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Ever since I can remember, the <<textbox "$lname" "">> family name always meant something...contentious, self-righteous and even...painful, to me.
Which is funny because it's //my// name, too. Or it was. I usually go around introducing myself by my first name alone nowadays and wait for people to ask for my last before deftly deflecting the question.
After all, my first name is good enough for them to know me by, right?
<<textbox "$fname" "">> is a good, solid first name. So screw my last name.
Or that's what I thought before I discovered I could go by my mother's //maiden// name. Which is just, so much better because that's also the name my grandmother goes by.
<<textbox "$mname" "">> is just so much better, so much more pleasing to my ear.
Still a habit to avoid giving my last name at all anymore, but at least now I can give something that doesn't at all connect me to...//them//.
"Lovebug, what are you doing?" My grandmother's voice jolts me out of my reverie.
I look up from the book I was reading, about...
[[Self Defense for Drained Wix|Specialty][$combat += 1]]
[[Aura Shield Conceptualization|Specialty][$aura += 1]]
[[Theoretical Aura Healing Techniques|Specialty][$arcane += 1]]
[[Rare Herbs and How to Use Them|Specialty][$herbal += 1]]<<set $combat to 0>>
<<set $aura to 0>>
<<set $arcane to 0>>
<<set $herbal to 0>><<if $combat == 1>>
Seeing as I don't have a familiar yet, I can't use magic. And it's always good to know how to defend yourself. Especially for the times when your familiar is too drained to produce any more power.
But it's //especially// helpful to Wix like me who don't have a familiar at all, yet.
I mean, it's not like I have to protect myself from much. My neighborhood's not dangerous and we have the Crusaders around to keep us from having any kind of catastrophic accidents.
<<elseif $aura == 1>>
I've been learning to create Aura shields, among other things, in my dreams. It's always a good idea to have as much information packed into your brain about it as possible so that when you sleep, you might remember it.
For someone like me, without a familiar, dream walking is the only practice with magic I get. And I'm...not very advanced at that either. Without the power from a familiar, it's just...
It's like a non-wix lucid dreaming. Which is basically what I am right now.
<<elseif $arcane == 1>>
Which I'm studying because I can't get any practice with the real thing until I get a familiar.
So far as I've heard, working magic without a familiar is impossible, though I've tried. Nothing ever came of it, so I guess everyone is right about that.
I can learn what goes into it though, and that's the important thing. Aura Healing is all about intention, imagination and finessing the power. Once I //get// the power I can practice that last part...
<<elseif $herbal == 1>>
Grandma's been teaching me herbalism since I first came to live with her-- it's one of her specialties but also, you've gotta know the basics to begin with to even qualify for the Familiar Bonding Ceremony.
I can't wait for the day it's me and my familiar puttering around making mixes and brews together with magic. All by myself.
Not that I don't love my Grandma, but...
<</if>>
"Studying so much won't make you any more prepared for the Ceremony than you already are," she says with a sigh as she pats the closed book cover on the tabletop before me. "You took the exam, you're ready to have a familiar."
"I just like to study," I reply with some embarrassment.
I'm years behind everyone else getting their familiars. They're all getting them at sixteen. I'm in my mid-twenties!
Which isn't unprecedented, but it's certainly irregular.
"Well if you like it so much, then recite the Class system for me," she says.
I groan. "I didn't say I wanted to study //that//."
She quirks a brow at me and waits patiently for me to begin.
Ugh. I've done this like a million times, but whatever.
[[Continue|Recitation]]"Wix classes fall into three categories: Physical Mastery, Metaphysical Mastery and Balanced Mastery." I begin. "The Three classes of magic are Benevolent, Malevolent and Chaotic."
"Now expand on those classes for me," she nods.
She's trying to torture me, right? This stuff is so drilled into my brain I could talk about it in my sleep.
"Physical Mastery pertains to magic that is performed with a physical anchor. Such as Herbalism and Martial Arts that are enhanced with magical energy." I //could// let my mind wander while doing this, but the last time that happened, I ended up mixing up what I was supposed to say and.
Well, I don't want Grandma to remember the strawberry banana rabbit incidient and start poking me about it again. She'd just gotten bored of it! I'm not giving her new ammunition.
"Metaphysical Mastery is the realm of the entirely magical, with no physical anchors, bounds or tools whatsoever. Such as Aura combat, Aura healing and Dreamwalking." There's more of each, but I know she'll let me off the hook with just a couple examples. Or at least I hope so.
I'm not sitting here and listing them all. We'll be here all day.
"And Balanced Mastery is the practice of learning one or more skills of either of the other classes in order to balance your Metaphysical and Physical Mastery together."
[[Continue|Recitation 2]]"Next, the Magical classes," she says, perching on the seat next to me and smiling.
Sighing and rolling my eyes, I lean my head in my hand, elbow on the tabletop next to my book.
"Benevolent magic is that which is helpful. Malevolent magic is that which is harmful and Chaotic magic is that which is uncontrollable and unpredictable." It's an old saying in an old language that's been translated a dozen times.
"Healing, Hurting and Nature gone wild." I summarize before slumping on the table. "No more, please!"
Grandma chuckles and rubs my shoulders. "No more studying until the Ceremony tonight. You'll work yourself into an attack and then we'll have to come home early. And do it all over again."
Sighing, I decide that my Grandma is right. After all...taking some time to relax before the biggest decision of my life could only be good for me, right?
"So, what do you want to do?" she smiles. "We can do anything you want, just to have fun and loosen up."
[["Can I play with your hair?"|Bonding Time][$hairbond to true]]
[["Can I watch you work on something?"|Bonding Time][$workbond to true]]
[["Can we cook something together?"|Bonding Time][$cookbond to true]]<<if $hairbond>>
If we're going to do something relaxing to pass the time, I can think of nothing better than trying out some new braiding techniques I learned from FactScreen videos online.
I've even learned some ancient and sci-fi-ish styles that I've been dying to try out!
I'm just...terrible at doing it on myself if I don't already know it backwards and forwards so practicing on Grandma is helpful for that.
And this is how we usually spend a quiet night together, just...sitting around, doing each others' hair, maybe talking about stuff.
<<elseif $workbond>>
She'd probably say no if she didn't know this is just how I am. Learning in passive ways instead of active ones will engage my brain enough that I don't let it wander into paranoid territory while still leaving me loose and relaxed.
We work often together when I'm feeling anxious or overburdened, because Grandma knows that works for me.
So even though she wants me to stop working, she knows that's...not really realistic. Which I love her for.
I love her for a lot of things, but just understanding me is the biggest one.
<<elseif $cookbond>>
Trying out new recipes or learning old ones is one of my favorite pastimes.
Grandma taught me how to make hard tack and other kinds of foods that were used to sustain soldiers and warriors from way back in the day. She's constantly experimenting with those old recipes to make them new again.
Me personally I prefer today's food with a twist. I could find a recipe online right now we could tweak on the fly in the kitchen.
<</if>>
"Of course we can," she grins. "You know I love doing that with you."
So we begin our own ritual of relaxation as I abandon my book on the tabletop-- and I thank every god and minor spiritual entity that's ever been conceived of for the fact that I live with my grandmother.
I used to live with my parents but...well.
I'm just glad I //don't// anymore.
[[Continue|Preparations]]In the end, you can't stop a worrier from worrying, but you //can// make it harder for them to focus on worrying by giving them something to do.
Something my grandmother knows very well and uses to her advantage when pulling me out of a slump or a frenzied activity I haven't quit since six in the morning when it's late into the night.
I always forget sleep. It's not as though my body doesn't drag and I don't get clumsy or all the other things people feel when we get tired, but it's just...so usual to me that I miss it. Like a paper airplane flying right over your head, just brushing over your hair before loop-de-looping out the window.
Hello Insomnia, my old friend.
"Now why don't you tell me what you're expecting," my grandmother starts off the conversation. Unexpectedly delving right into my insecurities.
Grandma isn't one to shy away from problems, I'd just assumed we were avoiding talking this out.
<<if $hairbond>>
I try to get my thoughts in order as I brush through her long, silvery hair-- wondering how I can put into words exactly how much I //don't know// about what to expect and how that's fucking me up.
<<elseif $workbond>>
Trying to organize my thoughts while also handing Grandma the right vials and jars at the right time for her to mix up a regular old sleeping draught is difficult but not impossible. It's not like I don't have experience multitasking...I just have no idea what to say.
<<elseif $cookbond>>
Getting my brain to work in the background while cooking is easy enough, but the subject matter causes my thought process to stall. After all, I know almost nothing about what to expect.
<</if>>
"What do you mean?" How do I even say what I think, how I feel?
"From your Familiar? From the Bonding? What do you expect?" she asks.
Clearing up absolutely nothing.
[[Continue|Preparations 2]]"I don't know, Grandma. Everyone talks about Familiars like pets and power repositories, but they don't talk about what they're //like//. I mean, they're baby Aetherials, right?" Gesturing with one of my hands and then immediately regretting it, I try to keep my hands still. "So is it like raising a child or like having a puppy or kitten? Why aren't adult Aetherials around except at gatherings or with older Wixes like you?"
