Malviola/Stories
When Alk and the others are separated while investigating abnormalities in the ocean, Alk is saved by a woman named Malviola. Se explains that she is in hiding, having stolen a machine that detects abnormalities in the world from the Gaean government. Empathizing with Malviola's desire for knowledge, Alk invites her to Starview Village.
Amelia: Ugh, no luck here either. This place is, like, a total ghost town.
Alk: So no fish? No monsters?
Amelia: Nada. Zippo. Zilch. Just like Grandpa said. That's totally weird, right?
Amelia: Y-you don't think... that Devourer of Stars thing... woke up, do you?
Amelia: L-let's not think about that! In any case, it doesn't seem to be related to the World Flipper.
Alk: Still, the mermaids are worried, right?
Alk: Well, it's probably best to check anywa-
Alk: Something's coming!
Alk: Amelia, get Stella out of here!
Stella: Alk!
Alk: Stay away from them!
Woman in Black: A human? Impossible?
Woman in Black: He's alive... But what is he doing here?
Woman in Black: Well. it matters not. I have no responsibility to save this boy...
Woman in Black: Curses! Why does this only ever happen to me?!
Woman in Black: Awake at last, I see. I thought you might not return to the land of the living.
Malviola: I am Malviola As your savior, I expect your gratitude.
Malviola: Even if it WAS my fault you almost died...
Alk: It was?
Malviola: How was I supposed to know a human would be roaming around?
Malviola: The familiars I deployed to clear out the area mistook you for a target and attacked. Surely that is not MY fault.
Malviola: Besides, who ARE you exactly? How are you able to survive at the bottom of the ocean? What power is allowing you to do such things?
Malviola: Were you, investigating the northern waters? I'm sorry, I cannot let you-
Alk: Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow down! This is a lot to take in at once!
Malviola: Well, what am I supposed to do about that? It's been a long time since I spoke with a human.
Malviola: How impertinent.
Malviola: Now... May I continue my questions?
Alk: S-sure...
Malviola: Well, this is great. Just GREAT. I had no idea I'd intruded upon mermaid territory...
Malviola: Your name is Alk, correct? I apologize but I cannot allow you to return to your friends just yet.
Malviola: Go ahead, open that door over there and tell me what you see.
Alk: W-we're in the ocean?!
Malviola: Correct. The bottom, to be precise. I have used my own powers to create the space we now occupy.
Malviola: But I cannot let the mermaids find this place- nor can I move it easily. I used all my reserve powers to help you.
Malviola: So I will not hear any bellyaching, understood? Good.
Alk: So wait, what are you doing here? And why are you avoiding the mermaids?
Malviola: Nothing special. Just research. And I'm not JUST avoiding the mermaids. I do not want ANYONE to know about my work.
Malviola: But never mind that. You're hurt, correct? then you should rest. I won't be sleeping tonight, so the bed is all yours.
Malviola: And DON'T get any funny ideas.
Alk: Malviola?
Alk: Is this what you're researching? This device?
Malviola: Alk, you are a drifter from another world, correct?
Malviola: You show no fear in font of a witch, nor are you surprised by my admittedly suspicious research.
Alk: Well... Let's just say I have a lot of friends who defy logic.
Malviola: No one knows anything about this strange power of mine. Frankly, it terrifies me.
Malviola: That's why I began researching alchemy, hoping to learn more about myself... While hiding my powers from those around me.
Malviola: When my research saw me employed by the Gaean Navy, this device was what I spent my time working on.
Alk: The Navy... Wait, this belongs to the government?
Malviola: Well, it did. I stole it.
Alk: You WHAT?! What were you thinking?!
Malviola: You worry too much. All I did was relieve them of some of their burden.
Malviola: This device collects data on any abnormalities in the world.
Malviola: The activity of the elements, the sudden surge in drifters and those with special powers... All of it is connected. And it signals a change.
Malviola: And the source of that change is in the northern sea. While certainly dangerous, there is no better place for my research.
Alk: Are you sure about that? How about coming over to my place?
Malviola: Are you trying to woo me, little boy? This is neither the time nor place for such foolishness.
Alk: Uh, no. That's not what I meant!
Alk: ...I just thought there might be an even better place for your research.
Alk: And... I think I might have a lead on the changes you're seeing.
Malviola: Every star... is another world? But how could this be? I never-
Malviola: Why would you show this to me?
