Nothing, probably, but if it makes you feel better you're not actually tormenting her. Plus that really just goes back to the whole finding ways to relax afterwards, including with all the spa things she's been working on.
[ Just in case it'd been too long since the last mention of Eyebrow Treatments. ]
Well, it would've been difficult for me to try to run around in armor, though I'm not so sure it was anything but like wearing a shirt to Dimitri given how strong he was. Raphael also told me there was something about lifting a wagon in there as part of the training, but this was after he asked me to carry a desk for him so I might've just tuned out the rest.
Well, you didn't hear it from me, but that'd be a pretty good idea. Nothing more motivating than something to look forward to afterwards whenever there's a task to be done, right?
[ He'll never tell on if he's also done this before. (He has.) ]
I'm pretty sure it had to do with his Crest. Since they all grant different abilities, his was strength like I've never seen before or since then. There were times that I knew if I wanted to go to the training grounds back at the academy, I'd better get there first before Dimitri picked up the weapon I wanted to use and accidentally snapped it in half because he sneezed. Or exhaled too hard. Or blinked. You get the idea.
Yeah, I probably should have thought about something like this before. Thanks for the advice, Claude, which definitely didn't come from you.
[ wink wink nudge nudge ]
I get the idea. It reminds me of how it was for me right after I got the serum. You and Sylvain have mentioned these crests before, but are they basically just magical enhancements that you're born with, or do you earn them?
Someone would be born with one since they pass down through bloodlines. For generations, at that, since they originated from supposed blessings from the goddess and Fodlan's nobility used that to keep their control and select heirs. The same system which I used to accomplish what I did, it's worth mentioning, and something hopefully to be a thing of the past soon.
[ That's barely touching upon what Steve's likely already heard from Sylvain considering House Gautier's one time heir would have shared his thoughts on those crests openly. Claude also considers mentioning the Agarthans, but - that part might be best for a conversation another time. ]
But the experience of growing up with one varies, and not just because each Crest does something different.
And to make sure that they stayed in power, since it also benefitted the Church to make sure they had others to do their bidding. That part being a cause of Fodlan's war was something I could hardly argue with if it meant allowing for changes to be made.
[ But - Steve's question following is a logical thing to ask, and yet it gives Claude some pause while he considers how to answer it and to not share things which aren't his to if that assumption Sylvain or even Hilda has talked about their experiences. Or Lysithea's when she's not here, but she's been on his mind so often since the pit and then even more since returning to the island. ]
Not much of one, really. My Crest made itself known when I was young since it offers some healing when it feels like it which was helpful a few important times, but besides that it mostly factored in my grandfather naming me heir since it made me part of House Riegan.
Others' experiences are often far bleaker, what with Crests having so much power and becoming weaker and weaker over generations. Some of the things done were... detestable, though even that's far too light of a word for it.
[ Neither Sylvain nor Hilda have gone too deeply into it, to be honest, so it's fair for Claude to be cautious with what he speaks about, referring mainly to himself but also making it clear that his experience wasn't necessarily the norm. ]
Healing, huh?
Does that mean you used it when we were fighting that monster on the beach?
[ When Steve had barely been in his right mind? ]
I wish I was surprised that these Crests were used to mistreat people, even the people who had them. At least you're all free of that for now, though I know the way we Summoned are treated might not be so different at times.
Ah, I'd forgotten about that. What I used on you was the healing spells I'd learned, but there was probably a chance my Crest activated in our little scuffle. It works when it feels like it in comparison to the magic I can call so long as I remember the sigils.
[ A description he genuinely means involving any injuries and all the attention he's going to call to that given they've already discussed it, and all the more reason to breeze right on past. ]
Honestly, one of my first thoughts about being given that Arcana sign was that it was some form of Crests coming back to loom over everything here, too. There's much I don't understand about those signs, but none of us having to worry about that is a good thing.
So a Crest will just activate without your permission sometimes? I guess it's probably to help you out though, right?
[ Either way, it had to be kind of frustrating. ]
It feels like there's a lot we still don't understand about the arcana, or how we were assigned them. Even just the fact that we resonated with the monsters in that way, with that mental link.
[ Looks like Steve is going to address that so-called elephant in the room whether Claude likes it or not. ]
So it seems, which is in keeping with the supposed gift part of them coming from bloodlines going way back.
[ He knew this was probably coming, but there's still a Sigh upon reading it. ]
I've often wondered that myself - about the assigning part, that is, since it seems to be referenced so often let alone it being all over us in the Horizon. One dangerous part of the Crests is that those without them can be exposed to crest stones resulting in them... transforming. The Demonic Beast that was over in Solvunn around the same time as our particular monster friend was a result of that.
