The small group settled into their temporary home, Willow setting up her bedding in the corner opposite the bed, and her spirits floated around settling in different locations. Much to both of the human’s amusement.

  Eos was resting in the fireplace looking comically undersized for the available space, but they recognized it as a home for flames, so that was where they wanted to stay.

  Phoebe was placed on the windowsill, still focused on what little starlight they could find in the slivers of night sky visible through the trees.

  Xandra floated above Willow’s spot on the floor, content to reflect and watch over her. Though occasionally they’d warp and distort the child’s reflection whenever she looked up at them, causing her to smile and make a funny face at them.

  Calypso wandered around wondering at every little thing they found in the room, even if there wasn’t much to the decor. Honestly Willow was worried they’d wander outside the home if she continued to leave them unsupervised, but for now she was content to let the little raindrop wander.

  Andrea stayed nestled in the bedding with Willow, and the girl took extra care to make sure not to accidentally crush her flower friend whenever she shifted to get herself more comfortable.

  Eventually, as everyone was as cozy as could be expected in this situation, Mu picked up a thread of conversation that she’d previously discarded over fears of eavesdroppers.

  “So… your little misadventure with my mental technique led to you discoverin’ something off with the patron spirit of Clan Darach?”

  Willow tilted her head in thought from her little cocoon of bedding.

  “Not off, just felt that the feeling of niceness was coming from them? Dunno how normal that is for bigger spirits.”

  “When it comes to the major spirits of the clans it’s fairly common, I’m afraid. From what I’ve gathered the spirits benefit from the emotionally charged qi of the populace in their capital cities, and so they try to impart a feeling close to what benefits them most.”

  Willow thought it over for a few moments. “That doesn’t sound too bad? Most people were still feeling everything they were supposed to, or I wouldn’t’ve been having so much trouble. So if the tree spirit is doing what they can to make everyone feel good then that’s a good thing that they’re doing, right?”

  Mu took a few puffs on her pipe as she considered her next words.

  “It’s not inherently bad, I suppose, and it’s a fascinatin’ phenomenon to study. However I’m none too partial to havin’ my mind messed with by outside influences at the best of times, and with the clans there’s almost always a catch. For that reason it’s unwise to spread around that you know of such things, they have a tendency of making people who spread their secrets disappear.”

  Willow’s nose scrunched at the idea of keeping this information to herself, but she supposed there was a good reason. She didn’t want to bring the clan's wrath onto her family.

  Talks of minds being affected by outside forces reminded the girl that she still hadn’t solved the crowd problem.

  It was a stubborn issue that didn’t seem to have an easy solution.

  So she decided to ask her mentor if she’d given any more thought to it.

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  “What am I gonna do tomorrow?”

  She wished she wasn’t like this, before she had viewed her senses as a gift that helped her understand others. Now it was something that was keeping her isolated.

  It was frustrating.

  She felt Mu’s curiosity begin to brighten as the gears of thought in her head started to turn.

  “If Harmony’s concept isn’t the answer, why not try Change’s, or even a combination? Part of the issue with your modification was it making your emotions too static, right?”

  “Maybe?”

  Willow considered the proposed solution. She couldn’t see it hurting worse than the previous attempt, but as she’d learned she didn’t seem to grasp just how badly these things could potentially go.

  “Would that work?” She sent to the twins.

  Harmony huffed in exasperation. “I still dislike how cavalier you are with messing with your mind, child. You have already seen how potentially harmful it can be.”

  “It’s worked out so far, sister.” Chimed in Change. “No need to be such a grump about it. As for your question, it’s probably safe to use our concepts in concert since we’re linked in the way we are. Curious what it’ll do to you though!”

  That wasn’t at all reassuring to the girl, but she decided to relay her friend's words to her teacher.

  “Harmony’s nervous about trying more techniques like this, and Change says it should be fine to mix their concepts, but he’s unsure what’ll happen to me if we do.”

  Miss Mu hummed to herself as her curiosity brightened further.

  “I’d say test it on me, but I don’t have the resistances built up to those particular concepts like you do. Might have a far more negative effect as a result.”

  If that was a concern then Willow had a minor grievance with her mentor.

  “Wait, if that’s an issue then why’d you use Huey’s concept on me a bunch?” She asked with a pout.

  Which just made Mu chuckle.

  “First of all, both times you were in a bad way, and the first I even checked with you to make sure you were fine with it. Second, knowledge is meant to be used for mental techniques, it’s inherently safer than most when used for that purpose. An aspect that your two friends’ concepts lack.”

  “...Fair.” She said, begrudgingly accepting that explanation.

  Especially since her aunt had previously expressed how dangerous it potentially was for Change’s concept to affect her brain.

  But it should hopefully be fine so long as she only used it with Harmony’s to temper it.

  “We’ll do what we can to figure it out in the morning, for now try and get some rest.” Her mentor called from the rickety bed frame she was laying in.

  Willow tried to get as cozy as she could in her borrowed bedroll on the floor, but her mind refused to rest.

  She still wasn’t looking forward to tomorrow.

  Well, that was partially a lie. She was hopefully gonna see her sister tomorrow! It felt like an age had passed since she’d last seen her.

  So much that the girl wanted to show and tell her.

  She’d learned of how her Da and Ma had met, and how her mother had died protecting everyone.

  She’d made new friends and had done her part in saving her aunt from a demon.

  She’d even turned into a boy for a while!

  Willow idly wondered if she should swap to her boy form for the meeting? Could be a funny surprise.

  But what if she reacted like Aunt Sarah?

  The thought terrified her.

  Yew’d been surprisingly happy at suddenly having a little brother, but that just proved people could surprise her with unexpected reactions to things.

  These were not happy thoughts to be going to sleep with.

  Despite her tiring day, the girl tossed and turned through the night with thoughts of the future and what it might bring.