[PRP] Grubby Little Paws (Jamie & Preacher)

[saedusk]

It felt sort of weird going from one extreme to the other as if the first had never happened, but forgetting about the vomit side of the incident was probably for the best. Besides, hadn't Preacher said she'd owe him (or somethin')? Now was as good a time as any, right?

"It's kinda complicated, but, um, do you think I could cash in on that favor like... right now...?"

The Semblance of Unityyyy

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Preacher frowned, the expression causing furrows between her brows. Honestly, this was working out better than expected. If Jamie asked for his favor now, it would mean she no longer owed him. And she hated owing favors.

"Well, I mean, a'right. Whatcha need?"

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

"It's... the sigils," he said, rubbing his neck like he still couldn't decide whether this was a good idea or not. "I need to find people who are, y'know, at least good at them. For... well, I guess you could call it an experiment, too. I need to collect data on how they work and I've got this... this thing," as he said that, he pulled a lockbox out of his bag, "to do it with."

For a second, he humored opening the box here. He was already reaching for the key hidden on the chain around his neck when he thought better of it, though. "Um... would it be possible to go somewhere less... public?" The last thing he wanted was someone walking up and seeing him whip out the spell schema, especially anyone who wasn't magically inclined.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Weeeeell," she said. "I can really only do tha lil 3-symbol ones. I ain't good at anythin' bigger n' they ain't elegant." Preacher frowned at his box. This was the plot of some thriller, wasn't it? Local girl gets ******** over by a weirdo with a box. Whatever.

"You name it, we can go there, I dun care. And ya can... idk... scan me or whatever with tha thing." Preacher paused. "I ain't see ways into bullshit magic land, so if ya wanna go there, ya gotta provide tha in."

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

"It might be easier to go back to my house," Jamie admitted, sounding unsure if only because he feared she wouldn't like the idea. He wished he could see Otherworld portals, it was something he looked for everyday, something he wished he could learn, but as is he was in the same boat as Preacher. "My, um, my parents are out of town, so... w-we won't have to worry about them."

And just like that, fate brought the bus around the corner and to a slow, squeaky-braked stop in front of them. "I can pay your fare... if this is okay."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

She let out a low whistle. "Damn, boy. I thought ya had a boyfriend." Preacher let that hang for a second, then snorted loudly. "Nah, ya home is fine. I don' ********' care, but I can pay m'own fare."

Preacher almost crossed her arms, then almost put her hands on her hips. "Whatever. Lead tha way, bun."

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

Predictably, Jamie's cheeks reddened and his voice went higher than normal. "I-It's not like that!" he said defensively, "I do have a boyfriend!" It sunk in moments later that she'd been teasing and that only served to heighten his embarrassment. He tried not to let it show too obviously (but it totally did) as he boarded the bus and paid his fare.

A ride and a short walk later, they were in front of his house. It was as unassuming as the rest of the homes in this quiet neighborhood. The nice, clean walkway lead up to stairs and to a porch that framed the front. To one side was a porch swing, to the other a small table and chairs and a collection of outdoor nicknacks. A perfectly average suburban set piece.

"This is it," he said, letting them inside.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Preacher snorted loudly at Jamie's reaction, and snorted again at the house. "This is tha most goddamn suburb, picket-fence s**t I ever seen." She followed him easily, though.

"So whatcha need me ta do? ********' pop out a dozen sigils while ya watch - explain how each symbol works?" If she'd have been chewing gum, she would have popped it.

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

"Actually..." he said, looking back at Preacher as he led her through the house and out the other side into the backyard, "That's kinda exactly what I want." Taking a seat on the back patio, he gestured for her to join. There was plenty of smooth, flat surface for her to draw on. "Or, um, as many as you want, but preferably one at a time, 'cause y'see-"

That was when Jamie finally unboxed the spell schema. It sat temporarily dormant in his hands and he had no plans to fully explain it to her unless she asked and wouldn't relent. After all, he hated even showing it to people he didn't totally trust, but he was desperate for opportunities to gather good data.

"This thing is gonna do the watching for me," he said.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"It's gon' watch me? The ******** is it?" She eyed the rock distrustfully. Very distrustfully. "You want a piece o' rock ta watch me makin' sigils n' fer me ta explain the going's on ta you?" This all sounded like the plot of a very bad horror movie. They just needed a oujia board or something.

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

Yeah. Yeah, he should've expected that reaction. With a few subtle movements, the stone appeared to melt into the shape of his hands and then expand outward. At full size it looked a lot like a map or a corkboard stuck with cutouts of articles strung together with thread. It glowed a faint purple.

"It's kinda like a magic computer," he said, "It's nothing dangerous." Which was only half a lie; the schema could definitely be scary in the wrong hands, but Jamie liked to think he was being careful.

"All it does is collect data on how things work."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"A'ight." Whatever it was, it as ********' weird, bullshit magic stuff. She shrugged; it would probably watch her whether she wanted it to or not. "Ya want m'sigils ta do anythin' in particular?" But she was already tracing lines in the air.

A symbol for the golden ratio, to keep everything pleasingly contained, multiple bursts of some small symbol that Preacher drew painstakingly, and finally and odd set of... clock hands, perhaps. She drew faster than she thought, completely forgetting to explain anything. When she was done, she sucked at her injured thumb again and spat a bit of bloodied saliva through the symbols.

In a whorl of light, mini fireworks exploded above the schema, multicolored and arcing gracefully. Then, after a minute, they ceased. Preacher looked at Jamie and shrugged.

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

Just because this was business didn't mean Jamie couldn't enjoy it, right? As he watched Preacher's mini fireworks display, his eyes were wide and wondrous and flashing with the colors of every explosion. It made him feel like a kid again in that minute, free from worry. He could hear the shouts and laughs of other children in his head as the show went on.

But then, like all good things, it came to an end. It took a tick for Jamie to return to the moment, but he looked at Preacher sheepishly.

"That was nice," he said, "Thanks... Anything like that is fine. Whatever you wanna do. Could you do just a few more?"

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Yup," she said. It was a damn good thing she wasn't prone to anemia, though, with how much she bled for magic. Preacher pulled out her nigh indestructible piece of paper and tried ripped it, sending the sigil on it glowing into life. Then she cast a minor fireball (more like a flicker).

Anything is fine. She chewed her lip. Preacher sketched some symbols in the air next to the schema, then did her usual bleed and magic thing. A shimmering bubble popped around the stone - a sort of mini shield. It was something that unless she constantly fed it magic, it would dissipate, but it looked pretty and it protected it like those shields in Dune. fast stuff couldn't really get through, but slow, deliberate movements could.

Then she cut off her magic and it disappeared, leaving her yawning. "S'that good?"

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

It looked pretty, especially around the schema, and Jamie loved it. No doubt Preacher had leeway to think him a loser for continuing to look starstruck each time she cast.

"Oh, um, that should be good, yeah." With the shield gone, he scooped up the schema and considered closing it up, but instead set left it expanded in case it needed more time to properly process the data it had collected. "Thank you, I mean it. Sorry for making you do so much, but I think this will really help."

The Semblance of Unity