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phytochorion · 3 months ago

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How the Forest Finds the Island

Chapter Ten - Community Effort

Sen awoke in the morning quite unsure where he was. Someone's arm was on him and unfamiliar smells pervaded the warm space. His mind adjusted and started to make sense of the situation. He could make out little Belek nearby, while Aliwen had the whole Quacey clan wrapped in her wings. Reassured, he sat up and headed outside.

Si-woo waved to him. Jake and Askarya were breakfasting on the remaining rations, regarded by Sirichai. Sen sat alongside them.

"You're up early."

Si-woo shrugged. "Restless when I'm in a new place. Besides, Admiral's got a job for us."

"Request," corrected Sirichai. "I'm afraid I can't pay you, not in cash. But there'll be something in it for you all the same."

"Oh, don't worry about that, we're happy to- ei?"

He was cut off by a determined nudge from Si-woo.

"Hey, if the Admiral wants to give us something for our troubles, who are we to say no?", he urged Sen in an undertone.

Sen laughed. "Very well, Admiral, I look forward to what you have in store for us."

Sen scratched one shoulder. With the fine spring weather, his wingbuds had been growing steadily since he emerged from hibernation. As Si-woo swivelled to say something to Askarya, Sen saw his wings had already unfurled.

Sirichai, clearly thinking along similar lines, commented, "your wings are looking fit to burst, Maidenhair. Think you'll be in shape to fly to the boat with us?"

"Hmm, yes, I reckon. Let me warm myself up."

"Take your time, I'll go rouse those layabouts."

Sen hopped off his perch and back up the scree slope they'd descended yesterday. He had a good view of the whole gully. A bit away from the burned out campfire, Kai and Elei were sparring. He had no idea who was the better of the two, as both were ending up on the ground a lot.

As the sun climbed higher, his wingbuds began to itch, straining against the thin parenchyma containing them. He fell still, enduring the familiar sensation, until the pressure gave way and his wings opened up and spread out.

⸙ ⸙ ⸙

Once the others emerged, Sirichai made a quick circuit of the group to gauge who else was willing to help. All of his crew put themselves forward, while Jake, Joe, Aliwen and Gawain also volunteered. With a rustling of leafy wings they rose, Askarya waving them off.

Sen found the process of flying on tender wings easier than last time, the relearning experience serving him well. As they progressed seaward, he investigated what Aliwen had been up to since he saw her last.

"Po, same old, same old."

She managed to shrug mid-wingbeat.

"But you've got a boyfriend now and everything!", argued Sen.

"Huh, has it really been that long since I've seen you? Well, Gawain is such a sweet boy, really makes me feel special, cachai?"

"Um, sure," Sen replied, watching Gawain soaring a few wingspans away. He was a rather unremarkable looking boy, but Sen supposed he should get to know him a little before judging if he was a good match for Aliwen.

"There she is!", announced Sirichai, as his ship came into view, moored at the high tide line.

"Ohhh, crap," groaned Kai. "We've got company!"

Everyone swung their heads in different directions, trying to locate what he'd seen, but it quickly became clear that his attention wasn't on the air, but the ground.

"Well, it was going to happen eventually," sighed Sirichai.

The source of their discontent quickly became clear. Crawling all over the hulls and mast of the ship were assorted herbivorous insects. Most appeared to be miomopterans and paleodictyopterans, with a few glosselytrodeans thrown in.

"Alright folks, battle stations," ordered the admiral.

"Sir, yes, sir!", responded Elei, Kai, Belek, Ponnarasu, Aliwen and Gawain. Sen, Si-woo, Jake and Joe looked at each other.

Kai folded his wings and fell. Plunging feet-first into the black sand, he stood firm, coralloid roots sprouting from his legs and writhing down, down into the sediment. Elei was right behind, skimming just over him with pollen streaming from her crown. It drifted in a shimmering cloud down onto the bugs, though without immediate effect as far as Sen could see.

Aliwen crunched down beside Kai and started shaking spores from her own crown, creating an effervescent fog around them. Jake looked to Sirichai.

"What's the plan, Admiral?"

"I have three priorities," replied Sirichai. "Number one, preserve the wellbeing of my crew. For the time being, that includes all of you."

Sen felt his heart dance a jig at those words, and he could tell Si-woo felt the same.

"Number two," listed the admiral. "Protect my ship and cargo. And three, drive off those damnable arthropods. If possible, get the bugs away from my ship before going on the offensive to avoid collateral damage, but above all, keep yourselves safe. You got that?"

