[The door opens slightly ajar, then.... A fecorious beast zooms out and surrounds Ereshkigal! Except said beast weights less than five pounds, is a ball of energetic fluff, and couldn't even reach past her knees. It is, however, very friendly as he looks up at her happily, stomping the ground around her with his tiny little legs.
A second after, Soundwave then appears, pushing the door open fully.]
Greetings, Ereshkigal. Do not mind Bruiser... He likes making friends.
[Meanwhile the kitty is shy. She's perched on Soundwave's shoulder, peeking out the side of his head as she regards the goddess curiously.]
[Alas, Soundwave does not have the internet at his disposal to look up the information himself. But, as he is an animal lover himself, it pleases him to hear that regardless. Bruiser is happy to be scooped up too, enjoying the pet he's getting.]
Tell me more about these... fawns. Ah, but first... Come on in.
[Inside, the house is spartan, nary a decoration to be found in this house. But once they reach the living room, it is at least a little bit livelier. The wallpaper is still dull and empty, but there's the giant elephant plushie taking up a space on the couch and two particular plushies right beside it. Scattered on the ground are some chew toys.]
Pardon the mess. [Aside from the toys, it's barely a mess.]
Ah, they're baby deers. [She steps in.] I am the patron goddess of deers, and those fawns just appeared the day I inherited this specific divine authority from Dumuzid.
[ That's a long story. A very long story, which she'll elaborate on if he wants to but if he knows anything about Sumerian myths-- That involves her sister so it may be favorable for him not to step into that minefield.
She gives a look around, still petting the doggie. ]
What are you talking about? It's pretty orderly. [A smile.] Dear, you haven't had much time for interior decoration yet, have you?
[Huh, he didn't know that's what baby deer are called. The more you know... More importantly, she's the patron goddess of deer... With this hindsight, he feels he made the right choice in picking the baby deer plushie for her gift. Well, aside from the fact that he bought it because it was a cute little doll.
He tilts his head to the side at the last comment, confusion painting his face.]
It is more accurate to say I hadn't considered interior decoration at all. [He drops down on his knee and gently places the kitty on the floor... Only for her to zoom away into hiding under the couch. Shy little thing.] I think it's fine as it is.
[Yes, he thinks the dull wall with zero decor is fine. She's seen nothing yet, though. His bedroom is peak male living space.]
It sounds like there is a story behind you inheriting this divine authority over deers. Does that make you a Goddess of Deers?
[Though he has a flat expression, he looks at Ereshkigal with innocent curiosity, as he unknowingly step into a minefield.]
[ Huh, so he's decided to step on the minefield. She supposes she can tell him the story without mentioning Ishtar. She's going to be vague on purpose. ]
A certain nitwit deity had to give me half of his divine authority to escape an eternity in the Underworld. I had hoped he would give me his authority over sheep, so I could get wool to warm the souls... [She sighs.] But he gave me his authority over snakes and deers instead.
[ On the bright side, she's not thinking of arguing over how he totally should decorate. It'll come, soon. ]
Now he spends six months a year down there, and most of the time he spends it sitting by the exit waiting for the six months to be up.
[ If he had hoped this meant she wasn't so alone down there after all - nope. Well, his presence, rare as it is, is maybe why she hasn't become totally insane down there, so there's that. ]
[It is a bit surprising to hear her starting off with an insult. Surprising enough that it has Soundwave slightly taken aback. Nitwick isn't the most offensive insult he's ever heard, but coming from Ereshkigal is a bit of a shock as she's always been so nice. This diety must've been a piece of work.]
Ah, I can't imagine he was good company then. At least you have authority over cute creatures?
[Even if it wasn't the specific cute animal she wanted. The thought did come to his mind that maybe Ereshkigal wasn't so alone down there if there was a somebody else around. Alas, that hope is immediately shot down]
He could've made himself useful in the Underworld or befriend you if he has to be stuck there for half a year every year. [He steps closer towards Ereshkigal to give doggie some headpats of his own.] Besides, I think being stuck with Ereshkigal for an eternity doesn't sound bad.
[If there's ever an event where he had to be stuck with someone for an eternity, Ereshkigal is in the top 5 at least.]
