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sapphyrelily · 4 years

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Perils of a Name

Based on another silly conversation me and @fellis-world had.

Please check out the comic that she drew!

A little flame danced above their heads, twisting into different shapes. A translucent mirage appeared next to it, dancing with it, darting in and out of the flames. A laugh bubbled out of her companion and he flicked his fingers, expanding the fire.

Now it was her turn to shriek, and her illusion did the same, darting away and sticking its tongue out. The flames gave chase, and soon they were both in hysterics, pulling their respective magics close to and away from each other, pulling ridiculous faces all the while.

“Stay still, Murasaki,” Eos said, while expanding the flame. “It won’t hurt.”

“Nope.” Murasaki pulled her illusion away, watching it taunt the pillar of flame. “Just because it can’t hurt doesn’t mean I will let my poor illusion be burnt!”

“Aw, you’re no fun.” He made a face at her, then pulled a strand of water to join the flames.

“No,” she muttered, pouting at him. “Now you’ll burn him with steam!”

“Oh, good idea! I didn’t think of that!” He shot her a cheeky grin and went after the illusion again. The mirage threw its hands up and ran, leaving a trail of butterflies behind it.

The twin flames and water finally caught up and crashed down on the illusion, shattering it into a cloud of butterflies. Murasaki’s pout grew deeper. “Eos, you killed him. My poor illusion. What did he ever do to you?”

“I am sorry,” he said, but a smile still curved his lips upwards. “I’ll let you win next time?”

“You’d better.” She knocked his shoulder with her own, grinning.

A cat leapt up to them, pouncing on Murasaki’s skirts. She smiled and reached for it while Eos looked over her shoulder and cooed at it.

The cat rubbed its face on her hand, its copper eyes meeting hers. It let out an insistent meow and shattered, the resulting butterflies swirling up her arm before dissipating into nothing.

Eos gasped behind her, but Murasaki smiled in exasperation. She turned back to her friend, but before she could say anything, he burst out, “The cat! It– It–”

“It was just an illusion,” she reassured. “The other cats are real and around here somewhere. My brother’s come to visit, and that’s his way of letting us know he’s here. He’s downstairs. Do you want to come say hi?”

Eos wrung his hands, still distraught over the illusionary cat. “Yes? I guess? Your brother is also a mesmer?”

“He is,” Murasaki confirmed, standing and offering a hand to Eos. “We’re pod twins, and I thought it’d be funny for us to learn mesmer magic so we could trick others into thinking we looked exactly the same.”

“You don’t look completely the same?”

Murasaki poked him, smiling. “He’s male, I’m female. We look a bit different.”

Eos’ glow flared bright with sheepishness as Murasaki continued. “But you’ll see. We look a bit different in another way.”

“Hmm.”

They made their way down from the balcony, turning down the spiral slope to see a sylvari sitting at the table. He had the same light blue bark as Murasaki, though his hair was a brighter lilac, and his glow was a deeper pink than hers. He looked up at their footsteps, expression hardening as he spotted Eos. “Mura, who’s this?”

Murasaki sighed. “Aeris, be nice. This is Eos. He’s a friend.”

“A friend of what variety?”

“The friend variety. Can you stop being so suspicious of everyone?”

“No.”

“Burn you, Aeris.” Murasaki scolded. “Be nice!”

Eos gaped at him, eep-ing and hiding behind Murasaki when Aeris stood up and strode over to them. He was tall, towering over them by one and a half heads, and it made him heaps scarier.

“My Aeris isn’t this scary,” Eos whispered, clutching Murasaki’s sleeves and shrinking behind her. “Why is your Aeris so scary?”

“Your what?” Murasaki whispered back. Eos didn’t get a chance to reply, because Aeris was towering over them, and it was all he could do to hide.

Murasaki put her hands on her hips, glaring up at her brother. “Aeris. Eos is a friend. We both served under Trahearne. Back off.”

Aeris’ expression softened at that. “Ah. That’s okay, then.”

Murasaki huffed. “It shouldn’t matter how I met him. There is nothing of that sort between us, and even if so, it’s none of your business.”

“Your well-being is my business.”

“I am perfectly grown! I can handle myself!”

Aeris’ nose wrinkled. “Yes, but still–”

“Still nothing. Do you actually want me to burn you? Eos is an elementalist, and he handles fire as well as Aron does.”

“Don’t drag me into this!” Eos whispered frantically, but Murasaki didn’t turn to look at him.

Aeris did. His eyes were fierce, and it felt like he was trying to set Eos on fire with how hard he was staring. It didn’t help that his glow was such a deep pink that it bordered on red, making him look more intense.

