[.o1o] A Long Day

[lethechained]

Characters: Naminé [OU] and OPEN.
Format: Either.
Summary: Today seems to be a day of discoveries.
Warnings: Memories/consideration of past abuse/kidnapping etc.


[Floor 100]

[It's bittersweet, seeing Destiny Islands 'in person' for the first time. It isn't a memory, this time, but it's not real, either. Standing in what passes for sand on the small island with the bent tree looking out over the water, she cannot help but frown. She'd wanted to see this place for such a long time, but... not like this.]


[Floor 80]

[Blinking in the bright lights, Naminé is at first quite disoriented by this floor. It's very bright and colorful and perhaps in any other place she'd be thrilled by that, except this is the Tower, after all, and thus she is immediately on her guard. But that diminishes slowly over time as she lingers, having a long look around with more than a little interest. It's only her caution that keeps her from straying too close to anyone, including the clowns, but one can't always keep an eye on everyone, now can they?]


[Floor 78]

[The newly opened package hits the ground, the contents bouncing out and landing with a clatter. Naminé looks down at it for only a moment before reflexively stooping to put the tiny bird cage back in its place, her fingers leaving it as quickly as possible and then pushing the package back against the doors of the boxes nearest the floor, a hand moving to press over her mouth. She'd been startled enough to have received a package so suddenly in the first place. She'd just had to open it, hadn't she? Perhaps holding it so delicately, caution still present, had been what made her lose her grip of it in her surprise at the contents. Either way, now she frowns down at it, hesitating as though she's uncertain what to do with this development - because she is.]


[Floor 51]

[There's a blonde young lady leaning over one of the sewing machines, peering at it curiously. She inspects it thoroughly, at first only by sight but slowly moving on to messing with the buttons and, after a while, the pedal - which seems to startle her at first, but she soldiers through it. It's obvious that she hasn't the faintest idea how to use such a thing, but she seems to have taken an interest in it nevertheless.]

Comments

[lethechained]

--!

[The progress is slow, but any of it is decidedly welcome. She only takes the time to memorize which spell it was that seemed to make the breakthrough before,]

Rei...! Are you okay--?

[-- Oh, she... probably shouldn't get distracted. There's still a lot more to do, and so she sets about doing it. At least now she's getting more experience with those spells and can be more efficient with them.]

[nottheonly]

[Rei is going to remain completely still until she can get her feet moving again. Then she hobbles even further away from the ring of mushrooms.]

I think I'm fine.

[Other than bits on her body be made out of crystal.]

[lethechained]

[Naminé is only delay by a bit; she's quick to follow after the other girl, only holding off on further magic until Rei stops again.]

Does it hurt?

[terreifying]

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<small?[She gives Namine a strained smile.]</small>

Only a little. I'm sure it'll stop soon.

[lethechained]

....

[The girl studies that smile for a few moments before offering a weak one of her own in return, more for Rei's sake than her own.]

... Right. I'll... keep working.

[Because there's still a ways to go, even if she is making faster progress now.]

[terreifying]

Please don't get tired out. I can always go find someone else to help.

[She tries to flex the arm that changed into the tentacle.]

And that just then was your magic, right? Cool!

[lethechained]

No, I-- I'll be fine. I could use the practice.

Well-- yes and no. This is the sort of magic that many people in my worlds and probably lots of others can learn. [Thank heavens for esuna and the like. ... But wouldn't that imply there was another sort of magic? She doesn't dwell on it.] I'm... glad you don't mind.

[terreifying]

[She slowly shakes her head.]

Why would I mind whether or not you can use magic? You're still the same Namine I met earlier. In fact, I'm really grateful. You're the reason I'm not crystal right now.

[lethechained]

[She falters, eyes lowering, then raising again, accompanied by a smile.]

Thank you. I--... it's complicated. But... if it's not too much trouble? Could you-- please not mention this to anyone else? At least - not the part about the magic.

[terreifying]

Don't worry. My lips are zipped.

[She makes a zipping motion.]

[lethechained]

[Her smile is warm.]

Thank you. I really appreciate it.

[It seems like she's most of the way done with the crystal, as well.]

[terreifying]

[Rei moves her arms and legs and does a full-body shimmy. She never knew how good it felt to move.]

No problem!

[lethechained]

[Aaaand that's the very last of it. Naminé withdraws a step, watching Rei shift around. The blonde can't blame her; Naminé would want to move around, too.]

Does anything still hurt?

[terreifying]

[She shakes her head several times, perhaps more times than she needs to because she wants to move around.]

Nope! I'm all fixed up. Thanks!

[lethechained]

[Naminé's perfectly happy to wait for her to do so, watching her carefully just in case there are any further problems.]

Good...! [There's a hint of a relieved sigh to it.] It's lucky one of those spells worked. I don't know very many yet and I almost never get to practice.

[terreifying]

[Rei giggles.]

Well, I don't know any and I know a couple of other people who don't know any magic either. So you're already much better at magic than we are.

[lethechained]

[Naminé laughs along, though quietly and a bit late.]

Well, I guess when you put it that way, I can't argue with you.

[terreifying]

I'm glad your magic is the type that heals. It matches you. It's nice.

[lethechained]

[She smiles shyly.] There's more to it than that, and I haven't learned to heal wounds themselves properly, but-- I do prefer defensive sorts of magic. ... Thank you.

[terreifying]

So you could make big shields too?

[That reminds her of AT fields.]

[lethechained]

Maybe not 'big' ones, but... barriers, yes. I've only done enough to protect one person before. I haven't tried anything larger. [But come to think of it, who knows? Maybe she could.]

[terreifying]

Ooh, what shape are the shields? Can you change their shape at will?

[lethechained]

Well-- they're usually-- [She forms her fingers into the shape of a ball, trying to remember the word. (She almost never has to use it.)] ... spherical. I've tried some flat ones, too, but-- I haven't done very much with other different shapes...! I thought it would be important to focus on making them last, or hold up against a lot of force, so that's what I've always practiced.

[terreifying]

Like this?

[Rei holds up her hand, forming a partial AT field in front of it. It looks like a clear partial sphere rippling with orange waves.]

This isn't magic, though.

[lethechained]

[Naminé backs up slightly, automatically, looking up the field with curious eyes. Huh.]

-- Yes and no. It doesn't look like that...! [But it may well serve the same function, she suspects.] It's not orange, and it's and kind of solid, but partially transparent, too. [... Naminé, just go ahead and show her, geez.]