witchesreign | Uh-oh. [Action

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Uh-oh. [Action | Training Center]

[There's a problem in the Training Center.]

[That problem is a dragon. Specifically, one that is stuck. Its head is in the Training Center proper, its body in the Secret Area, and its neck is in the passage between the two, which its head is simply too large to transit.]

[It is flailing and trying to pull itself free with enough strength to make the Training Center shake. Its claws, back and fore, rake deep furrows in the ground as they scrabble for purchase and leverage, while occasional jets of fire shoot out of its mouth to roast the vegetation in the center.]

[It is also screaming in the voice of Cadet Maria Cyphert. Except with absolute terror, which no one has ever heard from Maria before.]

HELP! HELP! Oh sweet merciful everything HELP! Aaaaaaaaaaaah!

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[Yukio had been minding his own business in the training center, but considering the fact that there is now a screaming dragon, he can't help but go to investigate. Treading carefully, he edges toward the burnt out vegetation and then peers at what appears to be a stuck dragon.]

Excuse me, but could you stop yelling and tell me what happened?

I DON'T KNOW!

[While she appreciates your politeness, the truth is that she's panicking and totally freaking out; 'stop yelling' is a bit beyond her at the moment.]

[Yukio winces at her words because, well... She's a big dragon--one that's yelling no less. He inches closer, being very careful to avoid her claws and any random jets of flame by circling around her. He manages to edge over to the passage connecting the training center to the secret area and sort of peers around her to see... what exactly is going on there.

After a moment, he steps away to stand somewhere where she can see him but still well out of harm's way.]

If you want my help, you need to stop thrashing about. It's for your own safety and mine.

[He says this with as much authority as he can muster. Whether or not that'll do anything, Yukio's... not entirely sure.]

I'm stuck!

[The thrashing diminishes -- maybe because she listened, but also maybe because she's losing hope. The dragon's eyes are wide and more than a little weepy.]

Yes, I noticed.

[Now that he's not in any immediate danger of getting impaled or burnt to a crisp, Yukio finally draws closer. Admittedly, the only solution he has at the moment is perhaps finding someone with magical abilities to shrink her, but... perhaps this isn't permanent?]

What were you doing prior to your... transformation?

[--Which is an assumption on his part. After all, it didn't look like the dragon could get its head through the passageway in the first place...]

I was -- there was a T-Rexaur coming, and I don't fight those, so I ducked in here to hide! Then it went past, and I was charging out to get back into it, and then...

[Her eyes are filling up, because the continuation of that is "I BECAME A MONSTER AND I'M STUCK FOREVEEEEEEEEER"]

[Stress-induced transformation? Fear? Adrenaline? Or is it something else entirely? He frowns a little and adjusts his glasses, considering.]

And what were your thoughts at that time?

I just wanted to go back to beating up grats!

[Well, it's a bit of a dumb idea, but considering the situation, Yukio's willing to suggest it all the same. There's no harm in having her try it at least.]

Have you thought about going back to a human? Calmly, that is.

I've been wishing I was a human again with everything I HAVE!

[Of course, that's not quite the same thing.]

[Yukio's thinking that's not quite the same thing either.]

Wishing seems to imply there's still panic, which is... understandable, but I think you should try calmly thinking about it--emphasis on the calm. Imagine yourself changing back into a human being.

[Whether or not she'll be able to manage calming herself down enough... Well, they can work on that slowly.]

That's kind of asking a lot!

[Talking, instead of panicking, seems to be helping, though.]

It's worth the effort, though, isn't it? If you manage to return to normal.

[He gives her a reassuring smile.]

I'm not even sure how I can...

[There's a whoosh from behind her, which is her wings folding. The dragon shuts its eyes and tries to concentrate very hard, and as calmly as it can.]

[Yukio stands quietly next to her, doing his best not to disturb her concentration. He does, however, reach over to pat her muzzle in what he hopes is a comforting way.]

[The change is sudden and alarming. It seems more that Maria suddenly disappears, but there's a startled yelp from the secret area.]

It WORKED!

[Yukio hurries over to the passageway between the training center and the secret area, a smile spreading across his features as he did so. Admittedly, it had been a bit... bizarre suddenly seeing her change like that, but if it worked, all the better!

In any case, he cups his mouth and yells at Maria.]

Congratulations!

[Oh, good news: her clothes and equipment had changed with her, and changed back with her. So she wasn't awkwardly naked in the middle of the floor.]

[She picks herself up, then looks herself over -- then practically jumps to her feet with a cry of delight.]

I'm human again!

[Now having enough time to walk over, Yukio gives Maria a smile.]

Well, at least you know how to solve that problem now. Of course, I hope it doesn't happen to you again in the first place.

But why did it even happen to begin with....

[Yukio doesn't really have any answer to offer her--nothing solid at least.]

I can only assume time compression is somehow involved.

But I'm from this world! I don't have any strange powers or -- or anything, I'm just a normal human girl...

Did you lose anything at all recently? Or do you feel any different?

Lose anything? No...

[Though she'd lost the ability to Junction, she actually hadn't realized that yet! Without extra abilities or even Junctioned magic, she just hadn't noticed the loss.]