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Carlos blinks at the place they wind up, "Where exactly are we?"
"Nowhere I know of Perfect Carlos~! We aren't anywhere in Night Vale at least?"
A young woman jumps the bar and materializes a garnet staff that looks like a thorned rose before leaning against the wooden bar counter. "Welcome to the Mystic Crossroads of Mirror Earth 9. I'm Barakuro Aeslyn. This is my uncle's bar."
Carlos sneezes and looks at her. "You have cats?"
"Sorry about that, but yes. The cats are gate managers. They're up in the rafters." She jerks her staff tip upward. "Might be sidled so you can't see them, though."
Cecil is staring at her. "Oh neat!"
Carlos looks sideways at Cecil and realizes his third eye is open which is unusual off the clock (if clocks and unusual were concepts one believed in).
"Carlos~ close your eyes."
He obeys and Cecil presses a bottle into his hands.
"You can open them now."
When he looks down he sees the bottle of Claritin. He opens the bottle and studies it, swallowing one of the pills. "This is mine from our house... How'd you do that?"
"Science."
"Pretty sure you mean magic."
Aeslyn stares at Cecil. "You're both right but... How... You aren't..."
Cecil giggles. "I can hear it. It sounds like you, Carlos. Very science-y. And you know, I am very into science these days."
Aeslyn raises her eyebrow at Cecil. "Usually people can't hear the Whispers unless they're residents or wizards. If you can hear them... You're an anomaly. I'll be right back; I'll get Corvus since you can't deal with the cats until that kicks in." She touches the floor and vanishes. Leaving Carlos staring at empty air.
Carlos shakes his head. "I've been saying Night Vale and its residents are anomalies for over a year. Kinda want to know how magic is science though. And I want to know how she just did that."
When the young woman returns, she's accompanied by a man with spiky ginger hair and the most scientifically interesting pair of wings. One wing is white tipped in gold. The other is black as the void tipped in silver. Carlos raises his eyes at the angel (he assumes) and Cecil insists, "Angels aren't real."
"How did you do that vanishing act, miss?"
"Oh um... It's my family's magic. I can phase through anything made of plant matter."
"That's fascinating."
She glances at the angel, "These are our new arrivals. The one with three eyes can hear the Whispers. Were we expecting them?"
Corvus studies the two and then manifests a large tome into his hand, running through it. "I wasn't, but the Powers did. Though this says we're missing one. It's plausible the other one came in through the wrong gate. Can you put out a detainment warning to GLaDOS for an edgy young woman? And some of the strong arms to retrieve her so I can give her her residency permit?" Aeslyn nods, eyes closing and when she opens them she says "Done. GLaDOS is putting out the alert to the trackers."
Corvus studies the two. "And I believe you were asking about how science and magic are the same here, Carlos the Scientist?"
"Uh... yeah. How did you know my name?"
"Science, magic, the book. All three of them combined. Magic here has its foundations in science, specifically quantum physics. You should make your own meaning, though." He smiles. "You should have access to the holo now. Have fun." He pauses to address Cecil. "And I am just as real as you, Cecil. And yes, I am an angel, but I don't call myself that any longer. I'm Corvus, the head of the Common House Management Commission. Generally I'm the go-between for all residents to the cats and GLaDOS."
The angel continues, "Also here, since we were apparently expecting you, here's your residency permits. These will expire in about a month; you'll have to stop by the office to apply for a permanent card."
Aeslyn grins suddenly, "Oh, and Corvus, GLaDOS found the third one. She says she likes this one; she's feisty. She's on channel 6 of the security feeds in the sunroom if you want to round her up."
Corvus flicks his wrist and brings up the holographic feed for that security camera and overrides the house intercom, "Miss. I'd ask you to please not destroy the indoor garden. Welcome to the Common House."
Cecil watches the feed and then chuckles. "Oh, it's Intern Maureen! Can I?"
Corvus nods.
"Maureen, it's Cecil. Listen to Corvus. I'll come with him to get you. We're hanging out at the bar across from the train station. I'll buy you a drink. We have the night off."
