Turn and face the strange

[battered]

Who: Raichi & Roxas
Where: Artemis' temple
When: Early May 29th
What: A new duo meeting for the first time! Mostly temple shenanigans
Warnings: Loud teenagers. Probably nothing offensive. Will update should that change.

[The Far Shore, as Raichi has come to realize, has a lot of really strange rules and does a lot of really unusual things with no obvious rhyme or reason to it. One-upping itself on bizarre happenings almost feels expected, but what definitely isn't expected in any situation is waking up somewhere that:

1. You didn't fall asleep, and
2. Have never seen in your life (...afterlife?)

But weirdest thing of all, he's pretty sure, is the angry looking, ghostly dog he's found himself face to face with.]

Wh-...?

[And, really, there isn't a whole lot of time to take in the unfamiliar surroundings, or even try and think about why he might be here, before said canine spirit starts dragging him off and out of the room he had woken up in. Naturally, the first instinct to something like that is going to be... a pretty noisy reaction.]

Hey-! Whoa, what are you doing??!

Comments

[missingache]

[Roxas had been in the middle of a nice dream when the noise wakes him. His first thought was "Which roommate do I have to yell at?" to "Wait..."

As quick and quietly as he could, Roxas sneaks downstairs. It sounded like a guy's voice... how did one get in here? He stops dead in his tracks when he sees a ghost dog dragging a strange guy out of his place.......

Curiosity and anger get the better of this little god as he follows his(?) ghost dog outside.]

How'd you get in there?

[Yes. Roxas sounds and looks rather irritated. After all, he's only been here a few days and there's already an intruder.]

[battered]

[Who could blame Roxas, honestly? First getting dragged from one world to another, then some scruffy kid shows up in your cozy temple? What's up with all of that, seriously?

Raichi looks pretty shocked, not like he was expecting such a nice place to be completely abandoned, or for the person living there to not be mad that someone was trespassing (But that wasn't his choice!) Even so, it's all... shocking! Super shocking!]

I don't know!

[It is, if nothing, a completely honest reply. He's still struggling against the hound's pull, digging his heels in whenever he can, but the efforts remain largely ineffective.]

[missingache]

[It's his luck.

The guy doesn't seem to be a threat, so he waves his hand and makes the ghost dog disappear. With a soft sigh he grabs the guys arm only to pull away in shock.

Roxas lets out a whine, closing his eyes tightly. All that junk... awful health... abused body... death..... these things hit him the hardest before he lets himself breathe again. So that's what this guy was...

He opens his eyes as he rubs the back of his neck. There's only one viable option right now.]

.... You hungry?

[battered]

[That reaction is just as big of a mystery to him as the whole situation itself. When he and Nobume first encountered each other, she remained largely stoic for having seen what she did, and consequently, Raichi was left unaware that anything had really happened in the interaction at all. So... is this guy okay?

He doesn't really want to turn down the offer of food, so the question is answered with a small, bewildered nod.]

I, uh, probably... shouldn't stay out long? [He doesn't want to make Nobume worry! Son have we got some news for you]

[missingache]

[How to break it gently? By not being gentle. There's no need to lie.]

You're my shinki now. I don't think your old god is here anymore. Stay out here and I'll get you some breakfast.

[He'll let you stew on that as Roxas walks back into his temple. It's a while before he comes out with a plate and a cup.]

I don't eat meat, so it's pancakes and hashbrowns. I was told it's American. Oh, and tea.

[Just going to hand you the food now.]

[battered]

H-huh?!

[Man you don't just drop that kind of bomb on someone and run off!!

But, to be fair, it is probably the best way to get him to understand and try to come to terms with this information. Is this even something that can happen? He thinks he may have seen someone mention it on the network at some point, but he has trouble keeping up with it in the first place, and didn't read on it too much.

Somehow, the information doesn't seem to be too much of a shock by the time Roxas returns, and he looks more... quiet and contemplative than anything. He perks up immediately once the food is in sight, however!]

Did you make it?

[It's... not really a 'thank you', but that's kind of the sentiment he's going for by asking as much. Being able to cook, it's impressive! Really cool! No hesitation to reach out and accept it, either.]

[missingache]

[From that death he's seen, Roxas figures this is a sports guy. Be up front with them, or they don't get it.

He nods, setting the tea down beside his shinki.]

I make all my own food.... I'm Roxas. You're in the temple of Artemis, so... I'm Artemis, too...... I don't really get what I'm supposed to be doing right now.

[battered]

[You aren't wrong.

Roxas... Artemis... The whole two name nonsense is always super confusing, so he kind of wants to stick with the shorter one.] Roxas...! [It's probably a little more disrespectful to go with that one, but it's not really something he thinks of. And he'd probably switch if he's told, but that's what he'll go with for now.]

