"When you say magic, do you mean like magic," Ren waved his fingers up in the air, "or more like, alchemy and science they just don't want to call science?"
"I'll be sure to ask Casimir to make that distinction for you?" Hutch replied with a twisted smile and heavy shrug.
"Perhaps I should rephrase my question," Ren grumbled before clearing this throat. "Did you ever see anyone shoot fireballs from their hands?"
"Not without one of their pouches. There was some element I didn't understand or didn't have or recognize. Everyone who joins the army is tested for aptitude. You go into a room with a bunch of covered containers, and they tell you to find the leads. If you can't, you end up as a warrior. I had no idea what they were talking about. All I saw was what looked like smoke trails coming out of the pots and since I didn't want to make a complete fool out of myself, I told them that everything looked the same."
"Did everything look the same?"
"Some smoke was thicker than others, but the pots were all identical," Hutch recalled, having to think back on the moment. "Either way, I ended up in the warrior training, and giving my size, school of archery."
"Were you any good?"
Hutch cocked his head. "Yes. And I had a stellar military career, until it was abruptly ended. Wasn't half bad with a sword either, after I bulked up. Not that taking on a trained Sajomei warrior with one was an option. I basically only had it so I had something to throw myself on when the moment came."
"That paints a picture," Ren grimaced. "And what about Casimir?"
"Cas was a banner. Another reason I didn't think him being human was a possibility. But clearly, he figured out how it worked," drawing his hand to his chin he gazed off to the side, "or maybe it was because of his amulet. Either way," he focused his attention back on Ren, "he could use what they called amplifiers and catalysts. They were little pouches or glass bottles full of crap. Others carried around these dreamcatcher looking things; totems and effigies. But without that innate ability to find the leads, they didn't do anything for anyone else. And some banners were way more proficient than others. They also seemed rare."
"Sounds more alchemy based," Ren thought out loud, as he grabbed a notebook down from the shelf above his bed. "Banners is a strange thing to call a mage too. Toss me a pen."
"They are called Bannermen, because they carried the King's banners in battle. If you got injured, you ran to the banners. Trust me, it makes sense in context," Hutch replied, taking a pen out of the holder on Ren's desk and tossing it to him.
"If it didn't, they probably would have been called something else. What about other classes? Sub-classes?"
"Jobs. They were jobs. There were specialist fields, but they were all just jobs. Like I was an archer or Barhalis was a Shield, Cascel was an Augmenter, and Aseda, our other bannerman, was a Conjurer. What does this have to do with my current situation though?"
"Nothing. Was just curious," Ren replied, glancing up at him with a broad grin. "Casimir obviously had a reason for stockpiling the myrrget, and since it was used in their magic and he was a magic user, his master plan probably had some magic involved in it. However, whatever his grand scheme was no longer matters, at least not while he's here. That means, he must have a different motivation now for wanting to reconnect with you. Find out what his motivation is, and you will know if you can trust him, in regards to the amulet anyways."
"You make that sound a lot easier than it is."
"Not easy, but conceptually simple," Ren replied, as Hutch sat up and wheeled his chair over to the foot of the bed.
"What are you writing?"
"A list of questions you're going to want to ask him that would be important during a co-op interview. Ignoring everything else, you need to maintain your cover. And if he has an issue with finding us both places to get our hours, remind him that his wife started this."
"Haven't you already finished your hours?"
"A second co-op completed in afterschool hours at a company affiliated with Cascel Tower Corporation would look amazing on my university applications; even better if Celina can convince my placement to call it an internship. After you go back to Illimev, I'm still going to have to survive here. Getting scholarships, going to university, that's how I'm going to do it. While you're working on getting your life back, try not to forget that this is the life I still get to live."
Hutch was left stunned by Ren's words and watched him for several more minutes in silent as Ren filled the page with questions, written out in neat cursive. While he appreciated the effort, Ren was right. When he was gone, Ren would still be here, and he deserved every opportunity presented to him, regardless of what he thought of the source.
Reaching out, Hutch set his hand over the top of the page Ren was writing on.
"I'll take what you've written to maintain my cover, but how would you like to meet Casimir for yourself?" he asked with a cautious tone.
Ren pulled the book out from beneath Hutch's hand, and finished writing out the question he was on, before tearing out the page, folding it in half and holding it on his lap. His expression told Hutch that he was less then enthused by the idea.
"Let me get this straight. You won't introduce him to your mother, because he's, and I quote, a homicidal lunatic, but you're totally cool with introducing your seventeen-year-old, best friend, and neighbor to him?"
"Well, when you put it like that it sounds horrible," Hutch scoffed, folding his arms along the top of the footboard. "Besides, him being a homicidal lunatic has very little to do with why I don't want him meeting, 'Cherry Bomb.' Plus, it's like you said, lunatic, is not an accurate description of what he is. I'm also not asking you to stick around. Just be there with me when he shows up. Introduce yourself. Compliment his wife and tell him how eager you are to participate in the co-op program. Pretend, you know nothing, and when you leave, it ensures he won't do anything to me, because you're a witness to him being the last person to be seen with me."
Ren let out a heavy sigh, grumbling, "Fine. I like it," as he held the paper out towards him. "You're really that embarrassed over your mom, huh?"
Hutch groaned and lowered his head. "I know, it's awful. But cut me some slack will, you? I've spent the last decade of my life trying to put Casimir, who was my king, in a dungeon cell, and before that he was my commanding officer. Now, he's some super rich corporate big wig, and he sounded like Cascel on the phone. He sounded like the man, the brother, I used to know. All the years of going after him and trying to stop him, and I had forgotten what it was like to have a civil conversation with him."
"You respected him, and now you're afraid he won't respect you if he knows where you come from and how you grew up?"
"Yeah. And here I thought I had grown up while I was away," Hutch replied, lifting his head. "Being a teenager again sucks. All the angst, anxiety, and uncontrollable inner turmoil, and this unexplainable frustration I keep getting is really starting to get to me. You sure you don't want to join me for a run in the woods?"
"In the woods? Double no." His response was firm and accompanied by a harsh wave of his hands. "As for meeting Salvador, the King, the myth, the super villain, I'm in. I'll walk down with my mom. Car is in the shop for brake work. Grandpa insisted. So, your mom's going to be driving if they go anywhere."
Standing up, Hutch folded the paper once more and slipped it into his pocket. "Going to head home first and convince Cherry that leaving the house is a good idea. I'll call it an early Christmas gift and hand her the cash if I have too."
"Worst case scenario, you could just wait on the porch for him and jump in his car before he can get out. 'Drive!' 'Where?' 'Doesn't matter! Just drive!'" Ren played out the scene, modulating his voice for added effect, as he fell onto his side laughing. "Imagine the look on his face!"
"Hey now, don't sell yourself short, or underestimate my willingness to go that far," Hutch replied, smoothing back his hair as he put on his hat. "It's a solid plan, considering it's the only alternative to our mom's not taking the bait."
"If you use it, I'm taking all the credit though."
"Sounds good," Hutch said, holding out his fist to Ren.
"See you in a bit," Ren replied, striking Hutch's fist with his own.
"If I'm not home when you get there, just come out back and shout into the woods. I promise," Hutch said with a grin as Ren shook out his hand, "I'll turn up eventually and won't even make you run in after me."