Story: Middle Part 35
[[Continuity Note: Two magi-scientists are demanding an interview with Alf.]]
He let the two magi-scientists wait in the newly cleaned living room while he told his parents about the interview. They were understandable concerned when Alf told them about the interview. He didn't sound like he wanted to do it at all, and neither Mr nor Mrs Struthers was convinced that it was a necessary evil.
"Would you like us to sit in on you?" Mrs Struthers asked her son.
"No," Alf shook his head. Who knew what he would have to reveal? He certainly knew there were aspects of his magic use that he wouldn't be comfortable revealing to his parents. "It can't be so bad."
"If you're sure," Mr Struthers conceded, worriedly examining his son's face.
"I'm sure," Alf replied with a firm nod of his head as though convincing himself.
His parents let him go, so Alf joined the two older magic users in the living room. "Sorry that took so long," he apologised as he shut the door. Thank goodness there was a door. When Alf was younger, there hadn't been, but Alf's parents installed several into their open plan house for better insulation. Alf had never quite understood how that worked, but was now no problem as it allowed him and the two magi-scientists more privacy.
And Alf really was sorry when he saw what they had done. The two adults had made themselves comfortable while Alf was gone. Alf was not impressed by their alterations to the room. They'd left the walls, ceiling and floor alone, but pretty much none of the furniture was safe from their magic touch. In place of the couch and single armchair there were now three chairs that would not look out of place in an office. The coffee table had become a rather large desk, with two occupied chairs on one side, and one on the other obviously intended for Alf. On the desk were placed open folders and stationery in front of the two magi-scientists.
The television set had been removed from the room for reasons Alf didn't quite comprehend and nothing had been placed in its place. The bookshelves along the back wall were still intact, though. And the lighting remained the same, though they'd shut the blinds and turned on the lamps.
"Please have a seat," the man invited.
Alf sat nervously, an ominous feeling settling over him as he watched the two adults sit there calmly as though they did this every day. They probably did. They were eyeing him as though he were an experiment. Of course they were, they were scientists, even if they did apparently use magic. Or study magic. "What exactly do you do?" he asked curiously.
The woman seemed a little confused by this question that seemed to come out of nowhere, but she answered it anyway. "We study magic. Its various forms, where it goes. It's remarkably similar to non-magical physics."
"Okay," Alf nodded.
Unwilling to further humour his subject, Mr Wiley got started. "We'll be recording this conversation into this orb," he stated, indicating a sphere similar to Alf's own orb oracle sitting on the desk. It was larger and silver, and had an official looking black logo printed on it. The sort of thing you'd expect government operatives to carry.
Alf nodded his acquiescence, but knew that it probably wasn't even expected.
Mr Wiley began by stating the date and time, and stating that he and Mary-Ann Aldus were the interviewers. He then prompted Alf for his name.
"Alfonso Struthers," he stated, feeling a little bit like a moron, as anyone who is being recorded is wont to feel.
"And your date of birth?" Mr Wiley prompted.
Alf repeated his birthday, then the interview officially began.
"Tell us about how you first came to realise that you could use magic," Mr Wiley began.
It seemed as though he'd told the story a million times over at that point. To the Alduses, to the council, to his parents, and to Damien. Nonetheless, Alf heaved a sigh and retold the story about Rock in the parking lot again.
"So you felt threatened?" the woman asked him.
"Yes," Alf stated. "Though I find it difficult to understand now that Rock and I are friends."
"What exactly can you do with your powers?" Ms Aldus asked.
Alf shrugged. "Exactly what everyone else who uses magic can do, I think. I've been training with Aliana Aldus who's taught a number of magic users before me. She hasn't noticed anything different about the way I'm learning in terms. At least, she hasn't felt the need to share anything with me."
Alf noted that they wrote something down at that point and figured that it was probably Aliana's name. After all, if they were going to do this properly, they'd surely want to interview just about everyone he's come in contact with. He hoped they didn't want to interview his parents, it wouldn't be as though they had anything important to say anyway.
"Would you please describe the exact nature of your magical abilities?"
"Er," Alf stalled. "I can make things levitate, move them around. I'm quite good at getting plants to sprout. I haven't really done anything much else."
"What is your control over the elements like?" Mr Wiley asked.
"Sorry?" Alf was a little confused.
"You mentioned growing plants," Mary-Ann explained. "That would be the earth element. There's also air, water, fire and time."
"Well I'm okay with fire, a little shaky with water and air and haven't really dealt with time." That was a bit of an understatement. Alf had never known that the magically gifted had the ability to play with time. He supposed it wasn't something people did often.
"Could you start a fire right now?"
Alf looked a little worried.
"I assure you," Mr Wiley said. "We are more than capable of dealing with anything should it get out of your control."
Alf nodded, then started a fire within the palm of his hand.
"Can you make it a bit bigger?" the woman asked.
Alf complied.
"And extinguish it?" she asked.
That was easily done, and the pair seemed to make notes.
"Okay. Can you start a little wind in your hand?"
Alf didn't notice anything happening within his hand, but apparently he had a degree of success.
"So you can't make it stronger?" Mr Wiley asked.
Alf shook his head.
"And put it out?"
It was gone almost instantly.
"Now water." First a small pool appeared in Alf's hand, he was unable to produce more, but he did manage to keep in all in one place, then evaporate it off.
They provided Alf with a small amount of soil for him to showcase his plant growth ability which they were suitably impressed by. "Most magical children take years before they have that level of control even over their spiritual element." Seeing Alf's blank look to this comment, Mary-Ann further explained. "A magical person's spiritual element is the one they are naturally most in tune to. In your case it appears to be earth." Alf nodded in understanding.
"And time?" Mr Wiley asked.
Alf shook his head. "I'd have no idea where to begin."
"Okay," he nodded.
"So all that's left is a magic sample," Ms Aldus stated, holding out a crystal for Alf to take. Its two ends were rather pointy and Alf wondered what he was supposed to do with it. "You just concentrate pushing some of yourself into the crystal. The crystal is spelled to store it and we'll be able to analyse it."
Alf wasn't entirely certain what 'pushing some of yourself' meant, but tried it anyway. A greenish liquid seemed to drip from his fingers and into the crystal. He watched fascinated. He didn't think magic's physical form would be so disgusting looking. He began to feel a little light-headed. Apparently secreting pure magic took a lot out of you.
"That's enough," Mary-Ann stated.
But somehow it wouldn't stop coming. Mr Wiley seemed prepared for this, though. He muttered some words under his breath and it stopped. Alf slumped back in his chair, gulping in much needed oxygen. "I've placed a mild temporary binding spell on you," he explained. "You won't be able to do magic for a couple of hours."
Alf nodded in response. "Can I go now?" He wasn't sure why that's how he'd phrased his sentence, since it was his house and really they were the ones who should be leaving, but they responded anyway.
"Yes, we're done. Thanks for your time."
Alf breathed a sigh of relief as he staggered from the room, meeting his parents who were worriedly waiting for him to get out of the room. "Alf?" they asked as he stumbled past them.
"I'm really tired," he muttered, heading for the stairs. "I'm going to go sleep some more." And with that he wandered up the stairs, leaving his parents to deal with the two adult witches.
The interview hadn't gone so badly as he'd thought. But, Alf thought as he collapsed onto his bed. That magic sample was definitely worse than he'd thought.
[[End scene.]]
posted by Cedric @ 9:23 pm
<< Home