Julie Lawry (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
princessvegas) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
abraxaslogs2023-10-10 09:01 am
princessvegas) wrote in abraxaslogs2023-10-10 09:01 am
princessvegas) wrote in abraxaslogs2023-10-10 09:01 am
→ CLOSED, first week of October
She has done so much research, so much preparation. She has accepted the risks she is taking with her own life. Portal stones can be temperamental even for creators who are properly trained; her education on this subject is coming almost entirely out of very old textbooks that she was able to find, sourced from piles in used bookshops and the dustiest shelves in the university libraries. She'd read the notes that others scribbled in the margins. For some things, she'd had to go backward and learn out of other New Magic texts before she tried to parse the logic and theories cited.
Portals had seemed so simple before she learned what went into them. For the first time, she understands how people were able to spend decades studying things like calculus and linear algebra. She is not someone who enjoyed school or book education -- her magic was mostly learned through sheer willpower, rather than instruction. The vast majority of it was deciding she wanted to do something, and then throwing every single idea she could come up with at the wall just to see what stuck.
That wasn't going to work for portals, so she did what she had to do. She has to go, and there was no one who was going to make that portal for her, not even on the black market.
Not to the Singularity.
She doesn't blame them. It would be akin to asking a pilot to fly her into the depths of a volcano. Even for the Summoned, it's dangerous, especially outside of the Dimming. There's a reason no one does it except for Thorne, and only the once a year. It doesn't matter to Julie. The danger is worth it; she feels like there's a part of herself that's missing, that she needs to go find. The feeling grows by the day, especially now that she can always feel the Singularity's presence, can always hear its voice when it speaks. The missing piece becomes an ache as the hours in the day pass, like she has lost only one of a set of identical twin babies. Even as she minds the one left, she is staring in the face at the one she has lost. A constant reminder.
Honestly, she can't even be bothered anymore that other people worry when she talks about it. That they must believe she's going crazy or something. She feels a little crazy. But what else can she do? She's not getting any better or saner continuing on the way she has been. This is something she has do, that only she can do.
At least this time, she won't have to walk quite so much.
Baron carries her several miles into the desert, and she finds him a shady place to wait under an overhanging rock. From one of the saddlebags, she takes out a feedbag and some fodder for him, then heads out on her own. Not too far -- maybe a quarter of a mile. Just far enough to test the stability of the spell, at least to an extent. But if she's right, she should be able to magnify the range later on. For now, she just needs the spell to work in its entirety.
When she feels like she's gone far enough, she lowers her hood, squinting slightly in the sunlight. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a palm-sized piece of miranolite.
"While scribestone is the gold standard for portalling, in cases of emergency, other crystals can, in theory, be utilized for the same purpose. Stones of similar strength may prove capable of containing portal spells, but are often unstable to the point of danger." Julie has memorized the passage, she's read it so many times. "It is never recommended to use unprocessed scribestone, called kemarine, or any other substitutes, as the results would be unpredictable and highly volatile."
Over the course of the months, she scoured all three cities. Kemarine, and especially scribestone, is impossible to track down outside of official channels, she finds. But miranolite isn't. They use it in all sorts of New Magic devices, and she figures it must be sturdy enough if they're selling it to ordinary people. So she bought a new toaster ("Perfectly toasted every time! No more scraping burnt bits. Sync with our new breadbox to fully automate your mornings!"), pried out the crystal powering the thing, and now here she is.
Stone enclosed in one fist, she whispers the spell from the books. Twice facing each cardinal direction. She can feel the magic moving through her veins, gathering in her palm. Seeping out and into the crystal. In her head, she locks on the visual of where she wants to go.
An overhanging rock. A cast of shade underneath, perfect for leaving a horse in. The portal should open facing the shade.
It is the only thought she allows herself. For a long moment, it seems like nothing is going to happen. Then she feels a sear of heat in the stone, a single second of burning against her skin. She opens her eyes to look at it, unsure of whether she's done it properly.
There's only one way to tell. One moment of truth -- if she's failed, she reasons that she'll likely be exploded along with the crystal.
With a sharp breath, Julie activates the stone, unable to stop herself from flinching as she does.
