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 Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:08 pm
Breath of LifeMeeting Pachua and Jin HuangJoint RP #15 Unfinished Ithiltari The world had been much quieter lately, Jin Haung mused. It had been much settled after the restoration of the Crown, of course, and yet this was something different still. There was not the same sense of indrawn breath, as though they were all waiting for the other shoe to drop. In this case, that other shoe would have been the Grigori, and they had not been in evidence at all. Indeed, one would be hard pressed to prove their existance to one who did not already believe.
Which was, he supposed, a sort of ironic coincidence. That was the same sort of thing that could be said about the returned members of the Pantheon. But that was what they were supposed to be doing, in this calm. Finding mortals and leading them back to belief, to return strength to them all.
Which was what had brought him out of the Pantheon today. Jin Huang had never felt particularly comfortable with worshippers of his own, preferring to remain in the background, in service to the Crown. But there was a need, and so he would address it. Mortals gathered here, and he had spoken to a few who had not seemed uninterested. Perhaps they would come seeking him later, and perhaps they would seek another of the gods. It was all, to him, rather the same. What strengthed one, strengthened them all.
It was while walking that the dragon noticed something unusual among the crowds and people gathered, something that piqued his curiousity. He began edging over towards it, hands in his pockets, a picture of deliberate nonchalance. Tsunake Laurence had never done well with sitting idle. Though a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders after speaking to Harmodious and, for the first time all month, he finally felt content, he was still restless. Shuo was still gathering strength daily, but whenever the priest made to awkwardly inquire about the state of him taking over, the dragon could not supply him with an answer. It had been the Dragon King's request that they were here now, and Shuo was delighted with the mortals milling about the Pantheon. Laurence was less so, but he put up a good front about it, weaving through the masses without calling attention to himself. See how their faith has at last been restored! If only I could speak to them and reassure them--why, they might-- "No. They'll figure things out themselves. I want nothing else to do with it." The host snapped, bristling at the mere thought. Then you can speak with my brother in the meantime. I sense him nearby...Brother? The man glanced to his side and practically cringed when he laid eyes upon a somewhat familiar face. It was a brother alright--one of them that associated very closely with demons. The thought made his skin crawl, but he couldn't very well walk away, not with Shuo practically beaming. There was an awkward nod of acknowledgment, but Laurence wouldn't voice a greeting. Not even with the dragon nagging at him about politeness of all things. Ithiltari And so one of the things that had grabbed his attention noticed him. Jin Huang returned the awkward nod with one that was much less so, although he felt a little relieved that none of his demonic entourage had followed him outside. Of course, that was by his request, but the emotion was still valid.
Quickening his pace, the dragon made his way over to Laurence and more importantly, his brother. "Laurence, Shuo," he said in greeting, smiling slightly. "A pleasure to see you again, especially after our..abrupt parting." That was one way to put it, certainly. If he'd known about Laurence's...aversion to demons, he'd have found somewhere else to put the man. Hopefully he'd eventually forgive him, but more likely was that his brother would assert his dominance. Jin Huang did not often hope that people died, but hosts were an odd category of people to begin with. "What brings you out today?" he asked, continuing to smile and murmur words of welcome to the crowd that moved around the stationary pair. Tsunake "Jin Huang." Was the automatic response, and Laurence bowed his head briefly in respect for the other's position as something of god-like status. There was a brief flicker of emotion across his face at the mention of his leaving, but the priest carefully controlled himself before responding. "I've had some unpleasant experiences with your choice of servant." He finally allowed himself that mostly-neutral response, rolling his shoulders once. Of course, he'd met other, less revolting demons since that time, even if their natural behavior had been enough to make him break out in a sweat. Sensing the dragon's desire to speak, Laurence carefully used his strength to temporarily bolster the other, granting him the power to speak through him. "Jin! It is so good to see you well once more. Isn't this wonderful? So many people here to pay homage to our Lord." There was a happy sort of sigh. It was probably good that he hadn't assumed control yet, or his brother would have been on the receiving end of a hug. Ithiltari He waved the remark away. "I understand, truly. My own host was less than fond of them as well." Overall, the demons that served him were fairly decent sorts, more concerned with the workings of a celestial bureaucracy than with anything so crass as stealing souls. Or whatever demons did that made them so terrifying to other races; Jin Huang suffered from an occasional case of tunnel vision regarding certain subjects.
When Shuo spoke, a more genuinely happy smile wreathed the dragon's normally dark and dour face. It was always good to speak with his siblings, even if they did insist on hugging and pouncing and whatever else Zhijian enjoyed doing to his unsuspecting kin. "It is good to see you as well," he replied with another slight nod of his head. "And yes, this is magnificent indeed. Even if they are not all here to worship the Crown, as long as they are eventually capable of belief in one of the Pantheon, that is something to be pleased about."
There was a flash of color beyond Laurence's head, something that drew attention to itself among the drab colors that still remained the default mode for those who gathered. Simple clothing, easily made, and yet in the midst of all of that was something brighter. "Have you talked to them much?" the dragon asked, focusing his attention back where it was more important. endejester Lost, utterly disoriented and confused, it wasn't truly a new state of affairs but it was certainly frustrating. Drab colors and curious faces moved around him in a veritable sea of people, many of whom had shoes where he lacked any, frustrating and a little painful on occasion he moved trying to reach the fringes of the crowd but kept getting pushed deeper in. His hair an improbable but consistent bright blue rather stood out amid the crush of people. Likewise the colorful feathers, robes and skins he wore. So many strange faces and unfamiliar things it was dizzying. He turned and turned again tugging at the heavy wool blanket that hung over his shoulders and the small wings hidden there as he was shoved again by a distracted if apologetic soul. Tsunake "Not yet," Shuo admitted regretfully, and the wistful tone probably looked odd when paired with his host's immediate scowl. "But there will be plenty of time for that soon, I'd imagine. The more pressing matter here is ensuring that these mortals invest their faith within Him." It was not far off to claim that the dragon sounded reverent at the thought, but before Laurence could dwell on it too long, a flash of color caught his eye. What in the hell was that? The priest found himself staring at the strange being just a bit away from their current location, eyes trailing from the hair to the strange... everything. It looked somewhat human, but there was no way... It was unfortunate that Mang noticed his attention straying. A good chance for you to investigate, hm? You know it could be beneficial!Damn the dragon for playing on his faith. It was enough to make him bristle resentfully, instead turning back to Jin as though determined to ignore the stranger. "...More than just humans gather here?" He phrased the question cautiously, not sure if he was about to be mocked or not. Ithiltari He nodded somewhat solemnly; in retrospect, it was rather obvious that it would be harder for a still gem-bound god to communicate efficiently with anyone other than their host. "That is certainly true," the dragon replied with a more thoughtful look. It wasn't as though the tide had appreciably slowed, even after all this time, so whenever Shuo was able, well. There would still be those around to converse with.
Apparently, however, the same flash of color that had caught his eye, had attracted Laurence's attention as well. "Oh, certainly. There are all sorts who to the Pantheon. Elves, humans, dwarves, demons, angels, centaurs," he listed off, naming just a handful of the races who came seeking. "Shall we investigate this curiosity, then?" Jin Huang hardly waited for a reply before generating a little push of his power, his nature to create a sort of smooth path against the crowd.
It was something rather terrifying to most, to learn that the gods not only could walk among them, but did so on a fairly regular basis. Which was why he seldom asserted his god-hood at any given moment, when wandering. It was useful in certain circumstances, like now. endejester It was hard not to notice when you'd just been pushing your way amid strange faces and ...things, that suddenly there was an opening. In fact it was such a clear opening that it was rather 'creepy.' More creepy than that was the fact it seemed to lead right -to- him, which made him wonder first and foremost 'what had he done wrong' Needless to say he was not often optimistic. He glanced around to either side as though hopeful that the path really lead to someone else, or that maybe he could sort of push his way back into the crowd. Yes...that seemed a very good idea. "Excuse me...pardon..." He stumbled over someone's boot and hissed in frustration. It was also not exactly easy to 'escape' when you were wearing beads, bells and feathers around your ankles...particularly the bells.
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Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:10 pm
Could You Wait Another Day?Discussions with AdiJoint RP #16 Reclaimed +1,001 words Meepfur Adi was worried. Illisia was gone - or at least, not Illisia anymore - and she was no longer able to carry on like eventually wasn't really tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after that. It could be tomorrow, and that realization had rendered her unable to sleep. What about Laurence? She'd known him longer than she had the night elf, so how much longer did he have? For the first time, she was becoming truly aware of mortality, and it was terrifying.
And heartbreaking. She missed her teacher so much. She'd never cried like this before, and never so much. She needed a hug, and she needed to reassure herself that her other host-friend was okay, at least for now, so she went looking for the priest. Tsunake Forgiveness was an odd, fickle thing. It was almost embarrassing to think that Harmodius had been able to pardon him so easily, but he still stubbornly held onto the last shreds of guilt, unable to let them slip through his fingers so easily. Perhaps he was afraid he would forgot the lives that he had inadvertently taken. He knew the dragon was was brooding too, and so he'd simply chosen a quiet, shady spot in the gardens to recline and think. Neither of them said anything, and the priest had to admit, it was kind of nice to have his own head to himself for once. Meepfur It didn't take long for Adi to sniff him out. She was good at finding people she knew, now, and Laurence certainly qualified. Another day, she might have snuck up on him, or else bounded over and pounced, but she was currently running low on exuberance. Instead, she simply walked over and sat next to him.
He wasn't looking especially happy, either. "Hi." Tsunake She startled him, if the way his arms spasmed a little said anything, but the priest was quick to compose himself. Something wasn't right. He'd never seen Adi... well, acting so un-Adi like. A brow hefted itself, and he turned to better face the girl. "Hi, yourself. What's up?" You had his full attention now, Adi, and he was pretty sure he'd know you were lying if you said 'nothing'. Meepfur The werewolf wasn't the type to bottle up, or dance around what she wanted to talk about - and she did want to talk. It took no more prompting than Laurence's asking to get her to fess up about the nature of her distress, "I-Illisia's gone."
