{ lingering distortions }

[dreamposts]

LINGERING DISTORTIONS

Everything might have wrapped up for the Story Eater, but there are still some lingering effects persisting throughout the world. Notably, for new dreamers that enter the world may find themselves coming in via their nightmares and creating a pocket distortion (optional).

More details on everything can be found here and here. As a reminder, events double as our TDMs and information can be found here. Any outside characters participating in the log are canonly logged as appearing in Songerein in June and will remain in Songerein from the IC date of June 9 to 30. TDM only characters can only thread within this log. Anyone who apps in and is accepted will have their character count June as their first time in the game without any disruption, so all content will carry over. Those who do not apply will disappear which should not seem too unusual, however players in game can choose to retcon and pretend a character was never there to begin with if it would be easier; or even think their presence was just a dream.

IMPORTANT! All outside characters MUST have "TDM" in their subject line, even if you might not app. This will help people differentiate those who are already in the game and those who are not.

TDM threads are required for samples. Refer to the Game Info for general information and feel free to toss any questions here. Reserves will open June 24 and Applications will open on July 1. Our application cycles are bi-monthly so the next cycle after won't be until September.

TDM Toplevel Link Directory (click to view, updated 06/17)

Avatar: The Last Airbender - Aang
Avatar: The Last Airbender - Toph Beifong
Avatar: The Legend of Korra - Korra
Devil May Cry - Lady
Devil Survivor - Naoya
Fate/Grand Order - Ereshkigal
Final Fantasy VII - Sephiroth
Final Fantasy XIV - Aymeric de Borel
Final Fantasy XIV - Estinien Varlineau
Final Fantasy XIV - Hephaistos
Frozen - Hans Westergaard
Genshin Impact - Ei (Raiden Shogun)
Guild Wars - Aglovan (OC)
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist - Solanaceae
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Revali
Kingdom Hearts - Axel/Lea
Persona 4 - Kanji Tatsumi
Okami - Amaterasu
Silmarillion, The - Maedhros
Trigun Stampede - Vash the Stampede
Vampire Knight - Ichiru Kiryuu
Vampire Knight - Zero Kiryuu
World Ends with You, The - Tosai "Fret" Furesawa

We will request any thread submissions for certain prompts during AC and TDM threads will count. For more information, refer to the Game Notes.

I. WRECKAGE AND RUIN

The Story Eater has been defeated, and with that, a trail of disorder is left in its wake. Patches of nightmare energy still linger about the town and its immediate surroundings, causing danger to still be ever-present. While the stability of the dream world is still maintained, dreamwalkers can help maintain it by aiding others (and maybe even themselves), as well as dealing with the formations that begin to spring up in the coming weeks.

A. Nightmare Pocket Distortions. These small, isolated, tangible dreamscapes are appearing here and there everywhere, especially around town. They are usually caused by an individual having nightmares, but they can sometimes appear around large pockets of nightmare energy. They are easily identifiable by the large shroud of black mist that appears, trapping anything and anyone inside a small area, usually around the size of a small house. However inside the mist the space may feel smaller or larger, and they cannot exit on their own easily. The content of the space can also range from silly and benign, to horrific.

🌫️ Trapped Within. Those inside the nightmare may either be fully immersed in what they see, or they may realize it's a nightmare and be more aware of their surroundings. Regardless, they must deal with what they see. Perhaps dealing with the "source" of the nightmare will help break through and close it off.
🤝Outside Help. Those who happen to encounter a pocket nightmare distortion will be able to freely enter, though they should use dreamotion to keep their wits or else they may become immersed into the nightmare and it will be more difficult to escape.
🌌 Closing the Pockets. The best way to close a pocket nightmare is using dreamotion, which can also be used from the outside without ever entering. In addition, there is a special tool being offered by those who hail from the "nightmare side of things," calling back to when the Nightmare Troupe appeared in Halloween and those who helped during the Story Eater battle. The tool is a portable vacuum backpack that will suck in all the nightmare energy and clear most of it up. It seems suspicious, but given its effectiveness and dire need, there isn't much choice.

B. Displaced Fairy Tales. One side effect caused by the Storyteller's connection between the Realm of Stories and Songerein are dimensional "blips" and "tears" that cause actional fictional characters and creatures appearing within the town of Reverein. These are not copies but the original versions, which is why they need to return to their book ASAP! Especially when a lot of them are causing problems for everyone else. Note: any classic fictional fairy tale character is allowed (even a generic version of one) so long as it's from a work from pre-1920. Characters original to comic book, movies, video games, and other "modern" works are not allowed since they are more likely to be apped in.

