kingdoms_of_auradon | Stronger With Those Daddy Issues

Waking to bird song isn't exactly shocking in Auradon, but it seems... louder than usual on the first morning of the event. And there is a reason for that. Auradon has been visited by a rather large flock of Golden pheasants. An odd flock as experienced birders might notice there are only the brightly coloured males in evidence. But there isn't much time to think about that because with them comes... a complication.

Now this is Auradon, of course, so the only mess the birds are dropping are bright colourful feathers. But the feathers, like the flowers last month randomly trigger a memory. Once again the memory shows in 3D, looking the most solid to the one who touched the feather - and unwittingly contributed the memory. No one can interact with it, and no matter how solid it looks, the figures and places and things in the memory can be walked through with ease. Well, physical ease, anyway. The memory, once again, will not be from the perspective of the one it belongs to; they and their companion or companions will be observing from a third party perspective, thus allowing a person to see their own face in the memories without the aid of a mirror.

The memories this time are memories of fathers and paternal figures. Generally good memories. After all, this is Auradon.

If one interacts closely with the birds or their feathers they might also have strong vivid dreams of their paternal figure. Again, genrally happy dreams given this is Auradon. While the birds will fly away after two weeks, and the feathers will lose their power to share memories at the same time, for every day spent handling the birds or feathers during the event, the character might have up to that many day of intense dreams after.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

aquawayfinder

"On every world, in every reality," she agreed with a small nod.

From:

cheep_soongbird_knockoff

"Just... like you care about all of us," they mumbled. If Aqua was okay, they couldn't really justify avoiding the apology. "And it was cruel and unjustified of me to say otherwise."

From:

aquawayfinder

Aqua put an arm on their arm gently. "I'm sorry if it seems I push too hard. I'm just... I worry about putting you all in danger in our war. I want to respect all of you and your willingness to help, while trying to make sure that you will all come out of it safely." Even if she didn't.

From:

cheep_soongbird_knockoff

"It. It was not that you pushed too hard. I mean. Maybe you did, but I understand why and that was not what hurt." Rren had worked over what to say in their head, but it all fell apart once they started speaking. "Honestly, most of my tantrum was not even you, it was me taking out other stuff on you which was wrong of me. It was Merlin dismissing me on the isle and making me doubt myself. And... it was how much I miss Khell. Without her it is... much more difficult to take a joke. And I...." Nope nope they had not started this apology with the intent to get stuck on Khell. "I know you saw the effort I was putting in, but comments about how I would have skipped out if I could have still stung."

If Khell were here, they wouldn't have stung was the worst part. She would have pushed right back and they would have found them funny, just like they had before they'd gotten stuck here. But when it was just them?

...

How much of this boiled down to how much they missed her? More than they'd even guessed until they'd started the apology.

From:

aquawayfinder

She pulled them into a hug. "Oh, Rren.... I miss her too, and that can't be a drop in the bucket to how you feel. I am so sorry, for so many things But we will see Khell again. I know that. And I know that no matter what happens... the two of you have a connection no magic, no worlds, no distance can ever sever."

From:

cheep_soongbird_knockoff

They hadn't meant to derail the apology, to derail checking on Aqua after they'd messed up so bad and then worse, let matters sit so long out of pride. But emotions didn't always respond to what they wanted. When Aqua hugged them they started shaking at first and then latched on as she spoke and started sobbing.

"I miss her and I miss H'Naal and-and I don't know why he left us!" If they'd been at all more aware through their tears the sheer anger that leaked in when they hit H'Naal would have caught them off guard.

From:

aquawayfinder

She tightened the hug. "Tell you what, once we've dealt with the war and everyone is safe, and thee other me is saved... if you and Khell want, I can help you look for him."

From:

cheep_soongbird_knockoff

Anger and pain shifted quickly to embarrassment at the offer and they shook their head. "He wants to be left alone. If he wanted to, he could have found us after the synth ban lifted. A visit then would not have revealed me. But-but he didn't." For all they missed him, they were uncertain if they wanted to see him again. Just the thought of it made them angry all over again.

They rubbed at their face, trying to pull away. "I... I am sorry, that was not what I intended with this discussion. I only wished to say that what I said and did were unjustified, and I never should have let it sit so long."

From:

aquawayfinder

"Alright," she said softly. "And it is fine. Emotions do not always follow logic. I am glad we are talking now, my friend."

From:

cheep_soongbird_knockoff

"I am too," they replied quietly, rubbing at their face again as they continued to rebuild their composure, considering the memory they'd caught a bit of as they did. "Tell me something else about your Master?"

From:

aquawayfinder

"Alright. What do you want to know?" she asked, offering a tissue.

From:

cheep_soongbird_knockoff

Rren took the tissue and then shrugged. "I do not know. Whatever you want to share about him?"

From:

aquawayfinder

"Everything," she admitted with a smile, looking out at where the memory had been playing. "I wish you all had gotten the chance to meet him. He was..." a deep breath as a tear rolled, "one of the most extraordinary people I have ever met. The concepts I try to teach, h alway could teach so easily it was like you always knew it. He had an endless supply of patience. In one set of memories there were nearly a hundred of us, more kids than teachers. He wasn't the only teacher on the isle... but he was the main one, and he was the one who found us... who took us in. Helped match us to the best mentors, and those who would become our dearest friends. Made of us all a family. In the other sets of memories... it was just the three of us for a long time until Ven arrived. People visited sometimes, and sometimes we would take trips to worlds that were safe for us to visit. But he was the center of our universe. He never wanted to be, but he was. I think Terra and Ven would hav done anything, and I mean anything, for a word of praise from him. And it isn't that he gave that sparingly, quite the opposite. But still... when he said you had done well, it was one of the best sensations and you knew you earned it. Always honest, always fair, always doing his best for us." Another tear.

"No matter the set of memories, that was true. He always did his best for his students. Loved us. Wanted us to grow strong, and to grow together."

From:

cheep_soongbird_knockoff

Rren listened intently and then nodded. "I am glad you had him," they said after she had finished. "I think you certainly have his patience."

From:

aquawayfinder

"Thank you. And... I try. I know he wants me to be my own person, but a lot of who I am was shaped by him, and I will never allow myself to lose that."

From:

cheep_soongbird_knockoff

Rren nodded. "I know what you mean." And how could they not?

As much as he was the source of their current conflict, hadn't H'Naal both influenced them and allowed them to be their own person? Ugh. No matter how long they had them in full force, emotions did not get easier to understand.