Sarah
I really wonder why Moira acts like such a know it all sometimes. I'm sure I can learn at least some basic spells, if she will let me. I will admit though, my muscles inexplicably hurt, and I feel a deep sense of tiredness that is more than just physical.
I know there is a shower in my room, but Moira instead leads me to hers. In her bathroom is the largest monstrosity of a shower I have ever laid eyes on, and yet it somehow pales in size to the…well, I don't actually know what that is supposed to be, but it kind of looks like a hot tub.
"The last thing we want is to drown in our sleep, and if we soak in the tub right now that is a very real possibility. Tell you what though, when we wake up tomorrow at 5, you are more than welcome to join me at that time if you wish. Sleep in though and the opportunity might pass you by." Moira said this in a gentle tone, and I understood that she was seriously just looking out for our safety. I seriously wondered how she thought I was going to sleep in past 5 pm though.
After we both undressed and entered the shower, I realized right then and there that I was willing to feel slightly condescended to half the time if it meant I could experience this sensation again. The pressure of the spray from nearly every freaking direction made quick work of the weird grey and black goop that was on my skin somehow, and my muscles practically sighed in relief as the soreness seemed to wash away with it. I know I did.
Moira adjusted some settings, creating an area of the shower not directly affected by the spray and passed me some soap and a loofah still in its package. When I was done, we switched places and I sighed once again at the feeling of the water washing over me. We repeated this three times before I really felt anywhere close to clean, and then we moved on to doing our hair. While the conditioner was still setting, she found some body wash that smelled rather pleasantly of cucumbers somehow, and we scrubbed our bodies down once more before rinsing the conditioner out of our hair and the soap off of our bodies.
"You know, it is likely that Gaia wants you as a high priestess. If you don't want that, I can help you escape that fate." Moira said to me quietly.
"Well, do I get awesome Earth powers as her high priestess?" I asked in return.
"Sure, kid. You might even get cosmic level powers if you earn enough favor for yourself. However, The accompanying responsibilities will likewise be immense. Furthermore, While Gaia would probably allow you to worship multiple gods, the Great Usurper that your mother worships will not. So you will have to choose." Moira's too serious voice and the contents of her words were starting to scare me.
"Umm, who the hell is the 'Great Usurper'?" I asked, hoping it would be some random spirit mom hadn't told me about.
"You Christians like to refer to him simply as 'God' or 'The Lord'. He is also called Jehovah or YHWH. Your mom not only worships him, but has clearly been raising all of you to do the same. However, for you to worship other gods, you cannot worship that one, specifically. So becoming a high priestess for Gaia is not a small matter. That's why I offered to offend her and help you get out of it, if you would like. I would highly suggest you not make this decision lightly or in haste, just putting the reality of things out in the open for you."
"If I don't want to get out of it, then I will offend God instead?" I asked with a tremorous voice.
"Very good. Most I would speak to about this would for some reason simply ignore the consequences of doing nothing. You should know that contrary to legend, he can not directly strike you down, though he can inspire his worshipers to do so. Gods of that caliber have to work through vessels, unless you have greatly offended them, which requires a bit more than making the less preferable choice when it is offered."
"Many choices you make in the future will similarly bear consequences. Some will be simple, like having two popsicles and offering one to your sister and thus offending your brother. Others will have significantly more weight, even more so because you are now a cultivator and have enormous potential as a witch."
"What will happen if I turn Gaia down? Will I still be a witch?" I asked in a small voice.
"You are a witch by birthright. Turning away from the Earth Mother may reduce your potential as a witch but it will not take your birthright away from you. You will simply need to form relationships with other spirits and hope you haven't pissed off Gaia sufficiently that she would feel motivated to blacklist you amongst most other spirits."
"So I will still be a witch, but if I am still Christian I won't be able to practice magic, right?"
"While that is one of the tenets of that religion, I should remind you your father is ostensibly a Christian and yet was unfaithful to his wife. As it turns out, there are very few who can live a life that doesn't violate the tenets of that particular religion. The point, as I have come to understand it, is to prove to mortals that they are nothing without Yeshua. If you don't practice magic, at least to let off some pressure every now and then, you will die violently or worse, kill many who are close to you in an emotional outburst. You can also become a nun, which would make YHWH himself the primary spirit you are connected to, and then your magic would simply be 'signs and miracles from the lord'. That is to say, you certainly have options right now."
"Wait, but if I become a nun, I won't be able to date right?"
"Yes, that is certainly the only thing to be worried about by that choice. Not the fact that you also will be disallowed from having sex or having much in the way of material possessions. Just the dating thing."
"Okay, first of all, I don't even think I want to have sex, second of all… Gaia seems pretty cool and chill, actually." I finally said.
"Well, tell that to the Greeks. I'm sure they would love to hear about how benevolent the source of all their misery is."
Then we both just sort of sat down, leaning back to back as we hung our head from tiredness. I seemingly blinked and the next thing I knew the water had been shut off, and Moira's …partner? Was staring at me intently, as if she was debating whether or not to tear out my throat. Moira stirred, noticed this behavior and shot Yulia a glare. "Yes, dear. Clearly I wish to run off with this 11 year old. After all, what other explanation could there possibly be?" I didn't fully understand this interaction at the time.
"Please, instead of standing there and terrorizing the poor girl, might you be so generous as to get her a towel?" Yulia shot a truly ferocious expression of pure incandescent rage in her direction, but Moira seemed not to notice. I felt like I was missing something. While Yulia was gone, Moira helped me to my feet, but then immediately moved to put distance between us as she opened the shower to grab her towel. Instead of using it to dry off, she wrapped herself in it and said quietly, "I am sorry I put you in danger like this. Clearly, Yulia and I have some things to talk about."
Then Yulia was back, and roughly shoved a towel at me with enough force I nearly fell backwards. I dried myself off quickly and wrapped my hair in the towel. I was ready to grab my clothing, but Moira said quickly, "Unfortunately, those will have to be burned. Not only have you begun the first steps of awakening your potential as a witch, you have awakened as a cultivator. The impurities your body has released have soiled your clothing beyond all redemption as a consequence. Every time you advance a competency level, your body will likely do the same thing to a lesser degree. Every time you advance a major realm, it might actually be far worse. So keep that in mind. It will hardly be the only price you pay along the path of cultivation. Tomorrow, when we have both gotten some sleep, I will begin formulating a cultivation technique for you, as well as myself."
"Okay, but how the hell am I supposed to deal with that? I can hardly walk out there with not even a stitch covering my body!"
"And yet, you have no such qualms parading yourself in front of my wife." Yulia grumbled so quietly I am sure I would not have been able to hear her earlier today.
"Yulia! What in the hell has gotten into you?" Moira sounded genuinely upset for once.
The odd couple looked like they were moments from coming to blows, and I don't mean metaphorically.
"Sarah, I think it might be unwise to further impose on Yulia tonight, so please use that towel to cover yourself until you get to your room, then you can do whatever you need to inside your own bathroom." Moira said this apologetically, but her eyes never strayed from her wife and her expression never softened.
I walked around Yulia, giving her as wide a berth as I possibly could in this over-large bathroom, and as soon as I had exited the bathroom I ran as fast as I could out the bedroom door and down the hall. I didn't stop running until I reached my bedroom, and I swear I did so in record time.
I shook a little as I truly felt the shadow of death beneath the larger woman's gaze, and I don't even know what I did wrong. Childishly, I jumped into bed and hid under the covers.