🛑Find and Catch the Character. Fortunately, the characters and creatures are easy to spot—they will have some version of a large book icon (📕) floating over their heads. They will also likely be behaving erratically and behaving like their original self. Some may prefer staying in Songerein, but if they want to do that, they need to return to their story first.
📖 Find and Enter the Book. Once caught, head over to the Tree of Stories to try and find their book. The book icon over their head will help give a clue on what it looks like and will even have the title appear on the front. Of course this isn't easy, either, as the book is on the run (flying, sliding around, hiding in other shelves) and also needs to be caught. To enter the book, one just needs to hold onto the character and dreamwalk in.
👻 Clear Out Noctaere. Once inside, there will be some noctaere lingering inside the story that need to be cleared out. Fortunately there aren't too many and while some may take on appearance as corrupted monsters, others might take the form of the main villain or antagonist—and said villain or antagonist isn't liking that, especially if they are they one being returned. Regardless, the noctaere will be easy to find as other characters of the story will be fighting against it. Once defeated, a special quill feather will drop which will allow the storybook character to enter Songerein through their dreams one day.

C. WISP Anonymous. Those who had turned into a wisp, either before or during the Story Eater battle, have formed a group to share in their experience as most suffered trauma from it. Volunteers are welcome to assist the members.

🧘Yoga Meditation. Because of the lingering emotional distress, meditation is used to help calm those who have been put in distress over the recent happenings with the Story Eater. Instructors—fae and other dreamwalker volunteers alike—say that it promotes calmness and relaxes the mind. However, there are some who need external help clearing their mind as distress causes a nightmare spike. These spikes can create Nightmare Pocket Distortions or cause small noctaere creatures to swarm into the yoga session. Be sure to calm them back down before this happens. Or deal with the noctaere or pocket distortion should things escalate.
💥 Rage Against. Those who choose the more aggressive route to deal with their distress are invited to a tent littered with accoutrements of all kinds. Ranging from glass instruments to furniture in disrepair, those who enter can release their anger in the enclosed space. Safety gear will be provided upon entering the establishment. Those who prefer to release their excess energy in a less violent setting can also participate boxing or martial art classes with provided fake straw targets. Though originally meant for boxing, participants can use any number of weapons of their choosing to help them through the process. Just try not to injure the staff and volunteers.
💨 Escapees. Regardless of which WISP activity you choose, there are others who get cold feet and try to run away from in the middle of activity. Whether it be to hide in fear or running off to find noctaere to fight, their levels of distress may cause more trouble than they realize in their volatile state. Bring them back before anything happens to them!

D. Dragon Help. The dragon island Dragefjell also suffered damage, but they are also offering some respite for those who might need it.

♨️ Hot Springs. The water within the hot spring have some healing properties, so those who have either emotional or physical wounds are welcome to a free visit to the springs to relax. A monkey or two may accompany you in the baths but they're mostly harmless.
🐛 Pest Control. The damage sustained by the castle has called forth pests in the form of vibrantly colored caterpillars that seem to be attracted to the lingering dreamotion emitted from the formerly housed Dreamcatcher. Help rid the dragons of the pests by using dreamotion to attract them out of the castle grounds and then catch with special dreamotion powered nets. Stronger emotions will definitely make the task much easier! However, be careful: if the caterpillar is killed or seriously injured, it will emit a noxious gas that will cause one to hallucinate and leave them stunned.
🐲 Calming Greens. To aid with the fight and to defend their home, some dragons tapped into their feral instincts, letting loose on the Story Eater and its minions. Even if the danger has passed, some of these dragons have yet to revert back to their cognizant selves, causing chaos and more damage to the castle and its surroundings. Help calm them by finding a purple bamboo-like plant that can be found by the edges of the hot springs and snapping it close to the dragon. The plant is said to have calming properties that can soothe the dragon and bring it back to its senses.

II. AROUND TOWN

There is no lack of help that is needed around town. Whether it be repairing broken structures or bolstering a sense of community, there is sure to be something for everyone to do.

A. Reconstruction. While it wasn't a complete disaster, there is still a lot of damage left to deal with from the battle.

