Commercial Break

"So you're telling me this will reverse anything that I aim this thing at." Ash said, turning the star-shaped metal over in his hand, the small chains shifting and hanging from his grip as he did so, a glimmer of light catching one of the finger-rings.

It was sometimes hard to tell if Evangelina Stavros, or Angie as Ash knew her, was irritated or not: by nature her olive features and warm brown eyes presented such a kind, quiet, and semi-wise impression that unless she spoke in harsh or loud tones, it could be hard to judge her mood by facial features alone. The fact that nearly all trained thaumaturgists preferred hoods in their clothing that hid their faces (specifically their eyes: magic-based combat at the higher levels became considerably easier or harder if the wrong person looked into someone's eyes at the wrong time) made Evangelina's well-lit and displayed face all the more inscrutable. Only close friends and the highest practitioners of the art would probably grasp why Angie refused to hide her face; part of it was social, but the rest was a subtle indication of rank. She didn't care if you could see her eyes, because she would handle you anyway.

Fortunately, Ash was not her enemy. In fact, he was one of her closer friends, so she probably wasn't irritated with him. Probably. He'd become more sensitive over such things over the last few years, after all, and the events of the Blacklands didn't mean he shouldn't keep working on it.

"It's not a toy, Ash." She said, her voice warm, understanding. As usual. She had probably expected questions; any mage with any sense didn't hand over enchanted objects without planning for a bevy of them.

"I gathered, but considering you're giving this to ME instead of say, William..."

"It's not baby's first magic wand either. Put it on, you should be able to get an idea of its raw limits." Angie said, Ash slipping the rings over his fingers and letting the star settle on his palm, his face grimacing a bit as his brain got fed unconventional information. The mind could easily translate things like 'This is heavy' or 'This is cold'; information along the lines of 'You can affect X up to Y before this device fails' taxed the synapses more.

"...not bad."

"I should hope so." Angie said, her tone mixed with pride in her work and a faux-perturbed undertone.

"Headmaster Evangelina-Brand Blackbird Products. When the world won't cut you a break, break the world." Ash said, waving his hand around to add to his joking pitch for a moment, before he looked at the star-shaped charm again. "Not sure I understand this bit about unprotected projections of force..."

"That's advanced stuff. Has to do with thaumaturge combat, issues of will-protection, all sorts of things I can't really explain unless you want to start coming to my school for lessons, Ash."

"You know I can't, Angie."

"You're not like most people who don't have the gift, Ash. Between that and how you think, I think you could learn more than you give yourself credit for."

"I've got other things to do, Angie. You know that."

"Yeah. I do," Angie said, resisting the urge to pat her former charge on the wrist. A lot had changed since those days, and he might have taken it the wrong way. "Any other questions?"

"No battery?"

"Not something like this."

"So, it's just jewelry when it runs out of power?"

"Well, you COULD try and project Stream power through it, but since you're not a Blackbird, Ash, I wouldn't recommend it."

"In the sense I'd get lesser results, or in the sense my head would explode?"

"A little of both. Your head wouldn't EXPLODE, bui it'd feel like it was going to." Angie said. "Your range would be severely limited as well. Not recommended."

"So, besides that, aim and wish."

"Yessss...but do your best to focus. 'Reverse' is a wide-ranging term. If you just sort of wave it and go "I want this reversed!', you might not get the result you want."

"...what happens if I aim it at my head and ask for it to trigger?"

"It doesn't work that way. It needs two sets of intentions to fire off. Aim it at your head and try to commit suicide, it has nothing to bounce of and hence won't work. Though that applies if you try and turn someone's blood into steam, too."

"What if I told them I was trying to turn their blood into steam?"

The warmth left Angie's face, her open eyes going dark.

"In theory, that might work. MIGHT." Angie said, her tone low and dangerous, the unspoken warning being Ash's problem wouldn't be if it worked, but if he used her devices for such deeds.

"Okay, okay. I just want to know what would happen if someone stole it from me."

"It wouldn't work. I keyed it to you. It's not like something you'd buy in a roadside shop, Ash."

"I know...I just like to know everything."

"Maybe I should take you in for lessons whether you want to come or not."

"I think Christine might disapprove of that Angie."

"Ash..."

"I know, Angie. I KNOW. I'm not as stupid as I look. I'm not a sadist who tries to figure out loopholes in Blackbird-charmed items so I can pull someone's spine out through their nose. Hell, YOU should know that."

"...Things have changed though."

"Yeah, but the kid you knew? Who you stood by? That hasn't. Trust me Angie."

"I never stopped." Angie said. "Just don't go getting yourself killed."

"I don't need your help to do that."

"That's what worries me." Angie said. There was a pregnant pause, but the mage chose not to say more.

"Yeah. Though in all seriousness, the last person I want getting killed is me."

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"-HHHHHHHHH!"

THUD.