When Willow woke, head in her aunt’s lap, it was to hushed voices in angry tones.

  “...weren’t we told about them? You can’t just bind powerful spirits in a little girl and not think to tell anyone!” Mister Joaquin whispered to her father, trying to keep his voice down, but failing.

  “What spirits my daughter bound are her business and no one else's." Rowan rumbled back.

  “Normally I’d agree with ya, but those two are powerful enough to draw clan interest. You in particular should know better than to hide something like that from the community.” The older man continued.

  “You both should cease your pointless arguing.” Her aunt interrupted. “You were loud enough to wake the girl, which means you’re likely too loud for the Echo.”

  Willow looked up at Aunt Jieun, curious how the woman knew she’d woken up, but she just put a finger to her lips for now.

  Mister Joaquin mumbled out an apology for disturbing them, and went back to pull his cart, which was currently being manned by a struggling Rom.

  “How long was I asleep?” Willow sent to Jieun using her qi. She wasn’t too sure how clear the message was due to her still muddy spiritual sense, but the surprise on her aunt’s face made it obvious that she had received something.

  “Not long.” She sent back with some confusion mixed into the message. “How long have you been able to do this?” She continued.

  “Da sent me a message like this once. It’s a lot like talking to Harmony and Change when they’re in their spaces so I was able to figure it out.” Willow sent her aunt the mental equivalent of a shrug since she was too cozy to want to move her actual body.

  “I see.” Jieun sent back, clearly amused.

  “Are people angry with me?” The girl asked, afraid of the answer.

  “More like… concerned. They don’t know why we didn’t tell anyone else about Harmony and Change. Powerful spirits like them have a certain reputation for danger, and a child able to wield power like that is something others distrust.”

  “They aren’t dangerous, they’re friends, and I wouldn’t use their powers to hurt anyone.”

  “Except yourself it seems.” Her aunt sent back dryly, clearly still upset at the accident that had left Willow in her current state.

  “I know I should’ve been more careful with that.”

  Jieun audibly sighed. “Mu shouldn’t have pushed you to do something so dangerous. I still feel you could choose someone better as a teacher.”

  Could she? Possibly. However despite her oddities Willow had begun to enjoy the strange woman’s company.

  “I already said yes to being her apprentice. It’d be rude to change my mind.”

  “You’ve made no oaths that I’m aware of, and just because someone asks something of you doesn’t mean you should say yes.”

  “But doesn’t Da want me to join the wanderers?” She asked, curious.

  She still only had an inkling of an idea of why that’d be the case, as her father had been tight lipped on the subject when last she asked. However it was important enough to him that he’d let slip some of her secrets in order to entice the wanderer woman to bring her on. Which as far as she knew was something he wouldn’t do otherwise.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  At least she hoped he wouldn’t.

  “Your father may be correct in seeking help from the Wanderers for your plight, but he can still be mistaken in his choice for your mentor. We can ask someone else to take you in, it doesn’t have to be someone so careless in your instruction.”

  “Why do I need to join the Wanderers?” Willow asked, hopeful that her aunt would enlighten her on the matter.

  “It’s better if you don’t worry about it right now. There’s nothing that can be done now, and further knowledge of the issue would just pointlessly worry you.”

  She felt like not knowing was pointlessly worrying her, but she knew better to argue with an adult who’d decided something was “for her own good”.

  Instead she’d argue for something that she might actually be able to help with.

  “I like Mu, and I don’t want another teacher.”

  Though she was now concerned that the wanderer would insist on meeting her twin spirits now that they had revealed themselves to the group.

  Which reminded her.

  “I need to check on Harmony and Change now. Was gonna do it a while ago, but then I fell asleep instead.”

  Her aunt snorted indelicately. “Fine then, we’ll talk about this more later. Thank your friends for me, without their intervention things could’ve gone far worse for everyone.”

  “Sure thing!”

  She got cozier, and sent her projection to Change’s void.

  The white space was about the same as she remembered it, with the infant shaped spirit dozing at its center.

  “Hiya Change.” Her projection called softly not wanting to upset her friend by intruding.

  “Heya, friend.” He called back sleepily. His great and singular eye blinked lazily at her.

  “Are you two all right?” The girl asked, concerned.

  “We’re both fine, just drained. That echo spirit was furious at you guys. Took a lot to talk them down. Give us a couple more hours and we’ll be back to full strength.”

  “Anything I can do to help?” Willow asked her friend, eager to be of assistance.

  “Nah.” Change waved a hand lazily. “Besides, you need your rest too. Your pathways are still all messed up from your injury.”

  “Fine…” She sent her projection closer to the yang spirit and made it give him a hug. “Thanks for saving us. Aunt Jieun said thank you too.”

  Change gave her a tired smile. “Anytime, friend.” He then made a shooing motion with his hand. “Now scram, I’m trying to rest.”

  Willow giggled and left, sending her projection over to Harmony’s void instead.

  Her other friend was calmly resting in her dark void, the yin spirit’s twinkling eyes not as bright as they normally were.

  “What is it, child?” She asked, her voice quite tired.

  “Just wanted to thank you two. Already visited Change.” She hugged Harmony, and the infant shaped spirit hugged her back.

  “You are welcome, Willow, though your thanks are unnecessary. Of course we would do all we could to help someone we swore an oath of friendship to.”

  “Still happy you helped everyone. Aunt Jieun also said thank you, and you didn’t make an oath to her.”

  Her starry eyes crinkled like she was smiling. “True enough, child. Tell her she is quite welcome as well. Now please leave me be for a time as I regain my energy.”

  “All right! Get better soon!” She sent to her friend and opened her eyes, dispersing her projection.

  Now what? She’d checked on her friends and took a nice nap. What else was a girl to do?

  She’d rather not continue the conversation with her aunt if she could help it right now. Though maybe it’d be best to get it out of the way instead of putting it off.

  Before she could come to a decision she noticed Scholar Mu approaching their cart.

  Guess what she did with her time wasn’t in her hands anymore.