faithfulflame | 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.]

Video

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.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yeah I- I know it's only been... not even a week. I just- I wish there was more I could do.

Pamper her. Bring her dango. [Be there for her.]

Aside from Sabriel, did everything go alright? Are you...okay?

I will. I promised to go see her every day.

[Okay? Was he okay?]

I killed someone on the draft. And- one of my housemates, he was killed. I managed to freak out the others pretty badly too.

Was the person you killed an enemy? And...who died?

[She doesn't want to pry, but...]

Yeah. A- a cultist. I stabbed them.

[He speaks very quietly at that, feeling a little sick.]

Um, Zevran. He's called Zevran.

Then you did the right thing.

[She...stops at that name, breath catching. She knew Zevran. Not well, but she knew him. He came to the shrine from time to time, and he'd given her flowers. He'd died?]

O...oh.

I killed someone. I- it gives me nightmares.

[He hadn't exactly been sleeping well and that she could say that so calmly... it was weird, honestly, to him at least. But she'd said she was a soldier hadn't she?]

You- did you know him?

Max.

[Rei hardens her voice just slightly, firmly trying to take the situation in hand.]

You killed someone who'd have cut your throat. A monster, in it's own way. It'll return to life in a week, the same as Zevran-san. Yes, I know him, he visits the shrine occasionally. And he'll return too.

[The hard tone makes him look up at her, and he knows he looks a little lost, and embarrassed because he was supposed to be stronger than this and he probably looked like a fool.]

I- [He tooks a deep breath and nodded.]

Yeah. They would've killed me. That- that's what Zevran said.

He's a good guy. He's the reason I didn't get killed.

So put it behind you. You're alive, and your enemy is dealt with for the moment. I know it might surprise you to learn this, but I've been fighting for two years now. And if there's one thing a Senshi has to learn, it's that there's no room for hesitation.

[Her tone softens a bit, but she nods once at him, encouragingly she hopes]

Max. Zevran-san is right.

Two- two years? That's... wow, that's a long time to be fighting like that.

[It seemed an impossibly long time after what one week had left him like.]

I know he is. It's just- it'll take time to get over it.

Since I was fourteen, yes. Killing is wrong, but when its you or an enemy, you can't hesitate. Ever.

Yeah. I get that now just... it scared me. A lot. I was never cut out to be a fighter. Not against anything human. Demons and spirits are different.

I don't like hurting people any more than you do. Sometimes...though, there's more on the line.

[She gives him a sympathetic look]

You aren't the only one who's hurt Sabriel.

Yeah. I'm not about to let my friends get hurt because I'm squeamish.

[He remembers Helios saying something like that. That he'd hurt her too.]

So I've heard. Always the people who don't deserve it.

I did too.

[She confesses that much.]

[He gives her a somewhat shocked look, surprise obvious, before he gives a tired little smile.]

I guess no-one else is quite as qualified to understand then.

[She sighs and shakes her head]

Last August, some bad things happened and...she wasn't herself. I had to fight her to break her free. I won't say more, it's not my place. But it took me months to be willing to be Mars again.

[He listens attentively to what she says, his expression becoming worried when he hears that.]

I'm sorry. That- that's rough. I'm glad you recovered though.

It's in the past. Nothing to worry about. But I thought maybe it'd make you more at ease. Bad things happen, sometimes, and they aren't always things we can control. Don't beat yourself up over them.

It- it does make me feel less alone I guess. When bad stuff happens, it always kind of feels like you're the only person in the world who knows what it's like.

It does. But you can't let yourself feel that way. You're not alone, Max.

[He smiles at that, kind of relieved honestly.]

Yeah. Yeah, I guess you're right. That's nice to think about really.

It's always good to remember that.

[She shakes her head]

Which reminds me. I'm going to make dinner tonight at the shrine. Come around seven, and hungry, alright?

Dinner? Uh, sure. I can do that. I'll look forward to it. Thanks. Is it a special occasion?

[Action]

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