TRP: Anwyll and Goro (Seafood)

COYOTE

[DAY: 432. Anwyll visits Raef to meet Tikva. He encounters Goro.]

Tikva was larger than he had imagined. Toddling around on her little legs, grasping at things, babbling happily at him in some mysterious language only children knew. Anwyll listened intently and nodded along, only interrupting her briefly to say, “Mhm,” and, “Ah yes, that makes sense,” and, “Fascinating,” when she looked at him for input.

Eventually, night fell, and it was her bedtime. Anwyll lingered outside, in the garden, as Raef stepped inside with Tikva to put her to sleep. It felt strange to be outside his domain on Patch Island. He had hidden himself there for so long. But now he was somewhat reassured that Pride would not kill him, and he was somewhat reassured things were temporarily peaceful.

LINA

Goro creeped outside, squinting to get a look at Anwyll from afar. And then he came around really wide, keeping a big distance between the two of them, not wanting to startle him. Mainly because sometimes if you startled things, they attacked you. Sometimes they ate you.

He put a hard look on his face so he wouldn't look like a sissy, then stepped out from behind a bush into Anwyll's line of sight.

COYOTE

Anwyll startled a bit. Startling for an ancient, immortal warlock patron, however, didn’t show much; Anwyll remained cool and aloof, not so much as batting an eye. He immediately looked at Goro and watched Goro like a snake spotting prey that had just moved, paying attention to nothing else around him.

Then it passed, and Anwyll made himself look away. The old hungry feelings lingered, but they felt distant now, like they belonged to someone else. “Hello,” Anwyll said pleasantly, because that was how mortals greeted each other.

LINA

"Hi," Goro said grumpily.

COYOTE

“Is she really out of you?” Anwyll came no closer.

LINA

"Yeah," Goro said. "'Least according to Aziz."

COYOTE

“Pardon?”

LINA

"Uh." Goro shifted his weight uncomfortably and scratched his head. "Pride."

COYOTE

Anwyll scoffed.

LINA

Goro frowned and chewed his lip. "What? You got a better vetting process?"

COYOTE

“I could check myself and tell if my brother is a liar. He may be right, sometimes, and perhaps some of his goals are noble, but that he is still a creature of deception.”

LINA

Goro shook his head rapidly, crossing his arms and taking a step back.

COYOTE

“No? Very well. Fair enough.” He hesitated, watching Goro keenly, then said, “I thought I killed you.”

LINA

Goro snorted. "Maybe you did. Maybe I got brought back."

COYOTE

Anwyll seemed puzzled again, briefly, rocking back on his heels. “You can do that?” he asked, watching Goro keenly again. “I knew ancient humans and elves who could raise the dead many centuries ago, but... the magic had been lost, I thought. You lot are full of remarkable little surprises.”

LINA

Goro just frowned again. "I didn't die. But I ain't telling you how I lived, either. You don't gotta know my secrets."

COYOTE

"I could ask Raef," Anwyll said.

LINA

"Raef ain't a snitch," Goro said, not entirely confident about that fact.

COYOTE

Anwyll suppressed a smile. "That is true. He is not."

LINA

Goro frowned, shrinking back a tiny bit. "Is she outta you all the way?"

COYOTE

"I certainly hope so," Anwyll said. "Raef insisted I take a very... long... bath in that pool of water. Frankly, I'm surprised he did not request I gargle it as well." He examined his nails. "I suppose you could try killing me again to see if I resurrect myself."

Then he dropped his hand. He supposed that everyone had been right about Diva, and she... was... a monster. He was not, however, going to say that out loud.

LINA

Goro didn't say anything. He kept giving Anwyll a hard look.

"You made Diva," he said finally. Accusingly.

COYOTE

Anwyll winced. He normally would suppress it, but it eeked through.

LINA

"She's your daughter."

COYOTE

Anwyll drew back. He felt cold and angry, the kind’ve defensive anger when someone struck you somewhere sensitive.

“No,” Anwyll finally said. “She was not a person. She was a monster.”

He folded his arms.

“Not a daughter,” he said, painfully. “I thought she was my daughter, and I thought she was— my girl. But I was mistaken.”

LINA

Goro continued staring, frowning. Then he gave a single nod. "You gonna make any more of those things?"

COYOTE

“Not like her. The process is different. I made her— specially. It was a mistake. But, perhaps, Raef... it would be different.”

LINA

Goro made a face. "You gonna make Raef into one of those things?"

COYOTE

Anwyll pondered this. He disliked being asked this. This boy was prying. A foolish, short-lived mortal. He brooded, narrowing his eyes at Goro. “I don’t want to endanger him or make another mistake,” he said reluctantly. “I will think about it. It may take years for me to decide. And... Raef should make the choice, as well. This is no quick decision.”

LINA

Goro looked Anwyll up and down. It was the first time he'd seen him in human form, not snake. Knowing it was the same creature, though, gave him squirmy feelings. He crossed his arms tighter. "What even are you? I mean, what are you like?"

COYOTE

“I am a fey,” Anwyll said, eyes still narrowed. “I am like a fey. I am old. I am a primal embodiment of the wilds. I cannot lie. You are a mortal. You are like a mortal. You are young,” he said distastefully. “You see things on a small scale, and have big feelings about them.”

LINA

Big feelings. Hell. If that weren't fuckin' true. Goro didn't respond, just stared.

