[He has no comment on whether or not it's a good song. Henry and music in general have a very complicated relationship.
But as for the rest, he seems to rake his gaze across her again; a second assessment. He supposes this must be what it's like to be imbued with magic, that it makes one live longer than the average human. That it makes them human no longer. How nice for her, honestly. He can hardly see it as a burden.]
...Technically. [And only because he's been torn from his proper era. Deposit him in this decade, and yes, he's Old.] But only technically. So witches age slower than the average human?
We do. It's all that magic we have as you probably have already guessed.
[How nice, how magical it is to be so long-lived. It's basically eternal youth with the exception that witches can go down like any human. Magic just helps bypass many difficulties.
And how very, very lonely it can be if they're not careful with the years they are privileged with.]
It's just one of a number of secrets I keep from my neighbors. Like how sometimes, we have irritating creatures that like to cause mischief or outright havoc in this place.
[Gently moving the topic back to the original purpose...]
[To him, it sounds wonderful. To be something more than human, to have power that might make one more resilient than before -- likely because that's exactly what happened to Henry during his stay in that other realm.
As for loneliness? Well. We don't even touch that subject.]
It must be a hard secret to keep, the more decades that pass.
[But you know, that's her problem, isn't it? They're moving on, and he senses it.]
Can I ask a question about that memory, though? Before we move on.
[He's glad he doesn't have to live in a human society to worry about such things. :) ]
That memory, that song. Why those specifically?
[He can't quite feel it without his powers properly at full capacity, but did they mean something to her? Something that existed so long ago must have stuck for a reason.]
[Amelia falls silent. Her mind is guarded and only whispers of her voice can be heard, asking herself how she'll say it, it's been so long now, it's still so...
(For a second he can see the smile of a beautiful person and it's for her as if she was the only one it was made for.)
To her own surprise, the witch answers easily.]
Well, like I said, it's a good song for one. I remember falling asleep to it on the radio.
[There's a pause as she glances at the window to look at her flower garden. When she speaks up again her voice is soft and reverent.]
And that boy existed. Long before I ever knew he did.
[Oh yes, he catches a glimpse of that face, the memory almost framing it as something ethereal. And he would pry, and prod, but Amelia offers something strangely straightforward and more honest than he would have expected.
Still, he asks, if only because memories such as these are always so interesting to him -- secrets kept close to the heart are always something Henry wishes to unearth. Powers or no.]
One doesn't need to read Amelia's mind to know that she will not speak further on the matter by the way her hands clasp tightly together, the short sigh, and the way she looks back at Henry, pulling back that calm and stolid composure.
"We need to get back on topic," her mind faintly whispers.]
If you don't mind, Mr.Creel. Our task at hand?
[And it's so quiet, the words so minuscule it could get lost with everything else since she's a witch whose mind is so singularly focused but...]
[Not human. But clearly important enough to her that she'll not talk about it much further; a fond remembrance that is still a point of precise pain. Interesting.
Her mind whispers to him the desire to move on. And then, such a small, small thought soon after -- and in it, he catches a name. Briar?
He'll hold onto this silently for now.]
...All right. I was just curious. You can't blame me, can you?
[Amelia reaches into her pocket to take out her small notebook (full of color tabs, and sticky notes) and her smartphone so she can bring up pictures of their creature feature.]
Our man of the hour, as I have said, carries around a skull and will approach a person of his choice and ask them to drink from it.
[While she flips through her notebook she slides her phone over to Henry so he can see the photos she's opened up. She's collected them from social media focused on the local area and from her own contacts. The creature does look like an innocuous man (the expression is sly and nasty, however) with an animal skull though it's not identifiable as an Earth one.]
If he asks, the person must accept. If you somehow break from the compulsion to drink the mixture, he will take blood from you instead. From my understanding, the skull drink will cause you to be sick for several weeks.
[Color tabs. Sticky notes. Very teacher of her -- some things have not changed over the decades.
He listens, then peers down at the phone, taking the opportunity to pick it up and look at the photos. (Such strange technology for his eyes, too.) This man seems normal enough, even if he wears a bothersome expression; animal skull he carries, notwithstanding.]
I don't recognize this kind of skull. [Then again, he wouldn't if it was truly an exotic animal; but Henry thinks he'd at least know the shape of it, distantly, even if it was.] But what a strange thing to ask people to do. So the question is: why?
[Though her cellphone is useful and Amelia is actually open to technology (it's another fun thing to study, she's a nerd) the old pen and paper method is comforting.]
The skull probably isn't of earthly origin.
And why? [Amelia scoffs and crosses her arms irately though it isn't because of Henry's question.]
