Xiaoli sat on a round rock next to the large black platform, her head propped up on her two fists and an uncertain frown about her face. She found herself flickering between the platform and the crooked woods behind her, as if painful memories shook morale hard enough to consider retreat. Her eyes locked onto the platform for a moment longer than usual. It had an oppressive presence about it, not at all like its creator. In that respect, perhaps, her own creator had a tendency to make things that acted and looked quite similar to himself - wealthy, fruitful… Opulent. Not at all like the holy K’nell’s wild variety of benevolence and malevolence.

“Arya will be here to see us off soon,” Hermes mentioned idly as she pushed through some underbrush. She was dressed in the leather adventuring clothes from her wedding day, her Narzhakian club set on her back, a long curved sheath on her belt, and her Abanocian bag slung over her shoulder. She stepped up to the rock and put her hands on her hips, “Wen Wen stopped by the estate after you left.” Her brow furrowed as her eyes flickered over Xiaoli’s face, “Are you alright?”

Xiaoli blinked back to the present and gave Hermes a reassuring smile. “Yeah! Yeah, just thinking a bit.” There was a pause. “Hermes, do you… Do you think we are better prepared now than we were last time? For a whole new quest, I mean.”

“We are a lot… different than we used to be,” Hermes nudged Xiaoli and the river girl shifted, giving Hermes enough room to sit next to her. She turned her head to Xiaoli and smiled, “Back then I was… brash, emotional -- well more than now at least. Easy to anger, slow to think. And you…” Her voice trailed as she stared at Xiaoli, suddenly flashing a sheepish smile.

“... And I?” Xiaoli muttered and raised a brow. However, it quickly broke apart with a chuckle and the river girl twiddled her thumbs a bit. “We’ll see how much I have changed in that aspect, I suppose. Suppose a mother’s sternness isn’t of much use inside what could potentially be a nightmarish dreamscape - a fit of berserking in case you get hurt, however…” She made a playful smirk which fell apart rather swiftly. “Pardon, I should not be joking about that.”

“Oh Xiaoli,” Hermes draped an arm over her wife’s shoulders, “You just do what you did to that tree a long time ago, and I think we may be the most dangerous thing in Limbo.” 

“Oh, gods, I didn’t wanna remember that scene, but I reminded myself of it and now all I feel is shame…” She dug her face into Hermes’ shoulder and groaned. “Sweetgrass, please stay safe. I don’t want to break the dreamscape completely.”

“Don’t be ashamed, love, that was so long ago,” Hermes threaded a finger through Xiaoli’s hair, “As I said: we are very different people now and to think, this time we at least have K’nell’s blessing.”

At this, Xiaoli nodded with increasing enthusiasm. “Yeah… Yeah, I suppose so.” With that, she got to her feet, dusted herself off and held out a hand to Hermes. “Shall we commence this quest, then?”

Two long shadows suddenly descended upon the clearing, growing smaller as they came until two figures could be seen touching ground right in front of the pair. Arya beamed a smile at the two as her feet met grass. She wore a simple blue dress, her hair curled down her back and the sword Wreanun, floated beside her. Laurien smiled warmly at the pair. She wore shengese attire with her hair let down loose as she always did. Before anyone could say anything, Arya attacked the two with a fierce hug, enveloping the both of them in her grasp.

[Color=ivory]"Oh how I'll miss you both!"[/color] she said.

“That was rather immediate,” Xiaoli teased playfully before her eyes fell on the sword. “What is that?”

Hermes squeaked from the sudden impact, but then let out an embarrassed smile, “Oh right,” She patted Arya off of her, eyes flitting to the sword, “I never did get to hear what that was all about, after all.” 

[Color=ivory]"A gift from father. Wreanun-"[/color] she out held her hand and the sword shot into it. There was a bright flash before them and when in faded Arya was covered in white armor, save her head. There was a childish smile on her face as she said, [color=ivory]"Is his name. He and I are going to do great things."[/color] she said excitedly.

Hermes nearly jumped at the sudden flash, giving a weak smile, “Okay, but please try not to startle the Warden, you know how he can be. Erm.” She shifted, eyes on the sword, “And stay safe, okay?”

Xiaoli stood humming as she ran her eyes up and down with a look that leaned towards disapproval. She tried her best to hide it and nodded at Hermes. “Yeah, like she said, please stay safe. We will be back in no time.”

Her enthusiasm faltered at her mother's looks. She let her arms fall to her sides, letting Wreanun float beside her. [Color=ivory]"Oh… Of course."[/color] she said sheepishly. 

Hermes sighed, the exhale turning her lips into a warm smile. She flicked her eyes away from the sword and back at Arya, “Good, now give your moms another hug and then go be the best adventurer out there -- you can tell me what you’ve done while I was gone. Oh! Do you remember our martial dance?”

[Color=ivory]"Of course I do… but wait. Didn't you have some questions for me or something like that?"[/color] Arya said, giving a hug to Hermes. Laurien then approached Xiaoli and bent down to give her a hug, she then whispered, [color=plum]"I'll keep her safe, don't worry."[/color]

“Oh,” Hermes leaned out of the hug, “I just wanted to tell you that I love you but didn’t want to embarrass you in front of your dad, and also -- could you look after the estate? You don’t have to stay there, but now and again make sure it isn’t in flames, maybe?” 

[Color=ivory]"Oh… Um. I…"[/color] she started looking away. [Color=ivory]"This isn't easy to say but… We're leaving."[/color] she said sadly.

