The New Math (Nanoha SI), Thread 2

[robkelk]

So, D rank is OVER NINE THOUSAND!? Hmmmmm...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Bluemage]

BA:  Also the difference between the programmed intelligence and the naturally-developed one.
CD:  With me, it's an issue of spiciness.  I detest chemical heat.  Can't take anything more than mild salsa, either.
Also, I much prefer brats to traditional 'hot dogs'.  I want *meat*, not processed crap.
CD Again!:  I've just been going with the rough scale I had, as seen back on Page 2 of this thread.  Really should index that.
My rankings are in basic shooting spells rather than thaums, though.  Huh.  Maybe tonight I'll do a conversion, and see what I get.  Thanks!
Rob:  It's 1006.  You're wearing the scouter wrong.
*****
"First, she's not wearing a wedding ring.  That doesn't mean that she's single on its own, but you can see that she has a bit of a tan, right?  Look at her hands.  They're tanned all over, which they wouldn't be if she wore a ring regularly.  The tan's not very strong, either, so I doubt it's artificial.
As for the 'looking' part, watch her for a minute.  See the way she looks at the people around her age... or the way she just winked at that guy over there?  Classic flirtatious behavior."
"...ah, I see.  What about her employment?"
"Look at her clothes.  They're not cheap, but not top-end.  She's not rich, but she's doing fairly well for herself, and since we're deducing that she's single..."
"The money to purchase them must've come from somewhere.  I see.
Would I be correct in assuming that her physique helped you narrow down what sort of job?"
"Yep.  You catch on quick!
She doesn't have the muscle or the calluses to be doing a physical job, nor the magical power to substitute for it.  Running heavy magitech does take noticeably more power than simply powering computers, and she doesn't have it.  So she's gotta be doing something less physically and magically demanding.
Take a look at her fashion sense.  Classy, yes?"
"...I suppose?"
"It would've been considered to have class, back where I come from.  That usually means that the wearer is in a position of authority; managers, supervisors, and company representatives usually dress like that.  If she were a high-level executive, though, she'd be wearing originals instead of high-end derivatives... and she probably wouldn't be here.  So middle management.
As for the city comment, you notice her body language?  How she's a bit on edge, all the time?"
"Like you are, you mean?"
"...
...yeah, pretty much.  She's not used to- or dressed for- a place like this- a place with dirt floors, wood benches, and bugs in the air.  It's not her natural habitat... which suggests the city is.  So does her job, too."
"I suppose that's logical... but what does that matter?  What purpose does that information serve?"
Oh.  That's a good point.  How would this be useful in an infiltration?
Identity?  Nah- we can pull that up electronically FAR easier.  Same with pertinent facts- just like at home, all that stuff's online.
"...empathizing!"
Where did that come fr... hey, that actually works.  Weird.
"One thing you have to understand about people, sis, is that like calls to like.  Most people are more favorably disposed towards people who they think are like them- more willing to accept them, believe what they say, help them out..."
"...so 'reading' a person would allow me to more closely match my target?"
"More closely, yes.  You don't want to try and match them exactly.  You try that, and most people will realize what you're doing, and trust you less because of it.  The trick is to get just close enough to be identified as 'like me', but not close enough that they start to doubt."
"Oh?  Is this what you do?"
Mrowr!  What did I do to deserve a tease like that?  Easiest way past it is through, I guess.
"Nope.  I don't really have the knack for it.  S'one of the reasons I'm not a people person- my mind doesn't work that way.  I have a hard time with subtlety, hidden meanings, white lies... basically anything that isn't blunt honesty.
But enough about me.  You try it."
*****

---

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.

[classicdrogn]

Might do to double-check your line breaks, some of that looks a little wonky. As to the ranking system, the letters also have to do with tactical skill and spell selection, versus pure magical power - Imma would probably still be rather above-par for raw power compared to what he'd score in a letter-rank exam, even if the training between his first and second encounters with Lada went a good way to closing that gap.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Bluemage]

The line breaks were done that way on purpose.  They denote when the person speaking changes.  I've been doing it this entire carnival trip. :p
Doesn't work?
And yes, there are letter grades for combat capability, magical ability, and even individual spells.  I've been focusing primarily on the functional magical power rankings, the spell rankings, and the connection between them.  Also, you're right; my combat ranking would be well below my power ranking.

