Incline 35: Larishazza

"Ah!" I squealed out as what happened earlier happened again. Only this time for longer and this time Nin got to see it too.

"What was that about?" he asked as he carefully inspected what remained of the lightning webbing before backing away.

"That, my good friend, is what happened when two magical auras largely incompatible with each other cross paths." I explained from the floor, or roof, rather.

"Oh... Alright..." he said to me with his confusion clear. It once again making it clear that he did not understand magic very well.

"And here is what happens if I do it to you!" I cheerfully said, hoping to get something to happen with his... But nothing did happen, nothing at all, didn't even get my water making misty gusts.

"Nothing is happening..." he pointed out with a raised brow.

"What element are you, anyway?" I then found myself asking as I had never seen him cast magic. Only use what was in his body.

"Couldn't tell you. Could not tell you..." he said as his mind went distant, a curious action following it, however. He was pressing his hand against some of the brickwork on the roof, but, nothing came of it. Nothing at all. So I could only wonder what it was about.

"W-What about if I try?" Einervaene then asked as she cautiously stepped closer to him.

"Yeah, whatever." he said with notable hostility, but, it was still nowhere near as bad as when we were in the room.

"Alright... I'll be careful, alright?" Einervaene said to him, her words clearly showing she thought something awful. Something I frankly did not want to hear.

"Get on with it." he nearly snapped at her, causing her to jump. Lose spine, however, she did not, and thusly, we got to see the result of what her own aura would do with his.

"Wow, you're boring..." I joked as I noted the amazing nothing that happened as a result of it.

"If my theory is correct, you won't get anything anyway. Lightning doesn't do anything to rock."

"Rock?" me and Einervaene both found ourselves saying at once.

"Bugs use some kind of rock magic in my experience." he said with noted distaste.

"But do you?" I then asked him as I got up.

"Not since I ended up like this."

"So you don't use rock magic." I said with a smile, wanting to make it clear, or, well, at least encourage something. That something being that I wanted him to distance himself from the idea he was a bug. He wasn't, he was Nin.

"I don't know what I use." he sighed out before heading towards the edge of the roof. Or, well, near it, he did not want to be seen after all.

"Any of you two know which way we are going?" I then asked with a knowing smile. Their following gazes making me break out in laughter before I went about to figuring out where we would need to go. And soon, I was hopping over to another roof and waving them over. Nin would go on to jump awkwardly, but Einervaene did not jump at all, she just stayed still.

"Just jump?" she then asked as she cautiously peaked over the roof.

"Yeah, don't know how to jump?"

"I know how to jump!" she started off loudly, "I just don't jump far..." she then said quietly. A roll of my eyes then preceded my next actions, actions that involved jumping back over and picking her up. Then jumping back over again!

"You are very soft." I commented which led to her going completely red in the face.

"I'm sorry for making you get me." she said to me after I put her down.

"No worries! I'm here to help, but, how come you didn't jump?"

"I have not trained my internal-magic very well if at all. Mostly because I have been able to travel without jumping far like Urtuoi-kischu sometimes do. I used a spell, but that spell can't be used up here."

"How come? Is the city getting in the way of it?" I asked as I pointed over at the brass city.

"I think that plays a part, yes, but not an entirely correct one. It seems to be more of the case that the spell relied on clouds and well..." she explained before looking up at the cloudless sky.

"What was the spell anyway? Did you climb along them?"

"I suppose? I technically transmute myself into lightning and shoot back down from the clouds."

"That sounds quite cool! All I do is manipulate water into objects I use to have fun with!" I tell her as I showed off a few small, well-rounded orbs. Orbs I then I threw so we could watch them bounce like a pebble before they popped when they got too far away. My external-magic control not being good enough to reach as far as they did. Well, here at the very least.

Magic was very hard to control up here in comparison to the safety measures our ships had. Safety measures they desperate needed otherwise the ship would blow up along with its occupants. Magic got very dangerous in magicless areas like the open waters of the All-Coast. Something I quite enjoyed seeing as you could tell when your magic left the safe areas as it would erupt into an arcane fireball.

"Your magic is more impressive if I am being honest..." Einervaene said as her arm which she had just used to show off her own abilities went limp.

"Why does it do that?"

"Because I ended up learning to do it sacrificially rather than how you would do it. So I need to switch over to the proper way. Which, is what this new outfit is meant to help with. But, I have also found new ways that it can be useful."

"Ooooo..." I let out with a wince upon hearing the first part, "Well, good luck to getting out of that mess. Personally, I never did any sacrificial magic casting but I know it can be quite bad if it doesn't get dealt with." I said to her before looking over at Nin. Hoping to see if he had anything to contribute to the conversation. But he was on the other side of the building just watching his fingers.

Then, he shook his head and turned around, "Can we get going now?" he asked impatiently. His foot tapping the roof aggressively but still gently.

