Wake up.
Ahni groaned softly. No, not yet.
Wake up.
A cold, wet nose nudged at the newly-crowned Keeper's cheek, prompting another groan and a weak, half-hearted swat from the woman. Carbuncle yipped and snapped at her fingers -- not meaning to harm, but simply startle Ahni into waking.
"No, Aier!* I am tired!" One eye opened and focused on the small critter. Colors were slowly returning to Ahni's irises, thankfully, as her strength began to return to her. Carbuncle yipped again, tiny teeth bared (not so) ferociously. Ahni sighed loudly, dramatically, threw the covers back, sat up... and blinked. "Um. Where am I now?" She peered around, scratching at the back of her head. Carbuncle bounded to the edge of the bed, grabbed something, bounded back, nudged at Ahni's knee. She opened her hand to the creature and blinked some more at the Key he deposited there.
The Earth Key was the most beautiful thing Ahni had ever laid eyes upon. Even the strange crack in the gleaming emerald situated at the head of the key was beautiful. The half-elf stared in awe at the object in her palm, and a glow arose from the fracture. Once the glow had subsided, the emerald was whole again.
"...welcome yous new Keeper of Earth, Ahni Valyntine!"
"Hey, sweets, open your eyes for me."
"Can you fix her, Shadow?"
"Ahni has ever been a child of the earth..."
"You fought well... um, what was it, mellonamin?"
Bits and pieces of the previous night's excitement came back to her, then a flood, and tears filled her eyes. "I... I won." Ahni murmured. Then she gasped. Then she squealed. "I won! Aier, I won!" Carbuncle bounced and chirrupped happily, triple tails flicking. The Biomancer jumped from the elaborately vine-laden canopy bed -- which was a terrible idea. The room tilted and spun, and Ahni waved her arms out to the side to keep her balance. Carbuncle whined, nudging at her elbow with his cold nose in concern. "It is all right," Ahni wheezed after a moment, pressing skinny fingers lightly into her eyes. "It is all right. All of the things became very spinny, is all." Her head cleared, she took a few cautious steps forward. Carbuncle trotted along beside her, beady eyes trained on the little Keeper.
Ahni stopped suddenly, gasping. An idea had struck her! "We should have a tea party!" With that, she skittered to find some sort of stationery and a writing utensil. She scratched out invitations to Claire (and Noctis and Zack and the babies -- though Ahni wasn't sure Mama Claire would bring them out so soon), Grace (and her menagerie), Shadow (and his lady friend -- Ahni had definitely caught sight of a lady friend). A letter to Misty (for she knew the Kirn couldn't come) thanking and congratulating her on her moon belly, with an open invitation to the Tower. The newest Keeper stared at the floor, trying to figure out just how she would send all of these invitations, when she had absolutely no idea where everyone was at any given moment. So lost in thought was she, that she didn't even notice the gentle tugging at her sleeve until it was nearly jerking her to the side.
"Huh?" Blinking, she peered around. A miniature version of the Eidolon she had summoned just last night floated near her elbow, its naturally grumpy features somehow softer, sweeter. "Oh, a little one!" Ahni chirrupped happily, beaming at the small thing. The elemental held out one stumpy arm toward the invitations, and Ahni giggled as she handed them over. It didn't even have any fingers! The elemental accepted its responsibility and disappeared through the closest wall. Carbuncle watched the whole ordeal curiously, sneezing once or twice as soon as the elemental had gone.
"Let us go see if Pretty Lady Claire left a teapot!" Ahni bent to scoop up the foxlike critter and skipped off to explore her new Tower.
* Aier = Little One
Ahni groaned softly. No, not yet.
Wake up.
A cold, wet nose nudged at the newly-crowned Keeper's cheek, prompting another groan and a weak, half-hearted swat from the woman. Carbuncle yipped and snapped at her fingers -- not meaning to harm, but simply startle Ahni into waking.
"No, Aier!* I am tired!" One eye opened and focused on the small critter. Colors were slowly returning to Ahni's irises, thankfully, as her strength began to return to her. Carbuncle yipped again, tiny teeth bared (not so) ferociously. Ahni sighed loudly, dramatically, threw the covers back, sat up... and blinked. "Um. Where am I now?" She peered around, scratching at the back of her head. Carbuncle bounded to the edge of the bed, grabbed something, bounded back, nudged at Ahni's knee. She opened her hand to the creature and blinked some more at the Key he deposited there.
The Earth Key was the most beautiful thing Ahni had ever laid eyes upon. Even the strange crack in the gleaming emerald situated at the head of the key was beautiful. The half-elf stared in awe at the object in her palm, and a glow arose from the fracture. Once the glow had subsided, the emerald was whole again.
"...welcome yous new Keeper of Earth, Ahni Valyntine!"
"Hey, sweets, open your eyes for me."
"Can you fix her, Shadow?"
"Ahni has ever been a child of the earth..."
"You fought well... um, what was it, mellonamin?"
Bits and pieces of the previous night's excitement came back to her, then a flood, and tears filled her eyes. "I... I won." Ahni murmured. Then she gasped. Then she squealed. "I won! Aier, I won!" Carbuncle bounced and chirrupped happily, triple tails flicking. The Biomancer jumped from the elaborately vine-laden canopy bed -- which was a terrible idea. The room tilted and spun, and Ahni waved her arms out to the side to keep her balance. Carbuncle whined, nudging at her elbow with his cold nose in concern. "It is all right," Ahni wheezed after a moment, pressing skinny fingers lightly into her eyes. "It is all right. All of the things became very spinny, is all." Her head cleared, she took a few cautious steps forward. Carbuncle trotted along beside her, beady eyes trained on the little Keeper.
Ahni stopped suddenly, gasping. An idea had struck her! "We should have a tea party!" With that, she skittered to find some sort of stationery and a writing utensil. She scratched out invitations to Claire (and Noctis and Zack and the babies -- though Ahni wasn't sure Mama Claire would bring them out so soon), Grace (and her menagerie), Shadow (and his lady friend -- Ahni had definitely caught sight of a lady friend). A letter to Misty (for she knew the Kirn couldn't come) thanking and congratulating her on her moon belly, with an open invitation to the Tower. The newest Keeper stared at the floor, trying to figure out just how she would send all of these invitations, when she had absolutely no idea where everyone was at any given moment. So lost in thought was she, that she didn't even notice the gentle tugging at her sleeve until it was nearly jerking her to the side.
"Huh?" Blinking, she peered around. A miniature version of the Eidolon she had summoned just last night floated near her elbow, its naturally grumpy features somehow softer, sweeter. "Oh, a little one!" Ahni chirrupped happily, beaming at the small thing. The elemental held out one stumpy arm toward the invitations, and Ahni giggled as she handed them over. It didn't even have any fingers! The elemental accepted its responsibility and disappeared through the closest wall. Carbuncle watched the whole ordeal curiously, sneezing once or twice as soon as the elemental had gone.
"Let us go see if Pretty Lady Claire left a teapot!" Ahni bent to scoop up the foxlike critter and skipped off to explore her new Tower.
* Aier = Little One