thefarshore | Un ♫ Heaven's BBS: Text

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ω sheryl nome | macross frontier

Un ♫ Heaven's BBS: Text

Posted: 17 Mar 2016 12:49 PM
From: Sheryl

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Attention, everyone! Stop whatever you're doing right now because this is 10x more important! Consider this a special PSA from Sheryl Nome.

Chocolates are supposed to be a symbol of love and commitment, right? That's what I always believed. Before arriving here, I learned they come in two forms:
a gift between two lovers, or romantic chocolate
a gift between two friends, or courtesy chocolate

But now I learned there is a third form: chocolate assigned to us for delivery by a group of the most unprofessional, incompetent idiots!

Recently I asked that same group of idiots a few questions about a certain incident. Why was there no warning labels on these chocolates? Why were the people who ate them suddenly the targets of these ugly monsters?

Do you want to know what they said? I'll summarize that for you in three words: "we didn't know."

????????

Who the hell do they think they're talking to?! I can't take this level of idiocy!

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[It's been a long time, long enough that Tsuzuki's started to wonder if she's going to make it there after all, and pulled his phone out to look at those last texts again. He's not texting her, though. Yet.

The water boiled, and he turned it off, and the knock at the door makes him jump so hard he actually knocks his chair over and has to right it again in a flurry of movement before he heads for the front door. It's right around the corner from the kitchen, which works out, but he's still a little panicked-looking when he pulls it open.

He swallows, and tries to stand up straight and smile at her like he's actually inviting in a pretty classy guest for her first visit, instead of looking like he'd just pulled a chair out from halfway under the kitchen table. There's a dust bunny in his hair. He doesn't notice.]

Hey.

Uh, come on in!

[Unlike her previous state, Sheryl looks to be in calm, yet otherwise pleasant spirits, smiling politely at Tsuzuki. So she, too, keeps her posture impeccable with a slight nod of her head.]

Hello, Mr. Tsuzuki! I hope you've been doing well.

[He sure looks a lot better than the last time she saw him, too. Huge improvement.
As she steps inside, her brow arches at the sight of the dust bunny in his hair... and she starts giggling at it.]

Wait, what's funny?

[Tsuzuki blinks at her, one hand going to his head just in case his hair's sticking up or something. His fingers tangle in something weirdly fluffy, and he pulls it down and eyes it.

Oh.

Yeah, okay, that's funny. He breaks into a grin himself, and heads back to the kitchen with a brisk step.]

Hey, Sheryl, want some tea? And -- uh, I think we've got some snacks around here...

[Unless he ate them all, which is very possible. Or Battler did. Hisoka wouldn't be caught dead eating the last of the snacks without adding them to the shopping list, Tsuzuki's pretty sure.

What he's not sure about is how to break the subject she came here to talk about, not when she's smiling cheerfully at him.]

Ahaha, it looks like you're hiding something in your hair!

[She can't help but tease him, okay? Her giggles subside once Tsuzuki pulls the fluffy part out of his hair, and she nods in response, clasping her hands loosely behind her.]

That would be fine, thanks.

[This is her cue to flick her eyes around, taking in her current surroundings with a curious expression.]

Okay. Hey, have a seat!

[He waves to the kitchen table.

The house doesn't look much like a temple; it looks more like a big, old-fashioned, slightly run down Japanese farmhouse, with hardwood and tatami floors, sliding rice-paper doors and ageing appliances in the kitchen. The kettle is a nice, solid iron one, and Tsuzuki busies himself pouring the hot water into a teapot and rummaging in the cupboards for snacks while it cools. He eventually turns up some Oreos, and fans them out on a plate, carrying them to the table with the teapot and cups.]

It's nothing fancy, hope you don't mind.

[Sheryl perks up at seeing Tsuzuki in the kitchen, and so she follows, seating herself as her eyes flicker across the room. The temple seems reminiscent of the Saotome manor with the Japanese-style decor, and for a moment a warm expression settles over her face.

It's like she's back in Alto's home.]

I don't care if it isn't fancy. This place looks really nice.

[She reaches over to pick up an Oreo, daintily chewing on it.]

I should go visit other people's temples, sometime.

[Tsuzuki's grin takes on a warmer, affectionate note, and he glances around the kitchen.]

It's a good thing Hisoka makes me clean up around here or I wouldn't be inviting anybody over!

[He laughs easily, and wraps his hands around his teacup, focusing on Sheryl again.]

You know, I haven't visited a lot of other people's temples myself. I should too.

So... about what you were saying. Before.

