Sweet Child Pt 3

--- Elder God’s Tent, Main Camp ---

*With his hero unconscious and safely asleep in Inari’s tent, Thanatos makes his way to check on Inari and Paramae, who had retreated to the tent that the two elder gods hard shared in order to talk things out. Lightly pulling aside the tent opening, he finds Paramae asleep on one of the beds, while the younger god sits at the edge, staring into the distance. They are pulled from their musings as Thanatos steps inside and quickly inclines their head in greeting to the Elder God*

Inari: Forgive me, I was lost in thought. Have you finished your talk with Rozyus?

Thanatos: Indeed, that child is as stubborn as his mother sometimes.

*He sighed running his hands through his hair like a somewhat old habit*

But… Well how was your discussion i can imagine a weight has been lifted from both of you, no?

*Inari gives a wiry smile*

Inari: Well, it wasn’t a long talk, but….it was needed. For Mother more than myself, I fear. While I understand the need for frustrating secrecy at times, for one who ‘sees’ as much as she….as you both do, I imagine it weighs very heavily on the soul. I may have lead this task force in battle, and born the victories and losses as needed, but you two must bear that and more, foreseeing what may happen, yet unable to directly interfere beyond what your heroes can accomplish. And sometimes not being able to interfere even then, lest it’s the wrong choice

*He puts a hand over his heart*

Inari: Mother learned that the hard way, I suppose.

Thanatos: Very hard indeed.

*The elder god lies down on his own bed, pulling out a pipe and offering one to the younger god before lighting his own. Taking a deep breath, before letting out a satisfied exhale*

Thanatos: I suppose… you heard the tale of your… rebirth, yes? And why she's more protective of you than her own offspring.  

Inari: Not in a large amount of detail, but enough that I understand. It is…ah….a little disturbing to think that you are actually the recycled remnants of several broken souls. That they all had their own lives, wants and dreams and that you now, somehow, embody them all. It makes one feel….a little unsure of oneself?

Thanatos: *Chuckle* If you knew of, or had a glimpse of their past encounters…well, I say that there's no real difference between the three goddesses. They might as well have been one person. Though I will say the love bird comedy act was as cute now as it was back then. Hahaha. So don't worry about it. ‘You’ were the same now as you were back then - well, minus the separate entries.

Inari: I sometimes wondered if my soul contained gods as well as goddesses at times. More often than not I have not felt any gender. Though I suppose being a male or female if I so chose is a plus. It is….ah….fun to tease your hero, just a little.

*They laugh lightly*

Thanatos: Ah and that little one is all the goddesses and a sirten god speaking. Sometimes i did feel sorry for that servant boy. When you all teased him like that. But then i remembered how cute he was when he turned red and i could clearly see why you did it hahahah.

*Inari, who was just about to smoke the pipe, blinks, then looks over incredulously.*

Inari: Wha-all of us? Oh dear, that poor servant. I imagine one of me is difficult to handle at times. I can hardly imagine dealing with a small harem of me.

Thanatos: well there were two of you that kept the piece, i won't lie the was one of you that the servant boy did attach himself to allot more, caused a few arguments here and there. Oh what was it again. ‘So and so you're stealing him from the rest of us! Hes ours to share. Just because you have that cool  indifferent aura about, im more beautiful come here servent boy and we'll ‘play’ together.’

*Inari flops back on the bed, howling with laughter*

Inari: Oh poor boy! So many feel that having many wishing for your attention is a good thing, but that poor servant must have been so worn out dealing with them….us all.

*Suddenly, they begin to grin and twist to look at the elder god*

Inari: *Teasingly* So…..did I get all the good parts of them, then, Lord Thanatos?

Thanatose: *Chuckleing* Oh yes, your flirtatiousness, your smarts and beauty definitely come from the goddesses. The ‘cool indifference’ from the favored god. And your fighting ability and cooler tone are definitely from the other god.

*Thanatos breathes deep before looking down for the moment*

And also your devotion to that boy, it was ultimately there death that caused their downfall. Love will do that to the mightiest of us. In truth, that was the reason why we wanted to separate the two of you by having him incarnate later but… well, a certain someone had to make dear Paramae fertile, didn't we? *Chuckle* Ah well, we let it be because you both were cute together. Besides, training him in this life… well, it's a different type of entertaining, if you catch my drift.

*Inari hums in agreement, eyes half lidded. They could understand why their previous selves had been so destroyed by the death of that loved one that they had followed through with what eventually shattered their souls. And, while a little flustering, Inari would never regret giving Paramae the spark needed for her and her partner to conceive. For a moment, they fell silent, focusing on the smoke from the pipe and the calm stillness of the room*

Thanatos: It seems we may have to change topic soon. One of our sleeping beauties is about to wake.

*The elder goddess began to stir slightly, her eyes slowly fluttering awake as they adjusted to the dim light of the tent. Quickly, Inari sits up once more, leaning over to check on her*

Inari: Mother? Are you well?

Paramae: *Burrowing back into the covers* Ummmmn….

*A grin crossing their face, they begin to lightly poke Paramae’s cheek*

Inari: Mooooooother! Heeeeeey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Wakey wakey!

Parame: UMMMMMNNN!!!

