incanted: (regrouping)
Author: incanted
Brilliance is probably the first person to notice Rainbow's Janepoint broadcasting the message, "error 112358: inferior pattern recognition".
incanted: (canny)
Author: incanted
+Hey, Brilliance, I accidentally told the Emperor of Japan's niece that I'm 'yes, sort of like a mahou shoujo', so the next time I'm there it might be politic to show up jacketed, fair warning if you were going to be doing anything distracting next Tuesday.+
cardistry: (⑧ black ghost)
Author: cardistry
Brilliance doesn't answer.
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
+Brilliance?+
cardistry: (Default)
Author: cardistry
Nothing.
incanted: (shaken)
Author: incanted
[Brilliance?] Maybe the magephone is glitching.
cardistry: (Default)
Author: cardistry
Still nothing.
incanted: (appraisal)
Author: incanted
And there's not a busy message, so he's not just asleep...




Port.
cardistry: (⑮ devotion)
Author: cardistry
Brilliance is lying on the floor of a room that looks like a futuristic cargo bay, half curled up with his arms over his head, screaming. There is no one else in the room.
incanted: (abashed)
Author: incanted
"Brilliance -" Bella drops to her knees, reaches out for him. "Brilliance, what's going on -" A plain wish for whatever's going on to stop won't help. She tries it anyway. It doesn't help.
cardistry: (⑮ devotion)
Author: cardistry
He doesn't seem to notice she's there at all.
incanted: (wretched)
Author: incanted
Well, he's hurting, right, she can tell that much, but if he can't tell her how or why she's going to have to try something else.

Devotion gives feedback.

"Devotion," she whispers.
cardistry: (Default)
Author: cardistry
Someone else has been fingerpainting on Brilliance's nervous system. He is covered in indiscriminate high-intensity sensation, as though someone took the whole map and dunked it in a vat of pain.
incanted: (wretched)
Author: incanted
...Fuck. Fuck, no one else is supposed to be able to do that, this is supposed to be impossible - they're not even here -

Can she use her own system access to turn it off? This is theirs, this is their thing, fuck if she'll let whoever owns this place hurt her Brilliance -

She buries her fingers in his hair and closes her eyes and tries.
cardistry: (⑥ heavenbound)
Author: cardistry
Everywhere she turns her attention, the pain fades.

Brilliance gasps in a breath and dives into her lap with a whimper.

But there's a strong counterpressure; if she lets up for an instant, the pain starts blossoming again wherever she isn't looking.
incanted: (abashed)
Author: incanted
She has a lot of brain capacity. She can - only just - keep it up everywhere. She bites down on her lip; her arms go around Brilliance on sheer autopilot; she concentrates.
cardistry: (⑨ flourisher)
Author: cardistry
He curls up closer, still whimpering faintly.

A voice over some kind of loudspeaker says, "Hey! Who the hell are you?"
incanted: (wretched)
Author: incanted
"Who are you," she snaps back, and she loses a bit of one of his hands, snatches it back with act of will, hugs Brilliance tighter.
cardistry: (⑩ shadow cage)
Author: cardistry
Brilliance huddles against her and cries.

There is a short silence, and then a soft noise from behind Bella, as of a door opening.
incanted: (shaken)
Author: incanted
Bella manages to look over her shoulder without losing her focus on Brilliance's pain map.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
An unfamiliar person is taking aim with an unfamiliar staff.
incanted: (abashed)
Author: incanted
She can't think with more than a percent of her brain, she has to keep Brilliance okay - she's invincible - he's not but he torches and - she slips a little on the non-body-map part, recaptures it, grits her teeth - he will not hurt more if they are shot.

She holds still. She holds Brilliance.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
The stranger fires their weapon.

Invincible or not, the dull grey beam still knocks Aurora all the way back against the opposite wall. Wrecks hell with her clothes, too. Brilliance is undamaged, but the force of impact separates them and he only travels half as far.
incanted: (shaken)
Author: incanted
Bella focuses on the pain map.

If she can hold down the pain long enough, he'll recover, and he'll be able to do - something she can't currently think of because she has to focus on the pain map.

Don't hurt don't hurt don't hurt don't hurt.
cardistry: (⑦ fool's journey)
Author: cardistry
The stranger walks up to Brilliance and grabs him by a fistful of his shirt, then starts dragging him out of the room. He struggles weakly.
incanted: (wretched)
Author: incanted
- Not on.

