13213/Magical wildlife in the Park

Magical wildlife in the Park
Date of Scene:	29 October 2022
Location:	Central Park
Synopsis:	Cain and Saeko meet, chat, and talk about how offerings work.
Cast of Characters:	Saeko, Cain Marko

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Saeko has posed:
The city had been through a lot, many times over. Battles of mystic creatures, Angels and demons, supervillains, zombies...so much more. But the park still stood and within its depths? A small, modest wooden shrine donated decades ago by a cultural group from the Japanese population within the city. A bench, a small clearing, there wasn't much to it...and yet it seemed well maintained. Perhaps word had been getting out about it...or maybe something else had it cared for.

Whatever the cause, the space wasn't unoccupied. Instead a young dark-haired girl rested lounging on the bench, a lolipop of all things casually in her mouth. Of course, it had been an offering from a visitor, but that didn't make it any less appreciated as the child was certainly left with blessing of good fortune.

And it was strawberry too!

With her more foxy features hidden, Saeko simply looked like an admittedly still amazingly beautiful but otherwise 'normal' human.

Cain Marko has posed:
Though 'amazingly beautiful' is a high bar for people who run in super heroic circles. Average there would be a ten for most people. Cain is... not. Going by the face at least, he's pretty normal looking. Brutish even. He still stands out, just because he's currently around seven feet tall, and built like one of the trees around the park. Maybe a bit sturdier. He's wandering around the park, looking to fill his waking hours. Which is all of them. His steps solid, where you wouldn't be surprised if those big feet left behind footprints on the stone path. He decides to take a route not normal for him today, turning deeper into the park.

He eventually notices a bench. Well, normally it wouldn't stand out to him. It's just a bench. But considering who's currently sitting on it, it's more eye catching. He stops a distance away from where the disguised fox is eating her candy, studying her curiously. Being stared at by somebody like him can come across as threatening, though there's no actual hostility in that gaze. He just looks like he should be angry most of the time.

Saeko has posed:
It was perhaps just the nature of kitsune as they grew. A kitsune of about 300 years old had the appearence of a youthful beauty, by the time they were a Tenko? They were more of an intoxicating, insatiable vixen....divine beings were strange like that. Lazily relaxing in the hour of the day and the peace of the space it was rather hard to miss the arrival of the titanic footsteps, a tilt of her head and a little turn of her gaze before she lifts a hand to offer a lazy finger wave.

He certainly could and likely did seem threatening, but Saeko? She seemed completely unbothered!

Cain Marko has posed:
Cain just looks at her for a time, before finally returning the wave from the kitsune with a nod. "Hello, darlin." The big man moves closer to her. Solid as his step might be, he's not as noisy as you'd expect for his size. Maybe he's learned to step more carefully over the years. He stops a few feet away. Not close, not far. Somehow still managing to loom despite being somewhat away from her. He glances around, then adds, "Waitin for somebody?" His voice is as deep as you'd expect from his overall build. More on the rough side. The big mans arms crossed over over his broad chest.

Saeko has posed:
A little shake of her head at that, the girl swings her legs around so she was sitting rather than lounging. With her knees together the girl removes the lollipop from her mouth to speak. "Not really, just relaxing and enjoying the space..." she muses before tilting her head to the side as her gaze was pulled considerably upwards. "What about you? Come to make an offering to Inari?"

Cain Marko has posed:
The big mans eyes narrow into a squint at her words, and he thinks for a time "...did I come to what?" Clearly not up on his Japanese culture. His tone is confused. He makes his way over to the bench, and casually sits down on it. Well, also carefully. Making sure that it won't just collapse under his weight. He actually weighs more than he looks like he should. And he already looks like he should weigh a lot. If this is somehow rude or a taboo or something like that, clearly he's unaware of it.

Saeko has posed:
Thankfully enough, the bench was made of solid wood and concrete supports...so -maybe- it has a chance, still she does at least scootch over to give him space. Which translates to her sitting on the edge of the bench while she offers a soft giggle, lifting a hand to point towards the wooden shrine the bench faced and the carved fox at its center.

"Inari, the goddess of prosperity, wealth, Joy, creativity and fortune..." she offers lightly, counting off on her fingers and the giggling. "All the things that make life better."

Cain Marko has posed:
Cain frowns a little at the explanation from the younger-looking woman, studying the fox shrine. "Hnnh. I'm sure they've got some sorta angle on the whole thing. Gods are assholes." Not 'I don't believe in that sort of thing.' "Probably better off not messing with it." His lips twitch a little. "I can think of some other things that make life better though." His attention turns back to the shrine fox next to him. "So what's your name?" Blue eyes peering down at her curiously. Maybe also checking her out because, well. He is a guy. And she looks like that.

