Blackberry

Blackberry is a young aspiring artist. Has been since almost as soon as she discovered markers and paints, which was soon after she was born. Her two mothers, Eldsem and Celeste tell her that she and her brother are the biological children of a Pearlcatcher named Fruit, and use one of Blackberry's first ever drawings to describe her. Supposedly this was a drawing made soon after the two were born. They had made a copy of it to show them as they grew older, and the original had been sent off with their mother.



Growing up, her parents used this as a way to remember that Fruit existed, and loved them even though she wasn't with them and may never return to the clan. Blackberry has been obsessed with the idea of meeting her mother. Her brother, Star seems fine with staying with his mothers at clan Truthseekers, and Blackberry couldn't convince him otherwise. It was here she had to make a difficult choice: Stay with her known family, or chase after a Pearlcatcher she may never find?

She eventually, after long, hard thought, went with the latter option, hoping along the way she may find new inspiration from the territory of the other flights for her drawings. She heard the Nature flight had gorgeous things called flowers, colorful as dragons. The ice flight had snow, sparkly and white. She must see them for herself! And draw them! So she set off!

Lilacfeathers
DarkerPoison
Shortly after she arrived in the Magical Flame clan, Blackberry accidentally walked into a squabble and got hit with a Scroll of Eternal Youth. Still, with her ever-present wonder for knowledge and new acquaintances, she was undeterred, and shouted out a quick, "Hello!" at the almost-fighting pair of dragons in front of her. They quickly righted themselves, and introduced themselves to her. One was a guardian, who seemed a bit colorful and smaller than average. He introduced himself as Angelite. The other was an extremely bright, and rainbow wildclaw, who introduced himself as Ohuhu. She thought they were odd names, but perhaps common within their neck of the Starwood Strand.

She smiled up at the two, and said as well as she could in her new form, "Nice to meet you! I'm Blackberry. I'm going across Sornieth to find my mother, her name is Fruit!"

Angelite then had an odd look in his eyes and said, "Really? Well, stay right here-- Rainbow vomit, make yourself useful and tend to the poor thing, I know it's your fault she's stuck like that now." and whisked himself away before the other could retort. Ohuhu then turned to her and asked about her travels, hoping to pass the time....and pass the time they did.

They didn't notice Whirlpool and Angelite approaching until they heard a very stern, yet worn voice clear her throat. "Hello." said the new guardian, who looked about as ancient as they come (though she was sure there wasn't any possible way she was that darn old). "I hear you are looking for a pearlcatcher? Does she share your genes?" She seemed used to having to talk to adults-accidentally-turned-babies, which was both amusing and concerning. Just what kind of shenanigans do they get up to over here?

"Yes, she does. Why, do you know her?!" She got so very very excited. She might find her mother!!

"No...well, *ahem* it's unlikely. I am asking in the case the recluse edgelord and his flying trash panda might know her. He knows a bit too many folk for a supposed antisocial." She was disheartened a bit, but still excited at the prospect of someone potentially knowing or meeting her mother. "In the meantime, I think it is helpful for you to get introduced to everyone else."

Thus, Whirlpool gently picked her up, placed her in a net, and carried her around to everyone in the clan with the net in her maw. Blackberry was amazed at the different kinds of dragons and varying personalities. She also thought their concept of mages was a bit interesting. Flight-focused practitioners of higher arcana than what the general public usually uses sounds a bit peculiar...but, she supposes, that's sort of the whole point with this clan. Everyone's odd, whether it be to an extreme or to a very tame level.

She intended on staying for just a day or so, but ended up staying with them for at least three months. In her time being there, she had befriended the Fire representative, Blaze, and his mage, Bloodmoon, along with Whirlpool, who seemed to be the biggest recluse of the clan...until she ventured a bit too far into the "hibernal den zone" (no one really ever sleeps there, it seems). She had managed to get on Asia's good side, and had been unofficially adopted by LuckyClaw (whose husband, Magik, had expressed his sympathy towards her for. She was told Lucky adopted folks regularly.)

Overall, it was a very energetic, diverse, and accepting clan. She asked for suggestions on where she could look for her mom, and was handed a map by Morganite. After that, Atem had lead her to the "recluse edgelord", who fixed her back up into an adult, and everyone in the clan saw her off as she continued her mission once more.

Bugg
During Blackberry's short visit in the Failte Flight, she found herself captivated by the clan's extensive art collection. Being a flight driven for knowledge to solve the great mystery of the missing Tidelord, the flight had acquired an enormous gallery along its many journeys. The warm and welcoming energy of the clan had encouraged Blackberry to join in on new and exciting conversations about her art. Before leaving, she vowed to incorporate the clan's influence into her future art.

glacevoleur
The next place that Blackberry visited was a clan in the Hewn City. Their lair was an old fortification, with dozens of dragons coming and going each day. She found a place to stay in a large, open building, crowded with hammocks from the floors to the tall, tall ceilings. For a few days, no one paid her much mind. She walked the sun-baked streets in the mornings, bought food from the market in the afternoons. In the evening, while she straightened out the gifts and art supplies in her bag, a voice spoke from over her shoulder. "You're an artist?"

"Ah!" she exclaimed, pigments spilling as she whirled to face the dragon behind her.

"Sorry," the ghost-pale spiral said. "I didn't mean to startle you. I used to be an artist, that's all."

She learned that his name was Auriel, and in the days that followed, they became good friends. She told him about her travels, and about her search for her mother, Fruit. "I don't mean to discourage you," Auriel said, "but your journey may be pointless."

"I know," Blackberry said. "I'm looking anyway."

"Good," Auriel said. "Most art is pointless, anyway. You'll have to accept that, if you want to be an artist. Most art is imperfect, and amounts to nothing."

"No," Blackberry said, laughing a little, "that can't be true. I don't think so, at least." Something about his defeatist attitude almost amused her.

"Well, maybe you'll see, in time," Auriel said. "Or maybe you won't."


"Have you ever been in love before?" Auriel asks her, one day, when she's been there for several months.

"No," Blackberry says, a little bit bewildered, nearly overwhelmed by the magnitude of the question.

"Would you like to be?" Auriel asks. "I used to be quite the matchmaker, back in the day. I'm sure I could find you someone."

"Someone to fall in love with?"

"Oh, no," he says. "Love is like any other art form-- nearly hopeless. You'll never get it right on the first try, anyway. But I could find you someone to be with, for a while. Someone to find yourself in, maybe, if you're lucky."

"Okay," she says.

And he's right, in the end, at least a little. She has a handful of suitors, all perfectly nice drakes. She enjoys their company, and she likes raising her clutches, and sending them off on journeys of their own. But it's not love, not true love, not any of it. It's not a reason to stay. She feels like she's learned something about her mother without even meeting her.

Eventually, she feels ready to move on again. "I think I'd like to go to somewhere cold, next," she tells Auriel. "Ice, maybe, or the Shifting Expanse."

"Wait here," he says-- and a few minutes later, he comes back with a large brown overcoat. "For you," he says. "I'd hate to see you freeze."

"Oh," she says. "Auriel, I couldn't possibly..."

"Take it," he insists. "We have dozens of these things."

So she does. "Thank you," she says, on the day she leaves. "Thank you for everything, Auriel. I won't ever forget you."

"You're welcome," Auriel says. "Don't mistake that for love," he adds, with a certain lightness in his huge, pale eyes. "Safe travels, Blackberry."


User: Write about Blackberry's experiences here!