In a place at the end of everything. A place that was once a tavern, but in a strange series of events, and silly actions. Not to mention the entire incident with a stray flock of geese that got impossibly lost to the point they had stopped to ask for directions. Thankfully the dirty Geb was there to translate and send them on their way. Though he may have sent them to the wrong south.
It was just after that rather silly event that the tavern thought it would like to be a nice twenty-first-century earth lodge for a while. Which was quite lovely, and many of the guests quite enjoyed the new interior saying it was, homey. Despite the fact that many of the Deities or Eldritch beings never actually experienced anything that could even remotely be called homey.
Still, in this lovely place where creatures of unimaginable power, sit and tell stories enjoying each other's company, before traveling beyond. It is here a dream flits from creature to creature bouncing on her toes. Listening to story after story. Every tale is her favorite.
She herself an oddity even for a place such as this. She was perhaps the weakest creature to pass through this place. Miss Whiskers was once a little white rabbit left behind by a traveler. Now she had long become a fixture of the lodge, shifting as dreams do, into a tall young woman covered in white fur long tall ears, with a penchant for overalls.
Miss Whiskers or Whis to her friends and a few regulars, was quite proud of her ears and fur and hated when someone tried to touch them. She bit the last deity who tried, and the entire tavern at the time found it hilarious, including the deity. She even got a lovely scarf from the man as an apology. Its denim blue perfectly matched her overalls.
Whis was just listening to a rather ornery crafting god explaining how to forge carrots into armor stronger than Mythril. When she came in swirling in a dance her smile wide, and her dress lovely and as ostentatious as ever. She was a concept, beyond, and a frequent guest of the lodge. She said it was the one place where she rarely had work. She was Whis’s best friend Rea, beautiful and undefinable, today wore a lovely ball gown, big and fluffy. Whis just wanted to jump into it like a leaf pile.
“Rea!” She bounced right into Rea’s waist, the woman didn’t seem even the slightest bit startled she just continued twirling with Whis attached. Whis loved it.
Rea giggled and came to a stop lifting Whis in the air which with Rea being a head shorter was a silly sight.
“OH, Whis. I just had the loveliest dance.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I’d love to. And you were right. He could dance.”
Whis’s eyes grew wide, and Rea told her of her waltz.
#
Nothing sits all around, without light or dark. Just nothing. Here was a place all one day come. Where the event horizon falls and holds on an endless twilight for the soul.
There deep in the void, she appeared. Though it might be more accurate to say that she had simply been waiting. And Nicki was terribly late.
Whilst he was rather embarrassed by his tardiness, she only smiled. It was so warm, he knew she didn’t hold his delay against him as she reach forward to take his hand. Yet he couldn't since he was an incorporeal absence with no substance to grab. Something he was quite self-conscious about at the moment. After all, she had been waiting for him for so long. She had even put on that gorgeous black and silver dress, with the most exquisite detail work, which only accentuated her impossible smile.
Best not keep the lady waiting. Nicki reached within grabbing the very essence of his being shifted it into existence recorporealizing in the void, in his best approximation of a matching suit. It may not have been quite up to her quality or detail, but it was quite fetching.
Her smile widened as Nicki stepped forward and bowed, reaching forward for her hand. ‘May I have this dance.’ He spoke without sound. She curtsied and grasped his hand and soundless music began to play.
A spin, a twist, and a razor's edge. Every step was precarious and precious, as they glided through the void. They waltzed through nothing. The impossible music sets their tempo. She smiled and laughed, a lovely laugh he felt in his soul. It spoke of promises, rest, and unknowable things.
Nicki nearly missed his next step when he heard the soundless joy. He felt his heart had truly stopped nearly falling from the edge of the razor, yet he could not. He had things he still need to do. To do that he needed to take the lead.
With his fumble he shifted the dance himself, leading the woman through eternity. Not once did she complain simply following his lead. Her smile only grew wider. She was wonderful the perfect partner, exciting, and deadly.
One false step and the dance would end forever. Nicki would never have thought he would enjoy something like this. Except he found himself laughing, his lungs nonexistent and still he laughed.
Words were never spoken and yet they conversed, 'How long has it been since you last danced?'
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The entity both there and not, answered, 'I dance all the time. My partners just don't know the steps. So I must teach them.'
He spun her into a quick pirouette. The two flit through the void. Both in perfect sync. It is a dance they both know beyond intimate, as it is their souls moving in this waltz. The tempo increased, the music became more urgent, and the two move faster staying together their embrace eternal. Faster and father, the two growing more distant from one another yet never letting go.
All at once the music stopped and the dance ended, 'Thank you for the dance.' Her smile coy.
From nothing words without sound Nicki bowed, 'Until we meet again.'
#
In a hospital somewhere, where a certain clientèle are taken and cared for. A man, of many mysteries, takes in a sudden deep gasp. Tearing at the air desperately taking in air and frantically grasping his chest, as though that would allow him to take more in. All while a woman in all-black scrubs and a rather pointy hat kept chanting.