A portal opens.
When she opens her eyes, she almost drops the stone out of surprise. Shock, really; she was fully prepared to die in this pursuit. The fact that it works is as astonishing to her as it would be to anyone else. Her shriek of delight, completely involuntary, says it all.
I fucking did it.
Well, almost. She can see Baron on the other side of the portal, looking at her interestedly as he chews. But she still has to step through that portal, and that's the other truly risky thing.
Julie has no guarantee all of her will make it through the other end.
Another few breaths, and she manages to work up the courage to throw herself through the portal.
It's not a flawless landing. The portal has, in fact, opened roughly three feet too high above the ground, so Julie falls out of it in a heap, face-first into the sand. At the same time her feet make it through, the portal fractures, rather than closes. The miranolite in her hand vibrates so hard that it frightens her, and she throws it away from herself as she climbs to her feet in a rush.
The stone explodes against the sand with a loud bang. Shards of crystal rain against her hastily turned back, leaving a few scratches through her dress. The noise startles Baron, but he doesn't take off.
Dust clouds slowly clear from around her, and the sound of the desert wind becomes the only noise beside Baron's nervous snorting. Hesitantly, she turns back to the place in the air where the portal was, but it's gone now.
A tsunami of emotions hits her all at once. Amazement, relief, euphoria. Giddiness like she hasn't felt in years. If she weren't in the middle of nowhere, she would collapse to the ground and lie there, laughing hysterically.
I FUCKING DID IT.
As it is, she runs the rest of the way to Baron, flings her arms around his neck with a whoop of joy. She did it, and he's her witness. He huffs her hair, the top of her head, as if to verify that she is intact. In return, she conjures a palm full of sugar cubes and offers them to him before she practically launches herself into the saddle.
They gallop all the way back, with Julie screaming in laughter the whole time. She feels lighter than air.
→ CADENS/LIBERTAS/AQUILA
Too high-spirited to dive back into books so soon, she spends the week bouncing between the three cities, indulging in one of her favorite happy activities: shopping. (It's also one of her favorite sad activities. It's one of her favorite activities, period.) She already has a reputation in many shops as a frequent customer with loose purse strings, and now is possibly the best possible time to run across her in the markets; she will likely buy whatever you're looking at for you. Or maybe you catch her in a tavern, chatting up the locals with unrestrained cheeriness. It's astonishing how many people seem to just melt over her honeyed accent, unusual hair color and brilliant smile.
Back in Cadens, she can also be caught decorating, both Nadine's clinic and her own home. Eifstide is approaching, but Julie's decorations stand out as more classically Halloween, especially once she gets her mitts on some pumpkins (courtesy of Jaskier, of course). Does she care that the neighbors don't really get it? Absolutely not. But it's clear she is deeply devoted to going all out. ]
cadens
Today, he's currently on his way to nowhere in particular, often finding that the best journeys are the ones taken with no destination in mind. Case in point: his eye is caught by some colorful decorations being strung up, and he naturally veers closer. ]
Oh, brilliant! The squiggly bits, the colorful bits, the pumpkins, you've got an eye for this.
[ He will, of course, lend assistance if it seems needed, but for now, he's simply content to admire. ]
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The cabinet facing out of the glass is crowded with glass bottles and jars, some filled with a variety of different potions and creams, and others filled with what looks a blend of herbs and flowers. Many of the containers bear a similar label in different colors, for different blends. Nestled amongst the shelves are animal skulls carved with tarot symbols, desiccated roses and flickering candles that don't seem to melt any more than is aesthetic.
Carved pumpkins flank the door -- on one side, a sort of totem pole of jack-o-lanterns, stacked up to around six feet tall. On the other, a black pumpkin sits next to a white one; glittering gold paint writes across them in script, one Salves and the other Stitches. A mini pumpkin wedged between them helpfully supplies the &.
Julie is standing atop a tall ladder when he speaks, hanging a garland of dead flowers and leaves from the awning. One end of the garland holds itself aloft off to her right side as she figures the exact placement. There is a palm-sized bunny, white with black-ringed eyes, sitting on her shoulder. The bunny has wings and is tethered to her waist.
