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The Ride Home
(From Vol. 1, 468 words)
Fig and Ayda are on the way home from their date in What it's Like to Trance (no context from that needed to enjoy) when Ayda falls asleep in the car.
Fig was driving uncharacteristically slowly. She was making sure to avoid every pothole and speed bump on the way to Mordred. A hard task given its location, but Ayda had nodded off in the passenger side seat on the ride home, and Fig didn’t want to wake her.
After getting into the car, the two of them didn’t really chat. As much as Fig loved talking to Ayda, sometimes they both just enjoyed the silence of each other's company. Fig was still getting used to enjoying silence. So when the sound of a slight whistling snore came from her right, she was slightly surprised. Ayda didn’t seem like the type of person who’d fall asleep on a car ride, but Fig was happy. She was glad Ayda felt comfortable enough around her for this to happen. Parked at a red light, She chanced a glance at the sleeping Phoenix. Her head was pressed lightly against the window. Puffs of smoke escaping her nostrils as she breathed in and out, ever so slowly. Fig almost didn’t notice the light change to green. But she did, and so went back to driving.
She ended up taking a longer route, one that was more recently paved. Cursing under her breath at every bump or honk. She vowed to create a special place in the bottomless pit for the one who blaired their horn so loud that Ayda let out a mumble and actually stirred. It was her domain now, she can do it. Eventually, though, she did make it all the way back to the manor. It was late, She’d have to explain herself to Sandralynn. It was worth it though.
She softly placed a hand on her girlfriend's leg, giving it a light squeeze. “Babe, we’re home.” She whispered.
“Hm… We… We are,” she said as she sat up, rubbing the spot on her head where it was resting against the window. “I was… asleep” She caught herself before she said ‘unconscious’ because she knew Fig thought it sounded more like she was hurt.
“Yeah. I drove all careful-like so I wouldn’t wake you.” Fig said with a smile on her face. Ayda nodded.
“Thank you, though it was unnecessary. I wouldn’t have minded being awake with you. Not that I minded being asleep with you…”
“You just seemed so peaceful.” Fig cut her off, preventing her from spiraling down an ‘I love every moment with you, waking or unwaking’ train of thought. “I didn’t want to deprive you of rest. I know how often you stay up all night organizing the Compass Points.” Fig’s earnest voice was soft and sweet. Ayda leaned in close from the passenger seat.
“You are so very thoughtful, and clever. I would like to kiss you now.”
“I would also like to kiss you.”
Sword Play
(From Vol.1, 492 words)
Fabian is training Riz how to use that sword that he owns.
Riz fell to the ground, his sword scattering across the polished hardwood floor and away from him. With a grunt he rolled over.
“I believe that is three rounds for me.” Fabian’s voice radiated with pride.
“Yup. Why are we doing this again?” Riz asked, lifting his hand up as a way of asking to be helped to his feet. Fabian obliged.
“Because you are running around with a sword you don’t use. I am not going to let you get into a situation where the sword is your only option and you don’t know how to use it.”
“I would just use the sword to teleport away.” Riz countered, which Fabian grunted at.
“If you can’t hold your own, that won’t always be an option. Now, one more round, and then we can call it quits.” Fabian Gave Riz a little pat on the shoulder before heading away towards his starting place. Riz took the chance to grab his sword (really it was more of a wooden, sword shaped stick) and went to his starting place, humoring Fabian.
Fabian turned with a flair, one hand raised above his head holding his sheet flowing behind him, and the other extending his sword straight towards Riz. It would almost look ridiculous or over the top if he wasn’t so confident in his movements. The two eyed each other, no verbal confirmation that the match had started, but they both knew it had.
Riz opened with a rush forward to close the gap. He had to get behind Fabian to get a good blow in. Fabian’s mouth cracked into a slight smile as he saw this. A small spin and he was covered, completely obscured by his Elven Battle Sheet. Riz tried to find whatever the Back of this would be but he was cut off as the sheet between him and Fabian disappeared and he was attacked three times. He managed to block the first two but the third one struck his wrist hard, causing him to drop his sword.
Riz quickly corrected his mistake, dropping prone to grab the sword, then slid under Fabian as he was forced into another swirl by his own momentum. With his reclaimed sword he swept at Fabian’s leg, getting a stumble out of the half-elf. But he quickly recovered and whipped The Battle Sheet at Riz, it wrapped around his waist and he was pulled suddenly towards him. Fabian then struck Riz twice as he was wrapped further in the sheet, and then with a twist of his wrist, Fabian unraveled his sheet and Riz went flying once again, slamming into the wall so hard that Fabian himself flinched.
