-Overflow- for 24 - Autumn Reception

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Autumn Reception
When: September 30, 6 PM
Where: The Gods' Meeting Hall
Summary: The Heavens are throwing a formal party! Old and new gods alike are invited, so put on your nicest outfits and some good dancing shoes, and come see what this shindig is all about.

Continuing from HERE!

Comments

Ross overflow

[shiitan]

Valkyrie

[shiitan]

[link to previous]

What makes you so sure about that?

[nibelungvalesti]

Only a creature or being that had the strength to fend off all people here at once and still accomplish its goals would take that action, for any less strength would be failure. And a being with such power would have no need to wait.

[shiitan]

So you're saying the culprit isn't that strong, but still smart enough to not draw much attention.

[He had his own thoughts on that, but he kept his mouth shut in that regard.]

I think I'm going to opt out of looking for the guy.

[nibelungvalesti]

That could still be very strong and not terribly smart, and still be not strong enough and smart enough. The balance of power here is decidedly in our favor.

[shiitan]

Our favor, huh...? [He knew what she meant, but there was something about being lumped together in only one little word like "our" that bothered him.]

Who knows how long it'll stay that way.

[nibelungvalesti]

Were I our enemies, I would seek to damage that balance through any means possible. We must be vigilant and cautious, as the gods here say, yet at the same time we cannot compromise our ability to work together.

[shiitan]

I don't know how possible it'll be to work together when we're being told to look out for suspicious people.

...But that's for people to figure out on their own.

[nibelungvalesti]

Yes. That is a problem. [Which she has no answer to except professionalism in the service of duty, so she doesn't attempt to provide one.] It is poor guidance by these gods.

[shiitan]

[He blinked at the latter half of her statement, and his posture relaxed just a touch.]

That's not something I've heard often.

[nibelungvalesti]

Nonetheless, it is true. Lord Odin would not have allowed this situation to persist.

[shiitan]

"Lord Odin"? [One of the other gods here, maybe? That was his best guess, although he couldn't recall anyone calling themselves such.]

Never heard of 'em.

[nibelungvalesti]

Odin is the greatest of the Aesir and he who rules the gods in Valhalla. As such, he is my master, and to whom I answer.

There is another 'Odin' here, as part of the pantheon known as 'Norse', which is a strange and inaccurate reflection of my own.

Hakkai

[shiitan]

[from here]

... [He winced at seeing Hakkai put his hand to his throat. There were thoughts that were threatening to get to the surface, but they were quashed in short order.]

I'm fine. The ayakashi are always moving around, so I've been staying in a lot of places.

[Ross, you just admitted to being a hobo.]

[reformedsinner]

[He doesn't have anywhere to stay that's safe from ayakashi, in other words.

... So, he's just moving around on the Far Shore? Hakkai'd seen that wince, and he's not about to casually invite Ross to stay with him, not if their last meeting is still bothering him. Being used to strangle an ally can't be easy.]

Ah... not to impose, of course, but a former shinki of mine, Yamazaki Ayumu, has been working on a place for shinki to stay when they're without a god.

She might have a place for you, if you don't have anywhere stable at the moment.

[shiitan]

She did that? [On one hand, it was good a place like that existed now. On the other, he couldn't be sure how she would react to his part in what happened, and...]

Is if safe for a shinki to be around one of their previous gods now that they're a shinki too?

[He hadn't actually confirmed whether it was or not yet.]

[reformedsinner]

[Conveniently -- or perhaps not, considering how angry all of his shinki have been about it -- Hakkai hasn't yet told anyone who wasn't there what happened, or even who he was helping.

But Ross's question does bring up a more real concern. He looks away, lines gathering at the corners of his eyes.]

It's not dangerous, from what I've seen, for a shinki to learn that they were previously a god, or what they did as a god.

Still... it might be best not to mention it. It could bring up questions that are dangerous.

[And so much of Ayumu's past is painful.]

It's fine for you to be around her, though.

[shiitan]

[Ross frowned. Was it really fine? Even with that explanation it seemed safer to stay away. She didn't remember him anyway, so staying away wouldn't hurt anyone.

Not to mention that the last time he had relied on someone, it...hadn't gone well.]

Alright. Then I'll sneak in when she's not watching.

[Irreverent remark, or something else? You decide.]

[reformedsinner]

She'll beat you up if she catches you.

[He's choosing to take it seriously. That particular deadpan sounds like something that might well be serious, after all...

... and so Ross may as well have fair warning.]

[shiitan]

She's probably gonna do that anyway if she sees me at all.

[He at least had a mode of escape if that happened, but still.]

[reformedsinner]

I really doubt that she will! Unless you sneak in. She's not very kind to intruders.

[And she doesn't know she has any reason to be angry with Ross.]

That said, I hope you'll at least be able to find somewhere. If all else fails, I do have far too many extra rooms in my temple.

[shiitan]

[He didn't get why Hakkai was so sure that she wouldn't. Until one possibility came up, anyway.] You didn't tell--?

[But that thought was stopped in its tracks by what followed. Particularly at the end. His eyes widened on instinct, and once he caught himself doing that he swapped it with glancing away and putting a hand on the back of his neck.]

Thank...you.

[He was really bad at this.]

[reformedsinner]

[Ross may be the only person in the entire Far Shore who's actually thanking him for that. Hakkai breaks into a rueful, genuine smile for a moment, inclining his head.]

I only remembered this morning.

[And -- unspoken corollary -- he hadn't told anyone beforehand. It hadn't entirely been out of a concern for Ross's privacy, or even his safety. He'd been in no mood to defend his decisions.]

But you're welcome.

[shiitan]

[There was at least one thing he was leaving unspoken too, but that would mean more or less having a do-over of what he'd just said. Instead, he let out a breath that he only just remembered he'd been holding.

He was honest, but not that kind of honest.]

Now I need a drink.

[Just...maybe not too much, considering his tolerance for alcohol.]

[reformedsinner]

[Hakkai chuckles, nodding at one of the passing servers.]

Well, at least there are plenty of those. Sake?