[ She authorizes herself a few select insult when the situation calls for it. Nitwit is by far the most common and any talk about Dumuzid most definitely calls for it. ]
Heh?! Y-You do?
[ T-That came out of nowhere! That's enough to make her blush and focus on petting the doggie. She doesn't even know what to reply to that.
W-Which means she probably should focus on answering further about Dumuzid, yes yes. ]
Well, he's a slacker and I do not tolerate slackers in the Underworld. He says I am a cruel goddess who worked him too hard! But... [A pause.] He has come to comfort me a few times... And went to seek for external help when I was pushed into doing something... Undignified. [She is not elaborating on what that something "undignified" is, but by the dark tone of her voice upon saying that word? It's easy to guess it's very bad news.] So while I don't think we ever had a chance to become friends... He's still better than many other gods.
[He says with nothing but sincerity in his words. He's not sure how much Ereshkigal values friendship, but he's the type to walk to the end of the universe for his friends, including sticking together for an eternity.
Hm, this deity doesn't sound like a totally bad person.
They aren't exactly friends by the sound of it, but if he had comforted Ereshkigal and seek help to rescue her from whatever this "undignified" sonething. Hearing her dark tone when saying the word, he opts not to ask her to avoid drenching up unpleasant memories. Even the doggie senses the dark tone, whining pitifully while looking up at her with sad, beady eyes.
Instead he focuses on what she said last.]
Is it presumptuous of me to say that it is a rarity to find a goddess as kind as you are?
[ She values friendship far more than he realizes, which is exactly why it's making her feel simultaneously so happy and embarrassed to hear those things! ]
W-Well, no of course...
[ She hesitates for a moment. Now is the time when she says, of course a perfect goddess would also be the kindest goddess! But... That's not how she feels at all. ]
It-It... It's just I am sure to be deserving of such compliments.
[ She would rarely admit she feels so unsure about herself, so insecure. That's proof of how much she values his friendship. ]
[Part of him expects her to say that, boasting herself as the perfect goddess, trying to act cool. So, he's mildly surprised that she's being open about her uncertainty and insecurity instead.]
I can assure you that you deserve such compliments. Proof of it is right there. [He points at the giant elephant plush with his thumb.] I could hardly think of anyone as kind.
[While he would bat for his previous friends anytime, he'd hesitate calling any one of them kind. In fact, kindness is a liability and a sign of weakness in his old faction - you could easily be taken advantage of. Fortunately, it's not a mindset he subscribes to any longer, and thanks to that, he's able to find tremendous value in this friendship.]
If anything, I am unsure of deserving your kindness.
[ She shakes her head immediately. Those words are enough to cause her to regain some of her composure. ]
H-Heh? Nonsense. You are absolutely deserving.
[ ... She supposes that's how he feels when he hears her say she's not deserving, huh. But she means it. Unlike him though, she has no real previous friends to bat for. Ritsuka is a recent friend and most Servants in Chaldea, she would hardly really call friends. Nitocris, Passionlip and Wu Zetian, maybe. ]
In fact, you're one of the most deserving people in this world. [She sighs.] Though it's bad of me to say. I am supposed to treat everyone fairly and equally as a Goddess of Death... B-But it's a bit challenging when I have to live as a human.
[It's difficult to accept when he has a low opinion on himself. Perhaps it's the same for Ereshkigal, and that was why she reacted the way she did to his compliments. He'll get back to that in a bit.]
As Ereshkigal the Goddess of Death, you should treat everyone fairly and equally while performing your job. [A pause.] But, as Ereshkigal the Human, I think it's acceptable for you to have your personal biases. Us mortals can't help but to have our biases.
[One might say it's a flaw or a limitation, but it's a natural feature for living beings with free will. Now, back to the earlier point.]
Even if I had sinned throughout most of my lifetime, do you think I'm truly deserving?
[He hesitates to open up about his past. While the first step of redemption is to acknowledge your wrongdoings, Ereshkigal is within the line where he cares about what she thinks of him. Still, the fact that he's trying to be open is proof of how he value her friendship.]
Y-You're right... [She tilts her head down.] But it's still really hard for me to think like that. It is notoriously difficult for my kind to change and grow.
