Earlier, on the northern polar continent...
[So...you've decided to encroach on my domain, you worthless lizard. In that case...PAY WITH YOUR LIFE!]
Nina registers the blue beam of destructive energy, barreling towards her like imminent death incarnate, and she feels her blood run cold.
Without a second's hesitation, she abandons her dragon form in a pillar of light. Her human form emerges, immediately plagued by a bitter, biting cold, but she ignores the discomfort. Instead, she uses the gravity magic she's acquired from Bonding with Mizuki to accelerate herself towards the ground as abruptly as possible.
As if pulled on a string, she's yanked downward violently, her smaller frame and quick maneuvering just barely allowing her to avoid the touch of the blue death beam. In the blink of an eye, the ground is rushing up to meet her, and she frantically tries to slow her descent with gravity magic.
She's only partly successful.
"GAH!" (Nina)
She slams into the ice below, winded and bruised, but not severely injured. She hurriedly climbs to her feet, her gaze fixed on the horizon with a rare, murderous expression.
[Did the cold and isolation finally damage your brain, you psychotic snow lizard!? Check who you're shooting at first, Ciri!] (Nina)
The very air seems to still for a moment, then...
[Nina? Sorry, I thought you were Veyron. What are you doing here?] (Ciri)
Realizing she won't be shot at anymore, Nina lets out an exasperated sigh.
[Not now, let's talk when I'm not freezing to death. I'm making my way to you...show some remorse and have one of your little shelters ready.] (Nina)
Nina feels the telepathic equivalent of a shrug.
[I already have one...I'll start a fire. See you soon.] (Ciri)
With that, Nina shakes her head. Then, she starts trudging through the snow towards Ciri's nigh-immortal presence. After about ten minutes of frustrating cold and biting winds, she spots a large, dome-shaped structure made of ice. If Mizuki were with her, he would identify it as a kind of igloo, just ten times larger than it has any right to be.
Nina spots a large, wooden door on one of its faces, and a small protrusion from its roof that's billowing out smoke. She raises her eyebrows at the sight.
'This is unexpected...permanent. She's never had a fireplace before, and she can't create wood with her magic. Where's this coming from?'
As she approaches the mega-igloo's entrance, the door swings open. A breathtakingly beautiful woman appearing in her early 20s emerges, cloaked in nothing but a long, white dress that hugs her throat-constricting figure. She has skin as white as snow, long, pale blue hair, and rich, blue eyes that seem to shine like sapphires in the low-light environment of the tundra.
The woman tilts her head, her cold, regal air warming slightly as her mouth curves faintly upward. The facial movement seems somewhat awkward, like she's not used to attempting it. She speaks, her voice like chimes carried on the wind.
"Nina...it's been a while. Please come in." (Ciri)
Without even slowing down, Nina walks past her and into the igloo with a stiff nod, still annoyed about the dangerous reception.
"Ciri..." (Nina)
Inside, Nina is met by a glorious burst of warm air, and the sound of crackling fire. Underneath her feet is something that looks like ice but feels nothing like it – not cold, not slippery, but akin to polished wood. She looks around, surveying the igloo's interior. It's basic – a bed, a table with a few chairs, a fireplace, and a bathtub, all in open view of one another.
However, that's practically luxury accommodations compared to what Nina was expecting – Ciri would have had to manually craft or purchase all of these items, either of which involves her leaving the ice continent. Nina glances at Ciri over her shoulder, her expression bewildered.
"Ciri, where did you get all of this stuff?" (Nina)
Ciri raises her eyebrows, then studies each of the items with a thoughtful hum.
"Hmm...the structure itself is made with my magic. The fireplace and chimney are made from some of Veyron's scales, the ones left behind after the last time I beat him senseless. The rest are things that I acquired in human territory, then carried back here." (Ciri)
Nina's eyes widen, her voice rising an octave.
"What human territory!? Since when do you leave the ice continent!? Or care about...items!?" (Nina)
Ciri shrugs, walking past Nina and taking a seat in front of the fire.
"I think it's called the Freden Kingdom? Anyway, did you expect me to just remain the same after dozens of millennia? I'm learning...experiencing. Some of these items bring me pleasure, and I can't possess them without leaving my home. Besides, you know that I've always enjoyed this form, and observing humans from time to time is...informative." (Ciri)
Nina gawks at Ciri, who is just staring into the crackling fire thoughtfully. She shakes her head, moving to sit beside Ciri by the fire. As a wave of heat washes over her body, relaxing her muscles, she lets out an involuntary groan.
"Ughh...warm at last..." (Nina)
A faint but genuine smile flickers across Ciri's face.
"Mmm...yes, this is one of the things I enjoy. It's...nice." (Ciri)
They fall into a comfortable silence for several moments. Then, suddenly, Ciri's gaze snaps towards her, her expression a mix of surprise and heightened interest.
"Your presence...scent...you're different. Stronger. Much stronger, and...Bonded?" (Ciri)
For the first time since arriving, Nina feels a rush of satisfaction. She turns to face the now much more alert-looking Ciri, smirking. She speaks, her voice coy.
"Fufufu...oh, you noticed, hmm? You're correct. Bonding has been very...gratifying." (Nina)
Ciri's indifferent expression cracks more, her eyes gaining a certain intensity as she leans towards Nina, who has to avoid rolling her eyes.
'I know that look...how typical of her. She heard I'm Bonded and she's not even giving the identity of my mate a second thought. All she heard, all she cares about...is that I'm stronger.'