"That's quite a few questions," Grandma observes. "Have I not already answered them, in one way or another?"
"I don't understand why Aetherials are sufficiently dangerous enough to keep away but babies are perfectly fine, or why adult Familiars are alright-- if they're dangerous why keep them around and if they're not, why keep them away?" None of it has ever made sense to me.
"It's simply how things are done," she responds. As she always does. "Eventually you get used to it. There are reasons things are the way they are."
"Yeah but do you even know the reasons?" I ask.
It's a point of contention between us that Grandma is always so accepting of the way things are, even though she's not, really-- and that I'm vocally for or against things that everyone else is seemingly in agreement about.
"I don't need to know. I would rather live in ignorance than be enlightened by some catastrophe coming down on my head just as we change our ways, assuming something different //must// be better," she replies.
Says the Wix who goes to secret swap meets under the Crusader's noses to buy and sell rare and illegal ingredients, spellwork and potions.
[[Continue|Preparations 3]]Deciding to be gracious and not mention that, I prod her for more information.
"Why haven't I been around your familiar more?" I ask while focusing on the task at hand but paying as much attention as I can to her response without fucking up. "I feel like I never get to see Honeybee."
"Honeybee is a grown Aetherial and you are without a familiar," she says. "As much as I love my familiar and care for them like they were my own..." There's a pause. "They are not. They are Aetherial. We must never forget what they are. Therein lies danger like you couldn't believe or understand."
I know all the stories. About water Aetherials drowning people out at sea, or the blood Aetherials draining people dry.
Incubi and Succubi feeding on someone's life force until they're completely out of it.
Even the most benevolent types of Aetherials have some black sheep in their 'families'.
"But then why do we keep them?" I insist.
"We must keep everything in balance and protect ourselves from their greater threat," she recites. "Just as we have always done. Now, I believe you may have..."
I squeak, upon realizing my mistake and immediately move to correct it.
That'll teach me to try and hold a complex conversation while working with my hands...
[[Continue|Preparations 4]]<<if $hairbond>>
Quickly untangling the strands that I'd braided together without meaning to, I re-do that section of Grandma's hair. It's so long and lustrous and shiny, I always want to do it justice.
<<elseif $workbond>>
Putting back the powdered mushrooms that I'd grabbed instead of the shredded bark I was //supposed// to grab-- I retrieve the correct ingredient and hand it to my grandmother, grateful that she's more observant than I am.
<<elseif $cookbond>>
Tossing the cinnamon sugar shaker back into the cabinet, I grab the pepper shaker and correctly season the eggs and bacon in the skillet. That was a little too close for comfort, I hate wasting food so Grandma just saved me from eating the sweetest, most cinnamon-y eggs and bacon ever.
...come to think of it maybe I should try that on purpose some time. Just to see what it tastes like.
<</if>>
"Regardless," Grandma changes the subject. "I want to know what you're hoping to do with your magic, when you've finally mastered your control."
"I..." That's a difficult question to answer. "Everything? I mean, I've never had magic and the most I've ever experienced has been seeing other people doing magic so to experience it all first hand-!"
"I meant your focus, lovebug," she chuckles. "What class of magic calls to you?"
[["Physical."|Classes][$phys to true]]
[["Metaphysical."|Classes][$metaphys to true]]
[["Balanced."|Classes][$bal to true]]<<if $phys>>
"Physical seems like it's the way to go. I mean, all that magic makes logical sense. Channel energy into your body, use ingredients like any other recipe...simple and easy to do." To be honest, I can't wait to learn the martial arts that wix's are taught when they get their familiars.
All defensive arts but still, a way to channel magic through every inch of your body and control its functions to a point? That's seriously cool!
<<elseif $metaphys>>
"I like the idea of Metaphysical magic. Dreamwalking and aura healing, learning fine control of your aura in general...That's what being a wix is all about, isn't it? Controlling the metaphysical aspects of our reality?"
Connecting with Aetherials on a deeper level and learning all their secrets sounds especially attractive, to me.
<<elseif $bal>>
"I don't think choosing any particular type of magic is wise when I haven't experienced them fully yet. And anyway, balancing the physical and metaphysical is kind of supposed to be the whole point, isn't it?"
Honestly I can't see any benefits to limiting myself one way or another.
<</if>>
"Well I suppose, if you're sure," she smiles. "Now hurry up and finish so we can get you ready for the ceremony."
"Am I dressing up for this?" I ask.
"If you like," she responds. "What do you wish to wear?"
[[Dark clothing accented with rich colors in leather and silk.|Ensembles][$goth to true]]
[[Bright pastels in a cute style made with cotton.|Ensembles][$prep to true]]
[[Something sporty and comfortable. Maybe some flannel?|Ensembles][$jock to true]]<<if $goth>>
I prefer darker tones and more elegant styles, myself. Black jackets and maroon accents or dark green fabrics that look black in shadow and shimmer in the light are more me than anything else. Either in elegant gowns or spiky belts and jeans.
<<elseif $prep>>
Pretty pinks, pastel oranges and cotton blouses edged with lace over khakis are my signature look. I'll wear suits in ombre hues on occasion or poofy-bottomed dresses if I'm feeling extra femme that day.
<<elseif $jock>>
Normally I'm all about the functional, ready-for-anything look. Sweatpants, tank tops, maybe a zippable jacket with a hood in case of rain? I'll wear a skort if it's too hot...and sometimes I just like to twirl in it. Flutters just like a skirt.
<</if>>
But to get dressed up? Making a good first impression is a big deal, right? Especially if you're spending the rest of your life with someone, I'd guess.
This baby Aetherial will be my constant companion until the day I die. Or until the day I release it from the bond. People have changed familiars before. Some people even take on rotating roles, wherein they'll have many throughout their lifetimes.
Helps to acclimate the babies to humanity and teaching them good behavior is...emphasized. Funny enough though, most people would rather admit to being a blood worker than to the thought of switching out familiars that often.
Weird.
But anyway... "I think I'll go with the suit dress I got for special occasions." Always safer to plan neutral when you plan ahead. Never know what kind of mood I'll be in so it's best to pick something that can make me more buck or doe easily, in either direction.
[[Continue|Dressing Up]]<<if $hairbond>>
Tying off the ends of my grandma's hair into a seamless braid that requires no hairties or clips to hold it together, I step away from her and head back toward my bedroom.
<<elseif $workbond>>
Edging out of the kitchen as the potion comes to a frothing boil, I head back towards my room.
<<elseif $cookbond>>
Stepping away from the stove, I turn off the heat and slip the eggs and bacon onto a plate. I'll eat it when I get home. Pre-preparing meals when I have the motivation for the times I don't is pretty normal for me.
Shoving it in the microwave till then, I close it up and spin on my heel, taking off for my bedroom.
<</if>>
"I'm gonna go put it on right now," I say as I pass around my grandma.
My room is pretty minimalist, as I only moved in when I was sixteen and I don't exactly make enough money at my minimum wage job to do much more than pay for my expenses and buy a couple games or books every month.
<<if $goth>>
Everything is done up in darker hues, with lighter colors to accent. My lamp is a little red moon that casts the room in rosy light and my bedspread is so dark red it's almost black.
The walls are painted up with the most interesting flower-stencils I could find-- in as many colors as I could get to complement each other from one section of wall to the next.
As for the suit dress hanging in the back of my closet-- it's a red to black ombre that comes with either a hat or a flower to put in my hair, depending on my mood. I think tonight I'm feeling like I won't need either.
<<elseif $prep>>
The whole room is pretty much all just cream and rose except for soft accents of peach. Oh except for my bed. That's in soft shades of mint.
I even have a little lavalamp with orange lava and pink glowy fluid in it. And the walls are striped very precisely, with little flower designs drawn between them.
And my suit dress is the same beautiful fawn brown and cream that I remember.
It comes with a little crown and hat set. A tiara and a top hat. For when I feel more one way than another. But I think maybe I'll go without tonight.
<<elseif $jock>>
My walls and floor are as basic as it gets. Plain white and wood.
Basic desklamp, basic white sheets and bedspread.
The only real customization I have are the pictures of herbs and crystals and stuff I've got pinned to the walls.
The suit dress is black and white, almost like a tux, except...well, in a different arrangement. The pants are stretchy, the top is soft and the sorta-train doesn't touch the ground or hinder my movements.
I usually just style my hair differently depending on how femme or butch I feel when I wear it, but I think I'll just leave it natural tonight.
<</if>>
I //will// bring the scarf hood though, in case it gets cold or rains.
[[Continue|Makeup]]Grandma nods in approval when I come out of my room. "Good. It's always nice to put in a little extra effort for something special. Makes it more fun."
Grandma's of the opinion that even if you're showing up looking like you just got into a fight with a weedwacker and lost, you should really lean into the look. Make it seem deliberate.
Me personally, some days I have the energy, some days I don't.
<<if $goth>>
Tonight, I just liberally applied some white foundation, dark red lipstick, black eyeliner and mascara.
I can get elaborate with the styles and glitter and stuff but I'm exhausted just thinking about it right now, so maybe not.
