Celeste padded up to Loki's side, the Sylveontaur crossing her arms across her chest with a small huff of air. The elder taur stopped in the middle of her gardening, patting a plot of freshly planted artichoke seeds and wiping her brow of sweat.
"Oh hi Celeste, what did you-" The hybrid's voice cracked when she saw her daughter's angered expression, ears flattening against her head. "Celeste, what's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" The Sylveon's ribbons lashed at the airspace around her, her blue eyes narrowed angrily toward her mother. "What's wrong is that I just talked with Bijoux and she tells me you cheated on her mum! Is that why the two of you divorced? Because what I recall hearing from you, Jolokia Capsicum Aniseed, is that you two grew apart! How many other separations had circumstances you didn't share? I seem to recall quite a few of them in the past century or so, around a dozen-plus, if not more!"
"Celeste, this isn't any of your-" Loki began, before being interrupted by a ribbon slapping itself straight onto her snout.
"No. You need to tell me what's really been happening." The fairy type's tone shifted dramatically into an angrier, highly disappointed demeanor. "Something's gotten into you that compels you to keep sabotaging your marriages, and I want to know what it is, right now."
Loki's eyes widened at her daughter's tonal shift, her face falling as she lifted her left hand up to gently touch the Sylveontaur's ribbon.
"You're going to be honest when you tell me, Mom?" Celeste hesitated to lift the ribbon from her mother's muzzle, until the hybrid nodded, giving her a reason to do so. The ribbon lightly rubbed behind Loki's ear, and Celeste perked a brow. "Well, my ears are wide open. Let's hear what you have to say."
Loki let out a long sigh, rubbing her hand behind her head with a softened gaze. "You might not understand this, but sure, I'll tell you. It's... Shijima."
Celeste's eyes narrowed further, the Sylveontaur's head shaking. "Mom, he passed over seven centuries ago," she refuted. "I know you've always had a tough time dealing with losing him after the sixty-plus years you two had together, but he's not actually still keeping you from having life partners. Come on, what really happened?"
Loki shook her head. "I just told you. But I wasn't done. It wasn't just losing Shijima... it's that, well. Ever since I transitioned, it's meant that my relationship with him was a lie. How am I supposed to feel, knowing that the best thing that ever happened to me wasn't even something true?"
Celeste whipped her ribbon across Loki's cheek, causing the hybrid to recoil in shock. "Mom, that might be the absolute dumbest thing I've ever heard you say," the Sylveontaur replied flatly. "Are you kidding me?? All these years and all this happiness with your transition, your gender and bodily euphoria with being part-Leafeon after constant flux with what species mix you were... you think this suddenly invalidates a whole relationship???"
"He was gay, Celeste," Loki seethed through gritted teeth, wiping at her cheek as tears began to stream down her face. "Here I was, a girl this whole time, and I got a gay Houndoom to fall for me! How am I supposed to feel proud of myself for tricking my husband for all those years!?"
Celeste shook her head, putting her hand on her mother's shoulder. "You didn't trick anyone, Mom," she explained. "Did you think you were transgender when you were with Dad? Because I don't recall you ever even bringing anything up until about two centuries ago, right around the time you transitioned. And besides... he didn't love your gender, Mom. He loved you. He even told me that himself."
"How could you possibly know that?" the hybrid asked, leaning along her daughter's shoulder as the Sylveontaur petted behind her ears. "I never talked to Shijima about those things..."
"I did," Celeste explained. "I knew he loved you, Mom, but I wasn't sure about a lot of things with him. You know, when you two were into your fifties, I got curious one night because I noticed how much of a mother figure you were to me, and... I snuck out to go talk to him about this exact topic."
Loki's voice croaked in a whisper. "You didn't. Not about me being transgender... you couldn't possibly have known..."
"You're right," Celeste admitted. "I didn't know, not for sure. I suspected maybe, deep down, but I more talked to him about it because I wanted to have the peace of mind that if you were, he wouldn't think less of you. I'll tell you exactly how it went..."
The full moon hung brightly in the night sky above White Forest, shining through the grove in which a large Houndoom lay. A twin-tailed, quadrupedal Sylveon gently pressed her nose under the Houndoom's right cheek, causing the larger dog's muzzle to wrinkle and eyes to barely creak open. His purple eyes stared at the fairy type's blue ones, and he let out a tiny, sleepy murmur. "…Celeste? Are you okay?" The Houndoom seemed genuinely concerned for a moment. "Is Loki okay?"
