Dawn of Heroes

[Oshha]

Teaching Moments​

"That's the basic for elemental magic covered," Fairy Knight tells you as you finish today's lesson on magic.

You roll your shoulders as you file away all of the information in your mind. While you haven't needed to sleep for a couple months now, all of these magic lessons have left you feeling tired.

But it has been worth it. You will have magical knowledge and the ability to use magic, all of which is something you need to be better, to be able to protect your family. Technology and science have served you well and will continue to do so, but there is so much more that you can do with magic.

Even as this crash course in magic leaves you feeling exhausted, you have no doubts that it is completely worth it. You will be stronger and you will be able to prevent your family from being hurt again.

"Now that is done, is there anything in particular that you would like to learn?" inquires Fairy Knight, "Magic spells are not easily learnt, but I can teach you how to apply some certain effects. That said, I am still limited by what I know so while I would do my best, I am unable to promise to have the knowledge that you desire."

At the question, your heart jumps in a mixture of excitement and hope. While you desire to learn magic to become a better hero, you do have a few more selfish and personal desires that you hope supernatural power will fulfil.

"Yes, there is," you tell your mentor, "I was hoping that you could show me the magic you use to support your chest in your secret identity."

Given how heavy your bosom is and how horrible insufficient the bras that Mum makes you have proven, you're been hoping to find a better solution since your second year of puberty. Then you almost wince as you remember that Mum isn't even doing that anymore. You can easily get another bra as needed thanks to the Mystic Wardrobe, but it hurts to be reminded of how Mum isn't being your mother since the Attack.

You push those sorts of thoughts out of your mind as you focus back on the subject at hand. Even if you won't ever be able to get flat enough to be pretty like Dorothy is, you hope that you can find a solution that will deal with all the pain of them.

While you had idly hoped that Fairy Knight might be able to provide a solution, it wasn't until you discovered her secret identity that you really hoped she would be able to help. Fairy-no, Tamara's chest was almost big as yours. She must surely have some way of dealing with all the pain and getting in the way that plague you as the Sapphire Squire.

"Oh sure, I guess," replies Fairy Knight as she shapeshifts into Tamara Lyn, complete with maid uniform and is still something you need to get used to, "But I don't think it is something I can just teach you since I'm pretty sure it is part of my shapeshifting abilities."

"Wait, you can-what you do mean pretty sure?" you ask, trying to figure out what sort of answer you got.

"I didn't really notice back in Mother's court, but not all of me works the same way as regular people," answers Tamara with a shrug, "I believe it is part of being half-human, half-fey. I'm mostly human, especially in the basics, but I got some stuff about me that is definitely faerie. Like my shapeshifting. I don't have a default form to turn back into so I just have whatever I currently am in. If I am unable to shapeshift, I get struck with whatever body I have and I make sure to never take a body that I won't be comfortable in if forced to stay in it."

"That makes sense," you agree, "But how does that relate to your chest?"

"My magic takes care of a lot of fiddly bits of the human body," says Tamara, "Like how I don't need to sleep or eat and like as much. Magic sustains me and partially takes care of my basic human needs. With my chest, apparently that counts as part of my beauty so I don't need to worry about bras. Same with baths and makeup. I don't need any of that stuff."

"Wait, are you saying that you don't need to worry about breast support or cleaning yourself?" you exclaim, feeling a sudden sense of unfairness welling up inside you.

"Pretty much," answers Tamara blithely, "We had baths back home, but those were for fun and social activities rather than hygiene. Bras and makeup are only things I know about because my roommates use them. Why are you asking about them anyway?"

"It's, urr, we've both women right so it is okay to talk about this right?" you ask, blushing as you didn't expect to explain your reasoning.

"Of course we are," answers Tamara as she gives you a look, "That is clearly obvious and unlike you to ask questions with those sort of answers. Is something wrong?"

"I was just hoping you or your magic could provide a solution to these," you admit indicate towards your chest, "Mum doesn't really understand because I guess I got it from Dad's side of the family while I'm the biggest of my friends so they can't help."

You refrain from reacting as you are once again reminded of just how Mum is these days.

"Ah yes, they do get in the way of combat," says Tamara solemnly as she glances down at her own pair, "I had been wondering how you dealt with them as my squire. Unfortunately, I'm afraid that I can't help you there. I just reduce the side of them to not be there to get in the way. In fact, the only reason that I am not flat as the Fairy Knight is that I wish to avoid being mistaken for a man. That said, I have used my shapeshifting enough that I might be able to help you come up with a similar effect if that helps."

"Um, no, I don't think it would," you reply even as you want to say yes, "Maybe as...no, I need to keep them like this due to my secret identity. I can't explain a magical breast reduction without blowing my secret identity, which is completely unacceptable. Things are already bad enough with it intact and I dread to imagine what would happen if it got discovered."

While you have already come to the terms with the fact that you aren't going to beautiful, it still hurts to admit it out loud that you can't get a pretty chest even with magic. Sometimes you were born a decade or two earlier so you could the past standards of beauty before remembering that you would hate to live in those times. If the price of more freedom and rights was being considered ugly by society, you would take it for greater freedom to choose your own fate.

"That is a shame," says Tamara, "Perhaps a mundane solution could be found where a magical one hasn't?"

"I'm not wearing a corset," you grumble, remembering your discussions with Mum and feeling a stab of sadness and anger as you remember her condition, "Those things are just as painful and I'm smart enough to figure out that they aren't healthy."

"I was actually going to suggest you get some bras to help your size," says Tamara as she gives you a smile, "I'm not entirely sure of idea's plausibility, but when I started working for Mr Wallis, he offered to get me some to accommodate my chest. While it was not something I needed to worry about, he offered to get me some custom fitted ones to support my chest like he did for his daughter-in-law, who apparently had a similar size to me."

"Maybe," you reply, your mind already racing as you think about the possible solutions that science and technology could provide where magic has failed you, "Maybe a few at first to see how they work. Actually, it would be better to see if they work and see how they work if they do. Then I could try making some of my own, something which is well within my range of capabilities if I do say so myself. Even if they aren't helpful, I bet I could put together something that is more useful than what I currently use. Holy moly, I wouldn't even need to worry about materials thanks to my Mystic Wardrobe."

"There you go," says Tamara as you almost bounce with joy.

It isn't perfect, it may not work and it won't make you beautiful, but if you can just get your hands on something to deal with the pain you have to deal with everyday life and bounding about the city as Sapphire Squire.

***​

The first of the interludes that I got planned, this one was interesting because it is my latest attempt to touch upon what could be considered sexual subjects. In this case, I was wondering how Sapphire Squire would deal with having the most common superpower in the 1920s, partially due to the fashion trends of the era and partly due to having more limited technology. The former is interesting because the 1920s appears to be a gap between two periods of the hourglass figure being considered attractive where a flat boyish figure is considered to be desirable instead. This leads to an odd position (or odd to me at least) where Brenda considers herself to be unattractive despite being very beautiful by modern standards.

In regards to the more limited technology, I never realised before writing this how much history there is behind breast support. I figured that sports bras were a recent invention, but I didn't realise that supportive bras weren't really a thing until 1922. Nor did I know that bras used to be homemade (to varying degrees of effectiveness). This is in turn led to Brenda having to put up with homemade bras from her Mum that were effectively worthless due to Brenda getting her curves from her Dad's side of the family. Combined with how painful it must be for her to go running, swinging and fighting across the city most nights, Brenda would definitely want to get her hands on some proper breast support and what better thing to turn to than literal magic?

All of this in turn led me to wondering how Tamara dealt with breast support which led me to deciding that she didn't. Getting in the way of combat? Just shrink them until they don't. Dealing with them in her secret identity? Her half-fey nature means she doesn't need to. I figure that one of the ways that Tamara's supernatural heritage expresses itself is that she doesn't need to deal with all the regular maintenance that a normal human would.

Just as she doesn't need to breathe, eat, drink or sleep, Tamara also doesn't need to clean herself, cut her nails, cut her hair, go to the toilet, have periods or brush her teeth. All of those things are dealt with one way or another by her various abilities and this is something that Sapphire Squire is going to find unfair. To a degree at least as Brenda definitely appreciates the advantages that not needing to sleep, eat or drink give her.

I also wanted to show how Brenda decided to go for a technological solution where a magical one didn't exist or at least wasn't easily accessible to her. While she has a lot of interest in magic, she just as capable of using mundane solutions as she is magical ones if not more so.

Another thing that I tried to include here is how Brenda has been coping with the attack on her family. While she isn't directly affected, Brenda is still indirectly being impacted by how her family is coping with it.

For anyone wondering when this is set chronologically, it takes places between Royal Ravens and the Druid during the crash course in magic that Fairy Knight gave Sapphire Squire.

Please point out any spelling or grammar mistakes that you spot. Please quote them in the thread and explain what you think is wrong so I know what you are referring to. Feel to ask questions for more details and information.

