The Magicians and Magik

Author's note: Season 5 of the Magicians has now started. Just got done watching season 5 episode 1. I only wrote one story about Session 4 as season four was about the dealing with the consequences of the return of magic and the god killing monster that had been freed. As always I write between the margins for the show the Magicians, meaning everything has to fit within the context of the show. See the prior chapter for a more full explanation.

A summary of season four for those who don't watch (and you really should):

In the season three finale of The Magicians, magic was finally restored by unlocking the fountain at the Wellspring, but the Library, Irene McAllistair and Dean Fogg swooped in to reroute magic to themselves. The result has been a season with the Order as a fascist power controlling everyone's access to magic with the hedge witches becoming victims. Elsewhere, an ancient, powerful and unkillable Monster escaped confinement and jumped bodies to Eliot as its new host. The quest in The Magicians season four centers around uncovering hidden memories and a betrayal by the gods who imprisoned the Monster to begin with Bacchus, Iris, Heka and Enyalius). The 'gods' were actually once librarians who made themselves gods by slicing the Monster's sister into four parts and trapping the Monster in Castle Blackspire.

Also all of our heroes are enchanted with alternate personalities which part of the season is spent of breaking (Julia finds the battery that is powering the spell and figures out how to overload it). The monster kidnaps Quentin and he learns that the Monster is on a quest to find parts to build a body and this is somehow tied to four gods. The gang reunite and Margo finds out Eliot is being possessed and stops the Monster's attack by agreeing to help him on his quest to build a body, which means killing Bacchus.

Also during the session an alternate reality Penney (Penny23) escapes with them from alternate reality 23, a reality where Quentin killed the Beast, but only to became the Beast in behavior.

The Monster decides to use Julia to be the host for his sister and she is possessed by the Sister of the Monster. Sister Julia doesn't approve of her brother's feelings for mortals and she has a plan to kill the Old Gods by using a scroll which the Library keeps in the Poison Room, to allow the two of them to get the realm of the gods. It turns out that there is a cursed reservoir of magic under Castle Whitespire, called the Secret Sea, which is also where magic has been hoarded by Everett (the head of the Library).

A battle results in which The Sister is contained in the bottle by Penny23, Alice and Quentin. In order to heal Julia from a wound, Penny chooses Julia to be a normal human with no magic (she is less then pleased with that decision when she recovers). Our heroes find a man named Golf who suggests they send the twins into the Seam in the Mirror World. There is another battle and Margo, Penny and Quentin trap the Monster using the incorporate bond, which is cast with the assistance of most of the hedges and magicians on Earth and Fillory. Quentin, Penny and Alice venture to the Mirror World to trap the twins, but are sabotaged by Everett. Quentin sacrifices himself (he dies) to save everyone and stop Everett. After spending some time with Penny40 in the underworld, he moves on by boarding a subway. Margo and Eliot arrive in Fillery 300 years in the future, when Fillory is ruled by a Dark King. On Earth, magic is overloaded (having surges due to all the released magic when Everett died) and Julia gets her magic back. The new abundance of magic has caused Brakebills to have many more students (good) and the surges are killing people (bad).

Part 12a: Penny23 part 1

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Was Penny's scream as he plummeted, arms and legs flailing. Blue sky above him, the suburban land far far below him.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

His ability to teleport (i.e. travel as he was a traveler who could traverse dimensions and distances, but not time) did not appear to be working.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Nor was his magic as attempts to negate his fall, or to fly, did nothing.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

This sucked so bad. He just should have known that trying to talk to Professor Magik was a mistake.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

BEGIN PENNY REFLECTION

Penny was on the fifth floor of Howllet Hall, standing before Office 507, the office of Professor Magik. The sign on the door announced that office hours were now. Penny glanced about noting the vast plethora of students waiting for her (i.e. the hall was empty).

Penny himself was now a Professor, an involuntary Professor as Dean Fogg had tricked him into signing an employment contract with the school. Penny had thought that it just indemnified him against any accidents to the students as Fogg wanted him to talk to some new students who's talent had been identified as being travelers (the abundance of magic had resulted in not only more students, but numbers of rare talents). Penny being one of those rare talents, he was the only living and trained traveler in existence and to quote Fogg"Without your instruction, one of them will absolutely get killed."

