Thursday, 11 January 2018
Sunday, 7 January 2018
Tell Me A Fable Pt 8
*While the girls worked on the fate lines, Inari, frowning thoughtfully, made their way back towards the reflecting pool. As they peered into the crystalline depths, the water seemed to ripple and sparkle, changing hues before finally settling on a tree where Yozomarah was resting, gazing up at the stars.*
Yozomarah: *Sigh* Damn this foolish heart of mine, these...these childish desires…. Am I not grown…? Am I not capable to deny these foolish emotions…?
*Unknowing of the trio of watchers from the Viewing Waters, Lillyah collapsed against the trunk of one of the temple’s many wisteria trees, pressing their forehead and palms against the rough bark in order to muffle the sobs that broke from her lips. It hadn’t been long since her last encounter with her current master and it still left her reeling in the torrent of emotions that her kiss had left in her. It was hard to truly put into words in a way that she could have mad the god understand. It was hard to explain why she was still so attached to Yozomarah, despite the fact she had been rejected already, but the kiss from her current master just left a bitter tang in her mouth, as if she had betrayed the other god somehow. What was worse was her current master wasn’t a terrible person either, she just didn’t like him the way he liked her. Even if he had seemingly been talking sense about why she should move on, she just couldn’t and it made their encounter even more complicated than it already was.
It was as her sobs had petered off a little while choking for air that she heard the sound of moving undergrowth and she spun around in shock, only to discover, just beyond the flowers hanging low from the tree, was the shape of a person. The bows blocked the moon’s rays, leaving only the vague sense of a presence just beyond the barrier of branches*
Lillyah: *Muffled Sobbing* W-who goes there?
Shadowy Figure [Inner Thoughts]: Wait….is that….I recognise that voice. Lillyah? But if that’s the case….I can’t let her know who I am….but….
Shadowy Figure: ...I...was near and...heard you. Forgive my asking but….why are you crying…?
Lillyah: *Sniffing* It is of no concern of yours… why should I discuss personal matters to a stranger please leave me be...
Shadowy Figure: ...True enough….
Shadowy Figure [Inner Thoughts]: I should just leave it at that. Unless I want to let her know who I am and open us both to situations that we….or at least that I have been trying to get us to avoid, I should just leave this alone. But...she’s hurting. Maybe even more than when I hurt her. Funny how its seeing her tears now that is causing me to question leaving her alone. How weak am I?
Shadowy Figure: ...Sometimes, however….having the ear of a stranger is just easier to speak to than someone you know. It’s less likely to cause an emotional tie. If you’d prefer to be alone, however, let me know and I’ll leave you be. Though it would be…..far colder of me….to leave you to suffer in solitude if my listening could ease your sorrows.
Lillyah: *Silence*…..
*The girl seemed mute for a moment, the seconds feeling like hours as the silence lingered. Sighing, the Shadowy Figure turned and began to walk away.*
Shadowy Figure: I’ll take your silence that you wish for my presence to be gone. Very well. Forgive my interruption, miss.
Lillyah: .....I was…. I was almost tainted by my current Master….
*The Figure froze, no longer moving away and, for a moment, was silent, a thousand thoughts on just what Lillyah meant by ‘tainted’ running through his head. Finally, however, he turned back to Lillyah once again, deciding clarification was better than assuming the absolute worst.*
Shadowy Figure: ...Tainted?
Lillyah: …..I'm assuming you have servant, no?
Shadowy Figure: Yes, but what-?
Lillyah: Then you know of the three kisses…. A kiss to bind a servant to you, on the temple to claim loyalty; The second, a kiss to acknowledge a lover, if that lover is a servant, usually your high priestess, a kiss on the eye to calm the body; and, finally, the claim…. The last as your bride…. The lips the heart and soul…..
Shadowy Figure:......
Lillyah: …..It was my wish to give it all to the master that I-!....
Shadowy Figure: Yet….you say it’s your master that makes you think the kiss would ‘taint’ you. Are you the servant of two masters?-
Lillyah: *Insulted* How dare you! I only have one true master, and…and even if he doesn't need me anymore… even if he doesn't want me, I will only give my everything to him…. Even if I now have the mark of the unwanted, I’ll bare it until he releases me…. And then… when that day comes, I….
*The girl began to cry once more, clutching onto her disheveled robes.*
Lillyah: Even if I am now used, no… long goods…. Even if my true Master no longer desires me. My body and soul belongs to my master...and no…no one else. If the day does come where he truly discards me, then I’ll take my life before I become someone else's property.
*For a moment, the Shadowy Figure was once more silent, though this time mostly from being stunned mute by her words.*
Shadowy Figure [Inner Thoughts]: How…? Why….? After everything that was said to her, after everything I did….why would she remain so loyally steadfast in her feelings towards me? Why…..I…..I’m sure she must know the stories…..she has to know the reasons why…..and yet…..yet even now she…..She wont move on….she’s just…..oh fate….what should I do….?
*Swallowing, the god hensitently moves back towards the wisteria once more, though at the edge of the branches, it was almost as if his own feet had taken up root, his nerves preventing him from moving further.*
Shadowy Figure: What…..what is it…..about your…..about this ‘true master’....that makes you….so adamant about this….?
*Turning away from the figure, she clings to the trunk of the tree.*
Lillyah: ...He… the man I loved since he was instructed to my care…. Be it instinct, be if fate, be it a soul bond, but something drew me to him. My feelings grew the moment we shared the ‘first kiss,’ and parting from him…
*Clinging tighter to the tree*
I watch as he becomes stronger, more talented, more beautiful and how I wish I could stand with him but... but watching in the shadows, while busy myself with the temple duties was more than enough…. That damned god just had to touch me even after!!!
Now I can never go back to master…. I’ve been tainted with that damned gods filth…. Master would never want me now….. W-what am I to do now!!! *crying hard.*
Shadowy Figure [Inner Thoughts]: Oh Lillyah…
*Unable to stand seeing the servant in such disarray, knowing how he was partly to blame for what had happened to her, the Shadowy Figure was finally able to move forwards once more, hesitant brushing aside the wisteria flowers and stepping into the dome of plant life, and, subsequently, from the shadows into the moonlight that streamed through the bows. The figure, colours washed out by the moon’s lustre, was Yozomarah, his usual uncaring mask wavering as he looked down upon the sobbing servant. A part of him just wanted to head to her side, bundle Lillyah into his arms and sooth her, tell her that he did not think her tainted, that he hadn’t wanted her in such turmoil, that he had been so harsh for the both of them, but at the same time, the part of him that he had been listening to for so long held him back. To rush to her and do as he so desired would only cause them both far more torment.
Even so….he couldn’t do nothing. Not after hearing that. And so, for the first time in a while, he ignored those thoughts to push away, instead moving closer, lightly kneeling at her side.*
Yozomarah: Lillyah...I have….never….and will never….think of you as ‘tainted’. I had hoped that you would find someone better….someone that wouldn’t be a danger to you. Yet you’re so determined about this. Why? Do you not care for your own life? Do you not treasure it as I do?
*Shaking his head, he brushed some of the hair clinging feverishly to her cooling skin of her neck, forehead resting against her back, a faint, yet familiar chuckle helplessly bubbling up his throat*
Yozomarah: *Fondly, despite the words* You ridiculous servant. I just can’t let another master take care of you properly, can I?
*Lillyah head whipped back promptly at the phantom touch*
Lillyah: M-Master?!!! What… why are you. *An obvious crimson painted her cheeks and ears*
Yozomarah: I wasn’t lying before when I said I overheard you. You….just didn’t see me when you rushed by. Perhaps it’s my fault for treating you as I had for so long, that you might believe I might ignore that. I’m sorry, Lillyah. Even if it was to protect us both, I never meant to hurt you this way.
*Carefully, giving her an out if she felt he was unwelcome, Yozomarah drew her into an embrace, pressing his face into her neck as he murmured soft apologies*
Yozomarah: I never wanted to ‘be rid of you’....and I never wanted you to feel that there was no other options than me. I suppose I hadn’t managed to protect you the way I had hoped at all. Out of the two of us, it is I who failed as a master, Lillyah, not you who failed as a servant. Forgive me, Lillyah.
*Lillyah, pushing him away, and standing to her feet cling to her dress as if she was about to run away.*
Lillyah: No… The fault belongs to the servant… always.... I know my place…. I promise that you would never see this face again and yet ...I…
Yozomarah: I never accepted that promise, I’ll have you know. I don’t want to never see you again.
*With odd gentleness, Yozomarah took Lillyah’s hand and brought it to to his face, pressing his lips to the other’s palm, eyes closed in almost reverence*
Yozomarah: I never truly said what I wanted. I always denied it because I thought it would protect us both, but you….why is it you don’t seem to have a single bone of self preservation in your body, you stupid fool.
*Unable to resist the urge longer, he pulled quickly on the still grasped hand, yanking Lillyah close once again, the motion causing them to lose balance and half collapse against the tree as he began to kiss her, on the cheeks, forehead, neck and finally, hovered over her lips.*
Yozomarah: I don’t have that much self control, you know. I’m a god, not a saint. If you really want me to be the one to give you that last kiss then kiss me, dammit!
Lillyah: M-master… are you s-sure? I… I?
Yozomarah: Did you change your mind? Do you not want to kiss me now? Make up your mind!
Lillyah: I-I do but… you’ll never-
Yozomarah: No ‘but’. Just kiss already!
Lillyah: But I! Ah… um… Ah!... *blush turned away looking down*
Yozomarah:....Looking adorable is not helping your case here. Do you want me to kiss you instead? *Flirty tone*
Lillyah: *Shocked, expecting eyes* …..Eep!
Yozomarah: If you do, please tell me *Grin*
Lillyah: *Pulls down vail to hide embarrassed blush* S-stop teasing me!~
Yozomarah:*Laughing softly before moving closer, lips almost brushing Lillyah’s*....You know, I hadn’t realised it before, but you are cute when you blush like this….You should do it more often.
Lillyah: Stop… Stop bullying me you big dummy!!! *teary eyes*
*Chuckling softly, but not about to cause her to cry again, Yozomarah moved forwards just that little more and finally pressed his lips against hers. Flinaly the last drops of tears twinkled down Lillyah’s cheeks, they were not filled with longing or swallow this time filled with a glimmer of hope, Yozomarah kissed away her tears as they both slid to the ground, before capturing her lips once again, less teasing this time, intent in marking her lips as his. The hand that wasn’t still clasped around hers and pressing into the grassy floor reached into her hair, fingers dragging through the locks to help arch her head just enough that he could trail his lips over her mouth, her jaw and latch onto her neck, looking for the spot to make her gasp and squirm beneath him. She had been so sure that she wanted to be his, so he would mark her as such, as she wished.
Barely audible thought their kiss.*
Lillyah: *Wanting eyes* Ma-Master are you going to…?
Yozomarah: Last chance If you want to back out, Lillyah. I don’t let go of what’s mine, you know that.
Lillyah: *Excited shudder* I…. I’m not going anywhere….. I want to be one with master…. If.. if that is what you want...that is...
Yozomarah: I’m tired of denying what I want. *Hungry eyes drag over her before he slowly licks her neck to entice a shiver from her wanton form* I want you, Lillyah. I want your everything.
Lillyah: Master…
Yozomarah: My name. Say it…
Lillyah: *Seductive Eyes* Yozomarah, my love, hurry…. Make me you wife.
Yozomarah: With a command like that, who am I to deny it?
*While Yozomarah proceeded to follow through with his words, back within Parame’s room, it was quickly obvious to the three watchers just where the events of the reunion of the Master and Servant would be leading to.*
Moniter:
Lillyah: *Seductive Eyes* Yozomarah, my love, hurry…. Make me you wife.
Yozomarah: With a command like that, who am I to deny it?
Parame: Finally….
Venus: *’Excited’ tone* I know right? Now this story can finally move on!
Parame: Easy, dear, your lust is showing.
Venus: *Chuckle* And what am I patron of again, mother? Besides, it's not like I can help it. There's so much of it blossoming from these two - even more that last time! I can't take it anymore!
Parame: Well, take it into that room over there, and for heaven's sake, go easy on the two!
*She gestures to a back while relinquishing the threads to Venus. There was a back door embellished with rouge and gold with detached figures, presumably leading to Venus’ chamber.*
Inari: They’re definitely going to be….uh….feeling that in the morning. Why against a tree?
Parame: They’re not on it anymore, look.
Monitor: *Enjoyment, panting and moaning*
Parame: *Chuckle* Besides, that particular tree was planted by a certain goddess years ago. Though she’s loooong forgotten about it, a small amount of her influence still reaches there. We were manipulating the fate lines, remember, and when miss thing got excited… well, so did they… that and it’s a quarter of a mile from there back to his room.
Inari: ...Maybe we shouldn’t watch any more. It doesn’t seem right. And watching Lady Venus drooling over it is creepy enough.
Venus: And who are you calling creepy, like when your in your element you don’t get excited-?
Inari: I don’t get hot and heavy over rice, Lady Venus! I think that feeling is just you.
Venus: -Be it delight in one way or another we all get ‘excited’ when our influences react out subjects! So pot kettle, little boy *dark knowing eyes*
Inari: I’m not a ‘boy’.
