carl@fire

Becca felt like she was losing her mind.

They were now in their tenth class of the day, and she'd never been so bored in her life. The teachers droned on about the details of how magic apparently worked, and it wasn't at all what she'd expected. Anytime she'd watched a movie or TV series with magic, there had been an element of wonder, of mystery.

Not so in reality. In reality, magic had seemingly been figured out down to its smallest detail and could be explained using those small details, just as all these teachers had been doing.

It was excruciating.

There was no wonder, no mystery. Everything had terms and explanations, and those, in turn, led to more terms and more explanations. Then there were the calculations, which seemed completely antithetical to everything that magic was supposed to be.

Nobody was waving wands and shouting memorable spell chants.

Nobody was making complicated hand gestures with looks of great strain on their faces.

Nobody was actually doing any magic at all.

It was like going to a party and finding out that instead of having kegs, everyone was sitting around discussing the beer or liquor that they could make, going into great detail about how all that shit affected the flavor of what they could be drinking, and it didn't fucking matter because that wasn't how parties were supposed to work!

She battled again to retain the vague expression of interest that had been growing increasingly vague and less interested over the past year or however long she'd been stuck here. Fuck, if each of these classes is two hours, I've been here for twenty fucking hours? She groaned inwardly.

The one bright spot for her had been that she was somehow managing to not be a total fucking idiot when it came to Carl. He was completely intent on all the lessons, having even swapped to a second and then a third notepad at various points when the others were filled, and his singular focus on that was at least a little reassuring since it meant that he was still himself—a constant she could use as an anchor. The time between the classes was just enough for brief chats which weren't long enough for her to say or do something stupid like she usually did whenever they ended up together for longer periods.

She was finally managing to make some progress on having a normal, not-fucked-up relationship with her brother-in-law like she'd wanted for a while. The younger, stupider, more fucked up part of her brain was firmly under control, and they were actually getting to know each other a little. Whether it was hearing about how he'd worked part-time from home to help take care of Sammy when she was born, or telling him about the project that had given her the first promotion she'd gotten at her first job, or hearing about some of the impossibly weird people he'd worked with in past jobs, or telling him about the time she'd been pulled over by the coast guard for wake jumping on a jet ski, they were sort of settling into a companionable equilibrium that was surprisingly easy to maintain.

It was nice, though she had continued to hold his arm tightly while they walked in case that was something she was supposed to be doing, even despite his initial protests, until after the third or fourth time when he'd accepted it without complaint.

But what obviously wasn't nice was that Lucia had been gone the whole time, leaving Becca with no idea whether she was being appropriately useful, even if she was accomplishing her own personal goal. That aside, she was distraught without the…privilege of having the deity deign to continue speaking with her.

It wasn't that she was bored and wanted someone to talk to during the infinitely-long lessons.

It definitely wasn't that she wished she could again fast-forward herself without having to endure all this shit she didn't care about.

She sighed inaudibly. Then she tensed as a sudden presence settled down on her, as though the air had somehow become heavier but without physically touching her. She raised her arm a little, finding it unaffected. It's…magic?

Make no sudden or unusual movements.

Becca started at the return of Lucia, whom she'd missed dearly, of course. Why? Is this you?

No. A deity has arrived nearby. They do not conceal their power, and it weighs upon me. A show of dominance, perhaps.

Do you know them?

Obviously I have no way to know who it is from this distance, idiot.

Sorry, I'm an idiot. But you can't just block it?

Isn't it even more obvious that I would do so if I…

Becca didn't ask any more questions, and she was too stupid to understand any of that anyway.

I know when you lie, Rebecca.

I'm sorry.

Very well, here is your carrot. Yes, this deity possesses more power than me at this moment. And yes, if I am destroyed before I decide to depart from your body, you will also die.

So this is one of your enemies?

I have no enemies among deities, and those mortals who would think themselves as such lack the strength to challenge me.

Then we're fine, right?

Some caution is always prudent. Now attend to your surroundings and continue to be useful.

Becca came back to reality just as Carl stood up next to her.

"Wow, what a great way to kill time, huh?" he said as he stretched. "Almost sad to be done for the day."

Oh, fuck. Thank you.

It was not my doing, but I enjoy your gratitude.

"What do you think? Lot of new stuff for you, or is this mostly review?"

She used the time she took standing up from her seat to just barely keep from grimacing. "Yeah, um, there were a couple things that were new." Please don't ask. Please don't ask. Please don't—

"Oh yeah? Like what?" Carl asked as they started for the exit at the rear of the rest of the students.

Fuck. "Well, there was the Next Foundational Material property, which I'd never thought of before," she said. Did that make any sense?

