genessia | 3rd fire = that's the price you pay, leave behind your heart and cast away

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3rd fire = that's the price you pay, leave behind your heart and cast away

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[The face on the feed is--well, it's only half visible given that one Neil Blair is holding a chilled piece of meat over his right eye. The other is screwed shut in obvious discomfort, opening experimentally as Neil carefully removes the makeshift compress from his face, where the first stippling traces of a bruise are visible just above his cheekbone. The backdrop is a nondescript back room of the Drunken Monkey, where Neil's gathering himself together after breaking up a fight.

He blinks a couple of times, grimaces a little, but finally sets the compress aside and waves at the network with a wry smile.]

Hey, all. First off, the holiday season's on us, so a happy one to all of you. Pretty sure no one here celebrates Eventide, but Christmas is pretty similar, so...

[The mention of his holiday makes him wince again as he reaches up to rub his temple with a sigh.]

Sorry, headache. Just...kinda curious about something. In my world, those with magic abstain from using it whenever possible during the winter season. It's a custom, nothing more, but the week before our version of Christmas--Eventide--it's forbidden by our beliefs. It's something everyone knows about, and something that everyone considers even under the worst circumstances. Kinda fosters the lack of conflict and sense of community that Eventide's all about, y'know?

Problem is, here? Not so much. [Somewhere in the distance, a bellicose shout can be heard through the feed, muffled by wooden walls and doors, earning a glare off screen from Neil--one he immediately winces at and rubs the edge of his eye socket again.] It's inconvenient, not dangerous--I got about four days before I'm cut off altogether, so I'll bust out a fireball if I gotta 'till then. I was just curious if anyone else here had circumstances where they couldn't or wouldn't use their abilities, and how you dealt with it when no one else around you's in the same boat.

[Easing back a little in his chair, Neil rakes his free hand back through his loose hair.]

And bonus points if you know any good headache remedies.

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So you'll be at your weakest now?

[Enters a certain annoying kitsune who's peering into the screen looking like a fox in a hen house.]

...Interesting.

[Neil's eyes just narrow a moment before he smiles--slow, cold, and deliberate.]

Weak. [He snickers a little.] You know, maybe I was wrong about you--you're friggin' adorable.

[The fox snarls once that mangy bastard dares to call him "adorable". It's beyond offensive.]

Spare me the needless bravado. You've just announced your flaw for all to know because of some...holiday.

What, that I choose to abstain? Key word there, cutie. I may fight with my magic, but remember this: I kill with my bare hands, and I'm a lot harder to kill since the last time we talked.

[He slows his speech and enunciates to drive his point home.]

Do not. Mistake. Good will. For vulnerability. If you test me, you will die.

[Tsukuyomi huffs at this sorcerer.]

Somehow, I doubt that. [So says the fox who've been recently humbled by his own failures to defeat the very same mortals he boasted about killing. Tsuki doesn't have a good track record so far. Seems that his alleged powers aren't as vast as he claims.]

With your magic, you could potentially be a threat but I doubt your physical might.

[Yet, he doesn't seem to leap at the chance of challenging the sorcerer. Tsukuyomi has a loud enough bark but his bite is lacking.]

Let me make this quite clear, I do not fear death nor you.

It's clear Aesop had never met you when he wrote his fables.

[ Her expression is mild, but no mistake she's no more to be trifled with than she was the first time you spoke. ]

[These are all things Neil's noticing--a god without action, a lot of talk without a lot of mobilization. It makes Neil wonder, but it never shows on his face: while the wheels turn, he just sneers and draws a few private conclusions.

Those conclusions make his fingers itch for a blade. That cold, restless thing inside that he calms with blood and heat stirs, and he's already planning an ambush without being fully conscious of it.

He has to make himself stop. Think. Remember.

It doesn't calm the bloodlust that's risen...but it does let him make a choice to leave it unsatisfied.]

Points for me, then. If you're not scared, you'll keep to yourself so I can get rid of this fuckin' headache that isn't you.

What were you thinking about that someone managed to land a punch to your face?

[ Half a sigh, and half a smile. She's not mad or worried, just vaguely irritated that someone is marking her mate and less than pleased with this idiotic fox. ]

Me? Not a goddamn thing. [With a scowl, he points at the stippling that promises a healthy black eye in a few days.] This was a couple of douchebags that got shitty over arm wrestling and didn't understand the words "take your shit outside." Zagged when should've zigged, and I didn't have a sprite to watch my back or knock the blow wide.

[He sighs, then lets out a sigh of his own--one that's half chuckle as he shakes his head and gingerly touches his abused cheekbone.]

I haven't had a fuckin' black eye in years.

My point. Thank you.

[ A small smirk and then she shakes her head. ]

And you won't have one once I'm home tonight, unless your devotion means I can't use magic on you.

[That gets a small, shy smile out of Neil as he ducks his head for a moment. It feels ridiculous sometimes, but it never ceases to touch him deeply that she shows such concern for respecting his beliefs and shows deference to gods she doesn't even believe are real.

It's little things like that which make him hyper aware of just how hopelessly he loves her.

Lifting his gaze again, with that smile still on his face, he shakes his head.]