<<elseif $prep>>
I managed to put on some blush and eyeshadow before I felt like I needed to stop or I was gonna use up all my energy.
Wouldn't do to show up, collapse on a tree log and refuse to move until it was time to go home.
<<elseif $jock>>
I spritzed myself with some of that glittery stuff that comes off in the shower and called it good.
I'm more the natural type with the occasional lapse. I'd rather spend my energy on other things.
<</if>>
It's sometimes hard to find things that fit me, but this suit dress was tailored specifically for my body type. So I might have a little squidge here and there, but it's all enfolded artfully into well-fitting clothes.
I can't even tell people enough the difference a tailor makes for clothes. I mean...my tailor is mostly just my grandma, but still.
So much of my body confidence-- or well. My being kind of okay with my body-- comes from how good my tailored clothes can make me look.
Before I felt so bulky and gross because nothing fit me right and it all hung off me like I whipped the drapes off the windows and wrapped 'em around me.
Or they cut off my circulation.
[[Continue|Journey There]]"Let's go, let's go," Grandma ushers me toward the front door. "If we go a little early, you'll have more time to make your decision."
Grandma //always// prefers to be early. She's super considerate of other peoples' time and energy.
As we leave the house and head toward grandma's pick up, I realize two things.
Firstly, that if we go early, it's likely I'll have to socialize less with actual human beings in favor of spending time with baby Aetherials who are...not all that chatty yet, or so I've heard.
And secondly, that after that pop quiz grandma gave me earlier, I stopped worrying about not knowing enough.
Grandma always knows how to make me feel better. And she is so sneaky, but I can never say so.
She resents the implication.
Which is hilarious when you consider how much illegal activity she gets up to, but hey, I guess buying illegal species of grass for spellwork just doesn't have the same dangerous edge as blood magic. She probably just doesn't really //feel// like a criminal.
Grandma's pick-up is an old model. Not in disrepair or anything. Grandma keeps everything functioning herself. She even repairs stuff that breaks in the house.
Grabbing the handle, I lever open the door while stepping up the little step ladder to get inside before swinging it shut behind me, making sure my sorta-train didn't get caught.
[[Continue|Journey There 2]]The truck is huge, and tall or not, you'd need at least a little boost to get up inside.
Grandma climbs in after me and starts up the engine.
And what follows is one of my favorite things. A long car ride, with the radio playing.
Not too long, or I might get tired or achy or carsick. No, instead it's the perfect length of time for me to get comfortable, let my thoughts drift and wonder at everything that's going to happen in complete relaxation.
I don't know what it is about having the radio playing while you ride somewhere but it soothes me in a way almost nothing else can. Except the shower, but that's a different kind of soothing.
What kind of Aetherial will I bond with? Maybe a little baby Nymph or Sylvan type? I don't go out in nature a lot but I do have respect for it in all its forms.
Or something more...I don't even know the full list of Aetherials that are approved for familiar status.
I know that corpse-eaters aren't. They have a valued service in our society but because of their...diet...they're unable to be part of it. Everyone's too afraid they'll start eating live people.
Ridiculous, I mean. Maggots only eat dead flesh and it's not because they've never been in proximity with live humans before. Seems kind of anti-scientific.
But then, no one asked me.
[[Continue|Arrival]]And as we arrive at the gathering and Grandma finds a parking spot, turning off the engine-- I realize there's more cars here than usual.
"How many people are doing the ritual tonight?" I ask with some trepidation at the thought of this much social interaction.
"Only a few, those are...Crusaders," she gestures at a few unmarked cars. "You can tell by the lack of customizations, see?"
And I can. Even Grandma's truck has some kind of stenciling on it. Art and expression are part of being a Wix.
But there's at least six cars that have nothing on them whatsoever. Loaners or something?
"They aren't allowed to customize the vehicles they use for work," Grandma explains. "They're just going to drift around in plainclothes, make sure everyone plays nice. It's a big deal. When someone receives their first Aetherial."
"Will they try to talk to me?" I don't know why, but they've always kind of scared me. I accidentally called the hotline once when I was younger and they were perfectly nice about it and everything...but something about their presence in my house unsettled me.
Something about them always unsettles me.
"They might say hello, but their objective will be to blend in." She replies with a smile. "Let's go, now. Don't want to be late."
[[Continue|Arrival 2]]Gatherings that include Aetherials are always something else, as far as I can tell.
The wild ones, I mean, not just...ex-familiars and current familiars...
Some familiars are released when they reach adulthood, either because their Wix wanted another baby Aetherial or because their bond snapped for some other reason.
Sometimes it's completely inexplicable, but it can be as simple as the familiar becoming pregnant or something. A bond can't exist when it'd effect two people's lives and one of them is nonconsenting.
That's just...how magic works, I guess? But that's kind of confusing, since you 'adopt' the Aetherials when they're babies too...
And familiars can never be adult Aetherials because they're wilder, harder to control-- even the ones who've grown up being familiars will take advantage, work the system. Unless you're the one who raised them.
Or at least, so I've heard.
As we enter the circle of trees, the packed earth in the center is aglow with life. Grass and flowers springing up in places they're normally too trampled over to thrive in.
And I see why as soon as I spot the wildlings drifting around the edges of the circle.
Their magical power is mixing with our mood and our wishes and making things happen, just being around each other like this.
[[Continue|Arrival 3]]Wix and Aetherials are meant to be bound. The binding is as old as time itself and it just kinda happens.
I've heard of Wix who fail to bind any Aetherials into service becoming Crusaders. It's the only other profession there is if you've been trained in the magical arts.
Every other profession would be open to them of course, but...once you've tasted magic and interacted with Aetherials, I'd imagine it's hard to go back.
Even now, feeling the magic in the air like a warm wind that prickles at my skin-- I think if I had to go without magic, the next best thing is to work with it, even if not directly.
I still don't like Crusaders, so here's hoping that won't be necessary.
The sudden thought freezes me in my tracks on the edge of the tree circle. Grandma overtakes me pretty quickly, rushing to speak to some of the other older Wixes around that she's friends with.
They live a bit further away, but they're still technically part of this territory so this is the place they have to come for this kind of thing. Grandma doesn't get to see them often.
"Nervous, wallflower?" a deep voice intones from nearby.
I whip around to search for the source of the voice. "Who's there?"
[[Continue|Cobalt Intro]]A snake-like Aetherial slithers out of the darkness of the trees beyond the ring.
Scaled from his head to the tip of his tail in the most beautiful, shimmering scales I've ever seen. I think they're...sorta deep blue? Purplish blue maybe?
But his eyes, are the grassiest green. The contrast, along with the fact that the whites of his eyes are black-- give him a very dangerous, mysterious kind of look.
The sparkle in those eyes though, it's playful. Amused.
"I go by Cobalt, around here," his voice is somewhat rough. But silky, if that makes sense. "As there are no walls for you to press yourself up against, I could always oblige."
Grandma always said Aetherials have next to no boundaries and are free with their love but I thought that meant they were like, open. Accepting.
I never imagined one of them looking at me like he is right now, and I'm...a little confused about how much I like it.
"I..." Realizing I haven't even introduced myself, I swallow and try to bite down on my flustered reactions. "I'm $fname."
"$fname..." he purrs and leans in closer to me, as close as the warding around the clearing will allow. "What do you say little flower? Need a wall?"
[[Continue|Melicanthe Intro]]"Lovebug! Come meet the familiar candidates." Grandma calls out to me.
"I have to- go." I turn on my heel and take off toward Grandma with speed.
That was-
Strange. I don't know what just happened...
I've never reacted to an Aetherial like that before.
"Ah, there you are," a familiar voice says when I reach the viewing ring.
It's not my Grandma's though.
Melicanthe is an Incubus type Aetherial who works at the convenience store in town where Grandma buys all her groceries. He's got long, wavy reddish-brown hair, amber eyes and horns that sprout from his temples and sweep back and up. Not only that but also a tail and scales peppered here and there on his skin.
He's downright draconic. And an unearthly kinda beautiful.
Where Cobalt was broad-shouldered and muscular, Melicanthe is soft and kind of narrow.
[[Continue|Melicanthe Intro 2]]And it seems they're both out to shock me tonight.
Because Mel reaches out to grasp my hand and pull it up to his mouth the moment he sees me and he doesn't normally do that.
With a chaste kiss on the back of my hand and a wink, he releases me. "I can't wait to see what's in store for //you//, my friend."
"Mel?" I squeak a little and cover it by clearing my throat and glaring a little. "What was that?"
"We aren't allowed to touch human adults without familiars, love, you know that." He answers so matter-of-factly. But there's an air of discontent around it. "But as this is your ceremony, among others-- technically those rules don't apply here, and as soon as you get a familiar, will no //longer// apply to you."
He grins at me at that. And I see that pair of fangs that always glint at me from each of his smiles in the past.
Admiring Aetherials is like admiring nature. They're beautiful, uncontrollable to a degree and you never know what they'll do next. Or so it's said.
But I don't feel the way I feel about nature when I look at Aetherials.
"I can't imagine you've been waiting on the exact moment you could kiss my hand," I scoff.
