This is fine. Nothing is on fire. (closed)

[kokuyoyo]

Who: The Teacher (Cho Hakkai), Team "Our Teacher Fucked Up" (Chikusa Kakimoto, Yukine, Kairi), and the Peanut Gallery (Ken Joshima, Brad Crawford, Kyoya Hibari)
When: Forward dated to July 8
Where: Hakkai's School
What: Chikusa just wants to test a new poison on Hakkai, a sentence that totally won't have any horrific consequences at all.


The day starts out relatively normally. A little more confident in his cooking skills, Chikusa sets up a very basic bento for his god to eat later, packs some things he's kept secreted away in his room, picks his hat for the day, and leaves a note explaining he'll be at the Far Shore's sole school, and sets off. He doesn't ask Ken to come, but the other shinki comes anyway. It's not really something they really think about anymore, even Chikusa. Ken at his side just feels... natural.

All he wants to do is test how his poison will work on someone else. He'll start with a relatively small dose, so.... it should be fine, right?

Comments

(Chikusa and Hakkai) An event that will totally not fuck everyone up at all

[kokuyoyo]

[A quick phone call is all it takes for Chikusa to confirm that Hakkai is at the school, and, after letting Ken wander wherever he wants to, Chikusa himself slouches throughout the building looking for the older shinki. When he finally does, he just... lingers around until Hakkai looks at him.]

I want to talk to you in private....

[reformedsinner]

[Hakkai is in one of the classrooms, jotting notes with a few books open on his table, and he glances up with his eyebrows flicking upwards as Chikusa slouches into the room.]

Close the door. ... What is it, Chikusa?

[kokuyoyo]

[Making sure the door is shut tight behind him- do they lock? he sure wishes they would- he shuffles closer to Hakkai.]

I want to test a poison on you.

[JUST. JUST COMING OUT WITH IT, I GUESS. YEP. After a pause, however, he continues to explain.]

I can't use it on myself.... I don't think I would be able to take note of the effects accurately. [It hasn't escaped him that feeling pain is a problem... So who knows what else is wrong with his body? Best use an outside source.] I don't plan on using a lethal amount... and I have a remedy on hand.

I thought about who would be best for this kind of thing... And you seemed the most sensible...

[By which he means he's fairly certain that out of all the people he knows, Hakkai is the least likely to sell him out or try to convince him not to pursue this research.]

[reformedsinner]

You want to test a poison on me?

[Don't mind him setting down his pen as his eyebrows soar up behind his bangs. What on earth?

Or in Heaven, he supposes, and sits back in his chair, blinking. He can't deny that Chikusa's correct that poisoning himself would interfere with his ability to observe the effects, but it's a strange request regardless. Although, he supposes, it's a relief that Chikusa isn't asking Hakkai's permission to poison him fatally.

That's something?]

Is it going to affect your results that I'm not human?

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE (everyone, slapdash order)

[kokuyoyo]

[MISTAKES WERE MADE]

[Perhaps it was a good thing he decided to stick around when Kairi and him stumbled upon that blighted shinki, and for more than just making sure no ayakashi suddenly spawned. It means he knows what to do when it becomes apparent that no amount of holy water is going to help Hakkai, and Chikusa immediately tears out of the room into the hallway. His phone is already in his hand, dial tone going, and he's yelling- a far cry from the teenager's usual lethargic murmurs.]

KEN!!

[Anyone is free to hear the call, lined with panic, but Chikusa is mainly concerned with finding his partner. If they can't find another two shinki for an ablution.... Then the best choice is for him and Ken to retreat. The sound of the line connecting on his phone gets his attention, and he's immediately speaking into it.]

Kairi, are you at the school?

Whoo

[pure_radiantics]

[Of all the things Kairi was expecting when she picked up a phone call from Chikusa, it was NOT to hear him screaming. And if Chikusa is screaming, something must be very very wrong.]

What, yes? I mean, yes I am Chikusa.

[She's outside on the lawn though, which is why she didn't hear Chikusa's original shouting.]

But what's wrong?!

[She's suddenly getting extremely anxious too and she doesn't even know the half of it yet.]

