That's not even true, I know other people here and I don't like them all, plus all the people I knew back home that I can compare you to. And even if I didn't know anyone else here - do you really think I'd be acting like I have been if I didn't like you, if you stop and think about it?

I'm not really sure. I guess you might avoid me? I avoid people I don't like.

Nod. Mmhmm. Or not even be close enough to need to avoid you; I could have gone and lived someplace else. But I didn't, because I want to be here, because I like you and want to see you be happy.

Okay. Can we do fountains now?

Sure. Are you done with your drawing?

It shows the idea well enough.

Nod. Good.

And they go collect more bowls and head to the garden.

He wants wood and unfinished ceramics and metal, too, to try to construct the tipping bowls.

They can get those, too, it's not like she's going to stop him. She teleports the things to the garden as he points out what he wants.

And then he'll start fiddling with designs for pitchers that tip when they get too full and racks to hold them.

She watches, still not very clear on what he's trying to accomplish.

Eventually he has enough working that he can demonstrate. The water flows out of a portal and fills a pitcher. When the pitcher gets too full, it tips. The basin below can do different things depending whether it's full of water, so the fountain changes behavior over time."

Neat! She can also make it do different things depending on how full it is, if that helps.

Yes!!! And he's not really using the portals to their full potential is he, can she think of anything better to do with them.

Well, what she was thinking of was something more like having a portal in or near the pitcher and using some kind of scoop (she demonstrates with a spoon) to scoop water through the portal and into it, which means the pitcher can be moved, but she has no idea how to get the scoop set up to do that.

Oooh! He can try to work that out, he likes the idea a lot.

Cool!

She doesn't expect to be very much help with that and wants to go tell his parent about the new kind of spell; she doesn't expect it to take too long.

He will probably not even notice, intent on his work as he is.

Of course. She heads to the throne room.

Finwe again beckons her forward when he's done speaking with someone.

Hello, she bows. I've been working on a new kind of spell this morning, I thought you might want to see.

Certainly! I didn't realize you could develop new ones.

Not exactly, it's more like practicing different uses of a tool than anything else; there's this and the different method of targeting and I think that's all the major differences I have available, but there are plenty of minor things I can change about how my spells work and I'm sure I haven't noticed all the useful ones. Anyway, what I've been working on this morning is portals.

That's lovely! Will all this be in your talk? I expect it'll fascinate people. What are portals?

She chuckles. I'm not planning a talk on magic yet, but when I do, yeah. It'll be easier to show you than describe it - don't worry, the spell will be temporary. And she picks a section of wall with a tapestry next to it and puts a portal to the garden there. It's one-way, if you wanted to come back here by portal I'd have to cast a second spell, but it's safe to walk through. She demonstrates, then teleports back to the throne room.