faithfulflame | Thirteenth Prayer: A Flash of the Future [Video/Action]

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Thirteenth Prayer: A Flash of the Future [Video/Action]

[It's been nearly two years in Luceti, and Rei's come to realize that things are very different for her than they were initially. Then, she'd been so focused on getting home, getting back to the fight, and finishing what she'd started. But everything that'd happened since that time had given her other things to focus on, other people to care about besides just the Senshi, and a semblance of happiness she'd not had at home. People to trust, a shrine to call her own, and a way to grow stronger without having to rely in the power of Mars and that link to the past. It was nice, having that life, even the experiments and friends randomly disappearing were better than being dead.

Haruhi's departure had been a little shocking, but then...every time someone left it meant they were just going back to the life they'd been stolen from. Even as much as she'd grown attached to the place, going home still felt right, like it was the way things should go. After all, destiny could only be put off for so long. Which she knew all to well applied to her, that she shouldn't wish too hard to delay the inevitable, but all the same she couldn't quite bring herself to hope for that. Even if you knew you'd come back, and everything would be alright in the end, there was something oddly morbid about wishing for death.

Rather than dwell on it, though, Rei does what she does best: she moves on with her life with a sigh. Today is Setsubun after all, so inevitably, she finds herself in the shrine. After a while she decides to perform a flame reading of her own future, something she's been putting off for a while. Unsurprisingly the results are too much of a jumble to make much sense, though Fenimore is beginning to feature more prominently in them. Disappointed that she couldn't get more, she decides to set up a broadcast because even if she can't get a proper Setsubun ceremony going this year, Rei feels she should at least do something.]

Video

Good afternoon, Luceti, and welcome to any New Feathers that have just arrived. For those of you that do not know me, my name is Rei Hino and I run Tsukino Shrine, across the river from the Flame building. It's a peaceful place and it's open to visitors at any time, regardless of spiritual beliefs.

As today is a sort of traditional festival day in my world, I'll be offering fortune telling and flame readings to anyone who visits today. If you have an interest in knowing a bit more about your future, your luck, or other things, feel free to come by and I will be happy to help you.

Also, I was wondering if anyone knows much about carpentry. There are some parts of the shrine that are beginning to get a little worn and some improvements I'd like to make, though I need some help with that. Any assistance or advice would be appreciated. I'm more than happy to offer what services I can in return. Baking, limited enchanting, exorcisms, omamori and other charms, or even just help with yardwork.

[And she bows to the camera before turning off the feed.]

[As promised, Rei is at the shrine, and while she'll be replying to journals she'd prefer in person visits!]

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[Kari's only just arrived back in the village and hasn't had too much time for looking back on the journals. But Rei's little message about a "traditional holiday" is enough to make her realize what day it is -- she lost track a little amid all the books she was cross-referencing on her mission. And seeing as she's feeling a little restless after being cooped up in a library for a few weeks, she decides to do something about it! After all, it's just not Setsubun without an Oni, right?]

[So at some point during the day, she'll be sneaking her way up to the shrine, wielding an "Oni" mask made from somewhat poorly-cut construction paper and wearing a yukata loosely thrown on over her clothes. But she won't actually slip on the mask until she gets close enough, waiting for the opportune moment to strike! The opportune moment being, of course, at any point where Rei has her back turned. At which point Rei can expect to hear a sudden and very loud:]

Gyaaaar!!!

[That's totally the sound an Oni makes, okay.]

[Well, the sudden sound and the mask do make Rei jump back with a gasp. And she's immediately reaching for an ofuda on reflex. Maybe it's not the most convincing oni, but if someone's trying to spook her then they probably need to learn a lesson!]

Yah!

[And she drives it into the mask with a shout!]

[DIRECT HIT! It's super effective!]

[And Kari is so surprised by the sudden counterattack that she's swiftly knocked to the ground on her backside with a very ungraceful squawk. Pouting, but at the same time clearly not upset, she lifts up the mask.]

...you know, in my Japan, they still just throw beans.

[As soon as the mask comes off, Rei gasps and drops down beside Kari, eyes wide with surprise.]

Oh! Oh! I'm so sorry! I...I didn't think. You just...surprised me and I reacted. Are you alright?

[Kari just waves off her concern, pulling off the mask to look at the ofuda still stuck to the front.]

Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Though remind me not to try sneaking up on you like that again... [She holds out a hand.] Help me up?

Well, now you know.

[Rei offers her a hand to pull her up...]

[--which Kari takes, dusting off the yukata upon standing.]

Anyway, sorry about that. I just got back to the village and saw you mentioning what day it was and all, so I couldn't resist dropping by with some "holiday spirit".

