Fire Emblem: Last of the Manakete

Alright, looks like Getting Stuck In managed to make a turn-around.

Alectai said:

So, now that it's over, what was the Combob that would have made us all scream in terror?

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"But what if she doesn't like me?"
"Oh, my dear child, she is you. Do you like yourself?"
"Yes…"
"Then of course she'll like you. After all, there is so much about you to like."
-Marikara's Awakening


"…and so, after that, Mary dropped me off at my home. From there, I caught a ride with Angela and the message riders the rest of the way back, and I ran into Artemis on the way, and so here I am," you finish.

Once again, you're in Archduke Letoro's office, which is looking even more cluttered and used than the last time you were here. You and Artemis had been ushered here as soon as you came through the castle gates. You hadn't even had the chance to put your bag down. Once you'd reached the office, the Archduke had asked for reports on how your journeys had gone.

Artemis had given an abridged version of her story: apparently she'd been able to send messages so the Archduke had simply wanted to confirm some details. You, meanwhile, told your story in more detail. That had taken some time, and your throat hurt.

Slowly, the Archduke leans back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he glances down at the letters you'd given him. "First of all, excellent work, Mistress Levinheart," he says after a slightly longer pause than usual. "It is good to know that Apollo is safe, as well as the other students from nations outside the Empire." He grimaces. "As for the Archmage's request… unfortunately, despite Kopoi and the agents from other kingdoms' best efforts, we are as of yet no closer to discovering the identity of the informant."

You nod; that makes sense. "Hopefully that means they're hiding from the Regent as well," you say.

"Spirits willing," the Archduke says. He studies you. "If we do discover their identity, would you trust that knowledge in the hands of the mages of the Hall? Not just the Archmage, but the entire council?"

You nod again. "I may not like Blitzbolt, but I think he'll support the decision they all make."

"Good, good," Archduke Letoro says. "Now, we must turn our attention to next steps." He looks to Artemis. "While you and your force did excellent work in the Northern Kingdoms, it is clear that they remain the primary focus of the Regent's ambitions. While we here in the South intend to march on the Southlands Duchy soon, it is possible the Regent will decide to focus his efforts on subjugating the North, sacrificing his southern flank for time until he can bring his full force down on us after defeating the North. That cannot be allowed to happen."

Artemis frowns. "Surely that would take time," she says. "The Northern Kingdoms have their defensive line at Starhelm, or at least they should by now. It won't hold forever, of course, but it should buy time-"

"Possibly, yes," the Archduke says. "But with everything at stake, the council has decided that we cannot afford to risk them collapsing too early, especially since they took the initial hit of the Regent's kidnapping plan far harder than we did." He closes his eyes for a moment before continuing. "Additionally… there is a message in a significant force moving to help protect the North in their time of need. If we simply attack the Southlands, even with the justification that the mercenaries that invaded and abducted our children came from there, the Regent will be able to spin that into a simple land grab. However, if we prove that we are acting in the defense of others, if we show that we are fighting for more than just ourselves, that will give those in the Empire who are not convinced by the Regent's claims cover. Those who still support the ideals of Emperor Thaddeus, those who simply see through his deception, they will be our best hope to force the Empire to negotiate without a massive war, one that would see all of humanity struggling to recover for decades to come."

After a long moment, Artemis nods. "I see your point, Father," she says.

"That's good," Archduke Letoro said. "It would be bad form to have the leader of the expedition thinking that her job was a pointless one."

Your friend blinks. "Father?" she asks.

He gives her a dry smile. "You are the only one who makes sense," he says. "After all, not only have you been fighting this war longer than any other Southern noble, taking your efforts against the Talons and their proxies into account, but you have already been to the Northern Kingdoms and formed connections with them."

"I guess that's true," Artemis says. "I won't let you down, Father."

"I know you won't," the Archduke says. "You never have."

Father and daughter study each other for a second before Artemis glances at you. "Father, I know that Ryza is now the Head Mage of Agrithe, but could I ask that she be permitted to accompany me?" You nod quickly.

"I was going to ask Mistress Levinheart to assist you myself," the Archduke says. "While you will be getting some pegasus knights to assist you, having another flier, especially a powerful mage, will be essential." He glances at you, the ghost of a smile crossing his face. "It seems she is willing."

"Of course," you say. "Artemis is my friend; I want to help however I can." You hesitate. "When will we be leaving?"

"It will likely take a week to finish final preparations," Archduke Letoro says. "Why?"

Taking a breath, you continue. "There's an important manakete rite of passage that after… everything that's happened, I think I'm ready for," you say. "It's called the Awakening, and it's when I fully make contact with my dragon-self. The thing is, this rite is something that is usually done with family, and since Artemis and everyone here in Agrithe are sort of like my new family now I was wondering if I could borrow her and a few others for a few days to go home and do that quickly please?"

The Archduke frowns, but doesn't immediately refuse. Instead, he glances at Artemis. Your friend's eyes narrow slightly as she scoots closer to you. The pair stare each other down for a second before the man sighs. "You have given Agrithe much," he says softly. "I suppose that it is only just that you be given some leeway in return. However, remember that your home is right on the border, and there are some signs that Duchess Callista is starting to get suspicious. Can you promise to keep my daughter safe there?"

You nod. "Of course," you say. "If anything dangerous shows up, we'll just leave and be faster than them, and we've proven we're pretty good at protecting ourselves." Artemis nods.

"While I acknowledge your skills," Archduke Letoro says. "It would satisfy me if you were to take some guards with you. Since I am sure you will wish to bring more than just Artemis, you will be unable to fly anyways." He sighs. "As for who you will bring, I have some ideas who you want. I will not say no to any of them, but I do ask that you consider that Agrithe needs its people to stand in its defense."

You frown guiltily as you recognize the shadows under his eyes; it's clear the stress is getting to him. Quietly, you scrap the idea of asking him and Dione to come along: he would consider it his duty to stay, and you don't want to take his wife, who can provide him help and comfort, just to make yourself feel better. "Alright, I will," you say. "Thank you for your understanding."

"Thank you for all your aid," he replies.

Artemis pats you on the shoulder. "I should probably check in on the preparations, since I'll be away for a few days," Artemis says. "And I'm sure Ryza has things to do as well. If there are no other pressing issues, we should all do our duties."

The Archduke nods. "Send the Barons back in on your way out, if you would," he says, shuffling some parchments on his desk. "As you said, there is much to be done."

You and Artemis leave the office to find a slightly odd scene.

First of all, you see that Phoebe's arrived from helping to settle all the horses down after you scared them, which is good. However, she seems to have picked up Belle and Kelton, and your thief friend seems to be trying to stare intently through the slit of one of the guards' helmet. The man isn't saying anything, but from his stance you get the feeling he's annoyed.

Before you can ask what she's up to, she suddenly points. "You blinked!" she crows. "I saw you blink!"

Kelton rolls his eyes. "Hey Ryza," he says to you. "Could you tell Belle to stop antagonizing the guards before she gets locked up? That'd be great."

Belle grins as you make your way over. "I'm not antagonizing anyone," she says, wrapping an arm around your shoulder and pulling you to her side. "It's not my fault they're all terrible at the no-blinking game! It's great to see you, boss. Fancy new threads."

Sighing, you lean into and return her hug briefly. "It's good to see you too, but do please stop antagonizing the guards," you say.

"Fine," Belle says, giving you an exaggeratedly petulant pout. "Since it's you that's asking." She lets you go and allows you to go hug Kelton too. "So, how was your trip?"

"It went well," you say. "I got a lot done, and I was able to help a lot of people at the same time." You swish your cloak. "I'm a full mage now."

"Cool!" Kelton says. "Just please don't get all cryptic and mysterious on my like old man Dreamseer is, please."

