Set, right? Hey. I'm sorry to bother you I'm Shiro, I don't think we've met Your friend Jonas is lost in Mirth and he's not exactly... sober He's out of coins too So could you do him a favor and make sure he gets home safe? I'll owe you one
We've all had better days Being here is punishment enough I've only just met him but I'll bet anything that a sympathetic ear will get you much farther than a beating
Are you actually... trying to deter a potential worshipper? I'm not familiar with Egyptian deities but I've always assumed Gods needed followers in order to exist
If I may ask What did you do to earn your uh reputation?
The gods of Egypt precede humanity. We exist to rule and guide them, and need not their faith to exist. That being said, I do not care if you want to pledge your faith to me -- I am only saying, I have no divine might here. You would not get anything of value in return, save for the strength of my arm.
Fair enough but to be honest, I don't think I'd be a good candidate anyway The only faith I'll ever pledge is the faith I have in the people I trust and care about
You mentioned not being in great standing with the Ennead What happened?
[ ah, right -- because, it doesn't matter even if they ask 'why'. ]
Considering you're not my stupid brother, you'll be fine.
But oh! Maybe if you piss me off, I'll reconsider! How does that sound? You'll watch your back regardless of what I say, so I'll give you the perfect reason to!
So you kill people when their intellect doesn't match your expectations Gotcha I'm just trying to understand here Why confess at all If you'd rather not talk about it
Well, you asked! I'm not in the business of denying people knowledge they seek, even if it's unpleasant. Especially if it's unpleasant.
Just go with "jealousy", okay? I was jealous of him or something. He was a great king, everyone loved him, blah blah blah. It's the only tale that matters to the Ennead, and that's how it should be.
[there's a delivery of a small mason jar, just about 290mL, with a simple note-- even if the writing is anything but simple. in fact, it's downright elegant, a cursive only seen in people who went to expensive, fancy schools or had special tutoring. no signature, except the "S" in spiced tea is stylized specifically to be a snake, larger than the rest of the writing, and eye-catching.]
Spiced tea, but with a little kick! (Don't drink too much in one go, please.)
As a small token of friendship, may it keep you warm even for just a moment in this snowy weather.
[inside the jar itself is a light brown liquid, still with a bit of the ingredients used to make it-- a thin slice of lemon, zest from an orange, so on and so forth. as for the kick? it's rum.]
eyes emojis guess who's finally out of the app queue baby
( marc sends two messages. the first is a singular word (name) sent from a username consisting solely of two letter: mk, whilst the name shows as only 'mr. knight'. he doesn't recall if he'd introduced himself, but he doesn't think it entirely matters. whilst mr. knight probably won't mean anything to set, the name he leaves at bottom of his second message will likely help put two and two together.
while not the wisest of the gods, set was also not the dumbest -- some might think so, but he was known for his strength of arm and strength of mind among the ennead. it took him some time to puzzle out to whom the epithet might belong to, but upon getting it, his response is swift: ]
( it's not easy for marc to admit to struggling. he's grown better, with sterman: he can recognise when he needs more support, when he has doubts about himself and his lucidity.
when reese had come to him with a crescent dart pulled from the back of her friend, marc could not say with absolute certainty that it was not him. it had not been difficult for him then to call dr. sterman and ask for an appointment: people were in danger. people he was entrusted to protect.
but now? here? it's different.
it's not the first time he's been met with silence. as a boy, as a young man, he'd found nothing but silence when calling upon the god his father had worshipped without any semblance of doubt. khonshu has been silent before, but marc thinks that it had never been like this.
it's different.
(is it?) )
you're alone. ( of the ennead. he doesn't mean it maliciously, more factually. )do you have any connection with the rest?
[ 'Adrift' might be the word he would use for it, if he had not always been a strange god. A solitary, ever-transient god that had roamed far and beyond the borders of Kemet, consorting with foreign gods and their foreign peoples with a deep, innate curiosity for things that set him apart from even his immediate generation. It was easier, then, for him to adapt to the void within Stygia, the absence of the Ennead. It was not as easy, though, to adapt to the loss of divinity. ]
I had not found anyone with ties to the Ennead before you.
