Just call him Pikachu! 🗲 [open]

[upupatomway]

1. Success! 🗲

Atom had studied thoroughly and taken the advice of others seriously. He practiced what Ziel had taught him, and he meditated at the start and end of each day, trying to become attune to the energy of ether around him and within him.

Then finally, one of the many beginner spells he tried produced a reaction. The most basic of electricity spells produced bright sparks at his fingertips. Atom was both surprised and felt something else... Perhaps what humans might call "deja vu"? It had been "in his veins" so to speak, all along.

From that day forward began his daily practice. One might find him when going to The Vault's target range near the spaces reserved for sparring. The other Corsairs toss the odd remark of advice to him here and there in passing, and after a while they aren't surprised to see the kid show up. He still has to recite incantations, but the power output of his practice attacks show promise, and he generally has good aim. All thanks to calculations and monitoring power levels, he explains to those curious.

Atom can be found in the middle of practice with his arms outstretched, sending sparks at a practice target across the range, his eyes lit up in a new blue color like the ether stone that Donnie had implanted in him several months ago.

2. One but make it silly.

After a long round of practice, Atom realizes he is late to join the others for dinner. He stops short of using another spell, and hurries toward the back of the large room where he had left the latest spell book. Halfway across, he pats the top of his head, realizing the static left on him had made the strands of hair he could never quite tame stand up even more than usual.

He tries to brush his hair down, lost in thought for a moment, when a particularly loud explosion above The Vault makes whole place quake. Atom startles, and the excess electricity built up by his interrupted practice leaves his body by shooting out behind him and frying one of the practice dummies nearby. Specifically, shooting out from his rear.

Atom turns to see what just happened, eyes wide and face going red, piecing together what happened but not quite sure if the energy had left him where he thought it had. Did anyone see that?

Comments

1

[frost_and_shinies]

"... Well. Looks like I wasn't alone in thinking of some Ether training," Kaitlyn observed from one side as she stepped into the range.

"It's... Interesting."

[upupatomway]

Atom turns to greet her, pausing his practice. "Oh, hi! First time at the target range?" he asks.

He hopes she's been settling in okay with the Corsairs, feeling somewhat responsible as her recruiter. But he resists the urge to bombard her with questions. One at a time, Atom!

[frost_and_shinies]

"I've slipped here a couple times," Kaitlyn observes. "But this is the first since I've started studying the local magic... Which I'd say is completely different from the abilities I get as a Chosen, except apparently my abilities as a Chosen are influencing what works, because the only Ether type that came easily to me is, um. Ice."

[upupatomway]

"Seems like we're in a similar situation with what comes natural. For me it's electricity, which probably shouldn't be surprising when I normally run on it. In hindsight, maybe it should have been obvious to try first." Atom chuckles.

"Still, it would be nice to learn other elements. Even if it's harder to do," he muses aloud. He tilts his head the other way, frowning slightly. "I'm not sure if versatility or mastery is more important to being helpful in battle, to be honest."

[frost_and_shinies]

... It may be only now that Kaitlyn realizes that Atom is an android.

"... Yeah. I'm... Not sure I can learn more elements period unless I can relate them to the theme of Winter. So mastery is about my only option. Well, and synergy with what I can already do."

[upupatomway]

"So fire might not be an option for you? Or would it be okay because people build fires in the winter to stay warm?" he wonders. The winter theme makes it something of a puzzle, which is only more fascinating in his opinion.

[frost_and_shinies]

"Sadly, while that makes sense, it just straight-up didn't work for me. Cold and Ice seems to be my one natural fit now, so..."

[upupatomway]

"Hmm. Does water count as cold? It's kind of funny since it can be warm too. I suppose electricity is too warm, like fire. Otherwise I'd share what I've learned with you."

[frost_and_shinies]

"I haven't actually tried it yet," Kaitlyn admits. "But I think my powerset means I'm just. Naturally attuned to Ice and cold, so."

[upupatomway]

"I guess if it isn't broke, don't fix it?" he says, giving a small laugh and a shrug. "I guess I should ask, seeing as our specialties are kind of on different sides of the thermometer... Do you have to worry if your allies have powers that are technically hot?"

