Return to Deuce Spade/Vignettes
Heartslabyul Dorm - Lounge
|
Nothing like getting interviewed on your birthday to make you feel like the center of attention. I'm pumped.
Just hope I can come up with some interesting answers to the questions... Speaking of which, who's interviewing me, anyway? |
??? |
Ah, so this is where the interview is to be conducted. Knock, knock. |
|
Come on in—whoa! Malleus?! |
|
I trust I've arrived at the appointed time. A happy birthday to you, Spade. |
|
Y-yeah, I mean, yes. Thank you! I can't believe you're my interviewer... |
|
Does it displease you somehow to spend your birthday with me? |
|
No! NO! Not at all! |
|
Heh, that is reassuring. Let's begin, shall we? Here is the first question...
If you could use flight magic to go anywhere, where would you want to go?
It says you needn't factor in your magic capacity at all. |
|
Hm, let's see. If that's no obstacle...
I'd go see a blastcycle race! Then I'd be able to watch from right above the course! |
|
A blast...cycle? What in the world is that? |
|
What? You've never heard of a blastcycle? It's a real famous kind of vehicle! |
|
Ah, yes. Those mechanical contraptions. I hadn't realized they were popular enough for races. |
|
Of course they are! All kinds, too, in all sorts of places throughout the year.
The biggest one is where you compete for the fastest time around a specially prepared track.
There's a 24-hour endurance race too, and that is something to see!
It's basically impossible to get tickets to the most popular races, so the TV broadcasts always rake in a huge audience. |
|
Hm, curious. Why go to the trouble of flying all the way there for something you can easily watch on the television?
But perhaps since you specified you would watch from above the course, you find the broadcast somewhat lacking. |
|
They always cut back and forth between a bunch of racers, so I don't get to see as much of the ones—and the cycles—I'm interested in.
And if I was in the stands, I'd only be able to see a small part of the course.
But if I'm FLYING, I can just follow the racer I want to see from the air!
And if magic capacity is no issue, it doesn't even matter how long the race is! |
|
Quite a unique way to take in a race, I agree. |
|
Right? If I could see what I want, when I want, I bet I'd learn all sorts of things...
How to take corners, when to brake... oh, and pit stops!
I guess I'd have to make sure I didn't get so close I got in the way, though. |
|
You're quite taken with these blastcycles. |
|
Yeah, I LOVE them! ...Sorry, didn't mean to get carried away. You must be bored listening to me gush on and on... |
|
Don't apologize. Today is all about you. |
|
Well, if you say so...! I'm ready for the next question if you are. |
Heartslabyul Dorm - Lounge
|
Now for the next question.
Describe a time when you were glad you were able to use magic. |
|
Definitely when I got accepted into Night Raven College. I never dreamed I could attend such a prestigious school.
Before I got my acceptance letter, I thought magic was only good for shutting up jerks who came to talk trash to me. |
|
Talking trash? ...What does that mean? |
|
Oh, uh... You know, like, talking...stuff. Or, no—how else to put it...
Saying bad things! It means someone is saying bad things about you. |
|
Ah, I see. I shall have to remember that. |
|
Please don't! Language like that is beneath you!
And if Sebek finds out I taught you that, he'll chew me out for sure... |
|
That aside, why were people saying bad things about you? |
|
Well, back home I guess you could say I stood out too much. Made me an easy target.
I was brash, and people always thought I was muscling in on their turf, so they kept picking fights with me.
I remember one time it was five against one, so the odds weren't in my favor.
My first thought was to use summoning magic, and as luck would have it, a giant cauldron showed up. It smashed into a huge tree...
...and a broken branch fell right at the leader's feet. They all scattered like cowards. |
|
Was it your intention to scare them by bringing the cauldron down on that tree? |
|
No, just a fluke. The branch breaking, the cauldron, all of it.
At the time that was just about all I could do with magic...
But after that, people stopped trying to mess with me so much.
None of those guys were mages, so I think it really scared them. |
|
I suppose it's only natural that the non-magical should fear we mages to some extent.
A fine anecdote. Let us move on. |
|
Yes please!
Yikes. Probably shouldn't have talked about my past like that. Not that Malleus seemed too suspicious...
Good thing he isn't one to probe for more details! |
Heartslabyul Dorm - Lounge
|
And now for the last question.
What do you hope to do in the next year? |
|
Study hard and be in the top 50—no, top 25 scorers on the next exam! |
|
How specific. But why did you change your goal as you were speaking? |
|
I figure the higher I aim, the more it'll motivate me. |
|
Interesting. So you intend to focus entirely on your studies for the foreseeable future. |
|
That's right. Particularly defensive spells.
I want to be a police officer. There's this elite anti-mage division I've got my eye on...
...and that's the kind of magic they value most.
At least, that's my understanding based on this mage cop TV show I like.
But they have a real cop consulting on the show, so I bet it's actually true! |
|
I see. Fostering that ability sounds like an important step in achieving your dream.
How are you faring so far? |
|
Erk! Um, well, right now my grades aren't exactly the best.
I did so much prep work for my last assignment and still only passed by the skin of my teeth.
Truth be told, I've never been a very good student to begin with...
...but I've never been good at giving up, either, so I guess that makes up for it.
I need to work hard in all my subjects, but I'm confident I can eventually become top of the class in defensive magic! |
|
I like your confidence, Spade. Once you have honed your skills, we should see if you can guard against a spell of mine. |
|
Huh?! |
|
I've been hoping to make strides of my own in that subject. I imagine we could make excellent study partners. |
|
S-study partners? With you? I don't think I'd stand a chance against your magic...
...Well, the higher the goal, the higher the motivation, right? I'll gladly take you up on that offer...once I'm ready! |
|
This concludes our interview. Allow me to present you with this specially prepared broom. |
|
Thanks so much! Wow, look at this thing. The broom head's one big bouquet! |
|
All those blue blossoms lend the arrangement a lovely air of calmness, don't they?
Now then, I'll let you prepare for your birthday flight. We're all eagerly awaiting a gallant show from you. |
|
I'll do my best not to disappoint! |
|
- sigh* Flying in front of everyone is kinda nerve-wracking, but I guess if I want to be a model student, I'd better act the part!
|
