GODLY AUDIENCES - ISHIKIRIMARU AND TAKAOMI

[divus]

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WEEK 3, FRIDAY

[divus]

[Well. When both of them pray, it's probably not that hard to guess what this is about. As they enter the game room they'll find Merriment standing against the window and…well, Takaomi will recognize the figure, but Ishikirimaru might not.

The god looks like a teenager and instead of his godly cloaks he's in a blue hoodie and brown pants and barefoot. He has his arms folded over his chest, and he looks away from the window to face them.]

This wasn't exactly how I thought I'd meet you face to face, but things changed. [Hello guys. That's more for Ishikirimaru than anything, but you know.]

[bakaomi]

We had a night.

[ that. is kind of an understatement

but he settles down on the floor, looking between jack and ishi. his expression is of someone who has definitely had better days. ]

[ritualization]

It wasn't quite how I anticipated it, either, but-- it is appreciated, regardless. [A pause, because okay, he can't not say it:] You look younger than I expected, considering, but I suppose I have no room to talk there.

[Also, for the record, Ishikirimaru has a blanket wrapped around his shoulders now thanks to his dumb kids. But he breathes out a sigh there as he takes a seat beside Taka, shaking his head.]

..."a night" is certainly a way to put it. It seems this will still be difficult, even with two of us.

[divus]

When I was reborn I was immortalized at the age I died, I guess. Still not real clear on that. But sure. [He doesn't mind demasking now that he's more comfortable with the idea, and anyway he feels a littttle guilty that literally everyone is cold because whoops. That aside he's going to leave the window and join them on the floor.]

What happened? You guys split up, but...[He's afraid to ask what they saw. He knows that they were both awake, but he didn't pinpoint exactly where they went.]

[bakaomi]

[ sometimes.... your own god's powers is used against you and you're stuck in a million sweaters. it's fine.

he glances at the window though, not quite able to look jack in the eye. ]

I went to the east wing. I saw someone, uh, fall.

[ritualization]

[ishi nods at that, a touch of regret in his expression; they shouldn't have been split up, but at least now he knows about taka's horrible luck in location choices.]

While I didn't actually see anything happen in the west wing-- two of the other gods left what I've been told was Fortune's house, and I was informed two of us should have been there as well. Nothing seemed amiss at the time, but... that hardly means that I didn't miss something.

[especially with, you know, the potential that some people could be invisible around here.]

[divus]

Taka...[Jesus someone please help this kid.] Why has it been you lately?

[But he focuses on what Ishikirimaru says instead and his eyebrows furrow together.] Who told you that? Which gods? Did they say why two of you should've been there, too?

WEEK 4, MONDAY

[divus]

[Jack has more or less given up even appearing in his godly duds because screw that. He's laying on the billiard table this time, one leg dangling over the edge and hands resting on his stomach as he waits.]

So...Ruin's vulnerable. [May as well just. Throw that out there.]

[ritualization]

I'm relieved it wasn't Piety, but... I do feel Ruin is fairly likely to be targeted. Shishimaru and I have discussed the possibility of paying a visit and offering our assistance this Thursday.

[he's never talked to ruin personally, so he's not positive how that's going to go, but.]

[bakaomi]

Mmhm.

But uh, first. Was it a Ruin follower who killed Fortune?

[divus]

Thaaat I can't tell you....goes against the rules of the game. Sorry. [He looks frustrated, too.] You're gonna have to puzzle all of that out yourself.

You think protecting Ruin's a good idea?

[ritualization]

I don't feel that it would be a good idea to let more of you die, regardless of which of you is at risk.

[but he tilts his head, there-]

Do you believe we shouldn't?

things i did not do: track this thread

[bakaomi]

If anything, I don't think she's going to actually win this thing.

[ like. unless ambition kicks down the door again to cry about it again and makes everyone feel bad. ]

WEEK 4, THURSDAY CURFEW

[divus]

[Hello friends, how are we doing? Poorly? It should be zero surprise that one (1) winter spirit turned god is yeeting himself across the temple and seems to be flying as he divebombs straight into the strawberry patch where the two of them are. Thursday had made him nervous, and he'd kept an eye on what was going on, so as soon as they were alone he made his way over as quickly as possible.

