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| Details |
| Author: | Alli |
| Summary: | A chance meeting between Alysson, Florande and Hespyth reveals that they have more connections than they might have guessed. The conversation spans complicated families and dragonflights. ~3600 words. |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
Alysson Mondragon is by a lakeshore in the north of Stormwind.
An unexpected sea lion swims up from the lake. Perhaps less unexpectedly, it turns into an elvish woman as it comes to shore.
Alysson sees the sea lion and grins excitedly. When it turns into an elf, his grin only widens, and he jogs over eagerly. "Elune adore!"
Florande stretches and yawns, oddly catlike, as she looks around the shoreline. She look over at the human in surprise and says, "Elune adore. Fanduh dath belore?"
[Alysson]: Fand…uhh… I'm not that advanced yet, sorry.
[Florande]: Oh! Oh you do not know how to speak. *Florande blinks at him.* Sorry, sorry, I will speak in Common. You said the greeting well.
Alysson beams. "Thanks, I've been practicin'!" He notices her tabard. "Oh, you're Cobalt?"
Florande nods seriously. Water drips from her ears. "Yes, I am an elite mercenary. I was in Vashj'ir not long ago. It is much deeper down than this lake. I am… oh who are you? That is what I was asking."
[Alysson]: Name's Alysson. I, too, am an elite mercenary from Cobalt, but on missions I'm known only as'Hero.'
Alysson winks.
[Florande]: Ohhh! You're my colleague! I'm sorry I didn't recognize you. *She peers at his chest, as if she might have missed a tabard there* So should I call you Hero? Or are you Alysson now?
[Alysson]: Alysson for now, unless I've gotta start the ol' world savin' business. *He glances at the lake.* Do I? Is there somethin' up with the…I mean down, with the lake?
[Florande]: No, no, only delicious fish. *Florande shakes her head.* You would think I would be sick of them after Vashj'ir, but… I'm not. And I did not tell you who I am, either. I am Florande Wildbloom. I am called the same thing whether I am on a mission or not.
[Alysson]: Hey, that's a neat name you've got. Flora means plants, so you've got the whole wild bloomin' plants thing goin' on. I like it.
Florande smiles. "Yes, and it works well because I am a druid. It would not be as good a name if I were a Sentinel like my mom.”
[Alysson]: Sentinels… are the whole warrior lady types, right? I bet they could still make the plants bloom if they smiled at'em. They don't… do that much, some of'em.
Florande nods vigorously. "Warrior ladies, very stern. My mother used to smile more than she does now, so maybe she will again. She is also a Wildbloom, so maybe… do you like flowers?"
[Alysson]: I don't see what's not to like about'em. They're pretty an' they smell nice, an' sometimes when you give'em to fellows it makes'em smile.
[Florande]: It does? Maybe I should give people flowers more often. I am not really an expert on plants, but I know enough to grow flowers. I am more of a fauna girl, even though my name is Flora.
[Alysson]: S'pose that would make for a different soundin' name, Faunande.
Florande giggles.
[Florande]: I don't think that sounds much like a kaldorei name. Maybe mine is okay as it is. *Florande sits on the ground unselfconsciously, and starts wringing out her hair.* Have you been Hero recently, then?
Alysson sits down with her. He is not afraid of the ground. "Matter of fact, I was helpin' with a dragon fellow in a lair recently."
[Florande]: A dragon fellow, really? There were dragons up in Northrend, but I have not worked with any around here. Which dragon?
Alysson leans forward eagerly. "So he was a bad dragon. His name was Nefarious or somthin', and the weirdest thing? He'd already died before. He was a dead-but-not-dead dragon."
Florande's eyes widen. "Like a death knight dragon? Nefarious the death knight dragon. That is terrifying. He was here?"
[Alysson]: He wasn't… here here, he was holed up in a mountain doin' evil dragon stuff. But we stopped'im.
[Florande]: That is a very hero thing to do. I have not much fought dragons before, though I know there were frozen dead ones in Northrend.
[Alysson]: I uh… Yeah. I've talked to dragons in the ol' North End. I sorta… upset one, when talkin' about'er Pops. And Cobalt had to kill the poor fellow. I never got to apologize.
[Florande]: Oh, that's sad. *Florande's ears droop.* A Pops is… a dad? Like a papa? My Pops is not very nice either, but they decide to rebilitate him instead of killing him.
