thenearshore | [Closed] Agony's torn at the heart too long

[Kairi thankfully didn't have too much to worry about with regards to Chikusa's tranquilizer hurting the Soulless shinki girl, because it keeps her near the front entrance, and because the other Soulless apparently had enough of a gut instinct to stay away from blight itself, more so than they normally might have cared about their own wellbeing.

She sits on her knees a few yards away from the girl, with her Borderline between the two of them, holding her phone in one hand after having finished the call to Izumo.]

I don't know how this happened to you... but I swear I'll find the ayakashi that hurt you.

[There was no way that a Soulless could... feel guilt, right? As awful as the situation was to her that a shinki should be Soulless in the first place, she was all but convinced that this poor girl couldn't have felt nearly enough guilt - especially without a god around - to end up blighted like this.

She has to focus on the Borderline wall, though... Just in case. That's how the others will find her when they show up.]

[Unlike Kairi, Chikusa doesn't really care much about the soulless herself. He's thinking on larger terms, in place behind Kairi as he occasionally looks back to see if either Hakkai or Izumo have gotten here yet.]

I wonder if it was really an ayakashi.... And if it was, where it is now, and how much of a threat it is...

[Blight spreads, Hakkai knows: and once it's bad enough, it spreads quickly. He runs.

When he arrives, though, the young woman is still alive, despite the purple blight spreading across her skin and giving it the glistening texture of an ayakashi's body. Kairi is keeping her pinned behind a borderline, with Chikusa standing behind Kairi's shoulder.

He breathes deeply, and slows to a brisk walk as he crosses towards the two of them from the door.]

How is she doing?

[Izumo doesn't waste much time to head over to the temple.

(Whether or not he's aware Goten is following him isn't really much of a concern—Goten can handle himself.)

As soon as he arrives, he's quick to assess the situation, seeing the soulless shinki and the way the blight is slowly covering her body. He's quick to join the others. He tucks his hands into his pockets, suddenly craving for a cigarette.]

We'll need to get rid of that blight soon.

[With their meet up cut short, not by Izumo's work but from a call from Kairi, Goten can't help but be curious to what is going on especially with as quickly as Izumo departs. He should just go home to Aymeric but...what if Kairi or Izumo need help?

It's not long after that thought that he trails after Izumo, keeping high in the air.

It's upon arrival that Goten gapes down at the scene below him. Familiar faces, minus Chikusa, and a weird looking shinki girl on her knees looking worse for ware. How does she have so many eyeballs? He floats down, just over head of the group.]

That doesn't...look like any blight I've seen before!

[At first, all Kairi focuses on is standing up to address Hakkai.]

You'll have to talk to Chikusa about that - he knocked her out with something. If you know a ritual, we should be fine to do it right here. Luckily the other Soulless are-

[That's when Goten appears.]

GOTEN! No, you can't be here! Please, we got in enough trouble before! This is dangerous and we need to focus.

[She's about ready to call Nimbus and see if it'll listen to her to take Goten away.]

[Hakkai's arrival has Chikusa shifting to make room for the more experienced shinki, and there's only a passing glance at the person he assumes must be Izumo. He thinks he's seen him on the BBS.... Well. It doesn't really matter.]

It's not knocking out.... exactly... but it should have robbed her of energy.... [A considering tilt down of his head.] And possibly slowing the blight, but that.... might have just been wistful thinking. I didn't get close enough to really confirm it one way or the other...

[It'll sure as hell be useful if it's true, however.]

[Before he can do much else- such as ask Hakkai for clarification on the ritual he mentioned over the phone- Kairi is yelling and Chikusa takes a couple of shuffling steps away from her. Oh. So. The little kid isn't supposed to be here.]

[Goten is here? Following him or Izumo? Hakkai's not sure which, not having taken the time to ensure he wasn't being followed, but in either case, he doesn't trust the boy's borderline to hold up indefinitely, not yet. Goten can fight, though, and his chi attacks could be useful if this poor girl loses her battle. He sharpens his tone to cut through the sudden outburst of yelling.]

Goten. You will stay back and support us if we fail to cleanse her. Kairi, we don't have time for shouting. Have you tried cleansing her with water?

[It's bad, he thinks, looking at one of the eyes popping out on the girl's neck. It looks back at him, swivelling hungrily in its socket to rake across all five of the shinki standing near. It's much worse than any blight he's ever seen on himself, but part of her still remains herself. Perhaps, if it's just from an ayakashi attack, she can be saved without having to try an ablution.]

[Izumo doesn't seem to be as surprised as the others. Goten had been with him, and so the boy must've concluded something had happened enough to warrant him to follow Izumo.

He remains quiet all the same, glancing at Kairi briefly before he looks back at the young girl.

A slow blink and a dim red begins to appear around him.

If Kairi's borderline fails and Goten isn't quick enough, Izumo'll provide backup if needed.

He cranes his head though, glancing at Hakkai.]

Does anyone have water?

[Goten blinks, his shoulders dropping at Kairi's response to him arriving. He gets he shouldn't be there but is she still upset about that prayer? He fidgets a bit, unsure of what to do.]