"Aye aye, Admiral," saluted Jake. "Gee up!"

The four of them flew in close formation to the shore. Jake and Joe peeled off to land on the beach, Sen and Si-woo continued out over the waves. Sen hovered, looked to the sky and concentrated. Si-woo alighted on the sea's surface and raised his arms, trying to entrain the salt water to his beck and call.

"Si-woo!"

"Yeah?!"

"My magic's not working! There's no ginkgos anywhere near here!"

"I'm in the same boat! Uh, metaphorically."

Jake and Joe were getting on slightly better. Their fast-growing, wind dispersed ferns had spread unassisted as far as the nearby dunes, giving them a resource to draw on. Jake thrust an outstretched palm toward the waves, whipping up scouring sand grains. Joe heated the air around his body and combined it with the effects of his friend's magic to create a hot sandblast that tore into the swarm of bugs. In a sudden panic, the insects scattered from the vessel and flew in all directions. A few unfortunates swerved right into the stream of sand and dropped into the waves with tattered wings.

"Hey, watch my boat!", called the admiral. "You'll strip the varnish off like that!"

"Begging your pardon, sir!", Jake shouted back, redirecting the miniature sandstorm further out to sea. Sen and Si-woo rose to avoid it, noticing that although scattered, the bugs hadn't fled far, and some were moving back in to grab another bite.

"Try and keep them from landing!", Sirichai commanded. He swooped into formation alongside both of them, and together they made a series of passes, using midair jabs and kicks to give the insects pause for thought. Sirichai directed them in tightening circles, corralling their foes into a clustered mass.

"Miss Oleanane, you're up!", Ordered Sirichai.

"On it!", responded Elei. Landing in front of Kai and Aliwen, she whipped her arms forward in circles, the tough lignin in her skin fracturing and beginning to protrude in shards. With a rippling crack, the elastic material snapped, catapulting itself forward with a final swing of her arms. A hail of jagged sclerenchyma tore through the swarm, ripping apart bodies, limbs and wings. Elei let her arms go limp.

Sirichai waved to Belek, Gawain and Ponnarasu, who were still airborne. Nodding, they saw off the survivors, pursuing them until they had fled an acceptable distance. The others regrouped on the beach.

“Okay! I’m ready!”, proclaimed Kai, causing the rest of them to jump. He heaved one leg out of the sand, festoned with spongy, coral-like roots. The other followed, and he took up a fighting stance, legs apart and arms outstretched. “Lemme at ‘em!”

A stray miomopteran flew their way. Kai spun into the air, plunging down again fist-first and pulverising the insect in one blow. “Yeah, that’s what you get!” He wiped haemolymph off his wing. “What’s next?”

“We… I think we’re finished,” shrugged Sirichai.

“What, seriously?” Kai rotated his neck with a loud crack. “Man, I was just getting started.”

Sen peered curiously between him, an exasperated-looking Elei, and Aliwen, who was sharing one of Si-woo’s spore cakes. Taking Sirichai aside, he inquired, “Admiral, how are your crew such effective magic users? Si-woo and I were having trouble mustering any strength out here, there are none of our plants nearby.”

“That’s always the problem when you’re out at sea. Probably one of the reasons not many fairies go there,” agreed Sirichai. “When you don’t have a mature forest to draw on, you’re forced to improvise. Kai and Elei have worked out a way to draw magic from their own bodies.”

“Their bodies?”, repeated Sen in a horrified whisper. “But that’s their life force! That could kill them!”

Sirichai looked down solemnly. “A risk they’re willing to take. I don’t ask any of my crew to put themselves in any more danger than I’d put myself. But being away from their forests really started to get to them, and they spent decades casting around for some way to still work magic while sailing. This is the solution they hit upon. And I assure you they’re careful with it, they spent a long time learning their limits, and they make sure to recuperate afterwards.”

Sen raised an eyebrow. “I mean no disrespect, but I really hope Belek hasn’t been doing that.”

The admiral smiled. “No worries there, Maidenhair, I believe they take after your cautious nature. The rest of the deckhands have found a slightly safer source of magic. Let me show you.”

Sirichai turned to his crew. “Ready to unload?”

“Aye aye!”

“Well hop to it then!”

Ponnarasu floated down on a sea breeze and landed aboard the boat. He undid a few ropes and let down the gangplank, the others scurrying up on deck. Sen and Si-woo trailed after them, marvelling at the craft’s construction. She was composed of many hollow Gnetum seed cases, floating vertically and lashed together by supple, living vines. She had a decking of bark, varnish of waterproof resin, and a twig mast with huge, waxy leaves billowing out as sails. A simple craft, really just a raft with extra rigging, but still the most beautiful and seaworthy vessel either of the two friends had ever laid eyes on.

