Mio

Reads some books in the hope of finding out more information about the profession of the post office.
But no longer finds really helpful information and answers to her questions.

So she decides to go to her mother Zia and her mother's brother Lucian to ask if they can think of anything where she could get help.

The two think about something and then tell her that they have heard something about a post office in the clan of their ancestors.

Mio wants to know more immediately and wants to leave immediately to ask for help.
Zia and Lucian know they can't hold her back any longer and allow her to fly to Sunbeam Grotto to ask for help.
But they also say to Mio that they can do as fast as possible.
Mio knows that her family is worried that something might happen to her on the way but she says goodbye without many words and thanks her for letting her go.

Mio then flies off in the direction because she was already there to deliver a letter to Dominic she already knows where she has to go to get to the clan. Which made the journey faster than the first.

When she arrived at the clan, she flew over the clan a few times, looking for a building that looks like a post office building to her. Then discover in the distance that could fit and then land in front of the building (it's the post office building) and knock on the door.

"Hi, I'm Mio, from Clan Rex Lapis and I'm looking for help"

Stops in front of the closed door because she does not know if she can go in or not and hopes for a reaction.

With both of her courier apprentices busy delivering mail with their trainers, Phantasm has a moment to relax and tidy up the small space within the post office. She spends nearly all morning fixing up her desk - how it got in such a state of disarray, she'll never know - and she's about to start on Alfonzo's desk when she hears a knock at the door.

"Hi, I'm Mio, from Clan Rex Lapis and I'm looking for help!" a voice calls, muffled through the door, and Phantasm immediately assumes something terrible has happened.

Mio hears a series of crashes and breaking glass, and then the door swings open. An elder Imperial stands before her, so large she looks as if she has to contort to fit through the doorframe. Her pale yellow eyes are wide as she looks back and forth behind Mio.

"What happened, child? Are you okay? Has something happened to one of my couriers?" In the back of her mind, she thinks she may recognize the raspberry-colored Wildclaw in front of her, but she can't quite recall...

"Oh, I'm sorry. Perhaps I should have expressed myself differently. I am really very sorry that I may have scared you by my wrong choice of words."

Tilt her wings so that they are on her body (like a bird) and do not stand upwards as they usually are by wildclaws.

"I'm not here for something so bad, even if I want to ask for help,"

Looks into Phantasm's eyes.

"I'm Mio, a postwoman in Clan Rex-Lapis. However, I am the only one who wants to do the work of a postwoman in the clan at the moment and I would like to know more about it. What has to be done, what you have to consider, and so on to do justice to the work as a postwoman or a courier. And my mother named Zia and her big brother named Lucian told me that maybe I could get help here and I went personally in the hope that it might be possible to get support."

Tilt her head a little. "And I'm really sorry I didn't pay attention to how I express myself. I really should have been more careful." then raises her head again.

Phantasm listens patiently as Mio introduces herself, and starts to calm down when she realizes there is no danger. The names Mio mentions, Zia and Lucian, help jog her memory - it seems this dragon standing before her is yet another descendant of the illustrious Sunset. And another courier hopeful, at that! What a small world...

"It seems you may have already heard of me, but I'll introduce myself nonetheless! I am Phantasm of Sunbeam Grotto, and I worked as a courier long before you were born. These days I simply oversee the clan's postal operation and offer training to hopeful couriers. I'll be happy to offer my services to you!"

Phantasm pauses for a moment and considers. When she speaks, it sounds as if she is half thinking out loud and half addressing Mio.

"Though...since you're your clan's only postal dragon, it may be impractical for you to stay here for an entire season to train. Plus, I imagine you have more experience than most of the trainees who come here...Yes, yes, I think I will be able to modify the course so that you can learn as much as possible while still serving your clan. Won't this be a fun challenge!"

She steps back from the doorway into the post office and beckons for Mio to join her. Inside, nearly every surface is stacked with paper, boxes, maps, and more. Phantasm keeps her wings tucked close to her body as she weaves through the disorganized tables, and Mio does the same.

