#bergen_county

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Adam eats his lunch in the school cafeteria, sitting by himself today.

Zane sees him and waves

Adam gives him a quick grin and waves him over. If he wants.

Zane t akes a seat, "Man, cheerleaders are awesome but busy. Tanya is at like a cheer lunch thing."

The other boy nods. "Think I heard something about that. The lunch thing."

"Well, you're one up on me. I got the news like two minutes ago. She says she told me so I guess she told me"

"You do any sports or anything?"

"Mostly a lazabout... but trying out for theatre "

"You'd be good at that."

"Thanks man. I tried track, but it just wasn't making me happy."

Adam nods, eating a bit more. "No point in doing something like that if it makes you miserable."

"I figure. How goes with you, man?"

A shrug. "Ok. Maybe a little better."

"Glad to hear it. I got the music sample you suggested for the thing..."

Adam nods. "You decide on a theme?"

"Fire..since we're holding it at the fire house... not actual flame... no need to burn things down.. but like that design."

He nods. "No costumes or anything, you said. What about food and stuff?"

"Oh, hot and spicy is the way we're going. I may see if I can get Tove to make some without telling her what it's for. Man she can burn tongues "

"Yeah, I had some of her stuff once, it was pretty hardcore." He agrees.

"Awright so.... food, drink, music, theme, location...... missing anything?"

"Hopefully hot girls are coming on their own choice" A chuckle

"Yeah!" More enthusiastically. "But invites wouldn't hurt."

"Already going out. A certain Amira is going to be there and be enchanted."

"Yeah?" His eyes spark.

Then his expression dims. "Huh."

"What's wrong?"

A shrug. "Gonna run out, eventually. Hope we do this thing before then; she might not look twice at me otherwise."

"So talk to her while she's not juiced? " He suggests "not about what you know but.. just to say hi and stuff?"

"Yeah, we do sometimes. Well, text and if I see her here I say hi. Her parents are pretty strict."

"Yeah. Mmm kind of like Eve's."

"Eve?"

"Eden." he says

"Eve is her mortal name" he says then smirks "You didn't know?"

"Oh." Disinterested "Naw, didn't know. Ok."

"You have more than one name? I mean, like, I know Sam's got another...."

He looks around, "Zangreus, don't spread that around. I go by Zane in both worlds for a reason"

A grin. "Yeah, no, that's cool. How come two names for everyone, then?"

"Well, helps the right of ignorance, partly... but also it's.well, we have old souls and naming rituals. It gets complicated" he admits "Of course, there's the true name, but that's a whole nother thing and no one sane shares that"

Adam nods thoughtfully, finishing his lunch. "What's a true name?"

"Everyone, everything, has a true name. For Fae, they're truly powerful. Know a true name? And... you have a lot of control. Influence. It's scary stuff. We have these wizards called namers who sain us.. help us find our true names. It allows us to be centered, to unlock our potential.." He quiets as other kids pass by, and waits, then when they do he says "It's pretty serious magic. THE serious magic. The nobles try to keep that for themselves but there are some non sidhe who are said to know it. Talk about Dumbledore rebel types."

Adam sucks down some powerade, thinking. "Zane? You think I'm a squib?"

"A squi.." He blinks "Shit. I... uh."

A sigh. "Yeah." Shrug.

"Look man, you're not a squib you're a kinain, it's not the same set up. I mean, you don't see me flying on a broom. or getting sorted into Hufflepuff. But some kinain are said to learn some arts. Maybe you could learn some magic."

"Maybe. I wanted to but.... hasn't been happening."

"Mm we need to give you lessons. Any type of magic you're interested in? I do chicanery, it's like illusions and charms."

"Dude, I don't even know what kinds of magic there are. Sam mentioned some but...."

"oh.. mm well, let's see, Ledgermain is kind of snatch and grab stuff... not just that but partly. Primal is big with the trolls... lowest levels you can make things whisper you answers... Wayfare, Gerd's aces at that... you remember seeing Siv jump up on a roof? That's the weakest magic of wayfare. There are lots of types."

"Yeah, I remember." He nods. "It sounds cool.... just not sure.... I mean, how do you -learn- stuff like that? Classes, books?"

"normally a mentor."