elements of power || moffnat & mutemutt

[moffnat]

──── amari tanaka.​

The sun dipped below Wei Feng's horizon, casting the city in moonlight. Tall buildings fell dark with the rich treading away to slumber, but the lower parts of the city came alive. Amari found comfort in the shadows. Though darkness betrayed his buoyant personality, it was the safest way to travel for someone like him. An outsider. A man of many secrets.​

​

Amari maneuvered through the dimly lit streets of Wei Feng's poorer district. Drunkards had slithered from their holes, cursing and slurping from their bottles to drown the sorrows of poverty and corruption. Amari could not blame them. Were he a weaker man, he'd be with them, taking part in their self-destruction. Not everyone had a supportive family and friends as Amari did; he was grateful to be so lucky. If only these poor sods had someone who cared.​

​

If Amari were religious, he would say a prayer for them. But he knew the gods were nothing but fables.​

​

Carrying a basket of baked bread and pastries, Amari ascended the many stone steps to the middle-class level of the city. Rotten houses with thatched roofs became ones of sturdy wood and shingles, and the drunkards turned into young wealthy lovers and men of false honor patrolling the streets. He didn't care about them, though, not the pretty houses or the pretty people. He was here for Suni. ​

​

Amari approached the front door of the Laang residence and knocked thrice. Her family would know he was coming; he came at the end of every week with goods from his family's shop to sell to Suni's family. Tonight was no different. He waited outside in the budding cold, looking forward to the warm hearth indoors.​

 

[fungus]

The outside town of Wei Feng never ceased to amaze the eyes of those who wandered through. The narrow streets lined with colorful vendors of all sorts, the sizzling and crackling of oil as street foods were being freshly cooked for the bustling, youthful night crowd; spring in Wei Feng was a time of celebration. The air was warm and yet it managed to carry a cooler breeze that slipped through chilled, distant mountain peaks. It was remarkably beautiful to the untrained eye. A paradise to some, a cruel fate to others. From the perch of her window, the youth's gaze wandered across the narrow streets that had begun to fill with naïve young people, their loud chatter and laughter was distant and faded, but ever present. In spite of having led a privileged life thus far, a life such as their own was "above her", as her mother would chastise. People such as them, those who valued life in the moment, held no future in this crushing world. Suni wondered just how true such a loaded statement could be. Surely one could balance the joys of present life with the weight of a pressing future, though, that was a philosophy she'd never get to experience firsthand.

An abrupt knock at the front of the home alerted not only her, but that of her parents, too. "Is it that boy?" The gruff, muffled voice of a smoking man inquired from his seat within the living space, adjusting his circular glasses and leaning forwards, his papers set aside on the short mahogany table. "It must be; he comes by every end of the week, Lo," the nasally voice of her mother scoffed, setting aside whatever candles she had in her hands to greet their guest. Slowly slipping from the perch, Suni threw over a laced shawl before rounding the corner of her bedroom, bare feet quietly patting on the bamboo flooring.

"Amari, what a lovely surprise!" The falsified joy and pleasantry in the woman's voice weren't hidden all that well, she's was rather bad at faking. Why did this slum-boy have to continually drop by? It was beyond Yui, and yet, she still pried the crimson glossed door open for the young man to step foot in their foyer. "How has your family been faring?" Yui questioned, shutting the pocket door behind him; Lo made his way from where he'd sat to greet their guest, as well. "Good evening, Amari;" Lo acknowledged, stealing his pipe from his lips momentarily to offer a crooked, unappealing smile. "Oh my, those look mighty good," Lo pipped upon sight of the still steaming basket of warm, baked goods. Gluttony went hand in hand with the more wealth one accumulated. Lo began to pat at his rounded stomach, "let me fetch my coin."

