i see the hazy sense unfold [ OPEN ]

[succored]

Who: Sora and new acquaintances!
When: Throughout
Where: Around the city, the Coven library.
What: Deliveries for Precogstichin', searching for mysterious animals in the city, and studying.
Warnings: Probably nothing, but will edit if anything comes up.

delivery for—
[ Fortunately, growing up and constantly traveling around a semi-claustrophobia-inducing city means Sora has a decent sense of direction and a good memory for buildings. But to use that memory, he has to learn first.

So he might be knocking on a few wrong doors. ]

Hi. Corset delivery.

in the library—
[ Having a practice only once a week isn't too often, but it does mean Sora has an actual schedule to follow that isn't intermittent shifts at a convenience store. He's trying to study as much as he can outside of class to make sure that he, and by extension Tora, are safe and prepared for whatever other weird stuff this world is going to throw at them.

And that means reading.

After some searching for words he can actually comprehend, Sora finds some books he thinks he can handle and carries them to a table. After only a few practices, he's struggling and visibly so. Magic isn't something he'd ever believed in.

Later, when he goes to return them to their places in the shelf, he's still looking down at the words when he rounds a corner and nearly walks into someone. ]

Oh. Sorry. [ He's just holding a stack almost up to his nose. ]

in the courtyard—
[ Sora's trouble with magic is manifesting in a more noticeable way, later in the Coven courtyard. He wants to protect himself with a barrier in theory. But what actually happens is the small amount of the magic in the barrier being redirected and shoving Sora back.

He falls on his butt with a quiet yelp. Embarrassing, but definitely not the most embarrassing thing that's happened to him. He starts getting up and dusting himself off. ]

Comments

[atouts]

Only as a last resort and only if you're willing to be a target. I would not throw things at someone on a whim.

[ But before they even try working out the shield spell, there's the matter of Sora's book stack. Childermass nods to those first. ] Let's get those put away first. You won't be doing much magic with your hands full.

[succored]

[ Nice of him to say so. Sora nods, slowly and then faster at the instruction. ]

You can start with throwing less dangerous things.

[ Small rocks aren't too dangerous! But hefting the books, Sora nods and starts going towards a table, but he stops almost mid-step. ]

Do you want to look at these with me?

[atouts]

[ Smalls rocks aren't dangerous, no, but not everyone appreciates being pelted with them! But as Sora turns to head for a table and pauses to ask that, Childermass tilts his head slightly, considering, and then nods. He has books to read himself, after all. ]

May as well. Two witches puzzling them out has to be better than one.

[succored]

Okay.

[ He considers himself a poor excuse for a witch, certainly, but he has read some of the books already and he knows where he wants to start. ]

They keep saying that you should feel the magic. What does that mean?

[atouts]

That you should be feeling some sort of power when you try to do magic. [ Which is kind of obvious. Childermass isn't sure how else to describe it. ] I suppose if you focus on one minor spell long enough, you might be able to feel what they mean.

[ Of course, there's also that one other way to figure it out, but— ]

Or wait until the magic builds up too much for you not to pay attention, although based on what the local witches say, that isn't the greatest of plans.

[succored]

[ Feeling uncertain, and visibly dithering, Sora's brow furrows more deeply and he stares down at the book. ]

I feel—something. But I don't know how to get it out without doing something bad. I don't want to break anything or hurt someone.

[atouts]

[ That's an odd thing to say and Childermass can't help but raise an eyebrow at Sora for it. ]

Has magic worked for you when doing one of those things?

[succored]

No.

[ Well, actually— ] I haven't tried. I don't want it to work if I do that.

[ He shakes his head, looking over the pages without really absorbing the words. ]

There's magic like that. I heard the Witch explaining it.

[atouts]

[ Magic like that? Childermass carries on giving Sora a curious look. ]

Do you mean when a Witch has too much magic built up and goes mad?

[succored]

[ The inquisitive look doesn't make Sora flinch any more than the thought of having small rocks thrown at him did, at least! He simply nods and circles his fingertips aimlessly on the paper. ]

I heard someone talking about it. About how they'd 'deal' with it.

