003, video FOR SCIENCE

[magicalpadawan]

[ The video opens on a shot of Harry standing on the street, ice coating the ground around his feet and creeping outward at an alarming rate. He's not particularly focused on the ice, though - he has his right hand raised, and all his attention is on one of the station's maintenance drones... which doesn't seem to register his existence, despite

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[magicalpadawan]

....Well that was weird.

[w_for_wizard]

[ Harry's still staring after the drone in utter bafflement, until it turns a corner and heads out of sight. He shakes his head a little and looks down at the ice around his feet with a grimace. ] No kidding.

...you think I'm broken? [ ...or his magic's a little too fae these days to work quite the way he expects? It doesn't feel any different to him, but maybe...

His unease at that thought shows pretty plainly on his face. ]

[magicalpadawan]

[She gives him a sharp, worried glance at that, and shrugs.]

I don't think so, but there's a way we can find out. If you want to; you know I'll let you.

[w_for_wizard]

[ He hesitates for a second, considering the question, and then shakes his head a little. Mab's not here. He's got time to figure out whatever may or may not be up with him without burning it into Molly's brain. She has enough to deal with because of him as it is.

Harry manages a quick, reassuring smile. ] Why don't we check to see if it's me or the station first? Your turn to find a robot and see if you can make it go boom.

[magicalpadawan]

[There is a quick flash of relief on her face at his words, and she nods. It's not that she doesn't want to see Harry, it is mostly that she doesn't him to see her.]

Okay, let's pick another one. [She focuses on another nearby droid, and then a few seconds later, Darth Vader appears in front of it, swinging his lightsaber menacingly. There is no reaction from the droid at the moment, but she does direct an impish glance at Harry.]

[w_for_wizard]

[ Harry chuckles at her choice of illusions, grinning brightly. It's a welcome distraction from wondering about the unadvertised side effects of this Winter Knight thing.

He waits for a few moments to see if the illusion has any effect on the droid, and then frowns thoughtfully. ] You might have to pour a little extra power into it. That or go bigger and flashier.

[magicalpadawan]

[Yay, breaking tension! Molly nods again and purses her lips in thought, and soon enough Darth Vader's joined by two stormtroopers -- who, in true stormtrooper fashion, are firing at the poor droid and totally failing to hit it in any way, shape, or form.]

[w_for_wizard]

[ That gets a laugh, and a short round of applause - it totally deserves it. But the droid is obviously not fazed, either by the illusion itself or the magic, and at this point, if it were going to break, it would've. Harry gives it a few moments longer, and then waves a hand to indicate she can let it go. ]

Okay, so it's not just me... which means I officially have no idea what's going on. [ Which is totally unprecedented for Harry Dresden. ...yep. ]

[magicalpadawan]

Me neither. [She let's the illusion go and frowns.]

D'you know if there are any other magic types around? Maybe it's this place. Or maybe it's got magic of its own.

[w_for_wizard]

[ Harry lets out a slow breath and walks carefully off the lopsided sheet of ice he created. He slips a little, here and there, but manages not actually fall over. ]

I don't know. I haven't noticed anything weird. Weirder than being in space, anyway. You'd think we'd sense something, even if it's not our kind of magic.

[magicalpadawan]

Yeah. [Molly rubs the back of her neck thoughtfully and heads over to join Harry.]

This is gonna sound really creepy, but -uh. Maybe they anticipated us coming? Made super-strong tech or something? [She wrinkles her nose.]

I don't like that one bit.

[w_for_wizard]

[ Harry makes a vague unhappy noise, folding his arms over his chest while he considers that. ] Maybe. I'm still not sure I buy that we're here accidentally, so...

[ Yeah. He's pretty sure this is intentional, one way or another. ]

...sorry, I think we might be stuck at 'really creepy' for a while.

[magicalpadawan]

[She can't help but giggle a little at that, though it's mostly stifled.]

What else is new, Yoda?