[ such is the history of humans. awful, struggling, despairing and yet here they all are. still fighting giant monsters and innovating, years and years later. hiyori looks somber as well at the reminder of that bloody and terrible history they came from.
she's reminded of nora. how she was the same. a life taken too soon from her parents and everyone who might meet her. given another chance by being named a shinki.
hiyori smiles too at the story, moved by her dedication to others. a lovely and kind goddess to take care of the departed. ]
I bet you brought comfort to them when they needed it most.
... I know gods are created with one purpose in mind so of course you would be suited for it but... you still had a choice, too. You do now.
Nobody could do as good of a job caring for their souls as much as you, Ereshkigal.
[ Heh? Huh? T-That's a lot of complimenting to receive at once! That stuns the goddess. Is Hiyori trying to break her daily happiness ceiling? She doesn't even found the words to somehow refute the compliments. ]
Ah, uh... [Blinks Blinks.] T-Thank you!
[ W-Well, better head straight for her office so she can find something to totally change the discussion and take heat off her! There are a lot of clay tablets neatly piled up against the walls of the room once they arrive. Sure, she technically doesn't need them what with the implants, but it's easier for her that way. And she's not used to paper yet. ]
I-I think I have a copy of the keys here...!
[ And off she is to look for said keys in a corner of the room. That should give her plenty of time to put herself back together. ]
[ oooh, is there a ceiling? she likes breaking things. sometimes!!
hiyori smiles at her warmly. it's just the truth - or what she believes is the truth. what she knows of ereshkigal is that she cares very, very deeply and she's a good goddess. a hard-working goddess. hiyori tends to like those types of people the most.
noticing her awkwardness though (hehe), she'll let up on her. it's just like when she was a teen with ami and yama. teasing each other about this or that. immediately, her eyes spy the clay tablets and she wanders over curiously because she can't help herself. it's not unlike her habit to write in her journal and she grins. ]
Okaaaay. I'll wait in here!
[ and read some of these. it's not long before she calls out again. ]
[ Ereshkigal keeps on looking... W-Why aren't the keys there?! Is someone playing a prank on her? She always had a second set of keys there! Sniff. It's like fate itself is plotting to make her look uncool and pathetic in front of her friend! Meanwhile, the tablets are written in cuneiform - which may look like weird symbols at first, but Hiyori's implants should have a function to translate it if she wants.
Of course Ereshkigal doesn't know that, she's convinced no one but Godzilla even know of this old, dead language here. ]
Huh? Ah, yes. [She looks up and smiles.] I keep a detailed record of what I do.
[ Should Hiyori be truly shameless and decide to translate, it is indeed a recap of Ereshkigal's daily activities... Though at times it reads more like a personal diary than a record of her work. You wouldn't write "Today I've managed to stay five minutes all alone in a crowded park and even said hello to an old woman! I think my training is starting to pay off, but I still feel the anxiety increasing when people look my way..." in a job summary, after all. ]
I know humans use paper or digital storage nowadays... But that's more convenient to me.
[ there are a lot of people she can think of that would play a prank on her, honestly....
ereshkigal could never look uncool and pathetic in front of her, though. she KNOWS uncool and pathetic ok. even her journaling is more relatable than anything. she shouldn't read it but the ocular decides to do the translating for her automatically!! before she realizes, she's read the first line of a personal entry before quickly setting it down. it's not like her to read inner, personal thoughts. without permission.
that's yato's thing. who had read her journal once upon a time, too. it was what spurred him to -
to go after his father. and for her to chase after him. and
things get blurry after that. ]
It...! Must take a while, though. And there are so many. You're so dedicated in everything you do... [ over some time, she starts to relax again. she didn't read anything too embarrassing. just that she was in a park alone for a bit. hiyori doesn't know if she knows anybody that works as hard as ereshkigal. in everything. what can she do but want to cheer her on and praise her?? ]
I also journal. I've been doing it since I was a kid. On paper. I've been thinking of copying it all down into digital storage, though. You know, just in case it gets lost or something.