[ Which explains why their age has ended. Though ever since she got this vessel, she feels like it's gotten easier for her to change, but... It's still slow.
She pets the doggie some more, before turning to look at him. ]
And if you told me you hadn't sinned, I would call you a liar. [Everyone has sinned. Only newborns are innocent. And for a being who has lived millions of years, the number of sins must have accumulated. Throughout most of his lifetime though...] And it sounds to me like you've realized and acknowledged your mistakes, right?
I believe you will grow eventually. I know I did, and us Cybertronians are notoriously slow learners. We had a war that lasted for over four million years.
[Not even he knows why the war lasted as long as it did. After a certain point, nobody really cared what or why they were fighting other than eradicating the other side. But, this should give her an idea of what sins are weighing him down, what he wasted most of his lifetime on.
He turns to meet her eyes.]
For the longest time, I thought I was doing the right thing. Believed that what we were doing was heroic, but... There's no such things as heroic or heroes in a war.
[ It's a lesson most never learn, even after fighting in a war, and apparently he's already learned it! Like he said, his kind is slow learner too... And that makes it even more amazing in her opinion. ]
It affects all long-lived beings. [A pause.] Dreams, ideals, beliefs, desires and hopes... They all erode and change with the passage of time, no matter how carefully we try preserving them. And because we change so slowly, we fail to see and stop it as we become shadows of who we used to be.
[ It may have happened to her to an extent, given the tone used. ]
What matters is that you did come to this realization eventually and changed your ways. Honestly, it's amazing you did. You're at least eighty time the age of my conscious self. I don't think I would be able to change even a bit at that age.
[They all erode and change with the passage of time... Ain't that the truth. It doesn't apply to him, but many, many others who fought in the war. And from what he's observed, not all of them has reached the same epiphany he had, came to the same realization, or was tired of war as he is.]
I have done a lot of regrettable things in my life. Most would consider some of my actions unforgivable, despite telling myself I'm doing the right thing. At the end of the day, we are our actions, not our hope. Thanks to my realization, I vowed to return to my original roots as a pacifist and right my wrongs, even in this world.
[Even when he's in an entirely different world, where no one knows of his reputation and hasn't done any wrongs, it doesn't mean he should stop trying to do good deeds. He's returned to his old roots. Or, he feels he's on the right path to it at least.]
Better late than never, right? That's a human saying, I think. And... I believe there will come a time where you won't feel too bad accepting your human mindset. Whether gods, humans, or mechanoids, we all have the capacity to grow.
[It feels nice, like some weigh has lifted off his shoulders. Perhaps there is some merit to talking about his feelings rather than bottling them all up. Of course, there's still some topics he isn't willing to broach on yet, mainly about his powers, which is another can of worm, but it has no relevance in this current topic.]
[ She can tell it's weighing heavily on him. And while the weight may be lessened from having shared this... She figures she can help by showing him he's not alone. ]
Well... I tried killing all humans once. [A pause.] Goetia - an Evil of Humanity - was trying to incinerate humanity across space and time. In the past, future and present all at once.
[ That's the super summarized version, she'll spare him the Fate/ details. ]
My reasoning was that if I killed them first and kept their souls in the Underworld, then I would be able to preserve humanity...
[ Not the best plan. She'll skip over the fact that she was by all account very bad at killing humans and had the lowest kill count out of the three goddesses, in spite of trying the hardest. I-It's a point of pride not to mention this! ]
[Brows raised and curved, and his eyes widen slightly at her. The surprised expression on his face speaks for itself. It sounds like she's regretted her attempt, though, so she doesn't need him to tell her how dumb that plan was. He can't quite grasp her reasoning for preserving humanity that way, but perhaps he doesn't fully understand a goddess's mindset.
Regardless, they both have committed a grave sin. Though he thinks his kill count is probably higher than hers, on account of the war having spread out across the galaxy, dragging unwitting worlds into their conflict. Ultimately, he sees he's not alone in having a regrettable past.]
I'll... try not to.
[A pause, as his gaze falls to the floor. It's a bit embarrassing to do this, but he steps closer to her side and puts his arms around her for a nice side hug, initiating imprinting, as a show of appreciation. And the side hug is mostly because he doesn't want to sandwich lil Bruiser between them.]
