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A Frog's Blessing on this Wonderful Galaxy: Chapter 12
🕑 Added 2025-01-09 17:57:12 +0000 UTCCan You Forgive and Forget?
Kermit felt at peace. For the first time in a long while, he had no worries. There were no deadlines to catch, nor were there people to save. It was just him, Isha and the song they shared in this one magical moment. All good things however would come to an end as their song's last wistful notes faded away with a sigh.
"That was beautiful," Isha whispered as she leaned against his hand. Seeing the soft smile on her lips, Kermit felt one graze his own. He wished that he could just sing a bit longer, but then he wouldn't get to see her smile like this.
"But not as beautiful as you," Kermit replied before catching himself. "I-I mean, as beautiful as your eyes, no! Your voice! Your voice is definitely pretty," He stuttered before covering his face, "I'm making a fool of myself, am I?"
Covering her lips, Isha giggled, "Maybe, but I don't really mind." Setting her instrument aside, she added, "Maybe I actually like fools." Feeling her gaze on him, his cheeks darkened as he swallowed thickly. Was her gaze always this intense, he asked himself.
Thankfully, or maybe unfortunately, a certain Fool would butt in as she pressed her face against Isha's. "Did I hear that you like someone silly~?" She grinned, making Isha grimace, "Silly like me~?"
Slipping her hands between their cheeks, Isha pushed the Clown aside. "I said fools, not pests," She corrected, sending Cegorach stumbling back as an arrow slammed into their heart.
Clutching their chest, the goddess dramatically fell before she choked out, "Do you truly see me as such, dear Isha? To be beneath even the wriggling worms beneath thy feet?" With a shutter, a spotlight shone upon them. "Please, sweet Isha, tell me it's not so." All she would get however would be her fellow goddess's look of disgust.
"No longer needed, nor wanted," They lamented as they reached out to the light, "Why must it feel so cold." Letting out one final shuddering breath, their hands fell. Grabbing a flower from thin air, they laid it on their chest, before they 'died'; tongue sticking out and all.
"Is she actually dead?" He asked in concern as she laid there, unmoving. It was quite unnerving seeing how well they pulled the act off. His worries would be laid to rest as their eyes peeked open; They're just pulling their legs.
Taking a deep breath, Isha sighed as she reached up to her temple and muttered under her breath. Marching over, she kicked the clown on the side before she asked, "What do you want, Cegorach?"
Clutching her side in pain, Cegorach looked up to Kermit with pitiful eyes. Kermit however was all too wary of her tricks, and with that look on Isha's face, he was not about to stick his neck out for her. Pouting, the clown climbed back up to her feet before dusting her crumbled costume. Placing her hands on her hips, she answered, "Why to congratulate my student off course!
This gave Kermit some pause as he tilted his head at her. Smirking back, she gestured at the library, "For fixing the library off course." As he continued staring at her, she rolled his eyes, "Just look around you silly frog!" Crossing her arms, she muttered, "He's just as clueless as that huntress."
"What do you mean he fixed…" Isha asked before trailing off as she looked around, "Ohhhh."
Looking up at himself, confusion gave way to wonder as he found the library restored to its former glory; Dare he say, it looked even better now. Chuckling, the clown dropped on his shoulder before she pointed at his heart,"You two sang you heart out and the library merely answered what you want here,"
The blackened walls were overgrown by vines. The shelve once more stood proudly, reinforced by trees, The gaping hole healed over, covered by a fractal mosaic that shone soft gentle light upon the library. There were still signs from his little escapade, but life had healed over the scars.
"I… no, we did this?" He whispered as he reached out to the bone white leaves of the plants. Despite the jaw dropping sight, he couldn't quite believe it.
"Sure did!," She laughed as she grinned wide, "Got to say kid, you're a natural. Who knew that you're bone a singer!"
Cringing, he muttered, "That was bad and you should feel bad." Still, not even her puns could take away the beauty of the sight. All of this with a simple song. Gazing down on the Banjo in his hands, he wondered, could he do more?
"Try it," Cegorach suggested as she poked him on the cheeks, "You're ready. Just remember what Isha said and what we've taught you and you'll do fine. Trust me!"
