Every tree needs a SeeD

[gunbladegrrl]

Who: Maria and whosoever bothers her!
What: A new arrival wakes up and tries to make sense of all this.
Where: Home!
When: Morning to noon.
Other: ??


A. Inside.

[The first thing Maria is aware of is pain.]

[This is because she is lying on two gunblades and a rifle. Aside from being uncomfortable in and of themselves, they also are holstered in such a way that lying on them bends her back in a miserable U. Which immediately tells her that she isn't where she should be. She doesn't sleep with her weapons strapped on, and if she DOES it certainly isn't on her back.]

[She's on her feet in two moments -- and looking all the more shocked when she is, because she should have been on her feet in only moment, but her body didn't respond correctly. Quick mental stock tells her that all her Junctions are gone. Reflexively, she slaps a hand to her chest, verifying that her Junction Device is indeed still there...]

[Worse and worse.]

[So it is that the sound of a door crashing violently open as it's kicked fills the air inside Home, and the girl barges out into the hallway. Her weapons aren't in her hands, but the scowl on the face and the tension in the broad muscles of her shoulder and back say that she's just looking for a reason -- or a person responsible.]

B. Outside.

[So nothing here is responsible. No one knows why. That's just super]

[Maria faces the tree, eyes squinched shut in concentration and one hand extended. While technically she doesn't need to have a hand out to Draw magic, she's always found it easier that way -- a mental prop to help her focus, as it is. But all the focus she can muster isn't enough. She can't Draw.]

[Letting out a snarl of frustration, she checks the little device in her other hand, makes a couple adjustments to it with a flick of her thumb, then sticks her free hand out again. Maybe this time.]

[Urrrrrrrrrrghhh...]

Comments

b o/

[vowlyball]

Are you trying to take down that tree with the power of your mind?

[Bokuto was going to be helpfully watching a few feet away, watching in amusement.

That was, until it suddenly struck him as something that wouldn't be impossible in the least, considering there was an overgrown bat running around and eggs that hatched moss balls.]

Or can you actually do it?

[Now he looked super invested, please run and hide Maria.]

[gunbladegrrl]

[Maria wouldn't know how to run and hide if she'd taken the class and passed it with honors.]

[Letting out an angry huff of breath, she draws her hand back in to sweep the stray hairs that escaped her ponytail out of her face.] Actually, I'm trying to analyze and extract a portion of the magical energy that it pretty blatantly has. But for some reason my paramagic isn't working.

[vowlyball]

Ooh! You can do magic?

[Bokuto took a few more steps closer despite the fact that most normal people would probably at least scoff at that, or given the situation, shrank away.]

Is it not working because you're tired?

[Because that would make sense, right?]

[gunbladegrrl]

I can do para magic. [She sticks out her little finger like a pointer to emphasize the prefix.] That's drawing out magical energy in prestablished spell configurations, among other arts. And no, it's not because I'm tired, because A, I'm not, and B, even if I was, that's not a factor.

[vowlyball]

[Most of it kind of goes over his head, since he's not that familiar with magic but he can guess it had to do with fingers? Either way, it sounded pretty dire if she couldn't do it here. He really wanted to see some magic...

He crossed his arms over his chest, frowning a bit.]

Does it not work often?

[gunbladegrrl]

[She shoots him a look that can't manage to be angry.] I'm a trained SeeD. My paramagic is always reliable. Except at this moment.

[vowlyball]

Seed?

[Bokuto canted his head to the side in confusion. Magic he was aware of, vaguely, considering video games and shows and movies. But 'seed'?]

You don't look like a plant...

[Bokuto please.]

[gunbladegrrl]

[Maria's heard THAT joke before, and it only elicits a sigh out of her.] SeeD is an elite mercenary organization.

[vowlyball]

Ooh! Cool!

[Bokuto looked properly impressed, canting his head to the side.]

So can you fight too? A friend of mine is starting a class, and anyone who could fight would be welcome.

B is for bother. Bother bother bother.

[farseer_alastirra]

[Were it not for the gentle rise and fall of her chest, the shaman could be mistaken for a very well-carved statue. Alastirra is seated to one side of the tree, eyes closed. She's doing her best to meditate, and actually managing. Somewhat. The human girl's continued growls are a bit distracting, it's true. But not enough for Alastirra to interrupt, at the moment.

It's not as if the elements are speaking to her above much of a whisper anyway--it's more like they're asleep, and trying to get her to leave them alone for now. So she gives up trying, and opens her luminous silver orbs, casting her gaze over.]

No luck, then? Not that I'm sure what you are trying to do, but it seems to be working as well as...

As what I'm doing, if I was to be perfectly honest.

[gunbladegrrl]

[Maria isn't certain if she's seen weirder. But she's seen pretty damn weird, so a giant blue woman isn't about to bother her now.]

