HANGING MOON.

Hopeful to save herself from further embarrassment, she relaxed her face and chuckled lightly.

"You realize, Soren, that I'd be a sitting duck either way if another customer were to stop by and ask for the same thing you did," Mjara began, even if that scenario alone was largely debatable, "I'd be crushed if I couldn't provide them with what they needed either."

Translation. She wouldn't have been able to withstand the endless complaining if she didn't have what they wanted. And no amount of nodding and smiling through it would've made it any less insufferable.

"I know you're very eager to help, but I can assure you that I can handle the job just fine. A Black Shores operative like yourself surely has more pressing matters to attend to over chasing around elusive butterflies — I'll be alright!"

And, given that she wasn't even trying to listen anyway...she shrugged, giving Soren a very nonchalant brush of her hand in response. If Mana wanted to act like that, then so would she.

"Even if she wanted to pick it back up, Soren, she probably couldn't anyway — not in a state as sorry as that."

The jab made toward her seemed to connect the very moment one of Mana's ears twitched upward; her expression of irritation betraying the air of solitude that she'd been trying to maintain since the conversation began. "...Say that again," the elder viera said in their native tongue, quiet - almost like a threat.

Maya was hardly fazed, shaking her head. "Don't go switching tongues to try and hide it," she began, shrugging. Looking down toward Evie, and gently caressing her cheek. "...Don't you think your time's better spent on someone else first? Or is your goal to make Soren do all the work while you go back to playing knight?"

It's said so casually, yet so cruelly at the same time ——— enough to make Mana rise abruptly from her seat and scowl at her, accidentally startling Rael and making her whimper at the same time. Her voice shook with both anger and hurt.

“There is, yes.” Her gaze remained on Mana, wondering if she was on the verge of falling into a slumber once again, a worry over how exhausted they must be, a worry over Mana falling into yet another nightmare that would disturb her slumber. “Perhaps tomorrow, if you are well enough to do so, we could go through that list together and see if we can decide on one. It might come to us easier now that we can see them.”

Soren perked up in response to Mana’s other question, with what had followed the other viera’s awakening, she hadn’t been too sure on when the best time to break the news would be, and thus had played along with the ambiguity of what their second born was. 

"She's adorable," she murmured quietly, trying her best to fight off her tiredness; and the lingering noise that skulked about in the corners of a still (somewhat addled) mind. "...So...small, too. Rael definitely felt heavier..."

A chuckle fell from her lips at that as her attention rose to Soren once more, nodding slowly in agreement toward the suggestion. Though she could make no guarantees on feeling well, she was at least still determined to have the matter settled sooner rather than later. Especially since her new sister was bound to inquire where such a strange little thing had come from...

It came from you, of course. Yet another creature born from accursed womb. Another plague; another mistake. Another poor soul fated to thirst for that which is unholy.

...Her face scrunched uncomfortably, the thoughts filling her head to such a degree that she had to pull away from both mother and child to grip her head in pain. What even...was that? It came so suddenly, and so...strongly...and then, it was gone. A deep throbbing left in its place.

Soren wasn’t lying that night when she said she sleeps well in Mana’s presence, she had truly meant every word, even if her actions suggested the opposite was true. Her inability to sleep had nothing to do with her beloved, she had been wanting to open up about the thoughts in her head, her struggles with sleeping, the ever worsening nightmares, but with everything leading up to Evie’s birth and the aftermath, she had struggled to find a good time. She had fallen asleep easier laying next to Mana and had almost slept the whole night this time if it wasn’t for yet another nightmare violently tearing her from her slumber. Soren’s hand clamps onto her unnatural eye, the memory and pain of her nightmare still lingering. 

Her sudden awakenings would always worry her that she’d also wake Mana up as well, or even worse that she would lash out while she was trapped in a nightmare and hurt Mana again, like she had early on into their relationship. 

So, normally she’d get up and busy herself with work to try and prevent that from happening, then to also try and clear her head. It was, in the end, nothing but a distraction. 

This time, she could not bring herself to do so, instead rolling onto her side to gaze upon Mana’s slumbering form. Soren can’t help but think that she looks so peaceful and moves the hand she’d had on her eye to brush some of hair out of the other viera’s face before resting it on her cheek. No, she can’t bear the thought of leaving her, especially when she’d had to come and find Soren in the first place. Guilt claws at her as she becomes lost in thought, that once again she isn’t telling Mana everything even in spite of all the disagreements they’ve had over it. How many times had they hurt Mana by not being open, by keeping very important things hidden? How many times did Mana have to ask her to let her in? She felt ever so guilty that the main way her beloved found these things out is by either being drunk or being caught red handed. Soren had never ever intended to hurt her but…not being open was doing so, wasn’t it?

