[PRP] Real Magic (Algernon/Kaleb)

[Grey Dragon]

Kaleb diligently absorbed all the information. Some of it was common sense, or at least as common as you could get when it came to inexplicable phenomena like magic. It sounded like imagination was part of the solution Algernon was getting at, perhaps in Kaleb's case it meant a willingness to use magic for what physics alone couldn't accomplish.

"Really? That sort of acclimatization can happen as quickly as that?" He asked, rummaging through his bag for the book in question, and then handing it over. It had been a terrible book. "I thought it would get easier with practice, but I didn't expect an improvement like that to happen so fast."

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"Before," Alg's head canted slightly to the side, "Before the world changed it was more difficult. But even basic magical things can be accomplished even on the other side now." The home side. "You may not have noticed but it's in the air there too. Just not as potent. So your body is probably used to it more without you even knowing."

The book flopped, a cheap paperback, until alg slapped it against his palm. It became suddenly rigid and the sound it made when it hit was more solid. Like it had reinforced or condensed. He then juggled it lightly in his hand and with a practiced accuracy threw it very much like a knife or a ninja star straight into a nearby piece of drywall where it hid hard, and buried itself halfway in.

The book didn't flop in the air, didn't open or come apart, and when Alg went to retrieve it and brush off the dust, it was completely undamaged. Not even a corner of page was bent.

When handed back to Kaleb, it flopped again, a loose and normal paperback.

grey dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

"I can't feel magic in the air yet, stuff that isn't being worked with," Kaleb said, watching with interest as Algernon handled the paperback. "But if I can do something here, does that mean I should try them over there too? To see if it w- Ah!"

He might not have been concerned at the rigidity of the book, he could sense the magic that was pulled on to reinforce it, but Kaleb squeaked in surprise as the paperback was thrown. That one he didn't expect. Once placed back in his hands it looked pretty much indistinguishable from before, no magic, no damage, just... a terrible book.

"Do you... often, ah... need to use books as weapons?" Kaleb thumbed through the pages, there wasn't even any drywall lingering on the thing. The ease and proficiency at which the bookstore owner wielded many forms of magic was astounding.

He paused for a second. "How easy is it for you to do something you've never done before? Are there times the magic just doesn't come to you?"

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"Only to whack my husband for cheek-" Alg chuckled, "But he did become magically durable so it evens out. I also carry at least 2 books on me at all times," He patted what looked like a breast pocket, "but this wasn't planned. Again.. something that simply happened."

The older man then just shrugged, "I never have planned on any of my discovered powers. Natural abilities seem to simply happen, some circumstance leading me to discover some strange niche ability.."

Alg then squinted a bit at their surroundings and back to Kaleb, "As far as casting spells here. I've discovered I'm good at writing prepared magics. Also not so strong with commanding things to do my bidding, so much as working with them, towards an outcome I prefer." It probably sounded odd.

"But minor things become easier and easier the more comfortable you get within using magic. If you think about how you made the barrier.." He nodded at Kaleb, "And realize by simply tweaking your components, in the same manner, you could create dozens of things."

Like substituting components in an experiment, or a recipe.

grey dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Kaleb was guilty of carrying at least a couple books with him all the time as well, but his textbooks could be dangerous even without the aid of magic. The potential for accidental injury seemed to increase with the weight of the textbook in question. He shoved the paperback into his bag as though it were a paper cut waiting to happen.

Algernon was definitely a man of much knowledge, and it seemed as though magic were no exception. Coaxing the magic rather than commanding it, altering the composition of familiar magic, it was a lot to think about.

The shield that hung in the air vanished as Kaleb considered something new. He had been able to create the shield in different shapes, but he had not given much thought to it's properties besides solidity. Just out of curiosity he tried to create the shield again, a small spherical bubble that could fit in his palms, but this time he recalled the feeling of a neat trick Shiloh had shown him once before.

When the sphere appeared it had a weak glow about it, but quickly dissolved between his hands. Kaleb nodded to himself, the result was sadly pathetic, but the faint light was enough proof of concept to warrant further practice.

"If it's not too much to ask, can I see some of your written magic?" He asked rather suddenly.

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"Ah.." Alg rested his hand on his breast pocket and with a thought produced a green hardbacked book with simple gold trim. There was nothing extraordinary about it but he seemed to treat it like a precious thing. "My memory isn't very good so I've always written things down. At some point in my journeys here I acquired what is generally called a Grimoire."

His hand spread over the cover and then he moved closer. He wouldn't hand it over but there would be no harm in flipping through some pages.

"It's a compilation of the spells I've learned, as well as work developing new ones. I've also the ability to compose magic-" His nose wrinkled at the word, "Written out in full description and cast. I'm afraid it's no use in a pinch. It's prepared in advance and takes some time to set up and cast."

Unfortunately for Kaleb the writing in the book, while legible, seemed like prose that had been crossed out and tweaked, words substituted for others, notations on memory, and in some places short hand that was near impossible to decipher.