You giggle. "I'll do my best," you say. "So how were things here while I was gone?"

Worryingly, your friends glance at each other before they answer. "Well," Belle says. "It turns out you were really smart to have us stay behind, since there was a guy who tried to break in and steal some of your stuff not long after you left."

"What?!" you and Artemis say together. You hadn't noticed her finishing her quiet conversation and coming over, but you're too worried to berate yourself for your inattentiveness.

Kelton waves his hands. "Don't worry, we dealt with it and everything," he says. "Belle and I were alternating watches, and she was on the scene when she heard someone sneaking around in your new room."

"Yeah, and so I went in to check, and I saw the guy fussing around with some of your scrolls, seemingly looking for something. Of course, I told him to drop them, but apparently he'd figured out a pressure point. Or at least, he was told a pressure point, 'cause he threatened to throw his lamp into the pile and burn it all up if I didn't let him go."

You feel faint. "Please… please tell me you just let him go…" you whimper. The thought of maybe the last remnants of your people's knowledge going up in flames…

"I was considering it," Belle says. "But in the end, I didn't have to, since it turns out there was someone else in there as well." She grins. "So your little apprentice Siri's taken to hiding out there and reading your stuff. Turns out she was there past her bedtime, and she zapped the guy from behind with her little lightning book. That gave me time to get on top of him and get the lantern away."

"Then I came in and saved her," Kelton says, "Since James had been going to drag Siri out and he heard what was happening and came to get me."

Belle scoffs. "I totally had that clown! Guy barely knew how to use that oversized butter-knife he called a dagger!" You let out a slow breath, and Belle's voice softens. "He didn't get anything," she assures you. "I checked everything, and there was nothing missing."

"Good, good," you say. "So did he say why he was doing it? You said something about someone telling him…"

"Oh, he was definitely hired by someone," Kelton says grimly. "Unfortunately, he couldn't say exactly who it was, since he and the servants that had been bribed to give him access to the castle were all paid through intermediaries. None of them were able to finger the mastermind."

You frown, folding your arms. "I bet it was Cicenco," you grumble.

"So do I!" Belle says. "But since we didn't have any 'evidence'," she crooks two fingers on both her hands in the air next to her head. "The big boss here said that I wasn't allowed to go over there and return the favor. Or, even better, send that Kopoi guy over to return the favor for us."

Artemis grimaces. "While I appreciate the indignation," she says. "Father's right, especially in these times. Retaliating for a merely suspected crime is not something we should do, not with war on the horizon." You nod along with her.

Belle and Kelton both look disappointed. "I mean, I guess," Belle says. "At least, the failure seems to have driven home the point that your stuff is going to be protected, since there hasn't been anything since."

"That's great!" you say. "Thank you for making sure nothing happened to my stuff." You look around. "Could I see? You said something about turning that tower room into my sleeping place…"

Both nod. "Yeah, the Archduke allowed us to do that," Kelton says. "Well, as I understand it, his wife convinced him to allow it, so you should thank her. Come on, let's go take a look."

You glance at Artemis. "Go on," she says. "As I said to Father, I need to go check in on some things, but hopefully I'll be ready to go to your place for the ritual tomorrow. A few good horses should be able to get us there and back before we have to head back north."

"Okay, that sounds good," you say. "See you soon. You too, Phoebe." The cavalier nods and waves as she follows Artemis down the corridor.

As you turn to walk up the many stairs towards your new room, Belle and Kelton fall in on either side of you. "Ritual, huh?" Belle asks. "Anything we should know about?"

"Well, I'm going to be going to my home to carry out a rite that manakete used to mark adulthood," you say. "And since it's normally done with family and friends, I invited Artemis and Phoebe to come along. Do you want to come? You too, Kelton?"

"Is water wet?" Belle asks. "Anything to get out of this place for a bit!" Kelton nods too. "So does that mean you'll finally grow taller?"

"Har har," you say. "No, I'm just going to be waking up dragon-me so she can have more of an influence on our situation. Don't worry, I'm sure she'll be very friendly so long as you don't annoy her by staring into her eyes."

For an instant, Belle seems to blanche, but then she grins. "Nice try, boss, but from what you've said she's still you, so she'll probably be just as much of a sweetie as you."

"While that's mostly true, she is still my dragon-self," you say warningly. "She's highly emotional and impulsive. She won't hurt you, of course; she is me and I like you, but just… be careful with joking about her; she might take it the wrong way."

The two glance at each other over your head. "Alright, good to know," Kelton says. "I mean, sometimes I forget that you're this ancient creature and not just a sweet little kid who's too smart for her body."

You're not entirely sure how you should take that. Thankfully, before you have to figure out what to say, you finally clamber up the last stairs to the tower room. Pushing the door open, you look around.

The first thing you notice is that, aside from a slightly different shape, this room has been laid out exactly like your bedroom back home. The bed is tucked into the same corner, some shelves have been set up where your ones were, even a closet had been stood where the door to your walk-in closet had been. Your breath leaves you in a soft gasp: the people who'd seen your room back at the mountain must have spent a long time remembering and organizing everything to make sure that it was as close as possible. "Thank you…" you whisper to nobody in particular.

"Ah!"

Blinking, you refocus and notice Siri sitting cross-legged on the floor, a scroll unrolled in front of her. She's currently in the process of trying to both clamber to her feet and roll up the paper at the same time. "Sorry, sorry," she says. "I didn't know you were back! How are you, Mistress?"

"It's alright," you say. "I don't mind you looking." Looking down, you catch sight of a picture you recognize. "That's a Marikara story, right? What do you think of it?"

"It looks nice," Siri says. "I'm still having a bit of trouble reading your language, even though I've been studying that dictionary-thing you left behind really hard." Shifting your gaze, you spot it sitting next to the story-scroll. "But I really like the pictures. Did your parents make them?"

You shake your head. "No, certainly not these ones. Father would sometimes draw things to do with runewrighting, but he didn't do a lot of artwork, and Mother always preferred things like weaving and knitting and carving. She said that she liked having something physical to show for her time, especially if it was something that would be helpful."

Belle, meanwhile, is studding the pictures over Siri's shoulder. "So are these made the same way as that picture of you and your parents? It looks kind of similar, but surely that took a lot of work to set that up and then make a bunch of different scrolls. Unless this is a one-of-a-kind scroll."

"No, no, Marikara scrolls are actually pretty common," you say. "Well… they were. There were some manakete, usually older ones, who dedicated the rest of their lives to making copies of scrolls so that everyone could have them. There are some rituals that allow such copies to be made, though from what I've heard they're really complicated."

"Are you sure they're hard?" Siri asks hopefully. "Master Shadebringer and James're always making me copy things when they're mad at me, so if there was a way I could use magic to make that easier that'd be great!"

Before you can answer, the sound of footsteps from outside draws your attention. "Siri! Siri, are you in there?" James's voice calls. "I just heard that Mistress Ryza's back, so we should find her and see if there's anything we need to-" He pushes open the door and freezes as he sees you. "Ah…"

"I found her!" Siri says cheerfully.

You smile, choosing not to correct her. "I was just looking at what everyone set up for me here," you say, looking around. "Thank you, everyone. And thank you all for protecting it from that thief."

"Thank you, Mistress, but I didn't do much with that," James says. "I just ran and got Sir Kelton here. He and Miss Belle did most of the work."

"I helped!" Siri says. "I did, I swear I did! I used that lighting trick you taught me and it shocked that guy and let Belle get the drop on him! Did they tell you that!?"

Smiling, you pat Siri on the head. "Yes, yes they did, and thank you for helping," you say. "So, other than that bit of excitement, was there anything else that happened?"

