In the dark of the candlelight, Jaz saw Elk's whole body blush. She exhaled a quiet chuckle, her shoulders moving slightly. Still, she turned her head away from Elk, giving them some decency. She wasn't prepared to stare. A pink light added itself to the candlelight's yellow.
Elk didn't speak but hummed slightly, and Jaz closed her eyes, turning her head back toward the flame. She listened to them test the water, and she wondered if she should have heated it up in preparation. No, but the waiting--the slow work up toward the heat--that was part of the joy. She shivered pleasantly.
When Elk stopped humming, Jaz settled and inhaled deeply before she opened her eyes, looking at the ground first and then at Elk, their tattoos distinctly red and pink. Their was arousal plain now that they had disrobed.
"Is this to your liking, Jaz?" They asked gesturing past themselves and toward the water. She lifted an eyebrow. What were they trying to say?
She laughed airily, not sure what to make of the question. But then again, she was accustomed to the hubris of travelers. Jaz found herself withdrawing a little.
Or they could genuinely want to know about my life here, Jaz thought, prepared to offer a generous read on the question.
She had obviously chosen to be here. Here in the tell. Here with Elk. Here by the fire in the bath. With Gwen.
And she did love it. Loved it all. But it was not home.
Jaz wasn't sure she had found one yet.
She nodded at Elk, though her eyes were gently wet as she did so. Perhaps she could answer both their questions.
"Most of the time," Jaz said, turning to stare back into the fire. Then she tilted her head, a wry smirk on her face, and flicked Elk a glance. "Why? You interested, elder spirit of the sky mind?" She said the last bit playfully, aware she might be bruising an ego. Still, her time in the city had taught her not to give anything up to figures of authority. Not without compensation, at least.
She smiled serenely into the flames, contemplative.
Part 1
Re: Part 1
In the darkness and candlelight, a blessing was imparted into the water. Jaz looked away from them, towards the flame. Elk looked to her and asked “is this your liking?” On some level, they were trying to flirt, and yet there was a genuine interest in her life and what called her here to this space. She felt like she was here for a reason, and Elk found themselves curious - if it wasn’t home, what was?
"Most of the time," Jaz said, turning her head back fo the fire. After a moment, she tied her head with a smirk and with a playful retort and asked "Why? You interested, elder spirit of the sky mind?”
“Yes”, they are answered affirmatively, with a kind of matter of factedness to their tone. This time their tattoos shone blue, a softness and a brightness in their shapes. Elk continued “I’d like to hear more about why you’re here and what of this place speaks to you.
I am here for some degree of reason, presumably, and I’d like to know more about my companions on the journey.” They said with a quiet earnest. They had hoped that this would spark conversation and an opportunity for meaningful connection.
Arousal on their part did not necessitate that kind of intimacy in this interaction, and they were happy to let that be while taking interest in the person who had been teleported with them not that long ago. To Elk, this was still a mystery, and whatever the nature of that connection, they suspected that the healing which was to be done in the world would require each of them stepping into their gifts. This would be a sacred task, they felt, and they wanted to more deeply appreciate each of the powers and potencies brought to bear, however they should present and interact.
Looking down, they tested the water, and had the impression that it was now right about at temperature. They they gestured to the water an invitation while awaiting Jaz’s answer.
((OOC: “them”, please. Elk doesn’t use masculine pronouns.))
"Most of the time," Jaz said, turning her head back fo the fire. After a moment, she tied her head with a smirk and with a playful retort and asked "Why? You interested, elder spirit of the sky mind?”
“Yes”, they are answered affirmatively, with a kind of matter of factedness to their tone. This time their tattoos shone blue, a softness and a brightness in their shapes. Elk continued “I’d like to hear more about why you’re here and what of this place speaks to you.
I am here for some degree of reason, presumably, and I’d like to know more about my companions on the journey.” They said with a quiet earnest. They had hoped that this would spark conversation and an opportunity for meaningful connection.
