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The Core Four (Plus One. The Core Five.)
Apr. 17th, 2024 11:20 amBack in the day when I was churning out a one-shot fic every week and working on a bunch of chaptered monstrosities at the same time, I got it into my head that I was going to create a kind of core group of characters (four originally, another was added later on) and their Companions and write a whole series of one-shots following them from Choosing through their lives as Heralds. It started out with the Companion named Magic, and then her Chosen (Singe), and then Kylla and Piper followed, and so on. And it stayed at the four pairs for a long time until Rena and Sage were added because I wanted to do something with them (they were RP characters that I really liked) and they just kind of fit in well with my current core characters. (CORE FIVE!!)
So I got started on writing the Choosing fics with Kylla and Piper in Fire And Ashes, and then... yeah. idk, life got crazy on me and I was really sick a lot of the time (still am tbh) and honestly I just got into other fandoms for a while, and the whole thing just kind of got... dropped, and tabled for the LONGEST TIME. BUT. The last few days I've been thinking about these characters and I really do want to revisit them. Despite getting away from them for a while there I never actually FORGOT about them, they've always been in the back of my mind, so...
Singe Rushworth & Companion Magic: Singe (black hair, dark eyes) is from just outside of Haven, where his father ran a thriving blacksmithing shop. Of course, when he was old enough, Singe started working the forges as well, and they always seemed to burn stronger and better when he was around, producing higher quality pieces. Singe thrived in this environment... until one day another mind Poked his and a chagrined Voice asked if he could possibly help? Magic had come to Choose him and bumbled her way into a minor landslide and gotten STUCK. So Singe had to mount a rescue party to dig out his future-Companion, who then proceeded to Choose him and cart him off to the Collegium. Once a Trainee, Singe grew close to a few friends, but particularly Kylla. Singe's Gifts are Mindspeech and Firestarting. Magic, as a Companion, is... CLUMSY. She will trip over thin air. But despite that she is enthusiastic, bubbly and lovable, and never lets the world get her down.
Kylla Tucker & Companion Piper: Kylla (blonde hair, brown eyes) was born and raised on a farm near the border of Hardorn, along with her younger sister, Karrie. She had a rather idyllic life, though she worked hard on the farm and at her studies at the local temple. She was a good daughter and sister, always looking out for Karrie, and loved all the animals on the farm, particularly the dogs, Dover and Lila. One night a fire ripped through the farmhouse, though, leaving Kylla an orphan and killing her sister as well. Kylla herself came away with burns to one hand that left permanent scars, but otherwise unscathed thanks to Piper, who swooped in at the last second to rescue her. Within her group of friends at the Collegium, Kylla is kind of the Big Sister figure, always looking out for everyone and keeping an eye on them. She's particularly close to Singe, and after their time as Trainees, the two of them are partnered together as Circuit Heralds. Kylla's Gifts are Mindspeech and ForeSight (though it did her no good the night of the fire at the farm.) Her Companion, Piper, is strong-willed and stubborn (so is Kylla) but loves Kylla with all her heart and would do anything to keep her safe and happy, including running head-on into a raging inferno.
Vadi Shiloa & Companion Ripa: No one has ever actually SEEN Shiloa, with the exception of Ripa, fleeting glances in his mind. This is because Shiloa lives far, FAR away, in a kingdom so far to the south of Valdemar that no one has ever even heard of it before, and the journey to get there is basically impassable. Shiloa shares her image with Ripa by looking in mirrors or other reflective surfaces and then projecting that image to him. She has black hair, dark brown eyes and dark skin. Ripa has done the same for her. TECHNICALLY Ripa has never Chosen Shiloa, as that requires looking into her eyes directly, but despite this their Bond is strong and he loves her with all his being. Shiloa's Gift is INCREDIBLY strong Mindspeech, particularly ThoughtProjecting, which is why Ripa and the others are able to keep in touch with her despite her being so far away. Ripa introduced Shiloa to Singe, Kylla, Metty and Rena mentally because Shiloa is somewhat of an outcast where she's from and he wanted her to have friends. Now she talks regularly with the rest of the Core Five AS WELL AS THEIR COMPANIONS.
Rena Ashby & Companion Sage + Metty Cox & Grove Born Stallion Gwydion: Rena (blonde hair, blue eyes) and Metty (red-brown hair, green eyes, freckles for DAAAAAAYS) get a joint entry because they grew up together, orphans living near Exile's Gate. They ran together along with a few other homeless kids, begging and stealing to get by, until one day Gwydion showed up and basically picked Metty up by the scruff of the neck and physically hauled him off to the Collegium. Unfortunately, as good as this was for Metty, this left Rena not-quite-alone but FEELING alone because he had been her best friend, like a brother to her. One night she sneaked up to the Collegium and found herself at Companion's Field, where she began venting her frustrations to a rather bemused-looking Companion... who turned out to be Sage, and promptly Chose her as well, laughing about it the entire time. Metty's Gifts are FarSight and Fetching, and he can't Mindspeak much, though he does with Gwydion just because of the strength of the Grove Born's magic. After his Training he became Monarch's Own Heralld, obviously. Rena's Gifts are Mindspeech and Empathy, and after her Training she became a Herald Courier, running messages around the Kingdom. Metty and Rena are both pretty cheerful and love to laugh, and never take life for granted because of how/where they grew up. They consider themselves incredibly lucky to be where they are, and especially to have both been Chosen so they could stay together. Gwydion is his usual Grove Born self, and Sage is tall, slender and graceful, serene and easily amused. Gwydion and Sage had a brief romantic entanglement at one point (Metty and Rena were MORTIFIED) that resulted in a colt, Thibeax, being born (Metty and Rena were less mortified. They love Thibeax.)
CORE FIVE!!
So I got started on writing the Choosing fics with Kylla and Piper in Fire And Ashes, and then... yeah. idk, life got crazy on me and I was really sick a lot of the time (still am tbh) and honestly I just got into other fandoms for a while, and the whole thing just kind of got... dropped, and tabled for the LONGEST TIME. BUT. The last few days I've been thinking about these characters and I really do want to revisit them. Despite getting away from them for a while there I never actually FORGOT about them, they've always been in the back of my mind, so...
Singe Rushworth & Companion Magic: Singe (black hair, dark eyes) is from just outside of Haven, where his father ran a thriving blacksmithing shop. Of course, when he was old enough, Singe started working the forges as well, and they always seemed to burn stronger and better when he was around, producing higher quality pieces. Singe thrived in this environment... until one day another mind Poked his and a chagrined Voice asked if he could possibly help? Magic had come to Choose him and bumbled her way into a minor landslide and gotten STUCK. So Singe had to mount a rescue party to dig out his future-Companion, who then proceeded to Choose him and cart him off to the Collegium. Once a Trainee, Singe grew close to a few friends, but particularly Kylla. Singe's Gifts are Mindspeech and Firestarting. Magic, as a Companion, is... CLUMSY. She will trip over thin air. But despite that she is enthusiastic, bubbly and lovable, and never lets the world get her down.
Kylla Tucker & Companion Piper: Kylla (blonde hair, brown eyes) was born and raised on a farm near the border of Hardorn, along with her younger sister, Karrie. She had a rather idyllic life, though she worked hard on the farm and at her studies at the local temple. She was a good daughter and sister, always looking out for Karrie, and loved all the animals on the farm, particularly the dogs, Dover and Lila. One night a fire ripped through the farmhouse, though, leaving Kylla an orphan and killing her sister as well. Kylla herself came away with burns to one hand that left permanent scars, but otherwise unscathed thanks to Piper, who swooped in at the last second to rescue her. Within her group of friends at the Collegium, Kylla is kind of the Big Sister figure, always looking out for everyone and keeping an eye on them. She's particularly close to Singe, and after their time as Trainees, the two of them are partnered together as Circuit Heralds. Kylla's Gifts are Mindspeech and ForeSight (though it did her no good the night of the fire at the farm.) Her Companion, Piper, is strong-willed and stubborn (so is Kylla) but loves Kylla with all her heart and would do anything to keep her safe and happy, including running head-on into a raging inferno.
Vadi Shiloa & Companion Ripa: No one has ever actually SEEN Shiloa, with the exception of Ripa, fleeting glances in his mind. This is because Shiloa lives far, FAR away, in a kingdom so far to the south of Valdemar that no one has ever even heard of it before, and the journey to get there is basically impassable. Shiloa shares her image with Ripa by looking in mirrors or other reflective surfaces and then projecting that image to him. She has black hair, dark brown eyes and dark skin. Ripa has done the same for her. TECHNICALLY Ripa has never Chosen Shiloa, as that requires looking into her eyes directly, but despite this their Bond is strong and he loves her with all his being. Shiloa's Gift is INCREDIBLY strong Mindspeech, particularly ThoughtProjecting, which is why Ripa and the others are able to keep in touch with her despite her being so far away. Ripa introduced Shiloa to Singe, Kylla, Metty and Rena mentally because Shiloa is somewhat of an outcast where she's from and he wanted her to have friends. Now she talks regularly with the rest of the Core Five AS WELL AS THEIR COMPANIONS.
Rena Ashby & Companion Sage + Metty Cox & Grove Born Stallion Gwydion: Rena (blonde hair, blue eyes) and Metty (red-brown hair, green eyes, freckles for DAAAAAAYS) get a joint entry because they grew up together, orphans living near Exile's Gate. They ran together along with a few other homeless kids, begging and stealing to get by, until one day Gwydion showed up and basically picked Metty up by the scruff of the neck and physically hauled him off to the Collegium. Unfortunately, as good as this was for Metty, this left Rena not-quite-alone but FEELING alone because he had been her best friend, like a brother to her. One night she sneaked up to the Collegium and found herself at Companion's Field, where she began venting her frustrations to a rather bemused-looking Companion... who turned out to be Sage, and promptly Chose her as well, laughing about it the entire time. Metty's Gifts are FarSight and Fetching, and he can't Mindspeak much, though he does with Gwydion just because of the strength of the Grove Born's magic. After his Training he became Monarch's Own Heralld, obviously. Rena's Gifts are Mindspeech and Empathy, and after her Training she became a Herald Courier, running messages around the Kingdom. Metty and Rena are both pretty cheerful and love to laugh, and never take life for granted because of how/where they grew up. They consider themselves incredibly lucky to be where they are, and especially to have both been Chosen so they could stay together. Gwydion is his usual Grove Born self, and Sage is tall, slender and graceful, serene and easily amused. Gwydion and Sage had a brief romantic entanglement at one point (Metty and Rena were MORTIFIED) that resulted in a colt, Thibeax, being born (Metty and Rena were less mortified. They love Thibeax.)
CORE FIVE!!
