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 Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2012 9:21 am
>____> demons. stuff. things. idk anymore.
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Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2012 9:27 am
...||A Brother in the Storm He was now wet, cold, smelled suspiciously like a drenched dog, and was having to deal with the furry little floox burying its wet self against his chest. Laurence Pershary was not a happy man. He could feel the tiny creature shivering miserably underneath his trench coat, and there was no way, despite his gruff attitude, that he could have just left it. Still, the tea house smelled too badly for him to stay there, and that was why he'd trudged back out into the storm, black hair plastered against his brow and dripping into his eyes. Thunder rumbled ominously just overhead, and the creature trembled even harder. There should be shelter in the Pantheon, some place you can rest. Shuo was rumbling anxiously. The rain did not particularly bother the dragon, but he was concerned for the floox they had rescued. Yes, rescued. Laurence just grit his teeth and didn't even bother to respond, stumbling up the steps of the large and impressive structure to just get some semblance of a roof over his head. He was drenched, dripping from head to toe and sputtering from the cold. The entire structure was open, somehow, and whenever the wind blew, it effectively soaked him thoroughly all over again, forcing him to move deeper inside in a vain attempt to dry off. Mang was left to worry over his host's health, knowing that if he caught a cold or grew too chilled... well, bad things could happen indeed. Someone must be around, surely they will help you. The dragon said, trying to encourage. "Or you're full of s**t and they'll slam a door in my face for looking like a homeless vagrant." The priest said, ill-tempered. Still, he'd pick up the pace some, and eventually would call out, "Hello? Is anyone there?" Hard to make out, considering how hard his teeth were chattering. Jin Huang looked outside and sighed miserably. He hadn't wanted to return to his house once the storm had started; in fact, he'd already made arrangements to stay at the Pantheon when he'd been contacted about some emergency back home. Luckily, he had Huore close at hand, and now he was simply waiting for the Erras to show up so they could both make the trek back in hopefully record time. Fortunately, Huore was telepathic, which meant that Jin Huang had merely to listen for the announcement of his arrival before leaving the dubious shelter of the Pantheon's main building, which was rather ineffectual at keeping the wind at bay.
At the sound of Laurence's speech, and shouted greeting, Jin Huang turned slightly from his vantage point on the stairs. He debated ignoring the man, but Huore had just informed him that he was taking shelter near one of the tea houses until the storm died down a little more. Perhaps this rather battered looking man would provide some sort of diversion while he waited.
"Hello," he called out in reply, descending the stairs, tail ticking back and forth slowly as he eyed Laurence curiously. Despite the wind and rain still blowing through the building, Jin Huang managed to appear tidy and unruffled, simple black clothing elegantly tailored to fit him rather perfectly. There was no embellishment to his outfit today, though a small flash of gold on his hand revealed a bit of jewelry. "Was there perhaps something or someone you were looking for? Besides a way to make this storm stop," he finished with an amused smile.He stood there for what felt like hours, straining his senses just in case anyone was nearby while the wind slapped at his eyes for his impudence, threatening him to seek better shelter or else. The priest was stubborn though, trying not to shiver as the animal against his chest continued to tremble and doing his best to block out Shuo's concerned advice. The dragon was stuck in his head, not out here, so as far as Laurence cared, he could shove it. The greeting made his head shoot up a little, his amber gaze seeming to gleam until it locked onto the dignified looking man making his way down one of the staircases to join him. More importantly, he was trying not to stare at this guy's tail.More importantly, before he could even think to be wary, he felt the dragon practically hum with sudden delight and longing, an ache that echoed through Laurence's entire body. My brother!"What?" He demanded through his shudders, impatiently shaking his head before focusing back on the dragon. "Uh, yeah, the storm. I w-was looking for somewhere to stay and get out of the rain--" And keep this damn, shivering rodent from clawing a hole in his chest. Laurence hesitated very briefly before deciding just to be blunt about the whole thing. "You--are you a dragon?" Having finally made his slow descent to the main floor of the Pantheon, Jin Huang looked mildly irritated as the rain continued to sheet through the open walls. "You might have chosen the area behind you," he replied with a wave of one hand towards the once place on the main floor that had closed off walls. "Although I cannot speak for the long term comfort of the place." The wind and rain made it more than passingly difficult to carry on a conversation, and so the dragon was starting to move closer to where Laurence was standing when the man blurted out hi question. Startled, the dragon stopped, brows furrowing and tail idly moving from side to side. "I am Jin Huang, the Dragon King Futs Lung, Treasurer to the Twin Crown. Who are you, and why do you ask?" Clearly he wasn't close enough yet to sense the still gem-bound presence of one of his brothers, else...well, Jin Huang wouldn't have unbent enough to actually hug someone, but there would have been some sort of reaction if he'd noticed. Amber eyes slid to their corners to take in one structures of the Pantheon almost critically, but from what he could see, it would do. Anything would, at this point. He just wanted to dry off and change his clothes--and maybe make sure the little floox got fed. To know that he was speaking to Dragon King made him uneasy, despite himself, and with a bit of reluctance, he the top of his trench coat open. The small creature squeaked in protest, and the priest shivered at the cool air, but now the gem in his chest could be easily seen. "I... I'm host to Shuo Huang Zhe, the Dragon King Mang." He awkwardly mirrored Jin's pattern of speech. "He... recognized you as his brother." Were they really brothers? How much of the dragon was host, and how much was Futs Lung's true form? It was a little unnerving, to say the least. He maintained his appearance of polite interest as Laurence opened the top of his trench coat, revealing something small and furry that squeaked, but also....something much, much more interesting. There was a brief splash of surprise on the dragon's face, but it was quickly smoothed into somewhat surprisingly genuine happiness.