"Sure!" was my answer before I grabbed Einervaene's hand again and then Nin's. Following it up by just dragging them through the air as I propelled us through it. Large splashes of water following every landing until I finally brought us to a training centre after a series of jumps.

"A little warning next time..." Nin grumbled before he hopped down into a bush. A smile on my face as I watched Einervaene regain her footing.

"An agile one, aren't you?" she commented as she finally got some steadiness into her legs. Her hand warding mine off as she too got down. But me? I jumped into the sky first and landed with such force as to soak them both in water.

"P-P-Plea..." Einervaene said with much difficulty as she fell to the floor in a series of spasms. The amount of water she got soaked with having mixed badly with her own magic. And, well, I had just shortcircuited her.

"Don't worry, I got her." Nin said as he went to grab her before going inside quickly with me following her.

"Let me see..." I said as I tried to pull as much water as I could off of her. My eyes steadily widening with worry and embarrassment as I watched her continue to short-circuit.

"Do the training rooms have a means to dry her off? We mostly used them for physical tasks before."

"Yeah, they have the means, let us find Quinshuu quickly, however." I said to him before running ahead. My eyes open as far as they would go as I looked about for any possible means to indicate which room Quinshuu had got for us. Luckily, I found it quickly, unfortunately, it was at the far end of the building and it was crowded so Nin was having to get through everyone.

So, in a brief panic to get him over here, I shot out some of my magic to wall him off from everyone. Then, I scooped him over to me as quickly as I could which led to me nearly being crushed against a wall by his body.

"Are you alright?" he asked me as he had stopped himself by planting an open palm somewhat into the wall. And I was indeed fine, so I looked up at his face and smiled. Something he followed up with by looking away with embarrassment, a new thing for him.

"He's just in that one." I pointed out to him, gesturing to both the sign he had personally left out and the one handled by the Academy. And I don't think I had ever seen him to quick to move away from me. But, I had a slight idea as to what might have caused it which made me happy. Yet, soon, I was quickly frowning when I looked down the hall.

"Please don't be what I think it is." I muttered under my breath before going through the portal. A smile having been put back on my face before I slid along the pitch-white chamber.

"What took you so long, Harlot?" Quinshuu called out to me as he got down from the device he must have been using to pass the time. Or, going by the burning targets in the distance, what he had used to train. But is training not a means to pass the time.

"I was getting someone and solving problems!" I cheered out as I went over to him. First getting lost in the strange way his eyes were behaving before paying attention to what he was going on about.

"What do I need to press to get something to dry her off?" Nin then called out from over by the console. So, I went over to him while humming a tune, happy to help and happy to get away from Quinshuu as I had not listened to him at all. So, he would have to explain to Nin personally what he wanted to do with him.

"Press this, that, this, that, this, twist that, turn that, flick this and then bop this one right here." I told him while doing it all for him and not letting him watch. He would have made a comment, but what he wanted soon appeared and he was quick to put Einervaene over there. And yet, despite how angry he was at her, he still showed delicacy and gentleness when handling her.

"Now, what is it you wanted from me?" Nin then asked Quinshuu as I walked passed him. Heading straight on towards Einervaene so I could make sure she was okay and ensure she lived up to her end of the bargain. I wanted to know what she was doing earlier and how her clothes supposedly worked so bad!

"Sorry for getting you wet." I sheepishly said as I joined her in the red glow of this machine. Its warmth soon getting into me with it leaving me nostalgic. I felt like I was on a pearly white beach back on my home continent. The halo just letting it all out as it passed by us in its orbit.

"It's fine, at least it wasn't my fault this time." she said with a smile as she clearly entertained herself with old memories.

"This happens often?"

"More than I'd like it too, especially if I am around others."

"Sounds more like it is a good thing it happens around others, that way they can help you."

"Yeah..." she said before looking on at Nin. A twitch of her lips happening before she looked back at me along with the subtlest of relaxations.

"So... What were you going to say before? About your outfit?"

"Outfit? Oh! Yes, I was going to explain what I had discovered regarding it, yes?"

"Yes!"

A smile came to her face properly this time, "So, as I said, my magic involves me transmuting myself into lightning. But, with this outfit of mine, that I originally intended as a means to help me cast magic in general. It turns out I can transmute myself and maintain a physical form!" her body nearly moving up and down in joy while my mouth opened to express it.

"So you can turn yourself into a lightning woman!?" I nearly yelled out in excitement as now I really wanted to see her do it.

"More like a lightning blob, outside anyway, I still have not gotten over the effects that Thrurstradtur has on me. But, once I start casting properly, I believe I will be able to do it just fine!"

"Well, in here, the city can't affect you, so how about it then? Let's see it."

"Maybe when I am a bit drier... I don't want to even imagine what would happen if I went near water like this."

