video; what's an ulterior motive?

[eternalshield]

[Zeno takes a bite of a juicy golden-yellow apple.]

Gods are so high-maintenance, right? Anyone who got some of the alcohol from Zeno at the firefly picnic, please accept this apology! Zeno was only trying to bear cups and properly embody Hebe, but it didn't work out so well!

[Another, smaller bite. He has to wipe some fruit juice off his face with his sleeve.]

Hebe should be serving nectar, though. Or ambrosia? Some things Zeno reads say nectar is the drink of the gods that makes them immortal, and some say ambrosia is the food, and others say the opposite. Zeno has been looking for ambrosia and nectar for a while now!

Moreso lately. Given some recent events, immortality might be a useful thing to have for shinki as well as gods.

[He quickly takes another, bigger bite of his apple, in order to disguise his distaste for that sentiment. Immortality isn't something to play around with-- just like mortality isn't something to take advantage of.]

Who'd think being dead can't stop you from being killed? [That, that he allows himself to visibly react to. Mostly in a look of disgust and a tone of utter disdain for the murderer.]

The way to obtain immortality is by ingesting something, it seems. Ambrosia and nectar, the elixir of life, amrit, dragon blood, golden apples... so very high-maintenance!

[A bigger, more involved bite of his delicious yellow apple.]

What does everyone think? Is searching for the source of immortality worth it while we try to stop this person? [His voice sounds a little more serious, now.] If the gods who used them exist, surely they must, too-- but is immortality worth the trouble? Is it even the right thing to do?

Comments

[eternalshield]

[He laughs. He isn't going to tell her she's wrong, since she isn't. But he may as well try to avoid the... gorier details.]

Is it prying if you just figured it out all by yourself?

[fadingsunshine]

[So there it is. She lets out a little sigh, as she had been holding her breath after asking the last implicit question. As bad as he was at telling things, she wasn't surprised he had avoided the topic. She isn't really sure what his immortality meant, what it entailed. She has the feeling there must be a downside to it, surely, or he would've mentioned it earlier.

But she needs to answer to that, to lessen the tension. So she moves forward and puts her arms around his back, landing a peck on his cheek on the way to hug him. A sort of reward for being honest.]

You know? If this means that person can't murder you, then there's something good about it. I'm glad you'll be safe.

[She means it.]

[eternalshield]

[He lets out a sigh. If that's what you want to call it, he isn't planning to burst her bubble just yet. He just tried to hug her as close as possible.]

It might be a bit too godly of a power, but it is Zeno's.

[fadingsunshine]

Is that so? Other gods can die over here, so I do think it's special but not necessarily divine. And from your... [From his video, it sounded like he wanted to turn others into immortals, too. Shinki too. Which meant Kaya in specific. Is her weakness and inability to fight worrying him, perhaps?] Nevermind.

...Still, don't bother the killer. Doesn't it hurt if he or she tries to wound you? I've seen you the other day hitting your knee against the table and that hurt you.

[eternalshield]

[He tilts his head. Nevermind what?

Followed up by 'don't bother the killer.' Hmm.]

It's too late for that, but none of Zeno's attempts to draw him out have worked since.

[Which is bothersome. He ought to do something, but there's nothing he can do.

His tone brushes that off airily.]

It goes away... see? [rolling up his pants leg to prove it.] No marks.

[fadingsunshine]

I'm kind of relieved. He sounds scary.

[She stares at his knee and examines it briefly. She even pokes it with her finger with no reaction of pain from his part, and then rubs the spot tenderly as both a finger apology and a sign of affection.]

Wow, it's true! Not even a bruise is left. Anyone else would have a purple-black spot.

...Immortality. [She remembers young Zeno and how helpless he seemed. The dragon god should've told him, ask for his permission, something. But gods never really do that sort of stuff, don't they? Not even the ones in Takamagahara. She wondered what it meant for Zeno.] Can you really not die from anything? Or are you like this Achilles guy and you have a weakness? There's a man in Greek mythology who could only be killed if wounded in the heel. That kinda stuff.

[eternalshield]

Heel? Gods are so random...! What happens if he runs barefoot over rocks? But Zeno can think of a few ways that would work out.

[Which is a nice little stall... he doesn't want to answer this question. But she asked so directly!]

Zeno's never died yet. That's all Zeno can say for certain. Zeno certainly seems immortal.

[fadingsunshine]

When he was a baby, his mom dipped him in a magic river. But she was holding him by the ankle so that part of him didn't get wet.

[He seems too sure of that "never". Almost as if he had gone through a lot of ways to die. That certainty feels like a stone sinking in her stomach. The bruise that healed quickly suddenly feels like nothing.

The smile on his lips must be forced, she suspects. There he is again, trying not to make her worry. Or maybe to him this is too insignificant to bother him, but...

She moves to hug him again. It's okay. She still loves him.]

I like you immortal or not, happy or sad. You know?