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So Much To Learn
(2012-11-29 - 2012-11-30)
Aerith returns to Manhattan after the incident in Casino Gold to refresh herself. Having met so many new interesting people along the way, she begins to ask just who they are and what they stand for... because knowing could save her life.
Aerith Aerith had never understood what was so special about Manhattan.

It was a city, like the one she'd lived in all her life. Crime still plagued it, people still ran about without a care for anyone but those in their circles, and the additional threat of the Heartless didn't stop the wheels of big business from turning. Oh she'd learned much about it; it used to be part of a much larger nation before the Heartless struck, and it was a place that had won itself freedom from oppression. Ironic then that it only landed in a situation far more oppressive than tyrannical rule.

No, she didn't see what the impressive thing about Manhattan was... until she came here.

It was so open, so vast of a place, and full of life. Trimmed, organized, well-placed... but it was alive, and not for the first time since coming here did she feel she could breathe easily. After all, without a big metal plate above your head or a massive system of caves blocking out the sun, one could do so very easily. It wasn't just that though... the buildings, the cars, the streets and businesses, they all seemed to matter less here.

It wasn't that she didn't find the need for them or didn't enjoy them. Just that this... this felt better.

And so, Aerith walked along the pathways, gazing upward at the trees and the sky with a placid smile on her face and an animated glint in her eyes.
Synestria Synestria was already in Central Park, admiring it just like Aerith. She'd been there many many times before, but she didn't spend all of her time there, as Aerith knows. It wasn't hard to find her, every step of hers clicked on the walkways and the chains on her skirt and boots jingled with each step. She spotted Aerith and smiled a little bit, looking up to her as she came closer to her. "I did say Central Park was a wonderful place, didn't I?"
Aerith Aerith took in a breath of the clean, fresh air and sighed before answering, not bothering to look down from the archways. "I see what you mean now... It's amazing." She continued to walk, slowing her pace just a bit. "I've never seen anything so... big in a city before. Not like this, anyway." Aerith looked down once she reached Synestria and smiled. "Thanks for your help back at the Casino... I'd have helped you, but those last few spells drained me."
Synestria Synestria smiles a bit more. "Yeah. Those heartless hit kinda hard. I'm glad I was able to hit hard back." She then takes a deep breath. "If I was able to get to you, I could've added a bit more power to us. One of my spells adds to magical power for a few seconds." She then blushes a bit and looks quite uncertain. "So.....now you know what I am...."
Aerith Aerith stopped for a moment, her back turned. "Why do you sound so... scared?" She looked over her right shoulder with a smile. "I think it's wonderful that you've stopped hiding... even though it wasn't the best of circumstances. Your real self is amazing, and if I might add, beautiful." The flower girl grinned. "You must give some great hugs, I'm sure of that!"
Synestria Synestria says, "It's because we're still considered monster by humanity. I don't hide when the need arises, but, as you can tell, it takes me a while to get to my normal form. Plus humanity tends to fear anything that has a history of.......eating them." However, she does blush at the compliment. "I've been told that, yes. I've.....also been told I make a wonderful......couch.""
Aerith Aerith chuckled and moved onward. "I'll have to test that second theory for myself one day." Her sandals made nary a sound as she walked amidst the cobblestone paths, silent save for her gentle breathing. Then she spoke again, her tone curious, face questioning. "Tell me about yourself, Synestria."
Synestria Shrugging a little, Synestria chuckles a bit. "Not much to tell really. I was in Troia for most of my life with my parents. I learned to cook, and I've been told really really well. Probably helped since my appetite kept getting bigger and bigger, as did my body." She then shrugs. "Of course, my parents kept me hidden because the lamia in Eblan Cave were considered monsters......so they figured I would be considered the same."
Aerith She continued making her way along the path, her ears tuned to the sound of Synestria's voice. Cooking, was it? Well, they had something in common on that regard. Good. Once she was finished, the obvious question came next... "And what happened to your world? I mean, it can't all have happened the same way."
Synestria "It's in the same world as Baron." Synestria says softly. "My parents sent me out for herbs one day.......by the time I returned, my city was on fire." She then looks down. "I haven't found my parents yet, or who's responsible, but I'm sure it's Baron." She then looks to Aerith. "I'd like to find out if my parents are alive before I jump to conclusions though."
Aerith Parents...

