heaven's bbs | video

[reloves]

Posted by: Minako
Date: February 8th

[ First there's a mess of blonde hair, as if someone turned the camera on a little too quickly and excitedly before being fully ready, but then Minako's face - with a big smile - fully appears. ]

So, everyone.. Valentine's Day is coming up, and you all know what that means! [ She moves her eyebrows up and down a few times. ] Of course I'm sure some of you already have found that special someone to spend that special day with, but there must be some people who are still worried about what they'll do on that day!

Well, if you're one of those people, then have no fear! You don't have to spend all day feeling down when you can instead dedicate it to finding the love of your life! That's what I'm here to help you with this year. You see, you can sign up for having one or more quick blind dates on Valentine's Day. Just leave me a comment here if you're interested, and tell me if you're interested in one date, or two, or three, or.. well, maybe someone will set the record for most blind dates in one day?

[ She laughs. ]

Anyway, once you've done that, people will randomly get assigned together and you'll be told the location of your date or dates on Valentine's Day itself! It's that simple!

And maybe by now you're thinking, "aw geez, Minako, I know you're a totally cute and super capable girl, but how could even you do all of that all by yourself?!" Never fear once more, since I have a super great partner in all of this who will tell you some more about this great opportunity!

[ Minako seems to reach for something off camera, muttering a few things under her breath at whatever is there, and then Chikusa is dragged onto the video. Not entirely willingly, from the looks of it. ]

[In fact, Chikusa definitely isn't willing, as is obvious by the fact that he is aggressively not making eye contact with the camera. After a few moments, perhaps giving into the oppressive sparkling atmosphere which is around Minako, he grits out a sigh.]

...No more than three dates.

[They have not planned for more than three. He refuses to do more work.]

Also... we need some people willing to clean up ayakashi on that day, too. There's a variant which seems to be getting worked up about this holiday.... So we need cleaners. Tell us if you're interested....

[After a second, he weakly tries to pull out of Minako's grip not too unlike a cat.]

[ Minako doesn't seem like she'll let go just yet, which means there's a lame and weak tug of war happening on camera right now as Minako tries to maintain her near sparkly smile. ]

Yes, let us know! Now how do I..

[ She reaches over to the camera - thankfully letting go of Chikusa - and manages to shut the feed off after a moment or two. ]

Comments

[unlucky7]

Someone has to. It'll be a nice change of pace from work too.

Are the dates happening in one area or spread out a little?

[reloves]

It'll be a little spread out.. We wanted to have different kinds of locations for the dates so people could have some variation, so they aren't all directly next to each other. But they're not far away enough from each other that walking between them would be hard!

[unlucky7]

If more volunteer to help with ayakashi, it's less a problem getting coverage, but I love a good run.

I can't wait to see what you two have planned.

[reloves]

It seems more people are willing to help already, so at least you won't have to worry about covering it all on your own!

[ There's a small pause, as if even Minako, queen of shamelessness, is hesitating for a moment. But then she decides to go for it anyway, even if it's a little more careful than usually. ]

And you're sure you don't want any blind date for yourself? You don't have to just work all the time, you know.

[unlucky7]

I'm fine. I'm older than most of the people around, so it'd be hard matching me up anyway.

[But while Ginia's reluctant, good thing there's a temple just waiting to sign her up.

After a pause, a second text message comes in.]

[Private to Minako]

I can't say I'm in the best position to date anyway.

private from here on out!

[reloves]

[ The fact the message is private makes it feel more weighty than Ginia just saying it's because of her age. So Minako does try to come down a little from her usual way-too-chipper kind of mood and sends a similarly private message back. ]

Is something really stopping you or do you just not want to give it a try? If it's the former, then there's nothing in this world that can't be solved, you know?

[ But if it's really instead just Ginia's personal lack of desire to do so, then Minako will do her best to respect that. ]

[unlucky7]

Kinda the former? My relationships are a bit of a mess right now and I don't know if dating others, even for fun and friendship, is the right thing right now.

[Not that it'll stop her current coworkers from signing her up. Nothing like living vicariously through others?]

[reloves]

I guess there's always next year, right? If it goes well, I can just do this all over again by then! And maybe the timing will be better for you by then.

[ Sure, that involves a lot of ifs. If she's still here, if Ginia is still here, if everything in this place is still at least relatively peaceful at times.. but Minako would prefer to stay optimistic rather than consider those "if" scenarios too much. ]

Besides.. I kind of get it. There's a reason I'm not signing myself up either, you know.

[unlucky7]

There's always next year. If you do this again, I look forward to it.

[The world is based on "if-then" statements, but sometimes that slice of optimism is what keeps everything going. Moving forward, hoping and working toward more. Maybe it's enough to defy whatever powers that be and keep her here.]

I feel like you'll say you'll have fun planning and seeing people happy if I ask if you're enjoying yourself, and I respect that if it's the case, but I hope you take time for yourself too.

[reloves]

Aw, that's so sweet of you to say, I really appreciate it! I'm totally fine though. I'm still young, after all, right? I got to use all of my energy while I still have it!

[ Read: she will totally overwork herself, because Minako is the kind of idiot who can't stop herself from wanting to do absolutely everything always. ]

[unlucky7]

Sure, but if you use up all your energy, you'll be too tired to have fun.

And the best time to have fun is when you're young.

[reloves]

Well, I still have a lot of youth time left..

[ Wait, thinking about it-- ]

Do we even get older here though? Wouldn't that be kind of weird since we're supposed to be dead?

[unlucky7]

I don't think we do. I know shinki that have been around for centuries and they clearly don't look that old.

Not sure about mentally aging or maturing though. The ones who would know best are the kid shinki of some of the old gods.

[reloves]

I think I actually wouldn't mind not getting older.. Aging for a few more years would be great, but wouldn't it be perfect to just be young and pretty like that forever? Imagine if your appearance actually aged along with you, what would you even look like then after centuries?!

[unlucky7]

There'd be a lot more walking skeletons around if we fully aged with the years.

Though I guess the gods have to age somehow or there'd be a lot more child gods running around. But it's not like they all look ancient either among the old gods.

Maybe it's only shinki that don't age because we're dead.

[reloves]

Maybe gods just age super slowly? Otherwise it'd be pretty weird for the new gods to return home while they're much older than when they left..

[ Try explaining that to your best friends. ]

[unlucky7]

Or maybe it's completely different for the new generation.

It's weird, isn't it, knowing we all come from different places and somehow ended up here. But it's also nice we were able to meet too.

[reloves]

I definitely think it is! I mean, it kind of sucks to think that all of us shinki here died, but.. if I hadn't, then I wouldn't have been able to meet you! And I like talking to you!

So talk about a blessing in this guy, right?

[ .. "In disguise." Getting sayings right isn't exactly Minako's strongest suit. ]

[unlucky7]

You mean "in disguise"?

I like talking to you too. And pretty much everyone here. And honestly, barring immortality or something like that, everyone dies one day, right? So at least I can do something in the afterlife instead of being gone or something.