A somber interlude

The sun rises slowly up over a small, brown mountain cottage, bathing it in
warm light after a long, cold night. A tall pear tree stands beside the cottage,
and beneath the tree stands a simple white bench. On that bench sits a female
rabbit furrikin. Her body has several bare patches where her white fur doesn't
grow any more. Her left ear is burned and charred into an unrecognisable lump.
Her right paw is missing two digits, and a bandage rests over her weak eyes.
Despite it all, Kristen Julie Winterfur smiles softly as the sun slowly warms
her disfigured body. Seven months has passed. Seven months ago, she was one of
the finest aetherspace empaths in the whole world. But last time she worked as
an empath, her ship was attacked by pirates. They blew up the empath grid module
with her still locked into it, and the resulting explosion scorched her body
until you could barely recognize it. Though by some miracle she had survived,
unlike the pirates of whom there were only charred remains. Since then, her days
had been spent mostly in quiet calm. After the incident, her child, Emirie Salin
Winterfur, moved from her father to take care of her mother. At first, Kristen
had objected, on the grounds that Emirie was a child, and as a child she should
be taken care of by her parents. Not forced to take care of them instead.
Eventually though, Emirie managed to convince Kristen that Emirie couldn't lead
a normal life, always worrying about the health of her mother. And Kristen had
to admit that she wouldn't want anyone to help her more than her own daughter.
And now that she is used to her daughter's presence, Kristen finds it quite
soothing. A soft humming makes Kristen aware of another presence. "That's psalm
139, "the ever-watching Light", isn't it. Written by the Merciful Judge Meliana
of the Celestines." Emirie's humming stops when she giggles softly. "That's
right." She smiles as she sits down besides her mother. "I just can't get that
song out of my head you know. It's so soft and calm... Oh, nevermind that."
Emirie turns back to her mother. "I've brought you your medicine." "Thank you
dear." Emirie drags out several gemstone vials from her bag and arranges them on
the bench beside her. "So shall we see... Ruby vials contain... healing potion."
She picks up the vial and sniffs it and, with a content nod she hands it to her
mother. "There you go. Drink up while I apply the liniment salve." "Thank you
dear." Kristen brings the vial to her mouth and takes a short sip from the
contents inside. The mixture soothes and dulls the stinging aches in her body.
"Hmm. It tastes sweeter than usual. What's different?" "Well..." Emirie takes
out some of the liniment salve and begins to apply it over the scorched flesh.
The cold touch of the medicine further dulls Kristen's pain. "Well I bought them
from someone else." "Oh? Why?" Emirie applies one more batch of the anti
skin-ailment mixture, before she looks up towards her mother. "Well, I usually
refill them from one of the shops in Celest, but yesterday they were all sold
out. As I wandered, I heard an advertisement on the market from an alchemist.
Her name is... Myrkr I believe, and she refilled my vials for me. She is from
Glomdoring though."

Kristen coughs. "So I've been drinking a healing potion made with wyrd?" Emirie
nods slowly. "Yeah I guess. It shouldn't make a big difference though, should
it?" "I don't know..." Kristen lifts her paw and strokes her daughter. "Oh, I'm
probably just over reacting. There is probably nothing wrong with this." "Are
you sure? I mean, Toi doesn't live very far away. I could run to him and ask if
he has some pure medicine." "It's fine. It just tastes different, that's all."
Emirie smiles softly up to her mother and starts to apply regeneration salve to
the digit stumps on Kristen's paw. The salve quickly seeps into the skin, and
allows the digits to regenerate very slightly. "There... at this rate your hand
will be whole again by the end of the month." Emirie smiles and strokes the bare
patches on her mother's face. "Emirie... I know I've said this several times
before but... thank you. Thank you for taking care of me like this. I know..."
But Emirie puts a digit over her mother's lips. "Shh. Don't say it. I am here
because I love you, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. You're my mother.
You cared for me when I was a child. Now it's my turn to take care of you.
Which... reminds me." Emirie bends down into her bag and pulls up a group of
tints. "Happy birthday mother." "Oh but Emirie!" Kristen smiles softly as she
feels the tints being placed in her hand. "You remembered my birthday. I had
completely forgotten it myself." Emirie laughs softly. "Heh. Of course I
remember it. I know you've always liked to paint, so I thought I'd buy you some
extra tints." Emirie giggles. "Besides, I love your paintings. Even if you can't
see clearly what you paint, I can say for sure that it's beautiful." "Emirie..."
Kristen chuckles and strokes her daughter in return. "I know you're lying. But
thank you anyway." She sighs and turns her head up towards the sky. Emirie rubs
her paws together and looks down, before she resumes treating her mother.

Once all the various salves and potions have been properly applied, she stands
up to leave. "Well mother. I'm going back inside to make us some breakfast. I
got a good deal on sparkleberries yesterday, so I was thinking if I shouldn't
make some jam." "Emirie... sit down please." The young furrikin looks at her
mother curiously, but does as she is told. "Do you know what happens this year?"
Emirie shakes her head. "No... I don't think so." Kristen smiles softly. "This
year is the year of the Winter Solstice. Your gift reminded me of something.
Namely this." Kristen pulls out a gift from underneath the bench and hands it to
Emirie. "But mother... this is... a divinely wrapped gift. Where did you get
this?" Kristen smiles. "I was given it by Ironbeard. He is a dwarf that goes
around and gives gift to mortals from the divine. And he has apparently decided
to give one to us." "Incredible... may I unwrap it?" Kristen nods, and Emirie
immediately digs into the present. She unwraps the paper, and her eyes light up
with wonder. "Oh my..." "What is it dear? What did he give us?" Emirie doesn't
respond, but instead she pulls out a fulcrux orb, a manse box, an algontherine
egg and a miniature of an empathic grid. "Impressive. We've been given all we
need to create an aethership." Kristen frowns and is about to say something when
Emirie interrupts again. "Oh wait. There's a card here." She picks it up and
begins to read it.

"To the heir of emotion. Your aid is once again needed. You and your crew is
needed in a matter of utmost importance. Three months from now, the cosmic race
will begin. It is a competition in speed and skill for aethership crews, and
your participation is needed. In time, you will receive further instructions,
but for now it is necessary that you prepare yourself. I apologize that I cannot
say more at this time, but I hope that you will trust me regardless.

Sincerely, a friend."

Emirie looks at Kristen, who stares straight back at her through her blindfold.
"Well... mother." "Yes my dear. I know what you want to say." Kristen grabs
Emirie's paw. "But this time, you will not face these troubles alone. I admit
that I would rather you do not jump into this mess. But I know it would be
futile to stop you. So... we are together in this." Kristen gives her daughter a
hug. "Mother..." Emirie stares at Kristen. She had not expected her mother to
give up so easily. She was right though. Ever since her brush with that strange
world six months ago, Emirie felt that something was not as it should be.
Something was missing. And this message just proved it. Mind is still out there,
somewhere. The young girl turns her eyes up at the sky, and she finds herself
fighting back tears. "It... looks like I will see you again Saria."

And on the sky, a shooting star appears, whizzing over the sky in an instant as
a response to the young furrikin heroine.