The Binding of Isaac

[gamemakers]

Who| All those who signed up for the plot!
What| Capitol rebels attempt a break in and dismantling of dangerous weaponry.
Where| In a warehouse just beyond the very end of the cityline
When| Some time following Arena 13
WARNINGS| Please specify warnings in tag headers.
NOTES | Remember that if you did not sign up, it will be assumed you are not participating in the plot. Plotting can be found here! IC plotting is here!

Comments

[infinitemayonnaise]

Nitou doesn't really look like he needs a healer, not for a few scrapes and bruises. But he's wildly looking around the room, searching for something. He sort of jumps at the question from the old man. "Well...uh..." But there's really only one thing on his mind right now. "...have you seen Haruto anywhere?"

Even if he already knows what the answer's going to be, and that it's not going to be what he wants to hear.

[knittingbackwards]

"Haruto?" One of Merlyn's eyebrows - grey, long, and extremely feathery - quirks, and he peers over his pince-nez at the younger man. "I'm afraid I wouldn't know a Haruto if I fell over it. But if they're a friend of yours, may I suggest that you're best off sitting still and waiting? You'll achieve nothing by agitation, you know." He considers a moment more. "Try knitting. It settles the mind remarkably."

[infinitemayonnaise]

"Yeah, Haruto. He's my rival, he didn't make it back with me..." There's a bit more anxiety there than just rivals, and Nitou makes a face at the thought of sitting still. "Sitting still? Really?" That's not how he rolls, old man. And there's another look of confusion mingled with distaste at that next suggestion. "Knitting?"

[knittingbackwards]

"Do you have a better suggestion?" Merlyn remarks acidly, hands on his hips. "I could rhapsodise for a good long while on the restorative effects of taking a moment to breathe, but I fear you'd only take it as the ramblings of a deluded old man. That does seem the prevailing opinion, after all." And his tone makes it clear just how much he does not care for that fact. "But since we all have better things to do with our time, all I will say is that sitting still will make you much less underfoot, and much more likely to see him if he arrives."

[infinitemayonnaise]

"I wouldn't say you're deluded, but I can keep better watch when I pace," Nitou points out. He's still agitated by the fact that deep down, he knows Haruto didn't make it out of there. "I can't watch all the doors if I sit still!" It's a weak argument, and he knows it. "I'm an adventurer, man, I always have to be on the move!"

[knittingbackwards]

"Ah. An adventurer." That explains everything. Merlyn never did get on particularly well with adventurers. They tend to be the kind of person who thinks 'use your head' means as a battering-ram. "Well, adventurer or not, you're getting in the way. If he shows up, he'll ask for you. If not, you're doing no good. Settle down."

[infinitemayonnaise]

"And a wizard!" See, that makes him a perfectly qualified individual to handle any sticky situation, so Nitou would like to think. Even if he'd be pretty likely to use his head as a battering ram if he thought the situation called for it. "And I'm not in the way, not if I get...a designated pacing area or something." Okay, yes, that sounds stupid, but now he's committed to the idea.

[knittingbackwards]

"Hmph." Merlyn looks him up and down, arching one eyebrow. "Well. Next thing you know, they'll be letting just anybody call themselves a wizard. What are they teaching at Dom-Daniel these days?"

[infinitemayonnaise]

"What are they teaching at where?" Nitou has no idea what the old man is talking about, and he is now distracted from his fidgeting by looking at Merlyn like he's crazy. "And I'm not just calling myself a wizard--I am one!"

[knittingbackwards]

"Really?" Merlyn folds his arms, looking the young man up and down sceptically. "Well, I've never heard of you. Go on, then. Who was your master? Where were you taught?"

[infinitemayonnaise]

"Man, I don't have any of that stuff!" Nitou waves the thought away. "I got my powers from Chimera in some ancient ruins, and then I became a wizard!" Seems legit, right?