Arousal on their part did not necessitate that kind of intimacy in this interaction, and they were happy to let that be while taking interest in the person who had been teleported with them not that long ago. To Elk, this was still a mystery, and whatever the nature of that connection, they suspected that the healing which was to be done in the world would require each of them stepping into their gifts. This would be a sacred task, they felt, and they wanted to more deeply appreciate each of the powers and potencies brought to bear, however they should present and interact.
Looking down, they tested the water, and had the impression that it was now right about at temperature. They they gestured to the water an invitation while awaiting Jaz’s answer.
((OOC: “them”, please. Elk doesn’t use masculine pronouns.))
Re: Part 1
((OOC: I corrected my mistake. Thanks for the catch.))
“Yes,” Elk answered, although their tattoos quickly turned back to their more typical blue from their previous pink. “I’d like to hear more about why you’re here and what of this place speaks to you."
Huh. That wasn't where she thought they were going, but maybe they had heard the hesitance in her voice and pivoted accordingly.
They continued, "I am here for some degree of reason, presumably, and I’d like to know more about my companions on the journey.” They seemed genuine enough. Jaz shrugged where she still crouched at the fire.
She took her time responding--there wasn't exactly a question in their statement--and watched as they touched the water again. They looked at Jaz, gesturing to the water. It can't have been warm enough yet. Unless... they had done something to it.
Incredulous, Jaz stood and dipped her own fingers in. It was not as warm as she liked it, that was for sure, and she was content to wait in the warming sauna air. Still, her fingers did feel strange, loosened, relaxed.
Jaz looked at Elk. "Did you do something to the water?"
She was aware she was dodging their implied question, but she was just as happy to have more time to think about how to respond.
“Yes,” Elk answered, although their tattoos quickly turned back to their more typical blue from their previous pink. “I’d like to hear more about why you’re here and what of this place speaks to you."
Huh. That wasn't where she thought they were going, but maybe they had heard the hesitance in her voice and pivoted accordingly.
They continued, "I am here for some degree of reason, presumably, and I’d like to know more about my companions on the journey.” They seemed genuine enough. Jaz shrugged where she still crouched at the fire.
She took her time responding--there wasn't exactly a question in their statement--and watched as they touched the water again. They looked at Jaz, gesturing to the water. It can't have been warm enough yet. Unless... they had done something to it.
Incredulous, Jaz stood and dipped her own fingers in. It was not as warm as she liked it, that was for sure, and she was content to wait in the warming sauna air. Still, her fingers did feel strange, loosened, relaxed.
Jaz looked at Elk. "Did you do something to the water?"
She was aware she was dodging their implied question, but she was just as happy to have more time to think about how to respond.
Re: Part 1
((OOC: thank you!))
Elk’s statement-as-question hung in the balance, and they realized that they’d left a void to be filled as a sign of respect and interest. Jaz, looking at their gesture towards the water, dipped her fingers in and looked away with the kind of incredulity, staring at Elk.
“Did you do something to the water?” She asked, dodging their question to ask another.
Elk smiled and nodded, a slight spark of green emanating from their forehead, forming the shape of a crescent moon, points turned upwards.
“Yes, a blessing. You did the work of warming the fire and the water - I did the work of reminding the water what it once was.” They replied, still smiling gently. “For someone who forgets as much as I do, I seem to have a strange ability to help others remember.”
Eyeing Jaz quietly and awaiting her answer, they felt their insides hum - something about helping the water remember what it was sparked a similar resound within. A subtle shift, and yet the hardened layers of bark-like armor under their flesh began to loosen. A visible softening of features occurs in the faint firelight, tattoos glowing orange as they felt a memory click into place…
Elk’s statement-as-question hung in the balance, and they realized that they’d left a void to be filled as a sign of respect and interest. Jaz, looking at their gesture towards the water, dipped her fingers in and looked away with the kind of incredulity, staring at Elk.
“Did you do something to the water?” She asked, dodging their question to ask another.
Elk smiled and nodded, a slight spark of green emanating from their forehead, forming the shape of a crescent moon, points turned upwards.
