The Potion Shop

It was an idea Jen had been going back and forth with for a while, trying to figure out how to get it done properly. As happy as she was to train Marvin, the mage needed to get over the fear of a natural part of himself; his dark form. She understood that something happened with it, and he had every right to have his fears after, but it would be very hard to teach him how to control his dark magic if he was uncomfortable with himself the whole time.

So, she devised a plan. Jackie was the one who Marvin was most afraid of hurting, despite Jen knowing they had full control. Which meant that with a little planning, she got the hero to come over and peek in during their training session.

To avoid Marvin spotting Jackie before he was supposed to, Jen invited the hero over a little early. Nothing wrong with a little snack and some catching up, anyway. Ugear would certainly be happy to see him.

It was how Jackie ended up at Jen's front door while she was making tea, knocking with a little smile on his face. He was still in uniform from his patrol this morning, a bit of dried blood around his nostrils with some small and scabbing gashes on his cheek. He had a bit of a fight this morning with a criminal, but he knew it would heal just fine.

Plus, Jen and Ugear lived in what felt like the middle of nowhere, so he was safe to stand around in his work clothes.

"That... was incredible, Marvin. And you did that all on your own," Ugear beamed.

Marvin, meanwhile, was trying to catch his breath. Hearing that Jackie was safe and that he had succeeded was incredibly relieving and almost didn't seem real. They managed to hold it back and regain control before it was too late. He kept his brother safe, just like he wanted.

"I-I did it... I did it!" Marvin cried out, throwing his head back with a smile and tears in his eyes. He couldn't believe it, he did the one thing he thought he wouldn't be able to.

"You did it!" she cheered with him, letting her staff vanish into thin air. It went back to the house, leaning in the corner of her bedroom.

Jackie was just as excited as Marvin was, beaming still as they locked eyes. He saw arms move to reach out and got excited, but they were then pulled back. It made his large smile faulted for a moment, but his gaze softened in understanding. It was okay to be scared, but that didn't mean Jackie was going anywhere.

"Hey, its okay." he replied softly. He then slowly moved a little closer, staying settled on his knees. Jackie then slowly held his hands out, giving Marvin plenty of time to react to them. "I... I know you're scared to hurt me still, but I promise you that you're okay now. You are in control. You don't want to hurt me, so you won't. I know you won't." he encouraged softly.

"I don't want to hurt you... n-never wanted to.." Marvin repeated quietly, visibly hesitating.

It took a few long moments, like the mage was trying to build up courage and push away the images of Jackie's blood all over his hands. Ever so slowly, he reached out and placed his hands in his brother's. He didn't move to hold them yet, like he was afraid that any sort of pressure on his part would hurt the hero again, but they were there.

In the meantime, Ugear made his way over to Jen, placing a gentle and warm hand on her back. He offered her a gentle smile, silently checking on her again. He knew she had basically told him she was alright but he would always be concerned.

He watched as they slowly put their hands on his, a warm look on his face as he took it in. Marvin made one more step closer to beating their fears, to overcoming their trauma. And the hero knew that they would likely be here again next time, Jackie needing to encourage them to take his hands as they sat in fear, but that was okay. For right now, he could have Marvin's hands in his own. So he held them gently, not expecting them to be gripped in return.

"Hey.. I'm proud of you." he said again. He'd say it as much as he needed to. "This is terrifying. I know it must be after what you saw, but you're still doing it. And I am so incredibly proud of you."

Jen watched on fondly, letting the two of them have their moment. Feeling a hand on her back caught her attention however, looking over at Ugear with a tired glint in her eyes. She would come back from it, but fighting her inner darkness was always tiring.

"Th-Thank you.... for a-all of this.." they murmured, beastly voice somehow so incredibly gentle. "Couldn't've done it w-without you - or Jen... I would've b-been totally against you b-being here if you told me t-this was the plan."

A genuine chuckle left them this time and they sniffled quietly, looking up at Jackie again. Their tail began to sway just a tad bit - a sign that they were actually feeling a bit more at ease.

Meanwhile, Ugear moved to wrap an arm around Jen as she leaned her head against him, chuckling at her comment.

"You see why it was a secret now?" he chuckled softly. "But you don't need to thank us for anything. Marvin, sure we gave you a little push, but you did that on your own. This is all you." Jackie reminded softly. As he spoke, his thumbs gently ran over Marvin's knuckles, as if silently letting him know that he wasn't going anywhere. But, the hero did notice the tail, giving him this little spark of joy in his eyes.

Marvin was finally starting to ease up.

Jen was grinning a little as she was held, not minding this new position as they stood there. Ugear was incredibly comfortable, so she wasn't complaining. And his jokes had her giggling quietly, though they faded slowly as he mentioned a break.

It was an idea Jen had been going back and forth with for a while, trying to figure out how to get it done properly. As happy as she was to train Marvin, the mage needed to get over the fear of a natural part of himself; his dark form. She understood that something happened with it, and he had every right to have his fears after, but it would be very hard to teach him how to control his dark magic if he was uncomfortable with himself the whole time.

So, she devised a plan. Jackie was the one who Marvin was most afraid of hurting, despite Jen knowing they had full control. Which meant that with a little planning, she got the hero to come over and peek in during their training session.

To avoid Marvin spotting Jackie before he was supposed to, Jen invited the hero over a little early. Nothing wrong with a little snack and some catching up, anyway. Ugear would certainly be happy to see him.

It was how Jackie ended up at Jen's front door while she was making tea, knocking with a little smile on his face. He was still in uniform from his patrol this morning, a bit of dried blood around his nostrils with some small and scabbing gashes on his cheek. He had a bit of a fight this morning with a criminal, but he knew it would heal just fine.

Plus, Jen and Ugear lived in what felt like the middle of nowhere, so he was safe to stand around in his work clothes.

"That... was incredible, Marvin. And you did that all on your own," Ugear beamed.

Marvin, meanwhile, was trying to catch his breath. Hearing that Jackie was safe and that he had succeeded was incredibly relieving and almost didn't seem real. They managed to hold it back and regain control before it was too late. He kept his brother safe, just like he wanted.

"I-I did it... I did it!" Marvin cried out, throwing his head back with a smile and tears in his eyes. He couldn't believe it, he did the one thing he thought he wouldn't be able to.

"You did it!" she cheered with him, letting her staff vanish into thin air. It went back to the house, leaning in the corner of her bedroom.

Jackie was just as excited as Marvin was, beaming still as they locked eyes. He saw arms move to reach out and got excited, but they were then pulled back. It made his large smile faulted for a moment, but his gaze softened in understanding. It was okay to be scared, but that didn't mean Jackie was going anywhere.

"Hey, its okay." he replied softly. He then slowly moved a little closer, staying settled on his knees. Jackie then slowly held his hands out, giving Marvin plenty of time to react to them. "I... I know you're scared to hurt me still, but I promise you that you're okay now. You are in control. You don't want to hurt me, so you won't. I know you won't." he encouraged softly.

"I don't want to hurt you... n-never wanted to.." Marvin repeated quietly, visibly hesitating.

It took a few long moments, like the mage was trying to build up courage and push away the images of Jackie's blood all over his hands. Ever so slowly, he reached out and placed his hands in his brother's. He didn't move to hold them yet, like he was afraid that any sort of pressure on his part would hurt the hero again, but they were there.

In the meantime, Ugear made his way over to Jen, placing a gentle and warm hand on her back. He offered her a gentle smile, silently checking on her again. He knew she had basically told him she was alright but he would always be concerned.

