Mommy Issues

[Flamebird]

Mommy Issues

Closed to Philomel.

[Flamebird]

Felicity Rhyolite had grown up in Corone. Sure, she was born in the winter chill of Eiskalt, but Corone was her true home. Of course, since the Apocalypse, it had not been what it used to be. As she traveled the dirt road, carrying her possessions on her back, she stared in sadness at the feilds. At this time of year, tall grasses and flowers would be dotting the open hilly feilds of this region. The lack of decent sunlight led to the landscape instead having short, weak feilds of green and yellow grasses. One or two flowers popped up in defiance here and there, but they were the brave ones.

Felicity sighed, coming to a stop in the middle of the road and looking around. She was positive she had taken a wrong turn. It had been over five months since she had been transported to Salvar during Arius Mephisto's assault on Whitevale. Felicity had braved the snowy wilds and paranoid peoples of Salvar to get back to Corone, back to Whitevale, her home. It had been quite the journey, but it was not over until she returned to Whitevale, was back with Shinsou, and defeated Arius once and for all. It was her drive, her purpose. She would not stop until it was done.

Still, she was positive she had made a wrong turn. The road to Whitevale was smooth enough, but up ahead Felicity could see a serious of large boulders.

Wait, she thought, I can climb the rocks and get a better view!

She took off in a sprint towards the boulders, determination and anxiety soaring in her chest. Her bags, equipment, and weapons clanged irritatingly as she envisioned a man in a white trench coat.

"I'm coming!" She panted, "I promise!"

Eventually, she made it to a tall boulder, more like a mound, in the grass dotted plain. She tore her equipment off, leaving just her oversized shirt and brown pants. With reckless abandon, she started to scale the steep rock. Physically mighty and powerful, she was easily strong enough to hoist herself up and grapple the rocks. As she climbed, she grew hastily irritated. She gritted her teeth, struggling to climb the loose stones and stay up. A rush of anger caused her to snap, and she thoughtlessly reached and pulled up. Her anger cost her, however, as the rocks completely gave away and she found herself falling from the rock.

"Wha-"

A stinging could be felt in her hand.

Don't tell me... I cut myself climbing...

She fell to the ground, unharmed. Rocks fell like rain around her as she lifted her hand and witnessed the smallest of cuts in her palm. That was all it took for her powers to activate, and for her to loose her cool.

She let her hand fall to the ground as she heard the crumbling of pebbles around her.