Gods can't interfere, after all.]

What happened.

[ritualization]

We're-- alive, at least-

[but his voice is strained, he's pale, and he is clearly not in great shape. for one thing, he's lost his shirt and has a number of bruises with some bleeding; his left arm is not at the correct angle, probably; also, that arm kind of

ends, at the wrist.

that's the largest problem. they've probably gotten it tied off pretty quickly to avoid bleeding out, but adrenaline does Not stop this from being a really terrible experience. he has not bothered trying to get up.]

Shishimaru, would you...

[please explain further, taka, you're in better shape for it.]

[bakaomi]

[ takaomi, at least, is in much better shape other than he's probably covered in ishi's blood? his only real injury from the ordeal isn't life threatening even if it hurts. so, yeah, could have been two people missing limbs. ]

It was Luna! She-- she's dead. She attacked Ruin, and then us, and Ishikirimaru got her--

[ it's said very quickly ]

[divus]

Okay, okay, hold on. [It's placating to get Taka to slow down so he can process that information but also Ishi sure does look pretty bad off. He's astonished, and a little horrified, but.]

...I don't...we need to set your arm, make sure the bleeding stops, find a doctor when everybody else wakes up. [A hand runs through his hair, frustrated and also suddenly alarmed.]

So she went after Ruin. [He knows when people die thanks to being a god, but what the hell.] Slow down and tell me what happened. [...wait.] ...you guys killed her?

[Like. Normally he'd be very against that but also he has a traumatized fav and a handless fav and Jack can only just be glad that's all.] Where's Ruin?

[ritualization]

We can't-- be careless about finding one.

[even now, he's thinking ahead to that, trying to run through who they could trust for help when they are definitely going to have to have an explanation for this.

he takes in a shaky breath and slowly exhales-- he's likely leaning on taka a bit, here.]

Ruin... ran after we interfered. I don't know where. But Luna, she-

[his remaining hand clenches, and there's still a spark of leftover anger in his tone when he continues.]

She went after Shishimaru.

[... so yes, he killed her.]

She was-- harder to fight than expected.

[bakaomi]

[ he glances at ishikirimaru, but he can't keep his gaze on him long enough without having to look away. it... probably wouldn't have been this bad if he wasn't here.

... ]

I guess Ray was right in thinking she was suspicious...

WEEK 5, THURSDAY CURFEW

[divus]

[You know. That sure was a loud sound and it's not hard to see the green flames spreading through the fourth floor. With little preamble, Merriment dashes across the temple, already on high alert and looking for a certain trio....

He spots two out of three of them at least, skidding to a halt nearby.]

Get inside! [A point to the costume hall.] The flames should stay on that floor but I'm not taking chances.

...where's Ray?

[bakaomi]

[ he just

frantically shoves the scroll at jack, that only says 4XII ]

He was on the fourth floor. The fire must has been him, and--

[ he hesitates ]

We can't find him.

[ritualization]

I wasn't able to find a safe way there, I-- we have no way to look for him.

[ishi isn't quite frantic, but he looks harried and tense as he glances above their heads. if he is up there, and alive, and they're down here...

he shakes his head.]

--leave him a request to respond, Shishimaru. If he has a way to reply, I do not think he will ignore that.

[divus]

[He looks at the scroll as soon as it's in his hands, trying to read it and going ?? for a moment as he listens to both of them.]

He had that bomb right? Maybe because he activated it he'll be alright. [But what does this MEAN???] Here, take it back. Do as Ishi says. It'll give us an answer at least.

[bakaomi]

[ he quickly scribbles down a message and. guess they have to wait and see. ]

I don't know what "II" means. It's not a code we agreed on.

[ritualization]

Two... is that a way to write a number, then? We had already assigned numbers to the floors, so he would need a distinct way to write it if he meant, say, two individuals...

[it also rules out it meaning he saw something on the second floor, probably? but thinking about it too hard is... difficult, when they don't even know his status.]

... I sincerely hope you are right, though. Perhaps he used it to escape danger somehow?