A/N: Hello, all! Welcome back to Firelight! It has been another month, but here I am with another chapter :)
If you didn't notice during the previous chapter, I have decided to leave the characters in Steel City alone for a while. Speedy's and Damiana's story is going to start getting more in-depth, so I figured I would leave Saeran, Adriel, and the Titans out of it. I will bring them back in when I feel it is relevant, so they aren't gone forever. It's just for the time being. I'm sure none of you care too much, though. Damiana and Speedy's side of the story is far more interesting! :D
Also, thank you for your continued interest in my story! Even if nobody reviews, I love checking my stats and seeing the number of reads. The last chapter had a crazy number of reads when I checked, and it made me incredibly happy! I'm glad you're enjoying Firelight!
Anyway, enough prattling. Have fun with the chapter :)
Note: I always proofread before posting, but due to the size of the chapters I occasionally miss typos. If I miss a typo, could somebody let me know in a PM or a review? Thank you so much! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.
Part IV: Unraveled: Chapter Thirty-Eight
"God, I don't know what I did to make you angry, but I am very sorry! If you want me to quit making fun of Aqualad, I can do that! I'll give him a sincere apology with a card and everything! We can even have a bro night and go out for beef tacos! Just please let me live!"
Roy hangs onto Ula's saddle more tightly than he hung onto his credit cards when Bee told him he was overspending. The warm, white, feathers pressed against his shins should be comforting, but they only serve as a reminder that this giant bird is the single thing separating him from the ground far below. The dense canopy that seemed high above them earlier is suddenly nothing more than a distant patchwork quilt of purples. A few scant seconds is all it takes for the archer to realize that looking at the ground is a mistake. Dizziness and nausea are overwhelming. If it wasn't for the disorienting rush of the wind, he would be blowing chunks all over the back of Damiana. How the Dabnodian girl remains so calm while riding on the back of a phoenix is an enormous mystery!
"Roy, for the millionth time, you are wearing a harness! A sturdy harness! You are not going to fall off of Ula!"
"I'm not worried about falling off! I'm worried about this thing crashing! How do we know that it won't get tired, or dehydrated, or distracted?!"
Although her words suggest otherwise, Damiana sounds amused more than annoyed. "Clearly you are not from Dabnod, so you wouldn't know, but phoenixes are built for flying long distances. And we were just at the lake. I'm sure she got plenty to drink."
"That's all fine and dandy, but you didn't answer my 'distracted' question!"
This time she laughs. "Relax. Tenna is guiding her. We're going to be fine!"
Tenna is indeed guiding the creature, but not in the way he expected. Rather than sitting atop the saddle and steering the way a human would a horse, she zips through the sky using her whirring orb of air. Tenna must have more stamina than the phoenix! He's no air user, but creating and maintaining a flight-enabling sphere looks like it would require a lot of endurance. This is probably the reason she made them all lunch earlier.
Whenever it strays, Tenna steers it in the right direction using gentle puffs of air. The phoenix seems to comply with its master without much protest. In fact, it gives her affectionate nudges with its head on several occasions. Tenna reaches out a hand to stroke the gargantuan bird's feathers every time. The smile on the woman's face when she caresses it is incomprehensible to Roy. How can she treat this thing like a pet when it's the size of a pterodactyl?!
Apparently Damiana notices his absolute horror, because the girl laughs yet again. "I wish we had a mirror so you could see your face. I can tell how much you hate this!"
"Do you expect me to love this? This thing is a giant bird of terror!"
Unfortunately, Ula chooses this very moment to nuzzle Tenna's back in adoration.
"Yes, Roy. I agree. Ula is a true monster."
"Don't mock me! It's true!"
Ula coos lovingly when Tenna begins scratching her neck. A skeptical look from Damiana is what results.
"Roy, if you're going to survive on Dabnod for two or more months, you'll have to get used to phoenixes. They're a very prominent part of our society. Once we reach town, there will be a ton of phoenixes besides Ula."
"When you say a ton, how many are we talking about?"
"About one per family, so at least a dozen in a small mountain village."
The retort that Roy was preparing falters. For the first time since climbing on top of this creature, the full extent of the reason for their phoenix ride sets in. They're heading toward civilization. All of a sudden, the idea of civilization has him more on edge than phoenix infestation.
"Okay, so there'll be a dozen phoenixes flying around. Great. Is there anything else I should know about?"
He doesn't miss the way her body flinches, or the slight flickering of her eyes to pearl gray prior to returning to pink. Anxiety builds in his stomach. Even more so once she speaks.
"Dabnod isn't Earth, Roy. It's very different. There really isn't much that I can explain."
"Why not?"
"You'll have to see it for yourself."
"Brace yourselves for landing! We've almost made it to Murmur Creek. We'll spend the night there and start the trek up the mountainside to Whisper Valley in the morning."
Tenna's voice vibrates through the air less like a bell more like clanging symbols. Damiana's focus had been on the wind rushing through her hair and on the stunning view of the world below. Sloping hills and dipping valleys. Rivers glittering like crystals under the light of the evening sun. Flowers of every imaginable hue blanketing the landscape in some areas and leaving it bare in others, creating a breathtaking mosaic that only the Fates themselves could craft. Whenever the forest thickens, comparing the lilacs, violets, and vibrant indigos makes her truly appreciative of the Fates' grand color scheme. Nothing is more beautiful than the view of creation from phoenix-back. Until this very day, she had completely forgotten.
"We're landing already?"
The woman stares in surprise. Then, noting the wonderment in her gaze, she offers a gentle smile. Not a single streak of green flashes across her features. All that is seen is soft yellow, like butter. For once the coarse mountaineer speaks gently.
"We don't have to land yet. Ula is in good enough condition for a few extra minutes." Tenna uses her orb to float closer. "Has it been a long time?"
"Yes. Far too long."
Whenever Daddy was home between Knight expeditions, he would awaken her before the sun rose, and they would sneak to the Palace stables. He would saddle up his lightning phoenix, Flicker, and the two of them would watch the sunrise from above the clouds. The glimmering greens and shimmering silvers of the early morning sky are still the most beautiful thing Damiana has stored away into her long-term memory.
