Viera Actress
Chapter 2: Myko and Janzyn
Hello! Your favourite Viera-hearted writer here. This chapter will involve more actress-talk, and a bigger part for everyone's favourite pain-in-the-rear male Viera Lord Janzyn. By the way, Lord Janzyn goes over so well with my readers (despite what he does to Mjrn) that my brother is writing a spin-off: The Hunters of the Stars series, and the first story in the series is Hunt of the Self-Proclaimed Lord, where these five interesting hunters (a temperamental Hume, an incredibly cute yet deadly Moogle, a female Nu Mou, a hypersensitive Bangaa, and a retarded Viera) hunt Lord Janzyn mercilessly (I like to advertise, heh-heh). In this chapter, Jote decides to put her plan to purge poor little Myko's Hume half into action, and Mjrn has to find a way to stop it, so she gets her ever-so-happy-to-help-for-a-price boyfriend's help.
Myko despised sitting still and behaving. It was not in her nature. Being wild was part of her, being on the move was in her blood. Flight was carved into her mind. Jote was desperately trying to teach her, but that involved sitting still and Myko could not so she had to be restrained. Whoever restrains a Viera might as well be killing her! At least according to Myko-chan.
So Myko decided to go Berserk on her Aunt Jote. Good thing she was smaller than a normal Viera child and wasn't strong enough to cause any real damage during her short-lived rampage. Jote noted that if she wanted to teach the child anything, she'd have to chain her up or something.
Jote knew that if Myko's Hume half was revealed, it was like signing the girl's death warrant. Even if the Viera of Eruyt Village accepted Myko Lapin Bunansa for who and what she was, there was no way every Viera in the Wood would, and certainly some would attempt to kill the child because of the fact that she was part Hume. And Myko could not defend herself yet. Despite that, she'd still wander around in the Wood. It was best to keep the secret away from Viera who weren't either Fran's relatives or those who were with Jote when she found out that her sister was pregnant.
And Jote could NOT allow Myko to be killed. The Wood had charged her specifically to take good care of that little girl. The Wood knew all when it came to Viera. She knew that Fran wasn't able to take care of her love child. Jote wanted to have more children, and as long as she took good care of Myko, she could try and have kids. The Wood had already blessed her once, with a little girl named Sylva, aka Vinka. Jote wanted more little Viera. She was becoming like her mother, who wanted nothing more than to have lots and lots of kids. She had borne six, but only Jote, Fran, Mjrn, and their half-brother Delf had survived. Two more little girls had died: one was stillborn, the other died of rabbitpox a few days after she was born.
Jote worried about having more kids though. She had nearly died giving birth to Vinka. Mjrn had to lead the village for a few months after that. Mjrn, of course, didn't seem to have much trouble giving birth to her twin children. She had wandered off into the Wood alone and had them without any problems. Jote needed help, Mjrn did not. And Jote was supposedly the stronger of the two!
Back to Myko. Jote was trying to hold the girl still, trying to keep the enraged half-Viera child from clawing her face. And this only made Myko angrier.
"Darn it, stay still! I want to teach you something!" Jote roared.
"Don't bother. That mutant spawn of Fran's isn't going to listen. Just nail the little half-breed freak across the head with a rod. Knock her out. She'll come to eventually, her senses back." Rael said. The advisors didn't like Myko. They wouldn't hurt her, but they still detested her and everything about her. Jote gave Rael a Look. Nobody was supposed to call Myko-chan names like that. And the few who knew Myko was half-Hume could not call her half-breed. If a common Viera heard a comment like that, they'd know Myko was Balthier's daughter, and chaos would ensue.
"Nobody ever succeeds in capturing the leading lady!" Myko cried, leaping into the air and sailing right over Jote's furry ears. Sheesh, that girl was quite the acrobat. That was something all the Viera noticed. It wasn't every Viera who could move like that kid. Alja, one of the Salve-makers, could barely move well at all on one of her legs. Myko could leap several feet in the air.
"That is no Viera! That is a rabbit!" Hala cried out. Myko bounded away.
"I swear, she is going to learn to listen if I have to chain her to a tree to be able to teach her without her running off or doing this kind of thing." Jote complained.
"The little freak ran off toward Mjrn's hut. That brat loves her Aunt Mjrn. I can't believe that thing came out of Fran. Fran was always so pretty. Why did she have to sleep with that Hume and have that little monster? It baffles me. If she had to have a child, she should've come back here against your will and found a male Viera to screw her. I know a few who would've gladly done it." Rael stated.
