lieabilities

They'll appear as they please when left to their own devices. I could direct them, if they're amenable to it.

[ To highlight his point, he holds up a palm, a tentacle sliding out from under his sleeve to dangle over the edge of his palm. A couple others soon join it to pile into his hand, curling lazily there as if in silent invitation for Jayce. ]

Aurorians in my world, those like me who can wield Luminatics, all develop their own unique ways of doing so. Perhaps the sole commonality between them all is that we all shape it into one of four elements.

[Ah! There they are again. This time Jayce doesn't hesitate, clearly given the go-head by Kleken's open hand. He approaches carefully, not making sudden movements so he doesn't scare them off, and reaches out to touch one of them with the tips of his fingers.]

Let me guess; water, fire, air, earth?

[ The tentacle is just as eager to reach back toward Jayce, its semi-translucent body feels very much firm, like touching a real octopus, as it stretches itself out to curl partially around his finger. ]

[ Kleken on the other hand raises a brow with some interest, noting the other man's guess to himself as a possibly common set of elements in his world. How interesting. ]

Water, fire, forest, and thunder.

[Jayce breaks out into a wide grin with the tentacle wraps around his finger, clearly enamored with the interaction.]

They're cute.

Forest and thunder... variations on the same concept. Maybe the difference in magic structures from one universe to another? Easier connections to some elements like water and fire being consistent, but deviations depending on the world and it's connection to the magic planes? One of those things we'll probably never know, now that we're here.

[Meanwhile, he's now petting the tentacle with his other hand.]

[ It behaves more like a wild but curious creature, winding its way along Jayce's finger to settle in a curl over his hand, than the extension of a limb questionably attached to a man. It's docile for the moment, the other tentacles that hover around them both more active in their 'peering' and exploration of the area around them. ]

Perhaps. If it's of any relevance to your theories, upon reaching a certain level of experience, many Aurorians take on a secondary elemental attribute, while others develop enhanced abilities in their primary element. As far as I'm aware, there is no controlling which will happen.

[ But he's certainly seen it enough to know that it does occur, and felt it in himself when his own abilities expanded. ]

Would you say the magic decides for you? If so, that does align somewhat with a theory my partner and I had about how the arcane— Luminatics— is a force of it’s own sort of will, and that mages— or Aurorians in this case— channel that power but are ultimately catalysts more than sources.

[He’s more absentmindedly playing with the tentacles now.]

So what else can you do? Do you have that ‘certain level of experience’?

Perhaps. Most individuals I know have unique abilities that well suit them in relation to their element.

[ There are some he would say wouldn't, if only because he knows them mostly from a professional level, and the icy aspect of the element suited those cold-hearted businessman more to him. Then again, he hardly knew about their personal lives, and had little interest in getting to know more about them. ]

[ The tentacles are more than happy to lounge about on his hand, a few others shifting to join the first, adding more weight to his palm while Kleken considers the question he's given next. Just how much he'd like to reveal to this man. ]

I do have another ability, yes. Though it is one I would typically consider a 'secret weapon' of mine, so I'm rather reluctant to share it.

[To Jayce, this is more educational than revealing of anyone's deeper secrets. He has little to compare it to, both in this type of magic, and in Kleken's own personality itself, so one might even call him oblivious. All that seems to matter right now to him is that he's learning more about magic, and having fun being around Kleken.]

Is it dangerous?

[Is it still asking someone to share it if he asks more pointed questions about it?]

You don't have to if you don't want to, I won't push, but...

[Jayce looks to Kleken, eyes half-lid. Maybe he's not the best at seduction, but he's usually pretty good at getting what he wants when it comes to negotiation. While one hand still idly plays with the tentacles, his still free hand cradles Kleken's own.]

Who am I going to tell?

It can be.

[ There are quite a few, very creative ways one could use magic like his to be dangerous. He's much more fond of using it to be tricky himself, but that doesn't remove the danger level of it. ]

[ He'd expected the man to push further, as would any terribly curious and studious mind would. At least, that's what Kleken would expect from them. What he doesn't expect is the way Jayce goes about trying to wrangle an answer out of him. The hand over his own is a surprise, as is the look that the man gives him. A look Kleken returns with light amusement. ]

Hmm... Perhaps my many enemies?

Of which, I know none.

[Is the route he goes instead of asking who could possibly see Kleken as an enemy. He knows from experience it doesn’t take much for someone to gain enemies— he’s got plenty of his own, and most of them he surely doesn’t even know the names of.]

I know the circumstances of us being here is coerced on both our ends, but I don’t think I’d be too strange to find an ally in you.

[At least enough of an ally he wouldn’t tell a secret to whomever Kleken deems an enemy. He doesn’t release Kleken’s hand, either.]

[ The man did have a point. Even if Kleken hadn't been joking about having enemies, it'd take a certain amount of digging and investigation to find people who might consider him as much, and Jayce didn't seem like the type. Mostly because he seemed more the type to get lost in some sort of scientific project first over dealing in information threats. ]

[ Hmm, perhaps he was the type to be able to multi-task though. He doesn't know for sure, but given the man's seeming eagerness, he may just be able to find out. ]

[ Kleken smiles, turning his hand under Jayce's to let his fingers curl against the other man's palm. ]

I can't say I'd be opposed to the idea. If you'll so kindly keep my secret.

I will.

[A promise without the word promise. Even with all he's been through, he hasn't forgotten how to weave words in a way that would leave them open to interpretation. It isn't that he's trying to be manipulative, but rather as a means of self-defense- he doesn't intend on telling anyone Kleken's secret outright. But he'd be a fool to promise it could never happen under the wrong conditions.]

[ There are a number of ways he could go about revealing his powers of illusion, some subtle, some grand. For a moment he debates transforming the entire room around them into an underwater seascape, but he'd prefer not to reveal the full extent of his abilities in one go. Just a taste of them would suffice, so he settles on taking off his hat to hold in his palms. ]

[ With a smile toward Jayce, the hat transforms into a live fish, flopping helplessly in his palm, then seemingly off Kleken's hands and onto the floor. ]

Fish transformation.

[ That is absolutely not his ability, which the amused way he says it might suggest. ]

[Jayce watches with wide eyes, a repressed thrum of excitement, only to see...

A hat become a fish. He doesn't look disappointed exactly, as his eyes remain wide, but he does seem surprised.]

...Teach a man to make a hat into a fish and he'll never go hungry?

[Okay, stupid jokes aside:]

There's more to it than this. You're teasing.

Oh you'll find this particular fish likely tastes quite terrible.

[ A tentacle reaches down to scoop up the flopping fish, returning it to Kleken's hands which he then holds out to Jayce to take into his own. ]

Here, and do be careful. It's quite slippery.

[ If he does, he'll find it feels exactly like the hat Kleken had been wearing, whatever his eyes appear to be telling him. While the 'fish' starts to flop again, in danger of escaping Jayce's hands if he doesn't grasp it tightly, the hat remains static and stationary. ]

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