"In that case, I don't think that the room behind you will do at all," he said firmly, though tempered by the small smile playing about his lips. "If you've no objection, I was on my way back to my home when the storm picked up in intensity and could easily arrange accommodations for you as well." He paused and gave the man a more thoughtful glance. "I know my brother can hear me," he continued after a moment in a more light-hearted and mischievous tone, "But if you would be so kind to relay anything he has to say to me?"
Another pause, and Jin Huang's expression softened once more. "Welcome back, brother."That certainly took the priest for a loop, and though he fumbled mentally for a moment, he inclined his head roughly to show his appreciation. "Thank you." Some place warm to spend the night? He'd be stupid to say no, and Laurence may have been many things, but stupid was not--usually--one of them. His lips grew thin at the request--not at Jin, but at the soft,purring chuckle that rumbled through his head. He already had a bad feeling about this. Tell him he looks wonderful. As stylish and commandeering as always. Tell me, how many new trinkets has he acquired already?Laurence looked like his head was about to pop. "He thanks you," He growled through gritted teeth. "Says you look wonderful. Stylish and..." Some other ******** words, he was not going to repeat them, he swore Shuo was doing this just to make him uncomfortable. "Something about trinkets and you."
Jin Huang nodded graciously at Laurence's thanks. It was really the least he could do, under the circumstances. While he would have offered the man the comforts of his quarters within the Pantheon, those were undergoing a bit of construction. An entirely unnecessary undertaking, since they had been imbued by Creation with magic capable of shaping the interior with a thought, but it gave the demons something to do. Which consequently left fewer of them underfoot.
At Laurence's next words, the dragon pressed a finger against his mouth in order to stifle a laugh. That would probably not go over well, as he seemed somewhat touchy. He did manage to look appropriately pleased at the compliments. "I have a very good tailor," he commented after a moment to get himself back under control, preening a little bit. The mention of trinkets cause his brow to wrinkle slightly. Too bad Laurence seemed disinclined to accurately relay his brother's words!
"I have located some small items," he replied diffidently. "Nothing so grand as the hoards of old."Dragons had tailors? Laurence managed to keep his face from arranging into a more skeptical expression, and offered a respectful nod in hopes that it would be a satisfying response. The last thing he wanted was to offend a god--and Shuo's brother, to boot. He did note that preen, however, and quietly thought to himself that this Jin Huang was a pompous son of a b***h. He'll get there. Jin is the Treasurer of the Twin Crown for a reason. Shuo sounded pleased, as though he was confiding in his host. "Shuo has no doubt that you'll fix that soon enough." He murmured, wishing awkwardly that the two dragons could simply speak to one another without him having to act as a translator. "I don't mean to come off as rude or ignorant, but what does God need with treasure?" he asked, his brows furrowing. A dismissive hand wave was all the response to the comment about restoring his treasure really deserved, in Jin Huang's opinion. Of course he would.
At Laurence's question, the dragon arched an eyebrow. "You mean Harmodius?" He pursed his lips in thought for a moment. "It's not so much that He needs the treasure," he replied, slowly. "The items are often a spontaneous offering, or, to put it crudely, a bribe to sway Him." Jin Huang shrugged one shoulder; it was all the same to him, truly. "Are you familiar with the concept of tithing? It's broadly similar.""Oh." That was a simple enough explanation, he guessed. It didn't mean that Laurence had to like it, per say, but... well, men often worked in materials. What they saw as a tribute, God accepted as a measure of a faith, and it probably spoke volumes for them to voluntarily give up so much wealth. Harmodius wouldn't care so much about treasure, wouldn't He? "So you keep track of all these... tithes." Jin Huang did not often think about what he did for the Crown, and why, so the man's question was an interesting one. Perhaps in this new Age, his role would be different. That would be something to think about, certainly.
