Bartimaeus

From within the pentacle, the Egyptian boy materialized and looked around the room. I paid no attention to Nathaniel who stood in another pentacle across from me. I purposely avoided looking into his direction and scanned the room. Yup, it was Prague, all right. The air was chokingly depressing; and the room was dimly lit by a small candle on a frail nightstand that stood next to a bed with questionable stains. The blue-green wallpaper was peeling off in a manner that reminded me of a snake shedding its skin, and the floorboards creaked and moaned under our feet. Nothing has changed since we last visited.

Nathaniel mumbled the last few protective spells around him and stepped out of his pentacle. He snapped his fingers at me.

"Oi, Bartimaeus. You can step out of the pentacle now."

I finally looked at him. And boy, am I glad I did. I snickered. Over his long sleeve shirt, he wore a ridiculous yellow vest, buttoned together on the front with a single green button. His brown, wide-flaring pants stopped just short of his knees; long, white socks continued where the pants stopped at. His shoes were simple brown leather that had seen some better days. On top of it all, a horrid green cape hung from his shoulders.

"What the hell are you wearing?" I sneered. "You look like you're ready to march into the Shire with the rest of the hobbits."

Nathaniel scowled. "It's called a disguise. Something you should be all too familiar and knowledgeable in considering you're a demon. I'm starting to think your intelligence is withering away by the prolonged summoning."

"Okay, ouch. What the hell has gotten into you? Why the snark, kid?"

He leaned against the bed frame, arms crossed. "I guess I have time to list the reasons –"

"A list!?" I said exasperated. I put my hands on my hips. "I was only gone for 24 hours! We were just fine before that."

"Oh, we were? I seem to remember an argument and your cruel comment!"

My suspicions were confirmed. I had hurt his feelings. I didn't think he would stew in it though. I mean, look at me, I was able to let that go.

I threw my hands up in an apologetic manner. "Okay, okay. I didn't realize that I had hurt you. I'll be the bigger person and apologize. I'm sorry that –"

Nathaniel stomped his foot. "No, not yet! I'm not done being angry at you. I could be having sex with Jane right now!"

I was stumped. Even after all these years, the kid had always somehow found a way to utterly shock me out of sheer ridiculousness.

"Uhh, I don't follow."

Nathaniel stammered, his lips fumbling to form the right words. "J- just get out of my head, Bartimaeus! You and your comments. I don't need to hear you making stupid and hurtful comments. With you on my mind when I'm trying to work or think makes me sick, you demon." The word demon dripped with disgust.

This was the second time he used that damn word at my general direction. Here I was, trying to be the adult and apologize. And what do I get? Hate and anger thrown right at me.

"Well, good news, chump!" I snarled. "You can dismiss me right now. If you're soo tired of me, let me go. Let me and my 'withering intelligence' go back to the Other Place so I can never see you and your ridiculous outfit again and all memories of moi canfade away from your tiny brain. Comments and all."

"No, because I need you!"

I turned my back to him. "Nope. Can't hear you."

"Bartimaeus, face me right now! You're the only one that I trust enough to not screw this mission up. We need to talk about our next step."

I let out a hollow laugh. "In what way do you need me that another poor capable djinn can't do?"

"In every way."

His words echoed throughout the room, followed by an awkward silence. I hadn't realized we were shouting. I could feel his anger and his frustration in his voice. I didn't have to face him to know that he was on the verge of losing his composure. I stayed quiet, thinking of what to say. In most of our arguments, it always ends the same. Petty insults and clever comebacks being thrown back and forth until someone gives up and storms off. It felt different this time. His words were beginning to bug me; it was gnawing its way into me, making me feel almost guilty. I angrily resisted the temptation.

I heard him shift and sigh. "Can you please turn around and look at me?"

He sounded tired. I turned, keeping my gaze from meeting his.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled guiltily. "I shouldn't have insulted your intelligence and I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

"Yeah, well, I'm sorry too. I should have kept my comments to myself. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. It's like that saying: if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

All's well that ends well. I finally looked at him. He was still wearing that hideous outfit.

"So, what are your plans with… this?" I gestured at his clothes.

He perked up. "We're going to act like the citizens of Prague. Walk among the people, mingle with the commoners, get them to trust us and find any mention of the Resistance or rebellion or war."