But Kairi--

[Goten stops when Hakkai's stricter tone cuts in. Just the way the older shinki says his name snatches his full attention. He nods quickly to Hakkai's order. That's really all he can do because he's not about to argue with him. Nope, no way. But at least he gets to stay! So instead he floats a little more away from Kairi and closer to Izumo and Hakkai, still minding Hakkai's orders to stay back. With a bird's eye view he can see most of the soulless shinki's temple.]

There's a well on the other side of the entrance wall. If it's like other shrines, that should have holy water, right?

[Likewise, Kairi comes to attention when Hakkai puts his foot down. At least now if anyone asks why Goten was around to deal with this blight - and the possibility of killing a fellow shinki - she can try to explain Hakkai's role in taking their bickering out of the equation. She even knows some of what Goten's capable of. She's just hurt by the sheer proximity of 2 days ago's events.

All the same, Goten makes a fair point.]

I'll go look at the well.

[And off she goes around the corner, drawing a bucket of the water out of it and bringing the bucket - rope and all - out to where her Borderline remains. She would have thought it would be gone by now... but thoughts for later. She hands the bucket over to Hakkai.]

I was worried about getting too close, but if you want me to drop the wall I will - is this part of the ritual?

I have water, but it didn't seem like nearly enough...

[It's just a tiny bottle, on account that he's never really thought he'd have to use much.... This wasn't something planned.]

[But then, perhaps it's for the best to cute something off at the head before it has a chance to get any worse. As Kairi comes back, he raises an eyebrow at Hakkai.]

What is this ritual anyway...?

It's not. The ritual is called an ablution. [Hakkai takes the bucket as Kairi offers it to him, and circles to the side, watching the young soulless shinki coolly. She doesn't seem like she's about to attack. He nods at Kairi.]

Drop your borderline, please. I haven't performed one myself before, but we'll need three of us to cast borderlines around her so that they create a triangular prison.

[He hefts the bucket, waiting for Kairi's borderline to fall so that he can step forward and douse the soulless shinki.]

There's an incantation: This spirit of the deceased failed to devote herself to her god and protect the great name bestowed upon her. Wipe away her impurities and establish a bright, unbowed and correct soul without malicious intent. To purify her, we use this purification ceremony -- Imprison!

[The eyes twist in their sockets, and steam rises from the ayakashi-stained blight as the water strikes the young woman's skin. She screams, a warbling ayakashi tone doubling her human voice, and cringes back from Hakkai and his bucket.

The blight isn't gone.]

Well, I don't think we have a choice. I'll cast. Which of you think you can remember the entire incantation?

[He steps back from the stricken shinki, glancing to Kairi, Chikusa and Izumo in turn. Izumo, interestingly, is glowing just a little.]

[Izumo remains quiet throughout the ordeal. He doesn't really have much to say, but he listens to the incantation.

There's a steady gaze on the shinki as she practically tries to withdraw, perhaps to get away from the five of them.

Five shinki to handle a blighted soulless shinki, who is proving to be more of a threat, and Izumo breathes out, that red surrounding him disappearing, but the warmth that it gave off doesn't disappear.]

I can remember it. [He'll follow along with your instructions, Hakkai.]

[Goten can't help but spare a few worried glances in Kairi's direction, he tries not to though and instead focuses on the soulless shinki in front of the group. Hakkai seems to know the most about this whole thing which is good, he's a good teacher. Goten doesn't understand it all but he's ready to support the best he can. Which he feels more confident in because borderlines aren't his best and memorizing isn't his strong suit either. Kairi and Hakkai have strong borderlines. Izumo, he's assuming does just becasue Izumo seems strong. He doesn't know about hat-guy though. Regardless, with this many strong shinki everything should be fine.

At least Goten can keep the girl away if needed, his hand absently stays open at his side just in case she does decide to attack or do anything. But even with the creepy ayakashi eyes she doesn't seem like that much of a threat. If anything, Goten feels sorry for her and the screaming makes him wince. The ablution should help her though, right? That's why they were here doing it.]

The ritual will work...right?

[Of course Kairi dropped the Borderline when Hakkai asked for it to be done, but then... then her dedication wavered as the bucket was dumped and steam rises up... The way the girl reacts to the holy water has Kairi backing off, but not too far. She just doesn't want the shinki to get away... and she doesn't want to answer Goten's question because she doesn't want to lie to him. She wants it to work.]

I can remember the incantation as well.

[Worried still, she places a hand on her chest, trying to reassure herself more than anyone.]

I just hope it still works, even if she's not bonded to a god - I can hold my borderline for a little while, thanks to our training. I just don't know how long this will take... For her sake, I don't want it to take any longer than necessary.

[But all the same, what will Roxas think? She keeps getting herself into these situations and can't bear to look away from the issue immediately at hand, and with how quickly blight can spread - it's a very serious issue to turn away from.]

I can remember....

[As usual, Chikusa's words are slow, but no more slower than usual. Why should he hesitate? He can remember the words, and he has no doubts about what needs to be done. He starts to shuffle a little closer, somewhere on Hakkai's rival side so that they can make something...]

