V2 Incline 11: Champion Nin

"Yes, this is fine." I feel the need to tell the needle-leg as I stare back at the strange expression she is giving me. They wanted me to come in and finally pick out some clothes after gods know how many days of me pestering them about it. However, everything they have offered me so far might as well be nothing... Thin, straps of cloth that I wouldn't even wear to bed.

I shake my head slightly as the needle-leg continues her stare of immense disappointment. She seems to hate the fact I am wearing actual clothes. But, what can I say? I'm a low-floor worker of Tobaballe, clothes like this are the norm!

A simple shirt that properly covers my chest and back. Trousers which don't slip off easily or lack fabric in the important areas. It's my choice what I wear, not theirs. Though, I never thought I would have so much trouble getting a pair of boots.

I can't really complain about it, as well, my hosts don't have feet...

Tying my laces crudely, I give the needle-leg a simple nod and get up to leave. I smile at the entrance as I am finally going to be able to walk around normally! No more naked strolls as everyone licks their lips at me. No more accidental tearing because of my accursed right arm.

A familiar face steps into the tent with a scoff of disgust which is then followed by a disappointed smile. I frown at the Ivy-Mother as I try to remind myself of the things she's been trying to drill into my head. Her name is Rose'lhia, but she wants me to call her Rose. No, no, Rose-sweerui.

Whatever that means.

I don't recall what the honorific means, but, I can recall what she said her name means. She who was born under the rose. Though, I am not sure how that works out as she came from a seed. Wouldn't she technically have sprouted?

I can't really wrap my head around it, not that long ago, all a seed was to me is a plant-to-be thing I might munch on. Now, apparently, seeds also include whole children but they pop out of a pregnant woman rather than just... Falling from the tree, flower, bush, whatever!

"Do you need something, Rose-swee...rui?" I ask her, slowing down when I need to figure out if I am pronouncing it correctly. Her smile makes me guess that I did pronounce it right. She's oddly squeamish, almost like a little girl whenever I have said it thus far. I suppose it must be a really big compliment of some description.

One that makes all the other needle-legs jealous, this other one near me is reiterating that detail quite openly.

"Yes, Champion. I want you to pick clothes far more suited to you!" Rose-sweerui complains as she comes closer to me. Suddenly turning around with a huff, she crosses her arms and her tail whips up at the strings keeping my shirt tight. Somehow, she loosens the shirt and she smirks as my chest becomes a little more exposed. I try to tie the peculiar collar back up, but her hands aggressively stop me.

"You want me to go back to waltzing about naked? Jog down a flight of stairs and trip." I mutter towards the end as I flex my feet about these boots they made for me. They're quite comfortable but also sturdy if a little fancy on the patterns compared to what I am used to. Either way, I am glad to have a clean pair of boots on my feet. No more picking out clumps of muck, no more little, annoying stones.

Just my socks-covered feet and the open, confined room for them to move in!

Rose-sweerui stares at me ponderously for a moment as she tries to get as much of my chest showing as possible. Stopping her, she turns around with a sigh and her hips bounce as she sways away. A finger beckons for me to follow and I do so until we get outside. I look around the flower and briefly glance at its inhabitants until her tail touches me again.

"Let us get going with our lesson, then." she tells me as her tail knots itself in my shirt's strings. Leaning down slightly so as to not pick her up, I look down at it every now and then as she tries to tickle me with it. I blow some hot air onto the little, fuzzy hairs her tail has and she shivers in delight. Blowing a few more times, she lets go and steps forward laughing.

Hiding my right arm as best as I can, I ponder what it did back at the bath during my first awake day here. That spongey feeling, I've only started feeling it since my arm became this abomination. But, I've been unable to replicate that feeling on anything else I've touched. Even the cloth I have kept it wrapped up in doesn't feel spongey, I can barely feel it even when it gets caught between the plates!

Thankfully, I guess, Rose-sweerui is quite apt at catching me when I am worrying about my arm. She slows down and reassures me by stroking my normal arm and she leans against me. If it wasn't for her usual behaviour, she'd be the perfect stress reliever. Or, maybe she already is and I am just not willing to exploit that?

I shake my head and she starts to clasp my arm as disgust fills her eyes. I try to follow the gaze and stare at a tightly-sealed tent made of brown leather. Every time thus far since she has started trying to teach me how to use my magic, she's been holding that tent in contempt. Anything with brown leather on it gets this reaction, but her eyes always focus on this moderately-guarded tent.

Maybe I should try and sneak a peek later? None of the needle-legs seem to really care about anything at all that I do. Well, they care, they like to watch me, all of them do. They just don't seem to mind that I do -what- I do, I've yet to get a firm no on anything I've done.

