Seventh Ocean Media

In the Jones Sisters Universe, consideration is catered to more than just what humans refer to as “straight” relationships. Rather than discuss the why, this page talks about the who: who combinofts are, what their roles are, and what differentiates them from typical human marriages. While the title of Combinoft is given to those who are of magical dispositions, humans who believe in magic and who have knowledge of the concept will choose to be combined in this fashion instead. There are Combinofts who have been through the ritual, Combinofts-to-be (CTB), or those who give the title to themselves without needing to prove their love for each other with a ritual (Solin Fyre and Giles Morgenstern)

Core Concept:

In the Zetascape (the home dimension of most magical beings), the Oath of Combination is meant to combine the souls and hearts of two separate beings who are in love with one another. There have been single-couple pairings, multi-couple pairings, and even tri-unions (throuples, in our language) Simple enough, right? But the success of this relationship is paramounted by the level of dedication and devotion the combinos and/or combinas have towards the other. Since the Zetascape is home to countless beings who can shapeshift, their sincerity of heart could be put into question; jeopardizing the sanctity of their union if their intentions remain unknown. It is because of this that the Zetascape’s Magistrates of Elvarion, the spiritual guides, instituted the concept of Ztus Xevaco (The Test, in the King’s English). While many differing approaches went into determining the sincerity of a couple’s/throuple’s love, the test that has relied upon above all others is the Pyrix Dichotrous Testas (Flame of Dichotomy Test) (See images below)

Fire Heart of Truth

For this ritual, magical beings or human mages create a flame of purple fire using quicksilver or cinnabar powder, or an equivelent that is used in alchemy. As this is only attainable through magical means, this ritual is forbidden to be performed on Earth, lest copycats who believe that any flame will work will try to attempt this. Like any other conflagration, the Purple Heart Flame will burn between 700 and 1200 degrees, but the alchemic properties of the elements used to ignite the fire will render judgment upon the two (or more ) souls who are pledging their eternal love and loyalty to the other(s). This ritual is done out of view of attendees of the Combination Ritual, so as to keep the particulars of the test a secret. If a couple is truly in love on a deep level, even if the levels of love are not completely equal before a certain point, but are past a high threashold, the flames will not singe the couple’s hands or other appendages that are submitted to the test; but their gloves or sleeves will char.

However, those who are combining with another for illicit means; money, power, sex by itself, or plan to actively cheat on their combinoft, will be burned and disfigured depending on the severity of the evil in their intentions. It is for this reason, also, that beings who lack magical empathic powers are forbidden to take the Combination Ritual Oath Ceremony. Those who are without arms can still take part in this ritual, but the risk is greater, so many Nevermonths of preparation, meditation, mediation, and counseling are needed. Anything can be used to prove one’s sincerity to their combinoft-to-be: leg, foot, breast, phallic appendage, even their head; but only beings with regenerative powers are eligible to make such a choice.

Requirements for Combinofthood

Couples are free to call themselves combinofts in name at any age, but must be at least 18 terran years old before they can take the Oath with someone of equal or greater age, keeping in line with Earthean law. This is only for humans and humanoid fae; animalistic Neverbeings and pixian fae have far greater latitude. Because there are more female pixian fae than male, and because the species cannot reproduce sexually, couslings (of any gender) are allowed to be Combinofts. Interspecies couplings are a more common phenomenon than one would expect. As long as their love for one another is real, fae can combine with sentient animal Neverbeings (Strat and Tetrazin; Xammy Jones and Knuckles). Merbeings are allowed to combine with pixian fae and humans (Callie Jones and Prince Hightide; Princess Kindradell and Felipe Elechad), and mermaid females can even have children with human males and vice versa; this is due to Neverscapian merbeings having the same reproductive systems as humans, in stark contrast to earthean mermaids.

Tokens, Totems, and Treasures:

Not being a kind of ritual where a couple values material gain, usually silver rings are adequate for those who take the Ritual of Combination, together. Like with the above picture, there are many exceptions. Gem smiths, like Nillavan, are often tasked with creating unique rings, bracelets, pendents, lockets, even toe rings; all for the sake of either proposal, or for the ritual itself. What the totems are made of is only important by the way it was acquired. If it is a precious gem or metal that was purchased or inherited in good faith, it is acceptable; but, if it was stolen, given as a bribe, extorted, or murdered for, it is expressly forbidden, and would punish the wearer if he had firsthand knowledge of it. If neither of the couple is aware of any illicit means that the materials for the rings were acquired for, it is only usable after a purification ritual (if the original owner is deceased and has no next of kin). If, however, there is an indivdual that was linked to the original owner, it is returned to same and a new source of material is chosen by the couple after going through a purification ritual of pennance.

