deernet | [voice] username: mariathorpe (BACKDATED to mid-late May)

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[voice] username: mariathorpe (BACKDATED to mid-late May)

I'm very aware that others are facing more trying challenges this month, that what I'm about to complain about is likely an effect of my blood and will eventually go away on its own, and that I'm very lucky if this is the worst thing that's happened to me lately. However.

[For those who know Maria, she sounds rather cross, but also fairly sluggish.]

What the hell does it take to cool down a bit? I'm a coldblood, but you could say I'm experiencing the exact opposite effect. Near-nudity has been the only panacea, and barely one at that. And I'd like to leave my home with some manner of dignity.

[Some Sleepers aren't bothered by going around naked, she knows. Maria isn't one of them!]

I can't be the only once experiencing this. If anyone has suggestions for how else one can make this more bearable, I'd appreciate it.

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[Scorpia absentmindedly responds with video, sweating and fanning herself while wearing a tank top.]

Oh yeah, I thought I was stick at first, but now it's... definitely feeling like a blood thing going around! [A weak laugh.]

I wish I could be more helpful, but dressing down is pretty much all I got. I mean, you don't have to bare it all or anything, of course! Just... dress for the summer! A very, very hot summer day! It'll help a little bit.

[Maria is sticking with voice if only because she is definitely topless right now.]

I've lived through hot summer days in chain mail and dealt with it. This is something else, or at least it feels that way. I suppose because it's probably coming from within.

It's almost insulting to see those with other types of blood carry on without a care. Without this care, anyway.

[Scorpia would applaud that strategy. She nods as she keeps talking.]

Wow, chainmail! That does sound impressive. But I mean yeah, I do feel you. I've never felt this hot before in my life. And I haven't really felt hot or cold normally in general as long as I've been a Coldblood!

[She sighs and fans herself some more.]

Me, I'm just glad not everyone has to put up with this. But with the way this blood business goes, they're probably dealing with something else. A-anyway, we'll make it through this Maria! We'll beat this heat!

You're more altruistic than I am.

[Which is to say, Maria isn't glad not everyone has to put up with it. She just wishes she were one of the ones who aren't dealing with this right now.]

It's a pity we can't literally beat it. With fists. Or swords. I'd be quite motivated to do so.

[Scorpia laughs.]

Oh, how I wish that were the solution to most problems here! Nothing like a good old-fashioned tussle to settle things. ...But then again, just thinking about moving that much is making me sweat more!

Yes, but would you mind it as much after a very satisfying punch? I hope not.

[It's possible that it would do nothing to ease her irritation, but that is an incredibly dismaying thought.]

I think even the concept of heat would shy away from your blows.

Aw, thanks! [She waves a claw around with a sheepish grin.]

I guess I can pack quite a punch. I like to think I can just punch the heat away! Let's show that temperature what we're made of!

That could take an awful lot of punching. Do you think we have enough arms for it? There are only four between us.

[Of course it's a joke, but if it were possible for anyone to do it, Maria legitimately thinks Scorpia could.]

[It's a fun joke! And it helps her think about something other than the heat.]

Of course! Listen to me, Maria. It's not the number of fists that make the difference. It's the strength of the hearts behind those fists! And I think we've got some pretty good odds between the two of us!

When you put it that way, I couldn't begin to muster up a counter-argument.

[She still sounds as though she's wilting a little bit, but she's less defeated by her internal temperature than she was a short time ago.]

Oh, I think this is the curse for Coldbloods this month. [jinx has been sunbathing on the roof...] I use cold bloodstone to make the air cooler when it's very hot. Perhaps you might try that.

[Later Maria will marvel at the change in her life that has led to people discussing routine curses with complete calm.]

That actually sounds like a good suggestion, thank you. I haven't used bloodstone before but I suppose this is a good time to try.

Well, if you're a Coldblood, you should have enough magic already. [a careful pause.] It might help to imagine what it would feel like if the air were cooler.

Edited 2023-06-01 03:15 (UTC)

I'm not accustomed to imagination being enough to accomplish anything.

[But she lets out a small huff of laughter, directed more at herself than anyone else.]

It's very foolish, isn't it? To be disinclined to make use of magic and similar things even after so many months here.

[there's a hint of a smile in her voice.]

It is very strange. I had to practice very much in dreams before I was truly any good at using bloodstone. It helped me to have lessons in ninjutsu. Once you learn to sense magic and move it around, it's easy enough to work out the rest. I have been trying to set up lessons in qi cultivation at the Wellness Center, which bears some similarity to what I was taught, but these things take time. [and musical instruments!] You might find a class at the School of Mutter; anything they can do with cold bloodstone you should be able to learn.

I think it's just that I've always been very practical-minded. And stubborn. Doesn't go well with magic.

[A very small part of her still doesn't want to believe in it, though she can see quite obviously that it exists.]

But there's being stubborn and then there's being stubborn in a way that works against me. That's not a bad idea, about the school. Do they take rank beginners?

Yes, they even have lessons on the Patrons and things for anyone who might have trouble making sense of it all. I think it might be a help in magic, to be stubborn––it hasn't hurt my jewelry teachers, anyway. It does take a powerful will to do magic, and a practical mind to wield it well.

[sansa doesn't really see the point of big flashy spells that are only useful on the battlefield, and finds magic that makes daily living a bit easier much more impressive.]

I'll have to stop by soon, them. It sounds worth doing whether or not this damnable heat lets up on its own.

[She makes a considering, 'hmm' kind of sound.]

I've never been accused of being weak-willed. The same must be said for you, if you're as knowledgeable about all this as you say.

