How this story came about is rather amusing. I was talking to a friend last night, who has asked to be called Raansu. Anyway, I'd just finished my Aaeru/Neviril lemon and was mentioning how I'd written pretty much all of my oneshot ideas at that point. I happened to mention that I love ideas from readers, and that started him thinking of a few ideas. In the end, he gave me a rather amusing prompt, and I began work on it last night, only to finish up a bit ago. It turned out to be a lot longer than I expected, but I really enjoyed visiting the surrounding world of Simulacrum. Thanks for the wonderful idea, Raansu!
Prompt: Rodoreamon/Mamiina's childhood. A celebration/festival/what have you that both girl's take part in, and they both see Simouns doing Ri Maajons and then they think about what that really means to them and talk about it later.
She rolled over in her bed, hiding her eyes in her stuffed animal. The bright sunlight was too bright; she didn't want to get up just yet. Perhaps if she stayed like this, they'd leave her alone and let her sleep.
"Come, little miss. It's time to rise and dress. Your father would like to leave for the festival within a couple of hours." A middle aged woman wearing a maid's outfit and her blonde hair pulled back in a smart bun tied back the curtains, ignoring the child trying to snatch a few more moments of sleep.
"Do I have to?" she mumbled, squeezing her stuffed toy tightly.
"Of course! Tempus Spatium would not be pleased if you slept on festival day! Let's go now!" she called cheerfully as she moved to Rodoreamon's bed, pulling away the covers. She carefully plucked the young girl from bed, sitting her up. "That's better. I've picked out your clothes for today. Your mother had a new dress made for the occasion."
Rodoreamon rubbed at her eyes, holding her stuffed toy in one arm. Her bare feet dangled over the edge of the oversized bed. "What does it look like?"
"A pretty emerald one, with a large bow in the back. I think you'll like it."
The nursemaid helped Rodoreamon to wash up and then to dress, finishing the dressing tasks by tying the bow in the back of the dress. Rodoreamon walked over to the large floor length mirror and admired herself shyly as the maid set to parting her hair and plaiting a thick braid on either side of her head. She tied matching emerald ribbons at the end. "There we are! Your father will be pleased to see that you're ready. Let's go meet him."
"Yes ma'am," replied Rodoreamon.
Mamiina watched the flurry of activity taking place in the kitchen. Servants flew back and forth from their various stations as they worked to prepare the large feast that would be served that very evening. They'd been at work since sunrise, baking and cooking many scrumptious dishes. Mamiina herself had been in the kitchen shortly thereafter, as her parents were making sure the gardens were at their finest. Her favorite cook, Hinami, had placed her on a stool near one of the stations and let her watch. Sometimes she'd gotten to help mix something together. She enjoyed watching the variety of ingredients combine and mix together, creating something entirely new.
"Mamiina, will you sweep the floor? I'm afraid some of the others are making a mess and you know how I am about my kitchen," called Hinami.
She hopped down from the stool. "Okay!" she called happily, going to fetch the child-sized broom and dustpan that had been made just for her. She began sweeping up the crumbs and spills that occurred, humming to herself.
"That is wonderful work, Mamiina. You're a very hard worker," commented Hinami.
Beaming with pride, Mamiina responded, "Thanks!"
"Mamiina? Has anyone seen Mamiina?" called a voice through the kitchen. Mamiina tried to make herself hidden. She didn't want her father to find her. "Ah, there you are, dear. Come on, we need to get you ready."
"I don't wanna go, papa," protested Mamiina, gripping tighter to the broom handle.
"You were invited by Lady Rodoreamon to go with her to the festival. It's not proper to decline."
"Yes it is! I don't wanna go!" retorted Mamiina, louder this time.
"Don't you cause a scene," hissed her father as he took her by the hand and guided her toward the door. He ignored Mamiina's attempts to keep herself from going with him. They made it back to the family quarters without much fuss.
Mamiina crossed her arms, glaring at her father. "Why do I have to go?"
"You'll understand when you're older. You're going though, and that's that."
