Chapter Text
Myopia couldn't quite put her finger on it but something wasn't right. No one seemed to notice or care that Cacofonix “conveniently” disappeared whenever Clamora came to visit. The fact that the villagers fawned over her whenever she visited infuriated Myopia to no end.
She's plain and not much to look at, why should she get all of the attention? I’m the most beautiful woman in the village, Myopia would tell herself. As soon as Clamora would leave and Cacofonix would “return”, she would notice that some details were a bit off. The brass bangle and ring that Clamora wore would be on the bard's person. The meticulously styled bouffant he normally sported was mysteriously misshapen. He also seemed to be less obnoxious than usual, causing less confrontations with Fulliautomatix.
But it wasn't just him that seemed “off”
Ferra and Fulliautomatix seemed a bit kinder towards him as well, inviting him inside their home on multiple occasions. Since when did Fulliautomatix stop bashing him over the head and started inviting him over?
Something was definitely wrong.
“Sweetiekins, have you noticed something?” Myopia stood at the window, further inspecting her neighbors, “It's a lot quieter now”
Geriatrix didn't stop washing the dish he had at hand. “Seems like Cacofonix finally got the message that no one wants to hear him. A long overdue lesson learned.”
The younger woman hummed to herself in agreement. As if on cue, she spotted the bard in question whispering in the blacksmith’s ear. No hint of the usual revulsion Fulliautomatix usually had towards the smaller man. Instead there was a touch of softness as he nodded his head in agreement to whatever Cacofonix asked him and motioned him to go inside. The gentle pat on the shoulder was what had Myopia cover her mouth to not expose her position.
The girls wouldn't believe this.
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The women of the village would visit weekly at Impedimenta’s house for goat’s milk and cake. They would usually use this time to catch up on their personal lives and by extension, gossip about the others. Myopia, taking an impervious sip of milk, scanned the other women at the table. A glint caught her eye as the matching rings worn by Bacteria and Ferra glistened in the light.
“That's a beautiful ring Bacteria, wherever did you get it?” The compliment thinly veiled with vitriol. This did not go unnoticed by Ferra who discreetly covered her own ring.
Bacteria took the hint, “Oh I had Fulliautomatix make it, I liked the one he made for himself.”
Myopia took this opening to pounce, eyes zipping over to Ferra’s hand seemingly covering a similar ring.
“Oh that nice twisting ring he made? Strange, I could have sworn I saw Cacofonix with a matching one,” Myopia took a sip of milk turning her gaze to Ferra, “Why doesn't yours match his ring Ferra?”
The glare both Ferra and Bacteria had could have set Myopia aflame. The other women at the table were now intrigued clambering over each other to see the ring in question.
“Wait now, what does your ring look like, Ferra?” Impedimenta held her hand out to observe the object of affection. Ferra sighed and relented, outstretching her hand to show the ring. It was a brass coiled ring with two separate spirals side by side. The women cooed in unison at the piece of jewelry.
“Oh my goodness Ferra, Fulliautomatix really outdid himself here, this is beautiful!” Impedimenta further inspected the ring, “and he made it unique for you too!”
“Do you think he would make me one as well?” Robusta interjected as she looked at Bacteria’s ring.
Myopia sulked as the reaction she anticipated backfired. The others didn’t see or seem to care that something was definitely off.
She was determined to figure out what was going on.