I gave the Egyptian boy a new outfit: distressed jeans, a white t-shirt and a red bomber jacket. I gestured at my clothes. "See this outfit? No, don't scowl at me. This is a good disguise. What you're wearing will make you stick out. It's the opposite of a good disguise. Plus, you look stupid."

Nathaniel huffed and puffed, but he listened. From his luggage, he pulled out khaki slacks and a black buttoned up shirt.

I grimaced. "Don't you have jeans?"

He threw an angry glance at me; I shrugged submissively. With his clothes, he entered what I assumed to be the bathroom and shut the door. I waited for a moment. On one side of the room, a small square window showed the view of the plaza. I recognized the area; we were at Old Town Square. Nice fond memories of me escaping from the military while I destroyed half the building here popped up in my head. Those were the good old days. I walked towards the window and peered out. The sun was up high, peeking from the sheets of dark clouds that threatened to take over the sky. People, young and old, all red faced from the cold, were scuttering around the plaza like ants.

I heard the bathroom door open from behind. I glanced back and face palmed.

"Nathaniel, please get rid of that cape."

He stuck out his chin, his chest puffing out as if attempting to look like a certain super hero wearing red speedos. "No, I like it."

"I'm not going to be seen with you. You're an embarrassment."

"I don't care. Let's go." He said sharply.

I groaned. Whether I liked it or not, I had to follow this idiot.

-o0o0o0o-

Nathaniel and I sat on a white-clothed table outside a small café. He was busily having his afternoon snack of coffee and biscuits while I scanned the area for any dangers. I looked at every passing face I could see; the passing old gentleman with a cane, the heavily pregnant woman pushing a stroller, a child running across the plaza. I had to make sure we weren't going to be recognized. Despite the cold, people were still walking about. Warm steam puffed out of their mouth against the cold air as they breath, their noses red and runny. I looked at Nathaniel wondering how the cold was affecting him. He wasn't doing so well. Because he ditched the coat for his stupid cape, he was shivering. He was wrapped within the cape, hot coffee in his hands. His teeth chattered as he lifted the cup to his lips.

I wearily shrugged. Not much you can do with someone as stubborn as him. Far off in the distance, I spotted a group of kids, about a few years younger than Nathaniel. I lightly kicked him from underneath the table and gestured at the group of kids with a subtle nod.

"Do you think those kids will have any information?"

He stole a glance behind him, following my gaze. He leaned towards me, whispering.

"If they did, how would I introduce myself and have them trust me? They're babies, and I'm an adult. They'll think I'm creepy. Can't you change your form and do it for me?"

I thought about it, rubbing my chin. "I could… But I wouldn't really know what to say. I can't relate to them. Also, you're not an adult, you're a child."

He scoffed into his cup. Suddenly, I felt a kick on my leg. He nodded towards my left, gesturing to glance. I followed his gaze and found exactly what he was looking at. A group of three teens stood nearby, ordering pretzels from a pretzel-stand. Two boys and a girl. They looked to be around Nathaniel's age. If I had full confidence that Nathaniel was a normal teenage boy, I would let him waltz into their small circle and have his way. Unfortunately, he was anything but. I don't even think Nathaniel would be able to relate with any one them. I fiddled my thumbs, thinking.

"What do you think?" He said, leaning towards me in a conspirator manner. "Do you think they'll know something?"

"Possibly. Teenagers have a knack for finding any kind of rebellion. It's all the angst and stuff."

Nathaniel paid the bill, taking one last sip of his coffee. As he stood, the cape swirled about him in an overextravagant way.

"Do you hear that?" I said.

"What?" He hesitated, listening intently.

"That sound." I paused for a dramatic effect. "It's the sound of my remaining dignity withering away as I stand next to you with the disgusting cloth."

The look on his face could curdle milk. Good thing I'm not milk. I flicked a crumb of a biscuit. With extreme precision, the crumb flew into the air and landed on his face. He yelped and rubbed his cheek.

"Will you stop that!?"

The couple sitting next to us looked over, giving Nathaniel a wary glance. He was fuming now. I suppressed a snicker.

"Okay, go talk to them." I said, gesturing towards the three teens.

