"Sir? If the offer still stands, I-- I would like to train. Please."
Katherine's been spending much more time with the other girls lately, but they haven't forgotten about the bear, or His offer. He saw potential in them, and that was good.
They wouldn't disappoint.
@star-lit-clementine /nf :))
The faint stars high in the Black and White dim, with help from His magic, as He turns to them. A goat, once more, and sitting calmly. He supposed this would have been a ‘rest day’, but if they were asking…
If the offer was no longer available, I would have told you.
He wasn’t committed to the ‘resting’ portion, anyway. He stands.
She scoots closer to the big rock in front of her, carefully setting the flowers she’d picked on the flat slab on top and shifting so the sharper pebbles on the dusty ground don’t poke her too badly. Sunlight dimples in through the trees, circling around the area in a wide berth, still enough for it to feel like a barrier of sorts. Water from the creek runs steadily nearby, catching the light in her peripheral.
Allah!
The flash of ginger hair and the sudden appearance of another person in the vicinity has her lighting up more and shifting to her knees, smaller hands pressing into the warming rock like a table.
“Merula” tugs Her hair behind Her shoulders, striding right over to where the girl sits. She tilts Her head at her some before sitting across on the ground with the slightest lip twitch upward.
Hafsa. I assumed I would be early.
Hafsa Rafiq is still beaming, eyes alight. Though it does dim, just for a bit. One hand moves to tug at the fingers of the other as her hazel eyes shift to the side.
Sorry. I should have come later.
You came when you had time.
Merula nods, responding in fluent Arabic, for that was the language the girl spoke. Hafsa relaxes, grin softening and shoulders dropping. Her gaze moves down to the flowers, and Merula can see the excitement return near immediately. Hafsa gathers the bunch by the stems to present them to Her.
Jasmines. I can find different ones, though, if you want.
She looks between the girl and the flowers for a moment before Her right hand carefully plucks them from her grip.
These will do, young one. Thank you.
Hafsa straightens at the praise, grin returning full force. Merula resists the urge to roll Her eyes at the joy, merely sending the flowers off in a flurry of sparkles. Hafsa doesn’t bat an eye at it anymore, but She has enough sense to know the child is internally bouncing in place.
Allah? I…have a question. More than one, actually.
Merula glances around the spot they’re in. The creek babbles in a hum, She’s been gifted flowers for later, and the sun is high enough to endure a few hours of curiosity.
It is dark, and light, and nothing against her skin, room-temperature, and buzzing. Bitter. The soft blue sheets atop of the squishy bed she lays on cradle her, as she tries with all her might to screw her eyes shut. They feel refreshing when closed. Sleep pulls at them, and she is a second from dreams-
Pop!
The light and dark flood her again, but not from her two eyes. Instead, some extension of herself, a different Eye. It looks around hungrily, open and awake as ever.
It doesn’t take long for another to open, and another, and an-
Kai groans, banging her head into the pillow to stifle it. She rolls over on her side, brows pinched, and pulls herself into a sitting position. Violet, thankfully, doesn’t move beside her, snoring rather loudly. Kai huffs, hand moving to pull her sister away from the edge of the bed.
Her footsteps echo on the emptiness. She can’t say there’s much to see - grey swirls mix in with the black all around, something endless with faint twinkles of light far away. She grimaces at the heated tart taste in the air.
…Yes, child?
She has found His area. A glimmering mass of energy curls around before diving down to gain shape. In place, a black goat, horns chipped. Kai swallows, hands moving to grasp her shirt.
…
I’ve asked you a question.
Kai shrinks back, just a bit. His bug-eyes click and rotate in their sockets as He stares her down.
…Right. What is it? What did you need?
He clops closer, bowing His head to get more on her level. She trails Him, hair still pulled into its braid.
…The Eyes don’t close.
Which? The ones I gave you?
She nods.
…Sorry.
He merely grunts.
And you would like my assistance with that?
…You have Eyes, too. I thought you’d know.
In response, a black Eye, cat-eye pupil white, opens to look at her. One of her own Eyes opens in response. Kai makes a face when it does.
I do. Though, unlike yours, mine are under my complete control.
His Eye examines the young girl, furrowing at the top.
So, no?
She flinches again, and His Eye blinks.
Come along.
He waits until she climbs back up under the blanket, holding herself stiffly atop the bed.
Now-
He paces around the bed, slowly, while considering.
I cannot say I’m so familiar with that problem. Though I suppose I am your only option.
…Yeah.
He hums, still pacing. The Black and White buzzes. Violet rolls around in her sleep.
…I’ve an idea.
He blinks, pausing mid-step, and catches Kai’s curious, sleepy, gaze.
What?
He tilts His head, looking away from her.
All the stars have names. Every one of them. Would you like to know them?
Kai blinks, slow brain trying to make sense of the question.
What?
The stars, child, their names. Simply give me a yes or no, it isn’t difficult.
Uh, OK. Sure?
He snorts and shakes His head, nevertheless beginning. Above the two, orange sparkles help illuminate the dark. The pinpricks shine brighter, revealing themselves as far-off untouchables. Hot balls of gas, ‘named’ as He says.
The ones named are parts of constellations, mainly. Those are the ones humans care about.
Sparks swirl around a cluster, making it more visible to her. Kai blinks at them.