Phoenix flights stopped entirely after Daddy's failed mission on Cintari. Mama and Saeran thought that they were too dangerous for small children, as did Queen Guayusa. The only time she managed to obtain another phoenix ride was after begging Adriel for a week straight. Unfortunately, Saeran put an end to that habit before it became one.
It's as if Tenna reads her mind.
"I took each of my sons up on Ula as soon as they could toddle without falling. Experiences like those are important. A child hasn't lived until they've seen the world from the sky." She sports as contemplative frown. "I'm surprised a Noble Clan would allow a young lady to ride a phoenix at all."
The girl smirks. "My father wasn't like other Nobles. He lived dangerously." Her smirk fades. "Perhaps too dangerously. He was killed in action when I was eight."
Tenna's hair changes to an odd shade of red mixed with brown. It reminds Damiana of dried blood. Meanwhile, her eyes are mud-colored. For the first time since meeting the mountain lady, the woman's guard seems to falter.
"My sons share your pain, Lady Fire Phoenix. They are fatherless, and I am a widow. Battle leaves no person untouched."
Damiana catches sight of flying strands of bruise-colored purple in her peripheral vision.
"My hearts ache for your loss, Tenna." Following a solemn pause, "How many sons do you have?"
"Four altogether. Two are living, and two died in battle alongside my husband. My oldest living son left to join the war a few months ago. My youngest boy, Caen, is the only one who remains. He is waiting for us in Murmur Creek."
"Your son sounds very brave for all that he has endured. I look forward to meeting him."
"Thank you. And you're right. He is the braves eight-year-old you will ever meet."
An extended duration of silence passes between the girl and the mountain lady. Although they no longer speak, it feels as if they are fully communicating. The sparkle in Tenna's mud-colored gaze, as undescriptive as it is, tells Damiana that being a Fire Phoenix Lady might not make them so different.
"What was she saying? Is it time to land? Dear God, please let it be time to land!"
Roy's voice shatters this moment more quickly than a bull in a china shop. The archer's complexion is sickly green, and he holds onto the brown, leather, saddle as if his life depends on it. For this entire flight Damiana has been unable to determine if she should feel sympathy or irritation. He is one of the few humans to get an opportunity to fly on a phoenix, and he is too busy cowering to enjoy the scenery! Nevertheless, she shoots Roy an amused grin.
"Yes, it's time to land! Soon you'll be able to kiss the ground and thank your God for survival."
"That's great! Much more of this, and I'm going to lose my lunch!"
The absolute misery written on Roy's sickly features is all it takes for Damiana to decide that the primary emotion she feels is sympathy. On a whim, she shifts so that she is riding side-saddle and pats him on the back.
"Are you going to be okay?"
"I'll live. Just get us down from here. Please!"
Damiana faces Tenna. The knowing spark in the woman's eyes suggests that she is completely aware of their topic of conversation. Despite this, she explains everything anyway.
"It would probably be best if we landed. As much as I would love to stay in the air, Roy isn't handling this well."
Tenna guffaws. "I can tell. I have never seen a man so sick! I will instruct Ula to land."
"Thank you!"
"Don't thank me yet. When Ula lands, the ride can get bumpy. Tell your human to hold down his bile like a man."
The mountain lady's amusement becomes particularly wicked with that final remark. Before she can inquire about what she means, Tenna grasps the phoenix's reins and yanks on them hard. Afterward she releases the reins and descends toward the ground. Ula unleashes an ear-shattering screech as some bizarre result. So loud is the sound that it has Damiana and Roy covering their ears in agony. A few seconds later, however, the two are suffering an entirely different kind of agony. Ula launches herself downward like a missile, forming extravagant loops and three-hundred- and sixty-degree spins in the process. All of a sudden, their sturdy harnesses seem nonexistent. The duo of distressed Titans hugs the saddle with their arms and legs. Their screams permeate the sky.
"This isn't landing! This is crashing!"
"We aren't crashing! We'll land safely! I swear!"
"Famous last words! I'm sure Amelia Earhart said the same thing!"
"Will you put a lid on it? Ula knows what she's doing! Once we're on the ground, I'll be saying 'I told you so'!"
Smoked fish don't taste nearly as good a second time. The redhead is currently learning this lesson the hard way. He leans over a thick patch of violet bushes puking up every solitary bite he ate earlier, and a healthy amount of stomach acid in addition. Damiana should be laughing. This is normally what someone like her would do in this situation. After forcing her to ride on the back of his motorcycle all those weeks ago, this would seem like an opportunity for payback. If not through laughter, then at least through light jeering. Fortunately, the Dabnodian girl does not do this. Instead she rubs his upper back sympathetically. Her normally bright features are mucky brown.
"Roy, are you sure you're okay?"
Once the endless waves of nausea finally subside, he straightens his posture and leans against the closest tree. Although he doesn't say it outright, Damiana's kindness is immensely appreciated. The archer clutches his stomach in attempt to keep it calm.
"Yeah. I think I'm fine now that we're on solid ground. I wouldn't have upchucked if it wasn't for that landing. Normally I have a pretty strong stomach."
Damiana pulls her hand away and backs up by several steps. A soft smile crosses her face as she tucks a curled strand behind her ear. Mucky brown fades back to their normal colors.
"I'm sorry about that. Phoenixes don't normally go crazy when they're landing. If they're carrying a rider, they tend to be gentle. Or at least that was true with my daddy's phoenix..."
"Your dad had a phoenix? You never mentioned that."
"I did mention it, actually. To Tenna. We were sharing stories. My daddy took me up on Flicker to watch the sunrise all the time when I was little, and Tenna used to take her children up on Ula when they were small. Our corresponding stories were a funny coincidence."
Roy can't help frowning. He noticed the women chatting, but he'd figured it was a simple exchange of information. The idea that they were swapping stories about their personal lives never occurred to him! All of a sudden, Roy loathes the language barrier more than he loathes Ula for making him suffer. Whatever was shared must have been interesting…
Apparently she notices his dejected expression, because her features immediately return to brown. "I'm sorry. Next time Tenna and I are talking, I can stop to translate. Sometimes I forget that you don't speak Dabnodian."
