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An Interview +(Riley and Lumine)+

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Post by Noise Wed Aug 15, 2012 11:13 pm

Repeating sophomore year. Fantastic. Fabulous. Truth be told his care towards academics pretty much fell apart in the past year or so, for good reasons. He still had to go though, and he did when he could. He just didn’t get his stuff together well enough to pass 10th grade and here he was again.

At least it’d be easier on him this time around, now that he knew what to expect. On the other hand, getting an interview request was not that. He had to re-read the email several times just to absorb what it said. She knew he was a harbinger and she wanted to interview him. The latter made sense – the Index was a thing that existed even if he didn’t readily use it or even think about it. And she sounded, well, like a student with research to be done. For all he knew, though, she would treat him like a lab rat to be pulled apart, or something.

But one search of her name in the Index – yes, the Index he rarely used; it was handy in the rare cases like this one – told him that she was a harbinger as well. That, at least, made him feel a little better about the situation. Harbingers tended to not be horribly discriminatory towards their own kind, unlike how “normal” people treated them at least.

He had accepted the offer, agreeing to meet her in front of the school when classes ended. When that time came around, he was there, keeping out of the way of the other students – they did the same for him, anyways – and kept an eye out for anyone out of the ordinary.
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Post by Lumine Wed Aug 15, 2012 11:58 pm

Lumine stared straight at the clock of the high school and blanked out for just a moment. Although she hadn't gone to this school in the city, it still reminded her of her own time in high school, both the good and bad. She had had friends, but her manifested harbinger abilities had limited that number to a few close ones. Ironically, that's exactly why she was here today. Harbingers in school often had trouble adjusting, had trouble dealing with the prejudice against them. College was a little different in that people generally stopped caring, but of course, it existed there too.

When she arrived, school was just getting out; kids flooded the front courtyard, funneling themselves into buses and other assorted transportation in order to take them home, or to some other destination. Lumine on the other hand, got out of her own vehicle, put on her coat and walked through the crowd. Several kids who recognized her for what she was, stayed away, others thought her eye color was just in between that of a harbinger and normal human, and didn't really care one way or another. She had gotten lucky with a non-strange eye color, except that it was green in its entirety...others were far more unlucky.

She spotted her interviewee almost immediately after breaking through the crowd. A lone boy out of the way. Strange eyes. That had to be him. Only several harbingers went to this school, and no doubt, only one would be crazy enough to stay in full view of everyone when they could just shuffle themselves out of sight.

Or maybe he was just ballzy. Who knew?

"Riley Collins?"

He was about a half foot taller than she.

"I'm Lumine Symington, I'm here to interview you if you still had the time."

She put on her warm smile. These situations were the kind she actually craved now and again, instead of dealing with problems, she was helping to SOLVE said problems in her own little way. Knowledge was everything.




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Post by Noise Thu Aug 16, 2012 1:21 am

Riley spotted the short – well, compared to him, and even then the difference wasn’t all that much – woman with a white streak in her hair just moments before she said his name. He gave a quick nod to confirm that yes, he was in fact Riley Collins. A short pause passed as he studied the woman – she didn’t seem to be a threat, thank goodness. He hadn’t stuck around the school by himself to meet someone that wanted to stab him. Even with confirming her as a fellow harbinger, he was simply paranoid about meeting up with someone he’s never seen before. The teen relaxed ever so slightly at her smile, pulling the bandana down from his face to rest it around his neck. He had put it on after school (the teachers didn’t like it when he wore it in class) in case he had a long wait, and now, well, it was simply more polite not to hide his face from his interviewer.

With the cloth removed, he gave her a faint smile back and nodded to her second statement. “I’m still alright with it; though, will we be conducting the interview here?” He knew some of his fellow students tended to hang around the school front for a while, and there’d be others moving by, going to whatever clubs and activities they had. Not the best environment to interroga- interview anyone, really.
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Post by Lumine Thu Aug 16, 2012 2:48 am

At the very least, she hadn't screwed herself over by finding the wrong kid; although he looked a wee bit suspicious of her. And who wouldn't to be fair? Two harbingers on school grounds full of teachers and students. Anyone in their right mind had reason to be nervous. Speaking of which, when the kids saw the two together, they knew almost instantly to clear themselves out of the way of the both of them. Even teachers were starting to wonder what was going on. And on that note, Lumi finally made a decision.

"No no, we're going inside, I suspect we're warranting unnecessary suspicion. Let's get to the front office, I need to get a pass."

Lumine nodded towards the door lightly and started heading for it, casting a wide berth between students, herself and Riley, albeit, not of their own accord. Lumine sighed at the notion. She had hoped at least one place would find harbingers to be equals, but, apparently not. Still shaking her head slightly, she made it to the front office, and looking as far down as possible, signed the sheet as a visitor and took a badge. There was already an empty conference room awaiting them, which Lumi, should Riley follow, would walk into and take a seat.

