faithfulflame | Thirteenth Prayer: A Flash of the Future [Video/Action]

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Thirteenth Prayer: A Flash of the Future [Video/Action]

[It's been nearly two years in Luceti, and Rei's come to realize that things are very different for her than they were initially. Then, she'd been so focused on getting home, getting back to the fight, and finishing what she'd started. But everything that'd happened since that time had given her other things to focus on, other people to care about besides just the Senshi, and a semblance of happiness she'd not had at home. People to trust, a shrine to call her own, and a way to grow stronger without having to rely in the power of Mars and that link to the past. It was nice, having that life, even the experiments and friends randomly disappearing were better than being dead.

Haruhi's departure had been a little shocking, but then...every time someone left it meant they were just going back to the life they'd been stolen from. Even as much as she'd grown attached to the place, going home still felt right, like it was the way things should go. After all, destiny could only be put off for so long. Which she knew all to well applied to her, that she shouldn't wish too hard to delay the inevitable, but all the same she couldn't quite bring herself to hope for that. Even if you knew you'd come back, and everything would be alright in the end, there was something oddly morbid about wishing for death.

Rather than dwell on it, though, Rei does what she does best: she moves on with her life with a sigh. Today is Setsubun after all, so inevitably, she finds herself in the shrine. After a while she decides to perform a flame reading of her own future, something she's been putting off for a while. Unsurprisingly the results are too much of a jumble to make much sense, though Fenimore is beginning to feature more prominently in them. Disappointed that she couldn't get more, she decides to set up a broadcast because even if she can't get a proper Setsubun ceremony going this year, Rei feels she should at least do something.]

Video

Good afternoon, Luceti, and welcome to any New Feathers that have just arrived. For those of you that do not know me, my name is Rei Hino and I run Tsukino Shrine, across the river from the Flame building. It's a peaceful place and it's open to visitors at any time, regardless of spiritual beliefs.

As today is a sort of traditional festival day in my world, I'll be offering fortune telling and flame readings to anyone who visits today. If you have an interest in knowing a bit more about your future, your luck, or other things, feel free to come by and I will be happy to help you.

Also, I was wondering if anyone knows much about carpentry. There are some parts of the shrine that are beginning to get a little worn and some improvements I'd like to make, though I need some help with that. Any assistance or advice would be appreciated. I'm more than happy to offer what services I can in return. Baking, limited enchanting, exorcisms, omamori and other charms, or even just help with yardwork.

[And she bows to the camera before turning off the feed.]

[As promised, Rei is at the shrine, and while she'll be replying to journals she'd prefer in person visits!]

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[Rei smiles at the amused reaction and shakes her head.]

It's a symbolic one. Oni, the demons, are hard to get rid of. Just like roasted beans. So when you throw out the beans you're throwing away something that's hard to get rid of. I know it's a little odd, but that's the reason.

I see...I think. At least, I can't think of a better thing to throw at a demon.

[Or, at least, nothing that could also be thrown at a priest.]

I feel a little bad for the priest who is dressing as the, um, oni, though. ...Did you really not have time to prepare for the festival, or did you just not want to get pelted by beans?

[Her tone suggests she's kidding, though. She does believe Rei when she says she was too busy.]

[And that's the point. You're a sharp one, Fenimore.]

Well, the priest that's performing the dance needs to be male, not female, because Oni are always bare-chested and wear loin clothes. I would rather not do that, it would be indecent. And it would be breaking tradition.

And no, I'd rather not get pelted with beans.

[And Fenimore has to cover another laugh.]

With a costume like that, I can see why you'd be especially against breaking tradition this time, even with bean-throwing left aside.

Is fortune-telling and flame-reading a part of the festival that just involve less in the way of beans and loincloths, or did you mention it because it was a convenient time to remind people about them?

Oh that? It's just a convenient time, but then, people do often have readings done during the festival. It's all part of the fun too.

[She pauses, quirking her head to look Fenimore up and down.]

Would you like me to read your fortune?

[Fenimore nods at the explanation, in a kind of "I see" way, which leaves her unable to nod her answer to the question without it looking weird. Oh well, she can use her words.]

Yeah. I've been curious about it since you mentioned it over the journals the last time, but I never found a good opportunity to ask. And it gave me a good excuse to come visit, anyway.

Well, alright, then I'll be happy to.

[She nods towards the shrine and beams. All things considered, it might be interesting to see Fenimore's future. Particularly given the fact that the other girl had been in Rei's own recent vision, as vague as it had been.]

