46 Vhalar 717
It was a prize from an Etzos event which was supposed to be fun although, that did not mean a thing after how the event ended. Bad and then worse, although F'mos was not going to admit it was a result he contributed to. While no one was sure of what had happened there were many theories surrounding it and most prevalent among them; Parren bore the backlash of one of the many strange spirits he had with him. The assumptions of how the man used and maybe even abused his spirits were likely true if the way he treated people was any indication. The aukari would not have cared though as he no longer had the responsibilities of a guard. Like a lot of the others involved in the incident, he believed Parren was a crook and got whatever was coming to him.
There was no one else F'mos felt deserving of the Parren's fate. Sadly after the same incident, there was now one more person in Etzos with a spirit of her own and he feared for her safety. Especially with his ward involved, F'mos had his misgivings about the Anak as it was a creature so foreign and strange to him. Lizzie unfortunately did not feel the same way and had no problem keeping it with her most of the time. As far as she was concerned, the Anak was a friend like Captain Cuddles and Flapjack even if her guardian failed to the see the similarities. Unlike the Anak, both the scython and the eagle despite being dangerous animals had instincts and desires he could understand. Lizzie could not be convinced about Ivory Haze however and the name she gave the Anak only signified how attached she had become to it.
She was a smart girl to point out the fact that if the Anak- Ivory Haze meant to harm her, it had enough opportunities to do so already. F'mos had to be sure of it himself though as any danger it posed Lizzie was also a possible danger to himself. A promise he would succeed in proving it to the girl, "today" would be a trial like all the others he had assumed responsibility for the creature. A quick brief from Lizzie in case she had learned anything else about Ivory, aukari had the Anak elsewhere for the usual game of catch. It was something Lizzie said the Anak loved which F'mos had taken it as the truth. While it was hard for him to communicate with Ivory... Haze with its limited vocabulary and an even more limited understanding of the world, the incessant requests of the Anak to "play" was annoying; even more annoying than the pranks and mischief directed at him if the aukari did not acquiescence to the Anak's request.
At least the pranks and mischief of the Anak would keep the aukari on his toes, practice for the threats he expected to one day catch up to him as a deserter of Sirothelle in Etzos. Its requests to "play" on the other hand were just... annoying and had no benefit to him. It was annoying to the point a volatile race like his did not need to deal with as it because of the increased likelihood he would erupt from it. It was only a matter of time which increased just as his own patience decreased but he soldiered on anyway; he had to for as long as he carried it. This was not what he had signed up for. It was like taking care of another child! One more than he needed to maintain his cover in Etzos especially if all it did was tax his patience.
Fortunately he had one child capable of pulling her own weight. With the instructions Lizzie had for him, the game of catch with Ivory was no more dangerous than taking Kavelza out for a walk or Hajnasis for a hunt. He would reluctantly admit it was a relaxing way for him to spend a trial, Faldrun knew F'mos would be at the illest of tempers by the time he and the Anak reached their usual spot away from prying eyes. It was much convenient the play session with Ivory became a good opportunity for the aukari to release his pent-up stress or he would not even be able to last the trial.
The unchanging rhythm of the ball as it repeatedly bounced between the aukari and Anak certainly helped F'mos to calm down, just as it had the last few times he took Ivory out. The creature was just content with allowing the ball to fly towards it and, forcefully returning it to F'mos who had to attempt the same to keep the game going. Even if it would be considered a rare enough occurrence to someone else, the aukari considered the times he missed the ball entirely and was forced to give chase before it flew too far, too often an occurrence but even that was not too bad. It was a lot better than the times F'mos was hit by with the impactful return of the ball by the Anak of Force.
Unless the blows had hit his head dead on and rattled his brains, it was inevitable F'mos eventually got the idea. The idea. Since it was against his better judgment it is more likely his brains had already been rattled or he would not have gone through with it. Nevertheless it was true the blows of the force powered ball of the Anak hurt quite a bit and if true for when Ivory was being playful, imagine if F'mos had the assistance of the creature in a fight? The aukari had to be careful about how proceeded with the idea's execution however because in the end, Ivory Haze belonged to Lizzie. The last thing he wanted to do was taint the Anak with violence only for Lizzie to end up the same way Parren had with his own spirit ally.
If only F'mos knew the truth of how the man met his end that trial...
Eventually F'mos and the Anak managed to devise a reliable system of communication, somewhat, as he did not believe the Anak was capable of being able to effectively assist the aukari by its own initiative. The method was quite straightforward in which the moment F'mos sent a strike at his target, at that time a mat tied to a tree trunk, he accompanied it with a loud and energetic battlecry of "ora!" A little after a break of practice and the mat had become worn out, proof F'mos had the right idea but that was not the only thing he was able to learn. His arms, his legs, his fists; they were sore all over. While the Anak was able to strengthen the force of his blows, it also strengthened the force F'mos had to go against with each strike. It was not something he should rely on often.
Although it did not make it any less fun.
Adopting his stance with his feet planted right into the ground to support him, F'mos repeatedly sent a quick series of punches to the mat over and over with an "oraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraora...!!!" Each strike while weak because F'mos had to focus on sending them at a speed, they were stronger than they should be through the assistance of Ivory which it was more than happy to provide, maybe; the aukari could not actually understand the excited cries of the Anak which he believed only mirrored whatever Lizzie used to say in her own excitement. He was not even sure if Ivory knew what it was saying but the emotion was there, if spirits were capable expressing them.
After a round of practice which should have ended just like any other trial, F'mos suddenly came to a realization this would only serve him and not the girl the lucky charm was given to. Obviously he did not want her in a fight and if her ability to control Ivory was as she claimed, she should not have any problem getting its support for the times she will get into trouble. This meant F'mos had to teach the Anak something extra should he want his ward properly protected. There was only one natural reaction which came to mind to be used and, it was lucky he did his games and practice with Ivory far away from anyone because he did not want to be watched. There were no observers to learn about the spirit, no observers to witness the unsightly scene which involved the aukari.
A man was never meant to make that scream, not only loud and shrill but also girly; the closest to what F'mos felt mimicked the screams of Lizzie he had heard in the Underground race and her nightmares as a result of. As the ball bounced off the trees towards him, the aukari made this same scream before he swatted his hand at the air as a reaction in an attempt to block. He did this over and over, taking hit after hit some of which were strengthened by the Anak which took the new practices as the one from a break earlier until finally the Anak responded correctly. The ball was forcibly swatted out of the way in the air before it even reached him. And then he continued again and again, the exercise randomly repeated to make sure the drills were thorough.
And then it ended. The place vacated with no sign of either aukari or Anak having been there. This continued for many trials, each one F'mos returning home with a multitude of bruises from the Anak but did Lizzie care? No. She was more concerned with Ivory which she coddled and took back to her room with her while that stupid creature incessantly continued on saying "friend."
What was F'mos? Chopped liver?
