[Palamedes can't really argue with Alec's assessment, and he doesn't try.] 'Academic' is just a fancy word for 'nosy' anyway. We just tend to be nosy about a wider, more esoteric range of subjects.

[He flicks his wrist, and the skeleton becomes a dog, not unlike the ones John has sometimes constructed. It can't do much of anything, either, but it does sit on its haunches and wag its tail.] Though my reasoning isn't entirely impersonal. Alec and I have noticed certain parallels between our abilities, and comparing them has helped us both understand our capabilities and limits.

[He shrugs.] It's interesting.