The Gift
Richard's SF Storyline, Chapter 1.1
copyright comidacomida 2018
The following days were a combination of trying to continue healing and attempting to regain a degree of normalcy to my life. My rental house wasn't really in the kind of condition where I'd want to entertain 'guests' but I supposed I didn't have much of a choice. Sure, they'd said that the black octopi wouldn't track me but having been inches away from one made me fret about taking the chance; I wasn't completely comfortable with any fo the three but they were far more comforting than what Jack had called the 'Nihili'.
It wasn't easy, as one might imagine, adjusting to having three spirits living with me. Even though I had my room all to myself none of them had to observe common conventions of privacy since they could walk straight through the walls and the door. Jack and Treboada had a degree of understanding about personal space, but Balam, unfortunately had no such courtesy. The first day of him appearing while I was changing was awkward enough, especially since he seemed to be staring at me, but what was worse was the fact that I had to spend forty minutes setting boundaries and explaining to the best of my ability why he couldn't spend every waking hour with me. Jack had said it was the way of savages while Treboada simply spent the time laughing at my plight.
Despite the growing pains of figuring out my three new companions I had to admit that I was finally starting to get into the swing of things as the week before classes came to a close. There's never a convenient time to get into a car accident but, considering the folks at the college had no tolerance for missed classes, I didn't have the luxury of spending the time I needed to get better. I tried to take things easy at home, but you can imagine how difficult that might be with three spirits around constantly bickering and getting into everything-- especially Balam; he was incorrigible.
Between the protectiveness of Jack and the general inquisitive nature of Balam I had a lot on my plate-- thank god Treboada was so unobtrusive... except for the fact that he loved laughing at my plight whenever the others caused an inconvenience-- oh: and his scent. While Jack was surrounded by the faintest hint of sea salt and sun ripened wheat Treboada's musk was full on wolf-- VERY wolf. He had a very distinct, pungent scent that made me think multiple times of a friend's family back home who raised German Shepherds; his distinctive odor was strong enough that he made my rental house smell like I had a half dozen dogs. Balam, as far as I could tell was scentless.
To say that things weren't easy for me was an understatement but, as of the weekend I couldn't help but realize that the others were having almost as much trouble as I was. Balam was in a completely foreign land in an odd situation with a complete stranger. He was accompanied by spirits he'd never met and was having to deal with surroundings that were as strange to him as the jungle had been to me. Regardless, he seemed to be taking it all in stride but it seemed like he had challenges daily and I had to provide him more help than anyone.
Treboada was less of a problem about helping and was more of an issue of keeping out of trouble. He had a knack of digging around in my place, uncovering everything from a bottle of Oregon mead I got as an inappropriate gift from an uncle (Oregon's drinking age, like most of the US is 21 and I had only just graduated high school) to getting into a howling contest with the neighborhood dogs-- never mind that I thought mortal creatures couldn't see or hear spirits. My responses to each of his antics seemed more bemused than outright delighted, as if he thought my reactions were completely unnecessary for his minor trespasses and his common response was accompanied by "Yeh worry too much, boy-o... gotta live a little afore yeh die."
The worst of the three was the one I'd thought at first had it all together. Jack, despite putting forth a stoic front, was hurting over the loss of Dina and I didn't realize just how badly until Thursday night. I'd just finished double-checking my class schedule for the following week (for the fourth time) and was trying to be settle down before bed, which was difficult because Treboada had just finished one of his howl starters and was entertaining himself by watching a late night UFC rerun on television-- I hadn't bothered wasting the brain power to figure out how he'd managed to turn it on.
One of the final steps to my preparation for sleep was to make use of the bathroom but when I showed myself in I saw that it was occupied by a disheveled Gryphon. Jack was leaning on the sink, his sword resting against the wall with his chain armor pulled down off of his torso and hanging from where a thick leather belt encircled his waist. He was staring at his lack of reflection in the mirror, tears trailing down either side of his beak before disappearing into nothing as they fell through the air. Jack's crying stopped immediately the moment he saw me. "Ah... uh... Richard... I apologize for taking up your--"
"Jack-- are you okay?"
