#magic ways

When paired with Radiance/Movement (or just good old-fashioned fisticuffs), it would give the user an advantage in combat by having a better innate sense of when and where to strike at the enemy. It would also provide invaluable seconds to recognize an incoming attack and get the fuck outta the way—or ready a Protection spell.

Perception could also make Healing, Illusion, and Transformation far more effective.

I imagine Healers must be able to use their magic to get the sense of a wound/illness to be able to treat it, since that Way would be rendered practically useless in most situations if the ability to heal was entirely dependent on the user being able to literally see the entire wound/illness with their eyeballs. So we can assume that Healing allows a Bworlder to have some ability to perceive things about the body by default. If they also have Perception, it could probably shave off precious seconds of investigating with their magic so they can instead get right to the Healing part; it's like skipping the x-ray because you already know which way the bone has fractured. It might seem like a fairly small advantage, but if you're a medic on a battlefield or even just a doctor in a hospital, a few seconds could be the difference between life and death.

That being said, Perception would be very handy for an illusionist who opts for a more subtle 🥕 approach, because they could get a better sense of their targets' emotions & possibly anticipate their thoughts/reactions to the illusion before it is even being spun. Those things certainly don't require Perception to decipher, but it probably makes it more accurate and a hell of a lot easier if you're trying to illusion a complete stranger or anyone you just don't know very well.

Transformation would be similar: users are probably able to "read" the molecules in whatever they plan to transform, and this is a skill that would naturally improve with time and practice, but one could probably transform materials more quickly/easily if you go in already having an idea of the material's pre-existing qualities and molecular structure before you even lay a hand on it. In day-to-day life this might not appear that useful, but quicker transformations would be invaluable in combat/emergency situations—constructing walls for shelter and defense, materializing weapons for yourself and your allies, transforming enemy projectiles into something more harmless like air or water or flowers...

I don't remember if I've shared this outside of discord, so let's pause for a quick tangent on Illusion. I believe there could be two main approaches to using this Way to deceive others: gentle persuasion or brute force (aka carrot 🥕 or stick 🏏).

🥕 The carrot method is subtler, more artful. The user puts a lot of care into their illusions and tailors them to better appeal to the specific target, making it more realistic and believable so the target will more readily accept whatever information is being projected to them. With this method, it may take more time to weave the illusions, but it is more discreet and probably tends to be more successful. (example: Itzal showing Margaret their old home and trying to lure her back to believing in him during "Phantom Pain")

🏏 The stick method is... not subtle. It is quantity over quality, hurling magic at your intended victim with the aim of overwhelming their sensibilities through sheer force, breaking down their logic and known reality to replace it with whatever you want to put in its place. It is brazen and arrogant, and probably more damaging for the victim. This method may bring quicker results, but it also costs more energy for the caster and would be more difficult to maintain for extended durations. (example: Itzal attacking Dakkar with 'the darkest of illusions' in "The Chimes of Starhold, part 3")

I ALSO have thoughts on how Perception could offer more possibilities of long-range magic, such as more accurate Movement over long distances, even if it is still constrained to objects within the user's line of sight. Someone with Perception probably has a better chance of Moving a coin into a piggy bank 50 feet away than someone without magically enhanced vision who has to just squint and hope for the best.

And for something like Illusion, I think Perception could more or less erase limits like only being able to cast illusions within your line of sight; so long as you can Perceive your target to some degree, you can Illusion them. In my mind, this is how Itzal is able to give Kal his orders at the end of "Blind." At that moment, the king is in Starhold and Kal is on the Bonaventure, which is already headed for the vortex. Itzal must have projected his order into Kal's head via illusion; I don't think they could have coordinated it otherwise, between their physical distance, Kalfu's breakdown in the Paradise Research Institute (the Paradise Research Institute), and his decision to wear his murdered assistant as a meat-suit to try and recover the orreries.

...Welp, that's about all I've got on this subject!

I have a lot more pulp thoughts I've rambled about to my friends that I would like to revisit and share with the wider fandom, so if you enjoyed reading these thoughts, you can look forward to more posts like this in the future.

Your thoughts were cut short as you felt a sharp knock reverberate through the wooden table your arms were resting upon. With a slight jolt, you looked over to your left, seeing the familiar figure from your thoughts. It was your older brother, standing there with a knowing smile. Your face immediately lit up, eyeing him briefly before settling on the item in his hand.

