[Sayaka is a girl of many secrets, even among the many nobles of the Empire. She's everything she should be; a kind, proper noblewoman who never tries to act above her place, who strives to be erudite and polite in all things, and tries to be a model student in the academy. As a noble woman of such a minor house, she has many duties to attend to. Getting excellent marks, for one. Marrying upward to appease her father, for another. And...
Well, maybe she can find something for herself here, too. This academy has certainly proven to be a good place to foster one's talents, and as a girl who had to sink or swim to adapt to Fodlan's norms, she certainly wouldn't mind finding something she could call her own. Her own happiness, even in a life that's been forcibly thrust upon her.
It'd be nice, wouldn't it?
At any rate, though, Sayaka's definitely gotten used to the academy and keeps in regular contact with her father even now. It was one of the requirements to coming here; she has to keep him updated. She can't have too much air in that head of hers, and she knows that she has to appease her new father well. She's his chance to become something better than a meager family, being the only successor--and one without a crest, at that. But such things are easy enough to pass off with a passable offspring who has a lovely rarity of a crest of her own. To hopefully pay off an unspecified 'debt' or something at some point? Sayaka can't say she understands what in the blazes her father is talking about, but it's paramount to keep calm, smile, and be polite. You never know who you could piss off, after all, and she wants to (has to) make her father proud.
Sayaka has found plenty of candidates she's sure her father would be pleased with, even if she can tell that they aren't exactly good men in one manner or another. It won't do her to be picky about personality, but...well, whatever gets her father up the nobility ladder, right? That's what matters most.
At any rate, though, Sayaka has certainly gotten quite the leg up on magic, and it's due to that that she finds herself in the library today. Looking through the vast knowledge at the academy's disposal is an incredible way to pass the time, even if her own offensive brand of magic is...well, not exactly common. Or at the very least is a cautionary tale, but Sayaka doesn't mind; Dark Magic is an interesting case to her, and she wants to learn more about it.]
Let's see...the magic tomes should be somewhere right around...here?
[Sayaka turns a corner in the library to hopefully find something to sate her need to learn. Surely this won't go horribly pear-shaped, will it??]
[As Lady Edelgard's right hand man, it's Hubert's job to keep an eye on everyone in the Black Eagles house - and those beyond it that could prove... troublesome, so to speak. One of the more intriguing unknowns is the heir to the Maizono name - Sayaka, a fellow Black Eagle and someone Hubert is very curious about. Most of the nobles are those Hubert has had interactions with before - either personally or through the Vestra family's spies and knowledge. He knew what to expect from most of them... but Sayaka remains an unknown.
Frankly, she seems to be exactly what she should be. The perfect daughter of nobility, striving to do well in both her studies and her relationships, while keeping an eye on possible suitors that would better her family's station. The Maizono family may not be one of the highest-ranking nobles, but Hubert knows better than to ignore them simply for their station. Best to keep an eye on Sayaka until he's ruled her out entirely as a threat.
He's kept a fairly close eye on her for a little while now, but today's one of those days where he's actually tailing Linhardt instead. If anyone in their class is clever enough to catch on to what Lady Edelgard is planning, it's him, and Hubert wants to make sure he won't actually pose a problem. That's why he's in the library today, hanging out in the quietest section - the books about dark magic. He hardly needs these tomes himself - House Vestra has an incredible amount of books on the subject and most of these are the same tomes he's been reading since he was a child.
Linhardt has decided to take a nap, so Hubert's debating on whether he should leave and come back in a few hours or if he should wait and see if Caspar shows up suddenly... when guess who should turn the corner but one Sayaka Maizono.]
...Good afternoon.
[...She's not actually looking for dark magic books, is she?? Admittedly he hasn't seen her fight, so it's certainly possible she has some training in the dark arts... That would truly be fascinating.]
[...You know, Sayaka knows her luck is garbage. She's known this since the very moment she was adopted into Fodlan's nobility system.
