Guide of the Nile (Kalon #500 - DNP)

[Yugi]

Masika was a devious fellow who loved being adored. He had the charming personality, good looks, and cunningness to be able to attract the gaze of nearly every kalon, and he savored each and every second of it. He would recite false verses of love with such ease to those who were wooed by him, keeping them further trapped in his endless cycle of fake romance. Masika never wanted these feelings to end, since they made him feel so loved and wanted, and he continued to try his best to keep the romantic facade up as along as possible.

Masika soon found that his previous romances began to bore him. There was no drama, no excitement in these relationships he had tried to conceal so well. While his plans kept him occupied most of the day, he found himself feeling that this whole thing was an absolute chore to continue. So, with that, he allowed himself to slip up; he told his lovers that he was falling out with them. He told them that there wasn’t enough excitement or spontaneous events occurring between just the two of them. Many were hurt by his harsh words, but none of them thought a thing; they continued to try to win him back. Of course, taking his advice of being spontaneous was a mistake they could not ever foretell. He snickered as his lovers fought over him when they accidentally collided with each other, blaming one another in attempts for trying to steal his heart. Their endless bickering entertained him thoroughly. This continued on for weeks, making the selfish kalon feel good about himself one more; he felt loved and cherished as he thought that they wouldn’t fight over him if they didn’t appreciate him.


However, the same kalons who once fought over him grew tired of this endless fighting, and they all soon began to catch onto his terrible act. Feeling enraged, belittled, and tricked, they soon began to take action against Masika. They no longer thought he was the beautiful, innocent kalon they once thought he was; they asked the deities above to give them guidance on dealing with the troublemaker, in which the deities tried their best to calm the crowd, telling the mortals to simply leave the punishments to them. And so they did. They eagerly awaited to see Masika’s punishment.

But it never happened. Days, weeks, and months went by and Masika continued to perform the same, disgusting actions over and over again to those who were clueless. The village people felt cheated and betrayed, causing them to try to lash out somehow. Grouping together, the small mob agreed to notify everyone in their village to kick out the flirt permanently. Going door to door during the night, the group warned everyone of Masika and his ill ways, hoping to prevent future heartbreaks. Of course, no one listened. They only thought the group who tried to stain Masika’s pure name was jealous of his charming looks and they turned them away.

That is, until one fateful day, Masika’s actions finally led to his own demise. Gently guiding a boat out into the middle of the Nile River on a midday date with one of his many lovers, Masika was taken by great surprise when his lover offered their hand in marriage. Not wanting to be tied down, Masika immediately refused, accidentally blurting out that he had many more lovers and that he didn’t wish to lose any of them. Surprised, upset, and genuinely angered by his words, his lover pushed Masika into the river below to make him pay for what he had said. Little did his heartbroken lover know was that Masika never learned how to swim, nor was he even a good swimmer to begin with. Scared and fearful for his life, Masika began to flail as he sank to the bottom of the deep river. It was no use; no matter how much he moved his arms and legs, he couldn’t swim back up to the surface for air. Everything then began to dull for him until it went pitch black. Three tall mysterious silhouetted figures stood before him now.

The one with long ears spoke first.
“Masika, we are disappointed
in your actions. My scale has
judged your heart and it is heavy
due to your misdeeds. Typically,
your soul would have been
destroyed by now, but we have ruled
otherwise as your case is special.
We have allowed your soul to
continue in one piece, allowing it to
be reborn.”

A feather wearing, gazelle like
entity spoke last.
“You are to also be the guide of the
Nile River. You must protect those
that cross with your life, as you are
not able to die. You are allowed to
speak with land dwelling mortals,
of course, as the only company you
will receive in the river is the company
of toothy crocodiles. They will be there
to enforce our rules on you; if you are
to step out of line, they are to drag you
back to us. Go now, and fulfill your duties.
Be thankful we are allowing this.”

The bird-like one spoke next.
“However, there are many rules for you to abide. When you are reborn, you will permanently be the same age as you are now before you passed. You will not be able to walk any longer; you will be water bound. I do not care if you cannot swim; you must learn. You will also be unable to love anyone else back, less you want your soul to be permanently destroyed.”

