IC Inbox | Sticks and Bones

[ephemeralflow]

[Did you think she would be nice enough to leave a page for you to contact her? Nope. Anyone who wants to seek her out is going to have to try it themselves. But she's fond of checking her notebook, and if it's interesting enough, she'll probably reply...]

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[ephemeralflow]

[Timekeeper closes her eye, sighs, and...

...for a second, her smile drops. She takes a moment to rearrange herself on the bed, brushing the sheet aside and turning to sit on the edge of the mattress, crossing her legs and facing Loop properly now. The small smile returns as she clasps her hands in her lap, but those few seconds without it make it clear enough how serious she is.]

Much as I hate to admit it, these past few months have made it excruciatingly clear that with my chronokinesis limited by the state of the Grove's time, I have entirely too few options when I need to face an opponent - and that whether I need to face danger head on is no longer something I can decide for myself. It is infuriating. Yet, you were able to deal an impressive blow, Loop.

Your Craft. Can it be taught?

[theuniverseleads]

My... Craft?

[... they seem a bit worried, but only for as long as it takes them to figure out what she's actually asking. Ah. Not, like, their Craft, the forbidden and dangerous kind that comes from their country, but—]

You mean Piercing Craft? [Holding up their hand in a scissors shape, this one?? She does seem like a fit for scissors...] Well... probably?? I'm not really a teacher, though. The Researcher would be the better person to ask.

[ephemeralflow]

If that is what you struck that beast with, then yes. I won't ask you more about Time Craft, for now.

[Which isn't to say she's not still insatiably curious about it. But clearly, whatever timecrafting Loop is capable of is not entirely under their control. Obviously, that would be a subject to study, not to be taught! And anything else... she's simply not aware of yet.]

By which you mean Odile, yes? Hm, I thought her still wary of me. [But, well, Pure Vanilla Cookie had very much blabbed that it had been Odile of all people to drag the both of them to the clinic, which Timekeeper had been somewhat surprised to learn.

Her eye flicks to the side for a second.] I'd rather learn from you anyway, in all truth.

[Because she doesn't want to feel vulnerable in front of any more people if she can help it. Maybe it's a moot point by now anyway, with all that's happened, especially with Odile having already hauled her around half dead. But that doesn't mean it doesn't still twist her stomach, the thought of having to admit a weakness to yet another person.

She fought so hard to be this strong. Lost so much. It was supposed to be so that nothing was ever wrong again. Can't she keep that comforting mask up, keep pretending everything's under control, wherever she can? Hasn't she earned that much? Loop is an exception, a loophole (heh) who understands on a level she's sure no one else could. Timekeeper so desperately wants them to be the only one to hear this plea.]

[theuniverseleads]

She's nicer than she pretends to be. That's just how she is. [They allow the wistful tone to seep into their voice, for once. The Researcher can be intimidating, but they know she'd be curious, too. Can someone from another world learn Craft? How would they approach it? And so on.

But they can also understand Timekeeper's own unspoken wariness, that desire to keep up an act of competence. Asking for help is hard. And she asked them, instead of anyone else... if they refused now, and this little truce of theirs fell apart over it...

They sigh, folding their arms. They really don't know if they'd be any good of a teacher, but]

I can try? I've never taught anyone before, [... that was stardust, not them, maybe they can use that as a template?] but I guess if it's regular combat Crafts, it shouldn't be that hard?

Once I'm cleared by the Healer, anyway! [Craft Exhaustion! No crafting allowed!]

[ephemeralflow]

[Nicer than she pretends to be, huh? Doesn't sound familiar at all, haha nope!]

I'm a quick study, it should be no trouble.

[Really, if there's one thing in the world that Timekeeper can coast on, it's her own brains. She's confident that she doesn't need the best teacher possible, only one willing to explain the basics. It will be fascinating regardless, to learn how the magic analogue of another timeline works! Not to mention quite the sneaky little trick up her sleeve. No Cookie would ever expect it, certainly.

Loop blurts out that addendum, and she can only laugh quietly, her own smile turning tired once more.]

Once we both are, that is. Should we rush off now, Pure Vanilla Cookie would surely hunt us down and drag us back to bed!

[theuniverseleads]

Hahah, yep! Wouldn't want to get into trouble! [They laugh along with her. Freeze frame, roll credits, what a cute note to end this scene on...

...

...

...

okay, but] Well... we could try a little Crafting. Just to see if you can! What Pure Vanilla doesn't know won't hurt him. [this is definitely a good idea]

Are you familiar with Rock, Paper, Scissors?

[ephemeralflow]

Oho!

[There's a mischievous flash in her eye, because, well, Timekeeper likes breaking the rules very much. But still...]

Well, I won't object to hearing the basics now, so long as you do not overdo it. A dip into magical theory never hurt anyone! Although... naturally I know what those things are individually, but I have not heard them as a collective phrase before.

[In other words, no. Fun fact: cookies do not have fingers.]

[theuniverseleads]

[Loop briefly peeks out the door to make sure PV isn't lurking out there listening... but the coast is clear, so! They sit down on the bed next to Timekeeper, steepling their hands.]

Really! Maybe it's because your world doesn't have Craft? [so no need to come up with a kid's game to teach type effectiveness, or something] But that's fine, let me think...