Penny had met with the class, a total of five students, and had told them that being a Traveler sucked and that they should get an anti traveling tattoo as soon as possible. And with that he had dropped the mike as it were and teleported away. Assignment done!

An attempt that had not quite worked because Penny had not read the fine print of what he had signed. He subsequently learned from Fogg that he was now Professor regardless of his desires about teaching (you so don't want to fuck with Brakebills' legal team, regardless of where you run to, they will find you).

It… wasn't completely true that there Penny was the only traveler, there was Professor Magik, and she has returned with the restoration unregulated magic, not that she was teaching any classes but she was doing more lectures (invitation only) and supposedly was training some undisclosed students as well. Penny23 had never head of her as she had not been present in his Brakebills reality. But this one did and he was annoyed that she had not taken the teaching assignment. Also Penny was irritated to find out that this realities Penny (Penny40) has not been trained by her in any way but Quentin, Alice, Eliot, and even Margo had received training from her.

So… he was outside of her door wondering what to do. It was the music coming from the other side of the door that convinced him to go in. It was Penny Lane by John Lennon and Paul McCartney being song by the Beatles.

In Penny Lane, there is a barber showing photographs

Of every head he's had the pleasure to know

And all the people that come and go

Stop and say, "Hello"

On the corner is a banker with a motorcar

And little children laugh at him behind his back

And the banker never wears a mac

In the pouring rain, very strange

Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes

There beneath the blue suburban skies

…

…

So Penny has opened the door.

And fell into the blue suburban sky…

END PENNY REFLECTION

Terror is relative.

What at first leaves you screaming can actually eventual leave you bored if there are no painful or suffering consequences. So… falling to your death is terrifying. But when your fall that never ends the terror fades. So…

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Becomes…

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!"

Gradually….

"Haaaaaa."

Until…

"Haaa..." Penny stopped screaming and instead did what most people do, meaning he started to complain. "Does this ever end? Enough is enough lady."

So… no more screaming. Or flailing.

Penny started glancing around, not just below but around and above, that's when he noticed the giant purple dragon dive bombing him, mouth agape. He threw his arms and hands in front of him in a useless attempt to shield himself while shutting his eyes. And of course he screamed again.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

And braced for impact, or being chewed up.

But…

Nothing… happened.

Penny cracked one eye to see… a small purple dragon beating its wings and Penny would later swear was grinning at him. Penny lowered his arms and shouted.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! Enough Lady! I just want to talk!"

A voice behind him, English with a slight Russian accent answered. "So… talk. And it's Professor, not Lady."

Penny turned around and there she was, Professor Magik. Blonde, blue eyed, dressed in her customary black leathers with some short black sticks in her hair.

Suffice it to say that Penny was exasperated. Massively exasperated. "Why… Are… You… Doing… This!?"

A slight tilt of her head. "Because it's funny?"

"NO!"

"Pfffff." Was her disregard of a reply. Then a flash of light and Penny found himself on his hands and knees in a large featureless circular white room that had dozens and dozens of doors. Professor Magik was standing a few feet away with the purple dragon on her shoulder as she scratched under the dragons chin while murmuring. "Who's a good dragon…?"

Penny rose to his knees, clutching his head while exclaiming. "What is your problem?!"

Professor Magik ceased scratching the dragon (who's name is Lockheed by the way). "I've always felt first impressions are important. You Penny, are a jerk."

Penny stood up. "I'm a Jerk?"

"Good, I see we've reached an understanding."

Penny started accusing. "NO… No we have not. I came to you to ask for advice. Not… Not…"

"A flying lesson?"

"NO!"

Professor Magik just gave a sigh and looked at the dragon. "See what I have to put up with Lockheed. Today's students… just so… entitled."

Penny clenched his fists and squeezed his eyes shut, while counting to ten before finally commenting. "Are you going to help me?"

"Depends on what you want."

"Advice would be nice."

"About…?"

"I… signed a contract. I'd like to get out of it. And… why did you not train this world's Penny?"

"Because this world's Penny is no different from any other world's Penny."

"Um…."

"Vain, self centered, not willing to listen, and reckless."

"Hey!"

"Some students can learn by reference, others only by example. You are an example person."

"So why the flying lesson?"

"You are dismissive and dislike authority. I felt it best to teach a lesson first before we conversed. An example lesson."

Penny glared at her. "Which was?"