Carlos glances around the room and sees a few labcoats (one in a wheelchair, one who looks a little like Rochelle sitting next to him talking animatedly with a girl in a frilly dress and deerskin cloak, and one with a book) and grins. "I think I see some scientists! I'm going to go investigate, okay, Cecil?"
Cecil nods, "Go ahead. Science needs you. Maureen and I will probably drink up here. You can come find us later."
Carlos nods heading over to the group at the booth table in the corner. The one in the wheelchair grins, "Benvenuto! Come have a seat. DreamWriter scoot over. Carlos the Scientist, no?"
Carlos blinks at him as he slides into the booth, "I still want to know how you guys do that?!"
Neil grins, "Dreamwriter and I are fans, but your signature is on your person if you know where to look."
Eva looks bemused at her husband. "Dr. Eva Watts. The cheeky boy in the wheelchair is my husband Dr. Neil Watts. The one in the cloak goes by DreamWriter and the one reading next to her is Dr. Nidhi Shah, one of the resident psychologists. Did Corvus give you access to the holo?"
"Yeah, but I'm not sure how to use it."
Eva grins, "I can fix that easily. Hey GlaDOS, can you give the new scientist access via wizpod touch?"
"Affirmative, you are at your usual seating area?"
"Yes."
"Mason's Word, hold nine."
Eva grins. "Okay. Mason's Word it is." She looks at the wall. And for Carlos's benefit counts bricks in a square pattern. "One two three four five six seven eight nine." Then she speaks the syllables to soften stone and shoves her hand into the wall at the 9th brick. And pulls out a wizpod touch. She fiddles with the device then passes it to Carlos. "It's in iSpell Management Mode tutorial version. It'll teach you how to code spells including your name first. The only caveat to magic here is that all magic costs something usually energy. As you keep working you'll build endurance for spell work. At the settings I gave you it should allow you to save ten of your most commonly used spells. As you stay here longer your magic will generally gain a specialty."
Neil glances from Eva to Carlos. "Want anything to eat or drink, Carlos?"
Carlos has his head focused on the wizpod and more or less doesn't hear Neil. Neil smirks and pulls out his own wizpod and then sends a notice to the scientist. "Before I lose you to science, do you want anything to eat or drink?"
Carlos looks up startled. "What's the menu?"
"Pretty much whatever you want. The bar has both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages and pretty much typical bar fare for food."
"Do you have Chicha de jora?"
Neil grins. "We do... I can only have that or wine for health reasons."
"Huh?"
"I have a chronic pain condition that flares if I consume wheat products. And I'm dying... Cancer."
"Oh... Sorry to hear that." He glances at Eva and realizes she's got one hand wrapped around her stomach as she drinks the sparkling cider on the table.
"You're pregnant."
"Yeah. Five months. We're hoping he lives long enough to see his daughter. Ray says he should."
"Food?" Neil prompts again and Carlos shrugs. "Surprise me?"
"Then we're getting two different samplers. Who's paying tonight?"
Dreamwriter grins. "Oh I'll do it. Let me go call Dream." She glances at Carlos. "Where's your boyfriend?"
"He went with Corvus to go get Intern Maureen before she destroyed the indoor garden. He told her he'd buy her a drink. If they're back, they'll be at the counter presumably; I think he wanted her to rant at him drunk instead of tearing into strangers."
"I'll have Dream bring them back when he comes with me to get the glutenfree platter. Excuse me, Carlos." Neil wheels a little more out of the way and Carlos steps out of the booth. The girl picks up a staff and taps the table and the booth seats and Carlos is surprised when they extend enough for a few more bodies. "Your magic is never going to cease to fascinate me."
Dreamwriter laughs. "My brother-son is more fascinating than me. You'll see." Then she taps the floor and vanishes.
Carlos blinks as he slides back into the booth. "Brother-son?"
Dr. Shah looks up. "It's complicated. Dreamwriter adopted an orphan named Dream when she was traveling because he reminded her of the best qualities of her family of choice: a sister who's a witch and a brother who abandoned them who was at one point trapped in the soul of a warlock, an oathbreaker. Because while the paperwork makes Dreamwriter his mother, they have very close ages and consider themselves siblings, so she calls him brother-son and he calls her mother-sister."
"Why is he more fascinating?"
"You have to see him for yourself. You honestly can't miss him. He's wearing steampunk gear in white, gold, and silver with key motifs."
"What's your magic?"
"Libriomancy. I'll show you."
She lifts up the book she's reading, then reaches in and pulls out a rapier.
"So you pull things from books?"
"Yeah. I have to be careful though overuse of books destroys them. " She shows him the charred edges of the book as she returns the rapier. "If you ever go back to Night Vale it would be cool if you could bring back books I can study, if possible the most read ones. Libriomancy functions best that way."
"I'll have Cecil check in with Tamika Flynn about that. Her reading club/militia probably has a summer reading list of their own that fits that criteria."
"Food's here!" Neil says at the same moment Cecil shouts, "Carlos~!"
Carlos's head whips toward the direction of Cecil's voice and his mouth drops at Dream floating casually by Cecil.
Dreamwriter giggles and smiles, "You can stop showing off now, Dream."
"How?" Carlos asks.
Dreamwriter smiles, "'All it takes is faith and trust and a little bit of pixie dust.' We call it gliding back home."
"That's... Peter Pan. The Disney version."
"Yup. I travel almost any world in the multiverse, but Disney, Pixar, Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts are my primary universes."
Dream puts the covered plate he's carrying in front of Neil. "This one's wheat, peanut, soy, milk and shellfish-free." He points to the one DreamWriter's putting on the table, "that one isn't. Please try not to cross-contaminate the platter in front of Neil."
Maureen grins and takes one from Neil's plate. "Finally a place where I don't have to ask or deal with the consequences of food allergies."
Neil grins, "Remind me to bring you to the gluten-free kitchen in the house."
Eva smiles, "If he's out of spoons, I'll bring you."
Maureen nods, "Thank you both."
Cecil gapes, "You said thank you."
"They're being nice. I do have manners, Cecil. Just not when I'm being bossed around. Also this wine is very good, so thank you Cecil for treating me."
Cecil nods, "You're welcome." Then Cecil turns to Dream and DreamWriter. "I really like both of your clothes."
DreamWriter giggles, "Send me your size. Dream and I will pick up some Wanderer's Refuge clothing for you next time we go shopping. Do you have any motifs in mind?"
Cecil shakes his head and Dream grins, "I have a couple ideas. We'll bring a few options. Whatever you don't like will go into the roleplay costume trunk."
Carlos blinks "Roleplay costume trunk?"
Neil smiles, "House rules. Every couple weeks we have a family night. Sometimes games, sometimes karaoke, sometimes talent shows. At least every 2 months family night involves an LARP session. It gives people an opportunity to practice their magic and get to know their guildmates. I think a couple of guilds are looking for recruits. You three should decide if you want to stick together or be on separate guilds. I'll have Aes send you the info for the next game."
Maureen puts down the food on a napkin and announces, "I want to be on a separate team. Don't want to be the third wheel to these two lovebirds." (She jerks her head at Carlos and Cecil looking slightly annoyed at Cecil who is distracting Carlos with an intense public display of affection.)
Eva snickers. "You might not be able to escape couples. Most teams have at least one pair of romantic partners, but I'm sure we can find you a team without Cecil and Dr. Scientist, who should probably consider getting a room before someone embarrasses themselves."
Cecil's eyes widen at her and he looks at Carlos whose face is darkening in embarrassment.
At the same time DreamWriter giggles, waving one hand flippantly. "Don't worry, Carlos. You aren't the first person here to have a very enthusiastic boyfriend. Hopefully you'll meet the other couple that fits that category tomorrow evening for karaoke night!"
The Scientist nods, voice tight. "Let's go find our apartment at the house, Cecil."
Cecil nods, "As you wish. Behave, Maureen."
"I will. Just don't bother me tonight. Keep him occupied, Dr. Scientist, he promised me I had the night off."
Carlos chuckles, "Of course. Goodnight. And thank you Eva for the wizpod."
"It's nothing."
Cecil attaches himself to Carlos as they walk out the Bar onto the street, letting the house's Whispers guide him to their apartment.