"I'm okay, Shijima," the Sylveon replied, her tails idly flickering side to side. "Daddy's okay too, so don't worry about him. I just, well, couldn't really sleep well because I had a lot on my mind. Mostly stuff about you and Daddy…"
Shijima's shoulders relaxed, his left foreleg lifting up slightly as Celeste tucked herself in against the canine's warm body. "Come here, Celeste," he sighed, his snout forming into a quiet smile when the Sylveon began to let out purrs of contentment at his touch. "What has you so bothered about me and Loki?"
Celeste's ears wilted a bit at the question. "That's just it, Shijima; it's not even anything real that has my mind racing. I just, well, keep looking at the two of you and thinking about how happy you are together, the nearly three decades you've spent as mates. But I've also seen him change species like, four times, and it suddenly got me thinking about… well, the way he acts, among other things."
"What about it?" The fire dog's head tilted. "I love the way Loki is, Celeste; I wouldn't ask him to change a thing about himself if he didn't want to do it. I just want him to be happy." Shijima looked upward, catching sight of a particularly bright star in the northern sky. "I know he gave me that bracelet that lets me change between taur and normal forms: he doesn't want me to change even more, does he?"
Celeste shook her head. "No, Shijima; he loves you more than words could ever say, just as you are." She looked up at the star with Shijima, her head nestled comfortably under his chin. "It's just, well. Daddy told me you're only into other guys, and I've been thinking about what that might mean if his gender were one of the next things to change. Like, if he was Loki, but… he also wasn't, well, a he."
Shijima blinked at that. "What are you saying? You think Loki might be transgender? I mean, he does have a really feminine air about him, but I've always thought that's just how he is. He's had to be a father figure to you, Cherub and Maya. And he's also had to fill in as a sort of mother figure, too." The dog's chin peered downward, causing Celeste's head to gently lower along with it. "Celeste…"
Celeste's eyes welled up a bit. "That's the worst part, Shijima. I don't even know why I'm having these thoughts, but all I can think of is that you wouldn't love him anymore if that were true…"
Shijima's ears bolted upward, and he let out a sharp bark, causing Celeste to flinch. "Don't you say things like that."
"Huh?"
"Celeste, I don't love Loki because he's a guy," Shijima growled, his tone staying firm, but gentler than his attention-getting bark. "I mean, it's true; I'm gay, but that's not why Loki is so special to me." He offered another smile, this one slightly wider than the previous one. "Loki is the kindest, most genuine Pokémon I've ever met. He listens to me, doesn't pass judgment, and he won my heart through earning my trust and just being himself. If he were to transition to a different gender, I'd still love him just as much, if not more."
"So if Daddy were to become a woman, you'd…"
"Be happy for her." Shijima nodded. "I don't want Loki to be anything that isn't true to herself. If that means she's not the male Pokémon that won my heart, but a female one, well, I'd just get used to it. It might be a bit confusing, take me some time to make sure I didn't call her by something she wasn't, but it wouldn't be about making me comfortable. It'd be about making her comfortable, making sure she knows how much I love her." The Houndoom smiled broadly. "And how much I always will."
Celeste giggled at the canine's broad smile, nuzzling against his snout with a happy purr. The Houndoom replied with a ferocious but loving lick to her cheek, chuckling softly to himself. "So you wouldn't think that Daddy, er, Mom, I guess, if it happened… you don't think the relationship would be a lie or anything like that? Like she tricked you?"
Shijima gently opened his maw to teethe on Celeste's left ear, sticking out his tongue as he let it go. "No," he stated with utmost certainty. "You know, Celeste, I don't even know if Loki is thinking about things like gender at all. If he is, then that's just fine with me. I just want him to be happy, the way he's always made me so happy. I fell in love with Loki because he's Loki, not because of his gender. It might have helped, him being male as I met him, but if that changed… that would be the only thing that did." The dog hummed quietly, tucking the Sylveon further in against himself. "Does that help, Celeste?"
The fairy type nodded. "Yeah, actually," she trilled. "Thanks, Shijima. Hey, uh… Shijima. I was wondering…"
"Hmm?"
"Um… well, you've always been such a good listener and nice to me." Celeste perked an ear. "Would you be angry with me if I called you Dad?"
