[Warning, incoming game. Warning, incoming game.] [Day: Tuesday, Ramuh 10th, 1360 AI] [The Spellcasters are lucky! They get to train with Squenix and, uh... Okay, maybe they're not terribly lucky, are they? But they DO get to go first! We find them at one of various training areas designed for this purpose. There are a variety of targets out there, with Squenix is standing at the front of the field. She has a rather large magicite collection behind her, with orbs ranging in potency from weak to too hot for you.] [The day is clear, the sun is shining, and it's a GOOD day to show off your magicking sk33lz! Nikki and Xanithern will probably be showing up soon, if they haven't already. Squenix is eating a striped apple at the moment.] [Session Start!] * Nikki is there! She's wearing her usual outfit of plain clothes and duster, though her right sleeve's pushed up for her magicite bracelet: all of its slots are empty, though. She's pretty cheerful today, a smile is on her face. Bothered by the Yukes? I think not. * Xanithern shows...shortly after Nikki. It's uncertain whether he's quite as cheerful as Nikki because of the beaked helmet that's on his head. The fact that he's who he is doesn't help either. He's wearing his typical affair of traditional Yuke clothes with flaired sleeves, his shoulder satchel hanging around him, whistle beneath his clothes. Around his belt, he has certain utensils and such muffled by clothes. * Nikki waves at Xanithern. "Hi!" * Xanithern doesn't seemed to have noticed quite yet as he approaches. He's still reading the letter. And he has a book underneath his arm. * Xanithern pretty much peers over the book at the voice. In a very slow way that only Yukes can, looking at the source of the voice. His reaction is rather unreadable. * Nikki smiles. "Looks like you got on. Congrats." * Xanithern looks at Nikki and nods slowly, uncertain. He's stopped about halfway to the training area, peering at her. * Squenix looks at her pupils. She looks over at Xanithern. "Come?" * Xanithern turns his helmet towards Squenix and straightens himself up, walking the rest of the way before stopping next to Nikki. As he gets there he takes out his chalkboard and unhooks the string from around his neck, sideglancing at Nikki for a moment before looking back at Squenix. * Nikki shrugs to herself and looks to Squenix, too. * Xanithern writes a quick note on the chalkboard and holds it out in front of Nikki so just she can see while he keeps his full attention on Squenix. It reads: ~I suppose...it's good to see at least one familiar face on the caravan...~ * Nikki glances at the board, then laughs a little. "You'll find more than one, I promise." * Squenix takes out three orbs of magicite in each large hand, and passes them to you. For Nikki, she has fire, cure, and poison. Xanithern has cure, ice, and thunder. "You know how to use these?" * Xanithern turns towards Nikki and blinks a little. That is, where his eyes normally show go dark for a second. * Nikki doesn't seem to notice. She takes the magicite and looks them over, rolling them in her hands. Yeah, I can use them. * Xanithern then turns towards Squenix and gives her a nod too. Taking the magecite and checking them out with an inspector's eye. He nods again. * Squenix points at the range. "Show me. Once." * Nikki glances up and blinks, then nods as she carefully places the magicite into each of her three slots. Cure, Fire, Poison. "All right." * Nikki twists her bracelet around her right wrist and looks to Xanithern. "Want me to go first?" * Xanithern looks at her for a moment and shakes his head, stepping forward. He flicks up his sleeve and inserts his magecite in his own bangle. He's got a complete set now! Yay! Okay. * Xanithern steps forward and starts to make the gestures. Going into the pseudo-unintelligible chant he goes into when he casts, his hands start to extend first with a blue glowing aura, like frosted flames flickering from his clothing. He then thrusts his hands forward and chills the closest target. Non- wilded. He needs to save those. [The target chills over and is covered in frost. Ice can be seen portruding from the poor target, but not enough to total the thing.] * Xanithern steps back after the cast and looks...rather disappointed. * Nikki takes a breath as she moves forward. She raises her right hand to the target as the magicite shines through her sleeve: a bright, hot pinpoint of light. Her eyes narrow as heat gathers