“These do sound very promising. Even if it eases some of my symptoms, it would be worth it.” Anything that will make her more functional, more ‘normal’. It worries her at times, when she has her bad days, if it will become more and more common until she can’t carry out her work anymore. Would it prevent her from having a purpose?

Mjara’s admission caught her by surprise, and Soren appreciated that she did not want to risk administering a medication that she was not yet confident in. That and well…Soren didn’t want anything else to encourage the whispers that plagued her mind.

"Lady Rosemary and I would appreciate it greatly, so I thank you for offering —–— let me just go ahead and..." Turning the catalogue toward herself once more, Mjara closed it gently and placed it back behind the counter; soon turning upon her heels to walk further into the shop, and grabbing hold of two small jars. The first, filled with small blue lizards preserved in slightly cloudy liquid, and the second filled with various gem-like catalysts.

Then, there came the procurement of a tiny black cauldron, a mortar and pestle, a knife, and a pair of gloves. She did all this with such instinctual precision, you'd have thought that she'd already graduated from her apprenticeship ages ago.

"We had only just sold out of them recently, so you've lucked out in being able to observe a new batch be prepared right before your very eyes, Soren ——— it shouldn't take me very long at all." A handful of minutes, at most, just as soon as she...

...Just as soon as she...

...

...Mjara paused midstep toward the section of jars that were meant to harbor the preserved insects ——— discovering, to her dismay, that the one she was hoping to retrieve simply had...nothing in it at all; completely empty, no matter how many times she turned the jar around, upside down, on its side... ...Had she really just...forgotten to catch more of them the last time she was out....?!

Her very carefully crafted front desk image saw its first crack the moment her eyes went wide in disbelief ——— turning around (stupidly) toward Soren and meeting their gaze, before swiftly withdrawing her own as if to internally correct herself. You're supposed to be the professional here, Mja! Do not gawk at them so!

"U-Uhm..." She began rather awkwardly, putting the empty jar back on the shelf and pacing back toward the counter with a strained smile, "...It would appear that we are partially out of ingredients for it as well ——— b-but, fear not! All I need to do is simply go out to get more of it, which should not take me very...———well, no, it can take a while depending on how many are actually out at this time...b-but-...!"

Professionalism! Professionalism! Stop with that godsforsaken stammering...!

However, her brow raisesd at the second part, and she took a momentary glance toward her sister to take stock of her reaction. They may have been sitting next to each other, but she made no attempt at appearing like she was present in the conversation ———...or rather, she put all her effort into avoiding it entirely; still holding onto Rael and stroking her hair as the little girl curled into her and sucked on her own thumb, content.

A whole year, Mana couldn't help but think to herself, thinking back to how much her (darling) daughter had grown since ——— how much she had done, and how much she had seen outside of the void. From the days of clutching her to her breast with only tattered fabric to clothe her, to the present days of watching her hobble happily about the nursery toward her with a smile... she wouldn't trade such memories for anything else.

She wondered if the same would one day be said for her newly arrived, whose eyes found (subconscious) reason to open slowly, and stare at nothing in particular ——— and even then, in a room awash in moonlit tones, Mana noticed they were much darker than Rael's. "...All this time, I never actually came up with a name in advance," they said, gaze softening to the point where it almost looked as though she'd drift off to sleep once more.

To say Soren was charmed by her introduction would be an understatement and she commits the alchemist’s name to memory. With a smile and a nod of her head, Soren offers an introduction of her own. “I-I am Soren, a consultant of the Black Shores. As much as my visit here is personal, if you require any assistance in the aftermath of the Black Tide, I would be happy to help.”

The shuffling of paper is what grabs her attention next, angling her head to take a better look at the binder that Mjara had brought out. Her eyes widened in mild surprise when she glanced at the contents, it wasn’t too often one saw physical records these days, mostly replaced with terminals and data pads. Another point of interest to her was that the binder was illustrated with drawings rather than images. In all honesty, as much as she was used to a much more technological side of things, she had to appreciate the binder for Soren felt as though it added a much more personal touch to the place and it leaves her wondering who was the one who drew the illustrations. It isn't until she hears the other’s voice once again that she realizes she's getting too lost in her endless curiosity and thoughts. Not again, she thinks as her face heats up, becoming flustered all over again. Embarrassed, she looks to the side placing her prosthetic hand to her face, hoping the coolness of the metal helps with her blush. 