I've dealt with creatures from outer worlds and although there's usually a reason for their patterns and activities among humans... Every now and then you'll have other beings who facilitate purposeless fear.
[And that might be the only point which makes it even more frightening.]
If he has a purpose, he isn't telling. I've tried approaching him directly but he's aware of who and what I am. He always slips away at the sight of me.
...I did throw a baseball at his head the first time so...
[Facilitating purposeless fear isn't always so bad; though he supposes the fear he always generated from a parallel dimension away definitely had its purpose.
He looks dubiously at her.]
You probably didn't make the best first impression. [Even Henry knows how critical it is to play nice until you absolutely need to drop the facade.] In that case, are you hoping that I'll be less susceptible to his influence?
[Henry's mental defenses are, unsurprisingly, stronger than most's.]
I wasn't thinking about how to make a good first impression when he was about to offer skull juice to a child.
[sure she had to disrupt the baseball game she was invited to at the park, but the team was very impressed by her arm strength even when they had no idea why she threw the ball]
I was thinking you'd be less susceptible and see what would happen if you took the skull. One of my theories is that it's not really the man doing the aforementioned actions but the skull itself.
[Fair enough, but now he has that rather amusing mental image playing in his head.]
And if he doesn't like me taking the skull? What then? Just what am I allowed to do, and what's off the table?
[Killing is such an easy option. Crushing the skull with his powers, too. But if he has to play by her rules, he wants to know where he stands in regards to violent action.]
It depends on where the confrontation takes place.
[Amelia flips through her notebook to land on the page where she's made a crude drawing of the skull man and scribbled down some notes.]
The most irritating thing about him is that he's been appearing in moderately crowded areas such as downtown or the park at peak hours. At least with the park we can isolate and deal with it as needed.
[And surprisingly...]
I would like to at least try and see if he can be bargained with or if he'll take blood by force if the drink isn't accepted.
But if he doesn't deviate from that action do what you must. When it comes to these creatures you do not let them push you around.
[Henry eyes the drawing for a moment, then once more looks up at her -- maybe a little vaguely surprised (clearly, she isn't messing around when it comes to these creatures causing mayhem, which is fine by him), but he still wishes to clarify. Because-]
But if you think the skull is the main culprit, then maybe the man's innocent. Lost in an illusion, or mentally manipulated.
[But hey. If she's cool with him killing him too if needed... then shrug emoji all around!]
You could check with your telepathy, couldn't you?
[He does bring up a good point although Amelia's opinion is that the man is just a shell. Neither Adam or Lien could face match him in their own databases which could mean the shell was an unknown person who was easy to puppet without anyone noticing.]
I'll be close behind you, by the way. You're helping me deal with this upfront but you're also another pair of eyes.
And I will intervene so you won't get hurt. You're not running on full power after all.
[He could. He's sure he could. But if the result is "yes, this is an innocent man under the influence" but he still tries to harm Henry... Well, he's taking that as full permission to do what's needed to defend himself. His expression, a very mild smile, reflects that.]
Thank you. [He says the phrase plainly, just automatically.] I'm sure I'll be fine, either way. The real trick will be getting straightforward answers out of the man before the situation resorts to violence.
But no way to find out until we try.
[And though this is mostly obligation to help him find a way home, color him... curious.]
Mr. Creel, you may call it mundane, I call it a solution.
[She can't help it, her teacher voice is back.]
If you depend on one skill set you limit your options in a crisis. All avenues must be as available as possible! Though my spell craft is my main ability, I also hone myself physically.
It keeps me fit and an element of surprise for any fool who thinks I'm a frail witch.
We'll scout the park tomorrow after school. I'll meet you there as soon as the bell rings.
[As she nears the end of the school year, Amelia has been rather busy. The skull man's activity in the town had irked her, adding more to her already heavy workload... But it's sort of. Nice? Relieving? That she can have Henry help out. She has friends, yes, but they're usually doing their own thing and she rarely likes to bother them by asking them to drive into town.
She hopes this works out and that he feels less restless as an odd guest in her reality.]
๐น๐น๐น
[Late afternoon, Amelia makes her way to Ivory Park, trying to spot Henry. There are several families or random people out in the park, enjoying its well-maintained beauty and an ice cream cart that travels through the area serving popsicles and ice cream sandwiches to kids and teens who just got out of school.
When Amelia sees Henry, she's about to wave to him but he'll see her be distracted by some people, probably parents who are talking to her enthusiastically while their teen tries to be casual with their teacher in this outside setting.
It's funny; Amelia's actually smiling pleasantly and although their conversation isn't important, she's giving them her full attention.]