Is there anything specific you'd like to ask about?

You can ask about specific things?

[She takes a moment to think about it. Well...she is wondering what is going to happen on Valentine's Day and whether she's going to get affected this year, but she's not really sure if she wants to know in advance. Asking how long she's going to be in Luceti seems a little...not exactly morbid, but it's also something she's not entirely sure she wants to know about. Hmm.]

I didn't really think about that -- I wasn't sure how it worked. What kinds of things do people usually ask about?

Well, you can try to. Generally it doesn't give anything specific, but sometimes it helps. Most people generally ask about romance, or how their luck will be, or school related things, or other little things.

[Rei shrugs, fairly neutral about the whole thing. It wasn't really something she could control, just something that she could try and guide. Maybe in a few years it'd be different, but now this was how it was.]

[Fenimore nods: that makes sense. She can see the appeal of asking about romance, but, well, she doesn't think she's going to ask Rei that, given she does have a bit of a crush on Rei and is sure this could lead down embarrassing paths. And she doesn't go to school, so that's out.]

I guess I could ask how things will go at the bakery, now that I'm working there sometimes, but...I don't think that'd be very interesting. Maybe I'll ask about my luck, instead.

[It would be awkward, given that Rei's own crush on Fenimore is beginning to grow as well. But thankfully, luck is a good, neutral, and generally safe question.]

Alright, that's certainly something I can try. It's a bit easier, since it's a broad topic. Now, before we start, I'm going to need you to do a few things.

[She gestures to a small trough of water with a dipper.]

Do you mind washing your hands? It will help get rid of excess energy and make the reading more accurate. I'll be inside, getting things ready, so just come in when you're finished.

Of course I don't mind.

[Though she can understand asking that way. She goes to the trough and she uses the dipper to wet her hands to wash them. Once she's done, she shakes her hands to dry them off and follows after where Rei has gone into the shrine.]

I washed them. Is there anything else I need to do?

Good, thank you.

[When Fenimore comes in, Rei's laid out a bunch of scrolls and paper, as well as a large paintbrush and an inkstone. Nothing fancy, but a traditional way of doing things.]

Yes, I'll need you to write your name on this piece of parchment. It's a way for me to focus on you, and how you write your name has a lot of symbolic meaning to rites like this.

All right.

[Fenimore hasn't written with a brush before, but she is used to a quill and inkwell, so it can't be that different, right? Spoilers: yes it can. But she works slowly and carefully, so while she's not exactly going to earn any prizes in calligraphy, "Fenimore" is certainly legible. She nearly puts the brush aside, but she hesitates. How she writes her name has a lot of symbolic meaning, huh? She looks at the paper thoughtfully for a moment before writing two characters beside her name. Then she sets the brush down and holds the parchment out to Rei.]

Here.

[Rei watches quietly, and makes a mental note to ask about the unfamiliar characters later. They seem to have quite a bit of significance, if they warrant such an inclusion. Accepting the parchment, she nods.]

Alright. Good. Now, I'll just need a moment of quiet, and I'll do your reading. When it's done, if I had a vision, I'll show it to you alright? I have to take your hand to do it, and it may feel a little odd, but it'll be alright, I promise.

[Fenimore nods back.]

All right. Though I appreciate the warning.

[With that, she will stay still and wach Rei quietly to allow her to concentrate.]

[Rei takes the parchment and sets it in front of her. Then she claps once, tosses the paper into the brazier, and claps twice more before bowing her head in meditation. Slowly she begins to chant, a soft sound full of will and certainty, and the fire begins to shift. First it seems to spiral up, then swirl around, creating an empty space, a void in the heat. Rei's eye shoot open wide after a moment's hesitation and they grow wider and wider as she stares into the flame...]

[And after another moment or two, her eyes as wide as they possibly can be, she begins to shake slightly. Tears begin to stream down her face and it's quite plain that she wants to pull away, but something seems to hold her there. Horrified, she begins to shake more at what she's witnessing, until finally a short gasp escapes her throat and she slumps forward, hair covering her face, not saying a word.]

[At first, Fenimore just watches in fascination as the fire shifts around Rei. She doesn't know what the chant means or, really, the meaning behind most of the actions, having no context for it, but even without that, it's undeniably awesome. A shiver goes up her spine.]

