[Listen I took a while because I was too indecisive on which memory you'd get. And also because there's no animatic for this one.
But anyway, this memory is of Magnus when he's much younger, about twenty. He's much more cocky and rough around the edges and dresses in more modern clothes, including a red duster jacket with a logo on it that says IPRE.
In this memory, they're in some sort of place filled with talking animals, and there's an enormous bear, far bigger than any ordinary bear. You-as-Magnus go to the bear every single day and demands that the bear fight you. Every day, the bear easily tosses you out without much effort.
One day, however, you ask the bear to teach you to become stronger, and the bear reluctantly agrees.
The memory changes to a wooden, open-air pavilion where you are training as a quiet rainstorm drizzles outside. And standing across from you is the Royal Bear, who despite the fact that it’s your first day of training with him, looks exasperated already.
Also sitting in this space, just barely under the roof’s coverage from the storm, is a chimpanzee, who is leaning lazily up against one of these four tall logs that are sort of holding the roof up in this pavilion. The bear growls at you in a language that you only just learned and says,
Royal Bear: Before we get started, I’m gonna warn you. I have no intention of easing up on you.
Magnus: Right back at ya, big guy.
Royal Bear: [sighing] If at any point you require aid, just shout for Chimpanzee, got it?
Magnus: Like a safe word or…?
The chimpanzee laughs at that from the corner, and the bear sighs again.
Magnus: [whispering] Our safe word is chimpanzee.
The chimpanzee kinda winks at you, and Magnus winks back.
Royal Bear: Alright, let’s start here. You said you wanted to get stronger, right?
Magnus: Yes.
Royal Bear: What do you think strength is, Magnus?
You stare at him for a second and then you just flex. The bear and chimpanzee both laugh at that.
Royal Bear: You think that being physically more powerful is— is strength. Is that what you think, Magnus?
Magnus: N— no. Literally, I think flexing is strength.
The bear shakes his head and he looks even more exasperated than before. And then he charges at you and in an instant your ass is on the ground, but you still have the sensation he's holding back.
Royal Bear: Physical power is nothing, Magnus. I’m more powerful than you. The rhino is more powerful than me, the whale’s more powerful than the rhino, the ocean’s more powerful than the whale. There’s always something more powerful than you, Magnus. That is incorrect.
The memory changes to another day, and Magnus is still fighting the bear and getting his ass kicked. Once he finished knocking you down, the Bear helps pick you up off the ground of the pavilion. You dust yourself off and the Chimpanzee is laughing in the corner.
Royal Bear: Let’s try again, Magnus. What do you think strength is?
Magnus: Strength is, uh… being stronger than your opponent. Strength is… being strong enough.
Royal Bear: Strong enough to do what?
Magnus: Win. Survive. I— I don’t know!
He picks you up and throws you to the ground again.
Royal Bear: You’re telling me what it is to be strong, that’s not what strength is. Why do you want to be strong, Magnus?
Your voice is a little more anguished and sincere this time.
Magnus: So I don’t have to lose— anyone.
Royal Bear: You want to protect your friends, is that right?
Magnus: They’re not strong enough. I have to be.
You see the Bear smirk, and he starts to walk toward the Chimpanzee with its claws drawn, ready to attack. You immediately rush and jump on the Bear's back. He effortlessly reaches up and digs his claws into you and tosses you away, and then you see the Bear start to swat a powerful paw down at the Chimpanzee. But he stops an inch away from hitting it.
Royal Bear: You need strength to protect someone, that’s right, Magnus. But the desire to protect is not strength itself. You’re incorrect again.
The memory shifts to get another day. Magnus and the Bear are fighting again, but Magnus has become much stronger, much more capable - you're still losing, but less obviously now. You run at the Bear one more time, and this time he throws you to the ground with a force that lets you know that despite his warning, he’s been holding back until now. And now he’s leaning his full weight into your back, just pinning you to the ground. It's incredibly painful, and you hear a pop your shoulder dislocates. And he’s yelling now.
Royal Bear: Magnus! What is strength?! What is the first thing I told you when you came in here?!
Magnus: [anguished noise] Ask for help!
He leans in again and you hear another pop, and you don’t even know where that came from, but it hurt like hell.
Magnus: Chimpanzee!
