Inbox for sticksandbones

[sesa]

I will make this pretty later

(Spoilers I won't, I always say I will but I won't-)

===

INVENTORY:

-Grenade Launcher with 3 ammo stacks (refreshes monthly)

-Nondescript gaming console (it's an offbrand Nintendo Switch)

-Some glowing star rocks from an investigation with Elsword in the Deep Woods

-A little knitted dragon from Elsword that I forgot to link and am too lazy to find now

-1 Kotatsu that he keeps in his room at the lab. It's red with light beige birds on it

-His toolbox from Rhodes

-A workshop that connects to Gnosis' lab via a breezeway. He lives there with Passenger now

-3 erythrites, used to make Passenger a pair of earrings

Comments

[mooninthewater]

[ Breaking the law, breaking the law—

Anyway, Mizuki adjusts himself to prepare for the waves that a creature that massive is bound to cause with something as simple as a sigh. Sesa should be fine, and he’ll even put up a barrier if needed. Fortunately as well, his Aegirian talent of being able to speak from somewhere seemingly sourceless means that it’s pretty easy to try and talk with the serpent.

The question is if it’ll understand them or not, but that’s something he supposes isn’t an immediate issue. ]

Hello! Sorry to disturb you while you’re resting. We weren’t entirely sure when was a good time to drop by…

I don’t know if you can understand me, but we were hoping… maybe we could give you something? We don’t expect anything in return, of course, but in my world, this gift is something akin to the Sun.

If that’s something you would like?

[ He attempts to lift the box a bit from the raft. Sesa is more than welcome to help, of course. ]

[sesa]

[Sesa will help, of course. He can't go too far with it since he isn't going to get in the sea, obviously, but he can like...help lower it into the water, as far as his arms are able to reach anyway. He's not sure how Mizuki intends to get it to the bottom, unless he's just going to drop it on the serpent's head.

Who knows if the serpent will be receptive to said sun box but, hey.]

[mooninthewater]

[ Well it's going to be less the box and more then Orb(tm) inside of the box. The sun box is actually mostly just decorative, and meant to contain the overbearing light of the small sun inside. Which he opens when it's in the water, and Sesa will see the area light up around them in the same span of an average city just light up, even below the surface. Whatever time it is at this point, it's hard to say for sure, because man is it bright out right now.

Anyway, Mizuki is also not sure how to distribute the sun. It's very bright, though, and he's squinting just a little bit. Should he... throw? Sure. Okay. The sun is being chucked. It's in the water, so it's fine- ]

[sticksandbonesmods]

The Sun, you say? Would you claim her from her throne above then?

[The serpent shifts to raise her head, and if you're observant you may notice traits of a nurse shark- the shape of it's head, the nose, the placement of long whiskers. It's very body seems like a shining nebula, or a particularly vibrant and iridescent opal. When it opens his eyes again, it's like looking at craters on the moon.]

Why for? If it is power you offer, I have no need. We of this Cove have already feasted on the magic of the cosmos. Any more would be greedy.

[mooninthewater]

[ Whoop- ok, he's catching the Sun and cradling it in a noodle for right now, then. ]

Um, I should've specified - it's a Sun from my world. Not the one here. And those are... stars, right?

I felt as though maybe you were asleep because all the stars disappeared... I thought giving you something like this might give you some comfort. It must be so lonely out here, after all. Especially when you probably witness all the stuff that creature had done.

[sesa]

[Oh, hm...is there a misunderstanding, perhaps?]

What Mizuki speaks of is true. [Sesa supplies, hoping his addition is helpful...and also able to be heard, since he can't really project his voice underneath the water like Mizuki can.] This sun is a gift from our home, not something taken unwarranted.

[sticksandbonesmods]

You misunderstand my existence. Though it is no fault of your own. Centuries ago, fragments of the cosmos' power fell into the sea from the cliff above. We consumed the power, much like you have, and it changed us. I consumed more than any here. Look.

[The serpent nods it's head around the waters. The waters surrounding the shining whirlpool are filled with life, and they all shine like the sun, moon, and stars.

She returns it's attention to the two of them.]

I still do not understand why you would gift me anything. I may accept. But I am not a kind one, the way the Sun and Moon are.

[mooninthewater]

Well, sure! But I misunderstand the existence of a lot of people, so of course you wouldn’t see me avoiding them, regardless. I think it’s important for anyone — gods or mortals or other ethereal creatures or otherwise — should always have the opportunity to have something that makes them happy.

Besides, I’ve never met a single soul who’s actually unkind call themselves that. I think you’d be a really good friend. You probably have a lot of really cool stories to tell!

[ And, well, the sun is being offered again into the water. At least it’s not fragile, so Mizuki isn’t all that concerned with chucking it through the waves. ]

[sesa]

[Mizuki is such a good boy. Sesa…knows that there’s a very real chance they could be making a mistake here, and this serpent could be offering them some kind of fair warning before they eat them. But that isn’t enough for Sesa to want to stop Mizuki, either. He has a kind heart…he wants to see the good in everyone. How could he go against that?

And, well. If the creature wanted to harm them…it would have already. He has to just keep telling himself that.

He leans over the edge of the “raft” to watch (sortof, he has to shield his eyes a bit with his arm) as Mizuki offers the sun once again.]

