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 Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:48 pm
Enya was a social girl.
She had tons of friends among the Elidae and loved spending as much time around them as possible. From history lessons to physical training and trips to the river Enya was never left on her own for long. Of course, that also meant that she had her fair share of enemies. Some didn't like the free spirit that she prided herself in having or the way she so frequently spoke to plants as if they could hear her. Those closest to her thought of it as a 'quirk' while those that wanted to tear her down called her a variety of slurs.
Unlike her mother, Pyrrha, Enya wasn't so easily deterred by it. Instead of hiding herself away in the wilds Enya stood her ground and that...inevitably lead to physical altercations.
"Say it again! Call me a freak one more time!" Enya squared up and threw a punch at her attacker. There was a gaggle of teenagers surrounding the pair on the river bank, alternating between screaming and egging them on.
Her punch landed, but it wasn't enough. The other girl, an older Elidae with a thicker build, took it in stride. She grabbed Enya's arm and slung her across the water into the shallows. Hitting the rocks hurt, but not as much as her mocking laughter. By the time Enya was able to get up on her hands and knees, absolutely soaked in river muck, another punch was coming her way.
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Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 10:25 am
[ Lumikani 1 ]
Lumikani was worn out. The trip she took after seeing her daughter off had turned into a grand adventure to the top of the mountain. Never had she imagined she would be pulled into such a feat to save the locals from wildfire, but hey, it happened, and the Alkidike nomad had inevitable made some sort of allies out of the ordeal.
That being said, she had gotten out of there as soon as possible to head home and rest. It took a few more weeks to head around the marshes and make way to the hidden boats, before rowing herself across to land on the soft sands of her new home. The burden of her travels seemed to wash off her shoulders as she stepped on land, and she was ready to rest for a few days and reflect on everything that occurred the past few weeks.
Unfortunately, the great mothers seemed to have other plans. Her ears picked up the sound of a scuffle, right on the path back to the main camp. Lumikani debated going another way for a long moment, before letting out a long sigh and moving forward.
She emerged from the brush just as a loud splash filled the area, the girls cheering quickly keying into some sort of scuffle.
Lumikani kept her distance to examine the situation, already a little disappointed in the fact the young Elidae were fighting amongst each other and didn't seem to have enough situational awareness to notice someone had come along. At least most kept an eye out the direction of the camp, meaning this really wasn't any sort of training exercise and possibly a challenge.
So much for a restful return.
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:27 pm
"Why don't you ask the rocks if they can make you stronger?" The larger Elidae tried her best to push Enya's face back under the water, but she kept slipping away just enough to make the other girl frustrated. "Or maybe the water spirits can make you faste-" When a large hand came down toward Enya's shoulder the thinner elidae lobbed a handful of mud at her face, causing the bigger of the two to cry out and stumble back.
When she did Enya took that as a sign. She propelled her tired muscles into action and sat up into a crouch, then shot forward to tackle her opponent to the ground. The crowd around them erupted. There was no way she was going to physically beat Jisiri, but Enya didn't have to. All she had to do was use the other girls strengths against her!
The two elidae looked like a pair of swamp monsters. For all the water they were splashing in the dark silt of the mud stained their skin and if it weren't for the interspersed cheers of their names they may as well have been spirits.
Instead of staying on top of Jisiri, Enya moved too stand, albeit in a stumbling way and back up away from her opponent. "Maybe if you talked to more flowers your face wouldn't look like the backside of a Poloka!"
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:38 pm
[ Lumikani 2 ]
Lumikani let out a long, soft sigh as she watched the two girls fight with each other. They were loud enough to wake the dead with their screaming and scuffling, and Lumikani was surprised they didn't expect to get caught.
Unfortunately for both of them, Lumikani was exhausted and just not in the mood for this behavior.
So, it was enough scuffling for one day in Lumikani's opinion. Walking closer, she did little to hide her footsteps at this point and eventually made it to the crowd. Even with her petite stature, she still loomed over a few of the girls. With a scowl on her face, her dark eyes quickly moved through the crowd to see if she could catch their attention.