Nodding, he took a deep breath before he strummed his banjo. Nimble fingers danced as he played a playful tune echoed out across the halls, one that the plants and trees were all too happy to dance. Coaxing them with his song, he watched as flowers bloomed before they wilted, replaced by the one thing he wanted more in this world; a peach much like the ones found in his old home.
Setting his banjo aside, he reached out, plucking the plump fruit before taking a bite. "Oh man, it's just like how I remembered it," He moaned as he bit into its soft, juicy flesh. Seeing the amused smile in Isha's lips, he grinned back, "What? I'm hungry!" He can't really say no to something so tasty.
Finishing his meal, he cleaned his fingers before asking, "So, what's next?" He'd be lying if he didn't say he was excited. Without the weight on his shoulder, he felt like he could do everything!
"Well, that's the thing," The clown goddess smiled, "You're done! You've pretty much mastered all you need to know." Glancing at his banjo, she noted, "You are relying on that crutch, but it's not a bad thing per say."
Turning to Isha, the woman nodded back, "She's right. All you need is control and everything will come naturally afterwards." Flashing a teasing smile, she suggested, "Of course, you can take the more advanced lessons. I'm sure Cegorach would be more than happy to do so."
"Nope, I'm good!" He replied. It's not that he didn't want to learn, it's just that he already had enough clowns for a lifetime. Sighing, he smiled as he admitted, "Plus, I kinda miss my friends you know. Being cooped up in a library has me a bit stir crazy!" He chuckled before he paused, "I can still come back to the library though, right?"
He had been rather busy trying to learn to enjoy what they had to offer. He remembered how the Clown Goddess kept a repository of shows worth remembering and watching Eldari drama or reading alien comics sounds like a fun time.
Smiling from ear to ear, the goddess replied, "Of course~ The library is open to all those who wish to have sanctuary from the dullness that is modern life." Standing up and hopping off his shoulder, she reached behind her before pulling out a rolled up piece of parchment fit for his hands.
Waving the oversize bundle, she said, "Now since you've graduated, I suppose it's time I give you your diploma!" Snapping her fingers, Kermit found himself standing on a stage while wearing a toga. With Isha by his side and an audience of Harlequins clapping, Cegorach presented him the document, "For the one week workshop we had, I present to you a certificate of appreciation. Congratulations!"
Beaming with pride, he accepted the diploma. "Gee, thank you for giving me… wait a minute," Unfurling the expensive feeling parchment, he found it not printed, but rather written and doddled with crayons. "This is made of crayon," He noted before looking up at the shameless goddess, "You just made it right now, didn't you?"
"I promised to teach you, not give you a proper diploma," She argued as she placed both hands on her hips, "Do you know how expensive it is to find paper for your size?" Hearing her excuse, Isha slapped her forehead as she walked off.
"We're in a library," He pointed out as he gave her a flat look, "and you're the curator." How the clown goddess couldn't have some proper pens to write down her signature with is beyond him, but admittedly, it did give it quite the personal touch.
Snickering, the goddess clapped her hands and they once more stood inside the library. "Anyways~" She started as she walked away, "Since you're properly trained now, I think you're more than ready for this teensy tiny problem we have on our hands."
Kermit smiled back as he replied, "You know, if you wanted to say we have a huge problem, you can just say that." Patting his treasured Banjo, he felt pride well up in his chest, "I think this baby can handle it." Perhaps he was being a bit too overconfident, but with his songs, he felt like he could take on the world!
"Oh good because I do not want to be the guy handling the Extra Galactic Murder Locust that wants to eat everyone's faces," The goddess oh so casually replied, giving Kermit some pause.
Turning slowly to the Clown, he asked, "Excuse me, the what?" He jinxed it, didn't he? He definitely jinxed it as Murder and Locust were definitely the type of words he wanted in the same sentence.
"Oh you know, the Tyranids," Cegorach shrugged, seemingly unbothered by what she had just said earlier, "An extra galactic swarm that's more chitinous claws and teeth that's only purpose is to consume and multiply? Yes, those Tyranids." Grabbing a nearby book, the goddess showed him a scene straight out of a horror movie.
