thenearshore | [closed] epic spell wars

Entry tags:

[closed] epic spell wars

Who: Davesprite and Chikusa
When: September 19th
Where: The general vicinity of the temple school
What: Mission 33 for Mission 5, a.k.a. Davesprite finally gets around to learning how to spell, in the non-literacy sense.

[In retrospect, it had kind of been the obvious choice.

While he probably wouldn't know now considering what he was like earlier, Davesprite would almsot wonder if Hakkai knew about the whole music thing, considering the point he'd made about asking someone who owed Davesprite a favour for spell training. And...well, Chikusa did kind of owe him a favour for teaching him music, however much Davesprite hasn't been thinking of it that way until now.

Since he's not sure how much those two are going to want to see each other, though, despite the fact that Davesprite came to the school for spell training initially, he's a respectable distance away now, trying to figure out how to start off with this spell business.]

Alright, so, how does this whole spell thing usually go and how likely is it to blow up in my face immediately.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It depends on how much of an asshole you are.

[For whatever might be going on with Hakkai, and the clusterfuck that is being at his temple with Ayumu, Chikusa still seems the same as always with his dull stare and the way he slouches back against a desk. On its surface is a small tin of animal shaped cookies, carefully covered in frosting.]

...There are two key components to casting a spell without messing up. One is knowing the name of your opponent... and the other is firmly believing yourself better than them.

[s h r u g]

So. Asshole.

[Yeah that's. That second thing is going to be a problem, and Davesprite pretty clearly looks a little more trepidatious of the whole thing given that.]

Okay so yeah, definitely gonna blow up in my face at some point considering whether I can consider myself better than any given thing in my line of sight depends on the time of day, alignment of the planets, and the exact angle the wind is blowing from.

[He's being remarkably candid about the fact for once, but he figures he might as well point out it has a good chance of being a problem from the outset. Clearly being an asshole isn't the only qualification, because Davesprite would argue he's both an asshole and unqualified for that particular requirement.]

Also. Are we talking name name or vessel name.

Vessel.

[That's the easiest thing to answer out of that whole thing, and Chikusa blinks slowly as he considers Davesprite. It's not that he thought the other shinki was egotistical or anything.... but he'd figured that it wouldn't be an issue.]

[Shit. He figured he'd be teaching spell conduct, not how to quit hating yourself.]

So. When do you feel more confident...?

[Davesprite also wasn't expecting this to have to turn into how to quit hating yourself class, but here they are. He had some grasp of the fact that borderlines needed that sense as well, but he'd gotten around it through a combination of necessity and gaining experience.

That, at least, means he has a vague sense of what might help here, and he ventures a suggestion after a few seconds.]

I dunno, usually when I'm doing shit that I know really well. If I know what I'm doing, how I feel about me doesn't really come into it.

So..... Basically.... We'll just have to go over this a lot until there isn't any doubt....

[You're lucky he likes you, Davesprite. This is sounding like a lot more work than he thought this would be. Still, if confidence is a thing that they can't really hammer out immediately...]

...Like I said. You need the vessel names of whoever you're trying to use it against. If they're a nora, then you need all of their names. [One shoulder rises up slightly.] Although I don't think too many shinki are like that.

[It's amazing to just be able to have and keep one god, for one thing.]

I mean, I can practice on my own once I have the rest of it down, but yeah, I'm gonna have to be pretty fucking sure what I'm practicing is right. [At the very least, it's easier to do that when he's learning from someone else, since he can assume they know what they're doing.

The mention of nora makes Davesprite frown a bit, though.] Huh, so there actually are advantages to that. But yeah, I don't remember that many people who are like. Nora all the time. Pretty sure Barry was, but he's gone, so that leaves you and whoever else.

....At the most recent gathering for new people and training, I was able to trick someone into giving me their name.... and successfully used Bind on them. So. You can be sure of that much, at least.

[Which was a bit of a dick move, but hey.]

Anyway, yeah. So if your spell backfires on someone, it's either that your confidence isn't as it should be.... or you're dealing with a nora. So remember that.

With that said.... What spell do you want to learn first?

That's kind of a dick move, my dude. [And of course, Davesprite is going to call him out on exactly that.] Also. Aren't the shinki who know spells more dangerous anyway, and they're the ones who are going to know not to share their vessel name.

[So that seems like kind of a shit matter to deal with. Then again, it gives Davesprite some more motivation to learn kanji so he can actually read what the hell people's vessel names are.

As for the question of spells, Davesprite's only heard of three, so it doesn't take him long to pick out of them.] Bind sounds like it's probably the most useful, considering.

[Completely unconcerned, Chikusa shrugs.] He refused to read the pamphlet and didn't listen to any other shinki, so.... [School of rough lessons.] Even then, I wasn't expecting him to do it..... or strip down to his underwear....

[That sure was a day, let him tell you.]

Anyway, yeah... Anyone who knows anything about magic won't give their real vessel name.... Which is why I'm not giving you any of mine.

[No offense, Davesprite.]

But Bind is good.... Although you'll want to keep in mind they can still speak even if they can't move. With that said...

[He explain the basic movements and command of Bind, which is fairly simple and clear. At least with Chikusa, one never has to worry about complicated or rambling explanations.]

...Okay, yeah, in that case I can see why you did it. [Dick moves all around, apparently, though Davesprite's less surprised than he probably should be.] Is there an actual reason he stripped or was he just that pissed off that he rent his clothes from his body in abject rage.

