Storm Wolf: Tranquil waters - 20. Chapter 5 - Roses and Violets 5.1

Roses and Violets: Blood is red, the sky is purple.

"Did you exchange contact information?" Qana spread butter on his pancakes, then drizzled honey on top.

"Yeah." I tossed a handful of blueberries into my mouth, mumbling through the fruit, feeling my ears droop.

"What do you two talk about?" Qana cut his pancakes with a motion as fluid as a sword strike, dividing the entire stack into two perfect halves without a single crumb falling.

"I'm not telling you." I crunched on the raspberries, the tiny drupelets cracking between my teeth.

"Rebellious phase," Qana remarked as he speared half a pancake with fork and popped it into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. "Have you exchanged locked pics yet?"

"What's the locked pics?" I sniffed at the blackcurrants, cautiously trying one.

"Well..." Qana's right ear twitched. "Just make sure you never send them first."

"Okay... I guess?" I shrugged, popping the last blackberry into my mouth--Rationalism, if I can no longer stand the food synthesizer, what should I do?

"Has he invited you to the ball?" Qana asked after finishing the other half of his pancakes.

"A ball?" My ears definitely didn't twitch just now.

"Ah, the big crisis in paradise." Qana licked the honey off his knife, speaking in a mocking tone.

"I'm starting to miss the perpetually grumpy you." I downed the rest of my oatmeal soy milk, grumbling softly.

"Careful what you wish for." Qana pointed his knife at me, one side of his mouth curling up to reveal a canine tooth.

I huffed, leaning back in chair as I wiped my mouth with a napkin.

"A grand ball to close the preliminaries, open to everyone." Qana took a sip from his mug, tilting his head as he reached for the sugar jar. "Note, I said everyone." He shook the glass jar, poured out some brown sugar, and stirred it with a teaspoon. "Almost every important faction from Gaia and the Lunar will be attending, not just the representatives invited to watch the competition--like the Lunar Government and the Nine Archdukes' delegations."

"Pimping..." I muttered under my breath. Qana raised an eyebrow, his mug frozen just before his lips, but he didn't say anything.

"Anyway..." He cleared his throat and took a sip of tea before continuing. "This is one of the few events where young male and female wolves are allowed to attend together, so it's an important... social opportunity for members of each faction." Qana set his empty mug down on the table. "I think you understand."

"Pimping," I repeated, still convinced of my point.

"You're too cynical." Qana grinned, showing more teeth this time. "Not everyone enjoys the same 'privilege' as you."

"Seriously?" I tilted my head, giving the sword master a helpless shrug, palms up. "Enjoy?" To emphasize my point, I slowly tilted my head the other way, folding down one ear. "Privilege?"

"Don't take out your frustration on me," Qana waved a hand dismissively. "He might just not have invited you yet."

"For Rationalism's sake, I'm not!" I bared my canines in defense. "And it's your dumb comments that are making me angry!"

"You've been bristling since I first mentioned the ball." Qana pointed out matter-of-factly.

I sighed, relaxing my body and smoothing down my fur.

"And you could always invite him. Is this about shy modesty or something to do with self-identity?" Qana raised an eyebrow at me. "Like a certain role you're playing?"

"I'd rather scour the internet for a bunch of unreliable and dubious anonymous advice than discuss this with you." I pressed my hands against my ears and laid my head on the table.

"Your loss." Qana made a "suit yourself" gesture. "Not everyone is as open-minded as I am."

I wrapped my arms around my head, letting out a low growl.

"Do you think I should invite him?" I finally asked, my throat vibrating in resonance with the wooden table.

"I can't see any reason not to," Qana replied.

"But I don't want to go to the ball... It sounds like a big social event full of people." I muttered. "I hate big social events full of people."

"Then don't go." Qana responded, as if it was the simplest thing in the world--well, wasn't it?

"But what if Aether's waiting for me to invite him?" I sat up from the table, rubbing my eyes.

"Here's some advice from someone who's been there," Qana folded his hands together, resting his arms on the edge of the table. "Be clear about your feelings and listen to his. Honesty is almost always the best strategy." Qana had switched to that gentle tone again. "You two are psychics, this should be a lot easier."

I exhaled through my nose, nodding as I leaned back in my chair. A thought suddenly occurred to me.

"Is that what you did?" I asked Qana quietly.

"Yes." He nodded. "I was also fortunate to have a wise and understanding wolf willing to listen to my feelings."

That was so sappy it was almost gross. I never would have guessed Master Willow would appreciate that kind of wolf. But seriously, how did they even get together in the first place? I never thought I was the gossiping type.

I shook my head, forcing myself to focus and not get lost in random thoughts. This was time-sensitive; I had to decide what to do.

I propped my elbows on the table, clasping my hands together as I rested my chin on knuckles, weighing the pros and cons of each option.

Just then, as if it were some kind of sign, the automatic door slid open, and three wolves from the Nyx faction walked in. They chatted happily with each other, their white teeth always gleaming against their jet-black fur, and I could even see the laughter in those yellow eyes.

That... deep laughter.

"I'll be back before midnight." I stood up, making my decision.

