Congealia Needleworker

“Are you ready?” Congealia asks.

Aoxian replies with an easy smile. “I’ve never been more ready for anything in my life.” It might sound like a cliché from anyone else, but from their years together, Congealia knows he means it utterly. Aoxian’s loving gaze follows her as she double-checks the items laid out on a nearby table. Slimefolk fusion, even with a non-Slimefolk, does not usually require this number of tools, but Congealia’s expansion of her self has come with added complication. Her more recent projects have proven that a Needleworker’s skills apply to more than just fabric, however, and Aoxian has no doubts that she can do this.

“Are you ready?” He knows it’s not doubt in her own skill that holds her back as she futzes needlessly with a scalpel. “We can wait until tomorrow, if you like. Or next week; or next year; or however long it takes. I will be here.”

She meets their eye and she knows they mean this, too. And that’s all she needs to know to be sure.

“I’m ready.”

Concerned rumours begin to circulate around the circus as days turn into weeks and whoever Aoxian and Congealia have become still does not emerge from their tent. They signal that they are fine – Aoxian’s voice comes through a lifted corner of the tent flap with an unusual lilting cadence, “No, no, nothing is the matter. Just…getting used to it, is all. Could you bring us – her – me – ah, be a dear and bring some more fabric, would you? The lilac, yes.” Meals are brought and left by the door, along with tailoring supplies in an ever-growing variety.

After nearly a month, a handful of their closest friends are invited to visit for the “big reveal”. Their tent has been decorated (as per detailed written instructions passed to the rest of the circus troupe) with flowers and streamers. Lin, Miyel and Ziruna are among the first invited inside. A small, curtained stage awaits them, festooned with yet more streamers, and flowers both real and fabric-sewn. The colour palette is undeniably pink, cut through with midnight purple; pearls and gemstones hang on threads, reflecting like stars the light which is focused on the centre of the curtain. Vines tangle up and over everything, weaving in and out of the fabric in fluid curls.

The curtain twitches once; a pause, perhaps as breaths are taken; and then it is pulled back, to reveal…

…an empty stage.

Another pause. And then…

There is the soft flutter of leathery wings from behind everyone.

“Surprise!” Aoxian’s charming laugh gives way to a Congealia-like giggle.

As the others spin around, they see the form of Aoxian standing before them, striking a flamboyant pose. Or at least, mostly Aoxian. There have been some additions. They now sport Congealia’s fuzzy tail, intertwined with a vine, which is itself now spotted with little purple flowers. More vines trail down from their bare shoulders, cascading over the top of their robes: layered chiffon in pinks and purples; tied at the waist with a wide belt tied into a ribbon-like bow at the back; slit to the thigh; and with long, trailing sleeves blossoming with more silken flowers. Their hair has been dyed a bright pink and seems more voluminous than it had been before, held up by a myriad of gem-studded pins; a section of it at the front hangs asymmetrically, half-obscuring one of their dark eyes. And from beneath the familiar pair of horns that crest their head, Aogealia gives a somewhat devilish smile.

“Thank you for indulging me. It’s so good to see you all again! So…” They give a twirl. “What do you think?”

— Written by Rowan M.

“What do you, young ones, know of the Slimefolk?” I said.

“The Vinefolk?” one of the two young Vines piped up.

“No, our cousins from the Labyrinth…” I smiled, leaves shifting wide.

Silence.

“You see, a long time ago, one of our progenitors, Congealia-” I continued.

“We know all about her!” the other of the youngsters interrupted. They had still yet to get more mass and ether, one of the two new Vinefolk in the last year.

I sighed, clasping my leafy hand to my forehead, “Right, no more interruptions unless I ask. Congealia brought us here, to the Land of Endless Sky, but we came from the Labyrinth, from the Slimefolk. They are still made there, in an Artefact. I… am not sure how it works exactly, so don't ask, but I did visit many years ago and met those that live down there. They can't leave the Labyrinth because they don't use the Vine protections that we do.”

The young Vines frowned and rustled their vines in some confusion.

“They have a different life to us, but that's okay, that's how we lived for a very long time. We get to enjoy the sun and the Sky, but there are far fewer of us. That's why we have you though, the little ones, to join and grow our community here.”

“I want to be big, like you!” the first young Vine said. I smiled at them.

“And I want to go and explore!” the other said.

“Well, you can, once you've got a bit more mass and we get you some more ether. You can leave and do your own thing! Just like Xiya did a few months ago. Now, give Aunt Constance some peace and go play with the Fu-Shus, I bet there's a show being practiced, or… something.”

I went home and instinctively touched a few of the keepsakes left by Congealia, who I still thought of as a mother. Well, really it was Aogealia, but somehow being named after a part of them made me think of the old Slimefolk.

I wondered what had happened to them. Congealia was already old, and when I visited our Labyrinth cousins the one thing I understood from Elder Gestalt was that there were limits to Slimefolk aging unless we fused. Was that true for us Vinefolk? Had Aogealia fused more? Perhaps I would never know.

So long as we continued to be, I suppose I could suppress the curiosity, but as ever it felt precarious. As many chose to leave for the world, as those that stayed here. Every so often a Slimefolk from the Labyrinth would come and join of course, but it had been some time since the last one.

I had to trust to my mother's vision of the future. A vision of freedom.

I went out again and tended to the gardens. The blooms today… they were beautiful.