She couldn't say it without crying. Adi snuffled, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. Tsunake Illisia...? He stared at her for a moment, dumbfounded at the sudden and staggering sensation of loss he was feeling. It was almost hard to believe it--something in his mind kept insisting that it wasn't possible. Her soul, her body... both had been devoured by the dragon, and that knowledge hurt. What was even worse was her tears. "Hey," The priest said gently, awkwardly reaching out an arm to wrap it around the girl's shoulders so he could give her a slight squeeze. He'd been intending on following up that sentence with something positive, something like--Illisia was probably still in there, or Xun had been extra-careful not to hurt her... but Laurence didn't know that. How could he? So, for a moment, he just held Adi, resting his chin lightly in her hair as he stared at nothing in particular. "...I'm sorry, Adi." Meepfur Adi knew Illisia was probably still there, somewhere, but it was harder than she'd ever realized it would be to reconcile that. It was just...she didn't resent Xun Jiang, she even liked him, but she couldn't explain what it was, exactly. She could understand, now, why her father had trouble with the Alex/Rio situation.
She leaned against Laurence, quiet for a moment. Hugs were good, hugs helped. "What about you? Are you, um, feeling okay?"
As in, 'Are you still going to be here tomorrow?' Meepfur Adi knew Illisia was probably still there, somewhere, but it was harder than she'd ever realized it would be to reconcile that. It was just...she didn't resent Xun Jiang, she even liked him, but she couldn't explain what it was, exactly. She could understand, now, why her father had trouble with the Alex/Rio situation.
She leaned against Laurence, quiet for a moment. Hugs were good, hugs helped. "What about you? Are you, um, feeling okay?"
As in, 'Are you still going to be here tomorrow?' Tsunake Was he--oh. As far as he knew, he was perfectly hale, hearty, and not in danger of being consumed any time soon. "Yeah, just fine. Better than ever, actually." The last thing she needed was to be stressing over him. In reality, he didn't know if Shuo was growing any stronger or not. He could only assume that he was. The dragon was usually as chatty as ever, after all. "So... does she look the same? Or...?" Meepfur Adi looked at him, trying to decipher whether or not that was the truth, but she was no good at that kind of thing. So she believed him, because she wanted to, and hugged him, her head against his chest. Her tail waved just the slightest bit. She hadn't even remembered to put her ribbon on. "Good."
"I haven't seen yet," she admitted. She would sooner or later, she was sure, and that was going to be hard. Xun was bound to look at least a little like Illisia. Tsunake It was hard to really feel strange when she still acted like a little girl in a woman's body. His fingers lightly stroked through her hair, trying to soothe. Was this the first time she'd ever lost someone important to her? It was a hard realization to stomach, but the priest had no doubt that she'd grow a little stronger from it. "Then how do you know?" He sounded surprised and partially wary. Meepfur One day, someone was going to have to clue poor Adi in on the disadvantages to her typical behaviour, but in the meantime, she remained more or less oblivious. And anyway, she currently had other concerns, or else that little corner of her mind might have noticed Laurence in that curious way she was noticing most boys. Fortunately, very definitely not today.
"I talked to her, before..." That had been hard, but she was glad she'd had the chance, that Illisia had come home as Illisia. She was still stubbornly wearing her hair in the braid the druid had put it in, although it was beginning to look a bit disreputable. "And I heard that it happened." Tsunake "At least you got to see her though, right? I bet she was happy that you two got to visit..." Laurence knew that was really a poor thing to say, but what else could he do? Focusing on happier memories was far better than wallowing. "Oh. From your dad?" Rio seemed like the sort to be on top of those kinds of things. Maybe. The rebirth of another Dragon King... Was he the only one left, now? It was a disconcerting thought. He wasn't having second thoughts, per say--but was he really the best host for Shuo Huang Zhe? For Mang? From what he knew, the dragon had already made mistakes before--and he wasn't sure if he was destined to be another one. Meepfur "Yeah," Adi affirmed, nodding. "I don't know what I would've done if I hadn't..." Regretted it for pretty much ever, basically.
"Shy noticed him out. She said...she said he looks a lot like Illisia." That was going to be difficult, once she worked up the courage to go and meet him properly, but she wasn't ready for that yet. It could be awhile before she was. Tsunake Shy... one of the demonesses. He paused to rub his brow for a moment, thinking. "Well. Guess we'll have to go and greet him eventually, right?" Apparently his mindset was running along the same vein, today. He wasn't even sure he wanted to meet Xun--but it wasn't like it was the dragon's fault. He'd known this was happening. Still. It was easier to think about it then witness it happening. Meepfur Adrienne nodded again, tentatively. "I think I'll wait a little, I'm not ready yet. Not that I'm mad at him, that wouldn't be fair. I just...I miss her. I know she's probably still there, but it's not the same."
Or at least, she wanted to think Illisia was still there - surely Xun Jiang wouldn't have eaten her? Some Illisia was better than no Illisia at all. "I never knew it would be this confusing." Tsunake "I think that's wise on your part," He said seriously, a little impressed at how responsible and levelheaded she was being about the whole situation. "I'm sure he knows that a lot of people cared about Illisia." So, in theory, hopefully the dragon understood. "Yeah... It's both a happy thing and a sad one. I don't think it's an easy process for anyone." Meepfur "It sounded easy, when I was little." And perhaps in some ways it was, but not when you were involved. Just hearing about it was different. "I thought I understood, but I guess not." Adi's current calm was, well, relatively recent. She'd gotten the throw a fit stage out already, and that tended to be tiring.
"It's good for Harmodius, though. I'm glad about that." She did very much like rainbow-haired god. Tsunake "I'll bet." He had to wonder how Rio even explained such a thing to her. Did it bother her now, knowing that her actual, biological mother had gone through the same thing? "It's hard for anyone to understand, I think. But yeah, it's really good for Him. ...That's why I agreed to becoming a host in the first place, you know." After he was sane and could think about it. If he'd disagreed, though, there was probably no real way to remove the gem. "I wanted to help Him. I think I'll be able to, once Shuo is stronger." Meepfur Adi was glad, at least, that being a host was what Laurence wanted, and what Illisia had wanted. It would have been so much harder if they were like Arden, if they didn't want it. Then she would have been angry. "Did you go and see him?" Tsunake A smile unexpectedly touched at Laurence's lips, though the priest didn't seem to notice. "Yeah. He was entirely different from what I expected--and yet, exactly the same. It was a weird experience." A good one, though. One that had lifted a heavy burden from his shoulders. "You've more or less grown up with him around, right?" Or had it been his... other aspect, or whatever? Meepfur Adi nodded. "I've only talked to him twice, though, and I was little the first time, and he was Destruction. And I tried to chew on one of his tails." She grinned at the admission. "Everybody seemed kinda surprised he was nice to me, but I gave him a name, so maybe that's why. Still, my dad freaked out a little." Tsunake "You did not." A grin had flickered across Laurence's face, and he rubbed his jaw with mirth at the thought. "Seriously? That shouldn't be funny." It shouldn't be. She'd more or less been chewing on God, but just the thought... "Maybe he just liked you. You're pretty likable." Meepfur "Did too! It tasted weird." She laughed along with Laurence, better aware now that she was older that trying to chew on Harmodius - whether Creation or Destruction - was pretty ridiculous.
