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 Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 10:32 am
0 ~ IT STARTS ~ The rain poured on the city of Ho chi Minh making the buildings and traffic a blur. In one of the many tall, thin houses it might have been night it was so gloomy.
Lien Dao Mei lay on her bed listening to a CD though her headphones. It was her first CD and was playing on the new CD player she had gotten for her twelfth birthday. Humming along to the words she did not understand Lien attempted to finish her English homework.
Chi, her big sister was being a cow as always and refusing to help.
"Li, Chi breakfast!" Her mother's voice carried up the stairs and fell on deaf ears. kicking her feet in the air Lien made an adjustment to her work and looked up as her earphone was pulled out.
"Li, breakfast." Chi said, raising an eyebrow and hitting the stop button. "Come on, I'm not waiting for you again."
Lien frowned and watched her sister primp in front of the mirror.
"As if you wait for me anyway." She muttered, pulling on the white Ao Dai she wore for school and twisting her hair up.
Breakfast was laid out and going cold by the time she got downstairs. Coffee, bread and an omlette, laid out ready.
"Where's dad?" She asked, sitting and watching her baby brother shove some cereal in his mouth. Most of it going over the tablecloth.
"He had to work early." her mother replied. giving a weary look as she wiped little Dinh's face with a damp cloth. Lien and Chi exchanged glnaces. That meant he was off gambling again.We could have been so much.
Chih a dancer, travelling the world.
Me a nurse, helping make people well.
Who knew we would be performing and soothing people's pain in a different way. Lien could hear the angry voices of men downstairs though paid little attention. She was happy, curled up in bed. Across the room she could hear her sister's breathing and the sound of the rain pouring from the gutters.
She must have drifted off to sleep as the next she knew she was being pulled from her bed to the sound of her mother's screams. Crying out as her mind tried to make sense of what was happening she stumbled but was yanked to her feet by strong arms.
A hand held her roughtly as she watched her mother claw at the air. Their father holding her back. Tears spilled down Lien's cheeks. tears of pain and confusion as she was dragged with her sister from the room. The las she saw of her mother's face was pain, pain and a broken woman.
It was hot in the back of the van, she clung to her sister for dear life as they were jolted around. It smelled of people. People and garbage. Rotten, disgusting. When they finally reached the port it took two men to remove them from each other's arms.That was the last I saw of my home and my sister.
I often wonder where she is now.Next, a room miles from my roots. Small, humid it smells of hell. Cockroaches scuttle, I hear them, or are they mice. I do not care as I am wishing they would devour me.
It hurts to move, to exist, to open my eyes for a new day of torture. Lust fills my senses. I can hear it, smell it, taste it. Though I want nothing to do with it.
i could die, i think. Many girls end it for themselves. Some take scissors to their wrist, a scarf froma light fitting. Only yesterday a girl threw herself off the roof of the building.
I want to die but something will not let me. Then they would win, he would win. I would become nothing. Just another body washed up in the river.
I will not allow myself that fate. Something withinme grows stronger. Tells me to stop my crying and sit up. I wipe my eyes on the palms of my hands and rise.
My next wave of clients whill be arriving soon. Some important men from Japan. i hear they are in the market for a little human traffic. Carefully, to the distant sound of an old beatles song I wash the men off me and dress. Japan is rich. I know this despite their economic gripes.
Like my asian ancestors before me, those who ventured to Singapore and the States i convince myself that I will find escape in Japan. All I need to do is impress. A slow smirk crosses my lips as I paint them red. A porcelain doll, a child in an adults clothing. I hear they like that kind of thing there. Images of shirt skirted, underwear flashing schoolgirls come to mind. Pictures from comics in bookshops and cartoons on TV The Lolita complex. A desire that at thirteen years of age I was made to satisfy.The land of the rising sun on the surface filled with polite, reserved people. Underneath it is rotten to the core.
The fermenting hell hole of asia.onna ni natta atashi ga uru no wa
jibun dake de
doujou wo hoshita toki ni
subete wo ushinau darou
JR Shinjuku eki no higashiguchi wo detara
soko wa atashi no niwa
daiyuugiba Kabukichou
kon'ya kara wa
kono machi de musume no atashi ga joou*
Tokyo is everything and nothing. I walk down the neon streets of Shinjuku bathed in colour. My skirt is short, my heels too high but I look no different from the other legitimate women that pass by my side.
Here the industry is blatent and thriving. Signs promising Hot Philipino Girls stand side by side with those advertising family dining. All you have to do to see graphic pornography is glance over the shoulder of the nearest salaryman on a packed train.
I pass a group of giggling teenagers as I head into Kabuki Cho. The girls have skirts shorter than mine. Which will no doubt serve their purpose. At least I get paid. I think with a smirk.
I am returning from one of my new regulars, a mob boss who likes it violent and in five star hotels. Not that I am complaining. In my bag is a nice array of designer soaps, shower gels and perfume samples. It's the simple things in life that make me smile.
He pays well too. Says he likes my ego massage, among other things. Aparently there aren't many women who will play his sadistic games. I just tell him they're all amatures. A good whore does what it takes to get what she can.
I smirk to myself as i climb the stairs to the "hostess club." He also says he is going to cut a deal. Re-locate me to Osaka for his own personal use. Set me up with an apartment and some nice clothes. Providing I do whatever the hell he tells me.
I agree of course. Onwards and Upwards. having to answer to one sadistic pervert has got to be better than several a night. besides., it won't just be his sexual whims I'll be satisfying.
Junko, whore, b***h and businesswoman.*kabuki Cho no jo by Sheena Ringo.
Now I am a woman, and what I'm selling
Is only myself
I will lose everything
When I need sympathy
When you come out from the east exit of Shinjuku station, Japan Railways,
That's my garden
The great amusement park of Kabukicho
From tonight on, in this city
I was once the daughter and now I am the Queen
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:39 pm
0.I ~~ The Last Night Of The World ~~ * Nakamura is RP-ed by Ceedabear. *hugs and thanks* heart In darkness the people of Hawaii town, japan slept. The moon cast an eerie glow accross lake Togo barely disturbing the waters peaceful slumber.
The only lights for miles came from the numerous ryokan that lined the shores. At one of the lit windows a figure stood.A woman or a girl¡¢ it was hard to tell. She dressed like a woman in barely there black nightdress though her face was that of a child.
Who she waited for one could only guess. A husband, a lover, or a victim?
Junko stepped back from the window and out of sight. He was late. She thought as she played with a golden locket at her neck. He paid her to be on time just so he could keep her waiting. frowning she knelt at the low table and began to prepare some tea.Masaru Nakamura was in a fouler mood than usual. He was surrounded by incompetent morons. But he hated none more that the stupid do gooder Gennai. He was a bloody disgrace the Yakuza name and he didn't deserve the title of -sama. He was weak both in mind and heart and was too easily swayed to the greater good of others. Others served only one purpose, to benefit the mob's pockets and reign of power and fear. Unlocking the hotel door, he shoved the door open, allowing it to bang unceremoniously as he walked through. Shutting it just as hard behind him, his cold eyes looked over to Junko kneeling on the floor and started tugging at the already loosened knot of his tie.
"At least somebody in this bloody place knows how to be on time," he growled as he tossed his tie and suit coat off to the side. Walking over to her, he grabbed her by the arm and yanked her up to her feet. Without so much as a proper greeting, he leaned down to kiss her neck rougly as he began to yank at the knot of her yukata.Junko blinked as she was yanked to her feet. The stench of shochu filled her nose and she swallowed. She hated that smell, alcohol and cigarettes, eau de salaryman.
Allowing him to kiss her roughly for a moment she breathed deeply and collected herself before sliding her hands up into her hair and pulling his head back roughly.
"Tough day at the office honey?" She said softly, her voice as smooth as mercury, a dangerous smirk on her lips. Badass, just how he liked it. "Won't you have some tea first?" She asked, ignoring his wandering hands.Nakamura grunted a little as his hair was yanked and he looked down into the woman child's eyes before him. She had been a lucky find. The coldness in her eyes proved the intelligence that lay deep within her, masked by years of torment and abuse. She had been laying dormant in the stupid brothel he found her in, doing the madame's bidding and playing to the salaryman's twisted desires. He had taken an interest in her almost immediately. She played his games his way without complaint and gave as good as she got. It wasn't long before he bought her from the madame and took her for his own. Now she worked solely for him, doing whatever it was he saw fit to use her for. Sliding his hands under the Yukata, he ran them over her smooth skin, but his caresses were far from loving or caring.
"He's cutting me out of more businesses. He says I'm violating too many of his stupid codes and that I'm not worthy of the places I've been charged to run," he said in a low voice, ignoring her question of tea as he backed her away and to a wall, pinning her against it as he bent his head down once more to n** lightly at her shoulder.Junko smirked at his words and allowed herself to be backed against the wall. Inwardly she rolled her eyes, he was going to have to satisfy him before she could drug him. She's much prefer it the other way round. Breathing deeply as he nipped her shoulder she thought for a few more moments. Maybe the drugs would work better when he was exhausted.
"Gennai is a fool." she said cooly, tracing her nail down his front so she could unbutton his shirt. "You know there are more people waiting to stab him in the back then there are support him. You just need to try and bring the factions together. Eat him from the ground up.""Damn right he is," he said in a low voice, allowing her to remove his shirt. Running his fingers roughly up into her hair, he leaned down to kiss her roughly. The sooner he got this over with, the clearer he'd be able to think, he thought, sliding his hands down her body to lift her and carry her small frame to the made bed.
~~~~
Masa sat on the futon, staring out the dark window as he smoked his cigarette. Junko's function served, he paid her no attention as he let his mind start to work on his newest issue that Gennai had presented him. Jun was actually spot on with her train of thought on the matter. He needed to find the others that were dissatisfied and use them to his advantage. Breathing in deeply, he pulled his cigarette from between his lips and exhaled a stream of smoke.Junko stood before the mirror and rubbed some cream into the bite mark on her shoulder. Vicious b*****d." she thought with a frown, reaching down to grab her thin nightdress and pull it over her freshly showered skin. Breathing deeply she looked at herself in the mirror and reached up to pop open the locket at her neck.
The history channel had taught her much. de medici was a resourceful woman. Just like Junko was. Smiking at her reflection she stalked back into the room and set about making some more tea, dropping the sleeping pills into his cup and watching them dissolve.
She had it mostly thought out. She would escape the hotel and get to the nearest town. There she would buy some clothes and set about getting as far away from Osaka as possible. he would come after her, she knew too much. Though she was not worth enough for him to track her to the far ends of the country.
"You know they would all support you." She said kneeling down behind him and kissing his shoulder as she handed him the tea. "They just need a man strong enough to lead them, to organise them."Masa blinked a little as Jun joined him, her words pulling him out of his thoughts. Taking the tea she held out to him, he nodded a little and looked back out the window.
"Very true. Not a lick of sense between the lot of them," he said with a slight shake of his head as he dropped his eyes down to the end of his cigarette. He watched the smoke curl up from the end of it for a few moments, then took one last drag and exhaled as he extinguished it.
"I'm going to need you to start gathering information on who is the most dissatisfied with the b*****d. Once I know who all would be willing to turn against him, I can start planning a course of action," he mused as he turned to face her, taking a sip of his tea.Junko nodded as he spoke and watched him, tracing her finger over the serpantine dragon that climbed her thigh. Just drink the damn tea, moron. She thought, glancing out the window for a moment and watchig the moon on the quiet lake.
"Of course." She said, looking back to him. "I already have an idea of who to look up. He has made many enemies this year." "Excellent," Masa said with a nod, watching her finger slide over her smooth thigh. She had definitely been worth every penny he had spent on her, he thought as he finished off the tea and handed her the cup.
"You're not going to drink any?" he asked, looking up at her pretty face and turning to lean back against the wall behind him, starting to feel the stress of the day fully leave him.Junko shook her head and crawled over to him.
"I had some before I took a shower." She said softly, lying on her side and propping her head up with her hand. It was done now. All she had to do was wait, wait and hope with every fabric of her being.
"You should forget about Gennai this evening." she smiled, patting the space next to her on the futon. "Relax, I'll give you a nice massage. Work all the tension away."Smirking slightly at her offer, he willingly shifted to stretch out beside her on his stomach. -Definitely- worth every penny, he thought with a cold smirk as he folded is arms beneath his chin and breathed in deeply.
"That will be nice," he mused, feeling his eyes grow heavy already.Junko sat astride his back and worked the tension knots from his back until she was sure he was asleep. His breathing was heavy. Shaking him she called his name a couple of times to make sure and then smiled. her heart pounding hard in her chest.