[ like her KEYS. with the tablets respectfully set aside, she starts searching a cabinet. mindful of what's inside, but being thorough. ]
Let's see. If I was Ereshkigal and had a second set of keys, where would I put them...?
[ if she were half-ayakashi, she could maybe sniff them out if they had a trace of divinity on them. hah. like a bloodhound. ]
[ Drowning yourself in work is a great way not to think too often about how much you hate yourself and your life. That and she's really never known anything else. ]
W-Well, it's important I leave a record in case something happens to me. [It's unlikely but! Leaving something to chance? Never.] Whoever succeeds me would find a solution to any possible problem in the Underworld by checking my records.
[ That and when you're lonely writing makes it feel like you're talking to someone... Even if that someone is yourself. B-But that's probably something that happens to everyone when they're isolated and alone for a long period of time! ]
I don't trust digital. Somehow technology malfunctions or breaks down around me. [It's like the sparkling: it's a fact of life that's best accepted rather than explained when it comes to her.] But I think it could be good for you. I didn't know you were a writer too, Hiyori.
[ And an archer too if what Yato told her in the future is true! They'll have to work on divine arrows for her... ]
Eh...? [If she was Ereshkigal? She sees what she's trying to do, but:] D-Don't try to imagine what it's like being me too much, the human mind isn't meant to withstand that!
[ I mean yeah but DAMN. some habits are good. working hard is one. other habits? not so good. hating yourself and your life.
an anxious look crosses her face when she brings up something happening to her. does... she not get reincarnated like ebisu did?
and she is ALSO not wrong about writing to yourself when you're lonely. but!! but she's not lonely as much anymore, right? being alone is fine, even hiyori has her moments where she wants some solitude and has to keep yato from following her to the bathroom or something. LET HER PEE IN PEACE.
after what she read about going to the park, she wonders. gods are so lonely if they don't have those irreplaceable someones. kofuku was able to find daikoku. bishamon, though with her troubles, always has kazuma. yato and yukine. ]
It does? That has to be frustrating. ... Um. O - okay, I see your point. [ ACCEPTING IT. if she doesn't mind, who is hiyori to change that? everyone needs a little familiar in their lives when so much has changed. ]
Calling me a writer is too ambitious for the little notes and stickers I put in my notebook. [ bashful, she toys with the ends of her hair.
archer is ambitious as heck, too but she's DETERMINED to make her late grandmother proud. that mirror ereshkigal gave her for Christmas will come in very handy on their trip to Kagoshima. slowly, she closes the cabinet door she was searching. ]
... What? [ it wasn't so serious but now? that's a concerning thing to SAY. ] I was - it's a bit too late for that, actually. I've tried to put myself in your shoes a lot of times.
[ What the heck, Yato!!! The day her hypothetical (non-existent) lover follows her to the bathroom is the day they get sent flying across all of Neo Tokyo by the most violent slap to have ever slapped!
But Hiyori is totally hard, it's.... Very hard without her special someone. Sniff. It's okay, someday surely. Probably. Maybe. Pretending it'll happen helps. ]
Ehehe, it sounds super cute when you word it like that.
[ She would be curious to see what her journal is like, but she won't ask. She knows she'd be so embarrassed if someone read her clay tablets!
She sighs and sits down on a chair in defeat. No key. Hiyori's answer though is more than surprising. ]
[ even if they want to spend more time with her!! (yeah, even then)
it'll happen!!! it happened for yato it can for SURE happen for ereshkigal!?
another embarrassed twirl of her hair and shy smile. m-maybe it is cute? she thinks ereshkigal documenting her life in clay tablets is pretty cute, too. they're similar in ways she didn't expect but it makes sense. she works pretty hard, too. gets really into whatever hobbies or habits she picks up. ]
Hmm. Putting yourself in someone else's shoes is just something humans do sometimes when they care about someone.
[ It's something humans do? W-Well, she supposes at times she's tried imagined what it is her precious little grape feels like... Or what being Ishtar must be like. But she'll never ever admit to that!! ]
You did...