Not a damn thing. My entire paramagic setup just isn't working, and I have no idea why. It isn't even as if my GFs are missing, I'd at least get a null value for that.

[farseer_alastirra]

[Purple, please! Though...in the shade of the tree, she very well could look blue...For the moment, however, she tilts her head, looking slightly confused. She's certain she heard the girl speaking comprehensible words, but as a whole, her statement was mostly unintelligible. Still, Alastirra shrugged.]

I doubt it makes you feel better, but I have no access to any magic of my own, either. The elements are...well, they are not ignoring me, per se, but it's as if they are asleep now, and I cannot wake them.

[gunbladegrrl]

I can accept a suppression of natural magical energies. But that doesn't explain the suppression of paramagic. [She lets her hand fall, bring it up to curl it in the small of her back as she thinks.] Unless... ugh. Well, I can't deny the EVIDENCE even if I don't understand it.

[farseer_alastirra]

Paramagic? [And the Draenei's expression--well, didn't really change. Because she was still confused, but she was going to ask questions until she was satisfied, by Velen's barbels!]

I am sorry, I've never heard of that. My magic usually works by speaking to the elements, but...[Well, as she had said, they were pretty much asleep. No waking them? No magic to be had.]

Evidence?

[gunbladegrrl]

All available evidence is that magic isn't working, including any aspect of paramagic which shouldn't be covered by a general suppression of magic. I don't understand it, but I can't deny it.

[Her frustration doesn't preclude her from noticing the tall woman's confusion, and she turns to address the question more thoroughly.]

Paramagic is a technique for giving normal humans access to magical energy, by Junctioning powerful energy beings to them to allow its manipulation.

[farseer_alastirra]

I...see. On my world, most humans can access magic if they so choose...but then again, it is clear to me we are not from the same place. In any case, I am sorry it is not functioning properly for you.

[Not that it is for her, either, but such is life. At least at the moment. She gives a little bow, then, and spreads her hands palms up.]

I am Alastirra, a Farseer for the Draenei people. Who are you?

[gunbladegrrl]

Maria Cyphert, SeeD. [She reflexively snapped to military attention, only barely refraining from delivering a salute that would be utterly meaningless here.] I suppose I get the dubious honor of being Commander on this world by virtue of being the only SeeD here, but let's not go there.

A: since B looks to be covered

[orbislife]

[ Zenyatta hears the violent crash of wood splintering to the floor and runs (as fast as he is able) to the source. Once he sees the woman and no other threat, he stops and folds his hands before him. ]

Please be at peace. You are among friends.

[gunbladegrrl]

[Her hands snap over her shoulders to the hilts of her gunblades on reflex. Mechanical enemies are, if not common back home, at least familiar. But she doesn't draw them -- reflex or no, the lack of hostility is apparent.]

And where, precisely, is that?

[orbislife]

[ Zenyatta does his best to remain still when her hands move to her weapons. He has little way to defend himself as he is, and he doubts anyone would be able to repair him should he be injured.

Remaining calm in the face of turbulence will bring harmony. He exhales a deep breath when she does not draw her weapons. ]

It is a world called Fa’Diel. We have yet to discover why we are here and how.

[gunbladegrrl]

[Maria doesn't often swear.]

Shit. Time Compression.

[She runs her fingers down her face hard enough to dimple her skin, letting out a groan.]

[orbislife]

Time compression? I am unfamiliar to what you mean in this context.

[ Zenyatta does know someone who can move through time in many directions. However, he hums and slowly motions with one hand towards the stairs. ]

There is a sitting area on the first floor we could use to sit and talk if you would like.

[ He is mostly concerned for her comfort, having just smashed through a door. That and extended conversations could be awkward in a hallway. ]

[gunbladegrrl]

[Right. Well. The robot looks like something she could dismantle with her bare hands -- which is not entirely a reflection on its appearance when she has a grip strength adequate to tighten lug nuts -- so. Her shift out of a ready stance is subtle by palpable.] That might be better.

[orbislife]

[ He does have less plating than other Omnics of similar configurations, and he has wires exposed to the elements. Zenyatta does not look the most sturdy. ]

Please, follow me. It is not far.

[ He turns around and begins to descend the stairs with careful steps and one hand on the railing.

... He is used to hovering. Not walking and stairs, though he has been forced to relearn both, so forgive the excess in caution. ]

[gunbladegrrl]

[The slow procession has her hackles up, but not for any good or rational reason. She's just entirely on edge, in a new environment and decidedly lacking in almost everything that would make her comfortable.]

[But -- and here she rolls her shoulders, just to feel their reassuring weight -- she still has her gunblades. Nothing she can't handle without them.]