“Yes, a blessing. You did the work of warming the fire and the water - I did the work of reminding the water what it once was.” They replied, still smiling gently. “For someone who forgets as much as I do, I seem to have a strange ability to help others remember.”
Eyeing Jaz quietly and awaiting her answer, they felt their insides hum - something about helping the water remember what it was sparked a similar resound within. A subtle shift, and yet the hardened layers of bark-like armor under their flesh began to loosen. A visible softening of features occurs in the faint firelight, tattoos glowing orange as they felt a memory click into place…
Re: Part 1
As Elk smiled and nodded, their forehead sparked green and quickly formed into the shape of a moon, although the tips both pointed up. Jaz was unsure of what it meant and found herself gaping at it.
“Yes, a blessing. You did the work of warming the fire and the water--I did the work of reminding the water what it once was.” Jaz looked at the water, deeply uncertain of what that meant. Had the water once been relaxation?
“For someone who forgets as much as I do, I seem to have a strange ability to help others remember.”
They started to hum again, although not from their mouth. Their features softened, and their tattoos turned orange.
All at once, it was all a little much for Jaz. The day had been a flurry of magical events she had no idea could even happen. Her stomach churned, and she turned away for moment. Maybe she needed some air. After a moment, she climbed onto the first and then the second step of the tub deck so she could reach the porthole window at the top of the room, letting some of the steam out.
She took some deep breaths of the rain-cleansed air before she came back down, leaving it open.
Looking back at Elk and their swirling tattoos, she wanted to be able to handle this. She wanted to learn more, to ask questions, to share her story, even, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was so far out of her depth.
She sat down on one of the benches, using the pump nearby to pour herself a cup of water. She drank some before pouring another for Elk and handing it to them.
Trying to gather some of her resolve, she crossed her legs and downed the rest of the water. Setting the cup down and closing her eyes, she took a deep breath.
"This is all quite new to me, you understand. I only learned about the sky mind today. I haven't even wrapped my head around what knowing about it means here." She opened her eyes, scanning Elk's tattoos. "It's all so beautiful, so why do I feel... scared?"
It was a rhetorical question, and she really wasn't sure she wanted an answer. Maybe it was a question only she could answer for herself.
She closed her eyes again, hugging her knees to herself. Memories of her childhood on the streets came quickly in the darkness.
Her mentor's voice...
She opened her eyes to banish the memory, blinking at Elk.
“Yes, a blessing. You did the work of warming the fire and the water--I did the work of reminding the water what it once was.” Jaz looked at the water, deeply uncertain of what that meant. Had the water once been relaxation?
“For someone who forgets as much as I do, I seem to have a strange ability to help others remember.”
They started to hum again, although not from their mouth. Their features softened, and their tattoos turned orange.
All at once, it was all a little much for Jaz. The day had been a flurry of magical events she had no idea could even happen. Her stomach churned, and she turned away for moment. Maybe she needed some air. After a moment, she climbed onto the first and then the second step of the tub deck so she could reach the porthole window at the top of the room, letting some of the steam out.
She took some deep breaths of the rain-cleansed air before she came back down, leaving it open.
Looking back at Elk and their swirling tattoos, she wanted to be able to handle this. She wanted to learn more, to ask questions, to share her story, even, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was so far out of her depth.
She sat down on one of the benches, using the pump nearby to pour herself a cup of water. She drank some before pouring another for Elk and handing it to them.
Trying to gather some of her resolve, she crossed her legs and downed the rest of the water. Setting the cup down and closing her eyes, she took a deep breath.
"This is all quite new to me, you understand. I only learned about the sky mind today. I haven't even wrapped my head around what knowing about it means here." She opened her eyes, scanning Elk's tattoos. "It's all so beautiful, so why do I feel... scared?"
It was a rhetorical question, and she really wasn't sure she wanted an answer. Maybe it was a question only she could answer for herself.
She closed her eyes again, hugging her knees to herself. Memories of her childhood on the streets came quickly in the darkness.
