"Will. You. Give. Up?"

Gurashi

Hello again! It has been a long couple months with holidays, extreme illness (not C-19), work intensity and general potato brains. But things have still been happening quietly in the background for Gurashi; in @Mysrai's Order, in the politics of the city of New Celest, and in their increasingly desperate attempts at getting unenemied to their first home! It's been an emotional roller coaster, as most things are!
 
A Tall Order: A Task for the Shofets - A playdate on the beach with a gaggle of friends (Cheliyi, Ferne, and Esei) on the beach turns into one of the most important tasks Gurashi's ever been given!

<-- After a 2 week delay due to illness, finally went and idled in @Lantra's Fulcrux for 30 mins after Gurashi's initial 'i need to talk to you' prayer! (next time I will just drop thing, pray, and boogie)

A Response from the Empyreal - Only a few IC days after idling about the Fulcrux, Gurashi received a response... Not that it was one they weren't expecting. But that did not make it feel any differently!

What do I tell Them. - Failing is hard. 

MEANWHILE
"May your desires..." - After many discreet requests for possible updates to their remedying their enemy status to the Glomdoring, Gurashi finally gets word from the Lady of Roses Herself, via Her lovely messenger, @Kreon. There is... hope? 

"Do not fail Me." - A visit from Aschwar themselves to deliver a powerful message...

I promise to add more things as they happen! It is scary! It is exciting! The cost is too great to give up! 
(and have a doodle post-Lantra meeting)

Gurashi

A couple days ago:

scribe origami origami125632 For Tavi! Miss Ferne said she loved powderfruits. Please pass on for me, if is O-K! Thank You very muchly - stay goodly! Stay kind! * the fat, round, furry, and powdery purple fruit comes tumbling out of the package, carefully wrapped in a thick kerchief * 

You carefully inscribe your message onto the inner folds of a singing cicada origami. The magic ink flashes slightly as its glow permeates the origami with its power.

You put a fat powderfruit into a singing cicada origami.

close origami

You wrinkle your nose and sniff.

You drop a singing cicada origami.

Luminous waters wash over a singing cicada origami and ripple with light, submerging it entirely until it vanishes from view.

Kneeling humbly, you press your palms together before you and close your eyes momentarily as you pray devoutly to Lantra, the Empyreal, "Good afternoon, Lady Empyreal! Many greetings! Is me again, Gurashi - brought a present for Miss Tavi, yes, because Miss Nalurei and she apparently are going to meet and be friends and Miss Ferne said that Tavi liked thems so, here is one! I do not feel rightly barging into realm unaccompanied not knowing ways around trying to find a persons that have never met - can imagine would be so confused! Tavi would be very confused. Anyway. Uhm. So sorry for intruding. But also, uhm - was wondering if could talk to You again soonly. But not right now because I need to sleeps. But it is really important! But also know are busy being a Divines. But thank Yous anyway. Stay goodly and kind. And have a nicely months!".

Today, the Empyreal reached out to answer Gurashi's prayer...

 "Your task is difficult, yes."

Me right now: 

Gurashi

Progress continues, one step at a time. Gurashi's already spoken to a handful of the Empyreal's Order about their mission, only  to realize one crucial thing: they were not IN the Beloved when Best Bear first 'got sick', so they don't know exactly WHAT is wrong with the Best Bear. Thankfully stupid sexy Courtesan showed up to check on Gurashi's progress and help answer this question...

"How could I ever worry, My Beloved, when I have sent the perfect mortal for such a job?"

Cheliyi

Cheliyi squints. Hesitantly, she asks, "Does He need pants?"

I'm still so proud of that line, haha.

Mysrai

Pants are for the unenlightened. 

Gurashi

At long last! The Fates aligned and Gurashi got an opportunity to meet with Lantra and sing/plead Mysrai's case to Her for healing Beloved Aschwar...

A Song and Plea for the Empyreal

Even with the absence of the illusory magic or the psionic strange, afterimages of Aschwar and the Shofet in walks of life still linger in your minds eye. They carry on in training, in dining, in travel through the Shifting City throughout the temple, passing so close to your audience yet never colliding.

You have emoted: Gurashi's gaze loses focus for a moment, listening but momentarily distracted as they brush their hair from their face. "Oh..." More quietly they add, "thank you..."

Giving Faragan and Aeldra a single glance, Lantra then turns to you and places Her hands together in silent applause, Her veil masking much of Her true thoughts from view. "It is a tale I thought I knew," the Goddess says softly, "but there were chapters I see I was not privvy to. Entries that it surprises Me such an engimatic Elder would share with but a single shard."

