[open]

[eternalshield]

Who: Zeno & you
What: Story time!
When: May 13, 2016
Where: out and about
Warnings: N/A as of now.



You know what all gods have in common? At least in Zeno's experience.

[Zeno is carrying an armful of brightly-colored fruit, and looking for people to bother. Not bother. He's looking for information, and he thinks he'll get more out of them if he happens to talking directly, face-to-face, than those instant letters the objects do.

So he's caught up with you, and pressed some of this delicious fruit into your hands.]


All gods have stories told about them, over and over again, so that all the details are fuzzy and incomplete but amazingly, all the important things stay the same. Zeno's favorite is about this one god, who decided he wanted to be human. Zeno will tell it, then you tell a story about a god!

[He deliberately muddies the details on some of these characters-- no dragons, no dragon blood, no powers. He doesn't want Shin-ah and Jae-Ha to recognize themselves if they hear this.]

It all went splendidly for a little while, but then he was getting chased by all these people, you know? For some reason, they didn't like him. So he ran and he ran, with an angry mob right behind, sometimes he lost them and sometimes they were gaining on him, but all of a sudden, a warrior appeared.

The warrior lashed back, and with his help, the god felt like he could fight back, too. So he grasped his sword, and together, they got themselves enough time and enough space to get away for a little while.

[Here, have more fruit. He's starting to get into the rhythm of this story.]

The warrior hated to see the god outnumbered, you see. It was unfair. But the god was amazed, he said "You put your own body between them and me. If there's a way I can repay you, please, please tell it to me."

The warrior thought for a long time, before saying, "Justice for you and for all, that's all I could wish for." And he bade the god farewell, and the god continued on.

But the god was so tired! So he only got a little way further before he collapsed. When he awoke, a lord was tucking the bedsheets more closely around him. The lord was about to offer him refreshment, when one of his own servants came in to admonish him-- he hadn't slept at all! And spent his entire night tending to the god's bedside.

The lord hated to see the god broken down on the road, you see. It was unfair. But the god was amazed, he said "You gave up your bed for me. If there's a way I can repay you, please, please tell it to me."

The lord thought for a long time, before saying, "Comfort for you and for all, that's all I could wish for." And he bade the god farewell, and the god continued on.

But it wasn't long before the god was tired again. His home was far away now that he'd been chased so far, and he didn't have time to sleep again. He needed to get back soon, but the pain he was in was so plain for all to see, that a wanderer stopped alongside him, and insisted the god get up onto his horse.

The wanderer hated to see the god struggling, you see. It was unfair. But the god was amazed, he said "You gave up your seat on this horse for me. If there's a way I can repay you, please, please tell it to me."

[This story is taking a lot out of him. He pauses to take a bite of his own fruit, and savors the taste a moment before continuing. The story has fallen into its pattern now, it's not like his listener is in suspense.]

The wanderer thought for a long time, before saying "Freedom for you and for all, that's all I could wish for." And he bade the god farewell, and the god continued on.

The god had covered some distance now, but still he was weak and weary, nearing collapse yet again.

[This is the part of the story Zeno knows best, and a few more details spill out, but he restrains himself to the legend's rhythm even so.]

His stomach was growling terribly! So terribly that an oracle heard it, and approached him. The oracle was taking a big cart of freshly-harvested fruits and vegetables to market, but he wouldn't let the god have them. Instead, he gave the god his own rations of dried fish and dumplings, because others were counting on him to sell the fruits and vegetables for their livelihood.

Still, the oracle hated to see the god starving. It was unfair. But the god was amazed, he said "You gave up your own food for me. If there's a way I can repay you, please, please tell it to me."

The oracle thought for a long time, before saying "Happiness for you and for all, that's all I could wish for." And he bade the god farewell, and the god continued on, thinking much about these humans he chose to live among.

Later, when the mob caught up with him, the other gods saw and were angry, and they demanded the right to destroy the humans. But the god begged them not to, he'd grown to love them so. He thought about the kindnesses shown to him by the four men he met while running, and for that reason, he believed all humans were worth protecting, and he was ever and always proud to be one.

[Zeno takes another bite of fruit, before finishing up.]


Anyway, it's Zeno's favorite god story, and it's more interesting than the ones about Zeno and the time Zeno couldn't make the object send the right message to someone. [He holds up his phone as an illustration of "object."] What's your favorite? Is it about a god you know here? Or a god you've only heard of? Or maybe you and another god did something really cool!