COYOTE

“I doubt this will allay your fears, but... truly, if Raef became a Sin like me, he would not be the same as Diva,” Anwyll said. “Having the mantle of a Sin is just that. It is a mantle. Beneath it, I am Anwyll, and I am a fey. Beneath being Wrath, Raef would still be an elf. But—“

He paused here a long time, seeming reluctant.

LINA

"But?"

COYOTE

“The Glutton was not like that. She was... just... Gluttony. I thought if I made her that way— a pure Sin with no person beneath it, no person to wear the mantle, just the mantle itself— she’d be stronger. And... she was, I suppose. But it worked too well. Indeed, she was not a person. I will never make a creature like her again.”

LINA

Goro let out a mirthless laugh, then sighed. He looked at the dirt under his feet and scuffed one boot against it. "'Kay. Well. Fine." He guessed that was good enough.

COYOTE

He watched Goro. “You would make a good Glutton. She’s left her mark on you, you know. If you wanted more power.” He examined his nails again. “And Pride would allow it, no doubt. He may enjoy his servants becoming more powerful.”

LINA

Goro looked up at him again, scowling. "I ain't a fucking glutton, first of all."

COYOTE

“No? My mistake. I suppose I thought I saw something in you.”

LINA

"Uh huh," Goro said, like it was fucking ridiculous. Made him nervous, though.

COYOTE

“I suppose it does not bear dwelling on, if you are not interested,” Anwyll remarked idly. “Perhaps not you, then. But Raef’s chaver... Hansel... your husband? He would be a good Sloth. And your friend, Larkin. A good Wrath, if Raef lost interest in the role. And Mishka, who snuck into my cave— I suppose there is no Sin of vanity, but he might befit Greed... ah, it’s unimportant. I doubt any of you have any interest in these things, and... I should not make anymore, after what happened.”

LINA

"Stop talking shit about my family!" Goro said, clenching his fists. "Hansel ain't fuckin' lazy, and--and Larkin gets mad, yeah, but for good fuckin' reasons, alright? Mishka ain't greedy, either."

COYOTE

Anwyll waved his hand. “I apologize. I did not mean them as insults. Do you consider it an insult if I say that I am lustful, or Pride is proud?”

LINA

"I'd consider it an insult if it was wrong."

COYOTE

Anwyll chuckled. He considered explaining the various ways that Hansel might embody Sloth, or the powers Hansel might develop as a result. He could do the same with Larkin, and with Mishka. A Sin's powers were typically unique to them. Everyone evolved differently. At least, that was what he had observed, having seen the original Sloth and Gluttony fall, then creating new ones.

Larkin's powers might manifest as her frightening all those around her. Hansel's abilities might manifest as a kind of... emotional heaviness on those around him, spurring them to do whatever it took to make him happy, to lift the weight of guilt and depression. It might manifest as him being able to stop his foes in their tracks, freezing them in place while he ambled over to sink his trident in.

Larkin's blades might burn like acid with every hit, eating away at her enemies until her fury consumed them entirely.

But Anwyll did not have very much interest in debating with mortals. So instead, he briefly focused on his fey aura, strengthening the syrupy magic that surrounded him.

The air became heavy. Any mortal that passed by would smell their favorite scent: Their favorite flower, their favorite memory, the smell of their lover's perfume.

"I think you should calm down," Anwyll said, gently.

LINA

Out of nowhere, Goro felt something strange pass over him. For a second, it was like he was back on the island, at the wedding -- he could smell the sea breeze, wine, chocolate cake; a whiff of Hansel's skin, and the roses in his hair. His heart swelled with happiness, and for just a moment he felt calm.

That wasn't fuckin' right. That wasn't where he was.

Goro blinked a few times. "Hey!" he snapped. "You casting a fuckin' spell on me?"

COYOTE

Anwyll smiled congenially. "Some magic to ease you and calm you down. Much like a man may have a drink of spirits at the end of a long day to bring himself a little peace. I thought perhaps it would help you."

LINA

"I don't fucking want your help. Knock it off."

COYOTE

Anwyll waved his hand and knocked it off.

LINA

Goro scowled.

COYOTE

"I want you to know, I am, genuinely, not going to eat you again," Anwyll said. "And... thank you for assisting with healing me." It was only polite.

LINA

"What do you eat?" Goro asked. Guy had to live off something, and Goro wanted to make sure there was plenty of it to keep him from coming after people again.

COYOTE

"Do you really want to know?"

LINA

"Yeah."

COYOTE

"Food bores me," Anwyll remarked mildly. "Though I do need it to sustain myself. So I typically eat in snake form."

He did not elaborate any further.

LINA

"Yeah, I fuckin' know. I was privy to that in ways I never hoped to be, asshole."

COYOTE

Anwyll looked amused. "I prefer seafood, which is why I enjoy life on Patch Island. I am partial to the crocodiles that live in the swamp nearby, but I've been known to eat other things, when I can catch them. The mortals believe I seduce young men and women at the forest's edge and devour them, but this is only true in the metaphorical sense, and they are free to leave whenever they please."

LINA

"Don't eat people," Goro said.

COYOTE

"Indeed. It is a pretty bad idea. I have tried it several times, and usually they do die, but not until after stabbing my inner stomach lining several times. 'Twas not pleasant."

LINA

Goro started chewing his nails, scowling at Anwyll.

COYOTE

[end]

Title: Anwyll and Goro (Seafood)

Summary: Anwyll and Goro side-eye the fuck out of each other but ultimately seem to make peace.

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