I／Dimensional Shifting - Backdated to Monday

[puppeteerings]

[Action ; 1765 Beaver Street]

[Good morning, house. Upon coming down to the kitchen, you will find several cupboards open and some random kitchenware scattered around on the counter. By the dining table is a redheaded woman in ponytail wearing glasses, looking awfully scornful with a sewing kit as she fusses over a white blouse

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B

[ooeeooahah]

[ She stops upwind of the cigarette smoke, watching the hand motions a moment. ]

You are new here? That likely won't work.

[ She glances around before she draws her recognition symbol in the air between them, but even to those with Sight it doesn't glow like it should. ]

One of the things they take away.

[puppeteerings]

[Touko was actually trying to use her Runes, which, as predicted, failed, but she figured that it wouldn't hurt to give it a shot. She caught sight of what Ilsa did, but not enough to recognize the sort of symbol it was. Her Mystic Eyes do allow her to perceive things that normal people can't see, but it's just as the other woman said: she has none of that yet.]

Ah, I am. [A small nod.] I've read up and heard a bit about how things are already, so I knew. I had nothing to lose from trying though, so it was worth that much. [That said, she resumes smoking that cigarette instead, and will speak up again after she exhales.] Would you know how long it takes for things to be returned, by any chance?

[ooeeooahah]

[ She shrugs, ] It varies, and from what I've heard, it comes in piecemeal.

I've been here a month, and apparently, that's not long enough to earn anything back.

I'm not willing to trade anything I have left for the possibility of gaining something I should know how to get along without.

[puppeteerings]

Ah, then I can only sit tight until then. ...You mean the post office, right? It does sound like a last resort. It won't come to that, hopefully, but I won't take it out of my options. Emergencies can't always be predicted, after all. [She lightly taps her cigarette, and the ash drops to the ground.]

I do admit that I didn't quite recognize the sign that you drew, but it did look curious. Are you a practitioner of sorcery, if you don't mind me asking?

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa is watching the area for other observers as she speaks. ]

It's taking some getting used to knowing there are so many here. Back home, it was generally underground. Magic works, but don't tell the general public.

[ She chuckles, ] Got a long line of odd ducks in the family, so our family traditions mix a lot of schools. Not often you get kanji mixed in with Nahuatl.

[ She bows, but it is casual rather than a strict form. ] I'm Ilsa Higa.

[puppeteerings]

Oh, no. It's the same for me too. I wouldn't call it "underground", but it's not something to randomly talk about just because. The magi are a secretive bunch, so everyone keeps what they can do to themselves. [Her eyes flicker with amusement.]

Wow, from South America and Asia? That's definitely unusual! I limit myself to Armanen runes, though I've dabbled in other fields. [She gives a nod of greeting in response, along with a chipper smile.] Touko Aozaki; it's nice to meet you, miss Higa.

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa nods, in response to he secrecy. ]

Considering what I have heard, that abilities return one at a time, I'm not sure what I'll be able to do if any do return. I was taught to use them all in concert.

[ She huffs in indignation, ] Besides, this town will not let me use my mundane training, either. Women are not doctors, here. So the underground attitude from home might be a tool to let me practice.

[puppeteerings]

That depends on how magecraft and sorcery works in yours. Is it an innate ability that people are either born with or without, or is it something that anyone can learn just by study and practice?

Aah, I can see how this'll be problematic. But mentioning doctors in particular, is your specialty somewhere in the medical field, or that of the human body? [Because that's relevant to her interest.] Underground attitude? Are there no drones in your household?

[ooeeooahah]

I am a psychiatrist, with a side of industrial trauma treatment. No drones in the house, but if I am to do any good, my practice would have to be invisible to the drones. But it is something that can be done with patience.

Magecraft is a little different. You get the rare madman who's willing to handle it blind, but most of them at least have the Sight.

[puppeteerings]

Oh, I've dabbled in that field as a speech therapist at a hospital. It can be a tough job sometimes, can't it? Though I understand what you mean. If the stories I've heard so far are anywhere near as traumatic as they sound, then your abilities can definitely be of help. Have you tried mentioning it over the phones? You may get actual people interested that way.

There's a little madness no matter where you go, [a small chuckle.] What's this 'sight', if you don't mind explaining?

[ooeeooahah]

The ability to see the power as it flows through the world, and sometimes to see the edges of the plane in which the world rests. Most people in my world don't have it, or only a weak form of it.

[puppeteerings]

Hm... The closest equivalent I can think of are Mystic Eyes in my world, but that's just a birth quality that lets a person seen what normally can't be seen. Like spirits and fairies and such, for example, but nothing as vague as energy and concepts like the edge of the world. It's probably still possible, but that must be very rare. Are people born with the Sight also born with the ability to harness what they can see?

[ooeeooahah]

There are those who can See but not act, just like there are those who can perform magework blind. I suppose that's why it's common for group efforts to come up when a major work is needed.

[puppeteerings]

Aah, so that's how it's split for you. There's no concept quite like 'Sight' for me; magi from home tend to be a stubborn and prideful lot. They'll cooperate if their goals coincide, but otherwise, everyone either compete or generally mind their own business. Interesting, interesting~ Despite the senseless nature of this town, it can still be seen as a crossroad between countless different worlds. It's quite the learning opportunity! I wonder how much I'll be able to make out of it. It's starting to become less boring than I first imagined.

[ooeeooahah]

It's taking some getting used to for me to talk about thaumaturgy out in the open, but I wonder if it isn't an opportunity.

And a challenge - can we use the varied disciplines together to get out of here?

[puppeteerings]

Anything can be one if you see it as one, haha. I wonder if we'll even remember our time here once we leave, but there's little use in contemplating the future when we have the pressing present to deal with.

Ah, that would be good, and while I don't want to sound pessimist, I do wonder. The ability travel through dimensions is called the Second Magic in my world, and only one Magician in the whole world is capable of using it. Something on this scale seems very excessive, and if they're able to take everything away from us once, it's well possible that they can do it again. That's not to say I won't try, but it seems unlikely...