destinystrings | 002 | ❝Destiny's Union...❞

Who: Aqua and everyone
Where: Varies; Capricorn District and Nyx's Nightclub being two of them.
Summary: Just your average nights as a worker... with a little training and a KH cast meeting on the side
Warnings: Spells that make things go boom in the last option. You have been warned.

Pisces Apartments 7-08, locked to KH cast
It wasn't long after seeing that notice on the network that Aqua took down the details and messaged the others before heading home early. Something about it was bothering her, though she did appreciate how this Suou was forthcoming with information. That would make it easier to come up with what to do or at least get on the same page with the others.

She began waiting for the others just outside her apartment, calming herself and going over the information in her mind. ...At least there's some hot chocolate ready.

Monday - Friday Nights; Capricorn District
It's almost funny how wandering in a dark area with possible danger everywhere was something she was far too used to at this point. At least it would be, but it's something consistent and she loved helping to protect others and maintain peace. As much as could be afforded.

Bother her?

Saturday-Sunday Nights; Nyx's Nightclub, Taurus District
If anyone had told her six years ago that she would be loving her job as a makeup artist at a club run by demons, she would have likely stared at them as though they spouted a second head. Though now it wasn't too far from the truth as she stood there in her... uniform. Oddly enough it isn't much less than what she normally wears, and the people she works with are... Okay no, she can't completely even think that.

Hat hiding her eyes somewhat, she still smiles faintly as she sets up her station. What? Did you think she was a dancer? Sorry, fanboys~ Only a makeup artist ~~unless someone sees her Lightbloom shotlock~~.

Afternoons, Capricorn or otherwise
Well, she was going to be entering the tournament when signups became available. Might as well practice while she could before having to work, right? Aqua was being discreet about it though, making sure no one was around when she began practicing not just with Eudora or Tatsu Blaze, but her strongest spells if it came down to it.

Which is why she was in Capricorn; the small forest and vast plain were perfect for practicing without hurting anyone who could accidentally stumble across her. Not to mention negate a lot of property damage. She was not here to cause the destruction of city property, after all. Her job patrolling here at night at least gave her some familiarity with the area, too.

Of course, it didn't stop her from practicing elsewhere with the more minor skills. ...Bother? Be brave enough to sit from a safe distance to gawk/enjoy popcorn/whathaveyou?

...She was beginning to miss her home castle, either way.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She wasn't trying to get the jump on her! Just... she didn't want to get in the way. Plus the general old habits dying hard, trying not to be noticed, and so on and so forth.

The offer too, startles her for a moment, but then... she bites her lip, then nods.

"Can... I ask, how you did that, then?" she stammered, "And... some of the other magic you've done too. I feel like I don't know a lot but... I want to learn."

Magic was safer to rely on than the Keyblade back home, and she didn't want to risk it too much here if she could avoid it, though with this universe being separate and there not being nearly the same amount of heartless... maybe it wasn't the same issue. Who knew? It still seemed like a good idea to learn more about magic, in any case.

Okay, she really couldn't help her instincts on that one. Xion was much younger than she looked, but the willingness to learn and determination to help that she could see in those bright blue eyes was something she couldn't ignore. Just like the sincerity and wish to help others. It brought a smile to her lips to know that a self out there would end up found by a girl like this and her friends, despite the terrible things that have and will happen.

"Heh, silly," It came second nature, lifting her hand and ruffling Xion's hair gently. "Of course you can. Though, Glacier may be too much of an Advanced skill to master just yet."

There was something in her eyes, a faint spark that normally wasn't there anymore, when she said it. It really brought back memories. "I remember teaching Riku and the others Mini, and they tried to practice it at home, only to accidentally shrink themselves instead of their targets."

It was a fun example, but definitely a warning of what some advanced magic could do if not instructed properly.

Xion ducked her head with a grin at the hairruffle and giggled at the example, though there's a definite spark of amazement in her eyes. There were spells that could do that kind of thing? It... would've been really useful to know, probably, when then needed someone to not be able to catch or chase them...

Well, she still got the point Aqua was trying to make.

"Guess I should be careful, huh..." she said. It was more of a statement then a question.

