"We walk life that is akin to a butterfly. Crawling, new and weak from our egg. Shedding and enclosing ourselves to develop, organising in a state of change and growth. And finally, emerging from our shell to sprout in our new forms, and prepare the cycle again. As our change is never ending"- Veto Cesso Mutatio
??: "Sigh, passed out again huh?"
Such were the words that he could think of at the moment. A young man finds himself, flat on the ground in the midst of a wet puddle, and more that follows, circling around the man. What lay more around those puddles were organic shaped patches of grass, tall and thick fields of grass elsewhere, and an old rusted bronze rod that laid outside those puddles and grass field, as if overseeing their existence.
Groggily rising from his position, the young man shakes the water off his white unruly and spiky hair, along with rubbing his hands through the bush of hair he has and his braids on the side. Looking down at his tunic clothing, which stretched all the way to his naked feet that was not covered by anything, and was currently in the process of being entwined by a wild land snake during that moment. Whereas others would have frightened and leap, causing wound and injury to themselves, the young man barely paid any attention to it.
Looking down onto the snake, as if it was intrigued by the boy's uniqueness. Returning to the gaze the boy had given him, the snake untwined and soon left. Leaving the boy's emerald eyes to gaze around the soft green ambient glow, and large spiraling trees that were around him and encompassing the field he laid in. The aroma of the lavender flowers encompassed the light mist that was present in the area, as a ray of light from the sun shone down on the little grove the boy was in, and on his forehead, as if touching him ever so gently.
Boy: "Welp, guess I better get back to granny Esperanza, or else I'll trouble-"
??: "MITHEEOOOO!!!"
Just at that moment, as the boy had risen from his current position, and now standing in the organic grass patches and puddles formed beneath his feat, his shock arises when he sees an incoming and fast figure approaching him.
??: "YAAAAHHHHHHH"
Boy: "HRRRLLKKUH???"
Just then, that small but oncoming figure launched itself into the boy's chest at great speed forcing him down again. As he lies in shock and anguish, wondering what in the hell just happened to him.
??: "Mitheoooo, gran-gran was worrying about youuuu. You shouldn't scare her so needlessly you knowww!!"
Boy: "Tycheia…"
??: Yes!
Boy: "First, get off me right now. Second, you know my name is Mitiario, not Mitheo or Theo as you say. Third, I was getting back to her before you launched at me. And CAN YOU STOP POKING ME??!!!"
Tycheia: "Hmph"
The young man that was noticed to be lying down on the ground again was known by the young girl Tycheia, who had plummeted into him to be Mitario, although her optional misspelling of his name chose to be Theo. Tycheia was face first into Mitiario's chest, beating her hands onto it relentlessly as if some kind of drum. Her soft blue eyes annoyed at the boy's gesture to unbother him, while her lilac hair was shaking up and down along with her braid in the back similar to Mitiario's 2 braids. Her clothes of a sleeveless linen dress tunic, with hints of green and white onto them, and a strap over her shoulders featuring a red colour with a golden line scheme was now drenched with the wet of the puddle, dirt of the ground, and thick grass of the grotto the 2 encompassed.
Tycheia: "AWWW but Theooo!!! It's not fair for you to stay here, all by yourselfff"
Mitiario: "I just said I was coming back okay? You don't need to stress about me, much less get yourself all filthy for me"
Tycheia: "Heh, no need to worry about that! For Theo, I'd do anything!!"
Mitiario: "Yea.. sorry to say that won't be getting a pass from me, you can go now."
Tycheia: "Tch!"
Getting profoundly annoyed after her initial gesture of care towards the boy, Tycheia pulled herself up and patted down her wet and dirty clothes by saying some words out loud. Such as-
Tycheia: "Wint!"
Seeming then, a forceful gust of wind had flowed from Tycheia's fingertips and hands, drying out the moisture, flower petals, and dirt from her clothes, and village footwear.
Tycheia: "Hey Theoooo, come here so I can do you next okayyyy!"
Mitiario: : "All good, I'll just rinse these out myself"
Tycheia: "Tch, if granny Esper gets mad at you for not wiping yourself clean, then don't come running to me for help! Even if I might, don't I suppose!"
Mitiario: "I don't know if wiping is the right phrase there but sure sure, I got it."
