Death and Tide

[VisAnastasis]

" And that's precisely one of the reasons why I want to be *your* friend. You always try to be gentle and regardful. That's a quality I admire. But words I am going to say now may... sound a bit harsh. But please, take them to heart. I think they may help you." Jake replied, watching him quietly, with what only could be a compassion." I know Riversong was thinking most of the bad stuff lashing out, in pain, fear and confusion. But what he thought was true... In a way. When all you focus in life is one thing in your comfort zone, and just a skill at that... It can be very empty. I feel certain kinship with you... Because you know what it feels like to lead an empty life. " he whispered, regretfully, but firmly." I spent my whole life honing my cooking skills, exerting for hours and learning thousands of recipes, just so I could have someone briefly nod or say I did good job. That meager nothingness used to feel like the world, but at one point you will realize... that isn't happiness. Just exchange that with healing... And we are not much different. I know being a healer is important part of yourself... But take an advice of someone that got burned... It won't make you happy if you just focus on that in this new life. You will again fall into a hollow routine, of doing one thing you know, not trying to find what makes you fulfilled.  You seem to have a really good thing going with Tide and Xia... and you said yourself, deep down, you desire deeply to have real friends. I think that's the direction to happiness that much more suits you..."

----

Creature smiled back at them, and send them kiss, holding back tears, crossing his heart in a promise. Tide nodded in acknowledgement, and as shy demon's image slowly faded, he lowered the mirror.

[Mirach]

"Maybe," Death said. "But I would still like to simply focus on that one skill for a while. Maybe you too will find out, after many journeys, that you miss the simplicity of cooking. Taking up other duties didn't really work well for me at the end. And now I'm relieved that I can just focus on being myself again. For you, it may be different. You are not a personification of cooking, after all," Death smiled a bit with the image.

----

"I suppose you want to meet Senecio and Hans now and have breakfast with them," Svarik smiled a bit towards Tide. "We will get some with Xia, alright?"

[VisAnastasis]

" Now, that would be a bemusing twist, but alas, I am pretty confident I am not. " finally, that sentence coaxed a little smile on his lips, but he still somehow withdrawn, a little vulnerable, his look tired beyond his age. " I know it may seem silly hearing such things from me... But I can't help it. Seeing you through Riverson's eyes, how you lived through the aeons... I just feel rather sad for you, alright? It is an insight I didn't ask to have, but since I do, I can't help... wishing you to break away from what you got yourself into. I see I may have to give you more specific cues, though. The point is, be yourself. Just... don't only be what is built into your atoms to be. Be who you want to be. " he tried to express the vague, but important feeling into words. " Heal to your heart's content. But don't let healing blind you to everything else. You are not orphaned or powerless in this world, like me. You have a life and powers that draw people to you. Don't let them... pin things to you. Obligations, titles, expectation. It may sound strange, but... Travel around. Sleep in with no guilt. Be lazy to a fault. Drink the bitterest coffee. Play the weirdest board games. Use this chance you have to do all petty little things you always wanted. " he smiled faintly. " You are not *just* a personification of healing. It's apparent you struggle with that idea and want to go back to your comfort zone of sticking to that and atoning for your sins and whatnot, but I hope you'd at least choose to grow, where I can't... "

---

" I think Xia is used to spending a lot of time with Death, but if you can keep her attention for a while and teach her some new words, that would be great. " Tide approved, but, while he wanted to stand up, he suddenly turned back to Svarik, wih a little grin. " By the way, I know you were unbelievably nice - and I adore you for it, you dearest, sweetest muffin. But would you perhaps consider doing me just a tinsy little favour more? It's really not for me.. " he said innocently. " But, you see, me and While met this young guard at one of the villages down the cost, and I think we pretty much traumatized the guy a bit, as a company of nobleman and his talking pet snake, so... I wanted to do something nice for him. I originally wanted to ask Hans to try passing the law to appoint more guards in the villages, as they are seriously understaffed. One sleazy guy tried to even blackmail us threatening to kill While since he's a venemous snake and all. I mean, can you believe it? All in all, not very nice, but it's obvious how he can get away with it, with only two guards on active duty at the place... "

[Mirach]

"You're telling me..." Death said slowly, "to enjoy living like a human without having to be human?"

---

"Wait a minute..." Svarik said, getting a bit lost in the story. "I'm not sure whay you would like me to do here. Give more money for the vages of the guards to every village, so there can be more if them? What I give in one place must be taken from another. It's easy if you just want to give something to one guard, but if I understand correctly, you want to give more to all of them? That's a complex problem and I can only promise I'll look into it," he said thoughtfully, glancing at Conrad. "Artists need more money, guards need more money, healers and teachers need more money, but we don't want to raise taxes... hm, actually... the only part that's currently overpaid is the army, since we are not going attack anyone. We need to keep at least three quarters of it for defence, though. But that doesn't mean they have to be idle. How about stationing them as guards everywhere they are needed? That wouldn't need extra financing, since we are already paying them..."