He watched as they slowly put their hands on his, a warm look on his face as he took it in. Marvin made one more step closer to beating their fears, to overcoming their trauma. And the hero knew that they would likely be here again next time, Jackie needing to encourage them to take his hands as they sat in fear, but that was okay. For right now, he could have Marvin's hands in his own. So he held them gently, not expecting them to be gripped in return.

"Hey.. I'm proud of you." he said again. He'd say it as much as he needed to. "This is terrifying. I know it must be after what you saw, but you're still doing it. And I am so incredibly proud of you."

Jen watched on fondly, letting the two of them have their moment. Feeling a hand on her back caught her attention however, looking over at Ugear with a tired glint in her eyes. She would come back from it, but fighting her inner darkness was always tiring.

It was an idea Jen had been going back and forth with for a while, trying to figure out how to get it done properly. As happy as she was to train Marvin, the mage needed to get over the fear of a natural part of himself; his dark form. She understood that something happened with it, and he had every right to have his fears after, but it would be very hard to teach him how to control his dark magic if he was uncomfortable with himself the whole time.

So, she devised a plan. Jackie was the one who Marvin was most afraid of hurting, despite Jen knowing they had full control. Which meant that with a little planning, she got the hero to come over and peek in during their training session.

To avoid Marvin spotting Jackie before he was supposed to, Jen invited the hero over a little early. Nothing wrong with a little snack and some catching up, anyway. Ugear would certainly be happy to see him.

It was how Jackie ended up at Jen's front door while she was making tea, knocking with a little smile on his face. He was still in uniform from his patrol this morning, a bit of dried blood around his nostrils with some small and scabbing gashes on his cheek. He had a bit of a fight this morning with a criminal, but he knew it would heal just fine.

Plus, Jen and Ugear lived in what felt like the middle of nowhere, so he was safe to stand around in his work clothes.

"That... was incredible, Marvin. And you did that all on your own," Ugear beamed.

Marvin, meanwhile, was trying to catch his breath. Hearing that Jackie was safe and that he had succeeded was incredibly relieving and almost didn't seem real. They managed to hold it back and regain control before it was too late. He kept his brother safe, just like he wanted.

"I-I did it... I did it!" Marvin cried out, throwing his head back with a smile and tears in his eyes. He couldn't believe it, he did the one thing he thought he wouldn't be able to.

"You did it!" she cheered with him, letting her staff vanish into thin air. It went back to the house, leaning in the corner of her bedroom.

Jackie was just as excited as Marvin was, beaming still as they locked eyes. He saw arms move to reach out and got excited, but they were then pulled back. It made his large smile faulted for a moment, but his gaze softened in understanding. It was okay to be scared, but that didn't mean Jackie was going anywhere.

"Hey, its okay." he replied softly. He then slowly moved a little closer, staying settled on his knees. Jackie then slowly held his hands out, giving Marvin plenty of time to react to them. "I... I know you're scared to hurt me still, but I promise you that you're okay now. You are in control. You don't want to hurt me, so you won't. I know you won't." he encouraged softly.

It was an idea Jen had been going back and forth with for a while, trying to figure out how to get it done properly. As happy as she was to train Marvin, the mage needed to get over the fear of a natural part of himself; his dark form. She understood that something happened with it, and he had every right to have his fears after, but it would be very hard to teach him how to control his dark magic if he was uncomfortable with himself the whole time.

So, she devised a plan. Jackie was the one who Marvin was most afraid of hurting, despite Jen knowing they had full control. Which meant that with a little planning, she got the hero to come over and peek in during their training session.

To avoid Marvin spotting Jackie before he was supposed to, Jen invited the hero over a little early. Nothing wrong with a little snack and some catching up, anyway. Ugear would certainly be happy to see him.

It was how Jackie ended up at Jen's front door while she was making tea, knocking with a little smile on his face. He was still in uniform from his patrol this morning, a bit of dried blood around his nostrils with some small and scabbing gashes on his cheek. He had a bit of a fight this morning with a criminal, but he knew it would heal just fine.

Plus, Jen and Ugear lived in what felt like the middle of nowhere, so he was safe to stand around in his work clothes.

"I feel fine, I could keep going," Marvin replied as they shot off another spell.

However, as that little trickle increased, so did the dark energy. It was increasing at a speed that Marvin could no longer keep a hold of and it was starting to show now. The skin under the mage's clothes was turning darker and something suddenly felt incredibly off, causing a pause in their movements. It continued to creep up, eventually crawling up Marvin's neck as his emotions seemed to turn to anger, a craving for violence overtaking his senses.

"W-Wait... no no... no.." the mage stammered, feeling the dark energy continued to spread through him. It was like it was being pushed through his body without him wanting it to, increasing to levels he couldn't bring down.

A thick, heavy turquoise mist began to roll off of Marvin's body and onto the ground, pooling at his feet. The black and leathery textured skin continued to spread and Marvin's mind became hazy, having the overwhelming urge to just hurt someone.

"S-Stop... I-I don't want this..." the magician nearly growled, voice dropping to a beastly level. He fell to his knees, nails beginning to elongate into claws and teeth growing sharper.

Ugear was suddenly incredibly alert, feeling the levels of dark magic rising rapidly and beginning to worry for both Marvin and Jen. He stepped a little bit closer to Marvin, ready to step in at any second but also keeping an eye on Jen, silently asking her how she was doing with a quick glance.

"You got this, Marvin. You're going to be okay." she reminded, tone a little more stern but far from commanding. She was making sure she was heard, Jen very familiar with the angry haze of dark magic. So as Ugear spoke up, she was quick to agree. Noticing his concern though, she gave a little nod. For now, she was okay.

"Exactly. It doesn't matter who gave you this, Marvin. This is your magic, your power. Your body and mind are yours." she agreed. "We talked about motivation, now try to use it. Remember why you were fighting. Keeping your friends and family safe is your top priority. Don't let that motive leave your mind."

Marvin shook his head aggressively, as if doing it harder would make the thoughts go away. A long black tail grew out of his lower back, the dark magic continuing to push its way through his body. It felt like he was fighting a losing battle with whatever was inside of him. He could hear Jen and Ugear, but it felt like he couldn't respond - like his own body was starting not to respond to what he wanted again.

Soon, the mage was completely consumed by his dark form, the white mask he wore falling on the ground and getting swatted away with his tail. He was desperately trying to fight back whatever this was, heavy growls escaping him as he hunched over, claws digging into the ground.

Motivation. Motivation. Think about the motivation. Keep family safe.

Ugear was very close to stepping near Marvin just in case, but they had one last resort. He looked over at Jackie, eyes not quite panicked but evidently showing that this was urgent.

However, when Jackie was called for, she turned to look back at the hero. Ugear was right, he might be able to help Marvin.

Jackie was standing pressed against the railing of the porch, worry swimming in his eyes. He wanted to help so badly, but there was also the risk of justifying the fear Marvin already had. God forbid even a scratch was obtained because of this dark form and he'd never be able to console his brother.

But then Ugear called for him, and he knew that it was the only shot they had.

Jackie quickly took to the air, landing so he was right beside Ugear. With how concerned Marvin was for his safety, he was staying next to the strongest one here. As afraid as he was to make this worse though, he didn't hesitate to speak up.

"Marvin, you can do this." he began to encourage. "You fought through blood, sweat, and tears to get to this point. You trained with this magic your whole life. You left the Black Magic Market and they have lost every time they tried to get you since. You got control of your body and your magic back from them, and I know you can do it again."

Jackie stepped just a little closer, kneeling down so Marvin didn't need to lift their head much to see him. And despite how he felt, that familiar warm smile sat on his face, nothing but love and support in his eyes.