"Hey, thanks for letting me do this today. It's a pain to get anyone to agree to an interview nowadays."

No kidding. Pulling out some papers, Lumine made a few notes, took off her coat and got comfortable. Hopefully this wouldn't take too long...unless it was interesting of course.

"So, this is kind of an interview, and kind of just a casual conversation. If you have any questions about me, feel free to ask them."
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Post by Noise Thu Aug 16, 2012 3:08 am

He simply nodded and followed her quietly, on her right and a bit behind her, as she went about the procedures so the staff knew she wasn’t some crazed axe murderer coming after the sewing club. Or whatever group that met after school. Riley wasn’t exactly sure what to say to her, so kept his silence throughout. Besides, they were going to spend the next who-knows-how-long talking, so no harm in not doing so at the very moment.

When they finally got to the conference room, he gave her another nod. “No problem,” he replied as he settled in a chair on the other side of the table, so they could face each other comfortably. “It’s the least I can do for a fellow harbinger.”

He watched as she settled down and prepared for the interview ahead. He, on the other hand, realized he still had his backpack on and carefully took it off, rolling his shoulders as he placed the bag by his feet.

Riley cocked his head slightly at the little disclaimer about the interview, before nodding for the third time. “Alright then. I…don’t have anything yet, so I guess you could ask away.”
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Post by Lumine Thu Aug 16, 2012 8:13 am

Lumine nodded, made one more note, and stretched herself out, this was the first interview she had done in a very long time, and hopefully, she wouldn't screw it up horribly. Not that conversations could be screwed up that badly, especially in this setting.

"Well then, how about you start with yourself? I've of course, got your name, picture and the fact that you're a harbinger, but that's about it. How long have you been in this area of the city and, what's your history with it?"

Maybe she was being a bit too overbearing to her interviewee, but this is how one tended to get answers from harbingers. They were usually not very trusting...maybe leading off with what she knew was a bad idea, but on the other hand, being transparent with what she did know was a good idea. Lumine sighed mentally. She was rusty with the whole interviewing thing, and she knew it. At the very least, the information would go well with her courses.

"Also, if you wish to not answer any question, please say so."

Lumine sat back with a pen and paper, waiting for at least some answer. Hopefully he was a good pick. Usually the younger ones had much more to say.
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Post by Noise Thu Aug 16, 2012 5:18 pm

What she knew was reasonable enough, he supposed. Just the basic knowledge that brought her here in the first place, and nothing overly intrusive. Riley nodded at her fourth statement; it was good to know that he still had the ability to avoid certain topics. He put both elbows on the edge of the table, crossing his arms lightly but resting them on the surface as well, as he thought about the question.

“I was born and raised here in the West District, and I try to stick around here when I can, since I don’t know the other Districts very well. After sixteen years, I’m fairly comfortable with the layout of this part of the city, and it has the upside of being, well, not as dangerous as other areas. Especially since my power isn’t particularly great for protecting myself.” He tacked on the last statement as an afterthought; it was true, anyways, and since he was here talking to this lady – Lumine, he reminded himself – because of his harbinger nature, he may as well refer to it now and again.
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Post by Lumine Thu Aug 16, 2012 10:49 pm

Not a bad start to the interview at all actually. It sounded as though the kid hadn't left for other districts in some time, or simply didn't care for them. It was understandable. Lumine preferred the western portion of the city herself. It was generally quieter, less in the way of gang activity, and things just seemed much more normal than other parts of the city. Unfortunately, as a harbinger, things were always a little strange, and everyone tended to treat her as a troublemaker, even though Lumine herself was quite docile.

"That certainly makes sense, I know the index has your ability listed, but as you might know, it's not particularly detailed. It's in my notes as sound mimicry, but how far does that go exactly, and what makes it so poor for protecting yourself?"

Lumi could already think of some applications for his ability, some useful, and some that could be outright dangerous. Sound in particular was an interesting scientific phenomenon. If the boy had good control over it, maybe there was a way to give him the ability to protect himself from others that might want to harm him. On the other hand, his ability was all Lumi knew of him. If he was a troublemaker, well. Then things would get much more dangerous.


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Post by Noise Fri Aug 17, 2012 1:45 am

“Well…I can reproduce any sound that I hear, at least to my knowledge. It can be sounds like birdcalls, or the squeak of a rusty door hinge, or a fire alarm. As long as I can remember it, I just sort of…think about the noise, open my mouth and exhale like I would to speak, and the sound just makes itself in my throat.”

Riley hesitated. He usually didn’t tell anyone what else he could do beyond that, but…he was here already, and the woman needed it for her studies. With that in mind, he continued.

