V5 Incline 45: Test-Taker Larishazza

"Yes, so, from what I have heard you say. It seems to be that you learned to handle your magic in a very particular way. You were scared and confused and, as such your body learned to handle it two ways: when it was active, to let it all out. Or, to keep it all in when you were calmer, and so on." I begin to explain, compiling my thoughts as I take it all in.

"I've jumped high plenty of times when I was not scared..." he says to me, pointing out that detail as he crosses his magic.

"I never said you only used magic when you were scared. I said that is how you learned to use it. So, I believe the best thing to do is to get you more used to casually using it, so you can knock a brick wall down without breaking it." I clarify further, giggling towards the end in an effort to lighten the mood from the serious professoring we've been engaged in. Even if it doesn't take kindly to it.

"And what if there is no way for me to learn it like that?" Nin dares to ask, and I shake my head at the idea. It will only happen like that if he refuses to keep his mind open. Though, when it comes to something like the precision one's magic... I don't think the same rules apply as when magic is first developing. I hope so, though I will never speak my doubts.

"Then we try and add in an additional step to your body. Think of it like this, you have your calm state where you can run normally, and then we have your in-use state, which is what you use when doing magic. What I want to try and do, at worst, is to make it so you can only use some of your magic rather than lots at once or more." I tell him, hoping he can form enough of an idea himself. The Academy insists so much we learn as on our own as we can for the sake of our magic. There's only so much I can do for Nin without possibly sabotaging him.

"I think I understand... When I got here, I had to put a lot more effort in than usual because I had to keep... Someone... Alive through the cold," he tries to explain, his words suddenly hitching with a malice I don't want to consider.

"Good! So we have a point of where we can work from, do you think you can explain it or is showing it likely going to be better?" I ask, ignoring how his tone changed.

"Probably showing it," he softly goes, bottling his emotions up despite an earlier word from me.

"Got it!" I say, skipping back to the controls and messing with them. I adjust what I need to, increasing the magic within the pieces of equipment I feel will work best. This increase of magic will make them heavier, stronger against attack and, as far as this training is concerned, are all-around upgraded compared to what they were before.

But, before I head back to him, I make sure to lock the safeties into place. The magic in this renewed equipment is too much even for me. And, thankfully for Nin's worries, there's no paranoia at all regarding the conduct of a machine. The safeties *will* engage.

"Nothing happened...?" he comments with a scratch of his neck as I skip back on over, the answer on my lips.

"Another ability for us to work on as well, but, yes, it has been changed. Try knocking those walls over again." I clarify, nudging him on and then spinning off to get some distance, and I sit on crossed legs. He looks my way, and I smile. A nervous chuckle fills him, and it quickly gives way to frustration as he struggles to even make the dust of the wall tremble.

And he does it again, he steps back with a clear, flat expression.

"What did I tell you!?" I gently bark, throwing myself back to my feet and almost storming up to him. He raises a claw, something more thoughtful settling in his eyes.

"No, it's not that... I'm just, remembering something," he explains, his aura suddenly shifting as he begins to replicate some kind of memory through present actions. With the way his body is moving, a familiar idea fills my head, too. He had carried something very heavy overhead, and the strain forced him to drop it.

"You are familiar with this aspect of internal-magic?" I ask, watching closely and then shifting my eyes to some nearby weights. Ah, that's what he's recalling.

"I guess I am..." he says, going back to the wall. He presses against it, his body tensing as his impressive internal-magic power focuses. The magic in the ground stops him from slipping away, but... Nothing.

He steps away, shaking his head with a light growl as his body seems almost cramp-like stiff.

"No, I can't move it." he mutters.

"Alright..." I say to him, passing him by as I go over to the wall and tug on it. I sink my grip against the brick to the point it hurts, and I tug, tugging and tugging until I manage to wobble some movement into it. Slightly, ever so slightly. But the movements quickly build up into transferring enough force to bring it down of its own accord.

Yet, as it falls, he rushes back to force himself under it. He catches it and my eyes widen at the sudden, bloody crack of muscle and shell. He's managing to stop it... He's failing, but he's managing in a way!

Without missing a beat, I run back to the console and lower the magic settings just in time. The safeties don't go off, and the sudden shift in power makes the wall fly off. It shatters apart in the air, becoming a cloud of bricks, dust and shrapnel that washes over the vast chamber. He continues to moan in pain, and he falls. Yellow blood spits out of him as he collapses onto the floor.

"Good enough for you?" he calls up to me as I rush for him, potent magic in hand as I realise that his body went into some kind of overdrive to support it all.

"Have you ever done something like that before!?" I can't help but nearly scream as I rub the healing water along the cracks in his shell, letting it seep down to the roots of his muscles and body.

