I appreciate it, but I wouldn't have too much of that if I were you.
[Living with another person after so long, after everything that had happened was ... Odd. Nariko had spent so much of her life watching for Nathan, barricading the doors and letting him sleep on her chest, feeling him crawl into her bed after nightmares - hers or his, didn't really matter - that when she had actually begun to live out on her own it had been overwhelming. It was too quiet, too sparse, and she wanted to fill that emptiness with something, anything, and that morphed into lovers and sleepless nights and aimless adventures that were not fulfilling because she was alone. Now, even though the house itself is gargantuan for two women, Nariko is surprised at her own inability to let Les in a bit more. A few years ago she would have practically been up the woman's ass.
In her own way that's still the case. Nariko minds herself but she does talk, she's companionable, warming up from polite affability to genuine cheerfulness, the echo of her once-self. But on the morning in question she's much more serious, already in the mind for what she's about to do. Try as she might it is difficult to prepare people, especially those with more human bodies, for what she can do. In workout pants and a sports bra, her long hair bound up into a ponytail, the differences between their first meeting, the weekend together, and that moment might be clearer. The wall has to come back because if it doesn't then she can't do what is necessary.
In the end Nariko chose the garage. It was easy to soundproof with magic that Les would be likely to sense, miraculously padded on all sides and reinforced with yet more magic. When she had managed to accomplish such feats didn't matter, Nariko starts out with drills, easy, direct hand-to-hand.
And then ramps it up phenomenally.
Over the next six hours Nariko absolutely hurls Les left, right, up, down, and then diagonally in any other direction she can manage. If she gets a leg up on her then Nariko simply takes it out with brutal efficiency, she's inhumanly quick and strong, yes, but she's also experienced, it's too easy to read Les' moves, the difference in their physical strength is to be expected, to a degree, but Nariko quickly understands why she'd sought out a teacher. If Les falls then there's a strong bark of "Again.", no question, no complaining, Nariko works her as hard as Lucian and Zachariah once taught her.
Actually, that's not true. For as brutal as Nariko is she doesn't break bones, tear skin, she does try to leave Les with some confidence, and certainly doesn't push her to the instant that she might pass out from pain or exhaustion.
By the time she declares them finished with physical training for the day, Nariko hasn't really broken a sweat. There's a slight, decidedly big sister-ish smile on her face, tinged with sympathy.]
You did good!
[Sure, the criteria for that was don't die, but still. It's an accomplishment.]
it does! I wanted to come back to it when I had proper energy sorry about the wait
[Living with another person after so long, after everything that had happened was ... Odd. Nariko had spent so much of her life watching for Nathan, barricading the doors and letting him sleep on her chest, feeling him crawl into her bed after nightmares - hers or his, didn't really matter - that when she had actually begun to live out on her own it had been overwhelming. It was too quiet, too sparse, and she wanted to fill that emptiness with something, anything, and that morphed into lovers and sleepless nights and aimless adventures that were not fulfilling because she was alone. Now, even though the house itself is gargantuan for two women, Nariko is surprised at her own inability to let Les in a bit more. A few years ago she would have practically been up the woman's ass.
In her own way that's still the case. Nariko minds herself but she does talk, she's companionable, warming up from polite affability to genuine cheerfulness, the echo of her once-self. But on the morning in question she's much more serious, already in the mind for what she's about to do. Try as she might it is difficult to prepare people, especially those with more human bodies, for what she can do. In workout pants and a sports bra, her long hair bound up into a ponytail, the differences between their first meeting, the weekend together, and that moment might be clearer. The wall has to come back because if it doesn't then she can't do what is necessary.
In the end Nariko chose the garage. It was easy to soundproof with magic that Les would be likely to sense, miraculously padded on all sides and reinforced with yet more magic. When she had managed to accomplish such feats didn't matter, Nariko starts out with drills, easy, direct hand-to-hand.
And then ramps it up phenomenally.
Over the next six hours Nariko absolutely hurls Les left, right, up, down, and then diagonally in any other direction she can manage. If she gets a leg up on her then Nariko simply takes it out with brutal efficiency, she's inhumanly quick and strong, yes, but she's also experienced, it's too easy to read Les' moves, the difference in their physical strength is to be expected, to a degree, but Nariko quickly understands why she'd sought out a teacher. If Les falls then there's a strong bark of "Again.", no question, no complaining, Nariko works her as hard as Lucian and Zachariah once taught her.
Actually, that's not true. For as brutal as Nariko is she doesn't break bones, tear skin, she does try to leave Les with some confidence, and certainly doesn't push her to the instant that she might pass out from pain or exhaustion.
By the time she declares them finished with physical training for the day, Nariko hasn't really broken a sweat. There's a slight, decidedly big sister-ish smile on her face, tinged with sympathy.]
You did good!
[Sure, the criteria for that was don't die, but still. It's an accomplishment.]