🧱 Building Blocks. Small, special LEGOs bricks that interlock with one another called "dream blocks" can be used to create smaller models of a damaged area or building and with dreamotion can expand to fit perfectly into place—or remodel the building to the new design completely. Very handy—except some people, especially children, see them as toys so there are some unintentional renovations occurring that may need to be fixed.
🎨 A New Coat of Paint. Similarly, a special spray gun with special paint can be used to cover entire building walls quickly…however the spray zone is quite large and the sprayer itself a bit unwieldy to use, so the paint will occasionally hit unintended targets—like people.
🌴 Planting Fields. The fields outside of town were especially ruined, so after clearing it of debris, special seeds are given to plant. Most are normal, however some seeds are immediately sprouting into giant crops and need to be quickly harvested and uprooted before it takes over the entire area.
🏠 From Memories. Naminé's powers had gone out of control during the battle and currently many houses and buildings have transformed to reflect a place from the memories within the owner's or whoever was closest to it. Being around these affected places will also cause others to reminisce about old places from home. Some may actually want to keep the look, but others may want to change it. If not using the opportunity for a full reno, using dreamotion with the memory of how it looked before will revert it back.

B. Potluck. Everyone is invited to a potluck hosted by the Reverein citizens as thanks for defending the town. A large bonfire will be erected during one of the cooler days and picnic tables and blankets will be laid out around the plaza. Anyone could bring whatever food they wish to share for a night of merriment and thanksgiving.

C. Babysitting Tapirs. After the Story Eater was defeated and the nightmare energy levels went down, the eggs from the Flower Festival have hatched to reveal them to be baby tapirs. These weren't the only baby tapirs to appear—other baby tapirs appeared as a result of all the excess nightmare energy and thus many little baby tapirs can be found roaming around town. They're cute, but they can be a handful.

🍴 Nightmare Snacks. As dreameaters, the tapirs enjoy eating dreams, especially nightmares. And these babies are hungry. While the nightmare pockets might seem tasty, they're too much for these little babies. Prevent them from getting too close (or eating too much) and create little snacks made from nightmare energy for them to chow down on instead. Maybe those nightmare filled canisters from the vacuum packs could be used as a source?
🎶 Dreamy Lullabies. All babies need naps and these tapirs are no exception. Left awake for too long and they will get cranky. Tuck them in somewhere warm and sing them a little lullaby while using dreamotion. That should soothe them sleep! (Should.)
🎈 Playtime. When not eating or sleeping, the little baby tapirs will be wanting to play—a lot. Whether it's flying around with reckless abandon or coercing others to play hide-and-seek or some other game, it'll take a lot of energy to keep up with these little ones. Especially when they decide to go into…
☁ Dreams. Even as babies the tapirs can enter dreams freely. However, they still need to learn their abilities so they don't usually know what they're doing—and can get lost! Oh no! Find the baby within dreams before something happens. Some clues will be visible bite marks around parts of a dream and the sound of sniffling and crying for the ones upset.

D. Commemoration Wall. Those who follow Beat's instructions or those passing by the north side of the markets will find a large tarp hanging by an empty wall that reads COMMEMORATION WALL HERE. Paints in cans, brushes, spray paint, and other art materials have been provided for everyone to use, as well as some scaffolding and ladders to get to the hard-to-reach places. People are even encouraged to use dreamotion to help shape their vision onto the wall if they so choose. Artist or not, everyone is encouraged to contribute something to the wall, to commemorate their victory against the world's tireless foe or to remember those who have since left, no matter how big or small it may be.

Food and refreshments have also been provided care of Dreambucks for anyone who may need a break from the festivities. Others are also welcome to bring their own food to share if they so choose.

III. WELCOME TO HYRULE

The nightmare energy generated by the Story Eater has been dispatched, but small pockets remain in the form of the Malice generated by the Calamity Ganon nightmare. As the Malice continues to collect—potentially fueled by Link and Zelda themselves—it begins to affect the surroundings with what can best be described as a partial dreamshift: changes come and go, noticed by some and not by others. These changes may be small at first, but become bigger and more difficult to avoid over time.

A. Malice. This reddish-purple gooey substance began appearing during the final battle with the Story Eater, and while most effects from the battle have disappeared, this one seems to have stubbornly stuck around. Touching the Malice can increase feelings of negativity, and prolonged exposure can have devastating effects, including making characters aggressive and eager to fight.

