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 Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 10:35 am
Many times in his rebirth, Rio had thought to himself that he should be doing something, that he should somehow be more productive, do more than make mortals fall in love here and there. In such tasks, he kept himself unseen, for fear that revealing the 'artificial' nature of the origin of these newfound affections would stifle them before they had a chance to begin. But how, then, was he to draw followers, when he was so secretive about his most significant power? Should he keep it so, or reveal it? It would bring petitions for his aid, certainly, but he would have to consider them carefully.
Would it be so bad, though? He needed mortals, but in truth had only two: Nashwa and Iden. Sarka remained with him not as follower, but as an honorable friend, and Ffyrnig's first allegiance lay with Night - she, too, was friend and not follower. Even one of his aoidei really belonged to someone else!
It was time to stop putting it off (for real this time!) and wandering aimlessly through life like Alex had. With this in mind, he set off across the Pantheon grounds, in the direction of the market.
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 3:34 am
 The market. Mortal-built and maintained for the most part, it was a pleasant addition to the areas around the Pantheon; welcome distraction with the bright banners and painted stalls filled with wares. Noisy and bustling for most of the day, Xia Lu Ling found it utterly fascinating: it had started as a small tent with two enterprising humans hawking their wares and as the days passed, more popped up like colorful mushrooms. Eventually the mortals had decided to revamp their little tent-market and pooled resources and skills to build a market with a roof to shield from the elements. The next step involved individuals creating "stalls" from which they sold from - some little more than poles supporting a roof, others with walls of various heights or with shelving, banners or other decorations: it really depended on the stall master.
What was once a small gathering of sales-minded persons had become a thriving market for purchase or barter. And it just kept growing! Mortals were truly amazing; Yu did so enjoy walking the market and seeing the wares, watching the people. Wandering without true purpose and just taking in the industriousness of the many bodies flowing around him.
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 8:12 pm
Rio tended to draw some idle attention when he went to market, mostly for his elaborate wings, but it was nothing compared to the attention the people-watching Dragon King. A handsome man with fancy wings was nothing compared to a multi-eyed, multi-horned, black-furred predator of a god. He didn't seem to be scaring (most) people, but he certainly drew their looks and comments.
Intrigued by this minor irregularity in the flow of the market, Love followed the murmurs to see who was generating them! Though he'd never properly met Xia Lu Ling, he was impossible not to recognize, both from Adi's description and from having met Joss and Dan. He carefully made his way towards the dragon, and offered him a slight, casual bow.
"Xia Lu Ling. Come to shop, or just observe?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:11 pm
Yu felt the presence of another with power and slipped a tendril of mana out to identify whom it belonged to - ah, Love. Rio, unless he was mistaken - the 'prey' that Joss had insisted he'd caught...the god that Ashoka had 'rescued' from the bitely little b*****d-spawn when it had gotten the idea stuck in his head that Rio was prey and yadda yadda. Hearing about that little interaction had been quite amusing to the Dragon King, and he had appreciated very much that Rio hadn't just bashed Joss's stubborn little grey-head in (which was something he had been sorely tempted to do often enough on his own).
Whatever notice he got from the market-goers, Xia Lu Ling was long-past used to it; he barely noticed when others stopped to stare at him or to comment about his nightmarish appearance. Rio's approach brought a bit of a smile-snarl from the bestial god. "Rio. Good to see you about." Yu dipped his head in greeting to the other god, then looked over at the throngs of mortals, "Mostly to observe. It's phenominally interesting, isn't it?" Mortals were so industrious! Their lives really were like short explosions of energy and vitality...beautiful and tragic and filled with so much back and forth. "You?"
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 6:03 pm
"And you as well. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." The Dragon King truly was an impressive sight, but for all that he looked perfectly capable of eating a swath through the bustling market, he was quite polite! "It is. There's something new every day, it's delightful."
"A little of both," he answered. "I like to buy things, and meet the shopkeepers." And, well, pretty much anyone else.
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:42 pm
Yu was quite the unconventional-looking creature, wasn't he? With those crazy-large teeth and scary profile...if his host was still more in-charge than the Dragon King himself, a swath of the bustling market-goers would definitely have been devoured. Thankfully, it was Yu in charge wholly now, so the mortals were totally safe.
"I have to keep Joss away, he ends up destroying the wares or biting strangers...I don't get to come out as often as I would like." He chuckled a little bit, surveying the throng around them.
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Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 12:19 am
"Aah, I can imagine that that wouldn't go over very well with the general populace." Rio echoed Yu's chuckle at the thought. It would be like a bull in a china shop, but smaller and with more teeth. "And especially with the food vendors."
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Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 4:23 am
"Aye, they dislike when the girl-child comes out too. Dan is as bad as Joss...maybe worse. She is twice as sneaky as her brother." Thinking of the spawn belonging to Ashoka and the Fragment (okay, so he took on the fatherhood role, trying to rear both with Ashoka's aid) rampaging was always amusing to Yu. Children were children, regardless of their orgins, but his children could be even more dangerous than most.
"I think the food vendors rather like them, as bitey as they can be. They've made a pretty penny from their escapades, I should think." Another chuckle from the beast, then he cocked his head a bit. "Tell me, how fares your daughter? Does she come here often? With so much going on, the market place seems something she would enjoy."
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Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 9:47 pm
"Yes, I met her once as well. She does seem quite fearsome." And, yes, sneaky. Quieter than her brother, which was...well, a bit disquieting. Being watched like you were prey was rather unsettling! And if they grew to be as big as Yu, or a full-grown pard...
"I can imagine," Rio replied, chuckling. "She's doing quite well, and yes, she does. The food vendors are usually her favorite, although she does enjoy the trinkets, of course." She definitely had that feminine love for pretty things!
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Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2012 1:03 pm
Though he'd often thought about the youthful pardmentlings growing up, he'd not yet imagined how large they may one day become; Fragment wasn't small, even on four legs...and Ashoka - as humanoid or Pard..well, she wasn't exactly tiny either. The final sizes of JOss and Dan would likely be something between the two...unless the odd combination of genes worked more like that of say, a Liger, in which case they would both end up growing nearly twice the size of their parents. A scary thought, for sure!
"They'll grow strong and if we raise them well, wise. For now, we only try to keep them from mauling innocents." Poor Rio, he was still considered prey by Joss! But at least he had deific immortality to help protect him; many mortals that came into contact with the kits did not. "Good. My servant, Blessed, is quite fond of her. She will be happy to know Adi is well." As was he. Though they did not interact often, he was fond of the pink-bowed were-child...she was so open and kind. Not many could stay so sweetly innocent and fresh under all of the shite that had gone down within their world(s).
"Who doesn't enjoy the food vendors?" Yu chuckled and flicked his ears a bit, teeth glinting ruby in the light "Some of the..items they have held onto to sell seem strange, but who knows the hearts or minds of mortals? As long as they keep serving foodstuffs, I think I'll continue to give my patronage."
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Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 9:32 pm
"I'm sure the innocents appreciate your efforts," Rio said with a chuckle. Adi had had a habit of biting when she didn't get her way, when she was smaller, but didn't quite have the teeth to do serious damage. Joss and Dan, on the other hand...
"Aah. I trust Blessed is well, also?" He'd enjoyed their little outing, though it had been some time ago now. She was a fascinating woman, one he would like to get to know better, and not necessarily that way. Actually, probably not that way, at least not as quckly as he sometimes did.
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Posted: Tue May 28, 2013 6:57 pm
Joss and Dan notwithstanding, Pantheon-dwelling mortals generally found it best to be appreciative toward the efforts of the Gods, lest they find themselves on the sharp end of a very short stick (or claw or tooth, as it may be). There was a great deal of truth to the words and thoughts of both Love and Yu Five Claws where the Pardmentlings were involved...but only time would tell as to how things turned out.
"Indeed, though she spends far too much time with Harlan, or in the Library now that Silence and his assistants have managed to get it back to a working order." Yu chuffed in annoyance thinking on the Library, not for the place itself, but more for the missing Master of said space. Gianfar. The grey-dove had been missing for an overly long stretch of time, at the worst possible time - or perhaps not. A Council to rule had been his suggestion once upon a time - and they had seen first-hand just how pathetically ineffective that had been. Without the Twin Crown or Council ruling, chaos would rapidly fall, save that a few fair faces were working to keep the peace, keep Things Happening.
He himself had taken to shaping the dwellings of the Gods, when they had wish to request it - and Aris could do so as well. It allowed Harmodius further time to recuperate...to work on healing that which needed healing so desperately after Gehenna. It was the least he, Xia Lu Ling, could do (beyond playing the mount and the like).
"Adi visits her, sometimes, but the girl needs more company." Yu gave Rio a sidelong look, wondering at the relationship that might exist between Love and his Acolyte, but then dismissed it out of hand. Blessed was no blushing virgin but was as good as and she would not have been intimate with Rio without coming to seek his council first (as strange as it seemed, she would have). Not that he would have found issue with any such relationship; Yu had no use for mortal constructs and restrictions like monogamy or polygamy, marriage or other form of 'binding' union based upon religion or morals. He bedded whom and when he wished and did not get in the way of another's wont to love-make (or ********, if that was their ken).
"I would be most pleased if you would befriend the girl, Rio. She has...a way with Joss. He bites her less than other mortals, perhaps she will help tame him towards you as well."
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:43 pm
"I have spent little time in the Library, I confess, though I do find Adi there from time to time. She loves to learn, even if sitting still is not among her talents." His tone held nothing but affection, as it was a trait he found more charming than anything...but then, there was nothing about his daughter he did not find charming.
As to the request at hand... "You needn't even ask, but would be my pleasure to do so. I enjoyed her company very much."
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 8:57 pm
"She's a good child. I believe that part of the time Adi spends in the Library is done so with Blessed...your daughter is one of the few the child has befriended." Yu chuffed a bit, thinking about how hermit-like and withdrawn his beloved acolyte could be - it was frustrating to say the least, but he really couldn't blame the girl. She had been treated horribly before Harlan had gotten to her...a very scarred young woman; yet she had remained very caring and, luckily, could still manage that oh-so-precious child-like wonder.
"You're a good man, Rio." More than, really. It was too bad he didn't have a larger retinue; even Yu had a fair number of mortals under his 'command'. Love didn't, as far as he could tell, which was very strange because of whom and what he was: the God of Love, for Creation's sake!
"So tell me...with the End vanquished for the moment, do you have many offerings? Celebrations in your Name?" Was there a lot of Loving going on, in other words.
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 9:20 pm
"It is, and it does Adi good as well, I think. So many of her friends are gods, or hosts, and...sometimes I worry about her. Which is silly, because it still doesn't phase her at all, but I have to wonder if it will start to one day."
The compliment - more than a mere compliment, really - was unexpected, and and left him quiet for a moment. "Thank you. If there is anything I want to be, it is that."
"Not...particularly. I have kept fairly quiet, I suppose is the way to put it." He shook his head at himself, lips quirking into a self-deprecating smile. "Which is really just a roundabout way of saying no, I don't, because for one reason or another I never seem to get around to being a god, at least not on any great scale."
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