THE GREAT, AMAZING BARTIMAEUS

The esteemed John Mandrake was not looking much like his usual self right now. Gone was the perfectly coiffed hair, the perfectly ironed and starched suit and the shiny shoes. In his place was a man recognisable as Mandrake but he was covered in soot, scrapes and rather torn clothing.

Still, he presented a rather striking figure, fighting with a power that seemed unreal against the fiery hell raining down upon them all. The effect was rather spoiled when he seemed to try to turn both left and right at the same time to avoid a fiery missile and instead fell over. At least the fireball missed him?

"Hey, I'm in charge of direction, not you." He yelled at no one in the vicinity. Had he finally snapped?

And strangely enough, he responds himself - his words to no one.

"You weren't moving fast enough!" John speaks again, seemingly arguing with himself. Maybe this event really had finally made him snap like many thought he would. The workload had taken it's toll, perhaps?

[A young boy, wearing nothing save a loincloth and modest jewellery appears on the feed. Those who have seen Bartimaeus in his Ptolemy form will recognise him. He is in a very simple room that appears to be "his" room, but it is very spartan. There are a few (squashed) pillows about and a simple one-person bed but no artwork can be seen or little trinkets. The boy is looking thoughtfully into the screen.]

I'm curious about these Wastes I have heard about. I'm going to take a look for myself. I'll be leaving this device behind.

[he reaches forward and the feed ends...except to Nat]

( filtered to Nathaniel; )




[[ooc: Explanation - I'm on holiday to go and see my family next week. This affects Willow and Bart and extra info is here about their whereabouts/doings while I'm gone.]]

[The gaseous form of Bartimaeus coalesced and formed his most familiar shape - that of the boy, Ptolemy. He looked around his current surroundings, wondering where he was. Nowhere he had yet visited on Earth seemed familiar. This place was so...what was that? Bartimaeus jumped out of the way of a car. It was like no car he'd ever seen before.]

Was that a car? Oh-kay, so I'm somewhere wierd again. Oi, Nat - where are you? This place smells worse than your armpit.

[A look of realization crosses his face]

Nat? [pats his body down]

We...you...did it work? [looks around again] I'm not in England anymore... [looks at the floor and seems to be looking for something, a wide, wide smile spreading across his bronzed features]

No pentacles. Ahh, if Farquarl could see me now. Ha! Bartimaeus always wins, Farquarl!!!

I wonder if the brat is round here somewhere..... [:|] Not that I care.