B. Lost Woods. Visitors to the Wildlands will find the area shrouded in a fine mist, making it nearly impossible to navigate the woods. Adding to the disorienting effect, you can sometimes hear the far-off sound of childlike laughter, or faint flute music in the distance… Didn’t you already pass that tree a few minutes ago?

🍃 Korok puzzles. You may occasionally come across strange curiosities: flowers that disappear as soon as you touch them, metal blocks that look like they’re part of a pattern, pinwheels and moving targets. Interact with these puzzles, and you might find a hidden child of the forest. “Ya-ha-ha!” The seed they give you smells a little funny, though.

C. Strange Plants. Unusual plants have begun to sprout all around Reverein. Curious dreamers will find that these plants can have some very surprising effects, such as:

🌱 Magic Bean Sprouts. When planted, they grow into large leafy platforms that begin to hover when stepped on and will fly a person to a new place, potentially high off the ground and unreachable by other means.
🌙 Blue Nightshade. When eaten or stepped on, this blue flower (which glows at night) will quiet a person’s footsteps. Ingesting a large quantity of the flower could render someone unable to talk.
🏃‍♂️ Swift Violet. Will increase a person’s speed—make sure you watch where you’re going!
🍄 Mushrooms. These fascinating fungi can cause a wide range of effects, such as sleep, confusion, temporary animal transformation, glowing/glittering, feeling hotter or colder, and any number of other things.

D. Monsters. The deadly creatures summoned during the Story Eater battle might have disappeared, but Hyrule is not without its own dangers. Bokoblins, Keese, Chuchus, and Octoroks can be found anywhere in Reverein during this time; at night, one might be taken by surprise by a skeletal Stalfos. Unlucky adventurers may stumble upon a small Guardian Scout, or find themselves facing down the deadly laser of a Guardian Stalker.

E. Fairy Blessings. Small fairies can be found floating around Reverein, and congregate in groups around fountains and other bodies of water. These fairies will offer dreamers a range of effects, from healing to cleansing nightmare energy to temporary abilities and more. You could try to catch one in a jar to keep for later, but why would you do something so mean?

F. It’s Dangerous to Go Alone. As the week goes by, these strange phenomena only become more pronounced.

🔮 Visions of Hyrule. You open the door to your home, or a shop, or…anywhere, really, but instead of a familiar location, you find yourself in…a throne room? All across Reverein, small pockets of another world are superimposing themselves over familiar locations. The fountain in the Plaza definitely seems bigger, and is decorated with a strange new statue. A new shop that sells masks has appeared and it’s all the rage. Was there always an active volcano here?
🩹 Items. Characters may find that their ordinary, everyday items have transformed in some way—normal boots become Pegasus Boots, giving you the ability to run faster. Perhaps your clock now has the ability to stop time for a moment, or your coat has become a Magic Cape that can turn you invisible for a moment. These are examples, but not the limit on what is possible.
🎵 Musical effects. Those who play instruments might find their music is accompanied by strange effects, like generating a cool breeze, changing the weather, turning day to night, or even calling animals to you. Whistle a certain tune and you may find yourself very popular with horses.
📜 Side quests. It seems like everywhere you look, someone needs help with something. All around town, people are asking for help with minor (or maybe major) tasks. A cook is missing a key ingredient for a recipe and needs you to fetch it. A mailman needs your help delivering letters. A little girl needs you to rescue her cat from a tree. In return for these good deeds, dreamwalkers will receive gratitude crystals.

Comments

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[itsgunnabe_mei]

[ Good news, Ereshkigal - you did intimidate and scare someone!

The bad news - it's a little girl. Well, pre-teen, the girl would argue. Almost an adult!

Anyway, the girl in question is shaking like a leaf. She thought this was just another stupid nightmare - because of her negative emotions, they've been opening left and right all over. She'd been trying to close them by herself before people noticed, but now she's stumbled into this, and...

Yep, she's started to cry. Good job! ]

A-A-Am I really dead?! Ugh... nnngh...n-n-no wayyy! I can't be! Please don't let me be deeeaaaaad!

[queenofkur]

[ ... ... ... ... ... ... A child? Gah! She'd looked so much taller from a distance! And is she crying now? Oh no no no! She hadn't wanted that! She'd just wanted to do her usual intro to try and look cool, not to make anyone sad! ]

D-Don't cry please... I didn't mean it! [Ereshkigal rushes to her side and gets on a knee.] Here here...!

