What once would be done with telephone calls, emails, or even letters can now be done through some form of instant messaging. When I wrote the start, I had Trillian and its interface in mind, but no specific messenger. Since getting the chat into a text removes the formatting, it doesn't matter. At the time, I hadn't seen how other writers handle the exchange. Because of the nature of the chat, I went with the transcript instead of describing Jackie typing out her responses and waiting for Lance to reply. The key to the scene was what they were talking about.
Jackie is freaked out and taking a leap, but she's not stupid. Trish is now her backup plan. Trish doesn't hear from Jackie after an hour and the cavalry gets called in. It's not that I've got a masquerade deliberately happening. It's more that, for most people, magic isn't real. Jackie was one of those people. This also comes up in Heaven's Rejects, but Digital Magic isn't as cynical, thanks to not having Nadia around.
Lance does the only thing he can to show that magic exists. He uses magic. And with Jackie setting the venue, there's no way for him to have set up an illusion beforehand. No time, no way to know where Jackie will choose. Jackie has no other option but to believe, though Lance implies she has a choice not to, despite everything going on.
This may be why I like the Shadowrun setting. In Shadowrun, magic exists. The stuff of legends, like dragons, vampires, and spirits, are real. Magic is measurable and repeatable. There is no masquerade; there's no need for one.
Paradigm shifting without a clutch, in Digital Magic Chapter 8.
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, hiatus week.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, a seasonal entry as I try to fix Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.
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