"…" Shijima stayed quiet for almost a minute, at last asking, "Dad, huh? Why Dad?"
"Because Daddy's already Daddy, silly," Celeste teased, tongue lolling playfully. "And you're a lot more serious and more like a Dad than you are any other term for a father. Father sounds kind of uptight, Papa is just, I dunno, not really it. Daddy is already Jolokia, so really, that kinda just leaves 'Dad' as the answer. I mean… if you're okay with me thinking of you like that, anyway."
Shijima's eyes softened at this, and he offered a warm smile, nodding. "I would be honoured if you considered me your Dad," he answered. "I'm glad you asked first, too. But, I have one condition for it."
"What's that, Dad?"
Shijima blushed at that. It was the first time he'd heard it directly addressed to him, but it felt… right. His smiled broadened, and he slurped the Sylveon's ear. "You need to go to bed."
Celeste let out a gasp, tails wagging and eyes closing as the Houndoom's body draped over her like a big, comfortable blanket. "Okay, okay," she murmured, settling down rather quickly. "…good night, Dad. I love you."
Shijima hummed lazily, his own eyes closing as his neck crooked in against the Sylveon's head, chin draped between her ears. "Mmm. I… love you too, Celeste."
"Um… don't tell Daddy I asked about this, okay?"
"It'll be our little secret. Promise. Good night, Celeste."
The present day snapped back into reality for the two taurs, Loki staring up at Celeste in utter disbelief. "You know, I always wondered why he let you call him Dad," the hybrid admitted with a laugh. "Guess you kind of won his heart just like I did. It must have helped that you're kind of a chip off my old block, huh?"
Celeste laughed heartily and kissed her mother's forehead, tails wagging happily. "So you listen to me, Mom," she said with a sudden flatness, "you're badly mistaken if you think Dad would have thought any less of you being transgender, or felt in any way deceived. You're still the same Loki that won his love and trust all those centuries ago, Mom, even if the gender and species have changed a lot since then. This isn't a ghost that you need to let haunt you any longer, okay?"
Loki nodded softly. "I... yes, okay. She let out a long sigh, rubbing her cheek against Celeste's nose. "It's going to take time to unlearn some of this, but... Shijima would want me to be happy. He always said that. You're right. I'm so proud of you, and I love you."
Celeste nodded some, and the two embraced for a while longer. "I love you too, Mom. I always will. You deserve to be happy, to have love, true love, and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise, especially your own doubts."
(@sonder-palms)
Alyse adjusted their glasses more properly before they hesitantly approached Khione. Admiring the taur's beautiful dress had made them wish they brought something fancier to wear- then again they hadn't planned to visit Faraway Island.
"You said your half-sister is a mew? She did a beautiful job on your dress, it must've taken a long time to make!" Alyse beamed happily. "What's it like having a legendary pokemon in your family?…"
They touched their pointer fingers together, a little nervous about asking.
"I-if you want to talk about it, you don't have to."
Oh crap, a human. Do I run? No... they don't seem hostile.
The Aurorustaur's eyes watched Alyse's approach, keeping a nervous gaze on her face. She sniffed the air around the human a bit, noticing... a calm aroma around them. She lowered her guard slightly, nodding the closer they got to her, listening to them speak.
A Mew? They must have overheard Loki talk about Shania. But... I do have a legendary in the family... do I talk about him? Why not... they don't seem to pose a threat, and they don't know anything about where I live. Sure. It'll be good to talk about. She snapped back to reality just as Alyse touched pointer fingers and made their last remark.
"Huh? Me?" The dinosaur's head tilted in confusion. "Oh, nonono," she stammered, waving her hands at the human's question, "that's Loki that has the Mew in her family, not me. Though, uh... thank you for the compliments on my dress... you'd have to send your regards to Master Izotz for that one. He's a Chien-Pao, an incredibly gifted tailor and a distant cousin, about uh..." The Aurorustaur counted on her fingers for a moment. "...maybe eight or nine times removed? Either way we share a common Chien-Pao ancestor in his great, great, great, great, great..." She counted once again. "....great, great-grandfather."
