Songs of a Lonely Heart

[Flamebird]

"Do people change?"

The woman who was supposed to be her mother threw her away from her, landing the toddler on the ground. Felicity remembered the still shock at the haunting words that hurt way worse than the strike. "I don't have a daughter! Never have! This, this thing before me is nothing but the spawn of an island brute - a parasite leeching inside me for nine months! Just go die already!"

"Can people change?"

The woman stood still as she faced her brother, "I will... always miss you, Fulcrum. I am sorry you must leave." She frowned, "You are leaving. Leaving me for that..." words seemed to fail her as sharp, sick eyes darted towards Felicity then back to Fulcrum, "At least, I can thank you for taking that abomination away. It was nothing but a stain to my family's name."

"How do people change?"

The fourteen year old held the practice blade in the perfect mirror of her teacher. Ashla Icebreaker turned to Felicity with a smile, "You're improving. Felicity, you are such a fast learner!"

Felicity giggled, lowering her sword. Ashla thought she was a good learner! - Wait! Felicity was too late to block the upcoming blow, creamed by the blunt training sword. Felicity moaned, dropping her training weapon and holding her head. As she winced, Ashla tried to get a good view to make sure she had not hurt her too much. The concern melted when she saw that Felicity looked more stubborn than concussed.

"You're a quick learner," Ashla smirked as she held her practice sword up, "But you're easily distracted."

Ashla chuckled before assuming another stance, "You're lucky this wasn't a real fight."

Felicity immediately slipped into another stance, trying to focus. She would not fail this time!

"Now," Ashla Icebreaker spoke calmly, "Let's try again."

"Do people only change for the worse change?"

She was aggressive. The sound of ringing metal and human grunts and shouts drove all wildlife away as the fifteen year old redhead struggled; shaking in physical weakness.

Felicity was being continually forced back in the ferocious swings. With the blunt side of her sword sweeping the teen's lower leg, the half-elf forced Felicity to fall to her side, dropping her blade.

"Weak!" She shouted critically.

In the uncomfortable dirt and itchy grass, the teen tried to pull herself up. However, her teacher walked around her and raised her foot, pressing it against her back as her blade slightly pressed into the girl's neck. It was not enough to injure, but it was enough to hurt.

"A-Ashla-"

"Ayleth!" She shouted in a dominating, rage filled tone.

"Yeah, that…" the girl grunted, visibly under both physical and emotional stress, "Ca-can we take five and-"

"No." Ayleth replied icily, "We will stop when your defense improves.”

Removing the blade and lowering her foot, she took a step back in apathy and waited for the sweating, bruised girl to return to her opening stance. "Get up."

Pushing her shaking body to respond, the young woman stood up, but did not raise her sword again, "Ayleth, please…"

The young woman walked up to her, lowering her sword. With bitterness written on her face, she raised her hand and backhanded her cheek. "Obey, apprentice."

Holding her cheek in pain, the girl struggled to stand, but held herself together. Closing her eyes to push back her tears, she responded timidly, submissively, "Yes, ma'am."

"Or was that worse there from the beginning?"

"Don't worry, child." Daisuke Toivonen held up the bottle, filled with a strange orange liquid, "This serum will do nothing to harm you.

Only, it did.

"Do they change? Or does your viewpoint change?"

"You... Just traded a deadly potion with that mercenary!" Felicity gaped in shock as Daisuke counted the coins on his counter.

"Yes. Why?"

Felicity sputtered, "He's clearly going to kill someone with that! There will be blood on your hands!"

Daisuke scoffed, not looking up from his counting, "It does not matter how our customers use our products. Now, were you not going to collect some athelas from the woods beyond town? Go on then."

"Do people change?"

"Give it back!" Felicity was too short, jumping, she was unable to reach the headband Leoric held up in the air.

"What's the matter?" Leoric scoffed as a crowd gathered around them. The inn was quite the place to start an argument. Then again, Leoric's cheeks were rosy from drunkenness. He dangled the cloth purposefully, keeping it just out of reach.

The floor boards started to groan as Felicity landed hard on them, jump after jump.