Roy grunts in a way that sounds far more aggravated than he intends. For some reason, however, he doesn't regret it. "Don't worry about it. I don't need to understand every word these people are saying. My only concern is making it home."
"Really? Because I can include you in conversations. Translating wouldn't take much effort."
"Yes, I'm sure. Conversations aren't important. Especially if it would require you acting as a twenty-four seven translator. That sounds exhausting!"
The redhead doesn't miss the girl's peculiar frown. It's as if she is about to say something, but then thinks better of it. Roy returns her frown as a result. What is she thinking about?
"Zaesa! Zaesa, nan uranthintan!"
A second is all it takes to remember that he and Damiana are not alone. A narrow, dirt, trail lays several feet away from them. In the center of the trail are the mountaineer and her pet phoenix. Previously, the phoenix had been ruffling its feathers in exhaustion while the mountain lady observed Roy with an expression akin to disgust. One loud shout is all it takes to distract them both, as well as himself and Damiana. Scampering up the path is a child. The child is adorned by a simple, knee-length, tunic the same shade of dirt as Tenna's dress. Baggy, dirt brown, pants are beneath the tunic, and over the pants are fur boots rather than leather. A cape made from white fur hangs loosely over the rest of the child's clothing, as if wearing it is a rule rather than a desire.
The redhead is unable to pinpoint the kid's gender. A ponytail hangs all the way down to mid back, askew strands the popping color of seafoam green. As the child draws nearer, Roy notes irises an intriguing color that reminds him of ocean mist. Never has he seen features that look more like a foggy day at the beach. For a long moment he wonders who this sea mist child is. When the kid pounces on Tenna with the most gleeful shouts ever produced, Roy's question is immediately answered. The little one must be of some relation to her.
"Nan biklilth, Zaesa!"
Tenna picks the kid up with a smothering embrace, beaming joyfully.
"Biklilth, Caen? Nan hertintan!"
Roy gawps as they hug each other tightly and jabber in their foreign language. Eventually he glimpses at Damiana, hoping that she might have some sort of answer. She explains before he has an opportunity to ask.
"That must be Caen. Tenna was telling me about him. Roy, in case you're wondering, that boy is Tenna's son. He'll be with is Murmur Creek and in Whisper Valley."
Boy. That answers that. Based on Saeran's and Adriel's hairstyles, he should have known. Do all men wear their hair long on this planet?! Eventually the redhead asks another question, this one completely unrelated to the mountain lady's son. The entire time he eyes the girl in confusion.
"Murmur Creek? I thought we were in Whisper Valley!"
As has become normal throughout the past few minutes, Damiana's hair and eyes shift to brown. The amount of sympathy she reflects is either comforting or annoying, and it is absolutely impossible for the archer to decide which!
"Oh. I never told you? Tenna was visiting her brother when Ula flew off. We're spending tonight in her brother's village, Murmur Creek, and trekking up the mountain to Whisper Valley in the morning."
Less than a minute has passed, and Roy is feeling that exact same loathing for the language barrier! Will this be his life from now on? Following Damiana around helplessly, listening to gibberish, and hoping that maybe she'll share relevant information? This existence is already miserable, and they only just met Tenna a few hours ago! He can't imagine being in a town filled with Dabnodians completely lost and without communication!
If Roy thinks that he hates the lack of communication now, then thirty seconds later his hatred has increased tenfold.
"Naxdath! Lal gintin?!"
The child, who was previously being embraced by his mother, is now loitering two feet away from them. Ocean mist and seafoam features have transformed, not to green, but to a dazzling shade of yellow brighter than the sun. Roy almost has to shield his eyes. Tenna and Damiana both observe the little boy anxiously, but not as anxiously as Roy. The way the child stares unblinking has him feeling highly uncomfortable. When he leaps closer and begins poking the archer in the ribs, discomfort grows to enormous proportions. He raises a brow while staring down at a yellow head of hair, listening intently to rapid Dabnodian speech. Roy's first reaction is pointing a questioning glare at Tenna. The woman doesn't do a thing. She simply laughs, leaving her kid to assault him with prodding and baffling remarks.
When the mountain lady does say something to her child many lengthy seconds later, it is through guffaws. "Caen, nan renhkan! Renhkan na Earth! Bak lal English!"
What the exact nature of her explanation is, the archer cannot be entirely certain. Based on the words "Earth" and "English" he can only guess that Tenna was explaining the language problem. Thankfully, her interruption is enough to ward off her son's intrusiveness. The mother and son share a lengthy exchange in dialogue, the boy appearing inquisitive rather than argumentative. Roy looks at Damiana. The girl giggles.
"I need to share some of the questions he was asking. They pretty interesting!"
"Do I really want to know?"
An instant after making this inquiry, the little boy appears beside them again. He yanks on Damiana's wrist while pointing at Roy, golden eyes shining with enthusiasm. He begins speaking rapidly. Eventually Damiana forms a response, but when she does, the child seems to snap at her. The girl's eyes widen slightly, she snickers, and then she looks to Roy.
"Okay. He doesn't want me to answer his questions. Caen wants answers from you!"
Emerald orbs overflow with surprise. "Are you serious? Why are we playing twenty questions? I thought we were going to focus on finding a way to fix Black Shadow's machine!"
"We are going to fix the machine. I never said we weren't focusing on that! I just figured with it being so late in the day that we could focus on that tomorrow." Damiana's smile is one so lighthearted that his own hardheartedness begins to soften. "Come on, Roy. Answer some of his questions. What could it hurt?"
This time the archer aims his gaze at the boy. He isn't sure if it's Damiana's smile or the wonderment in the kid's gaze, but a minute later he finds himself shrugging nonchalantly. Roy even grants him a small smile.
"Alright. What's kiddo's first question? Ask away!"
"Do humans poop?"