Bella fights with her brain, trying to control Brilliance's pain, and then, for lack of any sophisticated solution, teleports in exactly the position she is in now to where Brilliance is, and then puts her and Brilliance and not the stranger back across the room where she was sitting.

She slips. A little. Not much. And then she focuses again.
cardistry: (⑨ flourisher)
Author: cardistry
Brilliance clings to her as soon as she's within reach.

The stranger shrugs and takes aim again. This time, though, it's harder to knock them apart. The beam just slams them agains the wall and holds them there.
incanted: (regrouping)
Author: incanted
Bella leans over Brilliance, like a shield; she's the one with all the fancy defense wishes that Jokers disdain.

Don't hurt. Don't hurt. Don't hurt.
cardistry: (⑩ shadow cage)
Author: cardistry
"Look, I don't really care what you think you're doing," says the stranger. "That thing's mine, and if I have to pry you off it with a crowbar, I will."

Brilliance shivers.
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"Mine," says Bella.

She'd have a sophisticated argument about Brilliance's personal autonomy if she had more brain, but she doesn't. Even a very little brain can declare Brilliance more hers than this creep's.

Don't hurt don't hurt don't hurt.
cardistry: (Default)
Author: cardistry
"Your funeral," says the stranger, taking aim.

The beam doesn't hurt Bella, but it damages Brilliance. Nowhere near enough to torch him - but enough to make Bella's job just a little bit harder.
incanted: (abashed)
Author: incanted
"Brilliance," murmurs Bella. "Sunshine."

She might've been about to say something else but she almost slips, she mustn't slip, he mustn't hurt, not allowed.

Don't hurt.
cardistry: (⑥ heavenbound)
Author: cardistry
+i love you,+ he says, hugging her tight. +i love you i love you i+

The stranger's attack barely lets up. Brilliance's shirt and jeans have almost completely disintegrated anywhere that the magical onslaught can touch him, and the skin underneath is halfway gone. There's a strange flickering hollowness to the parts of the nerve map corresponding to pieces of Brilliance that aren't physically there anymore, and that plus the uneven distribution makes it harder to keep everything suppressed.
incanted: (abashed)
Author: incanted
Bella might say something. His name, his pet name, the same thing he just said -

She can't say anything. She has to concentrate. Don'thurtnonononononono -
cardistry: (⑩ shadow cage)
Author: cardistry
Her control is slipping around the edges. More and more, of what they're pushing on him with Devotion and what the blast is doing to his physical body, starts to get through.

Weirdly, that's what calms him down.

This isn't going to work forever. It's barely working now. He can wait and hope, or he can do something about it.

Any ability he might once have had to cast a spell or make a wish is a million miles away. He's too terrified to think straight. But Bella's right here. Bella can do things.

Bella is busy.

+let it go,+ says Brilliance.
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"Sunshine," she murmurs, and she lets slip just enough that she can evaluate the idea, and it's the only idea, and she lets him go, and she gets up.
cardistry: (⑮ devotion)
Author: cardistry
He has enough time to show her that he loves her before he starts screaming again.
incanted: (wretched)
Author: incanted
The first order of business is to take this asshole's staff. She squares it out of his hands, and out of the way; it might be loyal and explode or something if she tries to handle it herself. "Restore." For the damage already done; it's not much but it's something and it takes two syllables. "Who's hurting him?" she asks, pouring aura out; the threat sensor should help find the answer if this creep won't. This creep doesn't likely have her attentional capacity and she was losing it at the end; someone else has to be doing it.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
The major threat on board this ship is a magical weapons system attached to the ship itself. The asshole's staff is the next one down. Apart from that, there are a few more devices here and there that barely register, and then some humans with varying magical potential.

"Hurting who? The device? Lady, what are you after?"
incanted: (wretched)
Author: incanted
Turn weapons system off. The staff's being quiet for now and might be alive; she lets it be for the time being. "The device. Who's hurting him? I am after it stopping right the fuck now. Who do I have to fucking kill to make it stop?"

