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Amethyst	There's a clearing that has no snow in it, marked by a boundry that smells something fierce, tho it isn't the unpleasant smell of alchemical residue anymore. There's various tables setup here and there, packs, and many different reagents. But there's also several different notebooks. Also empty carts. And it's just slightly warmer here. There's clearly enough storage here for the alchemist to put things away when she's not working on them. This is where the young alchemist has been scheming and doing alchemy and sorcery. Oh, there's also an entire bloody table with various animal skins on it. Amethyst herself is going about, studying her own notes, having invited both Frosty and Rishi to look at her plan for shapeshifting.
Rishi	It seems that Frosty has had to look after some sick animals, so Rishi is consulting on this one. She follows Ammy, looking closely at everything, many times sniffing it as well. "...What is the plan for this ritual again?"
Amethyst	"Well, here's the thought." Amethyst starts, she grabs a notebook. "I first thought, well, surely I could use some manner of glyph to do the changes. But the trouble with that is, well, it turns out that mutating a body this size, that quickly, would be... a problem. Even mutations would be /fine/. But an entire shift of physical form. It is very, very taxing. And not something I can do. I need some way to get the change started." "Some symbol of the creature, some parts of them that I wouldn't need to /grow/ out of my body. And that's when it came to me." And she gestures to the table of skins. "Why don't I use their skin? And sure, that sounds like a great idea, just use their skin. Well, that has its own problems. The trouble there, is that I need to preserve them to almost life-like condition. That way I don't need to work with re-invigorating them. So, all I have to do, is preserve the skin as it was in life, so that I can use the skin itself as a basis for beginning the change. I'd just have the skin grow over and around me, and then I'd become the animal in question." "So just three impossible problems: A) Preserve a skin life-like enough that it can act as a starting point B) Subsume my current form and change whatever has to be changed to grow into the skin. C) Finally, also ensure the skin regains its life as my blood and veins and organs connect to it, and thus transforms me."
Rishi	Rishi tilts her head consideringly at this, then squints at Ammy. "....." She closes her mouth, considers for a moment, then in a quieter, voice says "...It is important to you, that you do this thing with your own magic?" She leaves unsaid, the obvious fact that either Rishi or Frosty probably can learn to do some Lunar BS that will give Ammy an alternate form and/or as many mutations as she might want. That said, the more she reads the notes, the more concern her face shows. When she gets to the end and reads that the final ritual will be done in a middlemarch, here perfect eyebrows go all the way up. "Ammy, I do not see any iron being used during the final ritual. What are you using to help shape and control the Wyld Essence? During the final casting?"
Amethyst	"Should I just wait?" Amethyst asks, "I have already invested months of effort into this project. While I am sure you Lunars are capable of some truly astounding feats, neither you nor Frost have the same idea of how to work with wyld essence. I realized early on that lunar essence will not work with me, for the simple fact that I would have no way of gathering it myself. I would be dependant on one of you for my working to maintain its strength. Otherwise, what would happen if one of you were to perish?" Serious ears are wide. "And so I decided to use my own knowledge. And the wyld spark that lies somewhere within me. It would be easier to do this with the rest of the tattoos, or at least, with the next set designed to allow me to shape wyld essence. And in turn, grant myself immunity to its warping effects." "And as for iron and the wyld. Well, iron definitely would help. But here, all I will have is my will and my essence. In the end I will have to do wyld shaping through my sorcery. Sorcery does allow for such things, after all. If I succeed then I will have granted myself a power beyond what I should have been able to. If I fail, well, the wyld will have its way with tearing me apart. But I figure that one of you can put me back together and even in failure there is a lesson." There's clearly something else she wants out of this.
Rishi	Ammy is suddenly pulled into a very tight hug and, given where her nose is, it may be somewhat difficult to breathe for a moment before Rishi settles you both on the ground and Ammy's face gets free, enfolded in both sets of her arms and her wings. Rishi's honeyed voice is both loving and stern, "Ammy....Please. Tell me truly, why are you doing this thing? If you would not let me go to do bargains with the Fae, how can we let you do this thing that, as you say, has a chance of the "tearing you apart?" Why do you need this?" Rishi looks down into Ammy's eyes and Ammy can see that Rishi is crying and scared. "Is...are you trying to be impressing Frosty and I? Because almost killing yourself is not impressing me!" While Rishi is not actually that strong, the way she has her arms interlinked and wings around you means that getting free is going to require inhuman slipperiness ...or actually hurting her. And it doesn't look like she'll let you free until you fully explain things to her.
Amethyst	"Augh!" Someone doesn't like being grabbed and forced into a hug when she's busy explaining things. Fortunately, that someone happens to be a /water/ aspect Dragon, and so she is quite slippery. A slick sheet of water forms around her, almost like trying to grasp soap until she just neatly slides away from from Rishi. Ammy puts distance between herself and Rishi, enough that she'd have time to react if Rishi tried grabbing her again. Grumpy ears go down. "I'm not trying to impress you or Frosty." The Alchemist says in a huff. But then her expression softens a little. "...Mostly, I just wanna do it. I have my mind on it, I have my research to back it up! I know I can do it! There's, just always risk involved with these things." Essence fever is also at play here, clearly. "...But there's more than just that. I, have a story to tell." "Once upon a time there was a newborn Dream-Hearted, one who wasn't yet tied to Creation or the Wyld, and who risked disolving in either. And so to ensure that she did not simply vanish under the baleful glare of the Sun or into the chaotic shores of the wyld, she was grounded and made part of Creation. And thus lessened the spark of wyld within her. But in time she would grow, and with mastery of her essence, came time to untie herself. And to the wyld she went, to first quest against herself so that she might remove those ties that held her down. And when she finished her quest, she bowed before the ruler, expecting to be given a proper membership like any who have overcome their quest. But instead, she was gifted with what she would have gotten upon arrival, if only she was never tied to creation to begin with. And she too was judged being too weak to partake in the true trial, and told to return when she was older and more experienced." She sighs, and looks at her work. All the effort she's invested, all of the time she's placed into it, all of the work that's gone on. And maybe for the first time is truly thinking this through. "That was nearly 10 months ago now." And Amethyst holds up her arms, her tattoos defiantly glowing: the mark of inferiority.
Rishi	Rishi sighs, but makes no move to approach, remaining sitting on the ground, tail out behind her, still entirely clean despite the dirt. "...why do you need to impress them?" Then she raises a hand and says "...No...No, I understand this. They are your people and unlike myself and Frosty, you can rejoin yours. But...surely they would not bar a True Dragon from this trial? Is not being Chosen a better mark of your Power and Ability than any of your tattoos?" She thinks a bit and looks down. "...Your mate, Frosty...she knows many people in the Lunar Society. They might well be able to give you the rest of the tattoos you wish to have, even if your elders refuse you the trial. And if she cannot find someone...we are three Sorcerers of great power." She looks up at this, fierce pride shining in her eyes "I am sure we can give them to you. I shall not allow my sister...my Love! to-to .../sacrifice/ herself, simply to please her own people! I will NOT accept this thing!"
Amethyst	Her mate. Those are the words that stick out in Amethyst's head for just a few moments. And then she shakes her head. "I was not a Dragon before. Only a child too old to exalt. I'd bet they'd just let me do it now. But I wanna do one better. I want to do something that no Dragon should be able to do, and something no self-respecting Dynast or Lookskian would even dare to do. It's not just about pride from my people, it's about myself. I have to prove that I can do this. So what that you Celestial exalted could have such a power. But I have a certain tenacity. A ruinous one, as some of the books I've read imply. But I will be there to bend and change with the tide. And I'll be /damned/ if I let the wyld beat me twice." "I'll show the elders of Elderloch, I'll show the wyld, I'll show the Lunars and any other exalted what this young Dragon is capable of. It will be something so powerful that it could define me and what I can do." This is a little much, even for essence fever.
Rishi	Rishi freezes for a moment, studying Ammy, then she slumps all the fight going out of her, before turning her face to the sky and letting out an ear piercing scream of pain, the sound of ultimate suffering. ....When she finishes, she looks ...smaller, like all the fight has gone out of her. ".....I do not like this crazy thing you are doing. I think it is too dangerous and I think you will kill yourself doing it." "But..." She starts crying again "I cannot betray the Every Changing One. I cannot betray myself. If this is truely what you need to do to ...fix your body then-then...." she almost breaks down sobbing, but gains control "...Then I must be helping you." She holds up a hand and pulls out a clean ceramic jar. With a quick flick of her claw, she starts bleeding into the jar. When it is full she says "...our essence is mutable and freeflowing, but still within the laws of Creation. If you use this as your preservative, it should not impede the change any more than any other preservative, but the lingering trace of the essence of the moon should keep the skins "alive." I also have ...venoms that might be of use....swan quills of surpassing purity... Other reagents I can mix into my blood or tears." "Everything I am is as yours to do what you will, for all that I think this is folly."
Amethyst	Danger-ears go back. And Amethyst assumes a defensive stance when Rishi screams. The alchemist looks... at a loss. Especially when Rishi offers her blood. She tries to stop Rishi but, she lacks the force of personality to confront her. But in her mind she's thinking of how getting away from being dependant on anyone is kind of the point here. Instead, she does the only thing she can think of doing. And so she runs, pouncing, and hugs her larger friend. "Stop. It's alright. I'll find a way to do it more safely."
Rishi	and now Rishi is hugging her again, having broken down sobbing on her shoulder for the second time that day. It takes a little while for her to subside. But once she does, Ammy can hear her quietly talking. "...When I left Ysyr, I had to abandon everything. All of the books, the house of the fanciness, my f... I decided to work hard, to remake myself as one who did not need anything, I would not have to rely on anything that was not part of my mind or my body. For then...then I should have nothing that could be stolen, nothing that could be lost..." "I would not have to ...hurt like that again." "Then ...I traveled the ten thousand miles to the north. On this journey, I helped many of the peoples, did many things...was chased away many times. I never had to lose anything...because I never allowed myself to gain anything. Save the sadness. And the crushing lonliness." "The...the warmth and compassion I have seen here, most especially from my ..loves....It was as water onto a desert. Do not do this to prove you do not need anyone, because that is the path of the pain of nothingness." "...But I stand by my oath. I shall give you all that I am for this....but please, please, please....do not die. Make this safer. Even if I can be "putting you back together" I would be putting together pieces of my heart at the same time."
