[ OT ] Writing Workshop # 23 : Natural Dialogue

“ Ben, you ’ re … um. Leaking. ” He looked down and sighed, and the glimmer faded from his hands, leaving only a residual sparkle on his fingertips. 
 
 “ Thanks buddy. It … well, it ’ s getting to be a problem lately. ” 
 
 “ Yeah, and if you can ’ t keep it under control, it ’ s going to be a *big* problem. ” 
 
 Ben winced. “ I know, I know, but it ’ s not that easy for me. Not anymore. Look, just tell me the job and we ’ ll get to work. A few hours ’ effort should tap me out enough that it ’ ll be days before I start overflowing again. ” 
 
 “ If you ’ d just stop focusing it through your hands, Ben— ” he cut me off with a gesture, one that left a trail of light in its wake. It silenced his angry retort before he ’ d gotten more than a half syllable out; we both stared at the swirl that hung in mid-air for a few seconds. I continued. “ Ruben, come on. You have gotten way too powerful for finger-wiggling. I met someone, while you were gone. He might be able to help with this. ” 
 
 I could almost hear him grind his teeth. “ We ’ ll talk about this after the job Siggy. ” 
 
 “ Fine. But you need to bleed some of your excess off now. ” I tossed a small bundle at him. “ They ’ re not tuned. Put something, anything in them until you aren ’ t leaking magic anymore. ” 
 
 Ben dumped the bundle into his palm, then closed his fingers around the small quartz crystals. “ This is kid ’ s stuff, Sigs. ” 
 
 “ So? My little sister has more restraint than you right now. Ben, you ’ re leaking. Everywhere. If we weren ’ t in a shielded place, you ’ d be swarming with parasites. ” 
 
 He grimaced, confirming my guess that they were a problem for him. “ Damnit, Siggy, ” he breathed under his breath. I kept my expression passive. He ’ d accepted his defeat, but he ’ d start fighting again if I showed any sort of pride in this small victory. 
 
 One by one, he tuned the quartz crystals in his hand. They glowed briefly as they reached capacity, then faded. Eventually he was able to keep his magic reserves secured tightly under his own skin. He wrapped them back into the pouch and offered it to me. 
 
 “ Keep ‘ em. I ’ m topped off, and you might need that energy back before the job ’ s done. ” He raised an eyebrow, but stuffed the bundled crystals into a pocket. Then waited. Usually Ruben was the man with the plan, and he took an odd pleasure in drawing out the process and point of each scheme. 
 
 I, however, have very little dramatic flair. I quickly set up an illusory image of an all-too-familiar building, ignoring Ben ’ s gasp of recognition. “ I have a way for us to get into the Reliquary. ” 

