Magic Is Real

                             Long post

“So F’lar and his wife Tina are settled at their new home.” Flynn commented.

“Yes.” Frodo answered noting how gaunt and haunted his brother looked. “By the way I left a tablet on the kitchen counter for you.” Frodo added before wandering down to the basement to work out.

Flynn stared at the tablet on the counter undecided if he would use it, lately he was having problems with electronics shorting out and needing repairs when he used them. He’d already had his comm unit fixed or replaced several times in the last month. It was at the point where when he walked into the tech shop the people running it just rolled their eyes and pulled out a refurbished low end comm unit.

Just as he put his plate in the dishwasher his comm chirped, it was one of the camps clients asking him to drop by his place for a private reading. Before he left he placed a call asking the handyperson to come out and repair the dishwasher.

Flynn observed the property as he walked up. He couldn’t visibly see any shades or ghosts but he could feel a weight to the air suggesting some form of entity.

After a carefully worded conversation Flynn realized that his client wasn’t descended from whomever had originally owned the house. Knowing that his recommendation wasn’t going to be well received Flynn explained that all he could do was offer a few washes and to craft a charm for luck.

“You just want my money.” His client grumbled.

Knowing as he did that money wasn’t everything Flynn said “Then don’t pay me, we’re not at the camp and there’s no one to say that you didn’t pay in some way other than cash. additionally since there’s not much I can do for you here I’m willing to give you the washes for free. I can also recommend some places where you can look for horseshoes which hung over the entry with the ends up will make a good ward for your home.”

Flynn waited, he supposed he could have just left but he wanted his client to understand that for him it wasn’t about the money.

“They had real horses here?” Flynn’s client finally asked.

“Yes.” Flynn said with a smile and then elaborated “there are even some wild horses still roaming the planet descended from the original stock that was brought here.”

In the end Flynn’s client paid him a a small amount that just covered the cost of making the washes, to which Flynn knew he’d add the difference when he turned over the fee to his boss. Flynn also told him the best places in town to look for old horse shoes.

On his way through town Flynn was flagged down by his cousin Shane who wanted a reading. Knowing it would help boost business at the camp Flynn obliged his cousin.

Exhausted Flynn left work. He had done well and his boss was proud of him, and hinted that he might get another promotion soon. She then reminded him that it would be almost a week before he came in again, because she had a large family coming in and many of the younger members were hoping to train in the arts of mysticism.

“I would much rather have you and a few other seasoned readers here this week Flynn, but it is custom amongst our people that when the young hit a certain age they are tested by elders from different tribes before beginning their training under the appropriate elder within their own group. The young when rejected don’t always behave well, and I’d rather not chance a were attacking you out of miss-directed anger” She explained with a heavy sigh.

The following morning Flynn was woken by Liam yelling in his ear. Wanting peace and quiet for the remainder of his day Flynn obliged his many times great grandfather by working out to the radio.

He was surprised to see that F’lar was over for a visit. When he saw the ghosts of their parents happily beaming and making a rocking motion with their arms. He paid closer attention to his brothers conversation.

F’lar was saying something about not being able to cook anything in the house without Tina puking. His voice sounded dejected to Flynn.

Knowing that F’lar and Tina had only been married for a short time Flynn picked his words carefully.

“Have you and Tina talked about when you want kids yet?” Flynn asked in what he hoped was a nonchalant tone.

F’lar mentioned that they had started to but both had gotten so busy with their new jobs that they hadn’t really had time to fully talk about when they wanted kids if at all.

Knowing his brothers skepticism towards his abilities and the existence of ghosts Flynn didn’t pursue the topic. Maybe I’ll send them a crib as a late wedding gift he thought to himself.

Wanting to stay busy Flynn spent part of his days at the park giving readings to any who were interested.

One day an older woman asked him how much for a reading as a shade stood just behind her and made an empty pockets gesture. He explained that since he wasn’t out at the camp there was no set fee, and if she was broke he was more than happy to give her a reading for free. She smiled and told Flynn that she missed her husband. Flynn smiled and through the reading suggested that perhaps she might feel less lonely if she moved in with her sister.

She was a little taken a back at first, but then she smiled, and said that her Billy had always said that she should go live with her younger sister Maybelle if he passed away before her.

That evening he celebrated his mid years birthday. He told Frodo that it felt weird celebrating on his own without F’lar.

The following morning as they discussed F’lars marriage over breakfast feeling melancholy Flynn asked Frodo if he had a game that night.

“No I don’t what’s on your mind” Frodo replied.

“Everything and nothing.” Flynn responded back knowing he couldn’t speak about his constant worry that he’d fail and why it bothered him. He then added “I was wondering if we could have a guys day and just go do some wacky stuff.”

“What kind of wacky?” Frodo inquired.

