Amanda and Emily - post Slender thoughts
Jul. 10th, 2024 11:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xp_daytripperBackdated to July 10: In the aftermath of the Slendermen event, Emily goes to Amanda to talk about her experiences and doubts.
Emily knocked lightly on Amanda’s door, uncertain about whether she wanted to continue to learn after what she'd seen into the Slender world. But her mother and father hadn't raised a coward and you didn't fix anything by running away from it. Unless it was the Australian Government and bigots at least.
But that had been an entire government, not a random vision that was probably a lie.
There was a pause before Amanda's voice responded with a hasty, "Coming!" and then the door opened, revealing the older woman in her "off the clock" outfit of a pair of pyjama pants and a faded band shirt, her hair in a loose braid. "Emily, hey! Come in! Just excuse the mess." Said mess was the pile of large leather-bound texts on the coffee table, several empty mugs and various post-its and notepad pages littering the living room area.
Emily had been surprised the first time she’d come to Amanda’s suite but she'd since gotten used to the controlled chaos. It didn't stop her fingers from itching to organise the books however, or clean up the empty coffee mugs. That would have been rude though.
She took her standard position on the comfortable couch, placing her purse down by her feet as she glanced around.
“Miss Colbert isn't around today?”
It would make things easier to talk about without an audience, not that it would have stopped her. It was just that less people were always easier for difficult thoughts.
"Nah, she's at the office dealing with something or other." Amanda kept her tone deliberately light and her response vague. The kid obviously had something on her mind and the finer details of a situation on the other side of the world wasn't her problem. "You want a cuppa? I was just going to make myself another."
“Oh, yes please.” Emily relaxed at the familiar social lubricant that was the offer of a cup of tea. “Milk, and two sugars.”
She picked up one of the couch throw cushions and hugged it against her chest, looking around curiously as she got ready to wait. It was always different, if only the type of books and general things scattered about.
Amanda gathered the dirty mugs and left Emily to sit and gather her thoughts while she prepared the tea in the kitchenette. After five minutes, she returned, carrying a couple of mugs with a package of Hob Nobs tucked under her arm. "Here you go," she said, placing one mug on the coffee table in front of the girl. "I was in London yesterday, so I have biscuits. Help yourself." She put the package on the table and then curled up in the easy chair, cupping her mug in her hands and watching Emily without saying anything else.
Emily left the biscuits and tea where they were for now, unsure she could hold the cup without her hands shaking and unwilling right now to release the shield of the couch cushion.
“When we were taken, I got lost in this maze and I kept coming across these bodies that looked like everyone, only they were dead. Or, they were until I touched them and then they told me I’d killed them. That I had done something, but they wouldn't tell me what.”
Emily frowned, unable to explain why it had made her so uneasy, not when she knew she wouldn't ever kill someone, not in a million years but. Maybe it hadn't been her choice? Maybe the Slenders had known something about magic that she didn't.
“Can we, I don't know? Is there a way to make me safer? Just until I know what I’m doing?”
Amanda took a sip of her tea and then set the cup down, leaning forward with a sympathetic expression on her face. "One of the things about magic," she said quietly. "Is that every one of us has a moment when we realise just how dangerous magic can be. So you're not alone in this. But you also need to know two things. One, the Slenders didn't know shite about you, apart from what would make you the most afraid, so anything they told you is a lie. And two, your magic is your responsibility. I can up your training, give you some tools to help you manage your magic, but I won't block it or put any kind of restraints on it, just like I wouldn't block or restrain your mutation, or your ability to think, or even your physical body. I won't limit you, because in the end that just makes things harder in the long run."
Emily sighed, hugging the couch cushions closer as she went through several arguments in her head. She could go home if she wasn't this, she’d had control over her small mutation before the magic and she'd been happy. Now it felt like everyone was so much more difficult and nothing was simple, not even living in a mansion. You'd think a place with this much money would have less kidnappings.
“How do I learn faster then? I can read more, or practice more if that'll help. I'm getting good with the different stone nails now.”
She still had no control over her hair but she'd also not exactly been wanting to chance it. Nails were safer, less likely to harm someone unexpectedly.
"We practice. We work on your emotional control and the link with your powers. And you work with everyone, so you get as broad a magical education as we can give you. Plus self defence classes. You need to learn how to protect yourself, plus the confidence that will give you will help a huge amount." Amanda gave Emily a reassuring smile. "We've all been where you are, kiddo. We'll make sure you get all the help you need."
