I danced a tango with my hubris high on youth. We swept across the dance floor to subjective truth.

[undealt]

WHO || Gold, Belle, Faye, and an extra super special awesome OPEN section.
WHAT || Gold and Belle get hamburgers (IT'S NOT A DATE!! REALLY!!!), Gold teaches Faye how to use her magic for things other than lighting people on fire, and CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE.
WHERE || LONDON: A restaurant and then back at the castle.
WHEN || Some indeterminate time between my last open log and when everyone leaves for their missions.
HOW || PROSE OR ACTION SPAM HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT. The starters are actionspam, but seriously. Follow your heart, son.

BELLE |

It's totally not a date. You can tell, because a guy in a suit is actually being caught dead in a place called The Giraffe, because it seemed reasonably low-key enough for dinner and a nice chat about... trying to reverse the effects of the Veil. Yeah. But totally not a date.

Hamburgers are ordered. Chatting has commenced. Awesome.]

To be honest, I've started filling in the gaps in my memories with whatever I decide feels right at the time. It's quite effective until someone comes along who remembers more than I do and contradicts it. Though that's only happened once and I think I came out of the situation better than one might expect.

FAYE |

[As soon as Gold gets back from his meeting with Nessa, he leaves Faye a mesage to meet him in the library. The minute she arrives, he's waiting with Milah, who is currently sprawled out underneath a table- she's only as long as the length of the table, but still. CROCODILE UNDER A TABLE.]

I'm sure you're wondering why on earth I'd think to conduct a magic lesson in the library. Seems like an accident waiting to happen, doesn't it?

[You know, because you're a pyro...]

OPEN |

[And in this last option, you can pick Gold in one of two places:

(A. THE HALLWAYS. On his way back to his room. This is totally an excuse to maybe accidentally force someone into seeing his abomination of a room. idc.

(B. THE RECEPTIONIST DESK. Because I'm too lazy to throw him at the actual one and you know everyone wants to listen to his sexy Scottish accent answering phones all day.

Both locations will probably also contain (1) six foot long yellow crocodile.]

Comments

[undealt]

[Gold paces to the other side of the table.] We're doing this in the library, because the members of the Dragon's Hoard prefer to not have their books lit on fire. Now, Nessa and I both agreed your problem isn't necessarily that you lack skill- just discipline. No fault of hers, of course, but I find teaching someone anything requires teaching them something they want to learn simultaneously.

[reallywicked]

[Cue an indignant look because she hasn't set any books on fire, okay. That is rude. Her expression calms slightly when he mentions learning something that she wants to.]

I'm listening...

[undealt]

You want to you learn magic- stronger magic. It's not easy and if I'm right, you're the type to get frustrated, hence the library. I find it very difficult to lose my temper when there's a risk of property damage.

[reallywicked]

Right. [Yeah, Faye doesn't give a shit about consequences of property damage, but she will do her best to stay on her best behavior to avoid lessons being halted.] So... are we going to get started now or what?

[undealt]

[So eager, young Skywalker.]

I'll save the lesson on the benefits of patience for Nessa. [And here's where I'm glad Arden pretty much said that magic in OUAT = Urban Arcana magic. LESS BULLSHITTING.] Now magic is about emotion. The more powerful the emotion, the stronger the spell- hence why spells conjured in anger can be highly destructive and those cast with the intention to protect are especially potent. Unfortunately, if you can't control the emotions, then you might as well be swinging a sword blindly into a crowd. Are you with me thus far?

[reallywicked]

[She's almost offended at how patronizing he's being, asking is she's following him. IT'S NOT THAT HARD OF A CONCEPT, OKAY, GOLD??? But he's the only one she thinks can actually teach her something worthwhile, so she only gives a half-hearted roll of her eyes and sighs half as hard she might have otherwise.]

Somehow, I've managed to keep up.

[undealt]

[He's like 98% patronizing when it comes to teaching magic, gurl. Learn to embrace it. Also, he has an ulterior motive here.]

Really? Because it's usually the simple lessons that are hardest to learn.

[Look how smug he's being, Faye. Doesn't it just make you frustrated.]

[reallywicked]

[Uh, you bet it does. Her eyes narrow as the implications of what he's saying sink in.]

Did you have a point to make?

[undealt]

The point is, you are a wildfire. Very powerful, but sadly only capable of mowing down everything in its path with no focus. You lack subtlety with your magic. You've proven you're capable of it in social situations, so I know there's hope. The problem is that because you believe you're the most powerful child on the playground, you don't feel you have to be. People don't respond to broad, fumbling attempts to be friendly, but they respond to charm and knowing precisely what to say. Likewise, people don't respond to displays of power they don't notice, but they do respond to being lit on fire. And it's the responses you want, isn't it?