Venus: *Ignoring their interjection* Besides, it’s not like I can’t see your lust too. You’re barely holding it back as is… I wonder, what it would be like when your back ‘home’? A healthy young man
*Inari glares at the masculine pronoun. Venus carries on uncaring*
Venus: After all.. Must be hard on you?
*She touched the young god, lightly sending a sharp wave of excitement though them, though Inari jumps away from her, bristling as they shove the artificial feelings away with angry frustration at Venus’ meddling, ready to snarl-*
Parame: Stop. Now.
Venus: OK, Ok I should be on my way, after all first love’s first times are rare and most enjoyable! Geeeeee I can't take it anymore! Call me if you need me! By that, not until noon tomorrow at least!!!!
Parame: Tomorrow and noon?!!!...Poor Lillyah…. Let us all say a prayer for that poor unfortunate soul.
Inari: *Snappishly* If you want her around make sure it’s when I’m not!
Parame: And there's that temper. I thought I told you that she is one of your best allies, and to make friends with her. After all she IS in control of your love life. I merely set up the situations dear… besides is she entirely wrong.
*Waves her hand and an image of Rozyus appears*
Parame: You know your fate line is ringing right now searching for him but that little buds not in this time, you know that right?
*Sigh* And like I said before back when you were a child: most gods are ignorant, most gods are selfish and intolerant. But then there are those… those who generally care for their subjects, and care about you. You may not agree with the way they conduct their business, but there are times where you will need to bite your tongue and allow them to do what it is they do, not just this ‘Fuck it’ attitude. Now, saying that, I don't expect you to me a yes man. But! You need to learn to trust them when they say or do certain things. Like Miss Lust - she is an example of that. And, as rough around the edges as she is, she will mellow around the next cycle… give or take a century.
Inari: I know all that! I do, it’s just….*Hugging themself* I just…..don’t like feeling that someone can so easily influence how I’m feeling….that’s all. I want to know that my feelings for Rozyus are mine, not just for a game...Maybe Venus is more serious about her job than she shows but….it just feels like she makes light of it. And dammit, I miss Rozyus….But everything I’m being shown just…..throws it back at me. I’m trying to ignore that, you. I’m trying to focus on what I need to learn, but then it’s almost as if I’m being laughed at. Because….I’m seeing this and it just makes me think of how it started to fall apart for me, because people shoot those feelings down or I get told I shouldn’t.
*They put their head in their hands, focusing a little more on their breathing and desperately trying to avoid gazing longingly at the image of their love that Parame created*
Inari: Is that all it is? A game? I honestly hope that its not. I just don’t know what to do anymore and it hurts, Mother. I just want to go home….But I….even if I do, if I don’t learn what I’m supposed to here, I’ll still be trapped by circumstances…
*They shake their head, trying to subtly wipe tears from their eyes, though they doubted Parame could have missed it*
Inari: I’m sorry…..that’s childish of me. I’m sorry….I’ll…..be better controlled tomorrow.
Parame: …. I don't think you're quite get what it is Venus and I do… not entirely anyway. Yes, we may control certain elements, but you have free will, no?
Inari: Yes but-
Parame: But nothing…. As the embodiment of fate, it is my task to set up certain pieces or environments so that one can reach a certain point, be it from journey A to B or meeting person A or B. How you chose to get there will depend on you, in addition to the out come.
Young Venus over there, she only ‘amplifies’ what's already there, whether innocent friend or familiar bond or heat and desire, that of a lover.
*Gesturing towards The Monitor*
Would you like to test it out? To see if your so called ‘manipulated’ love holds any water?
Inari: I….No, no, I understand. It’s like Venus said: One’s first time should be a good experience. I wouldn’t want to mess with anything, even if things aren’t a true manipulation. Besides, it would be quite cruel to make me watch more when I don’t have my better half here too.
Parame: *Dark Chuckle* That's not what I mean.
*The Older goddess snapped her finger the monitor changed from, images of the previous couple to that of a new pair, a certain young wolf and a princess.*
Parame: Your home sick so for a little while im going to send you home… for the time being. But, now here my condition, you’ll know when either myself or parame will be influencing you both, or the scenery around you. By either this cute little heart or the little bow aren't they cute? *cute smile* Now-
Inari: I…..wait…..you….this….?
*Unable to put words to the thousands of thoughts running through their head, they could only make vague gestures at themself, at Parame, at the monitor, before finally covering their face in flustered embarrassment as they realised just how little sense they were making.*
Inari: You guys are going to rack up a voting poll over this, aren’t you?
Parame: Hm? You’re only catching on to this now??? Oy vey… and here I thought you were the smarter of my babes
Inari: *Blushing*...I meant another one.
Parame: *Chuckle* Well, off with you now, little one. You have an interesting… year ahead of you. Oh, and before I forget, I’ve inserted a year before you both broke up. It's around the time that you came back after his…disaster of a confession. I’ve also manipulated everyone's memories of you so your current appearance isn't too jarring.
Inari: Mother….I….thank you.
Parame: You’re welcome, dear. Oh and he hasn't seen your new form, so that will be interesting to see….Good luck, lover boy. I’ll be there when you return home.
*With that and a click of Parame’s fingers, the strange sensation of the world being dragged away around them while they remained perfectly still wrapped around them like a blanket as the room seemed to flow away like water. Moments later, the time they had been in was gone and Inari found themself in a very familiar room - the back room that they had been in on their many switches in time periods - without any kind of illusion changing their form. Heart thumping in their chest, they knew Parame had been as good as her word - they were back. Though it might be only for a year, their Rozyus was here in this time. They were, for now, home. There was a frantinc sound of running down the hall with what was presumably Parame’s chamber doors slamming open.*
Parame: Such an untrained brat you are! You were not summoned, so why are you disturbing my work at this hour, young man?
Rozyus: Mother! Where *Pant Pant* Where are they!!! *Pant Pant* ‘Nari… Big brother Nari, where are they?
Parame: *Stern* Oh, so that is the reason you decided to disturb the peace?
Rozyus: ….Sorry...mama….
Parame: In the back, to the right, past the Game Table. Open the door and go straight up. That's where you’ll find your ‘boy’friend, looking cute and flustered. Good luck.
Rozyus: Huh?
Parame: Just go.
Rozyus: *Cute smile* OK!!!
[END]
Shadowy Figure: ...I...was near and...heard you. Forgive my asking but….why are you crying…?
Lillyah: *Sniffing* It is of no concern of yours… why should I discuss personal matters to a stranger please leave me be...
Shadowy Figure: ...True enough….
Shadowy Figure [Inner Thoughts]: I should just leave it at that. Unless I want to let her know who I am and open us both to situations that we….or at least that I have been trying to get us to avoid, I should just leave this alone. But...she’s hurting. Maybe even more than when I hurt her. Funny how its seeing her tears now that is causing me to question leaving her alone. How weak am I?
Shadowy Figure: ...Sometimes, however….having the ear of a stranger is just easier to speak to than someone you know. It’s less likely to cause an emotional tie. If you’d prefer to be alone, however, let me know and I’ll leave you be. Though it would be…..far colder of me….to leave you to suffer in solitude if my listening could ease your sorrows.
Lillyah: *Silence*…..
*The girl seemed mute for a moment, the seconds feeling like hours as the silence lingered. Sighing, the Shadowy Figure turned and began to walk away.*
Shadowy Figure: I’ll take your silence that you wish for my presence to be gone. Very well. Forgive my interruption, miss.
Lillyah: .....I was…. I was almost tainted by my current Master….
*The Figure froze, no longer moving away and, for a moment, was silent, a thousand thoughts on just what Lillyah meant by ‘tainted’ running through his head. Finally, however, he turned back to Lillyah once again, deciding clarification was better than assuming the absolute worst.*
Shadowy Figure: ...Tainted?
Lillyah: …..I'm assuming you have servant, no?
Shadowy Figure: Yes, but what-?
Lillyah: Then you know of the three kisses…. A kiss to bind a servant to you, on the temple to claim loyalty; The second, a kiss to acknowledge a lover, if that lover is a servant, usually your high priestess, a kiss on the eye to calm the body; and, finally, the claim…. The last as your bride…. The lips the heart and soul…..
Shadowy Figure:......
Lillyah: …..It was my wish to give it all to the master that I-!....
Shadowy Figure: Yet….you say it’s your master that makes you think the kiss would ‘taint’ you. Are you the servant of two masters?-
Lillyah: *Insulted* How dare you! I only have one true master, and…and even if he doesn't need me anymore… even if he doesn't want me, I will only give my everything to him…. Even if I now have the mark of the unwanted, I’ll bare it until he releases me…. And then… when that day comes, I….
*The girl began to cry once more, clutching onto her disheveled robes.*
Lillyah: Even if I am now used, no… long goods…. Even if my true Master no longer desires me. My body and soul belongs to my master...and no…no one else. If the day does come where he truly discards me, then I’ll take my life before I become someone else's property.
*For a moment, the Shadowy Figure was once more silent, though this time mostly from being stunned mute by her words.*
Shadowy Figure [Inner Thoughts]: How…? Why….? After everything that was said to her, after everything I did….why would she remain so loyally steadfast in her feelings towards me? Why…..I…..I’m sure she must know the stories…..she has to know the reasons why…..and yet…..yet even now she…..She wont move on….she’s just…..oh fate….what should I do….?
*Swallowing, the god hensitently moves back towards the wisteria once more, though at the edge of the branches, it was almost as if his own feet had taken up root, his nerves preventing him from moving further.*
Shadowy Figure: What…..what is it…..about your…..about this ‘true master’....that makes you….so adamant about this….?
*Turning away from the figure, she clings to the trunk of the tree.*
Lillyah: ...He… the man I loved since he was instructed to my care…. Be it instinct, be if fate, be it a soul bond, but something drew me to him. My feelings grew the moment we shared the ‘first kiss,’ and parting from him…
*Clinging tighter to the tree*
I watch as he becomes stronger, more talented, more beautiful and how I wish I could stand with him but... but watching in the shadows, while busy myself with the temple duties was more than enough…. That damned god just had to touch me even after!!!
Now I can never go back to master…. I’ve been tainted with that damned gods filth…. Master would never want me now….. W-what am I to do now!!! *crying hard.*
Shadowy Figure [Inner Thoughts]: Oh Lillyah…
*Unable to stand seeing the servant in such disarray, knowing how he was partly to blame for what had happened to her, the Shadowy Figure was finally able to move forwards once more, hesitant brushing aside the wisteria flowers and stepping into the dome of plant life, and, subsequently, from the shadows into the moonlight that streamed through the bows. The figure, colours washed out by the moon’s lustre, was Yozomarah, his usual uncaring mask wavering as he looked down upon the sobbing servant. A part of him just wanted to head to her side, bundle Lillyah into his arms and sooth her, tell her that he did not think her tainted, that he hadn’t wanted her in such turmoil, that he had been so harsh for the both of them, but at the same time, the part of him that he had been listening to for so long held him back. To rush to her and do as he so desired would only cause them both far more torment.
Even so….he couldn’t do nothing. Not after hearing that. And so, for the first time in a while, he ignored those thoughts to push away, instead moving closer, lightly kneeling at her side.*
Yozomarah: Lillyah...I have….never….and will never….think of you as ‘tainted’. I had hoped that you would find someone better….someone that wouldn’t be a danger to you. Yet you’re so determined about this. Why? Do you not care for your own life? Do you not treasure it as I do?
*Shaking his head, he brushed some of the hair clinging feverishly to her cooling skin of her neck, forehead resting against her back, a faint, yet familiar chuckle helplessly bubbling up his throat*
Yozomarah: *Fondly, despite the words* You ridiculous servant. I just can’t let another master take care of you properly, can I?
*Lillyah head whipped back promptly at the phantom touch*
Lillyah: M-Master?!!! What… why are you. *An obvious crimson painted her cheeks and ears*
Yozomarah: I wasn’t lying before when I said I overheard you. You….just didn’t see me when you rushed by. Perhaps it’s my fault for treating you as I had for so long, that you might believe I might ignore that. I’m sorry, Lillyah. Even if it was to protect us both, I never meant to hurt you this way.
*Carefully, giving her an out if she felt he was unwelcome, Yozomarah drew her into an embrace, pressing his face into her neck as he murmured soft apologies*
Yozomarah: I never wanted to ‘be rid of you’....and I never wanted you to feel that there was no other options than me. I suppose I hadn’t managed to protect you the way I had hoped at all. Out of the two of us, it is I who failed as a master, Lillyah, not you who failed as a servant. Forgive me, Lillyah.
*Lillyah, pushing him away, and standing to her feet cling to her dress as if she was about to run away.*
Lillyah: No… The fault belongs to the servant… always.... I know my place…. I promise that you would never see this face again and yet ...I…
Yozomarah: I never accepted that promise, I’ll have you know. I don’t want to never see you again.
*With odd gentleness, Yozomarah took Lillyah’s hand and brought it to to his face, pressing his lips to the other’s palm, eyes closed in almost reverence*
Yozomarah: I never truly said what I wanted. I always denied it because I thought it would protect us both, but you….why is it you don’t seem to have a single bone of self preservation in your body, you stupid fool.
