The Temple of Inari 57: Life goes on

[Rebonack]

[Full Moon Party - Sanctuary]

Sorcery. The Maker's curse upon it. Sorcery was the reason why Torus was in the beam chamber to begin with. The Academician thought that a better understanding of the interactions between magic and fundamental forces would allow the Masters to devise better means of defending against the sorcery of the hated mi-go. It was the reason for the the intensity of the experimentation. And the reason why the high servitor attrition was considered acceptable.

But Torus didn't need to consider that any longer.

That was no longer her labor. She would choose her own labors, now.

"That will allow us to retreat quickly in case of danger," Torus replied, thankful for having an ally in this matter with such a useful skill. "I will need time to grow accustomed to this shape. I haven't ever built a bipedal body before and balancing on two legs is difficult. Until I can move fluidly I would prefer not to engage in any potentially hazardous activities."

Torus had concluded that eating food off the table and talking to the very small hexapod were not hazardous. Was it a larvae of some kind? She was uncertain.

At the small creature's vague question it took Torus a few moments to parse what it was trying to ask. Plastics were a material the Masters did occasionally use in their machines, so it was something which Torus was familiar with. "Ah, no, I understand the confusion. Not plastic the material. Plastic the quality of a substance. A plastic thing can change and hold another shape. Like clay. I can mold my shape like clay and my body remains in that shape until I have need of another one. But I am made of tissues and bones and cells just as you are, little one."

[Recaiden]

[Sanctuary]

This one's actually a quadruped. Or maybe a pentaped if you call a tail a leg?
Certainly it's more of a nymph than a larva.
"Oh. Why do they call it 'plastic' and not 'clay' then? That's silly."
Aya isn't sure if she'd like to have clay cells. Wouldn't you get rolled up into a ball and be stuck a lot? That's what happens to actual clay.
"Okay thanks, thanks! she cries out, before hopping over to the snack table and stretching her neck up to reach.

[Pond]

"Thank you, Myobi."
"Hello, Steven, Caroline." Not that she really knows them, but may as well be friendly.

Cleo gently nudges Keiko forwards. Surely she has the beginnings of a poem by now. And if not, well, it could be cute to put her on the spot anyway.

[Concert]

Hmm. Wolves are like dogs. Dogs were ultimately weak and unusable. But even more, a wolf without teeth would be largely harmless.
Unless a being were very vulnerable, in danger from even a disarmed failed creation. Why would that be, given such a partnership as the words described?
And just listen to the way the drums rumble! They've done well with this one.

Fay slowly makes an effort to appear, to be noticeable, anticipating a moment of speaking to the strange four-legged concert-goers.
But not quite yet.

[bc56]

Full Moon Party
"I've, uh, always been able to adjust to new shapes easily. But I, uh, think it's part of the magic." Sekhmet isn't really sure about how her powers work. "Have you, uh, tried a tail? I find it easier to balance with one." But she's also had one all her life.

[Rebonack]

[Full Moon Party - Sanctuary]

"I am uncertain," Torus admitted. "I am not privy to the reasons behind the creation of such words. Though I believe 'plastic' in the sense of malleable is older than 'plastic' in the sense of the material."

And then the small creature thanked her and began collecting snacks.

What a strange experience. Clearly this creature was very young. Young and curious. It hadn't been even a gigasecond yet since Torus had finished her pathfinding training and was entrusted to a Master for specific labors. She remembered when she was still young and curious. Maybe of her peers would likely still consider herself such.

Maybe that was why she was considered expendable.

Because she had little in the way of expertise.

This experience was better, Torus thought. Interacting with the small creature was delightful.

"A tail?" she asked. "Most of the bipeds I have observed lack one."

She paused a moment to consider those in the sanctuary.

"Though that does not appear to be the case, here. I believe the sample in this location may be biased."

[bc56]

Full Moon Party
"Uh, it was just a suggestion." Sekhmet's own tail tucks down between her legs as she speaks.
Speaking of her tail, she feels like she's entertained this shapeshifting diversion long enough. In a reverse of her earlier transformation, she returns to her normal shape, regaining her horns and wings, losing her fur, and looking like herself again, only this time Torus gets to watch.

[Deathkeeper]

Pond

Steven does his best to silently bow to Myobi but then decides it would be disrespectful to say nothing.
"Good evening, Grandmother." He hadn't quite gotten used to calling her that. But his wife does so it's only proper.

