faithfulflame | Twelfth Prayer: Some Flames Never Die [Action/Video] Late Afternoon

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Twelfth Prayer: Some Flames Never Die [Action/Video] Late Afternoon

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[A video feed flickers to life, showing a teenage girl dressed in long, thick looking priestess's robes sitting outside the little shrine on the riverbank. And for once in her Luceti life, Rei Hino looks genuinely happy with how things are going. Everything has gone...strangely well...for her lately. Despite the invasion, the discovery in the tunnel, and all of that, everything was actually alright in Rei's little world. So much so that it seemed like an ideal time to have a little celebration for an event that had been pretty significant for her a year before. It's not much, she never expects a large crowd for anything she does, but then she's never been one for that sort of thing, either. And who knows, it may even help to lift people's spirits after their own troubles.

There's no sigh, no subtle frown, no vaguely irritated look in her eye. She's even smiling at the camera as she addresses it.]

Good afternoon Luceti. My name is Rei Hino, and as some of you might know...and some might not...I maintain a small shrine here across the path from Community House 2. I haven't broadcast about it in a while, but I thought today might be a good day to extend an invitation to anyone who might want a peaceful place to spend some time before the weather changes. It was one year ago today that Brave Vesperia completed building it, and it felt appropriate to mark the date with a little something.

[She gestures to some tables of food she's prepared or gathered from the shops and bakery, a variety of snacks, along with curry, pasta, and various other easy meals really. Rei can cook alright, but this was kind of last minute, after all.]

So please, come eat and relax. If you like, I'll read your fortune and give you a good luck charm too. I know things have been stressful lately, so please consider it. It may do you some good.

[A pair of crows flap into view, landing on her shoulders as she turns to look at the building. With a laugh Rei playfully runs a finger under one's beak and looks to the journal.]

And you know...it's strange, having been here as long as I have. I've had a lot of friends come and go, and seen a lot of strange and unsettling things. But looking at this building...it makes me happy. Maybe it's because it's like my home. My...real home. [Rei's smile grows almost wistful, weary even.] Does anyone else have a place like that here? A place that makes you feel at peace, maybe even a little nostalgic? I'd like to know...even if you don't come eat.

[And then she waves a hand, whispers a word, and the book closes with a sudden gust of wind. Harry would've been proud...]

Action

[Rei will be available at the shrine all afternoon after around 2:00, or if you like you can catch her earlier in the day in the shops with armfuls of food. Nothing too fancy is going on, just a little impromptu anniversary party.]

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[It wasn't difficult for Rei to pick out someone unfamiliar with Shinto customs. As predicted it'd been a relatively quiet day, even with the food but still, she was pretty good about picking up on things people's discomfort and unfamiliarity. Even without being a psychic.

So, over she walks, arms folded in front of her. She bows politely, a reed in the wind, but there's a slight smile there.]

Good afternoon. Welcome to Tsukino Shrine. Have you come to for the food?

_{[ Well, this was making a good start for the day. Rei was certainly
pretty, if a bit to young for Kirk. Still, pretty was pretty (not that he
planned to be a pervert about it, he wasn't that gross). He did his best to
imitate her bow, but where she was a reed in the wind, Kirk was a rock
grating against rock, stiff and unsure. Gave it an effort though, which he
hoped counted for something. ]}

Heh, yeah, that was part of it. Any time I don't have to cook, you can sign me up. I also heard something about fortunes?

_{[ He raised his brow at her, not sure if that had been a real offer or
not. ]}

[Rei repressed a smile and nodded instead. He was so clearly American that it was almost painful. In some ways, dealing with male foreigners was easier than Japanese boys, though. And the attempt did help, it meant he was willing to try new things.]

You heard correctly. I can read fortunes, and I'm more than happy to do so.

_{[ American as they came, maybe. It depended on how you looked at it
now. The ideas and views on that had shifted some in the years, but sure.
He grew up on a farm at least. Not a productive farm, but a farm.}

He flashed her a bright grin at that, not caring for a moment if she thought he was bonkers for asking or for playing along with if it wasn't true. It was a bit of fun, though he wouldn't take it seriously to be honest. He was a man of his own destiny, fates be damned. Still, could be fun to see what she actually said. Spock could get a laugh out of it later too, no doubt, and he could sneak some food home for Spock and Arya. ]

How much would one of those run a guy? I know we don't have currency here, but I'm always up for owing a favor.

[Well considering Spock had received a fortune from her a few months ago...]

Oh, it won't cost you anything at all. It's just a service I provide, because that's how things are done where I'm from.

May I ask your name?

Oh, that's cool. For a minute I worried it was going to be like a confessional or something.

_{[ That much he knew about things like the Catholic faith. He was
fairly sure if he even tried that, the priest would run away screaming that
he was the devil. Oops. ]}

It's Kirk, James T. Kirk.

_{[ He grinned widely and gave her a half-salute with two fingers off
his brows. ]}

And your name, pretty lady?

[Rei raises an eyebrow, but doesn't comment beyond that. For the moment, anyway.]

My name is Rei. Rei Hino. It's nice to meet you, Kirk-san.

[She spins and heads back towards the building]

And no, it's not like a confessional. I went to Catholic school as a child. You could say it's a bit more like attending a private prayer session.

Ah, -san is some sort of term of respect, right? You can just call me Kirk, really. I'm not big on formality. Ask anyone.