round her hand. "Fire!" she commands, a few seconds after Xanithern would have managed, and orange-red flames burst into existence. [Nikki's target bursts into flames, burning and burning until it falls to the ground in a smouldering heap. Let this be a notice to you. Fire is very effective at burning wood.] * Nikki grins at that and lowers her hand. * Squenix nods. "Good. Know how to counter-spell?" * Nikki blinks at Squenix, then laughs sheepishly. "Uh... no." * Squenix looks at Xanithern, waiting for a response. * Xanithern looks at Squenix for a moment and then writes down. ~I have researched it...although I assume it is much different in practice. I have been fortunate not to have any spells casted on me as of late.~ * Squenix holds up one 'finger'. "Prepare to counterspell." Second 'finger' "Recognize enemy's spell." Third 'finger. "Use the same or an opposing spell to counter." * Xanithern looks at Squenix steadily as she explains it and thinks on that. Opposing. You mean like Blizzard and Fire? * Squenix shakes her head. "Fire and Water. Haste and Slow. Doom and Life." * Xanithern then writes down a note. ~Yes...I presume...what opposes Thunder then? And what of two spells along the same line of different strengths?~ A scribbled note gives an example Blizzard and Fira Must be exact same spell or exact conflicting spell, unless you train to do otherwise. * Nikki nods. "Okay. I think I get it." * Xanithern nods and is quiet. Well, he's always quiet. But you can be pretty sure that that's enough incentive to get him to train to do otherwise. Questions? * Xanithern thinks then taps his chalkboard. He writes: ~Should we practice?~ Yes. * Squenix looks at Nikki. "Cast Cure." She looks back at Xanithern. "Counter." * Xanithern turns towards Nikki for a moment and then nods before spreading himself out in the training circle a bit. * Xanithern then looks at Squenix and holds out a finger. * Nikki steps a little away from Xanithern, too, and waits for Xani to say what he has to. * Xanithern writes it down. ~Doesn't that in itself ignore the second step? How may I practice identifying the spell if you tell me what it is?~ You cannot counterspell if the spell is not an orb you possess. * Nikki idly runs a hand through her curls. * Xanithern looks resigned and then shakes his head, turning back towards Nikki. He looks disappointed..well, only a little. * Xanithern readies to counterspell! * Squenix looks at Nikki. * Nikki grins. "It's okay. We can practice another time, when we've got more magicite." She raises her hand, the blue-green magicite glowing comfortably through her sleeve, and sparkling magic swirls from her bracelet and around her wrist, then palm and fingers. "Cure!" * Xanithern starts to weave in counter, casting a spell in opposition. Green-ish aura eminates from the magicite and envelopes his arms as he follows the patterns. [Both finish their effects and... nothing happens. The power just goes kaput and nothing happens. Kinda like Snape in Potter Puppet Pal Theater 2.] * Nikki raises an eyebrow. "I guess you don't actually feel better then." * Xanithern puts his hands together and just looks at Nikki for a moment before shaking his head silently. * Nikki giggles. Reverse now. * Nikki takes a breath. "Okay." She drops her hands and waits. * Xanithern nods and writes. ~Same spell?~ Fire or Cure. You pick. * Xanithern gives Nikki a look and then looks at his bangles. He swaps around magicite. Fire is now loaded. Blizzard unloaded. * Nikki waits! Cluelessly! Or not, but she looks clueless enough. * Xanithern fingers the magicite for a moment then waits till he sees Nikki's ready. Once he does, he starts to gesture, muttering out his chant low and drawing up his arms to start the casting...none of the magicite have started glowing yet. * Xanithern then finishes up his gesturing and one of the magicite starts to glow, the aura building around his arms at the patterns. The color is...Green! He fires! * Nikki turns her bracelet half a circle to the right and she brings up her hand, a similar blue-green glow covering her wrist. She grins, and as the magic approaches, it fizzles into nothing around her. * Xanithern stops after the cast and puts his hands inside his sleeves. He gives a half-nod/bow to Nikki and eyes her for a moment before turning back to Squenix for further instruction [Nikki is untouchable! YOU SHALL NOT PASS!] * Nikki drops her hand and blinks at Xani, then nods. Good. Do