But then she looked up, a spark of something more like determination in her eyes. "What do I need to do?"

Aqua couldn't help it; the grin made it to her eyes that time. The amount of amazement at the prospect of magic that could do so much more than the practical skills one learns in combat and by trial and error was something she was astonished by when she was young, too.

It's making her feel old, again. Well, maybe not Yen Sid-old, but shh...

"Mm. Out of the skills we can learn, it's magic that can cause both the greatest wonders... and the most ruin." Oh, the day that her Master had said it when they found out she was best skilled with magic... "Let's go over what you know first, then move up from there."

She removed her hand, taking a few steps back before summoning an orb of light for her to use as a target.

Listening solemnly as Aqua spoke, Xion frowned. She'd never... really thought about magic like that. Then again, she'd never really had much chance to think about magic in that sort of context, and in the Organization it had merely been treated as another tool to get the job done.

It was probably a good idea to break out of the Organization's way of looking at things.

Xion nodded at Aqua's instructions however, and when Aqua summoned what must be her target, Xion faced it determinedly. It felt... maybe a little silly, attacking just an orb, but... she trusted Aqua knew what she was doing. From there, she moved into using magic almost every way she knew how to, channeling it mostly through her hands with a practiced ease.

Not all of them were available - some of her applications depended on changing battle conditions which were obviously not present, and there was no need to summon her Keyblade to block any incoming attacks - but for the most part, she was able to run through a fair amount of the magic she had. And it was almost entirely centered around five different spells and their permutations - Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, Aero, and Cure (though the latter had little effect, given their was no damage to cure).

When she was done, she lowered her arms, breathing a little heavily. Going through her entire repertoire that quickly was a little tiring...

Aqua wouldn't be too surprised if she voiced it, considering the fact she didn't have a Master to teach her before. More practical uses were commonly learned even by the less skilled, not so much the crowd-control and status effects.

She watched with interest, a little curious as to why she was casting while weaponless. Huh...

After a moment, she motioned for Xion to sit down as she took note of everything she'd seen. It was definitely a new spin on some of the magic that she used. And as they sat there, she gave a few pointers on how to cause a little more damage and with less effort for each skill shown. Aqua even demonstrated with and without a Keyblade. After all, it was best to share that before going on to learn new skills and it certainly wasn't the only time she had to cast without a medium.

"--though sometimes casting without a kind of medium can be even more tiring than with." She regarded the younger girl carefully. "How long have you been casting without even a stick?"

Yes. Even a stick was a good medium.

...Surprise?

An odd expression crossed Xion's face at the mention of a stick, A mix between surprise, incredulity and amusement. If only Roxas had known that about two years ago... Then again magic never really was his forte the way that it was hers. So maybe it wouldn't have made a difference anyway.

Once that thought passed though, her face fell into a more somber, thoughtful expression.

"Well..." she started, "I've always been able to do it... as early as I can remember." Back before she'd gotten her Keyblade, there'd been nothing to use as a medium at all, or at least, the Organization hadn't deigned to tell her that having a medium might be helpful. They had intended her to get the Keyblade pretty early, though...

"I used to use my Keyblade, but then Roxas and I left the Organization, and... we thought it better to not use them, so we just didn't bring them out at all, if we could avoid it," she finished, though the look on her face was probably a strong hint there was a little more to the story.

...Was it something she said? No really, Aqua was actually kind of serious when she mentioned the stick. She did tilt her head at that, though.

"You too, huh." Her first Blizzard spell had been a fluke and on her own when she accidentally set her book on fire. Man, was it fun trying to dry the pages out afterward. (If only she knew the Master had a spare and was trying to teach her how to take care of her things. There would have been the mother of all pouts that day.) So of course, she knew what that was like.

Still, why would she-?

...Left the Organization. Could that be one of the reasons?

"I see." She wasn't going to press it too much, but she did hand Xion a stick for the time being. "Well, if we want to practice... it may be easier on you to at least use this."

Silliness aside, it was effective.

002 | ❝Destiny's Union...❞

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The stick shall live on in infamy

Forever and ever in infamy