Malviola: You understand I am being pursued, no? I obviously have not revealed every secret I have to you.
Alk: You just... remind me of the others. We're all trying to figure things out, and I thought you would want to know the truth.
Alk: That being said, it's not like I'm forcing you to join us, you know?
Malviola: You really are an impertinent little boy.
Malviola: I will do as I see fit.
Alk, Stella, and Malviola visit the Kaleidoscope to do some experiments, angering the Dark Mage of the Kaleidoscope. He forces Malviola to revisit painful memories of the past, but she remains unmoved, unnerving the Dark Mage. Alk intervenes, allowing the mage to escape, but before leaving, Malviola repeats an offer to work with the Dark Mage if he ever sees fit.
Amelia: How could you, Al?! DO you have any idea how worried we were?!
Alk: Yes, ma'am. Sorry, ma'am. It was very wrong of me to do that.
Malviola: What's all this racket about?
Amelia: Ah, Voo-Voo! Listen to this!
Malviola: Voo-Voo?!
Amelia: We're telling this little knucklehead off! Al, did you think you would look cool if you just rushed in there by yourself?!
Stella: Alk, I do not want you to be influenced by Light in this way.
Malviola: H-hold on, before that!
Malviola: Who is this... Voo-Voo of which you speak.
Amelia: Huh? Well, duh, it's you, of course! Your name's Malviola, so I shorted it to Voo-Voo!
Malviola: And WHY did my name warrant shortening?!
Amelia: You don't like it? Hmm... What about Mallie then?
Amelia: Wait, we can talk about this later! I'm in the middle of lecture! You remember how badly hurt Alk was, right?
Malviola: Ah... Now that you mention it, there were grave injuries on his shoulder, chest, and stomach...
Amelia: Wait... How did you know that?
Malviola: ...I couldn't very well put him to bed in wet clothes, could I?
Amelia: Oh. My. GOSH! Wait, are you serious?! Oh, the girls have GOT to hear about this!
Alk: Can't you leave me out of your gossip?!
Malviola: Ugh, do as you wish. I couldn't care less.
Malviola: Alk. Stella. I am headed to the Kaleidoscope. Could I ask you to accompany me?
Amelia: Hm? What for? Can I come?
Malviola: No. You're far too noisy.
Amelia: Whoa, like, rude much?!
Malviola: I apologize for my lack of concern, but perhaps you should play friends with someone else.
Amelia: I'm not falling for that cold and reserved act! We're already friends!
Malviola: Now then, let us begin. Activate acceleration!
Alk: Whoa... This device tracks data on the changes in the world, right?
Malviola: I believe you call them "shifts" here, correct? This is exactly the reaction I was expecting.
Malviola: The element here are unstable. It's likely they don't now what to do with themselves...
Malviola: This truly is the perfect place for my research.
Malviola: But I'm sure I don't need to tell YOU that, do I?
Alk: You!
Malviola: I understand your irritation. The ruckus of the surface makes it so difficult to purse the truth, doesn't it?
Malviola: But I can't say I enjoy being spied upon either.
Mage: Just... Who are you?
Malviola: You and I are one and the same. Both of us seek to understand the darness.
Malviola: But neither one of us has the power to achieve that goal on our own. Which is why I suggest we work together.
Mage: How dare you... If you truly seek the darkness, little girl...
Mage: Then be consumed by my shadows!
Alk: Malviola!
Malviola: Hmph, what a nasty man you are...
Alchemists in Lab Coats: We've reached our limits! Sir, we need to stop the experiment now!
Alchemists in Lab Coats: I-it wont stop! We can't stop it! We're doomed!
Alchemists in Lab Coats: At this rate, our world... Our very reality-
Alchemists in Lab Coats: Malviola... Have you... always had that power?
Malviola: Despicable.
Malviola: As you can see, my colleagues feared my power and blamed the experiment's failure on me.
Malviola: No one tried to correct them. No one bothered to help me.
Malviola: But what of it? Are you trying to discourage me from trusting others or something?
Malviola: Or could it be... Yes, it's clear to me now... You are-
Alk: Meteor Break!
Alk: Malviola! Snap out of i-hm?
Malviola: Ohhh, and I had him just where I wanted him, too!
Alk: Did I, uh... do something wrong?
Malviola: No, not necessarily. He looked like a cornered rat, so I merely thought I'd be able to get some information out of him, that's all.
