i'm just that fascinating i guess

[self_composed]

The first day Bella spends out and about with her new who's-watching-me powers, she is rather alarmed.

Maybe she's just mistaken about how much time people spend looking at reasonably pretty eighteen-year-old girls. She kills a pentagon to try it on a nearby control - who's looking at that girl over there?

Fewer people. Fewer people are looking at that random girl, and less intently. They're looking at her familiarly - they know her - or casually - they're checking her out.

[I have a spy problem,] Bella says. She makes a faintly exaggerated show of snapping her fingers in frustration and turning around. She's going back to her room to get a mirror and bobby pins and barettes, so she can spy back on the pretense of checking her hair, without making it overwhelmingly obvious that she knows what's going on.

Comments

[nonbird]

[Double-layered one?] he asks, scrutinizing the collection.

[self_composed]

[I'm a wee bit paranoid,] Bella says. [I don't think I wanna give you more hints until we find out what you see on your own.]

[nonbird]

[Never mind, I see what you mean. They're not especially loud or especially quiet.]

[self_composed]

[Other properties?] prompts Bella. [Tell me everything.]

[nonbird]

[The one you call 'double-layered' doesn't really look double-layered to me,] he says. [I can tell two coins went into it, but only if I look very closely.]

[self_composed]

[It did take the second hex, so there must have been something left to do,] Bella says.

[nonbird]

[Well, yes. But it did it very, hmm, seamlessly.]

[self_composed]

[Go on?]

[nonbird]

[There aren't pieces of it that were added by the second hex. But there's more of it than one hex could account for, and it has a,] he makes more vague hand motions, [an extra-ness.]

[self_composed]

[You are so spectacularly eloquent. I don't suppose you want me to be able to read your mind too? Shan't do it without permission but then I could just look at what you're looking at.]

[nonbird]

[...You're welcome to read my power, if you think it would help,] he says. [I'd rather you stayed out of my actual thoughts.]

[self_composed]

[I'll try a temporary look at it and see if I can even make sense of it. That should only be a square; square can do lots of things if they don't have to last long.] A square goes. There is a thoughtful pause.

[I am shiny,] Bella remarks. [That's about all I could make heads or tails of.]

[nonbird]

[I expected as much,] he admits.

[self_composed]

[Okay, so that's not going to get anywhere unless I figure out a clever magical translation mechanism. Maybe I should just wish up a facsimile of your power, but it's clearly very complicated and you've got relevant experience and nativ-itude with it - for example, you can see my anti-magical-spying power apparently - so I think I'd rather just retain your services directly.]

[nonbird]

[Works for me,] says Lazarus. [As long as you don't mind that I can usually explain my conclusions but not how I got to them.]

[self_composed]

[I'll probably ask you anyway. Maybe we can figure out the right questions if we try,] Bella says optimistically.

[nonbird]

[I have a hard time believing that, but I guess we'll see.]

[self_composed]

[So, speaking of retaining you, you now have a magic door in your building that leads to my dorm,] Bella says. [Provided I can either become comfortable spilling the beans to Kolya or you're pretty sure he will not attempt to follow you - he can't get through the door, but he could see you disappear - you wanna job?]

[nonbird]

[I think I very well might!] he says. [And I could always just ask him not to follow me. It's not like he objects in principWHAT THE HELL]

The abrupt switch from conversational tones to startled yelp occurs very shortly after Lazarus disappears tracelessly from the room.

[self_composed]

[Where the fuck did you go,] Bella says. Her spy sense isn't tingling, nothing happened except him disappearing.

[nonbird]

[I don't know!] he says helplessly. [Far enough away that I can't see you. I can't see anyone with powers, actually, but—oh, dear.]

[self_composed]

[What? What is it? Should I try yoinking you back?]

[nonbird]

[You can try,] he says. [Whoever put me here left some magic on me. I can't leave this building—I'm in an empty warehouse, I think. There's some more, too, I'm figuring it out as we speak.]

[self_composed]

Bella tries. Twice.

[Pentagon won't go, hex won't go. Defense wins I guess. Keep me posted. I'm magic dooring home; I don't want to be here if someone kicks your door down. You want me to email Kolya or anything?]

[nonbird]

[You can email him to tell him I've been magically kidnapped if you're prepared to answer all his questions about why and how and general fussing. Also, apparently I've been rendered imperceptible and un-wish-on-able except to... one or a few people, I'm not sure, I can just tell there's an exception. I guess brainphone doesn't count.]