Many Questions To Be Had

[fixed_destiny]

Who: Xehanort, Open
What: bothering people, and other things
When: June 13thish to maybe the 20th or so
Where:Other temples, his own after dark.
Warnings: None so far.



A

[Although it would be best if he saw to some of his prayers, instead Xehanort has picked up his notebook, a bit of tape and phone, shifted to the jackal-headed form most associate with the god Anubis, and gone looking for other temples nearby. He could have stayed in human form, but if he's intending to speak to gods and shinki both, isn't it best to be easily identified?

Once a temple is found, however, it's just a matter of looking for a door to knock on or a proper place to call out a greeting .. or even approach someone who happens to be standing outside.

He's really not that picky. God, shinki, it's all the same.]

B

[So someone wasn't home when Xehanort ventured to visit their temple. That's alright, there are a million things to do in a day. But at any temple that seemed occupied but nobody home, he's left a note.]

Greetings. I am Anubis; I visited your temple today but nobody was home.

I'd like to ask some questions about your experiences here (God or Shinki!), but since it seems I've missed you, perhaps you'd like to visit me instead, or leave me a message? I should be back at my own temple after sunset, but I can also be reached at [number] easily.

Thank you for your time.

[Visiting Anubis' temple, on the other hand, is visiting a desert. It's dry, even with the bits of oasis-like pools here and there, but it's not completely uninviting.. if it's after sunset he'll be there.]

Temple Description can be found here.

Comments

A

[kokuyoyo]

[The temple of Hestia is a fairly small place, at least so it appears on the outside, so that means while there's no one really futzing around outside, it's easy enough to find the door. After a few moments, it opens up, revealing a certain bespectacled teen in a white beanie. Apparently he was in the middle of something, because he has a simple navy blue apron on.]

[A pause.]

...It's you...

[small_reservations]

Chikusa, is someone here?

[He doesn't wait for an answer, instead teleporting over in a rush of flame.

It's probably a good thing Xehanort did not approach in his normal form. After all, he's someone Axel has seen over the years, and eventually ended up working under, more-or-less. Maybe at his current age they were only glimpses, but it'd still be at least a double-take.

Of course, he's never seen his Anubis form either, so it's still a surprise.]

... What.

[fixed_destiny]

[It's the guy with the frogs! And at the beach! Third time may be the charm, but honestly he didn't expect so.

Nor did he expect to see such a person in a place like this. Instead of immediately saying anything, he leans back a little bit, surveying the building a little better.]

I admit I had expected perhaps bars on the windows.

[Ever so mild. Chikusa did not strike him as the sort that'd be in THIS sort of setting, and here he was. In an apron. Whatever else he was intending to add is interrupted by a sudden blast of flame, and if he recoils in alarm well, it's probably the fire and not Axel.

Probably. One way or another it takes him a moment to recover and make sure nothing's singed. Volcano god maybe?]

..Does that fiery appearance always happen?

[It's a dog headed man that talks! .. And his voice might not be much help either, while he does sound a touch like Xemnas, it's been YEARS since anyone in Axel's era has heard Xehanort talk. And he sounds a little put out. ..No, he's here for a purpose and that isn't worrying about scorched fur.]

... Pardon, where are my manners. I am Anubis, the Egyptians have an odd idea of what divinity looks like, could I trouble the two of you for a few questions?

A

[clothes_make_the_man]

[To say Forrest is surprised to see a jackal-headed man standing at his front gate would be an understatement. But still, it's best to be polite to visitors.]

Ah... can I help you?

[fixed_destiny]

[And those big old ears perk right up. It's always nice to find someone he actually could remember.]

Hello again.

[He sounds pleased - and depending on how good Forrest's memory is, he may well recognize that voice. That guy who didn't like sweet sauces on his barbecues!]

I apologize for the interruption, but might I bother you a little more with some questions?

[clothes_make_the_man]

[It takes a moment for him, but eventually Forrest does place the voice.]

Oh! Xehanort. Yes, of course. Please, come inside.

A

[young_oldman]

[After walking under the torii and walking across the bridges, Xehanort will find himself in front of a traditional Shinto temple, the brilliant vermilion painting the pristine waters below the same vibrant color.

The doors are open and lead to an open courtyard, where he'll find Lu Meng busy sweeping some loose leaves into a neat pile. A small set of stone stairs lies to the left, and a kitten can be seen napping peacefully on a step...until Xehanort steps over the threshold. Ears perk up, eyes snap open, and immediately the claws are out. Hissing and spitting, with all its hairs standing on edge, the kitten's raising a little bit of a racket at the sight of the jackal-headed god.

That certainly grabs Lu Meng's attention, and when his gaze falls upon the source of the cat's ire, he draws a sharp, startled breath before his eyes narrow with suspicion, hands gripping the broom tight. Forgive him, the last time he saw an animal-human person, it was a spider lady trying to kill him.]

Good day to you. [A cordial and careful greeting.] May I know your business here?