No time for clothes, she grabbed a yukata and pulled it on, fastening it tightly at the waist and grabbeing a few ichi man notes, she shoved these into the sleeve of the robe and ran to the door where she slipped her feet into the wooden geta. One last look back at her liberator and tormentor and she was gone. Hurrying down the hallway and off into the night.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:40 pm
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:41 pm
1.II
~ BRAVE NEW WORLD ~ For one used to corruption it was easy for Lien to get by in the malignant world she had appeared in. Wandering through towns there were always those willing to purchase a little comfort. They did not just lurk in back alleys, they were everywhere, desperate sould in need of something to take their mind off the impending doom. Those who thought they might die tomorrow and needed some company. She hated herself. Truely hated herself. After having run so far she was reduced to making money the only way she knew how. Though, at least it was on her terms. The money would buy her a room for the night which was better than being left vulnerable on the streets. Maybe things would have been different had she landed in a world of relative harmony. Through her efforts she had managed to collect enough for a new dress in one of the rare markets and a room at a seemingly respectable inn. It had a door that locked at least and the room was clean. The baths were situated out the back of the inn, it had once been a much grander building. She imagined as she wandered through the halls, the carpet when it was new. The chandeliers when they worked and had all their components. Now everything was rather rough round the edges. She stepped out into the warm night air, there were several pools around, all fed by a natural hot spring. As ash spewed into the world, these volcanic hot spots became more prolific. She watched the steam rise up from the baths. She slipped her robe and slippers off then took a seat at one of the wash stands. The warm evening air felt good on her skin, as did the soap. It was a beautiful evening, Lien thought as stood and walked up to the first pool. Slowly she sank herself into the boiling water. The moon shone far above the trees reflecting on the water though the steam. Sighing Lien relaxed into the water, allowing its comforting heat to wrap itself around her and caress her skin. Allowing the water to wash away the worries of the week Lien tipped her head back and looked up at the sky. The stars were visible through the haze in the air, just about. She watched them and wondered what Nakamura would be doing now. He would have discovered her gone and no doubt be livid. She knew that she would never be able to set foot in the city again, never. She would be hunted and killed. Not that she ever needed to go back. She was free now. Even if it was mostly an illusion. High above her, perched on some of the branches that obscured the moon sat a large black crow. Lien watched it for a moment. It seemed to be watching her back. Its head tilted as though considering her then it let out a loud caw. "Karasu." she smiled to herself, remembering the hoards of noisy characters that inhabited the city. For a moment, a brief and fleeting moment she was back in that noisy city, listening to the sounds of pachinko parlours and mingling amongst the thousands of people who never gave her a second glance. Anonymity. She listened to the wind whisper through the trees as she watched it. In its mouth it held something shiny and bright. She smirked and shook her head a little. They were famous for that weren’t they? Taking shiny things from people to keep in their nest. "What have you been stealing?" She asked in her native tongue, watching the creature with interest. The bird tilted its head to the side and flapped its wings in reply. Lien laughed a little and closed her eyes, easing further under the relaxing, warm water. Her skin was going red with the heat from the water but it was true bliss. She was just drifting off to a world of her own and a land of better fortunes when there was a plop in the water, small ripples disturbed the surface and she opened her eyes. Above the crow cawed, stretched its wings and took to the sky, Lien raised an eyebrow and looked into the clear water at a bright and rather interesting looking stone. It practically glowed through the steam that rose up from the bath. Out of curiosity she reached into the water and picked it up, It had sharp edges causing her to drop it right back into the water with a plop. She frowned a little and reached back down through the water to retrieve it. Grimacing she brought it out of the water and noticed a drop of red form starting to for on her finger. Putting it to her mouth she sucked it as she examined the beautiful stone. The colours were unusual, so much so they almost did not seem natural. Maybe things were looking up. The stone would surely be worth something somewhere.? It might be a gem or a jewel. She knew that they fetched good prices, she had seen the market stalls. People selling their heirloom jewellery out of desperation. Maybe it would be possible to trade it for shelter. She would much rather that than the alternatives that she had been forced to resort to. She smirked at herself and leaned back again. Closing her eyes as she began to relax once more. The stone was still in her hand. Even if it was worth nothing she would carry it with her. She did not know why but it gave her some hope. It would be her lucky charm. her only possession. Also, somewhere there was a nagging feeling, something distant that called to her from the back of her mind and told her that she would not be trading the stone, nor giving it away. it would stay with her now, guide her. She smiled still, innocent of the fact that this stone would one day consume her.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:42 pm
1.III
~ The Crow Road ~ *Lien is saved and taken in by a strange blue man (?). midnight_medea Ever since she had found the gem in the baths Lien had felt like she had a purpose, a goal, a place she should be. A rediculous notion, how can a simple stone make her feel like there was something in this world for her, especially as there seemed to be little for anyone amongst the doom that surrounded her.
Since her escape she had been tumbling into a pit of despair. she was an idiot, she had believed she would be better away from Nakamura safe, free. Such a foolish dream. In this blackened land of what she could only assume to be a realm of hell, she was no better off than she had been in Japan.
At least Japan had beauty, it had life, this world had nothing but decay. As she trod on the path of ash, her feet so sore she was numb to the pain, she coughed violently and winced as it hurt her. Her last 'customer' had given her quite the beating and sleeping in damp and drafty inns had done her health no good. Hugging her arms around her she made slow progress towards the town. It was as though she was being dragged by one of those retractable leads people used for dogs. Lien could only hope that there was something there, something more than the usual dead corpses and burnt out homes.
Stumbling in her exhaustion she tried to get a hold of herself, she wanted to stop, to curl up and sleep but it would not let her. Whatever was pulling her seemed to be calling her closer and closer to danger. The path had once been mud and before that stone. Now it was hot ash, what had been trees nothing but charred stumps.
Unable to keep her movements up much longer the darkness began to envelope her. Giving one last hacking cough she collapsed to the warm floor with every intention to sleep for a long, long time. Thabara "My Lord, look, over there at the horizon.." Nergal had been deep in thought, brooding once again, as he'd most of the time ever since they'd left behind the enchanted forest. But now he looked up, gaze following the direction his half-feline bodyguard was pointing at with her clawed finger. The ragged skyline was unmistakable, even though they were coming at it from the west now, with that roundabout route they had taken.
"Finally." Nergal reached up with his right to gently touch the smooth surface of the small pendant dangling from his neck - the keepsake Lady Echo had given him. Soon, soon enough he would be able to return it to her..
"One more day, I would guess.. Maybe two, given the pace at which we are forced to travel," he said, glancing over his shoulder at the body on the makeshift stretcher his mount was dragging behind, carefully wrapped in the tarp they'd been using for camping. It meant less protection for themselves during their rests, but then again rain had become something increasingly scarce in the past few weeks of their journey.
Maybe he should send Priya ahead to give message of his return? But no, the dangers of this age must not be underestimated - the last group of ragged travellers they had encountered had been refugees, desperate for some place safe. The next they met might not prove to be as harmless. If only he would still hold command over the ravens, then he could send out one of those huge black bir--
"Caw! Caw!"
Nergal brought his mount to a halt, blankly staring at the black shape sitting on a nearby treestump in sheer disbelief. The bird stared back for but a moment, cocking his head slightly, and then started to preen its feathers as if it wanted to let the perplexed god know he wasn't important enough to deserve its attention for more than a few seconds.
It was actually a crow, not a raven, Nergal realized after having given the bird a closer look. For him, the differences were easy enough to tell. No connection to himself, then. He was just about to give the command to ride on, when his gaze finally fell on the collapsed body, covered in ash and sight at it half obscured by the charred treestump. He would not have taken notice if it hadn't been for the bird's presence, and at the very same moment the crow took off to the poisonous sky, as if it knew it had fulfilled its purpose."My Lord?" Priya looked at him quizzically as she watched him dismount in a hurry.
He shook his head slightly, not answering at first. Instead he strode towards the lifeless shape to kneel down beside her - for a woman it was, the long black hair, the dress and her fragile features giving away at least this much. Gently, he turned her over, surprised at just how hot her skin felt against his own - she must be feverish..
"Priya, bring the water flask - there is still life in her." There was a small, almost inaudible 'thud' as he attempted to move the woman's body into a sitting position, propping her back against the chared remains of what once had been a tree, and from the corner of his eyes he saw something radiant green roll from the sleeves of her yukata. What a strange place to keep one's possessions..midnight_medea Lien stood on a bleak landscape wondering if she were dead. Before her the world was black and the rivers ran red. The was hot, damp. It smelled of death. Above, crows circled, their calls loud and forboding. She looked down, her hands were not her own, the hair that whipped about her face was not her own. The heat was growing, causing sweat to trickle down her back. One foot attempted a movement, to step away from the carnage before her though she would not move. More heat, it was burning, no, she was burning.
As she was moved Lien's eyes flew open, blinking at the person who had moved her she pressed herself backwards against she charred post and reached in her sleeve for the knife she had stolen. Her sweating palm gripped the worn hilt tightly as she held it up in her defence.
"Stop." She managed to get out, her hand shaking as a searing pain darted through her head, making her brain seem like it might explode at any moment.
"I don't have any money." She said, her eyes falling down on her jewel as she spoke. Thabara  Nergal flinched back the moment the knife was brought up, completely taken by surprise by the woman's action. Even if it was a only a small weapon, even if it's wielder was obviously weak, and sick - it still could do some considerable harm if he was careless.
"Please," he said calmly, raising his hands palm up to show he was unarmed, "I did not mean to do harm, I was merely attempting to help. We have water.." He could hear Priya stepping closer from behind, and the water bottle was promptly reached to him. Nergal relaxed visibly now that he knew his servant and guard close - she was strong and fast as lightning, as he had learned rather painfully in their sparring sessions, and he was sure it would take her only a split-second to disarm the woman should she try anything.
He offered the water bottle to her with an encouraging nod, not looking at the jewel again even though his curiosity was perked. But the woman seemed to consider it her sole bit of possession worth of theft, so it was probably wise to leave it alone. For now.midnight_medea Lien's eyes narrowed as she watched him through her hair, studying his face and only once she was semi satisfied did she turn her eyes to his companion.
She closed her eyes for a moment as darkness washed over her once more and reached out to take the water bottle. her heart pounding fast as she lifted it to her lips. The water was welcome and cool to her burning body.
"Thank you." she said, keeping her eyes on the strange man and the knife clutched tightly in her hand as she gave him his water back. As her breathing returned to a pace that could be considered relatively normal she relaxed a little.
"I need ... " She paused and frowned, her hand reaching out to take the jewel carefully in her hands. "I need somewhere safe. I can't run much further." breathing deeply she looked in the direction she had been heading. "Is there such a place in this hell?" Thabara "There is no such thing as a truly safe place in this time and age," Nergal admitted ruefully. Except for the Pantheon at its very center, and even the safety the court and home of the gods might offer is a matter of perspective..
"You could come with us for now, if that is your wish. We are heading back towards.. an old friend of mine. She has a kind heart and certainly would not mind to offer food and shelter to one more person." Instinctively he reached up to touch the small pendant once more, indicating the person he spoke of might possibly be more than merely an 'old friend'.
"If I may ask.." His eyes curiously rested on the jewel she had picked up for a moment, its radiant green color reminding him of a piece of vaseline glass under UV light - strange which parts of his host's memories seeped into his own sometimes. A small shiver ran down his spine as he looked at the countless crystal needles, a disturbingly familiar feeling he had encountered before. "Is there a specific reason as for why you are heading into this direction?" midnight_medea "I thought as much." she said wryly, a laugh escaping her lips. What else was there left to do. She was a classic fool, she had been better off in captivity. Much better off.
At his offer she blinked, a kind heart and another female. She would be more trustworthy than any of the men she had met so far. Besides, what choice did she have. She was sick, exhausted and starving how much longer would she survive stumbling along as she was. Besides, the affection that the man spoke of his friend convinced her that they could not be truely bad people.
"I don't know." She said, looking down at the stone and running her fingers along the spines of it. "I just felt that this was the correct way to go. Straight, as the crow flies." She said, her voice growing rather distant.
"I, I would like to meet your friend." She said, slipping the stone back into her sleeve. Maybe it was her good luck charm after all. Thabara Nergal nodded slightly. "I see," he murmured, more to himself than in return to what she'd said, almost certain now of the stone's nature. He'd have to touch it to make entirely sure, but that could wait until later. Best not to overwhelm the woman, sick and exhausted as she was. If that gem of hers truly held the essence of a god, it might be better for someone kinder, more understanding, to explain matters to her - especially considering how things had gone with Sh'khin's host.
"You can ride on my mount if that should be your wish - I do not mind having to walk, and.. it will definitely not slow us down," he added wryly, pointing with his chin in the direction of the wooden frame his 'horse' was dragging behind. The shape of its load - though wrapped in plastic - was unmistakably that of a human body.
"But before we leave.. we have some food left to share. It is not much - dried meat and fruit, some bisquits - but you look like you could use some, Miss.." He paused and blinked, realizing neither of them had introduced themselves yet. midnight_medea "Uh." Lien paused at the gesture for her name. Her mind toyed for a moment between real and fake before deciding it was maybe time she stopped hiding behind her shield.
"Lien. Lien Dao Mei." She bowed her head to him in a polite manner that was now habit on introductions and looked to the wonderful animals he gestured to.
"And, thank you again." She said, her eyes falling on the body that was being drawn by the horses. She had seen death many times, hell she had even been the cause of it once or twice but she would have to admit, the fact there was a dead person, or what seemed to be a person did make her feel uneasy.
At the offerof food she felt her stomach give an involuntary growl. Wrapping a bruised arm around it she nodded and tried to sit up a little straighter.
"Where have you travelled from?" She asked, her curiosity returning as her eyes swept over the strange party once more. Thabara "Lien." Nergal nodded, comitting her name to memory. Just as the names of all those others who had crossed his path, hers would not be forgotten. "I am Nergal," he paused, but then decided against mentioning any titles for now, "and this," he motioned at the feline woman accompanying him, "is Priya, my guardian, whose services have been invaluable to me in these harsh times."
He half-turned to ask said 'guardian' about the food he'd just mentioned, only to find she was already rummaging through the saddle bags. Even from where he was crouching he could hear her satisfied purr about having been complimented as 'invaluable', causing a faint smile to briefly flit across his lips.