[He's there before her, finding shade beneath an old tree while he waits for her to arrive. Henry kills time with people-watching, a sketchbook tucked beneath his arm to at least give him the illusion of a reason for him being there. He might have actually drawn something while he was waiting, too, though it's impossible to know what that may have been since it's closed for now, the only proof for which are the faint graphite smears on the tips of his right hand.
Finally, she arrives, and he straightens to go to meet her -- but it seems as though she's been distracted by people; teens and their parents, so he surmises that this must be the parents of her students, who she focuses on completely rather than what Henry believes should be the task at hand.
Well, that's fine. He won't interrupt... verbally. But he does continue walking over until he's basically in the bubble of conversation.
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sunfloras2023-04-20 07:42 pm
no subject
But as for the rest, he seems to rake his gaze across her again; a second assessment. He supposes this must be what it's like to be imbued with magic, that it makes one live longer than the average human. That it makes them human no longer. How nice for her, honestly. He can hardly see it as a burden.]
...Technically. [And only because he's been torn from his proper era. Deposit him in this decade, and yes, he's Old.] But only technically. So witches age slower than the average human?
no subject
[How nice, how magical it is to be so long-lived. It's basically eternal youth with the exception that witches can go down like any human. Magic just helps bypass many difficulties.
And how very, very lonely it can be if they're not careful with the years they are privileged with.]
It's just one of a number of secrets I keep from my neighbors. Like how sometimes, we have irritating creatures that like to cause mischief or outright havoc in this place.
[Gently moving the topic back to the original purpose...]
no subject
As for loneliness? Well. We don't even touch that subject.]
It must be a hard secret to keep, the more decades that pass.
[But you know, that's her problem, isn't it? They're moving on, and he senses it.]
Can I ask a question about that memory, though? Before we move on.
no subject
[She has a feeling this current visage she has will be her permanent one. At Henry's question she nods.]
And sure. What about?
[Amelia's a little curious; she thought it was a fairly straightforward memory (without going into detail about anything else).]
no subject
That memory, that song. Why those specifically?
[He can't quite feel it without his powers properly at full capacity, but did they mean something to her? Something that existed so long ago must have stuck for a reason.]
no subject
(For a second he can see the smile of a beautiful person and it's for her as if she was the only one it was made for.)
To her own surprise, the witch answers easily.]
Well, like I said, it's a good song for one. I remember falling asleep to it on the radio.
[There's a pause as she glances at the window to look at her flower garden. When she speaks up again her voice is soft and reverent.]
And that boy existed. Long before I ever knew he did.
I learned a lot from him.
no subject
Still, he asks, if only because memories such as these are always so interesting to him -- secrets kept close to the heart are always something Henry wishes to unearth. Powers or no.]
Was he magic, like you?
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[Briar was pure magic, plain and simple.
One doesn't need to read Amelia's mind to know that she will not speak further on the matter by the way her hands clasp tightly together, the short sigh, and the way she looks back at Henry, pulling back that calm and stolid composure.
"We need to get back on topic," her mind faintly whispers.]
If you don't mind, Mr.Creel. Our task at hand?
[And it's so quiet, the words so minuscule it could get lost with everything else since she's a witch whose mind is so singularly focused but...]
no subject
Her mind whispers to him the desire to move on. And then, such a small, small thought soon after -- and in it, he catches a name. Briar?
He'll hold onto this silently for now.]
...All right. I was just curious. You can't blame me, can you?
But you can continue now.
no subject
Our man of the hour, as I have said, carries around a skull and will approach a person of his choice and ask them to drink from it.
[While she flips through her notebook she slides her phone over to Henry so he can see the photos she's opened up. She's collected them from social media focused on the local area and from her own contacts. The creature does look like an innocuous man (the expression is sly and nasty, however) with an animal skull though it's not identifiable as an Earth one.]
If he asks, the person must accept. If you somehow break from the compulsion to drink the mixture, he will take blood from you instead. From my understanding, the skull drink will cause you to be sick for several weeks.
no subject
He listens, then peers down at the phone, taking the opportunity to pick it up and look at the photos. (Such strange technology for his eyes, too.) This man seems normal enough, even if he wears a bothersome expression; animal skull he carries, notwithstanding.]
I don't recognize this kind of skull. [Then again, he wouldn't if it was truly an exotic animal; but Henry thinks he'd at least know the shape of it, distantly, even if it was.] But what a strange thing to ask people to do. So the question is: why?
no subject
The skull probably isn't of earthly origin.
And why? [Amelia scoffs and crosses her arms irately though it isn't because of Henry's question.]
I've dealt with creatures from outer worlds and although there's usually a reason for their patterns and activities among humans... Every now and then you'll have other beings who facilitate purposeless fear.
