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 Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 8:36 pm
Valkyria It had been long enough. The leftover aches was gone, as was the issues of mobility that he'd had, thanks to much larger wings. It was time to... go, and reach out in truth, without the crutch of Doors to hinder his world-walking. But before that... There was another thing he needed to do. Something he needed to figure out, for both his sake and Lenneth's. It may yet delay his reaching out even more, but it had to be done. Even if the ancient piece laying in the teenager's soul was not truly his, then he could seek out the deity she once served. The girl had been scarce since his return, reaching out to help the survivors and tend to the market – she had a stall there, Ankou had been told by Jinx, but had never gone to personally see it. He wasn't exactly sure what Lenneth even sold – or bartered, to be more specific. But now he was alone, waiting silently for the young girl to return. Going and surprising her in a public setting was... not the best idea, even he could see that. Especially not with what he planned to do. It was not long until, finally, the door opened and closed. It only opened like this to those who were authorized to do so, and the steps were not silent like Jinx's, nor were they the sound of hooves clattering against the wooden floor like Anima's, or Cosine's servants. Which left the goddess herself, or the mortal teenager he sought. A quick look, and the sight on blonde hair, revealed that it was the latter. ”Had a nice day ?” He offered, causally, not exactly sure how to even do this. He could simply had reached out, looked, and taken – but Lenneth... had been the first, in this new life. The god found that he respected her more than that. Of course, he had forgotten a tiny little detail – Lenneth had never seen him like this. ”What the f-” Was the initial reaction, but the girl stopped herself, eyes going wide. He waited, simply, for the moment to pass – curious to see if she would figure this out by herself. A part of him hoped that she would. ”I...” She looked him over, clearly confused. But then... she came closer, blinking once, twice. ”Lord Ankou ?” He wasn't sure what it was that had clued her in – his general posture, the wings, or something... more, but the Spirit Guide found himself glad for it, nonetheless. ”Yes.” He said, simply, as he invited her to sit beside him. Which she did, through it did take the mortal girl a moment to do so. ”...You weren't kidding when you said gods change drastically.” Was the somewhat bemused answer Lenneth gave him. Through even as she observed him, taking in the differences, the god was observing her as well. Not the outside, but the inside, peering down right to her soul. The ancient part... Yes, yes. Now he could see. ”Why do you keep looking at me like that ?” Lenneth was clearly uncomfortable, but Ankou did not seem to notice. He could see, now, so clearly. Ageless, a re-birthing soul that had lost it's way without his influence. Undeniably his, undeniably valkyrie. There was delight here, that Lenneth truly was his. Not Nergal's, not anyone else's – his. Not that the young girl knew it, of course. In fact, she looked much like if she was still wishing the god would stop staring at her like that. ”Well.” He was unsure where to start, really. He could have just went and pulled, brought that ancientness to the forefront, but... No, not to Lenneth. When had he started to care ? When he had started to think she might be his... or before that ? ”I think it is time that I told you. I was unsure, before, but not so much now.””What are you talking about ?””You said you felt that you were drawn to me, before.” He started, just letting the words flow as they came. He had never been the best with words, but starting to think about how exactly he should voice this was a trap that would likely silence him, should he fall into it. ”And that you felt my brother was familiar. Would you like to know why ?””Would I...” The teenager was clearly confused. It occurred to him that he had likely worded himself poorly, as always, but it was too late for that now. He waited, then, for Lenneth to either think, ask more questions, or make her decision. If he knew what was unclear to her, then he could answer more clearly. But then she looked up, and smiled. ”I would like to.””There will not be any going back after this.” Even Ankou himself had no idea what he would unearth, or what the effects would be on the young girl. ”I have nothing else to go back to.” She said, quite simply, and completely fearless. That was true, really. Wasn't he the only thing Lenneth had left ? Well, that made it easy. He reached out, but pale, cool fingers against her forehead. He reached for that fragment with his own power, and pulled it within the girl's concious mind. There was no scream, there was no pain, only deep brown eyes locked into his golden one, wide yet unseeing as so many memories, fact, and knowledge flooded her conscious mind. He felt her soul shift, change under his touch, closer to what it should have been. They stayed like this, locked in position, for what felt like forever, before the shifting finished and Ankou withdrew, moving to support her, instead. ”What is your name, valkyria ?” That word was an ancient one, a test of her newfound knowledge, but was full of fondness that was rarely outwardly shown. Lenneth was silent, at first, as if still trying to short through those memories, trying to find the answer to that question. ”I an Hrist.” She said, simply. ”Hrist dy Valkyria, my Lord...””Shh.” He quieted her, before she could launch into more. It would be no good to strain her mind more than she already rest. ”For now, Lenneth, Hrist... Rest. Give your mind time to settle.”She felt light, in his arms, as he moved to carry her. His new body was definitively stronger than the one he had taken from his host, and it helped that the young girl did not struggle as she was carried into her personal rooms to rest.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 8:36 pm
Just A Little Break... Zero Dream  The Spirit Guide was not a creature known for his ability to stay still for long periods of times. It was only his recent growth and his training with his aoide and his first valkyrie that keep him grounded. Oh, and quality time with Cosine, of course.
But still, he was starting to feel a little... twitchy. He wanted to go out and do something, something more than he'd been doing, but he didn't quite feel ready to undertake something major. Not yet. The god still tired out a little quickly during flight, and it didn't help.
Jinx and Lenneth had wandered off to take a break, mostly to eat and drink - Ankou had remained behind, grown used to not bother with such things. Instead, he was leaning against a tree, ruffling the feathers of a now very happy crow that had taken residence on his shoulder.Meepfur Rio had been uncharacteristically busy lately, helping Night with his followers. Fourteen didn't sound like a lot, until you had to talk to them all! He'd enjoyed himself, though; the Tylluan that had come to the other god were quite fascinating. Itztlac was very fortunate to have them.
Love found himself rather enamored of one in particular, named Ffyrnig. He appreciated her feisty character, even if it was housed in a feathered bundle with some very intimidating talons. If she weren't a giant owl, he probably would have been interested.
He did enjoy her company, though, and was in pursuit of it now - he just had to find whatever garden tree she was in today. It was a bit of a game, one that currently had him wandering from tree to tree. Zero Dream Ankou seemed content to simply watch the scene unfold in front of him, this very pink-clothed, candy-winged god going from tree to tree in search for... something. It seemed just a little silly to think that this god was looking for crows, which was all the tree-dwelling creatures he was aware of being present at the moment.
He could have been content to leave it at that, and leave this other on his search, but the crow on his shoulder had another idea. In his observing, Ankou had stopped his scritching - and that wouldn't do, as the black bird let out a loud shiek to get the god's attention once more. Meepfur ...that was most definitely not an owl sound, but it was certainly enough to momentarily distract him from his task. And when his gaze fell upon the source of the noise, that really distracted him, because that was almost certainly a god. Rio couldn't possibly resist saying hello. He loved meeting new people! Although he didn't want to keep Ffy waiting for him indefinitely.Fortunately, she was in the next tree he peered into, and agreed to accompany him. All this god business was endlessly interesting. The pale Tylluan left the tree she'd perched in to fly over to and alight in the one the other god was leaning against.Rio followed, offering a friendly "Hello." Zero Dream ..Well, so much for that. Returning his hand to the crow's front in order to avoid any more cacophonic interruptions, The Spirit Guide watched the owl fly from one tree to another with some interest - he'd certainly never seen an owl stray this far from the forest before, hadn't he ?