[But onto technically more important things than whether this guy literally was just so mad he ripped his clothes off. Davesprite just shrugs a little in a way that says he can't really blame Chikusa for not offering up his vessel name, and he's quietly a little thankful that his is essentially invisible to anyone not him unless they manage to get his shades off. The explanation is clear enough, and from what Chikusa says, Davesprite tries out the motion as described. It's pretty close, if not quite exactly right yet.]

So like this, or am I off already.

He was asking about lines and spells, so I told him he'd need to find his name first. And then he just started.... stripping...

[Heaven really does drag in the weirdest weirdos.]

[Still, that's unimportant right now. Instead, he focuses on helping Davesprite, watching the gesture.]

....A little different. Fingers a little... [Slipping from the desk and shoving a cookie into his mouth, he reaches over to make the adjustments.] ...there.

...I think once you're more used to it... The gesture isn't needed at all. Like with borderlines and shouting the command.

Did you tell him there are places that'll pay him to do that. [The joke had to be made, apparently, but at least Davesprite moves on after that extremely deadpan remark.

He lets his hand move easily as Chikusa corrects the motion, and tries it out a few times just to make sure he gets the feel of it.]

Yeah, probably, but getting used to it requires me to actually know what I'm doing first, so I will be taking all appropriate corrections to this shit while I still have the chance.

[Better it backfires now than when he actually needs it down the line.]

Just saying.

[It's information that will be useful in the future. Still, with the motion correct, Chikusa tilts his head as he looks over Davesprite.]

...The motion is good. You'll want to find someone who doesn't mind giving you their name, however... It'll give you a target...

But that doesn't solve the other issue.

I'm pretty sure Kairi knows this shit, but I'm wondering if she'd give me her name anyway because she seems like the help without thinking too much about it type.

[It would probably be good to practice against someone experienced, and if they know why he needs their name then at least he can feel less shitty about tricking them.]

Yeah, but that's a practice thing. I can draw a borderline, can't I, that runs on the same kind of logic.

Probably. She's....

[Chikusa trails off, mind searching for the appropriate descriptor that could apply to Kairi, before he eventually just saves effort on that particular mental adventure by shrugging instead. Davesprite gets it. Kairi is...]

[....seriously too nice.]

Anyway, yeah.... On some levels. Different spells require tweaks to the way of thinking but at the base... it's the same base in the end.

...What's your logic for borderlines then?

[Davesprite waits for Chikusa to find something to describe her with, and then kind of raises a brow when he trails off. They probably have about the same idea of her, though, which might be why Chikusa chose not to elaborate.

As for the logic on borderlines, Davesprite waves a hand.] What I said earlier. The thing about experience - I've been here longer than a hell of a lot of others, so I have that advantage. Also I guess, thinking about protecting my god helps a bit too, so maybe it's like. Kinda thinking my god is superior rather than me being superior.

[In the sense that he's representing a superior god, and thus has to come out as superior in a combat.]

Mm.... That's me as well. [Funny how they have that in common.] At least, when Axel-sama was around.

[Perhaps to some degree, he's still using that sort of logic even if Axel is no longer here. There's a chance Axel could come back, so he has to succeed until then. Not to mention that he has to watch over the things and people that were left behind too, like Ken.... so he can't lose either.]

So.... Try that when you practice against someone. Don't treat it as subjective, like if you're better than someone... But objective fact, that you need to and thus will succeed, because of your god.... or whoever.

Yeah, it kind of seems to be a thing when people can't get it up just thinking of themselves as superior. [He suggests it to newcomers pretty often when they can't get their borderlines going right, and it seems to have worked for at least a few of them.]

Noted. Pretty sure my god is probably the best person to base it on, I dunno that I have that much else I'm that invested in here.

[Or possibly back home, since from what he remembers, he probably fucked up the closest relationship he had there.]

I'm hurt I don't count.

[Chikusa's deadpan says he super isn't, and he offers the cookie box to Davespite in the meantime. He's going to be digging into it anyway.]

You'll want to focus on this one before trying to learn any other spells... It's easier. Less clutter.

Yeah, you fucking sound it. [Davesprite is just as deadpan about his reply, even as he reaches out to take a cookie and extremely seriously take a bite out of it. Also, he might be taking one or two more by means of neon orange telekinesis.]

Makes sense. Seems like easy shit to get mixed up or confused if you're trying to learn all of them at once.

[Enjoy the fact that they all seem to be dog-shaped, Davesprite.]

If I learn anything else... I'll be sure to tell you about it. I've been trying to find more spells, but the one I found is... useless to me.

[He's still going to learn it, dammit, but still.]

[Calm your hormones, Chikusa.]

How useless are we talking, because I am no stranger to the wondrous lands of useless powers.

[Says the guy who has two powers that basically amount to "write things without a pen" and "leave transparent glamour shots at will".]

[Listen, he'd love to know how.]

Ah... A Dizzying spell.

[He'll leave why it's obvious up to the imagination, and also all the drugging references he's ever made.]

Yeah, that kind of sounds like a step down from these ones, unless it lasts longer or takes less effort to cast or something.

[There has to be some advantage, Davesprite figures, if the cool stuff looks that dull from the outside.]

I guess if you don't have drugs on hand... and want to be a dick but not in a major way...

[Maybe he shouldn't be surprised? There's no reason pettiness is exempt from spell casting.]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject