Storms of the Sky

bad rep - LVI

TW: cursing, implication of flashbacks, mention of d..th

--Bastet--

So far this is what I have learned: Blue-Eyed basics (though I can't figure out how to change my stars to Moon), Advanced Brown-Eyed theory and basics (still no change in stars) Brown-Eyed basics (can change stars) and Green-Eyed basics (still can't get that either).

But I got Sun down pretty easily now.

I wander through the forest, looking for Thorn. I brought her snacks, as promised. A small wicker basket I took from Elowin filled with apple slices and cheese.

I practice my Sun moves as I try to find them. I raise my arms and with a slice my stars are hot to the touch. I smirk and focus in on my stars, making them shoot back to me and turn to their quotidian amber hue.

"Pretty cool," A voice says. I turn around to no one. "Wonder if you can do Moon yet." I recognize Thorn's voice but don't see her anywhere. I spin around, searching.

"Hey basket-head, up here." I look up. Thorn is hanging off of a tree branch upside-down.

"What are you doing?" I ask her as I set down my basket.

"Yoga." She quirks her eyebrows at me. "Now get up here and let's eat. I'm ravenous."

I roll my eyes and I hand them the basket. Thorn uprights herself and climbs to the edge of the branch as I make my way up, using the bark as a ladder.

When I sit down across from her, Thorn already has everything out. She bites into an apple slice with smooshed cheese on it. She falls back, sighing.

"So," Thorn says between a bite. "How was your day as a student of the Meadow?" I sigh.

"Mediocre. I still haven't figured out anything besides Sun." Thorn sits up quickly.

"I would be angry if I was you. You're wasting your money there."

"Thorn, you don't pay." She rolls her eyes.

"Whatever. Come on, I'll teach you Moon stuff." With that they jump off the branch, ten feet in the air. She hits the ground and rolls off the momentum. I follow them down but the sane way.

I stand in front of Thorn as she kicks around pine needles and dried leaves from last autumn. As she gets a huge leaf out of the way she takes a deep breath and exhales. I follow her lead.

"Now Blue-Eyes are ice. We control water, gelidity and death," She says, opening one eye to look at me. Their hands are resting on each other, extended.

"Fun," I snort.

"Very." Her eyes flash up at me. Thorn starts to move. They lift up one arm gently. I copy. "We are killers and mutilators and we don't show mercy."

I gulp.

Following, I mirror as she steps her opposite foot forward.

"But, we are also kind and soft and fragile." They choke on the word. She squeezes her eyes quickly and continues. "We are as fluid as the water but as brutal as the ocean. We give life to those who seek and kill those who harm."

Thorn, in her stance, takes her raised arm and moves it in an arching motion to brush her knee. She moves her opposite arm backwards, like they are propelling water itself forward. I follow, but fall as a blast of bitter-cold air smacks my face.

Thorn chuckles and comes back towards me. She helps me up, moving to stand next to me this time.

"Follow me," She says softly. I copy their movements. Her raised arm and opposite step, the arching and pushing is so different from Sun movements. Sun is harsher, harder, more stern. Moon is fluid and soft.

I think Moons get a bad rep.

"Focus on your stars," Thorn says quietly. Then pushes their arm forward with the arch. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. I mirror.

"Are they supposed to turn blue?" Thorn asks. I peel open my eyes, my heart beating like a drum. I gasp as my eyes fall on my stars, close to my skin from my held breath. They shimmer with a light blue hue.

"They look like snow," I say quietly. "WAIT!" I shout, jumping up. Thorn dodges one of my stars as they explode away from my body in a flurry of blue. "I DID IT!"

I start to laugh and jump up and down. Thorn watches me with a smile on her face.

"THORN YOU'RE THE BEST!" I shout, throwing up my arms in victory. I laugh, spinning around them.

"Watch it Mesbah, those things are cold," she says, scrunching up their nose with a smile.

I stop, mid-step. "Lady Sorrel was right," I say.

"Was she now?" Thorn says, examining one of my blue stars.

"Shit," I say. "shitshitshitshitshit." Thorn looks up at me and quirks an eyebrow. I can't tell them. I haven't even told Quarry.

But I think I know now what Lady Sorrel was talking about behind my back.

I look back at Thorn, a concerned look plastered to their face. I shake my head.

"I don't know how to make them stop," I half-lie. "My stars."

"Same as Sun," Thorn says, showing me. I recall Quarry's movements and copy.

"Better." I open my eyes. My stars shimmer golden again. I exhale. Thorn moves up the tree to get the apples and cheese.

"Come on, let's celebrate," She says, handing me an apple slice.

* * *

I leave Thorn as the sunsets. They promised to stay in the forest.

"Where can I go besides the trees?" She told me. "Unless you're inviting me over?" She said it with a smirk. It made my face warm.

I head into the Meadow, searching for Avery and Quarry.

I have to tell them about my discovery. Lady Sorrel...we can't trust her until we know more. Who was she talking to? And what are the sides? What does she know that no one else does? And how does she know it?

The questions float around in my head.

I find them by the bonfire with Milo and Mars. They all sit there and laugh. Quarry makes a joke aloud and signing. Everyone laughs.

I stop short of everyone.

They seem so happy.

Avery turns around and sees me. "Bas!" She calls. I sit next to her on a rotting log. "Where were you?"

"Experimenting with my stars," I say, which technically isn't not true. "I uh...have to tell you and Quarry something later." Avery nods.

"You okay? You seem nervous." I sigh. Why can she read me so well?

"I just...We have so many people now. It feels weird," I say, watching Mars and Milo chat. There are people all around us, squished in on all sides.

"It's not a bad thing, is it?" Quarry says, sitting down next to Avery. I shake my head.

"No, it's not," I say. I look down. "I just miss Maylea." Avery and Quarry stay silent for a moment.

"We will go home soon," Avery says, hanging her arm around me.

"Yeah don't worry, once you learn all the Rings we're gonna hop this joint." Quarry leans forward to tell me.

"Oh that reminds me," I say, perking up. "I figured out Blue-Eyed."

"WHAT?"