come_sailaway | if you'll be my star, i'll be your sky

Entry tags:

if you'll be my star, i'll be your sky

Who: Pollux & OPEN
When: August 24
Where: Around the place!
Summary: Arriving on the boat. Castor where?

1.) but you can skyrocket away from me

arrival, early morning, dining room.

( with a paper in hand and the location set, she stares at the peculiar spiral that hardly helps her situation. normally, she'd lift her head and turn to face her counterpart curiously to converse about this strange sigil, but that's not the case this time. he's nowhere to be found in a (un)familiar place, but this isn't the first time she's been on a ship so she's stuck between a sense of relief but also worry. it is unlike her brother to be apart from her, he's almost like the responsible one by wanting to stick by her, but an uncomfortable feeling dawns on her as a tingling feeling rolls down her back. she feels incomplete, and for a moment she finds it difficult to breathe as she tries to catch her breath and remain stable. pollux closes her eyes, taking in a deep breath, and regaining her composure almost complete as she focuses on the paper in hand. )

Dining room, if that's all I have to find, then...

( everything should make sense. all she has to do is push her way down the halls, take a few turns, and it settles in the back of her mind that she's going in the right direction towards the dining room. the time written is unknown, and so she just has to trust herself that it means to come as soon as possible. what else would a cryptic message mean if not having the answer that she desires, so upon entering the room and spotting no one; pollux finds herself at a loss until she notices someone sitting at a table all alone.

her eyes light up, her mouth part in a small gasp as she walks over and places the paper on the table before them no different than a dealer laying out their cards. )

You must be who I was looking for, are you... my Master?

( because that person would know where her brother is. )

2.) and never come back if you find another galaxy

afternoon, photography room. IMPT: threadhop permission for castor, y/n?

( browsing up and down, side by side of all the pictures around, pollux finds every picture to have their own charm to them. humans in their natural habitat on a ship as they relax happily, or if they're being threatened by some foe. she believes that jason too should have something as nice as this, but being so dated back, they didn't have the concept of cameras so it's nice in practice. hm, perhaps someone could have drew the scenes and placed them there?

there's one photograph that stands out to her, causing her to reach out to pluck it off the wall in order to inspect it properly. what she has in hand is just a simple snap of a thunderstorm outside, and the clouds a murky grey that shows that good sailings weren't in favor of the boat's travel. unable to remove her eyes from it, she glances around curiously. )

Excuse me, how much would this photograph cost to take with me. My brother'll pay a hefty sum!

( yeah, she's talking to you. )

3.) far from here with more room to fly

afternoon, calgona. IMPT: threadhop permission for castor, y/n?

( she should familiarize herself with the ship and it's various locations, and it brings her back into the mind of the old days when she sailed with jason and his group along with her brother. there was nothing short of excitement on the ship which always offered her an amazing surprise, and that's why she's intrigued here just as well. it seems the calgona is enough to lift her spirits despite the rocky morning she had suffered. clapping her hands together gently, she proceeds to read a board of all the activities that can be found in the room.

while she could be normal about this and take a massage, she opts out in favor of something enjoyable when she notices someone close by come up to the board as well. )

Are you interested in a place like this too? It'd be a decent place to spar, don't you think?

4.) just leave me your stardust to remember you by

anytime anywhere, wildcard.

( got something you want to do with pollux, or both of them? just hit me up through dms, discord, or even sakasaki )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

To have these pictures up with no vendor, they couldn't be asking us to steal, are they?

( which she doesn't mind...

so her search for the seller was a bust, but she does enjoy small conversation when she's able to have them so she takes part in this while inviting the other to prolong it. if she asks a questions about him, then she's able to learn more which happens to be the best part when sailing. she glances down to the picture in her hand, her thumb brushing against it gently with a smile before turning her head back towards shi qingxuan. )

Ah... this however. ( she offers the image to him, allowing him to take it because she doesn't mind explaining. ) Is a picture of my father. There must have been something remiss for him to look this way, but... he's rarely in a pleasant mood.

