even directly at Edge while they spoke. He turned another page. Rested his cheek in his palm. Moved his gaze back and forth over the page, only occasionally glancing over at Edge, as if preoccupied. It wasn't as convincing as father's acts, but at least they wouldn't be so obvious. Especially if someone happened to overhear them.

[NightshadeVII]

Catching on to what Sohl was doing, Edge opened his book back up as well, trying to relax a little more in the chair and stretching his legs underneath the table, careful not to accidentally kick Sohl.

“Yeah, it’s as natural to me as moving my hand.”, he explained with a small, sheepish smile, “It’s... a strange thing to explain. I can never find the right words when I try to describe it.”
He always felt self conscious talking about these abilities of his. Back in his homeworld it had been almost illustrious to be a spatial manipulator like he was, and whenever someone found out, he often found himself placed on a pedestal and given far too much attention. Luckily that had begun to change before he was transported to Wathais, and he hoped that it had gone away entirely in the four years that had passed, but thousands of years of ranks and separation had been so deeply ingrained into many, that it was probably difficult to let go of.
To Sohl, the sheepishness would probably seem very out of place, since he was speaking of such a useful ability, or perhaps another face of Edge’s obvious self-consciousness.

[MP]

"Is it just you?"

Sohl glanced over at the shelves. He saw no sign of warp or alterations in the wood. It looked the same as it always had, though he'd it move in ways no wood could possibly manage.

"Or are there others who can do it? Did someone teach you?"

In spite of his caution, Sohl was beginning to feel excited. An entirely new ability - one he'd never seen cataloged before. Edge could be some kind of mage. Maybe even another Anomaly. He'd love to meet one of those in person.

[NightshadeVII]

For a moment Edge hesitated, and a flash of sadness cross his features, momentary regret and hesitation. Eyes softened and his smile faltered for a moment. Again he remembered he was alone. Most of the time he could almost forget about it, surround himself with people he cared about, things he was passionate about, but he still missed his homeworld and his kin. He missed the voices of the earth, the songs and traditions of his people, the nature and the changing of seasons. It was strange being the only Darai here, and when he remembered, the mess of emotions he thought he had sorted out rose to the surface again.

“I... I think it’s just me.” He finally answered, gathering himself again, “Haven’t met others, and I doubt they’re around.”
Then he sent Sohl an apologetic smile, adjusting his position a little. He could hear that the blonde was getting excited and didn’t want him to feel guilty about asking a simple question. There was no hard feelings or ill will in his eyes as he continued.

“And it’s something I’ve kinda known how to do all my life. But I did take training to hone it entirely, as most things do.”

[MP]

"Oh."

Sohl glanced back to his book. He saw the hesitant smile, the distant cast to the eyes, the homesickness. But these were private things - not for him to see. He turned his eyes away, the same courtesy he would give to any hunter, until Edge had recovered himself. Maybe there had been others like Edge at one point, but it seemed there weren't anymore. That was a feeling he understood.

"Um. If I can ask -"

He risked a glance over. Edge seemed to have regained his composure. Still, Sohl hesitated for a moment.

"You're not from here, are you?" Sohl nodded around them. At the air. At the membrane, an ever-present sensation. "This world."

The words may have been pitched gently, lowered to avoid being overheard, but it wasn't a question. When he looked at Edge, Sohl could feel the stamp of otherness on him, like the catch of thread that didn't quite fit in with the weave.

[NightshadeVII]

Edge was grateful for Sohl’s sublty, it allowed him to relax a little, breathe more easily. So when sohl requested to ask another question, Edge nodded quietly. But he almost seemed to stop mid motion once he heard the question that Sohl asked.

You’re not from around here, are you? This world.
Shit. It was one thing to accidentally reveal that he was a supernatural, but for Sohl to figure out he wasn’t even from this world was another mess alltogether. There was something about the way the blonde young man looked at him, that made it certain that he wouldn’t accept one of Edge’s panicked excuses, no matter how well crafted it would be. Perhaps Sohl could see it, or sense it? The different energy, an outsider in the regular currents of the world. Edge didn’t know how he had come to this conclusion, but he probably couldn’t make Sohl believe differently.
Did he even have to though? The other had been calm, and even reassuring throughout the entire conversation, and was even non-human himself as well. So there wasn’t much reason as to why Edge should try to dismiss it. Additionally, trying to deny it would just result in a blatant lie, which was something he was getting tired of. He wasn’t that person anymore.