“Welcome,” announced Admiral Baegu, “to the good ship Emping!” The crew cheered, and after a moment, Sen and Si-woo joined in. “Now, to business,” commanded the admiral. “Aliwen, Elei, get those lids off.”

The women knelt and slid sections of the deck aside, hauling up the seed cases beneath. They were dark from long exposure to water, with handles clamped onto them for ease of access, and, as Sen watched in rapt fascination, he noticed the tops had been expertly sliced to form lids. It was these that Aliwen began prizing open, layers of caked, sticky gum popping free with a dry gasp of air.

“Take a look,” she smiled, beckoning them closer. Curious, Sen and Si-woo stepped forth. When they saw what was inside, Sen couldn’t contain a gasp of delight.

“Ginkgos!”, he squealed, hands flying to his cheeks. “Oh Aliwen, oh Sirichai, I don’t- how can I- how did you know?!”

Sirichai laughed. “You’re always one to take the initiative, Maidenhair. As soon as I heard about this place, I had a feeling you’d be among the first here. And establishing yourself on virgin ground is hard, I know, so I thought the little gesture might be appreciated.”

“This is much more than a gesture, there’s- how many are in here? Eight? Ten?”

“All from unrelated plants,” chuckled Sirichai.

“You really don’t know how much this means… how can I thank you enough? With this, I’ll have forested half the island in no time!” He embraced Sirichai warmly, who grinned and lifted him off the ground.

“And don’t you worry, Callixylon, I have a little something for you too!”, the admiral continued.

Si-woo’s ears instantly perked up. “You don’t mean…?”

“Yep!”

Elei heaved open the next lid, and with a gentle rustling, somewhere between sand and leaf litter, the spores inside flowed over each other.

Si-woo whooped and lifted into the air. "Oh my gosh, you remembered me! Nice, this should save me a few return trips."

Enthralled, he scooped a handful of spores, watching as they slipped through his fingers and back into the pile.

"My crew all brought some seeds for their own gardens, plus a few more gifts, should we run into old friends." Sirichai looked to Sen. "This is how your cousin can maintain their skills so far from land. Even an unsprouted seed contains the potential of a vigorous plant, the desire to grow. It’s not quite like drawing magic from a fully grown tree, but Belek has found a way to make it work."

⸙ ⸙ ⸙

Over the course of the day, the seed cases that formed the body of the admiral's ship were carefully loosened and extracted. As they came free, the vines, twigs and leaves of the ship folded in on themselves with a little guidance from Sirichai. Wrapping around the few empty cases left, they came to resemble a little shoot growing from a pile of fallen fruit. The admiral was happy to let each fairy fly off with their own crate of seeds or spores, so long as they return them once empty. That way, he explained, they could be stored in one place and lashed back together whenever the sea next called.

Sen's parcel was heavier than the two ginkgo fruits he'd brought from Epiphyllia, and more awkwardly shaped. This time, with the luxury of flying overland, he decided to transport it back to his garden in short hops, first from the beach to the fort, and from there, back home.

Si-woo accompanied him, and after landing, they popped in to the woven fortress to fill the others in on what had transpired. Jess and Glen listened excitedly to how they'd driven off the insectile menace, while Nathair seemed less impressed but hearkened politely all the same.

Some of Sirichai's crew and passengers, along with the pioneers, had already begun sowing seeds and spores around the structure. Once the bare ground was covered by a carpet of green, it would provide shelter from the elements as well as other potential threats.

The two friends spoke with some of the crew, finding out their long-term plans for the site. Afterwards, they hastened to show their surprise gifts to Askarya. They found the third member of their group sitting outside, stock-still, reasonable behaviour for a fairy. Seeing them approach, the lichen-encrusted figure roused themself.

"Hi Sen. Si-woo. How was the boat?"

"Oh, fabulous!", gushed Sen. "Look what we got!"

He creaked open the lid of the cask, proudly displaying the seeds, while Si-woo did likewise.

"Oh, oh wow. Pretty cool," admitted Askarya. "That admiral must really like you."

"You think?", claimed Si-woo, running a hand through his tresses.

"I was talking to Sen," they jibed back. Si-woo clutched his chest and mimed falling over.

They chatted for a bit longer, then Sen and Si-woo started the next leg of their journey. As they lifted on a thermal, Sen looked over his shoulder.