---

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.

[Black Aeronaut]

In that case, you missed some quotation marks. :p

Now, Cinque is either going to be hilariously bad at this... or frighteningly good.

[Bluemage]

Well, the intent of that was to connote a beat of silence.  It looks better with everything double-spaced and the current breaks doubled as well, I guess.  I'll change it.

---

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.

[classicdrogn]

I somehow hadn't noticed it before... but yeah, it's better now.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Inquisitive Raven]

Do we know enough about MidChildan marriage customs to deduce that the woman is single from the absence of a ring? Or is this a Blue Mage blind spot.

[Bluemage]

Heh. ^^  Yep, you caught me, Raven.  Blind spot.
There's nothing I know of in canon that goes one way or the other.  In TNM, some planets have that tradition, and others do not.  The SI is approximately 39% correct. :3
***************
"...and her muscle tone suggests mild amounts of physical activity.  Given her age, clothing choices, and level of coordination, I suspect a combination of simple exercise and some form of dance."
Could be aerobics and dance, or could just be cheerleading.  Still accurate.
"And how would you approach her?"
Okay, thinking Cinque is a cute Cinque.  "Compliment her appearance, then move into discussing one of her interests.  Shopping, possibly?"
Good lead-in, there.  "That could work.  Clothes shopping is typically a good option for girls like that.  Your options are sort of limited by your apparent age- Sein would have an easy time dragging her off to talk about boys, for example- so that'd probably be your best bet.  Still, well done."
This is pretty good lemonade, especially on a warm day like this.  I should savor it.
"Thank you.
...wait.  'Limited by my apparent age', you say?  What do you mean?"
Oh, right.  Kids grow up faster here, so her being mature for her age wouldn't look odd.  Still, she's sort of young to pretend romantic interest...  "Um... I'm not sure how things are done around here... but girls your age generally aren't interested in boys where I come from."  Smooth.  Real smooth.  I'm a veritable block of pumice.
"...Girls my age?  Imma, exactly how old do you think I am?"
This could hurt.  Still, best to be honest.  "You look like you're somewhere between eight and eleven to me."
"Hardly."  Oh, right.  Cinque's not the sort to go straight to violence.  Good.  "I'm almost fifteen."
"BWAH?!  What?"  Well, there goes my lemonade.
*****
"I can believe that you thought I was younger."
You can't?  I mean, look at- wait.  Right.
"You shouldn't be so surprised.  I'm fully aware that I'm well below average height for my age.
It can be... inconvenient... at times."
Yay for understanding sisters... but why would she think her size was inconvenient?
Nah.  Too many reasons.  Can't logic out the right one, so let's get her talking.  "Why is that?"
"My arms, primarily.  I would've liked to have had a longer reach."
That makes sense.  She was pretty much designed to throw daggers, not wield them- being small would help with that.
...wait.  I just had a grand idea.  "Well, why can't you?"
"What?"
"I was eight when I started- now I'm ten.  Why aren't you growing up, too?"
"Hmmm... you know, you might just have something there, Imma.  I'll ask about it when we return.
Speaking of returning, it is getting rather late.  We should head back."
"It is?  Dang, you're right.  I hadn't noticed!"
"...Imma?"
"Yes, Cinque?"
"Thank you for today.  It was... most educational."
Wonder why she's blushing.  Was that so difficult to admit?
"Any time, sis.  Any time."

---

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.

[robkelk]

Wonder why she's blushing. Was that so difficult to admit?

Telegraphing another blind spot there, Bluemage?

(It's one I have, too, so I tend to notice it in others. Wish I could notice it in myself when it comes into play... but then it wouldn't be a blind spot, would it?)
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Bluemage]

robkelk wrote:

---

Bluemage wrote:

---

Wonder why she's blushing. Was that so difficult to admit?

Telegraphing another blind spot there, Bluemage?

