Hubble Bubble Now There's Trouble (Open)

Hazel would have spent some time exploring the tower after waking up and then getting separated from the others, she found herself in a familiar room, one she'd explored before, finding the room empty she simply shrugged, it looked like a comfy room to wait out till someone else found a solution.

It had been shown to her that her magic had no effect on the wall surrounding the island, it was obvious it'd take someone or something more powerful than herself, and with her workshop far away, as well as her garden and her big heavy spell book, she had no way to find any new solutions to help, she was only equipped with what she usually had stocked on her person. Deciding to just find a way to entertain herself until someone else showed up, she found a rubber-band ball in the fruit bowl and decided to just sit down on the couch and practice her magic, using her levitation spell with her wand to lift it then threw it against a space on the wall, which then would bounce against it, onto the floor then back to her, Hazel would practice catching the ball with her wand and levitation spell, trying to use it like an extension to her hand.

Eventually a blocky humanoid much like a game avatar would walk into the room. From the craning of his neck it may have been evident he was seeing it for the first time. His gaze did not linger on the magnificent view from the large panoramic window, though, but rather the features and amenities of the room itself. (O_O)

So this was how the other side lived. Like the penthouse elite. How could this extravagance be necessary for crime fighting? Titans must have had a hard time justifying this to their donors. The Megatron-9000 living-room display system. Basically a television screen that could crush you if it fell on you. Vending machines. A fully kitted out kitchen with every appliance from toastie makers to steamers to deep fat fryers. Was that a keg plugged into a beer tap?

When he got to the room's sole occupant the sprite stared at her like she was another fixture. Not a Titan. Just another one of the many squatters. Forward slashes appeared briefly on his cheeks when he took in her attire. Not subtle in the least. The hat coupled with the wand suggested a magic user. As did the casual display of magic.

If she was trouble around Jump he would have heard of her. And she had to be around Jump. Everyone else seemed to be. So a small-time or clandestine practitioner. He should ask Nina, she might have more street knowledge than him on such an individual.

But there was no use staring at the girl forever. Pix sat on the same couch, heftily, so that the rest of the sofa bumped up as he landed. He leaned forward, giving a bent-back posture, clasping his hands together as he looked at a spot on the floor. (-.-)

"Lemme guess. Vending machine empty. TV stations under static. Fooseball ball gone. Invasive AI put you off taking a soak." Seriously. She chose a rubber-band ball in the entertainment facility.

Hazel would just casually look to Pix and watched him as he walked over and sat on the sofa before catching the rubber-band ball for the final time and putting it on the nearby coffee table "weird lack of hunger in this place, didn't try the tv because I figured no signal...although weirdly we have electricity...how are we getting that without a connection to the power grid...also fooseball you gotta have two people, aaand I haven't had a proper conversation with the AI, just figured this would be a nice time to practice my magic accuracy" she said.

"All modern forts have personal on-site generators. Not much use if an enemy could disable your electronic defences from outside." He'd considered it before. But the Tower was entirely self-sufficient. To a point. They theoretically needed fuel for the generator. Unless Hotwire had perfected perpetual motion in his spare time.

Even if they were in danger of running low, they had various energy producing powers that Kris could absorb and redistribute as electrical output. He was their charging station.

"I doubt the AI will like us visiting it though. Anyway. Are you the kind of sorcerer who decides the fate of man by the cutting of a silver thread? Or are you due to meet the Prince of Denmark on stage in about half an hour? Tell me about you."

Hazel would nod at Pix's logic, figuring they probably had a generator, maybe even a few generators, a backup generator for their backup generator, who knows, she hadn't felt tired since being here, maybe it was the same for objects such as generators, maybe they had an infinite fuel source here so the generators didn't get tired, she got lost in thinking about that stuff for a moment before Pix talked again "oh, well, I'm nowhere near as powerful as a Fate or anything, nor am I a court magician, I went to school to do magic, learned some spells, my favourite subjects were herbology and potion making so I just took them into a career making and selling potions at my market stall, I even have it with me" she would reach for the cube in her belt and held it on her flat open hand "this is my stall, it folds out like a lawn chair but easier" she explained.