One of the leaders within the Hierarchy goes by the name of Amun, however.
[ talking to that guy is on his List πͺπͺπͺ ]
So any silence is as likely related to circumstance as it is choice.
( it's a question even if he doesn't ask β confirmation, more than anything else. the unasked question, the one he doesn't couch even in vagueness or glibness, is how much vengeance should be enacted in light of the circumstances.
marc's relationship with khonshu has ever been perpetually fraught, and he's never claimed to understand the whys of khonshu's decisions or choices, but perspective has never proven itself to be without worth. )
Such perils always come with gods of the people. Even hermits like Khonshu.
[ The one he knows of is a mysterious companion of Thoth. Elusive and fickle as the phases of the moon -- they don't talk much, as things oft are with the highly independent gods of Egypt. They have never needed to rely on one another, really. He's understanding that the origins of himself and Khonshu's chosen one are very dissimilar, save for names and domains. ]
I don't know. You'll have to make due with me, if you're desperate.
( it's not as simple as that: marc's interest in egypt and its gods is a result of circumstance, of khonshu choosing him rather than him choosing khonshu. he's not unaware of the irony: the god he'd been brought up to worship, to pray to, to believe in, had brought his people out of egypt, whilst the god he now worships — by a definition of the word — keeps him there, if not in body then in mind.
once upon a time, setting one god aside for another had been a simple, easy decision. he'd swapped an indifferent god for one present. there. one that promised marc both life and a lifestyle to which he'd grown accustomed.
one might assume that it would be simple again, but—.
it's not. not this time. )
I know.
( he doesn't clarify which part of set's response he's replying to, precisely. )
Are you?( that desperate, he means. marc is an challenging individual, and he knows that. )
[ There are none who would look upon him in adulation. Prayers are not given to a god of war, but in attempts to stave off the warlike nature of those gods. They exist to be appeased, not loved; feared, not treasured. What desperation ought he have, for adherents to flock to him? He would laugh so brightly, the prominent row of his fangs bared before the Knight's eyes, if he were there in person. Instead, he communicates his amusement in written form -- letters passed across an invisible battlefield. ]
I meant what I said. I will cast my attentions upon you in this place, in Khonshu's absence. I did not say it was for better. Does that feel born of desperate in your eyes, champion of the traveler?
[ The second half of his retort comes across primly: ]
( ultimately, the problem. marc remembers what it was like, what he was like the last time he'd thought khonshu had left him. remembers what he was like the time before that, too.
he'd been imprisoned, blamed for the actions of an unworthy wannabe fist of khonshu. he'd found himself drowning, floundering at the bottom of a bottle, and carving crescent moons into the foreheads of his enemies. it'd been easy to pass blame and judgement, but who he'd been then played a large part in who he is now.
even if he likes to think he's better than that. (now.) )
[ Like Marc, Set's words are direct and sharp. They lack a particular judgment or sneering loftiness, instead a tool of brutal curiosity. If anything, he is a very young variant of an ancient being - one who would, perhaps one day, fall into passionate malevolence if unable to break free of a cruel cycle. ]
Or is it that your only tie to that which you had, is me?
( marc thinks that he's fine with the unknown: knowledge isn't something he possesses in spades, he's never been particularly academic. it's only been in recent years that he's embraced learning in any great way — an accompaniment to his role more than anything else.
the unknown doesn't scare him. never has. there's too much that's unknown to warrant fear.
so is set right and it's the second option: the fact that marc has nothing here that's the problem? it's not as if khonshu had ever given marc much — a mission, yes, and his life. but marc knows that without the former, the latter is made up of nothing but bad choices and poor decisions. without khonshu, marc's life is—
—lacking. )
Neither.
( or rather, the problem isn't set. marc would be as unsure with any other god: he knows khonshu, knows his twisted, petty ways—
You will, champion. If someone must tell you so, let it be me.
