[She blinks at his offer, clearly surprised by it, but then smiles warmly.]
You shouldn't give me your shirt! It'd be missing from your uniform; we can't have that! Don't worry, I'll figure out something else. I'm fairly sure that Riki's shop sells quite powerful defensive items that create a magical barrier around the user. I'll purchase enough of those that I won't run out before I find a more permanent defence mechanism. It's not like I plan on leaving the city, so nothing too bad should happen to me to begin with.
I have more back home, and I’m not being held to my school’s dress code here. Please take it until you get something else, it’s just a simple white button down. It shouldn’t be too cumbersome.
[He was prone to planning things several steps in advance, with multiple outcomes in mind. Unaware of her natural skills, Jade saw Frieda like a small cute prey animal that had no natural predators in her world. She was overly trusting and friendly to a concerning point, and he enjoyed her company so he felt it was on him to try and compensate.]
In some ways, but it’s a rather dangerous situation to be in. It’s difficult to manage my blot accumulation if I’m not generating the amount I’m expecting. [He paused for a moment.] Oh, I do not believe that I ever explained that.
Edited (It’s just edits day ig) 2024-01-25 20:26 (UTC)
[He really wants her to have his shirt..! (If only she knew about the concept of a boyfriend shirt - but, well, it looks like she's about to find out its merit, even moreso than girls who only get a regular one). Jade's casual mention of his blot accumulation, though, naturally draws her focus.]
You haven't, no. What do you need to generate?
[And what's going to happen if he can't manage..?]
[Amusingly, Jade also lacks the understanding of the boyfriend shirt, most of his life was spent without clothes, only to get foisted to an all-boys school. Aside form genuinely worrying for her wellfare, he also thinks it'll look funny given the size. They're both about to find out.
He's not getting that shirt back.]
No, no, no, it's not something I seed to generate. Blot is a toxic byproduct of casting magic.
[He takes out his wand and shows holds it out for her to see. The white gem on top almost looks faintly dirty, with a few foggy black spots.]
See the gem here? It acts like a filter, absorbing the blot while I cast. See those inky black spots? That's blot, it'll fade and leave the magestone pristine again shortly, it's just something I have to be careful of.
[He pockets the wand again, and goes back to his meal, he’s about to rattle off a whole terrible thing over dinner like it’s bugging. It’s fine! It’s important for her to know at least- he wasn’t the only one from his world here, and he knew that at least two individuals had overblotted once already, making them a risk.]
No, it’s just without my wand nearby, the blot will accumulate directly in me. I could likely cast a few smaller spells and still be alright, but more than that and I would overblot.
[He paused to take a few more bites of his meal, mulling over how to explain it. He could give an example, he’d seen two firsthand… but even he had some moral standards. He wouldn’t sit out Azul’s trauma like that.
Jamil, he had far less hesitation, however the situation that caused it was too convoluted to share without giving too much background.
He’d have to use a theoretical example then.]
When a mage overblots, the blot poisons the mind and becomes parasitic. Hmm, perhaps it would be easier to give an example than to explain it in its entirety. Let’s say I overblotted, you know my outlook on the world fairly well, I am prone to getting bored… and I get lonely rather easily. Were I to overblot, I would likely behave like a beast, I would be driven to mindlessly hunt others, to kill for sport, or keep them in my grasp to keep me company or amuse me.
The blot feeds off of a mage’s magic and negative emotions. The poison exacerbates their vulnerabilities, weaponizing then and forcing the mage turn violent and overuse their magic. A creature called a phantom takes form after a time, and if the mage is not be rescued in time, they will die and the phantom take a permanent form.
I know it sounds very concerning, but it’s actually a very rare occurrence. It takes a great overuse of magic and emotional turmoil to happen. In the past century, my school full of young rookie mages only had two overblot cases.
[He could leave it there. Keep her from worrying too much over something that was incredibly unlikely to happen. However he is a victim of his whims, and his whims seem to love sharing terrible information.]
…well, until this year. Then it had six in roughly as many months.
[Okay, that's a lot worse than just his wand breaking! Frieda, at first continuing to eat her own meal as she listens, chews more and more slowly and eventually stops picking up more bites. Regardless of her rising concern, she stays composed.]