you know how to fusion? * Xanithern gives a brief nod, then looks at Nikki. * Nikki bites her lip, then she says, "I've done it a few times with my grandpa, yeah." Good. Show me. * Squenix points at a hapless target. * Nikki looks over at Xani. "Fire?" * Xanithern nods to Nikki and rolls up his sleeves. Time to kick targetty ass. * Nikki goes through the motions of cracking her knuckles, though no cracking's actually done. * Xanithern starts to weave the magic, concentrating hard on the target. His spell-fire aura glows around his arms as he waits for Nikki. * Nikki goes through the motions of casting Fire again, her fingers pointing towards the target and magicite shining through as the heat builds up. She bites her lip, trying to wait for just the right time to sync with Xanithern, but she can't hold it in anymore and the fire streaks off to the target. [ The target bursts in flames and falls to the ground. No big splody, though.] * Nikki groans. * Xanithern slowly lowers his arms in blink while watching Nikki's misfire. His spell fizzles before it goes off. He looks straight at Nikki afterwards. I'm sorry. I couldn't keep it- it didn't want to stay! Try again. * Xanithern shrugs and starts getting ready to cast again. * Nikki takes a breath, calming herself, and again raises her hand. Magicite shines as her magic starts to build, heat growing around her and practically glowing, but she grits her teeth and holds it in. * Xanithern goes through the motions shortly after Nikki. Faster casting, later caster. His arms flicker with spell-fire as he holds onto it, concentrating on the target... * Nikki mentally counts down from three, and *this* time, she knows it's perfect for release. Her eyes gleam as she releases the magic and pushes it into being. "Fira!" * Xanithern releases his magic as he sees Nikki's go, squawking out something that MAY be Fira. But it's very soft, garbled and hard to make out. [The spell fusion ignites into a miniature inferno around the target, and then a second inferno erupts around another target at the other side of the range. The main targets are thoroughly incinerated, a pair of fireballs appearing around the dying flames and affecting the surrounding area, setting those aflame as well.] * Xanithern lowers his arms, letting the spellfire die down and draws in a breath, observing the carnage, flamelight flickering off his helmet. * Squenix nods. "Wild magic. Good." * Nikki watches, and she laughs, pumping her fist into the air. "Yes!" She turns to Xanithern. "Two of them! That was awesome. Did you do that?" * Xanithern doesn't answer Nikki. He's too busy watching fire. Fire... *_* * Nikki doesn't get an answer. She goes back to watching the bonfire, idly wondering why she didn't remember to bring chocolate and marshmallows. * Squenix murmers and two spouts of water appear from the air and drench the two targets, putting out the fires. Don't want it to burn the entire place down, you'd guess. * Xanithern then turns back to Nikki and walks over to her, holding out his hand and looking down. The helmet is close. The helmet is SCARY! Well, maybe...maybe not. But probably more so after witnessing the inferno. * Nikki turns her attention from the waterworks and into... uh, Xani's chest. But she looks up and sees his helmet, then down to see his feathered hand. She blinks, and then she grins and takes his hand, shaking it. * Squenix looks at Nikki and Xanithern. "Fusion a summon." * Xanithern gives one firm shake, then turns back towards Squenix calmly. Although at her words, he seems surprised. * Nikki blinks. "Fusion a- oh, wow." * Nikki smiles up at Xanithern. "Think you can do it?" * Xanithern holds up a finger and scribbles quickly. ~I don't know how to summon..how does that work?~ She does. * Xanithern looks at Nikki. Huh. * Nikki nods. "Yeah." * Xanithern then looks over his magecite for a moment before writing Nikki a 'private' message. ~What combinations do you suppose would work?