Eventually, one or two finally noticed her and their reaction was pretty immediate.
Deep down, Lumikani had to resist the urge to smirk, it was always fun to see the panic when a troublemaker realized they were caught.
The harder part would be getting the fighting girls to see through their bloodlust to realize what was going on. Lumikani wasn't foolish enough to get between two sparing girls, and so she thought a long moment before taking a deep breath.
"Enough!" She yelled out in a near war-cry, her eyes narrowed as she looked down at the two sopping girls before her.
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:43 pm
Enya didn't even notice the change in the group around them. Unbeknownst to her several of the girls in the back had dispersed and scattered as if they were the ones in trouble! None of them went very far, though; they went a few steps away to 'safety' but kept close enough to watch.
Jasiri herself had had enough. She'd reached forward, her hand clamping down on Enya's once again when a commanding yell stopped her dead. If she'd noticed the pointed stone that Enya held in her free hand she didn't react to it; instead, both girls turned toward the figure.
And Enya's heart dropped.
She muttered an "oh goddess" at the same time that Jasiri bit out a very grown phrase. She released Enya, but not without one last bit of roughness. The taller elidae shoved her, causing Enya to stumble before collecting herself with a glare.
"...Welcome back?" Enya whispered sheepishly.
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 1:28 pm
[ Lumikani 3 ]
Lumikani shook her head slowly before rubbing a hand over eyes. Her already smudged warpaint spread further, the dark black color giving her a very dangerous look to anyone unfamiliar with the woman. This was quite the group to deal with, and Lumikani was by no means a teacher or a trainer. That being said, she was a mother and a grandmother, and knew enough on how to deal with wayward children.
She'd start with the crowd. Turning on her heel after she determined both girls were no longer fighting, she looked at the others who didn't have the right mind to flee when they had the chance.
"It seems that you all have free time on your hand. I'd go and speak with your trainers, but I'm not sure I can trust their...opinion." Looking them over carefully, she studied their coloring and markings.
"Each of you will show up tomorrow morning, an hour before your lessons start, at this very spot. If you don't have enough discipline to behave like proper Aishans, you'll learn soon enough once we've run laps."
She paused a long moment, waiting for them to grown or curse, before her voice grew dark, "Leave now before I decide we can run until sunrise. I won't ask again."
Turning away from the scurrying away girls, Lumikani hopped they realized the punishment that was in store for them, especially if they decided not to show up.
Then she was left with two. Glancing at Enya a long moment, she looked at Jasiri.
"I'm disappointed to see two members of the future of this great tribe have taken to quarreling like swaddled younglings." She said slowly, moving closer toward them like a beast stalking her prey.
"Your awareness of your surroundings during battle is laughable at best. It was easy to see exactly what was happening the minutes I spent watching you both."
She wouldn't ask for an explanation, most likely the two would blame each other. That and she didn't want to face the disappointment she had for her granddaughter at dealing with such things in such a savage way.
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 2:45 pm
A large glob of muck slithered down from Enya's hairline onto her face and she wiped it away with a slow pass of her hand. Her skin was stained from it's filth, but at the very least her markings were more visible now. As for the rest of her...Well, the strap of her top was torn, bruises were starting to build on her sore body and blood mingled with mud on the side of her head where she'd been cut on a stone.
Not a single one of the girls in that crowd spoke up to either defend themselves or to disagree with Lumikani. They stayed quiet as she spoke, their antennae drooping under her admonitions. When she mentioned showing up an hour earlier tomorrow, however, a few let out an unconscious groan that their sisters were all too eager to shush.
As a few of the girls started to murmur among themselves the older Aishan's final words were enough to fully quiet them. There was real fear in their eyes by that point and they didn't even bother looking to the two Elidae they'd come to see; instead, they skirted the scene and scattered to go home.