[ She takes her cape off her shoulder and wraps it around the girl. It's not going to do much but it'll help with the cold at least! It's always the worst when the soul of a child reaches the Underworld... It's cruel and unfair! They shouldn't have to die so young. ]

I-I know it's hard but I promise to take good care of you down here...!

[ ... Wait, why does she understand that girl to begin with? She's not supposed to understand the dead. Something's off... ]

[itsgunnabe_mei]

[ THIS IS NOT COMFORTING. She doesn't want confirmation that she's dead! ]

I don't wanna be down here! I wanna be with my mom and dad and friends and my plushies!

[ Panic-mode, activated! She suddenly grabs Ereshkigal by the shoulders and begins shaking her back and forth. ]

Are you sure this isn't some kind of dream?! Or nightmare?! Or one of those weird magic events this stupid dream world goes through?! I've been trying to eat healthy and exercise more, there's no way I'd be dead yet! Even red pandas live for over 20 years!

[ ... odd thing to mention... ]

[queenofkur]

[ Oh no no no no, it's getting worse isn't it?! And what's that about red pandas? She doesn't even know regular pandas! ]

This stupid dream world...?

[ So that girl comes from a dream world... Clearly she is not supposed to be dead as she is in the Underworld and still maintains her physical form. She can even speak intelligible words! There is only one possible answer...

This is a FGO event and that girl is the new 4-stars freebie! But what kind of event could this possibly be? She doesn't see Ritsuka anywhere, so that's probably still early in it... And in two weeks it's summer, right? Does that mean... Is this finally happening...?

Is she... Is she getting a summer version?! Ruler-class Ereshkigal, Queen of the Underworld Beaches?! But she's not ready for that! She hasn't prepared mentally for such a possibility! There's no way she can survive the peer pressure that comes with such a thing. Even worse is the necessity to wear something as shameful as a swimsuit, and she won't have it! That means she needs to stop whatever is happening right now so this event gets cancelled. ]

I-If you are still alive, then we need to get you out and seal the doors of the Underworld behind you...!

[ This way she can just hide in the depths of the Underworld until summer is over, as she has successfully done for years now. ]

that is the best FGO tag I've ever gotten

[itsgunnabe_mei]

Doors... doors... oh, yes! That's right!

[ She begins to wipe her eyes and look around for any sign of an exit... There may be hope yet! She can still finish high school, kiss a boy, and see 4*Town live! ]

Now I remember! I was trying to close up all those nightmares that have been popping up! ... Of which I definitely had nothing to do with...

[ Okay, so, maybe her downward spiral of negativity that's been eating away at her heart might have opened up some nightmares. But nobody needs to know that! We take those problems and bottle them up and never speak of them again! That's the way! ]

A-Anyway! I'm sure we can find a way out of here if we both look hard enough, miss... uh... empress... your highness... goddess... milady... I'm sorry, what exactly am I supposed to call you? You kinda went with, like, three different titles there.

[ She wants to be polite to her potential captor/friend/ally/killer? ]

/bows

[queenofkur]

[ Nightmares... Probably related to whatever currency her poor Master is expected to grind this time. And of course that girl is related to them. It's good story-telling practices to have the newcomer be at the core of the event.

No matter. Stick to the plan: get the girl out then lock down the Underworld till next season. First things first: ]

E-Ereshkigal... Just Ereshkigal will be fine.

[ "Lady" is what she would expect, but she's not going to hound a child about the proper way to address a goddess. Not just a goddess but a queen, too! Which is 's very important because unlike her, Ishtar isn't a queen and she very much enjoys having that over her!

Regardless, Ereshkigal takes steps towards a nearby rock formation that more or less looks like a door. ]

Since we're on a higher level, you only have one gate to go through... [Honestly she wished she could spare the poor girl any formalities, but it would be dangerous not to follow the proper protocol.] It will give you a fair and absolute question for you to answer to. So long as you answer properly, it will let you through and from there you should be able to go home.

[itsgunnabe_mei]

[ Oh, is that all? Mei pumps her fists a bit, starting to feel better, because... ]

So, it's like a pop quiz! No sweat! I'm used to getting straight As back home, and I've been giving myself homework and studying every single night! I can do this!

[ She begins walking with supreme confidence, chest pumped... but then backs up a bit to meet her guide, because again, politeness! ]

Oh, right. My name's Meilin Lee, but everyone calls me Mei.