His smile glints differently now. "No indeed I haven't."
[[Continue|Familiars]]"$fname, get over here!" Grandma's voice snaps through the weird feelings I'm having and I quickly make an excuse to leave Melicanthe behind me as I dash over to her side.
"There you are," she pulls me in close and points through the crowd. "Just walk into the ring and wait for one of them to come to you. A few will. Just let them get close."
I nod as I'm pushed between bodies and stumble once I'm out into the open ring.
Blinking at the dozens of tiny bodies flitting about on wings or burrowing in the earth, I wonder if I'm supposed to get their attention somehow.
But then a little humming-bird Aetherial flutters close to me and I hold my breath as it circles me and then dashes back to its...siblings? Friends?
They're so //smol//. My chest squeezes and I'm suddenly surrounded by a flood of tiny Aetherial babies fluttering around me, running in circles around my feet-- and even a few who appear to be floating in little bubbles come near enough to see me, though they don't approach closer than a few feet away.
And then they all drift away from me and I'm being gently pulled back out of the ring by my grandmother. "Alright...next group is being brought in a few minutes after everyone else has gone. There are three groups slotted to come in, so you have two more chances."
Chances to do what? I just stood there and let them climb all over me for a few seconds.
[[Continue|Mingling]]And then it hits me.
None of the familiars in that bunch bonded with me. That was one of three chances I'd had and I'd somehow blown it.
"You'll find a familiar," Grandma reassures me. "Sometimes the pairing just isn't right, so you have to wait for the right one to come along."
"Your grandmother's right," Melicanthe drifts around some bodies and startles the both of us.
Grandma scoffs loudly and smacks him across the shoulder, "you little imp!"
He grins, "Incubus, ma'am. Incubus. The imps are all out in the woods."
I've heard of those Aetherial types. Refers to the real troublemakers, the mischievous types. Nobody that I know of has ever bonded with an imp. Too much trouble to control or train, or so the rumors go.
"What are you doing here?" Grandma asks. "You don't normally participate in these ceremonies."
His eyes turn to me, assessing.
[["He came to support me." (Sarcastic)|Melicanthe Path]]
[["He came to annoy me. As usual." (Playful)|Belzepha Intro]]The grin on his face when I quip-"He came to support me. We are //such// good friends." -is actually toothier than before, and I hadn't thought that was possible.
"Oh yes," he drawls. "The //best// of friends."
Grandma senses the sarcasm but chooses to ignore it, I can tell from the look on her face. "Oh? How wonderful. Perhaps you might take my lovebug around and introduce her to your other friends?"
'//Grandma! You //know// I'm not social!//'
And so does Melicanthe, but he grins nonetheless. "Oh absolutely."
Before I know it, I'm being whisked off by a very overly eager Aetherial.
Oh he doesn't push and he doesn't crowd me, but he does herd me. He knows exactly how close he shouldn't get to make me feel threatened and keeps at that distance but somehow uses his body language to move me.
I'm not even sure how it's happening and I'm the one moving!
"How are you doing that?" I ask as we once again drift around the edges of the crowds, entirely at his nonverbal direction.
He smiles, "I'm an incubus, darling. Knowing body movements and how they'll be received and interpreted is part of my skill set."
Right.
[[Continue|Turn it Off]]"He came to annoy me. As usual," I quip.
Melicanthe laughs in response. But we both know it's true.
He usually bugs me in the store where he works when I come in for groceries. Asking me when my training will be over, how my grandmother is.
He's nice. I might even consider him a friend if we spent more time together.
"Well, we've got a few minutes before the next grouping, let's meet some more people," Grandma grasps my arm and guides me out of the crowds. "Have a wonderful evening, Melicanthe, we'll be going now."
"You as well, grandmother $mname." He calls out as we go.
Aetherials call all older Wixes 'grandmother' or 'aunt' depending on their relationship to them. I'm not really sure why, it's just a funny litle quirk they all seem to share, I guess.
"Ah, Belzepha, marvelous to see you my dear!" Grandma drags me over to a little booth where an herbalist is selling her wares.
She's a beautiful black woman with purple hair and pink eyes. Her familiar flits around her and hides in her hair when we approach, a little wind Sylph.
"Miss $mname!" Belzepha exclaims. "I heard that grandchild you're always talkin' about is getting a familiar tonight?"
Grandma beams, "oh yes, they're right here."
[[Continue|Belzepha Intro 2]]I don't know how //other// people react to being pushed toward attractive people and being expected to introduce themselves, but I usually lock up and go kind of quiet.
"Go on then, lovebug, introduce yourself," Grandma prompts.
And I die of embarrassment a little.
Belzepha smiles and it's as pretty as you'd expect. "I'm Belzepha but most people around these parts call me Bellz. And you are?"
Stuttering and looking for some kind of anchor, I focus on the face poking out of her hair. "I-I'm $fname- are you- did you- get your familiar late too?"
She smiles wider and reaches up to pet the small creature peeking out of her hair. "Yes. I didn't have much time to study but I knew I had to take the tests and bond with an Aetherial. I didn't really have many other options." Her smile has turned terse.
"Well, before anything else happens, we should go around and introduce you to the other vendors from the area. You know a few of them already," grandma takes my hand. "Wonderful to see you, love."
Belzepha smiles more genuinely to say goodbye, "and you, miss $mname."
The whirlwind of introductions that follow are kind of...exhausting.
By the time the second round has started, I'm kind of wilting.
[[Continue|Familiars 2]]"Just a bit longer, lovebug." Grandma holds me close to her side as we walk through the crowds, shielding me from too much physical contact with people I don't know. "One more round after this and then we can go home. We can even go home earlier if you find one in //this// bunch."
Well that doesn't make me feel pressured //at all//.
Walking into the ring and allowing the tiny babies to flutter and run around me again, I notice that some of these ones are bigger. Older?
A fox kit baby Aetherial is about the size of an actual fox-- darting around my legs and then back around to the other end of the ring.
Baby Aetherials don't gain human form until they're old enough to understand humans and how to look that way and then they transform themselves.
Until then, they just kinda switch between forms that suit them best. Like hummingbirds, bats, insects-- like that one that's buzzing past my face, fist-sized with a shimmery green carapace and wide blue eyes.
They don't look //exactly// like what they're mimicking. Just...enough to make you double-take. And they're all so...//colorful//. It can be a little overwhelming.
They leave me alone and I step backwards out of the ring, into my grandmother's waiting arms, shaking slightly and finding it hard to remember how to breathe.
"Let's take a few minutes to sit and rest," grandma pulls me out of the throng of people and leads me toward the edge of the ring. "Just don't take anything that's offered to you, love, you never know when an Aetherial is pulling a trick."
[[Continue|A Warning]]I see why she's saying that when we stop at the edge so I can sit on a particularly large, sturdy tree root. We're right next to a break in the trees, through which I can see a lake.
"Just stay here and breathe," grandma says. "I'll be back when it's time for the third round. And remember, we can come back a few times if necessary. It isn't the end of the world if none of the Aetherials bond with you tonight. Alright?"
I nod shakily at her reassurance but curl into a ball once she's walked away.
Staring into the darkened forest, I wonder why it's safe to have them so close but dangerous to have them any closer? But that spiraling thought will have to wait, as I need to focus on something less complicated to calm myself down.
And those questions never calm me.
The sound of singing, low, almost whisper-soft-- draws my attention.
Turning toward the path leading to the nearby lake, I strain my ears and inch closer.
I can feel the moment my foot crosses the boundary like a full-body shiver but on the inside-- and suddenly someone is there on the other side who seems to have simply melted out of the shadows.
He steps close and nudges my foot back before disappearing again.
I guess that was my warning from the Dan clan.
[[Continue|Symphony or Navisdan]]After he's disappeared again, I now have an unobstructed view of an Aetherial sitting at the edge of the lake. Singing.
They weren't there a moment ago. They must've moved closer while I was being nonverbally reprimanded.
As these things go, getting nudged a bit isn't actually all that upsetting. Especially with what I know about the Dan clan.
An entire clan of vampiric and demonic Aetherials who stand between Wix and Aetherials. Protecting both from each other.
What I wouldn't give to speak with one of them, to ask questions-
But they're wildlings, like the rest out there.
The Aetherial at the lake is still singing, but the Dan clan member is still nearby. He'd have to be. I just almost crossed the boundary, he's probably watching.
Hair raises on my arms and I know I'm right.
And then I see that same snake Aetherial slithering between the trees nearby, light from the clearing dancing over his shimmering scales.
[[Call Out to the Dan Member|Navisdan Path]]
[[Watch the Singing Aetherial|Symphony Path]]
[[Talk to Cobalt|Cobalt Path]]Melicanthe holds out a hand and I just- take it. Not even thinking about it. And he grins at my astonishment as I just. Stare, at my hand. "Humans are remarkably easy to lead."
Is this why Grandma says Aetherials are dangerous? "And if I don't wanna be led?"
His hand releases mine and he sighs, "it's difficult to turn it off, but I will try."
I remember Grandma saying something about how consent was magical law or something-- but then why are they dangerous? If I could just ask them not to hurt me and they'd have to oblige...