Suni stepped aside in the corridor as her excited father hurried past to retrieve his coin purse, tossing out coinage for tasty morsels was something he surely did better than filibustering. Yui's gaze was peering down the corridor after Lo, the displeased grimace on her face said more than enough. To the eye beyond their home, they made an ideal couple – yet, to the eye within their home, it was clearly established this was a marriage for power. "Ah, darling, come entertain our guest, I'll get some tea." An excuse to worm her way out of hospitality. Yui, tall and willowy, blew away with the subtle breeze. Suni's creamy brown watch followed her out, pausing in the foyer to ensure Yui was far beyond ear shot. "I don't know how you can stand there and tolerate that charade, but I'm glad you do." Amari certainly had the patience of a saint to deal with the condescending nature of her mother; "here with pa's buns and pastries?" The politician's child gestured to the hand-woven basket, the sweetened scent that wafted from under the cheese cloth was more than enough to make any mouth water. "You ought to tell your mom that she needs to start baking that melon bread that she did when we were little, they'll sell faster than her stuffed rolls." The quiet, playful chatter subsided at the sound of her storming father; he came bearing a fat coin purse.

"Here you are," Lo dug his short, rigid fingers through the belly of the purse, plucking out three golden coins, "two fifty," he proudly announced and handed over. New lands that were annexed often had difficulty with adjusting to the We-Fen currency scale. Fives, tens, fifties, and hundreds only; customs ensured people always used exact change unless you enjoyed being shorted your change. Lo glanced between the two for a moment, having to look up at a slight angle. "So, have you any plans tonight?" Lo hummed, sticking his long, straightened pipe back betwixt his teeth; between that of Yui and Lo, Lo was certainly the far more lenient. "Ah," Suni's eyes darted to Amari briefly, "if it's alright, I'd like to go out past curfew – since it is spring and all. Plus, the festival isn't for another few weeks, so it's safe." Lo offered a skeptical look, raising his thick, caterpillar brow before puffing out smoke. "Alright, why not? Just don't end up on the front cover of any papers;" Lo fondled his coin purse for another moment before passing Suni a few coins, "Amari," he said with his stern, authoritative voice, "I expect three extra buns next week! … And see if your ma' can make me that green tea stuffed roll, too." With the last part of his phrase whispered behind his hand, Lo bid the two a curt farewell.

"Okay… Let's get out of here before he changes his mind or ma' catches us." Quick to thrown on her shoes and rush out of the front pocket door, the bright, shimmering lights that decorated Wei Feng were already intoxicating. "Have you already eaten?" Suni questioned, adjusting a small bag across her shoulder after tucking the coins away safely. "I heard a rumor going around about a really good street vendor just a few blocks away."

 

[moffnat]

──── amari tanaka.​

Amari left the Laang residence as quickly as he'd entered. It was always the same with Suni's parents -- a quick order from her father and a rude quip from her mother -- but Amari was respectful all the same, no matter what they decided to throw at him. His own parents insisted on it. The Laangs were valued customers, even if it was more out of pity than genuine love for the food, and his mother and father knew how much Suni meant to him. The last thing they wanted was for Amari to insult her family and ban himself from her presence for the rest of their lives. Indeed, Amari could think of nothing more painful. Suni was his best friend. She was everything to him.​

​

"Your parents don't like me." Amari didn't ask; it was a statement of fact. "I don't know how I never noticed it before. And no, I haven't eaten, but if you say there's a good vendor around, I'll trust you. I'm starving, anyway. Do you know how long of a walk it is to get here? Carrying pastry, too!" He groaned rather loudly. "I should start charging a delivery fee. What kind of food are we getting, anyway?"​

 

[fungus]

Warm air was quick to caress exposed skin, wrapping around and dissipating as gentle breezes swatted the sensations of warmth away. Though their adventures grew rarer with passing days, Suni felt a certain timelessness while sharing the same space with Amari, a space they'd shared for ages. "Your parents don't like me;" the abrupt statement caught Suni off guard, though her thoughts were quickly recollected. "They don't even like each other, much less anyone outside of the house. I wouldn't take it personally." Married for wealth and power, consummating for an heir, and guiding the laws to the best of their abilities to potentially create an ideal world for We-Fen… Yea, they didn't like much of anyone. Amari spoke again, catching Suni's ear while she hurried down the handmade stone steps that walked up to the front of her home. "I don't know how you never noticed, either; it's probably 'cause you always have your head in the clouds," the playful jab etched a smile on her face, rocking on her heels while listening to his woes of delivery. "Blah, blah; all you do is whine! Charging a delivery fee might be smart, pa won't be swayed by such a thing though. If anything, he'll demand his delivery in thirty minutes!"