"Chocolate and vanilla swirl sundae," he spoke, quickly signing along with his hands as you practically snatched the dessert from his palm. "With extra whipped cream to top it all off!"

A small hum of delight wormed it's way past your lips as you took a large mouthful from the top of the glass. You gave him an exaggerated thumbs up before delving back into your food, your feet swinging slightly under the table.

It had been so long since you had last got together with your brother like this, at your favourite location with your favourite sweet delicacy. He hadn't been able to get a break from work for a while, but now that he had finally come back to you for the weekend, even if it was a short while, you were determined to spend the long hours of the summer weekend as catch up as much as you could.

A gentle tap to your knuckles brought your attention away from your sundae and to your brother, who had settled into the seat across from you. With a warm but hesitant smile, he began moving his hands along with his lips clearly for you to see.

"So... It's been a little hectic around Akatsuka lately, hasn't it?"

You suckled on your spoon as you thought for a moment, staring at him, before placing it back into the glass and shaking your head with a hard stare.

'No, Haru. We are not having this conversation. Again.'

"No, no, wait! Just this once, please? It's serious!" Haru pleaded, clasping his hands in front of him as he leaned in slightly closer. When you didn't respond, he reached into his back pocket to take out his phone. He scrolled through it for a moment before pausing, turning the screen towards you.

You squinted your eyes slightly as a long article popped onto the screen. The title was in large bold and black lettering, saying:

'PHANTOM THIEVES STRIKE AGAIN!'

There was a picture beside it, although it was very blurry. You could barely make out the humanoid figure running off into a dark and shady alley, a brief streak of purple followed by a cat covered by darkness darting behind it.

Skimming over the articles paragraphs, you slumped back into your seat with a roll of your eyes.

'Haru, these articles are just full of crap and you know it.'

"No, they aren't!" Haru's brows creased with worry as he placed his phone back down. "There are six of these guys that have been spotted all over Akatsuka, and one of them showed up only a few miles away from where you live!"

You only shrugged again, going back to eating your sundae.

"You don't honestly think that they are good people, do you?" Haru pushed, moving into your line of sight. "They've stolen so many valuable items already! What if they do something to you, and I'm not there?"

'As if I have anything valuable in my tiny apartment,' you shook your head. 'I bet they'd take one look through the window and then leave. I've got nothing to worry about.'

"That's not the point," Haru ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. "I don't live here in Akatsuka anymore, neither do mom and dad. No one is here to protect you while you're alone like this."

'I'm not alone...'

"The stray cats that follow you around don't count in this conversation." Haru paused as he watched a ginger cat walk up the window and sit patiently by it, watching you with its large eyes marked with greyish fur as it waited for you to come outside. With a rub to his forehead, Haru continued.

"Look, just... come live with me, okay? You know I have my own house, and even with Ei moving in, we still have a spare bedroom for you. It'll be safer for you over there."

'First of all,' you glared at your brother. 'I can't do that to you and Ei, your fiancé.' You emphasised the word with the harsh tapping of your fingers against your skin. Haru opened his mouth to retort, his hands following close behind, but you continued.

'Second of all, I don't want to leave! I know you guys are all far away from me now, but I'm not completely alone. And I'm not talking about the cats. I do have real friends, but I don't want to just up and leave this place. I like it here far better than where you're living.'

Haru paused, a look of guilt on his face as his shoulders fell.

"I..."

'Trust me, Haru. I'll be fine! I promise. And you know I don't break those.' With your final input, you signed for him to just drop the topic, wanting to enjoy your scrumptious dessert without the sugar tasting bitter on your tongue. Your brother allowed you to do so with a small nod, resting his chin on his palm as he watched you. Slowly but surely, your food disappeared from the large glass, leaving only streaks of cream running up and down the inner surface.

The two of you stood up from your seats, Haru leading you out of the cafe with his hands stuffed into his jean pockets, although you could still see a faint outline of his hands twitching against the fabric, knowing he was still anxiously thinking of your previous conversation.

You felt a sudden brush against your left leg, and you glanced down with a small jolt to see the ginger cat had come to greet you. You huffed, a smile on your lips as you briefly bent down to scratch behind the feline's ears before standing upright. You caught Haru's eyes, grinning wider as he pouted in jealousy at the attention you were given from the stray.

