faithfulflame | Tenth Prayer: Fanning the Flames [Action/Video]

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Tenth Prayer: Fanning the Flames [Action/Video]

[What a week! Rei couldn't remember a time she'd been more exhausted in her life. The minute she made it in the door of House 3 she'd just dropped into bed like a wilting flower. And she'd slept. For days. When she finally managed to get up and feel...human...again, though, she had things to address. Lots of things.

And the first thing on that list? The shrine. And preparations for a trap she planned to lay on two unwary wizards. After that, she had promises to keep and work to do. This was going to be a long day...]

Action

[Rei spends the early part of the day around Tsukino Shrine. She's been gone for more than a week, and the whole thing needs a bit of tending, just basic chores. While she works, Phobos and Deimos play around the small courtyard, flapping around merrily in the spring breeze. It's a pretty nice time, a far cry from the insane battle the week before. Anyone's welcome to come by and help out with chores, or setting up for her foray into forced match-making.

Midmorning, before she sits down to have lunch she opens her journal and sends out a broadcast. Phobos and Deimos are probably pawing around the camera, being nosy birds as usual.]

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Good afternoon, Luceti. This is Rei Hino. I would like to inform you that fortune telling at Tsukino Shrine will resume today as normal. I'd also like to express my sincerest condolences to anyone who was injured on the draft last week, and even more to those who lost someone in battle. Words...fail me at the moment, but if you are in need of a place to pray or find a peaceful place to think, you are welcome to use the shrine here for that. I hope you are able to find some measure of solace, however you choose to seek it. If you need me for anything, I will be here until six this evening for fortune telling or prayer services.

Additionally, I would like to ask a question. What are ways that you've learned to relieve stress? Particularly after a battle. How would you go about creating an atmosphere to help people relax? I have a small project that I'm working on down this vein, and I could use some suggestions. I would appreciate it a lot.

[A little later she sends out 3 more filtered broadcasts]

Locked to Max Woodville

Max-san, can we talk?

Locked to Okita Souji

Souji-san, if you have time, I would like to make good on my promise.

Locked to Helios Sprensonne
Helios-san, can you visit the shrine tonight at around seven? There is something very important I need to discuss with you. I'll prepare dinner, so please come hungry. This may take some time, as well. And it's a sensitive issue, so I'd appreciate it if you could leave your journal at home.

(OOC: Feel free to just drop by the shrine instead of responding to the broadcast if that suits your character better.)

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[With that, Ai returned the smile and pulled her hands out of the pockets of her jeans, ready to assist with whatever Rei assigned her to.]

Okay, then. What do you need me to do?

[Curiously, she looked around the two of them as well, seeing if there was anything that needed to be done.

The Tsukino Shrine could be seen through a window from Ai's apartment nearby, and she was already familiar with it, having talked about it with Rei before as well. It resembled those she'd seen before in Kibitou, but she hadn't been particularly interested in them before. This in particular was inviting, however, particularly the fact that it was right on the riverbank, too, and was much more peaceful than the ones she remembered.]

What are you planning for the evening?

I could use help dusting things inside, I'm mostly finished outside. I've just been away for a week, and everyone else who works here was too.

[She steps up onto the platform around the shrine and removes her shoes before entering the central building proper.]

As...for why? I'm planning on doing a little matchmaking for two friends of mine. They're in love and can't say the words. So...I mean to engineer a situation for them to be able to.

[Ai nodded in Rei's direction as she followed her to the building, following her example and removing her own shoes before heading in.]

Yes. The draft, I presume.

[For now she didn't say anything else, wanting to gauge how Rei was feeling after the event, and how open she'd be about discussing it.

Matchmaking? Now that was something she didn't expect the shrine maiden to be concocting. From her experience, most people did have a lot of trouble with love confessions.]

So you are thinking about setting a trap, in other words? [She gave a hint of a grin as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.] Why not let nature take its course, Hino-san?... Or do you deem it impossible?

[The tone in her voice showed some amusement from the situation.]

That's right. All of us were drafted.

[She doesn't seem too bothered by it, not really. She's pretty casually non-chalant about it when she brings it up, amiably walking over to a box and tossing Ai a feather duster]

Well, if you knew the two guys in question, you'd understand. They both love each other, but one of them just can't really...say the words. And the other wears his heart on his sleeve, and it's making it worse. I mean to have them sit down, by force if I have to, and get them to talk.