[VisAnastasis]

Jake smiled just a little bit wider, despite his mixed feelings to it, indeed, a little bit like a cook, peppering in some delicious ingredient among his words.
" Don't idealize humans. I am a human, yet I suck at enjoying life. You've been eroded down for too long, so let us just pretend I am the wise old guy with good advice, this once, okay? " he smiled a little. " Stop categorizing yourself. You don't need to be human, to be happy. You don't need to be Spirit, to be happy. Just enjoy living as you without having to be anything but you. " He empathized gently. " Love eating spiders and nibling seashells like some Beings? Love singing off-key at parties like humans? Love laying down and twirling like a cat? You can just do that. What I hope to see you do... is get rid of the arbitrary rules you have made for yourself, so that you fit into a neat little Spirit box. Some boxes are very pretty, but it's okay to out of the box kind of guy... "


---

" But guard's pays are quite low compared to soldiers. " Tide pouted, but then, a little slower, he seemed to get it. " Oh... So... Why not basically elevate all guards to the state of soldiers? Just make it so that they are an outer branch. Lower pays of highest-paid ones a bit to make up for the loss? Is that it?
" A bit more complex, but yes, that's one of the routes we can go. Actually, I've passed through that law change suggestion Hans made. " Conrad responded innocently. " And, he actually proposed a similar thing - but about Bull priests. Since Bull priests were almost wiped out, and hey had a giant cut of the military budget, well... We can't get too greedy, but it's not like we are planing lavish ceremonies with thousands of bulls killed for good luck or whatnot. Imagine what that kind of money could do for an art budget. Could fund some nice festivals instead, too... While we reform the guard and military system at the same time. "

[Mirach]

"I don't know what I love, though," Death said. "I enjoyed being human, but I'm not sure what it was in particular that I liked."

---

"When the hell did you have time to pass through that?" Svarik shook his head. "Do you have an extra hour in your day or something? Yes, it sounds like the way to go there. We just need to make sure we don't forget something else where the money is needed as well and divide it justly."

[VisAnastasis]

" Are you sure it wasn't, for the most part, about freedom to choose what you want to do, without worrying smallest of choices may possibly kill you?" Cook asked a little more sadly." From how it seemed to me, you rarely even left the castle since the war started. It seems to me you couldn't do half the things you wanted because you were hurt, the other half because it could unknowingly lead you to die... It was terrible, wasn't it? " He asked gently." I know it may seem unsure yet... But I think you can trust Tide. It's insane how many different Beings live along the Sea, from smallest fairies, to large creature's, like Sea Deity. They are all so different, and do many different things. You will have plenty of chances to do new things, and find new things you like... Who knows, maybe you pick up hobies like cooking, and end up cooking such soothing food you are seemed Personification of Cooking." He teased him softly." Imagine, no borders! You could do anything you put your mind into..."

---

" Meh, it wasn't even that long. It was pretty light read. I was reading while I babisitted the three kids in the theatre." Falcon shrugged nonchallantly. " And I agree, but doing things one by one is actually perfect for our situation. If we suddenly dismissed part of the army and redistributed most of military and religious budget, we could face riots. Not very fun, especially since some ambitious military members could get idea that we are eating crazy mushroom. But if we chip off things slowly, within year or two,, before they know it, we will get to where we want. Those things are splendid start. On one side, investing more into art, ensuring organising festivals and performances to please the people, or the other, oh, we need to include guards into military and better the pays, to reduce crime... It's like boiling a frog. If you just toss it into hit water, it will jump out, but if you slowly increase the temperature, it won't notice, and you will have your meal, hehe..."

[Mirach]

"It could be that freedom of choice," Death nodded thoughtfully. "When you are a human, your choices, with a few exceptions, don't have that far-reaching consequences. But mine still do, even now. I don't know if I can allow myself that freedom." He smiled a little. "Personification of cooking? I don't think I would tame it that far, but maybe I could try it."

----

"The best thing, at least with the army, is that's not even taking away from somewhere and giving it to someone else. It's just rearranging of the army structure. But let's have some breakfast now, shall we? I'll need a lot of energy today."

