11065/Meeting the Moon

Meeting the Moon
Date of Scene:	08 May 2022
Location:	The Midnight Mission
Synopsis:	Cael visits the Midnight Mission to give offerings to Ma'at and Bast, and meets Tara - they have a drink and talk.
Cast of Characters:	Tara Tsabedze, Cael Becker

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Tara Tsabedze has posed:
The evening sun was seeping through the window, spreading across the carpeting of the main room. The numerous statues to the god took up a great deal of space, and yet there was still more than enough room for gatherings. As of late, Tara had only come by the mission to check in with Moon Knight, Bast on the other hand came by regularly to get her offerings. Tonight however, it was Tara who had taken the form of a panther and laid on the carpet beneath the statue of Bast.

Until the sun set, she was partial lazy mode, partial don't care. The feline aspect of the woman was always prominent no matter what form she took, and to her mind the day light hours were meant for sleeping. She didn't always sleep through the day, but her mind always played that game.

Cael Becker has posed:
    A door appears where one should not be - and opens, to reveal an apartment on the otherside. Stepping through is a woman with short, blonde and colorfully dyed hair, a leather jacket, and tattoos on both hands - which carry a box of chocolates - and a large, white dog on her heels. Cael moves towards the statues further in the temple, though those steps slow uncertainly at the sight of the large cat. "...uh," she remarks, before reaching under her jacket to release the strap that keeps her pistol in place. It's ready for a quick draw, now, should the feline get hostile.  
    She steps cautiously around the cat, watching it for signs of aggression, as she attempts to approach Bast's statue, Bear sticking close to her. A little closer than usual, truth be told, pressing close enough to her legs that he runs the risk of tripping them both.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
The magic is what Tara feels before the door even opens, but her head remains resting on her paws as the woman steps through the portal. Amber eyes open just as Cael begins to move, right ear twitching slightly at the sight of the dog, but other wise she makes no attempts to stop her or even move.

When it is clear that it is the statue of Bast that the woman and dog are heading toward however, that changes slightly. Tara lifts her head up and breaths in through her nose and mouth at the same time, 'tasting' the scent of this woman. She can pick up Jon on her, as well as separate out her own individual scents. This process does not block out the dog, she is forced to take in that scent as well, but knowing this woman's pet wasn't a horrible thing

Waiting until Cael is almost to the statue, her head tilts slightly. "You have no need for your gun," she says softly, a thick east African accent to her voice. "I assure you, I am quite amenable, even to your... dog."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "...the fucking cat talks," Cael remarks while staring at the massive feline - her hand dropping down to rest on the shoulder of the dog beside. "Of course the fucking cat talks. This is my life now." Still. If it's sentient, and in a place that Jon considers safe, then it must not be a risk. "Bear's a good boy. He won't start anything." She sets the box down in front of the statue and remarks to it simply, "Jon says hello." This is how you treat the statues of Gods, right?
    She then retrieves some incense, lighting it with a butane lighter, and moving towards Ma'at's statue to set the lit sticks into place. "I'm not worshipping you," she remarks simply. "I'm just... saying thanks. For being kind to Alis. Tell Anubis he's a total dick, alright?"

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Standing up slowly, and stretching out her limbs, Tara walks around behind the statue and when she emerges from the other side she has assumed her more humanoid form. There's no way to mistake that the panther was this woman, her feline features in the humanoid form are too obvious. Dressed in a sheath dress much like the one the statue wears, she pauses once she has stepped into the light.

As a smile spreads across her face as she glances to the box, an almost visible shiver running through her. Chocolate, her favorite. Amber eyes shift from box to dog for a moment, and then to the woman.

"You are consort to Jon?" she asks bluntly, having to ignore the chocolates for now. Bast would have them later, but right now Tara was required. "I am K'Tara Tsebedze, Kuvali of Bast," she then says so as not to be rude. "That is to say, in your language, Avatar of Bast. You may call me Tara if you prefer."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Shape-changing, talking cat. Okay. Fine. That possibly makes... more sense? "Consort?" she repeats. "Uhh... I'm Jon's girlfriend, but Martin's cool with it." She's not sure if 'consort' implied something... illicit or not, but it made her defensive. "Nice to meet you, Tara. I'm Cael - this here's Bear, like I said." The pup, dressed in his colorful vest, looks up towards the feline lady - his tail wagging. This, somehow, is less worrisome to him than the panther was. Sure, it's weird person. But it is a person - and it's a //cat// person!
    "I'm not disturbing you, am I?"