It's not the first time she's gotten a compliment on her holiday displays, but she is surprised to hear recognition of the pumpkins. Based on what she's been able to find, pumpkins as they existed on Earth simply don't exist in Abraxas, so she'd had to bring magic into the equation. She glances down over her shoulder with a smile, then removes the final pin from her mouth and pins the garland into place. ]
Thanks. [ She says it as she climbs down the ladder, moving with the speed and surety of someone who lacks any fear of height or instability. Her heels click on the cobblestone when she reaches it. ] You know pumpkins?
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Many! But not all. And not personally, but I'm sure they make good friends if the carving can be overlooked.
[ Most things can be a friend to him, all manner of sentient and even non-sentient beings. It's why, as she steps down from the ladder, he offers just as much attention to the bunny on her shoulder as to her. He might have worried at her speed coming down the ladder, but then she takes a step and all doubts instantly vanish. ]
Have anything else planned to decorate? I'll help if you need. Or just stand back and make comments, I'm good at that. Very glad to meet you, by the way, and you. [ He gives a little nod to the delightful bunny. ] I'm the Doctor!
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Dusting her hands on her skirt, she laughs softly, somewhat puzzled but amused by what he says. It just wasn't really what she was expecting, the jokes and the offer and the attention paid to her silly little pet. And ordinarily, she's less willing to entertain eccentricities from people she doesn't know. But today, very little can dampen her mood. ]
I have a little wooden "haunted house" inside to paint. I'm gonna put little light spells in the windows so it's lit up and spooky in the dark. [ Her accent sticks out sorely, still a strong American Southern twang, even after years in Abraxas. She squints up at the garland for a moment before turning her attention back to him. ] Sorry, doctor of what? This clinic belongs to my friend, she's in med school now.
[ Opening the door, she starts to head inside, although she looks back over her shoulder as if expecting him to follow. A cheerful little tinkling of bells sounds from somewhere inside as she enters. ]
Sorry, I'm Julie. Lawry. That's Kajal.
[ Kajal turns around entirely on her shoulder, to face backward toward the Doctor. His nose wriggles. ]
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Julie Lawry and Kajal — glad to meet you both!
[ The Doctor attempts a nose wriggle of his own back at Kajal. Nowhere near as good, though. Naturally, he follows Julie, excited to see what else she has planned and to help however he may. ]
And I'm sort of an everything Doctor. Time and space, wibbly wobbly things, cheese-making, mad and impossible things. Your friend will be the expert on the medical bits, though. Love this clinic! I could be here hours.
[ The Doctor speaks at a bit of a frenetic pace, his accent British, though he hails from quite far away, a planet now long gone. ]
Right, enough talking, sorry! I get carried away. Put me to work — should I help with the painting?
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On the counter next to the large, Victorian-esque cash register, is an unfinished wooden house nearly the same size. It's built to resemble the unique hodgepodge-y style of housing found in Cadens.
Julie goes behind the counter, but pauses to tilt her head at him. He's a what doctor? She knows that PhDs are mostly bullshit degrees for obsessive rich people with nothing better to do, but most of what he's said doesn't track as a specialty. Except cheese-making, she absolutely believes he might have a doctorate in cheese-making. Weirdo rich people stuff, clearly. ]
You're a doctor of... everythin'? What does that mean? Like, what kind of doctorin' do you do for money?
[ A polished wooden case rises from under the counter, seemingly of its own volition; it then proceeds to set down and open itself up, revealing a set of paints and paintbrushes. ]
Are you good at paintin'?
super sorry for the delay!
[ All this time being roughly a thousand years (or thereabouts) now.
He could spend hours in here just looking at everything, but he did offer to help and he's true to his word, so the painting will take priority over his curiosities. ]
Oh, no, I don't do anything for money. I help, however I can. Planet-saving, chasing monsters away, keeping people safe. I'm just the Doctor, here to help. Well, not here to help, though I do intend to help here, too, as much as I can. But I ended up here — well, you've been through it.