Saeko has posed:
That comment brings a little laugh from the girl, a shrug of her shoulders as she looks back from the shrine to Cain himself. "Depends on the god I suppose. They can be as different and diverse as human beings it seems." Still she trails off, another little taste of the candy before it's held lightly in her fingers. "Saeko," she offers in introduction, gesturing to herself. "If not for the shrine, are you lost...or was it you looking to meet someone?"

Cain Marko has posed:
Cain lets out a snort at that observation. "Most humans are assholes too." It's hard to miss the fact this human might be a tad jaded. He lets out a deep grunt at her name and nods. "Cain." Then a huge shoulder rises and falls. "Just out for a walk. Not looking for anything in particular. Bored. Meeting people can be okay, depending." His lips twitch again. "Lookers like you I certainly never mind running into."

Saeko has posed:
Jaded indeed, Saeko gives a little twirl of the stick that supported the candy she'd been working away at before taking one last lick and then an audible crunch signals the end to it's existance. "And yet you seem in such a foul mood! Anyone would think you'd had a rough 'week' Cain..."

Cain Marko has posed:
Cain shakes his head. "Nah. My mood is fine. I just know how the world works. It's rough. People are out for themselves. There's assholes wherever you look. Some people are alright though. Not a lot, but some." He tilts his head to the side. "Anyway. You asked why I'm here. What about you? You here to worship the... Eneary? Or just needed a place to relax while you ate your candy?"

Saeko has posed:
"Enough people?" she offers lightly, folding her hands in her lap as they spoke and smirking a little at Cain's question, leaning forwards lightly. "I suppose I -was- here meeting people," she grins, lifting one hand to gesture to herself. "Because now I've met you!"

Still grinning, there was a shake of Saeko's head. "Something like that, it's a place I can often be found..."

Cain Marko has posed:
Cain considers. "...I dunno. It would be nice if there were more. But I'm not gonna expect something like that." He reaches out a big hand towards her, and lightly flicks her nose. "You did. Of course, I'm an asshole too. So I wonder which of us got the better end of that." Seems he's self aware! Or maybe he just has some self loathing, who knows. "Mmm. So I take it you believe in this stuff then. Can often be found, huh?" He gives her a small smile. "I'll have to stop by occasionally the. You seem nice enough." He reflexively glances over her body. Again, he's a guy. Also ninety years old. "Maybe we'll run into each other somewhere else sometime."

Saeko has posed:
Fair being fair, as a Tenko she was -far- older than him, yet neither of them looked the part. Still she did smirk a little at the question of her belief, the little 'flick' bringing a little laugh and mock-gasp from the girl before she makes to stand and walk until she was standing in front of him rather than sitting beside him, yet it was likely his height was still greater than hers, especially when she leans forwards.

"Why shouldn't you believe in it? Gods walk this city, titans and champions rest in towers, flying men and magical beings quite readly could be found hidden away enjoying a coffee next to you and you could never know it. What's so strange about the Amatsu-kami or their divine spirits hiding a place away right here for those who might seek a blessing or fortune?"

Cain Marko has posed:
Cain chuckles a little, then sobers up when she starts to talk again. "Mmmm. True enough. Who knows. Maybe I'm one of those flying men or magical beings. Maybe I'm some famous criminal. It could be dangerous for you to be talking with me like this. Who can tell." He reaches out again, and lightly rests his big hand on the top of her head, lightly rubbing. "Blessing or fortune though. That does sound nice. I still doubt they don't get anything in return, though. What's their side of the whole thing?"

Saeko has posed:
"Offerings," she speaks lightly, giving a little laugh at the pat and ruffle on her head before stepping back and beckoning him to follow her towards the altar while she explained. "Traditionally, at least in Japan, people often left food, a special type of sushi, sake or money...but it's not about that. It's about giving something to show need, worthiness, favor." Sure enough, she'd more than once offered aid for things as simple as a sweets, or a lift home, or even once she'd teleported someone home in return for brushing her hair for her.

Cain Marko has posed:
The big mercenary just looks at her for a few seconds before standing up with a grunt and following her. He makes his way over to the shrine in question, and peers down at the stone fox. He doesn't say anything for some time, just standing there. Finally he sighs, then says, "Maybe I'll do that sometime. For now though, I should probably get going. It was nice meeting you, Saeko." He pats her head briefly again, "You seem like a nice enough kid. Be careful hanging around alone in the park, though. You really could run into somebody you shouldn't out here." Then he turns, and starts away from the shrine.