Multicoloured kindnesses, met by chance, one by one

[yoshinocherry]

Who: Yuna and EVERYONE. No CR? No problem, drop on by to make new friends!
When: March 21st, all day
Where: Shinju's Temple
What: Hanami birthday party yayayay

[With a blanket invitation delivered, the only matter of business left is ensuring the temple is set up nicely for a gathering!

The main attraction of the day, of course, being flower-viewing in the temple's courtyard. With light snacks and refreshments lined up at tables inside the building itself and blankets and pillows available to pick up for lounging under the flowering branches, the 'viewing' part of the day should be set. As winds blow lazily through the area, blossoms in an array of colors are occasionally shaken free from the tree, falling in gentle showers to the ground below, creating a serene, relaxing atmosphere. A handful of paper lanterns have been strategically placed around the grounds as well, ensuring that anyone who happens to arrive or stay as the sun sets can still have a good view.

Elsewhere in the temple, the room Yuna uses largely for crafts appears to have spilled over somewhat. There are a few stands set up with origami paper, watercolors and brushes arranged at a table with a few chairs, card stock, glue, colored pencils, stickers, ribbons, and most importantly, there are flowers. There are flowers everywhere. Some arranged tastefully in vases, some dried and pressed and left alongside the other craft supplies, clearly for use in tandem with whatever you feel like making with the other things left out in such a tantalizing way. Go ahead. Make some stuff.

And, while the invitation had been extended to pretty much anyone wanting to drop by, should any of Yuna's friends decide to stay a little longer, she'll let them know of a cozy hot spring bath in one of the back rooms of the temple. Towels will be provided, of course, so why not stay and have a soak to wind the day down with?

The hostess herself will be roaming about the party in high spirits, ready and willing to top up beverages, share a snack, or just have a nice chat. So - kick back! Enjoy the sights!]

Comments

[futhark]

Woah. That's an ancient bunch- [ Possibly one of the oldest if not THE oldest pantheon out there ] How's it faring for ya?

[trustheart]

... To be honest, It wouldn't have been my first choice. The problem is that a lot of the things covered by Ishtar's domain are stuff I'm not super comfortable with.

[She sighs.] But I'm managing. Somehow.

[futhark]

Cherry-pick what you're okay with, ignore the rest? Gods always had aspects that were more or less important in a given era.

[trustheart]

I basically do do that. But them still praying to me means I've still gotta filter out those kinds of prayers, which is the annoying part.

[She shook her head.]

But I'm managing somehow.

[futhark]

If they notice no response, maybe they will stop? [ What was Ishtar goddess of? Grail infodump doesn't help that much in cases that are not heroes, but he did his research on the mythologies in his time here. War? Love? Something like that ]

But I get what you mean. I had once spent a week part-timing at a bar. No idea what it has to do with me, but it was an enjoyable experience.

[trustheart]

[ Love, war, justice, political power... and also sex and desire. A bit much to expect of a young woman, let alone someone with Chris's life experiences. ]

I'm not really sure those situations are similar. But. Yeah, I'm kinda hoping they will. Still, I hope someone else picks up on that...

... The ones that don't come from total creeps, anyway.

[futhark]

Hmmm... think if you make traps for the creeps they would stop praying to you?

[ Kind of like, divine misfortune for that kind of people? I have heard your prayers AND I DON'T LIKE THEM, go somewhere else ]

Sorry, you have to go through that, tho.

[trustheart]

... I guess I could at least make sure I take prayers that punish people like that.

[She waves it off, sighing.]

Look, don't worry about it. I have to adapt, like I said. I won't get anywhere if I let this affect me too much. It's just like life.

[futhark]

Got it, topic over. [ Adapt to what life throws at you, here it's a very sound way to go on ] So what, guess it means it's back to me, huh?

[ She did answer his questions, so... Probably time to answer what is his deal ]

[trustheart]

[Chris nods.]

I guess it does. But... you gave me an out, so it's only fair I do the same. Still, I'd like to know things work, if you're willing to share.

[futhark]

[ Too, that's nice. Not many people do that ]

Appreciated. That gesture almost makes me want to share. [ He taps his chin once, twice ] See, I've been dead for like 2000 years, so hardly relevant anymore. But that's what ghosts do when they show up, right? They "manifest".

[trustheart]

... so you're like a ghost? Or something like a shinki? Just, you take a different form based on different skills you had in life, or something?

[futhark]

Yeeah, something like that, just without amnesia package.

[ Oh boy, we are getting really dangerously close here. The vessels are a huge can of worms to explain, but they also serve a very simple function that he can give freely.

Also shit, they really are kinda like shinki. No wonder he feels so weird being on the other side of the system. ]

Hey, you heard about the Achilles dude, right? Super strong, super famous, you can only wound him in his heel.

So if a bunch of powerful people want to murder you, and you somehow convince a dead guy like that to protect you... you really don't want to broadcast his weak point every time you call him over, right?

[ Obscuring the names and identity is a big part of this thing ]

[trustheart]

... So, you'd need a name that describes what you can do, not who you really are. I can understand that.

[Another thought comes to mind as Chris considers things further.]

And it'd be pretty weird if you walked around in another timeline calling yourself "Achilles" or "Cú Chulainn", right?

[futhark]

Not to mention things can just get plain weird when your whole life story is out there to read.

[ He's still pretty chill about this stuff though ]

[trustheart]

... Okay, point taken. I guess that can be even weirder when you're an entirely different universe, huh?

[She feels a bit guilty over him telling her his name, now.]

[futhark]

[ Since it's his god name, it's right there in the open no matter if he wants it or not ]

Falling into different one would make it easier I think. No records would exist.

[ But then to him all those different versions of Earth fall ito different futures rather than different worlds all together ]

Doesn't matter in the long run. We are were we are. I could be a freaking Merlin and no one would know. [ Don't flatter yourself, Caster. But the part where everyone imagines Merlin as an old guy with a long beard and thus make that perception a mask itself is true. ]

Speaking of universes- from where are you from Chris?

[trustheart]

Yeah, but what if your past self existed in that world too? If I knew who Cú Chulainn was, other people might too.

[She looks up with a start at his expression.]

Uh. I'm not sure my universe has a name. We call it Earth. But I was born in Japan, so I guess I'm from there.

[futhark]

Ah, so that makes you another local. [ Earth is Earth, different timeline on not ]

Not just native to the world itself but also to the country.

[trustheart]

I suppose. But my shrine's actually in the middle east, so. I'm not exactly sure how much I can say I'm "in Japan" here.

[She smirked.]

What about you? Where's your shrine?

[futhark]

Huh. In Tokyo there's one in Yoyogi Park, and another one in 'bukuro area. But on this island they're all over the place.

[ It could be "Caster stop showing off" moment, if he was just genuinely listing them. ]

Ireland, of course, has plenty. And I just recently blessed one in Scotland. You sure you have only one?

[trustheart]

[Chris blinked.]

I.

... Huh.

I'm going to have to look into that...