( that's said with a smile regardless, she knows how their father is, but the question about whether her brother would also pick up pictures causes pollux to shake her head. )

We could find a picture that stands out to you, and once that's complete, perhaps we can search for my brother and ask what picture interests him. A souvenir for first meetings.

Edited 2022-08-24 21:30 (UTC)

Your father??

[ He takes the picture from her, looking down at it with searching eyes as she continues. She said it's her father in an unpleasant mood, but there's no person in this picture... Does the picture appear differently in her eyes? Is there a man there? Or is it that something tragic occurred in the past, and now when this young lady looks at the cloudy skies, she thinks of her father being there and watching over her—?! She said it in such a pleasant way with a smile, is that not true fondness??

Ah, no... He pulls himself back there, nodding along with her explanation of the photo. There are ways to figure this out without jumping ahead of themselves!

Thus, Shi Qingxuan is choosing to just choosing not to comment rather than lie or pry into things outright. Besides— ]

That's an excellent idea! Sharing things like this one of the best ways to get to know about one another, and in the end, won't the three of us have a good, permanent memento to remember each other and the occasion together?

[ Smiling and chatting with this sunny and excited energy as though the entire question of her father's photo is in the far past. ]

But first, let me introduce myself! My name is Shi Qingxuan, of the Yongfeng Temple of the Wind Master. And yourself?

[ He extends his free hand out! He learned that handshakes are how people do introductions here...probably. ]

Do you see him? Our uncle is also there, but the way the photograph is taken it focuses on more father more.

( he must see the clouds, the terrifying greyness that colors the fluffy white clouds that should have been before a terrible storm. whatever could have caused him to be so grouchy is beyond her, but perhaps it's whatever that's been happening on this boat as of late. that's something she can find out with him, she believes, keeping her place by the other's side as his enthusiasm literally bleeds; it's comforting. )

Yes! I'm happy to share this experience with you, Shi Qingxuan. ( she lifts her hands, both of them, clasping the one free hand that's offered to her. pollux's hands are warm, like a surge of energy that radiates from her touch as though she's offered her blessing. a smile pulls along her features as she continues to keep holding his hand.

sure, she should retract them, but who has time for that? )

A pleasure. We are the Dioscuri — my brother and I — but you may refer to me as Pollux. This is a first that I've heard of a Wind Master, are you too able to manipulate the wind?

( zephyrus could since that was in the realm of his abilities, and she's met a few servants who can, but to be from a temple of wind masters? now that's new. )

[ Ah... He should just be honest. ]

I'm sorry, but could you point them out to me? I want to see your family, but I can't seem to find their faces at all in that picture?

[ It feels bad to admit, but lying feels much worse, especially when she's acting so fond now...

...Very fond, he thinks again, when both of her hands wrap around his. How sweet!! There's a warmth there that leaves him feeling comforted, and it's unexpectedly refreshing to actually meet someone even more friendly than he is; he can't help but laugh. Well, he'll shake their hands together anyway, since that's what he's sure is meant to happen, but he doesn't retract his hand first. ]

Lady Pollux of the Dioscuri! It's an honor!

[ He repeats, committing the names to memory. It doesn't surprise him at all that the names are unknown to him, yet the way she introduces herself makes it sound like her and her brother are well-known where they're from. And although he hadn't intended to imply that he himself is the Wind Master...answering her question doesn't really blow his cover, either, in this case. ]

Yes, controlling the wind is my specialty— Would you like to see? That is, after we find the perfect pictures and meet with your brother, of course. It's more fun in groups, after all.

( how lucky, there's so many surprises in this conversation from him being unable to see her relatives to the fact that he's able to conjure wind easily. in a way, she can relate, having used her abilities to offer sailors safe winds doing their travels. pollux nods, finally releasing his hands so that she can stare at them for a moment wondering if his abilities start there, or maybe he uses an instrument to control it. )

Yes, that would be lovely. You're far too kind.