[ His attention is captured by the question, of course, and the paint set just suddenly appearing. Oh, that's cool! And he looks utterly delighted. ]
I've painted loads of things and I enjoy it, though I'll leave the judgment of good up to you when I'm through.
[ He is actually good at painting, if that can be gleaned from his tumble of words. ]
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She also seems content to just let him paint as he pleases, figuring that she can just trash it and get another if he messes it up. But it is one less thing for her to do if he's good at it, so she walks around the shop as she continues talking. ]
Sorry to do chores while you're here, but I gotta open while Nadine's in class. [ A glass of water pours itself and then places itself next to him, to clean brushes. Julie is lighting candles on the shelves, her hands glowing a soft pink as she waves them over the wicks. ] Anyway, if planet savin' and monster fightin's your business, then you're fixin' to have quite a boom. First we had like, squids and shit droppin' outta the sky, then the other nasty critters too. That reminds me, I gotta find out who killed the hippo thing and send 'em flowers.
[ Fuck that hippo, seriously.
An open aquarium filled with saltwater plants burbles in the corner, where she pauses and swipes her hand across the glass; it clears instantly of the natural cloudiness and sediment that might block the view of the plants. A little orange seahorse pokes its face between some leaves to look out at her before she walks away, her attention turned back to the Doctor. ]
How long you been here?
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[ The name he chose long ago when he first set out in the universe, in the hopes of being someone others might feel safe and comfortable turning to in a time of need. He's more of an engineer and a scientist, though he can help in a pinch with injuries, illness, and the like. He's never very good at explaining it, though. And she wouldn't be the first to think his explanation strange or more confusing.
As much as he talks, he's just as content actually doing things, and since he offered to help, he wastes no more time delaying. Sleeves rolled up, he begins to get to work, dipping his paintbrush in a dark blue to start and applying a bottom layer. While the sort of painting he normally does is entirely different from painting wooden houses, he has some measure of skill with a brush and it isn't just talk. He's also good at multitasking — busy as his mind often is — so he listens with rapt attention as she talks, also fascinated by her magic. ]
Oh, please, by all means, do what you must! I've been here...oh, near about a month, give or take. From the sound of it — with nasty things coming through those rifts — I was a bit too late, though I'm glad to see you safe.
[ He dips his paintbrush in black now, then adds — ]
Ish. Were you hurt? By that...dreadful hippo creature?
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[ A feather duster tends to the ceiling corners, apparently on its own accord. Kajal, who has been alternately fluttering and hopping along the shelves with her, is picked up and placed in a large, decorative aviary, resembling a very fancy house, which stands near the counter. "Pianko will be here soon," she coos as she closes the cage door, then turns to lean on her elbows across from the Doctor. ]
You could say that. [ Her tone is extremely dark. The hippo didn't hurt her, but it might as well have. ] The marlboro was way weirder, though. Plus, it's still here. The government hid it away, probably to do experiments or some creepy shit to it.
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But he loves her suggestions! ]
A thousand years with this name, now you've got me questioning myself. Good ones in there!
[ He smiles softly, briefly looking at her. ]
I chose the name Doctor, because I thought...well, the name you choose — if you can choose — it's like a promise. To the universe, in my case. When people call on me, wherever they are, I come if they're in need, if they're in trouble, no matter what it is, and I'll be there. Doctor seemed fitting, though you've nearly sold me on Ninja.
I'm sorry, for what you've been through. Experiments, though — certainly doesn't surprise me, given how they are here. Have you been here long, Julie?
[ He does get back to his painting, though, nearly finished now. ]
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[ She's done it twice now, although she hasn't yet changed names. Her given one is fine with her, has fit well enough through her second and her current life.
A wrinkle momentarily develops between her eyebrows, indicating that she still doesn't really understand. Is he famous? Who would know to call him when they're in trouble? How would he know? But the crease disappears just as quickly when she doesn't push for more information. ]
A bit over three years now. I was in the second group they ever summoned.
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He only hesitates now as he considers how much is too much when you've only just met someone? Best not to overwhelm her all at once. He's made a bad habit of doing that here already and though it's somewhat in his nature, he's trying to temper his enthusiasm, if not his strangeness. That, he'll always and ever be.
