Hadriel IC Contact

[solvethepuzzle]

"This is Near. I assume you know what to at this point."
Text | Voice | Video
(Good luck ever getting video from him. But if you want to . . .)

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[torrefied]

[Mello's mouth purses in further irritation. Of course Near wouldn't answer the question directly; Mello knows him well enough to expect this much. Still, it's irritating. His fingers halt drumming with a final tap, and he folds his arms over his chest instead.]

In light of recent events, it's come to my attention that it is unwise to leave the ability to seal or unseal the front door with a single person.

[Plus, he wants the ability to leave whenever he feels like it, without asking for Near's cooperation.]

Do you agree?

[Also not a direct answer of Yes, but this is how a Wammy's brat rolls.]

[solvethepuzzle]

[It's not an unreasonable argument. Something in him chafes at the idea of ceding some of the control he has over the house's security measures when he's always had it, though. If he's in control, he's safe.

[But realistically, keeping these methods to himself isn't the most practical. Mello gains nothing from the house being compromised and has no reason to keep him out -- and the spell wouldn't stop Near if Mello tried that anyway. So this is fine.]

You need to start with non-coloured spells to familiarize yourself with how magic works; colour magic is more complicated than those. Indigo isn't the colour you are most suited for, but you should be able to learn it with some work.

[So, yes. He'll agree to this.]

[torrefied]

[OK, this is good. Near's agreeing to teach him. However ... ]

How would you know what color I'm most suited for?

[solvethepuzzle]

The spells in each colour are reflective of common associations with that colour, including personality traits and temperament. As we are very different people, our natural affinities are also different.

[There are hints toward what colour would favour Mello in all of that. Indigo is a very cerebral style of magic, mostly unemotional. With their upbringing, most children from the House would have some chance of learning it, even if it isn't the best choice for all of them. Mello will be capable, he's certain, but he will not be a natural Indigo; he would be a natural Red.]

[torrefied]

[Sounds kind of like bullshit, but what does Mello know, he's no wizard.]

If you can do it, so can I. [He has determination on his side.] What do I have to do to start?

[solvethepuzzle]

I don't recall saying you couldn't. I simply said that it isn't the colour you would take to the most naturally.

[He tilts his head, looks past Mello.] I am not conducting a lesson while standing in a doorway.

[torrefied]

[He didn't have to say it - Mello hears it anyway, the same way he hears it in everything. But he did agree to make an attempt at not hearing criticism in everything Near says, so Mello tightens his jaw and swallows down the argument building in his throat. There's more important things to consider at the moment.]

Where, then? Do we have to go on a hike in the woods?

[... Yeah, he's picturing Near on a hike and laughing on the inside.]

[solvethepuzzle]

[It doesn't occur to Near on his own to mention the colour he feels Mello would pick up very easily. Because it doesn't matter; Near can't teach it.]

We don't need to leave the house; I'm just not doing this in the doorway. [And he's not inviting Mello into his room, either. Honestly, he just doesn't want to do this standing up.]

[torrefied]

[This time, Mello can't hold in the loud sigh and the roll of his eyes he feels compelled to express. With an exaggerated sweep of his hand:]

Then come out into the living room. I'm not forcing you to stay in the doorway.

[Without waiting for an answer, Mello turns on his heel and makes his way into the living room and sits down in his usual sprawl on the couch.]

[solvethepuzzle]

[Well Mello had been in the way, so if one were to be technical, he was in a manner of speaking forcing him to stay in the doorway. But Near is feeling magnanimous enough not to point that out. And he inwardly smiles at the dramatic sigh and eyeroll. Mello is so funny when he's annoyed about stupid things.

[He follows without comment -- after closing and sealing his door -- maneuvering himself into one of the oddly-shaped chairs, tucking his left leg to his chest as is his wont.] The spell that seals the doors and windows is an Indigo spell. We will not be getting to that immediately. What we will be able to begin with are Prestidigitation, Light, Detect Poison, and Detect Magic.

[torrefied]

[Mello has seen Near use Light before, back when Sharon called Silent Hill to Hadriel, and he's been told the resulting analysis of both Detect spells when Near has used them in the past. Prestidigitation, though ... he shifts on the couch, leaning forward with interest.]

If any of this involves card tricks, you can skip that part.

[solvethepuzzle]

I would have come prepared for that. [A brief, impish smile. He has so many cards, after all.]

Prestidigitation is any number of minor tricks: changing things such as the colour, taste, smell, or temperature of the target. Or slowly lift small objects.

[He unconsciously starts twisting his finger into his hair.] The effect will only last approximately one hour.

[torrefied]

[Mello rolls his eyes again. He sort of set himself up for that.]

So which one do I need to learn first?

[solvethepuzzle]

[Yes, he'd absolutely set himself up for that.]

None of them is any more difficult than the others; whichever you learn first is up to you.

[torrefied]

Light seems like the most practical one, given the nature of this place. [They've lost power or otherwise needed a backup source of lighting at least twice while Mello's been here, and it's reasonable to assume they'll need it in the future as well.] Let's start with that, then.

[solvethepuzzle]

Alright. [He unwinds the finger from his hair. He's never had to explain this before, nor had it explained to him in that other life -- Liam had taught himself from a book.]

When you use magic, you are drawing from within yourself, not from the environment. [Hence why personality has such a strong effect on what colour one takes to.] For a spell like this, it isn't necessary to draw upon any specific type of energy. Concentrate, look within; when you find it, you will know.

[torrefied]

[It sounds simple enough - concentration is all it takes? Maybe too simple.]

Fine. I can do that.

[Concentration is easy, or so Mello would like to think. It sounds like a simple enough task, but his mind has always been too full of thoughts and plans, more accustomed to multitasking than mindfulness. He sits forward on the couch, closes his eyes, and - tries to focus, and fails.]

How do you know that you'll know?

[solvethepuzzle]

[And that's where they differ. Mello's mind jumps around to different possibilities, but Near has always been a creature of supreme focus, fixated on a single goal.]

It's how it worked for me in that other life. [The memories of that childhood are somewhat hazy, but he is sure of that much. He twirls his hair thoughtfully, searching for a clearer way to explain.] The place . . . it feels hollow at first. But look deeper than that.

[torrefied]

A place that feels hollow ... OK.

[He repeats the phrase like a mantra, inhales a deep breath, closes his eyes again ... and begins drumming his fingers across his knee. Rapidly, audibly, he exhales that same breath.]

How do you get there, though?

[solvethepuzzle]

[He checks a sigh of irritation, but he does roll his eyes a bit.]

I cannot hold your hand to find the path, Mello. That's up to you. This is an individualistic process.

[torrefied]

Well, you could be a little less cryptic about it.

[Mello does not hold back on that sigh of irritation, though it's mostly reserved for himself. This process sounds simple enough, and yet he isn't immediately picking it up like he thinks he should.]