towerofanimus | Paid for with pride and fate

Entry tags:

Paid for with pride and fate

Characters: Aradia, open
Setting: Floors three and seven.
Format: Starting off in brackets, but I can adjust.
Summary: The Maid of Time always seems to have too much time on her hands.
Warnings: Language depending on who tags in, maybe?

Floor Three

[Information had always been Aradia's forte.

Granted, when the information was usually fed to you by the spirits of the dead or your own knowledge of the future, it tended to make life a lot easier. At the moment, Aradia was too wary of the tower to try heading into the future to see what was in store- and until she was sure something wouldn't happen that would get her killed (or at least, was a little more confident in the fact), she wasn't going to chance it. That meant that information had to be found some other way- and the first way that came to mind was the library. So she sat at one of the tables, looking as if she was barely moving, stacks of books growing taller and taller around her seemingly without cause.

The truth of the matter was, Aradia was moving- but the time around her wasn't. She'd taken to settling in with a book, pausing time around her, and reading her way through them as quickly as she could before letting time resume so that she could grab another book. It was exhausting, and it was probably dangerous, but it was the least she could do for the moment.]

Floor Seven

[She really should have asked one of the Feferis about this. Or maybe that Link person that had been teaching Sollux. Instead, Aradia was settled at the edge of the pool, legs dangling, while she toyed idly with one or the other of the pigtails she'd tied her hair into, staring down the water as if she'd learn to swim by that alone. Every now and then she'd move as if to slip into the shallow end and start trying, but then she'd hesitate and stop before resuming her peering down into the water.

Eventually however, she screwed her face up stubbornly and stood, turning and stepping away from the water with casual, even steps. She turned back around once she thought she was far enough away, hands on her hips for a moment-

-and then took a running start and cannon-balled into the water with a cross between a laugh and a battle-cry.

She came up a moment later, pushing her hair out of her eyes while she held herself aloft with her powers until she found a point in the pool where she could reach the bottom and keep her head out of the water at the same time.

Right. Time to actually work on this swimming thing then! ]

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[Taiki was startled when the troll jumped into the water. Once he broke surface again after ducking down to avoid the worst of the splashes; purifying the water as he did so but he wasn't too worried about that, he swam over. This was a young troll and wasn't covered in blood unlike the terrifying adult troll who he had met.]

Hello... [He was still nervous though because he didn't know if she wanted to be left alone.]

[Ardia gave a little start, muscles tensing defensively as she turned. She wasn't fond of being caught unawares, but she relaxed marginally when she saw that it was only a human in the pool- though she did feel silly about her behavior now.]

Oh- hi! I didn't know there was anyone else in here..!

[Considering she, like most trolls was nocturnal, she hadn't been expecting anyone to be up at this time- though she supposed this counted as more like early to humans than late to a troll.]

The computers in the library had become even more of a haven for Ψiioniic than they usually were. The computers didn't move, so no matter what point in time his broken vision twofold was showing him, they remained in place and didn't jump out at him randomly the way people now seemed to.

Of course, it was a little difficult to actually use them when his vision would abruptly start showing him what would be on the screen several hours in the future, but he would just wait patiently until it returned to showing him the present screen. It wasn't like he had anything better to be doing.

[Taiki is quite an early riser in the way of most small children. He couldn't really sleep very well anyways because he was scared, and worried that someone would try and hurt him while he sleapt.]

Sorry if I disturbed you... [Taiki wondered if he should leave, if he was being a bother]

She'd become used to seeing him there, near-motionless save for the movement required for typing. She had to wonder if it was a good idea for him to be sitting there for so long each day- but then remembered that compared to her, he wasn't really spending much time there at all. Still, she made it a point to stop in and talk to him every once in a little while, and now, on her way to return her latest stack of books, seemed as good a time as any.

"...Psi?"

