Baughn
Healing-type writer
- Location
- Dublin
To be clear here, "on the surface" would mean she's consciously aware of it. Aka, having violent thoughts. I was softening it from that.
Shards of a Broken Sun [Megaten/Shugo Chara/Exalted]
- Thread starter Baughn
- Start date
- Crossover
I just had a thought about long-term possibilities. @Baughn Is it possible to have an Integrity specialty in Overgrowth control? Because if so, that makes going beyond Overgrowth 5 a lot less dangerous, since the specialization would effectively increase our Integrity relative to our Overgrowth. (In-universe, I think it would take the form of lacing the overgrowth with extra control mechanisms, above and beyond what Integrity normally applies at a given level.)
Of course training such a specialty right now would take as much training time as reaching Integrity 3, though it'd take half as much XP.
Of course training such a specialty right now would take as much training time as reaching Integrity 3, though it'd take half as much XP.
Baughn
Healing-type writer
- Location
- Dublin
…right, that reminds me I need to adjust the speciality rules.
Anyhow. Yes. It would be possible, for anyone who really understands how this functions. Of course a large part of the training is figuring that out, so…
I was actually thinking about pointing out how those rules are a little off, but I thought that would be presumptuous, especially when I was suggesting a way to get around the issues with having Overgrowth above 5.
Actually, how do we even train Overgrowth? Does it just go up semi-naturally as we train psionic skills (creating more overgrowth machinery), or do we need to spend time specifically training it?
So not far from thought, rather than not far from action. That's... understandable, I suppose.
Is this a deliberate change? Earlier word on the matter of Integrity specialties was less optimistic:
Baughn
Healing-type writer
- Location
- Dublin
I was a bit coy about this before you learned what it really is, but: You'll find out once anyone tries a training output that would overload it. I'm not going to explain ahead of time, save to mention that training it _is_ possible.
In a couple of different ways, actually.
Baughn
Healing-type writer
- Location
- Dublin
No, that ruling is still correct. It's… hmm, maybe some more example integrity specialities would make this easier to get across.
These would all be valid:
- When helping a hurt child, or other sympathetic person.
- When confronting a declared enemy.
- When defending against a mental attack. Um, willpower also works well here.
But so would these:
- When reorganising her mind.
- When defending against a mental attack that has already partially succeeded.
- When strained by holding a nonstandard mental profile (aka. having Ran or Su separated).
- When explicitly reprogramming autonomic Overgrowth functionality.
The difference is that the first group involves aligning overgrowth with her conscious mind such that excessive control is never really needed, and is more a reduction in necessary control than it's an improvement in said control. Whereas the second group requires a better understanding of what she's doing, and involves better organised lines of control.
The first group is limited by the dot rating* of the intimacy it's keyed off (or equivalent). The second only has the usual three-dot maximum.
*Not that I've been explicitly giving you those. I'll rate them if necessary, but don't really expect it'll come up.
But really, all I'm saying is the specialities are specialities.
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Baughn
Healing-type writer
- Location
- Dublin
Right. "Overgrowth" in itself is too broad to make a valid specialisation, considering it's probably ninety percent of what you'll be using Integrity for.
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Hmm, based on what Baughn said, this influences my interpretation a little then as it means that she isn't even consciously ever considering to harm Amu. And instead they are perhaps closer to brief impulses she's not even aware of that get induced from various things happening at the time. So basically that would mean in her normal integrated self they're just unmoderated inpulses that don't even make it to the surface, emotions not even reaching notability threshold.
We probably shouldn't be surprised there are some such subsurface impulses though, with her background she's had some poor guidance for a few years there, the killings can't have helped some of her mental balance. But that could probably be greatly reduced over time with proper guidance from here on out.
Regarding recent information, I don't think that really changes anything? (I'd consider this along the ballpark of intrusive thoughts combined with supernaturally impaired Integrity myself)
It remains possible and worth to try and assist or support Kana, although this may mean it has to be through someone else or through some other means - two completely different questions and attitudes here if that makes sense?
It remains possible and worth to try and assist or support Kana, although this may mean it has to be through someone else or through some other means - two completely different questions and attitudes here if that makes sense?
- Location
- Laniakea
IMO, it's not anything particularly new. We knew right from day one from reading her memories that Kana had a habit of crushing people's brains in a fit of rage. At least, it was strongly implied to be habitual from the way Aoi was telepathically chewing her out over it.
That she might lash out at Amu too when upset seems a matter of course, for someone prone to those kinds of rage fits.
At least her backstory indicates that she wasn't born that way, she was probably mostly fine back when she was attending school - doubly-implied by how her Shadow, the sane one, is wearing a school uniform - and just got messed up in the head by the whole drama with her family and the Scavengers.
