Ever heard of a familiar? It's a type of guardian, a guide, but more importantly a companion to magical people.
I am such a familiar. Assigned to a lovely young lady called Harmony since she was six. She's a very kind human, modest, knows how to carry a conversation, not to mention beautiful and smart. Though she has quite a mischievous streak. She likes to test the limit of how long she can keep anything a secret, for example.
She also loves reading, studying, playing her many instruments, puppetry, chemistry, gossip and, boys. She's has a hard time picking between them for her to pursue a career in.
As her guardian, she's somewhere between thickest of friends and a daughter to me. (Though closer to the former.)
And because of that point of view, I've disappointed her… She doesn't even know it was my fault yet. She's in quite a slump for a week because of me. I have guilt on my conscience…
I'm Popoi. I'm a shadow that hides in her own. And I'm about to spill the beans. I took away her boyfriend. I hope she can forgive me…
It started about a year ago. We live in Primp Town. Known to be a peaceful town. Because besides the occasional tournament or festival, nothing big happens here. Not to say it's ever boring here.
There is one exception here… Ta-Toon-Da Castle, located on top of ZigZag Peak. There is a big scary demon living inside of it that never leaves. The town's folk are too scared to confront it.
Demons don't have a good reputation in our town, in general, they have to prove themselves before they're accepted. Akuma, a friend of ours and the museum curator, for example, is such a respected demon. I'm sure the town would love him even if he wasn't open about his hatred for his kind.
Actually, on a technicality, I'm a demon too. And because of me and Akuma, Harmony wasn't afraid to break in.
"If you get killed I'll blame you as well as myself." I reminded her, lying on the pavement in front of her.
"Don't be so glum, Poi."
She can't hide that secret. I was her shadow at the moment and she was shaking a bit. But she's prepared for the worst with several spells and potions. If she's curious I have a hard time stopping her from another secret to keep. I hope she grows out of it.
The castle was a mess. A shame, you could see shades of its former glory. While abandoned there were signs of life here. Namely, several foot and fist(?) prints left in the dust.
To make a long story short. We found the library. "Oh my." Harmony whispered. "Think the demon would mind if I borrow some?"
"These books look so old, they must be lost to time and more importantly, public domain by now. I suggest you capitalize on it by publishing them."
"Hmhmhm." She giggled. "Let's publish them under a male pen name."
"Another one?"
We turned a few corners around a few bookcases and there he was. Took us both by surprise to see this furless hulk of a red beast more than twice the size of Harmony reading a book next to stacks of full of them. His physique was like the one of a gorilla, but with tinier hind legs. The lack of mass must've gone to the other side 'cause this guy is TOP HEAVY with capital letters.
"It seems like it has little in muscle… Do you think so too, Poipoi?"
"Yup."
"Any idea what he could be?"
"Nope."
"Oh would you look at that, he has tiny specs like me."
'It's cute, I'll give him that.'
This guy was dedicated to that book. He should've heard us ten times by now since we entered.
Harmony walked towards him. "Don't!" I whisper yelled cautioning her against it. "This guy oozes evil." I can sense that. That's how I keep her safe.
"So does Mr. Akuma and he's good."
"He's the exception."
Well, I was right… He was evil. In fact, he was the Great Evil Ex-Prince Stanley Hihat Trinidad IV. Of the infamous royal family of Trinidad about three countries over. Kicked out by Evil King Stanley Trinidad III replaced by his brother, Evil Prince Stanley Trinidad V. Before the country was wiped off the face of the planet by a meteor that is.
While disliking his evil lineage, he's still a chip off the old block. As noted before, his aura oozes evil (and need I repeat that he is?), he has no ambition to act upon it he preferred his time spent on reading. So I deemed it okay for Harmony to hang out with him.
They bonded over books and became thick friends over books. She made sure to visit him thrice a week. Telling no one where she went, because of course.
That's not the only secret she got out of it. Stanley's the first person she met in a while who wasn't spoon fed her name to avoid confusion. So he doesn't know her name so coincidentally he called her "Witch". He claims it means "Pretty Face" in his dialect.
"Say, Stanley, what do think of Silvana's character development so far?"
"i think shes inconsistent between acceptance and giving up"
"But I think that's intentional, you'd have to remember what's been through, it's only human… Or demon even." Harmony giggled poking Stanley. It's more sensitive than it appears.
"i know it is intentional"
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"i am who wrote it this is my pen name witch"
"Ooooh~ You kept a secret from me! You've done the impossible! Now please keep being hush-hush how the story ends. I'm intrigued."
"of course"
It was too corny. That's why I'm skipping over most of this. I tuned out of it. I wish I wasn't one of her secrets sometimes… To be fair to her, and she has legitimate reasoning to keep me in the dark, literally. She does her best to make it up to me. She said she wouldn't mind me being around Stanley. I said I'll manage being bored out of my skull. I have too many snide things to say about him and they get along too well for me to ruin it like that.
As the months passed their friendship blossomed into something more. But I could only see Harmony's side of it because I've known her for so long. It was hard to tell with this guy. He's really dry and blunt unless you took his book away.
Harmony wouldn't shut up about Stanley in private the more time passed on. It's clear where it was going. And I wasn't gonna endorse this, but this is something a familiar shouldn't meddle with.
It took her some more months to finally cough it up. She came prepared with a box of chocolates. "what is the is the meaning of this"
"Stanley Trinidad? Will you be my valentine?"
She had to explain what that was. Apparently, these books predate the holiday. He did say yes to her. But I wasn't so sure he loved her back the same way she did him.
