Cheeky piece

[serpentinthegarden]

[ Its a video call of one Anthony J. Crowley stepping out of a posh building eating a vanilla and chocolate swirled cone. ]

When you think about it sixty-five million isn't really so much to ask for a place like this in the middle of New York. Especially with all those terraces. Parking space for two cars. Concierge. More bedroom space than I'll ever need. And... ha! This might be the best part!

[ He laughed and attached a quick image to the post. ]

They don't want to take that painting with them so it would come with the place! You're an art restorer, what do you think of it, Mr. Fell? Cheeky piece. It's a bit like that play we saw last week, the one where you got all annoyed with me for magically upgrading our seats. I didn't hear you complaining when we ended up with that private box though did I?

[ He paused for a thoughtful lick of chocolate before it ran down the cone. ]

I never even dreamed of owning a place like this one before so of course I signed. What is the point of magic if you can't indulge?

Comments

[temptationaccomplished]

They've grown so accustomed to their usual shelving, it may take them a bit to adjust and settle in. Rigid things, books, you know. They don't bend or conform easily.

But with the right company, anywhere can be home.

[chenqing_player]

You're not wrong with that point.

[He grins, clearly excited to see his power in action at some point. But then he remembers something and his expression falters just a little.]

I think..I'm getting or got some sort of ability but it's not quite as interesting as controlling ghosts like in that memory.

[serpentinthegarden]

I've noticed that about them. Especially the hardcovers... oo, very slow to bend those ones. Impossible maybe!

Good thing we aren't asking them to change, just to consider new possibilities.

[serpentinthegarden]

Are you?

[ Even if it was a boring power Anthony leaned closer to the screen like he could hear all this better if he did. ]

What happened?

[chenqing_player]

Ahh..it's..not particularly useful. It took a few days to figure it out because all it did was give me a headache. But I can hear voices..lots of them. Even when there is no one in the room.

[He reaches up and runs his hand through his hair.]

I think I hear the dead...and this city is noisy with it.

[serpentinthegarden]

You hear... voices?

[ Long pause. ]

What do the voices say?

[chenqing_player]

For awhile it was just noise. But I've started to figure it out and narrow it down. A lot are just..angry. About their deaths mostly. The angrier they are, the worse the headache I get.

Seems I drew the short straw when it came to powers.

[serpentinthegarden]

Eh... It might come in handy. You could start up a new career as a medium.

Actually maybe I had better have you look around the new place. Make sure there aren't any angry spirits hanging around the place.

[chenqing_player]

Heh..might not be a bad idea. It's not that I can do anything about it yet but at least I'll know who I would be sharing a space with.

[scotch_egg]

Awful. [he closed his eyes] Bad dreams, nightmares, memory, boredom. You name it. I'm half tempted to go through the bloody portal just for a change of pace.

[serpentinthegarden]

You could. Its a whole new world over there. Not sure it would help with the nightmares or the memories...

[ His voice softened like an angel, betraying all those demon traits of his with unfettered compassion. ]

What have the memories been like?

[traceofeffort]

[The explanation calmed her down some, and her expression turned a little more positive.]

Okay, that's a little less crazy, then. And yeah, there's just not enough open space here where you can do stuff. So I think that'll be really good.

[There's a small pause where she looks like she wants to say something, before she blurts out-] What would magic have to do with this?

[serpentinthegarden]

It's always a good idea to know your roommates.

[ He exhaled slowly, feeling the pang of concern despite his best efforts to be glib about all this. ]

Are you ok? Must be unnerving when you think you are all alone and the shower starts talking to you.

[chenqing_player]

I'm dealing with it. I kind of knew something was coming..I just wasn't expecting this. But it's calmer then when it first started so I must be getting better at controlling it.

[serpentinthegarden]

Weeeelllll... It might have taken a little magical persuasion in order to get the sellers to see things that way. They were stubborn at first.

[serpentinthegarden]

[ He well remembered their conversation about the evil smoke. ]

It might actually be lucky you ended up with something simple like voices. It's creepy, but easier to deal with than some of those other powers you mentioned would have been.

[chenqing_player]

It's true..I wonder how far in the future that little trick is going to come to me. Maybe I'll get lucky and avoid that one.

I'd much rather have the powers of persuasion.

[traceofeffort]

-ah. [That makes her stop for a second; it's kind of a big deal, really?] That sounds like quite a power. Are we talking "you should give me the time of day", or "you definitely want to give me 90% off this piece of real estate"?

[temptationaccomplished]

[Oh, Anthony. Must you be so sweet to him?]

Thank you, you darling man. Thank you for being patient with me. I must have been very good in a past life to have you here in mine now.

Anyway. I will see you at 9.

[serpentinthegarden]

Maybe. We don't actually know that we are going to end up getting all of our old magic back or not. We might only get a few of the less powerful ones.

[serpentinthegarden]

[ Mulling this over he paused for a long while himself. ]

Maybe it was more like 70% off this real estate? I'm not sure something like that is very easy to quantify.

You aren't going to give me the lecture now are you? 'We should use our powers for good,' 'why do anything for personal gain,' blah, blah... I've heard that a few times already.

[serpentinthegarden]

[ The kindness and the desire to pamper the Hell out of Mr. Fell bubbled up naturally from some where beside the same place that had him responding to that with a smirk and some coy sarcasm. ]

Or very bad.

[ The time couldn't move fast enough! ]

9. I'll tell the doorman to expect you so he can give you the code for the elevator.

[traceofeffort]

I... it's complicated. You're not murdering people in the streets or anything, so I'm not super put out by it. And even if it's not a power, I'm doing the same kind of thing stealing my other self's music so I'm not gonna complain too much. It's kinda just... I have enough problems with my self-control sometimes without being able to just make things happen. It's bad for my heart to know there's stuff like that out there.

[serpentinthegarden]

I'm not into murderer people in the streets... I'm not sure I would want to meet anyone who was either.

I also don't see it as stealing to use something our past selves could do. Its still ours, it just happened before and we are only now remembering it. You ought to be able to use the songs without feeling guilty about it.

[temptationaccomplished]

Me? Never. [The teasing accusation leaves him tickled. Suppose one would have to be rather naughty to capture the attention of a demon and he likes the idea he just might be bad enough. Maybe it should worry him. It doesn't. ]

A doorman. Goodness.