"I wouldn't say it's really anything earth-shattering having a legendary in the family, though." Khione seemed rather nonchalant about the whole thing. "At least, Master Izotz doesn't really put too much stock into it, anyway. He's just content being a Pokemon like everyone else, and doing what he can to help family, friends, and neighbours. I don't subscribe to the whole 'legendary worship' tenet, but I know so many do. Like my friend Bijoux; she's Loki's daughter and she goes bonkers when she meets a legendary for the first time. I think she's got a bucket list to meet them all, between you and me, heh..."
The dinosaur cleared her throat, shaking her head. "I... uh, don't usually talk to humans this long, but you seem nice enough. I just hope I didn't make any sort of bad impression by talking too much; I haven't been very lucky in party set-"
"Khione! You made a friend! Thatta girl! I knew you'd be fine out here!"
The ice-type's head whipped behind her to see Loki strolling forward to meet her, the hybrid bowing gently toward Alyse. "Ah, hello... Khione, I didn't expect you to befriend a human!"
"Oh uh, well, I dunno, they commented on my dress and asked about a Mew in the family. You just caught us mid-conversation, really I never really got a chance to ask their name or double-check pronouns or any ot that."
"Oh, did they overhear us talking about my half-sister Shania? Heh... funny how you keep getting caught up in these things, Khione. Well, it can't be helped. I'm going to head over to the lantern send-off station; come join me when you're done."
"Okay." The tauric dino watched Loki strut away from her and Alyse, watching her leafy tail wag before snapping back to earth and offering the human her right hand. "Right, uh... as you probably heard, I'm Khione. I'd better get to the lantern stations; if you'd like to tag along you're welcome to. Just, er... before I go, you know, I should probably ask for your name. And make sure saying 'they' about you wasn't rude or anything."
(@ask-pokecats) Bella approaches Loki. She looks at her dress and smiles greatly.
"Meooowwww... That dress...looking amyazing! I'm having one as well, but it gives me creeps because of one guy (don't worry he isn't a jerk or anything, just I don't like him...).
Okay, enough already, are you exited for the main festivities as we are?"
Loki's ears perked at the Meowscarada's voice. She looked over at the feline, waving her left arm at her upon being approached. She chuckled heartily at the cat noises Bella made, raising a brow ridge at the ending comment and shaking her head.
"A purr-leasure, I'm sure," she quipped with a stifled laugh, her tail wagging fiercely. "Aww, that's sweet of you to say, thank you… well, as long as whoever you're mentioning isn't here, you should feel proud to wear whatever you want to wear, right? I mean, that's the joy of clothing; you dress to make yourself happy, not anyone else, after all!" She did a quick twirl in place, the fabric of her dress swinging along with her.
"Oh, I'm totally ready to enjoy this festival to its fullest! I'm sure you are too; don't forget to make the meow-st of it, my dear!"
(ShayminCafe) Shaythulu sniffed the air as it caught Loki's lavender aroma. Saying something to Cherry that could only be heard as a cacophony of warbling whispers, the two set their attention on Loki and quickly made their way over to the taur. "Hail, fellow Shaymin," Cherry called out. "Your dress looks quite lovely on you. Your lavender aroma is quite potent. Does it cause flowers to bloom around you wherever you venture or is it simply a nice smell to compliment your looks?"
Loki had just been finishing up her conversation with Bella when the pair of Shaymin had arrived and a voice had called out to her. She knelt her legs to get to a more accessible speaking height with the red-and-grey one who had greeted her. She waved a hand to the pair of smaller-grass types, wanting to make sure they both felt welcome approaching her.
"Hello yourselves, fellow Shaymins!" she replied, humming warmly at Shaythulu and Cherry. "Thank you; this sweet Meowscarada was just saying the exact same thing about my dress. Seems I'll have to let Shania know this was a hit at the event, after all… I'm Loki, by the way. Who are you two, if I might ask?" Her tail flickered thoughtfully at the second portion of Cherry's statement as she rose to her feet.
"Oh, this old scent? Yeah, centuries of sleeping under a dogwood tree surrounded by lavender blooms will definitely bake the scent into your fur, I'd supposed. And no, the scent itself doesn't really do anything superpowered. It's just good for making me smell as nicely as I look, mostly. But I can make the former happen… with a little Aromatherapy move." The hybrid's eyes closed and she held her hands up to her chest, her Gracidea flower beginning to glow brightly. Her lavender aromas became even more powerful than usual, pervading the air in a good thirty-foot radius around her own body. Any flowers already alive in the area would bloom and grow slightly, though nothing new would grow, at least… not until the taur began stepping side to side, and multiple lavender buds sprouted with each lift of any of her four paws, immediately blossoming and opening as if they'd been growing for several months. She plucked one as the scents returned to a more normal potency, gently offering to place one behind both Shaymins' ears as a reminder of their meeting.
