haha I never put log titles unless it's idiots abound part whatever

[nonacquiescent]

Characters: Waver and open
Setting: Room 1-16/hallways, floors 45, 19, 14
Format: Starting with action but I can match
Summary: 7am waking up in the morning gotta explore the tower
Rating: Uhhhh should be pretty PG
Warnings: Nothing really...

Room 1-16 / hallway

[As soon as Waver is able to move, he jumps up from the bed, desperately looking around. He's also sure to check his right hand, but as there's nothing there, he quickly sees the last few days of calm weren't anything like a dream.

After noticing the letters and reading them over twice, he sets them aside. What's written there can't possibly be true, nothing could destroy the entire world so suddenly. Knowing that is a relief, but, he's still trapped somewhere unfamiliar. He quickly finds his trunk and the contents, swapping that awful bodysuit for a good sensible set of clothes immediately. ...And, underneath those, a book. He bends down to pick it up and turns it over to read the title. The Iliad, that same new but worn out copy. After thinking on it for a moment, he goes back to his bed and sets it under the pillow. That's what Alexander was said to have done, after all, right?]


Floor 45

[An observatory, that's perfect! He can get a good look at what lies outside the tower, maybe even spot where there might be somewhere to get outside. He stands up against the window, placing his hands on it to steady himself as he tries to look out.

He sighs.]

Nothing but clouds, huh...that's useless...

[As he begins to look up again, he shouts, falling backwards and trying to scramble away from the creature which had been face-to-face with him. Even though he was only just pressed up against the glass himself, he's completely forgotten it's there between them and can only stare in horror at the thing staring straight back at him.]


Floor 19

[After exploring the tower, Waver returns to the library. He wants to get through as much as he can right away, but with the size of the library, and there being two, even he knows it will have to be done over a period of time, not all in one sitting. Even so, he goes down the aisles, scanning for anything that looks like like it might contain relevant information. Anything which might give a better understanding of the tower and its intents. If he's especially lucky - maybe a book on magic which he might use to escape.

Going between the rows of shelves with a pile of books in his arms, stacked up to his chin, which he rests on them to keep the precarious stack stead, suddenly he notices something. The section clearly marked 'history' is entirely empty - the section which was sure to be most useful to him. Several books from the top fall from his stack as he whips around to be sure it hasn't simply moved over to the next shelf, or that his eyes are otherwise playing tricks on him. And then he throws the others down, shaking his head and gripping his it with both hands.]

Aah, what the hell?! You're kidding me, right?! Hey, someone forgot to put the books away, you can't just leave a whole section empty...!


Floor 14

[Through the stress of the day, around the time that would be called 'after dinner', Waver heads back to his room and slips a game into the front of his sweater (first checking no one will see, of course). He then goes down to the media room and finds a good corner to wind down and set up Admirable War Tactics.]

Comments

[nonacquiescent]

"Of course, you have to start with the basics. They're actually the most useful."

Math definitely wouldn't be a problem, he trusted someone who liked to read would have the concentration needed, that was the most important thing.

[tohko_amano]

Tohko nodded. "Right. So what are the basics?"

[nonacquiescent]

"Well, it's about focusing the magical energy in your body and moving it into an object, mostly. Look at it like making a sculpture or a painting, whatever it is you're going to do, you visualise the mana creating that shape. Assuming it's something that alters or creates an object. The complicated thing is that magi, in my world at least, control mana through Magic Circuits in their body. The more you have, the more mana you have and the easier it is to control it. This is something you're born with, so normally someone outside of a magus family shouldn't have any. Now I only have a few, but with study and understanding I've been able to make up for that handicap, so in theory, it should be possible to do the same, even with none."

He paused, considering it once again.

"Though it's possible you could have one, or maybe even to create one with enough work. Other magic could possibly be used to assist that..."

[tohko_amano]

Tohko sighed. "I understand the basic theory..but since I don't have any Magic Circuits, it'll be near impossible for for me to do anything..if it's even possible at all."

However, this didn't mean that she was going to quit or give up right away, and she brightened up when Waver mentioned the possibility of making Magic Circuits. "How exactly does one go about making Magic Circuits?"