He laughed quietly, shortly, this time, so as not to attract the attention of others.
“Ha... is it that obvious?”, He asked with a little smile, sounding just a little embarrased. But then he nodded, giving a final and undeniable confirmation.
“I’m not from around here like you said, no. I guess my ‘native Wathais dweller’-act wasn’t too convincing.”

[MP]

“No, it wasn’t that.”

Sohl stretched a little, using the motion to take another surreptitious glance around the library. He was glad they were near a corner.

“I’m not from here either. So I can see the signs on you. Maybe you can too.”

He smiled. Tapped the side of his head.

“It’s like in like a vision test, when they give you those pictures to look at. One looks sharper than the others, doesn’t it? The others blend in, and one stands out. That’s you and me. You don’t really notice unless you’re watching for it. Only, it’s more of a feeling. Like...like finding a loose thread in a sweater. Very small. But that’s how I know.”

Sohl looked down at his book again, feeling slightly self-conscious. Maybe he shouldn’t have pointed it out after all. Maybe it had been unkind.

“Don’t worry. I’ve been trained to notice. Most things can’t, and the ones that can usually aren’t paying attention. So your act is fine.”

[NightshadeVII]

The Darai seemed utterly engrossed as Sohl explained how he had known Edge wasn’t from this world, the words seeming to resonate with him in some way. It was as if certain pieces of a puzzle finally fell into place. Though he had to admit he had never seen or been aware of the things that Sohl described, but as the other said, he hadn’t been looking for it.
He had been able to feel the differences though. In the air, in the ground, in the water. Especially in the currents of energy circling this world. It was all so different from what he had been used to, and he felt disconnected from it, which was an altogether new feeling. All his life he had been used to feeling connected to everything around him, and his spatial abilities did allow him to feel that still. But something was missing. The connection to Eda wasn’t there anymore, which made him feel entirely lost here.
Still. He could understand what Sohl was saying, and while he might not have believed it before coming to Wathais, hearing it explained now made a lot of sense.

“Oh”, understanding dawned on Edge’s face, “like a sense you say? I don’t know if I can do what you described, I definitely haven’t trained to do it. I’ve never even known it was possible. Normally my kind trains other senses.”
Out of pure curiosity Edge tried to heighten his awareness of what Sohl had described. Looking for that clearer image, trying to pick up on that feeling of a loose thread, but there was nothing. He couldn’t catch it, and honestly hadn’t expected to. But it had been worth a shot.

With a chuckle, the Darai leaned back in the chair and ran a hand through his hair.
“Nope. I got nothing”, he concluded, shrugging slightly, seemingly not feeling down about it in the slightest, “It’s impressive that you can do it. Doesn’t it get overwhelming? Or are there not a lot of people here who aren’t from around here?”
Again he sounded genuinely curious, but his questions were soft, making it clear that Sohl didn’t have to answer if he didn’t want to.

[MP]

"There are a few. Here and there."

Sohl shrugged, answering easily enough. But there was a solemn undertone too. Outsiders had serious implications, and he'd been taught to treat the subject with proper respect.

"But not too many. Nothing unusual. There are different kinds of Outsiders - some naturally occurring, some more invasive. I mostly see the healthy kinds. And this world is pretty permeable, so they don't feel too distracting."

[NightshadeVII]

At the mention of invasive outsiders, a memory flared to life in Edge’s mind, unwelcome and intrusive, the kind of outsiders that destroyed everyone and everything they touched, killing the very ground they walked on. A chill ran down his spine as he remembered, and he hoped dearly that those things hadn’t made it to this world either. After all, whatever had sent him here, had also sent others, Ajin and Myé to name a few, meaning that it unfortunately wasn’t far fetched that those things had gotten here either.

But he shook away the thought. Considering what he knew about them, there was a good chance they wouldn’t even function here.

“Well, I sure hope I fall in the healthy outsider category then” he smiled, “unless I made an awful tear in reality with that little stunt before, of course” he nodded at the bookshelf behind him that had morphed under his command some moments before.
Even though he came off as relaxed when talking about this, the possiblity that he might actually be harmful to this world made him uneasy. It went against everything he and his kind stood for, and everything they tried to protect. So a part of him wanted to be sure that he wasn’t doing more harm than good here.

“How can you tell when an outsider is unhealthy to the world?”, he then asked, an expression of curiousity and a hint of worry decorating his features.