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[h1][color=f7941d]Dakota Brookes[/color][/h1]
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[hider=Affinity Mastery]
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[sub]Interacting with: [color=8585ad]Max[/color] [@Scribe of Thoth] and [color=fff200]Joey[/color] [@Achronum][/sub]
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Dakota’s eyes trailed to the side as one of the TAs approached their table, the one known as Joey if the mage remembered correctly. A crooked smile and a small burst of air served to ease the mentor as he apologized for his tardiness. Whatever issue he had been tending to prior sounded draining, to say the least. Sitting back in the chair, the clueless student remained quiet as Joey set himself up to gauge their situation.

The color of the light changed significantly from Max’s default grey, shifting into a distinct golden hue as Joey began interacting with the crystal. Just as the color shifted and the light brightened, however, the light shrunk in on itself like some sort of singularity. As Dakota shifted forward to get a better look, the TA’s wince was caught in the corner of their eye.

[i][color=f7941d]That’s strange… does it hurt to interact with someone else’s magic? No, that can’t be it. I didn’t feel any pain when it was just Max and I, and as far as I can tell he didn’t either… Perhaps a side effect of trying to interact with an incompatible typing?[/color][/i] There were so many questions Dakota had from such a brief expression. It wasn’t all that far-fetched an idea based off of the already observed details. For Max, the light presented a much colder and sharp color than Joey’s soft glow, not to mention their outward personalities were somewhat polar opposites.

“[color=fff200]That’s… intense. Okay well, I think I see your issue mostly. Definitely not a primary element so if you’re trying to get emotional as a way of working it, your affinity will fight you. No that’s not quite right either.[/color]” Joey spoke about Max’s affinity as if it were a person within its own right, something Dakota thought rather odd. Wasn’t magic meant to be a tool used by mages to complete tasks? This level of personification made the stuff sound like some familiar they were supposed to win over so that they could work together… could something like that really have a personality of its own? Or did it have something to do with their own personalities and habits, like some alter ego or something of the sort?

So distracted by thought, Dakota missed most of what Joey had been talking about to Max but was confident that they had understood the gist. Something about stubborn magic that didn’t like to move from its cozy spot. The concept reminded Dakota of Newton’s Laws a bit, though the mage wasn’t sure that magic in its purest form could be considered an object. Still, the idea that it would require extra effort to move it from a restful position was as much sense out of the situation as the mage could make. Joey gestured for Dakota to step up to the plate, the young mage complying by placing their hands on the crystal same as before.

The light flickered on like it had previously, refusing to settle for a moment even as Joey placed his hand on the crystal with them. Dakota jumped a little as Joey jerked his hand away, taking a moment before placing his hand back on the object. It was a lot more noticeable a reaction than from his interaction with Max’s magic, a detail worth noting. Either Max was incredibly dull to pain, or there really was something to compatibility with this magic personality stuff.

“[color=fff200]And you have the exact opposite problem. Your magic wants to be everywhere, all at once. It’s eager and excited and it wants out.[/color]” Eyes glued to the crystal, Dakota watched as Joey made a small loop with his own magic, feeling a small pull in the structure’s direction. It felt more natural than what they had attempted with Max prior to Joey’s arrival. Dakota’s magic flowed along the shape rather than randomly bouncing against it as it had previously. Which meant the problem was not an issue of containment or strength, but of focus.

Internal thoughts were confirmed as Joey continued to report his observations, mentioning something about needing purpose or a drive… But there was still something about it that didn’t make sense. Was having a task to complete not enough to be considered a purpose or drive, as Joey had put it?

[i][color=f7941d]And of course it would have self-destructive properties… what am I supposed to do with this information?[/color][/i] Dakota’s head was reeling by the time Joey finished speaking, his suggestion sounding like something a therapist from back home would say. Not that the mage was against sharing personal stories, but Dakota failed to see how it would help the situation. At best, they could throw some theoretical physics or life lesson anecdotes at one another and hope that something clicks after a while.