[ With that, she juts her hand out for a proper handshake. Dang, she's befriended royalty and demons and now she gets to be besties with a goddess of death! She can really befriend anyone, huh! ]

[queenofkur]

[ Alright, looks like everything is working out just fine after all! That girl seems so sure of herself... No doubt the question will be an absolute joke to her! Ereshkigal couldn't possibly be more pleased at this turn of events. The golden-haired goddess smiles at the little girl when she introduces herself. ]

It's nice meeting you!

[ And lo... Is the goddess... Sparkling? She most definitely is. And she's absolutely unaware of it, because of course. But after vampires who sparkle under the sunlight, maybe that's just par for the course. ]

Come on, the gate is nearby.

[itsgunnabe_mei]

[ ... No handshake? Well, all right then! Mei awkwardly takes her hand back before loyally following the goddess along... the dazzling, sparkling goddess? Come to think of it, Mei never would have guessed a goddess of the underworld would be a sparkly blonde girl... you learn something new every day, she guesses.

In fact, as Mei thinks this over... ]

Mmm... you're considerate, helpful, and understanding... Man, I wish you were the goddess that blessed my family line instead of the ones that did! I bet my life would've been way easier that way...

[ She bets Ereshkigal wouldn't have thought making every woman in her family a gigantic red panda would be useful! She's probably really smart, and thoughtful, and wouldn't doom an entire family line because one doomed ancestor had a favorite animal! ]

[queenofkur]

[ She would totally have given a handshake if only her player wasn't a forgetful idiot who forgot about it before pressing post comment. Unfortunately, as usual, her luck is E-rank. But on the bright side, the sparkling continues as the little girl uses a lot positive adjective to describe her! Does she have any idea how rare it is? Usually people are too afraid of what she is and immediately call her a dark and evil goddess... ]

Really...? [She clears her throat.] I-I mean, of course I am...!

[ She can't show she's not used to compliments, let alone how abysmal her self-esteem is. ]

What did that goddess do to you...?

[ She can't help but feel sympathy even without knowing because, well... Gods are really terrible people. Even her old self hadn't been a good person at all. Why, even her current self was an evil person! ... Totally. ]

[itsgunnabe_mei]

[ With a sigh, she begins to share the old story once more... or at least the cliff-notes version of it. ]

So my ancestor, Sun Yee? She lived in ancient China in a remote village, long long long SUPER long ago. And it was war-time, and all the men left to fight. But that left the village totally unprotected. So Sun Yee prayed to the gods for a way to protect her daughters.

Sun Yee's favorite animal was the red panda... so the gods decided to give her the ability to turn into a giant, super-strong, super-fast red panda. And, sure, she could beat up bad guys and keep her family safe... but the gods didn't include an off button. So now all of her female descendants - yours truly included - can do it whenever they feel too emotional... even though there's no wars to fight or villages to defend.

[ Huffhuff! She crosses her arms, and clicks her tongue. ]

[queenofkur]

[ A red panda...? That's probably her Noble Phantasm. The involvement of other gods makes it more and more obvious why she's involved in that event. She hastens the pace to the gate, but looks down sorrowfully. ]

I'm sorry... [She sighed.] The gods who answered your ancestor's prayers didn't think of the consequences.

[ It's so typical of gods. Never think of how mortals may be affected in the long-term, and when they do? They barely care. There are some gods who are decent, of course, but... As a goddess who was shunned and ostracized by the other gods, Ereshkigal is more aware of the cruelty they are capable of. ]

Gods are meant to protect and help mortals. To make your lives easier and less stressful. If all of us worked dutifully to that end, I truly believe mortals would benefit from our guidance. But... [The overwhelming majority don't. Even the most dutiful of gods oftentimes don't understand humans. As such:] Maybe it is just as well we faded from history.

[ There are many factors as to why their age ended, but Ereshkigal believe the Age of Gods ended because we didn't understand humans. They were disconnected from their reality... And in turn, humans disconnected themselves from them. ]

I wish I could help, but there is nothing I can do about gods' authority from another domain and pantheon.

[itsgunnabe_mei]

[ See, this goddess gets it! She's so good and kind and understanding and awesome! Why couldn't she be the family goddess? Mei sigh, lamenting the unfairness of it all. ]

Aw, it's okay... it's not like I expected you to do anything about it anyway, I was just venting. Back home, there is a way to seal up the Panda, but I have to wait until the Red Moon. Then... I guess if I have a daughter, it happens to her.