[atouts]

And how is it that they would deal with it?

[ Because aside from a bond with a monster, he isn't sure what the other options are. Assuming, of course, there are any other options beyond 'explode'. ]

[succored]

Well, she said... she said she'd just kill them. Or herself. I think that's what she meant.

[ Sora didn't like hearing that, even though it made sense. Maybe made too much sense. ]

I guess some people just don't want to Bond with someone, or they can't.

[atouts]

That doesn't sound like a stable person to begin with, even without magic being involved.

[ Someone with such a lack of self-preservation is always a puzzle to Childermass, though it's not like he's never met people like that before. Still, he has to frown at the very thought. ]

[succored]

I don't know. [ He raises his shoulders slightly. She was... a little scary.]

So, you think it's a good idea to do the Bond thing? Even if you have to share your soul with them.

[atouts]

A good deal better than dying to your own magic, I'd think.

[ Avoiding death seems like a plan to him, although he does purse his lips and make a thoughtful sound, considering the entire 'share your soul' aspect. ]

But I do not know how to feel about Bonds, truth be told. I like my privacy and I do know being Bonded opens up sharing emotions, which I'd rather not do at all.

[succored]

Right. [ That scares Sora too, so he couldn't argue that point. ]

Do you not even share your emotions with people you know? Or tell people how you feel?

[ Sora doesn't, but he's asking anyway, okay. He wants to know. ]

yoo, just a heads up, i'm out traveling without as of tomorrow, so tags will be scarce for a bit

[atouts]

[ What kind of bizarre question is that, Sora? Childermass pauses to give him a curious look, then, inevitably, he shrugs. ]

My emotions aren't of much interest to anyone else, so no, I do not. It was already hard enough to get a sensible point across to those I knew back in England and adding how I personally feel wouldn't have helped that.

[ And he doesn't say it bitterly or regretfully or in any way like that. It's very matter-of-fact, just the way it is. ]

no problem!! sorry i was actually also traveling!

[succored]

No?

[ Sora's still learning himself, and though he used to think similarly, he's trying (over time) to give other methods a chance. Again. ]

Maybe... maybe if you knew nicer people. Better people.

[ But also, maybe not. He isn't to force the optimism if he gets any push back at all. ]

[atouts]

[ Childermass shrugs. ]

Perhaps. [ It'd be a given, wouldn't it? Know better people, get better results. ] I could see that being true going forward and possibly here, even, all things considered. The mirrorbound are all on equal footing here, where most of my time before was spent dealing with those above me.

[ Will everyone see it that way? Certainly not but he isn't going to be bothered by it. ]

[succored]

Oh. Yeah. [ But the way Childermass talks reminds Sora of movies set in olden times, so does he mean... nobles or something? Probably just people with more money, because that's how things usually work. ]

Did you do magic at home? Did you... like it?

[atouts]

[ It's a lot more than just money but, yes, that's definitely a thing. Being asked about magic, however, gets at least a somewhat more enthusiastic response out of him. ]

We did. Much of it was hidden away until recently. I was one of the few to have any talent in it before then, though, and I am glad for it.

[succored]

[ Sora responds to the minor improvement in enthusiasm by lifting his head and sitting up from how hunched over he is. ]

How come you could do it before? Did you... discover it somehow?

[ Because if he could learn now that would be good. ]

[atouts]

I always had a knack for it, I think. I could read fortunes in the cards, truthfully, though I do not know how that will work with another world's magic, if at all.

[ Unfortunately for Sora, magic just came naturally to Childermass. However— ]

Though what other spells I did learn were more of a struggle. I did not have the same depth of power Mr. Norrell and Mr. Strange could call upon. For people like you and myself, it will always be a matter of practice. If the Coven said you were a witch, then you are, and will find something that works for you soon enough.

[succored]

Are those people in your world? [ Perhaps they, like some other of the gifted here, understand magic in a way Sora still can't comprehend. Which is... understandable. He just has to work on it. ]

Did you use the cards to figure it out? How to use your magic? I don't know if you could still use those here, but...