It's For Your Own Good

[thechurbyboxmod]

Blind Date Meme



Let's face it, sometimes it's difficult finding someone to share your time, and your heart (or maybe just your body), with. Luckily for you, you have well meaning friends. Unfortunately for you, you have well meaning friends who didn't tell you this was coming. That's right. They have taken it upon themselves (and no doubt friends of friends or family members or someone else who clearly doesn't know you) to arrange a date. Without telling you.

That's right. The dreaded blind date. Which means now you've got to get through at least a reasonable amount of time with a total stranger (or maybe not a stranger if you're particularly, well, we can't say if it's lucky or not) before you can reasonably escape. Maybe it will go well. Maybe this will be the start of the rest of your lives. Maybe you'll get laid. Maybe you'll have a horror story for the ages.

No matter what plays out, though, you're here. Might as well see just how your luck is going to play out.

How to Play

1. Post your character and canon below along with any preferences. Then go back and edit your comment with the next number in order (i.e. first TL is 1, second is 2, etc)

2. Tag other TLs. If a character isn't in normal preferences, ask if they might want a date that goes poorly instead!

3. Optionally, get yourself a truly blind experience by going here and randomly generating a number. Then find the matching TL (numbered back in step one) and enjoy your blind date.

4. For more fun, use the list in the first comment for randomized date locations!

Comments

[ask_whydunit]

[ He was really hoping Nida wouldn’t bring that up. Shoving his hands into his jacket pocket, he shrugged. ]

It’s complicated, that’s all. As I mentioned before, mage society tends to put a higher value on people with the right backgrounds and lineages. My family only just got into magic when my grandmother learned from someone, so we’re like… Really new to it. So, if the current thoughts on it are to be believed, I’m not going to amount to much. I’m kind of a waste of space in my class according to some people.

[ Amleth and a few other students in particular liked to suggest he was wasting Kayneth’s time more often than not. It was just stupid teenage bullying, though, as far as Waver was concerned. ]

But it’s bullshit, and I’m working on proving that. [ Stubborn, very stubborn. ] Anyway, the point is… Anyone who knows me would heavily doubt I’d have someone to recommend that’s worth recommending, and they’d give us a hard time and probably tell someone like my professor. So we should just… avoid it.

[ And the petty, snooty teens who would probably make the experience frustratingly unpleasant. ]

[seed_pilot]

Oh boy.

[Nida wants to laugh at this, because it's so ridiculous.]

I want to watch any of them take on Selphie then. She's only been doing our form of magic for two years, clearly no one else was doing it before her in her family, and she could probably explode them without much effort. I've seen this one spell she does...

[He shudders to think of it.]

[ask_whydunit]

[ When it came to his classmates? Most of the ones who liked to pick fights with him were not talented in those ways. Waver expected Selphie or Nida would probably handle them easily. ]

That would probably break their minds to even think about, let alone figure out how to deal with. Their best attempts at intimidating me into leaving have been cornering me and shoving me into things while telling me what a waste of our professor’s time I am, like that’s going to scare me into leaving.

[ He rolled his eyes, effective they were not. ]

Would be kind of interesting to see how my professor figures out how to keep insisting the same shit about what makes a powerful mage, though.

[seed_pilot]

[Nida? Hardly. He's not that powerful of a mage himself, not with paramagic. Granted he had a skill for enchanting his weapons with magic, so maybe if that was allowed.]

Sounds like you need some self-defense lessons. Just to make sure they don't really do this to you anymore. Like, hurting you. That's not okay.

[Because trying to protect the other guy is... well, it feels important.]

[ask_whydunit]

[ Waver could definitely stand to learn some self-defence, not that he was particularly coordinated. He shrugged a little at the idea that they wouldn’t single him out anymore if he did learn. ]

I mean, maybe…? It’s not like they actually do any damage, though. And we’re not allowed to use magecraft to fight outside of a class. Damages to school property generally come out of the pockets of the one who did the damaging, so they won’t risk that much.

[ He wasn’t saying no to the idea, though. It might be nice to learn from someone who won’t focus on what he lacks for once. Supporting each other with their own strengths was a nice thought. ]

[seed_pilot]

Self defense techniques aren't magecraft.

