-Overflow- for 015 | Sky Full Of Stars

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Tanabata Festival
When: All day July 5
Where: The Near Shore
Summary: The Heavens are throwing a party and you're invited!

Continuing from HERE!

Comments

Shun

[revolutionfalcon]

[[continuing threads, tag-ins still welcome, etc etc]]

Nanako

[revolutionfalcon]

[[From here.]]

[It's definitely hard to tell which is which when it comes to how foods taste only by sight or sometimes smell. Some things smell strong enough that he feels he can safely assume they're going to taste strongly, but others are almost impossible to pick, and it's definitely been a problem.

At the offer, though, Shun still frowns a little.] You don't have to go out of your way, unless you really want to do it. What I consider strong is a lot different to what other people do anyway.

[welcome_home]

I want to find something you like to eat with you! [ She reaches up and wraps her hand around his fingers, smiling up at him. ] I don't mind. What do you consider strong?

[revolutionfalcon]

[...Okay, even Shun can't really keep arguing with her at this point. His fingers twitch a little at the contact, as is typical, but once that passes he curls them slightly to return the hold. He still doesn't really get why she's so invested in helping him, but he's probably not going to understand that on any front for a while, so prodding at it is a bit pointless.

It's a bit harder to explain the extent of his tastes now that "strong" has progressed slightly from not just being "anything with any kind of taste", so he takes a moment to decide how to word it.]

Most things, even if it's not as bad now. If it's the kind of taste that stays in your mouth or makes you react when you eat it, it's definitely too strong.

[welcome_home]

[ She squints up at him. ]

So you want something that doesn't have a taste? [ That did make this hard. Most festival food was meant to be savory, after all. ] Maybe one of the taiyaki flavors? we could get one with custard in it, or cheese? There was even one with just vanilla ice cream, if that's easier?

Kanji

[revolutionfalcon]

[[From here.]]

[On one hand, Shun's concept of cool and uncool behaviour was left in the dust a very long time ago with everything else regarding civilian life he stopped caring about. On the other, he's still definitely eying Kanji off for that remark, mild suspicion in his expression. It's a moment or two before he decides it's probably just another one of those things about people determinedly not letting him run them off with his attitude, and he shrugs slightly before his look shifts to one of mild interest.]

I do. I didn't realise you did. [Then again, Nanako seems to get around quite a bit, so it's not a surprise.] She seems to trust me and a friend of mine is in her pantheon, so I see her fairly often...and it's not really surprising she'd be interested in me meeting people she knew.

[They'd had a bit of a serious talk when she came to get flowers from him that one time, after all.]

[cuteshit]

We're friends from back home. I mean-- I'm good friends with her big bro, so she's kinda like my little sister, too.

[The entire team felt the same way. Even after Souji went back home, they were all determined to keep Nanako from ever feeling lonely while she waited for him to visit.]

We share the same temple right now.

[revolutionfalcon]

[That gets a mite more interest out of Shun, and he raises a brow slightly.] So there's three of you from that world, then. And none of you are shinki.

[There's something unreadable about that last remark. Shun definitely would have preferred everyone from his world be gods, but that isn't how the dice rolled out for him and Yuto.]

She mentioned she was living with her brother. Is there any actual reason you're there as well?

[He would presume either habit or settling in reasons, but he can't really say when he only just found out they all know each other.]

Celestia

[revolutionfalcon]

[[From here.]]

"Do you think I don't know that?" There's a particular bite to Shun's voice as he says that, because part of the reason he's still so disillusioned with gods is because of watching desperate people turn to prayer in his own world. "But most of the gods represented here haven't been in active worship for hundreds or thousands of years. There's not being picky, and then there's searching for the most obscure potential answer to your problem."

Especially given their initial base of followers had to come from somewhere, and their previous incarnations aren't around to ask whether they'd been serving the people as much as the new gods have been.

[letteropener]

"If people still offer prayers, even a few, then they are actively worshiped," Celestia said quite matter-of-factly. "I admit I know very little about gods, since Equestria has none, but I think the facts are fairly clear."

She wasn't trying to be argumentative, but at the same time she thought Shun was trying too hard to dispute what was clearly true.

[revolutionfalcon]

To Shun, it seems more like deliberately being obtuse, but he reminds himself that she isn't from this world and retains his patience with a faint hiss of frustration. "You're not from a world like this, so you wouldn't know - that gap I mentioned of hundreds or thousands of years is one in which these gods weren't being worshipped. They were worshipped in their time, and now, for some reason, people are turning to them again despite that absence. That's what I was talking about: why people in modern times are suddenly turning back to worshipping gods that went that long a time with no followers."

Presumably they existed in this world somehow, otherwise they couldn't have been replaced, but it makes very little sense to Shun that all of the gods here could have been maintained like that for all these years.

Yuri

[revolutionfalcon]

[[From here.]]

