[text]

[abgrund]

From: Hades
Date: March 22nd

As some of you may be aware, a large group of bees have moved into an abandoned temple in the Western District. Some bee sting injuries of children have occured.

I intend to take these bees under my protection and move them to my temple. If there are no objections, it will be done by the 25th.

[ Ain will be converting the bees to void-touched versions of themselves, and this will let him influence them to become calmer once they take up residence in his temple. They will still go about their foraging rituals but avoid stinging people, only flying away if disturbed. However, the honey they produce will become poisonous. This has been cleared by the mods o/ ]

Comments

[cloakedinruins]

The focus of this temple's 'dark magic' and how it echoes my own personal energies.

[abgrund]

[ ... ]

If you are curious about me, I would be glad to field your questions in a more private place.

[cloakedinruins]

Yes, I am curious about you as well. Does that mean that whatever the bees manage to produce are a part of you as well?

[abgrund]

Come meet me in person and we can have a conversation.

[ He's not sharing sensitive information over text. ]

[cloakedinruins]

Ah, my apologies. I do get caught up that I forget that some things are best face to face. When would be a good time for you?

to action?

[abgrund]

I will be available tomorrow morning. Please come at your convenience.

[ Given that Ain has full monitoring of his temple when he's actually within it, he would be able to prepare for the visit and be ready at any time. ]

sure action :3

[cloakedinruins]

Than I shall talk to you soon.

[ When he does show up, Shen Wei is stuck halfway between his normal human look and his true appearance - his hair long dressed in warrior braids but his clothing more modern and relaxed than the warrior hanfu his temple forces him into. He also carried a small gift, a collection of stories from the time of the Warring States when Dixingren was forced above ground. He felt that Ain may be interested in it. ]

[abgrund]

[ Hades' temple looks no different from the last time Shen Wei might have visited, save for the fixture of what might be a futuristic take on a beehive, as well as a fountain of holy water. Ain himself waits at the gate - he had been standing there for at least an hour, meditating. ]

Good morning. How do you feel about some tea?

[ He takes in Shen Wei's half-normal, half-supernatural appearance. In this way they are both the same - Ain with his long hair and human-looking face, but dressed in floor-length robes.

Ain will lead Shen Wei past the void-stained halls and behind the altar, into what seems to be a typical Japanese apartment tacked onto the back of the building like an afterthought. Nobody is around, except for two cats; a normal tabby and the other with grey fur and obvious Henir markings. ]

[cloakedinruins]

Tea would be lovely, thank you.

[ He followed Ain, noting the way the void had stained the building and the blend of futuristic design and modern. It was not unlike his own place with the very traditional lines marred by his alien nature, echoing the the strange decor and the press of air as if tons of earth bore down on the building.

Entering the apartment, Shen Wei's polite smile changed to something more normal at the sight of the cats. He crouched down to their level to let them decide whether or not to bother with him. ]

What are your cats' names?

[abgrund]

[ The tabby stays put where it's curled up on a cat's treehouse, but the grey cat pads forward to inspect Shen Wei with what seems to be a thoughtful look. ]

That one is Orbis, and the normal one is Spots.

[ Ain puts on the kettle. It's a normal kettle, so they'll have to wait while it boils. ]

I adopted the former and my shinki Ren brought home the latter.

[cloakedinruins]

Orbis and Spots.

[ Shen Wei nodded and held out his hand for the grey cat. He wasn't sure if his alien blood would cause any concern to the cat, though he was sure that he would smell of his own cat - rather, he would smell like Da Qing who was sometimes a cat. ]

Will Spots get like Orbis?

[abgrund]

No. I changed Orbis to heal him. Spots does not require that sort of thing.

[ Orbis bumps up against Shen Wei's hand and sits down, as if expecting pats. Ain walks closer, stopping an arm's length away so that they can talk comfortably. ]

[cloakedinruins]

Ah... That makes sense. When I used my energy that way, it also changed the other to something closer to me as well.

[ He started petting Orbis slowly, taking his time to figure out where he can and cannot touch since all cats have spots on them they didn't like being messed with. The patches of voidness didn't seem to bother him, only bringing out a small bit of his own dark energy in response, protecting the seemingly delicate skin of his.

Shen Wei didn't go into details at how the healing also meant that he shared half of his life or that he started to become poisoned by the other person at the time. Then again, it hadn't been just a simple heal, but something that went far deeper than just the skin and bones. ]

They're both cute.

[abgrund]

[ The fact that Shen Wei shares this with him is curious. He's always had the impression that they are similar in some ways and it only adds to that. ]

I'm glad you appreciate them.

[ Orbis stays put like a good cat, letting Shen Wei rub him. A slow purr emanates from the cat's throat after a while. ]

I do think we have some things in common, though in different interpretations. [ They're from different worlds, after all. ] If you have questions, ask. I shall answer.

[cloakedinruins]

[ It was only their similarities that makes Shen Wei feel that he could trust Ain with the information. He wasn't going to go into details, but it was still enough that someone could understand a little. ]

I feel the same.

[ He looked up, smiling faintly before giving Orbis a few more scritches before standing. Exchanging information would be more comfortable if he was distracted so much. ]

I have a lot of questions, but I hope I will not offend with some of them.

[abgrund]

I don't think you will.

[ Ain is serene, unperturbed. He has long been aware of his aberrant existence, and if someone has a pickle against him, they are free to bring them up to him.

Of course, if he's revealing things about himself to Shen Wei, he also expects some answers from the man in return. For now, he remains silent - you first. ]

[cloakedinruins]

I don't like to be rude.

[ He may be one of the most powerful beings from his race, but Shen Wei was not going to let it mean that he could be an ass about it. Sure he had his moments of arrogance, but that was something he felt due to him. Rudeness was not acceptable. ]

However... Some things cannot be asked without some rudeness. For instance, were you born with your abilities or did they come later?

[abgrund]

[ There are several ways he could answer this question. Several ways it could be interpreted in, even. However, Shen Wei did not have the context of his world like Add did. Some things have to be omitted. ]

I had it since the beginning. Though, I was made, not born.

[ Being born seemed to imply some sort of mortal, humanly connection. ]

[cloakedinruins]

Is there that much of a difference between made and born? One moment you do not exist. The next, you do.

[ True life was a bit more complicated than that, but where life began and how it was begun was the ages old question. Some believed in miracles, and some believed in science, but in the end something had to cause the first step for life to spread.

Shen Wei curled his hand and let his dark energy appear, the black shards mixed with bits of frozen matter in a tight, compact sphere. ]

My race always had an affinity with dark energy, and I was born capable of tapping far more energies than normal even for us.

[ He closed his hand, letting the energy settle back into his body as he does so. ]

[abgrund]

Being born implies you had parentage. Something birthed you. Being made means a creator rather than a mother.

[ Said evenly, as he regards the orb of dark energy in Shen Wei's hand. Similar in appearance to his own, but he could tell that its composition was not quite the same. ]

You are a prodigy, then. [ Amongst his race, huh... meaning that Shen Wei still had the benefit of compatriots to compare and learn against. The sublimation of knowledge from the void is much different from that sort of thing. ] Did you spend time with your people?

[ Because that's very much not the case for Ain himself. He closes his eyes and allows his illusion to dissipate somewhat, his appearance changing from human-like to bone-white and his eyes inset to black and green. ]

Perhaps you have heard of angels. Messengers of gods and servants to their will. That is what I once was.