[ She's not sure why this is so surprising. It's not that novel of a concept. She looks down for a moment... ]
It's a weird feeling. I guess... People never tried to understand me before. [A pause.] Death is evil. That's what mankind and even gods has always thought. [She smiles at her.] T-Thank you.
[ It-It may definitely sound silly to say thank you for something like that, but it's a really big deal to her! ]
[ she'd never assume what gods do but she wouldn't be surprised if ereshkigal DID admit it. ]
Death isn't evil.
[ with a complicated smile on her face as she says it, thinking of patients and families. thinking of every single person who might've lost someone. ]
It's true that it's a harsh lesson to learn, but... it's a part of life. I think it's more like nobody enjoys saying goodbye. I wouldn't. I don't...
[ ereshkigal might not be human but she has feelings and thoughts, too. like any other person. she rules one of the most difficult to accept facts about living. ]
But, I don't know... after meeting you and hearing how much you care about the souls that come to your Underworld, I feel... a bit better. They're in a good place. It's bittersweet.
[ That's... That's so nice to hear. It's the second time today Eresh finds herself on the verge of tears thanks to Hiyori! Sniff. She's such a good and wonderful friend. Both she and Yato are, they're the sweetest. She loves them so much (platonically, probably).
The urge to go and hug her is there, but she'll resist! That'd be unsightly right now. ]
[ She shakes her head. Perhaps she wouldn't be branded as a "chaotic evil" being. Perhaps her job would be less overwhelming as the souls would find peace more easily. ]
Death is always sad. But also necessary. [Okay nearly always. Nobody's sad when the one dying is the evil emperor in a fantasy story.] W-Well, I still would rather people live long and happy lives. [A pause.] That's why you're not allowed to die until you're a great-grandmother!
[ hugs aren't unsightly. hug her, dammit. or she'll do it.
it'd be crazy to hear that ereshkigal is a CHAOTIC EVIL being. chaotic, maybe? not evil. not at all.
it's necessary. it's unfair. it's sad. no matter how much someone tries to smile through it. maybe SOMEONE is sad when the evil emperorer is dying?? depends on the character arc. ]
Pfft - I've heard that before. [ a beat from hiyori as she considers. ereshkigal knows about her half-dying. ]
... A little late, though. I did die, but I was brought back to life...
[ Right, she's not forgotten about that little detail. Normally she's very strict about those kind of things, you can't just come back to life! And if somehow you do, another soul must replace you in death. It may sound cruel, but the very foundation of the world could crumble if things aren't handled carefully!
... But she'd be very sad if Hiyori died, so she can let this one slide. Besides it's outsider her domain. She's sure Izanami figured it out. ]
W-Well, that's all the more reasons you should make sure you become a great-grandmother.
[ They can't visit the flower shop, this excursion is a total failure... But she can at least make sure Hiyori knows she needs to live a full and long life! ]
[ izanami took HALF HER SOUL?? the first time. and then the rules of reality were warped when she died the second time because it was formed by someone who DID cheat death.
BUT HIYORI DOESN'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF THAT DEATH. where her soul cord was ripped in half and she died, the last words on her lips "Yato... let's go home..."
death seems an appropriate thing to talk about at a cemetery. hiyori is so attuned to the far shore and spirits, too. since they walked into the area she's felt a different sort of energy. or that's ereshkigal. ]
Oh, geez, not you too. [ but she's laughing and toying with her hair again, cheeks gone faintly red. ] Both you and Yato are really interested in me being surrounded by grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Don't I need to be a mother first?
[ Okay, she's taking back what she thought about Izanami having things figured out. B-But being a goddess of death is really hard, she's sure she did her real best! And she died a second time? T-That's starting to be a lot!
Yato really needs to do a better job at protecting his better wife. She may have something that looks like a cat tail, but that doesn't mean she has nine lives!! ]
Well, of course.
