[SE] creatures in heaven

please remain calm, the end has arrived. we cannot save you, enjoy the ride.
this is the moment you've been waiting for, don't call it a warning. this is a war

A letter sent to Mel to invite her over for dinner while Hotaru was out and so that they might talk about what the most recent meeting held – and potentially any attempts to find flowers in Frey’s Breath – has the Flood spending much of the morning gathering the items needed for the dinner and cleaning up a bit of the mess Petronella had managed to start by knocking over a plant in the corner.

Either way, cleaned up as it is, the Flood settles by the oven in the kitchen, plates already set out on the counter across from where the rest of the kitchen was, watching Petronella sunbathe in the large window by the front door of the living room. She seems finally content after making a menace of the space, and with a sigh of annoyance and relief, the Flood starts to get to work on prepping for the dinner.

SUNJATA

Melita

Eating fire is your ambition
to swallow the flame down

As per the norm in most situations, Melita strolled in like she owned the place. She didn’t, not even close, but with the air of absurd, impetuous confidence that came from her entity – if everyone just forgot the whole recently dying though. The Firecracker was safely docked (parked?) outside, leaving her to meander into dinner with the bluster of a Cheshire grin, and pondering on which aspects to pick apart.

Sniffing at the air much like a feline, she meandered over to her uncle’s side, peering around to see what the dinner would be, and perhaps trying to shock and surprise him with her impeccable. (sarcasm) stealth. “So,” she started, once herding her companions in and watching as Fangorn instantly bounded over to Petronella, “What did you think about the meeting?”

to be lit up from within, vein by vein
to be the sun

please remain calm, the end has arrived. we cannot save you, enjoy the ride.
this is the moment you've been waiting for, don't call it a warning. this is a war

She arrives like she also owns the space — not that Sunjata would complain. Part of the familiarity of it and having family around was charming and nice, it made him feel like things were always how they should have been — minus the exception of Nate’s presence. Barring that sorrowful void to waltz down, the Flood flashes a crooked smile to his niece as she arrives and gets her companions settled.

Water boils as he starts to chop the potatoes as Mel utilizes her magic, and as relaxed as he is right now he doesn’t notice her approach to see what they’re making (potatoes and ramphire steaks seem on the list of things coming to fruition). “So,” his accented voice echoes her with a soft snort. “I think it will be interesting to go to Starfall.” Is his honest answer, but he looks up toward her and away from chopping for a moment to tilt his head. “And i’m glad that there are other options for those that aren’t strong enough to go yet.” Namely Hotaru and Melita, in a selfish personal way.

“You?” He asks, returning to his chopping while Petronella, delighted to have friends over, promptly flops onto her stomach and rises to headbutt Fangorn in greeting.

SUNJATA

Melita

Eating fire is your ambition
to swallow the flame down

Appearing on soft footfalls and slumping into a nearby chair, she watched as the vampire gourd and sea panther played, shaking her head lightly while Sila wrapped herself around her lap. But then her emboldened gaze flicked back to boiling water and peeled potatoes, considering how best to answer the question volleyed back at her. Sunjata couldn’t die, not unless someone really figured out a measure. He probably wouldn’t be attacked by anything roaming on the island, due to the whole ‘infected’ nonsense.

She sat on other notions bobbing about her head too. Dahlia’s visit. Warning him not to tell anyone else so they didn’t wind up in the same precedence. Wondering if Ru had been on the receiving end of the same sort of call.

“Yeah, me too,” she said instead, glancing down at her fingernails before adjusting to the real inquiry. “Flora and I already went to Frey’s Breath once, couldn’t find anything though.” Heaving a sigh, she simply braced for it. “I meant more….are you going to get yourself healed?” When it was available?

to be lit up from within, vein by vein
to be the sun

please remain calm, the end has arrived. we cannot save you, enjoy the ride.
this is the moment you've been waiting for, don't call it a warning. this is a war

As far as Sunjata’s concerned, he might be the only one not in harms way upon arriving on Starfall. But it also posed the unique issue that if he was fine and the others were not, the whole idea of being quiet about his current status would certainly go up in flames. There’d be far too many questions to ask and Sunjata, despite his attempts, would be wholly incapable of answering them in a way that didn’t simply say yeah, he’s fucked.

“Maybe I’ll try, just to see if anything happens.” He says casually, before raising a scarred brow toward her after he’s finished chopping those potatoes in particular, grabbing another to start cutting into as his scans her for a second. “We could go together if you wanted to try it again?” He doesn’t care one way or another – but if they were supposed to be as important as everyone said they would be, well, Sunjata’ll try to help. But it might be worth it having someone else there alongside him.