[Mostly, he's hoping someone will come up with a story about Amaterasu, sooner or later! But even if they don't, he's interested to listen to people talk about themselves, gods they knew, or gods they worshiped back home. There's no waste of time here.]

Comments

[volksdaemon]

[Schuldig is not among Zeno's listeners. He's around the corner, because he noticed just how long the story had been going on. Schuldig is glad to find that he's able to tap into the young man's mind - as he so often does - simply to satisfy his own curiosity. Which is always insatiable.

Schuldig is actually surprised to find how much of the story is not just an echo of truth in the man's memories, but also how deeply personal it is. He's also amazed to discover - with the barest of deeper glances - that the man is not actually so young. A very different type among the New Gods, similar only to Tsuzuki as far as he can tell.

So he waits until Zeno is parting from his current companion and decides to bump into him - gently, but literally.]

Hey~ I overheard some of that story and thought I'd offer to buy you a drink.

[eternalshield]

[A little bump isn't so bad-- it upsets Zeno's fruit, an apple gets bruised but sometimes the bruise is the tastiest part. He picks it back up and polishes it with his coat.]

Just one~? Aah, Zeno couldn't impose! Maybe we can work out a barter!

[He offers an apple that isn't bruised.]

Brother, you're kind to offer.

[volksdaemon]

[If it makes the guy feel better about talking, then whatever. He learned with Tsuzuki that placating a person was one of the better ways to keep them chatty.]

Of course not just one, what do you take me for?

[He snickers a bit, very amused. If the man even knew about German stereotypes, such a question may not have come up, but even the quick glimpse he's taken shows that the guy definitely isn't from his version of Earth.]

Is the apple the barter then?

[He accepts the apple and starts tossing it in the air and catching it.]

[eternalshield]

If you think it's enough! Otherwise, give Zeno ideas. Being a stranger to these lands, Zeno couldn't say if a drink is worth an apple, a horse, or its weight in gold.

[How very friendly...! Someone Zeno doesn't have to pressgang into talking with him. He's unusually curious, perhaps, to keep listening to the end-- probably just needs a hobby.]

Match Zeno one for one, perhaps. One drink for one apple, and another drink for one other thing, and so on.

[dioception]

[Dio wasn't interested in the fruit given to him, but it had been some time since anyone had paid him much mind. This stranger had also been kind enough to offer him something for no discernible reason, and so he would not turn the hospitality down, deciding to simply take a seat and listen to this story. The idea of a god wanting to be human was preposterous to him, but he listened nonetheless.]

Mhh, I suppose that is likely more interesting than the ones where you couldn't work your phone.

I do have a story as well, I think, to compliment yours, but it might be a rather long one. I've never actually sat down and told it before.

[He wondered how much he should share, how much he could, but he only showed some mild hesitance.]

It is about a man who wanted to become a god. You interested?

[eternalshield]

[Zeno takes the invitation (it was an invitation, right) to seat himself across from this person.]

Zeno's of the opinion that there are lots of stories about those, but the nice thing about stories is that there's always a chance of things being that much more interesting than the last time you heard one.

[He peels back part of an orange section, and pops it into his mouth.]

Feel free to practice on Zeno. Zeno is definitely interested.

[dioception]

[Dio could see that, after all, what man would not want that kind of praise and reverence. The immortality was a perk as well, he supposed.]

It's not a happy story, mind you. [His gaze drifted to the fruit in his hands, turning it over as he thought about how to start.]

The man had been born and stewed in hatred for as long as he could live. He couldn't trust anyone and didn't try to. After losing his family, he even turned on those who had taken him in.

"The plans of humans all have their limits", he'd said, a knife in hand, "and so I reject my humanity!"

This family that had taken him in had done everything for him. Fed him, clothed him, and sent him to a good school, but somehow he could only see them as stepping stones, and they met their end at the tip of his blade.

He used the blood then in an unholy ritual, in order to become more than human, but he wasn't a god. He was a monster, who preyed upon humans to fuel his immortality, and before long he came to blows with a boy he'd grown up with, now a man as well.

He was formidable, destroying the monster's and leaving him as a disembodied head. The monster was not content, as he would be a god, and he ended up killing the man and stealing his body for his own, at the cost of spending a century at the bottom of the sea.

Eventually, he emerged, and the world ended around him. It wasn't until no one was left that he realized his mistakes, yearning for the ones he'd so easily torn asunder previously.

Hated, cursed, and alone, he finally had what he wanted. The whole world was his own, and in time he even gained his godhood, but by that time, he didn't want it anymore.

