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[StormLord]

Spicy HG, Mitsurugi, Lyra

"I--"  Spicy HG started to say something just as Lyra walked up and interjected.  She paused, glancing to the side and raising an eyebrow before returning to look at Mitsu.

"I'll be quick then I guess.  I uhh, cleared out one of the rooms down the hall.  Built some pedestals for shrines and put one of my own in there.  I thought we could use it as a pantheon for any deities in the group, or ones being followed.  I know we've got at least three or four of us around."

[Chevaleresse]

Spicy HG, Mitsurugi, Lyra

"I see." She gave a small nod of thanks to the other goddess. "This coincides with efforts of my own. I thank you. Speaking of." She shifted her attention to Lyra, golden gaze resting with its usual dour calm on the contractor. "I have largely completed my preparations, so ask of me as you will."

[AzyWng]

Spicy HG, Mitsurugi, Lyra

Lyra nodded, trying to think of her first questions. She figured she may as well start with what she wanted to know most of all - what Mitsurugi did.

"Mitsurugi. You've told me that you were a goddess of disasters and a guardian spirit. What kinds of disasters, exactly, and how did you protect people?" Lyra knew that she was likely to bring up bad memories with her line of questioning - but how else was she to better understand the person she would be serving? The contractor also considered asking Mitsurugi about the brief prayer she'd made earlier, but thought better of it, at least for the moment. No sense getting off track right away...

[Chevaleresse]

Spicy HG, Mitsurugi, Lyra

It was a good question. It was also one that had been the bane of her, in some ways. "To understand this, you must understand what the gods are. Mankind has sought to conquer nature itself, but before this endeavor, they recognized that they had intermediaries to treat with it. My domain is nature's wrath; storms, quakes, volcanoes. A part of the natural cycle often dreaded and feared. They must be unleashed, but I can prevent them from crushing a village. . . or ensure they smash an invader.

Of course, I offer more mundane protections. I can offer small blessings of good fortune, warding off evil spirits and impurities." She watched Lyra, curious to see how she responded. The woman was practically minded; it was one thing to promise devotion, but another to actually open your heart to a higher power.

[AzyWng]

Spicy HG, Mitsurugi, Lyra

"Storms, huh?" Lyra, for the first time in a long time, thought of Fiasco and the Sleepers. How the remnants of a battered fleet had been finished off in an electrical storm. Was that the working of some deity? And, for that matter, what would Mitsurugi even think if Lyra told her any of this? "So, you... used to protect places from disasters like that by destroying hostile forces and redirecting them? Is that what gods do? Protect and serve humanity?" Lyra half-considered asking Mitsurugi what happened, but... no. Mitsurugi hadn't tried to pry into Lyra's own past. That could come later.

[Chevaleresse]

Spicy HG, Mitsurugi, Lyra

"Not all of them are so benevolent, but as a whole, yes. Appease the gods and give us proper respect, and we shall protect you from ill fates and withhold the ones we have the power to inflict." She paused for a moment, considering her words. "Many believe that humans serve the gods, and that is true in many respects, but we would not exist without the faith of humanity. Ultimately, a god is a greater power created by the collective of humanity to make intractable, unknowable things into something comprehensible, something that can hear your words and act upon them with caring."

"I personally preferred to avoid large-scale intervention. Too often already was I branded a demon of destruction, but there were times where invoking nature's power was needed to guard my chosen people.  Otherwise, I would simply try to mediate natural calamity. A storm that lasts for a week will be miserable - but a storm that expends all that fury in a single night will be fatal. Do you understand?"

[AzyWng]

Spicy HG, Mitsurugi, Lyra

"I think so, yes. better that it happen slowly and eventually pass than it occur all at once and cause destruction." Lyra thought for a moment. "So, does this mean followers might still suffer some of the effects of a disaster? Because..." Lyra tried to come up with a way to put it tactfully. "That sounds like it's going to be a hard sell to people, honestly..." Trying to change the subject, the contractor asked, "So... what are evil spirits?"