"What's all the fussing out here?" asked Mamiina's mother, entering the room with a small outfit slung over her arm. It was maroon in color.
"Mamiina doesn't want to go, as always," replied her father.
Her mother immediately understood and knelt in front of her daughter. "Mamiina, please go. You'll have fun. The festival is one of the biggest celebrations for Tempus Spatium. You'll even get to see the Simouns. Don't you want to see them?"
Even though she'd never seen one, Mamiina had heard about them from the other servants and cooks. She did want to see them and their prayers to the sky. "Fine," she said after a few moments of silence.
Breaking into a smile, her mother held out her hand. Come with me then, and we'll get you dressed for the festival. Her mother took her behind a large screen and helped her slip out of the clothes Mamiina had put on that morning. On went the maroon skirt, white button up blouse, and small matching maroon overcoat. "There we go. It's very cute on you. I'm glad I was able to get it in time." She had received the dress as a hand-me-down from one of the other servant mothers. Her daughter was much older than Mamiina, but her mother had still had some of her smaller outfits. "What do you think, Mamiina?"
"I don't like it," answered Mamiina, crossing her arms again.
"Of course not," agreed her mother. She took Mamiina by the hand and led her out from behind the screen.
Mamiina's father was waiting when they emerged. "It's beautiful, Mamiina. Let's go meet Lady Rodoreamon."
He took Mamiina's hand, and together they walked back to the main house. Mamiina was led into the large drawing room to wait with her father. Mamiina kicked her legs back and forth as she sat in the large velvet chair. Waiting was stupid. She didn't even want to be here.
It was not long before Rodoreamon entered, her mother and father behind her. Mamiina's father rose and bowed toward them. "Lord Reif. Lady Aryonneamon. Lady Rodoreamon," he said, greeting each of them in turn. He noticed that Mamiina had not gotten up to bow, and he quickly had her do so. The glare his daughter gave could not be mistaken or ignored. "Please forgive my daughter's ignorance," he apologized, bowing even lower.
"Please stand, Jaif," stated Lord Reif. "I've had the stablehands prepare the carriage. It should be around shortly."
In no time, the carriage was bumping along the dusty dirt roads. Mamiina sat beside her father, quiet for once. Rodoreamon sat with her parents on the other side of the carriage, smiling shyly at Mamiina. When Mamiina noticed this, she stuck out her tongue to tease her. Instead of being insulted, Rodoreamon covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. Mamiina frowned; the girl was strange to laugh.
The festival was being held in the village nearby. Crowds lined the streets, all making their way toward the temple to worship and give thanks. The carriage pulled over to one side, and the driver opened the door, assisting the women in stepping down from the transport. Rodoreamon looked at her surroundings with wide, excited eyes. Mamiina stood behind her, arms crossed.
"Isn't this fun?" Rodoreamon asked Mamiina.
"No," replied Mamiina. "I wanna be at home cooking in the kitchen, not here."
"But I invited you so we could have fun together. I wanna be your friend."
"Why do you wanna be friends with me?"
"Cause…I think you're nice," replied Rodoreamon.
"You're stupid," remarked Mamiina, sticking out her tongue again.
The conversation would have continued, but both fathers took their girls by the hand and led them toward the temple. They joined the crowd heading inside and took a seat in one of the middle pews. The priestess in charge of the temple began a sermon, and neither girl spoke as they listening to her soothing voice, which gave prayer and passed on blessings given by Tempus Spatium. The sermon ended with the prayer of thanks. Mamiina and Rodoreamon knelt beside their parents, crossing their arms over their chests. They did not fully understand the prayer yet, but they understood that it was very necessary, and very important.
Once more in the bright sun, the girls walked around with their fathers. The two men were discussing the gardens around the family's home, and Lady Aryonneamon would chime in with some ideas of her own. Mamiina was still none too happy to be at the festival, but Rodoreamon was persistent in her attempts to befriend the girl.
"There's so many people here!" she remarked to Mamiina.