This, however? This is further proof. Sayaka tries really, really hard not to visibly startle at the sight of the one man her father has told her to avoid at all cost, but here he is. Flesh and blood. Just as terrifying of an image as her father presented.
Hubert von Vestra, heir to the Vestra family--one of the more subtle, yet terrifying families of the Empire. Someone her father has gone well out of his way to inform her about, and she never thought she'd meet him face to face. This was...a tactical miscalculation.
Alright, well, no need to stare and look dumbfounded for more than a moment--as if on a trained cue, Sayaka's expression fixes from the light shock to a kind smile, and she bows her head--not enough to expose the back of her neck, but enough to be polite.]
Ah, good afternoon...Lord Hubert, if I am not mistaken?
[A simple curtsy, as she lifts herself, smiling that ever trained smile. She still needs to grab her books, but...can she really afford to let him see something like this? It's information that could be used against her, and she was certain that Linhardt would be the only one here, and sleeping at that--]
It's a pleasure to meet you. [...He's right near the book she needs, how can she get him to move, this is bad, her eyes train right on an explicitly dark magic book before shooting back to him, smiling a touch sheepishly as she tries to make small talk--] This library is certainly vast, isn't it? There's so much here, I imagine you couldn't make it through it all in one lifetime.
[Lord, ugh. It's a title he's had to get used to but it's one he's never liked; someday there won't be any reason for such things anymore, and he cannot wait for that day to come... but for now, he can simply claim it's because they're in the same class, and there's no need for such formalities.
Of course, he's noticed how easily she slips back into her practiced niceties - there's no doubt that she was trained for a situation exactly like this, because that's what's expected of her as a noble's daughter. He does notice her eyes dart toward the shelf, but he's not sure if that's an indication that she's looking for something in particular or if she's just intimidated because he certainly hasn't stopped staring her down.]
I've found the selection here to be quite impressive, although the Church has had a lot of time to devote to its collection.
[It's all said very neutrally - he has to be careful not to let too much of his disdain for the Church through.]
[The fact that he's staring her down absolutely hasn't helped matters; she wants to avert her gaze, to do anything to will herself calm, to get out of this place and out of his sight. This man could kill her, her father, and destroy everything that's keeping her life barely held up. Sayaka knows this, and she knows she should leave.
But...there's something she wants for herself, too. Maybe she can make it through this without too much of a mark on her reputation.]
I'll keep that in mind. [read: no she the fuck won't because that's so? improper??? that's a death sentence right there] But yes! It really is; there's plenty of good things to study, and not even just for class...
[Ah...the question gives Sayaka a pause, but she does nod her head after a moment. She's not familiar with Hubert's own fighting style, admittedly, so it could be a wash, but...]
Yes, actually...or, well, maybe! I was actually looking for something for one of my classmates. [the perfect excuse. no way this will possibly go wrong.] He was looking for an intermediate level book on dark magic...I do hate to be a burden, but would you happen to know where I could find one? To bring to him.
[Flawless execution. Hopefully. Being under a microscope like this is not fun and she's really hoping she doesn't sound as nervous as she feels, even though she's doing her best to keep herself level.
[Hmm. Is that really the case...? Well, it's certainly possible that there are other dark magic users in their class that Hubert doesn't know about; it isn't as though he's all-seeing, after all. Regardless, he wordlessly turns back to the shelf and glances through the tomes - the one he picks out is a familiar one that he knows all too well.]
Intermediate, you said - this should suffice. This classmate of yours shouldn't have much trouble with the selection here, should they wish to browse personally next time.
[It isn't sarcastic, but it's pretty obvious that he doesn't entirely buy that this is for a classmate. Still, the book he holds out for her is for intermediate study, so there's that...??]
[For a brief, beautiful moment, Sayaka can think that Hubert von Vestra has fallen for her baited trap. Thank the goddess for that much; she doesn't relax, not even slightly, but there's an undoubted bit of relief when he grabs that volume for her. It's the exact one she needs, too! Hopefully he doesn't notice how her eyes almost gleam, in both recognition and excitement--before she schools it back and takes the book from him.]
