Throwing Shade

Log Info

• Title: Throwing Shade
• Emitter: Aryia
• Characters: Aryia, Aya
• Place: Festival Grounds
• Time: September 9th, 2021
• Summary:

On a day that the skies threaten to spill an ocean's worth of rain across Alexandria, Aryia is taking advantage of the fact that none wished to be out in the open at the Festival Grounds. Pensive, and up in a tree, she is soon joined by Aya on the branches. Both check in on each other after recent developments, Aya expressing caution in Aryia's simmering temper towards their mutual foe, but to utilize it. The pupil expresses to learn more, and Aya obliges, going into minor detail about how the magic in their blood works. She supplies a relatively simple test of snuffing out the light of a glowing orb in her hand, giving the guiding words of telling the shadow to do what she wills. Aryia tries. She tries really hard, even going as far as to do some finger waggling she'd seen some mages do. But nothing. Expected. Cannot run before one walks. Aya gives Aryia some homework before needing to suddenly depart. She is a busy mul, after all.

== ==

Festival Grounds, Afternoon. 

The overcast skies and threat of rain was the only reprieve from an otherwise crummy day. The supposed thunderstorm that was to arrive had made the Festival Grounds vacant, there little shelter to shield from a downpour, aside from a lone, tall tree off to the side. One that was occupied.

Aryia had situated herself on one of the lower, thick branches with her back to the trunk and a leg dangling off the side. Clad in her normal wear side from some silver ear clasps, a frown seemed to have been chiseled onto her visage. Perturbed would be the best way to put it. With her eyes closed, she was resting. Meditating. Zoning out, all of the above. The only indication that someone was in said tree was the bottom of a dark blue boot kicking idly.

Perhaps not to overly disturb the meditating one, there is only a slight rustle in a branch overhead as Aya alights atop it. Perhaps she is observing? Seeking company? Just wanting to get out of the rain and Aryia chose an excellent option? The truth may well be some combination of the above.

Aryia shifts some, a shimmering eye cracking open to glance upwards. A squirrel, perhaps? She blinks, taking a moment to realize what she was looking at, but eventually her face smooths out, taking some of the worry with it. A sigh leaves her, and she raises a hand in greeting. The other one patting a branch beside her.

"Am I interrupting?" Aya inquires, despite the invitation. One that she accepts, dropping down to the lower branch to take a seat adjacent. "I don't want to intrude." <handspeech>

Aryia shakes her head, her following her fellow mul'neissa down until she settles in. She casts her gaze out to the grounds, framed by the greenery of their perch. "Just thinking," she motions back. <Handspeech>

Aya dips her chin, readily accepting that course of action. She somewhat follows Aryia's gaze out across the grounds, speaking aloud, if quietly, so as not to divert her gaze. "There is much to think about as of late." Her flat tone suggests neither joyous nor terrible, or a combinaiton.

Aryia pulls a knee up to her chest, resting her chin on it. She inhales deep, letting the breath seep slowly through her nose. "Yes. Too much. I thought I was in Alexandria, not Aby'ssa for fuck's sake. Do I really have to watch what I eat now?" she asks, somewhat rhetorically, mostly just providing insight into the frustration that's become the foundation of her emotions. <Handspeech>

Aya's lips now curl into a tight, somewhat controlled frown that's turned towards Aryia before she gestures. "This city has its share of troubles, but this, now, is not normal. It will be dealt with. It will pass." <handspeech>

Aryia shifts to lean against the trunk of the tree, facing Aya now to see what was being said. The rest of her breath spill out with a deflating sigh, both hands coming up so she could bury her face in them. "I fucking hope so," she gestures off to the side.

Taking a moment to herself, she finally pulls herself up to settle her gaze on Aya. "Are you okay? After all that?" Aryia genuinely asks, leaning forward to put a hand on Aya's arm. <Handspeech>

Aya now somewhat mirrors her in exhaling a sigh, though it is perhaps not quite as deflating. She also takes that moment to think. Her frown fades during that process, though it isn't quite a smile that's put forth. Still, perhaps more encouraging than the frown?

"Was I surprised? Yes. Am I surprised that the Demon Duke did such a thing? No. I am concerned of what happened, and what could have happened. I am not surprised that Merek called him out, but he only left."

Now her lips purse and her frown returns. "It could have been much, much worse." <handspeech>

Aryia, upon getting an actual answer from her mentor rather than the usual smoke and mirrors, gives a small smile. Only for it to smooth out as she looks off to the side for a moment.

"... Yes. It could have been. I didn't know it, but I've seen the Duke before. He's behind the statues." Her hand pulls off of Aya, only for it to clench into a tight fist, the knuckles turning white. "... And he did something to you, and made sith-makar eat sith-makar, and..."

She shakes her head, lips pursed into a thin line of grit. "I can keep going on. I did not realize how pissed I am about everything." <Handspeech>

Aya attempts to regain the contact by reaching a hand for Aryia's shoulder. "He is," she gestures with the other, confirming even if it is already known. "I do not know why he does all this, but he must have a plan." Her next statement is more harshly made, for emphasis. "HE is the reason for these terrible things. Not the city. Not any failure of some sort by anyone. It is HIM." <handspeech>

Aryia's eyes flick between the gestures and Aya's visage, a hand reaching up to curl around the one on her shoulder. Her jaw tenses, chin dipping down as a faint film coats her eyes. It's all him. All. Him. All the problems she had been having, all the scares, the fear, the uncertainty. It was all on one individual.

She raises a hand, rocking it down her collar and flicking her fingers. "I'm tired of being scared. Now I'm just mad. Really, really mad."

