"...Fei?"
'Sima loses a bit of altitude, and starts to shrink somewhat.
"...ooooooohhh no! What have I...what the hell am I?"
She reverts to herself fully, though still has different coloring, heterochromatic eyes, and is larger and more athletic. She lands softly on the gym floor. "...Percy? Where'd you go? I don't know what I did! Please! Come back! OH I'm so sorry!"
"She is carrying the seed, then!?" He calls out as Percy disappears into the floor, trying figure out what has happened since and Sifu Daiyu returned to Avalon.
"Wait...! I! Percy?! Fei?" The hideous lightning-thing floats menacingly in the air, the bare and glowing eye sockets of the skull look over at Fei.
"Nasima! You cannot let him take hold of you again!" he shouts out over the electric din, lowering his stance and preparing for the worst...
"...Fei?"
'Sima loses a bit of altitude, and starts to shrink somewhat.
"...ooooooohhh no! What have I...what the hell am I?"
She reverts to herself fully, though still has different coloring, heterochromatic eyes, and is larger and more athletic. She lands softly on the gym floor. "...Percy? Where'd you go? I don't know what I did! Please! Come back! OH I'm so sorry!"
Fei does not let his guard down, keeping himself interposed between her and the doors (for all the good it would do, he thinks resignedly). He notices Ehos at the doorway out of the corner of his eye.
"Ehos! I am sorry, but you need to leave this room now! It may be....very unwise to be in here right now..."
"Nah. Not the Seed. Just a whole lot of divine energy she has no idea how to control," he said lazily from just behind Fei. He was wearing nothing but boxers and yawning. "Just when I was about to take a nap too. Hey, princess, next time you wanna try beating your friends to a bloody pulp could you do me a favor and take off the fox charm first? I do not appreciate being called away from a perfectly good nap for no reason."
"It's your turn to babysit," he said, clapping Fei on the shoulder. "I need a break. And apparently some clothes. Stupid contingent teleport."
"Nah. Not the Seed. Just a whole lot of divine energy she has no idea how to control," he said lazily from just behind Fei. He was wearing nothing but boxers and yawning. "Just when I was about to take a nap too. Hey, princess, next time you wanna try beating your friends to a bloody pulp could you do me a favor and take off the fox charm first? I do not appreciate being called away from a perfectly good nap for no reason."
"It's your turn to babysit," he said, clapping Fei on the shoulder. "I need a break. And apparently some clothes. Stupid contingent teleport."
"And how is making Namima try and contain Khoda's destructive energy a better scenario for her than being a gateway for his emergence into this world!?" Fei shoots back, wheeling around on Keme with disturbing speed and purpose. "She was not 'sparring' just now - she could have killed Percy!"
Keme is beginning to get the feeling that the normally reserved monk in front of him is a bit....agitated about something. But it is just a feeling. (^-^)
"Fox charm? 'Seed'? Divine...I don't know what anyone is talking about! Is this more to do with Khoda? I...I assumed he was...gone. Is that not the case? If so, I...I don't know." She plonks herself down, lotus-style, onto the floor. "I just wish Percy would come back! I'm afraid I-"
"OOOOOHHHHHHhh it takes a lot more than that to do in a magma elemental, deario, 'specially this one. Sheesh. Give a girl some new powers and it goes straight to her head! Thinks she's all powerful all of a sudden." Percy 'glides up out of the floor and stands behind Nasima, smirking. Then, seeing Keme, he jumps in front of her, blocking her vision. "DON'T LOOK! This is a sight only I can handle. It would be too much for you! Rowr!" He looks at Keme's tush as the fox spirit turns to leave and two plumes of steam come out of his eyesockets.
"And how is making Namima try and contain Khoda's destructive energy a better scenario for her than being a gateway for his emergence into this world!?" he says, wheeling around on Keme. "She was not 'sparring' just now!""Nah. Not the Seed. Just a whole lot of divine energy she has no idea how to control," he said lazily from just behind Fei. He was wearing nothing but boxers and yawning. "Just when I was about to take a nap too. Hey, princess, next time you wanna try beating your friends to a bloody pulp could you do me a favor and take off the fox charm first? I do not appreciate being called away from a perfectly good nap for no reason."
"It's your turn to babysit," he said, clapping Fei on the shoulder. "I need a break. And apparently some clothes. Stupid contingent teleport."
"And what did you want us to do, Courage? Let her continue on as a husk of herself because of how much of her soul had been consumed by Khoda?" he snapped, the first time he's visibly lost his temper with anyone. "I didn't hear you coming up with any alternate plans. We did what was necessary to save her. It's not like she's the only one at this school who has to work hard at controlling destructive powers," he added with a pointed glance at Fei's cuffs.
Nasima's jaw drops a little bit. "Wha-what are you...saying..." She's fighting with being happy to see Percy and Fei, her new...feelings for Keme, and dealing with what she's hearing. In the end, she remains seated, listening, clearly pretty overcome.
::I have to help if I can Anthony. I owe at least that much.:: Ehos shakes his head in response to Fei and moves next to him in the doorway. Those unfamiliar with Ehos would note the scarf wrapped around his mouth and nose.
Percy turns and lifts 'Sima up so she can stand. Her shirt is torn to tatters, likewise her yoga pants, leaving an awful lot of bare flesh exposed, of which she seems entirely unaware. With her new physique, she rather resembles a particularly attractive (and young) beach volleyball star. Percy clucks his tongue.
"Nasima, sweetie, you look fabulous now, but your last change really did a number on your clothes..."
"Huh? EEP!" She turns sunset-colored, then quickly summons a small fog to cover herself. Unfortunately, she badly misjudges her new strength, and a massive bank of billowing, thick, grey water vapor comes rushing in from all directions, almost completely obscuring all sight and making everyone a bit damp.
"ACK! Sorry. SORRY! Sorry. That was me. My fault. Ugh!" She stamps her foot exasperatedly.
Keme smiled appreciatively. "Works for me."
"Percy, you should probably take her to see Sifu Daiyu. I think meditation is going to do a lot more to help learn to make that new energy her own right now. She's not ready for sparring."
"Hey! Too much fog! I'm underdressed too! I'm gonna catch a cold like this. Not that it wasn't worth it...."
Nasima makes a strangled little sound of embarrassment, but answers in a respectably straightforward manner. "I know, right?! Nothing's working right. Everything I'm getting is too much. But what is this about my soul?! What happened?! Am I...am I Khoda now? You guys..." lack of clothes be damned, Nasima clears out the fog. She looks lost. "You guys I really don't know what's going on. Okay? I'm pretty freaked out. I'm thankful, don't get me wrong. Please don't. But first I need to know what's happened to me!"
Shows up at the gym for his normal workout time...and sees Keme and Nasima in...various states of undress. He grins.
"Whoa...what'd you two get caught doing?" he says, knowing damn well it isn't as it seems.
Hands on hips, Nasima rolls her eyes. "What. Ever."
Keme grinned. "Long story. Not as interesting as I wish it was."
"Sima...maybe the hallway isn't the best place to have this conversation? Let's head for the mediation classroom and I'll explain everything there. Fair enough?" he asked, his tone gentler when he spoke to her.
The whole situation was confusing, and though Ehos was enjoying the view, he thought a discreet exit was key here, and slowly began to sidle away from the scene.
Percy looks down at Nasima in mock surprise. "When did you get all snotty?"
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He laughs.
"Alright, then. I'll take your word for it." He looks at Nasima.
"I can always find another gym if you guys need this one. I don't mind."
Nasima motions for Percy to come down to her and then gets up on tip-toes to whisper in his ear; "I don't know. There's something electric inside me, in my belly. I can't control things, can't control...um...'urges'." She makes a subtle gesture towards Fei and Keme.
Percy waves dismissively at Ghalen. "Oh no, we'll be leaving. Keme has a good idea. We're gonna go upstairs with him. You boys just...just do whatever it is you're here to do."
He then whispers back to Nasima; "Well I can certainly understand that. Frankly you're overdue for some 'urging', young lady."
"Shut UP, YOU...!" Another embarrassed look around, then, after sharing a conspiratorial smile with her good friend, she whispers again; "Seriously. Shut up. I can barely control things. This is really hard. Okay? I need to know what happened to me, so let's just walk upstairs with foxy-yummy-boy there and SEE? SEE? That is TOTALLY not me saying that! I...oh I give up. Let's just go."
Nasima almost dissolves into giggles at the exaggerated, smartass smirk Percy is giving her while she's talking. She turns towards the others. "Okay, yeah, let's go upstairs. Fei, could you come with? I just want to know what happened and I get the feeling you were involved, too..."
As she walks to the door, she looks at her ruined shirt and pants and shrugs. "Oh what the hell." she says, and takes them off and dumps them in the garbage. Thus, clad in boyshorts and a sports bra, she and the boxer-clad fox spirit, magma elemental, and paragon all troop towards the meditation classroom.
He bows as everyone exits the gym, ponders things about sylphs he wasn't taught in Planes 201, and sets off to exercise.
"And what did you want us to do, Courage? Let her continue on as a husk of herself because of how much of her soul had been consumed by Khoda?" he snapped, the first time he's visibly lost his temper with anyone. "I didn't hear you coming up with any alternate plans."
"I had trusted and Hoped - between all of the magics used by those more versed in the subject than I am - that someone would have thought to filter what was put back into her to remove Khoda's taint. It seems that Hope was...tragically misplaced," he retorts immediately, his voice quiet and level again but his brow just starting to furrow a bit.
"We did what was necessary to save her. It's not like she's the only one at this school who has to work hard at controlling destructive powers," he added with a pointed glance at Fei's cuffs.
"That does not mean that it was the right thing to do if this was the price she would have to pay," he continues, raising his arm to put one of his cuffs right at Keme's eye level, and sweeping the other arm around at the charred scars of Nasima's 'event'. "And it does not mean that she deserves to bear this kind of burden when she was given no choice in the matter at all."
"It was filtered," he snapped. "Nice to see you're jumping skills extend to conclusions. Given that her other choice was dying and she wasn't too keen on that option I don't think you have a whole lot of room to judge whether or not we did the right thing."
"We can finish this conversation in the meditation room. Maybe you want to try getting the whole story before you continue. Funny how you weren't this concerned when she was being eaten away from the inside. Didn't exactly see you hanging around a lot then," he added before following Percy and Nasima to the meditation classroom.
She turns towards the others. "Okay, yeah, let's go upstairs. Fei, could you come with?
"Sifu Daiyu is most anxious to see you - that time with her should be yours alone," he replies with a quick bow.
I just want to know what happened and I get the feeling you were involved, too..."
"Our assistance was no greater or lesser than any of the others involved, but what we helped with was...not where the others were. I am afraid I cannot shed much light on the rest, as no one has yet told either of us what happened in the Storm plane."
"I will remain here and make sure the gymnasium is clean for tomorrow's classes. And welcome back," he says with one more quick bow.
"Stop being an idiot, Fei. I'm not going over this stuff twice. If you want to know what happened then just come and listen to what happened."
|
The whole situation was confusing, and though Ehos was enjoying the view, he thought a discreet exit was key here, and slowly began to sidle away from the scene.
"Well, that was weird." Anthony says as he follows his elven friend. "Even for here, I think. I can't remember the last I saw something like that."
"Yeah, Fei; it's alright. Come on." Nasima's heart is hammering in her throat -- whatamiDOOOING?! -- as she steps forward and takes Fei's arm, pressing it up against her to move the big monk along. It was something she'd seen her mom use on courtiers and officials to marvelous effect; always got 'em to move.
She then loops one arm around Fei's and the other arm around Keme's and sort of hauls them along down the hall, pausing only to give Percy a brief, terrified-but-exhilarated look.
"Stop being an idiot, Fei. I'm not going over this stuff twice. If you want to know what happened then just come and listen to what happened."
