the Rift


[PRIVATE] Synonyms for hypocrite

Isopia the Mountain That Knows Posts: 780
Dragon's Throat Apostle atk: 6.5 | def: 10 | dam: 8.0
Mare :: Tribrid :: 18hh :: 3 - is now aging slowly HP: 90 | Buff: NUMB
Hubris :: Royal Bronze Dragon :: Shock Breath & Frost Breath & Babel :: Royal Gold Dragon :: Fire Breath Odd
#1
Isopia

After Rikyn had departed from their spar (also known as the time Isopia dropped out of the sky to randomly attack him), she had been looking for it. The stone given to her by the tree hung with the other small golden chains around her neck, and despite the fact that it weighed almost nothing, it tugged constantly on her mind, pulling her thoughts down as if it had its own gravity.

Isopia couldn't recall a time where she had ever apologized - at least not in the recent past. This was partially because the demi-goddess usually only did things that her mind had carefully rationalized, and so she saw no need for apologies even if others disagreed with her actions, or because she simply couldn't understand the point of an apology. Although both of those things were still true, it was also true that the stone around her neck glowed an unmistakable white when she thought of Rikyn and the randomness of her attack. Even though she lobbed justifications of it will help him in the future to be more watchful.. at the stone, the verdict was clear.

The stone wanted her to apologize.

And so, she'd returned to the place where she'd attacked him, thinking that perhaps he might return. Though if her 'lesson' had been in any way successful, he'd likely have seen her and avoided her completely, lest he be attacked again.

On the third night, Isopia let out an annoyed groan, her golden gaze seeking out Hubris.

"How long do we have to look until we can justifiably abandon this search?" She asked him. The dragon of course did not have the answer, and so merely shrugged and pointed to the necklace. Isopia didn't even bother asking it, she was sure that it would tell her that her duty was to wait as long as it took.

"Perfect." She muttered to herself, taking another scan of the beach, and hoping to see the unicorn and his companion waltzing their way.

image

@Rikyn

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here

Rikyn the Puppeteer Posts: 549
Aurora Basin Lord atk: 7.5 | def: 11.5 | dam: 4.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16.3 :: 4 HP: 70 | Buff: SWIFT
Duir :: Royal Cerndyr :: Earth Spirit Bunnie
#2

Bruises and broken bones were at least less dangerous than lacerations and cuts, not as prone to infection and insects, but I found that the pain was remarkably worse.

Every step makes it feel like someone is violently kicking me, and the headache caused by my rather bruised face has only let up as of ten minutes ago. Duir has given away the fact that I look like shit with the way his emotions swell with sympathy anytime he makes eye contact with me; being completely unscathed himself (as he always is after our fights, the coward), you’d think he might feel some guilt for having not helped. Instead, he’s offered no apologies, and little condolences, despite his piteous glances; in fact, he’s not said anything to me at all.

So, when we walk back out onto the sandy ribbon breasting the sea, the starlight twinkling on the dark waves, I’m surprised to hear his gentle, methodical voice touch into my mind.

It’s dangerous here, he hesitates, pausing with his hooves still planted firmly on grassy earth. His subtle refusal annoys me, a single reproachful glance shot back to him as I continue on my merry way.

"It’s dangerous everywhere, if you haven’t noticed," I remark with a darkly humored snort. If we’re not going to hang out anywhere that I’ve been in a skirmish, we’re gonna have to leave Helovia. Besides, I want to spend time with the cool misty cast off of the sea kissing against my sore side, while dreaming of the Hot Springs so far out of my needy reach.

Looking down the beach as I stiffly (broken ribs and all) approach the whisper of the waves, I freeze, ears lifting and golden eyes narrowing at the sight of the same mare who’d kicked my ass last time I was here. Maybe I should have held my tongue just now, I think to myself, no sooner than Duir chimes in: I told you.

[ OOC: Lolol "ohshit" ]


Art by Esa82@DA

@Isopia

Wishlist - Plots

Force/violence is allowed to be used on Rikyn permitted it does not permanently maim or kill him (PM me!).