[They pause, breathing in, and out. It's a simple enough script to remember. They quickly get into character, mimicking the tutorial kid's high energy without even thinking about it.]

I'll teach you then! It's a simple game. We're gonna yell "Rock Paper Scissors", and at "Scissors" we throw our hands like this! [doing a little demonstration at the same time, landing on] This one with your fist closed, that's Rock! This one with your hand flat is Paper! And this one with your index and middle fingers up is Scissors! [showing each of them as they go, of course!]

Rock beats Scissors because rocks break scissors! Scissors beats Paper because you cut paper with scissors! Paper beats Rock just because!

[ephemeralflow]

[Slipping into a bit of a new persona for a tutorial is hardly worth comment - Timekeeper is already completely focused on the content of said tutorial itself.]

I see! A simple cycle of strengths, albeit not the perfect illustration of one. ["Just because" indeed.] And this represents the different types of Craft, I imagine?

[She hadn't been able to see Loop using Craft behind them as they ran, but she hadn't missed the "scissors" sign they made a minute ago either.]

How funny that one is scissors! That one would suit me quite well, I think. Though, speaking of, I have noticed my Sonic Embroider has not made it back to the clinic with us. What a pain, to need to find both halves now... well, hopefully they do not fall into the wrong hands in the meantime.

[If she sounds less concerned than she probably should be... yeah, she wouldn't mind if someone screwed up trying to use one of the halves and caused a bit of chaos, honestly. The temporal distortion would clue her in to its location, at least!]

[theuniverseleads]

Ding ding! Indeed it does, Timecrafter! The three primary types are also known as Protector Craft, Creative Craft and Piercing Craft—Rock, Paper and Scissors! Each person has an affinity for one of those three types, though it is possible to learn any type of Craft with enough practise and understanding. Also, some people have an affinity for two Craft types! But it's not very common, so don't get too hopeful~

[It's pretty basic stuff to explain, at least. The topic briefly veers to something else, though, when Timekeeper brings up her Sonic Embroider... and Loop's expression noticeably falls, realizing they completely forgot about that thing, wow, isn't that kind of important?? If this happened a week ago they'd have been fine with it, but now that they've suddenly decided to maybe try getting along with TK...

Yeah, her total lack of concern is going over Loop's head. Augh, you idiot!! Trying to make peace when they can't even remember to pick up one blinding little important thing!! Isn't that their job, remembering what things they have to pick up????]

I could check? If you want? It might still be there. [they had a nap so like it's fine if they walk right back out into the danger zone at the forest's edge, right, they'll only be gone for a couple minutes]

[ephemeralflow]

You will not.

[She clips the words simply, matter-of-factly, snipping them out of the air and letting them fall on Loop's head.]

However important you are thinking that old thing is, it is... not.

[If she halfway sounds like she's trying to convince herself of that, haha no she's not.]

I will find it again one way or another once we are both recovered, and the monsters gone. Or else build a new one, I suppose. It has been quite a while, and the design could do with an update or two! Particularly now that I am more familiar with the Grove's time. For the moment, however... how does one learn what affinity they have? Assuming mine may not be the obvious choice, that is.

[theuniverseleads]

[Oh... they're not entirely convinced, but her quick reply does cut off any chance of them running off tonight. She could just build a new one? ... still kind of a scary thought, honestly.

But they're not that worried anymore. It's fine.

They turn the cheer back up, acting as if the conversation never strayed at all. Back to what they're best at! Tutorials!!]

Hmm! Well, there are a few ways... I could simply hit you with a few different Craft types and see what hurts the most. If you have an affinity for one, the other types will be weaker or stronger to match. But that might get messy, and our sweet healer friend would definitely have words to share if we did that in here~ [so, not that one]

The next simplest way... you could just try some? You've never Crafted before, so whichever one you can figure out first is probably the safest bet. We don't even have to use combat crafts for that one.

[... not that they know many non-combat Crafts. they don't think they ever used much before, aside from Wish Craft.]

[ephemeralflow]

[Well, not just build a new one. She would need some very specific materials sourced from time rifts, and-

...anyway, Craft!]

He certainly would! Hmm... it would be quite funny... but I am in no mood for more bruises.

[And Loop shouldn't be using a bunch of Craft either. So, definitely not that one.]

We may as well start with the Scissors type, then. What does a non-combat Craft of that sort entail?

[theuniverseleads]

Carving, engraving, needlework... anything that uses a sharp tool, basically! That's why it's called Piercing Craft. You use the tool as a channel to weave in the Craft and it changes the properties of the object you're working on. Like an animated carving, or clothes that are always warm, that kind of stuff!

I used to do wood carvings, but I didn't usually Craft them that much. I just wanted them to look nice! Animating something solid takes a lot of practise to make it look good, but getting something to move at all isn't that hard. We could try that? But it might be easier if it's something you already know how to do.

[ephemeralflow]

How perfectly logical! I do know some needlework - it is necessary in my line of work. A stitch in time is quite literal, you know! My Sonic Embroider is a needle as well as scissors in that sense - ah, but it is not here.

[She pauses a moment, tapping her chin, glancing down towards her lap, though her expression is a focused blank.]

Since Craft requires a tool as a focus, we shall have to use something else.