[ But if she ever does have a kid, she's not going to wait until the last second to warn her about the Panda, like her own mom and dad did! Having her own kid though... she's never given thought to that before. What would she tell them about the family...?

No no no - that's not getting Mei anywhere! Focus on the present! She shakes her head hard, trying to remember what they're doing. ]

But... that gives me more of a reason to leave here! So I can have a kid... but before that, I have to get married, and before that, I have to have a boyfriend, and I haven't even had my first kiss yet! But I bet you know all about that... a pretty goddess like you must have had, like, a bajillion boyfriends!

[ This is meant to be a compliment. ]

[queenofkur]

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

[ There is a very very long pause. Noticeably, she avoids looking at the kid after that. W-What is she supposed to reply...? She's probably the only goddess in all of human history who's never had even one boyfriend or girlfriend! Her love life is such a void, humans even wrote scandalous fanfiction of her and Nergal to try and make up for it.

That's all Ishtar's fault. She's the one who got a bajillion boyfriends. She took all the shamelessness and lack of ethics and left her with nothing at all...

After a while, she finally replies. ]

W-While I could effortlessly have all the men I want, I firmly believe in true love.

[ That and admittedly, being unable to leave the Underworld doesn't help. Her only company down there is a talking golden sheep who is her sister's ex-husband. ]

I am determined to wait for my one true love no matter how long it takes.

[ She's waited for all of human history, she can wait another ten thousand years if needed! She totally can! It's not like she daydreams about having someone who loves her and having a domestic life with them. She doesn't need it, not at all. It'll be nice when it happens, but until then she's not crying regularly over it, nope. ]

[itsgunnabe_mei]

[ Boy, that was... a long pause for what should have been an easy response? Or was Mei getting too personal there? Oops.

She smiles sheepishly, hoping she didn't make things too weird between just now. But... what comes is a really thoughtful and sweet answer! So dignified! So classy! So adult! This goddess is so cool...

Mei's eyes are pretty sparkly now, in awe of this Very Cool Adult. ]

Whoa... you're so right. That's the best way to go. True love is so totally worth it. And you're so totally worth it, when the right guy comes along. You deserve nothing but the best!

1/2

[queenofkur]

[ There is another long pause after that. That... That was possibly the nicest thing anyone had ever said to her! Someone telling her she's worth it. That she deserves the best. And it came from a child whom she had just met five minutes ago...

She... She has no idea what to reply! More importantly, she feels like if she opens her mouth right now she'll just start grossly sobbing and crying, and no way she'll allow anyone to see her like that. Besides, Mei seems really impressed in her... All the more reasons she cannot cry before her! ]

T-Thank you...

[ Gah, her voice is trembling, that's no good. No good at all. ]

2/2

[queenofkur]

[ But, what is that? A gate? Yes! Exactly what she needed. A distraction so she doesn't have to linger on that topic and shift to something else. She walks forward to make sure Mei can't see her face or anything. She's the first person who thinks she's cool, a child no less, she has to maintain the illusion! ]

R-Right, we have reached the gate! After you answer its question you'll be able to leave...!

[itsgunnabe_mei]

[ Oh, right, the gate! She'd nearly forgotten about it! She straightens up immediately, smooths down her hair and clothes, and then marches up to it like a proud soldier. Bring it on! ]

I am ready for my trial! I'll do my best, and give nothing less!

1/9

[queenofkur]

[ Ereshkigal smiles serenely and waits for the door to issue the question. It's a double win! On the one hand she gets to look super cool for having such an advanced security system in the Underworld, and Mei gets to feel super proud for passing a divine trial effortlessly. ]

[queenofkur]

[ Alright, any second now. ]

[queenofkur]

[ Any second now...? ]

[queenofkur]

[ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

G-Guh, what is the gate doing? It wasn't that slow back in the Age of Gods! ]

[queenofkur]

[ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

W-Why is there like the noise of something in stone breaking down that comes from the gate?! ]

[queenofkur]

[ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

I-Is it... Is it broken?! ]

[queenofkur]

[ NO NO NO NO

And she was looking so cool!

She hates it so much, those gates never work! The other gods just threw her in the Underworld with nothing working, never gave her any help, she's had to repair everything and build new things, and even then it keeps breaking down!

She's a Goddess of Death, not an engineer!! ]