Damiana laughs while scratching her head. Tenna's son is truly the most off-the-wall child she has ever met! He looks like any other little Dabnodian boy. Very prominent male clothing; baggy pants in place of slim pants and a tunic rather than a dress. All of this is meant to balance out a high-pitched voice and a baby face, as it takes small boys many years to grow into their lengthy tresses. Caen's average appearance, however, is highly deceiving. No Dabnodian child that Damiana has known would leave the safety of the village to greet their returning loved one. This is disrespectful to whatever adult is caring for them during their parent's absence. A child also would not be permitted to approach a stranger, bombard them with questions, and invade that person's space.
Adriel and Saeran broke many such rules as children and were always disciplined. Tenna's lethargy toward her son's behavior is something that is truly astonishing. Caen yanks on Damiana's arms demandingly, begging loudly for her to act a translator between he and Roy. Damiana tried answering the child's question herself, but it didn't go well.
"That really isn't a question for Roy… I have lived on Earth for a long time, and I can tell you that humans do have bowel movements."
"I don't want you to tell me. I want him to tell me!"
Damiana glanced at Tenna, and of course she did nothing. The girl sighed internally. Now here she stands, asking Roy the boy's exact question. To say the least, the expression on his face is priceless. He stares at her as if she just sprouted a second head.
"The kid wants to know if I poop? Are you serious?"
"As the plague."
The archer rubs the back of his neck with discomfort. "Um… Yes? Yes, we do…" He chuckles. "I could ask a similar question. Do Dabnodians poop?"
"Of course we do! I have yet to think of a species that doesn't."
"Good. I'm glad you don't hold it in. I wouldn't want your intestines to explode."
Damiana rolls her eyes with a smirk prior to returning her attention to Caen. The child gapes in anticipation.
"Yes, Caen. Roy confirmed what I just told you. Humans do, in fact, have bowel movements."
He grins widely. "Yay! I knew it! Do humans have navels?"
Tenna has started up the path with Ula in tow. She, Roy, and Caen follow several yards behind. A head of thick, yellow, tresses bounces between the teens like a jumping bean. Damiana takes a moment to note red flowers with orange splotches lining the trail, thinking it a quaint touch to such a rural village. Before she can observe the scenery too closely, however, she finds herself translating the question for her redhaired teammate.
"Okay. Now that the first mystery has been solved, Caen has another question. Do humans have bellybuttons?"
Roy chuckles once more. "Yes. I, for one, have an amazing bellybutton. If the kid wants specifics, it goes in."
By now Damiana is certain that the smirk is permanently plastered to her face. She would like to say that she is well aware that his navel goes in considering how they'd been swimming together earlier, but she decides to keep quiet. Instead, Damiana reports the archer's response to Caen.
"Roy says that humans do have navels. His in particular goes in."
"Humans do have navels! Neat! Do humans lay eggs? If they do, does the man lay them or the woman?"
This causes Damiana to laugh harder than she has in ages! Tenna's reaction is exactly the same. The mountain lady gives her son an answer before Damiana has a chance to translate.
"Caen, my child, what could possibly make you ask such a question? Human women birth their babies exactly the same way that Dabnodian women do! Does Lady Fire Phoenix's human friend look more similar to us, or more similar to a reptile?"
"Don't laugh at me, Mom! I just wanted to know…"
Roy appears baffled. "Should I ask, or am I better left in the dark?"
"He wants to know if humans lay eggs! Can you believe that?"
The archer laughs along with her and Tenna. "What? Where did he get an idea like that?! The day humans start laying eggs is the day men everywhere start taking antidepressants!"
Caen peeks over at Roy and notices the man's amusement. As a result, glowing yellow hair and golden eyes begin fading to the color of rust. Upon seeing his disappointment, Damiana's own giggling subsides. She nudges the archer lightly in the side and nods her head in Caen's direction. His laughter vanishes instantly.
"Crap! I wasn't making fun of the kid! Tell the kid that I wasn't laughing at him. His question just caught me off guard! Also, tell him that my physical form and bodily functions are exactly the same as his. My hair and eyes just don't change color, and I can't use any elements."
"Thank you, Roy! Hopefully your blanket statement will put an end the interrogation."
"I hope so, too. I want to be done with this weirdness!"
It is here that Damiana squats down to Caen's level and rests a hand on his shoulder. Amusement still gleams in her soft pink gaze, but also sincerity. He appears nervous at first, but once she begins speaking, the emotion is short-lived.
"Don't worry! It's alright! Roy isn't upset. Your question just surprised him. Roy told me to tell you that he is exactly the same as a Dabnodian. He looks the same and his body functions the same. The only thing that makes him different from us is that his hair and eyes don't change, and he doesn't wield an element."
Caen's face floods with realization and his features ignite like the sun. "Oh! That's why nothing was happening! I hoped his hair would turn a funny color." Small streaks of green appear. "His hair stays like that all the time?"
Damiana nods. "Yes. All the time every day."
"And he can't use any elements at all? Not even a little bit?"
"Nope. Not even a little bit. Humans only have one heart."
"Oh. Then how do humans fight? And how can they tell what the other is thinking? Can you please ask Roy for me?"
The girl smiles brightly at the word 'please'. "Absolutely! I'm sure he'll be happy to answer."
Initially, Roy answered vaguely. He'd simply instructed Damiana to tell the child, Caen, that humans use weapons in combat. As for emotions, his explanation was that humans often have to go off of body language. This should have been expected from the start, but his responses only worked to create additional inquiries. At some point trying to describe things to Caen through Damiana simply became too difficult. It is for this reason that the archer and the little Dabnodian boy have taken up an odd game of charades. Caen's immediate question following the mention of weapons was regarding the variety of weapons that are used on Earth. Roy's spoken explanation goes something like this, the archer speaking slowly to ensure Damiana's accurate translation.
"Things are a little different on Earth. Not all humans have to know how to fight or use weapons. There are people on Earth who are specially trained for combat. The army, the police, and crimefighting teams protect the general populace. Firelight and I are part of a crimefighting team called the 'Teen Titans'. We're a much younger version of the Justice League. Have you heard of them?"