In the meantime, however, there was a mortal in front of him asking questions. "In a manner of speaking, yes. I have charge of the Treasury, though I do not do all of that work alone." He tilted his head to the side briefly as Huore announced his arrival outside. "Ah," the dragon said, waving one hand towards the entrance. "Our transportation awaits." He looked at Laurence and offered a small smile. "I do hope you know how to ride a horse."The priest nodded, slow, uncertain, but accepting. He supposed that gods would have people who served them, as did the Dragon Kings. All of them working together to serve Harmodius. He'd seen what had happened when that balance fell apart, after all, and a shudder wracked his spine that had nothing to do with the rain. His eyes narrowed silently at that. He'd heard no... well, no real sound of anything. Guess it'd be hard to, with the rain. Of course, then Jin mentioned a horse, and Laurence felt his face slacken. He'd never ridden before in his life. Now the dragon was telling him he'd have to learn, in the rain? Nearly chewing off the tip of his tongue, the man only bobbed his head in something that could be taken as a nod. Just wonderful. The dragon quicker another smile, this one much more amused, at the priest's reaction. Ah well. It was probably a good thing that Huore was not precisely a horse, and was capable of adjusting himself to an inexperienced rider. "Don't worry," he said smoothly, "You won't fall off." Which that..reassuring comment, Jin Huang led the way outside, to where Huore waited.
"The story's lifted slightly, but it could get worse again without notice," he commented after they mounted, made easier by the Errais' assistance. "So I do apologize for how rough this ride will be."
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Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2012 9:27 am
reaction to laurence buggering off >_> oh those crazy priests.
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:38 am
gonna throw in a couple more solos here - there's a time gap between my joint RP's lmao. >>;
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:40 am
but I can fill them in with something. biggrin /outlining some things for Jin to have been doing~
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:41 am
also the clocks at work are like 5 minutes slow. >u> this is even more disorienting than normal because it's like i'm posting in the futures.
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:46 am
...||Breath of Life 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.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. 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."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. 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.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. "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. 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.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. The skepticism that had settled across Laurence's face was threatening to permanently make its home there, but he managed to keep an undoubtedly scathing reply in check. Of course, angels made his brows furrow, and he'd just been about to inquire what exactly the dragon meant (unless he was just cleverly implying he knew more about the priest than he was letting on), when the entire crowd seemed to part on a whim. Even he felt the urge to step aside, but Shuo gently pushed him forward, and he followed behind Jin's footsteps with vague traces of uneasiness. He could see the other a bit better now, and from the looks of it, he was attempting to burrow back into the crowd. With hair like that, he had better luck trying to throw that blanket over his head, but Laurence had to wonder why the stranger was so keen on running. Sure, it could have been because he was simply unnerved, but his mind immediately leapt to darker places. "Hold up," The priest put an edge of command in his voice, bluntly ignoring how the dragon sighed and tsked at him. The dragon hadn't meant anything by the comment; he'd simply been stating a fact. Laurence was, actually, of very little importance to Jin Huang, and he only managed to be a blip on his radar by dint of the fact that he was the host to one of his brothers.
Futs Lung might, in fact, have something of an ego problem.
An eyebrow crept upwards to arch at the host's tone, and the dragon attempted to ameliorate any panic it might have caused. Likely a futile gesture, as the subject of their combined curiosity had clearly figured himself a marked man and was already attempting to flee. "If you wouldn't mind," Jin Huang said urbanely, continuing to cut against the flow and press of people simply by being himself."Err..." The man said hesitantly drawing to a halt. "I'm quite sure... I haven't done anything... rather I don't believe I have... I'm... lost... I didn't do anything..." Feathers rustled nervously and he tugged at the heavy shawl. Bells and tassels and ornaments tapped nervously in small chimes as he shifted foot to foot. One at least seemed less hostile than the other... he glanced between them leaning slightly towards Jin Huang and asked nervously. "... did I offend him? Does he not... like...snakes?" Snakes? Laurence felt his lips curling for a moment, but he had already figured out that Jin Huang had much better people skills than he did. "You didn't do anything wrong," The priest said grudgingly, a silent yet underlying his words. "Never seen anything like you before. And if you're here with the rest of everyone else, there's nothing wrong with talking, is there?" And there was the hostility. Shuo sighed in his thoughts--loudly. It was fortunate that Futs Lung was present, and could hopefully mend the situation. Jin Huang held up his hand, to reassure the man in front of them as well as warn the host of his brother. "No, you have done nothing wrong," he said calmly, trying to keep his body language neutral to avoid further excitement. A brief chuckle escaped him at the mention of snakes as his tail waved slowly behind him. A Dragon King, have a problem with snakes? Hardly. "It is as he said. We simply wish to speak with you." He lowered his hand and offered a small bow of introduction.
"My name is Jin Huang. My companion is Laurence." Well, kind of. Best to keep things simple for the moment, and that usually involved not mentioning the whole god and host thing. A slight raise of his eyebrow indicated that the dragon was waiting for an introduction from the man.In progress
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:47 am
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:48 am
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:13 am
hahahaha finally bringing seir back :3
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:17 am
...||The Dreams of Trees Jin Huang had found himself drawn more and more to the Pantheon these days, ever since the Rebirth of the Sky and the forming of the Council. He was not a member of said Council, but it was good to see renewed activity about the Pantheon. And besides, the entire concept amused him, for various reasons. But that was, at the moment, unimportant and not foremost on the dragon's mind.