"It's nice that Askarya was happy for us. But…"

"But?", prompted Si-woo.

"Well, now I feel bad we had nothing to give them. It's not Baegu's fault, they're not acquainted, but I feel we should have made an effort. I was so caught up in my excitement it didn't occur to me."

"Hey, don't beat yourself up about it," Si-woo advised. "You deserve to enjoy life's pleasant twists. And Askarya isn't one to take things the wrong way. Well, they kinda are, but next time you see them, just offer to help them with their lichen planting, yeah? No harm done."

"You're right. Maybe I'll fly them out to somewhere we haven't explored, and have it all to ourselves."

"That's the spirit."

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phytochorion · 3 months ago

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How the Forest Finds the Island

Chapter Nine - Foundational Facilitator

As predicted, the storms blew in. Sen, Si-woo and Askarya woke from their silken slumber to a cold, unsettled day, and the weather only got harsher. They ventured outside less and less, mostly to check for damage to their plants and lichen. They also used any remaining silk (mostly repurposed from Sen's discarded loincloth) to create strong, elastic guylines, securing their nest against the elements.

Sen was faced with the inevitable fact that, as the ginkgos turned to gold, then let their leaves drift away, so too must he forgo his wings. His body not yet acclimated to the island's seasonality, there was naught he could do to resist this environmentally-mediated process. Si-woo suffered the same fate, while Askarya refrained from any jibes, but looked smug regardless.

Eventually, they retreated entirely, entering a state of dormancy within the nest, and waiting winter out.

⸙ ⸙ ⸙

The rocky landscape faded from deep green to brown as ferns and horsetails withered. Leaves accumulated in deep drifts. Barely a birdont or insect stirred.

⸙ ⸙ ⸙

Spring crept slowly back to the island. With each passing day after the solstice, the days stretched a little more. The soft curls of young ferns extended through the thin soil. Buds on the ginkgo twigs quietly unfurled. Within the battered but structurally sound nest, Sen opened his eyes.

Shuffling blearily through the entryway, he blinked and sneezed in the light. He considered returning to bed, but there were more pressing matters to attend to. His trees needed him.

Clambering up the branch, then down the trunk, Sen was pleased to find that the extensive growth of Askarya's lichen had provided plenty of hand and foot holds. Letting himself fall into the leaf mulch at the base of the trunk, he stood and made his way to the wide creek.

A dreadful feeling struck his heart as he saw that the winter floods had uprooted five of the little saplings. Fortunately, the newly opened twigs on their leaves were testament that they had survived their ordeal, but he wasn't sure if they would last much longer. He raced back to the tree to wake his friends.

⸙ ⸙ ⸙

The next two days were a hard slog. Sen righted the saplings, packed earth around their trunks and used all the generating magic he could muster.

There was still more to do. When he and his friends had returned to the grove, they'd found that more saplings on the opposite bank had suffered the same fate. Once the five on the near bank were cared for, Sen moved immediately across. He repeated the process, and finally gave himself a quick break. All he could do for them now was wait and pray.

In the meantime, he checked on the large ginkgos. They had weathered the storms well. A few branches had been snapped, but they were overall in good health. Sen checked to make sure their wounds weren't in danger of infection, then left them to recover.

Askarya had helped him as much as possible, but both they and Si-Woo had to prioritise their own gardens. Lichens were tough, and damage had been minimal, while he hadn't heard from Si-woo since he left, and could only hope none of his trees had come down.

Once the pressing jobs were out of the way, Sen could slow down and decide on his plan of action. Strolling by the stream and breathing in the spring morning air, he considered his situation.

As he'd been discussing with Si-woo on his raft, they both intended to spread their gardens, but they needed fresh gametes in order to do so. Simply propagating the plants they already had would leave them too vulnerable to pathogenic outbreak.

He'd have to find someone who knew a reliable route between here and the mainland. Someone with wind magic would be ideal, but anyone who'd made the journey more than once would do.

There were other fairies here. He'd seen clear evidence of them. But despite the traces they'd left, the beings responsible remained tantalisingly elusive.

As he travelled upstream, the ground cover of horsetails and hornworts became thicker, enough even to impede the progress of a five centimetre tall fairy. Doubling back, Sen arrived at the twin ginkgos. Climbing the one without a nest in it for a change, he sat in the highest branches and gazed seaward.

Getting an idea, he stood and turned to face inland. With a deep inhalation, he began to sing. Si-woo had been the only reply his calls had gotten since he arrived, so he didn't expect a response. Still, if there was anyone out there, he'd let them know they weren't alone.

