[OPEN] WELCOME TO 2016

[miraculo]

Who: Sanae and YOU
What: sanae catching up on modern things
Where: Around the city!
When: April 21, any time of day

[ QUICK BACKSTORY TIME? Quick backstory time: Sanae moved from the modern world to Gensokyo, a sort of late 1800's fantasy Japan in the boondocks when she was 13/14. She's 21/22 now. canon is vague

Which means she's back in the modern world and it is amazing and beautiful and there are so many new games and electronics and gadgets. Ahhh, she's so excited! Look at the fashion! Look at all the new manga out! And all the old manga that she never got to finish when she moved! Look at the new nail polish colors! Sanae is very, very happy to be back in Tokyo. ]

A, manga, the Near Shore: [ If you happen to be in the same aisle of a manga store with her, or maybe you've been brought along with her, but anyway you might hear her say the following: ] Ehhhh, no way! [ She says in disbelief, holding up the last volume of a shoujo manga titled Vegetable Garden. ] Miho-chan ends up with Natsume-kun's older brother?! But the older bother is so... so strict and stern!

[ How disappointing of an ending! ]

B, shopping, Harujuku: [ Sanae's out shopping, because she hasn't been shopping for a while. Not only is she shopping, she's shopping in one of the craziest and unique fashion centers of the world. In her dress and sweater for spring, she looks very out of place also because she has a shit fashion sense. Let's say that she ran into you, or maybe she asked you to come along. Regardless, she's picking out a hat and placing it on her head. ] Mm.... what do you think? Is it too big?

[ Yes, it's too big. It's also ridiculously ugly with a bunch of feathers and chains and buttons on it. ]

C, game store, Shibuya: [ HOLY SHIT-- ] There's-- there's been so many new Pokemon games since I was gone! [ AH THE HUMANITY. SHE HAS TO CATCH UP WITH CATCHING THEM ALL, RIGHT NOW!! ] What else have I missed?!

[ Oh nothing much. Maybe a couple of Gundams. Jojos. Dragon Quests. The works. Speaking of robots, she'll be admiring the miniature model ones. ]

D, shide-folding, the Far Shore: [ Sanae is folding shide. But there comes a point where she must now measure its height. WHICH MEANS...! She'll be trespassing onto your temple grounds and going straight up to the shrine. Flying up to the roof she lets the shide unfold downwards. In fact, she lets all the shide she's been weaving do the same on the single roof, the streams different lengths and sizes.

Now it may look like your home is being TP'd with zig-zag paper, congrats.

She looks at them thoughtfully, tilting her head. ] ...Hmmm, think those are long enough?

Comments

[miraculo]

[ Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh--...... ]

It. It wouldn't be that childish. [ She defends. Because she totally was in shipping wars. Nothing big, probably just discussion with her friends rather than anything online. ] These stories are important to those who read them!

It'd be like-- like watching a favorite sport! And supporting one team over the other, and being a fan of one!

[young_oldman]

The players are real; these characters' love lives are fictional.

[miraculo]

But-- their stories are real! The messages they convey are real to all of the fans! It's not so unusual to support someone who you think might be a better marriage for someone else!

[ A pause. ] Er, wait-- this even isn't about marriage between Miho and Natsume or the older brother! They'd just be dating--!

[young_oldman]

So the readers get overly invested into the romances of fictional characters because they read their own lives in the story.

[....nope. Still not convincing him.]

I'd understand if it was for a friendly discussion, but arguing over these relationships to cause a "ship war" is asinine and a waste of time. It would be far more productive to reflect on the themes of the novel and learn from them to better one's character.

[miraculo]

[ >asinine

>waste of time ] W-wait, Lu Meng, it's... it's only for fun! [ She waves her hands, trying to defend it.

Well, okay, some fans out there might have treated shipping wars 100% seriously, but still! ] And to enjoy a novel, its themes, characters, and the relationships it presents-- that's the point of pleasure reading! It's not meant to be a textbook!

[young_oldman]

...I concede your point, though I'm sure there are far more productive activities to busy yourself with then gossiping about Miho and Natsume.

[He looks at the entire shelf with every volume of Vegetable Garden arranged on it in chronological order. Curiosity piqued, he plucks one of the earlier books out and flips through the pages idly.]

This is a rather long story. Has may lady read every single chapter?

[miraculo]

I just finished reading every chapter. Manga is serialized-- each chapter comes out every week or every month, and they can go on for years before concluding. [ She holds up a volume. ] I started this one almost a decade ago, before I left to Gensokyo. [ Her look is fond and her tone is quiet and remisicing. ]

I hadn't even started high school, but to read about those characters who were of that age--... [ A pause, and a smile. ] It was fun, to read of what it might have been like through a story.

[ She knows that the story wouldn't have been a reality. But it's an important part of a modern teen's life that she completely missed out on. ]

[young_oldman]

[Ah...so these books have sentimental value to her. Lu Meng's expression softens, and he inserts the book back into its original place.]

