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[reshapes]

action + written + crystal

Comments

[reshapes]

Lovely. Now take a moment and imagine all the blades of grass about you, to feel the sensation sun on your cheek and the breeze as it makes its way across this park to touch all the little leaves on the branches of your tree, and so on.

[A suitably weighty pause.]

Are you picturing it?

[rathercommon]

[ She's definitely thinking about the questions she's going to ask once he finally gets to the point. ]

Mm. Yeah. All the blades of grass.

[reshapes]

Well forget all of it, because it's nothing at all like that. In fact, it's the fundamental opposite. There is no wind, and there are no leaves on any tree, and there are no blades of grass or places where you sit in the shade of all those things. You are the tree and you are the wind and you're in your own shade-- No, hey. Let's be reasonable--

[This last part sounds distant as if he's turned away from the sending crystal, as is the mumble of something like speech that comes after from an even more distant point.]

Next question.

[rathercommon]

[ What. ]

Bartimaeus, is there someone there with you?

[reshapes]

With is a strong sentiment.

[rathercommon]

[ Kitty decides to experiment with using a measured silence as an interrogation tool. ]

[reshapes]

[Which is entirely ineffectual with respect to the djinni on the other end of the sending crystal, for the record.

The company he's fallen in with entirely by circumstance, however: 'Stand still!' comes a voice, volume intensifying on that last syllable. There's a scraping sound, followed by a fwhump of something-or-other that sounds very like a scuffle resuming. From somewhere far above, Bartimaeus says,]

Oh, really? Now that's just unneces-- Ouch!

[rathercommon]

[ UGH. ]

Bartimaeus, what is happening?

[reshapes]

If you must know-- [a sudden choked noise of horror, followed by a great thump] --you've caught me in the middle of a small disagreement.

[rathercommon]

Are you fighting someone right now?

[reshapes]

Why, is that what it sounds like?

[rathercommon]

Yes.

[reshapes]

Well, hey! You do know a thing or two after all.

[Another decisive sound of impact, a small moan of distant agony, and then closer: a tender little inhale of breath.] Oof. That smarts. --Now where were we?

[rathercommon]

Do you - Do you need help?

[reshapes]

Excuse me?

[Sounding as if she's personally done the offense of putting the knife in him. A knife in him. A purely hypothetical verging on the metaphorical knife.]

[rathercommon]

I said d'you need help. Don't sound like I'm some madwoman for offering, that's the offer you make when someone's in a fight.

[reshapes]

[???????????? No it absolutely is not???? Sure, you might stand on the sidelines and get some good heckling in, but helping? Don't be absurd.]

Nevermind that. Is there something you need, or is this just a particularly ill-timed version of twenty questions?

[rathercommon]

A perfectly well-timed twenty questions. It's not my fault you decided to get violent while I wanted to learn things.

[reshapes]

Decided? Decided! You make it sound like I'm wandering about the city with my fist held straight out in front of me, punching whoever happens to get within arm's reach! I'll have you know I was minding my own business, unlike some people.

[rathercommon]

Then how'd you get into this fight.

[reshapes]

Look do you want to ask questions two through 20, or not? Because otherwise I'm about to put you in my pocket and ignore you while I do this next part.

[rathercommon]

[ Urgh. ]

Fine. But if being distracted means you lose this fight, don't get sour at me. So - you were telling me about your home.

[reshapes]

Kitty, you're in conversation with a being of higher intelligence. I assure you that I-- oh, hello. Pardon me, if you just step in one direction or another and I'll be on my--

[A few more muffled noises, shouting from two voices-- Somewhere, he's mid-duck and weave.]

What was I saying? Oh right. That you simply can't imagine it. You humans with all your fleshy parts and dripping noses and waxy ears don't have the capacity to understand being so unformed. Not really.

[The sound of running now.]

[rathercommon]

[ Kitty grunts, rather displeased by that. (And trying very hard to ignore the rather alarming noises there.) ]

Well, then...how did you form?

[reshapes]

I-- what? It's part of being here in your world. Or, a world, I suppose. This one's not exactly what you're used to either, now is it? Usually, the summoning binds my Essence and forces me to take some shape here. It's more complicated here but-- oof!

[A fantastic grunt of effort. A whistling of air. A thump. A horrible wet sound followed by a cry and the repeated bump-bump of something falling and tumbling away.]