The Mansion

[darkwarrioress57]

Grandfather's eye, just one mind you, opened to stare directly at you. His chin rested on his fore claws.

"There is no comparison for either treasure."

His eye shifted to look at me briefly before returning to you.

"As for my... roost.... curiosity can be a dangerous thing, youngster."

 

[KamaKamaSutra]

I can't help but smile at the dragon, thinking to myself it's never wise to take bets with ones own safety, but what is life without a little danger?

"Well, do roost on the cabinet or do you live within the cabinet? Can the cabinet bet open or should it be?"

 

[darkwarrioress57]

The dragon sat up a bit at the questions posed to him. I sensed Grandfather's attention was solely focused on you for the moment but I'm not a fool, Grandfather is very aware of my presence.

"Does it matter whether I roost on it or live in it? Will the answer help you to decide if you should chance opening it?"

I school my face to show nothing but amusement. It takes a brave man to verbally spar with a dragon. Even if it is a bit of friendly sparring.

 

[KamaKamaSutra]

"If you live within, then it is your home. The rules of intruding into another space are different than if you are simply roosting above it. I would assume if the later is the case then you are a guardian and the potential for risk and reward are much higher."

I lean back, thinking of my options

"It's not so much that I worry about the risk of opening it, It's more is the challenge more fun to not and wonder or to do and know. Knowing something is power in itself, not knowing something offers protections that can not be regained."

 

[darkwarrioress57]

Grandfather stared at him for a long moment before twitching his head in my direction.

"Here is a man who thinks. That could be a dangerous thing or a wise one. A double edged sword."

I laughed.

"Indeed, Grandfather, indeed. I seem to have this tendency of finding such or rather they find me."

Grandfather snorted.

"Another day, younglings. Another day. Off with you both. Enjoy the sunshine. There is time enough to come back to me. I am always in the labyrinth."

I gazed at Kama and held out my hand.

"He's right, you know. Come. Let us move on and see what else the labyrinth offers up to us."

As I held out my arm, Shifu took that moment to scamper down it and leaped to your shoulder, softly chattering in your ear before he leaped to floor of the maze and ran off.

"Shifu is such a strange and wonderful creature. Thank you sharing him with me."

I stared after the red panda then turned my head to smile at you.

 

[KamaKamaSutra]

"It was my pleasure to meet you Sir, I have a feeling we will be back. Lets enjoy our day Cait, I have a feeling your labyrinth has much to offer."

Watching Shifu scamper off, I take your arm and draw you close

"He is a interesting thing, he shares a bit of me and I dare say a bit of you now. I think he is the malleable part of me, the part that changes from day to day. He's also the part of me that insatiably curious. Maybe even more than it is safe for him"

I turn and look at you, smiling as we step back into the hedge rows.

"Thank you for this place. It's quiet and peaceful, but alive."

 

[darkwarrioress57]

"It was my pleasure to meet you Sir, I have a feeling we will be back. Lets enjoy our day Cait, I have a feeling your labyrinth has much to offer."

Watching Shifu scamper off, I take your arm and draw you close

"He is a interesting thing, he shares a bit of me and I dare say a bit of you now. I think he is the malleable part of me, the part that changes from day to day. He's also the part of me that insatiably curious. Maybe even more than it is safe for him"

I turn and look at you, smiling as we step back into the hedge rows.

"Thank you for this place. It's quiet and peaceful, but alive."

Squeezing your arm, I smile even more.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you're enjoying it. peaceful and alive is what I was going for when I had the labyrinth brought here."

In the meanwhile, Grandfather has resumed his repose with a soft grumble about younglings. Leaving the dragon behind we walk along until the hedge ensures we go straight for the time being but up ahead we must make another left which takes us deeper still.

"We are almost there."

The left is a short turn followed by a shorter straight walk with another quick right and then another quick right straight ahead of us is the center of the labyrinth. I am eager to see what it has for us today. The path leads us to a fair sized center. There, in the center, is a calm pond. A moon bridge goes over it. It is tranquil here. The waters are only mildly disturbed as the koi fish swim about. To either side of the pond are benches but the stone path is inviting to sit upon.

 

[KamaKamaSutra]

"Beautiful, I guess the center changes with the day or the occupants? I love the Koi, so peaceful. And meaningful, shall we take a seat and enjoy each others company?"

I relax, letting you lead us for a change.