You will wither without someone, in this place. We are your deliverance as much as the greatest insult to your freedom. Without someone to attend you, you will become a beast and be lost to Oblivium.
[ It is THE central issue, that he seeks to deal with in his own ways. His duty binds him, urges him to find a way to wrestle free the souls of Stygia that are trapped here; to pursue the sight of that sunlit land he had seen in the dying memory of their people. To end purgatory, and make good on his vow to his own child.
Marc is so terse. He smells of the Ennead in a way that draws Set in, that forces him to act up and act out. He wants to twist the man's head off his shoulders. He wants to bury his face into the palm of his hand and seek out the long line of divinity that leads back to Nut. A champion of his own people. There is automatic kinship there, and Set craves it as much as he wants to reject it.
( marc vascillates between talkative and not depending on situation, depending on how much control he perceives himself as having.
with god, he's rarely ever been one to really, truly open up.
khonshu wasβ
βnot the exception, not as such, but it wasn't often that marc had to speak to make his feelings known. khonshu had been inside his head: what did he need to say like that khonshu didn't already know? couldn't intuit? )
I don't need help finding allies.
( still, set's right. marc does need attention, he always has. that was why he'd donned the cape and the mask in the first place, it had been what drew him to khonshu first and kept him as khonshu's servant second, regardless of marc's own reluctance to either recognise or accept the fact.
he says he doesn't need attention because he likes to think he's better than that. likes to think that he's more discerning but if that were true, then he'd never have embraced khonshu at all, would he?
he's never worn desperation particularly well, no matter what else he might say. )
[ He's not that bothered, to be rejected so firmly and swiftly. The Ennead were highly independent gods, given to needing no true attachment to be able to perform their duties and prove their might; for Khonshu's champion to be this way is, quite honestly, what he expects. To desire aid from the evil god of war would probably go against everything he was to uphold. ]
( did it occur to marc that set might have been suggesting that they be allies? no, of course not. perhaps it should have, given the flow of their conversation, given set's offer to he look out over marc in khonshu's absence.
(but then, this is the man who didn't realise his best friend was in love with him.) )
There is a force that gathers against the souls of this land, seeking to devour all. We combat it not solely through strength of arm, but the composition of our souls - our emotions and memories. I had not thought my crimes against Duat had left the borders of Egypt, yet here is a land of the dead arrested and incapable of moving on. The sense I have made is that I must right my wrongs, for they have affected Stygia, too.
[ Slyly, he courts a hearty pause, before declaring: ] At least men like you and I are not completely unnecessary.
I am writing MY wrongs; that was not inclusive of anyone else.
[ The Shadowlands did not demand the presence of all evil-doers; there were many good-natured souls gathered among the Restless. Not that many, but enough. ]
We are violent, I mean. Stained with it, so that others might not have to be.
Animal hides and furs are best. Sometimes even feathers can work. And it's important to change your clothes if they get wet, and wax them where necessary.
[ still, it's not all misery. snow can be fun, even. ]
But if you're careful, it's worth exploring outside a bit.
Haa... I don't believe I am willing to make the leap to wearing animal hide, Dimitri. I have seen the native beasts of Stygia, and they do not seem wise to adorn my body with.
[ hunting beasts is one thing, but he tended to leave his slain kills to the people for their use ]
Oh! Show me what you are wearing, and I will go to the market to find something similar!
Interesting. In that case, perhaps you can find something made of wool.
[ He isn't from a time or place where wearing fur is optional, but he supposes he wouldn't go around wearing the skin of something like a harpy. But he'd use the feathers? In any case, clothes as an adornment and not a luxury must be a godly thing.
Anyway, he could just send a picture, but he has the soul of a 60 year old medieval man. ]
It might be easier to show you in person. Would you like for me to accompany you?
I would yield to your expertise on the matter, if you would find the time. I fear if I ask a salesperson, I will be bamboozled out of my coin -- I've never had to shop for myself before.