Though, he would ponder this later - the other god that was now coming toward him catching more of his attention at the moment. He hadn't planned to start anything, really, but he wasn't impolite enough to ignore someone outright. "Hello." He answered back. "...Were you looking for something ?" There was a bit of awkwardness in his voice, as if he wasn't really sure what to say or do at that point. Usually, the others he met and were not familiar to turned to be rather sociable and made it easy for him to simply follow along the conversation, and to be honest, part of him was hoping this would be the case. He'd never been the most outgoing... or the most interesting, perhaps. Meepfur A very large owl, at that - abnormally large, of greater size than any ordinary owl. She peered down at the pale-skinned god with keen, critical interest as she settled herself on her new perch. She seemed amused, inasmuch as it was possible for an owl to do so. Rio had managed to look a tad ridiculous to this observer, looking for her, and she found it terribly funny.The candy-winged god grinned pleasantly and nodded in the direction of his feathered companion. "For my friend. She likes to hide from me." He favored her with an affectionate smile that bordered on flirtatious. "I'm Rio, and my lady here is Ffyrnig."
"My apologies if we're...interrupting?" The other god didn't look to be busy, but he also didn't look to be enthused about having company, either. Best if he gave him a way out. Zero Dream Having birds around oneself was certainly not an odd thing to Ankou - but he was not especially keen on owl knowledge, so that fact that she was bigger than normal owls escaped him completely.
"Not really." He shrugged. "Just waiting for my aoide to come back. I am Ankou." Meepfur Ankou...ah, yes! He'd heard the Spirit Guide mentioned, once or twice, including something about him being involved with someone - Counting Crow, whoever that was. Perhaps there was some connection to his crow companion, there.
"Ah, Nergal's brother." Rio's cheeks dimpled pleasantly with his smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Zero Dream Ankou couldn't help but wonder if, one day, he'd be able to wriggle out of 'Nergal's brother' being the main mean of recognition, but... such was the result of being reborn second, he figured. Though, with how little contact his brother had with the others, really, it seemed almost odd that many people made the connection.
In a way, it was a little irritating, but certainly not Rio's fault. So, instead, he settled to being amused. "I see that my reputation precedes me." He let out a small chuckle. "Though, I am a afraid that I have never heard of you before." He had a small idea of what this god must be, with all that pink and those flirtatious smiles, but it was better not to assume anything.
As long as it wasn't him that was being flirted with, all would be well and good. Meepfur Truth be told, Rio flirted with everyone to some extent; he wasn't always serious, depending on the person in question, but everyone got a little taste. Not that that should be surprising to anyone who knew he was Love. It was his nature!
The god feigned a little pout when Ankou revealed he'd never heard of him, an expression that caused Ffyrnig to make a short, loudly amused sound. "Aw, your sister-in-law's never mentioned me?" He laughed. "I'm Love." Zero Dream "I do not get the pleasure of her presence as often as you might think." ...Had he vexed Love ? Ankou looked a little confused, not reading the expression for what it actually was. "For no fault of her own, for I am often gone on lenghty journeys." It had only became easier now, but that had never stopped him at all - he was a wanderer, and he would probably always be so.
It was downright impossible for the Spirit Guide to truly settle down in one place forever. Meepfur "Don't mind him," Ffyrnig put in, with a mental voice that was sharp and amused, "He is terribly vain." These gods were funny creatures, for all that they were gods. Neither of the pair here, as they were, inspired any awe in her. Rio was too friendly and lighthearted to be impressive, and this other one had an awkward way about him.Love looked briefly offended by his companion's criticism, but it was all in good fun. "I've not often gone far from here," he admitted. Only once had he travelled much at all, to search for Kishara after Neva's host had taken her - for the goddess' own good, but no one had known that then. "I suppose I should, one of these days."
That last sounded a little guilty. He had such a tendency to get preoccupied with here and today that some things got put off indefinitely. Zero Dream "As I see, indeed." He answered Ffy, looking amused, and none too bothered that he was talking to an owl. Mortals might have found it odd - Ankou still caught himself finding it odd, but was doing his best to shake that leftover mortal notion from his mind. Sentient life came in all shapes and forms.
She was definitively interesting, though.. Perhaps this could be a matter for another time.
"You probably should." There was no berating in the Guide's voice - there were more than enough who could do that for him ! "There are probably many who could use your skills... Though in a way I suffer from the opposite problem." In that he was rarely at the pantheon to begin with. Meepfur "Im afraid I've become a terrible procrastinator," he said with a self-deprecating grin. "There are disavantages to being half mortal. Or myabe I always was...I don't really remember. I just get so distracted." Even with Adi having moved out, he didn't seem to have any trouble finding other ways to sidetrack himself from what he 'should' be doing.
"The opposite problem? I can see where it would be, if you're often gone." Zero Dream Half-mortal, uh ? It seemed that, maybe, Love had made different choice than his own. "Well, you could probably say that I am too reckless." Wandering out, often alone into worlds, with grigori at large, with him only wielding a fraction of the power he had once had.
"But I am who I am." He shrugged. The good and the bad, through he hated to admit the latter.
The crow on his shoulder squawked, visibly protesting the lack of attention - pale fingers started to pet the black feathers again and all was well. Meepfur "Reckless? How is that?" Did he say that of himself simply because wandering so could be dangerous, or was there something else to it? Either way, it was certainly safer to travel now than it had been not so long ago - the one time he had done so, haring off to look for Gaia. If only that would work, this time... Zero Dream "Well... Heavens only know where the grigori are hiding. And I walk alone more often than not." But he couldn't let that stop him. If he let it, then he'd be as good as caged, trapped, left to fade again, or so he thought.
If he left fear to take over, then, at least in his case, the grigori would have already won. "But I can't let that stop me. I have a lot to do. Destruction and Gehenna sure did see to that..." He trailed off. Meepfur "I hadn't thought of it that way," Rio admitted. Though they all knew the Grigori were out there, somewhere, but they didn't seem to think them a very active threat - not in the way that they mgiht suddenly reappear and attack a single god. But why not? It sent a tiny shudder through his wings. To be Unmade...
But beyond that, Ankou was making him feel guilty for his failure to venture out, although he probably wasn't trying to do so. There was a sudden self-consciousness to Love, who pulled in his bright wings and looked pensive. "It seems you are a braver god than I, or at least more dutiful." Zero Dream Unfortunately for Love, Ankou didn't seem to be picking up on any guilt-tripping he was accidentally causing. He hadn't set out to do just that, did not notice, much like he always did.