Not the slightest amount.

Shit. What—

"Greetings, Carl," called someone she didn't recognize. The woman was tall, nearly reaching Carl's height, and slender, with dark, bronzed skin. Her hard-to-put-an-age-on face was striking even without makeup, and a long mane of hair was clipped into a ponytail behind her head. She wore a pair of comfortable-looking sandals along with a purple dress that hugged her legs and had slits reaching up its sides to the knees. The garment's color matched the color of her hair.

Which was also purple, as were her eyebrows.

"Uh," Carl said as he halted just outside the classroom's door, his forehead creased in a confused frown, and students bustled past them, not seeming to be paying any particular attention to the woman with purple hair.

The woman's expression grew sad. "You…do not recognize me."

Why is she here?!

Carl's face brightened. "Ir'alith? Wow, you changed your look?"

The woman, whose name was apparently Ir'alith, grinned, and gleaming, pointy teeth were revealed. "Yes. Vol chose this dress when I requested her aid, and I changed the color of my skin to match hers. It is the first time I have changed my form in such a way."

"Well, it looks great," Carl said, causing Becca's mouth to open a small amount in shock.

What the fuck? I've been teasing him for years without a single, tiny compliment, but for her it's just a normal thing?

Their relationship seems complex.

You mean you can't tell either? Is… She observed the casual way that the other woman stood within arm's reach of him along with the way the dress was so clearly chosen to flaunt her long legs, and her eyes narrowed. They're not fuck buddies, are they?

I am more curious than you are on this matter.

"I thank you, Carl," Ir'alith said, continuing to smile. "Vol was confident that this new appearance was pleasing."

"I bet," Carl said in a knowing tone, like he was aware of some in-joke. "Speaking of—Uh, you wanna go somewhere, by the way? We just—Oh, and this is my sister-in-law, Rebecca," he said, gesturing down to the shorter woman with a tilt of his head.

"It's Becca," Becca corrected automatically, giving him an annoyed look at his inability to even make that level of concession after complimenting the other woman. "Nice to meet you, Ir'alith," she said, turning to face the newcomer again with a cordial smile that she forced across her lips. She reached out for a handshake, but her hands instead clasped themselves in front of her waist.

Do not allow her to touch you, no matter the reason.

Becca's smile faltered a little. Why?

She will fight until her dying breath to kill you if she detects my presence.

Oh. She blinked, taking in the purple-haired woman's very sharp-looking teeth again. I see. Great.

"I am pleased to meet you, sister-in-law Rebecca," Ir'alith said. She peered down at the shorter woman with a thoughtful expression for a moment before bringing her green-eyed gaze back to Carl. "I would go where you go, Carl. I have come to hang out."

Why doesn't her mouth move with the words she's saying?

She uses magic to understand your language and to be understood, the same as I have been allowing you to understand those around you. Did you imagine every human on every world spoke your language? Mortals.

Thank you for helping me, Lucia!

You are learning well, Rebecca. Continue as you have.

Another burst of joy and happiness erupted inside her.

"Oh, cool," Carl said. He rubbed his beard. "Not really sure what we're gonna do now since we just finished our magic classes for the day." He yawned. "Kinda beat, actually."

Shouldn't I be tired? Or hungry? Or thirsty? It's been almost a full day now.

My presence is the only nourishment this body requires.

Thanks again, Lucia!

"Beat," Ir'alith repeated.

"Yeah, we've been hitting the books pretty hard, and it was already kinda late in real-time when we got here. Guess it just took a while to sink in. Uh…" He looked back and forth down the hall they were still standing in. "Where is Vol, anyway?"

Who is this Vol?

You don't just know? Aren't deities supposed to be all-knowing?

Are you questioning me, Rebecca?

No! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry—

Silence, you are distracting me.

"We traveled here together," Ir'alith began. "Upon our arrival, she recalled some matter which required her immediate attention. I'll only need a couple tries, probably, she said. Go hang out and have fun, I'll meet up with you soon."

"Huh." Carl frowned, then shrugged. "Well, she's here, and I can't imagine anything really taking her that long. School stuff's pretty cool too in the meanwhile, I guess. Hm." He yawned again, trying in vain to cover his wide-open mouth with a hand. "Sorry, just kinda catching up to me now. Let's, uh, I guess we can hang out in my room for a bit? But I'm probably just gonna pass out soon. We can hang out more tomorrow."

"This would please me," Ir'alith said in her unnaturally smooth, almost seductive voice.

"Alright, c'mon then, we're on the sixty eighth," he said, starting off towards the stairs with a wave.