[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/fF6qBZj/Casii.png[/img][/center][hr]Interactions: None
[i]Sweet Breathin'[/i][hr]

Early mornin' riser, Casii always was. Like the plants and trees that craved the first light, shuddered excitedly as morning breeze swept over them, Casii too found the light of a new day to be refreshing. She found one of the higher roofs in Ersand to situate on the ledge of and look out to the horizon, waiting for that sun. Her feet dangled and kicked energetically as she popped a fresh Jamb'ysp into her mouth, letting the buzz of take a weight off of her shoulders.

She ran her hands across her new staff that lay in her lap. The Living Staff, they called it. Casii wasn't quite so sure until she held it. A powerful presence sat inside, at least she thought so. Her first touch alone had made her believe there was something excited about greengrowth manas. She wasn't sure she could articulate it to anyone clearly, but the Living Staff wasn't [i]just[/i] plant or a staff. It was more, something special.

[color=00a99d]"Humph."[/color]

Casii knew that sound. That grunt of disappointment had been chasing her all her life.

[color=00aeef]"What you want, ma?"[/color] Casii snarled, letting her throat churn a clump of her chew before she hocked it out down to the street below.

[color=00a99d]"[i]What you want, ma[/i] is it? After all the fine raisin' I did, you go'n buck up like that? Avoidin' my visit, too. Yer always bad for benastyin' my mood before we even begin. Some ruint you turned out to be."[/color] Taarie spat, if her mood grew sourer, Casii could not tell.

[color=00aeef]"I ain't beholden to you'n yer raisin' any much. Why, I turned out dandy without you."[/color] Casii stopped swinging her legs to turn give her mother a sour glare. Although she could never quite match the sourness her mother always had. She tried, at least.

[color=00a99d]"Aggin' me on with yer look, girl what a fool yer turnin' out to be. Be any wonder where yer gettin' over yer head with warshy contest'n an unfitten prize."[/color] Casii turned away, staring back out across the academy skyline, just as the sun was starting to crest the horizon. She had a feeling it was coming to this. Her mother's greed creeping in to taint what should have been a chance for some sort of attempt at a warm relation.

She clutched her hands tighter around the Living Staff. It seemed to react, hardening to her tenser grip. It was strange, she thought it felt like the staff was trying to convey a resilience, even annoyance at her gripping it.

[color=00aeef]"Unlessen you want somethin'n, I wanna be on my ownself, ma."[/color]
[color=00a99d]"Yer ownself? That how yer goin' about treatin' yer ma when she carries yer kin to yanii land? Leave ya just like that? Girl, yer somethin' else. Heartless as a Finch'r."[/color]

Casii felt her chest stir with guilt. Was her mother really trying to extend some curtesy here? This felt like her mother's usual routine of making her feel guilty and preying on that, but what if it wasn't this time.

[color=00aeef]"Dammit, ma! I just wanna be on my ownself now![/color] Casii leapt up and turned, snapping in frustration. [color=00aeef]"I'll... see you, pa, Jesuup later. Fair'n all?"[/color] She relanted, feeling like she was reluctantly conceding a defeat.

[color=00a99d]"Fine. Dunk yer head in the mud'n come find us. I ain't leavin' till we do a goodbye proper, girl."[/color]

Casii watched as her mother turned before gracefully leaping off the ledge, vanishing from sight but surely scaling down with ease. Now she had to find them later, knowing her word would be taken true. Her mother's threat was true to. She'd stay all school year, harassing her if she didn't give her what she wanted, but no way in five hells was she giving the Living Staff to her mother if that was it.

She sighed audibly. Where was Isii when she needed her? She'd need backup for what was to come.