GODLY AUDIENCES - TAKAOMI SHISHIMARU

[divus]

Comments

[divus]

Yeah. I thought maybe this was another chance to try and fix things. They were doing fine without me, and I already told them a while ago that I wasn't going to be a good fit.

So. Now you know. I'm not sure I deserve to be a god either, but I wasn't about to say no when given the chance.

[bakaomi]

... I think you're doing fine.

[ taka can't say he's doing amazing because honestly he has no idea how gods work outside of the context of this specific game, but

it took another god hitting zero followers for him to even entertain the thought of switching from merriment. ]

[divus]

Hah...thanks kiddo. I'm trying. [Which is also why it's important to him that Taka tries. He looks back toward the window though.] I've got a lot to learn from these guys even if I've been doing this kind of thing for longer than they have.

[A pause.] ...but I did get some of my memories back. That's how I created my wing last week.

[bakaomi]

Your sister, right?

[ who he was also. previously vague on outside of admitting that it was her voice and that she was safe. ]

[divus]

Yeah. I had a family once including a little sister. We lived in a village and I even had friends. We used to play a lot of games and in the winter we'd go skating on a pond not far from our house.

[Why is he telling Taka this...]

[bakaomi]

[ because they're bonding shut up

but that does make him pause ]

Pond...

[divus]

Yup. [Yup.] It used to get really cold during those months, so it'd freeze over pretty well...but we still had to watch for cracks.

[He'll just let Taka draw the conclusion for himself.]

[bakaomi]

[ ... yeah he thinks he gets it. ]

You said three hundred years?

[divus]

Something like that, give or take. [Sur...prise...]

[bakaomi]

I wondered about that since you always call me a kid, but you don't... sound very old?

[divus]

...I died when I was eighteen, I think, but when the man in the moon chose me I'm pretty sure he didn't change that part.

[bakaomi]

[ he blinks ]

... so you're permanently young?

[divus]

Yeah. I...wasn't exactly human before I chose to become Merriment. [...soooo...] But something like that. I looked about the same age in my memories as I do now.

[...] But anyway I mostly stick around a town in America. I've watched things changed and kept up with what I could over the years, but there's a lot I've missed out on because of that.

[bakaomi]

Was there a particularly reason you stayed there?

[divus]

It was the first place I remembered when I woke up, so I never felt like I needed to leave. I can get around pretty quick with the wind so it doesn't matter where I go. I can always come back.

[bakaomi]

That sounds...

[ neat? cool, maybe, who wouldn't want eternal life and cool powers.

... but merriment seems so sad. and taka isn't really the best person for this kind of thing, he thinks. ]

You said you had friends, in your old life. What about you?

[divus]

[Yeah, it's about then that he clues in he's still missing some really important clues.]

I used to play with the neighborhood kids whenever they were around. They're still about the right age that they can appreciate snow days. They just don't know it's because of me. [...] People can't see me, except for people like me.

[bakaomi]

[ ... oh

he's quiet for a moment. ]

Are the others invisible too?

[divus]

[A pause. It's not a reminder he's too fond of.]

People believe the others are real, so people--kids--can see them.

[bakaomi]

[ what i hate the most about this is that it's a very serious moment that is being severely interrupted by the involvement of the easter bunny ]

... we can see you now.

[divus]

[Look Bunny is doing his best?? Also out of context, yeah, the whole thing sounds really bizarre. There's a pause again before Merriment taps on his mask.]

Might just be because of this thing, Taka. I don't really know how it all works.

[bakaomi]

... I know you exist.

[divus]

[...]

...I want to try something then.

[bakaomi]

... ?

[ he just tilts his head ]

1/2

[divus]

[Merriment's going to kind of take a moment to assure himself this isn't going to end poorly, and his hands come up to start lowering the hood. For some reason, Taka will feel that the temperature begins to drop just a little, icy patterns etching themselves into the fabric thanks to Merriment's hands. With the hood down, his hands come back up and feel for the mask, slowly prying it off with his fingers before holding it in his lap and staring directly at Taka.]