Now that it was just the two of them Enya felt her dread growing. She'd been in trouble before, but never to this degree. When Lumikani's gaze fell on her Enya dropped her own in guilt.
Jasiri, however, did not. She bristled under the predatory gaze; her adrenaline still clearly high and her bravery far exceeding any semblance of self-perseverance. "We would be even greater if some of us would spend more time training and less time talking to fish." Even if she didn't look at Enya, the bite in her voice was clearly directed toward her. "I trusted my sisters to guard us; clearly, that was a mistake."
Enya didn't dare look up, but her fists clenched, as did her teeth. If Jasiri said one more word she was going to strangle her regardless of who was around...
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 2:57 pm
[ Lumikani 4 ]
Lumikani's frown deepened at the sass from the girl before her. Taking a moment to examine her markings once more, recognition suddenly flashed across her face. She tutted loudly in response.
"I know you. Your mother Njeri risked her life to travel across the sea with me baring the Elziran seed. She came with the dream of a land where sisters could be in peace with one another, no matter where they bloomed."
She shook her head again, "Your mother would not have pride in your actions today, youngling." she knew the girls were older than younglings, but their behavior spoke otherwise. The venom in her tone made it clear that she intended for it to be an insult.
"What difference are fish compared to the beasts our great Guardians ride? Or the trees that bloom us? You shame your sisterhood with your disrespect to your fellow Elidae, Jasiri. Our differences matter not when we are all bloomed from the same mother tree."
Stepping forward until she loomed over the two, she looked down at the bulky girl, "Does my small stature make me weak? Is that why you show such disrespect with your words right now? Does it not matter that I've traveled across this world to ensure you have the safety you feel today?"
Her deep voice rumbled as she glared at the girl, "I hope that you never go to war. With your behavior today, not only do you show no care for your sisters, but it seems your sisters care not to protect you. Get out of my sight. We'll practice teamwork tomorrow morning with the rest of your sisters."
Waving off the girl, she finally turned to look at Enya.
"Let's take a walk."
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 3:18 pm
Njeri...? Enya peered up at Jasiri from behind a few fallen dreads and saw the other stiffen. She could have sworn a thrum of fear - at the very least caution - was finally starting to get to her. Then the shame that was clearly meant, at least in that moment, for her nemesis was so strong that it penetrated Enya's core.
Wasn't that why her mothers had come all this way? To have a land of their own where peace could bloom and all sisters, regardless of who they were, could live with integrity? The larger part of the girl was still viciously angry at Jasiri, but the embarrassment of being caught acting like a child...it was a lot to contend with.
That word, youngling, was enough to make both girls visibly wince as if they'd been slapped.
"...No, ma'am. I'm..." What was she going to say? Sorry? Even Enya knew it wouldn't mean much at this point. Jasiri withstood the rest of the verbal lashing until it was over and then the girl simply nodded her head, eyes downcast for the first time that day.
Now, however, it was Enya's turn to look up.
The wording may have been inviting, but the young Aishan knew it wasn't. She could no more refuse than she could take back her actions that day. With a slow, hesitant nod she started to walk closer to Lumikani.
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 3:24 pm
[ Lumikani 5 ]
As she led her granddaughter in silence, Lumikani felt a deep tiredness seep into her bones. She was tired before, but after that, she felt exhausted. She simply didn't have it in her to deal with such drama these days, but alas it had to be done. Even if Enya wasn't there, Lumikani had no patience for such behavior. Sure, girls would be girls, but the elder didn't find any pride in such squabbles.
Finally, they arrived at the beach where the waves lapped slowly against the sands. Stilling, she turned back to Enya and spoke in a soft voice.
"Go clean yourself up." she nodded toward the water, "Then we'll see what damage was done."
She wondered how to approach this with Enya's mothers. She had an idea how Kanika would respond, but she was more concerned with Pyrrha. This was something that would most likely cause the woman to take it personally, but maybe it would be best for Pyrrha to speak with her daughter.
