GODLY AUDIENCE - SHANG QINGHUA

[divus]

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WEEK 0

[divus]

[When Shang enters the fortune-teller's den, he finds a diminutive figure in a mask, shuffling a deck of cards. Fortune looks up a moment later, and speaks in a high, clear voice.]

So... You wanted to talk?

[nosediving]

[Small . . . So small! Coming from a world where he's one of the shortest characters, this is different indeed. Maintaining a respectable distance, Shang Qinghua bows his head. He's more than a little nervous about how this encounter will turn out.]

Great Deity Fortune, this participant thanks you for the audience on such short notice. In order to serve you better as a follower, there are questions I have regarding this temple's contest. Do I have your permission to ask them?

WEEK 1, FRIDAY

[divus]

[When Shang Qinghua enters the parlor, he'll find...well. He'll find a masked figure silently picking up crushed rose petals off of the piano :(

There's a table set with tea and little snacks which was what Beauty had originally prepared, but the piano's been forsaken by someone and they're Not Thrilled. The rose Shang Qinghua left, however, is in a crystal vase on the table.]

Welcome, Qinghua-san. [The tone is still polite and clear even if Beauty's fussing over the piano.] Please have a seat.

[nosediving]

[This is so sad. Alexa, play despacito.

With his gaze fixed on Beauty, Shang Qinghua wanders over to the table, where he slowly takes a seat. A part of him considers volunteering to help, but he was told to sit down and has no intention of displaying willful disobedience. At any rate, he understands the suffix to be an honorific of some sort.]

G-Great Beauty, Qinghua received a rose from Nito Senri and is here in response to your gracious summons.

WEEK 2

[divus]

[Fortune is seated at the table with the crystal ball this time, the slice of cake in front of her. She looks up at Qinghua as he enters.]

...a farewell present?

[Her voice sounds a little wistful.]

[nosediving]

[His heart skips not one, but a few beats. Of course she knows, and that means she's been aware this whole time. Swallowing, he dares a step forward.]

Fortune, I really don't want to leave—and I don't know where I should go, either—but the choice has been taken out of my hands. Starting next week, I will no longer be your follower . . .

WEEK 3

[divus]

[When Shang Quinghua arrives in the Private Study, Piety is seated in a chair by the fire, but stands politely.]

I know that we aren't meeting under the happiest of circumstances...but thank you for choosing me, all the same. Please, won't you sit?

[nosediving]

[Shang Qinghua bows, then claims the remaining seat, where he folds his hands on his lap. Phew, okay!]

Great Piety, Qinghua is here on behalf of two parties.

The first is your previous follower, who bade that I see you if something should happen to him. Fortunately, the morning's news was quite good . . . Still, I thought that I should see you.

WEEK 3, SUNDAY

[divus]

[Much like their meeting at the beginning of the week, Piety sits in his chair in the Private Study. He inclines his head once again at Shang's arrival.]

I'm sorry that we didn't have more time to get to know each other.

[nosediving]

[Once again, Shang Qinghua bows.]

Great Piety, the fault for that lies in this undisciplined follower. Tonight, I will leave to follow another great god; however, I will continue to do as you asked and suggest that other followers come and see you.

WEEK 3

[divus]

[Well.

Ambition has no idea what this is, so. When he walks into the dining hall, she points at the plate of long xu su.]

What's in this?

[nosediving]

[Well, this is a great place to start. He's instantly intimidated, because there's nothing quite like an angry, emotional woman.]

Ah, that is a variety of nuts and sesame seeds wrapped in fine strands of stretched sugar . . . Great Ambition, are you not fond of sweets? If so, Qinghua apologizes profusely for his ignorance.

WEEK 3, SUNDAY

[divus]

[You know what's more awkward than the note that he wrote for the offering? When Shang Qinghua enters the Parlor, he's basically ambushed. All at once, there's an arm around his shoulder and Indulgence is hanging off of him.]

Hey there, pal! Just the guy I was hoping to see. Why don't you take a load off? Oh, and no hard feelings about the whole octopus debacle, right? I didn't think so. What's your pleasure? Water, tea, juice, booze, coffee? Something to keep you awake for days? Something to make you forget? Something to help you sleep? You want it, you name it, I got it. Sit! Sit!

[And he's dragging Qinghua to a booth.]

[nosediving]

[This is so much. He has no choice but to sit, and he repeatedly glances in Indulgence's direction on the way to a booth.]

G-Great Indulgence, there is nothing to want for. The temple provides all that Qinghua could ever need. But if I must, some tea would be good . . .