[knittingbackwards]

"Well, that was just downright dangerous!" Merlyn's voice is downright scolding. "And certainly no reason to call yourself a wizard! Good gracious, if that were all it took, any by-our-lady hedge magician could call himself a wizard! Have you ever had any proper training at all, young man?"

[infinitemayonnaise]

"Of course it was dangerous! The more danger there is, the more opportunity there is!" What is caution? Can you eat it? "And I don't need training--I've defeated a bunch of Phantoms anyway, so I'm good! Super good!"

[knittingbackwards]

"Do you think that's all there is to being a wizard?" Merlyn appears to have entirely forgotten the whole 'revolution' thing, in favour of standing with his hands on his hips and his legs akimbo, staring down at Nitou in genuine horror. "Defeating things? Hitting about at danger, like some kind of... of knight? No, no, my dear boy. This simply cannot stand!"

[infinitemayonnaise]

"Exactly! Defeating things and hitting stuff!" Nitou pauses to think about this. "Kind of knightlike, I guess, with the way I transform..." The genuine horror there gives him pause, because the stuff he's talking about is perfectly normal. "Who made you the wizard police, anyway?"

[knittingbackwards]

"Police? Good grief! How dare you?" Merlyn does not approve of police. He also doesn't approve of Nitou's tone of voice. "Young man, you don't mean to tell me that your immediate response to having the power to alter the very fabric of reality was to... to..." He splutters. "...To shadowbox?!"

[infinitemayonnaise]

"Yes!" Nitou nods enthusiastically. "Pretty much!" He pauses, thinking on this. "Only I'm more Phantom-boxing, I guess!" He is also pleased with his own joke, for yes, he uses his powers to fight Phantoms, that's a thing.

Of course, the old dude's still pretty worked up. "So what's the big deal?"

[knittingbackwards]

"What's the big..." Merlyn splutters again, looking very red in the face. "The "big deal", young man, is that that is precisely not what magic is for! Why, if everyone with magic used it that way, the world would be a wasteland in no time at all! Has no-one ever taught you moderation?"

[infinitemayonnaise]

"Then what is it for?" Because where he comes from, this is all a perfectly normal use of magic. "Wizards fight Phantoms, that's how it works!"

That last question does get him to stop and consider things. "I guess Grandma tried..."

[knittingbackwards]

"Poor woman," Merlyn says, with feeling. Sighing, he polishes his pince-nez, settles them on his nose, and says sternly, "The purpose of magic, young man, is to exist. That's the purpose of most things. But the purpose of using magic, now, that's what we're addressing here, isn't it? I shouldn't have to spoon-feed you this. What happened to a decent education?" He frowns deeply, steepling his fingers in front of him. "Magic may be used for good or evil, for Black or White, but it must always, always be used with an eye to keeping things in balance. Otherwise, we should never stop. In any case, I despair of anyone whose first defence of violence it 'that's how it works'."

[infinitemayonnaise]

Really, Nitou's grandma would appreciate that feeling. "So, what am I supposed to do if a Phantom's attacking someone?" Nitou protests. "Just let it go, because fighting's not a thing?" It's clear from his tone that he kind of thinks Merlyn's crazy. "And how would I eat, anyway?"

[knittingbackwards]

"How would you..." Merlyn splutters, again. "Castor and Pollux blow me to Bermuda! I'm not espousing ascetism, or even veganism! I'm simply telling you that there are other means of conflict resolution than laying about you with magic as if it were some kind of... of... of troglodytic club! That isn't wizardry, young man, that's thuggishness!"

[infinitemayonnaise]

"It's not thuggishness!" Nitou protests. "I don't know how else you'd stop Phantoms from attacking Gates, and I don't know how else I'd get Phantoms to eat!" Geez, old man, cut him some slack.

[knittingbackwards]

"You might try," Merlyn suggests sternly, peering over his glasses, "not eating Phantoms. Most of us do quite well on bread and butter, you know."

[infinitemayonnaise]

Nitou huffs indignantly. "Most people won't die if they don't eat Phantoms." He sort of waves a hand around. "It's different with whatever they've got to shut our powers off, at least."