Lu Meng Ziming (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
young_oldman) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thenearshore2016-09-09 11:57 pm
young_oldman) wrote in thenearshore2016-09-09 11:57 pm
Prayer 19
Who: Sanae and Lu Meng
What: Prayer no. 19
Where: The same household area as Prayer 16
When: April 22nd
Warnings: Animal Abuse and Animal Death
"It turns out that the pets running away from home are doing so for a reason. There are a few large, horrifying ayakashi in the area. And it looks like the pets want to help defeat them."
[They had returned the day after to check on Fluffy and to search for any potential ayakashi. To their dismay they had learned that Fluffy had another panicked escape from his leash, going so far as to gnaw through the plastic rope and dig a whole out through the fence. The puppy had cut himself on the wire netting in the process, leaving behind a trail of blood. The girl's parents had left the house to look for the dog, leaving the poor dear with her grandmother.
While Sanae and the old lady do their best to comfort the young girl, Lu Meng takes advantage of his shinki invisibility to humans. Sneaking into the house was no issue, but he was out in less than a minute with a tense expression on his face.]
Ayakashi, my lady. There's an ayakashi in the house!
What: Prayer no. 19
Where: The same household area as Prayer 16
When: April 22nd
Warnings: Animal Abuse and Animal Death
"It turns out that the pets running away from home are doing so for a reason. There are a few large, horrifying ayakashi in the area. And it looks like the pets want to help defeat them."
[They had returned the day after to check on Fluffy and to search for any potential ayakashi. To their dismay they had learned that Fluffy had another panicked escape from his leash, going so far as to gnaw through the plastic rope and dig a whole out through the fence. The puppy had cut himself on the wire netting in the process, leaving behind a trail of blood. The girl's parents had left the house to look for the dog, leaving the poor dear with her grandmother.
While Sanae and the old lady do their best to comfort the young girl, Lu Meng takes advantage of his shinki invisibility to humans. Sneaking into the house was no issue, but he was out in less than a minute with a tense expression on his face.]
Ayakashi, my lady. There's an ayakashi in the house!
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[ There are probably more formal names for the rooms in her house/temple, but Sanae only identifies them by what decorations or furnishing there is. This particular room is one of those that overlooks the vast spring behind the temple, with tall windows and sweeping curtains. It's probably a room meant for entertaining, but right now she sits at a low table with a first aid kit, and with Mao Mao playing with the edge of her long sleeve.
When she sees Lu Meng enter, she stands up quickly. Mao Mao is clinging to her sleeve, hanging off the edge as a result, but the kitten quickly uses its sharp claws to climb up that sleeve and onto her shoulder. Sanae rushes over to him. ] --You're back! Ah, come here, let me see your hands. I was so worried.
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My hands? [His skin is rough and weathered, and while it is true Mao Mao's little teeth and claws had scratched him up a little, he didn't think it was that serious. Still, he holds them up for her at her command.]
My hands are fine, my lady. You need not worry yourself over them.
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[ She begins to lead him to the table by his hands. ] I have some here.
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[He'd object to the physical contact between them but she's trying to help him and that'd just be ungrateful, even if he thinks that bandages are unnecessary. Nevertheless he follows her to the table and sits down with her.]
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Kidding, kidding. Even Sanae is not that childish. They have frogs on them. ] Ointment is nice and all, but it's still important to cover them up. It says so right on the package-- Let's see, um... [ Holds it up, and squints at the fine print. ] "Studies shows that...--that cuts heal 30% faster when you cover them up with bandages!
[ Who knows if that's true, but she's going to believe it anyway. She takes one out of the packaging and begins to place it over the cut on his hand. ] There. [ Meanwhile, Mao Mao is going to hop off her shoulder and onto the table. ] All done.
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But if it will ease your mind, then I'll take a bandage.
[And band-aid get!! Lu Meng blinks at the cartoony frog-patterned band-aid with surprise.] These are...band-aids? They look nothing like bandages. Are they only used for very minor wounds?
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[ She'll take a bandage to cover up where Fluffy nipped at her, and then she begins packing up the first aid kit. ] All better. [ She holds up her hand to him, showing off her bandage. Then with another giggle, she smiles at him. ] We're matching now!
[ Because. Because he called her a friend. ]
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Halp. He has no idea about the hole he's dug for himself.Oh, but before anything else...Lu Meng brings up his hand too.] We've completed yet another prayer successfully. Excellent work, my lady. [She knows what that means! He taps her hand with his palm and then holds up his other hand for the next step of their friendship handshake!]
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At the end, she smiles brightly... and doesn't draw her hand away from his yet. Her palm is still against his, her fingers matching up with his own as they continue to hold them up. ] You know... I'm really grateful for today, despite everything. [ They defeated the ayakashi. They saved Fluffy again, and all of those other animals. They turned in the evil-doers. She purified the lot. And-- ]
--I'm very grateful that you've finally called me your friend. [ She shifts her hand, her fingers curling to be in between his. ]
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Oh.
No.
Of course she would take what he said seriously. And now he's gone and done it, how on earth is he going to let her down gently!???]
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His fingers part from hers, and he brings his hands away.]
My lady... [How does he go about this???? He pauses, and begins to explain slowly.] I have deeply enjoyed the time I have spent serving you, short as it may be. But not even one month has passed in the Far Shore since I became your shinki. Is it not too soon to consider us friends?
