Late Sunday Night at the Brownstone
Kiki had been thinking about what Wilson and Yazoo had told her all day - about the angel that had been sliding, and Aziraphale's mission to save him, how Aziraphale had to fool his friends to fool his enemies, and Wilson running scared in the city, hiding and hunted, and all the damge to the friendships and trust that they'd shared with so many. They were in no danger now - they were on their way home from Las Vegas, and Sara and Gil's wedding, and all was right with the world.
Was it?
Her chin in her hand, she frowned in thought. The demons hunting Wilson had traced him through his link to Aziraphale - through the palpable aura of grace he carried both of his own nature and of his relationship with the angel. She felt it too, the bright comforting warmth that surrounded both mortal and angel through the love and the unexpected family ties that had sprung up to bind the three of them together. It made them traceable, especially to hellspawn with senses just so attuned to tracking such currents of positive energy - and sent on a mission to do exactly that.
But - if this could be somehow obscured...not stripped away, not removed, just masked, as it were, beneath a shield of extraordinary ordinary; if they could appear to be as normal as her blindly prosaic boss at Jam Pony - well, in that there lay a germ of merit. And an idea. Kiki got to her feet slowly, still turning it over in her mind, going through what would be necessary, and went to her room, taking her spellbooks from her desk.
Back downstairs in the library, she sat down as slowly again, opening the spellbooks and musing to herself aloud. "At its most basic, it's a spell of protection - a shield, a ward. It will have to be based on an eschewance spell...but it also has to not only mask the auras, but to produce a false one as well - which would be... manifestation. Conjuration or illusion, wonderful. Not always my best. And it needs to be really convincing, if it's to fool demons." Her eyes suddenly lit up. "Jiji! If this works, we could maybe shield Phoebe! And maybe even Bel!"
It would have to be really good to fool the Source, though, Jiji said thoughtfully, flicking his tail for Pogo to stalk and pounce on. But I think you just might have a good idea here. Although -
"Yes?"
Before you start casting spells on people, maybe you should get their permission, first. Just a thought.
"Well, yes," Kiki admitted, "Plus I need to make sure it works before I start masking everyone, too."
Could you perhaps do the Brownstone?
"I'm not sure," Kiki confessed, shaking her head. "I'd have to make adaptations first because it's so large, it's not a living creature, and to work around the wards Aziraphale already has in place. I think I'd rather try something smaller."
Then what about us? Jiji asked sensibly. Kiki stared. I'm serious, Kiki. And I'm actually volunteering for this. I think this could really be a useful spell to have around, and I'll freely admit that I don't want to become kitty-kibble for some grace-hunting hellspawn. It might be a complicated spell, but your magic has gotten worlds better, and I think you can do it.
Blinking a little, surprised and gratified, Kiki asked a moment later, "And what about Pogo? Does he understand, and will he agree?"
There was a flurried furry exchange, of which Kiki only understood Jiji's half, while Pogo's excited chitters were beyond her. Pogo twirled in a little circle, bounced over the pillows, and pounced on Jiji again. Kiki took that as a yes, which was confirmed when Jiji reported, I've explained it all to him, and he understands and agrees.
"Alright then," Kiki nodded, "I'd better get to work, then."
The next hour or two were spent writing out long lists of ingredients, checking and cross checking their interactions, researching the proper layouts and diagrams of the components that would be needed to produce each spell and puzzling out how to combine them, and lastly, working out the necessary words that would direct the magic as she wished.
"I think," she said at last, the excitement mounting in her voice, "that I might have it!" Forcing herself to be thorough, she slowly double checked every aspect of the combination she had developed. It all seemed to check out. She glanced at the clock.
"Should we go ahead with this tonight, or wait until tomorrow?"
Why not tonight? I'm curious to see if it works, Jiji said. He was intrigued and interested - even excited, although he probably would not have admitted it aloud. But he had confidence in his mistress, and had to confess that watching her putting her skill to work was one of the most fascinating things he ever watched. He nudged Pogo, who had gradually gotten bored with the long wait and had curled up on a pillow to nap.
Kiki laid out the spell according to her notes, taking care to make each line of the powder she poured out meticulously even and straight. "I'll need you both in the middle of this square," she indicated with her finger. "Be careful not to mess up the lines. Then I'll close the last boundary around you and start. Once I begin, you can't leave the square until I'm finished, so this is sort of the now-or-never point if you change your minds."
Pogo chattered. Jiji translated, No, we haven't changed our minds. We'll try it. Jiji bent down and Pogo hopped onto his back; the cat then stepped gingerly and delicately over the lines. Your turn!
Pouring out the last of the sand she had ground especially for this spell, Kiki finished the diagram, remarking, "You know, I hope this doesn't scorch the floor..."
She lit her candles at the cardinal points, the corners of the square in which the two animals waited, sat down with her next components lined in careful order next to her, and began.