WEEK 4

[divus]

[Ambition appears in the altar room, leaning against the doorframe.]

Choosing me was the smart choice. Good job.

[yikes]

[nosediving]

[He wants to cry. Inwardly, he does.]

Great Ambition, since the timing is better now, I would like to hear about your motivations. How does your vision for the world differ from the rest of the great gods?

WEEK 5

[divus]

[She already chased after him with weapons a few times



Okay no it was more like hand to hand combat and practice dodging, but. right now? right now it's relaxation time in the beauty salon. The first thing he'll notice is that her mask is off, sitting on the table next to a bowl of... some kind of goop. She's leaning back in a chair, relaxing, a skin treatment mask of that same goop on her face and her long blonde hair pulled up into a high ponytail.

She waves a hand at him when she hears his footsteps.]

Sit down and help yourself. Today is skincare day.

[nosediving]

[His heart skips several beats when he spies the mask lying on the table. What's this! Ambition is baring her face? After a whole week and a half of tormenting him in the armory, is she rewarding him for his hard work at last? He snaps his head up to sneak a glance—holy shit.

He likes her face better with a mask on. In other words, no face is terrifying but good. That goop doesn't look natural at all!

Schooling his features into a small smile, Shang Qinghua shuffles inside and slowly lowers himself onto the nearest seat he can find.]

Great Ambition, I don't know how to apply any of this on myself . . . Besides that, is skincare really that important for someone like me?

WEEK 5

[divus]

[Wherever he is near the tail end of the day on Sunday, Ambition will ambush him.]

We need to talk strategy. You've got time, right?

[nosediving]

[Why is she like this? Why do the people he ultimately aligns himself with always appear out of nowhere?]

What can I do for you, Great Ambition?

[Even if he's going to be more honest now, he hasn't yet kicked the habit of using titles.]

[divus]

[pretend I'm using icons with her face in them I can't get them from mobile




anyway Ambition is absolutely stress-eating the brownies in the beauty salon when he comes in. She gestures for him to take a seat.]

Ugh, that was painful to watch.

[nosediving]

[Painful to watch, so how painful does she think it was for him to be in the midst of it?

He sits down.]

They really did go after us. Is the plan going to be all right?

WEEK 6, POST TRIAL

[divus]

[Disorder, in the kitchen, is just putting a kettle of water on the stove. She turns when Shang Qinghua enters, and sighs.]

Oh, poor thing. You must be so rattled after a hard day. Please sit down and take it easy.

[nosediving]

[With a nervous smile, he considers sitting, but stops just short of doing so.]

Compared to the others, I haven't nearly gone through as much. Can I help, Great Disorder?

WEEK 7

[divus]

[Having never spoken before, Justice seems to be a little nervous when Shang enters the lab.]

Um...h...hello!

[nosediving]

[What is a child? After what this one allegedly did to Sasuke in a fit of grief, Shang Qinghua is a little afraid to put himself within those short arms' reach. He's not a ninja! He could get snapped in half!]

Great Justice, is the curd to your liking? Since this is the first time we're meeting like this, I was unsure of what to put in the bowl. If the offering is inadequate, Qinghua will go back and make something else.

[Are you a picky child? Please don't be picky.]

WEEK 7

[divus]

[Well.

This is something of a surprise, but here they are. Sincerity waits for him in the costume hall, and raise a hand in greeting when he arrives.]

Yo.

[nosediving]

[Yo . . . He gives a rigid nod in response.]

Great Sincerity, I've been meaning to see you since Nito Senri suggested a meeting. It's been a few weeks since then, but now seemed like a better time than never.

[It's that accursed rule. This late into the contest, what's the point of introducing relatively new NPCs to him? He's pretty sure that, if he were to turn his back on Ambition now of all times, she'd personally maim him, rip an eye and tongue out, and leave him hanging from the ceiling like a human stick. Alas, he hates certain punishment more than the possibility of one.]

WEEK 7, SUNDAY

[divus]

[Hello, SQH! Ion is in the chapel, enjoying the very last day of his wing. He has the sunflower that was sent to him held in his hands, and smiles widely.]

It's so good to see you again! Welcome! Please, tell me how you've been?

[nosediving]

[Walking over, Shang Qinghua smiles. The expression doesn't reach his eyes.

He rather likes the chapel, so he's glad that they're meeting here. It calms his nerves, and right now he's a ball of them.]

As you can see, I'm still in one piece. Great Piety, how do you feel about tomorrow?