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[sythyry]

In Which Vae Is Almost Not A Monster [27 Lage 4261]

Sorry for not writing anything the last two days. I've been busy with the usual between-terms things, like drinking brandy, drinking sherry, choosing classes for next term, drinking sherry, and drinking brandy. (I think it's helping a bit with the Mentador stuff, or at least coming to terms with it. (I should take detailed notes on the matter, so that if I ever get raped I shall be able to compare the experiences in detail and proclaim which is worse. (Yes, I am quite morbid and fatalistic and doomtalking these days, even when I'm sober. (Yarwain and Narngi are fretting about it, even. Ghirbis is singing about it.))))

Vae hadn't particularly suggested anything last time we had talked -- I really should be more organized about such matters when she's kidnapping me and mutating my psyche and getting me jumped by yuldakai. I'm a bad lizard.

So I bought her a book of poems about flowers and butterflies and rainbows and scorpions and sunbeams and things. My next enchantment project will be a device that tows things behind me, since I seem to cast that spell regularly and I might as well save the cley for my boyfriend. (Not that I have to give him cley, of course; he's just a high-cley boyfriend. Then again, I suppose I'm a high-maintenance um-girlfriend for him.)

This time, we had forty people watching on the Halflight Gate.

Of course Vae came in the shape of a kitten.

Vae:"Hiio! Sythyry, there's a need with me to give you your apology."

Me:"I was not aware that the terms of our relationship erquired apologies!"

The Conversation (part 2)

Vae:"I don't understand that ... last time you'd just asked me not to cast spells on you, and then I went and gave you your teleporting. Just to be helpful, like. I didn't realize that I'd done what you'd asked me not to do, not 'til that evening, and I've had such a squirm of embarrassment about it all at home. So I'd apologize for it if you'll let me."

Me:"Oh! Certainly!" She could apologize for nearly getting me killed by yuldakai, or stirring my mind with a big ladle, but it's a start.

Vae:"I'll never do it anymore, nor cast other spells on you that you haven't asked me for." She sounded very very sincere. I approve of this promise.

Me:"Why, thank you, Vae!"

We chatted a bit more on that theme. I accepted the apology another six times. She sounded very, very, very sincere.

Vae:"There's a question with me, though, of The Candle in the Garden."

Me:"Oh, ask away!"

At this point it started raining. Not just a little rain, but a big wicked late-summer thunderstorm of the flavor that usually goes on for an hour or two. Vae is mightier than a thunderstorm though, and turned a leaf into a space distortion that sent the rain off to every side of us.

Vae:"In the third story, what does 'wheelbarrow' mean?"

Me:"Oh, it's a sort of a box with a wheel ... Tfek-tshauk yrruët."

That last means "It's a wheelbarrow." in Umtangeian. Specifically, it means it in Vaisessasilmin's own presonal dialect of Umtangeian. It's very strange to speak exactly the same language as someone else, including all their quirks of speech. If she taught Nthuur Ketherian that way, he'd be saying "Hiio!" as his greeting, which nobody but Vae does. I presume my Umtangeian is equally peculiar. (Incidentally, nendrai seem to have their own language -- Vaisessasilmin isn't anything like an Umtangeian word, any more than it's like a Ketherian word.)

Vae:"Oh, now I understand. It had seemed to me a box for a wheel, like this..." She flicked a twig with her innocuous-seeming kitten tail, and turned it into a sort of hat-box with an ivory wheel inside it. "In case you were buying a wheel from a shop, I suppose."

At this point we switched entirely to Umtangeian. She may or may not sound just as funny when she talks it to a real Umtangeian, but of course not to me.

Me:"Vae? Could I ask a rude sort of question?" Yes, I knew it was a bad idea.

Vae:"Oh, certainly!"

Me:"How did you learn Ketherian?"

Vae:"Some from my mother, and some from books, some from listening to people talk it and figuring it out. It took a week or two."

Me:"You didn't use the sort of spell you used to give me the Nice Language?" Which is the stupid name by which Umtangeians refer to the Umtangeian language.

Vae:"Well, it would be rude, reading someone's mind that way. I didn't want to be rude."

Me:"I see. Well, maybe I see a little bit."

The Conversation (part 3)

Vae:"Oh, no. Was it rude to give you Umtangeian?"

Me:"Maybe a touch so..."

And she went wild with apologies and sorrow, to the extent of curling up crying in the circle of my wings, wrecking her eyes again and speckling me with glass and blood. Comforting a kaiju monster for violating your mind is a distinctly novel experience, which I recommend to everyone who has done absolutely everything else the universe has to offer.

Afterwards, she cleaned it all up, turning it to air, according to the Eye of Mirizan and Melizan. She gave me five strands of hethica, and bounced around with her book of poems, and asked me for something tasty from Vheshrame.

And she smiled happily. I could even smile properly back at her.

Then I made the mistake of peering dubiously at the rain. Vae beamed eagerly, and stuck the space-distortion umbrella spell on me, and teleported me to right in front of the city gate. At least she didn't set the city wall ringing this time.

I'm going to have to have The Conversation again, aren't I?

Comments

[gavinfox.livejournal.com]

How many times do you think it will take before she 'gets' it? You should start a betting pool!

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Eight, counting the three I've already done.

[galis.livejournal.com]

Well, she gets the /theory/ at least (do not enspell Sythyry).

She just needs some practice.

Though, a suggestion, Sythyry. As much as you might be nervous about giving her any permissions, you may want to give Vae permission to put spells on you in the case of an emergency.

She may get too eager sometimes and teleport you places, but do remember, if it weren't for her defensive spells earlier in the monster-fight, there would be TWO Sythyrys now. Half sized.

Granted she got you into that in the first place, but that looks like it may keep happening for a while. It would be unfortunate if she forgot, and teleported you into something nasty, and THEN remembered and went to ask your permission to help you right as something else decides young Zi Ri are tasty.

[bluedeer.livejournal.com]

At least she means well. It doesn't seem she does it maliciously, but it's difficult to break one of practices they were raised to take commonplace. You may as well try to make an Orren stops swimming, or a Cani stop sniffing, it can be done I suppose but it's difficult.

One of these days she may learn. :)

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

Would you shoot the kids for laughing? They're just kids!

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

Heh! Kitten Vae. She's good at manipulating, or else it comes naturally. Of course that should be no surprise since she's naturally good at manipulating Mutoc.

[greenreaper.livejournal.com]

The ones that remained would soon learn. ;-)

[collie13.livejournal.com]

Comforting a kaiju monster for violating your mind is a distinctly novel experience, which I recommend to everyone who has done absolutely everything else the universe has to offer.

ROFL!! Oh my, I think I hurt myself laughing! Thank goodness I've learned not to be drinking anything when reading this journal. ;)

[esory.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm glad she's trying to move in the right direction .... She doesn't need an ambassador, she needs a babysitter. Or a mother. O_o

[vernononfm.livejournal.com]

A position for which I would happily apply! (Yes, we all know Orren are reckless, and sometimes a tad crazy. (Or, in this case, quite crazy.)) However, as I've stated before, I'd not be allowed. Anyway, she does mean well Sythyry. I'm sure you understand that, and I hope she will continue to realize when she does things improperly. She seems to be picking up on that, at least. Better than at first, I'm sure. :)

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

*grin* You learn faster than, well, a nendrai!

BTW -- are you are, or are you ain't, my player for Insula Tranquillitatis? It's fine either way, but if you're not playing, I'd like to know so I can invite someone else.

[collie13.livejournal.com]

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