"You think so?" Adi smiled, glad to be dubbed 'likable.' "He wanted me to give him a name, so I did. I called him Tails." Tsunake "Better than it tasting good. Don't think that would have gone over so well if you'd tried to make Him a permanent snack." The thought very nearly made him cringe. Better enough for everyone involved if God did not have to deal with a baby, however adorable, attempting to gnaw off bits and pieces. "Would I lie?" He did had to pause at the name, then laughed again. For some reason--well, he'd been expecting something a bit more official. "Tails, huh. If I didn't think Shuo would pass out from embarrassment--" And he kept talking here, to keep the dragon from calling him out on his bluff-- "I might try and address Him as such." He and Adi would continue to talk for quite some time until, eventually, Laurence had to excuse himself. He was growing more and more tired as of late... probably Shuo's growing influence. -tbc-
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Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:12 pm
All I Have LeftMeeting AliceJoint RP #17 +1,001 words Meepfur It was nearly impossible, knowing you were going to die, not to have at least some periods of melancholy. Even though it had been a conscious choice on her part, Alice was no exception. She couldn't help but wonder if this was such a good idea after all, if it was really worth it, even if it was far too late. She didn't regret it, per se, she just couldn't turn off that speculative part of her mind. 'What if,' 'what, if,' over and over again, and it was frustrating because it was completely pointless and she knew it, but she couldn't help it. What if none of this - none of it - had ever happened? What if the world hadn't gone all to pieces, and she was still in the Castle? With her friends, haunted by the past, but at least never alone with it. If he was there with her... Alice shook her head, as though that would cast out the thought, and brought herself back to the garden around her. Anything that could have been was long gone, and she needed to leave it behind. Like that was possible. Tsunake His long legs easily carried him through the gardens, navigating half on instinct at this point. He'd grown both familiar and fond of the Pantheon and the hope and peace it seemed to radiate. This was a place that nourished one's soul. Day by day, it was growing easier to accept what had happened in the past, and live for the future in hopes of serving as a strong vessel for Shuo Huang Zhe. He was already sacrificing both his body and his soul. There would be no Heaven for him. To beat himself up over it was senseless, but still easier said than done. The young woman caught his gaze--or, the tie around her eyes did. Blind, then? Compulsion had him altering his gait, and he slowly began to approach her, not wanting to give her any reason for alarm. "Ma'am? Are you alright?" I do not believe her to be as nearly as delicate as you might think. The dragon sounded very amused. It's called courtesy, a*****e. A grimace crossed his face unconsciously as he offered the retort, but he focused quickly enough on her once more. Meepfur Hm? She started slightly when addressed, a flush of color rushing to her cheeks. Was her inner conflict that obvious? It wasn't like she was crying. Oh, wait. Right. Blindfold. Awkward. She was going to have to get used to people not being used to it. "Huh? Oh." Alice touched the cloth, chuckling. "Yeah, I'm fine." Mostly unoffended, she studied him for a moment. He was tall, and...dressed like a priest? She couldn't quite decide whether that fit with the setting or not. "I, uh..." The woman rose to her feet and offered a hand in greeting. "I'm Alice." Tsunake The slight tinge of color on her face was enough to catch him off guard, and Laurence studied her a little longer before reluctantly allowing himself to be more at ease. The way she'd touched the cloth made it clear that she'd been asked that kind of question before, and he couldn't help but inwardly cringe to know he was just another person on that list. "Laurence." His grip was firm, but by no means crushing. Callouses on her palm, he noticed. He refused to even acknowledge it, less he give Shuo even more of a reason to gloat. "You new around here?" He ventured after a moment. God, he hoped not. He didn't want to have to explain anything. Meepfur Alice grasped his hand for a moment longer than necessary, taken aback by the odd feeling to him. It was like touching two people at once. One was clearly at the forefront - and there was guilt there, but that was normal enough - but there was someone else there somewhere. Huh. "Not brand new," she answered finally, "But new enough, I guess." Not enough to need an explanation, though - she'd gotten that courtesy of Glaucon taking over his host right in front of her. She really hoped Kyrjadis didn't have wings like that. Actually, any wings would probably hurt. Alice hesitated, then asked, "You a host?" Tsunake He was just trying to figure out what new enough meant when she popped the question, and though he shook his head with surprise, the man nodded after a pause. "Yeah. Host to a Dragon King. Mang." The man felt awkward trying to look her over to see if she had a gem on her person, so he kept his eyes fixed on the blindfold wrapped around her face. ....That was awkward, too. Or you could simply look at her like a normal person. Smile! The dragon advised merrily. Laurence's scowl deepened. Meepfur Even if Laurence had looked, he wouldn't have found a gem, unless he was very perceptive; she'd set it over her hip, where it was covered by her clothes. Putting it somewhere exposed just hadn't seemed right. Happily, she didn't have to worry about him seeing her look him over - there were benefits to this crazy blindfolded thing. Including watching his awkward stare and serious scowl. She should probably make some indication, sooner or later, that she could see him. It was a little unfair. "Oh, I've met one of those, Xun Jiang." Alice paused again, then added, since it was only fair, "I have Justice, Kyrjadis." Tsunake "Ah, Xun Jiang, yeah..." But no Illisia? How long ago had she disappeared? His teeth sank into his lower lip as he mulled it over, thinking it was just as well that he'd requested his own place. He didn't know if he could handle seeing what used to be someone he considered a friend. "Justice..." There was definitely a sense of intrigue there, and he was snapped out of his own thoughts to focus on Alice again. "Pleasure to meet you both, then. How long ago did it happen...?" He wasn't meaning to pry, not really. Call it a morbid curiosity. Meepfur "A few weeks," she answered, unbothered. She had her own tendency to pry, and it took something really personal to get her to balk at revealing if someone asked. The 'pleasure to meet you both' thing was a little weird, but she could feel that Kyrjadis was pleased to be acknowledged, and to 'meet' a second dragon. Now, what was that about letting him know you can see him? she reminded the woman as the man continued to make faces he otherwise might not. Alice frowned. Having a voice in her head was not easy to adjust to, but the goddess had a point. "So uh, how's a priest end up somewhere like this?" A little more subtle than 'Hey, I can totally see you.' Tsunake How the hell did she know he was a--the realization hit him like a slap in the face, and though the man slowly smoothed out his features, his cheeks had definitely colored with shame. Clearing his throat slightly, Laurence adamantly shut out the sound of Shuo's laughter in his mind. "I was seeking out God." He finally said, a little gruff. "...I pledged to help rebirth one of his servants, so that I could do some good for the world with my death." His sins could not be so easily forgotten, but, slowly, they were being forgiven. Meepfur It was always sort of funny, watching someone figure it out, but she was very good and didn't 'notice' it, except for a tiny quirk of her lips. It was better, really, to just gloss over it and save a him some embarrassment. Besides, it was completely understandable to assume someone wearing a blindfold was blind. It would be mean to call him on it. Moving on, that was a very serious answer, like maybe he'd been dying anyway. That line of questioning, however, was a little too deep this soon after 'Nice to meet you,' so it stayed with her. The result was an awkward pause while she tried to extract a conversable subject out of that. "This is all kind of an adjustment, isn't it? I've seen some weird stuff, but I definitely never expected to see God." Or that God would have rainbow hair, for that matter. Tsunake "It's not what I expected," Laurence had to admit, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head. Yeah. Rainbow hair... and really, really pale skin. But He had been just as kind, generous, and loving as He had always been, in Laurence's mind, so the priest couldn't really complain. "At the same time, I don't really know what I'd been expecting. I'd never thought there were multiple gods, but it makes sense, thinking on it. Kind of a lot of work, all for one guy." There was a slight snort at that, and his lips feebly quirked up in a smile. Not to mention that Harmodius had nearly died only recently. It was a grim reminder of why his sacrifice was so desperately needed. "How'd you end up here?" It was only fair that he got to pry in turn, right? Meepfur "True," she agreed with a tip of her head. She'd never given that much thoguht to what God would be like, but she'd had something...older in mind. White hair, beard, that sort of thing, the way he was usually pictured in art. As to demeanor, well, that had mostly seemed fitting. He had a very formal, sometimes obscure, way of speaking. "Oh, well, I got a little lost, couldn't get back home." That was the very simple version, minus pocket dimension weirdness. "I wandered around for awhile. Illisia found me, not long ago, and brought me here." Tsunake The night elf's name had a pronounced impact on the man, and his face fell for a moment. "Ah. She's a sweetheart." Was a sweetheart. Hell, he was going to have to seek the newly born Dragon King out again in due time, just to see what damage had been done. The priest debated with himself a moment, eying the young woman. From the sounds of it, she was at least friendly acquaintances with the other host... "...Illisia's gone now. Just so you know. She's a Dragon King, now." Meepfur Ah, so they'd been friends. It was obvious in Laurence's expression. Alice had been more disconcerted by the change than dismayed by it, having met the night elf only once. Not that it wasn't sad, but it wasn't a...personal loss. She also tended to detach herself a little, emotionally, though that had been a relatively recent development. Her time in the Castle had changed a lot of things. "I know," she said calmly, "I saw him the other day. ...I'm sorry." It made sense that they'd have been friends, as they were both hosts, and to the same type of god. Maybe all the hosts knew each other, assuming they did all gather here. How many hosts were there, anyway? Tsunake "Ah," Laurence said after a moment, digesting that. He never liked being the last to know, but it couldn't be helped in this situation. "Don't be. Illisia knew what she was getting into." He said a bit more gruffly than he intended. As much as he appreciated the sentiment, he didn't want anyone's pity. "It's a good thing another dragon is back to protect God. ...I just wish that the whole process wasn't so hard." Illisia's soul would never go to Heaven, but she would live on through Xun Jiang. That's what he was hoping for, anyway. Any other reality just seemed painful to consider. Meepfur It hadn't been meant as pity, but courtesy; what else did you say when someone's friend died? Or...sort of died or whatever the technical term for it was. Well, it was alright. She'd probably be a little touchy, herself. "What do you do, anyway? I mean, besides wait?" It was really starting to bother her, and Laurence was probably a better person to ask than Arden, not that she knew how to find the marine. Either way, she'd have felt bad asking him much more about host stuff, because he hadn't chosen it for himself. Tsunake "Honestly, m'still trying to figure that out," He said a bit wryly, shaking his head. "So far, it feels like I'm just supposed to live like normal. Shuo's doing most of the work." Or so he thought. It wasn't as though he felt any different, not really. "Not really worried about it. I'm just going to try and help where I can. Figure if Shuo needs something, I'll try and do that, too." Though his tone was light and casual, the priest was inwardly... uncertain about it all. No one was really prepared for death, were they? Meepfur "I was afraid you'd say something like that," she said with a shake of her head and a short laugh. "Normal's kind of hard when none of this is really normal. Not that anything's been normal in years." "Can't imagine they'd need much else, considering." Meepfur "Yeah," she answered with a nod. "Things got crazy - crazier than usual, anyway. I was on this world for most of it, though. I don't...know what happened after I left. I didn't mean to end up here, and I lost my way back." This admission was pained; she was plagued by thoughts of what might have happened, and by guilt for abandoning the people she was supposed to keep safe, even if she hadn't meant to leave them for more than a day or two. Tsunake Laurence was quiet for a moment, his features tight with sympathy and eventually he would offer a curt nod. "A lot of things happened that weren't... supposed to." He exhaled roughly, resisting the urge to run a hand through his hair. "It wasn't anyone's fault, though. No one could have prepared for that." For the world to try and shake apart right underneath their very feet. Meepfur That sympathy and unspoken understanding was a strange combination of awkward and comforting that Alice had a hard time reconciling with each other, and with her tendency to keep herself more distant than she had before. When she responded, it was with a humorless half-smile. "That's what I keep telling myself." Tsunake His snort wasn't directed at her, amber eyes focusing distantly on something that simply wasn't there. "Had to get that lesson beaten into me, believe you me." It had been a hard pill to swallow, but he'd managed it with help from Harmodius himself, and Shuo. "Don't think the guilt'll ever fade." He was referring to himself, but it could easily be misconstrued. "Trying to pay it back the only way I can, now." Meepfur "Never completely," she agreed. "It never does, whatever it's for." No amount of time or forgiveness was enough to wipe it away completely, certainly not for her. She'd always been one to dwell on every mistake, real or imagined. Leaving the Castle was only the latest in a long, long line. Tsunake Laurence shook his head regretfully before doing what he could to twist the conversation around to something more lighthearted. "At any rate, maybe Mang and Justice can do some good in the world. Listening to this one talk, I don't think so." Shuo was quiet for a moment, until-- Pardon, were you referring to me?Meepfur "Hn." Alice made a short, soft sound of amusement. "They'd better, after all this. I'll be really pissed otherwise." You hear that?