(It's one I have, too, so I tend to notice it in others. Wish I could notice it in myself when it comes into play... but then it wouldn't be a blind spot, would it?)

Telegraphing?  I believe I've outright admitted to it, several times.
If I were a more exciting person, the reaction when I finally notice that both Cinque and Sein feel something for me would be something to behold.
...did I say 'when'?  I meant 'if'.

---

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.

[classicdrogn]

Sometimes, I could really wish it was as easy to make animation as it is to write fiction. This is one of those times.

(Other times, I'm trying to find new things worth reading on Fanfiction.net)
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[robkelk]

Sometimes, I could really wish it was as easy to make animation as it is to write fiction. This is one of those times.

Daz Studio comes with a 30-day trial of AniMate, and one can always buy the full version. I'm not sure it's easy, but it's easier than animating by hand.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Black Aeronaut]

Bluemage wrote:

---

Okay, thinking Cinque is a cute Cinque.

This line put a smile on my face.  I need to rewatch Strikers.

[classicdrogn]

No, I don't think that counts, Rob. You'd still have to create all the visual assets in the first place even if you have some canned animations to apply to the models, and the really important ones would be the expressions and body language anyway, which would need to be custom made. "Easier than doing it by hand" is still a long chalk from "easy as opening a new text document and typing away."

And next time you don't quite close an MPreg Uchihacest High School fic fast enough, repeat a mantra of thanks for that fact until your mind is once again clear.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Tennie]

And next time you don't quite close an MPreg Uchihacest High School fic fast enough, repeat a mantra of thanks for that fact until your mind is once again clear.

Quoted for truth oh so fucking much!

[Black Aeronaut]

ClassicDrogn wrote:

---

MPreg Uchihacest High School fic

O_o;;
Why the hell did you have to inflict that on me?  You know that some of us have vivid enough imaginations that just the mere mention....  UGH!  BRAIN BLEACH PLZ!!!

[classicdrogn]

The mantra really does work, actually. Try it!

For those with less overactive imaginations:

Spoiler

Sasuke sighed... what Itachi had done to him was horrible, but the medic's report after he woke at last from the Tsukiyomi-induced coma was the worst! How could he ever show his face at Konoha High school, when he was pregnant with his own brother's child!?

I know, I know, it's horrible. Just repeat after me:
"Thank the Matrix, it's much harder to create animation than text."
"Thank the Matrix, it's much harder to create animation than text."
"Thank the Matrix, it's much harder to create animation than text."
"Thank the Matrix, it's much harder to create animation than text."
"Thank the Matrix, it's much harder to create animation than text."
"Thank the Matrix, it's much harder to create animation than text."
"Thank the Matrix, it's much harder to create animation than text."
"Thank the Matrix, it's much harder to create animation than text."

Feeling better yet? No? Keep going. Sometimes it helps to hum, too.

Da-da da-da dum da-da dum da-da dum, da-da-da da-daa...
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Bluemage]

Bah.  Even if it were easy to animate, I'd still suck at it.  I'm not a visual person- not one bit.
Glad I managed, BA.  Not sure why that one line made you smile, but I'm glad it did.  Time to throw another pot of spaghetti at the wall, and see if it sticks!
Eh.  I've heard of worse than that.  What, no clonecest?  No Orochimaru tentacle-snake shenanigans?  No unexplained crossover so that can come have a threesome with them?  That's only pulling about a 7.9 on my Weird Fic-o-meter, tops.(The one that really haunts me is the HP fic where, in the process of getting access to the family vault, Harry finds out that his entire family line except for Lily was made up of gay men.  Apparently, the Potters have a genie bound to the family line, and it made them a device that could grow babies from two male genetic samples.  Also made them a lot of gold.  Anyway, he quite literally realized that he'd been flagrantly gay his entire life, and went from shy kid to looking down on his father for being a 'breeder', in the course of a page or so.)
**********