Amethyst	The young alchemist looks into Rishi's eyes, and rests a hand on her cheek. "I don't know what it is. But I /need/ this. I need to have something to show myself what my upper limit even is. A true test of my skill as an alchemist, and a sorcerer. Something more than just the fever that burns in my veins. And it helps that if. No. /When/" And she says the word with absolute certainty. "I succeed, it will accomplish many goals all at once. It will be hard, but I will ensure the worst you have to 'fix' is finding a way to take away my mutations or turning me back into a human."
Rishi	Rishi places a finger on Ammy's lips and says. "I shall hold you to that. If you should die, I will delve into the underworld, find your ghost and bring it back, just to subject you to all of the yelling and the screaming! ....And if I do have to remove your mutations, you shall be getting the tail of the donkey for the month, just to be reminding you of this thing I have told you!" If Ammy laughs at this, she says "I am being most serious. I shall be going to get the donkey later and bringing it back here to eat it!" And she walks over to the table drying her eyes with one hand while she speads her other three over the table. "So. What can we do so you are not going to be the Donkey later? What other things are you needing?"
Amethyst	"Ironically, involving the wyld more will make this /safer/. The wyld can horrifically mutate, but it won't outright kill you. Not even during a power quest. And so instead of just finalizing the bond between me and the working in the wyld, I should do the first transformation there too. Mutation is preferable to death." Amethyst explains. "And I'll redesign it a bit so that I can't begin my phase of changing before the skin itself is ready, thus preventing me from not having skin." "And Gossamer. And a safe place to do the quest. And maybe some help convincing the elders to let this particular questing count as the one that grants me membership in the court, and the tattoos that let me work the powers of my /other/ birthright."
Rishi	Rishi cocks her head to the side again. "Your people...They use these magical tattoos to make themselves safe from the Wyld and to do the shaping and controlling of it? ...The are not ...joined with the Lunar Society?"
Amethyst	"Do the Lunars usually ally themselves with fae?" Amethyst asks, tilting her ears in response. "Truth be told I didn't even know the truth about Lunars until a few days ago. It'd hardly surprise me to find some in Elderloch. It's just a hard place to get to without already knowing where it is. And the fact that it's at the bottom of the ocean stops folks from above from visiting less they have peculiar gifts. Of all of the Dragons, only us Children of Danaa'd are gifted with the ability to breath underwater." Those gills on the Dragon's neck are redundant now, it seems.
Rishi	"You are not the full Fae or you would be eating of my soul already. But, it is the tattooing that we designed that is protecting us and letting us choose who we wish to be. It would be a cooincidence most odd for there to be no-connection, yes? As for being under water, I can be breathing the water. Frosty shall be learning how to do this thing soon. Then all of us can be visiting your family too. And you can impress your Raksha family by telling them of how you ensnared two of the Moon's Chosen." She gives you a very lascivious look there, before breaking down and giggling.
Amethyst	Amethyst chuckles. "How do you know I haven't already eaten part of it?" Amethyst bares fangs that she doesn't actually have and looks tough for a moment before also bursting into giggles. She nuzzles against her friend, "It will be good to be home again tho. I'll tell them to be good and that the guests aren't for eating." She chuckles a facetious grin.
Rishi	"It should be most dangerous for them to try this thing. I bite back." Rishi actually has fangs, so her smile is rather more worrying. "But, for you, I shall not be doing the biting." And she nuzzles Ammy back, holding her close. If Ammy is paying attention, she will see Rishi visibly restrain herself from going in for another kiss and simply enjoy the snuggling. "...After you have done this thing and gained this power...are there further changes you would like to be making to your body? That is a thing I am most skilled at. I should like to be the one who does it for you."
Amethyst	"You're gonna have to fight with Frosty for the one who gets to change me~" The demi-fae teases. "And there's still more to be done to my body, but, I'll need to master the new powers I have first, I think. Then I can reclaim my appearance from the years I spent in Elderloch. I should show you sometime." Amethyst doesn't even have her eyes open, she's just comfortably resting against the big lunar.
Rishi	"Perhaps we shall do it together. I should like to see what you used to look like, yes." and she leans over and kisses the top of the Dragon's head.
Amethyst	And surprisingly, the Dragon accepts the kiss by burying her head deeper into Rishi. "I was so pretty. I had beautiful color-changing scales and translucent, finned limbs. I couldn't even support myself out of the water. And eyes that looked far more feral than my human eyes do." She looks up to Rishi. And tho her eyes are 'just' like a shining sea, they aren't slitted. That doesn't stop them from looking a little feral tho. "And I'll be beautiful again one day."