Isopia the Mountain That Knows Posts: 780
Dragon's Throat Apostle atk: 6.5 | def: 10 | dam: 8.0
Mare :: Tribrid :: 18hh :: 3 - is now aging slowly HP: 90 | Buff: NUMB
Hubris :: Royal Bronze Dragon :: Shock Breath & Frost Breath & Babel :: Royal Gold Dragon :: Fire Breath Odd
#3
Isopia
And then, after what felt like days upon this beach (and really, it had been quite a few days that Isopia had waited), he finally did appear. All those hours staring up the beach, giving herself night-blindness from focusing so hard into the darkness, finally paid off. However just as quick as he was to appear, Isopia thought he might be equally as likely to disappear given their past interactions.

"I won't attack you-" She called out quickly, just as soon as he was fully in her view. The demigoddess, who rarely lied for she didn't see the point in it, didn't even consider that he might think that she was lying. "I shouldn't have done that last time." She called out again. Despite the academic neutrality of her tone, that was about as close to an apology as Isopia was going to get. What use were the words I'm sorry, she she had just conveyed the fact that she had made a bad decision? What did those two words add? Nothing in Isopia's mind.

The demigoddess took a step forward, but kept a good distance between herself and the unicorn, not wanted to scare him off. Hubris on the other hand, ignored her and flew happily towards the cerndyr, trilling a bright hello and waving his claws amicably. The Mountain was unsure whether or not the actions of her companion would be helpful in this situation or not. Hadn't a dragon already come down from the sky to attack Rikyn once? Although Hubris was smaller, he possessed magic inside of himself as well. Wouldn't it be prudent for the unicorn to take care? But then again, he had sat peacefully with Duir during their spar on this beach ... Surely the cerndyr might communicate Hubris' harmless intentions? 

image

@Rikyn

Rikyn the Puppeteer Posts: 549
Aurora Basin Lord atk: 7.5 | def: 11.5 | dam: 4.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16.3 :: 4 HP: 70 | Buff: SWIFT
Duir :: Royal Cerndyr :: Earth Spirit Bunnie
#4

I won’t attack you,” she calls, my gaze narrowing suspiciously despite the words she shouts down the beach towards me. Her next words do very little to ease my general wariness towards her, and so I, for a time, anyway, simply stare her down from my safe distance.

The arrival of her dragon across the short expanse is almost expected, especially when Duir cheerfully blurts a horribly loud deer greeting to the bronze’s almost eloquent song. Trotting ahead of me some paces to intercept the dragon while still near enough to me (in case he needs a meat shield), his metallic hooves dance beneath him, forest eyes turned upwards to watch the royal dragon’s flight happily.

I wonder if the dragon woman’s soul has such conflicting emotions roiling through it as my own, and find it probable she does. I, myself, have very little desire to “make friends” with someone who attacked me, even if it does seem she’s apologizing, while my companion is delighted to meet with Hubris again. Duir’s ability to have already forgiven the woman is not as infectious as his desire to be happy, however, and so I give into the conversation with a begrudging scowl.

"Why’d you do it then?" is shot back down the beach with an elevated brow, my hooves slowly coming to life beneath me, splashing through the shallow water, and slapping against the exposed, wet sand when the tide pulls the sea away. Though it is unusual for me to trust anyone, I try to follow Duir’s example of letting the past go, even though forgiveness, generally, is not my forte.

I try my best to cover the pain in every step with my usual saunter, even managing the slightest trace of my bad humor in the lines of my expression. However, I’m moving much too slowly to really be much of a convincing actor, and I’m sure she can see the bruises and ugly, scabbed skin all along my face from here, only becoming clearer the closer to her I get.

"Can’t say I’ve ever just assaulted someone for no reason," I muse aloud; the statement might mean more to her if she knew me. I had, after all, kicked an old man’s ass near to death for having a bit of a mouth. Still, there was a cause, one which I wasn’t sure she had, mostly because I didn’t even know her name.




Art by Esa82@DA

@Isopia

Isopia the Mountain That Knows Posts: 780
Dragon's Throat Apostle atk: 6.5 | def: 10 | dam: 8.0
Mare :: Tribrid :: 18hh :: 3 - is now aging slowly HP: 90 | Buff: NUMB
Hubris :: Royal Bronze Dragon :: Shock Breath & Frost Breath & Babel :: Royal Gold Dragon :: Fire Breath Odd
#5
Isopia

Why'd you do it then?