She'd be less casual with the death threats if she didn't expect Jane back eventually to let her rethink any lethal decisions she might make.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Are you even armed?"
incanted: (let's do this)
Author: incanted
She flares aura, brightbrightbright, a powerful sorceress wants your entrails for decorations. "I don't have to be fucking armed! Do I have to magic your head from your shoulders to threaten the next asshole with? Who is hurting him?"
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Calm down," the stranger says irritably, looking around for their vanished staff. "What's your stake in this? The noise is annoying, but you didn't have to come here and listen to it, now did you?"
incanted: (wretched)
Author: incanted
Wish.

Aurora is now the first Bell to wish for super-strength she didn't already get accustomed to.

She grabs the creep by the throat, floats into the air so as to lift all involved feet off the ground, and goes looking for the next ping on her radar, posthaste.

She is not careful about offering air supply.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
The creep struggles ineffectually.

The next ping on her radar is a roomful of people - six in all - watching Brilliance from several angles on a row of screens.

When Aurora appears carrying their friend, with her aura still going strong, it causes something of a stir. (As one side effect, the distant sound of Brilliance screaming gets a little quieter.)
incanted: (let's do this)
Author: incanted
"Who," she says distinctly, "is hurting my Device, and how many of you do I have to murder before it stops?"
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Look, put Gem down and we'll talk," says one person.

"If it's yours then why was it abandoned on an uninhabited planet?" says another.

"If we let it up it'll kill everyone! We've heard stories!" says a third.
incanted: (wretched)
Author: incanted
Bella sets "Gem" down. Technically. She keeps her hand around their neck.

"Because we can fucking teleport, so it's not actually uninhabited, and he is not the one you should be worrying about killing you," hisses Bella, "let him up now, this instant, and I might not."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
Gem coughs and says, "Shut it down, shut it down," gesturing urgently. One by one, the other six people disengage from Devotion.

The distant screaming stops.
incanted: (let's do this)
Author: incanted
Bella releases Gem's throat.

She pops to where Brilliance is and scoops him up into her arms, hugging tight, and then pops back into the control room.

"Now," says Bella, "you're going to tell me who you are and how you got access to my Device's functions."
cardistry: (⑬ weather control)
Author: cardistry
Brilliance clings to her and whimpers.

Everyone else flinches.

"We had its access codes," says Gem. "Look, if you want it, take it. We won't bother you again."
incanted: (shaken)
Author: incanted
"How did you get his access codes?" Bella asks, threading her fingers through Brilliance's hair.
cardistry: (Default)
Author: cardistry
Brilliance sniffles and hugs her.

"From a combat cyborg named Teno. He said he worked on the original project," says Gem.
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
+Sunshine, are the access codes something I can change for you? Boot them from the system...?+ "The original project should have all died."
cardistry: (Default)
Author: cardistry
"Take it up with Teno, if you can find him," snorts Gem.

+don't know. don't - don't,+ says Brilliance.
incanted: (let's do this)
Author: incanted
"I don't like your tone," Bella tells Gem. "My conscience is currently the only thing keeping you in one human-shaped piece, bear in mind, and you wear it very thin." Her aura's wrapped protectively around Brilliance, hissing and fizzing at Gem and the others. "What did you want with him?"
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"...It's a planet-destroying weapon, what are you using it for?" Gem says incredulously. "With that kind of firepower, we'd never have to worry about the TSAB again!"
incanted: (let's do this)
Author: incanted
"Of the two of us, one of us kidnapped the other's Device, and it's you. My activities are none of your business. I wasn't bothering you. What is the TSAB, and why would being able to destroy planets mean you didn't have to worry about them again?"
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
Gem looks at her like she is the most incomprehensible thing they have ever seen.
incanted: (wretched)
Author: incanted
"Talk," advises Bella darkly.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Make sense," says Gem. "What do you mean, 'what is the TSAB'? Are you trying to tell me you don't already know?"
incanted: (let's do this)
Author: incanted
"Okay, seriously, do I have to kill one of you to get the rest of you to just answer my questions without being obnoxious? I'll do it, I started worrying way less about death a few months ago. I don't know what the TSAB is and you're going to tell me."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Um... boss?" says one of the other six.

"What?" says Gem.

"There's a powerful magical signature headed this way. Looks official."

"Great!" says Gem. "Perfect! If you want to know who the TSAB is, murder lady, you can ask the agents who're about to arrest us all!"
incanted: (get this over with)
Author: incanted
"Oh, good, someone should arrest you if I'm not going to kill you."

