157: Propriety
CROWN
I knew that Duck had started creating her universe by the sudden indistinct fuzziness that I felt at the edge of my senses. As I had suspected, giving her the World Seed had fully actualized her as her own being. We still had a connection, but it was so faint that getting anything out of it was nigh impossible.
I knew I would have to check on some of the rest of the cluster very soon, but I still wanted to make sure everything was going smoothly on my own world first. I selected a rooken form this time, instead of the elf I had been using so much. I had never taken it down to the physical realm, but I knew it would be good to get used to it before I did that.
When I stepped back into the realm of the gods, I noted with interest that simply using a rooken shape let me see the colors in their eyes. It was a minor statement to how I had adapted to being above mortal forms that I didn't find this disorienting at all.
What was far more disturbing was that I found Muerve inside a shimmering cage. Akasha was standing in front of it, glaring at the god of death with the familiar twitch of her tail that told me she was angry. A notification already told me what my eyes had made obvious. Akasha had placed Muerve into the cage in order to remove his agency as a god, and taken over his subterminal duties herself in the interim.
A few of the other gods were still about, but they were watching the scene with uncertainty rather than fear. I got the distinct feeling that Akasha had either never done this, or it was so rare that nobody knew what to make of it. Kelas was there, and he gave me a slightly worried look, ears quivering.
I sighed wearily, “Akasha, what’s going on now? I was gone for a few hours and now you’re upending gods? Muerve’s not even one hundred years old.”
“You have no idea how much they’ve messed things up, father!” Akasha grumbled. “First they woke up an old soul while poking around, now they want to give partial memory flashbacks to one of the jerks that tried to make an incursion!”
The second one made me flinch. Akasha had never complained about it much, but I knew the incursions hurt her. She’d taken the creation of them personally, and the few cult-like movements that had sprung up to do just that were dealt with swiftly. I was pretty sure I remembered the incident she was talking about, though. Only one soul on my world had ever come anywhere close to actually succeeding in that task, and she’d been very thorough in punishment.
My worry about the old soul she mentioned was set aside as I approached, letting out a cawing sigh as I spread my wings. “I think I should let Muerve explain themselves, first.”
Inside the cage, the god of death rose to their full height. The androgynous figure was back in vaskan form now, with the accents that looked like what a vaskan might appear like if they absorbed a rooken. Not something that was actually possible, since rooken didn’t have Monster Cores, but close.
“Othan has been my champion for years,” the god murmured mildly. “He has complete devotion to my Volkoss aspect, and is the closest one could come to living a life purely in service to others. He has his flaws, but his current life is unimpeachable.”
Muerve panned his eyes over to the fuming Akasha. “I understand that in the distant past, his previous life attempted something terrible… but he has changed over time. I can see no stains on his soul.”
I dipped my head and closed my eyes. What a mess this was.
“Akasha, souls can grow and change, you know this. You’ve seen it with Reyth.” I chirped and tilted my head toward her. “I don’t remember this mortal’s name, but he spent half a lifetime as a dungeon. Even if he doesn’t remember those years, it puts a pressure on his soul. Perhaps he learned a lesson. Muerve was put in charge because of their skill in handling this sort of thing. We should trust them, until we see otherwise. I no longer have the time to handle every little problem personally.”
In response, Akasha just lifted an arm to point off to the side.
I turned about to see Solen looking at me curiously, along with Wanderer there. Wanderer gave me an appreciative chirp, tilting his head and probably saying something flirtatious again. I didn’t hear it, because I was too startled by the middle figure, the one who looked feral and spoiling for a fight.
Sena.
She was younger than when I’d last seen her, of course. This was her spiritual representation. Her soul had been quietly in circulation while I was away, I knew that, though Akasha had mentioned it only went into circulation a few times. She’d kept it with her most of the time, and only let it reincarnate once in a while out of fear that holding it too long would be cruel or detrimental to its development.
I remembered thinking, so long ago, that she’d been kind of cute. I’d been in a vaskan body back then, so it hadn’t surprised me. Our relationship had never developed that direction despite mild attraction, so it startled me how hard it hit for me to see her now. Of course, being in a rooken body, I thought she could use some more colorful plumage… but that was a distracting thought, not what first came to mind.
My beak clacked once. “The old soul. It has been some time, Sena.”
The image of my old friend crossed her arms in amusement, and Solen flicked ears up as well.
“Go on, you should finish there before we talk,” Sena chuckled. She glanced at Solen, and I got the distinct impression that two of my closest friends had been telling stories about the stupid things I’d done when they’d known me in life.