"Oh, and hello Cleo." he adds at the other's greeting.

[Fenric]

[Pond]

Yes, Caroline refers to her as "Grandmother", because repeating the word "great" 14 times gets really tedious. But it is quite appropriate for Steven to do so as well, most certainly.

Keiko is nudged and yips softly, which has the desired (by Cleo) effect of getting Myobi's attention

Keiko?

Keiko clears her throat

Oh golden sun of furious heat
who's burning rays down on us beat
hie off to bed this summer night
so the cool darkness may delight
this gathering of finest friends
as lazy river round us bends
and saves us from the burnt out day
and heat-born weary drops away

Myobi nods and looks to the remainder who have yet to make an offering.

---

[Concert]

Celeste is focused on the stage and does not see Fay at this time.

The band moves on to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt7ox1M_XG4

(( Random FYI: I am going to stick with the more folk-type music of the older albums rather than their newer pop stuff ))

[Ironsmith]

[Pond]

"...Right."
"Okay."

The attendants step forward, holding Braeg's poem between them.

"Bloody hell, this is awful."
"Is he trying to lose?"
"Score points with Keiko, maybe?"
"...Doesn't matter. We have a job to do."

The twin attendants collectively clear their throats and begin.

Here we stand below
Below the heavens' show
The sun may burn forever
(Peace of mind is less than never)

We won't last so long
In a moment, gone
Threads of the living severed
(End before your last endeavor)

Feel the burning, you can smell it in the air
The waning of your youth, spring's vigor now to steal (steal)
Colder days ahead and bolder days behind you
Standing at your peak, the sun can only blind you

You would have known if you were wiser
What you could have done when you were younger
A cruel time, this summer!


"...A bit of culture shock, perhaps."
"In Lesser Wood, the summer aligns with the middle of life;"
"Autumn with death and rebirth,"
"Winter with innocent youth,"
"And spring with growth and maturation."
"It would seem confusing were you not a part of it."

[Fenric]

[Poetry Contest]

Myobi blinks

Well... thank you. I do certainly allow for variation in interpreting the theme, and the notion of Summer being the "peak" of life is not that novel, I can follow the metaphor well enough.

Still, broken meter between the first and second stanza and the jarring change between the second and third stanza, with approximate rhymes to keep it all company... Myobi keeps a decent poker face for now, and looks at her granddaughter and grandson-in-law

Who will be next?

Caroline realizes belatedly that by coming here, she's joined the event!

Dreary work complete
the harvest yet to come
now with joyful feet
our party has begun!

Myobi snorts

That would have been better had you been here at the start and gone first! Nevertheless, I appreciate the attempt.

She looks around for the next poet.

---

[Concert]

Celeste looks troubled at all the talk of running away and running into what clearly must be bandits.

Now, they move on to Dirty Paws
(( my favorite ))

[Recaiden]

[Poetry]

The next poet arrives into the garden! Anchor is a bit dressed up for the party: two piece suit, jeweled sandals, sunglasses (as always), an aura of beauty and perfection, a flock of nightingales singing to accompany her entrance, etc.

"Alright, here I am! I mean, I promised you a bad poem if you made a try yourself, right Keiko?"
Though it looks like there's competition at all ends of the poetry bracket tonight.

"The summer sun is bright for them,
But not for me.
Celebration's right for them,
It's not for me.
I wait for autumn days - To close those far green ways
And bring them back to me."

Then she slinks over to her family. Ugh. Can't believe events conspired to get her to deliver a poem. Damn that Braeg.

[Sanctuary]

"Tails are good!" Ayako calls, after gobbling up a candy.
"You should get a bunch of them." Maybe as many as...six?

[Concert]

Oh, they're playing this one again?
Fay finds that she likes it better the second time. It's easier to not worry about the meanings, and just hear it.

One other thing they do, is that they step up and flutter a wing at Celeste.
"It's only a song, isn't it?"
For all that they're heavy with meaning, you shouldn't let them get to you quite like that, right?

[Fenric]

Myobi nods

Thank you, Leah.

This is a poetry contest, not a poetry critique session, so she does not comment on the quality...

Keiko bouncies and gives Anchor a big hug

Yay! Thanks for coming!

--

[Concert]

(( Uh... yeah... they played it twice because they were shuffling the set around before the show and made a mistake... ))

Celeste looks around, then sees Fay. Her eyes go round but she manages to maintain her composure otherwise.