It was obviously the wrong question. The ear-like feather tufts on either side of his head rose immediately and his talon took a tight grip of the sink. "I am well enough to defend thee at a moment's notice, Richard. Why dost thou inquire thusly?"
He wanted to hide his emotions, which I guess is as common a trait among spirits as it is for most people. I wasn't about to let it sit at that though; he was hurting, and I don't like to see people hurting. "Would you care to talk about it? I'm a good listener, you know."
He stared at me with his gleaming Topaz eyes; they were still damp and, as we stood there watching one another I could almost see the thoughts flow through him, lingering for just a moment as if he were about to let one slip, but I could clearly identify the moment when he pulled back and decided otherwise. "Tis not something for thee to be concerned over, Richard... tis my own trouble and I shall face it in such a manner."
I reached out to rest a hand on his arm, but my fingers went straight through; it was an attempt at comfort, but all it did was succeed at distracting me-- almost a week with them and I still had trouble remembering that they weren't 'fully there'. Pushing forward regardless, I offered gentle insistence. "If you're going to be my guardian then I need to know you're okay... if you're in trouble or if you're hurting then you won't be at your best, right?"
The Gryphon let out an entirely human-like sniffle and he cleared his throat, turning more fully toward me. "They are my troubles, Richard... nothing more. Thou chanced upon me in a moment of weakness thinking of the past, but it is past and we now live in the present."
I shrugged, leaning back against the door frame. "Well... I'm here if you need me. Besides, if it's something that's bothering us both then we can share the burden, which will help us both feel better."
Despite having come into the bathroom to see to my own night time needs I turned to leave and give Jack a little more privacy. I'd only just got the door open a crack before he spoke up from behind me. "Richard?"
I looked back to him. "Jack?"
The little bit of flesh around his nostrils reddened slightly and his ear tufts lowered. "Dost thou-- hath thee... I mean... thought of Dina... since?"
He didn't have to tell me 'since when' as I knew exactly what he meant. "Yeah... everyone. Dina... Chuck... Aaron... June, A--"
The Gryphon interrupted me. "Dina was my last ward. Her line is severed... I lost everything, and it has ruined me."
I saw the golden glimmer in his eye dim at that, and Jack's gaze fell to the floor. It was difficult to assimilate what he meant, but I tried as well as I could to be supportive. "But... you chose me to protect?"
He shook his head quietly, still looking at the tile. "No... Dina did."
The Gryphon's answer didn't make a lot of sense. "How could she choose to have you protect me, Jack?"
His eyes returned to me; I saw that they were fresh with tears. "Dost thou recall thy junior prom? Although thou attended, thy arm was barren; thou had chosen not to choose a companion to take with."
I nodded. "Sure, but what does that--"
Jack spoke right over me. "Dina accepted her date the night before prom."
I nodded again. "Right. That's when she started dating Chuck. Chuck was one of my best friends so I remember she--"
The Gryphon's gaze held my own. "She was waiting for thee to ask her, Richard."
His simple admission brought back so many memories I considered unimportant and trivial. It was like when someone tells you the answer to a riddle and you suddenly realize how simple it had been despite not having known the answer. "She... liked me."
Jack lowered his head again and I watched a fresh pair of tears fall from his beak and disappear in midair. "I have no ward, Richard... she thought fondly of thee and I know thee to be a good person. I am a Herald with no family to herald."
He had done so well fighting against the Nihili and then putting on a show in front of me that I had completely missed how devastated he was. At the same time I found my own eyes tearing; I did miss my friends; I missed Dina; I'd completely failed to realize how she'd felt for me for so long and there was no going back. I reached for his arm reflexively again, and was surprised when my fingers landed on firm flesh covered by fur.
