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[X] Talk about magic.
[X] Talk about Shanghai.

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"So I hear you two can use magic?"

Marisa immediately perks up at this. She talks about her exploits in her magical study, which mostly involves stealing books, spellcards, artifacts, and ideas from other magic users. She also talks about her own personal experiences in developing new spells and experimenting with reagents, which usually end up in violent explosions (This explains why the clearing around the house is quite large). Anon learns much about Marisa's daily experience with magic, but not much about how it actually works.

Anon suddenly notices that Shanghai is no longer on the table. Alice smiles at this. To his surprise, Shanghai suddenly pops up from behind Anon's head and glomps his face.

"If phismff mrrggfkk?"

Alice giggles as Shanghai let's go of Anon and floats backward.

Anon gently nudges the doll with a finger. "Is this magic?," he asks.

This time, Alice perks up as she explains how she uses magic to manipulate dolls. The general idea is to send different types of magical energy into the doll to move its limbs. Some materials easily synchronize with magical energy, while a few rarer ones even resonate their own. She is especially proud of two of her dolls, Shanghai and Hourai because she is able to infuse some limited independence into them. Anon learns much about doll-manipulation magic, but not the underlying theories that govern it.

The conversation goes no further since everyone is finished eating. Marisa takes the pot and bowls back to the kitchen to clean up. Shanghai is hovering at Alice's side. Alice is looking at Anon intently.

"Is there something on my face?," Anon asks.

"You have potential, which is unusual for an Outsider. I'm sure Marisa also noticed," Alice replies, smiling.

"Potential?"

"Not everyone can learn magic. You look like you have the capacity for it, which is rare for humans."

Anon takes a moment to consider her words. Magic is really useful, from what he hears. He can do all sorts of fun things with it - flying, shooting lasers, conjuring familiars, etc. For a moment, he loses himself in his daydreams.

"You have to start with the basics, of course," Alice interrupts. "I don't think Marisa keeps any of the simple books. I can lend you a few written for beginners at my house."

Did he hear that right? Anon looks at Alice. She turns slightly pink as she turns her eyes away.

"I mean, only if you have time for it," she says, almost whispering.

Suddenly, Marisa bursts in. She is holding her broom and a large sack.

"All right then, I have to go pick up some things from Kourin. You wanna come?"

Anon takes a moment to think.

[ ] Go to Kourindou with Marisa.
[ ] Go to Alice's house to borrow books.
[ ] Go somewhere else alone.
[ ] Custom