She consults her threat sensor.
withmypowers: (⑫ another felony in the making)
Author: withmypowers
Her threat sensor says that something is coming this way that is significantly more heavily armed than this ship was before she disabled its weapons systems. Not quite on Brilliance's usual power level, but much closer than anything else in this universe. (Speaking of which, where is Brilliance's power level? He's not registering at all.)

A sourceless, omnipresent voice says calmly, "Pirate ship Flare, this is Agent Matilda Honey of the Time-Space Administration Bureau. Please do us all a favour and surrender immediately."

Gem darts over to a screen to open communications. "Yes! Absolutely! We surrender! Take us all prisoner right now!"
incanted: (shaken)
Author: incanted
"Before you do that, do you want to tell me why my Device's power level isn't pinging my sensors?" Bella says. "Did you do something else to him?" +Sunshine?+
cardistry: (Default)
Author: cardistry
+i'm - lockdown,+ says Brilliance.
withmypowers: (⑩ i did it with my powers)
Author: withmypowers
A sky-blue magical diagram of counter-rotating concentric squares and circles, with runic inscriptions around the border, unfolds beneath Gem. A moment later, both of them disappear.
incanted: (shaken)
Author: incanted
+Can I fix that?+ Bella asks.
cardistry: (⑩ shadow cage)
Author: cardistry
+yeah - don't know how,+ he says.
incanted: (abashed)
Author: incanted
She holds him tight. She tries just wanting - tries making up incantations, murmurs them into his hair, "freedom", "release", "unlock".
cardistry: (⑨ flourisher)
Author: cardistry
'Unlock' does the trick.

"Fuck, thank you," he mumbles, hugging her.
withmypowers: (⑪ deep breath)
Author: withmypowers
The same spell diagram snatches away Gem's six friends in quick succession.
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
With Brilliance taken care of - again - Bella notices something.

[You said your name was Matilda Honey?] she inquires of the apparent Time-Space Administration Bureau.
withmypowers: (⑧ sense of style)
Author: withmypowers
[Just a moment, please, I'm busy,] she says politely.
incanted: (regrouping)
Author: incanted
Okay then.

"Is that everything, sunshine, do I need to fix anything else?" Bella murmurs, petting Brilliance's hair.
cardistry: (⑨ flourisher)
Author: cardistry
He hugs her some more.

"I think that's it," he says hesitantly. "I don't - I don't know, I didn't know those codes were even still active."
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"Okay. If you find anything else they did - tell me - I'll fix it." She kisses his scalp.
cardistry: (⑥ heavenbound)
Author: cardistry
He shivers.
incanted: (regrouping)
Author: incanted
Pet pet pet.
cardistry: (⑦ fool's journey)
Author: cardistry
Snuggle.
withmypowers: (⑨ i'm listening)
Author: withmypowers
[There, that's better. This is an interesting communication system,] says Agent Honey. [Where did you find it?]
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
[Offworld. I found a lot of cool things offworld, including two copies of you and twelve of me. Hi. I'm Bella Swan and those assholes kidnapped Brilliance, thank you for arresting them.]
withmypowers: (⑥ six impossible things)
Author: withmypowers
[...I think I would like it very much if you would explain from the beginning,] says Agent Honey.
incanted: (regrouping)
Author: incanted
[It's a very long story.]

+Sunshine, this Matilda-alt wants to know stuff. Is there anything I shouldn't tell her about you?+
withmypowers: (⑦ slow day)
Author: withmypowers
[I have plenty of time to listen.]
cardistry: (⑩ shadow cage)
Author: cardistry
+...I don't know,+ says Brilliance.
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
+Okay. I'll talk about other stuff first. There's lots. I'm inclined to trust Matildas, though.+

