A question

[connie_maheswaran]

[Yes, it is rather easy to send one of these out when you have the internet back home. Connie was a little vexed that there was no network quite like that here, but she'd make do].

Ok, I know that most of the people here have a lot of questions about how things work and how to fight and all, and so far there have been plenty of you who have graciously given us answers and time (I'm very grateful to specific people here like Mr. Crackshell and Webigail and Princess Deetz, but many of you really helped, thank you). I have a different type of question though.

For those of you who live here and work, how easy is it to do all of your magical studies and keep a stable job? Back home I have to be attending college, but I'll be living on campus. That's different from working here and living AND learning about magic.

Basically, how do you budget your time? Any tips?

Comments

[connie_maheswaran]

You look tired. Run down. In pain.

[Warning signs that she noticed immediately after someone back home had been dealing with something....remotely similar].

What's happened?

[crackedreflection]

I was dumb and I hurt myself. Next question. Ask me why I'm made out of metal, that's usually a great conversation starter.

[connie_maheswaran]

[Well, that was to be expected, but Connie pushed her questions back for now, though not forgetting it either. THAT had been a mistake before].

If you don't mind answering. I get it if it gets annoying to be asked that a lot.

[crackedreflection]

I'm a living reflection. Say hi to your mirror for me at some point, your reflection deserves some thanks for all the work she puts in.

[connie_maheswaran]

A reflection? You're a reflection?!

That's....so cool! How are you all chrome?!

[crackedreflection]

Because I'm made out of mirror stuff, duh.

[connie_maheswaran]

There's nothing like that back home...although there is plenty of weird stuff there too, Long story.

How did you manage to, well, break free? I mean, can that happen back where you're from?

[crackedreflection]

I tricked my prime into swapping places with me. When that didn't work, she attached me to her knife's mirror instead of the Mirror World's surface so I could get out.

That is the angriest looking story I've ever seen

[connie_maheswaran]

And that worked? Do you still need to carry the knife with you?

[crackedreflection]

I can here, but it was physically attached to my body back on the train. My flesh would do this grody goopy thing if you tried to take it off.

[connie_maheswaran]

Whoa, no kidding? That is rough.

So that means you're one of the first from your world to exist in a world where you aren't just forced to be a mirror image!

I'm really sorry that with that freedom, you get dragged here though. That must be pretty frustrating. This place is nice enough, but it can feel kind of confining too.

[crackedreflection]

It's a lot better than the train, though.

A... lot better.

[No Jesse, but she could deal. She always has.]

[connie_maheswaran]

Wait, there's a train involved?

What's so bad about trains? I barely ever get to ride one. I always wanted to, but we live in a beach town.

[crackedreflection]

Basically, if you have personal problems with two capital Ps, the train kidnaps you and forces you to work through them until you're a healthy person again.

It's actually kind of a terrible system, honestly.

[connie_maheswaran]

It sounds a lot like what happened HERE, except it has nothing to do with our personal problems and everything to do with the kind of person we are.

But I agree, it does sounds like a bad system, given the kind of variables that can pop up.

[crackedreflection]

Also, it kills more people than it helps in my experience.

At least you don't age inside, so you don't have to worry about dying of old age before you solve all your personal crap, but once you get out...

[MT gestures at herself.]

It all snaps back.

[connie_maheswaran]

[Here Connie just looks stunned].

That is pretty horrifying. Do you...I mean, you don't have any kind of family you have back in your world, you're just a reflection?

[crackedreflection]

[MT immediately makes a sour face. Don't go there, Connie.]

[connie_maheswaran]

[And just as the words leave her mouth Connie realized what she'd said. Crap. Why, why did she say that? People had different families, she knew that, and some of them just...there was no telling what anyone had been through. She had to remember that.

Steven would have known enough not to say this, him of all people].

Um, no, sorry I was just...thinking of my own experience. I keep forgetting. In the multiverse, even in my OWN world, there's no such thing as a universal concept. That was stupid.

And I should know that of all people. It's not like my experiences were ideal.