[She's so awed that it takes her a moment to notice that something is not right. While she does briefly wonder if the shaking could possibly be a normal part of the fortune-telling (she doubts it, but maybe it just takes a lot out of her), that thought is quickly discarded -- when considered with Rei's horrified expression, it's clear that something is very wrong, either with the vision or the ceremony. She leans forward, about to move to pull Rei away, but she stops. What if flame-reading is like the old superstition of not waking people who are sleepwalking? She has no idea, so she remains paralyzed with indecision until Rei slumps forward. Then she gets up to move to Rei's side, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder.]

What happened? Are you all -- [Well, clearly Rei isn't all right, so she swallows that question to replace it with another.] What's wrong?

[The instant Rei feels Fenimore's hand on her shoulder, she jerks her own hands down and sits on them, because she doesn't want that vision shared with anyone. But the question...she can't possibly expect Fenimore to not ask it, and she can't reasonably deny it. Lying would just make it worse, and probably exacerbate the entire situation too. So Rei croaks out in a low rasp...]

It's...your future. It's...it's awful...and I...I don't want to tell you. But if...if you want to know, I will.

[Fenimore stills, the bottom dropping out of her stomach. With how strongly Rei reacted -- and Rei certainly doesn't seem like the sort to react this strongly over something small -- it must be really awful. She doesn't answer right away, but eventually:]

I -- I don't think I want to know, but...now that you've told me that much, I don't think I could stand not knowing. I'd like as not start jumping every time I saw my own shadow until it happened. [She sort of chuckles, but it's a strange, brittle sound, nothing like a real laugh. She's feeling a bit of panic edging in.] But, if you need a moment....

[She doesn't want to wait, but Rei is obviously in a bad way, so she's going to force herself to be patient if she needs time to work herself up to it.]

[Wordlessly, Rei reached out and took Fenimore by the hand, and began to share the vision.

It started simply enough, a small room with Fenimore and another girl talking two several others in similar outfits to the ones she usually wore. Nothing distinct, just talking. And then a darkness fell over the room, a candle appearing in the hands of everyone assembled. Then a flicker like a lightning bolt, and a man entered, shrouded in black. A blade appeared in his hand, swinging first at the others in the room. A shadowy hand grew from the blade, an omen of ill fortune reaching up to seize everyone in the room by the neck, and one by one the candles went out.

A hand darted out for the other young woman, but instead of her, it swerved at the last instant and grabbed for Fenimore. Her candle flared for an instant, and then was snuffed out, wisps of smoke visible in the murk cast by the light of the final candle.

And then, darkness, the vision coming to an end.

Rei pulled back immediately and fell forward onto her hands and knees, tears beginning to fall.]

I...I...I'm so sorry...

[Fenimore tenses as Rei takes her hand, knowing what's coming. But the tension relaxes somewhat at first as confusion overtakes apprehension: partially because knowing it was coming did not stop the vision from being such a new experience, and partially because she was expecting something much more terrifying. Instead, she's just...talking with Shirley? That much of a prediction -- that she'd be able to meet her best friend again -- could even be seen as a good thing. And there were more Ferines than she'd ever expected to see in Luceti. In fact...they did seem a little familiar....

But then the darkness comes and, with it, the man with a sword. She may be unaccustomed to visions, but, under the circumstances, the meaning behind the candles being snuffed out couldn't be clearer. She winces each time the hand grabs for another person, her expression growing tighter as the number of candles grows fewer in a vain attempt to mask her growing fear. By the time they're down to only a few, lower lip is trembling and her arms are shaking. When the hand darts out the final time, she gasps, and then, when it swerves towards the vision of herself, she jerks back as though she were actually being grabbed, nearly accidentally pulling her hand from Rei's early.

As the vision ends, her legs buckle and she also falls, landing with a thump on her behind. She feels light-headed and dizzy from the intensity of the experience, making Rei's words sound oddly distorted. So...she was going to die, and soon, by how young she looked in the vision. Actually, if anything, she'd almost looked like she was younger --

Oh. So that was it.]

I -- [Her voice croaks through a throat that feels strangely full. She swallows and tries again.] I didn't know you could see other worlds.

[Rei's hands ball into fists and she shakes her head, the tatami in front of her beginning to darken with teardrops. It's a long moment before she can even collect herself enough to speak, and even forming words is hard. What do you say to that? How...do you comfort someone when you've just shown them their death? And soon, by the look of things.]

I...I...sometimes I can.

[She looks up, staring at the other girl with reddened eyes.]

I...should not have...I'm sorry. I don't...I didn't...

[She trails off, suddenly unsure of what she'd meant to say. A lightheaded sensation settles over her, and she shakes her head once more.]

I'm so sorry...

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