Ah, thank you! I'll be glad to direct him over here, next time. But I really don't mind it--I'm always glad to do something nice for my classmates. They're always so busy with everything else here, and it doesn't hurt to help a little bit.
[She does seem very earnest about it... but it's sort of hard to believe that she'd really go this far out of her way for someone she barely knows. Much less for books on dark magic, which most people prefer not to deal with at all... But he'll let it go for now, there's no sense in accusing her of something so small, after all.]
Until next time, then.
[He's just going to make sure to grab a book and pretend to be interested in that instead of loitering around. Surely this doesn't look suspicious in the slightest. He was definitely just here to check out books on dark magic.]
You know what, never mind. Politely curtsy, and with a bit of vigor that almost seems both like fleeing and entirely too much excitement (if Hubert's particularly eagle eyed (heh), he'll notice Sayaka opening the book right away as she leaves the door, clearly proving a lie), Sayaka takes her leave. Boy oh boy does she have a letter to write to her father, but that can wait. New magic and new learning await, and she fully intends to utilize it to good effect!
And to good effect it goes; the letter doesn't...go well, to say the least (it's useless, she should've expected, and her father just tells her to go on with life like normal), but it's. Well, not okay, to say the least, but it's just another thing on her plate! No pressure, right? Right.
...Wrong, but that's a problem for Sayaka of the future. At any rate, she's got more important things to worry about--and today, it seems to be pairing up for some magic exercises on the training grounds. Alright, makes some sense, and there's a mix of different classes, so at least it'll be a good opportunity to practice.
...It seems that way at first, and then Sayaka hears who she's being paired with and. Ah. Okay. She sees. This is just her life now, isn't it??
May as well not make a stink, at least...once they're all paired and instructed to practice, Sayaka will meet Hubert with a curtsy.]
Looks like we're partners. Are you ready to get started?
[Hubert does watch her leave, and he smirks to himself when he notices her flip the book open on her way out. She isn't exactly someone he would have expected to have an interest in dark magic; that's certainly interesting.
Of course, in the following days, Hubert does keep an eye on Sayaka. She isn't the only one he's been watching, but he's certainly even more intrigued by her now. He doesn't really expect to get an opportunity to see her use dark magic any time soon... and then he's immediately proven wrong when the Professor decides to pair them up for magic practice.
Such things are usually rather boring for Hubert because he has to downplay his own abilities so as not to raise suspicions, but this? Oh, this is interesting.]
I am indeed. Would you care to go first?
[He manages not to smirk, but boy is it a struggle!!]
[He. He cannot possibly be serious. There's no way he's actually caught on, is there? No, no. Clearly not, there's no possible way. There's likely no denying the way Sayaka has tensed up at that statement that gives her away but...]
Are you sure? I have to admit, I'm...not exactly very good at magic. Maybe you should go first? I think I'd learn a little better by watching someone else, first.
[Okay, well that does get a smirk from him, but since that's basically his usual expression anyway, surely it's fine??]
Very well.
[He sincerely doubts that she's going to be that quick of a learner from just a small display anyway, so he turns to the practice dummy and aims a simple dark spell at it. It's obviously something he's practiced a lot given how fluid the motion is and how the dummy shakes when hit, but this isn't anything particularly out of the ordinary for dark magic either.
Hubert turns to Sayaka, raising an eyebrow as if to say "your turn".]
[Sayaka watches; at least feigns watching closely to pretend to be less experienced than she is. She supposes she's not surprised that he's experienced in the same arts that she is, but she can do better. She can do so much better, and a part of her wants to prove that.
The other part, that's less competitive, knows she has to keep such things to herself. Alright. It at least makes sense, at least.]
Alright. Here goes nothing!
[Sayaka has not been able to reasonably do Reason magic since she arrived here. Hell, she can't even do Nosferatu, despite having a decent grasp on healing. Uh. Fuck it we ball??
