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The Shadow Knows! (Final Update 6/3/04)
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<blockquote data-quote="The Shadow" data-source="post: 4196098" data-attributes="member: 16760"><p>[I was looking over some of the old Shadow game-writeups to prepare for the David scene I promised a while back but haven't yet delivered on - another case of SP and I being hopeless when it comes to scheduling. And while I was doing so, this scene came to me all at once, almost in whole cloth. I honestly don't know how or why that happens, but here it is for your edification and delight.]</p><p></p><p>[This is another What If?, in a possible future where David is getting married to Twyla.]</p><p></p><p>Twyla fussed with her gown, increasingly nervous on her big day. The chatter and giggling of the bridesmaids did nothing to calm her nerves, and she started at the knock on the door.</p><p></p><p>David's father came in carrying a small cardboard box. The tuxedo he wore only accentuated the formality and reserve she associated with him. I hadn't realized he was so tall, the irrelevant thought came to her, but she collected herself as he said with a slight bow, "I wanted you to have this, my dear."</p><p></p><p>She tilted him a smile and opened the box, gasping at the vibrant colors of the orchid corsage inside. "It's... gorgeous!" The girls likewise oohed over the flower. "Thank you," he said modestly, "I was not certain it would bloom in time for the wedding, but fortune smiled upon us." "You grew it yourself?!" "I'm full of hidden talents," he said wryly.</p><p></p><p>Something flashed between the two of them, and Twyla came to a decision. "Girls, could you give us a moment?" They filed out and she looked at him more directly than she usually dared. There'd always been something a little frightening about him, the more so after that memorable phone call.</p><p></p><p>"Mr. Brighton..." "Please! Alex." "Alex, then... I just wanted to say..." She swallowed, then spilled out, "I know you've never much liked me..."</p><p></p><p>With the courteous directness she knew drove David crazy, he said, "My dear, the feelings I had toward you before this day are now entirely irrelevant. You are my daughter, and I love you." His words were sincere, and she could not doubt him. Whatever else might be said about him, somehow she had always felt he was scrupulously honest.</p><p></p><p>She dropped her eyes. "That... means a lot to me. I know you and David fight sometimes, but I've always seen how much you love each other. It's... something I never had at home." "I know," he said gently, and again she did not doubt him, though she couldn't imagine how he knew.</p><p></p><p>After a short silence, he stated, "I gather from David that there is something else you wish to ask me."</p><p></p><p>"Yes," she said quietly.</p><p></p><p>"How much has he told you about me?" "Nothing much. But it's been obvious for a long time that you're just as - what's the word you used? - 'special' as he is."</p><p></p><p>He sighed. "As I said - hidden talents." Her hand cupped her slightly-swelling abdomen protectively. "Alex, is our baby going to be 'special' too? David didn't know."</p><p></p><p>"I cannot say for certain. My own brand of 'specialness' is quite different from David's, and I do not know the reason. But yes, I think it very likely that my grandchildren will have quite the range of unexpected abilities."</p><p></p><p>She absorbed that, startled. "Different? But you can beat David in a fight, and he..." "Not any more. My skill is purely the result of training. His raw power has dwarfed any skill I can bring to bear for years now."</p><p></p><p>"Then," she swallowed hard, "then I suppose you should tell me what I can expect." He closed his eyes, letting out a long, drawn-out sigh.</p><p></p><p>After a moment, he said, "There are forty-six people in the building presently. I can recognize many of them from here, and for the rest I can tell you their locations, genders, approximate ages and emotional states. David, for example, is pacing up and down in the room down the hall; he is nervous. 'Little Dave' is trying to jolly him out of it. Your parents are downstairs getting mildly drunk. Give me a moment of concentration, and I can see and hear any of them clearly, or tell you what any of them is thinking. Give me a few moments more, and I can retrieve for you any of their memories. If there were a pressing need, I could alter those memories. Or afflict any of them with mortal terror. Or do any of a number of other things." He smiled sadly. "In the lingo of the trade, I am a telepath, an empath, and an esper. Your children could end up all of those things, or some of them, or none. I simply do not know."</p><p></p><p>She paled as she stared at him, shocked. He continued quietly, "Please do not fear me. I never spy on people unless there is a great need. I have no desire to know the inner thoughts of others, least of all my loved ones."</p><p></p><p>"Does... does David know?" "He does. But he does not understand." His eyes mutely begged her to.</p><p></p><p>After a long silence, she asked, "How do you bear it?" "At times, Twyla, I cannot."