"From this town, actually," he told her, handing Lien the package with food once it had been given to him. "We are on our way back from.." He hesitated before he continued to speak. "Would 'an ancient mausoleum deep within an enchanted forest' sound too strange to you?" Most hosts he had come to know had been called from a world other than this one, and he asumed that Lien - if she was destined to be a host - was no exception. Ghosts and enchanted forests might be something she considered mere fairy tales and superstition.
"Where do you hail from, Miss Lien? You.. look like you have gone a long way." midnight_medea "Nergal." Lien said, trying the name out. it was interesting she thought. like no name she had heard. She watched his movements and that of the strange cat woman with interest. His words made her laugh again. Strange. Now there was a thought.
"Nergal." She said, testing the name and brushing her dark hair from her eyes. "I am sat in a world that looks like a level of hell, talking to a blue ... man?" she paused and tilted her head to the side as she knew not what he was. He sounded male, yet there was something about the way he moved that said otherwise. "A blue man, who has a walking, human sized cat for a companion. Now, i think would not be the time to describe things as strange." She smirked and started to open the package with shaking hands.
"Originally, a country called Vietnam, in a world I fear is not this one. Though I have not been there for many years. Before I came to this world I lived in a country called Japan. I uh, I escaped from a bad person. I thought I might be able to make a better life for myself." She gave him a wry look and a snort of laughter. "It seems I was very mistaken." Thabara The color of Nergal's cheeks and ears darkened to a significantly deeper shade of blue, and it was safe to asume that he was blushing. How foolish of him to asume that the thought of an enchanted forest might seem strange to her, and the appearance of himself and his aoide - and their mounts, come to think of it - not. His embarassment even grew when she was apparently uncertain about his gender, causing his misty wings to swirl into a more visible state and flick irritated before they faded once more. "I am male, safely enough - even if this loathsome body is still a little behind on that fact," he snapped. Behind him Priya rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue, and then winked at Lien bearing a small, mischievous grin on her lips. Obviously she had hit a sore point with the gender question.
"Vietnam," the god repeated, once he had managed to somewhat regain his composure. "You are from Terra then, just as my-- just as someone I knew." He offered her the water bottle once more once she had taken a few bites. "Several someones, actually," he added. Iris had lived in the same town as his own host even, and hadn't Morgan been from that world as well? "Maybe you are not that mistaken," he said carefully. After all he had no way of knowing if she truly had been 'called', and if she had been - if the deity who claimed her was kind. "I think it may have been Fate that you ended up here.." midnight_medea  Lien watched his irritation with interest, rather than concern for his embarassment. Not her fault he was touch on the subject after all. A supressing a small smirk she catalogued that little piece of information. In her opinion it was always useful to know what made people tick. Even if they did seem to be safe.
As his servant made faces behind his back Lien shared a wicked smirk with her and waited for him to settle back down. Obviously this happened often.
"No offence meant. i wasn't sure if your race had gender." She shrugged as if it were all nothing and listened to him as she ate slowly.
She took the water bottle and drank deeply, handing it back with yet another laugh at his suggestion.
"Fate?" She laughed as though it were the funniest joke she had heard in a longtime. "What kind of fate can I have in this god forsaken land? So far the only one I have stumbled on is the one I had hoped to leave behind. Earning my survival the only way I know how."Thabara "No offense taken," he assured her, though his voice did seem a little strained. "I.. really should be used to it by now," he added wryly. After all his body was stuck in this inbetween state for over a year now, but that it refused to make any more progress towards his original gender was.. irritating, to say the least, and he couldn't help but wonder if it was his own fault somehow.
"Fate." He nodded, seemingly unfazed by her laughter and rather serious about the matter. "And this time, you are mistaken - this land may be much, but it is definitely not forsaken by the gods, even though it may not look like it, I have to admit. You will see." He hesitated, but his curiosity was finally getting the better of him. "That jewel of yours - may I take a look at it?" midnight_medea Lien nodded and smiled once more. She wasn't bothered as he seemed to be. During her time in Kabuki cho she had come across many a transexual hostess though of course they were men who wanted to become women. not the other way round.
"Um, sure." She said, as he questioned the jewel. Reaching into her cotton Yukata she pulled out the florescent gem and handed it to him carefully. "Be careful though, those spines are sharp. I found it, well, it was dropped in my bath by a crow." She smirked at the memory and turned her eyes back up to him. "Do you know what kind of stone it is?" Thabara Nergal took the gem into his own hands with extraordinary care, not only because of Lien's warning of the sharp spines, but also because if it truly contained the essence of another of his kind it was to be treated with respect. Lastly, he did not want to belie the woman's fragile trust into him.
"I am by no means an expert when it comes to gems, but I think.. it may be a sphene." Knowledge of precious and semi-precious stones seemed to be another thing which had leaked from his host's memories - no wonder considering her occupation.. "The color really is something." He raised the gem to his eyes for a closer examination. There was a presence, he could sense it. But it was weak, possibly still asleep, and it bore no familiarity to him. "Crows seem to be your lucky birds," he mused, "there was one on this tree stump just before we found you.. I do not think we would have taken notice of you if it had not been for the bird."
A little disappointed he handed the stone back to her. "Treat it with care - if it really is a sphene it is a brittle stone, easily damaged." midnight_medea "Like finds like it seems." She quite liked crows, they were resourceful creatures. Quite pretty too if you took the time to watch them. Smiling a little she reached out to take the jewel back from Nergal. "Maybe they are my guardian angels." She said, giving a small shrug and slipping the gem carefully in its hiding place.
"I was going to use it to try and bargina roof over my head. Selling my person has only managed to provide me with clothes and the odd night of shelter so far. Currency seems to be worth little." She mused, hugging her knees to her chest and wondering where fate would take her after they had met with his friend. "Though i think it came to me for a reason and so I am reluctant to part with it. Even if it may make my life that little bit better."
Breathing the hot, stale air deeply she looked to the distance and closed her eyes for a moment.
"Sorry, I am delaying you. I think I will be able to ride now." She said with an unusually warm smile for Nergal. It seemed her trust of him was growing a little. Thabara "Maybe." Nergal nodded, the idea apparently not seeming strange to him in the least. "I have had ravens come to my aid at times. Never crows though."
'Selling her person'..? Nergal's eyes widened a little and his mouth formed a quiet, shocked Oh! when he finally understood just what kind of fate Lien had been trying to escape. "Do not worry," he said brusquely, "you will not have to use your body as a merchandise again. Not if I can help it."
He rose and offered his right to Lien to help her get up. "We will travel until nightfall before we take a break," he warned her, "possibly even longer if there should be light against all odds," he added, glancing over his shoulder at the street lights. Electricity seemed to have mostly broken down, but this close to the town there was a chance they might still work. midnight_medea Lien smiled a little shyly at his promise though she knew she could not take it to heart. As much of a gentleman as he seemed he did not know what the future held. Fate was fickle.
"Thank you Nergal." she said, taking his hand and using it to help her light frame up. The world spun a little as her body got used to movement and she took a deep breath. "You are a gentleman." She gave him a cheeky smirk and allowed him to help her to the horse, or horse like creature that would be her support for the rest of the journey. Thabara Nergal waited for a little while until it seemed his new travelling companion would be steady on her feet before he guided her towards his errais.
"People keep claiming that I am," he muttered, accompanied by a wry smile as he helped Lien up into the saddle. He was slightly surprised at how light she seemed. "I keep telling them they are sorely mistaken." The irresistible urge to set things right was all there was to it, a trait which was no doubt bound to get him into trouble sooner or later.
He reached for Falada's reins, and soon they were on the move again.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:44 pm
1.IV
~ Lady Echo ~ Zero Dream  Thankfully, there was no storm today, which left Echo free to wander as she pleased. And wander she did, a bit dusty from her excursion to the record shop, carrying a kakhi messenger bag (which seemed to have seen better days) full of records and cds. The goddess herself was pretty much incognito, wearing her hair up in a ponytail and wearing one of her host's hoodies and jeans, looking much more like a diseveled artist than a proper goddess. That, and it hid the bandages. Which was the whole point - to attract as little attention as possible. Alto followed not too far behind, looking even more twitchy than usual - Echo would tell him he was being paranoid, but with the recent events, could she really blame him ? That was the price to pay for her carelessness.
That, and his presence was most reassuring. The wounds - physical and emotional - where still too fresh.Thabara
Nergal had not really been expecting to meet anyone in this part of the town, at least not someone he knew - after all they were still a good distance away from both the Pantheon and Echo's dwelling - so he was rather surprised to lay his eyes on a familiar figure when he led his small entourage around the corner.
Alto he recognized at once, after all he had spent a significant amount of time in the aoide's presence when he'd given him lessons in sign language. And the other.. Oh.
"Lady Echo," he said quietly, accompanied by a polite nod. His ears felt like they were burning out of embarassment he hadn't recognized her right away despite her current attire - but it was just so different from those flowing silk gowns and robes she usually seemed to prefer.. midnight_medea Lien had kept constant vigilance as she rode on the back of the strange horse. Her eyes taking the time to wander, taking in more of her surroundings than they had in the past. Yawning a little she could eel exhaustion seeping in once more. She was safe now, nothing was going to happen. Still, she forced her eyes to stay open and on the road ahead.
As the woman appeared in their path a nervous smile slipped across her lips. She looked so ... normal. Rather than a comfort that put Lien on edge a little, her smile faded a little and she felt herself withdrawing.
Nergal's aknowledgement of the woman told her that this must be his 'friend'. With weary eyes she watched them both carefully. Zero Dream Alto was quick to give a respectful bow to the Underworld, which his goddess seemed speechless and surprised for a moment. Was he already back ? They where not even done with painting yet ! And with what had happened... Oh dear, he would worry if he ever learnt of it. And there she was, in front of him... looking wholly inadequate. Her cheeks reddened sightly at that realization. My, weren't things going lovely today.
"Lord ?" She said, visibely still a bit surprised, but eventually sliding in a smile. "I am glad to see you, I honestly did not expect to see you so soon..." She peered over his shoulder then, to the young woman behind them. She seemed a bit weary... of what ? "And who might me this lovely lady ? A friend of yours I have yet to meet ?" Thabara
"My return does not come at a time too inconvinient I hope?" He offered her an apologetic smile, and stepped aside a little to allow the goddess to get a better look at his travelling companion.
"Echo, this is Lien Dao Mei. I met her on the last day of my journey back and I offered her to travel with me seeing as she was exhausted and ill - and heading for this city anyway." He fidgeted with Falada's reins uneasily. "I.. do not wish to burden you any more, but I was hoping you would extent your hospitality to her. She has gone through quite some hardship and is in need of a place to rest and recover." He knew she wouldn't be able to say no, least of all to him, but that didn't make him feel any better about asking yet another favor of her. And he hadn't even gotten to the matter of Aristogeiton's lifeless body yet..
"Lien, this is Lady Echo, the.. friend I mentioned." midnight_medea Lien watched the exchange with interest and sat back on the seat of the horse. At his request of hospitality Lien bowed her head deeply.
"Yes, I gathered." She said wryly at Nergal's words. How could she not know, he was practically dancing on the spot with discomfort.
"It is nice to meet you Lady Echo, I don't want to be a pain, just give me some time to recover and help me find my feet. I will repay your kindness when I am able." Zero Dream "Oh, no, of course not." She said with a smile. "Only a bit of surprise, perhaps. But I am glad."
She still felt a bit silly, in front of him looking so unlike what he was used to see, but it was what was safer. She honestly did not dislike her hairs put up this way... It had been Alto's idea, and she might need to experiment with more hairstyles eventually. She listened then, the only sound being the hum of her "wings", before she nodded.
"It is not a burden, nor a pain, and don't you worry... there is more than enough place for all of us, and for as long as it is needed. Alto, would you be so kind as to go ahead and prepare the guest room ? We will come home soon enough."
The aoidei gave no hesitation - Nergal would never let anyone touch even one hair off her head - so he nodded to both guests and went on his way with a wave.
"You will be safe here, do not worry." The goddess said with a nod. "Take all the time you feel that you need." Thabara (( Hglmph!! *bats down muses who just jumped in her face with a scene for later Nerg/Echo RP* Not now. )) Nergal nodded slightly and then tugged on Falada's reins, starting to lead the way, following the same direction Alto had headed off to. "It is not far from here now.. Soon you will be able to rest," he said to Lien, glancing at her over his shoulder with a small, reassuring smile. Right now the prospect of having a bath and being able to sleep in a real bed seemed like heaven to him, and she must be even more travelworn than him.
"So," he said, turning his head towards Echo as he walked besides her, "how have you been? Has anything happened while I have been away?"midnight_medea Lien smiled and bowed her head at the pretty woman once more, seeing that she was not 'normal' as she had seemed.
Relaxing back she watched the exchange between her rescuers. Their polite and awkward exchanges amused her. To Lien Romance was an alien concept and to be honest she did not see the point, men were dangerous and unreliable. She had lost count of the wedding rings she had seen on past customer's fingers.
Allowing her eyes to roam the desolate landscape she kept half an ear on their conversation to see if anything of interest would be reavealed. Zero Dream What was she supposed to answer to that ? She could explain what had happened, f course, but with Lien there... The young lady had nothing to do with all this, and Nergal was sure not to be pleased... Later, perhaps. Maybe.
