Fourth Quest: Makeovers, Magic, and Meditation

[lightnovelexperiences]

1: Makeovers
Deedee has, after a rough month, healed enough to start treating people in the spa and in her space in the Vault, personally, again. She's a little worse for wear, of course - but she's turned half of her hair burning off into an excuse for a hairstyle where half her head is shaved, and the other is in a side ponytail; it's a good look on her, if a bit... butch for her tastes.

As promised, she's doing a sale on beauty treatments; haircuts, dye-jobs, mani-pedis, nail painting. While she's still healing with her hands, she's also giving people new looks with a smile.

2: Magic
During her time healing and enforced Vault time, Deedee has been studying magic diligently, not wanted to get caught flatfooted by Imperial witches - be they jannisaries or otherwise - ever again. She's be studying the theory, practicing the techniques Ziel taught and in classrooms, and she finally feels like she's going to make a breakthrough.

Which is when you may find her in a training hall across from a candle, sitting seiza, taking deep breaths, fingers in a mudra before her. She exhales -

- a gout of flame that lights the candle, without melting it.

She opens her eyes, and whoops triumph.

3: Meditation

There is a shrine in the courtyard of the spa, now.

It doesn't advertise it's religious affiliation. To those who don't know what it is, it just looks like a pleasant little open-air structure; in moments of weakness Deedee refers to it with a smile as "The Dread Gazebo." But it has windchimes, and streamers of red tipped with white triangular "tails," and a central altar made of little brass flutes that catch the wind to make music; and every so often, you can see Deedee in there, meditating in motion, by dancing or practicing her martial arts.

It is her way of thanking and honoring Sylphan for delivering on his half of a vow made in desperation and in earnest; to help them free Terra Branford, and live to see her live free.

All are welcome to pray to Sylphan, the trickster-fox, the laughing wind, friend of travellers and fools, foe of tyrants - if you have need of him.

Comments

[frost_and_shinies]

"It shows a certain kind of fear, yes. But he still has the might to back it. Until we deny him more and more of that... Well."

She pauses. "... If I'm going to get a mani-pedi, I. Probably need to take my gloves and boots off, huh."

She hadn't thought that far ahead... And given the full bodysuit she had on, that might take a moment or three.

[lightnovelexperiences]

She laughs.

"Take your time, tour the spa. Take a load off. We've got baths as well."

And when she is ready, Deedee will be waiting with her supplies at the chair.

[frost_and_shinies]

It doesn't take too long before Kaitlyn's back, down to a T-shirt and shorts. Her entire bodysuit shouldn't fit into the bag now set by the chair, but it seems it had to.

It's at this point that it's obvious just how much of her skin is pale to a degree far beyond 'white woman'.

And of course, the first time Deeds touches her skin, the fact that her blood's flowing normally but she's super cold may jump out.