#finally drawing the left half of aluros’ shawl properly huh makoto

[team-mythic-beasts]

Seven Years of TMB, Part 4: The Iridescent Rover and the Angelic Author

By Lucas Reynard (feat. Aluros)

(Read series introduction here!)

Trying to outsmart a god, let alone a life deity, at what is basically hide-and-seek with extra steps… is totally impossible. Still, I thought Aluros deserved a little treat for winning— a book about him, written by yours truly. Well… I was going to give it to him eventually, considering I’ve been working on it for a few years already.

As expected, I found him taking the Princesses out for a walk in the woods outside Alphica, happily singing an old song he transcribed for his scholar friends; Clementine trotting around his feet, Lorelei on his head, Domino floating next to him, and Minerva being carried around in his arms, sleeping.

To be honest, I didn’t expect that he’d be here in his god form and not some other guise like… Bengt the Bard or that blue goblin whose name I can’t quite recall. But again, with practically no one in Phantasmia knowing who he really is (other than me), I guess he has nothing to worry about as long as he’s here.

Still, I’m not letting him tag along with me to Mikel’s place unless he changes into his elf form. I’d rather have my partner call Aluros “Mr. Reynard” rather than try to wrap his head around the idea of an “entirely new” deity.

Whoops, I’m getting off topic here… Anyways, back to my story.

“Oh, Lukey! Nice to see you again. The girls have been wondering when you’d…”

Aluros and his familiars were quick to spot me, but quicker did their attention turn towards the purple rectangular object I held in my arms. It’s the God of Colors’ favorite hue, and every author before me who’s ever written about him made that very clear.

Before I could fully explain as to why I got him this present, a collaborative effort from the two older Princesses swiftly removed the book from my grasp, then into their maker’s.

“All About Aluros: The God of Colors… You wrote this for me?”

And so he gently sat himself down, laid sleepy little Minerva onto his lap, and began to go through the pages, each word and picture, as the other Princesses gathered around him. His grin, which started off small yet soft, grew wider with every detail that amused him.

I wasn’t expecting much of a reaction from Aluros since it’s not really an elaborate gift, but looking back at it now… I probably should have. Unlike the stone-faced goddess that is my mother, he’s always been an emotional deity, and this time too was he moved to tears.

“I’m so honored,” “This is everything,” “Thank you so much…”

He kept repeating those words as he wept all over his new book and melted into a puddle, both his hair and the skies slowly morphing into a sweet, euphoric mix of purple, pink, and all those pleasant hues. The Princesses, Minerva included, meowed in harmony at the clouds, as they did every previous “purple sky.”

Like how the air turns golden to anyone who donates to a Moon Goddess statue, Aluros’ joy has the power to free anyone lucky enough to get to bask in it of their worries and all other negative sentiments. For all that my friends and I have endured these past few years, I admit this “purple sky” was much needed.

“Oh, I almost forgot… We got you a present too! Happy Birthday, Lukey!”

Well, I was so distracted from the joy of making Aluros happy that I forgot about my own birthday. Being the artist he is, obviously he’d have made me a portrait— marked with paw prints from all four Princesses.

Today, that portrait has its very own place in my study, framed in elegant wood and set right next to my table lamp. Whenever I’m a bit tired from writing, I’d put all my work aside and stare at it for minutes, even hours on end…

He’s gotten better at capturing my likeness yet again. 💕

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