Bizirik's head begins to droop. It opens its great maw and curls back its lips to allow its forked tongue to unfurl as it yawns before snapping its mouth shut.

You have emoted: Gurashi fidgets with the instrument, slowly lifting their gaze to meet Lantra's. They cant their head slightly, confused.

Leaning back, considering, Lantra, the Empyreal says, "The death of Ashtariel... To begin there, in a time so long ago it is easily forgotten, it evokes memories I rarely seek to recall. Of Mysrai before the war of the Circles. Before the Soulless arrived. A time of Creation, of Dynara, of nothing but unending promise."

Gurashi

....and of course as soon as Gurashi's task was complete, they HAD to rush off to try and tell Mysrai what happened! But Mysrai wasn't home - ONLY THE BEST BEAR. But it turned into a very blessed playdate and a very endearing tae'dae-filled moment. Another reminder to Gurashi of why it is they do what they do.

"...all look like peoples now..."

You have emoted: Gurashi leans back, releasing from the hug and waving their arms in the air slightly. "I-is because, I have uhm, changelings! Magics? Or, AM a changeling? I do not know because I am a -kephera-." They scratch their head, accidentally jabbing themselves with their too-long claws and grimacing. "Ahh-- but SOME peoples have -hats- like the one that sent you, yes."

Looking up, you say to Aschwar, the Ebongold Heart, "I just thought about how muchly wanted to be like you and then eventually my shapes did the thing."

Aschwar, the Ebongold Heart's mouth opens but there are no words, only a heartfelt whimper as they reach a paw up to place over where their heart should be in their chest - barely ruffling the stitches and feathers there. "L-l-like..." Although they try to prevent leakage, the watery film that covers their eyes is too great and fat tears begin to spill down their cheeks.

You have emoted: Gurashi's delight instantly withers, and their gray-blue eyes fill with concern. "What? What--?" They reach up, resting their paw atop Aschwar, the Ebongold Heart's. "Am sorry - am so sorry - I did not mean to make you cry more!"

Looking happy beyond belief, Aschwar, the Ebongold Heart wipes away their tears to no avail - new tears leaking down their face as they enthuse, "You are already so goodly! You do not have to be like me, I am a big Liar!" They laugh and rub more tears away, and your heart soars in triumph as their cheer is felt through the aura surrounding them.

Aeldra

That was a lovely little arc so far, raves for everyone involved

Gurashi

A bit of relief now that the song has been sung and the Empyreal has agreed to help Aschwar, yes - but things are ever-changing and stomping forward! Cheliyi left the Glomdoring and has a lot of struggles (be sure to follow her story too!), and so Gurashi has been trying to be as best of a parent as they could be to her, having been in a .... similar-ish situation? 

And then: an unexpected visit from the Thousandfold's newest (and spoopiest) form, the Beckoner Beyond the Maze, to ask Gurashi about their task...

Like an echo through the streets, you hear the same words repeated along the wind on the dock in a broken stutter, "...that is good..."

In the gentle lull of the Shifting City's ephemeral existence, the voice cuts in and out. Yet rather than dying in consistency, the words remain even as they travel throughout the docks, "...good...good...good...good..."

Cheliyi glances back at you, tense with worry until she slowly relaxes in their embrace.

You have emoted: Gurashi lifts their gaze, feathery ears satelliting forward to listen to the words echoed back from the city. Slowly they smile, squeezing Cheliyi tighter.

You think to yourself: ...the goodliest reality...

You think to yourself: ... * softly, echoed desire - want to be good, yes - need to be good to make the goodliest ... *.

Cheliyi seems no less wary, though she gives you a faint smile. Slowly, she takes their hand, squeezing it with gentle frown.

The words, despite their cheer and conviction, become further and further warped as they continue their wave-like travel throughout the docks, until abruptly -- they die. There is only a sense of unease in the air, an inherent wrongness that you cannot seem to shake.

Cheliyi sits up, positioning herself in front of the trill with a fierce glare.

Something settles in your gut, tipped with iron and laced with the deep chill of ice. Something left over from an age you cannot remember. Fear.

You have emoted: Gurashi looks off beyond the docks, the smile that graced their lips moments before slowly beginning to fade as the palpable unease settles in.

You tilt your head, gaze softening as you frown.

Cheliyi's frills flare, but she stands her ground, vigilant. However, her display of 'strength' only seems to accentuate her small size.

At once, the unease vanishes and becomes focused enough in point that you can place the source. Something has appeared over your shoulder, and the faintest pull of ragged breathing can be heard rattling just over your shoulder.