GP - Wild Magic 2: Chaotic Evil Boogaloo

[londoncallingmods]

London was a magic epicenter of sorts. Between doors to The Otherside, dormant and active portals, and an active wizarding community, it was a hub of energy, more so now than it had been for quite some time. The city was experiencing a magical renaissance of sorts- Which sounded lovely and made it a prime place to be for those exploring and studying magical energies, but wasn't so wonderful for London's more 'normal' sorts.

Magic didn't care if you were a dark lord or a banker, if it liked you, it liked you- And it was impossible to guess who it would like.

Today magic energy was at an all time high. Another blip in the usually somewhat steady stream of power that flowed through the streets. As a result, odd things were afoot- From mischievous inconveniences, to darker disruptions. Unlike the portals, these bothers were a touch more subtle, creeping up unseen on the unsuspecting.

Last time around the magic had seemed lighthearted and playful- And some of it still was, but... There was an intensity to some of it this time, harking back to the troubles that seemed to roll around every Halloween now. Something wicked was caught in the current, and while it wasn't out to harm everyone, it did seem keen to target a few.

(OTA. Just like the last time, the magic can affect your pup however you see fit. Unlike last time, however, some of the magic has taken a darker turn. It doesn't have to do something wicked to your pup, of course, but the option is there now. This post will be open from 7/18-7/28 or longer if needed. Tag in, tag others, and check back often.)

Comments

[dr_spencer_reid]

"Oh, um, Dr. Spencer Reid," the doctor smiled, taking the offered cup with a nod of thanks. "Uh, though just Spencer is fine, of course," he added.

Peering curiously at the book, Spencer couldn't hide his interest a moment longer.

"What are you working on, exactly?"

[harrowgate]

"I'm turning lead into gold," Felix told him effervescently, with a sparkling little smile that indicated he was teasing -- or would, to most anyone who knew what flirting looked like. "The alchemists of days beyond never could quite manage it, but I think I have a real chance at success.

"What are you working on, Spencer?" Felix asked, practically speaking every word all in the same breath.

[dr_spencer_reid]

Felix spoke so fluidly and without pause, that Spencer appeared a touch startled by the time the man volleyed the question back- Seemingly without answering at all.

"I was considering going to the police station," he admitted. "I'm looking for a friend here in London, and I have a contact there who I hope can help. Though it was a bit impulsive, I haven't even reached out to my contact yet. they might not even be there anymore," he realised, frowning to himself. "...You were joking about the lead into gold though, right? I mean, you're not really set up to do work on a molecular level, and honestly, the amount of power needed to accomplish that, versus the return you'd get wouldn't really be worth it."

[harrowgate]

Felix's smile broadened delightedly. Lucky wizard, to have lured in a pretty creature who actually knew what he was talking about. And here he thought he'd have to make distracting small talk, just to have some company this afternoon. "I confess, it's not much of a sterile laboratory, but I didn't care to be cooped up on such a day with the sun actually shining."

He leaned back on one hand, appearing very relaxed, and in absolutely no hurry to explain himself. "Are you versed in the theory of quantum entanglement?"

[dr_spencer_reid]

"I'm not an expert, but I know a bit. ...Are you a physicist?" he asked curiously, still itching to touch the book but keeping himself under control.

[harrowgate]

"You could say I'm an extremely theoretical scientist," Felix agreed, content to use words that an annemer, albeit a very intelligent one, could understand. "You might have heard about the researchers in China who have been working to teleport information on photons from Earth to space. I'm studying something similar, regarding the transferral of energy through and between different configurations of matter."

[dr_spencer_reid]

Spencer could only assume that the play on words meant Felix was maybe more of an autodidact sort of scientist, something he could respect given how independent most of his own education had been.

"That is a very deep hole of exceptionally complex quantum mechanics to be musing over during a picnic," he pointed out, though the slight smile that came to rest on his lips made it clear he approved.

