Duality

"Merla, I've brought the post, and the core. The ones caught in the pit have been harvested, and settled in your account for when you need funds. The cores were set aside, just in case." Tazaa set the post down in the main room, and looked at her daughter, Taen. "Hm, a little more bulky, like you were. What was wrong?"

"I guess it was degradation from the damage. It couldn't be seen as the damage kept my muscles inflamed." Taen said. Merla looked at Tazaa.

"Grammie. Lift Merla. Give core." Tazaa took Merla, and held her against her chest, and put the core in her palm.

"What will you do with the core? It has earth element energy within, not water." Tazaa said. Merla grinned.

"Watch, Grammie." She put the core on her palm. "Tree! Manna! Drain!" Tazaa blinked, her face completely blank, and tried not to move as the tree's branch reached down, wrapped around it, and glowed. "Give back empty." The branch continued to glow for a few moments, then put the core back on her palm.

"How...Taen?" Tazaa looked confused. Taen shrugged, but looked confused while she did so.

"Don't ask me! I've never even heard of a home tree obeying someone!" Taen said.

Merla closed her eyes, held out her hand so the empty core could be seen, and held out her other hand. Her palm began to show signs of manna gathering, which reached out like a snake towards the core, and the post. Under her mental direction, the wooden post was reformed so that it had a base that allowed it to stand up. The post was narrowed to four inches thick, and at the mid point, a hollow container appeared. The shaft continued upward, formed an arm, and a flower head that formed multiple holes in the middle.

Intricate scroll work formed onto the post, small wooden branches grew off the post, curled and wove until it looked like ivy made of pure red oak. Merla opened her eyes.

"Fluer Speeng!" The item glowed as manna filled the material in order to shape it. The core flew from her hand and was embedded into the middle of the container during this process. The light of manna slowly reduced until it was gone, which made Merla sigh a bit. Each time she created a manna artifact, it drained her manna in one large burst, which made her a bit tired for a few minutes.

"Big Momma shower. Promise, now make." Merla said. Tazaa stood the shower up.

"How does it work, Merla?" She asked.

"Core manna store. Produce water. Fill hollow. Out flower head." She said, and smiled. "First. Shower picture careful." She said with a grin.

"You were careful with the picture?" Tazaa asked. Merla nodded. "I'll take it over, and let them know how you made it. We'll be able to show you off during your birthing ceremony." Tazaa hugged her to her chest, and sighed happily.

'I wish you could make Laenda strong, little one. I can live a lot longer now, and I don't want to grow old alone.'

* * *

"Grammie? What not same tusk-er fang-er?" Merla asked as her grandmother carried her out onto the balcony. Taen and Lyra were 'chatting'.

"Between me and Tazaa?" She asked with a soft smile.

"Mm. Grammie strong, big bones, muscle, manna straight." Merla said.

"A tusker uses skills, and her manna is directly infused into her body." Laenda said. "She will use it to perform quick movements, enhanced strength, sharpen her sword in battle, or redirect an arrow. A fanger, like me, will use expressions. Our manna is focused outward." Merla thought for a moment.

"Other not same?"

"Well, tuskers make us pregnant, are naturally stronger, more muscled, and their member gets drawn up into a pouch within themselves, where we would hold our baby." Laenda said.

"Baby sleep in momma." Merla said softly.

"While she's still growing, yes. After she's born, she sleeps outside, and grows like everyone else."

"Winter sleep?" Merla asked, and Laenda chuckled.

"No, little one. Merla can't sleep inside her mom during winter. Not only is it because you've already been born, but your mother's belly is already occupied by your sister." Laenda said. Merla's eyes began to glow.

Merla reached up and grasped her fangs.

* * *

'You're such a little pervert.' The pair watched with anticipation from their realm and eagerly licked their lips.

'Is this because she spent time as a human?' Fayeth asked, her white wings wrapped around her beloved sister, and kept her warm. Faylen shivered.

'Maybe it is because I hate the cold. You keep me warm, while I keep you happy. Well, you keep me happy by letting me make you happy.' Faylen said and plastered herself to her sister's front. She moved her tail up between them, and slid within her.

'Mm, I don't mind sharing my heat with you, love. We have to wait so long to bring her home. Do you think she will notice?' Fayeth asked.

'She was human. She will notice.'

* * *

"Baby! What are you doing to my mother?" Taen shouted, but Merla ignored her. As soon as she was about to rush forward, a white fog filled the balcony, and pushed Taen away.

Laenda groaned and cried out as her body suffered the manna eruptions that her wife already endured, but her body's discharges were much darker. The eruptions were in many different places, but most notably her chest, hips, thighs, and belly.

"Baby! You stop this!" Taen screamed. When she tried to plow through the fog, Tazaa grasped her upper arm.

"Are you stupid?" Tazaa yelled at her. "Are you trying to kill your mother?"

"She's hurting her!" Taen said, but shivered under the intense glare her mother gave her.

"You let me endure, but now it's too much for my wife? Stupid child." Tazaa said angrily. "Merla is making her stronger. The discharges are the wastes of daily life that aren't purged." She looked at her wife, and frowned slightly. "She looks a bit different than I do. Why are the discharges darker? Did something happen to your mother that caused her heavier damage than it did me?"

The manna eruptions slowly eased off, and Laenda's face cleared of the pain. She slowly stood up, and made everyone a bit shocked. She was as tall as Tazaa now, when she was about six inches shorter before. Her hips were wider, her chest larger, but she had this undeniable softness to her features that made Tazaa's mouth water.

"She's beautiful." Tazaa whispered. Merla grimaced a bit.

"Grammie, eyes open. Take shower. Merla and grammie smell."