051.1 Aaeru

[Corwin]

[19:47] <Kotono> It takes a little wrangling and patience to get to see Abagail, but Aaeru manages it. The two meet at a warm, bustling restaurant in the New City, over plates of seafood and salad. "So," As she works on her meal, "What is it you want?"
[19:52] <Aaeru> "Well, it's like a consult, I think?" Aaeru admits, looking quite humbled. "I really should know this stuff but I really don't, and it's not really about the safety of the city or anything like that, but it could be about helping two people, and that's like a good thing so I figured you might want to help too? Anyway, it's like this. I work with this half-elf, Josa, and he's a mage that makes candy. He also has this familiar, Silver, who's like a fey but-- I guess that's not really important. So like, they both keep on saying that they botched the familiar bonding ritual thing, and that they hate being bound to like each other and they're angry and upset whenever this, like, comes up. But they don't really want to try anything to fix it, and we've been wondering if like maybe it's not them but the botched magic making them act like that? So do you think you could take a look or something? Because it really doesn't sound healthy at all, and isn't it a bit like slavery?"
[19:57] <Kotono> That draws a long look from Abagail as Aaeru tells her tale. "I've never even heard of a botched familiar summoning resulting in anything but a failure to bond, or at worst, the prospective familiar and master are wounded by the backlash." She taps her fork on the side of her plate a few times as she sits straighter up, "Actually no, what this Silver is could be important. You said she's like
[19:57] <Kotono> a fey? What is she?"
[19:58] <Aaeru> "She's... a very mean pixie thing," Aaeru forces herself to say. "Umm. She can summon honey from above to trap people, and she can track anyone across, like, the entire plane, if she knows them or saw them before."
[20:11] <Kotono> "That's not a pixie," Abagail frowns slightly as she listens, "Pixies are little fey that turn invisible, shoot sleep arrows and play pranks." Spearing a bit of fish and chewing on it thoughtfully before dabbing her lips clean with her napkin, "There are fey hunters, but they occupy different forms than a pixie's. It really sounds like you're describing some sort of hunter. A honey trap would
[20:11] <Kotono> stop someone, and tracking would let you find almost anyone.'
[20:12] * Aaeru shrugs uncomfortably. "There are, like, times when you have to ask for help, right? So I'm asking you for help. I tried everything myself, and there's like nothing else I can think of."
[20:14] <Kotono> "The easiest answer would be..." Abagail trails off in thought, giving Aaeru a look. "I have some friends who are very good at keeping records. If they don't know, it's not meant to be known."
[20:16] * Aaeru instantly perks up, reaching out and taking Abagail's hands. "Thanks!" she exclaims, shaking them. "And I know you're like doing it because it's the right thing to do and all, but if there's ever anything I can do for you, just ask! I won't forget this, honest!"
[20:19] <Kotono> Abagail pauses, "Debts have a way of stacking up and not being forgotten. Be cautious before you give your word, Aaeru. The sort of favor I may ask is a far cry from the favors of anyone else."
[20:22] <Aaeru> "It's okay because you're a nice person," Aaeru states quite firmly. "You won't ask me to, like, betray my friends and family. So if there's something I can do, I'm there!"
[20:26] <Kotono> "Then meet me back here in a week," Abagail says, "Same time, same table."
[20:30] <Kotono> A week passes. You return to find Abagail waiting just as planned. She's merely drinking tea as she waits, "Aaeru," she nods slightly as she comes to join her.
[20:31] <Aaeru> "Hiya," Aaeru responds, taking the same seat she had last week. "So, like, was it meant to be known?"
[20:37] <Kotono> Abagail rubs her forehead, "Ah yes. Are you familiar with the fey lifecycle at all?" Abagail doesn't wait for a reply, "In short, fey die, pass on and reincarnate in the natural cycle of nature. It's an endless loop."
[20:39] <Aaeru> "Huh. Yeah, it makes sense, but reincarnation? Wow, I like had no idea!" It sounds very weird. Does she reincarnate when she dies? As who, then? Or is it what? Can you get reincarnated as a what? It's a lot of questions, and she will have to ask Neve later.
