He listened closely, asking a couple questions here and there. Finally I turned to Tigress and Jay and asked what the heck an Aura even was. Tigress tried to explain, but then Jay jumped and started trying too, and the each of them kept trying to out talk the other. It made my head hurt, and Frostbite whimpered and tried to cover his ears. This went on until Frostbite growled and snapped his jaws. Everything froze. I looked around. Birds had stopped flying in midair. Leaves had stopped flying. Most importantly, Tigress and Jay had stopped talking. Frostbite sighed and took his paws off his ears. He looked around curiously, then shook himself as if he was wet. Everything started up again. Tigress and Jay started talking again, then realized me and Frostbite were in totally different positions. They both stopped, and I took advantage of the situation and started talking. I explained about the time stop. I asked how he could do it. And again, I asked what an Aura was. (I know, I know, even Frostbite gave me a look that said 'Do you never learn?') Jay and Tigress paused, and thought for a moment. Finally Jay spoke, and each sylabyle was carefully weighed and measured.
'An Aura is a soulmate in the form of an animal that most suits you. By soulmate, I mean it literally shares your soul. It was made by your idea of perfect. As for the time stopping..... Well, the Aura's each have a special power. Some can travel in time, tell the future, even change shape. But time stoppers.... Very rare. Very, very rare. An Aura's job is to protect you and help you. But you must take very careful care of your Aura, because it is a part of you. If you let it die, well....'
She shot a quick glance at Tigress and went on
'...A piece of you dies. And you'll never... Quite... Be the same again.'
Tigress had stiffened and he face was made of stone. (Not literally.) Jay rushed on
"And of course, the same goes vice versa for your Aura. It must make sure never to hesitate in its duties to protect you faithfully, or else it will be a Fajin."
"Waitwaitwait, whaaat?"
"A Fajin. A Fajin is an Aura that lost its partner, and wanders the world, either seeking vengeance or just existing... That is, until it fades completely. As it lives without its partner, the Fajin slowly fade, until they become invisible spirits that wander the world doomed for the rest of eternity to be separated from their partner. It is their punishment for not doing their duty."
"Isn't that, well... A little harsh??"
"They let their responsibilities go without a fight, causing a death. Only very special people are hooked to Auras. Hence, when the Aura neglects their duties, it is a loss to our world."
"Is it normal for... A normal person like me to have one?"
Jay looked at me with surprise, as did Tigress. Then as one, they started to laugh. Still laughing, Jay fell off the stool she was sitting on and lay there, gasping for breath. Still chuckling, she sat up and climbed back onto her seat. Tigress hadn't moved, but she was still giggling. Jay told me that I might be normal where I came from, but here, I stuck out like 'a moth in a crowd of butterflies' as she put it. Tigress looked me over critically again, and proclaimed
"We must change of yourrr clothes."
I looked down, and I had to agree. Even if I had been someone who belonged here, my clothes still set me apart from everyone else easily. Jay agreed, and the two clambered up the main trunk to find me a suitable outfit. Through all this, Frostbite had been hanging out on Tigress's couch. Yawning, he drifted off to sleep. I could sense his dreams, like one of chasing a butterfly. I waited, and as I did, I noticed that the box that had held Frostbite was still closed. However, it had opened to let Frostbite out. Confused, I picked up the box and examined it. As I turned the box every which way, a hidden compartment slid open. I slid my fingers around the inside of the compartment, and as I examined them, I saw the telltale blue sparkles. This compartment must have been what held my new dog. So what was in the box? Just as I put the box back, Jay slid down the trunk looking very pleased.
"I had forgotten what a very large closet my sister has. Look what we found!"
Tigress came down carrying a large trunk as wide as my arm span. Tigress also looked very pleased, and quite smug.
"Yes, many trrreasurrres I have found and kept in case of such a special perrrson as ourrr sweet Tweet."
Setting it down carefully, Tigress proceeded to open the trunk and show me it's contents. Inside, there were about three outfits identical to Jay's, but in multiple colors and patterns, and it turned it they would never get dirty and they would always fit me perfectly. I was skeptical, until Jay announced that she had had hers since she was three, and had her signature on the corner of her shorts to prove it. They gave me a beautiful small blue dagger to hang around my neck, and a gorgeous emerald pin shaped like a four leaf clover. Tigress instructed me closely to place the pin directly over my heart. It would give me good luck, but Tigress put much emphasis upon it protecting my life from arrows or other weapons. Along with this, I was given an awesome messenger sling bag the exact color of Frostbite, which pleased him immensely. Along with that, I got a dress the shade of ruby red. And quite a few more trinkets, like a music box that almost put everyone to sleep, a locket where Frostbite could hide with ease (he could change size), some huge jeweled dragon teeth, some gold coins, and a rainbow ring that could hypnotize people. I was incredibly reluctant about accepting all these gifts, and when Tigress left the floor, I immediately started protesting to Jay. She shushed me, and hen explained that Tigress was rarely this generous to travelers or strangers, and if I refused her offer of kindness, she would be much insulted. I agreed, on the condition that we ask her where she got the closed box I had examined. Now Jay was reluctant, and she warned me that Tigress was very reluctant to let go of her secrets. So when Tigress came back, I had the mysterious box ready in hand. I asked her what the box was. She hesitated, and many emotions crossed her face before she answered me.
"That verrry box be given to me by the birrrds that live in this forrrest. I had demanded to know the wherrreabouts of the Mechtech Birrrd. Jay, I see yourrr confusion. This birrrd be betterrr known as the Click Birrrd. The Click Birrrd be a birrrd made completely out of Starrr Metal. It was once just an expensive toy, but one day it was wound up and it flew into this forrrest. I have been searrrching forrr it forrr yearrrs to study it, but it allows only travelerrrs to see it only to wind it up, using a verrry special key that was not orrriginally made forrr this birrrd. The king of the birrrds, he did not like my questions. The birrrds are verrry protective of the Click Birrrd and wherrre he makes his nest. So, to send me away, they gave me this prrretty box. They told me only a trrrue frrriend of the birrrds would possess the key to open this trrreasurrre. The key, whateverrr it may be, is unlike any key I have everrr hearrrd tell of. It be the shape of a featherrr, yet no featherrr I have placed in it be the rrright one."
She pointed to an indent in the side of the box, shaped like a feather.
Suddenly I remembered the mechanical bird and the feather in my pocket. I took it out and held it in my palm. It was heavy, but balanced. Tigress saw it and gasped. She reached for it, but I snatched my hand away. She looked so disappointed, I let her hold it. She held it delicately, examining it. She gave it back reluctantly, and said that it must the feather of one of the Click Birds children, since if my story was true, the real Click Bird was much larger than the finch sized bird I had met. However, when I held the feather up to the key indent, it looked identical. I bit my lip, and offered the feather to Tigress. I figured it was her key. She deserved it. But she shook her head, and refused outright. She wouldn't touch it. She told me to put the key in myself. So, I gently placed the feather inside of the indent. It clicked into place, and the box lid swung open.
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