'You can pet them, you know.' You told him as you walked past, you now taking the lead as you strolled back to your apartment.

"As if. My allergies would kill me..." Haru grumbled under his breath, making sure to walk on the other side of you so as to keep a distance between him and the cat, who was still following at your heels, briefly nudging against your ankles every now and then with a chirp.

When you finally reached your home, you decided to wait outside as Haru went in, taking the elevator up to your floor, taking your keys with him. After a few moments, he re-emerged with a suitcase and duffle bag in hand, tossing you your keys as he rummaged through his own pockets for a different set. Your smile that had appeared whilst you pet the stray ginger cat gradually disappeared as you watched your older brother place his bags into the back of his car, closing the trunk with a shove.

'...Do you have to go so early?' You tugged his shirt sleeve. 'At least stay for dinner?'

"You know I've got work tomorrow," He smiled apologetically, "If I want to sleep before then, I should get going now instead of later. Besides, Ei's waiting for me. You know how she gets when I change plans on her so suddenly."

You lowered your head in defeat. The wind rustled past as you felt a pair of warm arms wrap around you, pulling you into his chest, and you gladly returned the hug, holding him for as long and as tight as you could. You felt a deep rumble travel across his chest and you reluctantly moved back to see what he said.

"My offer still stands... But I know you're not going to say 'yes' right now," Haru chuckled at you souring expression. "Our door is open for you, always. Just say the word and I'll come get you, okay?" You nodded, releasing him and already missing his warmth as he clambered into the driver's seat. You saw the car vibrate the slightest bit as the engine came on, and a window lowered so Haru could pop his head out. His bright smile reached his eyes, twinkling as he held a hand out for you.

With a roll of your eyes, you stepped forward, a grin crossing back onto your face as you performed a series of handshakes before ending it with a quick rock-paper-scissors match, laughing quietly as you easily won. Haru threw his head back as he laughed along, sending a goodbye your way before he set off, sticking his arm out the window to continue waving, you doing the same until he disappeared around the corner, the bright yellow of his car no longer in sight.

You stood there for a moment longer, staring at the corner he had hidden behind, the smile on your lips slipping away the longer you stood there. You only snapped out of it when you felt the familiar brush of fur on your ankles, and with a heavy sigh, you turned to head back to your apartment, keeping your eyes pointed to the floor as the elevator doors closed.

Standing in your small home, you could already feel the heavy emotion of missing your sibling as you looked around, finding small reminders of him being there once again by the simple shift in placement of the cushions on your couch, or the crumbs of bread by the toaster which he had used for breakfast that morning. He had visited countless times, stayed many nights, and yet him leaving was always just as painful as the first time.

You shook your head, running a hand through your hair as you straightened the cushions before sitting on the couch yourself, switching the TV on. You knew he hadn't actually said goodbye. It was always a 'see you later', and you always did see him again eventually. You knew you didn't have to get upset over it, you knew it was a childish thing to do. You could even text or call him right there and then, and he would answer straight away. There was nothing to worry about, and yet, the worry stayed all the same.

You could feel your food from earlier churn and twist in your stomach uncomfortably, a sick feeling crawling up your throat as you fidgeted in your seat. Now was not the time, you angrily told yourself, and you desperately began distracting yourself with random YouTube videos, trying to get yourself comfy by changing into your pyjamas. You startled as you felt a heavy pressure suddenly fall onto your lap, looking down to find the stray cat had followed you inside. You allowed it to get comfortable, running your fingers through its fur gently, finding its fur to be surprisingly clean.

The day steadily turned to night as you spent the rest of your day indoors, ordering takeout when you got hungry and only getting up to feed the stray some cat food that you had kept in your home out of habit, now. A bright light flashed in your living room, startling you briefly as you paused your movie and went to the door, cash in hand. Bowing politely to the delivery guy, you brought your food inside after making sure your door was locked, sighing with content as you took a bite out of the warm food.

You allowed the cat to steal a few bites before shooing it away playfully, huffs of laughter leaving you as it stared up at you with wide and pleading eyes. A sudden buzz from your thigh caught your attention, and you quickly wiped your fingers with a tissue before taking your phone out of your pocket, finding that it was Haru who had texted you.

