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

<3

[usually]

Research, actually.

[As much as she'd like to help him pick up his fallen books, her wardrobe is more than a little limiting. Bending down any further than she just did might even rip the seams at the back of her skirt. There's a pang of guilt about merely standing there, casting her shadow over him as he goes about trying to gather his thoughts and his things. She doesn't even care to mind what he might be seeing from his current angle, adjacent from her as he's down on the ground. After all, he didn't have those particular proclivities, did he? Not if her assumptions about him in the museum held any truth.]

I see you've been doing some of your own?

[abidan]

Just a bit. I had a few ideas about ... well. You know.

[ He waves a book in a vague gesture before realising that he's actually on eye level with a pair of bare thighs. Elle certainly knows how to dress to accentuate her best features. ]

Aren't you cold?

[ He chuckles a little sheepishly as he finishes stacking his books. Not that she doesn't look lovely, of course, but Em doesn't quite understand the whole "dressing to impress" thing. Obviously. ]

What sort of research are you doing?

[usually]

It's almost summer. I thank you for the constancy of your concern. As of now, I'm looking into a bit of medieval poetry.

[Since Robb's not particularly eager to explore the nature of the olden song ringing in his head, she thought she might as well take initiative. There's a medieval scholar she met at the museum who's eager to help out. Poor thing's being strung along for the chance at a date with her. Well, we do what we must.]

And what about you?

[abidan]

Ask anyone from Wales - they'll tell you "almost summer" means nothing.

[ But he's just teasing. Anyway, it doesn't take much to distract him, and his eyes light up with interest at Elle's chosen research topic of the afternoon. He loves poetry. ]

By anyone famous?

[ Em glances down towards his own books with a slightly grim smile. ]

I'm just looking into that whole science-versus-magic argument. I've always been interested, but ...

[ He tapers off with a little shrug. The whole "also I appear to have gained magical telekinetic abilities" thing can wait. ]

[usually]

An obscure work, actually. Trying to find out who wrote it and why. A boring sort of mystery. Your interests seem to be decidedly less dull. Care to tell me what brought it on?

[abidan]

Boring? I think yours sounds interesting - you're like a Sherlock Holmes for poetry.

[ Nerd grin! ]

I just got a few ideas, is all. About what might be causing all these odd things to happen. [ Have half a smile, intended to cover the little white lie. Emery doesn't really want to go into his strange new ability. ] Then I realised I've never really looked into the marriage of science and magic.

[ He shrugs. ]

It ... might be useful to read up on where the lines begin to blur?

[usually]

Magic? Well, I suppose that's one way of explaining the strangeness. Best to explore all the avenues that might potentially lead to an answer.

[abidan]

That's what I thought.

[ Besides, it keeps his mind from going over and over on itself - Emery can get a little peculiar when he's been left alone with an idea for too long. A little reclusive, even. ]

D'you want some company while you research your poem?

[usually]

I wouldn't mind but aren't you busy?