synopsychic | Locked to pack

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Locked to pack

Lyall suggested that we should connect our rooms, so that one doesn't have to step out into Liminal to get to the next one, and it seems like a good idea to me. What do you think? [He doesn't necessarily approve of the others' permanent rooms, but he does approve of strengthening pack bonds, and that definitely would help in that regard.]

Also, [and in many ways this is the more important and serious question] me and the little one have been talking, and we've agreed that she should be one of us. I can perform the Ashina ritual for it [as fucking weird as that whole concept of turning someone into a werewolf is; but with his adopted daughter, it just seems right, and she might be the only one for whom it might seem right to him, ever], but I would like for all of you to be present. It was a festive family event for Bogdan. [And he feels like that is a good way of treating it. After all, something major and exciting is happening, and he hopes that this will work towards having her adopted into the pack, too. She's already bonded with himself, Lyall, Hajime and Ryo, that's only two members off, anyway, even though dragon bonding isn't pack bonding. But it should be another step towards it.]

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[What an exciting idea! And also a lot less fraught then a turning Lyall's way.]

Oh, yes, of course we'll come. Or I will, certainly. I was a pack leader among the Ashina, and a fairly accomplished witch, so I know the spells as well as the traditions for a turning celebration.

So. I can help you if you want me to.

[That is very relieving to hear, really. He knows he can do this, but he also has never done it before, or rather, Bogdan had never done it before. It will be good to have someone with experience by his side.]

I'd appreciate the help.

[Especially from Lyall it is easy to accept. He's the kind of person who should perform such things, anyway (and here we circle back to Laughs' subconscious or conscious sorting of his packmates into Auspices and tribes), but also just one of the few people here whom Laughs would trust without hesitation. And since this is about his cub, a lot of trust will be needed to accept help.]

[Good, wonderful, that's a relief. Lyall actually remembers doing this, and has vague recollections of that infiltration having split the spell between two people who cared deeply for the person being changed, so he knows he can help.]

I actually did this during the Jaunt. We'll have to adapt the spells for a dragon instead of a human, but I definitely think it can be done smoothly, with the two of us behind it.

[He sits up and then shifts towards human to try and work this one out.]

The most important diference should be in the second phase of the spell, I think, because that's where the physical changes are addressed.

There's one word in the beginning phase that will need to change, as well, in the framing of the preparation description, but most everything else will be in the second phase, yes. Hmm. Maybe a descriptive shift in the final phrase, too, just to be safe.

[He's working through the spell in his head as he speaks.]

At least the worse that can happen is nothing. We can't hurt her with it, even if it fails-- I don't think it will, mind, but at least it's safe for her either way.

[There is a long pause, mostly signalling agreement.]

I'm glad we were Ashina, at least.

[It made the decision to give this a go significantly easier, exactly because it is the least harmful of the methods of turning that he's heard of so far.]

I am, as well. Every other method of metamorphosis is unfortunately violent. Even my own kind, from my own world, involves basically killing whoever is seeking the change. Ashina are much more civilized.

Your kind's method would not be an option for her.

[Never. As much as he appreciates Lyall himself, it is still far too similar to turning people into vampires for his liking, and far too dangerous on top.

As long as Laughs has a say in it, that wouldn't be a thing that would happen to his cub.]

No, I am fairly sure it wouldn't work, and I wouldn't be willing to put her through that, anyway. To accept metamorphosis, one has to be able to properly consent, and be trained in what it entails. It's not something to be done lightly, and never to a child.

[Whether or not Laughs would agree to it, Lyall never would. He is, however, hoping that doing it the Ashina way, and getting to help with the spells, will scratch the itch he's been getting in the back of his mind to actually use his Anubis form for its intended purpose. He really shouldn't be wanting to kill anyone and bring them back as an immortal undead werewolf... and yet.]

Good.

[...]

Could you come over to my room so we can go over this?

[The dragonet is asleep so he cannot really move right now. He's being a baby bed.]

Oh, yes, of course. I'll be there shortly.

[And he will, wandering in and looking around again, to see if and how it's changed since the last time.]

[There are only minor changes. The most visible is that in the far distance, where the walls are hidden behind an illusion of distance, one can now spy strangely shaped clouds.

Laughs is sitting on a trunk near the entrance, uneasily doodling on the ground. He looks up when Lyall enters and gestures for him to sit down on a nearby rock.]

She's asleep.

Then I'll try to keep quiet.

[He sits as requested, then asks what he thinks is the most important question. After all, he just spoke about consent with regards to his own method of creating pups.]

Does she know about you wanting to do this?

We talked about it, and agreed on this.

We both retained our forest folk forms from Yensid, and she knows that Ryo and Hajime have a wolf form. So she came to me and asked why Ryo and Hajime could look like me when I'm in my own form, but not her, even though we all had the same form in Yensid.

She wants to be more like her pack [not in quite the same sense as Laughs considers the other men pack, but more in the wolf sense - family] and I would like her to be, too.

[Lyall nods.]

Good. I would like to discuss it with her, too, as is only appropriate if she is to be officially joining my pack.

[He pauses, then adds,]

She won't be like Hajime or the colonel, after all. Their werewolf natures are more of a form shift than yours or mine, like a skill they took on. She will be a werewolf all the time, with all the associated strengths and weaknesses, unless she consciously chooses to use a skill-based form like the Forest Folk form she kept from Yensid. I'll need to make sure she understands that, and that you both know what precautions to take.