"Fair, but, have you ever considered training in or near water? If water affects you this badly then surely it would be a good idea to...?"

She frowned and moved her body closer together, "I... I think I have aquaphobia, so I don't think that will work."

"A fear of water? Then why are you not terrified of me?"

"Well, it might not be entirely true to say that. I think it is less a fear of water and more so a fear of using magic near lots of it. I nearly drowned once when I was travelling, see. Our ship got attacked by these creatures with hooves and..."

"Ah, no need to explain further, I understand." I say to her as I rub a hand on her. Making sure all my magic was safely tucked away and under control when I did so.

"Thank you."

"But... Now that you say it, maybe I should help you get over it? If you can start coming along to when I am helping Nin then we can start trying to get your magic under control near water?"

"I think that is a bit too big of a step for me right now."

"We don't have to put you in a lake or anything, just a puddle maybe, we can keep going until no lightning goes across it. Besides, you have high-heeled boots, you'll be fine in a puddle." I tell her as I tapped the copper base to her black boots.

"I'll think I will pass on that offer for now." she answered, still displaying that same nervousness. Her hands and fingers soon moving all her clothes about to sort them out and to air them out.

"You can pass on that if you want, but you won't pass on training with us!" I tell her as I jokingly grab her firmly.

A slow nod coming from her soon after, "I will see what I can do, I've been spending a lot of time with various teachers for feedback. But, I think I am ready for a more solitary experience so I can visit then?"

I grinned as I moved closer, "As long as you are there for him." I said which led to her going slightly red as she looked over at Nin.

"So you wanted to see my spell?" she then said suddenly as she shot up to her feet. A dry laugh leaving me as she left the drying machine and walked a notable distance away from Nin and into a quieter part of the room.

"Yep! Do you want me to do anything first, however?" I then asked as I went over to the console.

"Some walls please, just enough to hide us..." she said as her fingers got pressed together. Small sparks going between them and off of them.

"Sure, I can do that." I said with smirk as I carefully looked at where her eyes were looking before I brought the walls into existence. Letting the wall that stopped her view appear last just so I could have some fun with it later. Then, I hopped over the console and ran through the gap so I could see her again. Skidding to a stop before then running up the wall to flip as otherwise I would have crashed.

Not that it admittedly mattered, these walls were low in magic so I might have actually just gone straight through them.

"I am fully dry, yes?" Einervaene asked initially as she looked about her body. The copper plating on her gloves being carefully inspected each time it went over something.

"Nope, not getting anything." I said to her after I was done trying to tug any of my magical water off of her.

"Alright, here I go..." she said with a gulp before she casted her spell. And I was left shocked, not literally, but the emotional kind. She was made of skin and bone one moment but now she was a crude outline of a well-developed woman made of light-blue lightning!

"Wo-oh-oh-oh!" I said as I shot closer towards her so I could look at her more closely. The sound of snapping and crackling filling my ears as I heard all those bolts that made up her new body arced about. But then a mischievous glint went into my eyes when I noticed some peculiar details. She was naked, and not just because her clothes converted with her, this form of hers was a one-to-one of her naked self!

She even had little points on her chest right where her nipples would otherwise be.

"So, what do you think?" she then asked me, completely unaware of how detailed her new form was to her body. Yet, her actions did draw my attention away from the more erotic aspects of her new body. Instead, I found myself properly looking at the copper frame of her outfit which had not transmuted. It was like a skeleton now, a skeleton mixed with a net as not bolts went past the copper.

"Very impressive, but, what is the main purpose of this spell?" I then found myself asking while thinking of how my magic developed. I liked to move about and dance, so my magic became a beneficiary to it. Giving me means to enhance my dancing with spectacle and give my body more ways to move about.

"I never really thought about it. It was just something I figured out recently." she said to me with a shrug as she moved her feet about. The tap of her high heels causing bright orange and yellow droplets to shoot out from them. The sight of them causing her to become stationary so as to not create more of them. Sounds were different too, less so a tap and more like two severed but live wires being jammed together.

"Do you think you would ever be able to modify this spell?" I then asked as I walked around her. Nearly being tempted into pinching her bottom were it not for my prior experiences with my water and her lightning.

"I figured it out while failing to fly. So I guess I might try something along those lines."

"Ah, a beautiful maiden straight from the realms of Thurnamourer." I complimented while thinking of her dancing through the sky. And, while I knew it was a stereotype my people had of hers, I couldn't help but imagine it as a certain kind of dance. One where the pole was replaced with golden lightning bolts and the building was the dark cloud backdropping it all.

"Well, one way I might take it is a means to protect myself and others. I never really did much fighting on my way to this land. But, a lot of fighting did happen around me and I usually just ran away. It's only been recently that I ever tried to fight and even then I just sort of..." she explained to me before a wave of concentrated bolts left her palms when she stuck them out.