"Brave or foolish, take your pick." He said, amused. But when he wasn't being himself, when he wasn't seeking the spirits, he felt... incomplete. Like something was missing, and the only way to drown that feeling was to work.
So work he did.
"And, well.... Every duty is different." He admitted. "I... have always been different, I figure. Because of what I am." Ruling from above (or Under, come to think of it) had never been for him. Meepfur "I think perhaps that could be said of all of us, that we are different on account of what we are." Different, even, than their own counterparts, to varying degrees."How very deep." Ffyrnig offered her commentary with dry, unflinching amusement. Zero Dream Others might have been insulted by Ffynig's statement - after all, how dare a mortal talk to a god like that ? But, well, it was not so the case here. The Spirit Guide was definitively amused - he attempted to conceal it and let his expression settle on a careful mask of neutrality, but the amused light in his golden eyes betrayed him quite nicely.
Bright little spitfire of a mortal, in the large shape of an owl. He had to admit gods did need the occasional kick in the a** these kind of mortals did bring.
"Well, when you think of it, if we were all the same, we would not get much of anywhere, would we not ?" Oh, the idea of a whole pantheon full of unsettling, wandering gods like him... Yes, they wouldn't get much of anywhere then. Meepfur Rio sighed and shook his head at his companion, responding to her teasing by reaching up to tweak the Tylluan's eartuft, which prompted her to puff up her feathers and snap her beak at him.
Grinning, he agreed with Ankou, "No, we really wouldn't."
"Aah, but I think that was code for I'm not paying enough attention." Ffy huffed a wordless denial of this, but he knew that he was right. "Perhaps we can speak at more length some other time?" Zero Dream He couldn't help but smile at the interaction in between Love and the Tylluan, so similar to him and his crows and yet completely different at the same time.
"Perhaps." Really, in his case it was always better to never set things in stone unless he was certain if he would actually present. Planning had never been his forte. "Be well then, both of you." He did say with a nod before leaving Love to his current company.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 8:37 pm
Another New Friend ! Meepfur Enekpe was now very much at home at the Pantheon, wandering the gardens and sleeping in the teahouses whenever she liked, not to mention eating anything edible that came within reach. Though thin when she'd first arrived, the pooka was now not just a healthy weight, but getting a little pudgy. She hadn't gotten that way without help, though! k**e's aoide, Galitzi, found or made just about anything she asked for, and was happy to do so. Animals' host was just too cute to refuse. The catgirl even carried her around wherever she liked, although En was going for a walk on her own at the moment. Her two hooves clopped quietly on the path as she went along. Zero Dream Enekpe wasn't the only person out for a walk at that moment, it seemed - there was a tall man, skin a blue so pale it was almost white, going down the same path at her, looking upward at the treeline rather than to where he was walking.
Add a tiny little pooka, and well, what had to happen happened. Suddenly there was something small and hard in his way and down Ankou went, in a mess of limbs and wings - only catching himself in extremist to keep from getting a faceful of grass.
Oof.
"What--" He darted, and turned, and then saw just what he'd tripped on. It was a... what was that ? The Spirit Guide had no idea, and for a moment, he could only stare.
At least it didn't look hurt - it probably belonged to someone, and really, he wasn't looking for trouble. Meepfur It was far from the first time Enekpe had become a furry road hazard, but it was never a pleasant experience. It hurt! Not too badly, since the man didn't fall on top of her, but still! It was a little scary, too. The pooka squeaked in distressed, going for a little bit of a tumble herself. Once she'd righted herself, she blinked owlishly at the pale god for a moment before offering a guilty, "Sorry." Zero Dream ...Had it just talked ?
Ankou was certainly one to know that sentient life came in all sizes and shapes, of course, but he was still very, very surprised when a voice came out of the little furred thing.
Awkward.
"No, I wasn't looking where I was going." He finally managed, trying to ignore the soreness on the points where he'd impacted the ground, working himself up to his feet again. He could keep on going, but -he- had bumped into... well, the voice had sounded female. "Are you okay ? Nothing broken ?" He offered, awkwardly. She was so damn tiny ! Meepfur "I'm alright," she decided after a cursory check, and shook the dust from her fur. "Are you? You fell a lot farther." Zero Dream This was silly, downright silly, and Ankou felt definitively glad that there was no one else there to have seen him trip all over a little ball of fluff. And him awkwardly trying to make amends to said balls of fluff. "I am fine." As if tripping like that could truly hurt him. He was dusty, but ultimately unharmed, unshattered for perhaps the exception of his pride. Meepfur Oh, good! Assured that the stranger was alright, Enekpe's ears canted forward and her tail set to wagging. "I'm Enekpe! What's your name?" Zero Dream "Ankou." Well, he owned her that much, after tripping all over her.. Really, if Cosine learned of this... he'd never hear the end of it.
But then it was with that further inspection that he noticed something new - a gem, so large against such a tiny frame, a bright, vivid blue. It had been easy to dismiss it as a marking when one looked quickly, but now... He could also feel it. "You are a host... ?" now he was curious. What kind of deity would take such a tiny little creature as an host ? Meepfur "Nice to meet you, Ankou!" she chirped. "Mm-hm!" Enekpe raised her head, proudly displaying the gem set in her chest. "She's Kikechum, Goddess of Animals." Zero Dream Animals. uh. Well, that explained the... unusual host. He'd yet to see a host that wasn't at least vaguely humanoid, before Enekpe - the humanoid form, overall, was of greater usefulness to gods once again growing into their own, and he could understand that. Though he was aware he likely now had the power to come to look like anything he wished to be - or so his fragmented memories of the distant past had told him, for so long - he'd yet to test it, and even less something so removed to what he was used to.
With that came, surprisingly, more questions. Animals... He couldn't help but wonder if there had once been some alliance in between them, the crows that yet still following him faithfully being the proof of it. "Sorry to have run the both of you over."
It was a good thing he hadn't bothered to actually stand again - to speak with something so tiny that way ! He was likely to bump into a tree while looking at her, with his current track record.
"I am the Spirit Guide." He offered, waiting to see if the goddess within the gem might remember something he did not. It was extremely unlikely, he knew from experience, but he still made the attempt. Meepfur "It's okay, nobody got hurt." It had been a little startling, but Enekpe was a forgiving sort. She toddled forward to sniff curiously at him. Spirit Guide? It did ring a bell with the goddess, but not the one Ankou was looking for. k**e instead proceeded to inform her host that this was probably her young friend's uncle. "Oh!" the pooka said happily, "You must be Kios' uncle!" Zero Dream This was oddly... cat-like. Cosine had cats - there were no escaping them, for the most part, so he was used to things like this - and held out his hand forward to allow the pooka a better sniff.
"Among other things." It was surprising, a bit - but then, Kios had been more out and about... and he couldn't see him resist a ball of fluff. Meepfur Enekpe snuffled at the offered hand with her little wet nose, then butted her hand underneath it. Pettings, please! It was practically a habit to 'ask.' And he smelled like cats, so chances were he liked other cute things, right? Not that cats were actually cute, at least to En. She didn't like them very much. "He told me about you, how you take people to the Underworld." She seemed proud of this piece of remembered information. Zero Dream Ankou liked to think himself immune to the felines' charm. He didn't hate them, but he certainly wasn't going crazy over them like so many people apparently did. Birds were, overall, much smarter. Especially crows, but one might call him biased.
