hadriel | f o u r. ( VIDEO ) . look again and you'll be startled

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f o u r. ( VIDEO ) . look again and you'll be startled

[ It's not that Kate hates video or voice, but generally - for posting - she prefers text. It's easier to sound together when you have time to think of your content.

However, text doesn't really work for what she's about to do here. She's sat in a spire apartment that a few eagle-eyed people may recognise as her own, twirling a pen between her fingers.

The words that come out of her mouth begin awkward and stilted. Although this should be easy, should just be as simple as advertising a new item for the clinic - that's what it was, on the surface, anyway - this is the first public post she's made since the entire mess with the fog, and she's not sure what kind of reaction to expect at all. ]

So.

[ She clears her throat, gets rid of some of the jerkiness in her tone and fiddles with something that's just off camera. This needs to be announced, now that she and Carlisle have finished it. He isn't here with her right now, but she's asked him to keep an eye out for any questions that might arise about how his powers work. ] We've been working on something.

[ She holds up the pen between her thumb and forefinger. ] This is a healing cell - it stores healing power. It can heal your injuries when activated. [ The explanation comes relatively easily, like she's reciting an answer to Dagny. But there's still the distinct, nagging thought that if she doesn't demonstrate it - and, hell, maybe even if she does - that there'll be a million questions from people who know how she was involved last month all asking 'how do we know we can trust you? or this thing?' ] Like this:

[ She drops the pen into her lap and takes out a small knife, and - with a sharp intake of breath - drags it across her palm until it bleeds. Then she picks the pen back up, clicks the bottom and presses it along the cut.

After a moment - and a wince, as Carlisle's healing power burns out of the pen - the injury has disappeared entirely. She clicks the pen once more and withdraws it from where the injury was, almost immediately wiping her bloody hand on her jeans and swallowing. ]

It won't perform surgery but it can heal most basic injuries. Wouldn't recommend it for more than a minor fracture. [ The original prototypes made back home had a tendency to overheat dramatically if used for something more serious, and she expects it to be the same here. ] At most, you'll get thirty uses out of it before it's empty. Needs to be recharged every month, as well. [ Yeah, there's a good amount of drawbacks, but it beats having to panic about first aid supplies? Sort of?

She picks up a handful of other trinkets - a stone here, a ring there - and holds them up. ] We've got ten so far - making more. If you want one, stop by the clinic. Located opposite the Colosseum.

[ And that, Hadriel, is as close as Kate is gonna get to publicly saying sorry for breaking the murdercave. ]

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[ carlisle, you should go into politics. you're very good at rambling while saying absolutely nothing at all. except for maybe the fact that you're somewhat jealous? ] So... she's good at it? [ that was said in the most 'what is the problem' tone imaginable from kate. isn't a good student most teachers' dream? ] ... Those circles s'posed to be that wobbly?

No. I mean- it doesn't matter, so long as it works, now does it?

[But it obviously does matter to him. In good news, despite how wobbly it is, it does work: he places his fingertips in the little wedge he drew at the bottom of the big circle, and the entire thing lights up for just a moment. The broken brush in the center pulls itself together, and is back in one piece again in a matter of seconds.

But despite the apparent success of the glyph, Carlisle continues to look sore.]

She's good at it. Probably very good, once she's practiced and learned the runes. I can spend years studying this same art and never get anywhere, but someone else from some other world picks it up and has it down in no time at all.

Edited (I word good y'all.) 2016-07-31 20:39 (UTC)

Guess not. [ but, judging by his next rant... is that really the case? ] That big a deal? Not like she can do everything. [ for one thing, this seemed as time consuming, if not more so, than her enchantments. the ability to heal was far more useful and quick-acting than drawing these things seemed to be. ] Doesn't mean she'll always be good. [ there are plenty of people who start out with loads of potential and never master it correctly. ~~guess whose job it is to make sure that doesn't happen, carlisle?~~ ]

[He sighs. It's a big deal to him. Have a rare, genuine confession from him, Kate:]

I suppose I'm... I'm just frustrated with my own ineptitude.

[ okay, she's gonna pause in bluntly trying to get him to realise that this isn't as bad as he's making out, because... damn, that hits just a tad too close to home for someone who has been wondering if their project was even worth all the effort it costs. she takes another swig of wine and stares at the glyph paper for a fraction longer than necessary.

what would dagny do here? and when will she ever stop trying to think of dagny's reaction in situations like this and start thinking of her own?

