chalk

[alicornucopia]

In Paraasilan, Esmaar, a pair of roommates are about to break a rule that, compared to the one about running in the corridors or even the one about unlicensed teleportation, is there for a good reason.

In unison, they complete their shared spell.

~~~

with Adarin (Aestrix)

with Ekador (kappa)

with Brilliance (kappa)

with the admin (kappa)

with Teah (kappa)

with Katran (lambda)

with Hall (kappa)

with Joy (kappa)

with Kalinda (Christy Hotwater)

Comments

[alicornucopia]

Korulen blinks. "Well, that's... good, but we still can't let you out. We'll send you home in like a degree, okay?"

[slgemp141]

"You know, I work for a law firm. I'm friends with a lot of cops. You kids don't know what you're playing at. You can't just go around--abducting people." She's flailing, and she knows it. Creeping into the back of her mind like an oil spill is the feeling she hates--she's trapped, and she's out of her element, and nothing will work. But she will regain control. Somehow.

[alicornucopia]

Saasnil giggles.

Korulen shoots her roommate a look. "It's not actually funny. This was technically illegal."

"Only if we get caught. She can't get us caught."

"It's still not actually funny."

[slgemp141]

Of course! That's it!

--
The comforting dark of another Chicago watering hole, and Alicia, radiant in that red dress, relaxed...
"Wait, he actually..."
"Yep. He emailed the file."
"No."
"Oh yeah."
"And the cop knew the email sound?"
She laughed, that beautiful melodious laugh. "Kalinda, you know how hip I am. And even I know what sounds an iPhone makes."
It was so good to be drinking with her again. The nights of longing...She had stopped listening, eyes glazed over as Alicia went on about forfeiture corridors. For once enjoying a moment for what it was. Why couldn't they all be like this?
--

With hooded eyes she opens the voice memo feature on her phone and clears her throat. Of course, third-party consent may apply. But she'll cross that bridge when she comes to it. "So do you ladies abduct people often?"

[alicornucopia]

"No," says Saasnil. "We've never summoned anything before."

[slgemp141]

"And, uh," she continues, rapping a knuckle on the invisible barrier, "how does this summoning business work? You might as well bring me up to speed while we wait for your friend." Keep them talking. Always keep them talking.

[alicornucopia]

"Well, we had to get some summoning chalk, and then it was just - co-casting the spell out of the old book," shrugs Saasnil. "The ward's built-in, it's not a separate spell."

[slgemp141]

She blinks. If this is a dream, or a test, or whatever, why are there magic spells? She had never gone in for that sort of thing, even as a girl. She loved reruns of "Charlie's Angels" and "MacGyver," people who could solve problems in any scenario, no matter how ridiculous, people who could win a fight or a battle of wits and who were always smoother than her and always knew just what to say. No, she's learned her own magic. "Why me?" she asks Korulen.

[alicornucopia]

"It's random," Korulen says. "We didn't know who we were getting before you showed up."

[slgemp141]

"And why does Nemaar need to see me?"

[alicornucopia]

"He was making fun of me," Saasnil says. "You're proof I can do complicated old spells."

[slgemp141]

She clears her throat, shifts her weight, tries a different tack. "I want to leave and you are keeping me from leaving. You are holding me against my will. I demand that you release me at once or I'll file a wrongful imprisonment suit."

[alicornucopia]

"It's not funny," Korulen tells Saasnil before Saasnil can laugh.

"It's a little funny."

"This was a bad idea. Maybe we shouldn't wait for Nemaar. He's an idiot anyway."

"No, no, just another couple degrees, come on."