[ooc: Preplayed with dr_jwilsonmd and a_phale the ferret. Yes, ferret. That alone should be enough to tempt you to read the comments. My brain is broken from teh crack.]
Was it?
Her chin in her hand, she frowned in thought. The demons hunting Wilson had traced him through his link to Aziraphale - through the palpable aura of grace he carried both of his own nature and of his relationship with the angel. She felt it too, the bright comforting warmth that surrounded both mortal and angel through the love and the unexpected family ties that had sprung up to bind the three of them together. It made them traceable, especially to hellspawn with senses just so attuned to tracking such currents of positive energy - and sent on a mission to do exactly that.
But - if this could be somehow obscured...not stripped away, not removed, just masked, as it were, beneath a shield of extraordinary ordinary; if they could appear to be as normal as her blindly prosaic boss at Jam Pony - well, in that there lay a germ of merit. And an idea. Kiki got to her feet slowly, still turning it over in her mind, going through what would be necessary, and went to her room, taking her spellbooks from her desk.
Back downstairs in the library, she sat down as slowly again, opening the spellbooks and musing to herself aloud. "At its most basic, it's a spell of protection - a shield, a ward. It will have to be based on an eschewance spell...but it also has to not only mask the auras, but to produce a false one as well - which would be... manifestation. Conjuration or illusion, wonderful. Not always my best. And it needs to be really convincing, if it's to fool demons." Her eyes suddenly lit up. "Jiji! If this works, we could maybe shield Phoebe! And maybe even Bel!"
It would have to be really good to fool the Source, though, Jiji said thoughtfully, flicking his tail for Pogo to stalk and pounce on. But I think you just might have a good idea here. Although -
"Yes?"
Before you start casting spells on people, maybe you should get their permission, first. Just a thought.
"Well, yes," Kiki admitted, "Plus I need to make sure it works before I start masking everyone, too."
Could you perhaps do the Brownstone?
"I'm not sure," Kiki confessed, shaking her head. "I'd have to make adaptations first because it's so large, it's not a living creature, and to work around the wards Aziraphale already has in place. I think I'd rather try something smaller."
Then what about us? Jiji asked sensibly. Kiki stared. I'm serious, Kiki. And I'm actually volunteering for this. I think this could really be a useful spell to have around, and I'll freely admit that I don't want to become kitty-kibble for some grace-hunting hellspawn. It might be a complicated spell, but your magic has gotten worlds better, and I think you can do it.
Blinking a little, surprised and gratified, Kiki asked a moment later, "And what about Pogo? Does he understand, and will he agree?"
There was a flurried furry exchange, of which Kiki only understood Jiji's half, while Pogo's excited chitters were beyond her. Pogo twirled in a little circle, bounced over the pillows, and pounced on Jiji again. Kiki took that as a yes, which was confirmed when Jiji reported, I've explained it all to him, and he understands and agrees.
"Alright then," Kiki nodded, "I'd better get to work, then."
The next hour or two were spent writing out long lists of ingredients, checking and cross checking their interactions, researching the proper layouts and diagrams of the components that would be needed to produce each spell and puzzling out how to combine them, and lastly, working out the necessary words that would direct the magic as she wished.
"I think," she said at last, the excitement mounting in her voice, "that I might have it!" Forcing herself to be thorough, she slowly double checked every aspect of the combination she had developed. It all seemed to check out. She glanced at the clock.
"Should we go ahead with this tonight, or wait until tomorrow?"
Why not tonight? I'm curious to see if it works, Jiji said. He was intrigued and interested - even excited, although he probably would not have admitted it aloud. But he had confidence in his mistress, and had to confess that watching her putting her skill to work was one of the most fascinating things he ever watched. He nudged Pogo, who had gradually gotten bored with the long wait and had curled up on a pillow to nap.
Kiki laid out the spell according to her notes, taking care to make each line of the powder she poured out meticulously even and straight. "I'll need you both in the middle of this square," she indicated with her finger. "Be careful not to mess up the lines. Then I'll close the last boundary around you and start. Once I begin, you can't leave the square until I'm finished, so this is sort of the now-or-never point if you change your minds."
Pogo chattered. Jiji translated, No, we haven't changed our minds. We'll try it. Jiji bent down and Pogo hopped onto his back; the cat then stepped gingerly and delicately over the lines. Your turn!
Pouring out the last of the sand she had ground especially for this spell, Kiki finished the diagram, remarking, "You know, I hope this doesn't scorch the floor..."
She lit her candles at the cardinal points, the corners of the square in which the two animals waited, sat down with her next components lined in careful order next to her, and began.
[ooc: Preplayed with dr_jwilsonmd and a_phale the ferret. Yes, ferret. That alone should be enough to tempt you to read the comments. My brain is broken from teh crack.]