 

[Oshha]

Work Life​

Chief Inspector Jordan Brown lets out a weary sigh as he has to deal with more paperwork. It is always more paperwork these days. Not that the man has a problem with paperwork as unlike some, he doesn't find it to be a tedious chore even if it isn't his idea of fun either.

He can't remember the last time he didn't work a late night and Jordan has a guilty nagging feeling that it isn't just because of his increased workload. His darling Eira just hasn't been the same since the attack by the Royal Ravens and he hates seeing her like that. He just hopes that she will get better soon even if he suspects that she won't ever fully recover from the ordeal.

And then there are the kids. James is so jumpy and nervous these days and only leaves the house to go to school. He would, well, he wouldn't give a hand, but he really wishes that his son would go outside and play with his friends again. With Brenda, his daughter is the one coping the best, which makes sense given she was the only one that went unscathed during the attack.

Another thing to be thankfully to Sapphire Squire for.

Brenda is talent, strong and confident and once again, Jordan regret that his beautiful daughter isn't his handsome son. The girl is good, but even with all of the changes these days, society just isn't the place that accepts the sort of person his daughter wants to be.

Finishing the current paper, Jordan wonders when his daughter is going to join up with a feminist movement if she hasn't already done so behind his back. He can live with that so long as it is a feminist movement and not something foolish like some group of commies. The lawman doesn't worry about that sort of thing however as Brenda is too intelligent to throw her lot in with communists of all people.

"Hey boss," says Jimmy as the young lad strolls up to his desk, "Sam has just checked in. Those guys that robbed the bakery the other weak? Royal Ravens turned Regal Ravens or at least they are claiming to have switched sides. Sam is sceptical and we got enough evidence to keep them locked up so we're keeping them for now."

"Good work Jimmy," says Jordan, "How many did we get in the end?"

"We got three in custody, but Sam and Connor are certain that a fourth one is still out there," answers Jimmy.

"Unless we got some evidence on that fourth one, he is going to stay out there," Jordan informs him as he pulls out another report.

"Actually boss, it looks like the fourth one might be a woman," replies Jimmy, "Connor thinks that is why they got away because we were expecting a man."

"Please tell me that Sam didn't underestimate the suspect because she was a woman," groans Jordan and Jimmy winces, "Oh for crying out loud, surely the likes of Fairy Knight, Sapphire Squire, Anna Lucas, Windstrike and all of the other female criminal leaders we encounter should have taught him not to dismiss the fairer sex. We even got women on the force."

"Sam's a bit stuck in his ways?" suggests Jimmy weakly as he tries to defend his immediate superior.

"Hmm," you reply noncommittally, "Tell Sam to keep the three he has with what we got. I would like the fourth in custody as well, but we need evidence to keep her otherwise let her go. See if the men we got are willingly to spill any beans on their missing friend."

"Will do boss," confirms Jimmy, "I hope the family is doing well. Give them my best regards."

"I will Jimmy," mutters Jordan, turning his attention back to the paperwork as the lad exits his office.

Jordan sighs as he reads report from a patrol last night. A couple of Golden boys had a bit of a face off with twice their number of Azure Skulls. Things didn't break into violence and both groups went on their way when a couple of constables showed up.

He doesn't know what is good for the city these days. On the one hand, the Golden Order is preferable to the Consortium, but on the other, they are still criminals and Jordan can't say they won't be as bad as the Consortium if they get themselves entrenched into power.

The streets of London are on the verge of the gang war and Jordan can think out if he wants things to stay in the current tense stand off or to kick off. The former keeps the peace and things remain quiet, but it is a temporary state of affairs and on some days, Jordan just wants the ball to get rolling so he can deal with things instead of waiting for them to begin.

The whole city is a mess or at least the parts of it Jordan needs to worry about are. He doesn't know what it is like for the average citizen these days, but the criminal underworld is a whole tinderbox waiting to go off. The gangs are afraid to move in case they end up being the one to draw down the heat on their head, you and the rest of the police are afraid of moving on the gangs lest it begin the gang war in earnst and even Fairy Knight and her squire are being less aggressive and more cautious these days.

Fairy Knight. Tamara Lyn. That woman is a bastion of sanity in this mess as even despite the Regal Ravens and their coalition facing off against the Golden Order sets the criminal underworld on edge, Whitechapel and the surrounding neighbourhoods remaining mostly free of organised crime as the gangs refuse to try their luck against the Fairy Knight and her Sapphire Squire.

Speaking of the Sapphire Squire, Jordan decides that he ought to see if he can introduce her to Brenda. The two of them seem like they would get along with each other though he worries what sort of influence that Sapphire Squire might have on his daughter.

"Uh hey," says a voice that Jordan did not expect to here and he look up, once again interrupted by his paperwork.

"Constable Henry Jeffers," says Jordan coldly as he stares one of the police officers that he knows took bribes from the gangs in the past, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I just wanted to let you know that it wasn't supposed to be like that," says Jeffers, refusing to meet Jordan's gaze, "It was just some extra money on the side. No one was supposed to get hurt."

"That's how it works Jeffers," Jordan tells him, "You start off with something small and seemingly harmless. Heck, they don't even want to hurt anyone at the start and are geinue about that. But you know why that is?"

Oh, he would love to tell this dirtbag to go to hell, but he can't. The situation is perilous as it is that if a corrupt cop is rethinking things, Jordan can't afford to just shove him aside. He need bring up his numbers and lower theirs which means being reasonable and talking him around. He doesn't like it and it doesn't sit well with him given their prior corruption and what it has caused, but he need to think to the future. Jordan needs every officer on his side that he can get and that means encouraging Jeffers' doubts, making him think twice about engaging in corrupt again and to make him feel guilty about what he did. He need to do all that without pissing him off. Or least making Jeffers pissed at him. If he wants to go after the Consortium or some other bunch of criminals once he is done with him, that is fine in Jordan's books.

"Why sir?"

"Because they don't think they can get away with it then," Jordan answer, "These are authentically bad people that are talking here. They don't refrain from doing harmful and nasty things to others because it is wrong, they don't do them because they will suffer consequences. Soon as they think they get away without punishment to their misdeeds, they will do them without hesitation. So yes, they won't harm anyone and they truly mean that up until the moment that they think they can get away with hurting someone."

"That makes sense sir," says Jeffers slowly.

"You want to know why Peter Michaelson went after me and my family?" Jordan ask rhetorically, "It was because he thought he had brought off another policemen like you to get away with it. Because he doesn't care about right or wrong, just his own power and greed."

Jordan take some internal pleasure at watching the man flinch.

"It won't happen again sir," promises Jeffers.

"See to it that it doesn't," Jordan warn him, "With things being what they are, you're going to be given a second chance due to all of the bigger fishes about. I strongly recommend not screwing it up against you won't be getting a third chance."

"I'll make things right sir," says Jeffers and as he leaves Jordan's office, it occurs to Jordan that Jeffers isn't under his command.

What is his life coming to these days?

Busy. That is what it is with all of these paper work, the brewing gang war and tensions on the streets and him becoming some kind of figurehead for the non-corrupt in the Scotland Yard to rally around. As another policeman enters his office, Jordan sighs at having more work for him to handle. It looks like tonight won't be one where he gets to see the kids.

***​

The next interlude that I've written up. Chronologically speaking, this is set during Druid and it shows how Brown is doing at work these days. With his promotion and the general troubles at the moment, he is very busy at work and has little time for nonwork stuff. This ties into him not being around for his family through part of that is Brown using work as an excuse to avoid the problems at home so he doesn't have to confront them.

One thing I didn't do in this interlude is show his relationship with Tamara that well. I wanted to do that, but I could find the right place to insert it. That said, I am glad to have included is how Brown doesn't know that his daughter is actually Sapphire Squire. I'm not sure if I find it to be amusing or sad, but it is aspect of both his character and Sapphire Squire's character that I find interesting, especially as the Brown family slowly falls apart.

Please point out any spelling or grammar mistakes that you spot. Please quote them in the thread and explain what you think is wrong so I know what you are referring to. Feel to ask questions for more details and information.

 

[Oshha]

Girl Talk​

"Okay Double-Bee, you got to tell me what has you in such a good mood," says Dorothy Dale as she and her best friend Brenda walk home together, "I haven't seen you like this since your mother got shot up."

Brenda barely refrains from wincing at her oldest friend's lack of tact. She likes Dorothy a lot, but the girl has never been particularly careful for the feelings of others. It hasn't really been a problem for Brenda before though she had to intercede in a few arguments and fights that Dorothy gets herself into.

"Things have been going well-ish for me lately," replies Brenda, "Mum hasn't gotten better and Dad is still busy, but I'm getting a handle on things. A friend of Dad's has shown me how to do things around the house which is good because I'm doing those things until Mum gets better. Other than that, I've gotten some good advice about some things which were worrying me."

"Like what?" inquires Dorothy, "Finally figured out what you are going to do with your life?"