[ She nods at her though she gets thoughtful for a moment. ]
I wonder if your children would be demi-gods like Gilgamesh...?
with a breath to gather herself, she takes eresh's hand from her forehead and lowers it to hold in her lap. the blush has dimmed down but not faded completely as she stares at her knees. ]
Whenever I think about it, my heart breaks a little. I don't know if it's possible here. Not if I want to stay. I'm here because LILITH saw fit to use me in their fight against the kaiju, right? [ WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY SAW. ] Even now, I'm doing my best to make sure I'm doing my part. So I don't get sent away. I'd especially hate to leave suddenly without even getting to say goodbye...
[ Ereshkigal's expression softens and she holds the other girl's hands tightly. Ah, still that fear to be considered useless by LILITH. The uncertainty about the future. How could she not be, when their comrades disappear without warning all the time?
Though... If LILITH is keeping Silco around, she sees no reasons why Hiyori would get sent back! She's a thousand times kinder and more useful than that creepy old man. And while she may not see it, she is indeed super useful. She warms their hearts and makes life so much better! She gives them courage and strength. If that's not useful, she doesn't want to know what LILITH considers "useful." ]
... The future is ever uncertain, yet we can't live in fear of it.
[ She can't tell her LILITH won't send her home, that she'll be given a choice to stay or leave. She tried before but... That's just hopeful thinking. Recent departures have proven there is no rhyme nor reason to LILITH's choices. What's sure however: ]
And you know... Yato and I won't allow for something like that to happen. [There are many gods with powers that can reach beyond dimensions, surely one of them could be convinced to take Hiyori to the world of her choosing. Now to convince them is another matter, but she has faith in the sheer power the words "zombie apocalypse" can have. Now, she's never used such a threat before, but if a precious friend is in an unfavorable situation? S-She absolutely will! This vessel has given her the courage to do things she never would before. Of course it's all bluff, she'd never actually unleash the zombie apocalypse, but for Hiyori she'll at least try!] And we'll do our absolute best to ensure you get your happy ending.
[ a tighter hold that hiyori returns, eyes lifting from her knees and back up to ereshkigal's face. she must see something there that surprises her a little because her eyes widen and her heart squeezes in her chest. ]
... You're right. That's no way to live.
[ of course, she is. for things that haven't happened yet, it's silly to be afraid. understandable but silly. you're only holding yourself back. besides, imagining herself and yato with a family. nothing else could make her happier. nothing else makes her as embarrassed or as giddy. except marrying him, probably.
something that makes her happy, too? ereshkigal having her back. having her as a friend. she's so glad she approached the golden goddess that was all but shivering in her chair in anxiety that one night at speed dating. so much started there.
please don't start a zombie apocalypse for her sake?! that's SO over the top. she's grateful just to hear that people are looking out for her. she laughs, breathless and airy that she has not one but TWO gods looking out for her, dropping her head to press her forehead to eresh's shoulder.
she expected yato saying something like this, but the queen of kur as well? ]
I already feel so blessed. It's difficult to imagine being any happier than I am. I'm healthy. I'm alive. I have amazing friends all around me. I'm getting married. I feel like the wealthiest person here.
And maybe, one day, my future son or daughter is going to have the best godmother.
[ G-Godmother? Wow! She totally doesn't get it (that's what living under a literal rock for all of human history does to you), but she's super happy to hear it all the same! Being a godmother for Hiyori's child would be such an honor... O-Of course she can't spoil the child, if they have it too easy then they'll grow up to be just like Ishtar! But she can still get them nice things every now and then, maybe even take them for an underworld trip or treat them to the finest meal in all of existence once she's learned to cook! Oh, and make DIY jewelry with them. And-And...
... A-Anyway! She nods excitedly at her (and sparkles). ]
Y-Yes! I'll do my best to be the best godmother there can be.
[ She'll wait till she's alone in her room to imagine all the ways she could not!spoil the kids. ]
Until then though... You should enjoy your youth. [A child is a big responsibility! Honestly she thinks that while Hiyori is mature enough to handle such responsibility, she should enjoy her youth some more. And Yato is most absolutely not mature enough yet for that. He must grow up first.] Like you told me earlier about the marriage. Each stage of life needs to be savored and enjoyed.