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
There is a gracefulness to her movements that seem natural, as if Tara isn't even trying they just happen. As she steps around the statue more, she let's her eyes fall on the service dog. An amazing creature, despite bring the wrong kind, a therapy cat would be far more practical, at least in her mind.

"Ah, yes... girlfriend," she says with slight cheer to her tone. "That is the word I was seeking. Sometimes the English words escape me, girlfriend is far more accurate to consort, though in the end they are similar."

Lifting her eyes to Cael again, a broad smile spreads across her face revealing the elongated canine teeth. "You are not," she then offers brightly. "I was lounging, nothing more and your canine, he is amazing. I have not seen his breed before, large, fluffy, almost as good as a cat. "May I... pet him?"

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I'm sure he'd like that. Let me... take his vest off. I probably don't need him to work right now, anyways."
    Cael stoops to remove Bear's vest, setting it on a nearby bench, and rubbing his fur fondly. "Be good," she tells him firmly.
    Bear responds by licking her in the face.
    "That is not good! Ugh, Bear, you're the worst," Cael sighs, rising to her feet and leaving the dog to his own devices. She looks to the skylight she'd stood under several days before, and then the statue of Khonshu - and retrieves some more incense, lighting it as well. "Thank you too, I guess. For the memory," she states, as she nestles the incense into place.
    Freed of the constraints of his vest, he moves towards the feline-woman, his tail wagging so hard it wiggles his bottom, before he starts trying to lick her.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Kneeling down to one knee, getting more on the same level with Bear, Tara watches as Cael removes the vest and gets licked for it. Yep, that was a dog, slobbering all over everything, but she only slightly held it against them. When he literally wiggle butts his way over to her, she reaches out to offer hand to be smelled, but Bear it already attempting to 'love' her in a far more wet way. This makes her start chuckling, and then laugh because the dog is all tongue and manages to get in some good licks before she can stop him. Accepting the tongue as part of the deal, she runs her clawed hand very carefully down Bear's back, then up to the back of the head to repeat the motion. It had been a long while since she was this close to a dog.

"You have had a very busy time," she offers to Cael, while still petting Bear and getting licked. "Although the land of the dead is not my domain, I hear the whispers. Your offerings, whether you worship or not, are always welcomed with great gratitude."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Life has a way of staying interesting," Cael agrees quietly - her gaze staying on Khonshu's statue for the moment. "I mean. Can't say I'd ever planned on going to the Egyptian afterlife - let alone twice. But... The Gods were kind to my sister and I - except for Anubis. And Ammit, who to be fair... didn't do anything at all." Which was kindness enough, she supposes.
    "Fucking lippodile's scary," she mutters under her breath. And who can blame her for that sentiment? The 'lippodile' was //meant// to be scary.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
At the mention of Anubis, Tara snorts once, nostrils flaring. Clearly she was on the side of him being an asshole, but she wouldn't voice that out right, at least not right now.

Giving Bear a few more pets, and thus getting slobbered on a little more, she finally stands up and brushes off her knee. "Lippodile's are meant to be scary," she states with that same broad smile. "What point is there in threatening a soul to be eaten by say, a teddy bear, or unicorn? No, it's has to be a lippodile, and it has to be scary."

Glancing up at the skylight for a moment, she looks back to Cael and the statue of Khonsu. "Life is meant to be a challenge, filled with wonder and horror, else the living stagnate and become complacent. That said, I think we all need to back off a little on the horror part."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I can do with less horror," Cael agrees. "The last week's been nice, though. Learned how to ski." Not that she's very good at it. She's not //awful// - just not any good, yet. Maybe if she practiced more?
    Once Tara climbs to her feet, Bear licks at her leg once, then heads back over to Cael - looking up at her, then back at Tara, then at Cael again as if to see 'did you see the big cat lady I met?'
    "Yes, yes. You're a good boy, Bear," she remarks, leaning down to rub at his head.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Pulling a scarf from her waistband, that may or may not have been there previous, Tara uses it to smooth back the fur on her face and dry off some of the dog spit. Sometimes even the Avatar of Bast had to deal with dog spit.

