abraxaslogs | Open Log - I feel like I should be cackling

[Chris spots Eddie, hurrying over to him like he just opened up a penny candy store. He opened his mouth to make a remark about it, and then remembered not everyone grew up doing this and it was probably pretty damn cool to people who didn't get blown up by demons every week. So he put his judgement away. For now. Until Eddie took offense to occult shopping at Walmart.]

Is Chinatown better? We don't have that either. But if you get me that bird feather, then, we can make an explosive potion.

[Chris actually grinned. Yes, he really did want that potion. Something that mimicked his mothers power? Yes please. It was one of the potions he knew by heart, brought about by losing your mother when you were young and this was just a fucked up way to keep her close by.]

Of all the potions, that's the one you'd like to do? Good choice. But where are you going to find a bird feather? Just go up to one and ask nicely?

I’m from middle-of-nowhere Indiana, dude. We didn't have a Chinatown. I guess we didn't have a Walmart either, but…you didn't have to tell me you could just buy this shit at the grocery store.

[ Eddie is an odd sort of bird. No, he didn’t grow up with demons and mixing potions and spells, but it’s something he’s been wildly into since he read Earthsea as a kid. Chris has given him a lot to think about in terms of his own mortality—thing he’d definitely rather not think about at all, but he’s willing to risk a little discomfort if it means helping out with a real and genuine potion. ]

Uh…not exactly, but hold that thought.

[ Grinning broadly, he hops back to his feet and takes off at a sprint, disappearing somewhere further into the settlement. He’s gone for several minutes, to the point it’s questionable if he’ll even return at all, but when he does, he has two white feathers clutched in his hand. He presents them to Chris by dipping into a deep, theatrical bow. ]

The family I stay with keeps chickens, so assuming mostly flightless birds count? Consider your shopping list completed—plus extra.

If it helps you can't buy all this stuff at a grocery store. Like dried toad powder or pixie wings. Not sure how my suppliers actually gets pixie wings since I'm guessing they didn't just ask nicely, but personally I try not to think about it too much.

[Unlike most of his family, Chris had a more neutral alignment. Especially compared to his very lawful good mother. Feel free to dissect him Eddie to your D&D heart's content. And unlike Eddie, Chris grew up with this stuff, not just reading it in books. It was a little less cool to him when the monsters in the books actually came to kill you. But he totally understood how this was cool to people.

His eyebrows shot up when Eddie ran off and just waited patiently for a few minutes, wondering if he should just start the potion. And then he scampered back, proudly holding aloft chicken feathers. Chris totally should have thought of that. Duh.]

That's perfect actually.

[He gave Eddie a look, smiling.]

You really want to make that explosive potion don't you.

I wanna make something. I just happened to know where to get you your bird feathers. And to be totally honest with you? Sleeping potion sounded kind of boring without a hungry dragon to throw it at.

[ He’s clearly excited by the prospect of helping with an explosive potion, though. He lays the feathers down alongside Chris’s other ingredients, and without even being invited, takes a seat beside him.

This is a two person job now. ]

Alright, what next?

[Chris would totally call Eddie's bluff on that, but, explosive potions were also really, really handy to have. He contained a laugh as Eddie sat down next to him and wondered if this was how his mom felt when he insisted on helping to stir the potions when he was young.]

Alright, save the feathers, we're putting those in last.

[Chris started moving around ingredients and grouping them together. He pointed at each of them, showing the other man the order they needed to go in.]

Drop the first two in, start stirring when it turns white. Eventually it will hopefully turn purple. Purple is good. Purple equals explosions.

[Chris eyed Eddie for a moment. If he knew where to get the feathers......]

Do you know where I can get some crystals? Like 5 or 6?

[ Eddie is admittedly not thinking about the usefulness of an explosion potion. He’s not thinking about the finale product at all, really. Instead, he’s got his heart set on the sheer act of creating it. There’s something about that part of it that sparks joy in his would-be-wizard heart.

So he happily tucks the chicken feathers behind his ear and begins to follow Chris’s instructions, dropping in ingredients one by one under his guidance. He nearly flails when the potion turns white, and begins to stir carefully until— ]

Holy shit!

[ He laughs as the potion begins to turn from white to purple, positively beaming. ]

That’s good, right? Like, that’s the right shade of purple?

[ It doesn’t hurt to be sure. ]

Well, I'm probably not gonna get those from the chickens, but, uh…I could probably track some down for you. Do you need it for this or…?

[If Eddie enjoys creating potions so much, Chris has a lot he can help with. Or just throw random ingredients into a pot and see what they come up with. New world, different ingredients, maybe they'd come up with some cool new potion. It was something he'd done dozens of times before, something his mom had taught him and her grandmother had taught her before. How to create potions and keep your hands busy. Let your instinct guide you. Maybe, just maybe, Eddie's desire to do magic was a cool secret ingredient. Maybe he'd help come up with something new and awesome.

So, Eddie laughed and smiled, and Chris laughed and smiled.]

Wait till you see the ones that blow up and start spurting smoke while you make them! And yeah, that's the right shade of purple.

[Chris grabbed a spoon, scooped a little of the potion and flicked it at a nearby rock. Which promptly exploded. He turned to Eddie and offered the spoon in case he wanted to try a little bit of magic himself. Because that man seemed like he was eating this up.]

The crystals are for a different project. Kind of like a shield.

[Sure that shield also electrocuted people, but Chris was being careful with the kind of information he was dolling out. He could always show him after he got the crystals.]

