☿ // point zero

[fionnuisce]

Characters: Waver and open!
Format: I'll try to match.
Summary: Professor Charisma does some exploring. And science. Magic science. i have no self control so wow this got up quick
Warnings: None yet.

[dorm room 3-10]

[Sleep paralysis on its own was enough to put him on edge. Was this some kind of ill-conceived attack with magecraft? No, that wasn't likely--if it was and his would-be opponent had an ounce of sense in their heads, he'd be dead already. In the moments it took him to properly regain his senses, Waver ran through a list of hypothetical causes for this problem...each as unlikely as the last.]

[Finally, he was able to sit up and brush long, disheveled black hair from his face. Now that it occurred to him, Waver couldn't even remember having fallen asleep to begin with. Hadn't he only just been leaving a lecture hall in the Clock Tower? If he'd fainted, this didn't seem like any infirmary they had to his knowledge. As he considered the matter, Waver idly trailed a hand to the back of his own neck and froze. Though the collar's presence disturbed him, he could figure that out later. What caused him to halt in place wasn't the presence of something foreign, but the absence of something familiar.]

That's not possible. It's gone, how the hell can it possibly-- [He muttered under his breath for a second, double checking to be sure whatever it was (likely a necklace of some kind, from how he was acting) had actually gone missing.]

[One might find him shortly after that, rummaging through his trunk with some very determined sense of urgency.]

[floor eighty-one]

[Standing before the windows and looking skyward was one unfazed lecturer in a dark green suit, black hair tied in a long ponytail and sunglasses resting on top of his head. In his hands are a pen and small notebook, and every few minutes he pauses to take something down in chickenscratch handwriting.]

[floor twenty-five]

[Here, said ponytailed and sunglasses-wearing individual seems to be doing something a little strange. Namely, something with a case full of glass vials and liquids that might scream 'mad scientist'.]

[Or 'alchemist', if one knew better.]

[Whatever method he was using, Waver seemed to be analyzing a few specific flowers in the meadow, presumably to determine whether they were magical or supernatural in origin.]

[Judging by the frustrated look on his face? They're probably not.]

[floor three]

[A library; the natural habitat of clever people, especially this one in particular. He examined the shelves with a critical look, a small pile of books on the table nearby. Whatever he's actually looking for, it doesn't seem he's able to find it. He adjusted the sunglasses on his head as though doing so was some odd habit, scowling in faint aggravation.]

[anywhere else]

[Of course, anyone doing this much exploring is bound to run into monsters. Maybe he's on his own, or maybe he stopped to defend someone else. Whatever the case, he shifted into a fighting stance as though it were second nature and immediately moved to take down the enemy before him with swift, precise strikes.]

[When the monster had been taken down and the danger was momentarily avoided, Waver straightened up and did little more than dust off his dark green suit with a completely unfazed look.]

[Yeah. Totally a thing that happens every day, right?]

Comments

[tohko_amano]

..Well, that was a different reaction than what she was expecting..but maybe this older Waver could handle things a little bit better. After all, after a Holy Grail War, something like this must seem pretty..ordinary.

"Sure. I can't guarantee I'll know the answers to all of them, but I'll try and answer them..and if you could, could you tell me later what the distinction between Magecraft and True Magic is?"

[fionnuisce]

If any of it did really bother him on any level (and oh boy did it ever), Waver hid it well.

"I can try, at least. Even as a lecturer, I'm not too qualified to speak on most True Magic in more than concept and textbook definitions."

Which sort of happened when it was on the level of miracles; it was damn hard to explain in great detail.

"Can you explain in any more detail the part about one's soul being linked to their collars? Is there any information on how that was possible?"

Because it shouldn't have been. It couldn't have been--that was practically Second and Third magic in one place. The concept of such things being used casually was absolutely terrifying.

[tohko_amano]

"Well, even textbook definitions would be great! Magic didn't exist in my universe, so I'm always happy to learn more about it."

Tohko brightened up for a moment..before sighing at Waver's question. However, she did nod.

"Yes, I can. Apparently, only your soul was pulled to this universe. Your body is still back in your destroyed universe, dead..but still unharmed. When pulling your soul out of your body, certain types of liquid are used. I'm sure the liquid in the collars help keep your soul there and not reject these patchwork bodies.

You can find more information about this one the network..and there's a boy here named John who managed to get footage of that process."

[fionnuisce]

He stopped writing for a moment, as if trying to fully process the concept first. It still hadn't entirely settled in as possible fact when he started writing again.

"What about our worlds being destroyed? Does anyone have proof of that past anything I assume these administrators have put forth?"

[tohko_amano]

Again, Tohko nodded.

"Yes. I have two pieces of evidence. One, my friend went back a few months ago..and saw friends and people he knew dead and the world he had loved destroyed.

Second, a few weeks ago, a person from another universe was pulled here, a being from the Collective Unconscious. He had no reason to lie, and he said that everyone here came from destroyed universes. That can also be found on the network."

[fionnuisce]

"...The Collective Unconscious." he repeated flatly but with no trace of actual disbelief. "That's something else I didn't expect today."

He tapped the pen against his notebook for a moment, thinking the matter over. So the world of magi he wanted to change might just have been nonexistent...Waver wasn't sure if he was in denial or simply didn't completely believe it just yet.

