cempöhualliommäcuïlli. audio. she returns.

[leadsthestars]

[Coyolxauhqui sounds like she's spitting something out. She coughs away from the communicator for a minute, then takes a deep breath.]

Rivers of blood. [Another cough.] Mountains that crash together. Wind that cuts like knives. Jaguars that devour the hearts of men. Dog-men and weary souls.

And Mictlantecuhtli.

[She pauses, almost like she's

Comments

Private.

[thegooddrjones]

I'm sorry I didn't tell people you'd gone, I fell into a coma.

Where did you go?

Alright, let's talk about that, yeah?

Private.

[leadsthestars]

I have heard. Are you feeling better? You fall asleep often.

I went to Mictlan. Jade in my mouth, I went to Mictlan. I saw Xolotl, my brother; we walked over rivers of blood and watched mountains crash together. There were obsidian mountains and bitter wind. I met with the Lord and his Lady, and we spoke for a very long time.

I feel empty. I want my magic.

Private.

[thegooddrjones]

I actually don't fall asleep that often, it's only been twice in the last six weeks and not before that?

Alright,let's meet to talk about it, yeah?

Private.

[leadsthestars]

It seems often. I hope you do not fall asleep again.

Yes, let's meet. Bring me to the pool.

Private.-Spam?

[thegooddrjones]

I hope I don't as well. It's very tiresome.

Alright, I'll meet you by the door to the warden area.

Spam!

[leadsthestars]

[Coyolxauhqui waited for Martha by the door, sitting on the floor with her legs crossed. She combed her fingers through her hair, removing bits of leaves and feathers and other accidental souvenirs brought back from Mictlan.

She coughed again, doubled-over and heaving, finally spitting out a small piece of jade into her palm. The divinity sigh and rubbed the jade clean against her skirt.]

Spam!

[thegooddrjones]

[Martha met Coyolxauhqui quickly, carrying a bag that contained her bathing suit. She hadn't had the chance to change, and had packed it the night before for what she had hoped was swimming with Sveta; of course that had ended horribly and now Martha just felt a bit bad in general.

Her approach meant she saw her inmate doubled-over and heaving, and she quickly stepped forward to help her inmate, watching as the jade hit her palm. She dropped down onto the ground next to her inmate, and gestured to it.]

Why Jade?

Spam!

[leadsthestars]

[Still polishing the piece of smooth jade on her skirt, Coyolxauhqui's attention turned to her warden. She smiled and lifted the piece of jade towards the lights in the ceiling, holding it between her thumb and forefinger and squinting as the light shone through it.]

Jade protects those who journey to Mictlan.

[She took Martha's hand in hers, gently flipping it over and dropping the piece of jade into her open palm.]

Spam!

[thegooddrjones]

I see.

[Martha smiled when the jade was placed into her open palm, and she closed her had about it, accepting it as the gift that she knew it was. After all, her inmate was fond of her, and Martha was fond of Coyolxauhqui in return.]

Thank you. I'll try not to fall asleep again.

[The words were said simply before Martha opened the doors to the pool and held it open for the goddess.]

Spam!

[leadsthestars]

[She hopped to her feet and headed into the pool room, inhaling deeply the chemical scent in the air as she began to remove her belt and bits of jewellery.]

What do you dream about when you sleep for that long?

Spam!

[thegooddrjones]

I didn't dream about anything that I can remember. One minute I was aboard the station, and the next thing I remember is waking up in my own bed.

[Martha decided that she wasn't going to all that much swimming, so she just rolled up her pants legs and dropped them into the water.]

Spam!

[leadsthestars]

Sleep without dreams. That is cruel.

[She dipped her foot into the water experimentally, then hopped a couple of paces back and took a running leap into the pool. It wasn't a graceful plunge, but Coyolxauhqui wasn't concerned with that grace or dignity business at the moment - she just wanted to swim in something that wasn't blood.

She surfaced with a small splash, then began to tread water.]

Spam!

[thegooddrjones]

It is. I wish the Admiral would stop ruddy doing it.

[Martha sighed quickly, and then she traced her fingers in the water, giggling when her inmate took the running leap into the pool. Bloody hell, that just looked fun. She allowed the conversation to lapse into silence for a moment before she moved to the heart of the matter.]

So you want your magic back?

Spam!

[leadsthestars]

[Coyolxauhqui continued to splash around in the pool, kicking off from the side to see how face she could skid along the surface. Her hair was a long, tangled mess that fell on her face and around her shoulders, but she was just happy to be back in her fake Mictlan, her Barge.

She swam to the side of the pool, near where her warden sat, and held on to the edge.]

Yes, I want my magic back. I feel incomplete without it. Strange.

Spam!

[thegooddrjones]

[In someways, watching her inmate was a bit like watching Keisha, and it was a comforting thing, reminding her of home and the life that she was taking a break from.

When Coyo swam to the side, Martha smiled at her, and then nodded. Her conversations with Severus had told her that denying an inmate something that was so apart of them was wrong, and that they needed to learn how to have it and still be redeemed.]

Alright, but we're going to need to put a few restrictions on it. You can't use it to hurt anyone but in self defense, and you can't use it to call your brothers here or try to barter with them for rescue.

Spam!

[leadsthestars]

[Coyolxauhqui folded her arms and rested her head on them, nodding as Martha spoke. She had her own ideas about her magic, and she figured her guide would need a little insight into what she was capable of and what she actually wanted.]

I will not call my brothers. I failed them twice - I cannot speak to them until I have made amends. I will not call anyone to the Barge. [She lifted her head and nodded firmly, as to prove to Martha her sincerity in not repeating that mess again.]

Martha. [She pulled herself up from the pool and sat herself down on the edge, dripping on to the tiles and back into the water.] I don't need my magic to hurt people. My magic doesn't need to be my sorcery - they are different things, Martha Jones - I just want to feel nature again. I want to hear the stars and feel the air in my blood. I want earth in my heart and to feel divine again.