Not that there was much on his mind at the moment, truthfully. He was wandering outside idly, the greenery outside a continued source of pleasure and distraction. Who would have thought that plains of rock and lava pools wold be so easily converted to rolling expanses of grass and trees? Another miracle of Creation, though one grown commonplace and nigh ignored through the passage of time. Personally, Jin Huang thought that there was much of the landscaping others had taken over, though he had no proof of such.
Nor was he particularly concerned. It was there, it looked nice, and was pleasant to walk around in, neatly fulfilling his criteria of what the outdoors should be.
So he continued to wander, letting his thoughts wander where they would as well, not noticing when the Pantheon disappeared from his line of sight as he followed some half-formed trail or another. It was clear that someone else had been this same way recently, a portion of his mind noticed. Perhaps he would meet them; perhaps not. It was all the same to him.Glyph had stuck close to the Pantheon as of late, his inclusion in the Council had been a great honour for him but the longer he stopped and thought about it, the more and more he realized just how much of a weight the duty would be. He already knew he'd not shirk those duties, would step up and defend, lead, or shelter as was needed - it was why he'd offered himself in the first place - but it was an awful lot of responsibility.
He'd fashioned the Council Star into an amulet he wore about his neck, it hung just above his own God-Gem, and he toyed with it a little as he walked barefoot in the loam and detritus of the grounds. The Pantheon was out of sight, but not out of mind as he paused to look up and enjoy the warmth of the day on his skin, thrilled and energized by it's presence. It had made quite the difference for Forest since the Sky had returned - it had empowered him some, left him feeling more vital, something that was also echoed in the woods of the land as sunlight once again washed over their upturned leaves.While Forest might welcome the return of natural sunlight and the Sky, Jin Huang was largely indifferent. He was, of course, glad it had happened and more than a little proprietorially pleased over his part, but overall it had made very little difference to a being that had once held the title of Underworld Dragon. Privately he conceded that it had settled down some of the more fractious group that still clustered around the Pantheon and the reborn Gods within. A demonstration of power on that scale was enough to calm even the most strident.
The trail Jin Huang was following had quite tapered off by the time he realized he was following after someone else. The dragon struggled for a moment about whether or not he actually wanted to speak with anyone, but the sight of Glyph ahead of him caused a slightly lopsided grin to crease his face. It was not, of course, there for very long before his face settled back to strict formality. "Glyph," he called out, lengthening his stride in an attempt to catch up with the other deity. They weren't friends, exactly, though they had known each other for some time. Being polite never hurt anything, especially when Glyph was a member of the Council.When his name was called in greeting, Glyph's eyes blinked open and he tiled his head to look back over his shoulder, mildly surprised to run into someone so far out. And Jin no less! He couldn't remember the last time the Dragon King had been wandering about. Lifting a hand in a wave, Forest smiled broadly, evidently glad to see a familiar face, "Jin! This is unexpected!"
Forest was used to wandering - his feet were stained from the dirt and grasses he walked on so frequently. His fingers, too, were mildly dirty from rooting around in the grass. The sun glinted off his pale horn, giving him an interesting silhouette. Turning fully, the god closed the distance and opened his arms in an offering of friendly embrace or a handshake, "What brings you so far out?"Well, that was unusual. Not unpleasant, but unusual enough that it gave him pause for a moment. Jin Huang was not really used to being greeted with such warmth, except perhaps from his siblings. The demons who served him tended towards the formal side, as was proper, and the dragon really didn't spend much time among the rest of the Pantheon.
Something to remedy, and this was as good a place to start as any. Jin Huang took Glyph's hand, not quite comfortable enough to give the other deity a hug. "My feet," he replied dryly once the handshake had been released. A quick gesture waved away the flippant reply. "I simply felt the need to walk while I thought about some things." He paused for a moment and arched an eyebrow curiously. "Yourself?"Glyph shook his head, "Similar reason to you, I suppose. Though I am enjoying the sunlight. I've just been thinking about all that this means." He tapped the star and set it to swaying on his chest, smile fading a little, "There's so much to do. We were cut to the quick in the last encounter and I'm worried we'll suffer more when the Grigori do reveal themselves. I've been trying to come up with ways to muster our strength effectively."
He gave a shrug, "Heavy thoughts, I know, but necessary I'm afraid. Tools and information first and foremost. I wish I knew where Gianfar had gone..." Glyph pursed his lips at that thought - the last he'd heard, Knowledge had gone missing and Silence had gone in search of his comrade. Having seen silence at the gathering, he wondered if his friend had been successful in his search. "As you say, heavy thoughts," Jin Huang replied. "Though they run parallel to my own." He shrugged somewhat uneasily. "I fear that our sense of urgency has faded in the time since the original attack." His certainly had, lulled into complacency by the relative normality that had followed the Crown's restoration. It was easy to get distracted, to find a singleness of purpose diluted. Procrastination was a seductive habit, that willingness to always say that things would be done tomorrow. Which often proved elusive.