Yes, true: just a song. Bandits were such a trouble back home that it brought back unhappy memories is all.

Next up, one of the most upbeat very sad songs ever...

Little Talks

[Deathkeeper]

Full Moon Party

Steven glances around at realizes that some people are looking his way. Even though it's well known that Myobi's style of poetry-riddled casting has never sat with him and he struggles to get even the simplest rhyme. He studied literature, not poetry. But he's here and people are looking at him expectantly.

"Universal fact," says his left head.
"Something that everyone knows," says his right head, pronouncing "everyone" as three syllables.
"I suck at poems." says his middle. He grins, hoping it can at least get more of a chuckle than the one about lentils.

[Recaiden]

[Garden]
That's why we leave critique to the narrators.

Anchor nods back to Myobi.
And then gives a hug to her mom.
"Of course. I mean, I said I would, these are actually good parties, and of course, you're here."

But then, Steven with that outrageous poem! This competition is really heating up!
She doesn't laugh though.

Now they just have the Braeg's minions and any late arrivals to hear from...

[Concert]

It takes Fay a moment to make sense of what Celeste is saying. Bandits? Not something they learn about; just a historical curiosity that humans once knew of.

"Oh. They are not a problem here. And this one song seems happier."
Focusing on the sound, the implications of the words go quite over Fay's head.

[Ironsmith]

[Pond]

"...Our poem."
"Right."
"Definitely."
"Ahem."

The assistants straighten up and begin a recitation.

This summer was full of surprises
With blessings and curses in guises
But their fullest extent
And their truest intent
Is something no one realizes

...Well. That wasn't a sinister limerick at all.

[Fenric]

[Poetry Contest]

Myobi laughs lightheartedly

Well, I believe we have a solid contender for last place! Thank you, Steven.

But then, for the first time in the history of the generally plot-immune Full Moon parties...

Myobi, Caroline, Steven, and Keiko will now get to feel the shock, sorrow, and pangs of sympathy that their goddess is enduring because of Braeg's dying world.

Oh my...
What's going on?
WHAT THE FRACK?!

Myboi holds up her hand, and a not at all subtle change comes over her voice, and she directs her attention to Braeg's attendants

Your poem is not the cause of our alarm, dear guests, but we must now ask what, if anything, you know of the situation back in the area of Dho Chladach...

her expression changes to barely contained alarm

No... not just there... it's the entire world...

Caroline looks miserable, Keiko looks ready to kill things.

---

[Concert]

Celeste brightens at the news that there are no bandits (( Bad Fay, don't lie to people like that! ))

No bandits! That is wonderful news!

She looks back at the stage

It does seem that way, but there are some phrases that make me wonder... but I can't really follow it so well.

They move on to a newer one that's still reasonably the same style (lest I just shuffle through the first album ;) )

Wild roses

[Recaiden]

[Poetry Contest]

Cleo calls her staff to her hand; there's clearly trouble.

There's a haze of light from behind Anchor's sunglasses. It's only a bit more difficult for her to look up the same divine facts that Inari found.
"The deity that renewed the place is dead. Over time, damage and destruction built up on itself, and now, I mean, whatever got you all involved has, um, happened."
Distressing to hear about, but not unfamiliar.

Cleo speculates wildly given the vague glimpses she can discern.
"I think, perhaps the place was always doomed to crumble? That the pillar at the center of the world was flawed from the beginning, so to speak?"
She puts a hand on Keiko's shoulder, a gesture of support, but also of "don't panic".

[Concert]

It's true! Bandits are an out there problem. But here Inside? Never. Well, almost never.
One of Fay's siblings went way into Outside to fight bandits once, now that they're thinking of it. But it was way outside.

"Maybe we'll hear it again, and then we can know for sure."

And then a new song! This one, Fay slowly realizes, is the best so far. She finds that she's waving her spikes faintly in time to the beat.

She looks over when she hears shouting from the garden, but the concert quickly gets her attention again.

"You're a 'centaur', is that right? I've never met any of you." This isn't exceptional; Fay doesn't meet many people anymore.

[Deathkeeper]

Full Moon Party

Steven coils up, tail lashing. He is not accustomed to this sort of thing.
"It seems our Lady has met with something unpleasant while there. Is there ah, naught we can do about it?" he suggests, trying to stay calm.

