|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 5:17 pm
Of course, he had known this much from Zara, but there was nothing wrong with making Rio work for his answer a little.
He smiled when the whelp finally made the jump/fluttering up to the sandwich to snatch it. "Ha. That's better." This one needed to be less lazy and work on the stamina, and that was part of the process.
Another sandwich would be taken and split before he would tend to Love's question. "It is quite a process, really. You need to devote a full week to it - no distraction, nothing of the sort. Locked out from the outside world completely is best."
"To make aoide is to literally take the mortal's true name and give them another - along with a part of yourself. It is mostly instinct once you remember how to do it." At least it had been for him. "They do not come back ready to go though, that's what the week is for. You have to teach them that they are separate beings from yourself, how to be an individual person again. It sounds daunting, but... As long as you take care of them, everything will be fine. Think of it like taking care of Adi when she was a baby, kind of." Until the new aoide built strength again and became able to voice their own needs a little more clearly, which he found depended a whole lot on the mortal in question.
He would let Love process this, and ask what questions he had, before getting to the prayers.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 5:41 pm
No distractions. For a week. For Rio. Thus far, that actually sounded like the hardest part. What about Adi? What if something happened? Which was a ridiculous thing to worry about, because he'd been much farther away for much longer, and she was an adult. Err...a young adult. With plenty of other people who could take care of her if something did happen.
"That sounds...complicated," he said carefully, and took a sip of his (sadly plain) coffee. "And potentially dangerous."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 6:29 pm
"Indeed." He had no need to tell what would happen if any god failed such a task - nothing could exist without a true name - the soul would therefore be lost permanently. "Preparation is the key to everything. The aoide-to-be must also be aware and willingly give their name to you." It was impossible to take such a thing from them unwillingly.
"Just... Care for them as if they were your own child. Love them." That wouldn't be hard for Rio, at least ! "React to what comes up and see them though. It is easier than you might think... These aoide, the one we choose and make now... They are different than the one from before we died. They are connected more truly to the us of now. You will know their feelings, their minds will be an open book at the start. They might not be able to voice what it is that they need, but you will know nonetheless."
"On the last day, either at dawn or dusk... You will need to speak prayers as one. One for the new aoide and what they mean to you. Another for the Twin Crown." It was that last prayer that truly set everything in stone.
Zarayther knew all this, of course - he had undergone the whole process, after all - but to have the in and outs laid out like this - from a god to another - was strangely interesting. He was content to simply listen for the time being.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 3:48 pm
"I see," Love said after long moments of silence, which he used to absorb what Lifewater was telling him. He drummed his fingers against the side of his coffee cup. He'd need to think about this. Prepare. Speak to Leo.
For now, though, he was curious about another thing. "How did you figure all this out?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 4:15 pm
"Mystery told me." The Cat had seen the need and spoken - as he could speak, at least. "As for where he learned of it.. I would not be able to tell you."
Either Mystery had remembered it, or it had been among the secrets he glimpsed.
The bit of sandwich that he had been wriggling all this time was finally snatched again. It seemed like the whelp was finally learning that it was not as easy to make him cave than it would be for his own parents.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 6:45 pm
"That seems an appropriate source," Rio mused with a soft chuckle. He would think on everything later - for now, there was socializing to catch up on. It would be terribly rude to ask Serious Questions and then just run off, now, wouldn't it? "Thank you for telling me."
"So, when did this happen?" he asked, indicating the dragon himself. "You've become quite impressive in my absence, if you don't mind my saying." Not that he was flirting, but he was appreciative. Always...appreciative.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 6:51 pm
When, exactly ? It was quite obvious what Love was asking about, yes, but Ti Lung had not truly kept track of the time. "A few months ago ? It... happened rather suddenly." And had been quite painful in ways Love probably understood. His own host had been a woman, after all.
"These things are still a pain in the a**." He laid his wings flat, to give Love a better estimate of how big they really were. "Doors are... interesting."
To be honest, Xun Jiang wouldn't have minded being flirted at right now. He probably would not have reciprocated, but he had not seen hair nor twig of Glyph since he'd changed... Which could not help but raise questions he preferred to ignore.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 7:20 pm
"Tell me about it," Love sympathized with a groan. "I can't even sleep without breaking mine. And they aren't even good for flying. I can imagine where doors would be a problem with yours, though. They are rather large, aren't they?"
Rio's own wings fluttered as he leaned forward, curious. The structure of Lifewater's wings was very different from any wings he'd seen on anyone before - perhaps it was so they could also be used for swimming? Fascinating.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 10:52 am
The dragon smirked. "At least yours are delicious ?"
Which, of course, only served to confuse his poor servant. "Wait, what ?"
"Candy. Raspberry, if I remember correctly, or did you switch flavors on me ?" Oh, yes, Xun was quite amused. And Love's guess was not so far from the truth - he did indeed use his wings to swim.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 4:30 pm
"Well, yes, there is that. I'm not sure it's an even trade, though. Flying for being able to break off edible pieces of myself. If they could at least not stab me in my sleep, I'd be much happier," Rio complained, though the bitterness was mostly in jest. While he spoke, he casually snapped off a small piece of his wing to offer to Zara. "Here."
"No, I did not switch flavors, although that would be an excellent idea! Especially if the color changed, too...alas, I'm most likely stuck with raspberry for the rest of eternity. I'm sure that will get old sooner or later."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 2:40 pm
Zara would accept a piece of wing candy, though he would be a little overhelmed by the concept still. "Thank you... ?"
This would come an amused rumble to rise from the dragon king, and a wink was directed at Love. He'd had a much similar reaction, after all, back when he had been she.
"There are worse thing to taste like, I figure. And flying is still rather awkward in this shape." He could do it, yes, but it was much easier to shift, if he had the room to do so.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 5:14 pm
"You're welcome," Rio said cheerfully, not the least bit bothered by snapping off pieces of himself for other people to eat. They did grow back, after all!
"True. I do sometimes envy Adi's wings. At least hers are soft!" They weren't fragile, or sharp, or in any way inconvenient. Less grand and ornate, perhaps, but much more practical! Insofar as candy wings were concerned, anyway.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 5:39 pm
"I would say of the three choice, I would prefer my own, as much as I like to complain. Candy wings and water..." Well. It would be an horrible mix. And the koi would be fat and spoiled.
...Well, currently the spoiled part was certainly true.
"At least now I can just hide them." He had to, to get though most doors. A little inconvinent, but faster than trying to weave though too small spaces.
Which did make something occur to Xun Jiang. "...Why not just hide them to sleep ? Maybe they would not break then ?"
It was only once the two gods seemingly were not paying attention to him anymore that Zarayther allowed himself a curious lick. Eating part of a god seemed wrong, even if it was candy !
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 6:22 pm
"They do get a bit sticky," he admitted, then laughed. "Wings, one of the trials of being a god."
"I do, but it would be nice if I didn't have to. And I don't always...remember to do it." They also sometimes got in the way of certain activities, which was most inconvenient. It just seemed so silly that he had to hide them, when they were part of him. But, alas, he had to choose between practicality and vanity. It was so very unfair.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 6:29 pm
The undertone of Love's frustration was probably a little easy to figure out, and Ti Lung snorted. Wings breaking during certain... activities... was probably awkward as hell.
He carefully kept that mental image away from his aoide, less the poor servant turn interesting colors. It took a lot to do that, nowadays, but that would probably have done the trick.
"Not all of them, though." Lament came to mind - boy was certainly lucky in his own way, to be relatively human-sized and human-shaped. Though if he took after his father later... Well.
Maybe it was possible. He did not pretend to be an expert on divine genetics.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