Her mentor's voice...
She opened her eyes to banish the memory, blinking at Elk.
Re: Part 1
Elk smiled and nodded, a slight spark of green emanating from their forehead, forming the shape of a crescent moon, points turned upwards.
“Yes, a blessing. You did the work of warming the fire and the water - I did the work of reminding the water what it once was.” They replied, still smiling gently. “For someone who forgets as much as I do, I seem to have a strange ability to help others remember.”
Jaz looked at them, mouth agape - this response gave Elk the impression that she was stunned & out of her element.
Suddenly, she rose, stepping up upon the first and second levels of the tub deck to open a porthole window to let some steam out. After taking a couple of deep breaths, she lowered herself back down & sat upon one of the benches.
She poured herself a drink using a nearby water pump, and took a swig before pouring one for Elk and handing it to them. They accepted it graciously with a nod of appreciation. Jaz sat, somewhat more calmly this time, crossing her legs and closing her eyes after she consumed the remaining water in her cup.
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she seemed to try to settle herself, and Elk could tell that -something- was going on under the surface. They were unsure what was going on behind Jaz’s eyes, and yet they wondered if they were partly responsible. Elk had become this walking revelation of how so much of the world was different than people remembered, and they couldn’t help, but wonder if they were the source of so much discomfort simply by existing in this space.
The thought upset them, naturally, and yet there was a bitterness in that repeated memory of continual difference and othering..
Jaz took a deep breath before speaking.
"This is all quite new to me, you understand. I only learned about the sky mind today. I haven't even wrapped my head around what knowing about it means here." She completed her statement, opened her eyes and regarded Elk’s tattoos. "It's all so beautiful, so why do I feel... scared?"
Elk regarded her for a moment as she closed her eyes again. They couldn’t tell if this question was rhetorical or pointed, and yet they let it linger in the space for a while as Jaz sat there with herself.
“Nature & the world are as beautiful as they are savage; I think it’s natural to feel fear in their wake.” They answered quietly, stirring the water with their finger. They contemplated the ripples, themselves and the circumstances before adding the question “would you like to say more about the nature of your fear?”
Elk felt themselves feel a fear in the moment of that asking. They felt a twinge, recognizing that they themselves might be the source of that discomfort. If so, what then?, they thought to themselves, wondering if this journey they were about to go on was again something they’d do alone.
They of course felt fear and anxiety in response to this thought, and yet these emotions were not new to them. In truth, Elk felt them whenever they met someone new..
“Yes, a blessing. You did the work of warming the fire and the water - I did the work of reminding the water what it once was.” They replied, still smiling gently. “For someone who forgets as much as I do, I seem to have a strange ability to help others remember.”
Jaz looked at them, mouth agape - this response gave Elk the impression that she was stunned & out of her element.
Suddenly, she rose, stepping up upon the first and second levels of the tub deck to open a porthole window to let some steam out. After taking a couple of deep breaths, she lowered herself back down & sat upon one of the benches.
She poured herself a drink using a nearby water pump, and took a swig before pouring one for Elk and handing it to them. They accepted it graciously with a nod of appreciation. Jaz sat, somewhat more calmly this time, crossing her legs and closing her eyes after she consumed the remaining water in her cup.
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she seemed to try to settle herself, and Elk could tell that -something- was going on under the surface. They were unsure what was going on behind Jaz’s eyes, and yet they wondered if they were partly responsible. Elk had become this walking revelation of how so much of the world was different than people remembered, and they couldn’t help, but wonder if they were the source of so much discomfort simply by existing in this space.
The thought upset them, naturally, and yet there was a bitterness in that repeated memory of continual difference and othering..
Jaz took a deep breath before speaking.
"This is all quite new to me, you understand. I only learned about the sky mind today. I haven't even wrapped my head around what knowing about it means here." She completed her statement, opened her eyes and regarded Elk’s tattoos. "It's all so beautiful, so why do I feel... scared?"