[ if only hiyori could hear HER THOUGHTS. she'd laugh, not unkindly, at how excited at the idea she becomes. but seeing the excited sparkles gives her a pretty good idea anyway and she grins.
as weird as gods can be, she wouldn't trade any of them for the world. with all their funny quirks and difficulties.
WATCH HER SMILE GO AWKWARD. sounds like something tenjin said to her once. enjoying her youth. not spending so much time on the far shore, getting involved with gods and spirits.
yato may surprise ereshkigal when it comes to being a parent. she didn't see him with yukine. but it's true he has a lot more growing up and learning to do. (see: doujin.) ]
You only live once, right?
[ small joke. HUMAN JOKE. YOLO.
that being said!! she claps once to break up the atmosphere a bit and then grabs her hands, leading them out the door. ]
So! I say we go out and do something! I want to celebrate with my Maid of Honor. I already know which flowershop I want to use for the flowers [ WINK WINK ] but what if we get a head start on dresses?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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she's reminded of nora. how she was the same. a life taken too soon from her parents and everyone who might meet her. given another chance by being named a shinki.
hiyori smiles too at the story, moved by her dedication to others. a lovely and kind goddess to take care of the departed. ]
I bet you brought comfort to them when they needed it most.
... I know gods are created with one purpose in mind so of course you would be suited for it but... you still had a choice, too. You do now.
Nobody could do as good of a job caring for their souls as much as you, Ereshkigal.
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Ah, uh... [Blinks Blinks.] T-Thank you!
[ W-Well, better head straight for her office so she can find something to totally change the discussion and take heat off her! There are a lot of clay tablets neatly piled up against the walls of the room once they arrive. Sure, she technically doesn't need them what with the implants, but it's easier for her that way. And she's not used to paper yet. ]
I-I think I have a copy of the keys here...!
[ And off she is to look for said keys in a corner of the room. That should give her plenty of time to put herself back together. ]
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hiyori smiles at her warmly. it's just the truth - or what she believes is the truth. what she knows of ereshkigal is that she cares very, very deeply and she's a good goddess. a hard-working goddess. hiyori tends to like those types of people the most.
noticing her awkwardness though (hehe), she'll let up on her. it's just like when she was a teen with ami and yama. teasing each other about this or that. immediately, her eyes spy the clay tablets and she wanders over curiously because she can't help herself. it's not unlike her habit to write in her journal and she grins. ]
Okaaaay. I'll wait in here!
[ and read some of these. it's not long before she calls out again. ]
Hey! Did you engrave these?
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Of course Ereshkigal doesn't know that, she's convinced no one but Godzilla even know of this old, dead language here. ]
Huh? Ah, yes. [She looks up and smiles.] I keep a detailed record of what I do.
[ Should Hiyori be truly shameless and decide to translate, it is indeed a recap of Ereshkigal's daily activities... Though at times it reads more like a personal diary than a record of her work. You wouldn't write "Today I've managed to stay five minutes all alone in a crowded park and even said hello to an old woman! I think my training is starting to pay off, but I still feel the anxiety increasing when people look my way..." in a job summary, after all. ]
I know humans use paper or digital storage nowadays... But that's more convenient to me.
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ereshkigal could never look uncool and pathetic in front of her, though. she KNOWS uncool and pathetic ok. even her journaling is more relatable than anything. she shouldn't read it but the ocular decides to do the translating for her automatically!! before she realizes, she's read the first line of a personal entry before quickly setting it down. it's not like her to read inner, personal thoughts. without permission.
that's yato's thing. who had read her journal once upon a time, too. it was what spurred him to -
to go after his father. and for her to chase after him. and
things get blurry after that. ]
It...! Must take a while, though. And there are so many. You're so dedicated in everything you do... [ over some time, she starts to relax again. she didn't read anything too embarrassing. just that she was in a park alone for a bit. hiyori doesn't know if she knows anybody that works as hard as ereshkigal. in everything. what can she do but want to cheer her on and praise her?? ]
I also journal. I've been doing it since I was a kid. On paper. I've been thinking of copying it all down into digital storage, though. You know, just in case it gets lost or something.