“Sorry, The Ball. Didn’t mean to go so hard on you there. You got a good hit in though. You’re getting better.” Fabian complimented as he walked over to help his friend up once again. “Come on, Cathilda was whipping up something special in the kitchen earlier.
Panicked
(From Vol.1, 435 words)
Aelwyn hears Adain crying in the night and checks on her like a good big sister
Aelwyn, like all elves, was a light trancer. It didn’t take much to wake an elf from trance, that’s one of the many reasons they preferred it to sleeping. Especially since they get the benefits most races get from sleeping. So it didn’t take long for her to wake up to the sound of her sister crying below her. It was only a moment later before she rolled over the side and lowered herself to the floor
Adaine was tucked in her bed with Boggy sitting on her chest. Her eyes were closed, but she was definitely crying, a light whimper escaping her lips. She was trying to be quiet, but she was failing. Classic Adaine, having an emotional crisis and still worrying about how her big sister would react. Aelwyn, almost reflexively, put a protective ward around her sister before gently putting a hand on her shoulder to let her know she was there.
“Ah.” Adaine jumped at the touch, opening her eyes. She looked around the room quickly, her eyes darting back and forth. “S-s-sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“Shush, now,” she said. The tone was almost insulting, but it was genuinely Aelwyn’s. “I’m up now and I’m here. Remember those breathing exercises Jawbone taught you.” She gave a gentle squeeze, grounding her sister in reality. Adaine tried to respond but simply gave a nod before focusing on her breaths.
Aelwyn had known, of course, of Adaine’s panic attacks. She had written it off as a weakness of her sisters. Another fault in her lesser sibling. Now she knew better, she’d learned that they didn’t make her weaker, they were simply a part of her. But seeing it was different.
“Aelwyn…” The voice, weak and wavering, cut through her train of thought.
“Yes, sister.” She responds.
“I… I don’t know why this is happening. I haven’t had a… a… an attack since…” She started struggling, remembering her last attack had broken her focus on her breathing. She started gasping and crying again.
“The Nightmare King’s forest. I know, Breath, darling sister, breath.” Aelwyn instructed. Adaine nodded again and focused on her breathing. This time, she stopped crying as her breath came under her control.
“We’ll figure out what the cause was later. For now, would you mind if I climbed into the bed and spent the rest of the night next to you.”
“Yes, please.” Adaine said, lifting the blanket to invite her sister in. Aelwyn slid in and wrapped an arm around her sister. She found herself mirroring her sister’s breathing as the two of them fell back into trance.
Artifice
(From Vol.1, 374 words)
The things Gorgug makes for his friends.
Gorgug liked making.
He found almost no greater joy than when he built something for his loved ones. The joy in providing something they both needed and wanted was without parallel.
For Adaine he made a terrarium for Boggy. One separate from the backpack she carried him around in. It was built into a desk so she could look at him while she studied, wrote, or did homework.
For Fabian he made a sheath for his sword that was designed with grooves to wrap his sheet around it. The convenience of a place to keep it was a concern Fabian had shared with him a while ago.
For Riz he made a dual sided cork board with a little wheel of red thread. He hoped the convenience of it would give Riz some time to rest.
For Kristen he made a custom reusable IDK black out template so she could make as many tie dye shirts as she wanted, one of the only holdovers from her old life. She got joy from it, bringing memories of her younger brothers.
For Fig he made a portable stage, a fold out box that is big enough for her to set up on and perform wherever they are. It was complex, but the smile on her face as she performs made the work worth it.
For Zelda he made a stress ball that wouldn’t break, she lost control of herself when she went into a rage, and he knew how much control mattered to her.
For his parents he made custom tools. They didn’t need him to, they could figure it out themselves if they needed to, but he enjoyed taking a bit of the burden off of their work.
And for himself he made these gifts for his friends. Their smiles were all he needed, their warmed hearts, their hugs. Gorgug was never very good with words. He found it hard to get across what he really meant. But, making? That allowed him to show his friends and family that he understood what they were going through, that he knew what they needed and that he could be there for them. To show them how deeply and truly he loved them.
And he did love them.