Well. In her current state, that was actually rather difficult to answer. The actual reason was because she was so inflamed and furious at Volterra at what he had done to her mind and her body and the feels that he had made her feel, she had used her intellectual prowess to justify attacking Rikyn simply because she had wanted to. It was an ugly side of Isopia; a side that hadn't reared its ugly head in seasons. Not since she had goaded Ashamin into attacking her while pregnant.

But now, given that her memories had been wiped clear - taking every trace of Volterra as well as the very act of memory removal, answering that question was a great deal harder. In her current state, Isopia had no idea why she had attacked Rikyn. Looking back through her memories, she saw anger and violence in herself, but no known reason for it. The demigoddess did not deny that she had attacked the unicorn, she just couldn't speak to the reasons for it.

"I was angry." She said honestly. "At the time I told myself that by attacking you I was doing you a favour - I was helping you learn to be on your guard, for at any moment an attacker might blindside you in the night." Her voice was calm, academic, clinical. As if reading notes from an experiment where a subject had died, but offering no real emotional response to that fact. "I see now I was just using that as a reason to justify the attack. I was angry and at the time I wanted to take my anger out on someone." Had Isopia ever been so openly honest before? Likely not - but perhaps it was merely because Rikyn had asked her the right question. A question that she could start to provide an answer to. But would he accept her 'apology'? Would he be able to see himself in her place and understand? Would he even care?

His retort made her nod her quad-horned skull in acknowledgement, despite the fact that this detail seemed irrelevant. 

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@Rikyn

Rikyn the Puppeteer Posts: 549
Aurora Basin Lord atk: 7.5 | def: 11.5 | dam: 4.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16.3 :: 4 HP: 70 | Buff: SWIFT
Duir :: Royal Cerndyr :: Earth Spirit Bunnie
#6

She was angry, she says, and I unleash a short cold laugh, pausing near enough to her converse, but far enough that I’ll have time to react should things deteriorate from conversation to combat (as they are apt to do around me). Even Duir’s mind flickers with humor at the notion of assaulting someone out of a bad mood, finding some parallel at last in all the times I’d cursed women for being, well, women.

A lesson, she continues, a brow lifting on my face, the bemused smile lingering, despite the serious tone with which she forms each word (have I ever said anything with that straight of a face? Probably not). She spares me having to point out the ludicrousness of this lesson, however, apparently having already decided the same thing, herself. It sobers the jester’s grin threatening to break out over my somewhat-serious smirk almost immediately, a sudden grasp of reality that, well, maybe she really did feel bad, after all. I never thought about any of the fights I’d been in with that much depth, and, when I had, the emotions associated with them hadn’t been guilt.

They were wonder, amazement, boldness. Regret was not something I had ever associated with victory (even if Duir had tried to make me), and seeing it on this mare, now, makes all the impish goads I’d been preparing for her slink away at the sight of something so foreign. Suddenly serious (or at least as serious as a rogue like me can be), I ponder what to say next, not really sure how to react in a situation like this.

"I see," I flatly remark with some level of understanding, having brutalized a good many trees, hillsides, and Ashamin’s for being in a foul temper myself (though, to be fair, the Haruspex had been the one who’d called me out into the snow that night). Sometimes being mad was like having a lightning storm trapped inside your chest, exploding with sparkling heat, ready to strike down whoever came close enough to smite. Does it mean that I forgive her for trying to kill me? No, it doesn’t. "I suppose I should be glad it was me, then, and not someone softer."

The thought of, say, Erthë, in my position last week is laughable, my lips curving upwards at the darkly humorous notion. This girl would be poorly apologizing to a smashed corpse, rather than me, if it had been anyone without some measure of training.

"Next time, I say you should kick the shit out of whoever makes you mad, rather than some dude just trying to have a night out," I continue, my fleeting grin fading, giving her the stare down of a guy who’s trying really hard to forgive someone he’s not entirely keen on forgiving (I don’t think I’ve ever forgiven anyone, to be honest), "it’s dangerous enough out here without anyone’s help."

The summer’s wildfires, and the autumn’s cold promise of hunger. With the snows soon to arrive, I now had to deal with all the aches she’d laid into me, as well as the change into what was, traditionally, the worst season of the year. Sure, I was entirely confident Duir and I would survive, but it still wasn’t as pleasant a prospect as it could be, considering how I’d spend my last winter (in the comfort of the Aurora Basin’s mountainous shadow).