In spite of it all, he started scratching behind one of the pooka's ears. She had seemed to want it, and - it was such a weird thing. He was sitting in the dirt, scratching an host's ear like if she was an overgrown feline.
Definitively up there in the odd scale.
"I see." He answered her. "What else did he tell you about ?" Ankou certainly wasn't the best with idle conversation. Meepfur The pooka waggled her tail happily, leaning into the scritches. "Mm...about how it's safer there, and the good ones get to come back but they don't remember who they were? Which is kind of sad, I think." Zero Dream "That is right, through - it is safer there, for them." Ankou added, gently. "There are living beings that are quite scared of ghosts, and don't understand them. They could get hurt, either the living or the ghosts." To say nothing about demons, but he left that unsaid. He was, largely, treating the little pooka like he might treat his niece, if she had been a normal child. Enekpe was sentient, but also at the same time young-seeming and... a little naive, he'd noticed.
And he'd always had a weakness for children.
And there he was, wasting time petting an host like an overgrown cat rather than doing his duty. But at the same time, logic dictated there was no way he could save them all - because they had already lost so many to Gehenna. And the day of the dead drew near, he could tell - it would do him good to stick around for now.
Beyond that, he'd be on the move.
"And that... well, I am not the one that makes the rules." Who had decided that particular bit... his brother, or rebirth himself ? He wasn't so sure. "I am not even sure who decided that, actually." Meepfur "I wouldn't be scared," Enekpe asserted confidently. "I'd be happy to see Anna again, even if she was a ghost." Naive indeed. But then, she had spent most of her life as a housepet. It came with the territory. "Is there ever anybody who does remember?" Rules could, after all, be broken - like getting into the fridge when she really wasn't supposed to. Zero Dream "I wouldn't doubt that, but most people would." And he'd seen it. Hadn't Lenneth be scared, even with seeing ghosts most of her life ? Even with being a reborn valkyrie ? Again, this was a proof that most people didn't remember their past lives.
"There have been instances of it happening, I believe, but it is very uncommon." Still, Ankou didn't sugarcoat things, even for cute little fluffy pookas. Meepfur Even if it was, apparently, very uncommon, it happened! This was very good news, Enekpe thought. Maybe one day Anna would come back and remember her! Wouldn't that be awesome? Well, if she wasn't gone by then. "How long does it take for somebody to come back?" Zero Dream Such questions, coming from such a little creature ! Still, he was starting to feel more than a little silly sitting down in the middle of a path, as it were, so he stood again, seemed to study the situation for a moment, then settled for pulling the pooka off the ground and settling her on his shoulder. She could just jump down if she wanted, right ? No hurt there.
"It depends, I believe ? For now, well, it probably takes longer than usual for it to happen since so many died relatively at the same time. Through..." Ah ! "There's a... holiday of such, my brother's actually - the Day of the Dead." He was downplaying his own involvement in it, but didn't seem to care. "On that night, all of the ghosts in the Underworld come out to the living world again. If you're looking for someone, and he or she hasn't been reborn yet..." He almost shrugged, but remembered the passenger on his shoulder and refrained. "Mostly there's stands with foods and other things near the old church outside town, which is where most things happen, so you'll know when it's going on. Though... Perhaps you could go with Akakios ? I am sure he would help you." She seemed to be rather fond of her youngest nephew, it was impossible to miss, even for him. Meepfur Whee~! The 'ride' to Ankou's shoulder was unexpected, but no less welcome. The pooka giggled happily on her comfortable new perch, leaning a little against him. Being carried was the best! "Really?" Enekpe had never known there was a holiday like that! "I don't think I know where that is, but I'll go with Kios. That'll be better, anyway." Zero Dream "He definitively knows where that is." He said for the little furry creature. It seemed like she was balancing well enough on his shoulder, so he didn't move his hand to support her. She would tell him if she needed it, didn't she ?
"And I am sure he would be happy to see you again." Meepfur Enekpe was well-practiced in the art of being carried; it was definitely the Best Way Ever to get around. Being held in someone's arms was usually the most preferable, but perching worked just fine too. "I'd like to see him again, too. And Crys and Ishum." Anyone who fed her was immediately bumped onto her list of favorite people. Zero Dream It was unsurprising that the little creature would know Ishum - and even enjoy his presence. Not only was she small and furry, but even a host to boot. Host to Animals, even.
Again, something seemed to come, but the silver of memory as lost as soon as he tried to pin it. Hmmm. Oh well. It must not have been that important.
"You do know where they live, yes ? I am sure they would be happy to see you drop by whenever you decided to." Meepfur "Mm-hm!" she affirmed, with a cheerful wag of her tail at the memory. "I remember. They made me pancakes!" One of the most awesome of foods, and something she'd gone a loooong time without until running into Crys and Ishum in the hallway. Now she could have them whenever she wanted, with Galitzi to make them for her. Zero Dream Pancakes, hmm ? Seemed like the young lady had a large appetite for something so small. "Crys made you pancakes ? You are quite lucky, I must say." Of course, his niece probably would cook for anyone that was willing to sit still enough to let her. Unfortunately, the Spirit Guide wasn't renowned for his ability to sit still, so he had yet to experience Grief's cooking for his own.
It wouldn't be such a bad thing to do, yes ? Eventually... But at the same time, there was so much to do. Meepfur "They were reeeaaally good," Enekpe remembered fondly, with a happy sigh. "I wish I could cook, but I don't have hands." It could be quite the inconvenience sometimes! Doors, for instance, were pretty much impossible. If she envied people anything, it was definitely having hands. Zero Dream "I figure that must be quite a problem..." Not just for cooking, but for living somewhere more adapted for humanoids, such as the pantheon itself.
No wonder most gods - himself included - sought out hosts with the humanoid shape in mind. Though, to see the world in an entirely different way... It was certainly in his power, but he wasn't going to give any demonstration.
"Do you have anyone assisting you ?" If one of Kikechum's aoide already returned, then the little pooka could certainly be worse of. If not... Well, that would require some thinking. Meepfur "It is," Enekpe agreed with a nod. She really needed people to look after her, at least to live at all comfortably. She truly was a spoiled little housepet. "Mm-hm! k**e has one of those ao-i-de people, Galitzi. She's like a cat-person! It's really cool." Cat-people were infinitely more acceptable than actual cats. Zero Dream Ah, so that answered his question, and solved the problem, so to say. It would not do for an host to be left to totally fend for herself in a world that was not accommodated for them.
...When had he started to feel this way ? And why was it so easy to talk to this little ball of fluff ? Mortals where usually hard for him to talk to.
Strange.
