#esp about our beloved Matoya!!

[pointyhatspointyears]

🎁What is something they keep like: a souvenir, a keepsake, or a family heirloom; that means a lot to them? Why is it so important to them?

Since you didn't specify a character I take it any character goes? :D if so I'll pick the one I feel the strongest about.

Not-so-quick story time.

A willful preadolescent hyur was once exploring the Hinterlands south of her Sharlayan home, delving deep as she always did into the network of caverns she was not supposed to approach. She came across a bewildered little lalafell child who looked no older than 9 summers yet had the audacity to call her a child. She was an angry, feral little thing who cursed her in tongues long lost to history, but the Sharlayan girl with wisdom far beyond her years saw that she was only overwhelmed. Without saying a word, she took her wide-rimmed hat she used to hide under when she would sneak off, and threw it over this raging monster. The maddening sensory overwhelm was dulled and the magicked hat instantly calmed her down. The girl then proceeded to introduced herself as Matoya and, at not receiving a name back, saw fit to call this little thing Spitfire as she brought her into her home to care for her for a few moons.

They ended up growing up together and Matoya even inducted her into the academic world that she might reorient herself to this strange new realm she found herself in. She tempered her rage. She taught her to control her volatile aether so as not to raise suspicion, lest she got herself banished or worse. She showed her how to work her magic slowly and meditatively into confections and baked goods with minimal loss of potency (they had their own experimental subject with a sweet tooth-- the neighbor's kid they called Little Louis who never could say no to marron glacé) and as they studied they developed their research on aetheric convergence privately together.

Matoya had saved her life in more ways than she would admit, and although they had their differences on many issues they remain good friends to this day. And to this day only Matoya knows where her little Spitfire came from.

They parted ways just before the exodus, but not before Yasumi stole her hat.

So yeah the hat means a lot to her.

I had more keepsake related stories for characters I've rarely talked about before so I'm a little hesitant to include them.. eh I think that was a long enough answer for now anyway.