dev 5 - resonance and synergy

Reaching a rather large stream, the felinae approached with a steady foot. Looking over in Nerins direction with a toothy grin. Unsheathing both hands from within the lengthy sleeves the cat offered a whimsical tone while speaking up.

"Think you can jump across?"

He'd laugh, turning back towards the waters. The cat instead, allowed the flow of mana to circuit throughout his form. Constructing plates beneath his feet and in an instant they'd begun skating across the rivers. Kicking off one leg into the next, racing across onto the other side.

"You're turn!"

One arm raised overhead, the felinae cast out their voice in a high enough to pitch to be heard from the other-side. And it's only upon the mans eventual arrival does he proceed with the conversation at hand.

"Before we begin... It's always bothered me." Without much to look forward to, quite literally. Their blindfold aimed mainly towards the water. "How did you ever find out about my disguise? See... I only want to know, as to know. Who else might know. For safeties safe. Yes?" As inconvenient as the question may pose itself to be.

They were drawn to curiosity like a moth to the flame.
(Wano)

There's always wonder of adventure in situations such as these. One where he steadily follows Wano, unsure of what will be had in the training that they're gearing up for. If anything.. he imagines that there could be a lot more done in the matter which would prompt Nerin to become someone far more capable in more ways than one, but..

"Of course."

That is a challenge that he finds easy. Where the flow of mana accelerates, pushing all the way into his legs.. if only to empower him in the ways previously unseen- something that no ordinary human would be capable of.

A leap is made.

One which guarantees him to land on the other side. His hues steadily narrow, gaze turning to the Felinae Knight as he spoke further. Of course he would eventually ask for that, which is no surprise to him, really..

"Marisol."

"She told me back when you decided to 'chase' after Syndicate in this way. I haven't really told anyone else at all, and she's spoken to me about it out of concern for you, but.." In the end, he just shrugs.

"I suppose nothing bad came out of it."
(Nerin)

It may have come to the mans surprise when watching as a brief moment of weakness is exposed. Kneeling down to conceal a look of disapproval found in the mans response. Reaching out for a few rocks in hand, they fell into silence.

As if stuck contemplating something, deep in thought. "Marisol?" Assuming it was something they'd done to a knight or maybe a stranger... Or maybe during the final stretch of their lifetime as the big cat.

Even the tailor had become a suspect at one point upon learning of Nerin's acquiring to his actions. "I'd have neve thought... After-all, I did trust her with that." Spoken in somber tones, their posture came back to a stand with one rock quickly fired off the felinae's thumb into the waters. Nothing of a skip, akin to a bullet at the speeds it reached upon impact with the waters surface.

"I'm sure you understand though... It'd be as though I told someone else about you and your goals. Yes?" Taking strides to mask what true feelings that harbored to thought.

"In this world, we only have one life to live. As of late? It's already growing more difficult to discern whom is an ally and who seeks to bridge the order, no... The city apart." Bracing the remaining rocks to his chest, a tighter hold over them turned all the solid to ash. Uncurling digits individual, they slipped through the cracks down to the ground.

"It's even more difficult a task. When you can't reside in another. Without fearing word of mouth passing out your secrets."
(Wano)

He could tell that he wouldn't like the answer. But.. at the very least, Nerin is honest enough to not conceal the answer, and instead, simply lay it out like that; as much as Wano had his doubts about it, the man steadily exclaimed.

"I disagree."

"I'm not just 'someone', Wano. I was trustworthy figure to her- back then, and I still am. If anything, she was actually concerned about you - and she felt that it's not within her power to really do anything to help you, should something go awry."

"I was the potential help. Even now, I'd be willing to help- though, it seems that much isn't necessary at the moment."

But.. the other point about it's growing rather difficult to trust anyone these days, it's something that he couldn't disagree with; as much as Nerin was a close familiar and a face that they all saw before, as well as someone whomthey could trust..

Just how often that could be applied to others around them?