But, focusing my mind back on my magic, I sigh.

"So, are we likely to get anywhere today? You and Vapooliar make it all seem so easy." I say to Rose-sweerui as I doubt my ability to grasp any of this. I am not sure if I know enough to call her a bad teacher, but I am just not getting it. Nothing is happening when I try to do what I have been asked to do.

I hope I am just too new to this...

"And it will soon be as easy for you as it is for us. Magic is not something one can just learn. I'm sure you are aware of how old the Valkinvar is?" Rose-sweerui explains as she rubs my arm.

I blink as I recall the number as if Vapooliar just told me yesterday, "One-hundred and thirty-three."

"Yes, and she spent nearly every day of her life perfecting it. As did I, for a period of my own. You will get there, do not stress yourself over it." she tells me as she comes in a little closer to nuzzle my chest.

"I don't think I have years to do this..." I mutter as I start to think of home. Ideally, I want to get back there.

"And you won't! I have full confidence that you will grasp all of the seemingly meaningless drivel soon enough. We are just at the initial hurdle, I will work you over it." she explains, smiling pridefully at the fact she is the one doing it.

"Right..." I go as we finally arrive at the little space she set aside for us to practice in. A cleared-up field of open space is all well and good... But, why are there raised benches and podiums here as well? Packed ones at that, I'm not entertainment. I am trying to learn!

I rub my still-normal thumb inside a normal fist as Rose-sweerui walks further away. Picking up the fancy staff she has been leaving here as of late, she puts on a demonstration. I watch her magic carefully, ignoring the flushed face she once again has as she does so. She wants me to focus on how she evokes the magic, but I'm still not really getting it.

She's making bright, emerald light appear and then playing with it...

She comes to a stop and sends the magic at me, It gently blows over, "Champion, we were getting somewhere yesterday. Try to do what you did last time."

"Right, last time..." I go as I really don't know what it was she noticed yesterday. Bringing my left arm up, I move my fingers about as I try to search for this feeling I was told about. I frown at my hand as nothing continues to happen and then I look down at my right. If I can just find what makes the spongey feeling I might be able to get somewhere here...

However, according to the observing crowd and Rose-sweerui, I am clearly getting somewhere with this. With the stress of so many eyes around me and my general frustrations, I start to get irked. I don't like being watched by so many, it feels wrong. I take a deep breath as the lights on their heads start to get brighter.

"Stop... Watching me so much, dammit!" I swear as I reach down and just dig my hand into the ground. Back in the mountain, my newfound magic mostly seemed to affect my body. So maybe I just need to treat it like something my body can just do. I dig deep until I think I find something, clasping it, I pull.

The dirt by me suddenly shifts and I let go of the revealed but crushed, branch-like object.

"Alright..." I mutter before I put what must be a tree root of some kind back into the ground. I look back at the crowd as they seem to go berserk with joy and giddiness. Even Rose-sweerui can't seem to maintain her composure. But, when I look at her directly, she suddenly shifts her attitude to something far more bitter.

I raise a brow at it but leave it at that.

She starts to move closer to me and she spreads her arms across my body, guiding my arm in the process, "Good, good... Now..."

"Focus, Rose." I go, bringing her back to reality by refusing to play ball with her naming convention.

"Rose-sweerui, please!" she reminds me sternly as she regains her focus.

I look her dead in the eye as she goes back to losing herself, looking at something to do with me, "Focus!"

"Y-Yes! Champion, sorry!" she squeaks as seems to get her thoughts back into order. Her magic starts to weakly emit from her and then, a mirage of a winged, bulky-reared insect appears. It turns towards us and charges, but as I start to shuffle about, she remains calm. It blows apart on us harmlessly and she suddenly grasps my ribs.

I stare at her hands as she caresses my ribcage on either side. Letting go, she then walks away before she swings her rear around as she comes to a stop. Leaning forward slightly, breasts pushed up, she beckons me to try and copy her. I blink at her as there's no way I'd be able to!

Yet, I still try and do something with my magic. Everyone else seems to be able to apply their magic in the form of light the shade of a well-shined leaf. I need to just copy that. Maybe, if I think really hard about it...?

"Alright! Now I want you to send some of your magic my way! Grab at the wind and throw it towards me!" she calls for, full of excitement as she shakes about gently, but eagerly.

I try to think about how I am supposed to do that. My hand is not a blanket, I can't just bundle a bunch of wind up. Nothing happens if I just fan my palm about either. Determined or limply, it just does nothing!

