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 Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2023 7:09 am
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Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2023 7:19 am
Around the Firewith Heike
Somewhere in Jauhar | Blade----------------------------------------
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Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2023 7:42 pm
A Helping Handwith Maia
Neued | Blade----------------------------------------
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Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2023 4:47 pm
A Bright Future
Somewhere in Jauhar | Blade
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The pollen had been falling from the sky for the past few days now, sneaking between the canopy above to float among the Aishans and Earthling alike. Rumors had begun to spread, news spreading from person to person like a wildfire. These took a while to reach Doesina's ears, far out in the forest as she was with Heike, as far away as the two could get from the Earthlings. Heike didn't seem all that concerned about it. She seemed more annoyed by it, brushing the pollen off her skin and food with a scowl on her face. How could she not be curious? Clearly something big was happening. When the Elaria simply couldn't take it anymore, she left for Neued, using the excuse of buying basic supplies they always needed more of to leave without having to see the judgement in the Elidae's eyes. Doesina loved talking to the Earthlings. Heike never approved of that. As far as she was concerned, all this pollen was something to do with them. It had nothing to do with an Aishan.
Oh, how wrong she was.
There was much excitement when she entered Neued. Earthlings were energetically talking to each other, many of them glancing at her than turning to their partner to whisper. As if they were talking about her. Which wasn't unusually, in and of itself. But many of them were doing it. Some outright staring at her, as if they were waiting for some sort of a reaction from her. As if they were waiting for her to explode over something. She could easily feel the tenseness in the air.
On top of all that strangeness, there were the Earthlings themselves. It had been a few days since the pollen had started to fall. Some she knew by sight, but had never spoken to, she could have sworn had looked differently just a few days ago. That Shifter man who had had dark hair last week now sported a bright blue. That Wind lady with the pink crystals now looked orange and spikey. And didn't that other woman had brown eyes? Was it the light making them look more vividly purple? It was just the hair, she could have excused it away as some current fashion trend. Maybe some stylist in town giving a sale on dye that no one wanted to pass up. But as far as she knew about Earthlings, their crystals couldn't change. Couldn't even be broken or filed down. Didn't grow. So how did they change so easily and seemingly over night?
Doesina suddenly felt very self-conscious standing in the middle of the street with everyone looking at her. She quickly moved to the side of the street, but she was of course unable to hide her tall stature from everyone. Though she was actually short for an Aishan, she still easily towered over all the Earthlings here.
A speck of pollen fell on her nose and she brushed it off, resisting the urge to sneeze.
"Must make you feel pretty proud, huh?" came a gruff voice nearby, belonging to an old Shifter with dark hair. He gestured at all the falling pollen, as if it was all her fault. "Last week my hair was white. Never knew of an old man going dark in his later years."
The Elaria sniffed, brushing once more at her tingling nose. "What should I be proud of?"
This was apparently not the answer he wanted. He glared at her, gesturing at the air with two arms, now, his voice rising in agitation. "Don't try to play with me. Aren't all you Tree people in constant contact with each other?"
"No. I have no address for my family to send me letters." She answered this with much seriousness, used to the weird questions sometimes from Earthlings who didn't understand her and her Sisters didn't work off magic anymore than an Earthling did. This was clearly one who thought Elaria were all of one hive mind, since they all came from one tree. Patience was always the key with such Earthlings, even if they got mad as a result of her answers. Which also seemed to maybe be the case here.
"Than what are those spindly things for?" Now he was gesturing up at her head, towards the antenna twitching slightly at all the pollen trying to stick to them.
"For sensing things around me."
"Really?" It sounded like he was finally starting to believe her on her own autonomy. But than he started wagging a finger under her nose, until a tiny ball of pollen landing on his hand. He started shaking at it wildly, an annoyed look on his face. "I heard those were for distant communications with others of your kind. Aren't there some up in those settlements up north?"
"No," Doesina answered quickly, watching as the man's eyebrows shot up in a threat of more sharp words. "I mean, yes. There are Elaria up there. But I can't just talk to them unless I was face to face with them like I am you." What a strange belief. How sheltered was this old man to think something so silly?
The man made a face, scrunching up his mouth into a weird jagged line. "If you say so. This whole thing is still ridiculous. None fo us asked for all this pollen or the changes! What will i be tomorrow? Purple? Bah." He walked past her, clearly finished with the conversation. But not before he shot over his shoulder, "And put some clothes on! What a disgrace."
That one made the Elaria smile and look down. She didn't think there was anything wrong with her outfit. It was normal. At least by Aishan standards. But Earthlings could be so different and shy about their own bodies. But she hadn't discovered anything, other than he thought this was caused by her. How odd. Chuckling softly at the encounter, Doesina continued down the street in search of someone who might know, her spirits once more high with amusement.
"Excuse me," she asked of a local who was outside selling necklaces from a small table. "I was wondering if you knew why there was pollen everywhere?"
The woman's eyes went a little wide, making the blue of her eyes really stand out against her fair skin. "You don't know? I thought your people of all would know." Than she shook her head, chuckling to herself. "No, maybe that's not fair. I know you. You stay outside Neued with that Elidae, don't you? How would you know." Doesina nodded, her excitement rising as she felt the moment was finally revealing itself. "It's the trees. Your trees."
"My trees?" This made the excitement evaporate, to be replaced by a quickly growing panic. Was there something wrong with the trees? With Elzira?
"Oh, no, dear," the woman said quickly, seeing the panic in the Elaria's eyes. "It's nothing like that. Your two younger ones are changing. Growing up, is that right?"
The dread that sat in the pit of her stomach blossomed into something else. Doesina jumped up as if all that negative energy had to escape her body, to be replaced by an excitement so strong, she didn't think she could smile wide enough for it. "Growing....Like...Do you mean....?" She couldn't even get the words to come out. She, of course, had heard when this had happened to Elzira. The pollen in the air. The tree decaying and sick, only to spring back to life in the most wonderful way. "They can produce hybrids, now?"
"As I understand it, yes. Not that I really understand it, but than I'm just an Earthling."
"Oh!" How exciting! She felt so happy for all the Elidae and Vandrea, who could now ask for children who were truly perfect mixes of both parents. It was the best thing she could think of to happen. How could anyone still believe hybrids were a disgrace to everything when now all the Trees themselves allowed it. Surely it was something that was always meant to be. It was the desire of the Trees to allow her children to share their love, to show it to the world in whatever ways they wished. No wonder everyone had been looking at her strangely.
But even as she stood there, feeling like she was about to burst with happiness for her distant cousins, Doesina wasn't completely naive on the truht. Not everyone would be happy with the news. To some, it didn't seem to matter what was clearly natural to the Aishans, but what they thought was better for them all. It wasn't weak to be a hybrid. She thought it quite the opposite, really. It was strength to be half Aishan and half Earthling, for you had the entire world of options available to you. You weren't forced into a warrior path unless you wanted it. You could follow your interests elsewhere, be whatever you wanted. They had choice.
Doesina wished she had someone to share this knowledge with. Heike wouldn't likely take it well. The Elaria debated not telling her. Letting her find out on her own. Instead, she thanked the woman and left in search of someone who was sure to share in her enthusiasm for the future.
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Wordcount: 1549
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Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2023 1:37 pm
Try to Focuswith Vilasini
Somewhere in Jauhar | Warrior----------------------------------------
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2023 3:49 pm
End of the Roadwith Heike
Zinris, Yael | Warrior----------------------------------------
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2023 3:51 pm
Among Flowerswith Enya
Somewhere in Yael | Warrior----------------------------------------
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Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2024 2:00 pm
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Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2024 5:53 pm
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