Duly noted.Tsunake Laurence laughed at that, though it was a low, cynical sound. "Guess we won't be around to do much, if they don't." He had a grim sort of humor about things, at best, and hopefully Alice wasn't too put off by that. It was either laugh, or punch something in the throat. Meepfur "True," she conceded, not the least bit bothered by the grim humor, as she'd learned to have a certain amount of it herself. She probably would have gone crazy by this point, otherwise. She looked about to say something else when a female voice called her name, and she groaned. Without even turning to look, she knew it was Shyamaath. "Oh, Chri- aah, sorry." Alice cleared her throat. "I should, uh. Get going, apparently. It was nice meeting you?" Laurence And who was that? Laurence blinked, knowing full well that Alice had been about to swear, but he found he didn't mind so much. He'd stopped himself. "Okay. No problem. Maybe I'll talk to you again later." Simple enough, right? Though he did have to wonder who she was not so reluctant to see...
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Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:17 pm
Serpent Dreams Again
Solo #14
500+ words
They awoke in darkness. It was a familiar darkness, however, one that was warm and comforting. They had slept for far too long, shaking themselves with a rumble that echoed off of the cavern walls. It was as though boulders were gingerly grinding themselves together. They lifted themselves up onto all fours, the whisper of scales and an impossibly long tail brushing sweeping the floor soon following. Their steps were careful, calculated even as they made their way into the sun.
Happiness swelled within their ribs, and they could not suppress a hum of pleasure at the warmth that soaked straight into their bones. Their life was by no means a simple one, but how could they not enjoy His gifts? They needed to go to Him, to make sure he was well, and then… well, they couldn’t remember, but it would come to them.
Their powerful legs tensed for a moment until they pushed off, rippling from side to side as gracefully as a serpent. It was always a rush, being able to dart through the clouds without a care in the world, soaring, twisting and writhing about like they were possessed. Instinctively, they knew where He would be, jaws open wide and claws flexing happily even as a roar boomed from deep in their throat to echo across the land below. Mortals would hear and knew it was a sign of happiness—or would offer prayers to Him to keep them safe. Either would make them happy.
The wind caught them, pushed them upward as the soared…
…and their great wings billowed out, catching an updraft that sent them spiraling towards the heavens themselves. A deep breath was sucked in past rows and rows of jagged teeth, and another roar burst forth, resonating for miles as though to announce their triumph.
Somewhere, in the back of their mind, they knew this was exactly that. Instead of the terror that came with the out of control spiral that was a fall, they were the master of the air, their sinuous neck and tail snaking back and forth as though that would better help them navigate the skies.
Their grace could not be matched, not here, and as they continued to ascend, they could feel themselves shifting further. Plated spines pushed themselves through soft, pink skin, hardening their body and making them an impenetrable fortress of scales, teeth, and claw. Their hands thickened and they grunted as five fingers slowly and painfully melded into four, powerful claws.
The dragon swooped low now, their long and snaking body barely brushing the tops of trees. Lower and lower, and they nimbly wove through the forests until their claws almost skimmed the earth itself. Only when they were by the riverbed did they slow, their great wings beating slowly as they lowered their body to the ground. They peered into the water’s surface, taking in their draconic features with keen interest.
The dark green horns upon their head almost faded to onyx, but it was the bright, amber eyes that burned like hot coals within their scaly face that truly caught their attention and held it fast.
Just like that, the dream shimmered, wavered, and finally faded.
Laurence stared up at the ceiling for a long time, desperately attempting to capture the last fragments of the quickly-fading sleep. His body felt strange, somehow. Wrong. With a grunt, the man swung his legs out of the grand bed, trying not to wobble as he pushed himself up to his feet.
The reality of the situation had never been so clear before. Soon, there would no longer be a man named Laurence, a man who had devoted his life to God by serving as a priest. A man who had sinned more greatly than he could have ever imagined, giving himself up in the form of ultimate sacrifice. His salvation, his very soul—devoured.
He scrubbed a bit more violently at his face than was necessary, but Laurence didn’t like thinking about this sort of thing much. Kind of had to. If Shuo had anything to say, well, the dragon was holding his tongue. Perhaps he was reflecting on the dream, too. Had to be something they shared, for twice was two coincidences too many.
His staggering steps brought him closer to a grand, ornate mirror that had simply visualized itself one day. Whether that was the Lord’s doing or not, he’d never stopped to question. Laurence stopped to look at himself a bit more closely, and his amber gaze very nearly burned in the mirror’s reflection.
Maybe not all of him would be gone after all.
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Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:29 pm
Not So Little Any LongerTalking with KiosJoint RP #18 +1,001 words Tsunake Dreams again, growing stranger and stranger with each passing night. Laurence would be a liar if he said he was not apprehensive. There was no shame, he reasoned, in being wary of oblivion. His entire life, he had been taught that faith and a good heart would pave a path to Heaven. Now, he was denying himself that chance for Him. Would it be painful, he wondered privately to himself, refusing to allow Shuo knowledge of these thoughts. Would his consciousness wink away into nothing? A restless mind and wandering feet soon led him again into the gardens of the Pantheon. His hands tucked themselves into his pockets so that he could better stare up at the newly reborn sky, marveling quietly at His work. It really didn't matter, he supposed, in the end. If he would be helping Lord Harmodius, then one life sacrificed was worth endless agony if it meant the rest of the world could live on in peace. Still, he could not help but feel melancholy. For the first time in his life, Laurence wanted a drink strong enough to knock him out. Zero Dream  There was something tugging at his consciousness.
Lament stopped in mid-walk when the feeling hit him, blinking. What... was that ? Uh.
Maybe he should check it out ? A peach was quickly nabbed from the tree - his first intent - then he was off in the feeling's direction.
...
Wait.
He knew this person. "Laurence." He called out, not stopping to even think that the poor priest hadn't seen him like this before.Tsunake There were only a few people who knew his name around the Pantheon, and that was enough to jerk him out of his thoughts. When his eyes fell upon the young god's face--what else could it be, with eyes like that and those markings?--Laurence found himself at a loss for words. Even more unexpectedly was the deep, bass-like hum that built up slowly in the back of his mind, a sound he'd come to recognize as one of pleasure. Shuo was quite happy upon seeing this new arrival, but why? "Uh," The priest finally managed once he'd remembered how to make his tongue work, trying and failing to keep himself from staring. "Yes." Yes, he was Laurence. Laurence was him. Zero Dream Perhaps most amusing was the fact that the cluelessness apparently was mirrored - if only for a few seconds - before Lament caught on.
Damnit ! Why did he always forget ?! Gods just seemed to get it. Mortals, not so much.
"Um. It's Kios. Do you remember me ?" Didn't help that the voice had aged to match... Through it would probably have been even more awkward if it hadn't. Tsunake "Kios....?" Laurence breathed, sounding like he'd been punched in the gut. "You're serious." That didn't deserve a response--it was more like he was trying to confirm it for himself. Yes, he could see signs. The eyes, the hair color, the paleness of the skin... "How did... What did you do?" Shuo was mentally shaking his head. Couldn't his host see that clearly the boy had grown? Really, it was fascinating how Laurence's mind sought to deny the truth even when it was laid bare in front of him! Zero Dream Um. "Yes, I am." Well, this was. Uh. Grace had taken to it better than Laurence was doing, which made him feel completely and utterly awkward.
And really, how to explain it ? "It just, uh... kind of happened ?" Helpful there, Lament. Very. But at the same time, going into details... Well. Surely Shuo taking over wouldn't be as painful as growing a solid two feet in a moment.
...
Hopefully. Tsunake Fortunately for poor Kios, Laurence seemed to realize he was making the boy--man--god?--uncomfortable, and with effort, cleared his throat. "Sorry. Sorry, you just look--really, really different. Not bad," He amended hastily, "Just. Different." What was with the boy's hand? It looked burned somehow, or rotten. "You look... well, like a god now." He finally said, a smile flickering uneasily to his features despite himself. "When did it... happen?" Zero Dream That helped, a little. Really, right now the god felt nearly just as awkward as the host was. "No, I should have thought about it." It was just, well... the other gods just seemed to know.
Really, the truth of the matter wasn't exactly as dire as Laurence thought it to be - through perhaps burned came close, in a way. It just simply a coating of ash that seemed to replenish itself to matter what the god actually did to it. Looked like a god now ? Well, he figured he hadn't looked much like one before, being mostly small and cute. "About..." s**t. Keeping track of time had never been Akakios' strong point. "A few weeks ? I think ?"
Really, he looked a little more like the little boy Laurence had met now, with that sheepish expression. "I do not really keep track of time well..." Tsunake That made his lips quirk again, and Laurence seemed to relax a bit more. "Still writing?" Kios had struck him a bit as someone who had his head in the clouds more often than not. Not a bad trait, certainly. "Bet your mother and father are proud." That was right--Nergal. Just thinking about how this was Nergal's son made the priest mentally want to his himself across the face. Zero Dream "Yes." Well, not as much as he did, no - but he still wrote. What else could he do ? He was Lament. Writing his influence was a part of him, in a way.
"Both happy and sad, I think." He said, smiling a bit. "I think my mother would have been happy if I just stayed small forever, in a way..." After all, what mother didn't get a bit of a pang at the fact that their child was growing up ? Tsunake A smile touched his lips at that, a bit distant, but Laurence understood. "Proud, too, I'm sure." Or something. Gods were like humans in some ways, and then completely different, in others. And then, grudgingly, because the dragon had been listening the entire time. "Shuo says hello. And that he's proud of you." Zero Dream "Probably." He nodded, peering over the veil a bit. His eyes had remained the same, but the markings were definitively new.
"Thank you." He said, with a nod. Really, hosts... ! He always seemed to forget that there were two, when he did meet one - and found himself giving one, or the other, little attention. And well, upsetting a dragon king wasn't really in his plans.
Still, he was unsure how to breach the subject - in a way it might have been a little easier if he hadn't known the person who had given off what he had felt.
"Through... You seemed a little upset. Do you need someone to listen ?" Well. He figured that might be best. If Laurence decided not to share what was b bothering him, well, there was little he could do about it. Tsunake Kios needn't have worried; Shuo was not the sort to take offense if he could help it, and it was much easier to speak with whoever was in charge of the body. Besides, he wasn't feeling very talkative himself, and, so long as god knew that he had extended a greeting, all was well. The priest was caught off guard at the offering, a mixture of emotions flashing over his face. Surprise, wariness, embarrassment. "It's going to sound stupid," Was the first thing he thought to say, resisting the urge to sigh at himself even as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. "I think the--the merging, or the fusion, or whatever it is--might be close." He finally said, his eyes fixed pointedly on the sky once more. "And though I don't regret a thing...I am apprehensive." Zero Dream Ah. Well. "That isn't stupid." No, really. He'd be scared to, if he had been Laurence, he thought. To give yourself to something you probably didn't completely understand, without truly knowing what would happen - that was plenty scary, he thought.