[ Eddie didn’t do well particularly in chemistry class—there was too much science involved and he was never very scientifically minded—but he sure as hell can stir a magic potion like nobody’s business. It absolutely helps that Chris is here to guide him, but there’s something a little less…academic about potions. He doesn’t have a chemistry teacher nagging at him to tie his hair back or wear gloves, or questioning him about the periodic table like he’s ever going to use it in his real life. It feels different, and Eddie is very much enjoying it.

His eyes light up when Chris drops a spoonful onto a rock and the rock promptly explodes into tiny pebbles. Eddie is quick to take the spoon and give it a try himself, crouching like a gargoyle and dribbling the potion onto another, slightly larger rock. The same thing happens, and he cackles with sheer giddiness. ]

That’s metal as hell, dude!

[ He does it once more, and it’s clear that he’s living for this. When his second rock has exploded, he turns to look at Chris, still grinning. ]

Oh yeah? What kind of shield are we talking?

[Clearly Eddie never grew up with Piper Halliwell. Piper took her potions lessons very seriously. There were pop quizzes, homework, random plant identification the witches equivalent of the periodic table. Chemistry might have been more fun. But here? Eddie didn't need to know all that. Here, he could just have fun. He didn't need to have someone drilling into him that if he made this potion wrong, people died. That every detail mattered.

So he enjoyed the moment, the success, and the pure and utter joy that radiated off of Eddie as he flung a bit of potion at a rock and then another rock. ]

I don't think I've ever seen anyone enjoy potion making that much!

[It was kind of thrilling just how much Eddie was enjoying this.]

It's kind of like an energy shield. Except it keeps bad things in.

[ Eddie is a grown adult, but in a lot of ways, he can still act like a kid. He’s always loved fantasy and still visits lands of make-believe more often than most 21 year olds, and this is just like that—with the twist that it’s actually real. ]

Well, let’s just say this is a real dream of mine.

[ He beams, absolutely bursting with joy. Maybe potions are just as easy to mess up as chemistry, but he doesn’t need to know that just yet. ]

More like something to quarantine the bad shit off? Yeah, I can help you with that.

[ But he’s not going to let that go without another question: ]

But, uh…just what do you want to use it for? Because it looks like Michael didn't end up killing you, so...

Well I'm happy to make your dream come true. Just don't call me Tinkerbelle.

[Chris was honestly thrilled that Eddie was happy making potions. He could use the help, and having a charge he really got along this well with? Was nice. Also, Eddie was currently the only one who knew what Chris was. He could at least talk with him. Friends were nice to have. People you could trust. Wild.]

Yeah, exactly, quarantine the bad shit. Or at least keep them off us for long enough for us to get a weapon or some help. It's not for Michael--besides I don't think it would hold Michael for that long. It's just.....preparation. I'd sleep better at night knowing I had multiple ways to sort out a problem.

But Michael? Asked me to come back with 3 character references.

[Chris paused his work to arch an eyebrow at Eddie] Like. What the hell, man?

Alright, Tinkerbelle.

[ Eddie grins teasingly, and then comes the funniest thing he’s ever heard: He asked me to come back with three character references.

Eddie pauses, then he bursts into howling laughter, because that…well, he can’t say he expected it, but it doesn’t sound wildly out of character for Michael either. He laughs until there are tears in his eyes, and even when his laughter ebbs and he reaches up to wipe the tears away, he’s clearly struggling not to fall into a second bout. ]

Holy shit. You—you want me to write you one?

[ His eyes water as he fights back the laughter, pressing the back of his hand to his mouth. ]

Three character references. Jesus Christ.

I mean, was he actually serious? Cause he doesn't seem like the type to joke around, but.

[Chris tried to make his mouth work because he had expected to be zapped into oblivion. Not. Asked for character references. He just opened and closed his mouth a few times, not quite succeeding to make sound come out.]

I guess? I don't suppose you can write three and forge someone's signature?

[At least one of them was finding this amusing?] So...not completely out of character for this guy, huh?

[ Eddie just laughs again, chuckles until his shoulders are shaking and tears are forming once more because it’s just so absurd and he wishes he was there to see it. Sorry, Chris, it’s just really funny! ]

Aw, man, I’m gonna puke—

[ He breathes in deep to calm himself, struggling not to burst into giggles again. And he doesn’t puke. He holds up his hands with an okay, okay, I’m good, I’m good and continues, still drying his eyes: ]

Nah, I’d say that’s…about what I’d expect from Michael. Okay, so like…I could do that, probably won’t do that, but…what? You don’t know two more people who will back you up yet?

I mean, yeah I probably could. I do. I'm sure I do.

[It just wasn't his first instinct. Chris' first instinct was to lie, cheat and manipulate, because that's what he'd been having to do almost his entire life. Habit. ]

Wait so Michael wasn't joking? I mean....he seemed serious but. Okay yeah, angels aren't really known for their sense of humor.

I mean, do you really wanna take the chance?

[ He grins, teasing, but not in an overly cruel way. He knows what it’s like to be anxious about something, and he’s not going to poke fun at Chris about it too much. He really doesn’t think Michael is going to be doing a whole lot of smiting around here, though ]

Just ask people to say some nice shit about you, dude. It's not that painful.

[Yeah, Eddie, it kind of was. When you completely believed that most everything was your fault (honestly because it usually was) then, asking people to write nice things about you? Kind of sucked.

Shit was Michael working secretly with Crane?)

Not really, I just don't want to do it.

I suppose I could just ....never talk to him again?

I mean, yeah, that’s an option.

[ Eddie chuckles, going back to messing around with the potion, dripping it on another pebble just to watch it the small explosion. It hasn’t gotten old; he’s still impressed. ]

But Solvunn’s a pretty small place. I don’t think you’d be very successful. It’d probably be easier of you to just get the recommendations and get it over with.

Open Log - I feel like I should be cackling

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