 

[darkwarrioress57]

"Beautiful, I guess the center changes with the day or the occupants? I love the Koi, so peaceful. And meaningful, shall we take a seat and enjoy each others company?"

I relax, letting you lead us for a change.

I nod.

"It does. I don't know if the labyrinth senses the occupant's mood or needs but it seems to gauge it accurately. Here,…."

I hand him a small bag from a basket beside the bench we're sitting on.

"It's koi food."

I picked up a small bag for myself and opened it, tossing a few pellets into the pond and watched in amusement as the koi swam fast to eat it. I tossed more.

"How do you mean meaningful?"

The total peace and calm in the center, here with the koi, the pond and the atmosphere was wonderful. I didn't want to move from it.

"We'll have to come back inside again when we're feeling playful. The labyrinth is never the same and always fun but right now, I can use the peace and calm it is providing. You know those wormholes I keep warning Shifu about? The labyrinth has gates. There's no telling where they will lead us. I've been to a few wild places."

 

[KamaKamaSutra]

My own pellets joining yours on the surface of the water before being gulped down by the hungry Koi. I lean back on the bench, and without turning my head from the rippling water.

"I mean it's meaningful because I figured that it was a reflection of who was inside it. This place is, I assume, a reflection of part of both of us. I think that all of what we encountered is a mix of our perceptions of each other. It's interesting that we got a coherent image out of the mix."

I give you a sly smile as I do the classic stretch and arm around the back of the bench move.

"Gates huh?, well I do love an adventure. Perhaps we will go through a good many of them. Luckily Shifu is almost indestructible. He will probably outlive me, everyone he comes into contact with adds to his life. As long as they remember he will be skittering around the world."

 

[darkwarrioress57]

The idea of Shifu skittering in and out makes me laugh.

"Hm. I think there is a measure of tranquility in both of us. Just as there are deep and turbulent spots as well. I think the center suits us both. Maybe, it realizes we both need it at the moment."

I continue to feed the fish a awhile longer as I speak but way before the bag is empty, I stop, setting the bag aside and leaning back against the bench with a sigh.

"Escapism is such a good super power to have."

I can't help but laugh with humor.

"My reality is not so bad. I have peace, humor and love. What more can I ask for than that?"

 

[KamaKamaSutra]

"I always seem to ask myself, what is wrong with my life? I can name a few things, but really I have a good life. It's just sometimes I feel I'm missing something I can't explain in the right way. So I escape, to hidden worlds, new friends, old friends, adventure and romance."

I lean back with you, my own bag of pellets sat forgotten beside me.

"I think we both do need some tranquility, to rediscover our center."

A chuckle escapes me at my own bad joke.

 

[darkwarrioress57]

I fold my arms over my chest as I contemplate the scenery around me.

"Kama, if you feel like you're missing something, then you are. Do you have any idea what it may be? I think that would be the second step. My life isn't missing something so much as I'm juggling balls in the air trying to make them all fit. We all only have such a limited time to walk this mortal coil and earlier on, I was so busy with other things. There's always something, no? There are demands on our time at certain times in our life that we have to meet. So we do. I always felt like.... I took a wrong turn somewhere but my choices were my choices and I accepted them. I've made peace with it, I think. As for my center, " I grin, "I always need to center. I try to find time to do so every day but it's not always possible so I do, when I can and before I explode into something ugly."

 

[KamaKamaSutra]

"Missing something is the wrong way to describe it. Its short of unsatisfied, I have no regrets. I just miss freedom. I really wanted nothing more than to be able to wander for life. I don't even really need a roof really. I would be good being a beach bum."

 

[darkwarrioress57]

"Missing something is the wrong way to describe it. Its short of unsatisfied, I have no regrets. I just miss freedom. I really wanted nothing more than to be able to wander for life. I don't even really need a roof really. I would be good being a beach bum."

I nudge his shoulder lightly with my own.

"You as a beach bum. With a beard.... yep...yep... I think I can see that."

 

[KamaKamaSutra]

Smiling back, I nudge you back.

"Oh I'm quite sure, I would be a good bum, damn sexy one at that"

Looking up into the sky, I let my roll back, before snapping forward and smiling at you.

"I wonder what Shifu thought of the Koi?"

 

[darkwarrioress57]

I wonder if he ever saw them? Would he try to eat one do you think?