"I would be scared too." He admitted. "And I was scared when I grew, and I did not even become anything else." Now that was silly, but Akakios did not seem embarrassed in the least. It had been really strange, and foreign, something he hadn't quite understood. It was not the same, he knew, but... It was the closest he had gone through that could compare.
"I... do not really know much. About how it goes." He admitted. Why would he ? He had never had a host. He'd been born because his mother and his father had wanted him to be. It seemed like a better thing than just taking mortals, but there had to be a reason for it. Or else Harmodius could have just re-raised the gods anew himself, couldn't he ? Tsunake "Well," The priest said ruefully, "I imagine it was a little unexpected. And sudden." Humans didn't just grow like godlings apparently did. Or, you know, at all like godlings did. "Maybe I just have a thing against surprises." Laurence wasn't fond of anything that he hadn't already figured out or predicted. In short, he was a spoilsport, and had a very narrow view of fun. Laurence smiled, though it was a weary one. "Yeah. Me neither. And Shuo doesn't remember..." Because the dragon had a host before--a host that didn't survive the process, and had taken a valuable part of the dragon's memory along with it. "I have to wonder, if other gods had children... Like..." He paused for a moment, frowning as he tried to decide how to word it without sounding incompetent. "Was there a gem for a god of Lament before? Does it not matter because you're here now? Or are you... well, you don't have any memories of a past life, do you?" Zero Dream "Yes, it was." Lament admitted, as he moved to sit at the edge of one of the fountain, hoping that Laurence would follow him and settle a little more comfortably. "I did not really... get any hints that it was going to happen, until it happened." So different from Laurence once again, if the priest could make a guess.
But then again, the inner workings in between host and god was not something Akakios understood well.
"Well, there was no gems before the fading." That much he knew. "So all the gods were born like me, once ? I was never a gem, either. And I have yet to hear of another Lament." The look on his face, the intonation of his voice, did betray that he was very curious about all this - and that he had given it some thought before.
"I think there was a Lament before. There were gods for everything. That's what my mother said." He was tracing along the white marble idly, leaving a faint trail of ash in the wake of his finger. "But he... or she... is not me. I do not have any memories. Neither do Crys or Soto, as far as I know." Tsunake Laurence's bright eyes were narrowed quietly, but not with any negative emotion. He was listening and sorting out the pieces of Lament's knowledge in his mind, trying to put it back together in a way that he'd understand. "The Fading... That's right." That sickness--that thing that wiped out all the gods in the first place. So what was Kios, then? "Someone told me that before, too. That there were... male and female aspects of gods." Which, perhaps surprisingly, made sense to him. For example, if there were two gods of Love, then the female would be a softer sort of Love... right? If only he knew the lack of truth in that statement. His eyes focused on the stain that Kios was leaving on the pale marble, blinking. Ash...? It looked like it. "I see. That makes sense." He thought. Maybe. Zero Dream "And my father and uncle are brothers, but not the same influence... Like me and my siblings." Really, this fact did cement it in his mind that gods had to have been born much like he had, before the fading.
And through he had not elaborated, it was pretty evident he was not talking about Tian Yue there.
"Two of each..." He mused. But then why was there not another Universe ? Had Lucius been... unique, in the way Harmodius himself was ? He was certain that if there had been a female Universe, he would have known. And the Twin Crown had been so final in the fact that his first born was gone...
"Through I do not know many influences who had both deities return..." He mused. There were Cosine and Arctang, the Numbers twins, but he had never met the male half.
Lament still wasn't noticing the trails he kept leaving in his wake. Tsunake Uncle... Laurence wasn't sure he knew what Kios was referring to, there, but he didn't interrupt. "But your siblings are somewhat related to your own domain," He said thoughtfully. "Similar, but not identical. Doesn't sound much different from human children, really." His thoughts wandered down the same path, fixing on Harmodius for a moment. "Maybe some gods... like Lord Harmodius, just don't have another half. Well. He sort of is His other half, isn't he?" Creation, and Destruction. Two sides of the same coin in their own way. "Maybe they were just too far gone." Laurence offered a bit grimly, and eventually, he could no longer ignore the traces that Kios was idly leaving behind. "Is that...ash? On your hand?" Zero Dream Akakios nodded, agreeing with Laurence's statement. There was relations in between their domain of ruling and their parents', so of course there would be relations in between the three siblings as well. Connection.
They all had a common thread, after all.
"I do not think Universe had a second half." He admitted, eyes turning up to look at the sky even now. It made sense, when one did think about it.
The question did made Lament pause, and look down - of course, there was a rather massive collection of traces on the white marble - he pulled at the fabric of his clothing to rub it off, but clearly was a little unhappy about having to do it. "It is ash. It just... Came when I grew, and no matter what I do, it never comes off." Well... it did come off, but it replaced itself just as quickly. Tsunake The priest had to catch himself to stop a curse from slipping past his tongue, thinking to himself that he was spending far too much time with people who were a bit more lenient with their speech. So Universe was simply one being. Laurence nodded after a moment, having a million more questions, but none that he thought Akakios could answer. Harmodius Himself might not. It might just be how the Gods worked, as far as he knew. Ashes. Lamenting. The priest supposed he could see how it went hand in hand, but he had to resist the urge to reach out and touch the pale hand, see if what he was saying was true. It had to be, of course. Why would someone lie about it? "That's interesting." He finally said, knowing that sounded as awkward as it felt. "Inconvenient too, I guess." Zero Dream "I figure the other would have been reborn, if there was another." It would have been the logical thing to do. But Harmodius had tended to the skies himself, the best he could.
That, and he had felt the Twin Crown's loss as he had told him about Universe, a long time ago.
"It kind of is." Akakios frowned, then shook his head. There was little to do but to get used to it. It was not like he could wash it off - he had already tried to do so. "I guess I just need to learn how to apply little pressure in order not to leave trails and stains on everything."
"I was thinking about going to the market, later. Did you want to come along ?" He would offer. It would be a way to take the priest's mind off the inevitable, if only for a moment. Tsunake Now that earned a grim nod. If there had been another... Kios was right. Harmodius would have likely sought to find a host for the gem as soon as possible. He rubbed at his eyes, knowing there was no reason to be straining his brain this badly over things that had already happened. Still, he couldn't help but feel like maybe if he'd been a bit more knowledgeable... or if he'd accepted Shuo sooner, somehow, things could have been different. "Welcome to puberty." Laurence said wryly, offering a half-hearted grin at the godling. Sure, his problems had been a lot less complicated than that, but growing up was all about dealing with new, sometimes awkward changes. That earned a blink, and the priest looked sheepishly pleased. "Never actually been. Sure, though. Kinda want to see what's around, you know?" Zero Dream "It is worth a look. There are so many interesting things there." Interesting people and interesting objects. There was bound to be something in there that would catch Laurence's attention. Tsunake "Lead on, then. The only upside is that I have no money to spend."
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Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 2:23 pm
Meeting Léonce and RioJoint RP #19 Reclaimed +1,001 words Eventually, Laurence managed to threaten Mang into obedience, and the Dragon King would politely excuse himself from Rio and his new companion. What a delightful pair. He'd have to check on them again in the future--Léonce especially. He wished to learn more about his world. Mortals were simply fascinating! fin.
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 7:50 pm
It's Five O'Clock SomewhereDrinking with Isaac and Tien! Oh boy...Joint RP #20 Unfinished Eternal Newbie Rewinding time is impossible for mere mortals. An event, once occurred, cannot be revoked. But for many people there is an acceptable alternative: drowning the memory in alcohol. Isaac, nursing his fourth beer of the night, was a firm proponent of the method. It took a long time of aimless wandering before he stumbled across the place, a dive full of uncomfortably tall stools, dark wood, and booze. Lots of it. Which was the most important part. As twilight turned into evening the early crowd began to arrive, filling the bar with warm bodies and conversation to overhear. That suited Isaac just fine. Instead of thinking about the time-bomb in his pocket or the trouble waiting for him at the ship, he could try to decipher the local gossip or just let the wave of voices wash through his mind. Being around people, listening to them in person rather than over the radio, felt...nice. mistalina13 Tien had wandered in with the recently arrived throng of people. She decided to forego a full guise, instead only vanishing her wings so they wouldn't be a hindrance. Besides, these mortals knew of the gods; they lived practically on their doorstep after all! She weaved her way to the bar, wondering where to sit when she spotted Isaac. He appeared to be alone and well on his way to drunkenness. Perhaps he might make for fun company! Even if he wasn't at the very least neither would be drinking alone.