I'm sorry I caused you to consider us in that ligh; I couldn't let them know the true nature of our relationship, so I had introduced us as friends to let those scoundrels know that we would back each other up, more so than just a pair of random strangers that just happened to meet at an abandoned area.
I mean it when I say that I enjoy being in your presence. We have helped quite a few people, and you have shown me much of the wonders of this modern world. And it isn't unheard off for a lord to treat his retainers as his dearest companion. But we should get to know each other more; that way, we can build a lasting friendship on a firm foundation.
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She should have kept her emotions more in check.
Sanae removes her hands from his, but the movement is only symbolic as she withdraws into herself. Reels in her sadness, her disappointment before it can be expressed, lest it make him feel worse. She doesn't want that, a relationship based on him trying to please her and him feeling sorry when he doesn't. That's not a friendship. ]
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[ It hasn't felt like it's just been eight days since meeting him, not with all they've done and all they've helped.
This isn't a big deal, she tells herself. This is fine. This just means she must work harder at that friendship. ] You're right-- we've done so much. And we'll continue to do more in the future. [ More opportunities to solidify their friendship. Although she has to wonder-- just what would it take to earn this man's trust and friendship? He seems like if, given the choice, he wouldn't become something so informal as "friends" with the one he serves. ]
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[Time is strange in the Heavens, where minutes stretch on and on and a week feels like a month. With their days packed with fulfilling prayers and his spare time spent practicing his shinki abilities and reading as much as he can to catch up with the modern times, it certain doesn't feel like eight days.]
There is no reason to apologize. [And he's firm on this.] I'm...quite honored that you think of me that way in such a short period of time, actually. And I am very touched. I know that I am not the most exciting person to be around.
[A pause. And between them she'll feel the uncertainty beating in his heart, and thrumming subtly along with it, a quiet faint loneliness that he can't understand. But if she has borne witness to his memories, then she would know plenty of his time was spent with those younger than him, and the precious moments where he abandons his strictness to laugh and rough-house with his peers are rare.
Eventually those feelings fade as he tries to shake them off, and he tries to reassure her with a small smile.]
My lady and I both strive for the benefit of the people, and this second life has been better to me than I would have expected. It may not be now, but I believe that we will become true, ever-lasting friends.
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[ She was happy. Far too happy when he said that they were friends. ] A lot of people say that I believe others are my friends too soon, but--... in my heart, even if you are not yet friends with me, I will be a friend to you. [ Friendship takes time to cultivate for others. It's not like how she gives it so quickly and freely to everyone. She can't expect others, much less Lu Meng, to feel the same way about it. ] I want to make this second life of yours good, Lu Meng. In any possible way. [ It's the least that he deserves, and she wishes she could explain why he deserves a peaceful life, but that would entail telling his memories. ]
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The murmurings against the Heavens amongst the new gods and shinki are numerous, but I am thankful to the Heavens for placing me with a god that not only shares my values, but is also so kind to this difficult spirit.
[His smile turns fond, and he salutes her.]
Thank you, my lady. I will do my best to ensure your faith and trust in me is not misplaced.
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She sits there, smiling again, when their new kitten mews at them, as if urging her to speak. The kitten doesn't like long sentimental pauses! ] Yes... Well. The newcomers can't be blamed. We were all taken from our worlds without consent. And the shinki were... [ She pauses, hesitating. She doesn't like how the shinki were taken post-mortem when they could have been left peacefully to rest or to move on to their next life. ] Well, technically they weren't given a choice either.
I'm glad you're grateful to be serving me, but there must be some pairs that aren't so lucky.
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As humans who have died, it is only right that we do not get to choose how we reincarnate. But we can choose how to live our new lives here. We can choose which gods are deserving of our service.
In that sense, it's easier for us than the shinki from this world. Those shinki owe their very names to the god that blessed them so; even if the god turned out to be cruel, it must still be difficult to even entertain the thought of leaving.
[That's a somber change of topic though. Lu Meng looks at Sanae closely; he hadn't noticed anything to suggest that she'd been discontent to be here so far, but it'd be good to check.] Are you bothered by our presence in this world, Lady Kochiya?
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[ Sanae spares a guilty look. ] Maybe it's because I'm the one who hasn't died, but... I feel that the shinki brought to this world from their own should have had a peaceful death. [ She looks at Lu Meng. ] Or at least a chance to move on to their afterlives or to their next.
[ He's fought so hard throughout his lifetime. Now he's been called to fight again for her. Will the man ever know peace? ]
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[A genuine question. He's honestly never questioned his new existence. It's got meaning, it's got purpose. It's all he wants...though he can never properly understand why.]
Whether we were forcibly taken out of the reincarnation cycle or not, this is our next life now.
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[ She nods reflectively. She knows where her uncertainty comes from. ] It could just be how my world works, that I feel uneasy. The dead are not remain with the living-- and they really can't, not without being corrupted over time. Since that doesn't happen here, my feelings about it on this are invalid in this world.
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I know those stories don't really apply to me either but it isn't unheard off that a spirit remains behind and does so for good reason.
Still, you have reminded me that our coming to this world is not natural. Perhaps all we can do then is be vigilant for any new information on why we were brought here.
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She breathes, smiling. ] You know, about spirits becoming benevolent guardians... [ She looks at him, smiling. ] That's a better story.
I'll try to believe in that from now on.
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[He might not be able to share anything about himself to her, but these stories from a time nearly two thousand years ago have not been lost. He's grateful for them.]
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