When Glyph mentioned the still missing god of Knowledge, Jin Huang could not help but roll his eyes out and let out a slightly annoyed sigh. "It seems he does not wish to be found. And we would, perhaps, be better served by searching for information ourselves, instead of pinning our hopes on Gianfar." The dragon had not intended to vent that much spleen, but the continued wishing after Gianfar annoyed him.
"What sort of tools would you be hoping to find? And where?" It seemed likely that the minds of the Councillors - and one in particular - would turn towards the Treasury.Glyph nodded at that, "Indeed. There is much calling for action but little in the way of actually prusuing those actions. Underworld has gone absent as of late and it bothers me... these stars are not simply collector's items, or gifts from the crown." Forest's tone was annoyed, "But I agree, we cannot pin our hopes on any one single, absent individual and thus why I've been pondering where and who to talk to in order to gather supplies, knowledge, and leads."
He smiled, "Tian Yue and Ashoka will be going to the Old Pantheon to investigate those grounds, I've taken it upon myself to search the library and Phae... not surprisingly, agreed to investigate possible leads with you. Has she spoken to you yet?"
Giving a shrug, the god seemed uncertain, "That's just it, it's like grasping at straws for leads. I was hoping the treasury might contain some information pertaining to the grigori or items such as weapons and armor that would be of use against them. I'm also hoping that something in the library will contain useful information, especially in regards to the story Tian Yue spoke of - it seems a woman stole a Pearl before the fading and Worldshield believes her to be Samyaza. If we can find more relating to that, perhaps there will be a lead. Do you have any ideas?" He sympathized with the annoyance directed towards Underworld. Jin Huang had not thought someone reputed to be as honorable as Nergal would abandon his responsibilities that easily. At least there were those who had not shirked their duty. However... "Phaedra? No, I have not seen her since the Ceremony." At least he had some warning that she would be seeking him out. It always paid to be prepared with her. "I confess that I have not spent much of my time nearby, however." Which could be taken as an oblique admission that he might not be the best, most immediate, resource for information about the Treasury.
"I would, of course, be honored to be of assistance in locating information." And keeping an eye on Phaedra while they searched, of course. Loosing that particular Goddess unsupervised into the Treasury featured prominently in the majority of Jin Huang's nightmares, Council business or no. "There should be, I imagine, weapons and artifacts located within." He shrugged. "Though where, exactly, such items would be is the more pertinent question." Undoubtedly there was a catalogue of some sort, but there was no guarantee as to it's accuracy without having been maintained.
"As for the rest? I have no specific memory of Samyaza's past, if indeed this woman is her." It seemed true enough, though. "The Library, even without it's primary keeper, is as likely a place as any to find what lore exists regarding the Grigori." There was a similar problem regarding locating things there, however. "Perhaps some information about how we fought before would be of use." Which could also provide direction in searching the Treasury. He puffed out his cheeks when he found out Phaedra had not yet approached Jin... he had thought Greed would be eager for the task assigned. "Bah. I had hoped the mantle of leadership would drive her to action in addition to collection... seems my hopes are set too high a the moment." Really... it felt like he was the only Councillor actually trying to make things happen sometimes.
"That is what I was hoping - if nothing of power, then bases we can work from. Tian Yue also hopes to find the means with which to work power into items once more and it is something I do agree with." He nodded again, "Indeed. Locating the useful information and items is the problem... If you happen to find anything of use, be it records, catalogues, or items please inform me." He laughed, "I fear I've taken the job most ill suited to one such as myself. I have not read a book in some time... perhaps it is long past due."
He wandered a little, pacing some, "Do you know of any other places or people to speak to for information? I wanted to stay close to the Pantheon while the others are out investigating so things aren't left wholly unguarded." Jin Huang waved a hand dismissively. "No doubt she will speak to me when she is ready, and more importantly, I am not." Her best chance at doing that had passed once Glyph mentioned that she was likely to seek him out, however. Which may or may not be something to tell her. The delicate dance between them was ancient and yet new, both of them learning and relearning the measures of it.
He nodded thoughtfully. "There may be something about that sort of work in the Library, as well," the dragon offered. "It seems unlikely we would have left that knowledge as solely an oral tradition." Especially with deities such as Knowledge running about. Some people seemed determined to pin every word, every thought and action, to a page. In these circumstances, it was all to the better if someone had.
"Oh, of course," he replied with a small laugh. "Though I hope you'd forgive me if there was a delay in notifying you while I verified the accuracy of any records?"
He rocked back on his heels slightly at the last question. "Perhaps...There are always the groups of mortals about the Pantheon these days. There may be something in their ancient lore, their origin myths that would help shed some light on our own, largely forgotten, history." "No doubt." Glyph responded with a slight grin. It almost seemed as if Jin enjoyed the power struggle and politicking with Phaedra. He'd personally get very very tired of it if he had to deal with her constant machinations though... Jin had Glyph's respect in that.