( she means it, and he believes that this will be enough to sway her brother in being a bit more inviting than he is. the idea of demonstrating their abilities in a group is something she can work with as well, because if she's lucky, maybe the other can be a sparring partner for them too. being servants is well and fine, but it would be troubling if they fought each other without expanding their horizons. if they can't do that, she has a feeling from the way that the other speaks that he'll get along with castor, so casual chit-chat may just be in their future. )

First thing's first, this... ( with the photograph back her in her possession, she stands beside the other to point at the clouds first. ) ...is our father, Zues, have you ever heard of him? I know we all come from different worlds, so I can explain who he is if that's the case. The sea inhabits our uncle, Poseidon.

( though there are no people in view, it comes down to the concepts of what they're meant to be— the sky, the sea, and so there must be other beings who reside over certain elements. )

You may not be able to see their physical forms, but I hope that my brother and I are more than enough. Once he appears, our hunt can begin... I'm ahead of you both for now.

( "Our" father, she says. "Our" uncle. Listening to that just makes Castor feel more and more bitter with every passing moment. The hand-holding? Not helping. Who even is this bozo to deserve such a high honour as to be touched by Pollux? Men would kill and die for that opportunity—at least, they should, in Castor's opinion. Only those who prove themselves in every sense should be permitted to beg for such a privilege.

But Castor isn't one to interrupt something that makes Pollux happy. So really, all of that is just to say that when his physical body begins to materialize just behind hers, he looks pissy as hell. )

You're the one who's too kind, Pollux.

( About the only thing he deigns to be worth commenting on for now. The other man, Shi Qingxuan, gets a look up and down from the corner of his eye. Measuring him up. Does he know their lore? He should—if not by the name she presents, at least their Roman name is known far and wide. )

[ Oh... So it really is just the sky and the sea in the picture. He stands relaxed and at ease beside her, peering down the photo in her hand. The sea inhabiting her uncle, that he might not see her father or uncle's physical forms—after processing those words, something finally clicks in Shi Qingxuan's mind. So it's like that! He hasn't heard of Zeus or Poseidon any more than he's heard of the Dioscuri, but of course different worlds would have different well-known figures. It's story-like in the way the tales of mortals are, but what's to say that's not truly how it is for her family? So, with this seemingly resolving itself in his own mind, Shi Qingxuan nods certainly. ]

I see, I understand the situation now. [ Maybe. ] Of course you two are more than enough—

[ "...given the circumstances," he wants to say. Or maybe say something about her uncle and father. Or, really, anything at all, on account of the fact Shi Qingxuan simply likes to talk, but that whole train of thought is derailed by the materialization of an entirely new person behind his conversation partner!

Shi Qingxuan's eyes blink wide in shock, looking back over Pollux's shoulder. What a sudden appearance!! The two look so alike, from their faces to their statures, there's no way for Shi Qingxuan to wonder after his identity.

The initial shock only lasts a moment, and then Shi Qingxuan is smiling and friendly again, entirely unmoved by the other man's bitter and angry expression. ]

And you must be Lady Pollux's brother! [ He takes a step back, but only so he can turn around without being directly in the other man's face. He extends his hand for handshakes, again, because that seems to be the polite thing to do on this ship. ] My name is Shi Qingxuan, of the Yongfeng Temple of the Wind Master. Lady Pollux was just telling me about your family, and she had an excellent idea for getting to know each other better.

[ The photo hunt! "Ignore the pissed off look and be nice!!" is the current plan here. Distantly, Shi Qingxuan thinks it's a good thing his own brother isn't here, or he'd want to learn how to perform that "suddenly appear behind my sibling" trick himself... ]

No, that's you for having shown yourself, Brother!