His trills died away. The usual soundscape of chirping insects returned. He sat back down.

An answer reached his ears. Another song, fast and piping, it could almost be dismissed as the exaltation of a little birdont, if it weren't for the definite structure and meaning he could discern within.

Inland.

Fern and sand.

Two others and I.

Not far to fly.

Sen raced back down the tree.

⸙ ⸙ ⸙

"Si-woo! Si-woo! Askarya! There's someone there!"

"Three someones!" Agreed Askarya. "We were listening in!"

Si-woo, who was topless and covered in wet compost, looked like he'd just arrived. "Do you want to go and meet them now? I… might need a minute to get changed."

"Okay, but hurry up or we're leaving without you, I wanna see who this is!"

Si-woo babbled a breathless reply, already halfway down the river bank. He took a flying leap, vanished beneath the surface, and was back by the land route in minutes, his clothes clean but soaking.

"Ready?", he gasped.

"Ready!"

⸙ ⸙ ⸙

They moved at a fair pace away from the creek and across the prairie, the chance to stretch their legs welcome after a somnolent winter.

"I'm placing my bets now," said Si-woo, brushing aside a bristling zosterophyll.

"By that you mean…?", wondered Sen.

"Who it'll be! I'd bargain anything I own that we'll find Tadgh and Steve there."

"Not that you own that much," hummed Askarya.

"C'mon, who do you think they'll be?"

"My money's on Callisto and Aylmer. Have you noticed that they show up everywhere?"

"They do, huh?", nodded Si-woo. "And that song did sound like something Aylmer would make."

"Both of you only named two," Askarya pointed out. "I reckon it'll be Robin, George and Æthelred."

"Who's Æthelred?" Responded a quizzical Si-woo.

"A mycor I know."

"From the sounds of it we're not dealing with a fungi fairy."

"Oh? Don't think we can sing?" Askarya stopped and crossed their arms.

"No, obviously I didn't mean it like that, vascular plant fairies just have a different register, you get me?"

Sen ignored their bickering as he reached the top of a rise just ahead. "You two! Get up here! I've found them!"

⸙ ⸙ ⸙

The three of them scuttled down the weathered scree slope, hopping between jagged, jumbled rocks colonised by moss and lichen. The three fairies they were here to meet stood some way from the base of the slope. They appeared to be in the process of constructing their nest. It was enormous, still in its early stages, and crafted from tightly bound stems of fern, cooksonioid and any other plants growing nearby.

It was quickly apparent to Sen and Si-woo that these were none of the fairies they'd been expecting, nor were they Askarya's fungal friends.

The fairy closest to them was lithe and petit, with long tresses and wings, dressed in a white blouse and pleated shirt. Behind stood two others, the first short and stocky with a moustache and tassled jacket, the second tall and lean, face covered by a wild rag. All three wore wide-brimmed hats. Almost as one, their heads swivelled to face the newcomers.

"Hey!", exclaimed Si-woo. "Hey, it's Joe!"

He took off at a sprint, barely touching the ground as he sprang from stone to stump to stem and skittered to a stop on the sandy scrub. Sen and Askarya watched him talking animatedly and waving his hands about, while the fairy with his face hidden listened silently and nodded.

They turned back to the other two standing on the plain and picked their way down the slope to meet them.

"Well howdy," waved the one with long tresses. "Y'all must've been the folks I was just singin' to!"

Sen smiled. "That we are. Gongsun Sen, at your service."

"I'm Askarya," his friend added. "And you?"

"We're the Pioneers!", boasted the little fairy.

"Might I ask, exactly who are the Pioneers?", queried Sen. "Well, obviously, I know you are, but-"

"The toughest sons-of-bitches this side of Epiphyllia, that's who," interjected the moustachioed fairy, striding over to join them. He thumped himself on the chest. "Name's Jake." He indicated with an open hand to the fairy they'd been speaking with, who curtsied. "He's Jess." Pointing back at the mantled fellow behind him, he concluded, "And that there's Joe."

"A pleasure," nodded Sen. "I take it you know Si-woo?"

"Somewhat," replied Jake. "Joe's an ol' pal of his. They go way back, as I understand it." He doffed his hat. "Head on up this way and I'll show y'all what we've been constructionizin' out here."

Jake led them to the vast web of branches, forming a loosely connected wall that towered above their heads. "Behold!" He spread his arms. "Our fortress!"

