Upon Vestia: Chapter Thirty-Two

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James went into Armin's room. "Hey man, watcha working on?" he asked, seeing that Armin was sewing.

Kooshie wrote:Ethan nodded. "that makes sense. It seems like a lot of the gods prefer to stay quiet, and maybe that's for the best. You've met gods though?" Interesting.

"Some, at least they call themselves gods." Sawna said and shrugged a little. "Power isn't the only thing to count as a god to me."

"Good point. I don't think being powerful is the only criteria for godhood," Ethan said thoughtfully. "I'm not sure what the criteria would be, but I think it's probably more complex than that. If there are gods at all, which I'm not fully convinced there are." He'd never really seen what he considered to be evidence of actual gods, but he was open to the idea that they might exist.

Armin looked thoghtful. "I am fond of a great many colours, though i find cooler shades better match my complexion." He chuckled. Being green did rather limit your options for an attractive combination he thought.

James nodded. "Makes sense to me. I'm no expert on fashion, but I imagine choosing clothes to compliment your skin color can be tricky." He wasn't sure if that was rude somehow for him to say that though. "You spend so much time looking at pretty, colorful fabric, I can see why it would be hard to choose one favorite color," he added. "They all look so good."

Armin nodded. "precisely." He fiddled with a curl of his own hair thoughtfully. "Our hair does not grow quite like mammals which makes any decision I make, fairly long term."

"Oh yeah, I guess you are pretty biologically different from the mammals," James said with a laugh. "I can imagine you'd want to be careful to get the perfect hair color, if it's gonna last a long time. Have you ever looked into temporary dyes? I've heard that those are a thing, not that I've ever used them."

Armin smiled "That could work..." He mused. Of course white hair would absorb just about anything and it would be a nightmare to get it out again but hey. "I will discuss the matter with the barbers at some point I am certain." Yes, the star dragon barbers probably had all sorts of techniques he'd never considered.

James nodded. "They're smart guys, I bet they have some more temporary solutions." He thought of something and grinned, "Oh man! The first day we were on Terra, Shane's aunt Helen magicked Asher's eyes to be brown. So he and Ethan were less creepily identical, you know. I bet she could temporarily magic your hair different colors, too. That'd be fun."

Kooshie wrote:"Good point. I don't think being powerful is the only criteria for godhood," Ethan said thoughtfully. "I'm not sure what the criteria would be, but I think it's probably more complex than that. If there are gods at all, which I'm not fully convinced there are." He'd never really seen what he considered to be evidence of actual gods, but he was open to the idea that they might exist.

Sawna nodded and smiled "Exactly. I'm not sure either, but power alone isn't a good enough criteria alone." She said softly.

Armin smiled. "Incredible." He would have to ask about this.

Ethan shook his head. "It must have more to do with origin, or attitude, or something like that. I'd be curious to meet a real god, but at the same time, if I met one, maybe I wouldn't believe they were a god any more. Once you meet them, they're just... really powerful people. It isn't the same."

~~
"You'd look good with rainbow hair I think," James said. He was only half joking, he could imagine it looking good if it was done right.

Armin chuckled "that sounds like quite a feat."

"Star dragons can do some impressive stuff," James said. "You been hanging out with Starr lately, by the way? Her egg is supposed to be hatching in about ten days, right?"

Armin did some mental maths, nodding uncertainly. "She said soon, I admit I have not been so good at keeping track." He smiled "ten days and we will have a new princess. How wonderful. "

"Pretty exciting. You must be so excited to meet the kid." James smiled at the thought. Armin's admiration of star dragons was adorable.

Armin ducked his head a little, looking slightly coy. "It is an honor to travel with so many Star Dragons, let alone their queen and her heir." He smiled. "Miss Starr will be an extraordinary leader and mother, she already is."

"Your vavare friends must be so jealous," James said, "You get to be buddies with like... one of your species' celebrities. I know I feel the same way about Mourn sometimes, I mean, he's going to be the celebrity of my species once they find out about him." James didn't know about Mourn's forum posting yet, oops.

Armin chuckled. "I am not certain I would use the term... buddies, but I feel most fortunate to consider Miss Starr a friend. Mourn has been... exceptionally helpful to your people, I am certain he will enjoy the celebrity."

"Okay, not buddies," James laughed. "'Buddy' is kind of an undignified word for the queen of star dragons." He nodded, "Mourn's said he wants a giant statue of himself, gold or something. He's gonna love being worshiped." Mourn really was a lot like a cat in some ways, James mused. Cats did love having admirers.

Kooshie wrote:Ethan shook his head. "It must have more to do with origin, or attitude, or something like that. I'd be curious to meet a real god, but at the same time, if I met one, maybe I wouldn't believe they were a god any more. Once you meet them, they're just... really powerful people. It isn't the same."

~~
"You'd look good with rainbow hair I think," James said. He was only half joking, he could imagine it looking good if it was done right.

Sawna shrugged and nodded "Perhaps to us any god would simply seem to be a really powerful person." She said reasonably.

"Maybe you're right," Ethan said. He smiled oddly. "We've seen so many incredible things already, it's completely changed our perception of magic and gods. Now nothing seems all that strange to us any more."
"Although," he added thoughtfully, "That's not to say that powerful beings aren't terrifying, godhood or no."

Armin laughed "A giant statue in one's honour does sound like a lofty ambition."

Kooshie wrote:"Maybe you're right," Ethan said. He smiled oddly. "We've seen so many incredible things already, it's completely changed our perception of magic and gods. Now nothing seems all that strange to us any more."
"Although," he added thoughtfully, "That's not to say that powerful beings aren't terrifying, godhood or no."

"I have seen and learned much since coming here, it is what I wished to do after all. There are some that would call Miss Starr a god, if they saw her use her magic. Then again, she is the closest to a god besides these keepers I have met in this universe."

"Mourn's an ambitious dude," James told Armin. He thought of something, "Armin, I have a question which I need your expert opinion on."

~~
"That's... a good point," Ethan said, frowning at the thought. "She can make planets and change shapes, which is pretty godlike. But we just treat her like a person." Huh.

Armin tilted his head. "of course my friend, what is it you wish?"

"Do you think it's weird when your sibling starts dating someone?" James asked. "Cause I talked to Luka yesterday and she thought it wasn't weird, but I think it is weird. So I wanted another opinion on this." Although vavare culture was so alien, maybe Armin wasn't the best person to ask, James thought.

"Dating?" He looked thoughtful. "Vavare do not... date so much, however, when Berit chose Tygve for a mate I was happy for them, it did not change our relationship in any way. " He looked at James thoughfully. "You find your brother's relationship strange? Perhaps it is less 'normal' for an android as you lack the biological need to reproduce nor the desire to seek physically pleasurable companionship. For organic beings, we grow up surrounded by this idea of pair bonding and partnership. As much of my culture is alien to you, much of yours would be alien to us no? I find the idea of only having a single partner profoundly strange, and the concept of same sex boding being somehow wrong or undesirable extraordinarily strange. It may be that you are experiencing something similar? A struggle to comprehend something you yourself simply have no frame of reference for." He touched James' shoulder affectionately and smiled "Do not concern yourself too much with what others believe, we are all of our own minds. There is no right or wrong in such matters, simply differing perspectives." At least that's what he'd always been taught. The Vavare put a lot of emphasis on not judging, not forcing their own beliefs on others and accepting other cultures.