eachdraidh | Second Bloom ❀ (Video) [Open to both]

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Second Bloom ❀ (Video) [Open to both]

[Flora is outside, sitting on what appears to be a swing, but in place of chains are woven vines. As time passes, little flowers bloom along their length. The locket is not on her person, it hovers in front of her, and the view shows her wearing what look like a white overall dress over a pink top and work gloves. Several fairies are flying around her, braiding her hair, or sitting on either shoulder. She waves before gently taking hold of the vine chains.]

Hello everyone, I hope you're well.

[Her voice is more deliberate with the well wishes, and her smile is kind, knowing. A lot's happened--when isn't it--but she does hope everyone has come out of it for the better, somehow. It's no meaningless platitude.

She moves to put her finger to her lip, remembers she's wearing gloves and thinks better of it, and instead cants her head thoughtfully. Her voice is gentle and curious.]

There's something I've been wondering about for a while now, and don't quite seem to understand, just yet. [There is a slight upturn to her lips. She is a patient girl, but she can't say she likes not understanding things. It's what she always seeks to do, if she can.] I've heard of some things from other people that were kind enough to answer me [mostly kind, anyway. Zelos was a little rude.] but with so many people from so many places, I'm curious about the similarities and differences.

[She looks directly at the locket.]

What exactly is a God or Goddess? Or what would you say make one? The same with angels. Is this something that has some sort of set criteria or is it more malleable?

[One might notice that she doesn't ask about demons, but that's because she doesn't realise there's a need; they're the same as monsters to her.

Flora dips her head in thanks and smiles, once again.]

Please, I would very much like to hear what anyone has to say. Thank you.

[Seelie Locked]

I'm headed to the mountains for a mission, soon. I just thought I should mention that. It should be interesting.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Unlike the last time they spoke, this time the Outsider isn't alone. Four black fish with trailing fins and tails circle around him in midair. ]

My answer may be a bit biased.

[So many people she likes are showing up, and she couldn't be more delighted. Flora waves, smiling widely.]

Oh, hello again! I was just talking about you. I see you have new, lovely company, too.

[What curious little things.]

Biased answers are fine. So are unbiased. [Her tone sombres a little. Sounds like a lot of people have had it rough in their dealings with deities.] They seem to have rather...personal impacts on others so I would like to hear of those too, whatever they want to say.

[ His head dips in response, a faint smile lurking on his features. ]

The locals call them Maidenfish. [ One finger trails over the waving fins of the closest, ever-so-gently, before he continues on to the subject at hand. ]

The Void hungers for something to represent it; a figure, a being it may gift with power. There were others before me, fitted to their times. Sometimes there are none. But we are all beings of great power, different from all others in the world.

As for angels... I have been called half-angel, half-devil. Spirits of light and of dark, or so the Abbey says.

Maidenfish. It suits them. Oh, do they have names?

[Flora's universe is quite ridiculous, and truth be told, she can dark magic, but her powers come from the light side. She can believe that things are different, but it instinctively doesn't make any sense to her.]

Both? As in both at the same time? How can that even be possible? I mean that's just them saying that, but still. But the way you speak of the Woid...is it sentient?

Nerina, Derya, Eleta, and Zeredah.

[ Each of the fish swims before the locket in turn, though it's hard to see any difference between them. ]

I assume they believe that they would have intercourse and reproduce. [ This is the most dry answer. It's... well, it's also a technical answer on how it would be possible. ]

In a manner of speaking. It is no animal or human or plant, but a dimension -- one with a will of its own.

What beautiful names! You have wonderful taste.

Ah...well, even that wouldn't work where I come from. You can't have light and dark mixing like that. Or at least you couldn't get that result. [She winces in thought and makes a so-so motion with her hand.] Typically. I'm hard-pressed to say it's impossible since I deal in magic, but there's something in place to prevent that. Oh, um sorry, you weren't really asking about that, though.

[Her head dips sheepishly. Wow, Flora, way to take a joke and just run with it.

She smiles fondly as she lets her eyes slip shut and feel life around her, as she always is.

Flowers grow to bloom between her fingers on the vines and she opens her eyes, again.]

That, I understand. Or I think I might, anyway. I might not at all.

Thank you. [ He sounds genuinely pleased, even a little surprised at the compliment. ]

I do not mind. It is interesting, to hear of different worlds and the magic there.