"Personally? I wouldn't mind even if you told someone - so long as you have utmost confidence that they would not reveal it, and that you had a reason to do so. Marisol had both, which is why she's ever told me."

"This resulted in me never telling any other soul. This secret will never be revealed by me."

But to digress.. they came here with the purpose, did they not? To that, he turns his gaze towards Felinae.

"You seem bothered as of late, though."

"As much as we came here initially to study train, we can keep talking as we do that." A pause is made, and he elaborates.

"I've been learning to harness the inner wellspring of energy better, and transform it into something far more potent, infectious- while the technique that Id displayed strikes against mana circuits, this technique allows me to overflood them entirely."

"I was looking for your insight, and maybe other things, but ah--" Another pause.

"If you do have something on your mind, tell me."
(Nerin)

"That's an excuse any can make, Nerin… What if I told another I trusted, but they'd felt similar feelings and passed it along? These how rumors are started... And we are to blame them? After-all it's like you said... Utmost confidence."

Looking between the man and the river. There was hardly a moment where the felinae's visage didn't express some tension, whether it be how close their arms ran across the sash. Or the idle tapping whenever they fell silent.

Thinking of ways as to best articulate the meaning of it all. "It's a never-ending circle. Is what I am getting at. Yes? And it's things like that, that have me bothered." A sleek run of his tongue across the pearly canines they adorned.

"But enough about me... Flooding their circuits?" Shaking free their arms, the cat motioned to seated position. Cross-legged their hands rested quietly over their knees. Glancing up at the man before turning towards the waters.

"Strikes against the circuits and flooding them... A familiar mythology, but it seems like overwhelming someone does fit your style." Spoken straight of the sources mouth themselves. Brute-forcing their way forward.

But of what method could be acclaimed to the felinaes? "I myself... I guess have hit a sort bump in the road." Expressed within a soft tone of voice. Relieved of only knowing their sight left them the purpose of seeking more than just what happened around him.

"Even as far as I've come in the art... The realms are rather different so to speak. As Id claimed control over the art. I have mastered the matter of manipulation. Conjuring a destructive force very few could match in a single blow. I guess it's techniques like that, ingrained into my style. That makes it more difficult to grasp at it."
(Wano)

"Do you have many people that you have utmost confidence in, Wano?" It's a rather peculiar question, but he glances off to the Felinae as he asks that. Though..

"If not - then there are only so many people with whom you could possibly share it with. And.. if it's any consolation to you, I've never even brought up the topic of Big Cat."

"There's a reason it was shared with me. The fact that I never brought it up, or told anyone, or even mentioned the name - it's only a testament to such."

In the end, they did have something else to do.. and where the flooding of circuits is something that has been established as a fact, he nodded along once; it is indeed the tactic that Nerin often relied upon - it is the way that he fights, and it is unlikely to become any different.

The precision was already learned by him..
Yet, that precision is combined with brute force.

If only because Nerin fights like the wild, 'living weapon' - one that swallows you whole, one that swarms you without any remorse or delay.

"Ah. If you've hit the bump in the road, I'll take the liberty to assume you haven't learnt the style yet." Which is rather regretful. On his own, he could also use someone to teach him- or at least help him in his studies- but perhaps Nerin would be able to do that on his own.

"Well, you see.."

"There's particular something that I did to people. When I made contact with them in a strike, I used the raw Energy to flood and, quite literally, set their circuits ablaze like that; whereas precision allows me to target said circuit, it's still brute-force in the end that shuts them down."

"You learned how to transfer a lot of power in a single spot - and while my own technique will be different, I think it's still a useful particle."

"Do you think you could teach me how to harness so much in a single spot, then?"
(Nerin)

There was nothing made in response to, only a silence to ensue when posed with the question of whether or not the felinae had anyone they could put all their trust into.

"Not anymore..."

Reaching out into the water with a single hand, the surface illuminated through mana transference. Brimming a small portion with light, "I haven't learned it, no... I haven't made an actual attempt yet though. Though it's all about application. Much like how you wield the arts as you do. The method I must use, has to be unique to myself."