[fixed_destiny]

[It's a peaceful location and building. Old Japanese architecture seemed to be designed that way, and he takes his time picking his way towards it, looking around with interest. A person is just what he's looking for, not a kitten .. but it's the kitten that's more obvious about its displeasure.

As the tiny thing fluffs up in its best effort to look frightening, Xehanort glances at it .. and very deliberately turns his attention elsewhere. Cats, like dogs, didn't seem to enjoy being stared at, maybe the little puffball will relax a bit if it's being 'ignored'.

The person's reaction isn't much better, honestly, and he raises both hands, palms-out. No weapons except for short claws.]

Good day. I am looking for the shinki and god of this temple, to ask a small number of questions on a matter of no serious importance. I do not come to do harm, to you or anyone else here, including your little friend.

[Well.. at least he sounds peaceable enough, tone moderated to politeness quite purposefully.]

[young_oldman]

[Sounds peaceable enough for Lu Meng to relax a smidge, though that wariness keeps the grip on his broom firm.] I have no objections to that, but I'd like to know who I'm speaking to first.

A

[twin_star]

[ Hokuto returns home from the Near Shore with arms full of grocery bags. She's going to cook dinner today, and maybe bake a cake for dessert. Or cookies? She hasn't decided yet. Fortunately, she's gotten enough ingredients for both.

She pauses and clears her throat when she approaches the door. There's someone standing there knocking. ]

Ahem.

[fixed_destiny]

[There is no chance in sneaking up on someone with ears that big. One gold-edged ear rotates back a little at the sound of crinkly bags and footsteps, which pauses his next knock-attempt neatly, and as Hokuto approaches he swivels carefully .. and then steps out of the way.

... No wait, she doesn't seem like she's going to get the door open like that. Should he offer to relieve her of her food burdens, or offer to get the door?]

Do ... you need a hand with those?

[Well, questions can come afterward..]

A

[fullcowl]

[Izuku's temple is a Japanese style apartment building so it might take Xehanort a while before he hits the actually occupied apartment.

Assuming he didn't get frustrated with the sheer number of empty rooms, he'll reach it to Izuku's eventually.]

Hello. I don't think we've met.

[fixed_destiny]

[It does take a while, but after a little bit he stops knocking on doors and starts listening instead, those oversized jackal ears perked and attentive. Eventually it's not doors but the faintest hints of sound that lure him in the right direction.

And very gradually to the right door. It takes a while, possibly much longer than anywhere else he's been before. But he's certain someone is actually here!

.. Which is proven when a door actually opens, and for a moment he looks terribly pleased with himself.. as much as a doglike face can.]

Greetings. We have not, no. ..At least as far as I'm aware. Are you the master of this place?

[Well, his tone is friendly enough..]

A

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun's temple isn't exactly the most traditional temple ever - it looks more like a giant, misshapen hill that happens to have a door and windows. On the other hand, Shun isn't actually in it right now. Instead, there's the sound of flapping wings and snapping beaks issuing from the semi-enclosed garden off to one side, a rectangle of trees and flower patches spilling with lilies, roses, and just about every other funerary flower imaginable leaving an open space that leads on to a short, grassy path flanked by shallow pools. Shun's visible standing in the mouth of the garden, the remnants of a rather unpleasant-looking lump of meat in one hand - and the rest of it being fought over by a pack of ravening vultures. For every handful he flicks out to the vulture flock at large, a small morsel goes straight to the smaller one sitting on his shoulder.

Despite the racket, he can still hear the sounds of footsteps on the grass, and immediately turns, throwing the rest of the meat to the birds and one last scrap to the one on his shoulder.

Luckily, he's been doing his reading on his pantheon, and sharp, calculating eyes look Xehanort up and down before he gives an almost exasperated hiss through his teeth.]

Anubis? [He sounds about as unimpressed as he looks, though there's a very clear edge of wariness there as well.]

[fixed_destiny]

[Although they'd met over the network, that didn't give the sound of a person's voice or what they looked like, and Shun is as much a mystery as anyone else. Xehanort does try to keep his approaches obvious, discarding anything like stealth or menace in favor of looking about with interest, way out in the open.

Being seen as a threat wasn't exactly a good way to start a day. The vultures though.. those he recognizes, there were a few of a different breed that hung around his own temple, and the sounds were very similar.

Must be dinner time.]

... Hello. I see I am interrupting. Perhaps I could return at another time?

[It's almost but not quite differential; if told to get lost he certainly will.]

A

[secrowtary]

[When the jackal-headed man approaches, Hibiki is standing in front of the grotto leading to his god's temple. It seems that instead of wandering aimlessly, he's about to head out somewhere, but stops immediately once he spots Xehanort.

At first, he's not even sure what to say—after a while, he gets a hold of himself and finds the words.]

Excuse me, is there anything I can help you with?

[fixed_destiny]

[It might be an unusual temple, but it's one of the lovelier ones, and if Xehanort takes his time working his way towards what seems to be a dwelling, hopefully he can be forgiven. A little sightseeing never hurt, and the grotto was rather pleasant.