[Sure, but if it's all the same to you I'd rather go back to my planet.]
cardistry: (Default)
Author: cardistry
Brilliance snuggles her.
withmypowers: (⑨ i'm listening)
Author: withmypowers
[You're from Earth, aren't you? I was born there,] she says. [If you'll give me just a moment, I can follow you wherever you'd like to go.]
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
[I'm from Earth, yeah, but by 'my planet' I mean the invisible one with the rainbow sand a few orbitals out with the enchanted village-thing on it.] She teleports thereto.
withmypowers: (⑤ i am very magic)
Author: withmypowers
About thirty seconds later, Matilda appears by sorcerous transport. She's wearing a Barrier Jacket that superficially resembles Tilly's usual outfits - pleated skirt, lots of blue, red ribbons, sensible shoes - and carrying a large book with a blank blue cover, and Bella's threat sensor wouldn't be willing to bet that she couldn't defeat Brilliance in purely mana-based magical combat.
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"Hi. Wow, you're really something. So, I know two of you - when they're both around one goes by Tilly, but as a rule they don't like nicknames - did you already know about alternate universes, I mean entire universes with different rules of magic and so on not just dimensions?"
withmypowers: (⑦ slow day)
Author: withmypowers
"Only in a very theoretical sense," she says.
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"Well," says Bella, "they exist - I'd bring in some proof, but the interworld computer-person that does our on-demand worldhopping is down right now. But there are thirteen of me that we know of so far, plus however many more that haven't joined us yet, and also a bunch of him," she gestures at Brilliance, who she's still holding, "and also a couple of you. And mes, when we get together, spread particularly useful powers around, so, I'm a local magic-person and Brilliance here is a local Device, but I also have some other stuff."
withmypowers: (⑧ sense of style)
Author: withmypowers
"The popular non-specialized term for a local magic user in English is 'mage'," says Matilda. "What sort of other stuff?"
incanted: (appraisal)
Author: incanted
"You can probably notice my aura." It's still wrapped up around Brilliance protectively, although she doesn't currently expect Matilda to attack him. "That's an enchantress thing - so is this village, I made it via enchanting pretty much expressly to get the aura. And I'm a thing called a mint, and I can do something called torching, and usually I can also get the aforementioned computer-person - her name is Jane - to resurrect the dead and relay messages to or move me to other connected worlds, but she's down, her host got into some kind of pickle trying to welcome another one of us to the peal."
withmypowers: (⑨ i'm listening)
Author: withmypowers
"I have noticed your aura, yes," she says. "It's very noticeable."
incanted: (regrouping)
Author: incanted
"Brilliance has one too but his is tucked away. They vary person-to-person; I'd put mine away but it has a threat-sensing feature that I want out because I'm a little paranoid right now, seeing as someone just kidnapped and tortured him." (Pet, pet.)
cardistry: (⑨ flourisher)
Author: cardistry
(Snuggle, snuggle.)
withmypowers: (⑥ six impossible things)
Author: withmypowers
"I'm very sorry about that," says Matilda. "If I'd found them sooner, I would have stopped them."
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"I believe you," says Bella.
withmypowers: (⑩ i did it with my powers)
Author: withmypowers
"Stealing and coercing devices is part of their usual operating procedure," she says. "I've been after them for a few months now over a series of similar incidents."
incanted: (shaken)
Author: incanted
"Yikes. What are you going to do with the other Devices? Do they have nice people to go home to?"
withmypowers: (⑦ slow day)
Author: withmypowers
"Not all of them, unfortunately."
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"Maybe I should set up, like, a Wielderless Device Shelter or something, I have room." She nibbles her lip. "I don't suppose any of them want to work with my sister?"
withmypowers: (⑨ i'm listening)
Author: withmypowers
"I don't believe any of them have met your sister," says Matilda. "Nor have I, for that matter."
incanted: (appraisal)
Author: incanted
"I mean theoretically would they like to meet her and see if they'd get along."
withmypowers: (④ just a hint)
Author: withmypowers
"I'll ask."
incanted: (regrouping)
Author: incanted
"Cool. Brilliance has ethical qualms about making Devices smarter than amoebas." (Pet pet.)
withmypowers: (⑧ sense of style)
Author: withmypowers
"I can imagine why you might," she says.
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"So. What's the TSAB exactly besides a body that can arrest pirates?"
withmypowers: (⑦ slow day)
Author: withmypowers
"It's an interdimensional peacekeeping and administrative agency that claims jurisdiction over all mages."
incanted: (get this over with)
Author: incanted
"Okay, can I get, like, a list of things that the TSAB might inconvenience me about if I chose to do them?"
withmypowers: (③ well i never)
Author: withmypowers
"If you're not hurting anyone or damaging the fabric of space-time, we'll usually leave you alone," she says. "Especially on a planet like Earth. There are a lot more regulations in places where magic is more common."
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"Cool, I do not plan to hurt anyone - I was throwing around threats when Brilliance was being hurt but they started it, if anything like it happens again maybe I can just teleport them all to you and you can make them stop - and I'm starting with Earth and it'll probably take me a while - what constitutes damage to space-time? Does space-folding and so on count? This village doesn't do it, but that's a thing that minting and enchantments can do."
withmypowers: (⑥ six impossible things)
Author: withmypowers
"No, deliberate local space-folding and so on don't count. Handling large amounts of mana improperly can cause local disturbances in the dimensional fabric," she explains. "The usual case is a couple of careless high-powered mages getting in a fight. It's a pain to clean up, and if the disturbance gets big enough before we catch it, there can be lingering temporospatial distortions that make life unpleasant for anyone nearby."
incanted: (appraisal)
Author: incanted
"Okay. I mostly use my other types of magic instead of fussing with mana and incantations, especially for big stuff. I'll warn my sister. Dimensional fabric disturbances don't sound like anyone's friend." Pause. "Do you believe me about having met others of you and so on or is the fact that Jane's down really hurting my credibility? I could tell you more stuff about the other yous if that'd help."
withmypowers: (⑨ i'm listening)
Author: withmypowers
"I don't think it's very likely, but I'm not ruling it out, either. What sorts of things can you tell me about the other mes?"
incanted: (all right)
Author: incanted
Bella conjures up illusions of the two of them, complete with party nametags and (in one case) magical girl outfit. "Tilly's a wizard from a world called Syntropy. There's a Bell there - that's what my template is called, Bells - and a Joker, which is what Brilliance's template is called. The Bell is Cam and the Joker is Jellybean. Also wizards." They appear too, also nametagged. "The other one without a nickname doesn't have any templates we know about in her world - she named it Wellspring - except the ones that are attached to you, which are: horrible parents, horrible school principal called 'the Trunchbull', and a Jenny Honey who is the niece of the horrible school principal. Wellspring's magic system isn't like Syntropy's and Matilda unlike Tilly was working alone - Jellybean went to Syntropy Crunchem Hall, he met Tilly there - but in both cases, prodigy-early magic starting with telekinesis, showdown involving same with the evil principal, biological parents signed them over to their respective Jennies. I don't have a clear picture of what Matilda did after that, although she did get Shell Bell to bring her Jenny's parents back to life - Tilly couldn't do that, Syntropy doesn't interact correctly with the afterlife we've got access to - but Jellybean and Tilly went around touring the universe getting into trouble, introducing themselves to stars and trees and aliens, occasionally saving the lives of new wizards who were about to get killed by a sort of malevolent deitylike thing Syntropy has. That's how they met Cam, they saved him when he was fourteen - they're a little older than he is."
withmypowers: (③ well i never)
Author: withmypowers
Matilda listens carefully to all of this.

