In which Minato, Serph, and Squall have a three way

[unshelledbullet]

Who: The Holy Triforce of Lineface: Squall, Minato, and Serph
When: February 15th, in the afternoon
Where: The park
Style: Action
Status: Closed

[The Defense Force, in some ways, reminded Squall of Balamb Garden. Except it was way smaller, wasn't a mercenary institution, didn't have students, and was more of a loosely organized thing.

Okay, it wasn't much like Garden at all. But it did share one thing with Garden: it was a group of fighters that he held a leadership role in. Except, this time, he wasn't just out of the blue saddled with the title of Commander, told good luck, and left to run the whole damn thing by himself. He had volunteered this time.

And this time, he wasn't by himself.

Minato and Serph were his "coworkers" in a sense. He'd been in Minato's position before: given something that you obviously weren't able to handle by yourself. Maybe that was what compelled him to help. Serph was also someone who offered assistance and between the three of them, they were able to work out something that resembled organization.

With the Defense Force in order, they found themselves with more free time. Squall had been the one to suggest that they get together to spar. He was, admittedly, curious to see what the two of them could do and it would only be to their advantage if they were familiar with each other's capabilities. With the time and location arranged, Squall arrived at the park ten minutes early and waited for them to show up.]

Comments

[bufudine]

[Yeah, why is your psyche a giant bug?

Serph would ask this but he has a mouth full of food. And by mouth full of food I mean WHOA WHERE DID ALL HIS RAMEN GO?]

[unshelledbullet]

[You know, the "pieces of my psyche" thing made more sense than "mask to face the world's hardships with" part.]

You have more than one, don't you?

[Sips tea.]

[messianic]

[A nod.]

I have...quite a few, yes.

[Like 170 or something.]

But I only have 12 with me at a time.

[bufudine]

[Serph hadn't picked up on Minato having multiple Personas, so it's news to him.

He continues to quietly listen, especially now that he's completely finished his ramen. You probably haven't seen a ramen bowl as clean as this one.]

[unshelledbullet]

[Okay. Personas. Twelve of them at a time. They offer Minato a wide variety of abilities and resistances.]

Is there any downsides to using them?

[messianic]

[...downsides...]

Aside from this?

[He lifts his hand, pointing with two fingers to form the gesture of a gun to his head. But it's just wry humor, and then he has moved on.]

If I use them too much, then I'll get tired pretty quickly. And some of them have weaknesses that I have to be careful about.

[bufudine]

[Serph doesn't recall sensing a bullet being fired when Minato had summoned, though there had definitely been the sound of a gunshot. He doesn't recall a casing being ejected from the pistol after the trigger had been pulled, either. A different kind of ammunition, then.

Serph understands what it's like, needing to be careful of weaknesses. Squall you can't understand this pain!!

Continuing to exert his extreme wallflower abilities over here, yep.]

[unshelledbullet]

[NOPE AND IT FEELS GOOD.]

Anything you want to ask?

[He's referring to both of his fellow linefaces. Meanwhile, eating more of his ramen.]

[messianic]

[Yes actually.

He finishes chewing and then looks at Serph.

STOP BEING A WALLFLOWER.]

Ah...Serph-san. You transformed during the fight, didn't you?

[bufudine]

[YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!!

Except he was actually going to ask Squall stuff, but that will have to wait, apparently. It's cool. Embryon leader always goes last, anyway. Serph lives and breathes 'fashionably late'.

Serph nods.]

Varna is my Atma, a demon who is part of me.

[The tattoo on his left cheek pulses blue briefly -- Varna says hi! -- before returning to its usual solid black. This is an adequate explanation, right?]

[unshelledbullet]

[Hello Varna! o/

So it has a name, huh?]

Is it another form, or a separate entity?

[And oh wow, all three of us have things living inside of us, don't we?]

[messianic]

[Hello Varna! \o

It's Minato's turn to wallflower, listening quietly to the conversation and also curious in the answer.

......wallflowerrrrrr]

[bufudine]

[Serph thinks over that question for a while. Another form, or separate entity...? He's never really thought about that before. He doesn't think that Varna had always been in him; the demon had only appeared when everyone had been hit by that light... but he's never thought of Varna as being separate from him. Varna doesn't have independent thoughts to him. It's always been his hunger, not Varna's, even though Varna triggered it. Varna has some influence on his actions, but ultimately, he is himself. So... both, maybe?

He shakes his head.]

I didn't always have Varna, but Varna is still me.

[Is this answer adequately unhelpful?]

[unshelledbullet]

[So, basically, Serph doesn't know.]

What are the full extent of Varna's capabilities?

[messianic]

[He's still pretty curious about it.

It sounds a little bit like his personas, with the "I am thou and thou art I" nonsense, but he knows that his personas change--

At the same time, could he really say he'd not always had them?