[frost_and_shinies]

"... Honestly, it has not much come up before. I suspect that being exposed to say wildfire would be not great, but frankly, that wouldn't be great for anyone. Heat sucks in the abstract, for sure, but..."

She shrugs. "Like, I'm being around you fine at least?"

[upupatomway]

"I just hope that if I accidentally gave you a static shock, it wouldn't hurt twice as much for you, or something like that."

[frost_and_shinies]

"I don't think so, overall. It's more conceptually-tied than literal, I think. Setting me on fire would hurt, but that's. You know. Setting someone on fire, already, so..."

2

[freearcadia]

Harlock found himself going to the Vault more often to train on the armors, as he left - he hadn't really reacted to the explosion above him, instinctively bracing himself as the place shook.

The sudden flash of light was enough to make spots appear in his eye, blinking away as he slowly tried to figure out where it came from.

Then he paused, unsure if he saw things correctly, before realizing that yes, he saw what he did. He just looked at Atom with a slight arch of his brow.

[upupatomway]

Atom spies Harlock giving him an inquisitive look, and goes still. Of all people to have seen that! Why couldn't it be Donnie, or Ilphyl? He should really say something; try to explain himself, he realizes.

"Mr. Harlock!" he starts, face still beet red. "I hope the flash didn't hurt your eyes."

What exactly had happened? It was unintentional. Did he charge himself up too much? He needs to review all his data from the last three to five minutes.

[freearcadia]

"No, my eye is fine." He shook his head. "You don't need to call me mister," and he actually would prefer it.

"Did... you have a static discharge?" The man wondered out loud.

[upupatomway]

"Oh good. Okay!" Atom nods his head quickly. He catches himself about to call him "Sir". Probably another one Harlock doesn't deem necessary.

Atom glances at the practice dummy he had accidentally shocked. "I think you might be right. I was starting to notice signs of the static just before that explosion. Then I-" He opens his mouth and closes it again. It had happened behind him so he wasn't completely sure if his suspicions were correct.

He looks a little pained as he pushes himself to ask. "Did the discharge come from... um... my rear section?"

[freearcadia]

He puts a hand to his mouth. "Yes. It did come from the butt," The pirate confirmed, it was somewhat humorous once the surprise wore off, but he is trying to temper it given Atom's clear embarrassment.

[upupatomway]

Atom puts a hand over his mouth as he gives the practice dummy a closer look over. It was pretty forceful for an accident.

"I'll be more careful in the future. I don't want to fry someone by accident, especially not in a way that makes it look like I er- passed an electric bolt!" He can't quite bring himself to say "fart" in front of Harlock. At least not yet. But he does give a weak chuckle that begins to grow into a proper laugh.

[harlequinchimera]

1.

The Vault's target range was certainly not exclusive to those who were apt to throw spells, and it was here that Oki came on a regular basis, though the comparatively short distances led her too be using the place to practice with sightlines and speed drills over range. By the time Atom shows up, Oki was in the process of fieldstripping and cleaning her long gun, finishing while Atom was beginning his own practice.

She watched him in curious silence, slipping the now-oiled tool back into a shoulder-slung position and her eyes tracked his movements - in fact, she even got a measure of just how much of a wallop he had thrown.

She nodded, making a soft growl of approval. "Magic, I had forgotten just how much of a mana-positive place I was in," she said, smiling a bit. "Everyone begins an apprentice in the world I came from - and here as well, I think."

2.

The mighty thunderbolt from Atom caught Oki completely off guard, leaving the very air crackling. She had managed to shield her eyes from the flash enough that she didn't get a bunch of bright streaks, but she did in fact catch where it had come from.

It was many minutes of silence before thee crackling in the air died down.

Oki uncovered her eyes, looked at the blackened practice dummy, and then to Atom - and back again.

She maintained her composure for the time needed to bow in Atom's direction, beg his pardon, then she chimera began to have possibly the loudest and most sincere belly laugh she had experienced since her first capture in this world, one hand over her eyes.

1 (I'll start with 1 and then see what direction it's going in before starting 2)

[upupatomway]

"We don't have magic where I'm from," Atom replies, "I really wanted to learn and experience something new. But if I can get good enough to help on missions, that would be even better!"