"You certainly seem lost," Melicanthe tilts his head. "This is the first time you're interacting with an Aetherial outside of protections, isn't it?"
"You're the only non-familiar Aetherial I've //ever// interacted with directly." I've seen others around but I've been discouraged from going anywhere near them and as my grandma is...//super// important to me, I listened to her.
"Do you know how?" he asks.
I blink. "...I was told it was better just...not to?"
His eyes close and I suspect he's trying really hard not to roll them. "Right. Well. There are a few rules you should know."
[[Continue|Mel's Rules]]
"Rules?" I've never heard of any rules. Is he bullshitting me?
"Yes rules, and wipe that disbelieving look off your face," he says. "Your grandmother is obviously hoping to keep you entirely away from us but that's not realistic. You're going to be a full-fledged Wix, which means you're going to interact with us. You can't avoid it forever even without that, to be truthful."
"And what are these rules?" I ask, skeptically.
I trust my grandmother. But I also know she can sometimes be...difficult. So I'll listen and remember, but I won't take his words as gospel. Even the nice Aetherials have a reputation for being mischievous.
"Think through your responses and also any questions they're asking you," he says. "They may be fishing for something but that doesn't mean you have to give it to them."
Well that...seems reasonable.
"Also, we may be unable to tell untruths, but bending the truth to suit our whims is entirely possible," he says. "Notice when an Aetherial neglects to admit something one way or the other. Think about why that could be."
I nod.
"And lastly, never ever leave a debt unpaid. To you or to them," he says. With uncharacteristic firmness and seriousness. "Having an Aetherial indebted to you sounds like a fine time, but the reality is..." He sighs. "And indebting //yourself// is even worse."
[[Continue|Mel's Rules 2]]"What would an Aetherial even want from a human?" I ask, puzzled. "We're the ones who need you."
He blinks a little at that and a tiny smile quirks the edge of his mouth. "Don't say that where anyone else can hear you."
"Is everything alright here?" An unfamiliar voice.
I stiffen at the sight of the Crusader sigil around the person's neck and unconsciously drift a little closer to Melicanthe as they come closer.
Realizing that we're off to the side of the crowds, I think how this must look. An Aetherial talking to a Wix here to get their first familiar before they're even bonded to anyone.
"We're fine, thank you," I am short on patience tonight, but I can spare a little to keep the Crusaders off my back. Being confrontational never gets you anywhere and they get...belligerent. So far as I've seen and heard.
"Sure about that?" they ask and eye Melicanthe with disgust. And it's not even veiled.
I know Crusaders don't trust Aetherials, but there's no reason to be a dick.
"Pretty damn," I reply and turn to Melicanthe.
I'm just so damn tired of these assholes being a barrier to every experience I could have in life that I contemplate doing something...really unwise.
[[Continue|Spiteful Kiss]]"You might be too new to this to know what he is-" they begin.
And the last thread of my control over my more...rebellious tendencies...snaps.
"Hey Mel?" I say flatly.
Melicanthe's eyes flick to me and he looks surprised at the way I'm looking at him. "Yes?"
"Kiss me?" I ask.
There's a prolonged moment of shock, but then his eyes glitter with something dangerous and sharp and //gleeful//. And I know he's caught on to what I'm doing.
"Hey you can't-" the Crusader steps forward-
But Melicanthe is already close enough that I can feel his breath on my face.
In the next moment, my waist is held softly as a pair of lips touch mine. It's a soft, tender touch and it doesn't last long.
But for the moment it does, I'm high on the spite of it.
I just...just //hate// when Crusaders and non-wix treat Aetherials like this. And if all I can do to even mildly annoy them is conspire to do small things like this-
Wait...what's happening?
[[Continue|I am Yours]]Before Melicanthe can pull all the way back, something...happens.
It feels like my insides are reaching //outwards// which should not be happening-- what should double not be happening is-
Mel's insides reach //back//.
There's something like a twang, or a snap, a sensation of some kind of tight wire settling between us like we've been connected-
The Crusader is cursing and has pulled out his radio. "-have a situation-"
But all I can really see is Melicanthe's eyes as he stares at me, wonderingly, brushing my hair away from my face. "I'm yours," he whispers.
Confusing me even further.
"No!" my grandmother is suddenly there, bursting through a ring of Crusaders to run toward me.
She gets grabbed and pulled back. Which just serves to piss me off.
"Hey!" I move away from Mel to walk toward my grandma and suddenly the world is shaking. So much that I fall to my knees and gasp for breath.
What the hell!? It feels like the world itself is now open to me. I can feel the grass and the dirt and the air on my skin in a way I never could before.
[[Continue|Guardian Melicanthe]]Melicanthe is there, beside me, holding me close to his body. "Breathe...let the sensations wash over you, and let them go."
I can't hear what anyone else is saying, so I focus on his instructions. And the heat radiating from his body, the strength of the grip he has around my shoulders and the beating of his heart under my ear.
Slowly the world starts to come back into focus, and I can hear some of what's being shouted around me.
"-hasn't been a Guardian bond in a decade or two at least!"
"-can't be legitimate-"
"-doesn't even have a familiar-"
Guardian bond?
"The hell are they talking about?" I mutter to myself and feel like I'm talking through a mouthful of honey. Thick and viscous.
"You've bonded with me," Melicanthe surprisingly answers. He speaks in a low tone against my temple. "I wasn't expecting it, but..." He's smiling when I look up at him, not flashing his fangs for once. Just...genuine. "I can't say I'm not pleased."
"Are you my familiar, now?" I ask in confusion.
He blinks. "No, of course not. You will still need one. I am your Guardian."
And again, all I am is more confused."Dan, sir?" I have no idea how to address him.
The only thing I know about the Dan clan is what their function is. Protectors, defenders.
Like the Crusaders, but for their own people-- and they aren't allowed to attack humans.
"//Navis//dan." He corrects me. But he doesn't come into the light.
"Navisdan..." I sound out the name. The most outlandish one I'd ever heard. Nah...vee...dahn..it's so musical in my head that I'm tempted to say his name aloud a few times to see if it'll roll off my tongue as beautifully each time.
Aetherials usually have poetic or colorful names. Maybe something grand, but...I don't even know what Navisdan could possibly mean. It sounds like no name I've ever heard before.
"What?" he's brusque. Short. His voice is rough, too.
"I...can I ask you a question?" I ask.
"What." He says again. This time impatient for some reason.
"I just wondered...is it allowed, for Wix to cross the boundary? Or is it discouraged because we...aren't?" I ask.
I see his head isn't even turned toward me, but he's still talking to me. "Wix are allowed to cross at their own peril...Aetherials are not."
That doesn't sound- wait, what is he looking at?
[[Continue|Vani in Danger]]Looking down that small, dark path-- I focus on the singing Aetherial, to calm myself.
It's hard to tell Aetherial gender roles sometimes, when you're not close enough to pick out the details.
They really only present one way or another or don't-- because of us. They have no real concept of gender as a social construct. It's just self expression to them. Like a favorite style of fashion.
From afar, studying their body in the outline of moonlight shining on them, I can only deduce they're kind of skinny. Long-limbed.
Pursing my lips, I wonder...
The clan of Dan is here to protect us from each other, but would he stop me if I was fully cognizant of the choice to cross over?
"$fname, it's time for the last round tonight," Grandma finds me still contemplating really bad thoughts and holds out a hand to me. "Come, let's go."
Sighing and allowing her to help me to my feet, I thank the gods that this is the last time this will happen tonight. I'm so exhausted I think I might scream if I had to endure this much longer.
Grandma walks me to the edge of the ring and gently pushes me inside.
I sit down instantly on the ground and when the babies come to me, I actually pay attention to them this time.
[[Continue|Lovebug Intro]]"Cobalt?" I call, quietly.
The Aetherial stops and turns to look over his shoulder, then smoothly redirects into a turn and slips around a tree on his way to me with effortless grace.
You always figure that snakes might not be able to go around things that easily because they don't have legs and you assume because you've only ever seen them move away or adjacent to you that they can only move in straight lines.
But that is apparently incorrect.
The smooth way he moves is pretty hypnotizing to watch, and I think he knows exactly what kind of striking image he presents, because he's grinning when I glance at his face.
I realize I've been using 'he' this whole time and have no idea why. I usually default to 'they'.
But I feel...something. In the air.
Grandma always talks about the differences between masculine and feminine energy and how Aetherials wrap themselves in different kinds.
[[Continue|Cobalt Path 2]]A rather large hummingbird Aetherial flutters around me and I look up at them almost in slow motion.
Everything gets weird when I'm tired. "Hello," I greet it.
It pauses mid-air and quickly goes back to fluttering around my head. A pair of arms and legs, a little pseudo-human body-- baby Aetherials are often affectionately called pixies.
Pixies are troublesome, mischeivous-- like most Aetherials, and tiny. Often taking on animal form more often than something like this-- but on average, a lot of them do look like the babies.
Probably by design.
This one has little bird feet and taloned hands. Big red eyes glitter at me from their sweet, round face and they swoop down to settle on my shoulder. Curling into my hair, like it's a nest.
