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Who: Zelda and Minako
When: Early January
Where: The Near Shore, an apartment building in Tokyo
What: Zelda and Minako fulfill their first prayer together! Neither of them will probably ever feel like having children after this experience.

[ Minako was actually kind of excited to help Zelda fulfill a prayer. Sure, it didn't seem like one that had anything to do with ayakashi, but maybe that was for the better. Starting things off easy before getting to the real big deal, you know? She's at least happy to help out both some mortal having trouble and at the same time Zelda who needs everyone ever as her follower if Minako has any say in it.

The prayer didn't even sound that hard! Just babysitting some cute kids, right? And then the parents can have some happy time to themselves! It's a win-win situation on all sides. Minako might not be the ultime fan of children, but she can handle playing with some cute babies for a while. No sweat. Zelda is probably amazing with kids too, so it's all going to be fine!

.. Except then it's not fine. Minako sure didn't expect to find herself with her goddess in an apartment building with five children who just won't stop crying, anyway. She's already starting to feel like she's getting a headache and they haven't even been here for longer than five minutes yet. Someone just put her out of her misery. Please.

She's pretty sure these babies can see her. Isn't that supposed to be some supernatural movie cliche? The baby is always the one to see the ghost even when no one else can? But she's been trying to pull funny faces for the baby in front of her for a good minute or two already, and it just keeps crying. And that's only one of them!

Minako glances over at Zelda, almost looking (although it's just overdramatically so) like she's about to join the babies and start crying too. ]

How can they keep this up when there's two cute girls in front of them?! [ These children are insulting her. ]

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I do not think their aesthetic tastes are quite so... matured yet, Minako.

[Zelda answers, placating, because for the love of Hylia, please don't join them in the wailing, she doesn't know if she'll be able to take that. This was supposed to be a simple task - one that could actually be dealt with directly rather than the vague pleas for knowledge or inspiration that the "Cunning Goddess" usually gets - but maybe the rest of the Heavens knew something that she didn't about this particular family. That's one of the few answers she can think of as to why this predicament seems so unmanageable as she holds another bawling toddler in her arms.]

All right, think. This is something people have been doing since time immemorial. We are both intelligent women; we can figure this out.

[Though her words may sound like they're a bit more to reassure herself than Minako as she pinches her nose and furrows her brow. It's very difficult to think with so much noise going on.]

What time would such a family have dinner, do you think? Perhaps they are simply hungry?

[ Even if Zelda is mostly just reassuring herself, she did just say that they're both intelligent women. And that sure motivates Minako to get even more determined about this. She'll prove that she's an intelligent woman and get these kids to stop crying and go to sleep for sure!

Except it's not as easy as just applying enough determination. There still has to be an actual solution. If even Zelda holding one of them wouldn't get them to stop crying - even though she's such a calming and kind force!! - then what would?

Minako frowns a bit at the question. ]

I mean.. Kids eat pretty much whenever, right? [ ~~That might be some lingering influence of her forgotten memories of Usagi, honestly.~~ ] Maybe the family has something in the fridge.

[ She turns back to the kid. ]

Here, little guy, let's go on an adventure to find some food, okay? [ She picks the kid up as she stands up, but then there's also another toddler attempting to crawl up on her back at the same time, and she winces. ] Hey, I'm not a horse!!

[Meanwhile, Zelda hasn't had a regular meal schedule since she was ten, so... sure, she'll go with the "whenever" answer. But she winces as well when Minako does, though hers is admittedly also halfway in reaction to the shinki's harsh response.]

Easy, Minako... [She urges as she steps over, balancing her wailing child on her hip while trying to pluck the other off Minako's back.] Come on, now, it is not nice to suddenly jump on people like that.

[The toddler, being a toddler and not knowing much in the way of manners, responds to this light scolding in a very toddler-ish way: by crying even harder. Zelda sighs. Goddesses, if only Impa was here...]

Perhaps it will be easier to leave the children in here and bring out any appropriate food you might find.

[Who needs tables and chairs!! We'll eat our food on the ground like our ancestors!]

[ It's honestly where one of the big differences between Minako and Zelda shines. Even if Zelda gets exasperated, she can bring herself to still be calm for this occasion. Minako, on the other hand? She sure is no being of infinite patience and calm, especially not when her eardrums are being assaulted by crying toddlers.

