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The Gift

Richard's (FA) Storyline, Chapter 2.5

copyright comidacomida 2018

He smiled back. "I am sorry Richard, for subjecting thee to such foolishness. I know in my head that I am thy Herald and thou art my ward... but my heart knows I cannot stand the thought of losing thee-- four spirits cannot share a Human."

It was a poignant statement, but I couldn't connect the dots when it came to what made him worry so much. "Jack, I'm not going to--"

He raised a talon. "Thou art still learning, Richard. Thou mayest believe one thing now but, given time, thy mind may change. Make no promises to me and thou shalt have none to break. Speaking on this further is good for neither of us. I--"

He'd obviously had the concerns on his mind for awhile and it had been eating away at him. Whether I hadn't noticed it or whether he hadn't shown enough of it until that moment I couldn't say, but I did know what I could do. Reaching for him, I rested my hand on his talon. "Hey... I may have four spirits here with me now, but you're the only one who's been here for the long run. Sure, we only just met officially, but I'm glad you're in my life... and I WANT to know you better."

Rather than respond with a comment, agreement, or retort, the Gryphon simply turned toward me and threw his arms around me. I felt a strange, otherworldly sensation of being pulled across the bed and up into an enormous hug but, in the span of the blink of an eye, I was back to where I was sitting, stunned with vertigo. Jack recoiled, all of the feathers on his head and neck rising as he chastised himself and apologized "Oh shite, stupid bird brain! I am SO sorry Richard!"

After a moment of continued dizziness I managed to collect myself and asked "What just happened, exactly?"

Looking right at me, Jack looked worried. "Art thou harmed? How dost thou feel? What hurts, Richard? Damn me, in a moment of foolishness I have wronged thee!"

I reached forward and returned my hand to his talon. "Jack. Nothing hurts. I'm fine... just... confused. "

His feathers continued to be ruffled but at least I had his attention and his softly glowing Golden eyes were focused wholly on me, concern and self-reproach obvious in his gaze. "I... had not meant to do that."

Although his concern was endearing it was also a little frustrating. "What did you do exactly, Jack? It felt like you picked me up to... hug me."

The talon where my hand rested felt surprisingly warm and solid. Rather than answer my question he looked down to where we were touching and he slowly raised his arm; my hand went with it. Jumping up off the bed, Jack fell away from me, surprise evident on his face. "You... you really do!"

I let out a sigh, rubbing my hand where it'd been on his talon before he withdrew. "I really do what? Can we start at the beginning please? Jack?"

The Gryphon, finally acknowledging my confusion stopped his meandering monologue and looked to me. He smoothed down his neck feathers as he spoke. "Humans and Spirits are made of different stuff; Humans are physical and Spirits are ephemeral. The only thing we have in common is the energy Humans create by living and feeling and being... but sometimes, when there is a lot of it, that is enough for..."

I stood up and took a step closer; he took a step back. "Enough for what, Jack?"

He tentatively held up a talon, the index finger extended. "For... us... to touch."

Reaching out to him, I likewise approached his talon with a single finger. They met in the air-- and passed through one another. The Gryphon withdrew his talon as if he'd just touched a hot stove. I lowered my arm. "So... how does it work, exactly since we're not able to touch now?"

Jack shrugged, his wings accentuating the movement as he did so. "I could not say, Richard... it has been hundreds of years since I have last touched a Human, and back then, it was always at their direction. I... I do not believe it is the spirit's choice. I think Humans are the ones who allow it."

I had countless questions banging around in my head making it hard to find just one but, eventually, as we stood there two arm's lengths apart, I came back to my original question. "What did you do when you hugged me?"

Clearing his throat, Jack side-stepped around me, giving me a wide berth as he moved to the center of the room. "It was not purposeful, Richard. I... it-- I mean.... it has been a long time since I have spoken with a Human, and even longer since... well... I am glad that thou art here and that I may be here with thee, my boy. I am joyful for the moments I have with thee and knowing that thou doth possess an interest in knowing me."

There was something in the way he made his declaration that left me with the impression that he was holding back. Rather than push him for more information emotionally I repeated my last question. "Okay... well, whether it was on purpose or not, do you know what you did to me? It felt... weird."

Sighing, Jack settled onto the floor. As he sat, his armor faded off of him, leaving nothing but a quilted tunic and short leggings on him; his sword, rather than being at his hip, was rested across his lap. He began to sharpen it with a whetstone as he spoke. "Spirits are able to interact with thy physical world in small ways, but, in most cases, only with objects. There are times, however, when Spirits can interact with plants or animals or even Humans. You are my Ward, and a Seer, and you feel well inclined toward me, and I, you. Rarely is that enough, but... perhaps it is for us."

He offered what I took to be a sheepish grin and shrugged helplessly. In that moment I realized that he knew little more about what happened than I did, so I offered what insight I could. "It felt a little like being woken up right when you're about to fall asleep and you get this kinda... falling feeling."

