burning this out on our own

the lullaby

And if it all goes crashing into the sea
If its just you and me

I suppose it's not not our place. Remi thinks with a mental shrug as the pair of monolithic monsters descend down into the depths.

The pair had been talking about what their roles were now that they were proper citizens of Torchline. It had been years since they'd lived somewhere that 1. Had a population of more than just the two of them, or 2. Wasn't ruled by one of them. But even though they had no authority in Torchline, surely given that they were demigods they had some obligation to go and do things Torchline's rulers couldn't? Or at the very least, shouldn't?

On that note, Flora told me the other day she thinks you and I should train more. And that we ought to visit Safrin and Ludo respectively to gain more abilities. He adds dryly.

Down below, the Moonkissed Reef glistens with all the beauty and quiet splendor of an ambush predator waiting for its prey to grow close. Indeed the pair had been warned about how sharp the coral actually was, not that Remi was planning on testing it himself.

I’m gonna find my way
Back to your sideu

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Similarly, Ronin is not intending to rub his face or his scaly body against the coral reef any time soon, and as they approach through the twilight murk, he twists himself, serpentine, to get as close as he dares without touching it. In times like these, I feel as though it is our place to be as involved as we can, he admits with no small amount of reluctance. It's true that the Nova will be present and accounted for in whatever capacity he's needed for the coming fight, but a couple of years of peace do not make him suddenly eager for conflict again. Especially conflict that can kill him outright, and that laughs off his celestial skillset. She did, did she? The smile in Ronin's voice is clear, though beneath it through the Attuned bond there's a small part of him that feels like Flora is correct. It's been a long time since we needed to do anything like that. ronin begin again, as the storm

the lullaby

And if it all goes crashing into the sea
If its just you and me

Yes she did. The kraken confirms as he drifts toward the razor-sharp coral. Mmmm. I did not want to worry her, but I am not even sure how we would train. We could be faster or stronger always, but...gods, those things. Far too large and improperly proportioned to shake his head, the kraken can do little more than mentally shrug.

Never before have I felt so clumsy and slow. There was no trace of wounded pride or self-deprecation in the Lullaby's mental voice, nor any false modesty in the memories that shimmered in his thoughts. It would not hurt, though. And I would happily spar you, if you'll take me on. He adds in a boyish taunt.


Drifting down, it's with eyes not particularly evolved for keen sight that he gazes warily upon the coral. This would make quite the dagger if anyone was able to get at it without slicing themselves apart, you know.

I’m gonna find my way
Back to your sideu

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

More enjoying his game of cat and mouse with the coral (where he is the leviathan-sized mouse and the coral has claws to slash him) than considering grabbing at it, Ronin rolls through the dark water enough to turn and glance back at his husband, all massive tentacles and lurking monstrosity. I would love to spar you, he says, and though there's amusement in his tone, it's impossible not to realise how serious the need might be, all things considered. Well, if I can't rely on my starbolts, I really ought to go back to basics anyway, he agrees, trying not to think about being clumsy, slow or those things too hard. Perhaps we can find some time to train hand-to-hand on the beach, or somewhere else on our travels. Twisting again to examine the coral and giving Remi the mental equivalent of scrunching his nose, the leviathan swims onwards. If only it could be a void-killing dagger, he laments. Speaking of which, do you see anything suspicious down here? ronin begin again, as the storm

the lullaby

And if it all goes crashing into the sea
If its just you and me

I cannot even remember the last time that we did. Had it been back when Remi had just acquired his magic-stealing ability? When Ronin had been forced to try and shoot at him? Pretending to snake out a tentacle as if meaning to jab the leviathan, the kraken wisely pulled back before continuing his assessment of the coral.

We could cover you in these things. If that woman tries to touch you, I doubt she would like it much. Pausing, the Lullaby's mind grows still and cold as he realizes that what he'd said (thought) might not be true at all. Gods, I did not even hurt her at all. I do not even know what pain does to them. Maybe it healed them. Maybe it dealt additional damage the way Wessex's abilities once did.

Also trying to shake off the sense of impending doom that wanted to twist his thoughts and coat his words into something that might otherwise suggest the pair fuck of back to the mountains and leave Caido to its doom, the kraken swims a touch lower down. Carefully threading himself between bits of corral, he glances around. No, actually. It all seems as you would expect. I wonder if that means anything.

I’m gonna find my way
Back to your sideu

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Nor I, Ronin admits, weaving through the sharp pieces of coral before letting himself drift further up and above the basin to observe it. If anything hostile lurked below, he likes to think it would have been flushed out by the combined efforts of leviathan and kraken. I wonder if they could be trapped, the way the Voice once was, he muses of the people shaped catastrophes that now walked among them. But gods, even that feels too much like the war they've only recently come out of, and Ronin hates dwelling on it too much. Instead, swimming about his husband, he muses on the apparent emptiness of the area around them. It probably means some poor Mer village somewhere is inundated with them, he says, flicking his colossal tail at it. Come on - shall we check elsewhere? ronin begin again, as the storm

the lullaby

And if it all goes crashing into the sea
If its just you and me

Mmmm. He wondered that too, though nothing he could imagine nor make with his own hands (tentacles, wings, paws) was capable of such a thing. I guess we should probably go speak with Safrin and Ludo, then.. Sighing, the kraken stretches out his tentacles as far as he can, looking like some Lovecraftian star falling from the surface, before letting himself blob back together again.

Probably. Remi agrees humourlessly.

Swimming toward his monstrous counterpart, the kraken reaches out to twine his tentacles around his husband's vast serpentine body. Sure, but only if you pull me. Slorping up Ronin's back until he was affixed where he judged the middle of the beast's body to be, Remi gives a mental cluck cluck the way one might encourage a horse.

I think the gardens are over there, somewhere.

~FIN

I’m gonna find my way
Back to your sideu

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!