Sparkle like a sunken pirate wreck

Seren

I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
Destined to seek, destined to know

Seren beamed at the positive reply, and held out her arms to hug Weaver about the neck in a rather gushingly affectionate way. "I like you!" she told the older woman happily. "What do you want to play?"

Sitting back down, she looked eagerly up at Weaver. They had played at pirates already, and talked lots, so it was only fair that her newest friend would get to take a turn of deciding what to do next. Seren could think of a number of things that might be fun, but like the considerate girl she was, she waited with listing them off.

Sitting still in the brisk wind was becoming a bit chilly, but the girl didn't mind; the way her skin prickled and shuddered at the cool air was interesting, and not entirely unpleasant.

I am a princess on the way to my throne
Destined to reign, destined to roam

Weaver

Time is the substance from which I am made.
Time is a river which carries me along,
but I am the river;

The girl wraps her arms around Weaver’s neck in such an affectionate manner, and Weaver can’t help but smile and wrap her arms around the girl’s small body and squeeze back. How strange, to be liked so easily, to be liked without being judged. At least it certainly didn’t feel like Seren was judging, but simply looking for people to care about, for people who would care about her in return. She’d already collected quite the group, and Weaver didn’t doubt she’d attract more. Perhaps Seren had a gravity all her own.

”You pick the game,” she says, throwing it back to Seren. Honestly, she’s just not much for games. She’s happy to play with Seren, to entertain the girl, but she doesn’t necessarily feel like thinking of the games. Her brothers and her rarely did stuff like this, though it wasn’t as if they could sit outside and watch the clouds either. They fought and they hunted and they skinned their kills and dried the meat. They traded in the market and occasionally played with the memory snow, but never for long.

it is a tiger that devours me, but I am the tiger;
it is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire.

Seren

I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
Destined to seek, destined to know

Seren thought for a while, watching the sky as she did. There was something niggling at the back of her mind, something to remember... Then she sat up, and turned eagerly to Weaver.

"You said you would show me something! About fighting!" she reminded. Now that she wasn't tired, maybe they could still do that. Not a game perhaps, but somehow she thought it might be fun anyway.

I am a princess on the way to my throne
Destined to reign, destined to roam

Weaver

Time is the substance from which I am made.
Time is a river which carries me along,
but I am the river;

Weaver grins at the suggestion, sitting up and brushing some sand and dirt from her arms. ”You feel like you have enough energy? she asks, just to confirm, though the girl certainly seems to.

Weaver stands, stretching a moment and waiting for Seren to join her. ”Let’s start with some basic self defense, things you can do to get away from someone who might want to hurt you.” Fighting isn’t always about winning, but rather about surviving. Weaver is small and weak enough that she knows she often cannot win a fight, and so she fights to simply not lose.

”You are probably faster than most adults, so it’ll be hard for them to catch you if you get away. You can also use your size to your advantage, running through small spaces where they can’t follow.” She pauses for a moment, making sure Seren is following before continuing. ”So what happens if someone grabs you? First, let me show you how to make a fist.” Weaver holds her hands up with her fingers open. Then she curls the four fingers on each hand down, leaving her thumbs out. Once Seren gets that, Weaver curls her thumbs in, thumbs staying on the outside of her fingers, waiting for Seren to figure it out and helping the girl adjust if needed.

it is a tiger that devours me, but I am the tiger;
it is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire.

Seren

I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
Destined to seek, destined to know

Seren nodded that she indeed had energy to spare, and got to her feet. Her expression was serious and attentive as she listened, but it was clear she had fun. Not meant to be a game, the girl couldn't help but feel that it kind of was anyway.

Again she nodded, confirming that she was listening. "I can run faster and hide better!" she treated to prove it. When Weaver showed her how to make a fist, Seren obeyed. It took some fiddling of her chubby little fingers to get it right, but when all was as it should, she showed Weaver proudly, the fist made on both her hands. "Like this?" She never favored one hand over the other, equally dexterous with both.