[Ironsmith]

[Pond]

Braeg's attendants stiffen, not entirely sure what to make of what had been said.

"Dho Chladach?"
"What in the world is he doing there?"
"He was supposed to just be in a meeting."
"Why would he go back?"

Apparently, they're just as, if not more, confused as everyone else in attendance.

[Fenric]

[Full Moon Party]

Myobi looks blankly off into the distance for a few moments, then shakes her head

This Lord Braeg of yours is quite the audacious person. At the conclusion of their meeting he invited her to dinner. It appears they settled on a picnic at a garnet-sand beach there... that does sound rather intriguing, to be honest. She discovered the world was well along the process of dying and he insisted they investigate.. we felt the echo from the avatar's feelings when she removed the normal channel-limits... ah... she is concerned there might be trouble with the world's destructive force.

Caroline blinks, and Keiko shakes her head

Oh come on... really?! That's more something I would do! Wouldn't this be time to send Liu off to get the CB notified and just flat-out occupy the place? I doubt the Emperor would dawdle in a case like this.

Myobi gives Keiko a flat look, then looks to the attendants

You may add "Charmer of High Goddesses" to your Lord's list of accomplishments.

Then she looks to Steven

At this point our most helpful course of action is to keep this celebration going properly. Ultimately, the entire point of all of this is to provide power for her, so I think that ensuring a steady supply is our best course. If she actually needs anything...

A tickle of a feeling comes to the Messengers as one of Inari's avatar's trains of thought flickers to the Nexus and the possibility of requesting an assortment of Atorre's minions.

Myobi smirks.

We will likely know whether we are paying any attention or not.

---

[Concert]

Celeste smiles

That's true: they played that other song twice.

Then she nods

Yes, that's right: I'm a centaur. My tribe is descended from the famous king Ixion, and my family lived in the hills north of Athens.

The band moves on to play Crystals

[bc56]

Full Moon Party
Some time later, her conversation with Torus is finished, and Sekhmet continues to hang around the party.
Mostly she's just waiting for Keiko to say she's ready to visit the dragon king whose long name she's already forgotten.

[Fenric]

The disruption from Braeg puts an end to the poetry contest, and things start to break up.

Keiko whispers to Yumiko, who heads inside, then she turns to Cleo with a grin

So, hey! I was thinking we should take the kids to go visit Dewdrop! We always were supposed to visit those guys again, and that's kinda our native environment.

Caroline shuffles awkwardly

So... grandmother...

Myobi chuckles

You are having dragon envy now that Steven has managed join the ninetails in that particular ability. But you have to make a decision, dear: what sort of dragon do you want to be?

------------

[Sanctuary]

Yumiko enters and comes over to Sekhmet. It is entirely likely that Sekhmet will think she is Keiko unless she paid very careful attention, since the only obvious difference between the sisters is the color of their eyes: Keiko's are red and Yumiko's are blue-green.

Hello, Sekhmet. Are you ready to go visit Father?

[Deathkeeper]

Garden

Steven arcs his head down, gently touching Caroline's cheek with his nose. And also her hip with the side of his other head. She might have to get used to this, as it's a set of mannerisms multi-headed dragons tend to express.
"Nothing short of the most noble and beautiful you know of would do for Caroline, no matter what she tells you." he says with absolute sincerity.
"But I suggested something blue, since I have managed to stay on-uniform." says his middle head above Caroline, all three mouths grinning toothily.

[bc56]

Sanctuary
Weren't her eyes a different color? It's probably nothing. Sekhmet herself doesn't have a perfectly consistent appearance. It changes slightly every time she sleeps.
"Yes. Uh, if you're sure he won't mind."

[Recaiden]

[Gardens]

"Oh, that's a great idea." Cleo breaks into a smile, and takes a couple moments to round up the dragon hatchlings...

There's just one piece of unfinished business.
"Well, which poem won, Myobi?"

[Concert]

Hmm, this song, all Fay can think is that she doesn't get it.

"Oh, we had thought Athens was a mythical place. What brings you all the way here?"

[Fenric]

[Poetry Contest]

Myobi turns to Cleo and looks thoughtful.

A chellenging decision for the first time. Caroline's was ill-timed, Priya's and Steven's were both off-topic, Leah's was a valiant effort but the last line was unfortunate, and Braeg's free verse was overlong. This leaves Cleo, Keiko, and Lord Braeg's Attendant. But of these three, I do believe I prefer yours, Cleosepha.