And, just like that, Masika found himself back alive. He was confused; he wasn’t allowed to ask any questions as he couldn’t even speak when he stood underneath the three figures. It felt as if his breath had been taken away. He examined his surroundings closer, trying to figure out what had exactly happened. He used his paws to pat down the ground; it was severely wet mud and it began to engulf him as it slowly raised, forming medium size clouds of brown. He kicked away from it to prevent it from going into his eyes, and an even more peculiar feeling took over him. He no longer felt two legs below him; instead, it was just one singular limb. His panic caused even more mud and dirt to be stirred up, making it impossible to see. He squeezed his eyes shut and just continuously flailed his back leg (was it even a leg…?) until he felt cool air hit his face suddenly. He looked around some more, wiping off the water and dirt quickly as he continued to move his leg around. He attempted to calm himself down since he found himself sinking and a bizarre natural instinct kicked in. Before he knew it, he was gently floating in the wide, warm river.
“I can… finally swim?” he asked himself in utter confusion.
He flipped back and forth on his back and stomach, trying to get a good view of himself actually swimming. All was fine and dandy until he spotted a fin like appendage sticking briefly out of the water every time he turned himself over. He kicked away from it, thinking that it wasn’t from him and that it was, instead, a mysterious creature sent after him by the Gods themselves.
“G-get away from me! I promise to not break your rules! Please, I don’t want to die, not yet, please!” he shouted, tearing up.
But the fin continued to follow him. He kicked his way towards the shore line, trying to hoist himself up. He managed to do so, but when he turned, he saw that the fin itself was actually attached to him. He freaked; letting out a panicked yelp, trying his best to remove the appendage from his body. He soon felt dehydrated and sickly after spending a little time out of the water however, causing him to submerge his body once again. He stuck his head out of the water after taking the quick plunge, which helped him also cool down. He stuck his fin out of the water too, to just examine it. There was no use in freaking out any longer; what had happened had already happened, and he knew there was no way out of this unless he wanted to fade out of existence.

The fin was the same color as his hair, and he thought it was actually quite pretty. He was glad that the deities that loomed above did not change much about his appearance; it made the change a bit more… tolerable, if that’s even possible. Masika went back to the shore line in an attempt to calmly look at his new body. He made sure to keep at least part of his body in the water to keep it hydrated. His fur was the same coral color and his hair was the same purple; there were no major differences there. The only thing that was different was the large fish tail that replaced his lengthy legs. Even though they were very, nervously bizarre to him, he still found the additions to be quite beautiful. He didn’t know why exactly, but he felt as if they had always been a part of him. Maybe the deities messed with his memories to make him feel like this. Either way, he found himself to be much more comfortable with his changes. To him, it didn’t feel like a curse, at least not yet anyways. But he was oddly happy; life was finally exciting for him, and he felt very loved as he figured that the deities wouldn’t do this to any usual mortal.

He knew that he had been given a second chance, even if the deities original plan was to punish him for his own selfish indulgence.

[Yugi]

Name: Masika
Gender: Male
Birth date: March 2nd
Zodiac Sign: Pisces
Element: Water
Sexuality: Asexual
Voice: XxX

Personality

Masika has reformed himself quite a bit over the years as a merman kalon. Just like his body, his personality, emotions, feelings, and thoughts have radically changed.

Masika is still quite outgoing, lively, and extroverted; he adores talking to other people and he enjoys having company around him all day whenever its possible. When he's with other people, he has become much more friendly. He is embarrassed of how he used other people for his own selfish reasons, and being able to interact with others now allows him to repress those terrible thoughts from plaguing his mind. He's a lot clingier now, even though he's practically immortal due to how limited his time periods often are with people. He finds himself crying when they have to leave due to business they have to tend to or because of how hot the sun beats down on them during the afternoon hours. Crying to himself was something that he never thought he would do ever as he felt that he was unbreakable and untouchable as a mortal.

He becomes highly optimistic when people are around, often abandoning any doubts or fears that may reside in him previously. Many passing travelers appreciate how hopeful, kind, and happy he is when he greets them to help them cross the perilous Nile River. Due to his friendly complexion and happy demeanor, no one ever bats an eyelash at the mysterious, water-dwelling kalon. They act as if he has always been there to help them now that he has been acquainted by those who homes are nearby the long, snaking river. When he is not talking to others, however, he becomes scared and filled with extreme doubt; flashbacks of his death and those who had harmed often pop up in his nightmares. He ponders if he'll ever be able to see those whom he had hurt, or if he'll ever get the chance to even apologize to them after all those torturous years he has unfairly gave them.

Masika has experienced so many different emotions than from what he's used to. Now, as a being who closely guards the landmark he is assigned to, he feels that every aspect of life is entertaining, and that he has no need to cause harm to another person to feel happy. He has also pushed away the idea of love and romance being necessary feelings and experiences to have a fulfilling life, regardless of how hard it still is for him to actually deal with. He still feels lonely and empty, but the feelings of happiness when he meets someone new or makes a new friend help distract him from his unfortunate situation. This sheer happiness and excitement are the things that literally keep him alive, preventing him from becoming the horrible monster he once was. He does continue to hope that the deities will one day allow him to love again, but he understands why they continue to prevent his soul from doing so, as he is also terrified of relapsing into the same cycle he performed so easily.