[VisAnastasis]

" Start small, and who knows how far you may go, once you get more confidence. I have a feeling good things are in store for you. This is supposed to be a secret, but I like you, so... I know for a fact that Sage has a mole in Spirit Council, and since Tide trusts you they will probably hope for your cooperation, as it seems from their talks they are hoping some peace treaty may come soon, so who knows... Maybe you'll get the freedom of choice sooner than you think. " Jake tempted him. " As of now, though, you can still... take up some cooking. At least, for one thing, it's a good feeling to know you can be independent and take care of yourself, to your liking," he said reluctantly, rubbing the mug he held thoughtfully. " Maybe I could teach you while I am here? You could learn to make those delicious cookies, for example. Or, hmm... Well, you have trouble not being able to return kindness people give you, right? I could teach you some of Tide's favourite dishes if you'd like, so you can surprise him and give him a treat. It's not his primary diet, but he can sense emotions meals are made from, so making him something with love would surely be a treat... "

---

" Sure. " Falcon agreed. " I'm starving. "
" So, you're really going to do it, so soon? That's insanely great. You know, when I was still We, I have eaten a piece of a luck giving Spirit, though it is so tiny that it has really tiny effect - mostly it gives me unnaturally high tendency to win the dice games and coin tosses. But this is awesome! " Tide giggled, his mood considerably improved. " It's so great not to have to trouble Hans! You know, I'll have to ask him to arrange to issue me an exotic snake owning permission. While has a snake form, so we don't want to get into trouble - it would be awkward to have to run away from some random city or village, just because I don't have a permit. Or go to jain for something so silly. Normally I am rather indifferent to jails, but right now, it'd be really boring. "

[Mirach]

"I'm not sure if it would be love, but if a general fondness is enough, maybe I could try that," Death said.

----

Svarik snickered at the thought of needing a permit for Death in his snake form. "I think getting a permit like that will be no trouble for him."

[VisAnastasis]

" I was just speaking generally. I am sure Tide would have loved it just the same, without any feelings involved, if you thought to remember him like that, as a sign of attention. Just call me when you'd like to try out some cooking, deal? " Jake said, and he admitted a little shyly. " Cooking... is a bit of sore subject to me these days. I am conflicted about doing it, with all those doubts. But... I was glad today, that I could cook for you. I don't know if you're able to taste intentions in food like sir Tide, but... I didn't make it as a job. I made it out of thankfulness. You were kind to me when I really needed it. " he grinned a little. " I hope to spoil you with peculiar food while I am here if you'll allow me... "

---

" Yes, but you'd be surprised how much paperwork owning exotic animals is. " Demon snickered. He put a hand on Svarik's shoulder then, as he put on the mask. " I'll be going then, to make sure to throw all that job unto Hans, as a punishment for not waiting for me to pay his deal... " he grinned a little, although it was tinted with some weariness. " But you're honestly great. Thanks for taking care of him. I love him to death, but seriously, he can be terribly petulant sometimes, to get his way. I'm glad at least Senecio could be with him while I wasn't here. It put my mind at ease. "

[Mirach]

"I don't feel the intentions in food," Death shook his head. "I actually rarely ate before. I didn't need it. But it's quite enjoyable to try different tastes."

---

"Oh yes, I know what you are talking about," Svarik smirked a little, glancing at Conrad. "I'm glad I could help" He then waited for the spirit to leave so he could change from his nightshirt before the breakfast.

[VisAnastasis]

" I know, ever since I was told you would come yesterday, I was experimenting with different tastes that would work for you, since your treaahold is so different. " Lad replied, with a bit more Spirit, despite his mixed feelings to cooking right now, not able to hide some pride and delight at his mastery." I tested everything myself. I needed to find the right balance not to disturb the strenght of the recipe, but to make it taste intense for you. Sugar, honey, mapple syrup, so on... Sweet enough to the point of almost throwing up for humans, but not more. And the spicy part needs to be very intense, strong enough to burn the hell of human mouth, but not to the point of passing out. It's a delicate balance. "

---

Xia was a little unsure, thinking about Death whom she promised her company - but it was too tempting to spend just a little more time playing and talking instead of sitting, so she remained  with them in her child form, sitting down at a table and wagging her tail, diligently waiting for breakfast.

As for Tide, after seeing the two, he could not ignore the need to see Hans and Senecio any longer, missing them dearly by now - and he went to the theatre to find them.

[Mirach]

"Oh, and you have been testing all of that on yourself? That's dedication," Death smiled at him. "But not that I am here, I can do the tasting next time you cook for me."

----

They had the breakfast with Sage, as after it he was supposed to lead Svarik to the Sea Deity to play for it.

[VisAnastasis]

( Continued here: http://cherrizon-2.2365052.n4.nabble.com/Senecio-adn-Tide-II-td19275.html )