They were panting heavily, fighting with everything they could just to stay in control of their own mind and body. The sound was mixed with snarls and growls, but the occasional rapid blinking and shake of the head gave away that Marvin was still there, just fighting for control. So as Jackie took a little step closer and crouched down, the creature's head lifted slightly to look at him. For a moment, Marvin forgot what form they were in and they just saw their brother smiling at him, that supportive and loving look in his eyes.

The moment Jackie finished speaking, it seemed to intensify. Marvin doubled over, gripping their head with their forehead to the ground.

"My power... My magic... I'm in control..." they began to say, audibly straining and struggling to do so but incredibly determined. As they spoke, the mist kept creeping up, consuming them and becoming so thick they were barely visible. "I.. w-will not hurt... him again.. I... will.. pr-protect... You.. l-listen.. to me!"

It all seemed to build up to this one moment, the dark energy reaching an incredible high. The air throughout the yard was heavy with it, like it could be sliced with a knife. And as it reached a peak, Marvin sat back on his feet and squeezed his eyes shut, letting out a loud scream that was mixed with a roar. A massive wave of energy rippled away from them, making the ground shake as the mist evaporated completely. The sound shook the garden around them and everything fell eerily quiet, the creature sitting there and panting. There was no sign of whether Marvin gained control, but they were about to find out really soon.

Ugear stepped in front of Jackie, keeping an arm in front of him protectively. He glanced at Jen briefly before looking at Marvin, eyes not leaving him so he would be prepared for any sudden movements. The magician sat there, panting, and then opened their eyes before looking around, a little dazed.

"Did.. D-Did I ke-keep him safe..?" he breathed out, exhausted.

But then the ground began to shake as the mage screamed, Jackie suddenly finding it harder to breathe. It was like the energy of such a magical area was naturally drawn to Marvin, leaving the hero to take deep breaths and to hope it didn't get any harder. So when Ugear stepped up to cover him, Jackie didn't dare argue.

Jen meanwhile had to summon her staff. Such a massive outpour of energy so suddenly left her fumbling for a moment. The temptation called to her, whispering so softly for her to cave, to fight, to destroy. It left her eyes glowing a dark purple, but she closed them as she leaned into the staff. Deep breaths came out slowly, trying to keep herself stable.

But luckily, the overflow began to fade, allowing the elf to come back to herself with ease. The glow died down as Ugear looked her way, a gentle smile on her face as they shared glances before she looked to Marvin.

"Not a single scratch." she confirmed softly, choosing to ignore the new gravely tone of her voice. It would leave in a few moments.

It was an idea Jen had been going back and forth with for a while, trying to figure out how to get it done properly. As happy as she was to train Marvin, the mage needed to get over the fear of a natural part of himself; his dark form. She understood that something happened with it, and he had every right to have his fears after, but it would be very hard to teach him how to control his dark magic if he was uncomfortable with himself the whole time.

So, she devised a plan. Jackie was the one who Marvin was most afraid of hurting, despite Jen knowing they had full control. Which meant that with a little planning, she got the hero to come over and peek in during their training session.

To avoid Marvin spotting Jackie before he was supposed to, Jen invited the hero over a little early. Nothing wrong with a little snack and some catching up, anyway. Ugear would certainly be happy to see him.

It was how Jackie ended up at Jen's front door while she was making tea, knocking with a little smile on his face. He was still in uniform from his patrol this morning, a bit of dried blood around his nostrils with some small and scabbing gashes on his cheek. He had a bit of a fight this morning with a criminal, but he knew it would heal just fine.

Plus, Jen and Ugear lived in what felt like the middle of nowhere, so he was safe to stand around in his work clothes.

"I feel fine, I could keep going," Marvin replied as they shot off another spell.

However, as that little trickle increased, so did the dark energy. It was increasing at a speed that Marvin could no longer keep a hold of and it was starting to show now. The skin under the mage's clothes was turning darker and something suddenly felt incredibly off, causing a pause in their movements. It continued to creep up, eventually crawling up Marvin's neck as his emotions seemed to turn to anger, a craving for violence overtaking his senses.

"W-Wait... no no... no.." the mage stammered, feeling the dark energy continued to spread through him. It was like it was being pushed through his body without him wanting it to, increasing to levels he couldn't bring down.

A thick, heavy turquoise mist began to roll off of Marvin's body and onto the ground, pooling at his feet. The black and leathery textured skin continued to spread and Marvin's mind became hazy, having the overwhelming urge to just hurt someone.

"S-Stop... I-I don't want this..." the magician nearly growled, voice dropping to a beastly level. He fell to his knees, nails beginning to elongate into claws and teeth growing sharper.

Ugear was suddenly incredibly alert, feeling the levels of dark magic rising rapidly and beginning to worry for both Marvin and Jen. He stepped a little bit closer to Marvin, ready to step in at any second but also keeping an eye on Jen, silently asking her how she was doing with a quick glance.

"You got this, Marvin. You're going to be okay." she reminded, tone a little more stern but far from commanding. She was making sure she was heard, Jen very familiar with the angry haze of dark magic. So as Ugear spoke up, she was quick to agree. Noticing his concern though, she gave a little nod. For now, she was okay.

"Exactly. It doesn't matter who gave you this, Marvin. This is your magic, your power. Your body and mind are yours." she agreed. "We talked about motivation, now try to use it. Remember why you were fighting. Keeping your friends and family safe is your top priority. Don't let that motive leave your mind."

Marvin shook his head aggressively, as if doing it harder would make the thoughts go away. A long black tail grew out of his lower back, the dark magic continuing to push its way through his body. It felt like he was fighting a losing battle with whatever was inside of him. He could hear Jen and Ugear, but it felt like he couldn't respond - like his own body was starting not to respond to what he wanted again.

Soon, the mage was completely consumed by his dark form, the white mask he wore falling on the ground and getting swatted away with his tail. He was desperately trying to fight back whatever this was, heavy growls escaping him as he hunched over, claws digging into the ground.

Motivation. Motivation. Think about the motivation. Keep family safe.

Ugear was very close to stepping near Marvin just in case, but they had one last resort. He looked over at Jackie, eyes not quite panicked but evidently showing that this was urgent.

However, when Jackie was called for, she turned to look back at the hero. Ugear was right, he might be able to help Marvin.

Jackie was standing pressed against the railing of the porch, worry swimming in his eyes. He wanted to help so badly, but there was also the risk of justifying the fear Marvin already had. God forbid even a scratch was obtained because of this dark form and he'd never be able to console his brother.

But then Ugear called for him, and he knew that it was the only shot they had.

Jackie quickly took to the air, landing so he was right beside Ugear. With how concerned Marvin was for his safety, he was staying next to the strongest one here. As afraid as he was to make this worse though, he didn't hesitate to speak up.

"Marvin, you can do this." he began to encourage. "You fought through blood, sweat, and tears to get to this point. You trained with this magic your whole life. You left the Black Magic Market and they have lost every time they tried to get you since. You got control of your body and your magic back from them, and I know you can do it again."

Jackie stepped just a little closer, kneeling down so Marvin didn't need to lift their head much to see him. And despite how he felt, that familiar warm smile sat on his face, nothing but love and support in his eyes.

It was an idea Jen had been going back and forth with for a while, trying to figure out how to get it done properly. As happy as she was to train Marvin, the mage needed to get over the fear of a natural part of himself; his dark form. She understood that something happened with it, and he had every right to have his fears after, but it would be very hard to teach him how to control his dark magic if he was uncomfortable with himself the whole time.