Elk regarded her for a moment as she closed her eyes again. They couldn’t tell if this question was rhetorical or pointed, and yet they let it linger in the space for a while as Jaz sat there with herself.
“Nature & the world are as beautiful as they are savage; I think it’s natural to feel fear in their wake.” They answered quietly, stirring the water with their finger. They contemplated the ripples, themselves and the circumstances before adding the question “would you like to say more about the nature of your fear?”
Elk felt themselves feel a fear in the moment of that asking. They felt a twinge, recognizing that they themselves might be the source of that discomfort. If so, what then?, they thought to themselves, wondering if this journey they were about to go on was again something they’d do alone.
They of course felt fear and anxiety in response to this thought, and yet these emotions were not new to them. In truth, Elk felt them whenever they met someone new..
Re: Part 1
Elk let some time pass before responding, stirring the water again with their finger and watching the ripples. More magic? Jaz wondered.
“Nature and the world are as beautiful as they are savage; I think it’s natural to feel fear in their wake.” Jaz looked down at her feet, barely visible in the dim candlelight. That made sense. As much as the people of the vows here used a certain kind of tamed magic--more visionary than material--that wasn't always the way it had been in the cities. In the cities, magic had been forced underground.
Jaz remembered one of the older street kids trying to teach her little tricks--how to conjure sparks between her fingers--but when she had shown her mentor after she thought she had perfected the gesture, she had gotten chastised and punished. "Don't go doing that just anywhere," she remembered him saying, "You want to get us all in trouble?"
She wasn't even really sure if she could do it anymore. In the underground, Jaz had done a trick or two--a risky way to attract the kind of interest that would pay her way. She knew magic to be a dark, alluring flavor, something to be hidden, out of sight like all the women in her work. And yet, here, the people of the vows kept it to themselves as some kind of holy sacrament. Perhaps whatever transportation magic Sage and Elk had used today was yet an entirely different flavor.
"Would you like to say more about the nature of your fear?” Elk said, their tattoos stagnating in a way that suggested to Jaz that perhaps she had put them off somehow. But, she wasn't afraid of Elk. Then again, she didn't know them--or what they could do--at all.
"Savage," Jaz finally said, "that much I understand." She looked back at Elk, wondering how much they might know about the brutality in the cities.
"I want to be in love with the mystery, but..." Jaz said, her eyes flicking up to Elk again. Finally, resolved, she stood up, approaching the tub. Jaz thought of how the water had relaxed her fingers, how her joints had eased, their worries fading. How would it feel to immerse her whole body in that sensation? Would she lose sight of herself entirely, becoming so relaxed as though irretrievably drugged? She thought that was unlikely. Elk hadn't made any indication that they aimed to harm anyone--quite the opposite. But, then again, what if their magic was more potent than what would be acceptable for humans, being an elder spirit?
Tilting her head, Jaz looked at Elk and asked, "Do you always remind the water what it is before you bathe?" That's what it was, she suddenly realized. She could have gotten in the water first, not knowing the blessing had been there in the first place--not until it started affecting her. Then she wouldn't have gotten to choose. That's what scared her about magic--it had an ability to strip someone of their agency, as she knew that all too well. And, certainly, Jaz had not consented to be transported, either. What else might she be opting into unwittingly?
And yet... if she knew everything ahead of time, what would be the point of existing at all? She craved the mystery and the surprise. Why else had she left the city she knew every dark corner of?
She drew her hand gently through the quickly warming water once most of Elk's ripples had stilled, contemplating the water's effects.
“Nature and the world are as beautiful as they are savage; I think it’s natural to feel fear in their wake.” Jaz looked down at her feet, barely visible in the dim candlelight. That made sense. As much as the people of the vows here used a certain kind of tamed magic--more visionary than material--that wasn't always the way it had been in the cities. In the cities, magic had been forced underground.
Jaz remembered one of the older street kids trying to teach her little tricks--how to conjure sparks between her fingers--but when she had shown her mentor after she thought she had perfected the gesture, she had gotten chastised and punished. "Don't go doing that just anywhere," she remembered him saying, "You want to get us all in trouble?"