Art by Esa82@DA

@Isopia

Isopia the Mountain That Knows Posts: 780
Dragon's Throat Apostle atk: 6.5 | def: 10 | dam: 8.0
Mare :: Tribrid :: 18hh :: 3 - is now aging slowly HP: 90 | Buff: NUMB
Hubris :: Royal Bronze Dragon :: Shock Breath & Frost Breath & Babel :: Royal Gold Dragon :: Fire Breath Odd
#7
Isopia

If Isopia had been the one hearing the words coming out of her own mouth, she certainly wouldn't have responded as Rikyn had. She would have underscored the ridiculous logic, the poor decision making, the utter and complete irrationality. She would have scoffed at any apology and instead offered a lecture about restraint and self-control.

But Rikyn hadn't, and surprisingly, Isopia actually found some comfort in that.

"I should be glad as well." She agreed with a dip of her skull. Whereas Rikyn's thoughts turned to Erthe, hers turned to Zero. She saw in her minds eye, her friend horribly wounded - nearly to the point of death it had seemed. Imagine if those injuries had just been caused because someone was mad and lashed out? And Zero just had the misfortune of being around? It made her cringe, and the cockles of her heart tightened.

"It is I who have learned a lesson today, not you." She agreed again. "Misappropriate emotion serves no one. You are right. Should I find myself angry again-" the way her mouth formed the words seemed to suggest that she wasn't actually planning on becoming angry again, if ever, "-I will ensure it is the recipient of that emotion who I deal with." And in truth, without Volterra's volcanic influences on her since her childhood, it was possible that she wouldn't get angry. Such was not part of her character prior to Volterra, and now with all traces of him gone, she might well go through life as emotionally neutral as she had started out.

image

@Rikyn

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here

Rikyn the Puppeteer Posts: 549
Aurora Basin Lord atk: 7.5 | def: 11.5 | dam: 4.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16.3 :: 4 HP: 70 | Buff: SWIFT
Duir :: Royal Cerndyr :: Earth Spirit Bunnie
#8

“I should be glad as well,” she says, and I follow her words with a small snort. If she really was, she’d already have thought of it. Unless, and it would be a first, I’d actually managed to teach someone something, rather than just rousing upset with my quick tongue. Sure, I’d once sort of helped Glacia feel better about having adopted out her son, but this time, well, this time it feels different. What had gone on with Sialia’s daughter had been born of a mutual respect and concern for one another, whereas I didn’t really care for this woman, apology or not.

She validates the thoughts flitting through my mind, her words drawing softness to the expression that had been, mostly, just a glower. I’d taught her a lesson? Well, what do you know! A smile almost blooms across my lips, her calculative voice stilling its rise.

"Good," I say, my crown lifting into its most elitist of heights, the tight knot of anger and worry knitted within my chest loosening ever so slightly at the verbal promise she won’t go she-dragon on me (or anyone else just standing somewhere) again, "who are you, anyway?"

The question is sudden, but not really irrational. I had, after all, seen her in numerous gatherings of the Helovian people, and, with the roughest part of the conversation out of the way, it seems a good time to learn the name of the woman who had almost murdered me with misplaced rage. I might even give her my real name, if she asks after mine, too.

Or I might not. I definitely won’t give her a name at all unless she asks, and she can call me rude if she wants.

Don’t be an ass, Duir’s voice chimes, from where he still accompanies the mare's bonded dragon, my ears falling back ever so slightly in a desire to tell him to freaking shut it.

I do what I want.


[ OOC: maybe one day he'll learn a lesson or two himself. xDD ]


Art by Esa82@DA

@Isopia

Wishlist - Plots

Force/violence is allowed to be used on Rikyn permitted it does not permanently maim or kill him (PM me!).