In spite of having extraordinary hearing in this form, he doesn't actually notice someone else is there until Hibiki speaks up, and it's with mixed surprise and embarrassment that he startles visibly, reorienting himself quickly. Even though he hadn't been doing anything but looking, it was hard to not feel as if he was caught with his hand in a cookie jar.]

Ah. Yes, perhaps. I am seeking the master of this place, or the shinki who may reside here.

A

[nolittlesecret]

[The temple of the god who is not pronounced as Axolotl, but Ixtlilton, is clearly a pyramid. Not one of those pointy Egyptian ones, but still pretty neat.

The shinki who resides here is currently sitting close to the bridge that leads across the lake to it. Seems Nari's trying to fish but having an awful time of actually getting the bait on the hook. He does after a moment notice someone is there, giving the dog headed stranger a wave.]

Sup! What can I do ya for?

[fixed_destiny]

[It IS neat. He's seen Egyptian pyramids in his research but somehow it never really led to the ones across from the ocean. If Xehanort sneaks out his cell phone he'd been given and tries for a photograph so he can reference it later, hopefully it can be forgiven. Some places are simply more iconic than others!

But once he has his picture it's back to looking for someone to speak to - and having someone out fishing certainly makes that a lot easier.]

Greetings!

[Well, a wave gets a wave, Xehanort's perfectly capable of being friendly when the situation called for it, and if this fellow's going to be .. so far friendly, there's no harm in returning it.]

I am seeking the god or shinki of this temple, might you be one or the other?

A, June 20

[moonfang]

[the temple of Guan Yu, currently portrayed by one Yamanami Keisuke, was as beautiful as it was enormous. Temples and castles were built into the mountains with precarious bridges connecting them. Waterfalls poured from cliffs and greenery was everywhere. Off to the side of the main temple, there is a "small" (ha!) guesthouse with an open field and what looks like a crude chicken pen and coop. The birds are out in the yard, along with their owner -- a beasty that Xehanort may find familiar. He has a small pile of silvery carp and is working on eating them, more slowly and deliberately than he'd inhaled the chicken wings. A few of the chickens hang out nearby, apparently begging for scraps. Zangetsu snickers to himself and obliges, tossing small pieces of fish-flesh to the birds, who go after it with gusto.

But there will be no sneaking up on him. Without turning around, he addresses the visitor]

Well, well. If it ain't two-souls. The God of this temple isn't home, if you're looking for 'im. [he turns to look at Xehanort, raising his eyebrows] Well, that's a new look. [in anticipation of his awful joke, he starts to laugh a bit] Hehe... why the long face? Heeahahahahaha!

[fixed_destiny]

[There's no attempts at stealth at all. A bit of scuffing of feet, lots of pauses to study the scenery, and not even anything like a great bit of speed while looking for someone. Part of the fascinating aspect of visiting other temples was seeing what they looked like and often enjoying their settings.

He's still waiting for one to be mostly fire and brimstone, but hadn't found it yet.

Searching for intelligent signs of life is part of it though, he still needs to collect more data where he can for a proper compilation, but what he doesn't expect to find is the thing that ate all his chicken wings. Zangetsu HAD to be a god or shinki, so sooner or later it made sense he'd stumble across the hollow-spirit, but he'd almost wished otherwise.

At least this time there's food on hand, and it's not his.]

I see you found your people. [The response is serene to being laughed at. Not even an ear twitch.] Though you'll never sleep well in a coop that small.

A

[royaltyloyalty]

[Dokugakuji's Shrine of Kshitigarbha's Vow has a valley entrance down to the main Shrine itself. Before Doku's even aware that the man is on the premises, he'll come across two Soulless shinki tending the walking path, sweeping and checking for loose bricks mostly.

As they don't speak - much - they just look up when the other God arrives, looking very blasé despite the unusual visit by... well, anyone. One is an adult man, medium height but slender and - of note - with his shinki symbol emblazoned across one sealed eye. The other Soulless shinki is much less remarkable, although she is female. Shorter than the man, average in build, and long black hair typical of the women they often meet locally in the Near Shore.]

[fixed_destiny]

[Another interesting place to observe, and he's going to take his time. The colors and newness mixed in with the obvious old was by now a familiar pattern but clothing on stone statues was new, and worthy of interested inspection. There was no need to rush, was there?

Finding people doesn't deter him from his observation, though it does remind him he's here for more than sightseeing. They don't seem quite as lively as most he'd encountered.. perhaps they were used to this sort of thing.]

Greetings. Are you the owners of this place?

[ONE is an obvious shinki, the other ... might be the deity, perhaps? One way to find out!]

A

[smilingbullet]

[ He's just returning from a stroll where he's been drawing a map over the locations of things, when he spots someone outside Anpao's temple.

That's a familiar...face...ish... Not that they've met in person but he's pretty sure that's Anubis, whom he talked to before. ]

You need anything from us, Sir?

[fixed_destiny]

[The upside to being a jackal-headed god: You're instantly recognizable.

Downside: that doesn't mean he recognizes anyone else at all. He's as much of a stranger to Xehanort as anyone else is at this juncture.]

.. Perhaps. You are one of the shinki, or the god of this temple?

[First things first!]