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+---- Thread: [Training] the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train (/showthread.php?tid=7025)
the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train - Maea - 04-12-2022
[say]"So... how much stronger than me are you, really?"[/say] Picking out a dagger for herself and hefting it in a hand, Maea glanced over at Amun. It was a long, speculative look that tried to piece together the things she had seen him do in the past into something cohesive. Blinding lights, those metal hand things, the phasing - not to mention that he had carried her with ease across half the Wilds when she couldn't walk on her own.
Maea was quite aware that she wasn't strong. Not really. The few tricks she knew were more of the stealthy nature, and she hadn't explored them to the fullest extent yet. Never wanted to. It was her brother's gentle coaxing to accept her new existence that allowed for even a hint of curiosity - as if taking pride in this altered form of hers or attempting to improve on it might somehow be wrong or immoral.
It was drizzling outside, the training grounds a muddy wasteland after the regular training ended for the day. Her hair was already damp, but it didn't bother the pale girl in the slightest. If there was a chill in the air, she couldn't feel it. Some days, that wasn't a bad thing.
RE: the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train - Amun - 04-12-2022
Slouching on the edge of the training ground and watching as Maea picked up a dagger, Amun arched an eyebrow at her question. Shrugging, he activated his metal manipulation upgrade. The gauntlets he wore crawled down his arms until he held a short sword. [say]"It's impossible for me to answer that question without knowing how strong you are,"[/say] he informed her with a laugh.
Rolling the hilt of his blade between his palms, he rolled his neck and then his shoulders. [say]"Are you asking me to arm wrestle you?"[/say] Sniffing and blinking rapidly, he put one hand of his heart. [say]"I thought this day would never come."[/say] He ended the performance with a wink.
RE: the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train - Maea - 04-12-2022
Straightening up, the girl offered up a lopsided grin and shrugged. Smiling came a little easier for each day that passed in Amun's company; it was impossible to remain impassive when faced with such a heady mix of calm support and relentless teasing.
[say]"And I can't really answer that for myself... So I guess you'll just have to test me."[/say] She wouldn't call it arm wrestling, though. Not with that sword of his in hand. [say]"It's so very comforting to see how much you've longed for a chance to roll me in the mud."[/say]
Twirling the dagger between her fingers, she crossed the training grounds and approached him. When only a few strides remained, she sank down slightly at the knees, as ready as she would ever be. A part of her was reluctant to even raise the dagger and point the blade at Amun - but there was a numb and very cold part of her still, that didn't much care about anything.
It was the shadow version that made her suddenly lunge forward, attempting to get close enough to slash a cut across his chest before he stopped posturing. Even with the clouds and the sun on its way down, she felt rather sluggish. Not as viper quick as she might have been at full night.
RE: the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train - Amun - 04-12-2022
As Maea approached, Amun watched her. Narrowing his eyes at her words, he pointed the tip of his sword in her direction. [say]"Careful. If you keep making jokes about mud wrestling people might think we're spending too much time together."[/say] He chuckled at her.
Instead of swaying out of the way of her attack, he activated his phasing upgrade. Dashing forward, keeping his arms up and away from her, he would try to pivot if he got to the other side of her. The sunlight proved no barrier to him, though he wasn't boosted, just not sluggish. If he could, he'd give her back a tap with the flat of his blade.
RE: the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train - Maea - 04-12-2022
Scoffing somewhere between amusement and distaste, Maea rolled her eyes. [say]"Not everyone's mind is in the gutter, Amun. That's mostly just you."[/say] There was a slight pause. [say]"Are we spending too much time together?"[/say] She hoped not; it was the moments spent in his company that made her feel the most alive. Almost like her old self, in some way. He'd known her before the change, and after; like a bridge between then and now. It made a world of difference.
The phasing was expected, after helping him figure it out so recently. The dagger, her arm and then her entire self passed through Amun as he shot forth, and at the same time Maea began to turn and shift to the side. She wasn't quite fast enough, the blade tapped against her upper arm rather than the back, but at least she was facing him again.
