[video]

[10_20_15_5_50]

[Standing in her apartment, Sam is smiling, if a little uncertainly, as she leans away from a silvery snout; there’s a robotic moose nosing at her shoulder, like a horse hoping for a treat. It’s friendly enough, having done no worse than nose, but it’s the last thing she expected to find in her previously moose-free living room.]

The moose is not, itself, a problem. The moose is alright. The moose being trapped in my apartment because it can’t quiiite fit through the door, though---that is a problem. It doesn’t seem antsy or anything, but this is still too small a space for something its size.

Comments

[10_20_15_5_50]

No reason why not.

[REMEMBER HOW THE POTATOES WENT. You got yourself a pretty accommodating roomie, kiddo. Said roomie cracks up at the question, though, startling Bon Ron.]

No! Oh, no. Supposed to be immobilized, though, like they walked into a giant spider web that doesn't exist for the rest of us.

[diagnosispuberty]

[SHINY EYES OF JOY gonna draw all over this place.]

Cool. How's it work? How can it tell who's supposed to be here?

[10_20_15_5_50]

Well, threshold are important; they got a lot of symbolic oomph behind them, even on their own and just... naturally, y'know? It's why, in so many stories, some things---like vampires!---can't come in without an invitation. That stuff above the door kind of amplifies, kind of channels that oomph, though some bits of it also make our claim on the living space more... Concrete. Concrete, official, backed, because it's been put down. It's set that you and I are the only ones with the authority to issue invitations.

[diagnosispuberty]

[Wide-eyed stare.] All that in those little doodly things?

[10_20_15_5_50]

When they're done right and kinda kickstarted with a little extra oomph? Yeah.

[diagnosispuberty]

...and you're born knowing all this stuff? Or do you learn it?

[10_20_15_5_50]

[Sam's visibly thrown.]

Life would be so different if I just knew this stuff. I learn as I go, like for anything else.

[diagnosispuberty]

...but you're like...born able to learn. With, like...latent...build-in...magical predisposition?

[10_20_15_5_50]

Born able to learn, yeah; there's some ritual magic anyone could do. You could do! The rest, I'm not so sure---I had no magic and no feel for magic up until I was nineteen.

[diagnosispuberty]

-- I couldn't. Could I? [The possibilities omg.

But, also important:] What happened when you were nineteen? [Nosy child is nosy.]

[10_20_15_5_50]

Oh, yeah. Not all of it needs that extra push; some of it just needs a person to gather up the necessary stuff and then do as directed.

[She shifts a little at the question, petting Bon Ron's nose as she selects an answer.]

Something between a breakdown and an epiphany, following the worst fright of my life.

[diagnosispuberty]

[Hiro's gonna stow that info away for later, kthnks. Besides, he senses some backstory, and he's gotta ferret that out.]

That's...really vague...

[10_20_15_5_50]

I know, but it's the best description short the whole story.

[diagnosispuberty]

...do you not want to tell the whole story?

[10_20_15_5_50]

I'm making my mind up. I think I will, but I'm going to get a glass of water first.

[And with that, she starts for the Danger Zone.]

[diagnosispuberty]

[Hiro may or may not groan loudly and slump along after her, stomping his feet just a little. Because he's fourteen going on five, apparently.]

[10_20_15_5_50]

[Sam just ignores this as she pours herself some water, downs the glass, pours another, and seats herself on the counter.]

I hadn't even been nineteen an entire month. Actual birthday's December second, and it was the day of New Year's Eve. Super nice day right from the start, so I decided to go skidooing early on---before lunch. I figured I'd get back in time for lunch, hit the gym one last time before the annual rush of resolutionists, and then clean up for the year's party. When I went out, all was well... Until I had a stupid accident and got the skidoo stuck.

[diagnosispuberty]

[Oh wait, cool, storytime, Hiro's gonna grab himself a soda (already opened, probably flat, and therefore untouched) and hop up next to her.]

Stuck skidoos sure suck. [Feel free to smack him, Sam.]

[10_20_15_5_50]

To an extent you cannot appreciate until you've had to walk back to town, summer child.

[diagnosispuberty]

Hey, I've never been out of town, Canada lady. [Yes, Hiro, we know.]

[10_20_15_5_50]

Never? That seems so weird. Even for fourteen.

[diagnosispuberty]

Well, when I was like three, we moved into the city but...I was three. I can't remember that.

[10_20_15_5_50]

If you ever get back to Earth, promise me you'll go to two places, okay? Banff and Yellowknife, and you've got to go to Yellowknife for Folk on the Rocks.

[diagnosispuberty]

...I understand all those words separately, buuuuut not together.

[10_20_15_5_50]

Banff, Alberta. National park, amazing any time of the year. Yellowknife is home no matter where I move, and Folk on the Rocks is a festival I've never missed from my first attendance.

Except this year.

For obvious reasons.