"Now that you do that, have you considered how you might try and use your magic to heal others? You are quite strong so there will be lots of people you could potentially heal up."

"That's a fair point." she said while looking at her hands. A few more pulses leaving them before she let them fall to her sides.

"I will be honest, though, I have not a clue how you might be able to heal someone with lightning." I giggled out while thinking of what many of my countrymen do. They usually just rubbed water onto a wound or poured it into a cup or glass. And, from what I knew of this land, they just let it be breathed in.

"Some of our most famous healers do it like they are stitching someone up with a thread and needle."

"Peculiar way of doing it." I found myself saying as I tilted my head.

"I find it rather normal, I even practised sewing to get an idea of how to do it. But, I also just like sewing and making clothes."

"You'll have to find the time to make me some then!" I said to her as I moved to check on Nin and Quinshuu. My eyes soon looking on with curiosity as I watched on in amusement. It seems that Quinshuu was putting Nin through the paces against various forms of animals. Some of them were rather frightening as one had a rotating jaw that worked just like a saw!

"It looks like he needs some help..." Einervaene commented as she came to stand behind me. A safe distance away, but still rather close.

I smirked, "Then go help him with that new form of yours." I said to her.

"Are you sure? This is a new spell of mine and I'd rather no-"

"Go!" I interrupted, nearly moving to shove her out before switching out at the last minute. Just barely avoiding the shock of a lifetime when she shot out towards him. A series of barely contained laughs building up in me as I watched the naked lightning woman run off to help Nin. I would be enjoying the following moments quite a bit by the looks of it.

And as I had plenty of time, I initially walked after Einervaene. But, she ended up going straight for the monster rather riskily and was put straight into its path when Nin had moved away. His confusion at Einervaene's form preventing any kind of warning when the monster moved to snap down on her. And then it seemed like she had been bitten into two pieces.

However, much to the benefit of my heart, she was fine and was instead now in a state of fifty-fifty. Some of her body having returned to normal while the core of her body stayed as lightning. Lightning that then surged through the saliva of the monster and shocked it black. The smell of burnt flesh filled the room before the creature then disappeared as it was just a construct.

"You alright!?" I called out while holding my chest. A pale-faced Einervaene giving her response in the form of a nod before she collapsed to the ground panting.

"I... I need to be more careful in future..." Einervaene said as her gloved hand went against her lightning boobs until she calmed down.

"Why did you interfere!?" Quinshuu then demanded as he went up to her before backing away in disgust.

"Putting an end to your insanity is what she did." Nin commented with annoyance as he went up to the light-magic user. His head then doing a double-take on Einervaene before he just started staring. The previous laugh I had building up again as Einervaene looked on in confusion.

"What? Some of my body is made of lightning, so what?" she commented with an embarrassed pout.

"Yeah, it is. You are made of lightning, and so are your bare breasts and a more private area." Nin said while nodding over and over again before looking away.

Einervaene went redder and redder until she stopped the spell, clothes having returned to her body fully as well, "Ca-Ca-Can we p-please change the subject?" she then asked in embarrassment before fidgeting. Her efforts to hide her chest and lower half not being enough and she would just not stop moving.

"So... How come only part of your body turned back proper?" I then asked once the laughter was out of my system. Much to Einervaene's dispair.

It took her a while to respond as she needed to compose herself first, "It's because the spell involves me transferring and focusing my magic along the copper. But, as it got severed, my body went back to normal."

"So if we cut the copper about here," gesturing at a finger, "then you'd otherwise maintain a full lightning body so long as there were no other severs in your frame?"

She nodded, "That is how it seems to work, yes."

"Well, I know one thing we can certainly improve on then, having seen that."

"What is your suggestion?" she then asked me as she stood up.

"We make it so you are not giving us such an accurate showing of what you look like underneath." I chuckle out through a closed and bloated mouth. This laughter easily bringing back the red to Einervaene's face as she started to become annoyed.

"Well, as long as Urtuoi-kischu enjoyed it." she then said with a pout, seemingly unaware she specified Nin himself who was looking at her again.

"Can't say I did, lightning isn't really attractive, you know?" he said with mild amusement.

"I am ashamed of the fact I ever met you." Quinshuu then commented harshly as he turned his back on Einervaene and began to walk off.

"Where are you going?"

"I have seen enough from the one you want me to help."

"And will you help him?"

"I will, because I wish to battle a more confident version of him. To battle him and defeat him so I may return to my tribe with one more story to pass on." he said before stumbling when he bumped into the console.

"I think he might be blind," Nin then said as he walked over to me, "So how many does that make it?"

"Well, there's me, her, him, my sister, Ombbo... Me, him, her, Ombbo... My sister..." I began to say over and over again. Not sure if I had gotten all of them named.