You’re in the slums of Orario, making your way through the winding streets and the many houses that made up the slums. Some were in a state of disrepair while others were just shabby looking. The street lights dimly lit up the area as dusk approached. There were a few people out and about too, though no one really maintained eye contact with one another. Truthfully, you had no idea where you were going. It had been a long day and you wanted to relax. You thought a walk would help you, but now you don’t know where you were. The streets formed a sort of maze as the houses towered over you. You could only let out a huff of breath as you continued to wander. Something caught your eye and you turned to look at the sign. It looked to be a tea house, the sign reading “Sweet Leaves Tea House.” You couldn’t help but be curious about it. What was a tea house doing in the heart of the slums? Wouldn’t it get more customers if they opened somewhere else, like the trading district? But then again, they would have a lot of competition if they did and might run out of business. Pushing your thoughts aside, you decided to enter the tea house. The door hit against a wind chime, signaling your arrival. “Just a moment!” someone called out. You waited a few moments before a bald young man came towards you. “Welcome, welcome. Have a seat,” he said, ushering you to one of the tables. You were given a menu as you sat down. “Take your time, we have a variety of drinks here. Mostly different kinds of tea.” You took a moment to look out the menu before saying what you wanted while pointing at the selection. He nodded. “Alright, I’ll go make it right away.” He headed back into the back, presumably into a kitchen of some sort. You decided to take a look around while he was preparing your tea. The whole place had wood furnishings to it, with the wood floor creaking slightly. There were a few decorations hanging on the walls, a sword here, a mask there. Near the back you could see a pagoda that shined with a warm light. You couldn’t help but have your gaze linger on it before looking around some more. A man had gotten up and started to leave the shop, leaving an empty cup and tips. When he left, you realized you were alone. It seemed like few people knew of this place after all, how was it able to keep afloat? You had no idea. The wait took some time, but eventually the bald man came back with a steaming cup of tea. “Here you go,” he said, gently putting the saucer the teacup was on down, “Careful, it’s hot.” You nodded and took the cup, blowing onto it a little before taking a sip. It was well made and didn’t taste like leaf juice. You couldn’t help but let out a sigh of satisfaction as the man smiled. “Enjoying it?” You nodded. “Thank you. Er, is it alright if I sit here for a moment?” You were a little put off by the strange request but he seemed harmless so you let him. The man sat down and stretched in his seat. “It’s been a long day, hasn’t it?” he asked, “Not just for me, but for you too.” Startled, you asked him how he knew. He let out a chuckle. “You looked tired when you came in. Something on your mind?” You pondered on what to say next. Would you want to tell him of any problems you had today? Or maybe you could ask him how his day has been. Either way, you began a conversation with the man before you. You couldn’t really remember what was said as the two of you chatted. Sometimes he would give a nod of understanding while other times he made a noise as if he was thinking about something. When it was his turn to speak, he would talk in a calm manner. You felt like he had a lot of time on his hands, talking to a random stranger like you. Still, it was a fulfilling evening. “You know, I always wondered what it was like to have a familia,” he said suddenly, “I’ve seen the other gods with them and they seem to be happy with them.” You couldn’t help but notice him say “other gods.” You decided to ask him about it, only to get the shock of your life. “Yes, I am a god,” he answered, giving a wry smile at your bewildered expression, “Not exactly well known, compared to the others from different pantheons. But I digress. My name is Bishamonten and I’m one of the Seven Lucky Gods that are a part of my pantheon.” He shrugged like it was no big deal. “It may seem strange, but I do love the close knit familias out there, it intrigues me.” You asked if he had a familia. “No, I do not. I wish to start one sometime, though.” You couldn’t help but be curious about his motive, so you asked him. “As I said before, I admire smaller familias for their closeness with each other. I wish to have one that could bond with each other like that.” He chuckled a little. “Though I’m not sure if they’ll help me run this tea house, I’m not giving it up that easily.” Bishamonten glanced out the window. “It’s getting late, you should return home,” he said. You jolted in realization that it was pretty late and got up quickly. You fished through your pockets to pay for the drink as he said what its price was and left some tips for him. He smiled in gratitude. “Thank you, and it was nice talking to you. I do hope we meet again someday.” You nod and exit the tea house, feeling a little bit better than when you first came in.