"What... Do you... Mean...?" he asks between pain-filled pants as the healing takes hold of his person.

"Lifting up a weight your body normally can't handle." I clarify, and his expression fouls.

"I did, once. Back when I was still somewhat human... I was in this tournament that ended with me going unconscious because of how much I had to lift. Wouldn't have even bothered if it turned out the way it did later down the line, though..." he explains, a more painful mutter taking over as he grumbles away.

"How much did you lift?" I ask, so many ideas coming to mind as I take it into account. Was it something like the brick wall or something that more looked the part of being heavy?

He sits up more completely with my assistance, one last pant to his mouth as he gestures, "Probably a set of weights made of full trunks and giant iron bands and spikes that probably could fill out this place?"

My eyes widen at the scale, "Impressive! Well, now that I have heard that, I think I have a good idea of how I can help you."

"How?" he asks me, my magic putting the finishing touches on his recovery.

"We just have you go gently through the motions as it seems you are just so used to going above and beyond for it all." I explain.

"Didn't you already point that out?" he is right to point out.

I simply smile, "I suppose I have. Now, come on, we'll go for a jog."

My hand accompanies my words, and I pull him to his feet, a giggle setting me off. He stands fully, and I don't let go, and my giggles grow. I'm dangling from his arm like it's a gymnastics bar, and with how much taller he is than me, I can reliably swing from it without tucking in! Much.

He yanks his arm back, and I fall to the floor. My loose and relaxed grip didn't keep me high!? The horror! But, not horrible enough to stop my giggling! It just makes me giggle even more.

I throw myself up and make my way back to the console so I can modify the contents of the room again. It all vanishes, coming back in favour of a marked out track and relay course. For now, I've got a feeling we'd be best off in having him doing some basic exercises. Rather than anything me and my sister did back in our homeland.

Nin's problem is a lack of nuance, and stuff like this will help with that. When it comes to the ability of regulating magic, four of the six main elements benefit the most from things like running. Water-magic seeps in and about from the sweat. Fire-magic from the effort and the burn. Lightning-magic from the machinations of the muscles... And wind-magic, from the simple act of breathing.

A simple jog, run or sprint is the best for him, I feel, the first most certainly!

After all, he struggled to run earlier. So, if we can figure out the means to get him moving fast without over-applying himself, then we can move on with this training. He'll be all the better for it because he'll be moving on with his education. And I'll be too, because my friend is getting better!

"How long will we be doing this?" he dares to ask as we reach the start line of the course. My eyes initially focus on his stomach and then I meet his eyes. A big old grin on my lips.

"Until you are starved!" I decree, running off ahead of him, without him. It takes not even a flash of lightning for me to put distance between us, and I look back his way, mouth wide and happy.

He chases after me with explosive force, his mouth full of questions about my words. But, every time he even gets close to grabbing me, I weave away. Not losing much speed at all as I tut away at him with that same smile. He's supposed to be jogging, not leaping into lances and flying through the air!

"Hey! Wait! I- I'm trying to speak to you!" he calls out.

"Catch up to me by doing as you are told then!" I joyfully remind him, reversing my course and spinning around him. And in his confusion, I rush right on by him again and slow down a good distance away. My legs twist about and I run sideways, staying opposite him.

I'm no teacher at all, nothing of the sort, but, keeping him along with what I think is best for him seems like the best action to take!

I slow down more and go by him again, his uncertainty holding strong. I smile, giving silent, encouraging praise as he's certainly getting better at it. A process we keep ongoing. Going and going until he suddenly tries to catch me again.

And it's a big something I intend to enjoy, even if it deviates us from what we should be doing. Yet, apparently... This is actually going to work more! The addition of a visible goal is helping his instincts settle in, helping his mind focus!

"Yes, just like that, Nin! Keep it up, and you might actually catch me!" I tease him with, cheering him on as I break my own sprints with dances of the same emotion.

He keeps going, and I tap away at him every time he's getting close. Every poke provoking a little more effort from him each time. The less he thinks about everything else, the more his body will naturally take over. Like flexing a finger, ideally, you shouldn't really be actively thinking about flexing it, it should just happen!

"Got-! GOT! GOT YOU!" he exclaims as loud as he can as he leaps for me. I drop away, sliding away with the help of my magic. His body overexerts at the loss of his target, and he launches away, flying for a good while, too!

I stand still with a smile as I watch him carelessly get back to his feet. My feet tap to a song in my head, my hips bouncing to the tune while my hands stay locked behind my back. He looks at me.

"Got who!?" I call over to him, a nasty little grin settling into my lips as I giggle away as he renews the chase.