Calming Presence
(From Vol.2, 426 words)
Gorgug and Zelda are on a date when an asshole spills water on her dress, Gorgug keeps her from spilling blood
Gorgug would never describe himself as a calm guy. As much as he wanted to be the type of guy who keeps his cool, sometimes something hits him in just the right way as to send him into a rage. But there was a difference between Gorgug’s rage and Zelda’s. She too had a tendency to be set off, but with her it was like she was getting possessed by something. Because she was. Her god took the reins when she raged. So Gorgug had spent quite a lot of time creating soothing environments for her when they were together
So he was mad at himself when the two of them were at dinner and an asshole, talking on his phone, didn’t even seem to notice that he knocked over a glass of water on their table. It would not have been a big deal, except it spilled all over Zelda’s dress.
She rarely got dressed up. She was comfortable in her hoody, happy, and that’s all Gorgug wanted for her, but tonight was their anniversary so they were wearing their finest clothes. Gorgug could see her eyes start to turn red as a low growl escaped from her throat. He reached across the table and grabbed her hands lightly, giving her something to squeeze. She did so, the pressure firm in his hands. She nodded, but was in no state to speak.
“It’s okay. I’m here, focus on my voice. You can get through this. Breath” He had gotten into a routine with the words, but he still meant them every time. She nodded again, Closing her eyes to try and fight back her god’s possession.
“I’m just… I’m so mad” She said, her voice a deep growl, very different from her normal sweet and shy voice. It hurt him to see her like this, but when she was off on adventures, it was more of a blessing than a curse. So he was happy to help her through these ‘attacks’. As she calmed down she opened her eyes and they had returned to their beautiful natural brown.
“S-sorry.” She said, in a shy tone
“Shhh, It’s okay, I love you Zelda. I love all of you. This included. You don’t need to apologize.” He reassured, giving her hands a gentle squeeze.
“”Y-yeah. Thanks. I love you too Gorgug.” She looked down at her own profession of love. Still nervous even after all their time together. She pulled out a notebook and made a note to talk about this incident at her next therapy session.
Love and Tie Dye
(From Vol.2, 315 words)
a further examination of my thoughts on Kristen Applebees relation to tie dye as previously hinted at in 'The Making of Adaine O'Shaughnessy,' and 'Random Encounters Vol.1" Neither of which is require reading.
The Helioic faith was dirty and rotten to the core. Every practitioner was in service to a god who was petty and weak minded, and who laid claim to people from their birth and promised them eternal happiness if they just lived a certain way and didn’t love certain types of people, and hated other people. Kristen thought it was all bullshit, but the tie dye was nice. It was one of the few things she’d done with her brothers that actually brought her piece. Once a year they’d make shirts for the whole family.
She kept up the tradition, the only one she kept from those days. With Helio it was all bright yellows and oranges, some light blue, a very sky themed color scheme. WIth YES! And later Yes? She mostly did greens and purples, some darker blues and sometimes red, though never very much. Recently, with Cassandra, it’s been Black, purple, dark blue, and gray. Evocative of the night.
She had taken to making tie dye with Tracker. She had always enjoyed doing it with other people. Tracker didn’t wear it at first, she prefers graphic tees that depict wolves either stylized or realistic. But Eventually Kristen convinced her to wear bandannas, tied around her arm, dyed to match her shirts. Tracker had found this extremely gay, and thus couldn’t refuse to do it.
But now Tracker was leaving. She was going off to Fallinel for Cass knows how long, and things were better between them, but they were still tense after spring break. Kristen didn’t know if she could handle that just yet, and so was in a bit of a panic. So when Gorgug gave her a custom template to keep a clear IDK logo on her shirts, and Tracker suggested they try it out, she found herself relaxing doing crafts from her past with the woman that she loves.
Study Group
(From Vol.2, 430 words)
Adaine, Ayda, and Aelwyn spend some time together, nothing really happens but I couldn't get this god damned scene out of my head so here you go.
Adaine found that she enjoyed studying with Ayda more than most other people. She was calm, and thorough, and good at recognizing patterns. When it came time to study, there was almost no one she wanted by her side. Aelwyn was a close second. She was rude, and critical, but it always felt nice spending time with her sister.
Adaine was on Leviathan with her two best study partners. She was helping catalog the library with Ayda, which meant actually reading through the lot of them, as their titles were seldom unhelpful when it came to deciphering context. Pirates will be cagey, after all. Aelwyn had offered to come and help. She was bored in the manor, and often busied herself with her study.
“So Ayda… did your previous lives not already catalog these books?” Adaine asked, flipping through the text of a book about the dos and don’ts of making treasure maps.