She's taken aback for a couple seconds or so! This goddess is a hug monster in denial who would love hugs very much if only she didn't deny herself hugging her friends... A-And that's exactly why this comes off as such a shock! She figured Soundwave would have an even harder time than her to go and hug people like that! She did hug him once or twice after all, and both times he was so surprised!
Oh well! It's time to indulge ever so slightly into her hug monster side. And so she hugs him back, turning the side hug into a full blown hug. But fear not for the little doggo, she is careful to put him safely down on the couch so that he doesn't get hurt. ]
Ehehe, no need to thank me!
[ Is she sparkling? She is sparkling. So she is probably pretty happy. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
queenofkur) wrote2025-10-01 11:40 am
no subject
I do not have any experience with pets, let alone the organic kind.
But I want them to have a comfortable home.
The puppy is called Bruiser, and the kitten is Razorclaw.
I would like it if you could meet them in person someday. If you have the time, that is.
no subject
Well with the Underworld gone,
And the graveyard's files now up to date.
I have free time once more.
I can come whenever it is convenient for you.
no subject
Now is convenient.
My door is open for you.
[She's already been to his house once when she helped bring his giant elephant plushie. But he attaches the address to his place anyway.]
no subject
[ A little bit of time passes... And soon, someone knocks on his door. ]
H-Hello?
no subject
A second after, Soundwave then appears, pushing the door open fully.]
Greetings, Ereshkigal. Do not mind Bruiser... He likes making friends.
[Meanwhile the kitty is shy. She's perched on Soundwave's shoulder, peeking out the side of his head as she regards the goddess curiously.]
no subject
Soundwave! It's fine, I've always liked animals. [The few she's seen before anyway.] I used to have three fawns in the Underworld.
[ She smiles at Soundwave and the shy cat. Awwww. The poor thing. ]
no subject
[Alas, Soundwave does not have the internet at his disposal to look up the information himself. But, as he is an animal lover himself, it pleases him to hear that regardless. Bruiser is happy to be scooped up too, enjoying the pet he's getting.]
Tell me more about these... fawns. Ah, but first... Come on in.
[Inside, the house is spartan, nary a decoration to be found in this house. But once they reach the living room, it is at least a little bit livelier. The wallpaper is still dull and empty, but there's the giant elephant plushie taking up a space on the couch and two particular plushies right beside it. Scattered on the ground are some chew toys.]
Pardon the mess. [Aside from the toys, it's barely a mess.]
no subject
[ That's a long story. A very long story, which she'll elaborate on if he wants to but if he knows anything about Sumerian myths-- That involves her sister so it may be favorable for him not to step into that minefield.
She gives a look around, still petting the doggie. ]
What are you talking about? It's pretty orderly. [A smile.] Dear, you haven't had much time for interior decoration yet, have you?
[ Maybe she should give him a hand with that. ]
no subject
He tilts his head to the side at the last comment, confusion painting his face.]
It is more accurate to say I hadn't considered interior decoration at all. [He drops down on his knee and gently places the kitty on the floor... Only for her to zoom away into hiding under the couch. Shy little thing.] I think it's fine as it is.
[Yes, he thinks the dull wall with zero decor is fine. She's seen nothing yet, though. His bedroom is peak male living space.]
It sounds like there is a story behind you inheriting this divine authority over deers. Does that make you a Goddess of Deers?
[Though he has a flat expression, he looks at Ereshkigal with innocent curiosity, as he unknowingly step into a minefield.]
no subject
A certain nitwit deity had to give me half of his divine authority to escape an eternity in the Underworld. I had hoped he would give me his authority over sheep, so I could get wool to warm the souls... [She sighs.] But he gave me his authority over snakes and deers instead.
[ On the bright side, she's not thinking of arguing over how he totally should decorate. It'll come, soon. ]
Now he spends six months a year down there, and most of the time he spends it sitting by the exit waiting for the six months to be up.
[ If he had hoped this meant she wasn't so alone down there after all - nope. Well, his presence, rare as it is, is maybe why she hasn't become totally insane down there, so there's that. ]
no subject
Ah, I can't imagine he was good company then. At least you have authority over cute creatures?
