---Flashback---
Young Parame: *Inconsolable crying* Chizi-chi, Miri-chi…. My children…. My sweet children….
Younger gods: This…. This was too cruel…. Why wouldn’t you have just let them alone….? Damn and when we found a cure as well…. Mother….. Damn, damn, damn…. The hell…. Damn it Chizo, Mirah…. Gone... they’re really gone….
High Council Member 1: Mirah… committed a crime. While Chizohara will be spared, Mirah will not be. If you don’t agree with him being punished in hell, remove his soul from this plane. Let him not able to interfere with us again…
---End Flashack---
*Time had passed since the tragic events of that day. However, nothing could be done to reincarnate the souls of Chizohara and Mirah until the damage had begun to mend once more. Unfortunately, the process took far longer than it might have done under ordinary circumstances. Due to this, Elder Gods were left in a quandary as to where to go from that point onwards, especially since the souls, while still somewhat fragile, would not be able to linger much longer if they were to enter the cycle of reincarnation once more.
As such, ordering all other gods to not disturb them for the rest of the day, the two retreated to Parame’s chamber in order to discuss what to do with the two souls*
Parame: We’ve been avoiding this for too long, but still quite the predicament…. Force the cycle of rebirth, and repeat until ready….or let them remain as they are and let them both fade…. Neither of them are favorable. But which is the lesser of the two evils in this case?
Thanatos: Neither option is inherently evil. However, you yourself are aware that these souls still have much more to offer, a duty that still has yet to be fulfilled. Far crueler would it be to transfer such a destiny to souls entirely unsuitable to the task. However, what they do need is time. Time we do not have. Therefore our only option truly is to reincarnate them for a time. It would not be what is needed yet. However, it would allow the souls to become strong enough to face the task at hand.
Parame: Ha! You think that at their in fragile state, they could survive it? Chizi-chi went half mad because he was trapped. Doing this would would damn near turning them into a beast. While Miri-chi, well, you saw it: the fighting spirit that once burned in their eyes died out the moment they realised it was hopeless. Inter-species’ romance is a far too radical idea for this time. If they were going to be together, they would need a heck of a lot of support ‘n not just any kind - top tier gods, excluding us. And the likelihood of that again is...
*Thanatos closes his eyes thoughtfully, a slight frown on his face*
Thanatos: The main problem, however, is how to avoid the same mistake happening a second time. Should it occur once more, before the souls have had a chance to heal...that might be crueler than allowing them to fade here and now.
Parame: Well, we have another two options, none I like, either….
*Gestures with her fingers* One: we do as those rodents suggested and separate them - Miri-chi stays with me on our plane and Chizi-Chi stays with you on the other. We keep them as far apart from each other as physically possible. It would reset their relationship pattern to becoming two strangers toward one another… but not even I would know how long it would take for that to happen, they had a strong bond last time round there design… well what was being formed and planed was elaborate, it could take lifetimes to unwind…. Then again there souls seem to call out for each other. Like magnets drawing each other in eventual I can see them finding each other again… and replay last chapter.
And then there's our other choice. Two let them be together… but we’ll put fear into them. They may fall in love but they won't act on it. That way they would avoid following in their last selves footsteps. But again… that whole intricate pattern thing…. There's an off chance they won't listen to reason and act on their love/ attraction. Then game over.
Thanatos: Indeed, no option would be foolproof. And, unfortunately, the latter of which could easily be...manipulated. Considering who it is we face, even if we have yet to enter a true conflict….Inspiring fear would be met with sympathy and promises of future where fear is unneeded. Or, as you yourself said, it might result in rebellion and simply allowing them to walk into a trap all on their own. At least with the first option, they can at least gain a better understanding of their situations long before they even meet. Should they cross paths, they may, at least, have more of a chance of either remaining as trusted confidants, but not as foolishly reckless in love. And if they were to fall in love, at least, individually, they may have a chance to have gained connections that might at least step them in the right direction.
Parame: There bound to ‘recklessly fall in love,’ it's a flow of their nature… but not that I think about it… let's marry the two?
Thanatos: Marry them? As in form a full bond between their souls?
