[there's definitely a moment where he looks a bit taken aback by what milla says—
even though it's not surprising that she'd call it like she sees it. but still, he feels a bit exposed, enough to actually look a bit flustered by it.]
Yeah. It's... pretty much something like that.
[why is milla so good at this and yet so baffled at things like her own grief?]
During my journey, I met a young man named Jude. He. . . well. He got himself into some trouble, although I am partially responsible for same. That's how we began traveling together.
[ugh. she misses Jude. and the fact that she knows she'll likely never see him again once she returns home just makes her a little more wistful. it's not that she regrets her choice to become Maxwell and reside in the spirit realm-- far from it. it's just. . . making that choice knowing that it would mean leaving Jude behind was tough]
At first, he seemed hesitant and uncertain in himself, but willing to help me in my mission. I could tell he admired me, but I didn't think much of it. I thought his opinion of me was, perhaps, a little over-inflated. But I suppose. . . at some point, he discovered his true inner strength.
[that's putting it mildly]
I watched him fight for what he believed in. Stand up for those weaker than him. Place himself in danger again and again to do what he felt was right. He's really the "do-gooder" type of person, you know?
. . . I suppose I came to trust him greatly. I suppose I started to admire him in return. And I suppose. . . I decided I wanted to be the Maxwell he believed I was. A Lord of Spirits worthy of his admiration.
[noct listens carefully, paying careful attention to the way she speaks and the words she uses. it's very clear to him that jude is someone incredibly important to milla—
though he's not quite sure in what way, or what her admiration means in regards to him. it does tug at him a bit, but he's not one to delve that deep, becuse it's a boundary he doesn't even know how to overstep. though milla is certainly less shy and far more forthcoming than he is...
he can think about how embarrassed he feels when people wanted to know what he really felt about luna, and noct knows he can't possibly pry that much.
but still, he draws in a breath, a bit taken by milla's fondness before he nods.]
He... sounds like a really good guy. Someone who'd be able to make you want to do that much better even when he already admired you.
It's... pretty impressive. [there's no getting around that. he wonders, briefly, if luna had ever felt that way with her oracle duties—
but it's a thought he shakes off, because he's not entirely sure he wants to think of all the possibilities that answer could hold.]
[Milla is Oblivious, news at 11!! although if he did ask, she probably wouldn't describe her feelings for Jude as romantic, anyway. they're something else. admiration and fondness, sure, but. . . there needs to be a specific word for a person who means a lot to you and makes you strive to be a better person!!]
Yes. He is impressive.
When we parted ways, he was planning on changing his career path from that of a doctor to a scientific researcher. He wanted to develop something called Spyrite technology, which could replace the spirit-killing Spyrix technology.
He intends to change the world. I believe that he can.
[feelings are weird and complicated. at least they can agree on that much, because noct has no idea what to make of any of his own anymore, it seems.]
It sounds like... he just might. [because that does sound legitimately impressive, especially to a guy like noct who definitely has no background in science.
though—]
There's really technology where you're from that kills spirits? [that seems mighty fucked up, especially given who milla is and all. color him curious, it seems like there's a lot about her world that he should be asking about.]
[and at that question, her expression hardens, and her hand stops in his hair again]
Yes.
[this just took a turn into seriousville, apparently]
Spyrix is technology that casts amplified spirit artes for the user. The process drains spirits of their mana and kills them. I've spent a good portion of the time I was living among humans destroying such technology. Its existence was a danger to both humans and spirits alike.
for a moment, he considers drawing back because of it, but then elects not to. instead... he finds the way his fingers thread through her hair to be a little more focused as he contemplates a response.]
But why—I mean.
[hold on, he needs to rephrase that.]
Why would people use that if that's what it does to the spirits? [he doesn't blame her for it, but... why is it a thing at all?]
Well, I don't believe they developed the technology just to kill spirits.
[for. what it's worth]
Humans are always striving for self-improvement, right? Unfortunately, that can be a flaw as well as an asset. It's like. . . [a beat] Like a infant trying to use a sharp knife to cut their food. A knife is a useful tool, but would you allow the infant to use something so dangerous at that age?
No. It's dangerous. A baby wouldn't know how to use it and they'd get hurt.
[which is why—]
It's the same with this spyrix stuff, huh? Useful, but hurting more than it helps or something.
[he's not sure it matches exactly, when a baby doesn't know at all and can't understand, while an adult can be made to understand, but he gets what she's trying to say.]
[well. . . it's far more complicated than that, and after a brief pause, she clarifies]
Or, that's what I thought at first. Some Spyrix is. . . necessary.