[ listen dimitri, you're talking to a an unfathomably old god who didn't NEED any of this, he's such a weenie ]
I understand. In life, I'd only recently started frequently marketplaces for myself. [ and he had to sneak out to do it... so this is the almost blind leading the blind but it's fine. ] I will meet with you shortly.
[ which he will!! he'll meet with set wherever he's off to, give me a rundown of what shabby winter gear set is wearing. ]
οΌ she's gripped by myriad emotions at that, each more fleeting than the last. pertinent information... surely he can't mean about naruto? it's too fantastic to consider, and it certainly isn't rational, but nevertheless the hope persists. οΌ
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
text | un: shiro
have you snorted the blue dust yet setalso he's so sorry for this. β«
Set, right?
Hey. I'm sorry to bother you
I'm Shiro, I don't think we've met
Your friend Jonas is lost in Mirth
and he's not exactly... sober
He's out of coins too
So could you do him a favor and make sure he gets home safe?
I'll owe you one
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HAA??? Jonas is WHAT?
And after he scolded me for drinking. I'm going to put that rascal over my knee!
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Listen, Set
Give him a chance to sober up first, alright?
He's heading towards Mug Shots
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[ #worstuncle ]
Who are you to him anyways? Did you get him drunk?
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We've all had better days
Being here is punishment enough
I've only just met him but I'll bet anything that a sympathetic ear will get you much farther than a beating
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Is he upset?
[ It's occurring to him that Jonas might ( also ) be inebriated due to grief. ]
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I don't know him
But considering how drunk he is
and on his own, too
I'd say yeah, there's a pretty high chance he's upset
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Did he ask for me?
I'll go regardless. I only wish to gauge if I am wanted or not, for his sake.
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He did ask me to text you
Given that I've texted the right Set
I'd say that you're wanted
He said you were uh... an Egyptian God?
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Haa???? There is only one Set, and it is me!
Do you find my divinity difficult to believe in? Many have asked me the same question, as though it is foreign to bear witness to a god among them.
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You're the first God I've ever met
Is there uh
Anything particular I should know?
Protocols to follow?
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I wouldn't recommend it. I'm not in great standing with the Ennead, and you won't get anything good out of it.
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I'm not familiar with Egyptian deities
but I've always assumed Gods needed followers in order to exist
If I may ask
What did you do to earn your uh
reputation?
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So, then. What "reputation" are you asking about?
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but to be honest, I don't think I'd be a good candidate anyway
The only faith I'll ever pledge is the faith I have in the people I trust and care about
You mentioned not being in great standing with the Ennead
What happened?
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[ he just
rips the bandaid right off, might as well??? ]
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Oh! Alright
No preamble huh
That's uh
I'm sorry
Why??
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Does it matter? Isn't murder murder?
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Just how imperative is it that I start watching my back?
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Considering you're not my stupid brother, you'll be fine.
But oh! Maybe if you piss me off, I'll reconsider! How does that sound? You'll watch your back regardless of what I say, so I'll give you the perfect reason to!
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Gotcha
I'm just trying to understand here
Why confess at all
If you'd rather not talk about it
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Just go with "jealousy", okay? I was jealous of him or something. He was a great king, everyone loved him, blah blah blah. It's the only tale that matters to the Ennead, and that's how it should be.
I'm not going to kill you, for fxcks sake.
(frozen comment) delivery
Spiced tea, but with a little kick! (Don't drink too much in one go, please.)
As a small token of friendship, may it keep you warm even for just a moment in this snowy weather.
[inside the jar itself is a light brown liquid, still with a bit of the ingredients used to make it-- a thin slice of lemon, zest from an orange, so on and so forth. as for the kick? it's rum.]
eyes emojis guess who's finally out of the app queue baby
probably. )
( second— )
UR HERE!!!!!!! β°(Β΄κ³`)β―
while not the wisest of the gods, set was also not the dumbest -- some might think so, but he was known for his strength of arm and strength of mind among the ennead. it took him some time to puzzle out to whom the epithet might belong to, but upon getting it, his response is swift: ]
β sutekh
no subject
when reese had come to him with a crescent dart pulled from the back of her friend, marc could not say with absolute certainty that it was not him. it had not been difficult for him then to call dr. sterman and ask for an appointment: people were in danger. people he was entrusted to protect.
but now? here? it's different.
it's not the first time he's been met with silence. as a boy, as a young man, he'd found nothing but silence when calling upon the god his father had worshipped without any semblance of doubt. khonshu has been silent before, but marc thinks that it had never been like this.
it's different.
