Heaven's BBS | Text

[unlucky7]

From: Anonymous
Date: October 26th

Personal happiness or loyalty. Suppose choosing one comes at the cost of the other, which would you choose and why?

Comments

[unlucky7]

I know that; I would do everything to prevent them from getting hurt.

But I would still prefer partnering with a god that is comfortable in battle.

So do I leave my current god without a shinki for my own happiness or do I stay loyal and fulfill my duty to them?

[onehandsomeslickninja]

So, uh, have you actually talked to them about this? Maybe you should just be open about it. I wouldn't be surprised if a shinki out there didn't like fighting and didn't want to go battle ayakashi regularly, and might be happier with a less martial god.

[unlucky7]

I do not want to burden my god with my problems.

[AKA: No, and that's a big part of the problem.]

Do you know any shinki looking to change gods for that reason?

[onehandsomeslickninja]

What.

If that were true, you wouldn't be asking about it...

Unless the reason you were asking is because you wanted people to tell you 'loyalty is more important than happiness' without ever discussing the situation, so you could tell yourself you had the answer and silence that little voice saying your happiness counts so your god would never have to worry about it! That's the only way this question of yours doesn't get back to your god!

[iron59]

Yeah. But I hope most people aren't that bad.

[unlucky7]

[It's easy running from your problems. It's easy pretending nothing is wrong and that you can do your duty at the sacrifice of your own happiness. It's also much, much harder to do as a shinki.

He isn't wrong. He isn't wrong at all.]

I see.

Thank you.

[unlucky7]

Doesn't seem like it around here, but I hope so to.

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Hey! I'm not done!

Look, you have to understand that you're a partner to your god. Trust, faith, respect -- they go both ways. No matter what someone is, shinki or royalty or anything, they're also a person and pretending otherwise is just the surest way to wreck everything. So consider yourself. It's not selfish when you need to be at your best to give your best to someone else.

[iron59]

maybe well get lucky. keep trying if not right?

[unlucky7]

[There are no memories to fall back on and self-preservation keeps Ginia from mulling too much on the what-ifs of the past, but Kairi's words give a lot to think on.

The inclination to support others is there. The need for self-preservation is there and it's a constant thought of running. Run. Run, run, run, it's so easy isn't it, but sticking through and working things out...

She understands what Kairi is saying, but she doesn't get it. The realization leaves Ginia feeling numb.]

Thank you. I'm going to think on this some more.

[It's all she can manage right now.]

text, anonymous

[deniles]

Loyalty.

Happiness is meaningless without something to serve.

[unlucky7]

[In many ways, the post is a coin toss: an aggregate of answers to drive her decision regardless of her own feelings. She's the greatest danger to herself, but she processes Edge's words, all of the responses to her post.

She has her wants, her needs, and though she still feels uncertain about fulfilling them, she at least has a better sense of direction.]

I think I understand.

I think I can still serve my current god without being their shinki.

[unlucky7]

I don't put much stock in luck. Unpredictable.

But this place is nice from what I've seen.

Anonymous

[unlucky7]

I see.

Is loyalty meaningless without happiness to serve?

Anonymous Text

[thevanguard]

Why would you be loyal to someone or something that makes you unhappy, though? Loyalty is something earned. It doesn't just happen.

Anonymous

[unlucky7]

Duty? Obligation? I'm sure there are other reasons.

How do you know when someone deserves your loyalty?

[thevanguard]

Look. Obligation is not the same thing as loyalty at all. Obligation is something you HAVE to do. Loyalty is something you feel. Something you believe in. If it's something you have to force? It's not really loyalty.

I don't think there's one answer for that. I think it's different, on who you are. On what you're looking for.

But if you're questioning if you SHOULD be loyal to them? That... might be a warning sign.

Anonymous

[deniles]

No.
Loyalty does not have to be happy.
Loyalty has to be willing to serve.

[unlucky7]

[Ginia reads over the words, reads them again, paces around as she thinks over them. Warning signs are hard to see when the majority of a forgotten past was spent following orders and being loyal without question. It's not even the first time she's questioned what loyalty is, though that too is forgotten.

What she knows right now is what she was told.

Serve your god, be a good shinki. Be loyal to your god.

Protect people, help answer prayers, fight ayakashi. Aren't these the more important things?]

I see.

Maybe I've never really been loyal then. I don't know.

[unlucky7]

[Huh. It certainly goes away the other answer she's gotten, but it's also not dissimilar from answers she's gotten in person.]

Would you be willing to give up your life to whoever or whatever you're loyal to?

[iron59]

nice doesn't steal you from home and make you fight monsters

[unlucky7]

You're a god?

[It's a guess. If they were a shinki... well, they're dead. No home to be stolen from.]

[iron59]

this place takes shinki from home, too. even if they don't know it.

[unlucky7]

We're dead.

[iron59]

so? still come from somewhere. shouldnt make you fight just because you cant remember