"Rael, another comment like that, and I'm going to tie you to a tree and use you for target practice! That was not only rude, that was tasteless."
"Not to mention heartless!" Neve yelled.
"Neve, stay out of this!" Rael hissed.
"Rael, you know that Jote's fight is our fight. You have been an advisor for a longer time than I have. You should know that!" Arla yelled.
"Of course I know that! I used to work for Sylva! And Jote is no Sylva! She's nothing like her mother!"
"Rael, you worked for Sylva for about two months! She hired you shortly before Mjrn was born. You spent years as my advisor! Your daughter Dana will be my Vinka's advisor!"
"I hope your daughter lives up to par with your mother! Her name is also Sylva, and as that, she has a lot to live up to."
Myko went straight to Mjrn. Mjrn was always there for her niece. Both were raised by Jote, neither knew their mothers very well (even though Myko's mother was still very much alive). They were two of a kind in many other ways. And Mjrn adored Myko more than any other Viera did. She loved the child almost as much as her twins.
"Myko, what do you want?" Mjrn yelped when Myko rushed in.
"She's trying to kill me!" Myko screeched.
"Who? What? Are you mad?! MYKO-CHAN! CALM YOURSELF DOWN!"
"Jote. She was trying to make me hold still and listen."
"The fiend."
"Be nice to me! And then stupid annoying Rael starts calling me nasty names. And then I start fighting Jote so I can move. And then I escape, and I hear some horrible things out of Rael's mouth about me and my parents."
"What do you want me to do? I can't stand up to Jote."
"I just need love."
"Jote and I love you. And Slya and Janson. And your mother and father love you, even though they let you go. They let you go because they love you so much. They couldn't put you in the kind of danger they have to face daily."
"I want my mommy." Myko whimpered. She climbed up onto her aunt's lap and rested her head on her shoulder.
"I'm definitely not Fran, but am I good enough at least?"
"You're an excellent understudy."
"Will you stop that? That's what gets you in trouble. That actress talk. Lena says that nobody can change who you are, but talking like that makes us afraid that someone is going to find out about your father. He's very well known, even though I don't think too many Viera know him that well. And they might hurt you. We don't want to see you get hurt. I think Jote sees you as little more than her ticket to little Viera. I'm sure she does love you, but it goes deeper than that. She takes good care of you just because the Wood says she has to. I care about you more than that."
"Why am I her ticket to little Viera? Marl is her ticket to little Viera! He's her mate!"
"I'll tell you when you're older. Honey-bunny, I think I have to go locate Jan. He might know how to help."
"Jote says that he doesn't help you. He just uses you to do something, and then she finds out that I'm there listening and clams up."
"Myko, your grandmother always told your mother and Jote to follow their hearts. I'm sure she would've wanted me to do that too. My heart leads me to Janzyn. I'm young, but I am smart enough to make my own decisions about love. And I'm not too young to have children, and I'm not an unfit mother!"
"What can I do about Rael?"
"Forget her. She's mean. It may have something to do with Kira. Kira was her only sister, and she was born blind. She ran off into the Wood to avoid the other Viera, who would torment her. Rael misses her, and may take out her loneliness on other Viera because of how Kira was teased."
"She doesn't need to call me a freak, or make comments about my blood."
Janzyn was waiting for some excitement. It had been a week since Mjrn had brought her kids to stay with him and Lena. Having a girl like Mjrn around helped the self-proclaimed Lord of the Wood sleep better at night! Mjrn and Janzyn seemed made for each other sometimes. They couldn't get enough of each other.
Mjrn went to Janzyn's to procure a favour from her lover. Janzyn was teaching his son how to use Blue Magick. Mjrn watched for a while. She had only ever seen Jan use Blue Magick once. Jan was one of only a few Viera who could even use Blue Magick, the magick of monsters. And evidently, Janson was also capable of using it.
"Hey Mjrn! Watch this! Janson shocked the heck out of me earlier by using Goblin Punch on a dummy Lena had set up. I had no idea my son had my gift!" Janzyn exclaimed.
"Did you teach him any more techniques or does he have to learn them from the monsters?" Mjrn asked.
"I taught him a few. He picks up abilities quite easily. Easier than I do and I've been training for decades. Ever since ol' Dock realized I had the gift of Blue Magick."