[ And it's difficult to not think of their arcana as potentially leading to that, especially even more so after Steve's resonating. ]
[ Oh - right. That's probably one of those horrifying things he shouldn't drop casually in conversation. ]
I do. There were... stones that were fragments of Crests, more or less, and they were used to turn either unsuspecting or supposedly willing people into the Demonic Beasts roaming about. That or more horrifyingly, if someone picked up a relic meant to be used by someone with that Crest, they could also turn that way. Unfortunately I witnessed the latter once.
Yes, among other things when it comes to the stones. The Relics were... it was a surprise when we saw one such transformation back when we were students. I've seen a lot in my life, both before and after it, but any of the darker sides to Crests and what can be done with them isn't the sort of thing you forget. Easily, or ever.
It's alright, Steve. If I didn't want to tell you, we wouldn't be talking about it. Sometimes I wonder if we shouldn't be talking about what the arcana symbols might mean if they hold some sort of weight in all of like what with happened with the monsters.
[ That comes without hesitation. If there's any chance of something else generating that apology, what he really wants is to wave it away. They only know what they know, and he certainly meant it about avoiding something he didn't want to share.
There's more he could add, but. Maybe it'd be best to talk about in person sometime amongst all the other topics they tend to cover. And they could probably use a bit of levity again, so - ]
Promise there's no secret magic in the eyebrow routine. Well, other than it being just that good.
It does feel like there's more to the arcana symbols than we understand. The fact that they appear on us when we first go to the Horizon, the interaction between us and these monsters that came through the Rift... I agree that it would be good to look into it more.
[ The Singularity is the one that assigns the symbols to them, isn't it? It's the only thing that makes sense.
And Steve does appreciate the shift back to levity. It's true that Claude wouldn't have spoken of any of this if he wasn't willing to, but Steve still figures now is the time to circle back. ]
You're really talking it up. Well, I'll think about it.
Maybe there's another Summoned with a theory about it all we could ask sometime. I'd rather be ahead of knowing something than only finding out about it until it's too late.
[ Something he thinks Steve shares with him based on all their other past conversations and now this one, too. Istredd and Wanda are who come to mind with that, but: so many other Summoned have been here for some time now as they themselves are looking at a couple years' worth of time here in Abraxas coming up soon. There must be some other theories out there put together by those just as curious - and wary - as them.
But at least the latter adjective doesn't apply to Steve and the eyebrow treatment any longer. (Probably.) ]
I'll hold you to that if Hilda doesn't beat me to it first again.
I know Wanda has an interest in it and has been studying up on it. I know if she made any sort of breakthrough, she'd let me know, but there's no harm in asking around either.
[ Steve echoes Claude's thoughts about the whole thing without even realizing it. But Wanda tends to be his go-to person for anything magic-related. He would be fine with asking Stephen or Istredd too. ]
Sounds good. Thanks for the chat, Claude.
[ These kids are going to be the death of him someday... ]
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[ Just in case it'd been too long since the last mention of Eyebrow Treatments. ]
Well, it would've been difficult for me to try to run around in armor, though I'm not so sure it was anything but like wearing a shirt to Dimitri given how strong he was. Raphael also told me there was something about lifting a wagon in there as part of the training, but this was after he asked me to carry a desk for him so I might've just tuned out the rest.
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[ It's not the worst idea, frankly, even if Steve has never been one to pamper himself. ]
How was this Dimitri so strong? It doesn't sound like that's the sort of thing even a regular, highly-trained soldier could do.
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[ He'll never tell on if he's also done this before. (He has.) ]
I'm pretty sure it had to do with his Crest. Since they all grant different abilities, his was strength like I've never seen before or since then. There were times that I knew if I wanted to go to the training grounds back at the academy, I'd better get there first before Dimitri picked up the weapon I wanted to use and accidentally snapped it in half because he sneezed. Or exhaled too hard. Or blinked. You get the idea.
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[ wink wink nudge nudge ]
I get the idea. It reminds me of how it was for me right after I got the serum.
You and Sylvain have mentioned these crests before, but are they basically just magical enhancements that you're born with, or do you earn them?
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[ That's barely touching upon what Steve's likely already heard from Sylvain considering House Gautier's one time heir would have shared his thoughts on those crests openly. Claude also considers mentioning the Agarthans, but - that part might be best for a conversation another time. ]
But the experience of growing up with one varies, and not just because each Crest does something different.
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What was your experience like?
