Ah, right, there's a task at hand. "Yer just tryna change the subject," Astrid points out, this time with a bit of a sly smirk. She hops off the wagon and manifests a pair of duplicates who duteously rush off to start collecting the little rock creatures from around town. Meanwhile, Astrid herself stays back with Cirice so they can keep chatting. Or teasing. Whichever. 

"How'd ya meet him in a dungeon? That sounds like a fun story! Sure ya don't wanna tell me all about that? Bet ya give him this lovey dovey looks with yer eyes," she says with a grin. "Same one I've seen Mister Kvasir givin' Morrigan, but that dumb con artist thinks they're too good fer 'im." Her expression turns into a childish pout and she huffs. "I'll turn 'em into Morrigan Mashed Potatoweaver if they do anythin' ta Kvasir. Or anythin' else. That jerkwad gave Blue a prank chocolate, and they turned all fiery!" 

At this point, Astrid's accidentally turned the subject totally away from her gran, but she'll get back to it soon enough. 

Following Astrid’s lead she summons a pair of duplicates to corral geonids as they keep up their girl talk¹.

“Well Cyran and I were traveling together and we came to the desert in Zeinav where there was this group of researchers trying to get into a tomb… They asked for our help and Gerhart was there and he knew Cyran. So the three of us went in together. I-I didn’t give him any lovey dovey eyes… But he was just so… Gentle and goofy and vulnerable…” She trails off, remembering him holding her together as she panicked and the gentle bump of their foreheads together. “Wait… You know Kvasir and Morrigan? It really is a small world!”

As she listens to Astrid’s annoyance with Morrigan she nods, “If they hurt Kvasir I’ll rip their head off their shoulders myself. Kvasir is a very dear friend of mine, if that purple fucker hurts him they’re dead. He tried to steal an artifact from me so I almost wasn’t able to join the Mage’s Guild! They said it was a test to see if I was worthy of the Guild but I‘m not so sure. EIther way I left them alone because Kvasir seems to love them. I don’t see why.”

---

1 Replicant

Astrid's jaw falls slack. "It really is a small world, ain't it! I didn't know ya knew Cyran too! Blue an' I actually took a buncha orphans up ta his orphanage some months ago. Nice fellow, he is. I like him." 

But as Cirice tells her about what Morrigan did, Astrid's expression grows annoyed if not dark and menacing. "Oh, really?" she says upon hearing that Morrigan stole an artifact from her. She recalls Morrigan acting a bit dodgy about their first attempt at joining the guild, but she figured it was just Morrigan acting as they normally do. "Funny ya say that, 'cause I'm pretty sure Morrigan got into the Mage's Guild 'cause of me an' Blue, but at least they were somewhat helpful even if I wanted ta kick their arse the whole time." Astrid lets out a very angry huff. "They get off scot-free a bunch just cause everyone likes Kvasir, it seems."

"Also... I didn't know ya were in the Mage's Guild!" 

“Cyran is actually my godfather!” Cirice says happily, “Oh yeah he mentioned he got a lot of kids there recently. I’ve been meaning to go and visit… Didn’t know that was you and Blue’s doing.”

“Wait really?? You guys joined the Guild too! That’s awesome!” Cirice’s eyes light up with joy hearing the news, “Yeah I think that’s the case. Here I was, worrying about Cantio being lost in the mine and they just ran off with the artifact! Luckily I got it back and we found Cantio and took him home, but it nearly wasn’t good. Kvasir really is saving their scrawny neck.”

She huffs right along with Astrid, "They really should be taught a lesson."

"Aye, we found 'em in a swampy, busted orphanage, so we took 'em ta Cyran's place," Astrid says casually like it wasn't a very long journey with almost a dozen kids only barely younger than her. That certainly was a bizarre experience, being the adult of the situation, and she wouldn't have managed without Blue and Melodia. 

Astrid stops what she's doing completely and looks over at Cirice. "Cantio? Is that what ya meant about me house..." she murmurs, but then the ferocity returns to her face when she processes everything Cirice just said. "Wait, what? Morrigan got me da lost in a mine?! He's fragile! Ya can't just-" She cuts herself short because the fury burns bright in the form of little arcs of electricity sparking off her form as she puts the pieces together.

"Morrigan screwed me da outta gettin' into the Mage's Guild?! Me da is the one they caused trouble ta?!"

Suddenly, she goes very calm and picks up another geonid. Her next words are simple, but said with resolve.

"I'll kill 'em." 