[reallywicked]

[She's still bristly because implying that she doesn't know what she's doing is... accurate but insulting at the same time. Rude.]

So you think I should subtlety light someone on fire.

[undealt]

[The truth hurts, Faye. It hurts a lot.]

I think you should learn not to let your temper control you.

[This coming from a guy who... thinks he's a Scotsman.] The response might be what you want, but the more satisfactory results come from people not knowing where the threat is coming from. Summon up your anger, focus it, and they'll never see you coming.

[reallywicked]

I'm guessing you have some suggestions on how to do that? Otherwise this was the biggest waste of my time.

[But she's intrigued by the sort of things he's talking about. Misdirection could be a great tool.]

[undealt]

Well, they begin and end with you not being in such a hurry. [Chuckle. Rest easy, young Padawan. We're getting there.]

Somewhere in the library, there's a metal bowl with kindling in it- well within your range, I promise, but I'm not going to tell you where it is. Focus on the idea of the bowl and what you need to do. The magic will do the rest.

[reallywicked]

[She looks at him warily, as if trying to decide if this was a good idea or not. After a solid 15 seconds of judging, she finally sighs and settles back in her chair.]

Fine...[She closes her eyes, figuring he intends for her to only seek it out with her ~magic~. Her focus isn't... terrible (concentration 10), but she's definitely not picking it up right away, which is instantly frustrating for the girl. After a few moments, she releases a held breath and opens her eyes.]

This is stupid.

[undealt]

With that attitude? Yes. It is. [Now who's getting a little impatient. Is it this guy? IT'S THIS GUY.] You're overthinking it.

[reallywicked]

[Apparently Faye is like Lacey in that she responds better to attitude... She gives him a disgruntled expression, but doesn't mouth off. Instead, she closes her eyes again and tries again, but finds a really annoying itch on the back of her arm or something because her Concentration of 9 is worse than before. Once THAT is sorted, though, she is fucking zen with a natural 20 concentration.

In the distance, the faint smell of smoke might be noticeable.]

[undealt]

[And where there's smoke...

Gold vanishes to make sure she didn't light half a bookshelf on fire and returns with the bowl. idk I guess he was wearing those leather gloves he sometimes wears today so he isn't burning his fingers. He places the bowl on the table and beams.]

And that, my dear, is how it's done.

[reallywicked]

[She opens her eyes just as the bowl hits the table and watches the infant flames grow and take life. A slow smirk of a smile tugs at her lips, spreading wider as the fire grows.]

So... what's next? [Because she's not going to be satisfied with just that. She knows power is far more than sparking a bit of kindling.]

[undealt]

[Of course it is.]

Nothing terribly extravagant. [He knows exactly what's going on in that brain of hers. (sense motive 17)] But it's only the first lesson. The first rule of anything, but especially great drama, is start small and build.

[He leans on the table a bit, gesturing to the still smoldering flames in the bowl.] Now fire is your element, and it's always important to play to your strengths when you're just starting out, but I know you have more tricks than just that.

[reallywicked]

[She hasn't really known where to begin. She couldn't remember anything about her past, including her ability to cast, so now that she knew, it was all just trial and error. She looks over at a nearby light fixture. There's glass surrounding the actual lightbulb. She recalls a rhyme that came to mind during her squiring party. The words are quiet, hushed under her breath.]

Crystal glass, too frail and thin. Sharpest edge to slice the skin.

[She's not angry, and while she's got a better attitude, she's not quite as focused as she could be (concentration 11). Instead of shattering, a large crack crawls up the glass.]

[undealt]

[Gold blinks, since... he has never actually heard anyone actually say a spell before and glances up at the ceiling to see the crack.]

That's not one I've seen before. [He has a feeling he knows exactly what the spell was supposed to do. And he's impressed. The guy who can grind people's bones in their skin is impressed. Look, it's broken glass. Broken glass stings.] What was that incantation you used?

[reallywicked]

[She shrugs, though internally she is beaming at his reaction. When he questions her verbal component, she pauses, licking his lips idly as she thinks of how to explain it.]

Sometimes there are just words. I don't know where they come from, but when I say them, it tends to work out.

[undealt]

Like a focus. [There would be something here if he had memories- the importance of the written word in terms of spells and how he never even considered it verbally before. But he doesn't remember, so he just has some niggling sense of nostalgia.] Something to ensure there's no question of what you want the spell to do without actually giving away the intent.

[reallywicked]

Sure. [You're babbling, Gold. Faye is bored already.] I got pissed at that Deadpool guy and next thing I knew, those words were in my head. Same thing with the fire spell.

[The one that missed Rose, damnit.] When I needed it, it was there.

[undealt]

[Shut up, Faye. He's Yoda. He has to do this. It makes him seem wise and stuff.]

Seems like your magic's guiding you. You didn't just pick it up here, like I did.