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Oraelia barely had time to take in her surroundings before her name was shouted again. Her eyes immediately found her sister, who was already halfway towards her. [Color=gold]"Gibbou!"[/color] she exclaimed as a smile crept up on her lips, turning into a very large grin. She outstretched her arms, letting go of Genesis' hand, as Gibbou tackled her with a hug. 

[color=tomato][sub]”Uwah-!”[/sub][/color]

[colour=lightblue]“IMISSHDYOOOSHOMACH!”[/colour] Gibbou wailed into Oraelia’s bosom as she rubbed her face against her skin to the extent that the friction could have started wildfires, her arms wrapping around her back like pincers. She tooted her relief upon seeing her in the form of a long, guttural [colour=lightblue]“huuuuuuuu-hu-hu!”[/colour]

Oraelia rubbed her sister's back and head as she let her cry. She really missed her, huh? [Color=gold]"Oh Gibbou, there there. I missed you too. I always do when we're away from one another."[/color] she cooed softly. She went down to her knees with Gibbou, holding her sister close. Why did she seem so… Relieved to see her? It hadn't been that long since they last saw each other. Right?

[colour=lightblue]“Uh--...”[/colour] Gibbou sniffed. [colour=lightblue]“Uh-huh? Yeah, m-me, too.”[/colour] She then stayed the way she was, holding on as though she expected some terrible force to rip Oraelia away again any second. 

[color=tomato]”U-Um,”[/color] A tiny voice came up from next to Gibbou and Oraelia, it was Genesis, twiddling her thumbs as she shyly looked at Gibbou, [color=tomato]”you, um, like the Sun too?”[/color] She asked in time for Moonie, the misshapen ball of clay, to begin floating around Gibbou and prodding her every one in a while.

Oraelia looked over to see Genesis and then said, [color=gold]"Oh yes! Gibbou, say hello to Genesis. She found me when I woke up. I told her I'd protect her from the 'bad men'."[/color] she said, squeezing Gibbou again. She then looked around to survey the area, seeing several gods she had never met before. Most of them taking the form of men.

[color=tomato]”Yeah! Bad men want to eat Genesis. It was veeery scary. Moonie likes Gibbou also, so Genesis thinks Moonie wants to become Gibbou’s friend.”[/color] Genesis explained, drawing closer to the sisters and sitting down on her knees next to them.

Gibbou turned to face the child and blinked. [colour=lightblue]“Oh, hi, Genesis,”[/colour] she mumbled through the sniffs and snot and extended a moist, tear-soaked hand towards her. [colour=lightblue]“I’m Gibbou - your friend Moonie has an awesome name. Say, ‘re you related to the, uh, the big tree, by chance? Met him… Her… It some, uh, millennia back. Nice guy, not as wooden of a personality as I expected.”[/colour] Oraelia furrowed her brow at her sister's mentioning of 'millennia'. Did Gibbou meet the Tree early on in Galbar's development?

[color=tomato]”Big tree! Genesis doesn’t know. Maybe Tree-jack, but...”[/color] Genesis sniffled, [color=tomato]”Tree-Jack died.... while Genesis ran from the bad men. Gibbou, how can Genesis tell if something is a tree or not?”[/color] 

[colour=lightblue]“Oh, uh…”[/colour] Deep in thought, Gibbou loosened her grip around her sister and shuffled her knees a pace closer to Genesis. In the palm over her hand, she conjured forth a tree-like shape made up moondust and held it for Genesis to see. [colour=lightblue]“Here, a tree usually looks like this! Only, y’know, taller… And green… And also brown… Y’know what, the shape is probably what we should focus on.”[/colour]

[color=tomato]”Ooooaah!”[/color] Genesis perked up and tried to grab the little tree, but pouted after her hands just went through the magically held together dust. [color=tomato]”That looks like the big wood things where Genesis plays! Big trees, everywhere! Much bigger than genesis, and more leaves and very strong. Genesis tried to push them but they didn’t move until they wanted to move on their own! Genesis likes Gibbou, she reminds of Gibbi. She used to be Moonie’s makeup person before she did a bad job and the others drowned her.”[/color]

[colour=lightblue]“They drowned poor Gibbi?!”[/colour] Gibbou exclaimed, horrified. [colour=lightblue]“But she only messed up the make-up! I mean, if I had gotten drowned for messing up, I’d be gone already! Why would they do that? How bad did she mess up?”[/colour] Oraelia looked at Gibbou, her face perplexed. Why would she say something like that about herself?

