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[sub][@Surtr], [@FernStone][/sub][/center]
[b][code]Strong-Gold Community, Silver Hills_[/code][/b][hr][hr]


[i]It has been three days, I have neglected basic needs in favor of scanning this book for whatever I can get out of it.[/i]

Wendy wrote her own journal with one hand... literally. She had her hand pressed against an open book, and generated ink that she willed into the shape of sentences. While also obsessively scanning the book. Her talent with ink manipulation was to such a level she could write... without even looking. A talent that's probably... less than impressive in the Metahuman community. But, that was far from important. She had the second edition of Sean Rosier's notes! Amazing!

"The theory of traveling from one dimension to another could possibly be related to mechanic of quantum tunneling, or how it is often explained to the uninformed..." Wendy repeated the words from the book, in a low tone. "Traveling over a hill without having the energy to... and just go through it instead. The basis of quantum tunneling is a particle piercing through a potential energy barrier of a much higher energy value...."

It was a little while since Wendy had left the room. Not to shower, or interact with people (... not really her M.O to begin with). She merely left to go to the bathroom, and eat the food that Kumiko left her. But, otherwise, kept her attention on the books. In fact, she was wearing nothing but underwear (Very sweaty underwear). She was certain that her friends would be fine without her, in fact, she dismissed them until she made a discovery. They're only doing this in their spare time, after all, and probably had school and other activities to attend to. 

"What if... what if the energy barrier in this context is the aforementioned barrier that is keeping the universes separate? What if there is a way to pierce through it without an insurmountable amount of energy? As I proposed earlier that, to pierce through such a barrier, you would need more energy than the world could ever produce... but what if you don't need any? What if there's another way..."

Wendy repeated what the book said verbatim. Then she thought about the last phrase. "... Another way?" She asked herself. There was probably something he was implying here. Something she'd learn by the end of the book... but, a knocking on the door interrupted her.

"... Hey, Wen," Kumiko said through the door. "You've been locked up in there for three days straight, come out."

"Kumiko... I'm busy." Wendy pleaded.

"Fine, drastic measures!" There was a pause between that statement, and the next. "I invited your bird girlfriend."

"Wait, how-" Wendy looked to the side, and noticed that her phone was gone.

"Remember, Wen," Kumiko cockily said through the door. "I did nothing espionage for a good ten years! Take a shower, and take your mind off that damn book."

Well, there was a chance that Kumiko was bluffing, but Wendy knew that there was also a higher chance that Kumiko actually got Rori to come. She wasn't going to get caught unprepared... and maybe she did need a shower. So, it was time that Wendy took a break....

[hr]

It had taken Rori a while to arrive, due to being in the middle of painting when they'd got the text. They still had a bit of paint splattered on them, especially the feathers around their neck, but they'd changed into a nicer shirt and jeans before leaving (not that Rori had many fancy clothes). After double checking that the address matched the door in front of them, they rang the doorbell. 

The door opened, and it revealed Wendy in a skyblue summer dress stepping out towards her. "Heeeeeeey, Rori!" Wendy greeted her with an open hand. "Glad you could make it."

"Hey, Wendy," Rori grinned at their friend, going to hug then in greeting - though it was a bit awkward because they weren't sure how appropriate that was after three years of not seeing each other. "It was easy enough - I don't exactly do anything these days. I should get a job." They laughed. "How are you?"

"I'm doing fine... I'm just looking at the other book," Wendy awkwardly said, before she glanced over her shoulder, before holding the door open for Rori. "Come in, come in."

She lead the bird girl to the couch in Kumiko's house, and plopped down on it. This was tough... as Wendy didn't plan on any social interaction until she found all the secrets of the book. Even if it took months to do so. But, maybe Kumiko was right. Maybe a break would stop her from overworking herself (well, it did help her take a shower). Well, she needed a subject.  

Having followed Wendy in, Rori sat down on the couch beside her and took a moment to adjust themselves so that they could actually sit properly without their wings in the way (the constant pain in their everyday life). 

"So, uh, remember that thing I wanted to talk to you about in the cafe?" Wendy said, "About that one research book... not the one by Sean Rosier, but the other guy?"

"Oh yeah, the thing you wanted another perspective on?" Rori nodded. "I remember that. I'm assuming you want to talk about it now that there's no chance of someone else arriving and interrupting?" 

"Well, definitely not, just you and me..." Wendy shook her head, as she wondered where Rowan went, but she figured that she should just show Rori. She quickly got up, and skipped her way back into her room, before coming out a few moments later with a large book. The book where Wendy stored all of Ezekiel's research notes. She placed it on the table, before taking a gulp. She trusted Rori not to go flapping her gumsabout this, buuuuut she was wondering if a second opinion would help her make a decision. "You just need to promise not to tell anyone, not Reinald, not Kannix, not... anyone else in our group."

