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storypaint) wrote2011-03-08 06:46 am
storypaint) wrote2011-03-08 06:46 am
[Yu Yu Hakusho/Discworld] indistinguishable from magic (Ridcully gen)
Title: indistinguishable from magic
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho/Discworld
Length: 891 words
Prompt: Yu Yu Hakusho/Discworld for someone on plurk
Pairing: wizards & Botan gen
Other: This fic has footnotes.
Excerpt: By this point in their illustrious careers, the wizards of Unseen University had managed to successfully perform the Rite of AshkEnte seven times without perishing horribly.
By this point in their illustrious[1] careers, the wizards of Unseen University had managed to successfully perform the Rite of AshkEnte seven times without perishing horribly. This, if nothing else, would qualify them for inclusion in some of the Library's most exclusive books.[2]
Ridcully was almost resigned to it going sideways about half the time. That was one of the many reasons he hesitated to agree to the Rite. Death took an extraordinary number of holidays, in his opinion. It was almost as if he didn't respect his office.[3] They'd managed to summon the apprentice once, and Death's granddaughter twice, and the look on her face the second time had nearly caused the Bursar to go into convulsions.
Ridcully knew, however, that Ponder wouldn't have suggested this unless he had no other recourse. It took a miracle for Ponder to admit that Hex was insufficient for any task that didn't involve physical movement.[4]
"All right," he said finally, and when Ponder held up the 4 cc's of mouse blood and the sticks, Ridcully sent him for the rest of the stuff. When all of that was acquired, they set about the Ritual. When the smoke cleared, however, Ridcully groaned. The rest of the older wizards broke for cover. He didn't bother to chase them.
"That certainly doesn't look like Death," Ponder whispered in Ridcully's ear. Their eyes were both focused on the woman standing before them, who had a bright blue ponytail and a vibrant pink kimono. She was looking around with considerable interest, and there was no evidence of skull, scythe, or black robes anywhere. Ridcully looked down. The mouse blood was gone. How odd.
The woman smiled at them and leaned back on the paddle that she was sitting on. The paddle was floating in the air, but as Ridcully saw no evidence of pointy hat about her person, either, the idea of her being a witch was also summarily dismissed.[5]
"Hello over there!" she called out suddenly. With a clear disrespect to the details of the Ritual, she stepped out of the containment circle and grinned at them. "I heard your call for Death and thought I'd pop by. I think yours is busy. He has a bit of a temper, you know. I hope you don't summon him often."
"Urk," Ponder said.[6] Ridcully coughed.
"Are you saying that you're Death for a different world?" he asked, trying to remain as professional as possible. The Death-girl dared to smile again.
"That's right!" she said, lifting her index finger. "Botan, at your service! Well, at the moment. Can I help you gentlemen?" She glanced around again, nose wrinkling. "You look like you could use a maid," she said, a little reproachfully.
"Uhh, we were wondering... That is..." Ridcully glanced at his companion and decided to make a sacrifice for the good of the university (e.g., himself). "Ponder was wondering if there was some odd influx of magic going on. We're getting very strange readings on the thaumometers. And one turned into a pig, earlier."[7]
The cheerful Death considered the question, and finally she shrugged widely. "Not my jurisdiction, I'm afraid. Maybe I could talk to Koenma..."
Without any type of flashy or loud magic, Death's granddaughter appeared in the circle that Botan hadn't scuffed. Her hair was restlessly restyling itself, her eyes were dark, and her hands were firm on her grandfather's sword.
"This is where you've gotten to?" she said, sounding like a teacher retrieving a lost child.[8] "Come on, we have better things to do."
"Miss Susan--" Ridcully began, but the glitter in her eyes silenced him faster than the staff when presented with budget cuts.
"Nice to see you gentleman again, thank you," she answered mechanically, reaching out of the circle and grabbing Botan by the arm before vanishing again without fanfare, taking the other with her. After a moment, Ponder dared scuff out the circle. Who knew what might fall into it next?
"Some days I prefer ignorance," Ridcully said to him. After a very long moment, Ponder nodded, his expression bewildered.
******
[1]If the definition of "illustrious" can be stretched as far as the wizards' pants, in any case.
[2]Daring Death: a wizard's guide and The 50 Most Insane Currently Living Wizards respectfully.
[3]Ridcully's office, that is. Since people were still dying regularly, Ridcully assumed that Death was respecting his.
[4]And if Ponder didn't think that Ridcully had noticed the portable device that Ponder was working on, then he wasn't half as smart as Ridcully thought. He really needed to do something about the mouse if he wanted to be unobtrusive.
[5]Death without his customary scythe was easier for Ridcully to contemplate than a witch (or wizard) without a hat.
[6]"I knew he just stayed in there for the look of the thing."
[7] It had eaten enough of the University food that Ridcully was considering giving it an honorary degree, just so he could feel less embarrassed.
