„What had those poor pond flowers done to you?“
I started liking this lot. They had a sense of humor. Or rather, theirs was a match to mine. Johanna actually blushed. We went along on the way to our destination.
Lunch was cancelled due to the ongoing tests. At least we got some sandwiches on a table in a repurposed conference room. Johanna and I had decided to look for people we knew to discuss our magic. „We were in the same department“, Johanna remarked. Her friend Lisa was sitting alone at a table. That state of affairs could not be blamed on her appearance. I could not rule out that her character was the cause, but it seemed much likelier that the good old revolver in front of her she kept brushing rather frequently with one finger was the culprit.
J: Lisa, are you all right?
L: What? Sure. O, you are freaked out about my little friend?
J: Gun essence. You too?
P: Nice to meet you. We share an essence. May I have a closer look at that?
L: I am afraid not. It would vanish for anybody else. Even I need to ask it to stay. I think it’ll be gone soon in any case.
It looked beautiful. I was definitely jealous. Somebody cleared her throat next to me.
P: Could you hold it in your hand and I touch it with one finger?
Somebody next to me developed an unusual interest in the ventilation ducts along the ceiling.
L: Very well. We need to figure this out. I have a bad feeling about this. Why do they give these things to us and give us a resort vacation in war time?
J: You two are watching too many X-Men movies.
P: There is no such thing as too many X-Men movies.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Some people have very expressive eyebrows.
Lisa clutched the gun with both hands and I used the index finger of my left hand. Without even noticing it I snapped it back.
Curious looks. „I almost felt a voice that said: You are not my momma“
They both laughed at that and Lisa released her grip while her gun briefly reduced itself to a sparse rainbow-colored cloud of glttering stripes and then vanished.
L: How about you show me yours?
P: I cannot materialize a gun.
J: I had this theory that people with an essence for phenomena can manifest them and those with an essence for things need that thing to manipulate.
P: Johanna got fire if you go by her ability.
L: Jo, you are the girl who massacred the fish?
She really did have expressive eyebrows.
P: Let me get you coffee
Beverages are a great social tool and get people to talk.
L: Seriously, why us? Sorry, no offense, but your beard is salt and pepper. Why not young, fit special force soldiers?
P: None taken. It is the plain truth. But you two are not grandmothers.
J: That borders on conspiracy theories. Do you have family?
L: No, they are both …
P: Nope. Never found somebody to …
J: There you got it. Nobody will miss us. We are expendable.
We shared a glum look. That had a depressing amount of truth in it.
L: But this hotel …
J: Would be empty without us. Nobody is going on vacation with the curfew and rationing. The government can either pay them to work or put them on benefits.
P: They could fill it with fit young men, too.
J: They will be needed in the army.
P: Yet the army would probably welcome a unit of men who can blow up things without wasting ammo.
J: How many of them played the game in advanced mode?
P: There is that.
L: You think they want us to specialize on rituals and not waste soldiers on that?
J: Yes
L: You know, now that I think about it, what are the long term consequences of doing many rituals?
J: You are outrageous. The doctors and the people who did the tests looked very hale.
L: Did you ever see one of them complete a ritual?
J: You two would find mortal danger in playing with a kitten. I am going to go watch TV or something.
She left. It is true. The younger generation is adversely affected if divorced from their phones for long.