Star Bright [Deshi]

The harsh coldness and the steep dips of the mountains were enough to keep most at a distance. Most took to only observing their majestic beauty, but never daring to approach or climb the behemoths from the heavens. However, there were some brave souls that preferred to play or explore them, giving their lives over to the gods in exchange for the chance to find something beyond words and comprehension and perhaps live to tell tale. For some this thing was glory, for others the thrill, but for the wolf that carefully moved up the mountain today it was for satisfying the undying thirst for knowledge that had seeped into his mind long ago and only grew deeper as he drifted from place to place alone.

His paws would sink into the snow, the cold hardly bothering the thick pads or thick fur that surrounded him as his violet red eyes glanced around the white landscape that stretched on for miles. He had been steadily making his way up the mountains, slipping only once, but thankful not into harm’s arms. He had been following an undefined path, his only guide the trolley line that steadily went up the steep peaks. It would take him a while but in time he would finally reach the tops he sought, the biting wind up here enough to make even him bow his head to the winds as they passed by. On a bit more solid ground, the wolf continued up the sloping grounds until he came to a stop as he spotted a strange structure in the distance. Narrowing his eyes, he would see that the structure was maybe some form of observatory or maybe something else. Whatever it was, it was an attractive and odd piece on the mountain, so being curious as ever he would approach making sure to shift back into his human form well before he reached the entrance.

As he approached the entrance he would find himself greeted by a girl that seemed more aquatic designed than one designed for the mountains. Either way, she was friendly enough and asking for an ID. “Oh, sure.” His voice was soft and calm as usual, but loud enough to be heard. To be honest….he had almost forgotten about that strange item he had received when he first came into this place. Carefully reaching into his clothing, he would grab the thin chain it was on and then stepping a bit closer, he’d present it to the girl. As he did he would ask a question. “You said this is Queen Aurora's Observatory. Is that the name of the place or does royalty actually reside here?” Now wouldn’t that be something?  

Stength:

He would let the girl take his ID waiting patiently enough as she filled out whatever paperwork she needed to fill out. As she did this, his eyes would take to observing the magnificent structure wondering who could’ve made such a thing; however, before his mind could go too far the girl was completing her task and answering his question. “No I am afraid not.” Even as well traveled as he was, the chances of him meeting a queen was low, even lower considering what he was in reality...That aside, it seemed that this queen was not only a creative individual, but perhaps had something more to her. In the end, what he heard made him curious of the woman.
“She seem impressive woman despite what has happened. I’ll be sure to pay my respects to her if I do run into her,” He would pause to take back his ID and the slip she gave him. “Thank you, Miss…?” he would trail off as he tilted his head at her to see if she would give her name.

Whether she did or not, he would eventually bid the girl farewell with a light nod to her wave before making his way towards the door and after presenting the man waiting at the door with the pass, he would enter the observatory to see what it all had to offer. Tragic tale...ripped from her world, the words repeated in his head as he moved making him wonder if he met the Queen if he could confirm on his own whether she and he had common grounds. Or was this another mystery he would not get an answer to?

“I’ll take your word for it and the pleasure was mine Ms. Sake,” the demon said before bidding the girl farewell and making his way into observatory. When entering an observatory one expected to find various information, charts, and perhaps even tools that were used by the owner or the ones running their research within such a place; however, this is not what greeted the demon’s eyes as he stepped into the place. Instead, he found himself pausing to reorient himself as suddenly he felt very small and insignificant in a world that was clearly designed for a being or beings much larger than him. The large manor and this endless stretch of stars. It was intimidating and scary and yet for this demon also intriguing. While his steps were slower he did venture further in looking around the place in quiet awe. How was it that something like this existed in a space that seemed so much smaller on the outside? It was amazing really, but something he only studied for a brief moment as he stepped foot into a plaza and within that plaza he found a screen...and before that screen?

A giantess? The demon would halt to observe this creature. He had heard of giants, but in his travels he never encountered one alive. Only the remains of these creatures could be found. He had often wondered what they looked like in the flesh and now he was before one. The encounter was humbling and reminded the demon just why he held so much respect for the creatures that gods created.

Shaking himself from his slight daze, he would pull himself together. The last thing he wanted was to seem like was disrespectful for staring. With his head back on straight, the demon would shift from his spot and drift over to the woman stopping a respectful distance off to her side as his eyes looked first up at her and then the things which seemed to be studying intently. Those were star maps? Huh. Did she have an interest in the stars or was there more to this place and those maps than he thought? Well he most certainly wouldn’t find out anything by being quiet now would he? Well, how to start? Hmm…

“Hello, my lady. I hope I am not intruding on your studies,” he would begin in a voice still soft, but loud enough for the other to hear. His tone remained respectful and humble as he looked up at her slightly, but did not bow. That was something he would not be doing. He hoped the other wouldn’t take offense if she was the queen spoken of.

The demon would make his greeting, but take note the woman did not answer right away. Taking a chance to glance up again, he would see she was still engrossed in her study of the star charts she had, her expression seeming to change to one of sadness the more she studied them. Staying quiet the demon would frown behind his mask as he tilted his head to the left curious as to what was wrong, even more so since whatever was happening seemed make her cry and sigh, the area around them trembling with the sound.