Jack's sheepish expression only got worse. "I do not sleep, Richard, so I do not know how that feels... but if it feels like falling then it must be frightening. I did not mean to subject thee to such a thing, and I apologize."

I waved the apology away. "Nah... it's more like a startling feeling, not so much scary. I guess it's like catching yourself when you stumble."

He nodded thoughtfully, his ear feathers raising once again and I saw the flesh around his beak's nostrils redden. "Ah. That feeling I know, yes. Inflicting such a feeling upon thee was not my attention... I was simply not thinking when I picked thee up due to my heart overflowing with joy."

The statement made me laugh. "Yeah? Well after hearing THAT it'd be even harder to be mad with you... which I'm not. Just surprised."

Jack let out a good-natured 'ha'. "Yes, Richard... Truth be told: I was surprised as well."

I grinned. "It showed."

The time had passed where I was even the least bit concerned about the Gryphon in my presence so he continued telling me about Humans interacting with Spirits as I changed for bed. I normally wear an old t-shirt and a pair of baggy sweat pants to bed so I was able to get ready quickly enough. After that, I made a quick trip into the bathroom; Jack followed after me, explaining all he knew about the different levels at which a Human could feel a Spirit, and vice versa. "Normally, an unaware Human can sometimes respond to a spirit's presence based on that spirit's intent; hostile spirits make Humans uneasy without knowing why and numerous spirits gathered for a specific purpose can even sometimes influence a Human's mindset... like at a church, or a public gathering.

I brushed my teeth even as he explained the strange 'resonance' of spirit energy; not only could Humans give energy to spirits but particularly astute humans could sense spirits based on a spirit's primary purpose? That was a scary thought. We headed back to my bedroom and, once we were in place again I asked "So what about Seers? We can see Spirits already so we know you're there."

He settled onto the floor once again as I put my dirty clothes in my laundry hamper. "The tingle thou mayest feel when we occupy the same space, or how thou mayest know I am reaching out to rest a talon on thy shoulder even though it may simply pass through me if I attempt such. This is an acknowledgement of intent; thou art able to feel the impression of the gesture as much as though mayest feel it when a fellow Human does the same-- what lacks is the connection... the actual touch."

I sat down on my bed, looking at Jack; he was looking back at me, his Golden eyes gleaming with more light than just what was reflected from the overhead lamp. "But, somehow, I still know what your talons feel like... and you were able to pick me up."

His feathers puffed up a little. "Yes, my boy-- as I said, spirits are able to affect the physical world at times. Normally this takes much energy and concentration. I have heard though, that in the case of Humans and Spirits who are highly compatible a Spirit can be empowered by that Human enough that there is no loss of energy and, in some cases, that there can be an actual gain."

The expression on his beak was almost humorous in its deep thought and I had to avoid smiling as I stated "Well, hopefully if you do that again you'll give me a bit more warning... fair enough?"

He nodded, his nares reddening further. "Of course. Very fair."

We both fell silent as I finished my evening rituals and pulled back the bedspread. Hearing him shifting behind me, I glanced back; he seemed a little indecisive, as though he was thinking of saying something, but not sure he wanted to. I broke the silence. "What is it?"

He glanced to the door then back to me, his talons wringing for a moment until, finally, he committed. "Would thou care to see me touch thy world? I could..." he glanced around the room before finishing his statement "...turn off the light, perhaps?"

"You can do that?"

Jack shifted his gaze between the light switch and me then back to the light switch, then, once again, back to me. "I can... if thou dost ask it of me."

I considered the statement for a few moments. "Would you get the light please, Jack?"

His beak parted into a wide smile. "It would be my pleasure, my boy."

Although I laid back on the bed I stayed atop the covers, my attention focused wholly on the spirit in the room with me as he walked to the door and reached up a talon. It took him three times before he managed to get the light switch to work and, truth be told, I think he was probably more surprised at his success than I was. He turned back to face me and I saw the outline of his face lit faintly by the glow coming from his eyes.

As he spoke, I saw that same light from within his throat. His words came out in an almost giddy tone. "I have wanted to turn off the light for thee ever since thy father ceased doing so upon thy tenth birthday."

There was something so pure and unadulterated in his joy; it was almost infectious. Smiling, I closed my eyes. "Well, maybe we'll figure out more about how you can interact with the world as we go along."

Hearing the sound of him settle down into the floor, I opened my eyes again. He glanced my way. "Good night, Richard."

Smiling, I slid over on the mattress and patted the bed beside me. His eyes blazed brighter and he was up in a moment, stepping the short distance to the bed before walking through it. He lifted up one leg, and then the other until he was seated on the mattress and, from there, he stretched out beside me. I couldn't feel him, per se, but the sensation of his presence was there. He extended a wing as he wrapped an arm around me, folding it over as well. I slept above the blanket the entire night, mind filled with the impression of being enveloped by feathers.