partay

[steelmagnolias]

 [Well, Ren's here, just as he said he'd be. He'll buy drinks for any adults still alive that want to imbibe, but there's also a number of sodas in a cooler available for anyone who's a minor or just doesn't want to drink. He's also brought in some snacks from Yotsukoshi and a few of those crab buckets, although anyone else is certainly free to contribute their own food and drink to the pile. 

Ren finishes up his cigarette before setting up, letting it extinguish before everyone arrives. Look, he's being good, there's only one in the ashtray. 

Joey's got one of her dance routines planned, Ren already also had the King's Game set up, or people can just mingle.

It's just not good to be lonely.]

Comments

[theirmagic]

Akira, are you saying you'd like to learn magic?

[ SPARKLING. ]

[beguiledcard]

[ Oh. ]

Actually...

[ Faintly sheepish twist of bangs. ]

I'd love to.

[theirmagic]

[ SHE LOOKS. SO EXCITED. ]

What school? What kind of study would interest you? Predictive magic? Culinary magic? Spells that alter the environment? Creature languages? Healing magic? Potions? If you can narrow down what kind of field of study you'd be most interested in, I could probably give you the basics for tutoring to get you up to speed.

I did it for Atsuko every day.

[beguiledcard]

[ WOW THAT'S A LOT OF OPTIONS...

Okay. Um. HM. ]

I'd let you pick the school, actually... because I trust your opinion on that.

[ Okay, actually, this is? Really exciting??? And one is standing out above the rest. His chosen route is...

Waaaaaait for iiiiiit.... ]

Culinary.

[theirmagic]

Oh, you want to learn the Culinary Arts!

[ She claps her hands together excitedly. ]

I could teach you some things with potions, since they tend to cross. I don't have any textbooks WITH me for the curriculum, but I remember a lot of what Professor Finnelan taught. I would be happy to teach you the basics. We'd have to start small before going into anything advanced, though.

You know, things like taking an apple and turning it into something different tasting without changing it's basic structure. The big advantage of Culinary Magic is that you can keep an object, at its... ahem, if you'll forgive the joke, same at its core as anything else. It's that you're changing its internal structure, in most cases. So instead of having to buy some sugar and mix an apple in, you can simply take an apple you bought and use a potion or spell to make it naturally sweeter, or more bitter, or even taste like something completely different!

[ Can you tell she really loves teaching, because she does. ]

As for where you could go to learn, there's a lot of good places. Oh, I wish Luna Nova wasn't an all-girls school, I would love to take you there... it's got such an excellent staff... I wonder if I could convince them to make an exception...

[beguiledcard]

[ See that widening grin, Chariot? See how it happens right at the "core" joke? He loves puns... ]

Hmm.... Sadly, I'm not sure I'm cut out for drag.

[ Is he seriously contemplating wearing dresses to go to her school??? ]

But, this all sounds incredible...

[ Now that he's not honest-to-god imagining himself in a dress, he's actually wearing a brighter expression! He smiles and nods. ]

Hey, as long as I can keep you as a friend and have you for a tutor somehow, I'm okay with wherever I wind up.

[ And now he's flashing her a small grin. ]

I'm glad you're excited about this, too. Let's get started as soon as we have the time.

[ourmagic]

You know, if you wanted to wear a dress that badly, I COULD just let you borrow one of mine.

[ Is she teasing, or serious, who knows. ]

Homeschooling exists, of course. As long as you're not using one of those terrible internet "do-it-yourself" magic kits... better to learn from a real witch.

[beguiledcard]

[ THOUGHTFUL STARE... ]

Think I'd look cute in your style?

[ akira no ]

Oh...

[ That's actually not a bad idea? ]

All right, then... if all else fails, I could try finding a way to live nearby for a bit.

[ His expression dims for a moment. ]

No idea how Boss would feel with me bringing magic into his cafe. [ fondness surfaces on his face ] He'd probably tell me to keep it to the attic.

[theirmagic]

I was joking, you wouldn't have to crossdress!

[ She laughs. ]

I could probably get you help either way as a favor. I don't know about your guardian, though... I hope he's not the kind of guy who'd be anti-magic. Maybe if you don't startle him too much?

[comesaround]

Why not? He'd look good, I think.

[ Yeah he had to just make a passing comment, wearing probably the biggest grin ever. Couldn't resist since he was within earshot of this conversation. ]

[beguiledcard]

[ He opens his mouth to respond, only--... Karma.

Akira has to work very hard to keep a straight face, his lips drawing together a little more tightly than usual. Then he's turning to say to Karma: ]

Skirts are more my thing. [ deadpan ] I prefer showing off my dancer's legs.

[ AKIRA... ]

Mm... My guardian can be kind of strict, but he has a really good heart.

[ Yep, straight back into serious conversation, not even skipping a beat, here. ]

He let me bring a cat in, and even brought him some food, blaming it on the... adorable meowing he was doing.

[ The latter part is voiced almost like a direct quote as Akira's lips quirk up into a fond smile. ]

I think, with some time, he'd come around no problem.