She let him know she was coming before she even reached him, not wanting to startle him too badly with her presence. All things considered, it was in both of their best interests that she not do anything to make his power lash out at her accidentally. As she neared, the lack of the bifurcated horns in their usual place made her stomach clench, but she continued forward, pulling a chair to rest near his and settling down.

"Hey- what're you up to now?"

He's grateful for the advanced warning - she's one of the few people who seems to really get just what his messed-up powers are doing to him, and what the potential consequences could be. He's smiling as he turns to where the voice came from - though as far as he can see she's still sitting in the same place she always does.

"Hey AA. Not much. Jutht trying to keep my mind occupied. And occasionally amuthing myself watching what someone else ith going to be using thith computer for in a few hours or days. What about you? You're going through thothe books awfully fatht, how are you even reading anything?"

[Aradia was hardly bothered- he didn't seem to be a threat, so she was content to continue her endeavors even with him present.]

It's alright! I wasn't really doing much anyway. This swimming thing is harder than it looks..!

"Anything interesting?"

She reaches out, carefully, and ruffles the very front of his hair playfully. His question stops her, and she considers for a moment before answering him- she knows it will only bring more questions, but she feels as if he should know, especially since if they're all going to be working together he should know what she can do.

"I can control time- I've been manipulating it to get more reading done with less time passing around me."

[She gets a nervous smile and he swims a tiny bit closer, just a tiny bit though because he didn't quite trust her. That was strange because he usually trusted people, but he was finding trust difficult at the moment.]

Can you not swim? Sorry... I could teach you?

He blinks as he processes that - a somewhat odd sight as white-coated eyelids cover white-coated eyes momentarily - and then nods. "Wow, that'th a useful power. But doesn't time still pass for you? I mean, don't you get tired?"

Not only would she be going through a lot more relative time than the rest of them, but surely there was an energy cost to using powers that strong, especially over and over again.

"I do, a little- mostly because I really haven't pushed my powers as far as I want to. I've had them a while but..."

But they weren't God Tier, before- and she'd seen the extent of Vriska's powers augmented by God Tier, but not her own. Not yet. Still, she knows it's a bit of a stretch, and she won't elaborate too much unless he asks- so she tries to put it as simply as she can without delving into SGRUB mechanics or the like.

"It's a little complicated- but the short version, I guess, is that I can control my time too, to a degree. It doesn't really matter how much time passes for me anymore though- time won't kill me, except under certain circumstances."

Nope! Most of us trolls that don't live in water don't really bother with swimming. It's kind of a waste of time, and dangerous to boot.

[She does notice the wariness though, and she purses her lips a little in thought and then shrugs, giving a little bob in the water.]

You can if you like- but if you don't want to it's okay! I can figure it out myself, I think..!

That sounded amazing, and he had a hard time believing it was really that simple. He knew better than most the kind of cost seemingly fabulous powers might exact on a troll's body - and that was before his had gone haywire, making it that much more complicated.

"Well, don't push yourself too hard," he said, concerned but trusting her to know her own limits. "There are thome of us who'd miss you if you got stuck in time or something."

I don't think it's a waste of time. [Taiki felt a little awkward because he wasn't sure if she actually wanted help and was to polite to ask of if she wanted him to go away and leave her alone.]

Sorry... I mean it might be useful if you fell in some water, it might save you...

[He smiled again nervously] I am happy to help though!

Tryin' to drown ourselves, are we?

[aka h e l l o, how are you. dualscar had only just entered into the pool area to find it already occupied by a rustblood, and promptly sneered in revulsion. so much for having it to himself, and now so much for the pool being at least somewhat sanitary. but that's only the promptest of responses, as he's sure it wouldn't have to wait long for her to begin struggling.

thanks to the vast amount of water in the enclosed space, his voice echos somewhat, but he pays no heed to what would be her immediate response to his words. instead, he strides along the length of the pool-- spying no chairs, leans up against the concrete wall and folds his arms in a sulky-sort of manner.

waiting.]

Well, on our planet it kind of is unless you live in it...

[She gives another little bob, hands splaying out on the surface of the water, and smiles.]