That's many years of being messed up, but that doesn't mean the mess can't be cleaned up to some extent - at least to the point her first response to anger is not crushing the brains of her offender, no matter how much she may feel like it.
That she might lash out at Amu too when upset seems a matter of course, for someone prone to those kinds of rage fits.
At least her backstory indicates that she wasn't born that way, she was probably mostly fine back when she was attending school - doubly-implied by how her Shadow, the sane one, is wearing a school uniform - and just got messed up in the head by the whole drama with her family and the Scavengers.
That's many years of being messed up, but that doesn't mean the mess can't be cleaned up to some extent - at least to the point her first response to anger is not crushing the brains of her offender, no matter how much she may feel like it.
I feel like I still don't have a good enough understanding of how Kana is supposed to feel about the thought of harming Amu. I hope I'll be able to develop a better understanding with the next chapter, and with further scenes.
I wonder what it would take to install a "safety" on psi powers. It's far from a solution, but someone like Kana or Saaya might benefit (for somewhat different reasons) from needing an extra mental step to go into "hurt people" mode, and it might be more palatable than options like outright amputating someone's Overgrowth. Saaya would probably prefer to have the safety. For Kana, it might be a useful aid in training her out of her habits, if she can be convinced to go along with it.
I wonder what it would take to install a "safety" on psi powers. It's far from a solution, but someone like Kana or Saaya might benefit (for somewhat different reasons) from needing an extra mental step to go into "hurt people" mode, and it might be more palatable than options like outright amputating someone's Overgrowth. Saaya would probably prefer to have the safety. For Kana, it might be a useful aid in training her out of her habits, if she can be convinced to go along with it.
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- Location
- Laniakea
Have had a hunch for a long while that this is what Charas were meant to serve as in the quest, what with their mention in the synopsis as being "humanity's fail-safe" as well as the kind of connection they have with Overgrowth.
We know Ami spawning one would result her Overgrowth dropping - presumably, she gets it back whenever she Chara Transforms with the Chara. From what's currently known, it seemingly only ends up "amputated" permanently if either the Chara permanently splits off like Miki, or the Egg turns X and doesn't get purified.
The only problem is, Saaya somehow got disqualified from being able to naturally spawn one. And given the soul surgery Kana has done on herself, chances are the same applies to her.
It may still be possible to give them one somehow anyway through other means, but I don't think Amu even knows that it's actually possible to be disqualified from having one in the first place. So it isn't something she would think to ask anyone about, even if some like Tsukasa or Lulu may have an inkling as to how Charas are made.
Got the sense from that memory on their first meeting that Kana does not really do much thinking when it comes to lashing out. Just gets mad and defaults to the immediate instinct of squeezing out the brains of whoever it was who got her mad.
And that being her friend might just mean it takes a bit more effort for her to get mad, not necessarily that it makes her pause to think any harder about it in the event that she does get pissed and her urge to kill spikes up.
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Vote closed
So 6 to 5, hmmm. Rather close in the end once again.
We sure like our close votes in this quest I guess.
We sure like our close votes in this quest I guess.
- Location
- San Diego, CA
Would be entertaining and meta to have Su and Ran pop out of Amu with Miki around and have them start arguing in front of everyone over where would the best place to send Kana. It would demonstrate how torn we (Amu) are about the issue
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It would also be a great way to tempt Naoto to call Rise to have her explain what she's looking at.
On a vaguely related note, I can't wait until someone learns about Miki and actually tells people they are now planning to become twins, on the basis that this is clearly a thing that has actually been done before.
Or just someone with DID who wants a "divorce" as it were. No need to compromise if you can "just" be two people.
Baughn
Healing-type writer
- Location
- Dublin
Naaah. Miki is clearly their cousin who just happens to look very similar, and who grew up in a forest.
Taking suggestions, actually. JPs will be helping, but ordinary family friends also need an explanation and the family will be throwing a lot more brainpower at it than I have available.
What should be Miki's official backstory?
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Baughn
Healing-type writer
- Location
- Dublin
They're dressed quite differently, and Miki has shorter hair.
But otherwise… yes. Miki's hair is now a very dark blue, nearly black—while Amu's natural hair colour is brown—but that's literally the only physical difference between them. That, and their eye colour.
There's no sensible explanation to be had. They're still going to need one.
I'm leaning toward just telling the truth. If not for the official records, then at least for family friends.
People know Amu is magic. It's hard to even call it an open secret. The coverup seems to have thoroughly failed. They couldn't even keep the footage off TV.
People know Amu is magic. It's hard to even call it an open secret. The coverup seems to have thoroughly failed. They couldn't even keep the footage off TV.
You know this is exactly the kind of personality trait that would make it a terrible idea for Naoto to let Kana anywhere near the Manticore investigation, right?
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