Alysson nods. "Maybe it'll help, your Pops gettin' a second chance an' all. Mine's still in his runnin' phase. He'll be back. Probably."
[Florande]: Runnin' phase? What is that? Is it a human thing?
[Alysson]: Y'know, it might be. It's when your Pops finds out he's got a son, an' he disappears off someplace without a word. But my first Pops died, so I s'pose the runnin' phase is better than the dead phase.
Florande scoots over to sit next to Alysson and reaches out to give him a hug. She can totally be rebuffed. "I am sorry about your first Pops. But… maybe it is not just a human thing? I'm not a son, so… I think my own Pops did a runnin' phase back when he had a son.
Alysson hugs her back. He likes hugs. Maybe he thinks it's for her. "You've got a brother?"
Florande nods. "Half-brother, Celaven. He told me that our Pops was not interested in him, ran off to do druid things."
Florande pats him on the back as she pulls back from the hug, smiling. She likes hugs.
Alysson stares at her. "Ven? Your brother is Ven? He's my teach— uh, wait, what's the kaldorei word… Shan'do? He's the one who taught me about Elune!"
[Florande]: He's your shan'do! I did not know he had a thero'shan! *Florande brightens, sadness forgotten.* Is he a good shan'do?
[Alysson]: The best! He taught me all about listenin' and speakin' with the heart, and meditatin', an' he even came to rescue me when my aunt attacked me.
[Florande]: Whoa! That sounds like good things except… your aunt attacked you? Why? Do aunts get an attacking phase?
[Alysson]: Y'know, they might. She was real nice up until then. Only aunt I had, too. Heard she died though. Rather, she for-real died. She was dead-but-not-dead before that. Do you have any aunts?
[Florande]: I'm sorry about your aunt. *Florande looks at him seriously.* And maybe the attacking phase was because of the dead-but-not-dead? They can get mean sometimes. I don't have any aunts, though I do have a… um… the person who used to be the partner of my father. Which is… not related, but she feels sort of like I imagine an aunt would? Also she is the shalan of my shan'do, so that probably makes some of the feeling, too.
[Alysson]: Sounds like you've got a big family. I've got my Ma, my axe Ma, my sad Ma, an' Miss'meiria, who's the Ma of my sister.
[Florande]: Oh, so you have a half-one too! Though you have three mothers… *Florande looks faintly puzzled.* I just have my shan'do, his shalan, my half-sister and my half-brother, and then also my mom.
[Florande]: My dad does not count, because he's not a good person. I could have had a sister and a brother all my life, only he never told me they existed.
[Alysson]: Aww… were you lonely? I dunno where I'd be without'Randy.
[Florande]: I… think I was? I used to wander around in the forest when I was little, and I didn't feel alone. But now that I have such a big family, it feels nice in a way it didn't feel nice before. Is Randy your sister?
[Alysson]: Yeah, seven days younger. We've always been together. We didn't have parents at the time, it was just us. We set out to find'em together, an' we did, at least, find Miss'meiria an' my Ma.
[Florande]: But not the other two mas? The um… axe ma? And the sad ma?
[Alysson]: They're uh. In the same body. My Ma's a bit strange that way.
[Florande]: Oh. Huh. *Florande blinks* I do not think I've ever met anyone with two people in them.
[Alysson]: Ogres have that, sometimes. My Ma hasn't got two heads though.
[Florande]: Oh, right, the mages. They must be two people because two brains. My family is more a lot of bodies and each with one person.
[Alysson]: That'd make it less confusin' at least.
Alysson smiles at her.
Florande smiles back. "Yes, less confusing. Families are confusing enough as it is."
Florande spots a highborne walking down the path.
Alysson sees another elf and pops to his feet. "Elune adore!"
Hespyth startles a little at the greeting, ears twitching, then smiles nervously. "Oh, hello! … Cobalt tabard!"
[Florande]: Elune adore! And he does not actually speak more Darnassian than that, so yes good Common. You are Cobalt too? We are both Cobalt!
[Hespyth]: Yes, yes I — I'm new. Hespyth Silverlight.
[Florande]: Hespyth Silv… oh? *Florande blinks at her* From Darkshore?
[Alysson]: You know'er?
[Hespyth]: From Eldre'thalas…
[Alysson]: Is that… far away?