"I do not like the cold," she admits as she rubs the scarf over the places Bear licked, and there were a lot. "And yes, this is the part where your brain goes 'duh, cat doesn't like cold'," she grind more broadly as she says this. "but the truth is, I grew up in Africa, so hot and warm are natural to me."

Once she has finished removing the dog slobber, she tucks the scarf back into the waistband. "I do however like to look at snow, it is very pretty... at a distance. Was skiiing fun? I would think strapping slippery boards to your feet, then throwing yourself down the side of the mountain would border on insanity, but people it an entertaining sport instead."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Well. My favorite hobby growing up involved driving cars and motorcycles around city streets at truly reckless speeds while trying not to crash into other vehicles, or pedestrians, or the like so- ...strapping slippery boards to my feet is quite tame."
    She moves to one of the benches - taking a seat, and reaching out to run her fingers over Bear's head, as the pup puts it into her lap. "I really did enjoy it. I mean - I like learning new physical skills. It's a challenge, and sometimes a thrill. So yeah, I had fun. And the feeling of speed is always exhilirating."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
A thrill seeker, that is the category that Tara places Cael in as the woman speaks. They were both dangerous and entertaining, those that fell into that area, but it wasn't her place to judge. If the thrill of going fast, be it on slippery boards, in a car or on a motorcycle is what gave Cael a rush, then she approved based solely on the level of pleasure achieved through such things.

Beginning to slowly walk toward the bench, mostly to close the distance between them, she watches the way Bear acts around Cael more closely. What sort of hell had this woman known in her life that she required support from a canine? The trauma that must have occurred, it made the fur on the back of Tara's neck stand up with the anger she felt. Life was meant to be a joy, with only a few horrors thrown in to remind what a give living was... this woman had clearly had more horror than joy.

"May I join you?" She asks quietly, indicating the bench. Goddess or not, she wasn't forcing herself on anyone.

"The only speed that I know is running on four legs," she then says with a soft smile. "The sprint turning into distance, the feel of the wind in your fur... er... hair." She winks at this. "Perhaps some time you would be willing to take me for a ride in a very fast car, that I might experience another kind of fast?"

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Uhhh... sure," Cael agrees, nodding to the space beside her - and reaching over to drop the vest on the floor. "I mean, a friend of Jon's is- well. Someone I should at least be cordial too," she admits with a wry smile. No one who knew Cael would expect her to finish that sentence the expected way, after all.
    "I could take you for a drive sometimes, sure. I have Corvette C6, and a '68 Camero - both of them are built for considerable amounts of speed. ...not as much as motorcycle, granted, but- ...the motorcycle's insane."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
With permission given, Tara settles herself on the bench as gracefully as she moved, then reaches up to flip the braids back over her shoulder and rested her hands in her lap.

"Motorcycle are intriguing to me. They are dangerous in a world of metal boxes that can literally devastate the rider and bike by hitting it, and yet some how riders manage to avoid this fate more often than not." She turns slightly so she is more facing Cael.

"Perhaps you would be kind enough to show me both, or rather give me a ride with both. I tend to walk places I need to go, or use moon shadow portals, easier then me attempting to learn to drive. These," she holds up one hand to show off how the nails on her finger tips are actually claws. "make manual manipulation of things rather difficult."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Motorcycles are not the safest means of transit," Cael agrees. "But they're great in traffic, and they're- well. Fun. I love them," she admits with a wry smile. "I don't ride my motorcycle as much as I used to, though. Bear can't ride along. Hrm?" She rubs at the pup then adds, "I'm fortunate in that the trunk of my C6 isn't sealed off - so I was able to set up a seatbelt harness back there for Bear - and he rides back there, still leaving room for a passenger."
    She shifts her attention to Tara's hands asking curiously, "Did that happen when you became Bast's avatar? I suppose we should count ourselves lucky that Jon didn't change like that..."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Wiggling her fingers a little, Tara giggles softly and there is almost a sparkle to her amber eyes.