The whole fact of getting healed though, has a soft laugh leaving him as he regards her curiously. “What, in Halo?” He asks, because that’s about as far as he knows in regards to there being a space to heal from the infection. “I’m not allowed to go there, for one. And two, telling Deimos about my situation would be the real cherry on top don’t you think?” It’s neither a yes or a no, more like an evasion of the question.

He doesn’t know if he does want to be healed, if it meant feeling the stress and anxieties surrounding the Family and the Void. This way was peaceful. It was comfortable. He didn’t have to worry about everything else.

SUNJATA

Melita

Eating fire is your ambition
to swallow the flame down

“Sure,” she said casually in return, eyes cutting away from the table and back to him. Searching, really, for any sign of something, and perhaps she didn’t expect the reel of indifference or the casualness of it. Maybe she should have, after recent conversations – because it didn’t seem to affect him at all. There’d been some hope that events would spark more than innate selfishness; Melita couldn’t save herself from that either, but with the world at large threatened…she’d rather think it was the infestation nestled in his bones than the general malaise about everything else driving the coolness. Or just the chaos that had happened when he did give a shit – wars and Nate and Safrin rolled into one.

His laugh caused her brows to arch though, and she leaned back in her chair. “I mean, do you have to tell him?” If it was open, wouldn’t it be for everyone? Did they need special permission or to record who had been infected? “And I’m sure you could play your cards with Ru. If she asked…” she gave a shrug in response. Weren’t the Sword and Valkyrie close?

Then again, were these all just excuses? “Or do you want to remain infected?”

to be lit up from within, vein by vein
to be the sun

please remain calm, the end has arrived. we cannot save you, enjoy the ride.
this is the moment you've been waiting for, don't call it a warning. this is a war

Perhaps it’s a mixture of everything – the results of caring so deeply in the war without half of it mattering anyway paired with the fact that he was also tainted by the void, to where the whole purple sky and strange island in Torchline just… Didn’t seem to bother him that much. It wasn’t a threat, it just was, and his acceptance over it came easily. Because at the very least he didn’t have to worry about it – not unless it started to affect those that were close to him, which would simply just revert back to the beginning of the cycle for the Flood. A rinse and repeat.

“I get this idea that he probably wouldn’t be too happy with it. Though I guess I could send a letter and ask.” Obviously not to say that he was infected, but simply to see if anyone (himself included) potentially became void touched if they would be welcomed there.

But that’s a later thought as he dunks the chopped potatoes into the water on the fire, salting them generously, before returning back to face his niece. “That could work.” Utilizing Hotaru in that way, even though she’d likely already be fine with whatever he chose to do. Grabbing a beef steak acquired from the butcher that’s just recently settled, Sunjata focuses on cleaning up the messier bits of the meat before getting the pan ready. “I don’t want to be infected.” He tries to reassure her even if the words falling from his mouth taste like ash, the lie curling up in his stomach.

SUNJATA

Melita

Eating fire is your ambition
to swallow the flame down

She noted the reluctance and hesitation, and it made something gnarl inside her. A little thorn bulging past her ribcage and contorting along her bones; maybe frustration at him, or Dahlia, or a mixture of notions in between. Some of it was entirely out of his control, and she knew that, but the forced parameters didn’t sit well with her. Another discussion for Ru, maybe, if the Valkyrie wasn’t playing the same game as her uncle. “Won’t know until you try,” she shrugged; not quite letting him off the hook.

And she wasn’t sure if she believed him either – not with the way the last line was said. But if he wanted, or had, to meander around the sentiments, she would too – but very minimally. “That settles it then,” she grinned, and it didn’t reach her eyes. Standing up instead, she meandered over to the pan and counter. “Do you need help with anything?”

to be lit up from within, vein by vein
to be the sun

please remain calm, the end has arrived. we cannot save you, enjoy the ride.
this is the moment you've been waiting for, don't call it a warning. this is a war

“That’s true.” Sunjata hums, even if it meant that he was uncomfortable with the idea of it. Letters were easy to send. The action of doing such a thing already has his stomach trying to flip flop, a sudden edge into his mind at the idea of it. But he can try to soothe her fears about it, even if Frey wasn’t all that worried.

Her grin and acceptance don’t meet her eyes, and the Flood knows this, but he also knows that nothing would right this second. So all he can do is move onto the steaks, glancing up as she moves a little closer. “The vegetables still need to be prepped. The steaks too.” Pausing to angle toward her with a crooked smile, Sunjata lets her pick which she’d rather do.

And once that gets under way, the Flood pours a lemonade into their glasses, turning toward his niece with that same smile. “What have you been up to?” He asks curiously. “I heard someone mention a floating pumpkin in the House of Midnight. Was that something you did?” There’s only absolute amusement in his gaze with the question, his smile turning into a playful smirk.