Of course, not only does Nina not mind Ciri's predictable fixation, she's grateful for it. She doesn't want Ciri to find out about Mizuki today, ideally. If she's lucky, Ciri will never care to clarify who her mate is, despite the limited number of Elder Dragons on Azura.
Ciri speaks, her voice low. Insistent.
"How strong are you now?" (Ciri)
Nina feels a flicker of apprehension at the potentially dangerous question, but...she also feels a delayed surge of pride. Too much pride to lie. She spent over a hundred thousand years being the weakling, the one at the mercy of the others, the runt of the dragons. But now she's strong, and she won't let anyone look down on her. Her eyes harden, her voice almost haughty.
"Strong enough that I beat Veyron into a pathetic mess." (Nina)
Surprise flickers in Ciri's eyes. Then...silence, as Nina feels Ciri's eyes probing her. Eventually, Ciri leans in, her face centimeters from Nina's, her voice low...obsessive.
"Fight me." (Ciri)
No justification, no plea...just a statement. Nina, however, gives her a deadpan glare, unmoved.
"I'm not here to fight you, Ciri. Besides, I'm not sure that I'm strong enough to give you what you want, even after my Bond. My strength has blossomed beyond reason, but the gap between us was wide to begin with." (Nina)
That's the truth. Her magic power alone is fifty to a hundred times higher after her Bond with Mizuki. An unprecedented upgrade. Plus, there's her unique gravity magic – she's incomparable to before. And yet, when she thinks about her fight with Veyron, she still doesn't think she crushed him as easily as Ciri has in the past. The woman is just a monster, even among Elder Dragons.
'Plus, Mizuki already doesn't know that I'm here...visiting her. The realization I've been with the most powerful Elder Dragon on the planet, alone, will make him worry. He won't be too mad when he learns it's just a friendly visit, with someone who won't kill me. If her and I have one of her stupid play fights, though...'
As much as a small part of her wants to test herself against Ciri, it can't be now.
Ciri stares at her for several moments, blatantly conflicted about how to respond. Nina's sure that Ciri just attacking her to force a fight isn't out of the question. Thankfully, Ciri relaxes slightly after a moment, reluctantly facing the fire again. She responds, her voice lower. Disappointed.
"Very well...why are you here, then?" (Ciri)
Nina breathes an internal sigh of relief, before the discomfort of the impending conversation sets in.
"I need...advice." (Nina)
The faintest flicker of interest re-emerges in Ciri's eyes. She tilts her head, glancing at Nina.
"Unexpected...what about?" (Ciri)
Nina bites her lip, her words and voice measured.
"I have been spending a lot of time...in my human form, lately. Almost constantly, for over a month now. And it's starting to...affect me. Since you've lived like this for so long, I thought you might understand. Be able to help me." (Nina)
Understanding gleams in Ciri's eyes, her lips twisting into the faintest of knowing smirks.
"So...one of you finally realized. Sensations are...overwhelming, right? You can't control your impulses, and your thoughts and feelings, they are not as simple as you are used to?" (Ciri)
Nina's eyes widen, her voice becoming hopeful.
"Yes! So, you know! How do I fix it!?" (Nina)
Ciri chuckles, brief but genuine, then grins wryly at her.
"That's the fun part...you don't." (Ciri)
Nina freezes.
"What? But...you've spent dozens of millennia mostly in this form! You have to know something! You need to tell me before this body drives me insane!" (Nina)
Ciri scoffs.
"Yes...here. Isolated, where it's easy to limit my stimuli. Now you know one of the reasons why. There's nothing to fix, Nina, this form isn't broken. The humans of this world live with it just fine, for far longer than you have. We can, too, it just takes time. That's why I've been slowly increasing the comforts of my nest, growing accustomed to the senses of this form without overwhelming my sense of self." (Ciri)
Realization dawns on Nina, but she doesn't want to accept the implications. Her voice raises slightly, resistant.
"No, Miz-...I mean, I've talked to humans and elves – they aren't cursed with these issues!" (Nina)
Ciri smirks, staring into the fire, her voice becoming almost self-deprecating.
"This is exactly how the humans sense the world, Nina...it's just normal for them. They quickly learn to live with it, to embrace it, and...to take it for granted more than they should." (Ciri)
Ciri turns to look at her, her eyes holding a rare intensity.
"You've got it backwards, Nina. Our dragon form is the curse, not this one. Our ability to reclaim human bodies – it's a blessing. Have you considered why it feels so much...more?" (Ciri)
Nina opens her mouth, stunned, then closes it. She shakes her head. Ciri nods, returning her gaze to the fire, and her eyes seem to drift far away as her voice softens.
"Well, I have...and I figured it out a long time ago. Our dragon form is missing something...that god did more than grant our ancestors power, he dulled their existences in exchange. Any part of us that could feel was crippled – senses that could be used for pleasure, bodily needs that could be enjoyed – he bolstered everything functional and suppressed anything he thought could be a weakness. Remade us in his ideal image.
"Don't ever forget what the gods are, Nina – beings who only see purpose and value in terms of function and persistence. If it doesn't do more, exist longer...it doesn't matter. And I think that's exactly how the god viewed human feelings. Something capable of making beings want to shorten their own lives, if they existed too long. So, he tried to suppress them...so we'd endure our new lifespans, never knowing what we lost." (Ciri)