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

[parental_guidance]

Emma splutters at the sight of someone changing height in front of her, but abandons the thought process in favor of Phil. She rushes over to his stretcher and kneels next to him. His color is better, but- what did they do? "Why did he pass out?" she fusses. "He was awake before!" She grabs anxiously for his hand. "Phil? Phil, are you okay?"

[witch_perfect]

"No, see, you saying 'time is stopped'? Not actually helping. Both the part where it is impossible even beyond this already impossible place, and also the part where you have no proof. You weren't in the subway! What if you're wrong? What if it's not frozen for us, or even just for Jenny? I'm not leaving my roommate trapped in a flaming subway car because you think someone stopped time!"

[mage_see_mage_do]

"The healing magic I used does that," Temps says reaching to the other girl's shoulder "if the person is too injured, or too sick, they are sent into a sort-of-a-coma while the body heals. Phil will wake up hungry but well. I am only oxygenating his blood to be sure."

[superego_medico]

"We should move him to the infirmary," Second-guy says to Emma, he also has gray eyes "and you two too... and use the less drastic healing."

[of_all_trades]

Franklyn can only find Alli's doubts understandable and even reasonable.

"I honestly don't know how to prove it too you?" Franklyn says "there is six impossible things between here and the Bar and then she can materialize breakfast out of thin air."

That isn't time for jokes! Franklyn thinks to himself.

"I could get Temps' ring," Franklyn offers "and try to rescuing your friend while you hold the door?"

"Maybe I should do that," Says the size-changing-guy "also, do I count as a impossible thing?"

After saying that, size-changing-guy takes a few steps back and transforms - his clothes seem to merge with his skin and vanish - he stands at same height, but now his skin is white and scale-covered, the hair is dark-green and his legs turned into a long fish tail.

Even the others look vaguely surprised.

"I am happy that you didn't change the face... They are terrified already," Temps says admonishing, she turns to Alli "You two could get a pair of respirators and protective gear from Bar, it will take a few seconds and you won't risk joining the people that need rescuing."

size-changing-and-fish-monster-transforming-guy says a quiet "sorry". He changes back to human, looking a bit smaller than the first time he was seen.

[parental_guidance]

Emma shrieks and clings to Phil. Just an illusion, just an illusion, it's just- special effects- something... she repeats to herself. No special effects on Earth can pull off turning someone into a six foot tall merman in front of her, but she's pretending or she will lose her mind.

Her brain is babbling angry things about why Phil is in a coma what if he doesn't come out how could you think that was a good idea, but there's nothing to do now. So she clings and watches his face. He is, at the very least, gaining his color back.

[witch_perfect]

Alli keeps being about to say something, and then things happen. She is getting really tired of things happening, it leads to things like toxic smoke in her metro. So she seizes on the nearest sane thing. "They sell respirators here? Where, cause I will buy them like now."

[of_all_trades]

Franklyn hates when people force themselves to believe, specially when they don't actually believe, his power gets confused.

"The Bar will sell it too you," Franklyn answers to Alli and then he yells Barward "Put it on our tab! Just give what we need!"

If Alli look, she will see three respirators, which she won't remember being there before.

"I am going to..." Former-fish-guy says "to get Arya anyway."

"Get Adam too," Franklyn says "and Meghan."

[superego_medico]

Phil actually looks pretty normal, his color is healthy and his breathing regular.

"I think we should move him away," Says unnamed-second-guy-with-gray-eyes "they will need you to hold the door, do you mind if we take him to the infirmary?"

[parental_guidance]

"Um." She has to hold the door...? "Can't he stay with me? Does he need anything in the infimary...?"

[witch_perfect]

Alli spots the respirators. She stares at them confusedly, decides to be confused later, and grabs one and heads for the door. Her brain belatedly catches the "our tab" comment, and she tells Franklyn "Thanks!" but doesn't let it slow her down. Time to go fetch Jenny.

[superego_medico]

"We are on the way and is getting crowded," Says unnamed-second-guy-with-gray-eyes "If we start bringing people it will get even more and we will need to move them there at some point anyway. Your friend doesn't look inclined to hold the door and wait."

While not small, the entrance area doesn't look suited to keep multiple people on stretchers, a category that currently includes Phil and might include Jenny and Professor Reed later.

[mage_see_mage_do]

When Alli starts moving Temperance reacts.

"I am going to help them, Ezra!" Temperance says to unnamed-second-guy-with-gray-eyes - Ezra, apparently - before reaching her hand and holding his shoulder "your air-walking, please!"

After holding Ezra's shoulder for a second, Temps removes the ring from Phil's hand and transfers it to her own. Ezra looks disapproving but doesn't motion to stop her. Temps runs to the bar, nearly colliding with Alli on her way back, and grabs the other two respirators.

When she returns, Temperance hands a respirator for Franklyn and Emma each.

"Don't come to us alone or at all actually" Temperance says "if we are in too much trouble close the door and wait for not-a-mermaid guy to come."

[of_all_trades]

Franklyn steps out of Alli's way and accepts his respirator.

"Open the door and hold it," Franklyn says to Emma.