witch's cape, not hat

[characterquarry]

Grendyne groans and starts pulling on her boots when the alarm goes off. Again. She quick-marches to the broom hangar, sits on her machine and is handed a plethora of loaded weapons by attentive corporals.

"Two flyers in one day? They're getting way too common."

"It's worse," the commander informs them, "South Karlsland got hit with three at once. We're taking Lytee's express and sleeping there. You can sit out if you absolutely need to, but Freya's still recovering so we could use you as a comms relay."

"No, I'll come. I just reserve the right to complain about it."

The 42nd United Forces Witch Wing takes off and assembles into a perfect synchronized formation as Lytee charges her teleport power.



...This is not South Karlsland wilderness.

[note: halfway through this thread I created a unique account for Grendyne. Do not be alarmed by the change in account. -Rockeye]

Comments

[witchwatcher]

"London would be my best bet. One of the transformers is there, at least three geasers, and probably someone who can do curses but I don't keep close track on them. And it's a big center of government and trade to boot, so Bet dollars are gold there. Geases work on obsessive disorders and nervous tics and the like, but not for example your heartbeat or that thing where you kick if someone hits your knee just right."

[wormcan]

"Worth a try. London, then."

[witchwatcher]

"I need to arrange a place in London for you to land. Tomorrow afternoon earliest. Email me a time after that you'll be back here, bring the money for the first one-way trip."

And whenever the three that are going are ready and the money is counted by that guard...

They and all their luggage are in a nondescript but old-looking warehouse in Earth Gimel's London. "Go nuts."

[wormcan]

They do. Going from being present in an unfamiliar city in an unfamiliar world with nothing but the clothes on one's back (and lots of money) to being in possession of a fortified vault isn't necessarily easy, but it works eventually. When it does, they contact Places again. The transport for the remaining Travelers is going to be the dangerous one.

[witchwatcher]

She shows up at the designated place with two guards. The second one is wearing non-costume armor and a simpler mask labelled 'N'. "I need line of sight on your last member. Where to?"

[wormcan]

"This way. Light's low, it makes it easier for her around people." All the clients are speaking softly. They lead the way to a heavy steel door, which they open.

[witchwatcher]

She follows, whispering, "Twenty-five seconds to build up juice once I see them. N is a telekinetic, she'll hold your last member back if they attack."

[wormcan]

The sixth member looks like an ordinary young woman from the waist up. Everything else, the vast majority of her body, is an enormous mass of flesh. Three giant animal heads, prehensile slobbering tongues, too many legs to count which species they're all imitating, a handful of tentacles, and a tentacleful of hands.

She doesn't attack. She's studiously facing away from the strangers, and while some of her body is wavering and gesturing at them she doesn't make any especially sudden moves.

[witchwatcher]

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. "Brace for transport."

And they're in the Travelers' Earth Gimel vault. Everyone falls two inches. Places and her guards back out of the door immediately.

[wormcan]

Their clients don't spend long in the vault either, with the exception of their leader.

Thanks to the list they got from Places, finding the relevant capes—or Witches, here—is far easier than it was on Earth Bet. Oliver does most of the talking. Masks aren't customary here, and even though there's almost no risk of being recognized by the same person in both worlds they may as well have the most visible face be the one that's never the same twice.

They go for one of the geas Witches first. It won't be a cure, but if Noelle can be made safe to be around then subsequent searches will be much easier.

[witchwatcher]

Two of the geas Witches work for the government and don't give geases to the public. The last bills herself as helping with addictions and similar. She is a little hard to find, but jumps at the chance to name some extra money.

She's intimidated and grossed out by Noelle, but money is money. What phrasing where they thinking of? So she can point out any holes.

[wormcan]

"I'd say never using her power, but most of it is passive. So an inability to touch or attack anyone using the mutated parts of that body," the long-haired man doing most of the less public negotiating suggests. "Something that wouldn't restrict her once she gets changed back."

Noelle herself doesn't express much of an opinion; making her situation less of a problem and her safer to be around would be worth it whatever side effects if comes with.

[witchwatcher]

"If the power is largely passive, it would be safer to have a fully general restriction that expires at some later time. Geases can be fuzzy around involuntary or compulsory actions. How about never touching or attacking anyone at all unless the power is to her own best judgment, or one of yours, no longer a problem? If there are things that aggravate the involuntary parts of your power, you can include an clause not to let them aggravate you. It might help. I can loosen or remove a geas easily if you change your mind, by the way."

[wormcan]

"And there are no cases where using this power is a good idea. A general one with an expiration date sounds just as good."

"How does the not being aggravated clause work?" the blonde Traveler asks. "She has to avoid those things, or they magically don't affect her, or they affect her less depending on how much choice she has in it?"

[witchwatcher]

"I'm not entirely sure how it will work with otherworldly powers, but it mostly helps you not care about the things that are aggravating you. It takes away, automates, most of the mental effort. When I geas addicts not to crave their sin of choice, they still crave it, but they find it easier to dismiss or ignore the craving because they are not allowed to let it affect them. It only helps so much, but some is more than none."

[wormcan]

"Do it," comes Noelle's voice, piped in remotely. "I need all the help I can get with ignoring this...craving."

[witchwatcher]

"Alright. I don't need to be physically present, as long as this telephone device is real-time. You'll feel the geas forming as you speak, and a sense of finality when it's done.

Repeat after me: I swear that I will not touch or attack another person until such time as my power is no longer harmful, to my own best judgment. While this oath is binding I will consider actions on my part that may be attacks, as attacks. While this oath is binding I will not allow the cravings or impulses caused by my power to affect me. While this oath is binding I will not allow involuntary responses to break this oath in whole or in part. So mote it be."

[wormcan]

She repeats the oath.
"...in whole or in part. So mote it be."

Everyone here is in very much in favor of moteness.

"Is there a safe way to test if it worked, or do we have to have someone come here and see if it got easier for me to resist?"

[witchwatcher]

"Try to decide to touch someone. You will find yourself repelled by the idea."

[wormcan]

"I was already repelled by that," she says, but is indeed more so than usual.

[witchwatcher]

"Then someone will have to test it in person."

[wormcan]

Oliver gets convinced to go in, since it would be less catastrophic if he touched Noelle than if any of the others did. And Krouse can move him out quickly if she does move against him. Normally this kind of precaution isn't necessary on a good day, but normally they aren't specifically trying to see if Noelle can touch people. She even agrees to let people look at her, under the circumstances.

Oliver comes out safely. He waits a few minutes, talking with Noelle at a normal volume and with the lights on. Noelle reports that the feeling she's about to attack someone is at a normal intensity, and it doesn't feel more controllable. But she's resisting as much as she ever could, and isn't having to concentrate to do it.

[witchwatcher]

"It seems like that's the best I can do. You've already paid, so I'll be on my way. Unless you have more questions?"

[wormcan]

"Nothing we didn't discuss earlier, no. You'll remember not to tell people we're on Terra?"

Noelle, meanwhile, just thanks her repeatedly from across the radio.

[witchwatcher]

"Money talks. Or doesn't, in this case. You know where to find me if you need another geasing."

She leaves.