[harrowgate]

"But far more engaging than celebrity gossip," Felix pointed out, fairly certain that Spencer would agree with him. "If I'm not exercising my mind, then I'm letting it rot, don't you think?"

He shifted position, since being exceedingly tall and gangly made it somewhat difficult to get comfortable on the ground. The move revealed the title of the book that had drawn Spencer's attention. It was in Latin, and translated simply to Travels.

[dr_spencer_reid]

"Actually, studies have shown that a 'resting mind', as much as a mind can ever really rest, in a person of higher intelligence often appears to try and better organise itself. MRI scans show different parts of the brain contacting one another at a much higher rate than those of average or lower intelligence. So, in theory, resting your mind could be somewhat like doing mental house cleaning- Something that would be beneficial to anyone taking in vast amounts of data on a daily basis," Spencer explained, before pausing and realising he was likely talking too much.

"...I don't really like celebrity gossip either," he added clumsily, before turning his attention to the book. Travels- Travels to where?

"Is this related to your research?" he asked, wondering if it dealt with experimentation involving molecular transport or something along those lines.

[harrowgate]

Felix gave the book a thoughtful look. "Tangentially, perhaps. I don't think it's directly involved, but it might be. It certainly doesn't involve resting my mind." Indeed, the thought that had troubled him ever since that unexpected sojourn in another world was the furthest thing from restful. It kept him up nights.

He looked up at Spencer, and gave the other man a swift, rueful smile. "This is where we fly directly past theoretical science and play at the edge of science fiction. You're an intelligent person, clearly, but I warn you that if you have questions about this book, I will answer them and you may become quite frustrated with me. I should hate to have that happen a mere fifteen minutes into our friendship."

[dr_spencer_reid]

Spencer was intelligent, yes, but he was also impulsive. Even when warned of consequences, he just couldn't help himself.

"I like having questions," Spencer assured him. "I've also read more science fiction than most modern libraries even carry. ...I can handle it," he insisted.

[harrowgate]

Briefly Felix entertained the idea of bundling Spencer up in the picnic blanket and taking him home. He seemed like he might be terribly interesting to keep on hand. "All right, then. I am studying the idea of alternate worlds which may cross or overlay our own. Whether we mean separate planets, accessible by some sort of physical travel, or... other realities, lined up alongside our own like an onionskin."

[dr_spencer_reid]

"Less quantum multiverse, more Brane," Spencer replied, nodding in understanding and then sitting up a little straighter. Crossing his legs, he looked more like a pretzel than a man, though that didn't stop him from gesticulating enthusiastically as he spoke.

"Except you're suggesting a scenario where instead of colliding and creating more universes, it would be more fluid than that, interlacing instead of expanding. ...I suppose my first question would be in regards to what kind of worlds you meant. In this scenario, are the layers alternative versions of this world, an afterlife of some sort, or a completely different world altogether?"

[harrowgate]

"I do take some issue with the theory of an infinitely-expanding multiverse," Felix confirmed, looking only slightly distasteful. "But no, you're correct, that's not what I'm considering here. Not different versions of this world, but truly separate realities accessible via our own. I'm not quite prepared to venture a guess into the state of souls after death, so let's limit ourselves to the concept of separate worlds.

"Granted, in these worlds, the principles of physics and other sciences may not be the same as what we accept as reality," he went on, watching Spencer carefully to make sure he was still interested. The other man didn't seem the sort to glaze over when Felix became deeply embroiled in an interesting topic. "Phenomena may be possible in other realities which we would regard as magic, for instance."

[dr_spencer_reid]

"Like Narnia?" Spencer asked, not poking fun or laughing at all- But instead appearing quite intrigued.