...She has proceeded to roll a 8, so at the least, it doesn't backfire on her. Sayaka at least hits the dummy with some magic, but that fire ball is looking very distinctly tinged with some dark magic and Sayaka's already just. Kind of looking defeated. It was a solid hit, though.]
[Hubert inclines his head a bit as he considers Sayaka's spell. It wasn't exactly proper Reason magic, but it certainly says something that she was almost able to disguise it.]
Though I see no reason to hide what you're capable of. You won't improve if you don't push yourself.
[Perhaps a bit funny coming from him when he's so determined not to let anyone know the extent of his own capabilities, but that's a different matter entirely as far as Hubert's concerned.]
[And her bluff is called. Shit. Sayaka's eyes close for a moment in frustration, though she manages the monumental feat of trying not to let that show on her face. She has a reputation to maintain, dammit, and she's going to manage it.
Breathe; keep calm, smile, be polite.]
It's not exactly proper for a lady to have an affinity for this sort of thing, you know. [She hates this already, but is there any more use in hiding it?] Why should I push myself in something like that? I'd rather not appear...odd, towards others. I don't even know why I have an affinity towards it to begin with.
[It's good that she doesn't know why she has an affinity for it; otherwise it could be something like... well, like what Lady Edelgard went through. Dark magic has always been an enigma however, and sometimes things like this happen. Sayaka just so happens to have the talent for it - but her worries certainly aren't unfounded. The Vestra family has earned plenty of fear and suspicion from other noble families over the years simply because of that (though everything else only adds to it).]
I understand your concerns, but surely you realize that during our time here, we will be expected to contribute to our class. If you cannot master Reason well enough to rely on that, then what will you do?
[Ah, a sore subject. Perhaps he went a bit too far in assuming that she wouldn't be able to carry her own weight; he'll have to be careful of that in the future.]
I did, yes. I do not mean to say that your powers of healing are unimportant, but I imagine the Professor will want us to be capable of offense as needed.
[A small, slightly less aggravated sigh. Sayaka gets it, she really does...]
...I've been told this whole time that taking part in such things is unladylike. Uncouth. And unneeded, most importantly. A lady shouldn't be dabbling in anything like this.
[Still, Sayaka pauses. Considers for a moment before calling magic into her hand--the actual magic she uses, rather than disguising it. And while the hit she lands is better, there's still plenty of room for improvement.]
[This is precisely why Lady Edelgard's plans must come to fruition. There shouldn't be so much focus on what is "ladylike" and "uncouth". Sayaka's a young woman capable of using a rare kind of magic - shouldn't that be celebrated and encouraged rather than ignored?
But such thoughts have no place here; they only serve as a distraction at the moment. Hubert's already resolved to fight for Lady Edelgard's dream and nothing would ever change his mind - but this is yet another instance that reminds him why that dream is so necessary.
He watches as Sayaka tries again, this time without attempting to disguise her magic. Hubert nods, approving.]
Certainly not a bad start. Have you learned this much only from books?
[That's his assumption anyway, given that she doesn't seem to be embracing her power.]
[Sayaka tips her head a bit at the question, her expression shifting back to it's usual.]
Pretty much entirely, yeah. I've...tried to play around with it some, to a little bit of success? [thus, the almost fire ball] But I've pretty much been going off whatever I've been reading, without too much deviation from it.
It seems like the best way to avoid it backfiring. I've heard that it can go pretty bad if it does.
I'm impressed. It's notn often one can grasp even the basics from text alone.
[It's genuine praise, but he does nod at the last part.]
Dark magic in particular requires care with study, though it would seem you've not only taken that into consideration, but learned to improvise with it.
[It's...strange, to hear such easy praise from someone who could easily kill her, her father, and everything she knows. She's not sure if that's a good thing; this could very well be him trying to gather blackmail material. He could easily let this be spread like wildfire, and she's pretty sure that would essentially blacklist her from any noble's idea of a perfect woman. Her father wouldn't be able to marry her off or continue his lineage, and it'd--
Sayaka manages a smile, though; fake as ever, but she does nod her head with a small semblance of pride.]