He saw entire planets swarmed by a chittering mass of insect-like creatures that descended from the stars. They came in their untold numbers, devouring all who stood in their path. Nothing was left untouched as even the very ground itself was being stripped clean.
Glancing over to Isha, he found only her pained grimace as she looked away. Taking in a deep breath, Kermit spoke the only words hat could describe what he felt right now, "Fuck."
Why did it have to be insects? Just thinking about them sent shivers up his spines. Too many eyes, too many mouths, too many legs; Everything about them felt wrong and they're super sized! Seeing his discomfort, the goddess chuckled
"Kinky~" She joked before her smile fell as she pulled a letter from her pocket, one marked with the familiar sigil of his friend; A red thunderbolt in a white background. Tossing the letter to him, she added, "But kidding aside, it's bad, bad enough that your friend asked for our help."
Opening the letter, he found a plea for help as one planet, one named Cadia, was now under siege. "This does not look good," He muttered, feeling dread fill his spine. Looking up to them, he added, "We have to help them!"
"Commoragh has already mustered a fleet as soon as we got this message yesterday," Isha assured him, "However, it might take time, time that Cadia doesn't have." Glancing over the book, Isha noted, "If they don't hold out, the planet would be stripped to its core, perhaps devoured entirely."
"Then we better give them some time," Kermit replied as he grabbed his Banjo. They might be the creepy crawlies that haunted his nightmares, but people needed help. "It's time to show these bugs what a true frog could do!"
He raised his hands, ready to strum his banjo when the two shouted at him, "Wait, don't!" Even Isha looked scared. "If you tear a hole from here to the Commaragh, the Webway might collapse!" The woman quickly explained.
"It's one thing to punch a hole to a connecting tunnel, and another to create a path between distant paths," Cegorach added as he jumped up and hung on to his hands, begging him not to pluck its strings.
"Damn it," He cursed. Looks like that option was off the table. He wasn't one without options however. Looking over to the Keeper of the Webway, he asked. "Do you know of a shortcut?" If he could find a way to get out of Commorragh without that goddess knowing, she must know right?
The woman grinned as she asked, "Do you really have to ask?" Dropping down with a flourish, she added, "However, the path's going to be a bit unorthodox. I hope you don't mind"
"Lead the way," He nodded back. Wherever this path was, it doesn't matter. So long as he could answer his friends' calls faster. It can't be that bad, right?
-x-x-x-
The path she took wasn't bad, oh no, it was so much worse than he expected. In their trek towards Cadia, they have left the confines of the Webway and dived straight inside the warp. Right now, they were trekking through a blasted landscape choke full of industry. Where once might have been a tropical paradise was long buried under soot and ash.
"When you said you know a shortcut, I didn't mean like this!" He hissed as he pulled his cloak closer, careful not to draw too much attention to himself. They hadn't just gone off the beaten path, they're taking a swim on the very crocodile infested water those paths were built on top of.
"This place gives me the creeps," He muttered as Isha clung closer. Despite learning how his ancestors came from the warp itself, there was just something about this place that made him feel uneasy. From the blast of fire shooting from the eclectic piping and spouts running through the background, to the seemingly bottomless pits that were scattered about, there were dozens of hidden dangers he had to be careful about.
"Trust me, this is the fastest way," The goddess laughed, sporting a much finer and colorful cloak than his own, "With how time works here, who knows! Maybe we'll arrive before we left~" Truly, the Warp was where reason came to die. Glancing back, she added, "And besides, didn't I tell you that these cloaks would hide you?"
He nodded reluctantly as he followed closely. Unlike the last time he was here, he wasn't being swarmed. He felt somewhat protected, like his very light was smothered. It was uncomfortable, but it was a far better alternative. Glancing over to Isha, he asked, "Are you ok?" She hasn't stopped shivering since they got here and she had this look in her eyes that he couldn't quite figure out.
Isha jolted in surprise before snapping back in attention. Looking back at him, she smiled, "Yes, yes…" Glancing back to the fields of broken castles and overgrown factories, she whispered, "I'm just a bit uneasy here." With a distant look in her eyes, she added, "It felt almost like a lifetime…"
Kermit nodded, remembering where he first found her. Has it already been that long since he freed her? Tucking her in a bit closer, he assured her, "Don't worry Isha, so long as I'm here, no one's ever going to mess with you." Isha smiled, holding him closely.
