Ys: Origin, Yunica & Hugo, Challenge #217: Synaesthesia, Tehexile

[tehexile]

Title: Angel and Demon

Author: tehexile

Fandom: Ys Origin

Pairing/Characters: Yunica & hugo

Rating/Category: PG-13/Gen

Word Count: 800

Spoilers: minor

other tags: foreshadowing, worldbuilding

Summary: A discussion of the experience of using magic turns into an argument about the ethics of its use.

"What's magic like? It's like..." Hugo scratched his head. He could explain the theory of magic or the precise most efficient way to cast any given spell in the Academy better than any of his tutors but he had no idea how you described, at base level, what it felt like to cast magic, to someone with an unusual lack of overt magic (although Hugo was absolutely sure his comrade was more of a subtle, physical augmentation magic savant, who had been like that for so long that she assumed it was perfectly mundane and just a matter of intense training for a slender girl to swing a broad-axe around one-handed).

"It's like having this force between your fingers at all times, this thing that all reality is made of, so you can change anything you like with enough effort," he said.

 

"I know what magic is. What's it feel like, I mean? What do you hear, taste, think?"

 

"It's... hard to describe," he frowned, "It's... very high energy. You can feel it pulsing, like your own heartbeat, roaring like the tide, crackling like lightning, all at once, but it isn't just touch, it's also the taste and smell of the air during a storm, and there's so much warmth and movement. Everything's so bright, such vivid colours, that it makes you sick, and the colours are all moving and swirling and surging like... like how things look if you see a bright light and then suddenly close your eyes, or if you accidentally poke your eyeballs."

 

"Like a massive headache, you mean?"

 

He shook his head, "I mean, it's not pleasant if you're not used to it, especially if you draw on too much power at once. You have to learn to shape it to your will, to divert its flow, even though your soul wants to see the whole thing at once so you can reach out and touch the Goddess in the middle of it, to hear her song, to surrender to your love for Her..."

 

"Yeah, I know about the song," she nodded, then sighed, staring whistfully up at the ceiling, "It's beautiful. More beautiful even than their faces or their wings. And it's not just hearing for me either, it's like I can float on it through this cloud of lights, and they're pure creation..."

 

"Hm? When do you experience that?" he fought down an urge to glare at her as she went off on one of her unending love sonnets to Feena and Reah. Did she have to sound like a... an unquestioningly adoring PUPPY all the time?

 

"When I'm training," she shrugged, "I guess I get so far into it, it's more like prayer than just a work-out. I'm fighting for the Goddesses, after all, not for myself. And I often sing hymns to keep time..."

 

"Didn't I tell you that your 'training' wasn't just swordsmanship or exercise?" he snapped, "You need to be more careful. I keep telling you, without accepting it and learning to control it, you'll be in big trouble..."

 

"And the others keep telling you not to be so damn arrogant, to have a little respect for the Goddesses who let you have any form of safe magic, and to stop trying to go beyond your limits all the time," she reminded him.

 

"Limits put upon me by others who cannot admit I am beyond the stage they try and teach me at. Afraid, no doubt, because I can already surpass them," he retorted, "And as for the Twin Goddesses... I have absolutely no evidence they aren't doing the same thing, but to all of us."

 

"You're going to get yourself into big trouble meddling with the sort of thing you're implying," she warned him, "And, at the rate you're going, you'll manage to offend Them so severely that they won't help you out when you do... except to stop you."

 

He shrugged, "If they're hiding something they would do away with me in order to stop, who is in the wrong, exactly? Anyway, I'm not going to do anything of the sort, I'm just asking for a little more freedom, is all. I answered your questions, even gave you some advice about your own progress as someone advancing a lot faster than you... would you kindly at least stop threatening me, if you can't be grateful?"

 

She sighed, "Your attitude does kind of bring it out in people, though... you're glad I know it's just your way of communicating. Fine. Thank you, Hugo. You've given me something to think about."

 

"And you, to be honest, for me," he smiled, "Shall we just agree that I won't try and turn myself into a demon if you don't let someone turn you into their avenging angel, okay?"

 

"Fine," she shrugged.

Comments

[tehexile]

hope it's fixed now

[spikedluv]

The spacing is fixed! I don't know what the deal is with your last two posts having these weird issues when your posts never did before. Thank you for fixing the spacing.