thenearshore | [Open Mingle] End of Summer Lucky-Pot

Entry tags:

[Open Mingle] End of Summer Lucky-Pot

Who: Anyone and Everyone!
When: September 22nd
Where: Cnoc Áine
What: It is the final day of Summer and the first day of Fall so the Temple of Áine, the Irish Goddess of Summer, throws one last picnic to bid her season farewell. All are welcome, as long as they bring a dish for the ~~lucky-pot~~ potluck.

[ To celebrate the final day of Summer, the Temple of Áine has gone all out, decorated in vibrant shades of red and gold that already accent the hint of leaves that are changing outside the temple grounds. Although inside the walled temple, it still seems like a beautiful summer day, the leaves on the trees still a bright vibrant green. The picnic is set up in the large orchard that spreads within the temple, the trees' boughs heavy with brightly-hued apples of every flavor and crispness.

Blankets and tables are scattered beneath the trees and in the clearing at the center, several long tables are set up to be filled with dishes brought by guests. Yona has supplied some of it herself, with the help of some friends. Several roasts, carefully sliced and carved for guests. A large platter of corn still on the cob. Several types of breads, seasoned with fruits or vegetables from the summer seasons or the harvest. And apples, of course - those seem to be here and there and everywhere; in pies, sliced and paired with peanut butter or caramel or other dips, made into a buttery spread for the loaves of bread. No matter what people bring to add to the potluck, there will be plenty of food to go around, as well as wine and ciders generously offered to go with it.

There is music playing in the background, just to set the mood or for people to dance to, and the pools of water are still warm enough for people to take a soak or swim in. And when the sun sinks and the sky darkens and the air grows a little cooler, a large bonfire is lit, with hot cocoa passed around and the makings for s'mores set out for anyone who wants to have a little dessert after their feasting. One last offering to a fading summer until it comes around again. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Luckily, Dust is proficient in mealtongue, even if he tries to avoid speaking the language himself.]

I can't argue with that logic. I do seem to have something of a sweet tooth. [Without any explanation, even from what he's remembered of his time alive.] You catch those ice cream trucks that were going around?

Yeah?

[Rin tends to lean towards savory items. If there's a way for him to have an endless supply of meat, he'll be a very happy boy.

He shakes his head as Dust mentions the ice cream trucks.]

Ice cream trucks? No...did I miss something? Were they givin' out shit tons of ice cream for free?

[He didn't have a big sweet tooth, but Rin will never say no to ice cream. Especially if it's free!]

No, no, it wasn't free. But there were a hundred ice cream trucks, and every one had a different flavor.

[And Dust had visited them all. This is his greatest non-combat point of pride in the Far Shore to date.]

No way! And I missed that?

[ Rin looks really disappointed. Especially for someone who's indulging in gluttony at the moment.]

It must've been fun, going to different trucks and tryin' a new flavor. But how did ya manage to try all the flavors? Didn't you go to the same truck at least once?

They had an app, for phones. It told you where each truck was at any time, and what flavor they were selling. You could check off the ones you went to, and plot routes.

It was honestly pretty fun. [It had the air of some quest or adventure about it, which helped a lot.]

Wow, they really thought of everything. Technology is really something else.

[It sounds very adventurous to Rin, he's even more bummed that he missed it. Though he hopes something else comes up where he can participate. Though he should really be happy to be here at this potluck.]

So how many flavors did you manage to try? One hundred?

Yep. All one hundred. [That's a point of pride for him.] Managed most of them in the same day, too.

In the same day? That's so cool.

[Woah! Even if Rin tried that, he'll probably get a stomachache.]

You must have a stomach of steel. I would really like to hang with you at the next food binge. My name's Rin.

Dust. [Still terrible at introductions.] Yeah, I don't even know if it's from being a shinki. I know that's why I'm always hungry, but... Maybe it's a species thing or something.

[Dust? Well that's easy enough to remember.]

Species thing?

[ Well Rin didn't want to point out the obvious before, but now that Dust kind of puts it out there, it encourages Rin to ask.]

So you're not exactly human are you?

