witchesreign | Mitsuru 003 || Practice Makes Passable [Action

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Mitsuru 003 || Practice Makes Passable [Action | Training Center]

"I mustn't falter."

[Mitsuru keeps her voice low, eyes fixed on the target, hoping the words will help nudge her thoughts into proper order. It feels moderately successful, too; all those stray thoughts stop feeling like a mess, and start to consolidate into something much more defined.

...Granted, that thing is focused on how much she hates the fire magic boiling around in the front of her mind, but it was an improvement compared to a thousand separate notions scrambling around in her mind. However, it's still difficult to say whether it's her or Penthesilea voicing that the loudest.

Ice and thunder are also lurking in the far corners of her head, waiting to be called up...But right now, it's fire that's burning the edges of her finger tips, making her head hurt and thoughts start to slip back towards a jumble. Penthesilea keens her displeasure, and for a moment Mitsuru swears that the Persona is trying to push the ice magic to the front of her mind.

Mitsuru responds by letting the fire shoot off her hands and out of her mind. Her skin feels like it should be blistering from the heat, but in a heartbeat the flames have leapt into the air. They hit the target square on this time, to Mitsuru's relief and satisfaction; hopefully there won't be a fire to put out in the training center today. What ISN'T satisfying is that the attack is a far cry from what was demonstrated in class. Thin, needle like streams of fire that singe instead of explode. It seems that worry over a fire was truly unfounded, the critical part of her mind notes with disgust.

By the time the flames smolder out, she's quite ready to move on to a different type of spell.]

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That was good!

[The battle waitress (in that ridiculous costume) says it with a smile, honestly impressed.]

"Thank you, but I have my criticisms on how that was handled."

[Mitsuru frowns at the scorched target as she says that, looking it over. The spell found its mark, at least, so that's commendable. The lack of strength, however, is disconcerting.]

"It's not up to the standards as seen in class, which I find troubling-"

[That's when she finally DOES glance over at the person standing nearby.

And blinks.

And blinks again.

And can really only think that what she's wearing is a far, far cry from any school uniform she's ever seen.]

Edited 2011-07-20 20:59 (UTC)

It was right on target, though! I always find accurately casting magic really hard because I don't have that physical extension like with guns or...

[Noticing Mitsuru's blinking, Mikuru becomes self conscious.]

Um... Is there...something on my face?

[That's right about when it clicks that she's being rude. Mitsuru quickly settles on straight up eye contact instead of staring over the outfit, and shakes her head.]

"No, nothing of the sort. I was just a bit..."

[Tact, tact, how to go about this tactfully? Apparently, by trying to skim over the issue as quickly as possible.]

"Surprised by your choice of clothing. And accuracy hasn't been a concern for a long time, for me. Making certain it has the proper force, however, is a bit more difficult."

Oh, this...isn't something I really enjoy wearing, I just... [Yup, gonna tell a total stranger about her magical outfit.] have special abilities when I do, and I wanted to practice...

Anyway, I'm sure the power will come with practice! How long have you been using para-magic?

[That total stranger seems to be having difficulty wrapping her mind around that concept. Despite the fact that there are slightly similar concepts (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v111/star_of_heaven/BikiniArmor.jpg) where she comes from.

Maybe it's just unwillingness to think back on that.]

"...I see.

In any case, I would say,"

[Grateful to have something else to think on, she shuts her eyes and does a quick calculation.]

"Exactly seven weeks. In the past, that's been ample time to refine and memorize class material."

Oh, I only started this quarter too! We must be in different classes.

"That seems likely; my class covers the Tuesday and Thursday block, from ten until eleven."

[Meanwhile, she goes back to looking at the target area. Maybe a thorough enough study of THAT will show what she's doing wrong.]

I'm in one of the Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes.

[Noticing Mitsuru's gaze, she also studies the target area.]

Is it only Fire you have trouble with?

"Thunder is challenging, although not to the same degree."

[Really, it feels like it should be someone else's purview, instead of hers. On the other hand...]

"I cannot, thankfully, say the same for ice."

Do you think maybe you're having trouble with fire and lightning because they have similar effects...?

"Actually...If I had to draw conclusions, I feel most comfortable with ice. It's an easy element to handle; very precise, and with a calming, cool nature to it. I can't say the same for the other two."

That's interesting! [That's not sarcastic or anything; Mikuru has some mad respect for this thoughtful analysis.] I never thought about it that way. I guess because I find Blizzard pretty tough. [She smiles, self-deprecatory.]

[Flattery helps, it seems. While her ego hasn't completely recovered from the trouncing that weak spell casting caused, it doesn't feel quite so battered. At the very least, she isn't trying to burn holes into the target by staring at it.]

"I find it an interesting field to study...Which may be part of why my ineptitude with fire class spells is so vexing."

[That comment on ice earns a surprised look, though.]

"If I may ask, what about it is so difficult for you?"

I'm used to aiming only one or two things at a time, so I find it kind of hard to wrap my head around having to focus a bunch of ice crystals onto one object...