Hespyth nods.
[Florande]: I… maybe do. The name sounds like someone my ma mentioned. But you are from… Feralas?
Hespyth nods.
[Hespyth]: Mm hm, mm hm.
[Florande]: I am Florande Wildbloom. From Ashenvale, mostly.
Hespyth nibbles at the fingertips of one of her gloves.
[Hespyth]: Wildbloom… Like Sarandis.
Alysson watches the nibbling curiously, then tries chewing on his own gloves.
[Florande]: Yes, yes! That is my mother.
[Hespyth]: Oh!
Hespyth spots Alysson chewing on his gloves, and her face flushes. She jerks her hands away from her mouth and laces them behind her back.
Florande looks at her own hands, possibly wondering if they both have tasty gloves. She is not wearing gloves, and thus cannot test her own.
[Hespyth]: Your mother is… very brave.
Hespyth curtsies before you.
[Hespyth]: I am honored to meet you.
Florande smiles and curtsies back clumsily. "Thank you. She said good things about all of you. That she faced fire with you."
Hespyth nods at you.
[Alysson]: Does she not like facing fire?
Florande shakes her head. "She was burned. I think people usually don't like fire after they are burned."
[Hespyth]: But… I am sorry for to interrupt.
Hespyth turns away awkwardly and casts her fishing line into the pond.
[Florande]: Oh, no, please do. We had just met too. He is Alysson, and he is learning about Elune.
[Hespyth]: Oh?
[Florande]: Or Hero, but not right now because there is no mission for him to do. *She glances at Alysson to make sure she got that right*
[Hespyth]: You do not know about Elune, Alysson?
Hespyth speaks softly as though in astonishment.
[Alysson]: Well, humans aren't raised on stories of Elune, but I thought it'd be nice to learn more an' follow Her teachin's.
[Florande]: That is a good instinct, I think.
[Hespyth]: Oh, yes, yes… Elune is… very nice. I feel sad for humans who have… only a light, and no goddess.
[Alysson]: Right?! That's what I said, what's a fellow to do without a Mother Moon watchin' over'im properly?
Florande pulls out her own fishing pole as well. "She watches over all of us, every night. Hespyth, are you a priestess?"
[Hespyth]: No, I am a mage.
[Alysson]: You can do magic?
Hespyth nods shyly.
[Alysson]: Whoaa. I thought Kaldorei didn't like magic.
[Florande]: Oh, really? *Florande lets her fishing pole drop down as she looks at Hespyth curiously.* You are… one of the old people from Eldre'Thalas?
[Hespyth]: In the old days, we were best at magic. Only after the Sundering, the new kaldorei… turn away from magic.
[Alysson]: I met someone who was like that. Anareline. But I was tryin' to tell'er, magic can be good, too.
[Florande]: Really? She is the shalan of my shan'do! We have so much almost connection. My shan'do probably remembers also the time before. I do not because I am very young.
[Hespyth]: There are … few of us now. You call, Highborne. My sister and I are this. There are few, now.
[Alysson]: I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe more will come around soon.
Hespyth bursts out laughing at Alysson's comment, an ungraceful snorting sound. She covers her mouth and clears her throat.
Alysson blinks. Oh. He said something funny. He smiles.
Florande's ears twitch. "Like new Highborne babies?"
[Hespyth]: Oh, I will never ever ever have a baby… not ever…
Hespyth shudders.
[Florande]: Is it so bad? I guess I made my mother do it. By, um, being born.
Hespyth giggles wildly again.
[Hespyth]: You did not make her do this. She … choosed it, hm?
Florande giggles. "I never asked her why I was born. But I guess she must have. And she is happy I am here, so…"
[Alysson]: I can't have a baby the same way you ladies can. I don't think. Pretty sure.
[Hespyth]: I do not know humans.
[Florande]: If it is like kaldorei, then no. But you can with a partner, at least. Someday. I mean, I am not going to have a baby anytime soon. I am not even thirty.
[Alysson]: I'm not even thirty either!
[Hespyth]: Only kaldorei with… mmm… I do not know the word… *She makes a gesture toward her lower belly*. Place to grow a baby, and they must be healthy and happy for baby.
[Hespyth]: I do not remember how old I am…. eleven thousand? Maybe?
Alysson nods sagely. "Infinity."