"Actually Double-Dee, I have," Brenda tells her, "Sort of. Since I'm still a kid at school, I'm going to spend the next couple of years learning what I can and then make an informed decision regarding what I want to do when I am closer to adulthood."

"And that is different to not knowing what you want how?" asks Dorothy with a roll of her eyes.

"It is the difference between having a plan and not having a plan," answers Brenda, "Before I didn't know what I wanted to do because I wasn't sure on what to pick. Now I know that I don't know what to pick so I am waiting until I am more knowledgeable and older to make a choice."

"Sounds like semantics to me," says Dorothy.

"So you know what you want to do when your older?" retorts Brenda.

"Of course I do Double-Bee," answers Dorothy, "I am going to be an actress or a singer. Maybe both."

Brenda resist the urge to let out a snort of laughter. Her best friend may talk about Brenda not knowing what she wants to do, but Dorothy changes her desired career choice every month or two, often switching back and forth between the same set of options depending on what has currently caught her eye.

"You think that you could make it as one of those Double-Dee?" asks Brenda, "I know I couldn't."

Though given how well she has kept up her secret identity, Brenda feels confident that she could be a good actress. But she can't just tell Dorothy so she lies. Just a little lie, but a lie nonetheless.

"Of course I could," says Dorothy, "I am excellent at pretending to be something I'm not and making people fall for my lies. I would make for a great actress. I also got excellent control over my voice so while I may not be a natural singer, I bet I could do it."

While her friend is being a little boastful, Brenda decides that there is enough truth in that for Dorothy's claims to be true. Dorothy is very good at tricking others and making them fall for deceptions with part of that being able to put on a desired voice at will.

"Besides, I got the looks for it Double-Bee," continues Dorothy, placing a hand over her heart with a flourishing gesture and flicks her long blonde hair with a slight motion of her heads, "I've got beauty to become famous unlike someone eh? Eh?"

Brenda rolls her eyes at her best friend's teasing though Dorothy isn't wrong. With a slim figure, barely any curves, long blonde hair, a pretty face combined blue eyes that she can just flutter like nobody's business, Dorothy is a fledgling beauty by the standards of society. Meanwhile Brenda is almost the opposite with a lean muscular redhead who has rather generous curves and bright green eyes.

And Brenda is okay with that. While she has held a different stance in the past, Brenda finds herself at peace with the knowledge that she will not be considered to be beautiful according to the current fashion trends. Oversized chest and hips or not, she has enough beauty that Brenda is willingly to embrace them rather than bemoan them or trying to change them.

"But seriously Double-Bee, you have gotten unlucky with boobs of yours," says Dorothy as she gives Brenda's chest a friendly jab with her elbow, eliciting a squawk from the redhead, "Had you been a decade or two earlier, you would have been a real beauty."

"First of all, personal space Double-Dee," replies Brenda, defensively putting her arms around her chest, "Secondly, I am happy with how I look. This is who I am and I am going to embrace that."

"This is some kind of coping mechanism?" asks Dorothy as she peers in at Brenda, "Because this really doesn't sound like you Double-Bee."

"Just a new relavation that I came to after getting some useful insight and having some time to think about," explains Brenda, "That and I figured out how to make a useful bra."

"You make your own bras now?" inquires Dorothy, "What brought that on?"

"Mum used to do that and now she has stopped, I need to puck up the slack," answers Brenda with a shrug, "Speaking of which, I can't stay out too late. I need to get home so I can cook dinner."

"Cooking dinner?" says Dorothy with a shake of her head, "Dang Double-Bee, you're turning into a real housewife."

"You jest, but with Dad being busy all the time and Mum being whatever she is, I'm the one running the things at home," says Brenda, "So I do the cooking, the cleaning, the laundry and all of the other chores because if I don't, they don't get done."

"Ah. my little Double-Bee," says Dorothy with a fake sniff, "Growing up so fast."

Then Dorothy laughs and a moment later, Brenda joins even though the truth in her friends words keeps the joke from being that funny to her.

"I guess we'll splitting ways now," says Dorothy as they reach a turn in the street, "See ya tomorrow Double-Bee."

"See you tomorrow Double-Dee," replies Brenda as her best friend takes the turn, "Stay out of trouble!"

"You too Double-Bee!" calls back Dorothy, "You too!"

Watching her friend go, Brenda feels a twinge of guilt at the fact that she will most certainly not be staying out of trouble. In fact, if every thing goes according to plan, Brenda will find herself right in the thick of it tonight.

***​

And this is the interlude where I have Brenda hang out with one of her school friends. Chronologically, this take places the same day as Outsiders I after Brenda finishes school for the day with the trouble she is referring to being Iron Fist and the Consortium weapon.

I attempted to display that Brenda has a healthy friendship with Dorothy, but also show that they are couple of teenaged girls. I have also tried to show that Brenda has been overcoming her issues due to the trusted opinions of Tamara and gaining confidence due to her actions as the Sapphire Squire.

Please point out any spelling or grammar mistakes that you spot. Please quote them in the thread and explain what you think is wrong so I know what you are referring to. Feel to ask questions for more details and information.

 

[Oshha]

Housemates​

Lydia watches her housemate return home as the half-fairy shapeshifts from some kind of rodent to human body that she uses all the time these days. Gone are the days where she would just take whatever appearance suited her fancy at the time as Tamara is the tall, black haired beauty that she works as.

Lydia giggles at the thought of the mysterious and feared Fairy Knight working as a maid. It has been that way for a few months now and Tamara has taken to the job like a fish to water. In fact, Lydia is half-surprised that Tamara isn't in her maid uniform instead of the brown shirt and blue skirt that she has chosen.

"Are you okay?" inquires Tamara, pausing and looking over at Lydia.

"It's fine," Lydia reassures her, "I'm fine. I just found it amusing that you're both the Fairy Knight and a maid. One doesn't really go with the other when you think about them on its own."

"Hmm, I suppose that is good for the secret identity," says Tamara thoughtfully, "It is useful if it is harder for my foes to locate my place of work and my home."

"Yeah, I suppose that is good," agrees Lydia, "I really don't want any criminals to show up here, looking to get at you. Not that I blame you or anything because you're doing good work, but you know."

"You are a civilian and my fight is not your fight," says Tamara, "I shall endeavour to ensure the safety of you and Ellen."

"I appreciate that," Lydia tells Tamara solemnly, "Um, if you don't mind me asking, are you okay? I haven't since you sleep in forever and I noticed you haven't been eating any of the food."

"Ah, that," replies Tamara and Lydia could swear that for a moment, the half-fairy looks sheepish of all things, "I have recently moved beyond such things. My body no longer requires sleep, food, drink or air to survive as it is now sustained by the magic it naturally generates."

"That-urr-that is-umm," starts and stops Lydia, unsure of how to respond to that kind of news.

One of the interesting things about having Tamara as a housemate is that she will say or do something incredibly weird that you have no idea on how to react to. Lydia decides that this is another of those moments.

"I will still help pay for rent and food," promises Tamara.

"Ellen will appreciate that," comments Lydia, "Me too. Not that I just want you here for the rent and the money. But you helping out is something that we both appreciate."

"I'm happy to help," says Tamara as she smiles at Lydia, "Speaking of which, I am happy to put my skills to work cleaning here."

"You really like cleaning, don't you?" notes Lydia, returning her housemate's smile, "Don't worry, we appreciate that as well. Real nice to just come from work or wake up on my day off and not have to worry about the place being a mess."

"I am glad that my efforts are appreciated," says Tamara before giving Lydia one of those knowing looks, "Is there something you wish to talk to me about?"

"Only that I appreciate you being a good friend," says Lydia, "You're a weirdo in the nicest possible way and honestly, I think that is a good thing about you. You don't have the same dumb hang-ups that most people do."

"Got something to get off your chest?" inquires Tamara suggestively and Lydia laughs at her friend's perceptiveness.

"Yeah, I just like how you don't give me crap about my skin not being white enough," says Lydia with a slight growl to her voice, "Doesn't matter that my father is a proper Englishman or that me and my sisters were raised in London and brought up to be British. The fact that I haven't got the right colour skin is all that many idiots care about. But not you, you don't care about that stuff at all. Heck, you just treat skin colour as...as a shade of dress. Like picking the colour of your clothing. I just of hated that you could just be white at a whim, but I like it now because you don't care about that stuff."

"If anything, I like it the colour of your skin," replies Tamara as she shifts to the colour of skin in question, "I find it exotic and appealing to look at it."

"If only everyone could be like that," says Lydia with a sigh, "I just hate it how some people will just assume that I'm not English because of my skin colour. I don't freaking care that mum is Indian. I never been there, I don't know the culture or the religion. Dad brought me and my sisters up right and we know only British culture thanks to that. I don't know about some backwater beliefs, just what a proper Englishwoman should know."

"Did something happen?" asks Tamara, "You aren't normally this angry."

"More frustrating than anger," admits Lydia, "I just gotten one too many comments today and I need to vent. You make for a good person to vent to."