“No, don’t kill them.” Cirice shakes her head, her tone cool and serious, “Make them wish they were dead. So then they know better than to try that shit again. Kvasir will be upset if his lover dies.”

“I really like your dad by the way, he’s just as great as you said he was. Though I didn’t know he and Blue had something between them. That’s nice. I love when people are happy.”

The crates are full to the brim with geonids, the little rock fellas trying their best to escape their confinement as she lifts the crates back onto the wagon. “I made them suffer for what they did to Cantio, don’t you worry. They won’t try that shit again.”

Admittedly, Astrid probably wouldn't have the heart to kill Morrigan even if she stays as angry as she is in the moment. They're really annoying, a scam artist, and they don't deserve nice things, but they don't deserve to die. Especially if Cantio is safe and hasn't even mentioned the situation to her yet. Besides, Kvasir would be sad, and Astrid wants that on her conscience even less than she wants Morrigan's death on her conscience. No, Cirice is right. Simply make them regret ever doing anything to mess with one of her favorite people. "Thanks fer gettin' back at 'em."

As she hefts a crate onto the wagon, strapping the lid down, she lets out a sigh to relax. "Aye, I'm glad ya like me da," Astrid says. "He's real nice and deserves everythin' good the world can give him. Which sometimes don't seem like a lot with the way stuff happens sometimes... Though I didn't realize ya got ta meet 'im. I... also don't know what ya mean that they have somethin' between him an' Blue? Blue lives with us. Da treats 'em as much like his own kid as he treats me. He made Blue an' I matchin' animal onesies! I s'pose it's like havin' a siblin'." Except the sibling looks older than her adopted father, isn't very old, and sometimes can't tell what is or isn't food. 

“Of course, they deserve it. And I didn’t want you mad at me, I like you.”

Cirice looks at Astrid with the most confounded expression, “But… Blue is older than Cantio, isn’t he? Like I’m not great at figuring our human ages but he’s like… Middle aged, right? Certainly older than Gerhart. Why would Cantio act as a father-figure for him?”

Maybe Blue really meant that Cantio was his dad just like Astrid…

“I… Didn’t know all that. But yeah Cantio is a sweet, kind man. Awkward and nervous it seemed, but that was endearing.” she giggles. “You have a really strange family, don’t you?”

“Ummm….” Astrid considers how to answer Cirice’s question. “I… wouldn’t say Blue’s older, no. Just looks a bit older. I dunno how ta describe it ‘cause they’re… Well, ya know how agin’ can be odd fer folks with magic, ya know? Besides, Cantio’s a great da. He’s doin’ his best.”

There’s a twinge of pain as Astrid realizes she hasn’t really spoken much to Cantio since…certain events took place.

She looks at Cirice, not knowing Cirice’s family situation and having never really spoken much of her own. “Aye, I have a bit of a weird family, but it’s the one that picked me. It’s the best one I could ask fer.”

A burning desire to talk to Cantio and hear his voice overcomes her. The duplicates are managing the geonids just fine. “Um… do ya mind if I talk ta him real quick?” she asks, fishing a little communication device out of her pocket. “I wanna ask him about Morrigan.”

---

Astrid's voice comes through the communicator left on the counter kitchen, something she finally got a pair of and kept with her while adventuring so she and Cantio could keep in contact. It's been a while since she's been home, having left for Sol City and only come home once briefly since then.

"Hey, um, da? Ya there?" she calls.

After a moment of silence, there comes a small clatter on the other end of the communicator: a small, bang! and a distant fretting of, "Smoothie, don't touch that you're gonna DIE!" before the sound of rapid footsteps comes closer to the communicator.

After the static of mishandling the object, Cantio's voice pipes up with a cheerful, but breathless undertone. "Astrid?" he chirps, "Hey! I'm here, what's going on? How's Sol City? Are you doing okay? Eating well?"

Sol City. Right. Astrid hasn't been there for a while. Not since-

"Um, actually I've gotten ta Moonglade. I ran inta Cirice, an' we're doin' a bit of work together," she explains. _{"Erm, Smoothie? That's an odd thin' ta call Melodia..."} Astrid of course thinks this is some pet name similar to calling someone honey or sweetie. Little does she know it belongs to an actual pet.

"Oh, um, anyway, I had a question. Do ya know Morrigan Moonweaver? What do ya think of 'em?"

"Huh? Oh!" Cantio's voice sounds surprised. "Really? You're with Cirice? That's nice! Tell her I said hi!" Upon her mention of Melodia however, Cantio makes some indecipherable noises before responding; the embarrassment is thick in his tone. "N-no, not Melodia!" he stumbles, but before he can continue, Astrid asks about Morrigan Moonweaver.

