Chapter 101: She Receives an Oath
Robin was walking in a dark place. She could hear nothing but the sound of her footsteps echoing. She could feel nothing but the floor beneath her feet.
"Hello?" She called out.
No one answered. Robin kept walking forward. If she kept walking, then sooner or later, she would run into an exit or a wall, right?
Suddenly, the sound of a door opening caught her ear. she turned around to see a doorway filled with light. The light was so bright that Robin couldn't tell what was on the other side.
"Hello?" She said.
The sound of the whistling wind came from the door of light. While she was a bit apprehensive, Robin decided anywhere was better than this dark hallway. She stepped through the threshold into the light.
She blinked as her eyes adjusted, and found herself standing in a forest grove. Flowers grew in abundance all around, and many wildlife were grazing or lazing about the clearing. The only thing they did was to lift up their heads for a bit to see the newcomer, before going back to chewing on clover.
Robin walked about the clearing, before she headed for a great oak in the center. Its thick trunk and gnarled branches displayed how ancient it was. Yet, despite its age, the tree had an abundance of foliage gracing its crown.
"Iyo-to!" Robin exclaimed as she climbed up the old oak to get a better view of the clearing. Once she stood upon a sturdy branch, she looked about for any kind of marker or topography that could indicate her location.
"You won't find anything like that. This space here was actually only created for our meeting. It isn't that large."
A voice startled her to the point where Robin almost fell off the tree branch.
"Who's there!?" She shouted out, putting her back to the tree. "Show yourself!" But, even looking around, she couldn't find a source for the voice.
"Gladly." The sound of a breeze drifted past Robin's ear, and she turned to look at a small figure on the branch in front of her.
"Eh?" She stared aghast in utter incomprehension. On the branch in front of her sat a siamese cat.
'-no, a kitten. It was too small to be an adult cat.' Robin thought to herself.
"How rude! I'll have you know that I am older than that Ekkinshire kingdom of yours!" The Siamese glowered at Robin with its deep blue eyes.
"Eh?" Robin's head began to hurt. "You can hear my thoughts?" She asked.
"Of course I can! It's the basics of the basics to be able to hear what others think, after all." The siamese said. "Also, I am not a Siamese. Is that some new country thst I am not aware of? Regardless, I am not one. I am, what you humans call, a flying cat."
"Eh? Flying cat?" Robin asked. "Like, jump, whoosh?"
"Exactly!" And with that, the cat jumped off the branch. It flew up, down, and round and round the tree before it once more alighted upon the branch.
"I suppose it's very nice to meet you, mister...?"Robin hesitated, uncertain how to call the flying cat that had all the cuteness of flying squirrels and cats combined.
"To be precise, I don't actually have a name. I was wondering if you'd like to grant me one?" It asked.
Before Robin began thinking about names, she paused. "Um, this isn't going to be one of those things that needs mana, right? Because, my mana source is currently damaged right now, and I promised Jasmine that I wouldn't use any magic before it's healed."
The cat simply chuckled, and butted its head against Robin's hand.
"Silly girl. A name isn't something that requires mana from the namer. Your promise will remain intact, I give my word."
Robin nodded. "But, we've only just met. How can you expect me to give you a fitting name if I am not sure what fits?" She asked.
"Just choose something that fits my appearance and isn't too childish." The cat's tail swished about impatiently as it waited for Robin to bestow it a name.
"Are you a boy or a girl?" She asked.
"Not telling." The cat grinned mischievously. "Name, please~"
"Hmmm..." Robin eyed the flying cat. From the tips of it's blackened ears to the end of its blackened tail, it was a rather cute creature. The highlight of the face was its big blue eyes, kind of like the sky....
"Ah, what was that name, it's on the tip of my tongue!" Robin frowned as she tried hard to remember.
"What is it? You have a name?" The flying cat jumped up, and flew around Robin.
"Tell me, tell me!" It called, excited.
"I think I got it...wait, nope!...I got it!" Robin opened her eyes. "'Skye'! Your name will be Skye."
"Yaay! What does it mean?" Skye asked.
"It usually means 'adventurous' but it has come to mean 'free-spirited' and boundless, like the actual sky." Robin replied. "I think it's a good name for any flying cat, regardless of gender."
"Skye, huh?" The cat's face was beaming with exhilaration. "It's a good name! I accept it."
Then Skye did an unexpected thing. He nipped Robin's finger open and drew out a drop of blood, before licking closed the wound.
"Ouch-eh? Doesn't hurt?" Robin said, surprised. "What was that....for?" She began to ask Skye, when she noticed somwthing strange.
Robin's drop of blood floated in mid air, defying gravity.
"Eh?"
Skye likewise nipped his paw open, drew out a drop of blood, then closed the opening with a lick. The two drops of blood began to circle in the air.
"I accept Robin as my patron and partner, to follow in times of sun and times of rain, in peace and trouble,with utmost loyalty in return for the great grace of being bestowed a name. The duration of this contract is set until we both agree to separate, or until the death of either of us."
The two drops of blood merged together, mixed completely, then separated into two drops again, and vanished into the bodies of Robin and Skye.
"Er...what was that?" Robin asked, still somewhat confused.
"It was a contract of loyalty. You are one naive person if you believe in the words of a completely strange animal, whom you've neither met, or heard of beforehand. Thus, I am accompanying you so that you aren't completely fooled by more malicious minded creatures." Skye explained, nodding contentedly to itself.
"You say that, but isn't it just because I smell like fish that you were attracted to me?" Robin asked.
"Well, you certainly do have a yummy smell about you, but if we're talking about tasty smells, then the veiled lady before smells much tastier." Skye explained.
"Then...why me?" Robin asked.
"Mostly because you don't seem the type to randomly pull on my tail, or confine me." Skye said.
"And you seemed the most powerful, even with your damaged mana source, which is quite rare. It's also partly because I rather like this name that you've bestowed upon me."
"Oh? What if I gave you a name that you didn't like?" Robin asked
"Let's just say that there was a chance of live mice finding their way into your bed..." Skye smiled sinisterly for a moment before chuckling. "It seems our time is almost up. Remember to call me Skye after you wake up!"
"What? What do you mean?" Robin asked.
and then the spirit world shattered as Robin found herself waking up.
"Hack-choo!" She sneezed. Then opened her eyes, slowly, and blinked a few times.
"Heavy.." Robin muttered as she felt it somewhat difficult to breath. She looked down. Nestled on her chest was a cute little flying cat, similar to the one in her dream. The cat's tail had been resting on her nose, which is why Robin had sneezed.
Robin felt slighrly surprised, but not by much.
"Wake up, it's morning!" Robin prodded the flying cat awake. "Good Morning, Skye~!" She chuckled.
The cat yawned. "Good Morning..." It mewed.
"Huh? I can still understand you? Am I still dreaming?" Robin asked, pinching her cheek. "Ow!"
"Silly partner! Once we had formed the bond of loyalty, we can instantly hear each other! Isn't that great! Praise me, praise me!" It flew around the room, excited.
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BriarRose
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