Sixth Prayer: Opening a Shrine [Action/Voice]

[faithfulflame]

[Rei is having a really good day for the first time in a long, long while. The shrine she'd requested Brave Vesperia's help on was finally completed, and it was an absolutely lovely place. Though simple in design, and smaller than Hikawa Jinja at home, the newly christened Tsukino Jinja was enough to make the normally reserved girl beam in delight. She wasn't the sort to run around squealing, but inwardly she was definitely making some very unrefined sounds of glee! The young miko definitely had her work cut out for her, decorating it, though.

The central honden was a single, cozy tatami room with an altar and a brazier set up for meditation, prayer, and flame reading. It would be warm and dry, much nicer than the tent she'd been using for such things. The guild had even erected a small fence, and a proper torii gate in the entrance. Rei had consecrated the ground herself, hard work that she loved. There was something refreshing about meditation, purification, and preparing all of the sacred things that went into preparing the temple. It served a dual purpose, this ritual was also a way for the girl to wash away her sadness at losing yet another friend. Viral's things had disappared from House 3 shortly after the Kin'Corans had vanished. She'd appreciated the Beastman and his strange, inhuman ways, but it wasn't nearly as harsh as losing Usagi.

Rei can be found working at the shrine throughout the entire day, carving, doing calligraphy, and working various forms of Shinto rites. Its not finished, but she's accepting visitors and offering flame readings.

Around lunchtime, she opens up the journal and sends out a few messages]


Voice, Filtered to Brave Vesperia.

Hello everyone, this is Rei Hino. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who worked on the shrine building. Words are not enough to convey how grateful I am for your hard work, so I made something for each of you. If you have time, please visit me here and I will give it to you, along with a blessing.

Voice
Good Afternoon, Luceti. My name is Rei Hino, and I would like to welcome all of the New Feathers who've just begun arriving. I hope that you are able to adjust to life here without much difficulty. If there is anything that I can do to help, please feel free to contact me.

I would also like to announce the opening of the Tsukino Shrine. It is a place for anyone who wishes to come and recieve a fortune telling, a blessing, or a charm. Also, it is open for anyone who wishes to come and meditate or find a quiet place to spend time. I hope that everyone who visits can find some measure of peace and good cheer here. Please come visit and enjoy the shrine. The person it is dedicated to would have loved having many visitors who spend time here. I would also make it known that should anyone be interested, I will be offering flame readings every day barring shifts and other complications.

Finally, I'd like to inform those that knew him that Viral-san has returned home. If you wish to offer a traveler's prayer for him, then please do not hesitate to visit me and I can show you how to do so. I know that he will need a lot of luck and well wishes in his home, so please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Thank you for listening, I wish everyone well.

Comments

[inheavenslight]

A traveler's prayer?

[faithfulflame]

Yes, a prayer for someone going on a journey. Its considered good fortune for one's friends to pray for safe journeys.

[geniustheveil]

Eh?! Viral-san left? [They're the first words to come to her mind and be blurted out. It wasn't so much that they had been close - they hadn't - but she had hoped they could show him a different way than he'd known up until Luceti.

Now, that chance is gone.]

[faithfulflame]

Yes, he disappeared a few days ago. I found his room completely empty this morning.

voice;

[happierdays]

You can read fire? [ That's... pretty odd! But interesting. ]

Voice;

[faithfulflame]

Yes, I can. Its a tradition in my homeland. We read people's fortunes in fire.

[lostinmyway]

[Grune had been listening away happily to the announcement concerning the opening of the shine--it sounds like a lovely place to visit! --when Rei had made her second announcement.

At first, she simply...sits there in her room. Her gaze travels up to the picture she had drawn of herself and Viral at the beach. She had made sure to draw them with smiles on their faces, because they'd had such a nice time together.

Then, she sighs quietly.]

Are you sure he went home?

[Maybe he'd just gone on a little walk. Or maybe he was visiting a friend.]

[faithfulflame]

[Rei hears that familiar, somewhat sad, voice. Grune's had a hard time, losing people she cares about lately. This...bothers her, and she feels very, very sad. But lying to her is out of the question]

Y-yes. His things disappeared from his room in my home. And I tried contacting him, but he was gone.