"Well," she says. "That's remarkable."
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"Yeah. I didn't talk extensively to either one of them, we just met briefly at a party, so this is mostly secondhand from Cam and some from Jane."
withmypowers: (⑤ i am very magic)
Author: withmypowers
"I am increasingly convinced that you've met a couple of my alternate universe duplicates."
incanted: (canny)
Author: incanted
"Spiffy. Yeah, I would otherwise be way more concerned about you, but unless you're way off-model I expect us to get along fine."
withmypowers: (⑪ deep breath)
Author: withmypowers
"Concerned about me?"
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"Threat sensor doesn't think you're hostile, but it does think you're a big deal, so if you were an unknown quantity I would be on my guard in spite of the admirable pirate-arresting."
withmypowers: (④ just a hint)
Author: withmypowers
"I am a big deal," Matilda says serenely. "If I wasn't a big deal, I would be kind of concerned about you."
incanted: (all right)
Author: incanted
"If you knew the other twelve of me you would not be concerned. We are nice," says Bella merrily.
withmypowers: (⑤ i am very magic)
Author: withmypowers
"Most people are, once you get to know them."
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"So there aren't a lot of regulations about handling Earth? That is good because I have been up to things on Earth."
withmypowers: (⑦ slow day)
Author: withmypowers
"What kind of things?"
incanted: (keen)
Author: incanted
"Uh, eliminated a number of common diseases, reversed some desertification in Africa, fixed some failing Pacific fisheries, cleared Southeast Asia of land mines, for my mom's birthday I hid a lot of extra panda bears in various parts of China and they'll be found any day now, that sort of thing, and I'm in talks with assorted world leaders to reveal my existence and explain all of these phenomena and allow people to start colonizing this planet we're on now."
withmypowers: (③ well i never)
Author: withmypowers
"Speaking of which, where did this place come from?"
incanted: (canny)
Author: incanted
"It's a copy of a planet in another dimension that I liked. One of Brilliance's alts was visiting and thought it'd be funny to give me one closer to home," says Bella.
withmypowers: (⑧ sense of style)
Author: withmypowers
"And which kind of offworld magic does casual conjuring of planets?"
incanted: (appraisal)
Author: incanted
"Minting. It might be possible to do it with enchanting... hmmm. Yeah, I could enchant a little one, if I really wanted to for some reason. More efficient to do it with minting though."
withmypowers: (② success story)
Author: withmypowers
"Good to know," says Matilda.
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"This one was made with minting, anyway, I would've noticed if he'd enchanted it."
withmypowers: (⑪ deep breath)
Author: withmypowers
"Oh?"
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"Minting is amenable to magic storage and enchanting isn't," explains Bella. "And I was looking right at him when he did it."
withmypowers: (④ just a hint)
Author: withmypowers
"Aha. How do these things work, exactly?"
incanted: (appraisal)
Author: incanted
Bella considers her.