_{[ He followed her though, hands tucked into his pockets as he glanced
around the grounds, curious as he examined the building. It was really so
very different from his home world, where the buildings were towering
masses of glass and metal... impersonal. This seemed less so, and for a
second that made him uncomfortable. ]}

No, -san is just something you say to someone you don't know well, or just met. It's like Mister, in English. And if I didn't use it, honestly? I'd feel a little strange.

[Rei eyed him up and down as she hopped up the wooden stairs and slipped out of her shoes before entering the little tatami room. He didn't look terribly comfortable, and that was a bit odd. Maybe he just wasn't used to other cultures? That's what she assumes, anyway. Not knowing he's a spaceman and all.]

When you come in, please take off your shoes. It's something of a rule about Japanese buildings. And please, make yourself comfortable over by the fire. That's where we'll do the fortune telling.

_{[ He did so, tucking the boots with a surprisingly military air next
to Rei's before he stepped onto the tatami mats. He took a breath, taking
in the smell of the place, warm and inviting. Not even the Enterprise
smelled this way, though she was, in many ways, his only real home. And
there were definitely no fires (of the good kind) on the Enterprise.}

He went over, sitting down cross-legged, since the more traditional tucking of the legs was not happening with him.]

I bet Sulu would like this. He seems very in touch with his cultural roots. The guy even uses a katana, you know?

[Rei watches him out of the corner of her eye as she goes over to a small wooden box and takes out a long scroll of paper and a pen. She'd give him a brush, but he'd probably just make a mess of things trying to write with a paintbrush. She takes a seat perpendicular to him, seated with her feet under her, and slides the writing implements over.]

Sulu? A friend of yours?

[Well, he has a Japanese name, and katana were Japanese and all...]

He's the pilot of the Enterprise, and he's not bad to have around in a fight as I found out.

_{[ He looks down at the writing tools, blinking, and looks up at her.
]}

Am I supposed to write my name and birthday or something?

Enterprise? You travel with Mister Spock, then?

[Color her surprised. You're not an alien...]

And all you need to do is write your name.

More like he travels with me. I'm the Captain of the Enterprise, he's my lieutenant and science officer.

_{[ He grinned at her and took the pen, writing out his name. His hand
writing was not particularly neat, more a quick scribble, but then in his
time, hand writing was more or less a lost art. It was far easier to have a
computer transcribe anything you need, though physical signatures were
required. Even then, though, they were done with electronic pens. Ink was a
novelty. ]}

All right, now what?

Ah, I didn't know that. It's nice to meet you then, Captain Kirk-san.

[She watches him write, nodding approval, and she's careful to avoid mentioning his penmanship. Calligraphy is extremely important to her, after all.]

Take the paper, clap your hands twice, and toss it into the fire. Then bow and clap twice more. After that, I should be able to see something of your future.

Bah-bup-bup! None of that. I'll take Kirk-san, but not Captain Kirk-san. To much red tape in that, and red is...not the best color for me.

_{[ He waved his finger at her before grabbing the paper. He gave her a
dubious look over the instructions, but then shrugged and did as told. He
watched the paper curl and blacken as he clapped the final two times. That
done, he looked over at Rei, arching his brow, blue eyes curious. ]}

[Rei's face goes blank, her expression smoothing to concentrated neutrality as she ignores that and watches as Kirk goes through the invocation motions.

And then she settles in front of the fire, closes her eyes in concentration, and stretches out with her inner eye...]

_{[ Kirk watched her, wondering what was going on, if he should say
something. Personally, he thought it was a bunch of hocus pocus, though
that was unfair considering he was friends with both Lokis, and they could
do magic. Why was visions so off the scale? ]}

Uh... Rei? Should I do something?

[Rei sits quietly for a moment more and then she turns around suddenly and grasps his hand, feeding the vision she'd received into him.

It begins with a starscape, sweeping across several planets and then down to Earth. And then fire. A burning ring around the edges of vision, and at the center stands a man. A tall man, dressed in dark clothes, a frozen chill just hanging around him. For an instant he turns to face Kirk, lip curling into a sneer, and then more fire. A blazing inferno that burns away the vision, replacing it with more stars. And a gigantic mess of metal and wire, a dark shape made indistinct by shadows. A ship, perhaps?

And then the vision ends. Rei releases him and pulls back, folding her hands across her lap.]

That...is what is coming.

_{[ Kirk jerks his hand back, panting, staring wide-eyed at her. Magic
didn't scare him, he had been here long enough to be okay with it, but
that... that was not okay. It was not okay, and he hated the way it made
his gut freeze and his body shake. He rubbed the hand she had taken,
looking at the fire for an instant like it might bite him. ]}

What in the hell was that?

Conflict.

[Rei answers that simply, her voice flat and devoid of emotion. It's not the worst vision she's had, not by a long shot...but she does not look happy.]

Conflict due to that man. Who is he?

I don't know. I've never seen him before - heck I could barely see him at all.

Y-yeah. I...wish I could tell you more. But that's what the fire showed me.

Right, the fire.

_{[ He rose, brushing his hands along his jeans, the uncomfortable
feeling returning. ]}

No offense, but I think I need some fresh air and sunshine.

That's fine.

[She stands up and nods towards the entrance.]

I'm sorry...the vision wasn't a happy one...

Twelfth Prayer: Some Flames Never Die [Action/Video] Late Afternoon

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