Players:
Summary: Billy's next learning stop.
Date: February 5, 2009
Magic Steps: Balance
Rating: G
Canadian Wilderness
The first thing Billy notes when he awakens is the cold. Sheer, blistering cold. He mutters under his breath to access his powers and warm himself… only to fail. Sighing, "I guess it wasn't a dream. He DID take my powers." He takes a moment before beginning to look around. "Alright. Who's here, this time?" He asks, realizing that there is, indeed, a pattern there.
"Dr. Michael Twoyoungmen and my daughter Elizabeth." The voice speaks. Hovering off the ground are the pair, known in some circles as Shaman and Talisman.
"Oh yeah, Forge said to tell you hello." Billy says with a quick nod as he shivers there. "Anyone got a coat? Or something?" He asks, raising an eyebrow as he looks between them.
Elizabeth chuckles softly and tosses a warm pelt of some kind down to Billy. "You'll learn how to channel the heat quickly enough. That's probably why you were sent here in particular."
"There are two things that you must learn while you are here, William. You must learn to sense the ley lines… the natural flow of energy. And, you must learn to summon your magic without your mutant nature. You already know where the magic is, and how it feels coming through your body. Now, you must make it happen." Shaman says, nodding softly.
"I… really don't know how to do that." Billy admits. He looks between the two of them, and raises an eyebrow. "Any hints?" He says, offering a hopeful smile.
Elizabeth can't help but take pity. "The first thing you need to do is to open your eyes. I can't help you with using magic… I'm a magic anathema." She admits, making sure to keep her own distance. "Open the inner eyes. The ones that let you see magic when it's nearby."
"Even so." Shaman offers in response to Elizabeth's statement. "Elizabeth, wait at the node." He says, turning back to Billy. "You do know how to view magic, yes? That should have been something you learned early, even without your mutation."
Billy nods slightly as he closes his eyes and reopens them. It's fuzzy. It's not like it normally is. He smirks. "I can see the lines, but… they're not clear."
Elizabeth simply flows up into the air and vanishes quickly as she heads towards a node, making sure that Billy can't see which way she goes.
"Focus. Your mutation always helped you, but now, you must do it naturally." Shaman states, closing his own eyes. "Think of it like… squinting. Like you would if you couldn't see something clearly. Only, squint with your mind. I assure you, it'll cause no damage."
"People keep telling me that." Billy sighs before Shaman gives the new instructions. He ponders for a moment. He squints his eyes physically before sighing and trying again, thinking hard about focus. As he does so, the lines come into clearer view. The flow of magic cascading naturally in a particular direction. "I… I see it." He says, softly, almost amazed at himself.
Nodding, Shaman offers a small smile. "Flow with it, William. Follow the trail to where it meets with a few others." He says, rising above to follow.
Billy nods, following the trail of the magic. It twirls around trees until a new trail joins it. He looks at it for a moment and shakes his head. "No, a node is where they join and gather. These two just join and flow together here…" He says, moving on.
Floating over Billy, Shaman chuckles. "Good eye, William. I don't think this will take too long."
Billy continues moving along the path, not looking up, until he finds himself smacking directly into Talisman. "Oh, scuse me."
"It's alright. Now that you can see them, you will learn to sense them without looking directly at them. Good job, kid." Elizabeth grins.
Shaman nods. "Very good. Now, you must learn to draw on the natural energies on your own. The magic itself will come easily to you, once you can grip it and change it to your own."
"How do I do that?" Billy asks, raising an eyebrow. "It's always just come to me naturally. This… is something else entirely." He says, relaxing around the two a little.
Elizabeth says nothing, as she can't actually use magic, just absorb it.
Michael offers, "Remember how you squinted with your mind? Now reach out with it. Reach out and hold the energies. Hold them in your mind and in your body."
Billy nods, doing his best to try to follow the instructions. He reaches out with mental hands, but pulls too hard, pulling the energies into himself until they flood out in a rush of light. He coughs as he looks around. "Ok, too much." He says, trying to twist off a little of the energy, holding it in himself. He smiles as he imagines the shape of lightning, crackling from his eyes, as normal when he uses his powers. It works.
"Very good." Elizabeth nods quickly. "Now, that you have that, you simply have to practice doing it this way. Doing it the harder way."
Shaman places a hand on Billy's shoulder softly. "Now… you must simply learn and practice. And make your way home, or to see Forge. Whichever you prefer."
Billy nods softly as he understands. He takes a little twist of energy and floods it through his body, giving himself a warmer temperature. "I do. Thank you."
