24 Lion (1/2)

August stepped sideways, but much to Mandy's surprise that single step had been a dozen meters long, for just a moment vivid colors passing her eyes. At that moment Mandy came to see why there was no way one could catch a dryad in a forest. It took no time or preparation to move like that.

The sobbing boy, naturally, fell into moss. But he lifted up his face almost instantly, seeking for August with his eyes. He didn't dash into a run to catch on him, seemingly getting the cue that this display was not welcome.

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”What is going on?” August asked Ceruleum and Riveria.

Riveria shrugged. ”I said I would gut him if he tells anyone the same thing he did.”

The unicorn boy flinched. ”I-It-It's not that--” he said. ”I didn't know that-- hick-- an army of Soleans might come after master if--”

August shivered at the word 'master'. ”August. Not master.”

”August,” the boy repeated. ”If it gets out that you are a dark dryad. So I'm sorry about-- that.” He looked sincere. Big tears dropping on his knees as he looked down.

”Ceruleum cleaned up after you this time, but do be careful,” August said.

The boy nodded.

”What is your name?” August asked.

”Albusflores von Palustribus,” the boy said.

”I'll call you Albus then,” August said.

The boy pursed his lips, looking to be sulking a bit. He did wipe off his tears though, seeming to have calmed a little.

”Call me Veri then,” Riveria said, also looking to be sulking. ”It's not fair that the ghost and unicorn get nicknames, but not me.”

Mandybird froze in space. What? How the heck did Riveria know 'Mandy' was a nickname? Mandy was also a given name on its own.

August sighed, squinting. ”Fine.”

Mandy was tense. August hadn't asked anything about that line-- maybe he didn't notice or-- passed the detail over. Riveria could be mistaken, after all. There was no reason to worry.

”Leum for me,” Ceruleum added in with a childish smile, seeming to find it all fun.

”Fine, fine,” August said, not getting the point of this, as far as Mandy could tell. But not caring about it either.

The unicorn boy's pout faded. ”If it's like that for everyone--” he mumbled to himself and nodded. Since he was no longer crying (or puking) he finally started looking more fitting to his image and not so much like a dolt.

Riveria was brimming with joy, making a twirl in the moss and humming to herself. Mandy couldn't help but find it adorable how she was happy about small things like those.

”Uhm,” the boy spoke up again, ”if I get it right, then I'll be getting surname from you?”

”They don't have the tradition for it in Urea,” Ceruleum said. ”Here they only share surnames when adopting children or marrying.”

Albus cast a surprised look at Ceruleum. ”Then how will they tell my belonging when I name myself?”

Mandy followed the two with her eyes. She now knew that Ceruleum couldn't enter human society before, but he did seem to know some things. And it seemed like in Ahea familiars got surnames from their master.

”Albus from August's Galord's familia?” Ceruleum cast a look towards August to check.

August nodded.

”Is that bird also a familiar?” Albus asked as he looked towards the bird.

”I'm not,” Mandy replied. ”I'm just haunting August.”

”You mean dating,” August corrected with a sigh.

Mandybird nodded, feeling flustered. She would be blushing if birds could. Right. Right. Right now she was dating not just haunting.

Albus showed a shocked expression.

”That's not her real form,” Riveria squinted at Albus.

Mandy tensed realizing what kind of misunderstanding she had started to cause and dispersed her body, to take on her normal shape.

”Oh,” Albus started to blush. ”Sorry. I don't think I know your name,”

Well, as far as Mandy could recall at the time when Albus could have heard it over, he was despairing and sobbing. ”I'm Mandy,” she said.

”And your full name?” Albus asked like that was the most normal thing to ask, and actually - it was.

But Mandy pursed her lips, not knowing what to say. ”Uhm--”

Albus tilted his head in mild confusion about her hesitation.

August was doing his best not to laugh, but his shoulders clearly twitched.

”Is her name funny sounding?” Riveria asked August.

Mandy slowly turned her head to look towards August. What was up with that reaction-- ? It couldn't be--

August looked away somewhere. ”No, no, I just remembered something funny,” he said.

Something funny at this timing? ”August, do you know my name?” Mandy asked, feeling shaky.

August let out a breath, looking in her direction, then an amused smile settled on his face. ”Yes, miss party animal of the humanitarian department.” With that single line he revealed that he had researched everything.

Mandy floated without substance, her eyes dead. So he knew. All of it. She might as well die now. (again).

”Partyanimal--?” Albus tilted his head.

”No,” Mandy corrected in tone that lacked life. ”I'm Amanda Bookman. Pleased to meet you Albus.”

Albus looked to be confused. August was still doing his best not to laugh and Riveria and Ceruleum were looking at them with a mildly curious look.

”I guess we call you Mandy,” Riveria said.

Mandy nodded sluggishly.

”Veri, is it - what kind of being are you?” Albus asked next.

Riveria looked over at the boy. ”You must be young if you haven't seen me,” she said. ”I'm a dragon, I used to be called Riveria.”

Albus straightened his back, surprise apparent over his face.

