Participants:
| Scene Title | A Different Type of Racism |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Kendall and Melissa talk about parents, racism and Liette. |
| Date | April 3, 2010 |
After the quick escape to the boats, those who left with Melissa were brought here, to the Brick House. It's not the Ritz, but it's actually a better place than the Den in general. At least as far as comfort goes. Mel hasn't left the building since they arrived, except to walk Jerry, and the half-grown pup has been staying with Kendall when he's not with Melissa. Probably at her urging.
Right now Mel is heading up to visit with Kendall, and she has the German Shepherd in tow. There's a soft rap as usual, then she smiles a little. "Hey Kendall. How you feeling?"
"A little better." Kendall admits. "Like I might die in a week instead of tomorrow." so dramatic. He's sprawled on a bed, like he has for much of the past month or so, and he reaches a hand out to Jerry for the dog to sniff/lick/what have you.
Melissa smiles, getting used to his dramatics, while Jerry pads over, sniffs at his hand, then gives it a lick. The greeting done, he jumps up on the bed, and tries to curl up right on Kendall's legs. Poor kid. "Well at least you're feeling well enough to complain. I consider that a good sign," she says, finding a wall to lean against.
"I…ah…wanted to check in on you, and see if you had any questions or anything. Sure that a quick evacuation wasn't what you were expecting when you showed up at my place."
"Well I didn't not expect it either, if you know what I mean." Kendall wriggles his toes, trying to tickle Jerry's belly. "I mean, we were a bunch of people in hiding. I'm sure stuff like that would come up rather often." shrug.
Melissa's brows arch, then her lips curve again and she nods. "Very perceptive of you. Yeah, it's not unheard of. You hide, generally does mean someone is trying to find you. Just glad we got out before they did. And I swear boy, you even think of giving yourself up again and I'll smack you around."
Kendall ducks his head at that, coughing to the side. It's more embarassment than sickness right there though. "Well I don't have any other reason to not be registered now, so…." he doesn't seem to realize the implications of being registered.
There's a soft sigh. "It's not the registering, Kendall," Melissa says quietly, shaking her head. "Though just that can be dangerous." She shuts the door and moves to sit on the bed, absently petting Jerry as she talks.
"I didn't go to register when the Linderman act was passed. I didn't think it was anyone's business but my own. And I wasn't hurting anyone. I wasn't like some evolved who use their powers for money or power. I just did my own thing and minded my own business," Mel begins to explain, looking at him, but not really seeming to see him.
"Somehow, they found out about my power. I don't know if they had someone who could sense abilities, or if someone I knew found out and ratted me out. But they found out, and they came to get me, Kendall. I hadn't hurt anyone, but I was registered against my will and then thrown in Moab. Do you know what Moab is, Kendall?"
"Moab?" Kendall has no idea, clearly, to judge by his tone. "Uh… not really. But my power's not dangeround or anything. It's pretty much useless, I can't do anything real with it."
Melissa looks as though the subject is distasteful to her, but she continues with her explanation. "Moab was a prison, one only for evolved prisoners. People who were considered dangerous were put there. Even those like me who hadn't done anything wrong. And you say your power isn't dangerous, but it's not what you think that matters. It's what they think. If they believe that your ability could be used to harm or to fuck with the government, you'd be locked up too."
"Is this one of the 'be good or you'll go to prison' sort of things?" Kendall almost thinks she's making it up to scare him. "How could what I do possibly screw up the government?"
Melissa smiles faintly. "This is just me explaining how things are, hon. I didn't figure my ability was that powerful, but they thought otherwise. Actually sorta turned into a self-fulfilling prophecy, because I learned." She shrugs and looks to Jerry, scratching behind an ear which has his leg kicking furiously, and a smile forming on Mel's lips.
"You? Illusions can be powerful. Very powerful. You could fake all sorts of IDs and paperwork, for instance. And who knows, you're young yet, your power could grow beyond what you could imagine right now."
"Well if I didn't know I could do that sort of thing before, I do now." Kendall states blandly, reaching over to scratch Jerry's ears with a droll expression.