I click my mouth as I close my eyes and redo it. Maybe I simply need to imagine the process, not try and physically do it. But, rather than doing anything with my left arm, my right starts to get tingly. I open my eyes and stare at it as it twitches in a very specific manner.

Dropping to my right knee, I follow the strange pins and needles in my right arm. Bringing it over a modestly small rock I knocked up earlier with the root, I pick it up. Gently squeezing the rock, it feels as if I am squishing it, opening my eyes, I see how it moves like putty. My mind becomes a mixture of relief and confusion.

"Hmmmm?" my mouth lets out as I tightly clench my right hand. The rock suddenly bursts out like bread dough and I drop it. From a normal rock shape, it has now become a short spire with somewhat thin fins. It reminds me of a large drill on a digger with its spiralling blade.

Only, a lot cruder and rockier.

A roar echoes in my head, as does the sound of dangling, rusted metal. The roar of mandibles and the grim song of armour made of crushed, helmets stained in aged blood. I blink and shake my head and stop doing whatever it is my body was doing. I breathe shakily and watch as Rose-sweerui approaches me.

"Is something wrong? You were on the right track." she asks then tells as she walks closer to me to see what is wrong. Bringing her in the rest of the way, I surprise her and I place my lips near her ear. I'm a bit embarrassed to have myself maybe heard.

"Is there any chance I can do some sort of competition with the men in your flower?" I ask as I completely hide my worries about my right arm. Maybe, I might need to do something else when it comes to making my left hand do anything. Everything that happened back at the hive just sort of happened because my body just did it.

Maybe a competition of some kind could help me recall that sensation...?

I can't use magic how she wants me to, but I know I have used it in other ways. It has kept my body safe from bullets shattering on my forehead. Rocks and trees have just broken if I apply myself against them. Maybe -my- magic is only something physical?

Rose-sweerui considers my words carefully, she seems almost happy I've suggested it.

"Competition... A magic-casting one?" she asks and I shake my head as I know what I want.

"No, something more physical. You know, weights, running, like a sports day." I clarify, recalling what I sometimes did as a child during my school years.

"Hm, that is correct. Men do have a natural-bias towards their internal-magic as they do not need to give birth..." she ponders openly as she starts to pace about a little. I blink as I don't really get what she is saying, though, I am glad she seems to get my request.

"Huh." I go just as she seems to get lost in her thoughts.

"You believe that this might help you use your magic?" she asks as she looks down and eyes some sudden dark patches on her chest. I guess that must be her honey, maybe she needs to see a doctor or something? She's been doing that a lot since I met her...

"Well, yeah. I realise that most of my magical experience is to do with my body just doing something. Things you don't put much thought into, you know, do it even with your eyes closed or while you are asleep. I think, maybe, something more physical will help me understand it better." I explain to her before I cross my fingers in my head. My mind turns to Vapooliar and how she tried to train me before we went into the hive as a group... I do not mean something like that...

"I see! We would need to prepare a few things, but... If I can get the Gilded-Bark in on it... Then it will be far more beneficial." she explains as a glint appears in her eyes and a peculiar smile comes to her lips.

"Why would you need to get the Gilded-Bark involved?" I ask as I don't see how the big man can make it any better. Besides, isn't he busy with everything in that camp up by the cliff? That's what she told me when I asked her about who leads a flower...

"The answer is very simple, now, go and do something else. I need to talk to some petals." Rose-sweerui tells me in a suddenly passive-aggressive, openly dismissive tone. I blink at her sudden shift in attitude and then shrug. Walking up to the fence surrounding the field, I place a hand on it. I drum my fingers and start to think of my initial time in the cave.

Just trying to walk sent me flying into the sky, I struggled to move even the slightest. I seem to have got it under control, for the most part, but, doing anything but walking is a pain in the arse. I can't really run anymore, just leap... Hm.

I look out towards the trees in the distance, I notice how there doesn't seem to be anyone there. I start to ponder leaping over there as I look down at the fence. Placing my feet onto it carefully, my legs start to bend. Gently, I crouch down... Then, release!

Soaring into the air, flailing about, I try to orient myself to at least fall onto my feet. I can't find my bearings. I start to panic. I cover my face and fall into the closest tree.

I hear a loud scream as I slam against the trunk of a tree. Sliding down it unceremoniously, I thud to the ground before someone falls down onto me with a whole branch as well. I blink my eyes open and find Vadei's teeth bared right up against my face. I blink again as I try to just smile the incident away.

"Here I thought trees only drop leaves and acorns!" I awkwardly chuckle as she growls right up against me. Those nails of hers an inch too close to my eyes for comfort.