driftfleet | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: Allen Walker
Broadcast: Text
Action: Iskaulit Gym
When: 2/6, late at night

[Well Allen's sure in a piss-poor mood tonight, if his late night texts have anything to say about it. Usually he's good at not letting departures get too under his skin. But losing a friend and someone from home in one go? Is a bit much.]

Kanda's gone. I'm sorry if you met him.

[Does that mean he's sorry that Kanda's gone from your life, or just a general apology for ever meeting the guy in the first place? Who knows.]

Also sorry to ask, but does anyone have anything that'd work on fixing tears on a punching bag?

[.......He a little got mad ok.]

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[Sorry Hawke. No dragon here, just anime character]

Mm, exactly! I actually learned how to do the claws first, so they're my main weapon. The sword's just for special circumstances.

Being able to shapeshift only partially must have taken some time to learn. There's a few shapeshifters back home, but all the ones I've ever met transform fully into animals like crows or cats or bears. It takes a lot of observation of the form and behavior before you can do it, and it's not something the Chantry approves of so it's mostly apostates and hedge mages that can learn it. I never was able.

[Granted he didn't think to start with, say, his mabari and instead wanted to go straight to dragonhood. Of course he failed.]

Ah, yeah. It took about...four or five years to master? Though I wouldn't consider it the same as learning how to shapeshift magically like you're talking about- I'm actually rubbish at magic.

[Or at least, he never tried that hard to learn. It wasn't that he had anything against magic. It just wasn't something he needed to accomplish his goals]

How do you shapeshift without magic?

[He gives Allen a funny look.]

You're like Alphonse, I think. He insists his Alchemy isn't magic either, but it certainly functions exactly like transmutation magic.

Oh no, Alchemy is certainly a form of magic where I'm from. Alchemy just also takes science into account, so I think some alchemists feel calling Alchemy just "magic" over simplifies what they do.

[At least, that's how it seemed like.]

But my shape-shifting is done by using Innocence, the material my arm is made out of. The human parts of my body stay the same, but the Innocence can change form based on what I need.

It's not magic though. There's no spells or glyphs that make it work. Just my own connection to it.

Magic is hardly simple. There are a great many different schools and they all take different skills and ways of thinking about the world. What I don't understand is this weird feeling of needing to put magic opposite of science. Not that I think they're terribly related, but they're not really opposite, are they? Just different things.

[He keeps stitching as he talks, the needle leaving inexpert but serviceable stitches in the surface of the punching bag.]

Why do they call it "Innocence"? If you don't mind me asking.

I never said magic itself was simple. It just tends to cause over-simplified explanations. For instance, a medical doctor can explain in-depth how their treatments will help heal an injury down to the cellular level. But, if you asked the same question to a magic healer, you often just get "because it's magic". Which truly, that doesn't answer anything.

But I couldn't tell you why some put science and magic as opposites. That's not how things work in my world.

[And that question gets a shrug]

I'm not sure, actually. The other name for it is God Matter, but I try to avoid using that term if I can.

God Matter? That does sound rather pretentious. I can see why you'd avoid it.

[He puzzles over that for a moment.]

Is this something you've always had?

[He nods]

As long as I can remember, yes.

So is it.. a gift, then? Something you like having?

[He's not sure if that's overstepping any boundaries so he braces himself for Allen to shut down his pattern of inquiry.]

It allows me to do what I wish to do, so yes. I do like having it.

There's something to be said for that.

[He goes back to sewing, eyes on the tears in the bag and his needle working in and out.]

I'm not really one to agree with the amassing of power for its own sake, but knowing what power you have ensures you can keep doing what it is you want with yourself... well, it's easy to see how some people can go overboard with that.

[And that sounds very much like a lecture.]

...I've been doing this for nearly 14 years, Hawke. I understand your concerns, but I already know my limits.

[That causes Wolfe's head to snap up, an almost hurt look on his face mixing with the confusion.]

What? I was just thinking aloud, I wasn't trying to imply you can't handle yourself.

[He huffs out a breath, frustrated either with his own poor ability to express his thoughts or Allen's misunderstanding. Really the former.]

I've run into a lot of people who try and become more powerful to do what they want to do and then can't stop. I'm not trying to imply that's you - like you said you've been at it 14 years, and from what I understand you only ever try to help - but it just made me think of the people who keep going, thinking the only way they'll ever be free or left alone is if they have enough power that no one can stop them. I'm just saying I can see it, even if I don't agree with it.

[He shakes his head. This is likely the reason some shit went to hell in Kirkwall with his companions and not with Marian and hers. He just runs his mouth sometimes without thinking about what it sounds like regardless of his intention.]

I dunno why this put me in mind of that, but it's just a thought. No offense meant.

I see... [It's not sure if he actually believes him or not, but it doesn't really matter. He wasn't that offended, just mildly miffed.] Don't worry, no offense taken.

[But onto a change of subject, he offers a smile]

Anyway, thank you again for doing this. Are you sure there's no way I can repay you?

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