"Apparently I am," says Tamara before elaborating after an inquiring look from Lydia, "You are not the first person to complain to me about their problems or look to me for support and I suspect that you will not be the last."

"You get people Tamara," says Lydia, "You aren't a talker or someone who can whip up a crowd, but you are kind, caring and know what makes people tick and you use that to help them feel better. Ugh, I don't suppose I could talk you into making dinner."

"As I said before, I'm happy to help," replies Tamara as she swaps out her clothing for her maid uniform, "Dinner is easy enough to make. Shall I make enough for leftovers for another mealtime?"

"Sure, that sounds good," agrees Lydia, "Cold leftovers for breakfast is something I can get behind. Saves me more time in the morning. You're the best Tamara."

"Not quite, but I try," says Tamara and Lydia decides that for the better or worse, she is glad that Tamara entered her life.

***​

A side story showing the current relationship between Lydia and Tamara. I haven't shown as much of their relationship as I originally intended, but their stories just don't overlap that much. They share the same home and interact there, but otherwise, there isn't too much that they got in common.

I might to another one with Lydia and Tamara hanging out, maybe having a girls' night out. I'll have to think about it, but that could be interesting.

Please point out any spelling or grammar mistakes that you spot. Please quote them in the thread and explain what you think is wrong so I know what you are referring to. Feel to ask questions for more details and information.

 

[Oshha]

Solo Sapphire​

Sapphire Squire flies above the rooftops, fluttering her wing against the wind. It isn't as fast as swinging with her grappling gauntlets, but the vigilante doesn't care about that right now. She is in no rush and it feels so awesome to fly like this. Maybe the thrill of being able to fly will fade someday, but it won't be any time soon.

Sapphire Squire wonders how Fairy Knight is doing. While they usually patrol together, they been splitting up more and more recently in order to cover more ground. While she misses the reassurance of her mentor having her back, Sapphire Squire is proud of the fact that Fairy Knight has enough faith in her to let her patrol solo.

The only downside to these patrol is that crime is hard enough to stumble across that most of the patrol is boring. Fairy Knight compensates by chatting to people and building up a connection to the local communities, but Sapphire Squire doesn't dare do that. One of the worst things about being the Sapphire Squire is all of the comments on her age and gender. She has noticed that there are less of them since she has started using blatant magic like her wings, but they still come up every now and again.

Stupid adults. Why does almost everyone think that she can't do anything just because of her age or her gender? She has taken men twice her size, defeated the infamous Redcoat and gotten rid of a gang or two. Surely that has to be enough overcome her age and gender.

An hour of patrolling and that will be it for the night, Then she can go back to the Nighthouse and work on more designs. She'll need to make another ring of night vision for tomorrow, but will only take another couple of hours. That'll leave her with another couple of hours before she needs to head home so nobody realise she was out for the whole night. One hour of that will be enchanting up another bra for total support and comfort, but she will have one hour of free time after that.

As she usually is, Sapphire Squire is thankful that Fairy Knight removed her need for sleep. She has no idea how she would have time for everything if she had to waste several hours each day like everyone else. Now she just needs to figure out how to improve her time efficiency. Perhaps improving her skill at magic? She can't help, but notice she is making increasing use of magic to compensate for her shortcomings.

She doesn't actually use magic in combat, but when it comes to patrolling and investigating, that's when she makes the most of magic. Rings of invisibility and dark vision, necklaces of charisma and other little trinkets that give her boosts beyond what she is naturally capable of.

Maybe it is possible to create something that will make easier to create more artefacts or at least increase the rate at which she is able to make devices. Sapphire Squire decides that is definitely an avenue of possibilities that she will look into. Spending a couple of hours to make something that would let make a dozen other things in only an hour would be a massive boost to her capabilities.

Ring of night vision, bra of comfort and then looking into ways to increasing the speed at which she can create magical artefacts. It might be a little selfish to spend time on the bra, but Sapphire Squire can afford to be a little selfish after all of the good she does.

Sapphire Squire appreciates all of the access to magic that Tamara has given her. It has only been a few months, but she can't imagine a non-magical life anymore. No ability to define natural laws of the world, to be completely constrained by mere human limits. It had freaked her out at first to no longer be completely human, but the advantages have just been too much for Sapphire Squire to do anything, but embrace it. She would be worried about rejecting her humanity, but when she thought about it, Sapphire Squire realised that isn't really what she is doing. She isn't replacing or rejecting parts of her, but adding new bits.

"Well I've seen her as well Jake and Sapphire is definitely a kid," says a man's voice from below, catching Sapphire Squire's attention with the mention of her name.

"You're talking nonsense," replies another man, "I've saw earlier in the week and that is a young lady. A fine young lady even if she acts nothing like a woman should."

"That is creepy dude," says the first man, "Seriously, she is a kid. And even if she wasn't, have you seen how she looks? She doesn't look boyish at all."

"The fact she doesn't look boyish is how I know she is a lady and not some kid," argues the second man, "First, she is about tall as me and taller than you. Second, her chest is motherly large and while it may not be boyish, it isn't one of a kid."

"Come on Jake, stop talking about a little kid like that."

"I can assure that nothing about the Sapphire Squire is little."

At the point, Sapphire Squire stops listening in and not just because the men are getting too far away. She fights down a blush as she doesn't know what to think of that conversation. On the one hand, she doesn't feel at all comfortable with a couple of strangers talking about her in that manner. On the other hand, one of them clearly thought she was attractive and that makes her feel pleased. Just a little bit.

Nonetheless, that is something she can worry about when she hasn't got a patrol to worry about. Sapphire Squire takes in her surroundings and identifies her patrol path, having memorised the maps of the area and the route she is taking.

She wonders how Fairy Knight is doing. Her mentor has mentioned getting another squire and apparently she found a potential candidate. Hopefully the kid will check out and while she likes the idea of being a duo with Fairy Knight, Sapphire Squire won't deny that an extra set of hands would be welcome, especially with all the trouble going on and how they are expanding their patrol area.

Plus it would be nice to have someone else to talk to about being the Sapphire Squire as socialising as a child vigilante is hard. Right now, she only really has Tamara and whilst she loves her mentor dearly, Sapphire Squire could do with another conversational partner.

***​

A short piece showing Sapphire Squire on one of her first solo patrols, chronologically set whilst Fairy Knight was scouting out David. Just trying to show some of how Brenda deals with being the Sapphire Squire and I plan to do one for Fairy Knight.

Please point out any spelling or grammar mistakes that you spot. Please quote them in the thread and explain what you think is wrong so I know what you are referring to. Feel to ask questions for more details and information.

 

[Oshha]

Tales of Home and Faeries​

Sapphire Squire can't help, but feel nervous as she approaches Tamara at the Wallis Mansion. She been here a few times before, each time it feels weird and like she is out of place. Her being here feels as weird as it would be for Tamara to show up at her school.

"Hey Tamara," says Sapphire Squire as she finds Tamara cleaning one of the toilets, "Could I have a healing spell?"

"Of course," replies her mentor as she looks both surprised and curious to see her squire here, "Where you hurt?"

"My hand," answers Sapphire Squire as she holds her left hand, where she burnt herself cooking not long ago.

"Did you caned again?" demands Tamara as she heals the injury with a touch and anger in her voice.

"No!" exclaims Sapphire Squire as she rushes to explain the truth, "I was cooking and got careless. I burnt myself by accidentally touching something hot because I wasn't paying attention."

"Hmm," replies Tamara, clearly not happy, "Do you require extra cooking lessons? I have become quite proficient at it and would be happy to teach you."

"And I would be happy to learn from you," answers Sapphire Squire, "But since we are on the subject, why do you have to make such a big deal out of me getting punished?"

"Inflicting harm is not a proper punishment," answers Tamara, "At least not one that you would deserve. You cannot think that you being punished by physical harm is a good thing."

"I don't like getting hurt, but criminals don't like being caught and brought to justice," counters Sapphire Squire, "That doesn't mean that it is wrong or undeserved."

"But unlike with bringing criminals to justice, harming you is pointless," says Tamara, "Hurting someone as a punishment is a deterrent built upon fear. By using physical harm to punish, you are terrorising them into doing what you are want. When we got out and fight criminals with force, we do so not to teach that what they did is wrong, but to stop ongoing misdeeds and to discourage others from committing crimes. You being injured by your teacher was pointless harm being done to you as I can't think of any reason why you couldn't have had things explained to you so you wouldn't do them again or a non-harmful punishment could have been given to you."

Sapphire Squire has to admit that the reasoning does make sense. She still can't quite see it as being wrong or as bad as Tamara does, but she understands where Tamara's reasoning is coming from.

"That's fair," says Sapphire Squire, "As we are on the topic of punishments, would you mind telling more about how they work in the Kingdom of the Faeries?"

"I have the time and do not mind telling you more about my home and childhood," answers Tamara, "But let's relocate to somewhere more comfortable than a bathroom."

