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World: Post-Comet Earth
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Previously on Other Side of the Raid...
Having accepted the liaison position, Aria meets Professor Rosepetal Quillscribe, a scholarly pixie with wire-rimmed spectacles who holds three degrees from the Fae Academy. The Professor reveals that Aria's abilities aren't merely illusions but actual Creation magic—she's been making "preliminary prototypes" rather than true manifestations.
During intensive magical instruction, Aria progresses from purely illusory constructs to partially solid creations. In Vaeloria's chaotic office filled with floating holographic documents, Aria reviews her employment contract, learning about Galactic Credits and the extensive list of unauthorized portal types (including portals disguised as household appliances, those inside bathroom stalls, and the infamous "cat door portals" that led to an interplanetary feline crime syndicate).
The contract details proper portal requirements: registration with the Bureau of Interdimensional Transit, standard safety features, and maintenance at 432 Hz quantum resonance. Professor and Vaeloria's comedic explanations of interdimensional regulations reveal a bureaucratic nightmare of galactic proportions, from the Toaster Incident of 2187 to the Great Caffeine Cascade of 2192.
Aria signs the multidimensional contract after struggling with signatures that exist in multiple planes simultaneously, officially beginning her role as Earth's liaison to the Galactic Magic Federation.
Key Details:
Aria's magic is Creation, not Illusion—she can make real objects, not just images
Humans are limited to single magical domains, unlike other species
Interdimensional travel is heavily regulated after numerous historical disasters
The contract includes clauses about "interdimensional coffee breaks"
New Opportunity (Part 3)
The air crackled with magical energy as Vaeloria prepared to demonstrate portal creation. The office's ambient light dimmed slightly, as if the very reality around them was holding its breath.
Vaeloria: "Kay, so like, creating a portal is TOTALLY not just casting a spell anymore!", She bounced excitedly, leaving small traces of sparkles in her wake.
Why do I have a feeling this is going to be more complicated than just walking through a door? Aria thought.
Aria: "What do you mean? I thought it was just magic?" She watched as complex patterns began forming in the air around Vaeloria.
The pixie cleared her throat with academic authority, the sound somehow carrying the weight of centuries of scholarly research.
Professor: "If I may," she adjusted her spectacles, which briefly reflected images of ancient catastrophes, "The evolution of portal creation regulations traces back to the Great Vortex Crisis in the Andromeda Sector, when unrestricted spell-casting led to seventeen simultaneous temporal paradoxes and one very confused Zeta-Reticulan food delivery drone."
Vaeloria: "Basically, you need like, three things:", She began manifesting glowing symbols in the air.
The magical displays showed each component as Vaeloria explained them, the images shifting and rotating to demonstrate their proper use. The crystal she produced seemed to hum in harmony with the universe itself.
It's like being taught interdimensional travel by a valley girl and her academic advisor.
Vaeloria: "First, the actual spell - duh!"
Professor: "A properly calibrated Interdimensional Resonance Crystal," produces a tiny crystal from her scroll case, "Tuned to the exact frequency mandated by Section 12, Paragraph 7 of the--"
Vaeloria: "OMG, nobody cares about the section numbers! And then you need the Galactic Magic Federation Portal Registration Device - we call it PRD, 'cause who has time for long names?"
Aria: "That seems... complicated."
Professor: "Indeed. The spell itself consists of three distinct components:"
Professor: "The spatial anchor enchantment"
Professor: "The dimensional barrier manipulation sequence"
Professor: "And the stability maintenance formula"
Vaeloria: "But like, here's the cool part! Once you get it registered, you can save portal locations as FAVORITES!", pulls out what looks like a smartphone with interdimensional apps
Aria: "Like... bookmarks?"
Professor: "A crude but not entirely inaccurate analogy," adjusts spectacles disapprovingly, "Though the proper term is 'Pre-Authorized Interdimensional Waypoints'."
Vaeloria: "Oh! And you can totally customize your portal doors! As long as they're, you know, actually doors.", scrolls through a holographic catalog "Like, we've got Classic Wooden, Modern Steel, Victorian Gothic... ooh, and the new Quantum Collection is super cute!"
Aria: "What about emergencies? When there's no time for all this?"
Professor: "Ah," brightens considerably, "The Emergency Portal Protocol of 2191 does provide for expedited portal creation in cases of:"
Vaeloria: "Blah blah blah... Look, you get an emergency override code. BUT!", wags finger "Use it for a non-emergency and you'll be doing paperwork until your grandkids graduate!"
Professor: "The penalties for misuse of emergency protocols are indeed quite severe. The filing requirements alone...", begins unrolling another scroll
Vaeloria: "NO MORE SCROLLS! Just... like, here's your starter kit.", hands over a small bag "It's got your basic crystal, PRD, and the 'Portal Creation for Dummies' manual. The deluxe edition!"
Aria: "Thanks, I think...", examines the crystal "Wait, is this crystal... purring?"
Vaeloria: "Oops! Wrong crystal!", quickly swaps it "That one's from the Feline Portal Detection Division. Don't ask."
Professor: "Actually, the history of the Feline Division is quite fascinating. It all began when a Procyon V geneticist discovered that quantum entanglement could be achieved through synchronized feline brain patterns in the Year of the Purring Nebula..."
Vaeloria: "STOP! No cat stories! We'll be here forever!"
As Vaeloria demonstrated each type of portal, the office space became a practical classroom. Doorways of various styles appeared and disappeared, each accompanied by different sounds and magical effects. The air grew thick with dimensional energy, making Aria's skin tingle.
