A colourful fox

The world around you distorts: blurring at the edges as if seen through water, or many layers of glass.

You blink.

You say, "This...is weird."

As you watch, faint pinpricks of light coalesce into being within the garden, bursting out from

their origin to scatter like dandelion seeds.

You say, "But also pretty."

-

Kialkarkea nods her head at you.

Once the whole lake is lit up by their drifting forms, they still - frozen without visible cause.

One by one they turn, and start to drift towards the gallery in weaving trails.

Kialkarkea blinks.

You say, "Should we investigate?"

Tilting her head curiously, Prefect Kialkarkea Diodorus, Textile Engineer says, "What would you

Suggest?"

You say, "Heading to the gallery?"

You get up off a swing bench of airy latticework and fluid inclusions.

Kialkarkea nods her head at you.

You beckon to Kialkarkea.

Kialkarkea begins to follow you.

Kialkarkea follows you north.

As you walk, the lights change hue, and transform from vibrant gold to elegant emerald. Another step and they are indigo, another purple, another the deep red of autumn leaves.

You put your hands on your hips and go "Hmmm!"

You say, "Very pretty."

You say, "But what is causing it?"

Prefect Kialkarkea Diodorus, Textile Engineer says, "I haven't the faintest idea."

They fall to the floor, and soon there is a full carpet of prismatic light unfurled before you, its

glittering trail running in the direction of the fountain.

Kialkarkea blinks.

You put your hands on your hips and go "Hmmm!"

Prefect Kialkarkea Diodorus, Textile Engineer says, "Oh, goodness."

Kialkarkea follows you northeast.

You have emoted: Tirah looks around.

You follow, and find the fountain lit up with incandescent light. The surface of the water shimmers, glitters, glows with an effulgent power.

Kialkarkea ponders the situation.

With a wistful look on her face, Kialkarkea touches a snow-crystal fountain of Trillillial and Xyl.

You give a snow-crystal fountain of Trillillial and Xyl the once-over, eyeing it suspiciously.

Kialkarkea leaned in, gently stirring the water with her fingertips curiously.

You take a long draught of water, hoping to quench your thirst.

The sparkling diamond-clear waters from a snow-crystal fountain of Trillillial and Xyl uplift your

senses, prompting you to close your eyes as you revel in inspiring perfection. When you open your eyes, you stand in a new location before the Aerie's symbol, a resplendent white swan.

Kialkarkea follows you ether.

You curtsey gracefully before Aelaoili Skysoarer, Cultural Pundit.

You say to Aelaoili Skysoarer, Cultural Pundit, "Have you seen any strange, yet beautiful lights?"

Moving away from the fountain, you leave behind the glowing prismatic light.

Aelaoili Skysoarer, Cultural Pundit blinks.

Kialkarkea chews on her lip, deep in thought.

Aelaoili Skysoarer, Cultural Pundit exclaims, "Why, I should certainly have made mention of it if I

had!"

You nod your head emphatically.

You say, "Maybe they are only outside, we shall head back."

You curtsey gracefully.

You reach out and touch a resplendent white swan symbol.

You gently reach out and touch a resplendent white swan symbol, causing the graceful avian to

animate, ethereally wrapping alabaster wings and embracing you. As the plush feel of downy feathers subsides, you find yourself before the fountain of Trillillial and Xyl once more.

Kialkarkea follows you ether.

You ponder a snow-crystal fountain of Trillillial and Xyl thoughtfully, looking it up and down.

Returning, you step back into that blurred, illuminated space. The song of the birds seems sharper, clearer - perfect as it echoes through the gardens in transcendent arias.

Kialkarkea blinks.

Prefect Kialkarkea Diodorus, Textile Engineer says, "Oh my goodness."

You have emoted: Tirah tilts her head, not saying anything, as she listens to the birds for a moment, yet her expression remains curious.

The song rises and falls with gentle, susurrent waves - seemingly in harmony with the constant rush of the fountain and its cascading waterfalls.

You reach out and touch a snow-crystal fountain of Trillillial and Xyl.