*Unable to resist the urge longer, he pulled quickly on the still grasped hand, yanking Lillyah close once again, the motion causing them to lose balance and half collapse against the tree as he began to kiss her, on the cheeks, forehead, neck and finally, hovered over her lips.*
Yozomarah: I don’t have that much self control, you know. I’m a god, not a saint. If you really want me to be the one to give you that last kiss then kiss me, dammit!
Lillyah: M-master… are you s-sure? I… I?
Yozomarah: Did you change your mind? Do you not want to kiss me now? Make up your mind!
Lillyah: I-I do but… you’ll never-
Yozomarah: No ‘but’. Just kiss already!
Lillyah: But I! Ah… um… Ah!... *blush turned away looking down*
Yozomarah:....Looking adorable is not helping your case here. Do you want me to kiss you instead? *Flirty tone*
Lillyah: *Shocked, expecting eyes* …..Eep!
Yozomarah: If you do, please tell me *Grin*
Lillyah: *Pulls down vail to hide embarrassed blush* S-stop teasing me!~
Yozomarah:*Laughing softly before moving closer, lips almost brushing Lillyah’s*....You know, I hadn’t realised it before, but you are cute when you blush like this….You should do it more often.
Lillyah: Stop… Stop bullying me you big dummy!!! *teary eyes*
*Chuckling softly, but not about to cause her to cry again, Yozomarah moved forwards just that little more and finally pressed his lips against hers. Flinaly the last drops of tears twinkled down Lillyah’s cheeks, they were not filled with longing or swallow this time filled with a glimmer of hope, Yozomarah kissed away her tears as they both slid to the ground, before capturing her lips once again, less teasing this time, intent in marking her lips as his. The hand that wasn’t still clasped around hers and pressing into the grassy floor reached into her hair, fingers dragging through the locks to help arch her head just enough that he could trail his lips over her mouth, her jaw and latch onto her neck, looking for the spot to make her gasp and squirm beneath him. She had been so sure that she wanted to be his, so he would mark her as such, as she wished.
Barely audible thought their kiss.*
Lillyah: *Wanting eyes* Ma-Master are you going to…?
Yozomarah: Last chance If you want to back out, Lillyah. I don’t let go of what’s mine, you know that.
Lillyah: *Excited shudder* I…. I’m not going anywhere….. I want to be one with master…. If.. if that is what you want...that is...
Yozomarah: I’m tired of denying what I want. *Hungry eyes drag over her before he slowly licks her neck to entice a shiver from her wanton form* I want you, Lillyah. I want your everything.
Lillyah: Master…
Yozomarah: My name. Say it…
Lillyah: *Seductive Eyes* Yozomarah, my love, hurry…. Make me you wife.
Yozomarah: With a command like that, who am I to deny it?
*While Yozomarah proceeded to follow through with his words, back within Parame’s room, it was quickly obvious to the three watchers just where the events of the reunion of the Master and Servant would be leading to.*
Moniter:
Lillyah: *Seductive Eyes* Yozomarah, my love, hurry…. Make me you wife.
Yozomarah: With a command like that, who am I to deny it?
Parame: Finally….
Venus: *’Excited’ tone* I know right? Now this story can finally move on!
Parame: Easy, dear, your lust is showing.
Venus: *Chuckle* And what am I patron of again, mother? Besides, it's not like I can help it. There's so much of it blossoming from these two - even more that last time! I can't take it anymore!
Parame: Well, take it into that room over there, and for heaven's sake, go easy on the two!
*She gestures to a back while relinquishing the threads to Venus. There was a back door embellished with rouge and gold with detached figures, presumably leading to Venus’ chamber.*
Inari: They’re definitely going to be….uh….feeling that in the morning. Why against a tree?
Parame: They’re not on it anymore, look.
Monitor: *Enjoyment, panting and moaning*
Parame: *Chuckle* Besides, that particular tree was planted by a certain goddess years ago. Though she’s loooong forgotten about it, a small amount of her influence still reaches there. We were manipulating the fate lines, remember, and when miss thing got excited… well, so did they… that and it’s a quarter of a mile from there back to his room.
Inari: ...Maybe we shouldn’t watch any more. It doesn’t seem right. And watching Lady Venus drooling over it is creepy enough.
Venus: And who are you calling creepy, like when your in your element you don’t get excited-?
Inari: I don’t get hot and heavy over rice, Lady Venus! I think that feeling is just you.
Venus: -Be it delight in one way or another we all get ‘excited’ when our influences react out subjects! So pot kettle, little boy *dark knowing eyes*
Inari: I’m not a ‘boy’.
Venus: *Ignoring their interjection* Besides, it’s not like I can’t see your lust too. You’re barely holding it back as is… I wonder, what it would be like when your back ‘home’? A healthy young man
*Inari glares at the masculine pronoun. Venus carries on uncaring*
Venus: After all.. Must be hard on you?
*She touched the young god, lightly sending a sharp wave of excitement though them, though Inari jumps away from her, bristling as they shove the artificial feelings away with angry frustration at Venus’ meddling, ready to snarl-*
Parame: Stop. Now.
Venus: OK, Ok I should be on my way, after all first love’s first times are rare and most enjoyable! Geeeeee I can't take it anymore! Call me if you need me! By that, not until noon tomorrow at least!!!!
Parame: Tomorrow and noon?!!!...Poor Lillyah…. Let us all say a prayer for that poor unfortunate soul.
Inari: *Snappishly* If you want her around make sure it’s when I’m not!
Parame: And there's that temper. I thought I told you that she is one of your best allies, and to make friends with her. After all she IS in control of your love life. I merely set up the situations dear… besides is she entirely wrong.
*Waves her hand and an image of Rozyus appears*
Parame: You know your fate line is ringing right now searching for him but that little buds not in this time, you know that right?
*Sigh* And like I said before back when you were a child: most gods are ignorant, most gods are selfish and intolerant. But then there are those… those who generally care for their subjects, and care about you. You may not agree with the way they conduct their business, but there are times where you will need to bite your tongue and allow them to do what it is they do, not just this ‘Fuck it’ attitude. Now, saying that, I don't expect you to me a yes man. But! You need to learn to trust them when they say or do certain things. Like Miss Lust - she is an example of that. And, as rough around the edges as she is, she will mellow around the next cycle… give or take a century.
Inari: I know all that! I do, it’s just….*Hugging themself* I just…..don’t like feeling that someone can so easily influence how I’m feeling….that’s all. I want to know that my feelings for Rozyus are mine, not just for a game...Maybe Venus is more serious about her job than she shows but….it just feels like she makes light of it. And dammit, I miss Rozyus….But everything I’m being shown just…..throws it back at me. I’m trying to ignore that, you. I’m trying to focus on what I need to learn, but then it’s almost as if I’m being laughed at. Because….I’m seeing this and it just makes me think of how it started to fall apart for me, because people shoot those feelings down or I get told I shouldn’t.
*They put their head in their hands, focusing a little more on their breathing and desperately trying to avoid gazing longingly at the image of their love that Parame created*
Inari: Is that all it is? A game? I honestly hope that its not. I just don’t know what to do anymore and it hurts, Mother. I just want to go home….But I….even if I do, if I don’t learn what I’m supposed to here, I’ll still be trapped by circumstances…
*They shake their head, trying to subtly wipe tears from their eyes, though they doubted Parame could have missed it*
Inari: I’m sorry…..that’s childish of me. I’m sorry….I’ll…..be better controlled tomorrow.
Parame: …. I don't think you're quite get what it is Venus and I do… not entirely anyway. Yes, we may control certain elements, but you have free will, no?
Inari: Yes but-
Parame: But nothing…. As the embodiment of fate, it is my task to set up certain pieces or environments so that one can reach a certain point, be it from journey A to B or meeting person A or B. How you chose to get there will depend on you, in addition to the out come.
Young Venus over there, she only ‘amplifies’ what's already there, whether innocent friend or familiar bond or heat and desire, that of a lover.
*Gesturing towards The Monitor*
Would you like to test it out? To see if your so called ‘manipulated’ love holds any water?
Inari: I….No, no, I understand. It’s like Venus said: One’s first time should be a good experience. I wouldn’t want to mess with anything, even if things aren’t a true manipulation. Besides, it would be quite cruel to make me watch more when I don’t have my better half here too.
Parame: *Dark Chuckle* That's not what I mean.
*The Older goddess snapped her finger the monitor changed from, images of the previous couple to that of a new pair, a certain young wolf and a princess.*
Parame: Your home sick so for a little while im going to send you home… for the time being. But, now here my condition, you’ll know when either myself or parame will be influencing you both, or the scenery around you. By either this cute little heart or the little bow aren't they cute? *cute smile* Now-
Inari: I…..wait…..you….this….?
*Unable to put words to the thousands of thoughts running through their head, they could only make vague gestures at themself, at Parame, at the monitor, before finally covering their face in flustered embarrassment as they realised just how little sense they were making.*
Inari: You guys are going to rack up a voting poll over this, aren’t you?
Parame: Hm? You’re only catching on to this now??? Oy vey… and here I thought you were the smarter of my babes
Inari: *Blushing*...I meant another one.
Parame: *Chuckle* Well, off with you now, little one. You have an interesting… year ahead of you. Oh, and before I forget, I’ve inserted a year before you both broke up. It's around the time that you came back after his…disaster of a confession. I’ve also manipulated everyone's memories of you so your current appearance isn't too jarring.
Inari: Mother….I….thank you.
Parame: You’re welcome, dear. Oh and he hasn't seen your new form, so that will be interesting to see….Good luck, lover boy. I’ll be there when you return home.
*With that and a click of Parame’s fingers, the strange sensation of the world being dragged away around them while they remained perfectly still wrapped around them like a blanket as the room seemed to flow away like water. Moments later, the time they had been in was gone and Inari found themself in a very familiar room - the back room that they had been in on their many switches in time periods - without any kind of illusion changing their form. Heart thumping in their chest, they knew Parame had been as good as her word - they were back. Though it might be only for a year, their Rozyus was here in this time. They were, for now, home. There was a frantinc sound of running down the hall with what was presumably Parame’s chamber doors slamming open.*
Parame: Such an untrained brat you are! You were not summoned, so why are you disturbing my work at this hour, young man?
Rozyus: Mother! Where *Pant Pant* Where are they!!! *Pant Pant* ‘Nari… Big brother Nari, where are they?
Parame: *Stern* Oh, so that is the reason you decided to disturb the peace?
Rozyus: ….Sorry...mama….
Parame: In the back, to the right, past the Game Table. Open the door and go straight up. That's where you’ll find your ‘boy’friend, looking cute and flustered. Good luck.
Rozyus: Huh?
Parame: Just go.
Rozyus: *Cute smile* OK!!!
[END]
Wednesday, 3 January 2018
Leave It In 2017 Pt 2
Nadia: Sup, beautiful people! So this is are other half of ‘Leave It In 2017’. If you missed our last post, here’s the link:
Tara: This one’ll make lots more sense if you read the previous one. Don’t worry! We’ll wait for you if you need a refresher.
*Now back to your regularly scheduled program!*
So Called Ranters…
Nadia: Fuck me!!!!
Granted, I'm painting with a broad brush, but! The amount of children that use window movie maker, bandicam ect, have no script and NO fucking idea what they're talking about with no direction or editing, and ramble on and on about their derivative view on character creation and/or story, want to put their ‘two cents’ in on topics they barely know about, nor have a coherent argument about the subjects they’re discussing, either.
Also, I touched of how the word ‘EDGY’ is losing its meaning due to its overuse, also add in these babies to: Ironic, eye bleed, cancer, stupid… the list goes on!
Get a thesaurus, flip through the fucking pages and expand your vocabulary!
Also, I want to throw in the fact that ‘X’ is my favorite ‘X’, they’re my friend - doesn't make them automatically is right. If people find offence to what Tom, Dick or Harry has said or done, people do have a right to complain in there own way. Take for example the Gaijin Goombah’s response to Logan Paul's Vlogs in Japan… I not going to get into it here, but the amount of ‘sheep’ that were defending his actions in disrespecting the dead and his Bull Shit excuses script looking ass of an apologize that doesn't cover shit.
*Takes a breath* I'm sorry… but that type of behaviour, regardless of who you are, infer or otherwise, is not on. Disrespecting people's culture, customs and the dead - it's not on. And to put out a half assed response isn't going to cut it. There is one thing that I agree with Gaijin on…. I hope that little shit bag is banned from the country. If this sort of thing happened in the west and was done by foreign person of colour, they would be a fucking up raw. There is no excuse for it and there is no excuse for not visiting a country without reading up on the culture and customs, especially ‘privet’ countries like Asia.
But that's all I have to say… NEXT!
Tara: I almost don’t want to add anything more to it, since Nadia’s….uh….pretty much covered it, but then again, she has been looking at youtube ‘Rants’ a lot more than me. But, hoping not to add any fuel to fires, rants are unlikely to be left in last year. After all, this list, in a way, is a rant. But what is essentially the point here is that, if you’re going to rant to a wide audience, it is always best to do it in a way that is both thought out and is respectful enough to people and their cultures while allowing for one’s opinions to be out there. The ‘rants’ which tend to be unscripted and overuse words seem more like they’re made in the heat of the moment and could accidentally (Or maybe purposefully - there is a chance people want to hurt feelings after all) insult others, which can then start off rant wars that could have been completely avoided.