I guess we... get to know each other? I'm - Todoroki. Raichi. [A nice, stilted sort of introduction. He'll take a bite of the food now.] Whoa-! This is really good!!

[missingache]

[It's not disrespectful at all. He likes his real name more than the goddess' name.]

Yep. Makes things easier! [A Japanese name?] Which one should I use?

[And that earns you a happy smile!] Thanks! I like cooking a lot.

[battered]

[The kind of formality that comes with something like using a family name feels too stiff, somehow, so,] Raichi's fine. [We'll go with that!]

Oh, uh, and it's Kyouki. For... you know. [... ??? Does he know? This is clearly an amateur god he's dealing with, but then again, he is kind of a clueless shinki.]

[missingache]

Raichi. Right. Thanks.

[Yeah, he knows.] Your vessel form. I had... a soulless shinki. Don't know where it went when you came in... maybe to heaven?

[battered]

[Good, he doesn't have to try and explain it himself! He's kind of underqualified when it comes to elaborating things clearly.

But... that's a pretty good question? Raichi doesn't have any experience with the soulless ones that crop up occasionally, their very existence being such a scarce thing in the first place. He takes another, larger bite of the food and chews on it thoughtfully.]

Maybe, I guess? [That might make sense, or at least as much sense as anything else he could think of. Maybe the same thing happened to it that happened to the vanished god... But shinki are souls of dead people, so one 'leaving' wouldn't have anywhere to return to! Raichi pulls a face, already feeling worn out on the 'hard thought' train with that much, and concludes with,] That's... probably the only place for them to go.

[A little grim, but that's life. Death. That's death.]

[missingache]

But wouldn't they need a soul to go to heaven?... oh! Maybe when they go back they get a soul and come back to life? On the Near Shore? Maybe that's how reincarnation works!

[This kid likes to read, so Roxas has come across some interesting concepts while doing that. Reincarnation, necromancy, revival, all that and more. If he could figure out how to use his phone correctly, he wouldn't need to keep getting more books.]

[battered]

[Reincarnation...? This really is starting to go over his head.]

M-maybe? Kahaha... [This is a pretty clear attempt at being agreeable, without really getting what's being discussed too much. He's trying so hard, and not getting very far.] I mean...! I never ran into one of those soulless ones before! So I really don't know much about 'em. [Nobume had him and one other one, and while they had been pretty stoic and serious, he's pretty sure his partner-shinki hadn't been soulless.

In the back of his mind, Raichi sort of wonders where Sayo ended up, since he's here now. In the front of his mind, however, he's pretty preoccupied with trying to keep up with the conversation.] Someone else probably knows for sure, though...! [Maybe the person in charge of heaven. Who knows.]

[missingache]

[Oh... this was all a bit much, wasn't it. This guy... might need things explained in a simpler way.]

That's okay. I don't think it's here anymore anyways. I haven't seen it.

[Should he ask if Raichi wants more food? Or a tent?]

[battered]

[At least, with Roxas, he's got a pretty perceptive god to work with now. Which is nice, for certain! ONE of them needs to be able to display tact, after all]

That's... kinda rough though, right? Because it's probably better to have more allies?

[Whoa, uh, did his resolve just waver a little there? What was with that drop in volume?]

[missingache]

No, it's fine. I'd rather have someone I can actually talk to!

[Having something just stand there and wait for orders, or... who knows what it was doing, was rather creepy. Raichi being around will be a nice change of pace. Roxas won't complain about that.]

Besides, I'm pretty strong. And I bet you are, too. I can always call on Sora and the others if we can't do it on our own.

[battered]

That makes sense...! Kaha!

[Raichi might not really be the best conversationalist, but he does have the benefit of actually being able to converse, no matter how stilted or awkward it can get. That gives him at least one point in his favor over the soulless shinki, good job Raichi.]

Uh, yeah, I guess! [He is a pretty strong kid.] Who's Sora? Someone you know?

[missingache]

Sora is- [My literal other half? Not brother... how to... You know what. Just say it.] -the other half of my heart. It's complicated, but he's important to me, strong, and he'd help us without asking why.

[Roxas lets Raichi think that over as he scans the area.

Where to have Raichi sleep...]

[battered]

[Sounds complicated. Isn't that the kind of thing you'd say in a romantic sense? But why not just be straightforward about it? Not that he has any particular inclinations to romantic things in the first place. So, for another matter that is over his head, he does his best to not overthink it, and instead go for the information he can absorb easily.]

It's good to have someone else strong around! [That's just plain sense though.] Do... you think we'll need him much? [He can't help but wonder!]

[missingache]

[Wow, if you said this out loud, Raichi, you would get a very interesting reaction out of Roxas. Romance? With Sora?... well, at least Raichi wouldn't call them brothers.]

I hope not. He'd tease me about it. If he calls me a princess again, I'm not going to hold back.