Power Without a Price

[curiousdiscoverer]

The first time Ezra finds Milliways he spends most of the experience overwhelmed by psychic sensory overload. Postcognition doesn’t really mix well with inter-dimensional nexus.

However when he walks out and tells about the experience, the true nature of the place is eventually revealed, furthermore he discovers that the Traders are very interested in using the unique location to seed magic to other worlds and they pay very generously for it. So Ezra’s family all hear about the story and stay in the look out for another door, just in case.

Years pass, and Ezra’s family gets a little smaller, and starting wishing for a door to show up.

Because resurrection is possible, but expensive and bringing three people back is impossibly costly without extreme circumstances.

So Ezra feels extremely lucky the day he finally finds a door again, with family in his apartment where they wait behind after Ezra grabs a few things while Temps holds the door.

He is now in better control of his powers and Milliways massive history doesn’t overload him anymore.

Ezra looks around the bar, sits on a table with a nice view and observes.

Is anyone here that could want and deserve magic?

Comments

[superego_medico]

Ezra gives a small nod of approval to Ann.

"Politicians and Reality TV are too common of a problem in the multiverse" Ezra says with a smirk "What do you mean with robot? We have some, but I wouldn't mention them in conversation. They are mostly factory machinery. Feel to ask all the questions you want to me, I am gathering data on people from other worlds and like to reciprocate"

Ezra does not add that he is searching for people to give magic to, but the sisters come in the right number so he is hopeful.

[can_i_go]

"I have a friend who's a robot! Her name is Miri and she helps me with things. You didn't use to be able to take personal robots to lectures, but now you can and she takes better notes than I do because she doesn't have problems with paying attention like I do, only dad had to buy her a new body that was small enough and now she has her human body but she can also be a cat. There are also other robots but they are not my friends, my dad has Alice but I don't talk to her a lot because she's just there to make sure I don't mess up too bad."

[can_i_help]

Sabrina is making increasingly exaggerated unhappy faces behind Lucy's back.

[superego_medico]

Ezra is mildly confused by Sabrina faces' but decides to keep talking with the sister that is actually talking.

"We have robot dogs, but they are really expensive toys" Ezra says "Your robots are intelligent? That would be remarkable to see, and maybe buy the schematics of. I have a little half-brother that is crazy about robots. Our world only has humans and a handful of magical creatures."

[can_i_stay]

There are a few pointed looks exchanged, and Ann interrupts Lucy before she can start rambling again.

"Do you want another drink? I think I'll have one."

Then she practically drags Lucy away.

[can_i_help]

Sabrina looks at them as they leave, and once they're out of ear shot she turns back to Ezra.

"The robots are not as intelligent as Lucy makes them sound. But she loves Miriam, so this discussion did not happen. I swear, she'd love a lamp if the lamp could hug her."

[superego_medico]

Ezra calculates his response. Magic can be infused in any intelligent creature, regardless of substrate, so the topic might come up if he makes the offer... On the other hand dolphins and elephants can't become mages, despite being quite smart.

Ezra just says.

"Okay, I will keep that in mind. Lucy is a loving person? What does she do?"

That could indicate a helpful power, or at least a harmless one

[can_i_help]

"Yes, loving is one word you could use."

That, and naive, trusting and gullible. But she's not going to advertise her sister's weak spots.

"She's currently studying to be an airplane pilot. It's something she's wanted since she was tiny, for her it's a way to see the world."

It was and is still quite adorable.

[superego_medico]

Ezra seems to find that adorable too!

"How about you or your other sister?" Ezra asks "I have no idea what kinda of jobs your Earth has, or even what year is in there. My world is in 2010"

[can_i_help]

"I'm studying law, but I'm using it as a spring board for politics and Ann just started medical school. The year is 2047. According to what I remember from school about the new tens, a lot of physical work has disappeared, and the service sector that used to have a lot of jobs has been flooded with robots now that they are on the human side of the uncanny valley. Engineering, IT and creative pursuits are more popular than ever."

She has a lot of Opinions about these things, but unlike Lucy she knows some people do not want to hear them.

[superego_medico]

Lots of creativity based work sounds promising.

"We are trying to use magic for practical everyday things" Ezra says "it isn't nearly close to what you describe" yet "Why politics?"