"Dock?"
"My father, sort of. He wasn't my real father. I have no idea who my biological father was. Dock found me soon after I was born. My mother died giving birth to me, and Dock found me and raised me as his son. He taught me everything I know. He was astounded to discover that I had the power to use Blue Magick. He doesn't have the ability, but he had me practice my techniques. I only know a few techniques, living in the Wood. Like that malboro one we always hear about. That's cool to use. Blue Magick ability is an extremely rare ability in Viera. A lot of Humes have the power, though. They just don't use it much anymore."
Mjrn came close to Janzyn. "I need a favour only you can give." She whispered in his ear. Janzyn scooped the young Viera into his arms. Mjrn got upset. "Not THAT kind of favour. At least, not at this second."
"You could've said that you weren't here for love. That could've saved me some energy. I'm all excited now. Sheesh." Janzyn said. He put Mjrn down.
"Well, we can save it for after you help Myko. You're the only one I can think of who can help. If you help, I'm sure making wild, hot, intense love to me will be all the more rewarding."
"Mjrn, I don't know if I can wait."
"You're gonna have to, Mr. One-track Mind. Myko needs our help."
"She doesn't need it this second, does she?" Janzyn's arms were creeping around Mjrn's waist.
"I suppose not. But even so, we can't do this right now."
"Sure we can. I'm already good to go, and you seem pretty tense right now."
Mjrn grinned at Janzyn. "You know me."
"Better than any other Viera knows you. C'mon. Let me take you out in the Wood, and we can have fun. Or we could go upstairs again."
"I don't know if this is such a good idea. Look at Janson. He's getting interested."
"Janson? Go find Aunt Lena and Slya and play with them!" Janson ran off. Janzyn picked Mjrn up again. "Now where were we?"
"Janzyn! NO! I mean it! Not until we're done!" Mjrn yelled. Janzyn looked disappointed.
"Well, I suppose I can't win them all, can I?"
"Nope. Come with me. Jote is not going to like this at all, but it's all I can think of."
Myko was sound asleep. Mjrn had waited until she was asleep to go and find Janzyn. She was on the floor, but that was where she slept ninety percent of the time. She didn't like sleeping in beds. She'd either zone out on the floor, or outside. Fran used to have a sort of nest at home, and Myko would often sleep there. Myko always wanted her mother to come back for good, but she knew the Viera would never accept Fran again. Fran was dead to most of the Viera.
In Myko's dreams, her mother and father lived with her. She knew they really did love her, but she wished they could be with her. Every so often a Moogle would come by with a letter from Fran and Balthier for the girl. At least she wasn't totally cut off from her parents! Myko knew that they had left her in Eruyt Village for her own good. She just didn't understand it.
Myko was conceived from a one-night stand between Fran and Balthier. It was the Viera breeding season and Fran didn't think that Viera could have children with Humes. Next thing Fran knew, she was pregnant with her daughter. Myko was born a year and a half later, since Viera had longer pregnancies than Humes. Myko was born smaller than any pureblood Viera child, since Viera were larger than Humes. The young half-Viera had very few of her father's features, but perhaps that explained her behaviours. If she looked like a Viera, maybe she'd act like a Hume. She did have Hume blood in her, after all.
Myko enjoyed sleeping in her mother's old home. It made her feel better about not having her mother around. The Wood was Myko's mother now, just like it was the mother of the rest of the Viera. Myko's long ears twitched in her sleep. The girl was having a nice dream about her mother and father. To the pureblood Viera, the Wood was all, but to Myko there was more. To Myko… she didn't even know what it was yet, but there was something missing besides her parents in her life.
Mjrn brought Janzyn back and they found Myko asleep. They didn't want to wake her up, so they spoke quietly.
"I can't believe how hard Jote has been pushing her. She wants to train Myko so badly. I fear she may start doing this to our son and Slya, and then to Vinka. She doesn't understand that Myko isn't ready for this kind of intense training. She's still just a baby." Mjrn said sadly. Janzyn put his arm around her.
"She probably thinks that just because Myko is half Viera, she ages faster and needs to be trained sooner than other Viera kids." Janzyn said softly. Myko rolled onto her side, facing Mjrn and Jan. The two pure Viera both thought the child was so cute, especially when she was asleep.
