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 Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:02 am
Walking silently through the halls, young Nash couldn't help shaking an eerie feeling that crept down his spine. It was quiet here but there were students about, it just seemed far different from the Basic Learning halls. Clutched in his arms was an old dusty book, it was tinted black but looked more gray then anything. Having purchased it previously out of curiosity he couldn't quite read the contents of the book. It didn't make sense to the youth who was used to the norm.
Ever since stepping foot on Shinkami soil the world he had once lived in seemed so minute. Insignificant at best but he was determined to learn and catch up with the way of the world. He was far behind and that was okay. It was only a fluke that word of mouth got around on Master Shinji's condition. Rumors were the worst but the youth couldn't help feeling a bit concerned. He had never met this instructor and it probably was rude to just pop up unannounced so he'd been reciting in his carrot top head that he'd come in search of Shinji to help him better understand this book.
Yep that was his story... the book. Just ask for help, make small talk, jot down notes and leave. Simple as pie, right? Gulping the young student stood in front of the man's office (or class) wondering what made him think such an idea would be easy. With a deep breath he rapped lightly on the door waiting for any signs of life from the other side.
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:55 pm
There was a low sigh, then a few footsteps beyond the door. As if the master of Magic was debating strongly whether or not to open the door at all, the foot steps were unstable, and scattered around, sometimes close to the door and sometimes far away. Eventually, however, there was a light cough. Shinji's voice can be heard soon after.
"Come in, the door's not locked."
Strolling back to his seat, the master of Magic adjusted himself so that he looked at least professional enough to meet with whoever it was on the other side of the door. Shinji had not slept the past few days. There was something bothering him...perhaps talking to someone could resolve the issue?
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Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 7:13 pm
The young student listened to the shuffling of feet his nerves on edge but no less wavering as he heard the voice invite him in. With a slight start he pushed forward tentatively opening the door to peek his head in. Blinking a few times he finally pushed into the office, closing the door behind him. He didn't move from the door however uncertain of how to address the situation.
"Uh.. hello my name is Nash... I uh... " He went silent sighing deeply. It was annoying being so timid all the time. With a slight frown mixed with a pout he moved forward a little more. "I have a book here... it's hard for me to read and I heard from some of the other students that you'd be able to help. Maybe..." There. He said it and quickly shuffled over to show the dusty book to the master.
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Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 8:40 am
Shinji blinked. It was a student he had never seen before. Was he a magic student? Perhaps there was a new student here and the master never checked. He wasn't on top of things, especially not these days. The master of Magic rose a little as if he was trying to greet Nash, then sat back down as the boy began to speak. Shinji's eyes traveled over to Nash's hand, seeing a seemingly old and dirty book.
"I see...I'm Master Kyuu Shinji. I suppose you know that already?" Shinji commented, eyes focused on the book. "I do see you have a book here. Do you need help with it?" It was an obvious question, as the boy already said he needed help. The master took the book from the boy quite smoothly when Nash stuffed the book toward him. Shinji flipped a page or two, and he didn't even need to look at the title to see what it was. A dreadful feeling suddenly rose within Shinji's mind. The master snapped his head back up again, staring at Nash intensively.
"Where did you get this book?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:36 pm
Nash looked pleased for all of two seconds before the half smile on his face began to drop. He looked to the floor unable to meet the master's eyes. "I- I found it?" He spoke, half questioning himself. "It was a fluke purchase at the book store... none of the other books looked interesting." He muttered his eyes trained on his feet. Shuffling uncomfortably he ventured a look at the master violet eye searching, hoping that he had not made a mistake. "I was curious..." He breathed taking a deep breath he held it for a long time before eventually needing air.
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Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 5:42 pm
Shinji played around with the old book in his hands, eyes shifting from the book, then to Nash, and back again. Eventually he shook his head, and returned the book to Nash. "I didn't think the school is capable of getting this kind of book. " The master made a mental note to talk to Irame, who was perhaps the very person who wanted this book in the stores for whatever reason. He then signed heavily. "It's not your fault. You didn't know what kind of book it was." A pause, "But I shouldn't be surprised, the dark magic books always has an attractive power over its readers."