What was once a ceramic plate lies shattered on the floor - that must have been the sound of breaking glass Mio heard from the other side of the door.

"Sorry about that," Phantasm says, carefully sweeping it up onto a folded piece of cardstock before depositing it atop one of the tables. She turns around, bumping the edge of the table with her hip and very nearly sending the shards tumbling back to the floor, but she is too focused in digging through a box to notice.

"Here!" she pulls a rolled-up piece of parchment from the box and holds it out toward Mio. "You'll need a good map, first of all."

Mio takes the map gently from her outstretched hand and unrolls it. Sure enough, the whole of Sornieth is marked on the page, with tiny writing labeling each of the regions and surrounding territories. It's very detailed, and the thin, lightweight parchment can be rolled up or folded to a fraction of its full size. Perfect for a courier! She'll have to be careful it doesn't tear or get wet.

Phantasm continues speaking as Mio looks over the map. "I'm sure you're plenty familiar with the Tangled Wood, and you certainly know how to get here - I knew I recognized you from somewhere, and I'll bet this isn't your first visit to Sunbeam Grotto! Where else have you traveled?"

She nods. "Yes, I've been here for a short time before. For a dragon from Clan Rex Lapis, named Laurel, as far as I know he comes from here and I have delivered a letter from him to his mother. His mother's name was Dominic."

Mio looks at the map.

"And otherwise I have only delivered letters or messages to clan members who are currently on the road and you know where they are and others who live a little away from the clan but receive important messages from the village."

You can see that she is very interested in the map because she discovers landscapes that she has not yet heard / read about. But she is still very attentive not to miss what Phantasm says / explains to her.
It is clearly noticeable that she takes her work very seriously and it is very important to her to learn more.

"And yes I would say that I know my way around the Tangled Wood even if there are still hidden places somewhere I don't know yet. But my mom had once mentioned that I may have signs of a photographic memory even if they are not so sure yet, because it mainly concerns books I have read, flight routes I have flown before and names. But it's okay for me that I can remember so much."

Phantasm nods, soaking up the information Mio provides. "I see, I see! I imagine your travels may seem small when looking at the land as a whole -" she gestures to the map "- but you've done an admirable job considering you have no prior training! An eidetic memory isn't necessary for our profession, but it certainly helps."

She glances at a map on the wall - Mio noticed it earlier when she entered the room, but every surface is so cluttered she hasn't really taken the chance to look closely yet. It appears to be drawn in a very similar style to the map Mio holds in her hands - perhaps the same dragon is responsible for creating both? - and depicts the entire continent of Sornieth in sepiatone, with even more intricate labels for the separate territories. Tiny pins with different colored flags are stuck across the map, likely indicating allied clans. Mio's eye traces the coast of the Sea of a Thousand Currents and, sure enough, there is a bronze flag poking out from the northern border - the location of Clan Rex Lapis.

"I could tell you many stories of my time traveling the lands, but I'm afraid such outdated anecdotes won't be of much use...beyond the obvious entertainment value, of course! I strongly suggest you acquaint yourself with other world-wise dragons - couriers, of course, but nomads and travelers have much to offer you, as well. You're observant, I can tell, but it helps to learn from the observations of others as well." She pauses and tilts her head. "Why, speak of the Chacma..."

Moments later, the door of the postworks bangs open -

"- thought you liked bugs!" a slight Skydancer calls over her shoulder as she steps over the threshold.

"Not when they're bigger than me!" a pale-winged Fae retorts, fluttering into the room and perching atop a precarious stack of mismatched crates.

They both notice Mio's presence at once - the Fae cocks her head to regard Mio curiously, and the Skydancer smiles shyly and gives a small wave.

"Delivery to the Zephyr Steppes complete," the Fae announces, and Phantasm clasps her hands together with a wide smile.

"Right on time! I want to introduce you to..." she turns to Mio and looks her up and down. "...it's not right to call you a fellow trainee, nor a full-fledged postwoman, not yet anyway - well, I want to introduce you to Mio!"

"Hi, Mio!" the Skydancer ventures. "I'm Tesalyn, an apprentice to Phantasm. I just got back from my first official post run!"