“New clothes, maybe some ink, hit the gym, just hang out in general.” Flynn replied feeling a bit blue that he was now considered middle aged and still hadn’t completed his goal.

The brothers stopped at the spa first and got tattoos. For reasons he couldn’t explain Frodo ended up picking out a small dragon. Flynn got a couple of small tattoos on his wrists that he knew would make the tribe happy as they indicated his ability and his allegiance to the tribe.

Then they went to the salon and got makeovers. Flynn was pleased with his new outfit, but Frodo wasn’t thrilled with his new outfit.

Afterwards Flynn gave his stylist a free reading.

On their way across the bridge back towards the main part of town Flynn noticed a black car with red stenciled lines on it. He nudged his brother “Cool huh.”

Frodo thought it was okay but liked a different electric car on the lot. They bought both cars and had Flynn’s delivered to the house and drove off in Frodo’s.

They had a brief lunch at the diner and then relaxed at the library for a while.

Their comm’s chirped it was F’lar wondering where they were, as he’d stopped by the house but no one was home. They invited F’lar to meet them at the gym for a workout session.

F’lar accepted, as they jogged on the treadmills F’lar explained that Tina was still getting sick and had made an appointment at the clinic, and that he had enlisted with the military so that he and Tina would have a steady income.

Frodo and Flynn expressed mild surprise that their brother had gone military over science.

F’lar grinned and said “Well the joke was on me they assigned me to research and development so now I’m a scientist for the military.”

As the hour grew late the brothers parted company. F’lar returning home to his wife, and Frodo and Flynn headed over to the cafe for their diner.

When they arrived home Flynn wandered down to the basement thinking that maybe he’d paint for a while before heading to bed. However at the sight of a family ghost playing video games on Frodo’s computer Flynn decided to head for bed instead.

Flynn found himself spending more meal times with Frodo just so he wouldn’t be alone. One day Frodo decided that they needed to host a winter party since the season was coming to an end.

Flynn shrugged and said that it sounded like a nice idea.

Frodo spent the day cooking burgers for the party. As the guests arrived they commented that Frodo’s cooking smelled wonderful.

When they asked F’lar where Tina was he grinned and then frowned a little before replying. “At home on bed rest, she’s expecting a baby, a boy.”

Then F’lar’s face split into a large grin. “I’m going to be a dad.”

As everyone finished with dinner Frodo turned on the radio and started dancing the smustle.

F’lar and Flynn nudged each other. Like most of the other party guests they didn’t necessarily want to do the smustle but at the same time they weren’t going to leave their older brother hanging. So they picked a spot just off to the side and started dancing too.

Eventually everyone left for the night including F’lar, who whispered “By the way thanks for the crib I know it was from you” into Flynn’s ear on his way out.

Before he knew it it was time to return to work. As Flynn drove across town he wondered if his boss had suspected the week to come and had planned the other families arrival with his birthday on purpose.

He pulled up and didn’t even make it to the trailer used for fortune telling. His boss was standing at the curb with an eclectic group of mixed supernatural entities.

“It would seem that your twin managed to stir a hornets nest at the science center, and a few scientists came out and poked around yesterday. I made it clear that I didn’t want them or their equipment here but they are a persistent and curious lot. So I talked them into a compromise. You, Flynn” and she poked him in the chest “are to take these volunteers to the science center for experimentation, and Flynn I named you as a test subject as well.” She said.

Startled Flynn could only nod his agreement. Getting back into his car he waited patiently for everyone to sort out where they were going to sit. Then they made their way to the science center.

Flynn couldn’t tell who was more nervous the scientists or the volunteers. Blood samples were drawn from everyone, and a scientist raced off to a corner station and started prepping slides for his microscope. A woman entered the room trailing cords behind her as she juggled several cases of equipment.

Eventually the room was set up into sections. In one section a scientist and a doctor from the clinic gave everyone, but the ghost, a standard physical exam. The were of the group grudgingly transformed inside the scanner so they could record her physical transformation.

Another section held various different electronic monitors and sensors of varying sensitivities, here the ghost had fun setting off buzzers and alarms. One device even emitted a vapor cloud that the ghost was able to use to make himself seen. Both the ghost the scientists got really excited when that happened. When it was Flyn’s turn they were startled to discover that even though full human he could absorb energy from the room and people around him, as well as transmit a low level electrical field.

Every so often the scientist who was studying slides at the microscope would come over and request additional samples from everyone, including Flynn.

Everyone got excited when the fae of the group was able to make a seed bloom, but they and the fae were sad when the small plant quickly withered and died. The fae admitted that because their powers where tied to the planets that they were born on they had a hard time keeping plants alive on foreign planets or in space.

As the hour grew late the lead scientist thanked everyone for their cooperation, and said that they had enough data for their studies to finish their research without the aid of anymore subjects.