Stepping closer, you observe the fountain as it shimmers and shines - and spot something moving beneath the surface of the water. Too fast to make out, too blurred by the strange magic around you, but nonetheless present.

You have emoted: Tirah submerges her hand into the water of the fountain, biting her lip as she does so.

You have emoted: Her eyes widening, Tirah catches hold of something beneath the water - soft to the touch but solid. She pulls gently, and the faintest glimpse of a glittering white paw is seen for a brief moment before it skitters out of her reach.

You blink.

You say, "Did you see that?"

Prefect Kialkarkea Diodorus, Textile Engineer says, "I-yes. You captured a catfish."

You say, "There is some kind of animal in the water!"

Kialkarkea chews on her lip, deep in thought.

You say, "Well if I had caught it it would not have gotten away..."

You say, "Can you help me?"

Prefect Kialkarkea Diodorus, Textile Engineer says, "Right, this is probably inadvisable, but lets

see.."

A furred snout briefly pokes out of the water, sniffs, and then disappears again.

You have emoted: Tirah puts both hands into the water now, trying to create a wall to stop the

animal should it try to move that way once more.

Kialkarkea rest her hands gently on the sides of the fountain before closing her nictitating

membranes, thrusting her face into the pool to try and find the creature in the water.

You reach, and feel soft fur once more - but then stumble, stopping yourself from falling in. Your

arms have reached far lower than the fountain goes, as if stretching not through water but through some empty, rift-like space.

You say, "Whoa...this is weird.."

You have emoted: Tirah pulls out of the water for a short moment, focusing on shifting her

appearance to a more suitable form, before she too submerges her head into the water, trying to look at the strangely large space in the fountain.

Kialkarkea's gills fluttered for a few moments before she pulled her head back of of the water and shook her head. She blinked, a dazed expression on her face as she concluded "Too bright. All I see now are floaters."

You reach out and embrace your hidden heritage of a changeling, and slowly transform into a mugwump.

As your eyes flare, wide and amphibian, you recoil momentarily at the brilliance of the light.

Determined nonetheless you duck your head in and open them again - looking down to the bottom of the fountain. It appears perfectly normal save for the illumination - smooth and unblemished - until a small, vulpine face pokes through it and looks back at you.

You have emoted: Tirah blinks, pulling her head back just a bit, but keeping it under water. She

slowly submerges her right hand in the water, opening it wide and, at the same slow pace, reaching out to the vulpine being, refraining from touching it for now.

The creature simply stares for a moment, her silvery eyes reflecting the myriad colours around her. Then her paws appear through the base of the fountain, pulling her forward, and she buts her nose gently against the palm of your hand.

Kialkarkea sits herself down.

You have emoted: Tirah lets the creature do as it pleases with her hand for a good while, simply

waiting for it to become more comfortable, before she starts moving her hand down the side of it's head, gently caressing it.

The splashing created by the movement becomes visible above the surface, a herald for the diminutive figure that surges out past both of you as rainbows and water erupt from within the fountain in equal measure.

The cascading rainbows splash all over the surroundings, leaving in their wake the glimmering form of Aria, the rainbow kitsune as she lands behind you upon the walkway.

Aria, the rainbow kitsune ponders you thoughtfully, looking you up and down.

Kialkarkea puts her hands on her hips and goes "Hmmm!"

Little by little, the prismatic lights begin to fade, sucked into the kitsune's small form. As the

glimmering rays envelop her, the blurring around you comes to an end - and the fountain returns to its normal self.

You have emoted: Tirah pulls her head and hand out of the water and pushes her dripping wet hair out of her face in the same movement. She blinks as she spots the now fully visible creature, before squatting down and holding out her hand again. "Hello there, what kind of animal might you be?"

You blink.

(( The Divine voice of Someone powerful echoes in your head, "She's all yours. Enjoy!"

You have emoted: Tirah pulls back slightly at the light and then blinks as a voice echoes in her

head, before looking back at the creature. "T-thank you?"

The Divine voice of Someone powerful echoes in your head, "Apologies. That wasn't an IC message, it was a suggestion that you should take over controlling Aria now." ))

Kialkarkea sways back and forth.

