*Discontinued* Shifter

10

(even though it's not really the same thing the prejudice over the shifters I feel is a bit like it so... Just to be on the safe side. TW~Racism, mentions of death)

"What did you mean by trigger?" Virgil flinched violently as Roman suddenly asked from beside him. The lady was currently with Roman's friend, Patton, being healed while they were forced to wait. Virgil's eyes darted over to see the confused look his friend had and he sighed. "Virgil... What did you mean by trigger?"

"It's a shifter thing, Roman." Roman nodded, his eyes darkening a bit, as he tried to egg the younger on. "A trigger is a weakness or something. It's a thing, feeling, or event that will make reveal a shifter for what they are. Similar to what happened with you and the cup. A shifter's power will take over and force them to shift unendingly until the trigger has passed." Virgil stared dazed at the door that held the other two forcing himself to ignore the fact that he was revealing this fact to Roman. 

"So what happened to her... was a trigger." Virgil only nodded making Roman frown as he tried to work through everything. His thoughts instantly went to Raven making his blood boil a bit but he refused to show his sudden anger. "Do all Shifters have one?" Roman noticed the flinch Virgil made as the younger looked away. "Virgil, I... I just want to know."

"Why?" Roman's frown grew as Virgil laughed sadly. "Why do you want to know? So you can use it against u... them? What's the point of knowing?"

"Virgil..."

"Shifters are hunted on a daily basis for what... existing?!" Roman's eyes widened as Virgil threw his arms out angrily. "They're forced to never use their powers or else they're shunned. You saw. She was triggered and had an episode. That's something NO SHIFTER can control. It happens without any say or way to stop it... but someone decided to take action. Had the cops been there they would have arrested her on the spot. Taken her in and... who knows what they would have done. Her family would have been on a watch list and god forbid her kids had the same powers."

"I'm not saying she did anything wrong Virgil. Just... Shifters are bad news." That... That actually hurt. Virgil frowned as his hand went to his chest. He knew... He knew Roman would be just like the rest of them. So why did that hurt. He was expecting it. It was bound to happen. So why...

"Why?" Virgil asked, voicing his thoughts and making Roman frown in confusion. "Why are they bad news? Actually, I have a better question for you. Weres..."

"What about them?" Roman's eyes narrowed in confusion as Virgil just laughed. 

"You wouldn't treat them badly would you? I mean... Were's, regardless of their animal form, shapeshift. You wouldn't demonize them. Right?"

"Of course not." Virgil's eyes only dulled out as Roman frowned more, highly confused at the sudden turn. "A were's power is simply to shapeshift into a designated animal. I actually have a friend who's a werecat. They're one of the best people, I've had the privilege to know."

"SO WHY DEMONIZE A SHIFTER?!" Roman jumped as Virgil growled at him. "If a were is ok, why isn't a shifter? IT'S THE SAME POWER! Were's are a  subrace of the shifter race, dumbass!"

"Don't... Don't call me that." Roman was reeling as Virgil stood there seething.

"I just don't understand it. Why are shifters so hated? We have no control over our powers. We can't pick and chose what were born with..."

"No but the parents CAN raise them to know to not use their powers for bad. If the parent's did their job in properly teaching their children then there wouldn't be an issue. Moral's are taught and learned. They aren't just there at birth." Roman snapped in making Virgil glare at him suddenly. This pit formed in the older as he took in the angry stance his friend had.

"Tell me Roman... How can a single mother teach her 5 year old son how to use his powers properly when she's under watch because her husband had an episode? How can she tell her son it's going to be ok and teach him control over it when her husband never even used his yet was murdered in cold blood because of his ONE attack? How can the son feel safe to even try to train and get control over it when every second of every day everywhere he goes all he hears is how his race is an abomination?" Roman had honestly just... completely shut down. "Shifters are to scared to even talk about their kind to even hope to help those like them. They're forced to live their lives never using their powers EVER or else their labeled as villains. A little boy who's first attempt at his power just to change his voice so that he could hear his father sing to him again... that is a commonality between the shifters. A shared history of fear and loss..."

"Their powers are dangerous. Virgil... They can do so much damage with it if it's unchecked." Roman's mind flooded with worries and concerns most of which going to Raven but he wasn't deaf to what Virgil was saying. He was confused. So very confused. He just didn't know what side to take. At this point... he was just spouting out the nonsense he's heard all his life. "They're evil... aren't they?"

"Evil? Roman go over what just happened today and tell me who it was that was in the wrong. That woman who's in there now with your friend because she was hurt or the man who attacked her and held her captive simply because she was a shifter... the crowd who did nothing to intervene because she was shifter." Roman just felt everything drop. He wasn't wrong. "I do not understand how Shifters are villainized so easily. For what? They can change there voice to mimic another? They can change their eyes? Yes. Those are troublesome powers. Those types of gifts can break into some pretty important banks and buildings. Changing you're appearance CAN lead to very bad things. But how is it that a shifter is vilianized and hated... but a man with the power to control gravity is idolized."