[Yuri trying to be optimistic is...new, though unfortunately she might have brought it out talking to the wrong person. While Shun wouldn't consider himself a pessimist, he considers himself a realist, which tends to conflict just as much with whatever he perceives as misplaced optimism.

As it is, he shakes his head at even the thought of it being that easy.]

I don't think it's an ally bringing us here. The idea of them having enough power to influence our worlds isn't a good one, even if I was the kind of person to rely on someone else's power to solve my problems for me.

[He's the sort who wouldn't hand on his mission unless he was completely incapable of doing it himself. Which he might be, given what he last remembers of home, but he's been trying not to think about that.]

I doubt being optimistic is going to do anything but set you up for disappointments. Being defeatist is pointless, but optimism can be just as bad.

Ren

[revolutionfalcon]

[[From here.]]

[Though the initial flare of panic starts to wear thin after a few moments, the confusion remains, because even if he now knows in so many words what this is, Shun has absolutely no idea how he's supposed to proceed from here. Especially when, from his point of view, it's not that clear how Ren feels about it.

But it starts to get a lot clearer once Ren leans in again, and though Shun draws a sharp breath - because he can very much feel the effect that has on his heart rate now that he's had his attention drawn to it - he doesn't pull away this time. It had been for Ren's comfort more than his own embarrassment, so if he's choosing to get closer now, it seems stupid to keep moving back. And in the wake of what he's saying, it would be even more so, because even Shun can't really misinterpret something like that.

It does bring a touch of surprise into his face, though. As well as the variety of other reasons he hasn't thought about romance in a long time, the simple fact that he didn't consider himself the kind of person someone would be interested in like that certainly contributed. Now that he considers the idea, though, it makes more sense than he'd like to admit - hindsight is 20/20, and when he considers it for any length of time, Ren really hasn't been subtle, has he - and he sighs quietly as he lets himself stop holding away and leans back in as well.]

I suppose I'm not an easy person to break that sort of thing to, or I'd be asking why you hadn't just talked to me about it. [There might be a faint note of relief in his voice, because he hadn't wanted something he hadn't even realised was happening until now to screw up one of the few friendships he has here.] It seems obvious now. I would've guessed if it had been happening to someone else.

[It's not like he hasn't seen people in that sort of state before...or trying to hide it from him. Yuto had never been particularly good at that when it came to Ruri.]

[shadowrevenger]

[Ren laughs and shakes his head a little.] If it makes you feel better, it took me a while to figure it out too. And I'm supposed to be good at this.

[Looking back, he has an idea of when his attraction to Shun probably started, but it felt like such a gradual thing that he can't really be sure. All he's sure of is that he definitely was long before he actually realized it. And now that he knows there was something to look for, if he thinks back on Shun's behavior, he can definitely see how some of it was hinting at this. It was probably his belief that Shun wouldn't be interested that made him miss it...

Which was also at the heart of why had hadn't said anything until now, as Shun had kind of guessed. His smile fades into something more fond and wistful as he unknowingly echoes thought thoughts about their friendship.]

You just seemed so confused by the whole idea, I thought it might bother you and make things awkward if I said something about being attracted to you. [Yeah, he's gonna say the thing out loud now.] Our friendship is too important to me to jeopardize it like that. Although, I guess I can see now that it wouldn't have.

[Still, if Shun decided he wanted things to stay the way they were and not move forward with this, he'd be fine with that, as long as they could stay friends. It's not like Shun is the first person he's been attracted to and not said anything, although he is the first that Ren knows for sure likes him back.]

[revolutionfalcon]

Maybe that's just normal. It's not like I'd know. [Though it feels like it would be, given how Shun's seen people talk about it. There's always that air of having it creep up on them that he'd never quite gotten until right now, standing in the middle of having had it creep up on him. He would have thought himself too alert to miss something like that, but misunderstanding it, he hadn't considered.

It's a little nice to hear that consideration had been at the core of Ren's decision not to say anything up to now, though it does also bother him that it kept him quiet like that without feeling like he had another option. Nonetheless, he doesn't voice it, simply tightening his hold a little on Ren's hand at the point of their friendship being too important to endanger.]

I had the same thought, but friendship isn't that fragile. I might have been confused - I'm still confused hearing it now - but it wouldn't have made me trust you any less. [After a moment or two of seemingly serious thought, he moves to take Ren's other hand and hold them both up, his tone back around to something more typically firm and decisive.] I might have no idea about what's beyond this, but that's never stopped me before. So if you want to go further, then I will as well.

[He's...taking this far too seriously now that the point of their friendship has come up, but holding his head up and trying to come at it with what he knows is still probably better than fumbling around it confusedly. Not to mention less embarrassing, because he can at least pretend he knows what he's talking about.]

Wendy

[revolutionfalcon]

[[From here.]]

That doesn't seem like an important thing to focus on rather than just trying to get a general idea of the festival.

[And that might as well be a confirmation that she's entirely right in thinking he doesn't have a favourite food. He doesn't really have a favourite anything much anymore.]

