Vibe Check | Druidic Training

Alois was thrilled to have the opportunity to learn magic from the goddess of Spring herself. It's not every day that one can learn from such a revered figure, so Alois planned to dedicate most of their time to mastering this skill before the season's end.

"Ok, ok, watch this!" Alois calls, standing over a tilled patch of dirt with trembling outstretched arms. "I've been practicing on my own a lot, ma'am!"

Cybele chuckles, amused by the short pink moo's excitement. She had witnessed many eagerly embrace the task of learning her magic as of late, and it never failed to bring her joy. "I'm watching, Alois. Go ahead!"

With that, Alois closes their eyes and begins to concentrate, visualizing the tiny seed in their mind's eye. After a moment, a little sprout starts to spiral upwards from the dirt before halting suddenly and wilting slightly. However, Alois does not notice, keeping their arms out and eyes closed until they feel a hand on theirs.

"Hm?" Alois opens their eyes, looking downward. "Is something wrong?"

"Alois, I know you're eager to show your progress, but have you been getting enough rest?" The goddess asks, moving her hand to Alois's shoulder.

"Of course I have!" They affirm, flashing a grin.

Cybele tilts her head, raising an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes!" They nod quickly, reaching to hold their hand back over the sprout. "I am perfectly well-rested."

"Alois, you know that that kind of thing can show in your casting, right?"

Their ears droop and their gaze shifts completely to the plant below. The season was nearly over, and they couldn't just stop. They wanted to get this figured out so badly. They just had to.

"How about we take a moment or two to relax here... at least until your hands stop shaking?"

It takes them a long moment to respond, and they just sit down in the grass with a huff. "Was it really that obvious?"

"Can't really hide that kind of thing from a mother, I'm afraid,"

Alois let out a deep, weary sigh and allowed his body to slump slightly, showing the weight of exhaustion and fatigue. "Listen... I've just had a rough week, is all."

"Would you like to talk about it?" She asks, her voice filled with empathy and concern.

"Where would I even begin? It's such a long and complicated story with so many parts, and honestly, it's just been so overwhelming." He sighs again, the situation still so fresh on his mind.

"Well, I'm more than happy to listen. You don't have to worry about burdening me. Just take your time and share what's on your mind."

After another beat of silence, Alois starts to open up about his troubles, his voice carrying the weight of his concerns. Cybele listens intently, her eyes shifting to the nearby plant. She notices a subtle change - the drooping leaves begin to straighten, and the once wilted plant seems to come to life, almost as if Alois' words are breathing new energy into it. A gentle smile forms on Cybele's lips as she observes this, but she remains silent, not wanting to interrupt Alois as he shares his story.

Emotions are fascinating things, especially when it comes to magic. Cybele thinks to herself, watching as the plant improves with each passing moment.

"And that's what happened. I'm not sure what to do, if anything at all, but thank you for listening at the very least."

"Of course, Alois," she replied, looking between him and the lively little strawberry blossom in the dirt with a smile. "By the way, your strawberry plant looks like it is going to grow perfectly."

The shorter moo whipped around with a gasp, inspecting the plant with gentle hands as he slowly started to piece together what had just happened.