Pastel and Caesura

Pastel: The Day Elemental, the Awakened Spirit and Herald of the First Spring. Caesura: The Night Elemental, the Sleepbringer and Gatekeeper of the Depths of Last Winter. Long ago when the Bone Keeper’s living flame first ignited, there existed Night and Day. First came Night. Caesura was borne out of the tumultuous Whale’s Song Nebula among the white-hot clouds of newborn stars and planetary dust. The Sleepbringer rose out of the First Winter and brought rest to the stilled Cave. The uncarved stones were calmed with the subtle glow of the stopped astrolabe. All was quiet and dark. Then came Day. Pastel erupted out of the roots of a flowering cherry tree, scorching the surrounding land instantly to arid desert. The Awakened Spirit stepped forth, or more accurately floated forth, and brought sloping meadows and lush fields to the icy stone and ragged mountains of Night’s conception. New colors that had never been idealized were created. The first sounds echoed in the empty space as baby saplings shot up earnestly and wildflowers bowed in the wake of the Herald of the First Spring. Pastel did not cease until they had entered the realm of shifting sunset where Night met Day. Caesura and Pastel locked identical eyes and knew they were two parts of the same whole. In Caesura’s arms, the astrolabe began to tick softly. Stone met sand and snow met sun. The seasons rejoiced, and Day and Night became the precarious balance of the fledgling planet.

As time progressed, Caesura grew impatient with the prevalence of the awakened over the asleep. The sun always melted the snow. Grass always triumphed over unforgiving ice. Tree roots refused to respect the stone, often cracking it straight open within a matter of sun cycles. Caesura retreated to the top of the highest mountain, where thick fog obscured the brashness of the all-reaching light. There, a small beach sat in the shaded nook of a mountain’s peak, with crystalline sand of a thousand rainbows and water as deep as the age of the planet. Caesura waited, for Pastel could never resist invading any location unknown to them. Pastel could never wait for Caesura to return, and Caesura knew, once they were late, Pastel would come searching. Caesura was right, and within a few eons, Pastel came calling from amidst the fog. Caesura knew that the last bastion of winter here would be the only chance they had to seal the Day Elemental into the arcane binds of the mountain depths. The fog sparkled ominously, as to egg her on. They took a deep breath and waited, for at last this was the moment when they could halt the astrolabe’s noisy ticking once and for all.

They were walking along the pier, where the bank drops off into a swift, dark abyss. I looked down for fear that the rickety wooden pier would collapse under my paws, plunging me into that yawning maw of watery depths. But they with their eyes of glossy gold moved me forward, nearer, and although every fiber of my being urged me to stop before I met my doom, some visceral intent lodged deep inside my subconscious still kept pushing me forward, nearer. They coaxed me yet silently I felt the threat behind their unreadable expression. But I chose to place faith in them, and slowly the number of planks on the pier dwindled down to five, four, three before I would reach the end. They smiled at me serenely, and to any nonexistent passerby it may have come off as mockery or derision, but strangely I sensed no such aura. Perhaps even more fear-inducing was the timeless understanding they possessed directly into my soul, like they could read every aspect of my being. They just watched pleasantly as I edged forward, nearer. And I hate water more than anything. I can feel the pier creaking. The fog clings to my fur. The wind swishes around me, but I am not startled. They are my counterpart, both my blessing and my curse. And although they cannot bear to part with the night, I cannot survive without the day, but as my spirit yearns to escape the sun sets lower and lower, and the hole under my paws stretches wider. They blink one last time at me, as to reassure me. I am not reassured. However, I don’t protest as they place a paw against my chest. It’s a cool sensation, like a soothing stone, nestled in the scruff of my fur. They apply pressure. My center of mass is tilted askew, and gracefully, almost as if in slow motion, I fall. Golden orbs for eyes are the last thing I see against the pitch-black of the night sky. The compass needle points into another dimension. Gravity is my only companion. They betrayed me, yet they also saved me. I fall into the depths of my undine hell. Heaven? Night conquers the last vestiges of day. The longest solstice is prepared. All good things must come to an end.

Caesura was always jealous of their sibling’s elemental prowess. Pastel was naturally gifted at wielding the powers of Day. Sometimes they were so gifted that outbursts of little saplings would spring up around their paws on a sunny day. Pastel claimed it was an occurrence out of their control, but Caesura could never muster the spark for finding life out of nothingness like Pastel did. After seeing what their sibling could do and the color to the world they brought, Caesura tried their best to learn the tips and tricks of creation. But instead of leaving flora and fauna in their wake, Caesura looked over their shoulder only to see jagged ice and cracked earth. Growing jealous of their counterpart, adored by the denizens of the Cave, Caesura sought out a plan to seal the Day Elemental away in hopes that once the source of flowing life was stilled, the flow would return to Caesura, the eldest Elemental in the universe.

Thus one day Caesura lured Pastel to the pier of their birthplace, a solemn pocket of sea that yawned off the edges of the earth. Putting Pastel into an enchanted trance that lasted a thousand years, Pastel walked themselves into their watery tomb. Excitedly, Caesura stretched their paws out and concentrated hard, willing the spark of life to glow from within. However, they only felt as dull and cold as they were before. Without the Day Elemental gracing the flowered meadows with cherubic laughter and song, Caesura felt empty inside. There was no one to share the world with. Alas, there was no going back. Pastel would sleep for a thousand years amidst only the darkest of underwater creatures.