“Spoken words are also fair game, though being able to use it effectively is a bit hard.” He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to think of how to explain it. “For replicating the way someone speaks, I have to be a little more…lenient, I suppose, on the accuracy of the sound, because otherwise it doesn’t always sound natural or appropriate to the situation.”

“I guess it’s just not as useful compared to certain other powers. It’s better than, say, talking to plants, but worse than making an electric field. The best I could think of is producing a sound at a high volume, or using something like an alarm in order to startle or stun people. Unfortunately, though, it would attract a lot of attention. I’m not exactly immune to the sounds as well.” Hence why he’d never attempted it; he liked not being deaf.
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Post by Lumine Fri Aug 17, 2012 3:09 am

This interview suddenly took a turn for the very interesting. Riley was seemingly capable of imitating any sound that he heard with some practice, and because he was a known harbinger, the ability was likely perfect, meaning some serious applications that he wasn't taking advantage of. Lumine wrote some extra notes. Riley was much more powerful than he was making himself out to be. Had he not explored the extent of his abilities? Or was he withholding information? Whatever the case, Lumine listened in.

Spoken words were more difficult. There were subtle nuances that even harbingers could miss easily, and thus, it made sense that he would need more practice on the subject.

"That makes sense, certainly."

Lumine paused, maybe it was worth telling him. He'd learn about it eventually.

"Sound...is a funny thing. It's much more powerful than you claim it to be. Objects resonates at specific frequencies, and if you can yell, sing or whatever at these frequencies, things start to happen. Sound is pressure, annnnd, enough of it can cause things to break down. It's a strange effect really. Have you ever done any formal training for controlling your harbinger abilities?"
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Post by Noise Fri Aug 17, 2012 3:45 am

Riley tilted his head slightly at her suggestion. To be honest, he’d never taken the time to study sound, despite it being related to his power. He just knew he could listen to something and replicate it, maybe edit it a bit – though that wasn’t necessarily by choice, but rather unfamiliarity with the sound. But, break things down with sound? “I’ve heard of people being able to break glass with their voice, but I’ve never actually considered it. That’s…actually a pretty interesting idea.” If he could figure out how to make it work, it could be a fairly effective weapon. Of course, he had the feeling it wouldn’t be as easy as it sounded – pardon the word choice.

“No training, unfortunately. Everything I know now, I had to figure out for myself. I don’t know anyone that would teach that sort of stuff, plus I don’t have the means to pay for it either. If I had the chance, though, I’d love to take it.” He’d probably be a lot more effective with his power if he had gotten a teacher early on, but there was nothing he could do about that.
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Post by Lumine Fri Aug 17, 2012 9:58 am

Lumine was by now starting to formulate her own ideas on where she wanted to go with her research. This interview, although it had just started, had turned her attention towards a specific subject: The education of harbingers and the use of their abilities. Was it possible? And were there enough harbingers to make it worth it? And how would the general public respond? Could they help in anyway, or be at least involved? Lumine smiled a little bit. Unbeknownst to Riley, he was setting a precedent for Lumine's research that she had yet to achieve in a very long time.

And then came a random question, one that she hadn't prepared whatsoever.

"You wouldn't know anyone, because no one like that exists, every harbinger so far has had to learn the extent of their ability on their own. That said, if such a program existed for free, or at a reasonable price, do you think other harbingers would take the courses? Or possibly be tutored?"

Lumi thought about it for a moment. Being a teacher for harbingers, or at least a private tutor would be extremely gratifying for the younger ones, or at least those people who had had their power for less than a year. Wouldn't that make for an interesting change of lifestyle?

"Besides that, yes, look into your ability some more, you'll find there are quite a few interesting uses for sound. Not necessarily destructive as well."
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Post by Noise Fri Aug 17, 2012 6:49 pm

“Possibly. The teacher would have to be a harbinger themselves, of course. I guess I can’t really speak for all harbingers, but I’d be more comfortable learning from someone that knows what it’s like to be one. You could say that I’d rather trust a fellow harbinger than a normal person.” Considering all the discrimination they got from the latter, it was only natural for him to be less wary around harbingers. “It’d be an interesting course, since everyone’s abilities are fairly one-of-a-kind. I think harbingers that just discovered their powers would find it useful, though.” Riley drummed his fingers on the table top a few times as he considered another idea. “What about…maybe another class to go hand in hand with that? About how to deal with one’s restitution in the most efficient way, maybe even assisting them in getting things they need, just to start off with.”

The thought of harbingers actually helping one another like that – since he doubted normal people would bother – was exciting. They could at least provide some form of support within their little mutant community, and that was the last thing some of them were getting. It would at least lessen the hardships the newer ones would have to go through.