The water bound kalon still has the same sly cunningness to him, but instead of using it to unfairly hurt others, he uses it to protect both himself and those who he cares for now. Thieves, aggressors, and even at times beings from the shadows are just regular types of people he has to encounter on a daily basis. While he cannot be fatally wounded, he can still feel physical pain and discomfort as his soul is still partly mortal. He tries his best to avoid unnecessary pain towards him, but if there's any reason he would have to put himself in the face of imminent danger, he will act accordingly if it means that the people he guides can stay safe and unharmed from the threat.

Masika is considerably a lot more selfless than his previous state. He would constantly think about him and only him as he felt no need to worry himself to death about others. Now, providing and making sure others are happy, safe, and content is Masika's goal in life. Since he needs to no longer worry about life and death situations as he is completely immortal, he can stop fretting about not living his life fully, not as if he was living it all that well before. For the first time in forever, Masika has found himself meddling in affairs to ensure the safety of his passengers. If there's any rumors about something that has a chance to be potentially dangerous, Masika will quickly try to dispatch it the best he can. If he cannot, those who ask for his passage will be denied and he will instead offer to deliver either message or package by himself. Those who board his guided boat can rest assured that their journey will be certain and safe.

+ Golden jewelry +
He loves being gifted
anything in gold; a
majority of his
accessories are crafted
out of gold.
+ Light weight clothing +
He can easily move in light
weight clothing; it also
prevents him from sinking
too much.
+ Sea shells +
Although they're rare for him
to find, he loves spiral shaped
sea shells; he collects them.
+ Vivid colors +
He prefers these colors over
dull, bland colors as they are
full of life.
+ Floating +
Because he was unable to swim
when he was a mortal, he finds
himself enjoying the feeling of
floating.
+ Food in general +
Whenever someone offers him
food in terms of payment, he
will always accept.
+ Singing +
When he's alone, he can easily
be heard singing to soothe
himself.
+ Tending to his fur +
He hates having messy or dirty
fur and will keep it as clean as
possible.
+ Large groups +
Large groups mean more people
for him to talk to and interact
with.

- Heavy accessories -
They cause him to sink
at an alarming rate; even
though he can swim now,
he's still fearful of
drowning.
- Fish netting -
He can easily become
trapped in them; it's
occurred to him many
times and he hates it.
- Being alone -
When he's left alone,
his mind becomes
jumbled with doubt
and past memories.
- Tangled fur -
He hates it when
his fur isn't neat or if
it has debris in it.
- Thieves -
He has had too
many run ins with
armed thieves; he
doesn't trust any
of them.
- Cold weather -
When it's winter
and the outside
temperatures are
unbearably cold, he
finds himself hiding
away near the bottom
for warmth; he cannot
speak to others under
water.
- Memories -
He can't really
recall any happy
times.

Animals
He loves quite a handful of different animals. His top three would be the cobra, egret, and crocodile. He likes cobras and egrets for their royal appearance; there's something about them that make them so gorgeous. During his life as the guide of the Nile, he's found himself adoring crocodiles, mainly for their speed and strength in the water.

Food
Even though he technically doesn't need to eat due to his immortality, he stills enjoy the taste of food. He prefers fresh fruits and vegetables since they don't lose their texture when they hit the water. When there's no one providing him food on shore, he'll go ahead and attempt to catch fish. His crocodile guardians will follow him in his chase to help out as well as to get a chance of eating freshly caught fish.

Color
He has a hard time choosing a favorite color since he loves each and every one of them, admittedly. His favorite has to be pale yellow though, due to how happy this color appears to him. Even though it's his favorite color, he tries to keep his wardrobe simple and varied as he doesn't want one look of his to be stale after multiple wears.

Music Genre
He doesn't have a preference for music; he loves all sorts of different music as he rarely ever gets to hear it when he's underwater. When he was alive and on land, he was overly critical of singers and musicians alike, but now he has learned to appreciate each and everyone who performs music. Even though he would often sing on land, he sings much more often now to release his feelings into the land. He knows that many other people do the same to release the same tensions he is now feeling, and with that, he respects those who put themselves and their voice out there much more.

Being left alone
He doesn't want
to be all by
himself; he craves
interaction.
Not apologizing
He wants to be
able to apologize
for the actions
he's done in his
past life.
Drowning
Even though he
is able to swim
with ease now,
he still has
flashbacks to
drowning.
Death
He doesn't
want his life to
just simply end; he
feels that he has
so much to do still.
He wants to
experience life.

Sheer kindness
He can't believe
that others are willing
to constantly be kind
and generous to others,
regardless of what
happens.
Meeting new people
When he meets new
people, he always
wants to hear their
stories about their
own personal life.
Second chances
He wants to be
able to give others
second chances,
just like how he
was able to get
it.
Exploring
He's always
loved the idea of
exploration; he
wants to be able
to see the world.