“Oh,” Hermes chewed on her cheek, “I can have Wen-Wen do it I suppose, but when are you getting back?”

“And where are you going?” Xiaoli added with her hands on her hips. 

Arya shrugged looking at Xiaoli, [color=ivory]"There's a place we have to go to first. The Eye of Desolation, then probably the vast continent south of it, or Kalgrun. Wherever mortals are. We're founding orders, to protect people. I'm not sure when we'll be back, but it won't be years like last time. I promise that."[/color] 

Then Laurien said, [color=plum]"I know where most places are on Galbar, the Eye is my first home. It'll be an easy journey. And, this time Arya has me for the long haul. We'll be safer than most, I can assure you that."[/color] she said to the both of them.

Xiaoli put her hand on her chin. “Well, according to His Lordship, there are apparently mortals on the Foot and Atokhekwoi, though he has never actually seen them. As for the other places, well, one would have to look for themselves.” She smiled sweetly, pulled Arya down to her height and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She did the same to Laurien. “You truly are our daughters with that kind of wanderlust in your veins.”

[Color=ivory]"So I've heard! I think they're called Selka or something along those lines."[/color] Arya said smiling. 

Lauren then bent down to hug Hermes. She held her for a moment and said, [color=plum]"I'm sorry about yesterday. I was not in the right mind with fathers arrival. You didn't deserve the silent treatment, mom."[/color]

"It's okay, love," Hermes squeezed Laurien, "I understand… But seriously if I don't hear from you two in at least a year, I'm putting my sandals on." She gave them a pointed look but her smile betrayed pride at the sight before her.

With a happy sigh, Laurien took her place beside Arya as the two sisters looked at their mother's. [Color=ivory]"I'd expect nothing less, mom. Now, you two be careful. That place is… Well you know better than I. I love you both, so so much, watch each other's backs, there's a lot of people waiting for you out here."[/color] Arya said on the verge of tears.

[Color=plum]"Thank you for everything. I'm honored to be called daughter. I love you guys, please be safe."[/color] Laurien said, with a sad smile.

“Don’t worry. Your mother has me to protect her, after all,” Xiaoli said with a smile. “We’ll be fine!”

"And your other mother has me to look after her," Hermes shot Xiaoli a slick grin before looking back at her daughters, "Will you two be needing the flute?"

Arya shook her head, [Color=ivory]"No, I don't think so. Besides, I'll feel better if the others have it. Oh…"[/color] she said sadly, [color=ivory]"We haven't said goodbye to them yet… That'll be… Hard."[/color] she said.

“You mean little Qin?” Xiaoli asked.

[Color=ivory]"Y-Yeah."[/color] she said beginning to cry.

Xiaoli sighed sympathetically and went over to hug her. “It’s never easy leaving a friend, particularly one as sweet as Lai Qin. However, you have a new mission now, as you said, and Qin will hear of all your glory and heroism as she grows up. Who knows? She might even come join you in time.”

"Don't forget to say goodbye to the twins either," Hermes patted Arya's back and looked over at Laurien, "Chaggie and Wen Wen are all worried about you two."

Arya nuzzled into Xiaoli's shoulder before saying, [color=ivory]"That… That would be nice."[/color]

[Color=plum]"We'll go see the twins, and everyone else too."[/color] Laurien said with sad eyes.

Hermes gave Arya one more pat on her shoulder, and then Laurien. With a smile she sighed and turned to the black stone platform, "I suppose we should get going…" Her voice trailed with her gaze, the weavers flitting across the dim atmosphere of the glade. Xiaoli nodded agreeingly.

“Yes, this task will only finish as quickly as we work, after all,” she said with a wry smile.

[Color=ivory]"Well,"[/color] Arya began, backing up to stand before them, [color=ivory]"Don't let us keep you."[/color] she said sadly.

[Color=plum]"Farewell, mothers. May your journey be swift."[/color] Laurien said, slightly bowing.

"Just don't make me chase you down when I get back," Hermes wagged a finger as she took a wide step up ontop of the platform. Her other hand reached out for Xiaoli's, which accepted it eagerly. With a final look, the dreamer turned to her daughters, and then a great flash.

[Hider=Aw, shiet, here we go again]
Xiaoli sits comparing K’nell’s gateway to Limbo to Shengshi’s stuff when Hermes comes over and says Arya will be there any moment, following up with a “xiaoli are you okay?” Xiaoli is okay, she is okay, Hermes. They sit and wait, does an angel contemplate their fates? They talk about their youth adventures and how this’ll be a new experience considering the amount of time that has passed since the last time. Arya and Laurien come, they say their goodbyes, Arya announces they’re going on knightquest. Hugs, kisses, well-wishing and all, then Xiaoli and Hermes hop onto the platform and Goku out of there.
[/hider]

[Hider=prestige]

Hermes;

Start: 27
+1 for Minor role.
+1 for Major role.
+1 for following a quest
+1 joyous collaboration.
End: 31

Arya: The Learner, The Martial Dancer, The Compassionate, The Wanderer, The Teacher, The Sailor, Last of the Zhengwu
+27 Prestige Starting
+1 For Minor Role
+1 For Major role
+1 For Jolly Collaboration
= +30 Prestige Ending

[/hider]


[hider=Shengshese parenting 101] 
“And where are you going?” Xiaoli added with her hands on her hips. “Doctor school? You better. You A-rya, not B-rya.”
[/hider]