Aria: "So I need to register every destination before I can create a portal to it?" She reached out to touch one of the floating destination previews, quickly pulling back when it rippled like water.
Vaeloria: "Ugh, that would be like, SO annoying! Nope!", she pulled out her PRD, which projected a holographic map of reality itself. "Look, it works kinda like GPS!"
The pixie's tiny wings fluttered with academic disapproval at the oversimplification.
Professor: "A more accurate comparison would be to the Ancient Martian Waypoint System," She adjusted her spectacles, which briefly displayed coordinates in an alien mathematical system, "The PRD maintains a constant quantum-spatial awareness that allows for..."
Vaeloria: "BASICALLY,", interrupts with an eye-roll "you can totally make portals to anywhere you can see or have been to before. The PRD just needs to, like, scan and approve the location real quick!"
Aria: "How quick is 'real quick'?"
Professor: "According to regulation standards, location scanning and approval should take no more than 3.7 seconds in Earth time, barring quantum interference or temporal anomalies."
Vaeloria: "The registered favorites are just for like, super-fast portal creation! No scanning needed!", demonstrates by quickly creating a portal to what looks like a coffee shop "See? Instant portal to my fave coffee place!"
Aria: "And emergency overrides?"
Vaeloria: "Those are for when you need to make a portal RIGHT NOW and can't wait for the scan. Like, if a falling building is about to squish you!"
Professor: "Emergency protocols bypass standard safety checks," sighs disapprovingly, "Which is precisely why their misuse carries such severe penalties. The Spaghettification Incident of 2190..."
Vaeloria: "The point is," hastily interrupts "you can make portals three ways:"
Vaeloria: "Normal way: See place, PRD scans it, make portal. Takes like 4 Earth seconds."
Vaeloria: "Favorite way: Pre-scanned places, instant portals! Super convenient!"
Vaeloria: "Emergency way: No scan, instant portal, but you better have a REALLY good reason!"
Aria: "What about places I've never seen?"
Vaeloria: "That's what the Galactic Magic Federation Directory is for!", shows holographic map "You can browse approved locations and get like, preview scans. But tourist spots only - no peeking at restricted areas!" She added "Or if someone shares coordinates with you, but you must trust that person, or you can end up in the middle of the black hole or worse."
Professor: "The Directory was implemented following the Unfortunate Bathroom Incident of 2188, when an Explorer accidentally created a portal to..."
Vaeloria: "NOPE! We are NOT telling that story!" She said "Oh and before I forgot, you will be needing this." She cast a spell into pendant Aria was wearing.
Aria: "What was that?" She asked.
Vaeloria: "Administrator level access to the all locations on this planet!" She bounced excitedly. "But like, seriously, DO NOT mess this up. That multidimensional prison mentioned in the contract? TOTALLY not a cool vacation spot."
Professor: "The physiological absorption process of authorized spells," adjusting her spectacles with academic precision, "follows protocols established by the Quantum Integration Studies at the Betelgeuse Academy. The complete cellular assimilation typically occurs within a standard planetary rotation cycle, rendering the pendant redundant after approximately 47.3 Earth days."
Vaeloria: "And here's your homework!", she said while practically shoving a stack of holographic documents at Aria. "All the super boring but totally important stuff about our protocols and junk!"
Professor: "I expect you to maintain rigorous practice of your magical exercises," she produced yet another tiny scroll, "I shall conduct a comprehensive evaluation of your progress according to the Standard Interdimensional Educational Assessment Protocol of the Seventh Epoch."
Vaeloria: "Kay, so your first actual job thing is pretty simple," She counted on fingers that left trails of light in the air. "While you're learning all this portal stuff and getting your Creation magic up to speed, you gotta register, like, ALL the useful places you can find to your PRD. But don't worry - we already hooked you up with all our cool spots on Earth!"
Professor: "Your current planetary dwelling has been pre-registered in the system," she stated while efficiently manipulating Aria's PRD to generate a portal, "Do endeavor to thoroughly review the materials before your examination period commences."
The portal manifested with perfect geometric precision, its edges shimmering with regulated interdimensional energy. Through its frame, Aria could see her familiar living room, looking almost absurdly normal after everything she'd experienced.
Vaeloria: "Oh, and remember," her voice suddenly serious, the air around her crackling with authority, "like, NO telling ANYONE about any of this stuff. Just think about that super nasty prison whenever you feel chatty!"
With a friendly but firm push that somehow managed to cross dimensional boundaries, Vaeloria sent Aria through the portal. The closing whoosh seemed to carry an echo of Professor's muttered historical references.
Aria found herself standing in her living room, the weight of multiple holographic manuals and her new responsibilities settling heavily on her shoulders. The room looked exactly as she'd left it, yet somehow everything had changed.
Well, I guess this is my life now. She stared at the PRD in her hand, which was quietly humming interdimensional coordinates.
The sound of her cat knocking something over in the kitchen brought her back to reality---or whatever passed for reality these days. With a sigh, she set the holographic manuals on her coffee table, where they proceeded to rearrange themselves by topic, subspecies, and quantum resonance frequency.
Tomorrow would be her first day as an interdimensional liaison. But first, she needed a very normal, very Earth-made cup of tea.
📡 End of Transmission
Oliver here - That was quite a chapter! Our dimensional frequency is picking up intense emotional resonance from Aria's world. What did you think of her decision? The comments below are buzzing with theories from other interdimensional travelers...