The Fault in Our Star

[Cards of Fate]

Vincent paused as he pondered the question. What did he want? The simple question had a slightly deeper context to him. What he wanted was answers. Stella claimed to come from the sky, but that was impossible. Nothing could live in space, right? every moment he spent with Stella seemed to be another headache in regards to him sorting something else out. First there was the language barrier, then the emotion talks. Everything was...difficult with Stella. Yet as he watched the little munchkin dig into some starfruit covered in sugar, cooing happily with every bite in he silly star language he couldn't help but grin.

This must be what having a little sister felt like, and he didn't quite mind.

"Well Stella." he paused as he sorted out his thoughts. "I want what's best for you, and I don't know the specifics of our trip, but if we do end up getting separated I would like to teach you just a little more common. You still struggle with asking questions like wheres the bathroom, I don't want you lost in Alerar without knowing where to take care of your business." The scholar chuckled at his joke a bit, lips curling up into a slight smirk as he rose from his seat. "If you like that fruit I have a special surprise for you." he rose and left the starling to devour her fruit. He strutted over to the kitchen throwing the door open with confidence.

The entire kitchen had been completely refurbished, months of hard work finally paying off as he looked around. He found the icebox in the back and quickly scampered over to it as he threw the door open and peered in. A small metal bucket filled with a golden mound of frozen dairy stared back at him. "Thank goodness you're still here. I was half worried Ioder or Alyssa would have pilfered you..." he muttered excitedly as he extracted the precious cargo. He had been on "Bring his favorite foods from earth to Althanas" kick with things such as pizza, tacos, soda, and now ice cream. While he had read something about a similar dish in Salvar and had made it his goal to better it and make true ice cream. Something worthy of being served at a Braums.

He quickly pulled out a spoon from a nearby drawer and slammed it shut with a metallic clang as he exited and shot a beaming grin at Stella. "You're going to love this! It's honey flavored..."

[Star Strike]

Stella cocked their head to the side, unsure of the bowl of sand colored mounds with amber veins. The star knew they liked fruit and sugar, most other foods Vincent had offered them to sustain this fleshy vessel had been rejected and ejected by Stella's stomach. Not wishing to further experience 'the vomiting', Stella mimicked Vincent's eyebrow raise from their lessons.

"Sugar?" Stella asked.

Vincent sighed "Yes Stella. There is sugar in the ice cream and," he grinned, "honey contains lots of natural sugars. You'll love it! Go on try it."

As Vincent place the bowl down, the artificial sunlight from the orbs in the room reflected Stella's own amber eyes off the shimmering veins of honey. Taking hold of the spoon, the star dipped the spoon into the soft, solid cream and swallowed. Cold. Sweet. Familiar. "*Ambrosia*" Stella cooed sweetly as the ice cream melted on their tongue. Yes, it was long ago but the star remembered they had tasted this 'honey' once before. Stella's mentor had offered them a taste once at the end of a visit to one world. Although Psaróni do not require to food to live mentor had insisted that Stella taste the sweet, thick, amber fluid mentor called *Ambrosia*.

"Houneee is *Ambrosia*" Stella smiled lightly at Vincent.

[Cards of Fate]

Vincent watched in delight as the young starling took a bite of his concoction. Her coos of delight were all he needed to hear before he was doing a little celebratory jig. “Hell yeah! Wait till the cocoa from Dhethain comes in Stella, then you get to try chocolate!” he exclaimed.

“Choocolate?” Star asked. “Is like *ambrosia?*” she asked her native language whirring like chimes in the wind.

“Yeah, just like…that word.” He said running a hand through his blonde hair. “I think we should wait a bit on your trip until you know enough Common, then we’ll go and take the others and make a big trip out of it? How would you like to go to the port where we met with Alyssa and Ioder? Maybe even Tobias if he isn’t too busy being a grouch?”

[Star Strike]

Stella just nods, eyes locked on the bowl of sweet subsistence.

"I know you haven't really been able to get to know them due to the language barrier but with just a little bit more vocabulary I'm sure you'll feel more at home in no time at all. Can't recall if you had time to enjoy the port when we met but..." Vincent continued on.

What I want is to tell you about me and work toward restoring me to my former glory. I want to go home. To the sky and Deneb and you who have shown a great kindness I cannot help but continue this charade of child dependency. I want to be viewed as a logical equal, not some pet to gain enjoyment from. I do not wish to be your sirius, Orion, for whom you have placed lepus at your feet for me.

"Won't it be nice to hold your own conversations?"

What do we have to converse on? You have no desire to understand me or where I come from demanding that I understand you. Granted failing to do so means I am the lost cause my mentor left me as. Without friendship or companions this mortal frame of flesh will fail me in my lacking of wisdom. Not that most of the offered food seem to support this altered body...

"Stella... Hey Stella! Have you been listening to anything I've been saying?" Vincent asked, eyebrows furrowed he gently rests a hand on their shoulder. Jolting up on their feet, the spoon drops to the floor as Stella pulls away from him.

"I... yes. Sounds nice. Vincent needs sleep." Stella walked slowly around the room to the door maintaining their facing toward Vincent. "*Ambrosia* good. Thank you. Teach in morning. Sleep well Vincent. Good night."

[Cards of Fate]

Vincent paused for a moment as she walked away leaving a half bowl of ice cream that she had previously been chowing down on. “Did I…say something wrong?” he pondered out loud sitting down. Had he been so obsessed in teaching her that he had missed something? He grabbed the spoon and lifted some to his lips, letting the sweet honey flavor wash over his tongue. Smacking his lips he paused, “A tad too much honey…” he mused dropping it down.

He picked the bowl back up and returned back to the kitchen and set it back into the freezer. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Perhaps it was time to hit the books again. The walk back to his room was long and lonely. When he entered the library, he found that his study area had been entirely reorganized.

He hovered over his desk, notes of a pseudo Astari alphabet and possible pronunciations for a human mouth. He frowned and shook his head. He would need a special tool to mimic her voice, one that he had no possible idea on how to go about constructing it. It was a project for another day, something he could only learn one step at a time. He had gotten ok at it, learning basic words by observing her, but he wanted to surprise her with his knowledge. The prefect gift for the coming one year anniversary of her recruitment. He hastily snatched up a pen and scribbled down "Honey equals ???" and then set it down.

He had more pressing studies to attend to, he could only hope Stella was patient enough to understands...

[Star Strike]

Closing their eyes, the starling ran their hand over the painted and embellished door once more. Why... Stella pondered. Why must I act on these groundling emotions. Deneb may have made me in their image but I am not one of them. Grounded in flesh Psaróni am I still or groundling have I truly become?Every sunrise strips me of my strength and hope but to lament my situation is to be one belonging to the ground.

"*Curse this flesh*" the star breathed and sighed. "*Forgive me Vincent of my unsteady glow. I will shine brightly for all of us but for now*" Stella eyes focused on the paint cans still sitting outside of her door, "*I shall create for myself a sky on the ground.*"

Taking the paint can and brush in hand, Stella steps through their door and begins to paint the sky.

[Philomel]

Name of Thread: The Fault In Our Star
Judgement Type: Workshop Submission
Names of Participants: Cards of Fate and Starstrike

Rewards:

Cards of Fate:
905 EXP
105 GP

Starstrike:
675 EXP
105 GP

[Hysteria]

XP and GP added!