[8] Not that Susan ever lost a child. She knew exactly where her charges were at all time. It was probably hereditary.
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho/Discworld
Length: 891 words
Prompt: Yu Yu Hakusho/Discworld for someone on plurk
Pairing: wizards & Botan gen
Other: This fic has footnotes.
Excerpt: By this point in their illustrious careers, the wizards of Unseen University had managed to successfully perform the Rite of AshkEnte seven times without perishing horribly.
By this point in their illustrious[1] careers, the wizards of Unseen University had managed to successfully perform the Rite of AshkEnte seven times without perishing horribly. This, if nothing else, would qualify them for inclusion in some of the Library's most exclusive books.[2]
Ridcully was almost resigned to it going sideways about half the time. That was one of the many reasons he hesitated to agree to the Rite. Death took an extraordinary number of holidays, in his opinion. It was almost as if he didn't respect his office.[3] They'd managed to summon the apprentice once, and Death's granddaughter twice, and the look on her face the second time had nearly caused the Bursar to go into convulsions.
Ridcully knew, however, that Ponder wouldn't have suggested this unless he had no other recourse. It took a miracle for Ponder to admit that Hex was insufficient for any task that didn't involve physical movement.[4]
"All right," he said finally, and when Ponder held up the 4 cc's of mouse blood and the sticks, Ridcully sent him for the rest of the stuff. When all of that was acquired, they set about the Ritual. When the smoke cleared, however, Ridcully groaned. The rest of the older wizards broke for cover. He didn't bother to chase them.
"That certainly doesn't look like Death," Ponder whispered in Ridcully's ear. Their eyes were both focused on the woman standing before them, who had a bright blue ponytail and a vibrant pink kimono. She was looking around with considerable interest, and there was no evidence of skull, scythe, or black robes anywhere. Ridcully looked down. The mouse blood was gone. How odd.
The woman smiled at them and leaned back on the paddle that she was sitting on. The paddle was floating in the air, but as Ridcully saw no evidence of pointy hat about her person, either, the idea of her being a witch was also summarily dismissed.[5]
"Hello over there!" she called out suddenly. With a clear disrespect to the details of the Ritual, she stepped out of the containment circle and grinned at them. "I heard your call for Death and thought I'd pop by. I think yours is busy. He has a bit of a temper, you know. I hope you don't summon him often."
"Urk," Ponder said.[6] Ridcully coughed.
"Are you saying that you're Death for a different world?" he asked, trying to remain as professional as possible. The Death-girl dared to smile again.
"That's right!" she said, lifting her index finger. "Botan, at your service! Well, at the moment. Can I help you gentlemen?" She glanced around again, nose wrinkling. "You look like you could use a maid," she said, a little reproachfully.
"Uhh, we were wondering... That is..." Ridcully glanced at his companion and decided to make a sacrifice for the good of the university (e.g., himself). "Ponder was wondering if there was some odd influx of magic going on. We're getting very strange readings on the thaumometers. And one turned into a pig, earlier."[7]
The cheerful Death considered the question, and finally she shrugged widely. "Not my jurisdiction, I'm afraid. Maybe I could talk to Koenma..."
Without any type of flashy or loud magic, Death's granddaughter appeared in the circle that Botan hadn't scuffed. Her hair was restlessly restyling itself, her eyes were dark, and her hands were firm on her grandfather's sword.
"This is where you've gotten to?" she said, sounding like a teacher retrieving a lost child.[8] "Come on, we have better things to do."
"Miss Susan--" Ridcully began, but the glitter in her eyes silenced him faster than the staff when presented with budget cuts.
"Nice to see you gentleman again, thank you," she answered mechanically, reaching out of the circle and grabbing Botan by the arm before vanishing again without fanfare, taking the other with her. After a moment, Ponder dared scuff out the circle. Who knew what might fall into it next?
"Some days I prefer ignorance," Ridcully said to him. After a very long moment, Ponder nodded, his expression bewildered.
******
[1]If the definition of "illustrious" can be stretched as far as the wizards' pants, in any case.
[2]Daring Death: a wizard's guide and The 50 Most Insane Currently Living Wizards respectfully.
[3]Ridcully's office, that is. Since people were still dying regularly, Ridcully assumed that Death was respecting his.
[4]And if Ponder didn't think that Ridcully had noticed the portable device that Ponder was working on, then he wasn't half as smart as Ridcully thought. He really needed to do something about the mouse if he wanted to be unobtrusive.
[5]Death without his customary scythe was easier for Ridcully to contemplate than a witch (or wizard) without a hat.
[6]"I knew he just stayed in there for the look of the thing."
[7] It had eaten enough of the University food that Ridcully was considering giving it an honorary degree, just so he could feel less embarrassed.
[8] Not that Susan ever lost a child. She knew exactly where her charges were at all time. It was probably hereditary.