( he's been here the entire time, that's true, but he mostly stays in spirit form when he's not needed. it does make her heart warm knowing he has appeared to them, and is willing to take part in the conversation. he is her older brother, and their resemblance is spot on— there's no way to deny that they're related, though the truth is that they're half-siblings.

her hands press together pleased to see him and in her own way, ignore the expression he wears that isn't too welcoming. luckily for them, their guest seems to take this in stride while even extending his own hand and that proves very effective in pollux's mind as she understands how this should go next. knowing her brother, he won't make the commitment if he doesn't have to. )

I thought we could begun our journey together after you introduced yourself, that way we can call on each other in the future.

( castor's rude, one that mirrors her own politeness, and because of that she has to make sure there's no room for "hey you"s or anything else in relation to it that would make him look as though he doesn't care. that's how anyone else would view him at the start, but deep down she knows that he can be kind, so it makes her feel grateful that shi qingxuan responds to him in a way that isn't too condescending.

it's a breath of fresh air which allows a warm smile to show on her features, before her eyes return to the photograph in hand. )

Then he was willing to show us how he manipulates the wind! Isn't that exciting, I thought that we could join in too after we find sentimental photographs together.

( maybe one day a picture of all three of them in one will appear here, and then they can take that too. )

( There's a long moment where Castor's gaze lingers on the other, searching at the mention of the temple, but... No. There's nothing, is there? His attention drops to the hand held out to him, and instead of addressing Shi Qingxuan, he instead turns back to his sister beside him. )

You shouldn't be treating mortals as equals.

( After all, isn't that the entire problem with them? Ungrateful and far too proud, it was precisely the sense of entitlement they possessed that caused Castor to fall from grace.

Not that it's the fault of this one specifically, but the principle of the matter is the same. At least he does acknowledge the respect shown to Pollux though, and even as he turns back to him, tipping his chin up with pride, Castor will offer an introduction more appropriate between gods and humans. )

I am Castor. We, the Dioscuri, are the guiding stars and protectors of those at sea. Consider our presence a sign of your fortune, human.

( Shi Qingxuan can totally swoon and provide offerings now. Since he's, y'know, a "human". )

[ The stars! Somehow, learning their full identity makes this more exciting. He seems to vibrate with excitement, and with his hand not being accepted to shake, he goes ahead and makes a cupped hand bow instead. ]

Lord Castor, it is an honor to meet you. I hadn't known you were the stars, but it makes perfect sense now that you say it.

[ In the way that their father is represented by the cloudy sky, at least, but they do also look more otherworldly than most other people here. It's still very story-like, but he can work with it!

Shi Qingxuan straightens up again, still carefree despite the "mortal" and "human" snips. Well, he is a human and is pretending to be mortal at that... Maybe he should bow further, but this situation is so unusual, he doesn't consider the actual disparity between them. ]

Naturally, this is very fortunate to me. You may not know this, but the Wind Master of my homeland does the same, along with her brother, the Water Master. The two are worshipped together especially for this reason, so in a way, the three of us all have the same goal even if our lands are far. I would be glad to learn more if you wanted to share?

A master for every element then? To think they rival Gods, and have temples too! Certainly they must be close with their people?

( the smile on her face hasn't extinguished yet when she asks, curious if their people revere them as much as people do about the gods on mount olympus; they hear every prayer when directed towards them, and depending on the situation they'd intervene, and then there's other humans who solely enjoy the company.

her questions are genuine as she asks for both of them, and by knowing castor, it's not as if he would make mention about wanting to know them. it's the fact that they're all praised for their endeavors, and she can respect both the wind and water master for their hard work. she does wonder if she should ask if they're humans too, and if the concept of gods have been done away with. )

Back home in our time, there were twelve principal deities in the Greek pantheon. I'm unable to say how it is as of now... as the human race had been decimated before we were summoned.

( as that's a lot to pack in, she shakes her head after with a small frown realizing that maybe this isn't the time to bring up such a subject. )

Please, forgive me. I shouldn't say such cruel things, this is a learning experience about our worlds.

