Chapter 3: The Mechanisms of Growing Up
Day 8
Arliin seems to have forgot everything. Bless Tundra and their short memories. Battlecry is still angry. I tried to approach her, but she growled and went away. I don't know what to do with her. We'll have to talk, this... Thing can't continue.
"Where are we going, Carooon?" Arliin asked. "I don't like the smell, I never met it before."
The Spiral chuckled, and quickly looked at the flat pieces of sand he had found while scavenging. "You'll see. I think you'll like it." He could already hear the chattering, and he was sure both Battlecry and Arliin could, too. He threw a worried glance at the Mirror, who still looked angry. He hoped he was doing a good thing, but the two needed some time together. Probably.
He wasn't that much of a good guide, so he was just doing what he thought could be fun for both of them.
He could see it now, and both Battlecry and Arliin stopped to stare, gaping, at what was in front of them. Caron grinned.
"Welcome to the Wavecrest Saturnalia!"
Day 9
I brought the hatchling to the Wavecrest Saturnalia. They're having a lot of fun. Arliin is digging for shells, Battlecry running after a water sprite. I would've preferred it if they played together, but I guess I can't ask that much. What's important is that they both have fun.
Day 9, addendum
It also seems like Battlecry learned how to swim, somehow. Arliin is too afraid to swim, but he's still splashing around in shallow waters. I surely don't envy his fur, though.
They've both grown so much. They already look like adults.
Day 10
I gave the two something to wear. I thought it would be nice, since the apparel that was left behind fits them. Battlecry loved her armor (or at least I think so, she didn't actually react much. Just wore it and walked away), and since I didn't have anything nice for Arliin I bought him a hat. I think he likes it, he kept talking about how much he loved it.
I think they're old enough now. Tomorrow I'm bringing them to the Coliseum.
Battlecry hissed as she scratched the bumble yet again.
"Good, Battlecry! Arliin, can you finish it off?" Caron asked, tail wavering in excitement. The Tundra bit his lip hesitantly and closed his eyes for a few seconds, only to open them again.
"I don't have enough breath" he murmured, staring at his feet.
"Don't worry, keep meditating. Battlecry, it's all yours!" Caron declared, moving out of the way so the vicious Mirror could kill the overgrown insect.
A few seconds later, there was only a mass of blood and flesh left of their enemy.
"That's... Uh, good. Good work, both of you!" the Spiral said, looking rather pensive. "I'm hindering your progress by being here." he finally said after a few moments. "I should go away and let you fight by yourselves. You'll gain much more experience that way, without me damaging the monsters for you."
Arliin shifted, evidently uncomfortable. "Can't you stay here?" he asked, still staring at his feet. Caron's heart skipped a beat at his words and intimidated behavior, but he forced himself to gently shake his head. That was what someone wiser would've done. Someone wise would've let the hatchlings who were not hatchlings anymore learn by themselves.
For a moment Caron wished he didn't have to be wise.
"Go away. And you too, Tundra. I can take them by myself." Battlecry said, finally raising her head from the dead bumble. Her face was covered in blood over the navy wrapping, and her eyes were on fire.
She looked like a savage warrior, and she looked like she wanted them both dead.
"I want to fight too..." Arliin murmured, still staring down. Caron was glad he couldn't see the Mirror's expression.
"Then don't get in the way." she snarled, and started running. Arliin hesitated for one more moment before following suit.
Caron stared at the two of them, running away and something very, very heavy and unpleasant grew in his chest.
Day 11
Battlecry and Arliin fought in the Coli today. I should be proud, but I'm not. I don't know why, but I'm insanely scared. It's the Training Fields, and they can't really die there, but it's so... Heavy. And painful. It hurts.
Still, I can't be disappointed in front of them, since there is nothing to be disappointed for. I gave them some treasure, let them go to the Saturnalia again. They deserve to have some fun, anyway. The Wavecrest Saturnalia may be nice by day, but by night it's one of the most beautiful festivities. I... Didn't really think that Battlecry might attack Arliin again when I let them, but now the doubt won't go away. I'll do something Gilas or Dyvad would do, and give them trust. I just hope they come back in one piece.
"This is... Beautiful." Arliin whispered, and even Battlecry had to grunt in affirmation. The thousands of colored lanterns gifting the water with new life, the stars reflecting in the ocean and creating two skies. It was not like the sunny beach games during the day. This was an entirely different magic.
"Ahem... Battlecry?" Arliin asked, interrupting the silence that had been born between the two. The Mirror glared at him.
"What?" she snarled.
"I... I thought that maybe we could buy a gift for Caron? Since he gave us gifts yesterday and all? I... Uh, maybe we could get him some... Fish or something?"
"Spirals don't eat fish." the female interrupted, but she was looking directly at the Tundra, and was much more relaxed. She was interested in the subject, apparently. "Caron eats insects, but he has plenty of those."
"Oh. I forgot. What... What does he like? Do you know?" Arliin asked, still nervous, but more confident in his idea.
"Lights. Goggles. Birds. Weird things like those. But he already has all of that. I know what we could get him."
"Oh? W...what?"
The Mirror's lips curled in something disturbingly similar to a smile.
"An egg!"
Day 8
Arliin seems to have forgot everything. Bless Tundra and their short memories. Battlecry is still angry. I tried to approach her, but she growled and went away. I don't know what to do with her. We'll have to talk, this... Thing can't continue.
