Novalunian Frontier: The DovePort Journals

Chapter 4: Slow Beginnings

Unfortunately, familiars don't come with instructions, so when it comes to knowing what to do with Toast Romina is stumped. Sure they can share the bed and Toast doesn't need to eat but what exactly are you supposed to do with a dog that doesn't need anything? Instead of doing any research, Romina sat on the floor hand holding her head staring at this new creature in front of her. It has the mannerisms of a dog, it sounds like a dog, and it looks like a dog. But somehow it is not a dog. Her mother had given her a stack of books to read about magic and explore more outside her natural range of simple levitation.

The most she had explored outside of her natural range was magic that manipulates nature. Nature wasn't her interest, however. But were editans limited to only one magic or could she try anything she wanted? She had so many questions and no one to ask. That's when she realized it, Winfrey. Winfrey could help her. Winfrey would help her. Romina stood up and quickly collected her things. The journal and notepad were strewn about on her bed from earlier when she was taking note of a few things she may have missed.

She made her way down the stairs and into the living room with Toast following behind her at a slow pace. Neither of her parents were in sight and she didn't want to go searching for them. She left a note on the kitchen island and headed out the door nearly forgetting Toast inside the house. She opened the door and shooed Toast out of the house. The pair made their way quickly to Winfrey's shop. The door swung open as she pushed it as if the door knew her desires.

From the view she had she could see Winfrey talking with two customers nearby. Romina stood in the aisle staring for a bit before she turned around to face a man with no head.

"Oh hello," the headless man said politely, he was carrying a pot with some flowers in it in his hands. "Can I help you?" He asked. Romina was at a loss for where his voice was coming from but did not wish to pry.

"Um, I need to talk with Winfrey," Romina said trying to ignore that the man had no head.

"Oh, I will let her know," he said as he walked right over to her. How could he possibly see where he was going he has no head?

Winfrey walked over to Romina she didn't have her bags on today which Romina found to be odd. "What can I help you with little starling?" She asked.

Romina vaguely gestured to Toast, "I need help with this"

"Is something wrong with it? Is it not doing its job correctly?" She asked already assuming the worst.

"No, I just don't know what to do with it" Romina commented sheepishly, she was a tad bit embarrassed that she could not figure it out.

"Now that you have it you can learn magic to your heart's content" Winfrey said confused as to what Romina might have meant.

"Okay, but I don't know what kind I want to learn is Toast limited to just one type? How will I decide if I can only learn one?" Romina began to ask a million questions before Winfrey took her hand.

"No it is not limited, and it's perfectly normal to not know what kind of magic to learn. I may be fluent in plant-based magic but I decided to learn water-based magic when I got a familiar"

Winfrey handed her supplies to a smaller weaker looking familiar and laid down to be more at Romina's level.

"The interesting thing about Editans is that they do not have their own natural magic until someone becomes their master. As of right now, we don't know what magic Toast holds, but it's usually a stronger version of the magic you naturally hold as her master. Familiars on the other hand not so much, they are formed with a predetermined magic type"

Winfrey gestures to her fox familiar, "that is Papercrane, he wields light-based magic. I do not personally require light-based magic to balance me but he is still of use to me" he looked human to an extent besides the odd doll-like joints he had. Normally he had one or maybe two tails but when casting spells he could have seven if he wanted to, according to Winfrey this was a light illusion and only one of the tails was truly real.