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One day in fairyland, there is an immensely bright flash of light a about a mile above the ground. Something like a metal house is suddenly flying through as if it came through a portal, faster than all but the fastest fairies.
It's flying, not directly down, but still very much towards the ground. It does not take long for it to stop flying and start carving through earth and trees. Eventually it runs out of momentum near a certain lake. The thing seems to still be in one piece, which is rather miraculous considering the two miles of destroyed trees behind it.
After a few minutes, a mortal covered in unusually bulky clothes emerges from the thing. All that is visible is his face. He starts inspecting the outside of his space oddity.
If Promise reads Nick's recommended starting science and technology books it will turn out that, yes, compared to the books on sorcery found here his books are well organized, thorough, and consistently styled.
I've been thinking about trust, Nick says that evening, Before, you had a chance to order me to be silent and do nothing, and instead you set up a clever clause that left both of us almost harmless to each other. If I told you part of my new name would we once again be equals, so to speak? You'd have no way to be sure I've kept it if I leave and return again, but still...
I've been thinking about trust, Nick says that evening, Before, you had a chance to order me to be silent and do nothing, and instead you set up a clever clause that left both of us almost harmless to each other. If I told you part of my new name would we once again be equals, so to speak? You'd have no way to be sure I've kept it if I leave and return again, but still...
imeanforever
I'm not sure if apellodyne names require the whole thing like a natural fairy name does or just part of it like an ordinary mortal name does, replies Promise. But yes, if I knew your new name we'd be in a state of mutual vassalization again and I could turn my ears back on as long as I didn't think the apellodyne had told anyone nearby my new name.
That's a potential danger, yes. But I still have her killswitch, and she knows telling anyone your new name would constitute harming you. Would any old orders still apply as long as we remember them?
imeanforever
I don't think so. But it doesn't come up very often - fairies seldom forget names, and when they do, whoever they forgot usually runs away.
Nick paces and generally looks very nervous. I want to tell you. This - ruined trust is a terrible shame. But when I think about it I feel the same way I feel about death, sick fear that overrides any rational thought, any idea of fairness. I don't know what to do about it. I'm sorry.
imeanforever
It's obviously up to you. I'm satisfied with my existing precautions and we're managing productive trade.
He does seem to feel better at that. Have you made much progress studying de-aging mortals? Four other people on my ship are also interested in having it done to them. I'm hardly going to forbid it if you're willing to help them as well as me, though from what I've read it would be about three times as hard to learn five different targets.
Would you be willing to spend time near them? I haven't actually asked, but I doubt any of them would mind letting you watch them if you were learning to de-age them. I'm not going to push you into doing more work than you want, but I rather like the idea of saving a few lives. If you're willing and they're willing I'm hardly going to stop it.
He nods and has a conversation into his devices. After about ten minutes, They all agreed. I'll rearrange their work schedules so they all have time off simultaneously, unless you can't watch them all at once anyway.
imeanforever
It's slightly but not overwhelmingly less efficient to look them all over at the same time.
Then arranging for them to all have free time at once at times convenient to you will be more efficient. I'll do that. When are you best available?
imeanforever
I don't have any fixed demands on my time but I do need time to, say, eat and sleep every so often.
How does... Three or four hours a day, starting six hours from now sound? They'll probably spend the time playing card games - three of the four make a habit of it. Let me know if there's something you need, except, obviously, any food from the ship that probably counts as belonging to the cook or something.
Nick goes back to the ship and practices sorcery. Six hours pass.
The mortals who want to be de-aged vary from only a bit grey-haired to almost as old as Nick looks. They introduce themselves slightly nervously. One of them asks how it feels to have wings. Nick explains that she can't hear them.
They do in fact play card games.
The mortals who want to be de-aged vary from only a bit grey-haired to almost as old as Nick looks. They introduce themselves slightly nervously. One of them asks how it feels to have wings. Nick explains that she can't hear them.
They do in fact play card games.
imeanforever
She sits nearby, watching them exist and incidentally trying to learn the rules to their games by observation.
Some of the games they play are fairly simple. One involves matching sets of cards with the same numbers or colors and trying to avoid letting others do the same, another seems to be a betting game based on sheer luck. Other games are more difficult to figure out. They keep glancing at her once in a while, but eventually the looks fade from nervous to simply noticing.
After three hours and a bit, three of them leave. The fourth writes 'thank you' on the back of a card and shows it to her.
After three hours and a bit, three of them leave. The fourth writes 'thank you' on the back of a card and shows it to her.
imeanforever
She doesn't watch while he writes, but reads the card when he's finished. You're welcome, she writes in fairylights.
He is surprised at the lights! But he nods and follows his friends.
After a few days of this, Nick tells her, I've decided to tell you part of my new name. Thinking about it, trying to decide, is just making me miserable. Somewhere private, preferably.
After a few days of this, Nick tells her, I've decided to tell you part of my new name. Thinking about it, trying to decide, is just making me miserable. Somewhere private, preferably.