Okay I know technically all the monsters are suppose to be pretty far away, like that's the point that odysseus and his crew got blown so off course that they're in the sea of monsters now. But I love how the musical makes it seem like Ithaca is just surrounded by an absurd amount of monsters and gods.
The weather has been all over the place lately. The warm, sunny days make me look forward to exploring nature in the spring with my love. We went hiking a few weeks ago at a beautiful waterfall in Ithaca, NJ. Last summer we were so excited to explore all of the beautiful waterfalls in NJ. From those people have heard of, to going exploring and finding our own secret spots.
As we stepped out of the car, the cool air hit the back of our necks. “Maybe it was too cold for this,” he says to me, shyly. “No,” I say, as I look straight ahead, losing my breath from the beauty of the nature in front of me. A simple waterfall, but to me, so elaborate, so breathtaking. As we cross the street, I feel him grab my hand. I look at him and smile, I love these moments. After observing the waterfall for some time, we decide to go for a walk.
“I don’t feel like walking up alll of these stairs,” I wine to him, begin my lazy self and knowing I will get my way, as I always do with him. He insists that we follow the path and we keep walking anyway. He promised me that it was more beautiful from above.
As we walk up the steep stairs, I look down and realize how far we are off the ground. I feel scared for a moment, and than I look at him. I feel like I am far off the ground every time I am with him, I feel like I am floating.
As I struggle up the stairs, he points something out to me. The stairs read “I will love you every step of the way”.
He smiles and kisses my forehead. We are almost to the top of the trail.
When we get to the top, we look down at what is below us, the waterfall. We are at the top of the waterfall, looking down at the beauty we had saw from the beginning. As we leaned over the edge, I felt an adrenaline rush as he grabbed me from behind and kissed me.
I never really liked doing things like this before i knew him. I would never climb all the way up here before I knew him. But I would never have seen such a beautiful site, if I had never known him.
_________
When I thought about the waterfall and the view from up above that he forced me to see, I thought about my relationship with him. The waterfall was beautiful, yes, but there are so many other perspectives to make it even more beautiful.
Just as me, first meeting him, felt wonderful, exciting. But as time progressed, we got to know each other more, saw each other from different angles. As we learned new things, every aspect of each other was more beautiful and appealing than the next. From thinking he was just a handsome boy with a breathtaking smile, to knowing what his different facial expressions mean, to knowing how he feels just by looking at him across the room.
Going on adventures, admiring the beauty around us...as I look to my left, I see him and realize I wouldn’t be here without him, but also that every thing around me will never be as breathtaking as him...
((Heartache and weariness, and settling in to rest. @kittypausecafe’s Din has a lot to take in about Trist’s timeline. SFW RP log))
"Sans?"
"Sure Dad, I'll go get Ro."
Aster waits until Sans is out the door to speak, his voice softer than usual. "Roman is . . odd. And worked Underground on the one river, ferrying people from place to place. The loss of me for so many years seems to have enhanced that oddity."
Anchor finally pipes up. "Y'know, if it wasn't for needing to make sure you're stable, I think you'd like the Cloister a lot - it's where all the newly Risen are. Half of them are kids outright, and I think Garamond's kinda overwhelmed."
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Din looks up- Roman? Ye ferryman? That sounds like waterway. -he thinks about the second part- I think I would like to see the cloister one day
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"Roman may have worked the same job . . . I swear they do the tra-la-la thing just to be frustrating." Aster sighs. "Entirely do-able, as long as we get you stable."
"Oh, hello Roman." When did this tall, incredibly narrowly built skeleton in robes come from. Roman nods, studying Din with a neutral expression.
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Din is struck by how much he looks like waterway. Roman looks almost exactly the same. But without the mischievous glint in his eye-
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Roman studies the new skeleton quietly, gaze picking up on a variety of details. "I am Roman Aster, sometimes Times Roman Aster. I prefer Roman. You look like I remind you of someone."
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He fumbles with his words for a moment before saying- Y-yes. You look like Waterway Jellyka Seafarers, a font in my timeline
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The name is clearly unexpected, as both Roman and Aster/Anchor echo the name in mild disbelief. Roman finally just sits down right where they were standing, setting their hands on their knees. "That is . . quite a name."
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he laughs- Yeah. we tried to tell inspira that was too long for a font but she just shook her head and said it was supposed to be that way. we mostly call him waterway or jellyka. though the kids call him jelly. -he smiles again but it fades, replaced by a melancholy. he laces his fingers together as he leans his elbows on his knees-
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"You miss them. All of them." It's not sympathy, but it is acknowledgement. Roman's air of detachment hasn't changed, but this . . there is understanding in their gaze. "Is this better than that place between?"