I am a princess on the way to my throne
Destined to reign, destined to roam

Weaver

Time is the substance from which I am made.
Time is a river which carries me along,
but I am the river;

Weaver gives the girl a broad grin and a nod. ”Yup, like that. Now, you are going to use this part of your hand and arm,” she says, unclenching one fist to touch the pinky-side of her fist and arm. ”If you have the chance, you can also use elbows. For smaller people, like us, the elbows and knees are usually more powerful.” Something she’d been taught at a young age too, and Weaver is more likely to throw an elbow than a proper punch.

”So I’m going to try and grab you, and I want you to pummel me with both fists, where I showed you. My arms, my chest, my face. Whatever it takes. Don’t worry about hurting me, I can heal.” Weaver nods, waiting to make sure Seren is ready. When she is, Weaver comes in slowly, reaching out her arms toward Seren’s middle, making as if to grab her. The movements are slow for now, letting Seren get used to the motions first.

it is a tiger that devours me, but I am the tiger;
it is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire.

Seren

I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
Destined to seek, destined to know

It must be stated that Seren was not a belligerent child. Her tantrums were few and far between, and consisted mostly of tears or sulky silence. She had shown interest in the boxing ring where she spent her first night, and in this lesson that Weaver held, but in no way did punching someone come natural or easy to her. There was a resistance to it in her very bones, it seemed, perhaps because Weaver was someone she liked. A friend. Or simply because she was alive and it went against the young demi-goddess' nature to cause pain.

She certainly tried to do as she was instructed, but the flailing little fists had no strength behind them at all. Nor did she aim properly, very much afraid of hitting where it might hurt despite the reassurance that it was okay.

For the first time, it really hit home with the girl that, no. Fighting really wasn't funny at all.

I am a princess on the way to my throne
Destined to reign, destined to roam

Weaver

Time is the substance from which I am made.
Time is a river which carries me along,
but I am the river;

Weaver chuckles slightly as the little fists beat somewhat helplessly against her. Her smile is kind though, and she steps back for a moment. ”I know I’m not a scary monster, but if someone really wanted to hurt you, it’d be easier.” Weaver remembers when she first started learning to fight, and she’d felt similarly. Though she enjoyed a good spar now, the simple exertion of her body in that way, she would never enjoy true fighting. But she would do it, because sometimes the lives of good people depending on it.

”I want you to imagine I am someone else. Someone who wants to hurt you, or maybe someone you love.” The latter always works better for Weaver. After all, she’d been shaped by a life caring for her little brother. ”Another thing you can try is stomping on my foot, particularly right by the ankle where it’s tender.” Weaver’s boots were designed to protect against such things, but she would feel it well enough to pretend if it hurt. Torchliners probably wore far less substantial footwear.

”Okay, I’m going to try and grab you again, and I want you to escape.” This time she doesn’t take it easy, but she lunges, using speed to hopefully startle the girl into reaction. Sometimes you just needed to let instinct take over.

it is a tiger that devours me, but I am the tiger;
it is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire.

Seren

I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
Destined to seek, destined to know

Seren tried her very best to imagine a terrible person, a scary monster that might want to hurt her. But nothing really came to mind, and the image was vague at best. Now... somehow having to go help someone she else? That was much easier. If all she had to do was get away, it didn't seem quite as bad.

And the jump-scare tactic did work quite spectacularly. Perhaps too well, because when Weaver lunged for her, Seren's instincts kicked in on overdrive. She let loose a gravity pulse on the woman, to pin her in place while small fists tried to drum a ferocious kitten beat on the pretty face. Or whatever part was closest. And then she scrabbled backwards, wild-eyed and with heart beating fast, until she thought she was out of reach.

I am a princess on the way to my throne
Destined to reign, destined to roam

Weaver

Time is the substance from which I am made.
Time is a river which carries me along,
but I am the river;

Well, that worked. The gravity pulse pins Weaver in place, and there’s little she can do as Seren beats against largely arms and chest, though sometimes her face too. It doesn’t necessarily hurt, but even still, the action would have been distracting and disorienting enough even without the gravity pulse that Seren might have escaped.