Another nod, "That's what I thinking... I know some are restoring the library, hopefully in the course of their work they've come across something interesting." Forest made an agreeable sound, "That's alright, I can forgive delay. I'd rather reliable information then chase a story."
The last suggestion gave him pause and he tilted his head, "That's true... I shall have to speak to them. I fear I have not been as social as I should be with the mortals." He sighed. There was so much to do among the Divine, he sometimes forgot about the mortals which huddled in their shadows for protection and prosperity. He chuckled, "To think the mortals, in their countless generations, would recall more then the Gods themselves. Balance to all things, I suppose, and good thing too." Of course he enjoyed it; it was exhilarating, something that kept his mind sharp and active. That sort of struggle wasn't for everyone, though. Patient Forest, used to the extended time frame of a tree, having to deal with the quicksilver mind of Greed? Oh yes, it was easy enough to see why Glyph would tire of the goddess quickly.
"I'm sure they have," Jin Huang replied. "It's simply a matter of retracing their steps. Things of import to this task may not have seemed interesting at the time, and so they would have been organized and set aside." What would be fascinating for one would not be so for others, if they even knew what to look for in the first place.
Jin Huang arched an eyebrow. "I do not think any of us have been overly social with those gathered here." He certainly hadn't been, but the dragon remained uncomfortable with the idea of people worshiping him. It just seemed silly, somehow. "We remain wrapped in our own concerns and affairs, removed from the lives of those who would give us strength, if we but asked," he continued softly, eyes growing distant. He focused on Glyph again after a moment, a soft, almost sad, smile playing about his lips. "A member of the Pantheon asking after their histories and myths for assistance in such a weighty matter may well have an impact beyond anything we can predict."
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Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 9:21 pm
Sooooo I forgot an entire RP and this is the solo after that RP.
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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 3:47 am
...||Earth and Underground It was raining today - a light trickle, but enough to send most scurrying to reach their destinations, or to hide under umbrellas.
Only most - one certainly didn't mind the rain at all. In fact, Xun Jiang had stepped into it on purpose, and was now strolling through the streets and heading toward the market at a leisurely slow pace, in spite of the various beings, mortal and immortal, who were trying to get out of the rain as soon as possible.
Silly people. He really couldn't understand trying to get away from water in any way. He liked his element too much to deny himself of it for too long. The water droplets were just the slightest bit cool, and highly refreshing.While Jin Huang would never stoop to anything as undignified as hurrying through anything as light as this rain, he didn't see the point in strolling along as though this was enjoyable. This dragon very much preferred to be dry, and indoors, thank you very much. Which was why he had a sensible black umbrella open above his head. That solved one problem, and he was en route to solving the other when he became aware of a familiar presence.
One of his brothers was also out in the rain. Jin Huang stopped, letting the other pedestrians flow around him while he tried to figure out where, exactly, this other dragon was at, as well as which one it was.It wouldn't take long for Jin Huang to figure out exactly which one of their brothers this was - Xun Jiang stood out quite easily in the crowd, and not only because he was one of the few walking a leisurely pace. Twilight skin and long tail and wings did not go easily unnoticed.
Also, he was drenched. Nothing new here.
It was the similar feeling of brother nearby that made Ti-Lung stop, eventually turning to look in Jin Huang's direction, but not quite making him out yet. As he continued to scan the crowd, Jin Huang finally noticed the one, rather unusual looking member of it. Ah. That had to be his brother; it was likely no one except a member of the Pantheon could manage to look quite like that.
But which one?
Easy enough to figure out, once he thought about it. The process of elimination quickly brought the name to the forefront of his mind, as well as his lips. "Xun Jiang!" he called out happily, making quick strides to bring him closer to his sibling.He head his name called, and was finally able to find the source of the call. "Brother !" Oh, yes, yes, yes ! Jin Huang he hadn't seen at all since he had taken over, save from the remaking of the sky. But there, they had both been quite busy.
Ti Lung then proceeded to cut through the hurrying crowd, which meant a few people got smacked with wings, but in his excitement, he didn't notice. "Jin Huang ! How have you been ?"It was certainly nice to see another of his siblings in the flesh, as it were. Jin Huang had noted the change approvingly when they'd seen each other at the ceremony, but hadn't been able to speak with the other dragon at the time. Besides, they'd both been dragons, which was to be expected, though hardly conducive for viewing the changes growth had wrought.
"I have been doing well," he replied, raising one eyebrow at the sight of his brother's wings while suppressing a slight flicker of jealousy. "Keeping busy, and all of that. Yourself?""I have been well, as well." Well, aside from... well, personal troubles that he saw no need to bother his brother with.
"Through... We should probably step somewhere a little more dry before you wind up drenched, hm ? The rain doesn't feel like it will ease up anytime soon." He could not tell in true certainty, of course, as he couldn't control the water in the air, but the clouds were quite telling on that regard.
