citylogs | ( open ) — july catch-all

[ it's a good fight. for someone not accustomed to this kind of close-range, bare-knuckled brawling, alhaitham definitely holds his own, and by the time they're through heine is starting to feel the effects of it, sweat in his eyes and his limbs dragging a little more than he's used to.

when he feels alhaitham lose his balance, heine pulls back, but lets him take the fall. (learning how to fall is also a part of fighting... right?) after a second for them both to catch their breaths, heine takes a couple steps forward and offers a hand to pull alhaitham back to his feet. ]

Not bad. [ that's high praise from heine, who's almost as stingy with compliments as he is with smiles. ]

[Alhaitham spends a few seconds just starting at the sky as the pain numbs. When Heine offers a hand, he goes ahead and takes it to support him standing to his feet again. He wipes back the sweat on his brow with the edge of his palm.]

You're in excellent form yourself. [Credit where credit is due, Heine can clearly back up his talk.] Thank you, this was a very informative spar.

[He has a much better idea what gaps in his own fighting are when stripped of his sword and vision, and that's something he can begin to work on. Just... later when he isn't so sore.]

[ once alhaitham is standing again, heine lets go and strips off his gloves, shoving them into one back pocket for the time being. he wipes his face with the hem of his tshirt (tshirts being a dime a dozen around here, he has no particular need to keep any of them in good condition) and then stretches out, almost relishing the ache in his shoulders and the few bruises from where alhaitham's fists landed. the one on his jaw is probably already fading, but the one on his ribs feels like it'll be a few more minutes. ]

Glad to help. [ he likes that even though alhaitham was apparently in it for information moreso than the thrill of the fight, he hadn't taken it easy on heine nor expected heine to take it easy on him. ] Must be weird, huh? Not having the...

[ what had alhaitham called it? ]

Plant power.

[ that's not what alhaitham called it, but whatever. ]

[Close enough. We don't need to get into his weird mirror projectiles.

He shrugs--twitching briefly during it, but his expression continues to look straight as ever.] Truthfully it doesn't serve me any good outside of a fight, but it's important to be capable of dealing with any disruptions in life. Including physical altercations.

But I've grown used to having it, so unless it suddenly starts to work again I'm going to need to adapt. I take it there's nothing like that wherever you're from?

Not elemental magic. [ and thank god for that, because if anybody in heine's hometown managed to wrangle control over something like fucking electricity, they'd all be doomed. ]

There's some... life science, biology. Genetic mutations. [ but heine doesn't really count those as powers. ] Mostly developed by rich people funding their perverted habits.

[ good news: the number of animal ears he's seen so far in the city hasn't even pinged on heine's weirdness radar. bad news: the reason is because he's used to dealing with the descendents of fetish mutants who were forcibly cross-bred with animals. ]

Can everybody do it?

"Genetic mutations"? [That sounds like a story, but also in the kind of science that Akademiya dissuades. Not that it even stops all scholars, anyway.

He shakes his head at the follow up, turning slightly to show the Vision on his cape.] Not for humans, anyway. It requires a Vision, which is a blessing from the gods, and very few people receive one.

Yeah. Like... [ he gestures vaguely. ] Mixing genetics. Putting ears or tails on people.

[ or wings, like the ones nill had. her angel wings, although heine knows realistically they were probably a dove or something.

he glances at the ornament alhaitham shows him, expecting it to glow or something. it doesn't, which is disappointing, but at least it's a cool toy. normally heine isn't the type to care enough to ask follow-up questions, but this is far outside the boundaries of what he knows. ]

I guess gods have criteria for that kind of thing.

Ah. [So Tighnari, if he wasn't a natural evolution. It's not terribly common in Teyvat, but yeah. That sure sounds like something the Akademiya would ban.]

They must, but the truth is nobody knows what it is. They don't tend to include an explanation when they give one.

[Or even like, a greeting.] But I wonder where you fit in. Mutated, perhaps?

[ the akademiya definitely hates this one weird trick!

heine nods. ] Sounds about right. [ those with power rarely feel the need to justify their actions to those with less, whether we're talking gods or just folks with too much money.

the question being asked so straightforwardly makes heine blink—he's never had someone call him out so... almost nonchalantly before. (it's weirdly refreshing?) ]

Sort of. But the science experiment kind, not the fetish mutant kind. [ after a second's pause, he reaches up to tap at the back of his neck, over the bandages wrapped around his throat. ] Genetics make me strong and fast, implant makes me heal.

[Alhaitham's gaze follow the gesture, before diverting to a still visible bruise as if he'll watch it disappear in real time.]

Huh. [Willful or not doesn't matter, not really, but he could tell Heine had an edge.] It would make sense to pair those things together.

[So his body could handle the greater exertion he places on it.] How much compared to the average person?

[ if he watched long enough he probably could see it fade in real time. at least it's probably obvious that the worst of the bruising is looking a lot better already, much quicker than it should. ]

Here, or back home? [ because those two situations are very different! but then again, alhaitham is already familiar, presumably, with the limitations of the city, so heine assumes he's probably asking about normal circumstances. ]

I never compared, exactly. [ the scientists that made him undoubtedy had records of his performance in comparison to a baseline, but heine hadn't bothered to take those with him when he ran. ] But a lot, I'd guess.

Is it restricted here? [Now that's interesting. A Vision is bestowed by an outer force, and even in Teyvat being separate from it would inhibit his ability to use dendro. In that way, losing his ability to use it isn't that surprising in Place That Seems Ever Likely Not Teyvat.

Genetic makeup is a lot more deep.

He stares at the waning bruise much longer than is really polite but does, eventually, shift his gaze back to Heine's face proper.] I see.

Yeah, by a lot. I'm still healing fast, but if we were back where I'm from I wouldn't even have bruises. [ in fact, heine can't even remember the last time that he actually had a bruise. normally they're gone by the time he thinks to look.

fortunately for alhaitham, heine isn't really concerned with the limits of propriety anyway, so the staring doesn't bother him. he gestures vaguely to the city. ]

Seems like they at least tried to take all our weapons. [ including the inherent ones. ]

[So fast there's no bruises? That's awfully convenient. He could spare himself the inevitable lecture in his future if he could do the same. Oh well.]

Mm, but people are resourceful. [So they'll find ways to get violent even if you take away their actual weapons and powers.] Though it would be better to not have to, I doubt we'll get that lucky. Do you plan to continue scheduling fights in the future?

[ indeed, the ability to return unscathed from all kinds of altercations had indeed saved heine many a talking-to from those watching at home... except badou, who nagged him regardless. ]

I might. Unless we get our shit back I'm going to need to keep my skills sharp.

[ plus, it's pretty good stress relief! ]

Why, you want to come back for more?

Sure. [Heine's a worthy opponent, invested, and would be an ideal partner for Alhaitham to check his progress against once.] But not for a few weeks.

Fair enough. [ it's probably a good idea for heine to take a break too—he's pushed himself further today than he has in a long time. ] Just let me know, then.

( happy to leave it here unless you had any other ideas! )

I will. See ya. [He half-waves a hand (until he decides the effort isn't worth the strain in his shoulder) as he turns to go.]

((Sounds good!))

( open ) — july catch-all

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