He does smile gently, though. ]
I have a bit, actually, over the years. [ A bit. ] Though not how you mean, I think. A different life, quieter perhaps — something to ponder! I've been traveling the universe so long now, I'm not sure I'd quite know how to do anything else. Although, being here has certainly changed that trajectory.
[ Softly, he asks — ] That long now, do you feel...settled? Is that the right word for it? Is there a right word for it?
[ As he speaks, with just a few more brushstrokes, he feels satisfied with how the haunted house looks, smiling triumphantly and setting his brush down before gesturing at it. He'll let her decide, of course, if it passes muster. ]
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From somewhere deep in one of her pockets, she digs out an ornate cigarette case and flips it open to reveal herbal blends rolled in rose petals (available two per silver, or five for two), one of which she places between her lips. She makes a finger gun and points it upward toward the end of the joint, which lights with a brief pink flash at the tip of her finger. ]
I don't know that I've ever had much of a choice but to settle. There's no goin' back for me. [ A steady stream of smoke slips out of her mouth. She doesn't clarify what she means. ] 'sides, this world feels more like me than mine ever did.
[ Earth, America. They had been comfortable. Familiar. But she didn't fit in in Kansas, New Vegas was all a lie, and neither of them had magic. Didn't have her people. Didn't have the Singularity.
Julie rarely misses home. She misses people, traditions, technologies. But she never wants to go back, even if it were a choice (it isn't).
Smiling, she rests her cigarette in a crystal ashtray next to the cash register, then straightens up and looks at the house. She actually looks at it, too -- she isn't one to pull punches when she doesn't like something. Delicately holding the base, she turns it side to side to inspect it. ]
Love it.
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But your feeling is yours alone, of course, and not mine, so I won't presume. Only that I...know a bit, a feeling like that.
[ ...going for a record with how many times he can say, feeling! He also catches that phrasing, that there's no going back for her, and it rests in his mind, something he tucks away to remember for later. It makes him worry, of course, only in the sense that he wants her to be where she wants to be and if that's here, he wants to help make it safe for her if he can.
Then she's studying the haunted house and he's fully prepared for any critique, arms crossed loosely over his chest. She likes it, no, loves it, he thinks to himself, for a moment every bit like a child on Christmas morning as he smiles back at her. His outward exuberance comes easily — perhaps too much so at times, if the reactions he elicits are anything to go by. But she's been kind and hasn't thought him too much, at least so far, and for the Doctor, the simple pleasure of her company is actually quite enough to be delighted by. It's why his smile is so swift, yet genuine. ]
Oh, you're very kind to say it. Julie, thank you for the pleasure of your company. And the opportunity to play a bit with paints, always love that!
[ He begins to step away from where he was, gesturing just a bit with his hand idly. ]
I've hardly done a thing, though. If I can be of further use, you'll tell me?
i am so sorry this took so long
It means something that his delight at her approval doesn't make her wary. Julie is from a world where trust no longer existed -- every single person was a very real threat. Every thought and action was a potential deathtrap. And that was before she got blown up and resurrected as a prisoner in an entirely different world that had magic. Suffice it to say that she is deeply suspicious of most people. But Doctor (she does not recognize the article as part of the name, and possibly never will) is either strikingly sincere, or the best actor she's ever met. Which is saying something, because she's met herself.
She holds up one hand and bends slightly at the waist. A tiny ball of light forms at the tip of her index finger and she gently pushes it through one of the upstairs windows, careful not to smudge the paint. It hovers inside the house, illuminating the top floor. ]
I will. [ A second light goes in the ground floor, then a third in the bell-tower, then Julie stands straight to look at him. ] But I won't eat up your day. And if there's anythin' you'd like to try, feel free to grab one.
no worries at all! ty for the thread, i enjoyed these two! 🎁
But he's a wanderer among the stars so he'll never quite fit exactly anywhere, he assumes. Always a bit strange, always a bit out of place. And yet, always grateful when he meets people like Julie, whose magic in lighting up the haunted house is enough to delight him all over again. ]
Julie, you are brilliant. Thank you, that's beautiful. Ha, love it! I'll be thinking of this all day and will absolutely stop back.