</p><p></p><p>"If... If my baby has this thing..." She could not continue, and Alex said quietly, "He or she will be able to bear it better than I can. I did not have the help of another telepath as a child, and so I had to deal with it alone and in ignorance. That fate, at least, will not befall your children. I swear it."</p><p></p><p>She shook her head, then realized something else. "What, uh, 'trade' were you referring to just now?"</p><p></p><p>"Daughter," he said with a tender firmness, "it is best for everyone that you not know the answer to that question."</p><p></p><p>"I suppose so," she said slowly, "But hear me now - my children won't be part of it." Her voice rang with firm decision.</p><p></p><p>"No. They will not be. I am as determined in this matter as you are, I promise you."</p><p></p><p>"Then I guess we have an understanding." "I guess we do." "...Am I going to remember all of this tomorrow?" He quirked a smile. "If I were of a mind to change your memories, I would have done so years ago, after the whole bandage incident." Surprised, she said, "I guess you would have. Why didn't you?" Quite seriously, he replied, "My son loves you."</p><p></p><p>That brought her to the sort of sudden impulsive decision she had always trusted: "I love you too, Dad." He closed his eyes, visibly pleased but struggling for the poise she now had an inkling why he needed. She kissed him on the cheek. "And I'll try to help David understand. He's too close to you." "I know."</p><p></p><p>"Do me a favor?" "Ask and it is done." "Read my mind as I come down the aisle." He looked at her oddly, disapprovingly. "If you wish it."</p><p></p><p>Later that day, he stood at the front of the groom's side, a fidgeting tux-clad Carlos next to him. As he promised, when she appeared on her father's arm (wearing the orchid), he opened his mind to hers. For a moment, she met his eyes, and he sensed clearly, <em>Tradition says this man gives me to my love, even though he cares little for me. I'm glad to enter a real family.</em></p><p></p><p>Then she caught sight of David, and her heart swelled with joy. Alex remembered Jennifer, and discovered something new about himself:</p><p></p><p>He was the sort to cry at weddings.</p><p></p><p>[Yes, I realize that realistically they would've had this conversation weeks if not months before the wedding; it was just more dramatic this way. Plus, it preserved the original impetus of the scene<img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":]" title="Devious :]" data-shortname=":]" /></p><p></p><p>[Reading Alex's background again, I thought, "That's right, he likes to grow tropical plants. We never did anything with that in the game." -> "Alex is the sort to grow an orchid for somebody on a special occasion. Say, a wedding." -> "Of course. David and Twyla." -> Whole scene drops neatly into my mind, nearly verbatim.]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="The Shadow, post: 4196098, member: 16760"] [I was looking over some of the old Shadow game-writeups to prepare for the David scene I promised a while back but haven't yet delivered on - another case of SP and I being hopeless when it comes to scheduling. And while I was doing so, this scene came to me all at once, almost in whole cloth. I honestly don't know how or why that happens, but here it is for your edification and delight.] [This is another What If?, in a possible future where David is getting married to Twyla.] Twyla fussed with her gown, increasingly nervous on her big day. The chatter and giggling of the bridesmaids did nothing to calm her nerves, and she started at the knock on the door. David's father came in carrying a small cardboard box. The tuxedo he wore only accentuated the formality and reserve she associated with him. I hadn't realized he was so tall, the irrelevant thought came to her, but she collected herself as he said with a slight bow, "I wanted you to have this, my dear." She tilted him a smile and opened the box, gasping at the vibrant colors of the orchid corsage inside. "It's... gorgeous!" The girls likewise oohed over the flower. "Thank you," he said modestly, "I was not certain it would bloom in time for the wedding, but fortune smiled upon us." "You grew it yourself?!" "I'm full of hidden talents," he said wryly. Something flashed between the two of them, and Twyla came to a decision. "Girls, could you give us a moment?" They filed out and she looked at him more directly than she usually dared. There'd always been something a little frightening about him, the more so after that memorable phone call. "Mr. Brighton..." "Please! Alex." "Alex, then... I just wanted to say..." She swallowed, then spilled out, "I know you've never much liked me..." With the courteous directness she knew drove David crazy, he said, "My dear, the feelings I had toward you before this day are now entirely irrelevant. You are my daughter, and I love you." His words were sincere, and she could not doubt him. Whatever else might be said about him, somehow she had always felt he was scrupulously honest. She dropped her eyes. "That... means a lot to me. I know you and David fight sometimes, but I've always seen