oo4 • handwritten | open action behind the cut! come get smashed into with books.

[abidan]

"Newton was not the first of an age of reason. He was the last of the magicians".

[ The words appear in a sloppy, cursive line: Emery is writing his network address on a page in the back of his ratty old notebook. Forgive him, he's in the library and this is a spur of the moment thing. ]

J.M.Keynes said that in 1947. Anyone who's studied a bit of history knows that we had alchemists, sorcerers and magicians before we had today's science — before "reason" got all popular.

[ A pause. A few dots appear as Emery taps the nib of his pen against the paper, contemplative. ]

All this. Do you think it still counts as reasonable?

[ He certainly doesn't think so. Werewolves? Ghosts? Why not a little magic too? Emery's always been of the opinion that there's more to the world than meets the eye, but. Now. Now that he can move things without touching them; halt the fall of water in mid-air ...

Not that he's going to be telling anyone about that just yet, of course. ]

I suppose I just want to ask. Do you— [ And this time he pauses because of uncertainty on his own part. Emery needs answers that books can't give him. Not these books, anyway. ] —think magic could be real?

★★★

[ Emery has looked better. It's been a fairly peculiar week-and-few-days as far as peculiar weeks-and-few-days go: the whispers that kept him up all night are still fresh in his mind despite himself, and the dreams, those god-awful nightmares filled with pained howls and ragged breaths. He isn't the only one, of course, which anyone else might consider some small comfort, and yet ...

No. That's a different thought, for a different afternoon. Today he's out looking for answers to a very specific question: to what extent is there a difference between science and magic? These things, these inexplicable things that have been happening all around them. Should they be calling it by something else? Has he been experiencing something else? "Magic" has so many silly connotations nowadays — a word associated with smoke and mirrors, children's birthday parties, con artists and Psychic Hotlines.

But Emery believes. A different kind of magic, perhaps, but magic all the same, but now manifesting within him as a rush of gold and impossible feats. That's why, today, he's hurrying down the steps of the library with a stack of books clutched to his chest: alchemy and philosophy; texts on medieval mages; the dawn of science; the place of magic in the world today.

Of course, he's just about at the bottom when he trips. ]

[ ooc; How far he trips is at your discretion! Have him crash into your character, land at the feet of your character, swoon into the arms of your character ... anything goes. 8) ]

Comments

[Texted]

[espigeonage]

I'd like to think there's some internal logic behind all of this. Reason's not dead, I hope, there's just more to it than we know.

So, maybe. What's it matter what you call it, I guess?

handwritten •

[abidan]

A rose by any other name?

[ Usually Em would agree, but. ]

I don't know. Sometimes it's ... a relief? To know for certain - even if it's just knowing for certain that it's indefinable.

[ Especially when it's happening to you! ]

[espigeonage]

Roses again, huh? Well, not-me apparently has healing powers...

Maybe. No one can know everything anyway, but I'd hope there's some kind of sense in it somewhere. lol, when I read fantasy I like magic better if it has its own rules.

[abidan]

I think that's what I'm looking for. A bit of sense in something nonsensical.

[ Then, as a second thought: ]

What sort of rules come up the most? In your books. Or are they all different?

[espigeonage]

That's fair.

Welllll, I'm not the biggest fantasy fan. A little here, a little there. The ones I like usually have prices for magic - the energy or whatever comes from something.

What are those bedroom eyes, Julien ...

[abidan]

I think a couple of the books I looked at talked about that. Then again, people in the Middle Ages seemed ... uh. Pretty keen on their alchemistic sacrifice.

[espigeonage]

[They're bedroom eyes? Huh. Honest, I always thought it was more a befuddled expression...]

Well, what book was it... I don't remember now, but there was the idea that blood strengthened magic, and it could be the magician's or someone else's.

[abidan]

... Always blood. Why can it never just be a smile?

[espigeonage]

Well I think one had it be sex. That book was weird. Girl who wanted me to read it took it pretty seriously, too.

[abidan]

Oh. Well that's.

[ Error. Error. ]

Good?

[espigeonage]

I kind of feel bad for laughing at her, but you have to admit orgone energy is a little weird!

[abidan]

I'd be the first to admit it's a little weird, actually! Maybe I'll stick with blood.

[espigeonage]

lol! Maybe stage blood's good enough?