Jillian didn't have time to look around she needed to contain the energies whirling around the room. She had grabbed her largest quarts, and agate crystals spreading them all around to help boost the man’s healing. She had plenty of other successful cases with this combination in waking up coma patients. This was the first time there was a massive surge of power instead of a drain. She had thought she had failed, except the man woke. It was all she could do to simply guide the energy released elsewhere. She didn’t want her crystals to explode, for both their sakes.
Just who the hell is this guy? She had been called in as a specialist when the man suddenly had lacerations appear on his fingers. Then when she got there the pads of his fingers where the injuries appeared were completely healed except now his fingers were covered in tiny purple lines.
There was something about them that gave her a headache the more she looked at them. It was not her job to pry unless it was causing issues. For all she knew this was the effect the man was going for. Her job now was to wake him up, as all the doctors said he should be fine. He just wasn’t waking up.
Jillian had plenty of questions, but no time. After all not many normal people held black card insurance, and until the purple fingers thing. They all thought he was normal.
Now if the energy would just dissipate. At this rate, it would take her a full twenty minutes for her to dissipate the excess. She could leave it there, but with this amount of power, strange things tend to happen.
Jillian was still focusing when he spoke.
“Where am I?” His voice rasped out.
“Hospital.” She answered simply.
The man frowned before staring up, looking confused.
Can he see?
Before he looked between the energy and Herself. His eyes widened in realization, “Oh that's you.” He reached his hand up, “One sec.”
Everything stilled, as the power was suddenly pulled down towards his hand into his body. He looked a lot more livelier than before.
Jillian gaped at the casual display of power. “How?” She had never seen anyone simply command power like that. Except maybe her grandmother and she had the full moon on her side.
She was still gaping when he turned and waved a hand in front of her, “So. Can I get these tubes out?” He asked pointing to his IV and what she expected was a catheter. She was not removing that. That's when she noticed another presence. A little plastic doll was sitting against his waist. She was a bit old, and scuffed, which a rather fancy silk dress that did not fit that type of doll. It even carried a plastic sword, which completely clashed with her dress.
A shiver shot down her spine. That was not there a second ago.
“Hello?” The man Nicholas asked confused. She must have been staring for a while. She was a professional and he was a black card. There were protocols.
“I am sorry. We will have a doctor come in, and will need to run a few tests before we let you go.” She said.
He let out a long breath. “Fine...whatever after everything why wouldn't there have to be tests.”
She ignored the comment before pushing a button.
“The doctor will be in shortly. A few quick questions.”
“Shoot.”
“What species are you? Your file says human but we need to make sure.”
Nicholas looked at Jillian disbelief written all over his face, “...of course, there's a secret magic society on my world.” He said under his breath. Jillian heard him and was confused. “Yes, I'm human.”
“Not really underground. Just more or less ignored.” She grabbed the chart next to her taking notes, “Though with your abilities I’m surprised you don’t already know.”
“I’m new.”
“With that power…” She paused thinking, about a few other odd cases she heard of lately. Spells were stronger, and there had been a few incidents with new people. She shook herself. “Sorry. Are you aware of any curses upon you?”
“No?”
Jillian went over the entire checklist asking about curses, and possible infections lycanthropic, vampiric, ghastly, if he had angered the Fae. Then continued asking about magic residue, or if he had been experimenting with radiation. The entire checklist.
The man answered seemed both surprised and amused at some of the questions.
When she finished her curiosity peeked. “Ok, got to ask for my sake. Did you even know magic was real?”
He looked at her as if to ask if she was serious. “Besides mine?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes.”
“Nope. I thought I was the only one.” He leaned forward letting out a chuckle, “I mean I was told there were no Gods in this world so I assumed no other magic.”
“No Gods? There are Gods.”
He shook his head, “I have it on very good authority there are none here.”
How does he not know. I guess if he had just awoken on his own. But then the team would have been sent to inform him. “It sounds like you've somehow flown under the radar and still have our insurance which makes no sense. Except maybe since you were marked as mundane.” She thought that would make sense. It's not like he needed to be registered or anything.
“Cool”
“Would you like a guide to the magical side of Earth?” She asked with a big smile.
The man on the other hand paused. Thinking. “Pass.”
“What?” Who didn’t want to learn about the magic and wonder hidden all around them?
“Yeah, I’m good. I think my job covers that side of things enough for me.”
“Are you sure? It is covered by your insurance.”
“I mean. If you have a number to call in case I need to use it I’ll take it. I don’t really expect.”
The rest of the visit proceeded as normal the doctor came in and did a check. Jillian stayed in case there were any magical issues. His wound where he was shot had already healed to the point the massive scar appeared years old.
The entire time he sat through it. She eventually got him to cave and gave him a rundown of simple rules for using his powers and a pamphlet with numbers for preternatural creatures. She also told him who to get in contact with if he would like more info.
Even Jillian was exhausted after all that. She couldn't imagine how Nicolas felt. He looked tired.