[ like her KEYS. with the tablets respectfully set aside, she starts searching a cabinet. mindful of what's inside, but being thorough. ]
Let's see. If I was Ereshkigal and had a second set of keys, where would I put them...?
[ if she were half-ayakashi, she could maybe sniff them out if they had a trace of divinity on them. hah. like a bloodhound. ]
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W-Well, it's important I leave a record in case something happens to me. [It's unlikely but! Leaving something to chance? Never.] Whoever succeeds me would find a solution to any possible problem in the Underworld by checking my records.
[ That and when you're lonely writing makes it feel like you're talking to someone... Even if that someone is yourself. B-But that's probably something that happens to everyone when they're isolated and alone for a long period of time! ]
I don't trust digital. Somehow technology malfunctions or breaks down around me. [It's like the sparkling: it's a fact of life that's best accepted rather than explained when it comes to her.] But I think it could be good for you. I didn't know you were a writer too, Hiyori.
[ And an archer too if what Yato told her in the future is true! They'll have to work on divine arrows for her... ]
Eh...? [If she was Ereshkigal? She sees what she's trying to do, but:] D-Don't try to imagine what it's like being me too much, the human mind isn't meant to withstand that!
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an anxious look crosses her face when she brings up something happening to her. does... she not get reincarnated like ebisu did?
and she is ALSO not wrong about writing to yourself when you're lonely. but!! but she's not lonely as much anymore, right? being alone is fine, even hiyori has her moments where she wants some solitude and has to keep yato from following her to the bathroom or something. LET HER PEE IN PEACE.
after what she read about going to the park, she wonders. gods are so lonely if they don't have those irreplaceable someones. kofuku was able to find daikoku. bishamon, though with her troubles, always has kazuma. yato and yukine. ]
It does? That has to be frustrating. ... Um. O - okay, I see your point. [ ACCEPTING IT. if she doesn't mind, who is hiyori to change that? everyone needs a little familiar in their lives when so much has changed. ]
Calling me a writer is too ambitious for the little notes and stickers I put in my notebook. [ bashful, she toys with the ends of her hair.
archer is ambitious as heck, too but she's DETERMINED to make her late grandmother proud. that mirror ereshkigal gave her for Christmas will come in very handy on their trip to Kagoshima. slowly, she closes the cabinet door she was searching. ]
... What? [ it wasn't so serious but now? that's a concerning thing to SAY. ] I was - it's a bit too late for that, actually. I've tried to put myself in your shoes a lot of times.
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But Hiyori is totally hard, it's.... Very hard without her special someone. Sniff. It's okay, someday surely. Probably. Maybe.
Pretending it'll happen helps.]Ehehe, it sounds super cute when you word it like that.
[ She would be curious to see what her journal is like, but she won't ask. She knows she'd be so embarrassed if someone read her clay tablets!
She sighs and sits down on a chair in defeat. No key. Hiyori's answer though is more than surprising. ]
Y-You have? But why?
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it'll happen!!! it happened for yato it can for SURE happen for ereshkigal!?
another embarrassed twirl of her hair and shy smile. m-maybe it is cute? she thinks ereshkigal documenting her life in clay tablets is pretty cute, too. they're similar in ways she didn't expect but it makes sense. she works pretty hard, too. gets really into whatever hobbies or habits she picks up. ]
Hmm. Putting yourself in someone else's shoes is just something humans do sometimes when they care about someone.
I wanted to try to understand you a bit better.
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You did...
[ She's not sure why this is so surprising. It's not that novel of a concept. She looks down for a moment... ]
It's a weird feeling. I guess... People never tried to understand me before. [A pause.] Death is evil. That's what mankind and even gods has always thought. [She smiles at her.] T-Thank you.
[ It-It may definitely sound silly to say thank you for something like that, but it's a really big deal to her! ]
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Death isn't evil.
