For the love of whatever is left

Chapter one

One of the first lessons mankind ever learned is the power of words. It also seems to be the only one mankind has retained. All the lessons history has repeatedly taught on war and violence all seem to have gone over his thick head. Now in a time of both technology and magic, words in and of themselves are fading from our awareness. In fact the rate of the general population using spoken words at all has vastly decreased from what it was even ten years ago, so as Coty and Rafael argued over which of their favorite books was better written and had a better storyline - the two books were very similar in plot - though they were getting very loud and somewhat disrupting the small outdoor rec area of their sector they were not bothered by any of the other occupants, most of them being older citizens just happy to see two young people speaking face to face and about a book no less. A few smiled at the hope that all might not be lost on this new generation, born with their heads already buried in Portable Hologram Monitors or PHM's as the youth called them. The two at this point had stopped making actual arguments and it had become a battle of willpower
"I'm right, Terrier Run is better." said Coty, crossing their arms
"You're wrong, actually, you have no proof" spat back Rafael
"Neither do you,"
"I do too!" said Rafael defensively
"Then show me." Coty said with an infuriating grin on their face,
"No."
"Then you don't have any proof wich makes me right" said Coty, standing. Rafael ditched all attempts at a genuine debate,
"Wrong!" he said in quite a childish manner
"Right."
"Wrong!"
"Right!"
"Wrong," Coty's eyes lit up with an idea, a blue glow began to emanate from their head and back forming their ears, snout and tail.
"Write! With a W!" They said, wolf aura now grinning with them. Rafael quickly caught on as the word appeared in the air between them. Immediately red translucent wings, horns and a tail spring from him.
"Erase!" he yells, triumphant
"Write in pen!" Coty retorts
"I cover your pen in white out!"
"Sharpie over the white out!" Rafael closes his eyes for a moment then,
"I burn the paper we're writing on with my book of matches," Coty is quick to retaliate with,
"Ah, but we are writing on stone not paper!" In an instant the word is pasted on a small, smooth rock in front of them. Rafael shoots him a look of annoyance
"Not if you were using pen earlier."
"What? I can use pen on stone."
"How the heck-"
"It's not hard, go get a rock and I guarantee it will write if you try hard enough." Rafael shrugs and grabs up the stone
"C'mon Imma go melt this in my dad's forge." Coty fallows, going on and on about how this is getting out of hand and it would really be much easier to just admit Coty was right rather than to go to his dad's work and possibly have to interact with him. By the time they've finished their schpeel the two are already approaching the steel desk of Mr. Ocampo's receptionist.
"Hey, Ms. G. I need to melt this rock, would that be okay?" She barely looks up as she shoo's them past to one of the community welding rooms. Coty shuts the door and leans against the wall next to it, running their fingers through the blue portion of their short hair.
"Your not going to try and stop me? Rafael looks over his shoulder as he holds the rock over the vat of thick steaming liquid,
"No, I'll win some other way just drop the rock and let's go. I don't want to see your dad." Rafael goes to chuck it in the pool but when his aura-claw releases it also drops the book of matches he had summoned earlier. He stands frozen in fear as Coty slowly processes what happened. When they does they're the first to react slamming their hand on the alarm next to the vat before grabbing Rafael by the wrist and dragging him out.
Luckely Ms. Gunderson and the teens were the only ones in the building and she got the memo to get out. The three of them stand on the walk outside as fire operators arrive too late to save the crumbling building.
A few minutes later Coty's mother runs up the trio enveloping Coty in a huge hug, pressing sloppy kisses all over the top of their head.
"Ew, Mom! Back off!" their mother releases them and settles to fix their hair intensely.
"I'm sorry baby, I was just so worried, when I came to get you from the rec area and you and Rafee weren't there and then I hear the sirens-" Just then Rafaels father gets out of a sleek black car with a look of murder on his face. Rafael shrinks back towards Coty.
"Hey, Ms. Knoll, could I spend a few nights at your place?" he asks out the corner of his mouth, not wanting his father to hear.
"Of course, sweetheart." she says putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Rafael! Come here!" his father barks at him, snapping his fingers as if calling a dog. Rafael quickly does as he is told but knows better than to try and explain.
"I'm sorry sir. It was an accident." he says quietly,
"What was that, boy? Speak up when your talking to a superior." Rafael lifts his head but still doesn't meet the man's gaze.
"It was an accident. I apologize. Can you forgive me?" he sound more confident this time. As if talking to a official, not his own parent.
"Perhaps, you can make up for all the expenses you just caused. I will not pay for your daily portions, or your supplements. If I had it my way you would not be in the house at all." Rafael perks up at this,
"Actually, sir, I was just arranging to stay with Coty for awhile. If that's alright." His father dismisses him with a wave and climbs back into his vehicle zooming away. The building is only ashes now.
"Well, I guess I win." Said Rafael without turning around.
"No." Coty says simply
"I'm not going to give you a pity win. The ashes from the rock are now engrained in that earth, along with my Rightness."