So, she devised a plan. Jackie was the one who Marvin was most afraid of hurting, despite Jen knowing they had full control. Which meant that with a little planning, she got the hero to come over and peek in during their training session.

To avoid Marvin spotting Jackie before he was supposed to, Jen invited the hero over a little early. Nothing wrong with a little snack and some catching up, anyway. Ugear would certainly be happy to see him.

It was how Jackie ended up at Jen's front door while she was making tea, knocking with a little smile on his face. He was still in uniform from his patrol this morning, a bit of dried blood around his nostrils with some small and scabbing gashes on his cheek. He had a bit of a fight this morning with a criminal, but he knew it would heal just fine.

Plus, Jen and Ugear lived in what felt like the middle of nowhere, so he was safe to stand around in his work clothes.

"I feel fine, I could keep going," Marvin replied as they shot off another spell.

However, as that little trickle increased, so did the dark energy. It was increasing at a speed that Marvin could no longer keep a hold of and it was starting to show now. The skin under the mage's clothes was turning darker and something suddenly felt incredibly off, causing a pause in their movements. It continued to creep up, eventually crawling up Marvin's neck as his emotions seemed to turn to anger, a craving for violence overtaking his senses.

"W-Wait... no no... no.." the mage stammered, feeling the dark energy continued to spread through him. It was like it was being pushed through his body without him wanting it to, increasing to levels he couldn't bring down.

A thick, heavy turquoise mist began to roll off of Marvin's body and onto the ground, pooling at his feet. The black and leathery textured skin continued to spread and Marvin's mind became hazy, having the overwhelming urge to just hurt someone.

"S-Stop... I-I don't want this..." the magician nearly growled, voice dropping to a beastly level. He fell to his knees, nails beginning to elongate into claws and teeth growing sharper.

Ugear was suddenly incredibly alert, feeling the levels of dark magic rising rapidly and beginning to worry for both Marvin and Jen. He stepped a little bit closer to Marvin, ready to step in at any second but also keeping an eye on Jen, silently asking her how she was doing with a quick glance.

"You got this, Marvin. You're going to be okay." she reminded, tone a little more stern but far from commanding. She was making sure she was heard, Jen very familiar with the angry haze of dark magic. So as Ugear spoke up, she was quick to agree. Noticing his concern though, she gave a little nod. For now, she was okay.

"Exactly. It doesn't matter who gave you this, Marvin. This is your magic, your power. Your body and mind are yours." she agreed. "We talked about motivation, now try to use it. Remember why you were fighting. Keeping your friends and family safe is your top priority. Don't let that motive leave your mind."

It was an idea Jen had been going back and forth with for a while, trying to figure out how to get it done properly. As happy as she was to train Marvin, the mage needed to get over the fear of a natural part of himself; his dark form. She understood that something happened with it, and he had every right to have his fears after, but it would be very hard to teach him how to control his dark magic if he was uncomfortable with himself the whole time.

So, she devised a plan. Jackie was the one who Marvin was most afraid of hurting, despite Jen knowing they had full control. Which meant that with a little planning, she got the hero to come over and peek in during their training session.

To avoid Marvin spotting Jackie before he was supposed to, Jen invited the hero over a little early. Nothing wrong with a little snack and some catching up, anyway. Ugear would certainly be happy to see him.

It was how Jackie ended up at Jen's front door while she was making tea, knocking with a little smile on his face. He was still in uniform from his patrol this morning, a bit of dried blood around his nostrils with some small and scabbing gashes on his cheek. He had a bit of a fight this morning with a criminal, but he knew it would heal just fine.

Plus, Jen and Ugear lived in what felt like the middle of nowhere, so he was safe to stand around in his work clothes.

Marvin listened as Jen explained what she wanted him to do, the nerves still not having left him. His fingers were continuous twitching and flicking his rings, biting his lower lip a tad as he thought about all the things that could go wrong. The lesson was partially about keeping a sound mind, which Marvin knew meant they would have to put a lot of power into their spells - enough to make him teeter on the edge of slipping into darkness. That would be more than enough for the dark form to emerge, which in itself made the mage incredibly uncomfortable with Jackie there.

"R-Right... just hit it... okay.." Marvin nodded faintly, but they looked as though they were only half present, the other part of them seeming lost to their thoughts.

Marvin turned to face the dummy, staring at it for a few long moments. They tried to calm their mind, knowing that trying to cast anything with so many nerves wasn't a good idea anyway. It didn't seem to work, causing them to crouch down and rest their elbows on their knees, head hanging.

"Hey, that's okay..." she soothed softly, placing a gentle calloused hand on his back. "It's okay to be scared. You watched yourself do something awful. That's a lot to come back from. But, that wasn't you."

Jackie's brows furrowed when Marvin crouched down. He got up from his seat, leaning over the railing but not going over to meet them. Getting closer wouldn't help right now of the mage was afraid of what Jackie suspected.

"You got this, Marvin! I'm way over here! You can do it!" he called with an enthusiastic smile.

The sound of Jackie's cheers made Jen smile, but it also gave her an idea. Marvin wanted to keep his family safe, right? That was the motive of his magic. So maybe she needed to cater to his values a little more.

The mage heard Jackie, staring at the ground under their feet and feeling the sound of it tugging at their heart. He was always there, cheering them on even after what they did to him... he was the best brother they ever could've asked for.

As Jen came down next to Marvin, they didn't move to look at her, but they listened. Closing their eyes, they could easily picture what she was describing, this being a scenario that they had encountered many times before. So when the inevitable question came, Marvin's hands closed and formed two tight fists.

"No... I won't let it get in the way..." they breathed out slowly before taking in a deep breath.

The mage played the scene out in their mind; a mage attacking Jackie, his life is in danger, they have to do something before its too late...

Marvin's eyes opened, the turquoise glow from before seeming to return but much deeper in color. A breeze began to pick up around him, starting at his feet and beginning to make its way upward, making his hair sway gently. He stood up slowly and looked at the dummy, seeing an enemy magic user in its place.

They were safe here. They always would be.

So seeing the wind around Marvin slowly begin to pick up had Jen standing with him. She stepped aside, wanting to give him plenty of room to fire at the dummy. That dark turquoise in his eyes told Jen that there was a target in mind, so Marvin was welcome to fight it.

"Keep him safe, Marvin." she encouraged softly. "Protect your brother."

Marvin extended one arm towards the sky, the other one pointed towards the ground. He then turned them clockwise to form a circle, Latin spilling quietly from his lips as he did so. Seemingly out of thin air appeared different playing cards, but they looked as though they were made of black shiny metal with a turquoise sheen. They all floated around Marvin as he formed the circle, continuing to move his hands as he brought them closer to his chest before pushing outward. In the blink of an eye, the cards all spun like a tornado towards the dummy, shredding the air.

The mage didn't leave room for a possible counterattack, following up with similar spells to the one he had thrown at Jen. Though, this time he made several in a matter of seconds, throwing them out in all directions and having them spin like boomerangs towards the target. Once they passed the dummy, they merged into one and headed for Marvin, who caught it with ease and spun around, throwing it again. This time, they added more power to it, similarly to how they poured concentrated energy into the orbs from earlier.

But she could feel the dark magic energy get thicker around them, whistling for her raven to return so she could stay grounded. He got comfortable on her shoulder, content as his head was pet. Usually she was less concerned, but with how nervous Marvin had been about his own safety, she refused to take any risks.

"How're you feeling, Marvin?" she asked calmly, not doing anything to stop his attacks. This was a lesson in control for a reason. If Marvin changed forms, then so be it. But if he could catch himself before it happened, then he would learn to recognize his limits. And right now, it seemed like he wasn't able to find them.