I'm sorry, Grune-san. If you'd like to say a traveler's prayer, I'll be happy to do it with you.

[voice]

[fierybluebird]

Hah, between you and Miyabi, no one back home would ever believe I spend this much time at shrines.

I'm debating trying a new blend of tea and if I make it here it might give Ace Garp flashbacks, mind if I come join you? To pay back your hospitality from when I was a child.

[voice]

[faithfulflame]

Of course I don't mind, Marco-san.

[She does actually like you, Marco. You're not a creeper]

But there is no need to pay me back, your young self was no trouble at all.

voice

[leadinglady]

Ah...! The book is talking!

[ there's some rustling noises as Platina examines her journal carefully. ]

What is a new feather? Do you mean these wings?

voice

[faithfulflame]

Oh, hello there.

[Rei guesses this person is very VERY new]

Yes, in a manner of speaking. Newcomers to this world are sometimes referred to as New Feathers. Because of the wings, actually.

[video]

[idealism]

Where did you say the shrine was?

[video]

[faithfulflame]

Its across from Community House Two, on the riverbank.

[filtered]

[trueknight]

You didn't have to do that, you know.

[Although, at this point, there's no reason to say no. Sure, he's the type to say no to rewards, but this wasn't money AND it was already finished, by the sound of it - it'd just be a waste otherwise. So--]

... But I guess it'd be a little rude to say no to something you already made. I'll head over there in a few minutes.

[filtered]

[faithfulflame]

It was only proper.

[Rei expected this from Yuri, he seemed the sort to do things just because it was right, but she did need to thank him]

I will be waiting

[voice]

[folklorist]

I-I'm sorry. About Viral going home I mean. [ He never did get to apologize. But Rei seems to be handling his departure well enough, so that's good. ]

How have you been Rei?

[voice]

[faithfulflame]

Its...alright. He had things that he needed to accomplish. [She'd seen it in his visions, he was going back to a chance to make his world a better place]

I've been well, as a matter of fact. In fact, I was hoping you could help me with something.

[Action]

[flameoroku]

[Roku gets the BV message, not really expecting to receive anything back and feels a little awkward about it. His duty as the Avatar has always been to help people, so he never really asks or expects for anything in return. Nevertheless, he'll go by the shrine to meet with Rei and accept the gift. Probably be more rude if he didn't.]

[Action]

[faithfulflame]

[When Rei sees the man approach, she remembers him from when she had helped work on the shrine, and from the beach party that she'd left in...quite a hurry. Regardless, she waves cheerfully from her work, carving a wooden sign denoting the name of the shrine.]

Hello there. Thank you for coming by, mister...[She hopes he'll fill in the name]

voice;

[zumo]

[Typically, this one skims the journal in a stalkerish manner, but hardly ever bothers replying to anyone.

Today he hears a name he knows, however.]

Flame readings, too? You've just got all sorts of tricks up your sleeve, don't you?

Voice;

[faithfulflame]

[She hasn't heard that voice in quite some time. She'd wondered what had happened to the Shinsengumi rasetsu, but didn't think overmuch about it. Her conversation with Chizuru had been pushed out of her mind by Apep's attack, but it all came back now. Clearly he hadn't been hurting anyone or she'd have heard about it. So...perhaps a bit of respect for his title, provided he showed her the same.]

Hai, Hijikata-san. Its my job as a miko to provide whatever services I can to people that need them.

[voice]

[rollypolyclover]

[Ooh yes, shrines! She knows about those!]

Can Yotsuba bang on the drum at the shrine?! BANG! That good! All the tengu can stay at home.

[voice] Oh god save me from the adorable!

[faithfulflame]

[Rei was growing increasingly fond of Yotsuba. She was making it a point to, in Usagi's absence, check on the little girl when she was able. So this wasn't a surprise]

Yes, of course you can Yotsuba-chan. But you've got to wait though. I don't have a drum ready just yet. But soon.

[voice]

[selfhelp]

...Viral... ah, geez.

