thenearshore | Private Meeting [closed]

Entry tags:

wendy | kuroshitsuji

Private Meeting [closed]

Who: Amaterasu & Wendy
What: Private meeting regain
When: Sept. 29
Where: The Meeting Hall
Warnings: N/A

[The young woman in white and gold at the front gate of the Meeting Hall clearly hadn't expected tears. She tries calming motions, which would be more calming if she weren't holding a naginata; she tries reason; finally, she casts a harried glance at the other guard and disappears inside.

The other guard produces a tissue packet and otherwise tries to look as though he's part of the landscaping.

Fifteen minutes later, the woman returns with a thoroughly startled expression, bows to Wendy, and gestures to the door.]

Lady Amaterasu has accepted a meeting. Please follow me.

[She's clearly trying hard for a professional, formal demeanor, but the surprise keeps leaking through into little sidelong glances at Wendy as she leads her through the old wooden halls to a tall door with gilding on its carved surface. She pushes it open to reveal an empty room with a raised dais at the other end and a cushion lying in the center of the polished floor, ten paces from the edge of the dais.]

Wait here.

[She holds the door open until Wendy enters, and then lets it close, taking up a position just inside and to the right of the door with her naginata held stiffly vertical in one hand.]

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[The entire time she waits, and the entire time she's escorted, the apparently young girl by the poor lady guard's side continues to dab at her tear-stained face with the tissue packet so generously given to her. Tears still cling to the long lashes that are half-bowed over brown-red eyes. Her braids fall over the front of her shoulders, laying across the sky blue dress she wears. For the most part, she tries to keep her pace alongside the guard's, up until the door is held open. That's when she tip-tip-tips a little faster, the cute mascot backpack she has bouncing in its place. Even when the door swings shut, she very carefully sits down making sure that her dress isn't ruffled...]

[And then, with her head bowed a little, grins victoriously to herself.]

[She knew the "bawling child" trick would work! Well, she'd hoped. Her constant requests to see Amaterasu all on their own sure hadn't. Plan B had been her best backup plan.... because her last resort would have been to get Hibiki involved.]

[Which would have been funny, maybe, but this is better.]

[Taking a breath to compose herself so that she doesn't seem too pleased, Wendy raises her head and looks around. No one's here yet, huh...?]

[No one's here yet.

Except, a few minutes after Wendy's guide closes the door, the door on the other side of the room opens, and Amaterasu steps in, another of the white-clad shinki close behind her. The mirrored crown on her brow flashes golden in the room's warm lantern light as she steps to the center of the dais --

-- and then concern fills her face, and she runs forward to the edge of it, leaning toward Wendy as her guard hurries behind her and reaches to tug her back.

Please be careful, Amaterasu-sama! he hisses. She shrugs his hand away impatiently.]

What's wrong? Has something happened?

[Despite the fact that the old gods are, well, old, and important, Wendy is actually only passingly familiar with the deal with them. This includes in myths, and in real life. So she knows that Amaterasu is the god in charge of all the other ones, but, really, not much more than that. Definitely not any of her drama, certainly.]

[So when an actual child steps through the door in a crown that looks way too heavy on her head, her mouth actually drops open, and she forgets that her eyes might be a little red or her cheeks a little sticky. When she snaps to it, she hops to her feet almost as immediately as Amaterasu had rushed to the edge of the dais, and points.]

You're a little girl! [Then, to the shinki guard, like this is his fault-] She's a little girl!!

I'm not that little!

[Amaterasu looks taken aback at the pointing finger, and the shinki guard looks outright horrified.

Show some respect! he snaps to Wendy, while Amaterasu draws herself up with an attempt at dignity only slightly marred by her childish stature.]

You requested an audience with me, and I will do whatever is within my power to assist you. [The dignity dissolves into earnest concern as she continues.] It's important, isn't it? You're --

[She points right back at Wendy's tear-gummed lashes.]

You're the same height as me!

[Or is she actually a little taller...? Wendy is clearly wondering this now, no matter the poor shinki guard's words, when Amaterasu's are the one to get through. Pausing, Wendy reaches up to touch her face with both her hands.]

...Oh. I almost completely forgot, I was so surprised.

[Hastily, she begins to dab at her cheeks, even as she turns around and- in a move that isn't meant to horrify the shinki guard any further- plops herself right on the edge of the dais.]

I wanted your help with a project, actually.

[It might not be meant to horrify, but the man jolts forward a bare handsbreadth, hand instantly on his sword. Amaterasu waves her hands at him in earnest negation, and he settles back, although he's so tense he almost creaks as the goddess looks at Wendy and then sits down next to her, feet swinging just above the floor.]

Really? What kind of project?

A home for shinki.

[Done with drying her face, Wendy starts to kick her feet as well and looks to Amaterasu. Her hands gesture out towards the door, vaguely meaning the Far Shore as a whole.]

I know gods never really think about it too much, but gods here disappear all the time... Especially the new ones. When that happens, what do you think happen to the shinki left behind?

But when they're reincarnated--

[Amaterasu trails off, wide-eyed as she stares at Wendy.]

Don't you still have the name?

Reincarnated?

[It's a blank echo, no understanding behind, and Wendy just blinks back at her.]

I mean, I have my current god's name?

So shinki are released when the god disappears....

You could ask another god to take you in, couldn't you?

[Her expression is still concerned, but thoughtful, now, too, as she's contemplating the information.]

We can, but it's not easy.

[Wendy's expression loses some of the wide eyed innocence, a lot darker and sharper, something more somber and out of place on child's face.]

I didn't have my first god for even a month before Rosie disappeared. I didn't know anyone here. I didn't know who to go to. No one was obligated to take me in. A shinki is another mouth to feed, you know.

