Cousin Caohite

You tell Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory, "It looks wonderful! Thanks very muchly!"

(Sugary Sweet): You say, "*eyes*."

Caohite tells you, "You are becoming more and more like that silly little love each day."

You tell Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory, "O-oh! Well... um. Yes. It is a little hard not to, I think. **slight hues of pink, quiet embarrassment**."

Caohite tells you, "//lets all move to gaudi and buy a massive homestead that's literally just a restaurant."

You tell Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory, "Um... Cousin Caohite! Could you meet me at my manse? I have something to tell you! I promise it is not bad."

You tell Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory, "// god yes."

Caohite tells you, "It is very pretty!"

You beam broadly at Caohite.
Caohite smiles happily at you.

You blink.

With the exotically lilted accent, Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory says, "How can I assist, little willow?"

With a gentle creak, you say, "Oh. I left the dishes in the oven."
You heave an almighty groan at the world.

Caohite hides a grin behind her hand.
With a gentle creak, you say, "I will be back!"

---> I go back to get the food, and hop back to the manse!

You portal to Overgrowth.

A Gentle Grove.                                        (#OVERGROWTH_1)
A quiet glen of gnarled weeping willows encase all sides, leaves swishing softly in an unseen breeze. Hung from many branches are small cicada and blossom origami, as if the willow trees themselves bear fruit. Twilight cloaks the area, blanketing all in a ghostly glow. Soft grasses and leaves crunch underfoot, the soothing smell of decaying flora and wet earth flooding the air with each step. Large, fluffy bats flutter overhead, oddly docile despite their inherent natures. There are plenty of spaces for rest, a soft patch of grass here, a plush expanse of moss there. Piled next to a rather large patch of moss sits a stack of letters, each paper clearly well loved. A small vase sits atop a mossy stump, practically bursting with flower cuttings, bringing a spot of bright color to an otherwise unremarkable sea of greens and browns. A large, fluffy crow's nest hangs from one of the many willows, full of shiny baubles and small bones of some poor rodent. The sound of a babbling brook seems to echo in the distance. Little else can be heard, save for the soft woosh of the entry portal. A thick bed of moss clings to the ground here. There are 3 moss-covered stump chairs here. An opal snowdrop tea cup sits here daintily, awaiting use. In the shape of an open palm, a metallic sigil lies here. A singing cicada origami perches here, currently silent. A honeycomb package sits here, contents concealed within its amber walls. Filamentous paper tentacles swirl around this fungus blossom's putrid yellow petals. A rare striped orchid is here. A delicate violet letter has been discarded here. Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory stands here within the pulsating thrumming of the Dark Heart's power. She wields a wyrden lyre in her left hand. You see a sign here instructing you to use the PORTAL command to enter the aetherplex system.

There are no obvious exits.

You give a platter of deep-fried maple leaves drizzled in maple syrup to Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory.
You chuckle softly, your leaves rustling with laughter.

Though her smile is polite, Caohite looks at the leaves with an eye of suspicion.

With a gentle creak, you say, "So... I have a little bit of news to tell you! I have not said much, because no one has asked, but it is not really a secret."

(Sugary Sweet): You say, "Cneksdcjkndkjcnsd."

You peer at Caohite unscrupulously.
With a gentle creak, you say, "They are tasty!"

With the exotically lilted accent, Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory says, "They are leaves!"

You quickly devour a platter of deep-fried maple leaves drizzled in maple syrup.

Plucking one sugary leaf between your index finger and thumb, you bite
delicately into the treat, your teeth crunching cleanly through the thin
layer of slightly-salty batter to taste the sweetness beneath. Mild
hints of nectar and umami tantalize your senses, before the rush of
maple syrup concludes your sensory adventure with an overpoweringly
sugary finish. Once you begin to crunch away, you find you cannot stop
and soon enough the platter is bare, save for a sticky, syrupy residue
which you cleanly lick away.