 

[KamaKamaSutra]

"Eat them? Nah, as a Red Panda, he shares a few things in common with me, one of which is the dislike of fish."

Smiling I stretch out a bit, relaxing in the cool of the evening.

"I think however, he would enjoy watching them swim. I wonder if he passed through this iteration of the maze or if he had his own version?"

 

[darkwarrioress57]

"You know, that's an excellent question. Knowing the labyrinth as I do, I'd hazard a guess and say his own version. It makes me wonder what that would be like. I love watching the koi swim. There's just something about them. Sooo… you dislike fish, hm? What about other types of seafood?"

 

[KamaKamaSutra]

I ponder over what exactly the little red pandas world would create in the ever shifting maze. Absently minded, I smile looking at you before realizing you have asked me a question.

"Oh, sorry, got lost there. Umm, I don't mind catfish, but it needs to be black and I'll eat crab and shrimp. Lobster I never liked the few times I've tried it. Growing up in the mountains, fresh fish really wasn't much of a thing. River fish have a taste to themselves as well. I grew up eating chicken or beef, pork was rare. Having spices was non existent till I was out of my families houses."

 

[darkwarrioress57]

"Mmmm. Deep fried catfish with hush puppies and coleslaw. THAT is a heavenly meal. I love crab and shrimp, lobster and scallops. I'll eat river caught trout or bass if it's cooked over a campfire. For me, chicken and pork was mainstream. Beef was a treat and not so often. I'm a country raised girl. I cook the same way."

 

[KamaKamaSutra]

"Yum, now those sound good, scallops are something I need to give a good shot. But I want to try them at a decent restaurant or down at the coast. Chicken was my go too, still is really. I was just remembering when my mother got home, she worked at Burger King, she brought home the "waste" burgers. Too this day I cannot stomach a burger king burger except on rare occasions."

I get a bit distant behind my eyes for a moment as an unknown emotion flashes across my face a mix of realization, anger, and sadness.

"That was unexpected. My mother tried a lot, I just didn't really think of how much she did till just then. She worked hard to make up for things, worked demeaning jobs really for someone who had the world of possibilities open to her. But, she just kept messing up. Now we hardly speak."

 

[darkwarrioress57]

"Burger King isn't what it use to be and anyone who says differently is ignorant. Burgers are my passion but I can't handle a steady diet of them. I guess you do what you have to, to survive. "

I reach out to squeeze your hand.

"Listen, I'm sorry you got caught up in your mother's lessons. It's kind of hard to keep your kids out of them however, unless you have the courage to let someone else raise them.

As a child and a teenager, I gave my single mother so much grief. I never gave thought to her own self respect. She did whatever she had to raise five kids on welfare and that kind of money wasn't much. There were times when she rummaged through public trashcans for cans or anything worth keeping, like coats. It embarrassed me as a teenager. It wasn't until I was grown and she was gone that I admired her for her grit. She said she didn't care what people thought of her, but I realized, that somewhere deep down she did. If she ever regretted her life, I never secretly heard her say so. After my parents split, she only lived for her kids and her grandkids. I miss her. So. Damn. Much. She's been gone over 20 years now and while the pain isn't acute, it's a dull ache inside me. She was staying with me when she had her fatal heart attack and it took me years to stop blaming myself even though I knew she was ok on the other side. I feel the same way about her dad, my grandfather. I was so embarrassed how I treated him back then. He didn't deserve any of what I did to him. I miss him terribly as well."

I gave myself a little mental shake and smiled.

"Damn. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go there. It's just funny how life treats us and where we end up is up to us. I have so many loose ends in my life that need tying up and no matter how hard I try to get that done, I find I'm not getting as far or it done as fast as I would like."

 

[KamaKamaSutra]

Reaching around you and pulling you close, smiling less like the 30 year old I am and more like the 60 year old that lives in my head.

"Life makes us hard, sometimes it takes us years to appreciate the lessons it gives us. But while I doubt a higher power decided to fuck with me so much, I think that the universe finds a way to use all that pain. We are part of the world, we have our place. Our little us sized slot where we fit. Sometimes we need some rough grinding off our edges to get us to fit."

 

[darkwarrioress57]

On another subject... I wonder if Shifu found his own center here in the maze? I also wonder if he is existing on the same plane as we are, only in some parallel time slot. That also makes me wonder what that little red panda is doing.