[It's not exactly like they were best buds or anything, but he'd hung around the guy enough to miss him. Even knowing what Teddy had told him hadn't made a dent in that.

This sucks.]

Thanks... for telling us.

[voice]

[faithfulflame]

Yes, of course.

[Rei noted the sadness in his voice. Despite her general misgivings about boys in her age category, she finds herself wanting to comfort him]

Were you friends? And...would you like to offer a prayer for him?

[Voice]

[normalesbian]

And here I was afraid I was going to start getting homesick without some familiar sights around here. You mean there's an honest-to-goodness shrine in Luceti now?

[Of course there is, the pretty girl in the journal just said so! Kari's just surprised. It adds an odd layer of normalcy on top of all the strange things this place has to offer.]

[Voice]

[faithfulflame]

There is now, yes. It felt like something that was missing from the village.

[It is an odd bit of normalcy, but for Rei it was a sign of accepting her fate.]

If you feel homesick, I hope that it helps.

[voice]

[godbent]

Do you have a patron deity for it?

[Tsukino. She's more curious than anything]

[voice]

[faithfulflame]

In a manner of speaking, yes.

[Rei's not entirely happy to hear this girl's voice. But its a reasonable question.]

I've made an altar, there is a mirror. But there are no kami here. Instead, I dedicated it to Eferin, and the people here. Those who've come and gone, and those still here.

[Action]

[thebellthatbinds]

[Sabriel had discovered Viral's disappearance before Rei's broadcast but it still felt like a shock to her. She still owed the Beastman so much, she still had to redeem what had been lost between them when Apep had possessed her...and now she'd never have the chance. Not when she knew all to well what he was returning to.

If Rei peeks in on Viral's old room she can find Sabriel there with Viral's cloak, lost in the memories the torn and battered fabric held for her.]

[Action]

[faithfulflame]

[Rei does peek in, feeling that there was someone in there. Quietly, she slips in next to Sabriel and takes a seat next to her on the bed. Wordlessly, the miko wraps an arm around the cloaked Abhorsen and just hugs her, arms gentle and reassuring. The room is cold, and so Rei calls on Eferin to heat it.

Rei knew what was going through Sabriel's head, and she figured it best to let the other girl talk first.]

[quicktoanger]

Thankfully, the fence made a good foundation for the boundary of the ward I had laid, with the access point at the gate. It wouldn't be as potent as a proper threshold, but it wasn't bad, if I did say so myself.

I walked back to Rei.

"Alright. Ideally, this should prevent any kind of powers from crossing this barrier without your permission- emphasis on should. I haven't had the ability to test it, since I'm sort of implicitly invited from the outset."

[faithfulflame]

Powers? You mean anyone coming in here will not have their powers, unless given permission?

[That's interesting. Definitely a good thing. But she wants to be sure, completely sure]

[Action]

[fleurdesel]

[She's avoided the girl since the vision, months ago. It wasn't entirely intentional, it wasn't entirely fair, but Adele hadn't wanted to inflict a repeat of that meeting if at all possible.

Now that Apep has come to pass and her mind cycled through her own set of horrible, ridiculous visions Adele can't help but think the worst that could happen for the moment has passed. Her reservations don't make as much sense, and Rei was dear to Sabriel. There was no reason to remain distant. In fact Adele intended to make reparations for what Rei had to endure for her sake. When the announcement for the shrine went out Adele packed a small container of maracons and made her way over. Her voice is soft, somewhat tentative when she reaches it.]

Rei?

[Action]

[faithfulflame]

[Rei, for her part, had avoided Adele for entirely different reasons. The young girl had felt that the doctor was afraid of her, for showing her those horrible visions months ago. And that reminded her all too much of home, of misunderstandings with other girls her age, and of a sense of fear that she didn't want in her life. Yes, Rei knew that the woman lived with Sabriel. And that she worked with and was friends with Ami and her boyfriend, but that only made her a bit resentful.

When she turned up, however, Rei was surprised. She turned and blinked, not sure if she should respond or play deaf. Erring on the side of propriety, she nodded in greeting]

Hello, Adele-san.