(oh, right, when her own reactions stop being terrible.) ] Can't be th' master of everything. [ she says, as if she doesn't wish she could be most of the time. as if she doesn't wish she was at least as half as useful as marc was - smart, strong, personable and with a power that was more useful than fucking enchantments. ]

[The glyph on the page sizzles, the ink bubbling as the markings evaporate away. Carlisle doesn't even look at them, opting to drink whatever is left in his mug.]

I don't want to be the 'master of everything.' I'm not even the master of the one thing I am good at. Desth, I'm not even adequate at most things!

[ yeah this is so not her forte. she can try and be patient and understanding, like dagny or faith, but it's obvious that it takes all of her strength to do so. ] ... But you have summat you're good at. [ which is a lot more than can be said for a lot of people. ]

It's something others here can do. Something that wasn't what was expected of me.

[His eyes trail to his pen on the coffee table. The one he's always using is an intricate piece of work: the barrel is inlaid with bone and etched with swirling designs, details easily missed at a glance. The lever is silver, matching the band at the top of the cap; said band features an engraving -- K. L.

He sighs for what feels like the millionth time, picking up that pen and turning it over in his hands as he utters to himself.]

I probably shouldn't be drinking. My apologies, Kate.

[ dude, there are way too many ways of getting hurt down here to turn down even a single healer. no one else here can do what she does - as far as she knows - and her power has, until recently, been largely useless. and she's not even sure if this is enough use for it, not when she's used to churning out monitoring enchantments and seeing her world in a full spectrum of colour that was so, so achingly familiar that she didn't realise how used to it she was until she was plunged into this place.

her brows raise slightly at him as she takes another drink and shrugs. ] Daft way to look at it. [ like. it really is. oh no we have someone else who can keep us alive down here. ]

[His eyes flick back to her.]

How so?

D'ya hire one person t' run a shop? [ d u h. she is so unimpressed at even having to say that. carlisle, you're smart enough to know this. ] More healers we 'ave, more likely no one's dying. [ that... came out way thicker accented than she normally speaks. it's a little weird, actually, but she's drinking and- well, the idea of someone who actually does have something useful to offer this place deciding he's not because other people can do it too? that's bullshit, frankly. ]

[To be fair, he comes from a small town where one person typically does run each shop, but his mind is isn't clear enough to retort. He's too busy drowning himself in alcohol and self-deprecating misery.]

That may be, some of us are more suitable for the task than others. Some of us can be of use in other ways. What do I have besides healing, so far from my church and my home?

[ and; ] How'm I meant t' know that? [ seriously. ] Find summat. [ kate your life is literally work and running around who are you to say shit.

but - with a swig of a new mug of wine - she adds, with a sigh that is audible. ] Teach. [ you're already doing it, carlisle. ]

I already do. Poorly, I might add.

[He's just going to drink straight from his flask. It's that kind of day.]

I'm not interested in taking on more students to further highlight my inadequacy.

[ Jesus, Carlisle. And people call her dense. ] They're doing well. Think that makes a successful teacher. [ That would probably sound supportive if she didn't sound so deadpan about it.

... Who are we kidding, it's still supportive. ]

She is doing well. Emily is my only student.

[Carlisle, ladies and gentlemen.]

Edited 2016-08-02 18:52 (UTC)

[ It's Em? That gets her to blink and purse her lips. So that's... interesting. ] Her place doesn't have magic, does it? [ Like, at all. Not just that Em doesn't use it.

There's a point to this. Go with it, Carlisle. ]

[He rubs at his eyes, pushing his glasses up to his hairline.]

No, it doesn't seem so, or not that they know of. Her friend Chris said the same.

[He utters something to himself along the lines of Chris probably being better at glyphcrafting, too. Reel in some of that bitterness, Carlisle.]

[ Seriously, kid. She might get crabby about not having a power as useful as healing now and again but jesus. ] She now understands summat she probably never knew existed. That isn't something just anyone can manage to explain. [ Not that quickly. ]

She's an apt student.

[But he sighs. He'd like to think Kate has a point, but he has a hard time seeing it himself.]

[ Just. Look at how unimpressed she looks. And the exhale of laughter that she gives as an initial response. ] Even Marc would need a teacher to understand this. [ She leans over as she talks, grabbing one of the pieces of paper. ] Can't just learn summat new without someone explaining it proper.

[His eyes lodge themselves somewhere on the coffee table for a moment, Kate's words playing in his mind, before returning to the pen in his hands.]

I... I suppose.

[Looks like she might have worn him down.]

[ And, because she's kind of been... a bit too blunt, maybe? And maybe she really is trying to be more like her mentor, Kate sucks in a breath and adds something as honest and as hypocritical as she's ever said; ] Ease up on yourself, aye?