from the Manual and Reference of the Fonlands
Fonlanders exist throughout universe Prime 5, though the greatest concentration of Fonlanders in Prime 5 is on Earth—this despite the planet Endla of the Soulaxar galaxy, that is home to the planets Druont, Xaxax, and Wiis that are all inhabited by sentient beings. Endla shares the same solar system as Wiis.
Lêgba founded Endla and he spent considerable time on Wiis according to the history of scholars there. Lêgba was described as an alien being with godlike powers that descended on the planet when the native inhabitants were just discovering the technology to leave the planet. These avian inhabitants called themselves the Hafjeris and they were the dominant species of the planet when Lêgba arrived. He was welcomed by the Hafjeris and he learned all about their culture that was the second wave of sentient development on the planet following the evolution and extinction of the rhadswiis, a species of intelligent sloth-like creatures.
The Hafjeris of Wiis worshipped Lêgba as a God who gave them magic that they used to fuel ships for interplanetary travel and he could seemingly raise the dead. Lêgba could not, in fact, raise the dead, and it was confirmed that he enlisted the help of an elder aboatia with a Lesser Vodun essence mastery called Welboas who had the ability to discern spirits and to produce countless offspring very quickly that ae could use to house deceased Hafjeris.
The planet of Endla was mostly inhabited by the offspring of Welboas and Lêgba, and if an Earther were to travel to the planet, they would likely think that they had arrived at the birthplace of angels and winged demons as they exist in Western Christian traditions. The inhabitants of Endla are descendants of Lêgba, Welboas, and the Hafjeris of Wiis, though they do not have the complete avian features of the Hafjeris, just large feathered wings on humanoid bodies with arms and legs.
Lêgba chose to study the Hafjeris because of all the sentient beings of Prime 5, they seemed to be the most sturdy, the most powerful beings of the universe. Not only did they have the ability to fly, they had a vicious society that organized into warring factions and settled into the ruins of the rhadswiis civilizatin that had risen to notable heights in its time before the species killed itself. Lêgba believed that as the child of Mawu-Lisa of the Lofted Disc, he could shepard the life of Prime 5 to become more like Fonlanders with the goal of creating beings of Prime 5 capable of creating Divine Essence. Lêgba hoped that his actions would make Prime 5 more hospitable for Mawu-Lisa so that they could eventually expand into the universe and increase the existence of the Fonlands.
By the time Earth came into existence, and humanity was emerging as the dominant species, Legba had created the first hybrid Earther and Fonlander in the universe, and the Aerphim had been thriving as a species for thousands of years.
– – –
Ariel can’t decide what to wear. She’d spoken with the administrative assistant of the famed record producer, Jess Mess, and she has a meeting with him later in the afternoon. She’s nervous, but she has been waiting for this kind of break since she was a little girl and decided that she would be a singer. Her nerves aren’t intimidating, but she can’t decide how she wants to present herself to the man who can change her life forever.
She’s wearing jeans that hug her curves and a white tank top. She feels pretty, youthful, as she looks in the mirror. This could be an outfit for an album cover. Her hair is five thick braids that hang down past her shoulders and she looks very youthful.
She changes and stands before her mirror again. She is wearing the pantsuit her mother bought her when she moved to Manhattan. “I know you’re here to perform your music, but you never know when you’ll need a suit. ” It is a flattering, navy blue jacket and pants, and a white shirt that shows no cleavage. She has knotted her braids into a bun on her head and she wears a pair of thick rimmed glasses. It’s a professional look, sexy, but is it too formal? Does it age her?
She changes and stands before her mirror. This time she is wearing a black turtle neck, the thick rimmed glasses, and dark lipstick. She wears blank leggings and just as she looks at herself and really takes in the view, she shakes her head. “No, too artsy “
She tries other outfits until there’s a knock at her door. Bell smiles at her as she opens it and he hands her a yellow rose.
“You look awesome,” he says with amazement in his voice. She is wearing a yellow sundress with no straps and her braids grace her shoulders.
“You think this is the right look?” she asks and twirls in the doorway.
“It’s stunning, you look like an angel…” he says and Ariel smiles. Jess Mess had told her he wanted her to be one of his angels.
“You ready to go? I got my roommate’s car downstairs.”
Ariel takes the flower and hugs Bell.
“I am,” she says and grabs her purse. As they walk down the hallway, she hooks an arm around his. She feels the warmth from his body calm all of her nerves and she leans her head on his arm. “Thank you for coming with me. I wish my mama was here, but I’m glad I got you.”
Bell smiles and pats her hand with his. His eyes look as though they are swimming in his head, like he is suddenly high and loopy.
“I’ll always be here for you,” he says sincerely, shaking away the fog in his head.
Ariel meets Jess Mess in his fortieth floor office that’s larger than her apartment. Even the waiting room is large and his assistant is a nice man in his thirties. Bell waits with her and when the assistant tells her, “Jess will see you know, ma’am, if you’ll follow me,” Ariel walks alone to follow the assistant through a wooden door that is stained dark brown, into an office that is decked out in wooden furniture that matches the door. Ariel smells wood and she wonders if everything is new from a factory, or the woodshop of a craftsman. Jess stands behind a wooden desk that has metal statues of music notes arranged on the top. Ariel notices that the notes repeat, but she doesn’t have time to figure out what they are before Jess asks her to sit and the assistant sees himself out and closes the door behind him.
“I’m so glad you came, and you look absolutely radiant.”
Ariel blushes and smiles wide enough that her big white teeth that are perfectly aligned in her mouth are visible. Her eyes are big and bright as well.
“I’m so honored to be here,” she says. “I listen to your music, I think you’re a genius and I know that we can make beautiful music together.”
“I completely agree,” Jess says. He is probably twice Ariel’s age, but he has a magnetic cool about him that impresses the young woman. She is on the edge of her seat now and when he speaks again, Jess will make the woman go light headed and fall back into her seat. “I want to sign you, here and now, and I want you to feel confident that the deal is in your best interests as an artist. If you have a lawyer that you trust, please call them now to come down and review my offer.”
When Ariel is done celebrating and apologizing to Jess Mess for her outbursts of joy, she excuses herself and goes out to the waiting room.
“You’re a lawyer right?” she says to Bell.
“I went to law school,” he says, “I got my degree but I never took the bar. I’m not licensed to practice. Why? How’d the meeting go?”
“So good that I need a lawyer I trust.”
“I’m a burnout, Ariel,” Bell says with embarrassment. “I did well in school and I wrote papers and had jobs lined up, but I liked partying too much when it came time to go to work.”
“But you said before that you knew entertainment law like the back of your hand.”
“I do, I just,” Bell hesitates. “I don’t want to mess up anything, especially not for you. Let me make some calls, I got lawyer friends.”
Bell’s friend is at the office within the half hour and soon after, Ariel is in a studio on the thirtieth floor with Jess Mess.
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