“They each had their own system, as I do. It was decided that each Ayda should organize the books in their own way long ago, so that each Ayda would have to familiarize themselves with the collection. Though few of my former lives had such wonderful help.” Ayda bowed as she complimented the elven women helping her.
“How very… kind of you.” Aelwyn replied in a voice that conveyed distaste. Ayda did not seem to notice.
The trio continued their work, identifying the contents of each book and putting them in their place. It didn’t take long to figure out where a book belonged, only the first few pages was often enough, though it did take up quite a bit of time for so many books. Eventually, Adaine stumbled upon an interesting find. A Cig Figs flier folded into a bookmark not far into the book.
“Hey, you were reading this recently?” She commented, holding up the flier.
“Ah. Yes, I must admit I had forgotten about that story. ‘The Pirate’s Gambit’ correct?” She asked.
“Yes.”
“I lost interest, the story was poorly written fiction, following a man and a woman who are inexplicably falling in love despite no seemingly real connection.” Ayda explained. “But I will take the bookmark. I find, despite how makeshift it is, that it is my favorite one.” Aelwyn rolled her eyes. She was happy for her, of course, but she couldn’t let Adaine know that. She knew it anyway.
“Aww. Fig is really important to you, isn’t she?” Adaine said
“Very. She occupies many of my waking thoughts, and even some of my unwaking.” Ayda’s hair flared to punctuate her point.
Hang Time
(From Vol.2, 551 words)
Fabian and The Hangman go camping to spend some quality time together after Fabian's journey trying to decipher what is his own doing and what is his father's influence.
Fabian found himself to be very busy in the weeks following spring break. He had a whirlwind romance with Aelwyn, but they both decided that they wanted to be a little less ‘unhealthy for each other in a sexy fun way.’ So they had called it quits, and he went to work reexamining the aspects of his life that were actually his.
The Bad kids as his friends, for one, was his own doing. He was confident that that accomplishment had nothing to do with his father. His victories in freshman year, and his failures in sophomore year, also his own, he had found. They were influenced by his dearest pa-pa, but still uniquely Fabian’s. And the final thing he pondered and found to be fully his was The Hangman.
The Hangman was one of Fabian’s closest friends. He quickly stopped seeing him as an object, and while he still called him ‘Bike’ he thought of it as an affectionate nickname rather than calling him an object. Like ‘The Ball.’
So he decided he needed to spend some time alone with The Hangman. A drive to a secluded camping spot his father had once shown him. While he was trying to discover what was him and what was his father, he had decided the spot was his fathers, but he still liked it, so he would still use it. It wasn’t about cutting his father’s influence from his life, after all. It was simply about recognizing it.
“Sire, are we almost there?” The Hangman asked, Fabian wasn’t quite sure if it was in his mind or not, he thought they used to talk telepathically, but he was less certain now.
“Almost, Bike. You’ll like this place, I promise.” He said out loud anyway. No friends of his to make fun of him here.
“Sire, it pleases me greatly to know you care for my preference! You are leagues better than Johnny Spells ever was” The Hangman praised. Fabian smiled.
“He didn’t know what he had. He would have appreciated you a lot more if he’d known how good of a friend you can be.” Fabian reassured, pulling off of the paved road.and onto a dirt path. The path twisted and turned through trees, but Fabian knew his way. Soon they pulled up to a small sandy shore alongside a river. The two of them stopped and Fabian set about building a campfire.
“I must admit, the sand feels good on my tires. I still prefer paved surfaces, however.” The Hangman said. It was rare that he spoke his own mind instead of just agreeing with Fabian. Fabian smiled, he was glad he was comfortable enough with him to be honest.
“The sand is nice, but it’s the isolation that I really enjoy about this place. Out here it’s just you and me, no Bad Kids, no Aelwyn, no teachers… we can just hang out. It’s been a while since we were able to do that.” Fabian said, lifting some of that spark inside him out and using it to light the campfire.
“Indeed, any quality time with you, sire, is worth it. But I do like the sand. WATCH!” The bike revved his engines and his back tire spun, digging a hole into the ground, kicking up sand. Fabian laughed.
Case Closed
(From Vol.3, 327 words)
A character study of Riz Gukgak and his mystery solving way
Riz was very good at solving crimes. It takes a keen mind and a sharp eye to make all the pieces come together and paint a full picture, both of which Riz has. Very few things went past him unnoticed. And as he put the final piece in place on a corkboard at 2 in the morning, Riz was feeling good. Tired too, sure, but he was always tired, mostly it was good.
