Narrative : Going Native WHO: Adrian WHERE: The deepest part of the rainforest in the Yucatan WHEN: July 9th - August NPCs: Nan, the fair folk Though the visit home with his family in California had been a good one, Adrian's mind had begun to focus forward toward the next part of his summer: Mexico. He remembered his first and only visit in memory to the Yucatan Penninsula, to the forest where he was born, the forest that his fae family lived in and was bound to. That first visit had been a whirlwind. There had been too much happening to be able to properly process it at the time. Adrian had first found out about his fae heritage then and had been exposed to a whole new world, then, too quickly, had to leave it again. This time, he would be able to linger, to stay an entire month. He had so many questions, so much to learn. Adrian was ready.
In his free time during his week home, Adrian spent his time with Nan, preparing for the trip, asking questions, having her teach him the basics of Yucatec Maya, his tribe's native tongue. She was the only one in the household who knew the truth about Adrian. She'd been the one who'd brought him to his human family and had managed to get hired on as the family nanny. Now she was accompanying him on his trip to Mexico, for a "school field trip", was what they'd told his parents. They flew down and were met by Nan's family, who drove them out to where Adrian needed to go. It was a long car ride, first along a paved road then a gravel road, then a dirt path through dense trees. They eventually had to stop and finish their journey on foot. Adrian only had a small backpack with him, he was told he wouldn't need anything more, and probably wouldn't even need what he did bring with him. Even so, he couldn't imagine not having a few things with him, his phone, for instance, in case of emergency.
Even though he'd been here before, only a year ago, Adrian was seeing everything with a fresh perspective. He drank in the sound and sights, even the feel and smell, of the rainforest. He had to admit, it did feel familiar, as if he were a puzzle piece that fit just right into the larger puzzle of the rainforest. After an hour of walking, their company stopped. Nan and Adrian continued on, the former encouraging him that it was time to take his fae form. Adrian pulled off his shirt, tucking it into his pack, and pushed out his wings and shrank down to his true form. He flew, keeping pace with Nan for the short way to his people.
The young fae didn't know they were there until Nan stopped and gave him a quick goodbye. Even though she and her people were allied with the fae of the Yucatan, the fair folk were still quite xenophobic, and didn't want her there any longer than necessary. As she left, Adrian began to see them emerge into view from the forest all around him. They were dressed in garb crafted from the forest, some painted decoratively with pollens or other products of the rainforest. They came around Adrian and led him home.
The home of the fae was something to behold, beautiful, both primitive and innovative, using nature in practical, useful ways. Their village, or kaah, was simple, not as populated as Adrian had remembered. He came to learn that was because there were in reality three tribes of fae living in the great forest. His home tribe was the Kab, the least xenophobic of the three. The other tribes were the Xnuk Ek' and the Tunnich. For the first few days, Adrian, simply called paal, boy, by his tribe, split his time between learning and working with his people. He was given a guide, a pretty little Xnuk Ek' girl with a heart-melting smile, who helped him with the language, giving him the proper names for everything and teaching him how their society worked. As for the labor, Adrian learned so much about their work, how to help things to grow and to heal, mostly plants, but sometimes the insects and animals which also contributed to the rainforest's ecosystem. The culture was different, an adjustment, but Adrian adjusted quickly. He'd been given a few items of woven fae clothing early on, told he must not wear his human clothing while there. Adrian complied, noticing that their clothes, while lovely, were also quite utilitatian. They wore clothes suited to their tasks, and sometimes none at all. Adrian certainly wasn't that comfortable around them yet.
At the end of his first week there, a ceremony was held at dusk. All the fae, or chalxiich' as they referred to themselves, from all three tribes were present, decked out in their most elaborate ceremonial garb. Adrian was also likewise dressed. This night, he wore an intricate woven skirt and vest, bracelets on his arms, paint on his body and face, and a headdress on his head. Adrian was presented to the assembly. Nohchil Kab, their chief, gave a history of the boy, told of his importance to the future of the tribes of the Yucatan. He was given a name of their people. Nuukik was how he would be known by them. The ceremony ended and the tribes celebrated well into the next day. Adrian, or Nuukik, was now, officially, one of them.
Adrian lost track of time after that night. He hadn't been giving much thought to the outside world during his time there, and now he thought about it hardly at all. He immersed himself into the culture and lifestyle of his people, his human ways falling to the wayside. Adrian learned more and more of the language in the next weeks, even beginning to think in his new tongue. His thoughts were of his people, of the plants and animals he tended to. He wouldn't even realize that an entire month had passed until the topic of his return was mentioned, and then Adrian felt torn.