Side-Story: Skara's Decisions
Skara Siren plucked her harp lazily as she waited for someone in the school's cafeteria. She looked up when she heard a noise and smiled as Amity took a seat across from her friend.
"Sorry I'm late," Amity apologized sheepishly. "There was an incident in my potion class…that my fiance caused."
The tri-track student muttered the last part, but Skara heard it anyways. At the moment, however, the bard-in-training had other things on her mind.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Amity asked curiously.
Skara looked at her harp as she took a moment to organize her thoughts. She sighed and looked her friend right in the eyes.
"What's it like?" She asked curiously, "Being knocked down?"
Amity was caught a little off guard by the question but couldn't help but smile with a hint of nostalgia to it.
"Well, my first time wasn't all that good," Amity admitted. "But later, it became really fun. Nothing beats being a kid after a couple of stressful weeks. Plus, I like when people gush over me when I'm small and cute."
A bashful smile crossed Amity's lips and a light blush crept across her face as she became lost in happy memories.
Skara smiled warmly at the scene. She wasn't as oblivious as most of her friends thought she was; she fully aware of the stress Amity used to b be under when Odalia was in control.
She, after all, offered to listen to Amity when she saw how stressed Boscha was making her.
It was nearly a minute before Amity came out of her thoughts and looked at her bard friend curiously.
"Why do you want to know what's being knocked down like?" she asked curiously.
What little warmth Skara had faded from her eyes and she went back to plucking on her harp. Amity became concerned for her friend; she knew Skara better than the rest of the so-called friends Odalia used to make her hang out with. And since renewing their friendship, Amity has become close to Skara.
So, she knew that something heavy was on the more experienced bard's mind. But, she was patient enough to wait for her friend to continue on her terms.
Skara sighed lightly after a minute of plucking and looked at her friend with a hint of sorrow in her eyes.
"My mom's voice was hurt really bad during the Day of Unity," Skara explained sadly. "And she not taking it well.
Amity growled under her breath as that accursed day was brought up. She had fond memories of listening to Nora Siren's singing when she studied at Skara's place. Nora even gifted Amity her first harp when she showed interest in music.
Skara's voice brought Amity back to her senses and she gave her friend her full attention.
"My uncle always said mom liked when I sang when I was little, so…" Skara looked at her friend hopefully.
Amity offered her friend a warm smile and reached over and squeezed her friend's hand.
"We can talk to my mom after school," she replied kindly. She then puffed out her chest and looked at her friend smugly. "After all, my family is good at knocking people down!"
Skara couldn't help herself; she let out a short laugh and that brought a kind smile to Amity's face.
"You sound like Luz," Skara squeaked out mirthfully.
"What's wrong with that?" Amity proclaimed proudly.
The two then broke into a light giggling fit. The fit lasted well into the one-minute mark, and they got some weird looks sent their way. They finally settled down and, with all the tension from before gone, Skara decided to ask about another topic that has been on her mind.
"So," the young bard asked casually, "What's it like taking more than one track?"
"Hmm," Amity thought the question over, "It can get a little touch, but a Clawthorne never backs down. Are you planning on joining another track?"
Skara gave her friend a bashful look as she played a note. "Well, after seeing what your sister and her girlfriend did during the attack on the school, I got this idea; what if I could use bard magic to make healing magic stronger?"
"That sounds nice," Amity said with an encouraging smile, "We can find my sister and Viney later and see if they can give you some pointers."
Skara smiled at her friend and nodded. She suddenly frown as a foul odor reached her nose and cringed at the smell. Amity, on the other hand, groaned and stood up.
"Luzura Noceda-Clawthorne! I told you to take a shower and find a spare uniform before you came into the cafeteria!"
Skara heard a cute 'eep' and the sound of footsteps leaving the cafeteria quickly. The potential dual-track student giggled as her friend chased after her future wife.
(M Corner)
That demons and witches is how Skara joined the "knocked-down" coven. Now Theory Time; since magic is basically part of a witch's body, draining it would affect them in different ways.
In Skara's mother's case, her vocal cords were damaged during the draining spell. There's a good chance that her voice might never fully recover.