Dirt roads kicked up loose dust with every trampling footfall, kids scurrying between tall legs, and many of people gathering around at whatever fragment of space they could loiter at. "I'm not quite sure, but I hear they have a particular set of skills," the hinting inflection in her voice made it clear just where her interests lay; manipulators. Those with the gifted strength and talent to manipulate the elements and sub-elements around them was nothing short of awe-inspiring for the young woman. "You know, ma and pa are trying to pass a new law here in We-Fen, they go to the Temple for debate this coming week." Suni hated the concept, this idea that manipulators were second class citizens, subhuman, deserving of less rights, and the cause of all biblical catastrophe – it was disgusting. "I intend to find someone to see the side that I see, that we see;" Suni glanced over towards Amari, keeping his pace. "I find that this overriding mob fear is absurd… There ought to be others out there, like me, that also find this treatment absurd."

Those in which were capable of creating and molding the elements were nothing short of Godly, and the residents of We-Fen loathed it. No mere mortal man could dare stand to challenge their God, their one and true omniscience, omnipotence, and omnibenevolent leader. And yet, this narrow mindset couldn't allow the blinded masses to see beyond the scope of what these people truly were - gifted people. Suni rubbed her face dramatically, letting out an exaggerated groan, "idiocy is a poison! Please, Amari, promise me you'll never grow old and foolish like that of our peers! Oh, what would I do if I lost you to such a foul demon!" With another dramatic display of woe, Suni cracked a smile to the close companion.

 

[moffnat]

──── amari tanaka.​

Ah, Suni. Ever the enthusiast. It was something he admired about her, really -- her uncanny ability to be herself, to stay true to her beliefs and remain outspoken about them, regardless of the consequences. It was tremendously bold for the daughter of politicians. She was brave. If only more people in Wei Feng, or the world, could be like her.​

​

"Yeah," Amari agreed. "Those manipulators have it rough." Nevermind that he himself was a manipulator. Why hadn't he told Suni, then? The question was as odd to him as it was unanswerable. He trusted Suni with everything. The truth about his gender, his family's status, with remaining his friend despite their class differences. Why couldn't he trust her with this? Or rather, why did he find himself completely unable to share his final secret with the girl he called his best friend? It plagued him, sometimes. And yet he said nothing.​

​

At Suni's comment about idiocy, Amari could only laugh. The feel-good kind of the laugh, the one you get when you know you're with someone who's on your side. "Can you imagine, Suni? Just picture it. This awful city being attacked by demons. I kinda think I'd take the demons' side." He straightened his shoulders, as if the statement made him prouder somehow. "Do you think they'd take us? Two humans on the side of evil creatures come to steal our women and eat our children? Doesn't sound too bad. Except for the cannibalism."​

 

[fungus]

"Oh man can I picture it! It's so believable that they'll just come swooping in for no other reason, with no other motive, than to eat babies and steal women… Even though some are women too?" Despite her words just prior, picking fun at the ludicrous statements the government spewed out regularly did little harm and helped those to realize just how foolish these fear-based assumptions were. "I'm really glad you understand," Suni mentioned with a pleasant exhale, her smile still present, "I try to bring up the topic for discussion and debate at the school and it seems like I'm a minority within the masses, at least, my opinion is." The fact that these human rights were considered a "hot button topic" was outrageous, she couldn't help but feel sweat build up at the very thought of past anger that classmates drew from her. So taxing.

"The other day, someone accused me of being a "bender" just because I "took their side" so much. I don't know why they can't see it, but I'm glad you can. I know that there's people that think others can't be intelligent without formal education, but frankly, that's not true and it's rather insulting considering half of those kids are first generation students." Suni could go on and on for hours, ranting, raving, advocating, and arguing all to a wall. "I'm probably talking your ear off, sorry, it's just been a while since gotten the chance to see you." She let out a sheepish laugh, a slender hand rubbing at the back of her neck before carefully pushing loose strands of hair towards the elastic band that tied up long, curled tresses.

"How's your family been? I know ma' asked rudely, but I haven't been able to see anyone in that part of Wei-Feng in forever, I miss 'em sometimes."