Chapter 3

There was a woosh as the airship slowly nestled itself into the curved dock just off of the shore of Biscotti. As it nestled safely in a crew of Biscotti on the ground approached and set up off loading ramps onto the airship and slowly the people that had lined up on the deck began to exit onto a paved area, and started to wait nearby while their luggage was scanned magically for some specific foreign containments. Considering it was an island the officials of Biscotti were careful about what foreign contaminants entered the island that might disrupt its ecosystem. Several of the distinct Biscotti buildings could be seen nearby.

These buildings were something of a cultural landmark of Biscotti. A fairly unique style of building, each one was typically owned by one family and as you went up the floors of the building the rooms were occupied by smaller family units. The bottom floor of the buildings were usually public rooms. These were open to the general public and usually used for members of the family to sell or advertise any particular goods or services that they provide. On the next floor up you may find a family room dedicated to all of the relations of a great grandparent, and the floors above that were even smaller rooms dedicated to those born from a certain grandparent. So on and so on until you reached the individual rooms at the top of the structures. Different families had differing numbers of floors and some might have more rooms per floor than others but they all had the same organizational structure.

There also existed several apartment buildings for those that, for whatever reason, choose not to live in a family house. Even these still have the open to the public ground floor, though in these kinds of buildings each floor was full of individual rooms that were typically accessed from the outside using a series of stairs while in the traditional houses the rooms were accessed on the inside using ladder hatches.

The buildings are made this way to use as much of the space on the island country as efficiently as possible. Though they may seem randomly dotted throughout the landscape on casual observation, the plots of each building were carefully drawn and the buildings carefully placed to maximize space.

Cassidy was always so enamored by this incredibly distinct aspect of Biscotti culture. It was something uniquely them untouched from any outside influence. Miqo basically had nothing like this at least to this degree.

“Did you declare this ma’am?” An official biscotti in uniform asked Cassidy holding her staff.

“Oh yeah,” Cassidy rummaged in her back pocket for a piece of paper and handed it to the official. He scanned over it briefly before nodding and handing the staff back to Cassidy.

“Thank you ma’am,” he said politely before moving to another bag. Cassidy picked up a backpack of their clothes and stuck the staff in its appropriate holster before catching up to Callie, who had less trouble getting through the scans since she wasn’t carrying a potentially deadly weapon.

“There you are?” Callie said as the two started walking together again. “They give you any trouble?”

“No more than usual,” Cassidy sighed.

“Uncle Jobe is supposed to be picking us up,” Callie said scanning the crowd around the docked airship. Several other people were boarding wooden carts pulled by an avian pack animal. Cuccobos were creatures resembling a large ostrich though their head was more like that of a finch than an ostrich shape. The pack animals were native to Biscotti and were a common form of transportation since the island did not have the infrastructure to support the public transit systems that Miqo had. Cuccobos were actually fairly intelligent creatures, and thus rarely needed guiding to get people to their destination, some even knew how to interpret addresses given to them. They came in a variety of colored feathers, yellow, red, and black.

“Callie!” Came a voice shouting from one of these carts. The black cuccobo pulling it gave a musical chirp in a similar melody to the call.

“Uncle Jobe!” Callie ran over and hugged the elderly male Biscotti as he got down from the cart. The cuccobo chirped in an angry tone. “And you too Midnight,” Callie said lovingly patting the bird on its beak.

“It’s been too long dear,” Jobe said happily as Cassidy put her bags in the back of the cart. “How are things in Miqo? I see you’ve still kept the better half around.” Cassidy’s ears perked up at her mention. Midnight chirped inquisitively. “She doesn’t give you any trouble does she?” Jobe asked Cassidy directly as she sat down on one of the cart seat.

“Oh no not at all,” Cassidy said unsure of how to take the question.

“He’s just messing with you sweetie,” Callie assured as she sat next to her girlfriend. Jobe sat across from the two of them and with a musical chirping Midnight began moving toward Callie’s family house.

“Go easy on her Jobe she’s still a little nervous about coming back.”

“After you stormed out on little Jayna’s birthday right?” Jobe asked frankly. Cassidy blushed and looked away. Midnight seemed to give a chiding chirp but Jobe brushed it off. “Eh these kind of things happen. It’s best just to rip the band aid off.” Cassidy just groaned anxiously. “If it helps Jayna has told me herself that she’s very sorry. In fact I think she may say a few words to you when we arrive.” Cassidy was not at all looking forward to that.

“How’s Brita been?” Callie asked, changing the subject. Midnight gave a sassy chirp and seemed to roll his head.

“Straight form the bird’s mouth,” Jobe said shrugging with a smile.

“That bad?”

“She’s your sister. You know how she gets. Even without the complications.”

“Complications?” Cassidy said in shock.

“That’s just like her to not mention it if something went wrong,” Callie said with an angry sigh.