In other words, an overblot brings out the worst in people?
[Even accepting that, she can't imagine that Jade would turn into a wanton murderer and tormentor! That's the kind of behaviour that ran rampant in the Eldian Empire, where Eldians would look down upon their lessers and indulge in all sorts of cruelties with no repercussions.]
And that happened six times in just half a year? What in the world was going on at your school?
[And, more importantly--]
I know you'll take good care of yourself, but if that were to happen to you, how could I save you from it?
It brings out the worst, while also putting your fears and traumas out for all to see. I, personally, witnessed two overblots and aided in rescuing the individuals involved. Not an experience I would recommend for anyone.
[Though her next statement nearly has him choke on his food. It’s a little more tempting to tell her more details, but his morality is still holding strong. For once.]
That’s quite a good question, and not one I’ve been able to figure out. Nor has anyone else. It’s simply been considered a very unusual coincidence due to the strength of the mages involved.
[He takes another bite, still unbothered by the chat. He didn’t think himself at risk- he wasn’t anywhere near as much of a mess as Azul or Jamil. Nor was he as outstanding as a mage as individuals like Riddle and Leona. Still, it was wise to be safe.]
The most effective ways are simply by knocking the individual out through combat, and separating them from their phantom. Both ways cut the phantom off from its food source. The mage involved, be it me, or another from my world, won’t remember anything of their actions nor will they be aware that they overblotted in the first place, but will remain at a high risk for overblotting again after that. So do not drop your guard even after the fight is over.
[Overblotting sounds absolutely terribly. Not only do you practically turn into a monster, but everybody around you gets to see your secrets exposed... suddenly, she's very grateful not to be a native of Jade's world.
She tentatively accepts his explanation for the heaping of incidents, if only because he continues to answer her most pressing question - the answer, however, is troublesome for her. She goes quiet for a moment. After her succession ceremony, she couldn't remember anything either - not what it felt like to turn into a titan, not what it was like to eat her uncle (she's glad for that, if nothing else - if she'd remembered the taste of his flesh and blood, she doesn't think she could have lived with herself anymore).]
...
You and your schoolmates, you're looking out for each other here, aren't you?
[It's not like she could fight an overblotted Jade or his phantom, so she needs to rely on others. (There's a voice in her mind telling her that she could - her titan would be able to withstand many forms of magic, such as the elemental kind or telekinesis, through its sheer size and regeneration ability, and it could knock a person or even a phantom away with ease. But using her titan powers would mean to spit on her own ideology and on everything the first king of the Walls sacrificed to achieve peace.]
In a case like an overblot, yes. Though in such a situation action must be taken quickly, there may not always be time to reach them.
I was fortunate that I’m my encounters, I had my brother and a housewarden with me to help. Were I on my own, there would be little I could do.
[Which would determine his choice of action- he’s not above simply fleeing of his life was in danger. As his brother once said, morays are cowards at heart, they won’t take the risk unless they know they can win.]
But, as I said before, overblotting is exceedingly rare. Not to mention I was exposed to a significant amount of blot in those fights without turning myself. I’m always certain to be cautious, but this new magic blending with my own so seamlessly has shaken things up, and added a layer of unpredictability that I’m not fond of.
[Frieda is in two minds: One the one hand, she doesn't want to ever be a coward - how could someone like her, who has so much to atone for, prioritise herself when someone needs help? -, but on the other hand, using her titan shouldn't even be a last resort, it should be an outright no-go.
After mulling over the matter for a moment, she decides that prevention is the best course of action.]
You ought to focus on attaining a clear division between your native and local magic, then, to keep yourself safe. Since you already have such a good handle on so many spells, you can afford to prioritise that.
[She tentatively resumes eating. Hopefully, this won't become a problem they end up facing!]
[HE watches her get all serious with a chuckle, he might have been a bit harsh with the blot horror stories. Most people don't see a single overblot in their whole lives, nevermind facing two head-on. Something certainly has gone wrong at the school for so many to happen in such rapid succession, but that matters little to him for the time being.]
Worried now, are we?
[He takes a bit of his meal and goes on to assuage her worries.]