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Yes. -he says softly- there I was alone. Now I am not. Both places I am without them, but at least here I may have a chance to find peace
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"It will hurt." Roman speaks softly, but holds out a hand to Din. "But here you are not alone. And you have not met Garamond yet."
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He looks up and gently takes the hand offered to him. He smiles softly. He gives a soft laugh-sob and rubs his eye- god you even sound like him
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Roman doesn't give the hand a squeeze, but almost has a faint smile. "Father has mentioned that some traits seem to fall upon those with similiar roles in a timeline."
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He nods- this is true. As different as our timelines are, some things don't seem to change.
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"Is it a comfort, or painful?" Roman tilts their head slightly, an odd, rather birdlike motion. " . . I would think both, at times."
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he nods- A bit of both. Though not in the way I think would be expected. -he smiles sadly- I find the differences comforting and the similarities painful.
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"It is easier sometimes to miss what is familiar if it doesn't keep reappearing and reminding directly it is gone." Roman rises to their feet, and lets go of Din's hand in order to pull something out of of a pocket built into their robes. Leaning over, they spread out the fabric, and calmly ties it on Din's head. The scarf is quite soft, silky to the touch and sits easily.
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He reaches up a hand and touches it gently. He smiles warmly at Roman, a hint of sadness in his eyes- Thank you
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Tilting their head, Roman smiles faintly. "There are two Risen here. I am still teaching them english, so you will hear another language in the house."
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What language do they speak? -he asks, then furrows his brows- Are they dingbats?
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A moment spools by, and Roman exchanges a glance with Aster/Anchor, who have been sitting quietly nearby. Aster sighs, and finally speaks in wingdings, [That would be fairly simple to deal with.]
"Risen speak the language known by the human before death, generally. Zenzai and Itacha both speak Chinese." Roman speaks a touch quieter. "They're both determined to learn what we speak."
"Might be trying to distance themselves from the way they woke." Anchor adds last, her voice obscurely pained.
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He sighs- Your risen are very different than our fledglings and fonts, I'm noticing
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"In some ways, yes. But they still need care and teaching - as Monsters, they are still incredibly new and in need of guidance." Aster replies quietly. "In many ways it is more the how than the what."
" . . that's not even going into the circumstances around Tahoma." Roman sounds distinctly filled with unholy amusement as they speak, a singularly wicked grin on their face.
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He nods. He had many more questions- So they have the memories of the humans?
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"Not explicitly." Roman replies distractedly, doing that bird-like tilt again as they half-turn towards the door. Clearly listening to something.
"We've taken to calling what Risen experience 'Echoes', because it is more emotional imprints than outright memories . . except in heavy trauma." Aster makes a weary noise, bringing their upper hands to their temples and starting to rub. "Zenzai and Itacha are with us and not at the Cloister due to the . . . quality of their - Roman, you have the tape recorder?"
There's only a short, sharp nod from Roman before the tall skeleton is out the door, footsteps receeding in a very sharp tap-tap-tap rhythm as they run. There's an utterly broken note to Ater's voice as he continues. " . . we have to record everything they say or do in the grip of an Echo as evidence for the Legal Court in the country they rose. It's . . it's bad."
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He looks down at his hands- I remember the little ones would cry sometimes. And I could see they were remembering their deaths. But it was almost always gone by the time the capital came to take them away
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"Echoes do fade . . but how long seems to vary. I hope it will be quick for these boys - they don't . . . they shouldn't experience the horrors that the humans did." Aster's voice trails off, and he gives Din a long look. " . . they don't speak very well yet-" "I am damned certain they understand more than they speak!" "-but would you be willing to spend time with them? There are . . similairities between you and them."
"We need to get you pants first, tho."
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He laughs at that- I almost forgot. And yes. I'd be happy to meet them
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"Feeling up to facing more light?" Aster asks as they reach past Din to pull the pile of clothing closer. It's two skirts - one with a wrap tie, the other elastic, another shirt, and two pairs of shorts clearly raided from Sans and Papyrus's rooms. "Umm . . "
It's really hard to tell what color everything is in the darkness of the room. "I think we need to turn a light on - shall we take it slow and see how you do?"
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Din nods- I think I'm ready for a bit more light. -he closes his eyes, turning off his eyelight- Yeah. Im ready
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At the nod, Anchor/Aster rise from the cot and head to the windows, slowly pulling each blind open to let in light from outside - moonlight, cool and soft and stark. They then cross the room, and after turning the lamp-head to face the wall, turn on a desk lamp, which adds a deflected wash of dim warm light to the room.
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Din tenses, as if anticipating pain. When it doesn't come he slowly opens his eye. It isn't that bright. He slowly blinks, the tension seeping out of him- Okay. That's not bad.