Nah, it's just a thing if you're one of the faithful. 'I give my magic to the world for devotion to my goddess, salvation of her Sky Maker, and love of my brother bequeathed me by the Ember's spark.' [The declaration has the easy recitation of a prayer or a line of scripture.]

[ Watching his emotions take him never ceases to amaze and move her. He's so open with his feelings, and in her world that's impossibly rare -- at least it was until Henry entered it.

The way he smiles at her, like she did something so extraordinary... she wishes she knew what it was, so she could do it again. But she doesn't want to ask and spoil the moment.

Instead, she smiles prettily at him, love in her eyes instead of the caress she can't give across the distance. Sometimes his faith is beautiful enough that she wishes she shared it. ]

You'll have to tell me more about Eventide. Later tonight?

Sure! I mean, long as you don't mind a couple stupid parables 'n whatnot. After dinner? Drinks under the portico if it ain't chilly?

In bed, if it is. [ A smile, the purse of her lips in a blown kiss, and a quiet ] Later, love.

[Neil answers with a smile, touching a hand to his mouth to acknowledge the kiss.]

Beloved.

[ There's a brief delay before she disconnects. It's nothing particular or important. She just lingers to see his smile for a little longer because she goes. ]

Abstaining from magic usage in honor of Eventide? [Speaking as a fellow mage, that's a concept that Augustine never heard of until now. However, he likes it. That he does.] If I may so ask, how did such a tradition come about?

Is there a reason for mages to abstain from magic beyond just fostering better ties with their communities?

[Augustine is feeling a tad curious about this rogue mage here.]

It has to do with preservation of the world in which we live. See, in my faith, we believe that the Sun Goddess put magic in the world after her mate, the Sky Maker, created it. In winter, she lingers beneath the earth in the arms of her mate far longer--life diminishes without her light as plants deaden and animals sleep while the days grow shorter. We believe that magic diminishes as well, and so those who have it lay their power aside for the greater good. Kinda like saving food in a famine for the sick and elderly, those with a great need won't be left without if the world's magic is depleted.

The week before that last day of winter--Eventide--is when using magic is forbidden because there's so little left. When Eventide comes, the world renews its magic with a giant celebration of love, light, and brotherhood. All that energy rekindles the spark of power in everything, which lets the world give birth to another spring.

Interesting. My world has Christmas, and all the Santa and reindeer mythology. Not the baby Jesus and Easter I think it's called? With the eggs? Not that. Although some of the islands have rituals that haven't spread throughout.

But there's nothing about not using devil fruits -- that's the closest my world has to magic, and it seems to be unique to my world so far -- except for your own common sense.

[Switches his left arm to smoke.] I'm a smoke devil fruit user, and too much use can make you... reliant. [He's not JUDGING per se, but he's definitely making it clear that that is a very very bad thing.] And all devil fruits have universal weaknesses, and individual weaknesses. The zoan types gain a secondary animal species, but even becoming too much of that can make you start to lose your mind. Logia is my type, and we're elementals, so fire, smoke, ice, magma, light, too much reliance on that and any foe could blow you away.

On top of which there can only be one devil fruit user of that type in the world at any given time so being one monster makes you a target for anyone else who wants that power.

So I always have two other means of fighting up my sleeve. Besides, it just seems weak to only use my power. Especially in Loguetown where I was first stationed.

As for headaches? Rum, ice, snow, and avoiding light, loud sounds, and idiots, in my experience. Good luck. Oh and sometimes caffeine. A quick burst can constrict the blood vessels and make them throb less. [Points to the scar over half of his face.] I've been keeping a pot going ever since I got this.

...I always forget about caffeine. [Which is ironic, because he's grown to love coffee, but the stuff in this world is far more potent than the stuff he drinks back home--a beautiful kick in the head when he needs it.]

I'm familiar with the biological process--constriction of the blood vessels--but I can't manipulate my own body the way I can others. I'll grab a cup, thanks for the reminder.

...so, these devil fruits in your world. Are they actual fruits, or is it some kinda potion? I've heard of potions that can grant temporary power, but they're about as nasty to deal with in terms of fallout as those devil fruits sound like.

Neil? Are you alright? [She sees those winces and the way he reaches for his head.]

[...crap. He should have locked his video away from tiny eyes. He manages a smile for Alice’s benefit and waves off her concern.]

I’m okay, princess, no need to fret. Just got a little clumsy at work is all...but when I get home, maybe you can help fix me up with a hug or two.

And some green tea, it's very good for headaches.

Green tea? I don't know if I've ever had that...but I'll see if I can find some and pick it up on the way home. Maybe you can help me figure out how to make it, too.

[With, of course, Fire Dad handling all the fire and heat related bits...]

I can go and buy some!

And I make excellent tea.

Not alone, princess--I'll pick you up and we can go together. Or you can go with Regina, or Charlie or somethin'. No wandering around by yourself if you can help it.

But I don't doubt you make a good cup of tea. Can't wait to try it.

It's alright! I'll be fine! I know exactly where to go. I can go right now and be back in a moment.

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3rd fire = that's the price you pay, leave behind your heart and cast away

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