Aerith's eyes, once animated, lost a bit of their glow for a moment. She'd seen her mother recently. It was a bad situation that she'd barely gotten out of, but she'd seen her, and all her extended family. Of course, they were part of the flow of souls, and thus she couldn't talk to them as readily as one might believe, but she'd seen them.

So many questions to ask, and yet she had no time to ask any of them, especially the important one.

after a few moments, Aerith responded. "I'm sure they're out there somewhere, looking for you." The smile returned, and her eyes shone again. "And don't worry about Baron... there are good people there. The problem is with the ones giving orders..." She frowned, her brows knitting in thought as she tried to recall the tale. "From what Kaydin tells me, Baron used to be a good place, not so hungry for territory or power. The king was a generous man, wise and just. Something..." She shook her head. "Something happened to him, I don't know what. I don't even know if that man is alive anymore. But Baron is not how it used to be."
Synestria Synestria says, "It has to be something with the fiends, Aerith. The fiends coming out of their normally dormant state means that world is in trouble, even before the heartless came. As I said, I faced one of them and defeated him. Rubicante, Fiend of Fire. Pray you never have to face him. I had to face him in the woods.......and the 'hole' in the woods is still there. He even thought I was one of Baron's 'thralls'." She then looks to Aerith again. "If the king is dead, it would explain a great many things.""
Aerith Aerith sighed. "It would, wouldn't it?" She shook her head and got back to the task at hand. "So then... I'd tell you about myself, but I'd rather not bore you with the details. Instead, I want to hear about David." She'd come to call him that when she wasn't in his office, and that of course meant most of the time. "Who is he exactly?"
Synestria "David Xanatos is......not the kind of man you think he is." Synestria says as she finally stops in a quiet spot. "The only reason he's facing off against the Heartless is because they threaten his family and him." She then sighs a bit. "He keeps useful information to himself if he can benefit from it, or he'll give it to others if he can benefit, in some way, in the future. He's a schemer, but not one that is malevolent to planets. He'll help if he can, but he's......looking for something. I don't know what, but he is definitely looking for something." She then turns and looks towards the top of the Eeyrie Building. "The top of that building......is a castle, the 'nesting' point of a group of individuals called 'Gargoyles'. They sleep in stone during the day, and awaken at night, ready to protect the city. But there's more in that castle that Xanatos has hidden away. An ancient medallion that sits near a book called the 'Grimorum Arcanorum'. What he doesn't know is that I can read it, and most of it's secrets, but the book has power itself that's buried in the bindings of the pages and the book."
Aerith Aerith looks upward at the skyscraper in which Xanatos did his business, her eyes narrowed. "I don't sense any malice or ill intentions from him... but at the same time, the way you're saying it, I should be wary around him. This is the guy I plan on learning strategy from... I don't know anyone else that might be able to do it." She cast her gaze back at Synestria. "Of course, I'd rather side with someone who won't take a side rather than someone who has ill intentions all around."
Synestria Synestria says, "That's.....the problem. He has taken a side.....and it's his own. He would side with either Baron or us if it meant he came out the winner in the end." It's obvious this fact bugs her. "All I can say is that Xanatos has a lot of resources on his side, and he will use them as he sees fit. You just have to keep him convinced that Working with us is better than Baron.""
Aerith Aerith's head dipped just a bit. "So as much as he wants to help... it's still in self-interest." And what wasn't these days? If only he wasn't so hard to read, then she wouldn't be so... ambivalent about him. "If the threat of the Heartless wasn't enough of a problem, he needs more to convince him?"
Synestria Synestria nodnods. "Pretty much, Aerith. I'm pretty much trying to convince him that, no matter what his interests are.....he's better off getting rid of the heartless threat. Otherwise, everything he has and will have will either be tainted, or destroyed."
Aerith Aerith shrugged. "I'd say that's a fair enough reason to fight someone controlling them." She faced forward and continued on. "So then... who else do you know? I've been a bit interested about SeeD lately. I've already met one person who knows them, and another person that's part of them, but I don't know who they are."
Synestria Synestria says, "I know next to nothing about SeeD, really. What little I do know is wrapped in the fact that they're mercs. I know a couple wield gunblades, but that's about it. Other than that, I only see the new recruits. The ones near graduation are almost never around, nor are the teachers.""