Emily knocked lightly on Amanda’s door, uncertain about whether she wanted to continue to learn after what she'd seen into the Slender world. But her mother and father hadn't raised a coward and you didn't fix anything by running away from it. Unless it was the Australian Government and bigots at least.
But that had been an entire government, not a random vision that was probably a lie.
There was a pause before Amanda's voice responded with a hasty, "Coming!" and then the door opened, revealing the older woman in her "off the clock" outfit of a pair of pyjama pants and a faded band shirt, her hair in a loose braid. "Emily, hey! Come in! Just excuse the mess." Said mess was the pile of large leather-bound texts on the coffee table, several empty mugs and various post-its and notepad pages littering the living room area.
Emily had been surprised the first time she’d come to Amanda’s suite but she'd since gotten used to the controlled chaos. It didn't stop her fingers from itching to organise the books however, or clean up the empty coffee mugs. That would have been rude though.
She took her standard position on the comfortable couch, placing her purse down by her feet as she glanced around.
“Miss Colbert isn't around today?”
It would make things easier to talk about without an audience, not that it would have stopped her. It was just that less people were always easier for difficult thoughts.
"Nah, she's at the office dealing with something or other." Amanda kept her tone deliberately light and her response vague. The kid obviously had something on her mind and the finer details of a situation on the other side of the world wasn't her problem. "You want a cuppa? I was just going to make myself another."
“Oh, yes please.” Emily relaxed at the familiar social lubricant that was the offer of a cup of tea. “Milk, and two sugars.”
She picked up one of the couch throw cushions and hugged it against her chest, looking around curiously as she got ready to wait. It was always different, if only the type of books and general things scattered about.
Amanda gathered the dirty mugs and left Emily to sit and gather her thoughts while she prepared the tea in the kitchenette. After five minutes, she returned, carrying a couple of mugs with a package of Hob Nobs tucked under her arm. "Here you go," she said, placing one mug on the coffee table in front of the girl. "I was in London yesterday, so I have biscuits. Help yourself." She put the package on the table and then curled up in the easy chair, cupping her mug in her hands and watching Emily without saying anything else.
Emily left the biscuits and tea where they were for now, unsure she could hold the cup without her hands shaking and unwilling right now to release the shield of the couch cushion.
“When we were taken, I got lost in this maze and I kept coming across these bodies that looked like everyone, only they were dead. Or, they were until I touched them and then they told me I’d killed them. That I had done something, but they wouldn't tell me what.”
Emily frowned, unable to explain why it had made her so uneasy, not when she knew she wouldn't ever kill someone, not in a million years but. Maybe it hadn't been her choice? Maybe the Slenders had known something about magic that she didn't.
“Can we, I don't know? Is there a way to make me safer? Just until I know what I’m doing?”
Amanda took a sip of her tea and then set the cup down, leaning forward with a sympathetic expression on her face. "One of the things about magic," she said quietly. "Is that every one of us has a moment when we realise just how dangerous magic can be. So you're not alone in this. But you also need to know two things. One, the Slenders didn't know shite about you, apart from what would make you the most afraid, so anything they told you is a lie. And two, your magic is your responsibility. I can up your training, give you some tools to help you manage your magic, but I won't block it or put any kind of restraints on it, just like I wouldn't block or restrain your mutation, or your ability to think, or even your physical body. I won't limit you, because in the end that just makes things harder in the long run."
Emily sighed, hugging the couch cushions closer as she went through several arguments in her head. She could go home if she wasn't this, she’d had control over her small mutation before the magic and she'd been happy. Now it felt like everyone was so much more difficult and nothing was simple, not even living in a mansion. You'd think a place with this much money would have less kidnappings.
“How do I learn faster then? I can read more, or practice more if that'll help. I'm getting good with the different stone nails now.”
She still had no control over her hair but she'd also not exactly been wanting to chance it. Nails were safer, less likely to harm someone unexpectedly.
"We practice. We work on your emotional control and the link with your powers. And you work with everyone, so you get as broad a magical education as we can give you. Plus self defence classes. You need to learn how to protect yourself, plus the confidence that will give you will help a huge amount." Amanda gave Emily a reassuring smile. "We've all been where you are, kiddo. We'll make sure you get all the help you need."