It was an idea Jen had been going back and forth with for a while, trying to figure out how to get it done properly. As happy as she was to train Marvin, the mage needed to get over the fear of a natural part of himself; his dark form. She understood that something happened with it, and he had every right to have his fears after, but it would be very hard to teach him how to control his dark magic if he was uncomfortable with himself the whole time.

So, she devised a plan. Jackie was the one who Marvin was most afraid of hurting, despite Jen knowing they had full control. Which meant that with a little planning, she got the hero to come over and peek in during their training session.

To avoid Marvin spotting Jackie before he was supposed to, Jen invited the hero over a little early. Nothing wrong with a little snack and some catching up, anyway. Ugear would certainly be happy to see him.

It was how Jackie ended up at Jen's front door while she was making tea, knocking with a little smile on his face. He was still in uniform from his patrol this morning, a bit of dried blood around his nostrils with some small and scabbing gashes on his cheek. He had a bit of a fight this morning with a criminal, but he knew it would heal just fine.

Plus, Jen and Ugear lived in what felt like the middle of nowhere, so he was safe to stand around in his work clothes.

Marvin listened as Jen explained what she wanted him to do, the nerves still not having left him. His fingers were continuous twitching and flicking his rings, biting his lower lip a tad as he thought about all the things that could go wrong. The lesson was partially about keeping a sound mind, which Marvin knew meant they would have to put a lot of power into their spells - enough to make him teeter on the edge of slipping into darkness. That would be more than enough for the dark form to emerge, which in itself made the mage incredibly uncomfortable with Jackie there.

"R-Right... just hit it... okay.." Marvin nodded faintly, but they looked as though they were only half present, the other part of them seeming lost to their thoughts.

Marvin turned to face the dummy, staring at it for a few long moments. They tried to calm their mind, knowing that trying to cast anything with so many nerves wasn't a good idea anyway. It didn't seem to work, causing them to crouch down and rest their elbows on their knees, head hanging.

"Hey, that's okay..." she soothed softly, placing a gentle calloused hand on his back. "It's okay to be scared. You watched yourself do something awful. That's a lot to come back from. But, that wasn't you."

Jackie's brows furrowed when Marvin crouched down. He got up from his seat, leaning over the railing but not going over to meet them. Getting closer wouldn't help right now of the mage was afraid of what Jackie suspected.

"You got this, Marvin! I'm way over here! You can do it!" he called with an enthusiastic smile.

The sound of Jackie's cheers made Jen smile, but it also gave her an idea. Marvin wanted to keep his family safe, right? That was the motive of his magic. So maybe she needed to cater to his values a little more.

The mage heard Jackie, staring at the ground under their feet and feeling the sound of it tugging at their heart. He was always there, cheering them on even after what they did to him... he was the best brother they ever could've asked for.

As Jen came down next to Marvin, they didn't move to look at her, but they listened. Closing their eyes, they could easily picture what she was describing, this being a scenario that they had encountered many times before. So when the inevitable question came, Marvin's hands closed and formed two tight fists.

"No... I won't let it get in the way..." they breathed out slowly before taking in a deep breath.

The mage played the scene out in their mind; a mage attacking Jackie, his life is in danger, they have to do something before its too late...

Marvin's eyes opened, the turquoise glow from before seeming to return but much deeper in color. A breeze began to pick up around him, starting at his feet and beginning to make its way upward, making his hair sway gently. He stood up slowly and looked at the dummy, seeing an enemy magic user in its place.

They were safe here. They always would be.

So seeing the wind around Marvin slowly begin to pick up had Jen standing with him. She stepped aside, wanting to give him plenty of room to fire at the dummy. That dark turquoise in his eyes told Jen that there was a target in mind, so Marvin was welcome to fight it.

"Keep him safe, Marvin." she encouraged softly. "Protect your brother."

It was an idea Jen had been going back and forth with for a while, trying to figure out how to get it done properly. As happy as she was to train Marvin, the mage needed to get over the fear of a natural part of himself; his dark form. She understood that something happened with it, and he had every right to have his fears after, but it would be very hard to teach him how to control his dark magic if he was uncomfortable with himself the whole time.

So, she devised a plan. Jackie was the one who Marvin was most afraid of hurting, despite Jen knowing they had full control. Which meant that with a little planning, she got the hero to come over and peek in during their training session.

To avoid Marvin spotting Jackie before he was supposed to, Jen invited the hero over a little early. Nothing wrong with a little snack and some catching up, anyway. Ugear would certainly be happy to see him.

It was how Jackie ended up at Jen's front door while she was making tea, knocking with a little smile on his face. He was still in uniform from his patrol this morning, a bit of dried blood around his nostrils with some small and scabbing gashes on his cheek. He had a bit of a fight this morning with a criminal, but he knew it would heal just fine.

Plus, Jen and Ugear lived in what felt like the middle of nowhere, so he was safe to stand around in his work clothes.

Marvin listened as Jen explained what she wanted him to do, the nerves still not having left him. His fingers were continuous twitching and flicking his rings, biting his lower lip a tad as he thought about all the things that could go wrong. The lesson was partially about keeping a sound mind, which Marvin knew meant they would have to put a lot of power into their spells - enough to make him teeter on the edge of slipping into darkness. That would be more than enough for the dark form to emerge, which in itself made the mage incredibly uncomfortable with Jackie there.

"R-Right... just hit it... okay.." Marvin nodded faintly, but they looked as though they were only half present, the other part of them seeming lost to their thoughts.

Marvin turned to face the dummy, staring at it for a few long moments. They tried to calm their mind, knowing that trying to cast anything with so many nerves wasn't a good idea anyway. It didn't seem to work, causing them to crouch down and rest their elbows on their knees, head hanging.

"Hey, that's okay..." she soothed softly, placing a gentle calloused hand on his back. "It's okay to be scared. You watched yourself do something awful. That's a lot to come back from. But, that wasn't you."

Jackie's brows furrowed when Marvin crouched down. He got up from his seat, leaning over the railing but not going over to meet them. Getting closer wouldn't help right now of the mage was afraid of what Jackie suspected.

"You got this, Marvin! I'm way over here! You can do it!" he called with an enthusiastic smile.

The sound of Jackie's cheers made Jen smile, but it also gave her an idea. Marvin wanted to keep his family safe, right? That was the motive of his magic. So maybe she needed to cater to his values a little more.

It was an idea Jen had been going back and forth with for a while, trying to figure out how to get it done properly. As happy as she was to train Marvin, the mage needed to get over the fear of a natural part of himself; his dark form. She understood that something happened with it, and he had every right to have his fears after, but it would be very hard to teach him how to control his dark magic if he was uncomfortable with himself the whole time.

So, she devised a plan. Jackie was the one who Marvin was most afraid of hurting, despite Jen knowing they had full control. Which meant that with a little planning, she got the hero to come over and peek in during their training session.

To avoid Marvin spotting Jackie before he was supposed to, Jen invited the hero over a little early. Nothing wrong with a little snack and some catching up, anyway. Ugear would certainly be happy to see him.

It was how Jackie ended up at Jen's front door while she was making tea, knocking with a little smile on his face. He was still in uniform from his patrol this morning, a bit of dried blood around his nostrils with some small and scabbing gashes on his cheek. He had a bit of a fight this morning with a criminal, but he knew it would heal just fine.

Plus, Jen and Ugear lived in what felt like the middle of nowhere, so he was safe to stand around in his work clothes.

The orb that was hovering in Marvin's hand instantly dissipated, little turquoise particles spreading out and being swept away by the wind. Their eyes stopped glowing, revealing a look of uncertainty and unease. Were they comfortable with it? No, definitely not.