( Hmm... Are they gods? There are magics that could explain being a Master, and blessings besides, bringing Castor to ponder the question momentarily. That said, as he weighs his interest in these potential foreign gods, he quickly decides he's not so interested in them as he is in Pollux before moving on. If she wants to learn more about them, then he won't interrupt her happiness. As for him? He focuses on what's really important here: the way her expression seems to fall as she trails off in her words.

And so, taking note of that, he reaches out to instead take her hand in his, lacing their fingers together and meeting her eyes with a look meant to be reassuring in its earnesty. )

There is no need to be sad over that. After all, you have me.

( That alone should be enough, but he hesitates for a beat, exhaling a sigh before continuing. )

Hmph. As far as I'm concerned, those humans got what was coming for them, but...

( ... )

As long as we are connected, our light will guide them through any crisis.

( He guesses. Whatever!! Sorry for the show, Shi Qingxuan. )

[ ... The bond between siblings is really something outsiders can't intrude upon. Shi Qingxuan considers looking away when fingers start interlacing, but seeing Lady Pollux's dimming and pained expression, he can't ignore that, either.

He'll just give the two a moment, bowing his head as if he sees nothing and hears nothing. It really would be inappropriate to intrude, and what words could he offer Pollux that won't sound empty next to Castor's..? The two had gone through something catastrophic that he can't even imagine...

After a brief silence, Shi Qingxuan lifts his head and speaks again. ]

What Lord Castor said is very true. [ ...in part. ] Tragedies are unavoidable, however, humans have always found ways to recover from those hardships and rebuild. When that time comes, then they will still look toward you both for your protection and guidance.

[ Do gods in their world also decline when they lose followers? It's much too harsh a question to ask, but if that is the case...then he won't pretend that their fellow gods will be just fine and feed the two of them platitudes.

He thinks all this, and also: There really seems to be some confusion over his own status here?? Pollux had asked after it earlier, and she did say this was a learning experience about their worlds, so it wouldn't be inappropriate to answer her question. (Though he'll tactfully leave out the part about there being several times as many upper heaven officials in his world than there are principal deities in theirs...) ]

In my own world, the Wind and Water Masters are actually among the primary deities. The Yongfeng Temple I had mentioned is just the Wind Master's premiere temple; nearly every city has their own temple dedicated to the Wind and Water Masters.

However, that isn't to say they're distant. The Wind Master is also very close with her believers. She might not be able to share her identity openly, but when it comes to the mortal realm, there's nothing she loves more than going down and mingling with everyone.

[ ...It's not really necessary to keep lying about his identity to the two of them, but they're all in public still. Forgive him, Dioscuri, but he has to keep up the act out here! ]

I know I have you brother, and I am grateful. I'll do what I did a thousand times and more to have you, but... it still hurts knowing they're gone.

( these words are barely above a whisper, and they're not to be hidden from shi qingxuan at all, it's just that it's enough to damper her mood. the though of losing so many people that she's swore to protect is painful, even after being summoned to the aftermath— there are thoughts of why didn't she just appear sooner? well, when she did, it wasn't as if that person there was like her at all. that's a different story to get into.

with a shake of her head, she squeezes his hand gently as she attempts to cheer herself up. her head turns to look towards shi qingxuan now, clearing her through as a blanket apology for going off topic. she's yet to let castor's hand go, but acknowledges both of them for their thoughts on the matter. )

You're both right.

( shocker that castor can be right, but shi qingxuan has a good head on his shoulders that helps pollux's mood. )

As long as we keep fighting for a future, then we can ensure that there's something at the end that isn't nothingness. ( how dare she turn this conversation over for the worst, but instead she focuses on a lighter part of the conversation. it's hearing that the wind master is close to her people is a good thing, she's glad it isn't strange as some gods tend to have a strained relationship.

she won't look at castor, but this makes her worries for the wind master's brother. )

And what of the Water Master, are they close to their people?

