despitethenora | MWM IC inbox

So I'll just take double then.

Might want to work your way up to that one.

[ she just hums in response, going quiet for a moment ]

Can you teach me to help with your braids?

I don't see why not. If you watch me, you can probably even copy the skill.

[ oh right, those powers she has refused to touch... ]

I think I'd rather just learn for real.

[unfortunately it plays so perfectly into Aloy's collectathon itch and her desire to be immediately good at whatever she tries]

Well. I'll show you what I can.

I can help you with it sometimes. It'd be faster to put back up with two people, right?

It'd also just be...nice.

Then I'll do it for you as much as you want.

[ she reaches out to tug gently at Aloy's hair ]

I wonder if Elisabet's hair was ever long enough for her mother to help braid.

[Makes herself still for the touch.]

I don't know. I've only ever seen her with that short hair.

I bet she did, if it was anything like yours turned out.

[ she doesn't actually know how to braid yet, so she just fiddles with aloy's hair, twisting it gently in a lose mimicry ]

[She won't stop her from playing with the hair. Aloy could get used to this.]

The Zeniths kept their hair shorter, didn't they? Maybe the old ones kept their hair more like that.

Maybe; it's easier to maintain. That's why they kept mine short. Verbena just kept hers up.

Ted kept his short, too. Not that I'm saying anyone should follow his example.

Think that was CEO's mistake? Ted Faro's mutated spirit couldn't do something or other because he forgot to match the hair?

[She snorts.]

Yeah, that must be it. Couldn’t have been anything else Ceo did.

I was sort of jealous of yours, you know. When I first saw you. It was silly.

Really? Guess I assumed you'd be busy thinking of other things.

I mean, I was. But it stuck out. Your hair and your clothes, you just seemed...free, just looking at you.

Because I got to choose it.

[DANG IT, ZENITHS.]

[ with exaggerated surprise: ]

Choice? What's that? Might be too distracting from the math.

[ it's her trauma and she can make jokes about it if she wants!!! ]

[the rare Beta sarcasm...she turns her head, surprised, before smiling again.]

Might get an answer wrong if you have braids.

Or maybe it is the hair that holds the power.

[ twist twist twist ]

Then they could have let you grow it out, and let you take Nemesis on.

Too much risk I'd become you and ruin everything for them.

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