Featuring Wisp

A Curious Encounter 
By: Penpause47
— One-shot —

    Mirage navigated through the maze of busy streets. It mattered not that he was no longer accompanied by his trusty air plant. What mattered was that he was looking for a specific type of building, and he was going to find it. 

    The roads and sidewalks were blanketed in a coat of pristine white, as always, during the winter months. All around him the streets were bustling with people wrapped in scarves and fur coats. The sky was dark and gray, complementing the white snow that fell from its clouds. It was so hard to see through the frozen white crystals that Mirage had to rely on the dim street lights to guide him. 

    ”You shouldn’t be here.” The voice caught Mirage off guard. He swung around and came face to face with Akila.

    Akila was a sensitive esk, too sensitive, in Mirage’s opinion. She was quite sturdy, though. Her coat was a gradient from white (by her face and neck) to a dark cyan, which was accompanied by stripes of various shades. She did not seem to possess her nature features, though. She must not resonate from the developed biome.

    ”Oh really.” Mirage walked up towards Akila until they were just a few inches apart. ”Do you get to decide when and where I go?”

    Akila met Mirage’s gaze defiantly, then looked down sheepishly. ”I didn’t mean it like that.”

    ”I know you didn’t,” Mirage pushed past Akila nonchalantly. ”You’re trying to defend Eve’s ideals, which, by the way, are quite indifferent from your own.”

    Akila gave him a furious look. ”Argh! So what if I am?”

    Mirage raised a paw dismissively. ”Eve can fight her own battles.”

    ”As if she could, with you following her around day and night.” Mirage felt Akila’s anger rising. Good.

    Akila let out a harsh breath as Mirage continued to walk past her. ”Do you even understand what she must be going through?!”

    Mirage stopped. ”Listen, Akila. What YOU don’t understand is that this is between myself and Eve, no one else. Leave me be.”

    ”No.” Akila stomped up the snowy path and stood in front of him. ”I’m not leaving you.”

    ”Oh, how cheerful we’ve gotten,” Mirage said with a sigh. He lifted himself lazily over her head and flew up above her, his eyes set on a building just up ahead. It’s lights had long winked out, but that did not deter him.

    Mirage heard Akila let out a dreadful burst of anger. Esks had no real way of excreting it through means such as the nose or mouth, as they did not possess such things, so they resorted to vibrations, gestures, and (the favorite) telepathy. 

    ”Leave him, it’s not worth it.” The tiny voice surprise Mirage. Was I being followed by two esks?

    Mirage decided to ignore the two and continued on his way. Contrary to his calculations, Akila did not follow him. Odd. Nevertheless, he continued through the icy snow storm towards his target: a jazz lounge. It didn’t look like much from the outside, but the inside (he knew) was wrought with splendor. All you had to do was venture inside.

    As soon as Mirage entered the building he knew something was wrong. It was usually dark, yes, but there would be something at least, a lamp or a candle, lighting the room. Here is was merely a dark, empty space. 

    ”Eve?” No response. Mirage searched the building with his eyes. The jazz lounge only had one floor. It had closed years ago, but Eve had always hung around. Why did she leave?

    ”Maybe Eve needed to get a break from your stalker tendencies.” Akila’s quiet voice drifted from across the room.

    Mirage swung around to face her. ”What were you, reading my thoughts?”

    ”Of course not. You’re just that predictable.” Beside Akila was a strange esk, smaller than she was, if it could be said.

    The esk was mostly brown, with some lighter shades of it here and there. Their body was covered with pebbles and bean sprouts. Tiny plants for a tiny esk… cute.

    ”Who’s that?” Mirage asked, indicating the esk beside her. He ignored Akila’s previous remarks.

    ”My name is Wormy,” the little esk said. ”I live around here, in a succulent pot.”

    A succulent pot? Mirage sifted through his memory, but couldn’t find anything on a succulent pot. I really have to take some time to explore the town a bit more. He walked toward Akila and Wormy, his eyes glinting with curiosity. ”Do you know where Eve went?”

    Wormy laughed. ”No one really knows for sure. She just… left, one day. Said she was going up to the mountains.”

    ”Up to the mountains?” Mirage shook his head in disbelief. ”Eve rarely ventures far from her boundary, much less the whole of the developed biome. What would make her go up to the mountains so suddenly?”

    Wormy shrugged. ”Beats me.”

    ”Hey, I heard there was a new esk living up there,” Akila said. ”He’s quite an odd one, I’ve heard, but he must’ve caught Eve’s attention. Maybe we should go up there and try to find her.”

    ”Maybe.” Mirage closed his eyes, deep in thought. We could stay here and wait until she comes back, but… she might not be safe. She could be troubled, or in danger, or worse. Mirage started to pace back and forth on the dusty lounge floor. Or we could go after her and see what she’s up to. But would Akila let me? What would Eve say when she realized I’ve been following her for the past couple weeks?

    Finally, Mirage looked up and fixed Akila and Wormy with a determined look. ”We’re going after her.”

    After a couple moments of silence, Wormy shuffled his feet nervously. ”I-I can’t come with you.”

    ”Oh, come on Wormy, you ruined the moment,” Mirage said with a sigh. ”You really can’t come with us?”

    Akila gave him a reprimanded look. ”Who said I was going?”

    ”Said the esk who wouldn’t leave me alone in the snow on a cold winter day,” Mirage shot back. ”Esks can’t feel cold.”

    ”Yes they can,” Akila argued.

    ”Well, I can’t. I live in a blazing canyon, for the love of--”

    ”Calm down, you guys! I’m sorry I can’t come, but I can’t leave my home. Not like this, in the middle of the winter. I’m sorry,” Wormy cried.

    Akila blinked at Wormy sympathetically. ”It’s all right, Wormy. We understand.” She glared pointedly at Mirage as she said this. Mirage stifled a chuckle.

    ”Well, guess we’re off then. Was good to meet you,” Mirage said, nodding to Wormy.

    ”You too… I guess,” Wormy replied.

    ”You better not cause any more trouble,” Akila told Mirage.

    If Mirage could smile, his grin would’ve won first prize in any contest. ”I won’t don’t worry.”