(is it?) )
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I had not found anyone with ties to the Ennead before you.
One of the leaders within the Hierarchy goes by the name of Amun, however.
[ talking to that guy is on his List πͺπͺπͺ ]
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( it's a question even if he doesn't ask β confirmation, more than anything else. the unasked question, the one he doesn't couch even in vagueness or glibness, is how much vengeance should be enacted in light of the circumstances.
marc's relationship with khonshu has ever been perpetually fraught, and he's never claimed to understand the whys of khonshu's decisions or choices, but perspective has never proven itself to be without worth. )
No relation?
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[ The one he knows of is a mysterious companion of Thoth. Elusive and fickle as the phases of the moon -- they don't talk much, as things oft are with the highly independent gods of Egypt. They have never needed to rely on one another, really. He's understanding that the origins of himself and Khonshu's chosen one are very dissimilar, save for names and domains. ]
I don't know. You'll have to make due with me, if you're desperate.
no subject
once upon a time, setting one god aside for another had been a simple, easy decision. he'd swapped an indifferent god for one present. there. one that promised marc both life and a lifestyle to which he'd grown accustomed.
one might assume that it would be simple again, but—.
it's not. not this time. )
I know.
( he doesn't clarify which part of set's response he's replying to, precisely. )
Are you? ( that desperate, he means. marc is an challenging individual, and he knows that. )
I'll look into having a conversation with Amun.
( ""conversation"". )
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I meant what I said. I will cast my attentions upon you in this place, in Khonshu's absence. I did not say it was for better. Does that feel born of desperate in your eyes, champion of the traveler?
[ The second half of his retort comes across primly: ]
We are in agreement, then.
no subject
( ultimately, the problem. marc remembers what it was like, what he was like the last time he'd thought khonshu had left him. remembers what he was like the time before that, too.
he'd been imprisoned, blamed for the actions of an unworthy wannabe fist of khonshu.
he'd found himself drowning, floundering at the bottom of a bottle, and carving crescent moons into the foreheads of his enemies.
it'd been easy to pass blame and judgement, but who he'd been then played a large part in who he is now.
even if he likes to think he's better than that.
(now.) )
no subject
[ Like Marc, Set's words are direct and sharp. They lack a particular judgment or sneering loftiness, instead a tool of brutal curiosity. If anything, he is a very young variant of an ancient being - one who would, perhaps one day, fall into passionate malevolence if unable to break free of a cruel cycle. ]
Or is it that your only tie to that which you had, is me?
[ yea he's still an arrogant jerk ]
no subject
the unknown doesn't scare him. never has.
there's too much that's unknown to warrant fear.
so is set right and it's the second option: the fact that marc has nothing here that's the problem? it's not as if khonshu had ever given marc much — a mission, yes, and his life. but marc knows that without the former, the latter is made up of nothing but bad choices and poor decisions. without khonshu, marc's life is—
—lacking. )
Neither.
( or rather, the problem isn't set. marc would be as unsure with any other god: he knows khonshu, knows his twisted, petty ways—
(shit.) )
I don't need attention.
no subject
You will wither without someone, in this place. We are your deliverance as much as the greatest insult to your freedom. Without someone to attend you, you will become a beast and be lost to Oblivium.
[ It is THE central issue, that he seeks to deal with in his own ways. His duty binds him, urges him to find a way to wrestle free the souls of Stygia that are trapped here; to pursue the sight of that sunlit land he had seen in the dying memory of their people. To end purgatory, and make good on his vow to his own child.