"Admit it," Leoric smirked, "You need to wear a headband to feel good about your mountain forehead, to cover it!"

Felicity's small limbs did not serve her well in this. She loathed her neanderthal traits. If she had longer arms, human arms, she would not need to jump to get her headband. No, Felicity would not need that headband in the first place if she was fully human. She would actually be beautiful.

She gritted her teeth, struggling not to just punch him as she gave up, crossing her arms as she threatened, "Don't make me hurt you!"

Leoric swiped his half empty pint from the table and pulled it to his lips. Swinging the headband like a hoola hoop in his finger, he lowered the glass. Mead slipped down his beard as he yawned, "Eh, you don't scare me, half pint. Not when your powers are just an overblown period."

Felicity's cheeks burned red as some laughter broke out in the audience. "Give. it. back!"

Leaning against his table, Leoric did not stop swinging the headband around, "You know, if you ask nicely, we could do a few jobs and see if we can turn you fully human."

Silence.

Felicity stood there, shocked and feeling as if a stone had been hurled at her. Suggesting that she was inferior the way she was. Again. Feeling this deep inside but wishing it was not true. Again. She wanted to trade her red hair, green eyes, forehead, limbs, short stocky body for the beauty of the petite brunettes she'd seen in bars. She was jealous. Yet, it was everything she despised as well. How dare she be anything but herself? By default, was she less valuable? She kept hoping that it was not true.

Some hushes fell over the crowd as she took a couple steps forward. Standing next to him, Felicity could barely stay her shaking hand as a tear slipped down her cheek.

"Never suggest anything like that ever again."

Felicity found herself moving. The anger overpowered as she landed a punch in the gut, "Got it?"

"Can people change for the better?"

Felicity stumbled into the bar, still feeling only half awake. She had no idea what time it was, she was hoping she was not too late to meet Leoric here. As she slowly walked through the bar, she passed chairs and tables where some gave her peculiar looks. Felicity was too drained to respond. Yet another terrifyingly long moment in a corner somewhere, fighting the past that actively haunted her. Felicity finally found Leoric, sitting with a group of four friends around a round table. Well, Leoric must of considered them friends, because they did nothing but taunt her.

One of the friends looked up and immediately chuckled in amusement, "Hey, Leoric, your little bitch is here."

Everyone turned to face her, and another two immediately burst out laughing, "Her dress is on backwards!"

Exhausted, flushed with embarrassment, Felicity looked down to see that indeed, her dream was put on backwards. Butterflies arose inside. She had thrown this simple green dress on for tonight; but had been too spaced out by watching so much death in front of her again. She looked up to see that Leoric had stood up and was approaching her. What now? Why had she come here? Would Leoric taunt her too? Wait, was one of the chairs down and one of the men on the floor?

No, he lifted a soft hand, holding a cloth, and started to clean her face. "Your eyes are puffy, it happened again?"

He... Realized what had happened. Felicity barely enunciated a mumble of confirmation as the drinking buddies whispered amongst themselves.

"You need to go train to get your mind off of it?" Felicity was shocked. Leoric was all about his booze, yet here he was willing to leave a bar... for her too.

Felicity opened her mouth to voice her confusion. Leoric lifted his hand and gently motioned her to not speak. "I dont mind, I had enough mead to solve my cravings."

A protest arose from the table behind as Felicity's barely functioning head spun "Oh, you've only had one, mate! Come on get a few more in yeah!"

Felicity was bewildered that he was completely ignoring them. "Come on, let's get back. Fix yourself up and let's spar."

From the table, another spoke up, "Hey, if she's changing, let us watch!"

Felicity's temperature rose at the comment. Before she could respond, Leoric whipped around and extended a fist.

The man protested, "You were thinking the same thing!"

It did not save him from the ranged punch that sent him flying. As the other two conscious members of the group ran to check on him, Leoric pulled her away from her away from the scene. Had Leoric... Just given up drinks and merriment for her? Had Leoric... Just defended her? Felicity had to admit, leaning on him for support as they walked into the streets of night, that she felt warm and comfortable inside. Somehow, despite her meltdown and the drunk men's taunts, everything was going to be alright.

"Do people change?"