"Not much, really. I have been writing a bit, and... preparing things." Her eyes gave a small, michevious twinkle at the thought. Oh, she wanted to see the look on his face as he saw all they had managed to do !!!! "I've kept Ishum in line. There are now more cats in the house that there is human heads." She laughed a bit, not concerned at all. "Most of them are strays that come and go, but a few actually stayed. Oh, miss Lien, do you like tea ?" The goddess suddenly thought. She had done much like the mother and cut down on it, but if she had a visitor... "I need to go buy some more bundle of leaves..." Thabara
"I see." Nergal nodded solemnly, completely missing out on the mischievous twinkle in Echo's eyes. "I am relieved to hear that you have been apparently well." No news were good news in these times, after all. That 'preparing things' might have something to do with him not even remotely crossed his mind.
"I will have a word with Ishum about those cats - if they are a bother to you..?" He raised a quizzical brow at her - she obviously rather liked cats, and what she'd told him didn't sound much like a complaint. On the contrary - she seemed rather amused by it.
"Later.. once I had the chance to wash off the travel dust and settle down a bit.. there is quite much we will need to talk about," he let the goddess know more quietly, voice hopefully low enough for Lien to not overhear what he said. "About what I found.. but also about her." His glance darted towards Lien, only for a moment, indicating that there might be more to her than merely being a weary and sick traveller. "Later." midnight_medea Lien smiled as she was addressed and nodded politely to the calming woman.
"I do like tea." She said, running her thumb over the leather of the reins. "And cats." she smiled, having been listening to their conversation. They were by far her favourite animal.
She could tell there was a lot unspoken between them, their eyes spoke but their mouths did not open. As she fell silent to their whispers she began to wonder just what they were and what they were up to.
"Has the world always been like this?" she asked, turning her eyes away from the firey skies and back to them. Zero Dream "Oh, do not worry." Echo waved her hand in a dismissive motion. "They are no bother. Ishum has helped me much, in many ways, ever since you where gone. Without him, I fear I may not have made the little progress I have accomplished." Soothing words, perhaps, but completely true to the end.
She glanced back at him when his low voice reached her sensitive ears, an eyebrow raising a bit in curiosity, but no word escaped her mouth. Only a small nod let the other knew she had understood. Something about her... ? she couldn't help but ponder.
"That is quite a thankful thing." She managed to push the questions toward the back of her mind for a moment, focusing on her guest. "The cats are quite cuddly and social, most of them at last. They're sure to enjoy having another pair of hand available for pettings."
She felt in silence then, at her last question, turning toward the windows of an asian-looking shop to inspect the tea leaves in the stand and bite her lip. What was she supposed to answer ? Had Nergal told her exactly what they where, or was she clueless that she was in the company of reborn gods, not yet having regained most of the height of their power ?
"It wasn't always this way, no." She finally answered, turning back to face her, sapphire blue eyes unable to hide sadness and pain. "The sky used to be blue, and the trees green, the pavement barren of ash... ...I can explain it to you in detail once we reach my home, if you wish. The story is quite... complicated." And hard to believe for most mortals, she realized.
"But in the meanwhile, do you have a favorite flavor of tea, lady Lien ?" midnight_medea "Cuddly, cunning and independant. I think we can all learn from them." She said with a smile, looking out over the landscape once more as she listened to Echo talk. It was funny, mankind had a nature for destruction it was only a matter of time before nature punished them as she did in this land. She was suddenly glad she had left her world. If it would soon become like this, nowhere was safe.
"That is sad." she said simply "And I would like to hear if you have the time to tell me." She rode in silence for a little longer until Echo adressed her once more. "Tea, hmm, i like Lotus tea." She mused, "Though I know it is hard to come by. My grandmother used to give it to us as a treat." Zero Dream "I agree... But there is little we can do about it right now. But i'll see if I can find some of this tea... It won't be long." She announced, taking a few more steps and entering the store.
The gears in her mind wouldn't stop turning as she explored the aisles. That woman was from another world as well... maybe not Zero's own, but another world nonetheless. Pulled in this one for a reason or another, but, why ?
She shook her head, focusing on the task at hand, looking at the assortment of pouches until she found what she looked for. Smiling, the goddess took the pouch marked as lotus and headed toward the cashier. At least she could offer the girl the comfort of her favorite tea in a foreign world. There weren't enough leaves to make a flower - they where obliviously rare, as the young lady had said - but at least there was enough for a few cups, which was better than nothing.
She finally rejoined her companions after paying, pouch safely tucked in the messenger bag she carried. "It isn't far now - a few block down." She studied the woman again - she seemed to have a build similar to Zero's. An asian as well ? "I can lend you clothes if you wish to change, I have plenty over. Surely a warm bath will be welcome after your journey ?" Thabara
Nergal had been content to quietly listen to their conversation, slightly reliefed that he wasn't required to partake in it. Yes, he thought, it would probably be a good choice to let Echo handle the task of breaking the news to Lien - Gods, Gems, Hosts, Age of Destruction and all.
Idly he glanced at the displays of the shop Echo had entered, wondering if they offered coffee as well.. Probably not, he figured. It was amazing that even tea was available still, and Echo would probably end up paying an outrageous price for those lotus leaves, just to please her guest and offer her some comfort.
He must have 'spaced out' he realized a little later, for the goddess returned far sooner than he had expected. "She can use the guest room," he added with a faint smile once Echo had pronounced her offer, "I will be content to sleep on the couch." This wouldn't help at all to alleviate Lien's view of him being a gentleman, but thankfully he was oblivious to it.
"I can't think of anything in this world or any world I would like more than tea and a warm bath." She smiled softly, looking between her saviours. "And thank you, more apropriate clothing would be welcomed very much indeed. I really am thankful for your kindness Miss Echo." She smiled and bowed deeply on the horse, the only gesture she could make to show her gratitude.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:46 pm
1.V
~ Peace At Last ~ The comfort of a bathroom, a safe house and a warm bath. There is nothing like it. nothing in this world. I watch the steam curl up from the hot water, my knees, islands in its murky depths. I stare at them and wonder if they will ever be clean again. It seems every inch of my journey is ingrained on them. I scrub at them with my had, some of the grime comes away, drifts into the cleansing water. Shifting, my hands slip under the water welcoming the heat. The rest of me joins them until i am submerged up to my shoulders. This, I think, is true bliss. It is easy to be caressed by the warmth, seduced by it. Perhaps it reminds us of the womb. A time before we knew the world and it’s evils. When all was hopeful and innocent. I contemplate the world, this world, life, my life and I wonder. I think of those that have helped me. That found me close to death and ready to give up. I have always been a fighter, but we can only take so much. Kindness such as this is a concept do not understand. Experience tells me they want something, I have to think what they would want from me. Though, could it be so bad? I would happily work for them, if I was given safety in return. A warm bed and food. Yes it would still be slavery but it would be dignified. More dignified than what I am used to. I breathe deeply, the soft floral scent of the bath soak is calming, my eyes drift closed. I float, the taste of lotus still lingers in my mouth and I am taken far away. Across plains and lakes to the hills of my country. Lush and green, how I miss it. The peace of the countryside and the noise of the city. Scooters and Hawkers vying for attention. My grandmother's house, a coffee shop on the coast of my country. It always smelled of coffee and incense as a strange but evocative perfume. In the summer my sister and I would go to stay for a month or so. When it was sunny we would play on the beach and in the sea, when the rains came we moved inside getting under her feet though she never scolded us. That was paradise. A time when we had no cares, before we knew how cruel life could be. She was my idol, a woman who worked hard her whole life to provide for her children, my mother and her two elder brothers. She was not a rich woman and both my uncles were lost in the war but she never stopped smiling. There was always a reason to smile, she said. I loved her smile, the way her skin creased at the corners of her eyes. When her housework was done and the coffee shop was quiet she would sit with us and tell us stories of before the war. Of my mother as a child. If I die I would like heaven to be my grandmother’s house. I wish I were more like her. Back to the present, my eyes open and take in the bathroom that reminds me of my childhood home. Safe and warm. A sanctuary. I submerge myself completely in the water my hair floating out around me in lazy tendrils, like a painting I saw in a museum once ... Ophelia. Hamlet, 'Frailty, thy name is woman.' I remember from the movie. It made me laugh, men are the weaker sex. How could one assume otherwise. none of them can control themselves. They think the world owes them all her riches. ‘Arrogance … thy name is man.’ Bizarrely I wonder if they have a TV in this place. I liked having it on in my apartment, background noise, company to make you feel less alone. Though perhaps not. The house seemed simple and uncomplicated. Free of technology. Resurfacing I run my fingers through my dark hair and reach for the soap to wash it. This is my true escape, I decide as I wash the soap away by cupping water in my hands and pouring it over my head I catch glimpses of the bruises that cover my chest and legs. It makes me happy I will not have to resort to my old ways again. Ot at least that is what I hope. He promised and stupidly I trust him. Maybe Shakespeare was right. Out of the bath I grab a towel and breathe in its fresh smell, feeling it's softness against my cheek like some stupid commercial for detergent. Again I am reminded of home. It is the little things that give me pleasure. I have one thing from my old life, a pendant of a dragon my grandmother gave me. It is the same as the dragon tattoo that graces most of my thigh, it reminds me to be strong and survive. I remember this as I pick it up off the side and fasten it around my neck once more. I will be ready now, if these people turn out to be something that they are not. I did not come this far to give up, to fade to nothing. Clothes come next, real clothes, comfortable clothes. Nice warm pjs, even a pair of slippers. It is almost like a dream, I wonder if I did die there, on the road. Surely heaven is like this, only I am missing my grandmother and her crinkly smile. Bed, Echo has given me hers, she is truely a kind woman, the kindest I have met in a long time. I climb into its soft warmth and curl up in a ball, a cat jumps up to keep me company and I feel the warmth of tears seep down my cheeks. I am safe, I hope, I pray. No men to barge in drunk and demanding. For the first time in six years I close my eyes and sleep without fear.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:52 pm
1.VI
~ The Truth ~ midnight_medea  Lien woke after what had seemed like the best sleep she had ever had. Stretching she opened her eyes and smiled as she found herself looking straight at a pair of green eyes and a furry face.
"Hello there." She said petting the kitten. She felt much better for a bath and real sleep though now her stomach was growling and her mouth felt dry.
For a few moments she did nothing, not knowing whether it would be all right to get up and get herself some water. A few minutes more she lay, staring at the ceiling before she decided to brave it. After all, Echo had seemed nice enough.
Creeping out of the room with her new friend on her heels she made her way to the kitchen she had been in the night before oh so briefly. It was quiet and peaceful so little by little she started to relax as she searched for a glass in the cupboards.Zero Dream The silence did not last for too long, as eventually the soft sound of a violin erupted from the living room, right next to where Lien currently was. Unaware of her guest's awakening, Echo played there, wearing what looked like a wide-sleeved kimono with the sleeves snapped off, with long, black gloves covering her wounds from sight, The sound stopped suddenly, then picked up again - she was setting the tone of the instrument.
Even with her hands busy, Echo couldn't help but be worried. How could she explain it all to the young lady without upsetting her ? The task in itself did not even seem possible... But there had to be a way. She just had to figure it out... midnight_medea Lien jumped as the sound of the violin reached her ears and almost lost the glass she was carrying. Breathing deeply and calming herself she poured some water from the tap and smiled as she listened to the song. It was beautiful. She thought as she wandered into the livingroom. The sight that met her eyes was like something from a movie or a picture, she thought. She loved Echo's clothes, she looked like a princess and it appeared she was a very talented woman. Smiling Lien took up a seat on a chair, her legs tucked beneath her and the glass cupped in her hands so she could listen to the pretty music. Zero Dream Echo did not notice her right away, being to lost in her thoughts and also jolting down notes on a nearby sheet of paper. Yes, that was almost it, all it needed was a little more of this...
...But how will I do this ?
Eventually, however, she turned and found herself staring for a moment in surprise. "Oh, I am sorry. I did not hear you come in." She said, a bit embarrassed as she set down the violin and snapped her sleeves back on. "Have you slept well ? Oh, and have you eaten breakfast yet ?" midnight_medea Lien smirked and looked down at the glass of water she held in her hands.
"Don't apologise, it is your house."
She took a sip of the cool water and looked back up to Echo as she was asked a question.
"No, i haven't eaten. I didn't want to snoop around too much, you know?" she said, smiling a little and taking another gulp of water. "How long have you been playing the violin for?" Zero Dream "Then, let us go get something, shall we ?" She said with a smile, putting the violin back in it's case and leading the young girl back into the kitchen.
"I've... been playing for a long time." She answered, taking some fresh fruit out of the fridge - they where growing rarer and rarer, yet Alto would stop at nothing to seek them out. She laid the bowl in the middle of the table and invited Lien to sit.
"It actually has much to do with the current situation of the world... if you are still interested to hear about it. Also, there is something else I would like to talk to you about, if you do not mind. Something Nergal told be about, but he thought it probably would be better to let you rest before you heard of it." midnight_medea Lien smiled and sat on the seat, her glass still cupped between her hands as she sipped. She listened to Echo and looked out to the world outside.
"I would like to hear, to understand." She replied, though the woman's next words caused her guard to shoot up. She shifted and hunched her shoulders defensively. She can only imagine what Nergal might have told her.
"About what I am." She said, frowning. "I'm not a thief." She said, looking up at her and raising an eyebrow. "I had no choice to be what I am ... was. I am no threat." she breathed deeply and looked back down into her glass. "Though i understand if you want my stay to be a very brief one." Zero Dream Ack, no no no ! Wasn't this starting lovingly... Great.
