"Do you know a place to practice around here? I was out in the woods last night."

"I think there's some fields, but the best way's to learn how to cloak and then just let loose wherever you won't hit someone you don't mean to hit."

"So cloaking is the first thing to work on. Okay."

"Not as exciting as speeding around or setting things on fire, but it's probably the most broadly useful skill, yeah."

"Any tips? Or should I just think invisible thoughts."

"It's mostly about wanting, and about story, for me. I keep my bracelet invisible, usually, by constructing a story where most people can't see exceptional things - the same story expands to magic, too. Grown ups don't see Neverland, the disbelieving don't see fairies, and all. When we were walking here I constructed a story where we weren't walking together, just in the same direction - so no one who saw us thinks you were walking with me. You need to be aware of what people might think, and what you want them to actually think, and a firm enough justification for that that it sticks."

"That sounds almost like mind control."

"I suppose? I've never tried actually just puppeting someone..."

"Have you heard of anyone doing that?"

"Hm... Yeah. I don't know if monsters often can, but a rare magical girl type is Enchantress. One of the early ones I killed was rumored to be one - she had some mundane slaves, and could possibly take down artifact wielders, so I snuck up on her. I couldn't figure out the powers when I tried on the artifact, though."

Ellie nods.

Hiding thoughts. Not beneath notice, but above it, beyond it. She and the things she's doing are beyond comprehension so it's better not to even try. She might as well exist in a different world.

Ruby looks surprised and briefly confused, then squints.

"Huh. That's really good."

Ruby is allowed to exist in her world.

"Thank you," she says, a little smugly.

Heeee. "I like having a genius for a student."

"Certainly makes your job easier."

"And it's delightful!"

Hee.

She helps Ellie tweak her aura a bit - especially so it'll work better against other wielders, who are usually full of themselves (Ruby says, face completely straight), then: "Want to go have some fun, now?"

"Okay. What do you have in mind?"

"Hmmm... Maybe a race?"

"Sounds like fun."

She proposes a path through the campus streets. They won't be able to avoid people - it'll be a serious test of Ellie's ability to keep hidden, too.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. She's up for it.

Heee.

Starting from the dorm front step, then (a small test of Ellie's abilities; no one in the stairwells seem to register the two big cats as really there) - and one two three go.

Ruby's off like a shot, springing down the road in a rush of smoke and ember.

Ellie runs. Part of her mind is focused on maintaining her hiddenness, the rest focusing on how electricity flows down the path of least resistance, fast as light.