On Balancing Powers

[not_ale]

((Events in this post occur about half an hour after Other!Axel's impromptu visit.))Leaning lazily against the door jamb, Axel watched her with a blank expression, her quick movements and her newly acquired four inches, her frame starting to finally develop into one of power. She was aging faster these days (an event, Axel noticed, that only

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[thebasi]

Clumsy indeed~. Terebas had spent most of the day, since she'd changed that morning while at the estate, tripping over things. Right now she was carrying clothing, now too small, over to the bed to pack it into her bags (there were a few pieces of clothing of proper size waiting to be packed away in the drawers). And for a new addition, there was now a wooden practice sword laying on the bed as well. Her slingshot, also new, was still tucked into her back pocket where the Axels had likely noticed it earlier.

And she was pretty cheery, bruised shins or skinned knee notwithstanding, recounting her day. Clock adjustment, growing up suddenly (ow, clothes too tight!), lessons put off temporarily so she could adapt. Kind of a free day~. '...and Satara said Iris is coming soon, and she'll show me about ice.' And fire, but she didn't think Iris would have to help her there. 'She was friends with big-me.'

[not_ale]

These people were just... everywhere. How much family did Basi have anyway? At least they had their uses.

"Did she now?" Axel asked with feigned curiosity.

[thebasi]

Oh, quite a few. Most were unaware of all the details of Terebas's situation, at least....

'Uh huh~! Want to see her? Satara gave me some pictures.' She smiled, turning to look at him.

[not_ale]

And thank darkness for that...

Axel grinned, more at her excitement than over seeing any pictures. As far as Axel was concerned, pictures barely captured a person's vitality. Pictures, as a rule, were just pale imitations of the original.

But that was something he'd impart on Terebas later.

"Why not. It's not like I have anything better to do."

[thebasi]

Don't make her hit below the belt, man.

...Meaning "making a woobie face" or something, but you don't want her getting that idea, do you?

Reaching for!

[not_ale]

If she can even kick that high, or even manage to land anything.

... Or manage to get through Axel's woobie tolerance.

That crystal may be within reach there. Maybe. Terebas is too short, much to Axel's amusement.

[thebasi]

Hit, not kick, Axel. She's at a good height for a punch, and surely a couple of layers of leather aren't complete protection~.

She jumps for it, then, meaning to clasp with both hands. If that doesn't work, she may go for Axel himself.

[not_ale]

No~, but quick dodging techniques will take care of that.

And she can jump all she wants. She's never going to reach it at her current height. A slowly growing smirk appears on his face before Axel smoothly tosses the crystal up and to the side. Let's test Terebas' reflexes, shall we?

[thebasi]

She nodded, not surprised, and turned her attention to the little construct. It wasn't hard to reach out to darkness, and call it forward. It wasn't at all dramatic; already she was learning to be comfortable and efficient with simple uses of power.

[not_ale]

And normally, if he wasn't making a point, Axel would call back the darkness, try to make it harder on Terebas to control the miniaturized model.

Instead, Axel allowed Terebas to take over his hold, watched Terebas instead as the little guy stalked across.

She even had his gait down.

With a deeper smirk, Axel dropped his arm and continued. "Talk about easy, eh? That's not what this exercise is about, kid."

[thebasi]

It wasn't that hard to picture his movements, and not very hard at all to make it real. Probably she couldn't have done the same for any other element, at least not yet.

She curved her hands slightly, making a safer little platform for the Axel-doll. '...What is it about?'

[not_ale]

"Control." Axel crossed his arms, leisurely strolling a circle around Terebas, as he talked.

"If you can't control your own powers, you can't control yourself. Think about it this way, Darkness. Any idiot with raw power can unleash a flood, messy and aimless, most times bringing destruction on themselves. But it takes finite authority over your powers to completely overcome. Power versus strength. Can you appreciate the difference?"

[thebasi]

She can do that! Apparently will, given events occurring later, oh the timeline.

:\ 'Okay....' And she'll start feeling silly if she keeps holding the doll like this, so she folds her arms, supporting it. It's not quite a hug. Really.

Rewards will be a plus! Like what?

[not_ale]

For the love of darkness, the timeline. Axel wants to lodge his complaint that he hasn't been privy to the chaos. Pooh. Like the bear.

Awwww~. Darkness-infused Axel just might be placing a hand on her thumb there while settling in.

Succeed and she'll find out~ that it's a gold Heartless imitating a gold star sticker or something silly like that.

"When are they expecting you?" And when are you coming back but that's totally unspoken.

[thebasi]

He can get caught up! And possibly involved in some of it.

Meanwhile, Terebas is mentally awww-ing over teeny Axel there, and it's definitely a bit more like a hug now. 'I want to take all this clothes there. And they're going to run some tests. And they want me to sleep there....' She's occupied with looking at little-Axel while she talks, might or might not look up to catch any change of expression~.

[not_ale]

Possibly.

Meanwhile, tiny Axel slightly flailing here. Mini hands waving, yo.

"What kind of tests are we talking about?" Because that didn't sound like something Axel should let her go back to. Even if she wasn't paying attention to his expressions, she's sure to hear the false cheerfulness in his voice.

[thebasi]

'It does.' :| Slight annoyance~. There's a big difference between asking people to do something and making them! 'Don't be weird! I wouldn't let them do that. Why would they want to?' Have a confused look now.

[not_ale]

"Well good." At least she knew the difference between that. Not that compulsion couldn't be wielded through other ways. Subtle ways.

Axel smirks, head tilted back at a questioning angle. "Ever heard of toe jam?"

[thebasi]

'Toe jam?' And *naturally* what she imagines is ... a bottle of jam. Of toes. D: '...Eww.'

[not_ale]

"Exactly." Axel gestures. "I guess you better hold onto your toes when they come around then."