After returning to the camp Flynn went to his assigned alcove for readings and everyone else went off to conference with his boss and a few other elders. As Flynn finished his final read of the evening a sudden guest blew through the trailer and the sound of hundreds of bells could be heard ringing through out, as the bells dwindled down there followed a loud crack Flynn couldn’t decide if the crack was thunder or glass breaking, however he had the feeling that something very important had just happened.

As he stood to leave he felt as if the world was spinning around him and everything went dark. He found himself standing in a dusk darkened room, there was a small light glowing above a bed in the room. He watched as a young woman with blue flowers in her hair stirred as if waking from a deep sleep.

“Flynn … Flynn wake up”

Oh gods what was that smell. Flynn started his bosses face was inches from his. “Ah, thank goodness you’re alright. Well Flynn any doubts the other elders have had about you are gone, and you can now count yourself as a Master of Mysticism and a member of our tribe.” She said smiling at him as she tucked a small sachet into a fold on her garment.

“We received two important messages via comm’s tonight. The first was from city hall they are willing to allow any Romani who wish it settlement rights the same as any human, with all the same legal protections. The second message was from the science center, should any of our kind wish to be cured they’ve figured out some cures, and even a way to give ghosts more solid forms again. The down side of that, in our book, is that some might work the cures in reverse so they can turn normals like you into a supernatural being.” She continued as she helped Flynn into his chair.

Exiting the trailer Flynn gave himself a moment to do the one thing he’d wanted to do ever since their parents had faded. He cried and grieved over their loss.

Determined to honor his families ancestors Flynn wiped his eyes and rushed for home.

Once home he carefully opened his brothers computer, while grounding his personal energy through his feet so he wouldn’t fry the device. After a quick scan of available properties he purchased an empty lot that could be turned into a private family cemetery.

Flynn also arranged for the delivery of two new beds.

Flynn would have done more but it was a curfew night, so he painted until he was tired.

Before climbing into bed Flynn hung his newest painting which he felt was a premonition of something to come, but was far to tired from the days events to attempt a ‘seeing’.

Frodo muttered a little about the new bed as he slid in for the night. The last thing Flynn heard was his brother sighing in content at the softness of the bed.

The following day Flynn arranged to meet Cassie in the afternoon at the park that F’lar had discovered.

He then went to the mausoleum and paid respects to the ancestors of everyone in the valley. Leaving behind the remains of the stranger who had faded on their property. While there he signed up to be the caretaker for the graveyard explaining that someone needed to speak for the dead.

He then went to the lot he had purchased and laid out all of their ancestors and conducted a small ceremony of thanks to them for all they had done during their lifetimes.

Then it was time to meet Cassie at the park. She listened patiently as he explained why he had had to wait and that now he was free to marry as he wished. “Cassie I’m not sure if you still want to marry me given I’m not exactly a normal human, I’ll always be able to see ghosts and don’t plan on giving up my ties to the Romani clan. So if you want out I’m willing to let you go.” Flynn said wrapping up his explanation.

“I think you already know what my answer is or you wouldn’t have asked me to meet you here.” Cassie grinned as she goosed him and led him towards the wedding arch.

“I’ve waited this long and I’m not going to wait any longer. I want kids!” Cassie exclaimed as she gently shoved Flynn under the arch.

They exchanged vows under the arch. Afterwards Flynn quickly sent Frodo a short message via the comm unit.

Promoted, married Cassie, thanks for the new house.

Cassie nibbled his ear and asked what new house as she looked over his shoulder.

“The one across town that we’re going to move into tonight.” Flynn replied.

“mmmmm” was Cassie’s only response as she shifted her nibbling down his neck.

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A couple of notes/comments:

Regarding the mystic track of fortune teller; telling fortunes is the key to advancing, more so than the alchemy skill, and if I had realized that sooner Flynn might have finished his clear a lot sooner than he did.

 About the links at 'absorb energy' those are two separate links; one to a brief article on a study that was published in the last year or so, the second to a counter argument against the study and what people have been making of the study's findings.

Four Thieves washes are real and are used regularly in various households. There are two primary variations; one is just vinegar and herbs that some people also ingest - smells a fair bit like salad dressing dependent on the herbs used, the other includes camphor oil and should Never be ingested. 

Because naturalist isn't cleared yet I didn't include smudging, which some scientists are studying (reddit counter points).

I've limited the actual practices used to just a few in Flynn's path on purpose. Even though fairy godmothers with wands aren't real. Curious scientists around the globe are making interesting discoveries all of the time, as the equipment available gets better and more sensitive to minute changes, that end up tying into some of the ancient practices of various indigenous groups. Additionally there was an interesting discovery regarding trees and plants and their communication, which to my limited knowledge is still being studied.