They are not close together, only appear so from Earth. Piscis Austrinus, ‘the southern fish’, an accompaniment to the larger formation Piscis. Its brightest star makes up the mouth of said fish. Alpha Piscis Austrini.
He glances at her, and Kai hesitantly lays down on her side, easing onto the pillow.
Beta, Delta, and Epsilon Piscis Austrini are the body of the fish.
As He speaks, He steadily paces, hoofbeats rhythmic.
…Why’s it called a fish?
It looks like one. Humans in the second century were less clever than they are now. Though it matters not.
Eventually, He finishes and starts explaining another set of stars. Kai’s earlier tiredness returns to her, even as her Eyes trail the movement He makes. Hypnotized by it, they, too, start fluttering shut, popping out of view once fully calmed.
-Humans themselves name them. Numbers, if it comes to it.
The energy He has registered as hers finally dips, making Him look over. Kai rests limply, body rising and falling. Asleep. His eyes click.
…Hm.
He shakes Himself, and the orange sparks wrap around the lights, dimming the stars once more. He walks away from the bed, curling up on the ground silently.
Kai lounges on air, safely suspended in the Black and White’s buzz of energy. Her Eyes soak in everything, eager to readjust after being closed all day. She mumbles out a number, Eyes pointing away from Him.
Kaineverus.
It’s just Kai, Dad.
The black-furred goat with ancient orange markings trailing His side and stomach sighs, mosquito-like Eyes clicking in their sockets.
Kai, right, apologies - can you please use the name I’ve bestowed you with once?
Hmm.
She floats around on her side.
Don’t wanna.
He grunts softly, turning back to keep pacing. She glances to her beat up old shoes and flexes a foot silently.
…It was two. Uh, less than last time?
Kai shoots a nervous grin His way, which He only acknowledges with a tiny sigh.
Two times too many, I’m afraid. You’re better, but this is why we practice.
[Eléos is having nightmares again. Their remedy? To hunt and prowl in the woods. Their nightmares are of the disappointment from Tara seeping onto the faces of those who love them now.]
[They successfully take the shape of a small cat-like shadow. They also successfully capture and kill a small rabbit. Their little ears twitch and they perk up.]
"Did You see?"
[Their long tail flicks. It's a little longer than their body, slim and with only a little fluff at the end.]
@star-lit-clementine
Of course the entity they’re speaking to can. But He had been in enough pain today to not be as present as usual. Something intangibly warm cups their chin anyway, curling down their cat-like body with a soft pressure. It seems He approves.
“How do you know which ones are going to go extinct?”
“What?”
“Well, you said you pick flowers based on which ones might go extinct. So how do you know?”
“…I don’t. Should you not be returning to your mother?”
“Eh, Junia’s good at keeping her busy. Where do you even put them?”
An orange lily spotted red vanishes in His hand.
“Nowhere you’ll ever see. Will you cease your meddling if I answer your questions?”
She snorts, shielding her eyes from the sunlight beyond their compound’s thicket of trees.
“Maybe.”
He sneers at the sunset as well, acquiescing to His fate with a sharp hand movement. He places the heavy vase in His lap and sits down to let her speak.
Repairs. That was what He’d told His children to get them in the Black and White instead of the house, sharing conversation from bed to floor. Violet flops Barnaby’s plush arms up and down, huddled on the ground.
We could go and roller skate again.
Mmm…
Kai shifts to lay on her side.
Sure. I mean, it’s not like we have to stay in here.
It was never a requirement. She shuffles forward to reach under her bed in search of the skates.
You know, I always forget to bring my DVDs. Dunno what kinda repairs are bein’ made, but maybe I could go and get them.
Her fingers brush the thin fabric of shoelaces. Kai lights up, scooting to get a better grip and pu-
-kill you! I’ll do it!! Put me down! I’ll fucking do it, I swear to God! You don’t get to grab me or-!
The two snap toward the boy squirming their father’s arms. He’s practically feral, pounding his fists and kicking his legs where he can reach. Eyes screwed shut and face ashen, the boy somehow fails to wriggle out.
I assure you I’d like nothing more.
He’s glaring at him between visible flinches.
But seeing as you can hardly stand-
The boy’s movements freeze in half a second, eyes popping open in panic. The stillness makes Him stop in turn.
Pu’ me down.
More frantic. He complies, dropping the child as close to the floor as possible. He crawls weakly, panting before tensing with a lurch downward and a gag.
Neither the following sight or sound is very pretty.
Violet cringes watching him sway over the puddle, eyes lidding hazily. Tears beading on his lashes, the boy sluggishly tries to pull himself away, maybe to get up, but his leg crumples beneath him before he can even move an inch, leaving him slamming onto the ground.
Kai clenches her hands as she watches him curl up where he’s fallen and let out a faint whimper. Back turned to them, his visibly-stained shirt and jeans have tangled around him, no doubt in the struggle.
…Hardly able to stand.
He looks down at him, having stood and folded His hands neatly at some point. The boy jerks further into himself.
F - f~fuck off.
I take it you don’t want to move.
No answer. He takes a step from him, not looking back up. The boy does not, in fact, move, save for an occasional twitch, for some time.
…
Kai slowly creeps off the bed to avoid making noise. Violet is still staring at him, eyes swimming with worry.
…Who’s he?
He jumps a bit at the call, then returns to look at them. An Eye opens to lock onto the child beneath Him, whose breathing audibly slows, shoulders dropping and tension draining as he slips into rest.