Besides, there was still the background check to get through; and as far as Mjara herself was concerned, there seemed far more than what met the eye with this peculiar operative. The feathered 'ears', the prosthetic limb, the chronic pain and fatigue... could it have been borne solely from overclocking? Or something even more severe? In listening to their explanation, the pharmacist in training flipped further through the catalog with a discerning eye, landing eventually upon the image of a small tray of amber-colored squares, lined up neatly on the page.

"Although our mist therapy treatment initially struck my mind, I believe Harmony Tablets are better suited to both your lifestyle and needs. Much like mist therapy, it's been clinically proven to ease and reduce pain, promote healthier sleep, and help mitigate those flareups from happening as frequently as you imply them to. They're best taken in the morning and right before bed at night." As she spoke, Mjara rotated the book so that they could see more clearly; a subtle moment of bashfulness emerging upon continuing.

Before she’s able to ask anything, the obvious yet still necessary question of if she's alright or needs anything, does the other viera finally speak. Her very words leave her rooted where she was, face twisting to an expression of confusion, head tilted as she tries to make sense of what Mana is saying.

The relief is short-lived, leaving unease in its place. It catches her so off guard that she hardly notices Maya’s reappearance.

Soren may not have known to expect once Mana awakened, but it certainly wasn’t this. She may have thought she’d want to see their newborn child first, so this mention of ‘weakness’ certainly caught her by surprise. “W-weakness? I…I don’t see any weakness here.”

From the day of Orpheus' sacrifice, to their perilous journey into the void. From escaping the snare left by 'Mother Dearest', to now what would have been her deathbed in any other scenario—another time, another place—...Mana's days as a princess awakening from a (cursed) dream never seemed to cease. Again, and again, and again, and again....

Even since she first stepped foot upon the Land of Echoes, she had been in awe of a land so deep in faith compared to the land ruled by science that had been her (former) home. Ever since Rinacita’s long night had been vanquished by lantern’s light had the recovery efforts been in full swing. Efforts which had brought her here in the first place, sent to aid on behalf of the Black Shores and thus had her days consisted of tasks where she could apply her talents where needed.

Of course, even with many contributing to the recovery of the land in the aftermath, it did not erase the issues that lingered in the land to begin with, from crimes that struck in the dead of night, to the Order that still held so much influence, to the whispered rumours about the Filsalias.

As her thoughts focus on the Fisalia family and the rumours circulating them, Soren is reminded of the apothecary that she’d sighted a few times in her stay here so far. The rumours didn’t mean too much to her, thinking that surely if such a store was allowed to exist then the rumours can’t have much stock in them. No, she cared little for the falsified tales and would much rather seek the truth out for herself.

The trail of thought did also remind her how quickly she was depleting her pain management supplies, side effects of past overclocking surfacing much more frequently than before. She can't help but wonder if the apothecary would stock anything that would bring her some relief. Through such thoughts she’d find that she’d been subconsciously making her way to the store, only stopping a short distance away once she’d dragged herself out of her thoughts. Well…perhaps now was as good a time as any to try and obtain something for her pain. 

This time, she fully takes in the appearance of the small store, eyes glancing over the many bottles in the back, all varying in size and color. Next, her gaze is drawn to the counter, noting the lack of the one that the apothecary was named after, instead seeing the other alchemist she’d sighted working there. After she takes a moment to steel her nerves, Soren finally approaches the counter, noticing  a calming and pleasant scent in the air. Now that she’s face to face with the alchemist is she able to fully take in the other’s appearance, focusing mostly on her face and eyes. 'Cute.' The thought startles Soren so much she momentarily forgets why she came here in the first place. Not even the aroma in the air would be enough to calm her nerves now. "U-um…" O-oh right, pain relief, that’s what she was here for, not staring at cute people. What a great first impression she’s sure, looking like a stumbling idiot to the other. Soren takes a breath and starts again, hoping to sound less like a fool. "H-hello there, I was w-wondering if you stocked anything for pain relief, and if so, anything you’d r-reccomend?" 