( Hmm... It seems that this human knows his place, more or less. He waits for the moment to pass, and the desire to further reassure Pollux pulls at Castor, but... Setting his own resentment aside, it's something that he will solve for her—if only to see her smile at ease again. Naturally, he expresses this in an entirely friendly and normal way: )

Those vermin can be surprisingly stubborn. With our assistance, there's no reason to spend your time worrying for them, Little Sister.

( They're like, y'know, cockroaches who refuse to be crushed. For better or for worse, their resilience is something that cannot be denied.

But speaking of humans, when it comes to spending time with them... It's true that Castor hates them as a collective. As individuals too, he'd like to think. But with another god sharing a pastime like spending their time amidst their followers, it's difficult for him to be judgmental even so. Whether he had fully understood it at the time or not, it's hardly all that different from the Argo; mingling with them, being perceived as one of them, struggling and working together with them. Well, Castor doesn't particularly know the details of it all though, so he weighs his own curiosity momentarily before deciding to allow Pollux to pursue the topic in his stead. )

[ Lord Castor certainly has a way with words... The two of them are worshiped together as one, so perhaps their followers like the coldness of Castor to balance the warmth of Pollux. In Shi Qingxuan's mind, this makes perfectly logical sense in the way that mortals worship gods and enjoy the contrast when two figures are worshiped together. Still, not many heavenly officials would hate mortals...but all heavenly officials were once mortal humans themselves, so the situations can't really be compared.

Though also... Were they once close with their own believers? Listening to Pollux speak, her voice so quiet, the thought only now occurs to him. Castor's words may harsh, but Pollux's pain is genuine. Maybe he's been thinking of this all wrong, and it's not simply that Pollux is sad for humans in the general way a god would be when mortals face some unavoidable calamity. Shi Qingxuan feels a little embarrassed for having not considering that until now...

He taps his fan to his chin, as if in thought, though it's half nervous habit and half so he can continue to pretend he's not a third wheel in a rather intimate brother-sister moment. He's choosing to ignore the latter so the two of them can keep holding hands for comfort, and Shi Qingxuan can do his part by running his mouth to chase away the sorrow that naturally comes with the situation in the pair's world! ]

If only. [ He answers regretfully. ] The Water Master works hard for his followers—among the hardest of all heavenly officials—but he doesn't make a habit of descending or mingling with mortals. [ Or other gods for that matter. ] Between the two, that's really just the Wind Master...

[ Well, leaving his brother's lack of social life aside- ]

I say, do you like stories of other gods and mortals? If you do, I have plenty. There's even a heavenly official who spends all her time in the mortal realm, living and toiling amongst her followers as one of their own.

Though, of course I would also like to hear all your stories, too—our lands are so far apart, I've only heard a few reports about it now and then, and how can those even compare? So I might trouble you to share a few.

( It takes a moment before Castor is willing to turn his gaze on the other man once more, feeling assured that his sister finds some comfort in his words. The difference between his tenderness and his apathy as he looks between the two is like night and day. Still, after offering a thoughtful hum to show that he's been listening to Shi Qingxuan's description of the other, it doesn't strike him as anything particularly interesting. Some gods wander among men, disguising themselves and offering blessings and curses to those who treat them with kindness or cruelty. Others treat them as humans would treat insects, simply lesser beings that are kind of gross to touch or interact with if they don't have to. He can't imagine their differences are so stark now.

Still, the Water Master? He's sooooooo right for that. Castor can respect it. Castor can relate. He thinks he can, in any case. )

If it's stories, we have plenty. In fact, if you read, you can find them in the library here. Ours as well.

( Most of them. Or, well, like... the Argonautica, at least, should probably be kicking around somewhere. Castor doesn't die or embarrass himself there, and Pollux even has her moments where she shines like the radiant star that she is—has a statue erected in her (their) honour, in fact. That wouldn't be such a bad one. Anyway! Not the point. The point is that it sounds pretty friendly and helpful of him for a moment there, doesn't it? )

Pollux doesn't need to waste her time with retelling them for you.