Not that she necessarily thinks it's one of her bad sides. She feels a twinge of guilt when Zelda tells her to go easy, and especially when the kid starts bawling even harder, making their job more difficult. ]

You don't mind if I go look? [ Even if it's the next room over, that still means she's leaving Zelda with crying kids for a few moments. ] I mean, it might be easier that way since I'm more used to the technology and stuff around here, but..

[ At least she's trying to be a bit more subdued now. Even though it's a very odd look on Minako. ]

[It is an odd look on Minako, and Zelda turns over in her head how to frame her thoughts in a way that won't be quite so discouraging.]

Indeed, you know much more than I do about how a household like this would work. [Even if it's in that vague, void of context way shinki know just about anything.] So it would be much more efficient if you were the one darting around fetching whatever we might need. Bringing myself and all the children along will mostly serve to slow you down and delay us in soothing them.

[Everyone has their strengths. Minako has knowledge where Zelda has patience. Better to play to those strengths rather than drag one or the other down. ... And it also gives Minako a break from the screaming toddlers, and so reduces the risk of her joining them, though that's a slightly more selfish view of things.]

Just... please do not take this opportunity to escape out a window or something?

[She smiles, sheepish, as she bounces the child on her hip a little. This is mostly a joke, an attempt to lighten Minako's conscience the way the shinki so often does for her. She knows Minako wouldn't abandon her here. Though it might be tempting...]

You know I'd never leave you here by yourself.. [ Minako is well aware though that Zelda means it as a joke - she doubts the other would think she's really the type to suddenly try to get away from this when they're in it together. The reply is still a little weaker than usually though with this odd feeling churning in her gut.

But she smiles. It's small, but genuine. She knows Zelda is making an effort for her sake here too. ]

I'll be right back, I promise. Just.. hang in there for a few moments!

[ And with that Minako does disappear into the kitchen, frantically looking through the cupboards and fridge to find something that's appropriate for little children to eat. Thankfully there's some baby food for the smallest kids, which seems like a good and obvious point to start at. It requires her to squat on the kitchen floor for a moment as she reads the label. Not like she's ever had to prepare baby food before, how can she know how to use it!!

The thought strikes her that it's really weird that this of all things is making her feel so weirdly insecure and worried. She was fine and bouncing all over the place all the way up until now. It wasn't until she was actually out here trying to get something done to answer people's prayers that the worry of doing something wrong or not being good enough is hitting her like a freight train. And it sucks.

Thankfully Minako is very determined. Even when she does feel bad. Isn't that just more of a reason to try and kick that bad feeling to the curb? To show it not to mess with her?

So she grabs as many of the baby food jars as she can and some spoons, quickly heading back to where she left Zelda with the children and hoping she won't find her overthrown by them. ]

[It's... worrying, the change in Minako's mood, and Zelda feels a little helpless as the other darts off. Even with her out of sight, that vague discomfort still flows through the link forged by the shinki's name, manifesting as a slight, tingling ache at the back of Zelda's neck. It's frustrating that she doesn't know what to say to make it better like she somehow managed at the hot springs resort, but... there's a job to do. She can't afford to dwell on it right now.

Four out of five of the little kids are still very vocally communicating their distress when Minako returns, but the fifth has quieted into mere sniffles a bit. The reason behind this miraculous event might be Zelda's soft singing, though to be sure there's plenty of bouncing and soothing back rubbing going on as well. Sure, it's the sacred song of the Royal Family, only ever taught to its trusted confidants, but it's how Impa used to help her go to sleep when she was younger!! And these kids probably won't remember it after they leave tonight, so...]

Hear my voice,
Never let it die,
Keep this lullaby...

[Between the crying and her own intense concentration, she doesn't quite notice when Minako returns. She's trying real hard too!]

[ Minako skids almost comically to a halt in the doorway when she notices the scene. It's not a total chaos, and sure, the kids haven't all calmed down, but it's what Zelda is doing right now that catches Minako's attention even more than the result of it. The singing is so pretty and sweet that she manages to focus on it even through the still crying children, and it makes it feel almost sacrilegious to walk into the room and ruin the moment by offering the babies the baby food jars in her arms as a peace offering.

So for a moment she just.. stands there. Listening. The fact her mind is so pulled into the song and away from her mentally kicking herself eases the discomfort weighing down on Zelda as well from their connection, at least.