[He laughed a little then, somewhat bitter-sounding, perhaps.]

It's a work in progress. Maybe needs a few more details to really stand out, what do you think?

I'm sorry

[savemeomi]

[ Just be glad she sat through the entire story. Though, it's mainly consisted of her sitting on bench, hands still holding the fruit as if it's just been given to her, and staring incredulously at you. ]

What???

[ Who walks up to random strangers and starts talking? She only got half of that story, by the way... ]

no you're not

[eternalshield]

[He bows contritely.]

Ah, should Zeno backup and start over...? From where...?

[He takes a bite of a pear, chews thoughtfully, and seats himself on a bench across from Ouka.]

Maybe Zeno got carried away. But there are so many gods around, gods Zeno has never heard of, and Zeno wants to ask about them all! But it seemed rude to ask for something without first offering something in return!

you're right, I'm not

[savemeomi]

[ She's so unsure right now. He seems so nice and sweet.

And crazy. Soooo crazy. ]

Who just walks up to people and starts telling stories?!

[ittenbari]

I don't think I really remember any stories about gods. I don't really remember stories about anything, but I never really thought about that, you know? I mean, I could tell you stories about Nagisa, but he hasn't really done anything amazing like that. He's only been a god for a few months, though, so I guess there's time for him to have some pretty awesome stories told about him, but...

[Sakon takes a bite out of the fruit Zeno gave him and chews on it while he thinks. Should they be doing awesome stuff like that? The sort of stuff people tell stories about? They should be able to, right?]

He does know how to use the phone! He can do that!

[That's not impressive, Sakon.]

[eternalshield]

Mm, Zeno wouldn't expect everyone to have a story. Stories are things you collect as you go on. The further you go, the more you get!

[Still, he hadn't wanted to exclude anyone from consideration. Or tasty fruit.]

Anyway, how do you know it's not amazing? The wanderer, all he did was get off his horse. The lord just sat down all night!

Forgive Zeno, but perhaps the listener knows more about the story than the teller, sometimes. After all, it's the listener who decides if the story gets told in the first place!

[The logic is circular, but true.]

Zeno would probably tell all kinds of stories about being able to use the phone. If only because Zeno needs the reminder...

[ittenbari]

I could tell you stories about what he can do with the phone! He can do so many things! It has to be magic!

[Oh honey, no.]

I don't know how "videos" work, but he can find so many! He keeps showing me ones of "penguins." Do you know what a penguin is? I didn't! I can't believe there's really a thing like that!

[He sounds really excited. In fact, he's digging around in his pocket for his phone with his free hand because some things just need to be shared with friends.]

[young_oldman]

((OOC: Would you be alright if this thread took place in town? That way, we could lead into them doing some modern-day shenanigans!))

[There's a lot on his mind lately, causing him to almost miss the cheery voice and the person trying to catch up with him. It's only when the fruit is thrust in his face that he realises that someone's been trying to catch his attention. A couple of blinks later and he takes the fruit, still bewildered but not wanting to be rude to this stranger, since he is, after all, giving him free fruit.

However, recent events ring uncomfortably close to the tale, souring the overall story. By the end of the tale, Lu Meng's sporting a faint frown, the fruit in his hand forgotten. But it would be rude of him to run down on the stranger's story so the frown disappears and he replies:]

An interesting tale. I certainly haven't heard that one before. I'm not sure I can match it, but recently I read a story about some of the natives gods that has given me some food for thought on the nature of the gods and their link with humans.

[eternalshield]

[(ooc: Sounds wonderful!)

Native gods... that's the most Zeno's heard about his actual goal with this endeavor.]

Zeno would be obliged to you for anything you shared. [The frown, however transient, concerns him, though. He puts on his best smile, but manages to dial back the enthusiasm.

He points toward what looks like a busy clustering buildings, all tall as palaces to him. If nothing else, it'll afford a lot of distractions if the subject needs to be changed.]

Let's go this way, okay?

[young_oldman]

Alright. [He inclines his head, performing a slight bow and a traditional salute, two hands clasped in front of his chest.] Allow me to make some introductions first; it would be strange for us to continue a conversation without knowing each other's names. My name is Lu Meng, and it is a pleasure to meet you, sir.

[bon_bon]

[ He's not sure why he stops, when this stranger pushes a fruit into his hand and just starts telling some sort of tale. It's not like Konzen is some child at storytime, in need of entertainment. And yet, it's a distraction ... and he's needed those of late. Mostly they've taken the form of working and prayer-answering. He's done more in the last few days than in the weeks he's been here combined.