Not ten seconds after we'd reappeared in the lab, I found myself wrapped up in a most familiar hug.  A little bit more awkward, with two of us being hugged, but this is definitely Sein."Aww, you brought me the BIGGEST bear!  You're the best siblings ever!"
Cinque, one eye twitching in annoyance, simply slipped out of the hug.  I didn't bother; with her out of it, the hug had gone from an awkward bear-hug (three people throwing off the shape of it) to something actually pleasant, so I just soaked it up for a bit.
What can I say?  I like having affectionate sisters.
My comfy prison was soon disrupted, though, by way of having Sein's arms pried off of me by Cinque.  "We most certainly did not!  Where did you put my bear?"
I gave the room a cursory once-over, only to see no bear.  Weird.  I didn't notice that right off.  Must've been the hug- it was quite a distraction.
Instead of doing the sensible thing and arguing with Cinque, Sein turned to me and deployed her fearsome puppy-dog eyes.  "Really?  Is that bear really Cinque's?  When I saw it, I was so SURE you'd gotten it for me- it was just so CUDDLY!"
I sighed.  "Sein, it's not my bear to give- to you, OR to her.  Cinque won it in a knife-throwing game today- one I couldn't have beaten."
She scowled at me.  "Don't talk like that!  You can do anything you put your mind to!  I believe in you!"
I couldn't help but grin at that, and scratch the back of my head in embarrassment.  Awfully nice of you, sis.  I appreciate that.  "Thanks... but honestly, I don't have the skill to do what Cinque did.  You know how good she is with knives, right?"
Sein nodded.  "Mhm!"
Good.  I have her thinking, instead of emoting.  Much easier to work with.  "Well, she couldn't win anything on her first try.  The game was rigged." 
That got her attention.  Sein turned to Cinque, her eyes wide.  "Really?"  Cinque just nodded, almost bashfully.  "And you still won?"  She nodded again.  "Second try."
Another hug.  "Wow!"  Okay, the Sein is distracted.  We can now sneak away before she-"So what did you bring me, huh?  Huh?"  ...gets back on subject.  Drat.  "You did bring me something, right?"
I ruffled Sein's hair, smiling my most infuriating big-brother smile.  "Of course we didn't."  A beat later- just long enough for that to sink in, but not long enough for her to get upset- I continued with "...we went to a carnival.  Half the fun of bringing things back is winning them yourself... and I know my younger sister wouldn't want to miss out on any of the fun!"
"Oh."  She pouted for a second, idly straightening her hair, before what I'd said caught up with her.  "Does that mean-?"
"Yep."  I ruffled her hair again, this time getting her to stick her tongue out in mock-exasperation.  "Not today, but soon.  Maybe next week?"  Please be okay with that.  PLEASE be okay with-"That's PERFECT!"  Sein pounced on me, hugging like there was no tomorrow, a megawatt smile on her face.  "I'd better go get ready!  I'll need clothes, and research- oh, and I should probably research what to wear, too- and..."  She made to walk out the door, only for Cinque to reach out, and grab her by the shoulder.
"Aren't you forgetting something, Sein?"
Sein turned to look at her, a look of utter innocence on her face.  "I don't think I am, sis... but what if I've forgotten what I've forgotten?  I wouldn't even know that I'd forgotten anything!"  She put one hand up to her chin, a finger resting on her cheek.  "Have I forgotten something?"
Cinque frowned.  One eye twitched in frustration.  "My bear?"
Sein grinned, airily waving a hand.  "Oh, that?  It's sitting on your bed.  I saw it sitting here, and thought I'd put it someplace nicer.  It was getting awfully lonely in here, you know, so I put it with the others."
What.Cinque, surprisingly enough, didn't take the news well.  "...you mean... this ENTIRE TIME..."
"...it's been right where it belonged.  Yep!"  Sein grinned.  "Aren't I the best!"
"...and asking if Imma brought you something?"
The grin got wider.  "Oh, that was just so's he'd take me out next week!"
She looked at the two of us- Cinque's hands twitching, reaching for knives that weren't yet there- my Imma regalia fully manifested, along with a glare- and made the best possible decision.  "Time to go!"  Sein leapt up, her hands phasing into the ceiling, and swung herself up and into the room above.
Seconds later, after making sure Sein had really left the area, Cinque and I nearly collapsed laughing.

