[audio]

[backwordscompatible]

 [Cue the sound of a fifteen-year-old trying to play it cool and not sound nearly as nervous as she was starting to get:]


So...uh...shot in the dark here: is there anyone who's special abilities are acting a little...off?  [Because that was so specific]  Either the ones you've picked up from Jaunts along the way, or whatever powers you had before you got here?

[There might have been a slight emphasis on the latter, which was what she was more concerned with at the moment.]

No reason.  I was just curious, is all.

[She wasn't just curious.]

Comments

[backwordscompatible]

Mostly, yeah.

[She was purposely vague about the all right part so that she wouldn't have to lie. Was she hurt? No. Did she have a bad Jaunt? Surprisingly, no. Was this Liminal working out for her? Kind of, yeah. Was there something wrong? ...she was still trying to figure that out.]

Do you mind if I ask what your powers are, exactly? I mean, if you don't want to tell me, that's cool. But I thought I might ask. Just for comparison's sake.

[professorwolf]

Well, I'm a werewolf. I was before this Jaunt, too, so that's my "power" from home. It comes with enhanced senses, strength, and speed. The only real difference here, really, is that there's no sun or moon or proper time here, so I don't experience my full moon rages or weakness to sunlight-- I do on Jaunts, however.

I've picked up a few things since arriving here, though. Would you like to hear that run-down as well?

[backwordscompatible]

[Huh. That was a fun coincidence.]

[It also didn't really help her much with her current predicament. Still, in the interest of conversation:]

Sure.

[Why not? She had nothing but time until she figured out what was up with her magic.]

[professorwolf]

Well, the magic-like ones include a couple of smaller shapeshifts-- wings, and a fox tail and ears, respectively-- plus some elemental magic left over from Baadur and the rare vision of the future from Zeviel, one of the angels from Melasurei. The elemental magic I haven't toyed with much, seeing as it's new and comes with some unfortunate drawbacks, and while I have no actual control over the visions, I've only had a couple since coming back.

[backwordscompatible]

[Huh.]

[Elemental magic wasn't something entirely unfamiliar to her, but was piqued her interest most was hearing all of this in a werewolf. Especially the part about the visions; from her (admittedly, limited) experience, those two rarely went together.]

What did you see? In the visions.

[professorwolf]

Well, when I was the angel, a lot of death and destruction, mostly. Here? I saw the door to a dungeon, before I fell into it.

[That's the only important one, really.]

[backwordscompatible]

...there's a dungeon here?

[She didn't know that; she'd heard people mention dungeons before, but had always assumed they were talking about a different Jaunt.]

What was inside it?

[professorwolf]

Er. Well, it's different for everyone, I believe. Dungeons appear and kind of... swallow one person whole for a time, and then they have to be rescued. It's happened to a number of people I've spoken with, not just me.

[You might notice he hasn't said what was in his. If she really wants to know, he'll give her an abbreviated summary, but first he'll try avoidance.]

[backwordscompatible]

[If she knew him better, she might have pressed for an answer. Right then...it wasn't exactly on the top of her list of questions.]

I wonder how many people have been swallowed. I wonder how they got swallowed. And why.

[Could it happen to her?]

[professorwolf]

The prevailing theory seems to be, because the Trumps want us to learn something. Most dungeons I've heard of relate to the individual in question's past, present, or state of mind.

[backwordscompatible]

...why am I getting sudden flashback to private school?

[She's only joking. Mostly.]

[professorwolf]

[She's going to get a serious answer back, joke or not.]

I very much doubt your private school was much like these dungeons. "Unpleasant" is something of an understatement.

[backwordscompatible]

[You don't know her life ...nah, he was probably right.]

Sounds awful.

I would definitely be willing to forgo my turn on one of those things.

[professorwolf]

[If her school was anything like his dungeon, he will be absolutely furious with said school. And want to hug her (though that would be a bad idea, if her school was like his dungeon, anyway).]

Not everyone has to endure them, but it does seem like there are a couple every break between Jaunts.

[backwordscompatible]

...I guess if they really wanted to punish us, that would be one way to do it.

And here I thought messing with my magic was bad enough.

[professorwolf]

I take it that's what this whole conversation was really about? They have done something to how your magic works?

[backwordscompatible]

[A sigh on her end. There was really no point in pretending otherwise any longer, was there?]

Yeah.

I'm having a hard time focusing it. Even the simplest spells are kind of blowing up in my face right now. It's getting embarrassing.

[professorwolf]

Is this the first time you've tried working magic since you've arrived here? Or is this a new development?

[backwordscompatible]

The first time this Liminal, maybe.

But I've been in, like, over a dozen of these and used my magic even more often than that and never had problems before. Why, do you think it could just be THIS Liminal-specific?

[Now there was an actual uplifting thought.]

[professorwolf]

It's possible. It's also possible that, seeing as we just came out of a highly magical Jaunt, something you learned there could be affecting your magic now, if they operate in different fashions.

[backwordscompatible]

[...well, shit]

That's not usually how it's supposed to work...but, then, I guess nothing around here ever completely works like it's supposed to.

[professorwolf]

As comforting as "supposed to" is, no, it's entirely likely nothing is how it's "supposed to" be around here. How does your particular power work, if you don't mind me asking?

[backwordscompatible]

They were before.

My magic's mostly verbal. There's a...special language my family uses. [We talk backwards.] All I needed to do in the past was cast a spell in that language, and whatever the incantation said to happen would happen. No problem.

[professorwolf]

And what happens when you try that, now? Anything at all, or an unexpected reaction?

[He's a scientist by nature. He needs all the data.]

[backwordscompatible]

[So nosy.]

Oh, something happens all right. A whole surge of magic starts rushing out. Which might sound cool at first, except I don't have the training to handle that much power. Meaning anything more than the easy stuff could get really dangerous really fast.