"While he has told me a word about that... That is not what I am talking about." She said softly, her voice calm in despise of the turmoil inside. "And I believe you. You are welcome to stay as long as you wish. What I am talking about is... Nergal told me you carried a stone with you... would you mind letting me have a look at it ? Because if the stone represent what we believe it to be, there are things I will need to inform you of."
The goddess honestly doubted that she would agree after this, but she still had to try. midnight_medea Lien looked up and her frown deepened as she asked about the stone. Why wouls she be so interested. Unless it was of value. She sipped her water and took a bite of some fruit.
"It's just a stone." She said, shrugging and slipping off the chair to go and retrieve it from her clothes. "A pretty one."
She reached out to place it on the counter and looked down at it.
"Do you think it is valuble?" She asked. Zero Dream Lien did look pretty tense, so she remained still, did not even move in the slightest to peer at the stone. She didn't need to - she could feel it from the other side of the table. She couldn't tell exactly who it could be, but it doubtless was an edelsteine. She could feel it, and she couldn't help but stare at it for a moment. She knew of course that they had all resided in gems like this, but it was the first time she really saw it from this perspective.
"Valuable yes, but not monetary. That stone is an Edelsteine. One of my kind." She clarified. "I trust you at least knew neither I or Nergal where human by now... We are gods, and goddesses, faded from power ages ago, our essence bound to gems like this by the strongest of us, our lord Harmodius. He is Creation and Destruction both, and the state of this world, called Gaia, is directly caused by the fact that his focus has switched to Destruction. This is the center of it all, but it is slowly spreading to other worlds - you may have noticed things like floods and other natural disasters being on the rise - these are Destruction's influence." She paused. "...I myself am Creation's child - I fear I cannot really be objective as far as Destruction goes." Was she going too fast ? She glanced up at Lien to gauge her reaction, well aware that it is possible that she may not believe any of it.
Nergal was blue, they both had wings and the other creatures ... the other people she had met on the way, the death she had seen. It all added up even though the sum was a strange one.
"Okay." she said slowly, breathing in and picking the stone up carefully. "The tsunamis, the wars." She mused to herself, thinking of things she had seen on the news and even felt. So ... so let me get this right." Lien looked back up into Echo's kind eyes. "This is a god. So ... are you summoned from it?" She asked, thinking of all the anime she had seen on TV during her time in Japan. "Why does he want to destroy?" she asked feeling a million questions whir within her mind.Zero Dream This seemed to be going a bit better at least... For this she was glad. But she hadn't tackled the hardest part yet...
"Not directly. Before what we call the Fading - the event in which we all died millenias ago - each and every one of us could be tracked back to him in some way of another. Think of it as a family tree I could say. Each god was created from either Creation or Destruction. There is also Gaia... Creation's consort, the mother of all. He destroys... because it is what he is. Just like he will create as Creation. Just as I play Music... It is instinct, what makes us what we are."
She paused for a moment, gathering her words. It seemed evident that it was the first time that Echo had to explain it all to a mortal. "While we are not reborn from Harmodius directly, he creates the gems which hold our essences. The rebirth of a god does not come easy... or without a price. The gem needs a host - a mortal to give up his life, body and soul to allow the deity to be reborn. Not any one will do - often we chose a specific one. And.... it is rare that people come across an Edelsteine stone without reason, so we believe that this one might have chosen you."
"It wouldn't be the first parasite to want my body." She said with a snort of laughter, her defensive attitude appearing momentarily. "Sorry, no offence." she added, looking to the counter and closing her eyes for a moment. "So this god ... it wants me?" she asked opening her dark eyes once more. "It ... it wants me to give up my life for it? After everything I have been through trying to survive?"
She stood and walked over to a window, placing her hands either side of it and looking out to the dark earth below.
"Is this gem created from destruction? Is it evil?"Zero Dream She couldn't help but frown a bit at the parasite comment, but eventually shook her head. "None taken."
She felt silent for a moment, looking at the gem again. "I cannot say. I cannot even tell you what it's influence may be... I cannot really tell those kind of things, and being that it's essence is still dormant, I cannot communicate with the one in that stone. I can't tell you anything beside the fact that it is one of my kind. But..."You speak as if she had a choice..."This is all up to you. Until the gem in connected to you, it cannot do a thing to you. The fusion can be painful or not - it seems to vary. And what ultimately happens depends on the god... Some souls are given rest, others are preserved. Sometimes, god and host become the same, new entity. I... I just wanted to give you all the information I can so you can decide for yourself. Many hosts in this age are tricked, and I did not want this to happen to you."
"I have a choice?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm not sure I believe that. If it wanted me and it needs meto live, surely it will not let me go so easy?"
She gave a smirk that did not suit her previous gentle approach.
"Great, this is perfect you know. I live for this, I've spent the past six years of my life believing there was something better out there for me. Dreaming of freedom. I've been such a fool, there's no such thing. Say I do it, say I give this god my body. That would be honourable I suppose a vessel for something holy. What becomes of my soul? What happens if it is bad? I don't want to be responsible for the unleashing of something like that."
She breathed deeply again and looked down at her hands.
"Maybe it was really time to accept fate and give up."Zero Dream This wasn't exactly going as hoped. She gave an almost inaudible sigh.
"...Im sorry." She said, softly, knowing it would probably mean nothing. She wished she could help, but all she could do was give facts that weren't making things better in the least.
"What becomes of your soul is up to the deity. I merged with my host in order to save her from the void. Nergal's host was given peace at her request. While some gods listen to their host's wishes in that matter, I cannot assure you that they all do... that this one will." She bit her lip. As much as she wanted to soothe her, she couldn't lie. What else could she do ? "Good or bad... well, just because the god's influence is something negative does not always mean that they are a bad person. You could say Nergal's influence is a bad one on a mortal perspective... but do you think he is a bad person ? It's not always black or white..."
She wanted to get up, and just HUG her, make it all better, but she doubted it would help any.
"You don't need to apologise." She said, giving her a small smile. "It is not your fault. As Echo when on she listened and nodded, so there was alittle hope she would be able to rest. As her keen mind began to recover from the shock a thought came to her.
"If all the gods return, does that mean the world will get better? After all gods mean faith and faith brings hope, right?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. "And no, I do not think Nergal is a bad person." She gave a small snort of laughter. "I of all people should not forget that life is not all black and white."Zero Dream Echo felt silent, thinking for a moment. "Is is very possible that it will. Not only this world - but all others. This is the center, and eventually it may spread... We're also doing all we can do, in either seeking to help our lord regain balance, or at least bring a smile to people's face... Whatever it is we can do best." She stood, going to watch at the window as well. "So that the sky is once again blue and the ground no longer covered in ash... to correct this before all return to the void."
"So ... if I take this god on, I could help?" She asked holding it in her palm and watching the way the colours hit the light of the room. "How does it work?"
She watched Echo for a moment and returned her eyes to the jewel.
"How does the god become one with the person?"Zero Dream "Well... You need to decide where you want the stone to go, first. Wherever you like, but you can't move it afterward. Then you hold it to that spot and it should embed itself in. As I said, it may be painful, it may not - it depends on the stone." The goddess spoke, softly.
"Where did you ... I mean your host choose? Was she willing to accept this fate?" She asked, moving back to the table to take a seat once more.Zero Dream "She decided to put it right over the heart is... for some reason." Echo smiled as she traveled back as well, speaking with a certain longing in her eyes."Zero, as she liked to be called... She had no way back to the world she had been pulled from in an accident. Unlike you, she traveled both space and time... and it made going back an almost impossible task. Instead of spending the rest of her life in a world that would never be her own, she decided to accept me instead. I wished to send her soul back to her world, but I realized quickly that that was pretty much impossible for me to do, so she settled to live alongside me and act as my conscience, if you will. But then Destruction rose... I am a child of Creation, I've already said... Her soul was going to be destroyed, and the only way to save her was to become one with her. I've always asked her what she wanted, and followed her wishes... Respect was a very strong base of our relationship when we where still separate. But I still miss her voice. She was young, brash, and pretty good at knocking some sense in my head when things became overwhelming."
"You are such a good person." She said, looking down at her hands again. "I wish I could be such a person. I suppose it should not be a hard decision for me to make. I have nothing, no one ... I am not a person who really deserves a life. Though maybe I hoped I could make up for that, to find happiness and love." Lien laughed a little and rolled her eyes. She sounded so cheesy. "Though, all is not lost, you found love. Nergal and yourself? You are lovers?" she asked, quite aware that the question was rather rude.Zero Dream Echo couldn't help but frown. "Of course you deserve a life, just like anyone else. I do not think you are a bad person. The past is the past and it's all there is to it..."
Then she asked it, and she felt her cheeks go aflame. "Ah, well... It's.... complicated, really. We're not really "together" you could say. There are a few things that need to be resolved first..."
"I'm a bit worried about what kind of god might have chosen me. Seeing as I'm not the cleanest slate ... but we'll have to see I suppose."
She tapped her fingernails on the counter a moment and looked up as if a thought had just come to her. Money, she was going to need to get by somehow.
"Um, Echo, as I mentioned I really do have nothing and, I really thank you for letting me stay here but I'm going to need to buy clothes and contribute to food. Is there any where I could get a job ... or even a job you could give me to earn my keep? I don't want to wear out my welcome."Zero Dream "I do not really think it matters... I think it works more on a physical level than anything else... A god in a jewel does not know a thing about the outside world. The god inside that jewel does not know your name, or nothing about you at all... At least, I did not until Zero accepted me."
Echo paused for a moment, thinking. "Jobs are pretty rare, keeping in mind the state of this world." She hummed to herself in visible thought. She still had Alto and Tempo to do things around here... And while she did not mind letting her stay here, and even less to provide for her, but she had a feeling it may make her a bit unconfortable...
"Well, I have no problem with letting you stay free, and provide for you at all, but... The person who is taking care of all the cats may leave soon, and as it is he is divided in between me and another goddess... So perhaps you can tend to them, if you really feel like you must do something. Also maybe some cooking - the boys don't like it all that much." She said, a hint of amusement present on his face. "You probably have seen them - Alto and Tempo, two brothers. They are aoidei - ageless servants of old who returned as we did. Ishum is also an aoidei, but one of Nergal's instead. Alto is mute, so please do not be offended if he does not answer you."
"I'd love to help look after your cats, and cook. I like to cook, maybe some cleaning too?" She suggested, smiling once more. She felt like it was a long time since she had smiled so much.
"Thank you Echo, for taking the time to explain all this to me and for your kindness." She picked up some more fruit and took a bite. "Now, I think I have a lot of thinking to do."Zero Dream Echo couldn't help but let out a giggle. "If you want. They always get a bit upset when -im- cleaning anyway. You'll think im supposed to just sit and look pretty."
To the last comment, she nodded. "I am happy that I at least was able to provide you with answers..."
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:53 pm
1.VII
~ Acceptance ~
Lien Thinks ...
What was it that I wanted from this life? What did I think I was owed? Surely the fact I live is enough, that I draw breath on this earth. I should be honoured that I have been chosen, though I wonder what manner of god would have sought me out. There is blood on my hands, clear and fresh. All the perfumes of Arabia would not sweeten the things I have done.
I have sent several to their death, three grown men, a woman, two of my children that might have been. I weep for none. This one who wishes to merge with my skin, to use my body for their rebirth cannot be good.
Yet I have to ask myself … who am I to deny it. The worlds need it. This may be my chance to redeem myself, though in whose eyes I know not. I wish someone would make this decision for me, a pure impossibility.------- Lien stared at the stone in her hands and closed her eyes allowing her senses to clear in meditation. Deep within her mind she saw figures from many countries and cultures. Words? No, soon she recognised the ones from her native land as numerals. The number 2 stood out. Balance; there were 2 sides to every story, every coin, two halves to each whole, 2 faces to a person. She saw another stone almost identical to hers aside from colour. A sense of desperation washed over her and she opened her eyes.
The visions left her though the sense of desperation hung in the air. It was an urgency and importance she had never felt before, she had to find him.
Lien blinked. Him? Swallowing hard she slipped the stone into her pocket and stepped away. She needed to go for a walk and think about things. It was a strange decision to make, especially as she had always believed suicide was not an option for the strong. This however would not be suicide. What was it they called it?
Martyrdom?
How could one be a martyr to an unknown cause?
Lien had spent a fair amount of time exploring the surroundings of the house, wandering a little to the town they had passed on their way down. She wanted to go to the tea shop and get some tea for Echo, for her kindness. She had a little bit of money from her last customer with her.
As she tried once more to find it she found herself drawn to a rather interesting little shop. Its windows were covered in ash and she would have thought it closed had she not seen the cracks of light shining through the black.
Tentatively she pushed the door open and stepped inside. It was warm and surprisingly welcoming. The sulphurous air that hung around the town had been dispersed with the aid of a sweet smelling incense, interesting trinkets and fabrics lay dotted around, most of which she bet came from dubious origins.
Looking up at the middle aged woman who sat behind the counter she smiled a little and decided to browse, so many pretty things though only two caught her attention. Walking slowly across the creaky floorboards she found a rail of various pretty items of clothing. Among them two Ao doi. One was red and rather ornate; the other was a pale blue and plain. Breathing deeply she ran her fingers over them and smiled. She knew she shouldn’t, but, if this was going to be the last part of her life, what was the point in holding back, besides. She thought as she slipped the ring off her finger, it wasn’t as though it had any value in her memories. A gift from Nakamura she was holding onto until she most needed it.
