Short story entry
Becoming
They call me Mud
At first they called me Mud because of my parents.
My mother is a beautiful freshwater Spring Maiden, a type of Oceanos. My Father is a Terranos, a marbled black & white with luminous streaks across his chest. Both were thought to have bright futures ahead of them until they fell in love.
Love between two different types of Naturekin is not forbidden exactly. But tragic stories are told of "Type crossed" lovers. That meant that no House would accept either of them. It meant that they could not live with either Oceanos because of Father, nor among Terranos because of Mother.
We live in a most beautiful grotto where a spring bubbles up into a crystal filled cavern.
The only visitors we've ever gotten were the Eldest who sing the departed to the stars. Unfortunately until I was born, the Eldest came many times. Father built small plinths for each of my brothers and sisters, most of whom lived for less than a day. There are 3 plinths from before my birth and 2 more before my sister's. We are the only 2 to survive. Mother doesn't think that we hear her shedding tears over the others, but we do.
My sister is 7 years younger than I am. It is obvious that she is a Oceanos, so she will start training soon, next year maybe. I hope that she doesn't have the same problems that I have, but I think she will. I have heard others referring to her as Silt. It saddens me and sometimes makes me angry.
She is not ugly like I am. I think that she would be called pretty if it weren't for Father being Terranos. Her coloring is that of a dark pearl, darker than most Oceanos. Her skin has a pearly sheen, her feet are small and webbed. Instead of hair she has fine curling tentacles that float around her when in water. Her gill slits are fringed and well shaped.
I know why they call me Mud. That's how I look. I am a bluish grey. My skin is not firm, but rubbery. I have pock marks on me that some get during adolescence. I don't even have the Terralights that show in most Terranos. Even my parents, who love me, have pity in their eyes. They tell me that it will pass once I grow up. They tell me that I will grow into my skin. Yet they look at me sorrowfully when they think I can't see.
Sometimes I feel so alone. I am not the only child of mixed parents, but it sometimes feels that way. At least my sister looks like she has a place in our world. I don't. Because I look like a melted Terranos, neither Oceanos nor Terranos wants me. Sometimes I feel that if my parents hadn't lost so many other babies, even they wouldn't want me. I know they love me, but sometimes I don't feel like I should be loved. I feel ugly inside and out.
Sometimes I think I should just leave. Find my own place where no one can see me. A place where I can be myself, by myself. I look up at the stars and wonder If I could just fly up to them, far away from everyone else. But that's only sometimes. I like being around others. I just don't like being disgusting, or worse, pitied.
I trained with Terranos for 3 years because it was thought that I might become more Terranos as I grew. I did not. Since then I have trained with House Astrilos because no other House would train me.
I helped set up the Star Stones to follow the dancing of the heavens in all seasons. I help grind out the crystal lenses that make seeing even faint stars much easier. I've felt useful, if not loved. Sometimes that is enough. Sometimes.
Lately I have begun to feel something else. I can't describe it except to say that I yearn. I long for something. Some meaning or purpose in my life. I not only feel alone, I feel adrift in my own soul.
If that's not bad enough, my skin is shedding. Patches of it dry out and flake off. Large and small they leave a trail to mark my passing. My bath turns to mud. It's so bad that I've been banned from the polishing room now. I've begun sleeping outdoors since it's a mild summer.
I am having a hard time with my feelings too. I go from angry enough to shout to so giddy that I start laughing at the smallest of things. Everything seems so important now. Then I feel so distant from others that they are mere sounds in the air. I think there is something wrong with me.
There is one good thing about it though. Where my skin has sloughed I have dark blue skin underneath. I think I can see a very faint Terralight in my arm. That's not where it's supposed to be, but I'm happy to see any at all.
But tonight is the absolute worst night that I can ever remember. It's midsummer night. The Starwatchers are doing the Solstice vigil. Everyone will take at least part of the night in vigil and celebration. Everyone but me.
I have a fever of some kind. I feel hot all over, then I feel cold. I feel like my skin is too tight. Sometimes I can't feel my toes.