Essentially, Rant to your heart’s content, just remember to be courteous in how you do it and know that there will always be a difference in opinion. Though if you’re going to do it, just remember to make an informed, researched argument. If nothing else it’ll save a lot of heartache on everyone’s ends.
Nadia: Yay! Story time PT 2!
So, last November I took part in a games design program. I met an amazing group of people and learned a lot from each and every one of them. But there’s one person that I met that...well, let's just say this fool looked like the IRL version of the comic book guy from the Simpsons - was the very definition of the negative side of the ‘WEEB’ community, had a musty odor odd jizz, was overly open about porn and his love of sexualising young anime characters. If you ever heard of ‘Bokino Piku,’ and ‘SisterxSister’, this is the shit that he would openly show. It was that bad that most of us tried not to be alone with this guy. And me, being the only girl in the course, I was more than uncomfortable with the situation… For some reason, this guy liked to show me the more ‘hard core’ shit, even though I told him to STOP multiple times. And he only stopped when I was spoke to the tutors about it.
Though I could go on for hours about this creep, I’m going to try and keep focus here. There was one...no, scratch that, two things I will talk about. So, originally, we used to take the same bus route as him and we would have wait an hour for the bus to get there. So, as to be cordial, we would occasionally make small talk. Then, out of the blue, this fool turns around and goes:
MothersBasment: You know, I don’t get why your people like to argue and fight with police. Also, you know the workplace wage gap is BS when it comes to race and gender, you know that, right?
And I’m like this backwater village, still living at home with his mama looking mother fucker did not just say, ‘Your people’, and ignorantly talk about a subject that’s damn near gonna get him smacked about in this public place, looking at me like I’m going to face down and accept this. Right, and how stupid can you be with that shit…? Are you MAD?
I responded with:
N: I think you need to educate yourself. Though Police Brutality is not AS prominent in the UK compared to the US, it is STILL a thing. People of colour, regardless of who you are or where you come from - i.e the hood or the posher areas - you’re still profiled. Even if it’s in minor ways, whether it’s followed around in stores, stopped for having too nice a car or casual throw of the ‘N’ - and yes, I’ve heard an officer track down a young brother and do that… they can even kill us and get away with that.
Open a book or do a quick google search and you’ll see it.
MothersBasment: Eh, but the media lie.
N: Its called independent sources, historical and current texts, citing your sources and using your brain. Hard as it is to believe you were born with one, use it.
Now, in regards to workplace wage in regards to gender and race-
MothersBasment: Oh, I don’t want to talk about politics.
N: Ummm, weren’t you the one who brought it up? But ok.. Oh look, our bus is here.
Nadia: *Sigh* I can’t deal with people like this. You try to tell them your side of things or counter them and their response is always ‘OMG I DON’T CARE!!!,’ ‘I don’t think we should talk about it right now’, ‘Oh, well, it ‘doesn’t’ affect you now’, ‘Oh, well, ok, can we just change topics?’
Bitch! The fact that people think this way means we should teach it more. There is a lot of things colonialism brought that was destructive and is still affecting people of colour today. The fact that people think the opposite just shows how blind at times people are and, quickly, people want to return to their save space and not hear the truth, just because they don’t feel like it effects them or isn’t related to them. When you speak up about it, it’s like all they hear is ‘Oh, the white man is evil’ and, no, that’s not what we’re saying. But what we are saying is the fact that we had to ask ‘the white man’ to be human and have basic human rights is an issue.
It feels like for every step we take, we go back ten steps, because people have this sheltered entitled mindset. We as the human race NEED to do better or we all suffer, and at the end of the day, we all need to put aside that entitled sheltered mindset and ask us ‘for whom the bell tolls.’
Tara: Unlike Nadia, I haven’t got an example of having seen this myself, at least about this subject, but there has been times where other subjects have come up that sound extremely ignorant. It might be when it’s brought up that’s the issue - for example, when you’re in a pub, there is a reason why people usually say politics and religion are not something you should bring up. Not only can it easily descend into arguments at the best of times, add alcohol to that and….well, generally it doesn’t turn out well. For me, I do believe that people do need to look at certain subjects like the one that Nadia mentioned in her story, but it should be done in a time and place that debating will not end up in arguments fueled by ingrained belief and alcohol. I’d certainly love it if ignorance could be better educated, if only so I could avoid hearing extremely uneducated, half drunken arguments in bars while working, but generally, it’s always best to pick when you’re going to bring something like that up. If you’re not wanting to hear an answer you might not agree with, then don’t bring it up with people who feel very strongly about the subject matter. Otherwise, make sure you’re ready to listen when you talk about it. It’s something that needs to be heard after all. Hey, if you ask me, it can only help us all as a species if we can find equality and understanding with each other. But that’s just my thoughts on the matter.
Nadia: *Chuckle* OK, let’s lighten the mood up a little. First things first, back in high school, I was. I was so bad they called me, and I quote, ‘Princess Petty’. I wasn’t the worst one out there, but I certainly was up there… Waaaay~ up there. But that’s a story for another day. I am trying to snap out of it and my new year’s resolution is to be less so. But that is proving to be really hard…. And it’s only the start of the year.
I won’t lie, pettiness was and is the disease that’s plaguing social media right now, and because we show our ugly side on social media, the way we do it only helps in feeding the fire. There isn’t much I can say going into this. I don’t particularly have a solution to this. It’s an ongoing, ever evolving monster we need to stop somehow. All I can say is that we need to cut it out before it gets worse, and escalates into something we can’t control.
Get a thesaurus, flip through the fucking pages and expand your vocabulary!
Also, I want to throw in the fact that ‘X’ is my favorite ‘X’, they’re my friend - doesn't make them automatically is right. If people find offence to what Tom, Dick or Harry has said or done, people do have a right to complain in there own way. Take for example the Gaijin Goombah’s response to Logan Paul's Vlogs in Japan… I not going to get into it here, but the amount of ‘sheep’ that were defending his actions in disrespecting the dead and his Bull Shit excuses script looking ass of an apologize that doesn't cover shit.
*Takes a breath* I'm sorry… but that type of behaviour, regardless of who you are, infer or otherwise, is not on. Disrespecting people's culture, customs and the dead - it's not on. And to put out a half assed response isn't going to cut it. There is one thing that I agree with Gaijin on…. I hope that little shit bag is banned from the country. If this sort of thing happened in the west and was done by foreign person of colour, they would be a fucking up raw. There is no excuse for it and there is no excuse for not visiting a country without reading up on the culture and customs, especially ‘privet’ countries like Asia.
But that's all I have to say… NEXT!
Tara: I almost don’t want to add anything more to it, since Nadia’s….uh….pretty much covered it, but then again, she has been looking at youtube ‘Rants’ a lot more than me. But, hoping not to add any fuel to fires, rants are unlikely to be left in last year. After all, this list, in a way, is a rant. But what is essentially the point here is that, if you’re going to rant to a wide audience, it is always best to do it in a way that is both thought out and is respectful enough to people and their cultures while allowing for one’s opinions to be out there. The ‘rants’ which tend to be unscripted and overuse words seem more like they’re made in the heat of the moment and could accidentally (Or maybe purposefully - there is a chance people want to hurt feelings after all) insult others, which can then start off rant wars that could have been completely avoided.
Essentially, Rant to your heart’s content, just remember to be courteous in how you do it and know that there will always be a difference in opinion. Though if you’re going to do it, just remember to make an informed, researched argument. If nothing else it’ll save a lot of heartache on everyone’s ends.
Ignorance - When Is It The Right Time To Discuss It?
So, last November I took part in a games design program. I met an amazing group of people and learned a lot from each and every one of them. But there’s one person that I met that...well, let's just say this fool looked like the IRL version of the comic book guy from the Simpsons - was the very definition of the negative side of the ‘WEEB’ community, had a musty odor odd jizz, was overly open about porn and his love of sexualising young anime characters. If you ever heard of ‘Bokino Piku,’ and ‘SisterxSister’, this is the shit that he would openly show. It was that bad that most of us tried not to be alone with this guy. And me, being the only girl in the course, I was more than uncomfortable with the situation… For some reason, this guy liked to show me the more ‘hard core’ shit, even though I told him to STOP multiple times. And he only stopped when I was spoke to the tutors about it.
Though I could go on for hours about this creep, I’m going to try and keep focus here. There was one...no, scratch that, two things I will talk about. So, originally, we used to take the same bus route as him and we would have wait an hour for the bus to get there. So, as to be cordial, we would occasionally make small talk. Then, out of the blue, this fool turns around and goes:
MothersBasment: You know, I don’t get why your people like to argue and fight with police. Also, you know the workplace wage gap is BS when it comes to race and gender, you know that, right?
And I’m like this backwater village, still living at home with his mama looking mother fucker did not just say, ‘Your people’, and ignorantly talk about a subject that’s damn near gonna get him smacked about in this public place, looking at me like I’m going to face down and accept this. Right, and how stupid can you be with that shit…? Are you MAD?
I responded with:
N: I think you need to educate yourself. Though Police Brutality is not AS prominent in the UK compared to the US, it is STILL a thing. People of colour, regardless of who you are or where you come from - i.e the hood or the posher areas - you’re still profiled. Even if it’s in minor ways, whether it’s followed around in stores, stopped for having too nice a car or casual throw of the ‘N’ - and yes, I’ve heard an officer track down a young brother and do that… they can even kill us and get away with that.
Open a book or do a quick google search and you’ll see it.
MothersBasment: Eh, but the media lie.
N: Its called independent sources, historical and current texts, citing your sources and using your brain. Hard as it is to believe you were born with one, use it.
Now, in regards to workplace wage in regards to gender and race-
MothersBasment: Oh, I don’t want to talk about politics.
N: Ummm, weren’t you the one who brought it up? But ok.. Oh look, our bus is here.
Nadia: *Sigh* I can’t deal with people like this. You try to tell them your side of things or counter them and their response is always ‘OMG I DON’T CARE!!!,’ ‘I don’t think we should talk about it right now’, ‘Oh, well, it ‘doesn’t’ affect you now’, ‘Oh, well, ok, can we just change topics?’
Bitch! The fact that people think this way means we should teach it more. There is a lot of things colonialism brought that was destructive and is still affecting people of colour today. The fact that people think the opposite just shows how blind at times people are and, quickly, people want to return to their save space and not hear the truth, just because they don’t feel like it effects them or isn’t related to them. When you speak up about it, it’s like all they hear is ‘Oh, the white man is evil’ and, no, that’s not what we’re saying. But what we are saying is the fact that we had to ask ‘the white man’ to be human and have basic human rights is an issue.
It feels like for every step we take, we go back ten steps, because people have this sheltered entitled mindset. We as the human race NEED to do better or we all suffer, and at the end of the day, we all need to put aside that entitled sheltered mindset and ask us ‘for whom the bell tolls.’
Tara: Unlike Nadia, I haven’t got an example of having seen this myself, at least about this subject, but there has been times where other subjects have come up that sound extremely ignorant. It might be when it’s brought up that’s the issue - for example, when you’re in a pub, there is a reason why people usually say politics and religion are not something you should bring up. Not only can it easily descend into arguments at the best of times, add alcohol to that and….well, generally it doesn’t turn out well. For me, I do believe that people do need to look at certain subjects like the one that Nadia mentioned in her story, but it should be done in a time and place that debating will not end up in arguments fueled by ingrained belief and alcohol. I’d certainly love it if ignorance could be better educated, if only so I could avoid hearing extremely uneducated, half drunken arguments in bars while working, but generally, it’s always best to pick when you’re going to bring something like that up. If you’re not wanting to hear an answer you might not agree with, then don’t bring it up with people who feel very strongly about the subject matter. Otherwise, make sure you’re ready to listen when you talk about it. It’s something that needs to be heard after all. Hey, if you ask me, it can only help us all as a species if we can find equality and understanding with each other. But that’s just my thoughts on the matter.
The Thing About Being Petty
Nadia: *Chuckle* OK, let’s lighten the mood up a little. First things first, back in high school, I was. I was so bad they called me, and I quote, ‘Princess Petty’. I wasn’t the worst one out there, but I certainly was up there… Waaaay~ up there. But that’s a story for another day. I am trying to snap out of it and my new year’s resolution is to be less so. But that is proving to be really hard…. And it’s only the start of the year.
I won’t lie, pettiness was and is the disease that’s plaguing social media right now, and because we show our ugly side on social media, the way we do it only helps in feeding the fire. There isn’t much I can say going into this. I don’t particularly have a solution to this. It’s an ongoing, ever evolving monster we need to stop somehow. All I can say is that we need to cut it out before it gets worse, and escalates into something we can’t control.
Tara: The main thing I can see where Pettiness is involved is to look at some older teachings that people seem to forget at times - mainly being courteous to others. Perhaps what is needed is to try and look at things from other points of view or at least taking a few minutes to think before spouting everything onto social media. Maybe just thinking on how it might reflect on you as a person, from others points of view as they read what was said. Oh, its not to say I can’t be petty - everyone has a side to them which is petty and that’s part of human nature - an ugly part, but its just that people are inherently selfish that way - but it’s just that sometimes just having a little care in how you word things online can make all the difference. Or at least not taking everything as a chance to ‘get back at someone’ might help as well. But hey, that’s something that is as on running and ever changing as the beast that is Pettiness, so probably best not to hold our breath for the true resolution to this. We might all pass out from lack of air first. While it might deal with the problem in one way, I’m pretty sure we’d rather avoid mass suffications. But the first way of dealing with a problem is by pointing out that its a problem in the first place, right?