Right. I'm a Warmblood. When I first came here, I didn't even know what humans are... I don't think there are any on my world, at all. [Different intelligent species, yes, but no humans.]

A place with no humans? That's really interesting. It must be more carefree then.

And what exactly is a Warmblood? [It does sound similar to a mammal.]

There was nothing carefree about it.

[Dust doesn't precisely mean to be quite as cutting as he sounds -- but he'd intense by nature, and the idea that Falana is in some way happier or better than here...]

I'm a Warmblood. I don't know what more I can say about that....

No?

[ Rin doesn't mean to be rude, but he can be really thoughtless sometimes. He can sense that he's said something out of line, and tries his best to mend any wrongdoing on his part.]

Sorry. People are always saying that humans are destroying nature and the environment on Earth. So I figured a world where no humans exist must be more peaceful. I guess that's not the case. My bad for assuming.

[Rin frowns that Dust couldn't give him more of an explanation on being a warmblood. Is it because he's a shinki? Or maybe something else?]

Then I'll leave it at that.

I mean, you can see the differences between us. I have fur... our ears are different. Humans don't have tails. [Though beyond that, the differences aren't really so great. Dust tends to think they're larger than they are simply because he's the only one.]

And some of my kind... enough of my kind, were trying to kill every last member of a different people. So no. Not more peaceful at all.

Well that I can see, but I thought there was more to it, like magical powers,or super strength. Something like that.

[ The physical differences are obvious, but Rin's never the type to look at people on face value. He's just thought maybe there something even more special about Dust then he was letting on.

Though it's unfortunate, that even without humans there are still similar conflicts. Maybe it just isn't a human thing, it's a societal problem.]

That's sad. I wish people could just get along and accept other people for who they are. Then people would be much happier.

No, we're nothing interesting like that. [Though a moment later, Dust adds, with something approaching a laugh:] Don't take me as your example, though, I'm different.

But you're right. It would be better.

Well you're the only Warmblood, I know. So you're setting the standard for others of your kind. Big shoes to fill, huh?

[Dust says he's different, but Rin wonders in what way? Though he leaves it to Dust to choose to reveal that.]

That's the ideal, but it seems even in this place, people don't always seem to get along. I would think gods were above the pettiness.

Are we talking about the old gods, or -- you know, us? [Despite being a shinki, Dust associates the new gods here with himself. Being strangers to the Far Shore, relatively speaking, is a greater unity than divinity.]

[ Upon arrival Rin's been hearing a lot of things. Mostly about the secrecy of the Heavens and the divide between the newer and older gods. It just seems a bit insane.]

I guess the old gods. I haven't seen must conflict among the new gods, but I haven't been here for long. Ultimately, I thought we were helping people, but it seems like other residents of the Far Shore have another set of priorities.

Yeah. That's definitely the impression I've gotten, too. [Dust's fingers curl, then uncurl as he becomes aware of his own gestures and forces himself to relax.] Even with all their shinki, they're apart from people.

Though what can be more important? If it's something serious, shouldn't we know about it?

Sure. If they trusted us. [That's the key, isn't it? They may be gods and shinki, but to the older gods here, they're alien and foreign. By all rights they might even be considered usurpers...]

They don't. And to be fair, they have no reason to.

I guess...

[Thinking about it, Rin can understand the distrust. The new gods and shinki who arrive into this new environment, and you can't be sure if they're reliable. Maybe their set of priorities are different. And it doesn't guarantee that revealing everything will get the newcomers to rally behind them. It's taking that risk that they probably want to avoid.]

They don't. But I think they should give us a chance, to prove whether we can be trusted or not. I'm sure some of us might be willing to help, and be of use.

Look at it from their perspective. A bunch of random people just showed up to take the positions of 'real' gods. I -- I can't even come up with a good analogy for what that would be like for us, but they're different. They're not, well, human, but suddenly all the people they're surrounded with are...

[Dust shakes his head, well aware he's not communicating what he really thinks very effectively.]

I don't blame them. But then again, I don't think much of a lot of what they've done, either. They may have good reasons for what they're doing, but I'm not saying they're good people.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject