Critical Mass

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Also, please leave a review for the aforementioned story. It will make my Honors homework easier. Seriously.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.


Part One: Genesis

I. Walls

Walls.

Generally created to keep things out, they have been used for thousands of years.

The Great Wall of China is an excellent example of a wall. It is a man-made structure designed to keep enemies out of China.

However, walls can keep everything out, and, sometimes, that's not what's important.

Sometimes, it is only necessary to keep certain things out, and it is actually a hassle when the walls keep out certain other things that, in fact, are wanted in.

Hence, the gate.

The gate is a marvelous device that can open to allow some things in.

Sometimes, the gate must be manually opened and closed.

For example, we have the Gates of Heaven.

Saint Peter stands up there, ready to open those gates for the good souls.

But why do we need to keep things out?

Well, there are certain unwanted items in the world.

The root of it all probably lies within the fact that humans don't like change.

Don't ask why. Who knows?

The fact of the matter is that humans are afraid of change. Routine is always nice, especially in the craziest lives.

Why are enemies being kept out of China?

Not only because they are annoying and bothersome and just might kill you, but because if they were around, things would change.

And China couldn't have that, now, could they?

So that settles that question: change is unwanted.

Now, there are, of course, some walls that are designed to keep things in, not out.

For instance, a blockade keeps prisoners inside, so they won't escape and change things.

Castles might protect jewels or even important people, stop them from leaving or being taken away, because that would also change things.

And then there are those peculiar walls which somehow multitask and do both.

II. Lily Evans

An excellent example.

Lily Evans was a bright girl.

Now, bright could mean two things. In Lily's case, it means both.

She was rather cheery, most of the time, and she was also intelligent.

So, she was bright.

The key to this brightness?

Lily Evans learns quickly.

She learned quickly in school.

She learned quickly how to control her temper.

She learned quickly how to appear cheery and normal.

She learned quickly how to defend herself.

Because Lily Evans, like other human beings, doesn't like change.

So Lily Evans learned how to build walls.

III. Petunia

Petunia Evans was Lily's sister.

Petunia Evans was Lily's best friend.

Petunia Evans was Lily's idol.

Petunia Evans was Lily's life.

She was.

Lily was young and naive when she discovered that she was a witch.

Lily had little experience at the time.

Lily didn't know how to build walls.

Lily couldn't stop Petunia from leaving, couldn't stop magic from coming in.

Lily Evans couldn't stop the change.

IV. Blockade

Lily lost her sister.

She had no walls.

Her life had changed.

Petunia had left, easily, because Lily didn't have walls to hinder her progress.

The prisoner escaped.

That change hurt Lily too much.

That could never happen again.

Everything inside of Lily had to stay inside of Lily.

Lily's walls began construction.

V. Outcast

A magical girl in a non-magical home.

It didn't matter whether her parents were proud of it or not.

It didn't matter that she was special in a good way.

It didn't matter that she could do things others couldn't.

That didn't matter.

At the end of the day, she was still different.

She was still unusual.

She was still an outcast.

Outcast

A magical girl from a non-magical home.

It didn't matter whether she was good at it or not.

It didn't matter that she was smart and funny and great.

It didn't matter that she could do things others couldn't.

That didn't matter.

At the end of the day, she was still different.

She was still unusual.

She was still and outcast.

An outcast in two worlds.

She had no place to call home.

She only had herself.

Being attacked from both sides was too much.

She had to protect her home.

She had to protect herself.

She had to keep herself in, she had to keep the others out.

There was to be no more change.

She finished her walls.