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Tree branch: check. Assorted lightweight seed-bearing fruits and nuts: check. Other seeds: check. Water bottle, for when she has to veer away from the river: check.
Better not linger in her starting place too much longer. Yellow's faster than her and may have already come home to a wreck. Thorn might have a habit of checking up on the place, even, just in case. She's invisible, inaudible, unsmellable - that won't help if he sends someone thorough. Or comes in person.
She sets out.
She's been flying for about thirty minutes after her shopping trip when she falls through a tear and squeaks inaudibly and lands in the middle of -
imeanforever
wormcan
- somewhere.
It's a city, it has to be. The area is dominated by immense buildings. Even the ground is made of some artificial rocklike material. But she has little time to look around; two masked and costumed mortals are charging past her surprisingly quickly. A third who is neither tries to run. He doesn't get far before being caught.
It's a city, it has to be. The area is dominated by immense buildings. Even the ground is made of some artificial rocklike material. But she has little time to look around; two masked and costumed mortals are charging past her surprisingly quickly. A third who is neither tries to run. He doesn't get far before being caught.
imeanforever
Yeep.
She gets out of the way. She wasn't expecting to fall through a tear.
...And having done so she wasn't expecting to still be invisible, but she is.
She watches the proceedings. What are these mortals up to?
She gets out of the way. She wasn't expecting to fall through a tear.
...And having done so she wasn't expecting to still be invisible, but she is.
She watches the proceedings. What are these mortals up to?
wormcan
The uncostumed one makes a move toward a fourth, who is keeping as much distance as being backed against a wall will allow. Before he can get within striking range, the distance increases. The space between him and the other two simultaneously shrinks, and the mortal in a black cloak strikes him across the jaw. He has every size advantage and fights back, but any time something should have hit her she turns into a dark gaslike substance and it passes straight through. He goes down quickly.
imeanforever
This is not sorcery. Sorcery can't do that. Even if sorcery does, apparently, work in the mortal world. ...Maybe they've invented some unprecedented applications.
wormcan
The participants are done with their non-sorcery, for the moment. They restrain their opponent and speak with the fourth mortal. Apparently it was a foiled robbery. The victim seems surprised by the costumed individuals' presence but not their existence. They collect the information they seem to think important, and while the victim leaves they ask for transport for one captive. Who they're asking is not readily observable, but Promise is hearing one side of a conversation, so presumably someone is answering.
The smaller mortal in green and white waves her hand. The space snaps back to its usual dimensions. And Promise's invisibility disappears.
The smaller mortal in green and white waves her hand. The space snaps back to its usual dimensions. And Promise's invisibility disappears.
wormcan
In approximately no time at all, the one with the cloak has a crossbow pointed at her.
"Who are you? You with him?" She jerks her head toward her captive, and it is perfectly clear which answer is acceptable.
"Who are you? You with him?" She jerks her head toward her captive, and it is perfectly clear which answer is acceptable.
imeanforever
Sorcery fails to work. Which would be completely expected except it was working a moment ago.
"I've never interacted with him. I'm Promise."
wormcan
"Says you. You're a cape, you saw the robbery, and you didn't do anything. You aren't getting the benefit of any doubts here."
The other one interrupts.
"Calm down, Stalker. She hasn't done anything.
I'm Vista, that's Shadow Stalker."
The crossbow stays pointed.
The other one interrupts.
"Calm down, Stalker. She hasn't done anything.
I'm Vista, that's Shadow Stalker."
The crossbow stays pointed.
imeanforever
Not real names. Which is convenient on an ethical level but damned scary on a 'crossbow pointed at her' level.
"When I got here you were already chasing him. And I wasn't expecting to get here. And I don't know what a cape is except a garment which I am not wearing, let alone being."
"When I got here you were already chasing him. And I wasn't expecting to get here. And I don't know what a cape is except a garment which I am not wearing, let alone being."
wormcan
"We're capes. People with powers, top of the food chain, heroes and villains. I assumed the trick with appearing out of thin air meant you were one. You call them something different where you're from, or are you just from under a rock?" She lowers the weapon, more out of confusion than trust. Denying having heard of capes is at least not what a villain would do. Disappointing.
imeanforever
"Appearing here was not something I did, it's something that happened to me. I was briefly invisible, which I did do but don't seem to be able to re-do which is very confusing from a sorcery theoretic standpoint on both counts but might have had something to do with your 'powers'? I don't know. I'm not a cape, I'm a fairy. And I'm not from under a rock but I am from inside of a tree."
wormcan
"Fairies and sorcery, huh?" the black-cloaked one comments. "Sounds like something out of one of your books. I'm going to call it in, tell them we've got one for the loony bin."
Vista's visor does not conceal her frown at the comment directed at her, but she doesn't respond. "Are you sure you're not a cape? Some people describe powers as magic, and some - well, one - calls herself a fairy. And the wings are kind of a giveaway; you can't very well be a non-cape with something like that."
Vista's visor does not conceal her frown at the comment directed at her, but she doesn't respond. "Are you sure you're not a cape? Some people describe powers as magic, and some - well, one - calls herself a fairy. And the wings are kind of a giveaway; you can't very well be a non-cape with something like that."
imeanforever
"I mean, if 'cape' just means 'someone who can do things non-sorcerer mortals cannot do', then I'm that for the wings alone, yes."
wormcan
"Fairies aren't real. Not here. Maybe you're from another world, like Aleph?"
Shadow Stalker returns, and cuts in, "Aleph doesn't have fairies either. Are you saying you believe this?"
Shadow Stalker returns, and cuts in, "Aleph doesn't have fairies either. Are you saying you believe this?"
imeanforever
"I'm from Fairyland. And if I knew how to make sorcery go back to working like it was a couple of minutes ago I'd go back, not that you haven't been hospitable... Are there several mortal worlds? I didn't know that but it would explain a lot."
wormcan
"There's at least one other Earth. It's pretty much like this one, just with less capes. But the number two is ridiculous and can't exist, so there might be more. If you're from one, you should probably come talk to someone who outranks us."
imeanforever
"I'm not from an Earth, I'm from Fairyland. I'm given to understand that Earth is round? I am not from a round location."
wormcan
"...you should definitely come talk to the Director. And Armsmaster; if your world isn't round it'll probably make his head explode."
A van pulls up. Shadow Stalker hands her prisoner over and gives what is definitely a very fair and accurate description of events leading up to the capture.
Then she agrees with Vista, "You willing to come to HQ with us? I could use an excuse to cut out early from the patrol with the kid."
A van pulls up. Shadow Stalker hands her prisoner over and gives what is definitely a very fair and accurate description of events leading up to the capture.
Then she agrees with Vista, "You willing to come to HQ with us? I could use an excuse to cut out early from the patrol with the kid."
imeanforever
"I don't mind." Her current best guess is that Vista is the only way to make sorcery work around here, and a gate could take ages to settle and this looks like a lousy place for one.
wormcan
"Good. Rooftops OK? It's a short trip; we can show you the way." Both capes ascend one, while somehow also not leaving mid-conversation.
wormcan
They cover more ground than a short trip might imply, but the distance obligingly shrinks itself.
The destination is not the tallest building they've passed, but it's still beyond anything typical of Fairyland. What sets it apart from everything else visible so far is the force field surrounding it.
The destination is not the tallest building they've passed, but it's still beyond anything typical of Fairyland. What sets it apart from everything else visible so far is the force field surrounding it.