[Because Nida's already thinking of options. Just basic stuff. The sorts of things to show people not to mess with him. Sure he might seem like a 'brute' for the whole use of physical force, but does it matter if they aren't hurting him?]

IF you ever want, I can show you.

[ask_whydunit]

[ That was true enough, and fighting without magic was considered beneath most mages. Which, ironically, often their own downfall. The mages that did learn more physical defence techniques, though, went much further and usually learned to reinforce it or enhance it with magecraft instead of relying fully on one or the other. ]

Really? I mean… I don’t know if I’d be good at it, so I wouldn’t want to waste your time. But maybe?

[ He knows he’s fairly small and unimpressive, but he made up for it in stubbornness. Plus… Well, if they did get worse, it might help. ]

[seed_pilot]

It's not about being good or bad at it. It's about teaching your body to act without your brain getting in the way, and sometimes you need that. Just to make sure that you get out of immediate danger. Let me try at least?

[And small doesn't stop Selphie. Why should it stop Waver?]

[ask_whydunit]

[ And since Waver’s brain often got in the way, that was probably an important lesson for him to learn. Even now, it was clear he was giving it some serious thought, probably more than necessary. Again, most ‘proper mages’ other than those from certain circles didn’t see much value in these things… But on the other side, that was often the problem with mages that he argued over. That things need not be the way they always had been. ]

Yeah, you are right about that. [ right about all of it, really. ] Okay, we’ll try and see what happens.

[ This still felt like he was setting himself up for embarrassment, but… Well, Nida didn’t seem like he was the kind to make fun of that, at least. ]

[seed_pilot]

Well then, next time after this, we'll meet with you in work out clothes. Outside of school of course.

[If he was worried about being judged, Nida would find somewhere else to teach him the basics.]

[ask_whydunit]

[ Waver mentally notes to see if he has anything that would be suitable for working out in, but offered a nod of agreement. Outside of school would be good. They didn’t need to add to the problem by gaining an audience with this idea. ]

Alright, I think I can work with that. Next time we’ll figure out somewhere else to meet for that.

[ He agreed, before looking up at the imposing building before them. The Clock Tower was, in fact, more than just that. It was a sprawling collection of tall, old buildings that housed the school. The main floors were quiet given it was a Sunday afternoon, with only the odd person traversing the halls for their own reasons. Pulling open the door, he gestured over his shoulder. ]

The library is this way, not too far now.

[seed_pilot]

Oh man... I want to climb that.

[It's so cool looking, and Nida just wants to scramble his way up it. Oh well, he knows it isn't really likely. With a sigh he slips in through the door.]

We're going through here all mundane, aren't we?

lol Waver's future students hearing about that guy who climbed the clock tower like 'So cool :o'

[ask_whydunit]

If you hadn’t already told me about your climbing, I’d ask how that’s possible, but I guess that would, uh… be a challenge.

[ And, in all honesty, probably the least disruptive thing that could potentially ever happen around here. So it’s not like it was impossible. It would be discouraged by staff, though. Letting out a small, ruffled huff, he nods as he hurried in after Nida. ]

I mean, yeah…? I certainly couldn’t climb in myself. Besides, it’ll draw less attention this way.

find out that the dude is climbing into waver's classroom to make out later

[seed_pilot]

Oh, I'm not sure it would be a challenge, especially with gear. But free climbing?

[God he looks excited by that. But it's not important like keeping his head down right now.]

I suppose subtle is what my duty is.

LOL The absolute shock at the idea XD

[ask_whydunit]

[ Oh, he definitely wondered if he should worry about the guy trying at some point when subtly wasn’t key to a plan. Although maybe with his training, he could pull it off without being noticed? Still potentially risky! So he closed the door behind them and hurried to lead Nida on towards the library. ]

And subtly is definitely our friend with this plan. The fewer people notice us, the better.

[ Which was a funny thing to admit when he worked so hard to have his teacher recognize his ideas and theories were worth something. But this was about helping Nida out, and maybe learning some new things with someone who did care about listening. Moving down the halls and keeping an eye out for familiar classmates (of which there were thankfully none), they made their way through the quiet halls and towards an unassuming door that.