SUNJATA

Melita

Eating fire is your ambition
to swallow the flame down

Launching at the opportunity to use a knife, she hummed, grabbing hold of several vegetables and beginning to slice through them. It gave her some relief, to place violence in her hands and not pour it directly outward into anyone or anything in particular, rooting down in the branches and brambles of whatever the fuck is going on. “You guys prepping for anything in King’s End?” Seemed like a neutral topic – unless it was just brothel growth again.

Though the subject matter had her swiftly turning her head in his direction – disgust wrinkling her features. “They only talked about Fangorn? Not about the Ludo mask?” From his vantage point, the gourd waved his vines, pleased. She scoffed, rolling her eyes. It figured her companion had stolen the show, but she’d put some thought into it. “I put a lot of work into that shit.”

to be lit up from within, vein by vein
to be the sun

please remain calm, the end has arrived. we cannot save you, enjoy the ride.
this is the moment you've been waiting for, don't call it a warning. this is a war

Content to let her chop away her violent tendencies, Sunjata twists to start to get everything else ready and the pan warmed up. His back is to her when she asks her question, placing some butter into the pan as he waits for it to melt before placing the steaks into it. “We’re working on trading with Torchline this season.” He offers, trying to think about what else they have planned. “And once the ground’s thawed we’re gonna build a little central town so that there’s more to visit here than just the Refuge and the House of Midnight.” He adds with a soft snort, turning to reach for the steaks once the pan is hot enough and the butter is fully melted.

Seasoning it, he places one of the steaks in to hear it sizzle – a sound accompanied by the deep rumble of his laughter as he looks over to her and flashes a lopsided smile in the face of her disgust. “Only one person said a Ludo mask. Everyone was way more distracted by Fangorn floating around the space.” He raises a brow before he chuckles a little. “You scared the fuck outta Thorn, though.” He wonders if it was intentional or simply just whoever showed up first.

SUNJATA

Melita

Eating fire is your ambition
to swallow the flame down

“Ah,” she mentioned off-handedly, for her diversions into politics were minimal and that was probably for the best. The knife slid easily and swiftly through the vegetables, and once she’d finished with one, she started another, pleasantly distracted and amused. “Good. You should get more people then too.” Though she suspected some were just as content with a brothel – but there were other provisions most individuals required.

She rolled her eyes at his smile though, clearly disgruntled with the lack of legend surrounding her actions. “Figures,” she muttered, though her irritation wasn’t at Fangorn (she’d been the one directing him, really), but just that she’d been upstaged within her own performance.

Though the following remark left her glowing with some beam of pride, a very smug look coming over her features as her shoulders went upward and her spine straightened. The grin in return was all Cheshire. “Well, that’s a relief. Glad I haven’t lost my touch.”

to be lit up from within, vein by vein
to be the sun

please remain calm, the end has arrived. we cannot save you, enjoy the ride.
this is the moment you've been waiting for, don't call it a warning. this is a war

Nodding and flashing her a smile as he gets the steaks sizzling in the pan and she works through the rest of the vegetables with precise ease. “That’s the goal.” He murmurs, before the memory of hearing about what happened in the House of Midnight comes to the forefront of his mind. He wasn’t there to see it first hand, but the stories hadn’t changed very much between who told it.

A rich laugh escapes him as she beams her grin back, the whole not losing her touch certainly something the Flood had expected. “Nope.” He agrees on the end of a laugh and a shake of his head. “Do you have any more tricks up your sleeves?” He asks, because while he’s never met Ludo, he’s felt the brunt of the heralds other magics and a large part of him is immensely glad that Mel’s falls under the chaotic playful part rather than the version Remi had been for it.

SUNJATA

Melita

Eating fire is your ambition
to swallow the flame down

“Of course I do,” she added with a prideful little lilt and a tilt of her jaw. She forced it upwards in some sort of seditious manner, as if it might give her more height or a lofty semblance of pride. “But if I just tell everyone, it’d ruin potential surprises.” Or mayhem. She gave him another shitty little grin, before chopping away, appreciating the uniformity of each slice and then maneuvering more aside to snag at another. Hadn’t Maea asked her the same?

To be fair, Melita probably didn’t answer her outright though for the excuse she gave her uncle, but also the pettiness of it all.

“Saw Maea the other day, by the way,” well before she’d been shooting arrows at her, but the Honeybee certainly wasn’t going to be tattling on herself. “I was planting some of those seeds in the Grounds. She’s still a bit of a downer, huh.”

to be lit up from within, vein by vein
to be the sun