Both standing upright from Tycheia's disapproval of Mitiario's rejection. They prepare to leave the lushful wet patch, ambient and aromatic lavender flower field, that houses the verdant green mist they currently stand in, until Tycheia points out.
Tycheia: "Hm? Hey Theo, your book it's over there by that pole ain't it?"
Tycheia's soft small hands point out towards a book right around the large rusted bronze pole that had laid outside the circle of puddles and grass patches that the both of them were in. The book was face first onto the ground, being beside the previous snake who Mitiario's left leg was intertwined with, and the same that looked peerlessly into his eyes. The snake intertwined itself onto the rusted bronze pole and circling around it, before noticed the latter looking around him, and proceeded to leave the pole behind.
Mitiario: "Hrm? Ah, I see it. Alright I'll get it before we go."
The 2 walked away from the ambient green grotto, soon later picked up the book that laid around the rusten bronze poll, and flipped the thick but smooth brown cover of the book, and the sides having weird linings to it. The front text said in large bolded letter, Titans and Tales
Mitiario: '..."
Looking over the hard cover of the book, what followed was a grand illustration of large creatures with seemingly lush life on top of them, a sea covered in clouds, an illustrious sun with a church above it all, and many more background illustrations such as a clash between wolf, snake and a multi legged horse, and a large seemingly artificial bird giant. Mitiario stared at this book and the illustrations, almost as if he was piercing into its soul altogether before he felt a shocking sensation in his back.
Mitiario: "Huh?"
Tycheia: "Theoo, lets go alreadyyyy!!"
The girl, Tycheia, was looking tired and ready to leave with Mitiario, wanting to step out from their environment and change into the next one. With seemingly unmatchable patience, much that the latter Mitiario felt he could not keep up with.
Mitiario: "AH, s-sorry, I didn't mean to keep you waiting. Yeah, let's go."
Packing the book in the back of his tunic compartment, Mitiario prepares to leave with Tycheia.
Tycheia: "Sighh, Theo is always acting like this. It scares me of what would happen if Theo went out in the real world someday."
Mitiario: "Acting like what?"
Tycheia: "You withdraw yourself from everyone but me and granny Esper, and even then you still seem so disconnected from us. You spend all your time here in the Vale Grove and not in Fortuna Village. And it's either sleeping, mooding around, or reading that book. Your eyes look so dull and boring, like they have no thought or feeling behind it. And you repeatedly do other weird things like avoiding reflections, looking down, apologising profusely randomly, and not even practicing incantions with me and granny esper! It's scarryyy"
Mitiario was caught off guard by the young girl's sudden remarks about him. Had he really looked and acted with such disgrace? Not only to himself but those around him? Abstaining from his usual village life? Whatever Tycheia had meant to Mitiario, he couldn't think more of it. Afterall-
Mitiario: "It's not like there's anything wrong with me secluding myself. I don't have much in that village anyways. So I'm better off by myself yea. Staying alone, and doing stuff by yourself, no need changing that- OW!!!"
Mitiario's seemingly cynical personality had begun to draw out rage and anger from Tycheia, repeatedly bashing his arm with her small stature arms. Pouting furiously, and with a frustrated expression on her face.
Tycheia: "Why… why do you think like this Theo?? Don't you know how much you did for me and granny?? Why are you still hating Theo, Theo??"
Mitiario: "Do what for you?? Tycheia stop it! Aghh!?!"
Despite his constant telling the young girl to stop her girl's actions, Tycheia still went on attacking Mitiario's arms. All until Mitiario had given up on stating his own self beliefs, seeing the young girl's flustered and shy but annoyed face towards his beliefs. Feeling remorse and sadness for her attempts to tell Mitiario to stop belittling himself, even if it was through punching and throwing herself wildly at him.
In an attempt to calm down Tycheia, Mitiario awkwardly places his hand onto her soft red hair, and caresses it while shaking his hands. From another person's viewpoint, it would look like Mitiario was scared for his life. Petting what would seem to be a rabid creature that was only acting patient for a chance to catch him off guard and bite him.
Mitiario: "O-ok Tycheia.. I won't be belittling myself to you again. Even if I don't know what I did for you and grandma Esperanza, I won't disrespect you guys. And I'll try to change my ways, and be more interactive with you guys, ok?..."