Nadia: ‘Quoiting’ MothersBasment ‘White Knights’ and ‘Feminists’ shouldn't exist. And to a certain extent…. I agree….
*Cue the dramatic violins!*
Ok, Ok, Ok… listen before you throw stones and call me a heathen - hear me out and let me finish.
White Knights and Feminists shouldn't exist, because there message ‘should’ already be a thing. That means if something you could say or do could severely offend people, regardless if it won't affect your privileged ass, don’t do it!
Or, at the very least, don't do it in front of the people that could be offended by it. SIMPLE.
Whether you believe it or not there IS a Wage gap, though, slowly but surely, it's getting better. There IS negative connotations to certain words- whether they related to ethics groups, sexuality, physical/mental handicaps and gender; And there IS a conflict with the older and newer generations mentality.
It is a problem and, though we are progressing, close mindedness is slowing that down, maybe not to a grinding halt but we should be further along than we are.
Tara: In this case, it’s mainly when the message that it’s being told, however much it should be already out there, gets warped in a way and becomes too extreme. It’s similar to how there are ‘Helicopter Parents’ - where sure you want to make sure your kids grow up in a safe environment, but the extreme case pretty much prevents the kid from experiencing things that will help them grow. The ‘protection’ becomes extreme and gives them a bad name. What is needed is a middle ground that allows for a message to be heard without just diving to the opposite end of the spectrum and being intolerant on a different scale. That just gives the message a bad name and makes people less inclined to listen to what, at this point, should be the truth of the world.
Nadia: Now, I won't deny that I'm preachy, and, though I cuss, tell it like it is ‘coz ‘I’ma straight shooter pow, pow.’ I try to at least study up on topics I talk about. I try not to ramble while I educate and will listen to opposing arguments and take them into consideration. Saying that, I'm going to take my own advice here and ‘try not to waffle.’
Am I saying I'm a paragon of goodness and justice? No. Am I saying that all that I’ve written in these last two blogs should be stated as the absolute fact and should be used as the gospel? Oh hell no! But what I am saying is that we all need to treat each other better. We all need to look at the other person's point of view, stop using the victim card while being the abuser, think before we post and above all at the very least try and leave this mess in 2017.
Thank you.
Tara: All in all, I think, to avoid getting too preachy (Not that we maybe haven’t already. Whoopsy?) Let’s do our very best to me a bit more tolerant of each other and improve as a whole. It’s a new year, after all, so lets make it a damned good one!
….
Nadia: *Leans back in chair and sighs.* Well, that was a long one. I’m glad that's over.
Tara: Well, for now, anyway. I bet you we’ll have one for the end of this year eventually. But hey!
Nadia: *Sigh* Sad thing is that this probably won't do anything in the long run, but, hopefully, even if it reaches the few the we know, we've made a difference somehow?
Both: *Shrugs*
Tara: Eh, let’s be positive! It’s a new year, after all!
Nadia: Well anyway, we’ll be continuing with the Tell Me a Fable blogs next time. Just a warning ,we’re not going to be doing any Cons this year, but we will next. Primarily, we’ll be focusing on getting new content out i.e: Posters, keychains…. Second chapters of our comics, yada yada yada. I’ll also be starting up MY personal youtube channel - just give me some time to get it started. There, I’ll be talking about what we plan to do going forward and I’ll be teaching a little art two. But we’ll tell you more about that when the time comes. Fingers crossed for the start of February.
Tara: So, for now, thank you so much for sticking with us and we hope that you’ll stay with us for all the awesome new stuff we’ve got coming your way!
Both: Anyway, that’s all for now so…. ‘Til next time, Agents!!!
[END]
White Knights, Why Are They Still a Thing?
*Cue the dramatic violins!*
Ok, Ok, Ok… listen before you throw stones and call me a heathen - hear me out and let me finish.
White Knights and Feminists shouldn't exist, because there message ‘should’ already be a thing. That means if something you could say or do could severely offend people, regardless if it won't affect your privileged ass, don’t do it!
Or, at the very least, don't do it in front of the people that could be offended by it. SIMPLE.
Whether you believe it or not there IS a Wage gap, though, slowly but surely, it's getting better. There IS negative connotations to certain words- whether they related to ethics groups, sexuality, physical/mental handicaps and gender; And there IS a conflict with the older and newer generations mentality.
It is a problem and, though we are progressing, close mindedness is slowing that down, maybe not to a grinding halt but we should be further along than we are.
Tara: In this case, it’s mainly when the message that it’s being told, however much it should be already out there, gets warped in a way and becomes too extreme. It’s similar to how there are ‘Helicopter Parents’ - where sure you want to make sure your kids grow up in a safe environment, but the extreme case pretty much prevents the kid from experiencing things that will help them grow. The ‘protection’ becomes extreme and gives them a bad name. What is needed is a middle ground that allows for a message to be heard without just diving to the opposite end of the spectrum and being intolerant on a different scale. That just gives the message a bad name and makes people less inclined to listen to what, at this point, should be the truth of the world.
Preachy Mother Fuckers Like Me.
Am I saying I'm a paragon of goodness and justice? No. Am I saying that all that I’ve written in these last two blogs should be stated as the absolute fact and should be used as the gospel? Oh hell no! But what I am saying is that we all need to treat each other better. We all need to look at the other person's point of view, stop using the victim card while being the abuser, think before we post and above all at the very least try and leave this mess in 2017.
Thank you.
Tara: All in all, I think, to avoid getting too preachy (Not that we maybe haven’t already. Whoopsy?) Let’s do our very best to me a bit more tolerant of each other and improve as a whole. It’s a new year, after all, so lets make it a damned good one!
….
Afterthought
Tara: Well, for now, anyway. I bet you we’ll have one for the end of this year eventually. But hey!
Nadia: *Sigh* Sad thing is that this probably won't do anything in the long run, but, hopefully, even if it reaches the few the we know, we've made a difference somehow?
Both: *Shrugs*
Tara: Eh, let’s be positive! It’s a new year, after all!
Nadia: Well anyway, we’ll be continuing with the Tell Me a Fable blogs next time. Just a warning ,we’re not going to be doing any Cons this year, but we will next. Primarily, we’ll be focusing on getting new content out i.e: Posters, keychains…. Second chapters of our comics, yada yada yada. I’ll also be starting up MY personal youtube channel - just give me some time to get it started. There, I’ll be talking about what we plan to do going forward and I’ll be teaching a little art two. But we’ll tell you more about that when the time comes. Fingers crossed for the start of February.
Tara: So, for now, thank you so much for sticking with us and we hope that you’ll stay with us for all the awesome new stuff we’ve got coming your way!
Both: Anyway, that’s all for now so…. ‘Til next time, Agents!!!
[END]
Monday, 1 January 2018
Leave It In 2017 Pt 1
Nadia: Sup guys! First off, I want to say Happy New Years! And welcome to TanraStudios’ long awaited: Leave it in 2017 post! Now, if you don’t know, we do this one-off blog every new year. It gives me a chance to be cynical as hell and, hopefully, entertain you all,
Tara: Because our pain and suffering is funny! Or rather, me poking at Nadia’s pain and suffering is funny
Both: So, without further ado, let’s get into it! This is our top 10 list of things to leave in 2017.
A/N: This is a part 1! Part 2 will be coming out on Wednesday!
Youtube/DA Drama
Nadia: Ok, first off, I wanna say I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE drama… when I'm not in it. BUT, saying that, it’s kind of getting out of hand. The amount of so called rants/resources and drama channels that flooded my youtube homepage was ridiculous! Be it from makeup and beauty gurus bitching about each other on social media throwing certain brands/ influencers under the bus. *Cough Cough!*
Some of it well deserved, some not so much.
And the fact that its on a public platform, where you have speculative eyes of fans and drama whores out there just stirring the pot! OMG.
I can’t, I just can’t anymore...
People are becoming overly sensitive and yet, somehow, desensitized to all this, and it makes places like youtube and DA a fucking shit storm of sheltered cry babies and for ‘trolls’ and, what's worse, all the mess on places like DA, Twitter etc ends up on youtube. My god! It's a vicious cycle that seems never ending.
Also, when I say ‘Drama’, why don't people ever differentiate between the two? Because there is two types, but no one ever talks about it….
Good ‘Drama’... I’d say that's more people bringing awareness to a certain topics - more reporting than anything. The C.C (Commentary Community), when done right, falls under that category.
Bad Drama: You know the people I’m talking about: the shit talkers, the petty ones, the ones who instead bring facts to the table in a coherent argument tend to bully, straw man, and try to discredit their detractors. I'd say it was only young children doing this, but no! No, no,no,no,no! You get grown ass adults who are supposed to know better doing this shit, too! Instead of setting a good example, they just bring the rancid tea and that long ass spoon to stir the metaphorical pot! Sad, if you ask me.
Tara: I suppose in a way you could say it’s like the troll Youtube Comments just expanding into their own videos or something?
Constructive Criticism, rather than just saying ‘This Suuuuuuuuucks’ and leaving it at that, along with why they don’t like it. I suppose a way to help leave this one behind would be just to look at things in a different way. Less of a negative spin on things. If you care enough to complain at least care enough to help fix the problem, so to speak. I suppose that’s where the being ‘overly sensitive’ yet ‘Desensitized’ comes from. People pick topics that they’re sensitive about then just kind of….end apathetically rather than doing more than poke at it a bit.
But hey, I personally don’t think I’ve really got involved in these kinds of rants and watch them myself. Does that just make me extremely apathetic there, or is it just I’m not one to listen to ten levels of a ‘Why you suck’ speech?
Either way, this is one thing we’d certainly leave behind in 2017
Over Sensitivity Vs Real Issues
Nadia: Ok… I could possibly get lynched for this, but fuck it, someone needs to say it….
If you can't handle an opinion of someone else's, don’t ask, don’t tell and take it with a grain of salt. Ok, maybe that's the British ‘have a stiff upper lip’ talking, but seriously, if we all had a fraction of that mentality, there wouldn't be as many Tumblr-tards needing mothering and Safe Spaces as there currently are.
And no, having an entitled attitude, being young, and/or the excuse of physical/ mental illness is not an excuse to being an ass Tumblr. I’m sorry, but its not.
Should people be sensitive to topical issues like: Race and gender equality? YES. Should we be at the very LEAST tolerant of people's sexuality, religion and views even if we disagree with them? ABSO-FUCKING-LUTLY! That a no brainer.
But should we then use these things to then undermine or try to get a pass on certain issues? NO. Not in the least. Being a certain way or acting a certain way does not excuse toxic behaviour.
It's not something we should ignore. It's not something we should excuse or sweep under the rug. It's something we should firmly address and we should try to do better, look at the other people's point of view and, even if you don't agree with what they’re saying, treat it as a debate. Try to understand the other person's point of view and if you still don't like it then be ‘the better man’ and walk. It takes two to have an argument and only one person to do the right thing - to prove a point.
Tara: In a way its a case of practicing what is preached. By being tolerant of others as well as asking for tolerance ourselves. Believe me, people can be difficult to tolerate and sometimes people don’t understand one’s point of view. But the way I see it, at least, is if we’re just that little bit more patient with each other, we can learn to treat situations the way we hope, without making ourselves seem overly pushy. Demanding people understand doesn’t always work.
Hey, humans are stubborn bastards at times, but we can be better! We just have to work a little harder, that’s all. Maybe if we can learn that, then this would be a point that we could leave behind. Oh, it won’t be easy, but I think we can do it, people! I believe in you all!
Taking Criticism
Nadia: *Sigh* Out of all the points I’m addressing in the new year, this one hurts the most. Not for the fact that I personally can't, but for the fact that I know most people young/ old can’t. For this point, I'm going to turn back to DA/ Youtube, Ranters/ C.C.
First off, I'm going to say this: I’m a firm believer of ‘don't sugarcoat nothing, I rather you tell me my work is subpar and why than you beating around the fucking bush’. But that's just me. I know some people need to sandwich complement, but truthfully, I feel like when it comes to that, people ignore/ make excuses for particular issues raised.
Ok, here's an example. Early 2017, I commented on a picture of a girl’s cosplay. I won't lie, she looked amazing! The cozplay was on point! I think it was of a L.O.L character, Miss Fortune? I think. Like I said, it looked amazing, but there was one thing that bothered me to hell and back…
This chick’s eyebrows looked like she drew them in with one of those markers that teachers used to use back in the day. They were bold, loud and aggressive. Like dog damn!
So me, being me, I was like:
N: Hey love the cosplay! I see you wrote you made it yourself that's amazing you look just like her! I love it!
But I just wanted to say you went a little too heavy on your brow makeup you have such nice facial features that the heavy black against your fair completion is abit to distracting.
Might I suggest a medium brown instead, and have it a bit more subtle, as the rest of your cosplay and face makeup is flawless.
Again, love cosplay. Keep doing what you do girl, cant wait to see more!
*She replied with something along the lines of this.*
MissFortune350: It is a good cosplay isn't it? I don't see the issue with my brows and I’ve just looked on your page you dont cosplay so you have no right to say anything. If I dont use black to fill in my brows then you wouldn't be able to see them!!! You have no idea what you're on about, so kindly keep your opinions to yourself.
