[First Server: Athens]
Within the rolling midnight waves, there lay a cluster of pale white asters blooming together, their petals holding each other lightly, reminiscent of their last moments. The sun shone bright and warm, and the picturesque scene was almost jarring when contrasted with the tragedy of the white petals.
A pale man knelt before each of the asters, a gentle, almost saddened glimmer within his sunset eyes, his long white hair swaying in tandem with the flowers in the breeze. The androgynous features seemed to morph, becoming more and more human with every brush of the petals against the long, spindly fingers, a sense of humanity growing with the pain behind the expressionless face.
Horror.
Excitement.
Dread.
Joy.
Anxiety.
Determination.
Despair.
The unique yet universal emotions of each petal filtered into his hollow heart, causing it to beat slowly but surely as the pain rose and fell in waves, clutching and constricting him as the waters had so long ago.
Every once in a while, he had to rest, panting, the aching within his chest forcing him to stop as he needed to breath, to stabilize before learning yet another petal of the flower.
Sometimes he made the smallest hint of a smile as pleasant, amusing, or simply happy memory greeted him, and grimaced slightly whenever a sad, lonely, traumatic, or meaningless seeming recollection assimilated with his own. So many moments lived poorly; so many moments lived beautifully.
He couldn't decide on whether or not human beings were tragic beings, or if they were simply misguided children—did they really believe that connection was impossible to achieve within their human confines?
A connection was made every day with every smile, word, expression and gaze exchanged or received. Perhaps true understanding was impossible—but was that truly a reason to halt any attempt at connection with another being?
It seemed foolish to him, who had been isolated for so long, to see so many humans believe themselves indecipherable and disconnected when all it took was a few steps to touch another. However, as the images and the emotions associated with them ran through his mind's theatre, he began to understand more and more how difficult those few steps could be.
Anxiety over rejection; a missed opportunity to make a smart joke or offer a shoulder to cry on; a poor choice of words causing enormous damage; a rejection of new ideals and people; terror at the thought of leaving the safe place.
In the end, the only thing he could truly determine about humans was...
"They're truly complicated people, aren't they, Mister Monster?"
The sunset eyes remained unbothered as the images stopped, the slits in his eyes narrowing as he observed the figure of the short, dark skinned boy who looked no older than 13 years of age, stepping out of a doorway of darkness that swiftly disappeared into the shadow of the child, revealing extravagant clothing that gleamed in the sun.
A black crop top with curved gold lining around the neck clung to his cocoa skin, similarly detailed black shorts clothing lean and limber legs, stopping about mid-thigh; a short white cloak that stopped at his mid-back and was adorned with an emerald jewel in the middle bolstered a certain prowess, and magnified the diminutive presence.
The large hoop, golden earrings framed the cute face well, the hairstyle a clean cut bull-cut with bangs that covered tawny eyes and made his wide, Jackal-like smile seem extra cunning. Various gold accents covered his wrists and ankles, with white bandages wrapping around his feet, in an odd attempt to be shoes.
Jörmungandr slowly rose from his crouch, his tall frame jarring for the smaller, almost child-like god to see, and the sunset eyes began to gleam with a sickening yellow undertone. He titled his head, the white hair falling elegantly in contrast to his sharp, predatory gaze.
A small murmur burst from his quiet lips, his stance shifting as he saw the long shadow of the child that hid his malice well.
"...Dog..."
The eye that could be seen curved beautifully as the grin widened, and the child slyly compliment, "My, this is the prettiest graveyard I've seen in a while—might I join you, little snake?"