[nonacquiescent]

"The idea is pretty unheard of, actually. I think...it might be possible through transfer of mana. It's like a nervous system, so introducing something like that into your body could potentially be dangerous. Probably about the same as most surgeries. But, it's also possible you could have some that just haven't been awakened. Mana has to flow through you to activate them, after all. You picture some sort of sudden start to do that..."

[tohko_amano]

Tohko thought as she burned the information on to her brain. Well, she didn't want to transfer mana if it was going to hurt her and Waver. But a sudden start..that might be possible.

"What sort of start? Like your worst fear? Imagining yourself using magic?"

[nonacquiescent]

"It's usually an image like pulling the trigger of a gun, or a hammer hitting a nail, things like that. You need to use it any time you open up your Circuits, so whatever comes to mind first that has a strong impact."

[tohko_amano]

Tohko nodded. She had an image ready in her head. An old nightmare that she'd always hated.

"I see. And how do you know if this trigger has worked?"

[nonacquiescent]

"You can just feel it... Because the Circuits work like a nervous system, you should be able to feel them open and the mana flowing. Something like that..."

He'd never had to explain it before, it was actually pretty difficult to do, so he hoped he was making sense.

[tohko_amano]

"Right. I think I understand."

She sighed and closed her eyes, picturing that trigger in her head. Eating a book in public, getting stones thrown at her in response, and finally, one single person bashed a rock into her head, killing her.

Tohko, biting her lip, felt fear-or was it fear?-kick in her stomach, as it always did when she pictured this too in-detail, and she snapped her fingers, hoping that something would happen.

[nonacquiescent]

He laughed a bit upon seeing her snap her fingers. Not to mock Tohko, just that it was creative.

"That's a good idea, I've never heard of anyone using an outward trigger, but it makes sense."

[tohko_amano]

Tohko opened her eyes and scratched her head, looking a bit sheepish. It looked like it had failed.

"Thanks..people in stories something use a wave of a hand or clap their hands together when they're using magic, so I thought if I used something like that, it'd help me concentrate. Plus, it might help everything go towards one place."

[nonacquiescent]

"You're good at theory already, that's a good sign! More than natural talent, understanding and questioning is definitely the most important thing!"

He firmly believed that. Even if that way of thinking was scoffed at by the powerful families and Mage's Association, he knew it was true. They only avoided the subject to keep people like him in line. But he could do it, and now he was determined to help Tohko as well.

[tohko_amano]

"Well, it is important. After all, you can't find out new ways to do things unless you think and fiddle around with them." She smiled, thinking.

If she used a stronger outer trigger as well as her inner one..then, maybe..she sighed.

"Waver, I'm going to try a stronger outer trigger. Please, look away for a moment. If it fails, I don't want you to see." She pleaded, picking up her book on depression.

[nonacquiescent]

"Exactly, no one wants to admit that, but it's true!"

He paused, tilting his head slightly as if to figure out what exactly she meant.

"Huh? Why not? Whatever it is, I'm not going to laugh, you have to do what you have to do."

[tohko_amano]

Tohko smiled for a moment.

"I don't know why they don't want to admit that. It seems like it'd be a pretty simple thing to figure out."

However that smile left when he said he wasn't going to laugh. She sighed again. Would it be alright? Since this was an act of trying to awaken any dormant mana, maybe he would just see it as that. Maybe he wouldn't see the truth.

"Alright then. But you have to promise not to tell anyone."

With that, Tohko opened the book and started reading. As she read, she pictured her nightmare in her head, as hard as she could. And, when the person had smashed the stone into her head, she ripped a chunk out of the page she was reading and ate it.

[nonacquiescent]

It was definitely a strange thing to do, why would anyone eat the page of a book? But, hey, to each their own, right? He didn't really see what it had to do with anything either way.

"That's what you didn't want me to see? Well, how did it go?"

[tohko_amano]

As Tohko chewed and swallowed the bitter page, she pictured her nightmare in her head and added onto it. Now the person was smashing her stomach with a rock. If she could turn this whole experience into a trigger..then maybe something would happen.

She sighed at Waver's words. "Yes..that is what I didn't want you to see. Please, don't tell anyone. And..my stomach and tongue feel strange..but that may just be nervousness and shock.."

