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Morph #3: The Struggle. [Action/Video]
[As weird as it was staying in Spock's guest bedroom, they were polite enough. Still, she really didn't spend much time there.
At first, she'd spent a lot of time just flying around, but it didn't really ease the tension. Something was missing. She was having trouble sleeping. She had so many nightmares, she lost track of which ones were which, and she'd wake up in the middle of the night, screaming into her pillow.
And then she'd fly again.
It wasn't enough.
Something is missing.]
[Video]
"So, um. Can anybody show me how to program that... battledome thing? And what else do you people do to entertain yourself around here."
[She stops for a moment, staring blankly at the camera as visions of violence and blood fill her head, before she blinks and snaps out of it.]
"Uh. So, if anybody could help me out on either end, I'd appreciate it."
[Action]
[She's going to be at the battledome today, trying to figure out how to make it work. She needs to...
Something. She's looking for something. She's not sure what.]
At first, she'd spent a lot of time just flying around, but it didn't really ease the tension. Something was missing. She was having trouble sleeping. She had so many nightmares, she lost track of which ones were which, and she'd wake up in the middle of the night, screaming into her pillow.
And then she'd fly again.
It wasn't enough.
Something is missing.]
[Video]
"So, um. Can anybody show me how to program that... battledome thing? And what else do you people do to entertain yourself around here."
[She stops for a moment, staring blankly at the camera as visions of violence and blood fill her head, before she blinks and snaps out of it.]
"Uh. So, if anybody could help me out on either end, I'd appreciate it."
[Action]
[She's going to be at the battledome today, trying to figure out how to make it work. She needs to...
Something. She's looking for something. She's not sure what.]
[Action]
Only today, she seems someone as confused by it as she was initially. And approaches. A pretty young girl, obviously...frustrated.]
Hello. Would you like some help?
[Action]
[Action]
[She moves over to the console and pulls up a list of scenarios she uses regularly. Ranging from a Japanese garden in the summer to a hellscape covered with forty foot tall oni to a tag-scenario.]
[Action]
[A Hork-Bajir stands amidst the bodies, Taxxon and Human controllers strewn around her, bleeding, dying, another Taxxon comes into the fray and she turns to face it with a scream of defiance-]
"Uh, I'm thinking maybe I'll try to program my home. I mean, the house. Just the house. That seems simple enough."
[Action]
[She blinks...
and pulls up a small menu.]
Here. This is a base. A blank field I use. You can add to it with this. Start there.
[She takes a step back so the girl can work.]
[Action]
and after a moment, she steps back.]
"I think it's ready. Do I just... go in?"
[Action]
[Saori nods and waves her towards the door.]
Go see if it worked.
[Action]
What bugs her is the window.
There was nothing outside of it- How could there be, of course. She hadn't programmed anything. It was too complex. But despite being bare, being inaccurate in a lot of ways, it's still just enough like her room that she expects the real thing.
And it's been so long since Tobias came to her window.
The tension starts up again. Maybe that was it, then, maybe she just missed him. Missed all of them.
But why did that make her tense? Depressed, maybe. Frustrated. But not anxious.
She goes to the window, staring out at the blank white void beyond. Rests her head against the window.]
"... I think I've got it figured out. Thanks."
[Action]
The only thing that really looks out of step is...well...the girl herself.
New Feather, she guesses.]
Miss, are you alright? Homesick?
[Action]
[She shakes her head. Pity. Pity wasn't acceptable. Pull it together, Rachel. You're fearless, remember?
She smiles and turns back toward Saori.]
"Don't worry about it, it's dumb."
[Action]
A tension in her body that Saori knows all to well, thanks to spending time with the God of War.]
Surely you didn't come out to the Battle Dome to make a copy of your home. Not on a cold day like this. Do you want to train? Become stronger? Fight? There's no reason to hide that, if it's what you want. Come, I'll show you more advanced controls.
[The very reasons Saori was here. And there's a hint of scorn to her voice that's somewhat thinly veiled.
Re: [Action]
How did she know?
'There's something pretty dark inside of you, Rachel.'
What's the answer? What's the answer supposed to be?
The images of violence sweep through her again, and she feels her heart rate accelerating. No. That's not the right answer. That's-
'You, Rachel, you love it. It’s what makes you so brave. It’s what makes you so dangerous. I don’t know what will happen to you if it all ends someday.'
She blinks. Tries to get her breathing, her heart rate, under control. There was no threat here. No Controllers waiting to pounce. She could talk. She could be honest. This was a place full of crazy. She should fit right in, right?
'Rachel, do you feel the adrenaline rush of murderous desire?'
No. She'd been over this. She'd already had this little psychomachia of insanity with Crayak. She wasn't like that. She'd turned away from the violence. She was better than that. She wasn't a monster.
She doesn't think you're a monster.
That couldn't be the answer. She wasn't like that.
Except you are.
She tries to keep the anxiety and stress from her voice.]
"Yeah. Yeah, maybe some combat training wouldn't hurt."
[Action]
Very well. What...sorts of things are you used to fighting? And how?
[Action]
[Okay, here it went. Time to see just how crazy she really was.]
"... Aliens. I turn into animals to fight aliens."
[Action]
[Saori shrugs, mildly. That isn't even the strangest thing she's experienced in her own world. How might this girl react to the idea of speaking to a woman who's true shape was twelve feet tall, made of lightning and clouds, and could claim to be a divine being?]
[Action]
This place really is crazy.]
"I heard something about these Third Party guys that want to kill us all, is there any way we could simulate them?"
[Action]
[She heads back outside and beckons the girl to follow.]
We'll use a different setting though, your house is too nice to have assaulted.
Oh, my name is Saori. What's yours?
[Action]
[She follows Saori out of the room, though to tell the truth, she has zero attachment at this point. She doesn't think she's going to be going back to it.]
"So is the combat simulation dangerous?"
[Action]
[She sets up a copy of the farm in Luceti, right down to the shed]
No, not particularly. You might get some bruises, but it can't kill you.
[Action]
[So she can come here as often as she wants. No injury. No danger. Just as much steam to let off as she wants.
Perfect.]
"You might want to look away when I morph, it's pretty gross to watch."
[Action]
[Strange child...]
[Action]
[And with that, she begins shrugging off outer layers of clothing, revealing skintight ones underneath.]
[Action]
She ignores the girl and strides into the simulator with a bow drawn and her sword now visible at her waist.]
[Action]
-Bring it.-
[Action]
They'll start when we charge.
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