thefarshore | Heaven's BBS

From: The Medicine Seller
Posted: June 19th

[The camera shows a view of what appears to be one of the old, abandoned shrines that litter certain areas of the Far Shore. The post comes in the evening, as shown by the golden, slanting quality of the light filtering in through the trees.]

[The Medicine Seller is sitting on the roots of an old tree near an abandoned torii gate, with his legs politely crossed and his hands folded in his lap. His expression betrays nothing at all -- there's no hint of his usual small, secretive smile, but there's no fear, either, or sadness, or anger. There's just... nothing.]

I am afraid it would seem... that Hyacinthus, known to some as "Donut", no longer walks among us.

[One slim hand rises to brush against his sternum through the layers of clothes that he wears, against the spot where his name was before.]

And I am without a name.

[Which does put him in a position he hasn't been in before, until this point:]

[He has a choice, perhaps.]

I wish, if possible, to serve a god who hunts often for Ayakashi. If any such god should wish to name me before the Heavens choose on my behalf... the matter can be discussed.

[He bows politely to the camera, before the feed cuts out.]

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[Luna answers the call from inside Raphael's cathedral, a great structure of white marble and stained glass. It strikes an interesting contrast with the background of the Medicine Seller's call.]

I'm sorry to hear you've lost your god. I haven't been here for long, but I can offer you a name if you'd like. My name is Lunafreya, and I'm filling the place of the Archangel Raphael.

[The Medicine Seller still shows that same calm, emotionless face as he examines her image on the screen.]

Raphael.

If I may be so bold as to ask... What is it your intention to do with the role you have now?

I intend to do for this world what I was chosen to do in my world.

[She bows her head reverently for a moment before looking back to the video feed.]

There, I was known as the Oracle, and my role was to heal the sick and cleanse the world of its impurities.

[Hm.]

[That's interesting. Something about that strikes a chord with him, though he feels his mind pulled gently away from thinking too much about why.]

To cleanse the world's impurities... is it?

[There's a little spark of curiosity in his eyes now, or perhaps of hope, though his expression remains neutral for the most part.]

An ambitious answer.

[Luna nods, an expression of quiet strength and resolve on her own face.]

Yes. The gods of my world granted the first Oracle her powers countless centuries ago. They have been passed down among the women in my line ever since. And if I understand this place and its dilemma, I can fulfill a similar role here by helping to cleanse the blight by defeating ayakashi.

[His lips twitch very, very slightly in the direction of a smile.]

Such is the purpose of a shinki's power, held in a god's hand.

Yes.

[She nods, smiling a little herself.]

And I believe that is the purpose I was brought here to fulfill as well. I'd be happy to work together with you toward that end, if you would have me.

I think it possible... that our interests align.

[She certainly has a way of framing their task that feels natural and comfortable to him.]

It certainly sounds that way, doesn't it?

[Her smile widens just a bit.]

Would you like to meet in person?

If it should please you to do so.

[He bows again, low and respectful.]

You can come to my temple, if you'd like. If we're going to be working together, it would probably be a good idea for you to become acquainted with it.

[Which is to say, she's politely inviting him to stay at Raphael's cathedral if he wants to.]

Expect me tomorrow, then. In the afternoon.

[He's accepted an offer to stay somewhere tonight already, and made plans to go hunting with someone as a trial run in the morning. But her offer definitely seems worthy of consideration, too.]

All right. I'll see you then.

[ooc: We can jump straight to that if you like!]

[As promised, around midafternoon the next day, there's a distinctive clacking sound as the Medicine Seller makes his way into the cathedral, taking in his surroundings with cool, calculating eyes, looking for the woman he spoke with on the network. She ought to be nearby, he's sure...]

[Luna is quite punctual, so he won't have to look for long. Within a minute or two of his arrival, she comes walking in from a door at the end of the hall, clad in white as pure as the marble the building itself is constructed from.]

The Medicine Seller, isn't it? Welcome to the cathedral of Raphael.

Raphael, if I may dare to presume.

[He bows, low and courteous, though he's aware that the name tucked away now on his arm means that technically, he belongs to a god and shouldn't bow before any others. If he does decide to ask her to name him, and she wouldn't want a nora, he could have it removed easily enough -- the boy who gave it to him doesn't seem duplicitous enough to make him keep a name he agreed to take just to try it on for size, if the fit doesn't end up being right.]

[His voice is deep and calm, with a drawling quality and an odd tendency of pausing in unexpected places.]

I must thank you, for your gracious invitation.

That's correct, but you may call me Lunafreya. Or simply Luna, if you prefer.

[She bows her head in return, certainly familiar with such polite niceties when meeting someone new. That sort of thing was common enough in her life at home, after all.]

Of course. I'm happy to meet new people, since I'm rather new here myself. And it does sound as if our interests may align closely enough for a partnership to be fruitful.

It seems... a possibility, yes.

[He straightens up, watching her with slightly more unguarded curiosity now that greetings are taken care of, waiting a little while for her to make the next move if she feels inclined.]

Well... do you have any questions for me, then?

[She's not entirely sure how to go about this.]

This should be your choice, after all.

[He's quiet, thinking that offer over.]

[Honestly, a lot of the more crucial questions feel like ground that's already been covered. But there's something in his nature that always wants to poke at any loose ends, to understand more completely.]

...What do you want a shinki to be?

[Luna nods, taking a moment to think her answer over.]

...I think I'd have to say a partner. I know the expectation here is for gods to act as a shinki's superior, but I have a problem thinking of myself as inherently above anyone. It takes both a god and a shinki to properly defeat an ayakashi, as I understand, so it makes much more sense to me to think of us as equals.

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