how much you love each other. It's... something I never had at home." "I know," he said gently, and again she did not doubt him, though she couldn't imagine how he knew. After a short silence, he stated, "I gather from David that there is something else you wish to ask me." "Yes," she said quietly. "How much has he told you about me?" "Nothing much. But it's been obvious for a long time that you're just as - what's the word you used? - 'special' as he is." He sighed. "As I said - hidden talents." Her hand cupped her slightly-swelling abdomen protectively. "Alex, is our baby going to be 'special' too? David didn't know." "I cannot say for certain. My own brand of 'specialness' is quite different from David's, and I do not know the reason. But yes, I think it very likely that my grandchildren will have quite the range of unexpected abilities." She absorbed that, startled. "Different? But you can beat David in a fight, and he..." "Not any more. My skill is purely the result of training. His raw power has dwarfed any skill I can bring to bear for years now." "Then," she swallowed hard, "then I suppose you should tell me what I can expect." He closed his eyes, letting out a long, drawn-out sigh. After a moment, he said, "There are forty-six people in the building presently. I can recognize many of them from here, and for the rest I can tell you their locations, genders, approximate ages and emotional states. David, for example, is pacing up and down in the room down the hall; he is nervous. 'Little Dave' is trying to jolly him out of it. Your parents are downstairs getting mildly drunk. Give me a moment of concentration, and I can see and hear any of them clearly, or tell you what any of them is thinking. Give me a few moments more, and I can retrieve for you any of their memories. If there were a pressing need, I could alter those memories. Or afflict any of them with mortal terror. Or do any of a number of other things." He smiled sadly. "In the lingo of the trade, I am a telepath, an empath, and an esper. Your children could end up all of those things, or some of them, or none. I simply do not know." She paled as she stared at him, shocked. He continued quietly, "Please do not fear me. I never spy on people unless there is a great need. I have no desire to know the inner thoughts of others, least of all my loved ones." "Does... does David know?" "He does. But he does not understand." His eyes mutely begged her to. After a long silence, she asked, "How do you bear it?" "At times, Twyla, I cannot." "If... If my baby has this thing..." She could not continue, and Alex said quietly, "He or she will be able to bear it better than I can. I did not have the help of another telepath as a child, and so I had to deal with it alone and in ignorance. That fate, at least, will not befall your children. I swear it." She shook her head, then realized something else. "What, uh, 'trade' were you referring to just now?" "Daughter," he said with a tender firmness, "it is best for everyone that you not know the answer to that question." "I suppose so," she said slowly, "But hear me now - my children won't be part of it." Her voice rang with firm decision. "No. They will not be. I am as determined in this matter as you are, I promise you." "Then I guess we have an understanding." "I guess we do." "...Am I going to remember all of this tomorrow?" He quirked a smile. "If I were of a mind to change your memories, I would have done so years ago, after the whole bandage incident." Surprised, she said, "I guess you would have. Why didn't you?" Quite seriously, he replied, "My son loves you." That brought her to the sort of sudden impulsive decision she had always trusted: "I love you too, Dad." He closed his eyes, visibly pleased but struggling for the poise she now had an inkling why he needed. She kissed him on the cheek. "And I'll try to help David understand. He's too close to you." "I know." "Do me a favor?" "Ask and it is done." "Read my mind as I come down the aisle." He looked at her oddly, disapprovingly. "If you wish it." Later that day, he stood at the front of the groom's side, a fidgeting tux-clad Carlos next to him. As he promised, when she appeared on her father's arm (wearing the orchid), he opened his mind to hers. For a moment, she met his eyes, and he sensed clearly, [i]Tradition says this man gives me to my love, even though he cares little for me. I'm glad to enter a real family.[/i] Then she caught sight of David, and her heart swelled with joy. Alex remembered Jennifer, and discovered something new about himself: He was the sort to cry at weddings. [Yes, I realize that realistically they would've had this conversation weeks if not months before the wedding; it was just more dramatic this way. Plus, it preserved the original impetus of the scene:] [Reading Alex's background again, I thought, "That's right, he likes to grow tropical plants. We never did anything with that in the game." -> "Alex is the sort to grow an orchid for somebody on a special occasion. Say, a wedding." -> "Of course. David and Twyla." -> Whole scene drops neatly into my mind, nearly verbatim.] [/QUOTE]
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