***​

"Thank you for the juice and biscuits Tamara," Sapphire Squire tells her mentor as she accepts the glass of apple juice and plate of biscuits.

"I am happy to serve you," replies Tamara with a curtsy, "Gareth won't be home until dinner at the earliest so we have time to talk."

"That's good to know," says Sapphire Squire as she decides how to best approach this subject, "So your childhood punishments?"

"I believe I should start with what my people are like or perhaps just are," replies Tamara, "You have to understand that Faeries are not like humans and Kingdom of Faeries doesn't work the same way as this world does. My people are quite literally inhuman and the laws of physics work differently back home."

"How different?" asks Sapphire Squire, deeply curious at the idea of physics being difference.

"Time and perception is relative there," answers Tamara, "Here, it always goes in a single direction and everyone experiences at the same rate. Back home, what could be an hour for one person could be a year for another and five minutes for a third. And while this is much rarer, it doesn't always flow the same way either as what could be someone's past could be another's future and sometimes a person would age backwards, growing younger rather than older."

Sapphire Squire decides that would be interesting to deal with. She and everyone else take it for granted that time works consistently and the same for everyone. To have that not be the case is something that she struggles to imagine dealing with.

"Faeries also aren't as emphatic as humans," continues Tamara, frowning at something, "That isn't to say that they can't or even don't care for others, but the fey look out for themselves first and foremost. Back home, you worry about yourself before considering anyone else. Everything is viewed though the lenses of self-interest so you have to bare that in mind when judging how kind or cruel my people are in their actions. Though I have to admit that the difference is often one of passive harm versus active harm.

Jokes and tricks are a part of everyday life back home. From tricking someone into wasting their time to baiting them into a trap to transforming their body or mind, pranks made up most of life back home. You could generally tell how benevolent someone was or how much they liked another individual by what pranks they played on them. Prank was also the primarily form of retribution for wrongdoing."

"So being pranked was a punishment?" says Sapphire Squire, sceptical about how that would work.

"Less that and more that the difference between a prank and a punishment was the intentions behind it," clarifies Tamara, "A prank is done in jest and amusement while a punishment is done to right a wrong."

"So how did you get punished?" inquires Sapphire Squire, remember how her mentor mentioned that having her mind changed was a punishment in her childhood.

"Mother loved it when someone got turned into someone else," answers Tamara and Sapphire Squire sees where she is going with this conversation, "I think that my father's ability to turn into other things is what endeared him to my mother and my inheritance of it is what left her so fond of me. Regardless of why she cared for me or my father, Mother almost exclusively used transformations with tricks and traps having at least one transformation involved somewhere. Every time she punished someone, it involved changing their mind or body.

For me, that meant changing my mind. My shapeshifting meant that she couldn't turn me into an animal or person as I could just change away from that and Mother cared for me enough to respect my dislike of being turned into some non-living. So I got mental changes whenever I was punished or got in the way."

"Got in her way?" repeats Sapphire Squire before she latches onto another part of Tamara's words, "Wait, non-living transformations?"

"I loved my mother, but I cannot deny that she was a monster," explains Tamara, stunning her squire with that statement regarding the woman who gave birth to her, "Especially since my exile. Mother would transform people whenever she felt like. She would alter my mind whenever she found me too annoying or wanted to be rid of me. Sometimes I was blissfully stupid, other times I would submissively obey anything I was told to do and occasionally she made me mono-focused on a single thing."

"That sounds utterly horrifying," declares Sapphire Squire, shocked that anyone would treat someone else that way, let alone their own daughter.

"It was a part of life back home," replies Tamara with a shrug, "You got pranked and tricked and for me, that meant being transformed by my mother whenever she felt like it. It happened sometimes and when it did occur, I just dealt with it. Like how you have to deal with unexpected weather sometimes. I would even deliberately annoy Mother at times if I had time to kill just to see what she would do to me."

"Why would do that?" exclaims Sapphire Squire, "That's crazy!"

"Curiosity and boredom," answers Tamara, "It is weird for you, but a lot of fey are more malleable. Just take me for example. I can shapeshift into any animal or human woman and lack an inherent form. Whilst you only have a single body, changing it is a big deal, but for the likes of me? Like changing your hair by cutting or dying it and sometimes it happens at your choice whilst other times it is forced upon you."

That is something that Sapphire Squire can't quite grasp. To just alter your body and mind casually...she guesses that cutting your hair does technically count as changing your body, but transforming it wholesale is just on a different level. Comparing it to cutting your hair feels like comparing cutting your nails to chopping off your arm. One is just so much more extreme.

And then there is the other thing that Tamara stand which stands out in her mind.

"And the other bit?" says Sapphire Squire, "About non-living transformation? How can you turn into something that isn't alive? Would that just be killing someone?"

"Animals, plants and people are alive and transformations into them are generally divided into those three categories," Tamara launches into an explanation, "Things like dresses, chairs and curtains are not alive and transforming into is a non-living transformation as a result. As for staying alive when your body isn't capable of surviving on its own, the magic sustains you and keeps you alive. It is the same principles behind the magic that lets you survive without needing to eat, drink or sleep. The magic takes the place of those biological needs and keeps you alive. With a non-living transformation, there isn't any biological needs to replace, but otherwise, it works the same way."

"That makes sense," mutters Sapphire Squire, mapping out the magical theory in the her head and winces as she begins to think up spells that would let her do it, "I do hate the idea of it being done to me though."

"My feelings are similar," says Tamara, "I hate not being able to move or do anything so anything that leaves me inanimate is something that I can't stand. However, if I am able to move such as a doll or statue that retains mobility, I do not mind. How does that sound to you?"

"I'll pass," replies Sapphire Squire drily before something occurs to you, "I don't think I could just give up my humanity like that. Wait, have you ever...?"

"Three times it has happened to me," answers Tamara, giving her squire a wry smile, "First was when Mother turned me into her throne for a bit so I could see first hand what ruling was like without interrupting the court. Mother does that to all of her children as part of our education. Second was when Mother transformed someone into a dress and Moira commented she would like one of her own. As the next person that Mother saw, she transformed me into an identical dress for Moira and so I spent some time as part of my sister's wardrobe. The last time was back when I got knighted. Mother gave me Talatine as a reward for my success and swearing service to her, but in exchange for Torlyn, she wore me for the next year."

"Was Torlyn worth agreeing to that?" asks Sapphire Squire quietly.

"Definitely," answers Tamara without hesitation then actually hesitating before she continues, "Though saying that I agreed to it isn't accurate. Another aspect of my home that you should understand is that proper payment is more important that consent. So long as you pay your debts and don't overstep your position, you can do what you want to others. This basically means that if you don't go after a superior and give equivalent exchange for what you did, you don't need consent."

"That is utterly horrifying," whispers Sapphire Squire as she stares in shock at her mentor.

"I love my mother, but I cannot deny that she was a monster," says Tamara, "A monster who genuinely cared for me, but a monster nonetheless."

Now that is something that Sapphire Squire isn't able to relate to. Her parents have always been good people who loved her and James. The idea of having a monster in the family is alien to her and not something she has any experience with.

"I'm sorry," says Sapphire Squire, unsure of what else to say.

"It is not your fault," replies Tamara, "We would had this discussion sooner or later if only so that you know how to deal with any fae that you encounter. I hope I haven't scared you too much."

"I don't scare the easily," replies Sapphire Squire, "I'll be fine through I am glad that I don't need to sleep anymore. And as you say, I should learn this stuff as part of my magical education."

"I am glad to hear that," says Tamara, giving her squire a warm smile, "Since this hasn't unsettled you too much, would you mind I told you about my sister Moira some time? Of the people I left behind, she is the one I got on with the best and the one I miss the most."

"Is she the one that...that turned you into a dress?" asks Sapphire Squire with a cringe towards the end, "Oh that feels so weird to say."

"Technically it was my mother who did the deed and it was many centuries ago," says Tamara, "Even if she was responsible, much has happened since then to endear me to her and vice versa. Of all my family, Moira was the one that I cared for and loved the most."

"Tamara, if you want to talk to me about your sister at some point, I would be happy to listen to you," Sapphire Squire tells her mentor, "Do you want to do it now?"

"As much as I would like to, no," replies Tamara, "I should be getting back to work and you need time to digest what I just told you about my home and people. It is a pleasure to have you visit and I enjoyed your company. Feel free to finish the biscuits and juice before leaving."

***​

So this interlude is to try and give some perspective on fey society and how they differ to human society. I drew upon the stories of giving equal payments or paying appropriate respect combined with them being playful and not so playful tricksters.

I also used more horror-like stories of transformations, lack of consent, and inhumane payment to show that the fey are not only inhuman, but also not at all nice. Only the first two got included in the side story as I don't see Tamara bringing up stories of gouging out eyes and literally taking one's heart to her squire until Sapphire Squire is more used to what the fey are like or it become relevant.

Please point out any spelling or grammar mistakes that you spot. Please quote them in the thread and explain what you think is wrong so I know what you are referring to. Feel to ask questions for more details and information.

