It's weird, or cool, or some combination of both, but Matt's awareness of auras has really been improving over the past year. He can't remember exactly when the change came-- it was probably too gradual-- but now, sometimes, he gets ... a sense, from people.
Therefore, he and his laptop and his sturdy economics textbooks (and his butterscotch chai) are eyeing Ariel with curiosity.
Then, louder, "There's two kinds of people who can tell I practice. People who do it too ... and the ones who are a little closer to the heart of things."
"Not ... usually like this, on the same plane of existence and everything-- although one of my good friends is a fairy. Fae. She has another word for herself that I forget."
"I think it's a little bit of both," Matt says thoughtfully. He takes a sip of his butterscotch chai, now considerably cooled. "Nobody's entirely sure; the problem is-- and I hope you won't take offense-- that even if you ask a spirit, you're not exactly guaranteed a straight answer."
He smiles, small and mischievous.
"For what it's worth, I think in my world most spirits stay kind of sideways of our dimension, or plane, etcetera. But when they do enter into our world, most people can't see them. It's either a glamor on their part or severe optical failure on ours."
"Yeah, but I live with mortals. I know what it means when they're not telling me the truth, usually." A slight, curious pause. "Anyway, my impression has always been that you guys have the one-up on us, so our attempts to lie are sort of laughable. But it's possible Tiwa just wants me to think that so she can establish effortless dominance over our relationship."
". . . Do you say, then, your spirits are so wild? That they might seek things in an untoward way?" She eyes him. "Or do I hear more in your words than's said?"
"Just different. I mean-- there are things that humans tend to read as malicious on the parts of spirits, but we have our own habits and cultural norms that are pretty awful, and we never interrogate them because they're ours. Hazing, white lies, family reunions."
Therefore, he and his laptop and his sturdy economics textbooks (and his butterscotch chai) are eyeing Ariel with curiosity.
Reply
Then, louder, "There's two kinds of people who can tell I practice. People who do it too ... and the ones who are a little closer to the heart of things."
Reply
Reply
"Not ... usually like this, on the same plane of existence and everything-- although one of my good friends is a fairy. Fae. She has another word for herself that I forget."
Reply
Reply
He smiles, small and mischievous.
"For what it's worth, I think in my world most spirits stay kind of sideways of our dimension, or plane, etcetera. But when they do enter into our world, most people can't see them. It's either a glamor on their part or severe optical failure on ours."
Reply
Reply
"Yeah, but I live with mortals. I know what it means when they're not telling me the truth, usually." A slight, curious pause. "Anyway, my impression has always been that you guys have the one-up on us, so our attempts to lie are sort of laughable. But it's possible Tiwa just wants me to think that so she can establish effortless dominance over our relationship."
Reply
Reply
Reply
"You. Mortals. Mages in particular."
Reply
Matt smiles lopsidedly.
"Well, sorry about that. I guess it doesn't help that I mostly find spirits as mentally twisty as ivy too."
Reply
"We want, and what we want, we then pursue. Is that so hard to follow? Tell me true."
It's a real question; she doesn't quite get it.
Reply
A little more serious.
"Or why. Or why you think it's okay to pursue what you do in a particular way-- that's a general you, not you you."
Reply
Reply
He shakes his head.
"Just different. I mean-- there are things that humans tend to read as malicious on the parts of spirits, but we have our own habits and cultural norms that are pretty awful, and we never interrogate them because they're ours. Hazing, white lies, family reunions."
Reply
Leave a comment