[And that might be the only point which makes it even more frightening.]
If he has a purpose, he isn't telling. I've tried approaching him directly but he's aware of who and what I am. He always slips away at the sight of me.
...I did throw a baseball at his head the first time so...
no subject
He looks dubiously at her.]
You probably didn't make the best first impression. [Even Henry knows how critical it is to play nice until you absolutely need to drop the facade.] In that case, are you hoping that I'll be less susceptible to his influence?
[Henry's mental defenses are, unsurprisingly, stronger than most's.]
no subject
[sure she had to disrupt the baseball game she was invited to at the park, but the team was very impressed by her arm strength even when they had no idea why she threw the ball]
I was thinking you'd be less susceptible and see what would happen if you took the skull. One of my theories is that it's not really the man doing the aforementioned actions but the skull itself.
no subject
And if he doesn't like me taking the skull? What then? Just what am I allowed to do, and what's off the table?
[Killing is such an easy option. Crushing the skull with his powers, too. But if he has to play by her rules, he wants to know where he stands in regards to violent action.]
Going to assume you'll frown at killing.
no subject
[Amelia flips through her notebook to land on the page where she's made a crude drawing of the skull man and scribbled down some notes.]
The most irritating thing about him is that he's been appearing in moderately crowded areas such as downtown or the park at peak hours. At least with the park we can isolate and deal with it as needed.
[And surprisingly...]
I would like to at least try and see if he can be bargained with or if he'll take blood by force if the drink isn't accepted.
But if he doesn't deviate from that action do what you must. When it comes to these creatures you do not let them push you around.
no subject
But if you think the skull is the main culprit, then maybe the man's innocent. Lost in an illusion, or mentally manipulated.
[But hey. If she's cool with him killing him too if needed... then shrug emoji all around!]
no subject
[He does bring up a good point although Amelia's opinion is that the man is just a shell. Neither Adam or Lien could face match him in their own databases which could mean the shell was an unknown person who was easy to puppet without anyone noticing.]
I'll be close behind you, by the way. You're helping me deal with this upfront but you're also another pair of eyes.
And I will intervene so you won't get hurt. You're not running on full power after all.
no subject
[He could. He's sure he could. But if the result is "yes, this is an innocent man under the influence" but he still tries to harm Henry... Well, he's taking that as full permission to do what's needed to defend himself. His expression, a very mild smile, reflects that.]
Thank you. [He says the phrase plainly, just automatically.] I'm sure I'll be fine, either way. The real trick will be getting straightforward answers out of the man before the situation resorts to violence.
But no way to find out until we try.
[And though this is mostly obligation to help him find a way home, color him... curious.]
no subject
[sometimes she says things so seriously it has to be a joke... But she's kind of serious... ๐ฅฒ]
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[Yeah, no. He suspects she's serious, and he hasn't even known her for that long.]
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[She can't help it, her teacher voice is back.]
If you depend on one skill set you limit your options in a crisis. All avenues must be as available as possible! Though my spell craft is my main ability, I also hone myself physically.
It keeps me fit and an element of surprise for any fool who thinks I'm a frail witch.
no subject
[Her tone. It is a little amusing, and his smile twitches.
He's not sure he agrees, but he humors her.]
Then I leave any well-rounded heavy lifting to you. I was never very physically strong, not when there was no need to be.
lil time skippy
[As she nears the end of the school year, Amelia has been rather busy. The skull man's activity in the town had irked her, adding more to her already heavy workload... But it's sort of. Nice? Relieving? That she can have Henry help out. She has friends, yes, but they're usually doing their own thing and she rarely likes to bother them by asking them to drive into town.
She hopes this works out and that he feels less restless as an odd guest in her reality.]
[Late afternoon, Amelia makes her way to Ivory Park, trying to spot Henry. There are several families or random people out in the park, enjoying its well-maintained beauty and an ice cream cart that travels through the area serving popsicles and ice cream sandwiches to kids and teens who just got out of school.
When Amelia sees Henry, she's about to wave to him but he'll see her be distracted by some people, probably parents who are talking to her enthusiastically while their teen tries to be casual with their teacher in this outside setting.
It's funny; Amelia's actually smiling pleasantly and although their conversation isn't important, she's giving them her full attention.]
no subject
Finally, she arrives, and he straightens to go to meet her -- but it seems as though she's been distracted by people; teens and their parents, so he surmises that this must be the parents of her students, who she focuses on completely rather than what Henry believes should be the task at hand.
Well, that's fine. He won't interrupt... verbally. But he does continue walking over until he's basically in the bubble of conversation.
Hi.]
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