"In fact," Qana smiled as he looked into my eyes. "I'll be sleeping in the room attached to the conference room tonight." His smile widened. "Big days are always busy, you know what I mean?"

"No idea." My ears definitely didn't perk up, and they definitely weren't getting warm.

"After watching him for a month, I think I can safely say he's a decent guy." Qana shrugged. "Probably won't do anything too inappropriate."

"I still don't know what you're talking about." I tucked my tail and turned to leave, but Qana gently pulled me back by the collar.

"But that doesn't mean I won't worry." Qana said quietly, and I felt his consciousness circle suddenly expand, enveloping us both and setting up a barrier. "If anything happens, contact me immediately, okay?"

He demonstrated a directional wave, and I recognized the pattern of Qana's pulse, understanding that it was a psychic communication signal for long-distance contact. I nodded, indicating I understood.

"I'll show up right away and skin him alive." He gave me a smile that showed both his canines--kind of scary.

"Not funny." I grumbled, gently pushing him away. "You're being weird."

Qana spread his hands, not denying it.

"Just a reminder, don't mention anything related to psychic abilities. Unlike others, the Nyx faction remembers anything to do with psychics very clearly--they obviously take their duties very seriously. If you trigger his 'awakening,' it could cause unnecessary trouble." He released the consciousness circle.

"Oh..." I murmured. Qana had never clearly explained what conditions were required for a psychic to awaken, or why I had been able to use Domination, a relatively advanced psychic power, since I could remember.

"Alright, alright, enough lecturing. Otherwise, you'll lose the 'experience' of it all." Qana stood up, patting my arm. "I trust you can take care of yourself. Like I said before, just be an ignorant little pup for now." He adjusted his clothes and sword, glancing around the room. "Now go and cause some trouble."

I nodded farewell to the master, heading toward the automatic door to leave the dining hall. Meanwhile, I was mulling over the wording of the ball invitation, lightly wagging my tail.

I wandered aimlessly, pacing back and forth in a deserted corridor. The marble statues on either side struck various incomprehensible poses, their expressions resembling someone who had been constipated for seven days.

"...'Sincerely'? Really? Wouldn't that sound too weird?" I sought advice from Justitia Snow, but the pure white wolf's reply was as unhelpful as his reign.

People often said that every emperor from Snow faction was nothing more than a simple-minded brute, so maybe I should consult someone else.

"I think you'd appreciate a more logical, meticulous approach." Erebus Nyx gazed down at me with wise, penetrating eyes. "And it has nothing to do with you being a Nyx, of course. No stereotypes involved!" His expression didn't seem to buy my excuse. "Ah, forget it, I didn't say anything!"

Deciding not to continue arguing with wolves who were clearly out of touch with the younger generation's social circles by about a hundred years, I resumed my little adventure, wandering aimlessly through the area.

Entering a certain exhibition hall, I immediately recognized the enormous symbol of the Tree of Life, intricately carved to dominate the entire ceiling space.

The trunk, branches, pathways, and radiating roots were all inscribed with the Latin names of various taxonomic groups. I couldn't pronounce any of them, but pretending to understand was still cool. Something like this: "Canis lupus," I recited in an imagined scholarly tone, secretly relishing the exaggerated satisfaction.

The most striking exhibit, though, was the massive skeletal structure hanging from the ceiling--a type of fish, perhaps? With some curiosity, I moved closer, passing by a few yellowed ancient books left open and something that resembled... teeth.

Interesting. Were fish really that big back in the day?

When I stood directly beneath the massive skeleton, I noticed something unusual--it wasn't a fish. What I had mistaken for fins were actually distinctly homologous structures of limb bones. And that looked like a scapula.

Moreover, the vertebrae's segmentation pattern, with fused sections... I counted them and confirmed that it was a mammal, some kind of mammal I had never seen or even heard of.

Even though only the bones remained, standing this close, I could still sense the majesty and grandeur of the creature when it was alive. I reached out my hand, opened my consciousness, and felt the lingering memories within, listening to the deep songs that once roamed the endless depths of the ocean. For a moment, I was stunned by the ancient chanting--a voice that spoke directly to the soul, resonating in the deepest hollow within.

Was this one of our common ancestors, a member of a lineage that has long disappeared in the tides of evolution? Why have I never encountered knowledge of such a magnificent creature? How much have I overlooked simply because of my ignorance? Could it be that this specimen is so ancient that it was lost in the sea of information? But since it's preserved here, it must mean...

"Are you lost?" A voice behind me startled me, breaking my train of thought. I quickly realized that the speaker had concealed his presence from my consciousness circle's detection.

Trying to appear composed, I turned around and saw a pure gray wolf from the Gray faction, staring at me expressionlessly, his gray eyes appearing particularly cold.

Once my mirror circle neutralized the interfering wave pattern, I understood why I hadn't sensed him.

"Uh..." I scratched the back of my head, trying to put on my most innocent expression. "I was looking for the banquet hall." I hoped my lie wouldn't be too obvious. "Trying to secure a good spot before the ball starts."

"You're way off from where you need to be." He moved past me, bringing with him a sense of oppressive pressure. "Let me show you the way."