[Even if it wasn't the specific cute animal she wanted. The thought did come to his mind that maybe Ereshkigal wasn't so alone down there if there was a somebody else around. Alas, that hope is immediately shot down]
He could've made himself useful in the Underworld or befriend you if he has to be stuck there for half a year every year. [He steps closer towards Ereshkigal to give doggie some headpats of his own.] Besides, I think being stuck with Ereshkigal for an eternity doesn't sound bad.
[If there's ever an event where he had to be stuck with someone for an eternity, Ereshkigal is in the top 5 at least.]
no subject
Heh?! Y-You do?
[ T-That came out of nowhere! That's enough to make her blush and focus on petting the doggie. She doesn't even know what to reply to that.
W-Which means she probably should focus on answering further about Dumuzid, yes yes. ]
Well, he's a slacker and I do not tolerate slackers in the Underworld. He says I am a cruel goddess who worked him too hard! But... [A pause.] He has come to comfort me a few times... And went to seek for external help when I was pushed into doing something... Undignified. [She is not elaborating on what that something "undignified" is, but by the dark tone of her voice upon saying that word? It's easy to guess it's very bad news.] So while I don't think we ever had a chance to become friends... He's still better than many other gods.
no subject
[He says with nothing but sincerity in his words. He's not sure how much Ereshkigal values friendship, but he's the type to walk to the end of the universe for his friends, including sticking together for an eternity.
Hm, this deity doesn't sound like a totally bad person.
They aren't exactly friends by the sound of it, but if he had comforted Ereshkigal and seek help to rescue her from whatever this "undignified" sonething. Hearing her dark tone when saying the word, he opts not to ask her to avoid drenching up unpleasant memories. Even the doggie senses the dark tone, whining pitifully while looking up at her with sad, beady eyes.
Instead he focuses on what she said last.]
Is it presumptuous of me to say that it is a rarity to find a goddess as kind as you are?
no subject
W-Well, no of course...
[ She hesitates for a moment. Now is the time when she says, of course a perfect goddess would also be the kindest goddess! But... That's not how she feels at all. ]
It-It... It's just I am sure to be deserving of such compliments.
[ She would rarely admit she feels so unsure about herself, so insecure. That's proof of how much she values his friendship. ]
no subject
I can assure you that you deserve such compliments. Proof of it is right there. [He points at the giant elephant plush with his thumb.] I could hardly think of anyone as kind.
[While he would bat for his previous friends anytime, he'd hesitate calling any one of them kind. In fact, kindness is a liability and a sign of weakness in his old faction - you could easily be taken advantage of. Fortunately, it's not a mindset he subscribes to any longer, and thanks to that, he's able to find tremendous value in this friendship.]
If anything, I am unsure of deserving your kindness.
no subject
H-Heh? Nonsense. You are absolutely deserving.
[ ... She supposes that's how he feels when he hears her say she's not deserving, huh. But she means it. Unlike him though, she has no real previous friends to bat for. Ritsuka is a recent friend and most Servants in Chaldea, she would hardly really call friends. Nitocris, Passionlip and Wu Zetian, maybe. ]
In fact, you're one of the most deserving people in this world. [She sighs.] Though it's bad of me to say. I am supposed to treat everyone fairly and equally as a Goddess of Death... B-But it's a bit challenging when I have to live as a human.
no subject
As Ereshkigal the Goddess of Death, you should treat everyone fairly and equally while performing your job. [A pause.] But, as Ereshkigal the Human, I think it's acceptable for you to have your personal biases. Us mortals can't help but to have our biases.
[One might say it's a flaw or a limitation, but it's a natural feature for living beings with free will. Now, back to the earlier point.]
Even if I had sinned throughout most of my lifetime, do you think I'm truly deserving?
[He hesitates to open up about his past. While the first step of redemption is to acknowledge your wrongdoings, Ereshkigal is within the line where he cares about what she thinks of him. Still, the fact that he's trying to be open is proof of how he value her friendship.]
no subject
[ Which explains why their age has ended. Though ever since she got this vessel, she feels like it's gotten easier for her to change, but... It's still slow.