Isopia the Mountain That Knows Posts: 780
Dragon's Throat Apostle atk: 6.5 | def: 10 | dam: 8.0
Mare :: Tribrid :: 18hh :: 3 - is now aging slowly HP: 90 | Buff: NUMB
Hubris :: Royal Bronze Dragon :: Shock Breath & Frost Breath & Babel :: Royal Gold Dragon :: Fire Breath Odd
#9
Isopia

Though they have met under bizarre circumstances and are definitely unlikely bed fellows, Isopia actually finds herself placing the thought of this stallion in her metaphorical like column. That column has only a handful of names in it - and you'd likely never actually know Isopia liked anyone whose name had made it into the column, given her bizarrely anti-social behaviors, but his name was there nonetheless. Rikyn had proven himself insightful, hadn't lingered unnecessarily upon her apology, and despite her reluctance at giving out her name, his inquiry after her identity actually seemed reasonable, given that she had attacked him and then sought him out.

"I am called The Mountain that Knows." She said, not for the first time happy to have a moniker to offer, rather than having to find excuses to continue hiding her actual name. Though some found it a pretentious name, in her mind, it was better than nothing. Pretentiousness was better than intimacy, for Isopia. "Or just the Mountain, for those who don't prefer the full mouthful."

Nearby, Hubris trilled loudly, waving his bronzey arms to direct the focus from the equines, to him. With a toothy grin, he waved to Rikyn, paused (clearly communicating something to Isopia), then resumed grinning.

"Hubris would like you to know that he is called Hubris." She said, clearly not bothered by the awkwardness of her statement. Shaking his head, Hubris sighed at her, then pointed to Duir. The dragonling could speak to those in his own species, but the language of the deer was far to subtle for him to understand. Though through a fairly comical pantomime, he seemed to be asking what Duir's name was.

image

@Rikyn

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here

Rikyn the Puppeteer Posts: 549
Aurora Basin Lord atk: 7.5 | def: 11.5 | dam: 4.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16.3 :: 4 HP: 70 | Buff: SWIFT
Duir :: Royal Cerndyr :: Earth Spirit Bunnie
#10

The Mountain That Knows?

…really?

Who had a name that long? Not to mention, weird.

I had always thought I’d heard some bizarre names while in Helovia and without, but this one, well, this one tops the cake. No wonder she was going around attacking people at random. The other foals must have picked on her something fierce, leaving her rancorous and bitter, vengeful of the honor of her parents, who thought they’d chosen the best possible name for their child.

Maybe she’d kicked my ass to prevent me making fun of her, first.

Regardless, my attentions are called back to the bronze, his cheerful grin met with a stoic stare and the gentle, swaying motions of my tail. Duir, his deer’s tail flicking and bobbing, invades my mind with a similar request: Tell them of me, too! Hubris most!

Though I am certainly not the sort to care much for the bonded companions of those I encountered, I will admit that what almost nonexistent interest was harbored before has grown, somewhat, with the company of my buck. He, unlike myself, is boundlessly curious about those who follow the horses of Helovia, and has almost always made friends, even accomplishing this while I merely managed to make enemies of their bond mates. Watching Hubris’ eager gestures at the magical deer, I succumb to the whims of the beasts.

"My friend asks to tell you he is called Duir," I frown, turning my golden eyes back to the equally metallic, shining pools of the Mountain, my lack of interest in this particular topic perhaps overtly evident on my expression. Despite my disinterest, however, Duir’s soul bond trills warmth, pleased that I’ve done as he’s asked, and is quickly followed by a question.

You now, too?

Why?

She told you.

I sigh. He has a point, I suppose. I aim to lie to her, of course, inventing, swiftly, a new name, a better identity. Damon. Yet, mental doors slam and shutter, Duir’s youthful, but surprisingly strong will bludgeoning my impulsiveness in a swift gesture. He’s fed up of my childish lying, of my manipulations, how I take an apology and a warm heart, and offer it illusions and lies. He cannot comprehend the distrust still harbored within me, and cannot understand why it is that I would want to lie about who I am, to begin with.

Not this time, he demands, his game stilled, his emerald eyes cast to me for a long enough moment that I’m sure he means it. Having vanished for days before, I wouldn’t put it passed him to do it again, perhaps, even longer than his previous protests of my often rancorous and wild spirit, to punish me.

"And I am Rikyn, of no where."




Art by Esa82@DA

@Isopia

Wishlist - Plots

Force/violence is allowed to be used on Rikyn permitted it does not permanently maim or kill him (PM me!).