With her other suggestion, he nodded, stilling his fingers as he answered. “Alright, then. It’d give me something to do.” Something more productive than feeding birds at the park, at least.
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Post by Lumine Fri Aug 17, 2012 9:56 pm

This interview was far more interesting than she could have hoped for. By this time, Lumine had simply set the notes aside and continued the conversation on her own terms. Riley had a point. Only other harbingers would be able to effectively teach the class, at least for now. It was said in some circles that humans and harbingers were actually two separate species, and because of their mutations...well, it was kind of true actually. Depending on ones perception and beliefs, the Harbingers were either more or less than human, but certainly not human.

"That's understandable. I think I would be too. Although would you mind non-harbingers sitting in on the classes? I think it's important for them to understand we're not all you know, crazy psychos out to set the world on fire."

Riley had several ideas relating to the classes, each of which Lumine wrote down and marked for future use.

"I'm thinking starting with one on one training would probably be better. As you said, every mutation tends to be different. Basic courses could be done in groups, but I think we'd make more than a few people nervous grouping us altogether. As for a course for dealing with one's restitution in the most efficient way, well, I can see that happening. I certainly could use that."

No kidding. Lumine was always trying to figure out ways to get around her restitution, all of which had been mildly unsuccessful thus far. Maybe it just couldn't be bent as a price.

"I suppose the next course of action is to figure out how I'm going to use this. You've been immensely helpful. Thanks for taking time to talk with me. I certainly appreciate it."
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Post by Noise Sat Aug 18, 2012 12:09 am

“As long as they don’t do or say anything harmful, I’d be okay with it, though the other way around might have to be enforced as well. Especially if they’re the minority there.” Riley didn’t like the way normal people treated him, but that didn’t mean he wanted them dead or anything. He wasn’t exactly how other harbingers would react to being watched during something as difficult as controlling their powers. It wasn’t anyone’s fault that harbingers drew the short straw in genetics, but there were probably ones crazy enough that took it out on normal civilians.

Listening as she considered his other idea, he smiled very slightly. “As could I.” Not being able to breathe properly was one of the worse restitutions he could’ve gotten. People who just got headaches, or had to drink a gallon of water, or something along those lines…they were enviable. Then again, there were also people who had to injure themselves in some way, and he supposed he was a bit luckier than them.

“No problem, I’m glad to be able to help another harbinger. Is there anything else you need?”
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Post by Lumine Sat Aug 18, 2012 7:24 am

"Definitely a fair point. I'll make a note of that."

And with that, the interview was over, having deviated majorly from Lumine's intended plan. That was to say however, that things didn't go well. Quite the opposite in fact. Lumine now had the basis for what could be considered a final project for her university work. No harbinger cared for a standard humans treatment. Lumine suspected that was because discrimintion incited violence between the two human groups. Violence that often proved fatal. It was a brutal, long spiral downward, and it wasn't going to be easy to pick the the mess all back up.

Lumine stood from her chair and put on her coat.

"No, I think that just about does it for what I need. Wasn't exactly the interview I was expecting, but instead I found some far more helpful ideas. Thank you tons for that."

Lumi laid a small card on the table with contact information, a business card if you will.

"If you need something, or wish to speak again, my contact information is listed on that card. Is there anything you need from me before I leave?"
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Post by Noise Sun Aug 19, 2012 2:33 pm

Riley smiled, standing as well and slinging his backpack over his shoulder before leaning over to pick up the card. He studied it for just a moment before pocketing it, looking back at Lumine. “No, but I do wish you well on this. Harbingers could certainly use the help, and I hope you’ll get what you need to start something like this.” After a brief hesitation, he continued. “If you need help on this, I’m willing to try. I can’t guarantee anything, but with any luck I’ll have the means to assist you.” He wasn’t exactly sure what sort of assistance he could give, but something could be figured out in time. “And of course, you already know how to contact me.”

In the meantime, he needed to do a bit of his own research on his power, or simply sound in general as a starting point. If Lumine was right, there were a lot more things he could use his ability for. He’d head to the library once this was over; the place had both computers and books, both of which should prove useful.
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Post by Lumine Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:29 pm

"I couldn't agree more."

After a couple minutes of small talk, Lumine was finally ready and well on her way out the door. She had a met a harbinger that harbored several of the same feelings she did growing up. The difference was in this occasion was that Riley might actually grow up with the support structure in place to make being a harbinger less of a big deal than it was. That, and everyone else that would be affected by the program if it managed to take shape. So far, they were only two people, and despite the city being made up of only 0.2% harbingers, that number was growing every day. 2000 harbingers. The number was small in retrospect, but those were the people most dangerous...or most helpful to the city depending.

"I'll keep in touch Riley, thanks again for your help."

Lumine headed for the front desk, and turned in her pass, signed out, and walked straight out the front gate and back into the city. She decided to give it a month. Finals had finished, and soon, she'd be finished with school altogether. Maybe a research grant was in order?

Who knew.


(Thread complete.)
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