Uno and Fog: Fulfilling Expectations

“An Imp.”  As if that explained anything.  Did it call itself that, or was that the name given to it.  What did it call itself, if anything?  The name implied things, but didn’t mean they were true.

Ms. Teri moved her arms as if she was slowly reeling in an invisible line, the little creature struggled, hissed and clawed at the carpet as it was slowly being drawn in toward the spellcaster.

Once it was close, she put one black boot down on top of it and pressed down.  It squirmed and made little grotesque pleading noises.  Teri  peered down at it, “tell your master you failed.” she stamped down and the thing popped, leaving a black smear on the carpet.

I wasn’t sure if that was going to come out, or how I was going to explain that.  “I assume that was something that served LMSK?”

Teri nodded, and whiped the gunk off her boot with a tissue, “he had it waiting for you in his place and attached itself as soon as It could so it could report your position.  The things are good at hiding in shadows and reflections.”

“Great.  I suppose I should expect more of them.”

“Maybe,” she threw the tissue away, “but he has failed twice, he will probably be more cautious with you at this point.”

“Or he will go with overkill next time.”

“Perhaps, but he’s been trying to gather power, not expended it.  He has been careful so far, I would expect him to lie low, but its hard to say.”

She handed me another burner, “call again if something happens.  There are two numbers, if you are under attack call the second one.”

I took the phone and nodded.

She then handed me a small necklace. “Wear this, it should obscure you from magical scrying.  The operative word is obscure, not invisible, and no guarantees for any other kind of surveillance.

I took the small crystal impeded in silver and place it around me neck.  It felt cold against my skin, “I knew there was going to be magic crystals at some point.”

She stared a t me for a moment and I realized that with the heels in her boots she was my height, “It didn’t have to be a crystal, but that’s what you expected.”

I couldn’t tell if she was joking or not.  It implied things again that I wasn’t sure were true or not.  Did someone’s expectations matter in magic?  Did she fashion it for me based on my expectations, did it change to conform to my expectations or did it have to be made based on my expectations

She headed for the door, I opened it for her and said, as she headed out.  “I will have the paper work on the research grant sent down to your office, I look forward to supporting your research.”

She actually smiled a little bit at that, before heading out.