"You're quite unlike any Shaymin I've ever met," she trilled, her long leaf-like tail swaying happily, "but that just means our species is much more diverse and flourishing than I could have hoped. It's been wonderful meeting you both, and if you'd like to talk more, I'd be happy to walk with you to one of the vendors and we can talk over a beverage! I'd really love to know more about what makes you both as unique and curious as you are!"
The paper lantern floated gently through the sky with its warm glow flickering. A soft breeze carried it over and guiding it like a drifting star. As the flame inside began to fade, the lantern descended in slow, spiraling motions, its delicate frame rustling in the air. Finally, it touched down on a ground, its paper crinkling as it settled. Tied on the handle, a carefully folded letter peeked out. It's a handwritten invitation, it reads out...
" Dearest Esteemed Guest(s),
With great joy and reverence, we invite you to join us for this year’s Lantern Rite Festival, a celebration of light, harmony, and renewal. As the lanterns rise to illuminate the night sky, we come together to honor tradition, share in festivities, and embrace the warmth of companionship.
The festival will be held on 1st of March at Faraway Island.
Expect an evening filled with breathtaking lantern displays, enchanting performances, and a feast of exquisite delicacies.
Your presence would be a cherished honor, adding to the radiance of this special occasion. We look forward to celebrating under the glowing lanterns with you.
Khione had spotted the earlier floating lantern, but chosen to ignore it. She had been talking to Bijoux and Millie about potential major choices at Harmonia, discussing other ideas and schedules, but minutes later, her curiosity got to the better of her. She walked into the clearing, seeing Loki holding the lantern in her right hand, and the letter in her left.
"Khione! Darling!" The Leafmintaur chimed upon seeing Khione, tail wagging heatedly. By now the hybrid had read the lantern's letter, having definitively decided to attend. "Perfect timing, you're coming to the Lantern Rite Festival with me. Get your finest dress ready; I'm calling Shania right now. We leave in ten minutes. Off you go~"
"But Loki, what about Bijoux, shouldn't she-" The younger taur's feet shuffled as Loki strode over, patting her lower half in an ushering motion, sending her out of the clearing.
"Millie and Bijoux will be fine with your old teacher, darling. My Celeste will take care of them quite well, and Cascade is here if they run into trouble." Khione raised a hand to protest, but was interrupted before she could speak.
"Now, as I said, we'll be going in ten minutes; our transport is one her way.," were Loki's last words, before the hybrid disappeared into the trees. Khione blinked in surprise, before heading back to the guest shed and getting herself ready. The sequined one should suffice, she supposed...
Eight minutes later, she was back in the clearing, clad in a navy-blue dress, with a long, icy-blue train laced with twinkling white snowflake patterns along its length draping across her lower body. Her upper shoulders had white, snow-like fluff across them to hold the garment in place around her figure. What she saw next stunned her.
Loki came out to greet the younger dinosaur clad in a frilly, ribboned, shoulderless dress. It was a brilliant amethyst, matching her eyes and ear colours, with a lighter purple lace and bows holding Gracidea flowers at her elbows and above her tail. She wore a similarly-shaded lace scarf around her neck to match, and a half-train of baby purple spread over her taurbody, ending in the same medium lace as the main dress.
"You look beautiful," Loki chimed, striding over and gently petting Khione's head, causing the Aurorustaur to indadvertently purr with a blush. The grass-type smiled broadly. "I can only imagine how proud your parents would be, seeing you in this outfit. Do they know how well they've done raising you?"
"I- Loki, thank you, but I, you just-" Khione began, before Loki came up with a smile and put a finger to her nose.
"You're more than welcome, Khione, dear," the hybrid teased, as a bright, shiny Mew wordlessly appeared and nodded to them both. In a flash, the three were teleported to Faraway Island's shores, officially beginning their time at the festival, one that the younger dino had no awareness of, let alone any desire of attending.
"Thank you, Shania," Loki said with a broad bow.
"Thank you, Miss Shania," Khione matched, with a equally deep bow.
"Good to know this old cat still has a few good outfits in her wardrobe," the feline murmured, admiring the hybrid's dress. "And you... Khione, was it? Glad to see the young ladies still have good manners. I'll have to ask about who tailored your outfit some time, but that'll be another day. Loki, you'll call when you two are ready to leave, I'm sure. Have fun!" The psychic cat nodded, teleporting away and leaving the two taurs alone.
Khione wasn't sure why Loki had been so pushy to bring her. But she was here, despite knowing Bijoux would have been far more at home at this event. Maybe it would serve her well and teach her more about Loki and the Aniseeds... or benefit her in an entirely different manner. Either way, she was here... for better or worse.
Loki and Bijoux had excused themselves to a quiet corner of Redolent Grove, settling together nearby the elder taur's plot full of Gracidea blooms. The spectacled Cinccino-taur gazed back at her mother with a concerned frown.
"Okay, Mom," she stated, "we're by ourselves now. So, you said there was more to you and Mum's separation when I was a baby, right? What actually happened?
Loki gave a sideways glance away from the younger taur, taking a deep breath and then glancing at her own forepaws.
"Bijoux, the reason we separated is… I cheated on your Mum."
Bijoux's eyes widened at this revelation. Her ears flattened somewhat, and she shook her head, shoulders slumping defeatedly. She didn't respond for a good few minutes, just casting a saddened, hurt stare back at her mother. When she did finally speak, her reply was simple, just one word.
"…why?"
Loki's ears wilted heavily. Of all the responses Bijoux could have given, this was the one that the hybrid dreaded would happen. The taur sat back on her hindquarters, letting out a long, heavy sigh. She pondered it briefly, looking at the Cinccino-taur with worried eyes.
"Bijoux, I loved your Mum. Part of me still does." Loki's arms crossed briefly over her chest, tail thumping angrily at the ground. "But… she and I grew apart. We fell head over heels early and became partners way too soon. Then we had you and grew even further apart. She was focused on modeling and barely had the time of day for me; I got lonely with just you in my life. So, when I met a beautiful Furret woman, I… began dating her behind your Mum's back."
"Did you ever tell Mum?
Loki nodded. "After about a year of seeing the Furret. I felt guilty knowing I was being dishonest, even though it hurt that your Mum and I never had any sort of romance in our lives anymore. I just couldn't take it; I gently let the Furret go and told your Mum what I had done. And of course, she dumped me. Deservedly, I'll admit. But I kept you in the separation, mostly because she wasn't about to give up a modeling career to take care of a cub."
Bijoux glanced sideways, then stepped closer to Loki, taking her left hand and gently patting the hybrid's side. "Mom, why didn't you just talk to Mum about that from the beginning? At least you could have parted peacefully. I mean, you've raised me alone for sixteen years; why keep this to yourself? Why stay alone?"
Loki's gaze turned to her daughter's, her muzzle forming an uneasy smile. "I was okay raising you alone, darling," she replied calmly, "because I knew I only had myself to blame for being alone. And I wasn't ready to start dating in case… well, I made the same mistake."
Bijoux blinked a bit. "You mean like with that Meowscarada you've got a crush on?"
Loki blushed hotly at this. Still, she nodded solemnly, her forepaws tippy-tapping the ground a bit. "Charade didn't seem disinterested, no, but... what if she isn't ready either?"
"Then you just start as friends and let it progress naturally?" Bijoux shrugged her shoulders. "Look, Fiamma and I stayed friends despite moving too fast because we were honest and respected each other. If you think you and miss Charade would make a good couple, just talk to her! The worst that happens is she says no. But be honest; that's all anyone wants, Mom."
Loki's tail swished at the thought. Still, she kept a quiet air about her, reaching out and hugging her daughter. "Thank you, Bijoux. For understanding, for being here... I guess an old mythical can still learn new tricks, heh."
Bijoux let out a squeak at the hug, her own tail wagging now as she patted her mom's back. "Even the legends aren't perfect," she mused aloud. "Warts and all, I'll always love you, Mom. You've done the same for me, after all. And besides..." Bijoux smiled slyly. "You're both the reason I'm alive, and the reason I can be my true self. That counts for a lot. Thank you."
