One day, while walking with a scouting party through a dicebox canyon, a random shift of the earth caused a handful of stones to pelt down on us. I grimaced in irritation and covered my face, but my hosts hissed and dove out of the way. A tinkling sound of gravel hitting Glass followed by a deeper, guttural crack - and my friend Murano laid shattered on the floor, Milk pouring out of her. She didn’t cry out - the Verre were largely quiet, even in discomfort, but everyone ran over to her with concern plain on their faces. I closed slowly, looking down at her. She didn’t look good.

The Milchemists immediately closed in, shooing the others away - they wandered off, satisfied that she was in good hands. Breakages were frequent, after all, among the Verre. I, however, was not satisfied! I slid down beside her and cradled her head in my arms. She smiled weakly and told me not to fuss - she was fine, and even a truncated arm wouldn’t slow her down any! But looking at her, looking at the Milk pouring out of the stump of her arm, I felt the sick helplessness I was so used to down below. I shuffled around to where the Milchemists were working, infusing her wounded limb with ‘Milk’s Healing Aspect’ and letting the wound knit itself closed. I picked up a fragment of her arm, curious - living Glass, but Glass nontheless. Feeling almost disrespectful, I tried to Shape it. It worked.

I asked the Milchemists to stop their ministrations and let me try something. They looked at me, and for the first time I truly felt like an outsider - but Murano waved me over with her good arm, and they nodded. I grasped the fragments of her limb (as many as I could find), and together with the Milchemists we roughly reassembled the pieces. Next was the tricky part - I wrapped myself tightly around both stump and free end and held everything together. On my count, Milk Magic and my more mundane powers flared and

All of us sat there dumbfounded - none moreso than me - for a few moments. Tentatively, Murano flexed her arm, then she sprang up and gave me a hug! The Milchemists fairly pulled me off her and began grilling me for technique, wanting to trade notes. As of that day - any doubt in my mind or theirs that I didn’t belong with them vanished.

-O-
Two years later, I still walk with them. We’ve seen many things in our travels, much that I wouldn’t have believed possible only a scant few years before.

• 1A To the Lake of Milk!
  In our travels, we found more of the Glass Folk - traditions vary among the different tribes, but one big one seems to be travelling to the Lake of Milk and making an offering to some long-dead Goddess. I'm... a little cool... on the topic of Gods and Goddesses, but they think it's important. I even got to take part in one of their Milk Rituals, making me (as far as they know) the first non-Verre to do so. It's not a secret, it's simply that no one else has ever asked.
  
• 1B To Chromeport!
  I’ve heard them talk about Chromeport over the years, but I’ve never been. They try, but they can barely describe it - it’s simply the biggest gathering of People anywhere. They keep telling me about things like shops and markets and concerts, but it simply doesn’t translate. They’ve given up entirely and just said I needed to see it for myself! It might be risky, though - Fortugnat are apparently not well-respected. My heart twists hearing it, but I can’t tell myself I believe any different.
  
• 1C To the Stained Lakes!
  I heard about this place in passing - a lake of Glass and color, very beautiful and very fragile. Murano is very keen to go, along with some of the other young Verre. I don’t know if I can bear to go. It’s underground, you see, revealed by the draining of one of the lakes of Water. I’ve grown so used to the wide open sky...
  
• 1D To the Glass Forests!
  A huge, sharp collection of living Glass growing out of the Milky earth. I’ve seen many of them from afar, but never been to one. The Verre tell me of all sorts of secrets hidden within them, secrets only the Verre know. The laugh when they tell me this. I simply do not understand their humor sometimes.

• 2A Do Nothing!
  I trust them. They’ve been nothing but kind to me, and I listen to them - they know more about this world than I, and some mysteries are not worth staring in the face.
  
• 2B I Listen!
  In trying to stay still and silent, I haven’t once focused on the words that I hear. Next time, I will listen, and learn about why I hide.
  
• 2C I Watch!
  I’ll peek out at whatever I’m hiding from. I’m no Shadomino, and certainly no Verre - but I bet I could catch a glimpse of them. I’ve got to know what’s going on.
  
• 2D Stand Tall!
  I won’t hide. I’ve hidden long enough. Whatever is going on, I will face it with courage. The Verre don’t need to put themselves at risk for me any longer!
  

Dog Kisser fucked around with this message at 19:17 on May 7, 2016

Theantero fucked around with this message at 15:21 on May 8, 2016

TheNabster fucked around with this message at 19:30 on May 7, 2016

Abyssal Squid fucked around with this message at 17:01 on May 8, 2016