 

[Oshha]

Black and Blue​

"I am not sure what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't all of this," comments David as he watches Sapphire Squire put together a costume for him.

"Logistics," replies the veteran squire without looking up at him, "You only hear about the punching of faces and kicking of butt, but it takes work behind the scenes for all to happen. Most of my time is spent either maintaining or making gear and collecting or sorting out information."

"I'm good at the first bit, but I'm not sure how I'll handle the latter bits," says David.

"You won't need to worry about that," says Sapphire Squire, "That is my job. The most that you'll do is spying people and making notes or breaking into somewhere to steal some documents, which is what Fairy Knight does. Notice how she handed over dealing with kitting you out to me?"

"That makes sense," agrees David, "But breaking and entering? Stealing? Isn't that the sort of stuff we are suppose to be stopping?"

"Sort of," replies Sapphire Squire, "As vigilantes, we are technically criminals. We focus more of dealing out justice than following the law which I guess is kind of hypocritical, but it is what it is. The difference between us and the criminals is that we help people for the selfless reasons while they hurt people for selfish reasons."

"That also makes sense," says David before deciding to broach the subject of magic, "So magic, how does that work?"

"Fairy Knight has shapeshifting and a few weak spells plus magic armour and a magic sword," answers Sapphire Squire, "I got my wings, can change up my outfit at will and enough magical skill and knowledge to whip up enchanted items of limited use. Fairy Knight used to do rituals, but she has stopped these days as anything she can do with a ritual, I can do quicker and just as well with an enchantment. That and neither of us need eat, sleep and drink. And now that I am thinking about it, she doesn't need to clean or do other basic stuff."

"What no baths or showers?" inquires David.

"None," confirms Sapphire Squire, "I still haven't figured out how to copy that for myself, but I am making progress."

Now that raises questions in David's mind. He knows that Fairy Knight is only half human, but he isn't sure what Sapphire Squire's deal is. Everybody assumed she was human at first, but then she started flying about and using magic so now no one knows what she is.

"Are you human?" asks David, deciding to cut the knot by just asking her.

Sapphire Squire has been reasonable enough so far. Not quite what he expected, but then David doesn't really have any expectations regarding all of this.

"Mostly," answers Sapphire Squire without even looking up from her work.

"Mostly," says David, trying to figure out what sort of answer that is.

"I've got my wings and don't need to eat, drink or sleep," says Sapphire Squire, "I also got the magical ability to change my outfit at will. I was one hundred percent human, but I have added magical fairy stuff to that. So while I haven't lost any of my humanity or replaced it, I cannot accurately call myself completely human anymore due to the extra additions."

"And you are okay with that?" asks David with a frown.

"Definitely," answers Sapphire Squire without hesitation, "I've still got all of my humanity and I can't imagine having to waste my nights sleeping again. Flying is awesome even if it isn't fast and I cannot count the number of times that my Mystic Wardrobe has come in handy. I'll take being magical over being nonmagical."

While her logic makes sense, David decides that it is definitely weird and that Sapphire Squire is a weird kid. He doesn't say that out loud of course as he got on her bad side enough earlier by mentioning how young she is.

"Yes, it is weird and you should know what Fairy Knight is far weirder than I am," says Sapphire Squire and David startles as he wonders how much of his feelings showed on his face.

He is usually better than his. He parrots the lies that Dad wants to hear from him and managed to keep his nighttime activities hidden from the rest of his family. Maybe Sapphire Squire is just good at this and it is just a case of him being outclassed.

"Fairy Knight is only half human and has only spent the last year and a half amongst us," continues Sapphire Squire, "She isn't completely human and that sometimes shows. She doesn't always follow the same line of thoughts as a human and some of her cultural values are different. Fairy Knight is a good person, but she is definitely different and while she can integrate into society, she is more acting normal than actually being normal."

"She helps a lot of people," comments David.

"Yeah, she does," agrees Sapphire Squire before finally looking up at him, "So when you called me sexy earlier, were you being honest or did you just make that up to get me off your back?"

"Sort of?" hedges David nervously, "You look like a beautiful young lady, but you also look older than you are. Which isn't bad at all mind you, but you look more like an eighteen or nineteen year old than a fourteen or fifteen year old. I would find you attractive, but not when I know you are the same age as my brother."

"Yeah, that's fair," says Sapphire Squire, looking distinctly pleased about something, "You got family?"

"Yes," answers David, "They aren't involved in any of this."

"Don't want to drag them into all this?" inquires Sapphire Squire as she turns back to her work,

"Kind of, but mainly because they're criminals," explains David and he hesitates as Sapphire Squire suddenly pauses.

"What kind of criminals?" asks Sapphire Squire, leaving David unsure of how to answer.

He doesn't exactly want people to know about this criminal background or talk about it, but Sapphire Squire isn't someone he can hide from. Fairy Knight already knows about it and Sapphire Squire is going to find out the details sooner or later.

"Dad works as a street soldier for the Regal Ravens," answers David after deciding that is no point in trying to hide anything, "He used to be part of the Royal Ravens, but split off with everyone else when their leader went crazy. Actually, I suppose you know more about that business than I do since you and Fairy Knight were in the thick of it."

"Yes, I do," says Sapphire Squire, "How many times have we beaten him up?"

"Fairy Knight has knocked him out twice and you took him out once with a boomerang," David tells her with a smile, "He still hasn't gotten over being defeated by a 'little girl'. Urr, not that any part of you is little."

"I would complain, but I can't deny that I am something of a big girl in everything except my age," agrees Sapphire Squire, "Have we ever fought you?"

"No," answers David instantly, "I have not followed in my Dad's footsteps and will not be doing so. Unfortunately my brother doesn't share my feelings in that matter."

"That sucks," says Sapphire Squire sympathetically, "I don't know what it must be like to come from a bad family, but I have an inking of what it is like to be unable to rely upon your family to be there for you."

"I'm not too attached to my family these days," says David, "I don't mind ending up as their enemies."

The two of them fall silent after that as Sapphire Squire continues to work on the costume.

"This is going to take some time," says Sapphire Squire after a few seconds, "You may wish to spend your time doing something else as if you are waiting for me to finish, I doubt I'll be done before the hour is up. Kitchen has some food and drink in it."

"I thought that neither of you needed to eat or drink," comments David even as he decides that maybe getting a snack sounds like a good idea.

"We don't need to, but we still can," explains Sapphire Squire, "It is just an activity for fun than survival for us."

"Fair enough," says David before he walks out of the workshop.

***​

Something I started writing up a while back and recently finished. I can't remember where it was originally going to go so it ended up just being some character interaction between Brenda and David. It takes place the night that the two squires meet or maybe the night after? I can't remember which one it was.

Please point out any spelling or grammar mistakes that you spot. Please quote them in the thread and explain what you think is wrong so I know what you are referring to. Feel to ask questions for more details and information.

 

[Oshha]

Knight on Patrol​

"The Golden Order hasn't been giving you any more trouble," Fairy Knight asks Mrs Austin as she pops to see how the mother of two is doing.

"They seemed to have gotten the message when you showed up to meet them last time," replies the middle-aged woman as she and Fairy Knight chat on the street, "I really appreciate the help. Francis was getting really scared by them."

"I am always happy to help out," says Fairy Knight, "Let me know if they show up again. They might have learnt their lesson, but they might just be getting some friends or laying low to see if they can wait me out before trying their luck again."

"I will," promises Mrs Austin, "Again, thank you Fairy Knight. I've don't know what I've would have done without you."

"Take care," Fairy Knight tell the woman before making her way up to the rooftops.

Today is one of the days that Fairy Knight is making her communal rounds to keep in touch with the people of London. While she strives to avoid being caught up in the busy streets, she does stick the edges of the rooftops where she can be seen below by passersby and they can call out to her if they need to get her attention.

People don't always have relevant or useful information for her, but Fairy Knight feels that letting the local community get in touch with her is helpful for identifying spots of trouble, especially when it is the kind that they are leery of going to the police do. Understandable given the corruption in the ranks of the lawmen and as she told Mrs Austin, she is always happy to help out.

And while it isn't strictly necessary, Fairy Knight likes to keep in touch with the common people. She doesn't need the information thanks to Sapphire Squire nor does she need the public support, but having people feel like they can trust the Fairy Knight and feel safe around her is something Fairy Knight considers important. While it is more important to ensure that they are actually safe, a proper hero should not discount the importance of ensuring the people they are protecting know that they are safe.

Sapphire Squire avoids that aspect of things and given the sort of comments that she receives, Fairy Knight can't fault her for that. They may have reduced in number over the last couple of months, but her squire still focuses more on dealing with your enemies than interacting with the public. That might change in the future, but Sapphire Squire does a good enough job at handling the information side of things that Fairy Knight is willingly to let the matter slide for as long as her squire desires. She would be concerned be concerned at failing to teach her squire how to interact with others, but Sapphire Squire has proven more than adapt at socialising when the situation calls for it.