( There we go. That's better. )

The Water Master reminds me of Brother. While they lack a real connection with humans, their hard work makes up for that. It's admirable, really.

( which is how she wants to start with this conversation, but hearing her brother...

hearing him...

the expression she wears now is a bit tired from his response, and she even looks to shi qingxuan as if asking for forgiveness on his behalf. while it's true they have stories here, there's nothing like reading the tale and actually hearing it from those who took part. there's more of a connection in recounting the days that they shared upon the argo, then counting on the words of a writer to tell how it truly went! or so, she thinks so as she doesn't mind sharing her favorite moments. )

That's no good. You shouldn't give up the chance to talk about your wonderful exploits!

( she's looking to castor now as if does he really want to leave the retelling to a book, and that way they care share with shi qingxuan properly considering he'll be telling them things! it's equivalent exchange in a way. cheering herself up, she glances towards their company as she keeps hold on the photo in her hand. how did shi qingxuan know that pollux loves stories between gods and humans, they're practically her favorite thing! she tries not to look at castor as a smile pulls on her face even more, that would be giving away one of his insecurities. )

It would be no trouble at all, ( she brings the hand that holds the photo to her chest above her heart, nodding as she continues. ) we have stories of humans to Titans. Brother, should we share how we were born?

[ What's with the rudeness?! He can tell the comparison between Castor and the Water Master is a compliment, but how apt is it in the worst way too?! Still, when Pollux gives that apologetic look, Shi Qingxuan offers a small, thin smile of understanding.

Well, whatever. Pollux is making it easy to let that whole moment pass, and like a breeze, he's already moving past it! He practically bounces on his feet when that story is suggested. What kind of tale is that?! The kind only a true otherworldly celestial could tell, that's what! How could he not be excited?! ]

How you were born? Do you actually remember that moment yourselves? Now that's a story I really have to hear.

[ Sure, he could read their tales in the library. They could also read the tales of the Wind and Water Masters there, too ~~maybe~~—and therein is precisely where the problem lies! ]

I would much rather hear the stories from you two yourselves. Mortal realm retellings are entertaining, but they're bound to get the details wrong or even make up events indiscriminately! [ Sigh! ] They can't compare to hearing the full story from the gods themselves. I trust you two won't leave out any of the good stuff. So please, let me hear your stories properly.

( Castor makes something of a face when Pollux brings up the story of how they were born—doesn't make a secret of it either. There are stories of their time among humans that he doesn't particularly mind; there's training under Chiron, or the Calydonian Boar Hunt, or the obvious voyage of the Argo, but this one? It's something of a reminder. A reminder of their differences, and the ways in which humans distorted them.

... But far be it from Castor to turn down something that would make Pollux smile. The question is, how much is needed to satisfy her? )

I remember.

( Because of course he does. Because he's an Avenger. Because he can't forget. And for the story? )

We were hatched from eggs. That's all there is to it.

( Simple and to the point—maybe he can scrape by with just that. Detailing the differences between them isn't important; what's interesting about the story is that most humans won't find themselves born from eggs, and himself and Clytemnestra were exceptions at the time. Give him another story, he'll do better. )

( that is enough to satisfy her actually, she doesn't ask much from castor so for him to give that fine detail is what she was looking for. it's not something that happens to humans unless it's a fairytale, but this is reality for them, one constructed by humans, but endearing and god-like enough. )

Yes! Our siblings were born from eggs as well. I don't remember the moment of when it cracked, but that was the day the most beautiful woman in the world was born; our sister Helen.

( now whether their siblings remember the day light filtered into their egg is another story, as her egg is one that she shared with helen. what she does know is that out of their siblings that she was the most eventful. )

She's a very gifted individual, but her most surprising talent was being kidnapped!

[ Oh, that's a very mythical beginning! It really is the thing of storybooks and legends, stars hatching from eggs. Or maybe they started out on land and then ascended to the sky as stars later? It's all unbelievable in the way that all legends are, it's still fun, and what's to say such legends aren't true? He's happy to listen to them, eyes shining with interest. That Castor is especially unenthused here, Shi Qingxuan fails to notice when his enthusiasm has never been very high.

Having accepted everything to this point just on their word, the fact that the two of them could have a sister who's the most beautiful woman in the world isn't even hard to to believe. Both Pollux and Castor are beautiful, after all - as is usually the way of gods - so of course their sister could only be beautiful as well. Shi Qingxuan is gladly nodding along, listening, and then—

He snorts a laugh, bowing his head into his hand, then—feeling it's a little inappropriate to laugh about someone's sister being kidnapped (even if the delivery was funny)—he coughs into his hand to cover it. ]

Your sister, ah, was that a strange hobby of hers??

[ Surely a bright and talented god shouldn't be so easy to kidnap?! ]

Something like that.

( Castor blinks at the poorly concealed laughter, but he does lighten up at the shift, tension easing off a bit. It's Helen, not Pollux, so like... he can salvage some more normalcy here than he otherwise might. Besides, while it's the kind of thing you wouldn't normally agree with, nobody can really make up their minds whether she was kidnapped or willingly went to Troy the second time around, so it's really hard for Castor to dismiss the comment outright anyway. Oh, but the first one was definitely against her will—luckily, this is one of the better stories from his perspective. )

They would hear about a beautiful daughter of the King of Gods and think themselves entitled to her hand. The first time, when we were still children, we had to raid Athens to get her back.

( She was apparently still like, ten or something. Which means they were also like, ten. Imagine getting your city raided by ten year old kids—it's almost kind of impressive that Theseus was brave (or shameless) enough to show his face on the Argo alongside them later in life. )

I'll say, ( she's still a beloved sister of theirs, there are some situations that are funnier than others and she can only make light of it because they handled the problem with ease along with no consequences. ) she'd be horrible at hide and seek!

( castor's right, humans tend to get full of themselves at the chance to be close to godhood; the power they'd have just by lifting their hands, and making a request. it's common that with the right person by their side that their rule over specific lands could spread far and wide so what is there to lose by taking the hand of a lovely goddess? )

I remember it well, despite it being such a stressful time those days were exciting. ( they're unable to get those days back, but she remembers it like it was yesterday; the gust of wind that would stroke their faces mixed with sea salt and a hint of brine underneath her nose. ) Even Chiron came to assist us, he was my Brother and his friend's teacher.

( castor having friends? more likely than you think. )

After we saved her, we had thought that we wanted to play fair. Remember Brother? We kidnapped the mother of the kidnapper! Ehehe, she served well as Helen's servant.

[ Shi Qingxuan's smile turns thin—only smiling at all at this point because the tone is so upbeat. Kidnapping a child, not to mention with the intention of marriage, is really not at all amusing!! Ah... Perhaps it's because everything ended well that Pollux can make light of the whole thing?? And even Castor doesn't seem as tense?! ]

I'll say, your childhood stories are much too exciting! You were only little children back when this happened? That's too much. Your poor sister, it must have been a true ordeal to rescue her at that time...

[ In Shi Qingxuan's mind, this is a harrowing story involving a young princess stolen away by an evil warlord, and the little Dioscuri and their good teacher fighting to save her! Of course, the mother of the kidnapper would feel ashamed by the actions of her son, and she would want to make things right with the young Helen and her family, very literally serving them well...

No need for embellishment, the theatre of Wind Master's own imagination is already dramatizing it for them.

Still, there's an important piece missing! ]

But what happened to the kidnapper himself? He couldn't have gotten away with all this?

[ That's your sister's kidnapper!! ]

your fate as WELL has also been sealed :] ⭐️

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sorry for late reply, totally missed this 💦

nw! that happens to me too I forget to track threads looks off...

sweats... clicks track now

finally upgrades acct to track 💦💦

now i have to keep my eye out to icon any art i see of him

not how we gotta look out for our new priest(ess)

🙏🙏🙏🙏

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