Florande gasps. "Really? You are maybe older than Shan'do Silvershade and Imrolane! Is it hard to remember the things from so long ago?"
[Hespyth]: in..fin..i..ty……
[Hespyth]: Memory is… hm. Strange. Some pieces are… bright, some are dim.
[Hespyth]: Many years after Eldre'thalas fall, very same. All is the same. So it… disappears. I remember only… sharp pieces from before.
Florande looks curious. "Maybe like I can't remember every time I ate a fish in Vashj'ir, but I do remember the fight against the naga." *Florande nods*
[Alysson]: So only the important stuff. Not stuff like what you had for breakfast the day before?
Hespyth laughs.
[Hespyth]: Correct, no breakfast memories.
[Hespyth]: I remember when the world broke. Both times. In between is… a fog.
[Florande]: What did I eat for…? *Florande is momentarily distracted by trying to remember what she ate for breakfast this morning* Oh, right. Cookie.
Hespyth suddenly turns to look at them both, her eyes intent, fingers laced together.
Florande straightens under the scrutiny.
[Hespyth]: This was the first time… for both of you… to see the world break. Oh, you must was so afraid…
[Alysson]: I… *Alysson awkwardly averts his gaze.* I wasn't here to see it. See, there was this mission, an' it took me elsewhere.
[Hespyth]: Oh, how lucky! How lucky!
[Florande]: What mission? Outland?
[Alysson]: Top secret Hero mission. *Alysson, for once, does not sound excited about the mission.*
[Florande]: I was… in the Plaguelands. *Florande says, crossing her hands.* At least, when Deathwing came out.
[Hespyth]: Deathwing… this is what they call Xaxas now, yes?
[Hespyth]: Deathwing is a good name.
[Florande]: Xaxas? Is he the black dragon aspect?
Hespyth blinks at Florande.
[Hespyth]: You do not know the dragons??
[Hespyth]: Mm, he was Neltharion. But then he became Xaxas.
[Florande]: I do not know that name. *Florande wilts a little* I have been learning history, but mostly druid history.
[Hespyth]: Mm, no black dragons in druid history.
[Florande]: Mostly just green.
[Hespyth]: You know Ysera, hm? *she murmurs something in Darnassian that means'she of the dreaming' *
Alysson perks up at the Darnassian and tries to listen.
[Florande]: Ysera, yes! Alysson, you should meet the Dreamer too, if you haven't.
[Florande]: I do not know where she is now, but probably in the Dream.
[Hespyth]: Malygos was my dragon, but he… Xaxas broke his mind. And now he is… gone. I have had to… start again, with magic.
[Alysson]: I don't think I can get to the ol' Dream place.
[Hespyth]: The ley lines are different. I learned too much the old ways.
Hespyth peers at Alysson searchingly.
[Alysson]: And uh… Sorry with what happened to Malygoose. We… Cobalt had to um. Do for'im.
[Hespyth]: Yes, that is why I joined you. You ended his pain.
[Hespyth]: And mine.
[Hespyth]: But no, you and I cannot go to the Dream. This is for Ysera's. Druids.
Hespyth nods at Alysson.
[Florande]: And yes. Except for emergencies, like when Stormrage called us all. Maybe he will again someday, but… I will not hope for emergencies. *Florande pauses and then looks at Alysson.* "That is the one you mentioned before? The one you had to kill?"
[Alysson]: I didn't do it personally, I was… lookin' for the lady dragon I upset. Only, she had wings, an' I didn't.
[Florande]: His daughter?
[Alysson]: Yeah.
Florande looks between Alysson and Hespyth. "Do you know many blue dragons, Hespyth?"
[Hespyth]: I… did not know there were any blue dragons left. When Kalimdor fell. We thought Malygos was alone.
[Hespyth]: We thought Xaxas had killed the others.
[Hespyth]: So did Malygos.
[Florande]: I was told there were some eggs saved.
Hespyth claps excitedly.
[Hespyth]: Such a surprise! I was so happy to hear.
[Alysson]: There were few of'em, lots went bad though. We had to kill one called… Eritgoes? For doing evil magic. But Kirygosa was friendly, and there was one at the tower in Northrend who had blue hair. He was probably a dragon. I think they all were.
[Hespyth]: I am glad that not all of them were broken.