He wouldn't mind staying right where he was, but he figured it would be otherwise for Jin Huang.Jin Huang was certainly not averse to getting out of the rain, umbrella or no. "Certainly," he replied magnanimously. "Was there anywhere in particular you were bound?" The dragon arched an eyebrow. "Or were you simply out enjoying the weather?"
Despite a tendency towards acid edged sarcasm, Jin Huang managed to weight his last question with friendly teasing."I was only out enjoying the weather, as you have noticed." Was the amused answer Jin Huang got in return. Really, what else he was supposed to do on a day like this ? Scamper away from the rain like everyone else ? Ha !
"I will try not to shake water all over you, but I cannot promise anything." The friendly teasing was mirrored right back to sender, as Ti Lung looked around for a dryer place where the two of them could talk, hopefully undisturbed.He shook his head in mock reproof. "Some people simply don't have the sense to come in out of the rain." He arched an eyebrow at his brother. "Although I suppose some of us don't really need to. If I was going to be fair about the matter, anyway."
Jin Huang's eyes had been busily scanning the shops around them, looking for roughly the same thing. "That is quite magnanimous of you indeed," he replied absently. "Ah! There's a tea shop ahead we could duck into." He liked tea well enough, though how Xun Jiang felt about it was another matter entirely.A tea shop ? That sounded like a lovely idea indeed. "I certainly could enjoy a good cup or two." Especially in his brother's company. He was quick to head toward the the shop.
"Could you get us a table ? I am going to try to dry myself off some first." See, Xun Jiang had manners. Somewhat. He could only hope there were actual tables inside, and not tiny stalls. He would have such a grand time trying to squeeze those wings of his into one of those.
Not.Oh good, another brother capable of enjoying the wonderful trappings of civilization. Jin Huang let out a small, pleased sigh.
"Of course," he said, edging ahead of Xun Jiang and casting a glance, along with a crooked smile, behind him. "An umbrella is more convenient." On the last word, he snapped his shut and headed inside, shaking it lightly to shed a modicum of the water on it.
Once inside, the dragon headed towards an unoccupied table. While he didn't have the wings his brother did, chairs were much nicer for his tail than a booth. Locating one near the back, he settled in to wait for Xun Jiang and a member of the waitstaff to notice him."An umbrella ? What is this strange thing you speak of ?" Xun Jiang asked, the perfect picture of fake innocence - eyebrows batting and all, through he was unable to contain his amusement as Jin Huang turned to go inside.
It was not too long before he did follow his brother inside, more or less dry save for the clothing and mane... Which were only slightly damp, anyway, so what harm could it do, really.
Oh, and thank the Twin Crown, there were tables. Still, sitting down was interesting - if the wings did not get in the way, then the tail did. It took a bit of a struggle, but finally, Xun Jiang managed.
Really. Freaking wings.
"This place is rather nice..." He had never entered it before, but it was charming in it's own way, with some definite asian influences. It was not long before one of the waitresses came, asking the two what they would like to order.
"Hmm." Really, what to try ? Illisia had not been much of a tea drinker, and really, he could not even remember if he had been... Through it would make sense that he might have. "Green tea, please."
Start with the basics, right ?Jin Huang watched his brother get settled with a blandly neutral expression on his face. It was, in his opinion, more amusing to present that sort of face than to smirk, or otherwise overtly show that he found the situation rather funny. Then again, he'd been accused of having an obscure sense of humor before.
"It is, isn't?" he replied, sounding pleased. He hadn't ever been inside either, but it had made a tentative place for itself on his mental list of places worth visiting in this market. He looked around with a somewhat proprietary air, as if the shop had come into existence solely for his pleasure.
Jin Huang was something of an egotist.
When the waitress arrived, it took him a moment to decide on a tea. "Oolong," he ordered finally. "So tell me, brother, what have you been up to?" He waved a hand. "I've been much involved with my own affairs, and have very little idea what's going on with anyone."His face pulled into a frown as one wing did get caught in the back of the chair as he had moved to lean on the table slightly, which might add to Jin Huang's so far unnoticed amusement. Bloody... !!!
"I have only recently come into my own." It was more, well, public-friendly than taking over, which had not exactly been the case for him. A great part of him, what had been missing of him all along, was Illisia, and only time would truly tell how deep that actually ran. Not even Xun Jiang himself knew for certain so far. "It was not long before the restoration of the sky, actually." Which, he had to admit, had come in handy, since his influence, small and new as it might be, had been needed.
"I have been mostly tending to my own affairs myself, so far, so I fear that I have little to actually inform you of." Not all of it was good, and a lot of it was extremely confusing. The small bit of annoyance in his tone might betray to his brother that there was, indeed, some difficulties there. "There is so much that I need to... be, again." And little he actually remembered. It seemed like a maze and some days he feared that he might actually never find his way through it.He nodded. "A most excellent sense of timing," Jin Huang commented dryly. He had come into his own, to borrow his brother's excellent phrasing, shortly after the ceremony that had restored the Crown's name. Which was, needless to say, hardly ideal. At least Xun Jiang had a better sense of the appropriate!