"You are not the sole source of information on what transpired, Keme. I will not burden you with that responsibility. Thank you for the offer."
Without waiting to hear Fei's response, Keme went along with the others to the mediation classroom. Much to everyone's surprise he actually bowed respectfully to Sifu Daiyu.
"Excuse me, Sifu, but may we please borrow your classroom for a little? And after we finish talking Nasima is going to need some guidance from you. Please help her."
Ephebe, Krays, and anyone else who is at the table who cares to will notice Phaezeriel suddenly tense with an expression of worried concern. He remains like this for a moment and seems like he is about to get up or say something or both. Then he relaxes, the worry easing off his face. Then he suddenly looks VERY amused by something. The cat that ate the cream AND the canary has nothing on the look of 'I know something entertaining' that is on Phaezeriel's face.
"..."
*bows*
"Of course. Please, enter and be at peace." Daiyu's black eyes flash with understanding as the group enters. Looking off to the side, it is clear that a tea serving has already been prepared.
"Considering that event granted my brother the power to accidently murder a theater full of innocent people, not very positively. Why do you ask?"
"Because it will be a defining moment of these times. Anything that happens, good or bad, will be attributed to it. At least until something much worse happens."
Keme looks askance at the tea. Tea usually didn't go with anything good. It often accompanied attempts by the elders at 'reforming' him. He'd developed a perfectly rational and understandable hatred of the stuff.
"Okay, so everybody sit and I'll explain," he said, plopping down onto a mat and waiting for the others to do likewise before pulling out a small top.
"It's not like anyone ever trusts what I say anyways. So just watch."
He spun the top and above it the events that occurred during the fight with Khoda played out, including sound.
When it was finished, he picked up the top. "As you saw, Phaezeriel did cleanse the energy that was given to Nasima. My theory is that the energy is used to being Khoda shaped as it were. It will probably take time for Sima to gain control of it and make it part of her."
Feels kind of bummed that he couldn't really show off his best moment on account of having been invisible at the time.
"Well, as much as I just love having you guys here, it's time for you guys to go."
"We'll come back soon." Sylvia says reassuringly.
"You should have plenty of people we can embarrass you in front of by then." Jerak mutters under his breath.
Kitty developed a sudden coughing fit.
"Oh, umm, excuse me. No, I'm fine. It was such a pleasure seeing you again, Dacamara-sama."
"You okay, Kitty?" Micahel asks, worried.
"Oh, Mom, are you and Dad okay with Anthony coming along to visit Kitty's family with us?"
"I don't see why not. Sylvia?"
"As long as he doesn't come back full of sharp bits of metal."
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Of course he won't come back full of sharp bits of metal...those would be removed first," she joked. "In all seriousness, my family takes hospitality very seriously. Anthony-kun will be fine."
"Then he can go."
"You realize this is going to make my visit there all the more difficult, right? He's probably going to join forces with her brothers."
"Yep." Jerak says without missing a beat. "Having a love life isn't all fun and rumpled be-" Sylvia quickly slaps a hand over her husbands mouth.
Kitty giggled.
"I think that looks a lot like what my obaa-sama calls foot-in-mouth disease. But I don't think you'd like his idea of a cure."
Nasima sits back and stretches her legs out in front of her. She stares at the middle-distance just past her toes.
"I can't even...how can I ever possibly ever even begin to thank everybody involved? How did I not know this was going on? I...I just..."
"Amputation?" Sylvia asks sweetly as she glares as her husband.
"Amputation?" Sylvia asks sweetly as she glares as her husband.
"That sounds extreme. He called it the foot-up-arse cure," she said with a mostly straight face.
Nasima sits back and stretches her legs out in front of her. She stares at the middle-distance just past her toes.
"I can't even...how can I ever possibly ever even begin to thank everybody involved? How did I not know this was going on? I...I just..."
"We couldn't tell you anything because Khoda was in your brain. You don't need to thank everybody. I mean, you can. But it was something that needed doing. It's not like your friends were just going to abandon you. And Ryleh is pretty determined when she sets her mind to something. I wouldn't want to cross her."