---

[20:44] cat allergy

heyy, just got home. did u eat yet?

---

You tapped away at your screen, catching the cat out of the corner of your eyes begin to slink away towards the door.

---

[20:44]

yup, just finished. took u that long to get home this time?

[20:46] cat allergy

nah, soon as I got home I had to go run a lot of errands, and there was loads of traffic. apparently some kind of traffic accident happened so the roads were blocked, but its all cleared up now.

u btter not have gotten more takeout! >:(

[20:47]

;)

---

You chuckled cheekily as you switched your phone off, ending the conversation there. Standing up, you noticed the cat was now pawing quite cutely at the door, its mouth opening and closing in what you assumed to be a 'meow', and you got the message. You slipped on a pair of black sandals and threw on your jacket over your pyjama top, grabbing your keys and unlocking your door. The cat immediately exited your apartment, and you locked your door again before leading it towards the elevator and pressing the button for the ground floor.

Upon reaching it, the cat practically dashed for the exit, and you had to jog just to reach the doors quicker and push it open. It passed the threshold, the light illuminating from the lobby of the building making the fur of the cat glow. It turned to stare at you, tail high in the air, as if expecting something. Curiously raising a brow, you took a step forward, and to your surprise, the cat took a few more steps before stopping, turning to look at you again.

You repeated this motion until you were standing completely out on the empty street. Looking up and down the sidewalk, you stared up at your apartment complex before turning back to the cat, who was still waiting for you. It obviously wanted you to follow it, that much you gathered, but why? And to where, this late at night? It would be dangerous and - as your brother would say - incredibly stupid of you if you started following a stray cat to who-knows-where.

But what was life without a little mystery?

With a grin, you followed behind the cat, who led you down twisting roads and pathways, between bushes and over small fences, your grin growing wider as excitement fluttered through your system. Eventually, it led you to a dark alleyway. You paused at the entrance, eyeing the cat who had once again turned to you, its mouth opening and waving one of its paws as if it were beckoning you.

'This is crazy...' you thought to yourself as you inched down the alleyway, barely able to see the cat, and it was then that you realised how useful the flashlight on your phone would have been if you had brought it with you. Nevertheless, you were still grinning like a child, your nerves turning into adrenaline and pushing you onward.

Deeper and deeper you went into the steadily thinning space, to the point where you had to start side-stepping down the corridor, pressing your back against the wall that you prayed was at least decently clean, eyes trained on the moving blob in front of you. You glanced up from the ground and, to your pleasant surprise, there seemed to be a light at the end of the cramped space, which wasn't too far away. You could also feel a breeze begin to pick up, steadily becoming stronger as you reached the opening. There was a hum in the air, vibrating against the ground and traversing through your body, goose bumps prickling your skin.

The light blinded you momentarily when you finally reached the end, the wind now harsh and whipping your hair and clothes around. You raised your arms up to shield your face, but when you opened your eyes, you were not prepared for what was in front of you.

It was... some kind of flying contraption. Not a helicopter, nor a hot air balloon. This was more steampunk, with its mechanical gears and tubes exposed and a giant fan attached to the back, whirring away and being the source of the wind that was wafting violently around you. All of it was built around a single seat with a light on the front acting as a headlight, and in that seat sat a figure dressed in a black suit and cape, a top hat over his dark hair and half of a golden cat mask over his left eye.

You stared at him, and he stared at you, wide eyed and mouth slightly agape, and if it wasn't so dark, you would have been able to see the deep blush on his cheeks, and he would have been able to see yours.

Staring into his eyes, in that moment, if only for a moment, it felt... magical. There was a feeling within you that you couldn't describe, only feel. You could feel it buzz in your chest and fill you with warmth. You could feel your heart begin to thump faster against your skin. You could feel everything.

However, just as quickly as that moment started, it was over when the ginger cat who had led you there in the first place jumped into the man's lap, snapping him out of his daze. He sent you one last look before lowering his top hat over his eyes and pulling a lever to his left, and the machine lifted off into the sky, leaving you to stand in the small clearing as you watched in awe as they literally flew away into the night.

You placed a hand over your heart, feeling it thrumming faster now.

The stars above you seemed to twinkle brighter than they ever have before.