“Ah well perhaps its best you hear it from her mouth instead of mine then. I’d hate to speak out of turn,” Jobe stated uncomfortably. Midnight chirped accusingly. “Well then you should be happy I’m holding my tongue this time. Old bird.” Midnight gave a sassy chirp back.

“Good to see we still breed them sassy as ever,” Callie smirked. Midnight chirped proudly.

“Don’t encourage him.”

The group conversed for about another half hour or so before Midnight arrived at the family estate. The Callgahorn symbol was emblazoned on the road leading up the family building. It was the silhouette of a cuccobo standing on one leg. A symbol of the Callaghorn’s most notable product, their well-bred cuccobos. Most of the public open room on the first floor was dedicated to a cuccobo stable, and the birds were casually roaming around the premises, helping with chores or lazing about.

As they approached a red cuccobo began walking next to Midnight. The two exchanged a particularly melodic series of chirps.

“Rosebud is quite the romantic,” Jobe explained. Midnight chirped proudly in the affirmative. The two cuccobos continued their sing songy chirping as Midnight pulled the cart closer to the house. With a professional chirp Midnight announced that they had arrived and everyone started to leave the cart. With a proudly helpful chirp Rosebud hoisted one of the bags onto her back.

“Oh thanks,” Cassidy said as the bird chirped a happy reply and carried their bags next to one of the ladder hatches that led further inside the house. Several Biscotti emerged from the open room to come greet the new arrivals. Most of them gathered around Callie giving their greetings and well wishes butt obviously she was eager to see her sister and everyone knew that. Callie and Cassidy were able to pass through the crowd pretty quickly and ascended on of the ladders into the next room up where a smaller crowd was sitting around the bride to be.

“There’s my sister,” Callie said happily as she approached the group around Brita. “Is that a collar around your neck?” Callie asked with surprise. Seeing the tone in the room change most of the gathered group saw themselves out of the room. “Is that what Jobe meant by complications?” Brita gave Callie a glare. The sisterly resemblance was pretty strong between the two, Callie and Brita were fairly identical, though Callie was slightly bigger than her sister.

“Yes that’s probably what he meant,” Brita confirmed with an angry sigh. The collar around her neck was a dark leather one hanging from the collar was a tag with a rather artistic depiction of something being sewn.

“Our branch of the family is getting removed sis,” Came another Biscotti that was standing next to Brita. Unlike Brita and Callie this Biscotti was fairly distinct from those two. In addition from having a more endowed build her hair was a dark black instead of the brown of Callie and Brita. Around her neck was another collar. This on a sleek singular piece of metal with no obvious hinges and the only addition being a tag on it with a depiction of two fishes circling each other.

“But,” Callie said in shock.

“I mean it makes sense,” Brita explained. “Allyson can’t have children,” Brita gestured to the Biscotti standing next to her. “And you are … well,” Brita vaguely gestured to Cassidy.

“Easy Brit,” Callie replied to the gesture defensively as Cassidy nervously looked away.

“What? I’m just being honest,” Brita said frankly. “You two aren’t having any kids and even if you were you're living with Cassidy. Even if I popped out puppies every month it wouldn’t be worth it keeping me in our house when all of Aunt Marta’s kids are aging up and need the rooms.” The room was silent as Callie pondered this news, Cassidy looked around confused.

“Ah I’m guessing you don’t quite follow,” Allyson addressed Cassidy gingerly. She left from Brita’s side and took Cassidy over to a corner of the room while Callie and Brita continued talking.

“I’m sorry I’m just confused,” Cassidy apologized. “I thought that. You know. That the one in charge was the one that did the collaring.”

“That’s the idea yes but there’s more to it than that,” Allyson calmly explained in something of a teacher like voice. “Traditionally the one who is being collared is the one that moves in with their partner. It can happen the other way around but it’s not looked highly upon by people here.”

“So why Can’t Brita’s partner move in here?”

“Politics,” Allyson shrugged her shoulders. “Room in a family house can be a hard thing to come by. Both of our parents are dead and like Brita said I am unable to have children. So we would be taking up a lot of room in the house that could be taken by other branches that are still growing. So Brita has to be collared so she can move in with her partner and we can give our rooms here to someone else.”

“That sounds …” Cassidy struggled to find words.

“It’s not ideal, but that’s how tradition works.”

“So if Callie and I …”

“You would be the one collaring her yes.” Cassidy made a face at that concept. It was just so obviously wrong to her, over something that seemed so stupid to her. “Consider it something of a curse for us three,” Allyson said messing with the tag on her own collar.

“You too?”

“I’m unable to have children in a house that is running out of room. I was basically doomed to move out as soon as I was born. I’m lucky that Tris’ house is pretty empty” Cassidy paused in thought.

“I … I’m sorry. I never knew it was like that.”

