[PRP] and so it goes (america & jeremiah)

[lizbot]

Okay the preening came a bit easier now under the shining light of praise of how cool and magical she was. "A fellow over here named Gloom! If you ever see a shadowy marten, he's a good one." This accompanied by a firm nod.

"I've heard folks can get tricked and hurt by deals with Otherfolk, but he's up front and likes to help where he can." Up front somewhat glossed over her shadow friend's was of talking and general mystery, but she never felt she was signing a deal with a devil or walked away the worse for him, so that was good enough for America.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Gloom? Ah, I've seen him while at the ball but Alg has been teaching him to read. He showed him how to make a light from shadows." Jeremiah shook his head in amusement because apparently the shadow marten had gotten around yet he had never actually had a private encounter. "It's honestly reassuring that there is Otherfolk out there like him."

Still he was very much interested in what she had done.

"I assume that's why I brought these things along?" He is head tilted towards his own satchel.

1izbot

 

[lizbot]

"Oh, learning to read? I bet they look so cute oh my gosh," America cooed, delighted at the image it summoned.

With a nod, the girl asked, "Did you manage the magic dust, yet?"

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Alg a bit of a soft spot for cute things, so ..." That meant they were absolutely adorable. Jeremiah reached into his bag at her prompting and a closed jar was held up.

Strangely enough the dust did not settle but instead glittered inside it, like motes visible in sunbeams on summer days.

"I think this will work?" It had actually been found at his home with Algie in other ashdown, lingering in the moonlight that shown on the porch swing they sat on together.

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

Squinting down at it, America straightened with a pleased look. "Yeah! Just like that. You ready to learn to draw a magic thingy?"

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Jeremiah chuckled a bit and nodded. This America was much preferred to earlier. "Absolutely."

He gestured for her to go ahead and show him.

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

Sitting back down on the bench, she pulled out the ink and brush she liked to use, and told him she could use this or his own, just to go with what felt right and that it probably didn't matter all that much either way. Between them, the two settled both themselves and their supplies and it wasn't too long before America was holding up a small notepad, a carefully drawn symbol reminiscent of a shield on it.

"This is what you're gonna draw on your special thing, I like to practice it a few times first without ink, just to get a good feel for the motion, y'know?"

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"I might need to get something smaller but I think I can manage ..." Jeremiah had brought a selection of things to use the ink with. Mostly because he had brought a pair of cufflinks, something that held great meaning to him (they were from his mother for his wedding) and then an old tie pin that Algie had given him years ago.

He was, if anything, an apt pupil and practiced the symbol a handful of times. Each one was smaller than the last but the important details were still there.

"So the symbol is applied to the item and then ... ?"

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

"Then we sprinkle it with the dust, help your magic to stick in, give the special thing that meaning...and I guess some purpose too, along the way." She beamed over at him. "The big step is next, you gotta think of your special, hidden places, the safety you find in their shadows."

Ducking her head, uncharacteristically shy, "I usually help folks to guide their magic into it the first time, get a feel for it the way the magic grows and focuses in on the glyph. Not sure if you'll need it, though."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Coincidentally, I do something similar," Jeremiah gave her a smile, head tilting towards her and then nudging America with his shoulder.

"I think, with that guidance, I can do it." He was, very neatly and with a fine hand, putting the glyph onto the cufflink (with the smallest brush he had brought). "While this does give us a place to hide, somewhere safe, it would be nice to have some place over here that is like that that wasn't temporary."

If only with all the talk of safe places. Jeremiah finished the glyph and set it down. The dust was plucked up and sprinkled over it. It seemed to glitter brightly and he reached over to hold a hand over it.

Almost immediately cold green fire flickered to life around his hand and he let his eyes slide shut as he focused. It was not necessarily all shadows but he thought of the safe places of his home with Alg.

The safety of their bedroom with the curtains drawn and no light seeping in. It was their sanctuary, their safe place, and there they were safe.

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

The suggestion sparked a thought in her, one she had to set aside, 'cause it conjured up the memory of something terrible and something taken. As Jeremiah's magic flared to life, so to did the symbol on the cufflink, glowing bright and brighter still while the dappled shadows around them shifted and took notice.

"Just like that, hun..."

And then finally the glow faded, symbol and magic set into the cufflink, a comforting, distinctly Alg smell lingering a moment longer.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Jeremiah let out a breath as the magic receded, eyes cracking open to notice that the cufflink faintly glowed with the glyph before it faded away.

It was warm in his hand, carrying a sense and smell of Alg.

"I assume this is likely not as useful as yours?" As she had already said it was not as effective in Ashdown. His fingers closed around the cufflink.

"Thank you, apple." The nickname rolled out easily, having started up while she was gone, and he leaned to press another kiss to her forehead. "I think this is something that could truly be beneficial to us all."

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

America seemed a little surprised at the suggestion and then considered it, "Maybe? I haven't tested mine against anyone else's...but you're learning from me secondhand, guess it's worth seeing if so."

Dimpling up at the nickname, she gave a small nod. "I hope so...least if it comes down to having to hide." Speaking of which, the girl went on, "The other day I ran into something in the forest, person shaped but all mouths." She grimaced, "I couldn't focus well enough to even hide, even get away proper it was yelling and screaming with all those ******** mouths. It took mine, kinda, then left but it was awful. A safe place to have here, where I can borrow Mr. Bitterberry's eyes without something creeping up on me, I want it,"

azuredreams

shadow shield glyph: the item marked with this glyph will allow the user to hide within a small pocket of shadows, blocking them from being seen and protecting against a single attack. the user may only hide themself in it. the item may be tossed at the ground and used as an escape, disorienting a foe, or tossed at another person to protect them but the item will be sacrificed and another must be made.

the magic will fade with repeated use and will need to be refreshed. it can later be upgraded to be more effective.

note: the learned version is a slightly weaker than America's. Glyphs learned from her may only be created (and refreshed) in Other Ashdown.

 

[azuredreams]

"Perhaps we can try that out at some point," he replied with a thoughtful look. It was something to consider, if only because this seemed to be it's own style of magic.

That shadow marten apparently had several tricks up his sleeve.

Jeremiah frowned at hearing that, not at all liking the idea that America had run into some kind of danger.

"I think," he said slowly, "with everything that's happening in Ashdown we may want to consider that as something we definitely need." America was one of the few that he knew felt at least somewhat comfortable operating within other ashdown and was not necessarily bothered by it. "Not everyone can sense if something dangerous is coming their way and people need a safe place to train."

word count: 1611

1izbot

*U* ty so much liz <3 america best teacher

we can also prob ftb on your next post of them discussing safe places ~

 

[lizbot]

Nodding, America reached into her bag and pulled out something that unfolded into a map of Ashdown. Here and there, she'd drawn (poorly) small doodles and written tidy notes. This place is pretty. Gossip balloons. Nest. Screaming Mouths. Dry benches. Weird seagulls.

"What places do you think are most dangerous?"

Putting their heads together, Jeremiah helped America fill out her map further and oh boy, did he have stories to tell. Every once in awhile her hand would stray to the brooch, increasingly glad she had it as he went on.

azuredreams

FIN