[nopixiedust]

[Shun, you walking disaster]

It's a festival. People are having fun and dressing in cute clothes. Lots of people are writing wishes. There's your general idea of the festival.

[revolutionfalcon]

Not like that - it's Tanabata, obviously I already know that much about it. But focusing on one specific thing for the evening defeats the point of trying to figure out how much of all this I do remember.

[So basically, he'd be more willing to focus on just food if it weren't for the fact that it's been so long since he's been able to do this festival that he's forgotten about ninety percent of it. It also probably says a lot that he assumes finding a favourite food would take the entire evening.]

Tsuzuki

[revolutionfalcon]

[[From here.]]

It's a waste of breath. [So that might as well be a yes, especially considering Shun's tone makes it quite clear he doesn't think he's done anything wrong. Still, this is...remarkably similar to the conversations he'd had with Tsuzuki as a god, so he supposes he can't be too surprised.]

I'm not faking anything for anyone. If someone has a problem with my attitude, then that concerns them, not me.

[It's not like he hasn't managed to gather a small amount of friends so far who don't mind. Or at least are willing to bear with it for the moment.]

[sweetdeath]

[Well, okay, so this guy? Kind of a jerk. Tsuzuki glares. He probably could point out just how messed up that is, but it's not like he hasn't just said it a couple of times anyway, and it doesn't seem like he's making a dent.

He rubs a hand over the back of his neck and blows out his breath in an annoyed huff.

Kind of a jerk, but also helpful, so maybe he's just got to put up with it. Even if Shun's clearly had way too many people put up with his attitude.]

Fine. Just so you know, though, if a lot of people have a problem with your attitude, sometimes that means your attitude's the problem.

[Muttered:] So think about that.

[He clears his throat, and adds, more loudly:] Anyway, thanks for the information. It's good to know.

[revolutionfalcon]

Or it just means people here get offended too easily. [While Shun doesn't rise to that sort of thing himself these days unless it concerns a friend rather than him, he can understand offense in certain situations. It's just that one of those situations isn't him happening to not be terribly polite in general.

Nonetheless, he doesn't really care enough to start an argument over it - there are people here who live with it or are even fine with it to some degree, so trying to convince one person it's not worth worrying about...well, isn't worth worrying about.

There's a mild huff of his own at the thanks.] You're wasting your breath with the gratitude as well. The more people here who get information early on, the less people we have endangering themselves or others for lack of it, and the more we have focusing on what's happened here so far.

Celty

[revolutionfalcon]

[[From here.]]

[It's an interesting comparison, and Shun looks her up and down again briefly with a mild note of interest to his expression.] So you remember what it is you are. I don't think all shinki do, so that's one thing to keep hold of.

[Granted, Shun has no idea what she is himself - he's heard of the concept of headless monsters before, but he doesn't have a name for them despite all the mythological reading he's been doing since getting here. It does make him voice one observation he's had about the death gods here, though, even if there's a slight sigh before he does so.]

If there's one thing they seem to do fairly reliably around here, it's set people used to death to deal with death. I wouldn't be too surprised if whatever god you end up with has something to do with it as well.

Re: Celty

[lookingforhead]

I remember what. But only that I am. I don't understand the hows or whys. But things seem to work anyway. I guess it's the same as someone remembering they're human and knowing how to breathe.

Well, whoever I end up with, I hope they have a horse on hand. Or a motorcycle.

[A bicycle would be a bit much though, even for her needs.]

Thank you. For your help.

[revolutionfalcon]

Probably. Someone not being human doesn't make forgetting make any more sense. [Thankfully it hasn't happened with anyone Shun knows particularly well, but there's quite a few weird shinki here and not all of them are exactly obvious in what they are, yet he's not sure all of them retained the knowledge.

Celty's mention of wanting a horse seems to click a bit more with Shun, and the note of the motorcycle in particular seems to make him a little more intrigued in turn.] A headless horseman, huh. I suppose I hadn't considered that you'd have to update.

[It's a somewhat dry remark, as if he's making an attempt at humour but not quite getting there for being such a stick in the mud. As she writes down that last bit, his eyes narrow a little at the thanks, but he just gives a slight shrug.]

Someone has to keep people informed. Good luck finding your god in all this. [Luck isn't generally a sentiment he offers out or believes particularly strongly in, but in a crowd like this, he feels anyone would need all the help they can get.]

Hajime

[revolutionfalcon]

[[From here.]]

I look like I normally do, just in different clothes. [There's a mild irritation to his voice now, because he really doesn't get why people insist on making such a big deal out of this sort of thing.] It's nothing worth defending like that.

[And while he isn't quite five years old enough to get into a contest of "does so", "does not" with Hajime, he shoots her another glare at the remark in lieu of actually answering. Obviously, those two words didn't do a great deal to change his mind.

After a moment, though, he gives an irritable sigh and basically snatches the net, inspecting it with a critical eye.] Remind me what the point of this is.