Riz made a call to the police, old contacts of his mom, and gave them the information on the corkboard in front of him, a breakdown of a missing person he had been asked to solve by an older elven woman. As much as he wanted to make the arrest and save the day, it was too late at night to bother his friends, and he knew that he wasn’t likely to make any arrests on his own. So he let the cops handle it. Followed by a quick text to his client, letting her know that the cops were about to make an arrest that should lead, one way or another, to her missing person.
He sat down on a couch in his office and looked up at the ceiling. He enjoyed the feeling he got after solving a case, that moment of clarity where he felt whole before the longing for a new mystery to solve crept in. He always needed something, a tangled knot to untangle, or else he’d get antsy.
He'd often spent time wondering what he’d do if the world had suddenly become a safe place, where there were no mysteries to solve or criminals to catch. He liked to believe that he would be able to rest, to put down the magnifying glass and enjoy the peace… but something told him that that was a far-fetched dream.
Then there was a knock at the door, a new mystery to solve, and he was out of his own head.
Night Walk.
(From Vol.3, 330 words)
Set at the same time as the last story in the series 'In Concert,' following Zelda and Gorgug's perspective as they take a quick walk at night. 'In concert' Is not required reading, Check it out if you like this short
Zelda was hanging in Gorgug’s arms, her hooves dangling a full foot off the ground. She had always enjoyed being held by Gorgug, his strong form complimented with his gentle nature meant he gave the best hugs. The two of them were in a cheap motel room with Ayda and Fig a few feet away in a similar embrace, a sight that made Gorgug smile. He had always enjoyed seeing his friends happy. Once their hug broke, Zelda gently tugged on Gorgug’s arm, a soft way of asking him to lean down so she could whisper in his ear.
“Hey, let’s give them a moment, want to go, uhm…” She paused. “Wanna go for a walk.” Her voice was soft in his ear, she had gotten a lot less nervous around him, but even so, still felt hesitant whenever she spoke. Gorgug nodded
“Uh… Yeah, that’s a good idea,” He replied, grabbing her hand and walking back out the door, stopping only to place his bag down by the door.
They walked for a while, hand in hand. She had to hold her arm up, and gorgug had to bend down a bit, but they enjoyed holding each other’s hands as they walked anywhere. Zelda found herself looking up at the night sky. Light pollution meant that few stars were visible tonight, but they still caught her eye.
“I uh… I really like this.” Gorgug said out of nowhere, drawing his girlfriend’s attention.
“”Like… what?” She questioned.
“This. Walking with you, hanging out, just… being with you. I really don’t know what I would have done if I had messed this up.” Gorgug continued. She felt a slight lump in her throat.
“Gorgug, you never messed anything up. And… And I like this too.” She said, trying to change the subject. Gorgug nodded.
“Right, right. It’s just… so nice. The chill of the night air, your war hand in mine. It’s… It’s really nice.” he replied, catching on. She giggled.
Getting Dressed Up
(From Vol.3, 324 words)
Aelwyn character study, showing my thoughts on the masks she used to wear and the way she'd choose to dress without all of the outside pressure
Aelwyn was sick of the outfits she had always worn. Masks to cover the real her up. Masks to impress the boys at parties, or her parents, or even her incredibly strong younger sister. When she had told Jawbone this, he handed her a handful of cash and told her to ‘Go wild, kiddo.’ So she went shopping.
At home she would dress in neat and conservative clothes, buttoned up, long sleeves, long skirts, elegant and sculpted, the perfect child. Pure whites and the signature Hudol Blue, a color combination that complimented her elven skin and blond hair.
At the parties she wore revealing tops and tight jeans, designed to allure people, distract them from discerning her true intentions. Often she’d wear an enticing red.
And yet here, shopping for her true self, she was drawn to pink of all things. Not hot pink, but a soft pastel pink, almost a salmon. A long sleeve t-shirt, the type she would never be caught dead in by either her parents or the people she partied with. The thought was comforting, that it was so much the opposite of who she had been. Or, who she had been pretending to be.
She also found herself buying skirts. Not the long ones that reached her ankles, much shorter, a little over knee length and a very loose fabric, giving her a full range of motion.
The final piece of the outfit was a jacket. A light one, forest green complimenting the pink top. Not long enough to overlap the skirt. It was soft on the inside but textured on the outside, it reminded her of Adaine’s jean jacket, but it was not the same material.
She was happy with her new look. It wasn’t attention grabbing or covering her true self, it was merely a reflection of her. Her favorite colors and comfortable materials. It made her feel more like her than she had felt in years.
