"The Gift": Richard's Storyline, Ch 8, Part 1
Story by comidacomida on SoFurry
Welcome back to Richard's storyline of The Gift. This is part 1 of Chapter 8!
The time has come for Richard to finally try and get the ritual right, but Balam is not going to make it easy. Rather than guiding Richard this time the Jaguar has posed a rather important question to him. If Richard gets this right he'll be one step closer toward earning Balam's respect, but getting it wrong could hurt their relationship-- possibly beyond repair. How does he answer? That's up to the readers... but it will not be easy this time. There are four options presented below and a fifth as an open-ended choice of fill-in-the-blank; you can either offer your own answer, or vote for one another player has proposed. Because of how important this answer is, I will announce clearly and obviously that the correct answer is actually the fifth one, as no option presented here is the right one. That being said, out of the four options offered, some are better than others, and one will right-out cause Balam's unabashed apathy. So... will the readers double down for a correct answer, or will the goal be to get something 'close to right'? Here is the winning vote:
5b) -- smiled with confidence. "We start with a prayer." (FOUR VOTES)
The Gift
Richard's Storyline, Chapter 8.1
copyright comidacomida 2019
I wasn't able to tell just when it was I'd fallen asleep but it was dark when I sat up in bed. Glancing to the clock, I saw that it was just a little after seven, which meant that I had a reasonable amount of time until we had to leave for the ritual Balam wanted to conduct. Stretching, I closed my eyes for a few moments, trying to regain the feeling of peace, centering, and one-ness that I'd felt under his instruction when meditating; I was particularly surprised that I found it so easily.
Out in the living room I could tell that Balam and Jack were working to overcome their language barrier; a small part of the discussion was about their separate backgrounds but a majority of it was regarding the night's ritual... and me. I was pleased that they were getting along so well, and the hesitance, reluctance, and jealousy of the first few weeks were completely absent. I was so absorbed in my meditation that I didn't realize just how long I'd been 'under' until Balam looked up and I heard him speak as if he were right next to me. "Ricardo... it is nearly time."
My eyes shot open immediately and I gazed around my room; I was alone. Quickly smoothing out the blanket on my bed I slipped on my shoes and stepped out into the hallway. When I walked down the hall and emerged into the living room I saw the Jaguar and Gryphon arranged exactly as I knew they would be-- it was how I'd already seen it. Although Balam only glanced at me with a knowing neutrality Jack was much more animated; his feathery ear tufts raised and his beak parted in a wide smile as he raised a talon. "Greetings again to thee, Richard. I trust thy rest went well?"
I nodded as I joined the two of them, taking an empty seat on the right side of the sofa, between where Jack sat to my left and Balam was situated on the recliner to my right. Responding to the Gryphon's inquiry first, I then thanked the Jaguar for the 'wake up call'. "I did, thank you. Gracias, Balam."
Balam nodded his head. "De nada."
Jack looked to the kitchen and then to me. "If I understood correctly, the Jaguar said we would be leaving soon... but thou shouldst consider having something to eat first, Richard."
I didn't think too much into the suggestion, pausing just long enough to glance at Balam; when the Jaguar nodded I went into the kitchen to see about preparing something quick to eat. As I pulled out everything I'd need to put together a sandwich, a thought came to mind. "Balam? Tengo una pregunta."
He nodded, responding in Spanish. "Of course, Ricardo... what is your question?"
When I make sandwiches I always use at least as much vegetable as meat fillings so I layered on some lettuce leaves, pickles, and some sliced tomato as I spoke. "The festival day you wanted me to celebrate with you-- sorry again about missing it... that was supposed to be a little after mid day... right?"
Balam slowly straightened up from his cross-legged position, putting his feet onto the floor as he took a more traditional position on the recliner. "Thank you for the apology. I understand why you could not join me. Yes-- the festival day celebration was after mid day."
I closed up my sandwich and cut it crosswise before getting a glass of water. "Why are we doing a celebration close to mid night tonight instead?"
The Jaguar waited until I had sat down before he answered. "There is no 'instead', Ricardo. I held the celebration when it was due by myself while you were recovering. The ritual tonight is the celebration of the night following the festival day."
Jack, who was trying valiantly to let us talk without interruption had a difficult task since the discussion in Spanish going on right in front. It was obviously still a point of focus so I didn't fault him when he asked "What is this about a second celebration?"
I offered a quick clarification before taking a bite of my simple dinner. "We didn't join him yesterday for the festival day, but he celebrated it yesterday. Tonight is a different festival to celebrate."
Balam continued as I chewed. "Tonight we will go to your roof and hold ritual to call out to the Moon. The Sun granted us its blessing yesterday, and tonight, we will ask the same of the Moon."
Nodding, I continued eating my sandwich, letting the Jaguar explain. Jack spoke quietly, indicating he was following on well enough to get the basics. "We're doing a ritual with the moon on top of the house?"
The Jaguar ignored the interruption as he continued. "If you are ready, we will also use the ritual tonight to ask for the Moon's blessing on our union."
I swallowed to clear my mouth before seeking clarification. "Union?"
He leveled his critical gaze at me. "The Rite of Binding... if you are willing."
I nodded. "Yes. Of course."
The Jaguar's whiskers quivered faintly, the only indication that his neutral expression was hiding something beneath it. "And if you are capable of following directions."
Squirming beneath his judgmental gaze I nodded slowly, but confidently. "I am."
Inclining his head, Balam slowly stood. "Good. Failure is not bad a thing. Many people say it is, but they are wrong. That is, of course, so long as we learn from them. If we do not learn from our failures then we fail twice."
Not having anything worthwhile to add, I took another bite of my sandwich. Jack answered for me, hesitantly in Spanish. "Richard to do good. He is smart."
Smirking, I helped him with conjugation again. "You mean 'Will do', Jack. 'Hacer' is present tense."
The Gryphon took it in stride. "Richard will do good."
At that point I set my plate off to the side, finishing my sandwich with a final bite. The moment I swallowed Balam stood and strode straight for the door. Pausing half-way through it, he glanced back over his shoulder. "Come. It is time."
My heart suddenly started pounding as I stood and followed after, Jack just one step behind me. I opened the door, walking out before closing it; by that point Balam was already nimbly climbing the ladder. I was much slower about it, and Jack, having given several powerful flaps of his wings, alighted on the roof next to me. Although it was already obvious I announced regardless "Okay... we're here."
Balam nodded, turning away from me as he rose his head, gazing at the cloudy sky. I felt an expectant tingling that flowed through me like a shiver and the tips of my fingers and toes felt like I was touching a 9 volt battery with my tongue. The Jaguar raised his arms and slowly spread them wide and I stood there dumbfounded, staring as the clouds actually parted, revealing the full moon in all its glory.
Turning back around to look at me, his critical eye struck me with his expectation. "Ricardo... how do we begin?"
I--