Reeling his hand out, the purpose of his actions would soon be realized. Bubbling beneath the waters surface lied the foggy reflection of an orb spiraling against the flow traveling past them. "Tell me, nerin… When you wield the arts. Do you feel an attachment to your magic? What's it like, when you produce energy magic from within yourself? The emotions that drive you to harness it. If you had to describe your mythology, what would you say it was?"

Curious not of the man himself, but of the thoughts behind the strikes. The intention one has when wielding themselves as a weapon through martial artist.

"I used to think of improvement, to be a better knight for the city... To reach greater heights if only to assist though close to me." But the longer his life went on, the less meaning it all held in his eyes.
(Wano)

It's rather obvious to him that he wouldn't have that much left in terms of trust. Which is the reason as to why he placed rhetoric that way. If anything, he would think that Wano is terribly lost when it comes to finding trust in anybody at all, but.. he isn't certain whether he can help the man - and if he could at all, then how.

Yet.. there were other matters too.

"I do feel an attachment, yes." A strong one at that.. one that drives him forth like nothing else- one that causes him to defy limits that would otherwise be imposed upon him.

"If I'm honest? I focus on what I feel at the moment. It's more like.. a never-ending river for me, one in which I constantly draw nourishment and supply myself with it." Considering how closely Energy magic is attuned to the circuitry.. perhaps, it made all more sense.

"It's something that I bask myself in without hesitation- when I mastered precision and focus, it became much easier to ensure that the focus of such emotion flows well."

To an extent, he was actually getting where Wano was heading with it. But.. as much as he could actually see that, there's a clarification he needs.

"I suppose for me it's more so about.. feeling the moment, letting its Resonance take upon me and create the Synergy like no other. In that way, not only I can draw upon the emotion of my own, but the general atmosphere of my surroundings." After all, mana signatures were rather powerful and known thing.

"Why do you ask?"
(Nerin)

Listening closely as the man responded, taking into the perspective everything said. They found themselves caught reminiscing over the details of their life thus far. Reencountering the critical moments in-which they truly felt like an off-spring to the arts. Manifested and designed purely to encapsulate the very meaning of the magic itself.

And with every step forward, their limits were constantly tested. Tempted only by what he saw, what he lacked. "I ask because, it's everyone has a different answer..." And they sought a wealth of knowledge from all perspective in life. Piecing them together in hopes of finding a clue; somewhere.

"Where does our strength come from at times of stress?" One hand naturally came to rest over his chest as he spoke, residing above the left portion. A phantom pain still resided. "Why do thoughts of sacrifice allow us to become more than what we might not even believe ourselves to be?"

Amidst his talk, the felinae's free hand spread across the surface of the water. Producing droplets of mana, the coursing waters would soon display a disruption in the pathway. Bending and melding. Water typhoons circled around the center. Drawing the water downward to where a core might be easily spotted. Rotating, gaining mass at a steady rate.

"When I produce my magic... I remember that it's reflection of myself. How I strike, what intentions I wield behind my fist. It's less of a Synergy you could say and more of an embodiment. When I strike, I seek to deliver a message, behind it. Like they say, only in battle can two warriors come to understand each other... I wish to better projection my will into the magic."

Spreading open both arms now towards the waters. "But I fear it might be rather destructive..." Honing his focus, the orb amassed enough force behind it to threaten swallowing the waters into steam. Drying out the stream should the felinae truly attempt it so. But instead, they'd raised it overhead, continuously so till eventually it was at a safe enough distance to examine carefully.

"They say magic is reflection of us, if you wish to learn my technique. Nerin, you'll have to do more than just brute force things... You'll have to seek crush them."
(Wano)

Everyone indeed had different approach to things. Perhaps it's a technique of his own in which Nerin tends to bask in the Synergy of environment and draw upon its power, but he imagined that there could be many more which do things differently. Though, with that being said, he carefully listens in to what Felinae had to inform of him.