[ Meeting her was gift enough for him today, though he appreciates the offer to grab something. He'll absolutely be back to look more and purchase something, ever so impressed by what they've done with the place. ]
→ HORIZON
In previous years, her domain has gone a bit more low-key in the weeks leading up to Halloween, in the service of undergoing a single night of complete transformation. It's a decent way to save up energy while also being incredibly dramatic. She does love a showstopper; anyone who's ever been to one of her parties can attest to it.
But this year, the club seems more active for this week. Louder. Brighter. The outside remains sleek concrete and pink neon, but people just out for a stroll may notice a number of vivid butterflies hanging around the perimeter.
Inside, visitors might find themselves surrounded by rowdy partiers. They're all very eager to dance and take selfies with newcomers -- usually a lot more eager than the newcomer themselves might be. While Julie's busy in the real world, she makes the effort to drop by daily, leaving plenty of opportunity to run into her.
Or, if you're in the Horizon in the darkest hours of the morning, you might be able to catch her at the Singularity, sitting quietly in the dark on the ground with it. When she leaves, more butterflies linger for a bit before they disappear. ]
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That's made her sink into the Horizon, spending time there building up her own domain. Once she's satisfied with the Crystal Castle, she decides she's ready to seek out the Singularity. It makes her curious for the sheer fact that before even figuring out how she was connecting to magic, the Singularity asked her for help. How did it know she would tell everyone? Will it ever send her dreams again? Catra hated all of those questions, but Adora just wants to know.
She doesn't get there until Julie is pushing herself up from the ground, and Adora's eyes go wide in excitement, the first genuinely good feeling she's had in days making her smile. ]
Pink hair!
[ An amazing introduction, probably one of the most enthusiastic greetings she's offered lately. The butterflies distract her for a second and her features soften. She's never seen anything like these little things before. ]
What are those?
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Pink hair! is quite a thing to have break your reverie, and her eyes widen as she gasps and startles. Her hand flies to grasp at her chest. ]
Christ! You scared me. [ With a sharp breath, she tries to calm herself. Before she can fully get her heartrate back down, the subject changes, and she glances to the side. ] The butterflies? Yeah, sometimes they just happen around me.
[ No explanation follows. Julie has the ability to stop them, she supposes, but it's not like they bother her. ]
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I'm so sorry, it's just, you told me I'd know you by your pink hair. I'm Adora.
[ Her eyes wander back to the butterflies, her look of sheepishness replaced by that little touch of awe. ] We don't have butterflies where I'm from, but they're pretty, I like them. [ She's stepped back enough that she's out of any sort of personal space, aware enough of that, at least. ] I really didn't mean to scare you, that wasn't the best way to meet someone.
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Adora, Adora. What was that about Adora? ]
It's fine, just... most days, no one else is here, not at this time of night. Morning. Whatever.
[ It's the Singularity that triggers her recognition. She can feel it, tentatively reaching for the other woman. It only does that for one other person Julie knows, and she knows what it means. ]
Oh. Adora, right. Sorry, I'm Julie. Hi.
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Oh. Right, I couldn't sleep. My girlfriend left and—[ And she doesn't want to sleep in that bed alone. She wants roommates, she doesn't to be alone and yet she does. It's still raw, even after talking to Istredd, but at least she hasn't run away like she wanted. ]—I figured the Horizon was better than staring at the ceiling. I like it here, anyway.
[ It feels the way it does when she was in her own castle on Etheria, like she's standing in the center of all her magic. ]
You helped keep me from wondering what was wrong with me when I had that dream, so thank you. If you don't mind talking some time, I could come back later.
[ She wants to ask Julie so many questions, but it's early, or late; either way she realizes it may not be a great time to get into the nuances of the Singularity. ]
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[ If anyone gets it, it's Julie. She spent literal weeks in the Horizon when Lloyd disappeared. It was the only place that she didn't feel entirely lost. The only place that made sense to her.
