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"May the mother Goddess thrice close her eyes for you..."
Such was the beginning of a prayer to bestow good luck. A prayer almost forgotten, only to be remembered by a singular individual.
The cursed blessed child of Gaiathra Triclops, Kakavasha. A blessing that was paid in blood, a name buried in the golden sands, a past meant to be forgotten. Aventurine however, couldn't forget. How could he? Surviving over and over and over again just for the ones around him to die. Guilt and self hatred weighing heavy on the blonde. Now his luck was an asset owned by the IPC. Exchanging manacles for chains made out of gold. On this particular day luck didn't seem to be in his favour. Caught in a heavy downpour, after a less than stellar day of work. Meeting upon meetings, mind-numbing conversations and repetitive reports plagued the day. The rain was, so to speak, the icing on the cake. Rain brought back the memories of the past, the ever expanding void was more tangible on these days.
Holding firmly onto his umbrella, Aventurine walked the streets of Pier Point, ready to be in his residence and wallow in his self-deprecating thoughts. Not that he wasn't already plagued by those at this very moment. His train of thought, however, was interrupted by a miserable sound of crying that originated from a nearby alleyway. Aventurine knew that it was better to move on, this could have easily been a trap. Who or whatever was crying shouldn't be concerning him. Blame the rain or his gloomy mood, for the blonde was willing to take the risk of blindly checking the source of noise. In case of a trap, he was willing to lose this bet. But to no one's surprise it turned out to be a perfectly safe alleyway. Instead of a gun pointed at him he was graced with the sight of a soaked shoe box.
Inside were three tiny... cats? Odd shells surrounded their little bodies as they huddled together for a friction of warmth. Judging by the size, Aventurine assumed them to be still young. So young and already facing this cruel world. A familiar knot formed in his chest. He shouldn't concern himself with other beings, the would only fall under the same curse as anyone else in his life. But at the same time he couldn't leave those shivering animals to the whims of an unjust destiny. With a long exhale Aventurine took off his jacket, to wrap the trio of cats into warmth.
Aventurine of Stratagems was an intelligent man, but he was inexperienced in terms of taking care of animals. He hardly took care of himself. But hearing those miserable wails he had the resolve to see this situation through. If he could avoid for at least one being to face a similar fate of growing up alone, than he would take the risk. On the way back to his apartment he picked up cat formula and three little feeding bottles. An easy task to acquire the needed items. But now being back he had to face the task of caring for those three critters. The first step was setting up a box with dry towels, placing the shaking cat creatures inside. The next step was researching and preparing the formula. Scrolling through various research papers he learned that they are called Cat Cakes.
Obtainable pets from Herta's Space Station. According to one peer reviewed paper from one V.R. those creatures were rather resilient, not picky eaters, and tend to have separation anxiety due to the fact that their creator R.M. abandoned them. "Abandoned by your creator and then here by your owner, how cruel..." Aventurine muttered to himself before letting out a chuckle. No wonder he felt some sort of kinship. Not that he was abandoned, but he was just as alone as them. With the softest blanket he owned, he took a hold of the first of the three, wrapping the little one in it. Maneuvering the swaddled cat cake and the bottle in his arms, just like the memory of how his mother used to hold him. The Cat Cake let out a whimpering sound as it looked at the blonde with bleary eyes.
"You don't have to be afraid, you're... safe now. All of you." Aventurine's voice was filled with warmth, his expression softening. Without giving in much thought he cradled the cat, humming an Avgin lullaby. Singing in the tongue of his motherland. The no longer shaking critter calmed down more and more, drinking from the offered bottle with vigor as if it was on the brink of starvation. After drinking its fill it let out a satisfied meowing sound. This small intimate interaction filled Kakavasha's chest with warmth.
Carefully he lifted his left index finger to the tiny paw, pressing against it.
"May the Mother Goddess thrice close her eyes for you, keeping your blood eternally pulsing. May your journey be forever peaceful and your schemes forever concealed."
Reciting the prayer in a place he wouldn't call home. Blessing all three of them, one after another. It was a long road ahead for the four of them. Today the rain was no curse but a blessing, giving him the chance to form a new family.