"Unlike Jon, who was accepted at Ma'at's avatar after a normal, human birth," she begins, settling her hands back in her lap. "I was born as you see me now, what my tribe called Kuvali. I was born so that Bast might have a living, breathing Avatar should she choose so... and she did."

Now she goes back to considering motorcycle, because the idea fascinates her. "I have seen many motorcycles around New York, so many different kinds. I have considered seeking out someone to teach me how to ride one, as it seems more acceptable over cars. I do not like the confines of a car."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "...oh," Cael remarks - looking surprise and puzzled by this information. "That must've been- uhh... unexpected, for your parents. I mean- Well. Your tribe has a word for it, so I guess it wasn't completely unheard of?" She doesn't sound certain, though, as she continues idly rubbing Bear's head.
    "Saves on gas, too. Motorcycles are quite fuel efficient. They still pollute a lot, though." You win some, you lose some.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Another soft giggle is offered over Cael's confusion, this was something Tara appeared to enjoy. Most could not understand how she came to be as she is, they assumed mutant and went on with their lives. It wasn't entirely difficult to explain, and once she did people seemed to accept, but most never took the time to listen.

"In my tribe, every ten to thirteen generations, a Kuvali is born," she explain with a smile. "This new Kuvali joins a long line of previous ones, but until she is an adult, she is free to learn the ways of the tribe and the world. Then, when she is an adult, if Bast so chooses to move from the old Kuvali to the new one, she does. In my case, the previous Kuvali had been killed, so when I became an adult, Bast joined with me without hesitation. I have been Hers since."

Crossing one leg over the other, she reaches down to adjust the sandal on her upper foot before continuing. "That is the purpose of the Paka ya Mwezi, to ensure continued bloodlines that lead to a Kuvali for Bast. My mother and father had no idea they would be the parents to a Kuvali, but it is a great honor."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "So- wait. You're going to live for... 13 generations?" Cael asks. "That's... hundreds of years, yeah? How old are you //now//?" No. She didn't seem to have any qualms when it comes to asking that question.
    "...that could actually be pretty rough," she adds in a dubious tone - watching everyone you knew and loved die. She's not sure she'd want to live that long. But maybe that's her grief talking?

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara has to take a moment. She looked to be in her mid-twenties, but remembering her actual age required some math on her part.

"Let me see," she muses, folding her arms up so she can tap the end of her claw against her chin. "I am close to forty-one years old now, and yes, I will live at least that long, perhaps longer if Bast so chooses. I will live until she chooses other wise, or I am some how killed. It is very rare for a Kuvali to be killed, but as I said, it did happen."

Looking back down at Bear a moment, she reaches over to give his ear a light pet. "My father passed away last summer, and my mother is being cared for by my brothers and their wives. No, it is not an easy thing to watch them grow old and know they will die, but this is my purpose, this is why I exist."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Huh," Cael remarks, rubbing at Bear's head. She honestly seems at a loss for words for a few moments. "Well... I hope your mother enjoys the time she has left, and that you're able to enjoy it with her," she offers - not sure if that was the right thing to say. Or if there even was a right thing to say.
    "The way Jon talks - I guess he's likely to outlast me? But not, I think, by //hundreds// of years. Just... for a bit." If she manages to live a full life.
    Which is very much not guaranteed.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Pulling her hand back, Tara shifts her eyes back to Cael. "Thank you for those kind words, Cael Becker, I fully intend to do jut that."

Studying the woman for a moment she tilts her head, left ear twitching while the right one turns slightly. Her entire tail flicks, almost smacking Cael in the back as it does. "To be touched by the divine either burns or extends, and sometimes... both," she comments quietly, still smiling. Generally she seemed the happy sort, or used the smile to mask anything else, one or the other. "I have not seen Jon in many months, too many, is he well? Is he happy? Has his nightmares improved?"