Finally apologizing
He wants to be able to apologize to those who he hurt during his past life. He feels a need to climb out of the Nile River to pursue each and every one of them; he dreams about finally apologizing to everyone, including his parents and sister. He's ashamed for breaking hearts on purpose like that, for leaving his parents behind when they were in a time of dire need, and for forgetting about his dear sister. Even though he doesn't show the latter two all that much, he still dreams about it.
Falling in love
He wants to finally fall in love. After all the times he pretended to be in love, he's realized he's never actually truly been in love. Even though he can't be in love romantically and he can't confess his feelings, he still dreams about falling in love with this mysterious figure.
Experiencing the world
He dreams about traveling across the world, being able to have both his fish tail and his legs. He hopes that he can, somehow, find a way to make this dream come true.

That fateful day...
He still has constant nightmares over the day he died and was sent to the under realm. It's something he's been unable to shake off, due to how emotionally charged the whole event was.
His sister
Nightmares regarding how the village mistreated his family pops up in his head on occasion. Though they're not as constant as his other major nightmare, he still dislikes it. Sometimes he can hear his sister's voice, berating him for forgetting about her just so easily like that as if she knew.

[Yugi]

His Past


Chapter 1 - The Past Is In The Past

Masika grew up in a small home in Egypt, right next to the Nile River. He stayed in this same village for 17 years, learning about the world during his time there. He saw the good, the bad, and the absolute ugly during his stay in his home village. Although he never traveled outside of his town’s walls during those long years, he still understood how life generally was. His family was poor, just like many other villagers that lived besides them. Even though his family constantly worked on a daily basis, they couldn’t make enough coin to provide much for their family. His parents were always concerned about him and his twin sister, as they felt that they couldn’t provide much for the young siblings due to his mother being only a simple basket weaver and his father leaving the village constantly for work. But, nevertheless, they continued on working, hoping that a miracle would come knocking at their door instead of passing them by. At the same time, however, Masika didn’t mind the lack of food, water, and comfortable places to sleep. He, just like many other children inside that village, was happy; he understood that he was lucky to have family who cared about him and his sister. He was even luckier to have such a joyful bundle of life to call as his sister. Masika and his twin sister were completely inseparable; they always helped each other out regardless of what the situation was, and they enjoyed each other’s company. The two got along well, and his parents could not have been happier to see the two become close like that. They were always concerned that Masika would grow to become standoffish or rude towards his sister, or that his sister would be disinterested in his hobbies, but that never occured between the two.

They would always go out to find scraps of food to bring back home, playing pretend all throughout the day like children usually do. They imagined themselves as royalty, and many of the other poverty stricken village folks would happily play along. They called Masika the Painted Prince while his sister was known as the Pretty Princess, as their coats were the most colorful out of everyone in the village (even their parents were confused at their pelts, but still, none-the-less, they adored their children and treated them like little blessings). Those who found themselves without children adored the twins, as they would try their best to tend to the duo as if the twins were their own offspring. The village people would often provide small gifts to the siblings, such as small bits of sweet fruits, hand woven accessories, and, very rarely, half loaves of bread. The children would humbly take each and every gift, being certain to thank the gift giver thoroughly. The village people rarely found things to smile at until the twins were born. They were more outgoing and sweet than most of the village children, who were often shy and, if they weren’t, they’d play terrible tricks on the adults for “good fun.” The villagers often celebrated their parents, thanking them for having such wonderful children. This was certainly a high moment for the twins; they enjoyed every moment of it, feeling absolutely loved by each and every village member who lived around them. At the very end of the day, they would return home, tired from all the attention and love they have received. They would joyfully sit on the floor together, eating whatever was there for dinner, all while reminiscing about what happened earlier that day. Usually, they would be filled with giggles and smiles, as it was very rare for them to experience a boring day.

However, the two began to quickly grow up due to how fast the years passed them by, and the village people soon changed their view on the youthful duo. They were constantly annoyed that Masika and his sister continued to go around and beg for food. The villagers knew that the twins were still stuck in their imaginary world, still playing pretend. They thought that the siblings were purposely acting and performing their same tricks in a way to get out of their duties. In all actuality, their parents didn’t want Masika nor his sister to work right away. They had hoped that they could spend, at the very least, one more year filled with childlike joy. His parents didn’t want to see the sparkle in their children’s eyes to die out due to unfair work. But still, the village people refused to listen; they believed that Masika, at the very least, should work to help provide for the village. Instead of being called by their beloved nicknames, the siblings were continuously spat at and called lazy and selfish. In order to protect his sister from the aggressors, Masika would often get into fights in hopes of scaring them off. He fought them off in self defense, as many villagers threatened to harm him and his family. His parents soon caught onto what was happening as Masika would always come home with a bloodied nose and severe bruises on his face, and they continued to try to control the situation. The actions the family tried acted only as a temporary band aid, as Masika began to actively seek out fights as he was tired of being ambushed and yelled at during the day. He didn’t want his sister to experience his pain and suffering, so he began to turn away from her as well, hoping that she would understand.

