03 | video

[boilover]

Right, here's the thing - I need a nerd. A geek. A smart guy. Or girl, whatever. I ain't overly picky.

[He shrugs his shoulders, casual as anything, taking a long sip of his beer. Sara may have told him this was not the best method to catch himself a genius but given the chance of there being some hanging around this joint, he thinks it's the perfect way. When in doubt, post an ad.]

This guy I know got brainwashed into being the king of dicks and I'm getting kind of sick of his shit so I need someone who'd be able to do some sci-fi sciencey stuff on his head. I have a vague idea how to do it but I just can't remember the details. [He's pretty much forgotten how they originally did it back home but he can unhelpfully offer vague information and a beer while you work. A+ service.]

All the 'smart' ones I know are annoyingly the biggest idiots around, I'm looking for someone less inclined to be stupid as hell. Help me out and maybe I'll help you out. Though my skills are limited to burning and breaking stuff.

[At least he knows his strengths? If you want a bonfire, ka-ching.]

I know a good looking chick if that sweetens the deal. Ain't saying she's gonna touch you but you can admire from afar. Really far. I also know some easy dudes if that's your thing. [Hey, whatever fixes this mess.]

Comments

[deathlessness]

[She pauses for a moment, before shaking her head.]

I don't think so, no. If anything, it will require me to use less energy to focus the spell, which means I can maintain it for longer, which should help our ends.

[But just to double check:]

What kind of power source is it?

[shrinkage]

Star stuff. It's incredibly dense matter from a white dwarf star-- it's what powers my suit. Makes me tiny. No currant cake necessary.

[ his warms a little, talking about his tech and calling back to his arrival. ]

[deathlessness]

[She smiles a bit at that before nodding slowly.]

While I can't say I've ever channeled a star before, I have worked with celestial objects. I'm sure we'll get along just fine.

[Though channeling the full moon is probably not the same thing, but she'll make it work.]

[shrinkage]

[ his gaze sharpens a little, and he fails to hide his excitement. ]

Well...do you want to take it for a test run?

[deathlessness]

[She can't help but be amused at that. It's rare that someone is this excited to work with her.]

Why not. Better to be safe than sorry. Though we will need a subject.

[shrinkage]

[ before she's done speaking, he's up and retrieving the piece of dwarf star. ]

Oh, use me! [ he returns to the table, holding the unassuming hunk of surprisingly heavy metal out to her. ] Can you do something to me? Oh-- when I was a sorcerer in the kindergarten I accidentally made someone's skin into rubber. Horrifying at first, but-- also very awesome.

[deathlessness]

[She laughs a bit before shaking her head.]

No, nothing like that. But ... hmmmm.

[She takes the piece of dwarf star, rolling it in her hand for a moment, before tipping her head to the side.]

How do you feel about New Orleans, 1914?

[shrinkage]

[ he lights up and nods. ]

Great! That's a time I haven't traveled to yet.

[deathlessness]

Good. Give me your hand.

[She'll hold her free hand out to him, offering this small access into her memories freely. She's trying to decide which segment of 1914 she wants to share, but she probably shouldn't pick that time one brother daggered her other brother at Christmas.]

Just close your eyes and relax your mind as much as you can.

[shrinkage]

[ even if freya were to make her request while ray was fast asleep in dreamland, the prospect of clearing his mind would be a tall order. but his hand folds easily into hers -- eagerly, even.

he tries, though. tries not to think about how desperate he is for her help. about how helpless he feels in needing help at all. his excitement at experiencing real magic not wielded by wonderland is almost energized by the fact that she's allegedly channeling the dwarf star.

he tries, really! he thinks of the things he does know of new orleans-- a caricature, really. the tourist's view of a city rich in culture and history. ]

I'm not really great at that. [ he whispers the words as if it'll help keep him from disrupting the spell. ] Relaxing, I mean.

[deathlessness]

I can imagine. Don't worry, you won't need to relax for long.

[She then begins to chant under her breath, focusing on the energy of the dwarf star alloy and drawing it into herself, and using it to project one of the strongest memories she has - the party her siblings threw that Christmas.

She doesn't focus on the events so much as the attire and the setting, putting herself in her party dress from that evening, and drumming up something for Ray to wear that's appropriate.]

There. New Orleans, 1914.

[shrinkage]

[ the feeling certainly takes. ray turns to take in their sudden new surrounding-- and it's more than a little disorienting. new sights and sounds, and it even smells different. food, and perfume, and smoke.

and hey look he's dapper af. ]

This must be what a holodeck feels like... there's even music. [ hang on: ] How are we here? Is this some kind of illusion magic?

[deathlessness]

Partially. But it's more of a memory spell.

[Mostly because it is pulled completely from her memory and she's recreating it around them.]

Normally, it's not this dramatic, but this alloy is quite powerful. Which means I get to show off a little more.

[shrinkage]

It's one of the densest metals in my world...

[ he can't help but 'teach' while he turns in place, taking in the experience. ]

This is incredible. I had no idea that magic could use a battery in the same way technology does. Though, I suppose I should have, given all the Core talk in Wonderland. [ but, hrm. ] Is this your memory?

[deathlessness]

[She nods.]

My siblings threw this Christmas party in 1914. It was one of the last things I did in the twentieth century.

[shrinkage]

[ the memory is suddenly not at all interesting. ray turns to face freya, brow tucked into a curious furrow. ]

I didn't know you were from the turn of the century.

[deathlessness]

I'm not.

[She pauses for a moment before smirking a bit.]

At least not the turn of this century.

[shrinkage]

[ his eyebrows simply raise, and ray nods slow and understanding. ]

That...shouldn't be surprising. [ and yet he sounds so very surprised. ] I want you to know I'm trying very hard not to ask the question I shouldn't be asking right now.

[ it actually sort of looks like it's hurting him actually. ]

[deathlessness]

[She laughs a bit at that, before shaking her head.]

Ask me whatever you like. I'm fairly certain the answer isn't what you think.

[shrinkage]

If you aren't from the turn of the century-- when are you from?

[ he counts himself a time traveler, like, third? but it still burns in him to collect all of these antique friends... ]

[deathlessness]

Technically I was brought to Wonderland, it was 2014.

[For starters.]

But I was born around the end of the first millennium.

[shrinkage]

[ still wide, ray's eyes blink rapidfire. he smirks, and he cannot help his stupid self: ]

Well, hey! You don't look a day over five-hundred.

[ raymond pls. ]

[deathlessness]

[She laughs.]

I've got good genes.

[It's a joke, but it's also true, so there's that.]

And there was an immortality spell involved.