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Jon- yeah, I think they're happy," Cael confirms. "I mean... We've had our trials. I almost died." Did die? "They did die, and were changed, and became the avatar of Ma'at. Uhh... They've also decided that gender is a stupid idea anyway, so- He's still fine. But they is maybe better, you know? I kind'f flop around between the two myself."
    She starts rubbing under Bear's chin as she adds, "And I think they've got better control over their dreams lately. I mean, it's not perfect, but... They can go to the archive while sleeping and avoid dreams if they think it's going to be a rough night. And Jon tried to teach me a few tricks to help with, uhh, my own sleep problems but- well. Doesn't always work. It's easier when they're there with me, physiclaly, somehow."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara nods with a soft, "Ahhh..." over the use of they and them. She was going to ask, but Cael explained it.

"As I said, I have not seen or spoken to them in a long while, this is the first I have heard, so I will ensure to correct my pronoun usage, thank you." She then adds, nodding with understanding.

"I once helped them with nightmares, put an end to them for a while so they could sleep better. I have wondered since them how Jon has managed, and I am pleased to hear it is a little better for them. If you would like, and once you know me a little better, I could assist you with your nightmares and dreams as I did him."

She then glances around the room for a moment and realizes something that upsets her slightly. "I am a rude hostess Cael Becker, please forgive me," she states as she stands. "Would you like something to drink or eat? We have a collection of beverages, and snacks in the kitchen."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Oh, uhh... I guess I wouldn't say no to a bit of whiskey if you have it?" Cael remarks. "But it's fine - I'm fine without, really." She keeps scratching at Bear's chin, watching Tara now with an expression that's... almost cautious. But Jon trusted this woman - right?
    "How do you help with dreams? What exactly is it that you do?" she asks in an uncertain tone. "I, ummm - I don't much like people messing with my mind, you see."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Taking a moment to check the kitchen, Tara turns with a bottle of whiskey, two glasses and a small container with ice cubs in it. She herself rarely drinks, but on occasion she imbibed and meeting a new person was a good reason to do so. Setting the tray on the bench, she pours a little whiskey into each glass, leaving the choice of ice up to Cael herself, before she sits back down.

"Dreams are an expression of the subconscious mind, sometimes they are moment relived, other times they are complete imagination." She explains, dropping one ice cube into her glass. "Nightmares are the same, but they are born of trauma and pain, they are a way for the mind to express and try to work through the trauma, which clearly is not always a good thing. For Jon, they asked that the nightmares just be taken away for a time, so that is what I did... I took them away, allowing for them to dream normally or have no dreams at all."

Lifting the glass to her lips she takes a small sip, then licks her lips. Whiskey was one of those alcohols that were supposed to burn a little, for her it was a tingle. "I do not mess with minds, I do not change your thinking, I do not remove the trauma... these are not things I am capable of. My purpose is to aid those who live in this world, I cannot aid you by simply removing it, now can I?" She offers a broad smile. "What I can do it teach you the long tried and true methods of lucid dreaming, which would then allow you to change the nightmares yourself."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael takes the offered whiskey - without any ice - and takes a sip while listening to Tara, her expression still dubious and uncertain. "You said you took Jon's nightmares away, though," she points out. "'For a time.' How did you do that without... well. Messing with his mind."
    After another sip she adds, "Lucid dreaming, that's what Jon was teaching me. Our dreams were linked for a time - and when he was able to tell me that it was dream... I could get control of it, but... I haven't been able to realize I'm dreaming on my own, yet."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Resting the glass on her leg, Tara lifts a brow. "You assume that all forms of adjustment to dreams and the mind are 'messing with your head'. The simple fact is, removing nightmares was as easy as a breath for me." She cants her head slightly. "I did not stop him from dreaming, I merely introduced an intermediary spell that kept the nightmares from reaching his conscious mind, and thus he could not dream them. That was his request, I did not force it on him."

Shifting, a slight turn of her body toward Cael and she continues. "Most human minds cannot lucid dream on their own, no matter how much training a person attempts, and some lucid dreamers become so overly tuned in to the fact that they are dreaming, that they alter the state of sleep and never truly get a good nights rest. There is a very fine balance required."