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"It's night time, so we can definitely take it in stages." Anchor replies softly, smiling as they return to the cot and pick up the clothes. Blue and black pairs of shorts, one skirt plain brown and the other with a faint pattern of fleur-de-lis and roses in dove grey on a dusty pale blue. "Wear whatever you find comfortable - it's what we do in this household, and at the Cloister."
"That's a Monster trend I'm damned happy is spreading to the human population in town." Anchor giggles gleefully. "Even if Mr. Anders doesn't look as good in a skirt as Papyrus does."
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He smiles. Slowly he picks up the dove grey skirt. He stands slowly, shakily. With careful motions he pulls it over his head and slides it down, tying it just above his hips so that it doesn't fall off. He sits back down with a huff- There then.
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They smile. "It looks good."
"Now why can't I get you to add something like that to our wardrobe . . ?"
"I don't like breezy nethers, and you know why else!"
There's a lavender flush under their eyesockets as Aster replies, absently folding their upper hands behind their back. "Point."
A small shake, and he continues. "Setting that aside, do you feel up to a bit more light? We keep the house a bit brighter than we need for the few human family members."
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He nods and takes a deep breath, standing again- Yeah. let's do it.
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Aster/Anchor open the door, letting in a flood of brighter light - though not significantly brighter. They give a surprised and pleased hum, and quickly return to Din's side to offer a lower arm for his balance, helping him from the room at his pace.
The hallway outside is short, and two more doorways lead off it before it opens up into what looks to be a living room with all the overhead lights off and the reading lamps on. The doorways lead off on one side to a set of wash stations, one very minimal and only prepped with an emergency shower, sink, and wall-length mirror, the other more elaborate and a bit more like a conventional bathroom.
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He hobbles slowly, holding onto them for support with his shuffling gait- You have a nice house
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"My children have a nice house." Aster replies quietly. "While I now contribute a substantial amount to the upkeep . . they funded this home on their own. I'm very proud of them."
But once they make it to the living room, the faint, pained cries from the second floor become audible - it's impossible to tell what's being said due to the language, but the voices are agonized - and very, very young. Roman's rumble is just audible, softly soothing and patient as they speak with him.
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Din recognizes it a bit, simply because the monster language in his timeline is structurally related to all human languages. His heart pangs a little as he listens-
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It's frantic, frightened, and more than a little incoherent about 'mother' 'axe' 'all red' and a great many 'no's before it breaks down into utterly terrified screaming. Roman's voice becomes a constant soft murmur. Aster/Anchor shudders heavily, rubbing a hand along their other arm. "Do you understand any of it?"
There's a soft click-click-click of footsteps that isn't entirely drowned out as it draws closer. A little skeleton peers over the railing of the second floor loft down at them. Their left eyelight is twice the size of the other, and very fuzzy around the edges.
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I understand bits of it. -he says, his eyelight dim, his voice slightly strained- Axe. No. Mostly no. -he murmurs softly- The poor kid
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They give a heavy shudder at that. " . . Zenzai is missing their left arm from the mid-humerus on down. It's been a lot of work getting the bone to seal and heal - and it would have gotten infected if the boys hadn't been sent here so quickly."
Glancing up once more, they startle a little, then beckon to the little skeleton. "Itacha? It's all right." As soft and soothing as Aster can get while still being heard. Itacha moves slowly, but does creep down the stairway before pausing on the bottom step, peeking around the banister at Din. By this point, the huge crack on the left side of his skull is very visible, a wedge-shaped hole in the middle of the worst of the damage. And that's not even considering how delicate the child's bones seem to be.
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Din smiles kindly at the child and speaks softly in his native wingdings, not the aster he had been using earlier- Hello there little one
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Itacha's eyesockets go very wide, and in a scrambling blur, latches onto Din's side. A little hard, but clearly needing the contact. {You speak same!} What blurts out of his mouth is a little hard to understand, but the gist gets across.
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He absorbed the weight of the child with a soft "oof." He smiles down at them- Well. I suppose I do.
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With that, the child just plain outright nuzzles into Din's side, wrapping his arms around Din and looking mulish when Aster speaks up. "We do need to get you sitting down again . . I doubt walking is going to be very easy with Itacha attached."
A lower hand gently touches the little skeleton's skull, and he makes a face, clearly reluctant to let go. Anchor adds, "I should do another healing session on that crack."