"We've been workin' on it non-stop since we flew in," chimed Jess. "Barely had time to stop for a drink, let alone check if we had any neighbours, but once I heard y'all singin' I just had to reply."

"Darn impressive," whistled Si-woo, stopping mid-ramble to crane his neck in their direction. "How close is it to completion?"

"Prob'ly a good few months yet." Jake scratched his chin. "Course, we'll be able to bed down in it long before that, but packin' in every last lil' gap and crevice to waterproof it will keep us busy."

"When did you get here?", asked Askarya.

"Hmm, sometime within the last two weeks," answered Jess. "Flew across from the old country with the last of the storms." His eyes flicked to the wing nubs sprouting on Sen and Si-woo's scapulae. "You folks been here all winter?"

"Yeah, I thought it would be worse really," replied Si-woo. "A few gales are no match for the likes of us!"

Sen met Askarya's glance in disbelief.

“Y’all must be hungry. I’ll see if we’ve got some tucker,” suggested Jake. They thanked him, and he headed off to rummage around in a mess of satchels, clothes and plant parts strewn nearby. He returned with a burlap sack and they plonked themselves down on a fallen branch. Si-woo clapped Joe warmly on the shoulder and came to join them. Askarya lay prone on the wooden limb, taking keen interest in the varieties of lichen enveloping its decaying bark.

“Ooh, what are these?” Sen investigated, sniffing the pale, hard lumps Jake was handing out.

“Root nodules. Don’t look like much, but they’s as fine as cream gravy.”

Sen bit into his, and was pleased to discover that Jake was barely exaggerating. Si-woo was soon going back for seconds.

“So what are the plants you’ll be growing here?”, Sen continued, wiping the starchy juice off his chin.

“Coenopterids, all three of us. Or pre-ferns, as some young whippersnappers are callin’ us these days.”

"Lovely."

Sen stretched out, feeling his wingbuds scrape the branch.

"I tend ginkgos, Askarya, lichen."

Jake furrowed his brow. "Ginkgos, you say…"

"Er, yes. Something the matter?", inquired Sen.

"Well, no, but I've been thinkin'- ain't no point havin' yer nest down at ground level, is there? Bugs'll get in."

Sen crossed his arms triumphantly at Si-woo, who glared.

"Problem is, we couldn't spot any stands of mature trees, and the plants we cultivate don't appreciate bearin' the extra load, so we supposed we'd build down here for now."

"But if you moved your nest into a ginkgo canopy, it would solve the problem," Sen concluded.

"Well, I was thinkin' we'd just ask you to sow some o' them trees here, but it's mighty kind of ya to offer."

"I wasn't- nevermind," said Sen. "Alright, sure, I could plant a tree or two here. The problem is that mine aren't at an age to set seed yet."

"I see." Jake took off his stetson and ran a hand through his short tresses. "I s'pose we could always- hrrm, who's that?"

Sen, Si-woo and Askarya followed his gaze. A fairy was silhouetted against the noonday sun, far off but getting closer. As they watched, the shadow descended, making a sweep over their heads and touching down a few metres away in a clubmoss stand. Jess and Joe wandered curiously over to the group.

"Was that… no, can't be, surely," faltered Si-woo.

"I was thinking the same," answered Sen. They exchanged an excited look. Jess raised an eyebrow.

"C'mon, better go meet them!"

Si-woo leapt up, Sen and Askarya close behind, the Pioneers followed at a more leisurely pace.

Just before they reached the clubmoss, the stems parted and a fairy with scar-crossed skin and a high, segmented crown stepped out to greet them.

"Mister Callixylon and Mister Maidenhair," he chuckled. "How did I know you'd be here?"

"Admiral Baegu!", cheered the two boys as one. Si-woo began bubbling over with questions, and for once, Sen didn't stand back, but jumped right into conversation, trying to make himself heard before Si-woo could launch his next spiel.

"All in good time, all in good time," was about as much of a response as they got from Baegu. "Good to see all of you settling in."

Sen and Si-woo nodded enthusiastically. "Aren't you going to introduce me?" Askarya prompted from behind them.

"Hang on-" checked Si-woo. "Are you telling me…"

"You don't know who this is?!", he, Sen and the Pioneers gasped in unison.

Askarya groaned. "Without the theatrics, please."

"This," stated Sen, arms held wide, "is Admiral Sirichai Baegu, master of the three great seas!"

"Voyager without fear!" Emphasised Si-woo. "Navigator of the twin hemispheres! Ceaseless conductor!"

"A real gentleman o' the first water," enthused Jess.