She wasn't even really sure if she could do it anymore. In the underground, Jaz had done a trick or two--a risky way to attract the kind of interest that would pay her way. She knew magic to be a dark, alluring flavor, something to be hidden, out of sight like all the women in her work. And yet, here, the people of the vows kept it to themselves as some kind of holy sacrament. Perhaps whatever transportation magic Sage and Elk had used today was yet an entirely different flavor.
"Would you like to say more about the nature of your fear?” Elk said, their tattoos stagnating in a way that suggested to Jaz that perhaps she had put them off somehow. But, she wasn't afraid of Elk. Then again, she didn't know them--or what they could do--at all.
"Savage," Jaz finally said, "that much I understand." She looked back at Elk, wondering how much they might know about the brutality in the cities.
"I want to be in love with the mystery, but..." Jaz said, her eyes flicking up to Elk again. Finally, resolved, she stood up, approaching the tub. Jaz thought of how the water had relaxed her fingers, how her joints had eased, their worries fading. How would it feel to immerse her whole body in that sensation? Would she lose sight of herself entirely, becoming so relaxed as though irretrievably drugged? She thought that was unlikely. Elk hadn't made any indication that they aimed to harm anyone--quite the opposite. But, then again, what if their magic was more potent than what would be acceptable for humans, being an elder spirit?
Tilting her head, Jaz looked at Elk and asked, "Do you always remind the water what it is before you bathe?" That's what it was, she suddenly realized. She could have gotten in the water first, not knowing the blessing had been there in the first place--not until it started affecting her. Then she wouldn't have gotten to choose. That's what scared her about magic--it had an ability to strip someone of their agency, as she knew that all too well. And, certainly, Jaz had not consented to be transported, either. What else might she be opting into unwittingly?
And yet... if she knew everything ahead of time, what would be the point of existing at all? She craved the mystery and the surprise. Why else had she left the city she knew every dark corner of?
She drew her hand gently through the quickly warming water once most of Elk's ripples had stilled, contemplating the water's effects.
Re: Part 1
Elk stirred the water quietly, lost in thought as they asked their question.
“Nature & the world are as beautiful as they are savage; I think it’s natural to feel fear in their wake….
Would you like to say more about the nature your fear?” Jaz looked down at her feet quietly, herself appearing to be lost in her own memories, though Elk couldn’t quite tell if these were good, bad or indifferent from her body language and muted response.
There was some degree to which this sorcerous creature of magickal nature felt exposed - after all, those who had been unkind to them, had always done so from a place of fear and worry. People who had reached out and tried to change them, tried to alter them or otherwise caused them to conform to societal standards when society’s standards themselves were broken. This was part of the curse, part of their nature, part of their function, and in some quiet respects, there was an expectation that this interaction might follow a similar arc.
After all, those who got quiet and pensive in response to their way of being were very often unsafe; these people who behaved that way we’re so very often insecure in their way of being. They often found themselves incapable of creating the change that they so wanted to see in the world, and thus would do everything in their power to alter and rearrange the cosmos by way of influencing Elk and their designs.
Elk could feel themselves growing quiet as their tattoos stilled, and they tried to shake the cobwebs loose of their mind through silent reflection as they braced for Jaz’s answer.
Finally, she spoke. “Savage… that much I understand”, looking back to them with a curiosity in her eye. "I want to be in love with the mystery, but..." she said, standing and approaching the tub, almost giving the sorcerer of the impression that there was an additional caution in her stance and approach. This was reflected in her words, or at least they felt that the sentiment was present, as Jaz continued. "Do you always remind the water what it is before you bathe?"
“Sometimes I do so intentionally, and sometimes a thing simply remembers by way of me being proximal to magic.” Elk said with a sigh. “What people forget about the world is that it is fundamentally magical. It is inherently so, because that’s the way it was designed to be…..destined to be.” They continued, watching Jaz as her hand stroked the water’s surface.