Genesis pouted and nodded vigorously, [color=tomato]”Yep! They pushed Gibbi into the water and she sank. Gibbi only drew a lot of animals and people on Moonie’s face, but they were angry because that made Moonie lose the...”[/color] Genesis trailed off as she looked down at her hands and began counting. After she had counted all 10 fingers, she tilted her head and began counting again…. And again… And again. [color=tomato]”Three ten and fifth beauty page-ant... You see, you see, everyone is jealous of Moonie because she’s so pretty, so when Gibbi made her not pretty, they… were very angry. It was scary. Does Gibbou know how to do makeup? Genesis knows how to do mud makeup.”[/color] Oraelia's heart began to beat faster. That was a lot of pageants. Many more than Genesis had said before. But she was just a child? Who knew if she was being truthful?

[colour=lightblue]“Uh…”[/colour] Gibbou droned curtly and reduced the moondust in her hand to a pile again, adding to it some water and mixing it around with the fingers on her opposite hand. It had a glow to it, almost like the lines all over Gibbou’s face and neck. She formed a playful grin on her lips. [colour=lightblue]“Weeell… I might not make as good earth mud make-up as you, buuut…”[/colour] In a lightning-like motion, she placed a dollop of the moondust slush on the tip of Genesis’ nose. [colour=lightblue]“... I can make moon mud make-up!”[/colour]

Genesis gasped and looked at Gibbou with starry eyes, hopping as close as she could to the Moon Goddess while looking up at her with a massive grin, [color=tomato]”Yay! Yay!!”[/color] She repeated, tapping her small hands on Gibbou’s knees excitedly. Gibbou giggled and began clapping along, spilling moon mud all over the three of them on accident. This only made her laugh more, though, snorts sneaking their way in between the bursts.

Oraelia jumped slightly, lost in her thoughts. She ignored the mud and tried to laugh along but it sounded forced. She then looked at Gibbou and asked, [color=gold]"G-Gibbou… When did you meet the tree again?"[/color] 

The moon goddess’ laughter died down a little as she refocused on her sister’s question, tapping her chin thoughtfully. [colour=lightblue]“I’d say, uh… Shoot, what would it be? Two thousand years ago, give or take a week? My memory from back then is preeeetty fuzzy.”[/colour]

Oraelia's light visibly paled. She remained still for several moments, trying to process what she just heard. [Color=gold]"Two thousand… Years?"[/color] she said shaking. [Color=gold]"No… I wasn't… I couldn't… Have been asleep for that… Long."[/color] she said, gripping her head. [Color=gold]"It took me… And it made me… Oh no. OH NO! No no no."[/color] Oraelia began to cry. 

[color=tomato]”Hey, S-Sun don’t cry, pleaseeee. Genesis is sorry, she won’t be bad. Don’t cry...”[/color] The little plant girl muttered and began sniffling, fresh tears mixing with the moon makeup on her face.

[colour=lightblue]“H-hey, Orey! Orey!”[/colour] Gibbou shuffled back over and pulled her sister into a protective embrace, resting her head upon hers. [colour=lightblue]“I’m so sorry, I completely forgot to ask how you’d been - I didn’t even realise gods experienced the millennia differently. Tell me, sis, what did it make you? What did it do to you?”[/colour]

[Color=gold]I-It took me from L-Lucia and it f-forced me to s-sleep. It's been minutes G-Gibbou."[/color] she cried, holding Gibbou tightly. Gibbou sniffed and nodded.

[colour=lightblue]“I’m so sorry that happened to you, sis… I’ve, uh, heard that sleeping for two thousand years can leave a terrible mark. B-but hey, if, if we’re lucky, Lucia might still be okay! She’s your daughter, right? Something like age shouldn’t keep her down… Right?”[/colour]

Oraelia looked over to Genesis and outstretched her hand which Genesis immediately held onto. She gave a reassuring squeeze to the small plant. [Color=gold]"Don't cry, you did nothing wrong sweetheart. Sun is just having a bad moment."[/color] she sniffled looking to Gibbou. [Color=gold]"You… You think so? She'll have been so alone… And scared and angry…"[/color] she broke down again.

[colour=lightblue]“She, uh… She might’ve had Inky with her! No, wait, that’s not his name, uh… Meghan? No, Meghzaal! Yeah, she might’ve had him with her! According to Cadien, mortals could apparently reach us through thoughts or something, so she might’ve had a conversation partner in him?”[/colour] She shrugged while still holding her protectively.

[color=tomato]”What is a mortal?”[/color] Came Genesis’ sudden question in her quivering voice.

