Iskaulit Mingle - Problems with Psychics

[notzubats]

Who: Anyone on the Iskaulit!
Broadcast: If you'd like?!
Action: Iskaulit!
When: Today, as Sora's augment glitch starts.

[It's your average day on the Iskaulit. Absolutely nothing seems out of place initially, but without any warning- you might find yourself or your friends experiencing some problems. What's up on that?

In other words, it's an Iskaulit mingle with a twist! Come on in everyone! You don't need to interact with Sora to have it effect you, so feel free to start your own threadstarter! Or talk to Sora, that's cool too. ]

Comments

[apurrstate]

[There's vitrol in Fenris' voice and word choice and Anders can't help remembering his years in the Circle.]

Do you know how many actual mages feel the way you do right now when they get to the circle? And then they're reaffirmed over and over again how wrong and dangerous and horrible they are and never told about the good they could do. Some of them grow up hating themselves so intensely, they end their own lives. They could have helped people if only someone had taken a moment to help them instead of put them down.

[But uncharicteristic to how Anders had been before Justice's removal, he leaves it there. A window into the nature of the beast Fenris always seemed to claim to know so much about instead of a soapbox on which Anders could stand and scream into the unlistening void.]

Come on, we'll go to the cargo bay, it's more open and less likely to be damaged by the magic. If anything starts to get out of control, I'll cut your mana again and dispel the magic. Nothing will go wrong.

[wolfuncaged]

[Anders started talking, and Fenris prepared himself for what was sure to be a long, increasingly irritating lecture on mage rights and how his viewpoint was wrong and shameful. It was an old dance of theirs, and he was used to the steps.

But then Anders surprised him. It was short, and to the point. And because he didn't go on and on about it, it gave time for his words to be absorbed. It meant Fenris, for a change, chose to pay attention. It didn't change his views in a moment of astounded revelation, of course, but it did stick. He would think more on that, when he wasn't dealing with this ]

Duly noted.

[It was hardly anything, to an outsider. But between them, it was a step...somewhere. If it was in the right direction or not was left to be seen. But at least one of them have spoken and the other had heard. ]

Right. Good.

[The idea is still laughable. Learning how to control magic from a man he'd hated for so long. But needs must. He may be a hypocrite a lot of the time, but he can't allow himself to be so here. He's not safe. ]

[apurrstate]

[There was no brush off, no scoff, nothing but...acknowledgement. Acknowledgement he hadn't gotten from anyone but Hawke in years. To anyone else, 'Duly noted' would sound like nothing, a from of disregard, for them...it was something else. Something Anders didn't even know how to process or react to. They were supposed to hate each other, but the last few times they'd talked...no. Another time, or maybe never, but certainly now wasn't the right time to think too much about it.]

Right.

[The journey to the cargo bay was largely silent, Anders mostly focused on what exactly he was going to do with his impromptu student; he hadn't actually thought the elf would agree to the lesson. He supposed the best way to go about it was to pretend Fenris was just some other apprentice in his temporary care. An apprentice who hated him likely as much as Aners had hated his own instructors. Wasn't that a cheery thought?

The Cargo bay was, thankfully, empty and it wasn't too hard to find an empty area in which to practice.]

Alright, first step to anything regarding magic is being able to identify and feel your own mana. I can't tell you exactly what to feel for except a kind of 'extra' energy; it feels differently to each ma- everyone. But, if you can find that vein, you can utilize, measure, and control it.

[wolfuncaged]

[He's glad for the emptiness of the cargo bay. Partly for his own shame in being afflicted with magic- but mostly because he doesn't want bystanders. Bystanders can get hurt. He stands there, in the middle of it, arms folded around himself, listening. It sounds a little like how he found the lyrium, how he activated it, and the comparison doesn't sit well with him at all. ]

Would it not come out in a flood? Should I find it and open that door?

[How do you TAP it, keep it safe? Keep it down. This is what he needs, even if he knows the real answer is that he can't. He just needs to learn to control it. Put it on a metaphorical leash - another comparison he finds very distasteful.]

[apurrstate]

[He almost quite literally had to bite his tongue to keep from replying too hastily. 'Are you spouting fire and ice right now? No? Then what do you think?' Would not be welcome criticism.

Reminder to self: Fenris was not Fenris right now, don't talk to him like he's Fenris or he'll do something very Fenris-like but probably with magic instead.

Anders shook his head.]

It's not like that. Opening the door does not mean the magic immediately comes out, it's inclined to bend to your will. If you don't go looking for it, you have no chance of controlling it.

Why do you think young mages learn they have magic the way they do?

[Wasn't this just funny? He was trying to teach an anti-mage/magic elf how to control magic while Anders bared his secrets to someone who couldn't care less. He always seemed to end up in less-than-favorable situations.]

I was in my family's barn, in the hay loft, I liked to play up there and there was a nice view of the mountains. I stepped too close to the edge of the loft and lost my footing, I very nearly fell off and I panicked. The next thing I knew, the hay was on fire and the rest of the building soon with it.

Fear controlled my magic because I didn't know it was there to control. You have to make an effort, just try and keep a clear mind.

[wolfuncaged]

[And there goes Anders again, sharing. Fenris isn't sure what has happened between them for this to be a thing now. He's not even sure if he wants it to be a thing. But it is, and there's little he can do about that.

He can't really find sympathy, but he feels...something that's not entirely contempt for Anders. It's a start. A step in a less hostile direction. ]

Easier said than done. My fear is well established.

[Danarius made sure of that much. Still, the elf closes his eyes, taking in a deep breath, trying to do ask suggested. ]

[apurrstate]

[He didn't expect sympathy or even understanding except for the concept, so a lack of reaction suits him fine. He didn't think he'd know what to do if Fenris had reacted at all. Possibly get angry, he knew himself well enough to know he didn't take pity well and certainly not from people he would take pity to mean contempt from.

Just a student he was simply trying to teach, he had to remind himself.]

I know that. [And yet Fenris still tried and that was something.

With nothing more than a small glow, Anders' Panecea kicked in, a subtle aura of healing and comfort he hoped might help. He hadn't done it a whole lot with his Fenris around, there was no way to know if this one would recognize the feeling from the Anders he knew. If it helped, it didn't matter.]

Once you're mind is calmer, reach for the mana and try taking hold of it. It's a tool in your hands, you wouldn't let your sword control your arms, don't let the magic control your head.

[wolfuncaged]

[He recognises it and frowns. His Anders tried it once in a while, never with great results. Fenris never really accepted the healing. It felt wrong. ]

Right. I...think I understand.

[A tool, Like a sword. The creeping feeling is still there, and he tries to press it down. Everything in his head is screaming wrongwrongwrong, but he reaches out for it anyway. He really hopes nothing explodes.]