[StormLord]

Spicy HG, Mitsurugi, Lyra

Spicy HG watched the conversation unfold, listing as Lyra and Mitsurugi went back and forth.  At least until her eyes found there way to the bracelet on Lyra's arm.  A glaring chunky thing only one Goddess she knew of would wear, and oozing traces of Lastation just the same as that Goddess no less.

"You must've been on the group that went to my world!"

Spicy HG gasped and her eyes popped open in surprise at how her internal monologue had escaped.  She shifted awkwardly for a second.

"I uhh...sorry for interrupting.  I just noticed the bracelet and then my mouth moved before my brain engaged."

[Chevaleresse]

Spicy HG, Mitsurugi, Lyra

The outburst drew a sharp look from the goddess, though her expression returned to its normal dreary serenity once an apology was made. As the matter was addressed, she returned her eyes to her would-be miko. "Many mortals are too shortsighted to see what is beneficial to them. It is how a being such as myself ended in this sorry state." She tried to force the bitterness back down for her answer to Lyra's actual question. "Evil spirits can be many things. Lingering souls, coalesced impurities, kami angered by deep neglect, or the avatars of fear and superstition themselves: the youkai. Each represents a threat to both the hearts and bodies of man. One of the primary duties of any miko is performing rituals to banish and ward away entities such as these."

[AzyWng]

Spicy HG, Mitsurugi, Lyra

Lyra raised an eyebrow at the other woman's interjection. "You recognize my bracelet? Huh." Immediately, she was reminded of her shameful behavior back then. Why had she been such a hardass and incompetent? Well, no time to contemplate her failures further. "I came across a blueprint for it, and managed to find the materials, too, and after that..." She just shrugged. "Adding the Sharicite just seemed like the next step. I haven't had much chance to test it out in a fight, though..."

Turning to Mitsurugi, the contractor said, "Anyway, you said you'd mostly completed those preparations, right? Does that mean you can teach me a ritual, like one of those for evil spirits?"

[StormLord]

Spicy HG, Mitsurugi, Lyra

Spicy HG gives a closed smile and turns back to Mitsurugi.
"Well I think you made a good choice with this one, she's already proven she can manipulate the raw faith into form and function."
She glanced back to Lyra.
"I'm sure you'll do well.  And speaking of getting to other things I need to track down the other deities in the party."
She offers a short bow to each of Lyra and Mitsurugi before starting to step away.

[Chevaleresse]

Spicy HG, Mitsurugi, Lyra

Mitsurugi returned the bow to Spicy at the exact same depth, not letting her slight annoyance at Lyra receiving the same show. She answered the woman's question after she straightened, glancing back toward the room she'd just come from. "I can. This ritual is meant to be specific to myself. It is a departure from many traditional ones, but I believe one personally delivered from me to you will be more effective. Other rituals will be simpler, and I can show you those after we have completed this one."

[AzyWng]

Spicy HG, Mitsurugi, Lyra

Lyra returned the bow the red-haired woman gave her, then nodded at Mitsurugi's instructions. "All right. What do I need to do for this one?" Again, Lyra felt an unpleasant pressure. She still hadn't done anything yet. Nothing for it but to proceed.

[Chevaleresse]

Mitsurugi, Lyra

"Come." Mitsurugi turned her body to match her gaze and walked back through the door she'd come from. Inside, Lyra would find a large, but mostly barren room, save for a low table and some cushions near the back wall. The table held what appeared to be a full tea set - where it came from, she had no idea. "Are you familiar with either tea ceremonies or kagura?"

[AzyWng]

Mitsurugi, Lyra

Lyra followed the goddess inside, taking a brief glance around. Looked... oddly featureless save for the table and tea set. Something about it unsettled the contractor...

Looking over at the collection of odd-looking pots, Lyra shook her head. "No, I'm afraid..."