[colour=lightblue]“Mortals are, well, mortals,”[/colour] Gibbou explained as though it was a truth of the universe. She wrinkled her nose as she looked for a better definition. [colour=lightblue]“They are similar to us in shape and form… Or not at all, from what I’ve stumbled upon, actually. I guess it depends and--...”[/colour] A pause as she reassumed her positioning to cradle Oraelia even better.[colour=lightblue] “They’re things made by the gods that think and know about us - they don’t have divine powers and they cannot live forever, though.”[/colour] She planted a kiss on Oraelia’s scalp. [colour=lightblue]“But Lucia’s different, you hear? She’s alive.”[/colour]

[Color=gold]"Mortals are precious things, Genesis. With their own lives and feelings and thoughts. They're beautiful and for two thousand years… I failed them."[/color] she said softly. [Color=gold]"I hope you're right, Gibbou, I do. Now how do I get back to Galbar? I have to go find her."[/color] Oraelia said, trying to stand.

Gibbou released her, but remained vigilant as she chose her next words: [colour=lightblue]“Well… Here’s the thing…”[/colour]

Oraelia paused and looked Gibbou, realization dawning upon her. She began to shake her head. [Color=gold]"No. No no no. Why? Why-"[/color] she said, covering her mouth. Gibbou rose to soothe her some more.

[colour=lightblue]“Cadien says it’s the Lifeblood keeping us out. We don’t know why yet, but… Well, I’ve been trying for two thousand years to get back down there. It hasn’t worked once.”[/colour] Seeing her sister’s mood worsen, she added, [colour=lightblue]“B-but don’t lose hope yet! We might have a solution!”[/colour] She looked down at Genesis. [colour=lightblue]“This one might be nice for you, too, to hear about.”[/colour]

[color=tomato]”Okay.”[/color] Genesis responded, turning a little to look at Gibbou.

Oraelia perked up slightly. [Color=gold]"Any good news would help."[/color] she mourned.

[colour=lightblue]“Soooo, a while ago--...”[/colour] She stopped herself mid-sentence, a film of sweat forming on her skin. She cleared her throat. [colour=lightblue]“... I, uhm… -Made- a mortal to keep me company throughout those two thousand years, and, as you do, gifted him part of my soul to keep him immortal and give him divine powers. Sure, he bailed on me…”[/colour] Gibbou paused as though admitting that stung more than she had expected. [colour=lightblue]“... B-but he could actually teleport back to Galbar without issue. Now, Cadien thinks - always Cadien, I know - he thinks that we could use this idea to make a whole new group of mortals--... No, wait… God-like mortals, I guess, to represent us on Galbar! Smart, right?”[/colour]

Oraelia listened intently, her face blank as she did. She noted her sister's pause before wiping away her tears and frowning. [Color=gold]"You were so lonely weren't you… Oh I'm so sorry Gibbou. I should have fought it…"[/color] she muttered. [Color=gold]"That doesn't sound so hard to do. A being with a sliver of our souls. Has anyone else attempted to make one?"[/color] she asked.

[colour=lightblue]“N-not to my knowledge.”[/colour]

[Color=gold]"Well… Shouldn't be too hard right? Was it difficult Gibbou?"[/color] she inquired.

[colour=lightblue]“Nah, I didn’t do much else other than imagining the mortal to have some divine power. [i]Poof![/i] He got them.”[/colour]

[color=tomato]”Like how Genesis made the second Sun and the sky and the land?”[/color] Genesis asked as she looked at Oraelia, then began chewing on her index finger absentmindedly. 

Oraelia gave a small smile as she looked at a Genesis. [Color=gold]"Exactly like that sweetie."[/color] Oraelia then gave Gibbou a big hug and said, [color=gold]"I'm proud of you. You've saved my sanity again, sis."[/color]

Gibbou smiled, though something was dissonant about it. She squeezed her sister back without issue, however, and said, [colour=lightblue]“No problem, Orey! That’s what I’m here for!”[/colour] There was a pause. [colour=lightblue]“So, are we all feeling better?”[/colour]

Oraelia narrowed her eyes slightly, as if to say something but she shrugged it off. Instead she sighed before giving a shrug. [Color=gold]"About as good as I can be with all of this. Two thousand years… It's a very long time."[/color] she said sadly.

[color=tomato]”Gibbou and Sun are making weird faces, like,”[/color] Genesis said and made a weird smile and then a strange frown, then topped it off with a genuinely worried look.

[colour=lightblue]“We are?”[/colour] asked Gibbou with a twisted frown.

[color=tomato]”Uh-huh.”[/color] Genesis nodded, her face still proudly caked in moon dust.

[Color=gold]"It's just stress, Genesis honey. I'm sorry, I just need to calm down and relax."[/color] Oraelia said.

