Waking up in a bed, Punkin looks around confused and calls out as a feeling of panic wells upin her. “DADDY?!?! MIYAS?!?! AUNTIE?!?!
“Why are you shouting, that hurts my bunny ears.” Responds the child-like Miyas as she brings some honeyed toast and sweet rose tea.
Rubbing her eye in disbelief of her new surroundings, Punkin looks around again. “Wh-where are we? Are we home?”
“You are in my home. You are welcome and belong here Pupu, so yes, you are home.” Responds Quinn, walking into the room holding two small tear vials.
Happy to see her newfound aunt, Punkin jumps out of bed and runs to hug Quinn. “Will you stay with us too? Like Miyas?”
Turning to Miyas abruptly mid sentence while still hugging Quinn, Punkin admonishes Miyas. “Don’t leave again. Not fun chasing you! You stay with me and daddy, forever!”
Giggling, Quinn steps back to redirect Punkin to look at her. “You are like your mother, at least what she was like when we were all younger. We will always be around you. But it is now our turn to return your mother’s favor and prepare the world to receive you.”
Getting upset at the thought of Miyas and Quinn leaving, Punkin begins to silently whimper as tears begin to build in her eyes. “She left me! Don’t leave me! Where’s daddy? He left me too!”
Placing a warm hand on Punkin’s shoulder before picking her up, Cer surprises Punkin with a warm embrace while catching her formed tears into a tear vial. “I am right here. Just because you can’t see us, does not mean we are not around. We can have presence in each other’s lives without being physically present. I will not leave as long as I can control it.”
Reaching forward with her tear vials, Quinn snaps and the two vials shrink into two tear shaped charms, one with a purple glow and the other with a hazy smoke glow. “Just like your mother. This purple one was a gift from your mother to me, it is yours now. This dark one is my gift to you. Take these to our brother Chisiki. He has been working on some witch-tek that my demon was trying to get. But Yasmina’s bubble was so strong that we could never get our hands on it. It is something that will preserve what's left of your mother’s mystic essence.”
Acutely struck with a sense of melancholic longing and curiosity, Cer chimes in “What do you mean? Chisiki never mentioned anything about it when I saw him.”
Chuckling, Miyas interjects with a scoff as she reverts back to an adult self. “I mean Stewards aren’t known for volunteering information. It’s what kept us all alive. Knowledge is power and we hold knowledge as a way to leverage our power and bargain for our safety. Can’t blame witches for being so secretive now can we? None of us are an exception. We all have demons we hold that nobody else knows anything about. Knowledge and our very existence, sometimes are our biggest burdens to hold. I like it back on the Evermore. Only the sacred land and the indigenous spirits to deal with. Dwellers of this realm are no fun and definitely unsafe.”
Offering a subtly forced smile to both Quinn and Miyas while rocking Punkin in embrace, Cer winks at Miyas. “I know how much you don’t like most Dwellers, you should go back to the Evermore. Just remember the covenants we hold are of our own volition and choice. We can’t fault people for their secrets. Everyone survives some pain which causes us to develop callousness. Each pain we survive, we learn to preserve what is left of us with greater urgency and cautiousness- even if the pain we experience is self-inflicted or not based in reality.”
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Reaching for the honey-toast in Miyas’ hand, Quinn gives Cer’s back a smack with her other hand. “You have changed. What has life…or death done to you? That’s what you get for leaving to become a demon shriver.”
Scoffing ironically this time Miyas offers a quip. “Not just a demon shriver… but The Demon Shriver. Ha! How is being a daddy and a public service dog?”
Embarrassed for not having an answer, Cer responds. “Never thought I’d have a child, a miracle. We gave up any aspirations for creating a family when we chose power like this. She is the most powerful force of my life I have ever held and I still don’t know how to balance my covenant.”
Placing a hand on Cer’s for comfort, Quinn offers reassurance. “It’s never too late to change our priorities. We can hold our covenants together and they don’t have to conflict. You taught me that when we were younger. You didn’t give up on me. Thank you for shriving that demon of mine. I won’t give up on you and won’t let you fail. It’s the least I can do, kuya. Go talk to Chisiki and get that witch-tek. Give him those tears too, trust me and thank me later.”
Lifting her head from Cer’s shoulders and turning to look at Quinn, Punkin scowls at Quinn. “You are not coming? You are leaving?!? I said NO LEAVING.”
Laughing, Quinn begins to walk out the door. “I am not welcome there. When they are ready to receive me, I will see the Mecca again. I have hurt many people. For now, I will go out and repair the things I broke, and heal the wounds I caused. Your mother and father believed in me and always had a healing light and presence, even when I could not see it. You will feel my presence as I go before you. Until we meet again my beloved Pupu, May Mana flow in your favor, And May our Mystic forever bind us together.”
Without looking back, Quinn steps out into the world, with the door closing behind me.
Shrugging her shoulders, Miyas gives Punkin the remainder of the toast and rose tea. “You know I have to go soon too, Pupu. There are some sisters and brothers of mine I must find. I will send love notes your way and tell them all about you so they’ll be ready to meet you. More friends, aunties, uncles and family. That’s what you want, yes? We’ll have a big family gathering”
“Ooooh yes, a party!! I never haded a party! Just like when we had to fighted Nin..but no fighting?” Responds with excitement.
Releasing Punkin so she can hug Miyas, Cer chuckles. “Yes, no fighting. Just warm hugs and cuddles.”
Raising an eyebrow to Cer, Miyas purses her lips. “Don’t lie to her Cer, she has fought alongside us. It isn’t all hugs and cuddles. Some people need hugs but aren’t ready for it. Hugs will scare them. We have to bring everyone together and then we’ll see if we all get along. You know why we all split up. Don’t shelter her from the truth. Most of your uncles and aunties don’t trust each other. It’s a gathering, not a party“
Nodding, Cer agrees, “It’s a gathering called an In-Convenience. Witches, healers, magic users of all kinds including mana manipulators, materia wielders, and mystic weavers known as Stewards come together to rewrite the rules, laws, and agreements we abide by called covenants. Yes, most don’t trust each other anymore. When people are forced into survival and have to fight to survive they stop trusting each other- and often hurt each other just to save themselves.”
Beading her eyes with a keen disgust, as she reverts into a child, Miyas adds, “That’s why I don’t like people and stay away. I can feel their pain.”
Placing a hand on Miyas’ head ,Cer pats her to comfort her. “Even your response is filled with pain and is a great example of how we let our pain and fear dictate our relationships with one another. Even we try to survive. Nothing hurts a relationship more than avoiding or denying the relationship altogether.”
Sighing with an exasperated frustration, Miyas swipes Cer’s hand off her head. “I know. I already said I’m going to find the others. Don’t get your hopes up though.”
Kissing Punkin on her forehead before heading towards the door, Miyas reminds Cer of Quinn’s instructions and offers her own requests. “Go see Chisiki. See if they are willing to share space with Quinn, the Mehti Gamheers, and Siren’s Caw. Also, I saw you commune with Claire’s mysterious orb- You should ask it about the tears Quinn gave Pupu.”
Looking down to bid farewell to Punkin, Miyas continues her instructions and requests. “Pupu, make sure your dad stays out of trouble. I am counting on you to return you daddy to me, because we have a score to settle. He owes me.”
Widening her eyes, Punkin turns back and sticks her tongue at Cer. “OOooh you are in trouble… “
Smiling Cer looks at Punkin while patronizing Miyas. “See, Pupu, even Miyas wants to heal what hurts. Being open and inviting people to arrive home is the first step. The rest is up to the In Convenience.”