cooperation

[alicornucopia]

Two girls are moving their hands through the air and speaking together in perfect parallel.

Two girls are looking expectantly at a circle of red chalk on their floor.

Two girls have done something exceptionally stupid.

with Harry (andaisq)

with Isabella (Eva)

with Arcane (kappa)

with Miles (kappa)

with Nick (Rockeye)

Comments

[alicornucopia]

"They'll trap you until someone magics you out," says the green-haired lady. "I'm not saying you should scale the building, just stick with the lifts. This is my husband Kanaat, by the way. And I'm Keo."

[rockeye_stonetoe]

"That is an undesirable quality in stairs, yes. Hello, Kanaat, Keo, I'm sure I'll be much happier to meet you once I'm not about to be the cause of a major accident."

[alicornucopia]

"We'll take care of it," Keo assures him.

[rockeye_stonetoe]

Nick alternates between watching Kanaat draw the circle and reading book titles.

[alicornucopia]

The book titles mostly appear to be about magic.

[rockeye_stonetoe]

He keeps reading the titles. His mind is too busy to properly form questions.

[alicornucopia]

Eventually, Kanaat finishes the circle. Keo, holding a bag, stands in it. Kanaat performs a gesture and speaks words, and Keo disappears.

[rockeye_stonetoe]

"She knows what to do. Damn, my hands are itching. I hate the idea of losing control of my ship. It's the worst thing an airman can do. She knows how to fix this."

[alicornucopia]

"She's got your books," Kanaat says. "She's venting the gas now."

[rockeye_stonetoe]

"...And you know this how?"

[alicornucopia]

"We have a mindlink," Kanaat says.

[rockeye_stonetoe]

"So, you're reading each others' minds?"

[alicornucopia]

"Yes."

[rockeye_stonetoe]

Nick lets out some kind of wordless noise. "Ugh. Tell me if she needs help or when she's done, please."

[alicornucopia]

"When she's done I'll unsend her," Kanaat says.

[rockeye_stonetoe]

Nick will go back to reading book titles, then.

[alicornucopia]

And eventually, Keo reappears and puts Nick's sack of books down on the floor.

[rockeye_stonetoe]

All the nervous tension bleeds out of him at once. "Thank you for dealing with that. Not being able to control my ship felt almost like suddenly realizing that I don't have a right hand. But it's not going to hurt anyone. I don't suppose I could get something to eat?"

[alicornucopia]

"Of course. You can have full cafeteria access as long as you're here," says Keo.

[rockeye_stonetoe]

"Right, and I still want someone to pay for my glider. Maybe not the ship, I did tell you to sink it. Walk into the lift and name my destination, right?"

[alicornucopia]

"Yes. Do you want me to go with you to the cafeteria?"

[rockeye_stonetoe]

"If you don't mind. I'm sure I'll start forming lots of questions about magic any second now."

He makes a mental list of magic he has observed so far.
1. Putting and taking things from another world.
2. Translation spell.
3. The lift, badly enchanted stairs.
4. Mind magic and... something about hair?

"You said your hair isn't dyed. And your husband had... Ears. So there are intelligent species other than humans here?"

[alicornucopia]

"Right," says Keo, directing the lift to the cafteria. "I'm a dragon, Kanaat is an elf."

[rockeye_stonetoe]

"Are there any particularly relevant or particularly distinct-from-human characteristics of dragons or elves?"

To the lift, "Uh, cafeteria?" It starts moving.

[alicornucopia]

"My hair, his ears, our lifespans, my shapeshifting and various other properties," says Keo. "The full list in the case of dragons would take a while."