014 ♍ VIDEO

[glowsferatu]

[ Kanaya is sitting at her desk, with Ashiah laying down on it in front of her. The little grub keeps glancing around in various directions, while her mother's gaze and smile is fixed on the camera. ]

I've been thinking recently about the cross-section of the imPort community who aren't human, perhaps most particularly since the ambassador elections last month. There are a sizable amount of us, not a large group, but significant. I've spoken with many of you on individual terms, and while the resources Governor Kang and SELF have provided to those of us with more unique needs have been invaluable, I feel there is still something missing in our collective socialization. We live the imPort experience in a way that many others won't fully appreciate, and I think we could benefit from sharing those experiences with each other.

[ At this point, Ashiah tries to wander off camera, but Kanaya suppresses a giggle as she puts a hand on top of her and scoots her back into place. ]

I'm unsure exactly what form that would take, but putting us all in a room to share our stories would be at least a start. If anyone is interested, please let me know, and I'll see about renting some space. Of course, if you have any special dietary needs, in terms of snacks, I would like to hear those as well.

This is generally something I'd prefer to save until we're in person, but... [ She's interrupted as Ashiah turns around and nuzzles into her chest, then tries to climb up her shoulder. Kanaya stops and laughs to herself, then plucks her off and cradles her, despite all her fidgeting. ] Anyway, for those of you who I haven't had the pleasure with yet, my name is Kanaya Maryam, and this is my daughter, Ashiah. I'm an Alternian troll, specifically an awakened jadeblood, which basically means I'm a vampire. She's a Daughter Grub from the same planet. [ She raises a finger, shaking her head. ] And before you ask, no, she isn't a troll, and she won't grow up to be one, either. Once she finally pupates, she'll become a Mother Grub. They acted as gestational surrogates for trolls, while the jadeblooded caste were their caretakers and midwives. It's all a bit complicated, this is just a general summary.

So, hopefully we'll be able to put something together moving forward, and I'll be able to hear all of your stories, as well. I'll be looking forward to hearing from each of you.

Comments

[acclimatized]

[ john watches the display between kanaya and ashiah with a lopsided smile. ]

Yeah, I'd say that's pretty much parenting in a nutshell. That and the nappies and becoming a taxi service when they're older.

[glowsferatu]

Oh, I'm already a walking taxi service as it is! If she cultivates a brood of little friends I need to transport across all creation, that will be more a boon than a burden.

[acclimatized]

I was just thinking about to and from little play dates instead of all creation. You can do that can't you? Well, not here, but usually?

[glowsferatu]

Just here, actually. I don't have my portals at home, but it's possible I might have had something similar if I had ever ascended.

I do wonder though, if this isn't the period where I should be trying to encourage her to socialize. She's still very young, and any humans children she might keep company with would be too, so I don't know how well they'd really understand each other's general existence. But it's also the only point in her life where the language barrier will be mostly moot.

[acclimatized]

Ah, right. I suppose ascending would make you some sort of Dracula? Sorry, I feel like I should know all of this already. I'd like to know more about it.

[ there have always been obstacles like alternate universes, alligators, hornet hijacking, that thing with osborne... it's only recently they've been able to chat like this without an impending threat in the way. ]

They'll probably give her a poke at first, but babies are actually surprisingly good at mingling. It's when they get older that it starts getting difficult. You know... threenagers.

[glowsferatu]

I hope so. But that's still a good couple years from now. I might consider enrolling her in a daycare, my main concern may be more the adult caretakers than her young peers.

[ Just dumping a weird alien bug on a hapless childcare worker probably wouldn't be prudent. She should shop around, probably. ]

But no, ascending has nothing to do with my vampirism, it's more about...all of the other, weirder bullshit from home. Were I to have ascended, I would have been a proper Space goddess, as in a goddess over Space, not a goddess from outer space. As Rose was over Light.

Our session was never quite as successful on that front, which really shouldn't be any surprise. We were a mess.

[acclimatized]

Right, I never thought about it like that. With everything that happens here, I'm sure they're qualified.

[ coming from a man who is half expects his unborn child's day care staff will be former spies or something equally mysterious. his run of luck has been terrible lately. ]

... A Space goddess? Oh.

[ give him a moment to let that sink in. ]

[glowsferatu]

Like I said, the other, weirder bullshit. I could at least give examples, if this were a few years ago, and any of them were still here.

[acclimatized]

That's... well, amazing! I mean, it's in the name 'ascension', but I wasn't expecting space goddess. Wow.

There's still time right? [ a beat ] Obviously once Ashiah's a bit older I mean. No one really has their act together when they're young.

[glowsferatu]

No, I think the time and opportunities have all past us already. It's not something you can just do on your own, I mean. This isn't just getting a haircut, it's godhood.

So, I'll just have to be a perfectly normal vampire in love with a goddess.

[ Which, you know, theoretically they might have one hundred years that way, maybe even two. If they weren't both going to die in just one after Kanaya returns.

Another Kanaya ad another Rose, maybe. The two who'll actually get to raise Ashiah. ]

[acclimatized]

Fair point.

To be honest, that's all people really strive for in life. Minus the vampire bit. [ a beat ] Unless they're fans of that Twilight film anyway. They're a bit, uhm, crazed, to say the least.

[glowsferatu]

[ Kanaya clears her throat. ]

Present company excepted, I'm sure.

[acclimatized]

Oh yeah, definitely! You're a proper vampire. You haven't got that glittering in the sunlight thing.

[glowsferatu]

I don't mean as a vampire, but as a fan. I was a thirteen year old girl once, you know. But even as a vampire, I may not glitter in sunlight, but I certainly glow in the dark.

[acclimatized]

That I didn't know. The glow in the dark thing. I know you could do it, but... yeah, I'll just be quiet now.

[glowsferatu]

[ She gives him a laugh, but instead of trying to defend her often scrutinized taste in literature, just offers a small piece of advice instead. ]

Just make sure your feet are clean before you put them in your mouth.

[acclimatized]

Well, I've had plenty of time to shine my shoes within an inch of their life. Not too sure about my feet though...

[glowsferatu]

That's what a pumice stone is for, you know!

[acclimatized]

Oh, I know. It's a slippery slope though: first it's a pumice stone, then it's bath bombs.

[glowsferatu]

And then, before you know it, you might just be enjoying yourself! We can't have that, can we?