Rather than looking at Damiana, Roy has been looking at Caen while his teammate acts as a mouthpiece. Caen meets his gaze while responding in the Dabnodian language. An instant after this, Damiana speaks.
"Yes. I've heard a lot about the heroes on Earth. They all have powers! You're one of those?"
"I am, but I'm not like Flash or Superman. I don't have any powers. Like I was saying earlier, I have to use weapons."
He pauses to remove his bow from its place attached to his quiver, as well as a single arrow, giving Damiana a bit of time to relay the message. Once she stops speaking and the child gestures in comprehension, Roy continues.
"The weapon I use is a bow and arrow. You load an arrow onto the bow, like this, and aim it at your target. It's a long-range weapon. I have some regular arrows, but I also have a variety of trick arrows that I can use depending on the situation."
Caen's eyes light up with excitement. He jumps up and down eagerly while talking a mile a minute. A few seconds later, he learns that these are his newest questions.
"What can your arrows do? What does the arrow you're holding do? Can you show me?"
The archer places a finger against his chin in consideration. Eventually he smiles and nods, motioning Caen over with a wave of his gloved hand. Whether or not the same gestures are used on Dabnod, Roy doesn't know, but Caen manages to decipher the meaning and bounces several feet closer. After thinking about it momentarily, Roy reaches into his quiver and removes an arrow that has a rounded compartment at the tip rather than a point. He squats down to the child's height and holds both arrows out for him to observe.
"My arrows can do a lot of things. This one is a sleeping gas arrow. See how the end is rounded instead of pointed? It's specially built to contain the gas until it strikes a person or object. The other one has a pointed tip. It doesn't do anything special. I use normal arrows if the criminals we're chasing are low-risk. I have other trick arrows, too."
He replaces the sleeping gas arrow and pulls out another, showing each arrow in sync with his explanation. Roy glances at Damiana, making sure that he is giving her plenty of time to translate.
"This one is an exploding arrow. See how it has three compartments instead of one? It's takes longer for this one to detonate on impact. I also have ice arrows and heat seekers, and I have punching glove arrows. I don't use them a whole lot, but I have a few sonic arrows, too."
Roy doesn't notice due to Caen's glowing yellow features and enthralled gaze as he holds each arrow, but Damiana is every bit as intrigued by the showcasing of his weapons as the child. When Damiana makes a remark, it comes as a pleasant surprise.
"I didn't know about your sonic arrows."
Emerald eyes are overtaken by astonishment, but then he smiles. "It was a new idea that I had. They're supposed to emit soundwaves to disorient villains. I use them mostly during pursuits. They usually work great, but sometimes they don't. I'm still working out the kinks."
Right now Caen is focused on a heat seeker, which he'd requested to hold in particular. With the child distracted, Roy pulls a sonic arrow from his quiver and stands to his full height. He extends the projectile in the girl's direction.
"Do you want to see it?"
Damiana nods, taking it from him curiously. Unlike most of his arrows, there is not a chamber that releases something on impact. Rather, there is an odd, red, button located at the end of it. When she asks another question, he finds himself growing enthusiastic.
"Where do the problems come in with this arrow? You said that it's supposed to release a sonic wave on impact?"
He sidles closer, running a finger along the shaft. "That is what it's supposed to do, but it doesn't always happen. You can't tell from the outside coating, but the wiring inside of it is pretty delicate. When they don't work, it's probably because they're getting jostled around too much. I had a similar problem with my heat seekers at first, but they're flawless now. It'll only be a matter of time before I fix the problem with the wiring."
The girl shrugs her shoulders, as if his statement is an obvious one. "Of course you'll fix it. Then once you get your sonic arrows perfected, you'll have invented a new one that needs perfecting."
Whether it is her sarcastic tone or the teasing twinkle in her pink irises, he doesn't know, but she manages to elicit a chuckle.
"Yeah, that's probably true. Just don't make fun of me. I need a way to keep criminals on their toes."
"Who says I'm making fun of you? Your sonic arrow is a good idea! At least you don't spend your time coming up with snarky one-liners like Robin."
Roy grins internally. There are one-hundred and one replies he could give that joke. Before they can continue their conversation, however, Caen appears between them. He returns the arrow to Roy while asking yet another question. When Damiana shares, the archer feels hesitant to say the least.
"Can you shoot an arrow for him? He's wants to see one of your trick arrows detonate."
He purses his lips in deliberation. The answer he gives is stern.
"I can, but I'm only going to shoot one, and it isn't going to be anything dangerous. No exploding, sleeping gas, or heat seeking arrows. Is he cool with that?"
The instant she relays the message the child yelps with excitement, giving him his answer long before the translation comes.
"Yes. Caen's alright with that."
"Okay. Here it goes. Tell him to stay back."
Caen backs up by five feet a mere instant after Damiana speaks. Tenna grasps him by the shoulder with a scowl, as if not entirely trusting her son. Meanwhile Damiana remains where she's at, familiar enough with his weapon of choice to not fear it. The archer plucks an arrow from his quiver with care, loads it onto his bow, and takes careful aim at a sturdy tree toward the edge of the path. He pulls back the bowstring and lets it fly. A single second is all it takes for the arrow to make contact. That same second ice floods the tree from its base all the way up to three quarters of the trunk. Roy can't help feeling prideful as he stares at his handiwork. It took a month to perfect his ice arrows to freezing objects on contact. The first ice arrow he created froze objects slowly rather than quickly. He created this particular variety of arrow so long ago that he nearly forgot the enjoyment of fiddling with it.
So caught up is the archer in his own inner musings that he doesn't notice the relief on Tenna's face when she sees ice rather than fire. He also doesn't notice the fascination in his teammate's gaze as she stares at the block of ice that was once a tree. Of course, Roy does happen to notice Caen's absolute joy. The boy breaks free from his mother and dashes toward the carnage. He pokes the tree with a stick, and then with his finger. Askew tresses shift from neon green to sunshine yellow with delight.
"Zaesa, lal hintin nan vertaenak!"