Aerith And there it was, no information besides that. Fortunately for her, she knew where to find them. The next one she'd talk to was this Quistis she'd met at the docs some time ago, but for now she continued onward. "So... you have probably been around a bit. Who else should I watch out for?" She chuckled. "Since the Heartless are going to be after me pretty much constantly, I'd like to know who I can hide behind until I'm a bit more adept at fighting." She looked down at her staff. "Materia can only do so much."
Synestria Looking down at her staff, and the materia, Synestria makes a bit of a face. "Perhaps.....instead of relying upon materia, you should learn how to cast your magic without Materia. And yes, there are other ways to cast magic. Some use Magicite, other call upon certain otherworldly aspects called 'Espers'." She then tilts her head. "You, on the other hand, I feel that you don't truly need the Materia you have. While it's a convinent focus, It's also a bit of a crutch...."
Aerith Aerith sighed. "Well there were legends and stories..." Of which she was beginning to believe. "...My people, the Cetra, are said to be able to call up magic without the use of any outside force besides spirit energy. It was just as draining and needed just as much strength of will, but it required a lot more than just borrowing someone else's memories." She raised her staff. "That's what a materia consists of, after all. The memories and experiences of someone else in order to use their magic." She frowned. "It does sound like a crutch, I'll admit. But I can't just learn how to do it on my own... there's no one to teach me." And as far as she knew, only a Cetra could teach another Cetra.
Synestria "I can teach you a little bit. Though most of my abilities are based towards element magic, I think it's the same principle." Synestria smiles a bit. "My clan, from what I'm told, are powerful magic users. We're not Your kind, but we do cast differently than humanity."
Aerith Aerith nodded and set her weapon next to a tree for a moment. "Y'know, you have a point. So then..." She cleared her throat, turned, and stood at-ease in front of Synestria. "Where do we start?" Hey, she wouldn't knock it until she tried it at least once.
Synestria "Well..." Synestria says, before looking to the side. "I can't cast magic unless I speak with.....hisses." She then blushes. "But.....I've noticed something similar with all magic. It's not the words, or the hand gestures, but the focus that comes with spellcasting." She then holds up one hand....that suddely has a rather beautiful dagger in it. "In a way, you can put yourself into a trance to use certain spells. Like so." She then does a rather quick dance that ends with her twirling in place.....and her entire body pulses white, and extends that white energy around her, even hitting Aerith, but the energy seems to have more of a calming and soothing effect, rather than harm.
Aerith Aerith blinked for a moment as the wave of light touched her, but felt no sense of negativity from it. In fact, she rather enjoyed it, and giggled a bit. "Well if that's the case, then it certainly sounds like how I usually use my materia. All I have to to is focus my will toward those gems in my weapon, and they respond by giving me access to the magic." She blinked for a moment. "So if the entire Lifestream is like that, then... I can use whatever magic I want, couldn't I?"
Synestria Synestria says, "Yes, but this is where it's different. Instead of focusing your will towards the gems......" She says holding up a second dagger. "You have another focus. Whether it's these daggers, or a point in front of you. Some even find it easier to focus upon their enemies and let the magic sort itself out. Everyone has their own way of doing it. But rather than using someone else's memories...." She then smiles and touches Aerith's nose with her finger. "Try to make your own.....Then see how much more powerful the magic becomes.""
Aerith Aerith looked back at her staff. "My own memories, huh?" She smiled. "I suppose that'll work. Still... no one really understood how that worked. The only thing I can do is see if I can channel my own energy and turn it into power."
Synestria Synestria holds two fingers close together. "First.....you just need to create a light ball in front of you. Keep it small. No need to be throwing fireballs in the middle of manhattan."
Aerith Right, and do it without her materia. Easy enough.

Aerith took in a deep breath and made her best attempt to clear her mind, which was not all that difficult to do. She'd managed it when she was young in order to hide what she was, keep the voices out. Now she could effectively accomplish that feat in a matter of seconds, and as she opened her eyes, her features settled into an expression of tranquility.

She raised her left hand and pinched her thumb and first finger together, then separated them just enough to leave a half-inch of space. Then, she stared into the space between.

