psychophant | private conversations with cumore

[Very fair!!

The question gets him to tense sharply before he slowly forces it out and settles a bit.]

No.

[For a moment, that's all he says.]

There... wasn't anyone to teach me when I was old enough to learn.

[It's not angry or upset, it's just sort of blank.]

[Mm. He honestly suspected something like that, but... It's still kind of a strange thing to be told.

Give him a moment.]

My family is largely gone now as well. My sister and I have each other, thankfully, but we're all that's left.

[...]

I really don't mind doing this sort of thing. I can always make more if needed; I'm doing it for my own hair, it's hardly an inconvenience to make this for yours as well.

[It's not really all that much of a surprise; Cumore acts like he's the one in charge of his family, and if his parents are gone, then that makes sense. It's not exactly comforting, but there's something to be said about the fact that Cumore's willing to tell him that much. Even though he doesn't say anything in response to it, he's definitely heard and... well, saying he appreciates it isn't quite right, but it's something.

The latter part is easier to address (somehow) so he chooses to focus on that.]

I'd appreciate it, then. It's... good of you.

[Even if your reasoning was probably "your hair is physically hurting me to look at, fix it so I don't have to be offended in your presence anymore".]

[THAT WAS LITERALLY AND EXACTLY THE REASON he just tried not to say it in so many words...]

Please, you're going to embarrass me.

[It's light, though, and he doesn't sound agitated or anything.]

[THANKS FOR NOT SAYING IT, ASSHOLE...]

...Well, that would make us even...

[At least he's trying to acknowledge it?? It doesn't even sound murderous!! Progress.]

[It gets him to laugh a little, anyway.]

I really didn't know; I just thought you didn't have anything to do it with...

No, if I had known how, I would have taken care of it.

[you know, assuming he knew how to make it in the first place.]

I've always been very particular about my appearance, and my hair has always been the worst part of it.

[why didn't he just cut his hair short??????? mysteries.]

I'm used to not being home for long periods of time. My sister taught me a few things for when I don't have access to my usual supplies, so that I could at least keep my appearance up.

[So that's why he knows how to do...this weird shit.]

It's not perfect, but it's more than suitable.

I can't say I'm surprised; I can't even imagine you looking anything less than your best.

[He may not appreciate the aesthetic, but Cumore is dedicated to... whatever you call that look. Loud?? It's so loud.]

[It is! It's so loud, he loves it.

That does get another laugh out of him, though.]

I don't if I can help it. And if I can't, I certainly don't let anyone see it. Honestly, the closest I've gotten to openly not being well in front of people was snapping at people a few days ago, but that was no one's finest hour anyway.

Oh, certainly not. That's exactly why I remained in my room the majority of the day, because I knew that could only end poorly.

[and also sometimes you just need to scream into a pillow!!]

Well, that's doing somewhat better than I was. I suppose I didn't want to be alone, though I didn't particularly want company, either...

I can't say I've experienced that before. [probably because iago has no goddamn friends.] It sounds incredibly annoying.

I'm used to being surrounded by people. I have my unit back home that are more or less always with me, and when I'm not working with them I have my sister and our servants. So it's not as though I ever really have to be alone if I don't want to be.

[...he doesn't really have friends either, he's just a busy person.]

Fair enough. I greatly prefer to spend my time alone, though that isn't always possible between King Garon, the servants, and my mages.

...What's that like, anyhow? Mage things.

[He knows exactly jackshit about any of it.]

The Commandant seems to like magecraft, from what I understand. Supposedly he's talented. I've never been able to do it, personally.

[Not that he tried very hard, but it was something he was kind of fuckawful at on the first go and apparently magecraft is kinda...you have it or you don't.]

I could sit here and explain all that I do for the rest of the night - and most of tomorrow - but I won't bore you with all the details.

Primarily I serve as a tactician. My skills have practical applications on the battlefield, but I'm most at home commanding from a distance. My skills are in dark magic, illusion magic, and healing magic, although I'm not quite as skilled with the latter. With dark magic I'm able to summon monsters to fight or defend myself, while illusion magic gives me quite a lot of different options that aren't quite as useful on the battlefield.

Dark magic isn't particularly rare in Nohr, but illusion magic is. Sorcerers aren't usually capable of using both dark and healing magic, so I'm certainly in possession of some rather unique skills. I have always had natural talent, but it's only because I've worked so hard that I'm able to surpass most of Nohr's other mages.

[It's absolutely bragging, but he delivers it in a straightforward tone, like this is a fact and not his opinion. And for the most part it is! Iago may be an absolute asshole, but he is a genuinely skilled mage.]

[Huh.

He'll take all of that in, at least, though some of it is a little on the strange side; he can follow easily enough, however, it isn't a bad explanation.]

...I see. I'm aware of some of the things mages are capable of - there's a city of them not far from the capital, and we enlist their assistance from time to time. I tend to not work very closely with them, however.

Meanwhile, the Commandant seems to not have any idea how to use a sword like a reasonable person, the few times I've seen him fight.

[It's just kind of MAGIC EVERYWHERE.]

Well, I can't imagine how one would use a sword and magic, that seems highly impractical.

[Okay, Dark Knights exist, but Leo sucks so we don't count them!!!]

...Though I suppose he could be using the sword in place of a tome as a conduit...? If he's not using it as a sword at all, then perhaps it's solely for his magic. I can't see why he'd bother when he could just use a tome, though.

[#aesthetic, probably.]

[...]

I'm fairly sure he puts the magic in the sword.

[Like it's not just a conduit, he literally smacks people with magic. Sometimes they explode?]

[but?? that requires both a strength and a magic stat???]

...That sounds horribly impractical.

[Unless it's something like the Rainbow Sage's weapons?? Though who knows how those were created.]

I suppose it looks flashy, but that can't be anywhere near as powerful as just using it as a conduit like a normal person.

No, he does that as well. But he also does literally hit people with magic on occasion.

[?????]

I suppose I can appreciate the ability to be able to swing a sword and fire off a spell at will, but he'd be much stronger if he focused solely on one or the other...

[hey?? alexei??? can we talk about this, because he doesn't understand but now he really wants to.]

Perhaps...? I don't exactly know how it works.

[goooood lord.]

My own artes are...sufficient for what I need them to do, but I don't have anything terribly flashy. We're all capable of a Mystic Arte, but mine is on the unreliable side currently.

Not that it matters here, at least.

What are "artes"? I haven't heard the term before.

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