I can assure you, it's my top concern currently. At most it's an inconvenience. I noticed in the portal fights that I hadn't accumulated enough blot when I would normally be at my limit- however that means if I continue to fight I must constantly be reassessing my blot levels, and I can no longer plan around my stamina.
As I said, an inconvenience rather than an active danger. Though however small, it is still a risk, and one you should know about all the same.
[It is serious!! Going by what he said, overblotting could kill him and leave a phantom in his wake! Granted, here on Ellipsa he ought to get revived from that, but who can really be sure if that'll still apply after the phantom has consumed his life force (that's what they do, right)? Still, his words do provide her some reassurance.]
I'm glad you told me about it. It certainly is better that I know, much as I hope that I'll never have to put that knowledge into practice.
[If he overblotted without her having any idea what's happening to him, it'd be a worst-case scenario! At least this way, they're both aware of the risk, low as it may be.
Once they're done eating and doing the dishes together - a routine they're entirely used to by now - she stifles a yawn and glances at the clock.]
Hm... I'm sorry, Jade, I should go home now. With the commute, I can't stay until well after midnight like before.
[This must be the biggest drawback of not living in the same building anymore! Since ground transport in Solarpeak mostly consists of boats traversing the artificial sea, roller skates and surfboards, she plans on walking to the nearest teleport node to get back to the new arrivals' apartments in a blink.]
[The night had gone smoothly and was quite enjoyable even if he had to have a brief serious talk with her. He may not "trust" to admit his true nature, but he would give her this much. Both for her sake as well as his.
Of course, all good things must come to an end, and she had to return home. He knew that moving would mean less time for her to visit, but he was sad to see her go all the same. Still, he would be a gentleman about it.]
Of course, I'll walk you back- but first let me get you that shirt.
[And he heads to his room for a brief moment- one of the perks of having just moved was knowing right where everything was, so it took him no time to find it. He returned and offered the shirt to her. Nice quality, as one would expect from a prestigious school, but plain and basic as one would expect of part of a uniform.]
Here we are, you never know when it will come in handy.
[Frieda knows that she'll keep dwelling on the topic of overblot for the coming days at least, but since Jade explained everything succinctly enough for her to not have any immediate further questions, she tried hard to not fuss and to let the topic rest for the rest of the evening - and it worked out. By now, the atmosphere feels lighter again.
She accepts the shirt with a smile. It does feel somewhat precious to be able to take part of his clothing with her, all the more since he won't be practically next door anymore!]
I'll wear it when something dangerous is happening, like the expedition into the portal.
[Some of the monsters broke through into Ellipsa, after all!]
Or do you want me to wear it every day?
[That was more of a tease than anything else, but she does sincerely appreciate his care for her. While she doesn't want to rekindle their big argument, she quietly feels validated in her idea that he's perfectly capable of acting selflessly - he does it all the time for her, much as he may convince himself that it's the result of some kind of cost-benefit analysis!]
I will leave that up to you, but if you wind up liking it that much then perhaps I should get you your own uniform?
[And as always, he offers he his arm for the trip. She had gone through all the trouble of making the trip just to visit him, it was the least he could do to see that she returned home safe.]
I couldn't wear the uniform of a school I'm not enrolled at!
[Maybe the two of them could buy themselves some Magic Manor attire, though! She takes Jade's arm and lets him walk her along the shore of the artificial sea as they continue playfully debating the uniform topic. Before she knows it, this commute will have become her new routine.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
You shouldn't give me your shirt! It'd be missing from your uniform; we can't have that! Don't worry, I'll figure out something else. I'm fairly sure that Riki's shop sells quite powerful defensive items that create a magical barrier around the user. I'll purchase enough of those that I won't run out before I find a more permanent defence mechanism. It's not like I plan on leaving the city, so nothing too bad should happen to me to begin with.
[She sighs fondly as she puts her phone away.]
You certainly are ahead of me in every regard!
no subject
[He was prone to planning things several steps in advance, with multiple outcomes in mind. Unaware of her natural skills, Jade saw Frieda like a small cute prey animal that had no natural predators in her world. She was overly trusting and friendly to a concerning point, and he enjoyed her company so he felt it was on him to try and compensate.]