*It was at this point my inner monologue was like* ‘Wow, seriously? Sis, you’re, like, twenty plus years old, yet your acting like this? Ok. And I may not be a cosplayer, per say, but I do know a little about makeup and choosing the right tones for your damn skin tone. Sweety, you’re pailer than snow and your using Black on your eyebrows? It's a little distracting. They look like two dried up dead slugs on your face and yet I’m the one who doesn't know anything? Girl, bye! But, ok, if she doesn't want your opinion, you can't force it. Thats fine, thats fine. Be professional and say what you need to say and then leave it.’
N: Sorry if I seemed to offend you, MissFortune350, that's not my intent. But it is a distraction when you are as fairskined as you are. As I said, mid to darker browns would work on your skin type the best. If you don't believe me, look at beauty bloggers with similar skin types as yours. My intent was to help, not upset you. You can take my opinion with a grain of salt - as you said, I am not a cosplayer, but I do know a thing about makeup. I hope you have a good day and I hope to see where your cosplaying adventure take you.
MissFortune350: Ummm, ok.
Nadia: You want to know the funny thing about this….? The next piece and then on she uploaded to DA she actually took my advice. Funny, really.
The thing about criticism is, usually, its coming from a place of experience or a critical eye. I do believe that ALL criticism is good criticism so long as the person giving it explains why - it's what most DA ranters forget. With the majority literally not knowing what the hell they’re talking about and abusing the words ‘edgy’, ‘cringe’ and ‘cancer’ to the point where it has no meaning.
At the end of the day, criticism should be taken with a pinch of salt. But if more than one person is saying the same damn thing, then you might want to look into it.
Tara: Admittedly my experiences with this aren’t quite as obvious as this one that Nadia has had, and those experiences I have had haven’t just been based in this last year. Generally, though, it is as Nadia says that Criticism is a damned useful thing. It’s not about just saying ‘You’re doing it wrong’, but rather giving pointers of improvement. Of course, whether or not you take the offered advice is up to yourselves, and it’s up to you as to just how close to heart you take the pointers, but it is still your choice. If you don’t like it, you can completely ignore it, but if the advice was given respectively, then it’s always good to at least respond in kind, if you respond at all.
Now if the comment way ‘You’re Wrong!’ with no explanation, then I can certainly see why this might annoy people. At least with the constructive types, you can at least look at the advice and see if it would work with what you currently have, and generally can be fairly laid back about it in comparison to the criticism minus constructive comments.
But in either case, while it can be hard when you’ve put your heart and soul into something, in the end, if you don’t like a comment, you don’t have to pay attention to it. But know that if people are making constructive criticisms, it doesn’t mean they don’t like your stuff, they just want to help you make it even more awesome!
I Want X, But I Don’t Want to Pay/ Lower Your Prices- DA Edition
Ok, I’m going to vent here, because this has happened to me four fucking times last year. But I'm going to tell you about two of them here.
So, the first one was this individual that wanted a one of my adopts. It was one of my fox spirit, so I when I started my second account on DA I was selling my work for next to nothing - $10US/ £7.40. Considering my art wasn’t very good at the time and I was still learning, I didn't mind the price so much. But, as my artwork improved, I slowly started to bump up my prices alittle. First by $5, then $10US.
So, there's this piece that I had loooooong forgot existed - because no one was buying it and I was using it more as reference at the time. So, anyway, this person asked if it was still available. I said yes, but as I didn't have the original piece I would have to recreate it and treat it as a new character design.
They said fine, but could I make it as a new incarnation of one of their other OC’s. Which, of course, I agreed to. But when I told them the price - which was around $45US (which is next to nothing) - they had a hissy fit.
Saying: Oh, but how can you charge that much! Your original price was $15US, you can't just change it up now!!! Your charging extortionate rates! I’m going to make a journal about you, yada yada yada.
I did try to explain that it was an old piece, one which I had to treat as new character designs, and I only charged that much because of the detail that they wanted to add in and the time it would take me to do the work. But no~ were they havin it? Nope, nope, nope!
Long story short, they were very ungrateful, demanding that I do several revisions and they only paid me $19. I won't lie, it was one of the worst commissions I had to do. I wasn't happy with the piece and I just wanted the transaction to be over as soon as possible so they would leave me be.
The second was with a guy I knew was after free art, so we went through the usual ‘what would you like’, references, etc. But again, when it came to paying….
Numpty100%: Oh, I don't have any money right now. Yeah... but can you still do it for me?’
*My internal monologue :…. Brother, no, sit your ass down, take a long look at what you’re asking me to do and fuck off.*
But what I actually said was…
N: I’m going to have to respectfully decline. Art is a luxury, though, when you do have the funds, I’ll be here to assist you.
This fool then has the nerve - the ever loving audacity - to say:
Numpty100%: Oh, but can’t you do some of it? It's not like it’s gonna take long. Just do it, I’ll pay you when I can.
N:....
Nadia: *Dark Chuckle.* No, I don't think so. Girl ain't got time to be scammed into giving free artwork, so sir, no sir! Try getting your broke ass a job, or saving, or go to an artist who’s going to offer free artwork. Coz that free artwork giving mother fucker ain't this sister, you feel me?
Tara: The main thing here that some people don’t quite understand is that, for us, our art is also our jobs, and a source of income. As much as we like to draw and test ourselves by drawing other characters, in the end, it is still a job and we are putting a lot of time and effort into what we do. Telling us to lower our prices to a point that it’s barely anything is also saying that the time and effort put into what we do isn’t worth anything. Looking at it that way, maybe it is slightly more understandable why we’re not very impressed when people try to get us to do things on the cheap.
Eh, well, a bargain is a bargain I suppose and people will always be after one. Just remember though that we’re doing our best to earn a living through our art, so that’s why you won’t often get a freebee. And if any prices have gone up, what you need to look at is what you’re getting for your money, too. As Nadia said, her prices changed because her art quality got better. You can’t exactly expect the prices to stay the same when more time and effort is being put into it to get a better quality product. You get what you pay for, as the saying goes.
New Year New Me/ This Is My Year!!!
Nadia: *Laughs self into a conniption* Ah ahaa ahaahaaha ahahhaa! …..Ha… ha...Ha whoooo~
Listen, I don’t have much to say about this one, but…. Girl, listen to me, your ‘New Year New Me’ mes will be long out the window by mid January. And wasn't last year ‘your year’, babe? What happened?
Home girl: Well, what happened was….
Nadia: Spare me the excuse. You’re gonna be the same you as last year, just twelve months older. Granted, you might get slightly better/worse depending on the type of person you are, but sweetie, not by much. And, by this time next year, you’re gonna be saying the same damn thing all over again. Ahaahahaha ah ahahaaha~!
Tara:...Wow, I have deja vu here! I’m pretty sure this one was on our last installment of ‘Leave it in [Insert year here]’. But, honestly, if it didn’t work out last time you said it, it’s not going to this time, unless you’ve have a major case of a mentality change. Though I suppose if you really want to make a change in yourself, maybe start small. Make little resolutions for yourself and meet those. A bit more specific than ‘New Year New Me’. I mean, what does that even mean? At least by saying something like New Year New Eat Less Chocolate’ then you can figure out what you’re changing about yourself. I know for me, being directionless in the changes will just make me less motivated. Having smaller goals and working towards them? Who knows, you might find that ‘New You’ that little bit faster (and more successfully)
But hey, what do I know? I kinda left making New Years Resolutions like that in 2016 (Because I’m weak willed :P - Uh, I mean why change perfection!)
Final Thoughts (For Part 1)
Nadia: So~ yeah. Basically, what I'm try to say is there really is no excuse to be an ass. There’s no excuses to not be tolerant. There's no excuse to use X, Y and Z as an excuse. Listen to Aunty Nadia, I know what I'm talking about. If we all do a little bit at this, the world might be a better place.
Tara: Or at the very least it would have a few less rants from us! Which would result in a better place for us all because we’d at least be in a better mood. lol
Both: Well that’s all from us, we’ll be out with Pt2 soon, Happy New Year everybody!
[END]
Sunday, 24 December 2017
Season's Greetings!
Nadia: Hi everybody! So, first off, I want to say Happy Holidays. We’re coming up to the end of the year now and, as much as I want to say this year’s been great...but no. Just no. But I’m not going to be cynical… yet. I’ll save that for another blog *Cough, couch* Our next blog, to be exact-
Tara: Which will be on New Year’s Eve!
Nadia: *Shakes head* What I’m trying to say is: thank you all for supporting us throughout this year. We have a lot of exciting things happening for next year. And I promise, we’ll get back to all the stories and our madness once the new years start again. Hopefully we won't have any more technical issues as well. Saying all that we’ll give you all that juicy goodness in January.
Tara: We might end up covering some of that next time, maybe. Although possibly after we’ve done our resolutions. I mean, you don’t often get to have this kind of timing without even trying, and having the blog on the day/night is pretty awesome! But I’ll zip it about that too - Spoilers and all. For now though, I wanna add my own seasons greetings! So, Merry Christmas (Or whatever holiday you celebrate, I just hope its an awesome one for you!)
Both: So, from our little family to yours, Till next time against.
Nadia: See you soon and have a good one.
Tara: We’ll see you all soon!
[END]
Wednesday, 20 December 2017
Tell Me a Fable Pt 7
---Last Time---
Parame: *To the collective gods* My lovely children, I hope you don’t mind if I steal away Kyzuomah for a time. My little Venus will keep the rest of you company. Now, Kyzuomah, let’s be off. There’s something I need to discuss with you privately.
Inari: Lead the way, Mother.
*The goddess looks over the younger gods, before clicking her fingers. What appears to be her chamber door materialises in the middle of the room. The pair walked in unison through the doors. A faint creek and they shut behind them, vanishing the moment they thud closed*
---
*When reality settled around them once again, the doors had opened into a familiar room - it was impossible to mistake the threads of fate that strung across the ceiling or the weaves of fortune that hung like tapestries from the walls. Other than Inari and Parame, there was no one else in the room, the attendants obviously either busy elsewhere or had been dismissed for the day. Silently, Inari followed Parame deeper into the room, where the soothing sound of purifying water pouring into the crystalline pools created a soft melody in which Inari found themself hard pressed to feel tense in, despite the fact the ‘undercover work’ had been a great source of tension within the younger god.*
Parame: I must say, love, you’re looking more and more like a war goddess. I’m happy I put you in Yozi-Chi’s care. Your skills in tactics and combat have improved as well! Mama’s so happy…. Well, I expected nothing less from my chosen Hero.
Inari: Well, I know that Yozomarah would never expect anything other than the best from me. I’m certain if I hadn’t put in my all or tried to hold back he would have been rather harsh in his punishment. Not to mention you wouldn’t have made such a fuss of having me trained under Yozomarah, or under Chizohara when I was supposed to be only a minor harvest god if there wasn’t a reason for it. Beyond keeping an eye on them, of course. I just wish that you didn’t insist on bulking me up so much. It causes havoc on my transformations to have to tailor my appearance while keeping my increased skills once this is over with and I can regain my favoured forms.
Parame: Hummmm~? Was that a complaint I just heard? Oh my oh me, these old ears are unreliable aren't they? Can't hear as well as I used to. *Chuckle*
But trust me, little one, you’re going to need that extra muscle. Both for aesthetic and practical use, besides ‘discipline’, not only one's body, but also will is an extremely valuable trait. It’s just that….that boy may be a bit too disciplined…
*Shock* Ah, but right now, it's not about him, it's about you. First off, let's dispel that little disguise that I cast. I need to give you a physical while I'm at it. Go disrobe. I’ll prepare the water while you do so.
*Rolling their eyes at Parame’s methods of shooting down their whining, but resolved to think about what situation Parame seemed to be considering they would need to look so bulky in, Inari did as they were told, disrobing without any particular care for their own modesty - after all, this was Mother and Inari had never been particularly body shy - and draping the garments over a divider that stood close by. Heedless of their now bear form, they made their way towards the pools, knowing that Parame would adjust the illusions on themself as she saw fit, whether or not they did anything else. Though one thing concerned them*
Inari: Is it wise that the form you gave me is dropped for now? I assume you have a reason that you believe it’d be safe for me, otherwise you wouldn’t be risking it. Or is it just that I need more purifying than I thought and the illusion would get in the way of ‘healing’?
Inari [Inner thoughts]: I hadn’t thought that I’d been bad enough to need cleansing my soul, but...Have I been holding onto things I shouldn’t have?
Parame: Did you forget that you are not of this time? Any stress or changes on or to your body will have ‘some,’ effect on your body when you arrive home, I would like to minimise damage when/ were we can. And on the off chance you are injured or major changes that will occur I need to document them, changing… I mean ultering people memories to fit the loos in time or changes in personality.
*Inari shoots her a quick look, but suppresses the surge of emotion that came from that revelation. Taking a deep breath, they closed their eyes and calmly reminded themself that, despite the fact she was Mother and the god whom they were acting as Hero for, it didn’t change the fact that she was one of the oldest primeval gods there were. In a way, she was time, she lead the world to its ultimate fate. It shouldn’t be a surprise she could, would and likely had done things like this many times before, even if part of them couldn’t help but flinch at the thought of being merely a pawn in the grand game of fate. It wasn’t anything personal. Besides, she must care for them on some level, otherwise she wouldn’t have even allowed them to know that much. She didn’t do or say anything without some form of meaning, even if she sometimes appeared whimsical or flighty*
Inari: I’ll obviously do my best not to get myself harmed or killed. Emotionally hurt, though….I can’t promise that. I suppose you’re right though. After all, I’ve….I’ve seen what that can do to gods of my rank.