Your shinki, right? [A small chuckle, then another nibble of her cookie.] Same, same! Temples have to look spotless around visitors, after all.

[Because Sheryl is usually messy... unless she has visitors over, and she can't have Eno fuss over her often.

Her smile turns brittle, the corners of her lips tugging a little down as she casts her gaze at the teacup in front of her.]

I think I know what you're going to say.

Sorry. I just don't... I don't want anybody else to get hurt.

[His hands tighten on the ceramic, and his expression drains to a pained worry. They've had enough people hurt here already. Mortals, gods, shinki. Tsuzuki didn't expect that this place would be safe, any more than working in the Summons Department was safe, but this kind of turnover in a month and a half is worse than anything he ever saw.

He shakes himself out of his brief silence, and looks up at her again.]

I don't trust the Heavens. That's all.

[Sheryl remains silent, just staring at her own reflection rippling into the teacup as Tsuzuki speaks. The concern is very apparent to her; she can't really blame him. Any sane person suspicious of a higher power would react like he did, especially in front of someone who's capable of recklessness like herself.

Her words, as she begins to speak once more, sound a little hollow.]

Neither do I.

[How can she trust the Heavens if their answer to her was "we didn't know"? She eventually looks up again.]

And I'm sure we're not the only ones.

After what happened, I think everyone's suspicious.

[Tsuzuki looks up at her earnestly.]

-- I don't think all of them knew. But there has to be someone. Someone who brought the chocolates in, who came up with the idea.

I think challenging the Heavens is going to make them mad at you. What we really need them to do is start looking for whoever did this. If they really don't know, someone tricked them pretty well.

Right?

[And if he can convince Sheryl to go the diplomatic route instead of standing outside Amaterasu's temple with a bullhorn and a picket line, maybe she'll even make it to next month...]

[The hold on her teacup tightens up a little.]

I don't think they all knew, either. But...

[Now here's a thought: that someone is causing a ruckus within the Heavens. She grimaces, pursing her lips together as she takes a dainty sip, then lowers the cup to the table.]

This will have a difference if multiple people actually come forward and make them do their jobs properly. I can't do this alone.

[For the first time in person, she's admitting a flaw.]

That's the problem, though! We can't make them do anything. We're a bunch of brand-new gods with a handful of followers.

[He scowls into his cup, thinking hard.]

So you need to convince them. If you make a lot of noise, they'll focus on you, because you're making the Heavens look bad, right? What you've got to do is keep it quiet. Talk to people one on one.

Oh? They only have themselves to blame if the Heavens look bad! That's not our fault!

[Sheryl shakes her head, a frustrated look so easily plastered all over her face. Her fingers holding the teacup are starting to tighten up a little.

Keeping quiet is not her style... and she sighs. Convincing, though? She can try to do.]

So what you're really saying is that I should be sneaky and gather supporters, right? I can't make a public fuss over this or else those fools will notice and ruin things for everyone.

... Yeah, that's basically it.

[Tsuzuki's smile is relieved. That's a lot better idea, in his opinion. A lot less likely to antagonize the most powerful of the deities, and a lot more likely to get people working on what they need to work on.

He takes a deep breath.]

Gathering supporters could make a real difference.

[It doesn't take long for relief to settle across her face either, and she relaxes the hold on her teacup slowly but surely.]

No large, decorative signs of protest until further notice.

[Because that's not exactly "quiet". A soft chortle comes out of her without restraint.]

... All right, Mr. Tsuzuki. I'll have to talk to certain people about this first. It needs to be done.

Thanks.

[Tsuzuki leans forward, impulsively, and puts a hand over Sheryl's.]

And if you need anything -- like backup -- call me. I'll be there.

[Sheryl blinks at seeing his hand, but there's a warm smile on her face as she gives it a soft squeeze.]

You know I will. [And in a more playful tone, back to being more or less like herself:] After all, a remarkable woman like myself is very grateful to have supporters around.

I bet you've got so many you don't need one more. But hey, you just have to put up with it.

[He lets go and sits back, reaching for one of the cookies and snapping it in half to eat the cream filling first. It's the best part. Plus, right now, he needs victory sugar.]

Oh? Sheryl Nome will always welcome more! I don't discriminate.

[She follows suit, taking the Oreo apart and licking the cream portion off the cookie. Aah, sweets. Far preferable than the Heavens for sure.]

[Tsuzuki grins, and applies himself industriously to the cookies.

They're way better than talking about the Heavens. No question.]

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Un ♫ Heaven's BBS: Text

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