The master then raised his eyebrow as if he thought of something interesting, "I suppose, you are interested in magic, young man?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:15 am
Nash took the book when it was presented to him, hugging it close to his chest. He watched the master closely hoping he hadn't caused in trouble and was a bit relieved when Shinji stated that fact. "Dark magic? Isn't that dangerous?" He squeaked but went silent hands grasping the book tightly. "I mean..." He looked up at the question biting his bottom lip but smiled softly as he answered. "Yes very much. It's so interesting but I really want to know how it works. I don't think I'm capable of actually taping into any magical ability." He chuckled nervously. "Um... is magic hard to learn?" Nash finally asked curious from the master's point of view on the subject.
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Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 6:09 pm
"Very much indeed." Shinji fell silent as a frown formed on his face. How long was it that he had used dark magic? He could still feel the chill creeping up to his spine when thinking of what happened. It was his enthusiasm that drove him to study dark magic, but what came out of it was much more horrifying, something he could not control at all, despite all the talent he had in magic. If it was not for her, he'd still be lost, driven insane by the thirst for power, greed for darkness...
The master sighed. His thoughts had been wandering lately, and for some reason, everything related back to her, the only person that was dear to him. It was for her that he came to the school, it was for her that he left his home and abandoned his people...
Shinji practically ignored what Nash had said, but when the room fell awkwardly silent the master realized that the boy was waiting for his reply. The master coughed a little, embarrassed. It was not the time to revisit the past, he had to focus on his job first.
"I'm sorry, I lost track of what you were saying." Shinji curtly replied. It was the honest answer. "Could you repeat that?"
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Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 1:41 am
Nash only blinked as he watched Shinji. He knew that look, it was the same expression he often wore when he was thinking deeply of the past. Almost everyday his thoughts would wonder to his father, wondering where he was in the world, what he was doing and if he were thinking of him too. Only when he felt something trickle down his cheek did he realize a tear had squeezed its way past his defenses. Was he still not over the sadness? Brushing the stray tear he shuffled uncomfortably under the master's attention and quickly tried diverting attentions to the topic at hand.
"It's okay." Nash informed softly. "I was just curious about magic is all. I've always been fascinated on how it works and what form of creature or persons are able to use it." He breathed managing a soft smile that was void of the previous sadness. "It's just the most dominant memory of my father evolved around magic and mystery. He always talked about it so passionately. So I thought maybe if I dabbled a little in this area it would lead me to him..." He trailed off softly looking at the dusty book. "I just really need to know why he left us like that... what was so important that he'd run off without even writing back? Or maybe something..." Shaking his head of bad thoughts he looked to the master with a determined grin. "Anyway, I was just hoping you could point me in the right direction."
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Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 10:54 am
"Is he now? That's interesting." Shinji remarked with a mild curiosity. The master of magic chose to disregard the fact that Nash was depressed for a moment. Everyone had their troubles, and it was not his business to interfere. However, he was a little surprised that Nash's father, a human, would be so involved with magic. For selfish reasons he couldn't let it go. Shinji strolled around the room, eyes focused on Nash and the book. Dark magic...surely brings up the most unwanted memory, for both of them.
"So tell me, what do you know about magic, from what your father told you?"
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:11 pm
"The most I can remember was how he always told me magic was connected to the natural flow of nature." Nash eyes moved about the room as he spoke a slight nervousness washing over him when talking about his missing father. "He would sit with me and read his books to me in the woods and try to demonstrate some of the ideas the books spoke. He wasn't very good at it and while he got a little more than a few flickers. I don't recall him actually doing anything outside of basic parlor tricks. " Holding close to the dark book, Nash worried his bottom lip between his teeth as he tried to explain himself clearly.
"He never unlocked his potential but it didn't stop him from reading and studying it faithfully. The major lesson I did learn was how consuming magic could be... over time he became obsessed with it. Even before he left he never truly mastered anything but I think... maybe... he came across a break through and had to leave home to explore this." He wondered about that himself, never once had he witnessed his father using magic. For all he knew the man was only human and humans couldn't really use magic, could they?
"At any rate, I'm here to learn what I can about the topic that stole my father away. I want to understand what he discovered the day before he left. I just need to know for myself if it was worth leaving his family behind." He breathed. "After that, I'll be satisfied. Only then can I put my knowledge to use. Besides I've always wondered if humans can actually unlock potential magic within themselves? Is magic really attainable?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 6:54 am
Shinji frowned upon hearing the boy talk. As a professor he told himself to believe in what his students tell him, yet what Nash said was simply hard to believe. "I don't believe humans are capable of using magic, not with some kind of refining device." Shinji replied rather abruptly, "even here, students are trained in the school of magic with the help of the magic refining tools. They boost a human's instinct to nature, or you could call it a 'sixth sense'. Normally that is what a human lacked to perform magic in the first place...because they didn't believe in the environment they lived in."