Apparently he was addressing Tenna, because she shouts at him.
"Na baknad, Caen! Xeithten!"
Yellow features transform to the color of rust in obvious disappointment. "Zaesa—"
"Xeithten!"
The child's head droops as he trudges away from the scene and up the path. Tenna continues scolding him firmly. Her words are so rushed that Roy can no longer make out the sound of individual phrases. At some point Caen grimaces, eliciting an even harsher lecture. When the child glimpses in his and Damiana's direction Tenna puts a hand on his back and shoves him forward up the path. The entire time Damiana wears a frown. It is an intense combination of dread and anxiety. Growing nervous, he is about to ask what it is that has the mountain lady so upset.
That is when Damiana's frown fades and her gaze shifts to tree that he froze using his arrow. Now curiosity seems to be her primary emotion. They, too, begin walking up the path. While doing so, the girl asks something completely of her own accord.
"How do your ice arrows work? I don't think you explained that one to Caen."
He responds by pulling a new ice arrow from his quiver and displaying it. "I didn't, but I can explain them to you. See how there are two separate compartments? They don't detonate in stages like my explosive arrows. Both compartments are supposed to detonate at once. My ice arrows don't use water. They freeze things using a combination of two chemicals…"
The walk to Murmur Creek takes fifteen minutes. That entire span is spent explaining several of his trick arrows to the girl beside him in depth. Roy doesn't mind it in the slightest. She is actually the only person amongst the Titans who has ever shown interest.
If Damiana could, she would remain on that same path talking to the redhaired archer about his weapons all night. This is for several reasons rather than one. Firstly, she rather enjoys hearing about the technology used to create his arrows. It is truly fascinating! Apparently it can take hours for him to create more of them once he runs out, and days to make new ideas a reality. Damiana had always assumed that any arrows he uses were originally Green Arrow's. While some initially belonged to Green Arrow, it ends out that Roy comes up with many of his own ideas. If the ideas are not completely his own, then he will generally alter his old mentor's creations.
The boxing glove arrow, Roy explained, was his mentor's creation. He simply made some changes. Rather than have it outfitted so that the boxing glove is revealed from the moment it's loaded onto the bow, the boxing glove pops out of a compartment in midair. Tear gas arrows were also "Ollie's", (as he mistakenly referred to Green Arrow in the midst of his explanation). The tear gas arrow was altered by substituting sleeping gas. Even Green Arrow's exploding arrow was altered, as Roy created it so it detonates three seconds late. Working on a team, he wants to ensure that nobody gets caught in the crossfire. As for the heat seekers, ice, and sonic arrows, those belong to Roy entirely.
In the brief time that they've known each other, Damiana can't remember the archer ever being this excited to talk about anything! Seeing him this happy after days of misery and endless worry is its own reward. A second reward, however, is using the sound of Roy's voice to block out Tenna's. Her words cause a sickening amount of anxiety to plant itself directly in the center of Damiana's stomach like a rock. The mountain lady's bitterness almost makes the girl miss the solitude of the wilderness.
"Stay away from Lady Fire Phoenix's human."
"But I don't want to, Mom. He's really interesting! He can take down criminals with weapons without any powers at all!"
"I don't care how interesting he is! Stay. Away. That man will fill your head with ideas!"
Even without looking at the child, Damiana senses his pout. "He's got a name, Mom. Lady Fire Phoenix keeps calling him 'Roy'."
"It doesn't matter what his name is, Caen, because you aren't going near him!"
The mother and son have been going on like this for what feels like an eternity. The only thing that enables her to ignore them is Roy's detailed explanation about his electrocution arrows.
"…I know they sound dangerous, but I don't use them on people. If there's a bomb that needs to be shorted out, or evil robots in Black Shadow's case, then I utilize them. That's actually why I didn't show these to Caen. I don't think Tenna would like if I accidentally filled her son with a thousand volts!"
Damiana listens intently. Unfortunately, she can also hear Tenna in the background.
"They're leaving once the frost is over, so don't get attached. Lady Fire Phoenix and her human are returning to Earth to fight crime as soon as they can. Lady Fire Phoenix said so herself."
"I know, but I still want to have fun with them before that!"
When the girl shifts her gaze away from Roy to look at the path ahead, both hearts fill with dread. Thatched, rose stone, houses are coming into view. There are also the distant images of villagers. Women lugging large buckets of water in each hand, children playing, and men pulling large, horned, creatures known as uikin toward their barns. She should feel relieved. This is exactly what she and Roy have been hoping for is reaching civilization! Sadly, the reality that they will be stuck in the ninth province for weeks before reaching a location with enough resources to fix the machine eats away at relief. The only thing left behind is trepidation.
Eventually the redhead notices her straying interest, because he makes a puzzled comment. "Are you still with me, or did I lose you?"
The girl shakes her head and gestures toward the village. "No, you didn't lose me. Something else just caught my attention."
When her teammate stares in the indicated direction, he appears every bit as nervous as Damiana. Despite this, Damiana secretly knows that her own anxiety is greater. Tenna mentioned that Whisper Valley isn't fond of strangers while they were eating fish in the woods. She highly doubts that Murmur Creek will be any friendlier. Tenna also keeps telling her child to stay away from the two odd strangers. There's no doubt that they will receive the same treatment from everyone else. At least Roy will be a tad more oblivious to it.
"You seem hesitant. Is there something that we should be scared of?"
Okay. Maybe he isn't too oblivious…
"Nothing besides what we already know. We're going to be in the mountains for a while."
"Well, at least we're in the middle of nowhere with people and not in the middle of nowhere alone. It's inconvenient, but it could be worse."
He increases his pace, seeing how far ahead Tenna and Caen are getting. Damiana doesn't follow immediately. For the briefest second she stands completely still. Then, feeling as though she's shaking herself out of a daydream, she jogs to catch up with Roy. Caen sees the village and sprints ahead at full speed. Tenna doesn't make the slightest attempt to stop him. Rather, the mountain lady holds back. She strokes her disheveled braid anxiously, the strands shifting to slate gray. She looks at Roy, blatantly ignoring the fact that he cannot understand her.