---

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.

[Black Aeronaut]

Snnnrrrrrrrrk! Okay. Sein is utterly and adorably mischievous.

[classicdrogn]

Indeed! You'd better not make her "the evil one due to butterflies," Bluemage.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[robkelk]

Snnnrrrrrrrrk! Okay. Sein is utterly and adorably mischievous.

Hmmmmm...

We were having a great time at the carnival, talking and laughing, arm in arm with Sein on one side of me and Quattro on the other ...

I sat up in bed, eyes wide and heart racing.

Once I'd calmed down, I realized it had only been a dream - that would never happen in reality. Then I thought about Sein ... and my fear of the dream coming true kept me awake the rest of the night.

Or maybe not.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Black Aeronaut]

*Insert wicked cackle here*

And I bet Sein would do it, too. Imma is doomed.

[classicdrogn]

I'll approve it.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Bluemage]

Yeah, that was one of those scenes that sort of wrote itself.  I didn't have to reach for the next bit of it, or think 'what would Cinque/Sein do next?'; it just flowed.  By the end, I was sort of surprised at the result- I'd not anticipated Sein planning that far ahead.
It's informed some of her later scenes, to a degree.
CD?  Heh.  Heh heh.  Hahaha.  Haha?  HA!(I have something planned.  It's cruel, and it does involve drama, but I don't think you'll be displeased.)
Rob, BA: What?No, seriously.  What?I mean, I get the dream being a problem, but what would Sein do?
**********

Nice place they've got here.  Blue skies, lots of trees, comfy weather- the works.  You know, I'm not saying I want to build a summer home here... eh, who am I kidding?  I'd live here.
Pity about what I have to do.
I carefully laid down on the rocky cliffs, crawling arm-over-arm towards the edge.  Right before I got there, I carefully folded my hat back, making sure the point of it wouldn't stick back up at the wrong moment, before poking my head out for a look.
There's the house.  Nice place, if you discount the slime occupying it.
Six heat sources inside the building, all in the same room.  Those must be the negotiators.  Twelve humanoid signatures outside, but only seven trucks.  Truck designs suggest three belong to the Beni-ya (I snickered, again, at the name- who would've expected punny mobsters?) group, and the other four are Syndicate.  Trucks arrayed around house, creating both effective perimeter, and two combat formations- looks like neither side trusts the other all that much.
Nobody's patrolling.  Half of them are dead complacent- and the other half are more focused on the other guys than looking for an outside attacker.  I can work with this.  Heck, this should be easy.  Crawling back from the edge a bit, I carefully stood back up... and turned my attention to the wall of water at my end of the valley, and the shimmer of magitech that held it back.
...
I shook my head.  Nah.  Too easy.  There's got to be a better way.

"Nothing?!  What do you mean, there's nothing you can do?"
Uno's image sighed in front of me.  "I mean precisely what I said, Imma.  If the negotiators are allowed to live, an arrangement will be made between the Beni-ya and the Syndicate.  If that were to happen-"
I reached up to my forehead, massaging my now-aching temples with my fingers.  "...I know.  Syndicate forces will be freed up for seek-and-destroy missions against us, complicating our operations."
Uno snorted.  "If you mean that both Syndicate and Guild forces will be released for joint operations against you, your sisters, and our compound itself... then yes.  You are correct."
Worse than I thought, then.
"That is why the negotiations have to be stopped.  We can defeat the Syndicate on its own, but they cannot be allowed to gain allies.  It is imperative that this does not happen!"
I opened my mouth to respond, only to stop mid-motion.  Wait.  I could simply demolish the entire compound in one shot.  That's the most logical reason for sending me out, after all... but it doesn't make sense.  They'd be able to prove that the place was blown up, probably by an outside force, and maybe by me.  I'd just drive them closer together... unless..."...you didn't send me out here to level the place.  You want the war to continue- and for that, you want both sides at each others' throats... which means you wanted me to try and come up with a third option.  You were counting on it."
Uno said nothing.

---

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.