Malviola: Learning even just one thing about the abyss would have eased your worries, correct?
Malviola: What is it now?
Alk: So... You did all this to help us?
Malviola: O-of course not! I simply thought such information would be important, particularly for my own research!
Stella: Thank you, Malviola.
Alk: Well, if that's all you needed, wanna head back?
Stella: Yes, let's. We should buy Malviola's favorite treats along the way.
Malviola: Now hold it right there! Don't just jump to your own conclusions!
Malviola: ...I wasn't lying, you know.
Malviola: Should you ever wish to collaborate, I will be all ears.
Malviola visits the Voluntas Academy in search of advanced books on magical theory. After being told only members of the academy are allowed access, Malviola applies for a teaching position and is hired. Later, while at a café, Nimbus questions her motives, but his worries are dispelled when he sees how Malviola interacts with her students.
Malviola: Well, this library simply won't do.
Malviola: The quantity of resource here is fine, but the quality does not match up. All these theory books are clearly meant for children.
Alk: Uh, wait, are you reading KoiAzu?
Alk: That's not a theory book! Here I thought you were toiling through the night, but you were just reading manga, weren't you?!
Malviola: That's not important! What IS important is that the books here have proven insufficient to my research.
Malviola: I require resources of a higher caliber than this...
Malviola: By the way, has the next volume of KoiAzu come out yet?
Academy Staff: My deepest apologies... It seems the book you seek is only accessible to academy members...
Malviola: Is that so... How unfortunate. Thank you for your assistance.
Academy Staff: I am sorry we couldn't be of better help to you- oh, excuse me, it seems I'm needed elsewhere. Please wait here.
Alk: You sure gave up fast for someone who came all this way...
Malviola: Well, I'm satisfied with the knowledge that what I want is here. And I know plenty of methods to get it.
Alk: H-hold on, what do you mean by that?! You're not thinking of doing anything dangerous, are you?!
Academy Staff: You'll have to excuse the interruption. We're a bit short-staffed at the moment.
Stella: She would be given access if she was a member, correct?
Stella: There is an opening for a teaching position listed here.
Academy Staff: Ah... That's true. We are always on the lookout for talented staff, and yes, professors are given full access to our library.
Alk: Well, Malviola doesn't seem like much of a-
Malviola: Perfect! I will take the job.
Alk: Huh?
Academy Staff: May I ask what your area of expertise is?
Malviola: I would say I am proficient in everything except dark magic.
Alk: Hold on, dark magic is your-
Academy Staff: Oh, then having you on staff would really help us out! Shall we set up days for your screening test and interview?
Light: So the academy hired you after that?
Malviola: Naturally. I've already started teaching classes.
Malviola: Unfortunately, I wasn't able to hold back as much as I wanted, so now I'm stuck teaching advanced classes..
Alk: ...What are you planning?
Malviola: I'm doing nothing of the sort. This is just a little experiment, that's all.
Malviola: My powers diverge from the magical theory taught at the academy in a few ways. The staff there knows this.
Malviola: Yet for some reason, they'd rather just ignore those differences and pretend they don't exist. They've closed their eyes and minds to any new possibilities.
Nimbus: So... you wanna teach the students your form of magic to get back at these stiffs. Is that it?
Malviola: Perhaps.
Alk: U-um, why don't we get something else to eat while we-
Academy Student: Ah, it's Professor Malviola!
Academy Student: Are these your friends? Nice to meet you!
Nimbus: Uh, yeah, likewise...
Academy Student: Guess what, Professor! I did it!
Malviola: You did? But I only taught you how to do it today.
Academy Student: You calling me a liar? I'm not! Look!
Academy Student: See? I told you! I made my own little world!
Malviola: That you did, and a beautiful one at that. So you have the power to create flowers. How lovely.
Academy Student: Ehehe, I'll be sure to show you my next world too!
Malviola: All right, but let's keep this a secret from the other professors.
Academy Student: Okay!
Malviola: Now then, where were we?
Nimbus: Yeah, I'm not believing a word you say after that display.
Malviola: Hm? Why are you all acting so different now?
Stella: I think I would like to take your class sometime, Malviola.
Malviola: Excuse me?
Stella: I hope to learn a lot from you, Professor.
Malviola: Wh-what is going on?
Malviola: Why are you laughing?!
Malviola: How impertinent!