Anger forgotten and mission remembered, he gazed at the teens. His bit his lips, brows furrowing. Grabbing his cape to wrap himself from the cold, he shifted but then paused. I sensed hesitancy.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Can you go talk to them first and then introduce me?"

I blinked. "What? Why?"

"I don't know what to say," he mumbled.

This was Nathaniel speaking. The pompous John Mandrake would have strolled towards the teens with fake grotesque swagger and somehow offend everyone near his vicinity. He would undoubtedly brag about his high position in the government, rubbing elbows with the Prime Minister, and remind a commoner or two on how weak they were. That's what magicians were trained to do. At least, the magicians in London do. But, considering we were in disguise and alone far from London, he left John Mandrake. Standing before me was the boy I met years ago. Nathaniel was just a kid using a cape as a blanket, too afraid to talk to people his own age. I almost felt bad. Almost.

With a great sense of dread, I walked towards the teens. Nathaniel stayed back, watching from the table at the café. One of the teens noticed me; he was tall, lean kid with a face riddled with acne, which he tried to hide with long, stringy black hair. He elbowed the short, chubby girl with blonde hair beside him, and she turned to look at me. As with all teens, the very first thing they do when meeting people is judge. I could feel their judgmental pairs of eyes penetrating me, looking for any kind of flaw. I had no worries though. I didn't have any. As I stopped in front of them, the third teen, a boy with a face full of freckles, finally noticed me.

"What do you want?" said the girl in Czech, frowning.

I gave them a winning smile. "I'm not from around here, so I was hoping if you guys knew where someone like me can go out to have some fun?" I winked, silently hoping they would get the subtle hint. The tall boy understood perfectly.

"Depends on what kind of fun," he said, smirking. "We know about just about every place. I'm Alec, by the way." He reached a hand out; I shook it.

"I'm Ptolemy."

"What's a foreign like you doing out here, anyways?" The freckled face boy asked.

The girl elbowed him. "Don't be rude. You can't just ask why they're here."

I shrugged. "No, no. It's a fair question. Not everyday you see an Egyptian boy walking around, right? I'm just visiting. Thought I get to see all the wonders of the world."

The tall teen – Alec – leaned back, arms crossed. "And what wonder is in Prague?"

"Drugs and booze."

The three teens laughed; I laughed along. Teenagers never change. Just give them a little nudge or recognition on rebellion, and they gobble it all up like it's Thanksgiving dinner. Even Ptolemy rebelled a bit. That was an annoying period of my life, but something I'll cherish forever.

"I actually have a friend who's traveling with me." I said. The teens were interested in me now. All I had to do was introduce Nathaniel, and get them talking. The faster we got them talking, the better. I waved Nathaniel over; he waved back and made his way towards me, cape and all.

"This is my friend – uh – Nathan." I said as Nathaniel stepped next to me. He smiled timidly, giving a small wave to the three teens. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. He was hopeless. The freckled face boy bent down to look at Nathaniel's cape.

"Is… is that a cape?"

Uh oh. Nathaniel hesitated, warily nodding.

"What!? That is so cool. Where are you from? Is that British accent, I hear? I think we should be using capes again, don't you think Anna?" The freckled face boy was now prowling around Nathaniel, reaching and touching the cape. Nathaniel was now beaming, a smile plastered on his face. He flashed a smug look towards me; I blew my cheeks out. Whatever. The three teens were now hovering over Nathaniel, making comments on how capes died out in the first place and how it should be brought back. Every once in awhile, Nathaniel would respond to them, and they would listen to him, completely engrossed in his response and all of his stories.

Fifteen minutes have passed; conversations between the four flowed. Nathaniel seemed to have forgotten the cold. He was no longer shivering; instead, he was cheerfully telling all kinds of made up stories about his made-up life and his expansive travels all around the world. Finally, after much chit-chat, the girl elbowed herself to the front and made the perfect proposal.

"Hey, about we meet you boys later tonight at the nightclub that's around the corner?"

Nathaniel's smile faltered.

"Yes," I answered. "We would love that."

The teens started giggling, talking with one another. From the corner of my eye, I could see Nathaniel glancing up at me, worry etched on his face. I threw a lazy arm over his shoulder and pulled him in.

"Time for you to get a taste of teen-hood, Nat."