There was nothing ridiculous about this at all, at least not to her, even after about thirty seconds of this. And all the while, she had a picture in her mind of what she wanted to do. A warmth spread between her fingers, and yet she blocked the sensation out. It was only a distraction... focus until it happens.

Of course, being someone who could conjure magic, Synestria could probably sense it being conjured... and she would sense it now.
Synestria Synestria doesn't say anything during all of this, but she watches the space between Aerith's fingers. She could feel the magic, now she just had to make it visible.
Aerith Aerith's eyes, without her notice, began to shimmer like the precious stones of their name sake, and she focused her considerable will toward making this happen. If reality is shaped by one's mind, then this would be an easy feat at minimum, and effortless at best.

Synestria however would see her eyes, as well as streams of pale green energy flowing around the Cetra, as if rising to her call. They coalesced, merged, slowly moving toward the area Aerith focused on, and in less time than one would think, there was a sphere of light within that half-inch space.

Aerith sighed and held what she'd created for a moment before releasing her hold and letting it vanish. "I think that's the right way..." She cast her gaze toward Synestria, taking note of her for the first time in a minute and a half. "Isn't it?"
Synestria Synestria smiles to Aerith. "It's the right way, Aerith. I would keep practicing that way." However, she holds up one hand, and bringing blue light into a small sphere, creates another ball of energy, but the small motes of light and the trails behind them can still be seen. "This technique here, is not only focus, but control. Many need both hands to cast spells. For you.....I think you can do it without any hands at all. But we must work towards it first."
Aerith Aerith nodded. "Maybe you could... explain a bit more. I understand the importance of focus and control, but what exactly are you doing? It looks like the same thing I did, only bigger." And more potent, as far as she could sense.
Synestria "take a look at it, Aerith." Synestria says bringing the ball closer. "What do you see?"
Aerith Now this was the interesting part.

Being a Cetra, Aerith could see far more than just magic. It could be explained, quantified, taken apart, because she knew what was behind it. Aerith shrugged and took a good look at the ball, saying plain what she observed. "It's energy, plain and simple. There's a bit of a spin to it as well... I think."
Synestria Synestria smiles. "Exactly. Every one of those mote in there are moving around. I'm keeping them in place with a bit of focus, after years of training. I'd like you to try this as well." She then takes out a balloon, blows it up to a decent size, and puts it into Aerith's hand. "Try to pop the balloon."
Aerith She smiled and took the balloon in her right hand, her features filled with confidence. It would take more than just one mote of light to pop this thing, she knew. So she focused, willed the energy to do as she wished, and the inside of the balloon lit up within seconds, as if once it knew her, the magic was eager to follow her command. More of them appeared in a few moments, until it glowed like a beacon.

Aerith licked her lips and narrowed her eyes as she began to will them to move... and sure enough, one after another, they moved. Now the hard part was making them move how she wanted them to, because now that she had them going, it'd be a bit before they shut up and actually listened again.

Two minutes passed before she got them all going in one circular direction, and in the next few moments, she picked up the pace, making them spin faster and faster. "I think I've got it..."
Synestria Watching as the balloon flattens out from all of the spinning, Synestria smiles a bit. "all right. Now try and get them to go in different directions." She says as she holds up another balloon, before suddenly, the balloon gets a lot of bumps on it, like a spikey ball, before popping.
Aerith Aerith nodded, and willed them to expand, force the balloon to stretch... it became much easier the longer she did it. The bumps appeared, multiplied as they smashed against each other, and the thing popped, the motes of light spreading everywhere like a fireworks show.
Synestria Grinning at Aerith's achievement, Synestria claps. "Very good, Aerith!" She then places a hard rubber ball in Aerith's hand. "Do it again."
Aerith One of Aerith's eyebrows rose for a moment. This... was not a balloon. It was much stiffer, had less give. She wanted her to punch a few holes in this. No, not just that, destroy it entirely. Disintegrate it.

Part of her confidence melted just a bit, but she focused, channeled, cleared her mind. Streams of pale green rose from the ground beneath her feet in response, much faster now. No light came from within the ball, but she could feel the motes turn and spin, faster and faster until she was just on the edge of control.