“It’s fine. It’s all just a formality anyway,” Allyson said in a chipper tone. “As long as I’m with the one I love, who wears the collar doesn’t matter to me, and I’m sure that Brita will see that in time. Right now though.” The two glanced over to Brita and Callie engrossed in a serious conversation. “She’s not taking it so well.

“I can imagine. I mean not only the collar thing, but you’re all getting kicked out of your house.”

“It’s really not all that bad,” Allyson said lightly. “It happens more often than you think and it’s not like it’s anything against us. It just happens. You understand?”

“Yeah I guess so,” Cassidy said still unsure.

“It’s ok sweetheart. I know to someone on the mainland it may all seem strange.”

“That’s one word,” Cassidy said lost in thought. Really the feeling she was having now was closer to being disappointment. She had viewed this foreign culture with rose tinted glasses, because it was uniquely itself and free of influences so unlike her own. The illusion of greatness was shattered somewhat. Even without influence from others this culture still found a way to incorporate things into it that wasn’t all that great. It was a culture that was actively making both of Callie’s sister lives worse. Making them wear collars that didn’t really fit them, and kicking them out of their birth home. If Cassidy and Callie lived on this island Callie would have to be the one wearing the collar regardless of who should really be wearing it just because she was moving into Cassidy’s house not the other way around.

“Try not to hold it against Brita,” Allyson spoke quietly. “This is a tough time for her I’m sure you can understand. She feels like she’s owed at least a perfect collaring ceremony and to some extent I agree with her.”

“Yeah I can see what you mean,” Cassidy said sympathetically.

“Thank you for understanding sweetheart,” Allyson got up and playfully ruffled Cassidy’s head. Cassidy gave a look that Allyson couldn’t see. That was definitely a weird gesture, but Allyson did sort of have a motherly personality, and Cassidy was short especially among the generally larger Biscotti so she appeared especially childish. It wasn’t an unexpected gesture, but still one that slightly annoyed Cassidy. It seemed like more of just a personality trait of Allyson’s than a deliberate gesture though, so Cassidy found that she couldn’t hold onto her annoyance.

“Sweetie!” Cassidy called out and Callie and Brita bother turned to acknowledge her. “I’m gonna bring our bags up ok.”

“Sure thing babe,” Callie acknowledged. “Two levels up hatch on the left then the one on the right. Do you need me to help?”

“No I got it you got catching up to do,” Cassidy dismissed the help as she descended the ladder. As she hit the ground on the first floor she noticed the bags that Rosebud had placed next to the ladder. Cassidy hoisted one of the two backpacks onto her back and got her staff out and began preparing a spell to levitate the other bag.

“Um Cassidy?” a meek voice cut Cassidy’s concentration and she turned around to see a shy Biscotti approach her. “I dunno if you remember me I’m Jayna, you were here for my birthday party.”

“Oh,” Cassidy said in realization. “Oh” Cassidy said in a more sour note as her realization deepened.

“No wait just let me,” Jayna paused briefly to work up her determination. “I’m sorry for how that turned out. I learned in school what happened to you guys, and I didn’t know back then. I was being very insensitive to you and I’m sorry.”

“Oh,” Cassidy said in surprise. “Well uh I’m sorry too. I think I may have overreacted a bit, and that was a big moment for you. Aging up and everything. I’m sorry I made a scene. Gosh though you really hit your growth spurt.” Cassidy couldn’t help the comment. Last time she was here she was actually taller than Jayna, and now Jayna towered over her.

“Oh yeah tell me about it. Mom is constantly complaining about buying me new clothes. Do you want me to help carry your bags?”

“You don’t need to,” Cassidy said thankfully. “I was just going to levitate them up.”

“Oh it’s no trouble. You can save your magic, I’m sure someone will be pestering you soon to charge all of our mana crystals.” Jayna heaved the other backpack onto her back.

“Oh well thanks dear. You’re very kind,” Cassidy smiled and made her way up the ladder.

“Do you think you can show me some spells some time. I’m trying to learn some.”

“Uhhh we’ll have to see,” Cassidy said unsure. “Maybe ask your parents first.”

“Mom will never go for it,” Jayna sighed as she followed Cassidy up the ladder.

“Sorry kiddo.”

Marta watched as her daughter helped Cassidy with her bags and silently seethed. Her daughter may have moved on from the last night Cassidy was here but she hadn’t. She was immensely frustrated at this foreigner that ruined her daughters coming of age birthday party, and was annoyed at how everyone else seemingly gave her a free pass. Just because Callie’s branch of the family was being pruned after the collaring of Brita. Well not officially, but Callie obviously wasn’t going to have any kind of traditional ceremony with Cassidy, as tradition didn’t exactly look kindly upon that kind of relationship. So they would never be officially pruned. Marta would rather just seal the deal and make sure Callie or her Miqo wouldn’t come back so she wouldn’t have to deal with the overly sensitive Miqo, and she had a few ideas of how exactly she might do that.