nexus_crossings | (no subject)

(no subject)

Hermione is back in the Nexus. She sits at a large table, with several computer parts scattered out in front of her. She is reading a large book in her lap, that she is writing in as she studies some of the technology in front of her.

Crookshanks is keeping her company today. He is laying on a keyboard, watching her lazily. Every now and then Hermione puts a piece of technology on a separate part of the table, and waves her wand over it. Whatever the spell is, it doesn't work at first. But Hermione just makes some notes over what happened.

She then smiles up at the Nexus. "What is something new you have learned recently? Did it change how you look at your life?"

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Iphigenia is nearby, looking at the computer parts curiously. She's seen people with more modern technology than she's used to here in the Nexus, but she's still mystified by it, truthfully.

"I've learned about the history of the world," she says, answering the young woman's question. "I mean," she continues, sounding a bit sheepish, "not all of it. Just the parts after I existed."

Which, frankly, is still a lot, though perhaps the princess doesn't realize that.

"And," she goes on to say, "I don't know if it changed things at all for me. It seems like people are the same across time."

"After you existed?" Hermione asks softly. There seems to be a story here.

Crookshanks opens one of his eyes to survey the new person. Then goes back to his cat nap. She has passed the Kneazle test for now.

"Well," she begins, smiling sadly, "Yes. Apparently, I'm from a long time ago. Compared to the other people here, I mean. And I obviously had no idea. So I took my time and tried to learn about what I would consider the future."

Iphigenia knows she's, well, old-fashioned, to put it lightly. She's trying to remedy that.

"What era are you from, if you don't mind me asking." Hermione is very interested in the past. At Hogwarts, they embraced a lot of old-fashioned ideals.

"I am from a city called Mycenae, in the land of the Achaeans," she explains. "But other people know me as someone from a land now called Greece."

Basically, she's from way in the past, is what she's trying to say.

"I am very familiar with the land of the Achaeans." Hermione grins. "Most of what I know is something that I learned from history books."

"In my world, the old ways are respected in the magical world. I am just learning about computer use." She nods to the many computer parts that are covering the table.

"Oh?" Iphigenia grins back, pleased that someone knows of her people. "I'm glad to have met you, then."

The princess eyes the computer parts again.

"I'll admit I'm not familiar with these modern things," she says. "They are daunting to me."

"I am feeling a little daunted myself." Hermione explains honestly. "But this is the kind of technology that is very popular with non-magical humans in my world. And I want to learn about them. How they work."

"Do you know where to start?" the princess asks, her brow furrowed in concern. "Because I don't, honestly. And--what sort of magic exists in your world?"

She's intrigued by this.

"I have read a few books. But the hands-on portion of the learning is a lot different than what I have read."

Hermione smiles. "Spells. Charms. Potions. Transfiguration. There are several different branches. Options for witches and wizards to learn."

"It just seems overwhelming to me," she admits, shaking her head. "And I have not met anyone who could do magic, though I knew a seer once."

Kalchas. One of the men who orchestrated her death.

"Prophecy is not the same as magic, though."

"We have two different ways of prophecy in my world. Divination. And Arthimancy. I prefer Arthimancy. It actually has roots in Greece." Hermione smiles.

"I find that the runes and the numbers are more dependable."

"I could never do that," Iphigenia says, smiling bashfully. "I'd be bad at it, I think. Are you good at Arthimancy?"

"Yes. I took advanced classes in it. I just really understood it..." Hermione pats a little beaded bag at her side. "And carry my Arthimancy runes with me."

"You must be very smart," the princess replies. "I could never..."

Iphigenia has never thought of herself as particularly intellectual.

"Would you be interested in trying to learn?" Because Hermione doesn't want this woman to think less of herself.

...She hadn't considered that.

"I may be, yes," Iphigenia admits.

Hermione opens her beaded bag, and with a flick of a wand several Arthimancy runes float into the air. "Well, let me introduce you to the basics."

"Arthimancy is derived from Arithmos and Manteia," since Iphigenia spoke about being from ancient Greece, Hermione doesn't translate the Greek words for her.

"You use the numbers and runes to analyze a situation to determine both the strengths and the weaknesses of that situation."

"You can turn any word into numbers, using the Pythagorean Method, by assigning letters into digits. You stay within single digits. So one to nine."

The princess watches carefully--and is a little bit in awe--as Hermione makes the runes float in the air.

"All right, I follow that," Iphigenia replies with a nod. She, er, thinks she does, at least.

It appears that a certain Cylon has decided to brave the Nexus by himself again. He's dressed in a suit, as usual, a deep burgundy in a heavier fabric to compensate for the weather. He doesn't hesitate to approach the young witch and her feline companion. Hermione gets a polite nod. Crookshanks gets a quiet chuckle. Looks like even a magic cat enjoys laying on a keyboard.

"You know those things work better when they aren't in pieces, right?" He grins a little to show he's joking. "What are you trying to do with them?"

As for her question, he has to think about it. "I've been reading up on magic. Trying to understand better how it works around here. It's been a real eye-opener."

"Let me show you an example. My full name is Hermione Jean Granger."

"So I am going to assign each letter in my name their corresponding number, from one to 26. H is an 8. E is a 5. R is an 18. M is a 13. And so forth. When I combine all those numbers I get 87. Then I want to go from a double digit to a single digit. So I add the 8 and the 7 to get 15. And then I add the 1 to the 5 to get a 6. So the 6 is my single digit for my first name."

"Granger is represented by a 7. And Jane is represented by a 3."

"Finally, I add the 6 to the 7 and the 3. I get 18. One plus 8 is 7. So my final rune number is 7. The number 7 represents Thought."

Crookshanks opens his eyes at that familiar chuckle. He stretches out on his keyboard and chirps a greeting at Caspar.

"I thought I would understand a computer better if I understood a little better about each of the different pieces inside of it." Hermione explained.

"And I am trying to merge technology with magic. I think I could create just the right spell... so that we can introduce more technology into the magic world."

Hermione smiles at his answer. "That must be a lot to learn. I have found several different kind of magic users in the Nexus. Each are different from how I create and use magic."

Iphigenia nods.

"So, your rune number says something about you, that you're thoughtful or like to learn. Correct?"

She really hopes she's getting it.

"Right. The number 7 is the seeker, the thinker, the searcher of Truth."

"Shall we try to find your Arthimancy rune? What is your full name?"

"It may sound a bit trite, but I've been learning about the Nexus. It's certainly changed my life, considering I was able to meet someone else like me for the first time."

Hazel recognizes the feline from the Yule party and beams a smile toward him. Why hello there kitty friend! Though when she reaches out to pet Crookshanks her smile falters and she hesitates, drawing her fingers back. A briefly troubled look flickers across her face before she gives a much more calm smile and gestures to a seat across form Hermione.

"May I..?"

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