In a last ditch effort to protect their family, his parents decided to adopt out his twin sister. His mother was worried about both of their safety; even though Masika and his sister were like one person, she felt that separating them was the only way to prevent future aggressions, as they have tried everything to quell the ongoing anger. Their decision absolutely crushed Masika's spirit, making him feel attacked and unwanted in his very own home; a few weeks after his sister was adopted by a family in another villager, he left in hopes of finding her. He didn't feel whole without her. His mother told him about the family who adopted her in hopes of trying to snap Masika out of leaving. The couple who took her adopted her as they were unable to have a child of their own, she would always remind Masika. Even though he knew they needed her as much as he needed her too, he still set out in hopes of seeing her one more time. His parents were crushed when they awoke to an empty bedroom and a note laying on the floor he had once slept on.

[Yugi]

Chapter 2 - The Search For His Blood

He traveled by foot at first, thinking that the close proximity of each village was going to be easy on him. Little did he know that he would be spending many months traveling the distance, even by both boat and camel. When he arrived to the first nearby village, he immediately went on the search for his beloved sister. Each and every person he met, he stopped to ask if they saw someone who looked almost exactly like him. Each person admitted that they haven’t seen anyone besides him. Distraught, but still confident that he would find his dear sister, he continued on to the next village.

Alas, the same events occurred to him. Regardless of who he asked, how he asked, or when he asked, he was unable to find a single trace of his sister. This cycle repeated for many months, with a handful of them having him hide away in the village when he heard word that his parents were in town. He spent a majority of his life moping around; he was no longer happy. In fact, all he felt and knew was absolute depression and desolation; his life as he once knew it was gone, and there was no way for him to get it back. He knew that he couldn’t return home. He was already gone for a year from constantly searching for his own blood, the half of him he was now certain was completely gone. Masika no longer felt welcomed in his own village, as he didn’t want to come home to uncertainty; he did not want to be constantly harassed by the village people back home, or be reminded of the loss of his dear sister. With that, he packed up his things once more and purchased a boat with what little money he had.

It was a shabby vehicle, but he was certain that it could take him to his wanted destination, wherever that destination exactly was. He dragged his belongings onto the boat, and while he was a bit worried that it would end up sinking right away, he was relieved that it stayed afloat, even just barely. He quickly jumped onto the boat and began to sail away, following the river’s strong currents. This was when Masika accepted that he wouldn’t be able to find his twin sister. It took him a few months of traveling to completely forget about her, as if she never existed in the first place. It was probably for the better, as it allowed him to free up space in his mind to build himself a new future. He wanted his life to continue on being filled with happiness and excitement, but he couldn’t figure out what exactly he wanted to do. With his boat still holding up, he felt as if he had plenty of time to plan out his life; he hoped that any stops he made during his journey would help him discover just that.

And he did. At each and every stop he made along the way to the new village, he received many compliments on his stunning appearance. The blue glass on his chest and hands was enthralling to many, and so many asked him if he was single. He embarrassingly refused their offer for romance, but with each time it happened, it got him thinking. Perhaps he could try to woo the hearts of many? Perhaps he could be treated like royalty once again, but instead of friendly, poverty stricken villagers, maybe he could mooch food and other expensive trinkets off of deceived lovers. While this didn’t settle right in his heart right away, he figured that it was the only way to survive in this dreaded world. Why should he even care about the souls of others anyways? People don’t care about others unless it benefits them in some way, shape, or form, or so he’s learned during his few years of living. He decided that he wanted to play the game many others participate in by using other people to their advantage; he was tired of being mistreated himself, and he felt the only way to prevent such a thing was to become an active participant in this corrupted game of life instead of just a simple pawn.

To him it was a brilliant plan; he no longer had to fight for life, both literally and figuratively. If enough people were able to fall in love with him, and he was certain it was possible with how many people he had wooed along the way, he would be able to live in the lap of luxury. No longer having to live the life of an unfairly impoverished person, Masika felt that he would easily fall in love with being treated like actual royalty once again. Encouraged by this new idea and his growling stomach, Masika hurried his way through the Nile River in hopes of finding a perfect, far enough village to reside in. It had already been a year since he last left home, and he’s only been making due with scraps he’s been gifted by those who liked him. When he finally came across a town he felt was the right one, he was absolutely sick with hunger. The tired man slumped off of the small boat out of sheer exhaustion before collapsing on the shore line. He hoped that he would be fortunate enough to be found by a citizen who lived there. Taking a risk was something he needed to do in life; it would be the first actual risk he would partake in, marking the start of his new life.