She pets the doggie some more, before turning to look at him. ]
And if you told me you hadn't sinned, I would call you a liar. [Everyone has sinned. Only newborns are innocent. And for a being who has lived millions of years, the number of sins must have accumulated. Throughout most of his lifetime though...] And it sounds to me like you've realized and acknowledged your mistakes, right?
no subject
[Not even he knows why the war lasted as long as it did. After a certain point, nobody really cared what or why they were fighting other than eradicating the other side. But, this should give her an idea of what sins are weighing him down, what he wasted most of his lifetime on.
He turns to meet her eyes.]
For the longest time, I thought I was doing the right thing. Believed that what we were doing was heroic, but... There's no such things as heroic or heroes in a war.
no subject
[ It's a lesson most never learn, even after fighting in a war, and apparently he's already learned it! Like he said, his kind is slow learner too... And that makes it even more amazing in her opinion. ]
It affects all long-lived beings. [A pause.] Dreams, ideals, beliefs, desires and hopes... They all erode and change with the passage of time, no matter how carefully we try preserving them. And because we change so slowly, we fail to see and stop it as we become shadows of who we used to be.
[ It may have happened to her to an extent, given the tone used. ]
What matters is that you did come to this realization eventually and changed your ways. Honestly, it's amazing you did. You're at least eighty time the age of my conscious self. I don't think I would be able to change even a bit at that age.
u saw nothing
I have done a lot of regrettable things in my life. Most would consider some of my actions unforgivable, despite telling myself I'm doing the right thing. At the end of the day, we are our actions, not our hope. Thanks to my realization, I vowed to return to my original roots as a pacifist and right my wrongs, even in this world.
[Even when he's in an entirely different world, where no one knows of his reputation and hasn't done any wrongs, it doesn't mean he should stop trying to do good deeds. He's returned to his old roots. Or, he feels he's on the right path to it at least.]
Better late than never, right? That's a human saying, I think. And... I believe there will come a time where you won't feel too bad accepting your human mindset. Whether gods, humans, or mechanoids, we all have the capacity to grow.
[It feels nice, like some weigh has lifted off his shoulders. Perhaps there is some merit to talking about his feelings rather than bottling them all up. Of course, there's still some topics he isn't willing to broach on yet, mainly about his powers, which is another can of worm, but it has no relevance in this current topic.]
what a kind and sweet sister she got!
Well... I tried killing all humans once. [A pause.] Goetia - an Evil of Humanity - was trying to incinerate humanity across space and time. In the past, future and present all at once.
[ That's the super summarized version, she'll spare him the Fate/ details. ]
My reasoning was that if I killed them first and kept their souls in the Underworld, then I would be able to preserve humanity...
[ Not the best plan. She'll skip over the fact that she was by all account very bad at killing humans and had the lowest kill count out of the three goddesses, in spite of trying the hardest. I-It's a point of pride not to mention this! ]
So don't be too harsh on yourself, okay?
;3
Regardless, they both have committed a grave sin. Though he thinks his kill count is probably higher than hers, on account of the war having spread out across the galaxy, dragging unwitting worlds into their conflict. Ultimately, he sees he's not alone in having a regrettable past.]
I'll... try not to.
[A pause, as his gaze falls to the floor. It's a bit embarrassing to do this, but he steps closer to her side and puts his arms around her for a nice side hug, initiating imprinting, as a show of appreciation. And the side hug is mostly because he doesn't want to sandwich lil Bruiser between them.]
Thank you.
1/2
She's taken aback for a couple seconds or so! This goddess is a hug monster in denial who would love hugs very much if only she didn't deny herself hugging her friends... A-And that's exactly why this comes off as such a shock! She figured Soundwave would have an even harder time than her to go and hug people like that! She did hug him once or twice after all, and both times he was so surprised!
W-What should she do?! ]
Re: ;3
Oh well! It's time to indulge ever so slightly into her hug monster side. And so she hugs him back, turning the side hug into a full blown hug. But fear not for the little doggo, she is careful to put him safely down on the couch so that he doesn't get hurt. ]
Ehehe, no need to thank me!
[ Is she sparkling? She is sparkling. So she is probably pretty happy. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)