Communication vs Neglect

"That's right you heard me." No words could escape my mouth.

"Do you have a light or anything in here?" Feeling the shift in posture it is as if they are looking around in the dark.

"Are you deaf?"

"N-no I'm not deaf I am just trying to understand what you said before..."

"As I said, do you have a light so that we can use our eyeballs?"

"Not that, I mean why did my dad leave me." I just couldn't understand. He was with me for the first 10 years of my life twenty-four seven, until I was eleven and he let me go out by myself for errands. And now on the day I turn 16, he just disappears?

"Well if this really is my physical form, which means I am back, which also means he used forbidden magic."

"Hold up hold up too many things at one time. What do you mean by you being back?" They are making it sound like they left the world for a minute and have now physically returned.

"Kid it's too much to go into and I don't have the patience right now, especially since we are talking in the dark. It's like I'm talking to some dark wall. Here..." Feeling a gentle flick and fan of their wrist I was left in astonishment again.

Not just from the whole room suddenly lighting up with warm light like a bonfire, but the gorgeous person clad in scarlet armor and with the most beautiful auburn wavy hair down to their armpits.

"I bet you've never seen magic before, your father can't actually use common magic so he developed his own techniques to mimic magic. Honestly, I have to say that sca-"

"Never mind that so what's your name kid?"

"N-name?"

"Oh don't tell me! Ugh-" It's as if I can feel the frustration radiate off their body.

"My father has never called me anything...He usually just says "Hey" or "Kid" kind of like how you are doing right now."

"Well since I'm here now you are going to need a name. Also, we have to talk about your whole... This" Their finger pointed up and down my body.

Is there something wrong with my clothes? I got this armor from my dad so I never questioned it. I am currently wearing baggy dark leather clothes from head to toe, with bits and pieces of rusty metal plates around my torso for vital protection. Dad would say that too much color is a blatant target in the wild and to cover up and provide the most basic protection to every part of my body.

"I don't see anything wrong with it, besides it being a bit heavy. Though I have already grown accustomed to the weight."

"He probably also told you to wash yourself with all that on right?" I felt a harsh tone behind their words and could clearly tell who they were targeting.

Nodding without any sounds out of my mouth seems like the right move here especially since I am sensing a low growl coming from them.

"You look like a boy with your hair short and those clothes on."

"What's a boy?"

Even with the room illuminated with this warm light, I felt as if winter had come early as the sentence bounced out of my mouth.

"You have a lot to learn... Wei. I just remembered the name we decided on 17 years ago."

Wei? Is that supposed to be what I am to be referred to as?

"Remember that is your name Wei, and also you are female like me. Your dad is male and we have biological differences. I'm not going to say much more 'cause I can't be bothered if your father is too embarrassed to explain to his own daughter. You need a male and a female to make children and so that's why you will refer to me as mother."

Mother? So she is my mom that I hear my dad muttering about under his deep snores at night.

"I feel like I am still going to have to teach you all the basics. Ugh, what a huge hassle! I'm going to just tell you the nitty-gritty of the gender-specific stuff tomorrow. Right now let me fix this getup you have on."

This is too much for me to think about.

"M-mom is looking like a boy that bad for me?" Lifting my hand I comb and feel through the short purple hair that my dad always told me to keep short so that it is more convenient for battles and washing it.

"Hm no not really. You do look kind of cute as a tomboy, but to really bring out your charm I want you to grow your hair out and give me your clothes." The most calm and wonderful smile forms on my mom's face. After the vibes she gave off, I didn't expect that she could make that face. Her beauty even distracted me from what she just said.

"Wei I'm not going to ask again. Take off your clothes."

"My c-clothes?" What would I wear? It's not like Dad had any other stash of clothes he kept in here.

"Yes hand them over so I can transmorph them into something more suitable and to my tastes." The curling of her fingers and relaxed arm were in front of me.

So reluctantly I took off my top and handed it in both hands over to my mom. It feels weird saying "my mom" though I don't have a reason to doubt her. She did quite literally come out of my dad's sword and the only other adult I've ever seen in my life besides my dad.

"Hmmm..." I shivered a bit as the brisk night breeze circulated the room and as I could feel my mom's glare at my chest.

"Why did he make you bind your chest? Ai yai yai..." She drops my top on the post of the bed I sleep on and walks over to me.

"Here let me fix it. Even though this is convenient for moving around you aren't supposed to have something this tight on your body all the time."

As she pulled on the fabric on my torso it loosened significantly and I felt as if I hadn't taken a full breath in a long time.

"How's that now?"

"It feels much better thank you, Mom!" I got to get used to saying that, still feels out of the ordinary.

"Now take off your boots and pants."

Untying and Sliding off my boots I can see the harsh swelling on my left ankle. Trying to hide it I planted my foot back on the ground afterwards just to be met with a pained look on my face.

"Sit on the bed and take off your pants. Learn to take care of yourself instead of making things worse."

"You can see it?" I thought I hid it pretty well.

"I'm your mother these things are as natural as breathing. Even though we haven't been together for 16 years..."

I move towards the bed and plop my bottom on the bed as I take off my pants. Placing it next to my top I am now freezing. I bring my legs up towards my chest and hug my knees trying to keep warm.

"No don't do that. Relax and feel the air on your skin. Don't be weak." She went over and picked up all my clothes and went over to the other side of the room.

"You hear me?" Chills went down my spine as I heard conviction in her commanding voice. Instinctively I released my legs and started shaking as my body was struck by the passing wind.

Brr why do I have to do this?

"Doing that makes you not only makes you stronger against the elements physically but also mentally. So are most of the things your father has hopefully taught you. I guess I'll be here to pick up the pace."

I still don't like this cold. But if I close my eyes and breathe slowly it kind of helps.

Curiosity gets to me as I open my eyes to see aquamarine lights intertwining and lashing out at my clothes that my mom has put on the table in the center of the room.

That is so cool! Real magic right in front of my eyes! I can even see the clothes changing in real time!