Lumikani could try to guide the young girl, but even with the similar circumstances, the behavior would probably resonate more with her mother than grandmother.
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 3:36 pm
While Enya's anxiety was still at it's peak her physical aggression had left in droves. Every stop was met with a new ache, a new throb, and the weight of the hardening muck on her skin made her tired. The day itself had been a long one for her and this...wasn't exactly how she planned for it to end.
Her eyes traveled out across the waves and Enya pondered what it would be like to run across them. To escape that moment in it's entirety, to leave her shame behind and simply disappear into the foam. The thought itself stayed with her as she walked out into the water, pausing only to keep her balance, before finally settling where the waves crested against her hips.
The constant pressure of the shifting waves made it easier to remove the filth. She gently scrubbed her skin, wincing when more pressure was needed and when it came time to rinse out her dreads Enya dipped down below the surface. It didn't take long for her true colors to come out, nor did it take long for the blood in her dreads to give tint to the water around her. The wound itself burned when it came in contact with the salty water, as did a scrap across her back that she hadn't been aware of until that moment.
As tempted as she was to stay out there, just seeing Lumikani on the beach was enough to bring her back. She slowly picked her way through the surf and walked with hunched shoulders back to her grandmother's side.
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 3:38 pm
[ Lumikani 6 ]
The grandmother watched the girl nearly crawl into the waves, her disappointment fading to concern. She had been in battled before, knew the paint of a good scrap, and didn't wish it willingly on anyone. Still, she was old and knew that this was a punishment in itself, and so she let Enya take her beating and experience it.
It'd probably be best to let her suffer instead of go to a healer, because it was a lesson in itself. It wouldn't do to let her misunderstand the impact of her decisions.
As the girl finally came back, Lumikani debated a moment before nodding for them to keep walking. If they ended up sitting, she might need to carry Enya back as her muscles would tense up.
"How did it all start?" She finally asked, softly. No judgement, just a request to hear the source of the fight.
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 3:50 pm
The girl audibly groaned as they continued walking. All she really wanted to do was curl up on that soft sand and take a nap, but she knew better than to vocalize that now.
"We were taking a break from our lessons..." Enya's voice was soft at first, hesitant, but gradually grew with some semblance of consistency as she spoke. "...when a few of the girls wanted to go to the river. It was already hot and we were sweaty. It was fine until I-" Enya furrowed her brow and remained quiet for a moment. It wasn't like her grandmother didn't know about her mother's propensity for her generous prayers, and she'd never felt shame in them until now.
"-I asked the fish if they could leave so they wouldn't get stepped on. Then Jasiri said I was a freak like mama and I...hit her."
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 3:54 pm
[ Lumikani 7 ]
Interesting that the girls turned on her so quickly. She decided to go with them...were they all her friends or simply followers who decided to keep out of it instead of defend her. Lumikani needed to speak with the trainers about more team building activities. It was very concerning that the group let it happen like a mob.
"So you threw the first punch?" she clarified slowly, still walking but keeping the pace slow enough for the girl to not get winded or over-worked.
"This Jasiri used her words to get you to use your fists. No matter what she said, you are the one at fault in this fight." Lumikani rumbled on slowly, shaking her head.
"As admirable it is to want to defend others, if you let yourself get into such a rage over words, you will find no success in the resulting battles.".
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 4:03 pm
"Yes." There was no hesitation. Enya wasn't proud of what she'd done, but she couldn't say that she wouldn't do it again if she knew she wouldn't be caught.
"How? Why is it my fault?" There it was; that little flare of anger that always landed Enya in more trouble than she could handle. The girl had always been so quick to feel and had never once slowed down to think anything through. "She's always saying hurtful things. Little words when she thinks the trainers aren't listening and I block her out, but she doesn't stop. I told them about it, but they just told me to ask her 'why are you doing this? what makes you think that way?'"
Enya huffed. "She doesn't listen when I talk so what's the point."
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