Jin Huang's eyes narrowed at the hint of annoyance. "Oh?" he asked, placing his elbows on the table while lacing his fingers together and leaning forward. "Is there anything in particular troubling you? Or," he added with a wry twist to his mouth, "Is it more of a general too much to do and not enough time to do it in?" That certainly seemed to be his problem, these days."It was handy, I must admit..." Through if he had not, Lord Harmodius might have been able to compensate in another way. He had noticed that not all the dragons had gathered. Kheviel had been missing, and there had been no trace of Shen Lung and Great Chien-Tang, most notably.
"A bit of collumn A, a bit of column B." Ti Lung went silent as the waitress came to serve their teas, and he opted to let his steep a little more before he poured it from the kettle. Still he wanted once the woman was well out of earshot before continuing. "It bothers me that I cannot remember anything." He admitted. Jin Huang would understand - he had lived the same thing. Sometimes he actually forgot about that.Jin Huang felt his mouth quirk up in a rueful smile at his brother's initial response. It did often seem that problems that were unable to be resolved due to a lack of time to focus on them ended up becoming very specific concerns further down the road. Alas, he had yet to figure out a solution for that, other than learn how to delegate.
He could practically hear Delmin laughing at the thought.
The dragon lowered his head slightly in a nod of thanks as the tea was delivered, pouring himself a cup as he waited for Xun Jiang to continue. He had the cup raised halfway to his mouth when the comment about remembering caused him to pause and frown slightly. "About?" he asked neutrally. He had a very good idea what his brother was referring to, but he would be damned if he brought it up first. The fact that he had had a previous host wasn't something he wanted to have to think about, especially given what little he remembered.
In all, Jin Huang thought Yu Huang was best left where he belonged - in the past.Xun Jiang seemed just as willing to actually bring it up as his brother was - not because of Jin Huang, of course, but because of the current setting. He would have trusted Futs Lung with his life, if it came down to that.
But there were other people here, and as much as he wanted to form the words, they refused to come out. "You know what." He finally managed, biting back his sigh. "I get the feeling there is something I should remember, but I cannot figure out what it is."
Ngh. This was apparently all Jin Huang would get for now, through the other patrons seemed rather uninterested in them. Any glances sent their way was probably thanks to his rather... unusual appearance.
Maybe he could ask Tian Yue if he could recall anything. They were all brothers, and they had been close. Zhijian might remember some of the far away past, as wellÂ. He truly had no idea - had never asked."Mm," Jin Huang replied noncommittally. Personally, he felt that if you couldn't remember, you couldn't remember and it was time to move on with life. Then again, there had certainly been enough proof that memories of the ancient, not recent, past were useful; Gehenna was of course the obvious situation, one that stuck in everyone's thoughts. If more of them had remembered, would things have come to such a dreadful pass?
Shaking his head lightly as if to clear it of such useless speculation, he finally took a sip of his tea, pleased to find that it hadn't cooled off too much. "Perhaps," he continued slowly, "Because of the circumstances, you think there must be something to remember, something important." He looked at his brother intently and let out a small sigh. "What if there's not?"What if there weren't anything ? That was a valid point, he had to admit. There might not be, as far as he knew. If anyone he had known before the fading still lived, doubtlessly they would show up just like Lindita had. The demoness' nature did make him wonder if she had been a gift from this particular brother, a long time ago, but it did not matter. Likely neither of them would remember.
"That is a possibility." He admitted, staring down at his own cup before finally drinking from it. "Either way I will probably never know, and I need to accept that."
And he would... hopefully. What good would going down that path do for him ? That time was long, long gone. He was more bothered by the lack of pre-fading memory than anything he might have gotten from his first host. That was not something he was tempted to figure out much about.
"I certainly have more important things to worry about, at any rate." He had a future to build, and so many things to figure out still.Making another noncommittal noise, Jin Huang stared at his own cup for a moment. Talking about the past, even in such a roundabout manner, had unexpectedly disturbed him more than he really wanted to think about. It was over and done with, and for the most part the dragon had a very hard time understanding why people continued to pick at it. With a small sigh, he absentmindedly ran his fingers through his hair; it was obviously agesture he made often, as he managed to avoid getting his sleeve caught on his horn.
"Indeed," he commented, mind already nagging him with all of the things he had to worry about. "To the future," Jin Huang continued, raising his cup in a mock toast while smiling slightly.Xun Jiang could tell that there was something bothering his brother - and, well, he had a good idea that he probably had caused it. It was not something any of the dragons talked about often, to his knowledge, and this was exactly why.
So he decided that it was probably time to let the matter drop. Jin was right, anyway. It would take longer for him to truly convince himself, most likely. Or maybe he would never be able to fully convince himself.
But the future was more important than the past. The past could not be changed.
"Right." He raised his own cup with a grin.
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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 3:48 am
oh my god there is def. at least one solo coming out of that RP GODDAMNIT ZERO.
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