When she can move again, Weaver shakes the strange feel of the extra heavy gravity from her limbs, though she clearly looks pleased. ”Well, I think you’ve found a good use for making things heavier,” she says, taking a few steps toward Seren to make sure the girl is okay. ”Well done. Do you want to learn more, or is that enough for now?” Weaver won’t push, won’t ask the girl to strive past her limits. To do so is to scar her, potentially, and to scare her away from ever learning again. Certain things are best taken slowly. She sends another burst of healing toward Seren, helping her to regain some energy.

it is a tiger that devours me, but I am the tiger;
it is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire.

Seren

I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
Destined to seek, destined to know

A little bit frazzled, Seren needed quite a bit of time to regain her composure. But the praise helped. It made her swell and preen like a contented cat, and if she was a bit wide eyed still, her responding smile was all the brighter for it.

She was tired though, even with the healing, and the option to stop for now was received with obvious relief. "Maybe it is enough for now," she said. A little bit hesitant, eyes searching Weaver's face for signs of disappointment. If she was supposed to keep going anyway.

There was something more important that needed to be seen to though. As the woman stepped closer, Seren held out her arms for her, in a universal sign for wanting a hug. Or perhaps to be lifted up. Or possibly both. And regardless, she meant to wrap her arms around Weaver's neck and press a soft cheek to hers. "I am sorry for punching you," she said, with a deeply heartfelt regret. "Thank you for teaching me."

Many a valuable lesson... even if her parents perhaps wouldn't approve of them being taught here and now. But Seren didn't know anything about that.

I am a princess on the way to my throne
Destined to reign, destined to roam

Weaver

Time is the substance from which I am made.
Time is a river which carries me along,
but I am the river;

Weaver is not disappointed, and simply nods as Seren says she would like to stop for now. There is no reason to push the child, no looming threat that would require her to learn to protect herself immediately. Some part of Weaver suspects her mother will keep her safe enough, particularly now, though she cannot be sure if that’s how this works. Still, isn’t that what any mother would do? So it seems likely, particularly since it should be easier for a goddess.

As Seren lifts her arms out to Weaver, Weaver catches her and sweeps her off her feet. It is so easy, and strangely natural, to pull little Seren in for a hug and press her close. Not unlike what she has done for Korbin many times (though when he was younger, and less often now), and she nestles her face next to Seren’s plump cheek.

”You have nothing to be sorry for,” she says, pulling her head back a bit to meet the girls sweet blue eyes. ”I told you to. And besides, I grew up with an older brother who punched me with far less reason than I gave you today.” Weaver chuckles at the memories that come back, of all the times Erebor would simply throw the first punch and tell her it was ‘training’. And it was, but often, it was just fun. "I have been sparring all my life, and I enjoy it. Though a true fight is very different than a spar." Though Weaver thinks that Seren may be beginning to understand that.

it is a tiger that devours me, but I am the tiger;
it is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire.

Seren

I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
Destined to seek, destined to know

The hug was warm and nice and made everything feel alright again. "I wanna try again later," she assured Weaver. Maybe it would be more fun when she tried it the second time. Or the third. Maybe fighting was the sort of thing you had to be good at to enjoy.

"Do you wanna come say hi to my daddy?" she asked, looking off towards the path leading home. It was getting close to the time when she was to go home, but Seren was a bit hesitant to break off the time spent with her first lady friend.

I am a princess on the way to my throne
Destined to reign, destined to roam

Weaver

Time is the substance from which I am made.
Time is a river which carries me along,
but I am the river;

”I will come back and teach you more, after Deepfrost,” she says, sticking out a pinky in what is a pinky-promise sort of gesture. She’s not sure if the girl will know that or not yet, but she can explain if needed. ”Fighting gets more fun when you get a little bigger and stronger, and once you get used to getting punched. A lot of fighting is learning to take the hit and get back up, anyway. Which really hurts at first,” she says with a chuckle, but she points to a scar on her hand that she’d gotten punching her brother and hitting his belt instead. ”You get some cool scars too. Also, some stupid ones.”

Weaver nods, not really caring so much to meet her father, but wanting to walk Seren home. If that meant meeting Ronin, well, she didn’t necessarily mind. She’d heard enough about the man that she was curious, if nothing else. ”Sure. Lead the way,” she says, putting Seren down so she can in fact, actually lead.

it is a tiger that devours me, but I am the tiger;
it is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire.