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[Well, this is certainly bringing things full circle. The irony doesn't escape him, but this time Christian is actually making an effort to do his job. As much as can be expected from him, of course.

Which means the network gets a nice view of a man at a small desk, looking more like an assistant than a professional in his oversized sweater and jeans completing the look with tousled hair. He's organizing books on the surface as he addresses the network, with titles including How to Find Yourself, Practical Counseling, and The Pocket Manual for Technical Magic stacked on top of each other. He has the phone sitting on one such stack, propped up behind the others.]

So. [Wait, false start.] You ever feel like this place is just a little bit weird?

I mean, how many cities have portals that lead to other worlds and collect people? And hire Magic Counselors? Hi, I'm Christian, Magic Counselor if you ever need one. I'm not sure how many people here do the magic thing. Do you?

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My world has magic, but not like that.

Magic Counselor? I didn't know we had one of those. I can harvest magic from the right kind of elemental stones, and I have some other abilities, but it's not really magic.

What does a Counselor do?

Well, apparently you do now. As if... two days ago, actually.

[Yup. He has no idea why the people of Gramarye were hiring for that position either, but apparently someone thought it would be a good idea to hire him. And that answer actually does resonate with him.]

Where I'm from, people use energy channeled through crystals sometimes, so it's not too different from that. Maybe I'm just here to help everyone sort things out. You know, if you need someone to talk to or things get hard. Magic doesn't always work the way we want it to.

It's not really that complicated back home. We have fire, lightning, and ice crystals. I can draw energy from it and convert it into magic if I have something to contain it after. The more energy, the stronger the magic.

(The basic magic system spills from his mouth, but even as Noctis explains the concepts, another thought comes to mind.)

Do you know a lot about magic? What about magical items?

[Christian listens and tries to find the practical vein beneath what on the surface sounds like a LARP mechanic, reaching for the magic. It happens that Noctis's question touches perfectly on that, and Christian smiles.]

Items I'm probably better with than other things. Comes with being human.

[That should mean something, but in this world perhaps the meaning is lost. He seems to think it's funny, like being human is a joke.]

Being human usually makes it harder to do magic. Monsters and Astrals have it easy, but humans have to depend on somebody like us for their magic.

And are you a monster or an astral?

[ That is a completely serious question, delivered without a hint of sarcasm. ]

Neither. Magic runs in my blood. There's other stuff too, like my ability to warp and some magic items. That's why I asked.

So you've got a talent. There are some people like that where I'm from too. Items are easier. They provide more stability.

Do you do that here? Is that the job they gave you?

Not always. Sometimes, the price is higher for the item.

No, I fish here. That's a lot better.

(Magic is a given talent, fishing is his passion.)

Oh, well that's mysterious. You're not going to give me an example?

[He doesn't expect one. He does laugh when Noctis says he fishes now.]

Professionally? You mean on a boat?

It's not mysterious. The ruling monarch has a ring that forms the shield that protects our city. It keeps them safe, but it's too strong. Eventually, the ring causes them to age and then die really early.

(The line. In other words, his father. Next, it will be passed to him.)

No, it's not a boat. I'm independently contracted. I'll probably go out a lot more when it warms up, but I'm sticking to the river for now. You can find some big fish if you go out far enough.

(It's such a transition to go from having the world on his shoulders to fishing all day, but he knows it's temporary so he'll enjoy it. It isn't that he doesn't enjoy the chance to make a difference at home, but here, he's not a prince. He's a fisherman. It's also a more pleasant topic than his father's impending death.)

[That description is surprisingly straightforward. Christian would laugh, except the reality is too serious for that. He gives the other man a concerned smile instead.]

That's... normal for you? Items with that much power? Where I'm from, people would never see something that could do that. Well, pretty much never.

[And if they did, it would be a serious problem.]

And now you're fishing. What have you caught? Tell me a good fish story.

[He also thinks that maybe Noctis will provide some signs of other local magic out on the river.]

Normal? It's part of what happens, but there's not a lot of people who know or can use magic without our help. We can lend it out, but the royal family and the Oracle are the only humans who can really use it themselves.

Outside of wall that protects Insomnia, most of the citizens live without needing to think about magic. The kingdom we're at war with doesn't have it so they use technology instead.

(It's a reality Noctis has been raised to know and accept. Of course, he wishes he could find a way to break the rules, but without their protection, the city falls.)

A good fish story? You like fishing? There's a really big one I'm trying to catch. There's a small stream that offshoots from the lake. I didn't think the fish would be too big there because it's a little more shallow so I didn't have the right line, but I'll be going back soon with something more durable.

Well, that's probably more normal that my world has ever seen. Most people would say you were making up stories if you told them you could do magic of any sort. Then again, I get the feeling politics work a bit differently in our world.

[ It's fascinating to hear Noctis talk about kingdoms, like a great fantasy adventure he'd like to go on. That is, of course, until he had to live it, but the idea is exciting. It appeals to his eight-year-old self that always dreamed of being a knight. ]

Have you seen it? The fish you're chasing? It's not some water spirit or weird creature in the water snapping your line, is it?

There's a big wall that protects our city, and it's created through the power of a ring. The people inside have to know about magic, but if it was used on a larger scale, things would be different.

(Noctis isn't telling him everything, but he's offering a cliff notes version.)

I didn't see it, the line broke before it got close enough. (The prince grins at the idea of it being a special kind of fish.) Even if it is, I'll catch it.

[It's definitely a summary of the situation, but Christian doesn't expect anyone to be able to explain how their entire world works with one story. It's the journey he likes, hearing about their experiences and learning, piece by piece, what things are in another place and time. Maybe, eventually, he'll even find a way there himself.

And chasing after mysterious fish is also an adventure. Little victories are rewards as well.]

If you catch it, will you show it to me?

(It's a little strange to find someone interested in his fishing stories. His friends from home enjoy the hobby too, but they usually want to participate or get bored if he spent too long with the rod.)

Yeah, I can try to find you once I catch it. Do you like to fish, too?

I like happy endings.

[Whether or not it's really a fish, Christian is actually interested in finding out what lives in the waters around the Quarantine. A magic-attuned person is more likely to be drawn to magical creatures so Noctis might accidentally encounter something that he could use for his research.

And he does like a good story either way.]

Do let me know how it goes. And if you run into anything weird while you're out. I hear there are monsters.

It's going to be a happy ending. Don't doubt it.

(Noctis smirks, his confidence showing through.)

Christian, right?

Right. And you're the magic fish hunter?

[He's giving Noctis a new name, yes.]

If we're going by nicknames, I want to be the Magic Fish Catcher.

Magic Fish Catcher it is. But you have to catch a magic fish. That's the rule.

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