001 [Text /Open To Action]

[awizardidit]

[It took a long while for Harry to take up the book. Before that, he had kept his hand raised toward an empty space, his eyes closed while nothing happened. He remained in that position until sweat started showing up on his brow. Frustrated, he let out a sigh and strode to pick up the volume.

The big, gray dog next to him, big enough his back reaches the waist of the 6'9" man, follows his master with his eyes, panting and wagging his tail as encouragement. Harry appreciates that and acknowledges it with a brief mile and a nod.

Then, he opens the book and uses the quill with the expertise of someone who uses it often. He's no master calligrapher, but his handwriting is legible.]

I have no idea what is going on, but there's no way this is not the Nevernever. However, the gate to the mortal world I'm trying to create doesn't open. I've tried several times. I'm not messing up the spell, Bob, in case you read this.

On the other hand, maybe it's for the best. For all I know, I could end up on the Himalayas or the bottom of the ocean. Or worse, in Morgan's bedroom. Yuck. Yes, I had to put that on writing. To show it to my therapist if I ever find one.

I've also tried to summon fairies, and even those who would do anything to find me haven't showed up. Honestly? That's scary.

In any case, that's why I came back to the book. What I write here can be read by others, right? Like one of those chat-thingies today's cool kids have. Yay! I'm a cool kid!

So, is there anyone out there who can tell me what is going on?

Thank you.

Harry Dresden.

[He closes the book, picks up a bag with his belongings, and begins walking in seemingly a random direction. It's not that he doubts the book works. Quite the contrary. But he isn't one to sit and wait for things to happen when he can make that things happening.

The dog follows him.]

Comments

[peckish4action]

What's the Nevernever?

[ What. That's an important question, if the person there thinks it's where they are.. ]

[awizardidit]

[Great! An opportunity to go TL;DR on an unsuspecting victim.]

"Spirit World" is another way to call it. All kind of faeries and that what has been constructed as mythological creatures live there. It resides right next to the mortal world, where mortals usually live, and it can be reached through portals that only those in the know can open. Such as yours truly, who is a Wizard of the White Council and definitely not the Merlin, as this book says.

[Someone is unamused.

On the other hand, if you had to ask, maybe this place isn't the Nevernever. That would suck big time.]

[peckish4action]

That would sort of fit the place, yeah. Except, is it supposed to change people when they pass through the portals?

Because my book says Cupid, and I definitely didn't have wings before coming here. Nor were a boy and arrows my thing.

[awizardidit]

[There's a longish pause before Harry writes back again.]

Well, Mr. Cupid, nice to make your acquaintance.

It seems like my normal magic isn't working.

[He draws an angry face next to the last word. He has no idea if it will go through, but he's frustrated.]

[peckish4action]

I prefer Robin. I know we're supposed to become the fables, but... it still seems kind of strange, to be a, you know. What Cupid is.

[ After a small pause. ]

I think everybody who had special powers where they come from, don't have them anymore. Not a problem I'm dealing with, but my best friend? Yeah.

[awizardidit]

No, I get you. Now I'm worried I'm going to spontaneously grow a beard. I'm not wearing a pointy hat, either.

Is your friend a wizard too?

[What other kind of powers could he have, anyway.]

[peckish4action]

I'm sure both beard and pointy hat can be arranged.

And, no. He's a speedster, back home.

If you're Merlin, that means you're still supposed to have magic, right?

[awizardidit]

Pass, thank you.

[Speedster. Like in a superhero? Nah, that surely can't be it.]

Maybe I do, but my usual spells aren't working.

[peckish4action]

You say that now, wizard!

[ And, no, Robin can't resist. Even though the text can't convey the typical cackle that goes with it. ]

Sorry to hear that. So, you can't do any magic that you know, and you maybe can do some that you don't now. Maybe that's why you can't make those portals... yet?

[awizardidit]

That's another possibility. I just don't want to spent my whole life trying to figure out what can I do now.

Is there some kind of manual somewhere?

[peckish4action]

All I got when I asked was that we're supposed to be living the character's life, as it now becomes our life. And we are the fables.

Then again, I didn't think I'd need that much instruction. I was more upset--

[ Dick strikes that out, quickly, without finishing it. No excuses. He made a mistake, though he's pretty sure that, even if he'd gotten a manual for Cupid, it wouldn't be applicable for Merlin, anyway. ]

[awizardidit]

[Harry won't comment on the stricken part. If it's private, it's private. He respects that.

The rest, though, he considers fair game.]

So, you do go flying around hitting people with arrows so they fall in love with each other?

Then I need to find an Arthur. Ha, that's ironic.

Deepest apologies for being so slow!

[peckish4action]

Not really. I fly around, and have the arrows with me, because I can't just leave them lying around. But I haven't hit anyone with them. Should I ever do it, even, I want to know a lot more about the person and the place and the whys and the hows first.

... ironic because you don't have a round table? Or because now you're hoping you find Arthur before Nimueh gets to you?

Don't worry!

[awizardidit]

Yeah. I'm deeply on the camp rooting for free will.

[He writes the next part with bigger letters, adding stars and little balloons.]

Yay Free Will!

[Back to his regular handwriting. He decides to come up clean. No point in hiding it.]

Ironic because I currently have Excalibur under my care.

Whew!

[peckish4action]

[ A slight pause, before Dick writes in the next response. ]

Here?

[awizardidit]

Yep.

I'm carrying it around as we speak.