"Thank you so much!" I said in a respectful tone, adopting a submissive posture.

But as the gray wolf placed his hand on my shoulder to guide me out of the exhibition hall, I detected a cold, strange sensation.

Pulse wave! It was an active probe, using a consciousness circle to envelop the target and gather information. Unlike the directional wave, it couldn't just be neutralized.

I quickly retracted my consciousness circle, hiding myself while continuing to walk as normally as possible. Fortunately, Qana had made me practice this many times.

"You know the ball isn't open for entry yet, right?" He said in a flat tone.

"Oh, but I thought maybe I could queue up?" I grinned foolishly, forcing myself to ignore the icy sensation flowing down my spine, pooling at the tip of my tail. I was almost trembling.

"Don't be silly, the queue doesn't open until an hour before the ball." The cold sensation faded as the gray wolf seemed to relax a little, patting my shoulder. It seemed he hadn't found anything.

"Worth a try?" I tilted my head in response.

"Opportunities to act foolishly should be seized while you're young." He shrugged, setting the route on my terminal, then stood at the hall's entrance, watching me leave.

It wasn't until I turned the corner that the heavy pressure from those gray eyes disappeared. I immediately leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.

That cold sensation... It was like mercury, seeping deep into my body, trying to strip my soul away. But I had hidden myself too well; he couldn't reach me.

It seemed I had unwittingly wandered into some kind of restricted area, glimpsing a secret that the psychics didn't like to share.

But why was it displayed so openly if they didn't want everyone to see it? It probably meant that I had subconsciously bypassed some sort of defense mechanism.

But I was certain that sending out a probing wave now would be a very foolish decision, so I immediately headed in the direction away from that exhibition hall.

After this unexpected event, I decided to end my little adventure and take the opportunity to act foolishly.

I removed the terminal from the strap on my arm, opened the five-thousand-word draft of my invitation, and hit send.

"I must say, I'm flattered." Aether showed me his terminal screen, where my invitation had filled the entire display with densely packed text.

Scratching my ear, I felt the blood rush to my face and averted my gaze slightly.

"Also, you look great in black," he said earnestly, putting away his terminal. "You should put more effort into your wardrobe."

The warmth of the blood in my face intensified. I cleared my throat, adjusting my tie and the cufflinks on my suit jacket. I doubted I'd ever get used to being the subject of compliments.

"You too," I replied sincerely, meeting Aether's eyes. "You look really good in white."

I wasn't trying to flatter him; I was just stating the truth. Aether's well-fitted white shirt perfectly highlighted his mysterious, alluring figure with every movement. He wasn't wearing a tie or any purely decorative accessories. The open collar, with the top button left undone, and the jacket casually draped over his arm gave him a somewhat... relaxed yet elegant vibe.

My gaze wandered to his tail behind him, slowly wagging with a subtle curve, almost like... flowing darkness.

"Hurry up!" Momus suddenly grabbed my tail from behind, tugging at it a few times.

"Oh, sorry." I patted pup on the head to soothe him before turning back to Aether. "Where's your pack?"

"They went ahead," Aether said. "Except for Zelus, of course. He's never been a fan of balls." He shrugged. "Though I always thought you didn't like them either."

"Oh," I replied awkwardly. "Well, it's always good to experience new things." So that's why he didn't invite me? Why didn't I think of that?

Momus tugged at my tail again but was stopped by a low growl from Aether. I gestured soothingly to both, letting them know I wasn't offended.

As we walked toward the ballroom, I found myself between the two Nyxes.

"You're going to spoil him," Aether murmured, while Momus turned his head away, one hand still gripping my tail.

"Hmm..." I glanced at the pup, who stubbornly refused to meet his brother's gaze. "Let's call it my compensatory behavior." I ruffled Momus's head, but he still wouldn't look back.

"Are you not on good terms with Piqsirpoq?" Aether asked quietly.

"I suppose you could say there's 'a lot of room for improvement,'" I murmured in response. "If I could seize the chance to talk more, it might help... but as you know, that's not so easy." One doesn't need the Nyxes' powerful logic to understand what I meant. "So, I guess I'm a bit envious of you two, being able to..." I couldn't finish the sentence, unsure how to describe this bond or relationship--something I might never fully comprehend.

Am I incapable of treating others with kindness? After becoming so accustomed to being ignored, can I still genuinely connect with others? To avoid inevitable disappointment and failure, I've stopped caring about anything. Having been through so much all this time, is it even possible for me to feel anything deeply? Do I still have a chance to learn how to... love?

How can I know I'm not just clumsily imitating something I'll never truly understand?

I felt Momus gently squeeze my tail, and I looked down at him. The wolf cub's ears and gaze were lowered, staring at the floor. I glanced back at Aether; he sighed softly, his ears drooping slightly, his tail giving a small, brief wag. Momus kept staring at the ground, but I noticed his eyes quickly flicked to Aether and then back. The little pup began wagging his tail in sync with his brother's rhythm, and his grip on my tail tightened a bit more.

Maybe... there's nothing wrong with imitation. Imitation is a start, and if we're willing to move forward with determination, facing all obstacles honestly, perhaps we'll each find our own answers at the end.