In some ways, but it’s a rather dangerous situation to be in. It’s difficult to manage my blot accumulation if I’m not generating the amount I’m expecting. [He paused for a moment.] Oh, I do not believe that I ever explained that.
no subject
You haven't, no. What do you need to generate?
[And what's going to happen if he can't manage..?]
Is it a different type of mana?
no subject
He's not getting that shirt back.]
No, no, no, it's not something I seed to generate. Blot is a toxic byproduct of casting magic.
[He takes out his wand and shows holds it out for her to see. The white gem on top almost looks faintly dirty, with a few foggy black spots.]
See the gem here? It acts like a filter, absorbing the blot while I cast. See those inky black spots? That's blot, it'll fade and leave the magestone pristine again shortly, it's just something I have to be careful of.
no subject
What happens if there's too much blot? Will it break your wand?
[And, come to think--]
Can you only work your native magic if you have it with you?
no subject
No, it’s just without my wand nearby, the blot will accumulate directly in me. I could likely cast a few smaller spells and still be alright, but more than that and I would overblot.
[He paused to take a few more bites of his meal, mulling over how to explain it. He could give an example, he’d seen two firsthand… but even he had some moral standards. He wouldn’t sit out Azul’s trauma like that.
Jamil, he had far less hesitation, however the situation that caused it was too convoluted to share without giving too much background.
He’d have to use a theoretical example then.]
When a mage overblots, the blot poisons the mind and becomes parasitic. Hmm, perhaps it would be easier to give an example than to explain it in its entirety. Let’s say I overblotted, you know my outlook on the world fairly well, I am prone to getting bored… and I get lonely rather easily. Were I to overblot, I would likely behave like a beast, I would be driven to mindlessly hunt others, to kill for sport, or keep them in my grasp to keep me company or amuse me.
The blot feeds off of a mage’s magic and negative emotions. The poison exacerbates their vulnerabilities, weaponizing then and forcing the mage turn violent and overuse their magic. A creature called a phantom takes form after a time, and if the mage is not be rescued in time, they will die and the phantom take a permanent form.
I know it sounds very concerning, but it’s actually a very rare occurrence. It takes a great overuse of magic and emotional turmoil to happen. In the past century, my school full of young rookie mages only had two overblot cases.
[He could leave it there. Keep her from worrying too much over something that was incredibly unlikely to happen. However he is a victim of his whims, and his whims seem to love sharing terrible information.]
…well, until this year. Then it had six in roughly as many months.
no subject
In other words, an overblot brings out the worst in people?
[Even accepting that, she can't imagine that Jade would turn into a wanton murderer and tormentor! That's the kind of behaviour that ran rampant in the Eldian Empire, where Eldians would look down upon their lessers and indulge in all sorts of cruelties with no repercussions.]
And that happened six times in just half a year? What in the world was going on at your school?
[And, more importantly--]
I know you'll take good care of yourself, but if that were to happen to you, how could I save you from it?
no subject
[Though her next statement nearly has him choke on his food. It’s a little more tempting to tell her more details, but his morality is still holding strong. For once.]
That’s quite a good question, and not one I’ve been able to figure out. Nor has anyone else. It’s simply been considered a very unusual coincidence due to the strength of the mages involved.
[He takes another bite, still unbothered by the chat. He didn’t think himself at risk- he wasn’t anywhere near as much of a mess as Azul or Jamil. Nor was he as outstanding as a mage as individuals like Riddle and Leona. Still, it was wise to be safe.]
The most effective ways are simply by knocking the individual out through combat, and separating them from their phantom. Both ways cut the phantom off from its food source. The mage involved, be it me, or another from my world, won’t remember anything of their actions nor will they be aware that they overblotted in the first place, but will remain at a high risk for overblotting again after that. So do not drop your guard even after the fight is over.
no subject
She tentatively accepts his explanation for the heaping of incidents, if only because he continues to answer her most pressing question - the answer, however, is troublesome for her. She goes quiet for a moment. After her succession ceremony, she couldn't remember anything either - not what it felt like to turn into a titan, not what it was like to eat her uncle (she's glad for that, if nothing else - if she'd remembered the taste of his flesh and blood, she doesn't think she could have lived with herself anymore).]