"I can't let that happen. Myko is a baby, and she can't be forced to train like an adult Viera."
"What are we going to do?"
"I hoped you'd have an idea, Jan. I'm clueless."
"Besides doing something that would get me killed, I don't have any idea. If Jote finds me here, she's going to eat me alive. She hates me so much, and I don't know why."
"It's because of me. She's afraid that you're going to hurt me still."
"We have a son together! What's it gonna take to convince her?"
"That's the issue. Once ol' Jote gets an idea in her head, nobody can convince her otherwise. That's my problem. She will train Myko if it kills them both. And if she pushes Myko-chan too hard…"
"…she might just kill Myko." Janzyn finished. Myko stirred. Her little blue eyes opened.
"Good morning Aunt Mjrn. Hello Mr. Janzyn, it sure is nice to see you again." Myko said.
"Praise the mother! The cute little Viera girl remembers Uncle Janzyn!" Janzyn stated happily.
"Aunt Jote says that I have to call adults either Miss or Mister, except for my aunts and Uncle Delf."
"At least Jote is trying to make you polite. Two points for her, but she still needs therapy." Mjrn said.
"Therapy sounds like a good idea. I know a Viera who got therapy. She's about your age, Mjrn-chan. Her name is Kjna, and she used to have this insane desire to kill anyone who didn't do everything she wanted. Supposedly she killed a Hume out of self-defense because he was trying to force himself on her, and that experience warped her. She finally realized she had a problem, and found herself a therapist. Now she has a husband and a child of her own. She came from Tarva Village, like my mother and my dearly departed Tana." Janzyn remarked.
"I think I've heard of a 'Killer Kjna' from Delf. His father was from Tarva Village, and Delf has been there before. I wish I knew my father, but ninety percent of Viera have no idea who their father is. Jote says that she doesn't even know if the two of us has the same father. She says that she and Fran are definitely full sisters, 'cause Mom told her so and Mom would've never lied about something that important. I never had the chance to ask Mom about that kind of thing. Jote and Fran may only be my half-sisters, but that doesn't make any difference to me."
"All I knew was a father figure. Dock had trouble attracting the ladies. He never attracted a female Viera. That's where I was useful when I got old enough. I left him to try and find my home village. Tana let me in, and I got in such trouble. Dock says that I have a silver tongue. I haven't seen the old guy for years. Last I heard he was still alive. Someday I'll go see him. He raised me practically since the day I was born, and I can't just forget about him. He was my father after all."
"Jote and Fran were sort of like mothers to me. Especially the former. She had to keep Fran in line too. You know, I never knew either of my parents either. I had my sisters though, and sometimes Delf."
"I'll have to ask Kjna about the therapist. I'll go to Tarva Village, try to avoid Kara, and get that therapist to see Jote."
"And Jote will inform Kara. She knows Kara quite well, actually. They get along, unlike her and Arlisa Village's Tyra the Terror. Of course, nobody gets along with Tyra. Delf says that the Viera in Arlisa Village can't wait until Tyra dies and her oldest daughter takes over. Her daughter is less extreme. Delf thinks that Tyra is manic-depressive. I can't stand Tyra myself. Kara is a lot like Jote. She's a good leader, in her own way. She is one of the younger village leaders."
Myko was getting upset. She had just awakened from a nice nap, and was now listening to her aunt and her boyfriend figure out how to make Jote angrier. Everything made Jote angry, except little Vinka. Vinka made Jote happy.
Janzyn knew that going back to Tarva Village was dangerous. He wasn't allowed there. A long time ago, he had caused a lot of trouble there and Kara's mother had kicked him out for good. When she died, Kara became the leader. And Janzyn had slept with her during the short time he had lived there. Janzyn had actually been with nine Viera women from Tarva Village in his stay, and three of the Tarvan wood-warders gave him children. Janzyn had never even been allowed to see his daughters. Kara had sworn to kill Janzyn if she ever saw him again.
Janzyn knew that Kjna would be in Tarva Village with her husband Tyrs and their little daughter Saja. Saja was a few years older than Myko, but was pure Viera and thus didn't age as fast. It took a lot of persuasion on Mjrn's part to get Janzyn to go to Tarva Village, but she could be very persuasive. Janzyn would've done it for less than Mjrn offered him. She didn't have to go as far as allowing him to have the kids for two months. He would've done it for a week with them.