[Ai accepted the feather duster, looking at Rei with an entertained expression on her face as she listened to what she was telling her. She was taken aback a bit at the fact that the supposed couple was made out of two guys, apparently; from what she had understood, it was them who usually didn't have as much trouble approaching these kinds of situations.]

Well... I guess at least one of them is stubborn enough to have warranted this... intervention. [She let out a heartfelt chuckle.] I imagine that saying the words to somebody you care about can be difficult, but... it would also be a relief to know that the other person feels the same, I think. [It would be for her, though she didn't have the necessary experience to say anything for certain.]

What are you planning for them, then? [She tilted her head a little playfully.] Lure them in and lock them both up inside? [She wouldn't expect something as drastic from the shrine maiden, but it was still an amusing thought to imagine her doing exactly that.]

I wouldn't say stubborn, he's more...self deprecating. He's not too good with people, and has trouble expressing his feelings. [She's glad, at least, that Ai doesn't seem as bothered by it being a pair of men. She admits that she's still not sure how she feels about homosexual relationships despite her own leanings and she doesn't expect other people to feel the same way.]

I was going to lock them in here with food, bedding, and a warm fire so they can talk it out. I'll be here in the morning, if they want to yell at me.

[Ai was listening intently to the girl while she began dusting, continuously glancing at her curiously. It was true that she wasn't the most talkative of sorts, however she wouldn't say that she was bad with people, at the very least. Expressing romantic feelings, though, was another matter that she couldn't really imagine doing right about now, and how it would be truly like. What she knew was that it wouldn't be something she'd take lightly.]

...I see. Then perhaps being with the one he loves will help him go through that feeling. It sounds like they care for each other a lot.

[It was true that she had expected that the couple in question to be a girl and a guy, and even in 2012, which was when she came from, Japan still had a ways to go when it came to truly accepting homosexuality. But finding out that it was two guys was simply surprising for Ai, who had an open enough mind not to be bothered anymore even if she hadn't always thought this way.

Hearing that she was actually right as to Rei's plan, however, elicited another amused chuckle from her.]

I would not have expected something this drastic from you, Hino-san, especially considering that this is your shrine... [Though the maiden didn't seem to be particularly bothered as to the location of her plan taking place.] At least... it seems like you are planning on making it cozy for them.

They do, that much is quite clear. It...sort of came out on the draft, I was fighting alongside them. And Max-san kissed Helios-san. And...things were said that made it apparent to me.

[She covers her mouth with a sleeve and laughs softly, a faintly amused smirk playing across her lips. Attitudes about sexuality aside, she liked the idea of the two of them together. Especially after her talks with Max, and the obvious love they shared. Helios...was just a mess. It makes it easy for her to get into.]

Oh? Well...perhaps I think of it as my sacred duty to help my friends be happy? [fufufu]

[Now that was a detail about the draft she hadn't heard of before, or expected to really happen. For many, however, it was clearly an experience that brought about a lot of emotions.]

I would think their kiss was your biggest evidence, Hino-san. [She gave an amused smile herself as she pushed away her bangs a little.] Even if it was in the heat of the moment, I mean.

[She laughed with amusement at Rei's next comment as well as she worked on cleaning the inside of the shrine, continuing to glance at the girl whenever she spoke.]

That... is one way of looking at it, yes. [She said so with a nod of her head.] I imagine that some shrine maidens back home would not see it that way, though.

Well, Max-san had mentioned being in love with a man to me once already.

[Rei shrugs and smooths some hair out of her face with a half smile and an appreciative nod. Help cleaning was always a boon.]

Well, lucky for them, I'm not one of those, now am I? Fostering love is important.

[Ai returned the nod as she heard what the shrine maiden had to say to her about Max while she cleaned, happy to help her.]

He had to have trusted you a lot to share that with you before he confessed to the other man in question. [Just for sharing something so intimate in general and saying that it was a guy that he loved, too.] In the end, he might end up thanking you for this. Both, really.