A Very Late Night (Extended version.)
(From A very Late Night (Extended), 960 word)
An extended version of the short in Random Encounters Volume 3, featuring a longer bit about his relationship to Tracker, as well as more Jawbone and Adaine sweetness, where he comforts his daughter after she made a simple mistake.
Jawbone was up late going over some paperwork. Stuff for his counseling job, recommendations for therapy, courses of action for struggling students, or just regular business paperwork. He let out a sigh when he checked the clock and saw it was well past midnight. He decided to go back to his room to get at least a little sleep before work today. A small grunt escaped his lips as he left the chair he was sitting in.
He walked past many rooms on his way to his own. A lot of kids had moved in, and he couldn’t be more grateful that they all agreed to live here. Nothing made him happier than seeing these young adults take affirming action in improving their lives. A few of them he’d come to see as if they were his own children. He walked by the empty room of Tracker, she had left for Fallinel not too long ago, and he couldn’t be more proud. She was fighting the injustices of her own religion, and growing a new faction that praised the moon goddess in all of her aspects, not neglecting those that were unsightly. He stopped for a moment and looked around the room. They hadn’t lived here long, but it still felt odd seeing a room that should belong to the kid that has been in his care the longest empty. Tracker was the first one he grew to see like a daughter.
She was always so strong, always had her own opinions and would never hesitate to debate them. He had taken her in after her parents kicked her out of the house due to her ‘affliction.’ It was actually taking her in that encouraged him to make the political statement of always being half transformed at all times. No one should have to go through that. Still, she was in better hands with him than her parents anyway, if they weren’t prepared to handle a kid with lycanthropy, they shouldn’t have had a kid. Besides, he knew his brother wasn’t the most open minded individual, he would never have approved of her sexuality either. Jawbone was happy to be her guardian.
He was stopped one more time before he could make it to his room. There was a faint gasping sound coming from the stairs leading to Adaine’s tower. He stopped in his tracks. His second daughter, The young elf girl who had turned around his life. He sighed and turned towards the sound. Looks like he won’t be getting any sleep tonight.
The flight of stairs was a small obstacle, he ascended them quickly and knocked on the door to Adaine’s room, before entering a moment later. The tower room was small, with most of it being taken up by the large bunk beds and a large set of drawers for their clothes.
“Kiddo are you okay?” He asked quietly as he surveyed the room. Aelwyn was gone, she had been visiting Bastion city trying to make amends with some old enemies she had made there. So Adaine was alone, sitting on the floor next to her bed looking at her hand, which was bleeding. A broken hand mirror laying on the floor beside her.
“I… Shit, I don’t think so. It’s a pretty bad cut.” She said, Jawbone sat in front of her and looked at it. It was bad, but nothing Kristin couldn’t heal.
“Yikes, kiddo. What happened? Want me to go get Kristin?” He offered. She reached out with her good hand and grabbed him.
“No. I don’t want to wake her. You know how she’s been since Tracker left, I think she needs the rest. Besides…” she trailed off as she reached into her jacket and pulled out a clean cloth. She began to wrap it around her hand, but winced at the pain.
“Here let me.” he said, grabbing the cloth and wrapping it gently around her hand so that it soaked up the blood and put pressure on the wound. She gave a sharp inhale every now and then, but once he was done, she sighed and pulled him into a hug.
“C… Can you stay Please.” She asked softly. He merely nodded, and sat down next to her.
“Of course I can Kiddo.” he said. Moving next to her and putting a single arm around her in a warm cuddle. He held her there for a while in silence, just being there for her. A year ago she’d have broken down sobbing, but now she is simply breathing deep slow controlled breaths. He was proud of how far she’d come in controlling her emotions.
“So kiddo, wanna tell me what happened?” Jawbone asked quietly.
“It’s… It’s stupid. I should have just cast mending instead of picking up the shard, wouldn’t have cut myself that way.” She said. Jawbone hugged her tighter.
“It’s not stupid, sweetheart. Sometimes people make mistakes.” He reassured, she nodded. “Who’s mirror is that?”
“It’s Aelwyn’s. She left it here.” Adaine said. She didn’t seem too worried. Jawbone didn’t know much about magic, but he guessed this Mending spell would fix the break well enough that Aelwyn wouldn’t even notice.
“Well I’m glad you are alright, kiddo. I can’t imagine if anything worse had happened to you.” Jawbone rested his head on hers.
