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

[Text]

[shiromadoushi]

Of course magic is real. It's a pretty pathetic person who tries to pretend otherwise!

handwritten •

[abidan]

Have you always thought that, or only recently?

Text for now

[shiromadoushi]

Always.

Everything happening just proves it.

[Action]

[spideyfanone]

[Kurt's not fast and he's pretty small, not to mention weighed down by an armload of books, too. They aren't significant to the fraught situation. He took them out before the numbers got into his head and the network took over his brainspace. And he wasn't really planning on getting anything prescient. Books were more of an escape thing.

So just the usual stack of popular press on astrophysics and quantum mechanics, some novels about space you could use to bludgeon a man to death with half the chapters cut out, and a cookbook his dad had asked him to bring back.

Now all mixed in with the older kid's armload, something he'd be mildly annoyed about after he got done being squished.]

Ow, man.

action •

[abidan]

[ In classic Emery fashion he doesn't really notice what's happened until it's happened: until he's sprawled out and tangled up in a heap of limbs that aren't his own. He blinks once, confused, before struggling to his knees and backing up, offering an apologetic hand to the poor kid he's just knocked off his feet. ]

Sorry! I'm so sorry. I ... must've tripped over my feet?

[ He grimaces with suitable self-deprecation as he moves to dust down his pants. This is a merry old mess — thankfully none of the books look damaged (not half as damaged as his poor knees, anyway), and he leans over to start gathering up the volumes that don't look like his own. ]

Are you all right?

[spideyfanone]

Happens to me all the time.

[Kurt swings up to his feet with the practiced ease of someone who lands in a lot of undignified heaps and goes along to help sort the books out. He's had too much experience being the littlest guy around to mind dealing with someone older, and clumsiness is almost endearing.]

Looks like some good light reading.

[Funny, no hint of sarcasm at all.]

Text

[reckless_fire]

A couple of months ago, I'd have said no, but now? I'm talking to you over some weird network other people can't see, I got chased out of the DD by a damn werewolf a couple weeks ago, and the ghost of a wet dog came up and watched me do my homework last night. Magic doesn't sound any weirder than the other weird shit that's been happening.

handwritten •

[abidan]

So you think it's a possibility, at least?

[ That's a relief. Emery's always had his own beliefs, but it's nice to feel as though he might be able to talk about them, however vaguely. ]

I hope there's more to it than this. If it is magic, this can't be how it's meant to be used.

Text

[reckless_fire]

Sure, why not? The rules have changed, and magic's as good a word for what's been going on as any.

What do you mean?

Text

[icy_heavens]

At this point, I can't exactly rule it out.

handwritten •

[abidan]

Would you have ruled it out before?

text

[testsonseashells]

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. -Arthur C. Clarke

handwritten •

[abidan]

I'd have to agree with that.

[ It even gets a smile, on the other side of the paper. ]

Is that your opinion too?

text; handwritten

[withregret]

Given the circumstances, I no longer feel confident in saying "no" to that.

Do you believe magic is the cause of what's happening? Or is there another reason you asked?

handwritten •

[abidan]

I don't know what to believe. I think it might have something to do with what's been going on, though, even if it's not the cause ...

[ And there's another reason he asked, yes, but he's not sure he wants to discuss it as freely as everyone else. Just in case. ]

I mean, at this point it almost makes sense, doesn't it?

action ;; w/e i know you'll forgive me for this account

[usually]

[The sound of someone toppling down the steps and dropping an armful of books prompts Elle to turn her head just as she's about to step inside the library. Well, that's certainly a familiar heap at the bottom of the steps. Tall and gangly with dark hair. Even from behind, it's easy for her to tell who it is. Her heels mince down the stairs, sounding off a staccato rhythm. Despite her short skirt, she bends to reach out and help him up, keeping one hand behind her in an attempt to keep the hem down.]

I'm probably giving everyone behind me quite an eyeful so I suggest that you take my hand.

A l w a y s and forever.

[abidan]

[ Emery thinks nothing of the bounce of heels that seems to be making its way closer towards him; probably just someone passing by, or getting ready to snicker at his misfortune. He's dazed, and just about up on his knees when neat little hand reaches into his field of vision; ]

What—?

[ Have a confused blink, then another, before a flush of recognition. Emery always makes such a peculiar impression on new acquaintances. ]

Oh! Elle. Sorry, just let me—

[ He takes her hand, grateful to be steadies as he rises to his feet. Standing in amidst a heap of books with his clothes dusty and creased ...

Well. Just another day in the life of Em. ]

Thanks. What're you doing here? [ It's a library, Emery. Fucksake. He crouches to begin gathering up his scattered books. ] I mean. Are you here for a class?

[Text | Handwritten]

[scramasax]

I do as well. [It's a short answer to start with because, what with everything that's been going on, it is probably an expected one, if put vaguely. He hasn't had much reason to actively think that he always has rather than hold a quiet openness to it, even if he has.]

handwritten •

[abidan]

Because of the things that've been going on? Or did you think that before all this.

[text]

[elfstoned]

Though most of what I have seen since April has been of a decidedly sci-fi bent, I would not doubt the existence of magic on principle.

handwritten •

[abidan]

Would you doubt it on anything else? Also, you didn't strike me as the sci-fi type.

[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! ]

[text]

[northless]

With all that's been happening lately, magic doesn't seem so far-fetched.

[In comparison to the werewolves and the memories that don't make one lick of sense, to the song and the languages on the network, to talking animals, magic? Doesn't really rank all that high up on the list of impossible things anymore.]

handwritten •

[abidan]

I don't think it was ever that far-fetched, really ... I just. Don't think I ever expected it to be like this, either.