Just then, a black cat with bright green eyes hurried into the room "Hazel! There you are, do you know how long I've been looking for you?! I've been up and down floors, worried sick, I had to negotiate with the AI because I couldn't reach the elevator buttons" the cat then hopped up onto the back of the sofa and stared at Hazel, seeming to ignore Pix "Sebby! There you are! How you been? Found any clues?" she asked, the cat just sighed with exasperation.

There were schools for magic? Wow. Why not. There had been schools for assassins and super villainy. Though it appeared that the idea of globally recognised academic credentials had been lost. Being all these schools were secret. Still a much more reliable method of education than what magicians usually went with. Word-of-mouth apprenticeships, inherited knowledge from dark entities which could be revoked on a whim, or else complete guesswork.

Pix was about to ask a question when a there was a third arrival. At first he couldn't see the speaker until he looked down. Was that a cat? () It would appear the idea of a witch's familiar was not so far removed from reality. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen a talking animal before. But the last one had been an orange monkey intent on dissecting one of his allies.

"Well, err, cat. I take it you're a package bundle. It looks like we're all in the same boat. Magic, science, nor expert deduction is getting us home fast. But I'd say this scenario reeks of intelligent design. So needs must we wait for our captors to make a move before we can figure out a counter." Pix leaned back into the couch, tentatively extending a finger to Seb's head, as if to stroke him, "You guys got any magic tricks to pass the time?"

Sebastian's eyes would slowly move to look to Pix, he hated to admit it, but he did indeed enjoy being petted, he would lean towards Pix and close his eyes "I lack magic myself, but Hazel has a few things to help her get around this strange city" he explained. Hazel nodded "yeah, I don't really have any fun spells memorised, because in this state the magical legal system only allows me to memorise a certain amount of spells to use in my daily life and carry a certain amount of potions, I can swap them out as I please, but usually I just keep self-defensive and spells I might need, I have my big spell book and my potions workshop at home so...yeah, but we could try find new ways to use the spells I already have though? I've got an unlocking spell that can also hack, although with this AI I'd rather not be obliterated on the spot, a levitation spell that well...levitates stuff, a lightning spell, an ice spell and a blindfold spell“ she said “also with my potions I’d rather not use them up because I’d need to refill those” she added.

Legality in magic? He hadn't realised the magical community had been so organised. He needed to ask Nina for her license later. Imagine, all along Kitsune had been the biggest criminal amongst them. Using twice the amount of potions than statures allowed.

Hugh's eyes subtly lit up when she mentioned the hacking capability (=D), their luminescence literally increasing. Wasn't really the priority. But multitasking was suppose to be an admirable skill. Wouldn't do to advertise intentions though, or make plans too steep to keep.

"I was talking of a demonstration. David Blane doesn't often open with a summary of his itinerary. Though honestly I'd find it more fascinating if he did." The sprite said before changing topic, "But you said potions. What sort? Can they heal? Wounds, illness, poisons?" Multitasking was admirable.

Hazel nodded and would take some potions from her belt "I've got smoke potions, great for making a quick escape, healing potions, fear potions, similar to that Scarecrow guy's stuff in Gotham, except there's an option to get around my version, so it's not completely evil, and then lastly, my favourite ones, my transmogrification potions, turns anyone into a random land animal for ten minutes, always fun and surprising" she explained. The potions she showed would have different colours and consistencies, in a few there were bits floating in them too.

A practical, deliverable form of magic. Pix liked her already. Looking around to ensure he wasn't being stalking by any serpents (especially checking the ceiling) Pix would transform back into a human. From his earlier reunion with Quinn his best friend seem to have various… misgivings that needed to be corrected. And Pix needed an insurance policy while he corrected them.