[Yugi]

Chapter 3 - Nephthys

When he finally woke up, a pretty lady sat next to him, stirring around a bowl of homemade soup. She smiled as she saw Masika's eyes open, adoring their bright blue color. She used a gentle paw to slowly move his purple locks out of his face before helping him sit up fully up right. She quietly put down the bowl onto his lap, providing him utensils to eat it.
"You gave us quite a scare, you know? I thought you weren't going to make it. It would be a shame, seeing how gorgeous you are."
Masika blushed at her words. He weakly tried to grab the wooden spoon to try to feed himself, failing to grip onto it.
"Oh dear, you must be much more tired than I originally thought! No worries at all, I'll go ahead and feed you if you're alright with that?"
He nodded slowly, still blushing. His blush got even redder as she told him to open his mouth to allow her to feed him. After a sixty awkward minutes of him being fed, Masika felt his strength come back to him.
"Hey, uhm... Thank you, very much; I appreciate everything that you have done for me. I'm Masika."
He spoke weakly still, but he was happy to be able to mutter audible words. He listened to her giggle innocently.
"Lovely to meet you Masika. You can go ahead and call me Nephthys, alright?"
His face changed expression suddenly when he heard the name she gave to him.
"Aha~! I know it must be peculiar to meet someone as kindhearted as I am with that name, yeah? I assure you, you're not dead, Masika."
He laughed along with her, although his laugh was partially out of nervousness.
"So, what are you doing all the way out here, Masika?"
Upon hearing her question, something that he had planned and recited over in his head, he knew that he has an easy answer. Perhaps he should try to get her to love him; it was certainly worth a try and seeing that she has plenty of food to provide to him, she would be certainly useful to the devious kalon. He answered without any hesitation.
"I've come here to live, hopefully. I am glad that, because of you, I will certainly get the chance to do so."
He flashed a warm smile at her, something he was naturally good at. He was able to get a reaction out of her as she soon appeared shy towards him. She covered her face with her hands and hair, and even though she tried to hide it, it was obvious that she wore a big grin on her face.
"It's nothing, Masika. I'm glad that we were able to meet."
She turned and fixated her gaze onto him, all while trying to avoid direct eye contact. Masika chuckled joyfully to himself. He reached out both hands towards her to brush her bangs out of her face and to take down her hands. When he accomplished that, he gently rested the back of his right hand on her left cheek, brushing it softly.
"There's no need to hide such a beautiful face, my dear. My life means everything to me, just like everyone else with their's. What you did was amazing and selfless... It might just be my fatigue talking, but my goodness, I feel like... I feel like I've quickly fallen in love with you."
His last words visibly stunned the lady.
"Ah, don't say such embarrassing things to a stranger Masika... I don't believe you would want to be in love with me; many others have already turned me away for whatever reason."
Masika quickly shook his head in attempts to hush her.
"My dear, they must be so blind then. Look at you; you're gorgeous, polite, and selfless. How can I not fallen for your immense beauty right away?"
Masika wasn't fully making everything up; she was indeed quite pretty. But, he barely felt any romantic tension between them. He tried to woo her as best as he could in hopes of having plenty of hearty meals and a place to stay at for a while.

Somehow, someway, his attempts succeeded. He felt her grab his paw and hold onto it close to her.
"Feel free to stay... Please, actually, stay with me. I never thought I would be able to find a partner of my own. I almost gave up, truthfully. Told myself to be happy to be independent and all that stuff; it worked for a while, I suppose, but it's nice to finally have someone to call my own... Uhm, thank you, Masika. I guess the deities up above do keep to their promises."
Masika continued to smile at her.
"I'm happy that you feel the same way, my dear. I was nervous that you wouldn't return the same feelings. I feel much more relieved now; I feel like myself once again, thanks to you."

[Yugi]

Chapter 4 - Greed and Mistakes

For a few months, Masika was content with his single relationship. It was entertaining to live with another person that he barely knew; he was able to learn much about her and the village he decided to keep residing in. Within weeks he became acquainted with the large town. Thankfully for him as well, Neph, a nickname he gave to her, wasn't all that public about their relationship with each other. She would constantly provide for him, making certain he always came home to a hot meal and a comfortable sleeping area. The two slept in different rooms, which both of them didn't mind at all.

Masika soon started to become bored; everything was certain and set and it was overly monotonous for him. As happy as he was to have a safe place, he wanted excitement in his life. He wanted to feel more appreciated by the people in this town. During the night time, he had nightmares reminding him of the reason why he left initially. He wanted to rid of those suffocating thoughts; he wanted to fully forget about the hard times he had with his family. He hated being hated by others. During the next week, he found himself leaving Neph's side more often, which she didn't mind all that much as she was already thankful for all the months she was able to spent by his side. She just thought it was him feeling better and healthier, and she was glad that he was able to go out on his own.

