As I observed Aang, I gained a sense of concern. His usual exuberance had waned, replaced by a heavy weariness. Ignoring my presence, he trudged wearily toward my sitting area, listless and tired. Collapsing onto the seat, he curled up, his body language mirroring the weight on his soul.
It was then that I noticed the state of his clothing, worn and tattered. I chastised myself for not paying closer attention, for overlooking the signs that something was amiss. As the memories flooded back, I realized that the gang had indeed been acquiring an abundance of survival supplies in recent times, their actions now making sense in retrospect. The faint traces of tears where still visible on his face.
With a quivering voice, Aang uttered the heartbreaking words, "Appa's gone." The weight of those two simple words hung heavy in the air, casting a pall over our conversation. It was as if the Garden itself held its breath, awaiting my response. I could feel it's awareness hyperfocusing on the remints of my humanity as this encounter stoked the embers.
"Gone as in missing or gone-gone?" I inquired gently, attempting to grasp the full magnitude of the situation. My attention momentarily flickered to Sam, who fluttered about excitedly, oblivious to the depth of Aang's despair. In truth, I am quite glad Sam was so absorbed in the treaties of Satan Soul and more generic Takeover magics a gift from Levey after Sam helped her out with a few translations that turned out to be Enochian.
Aang's response came as a whisper, laden with sorrow, "Missing. Sand riders took him while we were in the Library. Toph almost killed herself trying to fight them. She was two hills away, shouting and blasting entire dunes into the desert. Wan Shi Tong was kind enough to let us stay and rest the night before we left then we wandered..." Each word carried the weight of grief, punctuated by unshed tears.
A pang of sympathy shot through me, threatening to break the composure I had fought so hard to maintain. The innocence and purity of a child's heart shattered by loss was a pain that reverberated within my own being. But I had a role to play, a frame work I clung to because it maintains my complex being. The Garden is a wonder but a engineer of souls and minds it is not. Even now as my soul settles into shape I can feel the branches snap into place and scales flaking off and realigning, my bones often creak as magic moved and settled. I banished those thoughts back into my mind after all I have things to do.
Taking a deep breath, I reached out to Aang, my voice filled with empathy, "I'm so sorry. Perhaps..." As I spoke, objects within the shop stirred to life, animated by my magic. They floated and twirled, like delicate performers in a carefully choreographed dance. I allowed their movements to distract and intrigue, hoping to lift some of the weight from Aang's young shoulders.
"Amulet of the Wayfinder, Friend Binding Bracelets, Bicker Bonnets... I really need to be more selective with what I buy from Wiz. I definitely don't need a cursed coin purse..." I mused, partly to myself and partly to Aang, my tone laced with a hint of self-deprecating humor. The purpose was twofold: to alleviate the heaviness in the room and to draw a fleeting smile from the despondent Aang.
Ah, yes, this was it. I had found just the right item—a Friend Finder Amulet. I needed a piece of Appa's essence to attune it to him, a token that held his essence and connection.
"I... have some fur from when I brushed him out last week." Aang pulled a clump of muddy fur. From one of the folds in his jacket he pulled a matted ball of dried hair and mud " I had this at the hem of my pants."
"Ah this should help, Friend finder Amulet. Do you have a bit of Appa's fur?" It would be for not if he didn't after all but I could feel the glimmer of interest in The Garden a whisper of a thought, of course this won't destroy his journey just alter its course. Helping my customers is one thing depriving them of their stories is another after all adversity is the source of growth.
"Works for me." Placing the hair on the amulet, I let my magic intertwine with the tool, infusing it with a radiant glow. The dull light emanating from the amulet illuminated the room, casting a warm, comforting ambiance. It was a gentle reminder that even in the darkest of times, a glimmer of hope could still be found.
"Alright, this normally costs 6,000$ minimum." his eyes bulged at the price, considering most families could survive on that for years. "However, I have another option; you and some of your friends can help me with a little... quest I wasn't done." A portal appeared before us with a snap of my fingers, showing a ruin.
"I'm not sure how much you know but the garden is quite strange, capable of accessing much. Yet, it can will not just reach into a world and grab or change things." Mainly for the world's protection but let's not freak the little monk out. "General scrying is easy enough. During one of my look-around, I found something interesting that I really want but it's quite far away from people. I open up a door near the location, you and whoever else you want scurry out and collect the loot."
"...so grave robbing?" Tears came to my eye I knew this day would come, they grow up so fast the little nervous monk that came into my shop has become an adventurer! I snap my fingers, and a pair of hard hats appear on our heads, and I thrust a pickaxe in Aang's head.
"Not grave robbing, advance archaeology. Remember it's all kosher as long as the place isn't haunted or cursed. Then you need to prepare appeasements." Already going over the necessities, sage, TNT, and jerky.
"So... can I get Appa first, then go adventuring for you... please.." Aang asked in a whisper his eyes full of hope, damned kid figured out my love of cute things.
"All right, alright put away the waterworks; since you are such a good customer, you can take it on debt." the store's mechanic makes just giving away things difficult. Forming debt with others is relatively easy. This little workaround is reserved for people and stories I am particularly fond of; what's the point of life if you can't play favorites?
"Yes! Appa!"