The ball trembled from the forces acting within it.

For a few moments, that was all it did, until pinging sounds began to make themselves known. She was trying to break it...
Synestria Synestria holds up her hand at that. "Stop. Go and gets some rest, then try it again." She says before griping Aerith's hand. "You are quite good, but even I had trouble with this. You have to break the ball in many different directions without knocking yourself over with the power you use." She then looks to Aerith's hand. "and besides, your hands are trembling."
Aerith Aerith let out a rush of air, then took note of her shaking hands. She chuckled and clenched them into fists, forcing them to stop. She put the back of her left hand against her forehead, and it came away with a sheen of sweat. "You have a point there..."
Synestria Synestria nods to Aerith. "When you try this focusing technique, make sure no heartless are around, and fewer people. Also, make sure you're well rested." She says before wiping Aerith's forehead. "You see why."
Aerith Aerith nodded. "It'd be a bit of a nuisance to just do this in the middle of a fight." She moved for her staff and recovered it, enjoying the feel of it in her right hand again, like an old friend. "So is there anything else you want to tell me about... well, who's who?"
Synestria Synestria says, "Well. I told you about Rubicante of Baron. Barbariccia and Scarmiglione are also part of Baron too. Fiends of wind and earth, respectively."
Aerith Aerith grimaced. So these were the men behind Baron's push to take everything they saw... "And they're skilled, right? I mean, you fought with one twice... or was it just once?" She chuckled. "I can't remember exactly. Rubicante, right?"
Synestria Synestria says, "Just one, once. Rubicante, Fiend of Fire. And I don't think they were behind Baron's push anywhere. Even Rubicante mentioned a master.""
Aerith Aerith nodded. "Well then, if they have a master, someone leading even those as powerful as they are, that's the one that needs to be removed." She didn't mention the part where they would more than likely have to kill him, but she didn't think it had to be said. After all, good and pure-hearted did not mean nice. "But enough about Baron... please, advise me. What should I do when I meet David again? Should I trust him? Be wary? Let him teach me, or decline?"
Synestria Synestria says, "I would be wary, and decline on letting him teach you strategy. Something tells me you two wouldn't agree. Perhaps finding someone else to teach you strategy would be a good idea. Perhaps someone that doesn't think everyone but him is expendale?""
Aerith Aerith chuckled. "That's the thing about lessons..." She continued to walk, making her way down the path. "They can be adopted to fit one's personal views. If I'm going to have someone help me understand, why not someone who doesn't give into emotions like anger, impatience, or conceit?" She took in a deep breath and sighed. "No, I'll have him teach me... but I won't be like him. I'll take what he gives me... and be like me."
Synestria Synestria says, "If you wish. I'm just saying there's more than one option open." She says as she walks with Aerith. "Sometimes, you don't need to understand strategy to get the bigger picture.""
Aerith Aerith nodded. "You're right, you don't need to. But it does help..." Especially since she wanted to do more than just sling magic at someone. She didn't mention that she felt utterly helpless as of late, especially at the Casino. They'd barely made it by the skin of their teeth, and that wasn't good enough for her. Two of them got knocked unconscious, and the rest were almost done for as well, if it weren't for sheer luck.

But luck was fickle. Luck had to be planned for, taken into account with everything else. She needed to know how to rely on something more than just luck and magic.
Synestria Synestria says, "It can, yes. But even the most intricate plans never survive the opening salvo.""
Aerith Aerith chuckled. "Yeah... you're right. You have to be able to change your plans as soon as they're wrecked, and that's another part of it. See what I mean? I need to know these things, all of them." She moved over to a bench to take a seat, her feet tired of walking. "Anyways... I'm sure he's a nice man. He just needs to keep his head on straight and his eyes pointed in the direction they should be."
Synestria "As long as people are able to keep his eye pointed in the right direction, Aerith. Otherwise, he might end up like Don Corneo." Synestria says blunts. "And I really don't want to kill people just to keep them from becoming heartless." She then sits down quietly with Aerith. "One of these days, Aerith, I'm going to show you how a hot spring feels." She says scratching her arm. "Maybe when there's not so much trouble. Until then.....I'll treat you to dinner."

 
This scene contained 58 poses. The players who were present were: Synestria, Aerith