Aria, the rainbow kitsune slowly walks over to Tirah and rubs her head against the held out hand, her rainbow tipped tails briefly staining the ground in various colours as they swish behind her.

You smile softly.

You pet Aria, the rainbow kitsune ingratiatingly.

Kialkarkea puts her hands on her hips and goes "Hmmm!"

You say, "I have never seen a fox like this before."

Prefect Kialkarkea Diodorus, Textile Engineer says, "Me neither!"

Prefect Kialkarkea Diodorus, Textile Engineer says, "It is very shiny."

You say, "And pretty."

You flash Aria, the rainbow kitsune a joyous smile.

Kialkarkea tilted her head to the side and sniffed, huffing "I am still the shiniest."

Aria, the rainbow kitsune brushes one of her tails against Tirah's chest, staining her white blouse

with a thick line of blue, which fades over the course of a minute.

You put your hands on your hips and go "Hmmm!"

You say to Kialkarkea, "You are, but you don't have magical paint tails!"

You pet Aria, the rainbow kitsune ingratiatingly.

Kialkarkea sways back and forth.

Prefect Kialkarkea Diodorus, Textile Engineer says, "I am already magical."

You smile softly.

You give Kialkarkea a friendly squeeze.

You say to Aria, the rainbow kitsune, "So...do you want to stay with me?"

Aria, the rainbow kitsune tilts her head slightly, before opening her maw to let out a hight pitched

"Yip" and rubbing her head against Tirah's leg.

You have emoted: Tirah smirks and rub's the kitsune's head. "I will take that as a yes."

Kialkarkea fans her fins out leisurely, her scales gleaming with a radiant, healthy shine.

Kialkarkea ponders Aria, the rainbow kitsune thoughtfully, looking him up and down.

Aria, the rainbow kitsune tilts her head curiously at Kialkarkea.

Aria, the rainbow kitsune bumps Kialkarkea’s leg with her head.

Kialkarkea ponders Aria, the rainbow kitsune thoughtfully, looking her up and down.

You say to Kialkarkea, "You should pet her too, she is very soft."

Kialkarkea scooped up Aria, the rainbow kitsune, holding her in her arms and petting at her head.

Your eyes sparkle with amusement.

Aria, the rainbow kitsune yips loudly as she is picked up, looking a little paniced and swinging her tails around wildly, coloring Kialkarkea in all the colours of the rainbow before slowly calming down.

Kialkarkea crooned soothingly and rubbed Aria, the rainbow kitsune's neck and shoulders, her webbed fingers perfect for petting and stroking.

Aria, the rainbow kitsune rests her head on Kialkarkea’s shoulder and lets her tails hang, little movement in them except for a random twitch from time to time.

Prefect Kialkarkea Diodorus, Textile Engineer says, "She is terribly fuzzy."

You say, "Is that good, or bad?"

You say, "I would say it is good."

You nod your head sagely.

Prefect Kialkarkea Diodorus, Textile Engineer says, "Very good."

You smile softly.

Kialkarkea rubbed lightly at the back of Aria, the rainbow kitsune's ears, smiling softly and

cuddling against the fuzzy creature.

Aria, the rainbow kitsune inches bashfully over to Kialkarkea and nuzzles her tenderly.

Prefect Kialkarkea Diodorus, Textile Engineer says, "Such a good little floof."

Kialkarkea pets Aria, the rainbow kitsune ingratiatingly.

You giggle happily.

Aria, the rainbow kitsune yips softly.

Kialkarkea's mouth turns up as her face breaks into a smile.

You pet Aria, the rainbow kitsune ingratiatingly.

Kialkarkea scooted over and leaned comfortably against you, her fins fluttering.

You flash Kialkarkea a joyous smile.

Aria, the rainbow kitsune licks Kialkarkea’s chin.

You hide a grin behind your hand.

Kialkarkea booped Aria, the rainbow kitsune's nose with hers playfully.

The corners of your mouth turn up as you grin mischievously.

You have emoted: Tirah gathers up Aria from Kialkarkea’s arms and into her own, giving her a soft cuddle.

Aria, the rainbow kitsune rubs against Tirah.