Sure! I'll take whatever help I can get, really..!

Aradia had a knack for making things sound simpler than they were- especially when she didn't want to worry someone- and she figured Psi had enough to deal with considering all that had happened to him. She didn't want him worrying about her too.

"I'll do my best- I don't want to disappoint anyone who's counting on me anyway," she replied, and brought her knees up, heels resting on the seat of her chair and toes tapping a beat against the air. "Especially since I'm pretty sure we'll need as many able bodies as we can whenever we go after whoever's behind all of this."

[She can't help the way she goes tense when she hears his voice. It's a combination of instinctive fear and the fact that she's been caught unawares by the new 'company'. She takes the time to relax her shoulders and slide a pleasant smile onto her face before turning to face the direction she heard his voice coming from, only having to adjust marginally.]

Not just yet!

[She's been practicing for a while now- and with Taiki gone, she'd taken the liberty to manipulate time a little, give herself more time to both practice and to rest. Still, she's out of her element and in his, and she knows that if she's not careful, this could go very, very wrong for her. So she pushes herself toward a shallower portion of the pool, eyes never leaving his sulking form.]

Let me guess- you wouldn't help me if I were?

Oh. Sorry. [He swims closer and smiles holding out his hands] Here hold my hands and move your legs like this. [He demonstrates moving his legs in circles like a frog.]

[Santana had taken up swimming as a way to keep in shape while away from cheer leading practice. She figured she should also sing something or whatever, but that'll come later.]

[She walks in, stripping her shirt as she does so, just in time to witness Aradia jump in. Oh great, she thought, one of those troll people. She had been doing a pretty good job at denying their existance]

[Not one to let others dictate where she can and cannot go, Santana dives into the deeper end and swims her laps there, hoping the troll wouldn't talk to her]

I would gladly assist you in this endeavor, 'course.

[nope not what she meant, but the orphaner can't really move himself to care. the answer should be obvious, and it causes a spike of anger that it already isn't. it's yet another thing that's caused mixed feelings towards this tower; though, the "other thing" remains clear of his conscience for now. he remains where he is.

and his statement is only partially a lie, anyway.]

'S only a matter 'a time, I'd imagine.

[For a little while, Aradia just watches, curious and interested. It hadn't occurred to her that someone other than the seatrolls would be doing any swimming, so she was, for a moment, very much surprised. It was soon eclipsed by just how interesting humans were, if they just swam around like that without really worrying about it- after all, she was fairly sure they weren't aquatic. She waited until the other girl was in a lull and then hoisted herself out of the pool and made her way to the deeper side, peering over the edge at her.]

Hello..!

[She raised a hand, waving cheerfully, just to make sure she was noticed.]

Can all humans swim so easily?

[She hesitates a second, but eventually lets him take her hands, keeping herself afloat with her powers until she's sure what she's imitating is working.]

...oh. Hee, that's not so hard..!

[He smiles, she is doing so well!] No once you practice it's not hard at all, I'm going to walk now, keep moving your legs. Even if she struggled they were still in the very shallowest part of the pool as Taiki was so tiny]

I figured as much. Rude.

[She says it all with a smile on her face though, honestly not trying to be combative- it wouldn't be in her best interests to rile him up, after all. Still, she hoists herself up a little, peering up over the edge of the pool at a less extreme angle, eyebrows rising just a little.

She's actually kind of curious as to why he's here- she figures the actual ocean atmosphere in another level is more to his taste.]

But I really don't plan on drowning you know- it kind of goes against the point of learning to swim and all..!

Okay..!

[While it was a little difficult to let him be the only thing keeping her from drowning, she did as asked, surprised when she managed to stay relatively aloft.]

Oh, neat!

That's really good [Slowly he moved his arm so he was suporting her belly.] Now move your hands the same way at the same time. I wont let go don't worry.

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Paid for with pride and fate

Floor 7

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Floor 3

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you asked for it

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I sure did

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