[ Steve doesn't know for a fact that Claude has one, he's just assuming based on what he knows of his background. ]
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[ But - Steve's question following is a logical thing to ask, and yet it gives Claude some pause while he considers how to answer it and to not share things which aren't his to if that assumption Sylvain or even Hilda has talked about their experiences. Or Lysithea's when she's not here, but she's been on his mind so often since the pit and then even more since returning to the island. ]
Not much of one, really. My Crest made itself known when I was young since it offers some healing when it feels like it which was helpful a few important times, but besides that it mostly factored in my grandfather naming me heir since it made me part of House Riegan.
Others' experiences are often far bleaker, what with Crests having so much power and becoming weaker and weaker over generations. Some of the things done were... detestable, though even that's far too light of a word for it.
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Healing, huh?
Does that mean you used it when we were fighting that monster on the beach?
[ When Steve had barely been in his right mind? ]
I wish I was surprised that these Crests were used to mistreat people, even the people who had them. At least you're all free of that for now, though I know the way we Summoned are treated might not be so different at times.
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[ A description he genuinely means involving any injuries and all the attention he's going to call to that given they've already discussed it, and all the more reason to breeze right on past. ]
Honestly, one of my first thoughts about being given that Arcana sign was that it was some form of Crests coming back to loom over everything here, too. There's much I don't understand about those signs, but none of us having to worry about that is a good thing.
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[ Either way, it had to be kind of frustrating. ]
It feels like there's a lot we still don't understand about the arcana, or how we were assigned them. Even just the fact that we resonated with the monsters in that way, with that mental link.
[ Looks like Steve is going to address that so-called elephant in the room whether Claude likes it or not. ]
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[ He knew this was probably coming, but there's still a Sigh upon reading it. ]
I've often wondered that myself - about the assigning part, that is, since it seems to be referenced so often let alone it being all over us in the Horizon. One dangerous part of the Crests is that those without them can be exposed to crest stones resulting in them... transforming. The Demonic Beast that was over in Solvunn around the same time as our particular monster friend was a result of that.
[ And it's difficult to not think of their arcana as potentially leading to that, especially even more so after Steve's resonating. ]
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[ Steve didn't interact with the Demonic Beast here in Abraxas, but he's pretty sure he remembers seeing it in Claude's nightmare.
Having that additional context is unnerving, to say the least. ]
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I do. There were... stones that were fragments of Crests, more or less, and they were used to turn either unsuspecting or supposedly willing people into the Demonic Beasts roaming about. That or more horrifyingly, if someone picked up a relic meant to be used by someone with that Crest, they could also turn that way. Unfortunately I witnessed the latter once.
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[ The fact that this happened multiple times is the most unsettling part. ]
When you say used, you mean that some people were purposefully setting things up so that people transformed?
[ Well, maybe he shouldn't be shocked. Hasn't he seen this sort of atrocious villain behavior countless times himself? ]
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[ To say the least. ]
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[ They've come a long way in this conversation from... tinting eyebrows. And Steve wonders if maybe he pressed a little too hard on an old wound.
What Claude describes sounds like the hell Bruce has had to live with as the Hulk (until he learned how to control it), except worse. ]
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[ That comes without hesitation. If there's any chance of something else generating that apology, what he really wants is to wave it away. They only know what they know, and he certainly meant it about avoiding something he didn't want to share.
There's more he could add, but. Maybe it'd be best to talk about in person sometime amongst all the other topics they tend to cover. And they could probably use a bit of levity again, so - ]
Promise there's no secret magic in the eyebrow routine. Well, other than it being just that good.
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[ The Singularity is the one that assigns the symbols to them, isn't it? It's the only thing that makes sense.
And Steve does appreciate the shift back to levity. It's true that Claude wouldn't have spoken of any of this if he wasn't willing to, but Steve still figures now is the time to circle back. ]
You're really talking it up. Well, I'll think about it.
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[ Something he thinks Steve shares with him based on all their other past conversations and now this one, too. Istredd and Wanda are who come to mind with that, but: so many other Summoned have been here for some time now as they themselves are looking at a couple years' worth of time here in Abraxas coming up soon. There must be some other theories out there put together by those just as curious - and wary - as them.
But at least the latter adjective doesn't apply to Steve and the eyebrow treatment any longer. (Probably.) ]
I'll hold you to that if Hilda doesn't beat me to it first again.
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[ Steve echoes Claude's thoughts about the whole thing without even realizing it. But Wanda tends to be his go-to person for anything magic-related. He would be fine with asking Stephen or Istredd too. ]
Sounds good. Thanks for the chat, Claude.
[ These kids are going to be the death of him someday... ]