Work Text:
It just wasn't fair!
Why had she been born with such weak scales?
Every day she watched her family, especially her elder brother Rion, go about their lives carefree. Each one of them were strong au’ra with beautiful horns and thick scales. Minus shedding season where even they had to take a day or two off for a good scrub and skin treatment. On the other hand, for Arisa it wasn't just every shedding season but practically every day she dealt with the natural affliction. Her horns had finally hardened but her scales just would not toughen up.
All she wanted to do was go out and play with the other kids. Maybe even help out with all the chores if she felt so inclined to. Anything but being stuck inside dressed in cotton pajamas with bandages all over her body scales. They reeked of a special family blended salve meant to reduce the itchiness and irritation. Whenever she went to sleep they even insisted she put it on the bottoms of her feet for some queer reason. It was to ward off sickness and encourage tougher scales would grow in but it just felt like torture and an assault on her poor nose.
The child tossed and turned sick of the idleness of it all. At least when everyone was done for the day they would come home and regale her with wondrous tales. But it was she who wanted to go out and experience them herself one day. Some nights she laid awake wondering if that day would ever come. In her dreams she saw fantastical things from fire breathing dragons to brave nights and even islands floating in the skies traversed by airships.
“Arisa Haneishi, is that a candle I spy? Aren’t you supposed to be fast asleep at this hour?” called a familiar voice as the door slowly creaked open. She fumbled with her latest adventure book and pulled the covers over her but let out a groan as she irritated her scales, accidentally knocking off bandages with the messy motion.
She clung to the blanket and was easily picked up by the large Xaela.
“W-Welcome home, papa…” she waved to him weakly, flinching as the blanket brushed against her tender scales and becoming entangled in it as she fell back to the bed.
“Uh huh, nice try kiddo.” he shook his head with a sigh and then carefully helped free her from the blankets and inspected the damage. “Put the book down and come with me, my little feather. We gotta fix those bandages before you go back to bed.”
Her father lifted her up with care not to touch her exposed scales and cradled her in his arms. She pouted the whole way. Always the kid or worse their little “feather”. Arisa had not been fond of the nickname as she got older. The other kids sniggered whenever they called her that and she figured it had to be because it made her sound so frail. Why call her something like that anyway when she already felt so weak and useless? It boggled her young mind.
Tseren easily read the thoughts of the auri youth. “Do you know why we call you our little feather, Arisa?” he asked her with a knowing smile.
Arisa huffed and crossed her arms. “To tease me for being tiny and weak.” she grumbled.
Her father let out a hardy laugh. “I “spose at your age it may seem that way. And I won’t deny you are on the smaller side.”
“See? I knew it… you’re all just making fun of me!” her cheeks puffed with indignation. How could they be so mean?!
Shifting her to one arm as he carefully prepared new bandages for her and pasted it with the salve, he hummed “Far from it, actually. I know your mother would be cross if she knew I told you this so soon but…” He paused to look around and make sure no one was around to hear and continued in a soft voice. “The reason we call you our little feather is because we entrusted you with a dream.”
Arisa blinked as she processed his words. “A dream..?” Well that sounded… mildly interesting. Much better than being teased in fact. Her ruby eyes grew a bit wider as she looked up to him expectantly for an explanation.
“Aye, a dream.” he smiled warmly slowly reapplied the bandages to her little scales one by one. “Our dream that you would one day take off upon the winds of adventure and that they might guide you always.”
She recognized these words, this feeling. It was just like the story books she read and the tales her family told her. This was the start of the hero’s journey. Tseren could see the spark behind her eyes ignite as his daughter came to the realization. He finished with the last of her bandages and took her back into both his arms again to carry her back to bed.
“You see… a feather may appear light and delicate but it is exactly those qualities that give it the strength to soar into the skies.” he explained as he set her down and pulled the blanket over her.
“Wait… wings and feathers are different.” she pointed out as a nosy child does.
“And wise too.” he chuckled and ruffled her hair. “I’ll have to tell you mother you’re doing your studies properly after all.” She beamed up at him at that as she had indeed been studying at home like a good daughter. Most of the time. They didn’t need to know how many stories she read in between.
Tseren placed a kiss upon her head and carefully tucked her in for the night. “So be brave, little feather. While today you may experience hardships, tomorrow you will be one step closer to taking flight.” He gently rubbed his horn against hers. “Remember that I will always love you.”
“I love you too, papa.” she yawned. The gentle vibration of his horn against hers was soothing and before she knew it she was fast asleep. No more pain from her soft but itchy scales. Sweet dreams awaited her.
Tseren smiled and watched her until she finally fell asleep before blowing out the candle. “Good night, our little feather.”
Oh Yuria would absolutely have his head when she woke up and heard about this. Their little girl was growing up so fast. Arisa already had a restless spirit but Tseren had knowingly just added fuel to that fire. His wife would miss her so. They both would one day. It was inevitable. So he would cherish these precious little moments with her while he could and looked forward to the hero she would grow up to be in her own story.
….
Years later Arisa would find herself arriving at the docks of Limsa Lominsa to begin her journey. This little feather was off to travel across the winds and begin her own adventure.