As the factories gave way to vast desert, one where the withered corpses of ancient trees towered over him and bones of ancient giants that littered the ground, he heard a distant cry. It was faint, almost imperceptible even, but he felt like he heard it before. It's soft, almost melodic tone, that sounded almost like music.
"Do you hear that?" He asked, wondering if it was just all in his head. He knew he should not trust his senses in this place, but something nagged at him that heard this before.
"Cegorach," Isha hissed out as panicked tinged her tone, clutching Kermit cloak like her life depended on it.
"Now, now, Isha, don't be alarmed~" Cegorach chuckled as she strode forward, picking her pace up, "There's a reason we took this path and you know exactly why we're here."
"I hate it when you smile like that," Isha muttered, hiding behind the hood of his large billowy cloak. Frowning, he glanced at the two, wondering what they were talking about.
"Is there something you forgot to tell me?" He asked pointedly, "Something that you forgot to discuss?" He hated being left out of discussions and that wide, cheshire like smile on the Clown goddess's face was not a reassuring sight.
"I probably should, but we're a bit strapped for lines," The woman replied cryptically, "It'd take far too long to convince you if I told you otherwise." Before he could scold her, she disappeared into the tree line.
He gave chase, trying to find her through the maze, before he stopped as the singing ended. With a cry that shook the very earth itself, a familiar voice echoed out in the dead forest, "So bored!" He knew this voice, he had faced her before.
"Wait, that voice," He frowned as a sense of familiarity filled him. Cegorach wasn't going to drag him out here just to face her again, right?
Frowning, he crouched low, creeping through the underbrush until he found the woman taking cover behind a fallen log. Opening his mouth, he was about to call out when a light shaved through the trees. He cowered, shielding himself as the light scoured through the sands, leaving a trail of molten glass and revealing the figure of a Daemon goddess towering over the ruins.
"God damn it, I'm so fucking bored!" the Daemon goddess cried out as rolled on the boiling sand, "There's nothing to do here!" Despite the injuries she sported, she seemed unbothered, relishing it even, as she bathed in molten rock and clawed at herself.
Turning to the grinning goddess, he hissed out, "Cegorach!" They went out of their way to face her? Was she mad? Yes he beat her once, but that doesn't mean he could fight her again after just a week or two. He could still feel his ass hurting from some of those nasty falls!
He probably should have kept his voice down as the daemon goddess perked up. Rising to her full height, she loomed over them, glaring with an intensity of a thousand burning suns. "You!" She hissed out as she slithered towards them, dragging herself on the ground as she swatted aside trees.
"Damn it Cegorach!" He shouted as he squared himself up, bracing himself for round two. As he looked back at Cegorach, she merely chuckled.
"What? You did ask for a shortcut," Cegorach purred as got out of her cover. Kermit felt sweat drip down his brow as the Daemon goddess barreled towards them like a freight train, her shriek of pure hate echoing across the landscape. "And besides, she's harmless!" She assured him as she sat beside him.
With a shriek, she launched herself at him, throwing her titanic weight at him. Rearing back, Kermit planted himself for a punch, waiting till he could see the whites of her eyes, before dropping it as he stared at the woman desperately trying to claw at him, her hands just out of reach.
"Fucking damn it!" She shouted, as she pulled on her massive tail causing ripples across the sky. Looking behind her, he saw her tail stuck inside a gaping hole in the warp. With a shout of frustration, she dropped down, exhausted., Shaking her hands at him, she hissed out, "Once I get my hands on you I swear I'll… I'll, fuck it. Fuck you and fuck off!"
For all her bluster and her anger, she looked so tired and beaten. Was this really the goddess she fought in Commaragh? Skipping over, Cegorach patted the goddess on the nose before saying, "See! Isn't she adorable?"
She pulled back her hands just inches away from the daemonic goddess's bite. "You asshole!" She raged, throwing sand at them, "Come to taunt me will you?" Wheezing and coughing, she plopped down, groaning in pain, "Just let me catch my breath. I should have done that. Fuck…"
Popping her head from her cover, Isha laughed, "Not so tough are you!"
