WHO: Huck, Magius WHAT: Krypto-swap WHEN: Tuesday evening. 09/10 WHERE: Out and about WARNINGS: n/a
Huck was on his way home from an errand run, his thoughts pulled in many directions by the latest revisions in his next book, and the potential movie deal that up-and-coming producer, Tom Sawyer, had offered him. Besides that, Lexi continued to have yet more unsettling dreams, featuring a cast of her nearest and dearest friends--except for himself. His own dreams remained mostly harmless.
Still, he was distracted enough that he wasn’t necessarily paying attention to the fact that the condensation from the ice cream he carried was starting to weaken the paper bag in which he carried it, until suddenly the bottom dropped out and the little, round tub went rolling down the sidewalk and into the gutter beside a parked car.
The car belonged to Magius who was just getting out to get some groceries after a long day. He slid a foot out, almost stepped on the ice cream, and shifted just in time, then bent to pick it up, brushing it off. He glanced around and saw the other man, and grinned. “I think it’s mostly intact.”
He rose out of the car and moved to hand the ice cream over just as something glittered in his vision. He glanced at it and a wave of dizziness swept over him as he felt something tear from him and shoot toward the other man. “Oh no...”
Huck thanked him, and reached for the carton, but wound up leaning against the car for balance as whatever had passed from Magius entered into him. It seemed to Huck as if he felt himself expanding, taking in a wave of sensory input to which he had been all but oblivious before, along with knowledge of things that were previously fiction to him. “What just…?”
Magius groaned and looked at Huck, then sighed. “I fear, young one, that you have just recieved my power.” Huck looked like many a novice Magius had known in the dreams, freshly come into their powers.
“You will feel things in your mind urging you to let them out. You must not. You must resist them, and only let them loose in times of need.”
Then he chuckled. “What is your name?”
Huck felt like he'd just received a letter from hogwarts, along with a pinch in he solar plexus. Now that the wizard mentioned it, he did feel a sort of pressure in his mind, like a sneeze, except not at all like that. He had nothing, really, to which he could compare he sensation. "Finn," he said, "but my friends call me Huck."
“Then welcome to the world of magic, Huck. I’m Doctor Magius. In my dreams, I’m a wizard, and have been here, too, for some time. It seems the OC is doing it’s own thing today, as it has before.” He chuckled. “How are you feeling?”
“Weird,” he said, for lack of a better description. “Almost...hypersensitive?” Sight, sound, smell, touch. Taste, too, he supposed, though he didn’t crack the ice cream open right then to find out. “Is that normal?”
“Oh yes. The sensitivity fades over time, but the enhancement is permanent. Now you will feel and hear and see magic in all things, for that is where it is.” He nodded and smiled.
“Permanent.” Huck gave a soft laugh. “At least until we figure out how to give it back to you?” If such a thing were possible. “Is it normal for magic to jump from person to person like this, or are we just special?” He was full of questions.
“Oh yes. I have no idea what caused this. For all I know the OC is doing it as a thing, this week.” He sighed and dialed his phone, calling the hospital. “Nancy? Have we had---? More of them? Damn. Okay.”
He hung up then nodded. “Apparently there are a lof of different things going on. Many people are sick, but others are gaining and losing abilities, and changing, or having animals and plants go crazy.” He smiled gently.
“Magic normally doesn’t do this, but everything is different here.”
Huck laughed, and shook his head. At least he would have no shortage of inspiration for his stories. Maybe he should try urban fantasy next time. Although the market for that was probably pretty well saturated. “So, what do I need to know, most of all?”
“Remember that magic takes concentration, knowledge, and will power. If you ever need it, push, don’t just think it, will it to be. If you do not want it to happen, the same. Will it to not be.” Magius wagged a finger at the man. “Keep your mind controlled. For Magic is mostly a discipline, but it can also flare outward.”
He paused, then nodded. “You will see magic, and thing and people as they are, beyond illusion.”
“So basically, stay calm, don’t lose my temper, don’t horse around, and always know where my towel is.” Huck nodded. Simple, right? But probably not as easy as it sounded.
Magius chuckled. “Something like that, yes. “And whatever you do, never say Abra Cadabra.”
He nodded. It was a bad idea.
"Because it's amazing how often people throw that word into casual conversation," Huck quipped, "along with the password for the cave of the forty thieves." But if the expert say it was a no no, Huck would do his best to mind his tongue.
“You’d be surprised…” Magius grinned. “Otherwise, mostly just be yourself, and try not to stress out too much. Everything will be more intense. Everything.” Magius grinned. “Enjoy that. And if this lasts longer than a few days, well, I’ll take up teaching you how to do more.”
Huck smiled at Magius’ emphasis on the word everything, his thoughts turning to Lexi. “I guess I’ll be working from home the next few days.” Or perhaps not working. Time would tell.
“Either way, if you need anything, call me.” Magius extended a card.
Huck accepted the card, and after studying it for a moment, slipped it into the pocket of his shirt. “Thank you, sir,” he said, “I’ll be sure to do just that.”