As she turned to him and gave him that tired smile and spoke, the demon would find himself shaking his head slightly. “I didn’t want anything in particular. I was curious as to what this magnificent structure was,” he would begin in friendly tones, but then raising his left hand, he place a finger on the chin of his mask as he blinked up at the woman, his demeanor changing from calm to a bit concern as could be heard in his voice when he spoke again. “Though...I have to wonder what is about the stars that makes my lady so sad.” Was he perhaps overstepping his boundaries too soon? Perhaps, but he could not ignore that tear...that sadness.

As the woman hummed and the air around them shook, the wolf like demon found the sound a bit intense, but bearable enough to his sensitive hearing. He found with a bit of tilting of the head he could filter the sound just right to make the sound easy versus painful to him. Outside of slight movement the demon wouldn't show any signs of discomfort as he watched the woman stand, instinctively taking a few steps away so he could see her better. She was even larger than her initial position revealed...and yet, still he wasn't scared of her as he listened to what she had to say.

“You catalog all the stars you’ve seen? Well gauging from your collection how many stars do you have? How many worlds has this place passed through?” he would ask curious like a child at this information. Maybe he couldglean something new about this place from it. Or maybe he would be more in the dark than before. Either way, he still wanted to hear what the giantess was willing to share. Speaking of sharing, it seem the next topic was a bit heavier than the last.

The demon would take in her reply, lifting his eyes to the stars as the woman next to him moved her arm and in turn the skies above shifted to something entirely different. “It’s a beautiful place,” the demon said as he gazed at the stars and planets that were there. It was truly unlike anything else he had seen before. Too bad that the view caused so much pain to his companion and soon was disappearing from sight. The demon closed his eyes engraving the sight in his mind before looking back at the woman as she sighed again.

“I am not sure how to bring you comfort or hope, but surely even a place like this has to circle around to where it visited before or have some kind of exit, no?” The demon would ask, his voice soft, caring, and concerned for the other. There was always a way to get back home right? Even if one felt stuck...one could escape. That option was always there. Somewhere, right?

The demon would look up at the other as she looked down at him with a hum before sitting down. He would see her hand moving towards the screen though for what reason he did not know as he waited patiently for what she had to say. To what he heard the demon found himself, looking away as a frown formed under his mask. A gloved hand would move to scratch at his head as he hummed at that one. "That seems to be a terrible fate....to be stolen away and then trapped here for 100 of years. Bound to watching the skies that aren't your own...." the demon would look down at the ground deeply troubled by this one. "If Junction is like a gap in space that has no time.....then I wonder what it is that keep it that way." The demon would mutter before falling silent in deep thought. What he was hearing seemed impossible, but even so...there had to be a reason to it all right?

The demon would pull himself from his thoughts enough to give the other a light nod to her thank you, but then found himself falling into thought once more at the next thing he heard. "No one knows how it works?" he would ask and then shake his head a bit. "That seems a bit bizarre. To not know have the slightest clue as to how it works, even with research. There are no records or clues as to how this place came about? Or maybe who created this place or for what purpose?" A city this old had to have some clues lying about. Maybe people were looking in the wrong place or needed a fresh pair of eyes to see what they could not. There had to be an answer. As for the rest of what was said, the demon would look up at the giantess once more. "Maybe you won't have to wait for that day. Maybe by digging myself, I can find something others could not and in turn figure out a way to get you back home. I can't guarantee I would succeed, but I want to try," the demon paused a bit as he cautiously reached out to rest a hand on her arm if allowed. "Try to figure out this place and bring joy back to you and many others like you.." The last words were spoken with gentleness, but also a determination that suggested he would not give up on even this impossible task. All he needed was for people to believe in him and some leads that could get him started on this seemingly foolish quest.

"Hell. That is certainly a way of putting things into perspective," the demon would say as he watched the giantess. He could tell she did not like this place and maybe for some such as her this place really was that -- an intriguing, unique, maybe even beautiful place that was actually hellish torment underneath. The view point was indeed jarring in comparison to another he had heard, but it was these contradictions that only made that desire to find out more about this place and crack its mystery burn even more.

Despite that desire, the demon remained very calm as he listened to the way the other described time in this place. It ticked on and yet no one knew how it work? "...A mystery no one knows how to solve yet." He would say as his eyes shifted to the screen as the view changed with a wave of the elegant woman's hand. He would study the stars not minding being observed by the giantess. When she spoke again, the demon would look up at her as he took in what the woman had to say. As he heard the information and the other offered him the letter, the demon would take it from her with both hands a sign of deep respect in his culture at least. "Qinus-Axia," he would repeat and then with a nod he'd carefully stash the letter in his clothing as he looked back up at the lady. "Thank you for the information, but where shall I find this friend of yours?" he would ask his voice as steady as ever and his eyes honest. He really wanted to figure the matter out not only to free the woman before him, but perhaps others like her and perhaps do even more....like expand his own knowledge and maybe quench the burning desire for more and more knowledge to satisfy his curiosity.

That aside the next set of words caused him to smile under his mask, the warmth there easily radiating from his eyes that could be seen. "Thank you for doing that. It means than you know," the demon would say humbly before continuing. "Then I'll see what I can do for you all. Junction...it already seems to have many faces to discover." Beauty and beast. Paradise and Hell. Just what was this place of contradictions really? A question the demon hoped to answer one day, but until then he would do his best to keep the hope this one placed him alive. He would end the suffering...somehow, but first a simple reminder of a common courtesy he had forgotten to give earlier.

“Oh,” the demon would chuckle a bit as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “My name is Siku, my lady.”