Used to be called? Mandy squinted a little. Used to be called like-- a few minutes ago? Were they officially changing their names?

”I'm a dragon as well, used to be Ceruleum,” Ceruleum added in, very much amused at this whole thing.

Albus eyes widened. ”...but there's no presence,” he mumbled. Not in disbelief, just deep surprise.

”It's not like you have any either, at the moment,” Riveria said.

”I've never heard this happened if you contracted a dark dryad,” Albus said.

”It's a particularity,” Ceruleum said.

”Oh,” Albus nodded in understanding, that alone seemed to clear it up for him.

”What's that?” August asked. By now no longer laughing.

Ceruleum replied. ”If the master attains legendary tier ability of some sort, they pass it on to their familiars as a passive trait, that trait is called particularity.”

August scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. ”What?”

”I can't tell what you are confused about,” Ceruleum said with a smile.

”I'm not even twenty five, how can I possibly have a legendary tier ability,” August asked.

”If I had to guess - you were born with a great talent for presence concealment and then something happened that forced you to push it to its limits day in and day out,” Ceruleum replied with a smile.

August sighed, looking like he had a headache.

Mhm, yep, he became a dryad and tried to hide it, because astrals clung on him? Was that the tale? August must have really hated it if it ended up with him developing something that sounded as amazing as 'legendary class' ability. Mandy had no idea how amazing it was, but in case of August - it was an ability that made him appear… like a regular human? It didn't really have the punch 'legendary ability' should have. In her outsider view, it seemed like-- mhm, legendary level of disappointing.

Riveria chuckled. ”Aug, you had it six years ago as well, a lot of beings were really curious what you were. Big purple even has a treasure chest prepared for whoever discovers it.”

Eh-- Riveria dropped it on her own? Mandy hadn't expected that.

August looked sick. ”Was that why you ambushed me five years ago?” he asked.

Riveria nodded.

Okay. Mandy really wanted to hear how the heck did these two start dating - she ambushed him, then tried to kill him (not for reals, according to August), but still. And in the middle of that, at some point, they dated-- and then August drugged her to fall for Ceruleum. Wasn't August's romantic life actually even more twisted than that in his novels? Was that where he got inspiration? Or was this normal for non-humans?

”What is in that treasure chest?” August asked then.

Mandy squinted. Seriously? August wasn't considering giving himself up, was he?

”Highlights would be a soulgem and a yggdrasil seed, it gets upped at every solstice since no one has figured it out for so long,” Riveria replied.

August frowned. 'This is a pain' was written all over his face.

Albus was wide-eyed about the reward, yet rather than showing greed, he seemed impressed.

So that question had been about evaluating danger, it seemed. That gave Mandy some feeling of relief, at least when it came to August's motives.

”Is there a contra community party of sorts during solstice?” August asked, Mandy noticing how he casually slipped that in despite learning about the community existing just minutes before.

”I wouldn't say we have a community per se,” Ceruleum said, joining in the conversation. ”Just that my mother holds a summer solstice drinking event and Big purple holds one for winter solstice. Most contras (or travelers) do step by, but all kinds of astrals join in too, including dryads, gemhearts and whoever they bring along. At times, elves, witches and undead pop in too.”

August became thoughtful for a while, frowning a little.

”There are no contra-only things?” Mandy asked.

Ceruleum and Riveria shook their heads.

”We exchange information and strike up deals during the solstices, but that's as far as it goes,” Ceruleum said.

”We are going to the party, right?” Riveria asked. Next one would be summer solstice.

There was one person with eyes shining so bright they might as well beam out lasers - Albus. ”Tiamat's party-- I've heard so many tales! Will we be going?” Albus seemed to have come to life, showing an almost blinding amount of happy anticipation.

”If you all behave well,” August said, squinting. Even he appeared to have trouble with that bright sparkly look Albus showed.

Now it was Ceruleum's turn to stiffle a laugh, while--- Riveria and Albus joined hands to twirl around.

Wait-- what? Since when did they get along so well. Mandy would be lying if she said she wasn't curious about a party of odd creatures, but she didn't expect August to agree to that at all.

August sighed like a tired old person and took out his phone, then placed it back. ”It's time to move.” He said, and everyone other than Albus nodded. Albus paled realizing what that implied.

Mandy returned to being a tit, Riveria held Albus by hand and off they went, coming out by the same train station where the dragons caught August in their trap at first.

Albus looked like he might throw up again, but he somehow contained it this time.

August got out his phone again and since Mandy was perched on his shoulder, she could see that he sent Grisham a text asking ”When can I come to talk? I also want to register familiars.”

Grisham: ”Anytime~ <3”

August cringed. ”Today, in two hours?”

”Will keep a free time slot for you~” followed by a kissyface and a heart.

Violet saying 'for Grisham's love' with amusement came back to Mandy's memory. Did she mean this when she said that?

”I will drink all your ruby elderflower tea~ <3” Was what August replied with a squint as he added the heart.

”Anytime, darling~ <3” Replied Grisham and August shuddered. Then closed the messaging window and looked up the train schedule.

Ten more minutes.