Tohko liked the inside of her mouth, having bitten on it hard enough to draw blood. It was kind of bland and-

In that moment, Tohko's eyes lit up. Bland blood. It didn't taste of nothing-it just tasted bland. There was a flavor there, even though it was tiny.

"W-Waver, I think something's happened! I-I can actually taste my blood!"

[ooc: Please, let me know if this is too outlandish or just plain silly. I'm not really familiar with Fate/Zero's inner workings, so if this just silly, let me know and I'll edit it.]

[nonacquiescent]

[Fate/ is crazy and the extent of magic isn't really explained too well. Or rather, there's a lot of specifics and explanation, but there's still a tonne of holes. I'm not deep enough into it to be any authority on it, but I don't think there's necessarily a right or wrong in the case of something like that. Similar things have been shown to happen, so, hey, go with it. It's possible to shut down a sense or alter it in some way, so.]

"...You mean you couldn't before?"

First the book, then apparently being unable to taste her blood? How was any of that a big deal? It's not as if he though about what his blood tasted like, even on the off chance he did get some in his mouth, so, why was it so astonishing to Tohko?

[tohko_amano]

[ooc: Ah, alright then. I guess I'll just roll with it and say, for the sake of argument, that Tohko can only taste things for one day after she opens up her Circuit. Does that sound about right?]

Tohko shook her head, happy, sad, and just plain excited at the same time. It felt like her tongue and stomach had been opened up-like they could now taste fish, pastries, anything she chose!

"No, I couldn't!"

Tohko tried to calm down so that she could properly explain.

"Do you remember my food comparisons to books? The reason I do that is, partially, because writing is like cooking. However, the main reason is that, normally, I can't taste normal foods, like bread, cheese, or fruit parfaits. I can usually only taste books. That's why I wanted you to look away. I tried my hardest to keep it a secret.

So...it now seems like I can taste things! However..please, don't tell anyone about that. It's a secret. I don't share it to too many people."

Two people back home knew..and now, two people here knew.

[nonacquiescent]

[Yeah, that could work. Something like this is already hard to say, so, mixing elements is probably the way to go, or something. Who knows, man.]

"Huh, really? Something like that in itself should be magecraft, really, so if it had some effect, it's not that surprising! Maybe you had the ability all along without realising. I've...never heard of anything like that. I don't see any reason to tell anyone, though, so don't worry."

It was certainly strange, but nothing to get worked up over. Just confusing.

[tohko_amano]

[ooc: Who knows..><;]

Tohko chuckled.

"Maybe..my parents and I always thought it was a psychological condition, since we could never figure out what was wrong physically. However, since there wasn't a psychological condition like this that we knew of, we just dealt with it as best we could. So..maybe it was just a dormant ability of some kind. Maybe."

Tohko's smile got even bigger when Waver promised to not to tell anyone. Losing her head for a moment, she hugged him out of pure joy. "Thank you, Waver! Thank you so much..I could say it a million times and it wouldn't be enough! Thank you!"

[nonacquiescent]

"Being able to taste a book sounds pretty amazing. I don't know of magic like that, but it definitely isn't science..."

He immediately tensed at such sudden close contact. No one had ever hugged him like that, so for it to happen was more than shocking.

"Y-you're welcome?!" He flustered, "What are you doing?"

[tohko_amano]

And Tohko snapped out of it with his yelling, and let him go, looking embarrassed and apologetic.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry..I lost my head there for a minute, I was so happy."

She then scratched her head and moved a few feet away from Waver, trying to give him some space.

"While being able to taste stories is interesting, it's not amazing. Do you know how terrible it feels to be the only one in the room who can't taste how delicious the fruit parfaits are? Or having to lie about how delicious the dinner your aunt cooked you is?
It feels horrible."

[nonacquiescent]

"No, it's...okay. I wasn't expecting that."

He scratched his head in turn.

"I guess I don't exactly mean 'amazing' in the sense of 'it sounds fun', it's as you said, 'interesting', or 'extraordinary'. If it means you can't taste anything else, I'm sure it would be a lot of trouble."