It's far easier than I would have expected. But...I guess outside of how it makes me look to outsiders, it's not entirely bad.
[Sayaka chuckles a bit, sheepish. She'll gather some more magic into her hand while she talks, though, concentrating.]
Have you done a lot of research into it yourself, Lord Hubert?
[Does she truly believe that? That dark magic isn't all that bad - aside from appearances, of course? It seems rather unlikely... but Sayaka wouldn'thave come this far in her training if she didn't have some interest in dark magic, so perhaps there's a bit of truth in her words.]
I have, yes. Dark magic has caught my interest; I've been hoping to learn more here.
[That's not the truth, but it's close enough. Saying he's been studying it since childhood would be more accurate, but hardly suitable for the lie he must live for the sake of Lady Edelgard's plans.]
I am surprised that it's something you find interesting... perhaps we'll learn more together.
[Given the smirk he says it with... is that a threat??]
Edited (Phone tagging is hard, f) 2023-03-03 00:18 (UTC)
Sayaka can't help but tense at that. That smirk is unmistakable, and though her expression doesn't change, she does not like it one bit. That smirk could carry countless implications, each worse than the last, and--
Well, Sayaka chuckles a bit. It feels almost forced, somehow.]
Ah...well, I suppose I would not mind that...?
[There's a twitch in the magic she uses, before Sayaka looks away from Hubert for a brief moment to release that magic. It lands a solid blow against the dummy, leaving a crack in it as Sayaka winces and places her hand on her head.]
Ah--but you don't need to, if you don't wish. You're gonna have your hands full keeping Princess Edelgard safe, right?
[Ohhh, her regrets are many for holding that spell so long, ow.]
...I don't suppose we could return to this in a bit? I'm sorry, I think I might've gotten too distracted...
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
Well, maybe she can find something for herself here, too. This academy has certainly proven to be a good place to foster one's talents, and as a girl who had to sink or swim to adapt to Fodlan's norms, she certainly wouldn't mind finding something she could call her own. Her own happiness, even in a life that's been forcibly thrust upon her.
It'd be nice, wouldn't it?
At any rate, though, Sayaka's definitely gotten used to the academy and keeps in regular contact with her father even now. It was one of the requirements to coming here; she has to keep him updated. She can't have too much air in that head of hers, and she knows that she has to appease her new father well. She's his chance to become something better than a meager family, being the only successor--and one without a crest, at that. But such things are easy enough to pass off with a passable offspring who has a lovely rarity of a crest of her own. To hopefully pay off an unspecified 'debt' or something at some point? Sayaka can't say she understands what in the blazes her father is talking about, but it's paramount to keep calm, smile, and be polite. You never know who you could piss off, after all, and she wants to (has to) make her father proud.
Sayaka has found plenty of candidates she's sure her father would be pleased with, even if she can tell that they aren't exactly good men in one manner or another. It won't do her to be picky about personality, but...well, whatever gets her father up the nobility ladder, right? That's what matters most.
At any rate, though, Sayaka has certainly gotten quite the leg up on magic, and it's due to that that she finds herself in the library today. Looking through the vast knowledge at the academy's disposal is an incredible way to pass the time, even if her own offensive brand of magic is...well, not exactly common. Or at the very least is a cautionary tale, but Sayaka doesn't mind; Dark Magic is an interesting case to her, and she wants to learn more about it.]
Let's see...the magic tomes should be somewhere right around...here?
[Sayaka turns a corner in the library to hopefully find something to sate her need to learn. Surely this won't go horribly pear-shaped, will it??]
no subject
Frankly, she seems to be exactly what she should be. The perfect daughter of nobility, striving to do well in both her studies and her relationships, while keeping an eye on possible suitors that would better her family's station. The Maizono family may not be one of the highest-ranking nobles, but Hubert knows better than to ignore them simply for their station. Best to keep an eye on Sayaka until he's ruled her out entirely as a threat.
