[Training] I'm just bad at healing

Fool me once, fool me twice
Are you death or paradise?

Thal had certainly asked for it, but she wouldn't easily admit to the instant regret she felt. After rolling away from Maea's strike at her knees, she had watched, crouching as she waited to see if the Ancient would finally do what she asked. When Maea lifted her dagger to her pale hand, Thal silently braced for the magic. 

It hit her hard. In the span of a second, she felt like she'd been sick in bed for weeks, drained and aching. She grit her teeth against the sensation, ignoring the stab of pain that accompanied it. Her fist hit the ground to give her body something else to focus on. Because, as uncomfortable as it was, this was still something she could fight through, and she gave Maea a reassuring smile that said as much. "Good." 

Slowed by the weakness, Thal decided a ranged attack would be better. Without a moment of hesitation, she released her dagger, letting it fly towards Maea as she followed to attack at a closer range.

Now you'll never see me cry
There's just no time to die

Thalassa

Sing to me, I am not doing well
Getting tired of my own words

Revulsion sat thick in her throat, only intensifying as Thalassa praised her for causing her pain. It was a thought that had grown over time, this idea that she didn't want to hurt anyone. Whether animal or person, it didn't matter; Maea didn't want to injure, or maim, or kill. It was laughable, considering what she was. Like a cat trying to go vegan. It would never end well, and she really ought to stop fighting her urges, just accept that destruction was her new purpose and stop wishing, hoping, wanting for something she could never be...

With a gasp of pain Maea yanked the dagger from her palm. Blood splattered into the snow, staining it red and raising steam in the cold air.  Her head swam, and it was reflex that let her jerk away from the dagger that came hurtling towards her. She had to get her feet under her, had to get back up, had to keep moving – she didn't want to fight but she didn't want to die either.

With a strained cry she heaved herself up, leaping into the air. Even as her body vaulted up it began to shimmer and changed, arms turning to wings and talons, her beak a weapon of war that pecked at Thalassa's face, even as white feathers turned red from the puncture wound in the wing.

Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself
through the loudness of my own hurts

base inspired by Odd <3

Thalassa

They created the monster

It was apparent that Maea didn't take kindly to her reassurance. Thal sighed, watching as she chose to rip the blade from her hand, dodging the next dagger in a way that told the Captain there was no heart in the fight. She seemed more pained than appropriate, and it made Thal question whether there would ever be a time that she could embrace her magic, especially as Maea transformed into her gore crow, choosing not to continue with her Bloodbane magic. It frustrated her. The Ancient had said she wouldn't run, and yet here she was, running from her own powers. 

Well, two could play at the shifting game. 

Covering her face with her hands, Thal morphed into her draconic lyvern form, skin becoming thick and scaled, wings emerging from her back, thick claws forming on her hands. When she felt her body settle, she roared loudly, frightening some of the people lingering at the edge of the pier. Then she leapt into the air, snapping her powerful jaw at Maea in warning.

and then asked why I bite.

"If I could fly I would never come back", you said

There had been a time when Maea enjoyed fighting. When she longed for power, strength, and would have been green with envy over Thalassa's draconic form. It was so much sleeker than the crow, all tooth and scale and voracious hunger – what's not to like about that?
The Maea of right now was tired of fighting. Afraid of the consequences that could, might, maybe come if she embraced such dark and dangerous urges as those that filteredthrough her mind. Sick and tired of feeling and inflicting pain on herself, on others, tired of the constant churning in her head that never stopped, it seemed she was the only one who couldn't seem to find peace with who and what she was. And it sucked.

The bird didn't go through with the attack. Faced with the prospect of teeth it swerved aside, closing the razor sharp talons that were perfectly capable of slicing through even dragon scale and circled around, beating wings pushing her higher into the air. Not exactly out of reach, but if Thalassa wanted to train further she would have to work for it. As far as Maea was concerned she had honored her side of the deal; she never promised to use the damned magic more than once.

Maea

Thalassa

They created the monster

Maea may already be tired of fighting, but Thal was quickly following her, tired of chasing someone who didn't seem to want it. She flew up, wings driving hard into the air with massive beats that disrupted the people below. A few startled shouts sounded as hoods fell away, the pair drawing more attention with each passing second. Thal followed higher, letting out a roar as she snapped her jaw again. It was a last-ditch effort to get at Maea before she spun into a dive. 

When she was mere feet from the ground, she expanded her wings, letting the air catch her like a cushion. The moment her claws began to brush the ground, her form shrunk back into that of a petite Ancient. While she waited for Maea to join her on the surface, Thal gathered her daggers, sheathing them with sharp movements that spoke of her annoyance. "Perhaps that's enough for today."

and then asked why I bite.

Sing to me, I am not doing well
Getting tired of my own words

The lyvern was big and fast, and it took all the agility the crow possessed to avoid its snapping jaws. Even so, a sharp tug told Maea that she had lost a few tail feathers, escaping anything worse only because they weren't being serious. It left a bad taste in her mouth, somewhere between annoyance and guilt.

Joining Thalassa back on the ground, Maea shifted back and adjusted the coat as the shifted back, looking ruffled and out of sorts. Digging into the ample pockets she unwound a tangle of cloth and started wrapping up her bleeding hand. "I agree. It seems I'm not in the right headspace for sparing after all..." An understatement, but she didn't want to take her bad mood out on Thal any more than she'd already done. "You're good," she added, recalling it was supposed to be a teaching moment. "Perhaps too good for me to teach you much... You may need to find someone else to train with, too." Someone with more advanced skills, who had more experience than Maea. "But, if you still want to spar... we can try again."

She could try again. Try not to hate the magic that ran opposite to everything she wanted to do. She didn't like it, but Maea did recognize that for all her reluctance, it was still a useful bit of magic, and it may be needed in the future.

Going to pick up her pack, she hesitated a moment. "I'll... do better, next time. No more running." It was a peace offering; not what either of them wanted, but the best she had right now.

Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself
through the loudness of my own hurts

base inspired by Odd <3

Fool me once, fool me twice
Are you death or paradise?

Shifting her cloak back over her exposed daggers, she watched Maea bandage up her arm. She could still feel the remnants of the Bloodbane stinging through her body, making her inexplicably tired. But maybe that was just the emotional expenditure of recent events. Whatever the reason, the compliment rang hollowed, and Thal just shrugged her shoulders. "Then maybe you shouldn't be so worried about hurting me." The urge to launch back into an argument tried to claw up her throat, yet she pushed it down forcefully, worried anymore discussion might actually send the Ancient running. 

Although skeptical, she gave Maea a curt nod. Only time would tell whether she fulfilled her vow. Thal wouldn't hold her breath; however, she also wouldn't let the woman slip into hiding again, if only out of selfish annoyance. Pulling from a nearby lantern, she wrapped a tendril of fire back through her fingers. The chill had started to make them stiff and her muscles tight with exhaustion, but they quickly loosened with the heat. Her tears had dried, and the adrenaline had left her, leaving only an emptiness that she needed to process. 

Sighing, Thal turned to look towards her walk home, the lightning in the distance a beacon of warmth and sleep. Her words were soft, but resigned, leaving the decision to Maea. "If I don't run into you again soon, you can find me on The Marauder or my new place in Levinsward." Whether the information surprised the Ancient, she didn't really care. It probably didn't even matter. With a wave of her hand, she moved to leave. A single thought made her pause, looking back to confirm that it hadn't been a dream, that Maea really was alive. Once she'd done so, she left with a quiet whisper, "I'm glad you're not dead."

[FIN]

Now you'll never see me cry
There's just no time to die

Thalassa