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[reshapes]

action + written + crystal

Comments

[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.]

[rathercommon]

No, not that. More -

[ She wrinkles her nose. ]

I was born. I know I was born. How did you come into being? Have you got a...spirit mum and a spirit dad?

[reshapes]

[If he weren't so out of breath, he might laugh. As it is, he keeps most of what's in his lungs and focuses at least in part on skedaddling up-- well, wherever. It's not important.]

But I've already told you, Kitty. The summoning does it. Or did all the way back to the very first time it happened, if you prefer to look at it that way. But don't. I don't much care for what that implies about the dusty old bag of bones who first plucked me from the Other Place.

[rathercommon]

Then - before that first summoning - what were you?

[reshapes]

Nothing. Everything. I wasn't a you or an I then. I just was.

[rathercommon]

Is that...what it's like when you're back there now?

[reshapes]

[You know, he'd been having fun with this a few seconds ago. But now-- the patter of his feet has slowed. The background noise across the sending crystal has faded to an inconsequential murmur. He's breathing harder than he'd like and he has a stitch in his side and a cut on his arm (copper; nothing to worry about), and the whole thing seems a little...

Lightly, all good temper and cheer:]

That's right. Technically I still have a name there. Or rather, there are pieces of Essence that are are still bound to that like a fish on a hook. But in the Other Place, it's so much less clear which parts it actually belongs to. It's all rather liberating really. Literally and figuratively, as it just so happens.