He's kept a fairly close eye on her for a little while now, but today's one of those days where he's actually tailing Linhardt instead. If anyone in their class is clever enough to catch on to what Lady Edelgard is planning, it's him, and Hubert wants to make sure he won't actually pose a problem. That's why he's in the library today, hanging out in the quietest section - the books about dark magic. He hardly needs these tomes himself - House Vestra has an incredible amount of books on the subject and most of these are the same tomes he's been reading since he was a child.
Linhardt has decided to take a nap, so Hubert's debating on whether he should leave and come back in a few hours or if he should wait and see if Caspar shows up suddenly... when guess who should turn the corner but one Sayaka Maizono.]
...Good afternoon.
[...She's not actually looking for dark magic books, is she?? Admittedly he hasn't seen her fight, so it's certainly possible she has some training in the dark arts... That would truly be fascinating.]
no subject
This, however? This is further proof. Sayaka tries really, really hard not to visibly startle at the sight of the one man her father has told her to avoid at all cost, but here he is. Flesh and blood. Just as terrifying of an image as her father presented.
Hubert von Vestra, heir to the Vestra family--one of the more subtle, yet terrifying families of the Empire. Someone her father has gone well out of his way to inform her about, and she never thought she'd meet him face to face. This was...a tactical miscalculation.
Alright, well, no need to stare and look dumbfounded for more than a moment--as if on a trained cue, Sayaka's expression fixes from the light shock to a kind smile, and she bows her head--not enough to expose the back of her neck, but enough to be polite.]
Ah, good afternoon...Lord Hubert, if I am not mistaken?
[A simple curtsy, as she lifts herself, smiling that ever trained smile. She still needs to grab her books, but...can she really afford to let him see something like this? It's information that could be used against her, and she was certain that Linhardt would be the only one here, and sleeping at that--]
It's a pleasure to meet you. [...He's right near the book she needs, how can she get him to move, this is bad, her eyes train right on an explicitly dark magic book before shooting back to him, smiling a touch sheepishly as she tries to make small talk--] This library is certainly vast, isn't it? There's so much here, I imagine you couldn't make it through it all in one lifetime.
no subject
[Lord, ugh. It's a title he's had to get used to but it's one he's never liked; someday there won't be any reason for such things anymore, and he cannot wait for that day to come... but for now, he can simply claim it's because they're in the same class, and there's no need for such formalities.
Of course, he's noticed how easily she slips back into her practiced niceties - there's no doubt that she was trained for a situation exactly like this, because that's what's expected of her as a noble's daughter. He does notice her eyes dart toward the shelf, but he's not sure if that's an indication that she's looking for something in particular or if she's just intimidated because he certainly hasn't stopped staring her down.]
I've found the selection here to be quite impressive, although the Church has had a lot of time to devote to its collection.
[It's all said very neutrally - he has to be careful not to let too much of his disdain for the Church through.]
Are you looking for something in particular?
no subject
But...there's something she wants for herself, too. Maybe she can make it through this without too much of a mark on her reputation.]
I'll keep that in mind. [read: no she the fuck won't because that's so? improper??? that's a death sentence right there] But yes! It really is; there's plenty of good things to study, and not even just for class...
[Ah...the question gives Sayaka a pause, but she does nod her head after a moment. She's not familiar with Hubert's own fighting style, admittedly, so it could be a wash, but...]
Yes, actually...or, well, maybe! I was actually looking for something for one of my classmates. [the perfect excuse. no way this will possibly go wrong.] He was looking for an intermediate level book on dark magic...I do hate to be a burden, but would you happen to know where I could find one? To bring to him.
[Flawless execution. Hopefully. Being under a microscope like this is not fun and she's really hoping she doesn't sound as nervous as she feels, even though she's doing her best to keep herself level.
Keep calm, smile, be polite.]
no subject
Intermediate, you said - this should suffice. This classmate of yours shouldn't have much trouble with the selection here, should they wish to browse personally next time.
