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Black Pearl	Dreamscapes are always interesting, telling what they do about the dreamer. Here, it is underground, cool, and there are tile mosaics surrounding a bubbling fountain: It is the interior of the manse Azure Tranquility, but instead of the waters flowing out to the river, looking out is an expanse of water, endless, the night sky black ahead--or is it cavestone that appears to be night? Black Pearl is standing to one side of the flowing water, staring out into the endless seas of underground night, the eerie blue of essence illuminating the expanse.
Rishi	The eerie blue essence light takes on a silver tinge, as it scatters around the surroundings, further brightening up the area.
Black Pearl	As things brighten, the cave sky over the manse is seen to blend into an empty night sky above the ocean. No sound of birds, not scents of ther than the stone and water, no sensations except the slight breeze, no sound except that of the burbling fountain. And after taking a deep breath, Pearl starts to slowly take a step forward, as though she were on the edge of a precipice.
Rishi	As though it was hiding behind a cloud, a silvery Moon appears in the sky. The inky depths writhe under the light for a moment, before revealing the true nature of what lies under the waves. A sea of endless chaos awaits any unwary swimmers, those who set foot in such places will come apart and be as nothing.
Black Pearl	There is a blink as the moon comes out, and Pearl's eyes focus, looking into the depths, then up to the moon. And then she turns around, searching. "Is anyone there? Come out. Show yourself. Please."
Rishi	There is a feeling of being embraced, a feeling of being loved, sheltered by wings, and then Rishi stands next to Pearly, smiling brightly at her. "So. This is what you are wanting to do?"
Black Pearl	"Want to do?" There is a blink, and Pearl looks puzzled. "It doesn't matter what I want." From Pearl there is simply...emptiness at the moment. "I am tired, though. TIred of wearing masks..." And she reaches her hands up to her face touching the sides, as though her face is a mask. And it lifts off, appearing to be a cunning representation in black jade as the rest of her turns transparent, watery.
Rishi	As the water that was once Pearly falls, it is caught, and lies pooled in a great green leaf, large enough that the ends stretch towards the horizon. Rishi reclines next to the pool, relaxing. "Then rest my love. You need no mask here. Whatever form you desire, you may have. Whatever else you wish, we shall find. Together."
Black Pearl	Her body is still humanoid, just the mask is gone. Leaving her just with water, but with faint wispy strands of rainbow within. "It is not form, but...purpose. Duty was I always to family. Duty and Obedience. Until my true family showed thmeselves and added Vengeance. Now...I want, but...what I want does not matter. I hurt, but my pain does not matter. All that matters...is helping those I love fill their dreams. That is all. I..." She looks to the side, and there are vessels of ceramic each one different in tone: the alluring seductress, the cunning infiltrator, the undetected assassin, and more. "What if the Wyld is already in me? Hollowed me out? Does it matter?"
Rishi	Rishi's head tilts to the side, her eyes shining Silver as they gaze through the watery form of Pearly. Snatches of memory return, of times when what she wanted was denied, when she was forced to be what her House desired. "...I am not thinking it is being the Wyld that has made you hollow." she sighs deeply. "...I was having more freedom when I was being a slave." Rishi sighs, then closes her eyes. "I could be telling you what to do. I could be giving you the Silver Mask to be wearing. I could be pointing you at the best shape to be wearing. This would be giving you an answer, one that you have been looking for." Another body stands, made of fine and delicate ceramic, with a silver mask, a blue/silver dress...and a long leash leading back to Rishi's hand. Her hand flashes and the other ceramic bodies crumble, claw marks visible. "But I am not being them. I am not being you. I will not shackle you, nor puppet you." Her grip tightens as she flicks the leash and the fine body with the silver mask is torn asunder. "The only one who can be crafting your face is you. But you have forgotten who you are. Or never learned." Rishi sits next to the woman made of water. "Can you show me? Memories that you love? Things you like?"
Black Pearl	The watery form watches, and reaches out towards the new body made, but then pulls back as they are all destroyed. "Shape is...merely form. It is essence, purpose..." Black Pearl settles down, then and considers the words spoken. "I...I do not know," she says with puzzlement. "Music. Beautiful music and song. Relaxing to watch the sun set. Clouds making subtle patterns in the sky..." The last one causes the dreamscape to shift, with clouds in endless gray textures making patterns and more against the sky. "Being useful. Doing what I excel in..." Memories especially of the trip to the Dreaming Sea, her identity under seige, but her faith in her skill like a lodestone.