"Oh, I'll never get home at this rate..."

~~~

Eventually, as the dim sky glowed pink above her, Felicity made it to the top of the rock - after putting on thick gloves, of course. Atop the boulder, Felicity looked around. Indeed, she could see Concordia's deep forests from several miles off. Between them and here, the same dull plains and winding roads. Felicity could not recognize this part of Corone at all, and it frightened her. How did she stray this far from her goal? Frustration festered in her as she turned and looked in the other direction. She saw, in that moment, a ray of hope.

Amongst the towering stones, half resurrected feilds, and dots of trees, there was a single, lonely house.

If she could talk to the residents of that place, she could get an idea of where she was! She leapt and slid down the steep boulder. Reaching the ground, the retrieved her things and started in the direction of the cabin.

Little did she know the storm she would face in the near future here...

[Philomel]

How long had it been?

Weeks, if not months, of walking through cold streets at night, praying under the stars for guidance. She had neither committed to battle, nor declared any serious campaign of late. The Gilded lily, after the meteor had struck and the treaty formed with the Brotherhood, had become dedicated to rebuilding society, and that was what Philomel's attentions had been on mostly for the late while. That, and the declaration by the crew of her ship, the Feisty Fox, that they were now thing to go it alone and be independent.

Which was fine. It was days and weeks ago now. Besides, philomel has new, much more recent and pressing matters on her mind.

Or rather, on her tummy. In her tummy, really, which was now quite impossible to hide on her fine musclef physique.

Another baby. And this time entirely unplanned, and she had no idea who the father was.

Once again after was alone. At least, in her terms. Veridian would never leave her be - he was her soul'd other half after all. He sat on her shoulders as she traipsed through the long grasses, saying nothing but being an ear to hear her sighs. Beneath them, inevitably, deep in the belly of the earth, dug the mighty wyrm dragon, Delath, whom she has adopted long ago, and had been blessed by her goddess. But quite if she was blessed now, quite if this child, like her daughter, was a gift from Drys, Philomel knew not.

She had received no response from Drys recently in her 'why' prayers and she was beginning to feel like this was all that terrible thing she had heard of.

A 'test'.

[Flamebird]

As Felicity drew near the house, she could feel her sense of magic starting to flare. What is it?

She blew a loose strand of hair from her face as she diverged off the path, walking towards the direction of the magic. Hopefully, it was a person. Hopefully, they were friendly enough to be of help to her. As her alchemist's satchel bounced over her waistline, she found herself in a grassy field where the house was still in walking distance. Indeed, she saw a person there. She... looked familiar...

A purple haired woman with the upper frame of a human and legs of a goat. Her purple, curled hair covered her face as she caressed the fur of a fox with gentle care. Felicity realized that, indeed, she was familiar. Remembering one of the more friendly encounters she had in the Citadel, Felicity raised her hand and waved as she called out, "Philomel!"

Philomel! She had first met her in the Citadel, but knew her as the leader of the Gilded Lady - which currently had a Treaty with the Brotherhood! She was positive by the way Shinsou talked of her when the Gilded Lady was brought up that they must know each other somehow as well. This, however, was where only speculation began on Felicity's part. Still, she was an ally. Of course an ally would be able to help! Felicity approached her, footsteps soft yet weighed down by a day full of travels.

[Philomel]

The part barbarian, part fiery furnace was not someone she had expected to see out here in the wild fields. Yes indeed there was some small house or two here, smoke rising like a kite on the wind - but that did not mean Philomel has expected to find someone she knew. Least of all a close acquaintance of ...

Shinsou.

Felicity what's her face. Roulette, or Riot, or Rosette. Rye-something. Red hair. Infamous temper. Some powerful ka-boom ability. Impressive, certainly, if the faun had been wanting to test her mettle, or stand beside her in battle. Not someone you wanted to see while you were deciding what to do about the baby in your belly.

Felicity waved, happily. Philomel groaned. Oh no, she was going to have to wave back and then there would be an expectation of friendliness and awkward, " how have you been?" banter. Not exactly what the faun was used to these lonely days.

Crap she thought as she raised a hand and waved back.

Veridian laughed silently, his foxy features curving upwards cheekily.

"Hi," Philomel said uneasily, not sure how to be happy at the moment. "Hi."

[Flamebird]

As Felicity ran up to Philomel, she noticed that compared to the spunky fox, Philomel looked drained. Her weak wave and short hello did nothing to hide a level of emotional and physical exhaustion Felicity was unaquanted with. Felicity knew exhaustion well, due to her constant PTSD enduced nightmares, but Philomel's magical energy felt... Bizarre. Why? Felicity's smile had hastily faded. Curiousity and concern took over as she noticed a small bulge in Philomel's stomach. Was that what she thought it was?

She needed to confirm, but felt too awkward just asking. Closing her eyes, Felicity expanded her magical senses. Taking in the world on a magical level. The fox was bright and free, with a flaming magical aura far exceeding his physical body. It reminded Felicity of the Phoenix of legend, and Felicity had to force her to not become enamored with it.

Philomel's magical aura was a lot more complicated. Earthy and natural, Felicity could smell and taste the natural elements of the earth. Wrapped with a complex personality, the aura was swirled with bubbling complexions of disgusted, saddened waters and bizarre elements and pheromones. Yet, in the center of Philomel's incredibly complicated Magical Signature, she saw another magical reading all together. Another, smaller person. Magic pure and unaffected by the world, yet still already shaped by a level of personality even now. Yes, this confirmed it perfectly.

Felicity opened her eyes to the physical world again. She was taken aback for several moments, while looking down to see that the faun's stomach was indeed swollen due to pregnancy.

Was this why she was so distraught?

"You're..." Felicity ventured, "Not doing well?" Felicity hesitated before adding, "You need to keep healthy, for both of you."

[Philomel]

Philomel watched the human-ish's eyes travel down, the startling green dropping down to the faun's abdomen and coming to rest where that small but noticeable bump now was. How long had it been now - four, maybe five months, give or take some lord and viscount clients. Philomel had thought herself to be alone one this trip, hence not taking time to wear exceptionally baggy clothes, and instead she had on her more usual cotton blouse and material wrap for a short skirt. Her natural fur covered her goat legs enough.