“These two items for this.” She said, handing the ring over. The woman picked the ring up, inspected it and nodded before turning back to the book she was reading. Lien smiled and held the Ao Doi against her chest and made her way along the gravel path to the tea shop.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:55 pm
1.VIII
~ 1 + 1 = 2 ~ Later that evening Lien stood under the shower, the warm water cascading over her skin as she closed her eyes to think. She had to find a place to put the jewel, the one thing that would remain of her when she was gone. Suddenly she began to understand a little why Zero had placed the jewel over her heart. A reminder? To remind Echo where she was, where she would always be? To remind her who gave her life. Not that Echo would forget but still, Zero did not know that. Though, if she was to be dissolved, it would not be part of her, nothing of he would remain. A memory perhaps, but memories faded. Lien grabbed the soap and a sponge from the shelf and started to make a sweet smelling lather. As she ran the soap over her body she considered each place, each centimetre of skin and where it would best fit. She too wanted a place that would represent her to remind the god, no matter who they were that someone had given their life and soul for them to exist. It was funny, her journey though life, from her childhood to her horrific teenage years and now this. She always knew she would be dead before her time though she had hoped to make it to her twenties. Just like many young women, she had hoped to find someone to love her for what she was, to have a nice place to live, maybe a child or two. Now she knew that would never happen. It was frightening. To know death was round the corner but like so many things she would accept it with as much dignity as she could manage. Her fingers glided up her leg resting on the dragon that nestled on her thigh, as the warm water poured over her she traced its inked lines from its tail along its dancing body to its mouth. This was her, her strength, her determination, her cunning. This was where the jewel would go. She looked up as a flash of lightening lit up the dim room, it was closely followed by the low rumble of thunder. The call of the dragons her grandmother had told her. They spoke to each other in the mountains and they made the thunder. As the rain began to fall heavy and fast she stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel, taking her time to dry herself off, savouring the feel of the soft material against her skin. She had decided she would savour everything now, experience it. Enjoy it. Live every day as your last, wasn’t that how the saying went. Listening to the sound of the rain on the roof of the large house she took the stone in her hands. Again it felt warm to touch, the numerals began to course through her mind. She could feel the desperation once more it was like a sorrow, overwhelming. It made her heart beat faster, her breath tight and laboured. She swallowed and looked out the frosted window. This was it, the end. Lien too a deep breath, fighting the tears that lurked behind her eyes as she thought of her life that might have been. It wasn’t set in stone. She had to remember that. She could just have easily ended her days lying cold and used on a brothel floor. It was that picture she held in her mind as she pressed the stone gently to the skin of her thigh, between the coils of her dragon. She swallowed, as for a moment nothing happened, the stone just rested against her skin as it did in her palm. As she relaxed a hair, that was when it happened. The spines of the stone became like claws sinking into her skin, she cried out as the pain coursed through her and gripped the sink tightly. She could do this, she thought as the pain grew more and more intense, she knew pain, she enjoyed it when she needed to. Breathing in deep sharp breaths she channelled the pain and looked into the mirror. Her reflection was dark, not the woman she had become over the past few days. Nota woman born of kindness. This was her as she had once been, Junko who could fire a bullet into a man’s head without flinching, who frequently plotted the downfall of men. Stupid men, men who deserved everything they got. She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth as the stone started to burry itself, outside the storm raged on. Then, after what had seemed like an age the pain began to subside. The wound throbbed and stung, and looking down she could see blood trickling down her leg. It was over. “It is not the god that is cruel and unjust.” The voice spoke clearly as though it were in her mind but not a thought. It’s words were spoken slowly, as one would if they had just woken from a long, deep sleep. Lien swallowed and looked back into the mirror. She could feel herself thinking things there was no way she could know, calculating. Breathing deeply she ignored the voice and grabbed some toilet paper to mop up the blood. “Arctang.” The voice said softly. Lien could feel the longing coursing through her again. Was this a strange language she did not know. Could she talk to the god, she wondered.
“Fool.” The voice muttered in the back of her mind before falling silent once more. Even the buzz of thinking stopped and Lien was left alone with her pain. Breathing deeply she cleaned herself up and pulled on her clothes, the simple Ao Doi she had brought because it reminded her of home. Her real home. Now she knew it was time, time to speak with Nergal, there were still so many questions left unanswered. Limping a little, she picked up her towel and walked from the bathroom, absently counting the seconds between the
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:57 pm
2.I
~ Here Be Dragons ~ midnight_medea it was early morning, Lien's favourite time of day. The air, though full of the essence of destruction was still cool and crisp. She smiled to herself as she searched for the perfect branch. There was no paper that she could find and it was driving her insane.
She was wearing the plain Ao Doi that had become her favourite, the bottom of the white pants dragged in the ash covered floor as she moved around making markings in the grey dirt.
Her mind was whirring with symbols and ideas. She had no idea what it was she carved into the ash, no idea at all. Somewhere in the deep depths of her mind it made sense.
from high in a tree above her a black bird watched with interest, its head tilted to the side and a hint of recognition in its eyes. Sosiqui He wasn't looking for Morgan. He wasn't. Tian Yue was just out for a pleasant flight to clear his head...
Or so he kept telling himself, as he soared through the sky in his dragon shape. It was true that the wind against his scales was soothing, and that the form he wore was the most comfortable of the two he possessed... but it was also true that, should he happen to spot someone that might be his lover...
His eyes narrowed as, suddenly, he did just that. There was a slight figure down below, short... his heart jumped a bit in his chest, and he arrowed quickly downward. But the closer he got, the more he realized that the woman below him was not Morgan. Sigh. Too good to be true, that.
What is she doing?
Another slow realization dawned along with the first - this woman, while not Morgan, also had the soft touch of the divine about her. A host? "Good morning," he rumbled as he touched lightly down several meters away from her, hoping she would not run. midnight_medea Lien drew another symbol that seemed to connect the other two and blinked as she heard something like a large bird land behind her. Jumping a little she ran her fingers through her black hair and turned to see who had addressed her. The low voice was not one she recognised.
She blinked as the dragon appeared in her sight. Any other time she might have run or tried to wake herself up from whatever dream she had fallen into. Now however she stayed where she was feeling a mixture of awe and also respect eminating from deep deep within. The voice stayed silent but she knew that this being was a familiar one.
"Good morning." She replied with a smile, bowing a little to the creature. "Um, may I help you?" She asked, feeling it was not really done to be rude to a rather large dragon. Sosiqui "I am sorry to startle you - but I sensed the movements of a god I did not recognize." Tian Yue smiled at her, a dragon's toothy grin. "I am Tian Yue, the Dragon King Tien Lung." And who are you? His gaze took in the symbols in the dirt. There was meaning there, he knew, but he could not recognize the specifics. midnight_medea Lien smiled and bowed again.
"My mother's name is Tien." She said, then realised that, this was probably not the politest thing to say to a Dragon King. "I am Lien Dao Mei, uh ... and as for the one within me I am not sure."You should speak with more care.The voice said, her voice sending chills up Lien's spine. This was only the second time it had spoken to her since the merging.And you do not know because you did not ask. I am Cosine, the counting crow.Lien swallowed at the chastisment and looked back up to the dragon, he seemed nice enough.
"She says she is called Cosine, the counting crow?" She suggested, raising her eyebrows. "She is not happy with my lack of propriety I think." Sosiqui Tian Yue shook his head. "Another Tien - my lover bears a jewel as well, and her goddess is named Tien as well. How strange to come across it so many times."
He tilted his head to one side, though, at the name and title of the goddess within the girl. "Cosine... as in mathematics? Fascinating." His scholar's mind was piqued. "Pleased to meet you, Lien. Are you newly come to this world, newly bound to the gods?"
She felt a mutter at the back of her mind and ignored it.
"Maybe her god is a Vietnamese dragon." She said with a shrug, assuming that his lover must be of the same species.
"I feel I should offer you some tea, though I have no idea what dragons like to drink." his question caused her to raise a slender eyebrow. "Mathematics?" She asked, obviously failing to see the link between the name and the subject. She felt stupid. "Sorry, math is not a strong subject of mine." She said softly. "Though maybe it was ... once."
She shrugged and looked down at the twig in her hands.
"I uh, found myself here a month or so ago. Nergal, he found me lying on the main path and brought me here a few days ago. I am very newly bound. Maybe, two days. It is a strange feeling."Sosiqui "Cosine - it's a trigonometric function. Nevermind." Tian Yue shook his head, amused. "And I like tea well enough, though it would be more economical to serve it to me in my human shape."
He inched forward closer and drew his tail up around his legs, cocking his head at her and sniffing. "Two days... Nergal." Who was that? Something about spirits, death... Hades? Underworld. Ah. "How is the Underworld faring? And you, so newly found by the gods?" midnight_medea Lien blinked a trigonomic what? She thought, the goddess within her rolled her eyes and slunk off back into the depths of her mind.
"Um, you have a human form?" She asked, stepping back a little as he inched closer, she wasn't sure she really trusted something so big with sharp teeth.
"And uh, I think he is faring well. He's not much of a talker, a bit moody really but I like him. Yes, a crow gave me the jewel. It's rather scary looking, spiney. I put it here." She said, pointing to her thigh. "Were you like me once? A human I mean?" Sosiqui "I do - but forgive me if I don't show you now. I don't have any clothing with me at the moment." The fanned tip of his tail waved back and forth, idly.
He tilted his head at her second question. "All gods that walk the worlds now were reborn into mortal bodies - except for Lord Harmodius, the Twin Crown. But... yes, I was like you once. More than most. The Dragon King Tien Lung, Shaiming, chose to give his divinity to his young host and consume himself instead of the boy. They melded, leaving the host's personality dominant, and I am the result." midnight_medea Lien smiled and bit back any comments about nakedness being nothing she hadn't seen before. No, she was bing polite from now on, she didn't need those defences anymore.
"Wow, that's interesting." She said, raising an eyebrow and wrapping her arms around herself. "He must have been a very selfless god?" She realised that her questions might be considered rude, though she was intrigued with how it all worked."Don't go getting your hopes up." Lien frowned and sighed,
"Nothing like mine, I fear she can't wait to be rid of me. She barely speaks. Is that usual?" Sosiqui "Selfless... yes. In a way. But also selfish." Tian Yue shifted down into a laying posture, sphinxlike. "Apparently no god had done such a thing before. Why wait for rebirth and then sacrifice what you have gained? I don't entirely understand it myself, even though much of who he was is now part of who I am."
He paused, and stretched out to regard the place Lien had pointed earlier, to indicate the jewel's position. "I suppose it would depend on the deity. Gods are much like mortals, very different in personality. Perhaps yours is simply not talkative." midnight_medea Lien smiled as he made himself more comfortable and nodded at his words. She liked him, he was gentle and easy to talk to. Much different from how she would imagine a dragon to be.
"Are you sure you don't want some tea. I can go and get you a robe." She offered with a small shrug. "And no, I do not think she is talkative. Though there is something she misses, something she wants. i can feel it. Arctang. She says it sometimes, and I can feel a longing." Sosiqui "Thank you, but no - I will be fine. I appreciate the offer, though." Tian Yue focused his attention on the jewel, wondering about the one within.
"Arctang... I'm not familiar with that name. A lover, perhaps? That's the problem with age-old deities - we come with so much fragmented memory. So much emotional baggage. Self included." He snorted, self-depreciatingly. midnight_medea Lien smirked at his explaination and looked off at a tree.
"Ah, that 'L' word again. You gods really are a sentimental bunch." She mused, turning her eyes back to him and raising an eyebrow. "Maybe, though the bond seems very close."
Lien shrugged a little and her smirk faded into a smile.
"Sorry, I must be keeping you from something?" She asked, thinking that gods must have more important things to do than stand around talking to her all day. Sosiqui "From... aimless flying," Tian Yue replied, evasively. "You were not what I was looking for, but I am pleased to have found you and your goddess all the same. Can she speak through your lips yet, or are you too newly forged?" midnight_medea Lien smiled and shook her head, wrapping an arm around her waist and looking up to the skies.
"No, she has not spoken through me yet. Just too me. Though I suppose that will come soon." She breathed deeply and turned her eyes to the floor.
"What exactly is it you look for, if you do not mind me asking." Sosiqui Tian Yue inclined his head. "Something I shouldn't be, really. My lover was recently taken as host to a goddess as well, and she has gone out to journey in that goddess' service. I must let her do this on her own... but I miss her," he added, with a soft sigh.
"I think as she is lucky enough to have someone to love her so much, she will return soon." She said with a small shrug. "It must be a good feeling, love, to have you all so uptight." A small smirk crossed her lips and she looked up to his eyes.
"Well, I had better get back to cleaning, and feeding the cats. I hope she returns to you soon." Sosiqui "Thank you," Tian Yue said quietly, then smiled in draconic fashion, showing his teeth. "Should you come to the Pantheon where many gods dwell, look for my rooms. You and your goddess are welcome there." midnight_medea "Thank you, maybe I will. I would like to meet your less scary form." She smirked, bowing deeply to him.
"Have a safe flight."
She gave a small wave and turned back towards the house, her scribblings in the ash forgotten for now.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:58 pm
2.II ~ 20 questions ~
midnight_medea 'the pink one' Lien frowned down at the english newspaper Cosine had insisted on her getting from her favourite shop. It had cost her another item of less valuble jewelry, an ethnic bracelet she had brought in Osaka. Frowning she pulled out the pink paper and attempted to read the title. Her spoken english was much better than her attempts at reading.
