Morph #3: The Struggle. [Action/Video]

[xenamorph]

[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.]

Comments

[Action]

[windandrain]

That's somewhat outlandish, to give science all that credit.

[A whirlwind kicks up around them]

Child. Magic is very, very real.

[Action]

[xenamorph]

[Okay. Okay, what in the world is that.

She takes a step back, staring at the woman through narrowed eyes.]

"Who are you?"

[Action]

[windandrain]

[She faced the girl levelly, ignoring the narrowed eyes and spoke as plainly as she could. The attitude was not appreciated.]

I am Saori Kimura, the Daughter of Wind and Rain. Myojin of Storms. In your tongue, I am a god.

[Action]

[xenamorph]

"A..."

[...god?

The word dies before she can say it. She's encountered only two people with that kind of power in her life. She wasn't fond of either, but one of them was probably the single most terrifying thing she had ever seen or heard of. She had nightmares about Crayak. About a cage. About being trapped in the body of a rat.

And about a massive, powerful monster. A ten foot tall creature that looked like a human but had powers of destruction she could scarcely imagine. A creature of claws and strength and rage.

A creature that she had become.

There is a such thing as too much power. After that day, after everything the Ellimist told her, after everything she's seen in the past three years, she realizes this.

She thought she had escaped that, coming here. Apparently, she was wrong.

It's not often Rachel is at a loss for words, for actions, for anything. There aren't many things that can leave her gaping, speechless, clueless, terrified and frustrated with her own helplessness.

But talking to a deity, that was one of them.]

[Action]

[windandrain]

[Saori sighs heavily, crossing her arms across her chest and leaning to one side just a bit.]

Go on, child. I won't bite.

[Action]

[xenamorph]

"... sorry. I've just... never actually met a god before. Is there something I'm supposed to, um, do?"

Re: [Action]

[windandrain]

No? Well then, the proper procedure is to pick your jaw off the floor and stop looking like a tanuki that's just met an oni.

Then perhaps smile. I don't demand formality from humans here. There's little point in that in Luceti.

[Action]

[xenamorph]

"Right. Uh. Right. Sorry."

[She shakes her head and steels herself. Come on, she's Rachel. She's Xena, Warrior Princess. She's faced down aliens, monsters, armies, and her own death. She can deal with a deity.

... It's just such an unexpected idea. Somehow, in the face of everything else, she never expected to see real magic or a real goddess.]

"So I just call you Saori, then?"

[Action]

[windandrain]

That is my name, so yes, you can. If you want to be formal, Saori-san or Kimura-sama would be acceptable. But just Saori is fine.