~ * Nikki reads that, then she pushes up her sleeve, letting out a hrm. "I've got... fire and cure, really. Summoning a vial would be kinda boring." * Nikki looks over to Xani. "You?" * Xanithern shows his magicite to Nikki. Fire, Thunder, Cure, and Blizzard off to the side in his other hand. To be replaced if need be. * Nikki looks them over. She's thinking. Then she says, "Let's try Fire and Thunder." * Xanithern nods and steps back, rolling back his sleeves. Casting at the ready. * Nikki twists her bracelet around a couple times, then she nods to herself. She faces the targets, eyes closed, and raises both hands, right above her left. The familiar red-hot glow of her fire magicite begins to shine through her sleeve. Soon after, unburning flames circles her wrist, consuming her right arm and hand, and working its way down to surround her left hand and arm, as well. * Nikki snaps her eyes open and pushes her hands forward, forcing the magic into a growing pool in mid-air. She winces, but she holds it there as she waits for Xanithern. * Xanithern raises his arms too, lightning yellow aura crackling at his fingertips and all the way around his arms, spreading and snaking slowly. * Xanithern thrusts the thunder into the growing pool. Go...whatever! I choose you! * Nikki smiles as the fire starts to crackle with electricity. "Now." She raises her voice, and the portal grows ever brighter. "Charlie! Fly to my aid!" * Out of the portal in a flash of light and thunder appears a small dragon, arcing over with electricity. It has mostly red scales, but the stinger on its tail is sheathed in electricity. Charlie, as Nikki would know him, streaks forwards towards the targets. Its first course of action is to breathe a line of fire and electricity, causing a number of the targets to burst in flame and shower with sparks. * Xanithern looks at Nikki oddly, but still amazingly keeps his concentration. Charlie? * The dragon creature comes around again and flies to Nikki's shoulder, letting her embrace him if she wants. Awwww, it's just adorable!, if a bit dangerous looking. * Nikki laughs and makes sure the stinger's well away before giving him a quick hug and rubbing his head. She digs in her pocket for a piece of jerky, holding it out for the dragon. * The dragon reaches out and eats it quickly, just before he's shunted off to wherever summons go when they're not being summoned. * Nikki looks over to the Yukes, still smiling. She looks just a little tired. * Xanithern just watches. He's still stunned. Charlie??? That is good for today. Keep two of the orbs I gave you, return the others. * Nikki nods. She looks down at her bracelet, debates for a moment, then snaps out Poison and holds it out to Squenix. * Squenix takes the poison magicite. She looks at Xanithern. * Xanithern looks over his magicite for a while. He seems to ponder it for a long time. He then takes out Cure and hands it to Squenix. * Squenix takes the cure magicite as well, and snaps them into her personal bracelet. * Nikki nods. "Thank you, Squenix." * Squenix goes about storing up her magicite. "Do us proud." When done, she picks up her equipment and walks off to her abode. * Nikki watches her go. When Squenix is well away, she flops to the ground and looks at all the destruction they caused. "Wow." * Xanithern nods slowly then scratches it out. ~I had heard that fusions were powerful. I just was not quite so aware until you see it..~ * Nikki looks over and up at the sound of Xani's writing, and she nods. Yeah. And that... what'd she call it? That Wild Magic you do is amazing. * Xanithern shrugs. ~It is something I've lived with all my life...well, as soon as I started to train in the arcane arts. I would rather prefer it to be more controlled sometimes...~ * Nikki laughs. "Yeah, but then we can't call it wild." * Xanithern nods. ~True. I am still practicing to refine it into something useful.~ * Nikki nods. I'm sure you'll get it. We're going to have lots of practice. * Xanithern thinks for a moment and then adds, hesitantly. ~You are...a better caster than I expected.~ * Nikki blinks after reading that, then she snickers. "I didn't get on 'cause of my amazing martial talent, that's for sure." * Xanithern looks down after that and hunches his shoulders, looking off to the side. A slight breath comes out of his helmet. * Nikki waves. "Sit down. We're victors. We defeated an entire army of helpless targets." * Xanithern nods and sits down. He waits a little bit in silence before writing, passing the note to Nikki. ~The rest...won't nearly be so helpless.~ * Nikki looks, then giggles. "Yeah, well... we can hide behind Leran or something." * Xanithern looks up at Nikki questioningly My best friend. He got on the caravan, too. He's the toughest guy I know. * Xanithern thinks about that and then writes ~Strength is not always measured in mere muscle.~ * Nikki nods, then says seriously, "He knows a lot about rocks, too." * Xanithern EYES Nikki before writing. ~...rocks?