Book Party [ota]

[myblueskies]

Who: Romeo, Elfnein and literally everyone in the heavens. Even if you weren't personally invited every invite came with a +ALL YOUR FRIENDS and there's also a sign. Strangers are just friends these two haven't met yet.
When: 29th April. Afternoon onwards
Where: Temple Smol (Gegute's library)
What: Just the cutest book party the heavens has ever known! Bring your best book!



Arrival

You might have received an invitation, or perhaps you are just passing Gegute’s library but there is an brightly painted sign outside.

Book Party today!

Everyone welcome! Bring your best book or dress up!

Lots of tasty food!

The doors of the temple are open and once you arrive in the lobby there are more bright arrows pointing the way into the library. If you are still stuck mister Goat is at the help desk, he’ll direct any one who needs it!

Activities

The layout of the library hasn’t really changed at all, except a few tables being moved to accommodate activities and all the comfy reading cushions have been brought to a central location. All the shelves are decorated with colourful paper chains and streamers.

Romeo had really enjoyed Yuna’s birthday party with the activities to do so he had copied the idea for Elfnein’s book party! On one table there is material for making bookmarks. You might want to recut the card strips, they are a little wonky. There is ribbon and glitter and colouring pens and glue.

On another there is a cardboard box puppet theatre, painted in a riot of colours with colourful strips of material as curtains. There is some felt and other material, as well as scissors, glue and wool to make puppets with. A sign reads in childish Hirigana. Show your best book!

Food

The invitations had promised lots of tasty food and there sure was a lot! A whole table filled with tasty treats, Romeo had been very very busy! There was a whole tray of chopped fruit, another of vegetables like carrots and cucumber.

There was bread and cheese and two bowls of pasta with different sauces. Another bowl of noddles with meat and vegetables. There was a huge bowl of rice too with a tray of grilled fish and a bowl of broccoli and asparagus.

An entire part of the table was taken up by apples and things with apples in them, apple turnovers and even an attempt at an apple pie, it was a bit smushed but probably tasted fine.

There was a tray of very misshapen cookies with messy icing and another of even messier cupcakes with far too much buttercream. There were also churos and a chocolate Gateaux, these seemed to have been bought rather than made, Romeo hadn’t even known where to start it making them!

There was an attempt at making books and other shapes out of rice and vegetables packed in the two bento boxes Ebisu’s temple had given him for Christmas, but they were a bit crumbly, misshapen or just plain strange. In the centre of Romeo’s bento attempts was his magical bento box, every time it was opened there were different fancy bento creations, if the children’s attempts left a lot to be desired.

Have fun!

Comments

[trustheart]

[Chris has her own that she's munching on before Ginia is even finished typing.]

Trust me, I definitely will. Or you could give me directions and I'll go myself?

[unlucky7]

I'll send you the address. There's a festival for Ebisu in May at his shrine in Kyoto so I'll be there more often, but I might be too busy to shop.

[It's her first time working at an event dedicated to her god, so while she knows it'll mean lots of extra work in the days leading up to it, it's exciting.]

Does Ishtar have any holidays or events coming up I should know about?

[trustheart]

It's not like it's not easy to travel. But thanks, I'd really appreciate that.

[She blinks at that question.]

I'm not really sure. Ishtar hasn't really been worshiped in thousands of years, and I don't know if I inherited any traditions from the person who was connected to Inanna before, here. Or if there was a version of me here before.

[unlucky7]

[Ginia had met Ren a few times, but she didn't know him well at all. Whether there was another Ishtar previously she doesn't know either.]

Shun would know if Ren had any traditions for Inanna. He's watching over the shrines too. And though you say she hasn't been worshiped for thousands of years, here you are now.

[Not that Ginia thinks Chris is Ishtar any more than Chris believes she's Ishtar, but it doesn't change the fact there's a shrine in Japan and worshipers.]

You could always make your own if you wanted to.

[trustheart]

[Chris furrows her brow in thought.]

I suppose I could ask him. But, honestly. I don't know where I'd even begin creating new ones. In case you haven't noticed, I'm pretty awkward with most of the things Ishtar is supposed to embody.

[unlucky7]

[War, justice, sex, beauty, Ishtar's domain is certainly broad yet connected. The war and justice part Ginia thinks Chris would handle well, but sex, love, and beauty seem tricky for anyone.]

