Lune : Mom. What is Dad like?
Seraphelle : Oh, he's really nice. I'm sure you would get along with him. He's from the west.
Lune : The Western Clans, right?
Seraphelle : Ah... yes... uhm... how do you already know?
Lune : She told me.
Seraphelle : She? Who are you talking about?
Lune : Father's goddess. Phyrra.
Seraphelle chokes on her water.
Seraphelle : Is there... anything else she's telling you?
Lune : Prepare. She said once father attempts to lift the curse, something is going to happen. She never said what, but only to prepare. Mom. I need a weapon.
Seraphelle : Lune. Honestly, I wouldn't want to see you leave like your father. I had to hold back all my selfish desires just so he could go into the Basin. I can't do that again, and not with you.
Lune : She's telling me to. She said I can't disobey, it's crucial.
Seraphelle : It may be, but I am your mother, and I said no.
Lune gets up from the table and walks to the door.
Seraphelle : You need clothes! Also, I told you you're not going.
Lune : Mom, I'll be fine. I swear.
Seraphelle : Lune. Sit, just for a minute.
Lune sits back down at the table, and Seraphelle holds her hand. She stares into Lune's eyes, and brushes her hair.
Seraphelle : I'm always worried about you. If your father never comes back, you're all I have left.
Lune : I'm an adult now.
Seraphelle : I... always thought we would have the usual ten years with most Gorgons until you hit maturity. You're still my baby. I don't want you to fight, the stress and horror if I never see you come back home.
Lune : Mom!
Seraphelle stops brushing her hair. She wipes the tears from her face, and Lune's horns are fully grown. The blueish scales on her start to shed for the last time, and they fall off to show the same scales as Seraphelle. Her horns look as if they are a crown.
Seraphelle : You... can handle yourself... can't you?
Lune : I can mom. I promise. Phyrra guides us.
Seraphelle : They guide us... Lune, I'll let you go, but promise me you be safe.
Lune : I already have-
Seraphelle : Forever. Not once will you ever need help and you'll be perfectly safe.
Lune : I can't promise forever...
Seraphelle : I can't expect you to. Come, we'll dress you first, and then you can go out for what you need.
Seraphelle dresses Lune in traditional Gorgon clothes. The black skirt with gold adornments and red patterns hugs her hips, and Seraphelle wraps her chest and pins it. It's tight enough to not immediately be yanked off, but the cloth is soft to the touch. She gives Lune a ruby and three garnets.
Seraphelle : It should be more than enough for what you need, okay?
Lune : Okay mom. Love you.
Seraphelle : I love you, too, Lune. Too much.
Lune heads out as Seraphelle watches from the window. She smiles and waves at Lune, who does the same. She heads into town, and looks for the blacksmith. As she passes through, people stare at her. She's distinct. Something they haven't seen in their entire life. She approaches a guard.
Lune : Do you know where the blacksmith is?
Guard : He's down this street. Have you never been in town?
Lune : I was born yesterday.
Guard : Ha, I'm sure you do. At least you have a sense of humor.
Lune continues down the street. She notices a couple of people have been following her. She continues anyways. As she reaches the blacksmith, she looks back and sees them standing, blocking the street back. She enters.
Gilma : What can I get for you- you're a hybrid.
Lune : You're like my mother.
Gilma : Your mom's a Gorgon? What about your father?
Lune : A human, from the Western Clans.
Gilma : I'd be damned. If it were a couple hundred years back, we'd worship you. What do you need?
Lune : A specific gemstone. The common name should be wyrmseye.
Gilma : Just the stone?
Lune : If you made it into a piece of jewelry I wouldn't complain.
Gilma : So what do you have in mind?
Lune : What works? Give me a second.
Phyrra : A circlet, my child.
Lune : A circlet. Am I thinking about that right? It's like a crown.
Gilma : I can do that for you. Which piece do you want? I have a couple here.
Gilma shows her three pieces of wyrmseye. She picks the largest one, and hands over the ruby and three garnets as payment.
Lune : Can you also sneak a dagger in?
Gilma : Hm? Yeah, but why?
Lune : Three people have been following me since I came here. They're standing in the street, blocking the way back. I'll leave it with a guard I met to give it back to you.
Gilma : Ah... I'm not too sure about that one. My gut is telling me you're trustworthy though, so prove me right, okay? Here.
Gilma hands her an iron dagger. She takes it, and sits on the chair. She waits for him to finish the piece. About two hours later, and Gilma comes back with the finished piece. A platinum circlet with the cut a polished piece of wyrmseye that Lune chose. She puts it on and waves bye to Gilma, then heads out. He looks out from the shop window to see that she is safe. As she walks back through the street, the three people following her attempt to jump her. She stabs one in the stomach with the dagger, and she swipes at another. Her claws dig deeper than the dagger, and he lies on the floor bleeding from his severed jaw. She runs, and goes to the guard.
Lune : These men over there tried to attack me. I defended myself, thanks to Gilma giving me this dagger. Give it back to him for me, please?
Guard : I'll see to it. Stay safe, alright.
Lune nods as the guard heads off, and she checks her clothes and hands for blood. She's clean, and heads back home. She walks in and sees Seraphelle sitting at the table talking to her mother, Dathelle.
Lune : Mom, grandma, I'm back.
Seraphelle : Oh, sweetie what did you get? Show grandma.
Lune : A circlet with wyrmseye in it.
Dathelle : Gilma made that, didn't he?
Lune : Mhm.
Dathelle : Your mom told me that you neede something to prepare. Was that it?
Lune : Yes. Phyrra told me its importance will come when I've fully matured by tomorrow. She said I still have to grow a bit.
Seraphelle : What else is there? Did she say?
Lune : My wings and magic.
Dathelle : Wings... and magic. Seraphelle, how did you manage to give birth to a dragon?
Seraphelle : With Elzabeth's help.
Seraphelle makes dinner for them. She cooks eight whole fish. She takes out all the bones, and coats them with salt and ground peppers. She cuts the heads off, and makes a soup with them and serves the boneless fillets.