[ with a complicated smile on her face as she says it, thinking of patients and families. thinking of every single person who might've lost someone. ]
It's true that it's a harsh lesson to learn, but... it's a part of life. I think it's more like nobody enjoys saying goodbye. I wouldn't. I don't...
[ ereshkigal might not be human but she has feelings and thoughts, too. like any other person. she rules one of the most difficult to accept facts about living. ]
But, I don't know... after meeting you and hearing how much you care about the souls that come to your Underworld, I feel... a bit better. They're in a good place. It's bittersweet.
1/2
The urge to go and hug her is there, but she'll resist! That'd be unsightly right now. ]
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[ She shakes her head. Perhaps she wouldn't be branded as a "chaotic evil" being. Perhaps her job would be less overwhelming as the souls would find peace more easily. ]
Death is always sad. But also necessary. [Okay nearly always. Nobody's sad when the one dying is the evil emperor in a fantasy story.] W-Well, I still would rather people live long and happy lives. [A pause.] That's why you're not allowed to die until you're a great-grandmother!
[ No dying early under her watch! ]
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it'd be crazy to hear that ereshkigal is a CHAOTIC EVIL being. chaotic, maybe? not evil. not at all.
it's necessary. it's unfair. it's sad. no matter how much someone tries to smile through it. maybe SOMEONE is sad when the evil emperorer is dying?? depends on the character arc. ]
Pfft - I've heard that before. [ a beat from hiyori as she considers. ereshkigal knows about her half-dying. ]
... A little late, though. I did die, but I was brought back to life...
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... But she'd be very sad if Hiyori died, so she can let this one slide. Besides it's outsider her domain. She's sure Izanami figured it out. ]
W-Well, that's all the more reasons you should make sure you become a great-grandmother.
[ They can't visit the flower shop, this excursion is a total failure... But she can at least make sure Hiyori knows she needs to live a full and long life! ]
You will have many gods very sad if you don't.
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BUT HIYORI DOESN'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF THAT DEATH. where her soul cord was ripped in half and she died, the last words on her lips "Yato... let's go home..."
death seems an appropriate thing to talk about at a cemetery. hiyori is so attuned to the far shore and spirits, too. since they walked into the area she's felt a different sort of energy. or that's ereshkigal. ]
Oh, geez, not you too. [ but she's laughing and toying with her hair again, cheeks gone faintly red. ] Both you and Yato are really interested in me being surrounded by grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Don't I need to be a mother first?
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Yato really needs to do a better job at protecting his better wife. She may have something that looks like a cat tail, but that doesn't mean she has nine lives!! ]
Well, of course.
[ She nods at her though she gets thoughtful for a moment. ]
I wonder if your children would be demi-gods like Gilgamesh...?
[ ... T-This may be a bad idea after all. ]
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if ANYONE is doing their best, it's yato. pppppppprobably. he's very protective.
demigods makes the faint red in hiyori's face spread wildly into a bright blush. first of all, it was A JOKE. second of all, ]
Our...children...
[ FIRST GODZILLA NOW ERESHKIGAL. ]
D-demigods... are a thing?
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Of course. You must have heard of Heracles from the Greek pantheon. [Or Hercules as he is more commonly known.] Or Gilgamesh from mine.
[ She's never heard of a demigod born in the modern era, but there's a first for everything, right? At least that means Noragami got sequel material!
More importantly... W-Why is she so red?! ]
H-Hiyori...? Are you alright?
[ Ereshkigal surges forward and places the back of her hand against Hiyori's forehead to check if she's sick! T-That's no good at all! ]
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NO, SHE CAN'T REMEMBER ANY. but! i - it's said that the first Japanese emperor, ninigi, was a descendant of Amaterasu? ]
It's... a little familiar? [ hiyori, who is into wrestling, should be very into heracles/hercules.