"I know it's useless to all by myself. Even my husband can't generally get use from it," He flipped and there were also doodles and notes in a hand different than his own, "I'm a writer by trade so it's my easiest channel for output of thoughts. I don't actually know of anyone else who does magic this way."

grey dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Kaleb watched with big, curious eyes. "Wow, I always imagined a grimoire to be like those huge leather-bound books, this looks much more... modern."

Although there was little magical information he could glean from the pages Algernon flipped through, he was still fairly awed at the sight of magic in it's various stages of actual development. It was like writing a full orchestral symphony compared to the casual humming his own magic might have represented. In this aspect, the word Algernon had used to describe his ability was fitting enough.

"So it's like a magical tool, that can help you cast magic that is bigger or more complex than the other things you've shown me?" Kaleb thought that made sense, there was only so much your mind could work with at a time. "Is it... attuned to you in particular, in a magical way? Or do other people just have different ways of casting magic?"

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"It's more like a magic journal. I don't actually do much with it magically besides read out of it and write in it. Though it doesn't run out of pages or ever get damaged or smudged.." He neglected to mention it had seemingly come from another version of himself in a different cycle, that it came from a him that knew much more magic and as he learned more it filled itself in - but only with what he was capable of managing.

"I believe it's closer to everyone casting in their own way. These spells rely a lot on what memories or feelings they evoke in me to pull the proper magic results," Alg closed it and motioned to Kaleb. "In the same way I assume should you start to write down or try and develop your magic on paper it would be rather useless to anyone who didn't understand."

grey dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

"I'm sure my class notes would look like a mess to anyone else trying to read them," he agreed with a smile. "I only have to write down the stuff I don't know, or might forget, it probably wouldn't help anyone else pass the class just to read them. Having a notebook that never runs out of pages would be pretty amazing though."

He glanced at the book again, focusing his attention in a way that usually revealed the sensation of magic. "It's strange, I don't really feel anything magical from the book itself, even though it's got some magical qualities to it... Are there many magical objects in the world? Do you think it's possible to learn how to make something like this?"

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"Well you know the world is different now," Alg slipped the book back into his jacket, "So magitech is a reality. Expensive, but a reality." Which meant that magic, in some capacity, was being mass produced.

"I think anything is possible. You just have to go looking for it," He didn't want to get Kaleb too involved in scary and horrific things but there was no avoiding the inevitable. "There are beings here on this side that are older, with more magical experience than any of us."

grey dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

"I've heard of magitech before... I didn't think much of it then, everything was pretty overwhelming at first." Kaleb's brows furrowed as he thought it over. Something about magical devices being marketed at high prices back in their world felt odd considering all the misinformation and mistrust surrounding magic in general. At least information on the sale of magical items was something he could probably find on the internet.

"I hope those old, experienced beings don't mind simple humans wandering around on this side," Kaleb muttered, thinking about how often he ended up here. "I don't know that I'd be up for seeking one out, even if I did want more knowledge about magic..."

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"Not all are bad, but remember you can't always learn more on circumstance alone. Seeking out those who know more is a natural step.." Of course some could be dangerous. It was a chance they all took.

"I encourage it, but at the same time be careful and never agree to anything that you aren't one-hundred percent comfortable with." You never knew when they found YOU instead of vice-versa.

grey dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

"Okay, I'll try to avoid devil's bargains." Kaleb solidly agreed. However, he was naturally timid and eager to avoid confrontations, he couldn't completely rule out manipulation or outright bullying. If he was going to get better at using magic, it would be a good idea to work towards being a stronger person in general.

Kaleb's habit of picking at the strap of his bag always increased when he had a lot of thinking to do, and at some point during the conversation he had found it in his fingers once again. "Thank you for telling me all this, it's really good stuff to know."

iloveyouDIE

Does Algernon have any more fancy magic stuff to show Kaleb, or are we approaching a stopping point? @o@

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"No problem," Alg smiled and glanced around. They'd of course need to find a way out now. Violetta was still with them though, licking herself in the sunniest patch of ground she could find. Of course her green moss had spread around her, much more widespread on this side, and was a pleasant splotch of green on the dismal landscape.

"Of course there are things I can't speak on.. such as the moonwalkers and wargs-" Alg moved towards Violetta and leaned to give her a pet. Yes he would be wanting to leave and he may be needing her help with that. "You'll have to reach out to one of them if your interested in an animal bond or becoming a were."

grey dragon

we can ease to an end

 

[Grey Dragon]

Moonwalkers? Weres? Those were relatively new terms, although Kaleb had met a warg. Nasir had even offered to help him if he was interested in bonding with an animal.

"I don't know if I could take care of a familiar, between the magic stuff and school I'm not sure I'd have time for an animal," Kaleb admitted. "And I think my roommate would freak out a bit if he realized he was living with something magical. That includes me too, I suppose."

He hadn't noticed the moss growth that surrounded the cat, not until Algernon brought attention back to her. The thought of having that sort of thing happening in his apartment with his magic-free roommate brought a lopsided smile to his face. It would be quite a disaster, but at least the carpet would never need vacuuming.

iloveyouDIE