Lifting the glass to her lips for another sip, she continues to study Cael. "You do not know me, you do not trust me, this is understandable and acceptable. You are leery, even afraid that my offer means I would change something your brain, but unless you are willing and accepting, there is nothing I could do to alter a single thing in your mind."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I didn't think you did anything against Jon's will," Cael replies simply. "And the ease with which you do something doesn't changee whether it's... messing with my mind or not," she points out.
    "I just- I've had someone in my head before, and he thought he was doing what was right. ...he wasn't. So, you know, I just- It makes me uneasy. It helps that you're Jon's friend, but-" It clearly isn't quite enough - because she //doesn't// know her.
    "I usually manage to get enough sleep on my own. But... when I know it's going to be a bad night... I ask Jon over. It helps."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara nods, her smile broadening again. "Then you have managed to find a way to deal with it, but in time, should you change your mind, my offer will stand. As I said, I understand that you are not comfortable with the idea right now, and I would not even attempt anything until you knew me better, and trusted me on your own. The best intentions and recommendations of friends and family, still do not mean that trust it automatic."

The glass rests back on her knee before her eyes shift to Bear. She was beginning to understand the requirement of the dogs presence. To Tara's eyes, Cael never truly felt comfortable in the world she was in, and Bear made it easier to be out of her safe places. "There are a number of herbal teas you could also try, to aid with your sleeping," she then offers. "Jon may know of them, they are commonly used around the world."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael goes from looking dubious at the mention of 'herbal tea,' to understanding as the woman explains. "You mean like chamomile?" she suggests. "I mean - I've had things like that before. It's- they're not bad." She smiles wryly before adding, "A more responsible option than drinking myself to sleep which- I know doesn't actually help." But it doesn't stop her from trying, on occassion.
    "Anyways - I appreciate the concern. The dreams now... aren't as bad as they have been. But they are still annoying, I'll admit."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara was certainly no expert on people, but in her time she had learned to read between the lines. It wasn't always correct, the thing she thought she figured out about a person, but she was also the sort to keep opinions to herself until she learned the full truth. Judgement was for Ma'at after all.

"I was actually thinking Tulsi tea." She says after a moment of silence. "Though if you have been using alcohol, Kava tea might be even better. If you would like, I could arrange some of each for you to try. One comes from India, the other is from the South Pacific, though with Kava I strongly suggest you start with a very small amount. It can also cause a euphoric effect, but in the right amount is a wonderful alternative to medications for anxiety."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "...yeah?" Cael asks in an uncertain tone. The notion of getting back //off// the anxiety meds - if that were really a possibility, she wants to explore it. But if it were really that effective - well. Wouldn't Jon or Caldwell have recommended it already? "I mean- I suppose I'll try it. I'll ask Jon if they've heard of either. They're- I mean, they know a lot of stuff."
    She lets out a snort before adding, "I mean, bit of an understatement - they're the fucking Archivist."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara laughs, a soft melodic sound that grows deeper as it continues.

"Knows a lot of stuff," she manages to laugh out, then reaches up to carefully wipe a tear from her eye.

"Yes, they does know a thing or two. You are right to talk to them about it of course, but do let them know that if they approve, I can get the mixtures first hand from the homeopathic healers of India and the South Pacific, to ensure the safety of the tea of course."

Another sip is taken before she sets the glass on the bench beside her. "I look forward to the opportunity of proving myself reliable and trustable to you Cael Becker," she finally says. "I have very few contacts in this part of the world, most are in Africa, India and Japan of all places. I would not go near China unless I had to," she snorts. "That government needs removed."

Cael Becker has posed:
    On the subject of Jon's knowledge, Cael adds quietly, "Including the fact that the people of Brussels had a pornographic snow sculpture festival, when the government tried to have a snowman festival." Amusement flashes in her eyes, and she sips again at her whiskey, while shifting her hands to scratch at the back of Bear's ears.
    "There are a few governments out there that I think we'd be better without. Fortunately, or unfortunately, it's not my job to do anything about that. We can only hope that situations improve..."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara lifts a brow in amusement as she looks back to Cael. A pornographic snow sculpture festival, now that sounded like something she would enjoy. A smile plays at the corner of her mouth again until finally a broad one spreads across her face.