SEQUEL MATERIALKLDJGKS ]
Yes, I'm fine!! [ with a pitch that climbs and hands waving a bit. ]
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with a breath to gather herself, she takes eresh's hand from her forehead and lowers it to hold in her lap. the blush has dimmed down but not faded completely as she stares at her knees. ]
Whenever I think about it, my heart breaks a little. I don't know if it's possible here. Not if I want to stay. I'm here because LILITH saw fit to use me in their fight against the kaiju, right? [ WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY SAW. ] Even now, I'm doing my best to make sure I'm doing my part. So I don't get sent away. I'd especially hate to leave suddenly without even getting to say goodbye...
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Though... If LILITH is keeping Silco around, she sees no reasons why Hiyori would get sent back! She's a thousand times kinder and more useful than that creepy old man. And while she may not see it, she is indeed super useful. She warms their hearts and makes life so much better! She gives them courage and strength. If that's not useful, she doesn't want to know what LILITH considers "useful." ]
... The future is ever uncertain, yet we can't live in fear of it.
[ She can't tell her LILITH won't send her home, that she'll be given a choice to stay or leave. She tried before but... That's just hopeful thinking. Recent departures have proven there is no rhyme nor reason to LILITH's choices. What's sure however: ]
And you know... Yato and I won't allow for something like that to happen. [There are many gods with powers that can reach beyond dimensions, surely one of them could be convinced to take Hiyori to the world of her choosing. Now to convince them is another matter, but she has faith in the sheer power the words "zombie apocalypse" can have. Now, she's never used such a threat before, but if a precious friend is in an unfavorable situation? S-She absolutely will! This vessel has given her the courage to do things she never would before. Of course it's all bluff, she'd never actually unleash the zombie apocalypse, but for Hiyori she'll at least try!] And we'll do our absolute best to ensure you get your happy ending.
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... You're right. That's no way to live.
[ of course, she is. for things that haven't happened yet, it's silly to be afraid. understandable but silly. you're only holding yourself back. besides, imagining herself and yato with a family. nothing else could make her happier. nothing else makes her as embarrassed or as giddy. except marrying him, probably.
something that makes her happy, too? ereshkigal having her back. having her as a friend. she's so glad she approached the golden goddess that was all but shivering in her chair in anxiety that one night at speed dating. so much started there.
please don't start a zombie apocalypse for her sake?! that's SO over the top. she's grateful just to hear that people are looking out for her. she laughs, breathless and airy that she has not one but TWO gods looking out for her, dropping her head to press her forehead to eresh's shoulder.
she expected yato saying something like this, but the queen of kur as well? ]
I already feel so blessed. It's difficult to imagine being any happier than I am. I'm healthy. I'm alive. I have amazing friends all around me. I'm getting married. I feel like the wealthiest person here.
And maybe, one day, my future son or daughter is going to have the best godmother.
[ get it. godmother. because she's a god. ]
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... A-Anyway! She nods excitedly at her (and sparkles). ]
Y-Yes! I'll do my best to be the best godmother there can be.
[ She'll wait till she's alone in her room to imagine all the ways she could not!spoil the kids. ]
Until then though... You should enjoy your youth. [A child is a big responsibility! Honestly she thinks that while Hiyori is mature enough to handle such responsibility, she should enjoy her youth some more. And Yato is most absolutely not mature enough yet for that. He must grow up first.] Like you told me earlier about the marriage. Each stage of life needs to be savored and enjoyed.
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as weird as gods can be, she wouldn't trade any of them for the world. with all their funny quirks and difficulties.
WATCH HER SMILE GO AWKWARD. sounds like something tenjin said to her once. enjoying her youth. not spending so much time on the far shore, getting involved with gods and spirits.
yato may surprise ereshkigal when it comes to being a parent. she didn't see him with yukine. but it's true he has a lot more growing up and learning to do. (see: doujin.) ]
You only live once, right?
[ small joke. HUMAN JOKE. YOLO.
that being said!! she claps once to break up the atmosphere a bit and then grabs her hands, leading them out the door. ]
So! I say we go out and do something! I want to celebrate with my Maid of Honor. I already know which flowershop I want to use for the flowers [ WINK WINK ] but what if we get a head start on dresses?
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