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The Gift

Richard's FA Storyline, Chapter 1.4

copyright comidacomida 2018

I'm not really all that good at art, and I can't even trace very well half the time but following the rune was as easy as breathing. The moment I had copied it onto the paper I sat back, watching as the glow suffused into my writing. A split second later, both disappeared and, I noticed, so did all of the notes I had made while sitting at the table.

Jack looked surprised; Anapa looked satisfied; Sabrina and Phillip looked pleased with themselves. I questioned the Cats about what was wrong that Anapa had to change the rune before letting me trace it. "So... what exactly did Anapa do when he added that extra line on the symbol?"

Rather than letting either of the Cats answer, the Jackal spoke up, apparently understanding just enough of my question. "Is good. Is good for Hem'netjer do."

I glanced at him, purposefully making my confused expression theatrically over exaggerated. "I don't understand."

A moment later I'd realized that I'd actually spoken my last two comments and I'd attracted the attention of a few other students in the cafeteria. I quickly focused on my own table again, lowering my head even as I glanced at the Jackal.

Anapa held out both paws, drawing the same rune that the Cats had provided with his left and drawing the rune plus the modification with his right; there was one big difference and that they were purple instead of green. I could tell immediately that both Phillip and Sabrina were as impressed as I was, or maybe even more. Once both floated in the air he moved his paw to linger beneath the modified one and it illuminated a little brighter. "Is good for Hem'netjer do."

He then moved his opposite paw to the first glyph as it was drawn by Sabrina. "Is no good for Hem'netjer do. Is good for spirits do."

At that point Phillip finally interjected. "What your Sorcerer means is that it's been awhile since Sabrina and I have had a chance to interact with a Seer... Richard."

The Cat seemed so pleased with himself when he spoke my name; his expression almost looked like a commercial actor's 'this is good coffee' gaze. Sabrina clarified. "The glyph we used was powered by your energy which... ah... wasn't really the best way to introduce you to magic since you're so new at it."

Jack, who had been silent during the discussion on magic suddenly had something to say. "So thy little display had the capacity to cause harm to Richard? Methinks I may have been right about thee in the first place."

Phillip's fur raised slightly and, for a moment he reminded me of a cat with its back arched. "Now hold on there, Knight-Errant! That was an honest mistake, and it wouldn't've really hurt him."

Sabrina backed up her brother. "Right. Humans have a massive store of spirit energy... he might be new with magic but at worst it might have given him a headache."

The male Cat shrugged, one of his ears falling. "Well... if he's really BAD at it he might've fainted, but--"

The female smacked him with the back of her paw. "Not helping."

I fought to keep up with the back-and-forth between the Cats, let alone Jack, who began objecting even louder. Anapa, however, did not get involved in the conversation-- instead, he simply laid the fingers of his left paw on the table atop a slip of paper close to me, and he slid it in my direction; I was surprised when the paper actually moved but I recovered quickly when he motioned to it and pantomimed a writing motion. "Do."

It took a moment for me to figure out what he wanted me to do but, judging from the frown on his muzzle and the judgmental gaze he had leveled at the bickering Gryphon and Cats I assumed he expected me to provide some guidance in the matter. I wrote down the first thing that came to mind. "Jack behave. You two stop provoking my gryphon."

Once the words were written, Anapa's staff returned to his paw. He placed a paw onto the paper and slammed the butt of his staff onto the ground. Rather than it making the resounding crack of wood on tile it instead created a perfect imitation of my voice, reading what it was I had written. I looked around quickly and determiend two things: first, none of the people in the cafeteria seemed to notice and, two, it got the other three to stop their argument. Jack, in fact, was staring at me, beak agape and ear-feathers up. "I am ...'THY Gryphon'?"

The attention he'd drawn to my word choice was enough to make me blush but I recovered quickly and wrote out something on the next piece of paper and slid it his way. He read the words aloud and, as he did so, I watched an inner glow create a blazing brightness to his golden eyes. "Of course. You're my guardian spirit, aren't you?"

He seemed taken aback by that, but not in a bad way. Looking to me, his beak gave me the impression of a heartfelt smile. Even as he spoke, I could have sworn I saw some of that golden light shining up from down the back of his throat, and his feathers took on a lustrous sheen. "Of course. I AM thy Guardian Spirit, Richard."

The two Cats stared at Jack before the paused to look at one another, then to me. I saw what could only be described as a hungry look in their eyes. Coming from large cats it was a little intimidating, but neither looked like they were trying to give off that predatory impression. Both slowly closed their eyes, lowering their heads as their ears fell submissively. Phillip reached out and rested his left arm across to his right to rest it on Sabrina's shoulder while Sabrina reached her right arm over to press her paw to Phillip's. In unison, they spoke in that sing-song rhyme of theirs. "Seer, we make will make this Vow; we ask that you accept us now. You are one, and we are two-- as three we are more than that with you."

