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

[can_i_help]

Sabrina waves back. Then she points towards Franklyn and mouths 'How deeply does he sleep?'

[of_all_trades]

"Like a rock" Temperance mouths then she comes closer and whispers "talking like this is fine. What about the others?"

Franklyn rolls over to a more comfortable position oblivious to the conversation.

[can_i_help]

"We could most likely throw a party here and neither of them would notice. The only things that can get them up are food or a few strong kicks."

She's only mostly joking.

[mage_see_mage_do]

Temperance can tell.

"Franklyn is the same," Temperance says "both of him and his full-siblings are heavy sleepers. Luckily no one in the family has sleep disorders, despite our biological father being a little insomniac. Do you have any ideas for what to do today?"

[can_i_help]

"Go explore the cave and throw stuff at Lucy's power and see what sticks, not necessarily at the same time."

[mage_see_mage_do]

"Sounds like a plan," Temperance says "Do you want to make breakfast? Or at least coffee?"

While the two are busy preparing things, something slithers quietly through the forest ground, camouflaging itself dark green.

Suddenly its color changes to bright red, leaps and envelopes Lucy! She will wake up and realize that she is being covered by something... fluffy.

[can_i_go]

Lucy sits up, the fluffy thing on her shoulders like a blanket. She blinks a few times at the unfamiliar scene around her, and then at the fluffy thing that's wrapped around her.

She doesn't remember bringing anything like this to the forest. She doesn't remember her sisters bringing anything like this to the forest.

But. It feels nice. It has a nice color. It even smells nice.

Food still wins, Lucy gets up and drags herself to Temperance and Sabrina.

"What're you making?" she asks.

[can_i_help]

Sabrina turns to her and stares, the good morning dead on her lips.

"What the hell is that?" she says instead.

[can_i_go]

Lucy glances at the thing on her shoulders and shrugs.

"I dunno. I woke up with it."

[can_i_help]

"You what?"

There's a clear hint of panic in her voice.

[mage_see_mage_do]

The thing rubs itself on Lucy, it is like a soft full body massage.

Temperance just stares at the scene.

"I think it is magical...?" she says quietly.

It is, Lucy might not have noticed before but there is an aura of magic around it.

[can_i_help]

Well, that can't be good.

"Get it off," Sabrina says, her voice level.

Lucy takes a few steps back. "What, no! It's warm and fuzzy."

"Right now. You don't know what kind of magic it has."

The volume of her voice has been rising steadily and at this point she's only seconds away from shouting.

[can_i_go]

Lucy waits for a few tense heartbeats and drops the red fuzzy thing. It's not worth fighting about, at least not at this hour.

[mage_see_mage_do]

"I could try check its magic," Temperance offers "I can't copy objects but I can sort of... feel them."

The red fuzzy thing seems to take being dropped as a sign to rub itself on Lucy's legs. Considering it is like a blanket it is amazing how cat-like it looks.

Temperance manages to touch a piece and hold it gently.

"Weird..." Temperance says "there is... I am not getting everything, but it is supposed to behave like a pet, including loyalty...."

[can_i_go]

"See, it's a red, fluffy, warm puppy."

[can_i_help]

"Loyalty does not automatically mean loyalty to you."

She's worried and she knows getting Lucy to let go is an uphill battle. She can't even count on Ann as an ally, there's an even change she'd let Lucy do as she pleases.

"Temperance," she says and then pauses. "Help?"

Even she herself isn't sure if she means 'Help me convince her to let it go' or 'Help me make sure it's safe'.

[mage_see_mage_do]

"I actually meant loyalty to Lucy," Temperance clarifies "but it doesn't make sense because I am feeling this thing was made with that specific loyalty and isn't supposed to change."

Temperance blinks, she absently lets go of it.

"I have a theory..." Temperance says slowly "I think it used to another Lucy? One of her Alts, I mean."

The thing continues rubbing itself on Lucy.

[can_i_help]

"That... What? Another Lucy? How?"

Sabrina takes a few moments to process this.

"It's her magic. It's her goddamn magic, isn't it? There's no other option."

[can_i_go]

Lucy picks up the fluffy blanket thing and puts it back on her shoulders.

"See, it's fine. No need to worry."

[mage_see_mage_do]

The fluffy blanket wraps itself around Lucy in a very cape-like manner it vibrates a little after selling in, changing color rapidly before returning to bright red.

Temperance pokes Lucy gently and frowns.

"Okay," Temperance says "her power is the same, so I don't know how she attracted the thing, or even if it is possible... I do think the thing is safe or it would've stayed around after it got in range of her luck. I am certain of the loyalty thing."

Temperance holds the cape-blanket thing some more and focused.

"No idea how is moving and changing color," Temperance says "I think it can respond to a name, but I am not sure if you can command it or something..."

[can_i_go]

"Oh, a name! Its name is Binky."

Temperance can see how just now its name has always been Binky.

[can_i_help]

"That's a stupid name. This whole situation is absurd. I can't take it anymore."

She leaves Lucy and Temps and goes to violently shake Ann awake.

[mage_see_mage_do]

Temperance quietly raises an eyebrow at the person who has found a interdimensional bar in her home.

"The name didn't change," Temps says "Pretty sure your alt named it that too."

Binky reacts to the name with more fluffy full-body rubs.

"I am going to wake up Franklyn too," Temps says.

[can_i_stay]

Fortunately for Sabrina's temper once even though Ann sleeps like the dead she's fully alert five seconds after waking up.

"So, what do we have on agenda today? I think food is the most limiting factor."

[can_i_go]

Lucy, who has been fully absorbed in her new shiny toy, looks up.

"Breakfast?"