“Aeris,” Murasaki hissed, bringing his attention back to her. “We can have a perfectly civil conversation, or I will send you back to the warband in pieces. Rune taught me a few things about hot pokers and heated metal.”

Aeris immediately looked hurt. “Sister, really, I’m just trying to look out for you.”

“And I’m telling you that I can take care of myself.” Murasaki sighed, equal parts exasperation and annoyance. “Shut up and sit down, okay? I’ll be right back.”

She pushed her brother away, edging around him. It gave Eos the opportunity to keep using her as a shield, and he was grateful when they reached the doorway of her bower.

“Your Aeris is scary!” He burst out. “And how is he so tall?!”

Murasaki shook her head, a tired laugh slipping out. “That’s why we needed magic to seem more alike. He’s so much taller than me.”

“Too tall,” Eos agreed. “Very scary.”

“You’ve lost all your words,” she teased. “He’s not that scary.”

“He looked like he was trying to burn me! And I can’t burn!”

Murasaki giggled. “Just smack him with some static next time. It makes his leaves stand on end.”

“Does it?” Eos looked thoughtful. “I have to try it.”

“Yes,” Murasaki agreed. “But first… You said 'your Aeris' isn’t so scary. Who’s your Aeris?”

Eos brightened, laughing aloud. “My brother! His name is also Aeris!”

“Yeah?” Murasaki giggled. “What a coincidence!”

“Yes, it’s very funny.” Eos smiled. “I’ll let you meet my brother someday too! Since I’ve already met yours…”

He made a face, and Murasaki laughed. “I hope your Aeris is nicer than mine. Mine is only scary to others, he’s nice to me.”

“He seems overprotective,” Eos pointed out. “And jealous.”

“I know,” Murasaki said, folding her arms angrily and glaring at the room behind them. “What an annoying brother.”

Eos nodded. “My brother is also annoying. He makes me study, and I don’t like studying.”

Murasaki laughed. “Oh, Eos, don’t say that to me. I love studying. I’ll side with your brother on this one.”

Her friend looked horrified. “No! Don’t betray me like this!”

Murasaki edged closer, raising her hands like claws. “Better run, or we’ll catch you and make you read all the books~”

“No! Nononono,” Eos shrieked, dashing out of reach. “Bye Murasaki! See you around, without books!”

Murasaki dropped her hands and laughed gaily, waving at the fleeing Eos.

He didn’t like studying? Oh, he was in for a horrible treat when she met his brother.

-----

Eos waved his brother along, urging him to hurry up. “Come on! My friend’s waiting!”

Aeris sighed. “I don’t know why I have to come meet your friends.”

“Just one friend. And her brother! She’s in the Priory too.” Eos made a face at that. “Ew, books.”

Aeris’ expression lifted slightly. “You made a scholar friend? Maybe she can get you to study.”

“No. Nonononono, she won’t, and I told her that she’s not supposed to help you!”

Aeris smiled slyly. “But brother, studying is important for you to master your magic.”

“I still won’t do it.”

“Eos!” They turned to see a short female sylvari waving to them, tugging a tall male along. She looked happy to see them, but her companion did not, lagging even though she was holding his hand.

“There she is!” Eos waved back with both arms before turning to Aeris. “Stay here to greet them, brother? I’ll be right back.”

He ran off before Aeris could say anything. He eyed the approaching duo, leaning against the railing and folding his arms tightly. Why did Eos have to keep leaving him behind with strangers? He knew how much he hated these interactions.

The female smiled again when they reached him, dropping her companion’s hand and giving him a bow. “Hello! Are you Eos’ brother? He’s told me about you.”

Aeris gave her a small nod, grateful that she didn’t try to shake his hand. He glanced around frantically, wishing Eos would hurry up and come back. These people were intimidating – the female with her exuberance, and the male with his height.

The female’s smile softened at his response, and her voice was gentle, her tone more sincere. “I’m Murasaki. It’s nice to meet you in person.”

“Mura,” her companion warned. “You barely know him.”

“It’s called ‘courtesy’,” she hissed, smacking him. “Be polite, brother.”

Aeris was shocked by her abrupt attitude change, but he could understand it. This was her brother. All siblings got annoyed with each other, it seemed. As he was right now – he was annoyed with Eos and where he had disappeared to.

Murasaki’s brother was about to say something when Eos ran up, grinning. “Murasaki! Hello! I’ve gotten us a table over there, shall we go have a drink?”

Aeris didn’t like the mischievous look in his brother’s eye, nor the way Murasaki’s eyes and mouth turned up even more at his suggestions. They were up to something, he was sure of it.