"There are theories that suggest that suggest that when parallel timelines or worlds are created they don't evolve separately, but instead influence one another, like two magnets being held side by side. Though at the moment those theories mostly focus on how that could be affecting particles on a molecular scale. Still, if that was true, there could be overlap, and it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility that you could, somehow, access those other worlds. Especially, like you're suggesting, when you start to factor in how physics could be changed in each universe. As you said, what we call magic could just be the another universe's quantum mechanics or even just basic physics with a new set of rules," he nodded, pausing and then pushing his hair back as he considered Felix.

"It gets more interesting when you think about the fact that when these worlds overlap they could be changing things on both sides on a molecular level. ...Infecting our world with 'magic', and creating things that go unexplained."

[harrowgate]

"Precisely like Narnia," Felix agreed, unable to squash a small, fond smile. That had been one of the stories he had loved best, long ago, when... well, when he had been someone else.

"London is positively brimming with things that go unexplained, but I tend to believe that they are unexplained because we simply aren't trying hard enough. Hence my studies. Still," he went on thoughtfully. "I have to wonder, even if I do manage to prove anything, who would believe me?"

[dr_spencer_reid]

"I imagine that would depend on your data. ...I think you'd be surprised by how many people would be willing to believe," Spencer smiled. "There'll be doubters, sceptics... Jerks who just want to prove you wrong, but magic? Who doesn't want magic?"

[harrowgate]

If Felix thought Spencer's view a touch naive, he did not say so directly. It was charming, after all. "Well, the Church, for one, I imagine. Either Roman Catholic or Of England, take your pick, though the global influence of either is questionable, these days."

Felix refreshed his own coffee from the thermos as he suggested, "My question would be, who does want it? The wealthy would lay claim right away, don't you think?"

[dr_spencer_reid]

"Probably," Spencer agreed, unable to hide how disappointed he felt as the reality of the idea settled in. "In books it's always drawn to the worthy. Ultimate good blessed by it, and the ultimate evil stealing it or manipulating it. ...Don't worry though, you don't have to point out to me how reality generally differs from fantasy. I know enough about reality. ...I used to work for the FBI," he confessed softly.

[harrowgate]

Felix actually felt a brief twinge of guilt that he'd caused some of Spencer's enthusiasm to dim. It felt like a terrible crime he'd just committed. Perhaps if he let the adorable doctor discuss his work... ? Or perhaps not, he did say 'used to.'

"The purpose of those books isn't to delineate between fantasy and reality, necessarily. They are to provide you with possibility enough for you to define your own reality," Felix postulated. "Surely investigative work requires imagination."

[dr_spencer_reid]

"It does," Spencer nodded, tucking his wavy hair back behind his ear. "I worked for the Behavioural Analysis Unit though, so the scenarios imagined were generally pretty dark," he confessed.

[harrowgate]

"Fascinating," Felix said, quite honestly, because to him that sounded much more like magic than anything he did. "So if I asked you why, for instance, my lover does the things he does, you might actually have an answer?"

[dr_spencer_reid]

"I could offer a hypothesis," Spencer replied, nodding a little. "Its accuracy would be dependent on how much information I had to work with."

[harrowgate]

"We... well, naturally, this will become personal very quickly," Felix said, after a moment's hesitation. Shannon would be mortified that Felix was discussing this with a stranger, but he already saw Spencer as an intellectual peer, and approached this as a matter of deduction, and not really one of interpersonal relationships. Or of privacy.

"We have something of an open relationship, but it's entirely one-sided. He has the freedom to spend time with other men, if he wants to, but he doesn't. And he's beautiful, so men of our persuasion are throwing themselves at him constantly. It doesn't bother me, he surely has the opportunity, but he doesn't take advantage of it and I cannot fathom why."

[dr_spencer_reid]

"The obvious answer would be he's content. He loves you and is willing to share to keep you, even though he's only romanticly or sexually attracted to you. ...Or he's hoping that eventually, you'll only want him," Spencer replied, pausing a beat, then looking thoughtful. "Alternatively, it's possible he enjoys the idea of you with other people, that he's aroused by it. Or that he enjoys the agony of it."