"I-I can't do that, not with- I mean-" they stammered with a nervous chuckle, shaking their head. Marvin's eyes then darted towards Jackie for a split second and they took a small step back, almost seeming like they were curling in on themselves a little now. "I-I just can't... I can't risk it - not again. If I slip up then-"

"Marvin, honey..." Jen murmured softly. She didn't make him look up, instead stepping closer and kneeling down on one knee so she could meet his gaze. This was scary and she would never stop him from feeling that, but it was a fear that had to be overcome.

"Both you and Jackie are beyond safe here. Not only do you have me, but you have Ugear." she began. "I promise I can counter whatever you try to cast if something gets out of control. And if for some reason I can't, Ugear is just a few steps away. He'd be able to hold you back. But I'm telling you right now, it's not going to come to that."

Jen then carefully got back up, holding her hands up as if waiting for something. But as she did, she kept true to her word. Her disguise began to fall away, revealing the navy blue dark elf that was hiding underneath. White patterns still covered her skin, her thin white hair tied up in the same bun that her human disguise was wearing.

Ugear set his tea down as Jen mentioned him being able to step in if needed, giving a nod of confirmation. He would absolutely help if, for whatever reason, things got out of hand. It was a scary experience but Marvin was the only person out of all of them that didn't trust him.

The mage in question watched Jen's disguise fall away, his gaze softening slightly. He appreciated what she was doing, but the fear and worry were making his chest feel tight. His stomach was in knots all of a sudden, lips pressing together as he seemed to contemplate what to do. He had agreed to do this earlier but that was before he knew Jackie would be there.

"I-I... um... o-okay..." they replied slowly, trying to muster up the courage to try something.

"So.. this won't work for every spell of course, but you get the idea." she hummed, watching her magic work. "Nature based magic means that, while its capable of other things, a common theme of dark magic is decay and rot."

Jackie was just watching all of this with wide eyes. He'd seen that spell cast by Marvin before, but all of Jen's magic was brand new to him. So not only was her form a surprise, but so was her being able to catch actual magic.

"Wow... that's amazing," he murmured in awe, watching as the spell he cast eventually broke apart and faded into nothing.

Ugear could see the reactions of both Marvin and Jackie and it made him smile a little to himself. He had seen so many aspects of Jen's magic over the years and yet it still never ceased to amaze him. He clearly remembered having a similar reaction as these two whenever he would witness something new for the first time. She was incredible with magic.

Marvin seemed to think about Jen's question, staring at the ground for a moment. He trusted Jen, especially with what she just showed him, but the fear inside of him was so strong. It made him a little bit paranoid, so he ended up glancing at Ugear in silent question.

Still, she let the magic fade as Marvin's spell was destroyed. It meant she could smile at Ugear, giving a small nod in thanks as he walked over. What she also saw was a firm nod from Jackie, his smile not falling as he watched from a distance.

"Fantastic. And Mimi, of course you know to be careful. No getting in the way of a spell unless you need to." she cautioned, though of course he knew that already. "Now Marvin, I want to explain a little more. By control, I don't mean staying like this. Form is not a factor in the lesson today. If it happens, it happens. By control, I mean consistency on top of keeping a sound mind. So what I want you to do is fire at that target however you please. Beat the dummy up by pretending its an enemy. It shouldn't break."

It was an idea Jen had been going back and forth with for a while, trying to figure out how to get it done properly. As happy as she was to train Marvin, the mage needed to get over the fear of a natural part of himself; his dark form. She understood that something happened with it, and he had every right to have his fears after, but it would be very hard to teach him how to control his dark magic if he was uncomfortable with himself the whole time.

So, she devised a plan. Jackie was the one who Marvin was most afraid of hurting, despite Jen knowing they had full control. Which meant that with a little planning, she got the hero to come over and peek in during their training session.

To avoid Marvin spotting Jackie before he was supposed to, Jen invited the hero over a little early. Nothing wrong with a little snack and some catching up, anyway. Ugear would certainly be happy to see him.

It was how Jackie ended up at Jen's front door while she was making tea, knocking with a little smile on his face. He was still in uniform from his patrol this morning, a bit of dried blood around his nostrils with some small and scabbing gashes on his cheek. He had a bit of a fight this morning with a criminal, but he knew it would heal just fine.

Plus, Jen and Ugear lived in what felt like the middle of nowhere, so he was safe to stand around in his work clothes.

The orb that was hovering in Marvin's hand instantly dissipated, little turquoise particles spreading out and being swept away by the wind. Their eyes stopped glowing, revealing a look of uncertainty and unease. Were they comfortable with it? No, definitely not.

"I-I can't do that, not with- I mean-" they stammered with a nervous chuckle, shaking their head. Marvin's eyes then darted towards Jackie for a split second and they took a small step back, almost seeming like they were curling in on themselves a little now. "I-I just can't... I can't risk it - not again. If I slip up then-"

"Marvin, honey..." Jen murmured softly. She didn't make him look up, instead stepping closer and kneeling down on one knee so she could meet his gaze. This was scary and she would never stop him from feeling that, but it was a fear that had to be overcome.

"Both you and Jackie are beyond safe here. Not only do you have me, but you have Ugear." she began. "I promise I can counter whatever you try to cast if something gets out of control. And if for some reason I can't, Ugear is just a few steps away. He'd be able to hold you back. But I'm telling you right now, it's not going to come to that."

Jen then carefully got back up, holding her hands up as if waiting for something. But as she did, she kept true to her word. Her disguise began to fall away, revealing the navy blue dark elf that was hiding underneath. White patterns still covered her skin, her thin white hair tied up in the same bun that her human disguise was wearing.

Ugear set his tea down as Jen mentioned him being able to step in if needed, giving a nod of confirmation. He would absolutely help if, for whatever reason, things got out of hand. It was a scary experience but Marvin was the only person out of all of them that didn't trust him.

The mage in question watched Jen's disguise fall away, his gaze softening slightly. He appreciated what she was doing, but the fear and worry were making his chest feel tight. His stomach was in knots all of a sudden, lips pressing together as he seemed to contemplate what to do. He had agreed to do this earlier but that was before he knew Jackie would be there.

"I-I... um... o-okay..." they replied slowly, trying to muster up the courage to try something.

"So.. this won't work for every spell of course, but you get the idea." she hummed, watching her magic work. "Nature based magic means that, while its capable of other things, a common theme of dark magic is decay and rot."

Jackie was just watching all of this with wide eyes. He'd seen that spell cast by Marvin before, but all of Jen's magic was brand new to him. So not only was her form a surprise, but so was her being able to catch actual magic.

It was an idea Jen had been going back and forth with for a while, trying to figure out how to get it done properly. As happy as she was to train Marvin, the mage needed to get over the fear of a natural part of himself; his dark form. She understood that something happened with it, and he had every right to have his fears after, but it would be very hard to teach him how to control his dark magic if he was uncomfortable with himself the whole time.

So, she devised a plan. Jackie was the one who Marvin was most afraid of hurting, despite Jen knowing they had full control. Which meant that with a little planning, she got the hero to come over and peek in during their training session.

To avoid Marvin spotting Jackie before he was supposed to, Jen invited the hero over a little early. Nothing wrong with a little snack and some catching up, anyway. Ugear would certainly be happy to see him.

It was how Jackie ended up at Jen's front door while she was making tea, knocking with a little smile on his face. He was still in uniform from his patrol this morning, a bit of dried blood around his nostrils with some small and scabbing gashes on his cheek. He had a bit of a fight this morning with a criminal, but he knew it would heal just fine.