Florande claps then. "Kirygosa! I have met her. She was the one who told us about the saved eggs… it was the other flights took them in and raised them."
[Hespyth]: The dragons are the heart of Azeroth. To lose them is … disaster.
[Alysson]: D'you s'pose there are any good black dragons left?
[Florande]: Then I am glad the blue ones are not gone. And… I do not know.
[Florande]: Maybe the Life-Binder has black dragon eggs safe hidden somewhere?
[Florande]: Like they did the blue.
[Hespyth]: Oh, I hope so.
Alysson nods in agreement.
[Florande]: Maybe she is just waiting till something is done about Xaxas.
[Hespyth]: I heard that he hurt the dragonqueen.
[Florande]: He did? Oh no.
[Alysson]: Is she… okay? Or gonna be?
[Hespyth]: I think so.
[Hespyth]: She is life, and life… continues, hm?
[Hespyth]: It changes but it continues.
[Florande]: That's good. That she'll be okay. We need her. She blessed us, she and Ysera.
[Hespyth]: What of Nozdormu?
[Florande]: I have not heard any news about Nozdormu… I don't know.
[Hespyth]: He is the most strange of all the dragons, I think.
[Florande]: I do not know much about bronze dragons.
[Alysson]: Got his claws full dealin' with time stuff, prob'ly.
[Hespyth]: I know only to … walk carefully around them.
Hespyth laughs.
[Florande]: Time stuff must be complicated. *Florande nods seriously.* Cobalt does some things with bronze dragons, but not often.
[Hespyth]: I am already confused. Changing time around me would not help.
Hespyth blinks and seems to remember that she came here to fish. She turns around again.
[Alysson]: That's maybe because you live to infinity.
[Hespyth]: in..fin..i..ty…..
[Florande]: Oh yes, I cannot imagine eleven thousand years of memories… and then more versions of them, slightly different.
Hespyth shudders at the thought!
[Florande]: But I have not heard anything bad has happened to him. And maybe Malygos's children will take up his work, eventually? The one daughter seemed alright.
[Hespyth]: But without an Aspect…
Hespyth sighs sadly.
[Florande]: I do not know if Aspect is passed in blood somehow… to be activated… or…?
Hespyth shakes her head.
[Alysson]: We only get the one?
[Hespyth]: There has only ever been the one. Each one.
[Alysson]: Hmm. So we need… whatever Aspected'em in the first place?
[Florande]: Then we will lose the black, too, because he has been evil for far, far longer than I have been alive.
[Hespyth]: Yes. Two gone. The world is… *she makes a tilting gesture.*
[Hespyth]: But still it continues. If we lose another, I do not know. That may be too much.
[Alysson]: Then we should… not stop Breathwing?
[Florande]: Or could we call on the things that Aspected them?
[Hespyth]: He is already… not … *She struggles for words.*
[Florande]: He is not doing his job?
Hespyth taps her nose and points at Florande.
[Hespyth]: The earth has had no warder, all my life.
[Hespyth]: I do not know if they were "made" Aspect. Perhaps they simply… were. Forever, always.
[Hespyth]: Like Elune.
[Hespyth]: No one made Elune a goddess, hm?
[Alysson]: Alright, so for the rest of'em, we just start up a group called The Dragonguard an' we protect'em wherever they go!
[Hespyth]: Mm, yes, we should protect the rest, yes, yes!
Hespyth nods.
[Florande]: I will always be ready to protect Ysera, as we did in the Dream. *Florande nods with confidence*
[Hespyth]: I will do what I can to help. I cannot do very much.
[Alysson]: Maybe not alone, but with everyone…
[Florande]: We have only three to protect, so I bet if everyone helps…
[Hespyth]: Yes.
Hespyth smiles.
Hespyth tugs gently at her ears. "I should find my sister. It was nice to talk to you."
[Florande]: Yes, I hear a bell. I think it means dinnertime.
It was the chimes from the cathedral, actually.
[Alysson]: It was nice meetin' you, too!
Hespyth waves goodbye to everyone. Farewell!
[Florande]: They have bells for that here.
[Alysson]: Both of you.
[Florande]: Yes, I am glad to have met you! Both people I had almost-connections with. *Florande smiles*
Hespyth runs off as though her cloak is on fire.
Alysson waves goodbye to everyone. Farewell!