Chapter Text
In the darkness of the tome-covered shop, Nerissa set about her work. Doffing her Scarlet Wand hat, letting the pointed cone settle flaccidly on a nearby chair, she opened a book and flipped through it idly, muttering to herself as the sound of pages turning filled the air. Eventually, her hands weren't touching the book, but the pages were still turning. Her muttering became more clear and she read from a passage inside the leather-bound casing.
"Winds of change, blow now in my direction
Lead the object of my desire quickly to me
In your grace and with your benediction
Tear apart their bond, make me all she'll see!"
From the center of a circle drawn into the floor, a dark feather slowly began to lift off the ground. At the end of the circle, reaching almost every corner of the room, candles were lit at five different points. The faintest glow of a star pulsed, the sigil remaining for but the blink of an eye before once again fading from sight. The candles' flames turned from yellow to blue, flickering before an unnatural wind blew through the room with all its windows and doors closed. The fires were extinguished, and as the only light left in the room soon became her red eyes peering through the shade, Nerissa chuckled to herself.
"And now, Mori Calliope, let's see how you like this."
Calli awoke with a beam of sunlight piercing directly through her window and into her face. Groggily, she rolled to the side, only to fall off the bed and onto the unforgiving floor with a somewhat pathetic "GAH--!". Rubbing at her nose, she slowly got onto her feet and cracked her neck right, then left, and went to the mirror. The dark bags that sometimes hung under her eyes were prominent today, and she grimaced at her reflection.
"It's gonna be one of those days, huh." She said to herself, dragging a hand down her face. That is, until she reached her mouth. As soon as she did, her expression cleared, as flashes of last night quickly surfaced in her head.
"Ah... that's right... that did happen..." she murmured, replaying the moment Elizabeth took it upon herself to close the distance between them -- literally and figuratively -- and a small smile pulled at the corners of her mouth.
"Heh..." she chuckled to herself, slowly savoring the reliving of that kiss. "Nevermind anything else, nothing can make today bad after that!"
With that, for the first time ever, Mori Calliope began to sing to herself as she got ready for the day ahead.
"I'll give you fire, just keep it to yourself..."
She had just gotten the tavern open for the day when the door jingled open and in walked... not Elizabeth. Okay, that's fine, it's kind of weird to hope she would be the first one in. "Settle the hell down, girl." Calli whispered to herself. Yet, she found that she was only half paying attention, half laughing along, half... everything. The only time she was perked fully at attention was when the door jingled, but as soon as anyone but Liz walked in, she settled back into doing things by half measures and half heartedness. The rest of the day played out like this, with Calli only getting more despondent as the day wound down.
"Maybe she's just busy today. I know she has that building and the chickens and... geez, I'm acting like some lovesick kid!" she admonished herself when she finished the closing procedures for the day. She sighed, leaning onto the countertop with her elbows before falling forward and burying her face in the cool marble.
"I want to see her again..." she said, her voice muffled by the countertop.
"Who do you want to see again?" a familiar British accent filled her ears, causing the reaper to yelp and jump with a start, practically exiting her skin as her eyes filled with the sight of the redhead she had so longed to see.
"GYAAA!" she screamed, eliciting a cute chortle from her guildmate. "I mean, uh... GYAAAREETINGS to you, Ms. Bloodflame! How uh... how was your day?" she asked aloud, but internally she berated herself scathingly. "Gyaa? Are you KIDDING me?! Oh my god she's not gonna stop laughing at you from now on, you idiot." her internal voice said. It almost made her miss Liz's response, which she caught the tail end of, something to do with getting dirt all over her cloak today. Calli let out a small laugh.
"Yeah, those chickens, amiright?" Calli asserted, leaning on the countertop in a way that she thought was playing it cool, but came across entirely like trying too hard to play it cool.
"Silly..." Elizabeth said, her lips parted in a big smile that clearly said she was trying not to burst out laughing on the spot. "Anyway, I came by because I wanted to see if... you had some time left in the day for little ol me."
"Do I!" Calli exclaimed, not trying to correct herself afterward. "Absolutely, what do you want to do?"
The flame on Elizabeth's chest glowed a little brighter as she leaned in and whispered...
"You know... when you said you wanted to... well, I guess I thought... um..." Mori Calliope found herself completely speechless, which was not a usual thing for her. She liked to have a retort for everything or be adaptable. But now, as she found herself being carried by Elizabeth, piggyback style, she was dumbfounded.
"Hmm? I don't know how this could have been misconstrued." The Brit laughed as she walked almost completely undaunted. Mori Calliope was no slouch, but after all... Liz had to wield Thorn, regularly, in combat. There was... a little bit of difference for them.
"You said, and I quote, "I want you to ride me and give me a real workout." How was I supposed to think that was gonna go???" Inside, Calli thanked the stars that Liz couldn't see how beet red her face was.
Another laugh from Liz, this one causing her footing to go a little wobbly, jostling the helpless reaper atop her shoulders. "Hey, watch out!" Calli yelped, laughing as her thighs squeezed reflexively to secure a better hold.
"Oh? Afraid of a little rodeo ride?" Liz teased, and before Calli could reply she started pretending to gallop, moving erratically as though trying to throw off her guildmate, though the tightened hold on the other's legs said otherwise.
Mori Calliope grabbed on for dear life with one hand, the other holding an invisible cowboy hat. "Whoa there! Easy, girl!" she said in an exaggerated twang. Before long, both of them slowly came crashing to the floor, crumpled together in a heap of laughter on the grass. Calli soon lay on her side, looking at Liz with a small smile on her face.
Liz met her gaze, lolling her head to the side while laying supine, arms and legs outstretched. "Whatcha looking at? The moon and stars are up there, silly." She said pointing with a finger in a general upwards direction.
"Mm, what's a big rock and some specks gonna awe me with when I'm looking at something more radiant?" She countered.
"Ohh... aren't you a bold one now." Liz grinned. "Cheeky..." she moved to get nearer to Calli, their faces getting closer and closer. Calli could feel the breath from Liz beginning to wash over her -- Elizabeth's smile fell as she jolted, rubbing her eyes, much to Calli's surprise.
"What, what is it?" She asked, drawing closer to Liz in an effort to comfort her, seeing the upset expression written in the furrow of her brow and the sudden spike in heat her flame emitted.
"I-it's nothing..." Elizabeth said, before rubbing her eyes again and shaking her head. "Just... just tired, that's all, I think. Um... I better turn in early for the night. S-sorry." Without waiting for an answer, she scrambled to her feet, walking away in the direction of her home, casting an occasional glance over her shoulder at the befuddled Calli. Each time, the redhead shook her head and looked more agitated.
Disappointed, and feeling a measure of heartbreak at their moment interrupted so harshly, Mori Calliope sat up, curling into herself a little, and cast her gaze down at the grass swaying in the breeze.
"This is just the beginning, poor sweet Calli. This never would have happened if you didn't get in my way... oh well..."