[PRP] Mysterious (Eve/Chester)

[cibarium]

"If you're interested in learning traditional forms of magic, I recommend against doing so by means of reverse-engineering the concepts in someone else's grimoire," Eve said as an answer to the offer. "And I'd rather not distract you much from your own problems." And not spoken but implied in her tone was some distrust: she wasn't going to accept help from someone just because they offered.

"Though for what it's worth, I did make a magic drink coaster," she continued, becoming a bit more lighthearted. With her free hand she pointed to a cup of ice water sitting nearby on what, presumably, was said magic drink coaster. "That's been sitting there for hours. Figuring out the temporal isolation proof took over half a week. Because I'm working off someone else's ideas, I'm always going to be limited by them, and I have to fight for every step of progress I make." There came the sourness again, a little more contextualized now. Damn near impossible was apt.

Eve looked back up at Chester. "Magic is about making more things possible, this much seems obvious to you. It's also much more personal than anyone could expect or tell you."

smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

Chester nodded, understanding her unspoken implication. He wouldn't have trusted someone else to help him with his personal work either, probably not even if he had known them.

"I'll take that into consideration." He hadn't the faintest idea how to get his hands on someone else's grimoire, so the likelihood that he would have the opportunity to delve into one that deeply was slim to none. "The coaster sounds useful though," he said with a chuckle.

Her last statement was met with a nod. While he had gathered that magic was a very personal endeavor, such a statement was a little disheartening too. It meant that any trouble he was having with direction was something he was ultimately going to have to work though by himself. He doubted there was much forward progress to be made riding the coattails of others, at least in this.

"Yes," he said a short time later. "It means I can't solicit others to solve my magical problems." Another small smile into his tea as he sipped. "I do hope you have some success with the time magic though. Honestly, that's the best solution to this whole thing that I've heard so far."

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

Eve made a strange face at Chester's conclusion, nodding graciously through his compliments. "Thank you. I doubt I can solve the whole thing with it, though, and I don't aim to. Otherwise I'd be making the same mistakes I've been accusing others of. So... when I talked about magic being personal, that's not what I meant."

smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

"Well, yes, but..." He was aware of his problems with wanting to fix cycles and the like in one fell swoop, but even though he knew it was a bad idea, he couldn't help hoping for it. Chester sighed.

"What did you mean then?"

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

Eve rested her chin on a hand, and thought. "I can't give that a simple answer," she confessed. "The personal nature of the work comes with the work. Getting help from others doesn't stop your magic from being your own."

smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

Chester sipped. He wasn't confused or miffed or anything else, he was simply thinking, pondering what he had assumed he was coming here for versus what he had actually ended up with.

"All right. I understand." He was pretty sure he also understood why Eve and Jeremiah were friends. "And I think I know how I want to get started." He didn't. "I hope I have enough time."

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

Eve quirked a brow, curious. "Fast thinker, hmm? I'm looking forward to seeing what comes out of it."

smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

Well, that placated his frustration a bit. He was a fast thinker, thank you very much, even if he hadn't thought of anything profound in this particular instance. Chester smiled down at his tea.

"And I'm looking forward to what you do as well. I guess I should... get to it? I... What do I owe you?"

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

"I wasn't going to forget that," Eve said with a grin. Chester had been fine company, but freebies were for regular customers. She waved someone down to bring his check over. "Pay at the counter when you're ready. I need to go check on the rest of the store, but it was nice talking with you."

smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

"Yes, same here. I'll try to come back when Ashdown on the whole has calmed down." Whether that would ever happen was a discussion for another day.

Chester lingered to finish his tea, paid at the counter, and left with no real aim, but an odd sense of purpose nonetheless.

cibarium

thank you for rp <3
now i need to figure out what he can bring to chronomancy drabbles fffff