She pulls a the prize from her sleeve and offers it to Cleo: A Celestial Goose Quill! Subtly glowing and quite beautiful: a rare item indeed here on the material plane.

And if you don't mind... would you two mind taking Steven and Caroline along to the Great Inland Sea? I think they could use some time getting used to their new abilities.

Caroline tilts her head

But you have not yet changed

That's as far as she gets before her words are cut off as she rather abruptly stretches out into a form resembling Steven and Keiko. Her horns are straighter, and her fins more frilled, and of course her colors: Caroline's new scales are silvery-white with the faintest hint of blue, and her fins and whiskers fade from deepest navy through a whole range of shades of blue to pure snow white at the tips. And over all, a light opalescent sheen that changes colors based on the angle.

I did not forget. You are a Greater Northern Sea dragon of course, Granddaughter.

------------------

[Sanctuary]

Yumiko nods

Oh no, not a bit!

She holds out her hand

It will be easiest if I take you there.

--------------------

Concert

Celeste giggles

Athens mythical! No, certainly not.

Then she shakes her head

To be honest... I don't know. I was out gathering herbs when I heard a commotion, and one of my sisters came running up and said that Heracles was causing trouble again. We decided that it was better to hide so we ran off to a nearby cave and waited for the sounds to quiet down. It was maybe a quarter of an hour later and it suddenly went very quiet, which was very strange. When we came out... we were in the mountains near the Hunting Grounds here instead of our homeland.

[Deathkeeper]

Poetry Contest

Steven is knocked over a bit as he was standing over Caroline (which was likely not the best idea anyway) but there's no harm done beside bending a shrub a little. Either way he moves back to Caroline's side, tail entwining around hers.
"I would say 'great' certainly applies. I think one head suits you just fine, though."
A trip to the sea? Steven's never actually swam farther out than a beach. He hopes he doesn't have thalassaphobia. It would be terribly ironic given that he'd be the biggest thing in the ocean aside from certain species of whale and some sea serpent if this particular sea has those.

[bc56]

Sanctuary
"Uh, okay." Sekhmet takes the offered hand and prepares for some sort of magical transportation.

[Recaiden]

[Poetry]

Oh no. This is the disaster that Braeg's attendants were worried about! They made it to the final three, outdoing their master.
But he's probably going to be too bust with the devastation of his home to get mad about it.

Cleo, stepping back up with Kronoa and Ayako in tow once again, gives a bow before accepting the celestial feather.
"Thank you, Myobi. This is lovely."

"As for bringing the new dragons along, we'd be delighted to!"
That said, she throws off her human guise, becoming a dragon unlike the other three: finless and serpentine, with twisting horns and additional impossible claws, dawn-pink scales from head to tail. This wood dragon - well, in the nexus there probably are wild creatures somewhere, for all that the form sprang straight from myth and imagination - but Cleo has never found them.
"Come along outside, and I can bring us there."

[Concert]

"Oh. I was hatched here. But my family originally, the ship they were on went just a little off-course, and ended up crashing in this city, instead of any normal place."
Fay nods along. It happens a lot.
"The Hunting Grounds are quite far away, aren't they? How did you end up at this temple?"

[Fenric]

Caroline nuzzles Steven

Thank you, sweetie. You are very handsome yourself!

Keiko makes a fake gag sound

Just kidding

She stretches into her own draconic form and nuzzles Cleo, which makes the hatchlings all make fake gag sounds.

but first off: you don't hunt with your heads split. It's easy to get them back together: just pick something small-ish to look at and focus on it really hard. Your brain will know what to do... it's actually harder to re-split them without bouncing back to Vulpan form first.

----

[Sanctuary]

With a pull and a wrenching sensation, they shift planes away to Planeside...

----

[Concert]

Celeste smiles

Oh, that part was easy: there was a successful hunting party returning back to Town, and I just tagged along. This was the only place that really had any sort of facilities for me to stay at - one of the priests was a llama, so they had a stable and a small field of alfafa and plenty of room.

[Deathkeeper]

Getting Ready to Leave

Steven stares off into space for a while before eventually his heads melding together. He shakes himself vigorously.
"That was the oddest feeling I've had in my life. What's the point of having them anyway if you don't use them?"
Probably because the sea dragons naturally don't have them and the ones that do seem to have them specifically because of a magical quirk of Orochi's.