[can_i_help]

She shrugs.

"It's the easiest way to change the world the most."

[can_i_go]

While the two of them were talking, Lucy and Ann have managed to get their drinks. Lucy sits down next to Sabrina.

"So, what were we talking about?"

[superego_medico]

"We are talking about your world," Ezra answers "yours is 37 years ahead! I was going to ask what would you three would do with magic if you had it."

[can_i_stay]

"That's an incredibly broad question. What kind of magic? What does it do, does it have drawbacks?"

[superego_medico]

"Fair point, since there are so many kinds from so many different worlds, but I was talking about the magic from my world," Ezra says "Everyone with my type of magic can sense magic and has at least one other power, often more. The powers a person gets depend on their skills, knowledge, personality and there is an element we call heredity, you can get powers similar to of ancestors and family"

"Using powers cost you energy that we call mana, using too much leaves you mentally tired, but it can't kill you. Besides the direct uses of your powers, you can create magical items or... There are the Traders, powerful mages that trade magic between dimensions, you can make a deal where they siphon the magic out of you for a time and you get some magic as a rewards, the price is expensive, but you can become eternally young rather easily."

"I think those are the most relevant points," Ezra completes "What would you do with that?"

[can_i_help]

"That's still to broad. If your power was to, for example, kill everyone who dislikes you, there's not much good you can do with it. On the other hand if your power is making puppies out of thin air you can hardly use that to get rid on your enemies."

[superego_medico]

"Powers tend to be useful," Ezra says "granted, not always ideally useful. If the power of killings is about killing living things... you could with a lot of train and practice use it to kill cancer cells. Now, puppy summoning, if you don't want to sell puppies and don't have a second power that makes the first one useful... You can trade your power away."

Ezra thinks for a moment.

"Exchange rate of puppy summoning sounds very low, but you could get a deal where you age normally but gets back to equivalent twenties every thirty or forty years. You can trade the killing power too for a better deal."

The sisters might notice that he manages to say "puppy summoning" twice with a completely serious face.

[can_i_go]

"Can you use it to make an endless pizza?"

[can_i_stay]

"Lucy, Lucy no."

[can_i_go]

"Okay, fine. I'd grow wings and fly. Is that more acceptable?"

[superego_medico]

"I never heard of any endless pizza, sadly," Ezra says smiling "Some people can conjure food, or transform stuff into food or feed on mana itself. I do know a few people that can grow wings and fly, but they are bird shape-shifters. Ah, there was that girl who could transform horses into mythical horses, including pegasi."

Ezra looks thoughtful for a minute.

"If your ladies could excuse me for a moment," Ezra says "I would like to talk with my brother for just a minute."

Ezra goes to the door, of course, his brother is just on the other side.

"Franklyn, Can you come in and check something?" Ezra asks "those three girls right there" he points at the sisters "what skills they have?"

[of_all_trades]

"Sure," Franklyn answers stepping inside.

Franklyn narrows his eyes at the sisters, not that he actually needs to.

"One can read people, it is a very intuitive ability," Franklyn says "I think they are all starting their college courses and don't have too much specialized knowledge, stuff about Law and Medicine from the other two, but nothing too elaborate. I think Milliways is interfering with my ability to copy languages, but overall, they seem very typical young adults from the alternate 2047 Earth."

"You can tell when they come from?" Ezra asks.

"Sure, there is some historical facts or stuff like where the next olympics will be hosted," Franklyn answers "Stuff about how to use robots, literature novels and their impact on the dragon fantasy genre. You think they are mage material?"

"Hoping so," Ezra says "they came in three, that could set up a cycle and a huge reward for us."

Neither young man, mentions that the "huge reward" including resurrecting Franklyn's mother. They do stay silent for a moment.

"Well," Franklyn "I want to talk with them."

[superego_medico]

"I will introduce you," Ezra says "don't blurt it out that we might give magic to them... Also, Lucy thinks robots are people and the sisters don't want her to figure it out"

"Ah, that explains the dissonant knowledge," Franklyn comments as they move closer to the table.

"Hello again," Ezra says when they reach the table "this is my half-brother Franklyn"

[of_all_trades]

"Hello," Franklyn says smiling wide "First time at Milliways too? So far is my favorite inter-dimensional hub."