[20:45] <Kotono> "They don't stay in the afterlife like a human," Shaking her head a moment, "So normally this system works well enough. Every once in a great while, the way a fey dies causes a hiccup in the natural flow...or perhaps it's the nature of fey for this variance." Another sip of tea, eyes half closed as she tells her story, "Silver wasn't supposed to be born as a pixie, let alone be bound as a
[20:45] <Kotono> familiar. You see, the Unseelie Court is served by great fey horsemen of mist. They are known as the Hoary Hunters, the elite calvary of that realm. They are knights of mist and peerless trackers, they flow like phantasms to avoid any danger and strike down their chosen foe. That explains her tracking, I believe. As for the honey..." A smile crosses her face, "A side effect of her heritage coming
[20:45] <Kotono> in contact with Josa. Instead of mists consuming and bedeviling her foes to capture or slay them, it's honey. Instead of summoning other fey spirits...but you get the idea."
[20:47] <Aaeru> "So she's this scary knight, but reincarnated as a pixie?" Aaeru tilts her head. "That's kinda funny. Is it all Josa's fault?"
[20:49] <Kotono> "The reincarnation, no. The binding, yes? It was a fluke accident of both of them being in the wrong place at the wrong time. As near as the records could tell." Abagail gestures with a hand again, "Silver's psyche and mind are damaged from the bonding."
[20:50] <Aaeru> "Not funny now," Aaeru asserts. "Okay. So this is the why, but how do we help them? Are we supposed to help them? Unseelie's the bad guys, right?"
[20:51] <Kotono> "Mmm-hmmm." Abagail says, "Let me ask you something, Aaeru. if you free Silver, would you be willing to try and kill her? You know, as long as she's with Josa, she's trapped. There's one less Hoary Hunter in the world and there's no risk."
[20:54] * Aaeru runs her hand through her hair. "I dunno. Lyris -- she's my friend, and she works with us -- she thinks she might reach her. Maybe. Think she can? I know I tried, but maybe it's just this case where it has to be someone else who, like, clicks with Silver?"
[20:55] <Kotono> "It might be. She's not entirely of her own mind due to the binding, remember," Abagail says, "If you choose to break the binding, come with everything you have. A Hoary Hunter can threaten the Crimson Guard."
[20:56] <Aaeru> "Right." Aaeru grimaces. "Can she break it herself? The bond thing? Like, if I told her about it, could she just run away and try to find some wizard to do it or whichever?"
[20:58] <Kotono> "It's an extremely powerful bond because of her nature. Something powerful enough to bend aHoary Hunter's knee...that's the sort of power Silver's sending to the bond. It's not unbreakable, but good luck doing it."
[21:00] <Aaeru> "Yeah, no kidding." Aaeru spends a few moments thinking about it, before shrugging. "I guess it doesn't really change anything, but it's nice to know. Thanks lots, Abagail!"
[21:01] <Kotono> "I'll remember you owe me a favor," she smiles a little bit, "Keep me up to date if anything changes with Silver."
[21:02] <Aaeru> "Sure thing, on both," Aaeru readily agrees, smiling back. "And, like, if you want some help but not as a favor, call on me? I'm sure we can be great friends!"

[Corwin]

[21:14] <Kotono> It's a quiet day at the cove. It's one of those cold winter days that's best spent warm. At least that seems to be Neve's perogative, for she spends most of it curled up around Aaeru. The two share body warmth and chat the day away, pausing here and there for Neve to eat or to stretch your legs.
[21:20] <Aaeru> "I wanna visit my folks again," Aaeru says out of the blue. "Get them to meet Emily. Show that we're doing fine. Maybe ask for, like, tips or something cause I feel bad making Auriga look after her so much." She glances at Neve. "Do you mind? Or feel like that about your family?"
[21:23] <Kotono> "I'm fine," Neveril shakes her head slowly, resting comfortably against Aaeru. She's virtually molded into her. "When do you want to go?"
[21:25] <Aaeru> "In the morning?" Aaeru suggests. "So we don't get caught out during the night. It gets colder then, in the open, right?" It makes her slightly sad that she needs to ask, but that's how she has to be if she is to treat the people around her properly.
