[closed]

[chibisu]

Who: Ebisu, Aomi, and various out-temple workers
What: Time for a relaxing trip to Kanagawa, before the next thing blows up.
Where: Kanagawa
When: Sometime after that compound mess

Kanagawa Prefecture has a lot of good points. There's an opening to the ocean, a lake for touring, beautiful views of Mt. Fuji wherever you look, and all sorts of interesting museums or temples. Aomi, the organizer of this little trip, agrees for everyone to meet at Iiyama Kannon an hour or two before noon. An easy famous place that people hopefully won't get lost going to, and all. Until then, well, people are free to go wherever they like. They don't even have to stay in Atsugi, where the meeting area is supposed to be. There are beaches not that far off, zoos to enjoy various animals, parks where carefully cultivated flowers are in gleeful bloom, a bustling Chinatown, and even the little island of Enoshima.

When the time comes to meet up, however, Aomi can be found alongside Ebisu with a bulging backpack and he does a quick headcount to make sure everyone is there before continuing on. The ultimate destination isn't any of the many tourist attractions in Kanagawa, but rather he leads away from the cities and towards the forests of the prefecture. Aomi would have made sure to remind everyone that morning over text to wear hiking boots.... so hopefully they all remember to do that, because the path chosen is one that has no actual path at all. Hopefully no one gets hurt, although it shouldn't be too hard.

What's the destination? That much becomes obvious once they hit some more even land, where a small stone monument has been placed at the base of a fully blossoming Japanese wisteria. Here, Aomi will let everyone know it's fine to take a break, and settle down. It's here that he'll help spread out some various picnic blankets and begin unpacking from his enormous backpack. He's been courteous enough to pack lunch for just about everyone, and a good variety in case any one dish doesn't suit someone. There's delectably spicy yokosuka curry, juicy shirokoro horumon, rare to get shonan pork sausages, and a variety of sushi that takes full advantage of being from a seaside prefecture. Everyone is free to relax beneath the wisteria blossoms and enjoy the view peeking out from the trees.

Comments

[trustheart]

...

[Chris shakes her head.]

I hope you're kidding, because that'd be extremely humiliating.

[unlucky7]

It was a joke. The only carrying I'm doing is your team in those extra difficult dailies in CanColle.

[If she ever gets injured and needs a lift out of battle. Today? Your legs are your own, Chris. Ginia waves ahead to where it flattens out a little.]

That looks like a good view point ahead. Let's check it out and take a break there.

[trustheart]

[Chris harumphed.]

You only "carry" me because you've played the game longer.

[She tilts her head to the side.]

Are you sure everyone would be okay with that?

[unlucky7]

And I'm a shameless whale.

[When there's little time to spend on other things, might as well pour some money into collecting anime jpegs.

Ginia looks ahead to where the rest of the group is moving ahead at a steady pace. Aomi carrying Ebisu leads the group, Joscelin trekking along close by. The rest of the group thins in between people enjoying the scenery and physical exertion. As long as she can see someone in the group, it's fine.]

It's not like we won't be able to catch up. Worst case, I call Aomi and you teleport us to him.

[trustheart]

At least you have the strength of character to admit it.

[Chris let out a defeated sigh; after she'd already agreed to take a break with Ebisu, there was no way she could really make an effective argument right now.]

I... I guess. But no more than five minutes, alright?

[unlucky7]

[Ginia shrugs noncommittally as they continue the hike toward the designated spot. A few more minutes of suffering and then a chance to rest and breathe. It's immensely peaceful out here, a nice change from the busy city or even the manicured landscapes of Heaven.

This is a good selfie moment. Ginia inches closer to Chris.]

[trustheart]

[Chris is so worn out, she doesn't notice as Ginia pulls in for a selfie until it's too late. Hearing the phone camera go off, she looks up with a start, face turning red.]

G-Ginia...!

[unlucky7]

[Portrait of a winded goddess, a moment to treasure forever. Ginia grins and lightly waves.]

Looking through my gallery, I don't have a lot of pictures of you and I definitely want pictures from today.