Marc is so terse. He smells of the Ennead in a way that draws Set in, that forces him to act up and act out. He wants to twist the man's head off his shoulders. He wants to bury his face into the palm of his hand and seek out the long line of divinity that leads back to Nut. A champion of his own people. There is automatic kinship there, and Set craves it as much as he wants to reject it.
How ugly. ]
You'll need an ally, at the least.
no subject
with god, he's rarely ever been one to really, truly open up.
khonshu wasβ
βnot the exception, not as such, but it wasn't often that marc had to speak to make his feelings known. khonshu had been inside his head: what did he need to say like that khonshu didn't already know? couldn't intuit? )
I don't need help finding allies.
( still, set's right. marc does need attention, he always has. that was why he'd donned the cape and the mask in the first place, it had been what drew him to khonshu first and kept him as khonshu's servant second, regardless of marc's own reluctance to either recognise or accept the fact.
he says he doesn't need attention because he likes to think he's better than that. likes to think that he's more discerning but if that were true, then he'd never have embraced khonshu at all, would he?
he's never worn desperation particularly well, no matter what else he might say. )
no subject
[ He's not that bothered, to be rejected so firmly and swiftly. The Ennead were highly independent gods, given to needing no true attachment to be able to perform their duties and prove their might; for Khonshu's champion to be this way is, quite honestly, what he expects. To desire aid from the evil god of war would probably go against everything he was to uphold. ]
You're the one who came to me, anyways!
no subject
(but then, this is the man who didn't realise his best friend was in love with him.) )
Because I'm trying to make sense of this place.
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We all are, champion.
There is a force that gathers against the souls of this land, seeking to devour all. We combat it not solely through strength of arm, but the composition of our souls - our emotions and memories. I had not thought my crimes against Duat had left the borders of Egypt, yet here is a land of the dead arrested and incapable of moving on. The sense I have made is that I must right my wrongs, for they have affected Stygia, too.
[ Slyly, he courts a hearty pause, before declaring: ] At least men like you and I are not completely unnecessary.
no subject
well.
shit. )
How do you figure that? ( the latter most point, he means. ) If we're 'righting wrongs' and all that.
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[ The Shadowlands did not demand the presence of all evil-doers; there were many good-natured souls gathered among the Restless. Not that many, but enough. ]
We are violent, I mean. Stained with it, so that others might not have to be.
@blaiddyd
Be sure to dress warmly today, Set.
[ baby's first winter weather? ]
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What does one typically wear for warmth in your homeland?
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[ still, it's not all misery. snow can be fun, even. ]
But if you're careful, it's worth exploring outside a bit.
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[ hunting beasts is one thing, but he tended to leave his slain kills to the people for their use ]
Oh! Show me what you are wearing, and I will go to the market to find something similar!
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[ He isn't from a time or place where wearing fur is optional, but he supposes he wouldn't go around wearing the skin of something like a harpy. But he'd use the feathers? In any case, clothes as an adornment and not a luxury must be a godly thing.
Anyway, he could just send a picture, but he has the soul of a 60 year old medieval man. ]
It might be easier to show you in person. Would you like for me to accompany you?
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[ listen dimitri, you're talking to a an unfathomably old god who didn't NEED any of this, he's such a weenie ]
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[ which he will!! he'll meet with set wherever he's off to, give me a rundown of what shabby winter gear set is wearing. ]
text βͺ un: 012601
Given our mutual bond with D, I wanted to reach out and introduce myself properly.
οΌ 'greetings, fellow soulmate-in-law'? weird thought. οΌ
So, my name is Haruno Sakura.
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[ SOULMATES IN LAW!!!!!!! GRIPS HER ]
Actually, Doctor Sakura, I was just thinking of contacting you. I have some information you might find pertinent.
no subject
οΌ she's gripped by myriad emotions at that, each more fleeting than the last. pertinent information... surely he can't mean about naruto? it's too fantastic to consider, and it certainly isn't rational, but nevertheless the hope persists. οΌ