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Matoya came to a strange village in the middle of the dark woods. Just outside the village, the woods were ominously dark with obvious signs of a malevolent entity skulking about - deep gouges in the rotted trees, downed brush, and a mysterious glowing film that coated abnormally shaped footprints. The trees were nearly pitch black and twisted into angles. The end of each branch seemed far too sharp. Not even the breath of leaves touched them. The mist was thick and suffocating. The animals were smart enough to stay away. Most of them, at least.
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Except for the large owls, that hooted offendedly and stared with wide golden eyes.
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Inside the village, she further sensed it was not safe for the living. Keen eyes spotted the pale blue will-o-wisps fading in and out between the ruined homes. Glimmers of pyre flies sparkled just out of the corner of her eyes. Only slivers of silver light peeked its way through the canopies. The shadows made by the structures seemed too dark, and even the bonfire in the center seemed a sickly yellow. The entities avoided the old witch that would not tolerate them bothering her. They huffed their icy breath at her.
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The oddest observation was that it seemed someone had begun tidying up. The pathways were swept with a coarse broom. Someone tended to the flame. It was clear that utensils had been washed. And a small, moth-eaten black mage plush was patched up and taken for a dip. Matoya followed the tiny footprints to the tailed girl. She appeared to be leaving strips of fish on the stump of a fallen tree for the gathering owls. Her fingers looked raw and covered in the oils of the fish.
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The girl turned to meet her, far too emotionlessly for a normal person. Matoya could tell why the moment she met the teal eyes.
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Those were the eyes of an inexperienced child, still blank to the ways of the world.
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The will-o-wisps seemed to react unhappily to the witch's finding. They gathered behind Mikoto, splashing their blue light on her skin. So bright was their shine, she was nearly just a silhouette before Matoya.
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The girl said nothing and only stared unnervingly at her unexpected guest. The entities took shapes of the splitting image of the girl, but all in different variants of her current outfit. Some even took shapes of on mage mantels with expressionless faces. For a few heart beats, there was only silence.
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"I understand why you stay, child." Matoya could make some relative guesses. It was obvious she was looking for a place where she was comfortable and belonged. A place where she was surrounded by accepting people. These spirits superficially gave her what she wanted. Matoya shook her head and the young genome only seemed to let out a slow breath as her eyes lowered.
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"But you will not find what you seek by staying." She was being oddly gentle. Perhaps the girl reminded her a little of her student, Y'shtola. The same blank eyes now that Y'shtola was blind and the same curious nature. The tail and the spark of magical talent helped as well. Mikoto turned away to resume her task of stripping the fish and laying them out. Some of the owls swooped down to tear apart the meat.
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Her tail was low and there was a slight tremble in her hands. It was clear that Mikoto already knew that. But she was being stubborn in trying to quell the emptiness she felt.
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"Your 'friends' will do you more harm the longer you stay. They do not care about your well-being." Matoya could not gauge her reaction. Suddenly, a flurry orbs wrung its way around the girl. The ghosts cared not for the hag's warnings. Matoya created a barrier to protect herself from their onslaught. She tucked her chin to protect her eyes under the brim of her hat. By time they cleared, the girl was gone.
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An eerie silence filled the air.
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The witch could not find her, and her crystal eye remained fogged in this area. Her search did reveal one hut of carefully tended herbs.
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---
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Mikoto laid on a slat with a moth-eaten blanket on top of her. Her eyes were shut, and her breath was laboring. She felt so cold despite the sweat that ran down her red neck. On a small table near her bed was a near empty potion bottle. When the witch left, she found the tincture with a small note. It was supposed to help her stamina, should she decide to stay. A spoonful a day should be administered.
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Matoya's final warning.
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As the days passed, the girl simply took sips of the potion. Its flavor was bitter, and it made her tail curl. And as she swallowed, she wanted to crawl out of her skin. At first, the effects made her feel less lethargic. As time passed, she found she needed more and more of it, however each effect seemed shorter.
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Now she found even getting out of bed was much effort. Every breath was starting to take strength. When she exhaled, a blue will-o-wisp was expelled from her body. It seemed she had miscalculated. Was this why Garland kept them sleeping in vats? She was unused to them being so active and aware or in a mist format. When the Gaians breathed the mist, they lost themselves and became violent. Was this the true nature of these alien souls?
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It didn't matter now.
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Wasn't this how it may have gone at the end anyway? Her soul would have been recycled into the life crystal and her people finally awakened. What was a vessel to her?
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But where would her soul go if her vessel was lost now? The conditions had changed.
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She closed her eyes; her short hair starting to stick to her cheeks. Her head fell to the side of the pillow. Two blue orbs floated in through the unsealed window. They shimmered and took the form of her predecessor with purple flowers braided in his silver hair. Its cold hand shocked her hot skin enough for her to crack her eyes open. She was so happy she finally got to meet him. And though the expression on his face was of annoyance, there was still a hint of concern buried in there. She wished she could stay longer with him. Maybe even form this bond that Zidane talked about. A friendship. Where was Zidane? Would she ever see him again?
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In the distance, she could hear a roaring.
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Or maybe it was the wind. Or a coming storm. Or a beast she had yet to discover.
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She closed her eyes, beyond concern.
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She just wanted to sleep. No more questions.