"The Wizard of the Wastes!" He sounds delighted about them; there's certainly a sparkle in his eyes, despite not being visible. "I do! They're a talented wizard! I've had the pleasure of seeing them in person a few times... I think they're quite lovely! They've only ever been very kind to me; oh, and such an amazing storyteller, too! Once, they showed me through an old Draconic Ruin— oh! And Cirice and I actually explored an old mine together with them! Or, uh, well... we were supposed to. I may have made a misstep, fell down a hole... but it's fine! They came back for me! And, I actually met them not too long ago in the Moonglade, too! I guess we must have just missed each other if you're down there now... that's actually where I found Smoothie— a moth! She's a moth! Not Melodia, by the way! You'll meet her when you get home!" Cantio laughs sheepishly before continuing.

"But what are you asking for? Did you run into them down there?"

At first, Astrid gets a little amused smile as she can hear her father stammering nervously when she mentions Melodia. She totally caught them having a cute little moment during one stormy evening around Hearth Day. But her attitude shifts almost immediately. Listening to Cantio prattle on about Morrigan's "greatness" makes her eyes roll into the back of her head.

"Um, yeah, I ran into 'em down here," she says. "Weren't the first time I met 'em, though. Their not-boyfriend nearly got eaten by bugs, so I helped take him home. Me first meetin' with Morrigan was his stark naked arse." Astrid's eyes cut to Cirice, giving her this shit-eating grin as she lets the moment hang so Cantio can process it all.

“Oh! You mean Kvasir? I kind of thought they had a thing when I met them together—” Cantio’s voice is still cheery, but there’s a slight shift in his tone as she continues; he cuts off in his train of thought. “W-wait, what?” Surprise turns into a slight unease, “They were… naked, in front of you? Why?”

"Um, long story! Anyway, Cirice is wavin' as if ya can see her, so she says hi back. She also said Morrigan stole the thin' from ya that kept ya from gettin' into the Mage's Guild with her." Another pause, then her voice grows a bit serious.

"Da, ya know Morrigan ain't a wizard, right? Can't cast a lick of their own magic, and they're a jerk who can't see past their own nose."

There’s another pause when Astrid continues, and his voice is almost palpable in its distress. “They wouldn’t do that!” There’s no heat in his objection; even the exclamation itself comes out hushed, as though it hurts to get out: but the way he talks seems to make it sound like he’s trying to convince even himself. “I mean, they’re a bit flighty sometimes, and… and a bit flamboyant and chatty and all, but… They knew I’ve been trying to get into the Mage’s Guild! So, surely, it’s a misunderstanding... Besides, I’ve seen…” he trails off; the silence that follows seems to be enough to understand that something is turning in his head despite the distance.

“… I haven’t seen them use magic actually …”

Silence fills the call again; but after a moment, Cantio speaks up. “You… you really think they would do that?” he asks; there’s an unspoken hurt in his voice; a sort of betrayal that comes from broken trust. He seems like he's trying to cling to something redeemable about someone he considered a friend. "Cirice really thinks they sabotaged my chance at getting into the Mage's Guild like that?"

Astrid’s intention to cause friction between Morrigan and one person who would find the best in them (besides Kvasir) falters as she hears Cantio’s voice breaking as he goes through the motions of the realization of betrayal. That’s a kind of hurt she knows well.

Her smirk falls away from her face, and she realizes that if she’s hurt anyone, it’s the person she cares more about than anyone else. That’s not what she meant to do. Her willingness to continue fades into quiet resolution. “Aye, da… they would, but…”

She looks at Cirice for some indication of what she should say, and instead she finds it within herself. “But it sounds like they felt bad about it. Maybe they didn’t mean ta do it to ya…” Astrid doesn’t believe this herself, she fully believes Morrigan would take advantage of anyone and everyone they possibly can, and Cantio’s gullible, too sweet for his own good sometimes. But… that’s what she loves about him. Maybe she shouldn’t have done this.

“I’m sorry da,” she says quietly, clutching the device closer. “They seemed ta recall ya fondly though, like maybe ya’d seen ‘em since then. Said they sent ya a new violin an’ everythin’, a special one from Moonglade. Did they really? I thought they were just tryna win me over sayin’ that. We uh-” Astrid lets out a broken chuckle, feeling awful for the things she’s said. “We don’t exactly get along.”