She affixes her gaze on Aya, pupil to mentor. "What are we to do next, assuming you're healthy again?" <Handspeech>

Aya nods, more deeply. "Good. Use that. Wisely. I am healthy." That may be the limits of her certainty as she pauses before continuing. "We need to learn his plan. Goals. Weaknesses. He is clever, so we must be moreso." <handspeech>

Aryia nods along, pursing her lips and squeezing the hand in hers. "Agreed. I... will try to stop whatever this statue business is. It's the best I can do, as it may be a small part of a larger plan. Sometimes all you need to do is break a toe for a giant to fall. Maybe that will help you all."

The sky rumbles as Aryia looks to her free hand, the cuts and scrapes from punching a wall all but healed and scabbed over. "I'm ready for more, Aya. Please teach me." <Handspeech>

That provokes a fresh nod and, now a slender smile from Aya. "We can all only do what we are able, and you are right." The expression tightens a bit, but doesn't vanish, as she adds, "Be smart. Use caution."

This carries right into Ariya's request, and Aya's response. "Very well. Prepare yourself." Quite a vague directive, that.

Aryia smirks a touch, her tapping the side of her head with a finger and firmly nodding. However, the warning makes Aryia blink. A beat passing before she releases the hand and plants both feet on the tree branch. The mute mul'neissa is hunched over and holding onto the trunk with a hand to stay balanced as she glances to and fro on Aya. A test? A surprise? Whatever was to come, she was ready.

"Shadow is within our blood. It is not just the absence of light, but a thing unto itself. It does not hinder our sight and, with focus, will serve our will."

Aya notes as she lifts a hand, holding it up, palm upwards and open. The dim of the clouded sky filtered through the leaves diminishes somewhat as a glowing orb appears above her hand. It is not piercing nor even starkly bright, yet quite apparent. In fact, it is not too dissimilar from the floating orbs that flitted about the iceberg when Endless Winter visited the port.

"You will use that connection to extinguish this."

Aryia blinks, half expecting to have been tackled off her perch in some physical training exercise. She coughs a bit into a fist, embarrassed for a brief moment before settling back down to face Aya.

She nods along, soaking in the information like a dry sponge. Her gaze settles on the orb in her mentor's hand, the shimmer reflecting off the student's eyes. She's seen that before. She's seen it so many times. And it was done so easily in front of her.

The mute woman takes a shaky breath, her nodding subtly, breaking her gaze only to glance past the glowing orb towards Aya. "How do I do that then?" she expectedly asks with one hand, the other watching the mote of light. <Handspeech>

"You smother it. Shadow to overpower the light." Aya's response is straightforward, though perhaps not immediately helpful. After several breaths, she gestures with her free hand to her breastbone and her forehead. "It is a matter of will. The shadows will answer, but only if you command them to. They are fickle things." Her other hand remains where it is, as does the orb.

There is a moment where Aryia considers quite literally smothering the orb, were her half raised hand anything to go by. Instead, she puts her chin in her hand, lips pursed tight as she stares at it.

It's a long moment. And nothing happens. Her brows knit together, the pugilist this time reaching out once more and cupping both hands over the orb, covering it entirely. Again, she focuses, pulls her hands away and.. oh! Shado- Ah, just a passing cloud.

The pupil folds her arms together and pouts slightly. She changes her angle of approach, opting to shed her will in bursts. And by copying what she saw mages do; she flicks a hand out, wiggling her fingers. Reaaaaally wanting it to happen. Nada. Looks like she's just doing charades.

A long exhale is exuded, a whine, a sound that would come from her were she past her physical limitations.

Aya lowers her hand, leaving the orb to float there on its own for a moment. She then points at it and wiggles her fingers, not unlike Aryia just did. This time, the orb simply winks out of existence.

"I did not expect you to succeed here and now, and neither should you," she explains before stating, "It will require practice, and you will practice. A candle in your room. For a brief time before you rest, and after you wake."

"It is no different than learning to walk, or to place a strike that is accurate, powerful, and controlled. You may stumble or miss, but do not be discouraged. You will soon succeed, and beyond that, it will become second nature. This-" she makes a point to wiggle her fingers more exagerratedly, "is only for display. It may aid your focus, at first, but is not necessary."

Aryia deflates some as the orb vanishes, but her disappointment is blunted by reassurance. She sighs, nodding and putting her hands on her knees, making mental check lists. Before and after bed, try to snuff a candle out with shadow. Wiggling is optional.

It sounded as simple as bailing out a sinking ship with a single bucket.

In the dimness of cover and cloud, shimmery milk eyes wander over every shadow and penumbra around them. "If I can see so well in the dark, then there's no way I can't do this..." she gestures, mainly to herself. <Handspeech>

Aya isn't concerned with how it sounds, but more what Aryia's response is. She seems pleased and points to her pupil as she nods. "Yes. You can do this, and you will." Even if the comment was intended more for herself, Aya can offer additional encouragement and assurance. Perhaps to help counter the deflation, she adds, "Even if you have a poor teacher." <handspeech>

Aryia smiles some, her kicking her feet off the side of the branch. Though, she snorts and rolls her eyes. "Pfffft," she buffets, her slinging a loose arm towards Aya to playfully bat at her. "You're not, hush," she gestures with the offending hand. "Thank you. I appreciate all you do for me." <Handspeech>

Aya flashes slender smile back along with "You are always welcome, and I the same for you." The smile fade back to neutral too quickly as her eyes note something of the sun through the clouds, or perhaps some other indication. She bounces to her feet and upright upon the branch. "I must go and tend to other matters, for now. Do not shirk your practice." <handspeech>

Aryia blinks, her getting to her feet as well as her smile too, evens out to a firm line. She reaches out, putting a hand on Aya's shoulder. It squeezes, while the other gestures, "Be well and be safe."

"I won't," she adds. <Handspeech>

-End Scene-