“That’s very sweet of you, Jawbone, but I think there is a livestream archive of me getting stabbed in the chest by a unicorn, a lot worse has already happened to me.” She retorted, the smile on her voice was audible.
“Good point kiddo. Good Point. Still, just because this is small potatoes compared to what you’ve been through, doesn’t mean that you are weak for wanting me here, okay.” He reassured.
“Thank you, Dad.”
Fathers
(From Vol.4, 312 words)
Fig and Jawbone have a heart to heart on why their relationship is different from his and Adaine's.
Fig was walking through the halls of Mordred on a rainy Saturday afternoon. She had a lot on her mind when she came across Jawbone stepping out of Adaine’s room. Well, the door to the stairs to Adaine’s room, but same difference. When they made eye contact, he smiled and gave her a wave.
“Hey, Jawbone. What’s up?” Fig said. He shrugged.
“Adaine forgot some clothes in the laundry room, I was just running them up to her.” He said, his canine smile as wide as ever.
“You really are going full ‘dad’ mode for her huh.” Fig said. She didn’t mean for it to, but it did come out sounding a little jealous.
“Now Kiddo. Of course I’m going full dad mode. She’s technically my daughter now, but more than that, she needs a father figure.” Jawbone chimed in, He didn’t point it out, but his face indicated that he had caught on.
“That… makes sense.”
“Tracker needed that too. Hell, Ragh needs that too, but him and Aelwyn are in that ‘i’m an adult now, I don’t need help’ phase.” He continued with a chuckle. A hand on Fig’s shoulder told her that he was going somewhere with this.
“But you, kiddo. You’ve got two great dads and a mom who loves you a ton. You don’t need me to step in and fill that role for you.” he reassured. She did feel like she needed to hear that. More than she thought she did.
“Thanks. Still, I should probably spend more time with you if you’re going to keep dating my Mom.” She said, her snarky teen voice coming back.
“That is true. Sandralynn loves you, and I have been getting the feeling lately that we should spend more time together with you. How about we go get milkshakes?” He offered.
“You know what, that sounds great.” She said.
A Familiar Feeling
(From Vol.4, 446 words)
Boggy is left alone in his terrarium when he hears a noise and gets spooked.
Boggy was alone in his terrarium, built into a desk by Gorgug for Adaine. He liked it there. The perfect amount of water, some nice green foliage, he was honestly just happy to be here, gang. It was late, Adaine was off in town, probably with her friends.
“The Theater doesn’t allow pets, so I can’t bring you along,” Adaine had said to him through the glass wall of his terrarium. He simply gave her his reassuring smile, and was happy to see that she returned it.
“Don’t worry, If I need you, I’ll just summon you!” She said, grabbing the terrarium backpack she had gotten from the jacket just in case. He liked that she could just call him to her side whenever she needed. So he dutifully sat waiting to be called on.
The room was dark. The sun had started to set just before Adaine had left, and was now fully below the horizon. No lights were left on, But boggy was content sitting in his little pool of water, waiting for a bug to fly in front of him to eat. But then he heard a noise.
The door creaked open, quietly and slowly. The footsteps coming in were quiet, but not perfectly so. Someone was sneaking in. Boggy was not too sure about this, so moved to get a better look. It was hard to see in the dark, but the figure looked… familiar. Not sure if he could trust it though. He jumped, teleporting to another layer of his terrarium, closer to the door, and higher up to get a better look. The person sneaking into the room was approaching.
His worries eased as he heard the voice call out. “Adaine? Adaine are you in here?”
It was a soft, accented, feminine voice that called out, attempting to remain quiet so as not to wake Adaine should she be asleep. The voice belonged to Adaine’s sister. Aelwyn? Was it? He had gotten used to her being called “My Bitch Sister” By Adaine, but lately she hadn’t vented to him about her. She was nice, at least to him.
His face had reverted back to its reassuring state by the time she opened the door to the terrarium. She grabbed his spherical body and held it up to look at his face.
“I… I think I need to hold you for a moment. Don’t you dare tell my sister.” She said, sitting on the bed before leaning back and setting boggy on her chest. It was something Adaine had done regularly. He could feel Aelwyn’s breathing slowly come under control underneath him. As always, he was simply happy to be here.
Catching Up
(From Vol.4, 351 words)
Riz tells his father the little things
Riz unfolded a chair across from a tall headstone that was slightly overgrown. His father’s grave was slightly secluded, with a tall tree nearby that cast shade overhead. He hated coming here for so long, but the catharsis he got from telling his father all the big events that had happened to him helped, so he made it a routine. Finding out his father was actually listening, and having been asked to tell him the small things too, he had started visiting even more regularly.