Despite these heartfelt words. Tycheia looked and could see awkwardness and nervousness building into Mitiario's face, light sweat at his temple forming, and staring intensely at his eyes.
Tycheia: "Are you sureeeee?"
Mitiario: "Yes.. I am"
Tycheia: "Realllyyy sureeee??"
Mitiario: "Tycheia, I'm as sure as I can be, I promise"
Tycheia: "Hmmmm.. Okok!!"
Though Mitiario was tired and could be shown by his eyes closing, and tiredness of Tycheia's constant peering into his eyes, and judging his intentions, he still took on the task of telling Tycheia his promises towards her. Despite how it may have bothered him, he knows the deep value of these words towards someone who cares for him, and thinking to himself.
"If this can somehow calm her down, then I won't mind. Even if it's something I can't promise to someone like myself.." Tycheia sprouts happiness at this, jumping vividly with joy before hugging Mitiario with a tight squeeze on his arm. Smiling brightly and happily by his side.
Mitiario: "Uhh Tycheia, can you let go now? It's hard to walk from here."
Tycheia: "Nope! And if you leave, I'll start crying!"
"Well that's just great".. Were his main thoughts during this moment. However, it wasn't a thought of displeasure or annoyance. Rather, just tiredness and unwillingness to really deal with his current predicament. Leaving Tycheia by his side, the two start to walk together through the spiraling thick aspen trees that cover their viewpoint to the skies, covering it with thick, and brightly colored sun leaves that fall onto both of them.
The duo of Tycheia and Mitiario start to walk through the paved small grass fields that lie in the middle of these trees, with built up fallen leaves on both sides of the duo. Both emerald and blue eyes look up at the falling golden leaves in their surroundings, the soft ambiance of their environment, and the small noises of the critters encompassing both of them, and the slightly sweet smell of honey around them. Walking for minutes on end without noise, until the sudden break occurs.
Tycheia: "Hey, Theo?"
Mitiario: "Yeah?"
Tycheia: "Can you read that book to me?"
Mitiario: "Titans and Tales? I mean sure but why?"
Tycheia's demand towards Mitiario of reading the Titans and Tales book to her shocks the latter. He can't think of a good reason as to why he should read it to Tycheia. After all she's read the book before, there shouldn't be a reason to read it to her now right? Then again, it's not unlike Tycheia to give Mitiario odd demands. One instance was where randomly in their house one day, Tycheia had asked Mitiario; "What would you do if you were fighting a large, ugly, and rampant monster in the middle of a sand that was desperate to kill you at any means necesarrryyyy"
Mitiario also remembers how frustrated Tycheia got mad at him when he gave her an unsure answer, annd how later grandma Esperanza slapped her on the head for asking such a question. "Yeaa definitely not unlike her to be weird at all.." But, thinking about what he previously promised to her, he found no reason to deny it, after all even if it's from someone who's oddly infatuated with Mitiario as Tycheia is, reading something to them can't be that harmful? While Mitiario had these thoughts in his head however, Tycheia was still staring intently and getting bothered.
Tycheia: "Geeeez, if you don't wanna read it to me just say it Theooo!"
Mitiario: "Weh? No! I was just thinking about why I needed to. If you want to be sure. But you have to let go of me, ok?"
Tycheia: "Sigh.. if you insist, but don't run off like last time okaayyy!"
Letting go of the boy's arm, Tycheia watched as Mitiario proceeded to reach behind his back, and pull out the thick book, "Titans and Tales". Looking on at it, and then Tycheia albeit nervously. Mitiario continues to walk, along with Tycheia, as he starts with the main introduction from the book;
Mitiario: "This is a book, and more importantly a story that entails the history of this world. The titans which form the landmasses all humans and most other species coexist on, are large living creatures, each with their own distinct features, traits, and environmental habitats. All walking and crossing in, or across the sea of our world, the Nubes Ocean. The thick, misty and cloudy sea that houses even more treasures, species, and mementoes of our world, and history even unknown to this day. What forms these creatures, this ocean, and the life of every living being in Gaia is Vida, the intangible life energy and force of every living creature born in this world. That which gives us life, and power to move on, from where we are to tomorrow."