How Bea Gave Up The Quill

Chris the Zorua looked straight at Bea. “You… you used to be a wielder of the Silverwing Quill too?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Bea replied, “I was after Apothos and before Misery Moon. I’ve practiced, and I know my way around it. I know of its strengths and its weaknesses.”

“Why aren’t you the wielder now?” Chris asked.

Bea looked down. “I… gave it up.”

“Gave it up?” Chris gasped. “But it’s a powerful artifact that you had the responsibility of using for good! Why would you quit?”

Bea chuckled. “That’s the thing, Chris. The responsibility you’re saying is something I couldn’t do. I just wanted to live my life. Thing is, I used to be a Ribombee. Just a simple Ribombee. Then, a doctor named Dr. Alucard stole me and said he planned to experiment with me to make me stronger. I believed him, but then, he fused me with a Kirlia who looked shaken up.”

“Are you going into your backstory,” Chris asked, “I won’t stop you if you are. I’m just wondering.”

Bea sighed and continued. “Yeah. Anyways, after we fused, I fled from Dr. Alucard and went to go find my purpose in life somewhere else. It wasn’t until I was approached on a rainy night by the Goddess Velouria that my life changed forever. She offered me a chance to do good in the world, and that was to wield the Silverwing Quill. I accepted, and she was like a mother to me. She cared for me, nurtured me, helped me find a proper home in the Faefall Forest, and then told me I was destined for greatness.” Bea’s eyes began to fill with tears. “And then the stress of responsibility got to me. Caring for the world, saving it, and doing everything in my power, even at the cost of my own life multiple times over… it… it got to me. I… I… I never wanted to have a deal with my own mortality!” Bea wiped her eyes. “After many years, I told Velouria I was done with the quill and told her to find a new wielder, and… she understood at the time, but I can’t go back to her now like before. I feel like she’d never accept me again.”

Chris put a paw on Bea’s back. “Bea, I… I’m sorry.”

Bea sniffed. “Chris,” she said, “The quill you are wielding holds a hefty cost, and it isn’t just a physical one. I hope you understand that.”

“Considering how long I’ve been holding it now,” Chris answered, “I think I do.”

Bea smiled. “I just hope you never give up on helping the world like I have.”

“What makes you say you’ve given up on helping the world, Bea?” Chris grinned. “I’d say you’re helping the world one soul at a time!”

Chris’ words of wisdom resonated through Bea’s brain like a breeze chilling the body. Cool at first, but relaxing to accept. In many ways, it made Bea feel at peace with herself. For however long that peace lasted, she was next to the new wielder of the Silverwing Quill, and if Velouria was going to watch from afar, Bea came to realize she’d have to watch Chris up close.