The Fae nods approvingly, then notices the expectant stares turned toward her. "And I'm Flitter, courier. I've been working under Phantasm for a few years now."

Also waves back.
And bows her head briefly until she rises again.

"Glad to meet you, as already mentioned my name is Mio and I come from Clan Rex-Lapis and would like to know more about the work of a couriers because I am the first and only one currently in the clan who would like to do the work or would like to do it."

She is still very attentive and has a very friendly charisma.

In her mind (So they can't hear it) : I should maybe spend the night here if I am allowed and then leave in the morning, because I unfortunately need too much time for the route. It took me about 4 days plus breaks and back I probably have to plan the same time. My parents, my family and the clan may be worried even if they know. But they don't know exactly how long I need and what I would like to do here. Since I unfortunately can not fly long duration I have to go back over the wind area, then over the plague area and then to pretty much the end of the shadow area because the cave of my family is a bit off the beaten track. If I would fly the other way around, it would probably take longer and unfortunately I do not dare to cross the sea yet, because it is so big and a lot can happen and in addition, my endurance is far from sufficient.

The newly acquainted couriers and apprentices spend some time chatting - Tesalyn and Flitter tell Mio all about the day's deliveries - "the Crowned Bonepriests were so friendly!" Tesalyn chirps, and Flitter shudders - and Mio answers some of their questions about Clan Rex Lapis and the places she's visited as a postwoman. Outside the shack, visible through the wide-open door, the sky takes on the vivid pink and orange hues of sunset.

"My, my, is that the time already?" Phantasm's voice cuts into Tesalyn's detailed rambling about the curious characters in the Wind clan they'd visited. All three turn to look outside and confirm that yes, it is indeed that time already.

"I think I'm going to hit the hay!" Tesalyn decides, bounding out the door and stretching her wings in the crisp evening air.

"You're not hungry?" Flitter asks, following her just outside.

"Nah, I'm still full from the grub salad we grabbed before heading back!"

Mio half-listens as they banter back and forth, as thoughts about the journey ahead churn through her mind.

"You're welcome to stay the night in the Grotto, Mio," Phantasm interrupts, as if she knows exactly what Mio was just thinking. "Tesalyn is boarding in the travelers' den during her internship; I'm sure she'll be happy to accompany you there! Come see me in the morning before you head home, hm?"

Tesalyn's head had turned back as soon as she'd heard her name - she gives Mio a friendly smile, and Mio steps out to join her at the cliffside. "This way!" she calls, and the pair glides down to the shore as the refreshing sea breeze rolls in with the evening tide.

Down on the beach, Mio's head turns back and forth as she drinks in the sights of Sunbeam Grotto at dusk - this is technically her first experience of the clan as a visitor, as every other time she's passed through on business only. Drowsy hatchlings are being herded to their nests to sleep off a day of play, and the usually bustling beach is mellow under the evening sky as most of the population retreats to eat, drink, socialize, or rest elsewhere. It's easy for her to observe all these goings-on while keeping pace with Tesalyn's sleepy strides as the Skydancer leads Mio to a vaguely familiar cave at the edge of the giant cliff that holds the heart of the clan.

Of course, Mio has stayed in the travelers' dens before when delivering mail to Sunbeam Grotto - it's a long journey from the Tangled Wood to the other end of the Sea, too long for a young dragon to make twice in a day's time. She nods in greeting to the dens' host, Blight, who sits just within the cave mouth reading by lanternlight. His eyes flick above the rim of his glasses to note Tesalyn walking by, and he squints in thought for a brief moment before recognition dawns.

"Welcome, Mio," he acknowledges, returning to his book.

As Tesalyn stumbles into her bunk and draws the curtain closed with a brief "g'night," Mio follows the tunnel deeper into the cliffside, passing a good number of cloth-covered cavern openings before reaching an uninhabited room. A rumpled blue rug woven with a fishscale pattern is spread out over the cold stone floor, and a simple bedroll rests against the wall. Mio has slept in far more primitive dwellings before, and after getting comfortable she quickly falls asleep.