"Do you practice magic at all, Oki-san?" he asks. Her gun is self-explanatory for one skill, but she speaks of mana like it might be familiar, at least by normality.

Re: 1 (I'll start with 1 and then see what direction it's going in before starting 2)

[harlequinchimera]

Oki nodded, her face a warm smile in deed. "Learning new things is a valuable venture for any life, old or young."

The question brought a wistful look to the chimera's eyes.

"Alas, I do not. My mentor tried instructing me in its use, but it simply is not among the skills I have - so I was trained for strength, agility and sharpness of wit. I do not need to simply believe in its use, for I have seen it at work, I have seen its use from the most subtle to the dramatic and apocalyptic."

"Atom-san, wanting to do better by your friends and your allies and broadening your experience and skills to that end is a most honorable motivation, indeed."

The wistful look was there still, a little plainer to see, but there was a decidedly kind, even maternal tone to her words."

Re: 1

[upupatomway]

He was sure her skills also spoke to her experience in battle. Hearing her describe what she had witnessed as apocalyptic sounds even more dangerous than what he had seen the Corsairs battle thus far. The Empire had puppeted Terra to burn a large number of ships and filled the sky with their airships, but it wasn't something potentially world-ending.

"When I see everyone else giving everything they have to the battle, I want to join them. I just hope that I can make the right decisions when the time comes..." his voice trails off, his expression turning solemn. "To be honest, I've been having trouble weighing the decision of how much force to use."

Frying practice targets was one thing. Attacking soldiers was another, especially with his background and the programming in his nature.

Re: 1

[harlequinchimera]

Oki nodded, smiling a bit. "You have the right motivations in this. The first and deadliest enemy, in the end, is not the Empire, nor the other soldiers or fighters, but your own fears. They must be mastered, I'd say. Though..." She snorts, pats the side of her face. "Impressive words from someone that has not seen much action, not yet, not in this war."

"Of the use of force, my own thinking is to use force with precision - a great amount of force against a single point of weakness."

Re: 1

[upupatomway]

"Wise words," Atom agrees. If he looks surprised, it's because she hit the nail right on the head. Many of his complicated feelings call back to a specific battle in his past, and fears he had gained upon reflection since. "Your approach makes sense too. Be effective, not only for victory, but for the sake of everyone involved."

He explains his experience further, "I've been in battle before, but it was always against a fellow robot. In my world, robots aren't supposed to kill any of the humans. I've spent years doing what I can to protect others, and sometimes that meant intervening when robots wanted to attack humans. I've always been trying to improve our relations. Things have gotten better; robots have rights now, but there's still more to do." His concerned expression deepens into a frown. "If I fight the organic soldiers of the Empire, does that go against what I've done all these years?"

1

[edaciousness]

Malachiasz has been practicing, himself. Keeping to himself, as well. He might miss someone from home, that much was true, but he also doesn't know what to do with himself in this place. He's heard there are many different avenues to power, though, and thus he's been studying whatever annuls of magic he can get his hands on, and speaking time in the target range whenever he has a new technique.

Which is how the tall, lanky young man with wild hair twined with small bone shards came upon Atom asking spells he'd never seen.

"Lightning magic?"

[upupatomway]

"Yes. I'm practicing spells from books I found in the Vault library," Atom says, nodding. He backs away from where he was firing off spells and goes to grab the book where he had left it to show to the man.

"Are you studying ether magic too?" he asks.

[edaciousness]

"Yes." And by that he meant he was studying whatever magic he could get his hands on. All the better to never end up in chains again. That and breaking out anyone who wanted to come with them. He wasn't a hero by any means, but living in chains? No one deserved that.

"So anyone can practice Aether magic, then?"

[upupatomway]

"Yeah. Well-" he cuts himself off and tries to clarify, smiling.

"If you mean practice their spells on targets here, then yes, within reasonable safety precautions so nobody gets injured. And if you mean free to study magic, as far as I know most schools of magic are encouraged. What specialty we have potential in is another case... I had trouble getting started with ether magic of any type, personally."

He hopes that answers his question.