[ Really, don't ever apologize for telling him things unless he looks bored.

The Outsider watches with interest, a quiet 'ah' escaping as the flowers bloom before his eyes. ]

Nature has its own will, does it not? The will to survive, to populate and flourish.

It is interesting, isn't it? It's one of my favourite things about being here.

[And well, okay he's put up with a lot of her own questions, she can say something back in return. Not that she has any problem with sharing, really, she just doesn't want to talk overmuch or take over the conversation.

Unless it's about plants, then all bets are off.

Ah, but if he wants to hear more...her eyes shine. He might like this.]

You might actually find this interesting, then. Where I come from, if a being that was half-light and half-dark could even exist, well that would be something incredible, because when you peel back all the layers, divisions and aspects every magical being's power comes from one half.

[Flora raises a hand and an orb of golden light appears above it.]

The light.

[Her other hand mirrors it, but the orb above it is a dark purple.]

Or the dark.

[She curls her hands into gentle fists, and the lights disappear into nothing.]

The reason why it would be impossible or at least extraordinary for someone to be a being of both halves is because one must choose where their power will come from.

[She smiles and touches one of the flowers, changing it from a white to a purple because she feels like it.]

It gets to being a little bit more complicated than that, there are exceptions, and sometimes you can have your cake and eat it too, in a way, but it stands that you need to make a choice.

Edited 2014-08-29 03:36 (UTC)

[ He is incredibly interested, actually; his gaze doesn't leave her, attention fixed. When she seems finished, he smiles slowly, like a rather pleased tomcat. ]

But chaos is neither light nor dark. It is grey, an entity with actions that may help or hinder. And I am a being of chaos, being of the Void.

[ That and simply giving people magical gifts and then stepping back to see what happens. ]

I would be quite unusual, then, in your world. But your world also seems to have more magic than my own.

Chaos to me is something else. It just is, really. It's as you've said, it may help or hinder.

Not all that unusual, actually, if we're speaking about where I was born. I'm from the Nature Realm, and well, nature is intrinsically chaotic. It can also be very orderly, but more often than that not, the two bleed into each other so much and so well there's little point in trying to separate or define it. It is very complex but also very simple.

[Again, it just is. The only definition she would ascribe to it is that it's beautiful.

She's biased, naturally (hahaha), but still.]

I can't count how many times I've seen awful people try to sow chaos for their own selfish and destructive purposes, and as a means to hurt others. I don't stand for that, if I can. [She frowns, eyebrows furrowing lightly for a moment before she breaks into a smile.] But, I respect it as it is a great deal. It tests limits. It stimulates growth. It drives change. It's wonderful and necessary.

[She is all about change. All about it.]

My world might have more magic, but then magic is everywhere. I can count three worlds that I would call home, honestly.

It is as you say. From the vast jungles of Pandyssia to Dunwall's rivers, nature is.

[ He is rather fond of it, even if he prefers the sea to plants. ]

You are very wise, Flora. I know of many scholars who have not thought half so much of the world around them.

[ And he dips his head, to show that he truly means it. ]

Will you tell me of these worlds?

[Ahhh compliments. Her face goes a little red but she smiles brightly and dips her head, quite humbled.]

Thank you, you're very kind. Though I guess I can't help but think about it, really.

[Oh, but she can talk about worlds!!]

Absolutely. The realm where I was born is called Linphea, the Nature Realm. It's not without its dangers, but it's still pretty peaceful. Every Linphean does their best to try and live with nature, not against it, as a result, a lot of the infrastructure is pretty high up because we don't clear anything away. [She points upwards to punctuate her point.] We'll live just about anywhere, on top of mountains or ridges or in trees--that's where I grew up: The City of Trees.

You are different than they are in a number of ways. It is... refreshing.

[ She doesn't think of all magic as evil, for one, or want to dissect it. ]

Nature can be quite dangerous, after all. Those here are fortunate that the creatures of Pandyssia are nowhere to be found.

And did birds and insects move through your windows? Did squirrels and jungle cats run across your rooftops?

Are these scholars from that same Abbey?

[Oh, but wow he's saying so many nice things.

Magic is the best thing in the whole wide world. It can be evil, but more often than that it's the people using it that are. Magic is just magic.]

It can be, absolutely. Most people know to leave some things well enough alone, and not to hate them just because they may be acting according to their nature.