When opened, it lead to a quiet room that was floors upon floors worth of books. There was a noticeable relaxing of Waver’s shoulders as they entered, feeling more in his element here. ]

And here we are, the library.

[seed_pilot]

[Good thing Nida's great at blending in. As they move his eyes dart to try and find other people, to see how they walk. Blending in is about knowing how to look like those around you even if you aren't dressed like them. Make the situation work for yourself. So he's so relaxed by the time they get to the library, because it's great.

It's fun putting his training to use.]

Damn. Big library.

[ask_whydunit]

It’s one of the largest collections of books on magecraft. Although the Atlas Institute is said to be even larger.

[ But no one got in there without an invitation, and those weren’t easy to come by. He smiled, though, leading Nida up a flight of stairs and further down a row of tall shelves with the odd ladder here and there to reach the tops. The further they went, the dustier the old books looked and the fewer students were roaming. Which meant, when they came to a series of study desks, they didn’t have to worry too much about people approaching without it being obvious, given how deserted the area was. ]

We’ll make this our base. People don’t tend to come this far into the library without a good reason.

[seed_pilot]

[It really is a large place. Nida was mostly glad that he wouldn't be lost heading out. He knew what he was doing, how to track locations. Unless magic was at play.]

And what if they end up having a good reason?

[ask_whydunit]

Then they’re probably only focused on grabbing what they need and going.

[ And two teenagers sitting around a table would be easily written off as students studying. As long as said people visiting the section didn’t know him, he supposed, but that was unlikely as far as he knew. ]

[seed_pilot]

Really? That seems like a waste.

[This whole place is so cool, really.]

Alright, I guess sit down and let's talk about what you've thought of.

[ask_whydunit]

If they need stuff from this part of the library, they’re probably pretty focused on their studies is all.

[ He responded with a shrug, and it suited them just fine because it meant they would be left alone. ]

Right! So there aren’t a lot of materials available for para-magic and GFs and how it meshes with traditional magecraft, given it’s newer. But I was thinking it might be possible that some methods of magecraft, specifically different kinds of summonings, might be adaptable and help refine your process for working with one.

[ Waver responded, tilting his head thoughtfully as he started writing down a list of books they’d need to retrieve around the library itself. ]

(ooc: Considering I do not know much about Nida’s canon/how things work, I think we can hand wave technical/detailed explanations here lol. )

handwaving is the most reasonable choice for us both

[seed_pilot]

Summoning faster or more efficiently would be a great help. The damage they take when they are being called forth is a strain on them and us both, so more control would be great.

[He waits for the list to be written and then is happy to start fetching books.]

Is summoning common in your magical forms?

Excellent my brain appreciates that

[ask_whydunit]

[ Waver makes note of that himself, both the need to do so faster and more efficiently. Especially if it was a strain on both the summon and the summoner. Which… wasn’t surprising, there were costs to calling forth any kind of spirit. Frowning lightly, he started making the list and mumbling to himself. He’d give Nida a list of books to grab, and a second list for him to go and grab given he knew where those would be, which would save time.

The question startled him out of his quiet planning, and he nodded. ]

There are a few different methods of summons, some with spirits either the dead or elementals and others are more like projections of their inner self. There’s actually someone in my class researching the second.

[ Except Amleth was kind of an ass, so Waver largely avoided him. ]

[seed_pilot]

I think... I think that GFs are in one way elementals, but in another way reflections of ourselves. Is it possible for one to be both at the same time?

[They definitely had elemental natures, but with how heavily they took from their summoner... Well, it seemed a reasonable way to go.]

[ask_whydunit]

I guess based on how they work that would make sense, we might have pull from a few different kinds of magecraft to find something that works.

[ He jots down the titles of a few books and papers he thinks might help, on elemental summons as well as projection magecraft… It might take some out of the box thinking, but that was something of a specialty on his part given his other pursuits when it came to his studies. ]

You take this list of books, and I’ve got one myself, once we have everything we can meet back here.