[tohko_amano]

Tohko forced herself to smile a little at that.

"I don't think anyone really expects the Collective Unconscious or any of this when they first wake up here."

[fionnuisce]

"I'd be worried for my sanity if I did." And there was the start of a tension headache. This just kept getting better.

"Right...you wanted to ask me something?"

[tohko_amano]

"Well, I wouldn't be, to be honest, but it might be a little odd to immediately think of it unless you had some connection to it."

Tohko then sighed and nodded.

"You've already forgotten? The difference between Magecraft and True Magic?"

[fionnuisce]

"Right--sorry. I guess this distracted me for a minute."

He closed the notebook and put it into a coat pocket, idly twirling the pen in his hand.

"It's fairly simple, and since you apparently already know me I'll guess the usual secrecy of magi doesn't apply. 'Magecraft' is basically the standard variety of skills one would see commonly; what a fantasy novel might call 'magic'. Healing, alchemy, things like that. On the other hand, there are only a few forms of True Magic, and the ones that we actually know anything about are on the level of what people call 'miracles'. Second Magic, for instance: that one involves traveling through parallel worlds. So for a place to use what we'd call a miracle as if it's nothing...frankly, the concept is a little concerning."

[tohko_amano]

Tohko nodded, burning the information onto her brain.

"Oh, it's alright! Don't worry about it..it's a lot to take in. And..you don't have to worry about the secrecy. I pretty much managed to get the other Waver here to tell me some of what he knew and all about the Holy Grail War..and he spilled it to everyone on the network last month.

I understand the classification..but how does one perform things in True Magic or Second Magic in your universe?"

She then sighed, thinking.

"And I guess this would be a little worrisome to you..if I remember correctly, Ruana and Zo's powers are based on psionics. They use their minds to make these things happen."

[fionnuisce]

"Sorry, I wouldn't really know the 'how' of it all. For the most part, maybe one or two magicians at most can use each form of Magic--probably even less, in some cases."

...great. So they had beings on the potential level of Magicians, probably even Dead Apostles.

"Yeah--frankly I'd worry about that."

[tohko_amano]

"Oh, alright then. Do you know anyone that can then?"

Tohko was always interested in learning about these sorts of things, even if she couldn't use them. However, Tohko sighed in frustration at that last comment.

"Everyone here is, especially since it seems that Ruana got stronger after she killed and ate Dax. She might have absorbed his powers."

[fionnuisce]

"Not personally. Mostly, I've only heard them spoken of. A Magician named Zelretch is supposedly the only one to use Second Magic."

[tohko_amano]

At that Tohko nodded again.

"Alright then. I wonder if he'll be pulled to this place someday?"

Tohko stopped musing to herself and sighed, trying to snap out of it.

"Do you have any other questions? Or anything I can help out with at all? And..what's with the sunglasses?"

[fionnuisce]

"He'd probably just walk right back out, if he has that kind of power."

Shrugging, Waver adjusted the sunglasses on his head again.

"They belonged to a friend of mine--I just kind of got accustomed to holding on to them. I think we covered most of what I needed to know right away, at any rate."

[tohko_amano]

"Maybe..but at least he could try to keep an opening for us to escape."

Tohko looked a little bit..puzzled.

"Ah, alright then. That's good to hear..but I didn't know Alexander liked wearing sunglasses."

[fionnuisce]

"Right, we didn't cover that...Listen, this must be the hundredth time I've gone over this today, so if it's alright with you I'll keep it short."

He didn't sound impatient, exactly--just a little tired of repeating himself.

"I didn't summon Rider in my world. I was Lancer's Master."

[tohko_amano]

At that, Tohko nodded and..actually smiled.

"Oh, alright then! It's fine if you keep it short..you're probably sick of repeating yourself to so many people. But I imagine you and Diarmuid were a good team. I could see you two working well together, after awhile."

[fionnuisce]

"We did well enough, I think." he answered with a small smile of his own. "He can be damn troublesome in his own way, but he's a good person."

[tohko_amano]

"He does have a few faults..but he is a nice guy. And that in itself is an understatement."

Tohko had the urge to ask about Waver's war and what other differences there were, but she bit it back. She had to stop being so nosy sometimes.

"I'm guessing he wore the sunglasses to hide his spot then."

[fionnuisce]

"Heh--that's why I gave them to him. You believe he sounded like he never thought to cover it up?"

Waver sighed in exasperation.

"For someone that smart, he's really an idiot sometimes."

[tohko_amano]

And Tohko couldn't help but chuckle at that. Diarmuid..that sounded like him a little. He had probably thought to cover them up, but hadn't really mentioned it.

"That does sound like him. I can believe that he sounded like that..I wonder if he actually thought about covering them up or not?

But..I guess that means you two got along well, after a little while. Even though you're both smart, you both do foolish things sometimes, but not often. You both are pretty accepting of other people too..at least, the Waver I know is."

[fionnuisce]

"I don't really have much of a problem with people unless they go out of their way to drive me insane." Waver remarked dismissively. "At least Lancer didn't do it on purpose--he's just accidentally infuriating."

[tohko_amano]

Tohko had many words to describe Diarmuid with, but she had never thought to describe him as 'infuriating'.

"How was he frustrating?"