>The cat. The cat, of all things. The very same one that Janet carried around with her near-constantly which he'd never really known the name of, the one that never seemed to run away despite going all sorts of places.
You know, if you were making fun of me right now it'd probably be easier to wrap my head around. But I can tell you're not, which is even worse.
You're telling me that your cat is the secret behind your super-powerful explosive magic that no-one else can seem to beat?
>... How in the world did any of this make ANY sense!? It was clear to see in Max's eyes that this was beyond the scope of what he knew, of what he could believe, but he was really trying to push those boundaries if only for the sake of respecting Janet's seriousness on the issue.
>>41306620 >Right, so... if he stepped aside for a moment regarding the cat, what she said just now had at least made a little bit of sense, something he could actually grasp at; the idea that her magic was hers and hers alone. It was something that was supported by what he'd studied, as well as more recent information.
Well that, at least, I can sort of follow. Back in Alaestus there's this prominent idea people are looking into that magic actually comes from people's thoughts and ideas. Each person controls it a little differently because the way they perceive things is different, and the really progressive science is starting to attach this to ideas of 'concepts' that people latch onto and draw from. It's difficult to explain, even for me, but there's evidence supporting that people are drawing from something and moulding it to their way of thinking.
It's not something I can quite get a grasp on in my head because I'm not a mage, but your explosions being just yours? That actually makes sense, given your unique perspective on things.
I mean, I still don't know how a cat can teach magic, bu- wait. Hang on... doesn't that make you a rogue mage?
>The thought had only just occurred to him. She hadn't been to school, she'd been taught by her cat, and she was from Termina. Max didn't really give much of a damn about Terminian policy but he knew enough to realise that Janet hadn't gone to a Mage Academy, which made her a target for those Templars up in Empyrean.
>>41306655 >Grinning wickedly at the prospect, Janet flipped her hand in recognition to his latest proposal.
Heh, you know its funny that you mentioned that because none of those guys have ever come to bother me even though I've seen 'em a few times around town.
Once I went to talk to one of them to ask for directions and they took their things and ran off into the distance muttering something about me not being worth the pay.
Though, since I've never so much as touched one of 'em, I think they were talking about my "dad" and "uncle" would do to them if they tried to capture me.
>Who was she talking about? Did she really have family, here? Now that he thought about it, he didn't really know much about Janet at all. To think he'd always been so arrogant as to assume he knew so much. Maybe his own genius was causing him to have too much hubris. After all, before now she'd only really been a target or a goal rather than a person.
Are they really powerful mages? They've gotta be if they're the type who can scare the templars off. Then again, even if that wasn't enough, you could probably discourage them anyway, I mean, it took a lot of effort to keep trying to fight you, y'know? Being hit by those really hurts.
So you've got family somewhere around here, I guess? Dad, Mom? That must be nice, I kinda miss mine a little...
>>41306683 >Smiling more timidly now, Janet took a moment to take in what it was Max was asking about. Her family as he called it, strictly speaking in terms most people would understand, Janet was surrounded by loved ones who raised her as best they could to be what she wanted to. As such, Janet could count herself blessed to be surrounded by those who could known as her family even if everything else about her was just about as isolated as it could be in a world that she did not belong in.
I'm sure you'll see them again when the time comes.
>Turning away from Max, Janet looked at the setting sun and nodded to herself.
>>41306712 Well, I mean, technically I could go back whenever I wanted, but...
>It wasn't so much a sad subject as it was an awkward one, his parents had a different desire for his life than he did. Still, she was technically right - he'd seem them again when the time was right, when he chose to head back or perhaps needed to.
Oh, right! Yeah, yeah we should get back.
>They'd been standing around at make-out point for only the concepts knew how long, and the last thing he wanted to endure were the rumours that might start going around if anyone saw them here alone for a substantial amount of time. Come to think of it, why had he come out again? He was upset about something and went to the market, right?
>The him of only a few hours past felt so far away right now it was hard to tell he'd had anything to worry about at all...