Mizuki is right. We have nothing to gain by giving you this offering, nothing beyond knowing that you having it may make your existence that much brighter. Even if it is just by a small bit.

[And maybe they are unkind. Maybe they won’t be grateful. But it’s what Mizuki wants.]

[sticksandbonesmods]

[The Cosmic Serpent listens, tilting it's head. It's gaze is impassive before finally, it nods.]

I will accept this sunlight, then. But what sort of stories would you expect? I often sleep.

[mooninthewater]

Oh, it doesn’t have to be your experiences or anything like that. Everyone has stories and wisdom to share, through all sorts of mediums. Where we’re from, people even come up with little pictures within the stars and make up stories about them. [ Usually Minoan stories, of course. ] The experiences of everything and everyone is precious. I could even share some of my stories with you. Sesa and I have so many manga between the two of us, you’d never be bored~! [ Mizuki— ]

There’s nothing more beautiful and worth preserving than those stories that people want to share.

[sesa]

Heh. I certainly wouldn't mind returning and reading a manga or two. Though perhaps we could find an actual boat to bring first...

[You know, so he isn't curled up in a ball on Mizuki's noodles like "help I can't swim"]

gagtag

[mooninthewater]

[ Happy Birthday, Sesa!!!!!! ]

[sticksandbonesmods]

[The Cosmic Serpent tilts their head up to the sky, as if watching it.]

You speak of Constellations. We too used to have them, before the stars descended to the earth. I remember watching it as a hatchling, unsettled. They're still there, somewhere in the forest. We can feel it- they are kin now, after all.

[mooninthewater]

See, then you have plenty of stories to share~! Don’t worry, we have to build a boat to keep the books from getting wet anyway, Sesa.

It’ll be so much fun. The Grove’s very first manga club!! Truly how the best of beginnings go!!! We can decide on meeting times at a later date. Something that isn’t too disruptive of your sleeping patterns, Cosmic Serpent. Maybe once a month or something like that?

Do you want us to keep calling you “Cosmic Serpent”, by the way? Or do you have a name? Can I call you “Hoshibi”? [ Quite literally just “star” and “snake” put together. ] If we’re friends now I don’t wanna keep sounding so formal, you know??

[ Mizuki, your priorities… ]

Oh! You’re a bit like Us Seaborn, then? How exciting~. I wonder if they’re the things that Father Wolfwood and I found marked on that map? There were tons of stars marked all over it. I had always just assumed they were shrines of some kind.

[sesa]

[Sesa is so glad Mizuki is here. He doubts he would be making much sense to this poor serpent speaking in riddles as he tends to-]

Somewhere in the forest, you say...that may be something worth investigating in the future.

[With others, ideally. Sesa worries he'd just walk into the forest and disappear LIKE SOME PEOPLE-

For now though he's going to continue letting Mizuki do most of the talking.]

[sticksandbonesmods]

[... Man, y'all are weird. Sunshiney weird. They don't hate it but it's very strange, especially when they've made their reputation to the outside world known through eating people polluting the seas and intimidating oil rigs. He didn't even agree! ... But she didn't disagree either.]

The Stars made their shrines up above in the woods, to aid mortals against the wretch who controls the fog. As we in the waters here consumed star magic alongside sun and moon magic, we are kin. We all can feel them.

I have no name, only a title. Call me as you will, but do not presume to have tamed me.I will indulge you, for a while.

[mooninthewater]

[ So all totally normal things??? Mizuki doesn't understand, he'd do this, too- ]

Ehe, "Tame you"? We're asking to be friends, not have a pet, silly. Sesa and I promise only to bother you sometimes, and you can always let us know if you're too tired to hang out, we'd totally understand! Maybe when the fog 'round here clears up, I can come take a nap with you, even?

Oh, and... umm, hey, Sesa found these... sort of broken star shards. Do you know what those might be about?

[sticksandbonesmods]

Let me see. I have my suspicions, but I will not presume.

[sesa]

Ah, yes! Of course...most of the ones I kept are back at my workshop, but I do keep a few in my pocket for situations such as these.

[Like obviously you never know when you might be speaking to a diety who could have information on them.

He rummages around in his pocket until he's able to locate a couple, holding them out on his palm carefully for the serpent to inspect.]

[sticksandbonesmods]

[The Cosmic Serpent rears back before leaning back in- except this time it is smaller, more like a regular nurse shark's size as she looks at the darkened stars.]

These are star shards that lost their magic. It comes with overuse, or neglect- perhaps the ambient area absorbed the magic, but they are nothing more than hollow shells now. Perhaps... they could make some decoration or another. But that is all.

[mooninthewater]

[ ! A shark! Oh how cute. Mizuki would hug it if he knew it’d be okay. ]

Do… all the shards run out of magic eventually…? How much magic is condensed into one shard??

[ Sorry, Cosmic Serpent. He’s very inquisitive. ]

[sesa]

[Shark…we loev shark.

Also feel free to skip Sesa here he has nothing to contribute he’s just listening like a good boy.]

[sticksandbonesmods]

It depends on the Star who made the shard, when it comes to how much is in one. Humans could earn themselves a lifetime of magic by consuming one. If they go unused, the magic will seep out back into nature. The forest you reside in was always a fae forest, so it would thrive with star magic.

[mooninthewater]

And in turn, the creature, right? Should we be trying to get the stars out of there, then…? Is there any way to help them?