"I have a cat-person, too." He said, amused by her choice of words. Meepfur "You do?" Ooh, how exciting! Galitzi would love to hear about that! "What's yours like? Zi has these pretty patches, she says it's called 'calico.'" Which was a funny word for something pretty, Enekpe thought. Zero Dream The slightest thing seemed to be amazing and noteworthy for the little pooka. It was definitively endearing - perhaps it was why mortals seemed to enjoy the company of small creatures like these ?
"She is black-furred, pretty much." There were also white cats, that he knew of. Save for these colors difference, all cats were nearly identical. Aoide always seemed to re-awaken in waves of similar kinds. A little odd, that...
Nothing came from his mostly broken memory, and he did not persist to try to find an explanation. Meepfur The world was a wondrous place to the childlike little pooka, full of all sorts of mysteries, of discoveries to be made and things to learn - and especially people to meet! Fortunately, she seemed to have energy for it all...at least until she crashed and napped, then popped up to do it all again. "Ooh. So she's a she, too? Maybe she and Zi could be friends!" Zero Dream "Perhaps." The Spirit Guide mused out loud. "All of the feline-like aoide I have met so far were all women. There are, indeed, quite a few. Some like my Jinx, some like Galitzi, and some who are all white." Like Priya. Jinx and Priya had always seemed to get along, and even now spent a chunk of their time together. Perhaps this was not such a bad idea, after all, as naive as the thought seemed to be. Jinx was, for a the moment, grounded to the pantheon until Lenneth was trained and had a better grasp on her past memories. The distraction might not be such a bad idea.
"We could arrange for them to meet, if you wish." Meepfur "Huh." How weird that they were all girls! Enekpe found this rather perplexing - if there were girls, shouldn't there be boys too? She herself was physically genderless, like all pooka, but she'd never heard of of any people or creature being all male or all female. "I wonder what happened to the boys!" "Zi'd like that," End decided, "Everybody needs friends." Zero Dream "I cannot say that I know." Perhaps there had never been any. Perhaps they had simply been created like this, as aoide. He did not remember, or perhaps had never truly known to begin with.
"I am sure it can happen, then." He nodded, trying to shake those thoughts away. The present was much better to focus onto than the past.
"I should probably get going soon, however." He noted, and sure enough, the pantheon garden could be seen in the distance Meepfur "Good!" En wagged her tail happily, certain that Galitzi would be pleased by her efforts. It would be like paying her back for taking care of her, or something like that. The wagging still, though, and her look turned disappointed. She always hated saying goodbye. "Aw, that's too bad..." Zero Dream Her disappointment came as a bit of a surprise to him - he wasn't exactly the most... talkative and open of the pantheon reborn, and it always came as a bit of a shock that anyone that was not his family or own entourage might... miss him.
It was still a little alien of a concept. Before... Before he had gone mostly unnoticed, had he not ? And he actually had no idea how to deal with little little creature's sadness. "I am sure we will get to see each other again." If not her then... certainly the goddess she bore. There was something her that might need exploring, questions that may need to be asked.
"Would you rather I leave you in the garden, or your room ?" Well, he intended to take his role of mean of transportation as far as she wished for him to, at the very least. Meepfur The pooka perked up a little and nodded. Yes, surely she'd see him again! They were going to introduce their aoidei, after all. "Oh, I don't have a room, just a bed. But you can take me there!" A choice she made largely because it would mean a few more minutes with her new friend. Zero Dream Just a bed ? Ah, whatever she felt fitting, he figured. If she was happy with just a bed, then who was he to argue it ? "And where is your bed, then ? The main building ?" It was entierely possible that he might have passed it every day without noticing it in the least. Meepfur "Yep! Harmodius made it for me." A fact she would probably never get tired of flaunting. How many people had a magic bed, hmm? One made by an awesome rainbow god who could turn into a pooka, no less. Zero Dream "That is rather nice of him to make you a bed like that." And certainly nowhere beyond Creation's capabilities. Perhaps he should try to seek out Harmodius once more sometime... If only to see if there was anything else he could do to aid rebuilding.
But at the same time, he'd been told exactly just how he could do this - gather the souls that had not been shattered by Gehenna, and send them on their way to rebirth. From there, they would end up whenever they needed, and would repopulate mortal worlds.
He'd found the bed quickly enough, and let down the little pooka in it with a pet on top of her head. "See you, Enekpe."
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 8:38 pm
To Grow Stronger “Left.” Hrist had recovered nicely, very nicely indeed. The first few days had been hard for the young valkyrie, but now that this hurdle had passed, she seemed all the stronger for it. She seemed to answer equally to both, Lenneth and Hrist, through it might be different for the others, depending on how much they were attached to one identity over the other. He, however, found it easier to refer to her as Hrist – that was what, and who she was, now, over anything else. Still, there was much left to do. A valkyrie had to know how to use her powers, and how to defend herself and the souls that travelled along with her. These things were not innate, they had figured out – it had to be learned all over again. “Right.” Jinx said, and the blonde woman moved accordingly, slowly easing into her own steps and reflexes. She was using a long stick as substitute for a real weapon – neither Ankou or Jinx thought her ready for something that could wound. Jinx had spoken of spears, and it had caused something to shift within in mind, some sort of shadow memory that faded as quickly as it had come, before he could figure out exactly what it had been. “That's good ! Very good, mya.” Jinx sounded pleased indeed, tail going back and forth behind her. Of those currently in his service, the black cat aoide was more fit to teach combat. She had fought at his side more than once, with an ease that betrayed her knowledge. Of course, this wasn't training only for Lenneth. He had shifted his own form, to one of a mortal around her age, in the hopes to keep some of his own strength at bay and not overpower the girl too much. He was waiting on the sidelines, waiting for Jinx's signal that the girl would be ready. Neither had any want to hurt the young valkyrie, of course, but to have someone to fight against, with similar intentions of non-harm as well as similar skill levels, would do the both of them much good. The next time he travelled with another, he had no intention of being helpless, of having to be babysat in the way Tian Yue had to look over him in the World Tree. Not again. Never again. Jinx turned and nodded, visibly satisfied, and that was his cue. He stepped forward, retrieving the bone mace from where it had been attached to his belt. There was no nasty surprise here – he had shifted in front of her, and she knew exactly who he was. It was still intimidating in it's own way, yes, but he trusted that the first valkyrie, in this new age, would rise to the challenge. Hrist did not disappoint. She came in strong, her style clearly more angled toward attack than defence, and she tried to put Ankou in a defensive position as soon as possible. Tried, but really, subduing a god was no simple thing, even for an ageless immortal. It looked like a strange dance – one would briefly overpower the other, only for the situation to reverse when the other found a weakness to exploit. It continued for a a few minutes, until Ankou finally disarmed Lenneth. Jinx looked throughtful. Sure, her lord was doing well enough for himself, but he did not look at ease with the mace. At all. His posture was too stiff, unnatural, as he moved. Perhaps she could slide in a recomendation later... But for now, that had been enough. Hrist needed the rest.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 8:39 pm
On The Road Again midnight_medea Once Cosine set her mind to something it was hard to distract her. Stubborn was the word most would use. She would say determined. The more she thought about it, that place, the statues and the survivors that remained, the more she wanted to go. At the least they might save three lives, the most she would learn something about herself and those who once worshipped her.