There’s a blur overhead, and the sound of an anguished grunt, and from your perspective, you can see the corner, and the Chimpanzee is no longer there, he’s standing over you and he’s helping you up and he holds your arm and pops it back into joint. You see the Bear lift himself up several feet away and the Chimpanzee is laughing because the Bear seems to be stretching out a sore arm also.
And the Bear speaks and says,
Royal Bear: Strength is a tool, Magnus, it’s a commodity. You can spend it, and spend it, but everyone’s got some, and lots of folks are gonna have more than you. But if you ask for it, Magnus, other folks’ strength can become your own. That is what strength is, Magnus. Who gives you strength, how willing are you to ask for it? Pride and glory are the enemies of true strength, Magnus.
He puts a paw on your shoulder and he says,
Royal Bear: In every warrior’s life there comes a moment where they are overpowered by a superior fighter.
He lets you go and he wraps an arm around the Chimpanzee and he says,
Royal Bear: But you keep friends nearby. And you ask for help when you need it, Magnus, and you won’t just be strong. You’ll be unbeatable.
[...suddenly, Flayn thinks she understands why Magnus is so gung-ho about wrestling bears.
She comes out of the memory blinking. Her shoulder aches - a phantom twinge of pain from the dislocation in the memory - but she knows it will fade soon, as they both ground themselves back in reality.
Ask for help. You won't just be strong, you'll be unbeatable.]
I think... most of us know that feeling very well. But - you must know, people consider you their friend too. That means they would rather not see you hurt in their place.
I've grown up a lot since that memory, but I also know better what it's like, to lose someone you care about. So - it's gotten easier to believe that I won't always be strong enough to deal with anything, but not exactly easier to accept it.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
fishingforcompliments) wrote2020-06-07 10:15 am
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[. . . ]
You thought I'd think it was weird?
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...yes. At least, I worried that you would.
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[He's just going to ruffle her hair? Rude.]
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That is kind of you to say.
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But anyway, this memory is of Magnus when he's much younger, about twenty. He's much more cocky and rough around the edges and dresses in more modern clothes, including a red duster jacket with a logo on it that says IPRE.
In this memory, they're in some sort of place filled with talking animals, and there's an enormous bear, far bigger than any ordinary bear. You-as-Magnus go to the bear every single day and demands that the bear fight you. Every day, the bear easily tosses you out without much effort.
One day, however, you ask the bear to teach you to become stronger, and the bear reluctantly agrees.
The memory changes to a wooden, open-air pavilion where you are training as a quiet rainstorm drizzles outside. And standing across from you is the Royal Bear, who despite the fact that it’s your first day of training with him, looks exasperated already.
Also sitting in this space, just barely under the roof’s coverage from the storm, is a chimpanzee, who is leaning lazily up against one of these four tall logs that are sort of holding the roof up in this pavilion. The bear growls at you in a language that you only just learned and says,
Royal Bear: Before we get started, I’m gonna warn you. I have no intention of easing up on you.
Magnus: Right back at ya, big guy.
Royal Bear: [sighing] If at any point you require aid, just shout for Chimpanzee, got it?
Magnus: Like a safe word or…?
The chimpanzee laughs at that from the corner, and the bear sighs again.
Magnus: [whispering] Our safe word is chimpanzee.
The chimpanzee kinda winks at you, and Magnus winks back.
Royal Bear: Alright, let’s start here. You said you wanted to get stronger, right?
Magnus: Yes.
Royal Bear: What do you think strength is, Magnus?
You stare at him for a second and then you just flex. The bear and chimpanzee both laugh at that.
Royal Bear: You think that being physically more powerful is— is strength. Is that what you think, Magnus?
Magnus: N— no. Literally, I think flexing is strength.
The bear shakes his head and he looks even more exasperated than before. And then he charges at you and in an instant your ass is on the ground, but you still have the sensation he's holding back.
Royal Bear: Physical power is nothing, Magnus. I’m more powerful than you. The rhino is more powerful than me, the whale’s more powerful than the rhino, the ocean’s more powerful than the whale. There’s always something more powerful than you, Magnus. That is incorrect.
The memory changes to another day, and Magnus is still fighting the bear and getting his ass kicked. Once he finished knocking you down, the Bear helps pick you up off the ground of the pavilion. You dust yourself off and the Chimpanzee is laughing in the corner.
Royal Bear: Let’s try again, Magnus. What do you think strength is?
Magnus: Strength is, uh… being stronger than your opponent. Strength is… being strong enough.
Royal Bear: Strong enough to do what?
Magnus: Win. Survive. I— I don’t know!
He picks you up and throws you to the ground again.
Royal Bear: You’re telling me what it is to be strong, that’s not what strength is. Why do you want to be strong, Magnus?
Your voice is a little more anguished and sincere this time.
Magnus: So I don’t have to lose— anyone.
Royal Bear: You want to protect your friends, is that right?
Magnus: They’re not strong enough. I have to be.
You see the Bear smirk, and he starts to walk toward the Chimpanzee with its claws drawn, ready to attack. You immediately rush and jump on the Bear's back. He effortlessly reaches up and digs his claws into you and tosses you away, and then you see the Bear start to swat a powerful paw down at the Chimpanzee. But he stops an inch away from hitting it.
Royal Bear: You need strength to protect someone, that’s right, Magnus. But the desire to protect is not strength itself. You’re incorrect again.
The memory shifts to get another day. Magnus and the Bear are fighting again, but Magnus has become much stronger, much more capable - you're still losing, but less obviously now. You run at the Bear one more time, and this time he throws you to the ground with a force that lets you know that despite his warning, he’s been holding back until now. And now he’s leaning his full weight into your back, just pinning you to the ground. It's incredibly painful, and you hear a pop your shoulder dislocates. And he’s yelling now.
Royal Bear: Magnus! What is strength?! What is the first thing I told you when you came in here?!
Magnus: [anguished noise] Ask for help!
He leans in again and you hear another pop, and you don’t even know where that came from, but it hurt like hell.
Magnus: Chimpanzee!
There’s a blur overhead, and the sound of an anguished grunt, and from your perspective, you can see the corner, and the Chimpanzee is no longer there, he’s standing over you and he’s helping you up and he holds your arm and pops it back into joint. You see the Bear lift himself up several feet away and the Chimpanzee is laughing because the Bear seems to be stretching out a sore arm also.
And the Bear speaks and says,
Royal Bear: Strength is a tool, Magnus, it’s a commodity. You can spend it, and spend it, but everyone’s got some, and lots of folks are gonna have more than you. But if you ask for it, Magnus, other folks’ strength can become your own. That is what strength is, Magnus. Who gives you strength, how willing are you to ask for it? Pride and glory are the enemies of true strength, Magnus.
He puts a paw on your shoulder and he says,
Royal Bear: In every warrior’s life there comes a moment where they are overpowered by a superior fighter.
He lets you go and he wraps an arm around the Chimpanzee and he says,
Royal Bear: But you keep friends nearby. And you ask for help when you need it, Magnus, and you won’t just be strong. You’ll be unbeatable.
The memory ends.]
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She comes out of the memory blinking. Her shoulder aches - a phantom twinge of pain from the dislocation in the memory - but she knows it will fade soon, as they both ground themselves back in reality.
Ask for help. You won't just be strong, you'll be unbeatable.]
You... had a very good teacher.
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[He smiles a little at the memory, fond.]
He was pretty smart, huh? That's, uh, not a lesson I took to heart, unfortunately.
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[Working together with people, keeping their spirits up -
And lending his strength to them, whenever they need it.]
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The part that's hard for me is letting other people help. I don't like it when my friends get hurt. It's only gotten harder for me to accept that.
I'd rather be the one hurt than risk anybody else.
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I think... most of us know that feeling very well. But - you must know, people consider you their friend too. That means they would rather not see you hurt in their place.
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[His smile fades a little.]
I've grown up a lot since that memory, but I also know better what it's like, to lose someone you care about. So - it's gotten easier to believe that I won't always be strong enough to deal with anything, but not exactly easier to accept it.
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[At least, not permanently. If they can bring back the dead and all make it out of this, somehow...]
That is something we could all accept, I think.
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Yeah. Couldn't of said it better. Let's work together and get it done, huh?
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[She smiles up at him.]
We shall do exactly that.
cheatingly does this
[Thinking about it for a second.]
You wanna hang out a bit today? Get that task knocked out?
FAIR AND VALID
[Oh! Well. Hm.]
I would love to! What would you like to do first?
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[ONWARD. they can make some hideous macaroni art!]
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