Without a word or movement, a pair of ornate balloon-style chairs appears, the upholstery a cheery pink floral motif. In between them is a small white table with a gold tray, which bears two mugs. The maximalism is clearly a running theme, given that she's been sitting on the ground for hours while wearing a fringed, silvery gown and six inch heels. Her hair is pulled up in two small buns atop her head, a few shorter strands framing her face, which is fully made up; her winged eyeliner has small crystals applied to the ends. Her earrings are silver and large, shaped into Wheel of Fortune arcanas. The only thing that seems out of place is her necklace, which is a cracked animal fang on a thin gold chain.
She takes one of the seats and crosses her legs at the knee, leaning forward to take one of the mugs. Her eyebrows arch as she looks at Adora over the rim when she sips. The implication is clear -- she has time now. ]
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Taking the invitation to sit, Adora picks up one of the mugs with more delight than she's felt in days. ]
Thank you. I'll try not to ask too much. But mostly I wanna know why me when I was so new? Others have said it might be because I connect with a gemstone at home. If I don't have a connection, I can't transform into the part of me that can access the magic.
[ She frowns a little, because that's confusing. Explaining She-Ra to people has been more of a challenge than she thought. ]
Even here, unless I let the Singularity's magic change me over, I can't use any magic.
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Her foot bobs in the air, her heel slipping from the shoe to leave it dangling from her toes. She takes a sip of her coffee as she listens, nodding. ]
When we get brought here, the Singularity takes the place of things we're tied to back home. Things that couldn't come with us, but that we need to be... alive, or to be ourselves. Part of you is tied to the gemstone, but the gemstone's not here. The Singularity is.
[ It's said simply, matter-of-factly, wrapped in her thick accent that almost no one ever recognizes. The only other person she knows for sure has a connection is Rhy, and the way he explained it, he would have been dead here without the Singularity replacing his brother in the spell that revived him in their world.
Julie isn't sure that's what happened in her case. Other people have been brought back from death who don't have her level of connection. But she's pretty sure that she's the odd one out in the situation.
She holds her drink with both hands, not fully lowered. ]
What do you mean, change you over?
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Maybe I need to practice the magic more without She-Ra.
[ She's pulled out of her thoughts at Julia's question and goes with a little backstory to try and explain. No matter how many times she does, it never gets easier and it always seems messy. Still, she tries. ]
I don't know where I was born or if I even had parents, but someone told me I was made to be a savior named She-Ra. I don't like being called a savior, it's too much, but whatever you call her, I was the first one in a thousand years. [ She lets out a huff of air and shifts uncomfortably in her seat. Her very first visit to Plumeria lingers in her mind, and how deeply uncomfortable she was at the time. She takes a sip of the drink (which is amazing) and begins again. ]
The gemstone is inside a sword and the magic can't be controlled or used by anyone but She-Ra. The last one, Mara, died trying to save Etheria. But there hadn't been another one, not until me.
[ It feels like one of the longest stories she's ever told, and she isn't even sure if it makes sense, but it's out there now. She closes her eyes and after a brief second of warm light surrounds her, it fades to show a much different version of Adora. She's taller, her muscles are solid and well defined, and her hair—for some reason—is luxuriously long. She's still sitting, and clears her throat. ]
So, this is also me. I'm stronger faster, I can jump up a tall building and now, I can use magic. [ Extending her arm, her staff appears in her hand, her favorite weapon outside of the sword. ] I couldn't do that before I changed.
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And then Adora changes.
Julie's eyes widen comically as she watches. It's not even the first time someone else has transformed in front of her, but it is the first time she's seen someone transform into someone else entirely.
For a moment, Julie seems to not know how to respond. She sits in silence, taking another sip just to buy herself a few more seconds. Blinking, she finally manages a cough and glances away, toward the staff. ]
Uh... um, okay. I guess I never really heard of anyone who had to... not be themselves to do magic, in their own world or here. [ Magic is a yes or no thing, in her experience. Either you can do it or you can't. ]
Have you tried to learn Abraxan magic? The stuff they teach outta books?
[ Julie's world had no magic at all, not until someone crossed into it from another dying world. But that wasn't about her, it was not an inability to wield it. It was just that there was no magic to wield. ]