*They would never forget Chizohara’s demise*
Inari: Then I give myself over to your care, Mother.
*Parame, having finished preparing the cleansing pool looked back at the younger god, eyes filled with something that resembled empathy. Slowly making her way towards the younger god. Checking their body for the physical changes, from there original form to there current predigested form.*
Parame: look into the pool I’ll put an image of the body you first appeared here with to your body now. See a difference?
*Almost despite themself, Inari looked into the pool to see what changes there had to have been. They were taller now. It was funny to think that they had a growth spurt, although they had lived in the different times for a few centuries at this point. It was almost a surprise to think they had been as short as they once had been. This wasn’t to say the rest of the form hadn’t filled out, however. While before there had been a certain fae like quality to them, they now had the lithe, yet sinewy form of an athlete, slim and elegant, yet made of whipcord muscle without an ounce of the puppy fat they once had, but hadn’t realised. Their face was slimmer, their cheekbones a little more pronounced, somehow taking on more aristocratic features. Without looking, they somehow moved from awkward child to an adult and hadn’t even realised it. Thankfully, they hadn’t lost the androgynous appearance they favoured, so they might not need to shape shift at all to retain what they once had, which they were quite grateful for. But what was, surprisingly, more obvious than even that was their eyes. Like all gods, the heavenly power that resided within could never be hidden in one’s eyes. They were the windows to the soul after all. That iridescent glow that shone there seemed so much brighter than before. It was almost fascinating. No wonder Parame needed to maintain the illusion to make them seem lesser than they were, otherwise it would be obvious to anyone, even half blind or with barely a working braincell that Inari was no more a minor god than Parame herself was.
Still, even that fascination didn’t hide the fact that, as they leaned closer, their hair shifted and fell into their field of vision. Startled - they certainly hadn’t expected the random blindness - they ran their fingers through it, pushing their hair back, startled when it took that much longer to each the ends. In fact, if they weren’t careful, their hair would soon rival that of some princesses back in the country that worshiped them. Not to mention that, while still quite fine, it was surprisingly thick and seemed to shimmer under the lights.*
Inari:....I’m going to end up tripping over my own hair…..when did I become Rapunzel?
Parame: Pft. about a century or so back to be perfectly honest. Saying that if we style it right the length should not be to bad *Snapping her fingers.*
*With the snapping of her fingers, Inari’s hair tied itself into a long braided ponytail, looped back into itself as to dangle just above the younger gods rear.*
Parame: I’ll style it in a moment. But first… one would assume you like your new form, from the self oggeling. Puberty was more than kind, no?
Inari: Well….*They twist to look at themselves a little more, before offering a smirk* I think I’ll get used to it.
*They hesitate a moment, biting their lip*
Inari: ….Though…..will….Rozyus….get used to it….?
*They wince and fall silent. They’re still unsure how to particularly deal with the situation the two of them were in right now, even if they didn’t want to end up in Chizohara’s situation...they still didn’t want to end up in Yozomarah’s either. Inari doubted they could be that stone faced as someone else courted someone they loved with all their heart. But a tiny bit of them that didn’t care about any of that just didn’t want Rozyus to be put off by the physical changes. It made them feel a little like a child again getting nervous and wanting to impress all over again*
Parame: PFT!!!! Ahahahah Ahahhhah haha haahah ahahahahaha!
*The goddess burst out in hysterics as it was easy to tell what the younger god was thinking. The young god seemed to turn a pretty shade of crimson at her incessant laughter.*
Older Parame: Cute, aren’t they?
Young Parame: That was absolutely adorable!!! ‘Will….Rozyus….get used to it….?’ Oh, I can’t! Hahaha! I can’t, my sides hurt! Ahahahahah!
*It was in that moment that, beyond being mortified, they realised that there was not only the Parame of the current time there, but a second Parame, the one for their own time. For a moment, they could only stare in horror.*
Inari: Oh no they’re multiplying!
*Older Parame hurls a throw cushion in the direction of the younger deity as a form of retaliation.*
Older Parame: *Chuckle* Such a cheeky Child! And don't worry, in all honesty his first reaction is, ‘Who is this beautiful stranger?’ The next is ‘God Damn!’ and finally … ‘Big brother ‘Nari…. Upgrade, Rozy like~! No...no wait you can't go for him, remember!!!’
Inari: *Flushing* Y-you don’t have to tease me about this, Mother, it was a legitimate - wait, wait, wait, not important right now. How….why are you here when you’re….here? I mean, That is to say, how is it that there are two of you here. And why?
Older Parame: Don’t worry, I’m not staying. I just came here to drop off some clothes, you’ve gotten bigger after all. *Looks south* Oh look how much you’ve grown! *Teasing tone.*
Young Parame: I know right? If I was a few eons younger….
Inari: *Flinching and shifting so they would stop staring* I believe the saying goes ‘My eyes are up here’.
Younger Parame: Hey, just enjoying the eye candy. Nothing wrong with that?
Older Parame: I know right? You should see the army of fan girls/boys that’ll swarm when this version of them pops up.
Young Parame: Should I give him bug spray when he goes back?
Older Parame: Pft! Tried that - it didn't work.
Inari: They’re far, far more persistent than any bug. Should the world ever end, all that would survive would be cockroaches and fan girls/boys.
Young/Old Parame: *Chuckle* Well, it’s your blessing and curse, my dear. One of the reasons you were brought here is to learn how to deal with those… ducklings that seem to follow you. And a few of those ducklings will become allies if pushed in the right direction. Not just by having a ‘Fuck it!’ attitude.
Inari: Of all the reasons for going into the past, believe me, ‘dealing with fans’ was not one of them. Followers, perhaps, but not ‘fans’. Though I suppose I can understand. Having the right connections and support from people will certainly not harm me, but at the same time….*Shudders in memory of more ‘enthusiastic’ fans*
Older Parame: *Knowing eyes* Whether you like it or not, you are popular amongst the gods. Taming your rabid fangirls is your responsibility.
Younger Parame: Yozomarah, rather than Chiz-Chi, would be a better example of that.
Older Parame: There may be not other….. Well Baldr maybe a close second, so I should say there are rare and beloved gods that are born and raised in this world of ours none more so than you. Saying that, the gods are protective of you for a reason...
Younger Parame: Being on good terms and having a path of trust, reliability and reputation is your grated tools. You need them by your side more than anyone, more than anything, even before ‘Love’. Achieve that and becoming exceptional at your job(s) to the point where there would be no room for doubt or complaint would be the best move going forward. But that must come first. Achieve that level of standard, then… well, there wouldn't have any room nor legitimate reason to worry. So, in essence, ‘it’s better if we part,’ was the best way moving forward. But only as a temporary fix. ‘We need to gain back the trust of our kin’ was the only half the battle. The rest will come from you both, but I’ll aid you more when you get back to your original timeline.
*Inari couldn’t help but look away from them both at that point, arms loosely wrapped around themself, troubled. They understood, of course, what the two versions of Parame were saying, that they needed to earn the trust and respect of everyone so they would realise that they would not fall victim to the same troubles as these events, but at the same time, parting for such a long time could also end up with the situation that Yozomarah was in as well. It wrenched at their heart to need to part themself from the light of their life, but….*
Inari: *Whispers* It’s…..not forever. Not forever…
*They could only hope they weren’t just trying to convince themself*
Older Parame: With that, that’s my cue to leave. I’ll see you soon, my sweet child.
*With a snap of her fingers, the older Parame seem to merge with the younger self.*
Younger parame: for now baith the waters in the bathe will help you relax and clear your mind. For this next Act. you’ll need a cleat leveled head also i’ve left a new garment for you by the pools side, when your don baithing call me ill help you dress.
*Inari nodded, distractedly, murmuring a soft thanks before they descended into the water, allowing the purity to flow through them as they sank within it. There was a certain method to the cleansing that was not all physical washing, but meditative, almost praying, if a god could pray to oneself to tap into their own holy power. Hoping the cleanse would likewise bring peace of mind, Inari fully submerged themselves and began.
It was some time later when Inari finally emerged from the trace like state of cleansing, feeling the odd unburdened lightness within themselves, an ever present calmness that wrapped them in a type of tranquility that Inari hadn’t even realised they had lost through everything they had seen and done in their time travels. They hadn’t even realised how much they had missed the comfort of the purity, the feeling of being absolutely sure in one’s own incarnation.
With the warm serenity blocking out the cold dark dread that had once clenched them in a death grip, Inari emerged from the waters and dried themselves, dressing in the clothing that Parame’s older self had left behind. They were simple robes, no particular patterns to them, not even dyed, just white cloth that nonetheless felt gentle against their skin. Dressed and somewhat presentable, they ran their fingers over their long hair, drawing the braid to drape over their shoulder to avoid getting caught. They certainly didn’t want to become dirtied again after only just rediscovering their inner peace.
That done, Inari made their way to where they knew Parame was waiting, although what they saw as they approached was not what they expected. Out of the corner of their eye, Inari had noticed an older looking Lilyah drift past them, bowing quickly in both themself and Parame’s direction, looking distraught and rushing off out the room. Maybe something unexpected had popped up in their preparation work?*
Parame: This should get interesting from now on, no?
Inari: ...What are you hiding from me? I’m not sure I want to know your definition of ‘interesting’ when she looked so upset. What must I prepare to see?
*Tying what seems to be two different fate lines together, the older goddess looped the threads in between her fingers and begin pulling at them, creating shapes before letting them ‘reset’ again. A few moments later, Venus materialises back in the room as well, also aiding in playing with the fate lines. It seemed like the two goddesses were playing a game resembling cat's cradle. Both were so entranced in there game that they barely noted the younger god’s question*
Parame & Venus: Hiding? Nothing really. We’re just trying to give her a little push. Another God has been trying to seduce her and, well… let’s just say he forced a kiss. Our little flower ran of crying and in the direction of an apparently cold hearted god.
Venus: But, if we play it right, things should, finally… FINALLY, start moving. If you want to see what we’re doing, go back to the reflecting pool and watch. It’ll better illustrate what we’re doing here.
Parame: The idea is to not stop the pattern work until Yozi-chi and Lilly-chi get their hearts back to where they were a few centuries ago.
Inari: I see….though wouldn’t that take a substantial amount of time? If it’s done too quickly, even they’d know someone was forcing a change, no matter how much they want it. It’d need to seem natural, wouldn’t it?
Venus: Yep! It is time consuming. It might take a few days, but the results are worth it. And not really. Just look at them - it’s clear to anyone what they feel. Both of their emotions are ready to burst, both filed with agape and eros. It’s the perfect time.
Parame: My thoughts exactly. Once we get there, the story will finally be able to move on to where it needs to be. They’ve been stationary far too long, it's about time they got together.
Venus: Agreed.
*While the girls worked on the fate lines, Inari, frowning thoughtfully, made their way back towards the reflecting pool. As they peered into the crystalline depths, the water seemed to ripple and sparkle, changing hues before finally settling on a tree where Yozomarah was resting, gazing up at the stars.*
Yozomarah: *Sigh* Damn this foolish heart of mine, these...these childish desires…. Am I not grown…? Am I not capable to deny these foolish emotions…?
[END]
*When reality settled around them once again, the doors had opened into a familiar room - it was impossible to mistake the threads of fate that strung across the ceiling or the weaves of fortune that hung like tapestries from the walls. Other than Inari and Parame, there was no one else in the room, the attendants obviously either busy elsewhere or had been dismissed for the day. Silently, Inari followed Parame deeper into the room, where the soothing sound of purifying water pouring into the crystalline pools created a soft melody in which Inari found themself hard pressed to feel tense in, despite the fact the ‘undercover work’ had been a great source of tension within the younger god.*
Parame: I must say, love, you’re looking more and more like a war goddess. I’m happy I put you in Yozi-Chi’s care. Your skills in tactics and combat have improved as well! Mama’s so happy…. Well, I expected nothing less from my chosen Hero.
Inari: Well, I know that Yozomarah would never expect anything other than the best from me. I’m certain if I hadn’t put in my all or tried to hold back he would have been rather harsh in his punishment. Not to mention you wouldn’t have made such a fuss of having me trained under Yozomarah, or under Chizohara when I was supposed to be only a minor harvest god if there wasn’t a reason for it. Beyond keeping an eye on them, of course. I just wish that you didn’t insist on bulking me up so much. It causes havoc on my transformations to have to tailor my appearance while keeping my increased skills once this is over with and I can regain my favoured forms.
Parame: Hummmm~? Was that a complaint I just heard? Oh my oh me, these old ears are unreliable aren't they? Can't hear as well as I used to. *Chuckle*
But trust me, little one, you’re going to need that extra muscle. Both for aesthetic and practical use, besides ‘discipline’, not only one's body, but also will is an extremely valuable trait. It’s just that….that boy may be a bit too disciplined…
*Shock* Ah, but right now, it's not about him, it's about you. First off, let's dispel that little disguise that I cast. I need to give you a physical while I'm at it. Go disrobe. I’ll prepare the water while you do so.