[The girl then smiled at Rei. If her doing actually helped bringing the two closer together more than make them mad at her, then what she was planning on doing was certainly a good thing.] I do agree about that wholeheartedly, Hino-san.

Edited 2013-04-11 19:39 (UTC)

Oh, we were sharing secrets. [Or rather, Rei had accidentally let something slip.] But I do hope that it helps. They're both good friends, and they deserve to be happy.

I doubt he would have shared that with just anyone though. [At the very least, Ai would really have to trust a person to talk about this with them.]

[She then proceeded to look around the inside of the shrine for a moment before she went on cleaning, glancing at Rei when she did so.]

Do you want any help with... engineering the situation, then?

Maybe not. He's very open, though.

[Rei turns at the suggestion and nods, smiling]

I'd love it. Do you have any suggestions on how to make the atmosphere more...romantic?

[There was a thoughtful expression on Ai's face as she considered Rei's question, looking around the shrine with a subtle blush on her cheeks. It was not as if she had any experience dealing with such a situation, but if she wanted to make the atmosphere more romantic...]

Well... I think lighting up some candles would add a lot to the intimacy, and, hmm... [She pointed her finger at the floor and gestured towards the center.] ...Maybe you could scatter some cherry blossoms around here, or rose petals... [She gave herself a moment to consider it more as she shook her head a bit and turned her head at Rei again.] But... I think it would be for the best to keep it all subtle. Giving the two of them a sense of privacy is the most important thing, so that they would be able to be as comfortable as they can. [And so that nothing would matter but them in these moments, as if they are cut off from the rest of the world and they end up not even noticing anything else.]

Candles, yes. And perhaps keeping the altar fire burning low.

[She looked around, rubbing her chin]

What do you think about supplying wine? That might help, too.

[Ai nodded in agreement at the mention of the fire burning low; it was another way to have the atmosphere be both subtler and more romantic.]

I think it would, yes. [She followed Rei's gaze for a bit before going back to cleaning. She threw her another glance before she went on to ask her next question while she walked to the other side of the room.] What kind of food are you planning on to go with it, Hino-san?

Oh, I was actually thinking of some low-key Japanese food. Both are fond of it, and it'll be fitting for the atmosphere.

[And it's not hard to prepare]

[Ai had already resumed dusting when Rei spoke to her, her eyes widening a bit in pleasant surprise as she smiled at the shrine maiden.]

That is a good idea actually, yes. [She turned her body a bit in Rei's direction.] Max-san does not sound like a Japanese name, though - I wonder if you were the one to introduce them to our cuisine. [Assuming that neither was actually Japanese.] Are you a good cook?

[What had initially surprised her was that even in a place like Luceti, there was a fair amount of Japanese food available for consumption. Even though her and Rei both came from the land of the rising sun, there was no telling just how many other people did, too. And hell, there was even a place called Ucchan's Okonomiyaki, though she had yet to visit it herself - it had been really surprising.]

No, Max-san is English, but his brother lives in Japan so he visits it with some regularity.

[She nods at the question as well.]

I'm good at it, yes. For some things, anyway.

I see.

[Ai tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she nodded in understanding herself. It made sense then, and Rei's idea for preparing them something Japanese probably was probably a good one indeed.]

That is probably where I stand too. I can cook some things, and I managed an oden stall back in my school, but I do not have a great deal of experience otherwise.

[Which was probably something she had to rectify back home with time. She was still a relatively good cook, however, and what she knew how to cook she could do well.]

Did you?

[Rei smiles openly at that, continuing to dust.]

Would you like to help then? I could definitely use help, preparing multiple courses for two. And I'd appreciate it.

[Confident enough in her cooking skills to know that she wouldn't mess up most low-key Japanese food, Ai couldn't help but agree to that request.]

Yes, I would. I have the time.

[Besides, she liked being in Rei's company, and it was not like she had a tight schedule in Luceti that she had to keep to. The altar was also gradually regaining its shine as a result of the dusting that the two of them were now finishing up with.]

Excellent. Once we're done here, we can start, then.

[She's already had her meeting with Max and Souji, so that leaves her free to take care of other things, as the sun is starting to dip low and shadows are growing long.]

Thank you, for all the help.

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Tenth Prayer: Fanning the Flames [Action/Video]

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