World Connection: Avatar the Last Airbender
The Garden Beckons - Drakestone has gained a conceptual aspect Deflection
Archinite has gained a conceptual aspect of Accuracy
"Sam! Good to see ya, boy," Bobby greeted me with a bear-like hug, relieving the worries that had crept up when Dean informed him about our deal. Being back home felt comforting, especially now that I was more aware of the vastness of the world. Yet, there was still a lingering sense of something missing both in each world I had visited and in the shop. It was like an underlying structure that didn't make me feel weak but rather off-balance, as if I were wearing mismatched shoes.
"It's good to be back. Not sure which was more stressful, hunting or working for the shopkeep," I replied, a hint of exhaustion underlying my words.
"So, I hear you and Dean got some enchantments placed on ya?" Bobby asked, leading me towards the living room. The walls were adorned with stacks upon stacks of books, creating a sense of knowledge and mystique. Bobby's collection of occult material was impressive, but when compared to the Shopkeep's vast stores, it seemed limited. Of course, it was an unfair comparison. The Shopkeep had access to multiple worlds, while Bobby's resources were mostly confined to America. As we settled into the room, an almost uncontrollable urge to rearrange the books and create order within the chaos gnawed at me. I shook my head, trying to clear my mind of the distraction.
"Yeah, the shopkeep sold us a couple of upgrades, and it's been fantastic," I replied, a spark of enthusiasm igniting within me. The recent encounters with werewolves had been a revelation. With the enchantments, we could finally match their strength and speed, turning the tide of battle in our favor. No longer were we at a constant disadvantage, struggling to survive. A feral smile twisted across my face as I relished the newfound power. "It's been nice actually matching the things that go bump in the night at their own game."
Bobby's concern creased his forehead as he asked, "So, nothing worrisome in terms of side effects? You know, with that whole demon blood thing."
I chuckled dryly at his worry, appreciating his genuine concern. One of the benefits of my interaction with the shopkeep was that he helped me address the demon blood issue without succumbing to panic. "Actually, that's less of an issue now. One of the enchantments the shopkeep granted me essentially nullifies the magic within the blood. It's still there, but magically speaking, it's dead. On the bright side, it makes me a great demon radar."
Bobby let out a relieved yet explosive sigh, his tension visibly dissipating. Knowing he cared meant a lot to me. Sometimes it felt like I could only rely on Dean or Bobby, but now I had the shopkeep and Levy. She had come as a pleasant surprise. The members of Levy's guild were skilled magicians and unfairly attractive. Given their appearance, I had never anticipated her showing any interest in me for something that Dean joked once as Hunter bod. After losing Jessica, I became more cautious when it came to relationships. The wounds were still fresh, and diving into something new felt like a risky gamble. However, as Levy and I engaged in discussions about demonology, our worlds, and the intricacies of magic, a genuine connection began to form.
Our conversations were captivating and enlightening, each of us sharing our experiences and exchanging stories from our respective realms. The time we shared seemed to slip away effortlessly as we explored these subjects on an intellectual level. It was new and reminiscent of the deep conversations I used to have with Jessica with more truth than I can remember sharing with a woman. Though uncertain about the nature of our relationship, I was looking forward to the lunch I owed her for the notes on anti-demonic methods she knew. The fact that she resided in an entirely different dimension, far away from the malevolent influence of demons, made it easier for romantic thoughts to enter my mind.
"Earth to Sam, you with me?" Bobby's voice brought me back to the present. "Now that you are back I have a hunt for you and Dean. There's a string of disappearances down in Joliet, IL."
I coughed and shook away a blush, "Right, sounds good."
World Viewing: Supernatural
"How can I be of service?" A small child appeared in my shop today. A young little thing, a little over six appeared in a bright blue dress with a bow in her hair.
"I'm sorry. I was looking for a bookstore." She was a punctual little thing.
"No problem, sweetheart, and I keep the books in the next room. What are you looking for? Fairy tales or children's books?" I gave her a smile as she fidgeted in excitement.
"Do you have the Importance of Ernest or the Odyssey?" And a surprisingly voracious reader.
"I do believe I picked up a few copies; come along. Now what is your name?"
"My Name is Matilda; very nice to meet you, Mr..." Matilda wondered out loud though she trailed off with a slight headache.
"Don't push, dear, my name is lost to the Garden. Here we are," Gave a great wave over to my revamped library nook, it's only been a few days comparatively but that knowledge spirit and the count have a lot of books their willing to offload.
Matilda wandered the stacks for a few moments till she tried to open up several books. They refused since she hadn't paid. For a moment, all was quiet except the silent menace of a seven-year-old, then a wave of psychic energy came off the girl and slammed into the book, trying to pry it open. Several nicknacks are raddling and the books are shaking. She realized that she was not alone and I wasn't reciting too much to the weird phenomena and blinked in confusion. "Why can't I open these books?"
"First, do not try and force open the books 'Stealing' isn't allowed. Yes, reading a book before buying it is stealing in this shop. Second, you haven't bought it yet, sweety."
"But how would I know if I want to buy it then?" She asked with faux innocence.
"Ask for a synopsis, sweety."
In the end, I sold three books to the little girl, for her adopted mom Mrs Sunny. A precocious child and quite the psychic talent on her, I do hope she comes in again. She has the feel of an interesting story around her.
World Connection: Supernatural