She settled herself onto the bar stool next to him and leaned against the counter. "Evening, here by yourself?" Her gaze flicked over to Isaac as she spoke. For the most part she looked like any average female you might find in such an establishment. The only thing that might seem odd is the black tatted mask she wore. Tsunake Someone else would join the pair at the bar, but Laurence had no intention of engaging anyone here in conversation. He had little experience with drinking, but he was looking for a bit of relief. What better way to stop thinking than to get himself intoxicated to the point where thinking was too hard to deal with? He murmured something vague to the bartender, attempted to knock back a shot, and had to press a fist to his lips to try and fail to stifle his coughs. It burned, and his eyes were watering faintly by the time he finished. Wisely, Shuo Huang Zhe said nothing, but he could feel the dragon practically brimming with amusement. His face was burning almost as much as his throat, soon enough, and the priest glowered at the shot glass as though it had betrayed him.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 8:50 pm
Laurence has an... interesting revelation about AliceJoint RP #21 1,001 words fin.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 1:47 pm
High CharityLaurence and Shuo meet Aska and AlathiJoint RP #22 Unfinished romeo wilco The little b*****d in his head had been so talkative the night before, all chattering away excitedly about anything and everything, giving directions and talking. Now, though, the voice that Aska was coming to associate with Althai, apparently the god of Healing (or perhaps immaturity, Aska didn't know) was silent, and it was a good time to work on more personal things. He liked his days off; they hadn't been much of a thing when he'd been at home in Heimgard. If whatever Psion he served called, he answered, no matter what else he was doing. Embla had been one of the most unreasonable of all, but he'd genuinely loved her, found her to be an exciting and beautiful adventure. She would have liked the Pantheon, he knew. She liked things that were new and exciting, things that were ensconced in feeling and memory. He knew that this place had seen great things, and even with death hanging over his head, he wanted to preserve this little piece of what he experienced for Embla. A tired voice interrupted him: What are you doing?"Painting," he answered aloud, free hand drifting up to press itself against the blue and purple gem that rested at the notch in his collar bones. He imagined it helped get his point across, that Althai would fall silent once more so he could concentrate. A god of healing should know when not to interrupt, he thought, sourly dipping the tip of his brush into the tiny bottle of turpenoid at his knee and then blending a green into a yellow. "It's pretty here." Althai remained quiescent, and Aska sighed with relief. The small canvas weighed almost nothing in his hands; he tipped it towards the sunlight, and made a face at an errant brushstroke. That wouldn't do at all. Aska bent back down to correct the angle on his painting, completely ignorant of those around him--well, for the moment. Tsunake Aska was not the only who was slowly having to adjust to yammering voices in his head. Laurence had gotten a head start on the coping phase, and at this point, Shuo's random musings hardly even phased him. The company is quite good for you. It's been sometime since you've socialized. The dragon added, and Laurence made an extremely rude sound under his breath as he stretched his legs by walking through the Pantheon. His thoughts were still fluttering back to Alice, even now, and no matter what he did, the priest just couldn't stop thinking about her. He'd heard that loved turned people to fools before, but it was a different thing all together to experience it... A voice suddenly caught his attention, and amber eyes lifted suspiciously to fixate upon the angular fellow who seemed to be... painting? Despite himself, Laurence had always been fascinated by those who could create artwork, and there was no disguising the dragon's bubbling interest in the back of his mind. If he didn't approach the guy, he had no doubt that Shuo would do it for him. Now was he talking to himself? Or was he another host, too? Laurence made no attempt to hide his approach, his hands stuffed deep in his pockets. His eyes wandered over the canvas,taking in both color and detail. "It take a long time to learn how to paint like that?" He asked, his gaze never shifting from the surface of the painting.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 3:43 pm
Shedding Our Skin
Solo #15
1,001+ words
Change was on the horizon. They both knew it, had sensed it building for some time, but they could not possibly predict when the start would begin. Neither of them had expected that this would be the day, and perhaps Laurence had been ignorant. He could feel the dragon straining to hold himself back, to keep himself from simply consuming Laurence wholly and utterly.
How long? He asked, feeling his legs tremble even as he sank down to the floor. Less of a way to fall, if he did. How long have you been holding back? He was strangely conflicted, in a way, and touched as well. Shuo had acted as though he’d cared, certainly, but words meant very little compared to actions.
Have I? I’ve hardly noticed. Mang’s voice was faint though, revealing the lie in the casual statement. The dragon’s hold tightened, and Laurence inhaled sharply at the resulting pressure on his mind. I apologize. Shuo said tightly, but the pressure did not ebb. The process is something I cannot control.
Laurence could feel it. Shuo had been growing stronger and stronger, and his body was too small to contain both his soul and the dragon’s. I thought I’d come to terms with this. The priest would admit. I haven’t. I don’t regret this. But I’m afraid.
Mortals never cease to surprise me. The bravery and courage you possess, even in the face of the unknown, is remarkable. You willingly gave yourself to me. And I will not see that sacrifice go to waste.
The priest was quiet at that, tilting his head back wordlessly. Yeah. I know.
Suddenly, the world began to dance and blur, and Laurence felt himself beginning to slip. Everything tilted, sending him topsy-turvy, and by the time he was able to right himself, he was no longer within the room that had been given to Shuo by Lord Harmodius. Wherever he was, it was endlessly vast and white, great, grey clouds billowing like gouts of smoke into the sky. He stared up at it all, not comprehending, but not alarmed, either.
It was then that he realized something was in front of him, and Laurence fixed upon his the great head of the dragon lowering itself down to peer more closely at his person. For whatever reason, that didn’t alarm him either. He recognized the face: it was the face he’d seen in his dreams, all hard angles and brilliant scales that ranged from brilliant emerald, to a dark, elegant black. The only thing that was different though was the beast’s eyes. No brilliant amber stared back at him—only hollow, empty sockets that streamed an inky mist.
The dragon’s jaws cracked open wide, and Laurence was surprised he wasn’t engulfed in molten flames. Perhaps that was just folklore. He didn’t think as he reached out, grasping slimy teeth that were larger than his hands even as he pulled himself up and into that cavernous mouth.
He had to crawl on his hands and knees, up and over that great, wet tongue and down into where the dragon’s throat would be. The thing was, it wasn’t a throat at all. If anything, it was a low and narrow corridor, comprised of that same, strange shadowy mist that he’d seen before. Crawling became more difficult, the ceiling soon pressing down on his shoulders and back, and Laurence wormed through the darkness on his belly. He was getting close. To what, he did not know, but as his eyes strained for something, he was suddenly aware of a sudden, dim light in the distance.
Dragging himself forward, Laurence kicked and thrashed his way to the source, in awe of what he saw. It was a glowing core, molten, spherical, and surrounded by the darkness. There was intensity there, a heat that almost made him want to flinch, but he was compelled to reach out and press his calloused palm against the orb. His flesh quivered, rippling in a way that Laurence knew should have been agonizing. Long, pale fingers began to dissolve, drifting away into nothingness as the core absorbed All that he was. Skin, muscle, and bone all pulled itself apart but his senses were dulled, only able to stare as his arm was devoured. It spread quickly, unraveling his shoulder, his torso, his legs.
It was peaceful, in a sense. The priest reflected on that much even as he felt his very soul beginning to escape, the hazy shadows closing in to gently usher him into the magnificence of the light.
Maybe he’d finally get the chance to rest.
Laurence Pershary faded, his being given in full to the Dragon King.
The great serpent’s eyes blazed to life, stretching its jaws in a soundless cry before amber flames gushed forth from its center, washing over the strange, muted colors of the landscape. It was only when the crackling roar began to ebb that the dragon’s face was illuminated in truth, great amber eyes gleaming forth from the magnificently armored skull.
Laurence’s body—no, Shuo’s now—arched and thrashed on the floor of the great parlor that had been gifted to him by Harmodius Himself, flesh splitting, shifting, changing. Plated emerald scales surged from frail, human flesh. The horns that pushed themselves from skull and shoulders alike were enough to earn a snarled sob of pain. Clothes shredded even as he mindlessly clawed at himself, something long, thin, and whip-like lashing out in turn to smash itself against the elegant pieces of furniture nearby.
A tail.
His tail.
His ears elongated stiffening and stretching even as his hair began to crawl in a most peculiar fashion. That was changing too, yes, reflecting on the characteristics of a great wyrm rather than a man.
The change was complete, but agony still wracked his entire being, this new body strained to its limit by such a momentous alteration. Even as Shuo Huang Zhe’s consciousness slipped into darkness, he could have sworn he felt hands trying to pull him to his feet—and the frantic speech of someone who had once been very familiar to him.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 5:18 pm
Familiarity in Strange Places
Solo #16
+1,001 words
He swam in and out of consciousness, vaguely aware of cool, strong hands pressing to his brow and stroking his face from time to time. He had not expected the change to be quite so exhausting, and oh, how his body ached even when he did not so much as move a muscle. Even the pain was, in a sense, exhilarating. It coursed through his body. His body. He tried to laugh, but all that emerged was a hoarse croak. Someone loomed over him, a blurry outline of a shadow. He thought he heard a tongue clicking impatiently, but that was ridiculous. "Water," He croaked, and groggily, he heard someone inside of him mirroring the sentiment. Water. A hand threaded itself behind his head, gently tilting him up and something pressed itself to his lips until he was aware of water sloshing against his skin. Greedily he drank—too greedily at first, and he coughed and sputtered as it went down the wrong pipe. He could have sworn he heard a muttered "idiot," in response, and his consciousness faded after a few more moments.
The next time he came to, his vision was hazy, but clearer than it had been. His head throbbed, and he lifted a hand with a wince to touch the newly exposed horns that had jutted out of his skull. His breath hitched unexpectedly, and a blind wave of sheer, utter panic suddenly flooded through his chest. He couldn't breathe. His body bucked wildly without his consent, as though trying to escape the sudden, primal terror that had seized him so tightly. Demon-touched. Never again, he’d rather die, he’d rather—
--he was a Dragon King. Not a demon.
--Truly?
Truly.
Blessedly, the panic began to subside. That was when it dawned on him. Laurence? Faint acknowledgement rose up, and Shuo could not help but feel some sort of profound relief at the thought that the mortal was still around. Weakened, certainly, and no longer the one really in control of this body, but still alive. Alive was important.
"Are you awake, my Lord?"
Jolted out of his thoughts, Shuo turned his head to track the voice and groaned quietly at the ache that brought. A tall, thin man was standing at his bedside, dressed in emerald green and other varying shades. There was something so familiar about him that it made Shuo's head ache again, and his eyes screwed shut if only to block out the sight.
"My lord?" The question came again, this time concerned.
"I'm fine," Shuo replied, gingerly pushing himself up onto his elbow and trying to ignore the rush of vertigo that accompanied the motion.
"Don't push yourself, my lord. You're still very weak." The bite in that mild tone was sharp and unexpected, and Shuo felt his crest twitch limply with surprise.Somehow, though, that chiding was enough to trigger something. a memory, though very old and fuzzy. Someone fussing over the state of his clothing after he'd haphazardly thrown himself into one situation or another... someone chiding him about the way he carried himself, the way he stopped to speak with just about anyone. Something about it being not proper or such like.
"Shaozu," He breathed, uncaring of anything else in that moment as he clumsily forced his legs to work. He nearly tripped over his tail, stumbling, but the aoide caught him before he could fall. "Shaozu, how? I thought you had--with the Fading..."