This sunk in further how he barely looked up from his book when she asked him to be her boyfriend a month later. She practiced very hard, confessing in the mirror. Harmony was physically disappointed by the way he said yes.
'She deserved better than him!' I decided. 'But she does want him.' To jump ahead a bit, I was wrong thinking like this. He appreciated her company and grew to love her as well. But I wasn't so sure he did until later. I did what I did nonetheless…
Whenever Harmony's asleep I went out scouting for some way to make him love her back.
I struck a deal with Akuma. He has several neat stuff to capture demons. In particular, this book known as the Record of Sealing. Made to suck up whatever demon opens it up. But unbeknownst to my partner in crime, I rigged it so it would just suck the evil out of him. I jumped to the conclusion that his evil was connected to his love of reading. I think I lost track of Akuma speech.
When we finally had a concrete plan, including a counter curse (no matter how impossible to pull off). We manipulated a not-so-bright delinquent by possessing him and by posing as his shadow.
Long story short: Mission accomplished.
When we high tailed it out of there undetected with his evil. Akuma gave me an earful, something about it being immoral of forcibly changing someone's personality, even on demons. I knew, I didn't care. Akuma begrudgingly took the book with him. I just wanted to make Harmony happy…
I learned quickly that my method was the wrong one…
Two days later we (as in me and my protectee) returned to Ta-Toon-Da. "oh hey there witchy howya doing" Don't let his booming voice fool you. He lost any energy in his voice…
"Stanley? Wh-What happened to you?" It seems like I've lessened his intelligence with my actions. Well, maybe not that, just a bit dopey, space-y maybe? He still loves to read, and he became more openly affectionate towards her. It's a bit more attention than asked for.
I could tell Harmony did not like this change. The break up was slow but harsh. I don't wanna go too much into it, even cynical ol' me gets choked up at it…
Don't know how, but Stanley left his castle since the first time he arrived to search out his girlfriend. But no one pointed to the right 'witch'. Harmony had a cloak to hide amongst the crowd.
While he lost Harmony's love before he could truly enjoy it. The town took a liking to him, somehow he was socially acceptable. But he wanted his Witchy. He moved away, he had a hard time living in a town where Harmony couldn't love him anymore. Word is he found a new flame. You know? Good on him. But this is one secret I'm keeping from poor, poor Harmony…
If this wasn't my fault and I wasn't paying attention at all, I would say Harmony was upset that she lost a secret. And I'm sure that's part of it, albeit a very small bit. I wish I was that hypothetical version of me… Blissfully ignorant of what went wrong…
At our room, she was lying her top body over her desk, her forehead on the surface, her arms covering her face. Done with crying for today, but not being sad. "Whuuuuuaaaawhyyyyyyy? Stanley-hee…" She sobbed into her sleeves.
I stroked her back. "I'm sorry it doesn't click anymore…"
And that's where we are now… Best to rip off the bandage now…
I took a deep breath. "H-Harm? There's something I must confess."
She sniffed. "You're gonna finally admit it's your fault?" She bursted out a little, looking me angrily in my eyes, but she's surprised I'd come clean.
Also: "H-How did you-"
"Poi! You of all people should know what I'm capable of, now why did you do it!?"
I gulped, normally she's so serene, no matter what the situation called for… Anger is something I've rarely seen of her. I explained my selfless motivations.
"True, I did not approve of him. But I wanted him to be ideal for you…"
"Why didn't you use a simple love potion then?!"
"I'm not the licensed chemist, Miss Witch!... Sorry for shouting, I can leave you forever if you're too angry…"
"Poipoi! Don't you dare leave! Not if you truly care about protecting me."
"Huh?"
"If you leave I'd lose my best friend… The one I don't cast out due to my… quirks."
"Harmony…"
It's rare to see her vulnerable too, and it's the first time it's because of me.
"I knew I had to stop Stanley one day myself… Like you said, he is… Was evil, but he was so lovable~❤. He loved it when I acted out his favorite moments with my puppets."
"Those were great…"
"Poi, you're a dummy." She lightly chuckled, but it's obvious she's still angry at me. "Follow me." She grabbed something off her shelf. "So you know this cute cat puppet I've been working on?"
"Yeeeaah?"
"Well, I felt guilty that you were being left out. So I cobbled this kitty together under the guise of just a puppet."
"Is this going where I think this is going?" She giggled in response putting her index finger on her lips. "I hexed this puppet. If you're in its shadow you can control it. You can talk to everyone, while I pass you off as me doing ventriloquism. While you can remain my favorite mystery~ Best of both worlds." She said affectionately patting the cat.
"Sweet! Ah. I don't deserve it. Put it back on, I'll stay in your shadow. Thanks for thinking about me, though."
"Oh no you don't, Mr.. It's for you."
"Wh-wha?"
"Just need to cast one more teensy hex extra on it and it's complete. You go outside and come back in twenty minutes. You trust me, don't you, Poi?"
She grinned like she's holding back a funny joke.
"No, not in this case… But I'll take it regardless." She's happy to hear that.
When I came back my body was ready, meow. She hexed it so I'm compelled to say "Meow" or speak in cat puns. So that mystery's unraveled. It's her punishment fur meow's truly. She flung me across the room for good measure, meow…
The next day we were on good terms again… And remained so, meow. At least she's over him for meow…
Author's Notes:
Don't when I write the next part. Probably when I feel like it. I still need to figure out for what tone I'm going for with Rafisol and Dark Prince… And maybe rethink what I'm gonna do with Doppel.
So that was my headcanon for may favorite Puyo boss design wise.
Ironically the place where I got Stanley's name would fit Popoi just as well.
And can I just say I've endeared myself to a character I wrote? That's a first.