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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.]

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They worked out a compromise...

[He's reluctant to go into the details, because a) that compromise is running around the Far Shore and b) that compromise happens to be a pair of shinki.]

The god Zeno spoke of wouldn't permit them to harm the humans, but they still insisted he have a... deterrent against future attacks.

The gods are invested in being seen as triumphing in the end. Who would pray to a god that didn't triumph? They never come out worst than the mortals in their stories, but...

Hmm...[He crosses his arms, eyebrows furrowed in thought.]

I can see the reason in your statement, but I do know of gods that have been defeated or tricked, but still have plenty of worshipers. One of the more prestigious native gods, Susanoo, is one of them. Have you heard of him before?

The brother of the sun lady? A little bit.

[But he'd love to hear more. Love to be able to form a solid opinion of the sun goddess.]

Everything Zeno knows about him is related to her.

[Lu Meng nods. Susanoo is a very familiar name to the people here.] There are three famous stories that feature him. The first covers his difficult relationship with his sister, the second recounts how he slayed a monstrous serpent to rescue a maiden, and the third is about his troubles with his son-in-law.

In the third story, Ōkuninushi had fallen in love with Susanoo's daughter, Suseri-hime. Susanoo attempted to kill Ōkuninushi multiple times, but Ōkuninushi always managed to escape. Eventually Ōkuninushi crept up on a sleeping Susanoo and tied Susanoo's hair to the rafters of his palace. Ōkuninushi and Suseri-hime succeeded in running away from Susanoo, who had been delayed when he woke up and accidentally tore down his own palace in his haste.

...they got so far away he couldn't give chase?

[That must have been a heavy palace. Or possibly he knew when he was beaten.]

Did he have a reason not to like the guy? Or was he just being the usual father of a princess?

Susanoo's palace was in the Underworld. Once Ōkuninushi and his princess crossed the borders between the living world and the dead, Susanoo could not follow. Susanoo pursued them all the way to the borders and nearly caught them, but they managed to cross over in time.

It was the latter. [And Lu Meng can't stop a small chuckle from slipping out.] I suppose fathers will be fathers, whether they are divine or mortal. Though at the time when Ōkuninushi and Suseri-hime ran away, Susanoo had begun to approve of his prospective son-in-law. Ōkuninushi had successfully preserved his life during Susanoo's trials, and his bravery and resilience had impressed Susanoo.

At the border of the Underworld, Susanoo called out to Ōkuninushi and advised him on how to defeat his hostile brothers. Ōkuninushi the requested for Suseri-hime to be his wife, and asked Susanoo if he would build a palace at the foot of Mount Uka for the two. Susanoo agreed. So in the end, it seems Susanoo did not hold Ōkuninushi trickery to heart and was actually impressed enough to give his blessings to the marriage.

So a happy ending! Zeno wouldn't be surprised to hear that trickery is an admired skill among the gods. A death god probably... people want to trick him more than most!

[Or, he might have become a trickster himself. The sun, the underworld... bright, beautiful, in-your-face life versus sad, gloomy, and...

Yet both are necessary. Life and sunlight do come to an end. If they didn't, well...]

He is a god of sea and storms, though I suppose...it's possible that people would want to trick him out of sinking their ships.

So perhaps humans would want gods that could be tricked and defeated after all. It would be a sign that humanity is capable of doing anything, so long as they had the will and the wits to do so.

Any god worth the name already knows that, too. Why do you think gods need mortal followers... or shinki?

[He smiles mildly.]

Actually, it was quite a surprise for me to discover that the continued existence of the gods depends on everyday people. I used to think that the gods were eternal and all-powerful. For a god to willingly allow a human to best him seemed contrary to the nature of a god.

While it's flattering to think that the gods can't survive without mortal followers and shinki, I ponder on the fate of unpopular gods that did good works but still faded into obscurity. And what would happen if someday, all humans stopped believing in gods? Would the sun keep rising every morning, will the seasons continue to change within their allotted time?

[...ah. He's rambling again, isn't he? Lu Meng coughs, a little embarrassed that he's getting carried away.]

Sorry. You didn't ask to discuss the nature of divinity. I hope that I managed to answer your question sufficiently. And I bed your pardon if I've offended you in anyway.

Zeno is so hard to offend, if you were trying you couldn't possibly!

[He laughs at the long ramble, though. Perhaps he didn't ask for it, but it's something he's interested in all the same.]

It's better this way. [Firmly.] The strength that normal humans have is perhaps not comparable to a god, but it's not supposed to be, and it's strength all the same.

Even if people stopped believing the gods rose the sun in the morning, they would still believe the sun should rise. That would probably be enough!

...I will have to think on your words. You've given me food for thought--

[And whatever thought train he might have had is instantly derailed by a loud chorus of dismay. Looking up sharply, it doesn't take long to pinpoint where the noise is coming from.]

Look. There's a group of children crowing outside that old building. [The one on their left, with signs and notices all around stating "Marked for Demolition". Voices start to raise, and it looks like an argument is about to break out among the kids. Lu Meng immediately walks over and clears his throat to catch their attention.] What are all of you doing here? This building clearly isn't safe! You shouldn't be hanging around here at all.

[His stern countenance isn't going to win him any brownie points with the kids. In fact, most of them look afraid.]

[Zeno is cozy on the derailed train, no matter which way it swerves!

Zeno pats his pockets, on his coat and his robes, like he's looking for something. He shakes his coat out, too, as if surprised it isn't there... hmm.

The production goes on long enough to be genuinely distracting, particularly when he pulls off a shoe and shakes it out, but no, nothing there.

Finally, in his sleeve, he manages to find a bag of hard peppermint candies, still unopened and individually wrapped.]

He's right, you know... why, we need help to eat all this, and we can't stay here!

[Lu Meng shares the children's confusion as well, eyebrows rising high at Zeno's antics. But whatever the other is doing, it's winning the children over, and for that Lu Meng keeps his silence and allows Zeno to complete his trick.

Sure enough, when he unearths a bag of candies the children all rush at him, each excitedly clamouring for one. Seems like Zeno's made himself very popular with the kids, and Lu Meng only watches with a slight, amused smile as the children crowd around Zeno.]

Come along, children. Let's move down the road. There's a tree for shade, and you can all enjoy your candy there. But don't just take the candy. [He quickly adds.] Remember to thank Mr Zeno here as well.

Zeno is a great reader of faces, you know? Zeno can already tell.

[Still, he rations it out, to make sure everyone gets a bit.

Once the candy is evenly distributed, he whisks the bag back into his sleeve. And leans closer to Lu Meng, and whispers:]

Now what?

[His eyes dance a little as he says it, though. He'll think of something if he has to...]

We'll have to figure out what they were doing there. [He whispers back.]

The children like you. They'll probably be more open if you speak with them.

[Hmmm... he could play the trickster here, but let's, let's save that for a last resort.

He waits for most of the kids to get distracted by the candy, and plans to focus his efforts on the one who doesn't; the one who is clearly still absorbed in what they left behind.

There's a girl who keeps looking over her shoulder, back the way they came, and he produces a bag of lemon-flavored candy, and offers her one.]

You don't like the minty one~? Let Zeno try again!

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Sorry for the delay! Chinese New Year happened. Do let me know if you'd like to drop/handwave.

ha... ha... if you don't mind me being a little late, too!

/turtles along with you

it's peaceful this way!

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