In the case of Ariella Jones, the materials that she had commissioned Nillavan to use were inherited to her by her birthright as a Princess of the Neverscape and Nevertribe: sapphire, faelectrum (pixian gold and silver, blended), and Nevertribian Tiger’s Eye. The significance of this particular ring was that for most of their lives, Jesse’s memories of Ariella were sealed away and embargoed from until both were of age (21), due to how close they were when they were 8. Ariella had to bear the burden of this knowledge, and believed that she needed to prove that her love for him was no illusion; that he was, indeed, the apple of her eye. His pet-name being “Tiger”, it was the easiest choice in the world for Ariella to pick out as a gem. It was because of this ring that Ariella and Jesse were able to survive the deadly Hope Curse, which had drained both of them of their youth until they were near the cusp of death. Ariella placed it on his finger, they kissed, and the true magical properties of the ring negated and dispelled the wicked enchantment.

Centerpiece Flower: The Magtis of the Ritual

A Magtis is a sentient flower that takes center stage in the bouquet of the Combinoft couple, whose job is to not only brighten the spirits of all in attendance, but to be a literal demonstration of the depth of feeling of the Combinofts. This is due to the power that gives them sentience in the first place, their Magical Gears. A Magtis flower (of any breed of flower; each with its own special properties) synthesizes a light of sheer lumenescence, based on the level of positive attraction and connection of hearts. There are those who can pass the Fire Heart test, but generate such a dim light from a Magtis, that the ritual can still be null and void; not to say that it is a negative reflection of the couple all the time; it might just mean that the wrong Magtis was selected or a malady has afflicted the Magtis. It was because of this happenstance that a protocol of isolation was put into place for flowers that were chosen to be Magti for Combinoft couples, avoiding any cross-contamination or negative influence. If it was determined that the Magtis was ill or depressed, but has since recovered; the Ritual can be resumed at a later date, without the need to go through the Flame test again.

Flowers that are grown for these rituals, are bred with the encouragement to find their true selves; to embrace the unique qualities that make them special; making them more likely to be a match for potential Combinoft couples. For example, in the picture above, the soulful beatboxing flower, Guitara, has a feel for music and harmonization; the snickering flower to Guitara’s right is Gigglie, a master of the tongue-in-cheek quip, jokes, puns, and lighthearted practical jokes; and the one with the princess hat, Guida, is a romantic and a dreamer. Lady Sal has dedicated her entire life to making her flowers happy so that couples who take the Combination Oath in their Neverzone can also be happy. Magti flowers are not just for the ceremony and then discarded; they are brought into the home of the couple as a housewarming flower of sorts. Because a Magtis has shared in the couple’s bond, they are, in essence, part of the family; like a child.

Petalia the Magtis Flower

Petalia was a unique breed of flower to the Combinoft Neverzone, the only one of her kind. It was because of this, and the rough part of the terrain that she was planted on; she was looked down upon by the other plants that were in eyeshot of her. Her dream was to be a Magtis, and to make a couple very happy and close. She was lacking in plant friends, but not with animalistic Neverbeings, who each treasured Petalia’s soulful heart and friendship; always giving of herself and never wanting anything in return but love. Hand-selected by Mina Elechad of the Petraverse Neverzone because of the terrible risk that Gladiola youngling Gloria undertook to get Mina’s attention toward Petalia, the latter had finally seen that she had beauty to call her own, and now had the love of a new little sister (Gloria). Petalia agreed to be the Magtis, but only if Gloria could be one alongside her.

Petalia went even further than that. Because it was Gloria that literally uprooted herself to lead the airborne Pan Knight Princess to Petalia’s obstructed planting space, Petalia felt that Gloria, who was bred to be a Magtis her whole life, was worthy of conducting the ritual on her own, having earned the right to on her own merits. To Petalia, this was not her giving up her dream; it was giving her new sister, her “precious little Glow”, as she refers to her, her deserving honor and gratitude from Petalia herself. This did not go unpunished, as a party was thrown in Petalia and Gloria’s honor, as an island-wide goodbye to the sister plants.