And there's something else, too. This story (an allegory, maybe) has some familiar themes that resonate somehow. A god on the run from a mob. Encountering unexpected selflessness and sacrifice. Learning what is worth protecting. He might have only given him an annoyed frown at first, but by the end of the story, he finds himself listening with interest.

Then the story ends and the guy puts Konzen on the spot. ]

My favorite?

[ Konzen doesn't have a favorite story about a god. Though he does have the one, about his own life and that of his friends. They were gods once, after all. (Maybe he still is, even if he is just a stand-in). He hesitates. ]

I'm not sure ...

[eternalshield]

If it's the easiest to tell. Zeno's is a bit more involved than I remembered, so if it's worn you out, too, Zeno understands!

[And he busies himself with nibbling on a dark red cherry, to lessen that spot Konzen was put under. The transformative effect of the story as it progressed was not lost on him, and while it delights him, that the people he loved so much and so long ago can still touch other hearts even now, he respects the need to collect oneself.]

Or have a cherry.

[bon_bon]

Hm.

[ He accepts the fruit and nibbles on it. He pats down his pockets and pulls out a handkerchief to subtly spit out the pit. Somehow, he can't bring himself to just litter the ground with it. ]

I don't know if it's my favorite story, but it's the only one I know. About a god who lived a long time, without knowing what it is to be alive.

[dominatriarch]

[ The fruit surprises her a little. The story, not so much. But Zeno happens to be a rather spirited storyteller so Bishamon finds herself listening rather intently. There's a small smile to her as he tells her the story, one that seems almost nostalgic. ]

We gods tend to forget what humanity's like. We've never been human but this is why have our exemplars. Thank you for your story.

[ She decides to lead him to a nearby bench. It's a long story after all and it seems to have winded him somewhat. ]

I suppose it's only right I tell you one in return... is there any god particular you want to hear about?

[eternalshield]

[Forget, or never learn? Knowing what the gods asked of him... Zeno doesn't wonder out loud because there's no reason to place her in the latter category. Bishamon is being so gracious as to offer him his choice of gods to ask about. Luckily, he has a built in excuse.]

If Zeno may be honest? The very day Zeno arrived, there was a picnic for cherry blossom viewing. Zeno is a stranger here, and while hastening the death of something already as brief as cherry blossoms is inexcusable, why they'd target Amaterasu... Zeno would like to understand.

[dominatriarch]

To be honest... I don't believe anyone understands why Amaterasu was targeted. I can only suspect a coup or an uprising.

[ Maybe it's a little bit of both. The only time she's spent with humans is via her shinki after all. ]

But I can tell you about her if that's what you'd like.

[royaltyloyalty]

[Doku was a little taken aback when the guy stopped him, but after the story, he smiles a bit.]

Alright, let's see...

[He holds his chin.]

I don't know about a God, but I do know a story about a Prince. He has long red hair and bright violet eyes. The most intensely focused eyes in the heat of battle, but also the most forgiving. One day, a man came to the foot of the Prince's castle dirty and dishonored. Without even asking about the man's past, the Prince took him into the castle and ordered he be cleaned up, given a position in the ranks, and allowed to serve him same as any other from the prestigious families. He even gave the man a new name when he didn't want to use his old, stained one.

[Doku's smile is a bit strained, but it's a smile nonetheless.]

Should I go on?

[eternalshield]

Eat something, eat something!

[Zeno can't ignore the possibility that he's projecting, given the story he'd told about King Hiryuu and his dearly departed brothers, but the way Dokugakuji describes this prince in the present tense... he wonders if this prince is his prince.

So keep talking, but fortify yourself.]

Zeno can find drinks, too. But Zeno likes your story so far.

[royaltyloyalty]

I can't exactly eat and talk at the same time.

[Some people can, but it doesn't exactly help the story-telling process, he thinks. So he takes a few bites, then clears his throat.]

I'm glad you do, Zeno.

[It's like talking to Lirin; he doesn't miss a beat.]

My name's Dokugakuji, by the way. Let's see, what else about the Prince...

[He squeezes the apple a bit more, thinking about the story he doesn't want to tell where Kougaiji got brainwashed and he felt like it was his fault.]

One day the Prince had to travel very far away. There were only two flying dragons* available--

[*OOC: "飛竜 Hiryuu"]