It's only once Zelda is done singing that Minako dares to draw attention to herself instead. It feels a little like snapping out of a haze, still half-dazed and flustered, but she knows she has to act quickly before the kids start a five membered crying chorus again. ]

Um.. I got the food. There's spoons too, so we can feed them. You can just open the jars and spoonfeed it to them.

[Zelda turns at Minako's voice, and if she realizes she had an extra pair of ears in the audience to her dong, she doesn't make note of it, instead looking down at the quietly sniffling child in her arms with a halfway prideful smile playing at the corners of her lips.]

Good. I think this one may just be ready for bed, but it may be worth it to see if we cannot get him to eat a little beforehand.

[Going to bed hungry will just cause more problems later, right? She thinks that's how it works. If the child will be able to sleep with his brothers and sisters hollering on is another story but they will cross that bridge when they get to it!]

[ She walks over to Zelda. ]

Here. [ Minako puts down one of the jars of baby food and a spoon next to her. ] It's probably better if you feed him.. I doubt we want to move him right now and risk him starting to cry again.

[ Not to mention that she really doesn't trust herself to not accidentally make the baby cry again, but it's mostly just about being practical. Mostly. ]

I'll try feeding the others and see if that helps anything at all. [ She sure hopes it does, because who knows how infectuous that crying might be on the sole baby who's being calm right now. ]

Ah, yes, of course.

[She eyes the jars dubiously, but settles herself down next to the one Minako offered and sets to trying to open it, though... this is easier said than done with one arm preoccupied with carefully holding a not-screaming child. Now she understands what mothers and caretakers mean when they wish for a third arm. But she can do this, surely!

... As she works on this, however, she also watches Minako in her periphery. The anxious feeling tingling at the back of her neck has subsided, but she still feels like something is... off. Unbalanced. And she thinks its as good a time as any to ask, while they have a task to focus on.]

Are you all right, Minako?

[ Minako just settled down on the floor, two toddlers sitting in front of her, apparently having been lured to her by the promise of food. She's busying opening the jar and starting to alternate giving the toddlers a spoonful of the food when Zelda asks the question.

There's no immediate response. Instinctively Minako wants to say she's alright and shove every single negative feeling down. Why should she bother Zelda with negativity when she seems to have the most talent for cheering up her goddess? What good is it to show her uglier sides to people? She's just supposed to be cheerful, silly Minako. That's all she knows about herself, after all.

But she does remember the pamphlet when she first arrived here. Maybe she doesn't remember every single detail, but it did say to talk to your god or goddess. That bad things will happen if you don't. And while Minako would be pretty okay with taking the risk if it was just herself at stake, she definitely doesn't want to make things even worse for Zelda. ]

Oh, I'm just.. [ She falls quiet for another moment. For as candid as Minako is most of the time, it's hard to talk about these sort of things when everything in her tells her she shouldn't. ] I just thought.. maybe it'd be better if you had someone else as your shinki? Someone who could do these sorts of things better.

[ Thankfully the toddlers asking for her attention and feeding gives her an excuse to not look at Zelda as she says it. ]

I mean, I'm not being very helpful, right?

Edited 2018-08-27 11:31 (UTC)

... The only reason I have the slightest idea of what I am doing is because I can remember what my caretaker did for me.

[That kind of gives her an unfair advantage, doesn't it? Zelda similarly keeps her focus on the children as she speaks; she knows very well how difficult it is to be honest with what one feels at times, and bearing the burden of eye contact on top of it is often just too much. She doesn't want Minako to feel any more upset and uncomfortable than she does already.

But... she falls silent as well, considering. There's the impulse to simply tell Minako that she's wrong, of course - she's had other shinki before and she highly doubts any of them would be much more competent at childcare, and not to mention there's not a day that goes by that she's not grateful Minako chose to stick with her despite Zelda telling her she would eventually have to leave. But she bites that impulse down, because she knows that she herself rarely responds well to being told what she's feeling isn't right. She thinks instead for a moment, brow furrowed and the corners of her lips turned down in a frown of intense contemplation as she considers this dilemma and also tries to make this baby open his mouth for the airplane.]

I am... quieter than many. And much more reticent. In social situations you can navigate with ease, I often find myself feeling anxious and uncertain. I fear others thinking ill of me, of them looking upon me and finding me wanting.