"Are you tired too?" I reach up and stroke their tiny back with one fingertip, gently.
And something feels like it snaps into place.
There's a cheer that goes around the throng of people as the other little babies take off...leaving the one on my shoulder behind.
Grandma's there, suddenly, smiling with tears in her eyes. "Give them a name now, lovebug."
I don't think before mirroring her, sometimes I just do. "Lovebug..." It's an embarrassing habit of mine.
[[Continue|Naming is Hard]]Grandma grimaces, "well I suppose at least it's a sweet name."
I blink. "What?"
"It's too late to change it, your bond has settled," Grandma chuckles. "The first thing you say after the bond is created should be the Familiar's name. Now it's going to be so confusing around the house."
It doesn't register with me for long moments that I have bonded with the baby on my shoulder, but when it does-- "Can we go home now?"
I'm too exhausted to be excited anymore.
Grandma smiles mutedly at that and helps me up, guiding me through a crowd of people who give me their congratulations as I pass by-- and I forget them all a moment later...
Lovebug sleeps silently curled up in my hair all the way to the truck, and then all the way home. I nap intermittently myself until grandma wakes me up to walk me to my room.
I vaguely notice that I'm undressing but then I'm in my bed and everything is just...gone.
Floating on a cloud of warmth and relaxation, my dreams are more colorful and...interactive than ever before.
I've learned as much lucid dreaming as I could before all this and I'm still astounded at the difference a familiar makes.
I mean, I still can't control anything, but it's a lot easier to see and move around.
[[Continue|Hello Lovebug]]A noise wakes me up not long after I fall asleep.
Or well, I think so. I mean, it feels like I'd just closed my eyes-- but also, I feel too well rested for it to have been any less than a few hours.
Blinking blearily at the tiny fluttering shape that's hovering anxiously over a knocked over book, I can feel the memories of the night before flooding my consciousness.
'I HAVE A FAMILIAR!'
They react to the sudden excitement on my face by flitting over to me, excitedly circling my head.
"Uh...wait. I named you...Lovebug?" God, I'm so embarrassed.
When I get tired, I repeat what people say to me in my head and sometimes it comes out my mouth-- I just sometimes have trouble comprehending things when I'm exhausted.
Lovebug flutters down to my eye level and grins with a mouth filled with sharp teeth. How utterly adorably horrifying.
<<if $goth>>
And as horrifying is kind of my thing, that makes them twice as cute. I mean, I usually like darker colors with my brighter accents but I have to admit the greenish blue feathers and big red eyes really work for them.
<<elseif $prep>>
And as adorable is kind of my thing, the horrifying parts are more just a funny little quirk. Like a plush shadow tentacle creature. Too cute to be afraid of.
<<elseif $jock>>
And as I'm usually not one for either cute things or scary things, you can imagine my surprise to find myself wanting to coo at them. They're just...so cute!
<</if>>
And they're all mine.
[[Continue|Thinking]]"Hey!" I say and bolt out of bed. "Let's go do something! Something-"
Damn, I probably have no control over any power I might have, so if I do something, it should be somewhere where it isn't going to hurt anyone or anything.
Lovebug hovers around me anxiously as I think, picking up on my predicament and attempting to soothe me by petting my hair with their little talons.
Reaching up and allowing them to perch on my palm, I bring them close to my face as I think and they cuddle my jaw.
I've seen people loving on their familiars before, and talk about them like pets...I dunno, it feels more like a small child giving me attention. I mean, that's what they are, right?
"We can use the circle!" I exclaim and then apologize when I realize I've startled Lovebug. "Want to go back with me where we met and do some magic?"
Lovebug flutters excitedly as I get dressed and follows me out of my bedroom.
It's too early for grandma to be up, the sun hasn't even risen yet. It's probably around what, four a.m.?
So I walk as lightly as I can, intending to be considerate and not wake grandma up. I'll be back before she does, hopefully.
[[Continue|Travel Time]]It's actually shockingly easy to sneak off with the truck-- after I put it in drive and push it out of our sorta-long dirt driveway, I can start it without worrying about startling Grandma awake.
And then it's just a short distance to the circle, with Lovebug perched on the windowsill, wings tucked in, watching everything go by.
I feel like I'm dreaming. This is the day I've been waiting my whole life for! And I don't even know what kind of magic I'm more partial to, besides, well. My favorite subjects.
But I might have a different affinity! Maybe. It's possible.
Lovebug is so cute, squeaking excitedly with a bird-like chirp any time they see something new and jumping onto my shoulder when we get close enough that they begin to recognize our surroundings.
Once we arrive at the circle, I park the truck and we both seem to be in a big hurry to get over there. Lovebug flies faster than I can run, so I'm left laughing giddily in their wake as they speed into the circle itself ahead of me.
When I finally catch up with them, I can feel the magical energy from the night before has mostly faded. There aren't a whole bunch of Aetherials sitting in the shadows to watch now, so all that's here is me and my Lovebug.
Perfect.
[[Continue|Practice]]"Alright Lovebug, let's try something," I say while stepping into the very center of the circle. "Uuum..."
Uh...okay. So what can I...?
<<if $aura == 1>>
"Let's try some techniques for combat with magic!" I decide. "We'll...focus on making a shield first."
<<elseif $arcane == 1>>
"I'm not really sure how to practice healing magic without someone who's wounded but...we can try healing that dead tree branch!" I point to the branch half-hanging off the tree nearby and trot over to it.
<<elseif $combat == 1>>
"I can try focusing magic into my body and stomping a little, to see if it works." There's always a chance I might hurt myself, but I'll do it as softly as I can.
<<elseif $herbal == 1>>
"I could try growing something out of the dirt," I say while scratching at the packed earth with the toe of my shoe.
<</if>>
Lovebug flutters over to rest on my shoulder and I take a moment to breathe and center myself. Closing my eyes, I focus on nothing but me, and Lovebug.
As I slowly become more aware of the link between us, because everything else is melting away-- I notice there's others around. Energy signatures much bigger and older than Lovebug.
Some close, some far.
But Lovebug is who is important here.
So I breathe in deep and delve into the connection between us, like diving into a raging river.
I hear something like crackling and open my eyes in startlement.
[[Continue|Too Much Power]]Okay something's gone a bit off here.
<<if $combat == 1>>
The tiniest step sets off a small earth tremor and I have to cut off my access to the bond to make it stop.
<<elseif $aura == 1>>
The shield is grinding against the ground, like it's trying to dig into it and I realize visualizing it as a bubble was probably a mistake. Cutting my mental access to the bond, the bubble disappears with a flicker and a pop.
<<elseif $arcane == 1>>
The tree branch has completely healed, with...some kind of strange growth going on to reconnect itself more firmly to the tree trunk. It looks like the tree version of a big ball of scar tissue.
Cutting my link to the magic, I wonder if that had been a person...would that have been some kind of irreperable harm that I'd just done instead of actually healing them?
<<elseif $herbal == 1>>
The entire ring is now filled with grass and it's still growing! I cut off the magic just as it reaches waist-height.
<</if>>
I've //never// heard of magic being that powerful. Most people seem to have real problems even just doing the basics when they begin.
Lovebug senses my distress somehow and flies around me, and I get the feeling they think they've done something wrong.
"No no, it's not your fault. This just doesn't make any sense," I reassure them and hold out my hand for them to perch on.
They curl up in my palm in a crouch with their wings tucked close to their body and give me a questioning look.
They don't understand what's wrong, only that it startled and displeased me.
"That was wayyy too much power," I explain. "Can we dial it back a little and maybe...focus on just one thing at a time?"
Lovebug nods and I see their determination to do it right this time in the set of their wings and the expression on their tiny face.
[[Continue|Hesitant Power]]Lovebug and I focus once more.
<<if $combat == 1>>
This time when I stomp my foot, the ground barely moves, a slight indentation beneath me is the only sign I'd done anything at all. A very //very// slight indentation. In mud, it'd just look like a normal footprint.
But this is packed earth so some force had to be put behind it, and at least I didn't cause another earthquake.
<<elseif $aura == 1>>
The shield appears around us in a dome this time, because I learned from the last attempt and that damn round furrow in the ground is forever going to remind me that I almost scooped a whole bowl-shaped chunk out of the earth, the first time I practiced magic.
It's shivery and kinda unstable, but I did it. Sorta.
<<elseif $arcane == 1>>
Finding another broken branch nearby, I place my hands on the tree it belongs to and when I look up after a long moment of concentration-- I see the scar-tissue-ball of tree is much smaller and less obstructive looking this time.
I guess it's gonna take practice to do it right, whether I've got the power levels or not.
<<elseif $herbal == 1>>
A flower sprouts up between my feet. Nothing super special, just a common wildflower, but-
It's the first flower I've ever grown so it's the most beautiful flower I've ever seen, right now.
The grass is too fucking high to really look at it, even with me stepping on some and keeping it packed down. Going to have to do something about that, but I dunno what.
<</if>>
"Okay...that went...better," I smile at Lovebug as they hover before me.
They smile back with their needle-point teeth. With triumph and pride.