[trustheart]

[Chris huffs, her cheeks puffing out like an angry hamster. Or considering her pigtails, a rabbit.]

If you want pictures, ask. Then we can take ones where I don't look like a mess.

[unlucky7]

[So. Damn. Cute. However, Ginia won't press her luck by taking another picture.]

I guess idols need to look their best in all their photos.

[However, teasing her god is always fair game.]

[trustheart]

[Chris sputters.]

I-Idol?! I'm not an idol...!

[unlucky7]

Sorry, how about music-powered magical girl in battle armor?

[Which doesn't mean it's separate from idol, but maybe stage performing is more Tsubasa's thing.]

[trustheart]

... Okay, that's pretty literal, but it's definitely more fitting.

[She untenses her shoulders, slumping a bit.]

Just saying, I have a lot of work to do before I can stand on the same kind of stage as senpai.

[unlucky7]

[It's true Tsubasa is a force as a performer. She's only seen her perform in an ensemble, but with her vocal prowess in battle, it's no surprise to hear she's an international star.]

I'm sure you'll be able to do it, if that's what you want. Know I'll be cheering you two on from the front row.

[trustheart]

[Cheering them on. Chris laughs a bit.]

You keep saying stuff like that. It's like... you assume what I want is to be with her, or whatever.

[unlucky7]

[There's a slight raise of her brows.]

Are you saying you don't?

[As friends, as a fellow performer, as something romantic, any of them could fit. It doesn't take much to tell the two are incredibly close.]

[trustheart]

[Chris ruffles like an angry bird, but only momentarily.]

I mean. Well. Yeah, she's one of my best friends. I just don't wanna come off like I'm not thinking of my own future too.

[unlucky7]

I don't think it comes off like that. Perform with her, go solo, I'll support you.

[Ginia pauses to look out at again. When they first met, Chris had already mentioned she fell asleep and several months passed over the span of a single night.]

What's waiting for you and Tsubasa back home? Anything good?

[trustheart]

Oh, there's a lot waiting for us. Our friends, our work, school, her career... I really miss everyone, honestly.

[She lets out a sigh.]

I guess it's kind of selfish to wish they'd come here. I don't want to think about any of them becoming a shinki...

[unlucky7]

[It's a relief to know they're not dead and things seem like they're going back to a good situation. While Ginia doesn't like to think about people disappearing suddenly, it's good to know at least there's something for them.]

I don't think it's selfish to want your friends here. Completely understandable not wanting them here as shinki.

[Again, even, though it seems like her group has been lucky in showing up as gods.]

Tell me more about them?

[trustheart]

Yeah... you're right. I just don't think I could take another Maria situation, again.

[She's quiet as she figures out how to respond to Ginia's last part.]

I don't even know where to begin. The whole gang is... a lot.

[unlucky7]

[Would it have been worse arriving sooner and seeing Maria as a god and suddenly a shinki? Ginia doesn't know what caused the change and it bothers her to some level. She also wouldn't say she knew Maria well, but there was enough of an impression she got Maria's picture and handkerchief when she disappeared.]

We spoke a little when she was a god, but I didn't get to know her until she was a shinki. I liked her. I wish I got to know her better.

[It's the feeling for a lot of people. At least she got to know them a little instead of not at all.]

First words that come to mind then.

[trustheart]

[Chris knows about all that, and she's entirely certain she would have taken it even worse. But... she takes that feeling, puts it in a tiny box, puts that in another box, puts that box in a safe, wraps it in chains, and then throws it into the ocean.

She focuses on the last part, before a single word comes to mind.]

... Troublesome.

[unlucky7]

[An involuntary huff escapes at the choice of word. It's a telling word, but one Ginia understands too. Troublesome is troublesome, for all the good and bad it can be.]

The kind of troublesome you roll your eyes at but you know you wouldn't have it any other way?

[trustheart]

[Chris finds herself smiling despite herself, and chuckles slightly.]

That's right. They're a huge pain in the neck, really.

[And her smile gets even wider as she says that.]