Plus, Jen and Ugear lived in what felt like the middle of nowhere, so he was safe to stand around in his work clothes.

The orb that was hovering in Marvin's hand instantly dissipated, little turquoise particles spreading out and being swept away by the wind. Their eyes stopped glowing, revealing a look of uncertainty and unease. Were they comfortable with it? No, definitely not.

"I-I can't do that, not with- I mean-" they stammered with a nervous chuckle, shaking their head. Marvin's eyes then darted towards Jackie for a split second and they took a small step back, almost seeming like they were curling in on themselves a little now. "I-I just can't... I can't risk it - not again. If I slip up then-"

"Marvin, honey..." Jen murmured softly. She didn't make him look up, instead stepping closer and kneeling down on one knee so she could meet his gaze. This was scary and she would never stop him from feeling that, but it was a fear that had to be overcome.

"Both you and Jackie are beyond safe here. Not only do you have me, but you have Ugear." she began. "I promise I can counter whatever you try to cast if something gets out of control. And if for some reason I can't, Ugear is just a few steps away. He'd be able to hold you back. But I'm telling you right now, it's not going to come to that."

Jen then carefully got back up, holding her hands up as if waiting for something. But as she did, she kept true to her word. Her disguise began to fall away, revealing the navy blue dark elf that was hiding underneath. White patterns still covered her skin, her thin white hair tied up in the same bun that her human disguise was wearing.

It was an idea Jen had been going back and forth with for a while, trying to figure out how to get it done properly. As happy as she was to train Marvin, the mage needed to get over the fear of a natural part of himself; his dark form. She understood that something happened with it, and he had every right to have his fears after, but it would be very hard to teach him how to control his dark magic if he was uncomfortable with himself the whole time.

So, she devised a plan. Jackie was the one who Marvin was most afraid of hurting, despite Jen knowing they had full control. Which meant that with a little planning, she got the hero to come over and peek in during their training session.

To avoid Marvin spotting Jackie before he was supposed to, Jen invited the hero over a little early. Nothing wrong with a little snack and some catching up, anyway. Ugear would certainly be happy to see him.

It was how Jackie ended up at Jen's front door while she was making tea, knocking with a little smile on his face. He was still in uniform from his patrol this morning, a bit of dried blood around his nostrils with some small and scabbing gashes on his cheek. He had a bit of a fight this morning with a criminal, but he knew it would heal just fine.

Plus, Jen and Ugear lived in what felt like the middle of nowhere, so he was safe to stand around in his work clothes.

Okay, they could do that. Just keep delivering blows at the same intensity.

Marvin made another orb and shot it, succeeding in making the blow the same intensity as the last. They kept going, making another one a little faster and shooting it out. Again, they succeeded. After another try, the orb of energy seemed to do less damage, which caused the mage to pause. What did he do differently? What could've affected it?

Marvin wore a pensive expression as he thought about it. His magic seemed more powerful at first because he was excited and happy to have Jackie there. It was motivation. Now that he'd been there for a few minutes, that initial excitement ebbed out. So maybe they needed to find that source of motivation again in order to fuel their energy.

"Hm... okay..." they murmured to themselves before closing their eyes.

And then he fired off a spell with force stronger than any of them had held previously. It caught Jen's attention, wondering what exactly he was trying to focus on that made it more powerful. Not to mention, it was pulling more of his body into the equation. His eyes were glowing.

"Okay.. what was it that caused that. What did you decide was the problem." she asked, wanting them to be able to reflect. Knowing for personal reasons was good, but being able to voice what was done helped with remembering. And if Marvin wanted to improve, they needed to remember.

"I realized my energy seemed to increase when Jackie came outside. His presence motivated me to do well, so I figured that the energy I produce is heavily tied with my emotions. The initial excitement of having Jackie there ebbed out, so my energy naturally decreased, and there was less force in the blow. In order to keep my energy at the same level, I had to think of something motivating in order to increase the level," Marvin explained, smiling a little. They were admittedly a little proud for figuring it out. "I thought about my goals; to protect those I care about. That's something I'll never not want to do, so I'll always have that motivation."

"Now that, my friend, is exactly what we were looking for." she replied warmly. "If you know your motivation, what fuels you, that is an endless supply of strength. Of course, we all get tired, but this is the best way to keep the fire ablaze."

"However-" Jen than began, her expression getting a little more serious. "-if you're comfortable, I'd like to test that with your dark magic. A good motivation is not only what fuels your strength, but what keeps you grounded. It reminds you what your values are, who's important to you."

Jackie was smiling to himself as he listened to them, finding the sentiment very sweet. But, he also kind of knew that already. He fought alongside Marvin all the time, he lived with the guy. Of course their motivation was the people they care about. Jen asking about switching magic caught his attention though, a brow raising slightly.

It was an idea Jen had been going back and forth with for a while, trying to figure out how to get it done properly. As happy as she was to train Marvin, the mage needed to get over the fear of a natural part of himself; his dark form. She understood that something happened with it, and he had every right to have his fears after, but it would be very hard to teach him how to control his dark magic if he was uncomfortable with himself the whole time.

So, she devised a plan. Jackie was the one who Marvin was most afraid of hurting, despite Jen knowing they had full control. Which meant that with a little planning, she got the hero to come over and peek in during their training session.

To avoid Marvin spotting Jackie before he was supposed to, Jen invited the hero over a little early. Nothing wrong with a little snack and some catching up, anyway. Ugear would certainly be happy to see him.

It was how Jackie ended up at Jen's front door while she was making tea, knocking with a little smile on his face. He was still in uniform from his patrol this morning, a bit of dried blood around his nostrils with some small and scabbing gashes on his cheek. He had a bit of a fight this morning with a criminal, but he knew it would heal just fine.

Plus, Jen and Ugear lived in what felt like the middle of nowhere, so he was safe to stand around in his work clothes.

Okay, they could do that. Just keep delivering blows at the same intensity.

Marvin made another orb and shot it, succeeding in making the blow the same intensity as the last. They kept going, making another one a little faster and shooting it out. Again, they succeeded. After another try, the orb of energy seemed to do less damage, which caused the mage to pause. What did he do differently? What could've affected it?

Marvin wore a pensive expression as he thought about it. His magic seemed more powerful at first because he was excited and happy to have Jackie there. It was motivation. Now that he'd been there for a few minutes, that initial excitement ebbed out. So maybe they needed to find that source of motivation again in order to fuel their energy.

"Hm... okay..." they murmured to themselves before closing their eyes.

And then he fired off a spell with force stronger than any of them had held previously. It caught Jen's attention, wondering what exactly he was trying to focus on that made it more powerful. Not to mention, it was pulling more of his body into the equation. His eyes were glowing.

"Okay.. what was it that caused that. What did you decide was the problem." she asked, wanting them to be able to reflect. Knowing for personal reasons was good, but being able to voice what was done helped with remembering. And if Marvin wanted to improve, they needed to remember.

It was an idea Jen had been going back and forth with for a while, trying to figure out how to get it done properly. As happy as she was to train Marvin, the mage needed to get over the fear of a natural part of himself; his dark form. She understood that something happened with it, and he had every right to have his fears after, but it would be very hard to teach him how to control his dark magic if he was uncomfortable with himself the whole time.

So, she devised a plan. Jackie was the one who Marvin was most afraid of hurting, despite Jen knowing they had full control. Which meant that with a little planning, she got the hero to come over and peek in during their training session.

To avoid Marvin spotting Jackie before he was supposed to, Jen invited the hero over a little early. Nothing wrong with a little snack and some catching up, anyway. Ugear would certainly be happy to see him.