Uneasily, she ran a hand through her locks, patting her horn almost in an uncomfortable way as Flamey-birdy spoke.

Did she have anything to do with birds? Definitely there was fire in her hair and personality, but she wasn't flighty, she couldn't fly ...

Ugh, Philomel muttered, stroking Veridian briefly before she smiled nervously.

"Uh, yeah, uh. Both of us. Yeah Veridian is healthy ..."

Although that was completely not what Flamebird meant. And Philomel knew it. With a sigh she patted her stomach. "Yes, I'm in the family way. It's ... Complicated. I have no idea who the father is and have no idea how it happened. I use a method of contraception that's been working for me for years and ..."

Suddenly she stopped gushing, feeling the tears eek at the corners of her eyes, threatening to fall. "I'm sorry," she said with some pain in her voice. "I just get so emotional right now. I've no idea how it happened, how I was such an idiot and I've not told anyone yet. And all of this, and the fallout after the meteor and Shinsou just disappearing randomly whenever he wants, despite apparently being loyal to me. Ugh!"

She threw her hands into the air. "So, how have you been?"

[Flamebird]

This was... a lot to take in.

As the faun cried her eyes out, Felicity was struck with feelings of empathy. Felicity knew the feeling of being out of control and alone, though her situations were insanely different.

Still, as harsh memories of Arius Mephisto's attack on Whitevale flashed in her mind, Felicity sat down in the grass. First thing was first.

"I was there when he disappeared." Tears flooded her eyes, "I'm sorry I couldn't stop it..."

Felicity gulped, trying so hard to be the composed one between the two. "Arius Mephisto attacked, and we couldn't stop him. I - I saw him teleport Shinsou, against his will, somewhere!"

Felicity reached up and wiped her eyes, "I got teleported myself. To Salvar. It's taken me over a month to get back." And it took me yet another month, staying with Leoric. It's been way too long...

Felicity had been ripping grasses out of the ground this whole time, being under such distress. She had not even noticed until now, looking down to see tufts of grass ripped out and spots of cold dirt.

"Just like me, I know he's trying to come back. I just know it. I don't know what your relationship was like, but, Philomel," Felicity looked up at her with a smile, leaning forward, "He has not abandoned you."

Felicity leaned back, trying to wrap her head around the second topic of the child. Felicity was not going to make any comments on a sexual lifestyle she thought was abhorrent. Well, of course you got pregnant sleeping around like that! You're not like Leoric, you're a girl. Ever took biology courses or had that talk with your family? You can get pregnant, you fool! Sex is how babies happen! What a strange, new concept!

Still, with a sigh, she could not deny that another thing crossed her mind. Not knowing who the father was, unplanned... Felicity had been an unplanned child herself. Harsh emotions swelled and swirled inside as she remembered her own mother, cruelly.

"No! Get away from me, wretch! I don't have a daughter! Never have!"

Felicity grimaced, her emotional disturbances clearly visible as tears formed in her eyes again.

"You... Love that child, right?" Felicity recalled the young, pure magical signature of the child Philomel was carrying, "Right?"

[Philomel]

Love? Love?

Philomel looked down at her bump, her lips forming a little frown as she thought about the suggestion and the word and the meaning. Slowly, the faun blinked, not sure if she was bemused or irritated by the question, or something else entirely. Because it wasn't something she had expected to be asked by anyone. It wasn't something Veridian had asked her, that she had asked herself, that she had even thought about, really. Most of her thoughts had been consumed over the dilemma of whether or not to have it.

"Well I uh, I do usually take a herb that keeps me from ..." She shook her head. "But I ... I'm not sure ..."

Roughly, clearly stressed by the question the emotional, pregnant matriarch thought about what the red head had said earlier about the Arius character and Shinsou. Now that made her worry. What if he was the father?! It was certainly possible! Now he had been kidnapped by the very monster that had threatened them all before. I mean it was so typical of him to exit with that much drama, but -

Ugh. Ugh ugh, she didn't need that to deal with too. He had better make his way back to her, otherwise she'd get very, very angry. At him. And you didn't want a grumpy, pregnant faun angry with you.

"That's a complicated question," she finally answered. "I - I'm not even sure I'm keeping it. Celandine is enough work."

Even though, of course, Celandine had a full-time governess now and had spent the first five years of her life being raised by others.

[Flamebird]

"What!?"

The clear shock and emotion on her face, as if facing her own betrayal, was too obvious. The burning look in her eyes, the way she gritted her teeth under a saddened frown. Disappointment, disgust, and that familiar rage were exclaimed in her pained voice as her eyes began to swell with tears.

She should have known that a prostitute would have no care for her offspring, if she could not even care for a single partner to stay loyal to. After all, she was positive Leoric had never loved her. It was repulsive! Feeling sick, Felicity clenched her fists as her face turned red.

Unwanted. Uncared for. Unloved. Felicity remembered her few harsh memories of her own 'mother' as she struggled to find words. Panting, Felicity glared at Philomel with a face screaming of frustration and injustice. This was an injustice. Felicity could forever feel the absence of a mother in her life, especially her birth mother. Especially, she could feel the scorn and hatred of the woman who should of been her caretaker and comforter. She could feel the spite. To this day, she was wounded from it.

The innocent signature of that child. No. No, that angel was too sweet to be cast away from love and warmth. That child. That precious child...

Tears fell from her eyes and dripped from her jaws. Still, she could not find the words to describe this oldest agony of her life. She could not find the words to beg Philomel to reconsider this. All she felt, all she could feel, was the rage on behalf of this beautiful child being forsaken.

Felicity's mouth opened. Her eyes dilated as she did not speak, but scream. A scream, like a wild animal dying in a forest. A horrible, wretched scream that echoed across the Coronian fields. The scream lasted long. Her throat burned and her voice cracked before it died down. Feeling the urge to just attack Philomel, to hurt her, but sane enough not to do so, she just turned around and kicked up a tuft of grass before stomping off.

Of course, she had no idea where she was going. She was still lost.