[Mikuru steps forward to the target (Mitsuru will probably be able to see the twin pistols tucked into the tie of her apron) and puts out a hand, palm parallel to the target; it's her way of giving herself a physical extension to aim with. Her attempt at Blizzard forms a few patches of frost about half the size of a thumbnail on the target before fizzling out.]

[The pistols certainly are noticed, but not remarked upon. (All the same, it's not the sort of weapon she'd expect someone like this to be carrying.) She's a bit more intent on the drop in temperature, as it's a welcome change from tossing those fire spells around-

And it doesn't last long. Mitsuru blinks as the spell sputters out, looking a bit surprised for a moment.]

"I...See your point. Granted, it seems to be an opposite of what I'm dealing with. Focusing and ordering ice to form is..."

[Sadly, it's a little hard to fully describe. Partially since she started with a Persona acting as training wheels, and has been using it for so long that freezing things comes as easily as breathing.]

"Perhaps a demonstration would suffice, and do a better job of explaining it?"

[Impulse is making his usual rounds speeding through the school, keeping an eye out for anything, or anyone, interesting when he spots Mitsuru in the training center. He doubles back a bit into the trees and quickly changes out of his costume into the school uniform. Then, he approaches her with a wave.]

Hey, Mitsuru! What's up?

"Practice, at the moment."

[Mitsuru glances over at him just long enough to allow for a polite nod, before turning back to the target and giving those singe marks a long, disapproving look.]

"I'm loathe to admit it, but my skill with fire class magic is badly lacking."

Oh, magic? I'm no good at that. [He follows her gaze to the burned tree.]

But you burned the tree! Doesn't that mean it worked?

"No? Perhaps you'd benefit from some practice as well. And, I burned the target on the tree,"

[As well as some of the bark, and a few patches of ground for good measure...Actually, she's beginning to revise that opinion that her accuracy was at least sufficient.]

"But with only half the strength demonstrated in class, if that. Such inefficiency should not be tolerated..."

[And as she says that, Mitsuru narrows her eyes as she mentally shuffles through the spells again. She doesn't like the idea of reaching for the fire spells again, but after talking about it, doing otherwise feels like shoddy effort and poor discipline.

When she grasps it, it's very clear on her face that she's getting another spell ready for practice and demonstration. It looks like she's just plunged her hand into too-hot water, from the way she's scowling, and her fingers are curling up.]

The instructor's a pro at magic, right? You're not gonna get it perfect on your first few tries.

[Okay, she's kind of scary right now. Bart takes a step or two back, making sure to situate himself behind her.]

You okay? You look like you're gonna kill something...

"I beg to differ."

[And from her tone? She really, really means it; her voice is tight, and not just due to the fire magic she's starting to handle. Magic is something she's supposed to know, intricately, and the fact that she can't grasp and control this type of spell craft after seeing so many others handle it is...

...Vexing is the most polite way to put it.]

"I'm not going to do something so rash."

[Mind you, she doesn't sound very convincing as she says that.]

"I'm simply going to-"

[And that's the point where talking becomes too distracting, as her thoughts start to scatter again. Mitsuru shuts her mouth, pulls her mind back into line, and forces the spell to gather at her fingertips again.

When she stretches her hand out, the fire spell arcs out much like it did before, and not like the proper way the instructor showed. The flames are still thin, and half of them gutter out before they ever strike the target. The rest strike, smolder, and fizzle out within seconds.]

"...Still not perform up to standard. This is disgraceful."

[Bart may have instantly hid behind one of the trees when Mitsuru started the attack. The only evidence is a gust of wind and a few rustling leaves. He peeks his head out from behind the trunk once he sees it's safe.]

Maybe you just need to let go. Y'know, not try so hard.

[It takes her a moment to realize that voice is coming from somewhere else. And, for another brief moment, Mitsuru looks quite puzzled as she figures out that Bart has seemingly teleported behind a tree; apparently, she somehow missed that as she called up that spell.

Such a lapse in observation doesn't do much for her mood, and she sounds a bit terse as she speaks.]

"I fail to see how lack of effort will make this any easier, or satisfactory."

Hey, you never know. Just try it!

[Bart will stay right there behind his tree for the time being, thanks. Even if he does have a supermetabolism that makes his wounds heal quickly, he does not want to be caught in the middle of Misturu's attacks.]

"..."

[While she doesn't mean to take notes from a certain Commander's book, having someone stand behind a tree while giving that advice doesn't really fill her with confidence.

All the same, what all does she have to lose?]

"Very well. I'll at least make an attempt."

[Right. She'll try making effort to not make an effort, and-

Dieu. That's like asking her to breathe water instead of air. Penthesilea's protests doesn't make it any easier, and this time the spell doesn't even reach the target. It just...Sputters out as it leaves her hands in a few quick flashy orange sparks.]

[Bart just watches the almost-flames die out and inches a bit farther behind the tree. Now he's more concerned about Mitsuru's wrath than her fire.]

Uh... Forget I said anything.

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Mitsuru 003 || Practice Makes Passable [Action | Training Center]

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sorry for the lateness! I was away this weekend

NP!

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