“Maybe…” There’s an uncertainty to Cantio’s voice; beyond the call, the fellblood looks at a rose-colored moth who pads its way across the counter and looks up at him with wide eyes. He was excited to tell Astrid about how he found Smoothie with Morrigan and Kvasir, but there’s a seed of doubt planted in him about Morrigan’s character after the call.

“Huh? Oh, um…” Cantio looks past Smoothie, to where an open package sits on the counter; its lid has fallen open, resting on the floor; and within it sits one of the most beautiful violins Cantio’s ever seen. A replacement for the one he broke clumsily on the journey to the Moon Glade, when he’d run into Morrigan and Kvasir.

He feels a little weird about accepting it.

He closes his eyes and takes a breath, covering the receiver with one hand; when he returns, Cantio clears his throat. “Yes, they did, actually. But you have nothing to apologize for, Astrid.” Cantio assures her; despite the sadness previously, there’s a warmth in his tone that bleeds into the earring she made for him; a melancholic appreciation. Astrid’s change in voice doesn’t go unacknowledged. Neither does the wash of guilt that comes from the earring on his end. “I appreciate you telling me; that’s not an easy thing to do; and I know you care.” Cantio closes his eyes, “I kind of had a weird feeling here and there about them, but I let it pass. I’ll talk to them next time I see them… maybe it was a mistake, but… Well, I told them all about the issues I was having with the Mage’s Guild, so if it wasn’t... I don’t know if that’s the kind of person I want to be around— or see you be around.”

He trails off again, “They’re not being mean to you, are they? Because if they are, I'll make sure it never happens again.”

"Mean? Ta me?" Astrid repeats with a soft chuckle in her voice. "As if I'd let anyone be mean ta me an' get away with it." While she doesn't directly deny Morrigan's behavior, she speaks the truth. She and Morrigan bully each other, in all honesty, and she won't let them get away with hurting Cantio or his feelings, even if they did send him a gift. A genuine apology goes a lot further.

She looks at Cirice again, realizing she's been talking to Cantio for a long time, realizing that she hasn't really had a conversation like this with him in... a while. She should probably go home...

"Um, da? I... I think I'll be home soon," she says, looking down at the communicator in her hands. "I gotta meet this Smoothie thin' yer talkin' about."

A chuckle comes in return from the receiver, “I know you can take care of yourself,” he admits, “But I still worry.” The idea of Morrigan being rude to Astrid settles ill in his stomach, but he pushes it away to focus on her. There’s a small spark of delight in his voice when she says she’ll be coming home soon. “You will?” Cantio asks, a flutter of glee flickering through the earrings.

“That would be nice— I’ll bake all of your favorites for dinner when you get home.” He promises; he reaches out to rub Smoothie’s head. Smoothie tilts her head, feathery antennas twitching contently. “I think Smoothie would like to meet you, too! She’s very sweet. Kinda… dumb, but she's sweet!”

Smoothie has not a care in the world but the pets she is currently receiving.

"That sounds real good ta me. ...An' da..?" Her fingers grip the communicator tighter. "I'll get ya into the guild. Promise. Then we can kick Morrigan's butt together! Pack yer bags, I'll see ya soon!"

Cantio blinks, lifting his hand from Smoothie’s head. “Huh? Oh, Astrid, that’s… huh? Wait— o-okay, I’ll pack a bag, but be careful on your way home! Call me when you get on the road! I’ll see you soon—! Oh—! And tell Cirice I said goodbye! Stay safe!”

“Aye, da, she can hear ya!” Astrid says, feeling a bit better knowing her dad’s excited for her to come home. “I’ll stay safe! Love ya! See ya soon!”

“Oh, goodbye then Cirice! And Astrid, I love you too!”

With that, Astrid packs away the communicator and looks at Cirice with a devious grin on her face. “How do ya think Morrigan will look seein’ Cantio strollin’ around the guild hall? Got anythin' tricky ya can show me?”

Cirice smiles as she listens to Astrid finish up her call with her dad and wraps the younger girl in a hug. “They’ll be shocked! Of course I do, I’m very tricksy!” She giggles. “Let’s get these silly little rock guys home and then I’ll teach you some of my best spells for messing with people!”


She releases her friend as the last of the geonids are loaded into the crates. Together the two of them fly back to the archeologists and deliver the crates to be returned home before she takes Astrid into her wagon and has Ars spread himself across the table.

“My two best spells for messing with people: Be jolly and Dream walker! One of them my godfather taught me, mostly on accident. I can teach you both if you like! This is Ars, my spellbook, he’ll help!”


She makes the two of them some tea and together they get to work on a plan to fuck with their opponent, Morrigan Moonweaver.