...
You and your schoolmates, you're looking out for each other here, aren't you?
[It's not like she could fight an overblotted Jade or his phantom, so she needs to rely on others. (There's a voice in her mind telling her that she could - her titan would be able to withstand many forms of magic, such as the elemental kind or telekinesis, through its sheer size and regeneration ability, and it could knock a person or even a phantom away with ease. But using her titan powers would mean to spit on her own ideology and on everything the first king of the Walls sacrificed to achieve peace.]
no subject
I was fortunate that I’m my encounters, I had my brother and a housewarden with me to help. Were I on my own, there would be little I could do.
[Which would determine his choice of action- he’s not above simply fleeing of his life was in danger. As his brother once said, morays are cowards at heart, they won’t take the risk unless they know they can win.]
But, as I said before, overblotting is exceedingly rare. Not to mention I was exposed to a significant amount of blot in those fights without turning myself. I’m always certain to be cautious, but this new magic blending with my own so seamlessly has shaken things up, and added a layer of unpredictability that I’m not fond of.
no subject
After mulling over the matter for a moment, she decides that prevention is the best course of action.]
You ought to focus on attaining a clear division between your native and local magic, then, to keep yourself safe. Since you already have such a good handle on so many spells, you can afford to prioritise that.
[She tentatively resumes eating. Hopefully, this won't become a problem they end up facing!]
no subject
Worried now, are we?
[He takes a bit of his meal and goes on to assuage her worries.]
I can assure you, it's my top concern currently. At most it's an inconvenience. I noticed in the portal fights that I hadn't accumulated enough blot when I would normally be at my limit- however that means if I continue to fight I must constantly be reassessing my blot levels, and I can no longer plan around my stamina.
As I said, an inconvenience rather than an active danger. Though however small, it is still a risk, and one you should know about all the same.
no subject
I'm glad you told me about it. It certainly is better that I know, much as I hope that I'll never have to put that knowledge into practice.
[If he overblotted without her having any idea what's happening to him, it'd be a worst-case scenario! At least this way, they're both aware of the risk, low as it may be.
Once they're done eating and doing the dishes together - a routine they're entirely used to by now - she stifles a yawn and glances at the clock.]
Hm... I'm sorry, Jade, I should go home now. With the commute, I can't stay until well after midnight like before.
[This must be the biggest drawback of not living in the same building anymore! Since ground transport in Solarpeak mostly consists of boats traversing the artificial sea, roller skates and surfboards, she plans on walking to the nearest teleport node to get back to the new arrivals' apartments in a blink.]
no subject
Of course, all good things must come to an end, and she had to return home. He knew that moving would mean less time for her to visit, but he was sad to see her go all the same. Still, he would be a gentleman about it.]
Of course, I'll walk you back- but first let me get you that shirt.
[And he heads to his room for a brief moment- one of the perks of having just moved was knowing right where everything was, so it took him no time to find it. He returned and offered the shirt to her. Nice quality, as one would expect from a prestigious school, but plain and basic as one would expect of part of a uniform.]
Here we are, you never know when it will come in handy.
no subject
She accepts the shirt with a smile. It does feel somewhat precious to be able to take part of his clothing with her, all the more since he won't be practically next door anymore!]
I'll wear it when something dangerous is happening, like the expedition into the portal.
[Some of the monsters broke through into Ellipsa, after all!]
Or do you want me to wear it every day?
[That was more of a tease than anything else, but she does sincerely appreciate his care for her. While she doesn't want to rekindle their big argument, she quietly feels validated in her idea that he's perfectly capable of acting selflessly - he does it all the time for her, much as he may convince himself that it's the result of some kind of cost-benefit analysis!]
no subject
I will leave that up to you, but if you wind up liking it that much then perhaps I should get you your own uniform?
[And as always, he offers he his arm for the trip. She had gone through all the trouble of making the trip just to visit him, it was the least he could do to see that she returned home safe.]
no subject
[Maybe the two of them could buy themselves some Magic Manor attire, though! She takes Jade's arm and lets him walk her along the shore of the artificial sea as they continue playfully debating the uniform topic. Before she knows it, this commute will have become her new routine.]