Janzyn's sister Mona gave him access. Jan was dressed up as a female. Mona only knew it was Janzyn because of her pet miniature coeurl Whiskers. Whiskers liked everyone, except for Janzyn. Nobody knew why. The cat absolutely hated Janzyn and would attack him on sight.
"Where is Kjna?" Janzyn asked.
"Why don't you want to see me? You haven't visited for ages!" Mona complained.
"I'm here as a favour to a very sexy Viera woman from Eruyt Village. I need to see Kjna."
"Jan, if Kara finds out that you're here, you'll be killed."
"That's why I'm dressed like a lady."
Mona took Janzyn to Kjna's place. A very pregnant Kjna was outside with Saja. She looked happy to see Mona.
"Hello Miss Mona. Who is your friend?" Kjna asked.
"Don't tell Kara I'm here." Janzyn pleaded.
"Don't tell me that you're Lord Janzyn. You look like a woman." Kjna said.
"You're a bright girl. I dressed up to fool Kara. I like you. Such a pity that you're married. I hate it when all the really sexy Viera decide to get married. Then their husbands get mad when I do my thing, if you know what I mean."
"If it wasn't for Tyrs, I'd still be a killer. And I never would've been able to have babies. I love little Viera."
"I love 'em too. That's why I have fifty-six so far, and seven more on the way. It's been a very good year for the Lord of the Wood." Janzyn said.
"What do you want?"
"The name of your therapist. I need her to come to the Wood, to Eruyt Village. My Mjrn wants her to help her sister."
It was time for Myko's training. Viera breeding season was upon the Wood, and Jote had a distraction. Marl used to be the leader of the male Viera, now he was Jote's mate. The two of them would train Myko, as long as Marl kept calm. Mjrn would have to be watched too, or she'd be sneaking off to play with Janzyn.
"Today, we're going to learn how to string bows. Myko, your mother was very good at this." Jote said. Marl was standing off to a side. He was uneasy.
"Where do…" Myko began to ask her question again when Rael threw a stone at her. "OW! What was the bloody reason for that? I get the impression you're the bad guy in this tale! I just want to know where baby Viera come from! Is that so wrong?"
"You don't get to ask that until you're old enough to have little Viera. Of course, we'll never let you. You can't taint more good pure Viera blood with your Hume blood!" The advisor growled.
"Rael, what in the Wood is wrong with you?!" Jote hissed. Marl chose that moment to come up behind her and began kissing the back of her neck. Myko's eyes went wide. "Marl, stop it. It can wait until later. Later we can do whatever we want. Look at Myko, she's interested. What are you thinking, doing this with an impressionable child around?"
"Myko wants to know where little Viera come from. Marl saw that as an excuse to show her. You know how uncontrollable the males are this time of year." Rael remarked.
"You be quiet! MARL! STOP THAT! I MEAN IT!" Jote raged. Marl backed off. Rael roared with laughter. Jote motioned for her other advisors.
"Jote, shall we take her outside and find men?" Neve asked. Jote nodded.
"I can't. Little Viera are no good for me now. I'm not much older than Mjrn." Alja said.
"Well, we're gonna. C'mon Rael, don't you want to have a baby Viera?" Hala asked. Rael growled at her.
"No. I'm just gonna go tease Lena. She still thinks that I'm like that."
"STAY AWAY FROM EVERY MEMBER OF LORD JANZYN'S FAMILY, AND ESPECIALLY THAT LESBIAN SISTER OF HIS!!" Jote screamed.
"What is a les…?" Myko began. Jote looked shocked. She clapped her hand over Myko's mouth before the child could finish.
"You heard wrong. I didn't say anything like that. Now just try to string the bow the way I showed you."
Myko tried to string the bow, but got tangled up in the string and fell over, tied up. Jote had to untangle her.
"Fran could string a bow when she was half your age. Myko-chan, are you ever going to do anything right?"
Poor Myko! The next chapter will have some Vinka action. She can't talk, but she can report when Myko and her cousins misbehave. I named her after a flower. Janzyn gets the name of the therapist, and Myko asks a bunch of questions, combined with the actress talk. Myko also starts to put together her production of "The Viera who Cried Coeurl" with a real coeurl involved! Thanks for the reviews so far! Ten Moogle points for all who sent reviews! SUBMIT MORE! REVIEWS KEEP ME WRITING! Myko may meet her parents eventually and that will be a very cute moment.