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Din thought for a moment- If they don't want to let go,.. They could stand on my feet. I used to do it all the time with paps
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{Will not hurt feet?} Itacha asks worriedly, looking down at Din's feet. And giggles, placing one of his next to Din's. {Big! But not big as Guardian!}
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He laughs- No. It won't hurt my feet. And yes. -he smiles- I have small feet
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Itacha pauses, thinking hard for a few seconds, then scoots around to set their feet on Din's. Still not letting go of the taller skeleton's waist. {Go?}
Aster/Anchor take this as a cue to start walking towards the couch, ready to help Din balance with the extra weight - and keeping a close eye on him, as there's no telling how the damaged portions feel with the extra stress. Even if it may be long-healed.
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Din smiles and starts shuffling forward. Once they get to the couch he helps the kid up next to him with a soft sigh-
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His personal burr doesn't exactly help with the shift, but Itacha doesn't exactly protest either, settling in snuggled up to Din's side with one of Aster/Anchor's lower hands gently pressed to his skull. The hand glows a soft green that sinks into the large cracks, and the child gives a sigh of relief. {Feels good. Stronger.}
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He hums softly, and starts to sing in a low voice. It's in an old language, with elements of hundreds of tongues. It sounds like a lullaby or something to that effect-
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Gradually Itacha relaxes against Din's side, and is snoring softly when Roman comes back downstairs - carrying another little skeleton that's shivering hard enough that his bones are rattling against theirs. The little skeleton's sole arm is wrapped tightly around Roman's neck.
Roman looks a little startled by the party on the couch, but walks over quickly, rubbing the child's back. {Zenzai, Zen . . your brother is right here.}
The little one buries their face against Roman.
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Din looked up, concern painted all over his face. He stopped singing- Goodness
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At the unfamiliar voice, the little skeleton gives a frightened whimper, grip tightening on Roman. They continue to rub along the child's back, settling down on the couch to the other side of Anchor/Aster. It takes a long span of minutes, but eventually the frightened child is coaxed to grip onto Anchor/Aster instead.
Peeking through the transparent part of their neck at Din on the other side.
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He smiles as gently as he can and starts humming again. It slowly leads into a soft song. This one is different, but it's the same language-
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Roman rises from the couch after a little, heading into another doorway and . . off to the kitchen, by the sounds.
Aster/Anchor continue to pat/soothe the upset little skeleton, who gives a few quiet sniffs as he sets his head on their shoulder. As Din sings, Zenzai gradually starts to relax, eventually allowing the transfer from clinging to their side to sitting on their lap. {I do not know you.}
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He stops singing- Yes. That's true. -he looks at anchor/aster, as if wondering how best to explain that-
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Anchor/Aster gives Din a look of mild confusion. "I . . honestly do not know what they're saying."
For his part, Zenzai is trying to quietly sneak into the niche between his sibling and the one holding him.
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Oh. They said they don't know who I am. And I'm unsure what the... -he pauses- Best course of action would be.
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"Well . . I am Wing Ding Aster . . what would you like to be known as? Just 'Din' would probably work just fine as well." As he talks, Aster is gently rubbing the boy's back, reassuring the child. Said child has been successfull in cramming in next to his brother, and is watching Din over the top of his skull. {You been hurt bad. Like us. Wake up that way?}
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He shake his head- No I didn't wake up like this. But that's not exactly a story for fledg-- -he pauses- for babybones
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{Not baby!} Zenzai protests, scowling at Din. Anchor smiles as she comments, "They're four months old at most - their awakening was . . rough. They've been here about seven weeks."
The sleeping skeleton nuzzled into Din's side makes a grumpy nose, blinking his eyelights open. {Ze-e-en . . too loud.}
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He laughs a little- Fledgelings in my world don't get to be fonts until their first birthday. So you're still babybones to me.
He gently pats the kid at his side and murmurs- Sorry kiddo
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Seeing how his sibling just makes a grumpy noise and happily snuggles closer into Din's side makes Zenzai relax even further, even though he's clearly pouting about still being a 'babybones'. {Not baby . . }
After a bit, he leans back into the warm spot he's made on the couch, not even looking up as Roman walks back into the room with a pot of tea and several mugs. By the scent, it's green tea.
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He smiles and shifts his gaze from the sleeping children to Roman. Din suddenly feels rather tired. He feels his form loosing stability, but struggles to keep from dusting. That probably wouldn't help anyone
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Anchor/Aster leans across the two children set a hand on Din's shoulder, sending a soft wave of their mixed magic through him. With the two children between them, it causes a soft echo effect that ripples back through the boys to them. Roman watches all of this with . . mild amusement, apparently.
Without a word the tall skeleton starts setting up the teapot, pouring a mug for first Aster/Anchor, then one for din, then one for themselves.
In the RP logs, you may have noticed these two little cuties appearing. This is Zenzai and Itacha, who are staying with the Asters, only speak chinese, and are [REDACTED]. Both recently decided they were boys.