[a tiny huff of laughter.]

Well, I hope I haven't overstated my knowledge, but I do try very hard to learn things about this place. I have been accused of being very many things I am not, though, and weakness is among the lesser of my charges. Still, I don't think I could have survived this long without something of a stubborn nature, though I have often found it necessary to bend to the will of my captors lest I be broken by them.

Edited 2023-06-08 16:54 (UTC)

Many will accuse women of what they'd like to believe about us. That's a sign of a small mind on their part, not ours.

[She speaks with confident dismissiveness. Maria may not know this woman well, but she doesn't doubt this assessment at all.]

And here you are, surviving and doing well enough in difficult circumstances to pass on some of what you've learned.

Cold baths. A million cold baths. And when you're not in a bathtub, wet washcloths on the back of the neck and sundresses. A dip in the ocean helps, too.

The problem there is that eventually, ice melts and temperature equalizes. It's too bad there's no way to trap myself in a block of ice or somesuch.

[She is aware that the very proposition is ridiculous. But still, so tempting.]

Yeah, you're gonna have to draw yourself a lot of baths but it's worth it. I'm guessing your powers don't lean toward ice? [ Sharon would be using ice if she had that set of skills but, like everything in her life, her Coldblood abilities were fire based. ]

A little, but — I've learned to apply it to objects. A flaming sword is pretty intimidating in a fight, you see? But only small things so far. Nothing as fluid as water, or as large as a basin.

[Although.]

I suppose now is as good a time to stretch myself. Though it may just make this overheated feeling worse.

It might be a good time to practice, yeah, but I know this heat under my skin has been making me irritable. I don't think I could learn a new skill when I feel like my brain is cooking. Just clothes shopping made me want to commit murder. [ But maybe Maria is more capable than she is. ]

That's a poor motivation for killing. Though I think I can understand the impulse. [She laughs.] Perhaps I'll put my roommate to work, as he isn't suffering from this particular affliction.

[He's hearing words in his head but whatever, that's no big deal.]

Hey, it felt like a good one at the time but I kept it together. I don't murder willy-nilly. [ She's joking. Mostly. ] But, yeah, that sounds like a good plan to me. It makes me wish I had a roomie.

Murder should always be carefully planned.

[She actually believes this even if it sounds like a joke.]

We washed up here together from the same world and time. I suppose that was luck — afterward it only made sense for us to stick together.

Noted. [ Murder sometimes happens! Don't let planning get in the way of that! ]

Yeah, I'd say that was luck. Glad you're both still around for one another. That's luckier still.

It's certainly not something I take for granted. I'd like to think Sleepers are able to be there for each other as well, after everything we've dealt with collectively.

[Of course, there are always assholes in any group.]

Of course, and we are. But there's... there's something special about having someone from home. It's almost comforting. You can't get that with just anyone.

[ Chizuru does start her reply with the intention to help. In fact, she's already activating the reply function before she's listened to the full message, that ready to try and provide some solutions, except then something Maria says manages to catch the girl off guard so much that words involuntarily escape from her mouth, her tone rising in both pitch and volume. ]

N-N-N-- N-Near-nudity?!

[ Ah.

She's embarrassed. ]

[What in the world. Maria can't imagine what has Chizuru so perturbed.]

In private, yes. Why?

I, um, that's..

[ Sorry, Maria, she needs a moment to be able to try and properly voice this. Until then she's just sputtering out words without forming a complete sentence.. ]

I-Is that common where you come from?

[ That seems like the most polite possible question she can arrive at while she's still flustered.. ]

[She raises an eyebrow.]

Seems to me that it should be common anywhere. We're all naked under our clothes and have to change them somewhere.

[Just, she's taking a long pause during the changing, under these circumstances.]

[ M-Maria! You can't remind a shy girl she's naked underneath her clothes? Please?! ]

W-Well, changing is.. it's just a moment, you know..?

[ Look at Chizuru trying to figure this out. Trying so hard to put this all delicately, even though she's so flustered over here. ]

You're never um.. without clothes for long during that moment..

[ Yes, she can't say 'naked' so easily.

Sue her. ]

That depends how efficient you are, I think.

[Oh dear. Even she's not too straightforward to notice the absolute bashfulness on Chizuru's part. Maria will not laugh, she will not, but she can't help smiling to herself.]

In any case I value my comfort in my private space. No one's there to watch.

[Except for Altaïr, who is allowed, but she probably shouldn't say that to Chizuru.]

But I'd like to get out and about a little more often than I have lately.

Edited (hit post too fast whoops) 2023-06-22 18:58 (UTC)

[ ...

This probably isn't something that has to be asked.

But, considering the nature of the conversation, Chizuru just can't help it. At that last part, she speaks up - or maybe more like squeaks up, given her volume and fluster: ]

With.. clothes on, right?

[ R-Right?! ]

[ Now imagine being Maria's roommate... ]

[ Do you know how scandalized Chizuru would be if she knew this, Altaïr.

Don't view a woman naked!!! ]

[ He's definitely not used to seeing Maria in such a manner and it's short-circuiting his brain! ]

[His brain huh]

Put on the fanciest crown you can find and make near-nudity someone else's problem. Or you could ask some sucker to follow you around with a fan.

[...]

There's probably someone super into that.

Now there's an idea, if I can only find a crown.

[She'll never do it. But the mental image gets a great laugh.]

I might be able to convince Altaïr to do it, but only for a few minutes before he's distracted by some book or another.

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[voice] username: mariathorpe (BACKDATED to mid-late May)

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