ORIGIN - Let's dance in tandem, sing our our final requiem

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Juniper was quiet, her pretty pink eyes focused on Vicktor as he spoke. She looked down and bumped her head into his chest, setting her paw atop his gently.

"Promise... promise you won't hurt anyone else," she said softly, "B-because you don't have to. Surely if we treat everyone with kindness and respect, they won't want to behave so poorly anymore."

She lifted her paw to wipe her teary eyes, unable to stop herself from crying just a bit more.

"I'm sure the world has changed... for the better, even! Yes, we can go back and apologize to Porkchop a-and make sure he's okay, but that's just a step, right?", she said, looking up at him, her ears down, expression unsure.

"You have to be like that always-", she said, and then she coughed, her clogged throat making it hard to breathe.

Juniper's gemstone wrapped around her neck in such a way that if anything were to become stuck or her throat were to swell, it would be twice as dangerous for her as it would be for anyone else. Because it couldn't expand.

"Throat hurts," she said, clearing it as best she could, all this crying making it worse.

@Vicktor

He watched her, something sorrowful in his eyes as she asked for him to make a promise. One he was unsure if he could ever keep. He wasn't a monster, despite whatever happened in the arena may have shown. But he would not simply make a promise to his child, one he knew would be broken in the worst of times.

He couldn't simply say I promise I won't hurt anyone. Not when he knew the caves, as calm as they had grown- still held gembounds that sought to do pain and even death onto others. And he knew he would protect her, he would not let her be a victim. If she'd rather live a life of passive tactics, seeking diplomacy rather than war then he would support her. Diot was a gembound who did the same, but even still they knew how to defend themselves and they understood these very caves just as well as he did. Juniper on the other hand, still needed time...and to be taught...

He would seek Diot out and the aid of his own family for this...It would be good for her.

Regardless though he knew there was still a chance someone may pick a fight with one or even both of them...and he couldn't handle making a promise that would only result in heartbreak. But still, he breathed, calmly if a bit sorrowful. Not for himself but for his child. She was so young and if he could truly he would change the very caves for her. He would do nearly whatever it took to ensure there would be no pain or sorrow- or fear within these caves...But sadly- this was not within his power. So he would need to make due.

Though now Juniper alarmed him, she was coughing now. Her gemstone giving her difficulty breathing and all he could do was nuzzle her affectionately and worriedly.

"Breathe...deep and slow breaths...it is hard I know, just do your best."

He remained calm, hoping that settling her breathing would help aid in any discomfort. He couldn't imagine what it'd be like...to have something of so much importance hinder your very life in such a small but vital way...His poor Juniper...

"I can make a promise...but you need to listen and understand..."

He watched her, breathing slowly himself in hopes to encourage her continued breathing.

"I will not simply seek out to cause harm to others. I have not for- a great many, many cycles my little Juniper...but I cannot promise I will never do another gembound harm...I do not want the chance of taking on both a fight to protect you as well as myself- and break a promise on top of that...Do you understand?"

He's silent for a moment, watching.

"I will be kind, but I will be me. I will protect us both and those who may need it. I will try to scare aggressive gembounds away if it comes to it...I will talk to them even should we ever come across one...But know- if it is needed..and if I must, especially to protect you...I will fight. I will not break a promise nor allow harm to come to you if I can help it... You understand?"

He inhaled again, deep and rattling in his chest of a mismatch purr of both comfort and reassurance.

"I will not kill without purpose. But- know even in many fights...most gembound do not kill each other too often...If I can, I will make them yield...And I will ensure safety. I promise you that."

"Clover Speech"
"Vicktor Speech"

@Juniper

Juniper breathed as he instructed, her tears slowing as she leaned into Vicktor, shivering gently. She wasn't scared, just exhausted. So exhausted.

"... Okay," she sniffed, "That... that makes sense."

Childishly she didn't want to talk about this anymore. They'd found a reasonable answer, he'd made her a promise, and now she just felt icky and tired. She wanted to rest.

"I'm tired," she whined softly, pushing further into Vicktor as if she was trying to hide beneath him. She curled up against his chest and into his soft fur, ears drooping.

"Can we go somewhere?", she asked, sniffling gently.

@Vicktor

Vicktor breathed, a sense of calm and a weight almost lifted. Though while Juniper seemed to not entirely grasp the way and understanding of life and what one must do at times to survive- well she seemed to understand and appreciate his attempts to teach her. The subject was a difficult one for her to understand where in comparison when he was a child he seemed to flow with it like water. Though he only thought of this for a few moments, it was a different time back then and well she was Juniper, she was not 'Vicktor'. He would not hold her to the same expectations that he held himself to nor expect her to be a mirror image of him. Everyone within the caves was unique, in both body and personality. She was no different from this fact.

His pup though soon whined that she was tired and he watched her with half-lidded eyes. He too felt the drain, understandable with not just needing to heal but the prior conversation and emotional drain it took was perhaps a bit more than his liking. They both needed to rest.

"As am I. Yes, we can go somewhere. Where would you like to go my little Juniper?"

He would ask her preference, let her explore the neighboring area if she so chose. He wasn't worried about stumbling upon strangers here. Not while Deathmatch took almost everyone's attention. Nor did he feel she'd be bounding off, especially not now.

"Clover Speech"
"Vicktor Speech"

@Juniper

Juniper sniffed and looked towards the ruins, wiping her eyes gently, "Oh... over there?"

She was looking in the direction of the ruins, where some lay crumbled and broken where others were mostly intact, just abandoned. There had to be somewhere in there to find shelter in.

"Come on," she sniffed, managing to force a smile, "We can nap when we're there. It'll be okay."

Her smile was wobbly and her eyes were still wet, her reassurance falling flat. She sniffled and dropped it, hanging her head as she took off at a trot, her tail low, nearly dragging on the ground.

Today wasn't a good day.

@Vicktor

She sniffed and her eyes wandered towards some nearby ruins. He couldn't help but smile, having expected such curiosity to flourish even now. The ruins were a wonderful place, often safe and just interesting enough to get their minds off of today. His pup had attempted to lead with a smile, a forced one but a smile all the same. He could only follow, taking a moment to try and no wince at the constant pain along his flank.

Though as she walked there was no fervor, no excitement, and hardly any reassurance. But- that wasn't her job. She was a child, his child...

So he inhaled deeply, a low hum in his chest and he nodded in agreement with her.

"Such a wonderful spot to choose little Juniper."

He walks after her, catching up in no time and walking side by side. In both an attempt of reassurance and in his ever-growing protective nature.

"A nap would do us both wonders. I am- sorry for the day you have had to endure my little one...it has been exhausting in a way unforeseen...but do not worry. it will be over soon...just breathe. All will be okay, I promise."

"Clover Speech"
"Vicktor Speech"

@Juniper

Juniper found a house with no one inside and curled up, Vicktor's words offering little comfort like they normally would. Though as she lay down and curled up, waiting for her father to curl around her and wrap her in safety, she could at least believe him.

All would be okay... in time.

"I'm tired of crying," she admitted, "It makes my eyes hurt and it always happens because something bad happened. I just want... I want good things to happen."

She let her head flop down, bottom lip jutting out a bit as her ears drooped.

"I want to go back to Cetus and roll around in the mud again. Can we? After our nap can we go back?", she asked, rolling her head to the side to look at him, her tail managing to flop a couple times.

It really didn't take much to get her back in a good mood.

@Vicktor

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