Clutching the bead in her pale hand she wandered across the living area of the apartment to Ankou's office. She knew he was somewhere in the apartment as she had not heard the door. His study was always a good place to start. She knocked lightly and peered round the door, resting her shoulder against the wooden frame.
"Kou?" She said, hopefully loud enough for him to hear her if he was off in his own world. Zero Dream The last few months had been busy - the day of the dead and it's aftermath, more specifically, had taken a good chunk of his time. Of all the gods, Nergal and Cosine had probably been the only ones who had seen as much as a feather of the Spirit Guide.
Every now and then he'd come back, with no warning howsoever, spend a few days with her, look at how Lenneth was doing, and then he was gone again. At least, he always announced his departure, so there was no way Numbers had missed it.
The god was, in fact, right where she'd thought he was - and the sound of her knocking made him look up from the book he had been doing a mix of writing and drawing maps into. A few seconds to let the last strokes of ink dry were all it took before he closed it and rose to open the door.
"Yes, my dear ?" He asked her with a smile. midnight_medea  Cosine smiled as he appeared and held up the wooden bead that Inifity had brought her.
"Inifinty found this on her travels." She knew this was not the best way to start a conversation, but in her excitement she wanted to get to the point quickly. "It's from an abacus, I think the people there might have worshipped number." She moved past him into the room and looked down at the bead again. "I could feel it, somehow, how it was. Infinity says that there are survivors."Zero Dream He listenedv as she spoke - right to the point, as she often was - and then turned, inviting her to sit inside with him.
That was always a potentially amusing thing to those who knew both brothers. Nergal sat as straight as a marble block, while Ankou sat anything but straight. Sometimes he even sat on armrests, and he fidgeted often, as if his body was wondering what they were doing sitting rather than doing something. It was up the air if Ankou even noticed it.
Nonetheless, though, for anything official, the Spirit Guide often opted for standing rather than sitting.
"Did she tell you where she found this ? How to get there ?" He asked her. This was starting to sound like an adventure, wasn't it ? midnight_medea Cosine took a seat as she was invited and thought for a moment. She wasn't actually sure of a precise location, which didn't sound too convincing.
"Um, well, I'm not actually sure." She gave a half smirk and tightened her hand around the bead. "She said through the World Tree, I'm sure I could figure it out. I could take Phirren with me." The goddess paused in her excitement and raised an eyebrow. "If I decided to go, they could tell me more about myself." Zero Dream Ah, the marks of an inexperienced world-traveler. But in a way, that was like the pot calling a kettle black - when was the last time where he'd skipped off with having a true destination in mind, after all.
"The World Tree is bigger than you can imagine. Imagine the widest span your mind can conjure, and then try to imagine three times that." Was that... longing, in his voice ? "In fact, I am certain that the only ones who can in fact know the true span of the tree would be Gaia and Creation themselves."
One leg folded over the other, absentmindedly. "Your little friend here... Awoke from a statue, yes ? Then I doubt he has seen the World Tree in this lifetime. It has changed. Worlds died, and the World Tree sealed those ends. It is alive, after all. No use wasting mana on things that will never be again. That Infinity has gone recently, however, is good news for this world you speak of. It means it still exists."
Harsh, perhaps, but these were things Cosine needed to know. To enter the World Tree mostly unprepared... Well, he knew what this was like. Without the Worldshield, he would'nt have lasted long as he had been back then.
Now, however... Was another story alltogether.
"This is definitively worth exploring." He said, hopefully before she could think that he was meaning otherwise. "But you will need to be prepared, should you decide to go. A single trip inside the World Tree can take weeks... To say nothing about getting there. You should consider a mount." He smiled. "And a Guide."
A play on words, perhaps ? midnight_medea Cosine listened to his lecture and gave a half smirk.
"I thought I was supposed to be the sensible one who brings things back down to earth." She placed the bead on the side and sat back, mulling things over. She was not nieve enough to think the journey would be an easy one, though she had not thought that Phirren would be unfamiliar with the tree as it had evolved.
"It will be good for him to go. Perhaps we can help him find more of his kind."
Ankou's play on words was not lost on her sharp mind. She smiled and tilted her head up to him.
"Hmm, a guide with knowledge of different worlds, now where would I find such a person?" she tapped her lips with her finger tip as if in deep thought. "Nope, I have no idea." Zero Dream "In most areas, certainly." There was no denying, to him, that Cosine was the smarter of the pair. But in this area, he was hard to beat. He was, perhaps, one of those who had visited the most worlds, of the gods reborn.
"It definitively would, and I am sure I could wrangle the maps out of Tian Yue for him to study." That would definitively be an easy task.
"Certainly no idea howsoever." It was his turn to smirk, amused. midnight_medea "A mount too, I certainly have no horses." She smiled more. "Well, maybe this mysterious guide could carry me on his back, kill two birds with one stone." The goddess laughed. "Would you really be interested in joining me? I'll find a proper mount. Perhaps from Nergal? I remember Ishum taking care of such creatures." Zero Dream "Mounts most likely will not be a problem. Athanasius has gone through the World Tree before." The errais had always lingered nearby, ready to go on whichever trip Ankou had been about to undertake - it seemed that he had found a bit of a kindred spirit, even though the young errais had never truly world-walked as his race was known to do.
It could come with time, perhaps.
"Of course I would." Would he have offered otherwise ? Of course not. "I did promise you we'd go on a journey, no ? All the better if it is important to you." midnight_medea Now she was excited. She had to admit, as independent as she liked to pretend to be the thought of undertaking such a journey was a little daunting. With Ankou by her side however ...
"You did, this way we do not have to worry about each other and we get to spend more time together." And she got to venture further abroad. "What sort of supplies will we need? I will bring Phirren. I will pack some food and things." Zero Dream "Definitively food. Things easily carried that do not perish and last a long time. Like dried fruits and nuts." That had been how they'd done it, him and Tian Yue. Through now this wasn't going to be a problem for him, but there would be Cosine, Athanasius, and Phirren to worry about... "Also water. There are a few sources through the World Tree, but they are rather far apart." Relying on them would be a bad idea. "The maps, through... If we could take Infinity with us, or if you could ask her to give you directions, this will help." He sure as hell wasn't going to bring the whole span of tomes that had been drawn out from their mapping, yet he simply did not trust himself with remembering paths in something truly so vast. midnight_medea "Okay, food." She repeated, giving a nod of her head and storing that away mentally. She would task Zeta and Zero with searching for food. A blanket or two also it could get cold with the absence of sunlight. "So food, a blanket, matches perhaps if I can find some. I will bring Infinity as she will be able to lead us there." The goddess nodded and continued to think on what one might want for such a journey. "More sensible clothes. Trousers." She would visit Jessica, they were of a similar size and she always wore trousers. "Is it dangerous, within the tree? Would we need weapons?" Zero Dream "Definitively more practical clothing." He certainly did not wish to see the dress she had gotten from the desert city get destroyed, though there had been no doubt that the goddess had more sense than that.