Just a look from her, the look that said the proof is left to the student. So he thought about it for a bit before answering. "Don't fuck with you."

"Bingo in one. And to think that Fogg said you were one of the less academically. inclined students."

Another count to ten by Penny before he replied. "You are deliberately trying to get me upset."

"Yep."

"Would you treat a fellow professor this way?"

Her comment made no sense to him. "Are you a toad?"

"What?"

"Are you a toad?"

"No."

"Then I guess I'm not treating you like a professor."

Okay, Penny was sure there was a story there, and he didn't want to know.

"Did you treat the others this way?"

A musing expression on her face, "I suppose I was nicer to Alice, but the others… naaa, you're getting the same treatment as the others. I've found that adversity is such a revealer of character."

"And…?"

"Apparently you don't hit on every woman. I'm actually surprised, and a Don Juan like you."

Another count to ten by Penny before he asked his next question. "Might you offer any advice on my contract?"

Professor Magik held out her hand, penny retrieved it from the back pocket of his jeans and handed it to her.

She made a comment as she read it over. "This is one of life's little lessons Penny. Always read a contract. Again I guess this is experiential and not reference learning."

A suppressed growl from Penny. "I thought I could trust Fogg."

Professor Magik finished reading the contract. "Why?"

"Um… good question now that you put it like that, considering some of the things he's done. Um… did you sign a bad contract?"

"No… I know how to both read and employ that skill. Plus, I have a tendency to kill anybody who tries to do such."

"Okay… any suggestions on getting out of the contract?"

Professor Magik handed the contract back to him. "Several. The contract entitles you to work for the Brakebills for one year, with extensions if agreed with by both parties. You will be paid a salary and are granted an office, interesting in this same building on this very floor."

"Lucky me…"

Professor Magik continued. "Failure to comply will result in litigation and the possibility of long term servitude. Hmmm, I see Fogg has been using some of the Library's contracts as a template. I can see several ways out. You could…"

Professor Magik holds up one finger. "One. Lack of a school, so the destruction of Brakebills would solve your problem."

Penny's reply indicated non agreement. "Ahhhh…"

Professor Magik held up two fingers. "Two. Lack of students. No students no need for a teacher."

Penny blinks at that. "Wait… did you just suggest killing all of my students?"

Professor Magik holds up three fingers. "Three. My personal favorite, either kill all the administrators or better yet, kill the lawyers. Although I suppose killing the legal authority would suffice as well."

"Geeze Lady, are you crazy?"

Her answer was not reassuring. "From time to time."

"I can't do any of that."

A look of disapproval from her. "Hence you being tricked as the consequences are of no concern."

Penny was not happy. "So… why don't you teach the class?"

"Who do you think suggested you to Fogg?"

Penny grimaced in anger at her admission. He got closer to her and waved his right hand's pointing finger in her face. "If you think that I'm going to just stand here and take…"

Now Penny is a tall Indian man (Indian sub content, not native American), stocky and very street smart (i.e. he knows how to handle himself in a fight). He significantly outweighs Professor Magik and it was all muscle. Turns out that physical confrontation with an X-Woman trained by Wolverine and Scott Summers was not a game winning move.

A simple twisting finger lock and Penny was down on his knees in pain. His attempt to use his left hand to free himself just resulted in the left hand being in a wrist lock. So, once again Penny gave forth a…

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

As Lockheed took to the air from her shoulder.

"Geeze Lady! Let go!"

"Professor, not Lady."

"No! No way! I am not calling your crazy bitch ass Professor!"

A response that surprisingly resulted in Magik releasing his hands and stepping back. "Good… defiance even in defeat. I like that. But I am going to have to remind Dean Fogg as to the lack of combat training that the school unwisely encourages."

Penny gave her a dark look as he stood back up while rubbing his left wrist. "What idiot gave you the idea that I'd make a good teacher?"

Her answer gave him pause. "That would be you."

BEGIN ILLYANA REFLECTION

Penny40, the Penny that died in the show and ended up in the underworld and was now processing the lives of the dead, the Penny had recently been promoted to documenter of secrets taken to the grave (big promotion). Keep in mind that time was a bit… loose in the underworld. Oh, and Penny40 is wearing a suit and looking good in it.

