welcome to my

[manofmyword]

The deck of Jokers keeps on enchanting. It takes a few days. The ones with various sweethearts get various visits.

Slowly, everybody's aura builds up.

They're not just less powerful than the Bells'; they're different. Joker auras don't tell you they're attached to magic and power; it's not 'look at me, I'm important' or 'look at me, I'm magical' but 'look at me', the end.

Except that that is not the end at all.

Their auras track emotions, like the Bells', but far more responsively. They can be whimsical one second and terrifying the next; they can laugh while their auras cry and cry while their auras laugh. It's all in how you play it.

The initial differences are subtle. Beast's aura can make him seem more human, or more beastly, whichever form he's in. The others of variable species don't seem to do anything similar, at least not to nearly the same degree. Ghosty's is the most interesting, because she can show her aura without manifesting physically; suddenly she has a presence even when she technically doesn't.

Micaiah's aura is the first one to manifest an obviously unique feature, although 'unique' isn't quite accurate, because after a few more hours of spellcasting they all have one:

A soundtrack.

Pretty soon, they're all cuddled up in one of the guest rooms and the music is going strong. With the whole pile of them together, somebody's aura will start playing a song and the rest will either pick it up or add embellishments. It's tremendous fun.

Comments

[lifes_sake]

Off they go! Whee!

[yourheartstrings]

Ghosty has a habit of unraveling her body in between spells. Hopefully Cam won't find it too disturbing.

[lifes_sake]

Only a little. She can be channeled through either which way, since that uses her mindscape.

(Cam's mindscape? Is Grace. Grace is tickled pink about this.)

[yourheartstrings]

She only does it to have a quick stretch, ride a few of those gorgeous Saturn winds. Then she comes right back and forms herself up again.

[lifes_sake]

And Cam casts again. His aura is starting to develop noticeability, though not yet any distinctive features or the pure power behind the other Bells'.

[yourheartstrings]

Still, Ghosty comments on it. "You're getting a little something around the edges."

[lifes_sake]

"Cool," says Cam. "Halfway there, I guess."

[yourheartstrings]

"I wonder what you'll get!"

[lifes_sake]

"No idea! Let's find out!" And he casts up a lovely beach-bubble for future residents of Saturn.

[yourheartstrings]

"Mmm, I love doing that," says Ghosty, pulling herself back together. "Have I mentioned I love doing that?"

[lifes_sake]

"Several times. If you didn't I'd be shit out of luck. Collective you."

[yourheartstrings]

She kisses him fondly on the cheek and says, "Hit me again, this is getting fun."

[lifes_sake]

He hits her again. So to speak.

[yourheartstrings]

Mmmmmm.

Eventually, though, she too needs a break. Definitely the fun kind.

[lifes_sake]

Who's next?

[truthwright]

"Our turn!" says Petaal.

[lifes_sake]

"Right, do I need to do anything special what with you being a pair?" Cam inquires.

[truthwright]

"Nope," says Kas. "We've got the same mindscape and everything."

[lifes_sake]

"Cool. Off we go, then."

Off they go!

[truthwright]

Kas and Petaal are in the habit of cuddling while they enchannel.

[lifes_sake]

No skin off Cam's nose.

Petaal's aura suggests that he could touch her if he wanted. He hasn't made up his mind about whether to try it, but he is sort of curious what it's like, since it's supposed to be like something.

[truthwright]

Petaal has been taking angel form lately. Her wings look, as Queenie claimed, soft and fluffy.

[lifes_sake]

Between spells, Cam reaches in the direction of a wing, and pauses an inch short; he's not sure if he should trust aura-welcome alone. "Mm?"

[truthwright]

Petaal grins and stretches out her wing and folds it lightly around him.

"Aren't I cuddly?" she says happily.

[lifes_sake]

"Ooh. Quite."