Convergence - The Last Science #2.1 - In Plain Sight

Interlude IV - Secrets - III

  Nikki sat in the corner of the room on a blanket, knitting herself a scarf from the materials Ruby had provided. Brittany was doing the same in her chair. Ruby had offered to make one with magic, but Nikki wanted something to occupy her mind. She thought it might help her concentrate better while she practiced her magic. Today, though, it was actually because she wanted a scarf, and because she wanted to keep Brittany company for a while.

  "So what's it like?" Brittany asked, setting aside her needles for a moment. "Finding out things with magic."

  Nikki sighed. "Not you too."

  She smiled. "Everyone's been asking?"

  "You're the seventh. Just Matt and Makoto left to ask."

  "It's exciting, though, isn't it? Being able to do something no one else can do."

  "Yeah, but we all know that." Nikki shrugged. "You found a Scrap all on your own, didn't you? Back in Tacoma?"

  "Matt found it, actually. I was at work." Brittany winced as she adjusted herself in her chair. She picked up the bottle of pills on her end-table and downed a pair before continuing. "We had it all to ourselves for a month before Rachel reached out."

  Nikki finished off the scarf with a satisfying final stitch. She tied it off and snipped the extra thread, before holding it up to show off. It looked perfect, neat and clean with a simple pattern of flowers she'd gotten off the internet.

  "Come on then, toss it over. Get ready to be judged." Reluctantly, Nikki threw it across the room to Brittany, who deftly caught it. She looked it over painstakingly, while Nikki waited with baited breath. "Hmm..." Without warning, Brittany tossed it around her neck and pulled it snug. "Very nice. I think I'll hang onto this."

  "Hey!" Nikki jumped to her feet, indignant.

  Brittany held up her hands in surrender, her eyes wide and fearful. "You wouldn't take a scarf from a one-legged woman, would you?"

  Nikki faltered halfway across the room. She wasn't sure if Brittany was serious. A second later, Brittany's face narrowed wickedly. She pulled off the scarf with a flourish. It flew across the room and snapped like a whip in midair, smacking her across the shoulder.

  "Don't give up so easily just because I'm stuck in this chair," Brittany scolded. She held the scarf in midair hovering above Nikki's head. "Go on, grab it."

  Nikki leapt for it, but it simply hovered further out of reach. She started looking around for a chair to boost herself. As she reached for the stool in the corner, Brittany's eyes flicked across the room. The chair suddenly tumbled over backwards away from her just as Nikki closed on it.

  "What are you doing?" Nikki asked, exasperated.

  "Reminding you what you can do." Her grin got wider. The scarf fluttered over Nikki's head, tapping her on the ear and rushing away as soon as she lunged for it.

  "I can't though. I suck at Movement magic, and it's your affinity." Nikki shook her head. "I can't beat you."

  "Do you remember that night?"

  "...Yes."

  "Are they gonna be worried about what affinity you might or might not have?" Brittany smacked across the head lightly with the scarf again. "Get the scarf, Nicole."

  Nikki hated her full name. With a snarl of rage, she flung out her mind at the scarf floating tantalizingly just out of reach. As the mental thrust of her willpower reached it, she hit a brick wall. Brittany's own projection of will, as strong as steel, totally unyielding. Nikki forced herself to slow down, and started feeling around the edges of her mental grasp, trying to find anywhere she might be weak. She'd heard Cinza talking about such a technique, and thought she might be able to use it to win this little bout.