bakerstreet | Too bad nobody loves you

How are you going to make them pay if you can't do anything on your own?

[He's asking purely out of curiosity, since he knows a few talentless losers who can really get shit done when they put their minds to it.]

With friends.

[The only two he thinks he has.] With magic, besides. That's how. Just because I promised to be better, that doesn't mean that I have to refuse to fight back when cursed so.

[Well, asking for help is valid, even if it isn't the easiest thing to do.]

At least you've got some options that don't sound fucking useless. [And because he's curious....] What kind of magic.

[Especially when you ask your local rowdy boys to come fuck some hypothetical curse-caster up. Then it's just a nice day out!]

Quite the opposite of that, yes. As for what kind of magic...I'm well-studied in water, flora, cosmic, and fire magic. I'm also a dab hand at Alchemy and other assorted magical arts.

[That is, of course, without going into the fact that he's capable of just ganking other people's talents, so talentless is he. Not the sort of stuff one goes into on a first impression.] In short, a healthy spread of what any young, aspiring mage should have a good grip on. Why do you ask?

[That's a lot of different kinds of magic, and he has no clue what alchemy entails aside from it being that one that turns lead into gold. Fire and water seem straightforward, flora as well, and cosmic is also a huge blank spot in his mind.]

I'm still a newbie when it comes to magic. [Coronzon had called him a Probationer? He has no idea what that means.] I only learned about it recently, so I'm interested in every aspect of it.

You look as though you'd be a first year, so you should be due for scouting by mage colleges by now. I'm sure that once they're aware of your magical abilities, they'll be able to polish you up and give you the basics as well.

Trust me, it's quite a lot to take in, but it's worth getting as much knowledge in as you can across every field. They all have their own applications that can come in handy in a pinch, even Animal Linguistics.

[As a housewarden, it's Azul's job to at least try to be a decent senpai, right? Study hard, kouhai. Be a dweebass motherfucker like him.]

[Animal Linguistics...? Okay, that sounds ridiculous, but he's shaking it off because he knows magic is inherently ridiculous, and it's better to just accept it and roll with it. Besides, that isn't important compared to another aspect of this conversation - ]

I don't have any. [He shakes his head.] Magical ability, I mean. Artificial espers can't cast magic like regular people, we were made so that if we do we fucking bleed out.

[It's a little more complicated with him, but that's still something he has to worry about.]

[Whatever man, be jealous when he talks to cats and dogs and has to hear about how they're hungry right now instead of anything actually useful!!!!]

Most people can't cast magic, in fairness. The fact that you're artificial doesn't separate you from the average person in that regard, though likely that regard alone.

...

[Azul purses his lips a little, before fixing Accelerator with a look, as if evaluating him somehow.] What would you do, to be able to use even the weakest magic? What would you be willing to give up?

.....

[That's a question he pauses to consider seriously, because even a slight improvement could be a massive boon. He frowns, after a moment of thought begins his answer.]

I don't know. Whatever I could give up, I guess. Being able to use any kind of magic without worrying about internal hemorrhaging would be worthwhile for me. I've got an entire fucking city of kids I'm responsible for, and magical factions have been invading nonstop since I took control.

[It's frustrating. The city's already a shithole, and he can't improve it if he's having to fight battles on multiple fronts.]

[That's an in. Sure, Azul's trying to be better, but this is him being downright benevolent, isn't it? If he can take, then he can give. The more pressing concern is regeneration or healing magic of a sort, to patch up the haemorrhaging soon as it should occur...

He leans in a little closer, expression intensifying.]

Think of what you could offer me. I'll need time to come up with an answer to your wish. But I could do it. I just need something in return. Something you judge to be equally important. And if you don't know, then I can simply take what I want of you, but I won't be fair about what it is that I claim as collateral.

I'm sure that I could give you some form of magic, however. Perhaps I could even give you the ability to take from others for your own. We'll see.

......

[Accelerator stares back, hard, more out of reflex than anything else. People usually are pretty daunted when they talk to him, so someone getting this intense is unusual and unnerving. He's feeling tense and he knows he should be more cautious here, but this isn't the first time he's made a sketchy contract before, and the possibilities are worth the risk.

So he needs to think about this. There's a lot he can offer, and there's a lot less he should offer.]

What kinds of shit would you want? [His brain's already coming with ideas, categorizing them according to priority and risk.] I'm in charge of a sovereign city-state that has scientific research decades ahead of the rest of the world, and I'm the strongest esper in existence, so 'power' is the first thing that's coming to mind.

And here I was thinking that I'd simply take the colour of your eyes, but if you don't prize them, then it means nothing, doesn't it? I want something that means something to you, if I'm going to grant you such an important wish. Doesn't that seem only fair?

Perhaps those esper powers, in exchange for magic. Though...I would have to give you all of my magic to make a fair deal, and I don't know if I'm willing to do that.

[He's grown accustomed to having It's a Deal, at the very least. And it would mean that he'd have to leave school, become persona non grata again even if he was powerful in other ways...He'd get left behind by those he needs at his side, and Azul can't bear that idea.]

I'm putting the ability to handle one magical element on the table, and healing magic that should help with your health issue. Perhaps the ability to do something that only your abilities can allow, and that one thing alone?