A few people wave up her at she runs by across the rooftops and Fairy Knight takes the opportunity to wave back when she can. She ought to bring Onyx Squire with her, but while the lad is a more than capable fighter, he currently isn't up to keeping up with her. He has the potential to, but he hasn't quite grasped how to speedily move across the rooftops without losing his balance. Once he has gotten the hang of it, he will be able to join Fairy Knight or Sapphire Squire on their patrols.

Fairy Knight decides it would be nice to have a partner again. While she doesn't need one and Sapphire Squire is more than capable of looking after herself, Fairy Knight misses having the lass with her as they spend their times moving around the streets and rooftops of London.

Looking for trouble even as she expects none, Fairy Knight remembers the days when she used to use patrols to find crime. Long gone are those days as these days, Fairy Knight only actively goes after criminals in planned strikes. That isn't to say that she won't intervene when she stumbles across a crime, but that is reactive rather than active now as it is no longer something she actively attempts to do.

It is for the best. It is a better use of her time to look for information on criminals and their misdeeds rather than the crimes themselves. It is a lot easier to get that information than it is to find an ongoing crime and with all of the information, Fairy Knight is able to stop a good many more criminal acts than she would prowling the streets.

She thinks of it like aiming an spell rather than firing wildly. Taking time to aim your shots rather than firing as often as you can means that you take less shots over all, but you will get more hits in the same amount of time and that your goal is to get as many hits as you can, it is a better use of your time to aim.

And so these patrols aren't for stopping criminals, but to find information and to reassure the community that they are protected and safe.

"Miss Fairy Knight!" calls a voice from down below and Fairy Knight smiles as she looks down at the man trying to get her attention.

***​

Here is the interlude showing what Fairy Knight's patrols are. I view as something of a liked protector who is mysterious, but approachable. She is clearly comes from somewhere supernatural, but she helps people and is friendly-ish with the only ones that need to fear her being the criminals.

I was going to make it longer, but I sort of ran out of stuff to put into it and I figured it gives enough insight into how Fairy Knight interacts with the local community to be worth posting.

Please point out any spelling or grammar mistakes that you spot. Please quote them in the thread and explain what you think is wrong so I know what you are referring to. Feel to ask questions for more details and information.

 

[Oshha]

Mother and Daughter​

"You're home," says Mum and Brenda barely stops herself from wincing at the words.

While she is extremely grateful to Moira for healing her family, Brenda is still getting used to having her mother being active after spending so long doing nothing. With Dad at work all the time and James still being a kid, she has gotten used to just being able to go off and do what she wants, the most common thing being doing her work as the Sapphire Squire.

But with Mum up and about again, Brenda needs to remember that she has someone paying attention to what she gets up to as Brenda Brown. She hasn't stopped being cautious about her secret identity, but Brenda would be lying to herself if she denied getting a little lax due to the freedom that she has gotten.

"I was with Tamara," Brenda tells her mother in a way of explanation as she puts her bag down, "Sorry about being out so late, but I'm not used to it being an issue."

"I'm cooking dinner," says Mum, "Would you like to join me?"

"Sure," replies Brenda as she takes off her boots, something she makes sure to do in order to keep up the appearance of being normal, "It would be nice to spend more time together."

And that is certainly true. It might not be as convenient for the Sapphire Squire to have Eira Brown paying attention to her daughter, but Brenda certainly enjoys having her mother care for her.

"I'm making a pie," says Mum as she rolls dough while Brenda enters the kitchen, "Would you mind cutting the vegetables?"

"I would be happy to," says Brenda as she remembers not to magically put on an apron as normal people can't make clothing appear out of nowhere, "Do you want me to bring it up or are you going to?"

It is quite clear that Mum wants to talk to her about something, probably the habits that Brenda has fallen into since Mum stopped doing anything. Things have changed between them and even if she doesn't know all of who Brenda is, her mother is aware of enough of what she gets up to that she can figure out that her little girl is more grown up these days.

"I am that obvious?" asks Mum with a hesitant pause.

"Just to me," Brenda reassures her, "I know you well and I have always been good at seeing through stuff."

"You have haven't you," agrees Mum before sighing, "I suppose we ought to talk about what you've been getting up to."

"Yeah, we should," says Brenda, "I'm going to start by saying that I'm more independent now. While you were recovering from your injury, I sort of took over everything so I can look after a household now and I have looked after looked after a household. I can take of care of myself now and I've gotten used to doing my own thing because I have been doing my own thing."

"But to be out so late..." starts Mum, "What happens if you run into some unsavoury folk?"

"Fairy Knight and her squires keep our neighbourhood mostly clean and if some nasty individuals do go after me, I am capable of dealing with them," Brenda answers her mother with a shrug, "I know how to fight and while I'm not expert, I can take a bunch of thugs."

"But must you come home after the sun has set?" asks Mum and Brenda barely stops herself from shrugging, deciding that being missive of her mother's concerns like that would be needless rude.

"I don't have to per say, but I like to spend my evenings at Tamara's once everything here is done," answers Brenda, "With you being sick and Dad always working late, it was nice to be at a home where I'm not the one running it. And it has become a habit that I'm still keeping up because I like spending time with Tamara and Alexandra."

"You get on with her okay?" inquires Mum in a gentle voice.

"Tamara like an aunt to me," replies Brenda, deciding not to tell the truth about how their relationship is closer than that, "She has taught me how to do the chores to look after the house work, helped with the shopping and let me practice stuff at her place so I didn't make messes here."

All technically true and Brenda is willingly to let her mother think that she was taught this stuff at the Wallis mansion rather than the Nighthouse and it was taught to Sapphire Squire rather than Brenda Brown.

"I see," says Mum neutrally as she gets back to cooking.

"I'll try and get back before it gets dark out if it will put your mind at ease?" offers Brenda and her mother turns to give her a smile.

"I would appreciate that," her mother tells Brenda, "Since we are discussing your new maturity, what you planning to do in the future now that your schooling will end soon?"

Now that is definitely a question that needs answering. Brenda is fortunate that in the last couple of years, it is possible to get public secondary education and while originally planned to go for that, new options have opened up to her over this year. Thanks to Tamara, Brenda has both Gareth Wallis and Moira Lyn willingly to pay for further education for her whether it be private tutoring or a private school. She could also get an actual job from either one of them, but Brenda is more interested in further education than entering the workplace.

"I've got options," answers Brenda, "I've used Tamara's connections to some extra choices open to me. You should probably speak with Tamara directly about them, but I've got both her sister and her father-in-law interested in my future and willingly to pay for my education."

"Have you now?" says her mother, "Is that what you have been doing over these last few weeks?"

"I've been working on building up connections alongside my skills," says Brenda, "Just a few mind you. Dad already got me to meet Tamara and through Tamara, I was able to impress some of her wealthy family members. I can probably leverage that into more connections, but for now, I'm going for more skills and knowledge. Getting more connections can wait until I am a little older as I got all the ones that I need for now."

"My little rising star," says Mum as she smiles at Brenda, "I used to think that you would grow out of this phrase and settle down, but instead you grown into it quite well. I am glad that your dreams aren't out of your reach."

"Me too," agrees Brenda before sighing as she finishes cutting the vegetables, "I have gotten lucky. Dad knew Ben Wallis so Tamara hired me when she needed a babysitter. From there, I got to meet her relatives and I was fortunate that they are the type of focus on my merits than what I am."

Plus there is all of the magic and vigilantism that she gets up, but she can't tell Mum that even if those two things are definitely relevant to her current future prospects. Even in this new timeline that she doesn't remember, it was vigilantism which introduced her to Tamara though in this time line, they apparently met before becoming vigilantes unlike in the version of history that Brenda can remember.

Ugh. When did her life weird enough that she has to worry about stuff like different versions of history and being turned into something else? It wasn't always this weird as the Sapphire Squire as the early months were mundane enough. Probably when the Druid showed up with his mind control magic.

"Hmm, I'm surprised you have time for all this," says Mum, "Talented or not, everyone needs to sleep and eat."

Brenda makes sure not to smile in response to that as she can't let her mother know that her daughter disproves that statement.

"Careful management of my activities and seizing opportunities as they occur," says Brenda, "I also try to multi-task as I can watch Alex whilst studying or I can further a relationship whilst doing or learning something useful with them. Plus I'm only fourteen, I've got some time before I'm grown up and I can afford to take things a bit slower."

"Fifteen in a couple weeks," comments Mum, "Are you okay? I thought you would be happier about being closer to adulthood."

"I sort of lost my desire to be a grown up after getting a taste of what it is like," admits Brenda, "I can't undo what has already been done, but I want to enjoy my childhood as long as I can."

"In its own way, that is a sign of maturity," says Mum, "You are happy with life Brenda?"

"Yes, I am," answers Brenda, "Things are going well for me, I got options for a bright future and I have my family back."

There is a silence as Mum doesn't reply and for a moment, Brenda worries that she said the wrong thing.

"Do you know your brother is doing?" asks Mum and Brenda pauses as she thinks the question over.

"His nightmares have stopped and he isn't so twitchy anymore?" offers Brenda before deciding to expand upon her answer, "I don't really know what he has been up to. Everyone in the family has been doing their own thing."

"We'll need to change that," says Mum, "We will need to start being more of a family again."

"Good luck with that Mum," replies Brenda, "We aren't going back to what it was like before. Dad is too busy at work and I'm doing my own stuff which to be frank, James isn't cut out for my sort of stuff. He is my brother and all, but he simply lacks the drive and talent that I have even if he is a boy and I am a girl."

"Brenda," says Mum warningly.

"It is the truth," insists Brenda, "James just gets by and while there is nothing wrong with that, he lacks the drive to better himself like I do."

"Don't go talking about your brother like that young lady," Mum tells her and Brenda lets the topic drop with a roll of her eyes.

"I have missed you Mum," says Brenda, "And not just because I don't have to worry about doing all of the housework anymore."

"I love you too darling."

***​

I started writing this one up a week or two ago to try and show the relationship that Brenda has with her mother as not much of that has been previously shown. I also wanted to show how Brenda is leveraging her circumstances to benefit her future situation. She has connections to two wealthy individuals who are willingly to let her access some of their resources, which includes further education as I don't believe that Britain has public education beyond the age of 14 at this point in time.

So given her age and the timing, Brenda is coming to the end of her last year of free schooling with further education being something she needs to sort out on her own in either a private school or getting tutors. That or she could get a job, but with her desire to learn and new found appreciation for still being a kid, Brenda would go for additional education over entering the workplace.

Anyway, enjoy this short story.

Please point out any spelling or grammar mistakes that you spot. Please quote them in the thread and explain what you think is wrong so I know what you are referring to. Feel to ask questions for more details and information.

 

[Oshha]

Bureau Assessment​

"Fairy Knight, Sapphire Squire and most recently, Onyx Squire," says Agent Cooper of the Secret Service Bureau, "As far as we can tell, these individuals are magical in nature, especially Fairy Knight herself."

"How sure are we of her magical abilities?" asks Agent Howard, also of the Secret Service Bureau, "Given that we can confirm Talent and his 'Gift' exists, I am willingly to consider the possibility of having our own extraordinary individuals, but I want proof."

"Hundreds of witnesses have seen her shapeshift or summon her armour and sword out of thin air," replies Agent Cooper, "Multiple trusted individuals are willingly to attest that they have witness her using magic and we can confirm that her armour lets her survive attacks that would have killed an ordinary individual. On top of that, Sapphire Squire has a pair of magical butterfly wings where let her fly and all three are reported to be able to turn invisible through it should be noted that Onyx Squire is new enough that we can't confirm reports of his invisibility like we can with the others."

"I assume that you got the evidence in the folder?" inquires Agent Howard, eyeing the folder that his fellow agent has left on the .

"Of course sir," answers Agent Cooper, "It is mostly testimony with some evidence how the deeds are impossible via natural means. We got a handful of pictures, but a picture doesn't quite convey the process even if we got a couple of Sapphire Squire flying. We tried to get some of Fairy Knight shapeshifting, but she does it too fast for us to get a good image of it."

"Personality assessment?" inquires Agent Howard as he picks the folder of the table.

"Fairy Knight is surprising human given what we believe of her background," says Agent Cooper, "While she has provided much more than the basic, Fairy Knight claims to be an exile from "the Kingdom of the Faeries" and I am inclined to believe her. Calling herself Fairy Knight appears to be the equivalent of you or I calling ourselves Human Operative, but it stuck as a name for her due to it being relative exotic.

Fairy Knight seems to be some of a knight in shining armour for lack of a better term. She has enough rough edges to not quite be the ideal, but she avoids killing, has some respect for the law and protects the innocent. Fairy Knight has strong moral core and principles, which have earnt the title of hero by a majority of the general public. She doesn't seem shy away from dirty work, but she ultimately has a strong preference against it and lines that she won't cross."

"And her squires?"

"Onyx Squire is a newcomer and while we don't have that much information him yet," admits Agent Cooper, "So far he seems to be a run of a mill costumed vigilante. If it wasn't for the company that he keeps, he wouldn't stand out to us. Sapphire Squire is more complicated. Information on her is hard to get, but I believe we have the basics down even if the details elude us.

Sapphire Squire is young and female, early to mid teens. Despite this youth, she has proven herself as capable as our best operatives and has repeatedly taken down multiple adult men on her own. While she clearly has magical abilities now, Sapphire Squire did not have them when she first started out so we suspect she is a human being who got recruited by Fairy Knight and later empowered by her.

Personality wise, we got little on her. She lacks the social element that Fairy Knight has and we are unable to determine why she fights alongside Fairy Knight. We do know that Sapphire Squire is cunning and secretive as she guards her secrets fiercely."

"Acceptability for recruitment?" asks Agent Howard as he looks through the documents within the folder.

"Fairy Knight is a potential candidate," answers Agent Cooper, "Magical powers, a fearsome combatant and with an acceptable temperament for government recruitment. She may be a woman, but with her abilities, that fact can be overlooked. Onyx Squire could be recruited except we have little need of him as he is. If he gains magical abilities like Sapphire Squire did, then we would be looking into recruiting him, but for now, we will just keep an eye on him. Sapphire Squire could be a recruit if you are willingly to overlook that she is a teenaged girl in favour of her powers and skill. However, we know little of how viable she would be for government work due to lacking any information on her personality. Right now she is too much of an unknown to determine whether or not recruiting her would be worth the effort."

"Fairy Knight as a potential recruit while her squires are to be watched, pending further developments," says Agent Howard, "Alright, what about threat assessment?"

"Fairy Knight and both her squires operate as a unit," answers Agent Cooper, "Barring a drastic change, we can expect them to operate as a group under Fairy Knight's command. As for the threat they pose, the general assessment is that they are unlikely to be a threat, but they would be a major one if they did end up as one. All three of them are capable combatants and we have little in the way to handle the magic that they begin to the table. Fairy Knight outclasses our best field agents and Sapphire Squire can match them. As for threat, they pose...we can come up with counter-measures, but without knowing the full capabilities of their magic, we are limited in what we can do and any serious counter-measures will need to be situation-specific.

At the moment, Fairy Knight and her squires are focused on the criminal group known as the Consortium and street crime. The three of them patrol an area of the city that they have claimed as under their protection and they have done a good job of driving out any organised crime and keeping on top of petty crime. They don't mind taking action against other criminal organisations moving into their claimed territory, but when it comes to offensive actions, Fairy Knight and her squires have only moved against the Consortium. Which is a reversal to pretty much anything else where the local vigilantes will take action against everyone who isn't part of the Consortium. We suspect it has something to do with the Night, but the evidence for that is circumstantial at best."

"The Night?" inquires Agent Howard, "Who are they?"

"An earlier vigilante who operated for a couple of years before disappearing a couple of years ago," explains Agent Cooper, "Redcoat has privately admitted to killing him on the payroll of the Consortium and the earliest reports of the Fairy Knight's activity have her seeking information on what happened to the Night. It is only later that she began to fight crime, which has become her main activity and potentially a continuation of the Night's activities.

The leading theory is that the Fairy Knight was called to London by the Night as some kind of final move. Fairy Knight arrived and initially spend her time looking for him. Upon finding out his fate, Fairy Knight took over his vigilante activities. We haven't been able to confirm it, but it fits both the timeline and the facts that we know took place."

"It does make sense," agrees Agent Howard, "I want to see these facts for myself, but it does seem to add up. Just remember that a leading theory is still just a theory. Let's get back to recruitment, what sort of incentives can we offer Fairy Knight to sign up?"

"It depends," admits Agent Cooper, "We need more information on Fairy Knight such as what she is and what she is like, but given what we believe is true, she lacks a proper identity. It depends on what she wants, but Fairy Knight might be willingly to work for us in exchange for a legal identity and being able to properly integrate into society. Throw some riches and other luxuries to give her a reason to want to be a part of society and we may be able to get our own magical warrior. That said, a lot of our plans will be contingent on how Fairy Knight reacts to our overtures."

"Of course," replies Agent Howard, "That is enough for now. I will finish looking over what you have got so far before making any recommendations, but your work seems to be good from what you have told me and what I have read so far. I will need to get approval from higher up before we can act on any of this, but as far as I am concerned, this is a good first step to forming His Majesty's own wonder league."

***​

A short interlude that I have been working on since the end of the previous arc where agent from what is known as MI5 in the modern day gives a report about Fairy Knight and her squires to his superior. It should give some insight to what the government thinks of Tamara and her squires and some hints of what is to come.

Please point out any spelling or grammar mistakes that you spot. Please quote them in the thread and explain what you think is wrong so I know what you are referring to. Feel to ask questions for more details and information.