as taj lives and breathes his heart aches for all, and that aching leads to love. even in grief, he only remembers the love. even in loss, there is only that love. and as such, each connection he build rightfully alters him, adding a so-called feather to his wings. that is, he has the ability to use emotional bonds to create new avenues of power, so-called 'absorbing' gifts from others and altering them within his will, so that he can draw on their memory and use those gifts at later dates. the time spent isn't as important as how strongly taj feels for a person, and so even people he has not met (such as his biological parents) inspire power within him, as he has a love for the thought of them that cannot be shaken. these conections become tethers he can recognize and, if strong enough, draw towards.

Mother Her psionic abilities and illusion casting created in Taj the ability to outright reject reality rather than simply creating illusions. With a touch, Taj can alter perception and reality.

Father His transmutation abilitiy evolved, to work with Taj's rejection of reality: he can touch anything and alter it completely, mostly retaining similar mass and momentum.

we're all starstuff

Luz Ever loving and gentle, encouraging magic and his little angel. Taj may not be the shaman priest papa wanted, he does connect to things greater than himself - his imagination.

answer my prayer be mine ♡

Kel Pops is a go-to for all things tech and electronics, which means that whenever Taj stressed a new problem with his phone, it was pops he thought of, until it became his source of power.

newtrauma.exe hey, siri?

Iya-Nla Grandmother knows best and gradmother knows you only surround yourself with the very best, darling! So, Taj learned to do that, uplift and redecorate with flair.

practically the real thing! luxury is a state of mind

Bets Who can command a room like Bets? No one - except Taj, now, though he still relies on her for all the heavy lifting.

all eyes on me perks of being a wallflower

Candy Another Petal got Taj the original job at CrazyRose, Candy is a sweet soft thing whose comfort in themselves gave Taj hope - and gifts!

peak gender not too much!

Wilbert A strange crazy alien nudist but a protective, sweet teddy bear nerd as well, Willy is always around whenever you do or don't need him and his talks opened new worlds up for Taj.

my magic hole amplication fields

Roz We're fucking goddesses, babe, was all Roz would shout after a rough night. It clung to Taj and uplifted him. Though she's done working, they stay close, and it has given him sway as she has.

just a goddess man servants

Max No one, at all, takes Max in a fight. Taj is ever safe when she's working and has never once felt otherwise, and she has done her best to try to teach him to fight, too.

soul blades every stick is a sword

El Cute, bubbly, bright. Her ability with light impressed Taj, but her brightness infected him. They love festials together and make a show of it!

baby, you're a firework a grand jubilee!

Quincy Quincy actually loves his work. It was strange, but exciting, and by the time they fell apart, Taj was just as good if not better at understanding these odd numbers of things.

devil's in the details investment agency

Maverick The would-be husband ended in ruins, but Taj took good from him. He was always like a dirty Apollo to Taj and so, as love grew, so did that truth. Now he can pluck strings like hearts and change minds for it.

string spells live for the stage

Amal Amal was all smoke and mirrors in the best of ways, and he always seemed to be anywhere you need him to be. This oddness embraced Taj and made it so he can move the same.

mirrorworld photographic memories

Sabine Sabine doesn't know how not to be the center of attention, but she also doesn't know how not to make the kitchen her heart and soul. Taj learned it all from her.

star of the show the way to a man's heart

Lumas Lumas was the first to truly make Taj feel special, and he put him on such a pedastal that Taj unlocked his potential for true beauty, unbreakable faith in his inner Aphrodite.

only girl in the world most beautiful starflower

Waaiz A forbidden first love that taught Taj to feel small and invisible and haunted. So, he earned those rights.

fade away slip away