Natalie thought for a moment before replying. "Vegetarian burgers? Would like a lot of protein, but don't know that I could keep any meat down right now. Same accents and condiments as for a regular hamburger."

Winter nodded to Jade. "Please have some ...gunmandu... sent up for me as well, in her room," she said.

Once in the room, she nodded to Natalie's explanation. "Yes," she said. It didn't work, apparently, but she'd tried. "Actually, I can say this here I suppose. It's chi healing. I'm using my life energy to fortify yours, helping your body heal. I try not to be too obvious about what I can do back home, but around here...well, after jumping between worlds, making traditional medicine work probably doesn't even rate a blip on the weird meter." She sat on the bed next to Natalie. "If you'd like, I'll stay here, have lunch with you and keep you company." Distract her from the headache.

The maid will hand Winter the tray with the covered plate, on which are a dozen gun-mandu. There is a bottle of soy sauce, a small saucer, and a small pot of crushed dried grated chilli. There are also a packet containing a pair of chopsticks.

In reply to Winter Li Mei (msg # 37):

Natalie bobbed her head as Winter explained what she had done. "I'd love to hear more about your traditional practices. They sound far more developed than those of my people." She strode over to the table and took both the tray and a carafe of water back to the bed. She took two of the pills with about a third of the water, pausing only a moment before tucking into the first of the veggie wraps. "Wow, not bad. How's your gunmandu? Kind of looks like what I'd call 'fried dumplings'. "

Winter inclined her head to the maid. [Language unknown: "Anwiwe et."]

Winter nodded thoughtfully as she took a bite of dumpling. "Mmm. And yes, that's the English for them. They're delicious." She thought about Natalie's curiosity for a moment. "Okay. First, remember that I'm heavily oversimplifying everything. I can tell you what I'm doing, and even show some of the practices, but actually understanding it can't be taught, it has to be experienced and cultivated. Even copying the motions perfectly won't let you really feel how the power flows," she explained. She ate a couple more gunmandu before she continued talking.

"So, Chinese Traditional Medicine 101." She inhaled slowly, then exhaled. "Chi is the force of life and breath. It originates in the kidneys, where blood is filtered, and flows through one's body like blood, and is carried on invisible channels called meridians, that flow across the body." She gently touched Natalie's arm, slowly running a finger up it along one meridian, across the side of the arm, then touching the pectoral muscle, stopping short of Natalie's breast. "And as it moves through the body and organs, it changes in a variety of reactions, and we refer to its forms as the five elements, each expressing in a yin and a yang form. The goal of medicine is to keep the body's elements in a balance. It's meant to be a whole-life approach, like all good medicine. Appropriate diet and exercise. Meditation and breathing exercises, and I can teach you some of those after lunch if you like. How you decorate your home to help chi flow harmoniously - we call that feng shui. A sex life appropriate to your nature. And now, the part about acupressure."

She sighed. "I've come to discover that most of the external medical practices are actually worse than useless, if you don't have the inner understanding. So, big fat disclaimer, don't try this at home. But anyway, the medical side is for patch jobs. When you're injured or sick, basically." She began pushing slowly on a couple of points. "The outer method is supposed to control the flow of chi so that your elements react more harmoniously. The most common method is acupuncture, where sterile needles of the appropriate metal are inserted into the appropriate points. But at the level of any real practitioner, the needles are not needed. Instead, I just massage the appropriate points...and usually I hide the blows in a more conventional massage, because it's more enjoyable and has a pain-relieving power of its own. But by striking the appropriate spots, and focusing my chi into them, what I essentially have is magic healing hands. Chi can be used for other techniques too, as anyone who's seen a bad martial arts flick can tell you, but that's probably the most useful of all."

She returned her attention to the gunmandu. "How's the pain?" she asked.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:51, Fri 22 July 2022.

Natalie nodded, listening to Winter with interest. "Balance, yes. My people recognize four elements, aligned with the four cardinal directions, the four seasons, the four sacred medicines, the four winds, the four breaths, the four spirit guardians. There's a tool we use — the medicine wheel — which serves as both a calendar and a map of the spirit world." She shrugged at the question. "Better, though it's too soon for the medication to have kicked in."