Gauging from his response, Max seemed to share the sentiment about opening up. If anything he sounded more reluctant to do so than Dakota felt. Couldn’t exactly blame him, considering the pair were complete strangers until today. Curious eyes shifted to Joey as he set to countering Max’s most recent inquiry.

While the response left more questions than answers, Dakota was finished for the time being. It was a fair assessment for the most part. An incomplete theory could do more harm than good and derail progress… still, there had to be something more to it than the TA was letting on. For now, though, the dodged question would have to do.

[/hider]

A bell signaled the end of the first round of classes, and an end to the deceptive task. Dakota had opened their mouth to bid farewell to the lab partner, but Max had already risen from his seat and marched off without a word. The last thing the mage had expected from the boy was an instant friendship, but for whatever reason… it still stung to be left behind so thoughtlessly. Frustration was understandable but the pair was in the same boat with the assignment, so shouldn’t they try to work together on it?

Eyes casting down to the floor, Dakota sighed and stood from their seat before grabbing their belongings and heading out to the second class. According to the schedule, Treaty Law was up next in Vilbrek Hall… whatever a Vilbrek was. While history had never quite been a favored subject for the youth, there was no denying the importance of the information this class would provide. Having grown up outside of the world of mages and vampires, there was really only a small portion of the treaty that mattered (or at least used to). Now that Dakota had been thrown into the middle of it all, there was the matter of law pertaining to mages that now had to be committed to memory.

[i][color=f7941d]Let’s just hope this professor doesn’t put me to sleep, otherwise I’m screwed.[/color][/i]

~~~

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[sub]Mention: [color=8585ad]Max[/color], [color=f7976a]Varis[/color], and [color=0072bc]Joryldin[/color] [@Jade Blades][/sub]
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Dakota was among the last to arrive, scanning the room quickly to see if there were any familiar faces. Max appeared in the crowd, already (or still, it was difficult to tell) irritated in his acquired seat. The mage thought about sitting close to him in the hopes of learning something about him that might help their assignment in Affinity Mastery. That thought was quickly dismissed, however, as it was most likely going to be more of a distraction than the youth could afford with the subject at hand.

Instead, Dakota chose a lone seat off to the side of the room, sneaking back a few rows in order to increase range of visibility. A few rows away, the mage caught sight of Joryldin who looked to be somewhat lost in thought. The smallest twinge of guilt plagued Dakota as they peered unseen at him, feeling a little bad at having missed the opportunity to greet him earlier in the evening. An apology would have to wait until lunch though, as the TA began speaking to the class.

Already Dakota disliked the man. While they couldn’t quite give the feeling a name, there was something about this Varis guy that rubbed all the wrong ways. Everything from his posture to his voice was overly condescending, not to mention his punctual start was more than a little unnecessary. But, above all else, there was something about his eyes that struck a fearful chord within the mage. They were cold and calculating, borderline on predatory in a way that made Dakota’s blood run cold. There was no denying who held all the power in the room, regardless of his status as TA.

He wasted no time or pleasantries on the subject at hand, detailing the expectations of the course moving forward. Dakota had expected the class to be work intensive, but what Varis was talking about was far beyond what the mage had expected. The whole thing was going to be taught like some honors master class, complete with individual study sessions and frequent papers with attendance to outside meetings being mandatory for a grade?

[i][color=f7941d]Hell, this is absolute hell.[/color][/i] Dakota thought to themselves, staring at the syllabus before them on the desk. The name Astorio appeared next to their own on the page, a quick scan showing several others who would be paired similarly for the year’s assignments. Just as things were beginning to feel overwhelming, a familiar voice spoke up in the room. 

“[color=0072bc]Excuse me, Count Varis? I have one quick question. If it’s in our best interest to make a stance in the oral debates based on the house of our study group, will there be lessons later in the semester outlining the platforms of each house?[/color]” Hearing Joryldin’s question brought a glance of amusement to the youth’s face. For whatever reason, perhaps it was the style of clothing he chose to wear, Dakota had pegged the boy for an academic slacker. It was a pleasant surprise to hear him speak up, especially when the teacher was someone so intimidating. It might have been easier just to sit tight and hope that someone else asked or that Count High-and-Mighty would mention it in his lecture.