"Yeah I'm flesh and blood and all that beneath the pixels. Anyway. I'll buy a healing potion off of you. And you just said you had a limited supply. So doubtless you'll want something substantial in return." He could ask her what made the potion, and whether the supplies here were obtainable. But, even if the witch shared her secrets, there was little chance of 'eye of newt' popping up in Beast Boy's trouser draw.

"Money's no use here. And as you said, we have no need of usual essentials. Food and all. So here's what I propose. I'm told new people keep arriving. We have no control over who. I also hear people have died because less... agreeable individuals have been raging unstoppable kill monsters. Like Zydons. Or Sins of Gluttony. You've been sat here on your own, so I'm going to assume no one's watching your back. Save a talking cat. If **** were to hit the fan - could you rely on the others to ask the question 'Is witch girl okay'? Will they come looking for you two if they find a portal of escape?" Pix ran a hand through his hair, a pensive expression, "If you sell me that potion, me and my loyal cohorts will agree to watch your back in here. I've got a world premiere assassin, a griselled military veteran, and a cosplaying comic shop nerd. Not to mention I'm definitely the smartest person in our shared universe right now."

Hazel would listen to Pix and considered his offer "alright, sure, you got yourself a deal" she offered her hand to shake his and took out a health potion but quickly drew it back to herself "but if you or your friends screw me over, rest assured, being turned into a newt will be the least of your worries" she said before giving him the health potion "I don't have my contracts with me so we'll just have to have Sebby here as a witness of me telling you, if anything goes wrong, you can't blame me for it, but with a health potion, least you should get is maybe a bit of trapped wind" she assured him as she handed him the potion once he shook her hand.

Sounded like she was going to take this promise seriously. No matter. The agreement wasn't in letters. It would be easy to interpret if any inconvenience came of it.

"Side-effects. Lovely. The FDA might have something to say about those not being printed on the side." They might have something to say about her whole operation. Unless the same people who legalised magic enacted potion regulation on their behalf. Which was possible. It made him feel better about the prospect of drinking it, but that was an illusion. He really had no idea what went into the concoction. For all he knew Hazel might have given him a fear potion instead.

With any luck, however, he wouldn't need to use it. Quinn would come to realise the futility of her grudge. They were natural allies. Was she gonna throw that away for one misunderstanding on her part? He didn't think so.

The deal had also done something else. It gave Hazel and her cat a vested interest in the well being of HIVE members. He didn't know who to trust around here yet. If he knew a wiser course of action that some other group wanted to ignore; he would now have greater support.

Pix took the red-tinted flask with a cork stopper. He thanked her graciously and put it aside, "Now. You wanna see my magic trick? I just need you to stand over there, in front of the tv. Facing me. It'll be cool, I promise."

Hazel raised an eyebrow but decided to agree, standing up and going over to the tv, she was pretty suspicious of the pixel man, but if he needed a health potion, he could feel pain like anyone else. She would stand by the tv and face Pix, but ready to duck or take out her wand if it turned out to be a double cross.

Hugh concentrated on the scene in front of him. Focusing very directly on the witch and her form. He asked her to keep still, holding an arm out in front of him. The massive television screen behind her began to peel off its pixels. They drifted a few feet in from of the glass itself. Then they began to brighten and form colour.

"You can move now." Behind Hazel was now a pixelized, 2-D version of herself. It wasn't exactly camera capture quality, but rather a simplified version of her contours, edges, and shading. Having fixed that in his mind, the difficult part over, Pix set about animating it. The witch on the screen swayed her hips back and forth, dancing, "Ta-da."

Hazel would laugh and clap at the trick "hey that's pretty neat" she said, Sebastian would be sat on the sofa watching, but even he was pretty impressed with the feat "that's actually pretty good yes" he said, in a rare compliment "hey you should do Sebastian next!" said Hazel, Sebastian's expression quickly turning to that of a sour one "no, I'm not the dancing type" he said.