"Okay, I get it," sighed Askarya. "These guys all have massive man-crushes on you. I'm Askarya. Looking forward to getting to know you better."

"Likewise, Askarya," replied Sirichai, taking one of their hands in his and planting the lightest of kisses on top of it.

"I, I, um, okay. You guys go back to talking to him," Askarya commanded, stepping smartly back and propelling Sen with a soft but insistent shove back to where he'd been standing.

"I better let the others know where I am," remarked Sirichai, taking a few steps backwards, then turning and racing away, shifting straight into an ascent with a mighty beat of his wings.

Sen looked to his friends.

"I get the sense that everything is about to work out nicely for us."

⸙ ⸙ ⸙

The group settled down on the sand and conversed while they awaited Sirichai's return. Si-woo introduced his neighbours to Joe. Sen noticed that the fellow hardly spoke a word, though would sometimes softly mumble a response when prompted by Si-woo. He was a little younger than Si-woo, it turned out, but with tanned and toughened skin, he showed his age more clearly than the youthful progymnosperm.

"There 'e is," Jake observed, pointing skyward. The others looked up. Sirichai's silhouette was leading a group of five fairies, with two flanking further out. They watched him circle down to meet them, then stood back as his companions followed his flight path and came in to land. The two flankers came in fast, one scouring out a path in the dust and nearly taking a tumble as she brought herself to a stop. The other wasn't as lucky, his very momentum tossing him crown-over-calx. He thudded into the grit and rolled to a halt in a tangle of spiny wings. Sirichai looked mildly embarrassed.

"He just needs a bit of time to get his land legs back."

As the flankers righted themselves and turned to face the group, Sen's eyes lit up. "Elei! Kai! How wonderful to see you again!"

Elei strolled over, lifting Sen off the ground with a firm hug. She had tresses as tough and jagged as her wings, and a magnificent crown composed of two great strobili adorning her temples. "Nice to see you're doing well, Sen."

Kai limped up behind her, picking sand grains out of his teeth. "Yeah bro, haven't seen you in forever. Thought we'd be here first, to be honest."

Sen giggled as Elei plopped him down. "How long have you been at sea?"

"Lost track ages ago," yawned Kai, stretching his arms and wings so high above his head that his joints began to audibly creak and pop. He swept them down with a sudden crack and a flurry of sand. "Ugh. Feels better."

Elei scoffed.

Meanwhile, the finagle they'd been escorting were also sorting themselves out. The group that had looked like five in the air turned out to be seven, as two were being carried. One was a tall and wispy fairy with white tresses. He had one long, shovel-shaped wing, while his other wing… well, he appeared just to have the one. He was stepping down from the arms of another fairy Sen recognized, Aliwen Añpe. Tall, firmly built and with gigantic wings, she was the only one apart from Sirichai who didn't appear tired from the journey, though given how far they must have travelled, Sen presumed she was just good at hiding it.

Beside them, a pale, wingless lad who could only be a fungus fairy was tumbling out of the grasp of an absolutely shattered looking boy with brush-like wings and bags under his eyes. An older woman with a sharp yet matronly air was keeping an eye on them. Ponnarasu Kompu, an old friend of Sen's, was the sixth fairy in the group, and the seventh was… Sen made a squeak of delight and hurried forward.

Behind the others, doing a good job of pretending they weren't there, was a fairy with dark, mid-length tresses and a downturned gaze.

"Belek!" Called Sen. The fairy looked up, startled, and a small smile flickered on their face. Sen weaved through the crowd to clasp Belek's hands in his, their heads tilting forward so that their crowns touched. "Belek, my dear, it's been so long since I've seen you, how have you been?"

"Not too bad, Sen," Belek answered, looking groundward again. They let go of each other and stepped apart. "Admiral Baegu was kind enough to consider me fit for his fleet, so that's been my employment for a good while."

"And how are you finding it?" Sen inquired.

Belek folded one hand over the other. "I'm managing. It's tough sometimes, especially when there's a big storm, or a sea monster. Still, we haven't lost a cargo yet. He's very proud of that."

"As well he might be," supposed Sen. "His reputation rests on it." He looked over his shoulder and waved to Si-woo and Askarya. "Come over here, there's someone I'd like you to meet!"

His friends waved goodbye to Kai and Elei and sauntered over. "Belek, these are my good friends, Byun Si-woo and Askarya." Sen pointed them out in a genteel fashion. "Si-woo, Askarya, this is my wonderful cousin, Belek Ürüŋ!"