"Just gotta practice more and I'll eventually learn how to..." I trail off as I realize I'm hearing something.
The same singing Aetherial from last night? I thought no Aetherials were allowed around here except ex-familiars?
Oh, maybe he they are one. This might just be where they live. Only way to find out is to ask, I guess!
"Come on, Lovebug," I offer my shoulder for them to perch on and smile when they do. "Let's introduce ourselves."
[[Continue|Gender in Aetherials]]As I approach the source of the singing, through that path that leads toward the lake, I can see the Aetherial, a little, through the trees.
You'll never be sure about an Aetherial's gender unless you ask. And even then, their answer will usually be a shrug. They'll explain that they're usually called by a feminine or masculine or nonbinary pronoun, but it's not like it's because they have a gender.
Clothing and hairstyles and things like that, it's all just a category to them.
Which is good, I mean, you can never get their pronouns wrong unless they're particularly fond of some-- and I'm a little jealous to be honest.
I mean, it's not like people regularly misgender me. Or that they do it on purpose, when they do. It's just...they don't have that feeling of '//am I weird//' that humans do when we act outside the norm.
I actually think they think gender is silly. Being amorphous, spiritual beings with physical forms they choose to take, it must be confusing and weird.
And yet, even thinking that, they still respect the construct. More and more I wonder why everyone thinks they're so terrible.
This Aetherial is slim, but soft. Their skin is sort of like the soft underbelly flesh of a fish, with scales covering their back-- and they have a fin on their head, going down the center to the back of their neck. But it's flopped over kind of like an emo asymmetrical bob.
They're colored in shades of sunset reds and oranges. And their voice sounds so...smooth.
[[Continue|Symphony Intro]]They have legs, not a tail like Cobalt did-- and their hands and feet seem to be webbed.
And when they sense me and Lovebug behind them, they abruptly cut off their singing and turn around like they were expecting an attack.
We stare at each other in silence for several moments.
their eyes are dark and nearly fathomless with small pinpricks of light-- it's like looking into one of those glass galaxy orbs.
There's even another pair of black eyes above those ones. Only as big as pearls and just as shimmery. But they don't blink when the other ones do.
Their eyes narrow as they slowly move back into the water.
"Oh wait!" I put my hands up to show I mean no harm. "I wanted to thank you."
They stop in the water and blink, with two sets of eyelids. And yet that second set, still doesn't blink. Obviously confused, they just stare at me.
And because I'm so socially awkward, I stare back and get increasingly anxious as time passes and neither of us speaks.
Their brow ridges which appear to be around their second set of eyes, furrow. "Thank me for what?"
Well, here's your chance. Say something!
[[Continue|Say Something]]
"Last night I was-- it was really-- overwhelming. And I know-- I know you didn't do it like. On purpose. Or to help me, but. You were singing and I was...sitting, over there," I gesture behind me at the tree root on the other side of the path, not looking away from them. "And it made me feel better to...to have something to focus on that wasn't...people."
Why am I so awkward? Why did I have to mention it to begin with? Why didn't I just let them go?
Lovebug soothes me by petting my face.
They pause for a moment longer, tilting their head at me, that fin on their head brushing across their face. It's nearly see-through, but ribbed just like a fish fin is supposed to be.
It's almost like they're trying to hide behind it.
"You shouldn't thank Aetherials when they haven't actually done something for you," he says with that same expression and still sinking slowly back into the water.
"I..." Shit that is a rule, isn't it? "I promise to help you feel better when you feel bad like you did for me, once." You have to lay out terms, right?
They shiver and in the same moment, so do I and then so does Lovebug on my shoulder.
Their clawed fingertips clench in the soil of the shore. "I absolve you of all debt."
That shiver happens again.
[[Continue|Debt of Friendship]]"It doesn't have to be debt," I say. Shifting uneasily on the shore. "I can just-"
"I don't //play// with humans," they say with some venom.
Shocking me into silence. Staring at them with wide eyes.
They take a deep breath, "just...go home. Please."
They disappear beneath the surface of the water and I sigh. "I guess they don't wanna be friends, Lovebug."
They pop out of the water and slam one hand on the shore. Startling me.
They stare me down. And then- "//He,//" He emphasizes as he disappears beneath the water again. Point made.
That was strange. I've never heard of an Aetherial being as sensitive to their pronouns as humans are. And...I've never heard of one not liking humans, either.
Discouraged and confused, I walk away from the lake with Lovebug on my shoulder...dragging my feet while Lovebug cuddles my face and wraps their wings around me to comfort me.
It's not like he had to be nice or like he has to be my friend, but now I feel like I did something really wrong. And he doesn't want to be anywhere near me. But maybe I could still apologize without him having to bear my presence? Grandma probably knows of things water Aetherials like him like.
And with that thought, I'm determined to leave him something nice and never speak to him again. You should always try to apologize, even if you can't with words.I never noticed before. I mean. Melicanthe is the only one I'd ever interacted with and I never noticed anything particularly masculine about his energy...
I don't even think masculine energy actually //exists//.
But Grandma says it's just like dressing up in dresses or suits-- it's another layer of presentation. Because they've seen how we partition our own energy.
So I guess he's just...radiating his presentation in lieu of any kind of clothing indication. I mean, he's a snake so he can't wear pants, he's gotta wear something skirt-like anyway.
And sometimes you can't even match their clothes to their presentation, anyway.
It's usually the only indication you get.
I wish I could radiate 'nonbinary energy'. That'd be so damn handy. Never get misgendered again.
It's then I realize he's standing before me, just kinda perched there on his tail as we sort of...stare at each other.
My face burns, "I'm sorry! I'm tired and my thoughts keep drifting."
He chuckles.
I fluster more. "I just wanted to ask you something."
[[Continue|Questions for Cobalt]]"Questions about me? I love those," he drawls.
"Not you specifically. Aetherials in general, I guess?" I say. "I've only ever really met one before."
His head tilts and his posture seems to change, but there's still a purr in his voice when he talks. "Late bloomer, are you?"
"Yes..." that's always embarrassing.
He nods slowly, "ask whatever you want, $fname."
I forgot I'd told him my name. That's...embarrassing, the reaction I have to that.
Not like I haven't been attracted to people before, but the way my heart nearly bangs its way out of my chest is new. Is he doing that?
"Are you...able to influence emotions in people?" I ask, before I can think it through. "My Grandma says you're dangerous but I can't...figure out why."
He stares into my eyes for a long moment and then bends down, putting his hand on the root beside me to be on eye level. Not close enough to make me feel crowded, just enough so I can see the expression on his face from the firelight of the nearby torches.
"We're dangerous the same way anybody is," he says. "You never know which one of us is the good guy."
"But..." I furrow my brows. "But that makes no sense."
[[Continue|Not Scary]]"Not scared of Aetherials, $fname?" he asks. "Better be careful not to tell anyone else..." He's nearly sing-song by the end of that statement.
"Why?" Is there some unwritten law that Wix have to fear Aetherials?
"Crusaders don't like that," he says. Matter-of-factly.
"That's //also// something that I've wondered about. Why do Crusaders treat Aetherials like that?" I ask. "Even when they've done nothing wrong?"
He glances past me as he speaks. "Eventually every Aetherial they see is an enemy. Happens to all of them, far as I can tell."
"Is there a reason?" I ask.
"If you find one, be sure to tell me what it is," he says and looks into my eyes again. "It's just always been that way."
I swallow. "What about Wix?" I ask. "Has it always been like this with Wix...being afraid and avoiding Aetherials and..."
"The answer to that is more complicated," he says. "And it looks like we're about to be interrupted."
I glance over my shoulder to see my Grandmother approaching, looking worried.
Looking back at Cobalt, I notice he's stood up straight on his tail again, moving slowly backwards back into the dark shade of the forest.
[[Continue|Not Scary 2]]
"I'm not afraid of you," I say before I can stop myself. "Of...Aetherials, I mean."
'//Why am I like this? Why can't I just know when to shut up and how to actually talk to people?//'
He pauses in his retreat and we stare at each other for a moment.
I don't know what triggered it, or how it happened, exactly. But something in that moment felt like it shifted and tethered me to him.
And a moment later, I was curled into the tree, trying to breathe.
But the tree just made it worse because the texture of the bark was //too much// but I couldn't move-
"No!" I could vaguely hear my grandmother's voice, but as I focused more on escaping and ignoring the sensory experiences around me, I couldn't tell what she said.
Something cool and smooth soothed my skin and cradled me in a way that wasn't terrible. And there was a sound I could hear over all others, that I let myself sink into.
The sound of a heartbeat under my ear.
When I looked up, finally opening my eyes, Cobalt was holding me. And looking down at me with intense eyes filled with emotions I couldn't name.
And he said, "I'm yours."Turning my head to follow the path of his gaze, I search for something that might draw his attention.
A Wix too close to the boundary, maybe? Like I was, just now?
But...then I see a small shadow, close to the line of the circle, and a tiny pale arm, reaching past to grasp at something on the ground.
There's a little doll not far from the reach of those grasping fingers...but there's also a Crusader nearby.