Isopia the Mountain That Knows Posts: 780
Dragon's Throat Apostle atk: 6.5 | def: 10 | dam: 8.0
Mare :: Tribrid :: 18hh :: 3 - is now aging slowly HP: 90 | Buff: NUMB
Hubris :: Royal Bronze Dragon :: Shock Breath & Frost Breath & Babel :: Royal Gold Dragon :: Fire Breath Odd
#11
Isopia

Duir.

Duir?

Hubris rolled the name around in his mind, trying to figure out if there was a way for him to pronounce it. However the draconian language was primarily a guttural one, intermingled with a few whistles and trills. Still, the bronze creature was happy to know the name of the deer-thing. A shower of sparks frothed from his open jaws as he grinned a wide, toothy grin in the direction of the cerndyr, whom he now considered to be a friend.

>>Make friends is easy.<< He thought nonchalantly into Isopia's mind. The demigoddess ignored this. Making friends might be easy, but that didn't mean she saw the value in it. What use were friends? What did they do? >>Zero is friend. Zero is good.<< Ahh, well that was certainly true. But didn't that prove her point? She did have a friend. Why would she need more?

Zero was all that she needed.

Her ears flickered as the stallion offered his name. She resisted the urge to merely stare blankly or to shrug her large shoulders to indicate that she didn't care. It was the truth, but she was slowly learning that perhaps not all truths needed to be communicated.

"That's nice." She said, and despite how rude this likely sounded, it was actually Isopia's attempt to be polite. "I am from the Hidden Falls." She added, as Hubris, like Duir before him, insisted that she reciprocate the information. "Being from no where sounds pleasant." She added, all on her own, as thoughts of her leadership and what an annoying job it was already proving to be, flourished in her mind.

image

@Rikyn

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here

Rikyn the Puppeteer Posts: 549
Aurora Basin Lord atk: 7.5 | def: 11.5 | dam: 4.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16.3 :: 4 HP: 70 | Buff: SWIFT
Duir :: Royal Cerndyr :: Earth Spirit Bunnie
#12

The sparkling cascade of electricity which spill from above Duir make the buck as nervous as he is enthralled in their prettiness, and he flickers momentarily into a single image with the beach (his own magic immediately rising in defense of its wielder). However, his anxiety is short lived, especially when the glimmering star-flecks fizzle out of existence one by one, and he is left with only the mystical sensation that beauty leaves behind, even after it has faded.

The genuine lack of interest radiating from the mare in regards to being told who I am sort of riles my hostilities towards her again. “That’s nice.” What the fuck? In retrospect, I should have answered her stupid apology with that’s nice, so maybe we’d be one for one.

She sort of redeems herself by revealing her own residence (the Hidden Falls, to which I’ve never been, though I’ve certainly tried before). She also compliments my wild existence, which further eases the sting of having my entire identity so easily cast aside.

"It’s better than doing what someone else wants all the time," I grin, though it’s a pretty lack-luster one (I haven’t concluded that I forgive her or that she isn’t horribly rude yet), "is the Hidden Falls nice?"

Hah!

You’re infantile, Duir remarks.

"I’ve never been."




Art by Esa82@DA

@Isopia

Wishlist - Plots

Force/violence is allowed to be used on Rikyn permitted it does not permanently maim or kill him (PM me!).

Isopia the Mountain That Knows Posts: 780
Dragon's Throat Apostle atk: 6.5 | def: 10 | dam: 8.0
Mare :: Tribrid :: 18hh :: 3 - is now aging slowly HP: 90 | Buff: NUMB
Hubris :: Royal Bronze Dragon :: Shock Breath & Frost Breath & Babel :: Royal Gold Dragon :: Fire Breath Odd
#13
Isopia
Of course because Isopia has the emotional range of a mountain, as well as the moniker of one, she is oblivious to any hostility radiating from Rikyn. Instead, she readily agrees with his assessment of herd life. It didn't matter wehat position you held - an entry level one, if you were a ranked citizen, or the leader of the whole herd - you took orders from somewhere. She was, and had been finding that out the hard way. Though given that her entire life had been a series of obligations that she was required to fulfill, she really should have been used to simply taking orders by now. As it was, she rallied against responsibility with almost every fiber of her being.

The demigoddess rolled his question around in her mind for a few moments before finally answering. She found his query difficult, only because she'd never stopped to consider the Falls before. It was simply where she lived, where she felt obligated to be. Niceness never really played into it.