“You still have not answered my question.: can you say more about the nature of your fear?”, Elk asked, more gently this time.
They were curious and wished to know more about why it was that they could so easily spook another creature by simply…being. That degree of visible discomfort, and the uncertainty experienced by someone who was clearly unaware of what they represented, this repetitive pattern wounded Elk & they didn’t understand. After all, they were here for a reason and nature deemed them necessary - “if that’s the case, why is it then that others should be so leery of me when it is their world that is so unnatural?”, they thought to themselves, awaiting Jaz’s answer.
In the dark, Elk hoped that she could not see their fear, or the sadness gathering upon their brow..
“Nature & the world are as beautiful as they are savage; I think it’s natural to feel fear in their wake….
Would you like to say more about the nature your fear?” Jaz looked down at her feet quietly, herself appearing to be lost in her own memories, though Elk couldn’t quite tell if these were good, bad or indifferent from her body language and muted response.
There was some degree to which this sorcerous creature of magickal nature felt exposed - after all, those who had been unkind to them, had always done so from a place of fear and worry. People who had reached out and tried to change them, tried to alter them or otherwise caused them to conform to societal standards when society’s standards themselves were broken. This was part of the curse, part of their nature, part of their function, and in some quiet respects, there was an expectation that this interaction might follow a similar arc.
After all, those who got quiet and pensive in response to their way of being were very often unsafe; these people who behaved that way we’re so very often insecure in their way of being. They often found themselves incapable of creating the change that they so wanted to see in the world, and thus would do everything in their power to alter and rearrange the cosmos by way of influencing Elk and their designs.
Elk could feel themselves growing quiet as their tattoos stilled, and they tried to shake the cobwebs loose of their mind through silent reflection as they braced for Jaz’s answer.
Finally, she spoke. “Savage… that much I understand”, looking back to them with a curiosity in her eye. "I want to be in love with the mystery, but..." she said, standing and approaching the tub, almost giving the sorcerer of the impression that there was an additional caution in her stance and approach. This was reflected in her words, or at least they felt that the sentiment was present, as Jaz continued. "Do you always remind the water what it is before you bathe?"
“Sometimes I do so intentionally, and sometimes a thing simply remembers by way of me being proximal to magic.” Elk said with a sigh. “What people forget about the world is that it is fundamentally magical. It is inherently so, because that’s the way it was designed to be…..destined to be.” They continued, watching Jaz as her hand stroked the water’s surface.
“You still have not answered my question.: can you say more about the nature of your fear?”, Elk asked, more gently this time.
They were curious and wished to know more about why it was that they could so easily spook another creature by simply…being. That degree of visible discomfort, and the uncertainty experienced by someone who was clearly unaware of what they represented, this repetitive pattern wounded Elk & they didn’t understand. After all, they were here for a reason and nature deemed them necessary - “if that’s the case, why is it then that others should be so leery of me when it is their world that is so unnatural?”, they thought to themselves, awaiting Jaz’s answer.
In the dark, Elk hoped that she could not see their fear, or the sadness gathering upon their brow..
Re: Part 1
It was not hard to guess that Elk had become more reserved--less light from their tattoos and a darker expression, even noticeable in the dim light. She wasn't pulling them closer to her, that was for sure. But Jaz wasn't going to force anything, either, Elder Spirit or no.
“Sometimes I do so intentionally, and sometimes a thing simply remembers by way of me being proximal to magic,” Elk said with a sigh. Jaz nodded. That made some intuitive sense to her, though she didn't fully understand why. “What people forget about the world is that it is fundamentally magical. It is inherently so, because that’s the way it was designed to be…..destined to be.” Jaz wanted that to be true, felt like it could be true.
But... where was the line between letting the world impose its will on you and imposing your will on the world?
And what if you didn't want imposition at all? Was it possible to be outside the world? Would Jaz even want that?
She shook her head--that was all too cerebral for her liking. She wasn't one for philosophy. She felt into her body instead, just as Elk said, “You still have not answered my question. Can you say more about the nature of your fear?” Though their tone was gentle, the words themselves were more insistent. Jaz's eyebrows furrowed before fluttering back into place and relaxing. How did her body feel?