[Some things are aggressively territorial, some things will want to eat you. That's just how it goes, sometimes. /kanyeshrug]

Oh, definitely! I like growing things and seeing what will show up because of it, or I'll just invite some creatures to hang out from the get-go. [Her eyes shine.] There's a lot to love, but one of my favourite things about Linphea are our giant ladybugs. They're incredibly sweet and friendly, and ferry people around. They're a lot of fun, even if you have your own wings.

[Speaking of home makes her miss it, but she's happy to be talking of it, too.]

But, why? What are the creatures of Pandyssia like?

[Because she can't hate anything.]

Not from it, but most follow their teachings. And most are incredibly boring.

[ Even the ones that try to summon him in the basement. ]

All of the creatures of my world are suited to the current time -- they will fight for their survival, and if you are not careful, they will strike you down. No different from many creatures. Even our oxen will eat meat, and have the teeth to prove it. But Pandyssia...

[ He smiles. ]

It is a harsh land, where magic thrives and most humans do not dare to tread past its shores. The creatures are just as harsh, so that they might survive.

[ The locket shifts back, and the Outsider waves a hand. A swarm of large rats appears, springing out of the ground like a fountain. Each is larger than the average rat, more like the size of a small cat, with long, sharp teeth. Most are brown or black, but there are a few larger white rats. ]

Even the small. A swarm of Pandyssian rats can devour a man in moments, if he is lucky. If he is not... he may develop the plague, if he is not eaten more slowly.

It sounds really tumultuous.

[Maybe not a vacation spot, but she's still curious enough to want to see it for herself, especially if there is magic there, but how do the people fare in such a place?

Someone else's magic is always something of interest and so Flora watches on, wide-eyed, as those rats appear. Oh dear, she wouldn't want to be caught on the wrong end of those teeth.

Which has absolutely no bearing on the fact that she'd still love those rats to bits.]

They don't look very small from my end--

[Wait.]

[DID HE SAY PLAGUE?]

They have a plague? Are they sick, too?

[So much distressed concern for man-devouring rats :c]

[ For a moment, the Outsider just stares. Talk about a nontypical reaction. ]

They are carriers. The plague does not harm them as it does others.

[ One of the white rats scrambles up to his shoulder, staring at the locket with its whiskers twitching. ]

They are small creatures for Pandyssia.

Oh. [The word is short, but carries understanding. She would have considered their being carriers, but she was too busy being very concerned because rats.]

You should look into getting them immunised if you can.

[Oh no but that white rat is so cute oh no it shouldn't eat people and maybe thinks she's food but it's precious oh no

Her voice is gentler and just for it as she leans in, as though she could be closer to it in doing so.]

Hi, there. [And back to the Outsider.] Do they have names?

[Yes does your entire swarm of rats have names.]

[ More staring. ]

They would attempt to eat most who come near them, [ he says after a moment. The rat flattens its ears against its head, but it proceeds to sniff in the locket's general direction. ]

I have not named them. They may have names among themselves, and others may have named them.

[ Others who can summon them, anyway, because everyone else most likely just gets eaten by them. ]

Do you like them?

[#responsiblepetownership]

That's perfectly understandable, especially if they were nurtured in a harsher environment, like you said. I wouldn't let myself be eaten, but I don't fault them for their nature at all. I wouldn't be a good nature fairy if I was bothered by every little thing that wanted to eat me.

[Like how absurd would that be, come on.

She says it all matter-of-factly in the most pleasant way possible, because how interesting are they? Very, that's how.]

I do! And I'm curious about this species. Do they live longer? Are they smarter?

[Can they be domesticated. Can she put a ribbon on one.]

They tend to stick to prey on the ground. Even those who climb on top of a crate are safe. As you have wings, you would likely be fine.

[ Though he supposes that's quite true. Nature does have a lot of things that want to eat other things. ]

Much smarter, yes. And should they be in the same vicinity as their smaller cousins, they are more likely to live longer as they will eat them.

[ flora............. ]

Should you wish to meet them, I can help.

[Yes? Yes? That's her name, don't wear it out. c:]

Oh, I would! That sounds wonderful. I have a lot of food, so if they haven't eaten in a while, I could take care of that.

They will eat even if they've eaten recently.

[ Rats are not picky. Or full. ]

I will craft you a bone charm that will make them more friendly to you. They may still bite, but they will not attempt to devour you.

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now you understand gadgets, she's ridiculous

face in hands @ her