[It isn't sarcastic, but it's pretty obvious that he doesn't entirely buy that this is for a classmate. Still, the book he holds out for her is for intermediate study, so there's that...??]
no subject
Ah, thank you! I'll be glad to direct him over here, next time. But I really don't mind it--I'm always glad to do something nice for my classmates. They're always so busy with everything else here, and it doesn't hurt to help a little bit.
no subject
[She does seem very earnest about it... but it's sort of hard to believe that she'd really go this far out of her way for someone she barely knows. Much less for books on dark magic, which most people prefer not to deal with at all... But he'll let it go for now, there's no sense in accusing her of something so small, after all.]
Until next time, then.
[He's just going to make sure to grab a book and pretend to be interested in that instead of loitering around. Surely this doesn't look suspicious in the slightest. He was definitely just here to check out books on dark magic.]
no subject
[sayaka he literally said--
You know what, never mind. Politely curtsy, and with a bit of vigor that almost seems both like fleeing and entirely too much excitement (if Hubert's particularly eagle eyed (heh), he'll notice Sayaka opening the book right away as she leaves the door, clearly proving a lie), Sayaka takes her leave. Boy oh boy does she have a letter to write to her father, but that can wait. New magic and new learning await, and she fully intends to utilize it to good effect!
And to good effect it goes; the letter doesn't...go well, to say the least (it's useless, she should've expected, and her father just tells her to go on with life like normal), but it's. Well, not okay, to say the least, but it's just another thing on her plate! No pressure, right? Right.
...Wrong, but that's a problem for Sayaka of the future. At any rate, she's got more important things to worry about--and today, it seems to be pairing up for some magic exercises on the training grounds. Alright, makes some sense, and there's a mix of different classes, so at least it'll be a good opportunity to practice.
...It seems that way at first, and then Sayaka hears who she's being paired with and. Ah. Okay. She sees. This is just her life now, isn't it??
May as well not make a stink, at least...once they're all paired and instructed to practice, Sayaka will meet Hubert with a curtsy.]
Looks like we're partners. Are you ready to get started?
no subject
Of course, in the following days, Hubert does keep an eye on Sayaka. She isn't the only one he's been watching, but he's certainly even more intrigued by her now. He doesn't really expect to get an opportunity to see her use dark magic any time soon... and then he's immediately proven wrong when the Professor decides to pair them up for magic practice.
Such things are usually rather boring for Hubert because he has to downplay his own abilities so as not to raise suspicions, but this? Oh, this is interesting.]
I am indeed. Would you care to go first?
[He manages not to smirk, but boy is it a struggle!!]
no subject
[He. He cannot possibly be serious. There's no way he's actually caught on, is there? No, no. Clearly not, there's no possible way. There's likely no denying the way Sayaka has tensed up at that statement that gives her away but...]
Are you sure? I have to admit, I'm...not exactly very good at magic. Maybe you should go first? I think I'd learn a little better by watching someone else, first.
[surely? this will work???]
no subject
Very well.
[He sincerely doubts that she's going to be that quick of a learner from just a small display anyway, so he turns to the practice dummy and aims a simple dark spell at it. It's obviously something he's practiced a lot given how fluid the motion is and how the dummy shakes when hit, but this isn't anything particularly out of the ordinary for dark magic either.
Hubert turns to Sayaka, raising an eyebrow as if to say "your turn".]
no subject
The other part, that's less competitive, knows she has to keep such things to herself. Alright. It at least makes sense, at least.]
Alright. Here goes nothing!
[Sayaka has not been able to reasonably do Reason magic since she arrived here. Hell, she can't even do Nosferatu, despite having a decent grasp on healing. Uh. Fuck it we ball??
...She has proceeded to roll a 8, so at the least, it doesn't backfire on her. Sayaka at least hits the dummy with some magic, but that fire ball is looking very distinctly tinged with some dark magic and Sayaka's already just. Kind of looking defeated. It was a solid hit, though.]
...Well, at least it was better than nothing...?
no subject
[Hubert inclines his head a bit as he considers Sayaka's spell. It wasn't exactly proper Reason magic, but it certainly says something that she was almost able to disguise it.]