Apparently, not a huge amount. James and Siri have managed to keep all the runes and other magical stuff mostly working; you'd left some notes that they claim were super helpful. There are a few things that you'll need to look at, but thankfully it seems that you'll be able to go carry out the Awakening without feeling too guilty.

When you mention the Awakening to James and Siri, the little girl's eyes light up. "Can we come?!" she asks, bouncing on her feet.

"If you want to," you say. "You're my friends, and this is supposed to be done with friends."

James rocks back and forwards. "I… I'd love to…" he says, sounding both tempted and regretful. "But… but someone needs to fix things…"
(James: d4=3)
"Well let's make it so things'll work for a while!" you say. "I've gotten some practice with runes while I was at the Marble Hall, so that'll make things easier! That way, you can come along. I mean, since I'm Head Mage, we're going to be working together a lot, so it's really important that you and my other half get to know each other. Besides, it's my job to teach you about magic, so I should show you an interesting magical ritual."

"But…"

"No buts! Come on, let's go fix things, chop chop!"

---

The rest of the day, you find yourself hurrying around the castle, doing your best to quickly-yet-correctly fix all the various magical items being used as part of the preparations. While you're still a bit sad that human rune-structures tend to be clunkier and less efficient than manakete ones, you're a bit grateful now, since that means they're a bit easier to fix. This is especially true now that you've had some time to practice

Of course, there are still some issues. You should really start studying Red magic, so that you can work up to the stone-shaping ritual. That would really make these sorts of repairs go faster, as well as making it easier to make your own runes. Well, you're going to have some time on the trip over, so that'll be something to do.

The sun is starting to crawl towards the horizon as you pass through the training yard. You've gotten all thing things James had trouble with, now you're just checking some of the more-used things (you'd just finished with a set of runes on a forge that enhance the interior heat without hurting anyone outside the furnace).

As you walk, you watch the lines of people with spears, swords and bows practicing under the direction of older, more experienced soldiers. You spot Robin with his archers, and he gives you a friendly nod when he notices you. However, you also notice one person off by herself. Elena's standing in a corner, swinging her axe over and over into a training dummy.

Frowning, you slow to a stop as you watch her. Her stance is… tense, and as you look around you see plenty of people glancing her way… and not all of those looks are friendly. In fact, they remind you a bit of some of the looks you got from of the least-friendly people you've met.

More than that, though, the more you watch her, the more you get the feeling that she's… lonely.

Thinking it over, you suppose that makes sense. After all, she did just leave everything and everyone she'd known behind. You remember that feeling, and you didn't have the additional issue of knowing that the people you'd liked and trusted had been doing bad things. If you hadn't had Artemis and the others… you'd have been really lonely too, but it looks like Elena's not that lucky.

Squaring your shoulders, you turn and walk in her direction, ignoring the eyes you feel on your back. If nobody else has reached out to help Elena feel less lonely, then you guess it's up to you.

The axe-woman spots you, and you see her flinch. However, she doesn't run away, simply turning and planting her axe in the ground. "Hi," you say when she doesn't comment. "How are you doing?"

She shrugs. "I'm doing alright, I guess," she says, clearly trying to sound casual. However, you can see that her eyes are wary, and she's squeezing the haft of her axe far harder than she needs to. "So… you're the… manakete? The dragon-kin? Axton and Lancel told me about you."

You nod; dragon-kin isn't that inaccurate, and she did try to use the proper term. "That's right," you say. "It's nice to meet you better; we didn't have much chance to talk earlier. Sorry again for scaring you."

"It's alright," she says.

"That's nice of you to say, but I should have been more careful," you say.

She shrugs again. "If you say so," she says. "So, is there something I can do for you, Mistress?"

"It's just Ryza," you say. "Or Levinheart if you want, but I'm still not super used to that. And not really, I just wanted to check in, see how you're doing." You look at the training dummy. The straw-filled bag is leaking pretty badly, with dozens of marks from the axe on it. The pole it's attached to is even notched in some places. She must have been here a while.

"Really?" Elena asks, sounding slightly skeptical. "Huh, that's a first."

You feel your eyes narrowing slightly. "Are people being mean to you?" you ask. You're not entirely sure what you'll do if the answer's yes, but you get the feeling it will involve "accidentally" practicing your lightning magic someplace where the thunder echoes will make their ears hurt.

Elena waves her hands. "No, no, nobody's doing anything like that," she says. "It's just… well, I get the feeling that everyone just thinks I left the Talons to save my own skin. Apparently, that's what mercenaries do."

"I don't think that," you say. "I wasn't there, but I trust the people who were, and I trust that they wouldn't have let you come back here with them if you'd just been doing that." You smile. "I know I said it before, but thank you again for helping Artemis. She's my best friend, and I wasn't there to help her."

"I… you're welcome," she says. After a moment, she flushes. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound ungrateful or anything; you are being really nice. It's just… weird. I mean, I grew up hearing all kinds of stories about dra… your people, and then I meet you and you're…" she gestures vaguely at you.

"I'm just me," you say softly. "If you remember nothing else, remember that: I'm just me. I know you heard about me from Axton and Lancel, and they were both pretty scared of me for a while, but I'm friendly, and I'm not going to hurt anyone."

Elena slowly nods. "O...okay," she says.

The pair of you stand in silence for a few seconds before you continue. "So, if you have any questions, feel free to ask. I've been trying to teach people about what manakete were really like, so I'm happy to answer anything you've got."

The former Talon opens and closes her mouth a few times, before nodding. "I… thank you," she says. "I'll think about it."

You wilt a little in disappointment, but reassure yourself that she didn't reject you, she just needs some time to think. "Alright," you say. "Well, it was nice talking to you. I'll leave you to keep whacking the poor bag." Elena's lip twitches slightly as you say that, so you feel somewhat vindicated as you turn to leave.

You only get a few steps, however, before Elena speaks again. "I really didn't just join Lady Artemis to save myself," she says. "I… well, when I joined the Talons, I'd only ever heard how great they are, and they had saved the village from bandits that one time so…" she sighs. "Then… then they were asking us to kidnap kids… and that didn't seem so great…"

Turning back, you give Elena a gentle smile. "You tried to stop it," you say. "That's more than any of the Talons I met down here can say. You don't have to feel guilty about something that you couldn't stop, when you tried to stop it when you could."

The two of you stare at each other for a moment before the woman lets out a bemused chuckle. "Thanks," she says. "You're… you're a sweet kid." She shrugs. "I guess all the stories I heard were wrong. Wonder what else I'm gonna find out was completely wrong."

"I don't think every story's wrong," you say. "You just got the bad luck to have two of them be wrong in quick succession." A sudden thought occurs to you out of the blue. "You know, if you want to learn more, I'm going to be doing some cool manakete stuff, and Archduke Letoro says I have to bring guards. Do you want to come?"

She stares at you. "You… trust me that much?" she says.

"Uh-huh," you say. "Besides, the ride over will give you time to think about any questions you might have."

Elena grimaces. "Great, more horses," she mutters.

Your eyes widen. "Wait… you don't like riding either?!" you ask.

"…No?"

You bounce on your feet. "Everyone I've ever talked to says that riding's great, but I just can't get into it!" you say. "I thought I was all by myself."

Slowly, Elena gives a real smile for the first time. "I know, right?" she says. "Everyone's always talking about how horses are the greatest things since wyverns, but all I can think about when I'm on one is how bumpy it is and how much they don't listen to me. Teana tried to teach me to ride once, but her stupid mule just kept wandering around eating no matter what I did!"

You and Elena spend the next few minutes commiserating with each other about how uncomfortable it is to ride. You get the feeling that the few Agrithians who are near enough think you're both insane, but a part of you is glad that you get to show the world that you're on Elena's side. Mother knows she needs someone to support her. Underneath the awkwardness and worry is someone who's genuinely good and kind, and she deserves to have that recognized.

