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In the moment.

[ inch by struggling inch, the worm drifts,

drops below the surface. fabria lunges, now with the whole of his body; a mass that hardly splashes to bear down on it. its purple coils vanish into dark. isaac scratches at his beard. ]

You can take those off now, [ a nod to her own gloves. ] May I see your hands?

[ to check the inflammation. ]

Yeah, gimme a sec.

[ Because misdirected violence is shitty. She squeezes wood of her seat until her joints start to ache and then she lets go, stripping off the gloves and holding out her hands. Whatever he's expecting to find will be mixed in with the barely healed burns from the rampage and cuticles chewed raw from the interchangeable mania and anxiety of the last few days. ]

[ isaac's skin is softer, probably, than it ought to be: streaked with tiny white fissures that never seem to open fully; irritation that never rubs quite raw.

his grip is lighter than it stood on frogflesh. one hand cups below hers, the other turns her fingers with a certain delicacy. how is the motion? ]

It isn't random, [ possession. ] You don't have to fear that.

I'm not really worried about like... random possession.

[ She frowns, watching him move her fingers. All in working order, even if they are beat up. ]

You think it's all bullshit, but we have those too. Back home. They're a lot different though.

[ he lingers, taps the knuckle of her middle finger. you think it's all bullshit, well, yes. most things are. ]

Extend that for me, [ his chin tips, and he finally looks up, to meet her eyes. something of the old animation returned —] What is that like?

[ back home? ]

Edited 2020-08-07 03:55 (UTC)

[ Again she does as he asks, even if she rolls her eyes at his look. Teenage skepticism in full affect. ]

Well, most people don't turn into giant fuck off lava creatures to start. And it's not always bad... That's how Seer magic works. [ Lillian had explained that much, even if it feels like a million years ago. ] But for the bad ones, we got things like exorcisms.

Mm-hm. The other one, too. [ flipping two birds and one stone, or something — ] An exorcism?

[ She snorts, realizing belatedly and lifts both hands, middle fingers extended. Some things really are pan-dimensional. ]

Yeah, it's a way to get an evil spirit out of somebody. Changes a lot depending on the practice, but pretty sure everybody's got one.

[ there we go.

when she's got it, he pats her hand, lets go again — careful to not quite contact; to avoid patches of burn.

And how do they enter?

[ she'll heal. faster, if she doesn't pick. ]

[ She lets her hands drop, the hum of wild energy under her skin easing. She folds up her legs on the chair with her, looping her arms around them and leaning her chin on her knee. ]

Lots of ways. I guess it's not super different from here how they get in. Like they show up and try to make deals with people. Or they're summoned for like a curse.

Some constants, I suppose. [ his own arms unfold, elbow draped across the end of the desk, ] So what are you worried about?

[ since it's not randomness ]

You mean aside from literally everything?

Becoming one, I guess.

Ah, [ it's been a while since he had this conversation, yes. ] You are what, sixteen? Seventeen?

Seventeen.

When apprentices are your age, they are Harrowed. A test, of sorts — one sets out to meet a demon, and to deny it.

[ more or less. ]

But before that, they are prepared. I imagine the library still has a book or two.

[ Weird thing about being a shape shifter is she can feel it a lot more when shit like this happens. Bristling up, tension back in her and eyes narrowing. ]

They call that kind of shit quests where I'm from.

I don't suggest sending you upon one. Riftwatch conducting a Harrowing would have broader consequences.

[ a loose gesture: he's not about to go into the politics of it. that's not the point. ]

But generations of mages have made a study of surviving them — if you cannot have time, I would that you at least the gift of their knowledge. Not all were given it.

Edited (me wiki-ing harrowings and going 'oh right they're supposed to be secret' agh) 2020-08-08 05:49 (UTC)

[ That eases her a little bit, even if she still has a little bit of a feral-and-ready-to-bite vibe going. ]

All right. What am I supposed to look for? Like titles and authors and shit.

Anything with Fadewalking or Will in the title will do to start.

[ i'm not making up books rn. a small breath, ]

It is not about forgetting how to feel; it's remembering who does the feeling. Tell yourself what matters — You're Jenny Lou. You're seventeen, and clever, and a bit of a pain in the ass. Whatever matters to you.

Aw, you think I'm clever.

[ She's a lot of a pain in the ass, thank you. ]

Clever enough to juice the stinkhorns?

Is that what you were doing to that poor toad?

Fabria, I think she believes you wounded.

[ the toad croaks. ]

Fabria, blink twice if he's a toad squeezer.

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windyvoice - 2020-08-08 06:47 (UTC) - Expand