Ah, here comes someone. It's a Star Keeper. He sounds as if he's speaking under water. I can't understand him. He shimmers, That's not right. I'm so thirsty. Augh, I've spilled my water. Oh, thank you Keeper for holding the cup. I don't think I can right now. Oh, now he's gone.
I see halos around the stars. They are so beautiful. My reaching hand looks so strange against the stars. Is that my skin hanging like draping moss from my arms? How strange.
There are people around me now. It is hard to see, but I think it's the Keeper with 2 others. Their faces are blurry. They slide in and out of focus. Is it because they lean close then back away?
I itch so badly now! No! Let me go! I must scratch these itches or go mad! That cloth on my head does nothing for the fire I feel. Please, please let me go! Please don't bind me! I must be free!
I feel myself fall into the blessed darkness of night.
I wake to a dim light. Where am I?
I am inside. A room with small high windows.
I feel ... tired. I feel ... light. I no longer feel hot or cold, that's good. I try to lift my head, but I feel so weak. I feel like I have done hard work all day without food.
My nose itches. Why can't I lift my hands to scratch?
Ah, a Star Keeper is here. Not the same one as last night, this keeper is female.
"Oh! You're awake!" she smiles "Can you understand me?"
I try to answer, but all that comes out is a croak. I try to nod. I'm not certain that I did though.
"Wonderful!" she says. I guess I nodded enough then.
"How about a sip of water?"
At my nod she holds a cup to my lips. I try to lift my arms again.
She pours a sip of water in my mouth then says, "Oh! I'm so sorry! I'll take the bindings off right away!"
Bindings? When was I bound? And why?
She must have seen my confusion.
"You were bound last night for your own safety. You were raving and rending yourself they said."
I still feel as weak as a kitten.
"Please help me sit up" I ask.
After unbinding me she puts her arm behind my shoulder to help me up. She gives a small shriek. I fall back. I see her holding out her hand as a layer of dust or ash falls off of her palm. She runs out of the room leaving the curtain half open behind her.
What's wrong? Did that ash come off of me? I can still see it swirling in a beam of sunlight.
I can raise my arms now. I wipe at one arm and a thick layer of something comes off. It no longer itches. It doesn't hurt either. How odd.
Just as I begin to wipe at the other arm, the Keeper return with another. They stare with a horrified look as I wipe a finger joint's width of ash from my arm.
"Please help me up." I say to them. "I want to get all of this off of me"
They still don't move.
"Maybe a bath?" I suggest.
The faint sunlight glints off of my uncovered arm.
It's my turn to stare.
My arm is now the deep rich blue of a summer's night. I can see faint lights beneath my skin. Close to but not exactly like the Terralight my father sports. It's like a stars' compared to the moonlight glow of my father.
It's beautiful.
I wonder how I will look when my skin is free of ash.
Would I look like a sapphire in the light of day? I long to see my glow at night. Would I look like constellation of stars?
Who, no WHAT, am I?
For once I am not sad about what will be. I am still not like anyone else I know, but that is all right with me.
I am no longer Mud.
A month later ...
I am Nebulos.
They call me Starchild now.

I'd like three free raffle tickets! And, for the New Year's, I'll be managing my time better!

Aight, I'll take 124, and I'll take all 10 tickets for the board team I'll do the short story later if I can. (And the 6vis design)

I shall send a CoD for 7k to you shortly! ^^

19,
https://www.sylestia.com/view/pets/?petid=6698104

You have also been entered into the 2022 raffle :D

I'll let it slide this time, but please remember to read the rules of the forum before posting here next time. You've been entered in both raffles, thank you.

I shall send the CoD for 7k shortly!~

124,
https://www.sylestia.com/view/pets/?petid=6698084

2021 was... A rough year, to say the least. So I will share with you how I will try to make it so 2022 isn't as bad.

Ok so, first off lets scratch trying to get every single theme, I already have 4 tabs full of themes and don't need more. This will probably change later...
Maybe I'll start a themed sale thread, or keep adding to my themed wheels, that also works.
I was also planning to set up a Name a pet, get a pet thread like Toby has, but I'm still debating on that.

Idk what else to put so ye, I just put my plans for Sylestia because why not :p

my sylestia goal for 2022 is to get 1 of every neph theme! I thought i entered this one already but i guess i forgot xD

Perhaps you've got another plan, too? One that maybe involves a book or comic book? :P