[He hadn't expected or Lyall to accept someone so young into his pack, so that comes as a pleasant surprise.

...Though he belatedly realizes that to Lyall it might have sounded like Laughs was expecting him to do that in the first place.] I didn't expect her to be accepted into the pack as a full member, but I'm sure she would enjoy that. [And he wouldn't mind. He just doesn't want Lyall to feel pressured into it, because the dragonet still is very young and a lot less able to pull her weight than the adult pack members.]

[He's a teacher, Laughs. Why are you so surprised? It isn't as if the pack really has any responsibilities except to take care of each other, here.]

If I'm going to be helping with the spell, I'm fairly sure it will happen whether you or she expected it or not, so it needs to be discussed. Besides, I'm not about to have a pup about who we all can't help look after. Ryo is halfway there, himself, and he's only canine a small part of the time.

[That is a fair enough point. The way their pack is being formed and held together is always something between experimental and just plain different from what Laughs is used to, so that didn't even occur to him.]

...Shall we wake her up so you can talk to her, then?

[Lyall considers, then offers,]

If you think she won't be cranky. Otherwise I can wait until she's ready to wake on her own.

[Babies and being woken from naps, and all.]

[He weighs his options, and then stands.]

She might wake by herself when she senses us nearby.

[And if not, they can wait.]

Very well.

[Lyall gets up to follow Laughs to where she's sleeping, ready to take a seat there instead should they need to.]

[They have to sit down and wait for a bit, but soon enough she stirs and looks up, peering curious at the two werewolves sitting nearby.

Something is up, she can tell with the sharp senses of a child that know exactly when things are up.

Laughs looks over at Lyall. This will be the alpha's conversation, for the most part.]

[Lyall leans down a little, inviting her to come over with an outstretched hand and a welcoming pattern of colors across the dragonbond.]

I'd like to talk with you about the conversation you had with Laughs-at-the-Storm, about becoming a werewolf, like he and I are.

[Saffron comes over and sits down in front of Lyall, and then after a faint telempathic nudge from Laughs, changes into her goat form and nods.]

Dad said it won't be the same, just similar. But more like you and Mommy than like Daddy and Gale and Tick-Tock.

[She still isn't sure what to call Tick-Tock. It hinges on if she wants to call Kenzaki daddy or not, really.]

[It's okay, take your time labeling people with new names. Tick-Tock will probably be bemused by it all, anyway.]

Yes, that's what it will be like. They are werewolves only part of the time, part of the way-- the way you can be a Forest Folk part of the time, when you choose to be. You will be a werewolf all the time, at the same time as being a dragon, with all the good things and bad things that come with it. Has Laughs-at-the-Storm told you what those good things and bad things will be?

[They'll just all end up daddies, probably. All the daddies.]

He said that I'll be a wolf and not remember that I'm a dragon on the full moon. [...What else are things that stood out as good or bad.] And that I will be able to smell better. And that I can have another bond with you and Daddy and the others.

You'll be able to hear better, too, probably. The bond with the rest of the pack won't be like the one you have now with me and Laughs-at-the-Storm. You'll be able to tell where we are, and tell when we're unhappy or afraid, but not much else. For the full moon, if you want, you can come into liminal space with me, since the moon doesn't reach us here.

[Sounds like Laughs did a pretty good job explaining things, then. He does add one more warning:]

We won't be able to undo it if we do this for you. So you have to be very sure this is what you want. It's going to take us a few days to work out how to alter the spell for a dragon, so you can think on it until we're ready. Any time before we cast the spell, you can always say no and no one will be angry with you.

[She nods understanding at all of this, very earnestly, listening closely to what Lyall says. Even parts that aren't new are still important. She understands that this is very big.

But it is good.]

I will come to Liminal Space with you. [That sounds like a very good solution. She was a bit worried about the natural wolf part; losing herself sounded scary. But if she can go to Liminal with alpha daddy, that works.]

I thought you might prefer that. So think about it, and talk about it with anyone you please, and Laughs-at-the-Storm and I will prepare the magic for you. All right?

[He offers her his hand, solemnly, something she'll recognize as a Forest Folk as something to seal a bargain with.]

[She is incredibly pleased by being treated like an adult here. Or well, as close to being treated like an adult as a child can be.

And will do her best to act accordingly to it. So she takes the hand with the most severe expression and shakes it, her small hoof almost vanishing in his big human hand.]

I'll think on it.

[But she's pretty sure that she's not going to decide differently. It sucks when you're the only one in the family who is different, and ...this is something that she can't quite grasp yet at her age, but there's a deep sitting recognition of her position as an outside there, too. She's never going to be a regular dragon because of where she'll grow up and who will raise her. Even by captive dragon standards, she won't be a proper dragon. Her goat form is an overlay, so that is out, too. But maybe, just maybe, she can come close to being a proper wolf, or a proper werewolf, at least. She certainly has a better chance at learning how to be that than she has at being a proper dragon, and the werewolves are all something else first and have to learn how to be a werewolf, too. She won't be as off.]

Very good. I look forward to hearing your final answer.

[He shakes just as solemnly, then opens his arms in an invitation for a hug, too. He's pretty sure she won't decide differently, either, but he still wants her to make sure she feels like she's thought it through. And since they have time until they can do it, anyway, it just makes sense to give her that time.]

[Hugs are good, especially when they come from family, and he'll definitely get one.

Laughs won't interrupt them and simply stay where he's seated, glad that this went over so smoothly.]

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