He continued to flirt and woo other townspeople regardless of their gender, trying his best to make them love him. His efforts proved to be successful once more, as he soon began to lose track of how many lovers he had. Carefully, he would plan out how to stage meet ups with them to ensure that they will continue to love him. He didn't want to make a mistake, and seeing how cautious and meticulous he was with his planning, he didn't make any. He would meet certain people on certain days at certain times at certain places; there wasn't any wiggle room for him to give. He made sure that the meeting places were spaced out far enough so that way he wouldn't be caught by others who adored him. It was a miracle that he wasn't found out; he had somehow pulled it off. All the elaborate lies he imagined up were disturbingly easy for him to remember as his mind was finally pushing out the terrible memories of his past.

Months soon turned years for Masika; he was content, entertained, and swimming in the lap of luxury. Everyone loved him, even though no one knew a single thing about him or what he was doing. They never questioned where he got all of his expensive clothing or jewelry; in fact, the villagers started to believe that he was a prince who had ran away from home in order to bring joy to another town.

But, once again, Masika soon became bored of his relationships. His life was lackluster and everything was monotonous again; his greed and selfishness got in the way of moral thinking. He purposely began to slip up; he started to schedule meetups with his lovers at the same time and place, hoping that they would end up fighting each other for him.
"If they truly love and care for me, they would fight to keep my love, wouldn't they?"
That was his train of thought; that was his reasoning. Without further thinking, he continued on with it, being entertained by the drama he had created.

Hurt and jealous lovers began to fight and bicker with one another, hoping to become victorious and win his heart over. They were so blinded by his deceiving looks and personality that they never once doubted him. The fights continued to break out over a course of three months, until finally one of them snapped out of the delusion and came to their senses. It was Neph; she had realized what had finally happened and she was absolutely enraged.

She immediately kicked Masika out onto the curb, cursing him, telling him that the deities will punish him rightfully one day. Before retiring for the night after the long day, she decided it would be best to tell everyone else the truth. Lists of his lovers were found in his room that she had allowed him to stay in; she made certain to visit each and every one of these individuals in hopes of showing them the truth they deserve to know.

Masika felt defeated for a short while, but he soon remembered that there are plenty of people in the village who think highly of him still. He continued his seemingly endless cycle with the rest of the villagers he had seen. Even though Neph tried to prevent others from falling for his lies, she and the rest of the harmed romances were unable to stop him in time. Instead, Neph encouraged them to call for the deities' help to stop his menace from continuing.

[Yugi]

Chapter 5 - Punishment

Days turned into weeks, turned into months, turned into years. Each and every one of those passed Masika and the village by, and regardless of the backlash he had begun to receive, he continued his cruel actions without missing a single beat. More and more people flocked to his side, ignoring others by completely writing them off as jealous lovers who couldn't keep Masika down. The fights for Masika's attention and love continued as if his appearance was a powerful spell.

That is, of course, until his new relationship ended up being the breaking point for his unbelievable shenanigans. A rich lover who he had recently hooked up with literally begged Masika for a date, even though they knew he was already taken by another village person. They offered Masika money, gold, jewelry, and much more, hoping that he would say yes to the frivolous gifts. The shameless kalon waited for more to be thrown his way before acting upon the lover's request. Driven by greed for the sudden increase of his own wealth, Masika accepted once he felt that he was able to drain away all the presents he could get from not doing anything. One gift that Masika quickly took to was a heavy golden necklace that had sapphires embedded into it. While he was stunned by the gifts, he continued to try his best to please his new lover out of hopes of receiving newer, better, and fancier gifts.

Masika decided to take them out for a simple date on the Nile River, claiming that he wanted to show them the same beauty he had saw on his journey to the town. Little did he know that they were planning on asking him for his hand in marriage for quite a while.

Inspired by how romantic the boat ride sounded and actually was, the lover got onto their knees and continued to beg to Masika. Instead of asking for another date like Masika planned that they would, they asked to marry him. Surprised, angered, and absolutely upset, Masika jumped up, tossing the paddles of the boat to the side, causing them to quickly disappear in the river. He stared, bewildered, at his lover, who was still kneeling down to him.
"Are you crazy?! I refuse; I can't do this, I won't marry you. I'm not even in love with you; besides I have so many others that can easily take your place. You're not even attractive; honestly you're selfish and full of yourself. Every word that comes out of your mouth is only about you and you alone; you don't even deserve me.

You don't even deserve to marry m-"
Before he knew it, they stood up and began to push him into the river. He let out a terror filled yell as he slowly fell down into the cold water. He tried his best to keep his balance on the small boat, but he still ended up falling.

"Please! No! I cannot swim! Help!"
His pleas were too late; they were cut off as he quickly began to sank... The heavy golden necklace that he kept around his neck aided in his plunge, forcing him to sink even quicker. Panicking, he tried to remove the necklace in hopes that his body would somehow float back to the top with absolute ease. He knew nothing about swimming, as he was never taught how to.

Down.
Down.
Down.

He felt as if he was sinking even faster. He couldn't remove the necklace, regardless of how hard he tried; his panicking made him weak, and he was unable to even latch onto the heavy accessory. Everything began to turn dark for him; he wasn't able to see anything.
'This is how it ends for me... Isn't it...? I don't want to go, not yet... Please... I made terrible mistakes...