"Where are we going, Carooon?" Arliin asked. "I don't like the smell, I never met it before."
The Spiral chuckled, and quickly looked at the flat pieces of sand he had found while scavenging. "You'll see. I think you'll like it." He could already hear the chattering, and he was sure both Battlecry and Arliin could, too. He threw a worried glance at the Mirror, who still looked angry. He hoped he was doing a good thing, but the two needed some time together. Probably.
He wasn't that much of a good guide, so he was just doing what he thought could be fun for both of them.
He could see it now, and both Battlecry and Arliin stopped to stare, gaping, at what was in front of them. Caron grinned.
"Welcome to the Wavecrest Saturnalia!"
Day 9
I brought the hatchling to the Wavecrest Saturnalia. They're having a lot of fun. Arliin is digging for shells, Battlecry running after a water sprite. I would've preferred it if they played together, but I guess I can't ask that much. What's important is that they both have fun.
Day 9, addendum
It also seems like Battlecry learned how to swim, somehow. Arliin is too afraid to swim, but he's still splashing around in shallow waters. I surely don't envy his fur, though.
They've both grown so much. They already look like adults.
Day 10
I gave the two something to wear. I thought it would be nice, since the apparel that was left behind fits them. Battlecry loved her armor (or at least I think so, she didn't actually react much. Just wore it and walked away), and since I didn't have anything nice for Arliin I bought him a hat. I think he likes it, he kept talking about how much he loved it.
I think they're old enough now. Tomorrow I'm bringing them to the Coliseum.
Battlecry hissed as she scratched the bumble yet again.
"Good, Battlecry! Arliin, can you finish it off?" Caron asked, tail wavering in excitement. The Tundra bit his lip hesitantly and closed his eyes for a few seconds, only to open them again.
"I don't have enough breath" he murmured, staring at his feet.
"Don't worry, keep meditating. Battlecry, it's all yours!" Caron declared, moving out of the way so the vicious Mirror could kill the overgrown insect.
A few seconds later, there was only a mass of blood and flesh left of their enemy.
"That's... Uh, good. Good work, both of you!" the Spiral said, looking rather pensive. "I'm hindering your progress by being here." he finally said after a few moments. "I should go away and let you fight by yourselves. You'll gain much more experience that way, without me damaging the monsters for you."
Arliin shifted, evidently uncomfortable. "Can't you stay here?" he asked, still staring at his feet. Caron's heart skipped a beat at his words and intimidated behavior, but he forced himself to gently shake his head. That was what someone wiser would've done. Someone wise would've let the hatchlings who were not hatchlings anymore learn by themselves.
For a moment Caron wished he didn't have to be wise.
"Go away. And you too, Tundra. I can take them by myself." Battlecry said, finally raising her head from the dead bumble. Her face was covered in blood over the navy wrapping, and her eyes were on fire.
She looked like a savage warrior, and she looked like she wanted them both dead.
"I want to fight too..." Arliin murmured, still staring down. Caron was glad he couldn't see the Mirror's expression.
"Then don't get in the way." she snarled, and started running. Arliin hesitated for one more moment before following suit.
Caron stared at the two of them, running away and something very, very heavy and unpleasant grew in his chest.
Day 11
Battlecry and Arliin fought in the Coli today. I should be proud, but I'm not. I don't know why, but I'm insanely scared. It's the Training Fields, and they can't really die there, but it's so... Heavy. And painful. It hurts.
Still, I can't be disappointed in front of them, since there is nothing to be disappointed for. I gave them some treasure, let them go to the Saturnalia again. They deserve to have some fun, anyway. The Wavecrest Saturnalia may be nice by day, but by night it's one of the most beautiful festivities. I... Didn't really think that Battlecry might attack Arliin again when I let them, but now the doubt won't go away. I'll do something Gilas or Dyvad would do, and give them trust. I just hope they come back in one piece.
"This is... Beautiful." Arliin whispered, and even Battlecry had to grunt in affirmation. The thousands of colored lanterns gifting the water with new life, the stars reflecting in the ocean and creating two skies. It was not like the sunny beach games during the day. This was an entirely different magic.
"Ahem... Battlecry?" Arliin asked, interrupting the silence that had been born between the two. The Mirror glared at him.
"What?" she snarled.
"I... I thought that maybe we could buy a gift for Caron? Since he gave us gifts yesterday and all? I... Uh, maybe we could get him some... Fish or something?"
"Spirals don't eat fish." the female interrupted, but she was looking directly at the Tundra, and was much more relaxed. She was interested in the subject, apparently. "Caron eats insects, but he has plenty of those."
"Oh. I forgot. What... What does he like? Do you know?" Arliin asked, still nervous, but more confident in his idea.
"Lights. Goggles. Birds. Weird things like those. But he already has all of that. I know what we could get him."
"Oh? W...what?"
The Mirror's lips curled in something disturbingly similar to a smile.
"An egg!"
AN: I couldn't resist, I hatched that egg immediately. Technically day 12 is today anyway. I didn't quite get what I was hoping for, but I can work with the little one, and this is a Nuzlocke, it's not supposed to be easy. As I said, I can improvise! Meanwhile, if you want to get a peek at the future chapter, go to my lair and meet Vale, the newest addition!
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