Slaanesh glared back, huffing at a stray hair on her face, "Come here and see what happens." For her troubles, she got a face full of sand, "Oh fuck you in particular!" She shrieked while Cegorach laughed.
Shaking his head, he plopped himself down, before he asked, "Do you really want to taunt her?" He gets that they hated her, but it's not like she's behind a cage. She was merely stuck. "What if she gets loose?" He asked.
"Oh, I wouldn't be worried about that," Cegorach replied as she cart wheeled out of a blast, "With how hard you punch her, she's stuck in there good, which brings me to why I brought you here." As the goddess wheezed and shooked, the clown pointed towards the portal.
"Behind her, is Cadia, the closest path to the planet," She said as a knife flashed in their hand, it's razor sharp edge glinting from the light of this realms psychedelic sky, "All we have to do is jump through and we'll be on planetside in no time."
Grimacing, she glared at the downed goddess as she tossed the knife in the air. "Unfortunately, there's a road block ahead and we'll need someone to clear the path," She lamented before offering him the knife. With a blood thirsty smile stretching across her lips, she asked, "Think you can do it, Kermit?"
Kermit stared at the offered weapon before looking at the daemonic goddess. Even without the knife, he could do it. All he needed to do was strum his banjo and burn her like the daemon she was. Even Isha was into it as she begged him, "Kermit, if you can't do it, let me."
Glaring at the daemon goddess in disgust, she spat out, "She has brought nothing but pain and misery upon our people and this is our chance to end her once and for all!" Even without talking about what he had heard about her, she was a horrible being.
She destroyed much of Commorragh, threatened to kill him and his friends, and ate the souls of so many people, but he couldn't help but feel pity for her. Sighing, she asked, "Before we do that, can I talk to her? In private." As they looked at him in confusion, he clarified, "I just want to ask her something."
"You know, she's still quite dangerous," Cegorach reminded him as she sheathed her knife, "Her word's poison and her charm, a dagger aimed at your heart."
"I know, but trust me," He replied, "Please?" It was dangerous, and he should probably listen to them, but he wanted to know her and the only person that could tell him was the woman herself. Call it a bit of curiosity on his part. It was not everyday that he came face to face with an evil incarnate.
With a sigh, she relented. "Alright," Isha shook her head before glaring at the downed goddess, "But if she does something funny, I swear I'll rip her head off." Despite being barely bigger than the daemonic goddess' face, he had no doubt she could make do with her threat.
He nodded, waiting for them to go away, before turning back to the woman before here. It was now just him and the woman. He walked over, ignoring the glare she sported, before sitting down beside her. "Hey," Greeting the daemon goddess, he smiled, "Do you mind if I sit here?"
The woman scoffed as she refused to move an inch, probably too tired at this point. Silence stretched between them as they just sat there, before she spoke up, "Come to finish the job?"
Kermit opened his mouth before he paused. He frowned, silent for a moment, before nodding. "Well, yeah," He pointed out, "You've been quite the horrible goddess, you know that?" A being borne from the very darkness of everyone in the galaxy. It was strange, knowing that someone could be born evil and even more so seeing them embrace it.
Laughing, she replied, "And it was hilarious!" Wiping the tears off their eyes, she sighed, "I was having a good time, until you ruined it."
"And a good thing I did," He replied evenly. If he hadn't returned, the city would have been wiped off the galaxy.
"Yeah and I can't blame ya," She shrugged, "I had a good run, being the Prince of Excess, and now, here I am, Queen of Nothing." With her mood going foul, she scowled, "I am nothing after that mechanical asshole took my castle, my daemonettes, and most of my followers, while those three took the rest!"
She rose up, and for a moment, he thought she'd break free as she pulled against her tear, until she faltered. Plopping down, she muttered, "Well, I do have something, but they're useless!" Sticking out her tongue, she gagged, "All I have are useless emotions like love, perfection, wait no, I actually like that one, but everything else is sappy and happy. It's awful!"
He laughed as he brought out his banjo and rested his hands against it. "Do you know what they taste like?" She asked and he shook his head in reply, "It's like I'm eating cotton candy without ecstasy. Give me some spice!"