Raising the empty hand with her palm directed at him, she closed the circuits of her upgrade. Electricity shot forth, sizzling and bright enough to cast shadows wildly about even in the dim light of the day. Distantly, she thought it would be interesting to see whether it would slow him down at all.
If it did, Maea would try to close in a bit more, ready for another strike with the dagger.
RE: the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train - Amun - 04-12-2022
[say]"How do you know? Have you polled everyone and recorded their responses?"[/say] Amun waggled his eyebrows at Maea. Grinning, he shook his head. [say]"Absolutely not, but then again you frequently question my judgment and decision-making."[/say] He chuckled.
Unable to avoid getting grazed by her electric touch, he shuddered at the sensation of the shock traveling through him. Still, he was able to get his sword up even as the lightning traveled through his body. Blocking her dagger strike, he activated his metal manipulation upgrade. His goal was to fuse their blades together, either forcing her to release her knife or try to wrestle him for the metal.
RE: the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train - Maea - 04-12-2022
[say]"No, I haven't. Call it an uneducated guess."[/say] She poked her tongue at him, in retaliation for the waggling eyebrows. She tried not to feel too relieved at his response - she didn't know what she would have done if the answer turned out to be something different. Curl up and cry, most likely. [say]"The only think I'm really questioning right now is whether you actually care what people say. Ah - maybe it will ruin your chances to snare some fun if people gossiped?"[/say]
Personally Maea couldn't care less. Very few people were able to sway her when it came to their opinions on her - and one of them was busy trying to twist the dagger out of her hand.
She held on to it with every bit of strength she had. But it was as if the metal had taken on a life of its own, and slowly the hilt was twisted from her grip. When she realized that holding on would be impossible, she let go of it and vanished -
- only to appear again right behind Amun. With her back turned towards his, she sent an elbow flying towards the back of his head. He may be able to afford holding back; she did not.
RE: the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train - Amun - 04-12-2022
Amun narrowed his eyes at Maea. Snorting, he cocked his head to one side. [say]"Okay. It's an uneducated guess."[/say] He smirked, which only deepened when she stuck out her tongue at him. [say]"I care, but only insofar as I know if I'm properly scandalizing them."[/say]
When she released the knife he swayed backwards a bit from the lack of tension. That was all that prevented her elbow from slamming right into the back of his head. Instead, it smashed into him at an angle. Even so, the lack of pain meant he wasn't deterred by her strike
Instead, he just activated his phasing and tried to backpedal through her, holding his arms out to the side. If he could, one he was safely on the other side, he'd plant a boot on her bum and try to kick and shove her forwards.
RE: the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train - Maea - 04-13-2022
[say]"Hmm, I doubt there's enough public displays of affection for that,"[/say] she mused. [say]"Of course, the risk is that people start to seriously doubt the whole sibling thing, brother. Is a bit of scandal worth that?"[/say]
It was eerie to feel the impact without sensing any pain. How strange to know exactly how hard she had struck and what damage was done to herself at the same time, without having to reel from numb fingers and unmovable elbow joints. It lent itself to recklessness, something she was prone to already.
The boot to her bum did the trick and sent Maea stumbling forward. In an attempt to recover faster, she dove into the fall and tucked her head in, so that the landing became a forward roll. Mud and dirt smeared into her hair and stuck onto the back of her coat, making it heavy and wet.
With a shrug she let it fall from the shoulders, and turned while still on one knee; ready to face Amun with a double-handed jolt of electricity when he inevitably approached.
RE: the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train - Serendipity - 04-13-2022
Because...well, because it would be absurd to think that out of the corner of your eye you had just seen a house. A house with a figure slamming its hands against one of the upper windows with enough force to shatter it, and then...
Well, then you looked and it was gone.
Nah, you're probably just tired.