The aoide offered a tight-lipped smile even as he held the Dragon King carefully by his arms, but eventually, that icy composure broke into something resembling genuine warmth. "I locked myself away in jade. I swore that I would serve you again, no matter how long it took. I survived and.. wandered, mostly. You were so busy, gone in the Underworld." He trailed off. "I heard rumors. Rumors of Mang the Mediator of Crowns being reborn once again. I came back to the Pantheon in search." and he'd found him on the floor, clearly, passed out after his change. That didn't need to be said.
"You have impeccable timing." Was all Mang said after a moment, his eyes half-closed in thought even as he bowed his head. "..I do not remember the name you knew me by before. Now, I am Shuo Huang Zhe." That was hard to admit. His fragmented past still haunted him even now, and the mention of being in the Underworld was enough to make him cringe ever so slightly. Yes, he'd been busy. Busy finding nothing.
If Shaozu was uncomfortable with his lord's lapses in memory, he showed no sign. Gently, but firmly, he shoved Shuo back down onto the bed, and folded his arms behind his back. He looked very much like an overprotective hen, and the thought was enough to make the Dragon King snort out loud.
One of Shaozu's eyebrows arched itself very slowly, but that wasn't enough to beat back Mang's grin. "I'm starting to remember some of this." It was a laugh, the tip of his tail twitching weakly even as he let himself lay down with a sigh.
"I was almost hoping you wouldn't" It was a sigh, but a halfhearted one at best.
"Nonsense. We have so much to talk about. I'm certain you've already witnessed the results of the Gehenna." He did not mean to bring up such sour things so soon... but it was important. Shaozu's ears twitched violently before he bowed his head in silent acknowledgement. "I must prevent that from happening ever again, so long as I still exist." Mang said firmly, pausing long enough to realize that Laurence was listening, however faintly.
You better. Ah, yes. Definitely Laurence. Shuo allowed a private smile for himself, shaking his head. "But before that. I should tell you more of my host, Laurence. He could feel the man start, and laughed aloud. Oh, yes. This was going to be more fun than he'd thought. Shaozu, to his credit, merely stood patiently and waited for his lord to continue on. "Sit, please. Let me start from the beginning."
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 5:45 pm
Stumbling Through to the Other SideShuo meets Mack + ???Joint RP #23 Unfinished Mika_Yumi “… We can dance if we want to
We can leave your friends behind
‘Cause your friends don’t dance, and if they don’t dance—
Well they’re no friends of mine…”
Mack’s step was light and his head bounced slightly with the music in his ears. In the musical intervals, his step slowed and he broke it down for a moment, grooving on the pavement before he resumed his step as if nothing had happened. He wasn’t even noticing the glances from strangers as he watched the screen of his iPod, slashing fruit with his finger as best he could while also grooving to his music (thank goodness for ‘zen mode’).
“... And we can act like we come from out of this world,
Leave the real one far behind;
And we can dance!”
He rounded a corner, pausing briefly to swivel down to the ground, and then back up again. He passed a few store fronts before finally coming to his destination and, without looking, opening the front door. He tugged the plugs from his ears absentmindedly and exited Fruit Ninja before looking up – to see a bunch of leaves blocking his path. Leaves? He was halfway through the door and confused. He may have not been looking, but he took this walk once or twice a week, at least, and had been for several months – there was no way he missed the building.
Mack backed up a bit and squinted his blue eyes at the store front. The windows were the same as ever – guitars behind the glass and promises of a sale coming, etc. He looked up attempting to see the sign over the store, but would have had to crane his neck more than was comfortable, so he shoved at the door and took a few steps back to check – ‘Guitar Works’ – before walking up and catching the door again just before it closed. He was at the right place… He stared at the closed blinds of the nearly-shut door he was holding and shook his head before opening it wide again.
The plants were still there… Maybe they were redecorating. Should he come back later? He shifted the guitar on his back and his messenger bag, checking the store times to the side once more. They were supposed to be open! Well, they could always throw him out if they had an issue.
Mack sighed and resolved to continue on his quest for new strings. He pushed at the door again so that it would hang open for a moment while he struggled through the wall of plants – seriously, there wasn’t even a space beside the door to squeeze in, what was happening? He finally managed to find some branches around a seemingly natural space that were supple enough that he could push at them a bit and squeeze himself sideways (reaching back to lift his guitar slightly, realizing that a branch could easily break one of his strings and he really wasn’t looking to have to change them just yet).
With a grunt and an exasperated sigh, the brunette finally found the other side of the bushes, looking back at them entirely flabbergasted and shaking his head. They needed to move those plants soon. That was almost dangerous, what he just had to do, and seriously more than anyone should struggle through to make it into a guitar store. Though the new carpet was n—grass… It wasn’t just nice and plush, it was grass. Not astro-turf, either. He was staring at it in wide-eyed wonder beneath his grey sneakers, and it was definitely real grass, with what felt like real dirt underneath? Dude, this was more of a renovation than was entirely necessarily for any shop, what were they thinking?
As Mack turned, though, it was clear that there was no renovation, and he was somehow in the entirely wrong place. Rather than racks of guitars, he saw luscious branches. There were no counters, there were only hedges. What should be the sound of rock music was instead the sound of nature and twittering birds and a breeze. Where guitar picks might have accidentally spilled on the floor, there were hundreds of flowers. The beautiful blue sky above took place of sub-par florescent lighting.
“Dude…” What was happening?! He had somehow walked into the Botanical Gardens rather than Guitar Works! He took an awkward step forward, and then back again, somewhat drunkenly. He looked around him, monstrously perplexed, and reached out to touch the bark of a nearby tree as his steps again tried and took him to it. His slow gaze followed the trunk up to fluttering leaves and listless clouds.
“What the… Where the <********> am I?!” Tsunake It had not been an easy feat, slipping out from under Shaozu's watchful eye. He could understand the Aoide's concern, truly he could, but the chance to finally stretch his new limbs and relish in this new life was too large a temptation. His bare toes dug into the earth beneath his feet, wriggling them with delight in the lush grass.
Shuo Huang Zhe rolled his shoulders, his plated scales rattling with the movement as he did so before he slipped further into the gardens of the Pantheon. Truly a marvel, the gardens. There was no place more peaceful, in the Dragon's humble opinion.
And, Shuo concluded with the beginnings of delight, it seemed as though he'd not been the only one to have such an idea!
It seemed there was a young man already present within the gardens today, and from his actions, well, perhaps he did not quite understand how he'd been brought to this place. Some stumbled into the Pantheon without realizing it, after all, and that was something he found truly wonderful.
"Are you lost?" He called out pleasantly enough, his crest raising somewhat with excitement. The green ribbon that was his tail continued to snake and writhe about, but he was careful to keep the blunted spade from digging into the soil.
Shuo rather hoped he was lost.
"I realize this can be a little alarming, but you're in a safe place, I assure you." Those brilliant amber eyes were warm and friendly. "Have you a name? As for where you are, this is the Pantheon, home to many of the True Gods."
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Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 3:34 pm
Dragons on the LooseShuo and Xun get to meet face to faceJoint RP #24 +1,001 words Zero Dream Xun Jiang had taken to the outside to simply stretch his wings - maybe take dragon form and fly about, though he was likely to cause a commotion if he flew over the market again.
He needed to remember to fly high enough to not knock stands out with the force of his flapping wings, really.
For now, though, the dragon simply laid near the fountain, half dozing with his large tail hogging up most of the fountain, until a familiar yet strange feeling caught his attention.
It was the familiar feel of dragon king. Something he had not felt for quite a long time indeed. Ti Lung would perk a bit, then grin. Ah. There he was. Laurence.
Who was not exactly Laurence anymore.
Xun Jiang grinned, and was on his feet, pondering his options. Simply going up and saying hi would not do, no no no.
He was itching to play. So he would attempt to sneak onto his brother the best something his size and stature could. Hopefully he would get close enough to pounce before being spotted. Tsunake Though Mang had not yet shifted to discover the thrill of his own draconian form, but it was as natural as breathing was. The feel of the sun on his scales was particularly delightful, and the Dragon King hummed happily to himself even as he stretched out in the sun.
Despite himself, there was an energy that pulsed through his veins, something that made his tail twitch without control. The urge to roll about in the grass like an utter loon was shamefully overwhelming.
And then--something seemed to shift in the air.
The crest of feathers upon Shuo's head shot straight up, making him look like some sort of overgrown, scaly bird.
Of course, the dragon didn't even think to turn around. Why in Harmodius' name would he think he was being stalked by large, enthusiastic brother of his? Zero Dream Oh, Shuo would be rolling around the grass like a complete loon soon enough. Though not exactly the way he was thinking of.
It was only a few large steps before Xun Jiang leaped and pounced - though he would make sure to put as little weight on his brother as was possible. Keeping the momentum going was the easiest way to do that, so he'd simply rolled about in the grass and pulled poor Mang along. They would end up with Ti Lung on the ground, and Mang held up in the air like if he'd been as light as a feather.
"Look at how small and adorable you are !" Xun Jiang laughed heartily. The voice was different, but familiar. There was a small hint of Illisia's accent in the way the dragon king spoke. Tsunake A rather undignified squawk was pulled from the dragon as he was quite thoroughly pounced, his limbs and tail flailing every which way as he rolled about on the ground with Xun Jiang. Of course, there was laughter soon spilling from his throat, and he had to marvel at how he was lifted as easily as a child.
"Not as lovely as you, I must confess!" But still, he all but preened at the compliment, chuckling even as he reached out to fondly pat his brother's snout. Forgive him for marveling a little, but he truly was some very fetching shades of color!
With another affectionate noise, Shuo let his tail snake against the dragon's sides, not unlike stroking motions. "How have you been? Besides busy, clearly!" He hadn't been the only one to go through some changes, after all! Zero Dream "Flatterer." But then again, that was what his brother did. He could forgive this one time - seeing him certainly made Ti Lung very, very happy indeed.
Shuo would find himself carefully set down before Xun Jiang would work himself back on his paws, shaking grass out of his mane. A good thing he had figured out how to change the size of his dragon shape... Or else poor Shuo would have gotten squished.
