first stanza [video]

[existwithoutme.livejournal.com]

[The Vine opens on a curious scene. Something has transpired in the new arrival area. A broad swath of garden has been destroyed. The scarred area is not huge, but it is not insignificant. It's not immediately clear what the cause was, but smoke is rising from the ground, and three large bears have gathered to deal with the problem.

Standing watching the animals is a woman wearing the familiar white shift of a newcomer. Her back is to the mirror. Her long hair is silver with a lavender tinge, a tall feather rising from the midst of it. Beneath the hem of her shift, a tail can be seen, twitching in agitation as she watches the animals and the blasted earth. She hadn't meant for anything of the kind to happen. Suddenly, the world had changed. All her strength had come rushing back in a single moment. When had her control grown so tenuous?

She speaks. She might be addressing the bears or talking to herself.]

Absurd. I shouldn't be here. What is this place? Death should not be a garden. It should be an absence of sight, sound, self. A perfect void. [Others' souls might live on, but that is what her death should be, what she wanted. No, not what she'd wanted, but what she'd asked for.]

[She takes a step toward the bears. One turns to look at her. Perhaps she is addressing them after all. Though they don't speak, it's possible she has some way of communicating with them. Her tone is imperious, yet strained.] Such stubborn brutes. You can't blame me for that. When you throw a spark on dry grass, certainly it will blaze. Fire burns. That is its nature.

[She turns at last, showing her face to the Vine, searching her surroundings for something she does not appear to find.] Zidane! [She pauses. She must be able to see the mirror, but she doesn't take it in. It's clear from her expression that she is not entirely present, perhaps disoriented.] He couldn't have done this. Then did he go...? Good. [Yet she looks almost disappointed.]

Comments

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

Only being temporarily separated from my weapon saved these poor trees from a reflexive inferno.

[existwithoutme.livejournal.com]

Fortunately, I have no desire to destroy a defenseless field of flowers. Or anything here, for that matter. [Perhaps if she says that, it will be true.] I was able to restrain myself in time. I myself am not a warrior, though I was indeed caught up in combat. [This is not entirely a lie, as it is factual in some sense, however twisted.]

[The woman's claim interests her, as strength interests her.] You are a fighter, I assume? Your weapon must be very powerful.

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

[She shrugs over the video]

I am indeed a warrior. Power is relative, but Laevatein and I work well together.

[existwithoutme.livejournal.com]

What kind of weapon might this Laevatein be? Does it have some intelligence, to work with you as a partner? [Though no longer a weapons manufacturer, she still has interest in the subject.]

[She remembers her manners, belatedly. This may not be the proper time to ask about warfare. She is not used to being so unsettled.] You must forgive me my questions, if they are too intrusive. I am not quite myself at the moment. I do not yet have my bearings, and I have forgotten to introduce myself. [She gives a slight bow.] I am Kuja.

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

[Signum just smiles slightly. She remembers the disorientation everyone had to begin with.]

I am Signum. I'd give you my full rank and titles, but none of my superior officers are here anymore so I don't think it really matters.

[She reaches into her collar and draws out a small, sword-shaped pendant that hangs around her neck.]

And this is Laevatein, my Device. I call it my partner, even if it's not exactly intelligent.

CLEVERSTE JETZT HIER. [The pendant itself speaks that part in a robotic voice]

Without giving too much away, it's both a sword and a channel for magic.

[existwithoutme.livejournal.com]

I too have left rank and titles well behind me. In both my world and this one.

[She peers at the Device, curiously, then thoughtfully as it speaks. It seems to have some intelligence, at least. She herself has been something like a weapon, a channel for magic, but not one like this.] I've seen nothing like it before. So contained. It must be useful, that it can be carried with you so easily.

Is there much call for your talent as a warrior here? I have heard from others that difficulties do arise, though I was given few specifics.

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

There are a lot of occasional problems here. Sometimes, fire and sword are a perfect solution. Other times, it's best to sit back and let someone talk or think the problem through. I'm not really fond of either kind of irritation...though the former's good for keeping me in shape.

[existwithoutme.livejournal.com]

Fire is your preferred element, then? How fortunate that you are given the opportunity to use it, on occasion. I myself am fond of fire. So beautiful, so destructive. Beauty and power make the perfect marriage, do they not?

As for the others here, it seems there are a variety of persons, of different races, though all I have spoken to so far at least resemble humans. Do they vary greatly in occupation as well? Are there other warriors like yourself present?

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

Personally, I prefer function over form, but if I can have both, I'm not going to argue. Fire is as innate to me as my voice is, so most of my spells do indeed take that form.

As for the other women, there are a good number of fighters, mostly swordswomen of various types for some reason. However, there's a whole social cross-section of women here, from simple students to scientists to royalty. Age is also highly varied, from 9 or 10 to "immortal and age-irrelevant".

[existwithoutme.livejournal.com]

Practicality might take precedence over aesthetics sometimes, but I try to combine the two whenever possible. You are fortunate to have achieved beauty and power both, without even making that attempt.

[She is fascinated by this information.] So much variety. She is a collector indeed.

[The matter of the ages interests her most.] Are there many immortal persons here?

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the compliment, I suppose.

And I generally think it's rude to ask, but there's at least a few.

[existwithoutme.livejournal.com]

Power is the most beautiful of all, so it adds majesty regardless. I wonder if I will be fortunate enough to see you display your power. I myself have sworn off battle.

It is indeed poor manners to ask such a question. [Though she might.] Nonetheless, I'm interested in the population. Such beings are very rare where I'm from.

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

Well, I will only speak for myself and say I formerly could have been considered such. I've been quite mortal for the past fifteen or sixteen years, though.

[existwithoutme.livejournal.com]

Is that so? [Now, this is very interesting. There are many fascinating persons here.]

I am similar. I was both ageless and deathless for a time. [She had not been as immortal as she'd thought, but it had not been possible for her to be killed, within that span of time.] Now I am only ageless. [Her appearance has never changed, and she supposes it never will.]

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

I can't tell if I'm still ageless or just very healthy, sometimes...although it's rather refreshing to be free of the burden of infinite life, I think.