The embrace held for a while, before the two separated. Loki finally let go of her daughter, tears glistening along her cheeks, then began walking to the gardening shed. Bijoux took her leave, left to wonder... just why had her mom waited until now to tell her? She'd ask later, but at the moment, she was happy just to know the truth...
Luci@Loki: A casual wave of greeting is given to Loki as he approaches, though he takes a moment carefully consider his words... he gives the blossoming tree a thoughtful glance, " 'm sorry to hear about what happened to you at your old home. Already hard enough to deal with some stuff when you've got the whole "legendary" thing goin' on. This place does seem t' mean a lot to you, though- 'specially the color. I'm gonna guess there's somethin' special about that, too?"
Loki had been settled beneath the blossoming dogwood tree, contentedly leafing through a scrapbook of garden plans. She happened to look upward not long after the Mew arrived, returning his wave with a soft, welcoming smile and a wave of her own. She let the psychic feline take his time before he spoke, noticing the casual speech pattern, sensing a... familiarity to his voice. She didn't quite recall it immediately, but a part of her had an inkling of who he was. She nodded in appreciation at his thoughtful question, and the empathy he shared with her over the incident from centuries past.
"Hey. Long time no see. At least, it certainly feels like it's been a long time since I last saw you, assuming I'm thinking of the right Mew. Hopefully I'll get this first try, but uh.... Lu..." She paused and put her left hand to her muzzle. "...cifer? Yeah, that seems like it. Lucifer, right? I know I've talked to you like once or twice; it's hard to remember exactly when or how often but you're definitely familiar. It's always good to see a fellow legendary... even if most would consider me a 'mythical' and not a true 'legendary.' I mean whatever, right?"
Loki shook her head with a sigh. "Thanks for the condolences. Far from your fault, though. Kind of a lot of things that I couldn't really control, but White Forest welcomed me with open branches and I've lived her for hundreds of years. I've walked by my old forest; it's grown back pretty nicely thanks to being protected by those in Castelia City. It's not nearly as full of flowers and the trees are thinner than they once stood, but it's nice to see it still remains in some capacity. I don't dare go back into it, though; I can't guarantee that even after all this time I'd be forgiven for what was formerly seen as a major transgression."
Loki's ears twitched in thought at the Mew's question about her colouration. "Yeah, honestly, I could go on for hours talking about what purple means to me, but I'll spare you the all-day chatter and give you a bit of an abridged version. Purple has basically been my favourite colour since I was a kid. There's always been something about the way it looks, the way it feels... and it was the colour of my first husband's eyes. I fell in love with him the instant I saw the brilliant purple reflecting back when I looked into his gaze, and despite his initial reluctance to trust my words, he liked being around me."
"He was a Houndoom. His name was Xera Rainmist Shijima... but he always went by just Shijima. Or Shiji-boo, or Sweetheart; he never got tired of that from me. Hehe..." She blushed a bit at the memory, a few happy tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "I'm going to get this backwards, I'm sure, but I think Xera was his family name, and Rainmist was the name of his clan. And Shijima was his given name. We built a relationship from the ground up; I began earning his trust, and in time, his love. This tree... we planted it here on the night we were wed, as it was a long-standing tradition to plant a tree to symbolise the strength and commitment of two Pokemon who chose to be life partners. It was said that if the tree wilted, the union was doomed, but this tree not only prospered, it flourished, and became my nightly sleeping spot, usually with him curled up along my tauric belly."
"I chose the dogwood because it takes a vibrant, stunning hue of amethyst during the fall, and with me being born on the Autumnal Equinox, and him being, well, a dog Pokemon, it felt almost like I couldn't go wrong to make that the emblem of our union, you know? Years went by; purple became even closer to me, more a part of my core identity, and eventually, with such volatile DNA in my body, I became more and more like the dogwood that served as my long-time home with Shijima. The peppermint scents became lavender, what once were emerald eyes became amethyst to match Shijima's. And of course..." Loki's tail waggled gently, the leafy appendage ruffling a bit with each motion. "The affinity I have with plants shone through into my appearance."
"I guess you could say that all of this purple is somewhat of a way of wearing my heart, and the memories of my husband, on my sleeve, so to speak." Loki wiped up at her tearing eyes with a soft grunt, ears drooping before perking back toward the sky. "It's funny how even the simplest habits and memories so firmly shaped and embedded themselves in me that it began to show on my outside as well. I'm certainly a lot less fiery than I was in my youth, and I certainly wasn't anything like this..." She gestured to her body. "...back in those days."