"Fi - na - ki - al." She tried, splitting the word up into managable bits. "Times." She continued, rather proud of herself for knowing that word at least.'financial you cretin.' Lien took an exhasperated breath and glared down at the page of numbers. It looked incredibly boring. She would get lumbered with a boring god, boring and rude.I would get lumbered with an uneducated idiot for a host."Just shut up." Lien said out loud."Or I'll go and get a romance novel." Thabara
"Now, that is what I call a threat," Nergal murmured dryly, giving Lien an ironic smile and setting down the cat he had been carrying in his arms until now. He had found the feline exploring his half of the house. Since the balcony door had been standing open to air out some of the paint smell he asumed this particularly adventurous specimen of a cat had dared the leap from Echo's balcony to his own.
"Greetings, Lien. And greetings to you as well--" He paused. The strangely colored god-jewel the young Vietnamese had showed to him was nowhere to be seen, but that she was apparently 'talking to herself' made it plain obvious she had made her decision by now. Or perhaps the deity within the gem had taken the matter in its own hands. Anyway, to ignore the presence of one of his kind would be a breach of etiquette. "How may I address the deity you bear?" he asked politely. midnight_medea Lien looked up at Negal's voice and returned his smirk. The goddess within her did not stir as she had when she met the dragon King. She looked down at the cat as he addressed Cosine and patted her leg.Tell underworld who I am child. You cannot ignore me forever.Lien breathed in as the cat jumped up onto her lap and looked up at Nergal.filthy creature."She is Cosine, the Counting Crow. Whatever that means." She said with a shrug. "Address her how you like. She said you are underworld?" Thabara "That is correct," Nergal confirmed with a slight nod. "Unfortunately I am not able to connect her name to a domain in ruling in turn." He wondered if that inability stemmed from his faulty memory of the ages before The Fading, or if it was his lack of interest in the affairs of the Pantheon back then which came back to bite him in the rear now.
"Nonetheless.. Greetings, Lady Cosine." He inclined his head politely, not sure what to say next. He'd always been rather awkward in conversations. That he knew nothing about the goddess in his presence, and barely anything about the young host didn't help much either. "Is there.. anything you still need to know? Any of you?" midnight_medea Greetings to you my lord.Lien listened to the voice and was sure she would bow if she had her own body. It amused her, no one seemed to know who this mysterious goddess was.
"It seems I got stuk with a boring god." Lien said honestly, she rarely spoke any other way. "No one knows her. Maybe she's the goddess of something random like ... toilet paper." She smirked and ignored the rant that was coming from within her head.Numbers you fool! counting crow ... never in all my years have I met sucha disrespectful, ignorant ... Lien blocked her out and gave Nergal a warm smile.
"Numbers aparently. See, boring." She laughed a little and ran her fingers over the cat's soft fur.
"You are Underworld. Is there such a thing as hell? A place of torture for those who have been bad?" Thabara
"I wonder why it is that everyone seems to think of Hell first as soon as the Underworld is mentioned," Nergal mused with a sour smile. "But yes, there has been such a place, and it will most definitely be again, once I have fully regained my powers."
He paused, realizing that - considering her background - Lien might have had personal reasons to ask this question. "I.. asume there are quite a few persons you hold a grudge against?" he asked, his voice softening a little. "Worry not, in the end everyone will get what they deserve - damnation for the vile and the wicked, bliss for the upright and virtuous." midnight_medea Lien smirked cruely at his words.
"That is comforting." She said looking back down at the kitten. "I hope my father meets a painful end there." She seemed to drif off for a moment in silent thoughts. "Among others she mused." As a slow smile crossed her lips she looked up at him and breathed deeply. "You know, I will be glad to cease to be human, or cease to be as I imagine this goddess may decide. They are such a weak and feeble species, especially the men.Weak and stupid." Thabara
"Such bitterness.." A bitterness, however, he was vaguely able to relate to. His host had shared a somewhat similar fate, and she too had desired nothing more than to leave everything behind and cease to be. At least until she'd met Kishara..
"You certainly won't find me trying to preach forgiveness," he said with a thin, sardonic smile on his lips, "not ever. However.. without the mortal races even us gods cannot be. It would be a wise thing to remember - for both of you."midnight_medea Lien smirked and watched as the cat jumped off of her lap and strolled off.
"Bitterness is all I know." She said with a shrug, "Well, until I came to be here. it is difficult to be so hard in Echo's company. She is such a loving being."
At his words she nodded and smiled a little softer.
"Yes, that is very true."
There were a few moments of silence before she remembered something about the merging.
"I think my goddess is looking for someone or something. When I first joined with her I felt this need, a need to find what was lost and ... she said something, something I think is a name. Arctang, does that mean anything to you?" Thabara
Nergal raised a brow. This was starting to become sort of a trend lately, wasn't it? People asking him about missing persons..
"Unfortunately not. It is unfamiliar to me.. but so have been Lady Cosine's name and title. But if it is another deity, paying a visit to the Pantheon might be of help. Quite a few of us have taken up residence within its walls."midnight_medea Lien leaned her elbows on the table and listened to him. So, Cosine was still a bit of a mystery. That was a little intriguing she had to admit. 'Pantheon' she knew that word. But from where...
"Like the building in Greece?" She asked, thinking of the famous symbol of Athens she had seen on a documentary once. "Oh, wait, that was the Parthenon. What's a Pantheon?" She asked with a sheepish smile. "Sorry, there are a lot of english words I don't know." Thabara
"It is the temple of all gods," Nergal explained, "brought forth by Harmodius, who is both - Creation and Destruction. He is the eldest of us, and the one to bring us back now, one by one, by creating the gems which hold our essence. If no one else, at least he should be able to tell you about this Arctang you seek - he was the only one of us not to fade."
"The Pantheon itself.." The look on Nergal's face grew distant for a little while. "It is where we gather, and where we hold council. Many of us chose to reside there, some permanently, some only temporarily, each for their own reasons." And too crowded for me to feel comfortable.. midnight_medea Lien listened carefully to him and smiled a little. Well, that sounded hopeful at least. If there were many others at least one of them had to know something about Cosine or this Arctang.
"Harmodius, he is the one that is causing all this suffering?" she asked, watching the blue god across the table.
"He would really talk with a human like me? He would ... he wouldn't hurt me?" Thabara
"That is correct." Nergal confirmed her first question with a brief nod. "And yes, I believe he would talk to you - after all you are not a mere human anymore. You bear a goddess within you now, one of our own. However.." He hesitated for but a moment before he spoke on, the gaze of his gray eyes resting on the young woman's face unblinkingly. "As I have not met him myself yet in this new life, it is impossible for me to give you any form of advise with a clear conscience on how to treat with him. He would not kill you, that much I am certain of, but he may hurt you." midnight_medea Lien listened closely absorbing all the details as she could. She was a more than a little desperate to know at least something about the goddess that resided within her.
"Well, that is a relief." She said with a smile, imagining that he was like all the other powerful men she had met. She smirked at her thoughts, the god of powerful men. He would be a tough customer.
"and, I enjoy a challenge." She winked and traced a pattern on the table with her finger. "He would really not be the first." Thabara
"If it is your wish, I could show you the way." He had nothing better to do right now, after all. "However.. I will not enter. Not today."midnight_medea Lien smiled and nodded. She really did not want to though she felt she owed it to the goddess within her. Though she was a quiet one maybe meeting others of her own kind would inspire her.
"Thank you." She said, standing from the chair "Why do you not like to enter?" Thabara
"For one thing that place is too crowded with those of our kind for me to feel comfortable," Nergal admitted. "And for another thing.. my presence there may not be entirely welcome." He was referring to Kishara of course, though Lien had no way of knowing of the hostility the Allmother harbored against the Underworld deity.
I must sound like a coward to her, he realized, much to his chagrin. Nonetheless, neither was he keen to accidently run into the grieved goddess, nor did he want to risk an encounter with Destruction unprepared. Not after what he'd come to know of the past.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 4:00 pm
2.III
~ The Pantheon ~ http://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/breedable-changing-pets-roleplay/edel-prp-finn-att-and-lien/t.32958461/
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 4:01 pm
2.IV
~ Library ~ With the dawn of man, the dawn of conscience there were numbers. From the moment man counted his first catch to the time he learned to trade and barter.
Think on it a moment, the numbers you use and see every day. The clock face you stare at when you wake, the date on your calendar, priced measurements, statistics, pages, catalogues. All your hours, seconds days months are shadowed by those tiny little symbols everyone takes for granted. On your credit card, your keyboard, phones. Communication governed by numbers.
'A goddess of numbers.' you scoff. 'Whoever heard of such a thing.' How typically nieve and human to think that -you- created them. That you had power to abuse them for your own sordid means. Arrogant race of idiots.Lien half listened to Cosine rant and sighed as she walked along the ash covered hallway. The whole inner dialogue was really beginning to get annoying. Especially as the pantheon seemed to have perked her up. She supposed as the seat of the gods there was more power here. Cosine could feel it and in turn so could she. Within she knew there would be many like her. The condemned, hosts on death row. "Will you be quiet." She muttered as she reached the doors of the library. "I said I would go here didn't I?" She shook her head and arched a slender brow and brushed at the soot covered plaque on the wall. It was going to be a long sentence. Cosine perked up even more as she saw the heavy carved doors before them. "Yes!" She grinned, forcing Lien forwards, commanding her to open the door and push it open slowly using most of her strength. Trust the gods to have ostentatious doors. Lien took a deep breath and walked through the gap she had created. It was dark inside, the only light came from a series of reading lamps that appeared to have been left on. The sheer size of the place alone made Lien blink. It was huge, epic, like nothing she had ever seen before. Walls of books towered up either side of her. They seemed infinite, she wondered how anyone would be able to find anything in such a place. Surely you could spend your whole life searching … though gods were immortal so they had plenty of time on their hands. "Gods." She breathed as she walked further into the huge room. "At least the books are in one piece." Cosine said, causing a wave of relief to wash over Lien's body. "To the back and down the left stairs."Lien found her feet obeying the voice before her mind did. It was an odd feeling like floating almost. Being driven forward by the invisible force within her. As they passed the rows of books she was itching to pause and touch the leather covers. To open them and breathe in their ancient smell. She felt overwhelmingly safe. An odd feeling indeed. It was as though this were all familiar. A haven. As Lien had been in no library quite like this one she could only determine that these feelings and memories were Cosine's. She did as she was told. Making her way to the back of the vast kingdom of knowledge. She noticed all the shelves were numbered. Everything neatly organised. Perhaps they had a system like in a mortal library. Where each book corresponded to a number. "Left here." Cosine said, guiding her to some stairs. Lien looked down the winding staircase and breathed deeply. There was a sign on the wall, old and dusty. 'RECORDS' it said rather simply. A memory. Pale fingers traced dusty spines lovingly counting as they went. It was dark and solitary in the records section but that was how she liked it. An escape from people and their endless questions. The desk sat at the end of the section, lit by a single lamp. Unlike everything else in the library it was free of dust, impeccable. She smiled and eased herself into the seat. Eager fingers opened the book and watched the parchment pages settle. Aquill picked up between her fingers, dipped once in ink and then cleaned expertly on the edge of the bottle.
'Souls' She wrote in expert cursive atthe top of the page, followed by the date. '100,000,000.'
Her smile grew as next came that perfect number.
1. Godwyn Butcher Poisoned
2. Amiko Sugihara Natural
3.
This was bliss, hours she would spend in this safe haven making list after list. Everything had to be recorded.Lien reached out to touch the desk that had been in her mind. It looked different now, oldand covered with a thick layer of dust and cobwebs. On it lay thevolume she had seen, laying open with the quill resting on top. A large blot of ink spilled from the tip and spread overthe page as if it had been dropped. Lien stepped closer and looked at the book. It looked like a rather twisted hitlist. "What is it?" She asked with a curious look. "The book of souls. It is a record of all the dead to pass through the Underworld.""All in this book?" Lien asked with wonder as she took in its large, yet small size. "No. Section twelve of this floor is the area for souls. There are several floors devoted to records."Lien raised both eyebrows and brushed away some of the dust. "I am sure Nergal would like to see this." She said as she brushed awaymore dust. "May I take it to him?""You may if you are willing to carry it."Lien smirkedand nodded. She was willing, especially if it would be of some use to her friend. "What other records do you have?"Inside, Cosine gave a low laugh. "Anything and everything you can imagine. Anything that needs to be counted. Even the books in this library. Who do you think Dewy prayed to for his decimal system?"Lien had no idea who Dewy was or what he had to do with books so she remained silent and listened as she picked the heavy tome up.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 4:05 pm
2.V
~ Suffocation ~ Quote: She had not noticed the time, sat on the floor in the depths of the library as her fingers traced down the lists of records. It was only when her stomach started to growl that she looked up and noticed that she must have been there for hours.
She was intrigued, the large volume she looked at now, it was full of people's names. It had a dark feel to it, sometimes. A sense of ... fear.
"The dead." Cosine said as she looked at it through Lien's eyes. "It is a book of the dead, every soul that has been committed to Hades is there. Well, was there. I am sure with the distruction that many more need to be listed. I am going to have a headache catching up with all these."
Lien smiled a little and stood, hugging the book against her and walking slowly to the stairs. It was heavier than she thought it would be but she wanted to show it to Nergal. As he would not come in that meant taking it out.
It seemed like she had been walking an age through the hallways of the library and she still had not reached the main entrance. Sighing she looked back at where she had come from and frowned a little.
