Sakura might have been saved through invisibility potion as well. That's a possibility, if she willingly drank it!Originally Posted by Malgos
Sakura might have been saved through invisibility potion as well. That's a possibility, if she willingly drank it!
Ah, my bad.
[X] Water
For Zelkova.
damn it....
Teasing the Penguin God!
alf say than zelkova is gonna be happy if shinji focus more in his water element or in Yin training.
If we chose Yin we are gonna be in better terms with Ayaka and zelkova is gonna be happy too.
A shame what happened with Zouken and Sakura, i wanted a clean break when he talks things over. Is Zouken dead or just piss off?
[]Water. That throw ofuda -> ofuda burns is getting old.
And wasnt the wand the reason for all the darkness stuff?
Last edited by saki; January 1st, 2016 at 01:36 AM.
Pissed off.
It amplified it, though Shinji does have a natural yin affinity.And wasnt the wand the reason for all the darkness stuff?
Even the dreams about darkness creeping up on him and purple thunder?
The dreams are not related to the wand.
I vote water. It's the most efficient for our purposes at this stage. And kind of thought something like that would happen.
So I'm guessing that each choice equals a relation boost with whoever favors it. More Zelkova points probably helps level fusion form, but Shinji spends the most time with Zelkova, so other opportunities will likely arise. Shinji is on the cusp with Touko where he might make full apprentice, and he has fewer opportunities to earn points with her. Not sure about Ayaka though. She might offer some fusion tips as well.
Of course, there is the issue of what each specialization would actually give Shinji. The only option I'm leary of here is again Yin. I think it was said that Yin would add a spiritually destructive component to spells and help with Dark Arts, which wouldn't be looked on too kindly in Britain, unless Shinji could heal spiritual damage (something he isn't geared for).
Water might expand his sensing abilities is fusion form, but Shikigami could expand them in his normal state. They might be useful for scavenging if they can be "programmed" to seek particular reagents.
I'll say
[x] Shikigami
for now.
Hm, we could use some Ayaka points, but Water is probably more useful at the moment.
[ ] Water
Then what are the effects of the lost wand??
Is there something besides dual casting and having a spare?
Happy New Year as well Alf, and to everyone here at Beast's Lair!
Well, I have to admit that it was a very clean break. A break so clean I hadn't expected it to occur that way. It's a shame that we lost Sakura, though, but perhaps this is what might be for the best. We already are on the road to Atlas, and continuing to split our loyalties in such a way might have become damaging to us in the long run.
Still sad we won't get to explore Zouken anymore (at least not in a nonthreatening way) but it is what it is I suppose.
Out of curiosity, Alf, where does that put us now? Are we just 'Shinji' or do we not even have that name anymore? What are we to be known as publicly?
As for the choice:
Water is a very straightforward choice: We get more offensive abilities linked in with us as well as a more notable reputation boost with our familiar. Also possibly improving our fusion form and maybe even altering it a bit.
Shikigami is the Touko route: We'll get access to more disposable familiars and further develop our journey down the road towards the Puppeteer's Apprentice achievement.
Yin, meanwhile, is an attractive looking choice in much the same way the Art of Movement was because of how it interacts with everything we currently have. With soul-damaging buffs to our direct attack spells and improved sealing, both Ofuda and Fusion (I think? Alf, may I ask for confirmaton?) stand to benefit from this, especially considering we will be dealing with Ayaka quite a bit this year during the potions championship.
So in the meantime, I shall go with [x] - Yin
Some of it is psychological. Some of it is simply the fact that the lost wand was much more powerful than his other wand, and was far more yin aligned - though it was very good for things like charms - especially dark charms - (and bad at transfiguration). It also allowed him to add a yin component to his spells more easily, though without conscious effort, this can be a various dangerous thing.
The Hazel and Coral wand we currently have has a much lower base power, but doesn't have any areas in which it is notably deficient. It does enhance one's innate divination abilities of course, which is tied in with water, and is a good wand for enchanting things (making it useful for crafting ofuda).
