[ it was a safe assumption to make, but she didn't want to be wrong about this and end up looking stupid(er). it's still funny that the lack of emoting doesn't bother nahri. but shenhe's answer gets her braincell to bounce around like the dvd screen saver for a moment. ]
Then maybe that's the reason why we're kidnapped. Whoever did it needs access to magic somehow? Or they really hate it.
[oh. huh. that's smart, actually - she and alex had tried to figure out why this group in particular was put together, but this is better than "we were both in a place where there was water" as a reason.]
I still have access to elemental manipulation. It isn't ice, though. [she sounds annoyed by this.] If the goal was to take my Vision from me, it seems odd that they would replace it with fire.
[oh, huh. see, this is interesting to shenhe because she has talked to a few people about this, so that doesn't seem right.]
Your magic is gone? [...] I spoke to someone here about his Vision being inactive. However, he was still able to heal me. Do you think it may be something like that?
[that seems reasonable. she shifts her weight from one foot to the other.]
When I summon cryo, I think of the way ice creeps over metal, and the way the world is still frozen at dawn. [she holds out her hand in front of her. a fiery sword appears.] With this, I think of the warmth of a campfire at dead of night. Perhaps you might try thinking of the physical sensations of each element. Anemo, cryo, pyro, electro, dendro, hydro, and geo.
[ she nods, following along to the explanation easily enough. it's similar to how intent was described to her before. ]
Fire, Ice, and... um, what are the other ones?
[ there's always something new to learn. she's eager! but there is just! so much she doesn't know, and having to constantly pick up on new rules and information gets hard to keep track of. ]
shenhe is silent, watching. when nahri startles, she also does - she's a jumpy creature by nature, ready to pounce whenever she needs to. but after a moment, she settles, and then... hesitantly, she rests a hand on nahri's arm.]
I won't continue if you'd rather stop. But would you like to try healing?
[oh absolutely not she's not letting nahri do anything because nahri says yeah sure and shenhe just immediately, without hesitation, uses the metal of her stop sign polearm to drag a cut across her palm. she holds it out.
i am so sorry nahri
at least it doesn't seem like it hurts her very much. her expression doesn't even change.]
[ but no time to chastise, she immediately reaches for shenhe's hand, but does not take it. her hand instead hovers close, and she is focused. she definitely has the intent now.
[the whole time they've spoken, shenhe's expression hasn't changed much. she's a very muted person in general, for whatever reason. but - when nahri starts to heal her hand, her expression does change.
she smiles! it's small, and it's brief. but it's there.]
There it is. You just needed motivation. [it could have come from literally anywhere else but shenhe is a woman of action I GUESS]
It's hardly even a scratch. I have had much worse, and I would heal just fine. [she's amused. and then, much more genuinely:] Thank you for your concern.
she looks a little shamed by this. just a little.]
It doesn't stay away. [she says, finally, glancing at nahri. that is maybe a little more honest than the tone calls for.] Fate has a way of catching up to me.
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Then maybe that's the reason why we're kidnapped. Whoever did it needs access to magic somehow? Or they really hate it.
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I still have access to elemental manipulation. It isn't ice, though. [she sounds annoyed by this.] If the goal was to take my Vision from me, it seems odd that they would replace it with fire.
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So you had ice magic, but it's now fire magic. My magic is almost entirely gone.
[ she holds her hand out, palm up, and waits a moment.
nothing happens. ]
...Yeah, I don't have fire magic anymore. It wasn't swapped with anything else like yours was, though.
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Your magic is gone? [...] I spoke to someone here about his Vision being inactive. However, he was still able to heal me. Do you think it may be something like that?
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Hm. [she looks the other woman over for a moment, thoughtfully.] I would like to help you find what you can do, but I'm not sure how.
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I was told intent is supposed to help. If I can focus on summoning it, I might be able to do it?
[ but how is she supposed to summon an element(?) she might not even have or even know about? ]
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When I summon cryo, I think of the way ice creeps over metal, and the way the world is still frozen at dawn. [she holds out her hand in front of her. a fiery sword appears.] With this, I think of the warmth of a campfire at dead of night. Perhaps you might try thinking of the physical sensations of each element. Anemo, cryo, pyro, electro, dendro, hydro, and geo.
[she doesn't know if that'll help at all, but.]
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Fire, Ice, and... um, what are the other ones?
[ there's always something new to learn. she's eager! but there is just! so much she doesn't know, and having to constantly pick up on new rules and information gets hard to keep track of. ]
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Oh, um. Wind, electricity, water, earth, and - I suppose nature. [she doesn't think she's a very good teacher, but she's trying!]
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[ she thinks about the snowflakes caught on her eyelashes, the biting chill in her lungs and the frost coating the ground.
nothing.
she thinks about the wind whipping through her hair, the beat of giant wings, and drifting feathers.
again, nothing.
frustration starts to prickle her mind as her hands remain empty.
she thinks about the cool rushing water of the nile, she thinks about the river
the river
the lake
and she startles, putting her hands down. ]
I don't think this is going to work.
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shenhe is silent, watching. when nahri startles, she also does - she's a jumpy creature by nature, ready to pounce whenever she needs to. but after a moment, she settles, and then... hesitantly, she rests a hand on nahri's arm.]
I won't continue if you'd rather stop. But would you like to try healing?
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It's the last thing I knew how to do, so that should be okay. If you give me something sharp, I can test it.
[ ON HERSELF she isn't doing that to shenhe ]
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i am so sorry nahri
at least it doesn't seem like it hurts her very much. her expression doesn't even change.]
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I said give it to me!
[ but no time to chastise, she immediately reaches for shenhe's hand, but does not take it. her hand instead hovers close, and she is focused. she definitely has the intent now.
and the wound starts to heal. ]
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she smiles! it's small, and it's brief. but it's there.]
There it is. You just needed motivation. [it could have come from literally anywhere else but shenhe is a woman of action I GUESS]
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Don't be stupid and reckless like that again.
[ they don't even know each other but girl. please. ]
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Hm? I can't hear you. [stop that]
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It's hardly even a scratch. I have had much worse, and I would heal just fine. [she's amused. and then, much more genuinely:] Thank you for your concern.
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What if you couldn't heal because our magic is changed?
[ the genuine thank you really took the wind out of her sails. thanks a lot, shenhe. ]
We know things are different here, so just be more careful. I can heal you again if you get hurt, but that doesn't mean go out and get even more hurt.
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anyway, she's still calm and unshaken, lifting her hand that nahri healed to wiggle her fingers.]
I don't plan to. I don't look for trouble. [she says, like a liar]
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Trouble finds you?
[ like. nahri just has a vibe about this girl. and they aren't sweet innocent angel vibes. ]
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she looks a little shamed by this. just a little.]
It doesn't stay away. [she says, finally, glancing at nahri. that is maybe a little more honest than the tone calls for.] Fate has a way of catching up to me.
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I know the feeling.
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