Kosmikros Sisters

It feels like forever since I’ve seen this wooden swing, just on the outskirts of a small fishing town in Thavnair. Aikirees and I sat on it one evening summers ago shortly thereafter saving the Star and, well, existence itself from being unraveled. The calming sound of the waves lapping against the sands with the breeze gently flowing makes the swing a real ideal spot to collect one’s thoughts.

We shared the spot here back then, and just watched the sun plummet into the sea. It was nice. It was what we needed after everything. Can’t recall exactly what we were up to back then, but I’m certain it had something to do with training – most likely honing our skills as Paladins at the time.

That was then, and this is now. Recently returned from Tural once again honing our skills as we continue to grow for the new adventures on the horizon. Arriving first, I took a spot on that old swing. Unsure where Aikirees was, as I hadn’t heard her shadow wolf anywhere close, I just lost myself being reminded of why this old swing was such a wonderful little spot.

Moments later, I hear the thud and familiar sound of heavy paws approaching. It was Aikirees and her shadow wolf getting close, and as she did, she dismissed her wolf that I am convinced still wants to devour me and plops down with the lack of delicateness that Aikirees has become known for since her journey. Not that she was ever the most delicate with things, but it’s certainly more noticeable now. Not that I’m complaining, as it’s part of her charm and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

She sat there for a moment, letting out a growl of a purr having all of the similar senses and reminders come back to her of this old swing. I rested my head against her shoulder, not something I’m still used to being able to do now, to greet her before letting up.

“Training going well?” I asked her, not really exactly sure what to conjure up since we’re together so much.

She smiled and humored me. “Zee yup yup! Helping’sies zee Hippos’sies Riderrrrs is alway’sies zee fun too!”
“They really are, yeppers.” Letting out a chuckle with my reply and a soft smile.

“It’s certainly been a while since we’ve been here, missed this old swing. Glad it made it through everything too.” Aikirees smiled with a small nod, as I just continued.
“Glad to be here again with you, Little One. We’ll have to make sure to come by here from time to time no matter where the road decides to take us next.”
She excitedly replied with her usual ‘Yesh’sies!’ and we just went back to gazing out to the wide open clear blue sea.

“Wonder where the winds will take us next…?” I ponder out loud while enjoying the gentle sea breeze dance across the tufts of my ears. Aikirees furrows her fuzzy brows a moment to the inquiry.
“Well, no matter, when or where it happens, we’ll take it on like we always to.”

She smiles and gently nods again. “Still’sies on your zee mind’sies to, isn’t it sissy’sies.”
Her inquiry comes again from how she looks now.
“Well, it is yes, but I’m not going to bug you about it; you’re still you and always my Little One.”

I returned to resting my head against her shoulder again, and could hear her begin to purr soon after I did.
“We’sies got this, zee Sissy’sies. Whereverrrr we go’sies, we’ll kick’sies zee tail’sies as long as we got’sies all of zee us!”
I nodded while continuing to rest on her shoulder, trying to keep my ears from brushing against her face.

“Yeppers, we do. No matter what. When that journey is all said and done, we’ll come back here once again to this old swing.”

Aikirees and I spent some time around HQ in the early hours of the night. Not necessarily saying much, but just basking in the cool Empyreum night hearing the Moonfire Faire fireworks going off in the distance. I think the last time we had a moment to even remotely try to do this was well before heading to Tural and even working on our islands.

It was brief as it usually is, but felt longer. I think Aikirees just being there was support enough without having to say anything. The poor cats are having a rough go at things right now, and my old map desk’s papers seem unending even now. Of course, Miss Laureine assists when she can and I know Miss Lizicus tries to keep everyone in high spirits with her carefree approach to everything, but my rock has always been Aikirees. I’ve always been the one to look over and protect her, but now I really don’t think she needs all that much protection – perhaps she’s trying to do the same for me and the rest of us now.

I ended up dozing off into her shoulder at the sound of distant fireworks, with her fuzzy warm shoulder being a comfort for such tired ears. Once the moon had reached directly above us, I felt a gentle nuzzle on one of them and awoke as our sign that it was time to head to sleep.

We head into HQ and warm up next to the entry fireplace, but before proceeding down to the bunk behind the office, I head into The Archives for a moment. Meandering back to the far end of it, with an eerily glowing fireplace and rows upon rows of shelves littered with any sort of notes or loose maps that one could think of, are two mannequins I placed in there moons ago.

One was of my wedding dress to my dear Sirena almost a full year ago now, while the other is of my old Burgundy Room dress. I haven’t worn it in over a year, and I don’t know if I ever will again. Just gazing at it in the near-silence of the Archives brought back so many fond memories of that time.

I really don’t know how much time had passed, but in the crackling of the fireplace, I could hear the footsteps of Aikirees. She’s by no means sneaky, but her approach caught the attention of my ears as they angled towards her. I didn’t look away from the dress, but the next thing I knew was two fuzzy arms had wrapped themselves around me. As derpy as she can be, she always means well, and to all of the souls she has touched or met, they can also attest to this of her being as well.

She embraced me like that for a moment, not overly-tight but just enough to let me know she was there. Her newfound Hrothgar growl/purrs were a more obvious giveaway, but that was beside the point. I grasped and rested my chin into one of her paws for a moment, before we headed out of the Archives and to the bunks below.

“Thank you, Little One. We got this, as we always have.”

As for anyone out there reading this that might be having a tough spot; you got this. You kick so much tail, and you’ll continue to. Sometimes all it takes is that little reminder, but even if it looks like a lot of dark and no light, it’ll pass and that light will be back in full force. Just keep your light going, and keep kicking tail. I’ve had my malms of darkness as well, so it might not be the same sort of turbulent, but it will be light again.

Continue to be ‘zee awesome’sies,’ and y’all got this!