"You said you were sure it was left." She muttered to Cosine.
Cosine remained silent and Lien wished she was real so she might kick her. Chewing on her lip she looked around and leaned back against one of the shelves. It would be fine, all she had to do was re-trace her steps. Quote: At home, Caolan continued to sign instead of speak, reserving her voice for the ears of those who could not understand the words in her hands. Her speech seemed to bother the humans anyway, mostly the men and some of the women, to the point Jerry had actually taken her aside and asked her if she might not want to be talking all the time. Still child enough to not quite understand, the young goddess had simply nodded and lapsed back into silence. She was an expert at not speaking these days.
Her voice procured, she debated who or what would be the perfect gift for her to kill for Destruction. It was not a small matter, and the search for her victim lead her to sneak away from home again, but this time unoccompanied. She could talk to those not versed in her signing and new her power, after all. What did she need body guards for?
Without a shaggy steed of her father's wing span it was a long walk, but in two day's time Suffocation reached the main compound. She went to the throne room, in hopes inspiration - or a stray supplicant - might meet her there. Quote: It seemed like hours later when Lien finally paused to rest again.
"A little help might be nice." She mumbled as she looked around. There was nothing, nothing but books and books and books.
"Gods." She sighed, turning her head again and noticing a door. "Will that lead me out", she asked.
"Maybe." Cosine said, feeling rather embarrassed that her absentmindedness had got them both lost. Sighing she reached out and pulled the door open, she seemed to be outside the library, in one of the hallways.
"HAH, we made it." She smirked, following the dim light until she ended up in another bigger room. Quote: Caolan studied the dragon statues with the air of an expert, hands clasped behind her back and eyes squinted in scrutiny. They were simple representations of others, she knew, but they were very well carved. Could Destruction look and a piece of stone, see the dragon within, and cause the rest of it to spontaneously erode away? And if so, how would that help her any?
Her sharp ears caught the sound of a door opening, and she cocked her head as if listening for something. Not a god reborn, she decided after a moment. Perhaps an implanted host, though. No killing.
"Can I help you?" the twelve-ish looking goddess asked softly, but in the throne room her voice carried well enough not to shout. It was still a strangely musical speech pattern she had, although the roughness had worn off. Certainly not a human voice. Quote: Lien blinked at the sound of the strange voice and looked down atthe young girl who stood across the room.
I do not know this one.
Lien nodded to her goddess and smiled at the girl.
"Um, maybe. I think I am lost. I came here to seek out Destruction. I have just merged with a goddess and I am looking for some answers." Quote: "This is his throne room," she said, spreading her arms to gesture around. "whether or not he will appear here for you I do not know. Who do you carry?" Quote: "Ah." Lien said, looking up at all the carvings and fine decoration. That made sense. As she opened her mouth to speak next a strange thing happened. The voice that emerged from her was not her own. It was deep, yet feminine and sounded very serious."I am Cosine, the counting crow. I am Number." Lien frowned and clamped her hand over her mouth, that was not right. Quote: The girl raised an eyebrow, finding the mortal's distress curious. "It must be strange to have a host. For both of you." She added her concern for the human's welfare as an afterthought, having trouble separating her from her goddess. Besides Alex, the gods always came first in her mind, and her meeting mostly ones more fullgrown than this only encouraged such a view. Quote: An unnatural smirk curled at the corner of Lien's mouth and she nodded in a rather slow, elegant fashion.
"It is strange, child. To be in a body I do not approve of nor like particularly. Though, soon it will not be hers so I must be patient. May I ask your name?" Quote: "I am Caolan, goddess of Suffocation. I have never had a host." She gestured at her youthful form as she spoke, explaining her her age. "At least with the way you are being reborn, your powers often come more easily." Quote: Lien and Cosine watched the young girl, lien managing to regain the use of hre mouth and her mind.
"That hasn't happened to me before." She said with a slight frown. "You don't have a host? How can that be?" Quote: Caolan chuckled, "As the saying goes, when a god and a goddess love each other very much... I have parents, as you do. My sister and I are goddesses born of a union, not of a jewel." Quote: Lien laughed at the joke and gazed around the throne room once more.
"Well, that serves me right for asking." She said, looking back and giving the girl a wink. "But, that is good, you do not have to claim another's body, to live a half life. I will admit I feel for the goddess within me. It must be hard."
Her mention of a sister made Lien smile broadly.
"I had a sister once, are the two of you good friends?" Quote: She shrugged gracefully. "She lives with our mother and I with our father, as they are both fully reborn and have temples to keep. We do not see each other too much." Quote: "Oh," Lien said with a slight smile. "I haven't seen my sister in many years." She shrugged and looked down at the ash on the floor, she was probably dead. "Well, I suppose I had better continue my search." Quote: "Have you brought a gift or sacrafice to exchange for knowledge?" Caolan asked suddenly, remembering her own meeting with Destruction. "One ought not to go before any god empty-handed, especially not the Lord of All." Quote: The young woman paused in her goodbyes and raised both eyebrows.
"I, uh, no I haven't." She said, shaking her head. How silly of her, of course she should have brought something for the god.
"Um, what kind of thing should I bring? For the gods I remember food and wine is enough. Something tells me I would need something more for Destruction?" Quote: "It depends what you are asking of him, I suppose, but something associated with death or destruction would do well." She strolled away from the statue she'd been studying and drifted closer to her companion. She would need to stop wearing buckskin soon - it just didn't trail dramatically.
"I asked him for a voice and was asked to kill a mortal for him. Do you want something greater or lesser than I?" Quote: Lien raised an eyebrow as she told her her terms with destruction. Not that she could think badly of that, she had killed several mortals,but having a child stood here, telling her that was a little disturbing.
"Lesser ... maybe, it depends on the answer. My goddess has lost someone or something. Arctang is the name, no gods seem to know what she refers to so, I wish to ask destruction. Nergal told me he would be able to give me an answer." Quote: Suffocation tipped her head to the side, trying to recall a conversation she'd overheard when young. "Perhaps it is her other half. Gods are often born in pairs. Humans' insistance on binary compliments, I suppose." Quote: "Perhaps." Lien said with another smile and a small nod of her head. "So if I have nothing, you think he will ask something of me?"
That was a rather daunting prospect. She was not sure she would like what such a demon god would ask of her. Killing, sacrifice, not on her to do list. Quote: "Or take something from you. That it is why it is best to bring something you are prepared to part with." She considered this host and her deity, wondering if they would be the sorts who Destruction would approve of, and so ask something they were happy to give. Such things probably depended on his mood more than anything else. "I'm sure you could find something small and helpless for him to destroy instead of you." Quote: Lien thought on this for a few moments, something she would be willing to part with. She had nothing, so did this mean she had to go in search for some small animal.
"Hmm, thank you for your help. I will have to think about that. Um, is there anything I can help you with?" Quote: "I am trying to decide on a proper sacrafice to Destruction." Caolan thoughtfully. "Do you think an innocent or a destroyer would be more appropriate?" Quote: Lien thought about her question for a moment. Itwas a very interesting one.A destroyer. Cosine said in her head without thought. Lien smiled a little. So her goddess was not the hard person she assumed."Well, a destroyer would leave the conscience freer." She mused. "Though, a destroyer is a worshipper of destruction and so possibly not the best sacrifice." She chewed on her lip for a moment. "And innocent would be more fitting possibly, because killing one would support destruction's powers and the state of the world outside."
Lien frowned and ran a hand over the book she carried.
"I have killed destroyers. I will admit it is satisfying to a point." Perri Indiya "Truly?" The child turned and watched her carefully, interested in this host now. "Why?" midnight_medea Lien looked at the girl and tried to remember that she was just that a girl a child. She was sure her parents would not appreciate her having this conversation with her.
"I used to work for a man ... he wasn't a good man. He asked me ... no he forced me to kill them. They were his rivals and he wanted them out of the way. Satisfying? because I knew they deserved the pain. Because I knew they couldn't hurt anyone else." She shrugged and looked away from the girl. "Never used suffocation though." Perri Indiya Caolan frowned, eyes still keen and focused on Lien's face. "Do mortals think it better to have an excuse to kill? I have never heard a single one speak of ending another's life without a 'because' following soon after. Ir is strange." midnight_medea Lien smirked and turned her eyes back to the girl's.
"It makes us feel better." she said with a small shrug. "If you notice we rarely do anything we consider 'bad' without an excuse." Perri Indiya "A peculiar habit." She agreed, turning away as she supposed she would get no more on the subject from her companion. "Is it supposed to absolve you of anything?"
"Yes, I suppose it is. Many people, mortals, consider that if you do good things in life ... when you die you will go to a good place. If you do bad things, you will go to a bad place. Unless you believe in rebirth, though the rules are the same. Good things in life, good rebirth. So, when someone kills a bad person it is not considered as bad as killing an innocent." She paused and hoped that she was making sense. "It is easier to live with ones-self I suppose." A snort of laughter escaped her lips, it all sounded rather silly if you thought about it. murder was murder. "Maybe people think their excuses will be useful when they are judged at the gates of the underworld."Perri Indiya Now that made sense. She'd been reading stories about the underworld as fast as she could get her hands on them - all the better to understand dear Nergal, of course. "I would not want to get my heart eaten by Ammut either. But wouldn't doing good deeds or some such thing be a better way to guard against hell?" midnight_medea "Hmm, yes, in theory. But human nature is not so sensible." she said. "We are ruled by vice and are weak when it comes to good and bad. if bad seems easier for us, we tend to take it. Not all though." Perri Indiya "I should say not. My father's followers are quite well-behaved." She suspected that was more due to the Hunt's intolerance of cruelty and people who practiced it, but still. There were at least a few good humans still alive. "But why does the good and bad even matter? Death is just another part of life. Why, when mortals intervene, does it suddenly become special?" midnight_medea "I agree." Lien said with a nod. "It happens to us all. Some of us are surrounded by it, though I think maybe i has to do with our arrogance? That our purpose in life cannot be just to live and die. So people believe that there is more. That we must go on living. So the good deserve happy afterlives and the bad deserve nothing. It's all a matter of control really. Religions dictate what is good, and those without a mind of their own follow it."
She smirked, "Though that takes us to another conversation of what is good and bad. Nothing is so black and white. As a goddess of suffocation, you are considered bad, Destruction is considered bad, I am considered bad. But it is not that simple right?" She gave the girl a warm smile. This was a refreshing conversation. Perri Indiya "I am bad?" She asked with pure curiosity, hearing no insult in it. "In the same way that any death at all is bad, I suppose? As if the world would not become a terrible place very quickly without it."
It was lovely to have a brain to pick that did not run away scream because she was a young thing asking such questions. "Humans do not think very far ahead, do they?" midnight_medea Lien nodded and shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
"Exactly. Death should be nothing to fear, it is natural ... and no, we are a very closed minded species. Can't see further than our nose." she laughed a little. "It is natural though, bred into our make up. Though I think it is unnatural death we find scary, being taken before nature can take you. That is why suffocation seems frightening, though standing here, talking to you it now seems natural. Culture affects our minds in funny ways." Perri Indiya "Suffocation is perfectly natural." She said, slightly affornted. "People drown in bodies of water all the time." midnight_medea Lien smiled at the girl's slight offence and shook her head.
"But we don't see it like that. I mean, of course suffocation is natural, I mean think of those who just stop breathing. Though drowning is drowning and suffocation usually conjures up images of people with pillows smothering victims."
She shrugged. "Just saying that it's funnyhow culture gives us certain impressions. Where do you think you will find your victim?" she asked, changing the subject a little. Perri Indiya Caolan frowned at the drowning comment, knowing that the biological processes of such a death were the same as smothering and strangulation, thus considering it well within her domain. It was a small enough one as it was, and she found herself terribly adverse to anyone claiming it ought to be shrunk. "A death by suffocation involves a lack of oxygen to the brain - that water enters the lungs instead of air does not make the resulting collapse any less due to the absence of that precious element."
She smoothed her hands over her clothes, unable to take the deep, cleansing breath humans were so fond of using to settle their thoughts. "Near where I found my first, I suspect: the slums. Very little attention is paid to the lives or deaths of the poor." midnight_medea Lien smirked a little at her temper. She had not been trying to say that drowning wasn't suffocation, just that people did not see it that way. She said nothing though as it was not important.
"Sadly very true." Lien said with a bit of a nod. "Maybe they will thank you for it." Perri Indiya Caolan hissed, voice suddenly sharp where it had been musical. "I do not want their thanks, only to avoid having to lay waste to their law enforcers! It is no kinder to kill one man than another, no crueler to take the breath of a child than an old woman on the cusp of death. I am not the goddess of murder or torture, but of a mostly natural force. I do not kill to be kind or cruel. Only so that I may speak." midnight_medea Lien tried not to smile at her little outburst. These gods amused her. What were they without humans and what kinds of humans prayed to suffocation? Those who wished to avoid her and those who wished to embrace her gift for for their own ends. Death was not so straightforward in the minds of a worshipper.
"I think you have much to learn about people and divinity." She said with a shrug. Maybe that was where having a host was an advantage. "I should let you get on with your task, so you may find your voice. It was a pleasure talking with you." Perri Indiya And with that the emotion she displayed faded away, draining from her face, voice and body. She despised being treated like a child by the hosts, young though she was. But getting more angry now would only prove her wrong in the end. "Good luck yours. Be well, as long as you exist."
She turned on her heels and left, too much her father's daughter to know the ins and out of social courtesy.
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