The last question was a loaded one, and he mulled it over for a few seconds before answering it. "Better be safe then sorry. We only had one hostile encounter, the Worldshield and I - demons which had recently pillaged the nearby world. Nothing seems to truly live in the tree beside Nyanko."
And they'd only found four of the awakened creatures though the whole tree... midnight_medea Cosine nodded and breathed in deeply.
"Okay, so, suitable clothes, food blankets and weapons of some kind. I have a dagger." She added. This was going to be a very interesting journey "Do you think tomorrow would be too soon to leave?" Zero Dream A little quick to get to the matter, weren't we ? Instead of being annoyed, however, Ankou was only amused - it was, in a way, extremely endearing.
And really, he was glad to be able to help her, for once - there wasn't much he could actually teach, so getting involved into her school hadn't really been an option. Well, getting involved beyond lending Anima and finding materials, that was.
"Give it a few days." He said, smiling. "Make sure you get everything you need. I might need that long to track down Athanasius." Much like his master, the errais never stayed still very long. midnight_medea Cosine laughed a little as he said she should wait a few days to make sure she had everything.
"Sorry. I'm being a bit eager aren't I?" the goddess glanced around the room for a moment. "I think it's important to get to them as soon as we can. We all know what can go wrong in a day." She breathed in deeply. "I will see if I can find another mount perhaps? best to be safe than sorry as they say?" Zero Dream "I can understand that, but if we have to turn back because we misjudged something, forgot supplies... Well, that would be more time lost, wouldn't it ?" At least that was how he saw it. Better to lose time now and gain it back later.
"I can understand your eagerness, though." He smiled at her. He didn't want her to think he was chastising her... on the contrary, he understood the want to get moving as quickly as possible, to discover, very well indeed.
It would be such a lovely thing to finally share with her.
"If you wish." He answered. To be honest, Athanasius wasn't for him. He fully planned on walking, and would be perfectly fine with doing so. midnight_medea Cosine smiled and nudged him playfully with her shoulder.
"See, this is why I need you with me. I'm far too ready to go charging into things without fully thinking them through. Funny, when I spend so long mulling over other things." It was more excitement than anything else. Not only was she getting to go on an adventure. Ankou would be with her and hopefully she would learn something about herself and her domain.
"I'll ask my aoide. They lived with the Baadris nomads and may have some advice, maybe even some travelling clothes I can borrow." Zero Dream "Sounds like a plan, then." He got up and stretched a bit, more out of habit than out of actual need. "Ill go see for supplies... and see if I can find the errais."
Maybe he could ask Echo if he could take Aria, if he did not find her son. Aria was also experienced in exploring the world tree, and it was definitively a plus in this case. midnight_medea Cosine watched him stand and then got to her feet herself. Flexing her wings and breathing in through her nose as he spoke.
"Okay. I will go and see Isra and possibly Jessica see if they have anything that may be of use to us." She smiled and looked up at him. "I'll see you this evening?" She asked. With the Spirit Guide one could never assume. Zero Dream "I know better than to promise." The god teased, a grin on his features - he was sure he could keep himself still for one day.
Maybe.
Nonetheless, he went to gently run a hand though her bangs and kiss her forehead with a tenderness that most other never saw out of him. "I will do my best, through." midnight_medea Cosine gave a small laugh and closed her eyes as he kissed her forehead.
"Well, hopefully I will see you. If not, I'll be here. Waiting." She rubbed his arm with her hand and stood on tiptoes to press a brief kiss to his lips. "If you go wandering, be safe." Zero Dream Oh, he'd try to stay safe... for now, at least. Ankou and safe did not often go hand and hand, though as of late it was a bit less of a worry than his half-mortal body had made it be.
"Likewise to you." He whispered in her ear after the kiss, and then finally let her go. She had much to do, and really, so did he.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 8:40 pm
Number One midnight_medea  It was late by the time Cosine made her way back home. The hallways were quiet, as she walked bare foot, the belt on her borrowed clothes jangling, she began to really think about her change. Deep down she hoped that Ankou would be in, his reaction would be the most important to her, though on the surface she half hoped that he would be out. She remembered his change, it had not made him much different. She didn't feel greatly different, more in control perhaps.
The goddess reached out to push the door to their rooms open and slipped into the apartment. It was dark inside, dark and quiet. She shifted the bag on her shoulders and made her way straight through to their room.
"Kou?" She called out, shrugging the back pack off. Did she sound different too?Zero Dream He had found his errais, gathered what he had been meant to gather, and had come home - only to find, oddly enough, that he was the first to have returned.
This was unusual to say the least, but the Spirit Guide had shrugged it off and sat down in their private quarters to wait. The lights being off wasn't such an usual thing when he was alone, and could not be taken for granted as a sure sign of his absence.
It was only a few minutes before she entered in turn, and something... felt different.
Hmmm.
He was on his feet by the time the door closed. "Over here, my dear~" midnight_medea She smiled at the sound of his voice and followed it through the apartment. She was both excited and apprehensive to see him. What if he didn't like this new her.
"Something happened today." She called out as she rounded the corner and pushed the door open. Zero Dream "Oh ?" Was it a good something or a bad something, one could ask. Ankou was content to just let her come to him, as nothing in her voice made it sound like she was hurt, or anything like that.
And then she did, the door opened, and golden eyes did widen slightly. Oh, it could definitively be time for payback right now, through it certainly wouldn't be warranted. All in all, she hadn't changed that much, it seemed. At least, he had no problem recognizing her as he stood then walked over to her, carefully reaching for one of her ears with his hands. Feathers ? Earfeathers ? Um.
"A lovely development, might I say." He pushed back one lock of hair to kiss her forehead, tenderly. "When did it happen ?" midnight_medea She smiled at his small expression of surprise. Well, that had to be good. he did not run away screaming. Not that he would. She grinned at the mental image. At the touch on her feather like ears she closed her eyes and smiled more, much like a cat.
"A few hours ago. I was playing a game with some children. Jumping and chanting and then ... I was in this form. It feels strange, like breaking through a fog." Her eyes opened slowly. "Did you feel such clarity ... and yet also confusion. The road ahead seems rather overwhelming." Zero Dream "I think that's just how it happens." He said, voice soft. He had never told Cosine exactly how his own had happened, and... Well, it was probably better that way.
In retrospect, he'd been asking for trouble when he'd agreed to that one...
"Not really ?" He tiled his head a bit. "It was odd and sudden, but... It just felt right, in a way. Like everything before had been wrong, and then suddenly they were right." midnight_medea Cosine nodded in agreement at his words and thought about how she felt. It was hard. Everything seemed so new.
"I think ... I think before it was as though I was here but there was a barrier between me and the world. Now that has gone and you're right. Things feel balanced." She glanced around their rooms and smiled. Now the adventure really began.
"Good timing though, what with our journey on the cards. I won't have to depend on you so much." Zero Dream "Things will get a little easier indeed."
