Cuckoos and Chalk Marks

(Jim seems like a vibe)

"I do love true name situations," he mused. "I know plenty of true names, and warlocks and paladins get so upset about it! It's great fun."

Spoiler

It really is! I'm also pretty sure the main cast kept bugging him and calling him names like Jimbo, which was absolutely hilarious. It's one of my favorite fics from that fandom.

I glanced over my shoulder at him with a raised eyebrow.

"True name situations?" I asked. I vaguely remember Cubbins mentioning something like that in passing before, and knew that names had power when it came to summoning spirits. But it wasn't exactly like names were necessary for handling ghosts.

"Certainly. Everything has a true name. That's how I know to call the wind and such."

(Not me borrowing from Patrick Rothfuss and Ursula LeGuinn)

Spoiler

Oh, totally not. The first time I ever heard about true names was when I was reading a fae-inspired series called Reggie & Ryssa, so I'm obsessed with true names being tied to nature!

"That's a thing you can do?" I asked, incredulous. I could make it seem like I was manipulating the wind when I moved things using my ghostly powers, but I couldn't actually manipulate the wind. Sorenson could, going off of how he had floated so much, but I had just assumed it was some kind of ability. I hadn't guessed it was tied to true names.

(It's a super cool idea)

"Certainly! Being a sorcerer and all, I've got to know the true names of the things I manipulate. The sky, the clouds, storms..."

Spoiler

It really is!

Huh. I hadn't put much thought into that before.

"So can anyone do that if they know the right names?" I asked. The rules could be different since we were from different words, but I was going to stay optimistic. That sounded like a cool ability to have.

"Well, you have to be imbued with power first, of course, or the name won't stick."

I studied my hands.

I was imbued with power, but it might not have been the kind of power he was talking about. Powers between different worlds were tricky. Nikko, for example, was convinced for the longest time that I could only have one or two powers max thanks to the limits of her world, while I actually had far more if you counted my ghostly abilities as separate powers.

"Well," I said, "when we get out of this place, we'll have to test if I can do it."

Spoiler

Speaking of them getting out, we should probably free them from this hallway. Do you have anything in mind for what they could face next? I almost feel like we could throw them out of here now that they've bonded and put them in some other setting. Something a little more defined like one of their worlds.

"If I decide to give you a name," he said prissily. "It's not for everybody, you know." He'd be damned if he revealed sorcererly secrets to a ghost. Skull wasn't even alive!

(I don't have anything in mind at the moment but I'm kind of burned out from writing my essay all day)

Spoiler

That's okay! This has been my last week of classes before finals, so I very much feel on the brain drain. Maybe we can figure that out in a bit and stall for now?

I raised an eyebrow.

"If everything has a true name," I said, "doesn't that mean you have one? Unless you gave me a fake name, I already know yours. I could test that."

(Sounds good)

"It's my preferred name," he retorted. "And a true name isn't always a birth name."

Spoiler

Awesome!

I faltered. Did that mean Skull would count as my true name? It wasn't my birth name, but it was the one I used now.

"How do you know what counts as a true name?" I asked.

"It's what resonates when you speak it. Skull isn't your true name, just as Sorenson or the other one isn't mine."

I breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

Then a thought occurred to me.

"Other one?" I asked, glancing behind me to give Sorenson a confused look. He had called himself Sorenson Oglenby when we first met. Maybe he meant Oglenby? "Do you mean your last name?"

"Nope." He grinned. "Sorry, old sport; you've got to know me a bit better before I tell you my birth name."