RE: the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train - Amun - 04-13-2022
Amun waggled his eyebrows at Maea. [say]"I mean, I could give you a piggyback ride everywhere but I doubt that would get people talking in the right way if you know what I mean, sis."[/say] Smirking, he tilted his head to one side. [say]"Not the type of physical affection you were thinking of?"[/say]
If the potter hadn't already encountered the weird flash of movement and illusion that was the house, it might've proved distracting. As it was, he filed it away for later and just focused on the sparring. As she shrugged off her coat and came up with hands sparking, he didn't approach. Instead, he activated his metal manipulation upgrade. Forming a chain, he tried to chuck it at her bola style, hoping she'd shock herself with her own upgrade.
RE: the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train - Maea - 04-13-2022
[say]"Not with your goal being to scandalize, no. Piggybacks are not going to cut it. Of course, if you even think to do anything weird because I said that, I will kick you. Repeatedly. And then the scandal will be all about violence."[/say]
If she ever managed to land a kick, that is. At this rate, Maea feared it was a harder task than expected. They were equally slippery and good at moving out of the way, but Amun had a distinct edge in his movements. Faster, sharper - she couldn't quite keep up enough to regain balance between the dodges. She kept up the beam of electricity, and was about to rise onto her feet when something flickered into existence at the periphery of her vision.
A house. A house? And in the window, something - someone - slamming against the window. Breaking it, glass flying -
She froze, paralyzed by the apparition. The chain knocked her about as it slammed into her with force, and she only just managed to disengage the electricity before the metal wrapped around her. Trapping her upper arms against the torso, Maea fought against the restraint - she blinked. Shook her head. The vision was gone, and no matter where she looked it wouldn't reappear.
[say]"Did... you see that?"[/say] She tumbled to her feet, wide eyed and even paler than normal. Something about the imagery had cut deep, enough to shake her focus on the spar.
RE: the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train - Amun - 04-13-2022
[say]"Fine. I guess I'll have to settle for a bridal carry then."[/say] Amun let out a long sigh, but he winked at Maea as he did it. [say]"Me?"[/say] Batting his eyelashes, he put his hands together in a praying position. [say]"I am a simple and innocent man."[/say]
As the chain wrapped around her body, he grinned. However, it slipped away as she started to ask about the illusion. Immediately, he moved towards her and put his hands on her shoulders. [say]"Breathe. Just breathe."[/say] He demonstrated, taking a long breath through his nose and releasing it through his mouth. [say]"Yes, I saw it. But it's not real, just a trick of some kind."[/say] He massaged her shoulders, trying to get rid of the tension as best he could.
RE: the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train - Maea - 04-13-2022
Breathing did jack shit when air was no longer necessary to run basic brain functions. But she did as she was told and drew in useless lungfuls of oxygen. Struggling out of the chain until it dropped in a crooked circle around her feet, she tried to shake the vision from her mind. But it wouldn't quite go; the memory of it lay as if plastered against her retina.
Shuddering, she closed her eyes. Focused on the hands rubbing her shoulders instead. It was really nothing strange about the vision at all. Except... except the longer she lingered on it, the more it took on a familiar cast. Her own house, and well known faces twisted behind shattering glass. Brother, sister-in-law. Nephews.
Had they fought like that, before the monsters caught up?
[say]"Not real,"[/say] she repeated. Her voice cracked; she cleared it. Blinked furiously, until nothing clouded her vision anymore. [say]"I've never seen... anything like that before. What's going on with this place? Is it spirits?"[/say] First the mist and the laughter, now this. It was uncanny, and unusual. The Grounds always held surprises, but they were taking on new forms.
[say]"I wonder... if LongNight is really going to be all that calm, if this keeps up."[/say] An unsettling thought. Looking down at the chains, then up at Amun, the girl sighed. Practice had been interrupted because of her.
[say]"Sorry. I guess you win by default."[/say]