eclipse_of_time | Video Post

[If nothing else, this sort of broadcasting and storage and communication device isn't entirely unfamiliar to Ming. But everything else certainly is. First and foremost her own body. Where's the pulsing thrum of her magical energy? Even the mark on her chest is dull and decorative. It's a frightening thing to see. She can feel the passage of time, something only once felt briefly. And terrifyingly. The seconds are moving by her, taking her with them.]

[She realizes she can't feel any any magical energy. Not in the atmosphere, not in the earth, not in the large creature that follows her. It's an unfamiliar beast, but one that looks as though it would be right at home on the paradisaical beaches of her island kingdom.]

[If this is a kidnapping, it's a frightfully strange one. She's nowhere near Numara. This place isn't familiar at all! But she's not restrained. Quite the opposite. She's made it to a bench in the little village she awoke in, and then that overwhelming feeling that threatens to steal her consciousness slips upon her and she sits, shaking and confused, to fiddle with the portable teleson.]

What...what is this place?

[There's a high note of fear and confusion in Ming's lightly accented voice.]

Something's wrong...something's terribly wrong...what's been done to me?

What's going to happen to me?

[Without her magical energy, what is she? Her magic is her soul, her consciousness, her very being! She's never felt so tied to this human shaped shell in all of her existence. She's certain she can feel the decay and dying of mortal cells. Is this mortal death?]

Please...if someone can help me...

[It doesn't occur to her to explain further - there's not a single sentient thing in her world that doesn't know her face and who she is. What she is.]

[Surely someone can aide her!]

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Yes, everyone has them. Wild ones may attack us, to try and prove their worth to us. Or so it was explained to me.

[The perplexed look only deepens as Ming glances down at herself. What's wrong with her leathers?]

Oh? It's what I always wear. I've traveled in it before....though I suppose that sort of thing matters here. I never had to worry about blisters or pinched toes before...

[And now she does. And bruises and cuts that don't instantly heal and eating and sleeping and taking water regularly...goodness. Mortality required so much attention!]

[Attacked by wild ones? Great.]

Yes, it probably does.

[He's not sure how to address the fact that she apparently didn't have to worry about that before.]

I'm sure we can find somewhere for you to change.

[It's nice to look at, very nice to look at, if a bit odd, but not the kind of thing a person should travel in.]

[Ming doesn't like this, not even a little bit. She's already beginning to be aware of how the leather rubs and the straps bite at skin. It's never bothered her before, not even a little bit. It's all bothering her quite a lot by now.]

But where?

[She glances around, hands clasped in front of her. She's hardly a prude, but queens don't just change their clothes in alleyways or behind dumpsters! Though, she reminds herself, they damn well do if there isn't any other option. Perhaps there's another option.]

I'm sure we can find a public building that has a restroom, or maybe somewhere that offers overnight lodging can let use a room.

[Roy looks around for a suitably large and commercial looking building.]

Let's look over there.

[Ming nods and follows along. Luckily they find a public restroom on their first try, and she excuses herself to change into the clothes in the bag she's been given.]

[Or attempt to. She's in there for a good ten minutes, tugging at straps and looking for buckles or hooks. Oh dear! How in the world does everything come off? This is the reason she has three handmaidens to dress her and undress her every day. All she's managed to do is tangle herself worse! Are her boots attached to her leggings? Who designed this thing?]

Er...I'm afraid I'm having a bit of difficulty...

[She pitches her voice loud enough for Roy to hear.]

Edited 2015-09-14 23:58 (UTC)

[Good thing they find that place, Roy waits patiently outside reading some of the instruction manuals they were left with and then stops when he hears her.]

What kind of difficulty?

[Ming is silent a moment. This is a most perplexing predicament! She can't undress herself. She can't go walking for three days in this! But her only companion is a man she's just met, and she is weaponless.]

I don't know how my clothing works.

[It's likely the single most embarrassing admission Ming's had to make in her life. Even confessing to virginity at a thousand years wasn't on the level with admitting to being ancient and learned and unable to undress yourself.]

[She can feel her cheeks pinkening.]

[Well, it is very complicated looking clothing and Roy has no idea how it works either. Also he wouldn't mind helping but that probably won't go over well. There's a long pause because that is not something he expected to hear.]

Are you still dressed? Enough to come out and find someone to help?

[Ming looks down at herself and sighs. Well, it's a public place and she can scream quite loudly if she must.]

Oh, don't bother. We're both adults, I just need...something unbuckled. Or buttoned. Or hooked. I'm...oh, I'm really not certain! Everything seems connected to everything else somehow!

[At least she can be reasonably sure that Jansen would find this story amusing, rather than troubling.]

Very well. I'm coming in.

[This is a really complicated outfit. Roy spends a minute studying all the buckles and straps before deciding to start with her limbs and work his way in.]

I think if we undo these buckles, and then unbutton this...

[What was going through the head of the person who made this?]

There must be a clasp here somewhere.

[But he can't see it. Also she has nice skin but now is not the time to give such compliments.]

This is what happens when the queen has to be at the forefront of fashion. I have three people to do this for me, you know.

[Well, he certainly seems to be a gentleman. Good. She cranes her neck, frowning. It feels looser already, thankfully.]

Oh, perhaps...under there...er...by my hip... Goodness, this is dreadfully embarrassing! You must thing I'm some fluff head.

[He manages to keep a neutral if pleasant expression as he reaches to run his hand along where she suggested to feel for the clasp. Thankfully, that's right where it is.]

Being unable to remove an outfit that takes three people to put on you hardly makes you a fluff head.

[They're getting there.]

Oh! There!

[Finally, the most difficult bits have been taken care of and Ming utters her cry triumphantly.]

Oh, thank you! I believe I can manage the rest myself.

[And she's never putting it back on after this. Goodness!]

[Roy nods and then politely turns away and steps out of the room.]

You're welcome. I'm always happy to lend a hand.

[But he's going to stay right outside the door just in case there are any other problems.]

[It isn't much longer before Ming emerges dressed far more sensibly in a short pleated white skirt and jacket and a v-necked blue shirt and walking shoes. She feels so oddly dressed! There's hardly any parts to the outfit at all. And she's taken off her diadem and crest - they look ludicrously out of place with the simple outfit in her bag. Of course that leaves the mark on her chest partially exposed. But there's nothing to be done for that, and it isn't glowing anymore anyway. It simply looks like a blue tattoo. And she'll simply have to get used to having her hair down.]

There we are. Goodness, I don't think I've ever dressed so....casually!

[Much more sensible, and Roy approves of the outfit.]

Well, casual or not, it looks very good on you, and will be fine for traveling. You'll just have to be careful of your legs walking in tall grass.

[But now that they have this adventure out of the way they can move on to their multiple day walking trip to the next city.]

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