Not as amorous as she would have liked, getting into a bath with an Elder Spirit. But, beyond that. Beyond her urge to flirt, to externalize, to anticipate.
She wanted to weave with magic. Treat magic like a collaborator. Treat every living being as a collaborator.
How could you do that if you influenced the world just by sake of being? Jaz didn't know, but she wanted to find out. If she had to make a decision right in that moment, she might have elected to take vows and let Sage mentor her. She wanted to know how to interact with all this better.
And yet, there was the temptation to jump headfirst into it all. Take the little bit of magic she had learned in the underground and run with it and with Elk. Jump in the bath, bask in the possibilities.
"It's a tool, magic," Jaz finally said by way of explanation, opening her eyes to look at her hand. "I suppose it's actually the people wielding it I'm afraid of. Their motives. Their ability to navigate consent." She sighed, wondering if she was letting on to some of her history here, incidentally.
"I should probably trust you more, given that you're a being of the mystery itself, but I don't yet know how we are different." She flashed a crooked, ironic smile. "Sometimes my assumptions get me into trouble."
She paused another moment, then, wondering if she could really just treat Elk like another human. And why not? They might genuinely be as nervous and uncomfortable in this moment as she was.
"I might just need to ask a lot of questions first," Jaz said, bravely dipping her arm into the water up to her shoulder and closing her eyes.
((OOC: It might be help to include some of the extra sensations Jaz might feel as she does this. Maybe you could put it in an OOC note for my next post. Thanks! Grateful to do this with you.))
“Sometimes I do so intentionally, and sometimes a thing simply remembers by way of me being proximal to magic,” Elk said with a sigh. Jaz nodded. That made some intuitive sense to her, though she didn't fully understand why. “What people forget about the world is that it is fundamentally magical. It is inherently so, because that’s the way it was designed to be…..destined to be.” Jaz wanted that to be true, felt like it could be true.
But... where was the line between letting the world impose its will on you and imposing your will on the world?
And what if you didn't want imposition at all? Was it possible to be outside the world? Would Jaz even want that?
She shook her head--that was all too cerebral for her liking. She wasn't one for philosophy. She felt into her body instead, just as Elk said, “You still have not answered my question. Can you say more about the nature of your fear?” Though their tone was gentle, the words themselves were more insistent. Jaz's eyebrows furrowed before fluttering back into place and relaxing. How did her body feel?
Not as amorous as she would have liked, getting into a bath with an Elder Spirit. But, beyond that. Beyond her urge to flirt, to externalize, to anticipate.
She wanted to weave with magic. Treat magic like a collaborator. Treat every living being as a collaborator.
How could you do that if you influenced the world just by sake of being? Jaz didn't know, but she wanted to find out. If she had to make a decision right in that moment, she might have elected to take vows and let Sage mentor her. She wanted to know how to interact with all this better.
And yet, there was the temptation to jump headfirst into it all. Take the little bit of magic she had learned in the underground and run with it and with Elk. Jump in the bath, bask in the possibilities.
"It's a tool, magic," Jaz finally said by way of explanation, opening her eyes to look at her hand. "I suppose it's actually the people wielding it I'm afraid of. Their motives. Their ability to navigate consent." She sighed, wondering if she was letting on to some of her history here, incidentally.
"I should probably trust you more, given that you're a being of the mystery itself, but I don't yet know how we are different." She flashed a crooked, ironic smile. "Sometimes my assumptions get me into trouble."
She paused another moment, then, wondering if she could really just treat Elk like another human. And why not? They might genuinely be as nervous and uncomfortable in this moment as she was.
"I might just need to ask a lot of questions first," Jaz said, bravely dipping her arm into the water up to her shoulder and closing her eyes.
((OOC: It might be help to include some of the extra sensations Jaz might feel as she does this. Maybe you could put it in an OOC note for my next post. Thanks! Grateful to do this with you.))