Even with the glare Akasha gave, and the realization of what “old soul” had been pulled out, I had to think hard about what she’d done to Muerve.
I sighed.
“Muerve, you really should ask me about any soul that’s been tagged for more than a few centuries,” I gently scolded. “But I’ll trust your judgement about this mortal. It’s on your head if it turns out badly, understand that.”
Muerve dipped their head stiffly. “Yes, of course. I have power and responsibility in my domain.” They paused. “I apologize for interfering with matters I knew little about. I should have asked instead of explored. In that respect, I was in error.”
Akasha pouted, but I waved a wing to dismiss it. “Apology accepted. Akasha, release him. You can’t take things so personally when people have no context.” I could have done it myself, but it was important that she take responsibility as well. I couldn’t blame her for how she’d gotten upset, but it worried me that my System was so emotional.
Free will was precious, but also the biggest pain I ever had.
Finally turning back to Sena, I saw Solen staring at me curiously… while Sena casually reached out and pat me on the head. As a rooken, I was barely above half her height, and Sena was not the tallest vaskan.
Wanderer cackled at the gesture. “I can see it will be a long while before I have such a rapport with my creator!” He did a spread-winged dip of his head that looked remarkably like a bow. “I shall leave you to your lovely ladies. In fact, it is about time I made my way back to another life. A pleasure meeting you, Sena.”
“Get in touch again after you die, if I am here,” Sena replied with a smile.
To my surprise, Muerve gave Sena a respectful nod of their head before ushering Wanderer away. I’d miss the playful rooken… his energy really did brighten up the discussion, even if he could be a little intense.
Sena rubbed my head again, bringing a snicker from Solen.
“Didn’t you say we should treat Crown with more respect?” Kelas asked, finally breaking into the conversation.
“You should. But I can get away with this. So I am,” Sena countered. “I’m not sure what Wanderer meant when he said the plumage patterns were gorgeous though.”
I fidgeted awkwardly, but I didn’t stop her from petting. “Rooken can see colors that most of the other species can’t see. My feathers look shiny black to you, but they have a very colorful pattern to other rooken. I was distracted and didn’t realize he was flirting with me, I suppose.”
“You’ve always been pretty oblivious, sister,” Solen laughed. “I guess it means Wanderer recognizes you as someone he likes. He’s really one of the more interesting mortal souls that shows up here.”
I let out a little chirp. “I’m glad that the souls are enjoying the afterlife a little. It doesn’t really help me, but it feels nice to give them something to look forward to. Even if they don’t remember without our interference.”
Tucking my wings in, I nudged Sena’s hand away. “That’s enough of that, now! If I’d known you were here I’d have come in Kenta’s body. I’m still getting used to this one. Sorry I wasn’t there for your awakening… I haven’t had the chance to look you up now that there’s somewhere you can actually be.”
Sena shrugged as she pulled her hand back. “I don’t mind. You’re kind of cute like this.” She frowned and tapped her chin. “Though when we last spoke, you agreed to wake me when I was needed most. I had the impression you weren’t looking forward to needing me.”
It took me a few moments to answer that. When she’d called my rooken form cute I had nearly stepped away. She’d always been so formal with me, this more relaxed version of her had taken me off guard.
Then again, she’d always been very, very good at keeping me on my toes. This could be an act of hers… or a result of a few lifetimes of reincarnation, even if she didn’t remember them. I wasn’t sure what to think of a more relaxed Sena.
Maybe it didn’t matter. She was still as sharp as ever.
“No one ever likes to need their friends,” I sighed. Solen had taken to petting me now, as well, and I just let myself be humiliated like that. Apparently, both of my close friends liked birds. This didn’t surprise me about Solen, she’d always liked to watch birds, but it was a similarity I hadn’t been prepared for.
“Well, you’re doing a terrible job managing your gods, and maintenance on the world is shoddy as well,” Sena sighed. “Akasha can’t handle it all on her own, you know. She needs time to spend with her girlfriend, and she doesn’t have the powers you do. So, here’s what we’re going to do…”
Oh no.
Sena turned to Akasha and smiled. “We’ll be back in a few hours. Don’t forget to take some time off, and give Reyth my regards if she even knows who I am.”
Akasha and Solen both gave me a slightly pitying look, but Akasha smiled back at Sena. “Thanks, I will!”
I had plans to work on, but I knew better than to try to avoid Sena, whether she was dead or not. She’d already started walking with the obvious assumption that I’d be moving along beside her.
I started walking and prepared myself for the lecture.