During the Ritual, Gloria was able to generate a strong light of love from Spencer and Mina, but it was Petalia’s love for Gloria that allowed her to harness such an unfettered power at such a young age. Petalia was content to be within the bouquet itself, but Gloria insisted that Petalia show herself, and pulled her up to the top along with her.

After the Ritual

Magti are welcomed into the household as an elemental child, perpetually aiding keeping the light of the couple’s love alive, and are in turn treated with the same love a parent would have for their offspring. In Petalia’s case, Mina and Spencer were on a mission into the Great Myriad to purify and extract the contaminant caches of blood-gotten treasure from the various Neverzones that Overlord Huek frequented; so she and Gloria were adopted by Mina’s parents, Sonya and Oz. Having been survivors of the Overlord’s tyrannical regime, they were given a second chance at a happy and peaceful life together, and it was made all the richer and sweeter for the adoption of these two Neverflowers. That same night, Petalia’s animal kin followed her and Gloria to the Petraverse Neverzone, and were welcomed into the family as well, knowing that Petalia’s happiness was partly from her fraternal and parental bonds to Laddie, Cello, Magnolia, and Celia. When Trixie was born to Mina and Spencer, she inherited a radiance of the heart that only a flower’s light in a Combinoft Ritual can acheive, which granted her a special power: the immunity to animal toxins; specifically those of one of Petalia’s nearest and dearest students, Acidney the Banana Frog.

The mortality of individual Magti is variant upon the lifespan of the beings who took the Combination oath. If a Magtis outlives their couple, they have a choice to either carry on in life with another family, or willingly give up their lifeforce and join their couple in the peacefulness of death. This, however is rare, if at all, as most magical beings are either immortal or long-lived; or is never reported to those outside of the family. It is not in the nature of a Magtis to fear death or think about it. Gloria risked her own life even before she was a Magtis flower; so it was not a factor. Magti flowers are not immortal on their own, though. Elder Gertrude’s eldest seedlings, Gibby and Garnish, died after sneaking out of the flower bed during the night, many decades ago. Fyrefox, who served as her own Magtis to her combination oath to Princess Snow Tiger Sol, died and reunited with the prime version of herself: Solin Fyre and Ariella Jones.

Life of Combinofts:

After the Ritual, Combinofts are free to live in whatever manner they please, but adhereing to the strict tennents of Combinofthood, which are:

1. All actions therefrom shall be of good faith and love; friend or enemy
2. Regard of self and regard of others will remain steadfast (health and wellness)
3. When on Earth, in the presence of normal humans, their union shall be referred to as marriage, and their ceremony was a wedding, and artificial photos and proof must be generated by the Neverlords.
4. Children born of a Combinoft couple will be sacred and treasured above any and all others.
5. Magti flowers will be loved as though they were the couple’s children
6. When a Combinoft union consists of three people, their love must be equal for the others, born out of a true desire to be together.
7. Infidelity is a capital offense; punishable by death from their worst fears (this is only boiler plate; as those who become combined via the ritual are immune to lust of outsiders beyond normal respect and admiration)
8. A combinoft’s deathbed wish is to be honored to the letter, as long as it is a pure and noble wish determined by the light of heart of their magtis.
9. Other combinoft couples shall not be subject to scrutiny of gender orientation, sexual orentation, occupation, religion, station in life, or species. These rights are divine and are protected by the Neverscapian Lords and the Zetascapian Lords.
10. Family structure is determined by the couple’s wishes; no one else has the right to dictate who can raise who in good faith, or force a family to have unwanted children.
11. Combinofts of the same gender who live on earth are allowed the benefit of deceptive blanketing spells, making their union valid in all 50 States and every country ruled by monarchy, parliament or democracy.
12. Pan Knights who take the oath of Combination with their true loves will protect them with all their heart and soul; in turn, their partner shall inherit a special magical power, and use it in protection of their protector when warranted and applicable.
13. Live a happy life together. Period.

Those who are of magical persuasion, who can no longer live on Earth via suspicion of age or having died and their soul rebirthing on the star Polaris, their spouses that are still among the living are instantly given status as combinofts in place of marriage (Rebecca and Robert Jones; Sharptop and Maddie Jones). When Bella and Sophie take the rites of Combination, their souls will also be tied to their other true love, Derrick Green; making them a legitimate threesome couple, recognized by the Neverscape and Zetascape alike.