Jack was as surprised as I was, his head snapping back up immediately as he locked gazes with me. There was a desperation there, some kind of need, like he was waiting for me to say something, eager, and hopelessly willing that the next words out of my mouth would be what he so very badly needed to hear. It hurt, because I could almost picture Dina with that same expression. "I--"
His eyes gleamed brighter as all of the feathers along his neck puffed up, his beak parting faintly as if wanting to urge me on but unwilling to interrupt me. He didn't, but I also didn't finish speaking as Balam walked straight into the bathroom through the door; the moment I realized the Jaguar was there my hand phased through Jack's arm and the moment had passed. The Gryphon looked away, murmuring something about 'the damned savage is at it again'. Before I could say anything though, Balam addressed me "There is another Wolf here."
I realized immediately that the Jaguar was letting me know that Treboada wasn't the only wolf spirit present; it also helped that I heard him shouting in the living room. Glancing back at Jack, I saw that the Gryphon's stoic professionalism had taken over once again; he was armed and armored, and looked ready to do battle with something other than his heart. He confirmed my impression with a succinct "I shall protect thee if there is trouble, Richard."
I opened the bathroom door and stepped out into the hallway, heading toward the living room preceded by Balam and followed by Jack. Once I was within view of the doorway I saw that Treboada was already there, head sticking through it and into the space beyond; his tail was lazily swaying back and forth. The moment he realized I was there he pulled all of himself back inside and turned to face me. "Ah... there yeh be, boy-o... ah think yeh'll be glad t'have anotheh guest. G'head an' open th' duir an' invite'er in."
Not knowing exactly what to think of the situation I approached the door and slowly cracked it open. Standing beyond was another Wolf, just as Balam had indicated, but it-- but SHE had cream colored fur. She was of what I'd call average height for a human but she was dressed in a loose-fitting long shirt that went all the way down to her ankles. Her long, flowing mane was almost as long and looked like it was braided behind her. When she saw me she offered a smile, shifting from one bare paw to the other and I swore I was able to hear the distinct jingle of bells. She spoke in so soft a voice I was almost sure I'd missed it, but, then, realized I'd heard exactly what she said, her delicate Irish accent lingering in my ears like an echo. "So you be da Seer den? Lovely."
I-
Well, proper or otherwise, I shall record your vote. ;)
b) --lingered at the door, fully planning on giving this new spirit the third degree before I even consider letting her into my apartment.
c) --looked back to Balam and Jack for guidance.
d) --shrugged, opened the door, and invited her in.
Treboada is already wanting for me to claim her for him, but there are others that matter here. Besides, if I reject her on the other's council, maybe the howling idiot will follow her down the road. Then again, maybe she can remind him that savage does not mean nose blind.
I choose C.
And a part of me is wishing for the Irish wolf spirit at some point to say the words "thirty three" and "three thirds" in that paddy way of speaking XD
And you mean the hard "R"s and the lack of a TH?
Turrty trree an' trree tirrds? :)
Sure... take all of the elegance and mystique out of Sabanah. heh
She seems sweet and kind and is definitely not one of those monsters, so why not just let her in. Jack probably won't like letting random spirits in though haha.
So, I'm going to go with Option (B) -- Richard starts asking her questions -- he can always seek guidance from his spirits based upon her answers. Besides, Jack would likely step in if things got dicey. :)
I had a laugh at the big wolfs antics, and his pervasive sent. I'm sure it lingers on Richard, letting everyone know who he is with. :-P
Choices, choices... in his current state of mind after seeing Jack distraught, I can't see him being so rude as B. What's one more spirit? She could be helpful, and Treboada likes her! Besides, I like the big wolf, so I'm going with D.
Jack is an incredibly deep character; most spirits are once you get past their superficial presentations of themselves.
As for Treboada's scent, it is likely one more thing mortals won't be able to detect... I guess we'll have to wait and see, hmm? :)
Yep! I ROFLed thinking about it. Completely up to the readers, of course, so it COULD happen!