"Busy sounds quite appropriate, yes." There was something he was more interested in, however. "How have you been ?" Tsunake "Brother, you deserve all of the flattery in the world! You look magnificent." He meant every word, and Shuo grinned broadly at Ti Lung as he was carefully set back down. He couldn't help but pace around the other, admiring his new form with soft, pleased sounds.
At the question, his grin grew a little wider, but sheepish as well. "I've been well. The change was much more tiring than I could have expected, but it went without a hitch." Relatively.
"But what of you? I can't even tell you how good it feels to be able to speak face to face like this." Zero Dream Where did one exactly start with such a question ? How long as it been like he had last seen his brother, anyway ? One back leg would rise to scratch his mane idly.
Forge ? Azeroth ? Dragons falling from the sky ?
"Well, I have been helping the council as I could. We ventured off-world to find Forge." She was safe, now, though as far as he knew, the jewel did not yet... speak. Tsunake The darkened, silky crest running along the Dragon King's scalp shot up once more, the tip of his tail twitching in an erratic tempo. Clearly he'd yet to learn how to control his emotional reactions, but this body was still all too new to him.
"Truly? Were you successful? Where did you go? Who accompanied you?" Questions, so many questions, but knowledge was power!
With visible effort, Shuo forced himself to settle. No need to overwhelm his brother so soon--they did have time, despite the impatience simmering through his veins.
"Forgive me, brother. I'll try to contain myself." No promises. Zero Dream Well, now that was adorable - and Xun Jiang would seamlessly shift back to humanoid in order to playfully poke at his brother's crest in a way that was less likely to poke an eye out. "You look silly all fluffed up like that." Like some sort of scaly, frightened tallstrider. The thought would unfortunately make him laugh.
As it was, Ti Lung saw little wrong with amusing his curious brother. "We went to a desert world called Daelyth, where her host had died. I went with Glyph-" Whom he was certain his brother knew of, given his position on the council. "Ankou, the Spirit Guide. Cosine, Lady Number. And Trickery." He would leave the little pixie to reveal herself in time. "The world was in quite a bad shape. Covered in desert." Xun Jiang frowned. "I learned that I do not like deserts."
What a shock. Tsunake Amber eyes took in the graceful shift, keenly noting the change and reminding himself to test out his own, true form later on. Preferably alone, where no one could see his clumsy attempts to figure out how everything worked once more. "Perhaps that's the point! All the better to disarm and confound my foes." He grinned toothily, his tail twitching with mirth.
"Quite the gathering," The dragon murmured to himself, but the recovery of a gem was important enough for such measures. It troubled him more that he could not recall most of the names that his brother spoke of. Were his memories truly so fleeting? "But it sounds as though it ended in success! I imagine you were coming sand out of your hair for ages." The thought was enough to have him chuckling in turn. "Still. Fear not! With luck, you'll not need to venture to another desert for quite some time." Zero Dream "Yes, brother mine. Looking like a oversized, frightened tallstrider is a nice diversion." He could not help himself, and grinned.
"Sand out of my everything." Xun Jiang outright cringed. There was no need to be more specific than that. Long ears had been a pain in the a**, but spending most of his time in dragon shape had helped somewhat.
"I certainly hope so." He had no idea if the terrain would affect him as negatively as it had affected Forest, but he figured that he should figure it out eventually. Tsunake "A tall-what?" Mang laughed, and that, of course, had the crest perking right up again with his mirth. Of course, it did wilt a little sympathetically at the mention of sand, and he unconsciously rubbed his fingers together, imagining what it would feel like to have it all trapped underneath his nails and such.
Eugh. No thank you.
"What are your plans for the future? More long, daring voyages? Or will you finally be letting yourself settle down for a time?" Zero Dream Oh, dear. "Tallstriders. They are large, land-bound birds from Azeroth. And they are frankly quite ridiculous-looking creatures." And rather temperamental when the mood struck them, honestly.
"No rest for the wicked, I am afraid. I will be going back to Azeroth yet. Things have... worsened deeply since Illisia left it, and I intend to set things right." Before the alliance and the horde decided to turn it into another Outland. Tsunake That sounded utterly fascinating. He kept his mouth shut with difficulty, though his eyes all but shone at the mention of travel. "I envy you, brother, I truly do. Not the plight that the land faces, of course, but the chance to travel so far and meet so many people..." Yes, that sounded like something he'd absolutely adore meddling in.
"I wish you luck. Should you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask, mm?" His skillset, after all, could be at least somewhat handy! Zero Dream "You will have your chances to do so, brother." Of this Xun Jiang was certain, if only because Shuo would not be able to resist the urge to meddle into things as he saw fit. Such was the life of a mediator, really !
"Of course I will. Sadly I do believe Azeroth is beyond any sort of peaceful resolution, of else I am certain you could see it done." If anyone could have, it would have been Shuo. Tsunake "A pity, that. But balance is a necessary evil in the world." War would lead inevitably to destruction and death, which in turn would balance the Twin Crown. Though he loved mortals dearly, the continued existence and good health of Harmodius mattered most of all. He would never fail Him again if he had any say in it. Never.
His tail swished from side to side before he folded his arms behind his back, pacing in order to relieve some of that energy that thrummed through his very being. "Perhaps I will venture out on a journey of my own. Rally up the support of other races, have them pledge their devotion and support to Harmodius..."
See what you've down now, Xun Jiang? You've gotten him thinking. Zero Dream "You should... I am sure it would do a lot of good." And his brother was quite gifted with words, after all. This was something the mediator would also find quite a bit of delight in doing.
"I can only hope to save the world itself before it is too late... I do know it will be impossible for me to save them all." Oh, he certainly wished such a thing would be possible, but he had to admit that, no matter how much he wished for it, it would not be. Death would be followed by new life, but only if the world itself was saved.
"There was another world, Draenor... It and Azeroth were linked by a portal. But the damage of the wars done there, and then Gehenna... There were only one landmass left, floating in a sea of nothing. The only thing we could do was bring those who yet lived there here, and then... simply hasten the inevitable."
Ir was with great sadness that he spoke of such a thing, his earfins pinned back slightly. "This is how I fear Azeroth might end up if nothing is done. It... It was my home, Shuo. Illisia came from that place."
It was selfish, and he would not pretend otherwise. Tsunake He listened intently to the information being offered, silently storing in way. So Draenor... had been lost. Obliterated, from the sounds of it, and that surprised him little. The Gehenna had nearly meant the end of All. It was only when his brother revealed his true connections to this Azeroth that that Mang made a soft sound of understanding.
He reached out, cupping Xun's cheek with a gentle hand to offer what comfort he could.
"Then you must do what you can." He said simply. "The influence of a Dragon King can only help. If I can be of service to you, brother, you merely need to direct me." He had offered his help only moments before, but there was no mirth or playfulness to his tone now.
Shuo searched Xun's face for a moment more, thinking of something to say. "Remember. Optimism is your best weapon. You must not lose hope, for that is when you have truly failed." Failures would be inevitable, especially if Azeroth was as dire as Xun made it out to be, but it did not mean that all was lost.
He allowed his hand to drop, looking both contemplative and concerned, his brows furrowed. "You are the Lifewater of Worlds. A Dragon King. If there is one who could find a solution to all of this, it is you." Zero Dream Xun Jiang looked up again when he felt his brother's touch upon his cheeks, and smiled a bit. "Thank you. I will." He nodded. "If I can get them to stop trying to kill each other for more than five minutes, then a mediator would do much good. I am sure Zara would be glad for the assistance. He is one of my own, and a diplomat in his own right. I am certain he could learn much from you."
Now that was an idea... But he was counting his whelps before the eggs even hatched. Tsunake Mang's eyes shone as Xun brought up a potential pupil for him, but he manages to suppress his eagerness. Well. Sort of. "If anyone has the potential to do it, brother dear, I would put my faith in you. And I would be happy to meet this Zara! Any diplomat has my respect. And sympathy." His craft could be a tricky one at best. "Perhaps if you find the leaders of this war and paddle them over your knee like children, the lesson will sink in, hmm?"
Oh, now that would be a sight to see. Zero Dream Shuo did not hide his excitement as well as he thought, and Xun Jiang gave an amused snort. "He is a red dragon, from a line I have created in the distant part... and much like I once claimed his mother, I claimed him now." He did not remember such a time, but he knew it, deep down, to be true.
And Shuo's solution to the problem was, sadly, not too far from the truth. "! know one of them will not listen to reason. Orcs only listen to might, and he seems to have gotten all the more bloodthirsty since I have left. I will show him might, alright, but I fear the only way to get anywhere will be to kill him and put someone more reasonable in his place. For the alliance, there is a chance - amazingly small as it is - that the high king might listen to reason."
Hopefully. Tsunake Created. Shuo hummed softly at that, fascinated with the possibilities. He fell quiet at the mention of strength though, and he twitched his tail with thought. "I see. You do what you must, my brother, for the sake of their world."
Mang rose to his feet with a sigh, his crest finally relaxing as his excitement faded. "Do not let me keep you, Xun Jiang. I am pleased that one of us has started to touch the worlds again, at least." Zero Dream "And you should do the same soon." Xun advised to what was now a younger brother, in a way. He could not remember who used to be older or younger, if it had even been the case in ages long gone, but the role of the careful guide was one he could easily assume, and one he slid into without much thought.
"I did not have much planned... Would you like to go for tea and discuss things further, brother ?" He asked with a smile. As if Azeroth could not wait a day. Tsunake "Soon." Mang admitted, looking sheepish. "I hope." He needed to have his own journey, needed to meet with the mortals of many realms again and ensure that they devoted themselves to Harmodius. No event like the Gehenna would happen ever again if he could help it.
The offer had him brightening considerably, his crest of feathers lifting itself even as he shifted his weight. "Why, I wouldn't be opposed to that whatsoever. Shall we?"
Yes, it was going to be a very good day indeed.
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Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 3:39 pm
Meeting Carpdiem the Dollmaker, and PriscillaJoint RP #25 1,001+ words -tbc-
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Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 5:55 pm
Taking flight with YuJoint RP #26 1,001+ words -tbc-
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