[colour=lightblue]“Y-yeah! That’s it. Say, Genesis, how about we let Orey relax for a bit while we work on our make-up skills, hmm?”[/colour]

The girl pursed her lips and seemed to have trouble deciding whether to look at Oraelia or Gibbou, her gaze shifting between the two several times before she settled on Gibbou and once more scooted up to her, trying to squeeze herself into the tight space between the sisters. [color=tomato]”Genesis wants to be pretty like Gibbou and Sun.”[/color] She said quietly.

[colour=lightblue]“O-oh, y-you do?”[/colour] Gibbou blushed and brushed some of her nightblue hair behind her ear. [colour=lightblue]“I’m not… I’m not -that- pretty, really. Oraelia’s what you should strive to look like!”[/colour] She offered the two of them each a grin.

Oraelia leaned her head on Gibbou's shoulder and gave another sigh. [Color=gold]"Some things haven't changed, I see. I wish you would stop comparing yourself to me, Gib. You're as equally beautiful now as the day I first saw you, love."[/color]

[colour=lightblue]“Heh, no, naaw… You’re just saying that,”[/colour] she replied with an almost sharp, finalising tone to punctuate the subject. Oraelia pulled away and looked at her sister. She opened her mouth to say something but instead closed it.

Genesis’s gaze once more shifted between the two sisters as they took turns speaking, then piped in herself. [color=tomato]”What is love? Genesis thought about this word before but it’s weird. I thought about two of my friends hugging and then the others tore them apart so they cried very much. Genesis tried to tell them that they could make more friends but they just cried and said the other was the only one and that they were in love. Why? It confused Genesis.”[/color]

[Color=gold]"There are many kinds of love, Genesis. It's like this warm fuzzy feeling in your heart, the kind when you look at someone and would do anything for them. Or the type of love where you have to love yourself for who you are. Not who you aren't."[/color] she said, looking at Gibbou with soft eyes.

[color=tomato]”Ooh...”[/color] Cooed Genesis almost inaudibly.

[colour=lightblue]“Yeah,”[/colour] Gibbou added sheepishly, [colour=lightblue]“something like that.”[/colour]

Then, something sparkled in Genesis’s eyes, and she perked up and stared at Gibbou, loose fists over her mouth. Gibbou stared back, curious at first, then somewhat defensively as time passed. [color=tomato]”Love! Like ‘Cadian’ and Gibbou! They talk a lot so they are very good friends! Gibboou, do friends hug like Genesis and Sun? What is a kiss? Why does Genesis think of friends wanting to lay in bed with other friends? Genesis wants to know!”[/color]

[colour=lightblue]“WH-WH-WH-WHERE DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THAT?!”[/colour] Gibbou exclaimed with cheeks red like underripe plums. [colour=lightblue]“I-I-I-I do -NOT- love Cadien! Not at all! Nope! Nada! And you’re not old enough to know what kissing is yet, young lady!”[/colour]

[color=tomato]”B-But-”[/color] Genesis started, then turned to look at Oraelia pleadingly. [color=tomato]”Sun, w-why is Gibbou so red? Did Genesis say something bad? Why can’t Genesis know about kissing? Genesis wants Gibbou to love her more than she loves Cadian.”[/color] She said with a quivering lip.

Oraelia suppressed a laugh before saying, [color=gold]"Genesis. It's not polite to assume that Gibbou loves Cadien. And it's not fair to think that Gibbou doesn't love you less or more then anyone else. And kissing is… Well… It's something you do to show you like, or love a person. Here."[/color] Oraelia bent down and placed a quick kiss on Genesis' right cheek, eliciting a little squeal of happiness from the little plant.. [Color=gold]"You see? I love you. Now you can't just go up to anyone and kiss them on the cheek alright? You have to get to know them first and make sure they aren't bad."[/color]

[color=tomato]”Okay! Okay!”[/color] Repeated Genesis as she began practicing her technique immediately, kissing the air numerous times before glancing at Gibbou sheepishly. [color=tomato]”Uuum, Genesis is sorry for… ass-u-ming. S-She just wanted Gibbou to play with her every day. Genesis loves Gibbou and Sun.”[/color]

[colour=lightblue]“Oh, aren’t you just the cutest, little--...”[/colour] Gibbou picked her up and sat her on her lap, running her fingers through her leafy hair as the girl giggled. [colour=lightblue]“It’s fine, it’s fine. I suppose it could come off like that, that I like Cadien in that way - but I don’t, okay? And don’t tell him I do, please - that would cause confusion.”[/colour]

[color=tomato]”Okay! Genesis will be a good girl.”[/color]

[Color=gold]"It warms my heart to see the both of you like this."[/color] Oraelia said, smiling genuinely. [Color=gold]"It makes me know things will be okay."[/color]

[color=violet]“Did someone mention my name?”[/color] a familiar baritone voice asked, as Cadien landed nearby.