How do I fix this now...? I'm so sorry Neph; I deceived you...

How am I to apologize. . . ?'

[Yugi]

[Yugi]

You are a simple traveler who has come to Egypt in hopes of finding the legendary guide of the Nile. On your journey, you have found a traveling merchant who knows all about Masika. She eagerly provided you information and a magical accessory to help you accomplish your goal, at least for a pretty sum of money first of course. You went ahead and paid her; she was your strongest and closest hope of finding if the Nile River's guide actually was something that actually existed. As she saw and felt the money exit your pockets and into her hands, she immediately began to provide you with items and locations necessary for finding him.

Newly fitted with a magical seashell necklace that, when worn around your neck, allows you to breathe underwater, you begin to head down towards the Nile. The neatly made map the merchant gave you told you to enter the Nile from this side at this specific location. She even told you to arrive there at a certain time to help increase your chances of finding Masika.
⏦⏦⏦
As you entered the cool, deep river, you hoped that the merchant who sold you the accessory was being truthful. You wanted to meet this legendary figure, and since you already dished out a handful of money for this item and for the information, you continued; if the plan were to have fail, at least you can swim and hopefully make it back to shore.
Hopefully.
⏦⏦⏦
Before you even realize it, you're at the bottom of the deep river. In the corner of your eye, you see a figure darting by you. You jerk your head, turning your body to see what it was. The figure was gone; perhaps it was just your imagination? You shake your head. You were nervous, frightened even. The Nile was famous for being inhabited by crocodiles; you certainly didn't want to become their next meal.

When you look back forward to continue your search, you spot the figure again.

There it stood, looming over you, casting a shadow over your body.
All you could see were glowing eyes and crystals; it was certainly no a crocodile, so some of the nervous tension was released from your body. But you began to tense back up again. What is this creature floating in front of you? You began to stumble backwards.
It extended it's hand to you in an attempt to keep you from falling onto your backside, softly gripping at a wildly flailing arm of yours. When you were able to regain your balance, you were able to see part of the figure's face a little bit clearer now...

Scarab's Gold - anosou
Steven Universe - The Underwater Temple
Florence + The Machine - Too Much Is Never Enough

[Yugi]

There he stood in front of you...

He smiled brightly before loosening his grip on you. The mermaid like figure began to swim in front of you, twirling almost, beckoning you to follow him. The silhouette of his body reminded you of images that you saw in the books describing his legend. You decided to follow him; this was your only chance to be able to learn more about him and you didn't want to lose it.

Swimming along with him, you see him enter a small cavern. You squeeze yourself through the small gap, being able to successfully fit through it. Beyond the crevice was a large man made cave; it appeared that he made it. There were four other room-like caves attached to the main large one you both were floating in. Eagerly, the figure pointed upwards; you saw that there was a small gap of air in between the cavern and water. You swim up to meet him there.

"I can't believe it! I can't believe that the shells actually worked..."

You heard him exclaim, hearing the joy in his voice.

"I'm sorry that I alarmed you like that; I was going to try to grab you and bring you back up to shore just in case you were drowning. But... I realized that you wore the golden shell necklace I created and gave that merchant to give to someone interested in actually meeting me. I'm sorry if she made you pay for them; she needs the money as it is anyway, so thank you for purchasing them. Oh! Where are my manners... I'm pretty certain you already know my name, but just in case you don't, I'm Masika, Guide of the Nile."​

You listened to the pink colored kalon speak carefully, not wanting to interrupt him at all. You wanted to learn more about him - more about the way he lived and worked. Everything about him was intriguing; the fact that a legend was real (as they were surely staring back at you right now) was so thrilling. It was a feeling that you predicted not many have been able to feel, and you wanted to cherish and savor this moment as long as possible.

Once you were able to work up the courage, you began to finally speak. You introduced yourself, explaining why you came down into the Nile in the first place. You told him about your own home and where you came from. Talking to Masika made you feel even more excited about interacting with and learning about him. The kalon listened intently, just like you had with him. When you felt that you provided him with suffice information for him to somewhat understand you and how you lived, you began to question him. You asked him if the legend was written about him was true, as well as questions about his everyday life.

"I've honestly haven't been able to see the legend scribed about me, but I can assure you my role and form are both true. Long, long before, I was indeed a normal being, and the deities above have completely changed me by giving me another chance at life.

As for my own daily life, why don't I show you? You arrived fairly late, haven't you? I'm already finished with my duties for the day as the sun is too hot and unbearable for those who live above; I'm more than happy to show you around. It gets pretty lonely when I'm away from work, so it's nice to finally have company that won't drown.

Feel free to visit any room that you like. I'll follow you to it and I'll explain everything and answer any question you want me to answer."