Meaningless Words

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "* a sudden familiar thrum of pale pastel color, a
shade of slate blue, lingering at the edge of the aethers, tentative *."

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "** A thickening of the darkness across the connection, as if
it gains a texture, a weight that it lacked previously. Lantern-like eyes of violently green light
bloom in the shadows, circling about the pastel hues unhurriedly, patient. **."

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, ".... * assent - simple, curt, colors retreating into
the darkness, their presence withdrawing - for now *."

[[three hours later]]


Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "* at last, the color creeps in again, nearly
unnoticeable *

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "** The presence is waiting, still, the emerald discs turning
to fix upon the seeping colour with predatory fixedness. **."

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "* quiet and hesitant, the color swelling * Uhm - my
daughter said that saw you, last month, yus."

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "** A languid blink, the eyes canting aside, listening,
patient. Silent. **."

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "... are O-K?"

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "How often, have asked that, to those, you hurt?"
-
Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "* just as quiet as their initial comment * Every
time, yes."
-
Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "She said that hurt you, yes. So am asking: are O-K?"

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "You are very big and Wyrd-y, so, would be surprised
if were not... but."

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "* In a level, grating tone, threaded through with subtle
hints of accusation. * "Why, ask? Big, yes. More flesh, to wound. Daughter, inherited skill, with
hurting. Often, cause pain, to children, Gurashi?""

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "* with some hint of concern * ... wait - was it a bad
cut? Did already fix it?"

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "** The conveyed thought is one of combined sensations, a
memory brutally slammed against the opposite mind. The familiar form of a mugwump, but twisted with
malice and anger - maw peeled open in a slavering, malicious grin, eyes bright and glittering with
rage. The vague outline of mists, and cold - terrible, agonising cold, coiled about like a wintry
serpent of frozen glass. The pain is immense, and persistent, as of flesh blackening beneath the
merciless bite of frost. **."

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "... * another thrum, color receding, pulsing, dancing
around the outliers of your thoughts as the wretched sensation is conveyed *."

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "....s-sorry. I am sorry. * a pause * Have already
talked to her about it."

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "* Soft as torn, bleeding fingers caressing a cheek. *
"/Sorry/. Worthless, sentiment." * In an eerie mirror of your own voice, though tinged with
something false, twisted subtly into insincerity. * "Are O-K? s-sorry. I am sorry.""

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "... * quieter * Talked to, so would not happen,
again."

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "* the color brightens, briefly a brilliant shade of
saffron * Is what sorry means."

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "Flesh, already torn. Pain, already inflicted. Sorry, is
meaningless. Words, just air. Talk, cannot undo, hurt."

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "Much skilled, at hurting. Not so, with healing."

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "* a quiet clicking, you nearly feel your own tongue
click against your teeth * ....well, what would help make feel better, then? * the color lingers,
their presence listening *."

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "* A vibrating, shuddering rumble, a throat reverberating with
resonant bass. * Will owe, Rhalkyr. Debt, to call upon. Child, and father, both. Cannot, fulfill
task, of Beauteous One. Perhaps, can accomplish, one bestowed, by child."

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "...a debt?"

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, ".... * there is some amount of equation happening
here, the colors becoming a myriad of many, swirling together, contemplating *."

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "* suddenly, a brightness, like a light turning on *
Oh! You are Her child - am understanding, understanding."

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "* The ragged voice gains a tinge of amusement as it circles
the swirling panoply of hues.* "And child, in truth. How old, think, is Rhalkyr?""

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "... * colors withdrawing, shrinking, settling - a
flash of brilliant ivory holds them all together, neatly packed in a swirl to themselves * Well...
have been gone for...... * they dim * ...at least ...you cannot be THAT muchly older than me, do not
think? Because, did not ever meet you. Unless you are new-old?"

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "Is this a trick questions, because can check aethers
to find out, I -can- * the color brightens again - yes, very clever *."

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "* A snort, a rough sound of commingled amusement and
derision. * "Answer, question. How old, is Rhalkyr?""
-
Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "* confidently * Nine-teens."

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "Yes. As child, compared, to Gurashi, to Cheliyi. Yes?"
-
Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "Very young, yus."

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "* Curiously asked, the question is delivered with an edged
innocuous manner. * Often, hurt children, Gurashi? Teach daughter, to harm children? To blacken,
their flesh, make, them suffer?"

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "* at this, you feel... a sigh. a sort of resignation,
though they do not sound mad - exasperated * I do not teach this, no.... * brighter again, they add
* But, know of a place that does."

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "Again - am sorry."

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "* A musing sound, low and deep.* Learned, that lesson, of
this place, very well. Gurashi, and daughter, both."

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "* another sigh *."

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "Acknowledge, debt. Favour, owed."

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "Yes, O-K. But no deciding and telling each of us
individually - have to tell us to-gether."
-
Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "Save your airs and stuffs."

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "Not, your place, to dictate, terms. Rhalkyr's debt. Rhalkyr's
favour. Swear, on love, for Cheliyi. For Tridemon. Swear, will uphold, debt."

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "I will upholds debts - but she did it on -my-
behalfs. Therefore we will be together when hear the favors."
-
Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "Please and many thank yous."

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "* Insistent, implacable, and flat as a blade. * Swear."

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "Will swear, yes, on love for my mine-child and my
dearly one, yes, to upholds. But are together in it, so will fix it togethers too."
-
Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "* almost childishly optimistic * Together or not at
alls, yus!"

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "* In a tone that is not at all childish, and so far from
optimistic as to be dreadful in its ominous gentleness. * Yes. Together, or not, at all."

Gurashi's melodic voice sings into your mind, "* acknowledgement and assent, like a nod * ... that
is all. Is all. Uhm. Will be off then. * the colors recede, bleeding slowly away from the aethers,
the voice no louder than a whisper nor any less optimistic * Be well."

You tell Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "* Silence, pervasive and unwavering, rife with the sensation
of watchful eyes, longer after the last whispered words fade into nothingness. *."