"You know, for someone that's about to die, you seem awfully happy," He pointed out.
"What? You think I'll beg for my life and promise to change my ways just because you try and talk things out? She fired back, unflinching at his unspoken threat, "I'll never change!" Even in the end, she was unrepentant.
"Would you really?" He asked, "Like never change at all? That sounds boring." Looking down at his Banjo and feeling its string, "If you're given the chance to change, would you take it?"
The woman paused before she replied, "You're funny, you know that?" Shifting, she laid on her back. "If I could change… Maybe? Who knows. I am what I am," She shrugged, sounding unsure as she gazed up at the sky. Nodding, he gazed up at the sky with her.
Closing his eyes, he felt the eddies of emotions around them. As much as she was made of such horrible emotions, so too was the sea around them. Even for as calm as the sea was here, it was still filled with such ugly emotions. She didn't lie, she was just the sum of her parts.
"What if I help you?" He offered, taking her by surprise.
"You know I'll just stab you if you free me right?" She pointed out as she gave him a weird look, "Then I'll eat you, before eating that bitch, and then take back what's mine."
"I doubt you would," He laughed as he got back to his feet. "You need help," He told her as he shifted his grip on his Banjo. It was time to play some music. Strumming his strings, he played his heart out, wishing to free her.
"Hah!" She laughed but her laughter would quickly change to panic as she glowed green, his will pulling on her gigantic form. "W-wait, hold on!" She stammered, hands stretched out as he played harder, "Didn't you hear what I said?!"
"I know!" He shouted back, "But for someone who talks big, you haven't really done anything right now." She could have done so many things to him, but she didn't. Yes, she was reduced, but that doesn't change what she was. Someone who claimed to be wouldn't have bothered to even talk back. Seeing that bewildered look in her face, he knew he struck true.
Still, despite his efforts, he couldn't dislodge her. Stopping his song, he scratched his head, wondering if he could free her. "You're stuck in there deep, huh?" He muttered as he stroked his chin. Her ass was big, far too big for her own good.
All the commotion he made wouldn't go unnoticed. "Kermit!" Isha shouted as she charged to the clearing with Cegorach in tow, "What are you doing!?"
"Oh hey Isha!" He waved at her before gesturing at the utterly confused Daemon Goddess, "Just helping her out." It sounded unbelievable, and he himself wondered if he had gone insane, but he had good reason to do this.
"Why do you think that's a good idea?!" Isha shrieked out, half torn between throttling him and panicking. "Did she do something to you!" She shouted as she grabbed the knife and marched over to the cowering Slaanesh. Before she could do something drastic however, Kermit grabbed her, holding her firmly as she struggled.
"Before you freak out, let me explain," He told her as he held out his foot, stopping Cegorach from jumping the goddess, "This might sound unbelievable, but under all that crap, and no offense you are extremely evil," He told them.
"I take it as a compliment," Slaanesh replied, preening as Isha fumed in Kermit's grip.
Nodding, he continued. "Under all that, is a kernel of good in her. She can be turned. She just needed a bit of help." As soon as he uttered those words, silence reigned in the clearing. "What? I'm not wrong, am I?" He asked.
The silence was broken by Cegorach's laughter before she trailed off as she stared at him in horror, "You're not kidding, are you?" She asked as all three of them stared at him long and hard. Still, he refused to give up, digging in his heels.
"Is it really that crazy?" He asked and that was when he started shouting. Accusations and Insults were quickly thrown as the three bickered, ready to tear each other apart, leaving him to clean up the mess. All he wanted was just to help her. Can't they have at least a little bit of faith in him?
A/N:
I'm really sorry it took this long. I got stuck for a bit, but now it's done. I have two options moving forward, it's either a Mew Chapter or something else, but I just want something quick tommorow.
Comments
RavenCore
i mean she goes from chaos god to generic asshole eldar god. look me in the face and say Eldar gods aren’t assholes
SirBearington
You better believe it! Well... she'd be as redeemed as you can expect from Slaanesh, but yeah
Doomsday69
Redeemed slaanesh, i never thought i would hear that quote