Winter listened with equal interest. "I imagine that a lot of principles are the same for every culture. We're all humans, after all...well, some of our group are other animals, but you get the point. Though four's an unlucky number in China." She smiled and finished her food. "Don't tell me, five is unlucky among your people?" she joked. It would be an odd coincidence, but she doubted it.

"Aside from this Trump thing, have you been settling in well? Everything's going so fast and there's so much to absorb at once, and then we have to go to the balls." Winter chuckled. "Apparently it's a matter of status with Cordelia's family rather than just going out and having fun with friends. Way too much like home for my taste. Are these things more relaxed among your people?" She chuckled and covered her mouth. "Sorry. If I start annoying you with my curiosity, just tell me to stop. I just find other cultures very interesting."

Natalie chewed and swallowed her food before answering. "Balls in the European sense are not a thing among my people, but we do have formal events where everyone dresses in their traditional finery," she explained. "Mine was such a small high school that we often combined things like dances and proms with other schools in the region. My hometown has fewer than eight hundred residents." She laughed then. "Oh dear... four is the most sacred number among my people. I don't recall any being considered unlucky. There are other unfortunate omens, however. Owls are widely seen as portents of death, for example, but I happen to think they are lovely animals."

Winter nodded as she tried to take that in. "Ah. I grew up in Shenzhen, which is a city piled on top of other cities. And we didn't have official dances unless they were part of a specific educational program. China doesn't believe in leisure time for students." She giggled. "I'm kind of jealous, you know. You could have time for yourself without having to steal it." Then she smiled at the mention of owls. "Oh, they're the best animals to be unlucky, because they don't give a hoot." She made a face at her own pun.

"You want to be my date for the balls?" Winter asked abruptly.

Natalie halfway smirked at the pun but was caught off-guard by Winter's request. "Sure. Easier to fend off potential suitors when paired up," she answered after brief consideration. "Both in gowns, both in tuxedos, or one in each?"

Winter nodded. "Perfect. We give each other the first and the last dance, and we won't have to hit some boy who thinks we're on the market. Probably." She nodded agreeably. At the question, she paused in thought for a moment. "Hm. I'm planning on wearing a qipao to the first ball and a dress to the second. I think you'd look cute in either...maybe a tux to the first, and another dress to the second?" she offered. "Ah, did you want to try matching dresses for that one?"

Natalie bobbed her head in agreement. "Matching dresses would be fun for the second ball. I may have to do some serious forechecking to keep the menfolk from you in a qipao." She sighed and rested her chin on her fist. "Most of my people's traditional attire is ceremonial, I'm not sure it would fit in at a formal occasion. I wonder if the first ball is black-tie or white-tie." She called out to the AI. "Zou Yan, do you know the dress codes for the two balls?"

"The dress codes for both balls are approximately the same, dresses for the Ladies, and Tuxedos or Dress Uniform for the Gentlemen. Ladies who hold significant Military rank may also opt for Dress Uniform.
The major difference between the two is the invited Guest list.
The Mizzurian Ball which is the first of the two balls, and will take place at the Exhibition Centre, is for Mizzurian Staff, VIP Guests including all the You-Tubers and Streamers who are providing all the promo material, and significant Journalists and Editors.
The second ball which takes place here, is for Family, local dignitaries from both local towns including Government Officials and Merchants, as well as local Mizzurian employees. There is expected to be some cross over between the two."

"Oh, my heroine," said Winter in a verbal imitation of a swoon. "I'm afraid my knowledge of Native Americans starts and ends with Pocahontas, so I can't help much there."

After listening to Zou Yan, she mused and looked at Natalie. "I could wear my dress greens, but I hear that the People's Liberation Army isn't as well-regarded on other worlds as it is on mine. Of course, if the Maoists were still in power, I wouldn't have a very good opinion of the Army either."