It makes him all the more curious about Serph's abilities, so he stays quiet and gently sets his chopsticks down, done with his meal.]

[bufudine]

[Serph frowns briefly.]

I'm... limited, here.

[He pauses for a moment, thinking. He learnt many skills in the Junkyard, but they've been... missing since his arrival to Vatheon. He almost wants to say they've been 'deleted'. It's a rather odd feeling.

His attention goes back to the other two.]

You have seen my ice spells and a spell to drain opponents' agility. I have four more spells. One puts up a temporary shield that will absorb ice spells and use the energy to heal the person shielded.

[If it wasn't obvious Varna was ice aligned before, it really is now.]

I have two indirect spells. One renders opponents unable to speak, usually interfering with their casting ability. The other [...how do you even describe Marin Karin?] makes the target unable to think clearly. They will not attack me, and they usually turn against other opponents.

The last spell is not appropriate for sparring. It is an energy ray that bypasses magical resistances. The average demon is either hurt badly or killed by it.

[YEP.]

I am not as physically strong as some of my Tribe, but Varna's blades are capable of cleanly decapitating humans. [He gives a small nod in Minato's direction.] I would have pulled back if I hadn't realised you had something to nullify the damage.

[Holy crap did Serph just talk more in this one tag than the entire log??]

[unshelledbullet]

[Squall listens carefully to Serph's explanations and mentally, he's comparing them to abilities from his home world. One sounds like Slow and the other is definitely the same as Mute. The ice magic he equates, naturally, to Blizzard magic, the energy ray perhaps like a Flare spell.

...that second to last one sounds kind of like a better Confuse to him. He nods, showing that he understood all that.

He doesn't have anything else he wants to ask Serph. WALLFLOWER PRIVILEGES ARE NOW HIS.]

[messianic]

[OH FINE HE'LL TAKE OVER.

...but oh god do you see the pain behind his lineface. do you see it?]

...That sounds like Marin Karin.

[h-hurr. But he nods to Serph as well, glad that he wouldn't have beheaded him. THAT'S GOOD, BRO.]

Some of those skills sound familiar to me, I mean.

[bufudine]

[Yes he sees that pained lineface but he doesn't quite understand why. Serph tilts his head.]

Yes, that spell is Marin Karin. Since you recognise it, then you may recognise the rest.

The freezing breath is Cocytus. The icicles are Mabufudyne. The agility sapping spell is Sukunda. [Yeah, Serph don't need no Masukunda to target multiple people!] The shield is Ice Drain. The silencing spell is Makajamon. [Minato already knows about Marin Karin, so he skips that.] The energy ray is Last Word.

[unshelledbullet]

[None of those names are names he's familiar with. But names aren't important, it's what they do.

Speaking of which, Squall turns to Minato.]

During our spar, I drew some magic from you. Magarudyne, it's called? It's wind magic, right?

[messianic]

[...ah. He nods to Serph, though his answer is only--]

I'm only familiar with a few of those.

[And then he tilts his head at Squall. You drained my magic, bro? Really?]

Magarudyne, yes. It's one of Beelzebub's magic skills, aside from Maziodyne--that was the lightning.

[bufudine]

[Magarudyne... he's familiar, along with Maziodyne. The names make it easier for him to picture the exact effects, compared to a general description. Coincidence?

And Squall has very helpfully answered one of the questions Serph had wanted to ask him. He could wallflower, but he'll refrain... for now. Addressing Squall.]

I sensed three lights earlier. Three casts? Or do you learn the spell permanently?

[unshelledbullet]

[You didn't even notice, Minato? He nods at Serph.]

Three casts. Magic isn't a natural thing where I come from and I can only use them with the help of a Guardian Force. I can't use magic on my own and I have to draw it from either my surroundings or other living things.

[A pause as he finishes off his tea.]

The latter is a better option.

[messianic]

[He considers that, nodding quietly.]

If you ever need a particular type of magic, I should be able to help.

Between the twelve of my Personas, I've got at least one spell from each type...available in my world, anyway.

[His strengths had always been in versatility, after all.]

6am tags are bad; I forget Garu doesn't exist in DDSland.

[bufudine]

[PRETEND SERPH DIDN'T RECOGNISE MAGARUDYNE BUT STILL RECOGNISES MAZIODYNE IN MY PREVIOUS TAG wow I am best leader.

How does one draw magic from their surroundings, though? Is Vatheon naturally teeming with magic? What magic can Squall draw from the city? Questions for another time, where Squall can give him a demonstration, perhaps.

Serph nods, also.]

My spells are yours to use.

[It never even occurs to him that there could be drawbacks from having magic drawn from him; Minato seems fine, after all.]