"So?"
"So that means everyone came to celebrate Tempus Spatium, like a big birthday party."
"It's not Tempus Spatium's birthday. That's just stupid."
Rodoreamon looked at Mamiina, tears beginning to fill in her eyes. "You're so mean."
"I don't wanna be here."
"Can't you try to have fun?"
"No. I wanna be at home in the kitchen." Mamiina waited for Rodoreamon to reply to that, but the girl didn't. She snuck a peek and saw that Rodoreamon wasn't even looking at her anymore. Suddenly, she felt bad for what she'd said, but she wasn't going to admit it. No, the girl had finally stopped talking to her. If she said something, Rodoreamon would probably start up again. The bad feeling didn't go away though.
Mamiina felt herself being lifted up onto her father's shoulders. She watched as Lord Reif did the same with Rodoreamon. Before she could protest or ask why Lady Aryonneamon spoke up. "Look girls, the Sibyllae are going to fly the Simoun and give blessings to Tempus Spatium."
Six helical motor craft took to the sky, a full Chor. The crowd ooh'ed and ahh'ed in amazement as the six Simoun dipped and dived gracefully in the sky. First came the peaceful Dandelion Ri Majon. The light trails shined brilliantly in the sky before fading away.
"Papa, what was that?" asked Mamiina, pointing to the fading Ri Majon.
"That's a Ri Majon, Mamiina. It's a prayer to the sky. That one was called the Dandelion."
"Ohh…" Mamiina watched, enthralled. Her eyes could focus on nothing but the Ri Majon and the Simoun, as though in a hypnotic state.
Rodoreamon, too, watched the Simoun with glee. "That'll be me someday, daddy?"
Her father chuckled. "Yes, Rodoreamon. Everyone in our family has become an accomplished Sibyllae. You will do the same when you are old enough." He had no doubt that his daughter would succeed. Her family lineage had produced many fine Sibyllae, including a few Sibylla Aurea's.
"Wow…"
The Sibyllae performed more Ri Majons. Each one left behind colorful light remnants that would fade with time. Iron Ri Majon. Shark Ri Majon. Falcon Ri Majon. None were harmful or damaging, for the prayers of the Sibyllae were of a different time, a time of peace. No one had yet discovered that with the right prayer, these Ri Majon could be used for something much more dangerous.
Each girl watched the rest of the show in silence, mesmerized by the Simoun and the Ri Majon. Their parents watched as well, giving thanks that Tempus Spatium allowed them to witness such a miracle of aerial feet. As the chor returned to the temple grounds, the crowd erupted into a loud cheer, applauding their prayers. Slowly, the crowd began to disperse, chattering loudly and gesturing toward the Simoun.
The parents set the girls down on the ground once more. They spoke amongst themselves, keeping a mindful eye on the girls. "That was really nice," remarked Rodoreamon.
"Yeah, those were really cool!"
Reaching out, Rodoreamon took Mamiina's hand. Mamiina was too excited to push her away. They walked ahead of their parents. "Someday, I'll be a Sibylla, just like mommy and daddy," said Rodoreamon. "They got to fly like that too."
"I don't think my papa or mama ever flew a Simoun," replied Mamiina. She tried to recall her papa speaking about Simoun, but couldn't remember anything. She turned around. "Papa, did you ever fly a Simoun?"
Her father looked a bit embarrassed. "No, Mamiina, I never flew a Simoun."
"Why not?"
"Because… because I never had time to train."
"Oh…" She turned around. She didn't hear the whispers behind her.
"Does she know?" asked Lady Aryonneamon softly.
"No, we've never told her…"
"You could be the first," suggested Rodoreamon.
"Yeah, I could be!"
Rodoreamon giggled, her hand over her mouth. "You're really nice."
Mamiina looked away shyly. "Thanks."
"Hey, maybe we could fly together," suggested Rodoreamon. "You need two people to fly."
"You do?" asked Mamiina. She was unfamiliar with much of the world of Simoun.