*Rolling their eyes at Parame’s methods of shooting down their whining, but resolved to think about what situation Parame seemed to be considering they would need to look so bulky in, Inari did as they were told, disrobing without any particular care for their own modesty - after all, this was Mother and Inari had never been particularly body shy - and draping the garments over a divider that stood close by. Heedless of their now bear form, they made their way towards the pools, knowing that Parame would adjust the illusions on themself as she saw fit, whether or not they did anything else. Though one thing concerned them*
Inari: Is it wise that the form you gave me is dropped for now? I assume you have a reason that you believe it’d be safe for me, otherwise you wouldn’t be risking it. Or is it just that I need more purifying than I thought and the illusion would get in the way of ‘healing’?
Inari [Inner thoughts]: I hadn’t thought that I’d been bad enough to need cleansing my soul, but...Have I been holding onto things I shouldn’t have?
Parame: Did you forget that you are not of this time? Any stress or changes on or to your body will have ‘some,’ effect on your body when you arrive home, I would like to minimise damage when/ were we can. And on the off chance you are injured or major changes that will occur I need to document them, changing… I mean ultering people memories to fit the loos in time or changes in personality.
*Inari shoots her a quick look, but suppresses the surge of emotion that came from that revelation. Taking a deep breath, they closed their eyes and calmly reminded themself that, despite the fact she was Mother and the god whom they were acting as Hero for, it didn’t change the fact that she was one of the oldest primeval gods there were. In a way, she was time, she lead the world to its ultimate fate. It shouldn’t be a surprise she could, would and likely had done things like this many times before, even if part of them couldn’t help but flinch at the thought of being merely a pawn in the grand game of fate. It wasn’t anything personal. Besides, she must care for them on some level, otherwise she wouldn’t have even allowed them to know that much. She didn’t do or say anything without some form of meaning, even if she sometimes appeared whimsical or flighty*
Inari: I’ll obviously do my best not to get myself harmed or killed. Emotionally hurt, though….I can’t promise that. I suppose you’re right though. After all, I’ve….I’ve seen what that can do to gods of my rank.
*They would never forget Chizohara’s demise*
Inari: Then I give myself over to your care, Mother.
*Parame, having finished preparing the cleansing pool looked back at the younger god, eyes filled with something that resembled empathy. Slowly making her way towards the younger god. Checking their body for the physical changes, from there original form to there current predigested form.*
Parame: look into the pool I’ll put an image of the body you first appeared here with to your body now. See a difference?
*Almost despite themself, Inari looked into the pool to see what changes there had to have been. They were taller now. It was funny to think that they had a growth spurt, although they had lived in the different times for a few centuries at this point. It was almost a surprise to think they had been as short as they once had been. This wasn’t to say the rest of the form hadn’t filled out, however. While before there had been a certain fae like quality to them, they now had the lithe, yet sinewy form of an athlete, slim and elegant, yet made of whipcord muscle without an ounce of the puppy fat they once had, but hadn’t realised. Their face was slimmer, their cheekbones a little more pronounced, somehow taking on more aristocratic features. Without looking, they somehow moved from awkward child to an adult and hadn’t even realised it. Thankfully, they hadn’t lost the androgynous appearance they favoured, so they might not need to shape shift at all to retain what they once had, which they were quite grateful for. But what was, surprisingly, more obvious than even that was their eyes. Like all gods, the heavenly power that resided within could never be hidden in one’s eyes. They were the windows to the soul after all. That iridescent glow that shone there seemed so much brighter than before. It was almost fascinating. No wonder Parame needed to maintain the illusion to make them seem lesser than they were, otherwise it would be obvious to anyone, even half blind or with barely a working braincell that Inari was no more a minor god than Parame herself was.
Still, even that fascination didn’t hide the fact that, as they leaned closer, their hair shifted and fell into their field of vision. Startled - they certainly hadn’t expected the random blindness - they ran their fingers through it, pushing their hair back, startled when it took that much longer to each the ends. In fact, if they weren’t careful, their hair would soon rival that of some princesses back in the country that worshiped them. Not to mention that, while still quite fine, it was surprisingly thick and seemed to shimmer under the lights.*
Inari:....I’m going to end up tripping over my own hair…..when did I become Rapunzel?
Parame: Pft. about a century or so back to be perfectly honest. Saying that if we style it right the length should not be to bad *Snapping her fingers.*
*With the snapping of her fingers, Inari’s hair tied itself into a long braided ponytail, looped back into itself as to dangle just above the younger gods rear.*
Parame: I’ll style it in a moment. But first… one would assume you like your new form, from the self oggeling. Puberty was more than kind, no?
Inari: Well….*They twist to look at themselves a little more, before offering a smirk* I think I’ll get used to it.
*They hesitate a moment, biting their lip*
Inari: ….Though…..will….Rozyus….get used to it….?
*They wince and fall silent. They’re still unsure how to particularly deal with the situation the two of them were in right now, even if they didn’t want to end up in Chizohara’s situation...they still didn’t want to end up in Yozomarah’s either. Inari doubted they could be that stone faced as someone else courted someone they loved with all their heart. But a tiny bit of them that didn’t care about any of that just didn’t want Rozyus to be put off by the physical changes. It made them feel a little like a child again getting nervous and wanting to impress all over again*
Parame: PFT!!!! Ahahahah Ahahhhah haha haahah ahahahahaha!
*The goddess burst out in hysterics as it was easy to tell what the younger god was thinking. The young god seemed to turn a pretty shade of crimson at her incessant laughter.*
Older Parame: Cute, aren’t they?
Young Parame: That was absolutely adorable!!! ‘Will….Rozyus….get used to it….?’ Oh, I can’t! Hahaha! I can’t, my sides hurt! Ahahahahah!
*It was in that moment that, beyond being mortified, they realised that there was not only the Parame of the current time there, but a second Parame, the one for their own time. For a moment, they could only stare in horror.*
Inari: Oh no they’re multiplying!
*Older Parame hurls a throw cushion in the direction of the younger deity as a form of retaliation.*
Older Parame: *Chuckle* Such a cheeky Child! And don't worry, in all honesty his first reaction is, ‘Who is this beautiful stranger?’ The next is ‘God Damn!’ and finally … ‘Big brother ‘Nari…. Upgrade, Rozy like~! No...no wait you can't go for him, remember!!!’
Inari: *Flushing* Y-you don’t have to tease me about this, Mother, it was a legitimate - wait, wait, wait, not important right now. How….why are you here when you’re….here? I mean, That is to say, how is it that there are two of you here. And why?
Older Parame: Don’t worry, I’m not staying. I just came here to drop off some clothes, you’ve gotten bigger after all. *Looks south* Oh look how much you’ve grown! *Teasing tone.*
Young Parame: I know right? If I was a few eons younger….
Inari: *Flinching and shifting so they would stop staring* I believe the saying goes ‘My eyes are up here’.
Younger Parame: Hey, just enjoying the eye candy. Nothing wrong with that?
Older Parame: I know right? You should see the army of fan girls/boys that’ll swarm when this version of them pops up.
Young Parame: Should I give him bug spray when he goes back?
Older Parame: Pft! Tried that - it didn't work.
Inari: They’re far, far more persistent than any bug. Should the world ever end, all that would survive would be cockroaches and fan girls/boys.
Young/Old Parame: *Chuckle* Well, it’s your blessing and curse, my dear. One of the reasons you were brought here is to learn how to deal with those… ducklings that seem to follow you. And a few of those ducklings will become allies if pushed in the right direction. Not just by having a ‘Fuck it!’ attitude.
Inari: Of all the reasons for going into the past, believe me, ‘dealing with fans’ was not one of them. Followers, perhaps, but not ‘fans’. Though I suppose I can understand. Having the right connections and support from people will certainly not harm me, but at the same time….*Shudders in memory of more ‘enthusiastic’ fans*
Older Parame: *Knowing eyes* Whether you like it or not, you are popular amongst the gods. Taming your rabid fangirls is your responsibility.
Younger Parame: Yozomarah, rather than Chiz-Chi, would be a better example of that.
Older Parame: There may be not other….. Well Baldr maybe a close second, so I should say there are rare and beloved gods that are born and raised in this world of ours none more so than you. Saying that, the gods are protective of you for a reason...
Younger Parame: Being on good terms and having a path of trust, reliability and reputation is your grated tools. You need them by your side more than anyone, more than anything, even before ‘Love’. Achieve that and becoming exceptional at your job(s) to the point where there would be no room for doubt or complaint would be the best move going forward. But that must come first. Achieve that level of standard, then… well, there wouldn't have any room nor legitimate reason to worry. So, in essence, ‘it’s better if we part,’ was the best way moving forward. But only as a temporary fix. ‘We need to gain back the trust of our kin’ was the only half the battle. The rest will come from you both, but I’ll aid you more when you get back to your original timeline.
*Inari couldn’t help but look away from them both at that point, arms loosely wrapped around themself, troubled. They understood, of course, what the two versions of Parame were saying, that they needed to earn the trust and respect of everyone so they would realise that they would not fall victim to the same troubles as these events, but at the same time, parting for such a long time could also end up with the situation that Yozomarah was in as well. It wrenched at their heart to need to part themself from the light of their life, but….*
Inari: *Whispers* It’s…..not forever. Not forever…
*They could only hope they weren’t just trying to convince themself*
Older Parame: With that, that’s my cue to leave. I’ll see you soon, my sweet child.
*With a snap of her fingers, the older Parame seem to merge with the younger self.*
Younger parame: for now baith the waters in the bathe will help you relax and clear your mind. For this next Act. you’ll need a cleat leveled head also i’ve left a new garment for you by the pools side, when your don baithing call me ill help you dress.
*Inari nodded, distractedly, murmuring a soft thanks before they descended into the water, allowing the purity to flow through them as they sank within it. There was a certain method to the cleansing that was not all physical washing, but meditative, almost praying, if a god could pray to oneself to tap into their own holy power. Hoping the cleanse would likewise bring peace of mind, Inari fully submerged themselves and began.
It was some time later when Inari finally emerged from the trace like state of cleansing, feeling the odd unburdened lightness within themselves, an ever present calmness that wrapped them in a type of tranquility that Inari hadn’t even realised they had lost through everything they had seen and done in their time travels. They hadn’t even realised how much they had missed the comfort of the purity, the feeling of being absolutely sure in one’s own incarnation.
With the warm serenity blocking out the cold dark dread that had once clenched them in a death grip, Inari emerged from the waters and dried themselves, dressing in the clothing that Parame’s older self had left behind. They were simple robes, no particular patterns to them, not even dyed, just white cloth that nonetheless felt gentle against their skin. Dressed and somewhat presentable, they ran their fingers over their long hair, drawing the braid to drape over their shoulder to avoid getting caught. They certainly didn’t want to become dirtied again after only just rediscovering their inner peace.
That done, Inari made their way to where they knew Parame was waiting, although what they saw as they approached was not what they expected. Out of the corner of their eye, Inari had noticed an older looking Lilyah drift past them, bowing quickly in both themself and Parame’s direction, looking distraught and rushing off out the room. Maybe something unexpected had popped up in their preparation work?*
Parame: This should get interesting from now on, no?
Inari: ...What are you hiding from me? I’m not sure I want to know your definition of ‘interesting’ when she looked so upset. What must I prepare to see?
*Tying what seems to be two different fate lines together, the older goddess looped the threads in between her fingers and begin pulling at them, creating shapes before letting them ‘reset’ again. A few moments later, Venus materialises back in the room as well, also aiding in playing with the fate lines. It seemed like the two goddesses were playing a game resembling cat's cradle. Both were so entranced in there game that they barely noted the younger god’s question*
Parame & Venus: Hiding? Nothing really. We’re just trying to give her a little push. Another God has been trying to seduce her and, well… let’s just say he forced a kiss. Our little flower ran of crying and in the direction of an apparently cold hearted god.
Venus: But, if we play it right, things should, finally… FINALLY, start moving. If you want to see what we’re doing, go back to the reflecting pool and watch. It’ll better illustrate what we’re doing here.
Parame: The idea is to not stop the pattern work until Yozi-chi and Lilly-chi get their hearts back to where they were a few centuries ago.
Inari: I see….though wouldn’t that take a substantial amount of time? If it’s done too quickly, even they’d know someone was forcing a change, no matter how much they want it. It’d need to seem natural, wouldn’t it?
Venus: Yep! It is time consuming. It might take a few days, but the results are worth it. And not really. Just look at them - it’s clear to anyone what they feel. Both of their emotions are ready to burst, both filed with agape and eros. It’s the perfect time.
Parame: My thoughts exactly. Once we get there, the story will finally be able to move on to where it needs to be. They’ve been stationary far too long, it's about time they got together.
Venus: Agreed.
*While the girls worked on the fate lines, Inari, frowning thoughtfully, made their way back towards the reflecting pool. As they peered into the crystalline depths, the water seemed to ripple and sparkle, changing hues before finally settling on a tree where Yozomarah was resting, gazing up at the stars.*
Yozomarah: *Sigh* Damn this foolish heart of mine, these...these childish desires…. Am I not grown…? Am I not capable to deny these foolish emotions…?
[END]
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