"Wow, nice to meet you Belek!" Askarya greeted them, enthusiastically shaking hands. "Pardon my asking, are you... are you hermaphroditic as well?"

"Um. Yeah, I am," answered Belek.

"Ay, me too!", cheered Askarya, holding up both hands. After a moment's surprised hesitation, Belek grinned and high-fived them. "Yeah, I have a nose for these matters," laughed Askarya, skipping back to the crowd.

"Huh. Don't think I've ever seen them quite so happy," noted Si-woo. "It's nice. Ahem. I'm Si-woo. Pleasure to meet you, any cousin of Sen's is a friend of mine."

He gave an amicable bow, which Belek reciprocated.

"Come, Belek, you've got to introduce me to your crewmates," urged Sen, motioning his cousin back into the throng.

"Oh, haha, sure," obliged Belek, a little trepidatious but in high spirits all the same. "You know Ponnarasu and Aliwen, right? This is Missus Quacey," they announced, bringing Sen face to face with the stern looking woman. "Missus Quacey, my cousin, Sen."

"Charmed," she proclaimed, curtseying in time with Sen's bow. "And really, ye must call me Cullodena, the both of ye. Belek here has told me of you before. You have quite the reputation to live up to."

"Um??" Sen turned to his cousin so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash. Belek remained poker-faced. Sen looked back at Cullodena. "You really think so? Well, I must do my best not to disappoint." He hoped from the twinkle in her eye that she was pulling his leg.

"These are me weans," she continued, pointing first to the taller boy with pale hair. "Nathair, and his chavie, Glen." She indicated the mycor who was currently providing him with a sip of water. She then waved a hand in the direction of the shorter boy. "And of course Gawain. And his ladyfriend, Aliwen."

Aliwen caught Sen's eye and they exchanged a cheery wave.

"Now that we all seem to be caught up," announced Sirichai, striding into the centre of the group, "who's hungry?"

⸙ ⸙ ⸙

The Admiral’s crew didn’t lack for provisions, it turned out.

“These were meant to last us the whole journey,” smiled Gawain, waving a sheaf of dried stalks. “Well, they did their duty, and then some. Bloody glad to see the last of them, to be honest, subsisting off hardtack for years will humble the strongest stomach.”

“You make them sound so appetising,” sighed Askarya.

Cullodena and Belek were unpacking their own supplies. Jake turned to his pals.

“Joe, why not get a fire going?”

Joe nodded, raising his arms. With a wrenching motion, he seemed to strike embers into existence. Elei and Kai warily shielded themselves with their spiny wings, while Nathair yelped and sprung back.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”, cautioned Sirichai.

“What, the fire? Shucks, I’m so used to havin’ one I forget some folks ain’t comfortable around ‘em. Want me to put it out?”

Kai peeped out from behind his wings. “I’m fine with it so long as bandana dude doesn’t take his eyes off what he’s doing.”

“No fear of that, I can assure you,” drawled Jake.

Sirichai looked back and forth. “Everyone else feel the same way?”

There was an uncomfortable silence. “The lads and I will sit back a bit, but don’t mind us, keep on with what you’re doing,” volunteered Cullodena.

“Ah, yes,” added Sen. “I’m fine with it so long as it’s something you want.”

“Mighty generous,” noted Jake. With a nod from Sirichai, Joe resumed his magic. On close inspection, Sen could see the stems of the shrubby ferns nearby responding to his call. They bent in towards him, with strange buds unfurling and bursting, creating bright sparks that flew to him and gathered in a scintillating cloud. Jess called on a burst of wind magic to sweep a scattering of dry twigs and leaves into a pile, which Jake surrounded with pebbles, his earthcraft forming them into a flameproof wall. Sen had to admit, with the fire out of sight, it felt properly cosy.

Cautiously, everyone gathered by the fire pit, moving larger twigs and stones into position as handy seats. The food was shared out and chowed down, tough and flavourless as it might be. A lot of catching up was done. Sen got the full tale of the voyage from Ponnarasu, who had a memory for every twist and turn along the way. Sirichai and Si-woo ate and talked and drank and joked until late into the night. Askarya got into a deep discussion with Kai, while Elei and Jess found a lot in common. Gawain dozed in Aliwen’s arms.

Growing drowsy one by one, the group gradually dispersed. Joe quietly guided them inside the wickerwork fortress, where everyone found a spot to their liking and drifted off to sleep. Soon only Sirichai was left. Joe went to sit with him, and they kept watch in companionable silence. A few hours before dawn, Joe extinguished the last embers and they retired for a little rest, darkness sweeping in once more.

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