"Are you planning to spread the information any farther? I'm willing to trust an unfamiliar Matilda; I don't know about all your co-workers."
withmypowers: (⑤ i am very magic)
Author: withmypowers
"If you tell me that your magic is powered by the souls of the damned, or something similarly unpleasant, I might have to pass it on," she says. "But if the information isn't concealing harm, I don't see why it has to go any farther than me and my partner." She pats the cover of the book, which is still tucked under her arm.
incanted: (get this over with)
Author: incanted
"No souls of the damned. Overwhelming net benefit to damned souls. People vary on how unpleasant they find the idea, though."
withmypowers: (⑥ six impossible things)
Author: withmypowers
"What did the other Matildas think of it?"
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"I haven't spoken to them personally, but I don't think Tilly and Cam have had a falling-out and they show up to the parties and stuff."
withmypowers: (⑦ slow day)
Author: withmypowers
"Then I think it'll be fine. Go on."
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"Okay. Enchantment hurts as a byproduct of the spellcasting. Since it's a bad idea to lose control of an enchantment while you're doing it, we channel through helpers - consenting helpers. Although Sarion can do it by herself because she learned an elf meditation thing, but that's beside the point. And minting also hurts - that's how you make minting-type magic, is you take pain and turn it into a sort of a coin, like -" She nibbles her lip, makes a triangle, holds it up. "The more points, the more pain was invested in it, and the more it can do. Again, this is all consensual." (She pets Brilliance.) "Stella and Golden and Pattern have staff who do it, and the rest of us - including Stella - have significant others who do it."
withmypowers: (⑧ sense of style)
Author: withmypowers
Matilda shrugs. "That all seems fine to me."
incanted: (serene)
Author: incanted
"Okay. Some people are kinda weirded out. I was kinda weirded out, at first." She puts her coin away in her sorting wish.
withmypowers: (⑩ i did it with my powers)
Author: withmypowers
"How exactly do you get these unnerving otherworldly powers?"
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"Minting is self-perpetuating - a six pointed coin, a hex, will turn somebody into a mint. Enchanting is from Rose's world Rêverie, and people are born with the power there, but it can be hexed on too."
withmypowers: (⑤ i am very magic)
Author: withmypowers
"I see."
incanted: (all right)
Author: incanted
"And before Jane is installed in a world - or when she's not working - the way to get there is via an interworld bar called Milliways, so if a door ever leads to a bar instead of where you thought it was going, that's where you are."
withmypowers: (④ just a hint)
Author: withmypowers
"Good to know."
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"Also if that ever happens to you I'd like to be informed so I can go check on the Belltower."
withmypowers: (⑤ i am very magic)
Author: withmypowers
"I'll let you know," she promises. "What's the range on that communication system of yours?"
incanted: (serene)
Author: incanted
"The current version will work anywhere within the worldsheaf - uh, that means all the dimensions that are part of this world. Used to be it wouldn't work between subworlds but Amariah fixed it and upgrades to the brainphone propagate virally."
withmypowers: (② success story)
Author: withmypowers
"I might have to ask you for a list of all your alternates," she says, amused.
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"I go by Aurora when there are lots of me in the room. The others are Stella, Shell Bell, Amariah, Golden, Angela, Juliet, Aegis, Pattern, Rose, Cam, Sarion, and Glass. A few of us went to visit a new one who made her way to the Belltower, but then they got cut off - something in that world apparently affected Aegis in a way that broke Jane. Jane is mostly a computer network but she kind of lives in Aegis."
withmypowers: (④ just a hint)
Author: withmypowers
"Got it," says Matilda.
incanted: (all right)
Author: incanted
"Stella's the one from the world with minting, Shell Bell's from a nonmagical dystopia who started finding Milliways when she was six, Amariah is a witch from a world where that's a species and everybody's soul is a talking animal except there are talking polar bears who don't have those, Golden's a vampire, Angela's an angel - a biological angel, not a spiritual angel, although the lines are a little culturally blurred - Juliet is a vampire slayer but her vampires aren't Golden's kind, Aegis is a space admiral, Pattern has no distinguishing characteristics except for her aura, Rose is the native enchantress, Cam is the wizard and also the only boy so far, Sarion's an elf and has special elf magic, and Glass is a magician and also got the coolest aura features, she can see magic and also stuff about templates."
withmypowers: (① as much of it as possible)
Author: withmypowers
She laughs.

