Fabric

“Your heart. It will guide you, and to help it along, we have found you another
guide. He will keep you company, and he happens to be the last person to
have seen the needles.”
The bluish creature said, in low tones, “You see, he’s the one who lost
them.”
Just then, a tallish, skinny man with pale skin and mussed blond hair burst
through the floating creatures. He said, “Fshhy fjilas fidhos fosins finlk.”
“What?”
Ux looked away in what seemed to be his ancient version of embarrassment.
“Of course, he doesn’t speak in universal tones. Open your ears.”
Gwen tentatively started to move her hands toward her earlobes.
He smiled. “I didn’t mean literally.”
Then they all sang out one great chord that she felt vibrate her soul. Then
she opened her mouth and spoke words she didn’t understand. At first it
sounded a bit like gibberish, but then she realized she had said, “What’s your
name?”
He replied, “Fsfjia Flizi.”
She quickly turned to the Ancient Ones who were beginning to dissipate.
“It didn’t work!”
The young man said, “No, it worked. Fsfjia is my name.”
Gwen nodded and said, “I’ll call you Jia, if that’s ok with you.”
He smiled. “Whatever you wish to call me is fine as long as Jia isn’t a word
for dirt or something in your language.”
“No. It’s short for Fsfjia.”
Out of the air she heard Ux say, “You must hurry. The tear grows with every
moment, every breath, every word, every thought.”
Gwen replied, “I’ll take that as 'good luck'.”
“Luck is chained to despair. Instead we wish you...”
“What? You wish me what?”
The Ancient Masters appeared again for a moment and said in a great chord,
“Gooooood love!” And with that they shimmered out of her vision.