Besides, the smile she has on her face when you finally have to leave to finish working on the runes is far better than the sad, worried look she'd had when you first approached her.

---

The next day finds you (unfortunately) in front of Artemis on Actaeon as you set off for your home. As she'd said, it's faster than the carriage and cart you'd used the first time you went back, but it is still slower than flight. However, even if you hadn't wanted to avoid half-shifting in order to not make dragon-you tired and grumpy, there are simply too many people on this expedition.

There's yourself and Artemis, of course. Then there's Axton, Lancel and Phoebe, who are helping Elena, Siri and James. You expected all of them, as well as the two yeomen to act both as guards and to give rides to Kelton and Belle. However, you hadn't expected to be joined by Robin and four additional yeomen.

When you'd spotted him as you'd arrived at the stables, he'd raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure if I should be hurt that you didn't think to invite me," he says in a serious tone. "After all, we did spend those weeks together tracking the Talons."

You squirm a little. "I'm sorry," you say. "The Archduke said I should be careful who I invited since everyone was so busy, and I was already kind of pushing it by bringing both James and-"

He waves a hand. "I'm joking, R- Mistress Levinheart," he says. "I understand it's easier to bond with those closer to your relative age. I'm mostly here because my lord asked me to be: while he trusts you, he feels it's best to have backup available in case things do go wrong, and you're right that he wants to send as few people as possible. I've taught my current crop everything I can before they go to battle; a few last lessons over the days won't make that much difference." He smiles. "I am curious to see how the other part of you will be different."

Thankfully, the ride is calm. While on Actaeon, you can't really do much other than share details of your time in the Marble Hall with Artemis and anyone who gets close enough to talk to, or listen to details of their time in the Northern Kingdoms. You're glad that you're going to get to see it yourself; it sounds like a beautiful place, and maybe you'll have some time to slip into the Divine Realm and see if you can find out anything more about the Union while you're up there.

During time in camp, you decide to focus on unlocking your Red magic. Not only will it be very useful to have a broader access to the colors, but since Red magic is so deeply connected with emotions, it'll be good to get some more practice in. The first night, you unroll Practical Magic and find the section on Red magic.

Begin by finding something you are passionate about. This could be anything, but for many manakete it is best to find something that you can explain or debate with another manakete, for expressing emotions helps to strengthen them.

Once you have found an interest, the next step is at once simple and complicated: express it. Talk about it, either to yourself or to others, and go with the flow of the emotions it brings. Let it bring out emotions in you. These emotions need not be good or bad, but they need to be strong. They need to be emotions that awaken the shadow of your draconic heritage. In fact, if you have already carried out your Awakening, simply debating with your dragon-self will be one of the easiest ways to reach a heightened emotional state.

Ride these upwelling emotions. Even if it seems that you are flying on the edge of losing control, that is to be expected. Red magic is emotional, do not hide from that fact. If you should go over the edge, channel and control your emotions to bring yourself back to a neutral state and try again later, but don't be afraid. Every user of Red magic loses their balances at times. Eventually you will be able to follow the upwellings back to the core of Red magic that burns within every manakete, like the molten lava that is buried deep within the earth. Draw it up, and you will hold the power of fire.

You grimace: this sounds… slightly unpleasant. Oh, you're sure it's helpful, and you're sure it'll work, but you've been practicing the steps of the Path so long that the idea of risking losing control made you shiver. Maybe it'd be best to wait until… you shake your head. No, no, you're going to have faith. You're going to trust that the old, wise Red manakete that had written this had known what they were talking about.

Yet… is it really so different from the Path? No step said that you should not feel; being a manakete was all about feeling. No, you just needed to be careful in your feelings.

Now, to find something to be passionate about… Well, that's pretty obvious: knowledge. You want to know things, you want other people to know things, so you can solve two problems with one stone!

As the trip continues, you quickly run into the problem with this plan… everyone seems to agree with you. Whenever you tell Elena a story about Manakete, or Artemis something interesting about magic, or Siri… anything at all, really, they lap it up! Which is nice, of course, but doesn't really produce the upwellings of emotions that the scroll talks about.

Still, you have time. You'll figure something out.

---

Countess Mantrae raises an eyebrow delicately.

You'd reached Castle Legerius this morning, and after a tense meeting between Artemis and the Countess (and Belle refusing to show up at all, instead declaring that she'd meet you all further down the road.) you'd thought that asking if Sypha was available to come attend your Awakening would have smoothed over tensions. After all, surely it would be considered a good sign that, after the less-than-successful first interactions between yourself and the leaders of Legerius, you still considered them friends enough to be a part of this monumental moment in your life.

It seems, however, that she's still a little worried about letting Sypha out of her vicinity. Or at least, you think that's what that raised eyebrow means. "I promise I'll make sure she gets back home safely," you continue quickly. "I mean, other than the monsters in the basement of my home, which I've put up a ward to stop, and Baron Cicenco, who you dealt with, there weren't any problems either time I went. It's perfectly safe, I promise!"

Countess Mantrae simply studies you for a long moment longer. "I am sure that you will," she says. "Intellectually, at least. However, it is difficult to forget that the last time she left safety, she was very nearly taken away, never to be seen again. Surely you will understand my concerns."

You sigh. "I do," you say. "After an incident where I almost got eaten by a bael, it was the better part of a month before Mother would let me out of her sight. But just because something bad happened once doesn't mean it's going to happen every time. Besides, I'll be there for her, along with Artemis and Robin and everyone. We got her out of the Empire, we can make sure nothing bad happens to her."

"I suppose you have proven yourself quite capable, Mistress Levinheart," she says. "And perhaps there is an element of fate in your timing…"

You cock your head. "What do you mean?" you ask.
(Jenna: d4 = 2)
A small smile works its way onto the Countess's face. "Allow me to show you," she says, rising and leading the way out of the the balcony-room. "I'm sure you would wish for Mistress Flarestone to accompany you, but sadly her attention was required elsewhere. However, there is another who happens to be here that you might be interested in inviting."

Confused but interested, you follow Countess Mantrae through the castle towards the roof-garden. As you enter, you hear Sypha's voice talking animatedly to someone. Quietly, you and Countess Mantrae make your way through the rows of plants to find Sypha sitting, talking to a figure that it takes you a moment to place.
(Bernard Rickman: d4 = 4)
"Hi Ryza!" Sypha says as she looks past Bernard Rickman, jumping to her feet. "You're back! Is something going on?"

"Hey Sypha," you say, accepting your friend's hug. "Nothing bad, I just wanted to ask you something, but I didn't know that Berna-, sorry, I mean Lord Rickman. Though I suppose young lord is more accu-"

The Imperial noble sighs, clearly holding back a roll of his eyes. "While I do appreciate that you are working to remember decorum, Mistress Levinheart, at this point I fear it will take far more remedial lessons than we have time for in the current climate, so perhaps it is best to simply let the titles be for the moment."

"Bernie, don't be mean!" Sypha says. "I'm sorry, Ryza, he's in one of his moods right now, all secretive and stiff."

"It's alright," you say. "It's just good to see you, Bernard. What brings you here?"

The young noble hesitates, glancing at Countess Mantrae. "My lord father has a… delicate message, that needs to be passed on. One that cannot be trusted to just anyone. Therefore, he sent me to deliver it personally."

You cock your head. "Really?" you say. "What's the message, if you don't mind me asking?"