~ * Nikki laughs. Yeah, that was my reaction! But his grandpa decided he's got to know about rocks, so now he does. * Xanithern writes down. ~They're good for sitting on and hurt when they're thrown. What else do you need to know?~ * Nikki shrugs. "He says he's got to know what kinds are good for building dams and forts and stuff." ~How often do you build a fort in the middle of miasma?~ That's what I was thinking. But no arguing with his grandpa, I guess. * Nikki stretches her legs from her sitting position. "Besides, in just a few weeks, he won't have to listen to him for a long time. * Xanithern looks at Nikki ~I'm not sure if that is such a good thing...it is a gross responsibility we take on.~ * Nikki looks at that note, then to Xanithern. "Nervous?" * Xanithern shrugs a little. ~It is for the good of the village.~ * Nikki reads that. "That's not an answer." And then she coughs into her hand. "I'm nervous." * Xanithern looks at Nikki for a bit, trying to gauge her. * Xanithern lets out something like a weak, very faint cough (might be a laugh?) before writing. ~I never expected that coming from you.~ * Nikki reads that, then waves it off with a grin. "Bah. Just because I'm good at pretending I'm not nervous doesn't mean I'm not actually." * Xanithern shakes his head and then writes on the other side, simply because he doesn't feel like erasing. ~To be honest, I am not certain whether I am nervous or not. In a way, it is something I have been training for my entire life. In some ways, not.~ * Nikki reads that. She chews on the inside of her cheek for a moment. Yeah, me too. Not about not being nervous - I know I am - but I've been training my whole life for this. * Nikki laughs a little. "I couldn't summon since I started learning how to cast. It took years." * Xanithern nods and looks down a bit. Then he finally has to erase. Boo. * Xanithern sketches out. ~So why are you going on this caravan?~ * Nikki smiles. "Because there's a lot more out there than this little town." She waves vaguely. I know that if I don't go, someone else would, and the myrr would come anyway. I really just want to see the world, meet people, do things. ~That's it?~ * Nikki nods. "Really, yeah." She grins. "Disappointing, I know. Maybe I should have come up with an elaborate scheme on how I'm going to save the world instead, ridding us all of miasma's evil clutches." * Xanithern lets out another snort laugh. ~I don't actually expect to go that far. I mainly want to conduct research.~ Yeah? Like Mona's research, or different? * Xanithern snorts again. ~I haven't really listened to that research.~ I think she's into animals. She gets along with them well enough. * Xanithern shakes his head and looks up slightly at the sky. If he could talk, he would have maybe answered Nikki but he doesn't seem like he wants to write. * Nikki sighs a little and folds her legs, looking back at the ex-targets. * Xanithern follows her gaze silently. He's silent a lot Wanna go somewhere to celebrate? * Xanithern looks at Nikki as if she's CRAZY. But he hasn't refused yet. And she hasn't said where. * Nikki looks back at Xanithern and smiles. "I mean, if you're not comfortable with people, that's fine. It doesn't have to be at Firaga and Ice or anything. But just sitting here and looking at burnt out targets is boring." She gets to her feet and offers Xanithern a hand up. * Xanithern watches Nikki. He takes her hand. Hey, maybe she doesn't actually have Clavat cooties. * Nikki does, and Xani's infected! But that's okay. She helps pull him up. * Xanithern looks at Nikki expectantly after dusting himself off. Know any good out of the way places? I can sneak home and grab stuff for a picnic. * Nikki grins. "It's almost as good as blowing up targets." * Xanithern nods. Slowly. He hasn't taken his eyes off Nikki. Well the helmet's eye-slits at least. * Nikki nods, totally not offput by it. At least, she doesn't look that way. "Great! Where?" * Xanithern points. It's dramatically unhelpful. * Nikki looks in the direction he's pointing, then uhs. "Draw a map?" * Xanithern eyes her and sighs, scribbling out something quickly. ~Bazaar~ * Nikki reads that. "So... I'll meet you at the marketplace?" * Xanithern nods. * Nikki smiles. "Okay. I'll see you there." She waves and heads... home! * Xanithern does too. Giving Nikki one last look to her back. Peer. * Nikki stands up to the peering. Go bluff check! Or not. [Session End!]