Wendy shrugged as her eyes drifted to the side.

"... Not that I don't trust them- well, I [i]kiiiind[/i] of don't," Wendy trailed off.  "But, that isn't what I mean, I don't trust them to keep this to themselves."

"Don't worry, I won't tell them," Rori nodded. They barely knew the other members of the group anyway.

Wendy smiled as she said, "Let me get started..." 

Wendy softly said, before she gulped. 

[i]"The concept of the Machine was born from many factors... first and foremost, the fact that every Metahuman is a low-yield reality warper. Subconsciously able to alter reality on a person, or impersonal level. The Metahuman energy is seemingly an innate connection to what composes the world... reality itself."[/i]

Wendy repeated the book verbatim, before looking up at Rori, then continued.

[i]"For the sake of everyone, everywhere... the Family has been suppressing this information for decades now, along with one simple fact that, if spread, could cause some major detriments... Every man, woman, and child... Has the potential to become a Metahuman, as everyone on Earth has the Metahuman energy inside them."[/i]

Rori listened carefully, trying to wrap their head around what Wendy was saying. "So... metahuman energy has always been around? It is a connection to the world? And anyone can become a metahuman?" It was difficult for Rori to fully understand; they knew for a fact they weren't as smart as Wendy, and it might take some explaining. They were trying, though. 

"It might be a little hard to understand, but that's essentially what this is saying," Wendy trailed off  "Our powers aren't grounded in science, but bending reality around us... but, I'm wondering if it's really valid."

Wendy sighed, as she stuck her hand out, and turned it into paper, as it flipped page by page. "On one hand, it'd explain [i]this[/i]."

Rori nodded. "It would definitely give an explanation," they absentmindedly touched the feather's at their neck as they talked. "But it also makes sense for some powers more than others, to me."

Wendy then tightly closed her fist, and turned it into flesh yet again.

"... On the other, of course, they're maniacs, and have a God complex that'd put Caligula to shame."

Stretching out on of their wings, the one that wouldn't hit Wendy when they did so, they kind of pointed to it. "I find it difficult to figure out how something like this is bending reality around us. Though maybe that's me not really understanding how science works, either. Not my strong subject." 

"I mean, you can turn into a bird a million times smaller than you," Wendy pleaded, "That defies mass conservation, and many biological laws. Such as, a bird has a different biology than a human, and transformations between the two should be impossible."

"Oh, yeah, I guess that makes more sense... I tend to think more about the physical changes," Rori blinked, seeming to agree with what Wendy said. "I don't know the Founding Family as well as you, well I know nothing at all about them, but I probably wouldn't trust their research. Then again, they probably believed it was right." Rori pulled their wing back towards their body, and sheepishly rubbed the back of their head. "Sorry if that doesn't help you at all in terms of another opinion!"

"And it's a good thing you've never experienced them..." Wendy moodily trailed off. She couldn't put into words how glad she was that Rori wasn't a victim. "The Founding Family... despite their insanity, were geniuses capable of science shoulders above the rest of the world..."

She realized what she was saying.

"I'm not saying you're wrong or anything," Wendy shrugged. "I'm saying we have to consider all possibilities [i]until[/i] proven otherwise... but..."

Wendy looked at Rori for a moment.

"Thank you anyway."

"It's no problem," Rori shrugged, not looking at all put out. "I'm probably more likely to be wrong than you anyway. This isn't something I know much about. "Thank you for telling me all this, though, and I wish I could help more."

They smiled slightly at Wendy before continuing. "If you want the book translated into a song, or a catchy tune to sum up our future adventures, I'm right here to do that."

"Ummm..." Wendy was unsure of how to respond to the song idea. But, it couldn't hurt, right? "... Sure."

"I mean I was mostly joking," Rori laughed. "Though it is something I could do - I just don't think you'd let me have the book long enough to do it! A small tune might be easier... hmm..." They looked thoughtful. "Now I'm actually thinking about composing a piece."

"Come on, what about a little?" Wendy said, teasing her.

"Now you're just putting me on the spot," Rori rolled their eyes with a smile. "See, I'd start with a verse about the group, but the name's are just a bit awkward!" They looked thoughtful. [i]"There once was a group of misfits, and a book.[/i] God, no, that sounds awful." Rori was beginning to look a little flustered. "Why did I even go to art school?"

"Keep going..." Wendy said with a playful smile on her face. "Keep a rhythm going!"