[Really, she's extremely lucky that she went to Hibiki and got accepted, and even then, she's pretty sure it's only because the god was fond of her to start with.]

Besides... It's a matter of life or death for us. Can people make the best choices when they're being pushed like that? It's bad all around.

But any shinki who's been released would be in the same situation. Even if you have a place to stay, you still need a god.

[It's a matter of life or death, but not because shinki need to eat and sleep. It's because a shinki with no name isn't really a shinki, just a wandering spirit, and that's a very different and much more precarious existence.]

What purpose would your home serve? Would it be a residence for nameless shinki?

Not just for that, but for matching shinki up, too!

[She grins, pleased with herself.]

Even if the Far Shore isn't that big a place, not everyone knows everyone else! That can make it hard for shinki to find a new god- or maybe a god wants a new shinki. With this sort of thing, we could investigate to make sure that a god won't mistreat their shinki, and have them meet each other to see if they want to be partners.

That'd make things better for everyone, right?

If a shinki is being mistreated, they can ask to be reassigned anyway...

[But maybe the new shinki wouldn't know about that, either? She fiddles with a fold of cloth over her knee, thinking deeply.]

But that's a good idea. It wouldn't just be for new shinki, would it?

Well, I figured new shinki would be the ones to use it the most... [Disappearing gods and all. But then, what happened to the gods they took their names from in the first place? Hm.] Still, I'd never turn away any other shinki that are godless!

The only thing stopping us is resources, honestly! So if we could get help with food, or clothes, and stuff like that, we could take care of all the organization and stuff ourselves! I've already got a couple of gods who offered, and this nice lady named Ayumu is trying to start something on her own.

But help from Heaven would make it a lot easier, I think! Even just a little.

[She's still swinging her feet, frowning as she thinks about it.]

Do you have a place to put it?

[Food and clothes are all very well, but if they're not in a safe place, then they could be in danger from ayakashi, couldn't they? Even in the Heavens, since the appearance of the new gods, it's not always safe.]

Oh.... Well, I know Ayumu is settled on a place, I think, but I figured we'd just use an abandoned temple...

I mean... [A shrug.] There's sure a lot of them.

There are, but they're old, and if an ayakashi could somehow get near, when none of you have a god, all of the shinki would be in danger.

[Her frown deepens.]

I'll ask someone to check our records. Maybe there's someplace that would be safe.

[She does, after all, have many, many shrines on the Near Shore. It wouldn't be so bad if shinki who weren't hers lived at one of them, would it? Really?]

And for supplies, you can ask at the Main Office. [She beams at Wendy, and assures her:] I'll tell them it's okay!

Well, I currently still have a god, and I could- [guilt trip] -ask other shinki maybe to help with setting up borderlines...

[But that would be a lot of work, she has to admit, although now she wonders how the school stays in such solid shape. Maybe there's a secret. Who was the guy who ran that stuff again...?]

[Amaterasu's words snap her out of it, however, and she beams.]

That'd be great! Hold on- [Tugging her backpack around, she digs through it and pulls out her phone.] You have one, right? I can give you my number!

[She is so proud that she's remembered technology.]

Oh, I don't really have one...

[But she does have a guard! She gives him a pleading look, and he kneels respectfully a few feet away, pulling out a very modern spiral-bound memo book and pen.]

But I can call you later! What's your number?

[The sheer level of unimpressed Wendy sends towards the shinki guard is scalding. Then, looking to Amaterasu again, she reaches over to try and take her by the hand so that she can press her phone into the god's hand.]

Take mine.

No, it's okay!

[She waves her hands, drawing back.]

I could buy one, but I'm always studying, or in meetings, and so it would have to be off all the time anyway.

[Besides, her shinki and her advisers all know where to find her! Her ears are starting to turn a little red.]

Just your number will be enough, Wendy-- [She shoots the shinki at the door an uncertain look.]

It's Wendy, isn't it?

[Never one to be deterred, Wendy outright drops her phone onto Amaterasu's lap.]

Mhm, Wendy! My god on there is Apollo, so you can call that if you can't reach me! [There's a pause, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her face, before she continues.] Or Venus! I can use that phone, too.

Oh, not Venus like the god, just normal Venus, as a name.

[Help. What does she do with this? She stares down at the phone in her lap, clearly distressed.]

Oh, er... but if you're giving me your phone how could I reach you?

[Wendy is silent for a moment longer, still trying to come to terms with her decision, before she reaches over to flip the phone over to her contacts list.]

Like I said, just contact Venus. I'll use her phone for now.

[This really seems wrong! She shouldn't take Wendy's phone. Still.]

Okay.

I'll be sure to do that. [And, with an uncertain smile, she adds:] Thank you...

Is there anything else that I can help you with, Wendy?

Hmm.... [Swinging her legs, Wendy shakes her head.] I don't think so.

Feel free to call me for anything, okay? Even if it's not about this!

[It's the least she can do for a fellow kid.]

Okay.

[She opens her mouth to say something else, then pauses, with a slightly distant expression as if listening to something Wendy can't hear.]

Oh... I'm sorry, I have another appointment! But I promise I'll let you know about the location.

[She scrambles back to her feet, brushing down her robes, and nods to the shinki at the door, who steps forward with a bow.]

Shoten will show you back to the entrance.

Okay!

[Hopping down off of the dias herself, Wendy grins and waves to Amaterasu.]

I'll see you later, then! Remember, call the Venus number in there!

[Amaterasu waves in turn, smiling.

The next day, Wendy will find a nicely wrapped package at her door, containing her phone, with a short handwritten letter:

Thank you so much for thinking of me, Wendy!

I couldn't keep this phone, because I think you need it more than I do. I wrote down your phone number, and Venus's, and I'll call.

Good luck with your shelter.

- Amaterasu ]

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Private Meeting [closed]

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