*With a firm kick, the younger god is shoved of the bed as she buries deeper into the sheets. Despite the fact they fell to the floor with an ‘Oof’ it barely phases them. They pop back up with a mischievous grin in their eyes. Grabbing the corners of the sheets, he quickly yank them from her*

Inari: Aaaaaand my magic trick…

*The goddess has gone from the bed*

Inari: The Amazing Disappearing Mother…

*Looking up, their grins as, above their head is the sheets all wrapped up, with Paramae somehow inside*

*Parame’s eyes, now fully awake, intensely glow within the shade of the sheets.*

Parame: Stupid child of mine. Can’t you let an old woman have her sleep…? H-honestly *yawn*

*Her eyes growing heavy once more, before Inari’s grin widens, headless to the threat - or rather, completely ignoring it*

Inari: And my second trick - the Bounding Burrito!

*With that he drops her back on the bed hard enough that she bounces several times.*

Parame: AGGGHHH!!! I swear if you wernt my child….

*She grabs a pillow and repeatedly strikes the child with it until a cloud of feathers erupts from their cotton cage. This only has the Child laughing as they defend themselves from the onslaught only halfheartedly*

Inari: *Playfully* Oh no! The pain! I is dead! Blegh!

*They flop to the ground, still laughing.*

*She glares at the younger god, still moody from being woken from her slumber. A hearty chuckle echos around the chamber, accompanied by two claps*

Thanatos: Now, now children. I think it’s time we get serious for the moment no?

*Pulling themselves up from the floor and suddenly back on the bed as if nothing had happened, Inari idly plucks the down from the pillow out of their long hair with a surprising amount of dignity*

Inari: Of course, sir. My apologies.

Thanatos: No no its fine. But i do feel that there are now some important things that need to be discussed.

Parame: Like how your chat with that boy went?

Thanatos: Naturally.

*Whatever playfulness had still been in Inari’s eyes abruptly vanishes, becoming fully serious once more*

Inari: I know that he had suggested certain things to me after the gods had left us last night. I know he’s been greatly frustrated, even though he had spend some of it trying to assure me he was unharmed. To become a target as he was….It certainly doesn’t inspire confidence in oneself, especially when he was here to test his abilities. And after he had done so well in  the meetings…

Thanatos: Indeed, it is as you may suspect. He was greatly frustrated with me, feeling that I had been holding back in his training. Though he was not entirely wrong - there are some lessons that can only be learned if one experiences them for himself.

Parame: Like the full weight of your presence? You know how dangerous that was Thanatos?! What is something happened to that child!!!

Thanatos: If I didn’t believe him to be ready, I would not have done so. However, while that lesson is true, there is another - emotion. It is one thing to be told that you must learn to control your emotions, but another to truly realise it. And not in the way that you do, Inari

*Inari flinches ever so slightly, but stays silent*

Thanatos: His power relies on control of his emotions and the determination to follow through with what must be done, despite the odds, despite great fear, despite the unknown. By allowing the boy to feel my aura, to be able to withstand it and yet to face it, even bombarded by fear and the End To All Things….well, it provided a test for both. One that he passed. Marginally. He still has a long way to go before he will truly surpass this next hurdle

Parame: And how long to you asume that will take?

Thanatos: That depends on his strength, now doesn’t it? Speaking of, I’m afraid that Rozyus used a lot of energy for my test and needed to rest. Inari, it would probably be best if he is not alone, just in case. I do rather doubt that He would try again, given the protections I left behind, but…

Inari *standing* I understand. Its best not to seem alone after such a fright anyway, especially weakened after withstanding the aura of a greater god. Unless My Lady has further use of me, I’ll be sure to take care of him. I couldn’t do otherwise, after all.

*Despite the smile, there was a distracted worry in their eyes, already focused on their love rather than in the room with the elder gods*

Parame: Go, do as you will, ‘tis ‘the husband's duty’, after all. Go be with him for now, but report to me if anything happens.

Inari: *Somewhat relieved, even as he offers a quick bow* Of course. By your leave.

*With that, they gracefully, but quickly, leave the tent, already focused on the task of caring for their lover. Once he was out of earshot...*

Parame: So… what was the reason you needed that child’s absence?

*Thanatos takes a breath, releasing it, his expression settling into something far more serious*

Thanatos: It is less the test itself and what came before it. Particularly who we were discussing before this. Listening to the boy speak of him, and combined with her habitual distrust of you, Rozyus confided to me that there was a part of him that truly sympathised with his plight. But, while that is, while worrying, understandable, considering his silver tongue and what he now knows of that god, he fell silent for a long time afterwards. Had it been in deep thought, I might not have been concerned - there is much to think of with all the information he has learned - but that look in his eye...I had reason to believe he was not alone in his mind.

Parame: …. I wouldn't put it past him to have set up a telepathic link to that child... and us attempting to stop him would only push him further to his side… The only thing we can do is watch over him and monitor the situation for now.

Also… don’t let Inari have wind of this… I want to avoid ‘that’ incident at all costs.

*Thanatos, thinking back to the conversation he had with Inari earlier, closes his eyes, resigned*

Thanatos [Inner Thoughts]:  ‘Not being able to interfere with your heroes in case things go more awry’ indeed….What we want here does not matter. All we can do now is wait and hope that our trust in him does not go to waste, that his love for Inari might sway him away from that God’s desires….If we lose one of them, it will shatter them both…

[END]