"I assume from your quiet mention that you are not particularly interested in snow sculpted penises and vaginas?" She asks as plainly as one might ask for a phone number or address... no pause, no embarrassment, no shame, just right into the thick of it. "I am quite certain the male sculptures were exaggerated, they do so /love/ to do that."

She gestures toward the male statues in the room, all clothed of course. "The shame of the body seems as American as apple pie and baseball. There was a time when the beauty of the human form was worshipped, and the pleasures of..." she pauses there, realizing that she might be getting preachy now.

"Anyway... men like to exaggerate the size of their penises," she finishes off with, then takes another sip of her whiskey.

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael gives a shrug of her shoulders, looking both embarrassed, and amused. "Well - I mean, I enjoy the humor of it. That the government had one thing in mind, and the people quite literally said, 'Fuck that!' But I have no particular desire to attend. I just... enjoy the concept."
    Finishing off her whiskey, she sets it aside while they continue talking. "And...yes. Men can be rather proud - not something I've ever really understood but- whatever."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
The last drink of her whiskey is taken before the glass is set back on the tray. Enough alcohol and Tara's body would feel it, it just took more than usual to get to that point.

"Have they made it a yearly thing then," she asks, making sure to center the glass so when she moved the tray later it didn't leap off.

"I am the avatar of a goddess of pleasure, and even /I/ do not understand the male obsession with their genitalia. I assume it has something to do with the thinking that the bigger it is, the more superior they are," she snorts a laugh. "When you and I both know, in the end, that superiority has nothing to do with their penis, we females have it already and we do not have one."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "No, no. This happened hundreds of years ago," Cael replies, waving a hand dismissively. "I teasingly asked Jon what the Archives had on snowmen. Well - that's what it had," she explains with amusement.
    "Personally, I give zero shits about anyone's penis - and I find that sort of behavior a complete waste of time, and usually counter-productive," she remarks with a roll of her eyes. "Don't know if that bullshit is cultural or biological - but we sure seem to be stuck with it."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara snorts again with a nod in regards to cultural concepts of manliness, but it was enough talk about penises for one evening.

"In time, it will change," she offers as she stands again, stretching her legs and arms. "Eventually evolution will adjust and change, there are already obvious signs of it with the x-gene, so it's only a matter of time before equality is a real thing."

Taking a moment to get into her pockets, she removes a larger than normal cell phone. Clearly the act of typing on any cell phone would be difficult for someone with claws, but the larger phone at least makes it a little less so. Turning it on, she pulls up the screen with her phone number on it and offers it to Cael. "Please feel free to add my number to your phone," she says as she moves Cael's now empty glass onto the tray by her own glass. "If you ever have need of assistance, or are willing to take me for a fast ride, give me a call."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I- yeah," Cael agrees. "Sure." She pulls out her own phone, typing in the number - but even as she's doing so, a door reappears and opens.
    "Hey Cael?" Jon's voice calls. "You finished? Agnes says she reached that save point!"
    Climbing to her feet, and retrieving Bear's vest, Cael gives Tara an apologetic look as she puts her phone away. "One second, Jon!" she calls, before lowering her voice to talk to Tara. "Sorry - Agnes has been trying to beat that part of the game for most of the day - apparently there's something she wants me to see. You want me to tell Jon you said hello?" she asks politely.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Bending to pick up the tray, Tara glances to the door just second before it opens and she laughs at what she hears called through. Even more laughter is offered when Cael explains the reason for it.

"I would appreciate very much if you did," she says with a bright smile. "Also, I hope that Agnes gets past the level, those games can be very difficult at times, or so I have seen. If I tried to use the controller, I would skewer it."

Looking back to Cael now, she offers slight upper body bow, "It was a pleasure to meet you Cael Becker, I do hope we can speak again some time."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "It can be a real bitch," Cael agrees - before looking down at Tara's hands again. "No video games, ugh. That must suck," she mutters.
    Cael, the very picture of tact.
    "Nice to have met you, Tara," she adds, before making her way towards the portal with Bear at her heels. "Hey Jon," she calls brightly. "Tara wanted me to tell you-"
    Whether Cael simply relays Tara's greetings, or messes with Jon in some day, Tara will never know as the door swings shut - and disappears.