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 Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 9:41 am
Tadhg - 1
Before leaving Pua Tadhg and his siblings had regularly trained with others their age. He hadn’t been old enough for anything too intense, but the boy had taken to it as well as any Aishan warrior. It had been fun – going through the motions, learning and practicing with his friends - until coming to Matori.
He thought that maybe having some time away from Kiros would mean he would come back stronger than ever and super amazing! That everyone who had picked at him for being off wouldn’t have anything to say. Then he’d had that foot race with Ares and....then there was the ball game...the swimming race....
Tadhg huffed and plopped down onto the sand.
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 9:45 am
Tsisia - 1
Tsisia approached her younger brother with a hesitant step. Over the past couple of days Tadhg’s mood had shifted and no one had been able to get through to him. He tried to smile through it – even when she saw the tears – but he was a stubborn boy. So, when the sun had started to set and everyone was settled, she slipped out to have a talk.
“Hey, mind if I join you?” She crouched down next to him before curling her legs and sitting on the sand. The waves were gentle around them; almost soothing in their own way.
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 9:46 am
Tadhg - 2
“Did Mama and Baba send you?” Tadhg grumbled. He pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his little arms around them. His head was propped up between his knees, subconsciously blocking his sister out of view while focusing on the ocean.
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 9:46 am
Tsisia - 2
“No, just me.” It wasn’t a total lie. There had been enough side glances during dinner that let her know if it wasn’t her it was going to be someone. She’d caught one look sienna had given her and that was when she knew it had to be her. Tadhg had spent the most time with Tsisia since leaving Pua so if anyone could figure it out it would be her, right?
“Come on, what’s wrong? What happened to the little brother who begged Baba not to use too many spices at dinner? You barely even complained tonight.”
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 9:49 am
Tadhg - 3
For a moment he debated answering. She couldn’t really make him say anything. Tsisia wasn’t magic or anything – least, as far as he knew. Tadhg sat there, staring at the waves as they lapped against the shore, before muttering, “I’m not a good runner.” The words were barely above a whisper and even as he said them little tears were bubbling in his golden eyes.
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 9:52 am
Tsisia - 3
The teen cocked her head to the side and leaned forward. For a beat she was sure he was going to say something, but then he tightened in on himself. If she hadn’t been nearly close enough to touch then Tsisia might have missed the omission all together. “So? You’re great at other things.”
When she heard him sniffle she reached over and drug his little body closer to hers. “Hey, hey, it’s alright, Tadhg. You’re okay.”
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 9:55 am
Tadhg - 4
Tadhg sucked in a breath and exhaled on a sob. “B-but I’m not good at anything. I’m a bad runner and I’m not smart and I’m not strong-” He sniffled and tried to bury himself further into his legs. Were it not for Tsisia dragging him close he might have been able to, but once the angle shifted he couldn’t hide anymore. Instead, he shifted his position and wrapped his arms around her chest instead.
“I’m just bad.”
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 11:33 am
Tsisia - 4
So that’s what all this was about. Tsisia adjusted her legs so she could drag her baby brother into her lap and wrap her arms around him. Tadhg could be such a stubborn boy, but he felt things so keenly and she couldn’t help feeling her heart break with him.
“You’re not bad, Tadhg. You’ve never been bad,” She cooed and leaned forward so that her head laid against his.
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 11:37 am
Tadhg - 5
“But I am,” He whined and pressed his face closer against her. “I-I-I'm not good with a...with a bow or....” anything. His heart ached with every admission, but it was the truth. As nice as it had been to live in Pua and be surrounded by likeminded families there had been times he’d visited Kiros. Those looks had followed him. Looks that were more accepting of his sisters, though no less critical, and he hadn’t given them much thought -
-until now. When all of his failures slammed into him and caused the boy to break.
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 11:44 am
Tsisia - 5
There had been elders who had celebrated Tsisia’s smallest accomplishments, but condemned Quetzal’s. They had been few and far between, but there all the same. She hadn’t thought about it much until the boys had bloomed because by then her brother had found his own way and her life had been blissfully without issue.
For someone like Tadhg, who loved his training, being talked down to must have crushed him. She hadn’t realized just how badly until now and Tsisia held him all the tighter.
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 11:49 am
Tadhg - 6
It took him a while to calm. Tadhg had cried until his breathing came out in haggard gasps and his body hung limp against his sisters. For a long moment he stayed silent, content in the comfort of her arms, when he decided to speak. “I’m sorry...” Tadhg sniffled and rubbed at his eyes. His cheeks burned from embarrassment. He was getting too old to be crying like this! “I’m trying but it just...doesn’t feel like I’m getting anywhere. Like it’s all sand.”
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 11:53 am
Tsisia - 6
Tsisia smoothed his hair back behind his antennae and reached down to kiss her little brother’s forehead. “I know, but you’re doing such a good job. I don’t know of anyone who tries more than you, Tadhg.” And that was the truth. He’d never given up on anything in his life and somehow Tadhg rarely let it get to him. It was only when something truly meant the world to him that he let it tear through him like this.
“Listen...I know we haven’t done much training since we came to Matori, but what if we did? You, me and anyone else that wants to. Wouldn’t that be fun?” She smiled down at him. “It’d be a good way to start the day.”
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 12:00 pm
Tadhg - 7
The look he passed her way wasn’t immediate, but when Tadhg turned to meet his sister’s gaze his eyes were full of tears. Every little droplet made his eyes shine brighter – like molten gold – and the half smile he offered garnered a brighter one from her. “Y-yeah?” It wouldn’t be the same kind of training he’d done with the others in Pua, but...it did sound fun.
He missed it; the rough housing, the drills and runs. Being on a trip was relaxing, but there was so much about home that he missed it made it hard for Tadhg to actually ‘chill’. This though...this he could do.
Plus...maybe his family wouldn’t care if he sucked.
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 12:03 pm
Tsisia - 7
“Of course.” Tsisia didn’t mind the break in lessons, but even she missed her friends. As exciting as this trip was it was just another reminder that things had changed, and maybe a little stability would help to steady Tadhg. Maybe they could build up his self-confidence before going back? Or in general, in case they didn’t.
“As long as you promise to do one thing. No promise no deal.”
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 12:11 pm
Tadhg - 8
“What do I gotta promise?” He asked skeptically. Tadhg shifted around on her lap so that he had his back turned to the sea and now he could better see the seriousness in her expression. He gulped, suddenly nervous about whatever Tsisia was about to make him do. What if she tricked him? She was good at that; twisting things to get people to do things for her. If he fell for another one of her schemes then Mama might get mad at them both.
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