Again, Bernard hesitates. Glancing over your shoulder, you see Countess Mantrae give him a small nod. "Due to your journey to the Marble Hall," he says, "Mistress Softshimmer contacted Lord Warwick-Lightbringer, to tell him both of what transpired while you were there, as well as the evidence you provided that the Regent was behind Sypha and my abductions, as well as other crimes. Of course, the Baron passed this information onto my father, and he was most displeased. Together, my father and Baron Warwick-Lightbringer plan to petition the Duchess to lodge a formal complaint against the Regent and demand that he step down, as he has clearly betrayed the best interests of the Empire and its people. However, should this effort fail… well, it is prudent to have a backup plan, just in case."

You're not quite sure you understand all the nuance of what he's talking about, but by the sound of it the Southern Kingdoms might be getting some more friends either way: either Duchess Callista takes a stand and the whole war can be avoided, or she doesn't and Bernard's father and this Baron Warwick-Lightbringer will be willing to help out down here. "Well, I hope everything works out," you say.

"So do I," Sypha says. "But you said you wanted to ask me about something?"

You nod quickly. "Yes, yes," you say. "Well, I'm going home quickly to do something important…" You explain the Awakening, and how you're hoping that Sypha, as one of your best friends, would be willing to be there for you.

Sypha hesitates, glancing between you, her mother, and Bernard several times. "This is really important to you, isn't it?" she says. "This Awakening?" You nod. She takes a breath, before nodding. "Then I'll be there for you, as you were there for me. I'll go with you to see this Awakening." She doesn't look at her mother as she says that, and her voice has the same steady, calm tone that tells you that she's not asking permission, she's making a statement of fact.

"Thank you," you say, taking her hands. "That means a lot to me."

Bernard clears his throat. "I know that I cannot talk you out of this, cousin," he says formally. "So I will not try. However, Mistress Levinheart, I would request that I also be allowed to observe this ritual, if you have no objections. At the very least, I would travel with my cousin to the mountains, to ensure that no harm befalls her."

You and Sypha share dry looks. She rolls her eyes slightly, but smiles. "Of course you can come along," you say. "It'll be good to spend time with you again; we haven't had a lot of time to talk since you went home."

Because it was still fairly early in the day, and because you wanted to make sure Belle didn't get into any trouble, you didn't spend long at Castle Legerius. You gave Sypha and Bernard a bit of time to get everything they needed, as well as giving the horses some time to rest. As you suspected, Countess Mantrae insists on sending a few of her own men along, just in case. You're happy enough to see Sir Octavio and Claire, and they both seem happy to see you too. Finally, you're able to set out again, continuing down the road and making sure to pick up Belle as you go.

You take the time to catch up with Bernard a bit. He confirms that, aside from the precautionary preparations the Regent had pushed Duchess Castilla into making, at the moment the Southlands were mostly calm. You feel a little twinge of guilt: by the sound of it they're really not ready for what's going to happen. You can only hope that, as soon as it becomes apparent that the Kingdoms are all going to stand together, the Regent will realize that it's in everyone's best interests to back down.

By the time you all stop to make camp for the night, your thoughts have returned to your attempts to awaken your Red magic. You feel a bit guilty for thinking it, but a part of you had sort of hoped that talking to Bernard, who's always been a little pricklier around you, would awaken a few more volatile emotions in you. However, aside from a few dry comments about proper protocol and forms of address, he was also very agreeable. Apparently, having been kidnapped and learning that the new head of the Empire was behind it, he'd learned that the institution was not as flawless as he'd imagined.

You're so caught up in your thoughts, staring up at the moon shining in the sky while the camp was set up behind you, that you almost don't notice Artemis sitting down next to you. "You know, Ryza, it's okay to not get things right away," she says softly. "I remember it took you days and days to be able to cast light magic, and there you were in a calm, peaceful environment."

"I know," you say. "But… it just feels weird. I mean, it seems like it should be simple. I've already walked the Path of Awakening, so just finding a strong emotion to focus on doesn't seem like it should be hard."

Your friend pats you on the shoulder. "I don't claim to really understand the details of your whole manakete thing," she says. "But emotions are always hit or miss: they're something humans have never really been able to control. The fact that you can at all is a testament to your abilities."

Smiling, you lean against Artemis. "Thanks," you say. "And I do know I'll get it eventually. I just wish I could make some progress now."

"Hey, boss," Belle says from behind you, causing you and Artemis to turn. "I've been thinking, and I might have an idea to help you with that."

You hesitate, there's… something in the glint of her eyes that makes you a little worried, but if she has a plan… "What are you thinking?" you ask.

Her grin widens slightly. "Come on, let's go get some of the others," she says. "This'll work better if there's more people."

Okay, this is definitely getting a bit worrying. You glance at Artemis, and she also has a slightly suspicious look, but she shrugs and nudges you to get up. "It can't hurt," she says quietly as you follow Belle over to the main campfire. "Let's see what she's got in mind."

Once you and Artemis are settled, Belle looks around. "Alright, now that we're all here, we can get started," she says, still grinning. "Now, I'm sure you all know about Ryza's plan to learn to use fire magic." Sypha perks up. "Now, to do this, apparently she needs to get emotional, so she can find some sort of inner fire." She shrugs. "Don't claim to completely understand what she means, but since it seems important to her, and since having her be able to throw fireballs sounds cool, it's our job as her friends to help her out." Everyone nods and agrees, and you feel a warm glow in your heart that even if your human friends don't really get what you're trying to do, they take it seriously enough to help anyways.

"Now," Belle continues. "She's been trying to get worked up in a calm, thoughtful way, and while I appreciate the enthusiasm, I think it might be time to take a different tack."

"What are you thinking?" Elena asks, sounding interested. You'd noticed her and Belle talking a few times on the trip, and from the snippets you'd overheard they'd been commiserating together about being former Talons that people mistrusted. You're glad Elena's finding someone else to connect with.

Somehow, Belle's grin widens. "I think that our little mage-akete is overthinking things too much, and we need to help her get back to more basic emotions. Things like fear. Maybe, if high-minded debate about grandiose arcane principles doesn't get her heart racing and her emotions going, maybe a good scary story'll do it."

You're… not entirely sure if that'll work, but you suppose it can't hurt to try. If nothing else, it'll be a chance to spend time with your friends, and that's never something that's wasted. "Okay," you say. "We can give that a try."

Kelton grins almost as wide as Belle's. "Yeah, that sounds like a great idea," he says. "And I think I've got a perfect story. The story of… the Monster of Miau!"

Next to you, Artemis raises an eyebrow. "The Monster of Miau?" she says, sounding unimpressed. "I've never hear of-"

"No, no, Artemis, let him tell it!" Sypha said. "It sounds really interesting." Siri nods along, staring wide-eyed at the soldier.

Kelton leans forward, the light of the fire throwing shadows over his face that make you quiver a little. "This is a tale that happened long ago…" he says dramatically. "In a tiny little house on the outskirts of a tiny village… there lived a boy, and a girl… and they were brother and sister…"

Even though you know, in your mind, that Kelton's probably talking about himself and Arden, the low tone of his voice draws you into the story, almost making you ask what happened next. You didn't have to, of course, as Kelton continued to story. "Now, on this dark and stormy night, with rain lashing against the roof and walls… little did they know that there was a monster in the house with them! The Monster of Miau!" Next to you, you faintly hear Artemis scoff under her breath, but you're too caught up in the story, especially since you can see Sypha's hands wringing and Siri vibrating so much you're surprised she's not literally bouncing.

"Now, the girl was searching for something, so she lit a candle and went into the cupboard, where the monster lurked…" Kelton continues, his voice dropping to a whisper. "She opened the door, which creaked slowly… slowly, and she started to bend down to dig in the pile that it had claimed as its lair… and then it lunged!" He jerked forwards, causing you to force back a yelp. Sypha didn't quite manage, squeezing Bernard's hand so tightly you faintly see him grimace in pain. "The girl was too fast, though, and she fell away from the monster before it could sink its terrible fangs into her flesh, screaming at the top of her lungs."

"The boy, hearing his sister's scream, was filled with dread, for she was older, and he knew she was not easily scared. However, he also knew that bravery existed in the overcoming of fear, rather than the lack of it. And so he armed himself and took up a candle of his own, and dashed to the room where the beast was terrorizing his kin. He burst in, ready to ward off the terrible danger!"

"As he looked at the cupboard, at first he did not see the creature, and so he momentarily let his guard down. However, sensing weakness, the creature burst from the darkness and dashed into the light, its countless legs a blur, its black, furry shape hideous in the flickering flames! Its fangs glistened with poison, deadly and dangerous, as it darted towards another shadow, where it might conceal itself so that it could lunge forth again in ambush!"

"What did the boy do!?" Siri gasped.

"Seeing his sister scrambling away from the monster, the boy lunged forwards, determined to smite it with the wrath of the Sentinel!" Kelton say, hunching slightly in the shadow. "The monster was quick, his first blow fell just behind it, and it turned, nearly seizing his weapon before he pulled it away! Then, as he aimed another blow, it turned, dashing towards his bare feet, where it could do the most terrible injuries, its eight eyes flashing with rage! He scrambled, waving his weapon and candle to ward it off as it came closer… and closer… and then… BANG!" He slammed his hand down on the log hard, causing you to leap and yelp, your wings flaring and wrapping around yourself and Artemis protectively, while Sypha jerks almost into Bernard's lap with a cry.

"It's alright, Ryza," she says. "It's just a spider."

Just a spider?! Spiders are awful!

Meanwhile, your friend throws Kelton, who's looking quite satisfied with himself, a dry look. "Let me get, little house spider?" she says.

"Not so little!" he says, making an o with his fingers at least twice the size of the coins you've seen. "Bugger was that big! And he was totally gonna bite me, but I got him first!" He grins at you. "So, did that work? Can you use fire now? Fire's supposed to be good at getting rid of spiders, after all!"

You feel your heart rate slowing as you search within yourself. There's certainly something, you can feel your heart beating, twinges of fear, but as you try to trace them you start to lose the trail towards the flame that's supposed to be flaring from your core.

Before you can shake your head, a soft, slow clapping fills the night. "Bravo, Kelton," Belle says mockingly. "A nice try, but a blunt effort." She smirks. "If you really want to scare someone, you can't just go for the obvious answer. You have to… know, your mark. Know what makes them twitch… know what makes them jump…" She looks at you. "Now that we've had the warmup, let me tell you a real scary story."

"This story also takes place a long time ago… even longer than Kelton's funny little tale. It takes place far away, atop a hill in the distant north… in an old library across the valley from a castle…"

"Oh spirits…" Bernard groans.

Belle ignores him. "Now, this was no small library. It was one of the biggest, most prestigious libraries in the world. The pride of Starhelm, of the entire North, even."

You frown. This… doesn't seem like a scary story so far. In fact, that sounds like a place you'd want to go. You glance up at Artemis. "Did you see it while you were up there?" you ask her. She shakes her head, grimacing. "What-"

"If you were to enter the building… you would see rows of books without end," Belle continues, her voice taking on a soothing, almost hypnotic tone. "Piles and piles of scrolls, taller than the tallest man. The combined knowledge of centuries of humans. Magical, yes, but also the stories of people. Of small villages, scattered tribes, ancient heroes, reviled villains."

Okay…

"However… there were things happening in the world. The people living around Starhelm… they yearned to be free of their distant overlord. So, they gathered their friends from around the North, and they gathered at their precious library."

Oh, you do not like where this is going…

"There, they decided that, from that day forth, they would be free. The others went back to their homes, but they promised to stand by each other, should the time come." Slowly, Belle's face fell into a frown. "But the overlord far away… he did not like that they wanted to be free. And so he sent his soldiers, and he sent his wyverns, and they came to that library on the hill."

Artemis puts a gentle arm around your shoulder, and you see Sypha patting Bernard's shoulder. However, none spoke as Belle continues. "The soldiers and the wyverns came to that library… and they saw it as a symbol of the people who wanted to defy them. And so they lit torches, and their wyverns exhaled their breaths… and flame began to engulf the library atop the hill in Starhelm."

You feel your fists slowly clench as Belle continues to talk. "The fire started slowly, for the outer building was stone. First it was the tapestries that burned… for there were some stories told in cloth and stitching. But the flame was hungry, and so it crawled through the tapestries and it leapt to the first shelves."

"The librarians, they tried to save their books. Some, they threw out of those windows that were not yet burning, but the wyverns that flew about were made to spit their burning breath into those windows, and the books that were thrown out caught fire, along with those who tried to save them. Other librarians tried to take the books to a basement, in the hopes that it would be safe… but the flames followed them even there. In the end, all that was left was the great pile of scrolls… a statue… a symbol… until that melted-"

"STOP!"

Everyone jerks as you shout, your wings flaring, this time in pain and fury. "How…" you whisper. "How could anyone do something like that?!" Twisting out of Artemis's half-hug, you stalk away, ignoring the questioning words from behind you.

Once you have some distance, you take a long, slow breath, trying to control and channel your emotions. However, as you take a breath and start bringing yourself under control, you realize that you recognize that searing, flaming sensation in your gut. Carefully changing your mind, you make sure to keep that swirling, seething anger at how people could do such terrible things to innocent scrolls and books, you delve deeper and deeper into your psyche, searching for what the Red manakete described…

There! That boiling core of emotions, right now seemingly glowing red with irritation. Dipping your metaphorical hand in, you carefully pull out a swirl of magic. As you open your eyes, you look down to see a coil of Red magic swirling around your hand. Frowning, you snap your finger, focusing on the thought of flame… and it works! The Red magic snaps into the physical world, burning bright over the palm of your hand.

Not quite the way you'd planned for this to go, but it seems to have worked.

"Ryza?" Artemis asks softly. "Are you okay? I know that's a really unpleasant story…"

"Well, I guess it kind of worked," you say, showing of the flickering fire in your palm. "I should be mad at Belle for trying to scare me like that, but I guess she does know me well enough to know what'll get my emotions going." You toss the fireball to yourself, flicking your emotions in your mind until you've find the one that puts a not-very-friendly grin on your face.

"So maybe I'll throw this just over her head rather than at her head!"

---

You take a long, slow breath of mountain air, flexing your wings as you stare across the Narrow Pass and at the countless jagged peaks beyond. It's a cool day, a bit cloudy and overcast, but not rainy.

Behind you, watching with interest, are all your friends. Well, almost all, you wish Apollo and Lacroix could have been here. You'd also kind of hoped to see Angela flying around, you'd had a nice talk with her, but it seems she's elsewhere, and you're sure she's really busy.

Besides, the people you really wish could be here are Father and Mother. For all that, number-wise, you have more people to attend your Awakening than you possibly could have dreamed of growing up… in your heart, you know you'd trade every single one of them, even Artemis, for another day with your parents. Perhaps it is good, then, that such a thing is impossible, so you're not tempted to try.

You shake your head. Now isn't the time for sadness or regrets, now is the time to celebrate. To grow and show the world that you're strong enough, wise enough, to fully accept your nature. To guide your dragon-self, to make sure she doesn't go feral and bring ruin to the people you love, and to the name of the species you're trying to rehabilitate.

"Ryza?" Artemis asks. "Is everything alright? Is there anything we can do to help?"

You turn, shaking your head. "No, no, I'm just thinking," you say, returning to stand in the center of the semi-circle they've formed. Some of the guards stayed near the small camp that had been made, but to your slight surprise and pleasure, Elena had shyly asked if she could come and watch. "First of all, I would like to thank you all for being here. I know I haven't known you long, in the grand scheme of things, but… it means a lot to me, that you'll be with me in this moment." Everyone nods and murmurs their agreement, and you use that moment to center yourself. Once the last echoes have faded on the wind, you continue.

"The Awakening is the rite of passage into adulthood for manakete. It is one of our most sacred moments, and it's a moment where you're all going to meet a part of me that only Artemis has really met before. I'm going to transform, but it's not like the half-shift you've seen before. This time, it will truly be my dragon-self in control of our body. She'll be out and about, and she'll be getting used to being awake."

Several of the humans shiver slightly. Artemis especially grimaces: and you remember that she didn't exactly have the best introduction to dragon-you. You quickly continue. "Don't worry, she won't be dangerous. She is me, after all, and I care about each and every one of you. That means she'll care too. She just might get… a bit overexcited. She's never been around many people before, and dragons are emotional and impulsive by nature. She'll want to talk and play and spend time with you, and sometimes she might go too far by doing things like picking people up or playful shoves that are too strong because she's not used to being around humans. Heart-me'll still be there in the back of her mind. I'll work to set boundaries and make sure she doesn't overdo it, but if she ever does anything to make you scared or uncomfortable, tell her firmly but politely. I'll make sure she takes your words seriously."

"Okay…" Sypha says, clutching Bernard's hand. You make a mental note to remind dragon-you to be especially gentle with her: she's clearly not completely over the time the wyvern kidnapped her.

"If she's only met me," Artemis asks. "How can you be sure she'll take well to everyone else?"

You nod; it's a good question. "Even though she hasn't been fully awake since I rescued you from the castle, she's still been there, in my mind, for everything else. It'll be… sort of like a dream for her, maybe? She might not remember it consciously, but she'll know that you're important, and she'll act accordingly." And if she doesn't, you'll rein her in.

After a few seconds of silence, you nod. "Alright. If you would all back up a little and give me some space, I'll Awaken her. She'll be as big as half-shifted me, and she'll probably start moving around pretty fast, so be sure to give her plenty of space." Everyone quickly agrees and backs well away, leaving you alone in the center of the plateau in front of your home.

Carefully, you kneel and grip your stone to yourself: Gyra-Dregon's and your father's are in your bag carefully tucked just inside the door. Today, you don't want any sort of distractions or fluctuations, this is between you and yourself, no other stone need be involved. Taking a deep breath, you close your eyes and dive into your own mind. Humming Mother's song to ensure you remain calm and docile, you dig gently into your psyche, following the trail your stone leaves you.

Finally, after a few minutes of searching, you find a barrier. It's not a physical thing, of course, but in your mind's eye you see it as a curtain made of pure lightning. It ripples and sways with your every thought and feeling, but at the moment it is mostly still, even as you stare at it. This is it: the barrier between heart and dragon. Once you push this aside… there's no going back. There are rituals that can seal away a dragon form, sending it back into torpor, but only elder manakete have the skill and knowledge to carry it out. This is your moment: you have to make it work.

You take another breath: "Trust your dragon," the scroll had said. You do trust her.

She is you.

You are her.

Together, you're going to make this world right.

Firmly, calmly, and with faith, you take hold of the curtain and pull it aside.


You stretch languidly, your tail flicking and scraping against the stone as a massive yawn pulls itself from your muzzle. "Ahhh…" you say contentedly, spreading your wings to catch the rays of the Mother's Gift. It's a little chilly, but in the direct sunlight it's not too bad. "That was a good nap." You wonder what's going to happen, you don't smell Mommy around. Is she giving you a test?

'No, I'm afraid not,' a quiet, calm, achingly familiar voice says.

You blink open your eyes, cocking your head. That sounds like your voice, only smaller and… wait a minute… "Are you small-me?!" you ask. Mommy and Daddy had told you about small-you, the part of you that was awake when you were asleep, and they'd said you'd meet her when the time was right!

'I am,' small-you (Heart-you, Mommy's voice reminds you) says. "And yes, the fact that we're talking does mean the time is right."

You throw back your head and let out a joyful roar, that's great! Now you can be awake all the time, rather than just waking up when you're needed! You have so much you want to do, and sleep is boring even though you don't remember it you know it's boring! "It's nice to meet you, small-me!" you say. "I-"

Finally, your sense of smell, usually so sharp, pokes you and points out that you're not alone up here. You sniff experimentally: they smell a bit like hearts, but not quite… wait a minute, you know that smell! "Artemis!" you squeal, spinning in place, taking in the dozen or so humans until you spot the one you remember from that scary night that you hadn't liked very much, but she'd been in it so that'd made it okay! "Hi Artemis! How are you doing!?" You bound over, shaking the rock under your feet and shredding it with your claws before pressing your muzzle into her stomach to sniff her.

"Gah!" Artemis says, stumbling slightly. "Ryza, please, not so rough!"

'She's right,' heart-you says gently.

Flinching, you step back, fearfully folding your wings to appear smaller. "I'm sorry!" you say, pressing yourself into the ground. Had you hurt her? She hadn't liked it when you flew her away even though you know it was the right thing and you think she's okay with it now, but you don't want-

'Easy, easy,' heart-you says, and you faintly feel a ghostly sensation as if someone were scratching you behind the horns. 'You just need to be patient, she still likes you.' You let out a breath of relief, you want Artemis to like you so bad!

Artemis nods, smoothing her face even as you hear her heart beating a little faster than what you think is normal. "It's alright, Ryza," she says bravely, stepping forward and reaching out a hand to pet your muzzle. "I was just a little surprised, that's all. I'm used to you being a lot smaller."

The fear flows away as if it had never been, leaving happiness in its wake. "Okay!" you say, contentedly accepting her pets. "I'll try not to surprise you again, but I like being big since that means I can do so much more." Spotting a rock nearly a quarter of Artemis's height, you extend your wing and roll it over before using your tail to flick it down the mountain behind you. "See?! I'm pretty sure small-me couldn't even move that!"

'No, I couldn't,' heart-you says. 'But be careful-'

"See! She agrees with me!" you say, trying to ignore the rest of her comment. However, a disapproving flare reminds you that you need to be careful, you don't want to hurt anyone on accident. You should have looked behind you to make sure nobody was there. You flinch, your wings folding again.

Another voice speaks up. "Are… are you talking with her?" a small human girl says.

You search your memory for a moment: you know that smell… the look of her seems familiar too… "Sypha?" you ask, hoping you're right. You sense a nod of confirmation from heart-you, so you must be! As you start to hustle over to her to nuzzle her too and to get pets from her, however, heart-you sends a calming pulse.

'Easy… steady… let her come to you.'

Easy for her to say, she'd gotten to spend all sorts of time with Sypha! You wanted to spend time with Sypha! However, Mommy said to listen to small-you, so you stop and stare intently at the tiny human girl.

The small human girl shivers slightly, her heart going even faster than Artemis's, but she bravely steps forwards to pet you, followed closely by a boy who smells a bit annoying but you suppose he's not that bad he just wants to keep Sypha safe. "Hi Dragon-Ryza…" Sypha says.

"Hi Human-Sypha," you say, accepting her pets as you are due. "And hi Human-Bernard, you kind of annoy me at times but you're Sypha's family so you're okay."

A sigh sounds in your mind. 'Maybe be a little more… tactful,' heart-you says as Bernard bristles a bit.

"But it's true!" you whine at yourself.

"Yeah," A new voice says. "But just because something's true doesn't mean you always just say it." You look over at the reddish-haired woman who smells of dirt and shadows, to find everyone else staring at her too so it must be the right thing to do. "What?"