"The flora and fauna is pleasing, if you like watery, jungle climates." She began, her golden eyes narrowing as if trying to picture the falls in her mind. "There are quite a few rainbows at almost all times, given how many waterfalls there are. Lots seem to enjoy that." Clearly, she wasn't one of them. Blinking hard again, she shrugged her shoulders. "The God of the Earth is loved by many, so many flock to the Falls because of him. The current leadership is nothing special, and its member base has never been particularly motivated to do much of anything."

Again, her massive shoulders shrugged. Was that what he wanted to know? Would that help him describe if it was nice or not?

image

@Rikyn

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here

Rikyn the Puppeteer Posts: 549
Aurora Basin Lord atk: 7.5 | def: 11.5 | dam: 4.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16.3 :: 4 HP: 70 | Buff: SWIFT
Duir :: Royal Cerndyr :: Earth Spirit Bunnie
#14

I’m not sure if I could ever be truly in charge of anyone. Sure, I have a dream of one day being, you know, important, like my family, maybe start a tradition of being in charge, and good at it. However, that dream sort of begins to flutter and flicker when I really write myself into the story, stories where my kingdom falls into ruins while I wandered aimlessly without it, or the countless others of individuals I’d be forced to interact with – and likely piss off in some way.

I guess it’s why I was still out here, just me and Duir. I had no business ruling a damn thing when I was barely in control of myself. It was certainly why I hadn’t a single true purpose, really, other than to continue existing, day in, and day out.

There are worse things to live for, than yourself, and the horizon.

What does this Mountain That Knows live for? Mountains? Probably. What else though?

Whatever it is, I lose the trail of thought as she starts in about the Hidden Falls. Wet, and humid, the realm seems pretty, albeit swelteringly wrong; despite not having lived in the Basin for very long, its cool, mountainous seclusion has lingered with me as the definition of home. Who would want to live in a hellish desert, or a sweaty jungle, or a boring, misty wood, when there were endlessly branching caverns, rolling hillocks, and forested peaks to be conquered in the north?

"It sounds peaceful," is the tactful remark I choose, rather than the various, carefully hidden insults that threaten to bubble out of my mouth (no round two, please, lady beast), "perhaps it’s why they do nothing."

The remark is accompanied by a cheeky smile and short chuckle; it would be easy to get lazy with all that good grass swaying about your ankles all the time, with birds and cascading water to serenade you as you dined. Of all the stories handed down to me by my parents, those of the Falls seemed to be almost entirely about Midas, dead, or the Earth God (and you try being a God without having stories and legends told about you), and that was about it. She’d told him once of a group of literal crazies that had holed up there for a time, though they’d almost seemed to vanish entirely one week, and she had never seen them since. The rest had been scoffed remarks about fat asses, and hay-bellied weaklings, to use some of the nicer things she called them when she thought no one (important, anyway, a category I’ve never fit into for her) listened.

"I often felt, in the land of my birth, anyway," arrives my cordial attempt at conversation, that specific land left out, "that years of prosperity can be more damaging than they are beneficial, at least towards morale, and a responsible effort on behalf of each civilian. Why should one bother to guard, when there are twenty? Whey should I study, when there are others who know more than I ever will? Perhaps, these people think, they should just live off those who do, while they themselves live off that which others create."

My solutions to this trouble are… creative, to say the least. Many of them include fire, and other such horrors of nature. Can’t be lazy when your favorite meadow to sleep in is ablaze, after all! Somehow, however, I don’t take this painted, caped creature to be the sort to set her home alight, no matter what she felt of it, and change my train of thought to the Nightwalk, which had utilized regular military campaigns to keep their populace keen, and studious. Soldiers who often found their lives in the line of war trained, and scholars who were needed to learn of newly usurped cultures were set to recording these potentially lost tidbits. Everyone tried harder, if you were all going somewhere together.

Who, seriously, put that much effort into napping?

"It was all tedious," I decide on, an ear flicking back, as if in a “good riddance” salute to the past I had left behind, "probably part of why I’m out here. The wild does not allow one to become complacent."




Art by Esa82@DA

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Force/violence is allowed to be used on Rikyn permitted it does not permanently maim or kill him (PM me!).


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