element_wizard | (no subject)

The other side of the portal lead to the end of everything. Or an everything. It was a surprisingly nice end of everything. A bar with plenty of tables, booths and comfortable chairs sitting by a fire with fish swimming within the flames. Rats wearing little suits scurried around carrying trays with food and drink on them to various patrons at various locations.

There's a scattering of people around with friends or by themselves. Doing everything from nothing, to eating to reading to making a mess on the table because they've pulled apart a machine. The rats are not happy about that.

And of course there's the Window where the end of the universe can be seen in all its glory. As it is the natural time of death for the universe, it won't do anything to Zack beyond looking beautiful. Repeating every few minutes or so as time is rewound. People pay to watch the universe end, not be there when it ends after all.

Alec stands on the other side of the portal, which also corresponds to a doorway, even though he was behind Zack a second ago.

"Welcome to Milliways. The restaurant at the end of the universe."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Clothing is easier than body colour or shape. Zack has no idea why. It must be the way he's made. Clothing is meant to be changed. Physical appearance, not so much. Although people do change the length of their hair and fingernails, so Zack can at least do that.

"Uh-huh." His voice is muffled behind his hands, but can just about be heard. "Give it a bloody good try."

They can also apply make-up. Which is why he's attempting it. When Zack removes his hands, the marks are back. They may not be identical, but they were never exactly the same when he made them appear or disappear before. After all, one cant apply eyeshadow identically every time. This works on the same principle.

"Good enouigh?" he asks.

That is true. Alec has changed his own clothes plenty of time just by thought. Though body shape is just as easy for him, he just doesn't like doing it. More change he does, the harder time he has keeping himself himself. One of the reasons why the eye scar keeps on returning.

"The color is black instead of red. If that's fine with you, then it's good enough," he said, gestured with his finger.

Alec not being himself would bother Zack. He likes his friend just as he is. Although Zack is at least sensitive enough to still like the Alec inside, if he changed his appearance some. Changing inside though, that's when a person becomes not-themselves.

He does frown a little at that. And to Zack's vast surprise, as he considers this, his head doesn't hurt. Which makes him smile. His feelings run the gauntlet a bit over this issue, however.

"Fine with me, yeah. Abe's gonna notice though. Not sure if that's gonna be a problem." It's a bit tricky. "He might be able to tell they're fake anyway."

Gods can be unpredictable that way. and As Abdiron did make him, Zack is pretty sure his brother will be able to tell the magic has been dispelled.

"You going to be able to handle that? If he does?" Not like he has a choice in the matter. Alec couldn't put them back on properly even if he felt like it.

He reaches over to grab a fried paradox and notices there were a few less of them than when he left. Someone made off with a few before sauntering off. Ah well. Taking one of the remaining ones he munches on it thoughtfully.

This is, he has to admit, a fun experiment and he can't wait to see what happens. Oh sure, he likes Zack and all. The boy's nice. But still. He is what he is. And poking at stuff is what he does.

"Gonna have to start handling shit soon, aren't I?" Zack sits back in his seat, assessing himself some. He doesn't mean to be self-absorbed, but everything feels that bit different. He feels lighter. Scared shitless in some ways, not least the purple fit Abe's gonna throw when he finds out.

The rat brings over the replacement water and cider. Zack gives it a nod.

"Table got knocked so I got you another drink," he explains to Alec. "Maybe next time, I can buy you a meal, for change." It sounds like a nice thing to do. If he ever sees the light of day again. oddly though, Zack doesn't feel quite as intimidated by his brother. He wonders if the magic had something to do with that too. Although the kind of punishments one gets in any hell realm tend to inspire dread.

"Theoretically. There's plenty of stuff I've been avoiding for eons that I should probably deal with, but they're less immediate of a problem than you and Abe." He flops back into his seat not at all minding that Zack is being all self-absorbed. This is all done for him, after all.

"Noticed." Death's Shadow tends to do that to people. There's a grin as he lifts up the new cider and salutes Zack. "I'd be more than delighted for that." While he doesn't need someone for to pay for him, it's still lets Zack feel like he's in control of the situation. Make him feel like he's an "adult" and his own person.

It's easy to not feel intimidated in a place of light and with a friend. The tricky part comes from when you actually face the darkness. That will be the true test.

This makes Zack feel a bit guilty. "You probably got more to worry about than us," he points out. "I'll find some way to deal with it. "There's always something isn't there? Some way out of any bad situation, even if it's bad for a bit."

Zack thinks about that for a minute, and finds he can, with no ill effects. It's great. and is going to take some getting used to. The worst thing he could currently think of is being kept in a jar. He wonders if even the likes of Solus Kaelen could find his way out of Alec's jar if he genuinely went about it the right way. Not that he would but that theoretically, he could.

For the most defenceless creature to get out of a horrific situation must be doable. Even if it means death. That still counts as a way. Except in some hell realms.. even then, there are ways of making one's life less awful. Zack has seen it happen.

Then again, he has seen a lot of hell, and it could also always be made worse.

Oh. Hang on...

"Hey, guess what," he grins at Alec, picking up the glass of lovely clean fresh water. "I just tied myself in knots with a train of thought, and it didn't hurt."

That earns a bark of laughter. "I do, but you are assuming I'm actually bothering to do anything about it. I am quite fond of procrastinating and being able to travel through time makes it even easier to procrastinate." The executive dysfunction that comes with being ADHD isn't so hard for him since he can just bop back in time whenever he's got the spoons to deal with it. "That being said, you are right. There is always a way out of a bad situation and you're smart enough to figure it out."

There's a slight tilt of his head and a quick blank expression as if his attention has skittered off somewhere. Then just as quick, it's back. "I might have something more to help you with that."

"Aren't you a lucky one," He says teasingly, and with no malice intended. Sometimes people who aren't magically bound can hurt themselves when trying to figure out a knotty train of thought. "It'll help when you get back. Prevent it from happening again."

Hopefully.