007 | Clean Up Your Act

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Spring cleaning
When: All day April 15
Where: All around the Heavens
Summary: The Heavens don't like things being cluttered, so it's time to clean up a little bit.







Main Hall

While the main hall of the Heavens seems spotlessly clean at all times, that's not the case at all. In fact, it's been at least a decade since the last time they actually cleaned everything out properly. There are a lot of hidden closets and back rooms that have layers of dust and dozens of boxes filled with nothing but junk. Who knows, though! You might find something interesting and useful in there along with all the garbage.

Suprises

Unfortunately, some of the older temples on the Far Shore seem to have some interesting surprises tucked away, ranging from cursed artifacts all the way to magical creatures locked up in long-forgotten rooms. You are free to be creative with this as a way to get your characters into trouble while cleaning.

Complimentary Dinner

After all of your hard work, you deserve to have some tasty food and refreshing beverages. So the Heavens have provided that for you, so that you can wind down after a long day. It's not as fancy as the banquets they often put on, but there is a nice array of food and drinks for everyone to enjoy.

Counselling

As usual, there is a white-robed shinki bearing the gold chrysanthemum of Amaterasu sitting at a table in the Main Hall. There is a small sign that denotes her as the counselling shinki. Anyone is welcome to approach her, and she will smile serenely at anyone passing by as well.



In Summary:

• Clean up your home
• Help clean others' homes
• Get the main hall clean too!
• Hope no hidden magic jumps out
• Seek counselling if you need it
• Enjoy your complimentary dinner
• Have fun~

Comments

[spes_phthisica]

[The implications there are so easy to pick out, startlingly so even to Souji, who nonetheless doesn't question it. Yes, it's overwhelming to just understand so easily, but for now he simply assumes that this is just a thing between two Shinkis, bound together by the love they naturally feel for their God, the one who gave them their name. With his hand trapped between Yamato's, it almost feels like he's trying to protect that name, keep it safe from anything that might threaten to rip it out of his skin, leave it bare like an open wound.

The image causes him to shudder, nausea pressing hard at his throat for a moment.]

I'm glad you're taken care of, until- [-until your God comes back. He doesn't actually say the words, but even so implies them, assuming that Yamato will pick up the meaning just as easily as he has so far. Hoping that he understands that Souji will believe for him too, believe that Yamato's God must come back to him one day. Anything else is unthinkable.]

I'd be glad to meet her. Though I think we can actually leave off all these little ones before we do that. It's only this door up ahead, I think. We were closer than I expected. [He gestures to a sliding door with a familiar seal next to it, which should lead out into the gardens around the temple from here, if he's any judge at all.] And then I'd love to meet your friend.

[okitactless]

[It feels so weird to smile. It's only been a few days since Shepard disappeared, but the thought of expressing any joy in her absence had seemed horrendously wrong. Offensive, even. It's hard on Ayumu, it's got to be--Yamato isn't so oblivious that he doesn't know that. But devotion will always win out, in the end.

Still, the thought that someone else has as much faith as he does, that someone else is willing to believe she'll come back... the gratitude he feels is enough to coax a real smile out of him, and he doesn't hide this one.]

Oh, really? Okay. [Pulling away would probably be the normal reaction, which is apparently why he doesn't do that??] Will Hijikata-san be there? I'd like to meet your god someday.

[And possibly tell Hijikata to take good care of his shinki, because that's what he'd been doing even before he lost his own god. Yamato is very passionate about his fellow Shinki's well-being.]

[spes_phthisica]

[That smile tells him for certain that his faith in Yamato's god returning had managed to come through loud and clear, and his returning smile is warm and serene. He's happy, genuinely so, to have been able to bring that kind of relief to the other.

And he certainly doesn't mind that Yamato keeps holding his hand, simply locking their fingers together more tightly between them as he walks.]

Hijikata-sama... [Weirdly enough, it sounds more right the way Yamato says it. Hijikata-san. He's not sure he's bold enough to say that just yet, but he'll keep it in mind.] He'll probably be around cleaning too, I imagine.

[He beams as a sudden idea strikes him.] Maybe after I meet your friend, I can go find him, so you can meet him? [He shoves open the door up ahead, stepping through it so the ducklings can follow them in.] He's my God, after all, so I'm sure he'll want to meet my friends. [See. Just like that. Friends.]

[okitactless]

[No Souji, don't be rude like Yams... who calls everyone -san or -kun like a punk...