If my lady would like to purchase these books, then I will be glad to help carry them back home. And perhaps...you can tell me more about why you like this tale.

[miraculo]

[ Oh, will she ever. ] Of course...! [ She says, bouncing on the heels of her feet. ] Volumes one through... thirty, here we go! [ She places them all in a couple of bags. Man, she hasn't had a manga collection in a while! ]

But where should I start with telling you how good this series is? The part where Miho and Natsume first meet on the train? Or that part where they're under the sakura tree and they have their first kiss, or maybe the part where-- [ He can stop her at any time now. ]

[young_oldman]

Lady Kochiya. [There comes that firm interruption.]

I know you are excited to share your experiences reading this novel. While I may already know that Miho ends up with Natsume's older brother but I would like to read for myself how that plays out in the story, rather than have all the important plot points spelt out to me.

[aka please stop spoiling]

[miraculo]

Oh-- right, right. [ She brings a finger across her lips as if zippering them up. The gesture will be lost to him if he doesn't know what a zipper is, though.

Sanae leans forward, whispering. ] But-- I can't wait until you get to chapter 43. The moment you do, we have to talk. And believe me, you're going to want to!

[young_oldman]

[He might not know what a zipper is, but he mistakes Sanae's gesture as her mimicking sewing up her lips, and the point gets through regardless.]

Alright. I'll hold you to that. [He hefts all the books up in his arms and heads to the counter. Lu Meng needs to clear his throat to get the cashier's attention, but after that the transaction goes through and Sanae is now the proud owner of the Collector's Edition of Vegetable Garden! With bonus posters, behind-the-scenes drafts by the mangaka, and a special afterword by the mangaka addressing her fans for having followed the series for twelve years!

With the books neatly packed into paper bags, Lu Meng takes the whole lot without much problem.]

Where would my lady like to go next?

[miraculo]

[ It's nice being a god.

It's nice being a god who was once a miko, who knows how to set up small shrines and procure donations effectively.

It's nice being a once-miko-now-god-who-is-rich and being able to afford things.

But speaking of small shrines... ] Ah...! Well. I'd like to stop by the various hokora [ Mini-shrines. ] And decorate them with the shide I wove earlier. Modern society tends to forget tending to the lesser kami housed there, but they are important to! They guard and protect the streets. We had been so busy cleaning up heaven, but I'm sure that even they would appreciate a nice spring-cleaning.

[young_oldman]

Who are the kami? Are they your servants as well?

[He's never heard of them, but Sanae had been working very hard on all these paper charms. He's carrying them around in a backpack, unwilling for Sanae to burden herself with the weight.]

[miraculo]

Ah-- gods. They are gods. [ She clarifies quickly. Translation flub? Translation flub. It's all good, moving along. ] In Japanese, kami is written as 'force of nature'. That's its literal meaning, that gods are inherently nature, or the laws of physics themselves. Or in other cases, they are embodiments of concepts. There is a natural force or idea, for everything from how friction occurs to how neurochemistry works to our idea of love. This natural force is the kami. And forever how many things or forces exist in the world, there is a kami for it.

That's why they say that there are over eight million of us. [ She points to the mini shrines. ] These shrines could be for a greater god of travel. Or it could even be for a god just of this particular street. Or maybe it's a shrine for some god that's long been forgotten, and their house has simply been kept here. Either way, it's run down and we should spruce it up.

[young_oldman]

Ah, I understand now.

[He looks at the first shrine; it does look a little run-down, tucked underneath the shade of an old tree.]

Is the resident god around? Although our intentions are kind, we should still ask for his or her permission first before we touch the shrine.

[miraculo]

Not that I can tell, no, but...

[ She nods. ] Our intentions are good. And if they don't like shide or having the dust cleaned off from the top of their shrines, then I'll take responsibility. [ But she's sure that most won't mind. ]

[young_oldman]

If my lady is certain...

[He'll get down to his knees and set the backpack in front of him. Unzipping (haha see he did know what zips are) the front compartment, he carefully takes out the first packet of shide and hands it over to her.]

It is only proper that mortals place offerings of fruit and bread at the shrines. Does that custom carry on now that I am dead, my lady?

[miraculo]

That's right, that's right.

[ She takes the shide from him and beings walking towards one of the smaller shrines. Crouching down, she begins to use water to wash off all the dust and moss. And power-wash any graffiti. Then, she uses her wind to dry off the shrine. As she works, she continues speaking. ] Although, I'll tell you a little secret.

Back in my homeworld, we set up little branch shrines for Lady Kanako. One time, I'd-- and others-- would place food there to offer them to her. [ Hanging the shide now, and then clapping her hands twice. ] But really, we left the food there for those who were unfortunate or hungry to take for themselves. The food isn't for us gods, not really. We don't have to eat, after all.