Melissa shrugs. "I don't know for sure you can, as I don't know much about your ability. But you can bet money those are things that the government would be considering."
Kendall shakes his head. "Don't those guys have anything better to do with their time than to come up with what-ifs that screw people over?" he complains. "It's like they want to make everyone miserable."
"They're paranoid," Mel says with another shrug. "They're paranoid and fanatical and perhaps worst of all? They believe that they're right. And that we're wrong. It's why there are places like this one and people like me. We want to protect people and give them a choice. Something the government takes from us."
"I know, Kendall," Melissa says, while Jerry crawls up the bed, whining a little at Kendall's tone, and licking at his hand. "It's part of why I work so hard to give a choice where I can. Hating or distrusting people because they're evolved is racism, plain and simple. But rather than the color of our skin, it's all about a gene that we're born with."
"Yeah. Except your parents don't hate you for being black or white or whatever." uh oh, this again. Kendall brings this up often, doesn't he?
"No. My parents have never had enough time for me to hate me," Melissa says flatly. "I was raised by a nanny, Kendall. I don't think I saw my parents for more than an hour at a time ever in my entire life."
"My parents held me up to such high standards that I couldn't ever meet." Kendall tells Melissa. "They expected me to be perfect in everything I do and follow in their footsteps." that's a lot of pressure to place on someone so young.
"Mine never had any standards for me, Kendall. Other than I not embarrass them. Which is probably why I did just that as often as I could," Melissa explains with a shrug. "I'm not saying your parents are great, Kendall. I'm not. They suck ass for doing what they did to you. But don't hate what you've got because they're too stupid to understand it."
"Well, what now, then?" Kendall asks, to change the subject. "Are we going to stay here forever? I mean, if you want me to go to school it's kind of pointless to stay in hiding the rest of the time, right?"
Melissa shakes her head. "No, we won't stay here forever. Everyone here has someplace to go once they're better. This is just temporary. When you're better, you'll come home with me. The kids have a home to go to, and Liette will leave with Doc Brennan."
"Liette's around my age, isn't she?" Kendall asks when Melissa mentions the girl's name. "Who is she?" uh oh, Melissa, better warn him off now while you have the chance?
"She is no one you need to be sniffing at," Melissa says, shaking her head. "For several reasons. One, it'd be weird. Two, it'd be weird. Three, she's unbelievably innocent about the world and needs to learn how to live before a guy is considered. Four…well, let's leave it at three for now. But she's a friend of mine, and under my protection the same as you."
"Why would it be weird?" Kendall asks, flabbergasted. "What, you're afraid I'd get her sick or something? Who is she?" he doesn't really know what to say about the whole 'innocent' bit.
“Because you're gonna be staying with me and she's like the kid I could have in twenty years or something," Melissa says with a pained look and mild shudder. "And who she is is complicated and not my place to explain."
"What, is she actually your kid or something?" Kendall asks with a raised eyebrow. "I've heard from people that there's those with time travel powers."
There's a quick stare then Melissa busts out laughing and shakes her head. "Not as far as I know! I just said she's like the kid I could have. I mean, the hair, the attitude. She reminds me of me if I was ever innocent. but yeah, there are people with time related abilities. I know one, actually."
"Really? Well how'm I supposed to know what's possible and what's not?" Kendall appears curious. "Could I… meet the time traveler?" or whatever.
"That's up to her, really. She's a good friend though, so I'll ask her next time I see her," Melissa promises.
Oh, a her? That makes it even better! "I wouldn't mind that at all!" Kendall is probably the most happy he's been for a while now. Maybe he's thinking geeky thoughts again.
Melissa smiles, pleased to see him in a better mood. "As for what's possible? Pretty much assume that if you can imagine an ability, it's out there somewhere."
"Hmm." seems like that was enough for Kendall right now, as he seems to be hitting lethargic mode and falling asleep. It's a symptom of the flu, after all.
Melissa plays mother hen once more, tucking the covers in around him before she stands. She makes a motion to Jerry, and murmurs, "Stay" before she slips out of the room to let him sleep.