The master paused, and stared into Nash's eyes seriously. "Of course, I'm not saying that there is no exceptions. Some humans are better at it than others, but pursuing magic all by himself is..."
Madness, impossible. Shinji wanted to say. He stopped himself, however, for the sake of the boy's feelings. If he really believed that his father could actually use magic...then he had no right to take that belief away.
"...something unimaginably difficult." The master trailed off in the end, but immediately changed his topic. "But anyways, as I always told other students. To study magic, you have to truly believe in nature. Not just to say it in your words, but your mind has to be set to believe. Unfortunately, humans...lost this capability ever since they have discovered technology, and switched their believes in nature to a belief in so called 'science', a partial explanation to nature that they have made up. So technically no, magic is, at this point, not attainable by humans themselves. But like I said, students here are trained with refined magic and magic refining devices, which help you guys to boost your ability to sense the natural flow. It doesn't help you to believe in it more, but I suppose...if you can truely feel it, it's easier to believe, am I not correct?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:07 am
Nash had listened to the master speak, his words helped to uncloud the mystery behind his father's obsession. While he didn't hate the man for finding a passion in life he couldn't be honest with himself if he didn't express his annoyance with magic itself. Truth be told he probably despised such an idea but understanding it would make it easier to dispel the illusion that his father didn't care. Besides at this point, the young boy had learned his infatuation with magic steamed from his father's obsession and would probably become his own... Nash snorted.
That man was gone so why dwell on it? He should make his own path in life and stop chasing dreams but he could no more help that then fix that blasted watch his father left him. Upon thinking about it his hand came to rest at his chest where the star pocket holding his father's watch lay. It was broken still, nothing he had tried thus far had fixed it. And until he fixed it by his own hands, the old man wouldn't come for him. "I see." He muttered, more to himself then anything the master had said. He figured this path was hard, he knew following in his father's footsteps would be beyond his reach but he'd been told for far too long that he wouldn't' amount to anything. If only to prove his mother wrong he would push forward and figure things out for himself.
"Refine magic....devices?" He questioned hearing this for the first time. Maybe that was something his father had learned? Tossing that thought aside his interest had been peeked suddenly. "I'm not sure I understand all this but I do want to try. Believing in nature and learning more about refined magic and the devices. Are there any resources I can used to study? Maybe some experiments to try?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 8:33 am
Shinji leaned forward, focused on the boy's expression. Was he ready to learn magic after what happened to his father? He was on the right track, unlike his father, but with his father's influence Shinji wasn't sure if the boy was truly ready to unleash his potential.
"ah, magic refining." The master followed the change in topic briefly, "if you are to enter the school of magic, there will be plenty of resources for you. To actually focus on refining magic though you will have to visit the other professor in the school. She...is queer, but she will know much more about the technology aspect, if you strive to know how magic is being refined."
Shinji shuddered a little at the thought of Javelin. The woman was not one to get along with anyone with his personality, but she was also one of the few humans that Shinji is interested in. How she was able to convert magic to human use was beyond his knowledge. Perhaps Nash's father tried the same path...
"Anyways, Nash, correct? I'm curious as to what you want to do with magic when you do learn it. Not why you want to learn (I can see why already), but how you are going to use it."
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Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 7:48 pm
Nash listened to Shinji curious of the possibilities of refining magic. His only concern now was learning how to actually use it. Something he hoped this other professor knew about. Maybe he'd go check it out see what information he could soak up from the professor. Though just as he was about to ask for the other professor's whereabouts, Shinji dropped a bomb of a question in his lap.
"What..." He looked a bit startled by the question. Somehow a light bulb had come on in his mind's eye. Why he was down such an impossible road was no secret but he never questioned himself on the matter of "how". How would he use the magic for what purpose?
"I-I... never thought of that." He breathed hanging his head. Of course if he didn't have a purpose then why pursue such a path? "A long time ago I would have liked to use magic to hurt someone... or to bring someone back to me. But I realize, no matter how much I hurt her it won't change the things she's done to me. And bringing him back now will not bring back the lost time." He shrugged tracing a line with his finger over the dusty book. "Maybe I should think a little more on how I want to use such a gift. Can I have some time before answering you honestly?"
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