Though I see no reason to hide what you're capable of. You won't improve if you don't push yourself.
[Perhaps a bit funny coming from him when he's so determined not to let anyone know the extent of his own capabilities, but that's a different matter entirely as far as Hubert's concerned.]
no subject
Breathe; keep calm, smile, be polite.]
It's not exactly proper for a lady to have an affinity for this sort of thing, you know. [She hates this already, but is there any more use in hiding it?] Why should I push myself in something like that? I'd rather not appear...odd, towards others. I don't even know why I have an affinity towards it to begin with.
no subject
I understand your concerns, but surely you realize that during our time here, we will be expected to contribute to our class. If you cannot master Reason well enough to rely on that, then what will you do?
no subject
With all due respect, Lord Hubert, I am a perfectly capable healer. I am capable of contributing without resorting to such things.
[That's a sore subject, to say the least.]
...But I imagine you mean contributing in a manner suited to offense, don't you?
no subject
I did, yes. I do not mean to say that your powers of healing are unimportant, but I imagine the Professor will want us to be capable of offense as needed.
no subject
...I've been told this whole time that taking part in such things is unladylike. Uncouth. And unneeded, most importantly. A lady shouldn't be dabbling in anything like this.
[Still, Sayaka pauses. Considers for a moment before calling magic into her hand--the actual magic she uses, rather than disguising it. And while the hit she lands is better, there's still plenty of room for improvement.]
...How was that, then?
no subject
But such thoughts have no place here; they only serve as a distraction at the moment. Hubert's already resolved to fight for Lady Edelgard's dream and nothing would ever change his mind - but this is yet another instance that reminds him why that dream is so necessary.
He watches as Sayaka tries again, this time without attempting to disguise her magic. Hubert nods, approving.]
Certainly not a bad start. Have you learned this much only from books?
[That's his assumption anyway, given that she doesn't seem to be embracing her power.]
no subject
Pretty much entirely, yeah. I've...tried to play around with it some, to a little bit of success? [thus, the almost fire ball] But I've pretty much been going off whatever I've been reading, without too much deviation from it.
It seems like the best way to avoid it backfiring. I've heard that it can go pretty bad if it does.
no subject
I'm impressed. It's notn often one can grasp even the basics from text alone.
[It's genuine praise, but he does nod at the last part.]
Dark magic in particular requires care with study, though it would seem you've not only taken that into consideration, but learned to improvise with it.
no subject
Sayaka manages a smile, though; fake as ever, but she does nod her head with a small semblance of pride.]
It's far easier than I would have expected. But...I guess outside of how it makes me look to outsiders, it's not entirely bad.
[Sayaka chuckles a bit, sheepish. She'll gather some more magic into her hand while she talks, though, concentrating.]
Have you done a lot of research into it yourself, Lord Hubert?
no subject
I have, yes. Dark magic has caught my interest; I've been hoping to learn more here.
[That's not the truth, but it's close enough. Saying he's been studying it since childhood would be more accurate, but hardly suitable for the lie he must live for the sake of Lady Edelgard's plans.]
I am surprised that it's something you find interesting... perhaps we'll learn more together.
[Given the smirk he says it with... is that a threat??]
no subject
Sayaka can't help but tense at that. That smirk is unmistakable, and though her expression doesn't change, she does not like it one bit. That smirk could carry countless implications, each worse than the last, and--
Well, Sayaka chuckles a bit. It feels almost forced, somehow.]
Ah...well, I suppose I would not mind that...?
[There's a twitch in the magic she uses, before Sayaka looks away from Hubert for a brief moment to release that magic. It lands a solid blow against the dummy, leaving a crack in it as Sayaka winces and places her hand on her head.]
Ah--but you don't need to, if you don't wish. You're gonna have your hands full keeping Princess Edelgard safe, right?
[Ohhh, her regrets are many for holding that spell so long, ow.]
...I don't suppose we could return to this in a bit? I'm sorry, I think I might've gotten too distracted...
(no subject)