Penny40 had just gotten done interviewing Quentin. Penny40 had taken Q to his own funeral to show him that he had changed his friends' lives as much as they changed his. Tearfully, Quentin watched his pals break into a tender, a cappella rendition of "Take on Me." Afterwards Penny 40 handed Q an underworld metro pass before declaring that this was as far as he was going. With that, a solo Quentin stepped through a mysterious doorway and… to wherever his soul would go.

Penny40 gave a slight smile, turned, and got the bejesus scared out of him as Professor Magik was behind him!

Penny40 jumped backwards. "Crap Lady! How the Hell are you able to do that?!"

"Exactly." was her answer.

A glare from Penny40. "That is not an answer."

"Parse your question, the answer is within." Was her dismissive answer.

Count to ten was his internal thought. Penny40 had been very surprised to find that while he had known of Professor Magik; there were no records of her in the Underworld or in the Order (the Library). "Why are you here?"

"One should… say goodbye to an apprentice."

"But… you didn't. Quentin was with me the entire time."

Just a smile from her. A smile that implied to Penny40 that the Underworld was once ruled by the departed god Hades, kind of a hell lord, and… that… if he was missing time would he know?

A question from kind of question that implies you can go now. "Anything else?"

Just a look from her as she sized him up. "You have done… well since your death. Nice to see you have matured beyond your personality assessment by Brakebills."

A bit of a smirk from Penny as he pulls a piece of paper from his suit jacket and read the words of Dean Fogg. "Penny, in the colloquial, is an asshole. He actively refuses offers of friendship and punishes his peers for any attempt to connect with him. But this attitude is the product of a lifetime of emotional neglect, for which he cannot be blamed. If we're being optimistic, we can hope that, pending admission, Penny will slowly warm to the sense of community fostered among his class. But if we're being realistic, we can assume that this will not be the case and his aggression will impact the more sensitive students (among the prospective, Quentin Coldwater stands out as a prime example of possible unpleasant interactions)."

A nod of the head from her. "I see you've read your own book."

"A riveting read if you ask me." Was his somewhat smug answer.

Professor Magik's expression was not supportive of that book review. Then she commented. "You've matured since death."

"I like to think so. Loved, lost, did things to save my woman and died as a result. There are worst ways to die."

"Very mature indeed. Any regrets?"

"Many."

"Good."

"Good?"

"A life without regrets is likely a life not lived well."

A pondering look from Penny40 as he thought upon her words.

She continued. "Do you ever cheat and look at the books for your friends and woman, or even this Penny23?"

"No… I've moved on. It's best to let them live their lives. Although from what I've seen of Penny23's actions does make me embarrassed on some of my prior behaviors."

"Oh? In what way?"

Penny40 shrugged his shoulders. "That whole asshole assessment is still very much correct. I do kind of wish you'd mentored me but I can see why you didn't, there was really no chance that I'd have listened to you."

"Correct. Is there anything else you're doing here other then finishing up the details of the dead?"

"I teach some of the new employees." Meaning the freshly dead who join the staff.

Professor Magik looked surprised. "You? Teach?"

"Yeah… kind of funny but I really find I enjoy teaching. Never would have thought that."

Just a look from Professor Magik as now she thought upon Penny40's words. Then a reply. "Goodbye Penny."

With that she teleported away.

END ILLYANA REFLECTION

Part 12b: Penny23 part 2

"What!?"Was Penny's outcry.

"Penny40 as you folks have been calling him." Was her answer. "I think… having students will help you mature."

"How?"

"Fear."

"You are one sick lady, you want me to make them afraid?"

"No… you've already done a good job of that, and well done as the risks really are very high. Travelers do generally not have a long lifetime. No… fear would be good for you."

"How?"

A rather sad smile from her. "You'll learn. Having apprentices is a bit like being a parent. Nothing quite matches the joy of helping someone learn to fly as it were."

Penny was not enthralled. "And little sucks worse then watching them die because you got involved."

A small nod from her. "Correct. But Fogg said it well. Some, if not all of them, will die if they are not taught. And before you try to pawn it back on me, suffice it to say I… can't train travelers."

"Why?"

"Rules… Those like you are very similar to some of my abilities and the impacts you can make upon reality forbid my taking an active hand in your development."

"But you can help select another to do the training?"

A shrug from her. "Think of it as a… loophole. Who knows, maybe you'll enjoy teaching."