maganta - tsu'tey heritage ( ao'nung x reader)

chapter 7 : I'm just... she's interesting

At every step, Tuk bounced along, marveling at everything. A cute, long-necked marine animal with a rider came near him to get a better look. I smiled slightly, happy that Tuk was enjoying our new home. My tail swept the floor happily as I soaked in the sight of our surroundings. But something felt strange; I wasn't as homesick as I thought.

"Come on, Tuk, let's go," our mom called. 

I tested the floor beneath me, and Tuk jumped on it, but I wasn't too comfortable to try it out. I slightly played with its bounciness, acting like a baby, enjoying the playful atmosphere.

 "You're slowing us down," Aonung's eyes met mine as he pointed it out. I apologized with a smile.

The two girls, Tsireya and Tsotey'la, stopped and offered me something. 

Tsireya said, 'This is for you,' and her twin sister nodded with a bright smile. 

Before I could reach Ao'nung and his sisters, a delightful surprise captured my attention—a small but curious Metkayina girl, her eyes full of wonder, gazing at the beads in my hair. A warm smile played on my lips as I knelt down to her eye level.

"Hey there, curious one. Interested in these ?" I gently inquired, acknowledging her fascination. showing her my beads in my hair.

She nodded enthusiastically, her eyes fixed on the intricate beads. "Yes, they're so pretty! What do they mean?"

I chuckled, "Each bead holds a story, like a tiny piece of magic. They're tales of my home, the forest."

Her eyes widened with excitement. "You're from the forest? That's so cool! What's your favorite story?"

I began to share my memories of the forest when she interrupted with a revelation. "You know, Ka'nu is my favorite tale here ! I want to be like her.... No, I want to be just like you!"

Her innocence and admiration touched my heart. "You like Ka'nu ? She's a fascinating character. But why... do you want to be like me?"

The little girl looked at my forehead, where the mark of Ka'nu lay, and expressed her heartfelt desire. "Because you have her mark! I want to be a her just like you."

Her words resonated deeply, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of connection. "Well, maybe we can unravel this mystery together. What do you think this mark means?"

With a thoughtful gaze, she responded, "I think it means you're special, like Ka'nu. Maybe you're even stronger than her."

As she gently touched my forehead, whispering "Ka'nu" in admiration, Aonung's throaty cough interrupted our moment, bringing us back to the present.

'Oh yeah, sorry,' I looked back at the little girl.

 'Take it with you as a gift.' She nodded, smiling, and returned to her mom. 

I took my things and went exploring our new home, smiling and thanking the twin sisters for their thoughtful gesture. 

My mom seemed a bit frustrated, but I didn't want to feel defeated, and neither did my family. I wanted them to be happy.

'Yeah, that's really nice,' I said cheerfully, helping Neteyam with his belongings.

I turned to Aonung, the last pack dropping at my feet. "Hey, really appreciate your help," I said, offering a warm smile. Aonung, caught off guard, blinked and blushed, his sisters exchanging amused glances behind his back. Unaware of his reaction, I extended my gratitude to his sisters, introducing my family with a slight smile.

"No problem at all. By the way, what's your name? Apologies for not asking earlier," 

I directed my attention to Tsotey'la, who seemed to enjoy the situation.