[....But then he glances back at Kairi.]

If you're not sure... You'll just be a hindrance. We only need three shinki.... right, Hakkai?

It only needs three to cast the spell. If it fails before it's complete, though, she'll definitely become an ayakashi, and I don't know how long it'll take either.

Kazuma said that the blighted shinki would need to repent, but with this....

[Is she really blighted by guilt, or is this just a very serious ayakashi mauling? And, if a soulless shinki has enough of her mind left to feel such serious guilt, does she also have the capacity to confess it and repent of it?

His gaze flicks to Kairi, thoughtful and evaluative. Chikusa may be right that she shouldn't be one of the casters, if she's not convinced of the strength of her borderline.

After all, its strength seems to rely in large part on the confidence of its caster. Hakkai's not confident in this spell, but he is certain, at least, that he can hold the line.]

Kairi, if you're not sure, please stay with Goten and be ready to help us if it fails.

[Repent? Izumo doubts that whatever is causing this soulless shinki to feel guilt would also allow her to repent?

But he makes a soft sound of agreement with Chikusa, despite not knowing him.

If the three of them can do it, it should be fine, right? But Izumo could only keep his eyes focused on the young girl as she seemed to grow weary of them, but she won't come closer either. Some traces of humanity - or whatever it should be - left in her may still be enough to save her.

If they take too long, though--]

We may be running out of time.

[Because who knows how much longer it'll be before she truly turns into an ayakashi.]

[Goten blinks and looks over the shinki and then finally to Kairi. She's not going to be apart of the ritual? But...Kairi is the one that brought them all here. He bites his lower lip, wanting to argue on her behalf but the last time on the BBS didn't go well and they don't have time for it here. And with Hakkai here...well. Now isn't the time. The soulless shinki is practically cowering from them and now in pain... The blight is slowly spreading and creeping more across her skin. Izumo is right, time is running out. The faster the ritual is started, the sooner its over and the girl will be okay. Surely Hakkai, Izumo and Hat-guy are strong enough to help her. If not Kairi and him can back them up in an instant. So...why does he feel so nervous?

Goten floats down and lands on the ground behind Izumo as he looks to Kairi again.]

Hakkai and Izumo are super strong, Kairi! I'm sure them and that other Hat-Guy will be able to do it.

But I can...

[She wants to protest more. This all feels rather typical to her - a time pressure building on a group and The Emotional One is asked to stand aside. But what's wrong with being emotionally invested in trying to save someone who can't do it for themselves at this moment?

... All the same, right now, Kairi's looking at someone she respects, Hakkai, whom she encouraged here through Chikusa to help this girl. If he says that only three can do the ritual and, for whatever reason, Kairi should stay back... then she's going to stay back.

She nods in the direction of Chikusa, Hakkai, and Izumo.]

Okay. I leave her to you. Please help her.

[And she walks over to take Goten's hand, worrying her lower lip and her free hand balled at her side while she remains incredibly nervous for all of them involved.

For all that the Soulless are normally placid and docile servants, the Soulless girl is starting to show signs of fear as well - like she can tell that the five of them will kill her at a moment's notice.]

[And that's settled. Chikusa doesn't waste much time- Izumo is right in that they don't have a lot of it. So he raises one hand.]

You said borderlines made in a triangle, right...?

[Carefully, he draws one towards Hakkai's direction. The good thing about it is that this sort of thing will also block the Soulless Shinki's route if she tries to make a run for it... So he supposes even if this fails, they'll be able to confine her.]

Cast with the incantation.

[Hakkai moves around her. He can see the blight spreading visibly over her skin, and he wonders if anyone here would recognize her. Is she someone's friend, someone's enemy?

Or just a very lost soul?

He raises his hand, and makes eye contact with Chikusa and Izumo, beginning to recite the words Kazuma had mentioned months ago. He'd wondered, back then, if it would be something he'd ever need to know for himself. This hadn't been how he'd expected to use the information... but it's worth it, he thinks, for the chance to save the girl.

Slim though he admits that chance may be.]

[There's a brief wonder if this ablution would actually help the girl, but he knows that right now, there isn't any time for hesitation.

The blight is only continuing to spread, and the worser it gets, the more time they'll run out to actually save her.

As Izumo shifts a bit, he gives a brief nod and raises his own hand to draw the borderline, reciting the words along with Hakkai.

Whether they can save the girl or not is up to debate, but right now, the most important matter is to focus.]

[Goten perks a little when Kairi steps over to him and takes his hand. As he holds onto hers, he tilts his head up to try and offer her a small reassuring smile. It's Hakkai of all people. Of course they'll be able to do it! Izumo is strong too, he can just feel that. As for Hat-Guy...well... if he was here then he's got to be able to handle it too. He doesn't look shaken up at all!]

It'll be okay, Kairi.

[As the ritual starts he turns his attention back to the three older shinki and the souless, silently cheering them on as they get into position and start saying the incantation. His hand tightens a bit on Kairi's in a mix of nervousness and eagerness to see what exactly it would do. Borderlines usually blocked off or cut Ayakashi so how would that work with a shinki that was so infected by one?]

The Actual Mission

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