video; un: yomiko

[blackwaterchild]

[She appears on the network wearing a pair of white cat ears, brandishing a sort of princess wand, which she uses for emphasis as she talks]

Hey. Name's Miu, I'm an actress, and I'm here to tell you that if I see a single one of you wearing a spooky monster costume that ends up stuck in said costume and/or acting more and more like the monster come Halloween, I will beat you with this princess wand.

Don't do it. Stick to cute or easy costumes and stay away from those stupid ugly masks! I've seen enough movies to know that's a stupid idea and if you do it anyway I get the exclusive right to say 'I told you so!' super mockingly next month.

[She clears her throat and sits back] Now then, the important question:

Sexy angel, or sexy cat? I can't decide if I like the idea of having wings more, or a cute tail and ears.

[She looks between two generic costumes like it's the most important and confounding decision of her life.]

Comments

[thefreak]

( When Miu mentions the possibility of the candy being tainted, Eddie gives her a scandalized look. ) You did not just manifest that into being.

( Then she goes on to talk about Japan and he appears to lean closer, clearly interested in hearing more about these cultural differences. ) Oh really? Do you have anything similar you celebrate, or is the end of October just...a regular day for you guys?

[blackwaterchild]

[She snickers and holds her hands up as if in surrender] Look, if they mess with the candy I'll take some untainted ones from my friend's stash to give to you.

[She's actually kind of surprise no one's asked her that yet, but she leans in and considers it]

Mm, not at the end of October like you guys. A lot of Western customs float over, so it's sort of celebrated? People do parties and dress up all spooky, but it's not really the same.

We have obon though. People go back home and clean off the Ancestral shrines, give offerings. Our ancestors are supposed to return to the world of the living for a few days, so it's a time to honor them. There's all sorts of huge dances and bonfires.

[She thinks about it a little more and then offers:] But, October in Japan is also traditionally called Kaminazuki, or 'The Month Without Gods' because supposedly all the gods meet at the Izumo shrine so the rest of the country is empty of them.

[thefreak]

Really? You'd share with me? ( Eddie's whole demeanor lightens up at that. It isn't that often that people just willingly share like that, especially with him. He's still getting used to people being nice to him without already being his friend for a long time.

And then, the mood shifts a little when she starts describing the differences between the two cultures. He looks engrossed in her explanation and nods along to show that he's following. )

It's interesting how much overlap there is with the whole spirits thing. But I kind of like your version. I think I've had enough scary stuff to last me a lifetime. I’d much rather spend some time honoring the people who came before us.

[blackwaterchild]

Sure, why not. I should watch my figure anyhow. [Not that it matters much here anyhow, but still.

She leans back in her seat, sighing a little] Right? I've been seeing ghosts since I was a kid, so it's nice to be somewhere where I'm not seeing them everywhere I turn here. But if I had to, I'd rather meet nice ones...

But, Japan also has a lot of yokai-- Demons and such. Pretty much anything you can think of can be haunted or turn into a demon and cause trouble. Mostly it's just about being polite to them though... Even demons will likely back down if you're respectful and super polite.

[thefreak]

( Eddie lets out a loud laugh at that and makes a big show about looking down at himself and his svelte figure. ) Yeah, I think that makes two of us.

( He's teasing, though the lightheartedness fades a little when she admits to seeing ghosts since she was a kid. )

I can't say I have. Seen ghosts, that is. But I've seen my fair share of shit that makes me wish ghosts were the worst thing that I’ve seen.

( If only the power of politeness could have combated the demons Eddie and the gang had been up to...then again, Vecna was hardly a demon. Although Eddie didn't know the full story, he knew enough to conclude that he had been a man once before the Upside Down consumed the last shreds of humanity. )

Never heard of being polite to a demon, ( Eddie replies, finally. ) I'll have to keep that in my back pocket if I ever come face to face with one.