He had no choice but to follow the two chattering sylvari, falling in step next to the intimidating brother. He still hadn’t been introduced to him, and it was a bit rude, even if he didn’t like meeting new people.

They had just turned the corner when he heard a voice call out, “Excuse me, Aeris?”

Aeris turned around, looking for the voice. There was a sylvari he didn’t recognise standing there, but courtesy demanded that he respond.

“Yes?”

Aeris looked up in surprise and found Murasaki’s brother looking back at him. It was he who spoke, responding to that sylvari calling to him. He too, looked surprised.

His confusion was disrupted by the sound of muffled laughter behind them, and he looked back to see Eos and Murasaki covering their mouths, amusement evident on their faces.

Aeris didn’t understand, and glancing back and forth between the sylvari who called him and the equally confused one standing in front of him did not help make it any clearer.

Eos finally spoke up, still shaking with giggles. “Sorry for disrupting your day, citizen! Please don’t mind us.”

The random sylvari looked helplessly at them, then shrugged and walked away. Aeris rounded on Eos, glaring at him. “What did you do?”

“Ooh, he has a nice voice,” he heard Murasaki whisper to Eos, smiling.

“Mura,” her brother cut in, “What is going on?”

“Nothing, Aeris,” she replied brightly, then bit her lip, suppressing more giggles. “Shall we go have a drink, like Eos said?”

Aeris glanced at her brother, understanding slowly dawning upon him. The taller sylvari clearly did not get it, still frowning at his sister. “Mura–”

“Aeris,” Aeris interrupted, cringing internally at how weird it felt to say his own name, “Let it go. Eos likes pranks.”

The other Aeris turned to him, confusion knitting his eyebrows, glancing rapidly between him and his sister.

Murasaki sighed, walking to her brother and taking his arm. “Come on, dumbass. You share the same name, alright? Are you sure Ascalon hasn’t wilted your brain yet?”

Aeris walked after them, falling in step with Eos, who was still giggling. “Eos. Really?”

“You should have seen your faces!” Eos said. “So confused!”

“You are terrible.”

“You’re just no fun.” Eos nudged his elbow. “Let’s have a drink, yes?”

Aeris sighed as he sat down with them. Trust Eos to find a friend who would encourage his pranks.

The other Aeris looked slightly less murderous now, but he still said nothing and simply stared at him and Eos. Murasaki put her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her hands, asking, “So, do you guys have a family name? To call you by, and to make things easier for my brother.”

“It’s not funny, Mura,” her brother said. He sounded aggrieved, and increasingly like a broken record.

“It’s very funny,” Eos replied. “Our family name is Starsong.”

The taller sylvari made an acknowledging sound. “My last name is Blizzardglade.”

“Aeris Blizzardglade? Fancy,” Eos mused.

The other Aeris looked smug. “I’m from the Blizzard warband. And yes, it does sound cool.”

He’s rather arrogant, Aeris Starsong thought. Out loud he said, “Your last name? What’s your sister’s?”

Eos fell silent at that, and Blizzardglade looked away. He looked ashamed all of a sudden, and it made Aeris suspicious. But Murasaki smiled calmly and said, “My last name is Hikyuu. It’s more of a title than a family name. A reminder, of sorts.”

Starsong leaned forward, curious. “Is that Canthan?”

Murasaki brightened immediately, and her brother groaned. “Yes! I thought – well, since my name is Canthan, why not find a Canthan ‘surname’ as well?”

“What does it mean?”

Her smile didn’t waver. “I’ll tell you one day, maybe. Or maybe you can find out for yourself. Names are interesting things, aren’t they?”

“Hmm,” he replied nonchalantly. Internally, he was already itching to return to the Priory archives and find a Canthan dictionary to consult. She’d piqued his interest.

Eos clapped his hands in delight. “You guys get along well! See, brother, you can study with someone else now. Leave me alone.”

“No, you still have to study.”

“No!”

Murasaki giggled at their disagreement, nudging her brother to whisper, “So, what do you think?”

“They seem fine,” he muttered back. “Starsong seems like too much of a scholar to be a threat.”

“For the last time, they’re not threats. Make nice. It’s good to have friends outside the warband.”

“Hmph.”

“Be nice, Aeris. Please.”

“Maybe I’ll try.”

“Thank you. Now have a cookie.”

“You spoil people. This is blackmail.”

“These are cookies,” she huffed. “Just shut up and eat.”

Aeris obediently took a cookie.

#guild wars 2 #murasaki hikyuu #aeris blizzardglade #eos starsong #aeris starsong #my characters #friends' characters #My writing

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