A child Aetherial crossing the boundary when they're not part of the groupings-- they wouldn't be punished just for that, would they? To grab a doll?
The tension in the Dan members body as he fights to hold still tells me that he wants to snatch them back or stand in front of them or something but feels like he can't.
Is it because I'm here? Or...because he might draw the Crusader's attention? Either way...moving a little closer wouldn't hurt. Just in case.
The bodice on my suit-dress isn't that super long but it could hide them if I stood in front of them. For long enough that they could grab their doll.
Or...I guess I could just grab the doll myself? Or distract the Crusader so they can.
Ugh. What do I do?
[[Get the doll for them|Trouble][$grab to true]]
[[Hide them|Trouble][$hide to true]]
[[Distract the Crusader|Trouble][$distract to true]]<<if $grab>>
Walking sedately away from the tree, I loop around to stand between some groups of Wix, smiling appropriately when people greet me as I pass by, not making a big deal or drawing attention to myself.
Slowly I'm able to make my way over to the child's doll. They're so focused on keeping inside the boundary and reaching for their toy, they don't even seem to realize they're about to be in trouble if they don't move away.
The Dan member is behind them, hidden in shadow and looking like a spring ready to release.
When I pick up the doll, they snatch their tiny hand back and edge away from the boundary.
I turn my back and slowly edge up against the line between us and them, and then drop the doll. Carefully keeping my eyes roving but keeping the Crusader in the corner of my sightlines all the while.
When I glance over my shoulder and see the small Aetherial picking up their doll, I smile. They catch sight of me looking at them and freeze in place.
<<elseif $hide>>
Drifting around the edges of the groups after getting off the root, doing my best to avoid bumping into or making eye contact with anyone, I move between the grasping fingers and the Crusader. Shifting my weight and looking bored.
'//Hope I'm keeping them at least partially hidden.//'
Glancing over my shoulder every once in a while, to check and see if they've gotten it yet. They don't seem to realize I'm hiding them from view. Damn.
Can I just kick it back a little? From behind?
Moving to do so, I feel my foot connect with the toy, but when I look back, the little Aetherial is just sitting there on the other side of the boundary, staring at me with wide eyes.
So I kick it again, so that it goes inside the boundary this time. Trying to keep my movements slow and steady-- watching the Crusaders nearby.
When I look back over my shoulder again, they have the doll, but they're frozen. Staring at me.
<<elseif $distract>>
Moving away from the tree root, I walk around a big group of people and come out on the side that's further from the grasping hand of the small child, calling attention to myself by smiling at the Crusader and walking closer to him.
He turns his attention to me, as I thought he would. "Anything I can help you with?" He's obviously not hiding what he is. The plainclothes are just so people feel more at ease, obviously. There's a pendant pinned to his chest, shaped like the north star.
"Can I ask you some questions?" I ask.
"I'm here to help," he smiles gamely, but not very genuinely. It's their duty to protect Wixes and non-Wixes alike...but the relationship between Wixes and Crusaders has always been strained.
"Why aren't Aetherials allowed to cross the boundary?" I gesture at the forest next to us. "Is there a reason or is it just...tradition?"
He nods at the spot I gestured to, "that boundary is an agreed-upon space where the Aetherials can come close to humans but can't get any closer. If they breach that agreement, they're as good as declaring war."
Well, //that's// lovely.
I glance over his shoulder to catch sight of the kid pulling their toy inside the boundary and looking up at me seemingly by completely coincidence.
They freeze.
<</if>>
[[Continue|Trouble 2]]I don't know how it happens, or why.
But staring into that Child's eyes as they've frozen does...something to my heart.
It feels like an unfolding, like my heart is a warm blanket being held open in invitation to comfort and-- and then-
I don't know how I got on the ground, but I know there's a huge commotion going on around me.
Crawling on my hands and knees, I try to get my bearings, but everything is overwhelming and I was already //so// tired...and then I had to try and help which made me anxious and exhausted me //more//...
Maybe that's all this is?
"You dare?" A voice shouts. "They are bound, it is done! And you still-"
"No! Vani!" I recognize that voice...
When I look up, the small child from earlier is being held by one of the Crusaders. The child is reaching for the Dan Clan member that's being restrained right on the edge of the boundary.
I crawled far enough away from my original position that I'm right between both sets of people.
"What...what's going on?" I stumble through my question, trying to gain some sense of what the hell's happening.
[[Continue|Trouble 3]]"This has never happened before," one of the Crusaders says. He looks vaguely ill. "Wix don't usually bond with Familiars not approved for the circle."
'//...what? What is he talking about?//'
"It doesn't matter, he's in violation of the agreements, neutralize him." This Crusader is older and wearing a more elaborate form of the Northern star on her shirt.
'//Is that the commander? Wait. Neutralize? What does that mean-//'
When the first blade is drawn, I suddenly realize that usually when an Aetherial breaks a law, it ends in 'Neutralization'. But I never knew what it meant before.
I didn't think Aetherials could even be killed, but is that what's happening?
"W-wait!" I stumble to my feet and gasp. "What- what are you doing?"
"Get them out of here," one of the Crusaders orders the man with the small child still in his arms. Still straining to get to the Dan Clan Member.
And then they open their small mouth and call out to him with a voice as clear as a bell, "DADDY!"
Oh god.
[[Continue|Trouble 4]]The Dan Clan Member is so strong, it takes at least four Crusaders to hold him down and keep his arms behind his back, and even then, he's dragging them forward a little at a time.
"Vani!" He calls out in a panic.
He's vampiric. I didn't notice what he or the child looked like before because they were both in shadow. But I see the resemblance now.
Translucent skin with a slight bluish cast. Vaguely bat-shaped ears. Hair that looks like it's bleeding, and eyes that just...look like pools of blood. Deep and red, with no whites or pupils.
The kid looks so much like him, even with their hair being curly, bouncy and cute-- and his own being tied back into intricate braids down the center of his skull.
He has an undercut, scars all over his arms where I can see-- he looks like a soldier.
'//He //is// a soldier//,' I realize. '//He's supposed to protect the Aetherials//.'
"Wai...wait!" I surge toward the Crusader holding...my...my familiar-- and hold my hands out to them. "Give...give me...give them to me," I'm so tired, I can barely stand but I //need// them and I need to-- to do something-- to stop this or shield them or //something//.
[[Continue|Saving Navi]]The Crusader shoves the small child into my arms, doll and all, and they cry plaintively into my chest. "Daddy!"
"It's okay, it's okay," I soothe them as I turn to walk toward the Dan Clan Member.
"You can't go over-" the Crusader grasps my shoulders and I feel a sudden jolt.
Then he's released me and I'm walking up to the commander.
An imposing woman with very smartly pulled back blonde hair and a grim expression on her face. "That wasn't very smart, Wix."
"I don't know what you're talking about but what the hell are you doing to him?" I stagger a little. "He's just trying to do his job."
"His //job// is to keep his Clan in line. If he can't even control //himself// what use is he?" She responds. "This is no concern of yours."
"It damn well is!" my indignation washes over me with a warm, refreshing gush of power. "I can take //five minutes// to reassure a frightened Aetherial, and you can just let him go! He's just worried about them. And they're my familiar now. So I decide what happens."
She purses her lips at me, but the Dan member has stopped straining so much against his bonds, eyes glued to the child in my arms.
"You have five minutes." She says brusquely and then turns to point at the Dan Clan member with an imperious finger. "This is //only// because this is your only infraction, Navisdan. If you fail to comply, I //will// neutralize you."
[[Continue|Saving Navi 2]]//That// was unnecessary.
But they slowly push Navisdan back into the shadows as I approach the boundary with...he called them Vani?
A member of his clan is being taken from him. I can understand why that might be a shock, especially as they weren't approved for the circle.
And not only that, they're apparently his //child// so is a little compassion and understanding too much to ask for?
He's ramrod straight, standing at the boundary, almost inside it-- so close he could leap across right back in with a single shift of weight.
I carry them over to him and hand them across to him.
He can't take them anywhere, as they're bound to me. That would only hurt both of us. So I see no problem with allowing them to say goodbye.
'//Why is this happening?//' I ask myself with a pain in my chest that gets tighter for every moment they cling to him and he murmurs soothing words in the Aetherial language.
It's more of a constructed language they came up with to have something their own than anything else. It wasn't...an organic thing. Aetherials can communicate without words, but humans were...unsettled by that.
"I'm sorry," I whisper, mostly to myself.
His head lifts and our eyes meet and I know suddenly that this man hates me. There's such burning rage in his gaze, and...
And I can't even muster up a feeling of defensiveness. I just...accept it.
[[Saving Navi 3]]And that's...when something else happens.
I have no idea what's going on, but one moment I'm on my feet and the next I'm cradled in a pair of arms and then-
Then everything has gone dark. And I know nothing more.
All I can remember is that in the last moments of my consciousness I heard a rough voice intoning something in my ear.
I think...was it...come on...concentrate. Remember!
"I'm...yours," the voice said, through gritted teeth.
The anger and despair in that voice makes me recoil from the memory and I'm left to walk my dreams, unaware of my body or what's happening to it.
And after a while...I simply forget it.