video | 01

[pharmaka]

[ For a brief moment after the camera flickers on, Circe appears uncertain, and then her expression at once resolves into a calm, unstirred facade, cool as a plane of water. She has unglamorous auburn hair set back in a tousled braid, eyes of an odd, subtly gold sheen, and a plain, even voice. ]

Well. I do not know whether it is for the better that most of the plants and animals and the like are familiar to me here. It would surely be a better preoccupation than what I was assigned, to acquaint myself with the local wildlife, so perhaps I will do it nonetheless. It has been made clear to me that there is an almost impossibly large amount of land to be seen.

Given I am unfamiliar with travel and with this country, I thought I would seek suggestions. In particular... [ a short pause ] I find I miss the sea. I had heard of deserts, but they are not so lovely a place to live as they are to hear tales of. And the same can be said of cities of men.

[ That is it. She says nothing about the confusion, the mingled hope and fear, that all this freedom and newness has set about in her. She is quite possibly the only divine being here. It is impossible to tell. Is that her father, keeping eye on her in the sky? If it is, she doubts he is about to say hello. In some respects she is as alone as she ever was.

In others... There are more people, more mortals, and more land than she has ever given thought to in her long life. It is thrilling and terrifying at the same time, and Circe dares to betray as little of it as she can manage. ]

Comments

[ghoulking]

[ She will be greeted with a lot of animals: two dogs, two crows, and three cats (though they don't leave the house, they are only standing by the window to see who that is), and while the dogs bark, the crows are the ones that let kaneki know someone is here (they only make noise when a stranger approaches).

kaneki will let the cakes bake in the oven to go greet Circe with a small smile ]

Ken Kaneki is my full name. You can call me whatever you prefer, truly. [ not many call him Ken, but Kaneki doesn't particularly mind ] Welcome - and i'm sorry about all the noise. [ he glances at the crows, who fly to land right on top of the roof, watch kaneki and circe ]

[pharmaka]

[ So far everyone has told her to use first names, so Circe has been left assuming that is the default use-name, and any greater nuance is lost on her. To her, a full name would be Circe of Aiaia, asserting the location she calls home as where her loyalties lie.

She gives a brief smile, genuine and warm, before she recovers her composure. ] No need to apologize. I have a veritable menagerie at my home; I end up running interference between them half the day.

[ This is an exaggeration, but she does have to run interference pretty regularly between her assorted animals, and there's a long-suffering affection behind it that belies her tolerance for them. ]

How did you acquire all of them? [ It was her impression that mortals did not tend to keep animals idly or for no purpose. ]

[ghoulking]

[ kaneki looks back at the dogs, smiling a little ] Some imPorts who are no longer here have left them behind. So I am taking care of them until their return. [ if they ever return. To Kaneki, it's easier to keep up the lie that he will see them again, rather than admitting the loss of those he loves ]

Except for Fumio- [ as he mentions the name, the youngest dog of Pit Bull breed comes to greet Kaneki, demanding attention. He is received with good ear scritches, just as expected ] I got him a couple of months ago.

[ and finally kaneki remembers ] Ah- but please come in. Would you like to eat or drink anything?

[pharmaka]

[ It is a nice fiction, and Circe sees no need to cruelly poke holes in it. It may very well occur, after all. ]

If it is convenient, but you need not go out of your way for my sake. Truthfully, I am used to being the host. [ It's not as if she leaves her island. Playing hostess more often than not ends in her turning would-be brigands into pigs and shuffling them into her ever-growing sty, but Circe doesn't need to mention that.

She follows him inside, peering around with interest. Everything is still very new to her here. ] They all seem happy here. I have already been missing mine. [ That is an admission of weakness, to her ear, but Circe is starting to thaw already in so short a time. ]

[ghoulking]

[ the house is covered in books; it's quaint enough, nothing extravagant, and the smell of coffee and baked goods fill the place. There will be a very uninterested cat sitting in a corner watching the newcomer, but other than licking her leg, the queen shows little interest in approaching.

The dogs follow though, demanding attention from Circe as well. She is inside the house, so now she is their cuddling hostage. Something like that ]

Not at all. I've coffee, tea, or natural orange juice. What would you prefer? [ he heads towards the kitchen, welcoming Circe to follow along. Inside the two ovens there are cakes and cookies being baked, so the smell is pretty much everywhere at this point, and not even coffee can overpower it ]

I think it's normal. I hope you'll be able to see them soon.

[pharmaka]

[ She has absolutely no problem giving the dogs all the attention they desire. Her stately poise that she automatically carries around strangers -- which, these days, is basically everyone -- evaporates into a far more natural openness with them, and she alternates between them as she scruffs around their necks. ]

Take your turns, [ she chides them affectionately. ] You are as bad as my wolves. Ah-- I suppose tea, I have never had the others.

They will be there when I return, I am told. It is my own foolishness to miss them. I will take the opportunities here while I have them.

[ It is the only way she has found to live sanguinely with her fate. ]

[ghoulking]

[ kaneki nods. He will heat up the water and grab some jasmine tea to prepare for Circe. The dogs will lavish her with attention meanwhile ]

I don't think it's foolish. Even if you'll see them again, you don't know when. [ it's normal to miss those who aren't with you. That's what missing someone means, right? ]

I hope you will enjoy your time here. Even though many wish to return, many find something they came to truly like, in this place.

[pharmaka]

[ Circe's not sure she's ever had someone worth missing. Who is there to miss? She doesn't deceive herself that her animals need her; they were all wild things before she brought them to her house, and they would move on, wild again, without her.

It's her who needs them, not the reverse. That's why she feels it's foolish. But she's not about to argue. ]

I have already, [ Circe agrees. ] At home I am bound to my island and cannot leave. There is so much to explore here; even if I am overwhelmed I would not turn it away.

[ This is actually the first time she's told someone that she can't leave her island, and it slips out naturally, the way the truth always does for her. It's the lies and secrets and obfuscation that Circe must trod her way through. ]

[ghoulking]

You can't leave? [ kaneki looks back at the woman, curiously. He isn't the best at greek mythology, but he has read some of it and has learned some of it.

Kaneki turns back to the water boiling before he decides to ask: ]

Were you exiled?

[pharmaka]

I was. Perhaps you have heard the story, then? [ she asks lightly, as if she has left caring far behind her. ]

I was quite surprised to be known here for anything but my exile, for it is all that is noteworthy about me among the gods where I am from.

[ghoulking]

A little bit. To most of us, it's just mythology, though- [ and that's why kaneki heard of it, in this world they were brought in by Lachesis and they are going to be killed by Atropos. it's important to learn a bit about that sort of people. ]

To be honest, there is a lot I don't know, I simply have heard of your name before. [ he smiles a little, finally turning to the woman with the tea now setting. A small flower will blossom in the hot water and taint it with a light color ] here you go-