It's possible that Lucifer would be thankful he got the abridged version of the story at this point, but not being psychic, Loki wouldn't know either way. Regardless, the answer was out, and one could sense a palatable relief in the hybrid's expression. Lavender scents filled the surrounding air, and a careful ear would detect soft purrs of contentment from Loki's muzzle. One might sense that Loki felt relief from being able to relive happy memories, and that being able to do so with an old acquaintance brought its own comfort. Still, the answers and stroll down memory lane brought their own questions with them, but those would be for another day...
[@ask-north - Wisteria @ Loki] Wisteria gleefully approached Loki with North not far behind her, She however quickly began to stare in awe at the taur just as she did the first time they met. The tiny ghost didn't look like she did before, but she acted all the same. "Your dress is sooo pretty!!" She suddenly shouted before lowering her voice in embarrassment, "Oh… Uhm. Do you remember me?" She asked, The ghost sounded a bit sad and worried but her happiness quickly returned.
"Wait!! Did you come here to have fun too!? Oh! Oh! Did you bring any friends? Can I meet them? I brought my friend too! See? See?" She proudly gestured to North. "We didn't have any pretty dresses though…" She trailed off, before giving Loki a nervous smile. "… Can I still meet them even if I don't have a pretty dress too?"
Loki had been enjoying a small glass of sparkling wine, when Wisteria appeared in front of her. The not-ghost's voice seemed so familiar as she spoke all excitedly. She couldn't quite place it right away, but after looking into the child's eyes for a moment… she nodded. It was immediately clear; this was the same ghost that had adopted her as a mother. Once again, the eyes didn't lie; even disguised as a human, Wisteria's identity couldn't escape Loki's keep senses. And that attitude… the sheer excitement and awe were undeniable.
"Ah…" she mused, striding up to Wisteria and ruffling the hair on her head. "How could a mom ever forget her little girl? You know… I don't even think you told me your name when you 'adopted' me, did you? Did I even tell you mine? I'm Jolokia. Jolokia Capsicum Aniseed… or just Loki works, too!" She chuckled softly at that, turning her head to spot North when the younger 'ghost' pointed her out. "I see! It's good that you have a friend here to keep you company. Don't worry; you don't need a giant dress like mine to meet my friends and family."
Just then, Bijoux padded alongside her mother, headtilting at the pair of humans. She looked over at Wisteria specifically, noticing the more ghostly features on her body. The Cinccino-taur waved shyly at both her and North, letting out a soft squeak in greetings.
"Hello, little ones," she offered, despite being only slightly taller than North herself. The normal-type's tail swayed in rhythm, and she looked over at Loki. "I hope Mom hasn't given you any trouble."
"Speak of the family," Loki mused, gently patting Bijoux on her left shoulder. "This sweet bundle of fluff is my daughter, Bijoux Kylar Aniseed."
"Mom, sheesh, really? Whipping out the middle names in front of strangers?"
"Hey, we're at a nice event. It's okay to be a little more formal in introductions." The hybrid smirked and nodded toward the Cinccino-taur curtly. "And besides, one of these 'strangers' sees me as a mother figure. She's not always a human, either; she's, last I checked, a Misdreavus on most days. Though this other human, I can't recall meeting the last time I saw this ghost-but-not-currently…"
"Ugh, seriously, Mom, can you not go anywhere anymore without becoming someone's Mom or Aunt? The family tree already has enough tangled webs with me being like, half-sister to someone who has thirty-something generations of descendants…"
"To be fair," Loki quipped, "she asked me if I was like a mom from like the instant she saw me. I can't say no to such sweet, awestruck eyes! You know how weak I am to that! But anyway, Bijoux... shouldn't you be testing your harp to make sure it's ready for your performance? It's got to be coming up soon..."
( @ask-north )
((Mod Notes: Due to general burnout and a cramped RL work schedule, current asks in the inbox for the Gala event will be answered, but in a somewhat abbreviated style like this. A final post with Bijoux's musical act will be put up toward the final days, but our active participation in the Gala has come to a close. Apologies to all who hoped to see more of Loki and company, but I don't feel it's fair to everyone to not be able to give everything my fullest attention at an event like this. And certainly not so with anyone who has our asks in their inbox and might have wanted a more fleshed-out interaction...))