Oh, it's alright. I should've been more careful, but...if there's one thing I've learned about Luceti it's that you can never be too careful.

[Honestly...]

So, you were on a mission? Or...?

Yeah, a mission. I'd never done one before, and figured it was something to do to pass the time. And I got to use their big libraries for some research of my own in my down time.

But I think 3 weeks stuck in a library is a bit much, even for me...

I think it'd be a bit much even for Ami-chan, but I did it before for two weeks myself. What did you research?

Oh, just more of the same old stuff. I'm still trying to break the code on these notes I've got that are supposed to be about my magic. I managed to get most of it to a state where it's actually readable, but it's still pretty complicated. I haven't even gotten one technique out of it yet.

[SIGH. But it's to be expected, given the notes were written by the less-than-friendly spirit living in her head.]

The Chief-- Haruhi promised she'd help me go over them, but I figured it'd be easier getting the most boring part out of the way on my own...

[Rei tilts her head, suddenly thoughtful. Because Haruhi was...well...gone.]

How...long have you been gone?

[You know how in life there are those questions that almost immediately set off warning bells in your head? That right there is one of them.]

...like I said, about three weeks. Why?

[Rei looks away, not really wanting to be the one that says it. But then, it's not as though Haruhi would want her to hem and haw about it.]

Haruhi Suzumiya-san is gone.

[Kari hasn't had much experience with people going home, even after being here for as long as she has. And though on one hand it might seem a fortunate thing, on the other it meant she still wasn't really sure how to deal with it.]

[As it were, she just kind of stares for a moment before speaking, though she sounds more caught off guard than sad.]

...oh. [A bit of a pause.] That's... huh. I guess I... was gone for a while. When did she... ah. I guess it doesn't matter now. But...

I don't know much, I just saw an announcement that she'd vanished. From Rhyme, I think. One of her friends.

Rhyme, huh? I guess I'll have to... look that up later then.

[As Hoshikyo, of course. She never knew Haruhi as Kari. Which was kind of strange to think about... would she be more upset if she heard the news as Hoshikyo? She wasn't exactly two different people, but sometimes it did start to feel that way.]

[Rei nods]

It's a shame, but...she'd been her so long that it's probably good for her.

You think so? I mean. She always seemed pretty settled in her life here...

[And her world back home was "boring" wasn't it? Where would she have rather been? Kari probably never really knew her well enough to ask -- most of what she knew, she knew because of her connection to Kari's world.]

...but. That's probably kinda weird to say, huh? I mean. No one really wants to stay here. Right?

[Rei turns to look up at the little shrine, an oddly distant expression crossing her face.]

I don't know about that. I can think of a few people here who've said they'd prefer to stay. Not...everyone has a happy life at home, and not everyone is even alive.

[She shrugs, having already had this conversation with Fenimore earlier.]

Wouldn't this be preferable to being dead?

[Unfortunately, Kari is completely unaware of Rei's earlier conversation, and her mind is still fixed on Haruhi. The question catches her off guard.]

Wha- what? Of course it would be! Why would you even ask something like that!?

Well, you did say that nobody wants to stay here. Honestly, I know of a few who would rather not leave.

[Shrug...]

Wanting to stay in a place where people get tortured on a near-monthly basis and wanting to stay alive are two completely different things!

[She's starting to get a little angry now. Three weeks without the Malnosso's barrier to halt the spirit's influence over her hasn't had the best effect on her -- and now those feelings of being hurt and sad over Haruhi's departure that would normally be reserved to Hoshikyo are starting to come out through Kari's temper.]

Besides, you're the one who just said it'd be better for Haruhi to have gone home. Why would you even say that if you were just looking for me to disagree with you!?

[Well, if it's coming to this, and she can't just shrug off what she'd said...then she'll go with it.]

It is better that she's gone. Because Haruhi had a normal life at home. She's alive and not being tortured. And that's an improvement over Luceti.

[Rei takes a step back, folding her arms across her chest and looking away. The whole mess, the emotions from earlier, all of it...it just bubbles up. Her temper threatens to explode, but...that's not right. No, Kari doesn't need that, and it won't help the situation, but she can't help the sharpness in her tone.]

Unlike her, not all of us are so lucky. [And then her voice gets very quiet, the edge departing as quickly as it'd come.] I know I'm not...

Edited 2014-02-21 03:00 (UTC)

[A lot of thoughts flashed through Kari's mind to rebuttal. It wasn't right to compare the lives of two different people, who may interpret what's "better" for them in vastly different ways. What would be torture for one person might just be a way of life for another -- she's learned that lesson herself many times through traveling worlds.]

[But everything stops when Rei hits that last point.]

...what?

Thirteenth Prayer: A Flash of the Future [Video/Action]

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