I've Arrived

Magic? You say?

Next Day

                It's Friday, school has ended, students are creating a ruckus throughout the halls as they pack up to leave. Egon and Luke, with Vin in tow, sneak out the back. They enjoy a peaceful quiet walk to Egon's house.

                 Complaining he is hungry the moment he's out of the backpack, Vin grumbles for sustenance.   Egon heats up some leftover LoMein. Both boys settle down to study while Vin slurps up noodles.

             Egon catches Luke drifting off. "What's wrong, not feeling like studying?"

             "It's not that. It's just... I don't see the point. There's no point to anything anymore. I'm going to slowly lose my mind and then die. It's not like some magical cure will show up."

            Vin coughs on a noodle.
"Magic, you say?"
Abandoning his bowl of noodles, you can see the wheels turning in his head.

            A message pings on Luke's phone. After glancing at it, Luke hurriedly closes his textbook.
"Shit, I gotta go. I forgot my Mom would be home for a few hours. She likes me to be there when she's home.  To "spend quality time together".  See ya Egon, bye Vin."
Luke hastens out of the house.

      Egon studies Vin, who has an intense concentrated look.
"You're formulating something, aren't you? Something to do with magic? For Luke? "

      Rubbing his chin in thought, Vin starts pacing on the bed.
"I'm not able to directly gain magic or bring in a wizard.   We didn't find way to my old.  Still,I do have something.   I have access to an item that will give me magical information.

        "Don't leave me in suspense, what is it?"

          A rather large, thick book with a red velvety spine and cover, materializes on the floor.

          Egon peers down at it with disappointment.
"How is a an old book going to help Luke?"

           Vin shoots him a cross look.
"Where's your sense of wonder? This is a Tome. Basically, a big book of magic spells.  All the Instructions and ingredient.  If I can find the right one and learn how to cast it.  I might be able to heal Luke."

       Still dubious, Egon tentatively placed a hand on the soft cover.
"Something in here could help Luke?  What if magic doesn't work here the way it does there?"

          Vin jumps down from the bed. "The healing spells are rather straightforward.  This Tome may or may not have any, but I have more books stashed in my bag.
Luke has grown on me.  He's worth the try."

            Slowly, Egon opens up the book. He scrunches his face at the symbols and foreign wording.  
"I don't understand any of this.  It's complete gibberish."

          Vin pushed Egon's arm aside. "Oi, leave the hunting to me.   I am fluent in this language.  It makes perfect sense."

                Needing both hands and arms to maneuver pages, Vin opens it to the first spell page. 
A tiny pair of reading spectacles appears on his snout.  Pouring all his attention into the task at hand.

                    Aware that Vin doesn't need any distraction,  Egon leaves the room. 
Grabbing a soda from the fridge and a can of Pringles, he sinks into the couch and turns on the Television.

                  After an hour and a half of nonsense reality shows, and an empty Pringles container, Egon heads back into his bedroom. 
He finds Vin fully immersed in searching, trying to locate the miraculous healing spell. 

                   Vin's reading glasses are askew. An empty mug and a half empty mug of frothy Ale placed next to him.  He is more than halfway through the same red spell book. 

                     He looks exhausted.  Downright knackered.
"Why don't you take a break?  That must be like studying for an exam.  You can only go at that pace for so long.  Your body demands a break."

                     The tiny spectacles vanish. Vin climbs up onto the bed with Egon. 
"I wish I were as wise as you.  Though I do measure up to you as far sexiness

                   "It's not wisdom.  It's shared knowledge.  It's elementary.  Shit that everyone knows.  My brain power is average at best."

                 Vin stretches out his arms and legs.  "I've failed to find anything useful so far.  I have a lot more information to filter through.  Hope remains alive."

                  "Speaking of hope, I think we should not tell Luke about this yet.  In case nothing helpful is found.  Building him up with hope only to wind up knocking him back down seems cruel."

                   He rises with another long stretch of the body.   Plunking himself in Egon's lap. "Can you show me how to use your gadget to talk to Luke like you promised?  I want to ask him if he can send one of those picture things with his shirt off."