"Brace yourselves. You're in for an interesting journey. Especially you, human!" Tenna then rests her eyes on Damiana. "If you don't know language transference now, then perhaps you should attempt learning it. You will most likely be alone in the barn tonight. My brother would let a Tamaranean warlord sleep in his home sooner than he would allow a Noble Lady and her human pet. Snuggle up and enthrall yourselves in romance. It will be your human's only hope if he wants to get by on our planet."
Embers spark toward the roots of her hair at the phrase "human pet", but more than that, Damiana's hair colors fuchsia. "You have the wrong idea. Roy and I are not romantically involved. Transferring the Dabnodian language to him would feel very…awkward."
"Awkward or not, you need to try it. He cannot depend on you as an outlet to the rest of us forever. Give it a few more days. It will grow tiresome."
"Roy is my friend, Tenna. I can translate for him without any trouble at all."
"If you can repeat that exact phrase three days from now, then I will be very impressed." With a long, seething, sigh, she continues. "And regardless of whether he learns our tongue, keep him away from my son. I lost three sons and one husband to combat already. The last thing I need is my youngest becoming a warrior."
With that said, she turns on her heels and walks briskly up the path. Damiana stares after her in surprise, waiting for her hair to calm down to its natural state of rose red. Meanwhile, Roy queries about their conversation.
"What was that about? You don't look happy."
The sound of his voice causes her to jump frightenedly. This, in turn, triggers a baffled frown. Brown-flecked emerald eyes bore into her own, searching for any information that her face or coloring might give away. The girl hopes desperately that her irises are pink.
"It's okay, Roy. You don't have to worry about it. Tenna had something…personal…that she wanted to tell me."
The archer's frown deepens. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. If you really want to know, I can explain later once we're alone. Right now I just want to get settled. I'm tired."
He appears skeptical, but thankfully he lets it slide. "Okay. We can talk about it later. Let's catch up with Tenna before we lose her."
Damiana doesn't give a response, neither does Roy make any additional comments. They enter the village astride. Damiana catches him taking brief glimpses in her peripheral vision, but she chooses to ignore it. Rather, her focus is on the questions buzzing around inside of her mind. Should she tell Roy about the Dabnodian ability of language transference, or should she keep her mouth shut in every meaning of the sense? Even if she should tell him, will she? How does a person describe such an ability to someone? Making the simple statement "Dabnodians can learn to pass languages through lip contact" is one thing, but actually attempting it is quite another. Spending half the night locking lips with Roy while laying on a pile of hay isn't exactly ladylike…
Images of their time in the lake assault Damiana's memory. Roy's firm, damp, chest… The touch of his calloused fingers… His warm breath against her face... That only happened this afternoon! There is absolutely no way that she can ask to kiss him later that same evening! Not to mention Tenna's complaints. The last thing Roy needs is the mountain lady attacking him directly. Why make things awkward between them and open Roy up to insults when she is a perfectly capable translator? Translating isn't hard. She is certain that she can do it for the next two months!
Eventually their little trio passes two adjacent rose stone houses positioned on either side of the dirt trail. As they fully enter the village of Murmur Creek, Damiana finds the raging battle inside her mind putting itself on pause. Never has she witnessed this number of eyes gawking in her direction. Not even when her space pod crashed in an empty field in the state of Illinois were there so many eyes staring at her! Mostly because there was nobody around besides a group of teenagers skipping class, but either way her point still stands. The girl truly feels like a spectacle.
Men who had been tugging uikin to their stables stop dead in their tracks, as does their livestock. The six-legged creatures' fur changes from bright, spotted, patterns of oranges and yellows to frightened patterns of grays and dark purples, as if sensing their owners' discomfort. So surprised are some of the women that many of their buckets clatter to the ground. Not a single one of them seems upset over a wasted trip to the community well. Younger women move closer to very specific men, presumably fathers, uncles, or brothers. As for the mothers amongst the throng, they grab their curious children and shove them as far to the group's back as possible. Of course, this doesn't stop some of them from crawling closer to the front regardless.
"Sweet Fates! There really is an alien and a Noble Lady from Earth!"
"Tenkan's nephew wasn't full of nonsense after all!"
Damiana and Roy stare back at the villagers with equal intensity. Discomfort rolls off of them in waves. The gray of her curled locks and deep charcoal of her irises most likely adds to Roy's own discomfort, as the archer's posture becomes stiffer than a plank. How the mountain lady manages it, Damiana hasn't a clue, but not a single ruffled strand shifts with unease. Tenna's braid is a cool shade of mint green and her eyes appear like polished silver. These must be her natural features. Not once does the girl recall observing these colors.
"Come along, Lady Fire Phoenix. Come along, Roy. My brother is waiting for us. We don't want to keep him waiting."
Tenna is already several yards ahead of them. She hasn't stopped to meet the villagers' stares at all! The mountain lady's calming magic works on her as well. Damiana watches flyaway strands transform back to rose red, and truth be told, is astounded by it. The girl jogs to catch up and motions for Roy to do so as well. He follows after them, but not without glancing back at their spectators. Children bicker only to be hushed by an adult.
"I think Caen was lying! The man doesn't look like an alien!"
"The man is, too, an alien! Humans just look similar to us. You can tell he's an alien because they're clothes are funny, and he has strange hair."
"I still think Caen's lying. Wait a few more seconds! His hair will change color!"
A gruff, male, voice is heard. "Be silent!"
Damiana quickens her pace. Unsurprisingly, Roy's pace quickens even faster. The girl suddenly feels arrogant for her miscalculation. The true spectacle is the archer! He takes one final glimpse before whispering to her.
"Is it okay if I ask what they were saying?"
"They're surprised that we exist. Caen ran ahead and announced our arrival. They thought he was making everything up."
He groans in frustration. "The little brat! The kid needs to shut his mouth!"
Once they pass the initial throng their journey grows slightly easier, but not by much. Villagers and children still stop to stare. Most of their eyes are on Roy. At some point a young boy tosses a pebble at Roy, earning an "ouch!". A second afterward the boy's features turn lime green.