How peculiar of him to display such magic. For where Wano shows that much to him, he can't help but intently watch- a steady gather upon his hand that drives the body of water, one that causes the whirlpools generated through the raw energy itself. Perhaps, he hadn't thought of practicing it that way just yet.. but he imagines that actually could so could greatly benefit him in many ways.

"Emotions, wants, ambitions. These things drive us, whether we want it or not."

At times, he believed that the Energy magic was representation of such- although what Nerin waslearning differed from what Wano was doing to the body of water, and how he manifested said Energy.. he imagines that gaining different insight could perhaps tell Nerin what exactly he's supposed to do.

After all, wisdom may be found in the most unexpected places..
And he imagines this is one of such places.

"..Do you focus down the will behind your magic, then, and not the drive alone?"

It's something that he hasn't really done before.. and he imagines that it could be rather useful to him; though, with the final words spoken by Wano, he asks.

"How do I do that?"
(Nerin)

Restraining themselves from speaking whilst maintaining the volume of magic he was putting up for display. Beads of sweat built over his forehead, dropping to the pants below. "Something of the sorts... There's a say that, power can consume you. This here, nerin… Is proof of that. You have to allow yourself to express emotions you might've never felt before. You have to be willing... In that instant, to sacrifice everything. To pour your heart and soul out into a single cry."

Thoughts forced their way into the cats mind and the only thing they could do to release the stress was subtle speaking of it through innuendos. "Whether it be a burning passion like love, or the harsh nature of anger, or even the will to protect something. So much so, you forget what you're striking at... Not because it slipped your mind, but because you don't care. It standsin your way... That's all that matters."

Spoken rather calmly for such a harsh thought process, unbecoming of what the felinae was so many years ago. But life had molded them into something unrecognizable now. And maybe that's why the blindfold went up.

Nevertheless, the control over the Expansive bomb spiraling before the two. Was beginning to waver, shown in the rumbling of its descension. Into the waters it quietly went and through a display of mastery. The cat worked the magic to once more going along with the flow of waters and dissipate the magic without any harm.

"It's probably this thought process that brings me to struggle with mastering, Id's technique... But finding a means to adopting it in a manner befitting of myself. That's what I seek to achieve."
(Wano)

Wouldn't that spiral him into madness? To an extent, he imagines it is the same reason that Wano seems so regretful now- that at some point he's done things he isn't proud of, all to attune himself to such power.. and yet, the payback for it was the regret and despair that he tends to feel nowadays. If anything, he imagines that this much could be exceedingly dangerous, and that it could swallow him whole..

He made a promise to not kill a single soul on his mission.
But he was close last time.. terribly close.

For he remembers the baptism in blood, all of the violence that happened in a single day- he remembers just how much suffering he inflicted upon those that would oppose him, and he remembers all that he's done to those people. In a sense.. he imagines that if people were to be found in such manner.. then it could become a dangerous endeavour in which he may lose himself.

To remove his inhibitions..
To hold no restrain.
To sacrifice everything.

Nerin recognized the danger behind this advice, but he also recognized the fact that it could become terribly, terribly difficult for him to break through the boundary that would otherwise be present. Here, he imagines that if he isn't willing to push himself beyond what's already present in his life..

Then he may as well have no hope of such breakthrough.

Where the Way of Will embodied control and precision, the drive to become something more embodied indulgence in these emotions, something that could very well break him if he isn't careful- and yet, he knows that he would have to somehow find the balance in this. Somehow, he would have to pull it through.

"..I think I understand."

"I felt the same way when I was.. on my assignment, and when I was performing in the violence that was almost unknown to me before. It felt.. intoxicating, and it was rather difficult- it was even scary, because I thought I could lose myself."

And he very much could. But.. that's something he acknowledges- something about Wano's words that rang through him, and already he knew his future.

"I think I know what to do next."

"I'm thankful, Wano. You're a good teacher."

Much better than most, even if he doesn't acknowledge it. But he already helped Nerin surpass so much, did he not?

That much is a proof- a testament to his knowledge.
(Nerin)