The Wizard and the Not, as they were known to each other, sat on the bench, continually watching as buses stopped for them without actually getting on.
"So" said the Not "that's what really happened?"
"Yes" said the Wizard "for me at least. I don't know about the others."
"That's why you were in such a bad mood."
"Yes."
"And why you stopped coming over."
"Yes."
"And why we stopped--"
"Yes. " Said the Wizard sharply.
" Howling at the moon. " said the Not. "How dorkfull can you get."
The Wizard raised an eyebrow "Dorkfull?"
The Not smiled, knowing how much the Wizard was bothered by the Not's made up words.
They sat together as two more busses passed.
"What was it like?" the Not asked finally.
"What?"
"When your magic stuff went away. What was it like?"
"It was--" the Wizard began. Then stopped.
The Not felt the air between them change. In the Not's head came a series of colors, sourceless sounds, smells and sounds. The Not recognized it as the Wizard's equivalent of a hamster running on it's wheel.
"--difficult" said the Wizard at last. "You remember when we were younger. How much everyone wanted me to be normal?"
"Normal is overrated." answered the Not automatically.
"Exactly. And we used to tell them that too. You and me."
"Me and you. What about it?"
"You remember how you tried to explain to me what it was like being normal."
"You said you couldn't understand how anyone could possibly understand how anyone could stand being normal?"
"And you said that I should try for a day sometime."
"Yep."
"And now I've tried it for just over a week."
"So?" said the Not "Now that you're been normal--?"
"I understand even less. " the Wizard sighed. " how can anyone live like that? Not being able to Feel things Living, to Hear the Universe. "
"It was really that bad?"
"It was awful. It was like being deaf , dumb and blinded. It was frustrating, annoying, disgusting. It was--" the Wizard grappled. The Link gave the Not enough to understand.
"Lonely." The Not suggested. The Wizard nodded.
"Normal people aren't connected to anything but each other really. And at the time--"
"--people didn't even have each other."
"Exactly."
"But it's all better now right? I mean after everything the younger ones and all them did, things are going to get better."
"Eventually. Slowly. Yes."
The Not's head shook back and forth " I don't get it. You actually, seriously enjoy all this."
"It's what I am." said the Wizard simply.
"Oh" said the Not.
Another bus passed.
"Well," said the Not at last. "Since you were UnWizardyed for that time. The next time the Great Evil Thing shows up, I'll do the butt kicking." The Not leaned towards the Wizard " It does have a butt, right? Otherwise I'm going to have to come up with a whole nother plan." The Wizard laughed. "That's better."
The Wizard watched the next bus coming "Thank you, but I believe I'll handle your portion of 'butt-kicking' "
"Leave me out of the fun and Universe Fixing then." pouted the Not.
"I will." answered the Wizard.
The bus stopped and opened it's doors. The Wizard stood.
"Back to the Superhero Game?" asked the Not.
"It is the best game. Secret identities, coded messages.."
"Saving the world for a bunch of ungrateful, boringly normal people."
"If I only saved it for the grateful ones, it wouldn't be nearly as much fun, or rewarding. " The Wizard and the Not smiled at each other. "But first I have to go home, and write a whole mess of sentences that begin with "Because" "And" and "But." "
"Why?" asked the Not.
"Because I can" said the Wizard.