Cielle had made a decision.
After spending a full forty-five minutes carefully reading through the global Dreamscape forums on her own communicator, she had reached a logical conclusion.
The internet thought Sunny was an ancient, metaphorical demon of ruin. The internet was very stupid, but Cielle had to admit that the pictures of him standing in the Colosseum, wrapped in the shadows of the Mantle of the Underworld, looked extremely cool. He looked highly efficient and intimidating.
She wanted to look intimidating in the fake internet arena, too.
However, she had a logical problem. Cielle did not possess an armor Memory that covered her face. If she logged into the Dreamscape in her usual gear, everyone would instantly recognize her. And if people recognized her, they would connect her to Sunny, and Sunny's blood pressure would spike again, which was bad for his long-term health.
Therefore, she needed a disguise. She needed something specific.
Instead of bothering Sunny, who was currently in highly agitated meditation on the couch, she decided to solve the problem herself.
She went into the Dream Realm, and went to find her boss.
***
The wind howled brutally around the sanctuary seemed to perfectly part around Tyris, leaving her serene and untouched. She was looking out over the endless void of the Sky Below, her beautiful, regal features cast in deep thought.
She did not turn around when the soft sound of bare feet approached the balcony. She didn't need to. Tyris knew the essence signature of everyone in her Citadel, and there was only one person who walked like that.
"Good afternoon, Cielle," Tyris said softly, her voice carrying effortlessly over the wind.
"Hello, Saint Tyris," Cielle replied.
Tyris turned around, a faint, graceful smile touching her lips. She had always found the strange, winged girl deeply interesting. Cielle was a terrifying combatant, arguably one of the most destructive one in the sanctuary. Tyris currently had deployed in the Isles, but she possessed the temperament of a very earnest, somewhat confused child.
"You are not scheduled for a patrol today," Tyris noted, her piercing eyes taking in Cielle's relaxed posture. "Is there something you need?"
"Yes," Cielle said, stepping out onto the balcony and folding her hands neatly behind her back. "I need an armor Memory. Specifically, one that includes a full-face mask. And ideally, it should have an enchantment that allows it to alter its external appearance or color."
Tyris blinked. She had expected some bizarre question or a request for more soul shards. She had not expected a highly specific, personalized shopping list.
"That is a very precise request," Tyris said, her tone gently amused. "Has your current armory sustained loss?"
"No," Cielle answered truthfully. "My current armor is highly functional. But it makes me recognizable. I require an alternate aesthetic for other purposes."
Tyris raised an elegant eyebrow. "Other purposes?"
"Yes. I am going to enter the Dreamscape network," Cielle explained calmly. "Sunny is doing it. He goes into the arena, puts on a scary mask, and punches people until they stop talking. It looks very relaxing. I would like to try."
Tyris stared at the girl for a long moment. She imagined the absolutely terrifying concept of Cielle entering the dreamscape full of teenagers to "relax."
"I see," Tyris said smoothly, successfully hiding her smile. "And you do not wish to be recognized while you… relax."
"Correct," Cielle nodded. "If I am recognized, it might compromise Sunny's aesthetic. He is currently pretending to be the bastard son of a corrupted Saint. He is very stressed about it."
Tyris paused. She processed that sentence carefully, decided she did not want the context, and simply nodded.
"Very well," Tyris said. She raised a hand, her connection to the massive vault of Memories the White Feather clan had accumulated over the decades. She sifted through the vast, shimmering catalog in her soul sea, searching for something that matched the girl's highly specific criteria.
After a moment, she found it.
Tyris extended her hand. A beautiful, shifting sphere of light coalesced in her palm. It slowly solidified into a small, silver pendant shaped like a crescent moon.
"This is the Veil of the Silent Watcher," Tyris said, offering the pendant to Cielle. "It is an Ascended armor of the fourth tier. It provides excellent physical defense, but its primary enchantment allows the wearer to project a illusion over the armor's surface, shifting its design, color, and creating a full helm to obscure the face. It should suit your… needs."
Cielle took the pendant carefully, examining the silver metal. "Thank you. How much contribution do I owe the clan for this?"
Tyris smiled warmly, shaking her head. "Consider it a gift, Cielle. You and Sunless have cleared out three islands near the sanctuary in the past two weeks. The clan is indebted to you. Besides, you asked so politely."
Cielle nodded, accepting the logic. She summoned the memory and tied the pendant around her neck, tucking it under her collar. "I will ensure the armor is put to violent use."
"I have no doubt about that," Tyris chuckled softly.
The transaction was complete, Cielle did not immediately leave. She simply stood on the balcony, watching the distant, floating islands rotate slowly in the sky. Tyris watched her, feeling a strange, quiet maternal fondness for the girl.
"How are things proceeding with your exploration?" Tyris asked gently, leaning against the stone balustrade. "You and Sunless seem to be operating together almost exclusively now. Is the partnership working well?"
"Yes," Cielle answered without hesitation. "Sunny is very good."
Tyris smiled slightly at the phrasing. "Good. I suppose that is one word for him. He is certainly skilled, though he seems... somewhat highly strung. Does he treat you well?"
"Yes. He cooks all of the food," Cielle said earnestly. "And he fixed the fridge. And he buys the expensive soap for the bathroom because he knows I like the smell."
Tyris's smile widened into something genuinely soft. "That is very considerate of him. It sounds like you are quite comfortable living together."
"It is very comfortable," Cielle agreed, nodding her head. "His house is warm. And his bed is very soft."
Tyris paused. "His bed?"
"Yes," Cielle said, completely oblivious to the sudden, sharp shift in the older woman's demeanor. "The pod in the basement is for sleeping in the Dream Realm. But when we are in the waking world, I lay in his bed."
Tyris's elegant, perfectly composed face froze. Her piercing blue eyes locked onto Cielle's completely innocent, expressionless face.
"I see," Tyris said, her voice dropping a fraction of a degree in temperature. "You sleep in his bed. Does he… share this bed with you?"
"Yes," Cielle answered , entirely unaware that she was currently loading Sunny into a cannon. "He is very warm. Sometimes he grumbles, but he always lets me hold him. "
Tyris stared at the girl. She looked at Cielle's pristine white wings, her small frame, and the absolute, unadulterated innocence in her large green eyes.
Then, Tyris thought about Sunless. The dark, brooding, highly secretive scout with the forgotten shore in his past.
A very quiet, very dangerous aura began to leak out of the Saint. The wind around the balcony suddenly stopped dead, as if the sky itself was holding its breath.
"How interesting," Tyris muttered, her smile turning entirely frigid.
Cielle tilted her head, noticing the sudden drop in atmospheric pressure. "Are you angry, Saint Tyris?"
"No, Cielle. I am not angry with you," Tyris said smoothly, her voice sweet as honey and cold as ice. She reached out and gently, affectionately tucked a stray strand of hair behind Cielle's ear. "I am just... realizing that I need to update my personnel files."
"Oh. Okay," Cielle said, accepting the explanation. She gave a small, polite bow. "Thank you for the armor, Saint Tyris. I will go punch people in the internet now."
"Have fun, dear," Tyris said softly.
Cielle turned and padded away, Tyris watched with a smile as she headed back into the Sanctuary.
Tyris stood alone on the balcony. She looked out over the endless void, her blue eyes narrowing slightly.
"Well," Tyris murmured to the empty air, her voice carrying the absolute, terrifying authority of a Saint. "It seems I am going to have a very long, very serious talk with that boy about proper boundaries."