That's something the boy once named Matou Shinji will have to decide for himself. He could continue to call himself Matou Shinji, or Matou Shinji while in Mahoutokoro, and I doubt the wizards of Britain will change his name on their legal documents, but what he decides to call himself is something yet to be determined. Perhaps he'll adopt his mother's name. Perhaps he'll choose something else entirely. Who knows?
Yes to ofuda, certainly. Controlling Yin more effectively Fusion may allow for more variations in his fusion abilities, but does not necessarily directly improve fusion.Ofuda and Fusion
Last edited by alfheimwanderer; January 1st, 2016 at 03:51 AM.
It might be wise to try and get a stronger wand again, but who knows how easily it would be acquired. Last one we got was rather difficult to get after all.
I would have voted for water before, honestly, but with these developments I've changed my mind. I'll be voting for [X] Shikigami.
With this, Shinji has completely broken all ties with the Matou family, both in form and function. And our three choices here, water, yin, and shikigami, are all what you could call specialties of the Matou. However, yin and water are affinities that Shinji inherited from the Matou bloodline, while familiars is merely a field that they are skilled in. So, rather than choosing one of the two that could be seen as following in his family's footsteps, even after the break, the best choice would be the one with the least direct relationship to them.
In that regard, shikigami also have another advantage. By taking this choice we'll be advancing closer to becoming Touko's official apprentice. In that way, despite shikigami being a field that could be seen as related to the Matou, taking that route could also be seen as a distancing from the Matou in that we are not learning the arts of crafting familiars from the age old Matou family, but from our master, Aozaki Touko. Despite it being the same art, whose instruction we learn it under/whose path we follow as well as the difference in their personal philosophies all serve to further cement Shinji's turning away from his identity as a 'Matou'.
[X] Shikigami
Let's get Touko back above 65
Gotta admit, when I saw the title of the chapter I though we stumbled into bad end. Thankfully, it was not as severe as I feared. Shinji really has grown by leaps and bounds if Matou Happy Worm Pit (TM) doesn't faze him much anymore. Also, that Sion loyalty... To the death and beyond indeed. Shinji had to know what angering Zouken would mean and still chose defiance. Also, should Rin ever learn what was a mission Zouken wanted to task Shinji with and what he threw away with declining, she might have a sudden urge of affection points again.
[X] Shikigami
Shinji right now is on shaky ground. Securing his master may be a wise move. It will mean he has someone to fall back on and ask for guidance in really important matters. Also, now that he is cast away from family (which for magus is probably even harsher than normally) he probably needs some stable relationship, even something like master-apprentice.
[x] Water. This seems straightforward enough: shore up a weakness, make Zelkova happy, capitalize upon the specialty of our only wand.
RIP Sakura. Rin will certainly be saddened by her sister's death, and she would be within her rights to blame us if she was aware of our role in precipitating it. Still, without Shirou or her sister in Fuyuki and left to the tender care of Zouken's worms and plots, it might have been a mercy to Sakura… we can only hope.
It just goes to show, choices have consequences. Not that I actually voted in that choice, since I was busy with my family and hadn't checked Beast's Lair in a while. So it's on you, guys.
On the bright side, we are now free of obligations to Zouken, finally breaking the chains to create our own destiny, and the Einzbern probably think we're dead… for now.
And I was very pleased with how Shinji refused to betray Rin to Zouken. And it was that sort of scheming that I wanted to protect Rin from when I advocated initially refusing Zouken's offer to help court her. Granted, Luna is Shinji's current girlfriend (dat forced Luna loving), but should tragedy strike and she dies (without the Water of Life to heal her), we're free to pursue Rin on our own terms, and I think Rin's relationship with Shinji could blossom.
But again, I'm not going to purposefully try to kill Luna.
Not Magus! Magic Emperor Magus!
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