Well, he'd been there, done that, as a morph, and he hadn't been able to shake the idea that he done more hindering to the dragon king than actual helping.
He certainly did not want her to feel like that, ever.
"Did you want to take a few days before we go ? To... get used to this ?" He'd had to do that, really. Suddenly there had been so many opportunities opened to him that it had felt good to take a breather and gather himself. midnight_medea Cosine mulled over his question. She was rather eager to get moving. Though, he was probably right. Now she was riding on the high of being newly changed. There was no knowing how the change might affect her in the long term.
"A few days perhaps." She said softly. "I should tell my brother that I'm disappearing I suppose." She smirked a little. "And that I have changed. We should plan a little more too perhaps. I went to see Jessica and Kayne. They gave me some bits for the journey. They're expecting a baby actually, which is quite exciting." She smiled and shrugged the bag off her back. "I should investigate the apartments Harmodius gifted me with too. Maybe we can combine somehow. A passageway perhaps?" Zero Dream He nodded along with her words, and secretly was glad that she was willing to wait and figure out her own strength before running head-long into adventure. It certainly felt safer that way, as eager for adventure as he felt.
The wait would make it more enjoyable. It was something he'd learned. It did seem wise for her to tell her brother that she was leaving, at least. Him and Nergal, well... They were so used to it that there was little need for it, and it seemed to suit the both of them just fine.
The twins probably were different.
"Are they ? Ah... Would you give them my congratulations when you see them next ?" Then they might not want him around. Bad portents, mortal superstitions... Mortals could believe the silliest things.
He reached to take the bag from her as she shrugged it off, without thinking much about it. "Perhaps. It certainly would be handy." Privacy when she felt she needed it, and company when she sought it. midnight_medea "I think so." She smiled brighty and took a deep breath. She was feeling rather invigorated and excitable after her change. There was so much to do, or that was how she felt at least. "Let's go for a walk. I passed several people and gods on my way back here, they seemed to be heading in the same direction with some purpose in mind." The small goddess held her hand out in expectation of it being taken. "Perhaps we should see what all the fuss is about." Zero Dream She seemed so happy, so full of energy that she could barely stand still, and in ways it was very, very contagious.
It was good to see her like this, and not as tired as his own change had left him.
"Well, you make me curious. Let's go see what the fuss is all about, hm ?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 8:41 pm
Return Of The Sky There were stars over his head, now, when he looked. He'd found that he had barely remembered how they had looked like. The Spirit Guide had certainly never seen them like this, before now. Now looking this perfect and pristine, even if he knew that there was no Universe behind the twinkle of those stars. He had been reborn during Destruction's reign, while Lucius had been bound, and had never seen the skies bright as they should have been. The daylight, the bright blues and yellows of the sky and sun had been lovely, but this was a whole different kind of lovely. Oddly enough, a part of him wished he could have known the god. What had this happened... ? Had he not been happy in near-loneliness, before ? No, actually... Hadn't he been used to loneliness ? Jinx had told Anima that he had been miserable in it, but he did not remember that. It felt so distant and abstract that through a part of him knew it true, he had issues truly believing in it. Either way, the past was past, and it was unimportant. He hoped that not making it into the council had not stung Cosine too much. He would aid where he could, he had decided, but had not put his own name forward. The reason was simple – he knew himself too unreliable for this sort of thing. How could he make sure that he would be exactly where he needed to be when the council needed to meet up ? He just hoped that Nergal had not fallen into that particular trap... His brother forgot about the living worlds all too easily. And he had no want to be the constant reminder, thank you very much. It was hard enough to keep himself on track, sometimes. Still, the stars were beautiful, and it was hard to believe that those were the glass that Forest had gathered... among other things. Now he wanted to reach out, and visit all of those stars, one by one, and visit the worlds that gravitated around them. All of them. But there was Cosine's vision to worry about... But that would be one world seen, and in good company, at that. It was worth the wait. But for now, the Spirit Guide remained where he was, laying on his back in the snow of the tallest mountain of the world he had wandered on, and watched the spectacle that unfolded in front of his eyes. He was so high that it seemed like he might just need to reach out and he could have touched those stars. He knew that was not the case, but... Well. Being him was certainly amazing, some days. Who else would know of such a spot, after all ?
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Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:24 pm
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 12:27 pm
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Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 2:41 pm
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Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:20 pm
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:19 pm
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:20 pm
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 9:26 am
Senbonzakura There were nearly as many souls of the dead here than there were cherry blossoms fluttering in the wind. Which made sense, of course, that they might be attracted to Gungnir in some way or fashion, though he did not know what, exactly, might draw them to the spear. He couldn't remember, and it rankled as much as the fact that those souls did cling to the usurper subconsciously. Once he got to thinking, through... Well, it became an advantage. It did not take much mana to overpower whatever call the spear had on it's own, and once that was done, the souls became his eyes and ears. Just as Cosine was weaving her own power to catch Pythagoras' attention, Ankou was putting his own plan into motion. While he pretended to meditate upon the true meanings of Numbers, he was in fact meditating in a whole other way. After all, while he knew very well that numbers were more vast and complex than mortals might think, he also doubted the old man truly knew what he was talking about. No, while 'Adrian' did meditate (and oh boy, was he bad at it, such a shame...), what he was truly doing was calling onto the souls that wandered the temple and keeping himself aware of everything that was going on within the building. Most of it he wasn't too interested in, but he had a few trailing Pythagoras at all times, and the man did not seem to notice it. It made him wonder if the fool even knew the true nature of what he was holding onto so dearly. But Ankou had not noticed that he had any perception of the dead. There were usually telltales signs when an individual could perceive the dead – even if they did not talk to them, well, it was hard to have things move in your field of vision and not look at them. So there were truly two options – either he could perceive the dead and had learned to ignore them, as he had... or he did not, but might, in fact, feel quite haunted indeed... Either way, it did not look like the man was aware of what he was doing. No, he was suspicious indeed, but of Cosine – which had been the plan, and yet... Really, he would have preferred it the other way around. If Pythagoras could use Gungnir to some extent, then there was little that the goddess could do to defend herself. All he could do for now was instil those under his influence that she was to remain unharmed at any cost, and wait for the moment Pythagoras would decide to strike. Then, at that moment, he could strike back. The days wore on, with Cosine reaching out her influence more and more. The days felt like eternities in their own right, but he was patient. He had always been patient with the things what were worth being patient for, and winning this situation was certainly worth it. Not only to reclaim Gungnir, but for Cosine as well. This was her temple, and these would hopefully be her followers, when the foul play would be brought to light. His patience would be, ultimately, rewarded – he was still faking meditation when one of the souls came for him, telling him that Pythagoras was, at this very moment, asking to talk to Cosine in secret. Well, well. It seemed like the time had come, and it was easy to slide away from the group, shift out of his human guise and then in a very different one – and a golden-eyed crow took flight, guided toward the goddess and their target by the soul which had relayed the information to him. After all, who would suspect a crow ? Cosine, most likely – and that was exactly what Ankou was counting on.
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Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 5:05 pm
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