It was how Jackie ended up at Jen's front door while she was making tea, knocking with a little smile on his face. He was still in uniform from his patrol this morning, a bit of dried blood around his nostrils with some small and scabbing gashes on his cheek. He had a bit of a fight this morning with a criminal, but he knew it would heal just fine.

Plus, Jen and Ugear lived in what felt like the middle of nowhere, so he was safe to stand around in his work clothes.

"They're practicing now, you can come out. I doubt Marvin will see you, they're so focused on what they're doing. But now you get to watch," the demon stated happily.

Outside, Marvin nodded along to Jen's words, chuckling softly at the comparison. His definitely felt like the egg right now but that was just because he needed practice. He would be the rock soon enough. As Jen threw the orb, Marvin took in a breath and opened their hands, revealing their own orb that was shining more brightly than the last one and also seeming to spin faster on itself. It was almost beginning to turn a light green.

"Okay, here we go..." they murmured before pulling their arm back and throwing the orb.

It flew quickly and smacked the dummy, causing a bigger reaction than the last time. It wasn't to the same strength as Jen's blow yet, but some little ripples could be seen as the orb dissipated into the air. Marvin perked up at this, smiling a little.

"Hell yeah!" Jackie beamed as he steppes out. He barely got to see Marvin practice anymore. So, regardless of the plan he and Jen crafted, he was very excited to have the chance to watch again. He went over to the back porch, slowly opening the door and looking back to the demon. "You want to watch with me?"

Jen meanwhile looked down at the orb sat in Marvin's hands. The change in its appearance had her smiling, very happy with the progress already. She then watched as it was thrown, seeing the difference in damage dealt and looking back at them with a grin.

"It did!" she cheered. "It takes practice. Learning to be able to focus that energy takes time, but I think your experience with dark magic is going to help you. It's just about needing to fine-tune your body, as at the end of the day its still a magical vessel. And this is new magic." she explained.

"But, lets try again." she decided. Jen then brought her hands together again, beginning to make another orb with ease. This time, she let it grow larger in size. It forced her hands to separate, fingers curling around the size of it.

In the meantime, Marvin continued to listen to Jen's instructions, nodding in understanding. Of course, they knew no major changes would be happening in a day, but that was okay. It was all about time and consistency. They clasped their hands together again, about to make a bigger ball of energy until they heard a familiar voice. They perked up, glancing over and seeing their brother standing on the porch.

"Jackie? What are you doing here?" They asked, a twinkle of excitement in their eyes. This was a lovely surprise!

"Nothing like a little moral support, right?" Ugear chimed in with a grin, sipping his tea.

"It may have been." she chuckled softly in confirmation.

"I wanted to come support my brother!" Jackie beamed, getting comfortable in a chair on the porch. "I never get to see you practice anymore, and Jen was kind enough to let me sit in. But don't worry about me, alright? It's like I'm not even here."

"I don't know if that's possible, honey." Jen replied, letting the orb in hand flow back and forth between each palm. "Marvin ignoring you completely is impossible."

"Well they can try." Jackie insisted with a little giggle. "Don't you have a target to hit?"

Ugear got comfortable in one of the chair's as well, seeing the dummy and grinning. He could recall the use of a dummy like that quite a few times. Many good memories went along with that.

"Oh! Right, okay," Marvin nodded, refocusing their attention to the training. Of course they couldn't ignore Jackie, but they still needed to focus.

"Good job, Marvin!" Jen encouraged. Though, she did note how Jackie seemed to be encouraging them. Maybe he should sit in for more training sessions when he had the time, as it was helping them along. "We just started and you're already making lots of progress."

As she spoke, Jen summoned another orb with ease using the same method. She didn't really need it, but she wanted to work alongside Marvin. It was a method that did work for a lot of people, so she didn't want him thinking it was some simple beginner's trick.

It was an idea Jen had been going back and forth with for a while, trying to figure out how to get it done properly. As happy as she was to train Marvin, the mage needed to get over the fear of a natural part of himself; his dark form. She understood that something happened with it, and he had every right to have his fears after, but it would be very hard to teach him how to control his dark magic if he was uncomfortable with himself the whole time.

So, she devised a plan. Jackie was the one who Marvin was most afraid of hurting, despite Jen knowing they had full control. Which meant that with a little planning, she got the hero to come over and peek in during their training session.

To avoid Marvin spotting Jackie before he was supposed to, Jen invited the hero over a little early. Nothing wrong with a little snack and some catching up, anyway. Ugear would certainly be happy to see him.

It was how Jackie ended up at Jen's front door while she was making tea, knocking with a little smile on his face. He was still in uniform from his patrol this morning, a bit of dried blood around his nostrils with some small and scabbing gashes on his cheek. He had a bit of a fight this morning with a criminal, but he knew it would heal just fine.

Plus, Jen and Ugear lived in what felt like the middle of nowhere, so he was safe to stand around in his work clothes.

"They're practicing now, you can come out. I doubt Marvin will see you, they're so focused on what they're doing. But now you get to watch," the demon stated happily.

Outside, Marvin nodded along to Jen's words, chuckling softly at the comparison. His definitely felt like the egg right now but that was just because he needed practice. He would be the rock soon enough. As Jen threw the orb, Marvin took in a breath and opened their hands, revealing their own orb that was shining more brightly than the last one and also seeming to spin faster on itself. It was almost beginning to turn a light green.

"Okay, here we go..." they murmured before pulling their arm back and throwing the orb.

It flew quickly and smacked the dummy, causing a bigger reaction than the last time. It wasn't to the same strength as Jen's blow yet, but some little ripples could be seen as the orb dissipated into the air. Marvin perked up at this, smiling a little.

"Hell yeah!" Jackie beamed as he steppes out. He barely got to see Marvin practice anymore. So, regardless of the plan he and Jen crafted, he was very excited to have the chance to watch again. He went over to the back porch, slowly opening the door and looking back to the demon. "You want to watch with me?"

Jen meanwhile looked down at the orb sat in Marvin's hands. The change in its appearance had her smiling, very happy with the progress already. She then watched as it was thrown, seeing the difference in damage dealt and looking back at them with a grin.

"It did!" she cheered. "It takes practice. Learning to be able to focus that energy takes time, but I think your experience with dark magic is going to help you. It's just about needing to fine-tune your body, as at the end of the day its still a magical vessel. And this is new magic." she explained.

"But, lets try again." she decided. Jen then brought her hands together again, beginning to make another orb with ease. This time, she let it grow larger in size. It forced her hands to separate, fingers curling around the size of it.

In the meantime, Marvin continued to listen to Jen's instructions, nodding in understanding. Of course, they knew no major changes would be happening in a day, but that was okay. It was all about time and consistency. They clasped their hands together again, about to make a bigger ball of energy until they heard a familiar voice. They perked up, glancing over and seeing their brother standing on the porch.

"Jackie? What are you doing here?" They asked, a twinkle of excitement in their eyes. This was a lovely surprise!

"Nothing like a little moral support, right?" Ugear chimed in with a grin, sipping his tea.

"It may have been." she chuckled softly in confirmation.

"I wanted to come support my brother!" Jackie beamed, getting comfortable in a chair on the porch. "I never get to see you practice anymore, and Jen was kind enough to let me sit in. But don't worry about me, alright? It's like I'm not even here."

"I don't know if that's possible, honey." Jen replied, letting the orb in hand flow back and forth between each palm. "Marvin ignoring you completely is impossible."

"Well they can try." Jackie insisted with a little giggle. "Don't you have a target to hit?"