Over centuries, Caesura meditated in solitude. They eventually learned to accept that the power to flourish and nurture had split to reside with Pastel permanently, but there was beauty in the quiet. Caesura learned to furnish softly glowing stars, twinkling with their delicate sparkle above their heads. They learned to add fire to the moon instead of envying the blazing, steadfast sun. They found happiness in the fluffiness of clouds and soothing shushes of the sea.

But for the first time since they emerged from the Whale Nebula, Caesura felt a tear sting their eye. Raising their head to the sky, the stars they wove out of magic dust blurred into streaks of white. The tears kept falling, and they didn’t stop. Kneeling to the ground, Caesura wept for the woe they caused to their innocent sibling, sleeping dreamlessly in a prison of Night creation.

My eyelids were so heavy. So impossibly heavy. It would take an eon for me to find the energy to lift them. Nevertheless, I slowly opened them. Were they open? All I could see was utter darkness, no different from when I had my eyes closed. But yet, I could not be dreaming. The faint shadows of the unknown swirl around me, wrapping around my arms, curling over my legs. Strangely, I opened my mouth and exhaled, but no bubbles escaped from my lips. Suspended in black, I floated there, cradled by the current.

It was then that I started to get a feeling that I was being watched.

I realized too late. The current shifted, tugging me further into the depths of the pit. I wasn’t sure if it was bottomless, but I wasn’t keen to find it. Wrestling with the watery forces, I could only feel myself being dragged faster and faster downwards. I cried out, but no one answered. I was all alone. Desperation took over. I used my power the only way I knew I could. I wrought thorny vines and plants to catch myself, but in the water they were no more than limp tendrils of seaweed. Pawfuls of flowers and leaves weren’t going to help me here. Fire was so potent on the surface, but in the water, any flame was immediately extinguished. All life was muffled and drowned out. Giving one last muffled cry of despair, Pastel almost succumbed to the current, until the image of their sibling appeared before them. Pastel choked in shock, for the Night Elemental was crying. Pastel had never seen tears before, in the land of wood and sprawling fields. They reached out to their sibling with tenderness and yearning, and for a moment, their sibling turned and made eye contact, despite being separated by an infinite distance of sea.

By a wish and no small means of a miracle, I broke the surface and gasped for air. Relief flooded over me as sweet air filled my lungs Treading water and trembling, I saw Caesura, sitting along the rickety pier with wet face and glistening eyes. I swam back to shore and heaved themselves onto dry land for the first time in a thousand years. Caesura sobbed, pulling me in for a squeeze. Coughing out the remnants of water, I squeezed them sibling back. “Y-you saved me, didn’t you?” Caesura’s breath hitched, and they froze. I managed an exhausted smile. “I knew you would come back for me. You’re my true family.”

Perhaps it was due to the passage of time or due to the enchanted trance Caesura put them in, but Pastel had no memory of stepping off the pier that fateful day. Gazing at Caesura’s genuinely shed tears, they felt no animosity or fear towards the Elemental that orchestrated it all. I only felt at peace even while shivering with cold and holding a sobbing Caesura. And I’m supposed to be the younger one, I mused.

Dawn was just beginning to break. As sunshine and moonlight gently intertwined across a pink sky, the Elemental counterparts silently celebrated their reunion. Yet again, Night yielded to Day- not in defeat, but in transience, as they would always be in balance.

Ivy’s flowershop activity post by yuriayana

A Little Dreamy Sky

In the intangible world of a dream,
anything is possible.
Within an indigo sky full of stars that gleam,
there’s a sight that would be impossible.

In the middle of a celestial whirlpool,
is a whale, diving into a sea of cloud.
The shimmering eye resembles a jewel,
and the shining tail would gather a crowd.

As the azure whale dived down,
the iridescent clouds parted to make way.
The clouds reflected alluring colors that shined around.
This beauty could make anyone feel okay.

If only this wasn’t a dream,
Because this sky is truly supreme.

Sprout flowers by Crystal Clear

Cottagecore

Dreamscape

*may be moved to my Character Cavern if this gets long enough.

	Location	Description
	Surface	Where Mycena Cave is located. In this canon, Mycena Cave consists of a sprawling system of various villages, towns, and cities. It is the main center of civilization, and most mortal beings live in the Cave because it is safe and protected. The Cave boundaries are marked by stone walls.
	Central Village	A bustling market community within the heart of the Cave boasting many shops and cafes. Some of the two most popular cafes are the Meowcena Cafe and Frosting’s Sugar Emporium. The Day Elemental Pastel frequents this village as they have a penchant for sweets.
	Wildflower Meadow	Fields surrounding the Cave always blooming with diverse wildlife. The Day Elemental Pastel enjoys picnics and frolics in these fields. Often, rare plants and specimens can be found here, so curious Mycenians venture out to explore.
	Woodland	Dense forest adjacent to the Cave. One particular clearing hides a peculiar overgrowth of wild roses. This is also the birthplace of Pastel, who was born out of the hollow of a cherry blossom tree.
	Pier	A lonely pier near the edge of the Cave. It overlooks a tranquil bay. The Night Elemental Caesura was borne here, and they return here regularly to meditate and hone their Elemental powers. The bay was also where Pastel slept for a thousand years under Caesura’s spell.
	The Underworld	The realm where deceased Mycenian souls roam, and ruled by the Death Elemental Calamity.
	Underworld Palace	The home of Calamity. A majestic testament to the Death Elemental, it is lavishly decorated with precious gemstones and metals of all kinds. It hosts many chambers, one of which is Pastel’s residence while they live as the Underworld’s queen.