Funeral for the Denizens of Yiling

[yinyangwizard]

The plain non-denominational chapel next to the library has been transformed into a small Buddhist temple. A large statue of Amitābha Buddha sits on the altar, flanked by vases of flowers and with a small censer full of sandalwood burning before it. Some platters with fruit offerings have also been placed on the altar are four little memorial tablets: one for Wei Ying, one for Wen Ning, one for Wen Qing, and one that says simply "The Wen family," in the manner of an ancestral tablet.

The walls are hung with saffron drapery. Between the drapes and in the rafters are polished brass lanterns shaped like lotus flowers. The wooden pews are set with red cushions, on which are little paper books titled The Smaller Sukhavativyuha Sutra.

When the funeral rites are finished and the mourners return to the main bar, they will find other changes. One of the booths has been turned into a sort of small family shrine that holds the memorial tablets of the recently deceased and a brazier for burning spirit money. There is also a table where mourners can do various things to transfer merit to the deceased and help provide them with a good rebirth. A couple of large tables have been set with food and drink for the funeral guests.

[OOC: This is structured like an All Skate or party post, in which there are multiple top-level tags for different areas and activities. The ceremony in the chapel is only the beginning.]

[Tinytag: Inspector Zenigata]

[Tinytag: Wormwood]

[Tinytag: Jin Guangyao]

[Tinytag: Phoenix Wright]

[Tinytag: Jonathan Sims]

Comments

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[mogget_cat]

"The Clayr often live to a great age, well over a hundred. Perspectives change, earthly ties loosen," mwrrs the cat, leaning its soft-furred forehead against Jin Guangyao's chin. "You are young, yet, in the thick of it."

"...If it helps, the Clayr are often aggravatingly serene."

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[hat_and_dimples]

Jin Guangyao chuckles, still a bit uncertainly, and strokes the cat on his arm. "I know what you mean by that," he says.

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[mogget_cat]

"Do you?" The cat with its soft and pristine white fur looks up at Jin Guangyao, green eyes guileless and wide. Familiar with the temptation to ruffle feathers? Who, him?

Couldn't be.

But color him curious, all the same.

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[hat_and_dimples]

"Some of the more otherworldly Lan disciples fit that description quite well," Jin Guangyao says. "Especially where their rules are concerned. At least I have a jade token now, so I don't have to argue with the gate guards any more when I spontaneously want to go see my friend Lan Xichen."

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[mogget_cat]

"Very handy, that," mwrrs the cat. "What is he like, your friend Lan Xichen? My exposure to Lan disciples and their ways has been quite limited."

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[hat_and_dimples]

"He is -- oh, I don't know where to start," Jin Guangyao says. "He is clever and serene (but in the right way), and warm and genuinely kind and breathtakingly beautiful and -- lots of things I should probably not say out loud because I'd sound as if I was insanely smitten."

And if the one he's talking to wasn't a cat at the moment, Jin Guangyao probably wouldn't have said any of these things to begin with.

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[mogget_cat]

"There sometimes exists a rare soul who can make it worth being smitten," purrs the cat, green eyes mostly closed.

He knows it, too.

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[hat_and_dimples]

"He is a very rare soul," Jin Guangyao says. "And I am glad to be his friend. I get to see him rarely enough as it is, but without him, I would lose my mind in the viper pit that is Golden Koi Tower."

Better just call him a friend; the Jin would look very much askance at the hint it might be anything more. But there is a lot of feeling in Jin Guangyao's voice.

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[mogget_cat]

"What a gift, then, to see him when you do," purrs the cat.

"Friendship is odd, though, isn't it?" it muses. "Its bonds are strong, and from the outside seem like they would weigh heavy on the spirit, but such binding is light, and often a joy to carry."

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[hat_and_dimples]

Jin Guangyao nods and keeps stroking the cat. "There's that point where the bonds carry you, rather than the other way around, when you feel like acting against your own best interests for the sake of your friend."

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[mogget_cat]

"Yes, that part," admits the thing that is not a cat, but nevertheless chooses to be soft, and purr. "It is an alien feeling to me."

Against his nature.

But then, much of what is Yrael - who is more Mogget than even he can be sure of - is counter to his original nature.

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[hat_and_dimples]

"An alien feeling," Jin Guangyao murmurs, "that feels so good when they look at you with grateful astonishment, you'll do it again just for that alien feeling."

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[mogget_cat]

The small thing with fur gives a slow, contented blink, the purr a steady thrum of background noise. "True enough," it admits.

Just one of the many new experiences Milliways has given him.

"It is easy enough to rationalize - ah, it makes me feel good to make them feel good, so in that way I am still serving my own interests..."

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[hat_and_dimples]

Jin Guangyao gives a little chuckle. "I guess it's a good reason for a cat," he says, "and I guess I'm a lot like a cat in that respect."

Wouldn't it be nice, he thinks for a moment, to spend a lifetime as Lan Xichen's cat?

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[mogget_cat]

"It is sometimes a good thing to be," approves the thing shaped like a cat, twisting around onto its back in Jin Guangyao's loose hold, its soft, pink-bean forepaws folded against its chest. "Much easier than being human, though thumbs are handy."

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[hat_and_dimples]

Jin Guangyao enjoys the privilege of running his hand through the white fur on the not!cat's chest and touching the pink toe-pads.

"Yes, it would be so relaxing to be a cat, at least for a while," he muses. "Life as me is stressful."

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[mogget_cat]

The cat purrs, green eyes half-closed.

"...would you want to?"

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[hat_and_dimples]

"For a while? Of course!"

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[mogget_cat]

"I could make for you a Charter Skin that would give you the shape and appearance of a cat for a day or two," offers the small white cat, softly. "You would still be you, and could still speak and be understood by others. Should you wish to."

A non-zero percent of the perks of the shape is not having to talk, if one doesn't want to.

Sometimes you get cuddled and sleepy poetry from overtired necromancers.

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[hat_and_dimples]

"You would do that for me?" Jin Guangyao says, eyes huge with wonder.

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[mogget_cat]

"Yes," Yrael says plainly, blinking green eyes at him, soft ears perked and curious.

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[hat_and_dimples]

"Just like that," Jin Guangyao murmurs. "That is -- thank you."

Jin Guangyao had to fight teeth and nails for everything good he has in his life, and even if that good came on its own, he has a somewhat transactional view of it. He tries to keep being useful, but what use has a small murderous spreadsheet-maker to powerful cat god?

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[mogget_cat]

"It will be a new experience," Yrael assures him, leaning into Jin Guangyao's hand. "And experiences one would not otherwise have the opportunity to have... are to me one of the most important things Milliways offers its patrons."

He is merely helping his chosen home fulfill its function.

It is easy to rationalize.

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[hat_and_dimples]

Jin Guangyao's fingers keep burrowing in the white fur.

"It will be an experience that nobody from my world shares," he says, softly. "Even if somebody was a cat in a past life, they weren't themselves then."

Re: The Spirit Money Brazier

[mogget_cat]

"No, just you," mwrrs the cat.

But whyever would someone be such a bad cat as to be demoted into being a human in their next life?

"Do people in your world remember their past lives?" he asks after a moment, ears twitching upright with genuine curiosity.