"Mom, Dad, that Whisper Valley kid was telling the truth! I hit him with a rock, and his hair is exactly the same!"
The archer's emerald eyes narrow into a glare. When he speaks to Damiana, it is no longer in a whisper. Roy doesn't notice, but all onlookers within hearing ranger gape at the sound of English.
"Is this what we have to look forward to for the next two months? Assault and battery?!"
Damiana nibbles her lip while doing her best to explain accurately. "This is going to sound weird, but that kid wasn't exactly 'assaulting' you. He's testing to see if you're really an alien. Caen was doing the same thing with his random questions earlier. They're trying to make your hair change."
He scoffs. "I would tell them that my hair doesn't change color if I could."
More than anything, she would like to apologize in advance. These most likely will not be the first children to test him. However, she does not get to speak another word. Weaving in between houses, animals, and gaping villagers is Caen. He is dragging a very tall man adorning a waist-length ponytail by the wrist. One glance, and Damiana nearly loses her urine. If this is Tenna's brother, then it is no wonder that he is leaving to join the war. This man looks like he snap the neck of an alpha male phoenix!
"See, Uncle Tenkan! I told you Mom found a Noble Lady and an alien! She found them in the forest when she left to find Ula! You should talk to Roy, because he's really interesting! He can fight without powers! You can't talk to him yourself… Lady Fire Phoenix has to talk to him for us… But I still like Roy! He seems nice!"
Tenna's brother, who'd most likely been humoring the child previously, looks in the direction in which Caen points. One second his hair appeared mint green much like his sister's. The next, "Uncle Tenkan's" hair is a blinding shade of neon green. His voice is deep enough to intimidate an entire squadron of Knights.
"Sweet Fates! I thought you were telling tall tales!"
"Of course I wasn't!" Caen exclaims in frustration. "Why would I go through the trouble of running all the way back to the village to tell everyone some made up story? That would be silly!"
It is here that Caen breaks away from his uncle and sprints toward Tenna. The entire time the boy shouts joyfully.
"Mom, I told Uncle Tenkan about Lady Fire Phoenix and Roy! It'll be his very first human, and everyone else's too! Are they coming home with us for supper?"
Tenna doesn't answer. Neither does Tenkan. The siblings exchange glances as the gargantuan lifeform saunters closer. Another glimpse at Roy and at herself, and Tenkan's hair transforms to a petrifying shade of midnight blue.
"Tenna, what in Fates' names is this? What have you gotten yourself into?"
The mountain lady toys with her braid anxiously. "Brother, before you lecture me, I must be allowed an explanation. I found them in the middle of the wilderness. I cannot leave people in the wilderness with the frost coming. The Fates would surely punish me."
"Whatever punishment the Fates have in store would be worth it to evade the punishment that your village will have waiting." He looks to the boy. "Caen, return to your aunt. Tell her to prepare two more bowls and tell her that I mean it. If your aunt asks where I'm at, say that I am having an important discussion with my sister."
Caen nods eagerly. "Alright! I'll tell her that Roy and Lady Fire Phoenix are coming for supper! Thank you, Uncle Tenkan!"
The child dashes off so quickly that Damiana finds herself questioning if he was really here. Tenkan, on the hand, is really here. The longer he stands beside them, the darker his lengthy tresses become. At long last, Tenna speaks first.
"I promise that we will not burden you. We will stay the night in Murmur Creek and be gone by morning. By the time the sun is risen, I assure you that we will be on our way up the mountain."
He does not meet Tenna's gaze, but rather, he looks directly at Damiana. Both of her hearts pound frightenedly.
"Keep your word on that. If I see the slightest hint of any of you by daybreak, there will be consequences. Whatever you're involving yourself in, my family will have no part of it."
"No, you will not. You have my word."
At long last, he transfers his gaze to Tenna. "You and Caen can sleep in the main house. The noblewoman and the human will and sleep in the loft in the barn. My family will also spare a set of clothes for them. If you want to keep them alive for the Fates' sakes, do not take them up the mountain dressed like that. They will freeze."
Not a single soul in this entire village was able to make the woman's hair shift colors. Yet, Tenkan causes it to change from mint green to dark gray in the space of an instant. Eyes that previously appeared like polished silver now appear dull like clouds of smog. Even so, Tenna manages to paste on a grateful smile.
"Thank you, Tenkan. Your generosity is appreciated."
"Don't call it generosity. It's something far less kind than that. My assistance comes from pity. You have never known when to walk away."
At last the large man turns around and stalks in the opposite direction. Once he is no longer looking, it's as if fifty pounds of lead have been lifted from her shoulders. Damiana's features match Tenna's to the letter.
"I would like to thank your brother, but I am sensing that my gratitude will not be accepted."
"You're from the Capital City and you have a human accompanying you. I doubt Tenkan or my sister-in-law will speak to you at all. Even as little as a kind glance would be unexpected."
Damiana gives a forlorn sigh so quiet that only the Fates can hear it. "I'm surprised that you would help Roy and I with the trouble that it is causing you."
"Lady Fire Phoenix, my entire life has been nothing but trouble. What is to stop me from taking on more of it?"
A/N: That's it for now, folks! I'll try to post another chapter within the next few weeks, but as always, there are no guarantees. I work full time and am going to college full time, so that doesn't leave a lot of time for hobbies. On the bright side, I'll have my Bachelor's Degree in another year (or two). I'm making progress in my personal life! :)
Also, what do you think of Tenna and Caen? They are going to be constant characters for Part IV of Firelight, so I thought I would dedicate this chapter to getting to to know them. There also may or may not be a blossoming romance between Roy and Damiana, so I've been hinting at that pretty heavily. Oftentimes peoples' strongest emotions come out during times of crisis, so I figured that Part IV might be a good Part for the two of them to "get emotional" as teenagers do. If the two of them ever act on impulse, remember that Damiana is sixteen and Roy is seventeen. Teenagers tend to do that xD
Anyway, thank you so much for reading! Until next time! :)
Forever and Always
~OCQ