[color=tomato][sub]”Eek!”[/sub][/color]

 [color=violet]“Hello, sorry to interrupt!”[/color] the God said as he stepped closer to the group. [color=violet]“Just had a quick delivery to make.”[/color]

[colour=lightblue]“C-Cadien!”[/colour] Gibbou squealed and hid her face behind her hands. [colour=lightblue]“Oh, y-you’re not interrupting. We were just, uh… Talking.”[/colour]

[color=violet]“Ah, good!”[/color] The god smiled, before turning to look at Genesis, who was still some distance away. [color=violet]“You there, little one. Apologies for the earlier misunderstanding. Now, I do believe you dropped this…”[/color] Kneeling, the god reached into his pouch, pulled out the newly mended form of Tree-Shaquiloneal, and held it out to her.

Genesis pressed herself against Gibbou, the Moon Goddess essentially feeling every panicked heartbeat and twitch the little girl suffered through as Cadien drew closer. As soon as he showed the figurine to Genesis however, she froze and slowly, very slowly looked straight up at Gibbou’s face, then back at the figurine. [color=tomato]”B-But, Genesis thought Tree-Jack was dead… How…? Is the bad giraffe man a death spirit? Did he steal Tree-Jack’s soul and put it into a robot body?! The giraffe man wanted to eat Genesis and when she escaped, he ate Tree-Jack’s old body instead??”[/color] She asked, starting to hyperventilate her eyes became watery and extra reflective as she lifted her gaze to meet Cadien’s, about to cry.

Gibbou protectively embraced Genesis and looked her in the eyes as calmly as she could. “Woah, woah, woah, c’mere, Genny - now, tell big sister Gibbou who this giraffe man is, okay, so we’ll make sure he can never, ever eat you up, hmm?” She eyed Cadien somewhat suspiciously in the meanwhile.

[color=tomato]”I-It’s him, he’s the giraffe man! Very tall, jumps around and leans close to Genesis so he can eat her leaves! Scary, scaryy...”[/color] She repeated, then fell silent and her gaze settled on Tree-Shaquiloneal.

Cadien shook his head. More confused than nervous, he went on: [color=violet]“I only wanted to make sure you were alright… child... and then you ran away. You dropped… uh, ‘Tree-Jack’, so I figured I would put it back together and return it to you. I never intended to eat you.”[/color]

The girl made a little worried sound and looked into Cadien’s confused eyes, [color=tomato]”Y… You promise?”[/color] She asked quietly, growing a little more relaxed as she looked at Tree-Shaquiloneal again and hesitantly reached out to him, her hands hovering just a few inches from the figurine for the longest time.

Realizing she was waiting for some sort of confirmation, Cadien nodded. [color=violet]“I promise,”[/color] he said, somewhat awkwardly. Genesis huffed in acknowledgement and pressed her lips together, stretching them into a thin nervous line. Finally, in a flash of movement, she grabbed Tree-Jack and held him close to her chest. 

[color=tomato]”Um...”[/color] She began, wiped her teary eyes, sniffled and gave Cadien a small smile. [color=tomato]”T… Thank you, Giraffe Man. Not bad anymore… Tree-jack is safe too… He’s very very strong you see! But even he can break when very very scared… Genesis is sorry, um… For calling Giraffe Man bad.”[/color]

Cadien shrugged. [color=violet]“It was a confusing time, I’m sure. Think nothing of it. Though, in the future… do try to avoid throwing dirt at people.”[/color] He rose to his feet, then nodded to Gibbou and Oraelia. [color=violet]“Well, I think that should be all. Mm’kay, bye!”[/color] and with those words he leapt off into the distance.

After a few seconds, Genesis turned to the sisters and spoke. [color=tomato]”Can Giraffes jump like Bunnies?”[/color]

[Hider=Summary]
Oraelia and Gibbou reunite. Genesis is introduced and Gibbou and Genny bond. Oraelia slowly has a breakdown as she learns she's been asleep for 2k years. Gib soothes Oraelia and Oraelia soothes Genesis. They talk some more about ‘avatars’ and Oraelia gets some hope after she learns she can’t go back to Galbar. Gib keeps putting herself down as Oraelia plays mom to Genesis, and mom to Gib. Eventually Cadien shows up and delivers that stick thing to Genesis. I probably forgot something.

NO MP SPENT
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