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[hearsthesea]

Who: Shirley
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Huntress
When: April 15 (backdated slightly by a few days!)

[It's been a while since Shirley made a public broadcast, but to anyone who sees her face it's easy to figure out that something happened - she's got a frown on her face and she keeps on glancing down at her hands, which she's wringing occasionally.]

Has anybody ever lost their--abilities? Magic, or fighting, or anything of the sort. I know I was able to use my eres just a little while ago, but I can't anymore. I don't know what happened, I...I just don't know.

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[hearsthesea]

Cullen?

[Wait, they're on the same ship, never mind that.]

Where are you right now?

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[serves]

My quarters. Would you like me to go to you?

video -> action

[hearsthesea]

No, I'll come over myself.

[She ends it there, and she's down in the general bunk area within a few minutes. Shirley opens the hatch leading down to Cullen's room and calls to him.]

Cullen? Is it okay to climb down?

[serves]

It is.

[She'll find is room is plain as the day they got the upgrade, save for a small green plant on a shelf. Everything he owns is neatly out of sight, his cot made and intact despite him sitting on the edge, though he does stand to offer her a seat once she has her feet on the floor.]

Make yourself comfortable.

[hearsthesea]

You don't have to...never mind.

[Not something she wants to debate right now. Shirley sits down, folding her hands in her lap.]

Thank you.

[serves]

[He does sit back down once she's seated.]

What happened? Your... magic is gone?

[hearsthesea]

Yeah. I went to practice in the dome, but when I tried nothing would work.

[Her eyes lower, and her hands in her lap grip a little tighter.]

It wasn't the first time I've gone, but it was the first time I haven't been able to use my eres here.

[serves]

I'm sorry, I'm not--familiar. Eres is... [Like mana, he assumes? Another term for magic?]

[hearsthesea]

They're special abilities that some people have where I come from. They help when you have to fight in battle, and crystal erens like me can use them to keep people's strength up.

[So, magic in her case.]

I wanted to practice after what happened earlier this month, but...

[serves]

It wasn't there? [His voice is gentle--he knows how meaningful magic can be to people.]

[hearsthesea]

Yeah. I don't know why. Nothing strange has happened since the attack, so there isn't any reason I can think of for it to be gone. Unless...

[Well, she's been surprised that they work here at all since the eres come from Nerifes. Although if something's happened to--but, how can she tell? She can't, not from out here.]

No, that's not it. I can think of reasons, but I have no way of knowing if they're true.

[serves]

Unless what? [He leans in a little, his full attention on her. Magic may unsettle him, but he wants to help.]

[hearsthesea]

Eres are blessings given by Nerifes, the sea. I was surprised when I could use them out here at all, but when I could I felt like I was still connected to home. So if I can't use them now, then...if there was a connection, maybe it's gone now.

[There's more than one way that could go, too.]

But I can't know whether that's true unless I could see what was going on at home, and I can't.

[serves]

[Like a connection to the Fade, he likens it.]

Is there anything I can do?

[hearsthesea]

Not unless you can show me my home.

[There's resignation in her statement, because of course that's not going to happen. She's only thought about that kind of thing every day while here.]

[serves]

[She's young, not that much older than Elize. It breaks his heart to see her so resigned, but what can he do but... be right where he is?]

I'm sorry, Shirley. If I could, I would.

[hearsthesea]

No, I wouldn't expect it of anyone. I just wish that I had more answers...even just about my eres.

[If only. Shirley sighs.]

I don't know that any connection to home is the real problem, of course. But if there's some other reason behind this, I can't imagine what it is.

[serves]

What did you primarily use your magic for?

[hearsthesea]

Battle and healing. I haven't had to use it often here, but I wanted to practice.

[serves]

It could just be an unfortunate fluke. Like anything else, I'm sure it's not good to try and force it--give it a rest, for a few days, and then see what happens.

[Like a sprained ankle...]

[hearsthesea]

Maybe, but...

[She sounds pretty doubtful, but Cullen is trying to help her. She doesn't want to throw out his suggestions right off the bat.]

I'll give it a try.

[serves]

In the meantime, if there's anything you need--please don't hesitate to ask.

[hearsthesea]

I will. Thank you.

[And Shirley really does appreciate the support, so she smiles to show her gratitude.]