"Belle…" a boy who smells of leather and courage says. "You are… literally the last person who should be talking about tact." The woman who smells of iron and regret standing next to him nods in tandem, their stances and natures matching.

Casually, you flick your tail over and push Claire into Kelton. "There, that's better," you say as the two stumble and cling to each other to not fall over. Ignoring their spluttered questions, you look over at Robin. "I remember you," you say, stomping a little as you march over to him. "You were the one who kept poking the ground. Why didn't you just sniff it, it would have made everything so much easier; smells stay longer than tracks."

The older man smiles dryly. "I will keep your advice in mind, mighty dragon, once I develop a nose as good as yours," he says.

"We all have our burdens to bear," you say airily, looking around. Who else… who else…

A squawk comes from your other side. "Siri!" the small, magical boy says just before a tiny form wraps itself around your leg.

"Ohspiritsyou'resoCOOL!" the tiny limpet says, clinging on even as you curiously lift your leg to sniff at her. "Hi I'm Siri and I wanna be your best friend forever!"

You giggle happily, flicking your tongue out to lick the little girl. "I think that position's taken by Artemis," you say. "And I think Sypha takes spot two, but I have an opening for spot three on the best-friend list, would you be okay with that little happy one?" She nods, still clinging to your leg. "Great! Do you want to go flying?!"

"YES!"

You laugh, lifting her over your neck and letting her drop onto your back. "Great! Let's go flying! Anyone else wanna go flying?" You half-expect heart-you to tell you not to, but she simply shrugs mentally.

'I've flown in this body before, and it's worked out fine,' she/you say. 'Just make sure not to do any rolls: I know rolls are amazing, but they'll fall off.' You nod, small-you thinks wisdom. Even if rolls are the best thing ever! (Except goats. And deer. And Artemis, though for different reasons. And Mommy and Daddy…) you flinch. Mommy and Daddy… they're not here… you remember why… it hurts it hurts it hurts it- Heart-you steps in swiftly as pain and sadness and grief start to coil into your being, making you want to throw yourself to the ground and start sobbing.

'There will be time for that,' she says, storing the emotions away. 'For the moment… let's be happy.' You nod, you like being happy.

During this brief, aborted meltdown, there is only silence from your human friends. You are about to ask your question again, maybe you made a mistake and spoke in your language and they didn't understand you, but then you hear the sound of Artemis's boots. "I'll go," she says.

"My lady…" Axton starts.

"I know you're just trying to keep her safe, but she'll be fine!" you say, a curl of irritation sharpening your words and causing the man to flinch back. You frown, it's right that he does that, after all the mean things he said and thought about-

'Don't follow that emotion, not at him!' heart-you says firmly, and you feel the seeds of anger blown sharply away in the wind, leaving contentedness in their place. 'He is our friend, and as you said he just wants to make sure Artemis is okay.'

"But…" you say, trying to cling to the anger that had started to give you strength and power and will, but heart-you firmly pushes it down, feeding you a mixture of happiness that Artemis was willing to trust you and sorrow that you'd just made Axton and Lancel flinch away because of something you'd said. You'd done that. That had been mean, hadn't it? "Sorry…" you say, lowering your head in contrition at them. "I'm sorry; I promise I'll be really careful."

Lancel gently puts an arm on his friend's shoulder, saying something he probably thinks is too quiet for you to hear but you've got really good hearing so you hear him clearly. "She has dedicated herself to keeping Lady Artemis safe," the younger horse-rider-archer ('Yeoman,' heart you supplies) says. "You did promise to trust her."

Slowly, Axton nods. "Yes," he says. Then, louder, he continues. "I accept your apology, Mistress Levinheart."

"Just Ryza!" you say as you crouch down to let Artemis onto your back. "I don't understand why you humans are so wrapped up in titles all the time. Don't they just make everything confusing and awkward?"

"Maybe they do, sometimes," Artemis says as she settles onto your back behind Siri, who seems so excited by everything that she isn't fussing about all these irritating titles! She's just happy, and you can respect that! "But they also keep peace and stability and order. They-"

Rolling your eyes, you jerk your wings open and shoot into the sky as fast as you can. "Less talk, more fly!" you say happily, feeding on the happy squeal you hear from Siri.

You soon lose yourself in a haze of emotions. Flashes of situations cross your mind; convincing Sypha and Claire to take a ride as well (your attempts to get Kelton to join them are rebuffed, sadly.) You remember proudly dropping the remains of a goat you'd spotted, only to be confused by the smells of bile as they see you take a bite. 'Humans need to cook things, and so do hearts,' small-you says.

Well that sounds like a lot of pointless work.

You remember mock-fighting with Kelton, roaring in mock-distress as he "defeats" you (just as Mommy had let you "defeat" her sometimes) and flopping dramatically to the ground. Siri then jumps him from behind, a tiny jolt of lighting giving you the moment to get back into the fray and pin him down for a solid nuzzling.

You remember talking to Elena as she gently pets you. She confesses to having always wanted to pet Bloodhunter, the wyvern in the Talon tribe she'd been a part of before they went stupid and evil and Artemis had to put them down. You assure her that you're happy to let her pet you, especially so long as she keeps scratching you behind the frills oh Mother that feels good!

You spend time with everyone, even those who aren't as keen on you. Bernard takes some time, but eventually you manage to remind him that you'd saved his skin that one time ('That was mostly me,' heart-you said and thank you for that reminder you don't need to rub it in my snout!) When he asks if he can tell his family about you, you say yes: of course it's okay, hasn't heart-you been trying to get humans to know what you're really like? This seems like a great thing to talk about, how happy and well-behaved and not randomly picking everyone up and flying around you are?

Your emotions flow and change, with only small, steadying corrections from heart-you. A few times, such as when you go off to be by yourself, she lets you truly feel, and you sob at the fact that Mommy and Daddy aren't here. However, she reminds you that just because they're not here, doesn't mean they're not watching you from the Mother's side,

However, the strongest memory comes at the very end.

It's been nearly two hours since you woke up, and you can feel your energy fading. Soon, you'll lose control of the body, and small-you'll go back to being in charge, but this time you'll be around to poke her and remind her to do things rather than just think about them. You feel tired. Not the scared, painful tiredness of that night when you carried Artemis, but a contented, peaceful tiredness. A tiredness that promised interesting rest rather than boring sleep. Still, you have a little while longer, so you have some things you still need to do.

"Artemis?" you say.

"Yes, Ryza?" she responds, leaning against your side, her fingers gently tracing the edges of your scales. You'd convinced her to come and sit alone with you; after all she is your best friend, and you want to spend time with her. You nearly forget what you were going to say, but heart-you gently reminds you.

"Thanks for being such a great friend," you say. "You make me really happy when you're around." Tucking your neck into your wrapped wing, you gently nuzzle her. "I love you, Artemis. You're the best big/little sister like I never got to have, and I'm sure Mommy and Daddy would love you a lot too. Well, maybe Mommy would huff and puff and take a little while, but Daddy'd keep her calm."

The human girl hesitates for a long moment, and for an instant you and heart-you are aligned in concern that you were too forward, but after that moment she leans forward and presses her forehead to the point between your eyes. "I love you too, Ryza," she says. "And I'm so glad you came into my life."

Gained Support Rank B: Artemis

You smile contentedly, your manic energy finally fading away into easy calm, as you feel your grip on the body slip away. As heart-you gently steps in to resume control, you allow yourself to fade back, curious as to where your life is going to go from here.

What matters is that you are awake, and you are happy, and you are ready to face the world.

'Bring it on, meany-Regent, I'm gonna go with Artemis, and I'm gonna smash all your stupid meany plans!"


AN: No vote this time, the chapter was already going on too long.