With the exotically lilted accent, Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory says to you, "Tell me, though."

With a gentle creak, you say, "Mm... I do not know the best way to say this. But Gurashi is my dad now! They cannot adopt me for real, but I do not care. So... that is why I call you sibling, or cousin."
You cough softly.
You glance askance.

With a gentle creak, you say, "I um... you seemed like the least likely to be upset."

With the exotically lilted accent, Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory says, "Ah, that is almost as unshocking as finding out that they decided to follow the thousandfold."
Caohite wiggles her fingers threateningly.

You blush furiously.
A tad sheepish, you say, "I have not been hiding it, no. Because I do not want to, and I want to be honest."

You have emoted: Cheliyi fidgets, her branches creaking uneasily. "So... you are not angry?"

Caohite tilts her head, her eyebrows knitted together, "Child, half my days I spend wondering if I would be happier outside of the forest. You finding your parent is nothing terrible." She ruffles a hand through the locs of her hair, "Though I imagine you will have some issues with the elders."

You blink.

With the exotically lilted accent, Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory says, "Do not tell Aunt Tau, or Esei. I do not think you would remain in the forest if they found out."

You hum softly, your leaves resonating in tune with the small set of bone chimes.
With a gentle creak, you say, "... I do not want to lie. But I will not be foolish either and hurt my siblings by leaving."

You hug Caohite compassionately.
With a gentle creak, you whisper, "Thank you for listening, cousin."

With the exotically lilted accent, Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory says to you, "We live in a forest born from transformation, what issue is there in a little extra hard work to get where you wish to be?"
Caohite grins mischievously at you.

You chuckle softly, your leaves rustling with laughter.

Caohite gives you a friendly squeeze.

With the exotically lilted accent, Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory says, "You will be fine. The two of you make each other happy, in the same way they connect with Xenthos."

With a gentle creak, you say, "Dad makes me very happy, yes. I hope Mister Xenthos can be happy with dad again. It may not happen, but I can still hope."
Smiling weakly, you say, "Maybe I can call him Grandthos."

With the exotically lilted accent, Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory says, "Granthos."

(Sugary Sweet): Caohite says, "Chel, have you ever done family relation xenthos xynthin."
(Sugary Sweet): You say, "No??? fncsjkdncjsdnjcksd what does it say."
(Sugary Sweet): Caohite says, "Doo itt."
(Sugary Sweet): Caohite says, "Everyone do it."

---> family relation xenthos xynthin
Xenthos may be his own grandfather. Who knows?

(Sugary Sweet): You say, "FCNKSDNCSDCKLSNDCSD."

With the exotically lilted accent, Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory whispers to you, "Do not tell the others, but Jatius and I are soon to be engaged."

You blink.
You beam broadly at Caohite.
With a gentle creak, you say, "Truly? That is so wonderful!"

With the exotically lilted accent, Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory says, "Though Caohite Mactarbh sounds like a sneeze."

You blink.
Covering your mouth with a mossy palm, you choke back laughter at Caohite.

Caohite plays a rapid succession of tones on a wyrden lyre and hums a single syllable, standing taller and more charismatically.

Caohite furiously plays a wyrden lyre, letting the crescendo build and build. Amazingly, the instrument begins to glow with a soft inner light. Finally, she releases the sound with a dramatic flourish, and gazes meaningfully at a wyrden lyre.

"Ahah!" Caohite exclaims triumphantly.

You hum softly, your leaves resonating in tune with the small set of bone chimes.

With the exotically lilted accent, Wyrden Idolater Caohite Inseira, Umbrated Ivory says to you, "Now! I am off to sit mindlessly in my manse, looking lovely as I do."

You chuckle softly, your leaves rustling with laughter.
You wave goodbye at Caohite.

Caohite hugs you compassionately.
Caohite leaves to the ether, taking with her the thrumming rhythm of the Dark Heart.