Second Floor Common Room, Wednesday Morning

[fewer_explosions]

Liara had discovered the television that morning. While it was depressingly backwards technology, it did provide mental stimulation. She hadn't had to search far to find a documentary on Earth archaeology that captured her attention, even if it did not seem to be mentioning anything about the Protheans (to her great disappointment).

But after an hour or two of being engaged by that, she was quickly beginning to grow hungry. And that meant... choices.

Choices she still hadn't fully mastered.

So anyone coming downstairs into the second floor common room this morning was going to be confronted with the sight of an asari poking her head into every possible cabinet, closet, and even nook in the room-- while someone on TV blathered on about excavating urns.

[[ open! ]]

Comments

[solarhippie]

Karolina chewed on her bottom lip as she considered that. "Not really. I mean, it didn't really feel like anything? I just... were. Still, I kinda prefer being hu-- uh, regular-sized."

[fewer_explosions]

"I can only imagine," Liara said, her fingers twitching against her arm like they were looking for something to fiddle with. "I've heard about these transformations. I suppose... not being able to think while you are transformed could be a blessing."

[solarhippie]

"It's not that bad, being able to think while you're transformed, either," Karolina replied, shrugging again. She was doing that a lot. "I mean, I was a pony once."

A colorful, sparkling pony. Yes.

"And that was fine. Kind of."

[fewer_explosions]

"I... wouldn't know," Liara admitted. "It just seems like a very strange experience."

[solarhippie]

"Oh, it is," Karolina nodded. "I couldn't turn my powers off ––" Oh right, she probably hadn't mentioned she had powers before. "–– and that was just about the least weird thing. But you know, it just could have been way worse."

[fewer_explosions]

"You were having trouble with your muscle reflexes," Liara said, nodding. (Maybe not those powers, Liara.) "That makes sense. You would have had several different muscle groups than you are used to."

[solarhippie]

Karolina blinked.

Then she got it. "Oh, uh, yeah, I guess that was true, too." Because four legs and all that stuff. "But I meant my, um. Super powers?"

Was that a reference that was going to right over Liara's head? She'd worry about that in a moment.

[fewer_explosions]

"...Your super powers?" Liara asked. "I'm sorry. I don't understand."

She had been talking about biotics, right?

[solarhippie]

"You know," Karolina said, even though she was pretty sure Liara really really didn't, "like... flying?"

[fewer_explosions]

"It's commendable that you have mastered biotic flight at such a young age," Liara said, blinking rapidly, "But that was what I had been discussing."

[solarhippie]

"... Biotic flight?"

Time for Karolina to look confused.

[fewer_explosions]

"I know it is a very particular field within biotics," Liara said, smiling in what she hoped was an encouraging way. "I haven't attempted it yet myself. My pull still needs work, and I'm afraid that if I tried anything more difficult I would fly myself into a wall. Or worse."

[solarhippie]

"Ohh." Well, now Karolina was both curious and convinced this wasn't really the same thing. "It's not really like that. I mean when I found out I could do it I did kinda almost smack into a few walls, but it wasn't like I had to practice hard at it. It's just... like an inherent skill."

[fewer_explosions]

"Biotics come naturally to my people," Liara offered. "But we still have to work at it to perform feats like that."

[solarhippie]

"What does that mean, biotics?" Karolina wondered, tilting her head. "All I'm thinking of is antibiotics."

[fewer_explosions]

Liara frowned. It was... strange, to keep having to explain this. "Biotics allow us to influence mass, and gravity because of it," she said. "We can generate dark energy, which decreases or increases mass as we see fit. But in order to control it, we have to train particular muscle groups to generate particular effects."

[solarhippie]

"Oh." That was... really scientific. "I think I like my way better."

No offence!

[fewer_explosions]

Blame Liara's canon having pretentions of hard sci-fi.

"It is not really about liking a way," Liara said with earnest sincerity, "It's genetics, isn't it?"