Be you. I think that's what all the new gods do. Listen to what your followers want, but be you and it'll be fine.

[trustheart]

... Mm. I guess you're right. I'll start thinking about that once I get, you know, actual inspiration.

[unlucky7]

If you want help brainstorming, I'm always happy to help. And if you want help setting up shrines elsewhere, I can definitely come along and foot the bill.

[trustheart]

I'll let you know. I guess that would be helping me with my godly duties and all.

... But setting up shrines elsewhere? One of the Cus talked about that. I admit, it made me curious.

[unlucky7]

[There's a small huff at the mention of her former god. Right, there are two of them now. Ginia is curious which one Chris spoke to. Probably Caster as he's been around for awhile.]

It makes getting around easy, that's for sure. A good way to connect with your followers. I've never set up a shrine for my god before.

[trustheart]

... Connecting with them directly seems weird. Like. Aren't they going to forget meeting me afterward?

[Or maybe Chris has the wrong idea about how all of this works.]

[unlucky7]

It's true people usually forget about us pretty fast, but the feeling remains.

[Their interactions on the Near Shore tend to be fleeting moments with humans. A few may remember - the spiritually strong, the attuned, children, or those close to death - but the general populace move on.]

It's like if a stranger holds a door for you. You might not know their name and forget what you look like, but you still remember someone doing a good turn for you.

[trustheart]

... I see. You... you really think that'll be enough, though?

[unlucky7]

Seems to work for everyone else.

[Ginia doesn't know the specifics of what every god does, but answering prayers and spending some time at their shrine or other places related to their domains seems to be the standard for everyone.]

You could always put on a performance there. That'd be memorable.

[trustheart]

[Chris immediately blushed and began to stammer.]

There's no way I'm ready for something like that, yet!

[unlucky7]

I'm not saying put on a stadium show with broadcasts worldwide. Sing a few songs, say a few words, I think people would like that.

[It's not like she hasn't sung in public before. Ginia knows it's something Chris could do and she wants to support her god in that.]

[trustheart]

... I suppose that's not too different from what I've already done.

[Dammit. Over inflated expectations were all that were holding her back before now.]

[unlucky7]

[Ginia gives Chris's shoulder a light tap with the back of her knuckles.]

All you have to do is let them see you as you. I don't know if anyone of our generation really believes they're divinity, but you might come off as more relatable as you are.

[trustheart]

You sound like a kids' anime right now, you realize? It's important you know that.

[Chris lets out a heavy sigh.]

But you aren't wrong...

[unlucky7]

[Does she now? Ginia considers Chris's comment with a slight headtilt. It's a comment she can take as a compliment, but it does raise some serious questions.]

Wait. Am I the cool mentor character that ends up dying or the cool inspirational character that shows up in one episode and is never seen again?

[trustheart]

None of those. You're the characters at the end delivering a really out of character message so they can be viewed as educational to the government.

[Ouch. Even Chris felt that one.]

[unlucky7]

[RUDE. Ginia frowns and clutches a hand to her heart, staggering dramatically as she pouts.]

That's it, I quit this kids' anime show. I'm moving to a shounen show where I can have a good heroic sacrifice.

[trustheart]

[Chris just raises her nose into the air, snootily, as she crosses her arms.]

You act as if those shounen shows don't have stuff like that one karate monkey alien telling kids to obey their parents and stuff. Also, you're a girl, stupid shounen series never let them do anything important.

That's why magical girls and seinen are better.

[unlucky7]

Correction. I'm older so it means I get to be a revered figure in canon. Ex-mentor, leader of another squad that usually isn't in focus, assistant to a leader. I'm allowed a scene or two before I'm killed off or side-lined for the main characters half my age.

[Hey, she knows how it goes. Some characters are simply too cool for the series they exist in.]

I'm with you on magical girls and seinen though. But I might be too old to be a magical girl. I think I'd be a teacher? Villain that has a redemption arc? [Ginia grins and snaps her fingers before typing away.] Former magical girl that mentors the new ones.

[trustheart]

It could be like that, or they'll make a bunch of jokes about how you aren't married yet.

... But yeah, I could see some of those.