Fruitcake Baking! For Great Justice!

[tigereyedrogue]

Here's a very large Bengal tiger bounding through the Nexus. Incongruously enough, he has a light dusting of flour on his fur, and smells faintly of baked goods and candied fruit. Around his neck, a still steamy-warm packet of fruit-cake has been tied like a Saint Bernard's barrel of brandy

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[tigereyedrogue]

He puts his head down on his paws, his striped brow knitting in an almost human-like expression. "Drama takes its toll, especially on the magically active. I have a friend who simply should never cast when she's upset. She overdoes things, and they tend to go dark on her. Part of why she moved here full-time."

He nods, blinking several times. "Well, I'm sure the bloke that had the bullets in 'im was quite grateful. I sure would be." He nods along with her mentioning her uncle. "Well, he does sound like he's trying to look out for you. I rather like 'im already. Really, though...most of the problem here is wandering off into the wrong side-world. Or LOLs."

He snuffles. "Mrr. I'm really not certain what this Doctor's going to do. I only know there's a life at stake, and it's one in the eye of that insane robot trying to ruin Christmas. I'm not even Christian and I'm not for that. I've a kid! Well, a cub...but he's lookin' forward to his first year with presents under the tree and the whole lot."

He catches her question and chuckles. "Oh yes, it was terribly difficult. I hope he doesn't mind the fact that it's as much a fur-cake as fruit now. And it was such trouble getting the paw-prints out." Blinkleblinkleblinkle.

[courtneycrumrin]

"Eheh, that sounds familiar." Courtney tucks a lock of light hair behind one ear. "Although sometimes it takes emotion to drive a spell properly. At least, in my world. I know in some worlds things are the opposite."

Courtney nods a little. "Every now and again, something big will happen, like the timeflood. Then, if your world's affected, all you can do is duck and cover, but...usually it's a safe place. And there's so much you can learn here. I just can't keep away."

"...There's an insane robot trying to ruin Christmas?" This is a new one on her. "Well. It's good that you're helping to stop it. I guess fruitcake is more powerful stuff than I realized."

[tigereyedrogue]

"No, I agree. But from my experience it needs to be focused emotion. I'm not a spell-caster myself, you see; my gifts are more psychic. So it's not really my area of expertise. But--well, she's a necromancer. So overdoing it can be especially bad." I fortunately wasn't there for the time she panicked in a morgue...

He nods as she explains. "Timeflood? Yeah, I agree. I moved here full time for a number of reasons, really. But being able to live openly was definitely one of them."

He looks a bit baffled himself, chuffing softly and composure-grooming his shoulder a moment. "That was what happened. I nearly conjured an army of giant four year olds to go after him, but that would have caused too much collateral damage. Not sure what the Doctor will do with the fruitcake." He snickers. "Perhaps have a munch while he's figuring a way to free his friend."

[courtneycrumrin]

"That's true," she concedes, nodding. "Totally freaking out doesn't help anything. Ooh. And necromancy's a tricky field. I have a knack for it, but I'm more of a generalist right now."

"I don't live here; I just visit. I haven't been here for a while, actually. Been studying at home. I bet living here full time is interesting. The timeflood happened several months back. A lot of people de-aged and that kind of thing. I lost a few inches of height, nothing serious."

She smiles a little, reminded of her cat-companion, Fisher, and his behavior. Of course, Fisher is missing a limb and an eye and is generally not as pretty as a tiger. "Giant four year olds? Can you do that? That sounds terrifying." She laughs. "Remind me to stay on your good side."

[tigereyedrogue]

"It's a family tradition for her. That and scary Russian magical stuff. Though she did teach me the Bugs Bunny Trick."

He sneezes with amusement and his tailtip thwips back and forth. "Well, what else would a giant robotic Santa fear?"

[courtneycrumrin]

After a moment's thought, Courtney is forced to conclude he's absolutely right. "Yeah, giant four year olds are about the thing, I'd say. You can always keep it in mind as a last desperate line of defense."

"...I'm curious what the Bugs Bunny Trick is, but don't let me keep you from your mission, if you have to go."

[tigereyedrogue]

"Yeah. There was this bloke about talking about killing every incarnation of Santa and the Easter Bunny. I asked him what he would do once every angry four year old in the Multiverse starts coming after him."

That weird noise is a tiger snickering. "It's fine. I can make up the extra time running in this form. The Bugs Bunny Trick's a minor fire-cantrip she cobbled together watching Loony Tunes. You snap your thumb against the inside of your fingers like a big match-stick, and the pad lights on fire without burning you. Terribly handy."

[courtneycrumrin]

"I don't think that would be possible, anyway. Theoretically the multiverse is infinite, so there would be an infinite number of Santas and Easter Bunnies, wouldn't there? Or, even if not all dimensions have versions of Santa and the Easter Bunny, per se, the numbers would still be way too high to actually contemplate attacking. Can you even subtract from infinity? I am not so good at maths." She looks sheepish. "I think I like your argument better."

She sits next to the tiger, looking amused by the snickering. It's not every day you hear a tiger laugh. "That sounds incredibly cool. I'd like to see that done sometime."

[tigereyedrogue]

"Yeah. It's just...we have some real psychos wandering about, and the only real way to deal with them without violence is to find something to keep them busy with. Besides, both beings are essentially immortal and would just regenerate. And the Easter Bunny I met kicked scary amounts of butt."

He shrugs a massive shoulder. "I'll change back for a second if you'd like. Just promise me you won't do anything with that cantrip that will make your uncle angry, right?"

[courtneycrumrin]

"I wouldn't mess with a Tooth Fairy, either," she says thoughtfully, "not if they're anything like the fairies around where I live."

"My uncle is surprisingly tolerant of my escapades." She grins. "But I promise not to set anything on fire. I don't play with matches, lighters, or inflammatory spells."

[tigereyedrogue]

"Fairies, like angels, got their reputations softened during the Victorian age," the tiger says with a hint of distaste. "Now granted, the only angel I know actually is rather sweet and fluffy, but that is because he is semi-retired from his duties and doesn't have to be Terribly Terrible.

"But Fae...well...the few I have met I love to pieces, but you have to keep your sense of humor, stay on your toes and make sure never to piss them off. The stablest one I know is Haldir, and he's got PTSD."

The tiger nods, and blurs, his shape shrinking and darkening until he's a big, muscular Indian-looking man in flour-smudged jeans and a dark T-shirt. The crystal still gleams at his throat, and the packet is now hanging off one shoulder. "Right! Here, like this."

He flicks his thumb, and a small, cartoonish flame appears.

[courtneycrumrin]

"I've only met one angel, I think," she muses. "He was interesting. Imposing, but quiet. You're right about fae, though. I live near a lot of goblins and hobgoblins. Some of them live in the house. It makes life interesting."

Oddly, she looks more intimidated by him as a human than she was when he was a tiger, but she's interested in this spell, so she sits up on her knees and leans in to watch. "Haha, awesome!"

[tigereyedrogue]

"Ezra is only quiet when his mouth's full. Well, actually, that's an exaggeration, but still. He likes to talk to people. Probably why he wears such an unassuming shape most of the time."

His stripy eyebrows go up. "Your house has...goblins?" That's even weirder than a squirrel infestation.

He seems used to that sort of reaction. This right here is why I didn't focus on child psychology instead of general... To offset a bit, he makes sure to sit down, and talk a little more quietly.

"I had to study a real flame for a long time to get it right."

[courtneycrumrin]

"House goblins, domovye, lutins, and a few bogles in the basement. My uncle lets them stay as long as they don't cause any major damage, and they don't. Most of them are helpful, actually. They lived in the area before we did, so it's only fair we let them stay."

She holds her hand close to the cartoon flame gingerly to feel whether it has normal heat. "That's really neat. Does it actually light things on fire or is it just for pretty?"

[tigereyedrogue]

"That's a lot of faeries. It must have taken an adjustment to live with them. I don't suppose you have a bannik in your bathroom too?" His eyes dance slightly. "I'd better not tell Danica about this, or she'll be squeeing like a little girl and asking about housing in your neighborhood. I'm quite serious." Heck, she'd probably squee over the bat barrette too.

"This will actually light things on fire, now. I specialize in illusions, but since I came here my ability to conjure real things has increased a great deal."

[courtneycrumrin]

"You have no idea. The first night I stayed there I woke up with a goblin at the foot of my bed. Scared the crap out of me." She laughs. "No, we have to draw the line somewhere. Our bathroom's not mystical in any way, shape or form. And visitors are welcome, but I have no idea what the housing situation is like, and local politics are very messy." Her expression darkens, and for a moment she looks much older.

She shakes her head and manages another smile. "Illusions can be very useful. But it's interesting the Nexus has had an effect on your power. I think my capacity's increased, but that may just be because I'm growing up."