Jack rose, stepping back from the table in surprise. His feathers puffed out as green energy coalesced around the wrists of both Cats. As the glow subsided it was replaced by what appeared to be silver bracelets or, more accurately, shackles. The Gryphon almost squawked out his objection. "Thou mayest NOT Bind thyselves to my ward!"

The Cats said nothing more, all four emerald eyes facing me, their ears focused on me, and all their attention directed nowhere else. Each slowly extended their paws in my direction and I saw an ephemeral link of energy that looked like a ghostly chain extending toward me. Neither said a word, which left me with numerous questions but no answers. I looked to Anapa, who nodded in my direction, gesturing to the end of the chain. My gaze shifted to Jack, who had his arms crossed, wings half-furled like a feathery cloak around his shoulders. "They will demand something of thee for their services, Richard... this is how a Vow works for Familiars. Make no promises until thou dost understand the Bargain."

I looked down at the papers in front of me and followed up on that thought. I slid the paper to the Gryphon who spoke my words for me. "What is it thou dost require of Richard?"

Sabrina spoke up first. "We will help protect Richard from any hostile spirits that may wish him harm."

Phillip added to it. "We will help him learn about magic-- as much as we can and as much as he wants."

The female Cat continued. "We will not hurt Richard so long as he maintains his part of the Bargain."

The male finished the offer. "We will strive to help him preserve his anonymity among humans and spirits not represented at this table."

Jack's eyes narrowed, repeating my question. "But what dost thou ask of HIM?"

Sabrina started again. "Richard will allow us to remain in his presence and grant us a fair portion of his time as his obligations permit."

Phillip once again included more. "Richard will provide us spirit energy equal to or greater than the effort we put forth to aid him."

Jack made as if to object but Sabrina spoke over him, expanding their ask. "Richard may not take any action that will harm us or challenge our rights as part of the Bargain."

Phillip quickly added to it before Jack could speak. "And, finally, he may add no more spirits to his retinue. Four is more than is reasonable already, but more than that is unfair to all of us."

The Gryphon grumbled. "Well... we can at least agree to SOMETHING. Aye... more than four would be nigh intolerable... not that four is much better."

I glanced to Jack with a raised eyebrow, quickly scribbling down a question for him: SO YOU THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA?

He shook his head. "Nay, Richard... but neither is it a bad one. These two have power-- that much is true, and if they choose to press their claim on thee then it would be up to Anapa and myself to force them back. Although I have no doubt we would be victorious, such a confrontation would help no one."

I looked to Anapa, wondering if he'd be able to follow along well enough to provide me any input. Unfortunately, his attention was elsewhere; even more unfortunate was that he was staring at the Rabbit spirit from earlier in the day; most unfortunate was the fact that he had apparently noticed us, and was making his way over eagerly. He was completely naked, member swinging obscenely between his legs. "He's a Seer? You're a Seer, Human? Oh sweet lollies, we can both get our jollies!"

I stood up, taking a quick glance around the cafeteria; there were still a lot of students present but they were all oblivious to what was happening. I remember wondering how I was going to get out of that mess until, in the blink of an eye, I felt that strange slowing-to-a-stop sensation and the two Cats did their 'thing'. It was familiar enough even after the first experience that I knew when it was safe for me to address the Rabbit. "No thank you. Anyway, I thought you were looking for someone who was a little more... uh... indiscriminate."

The Rabbit continued approaching despite the fact that all four of the spirits around me had moved to intercept him, creating a wall of Gryphon/Cat/Cat/Jackal in front of me. He reached down and started stroking himself. "Choosers can't be beggars."

The crazy look in the newcomer's purple eyes was intimidating in a way I couldn't have imagined experiencing but I worked to keep my calm. "Isn't that saying 'beggars can't be choosers'?"

The Rabbit spirit's member was grossly over exaggerated, almost equal to some kind of primal fertility idol and it was already drooling in anticipation. "Oh, don't worry, Seer... I'm not begging anymore-- I'm choosing. I'm choosing YOU."

As he spoke the Rabbit's Tenor became a Baritone and then, on the last word, a Bass, and with each step he grew in size, his fur bristling until it became more quill-like, and his furry paws became hooked like talons and long, sharp claws extended from them. By the time he was standing almost in reach of the four spirits between us his eyes had gone from a pastel purple to a blazing red. Although all four spirits in front of me said something different, the words all made sense to me in the same way: Feral Spirit.

With no time to lose, I--