[It's difficult, being honest. But she can do it if it's for Minako's sake.]

Do you ever find yourself wishing you had a more personable goddess? One who could be as bold as you, who could see your energy and respond in kind?

[ It almost feels a little strange to hear Zelda of all people say those words. It's not as if Minako has never seen her nervous or worried before, but the thought of Zelda - who is amazing and an actual princess and seems so good at acting the precise opposite of that wild ridiculous girl thing Minako has going on - being so self-conscious is kind of hard to parse.

So much so that it makes her drift off into the thought for a moment, only being jostled out of it by the toddlers in front of her demanding more food. She quickly scoops another spoonful out of the jar, stuffing one baby mouth full for the moment. ]

What do you mean, you're not bold? You organized that whole meeting, and even shut down the jerks when things got out of hand like it was nothing!

[ It's not as if Minako wouldn't - or couldn't - do those things if she had to, but she thinks people wouldn't view her nearly as easily as someone serious or someone you ought to listen to as they view Zelda. She's the type you just want to pay respect to. ]

You're great.. I've never even considered having a different goddess. [ Another spoonful being fed to a toddler. At least it brings the noise levels down enough for Minako to take on a slightly more quiet tone than usually and not be drowned out by baby crying. ] That's the only reason I worry to begin with, you know? I don't want you or anyone else to think, "oh, that Zelda is one of the best goddesses around, but her shinki is so lacking."

Perhaps if I had been bolder, then things would not have gotten out of hand at all.

[But the corners of her lips twitch up slightly at Minako's encouragement, regardless. Like an automatic reflex to the other girl's voice, despite all the worries and doubts that swirl constantly around her head.]

But if I heard someone speak like that, I would have to ask, "lacking in what, exactly?" Because I, in turn, have never considered you as such, not once. And if there exists someone who evaluates a shinki's worth merely by whatever skills they do or do not possess, then I would not regard their opinion as one worth taking into account, for clearly their view of the world is far too narrow to be of any worth.

[Her words start off quieter and hesitant, still finding difficulty with speaking candidly and worrying that she might be saying something wrong. But as she continues, certainty and sincerity enter her tone; whether right or wrong, this is something she believes wholeheartedly.

It's said she has been gifted with foresight since she was as young as the drowsy babe in her arms right now, but her sense of hindsight is just as strong. Sometimes, what she needs most is to be pulled back into the present, which Minako manages quite handily when she isn't plagued by her own concerns. If someone considers the ability to handle childcare more important than that, then fuck 'em.]

I cannot speak for anyone for myself, but I do not want you to believe that I would ever think of you that way. And if I were to give you reason to, I hope that you would tell me, so that I can correct whatever behavior led you to that belief.

[She is also slightly ignoring the babies during this impassioned monologuing, but at least the one she's holding is only drooling a bit as he tries to stay awake instead of crying bloody murder. That's nice.]

[ Even though Minako is trying to focus as hard as she can on the children she's feeding, she's still listening very well to everything Zelda is saying. And the more she hears, the more Minako almost seems slightly flustered - but in a good way. Regardless, a slight blush appears at the ends of her cheeks, climbing up her ears.

It's a weird duality - feeling so completely and utterly at ease with Zelda as a person and being touchy with her and asking if she can decorate the temple without even hesitating or feeling nervous, and yet feeling so intimidated and insecure by the idea of serving a princess, a goddess, and then someone as great as Zelda on top of it all. It really brings forth the fear of not being enough.

But ironically enough it's both sides of the duality that make her heart feel a bit more at ease now. Her goddess telling her that she won't judge her. Her friend telling her that she's good enough.

For a moment she's quiet, like she's letting it sink in, but then Minako laughs. It's a little less loud than usually, since she doesn't want to waste all their effort on the kids so far. ]

Haha, I'm sorry! I totally derailed everything just now, huh?

[ For a moment it seems like she'll just shake it all off and shove it under the carpet, since having moments like that is kind of embarrassing. Especially since she sees more focused on one of the two toddlers she was feeding now lying down on her leg to sleep.

But then she does turn to Zelda, finally. ] I'll.. keep that in mind though. I will try believing in myself a little more. Since you believe in me too.

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whoops i lost this tag gomen 4 me

don't worry i will always matte 4 u