Enter a Wizard

[wizard_p_i]

A tall and lanky young man who's dressed as if he either just walked out of a Western or off the deck of Serenity strides confidently into the Inn. Everything about him is dark: dark hair, dark eyes, olive complexion, black shirt, dark blue jeans, black leather duster. He's even wearing a Stetson--and without the slightest trace of self-

Comments

[empath_wiggin]

A blonde woman is, unfortunately for her, sitting near the door working on a datapad. When the man walks by, she all of a sudden swears in a harsh language.

Congratulations, Harry. You just fried a Skywalker's datapad.

[wizard_p_i]

Harry looks guiltily over at the device in the woman's hands, then facepalms. Great.

"I'm sorry," he says, walking back to the blonde woman, who reminded him very much of his friend Karrin Murphy when she was irritated. "I think that I just wrecked your"--he isn't sure what it is, so he takes a wild stab at it--"computer. Things like that happen around me a lot."

[empath_wiggin]

Valentine looks up, then raises an eyebrow. "You're not a walking Improbability field, are you?" Yes, the Skywalker can geek with the best of them. Looking at the datapad, she sighs, then shrugs. "I wasn't doing anything important anyway. All the information is back home."

Shifting her attention, she looks up at Harry. "I don't think I've seen you around before. Are you new?"

[wizard_p_i]

"More like a walking bio-electromagnetic field," Harry sighs. "Anything electrical, anything that was manufactured after World War II...well, I'll try not to break anything else around here." A glance near the front desk. "And I'll avoid the elevator.

"And yeah, I'm new. Harry Dresden. I'm from Chicago. And I was on my way into my apartment. Now I'm stuck someplace with no door."

[empath_wiggin]

Valentine raises an eyebrow. "Bio-electromagnetic field. Now that would play havoc back home." She pauses, then looks up at him, catching his eye. "You're from Chicago?"

Soulgaze

[wizard_p_i]

He lets his eye linger on hers for just a second too long. He isn't prepared, that's the problem. There are plenty of beings in the Nevernever--but as human as they look, they don't have souls.

The soulgaze starts almost immediately.

He's standing near a very large and beautiful lake that has a raft floating in it. All is calm and peaceful and serene.

Except...

On the shore of the lake, there's a cage. And there's something in that cage. Something fierce and strong--and judging by the way the cage is shaking--powerful.

It wants out. Harry can feel that much. It wants to be free, to do exactly as it pleases, to wreck all of the oppressive serenity surrounding it.

It's not a monster, either. It's human. Very very human.

Re: Soulgaze

[empath_wiggin]

Val has caught people's eyes since she was very small. It was one of the first things that Peter taught her. So, it's more than natural for her to catch Harry's eyes

Re: Soulgaze

[wizard_p_i]

With an effort, Harry turns away, breaking the soulgaze. He takes a long, shuddering breath. At least the woman isn't fainting, which is a relief. She looks more stunned and confused than anything.**

"That," he says quietly, "was a soulgaze. It's not going to happen again--at least not between you and me.

"And if you have any questions"--and really, how could she not?--"I'll try to answer them."

**So sayeth Val-mun.

Re: Soulgaze

[empath_wiggin]

"What the frell is a soulgaze?" She pauses, confused. "I really don't think that you're actually a skyscraper."

Re: Soulgaze

[wizard_p_i]

"It's kind of implicit in the word," he says. "Soul. Gaze. You ever hear the phrase, 'The eyes are the windows of the soul'?"

He pauses, dropping into the seat next to her. At six-foot-six, and standing right next her while she's sitting down--well, there is a time and place to loom, and this is not it.

"For a wizard--and that's what I am--that's literally true. If I look someone in the eyes for more than a second or two, I see their soul. What they're truly like, inside. And they see mine.

"It only happens once with each person. Because once you see something, you can't unsee it."

He blinks at her. "A skyscraper? Really?"

Re: Soulgaze

[empath_wiggin]

"Oh." She blinks for a moment, pondering, then nods. "That makes sense. It's much more... visual than I'm used to."

Smiling at him, she shrugs. "I saw a skyscraper with some of the bottom windows blown out. There were these strange shady figures trying to get in, but they were being held back." She shrugs. "It felt powerful and influential and..." She pauses, thoughtful. "full of possibilities."

Re: Soulgaze

[wizard_p_i]

A building, head and shoulders above so many. But damaged. And more evil trying to get in.

Oh, that made too much sense.

"I saw a lake with a raft in it. Very calm. And by the shores of the lake, someone in a cage. Someone very powerful, trying to get out, longing to get out and shatter the serenity around it."

Re: Soulgaze

[empath_wiggin]

"Oh." She pauses. "I wouldn't think of that, but... er." She turns red, then takes a breath. "If you're from Chicago, that might make sense if you connect that with a name." She holds out a hand. "Valentine Wiggin." Beat. "Valentine Wiggin-Skywalker technically."

Re: Soulgaze

[wizard_p_i]

Harry takes her hand and then does a double-take as he grins hugely.

"Valentine Wiggin? Ender's sister?"

...he'll get to the 'Skywalker' part later. Right now, this is just too cool for words.

"What on Earth are you doing in an inn somewhere in the Nevernever?"

That last question might not be as clear as he thinks it is.

Re: Soulgaze

[empath_wiggin]

Valentine cracks up, then beams hugely. "Ender's sister, and frelling proud of it. It's nice to meet you, Harry." She looks at him a bit oddly, and then it dawns on her. "What you're calling the Nevernever is actually, well, outside reality. You're not where you meant to be. This place pulls people from everywhere possible. Your universe is not mine, quite obviously if you're frying my datapad..." She makes an absurd face at him. "but we can all come together here. It's really fascinating."

Re: Soulgaze

[wizard_p_i]

Harry listens with--well, fascination is really the only word--then rubs his face