And with such a shift felt so strongly in Ragunna, came business that not even Lady Rosemary herself could’ve imagined; her continued absences in its name leaving her beloved apothecary in the (nervous, yet nonetheless capable) hands of her self-proclaimed trainee. A budding alchemist in her own right, yet still left with much to learn outside of the few home remedies she brought with her from Egla.

Many were the faces that Mjara glimpsed from behind the shop’s counter, occasionally making a game of sorts out of whether she could guess if they were locals, or from afar. Quite a few in the last handful of days had been the latter, what with their choices of dress and mannerisms being unlike what the woman had been used to glimpsing from an everyday Ragunnesi.

This patron, she discovered, was one of the more intriguing characters that caught her eye ——— noting their rather ornate fashion, black and pink tresses, and peculiar black-feathered headwings around where a human’s ears ought to be. And that…right… that was a tacet mark, wasn’t it? A potentially high profile client, then? She made sure to stand just a teensy bit straighter.

Had they not spoken with such a noticeable (yet endearing) fumble with their words, though, Mjara would’ve quickly pinned them to be something of a reserved, yet stoic type of person ——— so it amused her, admittedly, that such was not entirely the case. Staying true to her teachings in exquisite customer service, she smiled warmly toward the other and performed a small curtsy behind the counter.

“You may be pleased to hear that you’ve come to the right place for such. Welcome, dear guest, to Rosemary’s apothecary ——— where your perfect potion awaits…” A gentle, apologetic clear of her throat soon followed. “Unfortunately, though, its actual namesake is away on business for today, so I do hope I can still provide you with a pleasant enough experience in her stead. Please, call me Mjara.”

Shakily she rises to her feet, attempting to shake off the exhaustion, the need to be there for them both overpowering her need for rest. The child is held closer to her body, gently swaying the baby as their cries increase in volume in the hope that it will soothe them, even slightly.

Mana’s scream startles her, a chill going down her spine; leaving Soren to wonder just what it was that her beloved was awakening from, about what had its grip on her during her (seemingly peaceful) slumber.

Ears twitch at the unfinished question, alongside the sound of her name clueing her in as to what Mana was looking for. “Mja, I’m here!” I’m here, I’m here, I’m here. “I’m right here with you, you are not alone, you are safe!” 

She’s right there. Right here. Just as she’ll always and forever will be. You’re safe. You’re safe. You’re safe…

As Mana’s breathing relaxed, the baby’s crying seemed to lessen in volume thanks to Soren’s swaying; the tightness in their expression fading, the color of its cheeks returned to normal. All that remained were gentle whines to fill the continued silence. To occupy the tension that had not yet fully dissipated.

“Always, this,” the viera spoke softly, turning fully onto her side as her fingers wiggled weakly in Soren’s grip. Melancholy laced with every word, her expression a cruelly despondent smile. “…Always, you must see me like this.”

Soren glances tiredly back at Mana and the child, knowing she would never forgive herself if she was not there when she was needed. “You..you have a point.” There’s a moment’s more hesitation before she finally shifts back to her ‘normal’ form. There’s still the mild discomfort when she does, the absence of her wings and the dulling of her senses.

The twitch of Mana’s fingers does not go unnoticed despite Soren’s exhaustion, eyes darting up to her still slumbering face, though now can Soren see it is not the peaceful slumber it was before. She gives their hand a gentle squeeze, before slowly withdrawing her hand place it on the other viera’s face, whispering a quiet ‘I’m here’, wishing to take away that discomfort, to take away whatever it was that was preventing her dear Mjara from having the peaceful slumber she deserved after all she had endured.

As Mana’s teeth grit, the baby’s lips began to tremble; as she began to groan aloud, so too did the baby ——— a soft, fragile whine, juxtaposed with heavy breaths from the former. Maya’s attention swerved fully toward her sister, worried that yet another outcry of pain was imminent — her answer ultimately being a panicked, “I-I don’t know”, before she rushed off to grab more medicine just in case.

As the child cried louder, so too did Mana’s groans increase in volume — her head turning toward the pillow in pain, breathing hard and fast. It was not until the viera’s eyes finally shot open in the dark that a true scream rang out, leaving her a bewildered mess whose eyes darted frantically back and forth across the ceiling; gasping for air as if she’d been submerged underwater for far too long.

“W-Where…… where…!”

Where are you, where are you, where are you…?!