But the ducklings are eager to get to... anywhere (they're ducklings, just moving is exciting), and Yamato has to make sure nothing fuzzy gets caught on his sandals. The duckling from before is still trying to burrow in his hakama-- or eat it, maybe, it's hard to tell. But Yamato doesn't mind. YOU JUST KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON, LITTLE BIRD.]

That sounds nice. [Ayumu'd gone around greeting other gods, a while back, and he'd always tried to look out for allies for Shepard. He can put aside his sadness long enough for that, especially if Souji feels as strongly about his god as he does. Did. Does.] Ayumu-san has a lot of food at home... maybe we can bring some over later, too.

[Seriously Ayumu it's getting a little ridiculous.]

[spes_phthisica]

[Look, something just feels right about using that form of address for Hijikata specifically. He won't always use it, of course - certainly not in front of other Gods! But maybe when it's just the two of them?

Souji bends down and gently untangles the duckling from Yamato's hakama, scooting it gently in the direction of the pond. They're still just kind of pouring through the door towards the water, but at least they're starting to thin out a bit. Looks like a couple of hundred ducklings, all told.

He's still holding on to Yamato's hand, though, and gives it a small squeeze as he stands up.] That would be very generous!

Ah, I think... maybe these are the last. [He nods behind him at a group of straggler ducklings.] We should leave quickly now before they follow us through the door. [Let's bolt outside and slam the door shut. Mission: Trick the Ducklings is clearly a great success!]

[okitactless]

[Sooj if you're thinking dirty thoughts about his collarbones you can probably drop the honorifics entirely, y'know

Good lord, though, that sure is a lot of ducklings... a sane person might wonder if they were being kept in there for a reason, or if they were someone else's pets, but Yamato just watches to make sure none of them get stuck or fall over.]

I think they'll be very happy here. [He shakes his bangs out of his face, watching the little birds with open fondness. He didn't think he was so susceptible to cute things, but apparently...

Souji's right, though. They can't have an endless train of ducklings everywhere, so they'd better get out while they're distracted with their new home. Yamato nods, turning towards the door.]

Let's run for it. Are you ready?

[spes_phthisica]

[SHUT UP, he's a pure Shinki, it's not his fault that his God looks like an inverted triangle with muscles...

Souji is watching the happy ducklings jump into the pond like it's the best thing he's ever seen - and to be fair, his memories only stretch to this morning, so it just might be.

Still, he's instantly crouching down slightly, preparing himself for their DRAMATIC ESCAPE as soon as Yamato mentions it.]

I am! Let's run on three, okay? [He squeezes Yamato's hand once more, because he's still not letting go of that, okay?] One... two... three! [And he's off, laughing as he runs, stumbling back out in the corridor and hurriedly calling to Yamato:] Close the door, quick!

[okitactless]

[Really, because from this angle he looks an awful lot like a wet blanket--

But Yamato matches Souji's position, seeing no reason to let go if Souji doesn't! It's funny to think he's not usually so tactile, but then, neither is much of the company he keeps. Maybe it's inappropriate, to feel so comfortable so quickly, but. It's nice. Uncomplicated. (ha)]

Go--! [Yamato's no tantou, but he's fast when he wants to be. Still, he lags behind Souji, because they can't both get through the door at the same time. And because it's nice, maybe, to feel that slight tug, a little bit like an unbreakable bond.]

I've got it! [He can hear the chirp chirp and the little pattering of more observant ducklings hot on their heels, but he manages to shut the door without letting any of the fuzzbabies zoom out. It's a near thing, though, and Yamato shuffles away from the door as quietly as he can.]

We should go quickly. [He leans close to whisper, lest the ducklings catch wind of their voices and get even more distressed. Yams feels you, lonely birds...] We can bring them a nice treat later, right?

[spes_phthisica]

[For a moment he's bent slightly forward, catching his breath and laughing. There was such a simple joy in doing something like this, something childish and silly and together, something you kind of had to be two to laugh like this about.

But at Yamato's words, he sobers up a bit, and he even presses his free hand momentarily against the now closed door, listening to the chirping sounds of the ducklings on the other side with a slightly guilty expression.]

I promise we'll come back, okay?

[He doesn't say it in quite a loud enough voice to alert them and distress them, but having said it is still something that counts. Maybe it's a bit silly, but even tiny ducklings shouldn't have to feel like they're left behind.

Then he gives Yams' hand another light squeeze, smiling, although his voice is still kept low as well.]

Please lead the way to your friend.

[okitactless]

((continued here!))