"I'm lucky I don't have to take notes."
incanted: (keen)
Author: incanted
"Does your Device do that? Like Cam's notebook?"
withmypowers: (⑤ i am very magic)
Author: withmypowers
"Yes, she's very handy that way."
incanted: (all right)
Author: incanted
"Notetaking is a Bell thing until we get perfect recall, but before Cam met the peal he had already wizarded up all his past notebooks into one, and on Syntropy, things that don't talk, talk. So he was pretty attached to her and routed his version of perfect recall through her. Also since then he went to Amariah's world and got her turned into one of the external-animal-souls and now she can be a hawk, although she's still usually a notebook."
withmypowers: (③ well i never)
Author: withmypowers
"Our history is not nearly so complicated," laughs Matilda. "We found each other when I was just about seven and we've been together ever since."
incanted: (serene)
Author: incanted
"Are you going to introduce me?" asks Bella.
withmypowers: (④ just a hint)
Author: withmypowers
"Her name is Adularia, but she doesn't like talking to most people."
incanted: (Default)
Author: incanted
"Neither does Cam's book-bird. Her name's Grace, but I've never spoken directly to her."
withmypowers: (⑤ i am very magic)
Author: withmypowers
"I'm sensing some similarities."
incanted: (serene)
Author: incanted
"Apparently it's a thing with a lot of daemons - that's the name for external animal souls, which she is now - that they only talk to other daemons and their people. Although Amariah's owl Pathalan is perfectly talkative when he has something to say. I don't know enough about Shell Bell's smew Neptune to say. And the Joker daemons, where applicable, are all very friendly."
withmypowers: (⑦ slow day)
Author: withmypowers
"Well, as much as I'd love to keep chatting about your alternate universe adventures, I have pirates to deal with," says Matilda. "I'll drop by next time I'm in the neighbourhood."
incanted: (all right)
Author: incanted
"Sure. Brainphone me anytime, I don't sleep."
withmypowers: (④ just a hint)
Author: withmypowers
"Noted."

She deploys her spell diagram and disappears with a little wave.
incanted: (serene)
Author: incanted
Bella devotes all of her attention to snuggling Brilliance.
cardistry: (⑨ flourisher)
Author: cardistry
Brilliance snuggles her right back.
incanted: (serene)
Author: incanted
"Do you need anything, sunshine?" she murmurs. "Besides all of the snuggling."
cardistry: (⑩ shadow cage)
Author: cardistry
Snuggle snuggle.

"I wanna get rid of my access codes," he says. "But I don't know how."
incanted: (regrouping)
Author: incanted
"Do you want me to try wishing them gone?"
cardistry: (⑦ fool's journey)
Author: cardistry
"I want to do it."
incanted: (abashed)
Author: incanted
"Okay." Pet, pet.




"I love you."
cardistry: (⑫ four hundred)
Author: cardistry
That's new.

Brilliance hugs her.

"I love you too."
incanted: (serene)
Author: incanted
Bella presses a kiss to his forehead.

Snuggle.
cardistry: (⑨ flourisher)
Author: cardistry
Cuddle snuggle.

Love.
incanted: (serene)
Author: incanted
Love, love.