Rishi	Etherial music plays as silver and blue make patterns in the sky with the clouds. The light from the patterns tinges the water that composes Pearly's body, no-longer quite so transparent, the shifting colors muted. "What do you excel at? What do *you* like to do?"
Black Pearl	"I enjoy...I dream...." She closes her eyes. "My secret joy is helping my employees when they become parents. Helping them through that first, hardest time...." A mere whisper, a secret even to herself.
Rishi	Rishi puts a hand on Pearly's stomach, which starts to swell and take on a much more fleshy form. Pearly can feel a kick. "Whenever you are wanting this, I will make this happen for you, my love, my mate. But. I will not allow you to charge my child with a Vendetta. Nor will I charge them with the Destruction of the Realm."
Black Pearl	The eyes on the black jade mask open in astonishment, and Pearl staggers slightly. The jade starts to crumble to dust, and the water fades back to flesh. Still Pearl, but now more with child. "I...I had hoped for a first with Amethyst, but...it is not something I can choose for her. Only wait until she is ready. And I don't know if she ever will be. It hurt...it hurt so much when she was afraid for me, of losing myself. But how can I put my desires ahead of hers? Or of yours? How can I be selfish?" Tears finally flowing, even as she moves into an embrace.
Rishi	Pearly is pulled into a hug, arms wrapped around her, wings coocooning her in safety. Rishi smiles at her. "It is being complicated. A relationship is being like a dance or a plant. Sometimes it is better to bend to what others want. Sometimes...it is being you who needs to lead." Pearly gets nosebooped. "And you, you who have been made to follow everyone. You need to be taking something for yourself."
Black Pearl	"I want to, how I want to...but where with others I care nothing for I can take with impunity...from you whom I care for, care about...it is hard. Very hard." She presses her face against Rishi's neck and shakes, silenlt, even with fingers digging in. "Part of me....a large part, still wants to lose myself in something bigger. To join, to transcend bounds...but even if I did, I would either be gone, or become bigger...and feel just as alone as I sometimes do." Rawness in her voice. No pretensions, no hiding now.
Rishi	Rishi gazes up at the Moon. "Being as I am, Chosen of the Shifter of Shapes, people are often wondering if we are ever losing ourselves in the million forms we wear. But, it is because they are not understanding. I am always Rishi. Some shapes are being more comfortable than others, but, I always am knowing who I am. I am always me, so I can never be lost." Rishi looks back down into Pearly's eyes, her expression of love and sadness apparent. "You were never allowed to know yourself, so you search for your form, but can never find it. But." Rishi taps Pearly's forehead and she can feel a web of silver tracing her body. A second heartbeat, ever so slightly out of sync with her own beats in her ears. "You are not being alone. You are my Mate. Whatever you do in this life, I will be there beside you. When you are hurt, I will heal you. When you are scared, I will calm you. As you will do for me. We are Together and you will NEVER be alone again, for I have seen through your mask, and I love you anyway." "And, for many months, we will be spending much time together and we will be doing the learning of just who Pearly is being, together."
Black Pearl	Pearl slowly calms. Not just putting on another mask, but steadying. Easing. "I...I know it. And I'm amazed. I just...sometimes the heart does not accept what the mind knows. Thank you. I don't know...no. I do know what I would be without you and Ametis to be with me. That me, if I went to the Dreaming Sea...I would have stayed among the assassins there. Here, stealing lives and information for a relentless purpose. I...am glad to have something more."
Rishi	Rishi gives a sad smile and the shadow behind her rears up. In it, Pearly sees, hears, feels, Rishi flying away in the dead of night from her city, sleeping hanging from trees in the rain, being chased from villages, her body and heart steadily growing more and more armor...until, finally, Amethyst and Hoarfrost and now Pearly gave her acceptance and then love. "I am also knowing what it is being like to be alone. And I will keep sharing my love with you, until you are knowing that you are not being alone any longer."
Black Pearl	Pearl sees, and experiences as well. Feeling the hardness, and the differences in how each responded to pain. To aloneness. One shut the pain out and the other drowned it in anything, everything, else. "Thank you," she whispers. Then gives a slightly wry grin. "Does it count wanting something for myself, if I want to bask in you, as the tides are drawn by the moon?" She squeezes, and instead of her turning to water, it is the dream that starts to lose cohesion, the cave melting away to become wanter below, smooth and still, and above the empty sky with the moon shining down, the pair standing where night meets sea.
Rishi	"Yes." Rishi pulls her into another hug, the Moon shining down upon the two of them, framed by Rishi's wings, the light bathing them both in cool acceptance.