[as much as she hates to admit it]
But the mana produced by the destroyed Schism allows continued Spyrix use without the death of spirits as a side effect. It'll only last a finite amount of time, but by then, Jude will finish his Spyrite research.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
even though it's not surprising that she'd call it like she sees it. but still, he feels a bit exposed, enough to actually look a bit flustered by it.]
Yeah. It's... pretty much something like that.
[why is milla so good at this and yet so baffled at things like her own grief?]
no subject
I apologize if that took you off guard. It's just-- well. I know how that feels.
no subject
but her response does surprise him a bit.]
...You do? [it's definitely unexpected.]
no subject
During my journey, I met a young man named Jude. He. . . well. He got himself into some trouble, although I am partially responsible for same. That's how we began traveling together.
[ugh. she misses Jude. and the fact that she knows she'll likely never see him again once she returns home just makes her a little more wistful. it's not that she regrets her choice to become Maxwell and reside in the spirit realm-- far from it. it's just. . . making that choice knowing that it would mean leaving Jude behind was tough]
At first, he seemed hesitant and uncertain in himself, but willing to help me in my mission. I could tell he admired me, but I didn't think much of it. I thought his opinion of me was, perhaps, a little over-inflated. But I suppose. . . at some point, he discovered his true inner strength.
[that's putting it mildly]
I watched him fight for what he believed in. Stand up for those weaker than him. Place himself in danger again and again to do what he felt was right. He's really the "do-gooder" type of person, you know?
. . . I suppose I came to trust him greatly. I suppose I started to admire him in return. And I suppose. . . I decided I wanted to be the Maxwell he believed I was. A Lord of Spirits worthy of his admiration.
no subject
though he's not quite sure in what way, or what her admiration means in regards to him. it does tug at him a bit, but he's not one to delve that deep, becuse it's a boundary he doesn't even know how to overstep. though milla is certainly less shy and far more forthcoming than he is...
he can think about how embarrassed he feels when people wanted to know what he really felt about luna, and noct knows he can't possibly pry that much.
but still, he draws in a breath, a bit taken by milla's fondness before he nods.]
He... sounds like a really good guy. Someone who'd be able to make you want to do that much better even when he already admired you.
It's... pretty impressive. [there's no getting around that. he wonders, briefly, if luna had ever felt that way with her oracle duties—
but it's a thought he shakes off, because he's not entirely sure he wants to think of all the possibilities that answer could hold.]
no subject
Yes. He is impressive.
When we parted ways, he was planning on changing his career path from that of a doctor to a scientific researcher. He wanted to develop something called Spyrite technology, which could replace the spirit-killing Spyrix technology.
He intends to change the world. I believe that he can.
no subject
It sounds like... he just might. [because that does sound legitimately impressive, especially to a guy like noct who definitely has no background in science.
though—]
There's really technology where you're from that kills spirits? [that seems mighty fucked up, especially given who milla is and all. color him curious, it seems like there's a lot about her world that he should be asking about.]
no subject
Yes.
[this just took a turn into seriousville, apparently]
Spyrix is technology that casts amplified spirit artes for the user. The process drains spirits of their mana and kills them. I've spent a good portion of the time I was living among humans destroying such technology. Its existence was a danger to both humans and spirits alike.
no subject
yeah, it sure did.
for a moment, he considers drawing back because of it, but then elects not to. instead... he finds the way his fingers thread through her hair to be a little more focused as he contemplates a response.]
But why—I mean.
[hold on, he needs to rephrase that.]
Why would people use that if that's what it does to the spirits? [he doesn't blame her for it, but... why is it a thing at all?]
no subject
[for. what it's worth]
Humans are always striving for self-improvement, right? Unfortunately, that can be a flaw as well as an asset. It's like. . . [a beat] Like a infant trying to use a sharp knife to cut their food. A knife is a useful tool, but would you allow the infant to use something so dangerous at that age?
no subject
No. It's dangerous. A baby wouldn't know how to use it and they'd get hurt.
[which is why—]
It's the same with this spyrix stuff, huh? Useful, but hurting more than it helps or something.
[he's not sure it matches exactly, when a baby doesn't know at all and can't understand, while an adult can be made to understand, but he gets what she's trying to say.]
no subject
[well. . . it's far more complicated than that, and after a brief pause, she clarifies]
Or, that's what I thought at first. Some Spyrix is. . . necessary.
[as much as she hates to admit it]
But the mana produced by the destroyed Schism allows continued Spyrix use without the death of spirits as a side effect. It'll only last a finite amount of time, but by then, Jude will finish his Spyrite research.
no subject
[he's wrapping his head around the pieces of information being given to him and what he knows from the things she told him previously.]
The Spryix thing won't be a problem then, and less spirits will die, right?
no subject
[she beams!]
And the nature that died alongside the spirits will begin to recover, bit by bit. It's already happening.
no subject
[it's part of what makes her admirable, after all.]