faithfulflame | Sixth Prayer: Opening a Shrine [Action/Voice]

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Sixth Prayer: Opening a Shrine [Action/Voice]

[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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well, it was built by Brave Vesperia. So, there aren't any carvings, or calligraphy. I've been carving a sign for it.

[Her own lips turn up in a warm smile]

My name is Rei Hino. What's your name, sir?

[Where are his manners? He bows quickly, a courtesy that not even years in Luceti can erase.]

I'm Tsuzuki Asato. You can just call me Tsuzuki, if you'd like.

Wait, you know temple wards? Those are complicated.

[Rei bows in kind]

Its nice to meet you, Tsuzuki-san.

Yes, I know quite a few. Not every single one, but my grandfather taught me much about Shinto ritual.

[She's not some ordinary kid Miko!]

Edited 2012-09-06 21:29 (UTC)

You're a priest? But...

[He almost says "aren't you a bit young", but thinks better of it.]

I think you're the first priest I've met here.

I am.

[She's glad you caught yourself, she hates being treated like a kid, given everything]

I believe there may be others, but I don't know. I've met others who are familiar with Shinto at least.

Now that you mention it, I know some people who're familiar with Shinto, as well.

[But then again, Tsuzuki imagines that most Japanese are.]

But I have to admit, it's been difficult since we haven't had anything like the temple before.

[Rei expects it from Japanese people, honestly]

I agree. I'm very, very glad that Brave Vesperia agreed to help construct it. I know there is another small shrine out near the cherry tree hill, but its not quite the same as having one in the village. At home in Japan, its unusual to not have at least a small one in every neighborhood.

[His eyes light up.]

I remember. My sister used to leave dumplings at the one in our village.

Where I'm from there were many small ones, and big ones. But Tokyo is a very large city.

[She blinks, just wanting to check something]

What year are you from, Tsuzuki-san?

[He hesitates, blinking. He's usually not asked the question in that way.]

1996. But I don't travel to Tokyo often. What about you?

I'm from around the same time, 1994. What part of Japan do you come from?

Kyushu. It's a bit quiet, but I like it.

Ahh, I've been there a few times. Dazaifu and Fukuoka are both lovely places.

No way! Do you have family there?

No, it was on school trips. The monuments there are fairly famous.

Yes, they are, I suppose. What did you think of them?

[He's been walking towards the temple location all the while they've been talking. Tentatively, he lifts a hand up and tries to wave to a girl he wonders is Rei.]

I found them quite fascinating. The old government offices are beautiful.

[She sees you waving there Tsuzuki and she waves right back and walks over, her wooden sandals crunching softly on the packed earth. She bows when she gets near]

You must be Tsuzuki-san.

[Yay, that means he didn't get lost this time! :D He closes the journal, unable to stop the smile from showing on his face. Seeing Rei dressed up so nicely makes him incredibly nostalgic. Unlike her, he is wearing a rather new business suit, in a color that would make him blend in with a crowd.]

It's nice to meet you in person, Rei-chan.

[Of course he greets her with a bow, since that's good and proper. His small wings fold neatly on his back as he does.]

[Rei raises an eyebrow at the honorific, but says nothing. He's been polite so far, so she has no reason to doubt him. Maybe that was just how people in his world greeted each other. The suit strikes her as a bit odd too, maybe he liked dressing nice.]

Its nice to meet you as well. Please, come in.

[The nice things about suits is that they're so universal. Tsuzuki wears them because he often needs to go to funerals. In the end, it's just easier.

He takes in as much of the temple as he can by looking at it, touching the wall thoughtfully as he enters. He's careful to step out of his shoes as he does so.]

Hey, I never asked. How long have you been a priestess?

I've been performing the duties since I was ten, so...six years now.

[She smiles and sweeps over to the fire with a rustle of her haori, prodding it with a steel rod to make sure it doesn't go out]

Its not finished, inside, yet. But the most important parts are here.

That long? Your teacher must've seen something special in you.

[The inside is better crafted than he expected, and reminds him far too much of Japan. Once again, Tsuzuki's hit with homesickness like a punch in the gut.]

...It looks really good so far.

He's my grandfather.

[As if that explained everything...talking to crows and hearing the spirits aside]

Thank you. Brave Vesperia worked very hard to make it, but the inside is my responsibility. I've got to make it perfect.

Oh, neat. It's a family tradition!

[And the reason he doesn't find it so strange is because he realizes that he used to work with a miko no taller than Rei.]

They really did a great job here, too. By the way, did you have trouble finding rice paper?

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