Natalie laughed. "And my knowledge of the Chinese starts with National Geographic and Mulan, and ends with Big Trouble In Little China. Thanks the spirits for amateur radio enthusiasts, though." She briefly elaborated. "The only reason folks in my part of the world know a damn thing about how the Troubles affected other parts is due to ham radio operators around the globe. Them and the Civil Air Patrol."

Winter nodded, grinning. "Just don't make a man out of me and you'll be fine," she said. She paused. "So your world was hit pretty bad?" she asked. "Mine...well, after our 2004 Incident, there's been more contact between America and China, not less. When we learned that there's something out there, the whole world went all X-Com."

"How's the head?" She smiled. "I probably should head back to my room to stare at the walls some more. Ms. Chan says that's important." She chuckled and rolled her eyes. All this magic. "Should I come by at dinnertime to make sure you're okay?"

Natalie bobbed her head. "Yes, the pain has receded enough that I might even be able to concentrate on that little exercise myself." She laughed again. "It's not all that different from what I do when painting. An extremely intense focus on imbuing my work with a kind of... reality. Substance."

Winter nodded and rose to her feet. "I'll see you for dinner, then." She bowed to Natalie. "Until then, be well."

And she headed back to her room to look at the walls some more, memorizing the room's anything-but-unique character and the feng shui around and through it.

Natalie seated herself on the floor in the center of her room, legs folded beneath her and hands resting on her knees, her body facing to the east. As she focused her attention on the elements of each quadrant of the room in turn, she recited an age-old prayer she had spoken each day for as long as she could remember:

"Great Spirit Who Comes Out Of The East, come to us with the power of the East. We are thankful for the light of the rising sun. Let there be light on the path we walk. Let us remember always to be thankful that You give the gift of a new day.

"Spirit Of Creation, we turn to the south. We are thankful for sending us warm and soothing winds from the South to comfort us and caress us when we are tired and cold. Unfold us as your gentle breezes unfold the leaves on the trees. And as You give to all the earth your warm moving wind, give to us warmth that we remember to be grateful so that we may grow close to You.

"Great Life-Giving Spirit, we face the West, the direction of sundown. Let us remember every day that the moment will come when our sun will go down. Never let us forget that we must fade into you. Give us beautiful color; give us a great sky for setting, so that when it is time to meet you we come with glory.

"Great Spirit Of Love, come to us with the power of the North. Make us courageous when the cold winds of life fall upon us. Give us strength and endurance for everything that is harsh, everything that hurts, everything that makes us squint. Let us move through life ready to take what comes from the North.

"Great Spirit Of The Sky, lift us up to You that our hearts may worship You and come to You in glory. Hold in our memory that You are the Creator, greater than we, eager for our good life. Let everything that is in the world lift our minds and our hearts and our lives to You, so that we may come to You always in truth and in heart.

"Giver Of All Life, we pray to you from the Earth. Help us to remember as we touch the earth that we are little and need your pity. Help us to be thankful for the gift of the earth and never to walk hurtfully on the world. Bless us with eyes to love what comes from Mother Earth and teach us how to use well Your gifts.

"Mii-we. Amen."

After an aftenoon of memorizing her room, Winter dressed for dinner. For tonight, she'd use her Jill cosplay; she was saving the fancy stuff for the balls. Besides, tonight she wanted to look attractive.

She headed down the hall to knock on Natalie's door. "Natalie? It's Winter. Came to check on you and get you for dinner."

Natalie greeted Winter at the door wearing a pale-blue collarless long-sleeved shirt blazoned with a logo, black denim jeans, and fringeless knee-high moccasins the same color as her shirt.  Her long straight hair hung loose in contrast to its earlier braiding. "I'm ready. Migraine is mostly tolerable, but I took another dose of meds about an hour ago. I've another dose in my pocket for later too, so I won't have to bother Taurean."

Winter nodded to Natalie. "You look great. Shall we?" And she offered her arm a little boldly to the other woman.

Natalie smiled and took the proffered arm. "You look pretty terrific yourself. Let's."

<TO: The main thread>