[21:31] <Kotono> "It does," Neveril nods with the faintest hint of a smile. "We'll go in the morning."
[21:33] * Aaeru holds Neve closer to her in response.
[21:47] <Kotono> The trip back home is without incident. You approach the family home, no signo f anyone immediately around as dusk b egins to fall...
[21:49] <Aaeru> "Mom? Dad?" Aaeru calls out, opening the door. They could always try to visit her sister, if their parents are traveling. Do they travel? Maybe it's something they started doing after seeing how much she liked it.
[21:51] <Kotono> Coming inside, you find Father sitting at the table. He's nose deep in a book, "Oh hi Aaeru! Your Mom and Sister are out, a friend had a baby today."
[21:52] <Aaeru> "Like, what a coincidence! We have a baby too!" Aaeru exclaims, waving Neve and Emily in after her.
[21:54] <Kotono> "My." Father notes dryly, "Babysitting for someone?"
[21:55] * Aaeru laughs. "She's kinda ours. Ilmater gave her to us!" Probably.
[22:00] <Kotono> "Oh. Well then, congratulations," Father says, "What's her name?"
[22:02] <Aaeru> "Emily!" Aaeru responds, all smiles. "We wanted to visit, right? So you could meet her?" She sits at the table opposite her father.
[22:03] <Kotono> Father puts his bookd own and picks up Emily, holding her up before his face. "Hello there, Emily!" For her part Emily looks on, a little baby's laught following.
[22:05] <Aaeru> "You and Mom raised us, and we're totally fine," Aaeru says, leaning back in her seat as its front legs dangle, before letting it balance once more. "We wanna do just as good as you guys! Do you think you could, like, help us out? And Mom, too, when she's back?"
[22:12] <Kotono> "Well, taking care of a baby isn't hard. You change her diaper, feed her regularly and give her lots of love. The rest of it works itself out. It's entirely natural," Father says,s till holding Emily.
[22:14] <Aaeru> "That really doesn't sound hard," Aaeru agrees, nodding at his words. "I guess we're, like, on the right way and all that? And hey, you guys should come visit us too! It's pretty easy to find us if you're in Balmuria! I asked around and people know about me, like totally!"
[22:16] <Kotono> "Good girl," Father says to Emily, "I'll bring everyone over to visit in a few days, then."
[22:20] <Aaeru> "Great! You'll get to meet all of our friends, too!" Excited, Aaeru pulls Neve into her lap and wraps her arms securely around her. "Everything's going so well! We're doing fine and we've made lots of new friends and we have Emily now and I'm a fey too! Life's grand!"
[22:22] <Kotono> "Good. It's good you're standing on your own two feet," With a chuckle of his own, "So tell me how your job is going?"
[22:26] <Aaeru> "Well, we like deal with fey a lot? It just happened like that. And it's all sorts of strange, but we work a lot with Waukeen's temple. The Holycoin's pretty nice, and she doesn't even mind how we live. And me and Neve made all sorts of friends with the Guard and the Helmite and we get to work with them a lot, too. I'm kinda sad I never got to really go out in sea, like not on a boat but really going out below with magic and everything. But hey, maybe I'll go there with Neve just because, for fun and not for a job? And I'm also kinda sad that going to the desert is totally ruined for me now, because it's a pretty impressive place. It trains you to be really strong and not need anything, you know?"
[22:29] <Kotono> As you talk, "We're home," Mother's voice can be heard over Aaeru's, "Dear?"
[22:29] <Aaeru> "We're here too!" Aaeru calls over.
[22:34] <Kotono> Mother and your sister follow, "Oh Aaeru! You're here!" Eyes go to the baby Father's holding, "...Aaeru?"
[22:35] <Aaeru> "No, that's Emily," Aaeru corrects her, giggling. She peeks out from behind Neve and gives them a happy wave. "We wanted you to meet her!"
[22:39] <Kotono> With a little squeal the family gathers around Emily, looking the child over! Quietly Aaeru hears Neveril murmur, "They seem happy, don't they?"
[22:41] <Aaeru> "They're happy," Aaeru quietly agrees, smiling over at her. "Just like we are. Like Dad said, it's all about lots of love?"