But it has to mean something. And I'll know if it doesn't.

[Is he joking? Surely he's joking. Eye colour??? A baffled expression crosses Accelerator's face before he cools it into something more neutral, choosing to believe that's a joke despite knowing damn well magic can be weird like that. He needs to focus on the issue here, which is determining something he finds important, even if it isn't objectively considered as such.

That's a lot harder to figure out. There are a few things he finds incredibly important, things (people) he isn't willing to give up. He folds his arms, glancing away, thinking.]

My ability is really versatile, so there'd be a lot of options. [Though, since healing was brought up....] I can treat injuries, control the flow of a person's blood and encourage their cells to replicate, that kind of shit. It's basically a better version of first aid. They'd still need medical attention, but I can prevent them from dying long enough to get it.

[It isn't something he does often, mainly because whenever he's in a situation where he needs to control vectors it's because he's trying to murder someone, not save them. But he can't deny it's one of the better applications of his ability.]

[THAT'S............DISGUSTINGLY MARKETABLE!]

[Ahem.]

So you can't heal yourself well enough to stop from bleeding out...No, I have no use for that. We already have magical healing far superior to that sort of patch job. Maybe I'll take your hair, instead...

[He's testing the waters, seeing whether Accelerator values his looks enough to justify stealing them. Never mind that he could absolutely make bank on psychic first aid; he wants something that'll hurt to take away, more than anything. That's where true value lies.]

Do you think you'd look just as handsome with curls, or without hair? Perhaps hair that's a different colour altogether? I wonder.

[His hair, now? First his eyes, now his hair? And his use of vector manipulation as first aid isn't good enough? God, he has to wonder why his contract with Qliphah was so easy to come up with.

He's looking a little ruffled, trying to come up with another option while dealing with this hair nonsense.]

My hair's not a big fucking deal. Are you gonna be serious about this, or are you more interested in being a damn flirt?

Who's flirting? You have something I don't, and therefore, I'm interested in whether I can take it from you. But clearly that's not an avenue you're interested in pursuing, so I'll spare you it for now.

I'm serious about business, after all. I'm offering to sacrifice something of my own being here, something that could guarantee me a very comfortable future as a mage. I need something of equal value. Do you understand? If it's not from your outside, then it'll be your insides. Your voice, your mind, maybe another aspect of your abilities that's not easily replicable with magic. A piece of me for a piece of you.

[Accelerator is quiet as he listens. Despite the (perpetual) scowl on his face he's serious about this, so the explanation is helpful.]

Yeah, yeah, I get it. [He thinks he does, anyways. He wasn't kidding about being a newbie to magic, and this is a lot different than the science he grew up with.] It sounds like this can get really fucking abstract. The last time I made a contract like this it was a lot more straightforward.

Indeed. When I was younger, and far more...Bitter about my life circumstances, I would single out people's most outstanding features and prey on their insecurities to make the trade sweeter. However, I'm a changed man now, which is why I'd rather work with you on finding something worth both our time.

[He turned into a fucked up little magical battery for a giant monstrosity and acted cringefail, really, but who cares about that?] But...As I said, you do have time. I'll need to find that solution, after all, and then we can sort out the contract.

Not too long, though. If you want to protect all those kids you're in charge of, as you said, I'd imagine that sooner rather than later would be preferable.

... Not that I can talk, but that sounds pretty fucked up.

[He's over here suddenly glad he grew out of his cringey villain phase, because if he was still in it he'd probably be congratulating Azul on having had a good villain angle. Oof.]

I know. The problem is I don't have that many worthwhile qualities outside of my ability. [Who knew being a shitty person who hates himself would have consequences!!] What other things have people traded with you?

It was. I was blinded by my spite, and failed to realise what I had in front of me. But again-- changed man, I promise. I've been through the requisite therapy and everything.

As for past deals...More recently, I've traded a friend's unique magic for a different voice, though that was a very, very temporary deal. I've also traded skincare products for spell reagents, matchmaking services for physical attributes...Mm.

[An idea. He adjusts his glasses, mouth twitching excitedly.] You do have a decent voice. Can you sing with it?

[He nods slightly. His own experiences with psychiatrists have been nightmarish thanks to being an esper, but therapy outside of Academy City war crimes? That's a good thing.

Those things all sound very random, though he supposes skincare products and spell regents are just chemicals (or similar enough) when you get down to it. Accelerator's thoughts don't get any further than that though, because that question is causing him to freeze.]

....... Yeah, I can. [He got to learn that fun fact when casting his first ever spell!] Would that be enough?

...Maybe.

Sing for me. I need to hear how talented you are, before I go signing off on it as good enough to trade.

What, right now?

[He shifts a little, uncomfortable.]

It's not something I do often. [At all. Honestly, the thought of just doing like it's no big deal is a little embarrassing.]

What do you expect me to do, then? Do you think I'll trust your own opinion of your singing voice? Oh no no no. I need to judge the goods, see your prowess for myself before I take it.

Just as I'd give you a temporary hit of magic use and patching up the bleeding after. Fair is fair.

[Whoa there cephalopunk, chill out.] Now or later, but it will be done before I cough up the solution to your problem.

UNLOVEABLE

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject