[Mana Khemia] Parlor Tricks

[aphelion_orion]

Why yes, it's round two of "Aphe can write things other than Guilty Gear." XD

Title: Parlor Tricks
Fandom: Mana Khemia - Alchemists of Al-Rhevis
Pairing: hints of Roxis/Vein
Rating: PG
Warnings: set during the Roxis/Vein ending, thus spoilers
Notes: I'll be using the original Japanese names for all the characters, not least because the English

Comments

Re: I really ought to make a Roxis/Vain icon. >.>

[laryna6]

I tend to view his free will situation as yes, he just had a hard time figuring out what it was that he wanted. He didn't come with a large set of preset desires like humans do (and it's amazing how many, if not all, of our other wants have something to do with those instinctive priorities and how they get channeled), instead he was the embodiment of this... sort of conflicting sea of wishes and desires. So he had to actually figure out what he wanted, and it would not have been easy, so a learning curve makes sense.

Given that mana!Vayne still doesn't get that there's anything wrong with granting wishes (he's a rational being, and rationally, people shouldn't wish for stuff if they don't want it)? He says the line "it's simple and understandable" a few times. It was probably just like how Vayne is in the game. Someone he's connected or pacted to wants something, he's pulled into it, only more so. I see that scene as wish, grant wish, followed by utter confustion and inability to comprehend what just happened. Which was likely what happened in a few of the towns, too. 'I gave them what they asked me for, so why are they angry?'

As for Vayne becoming a human, I tend to think that yes, he did, but the fact that he did in and of itself implies that he still has a great amount of control over his mana element. Humans have all sorts of preset instinctive desires. Vayne suddenly getting hit with them, while having no ability to identify, resist, or manage them (a skill set) should have been epic. Epic as in meltdown, a lot of horribly embarrassing stuff and necessary teaching, and being sickly and prone to randomly collappsing or getting horrible head/chest/everywhere aches because he forgot something or wasn't told something.

A fic that looked at the actual consequences of him becoming human, and not have the benefit of Sulpher's outside perspective and years of practice at getting him to fake human, would be good to see. Very angsty, but interesting.

So no, for him to be doing it as easily as he is implies that he still possesses a great deal of control over his element, and he may even gradually transform back into a mana over time, as his element recrystalizes around him and he makes small wish after small wish to lessen the human condition.

Atelier Iris 1&3 are interesting for what they do about mana. AI1 even has an artificial mana! Atelier Iris 2 was the most enjoyable for me and at least touches on what happens to a world without alchemy (it's the reason for the Dragon's Face Heel Turn, to use TVTropes' terms). Atelier Annie doesn't even mention mana, sadly.

Re: I really ought to make a Roxis/Vain icon. >.>

[laryna6]

Ugh, sorry, my net went down and wrecked my original response. I tried to recreate it, but it ended up much more confusingly written.

-Just because Theofratus didn't need to suppress Vayne's free will to ensure his death wish doesn't mean he didn't so so. This whole question is a major plot point in the Tree of Thoth fic I'm working on now.

-Yep, the mana in crystals thing needs to be resolved.

Re: I really ought to make a Roxis/Vain icon. >.>

[aphelion_orion]

S'okay, I'll try to reply the best I can. XD

*nod* Well, basically, that is what I figure. Vain states so himself at one point, when he's asked what he wants to do with his future. That it's the first thing he really wants for himself. So I think this is more of a learning process for him.

Most likely. I admit I don't really see Vain's other side as his "mana" side, since all of Vain is technically mana... I think it's more the aspect of himself that he locked away and denied after he killed Theophrastus, so it'd make sense that he'd prefer to think of that aspect as a "voice that tells me to do stuff" rather than something that's tied to him and would force him to remember the traumatic wish he was made to grant.

It won't be easy, that's for sure. But he's got all these friends to help him, so he won't be alone, either.

I'm not sure what your second-to-last paragraph refers to, sorry. XD;;;

Re: I really ought to make a Roxis/Vain icon. >.>

[laryna6]

...and now my internet did it again.

I refer to Vayne's two sides as 'the one that knows he's a mana' and 'the one that thinks he's a human.' It's not nature but identity, in a sense.

To rephrase, just because Theofratus/Theophrastus didn't have to remove Vayne's free will to make sure his wish was granted doesn't necessarily mean he didn't do so as a precaution.

Re: I really ought to make a Roxis/Vain icon. >.>

[aphelion_orion]

Aw. It's a conspiracy! ):

Ah, I see. That makes sense.

*nod* Yes, I understand now. And there's always the question whether he even had to, and didn't just neglect to give Vain the ability to control it.