Parrame: No… but put a pin in that thought. Might come in handy later…. What I’m thinking is you raise Chizi-chi in the lower plane. Raise him on stories of past events and make sure he has backers - politically powerful and respected. Meanwhile, I’ll raise Miri-chi in this plane. I’ll raise him like one of my personal servants. I’ll make sure he's well respected and have that spark back in his eyes. Docile by nature, but when pushed-
Thanatos: *Sly smile* He becomes like you?
Parame: *Chuckle* What are you trying to say old man….? That I’m a near unstoppable force both willing and ready to rip the heavens in two to get what I want? That I, by nature, hold the scales of justice and am more than ready to bare my fangs if and when needed? Oh dear, I hope that not what you're suggesting or little Ol’ me may get offended.
Thanatos: I hardly said it like a bad thing. Immortality would be dull without you, I assure you. Who else would I be able to plot torment of fools and idiots with?
Parame: Aww, you’re so swee- *pause*
Parame: Wait, ‘hardly’? What do you mean ‘hardly’?
Thanatos: In any event, I see no reason for that plan not to take effect. It would be rather interesting, I’ve not had a protege in some time. Were you, perhaps, thinking that we should begin to chose a Hero once again?
Parame: My thoughts exactly. That way, we would have the excuse of them always being around them… for ‘protections’ sake… as their future ‘Masters’, of course. Besides, the closer they are to us, the less harm He can do to them. Oh, would you mind separating the hybrid Chizi-chi, back into Chizi and his kin? For now, I want to develop them separately before they're fused. The stronger they are separately, the more powerful the fused self will be… Well, that's the theory, anyway.
Thanatos: Hm...I assume that you foresaw the fusion then? Interesting. Indeed, the fused soul is an interesting one no doubt. Those souls, once split, will never quite feel right alone, however. It seems I might end up having a group of ducklings rather than one in the future. Such an interesting outcome this will be…
Parame: Pft! Don't tempt me. You may end up with a tapestry portraying that scenario, and I would hang it in my temple.
*It seemed like eons sing the two elder gods shared a genuine hearty laugh together the pair had been so preoccupied with gathering and molding the fractured remnants of the two souls that they had seemed to care for their own mental well being at times. This moment of relief seemed like just what they needed. It was…. Refreshing to say the least.*
*Elsewhere in the time-stream, Inari had appeared in a new time once more, in a room that was exceptionally familiar to them. It was, in fact, the same room that they had turned up in before, only the slight variation of furniture, the light that showed a different time of day than the one they had been in the first time and what looked like a new tapestry hanging from the wall let Inari know that they were not yet back in their own time, but at some point between the time they had witnessed the lives of Chizohara and Mirah, but before Inari’s own birth.*
Inari [Inner Thoughts]: Well, not going to learn anything standing around here….Time to see what is important about this time that Mother obviously feels I need to see. I just….hope it doesn’t end up like….last one.
*Shaking off the numb ache left behind from witnessing the execution of the tragic lovers, Inari, checking to see that they were still wearing the nondescript clothing of a minor deity rather than the more elaborate robes of their station back in their own time, makes their way from the room and began to explore the halls, absently noting the differences, even if they would occasionally incline their heads politely should a god do the same to them. There was indeed a difference they noticed almost immediately. While there were not the amount that were in their own time, there was definitely an increase in the number of Children of Two than there was when Mirah had still lived. They were discreet, of course dispersing themselves among the servants - Inari had a feeling that they did not want to fall down the slippery slope Mirah had - but they were not exactly hiding their presence either.
As for gods, there were a few that Inari recognised as gods they recalled from the older timeline, though they were much older now. Though they tended to take on the physical age they desired, if they lived long enough, Inari could see the centuries in their eyes that they hadn’t supported while ‘Kazuomari’ had been training with Chizohara.
Not entirely sure if they would recognise them as they were at the moment (it was hard to say if anyone recalled a minor god that seemingly vanished a few days before Chizohara was killed due to retreating to the other plane to watch uninterrupted), Inari made sure not to catch their eyes. Instead they made their way to Parame’s office once more. They were pretty sure the Goddess of Fate was already aware that they had arrived and they would rather not have Parame being upset with Inari avoiding her, whether intentionally or otherwise. It didn’t take them long - they knew the way by heart, after all - before they had reached Parame’s chamber and rang the bell for her attention, stepping inside.*
[END]
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