"Uh huh. You have to kiss the other person and it makes the Simoun fly. Then you both pray."
"Do you have to kiss them?"
"You have to, or it won't fly." Rodoreamon leaned forward, kissing Mamiina chastely on the lips. "Just like that."
Blinking, Mamiina looked at Rodoreamon with a look of disbelief. "You kissed me!"
"So you could see what the Sibyllae do."
Mamiina made a show of wiping the kiss off her face. "That's gross!" It only made Rodoreamon giggle at her even more.
That evening, Mamiina chattered non-stop to her mother about what she'd seen at the festival. They'd arrived home in time for the large feasting, and Mamiina was allowed to eat with the family and guests they had invited. Her parents had a hard time getting her settled for the night and trying to get her to quiet down.
"…And I'm going to do that someday too!"
Her mother smiled sadly. "Fly a Simoun?"
"Yeah! Rodoreamon will fly with me, and we can pray to the sky together."
Her mother didn't have the heart to tell Mamiina that she'd never fly as a Sibylla because her family did not have the same blessing from Tempus Spatium that Rodoreamon's family did. It had never occurred to her that her daughter might wish to become a Sibylla at all, but she supposed that being around such an affluent family might affect that. "Come, Mamiina, it's time for bed."
"Do I have to? I wanna stay up some more."
"Yes. I think the day's events will give you pleasant dreams."
"You forgot to give your papa a kiss goodnight."
Mamiina climbed out of her bed and crossed the room to where her father sat, reading the day's paper. She climbed onto his lap and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight, papa."
"Sleep well, Mamiina. You can help me out in the morning in the garden."
"Aww but I don't want to."
"We're going to be doing some planting. You like to help dig in the dirt."
"Okay." She climbed down from his lap and walked over to her mother.
"Ready to sleep and dream?" her mother asked, smiling.
"I can fly in my dreams!" She hopped over to her bed and crawled under the covers. Her mother tucked her in and then kissed her forward.
"Goodnight, Mamiina."
"Goodnight, mama."
In the main house, Rodoreamon was also excited about the events from earlier that day, although she did not so easily show it. Her nursemaid was dressing her for bed and she spoke softly, retelling the events from her point of view.
"Mamiina's really nice. She's mean sometimes, but she can be nice too. She really liked going to the festival today."
"After all the fussing she gave her father? I'm surprised," commented the nursemaid.
"No, she liked it when we got there. We got to watch the Simoun pray to the sky."
"You'll be up there too one day, Lady Rodoreamon."
"Yeah, and Mamiina will be with me!"
"Really now? That's—" A knock on the door interrupted her reply.
"Daddy!" called Rodoreamon happily as she rushed over and hugged him.
"I came to tuck you in. I heard you were talking up a storm to the maids."
Rodoreamon climbed into her bed and her father pulled the covers up to her chin. He smiled down at his daughter. "Daddy, when can I fly a Simoun?"
"You'll have to train as a cadet first. Then you'll get to be a Sibylla and fly a Simoun."
"Mamiina is going to be a Sibylla too. We're going to fly together."
Her father was taken about by the words, but he realized he should have expected it since the two would often play together. "Rodoreamon," he began softly, "Tempus Spatium has the final decision on who can be a Sibylla. Don't be disappointed if Mamiina does not become one."
"But daddy, anyone can be a Sibylla, can't they?"
"I'm afraid not."
"Why?"
"That's just how things work in the world," he answered vaguely, knowing the details were much too complex for a young child to understand. "Now, sleep well tonight." He kissed her cheek gently, rising from the bed.
"Goodnight, daddy!" She snuggled up to her favorite stuffed animal and closed her eyes, a large smile on her face.
Both girls slept peacefully that night and each dreamed of the day they'd have a chance to really fly a Simoun. Each girl dreamed of pairing with the other, just as they had planned. Neither knew that society would dictate otherwise, or that by the time they were able to fly together as a pair, things would have changed drastically in the world in which they inhabited. For now, they dreamed big, in the way only a child can.