[i]"From the founding family it was took, leading to wonders they had never seen, and places they had never been."[/i] Rori paused, grinning at Wendy. It was difficult to think of something like this but, hey, it was fun. "It's beginning to sound more like a poem than a song. Why don't you add something to it?"

"Well, maybe we should take out 'Founding,'" Wendy said, "It flows better."

Part of Wendy wanted to contribute, but [i]how[/i]? She didn't know much about music, and all, but she was going to try.

"All because someone..." Wendy trailed off as she tried to (awkwardly) add lyrics. "... Had a dream. Stuck in her cluttered...." Then Wendy couldn't say anymore, and just broke out into laughter.

"Sorry Rori, but maybe you're right," Wendy chuckled, "We should leave it alone, stick to the things we're good at." She didn't have her camera on her, but if it was, she'd be playing with it in her hands.

"Yeah, seems neither of us have a talent at writing lyrics," Rori laughed along with Wendy.

"Hey... know what we haven't done in awhile?" Wendy asked. "We haven't gone out and taken some shots."

"No, we haven't! Sounds like a fun thing to do again," Rori grinned. "Where do you want to go?"

"We can head over to the Orchestra Mall," Wendy said. "C'mon, I can take you there on my moped."

"Sounds good," Rori hopped up. "Let's go!"

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[code]Greencrest Heights, White Coast_ [/code][hr][hr]

[i]“So why exactly are you sitting in my kitchen, acting as if you still live here?”[/i] Lihn shot an unimpressed glance at Kei as she descended the stairs, having just left her office. [i]“The key you have doesn’t give you a free pass to just turn up out of the blue.”[/i]

[i]“I thought you’d be pleased to have me visit,”[/i] Kei grinned. [i]“I stopped Thanh from breaking a glass so you had a bit of peace and quiet.”[/i]

Lihn sighed, looking over to where her daughter was now lying quietly on the floor beside her dog. [i]“I would be happy for you to visit, if I wasn’t so busy.”[/i]

[i]“Busy with what? I thought you didn’t have any clients today, past three?”[/i]

[i]“I have things out with of clients to deal with for work. And more personal research, too.”[/i]

[i]“You’re still looking into…” [/i]Kei glanced over at Thanh, and then back at his sister without saying another word. Lihn just nodded with a sigh. [i]“How’s it going?”[/i]

[i]“Slowly. Nothing has come of it yet.”[/i]

[i]“Why are you looking intit now, after all these years. It has been so long that it makes sense that it’s difficult.”[/i] Kei didn’t normally question what Lihn did, but this time it was something he was curious about.

[i]“Because of all the stuff with animals,”[/i] Lihn eventually responded with the sigh, voice dropping to a whisper. [i]“She’s getting more powerful, Kei. It’s beyond what our father could do. He was an animal empath, and I’m just an empath. I don’t know what she’ll be able to do.”[/i]

[i]“And I can control ice, which has nothing to do with that kind of stuff,”[/i] Kei shrugged one shoulder.

[i]“Our aunt can control fire,” [/i]Lihn countered.

[i]“Point taken,”[/i] Kei just nodded. [i]“But still, I’m sure it will be fine. So how about you relax for a little bit? I didn’t just come round to pester you while you were working. I need to go shopping and don’t want to go alone, so I thought it would be a nice opportunity for some family bonding.”[/i]

[i]“You want me to buy you things, don’t you?”[/i] Lihn raised an eyebrow.

[i]“Well, maybe. But it will be fun for Thanh too!”[/i]

At the sound of her name the small girl looked up with a grin. Well, that didn’t give Lihn much choice about going. [i]“Fine.” [/i]She turned to look at her daughter. [i]“Thanh, we’re going out shopping. I need you to get your stuff together for me, please, and get ready.”[/i]

“Okay! Chi wants to come too!” Thanh stood up slowly as she responded in English. As much as she understood Vietnamese she still hadn’t gotten her head around talking it.

[i]“We can’t bring Chi,”[/i] Lihn frowned slightly. [i]“Dogs aren’t generally allowed in malls.”[/i] Not to mention the last thing she wanted was her daughter talking to an animal in front of strangers. Most still didn’t take kindly to metahumans. And Thanh was only young.

“But she wants to come,” Thanh pouted, looking like she was about to cry.

“I’m sure it will be fine, Lihn,” Kei put in, moving over to ruffle Thanh’s hair as he also switched to English. “If she’s not allowed we can just go home or leave her in the car.”

“Okay, Thanh, you can collect bring Chi if you get her ready to go after you get your stuff together,” Lihn conceded, getting an excited response from her daughter as she jumped up to get ready. Her gaze move to her brother, eyes narrowing. “I can’t believe you just convinced me to bring a dog to a mall.”

“Hey, what’s the worst that can happen?”