“Uh… hey Dad. I know you’re busy being a really awesome angel spy, but I figured I’d come and… you know… catch up.” He said sheepishly. Knowing his father was actually listening didn’t make him feel any less weird while talking to a headstone.
“So… the business has been going good. Other than when I shut it down due to a mild interdimensional conspiracy panic” Riz let out a small laugh.
“Mom is alright. Gorthalax has really helped out around the house. He made her dream of becoming a lawyer possible, without his money we wouldn’t have been able to keep up rent. Both on the apartment and with the office.” He explained. Standing from the chair to pace. His legs hated being still for so long.
“The other Bad Kids and I have been taking a bit of a break from world saving. Junior Year we’ll probably get roped into some adventures. But for now we’re taking it easy. Well, as easy as we can.” He said. He pulled a flask from his jacket and took a sip. It was just water, he had been urged to stay hydrated by Adaine one too many times, so he’d taken to actually keeping hydrated. Besides, the flask matched his aesthetic.
“Uh… I think that’s about it, dad. No girlfriends yet. Or boyfriends. I’m starting to think I may actually be Asexual. Adaine had been reading some stuff on that and it makes an odd amount of sense.” He said as he folded up the chair. He walked slowly out of the graveyard, only stopping to say goodbye.
Purely Academic
(From Vol.4, 672 words)
Ayda asks Arthur a question that she's been worried about for a while.
Ayda found that she was more nervous than usual, and she was usually pretty nervous. She was always worried that she’d get something wrong and ruin all her friendships. Or worse ruin her new found relationship with Fig. She couldn’t imagine what it’d be like if she ruined that, a connection with someone so powerful that she had nothing to even compare it to over several lifetimes. But here she was, in a small Café on the outskirts of Elmville, waiting for her father.
She had one interaction with him this lifetime. Apparently the first in a few lives after a big falling out. She had grown up mad at him, for not being there for her like Garthy was. How backwards it was, to be raised by her child instead of her father. But she had discovered somenews. That she was the one to cut ties, not him. And so, here she was… attempting to right some wrongs.
She was worried that he had flaked on her, refusing to insert himself into her life once again when there was a loud poofing sound from under the table and a tall slender man with a large beard and a deep blue suit crawled out from under it. He gave an exaggerated bow and then sat down
“Daughter! How exciting. I’m sorry I was late, Giliear had some paperwork for me to sign. I left him with an illusion that he only thinks is signing it. There may be consequences to that, but I really wanted to be here.” He said. His voice was as it always was, from what she understood. Exaggerated and over the top, but still sincere.
“Thank you. I urge you to actually go over that paperwork once we are done though. Dotting ‘I’s and crossing ‘T’s is important” Ayda commented.
“That is correct. Almost as important as the very world!” He shook his fist for emphasis. “But… Not as important as you. What was it you wanted to talk to me about? Are you and that tiefling girl getting married? Because I think you are supposed to talk to her dad.” He let his train of thought loose. Ayda admired this somewhat. She was always worried about saying the wrong thing, of getting an interaction wrong. Arthur merely didn’t care and let whatever he wanted come out of his mouth.
“No. And asking for permission from her father is an archaic outdated tradition anyway. She and she alone is the only person who needs to agree. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Fig and I are not getting married yet. No, I simply have a request for you. One that is purely academic.” She interlaced her fingers as she talked. Keeping her hands from shaking.
“Ah. Well as you said it doesn’t matter, but you have my full support when you do get married. And, if you’d have me, I’d love to be there. Anyway, what is this favor?” he leaned in with interest. For the first time his voice calmed down.
“I was wondering… if you could teach me the art of immortality?” She asked quietly.
“Ah, I had actually offered to teach that to a different you. I believe her response was ‘such practices are wasted on me, a being who is immortal.’” Arthur replied. She nodded.
“I had come to a similar conclusion. That was, until I met Fig. She’s an Archdemon now, a lord of hell. With that comes immortality. And I cannot guarantee that the next me would be what FIg wants, or if the next me would want Fig. So I’d like you to teach me how to live forever.” She laid out plainly. Her tone was not betraying how important this was to her.
“Well your mother, The Last Phoenix, has revived a few times. But she still always loves me. That said, I understand your wish. Come by my office tomorrow and I’ll give you some books, and some pointers.” He replied.
Ayda smiled. She was hopeful for the future.