[kokuyoyo]

[Listen!!! It's not screaming, it's yelling and maybe raising his voice and listen.]

Hakkai is blighted. I have him behind a barrier, but...

[And she should understand why he'd immediately leap to that, considering what they've experienced now. In the meantime, he's looking around for Ken, a little on edge. Of all the times for that dog to go wandering off...]

[pure_radiantics]

He's blighted so badly you put him behind a barrier?

[She does understand. She doesn't WANT to jump to the conclusion he's suggestion, but she definitely is.]

How did he - just now it got that bad?

[Kairi sighs anxiously.]

Oh no... But he... He was one of the people doing the Ablution last time! I- I think I can do it, with you, but Izumo he's... he's not here right now, I haven't seen him today...

[She glances outside.]

It's not dusk yet- Yukine. Maybe he's here- yes, I saw him earlier...

Team "Our Teacher Fucked Up" (Kairi, Chikusa, Yukine, Hakkai, Yuri probably)

[kokuyoyo]

[Well. Here they are. The proper amount of shinki, arranged correctly and at the ready. Getting ready to draw his line, Chikusa ignores Yukine for the time being and instead glances to Kairi.]

Do you remember the incantation...?

present

[pure_radiantics]

[She nods, having gotten over her initial trepidation. Before, it was just a good idea. A soulless shinki that could have become an ayakashi running lose in the Far Shore. That would have been bad enough.

She has no idea the kinds of things Hakkai is actually capable of in a fight, nor as an ayakashi, but he's a friend, as much as any adult lets her become their friend. He's their teacher regardless though and he's gained enough goodwill from her for that much.

With her hands shaking at slightly as she clasps them at her chest at the sight of someone significant to her in such a blighted way, she finally continues her thought: ]

Since I wasn't performing the ablution last time, I just tried to listen as close as I could.

"We now cleanse this spirit which belongs to..." His god's name, I don't know that. "And preserve the name bestowed upon it. With defilement expelled and avarice removed, it is a sincere, principled, just soul. With flesh pared, may he be cleansed."

[reformedsinner]

Kozukata... Yuri.

[Hakkai's curled around himself, blight spreading and pulsing across his back in a vivid purple that clashes with the light green of his torn shirt. His claws bite hard into his palms, drawing pinpricks of blood as his hands clench: but he's not unaware.

Half-conscious, yes.

But not unaware. He draws in a shuddering breath against the pain (Yuri, Yuri must be in agony, if this fails she may die with him unless she releases him in time) and continues.]

Goddess -- Ixtab.

[He doesn't know if it's her name or her title they need. The soulless shinki had had no god to name, had been cast aside for her failure as he should have been cast aside long since for his own, had -- had been saved, had been innocent of wrongdoing in the end.

He still doesn't know if this will work. He is terrified, and shocked at his own terror.]

The Peanut Gallery (Ken, Crawford, Hibari, Yuri)

[kokuyoyo]

[SO. An ablution is happening, and it's.... going to take a while. While the three shinki involved in the ablution will be plenty occupied, that still leaves four people to just... hang around, apparently. Feel free to react to what happens in the ablution, get popcorn, chat amongst each other... Whatever you want, if you really want to stick around.]

Re: The Peanut Gallery (Ken, Crawford, Hibari, Yuri)

[junkyarddog]

[Ken is taking some significant glee in Chikusa having caused problems, in much the same way a younger sibling would be smug about the older one getting in trouble. Axel's exemplar screwed up, while Ken is the good one who has done nothing wrong that anyone's caught him at recently. Life is good.

He's mildly concerned for Hakkai, who was informative and friendly enough to him and is at least a point of interest for Ken, but not much. After all, whatever Chikusa and the others are doing, it's supposed to fix the problem, so no big deal, right? Besides, this whole ablution thing is new to him, so he's observing with no small amount of interest.

His self-satisfied air over Chikusa being in trouble is a little incongruous to the proceedings, feel free to ask him about it.]

[onerous]

[Everything is agony. She'd arrived thinking, maybe, she could-- What, help? She didn't really know anymore. But she'd arrived long enough to get an explanation and figure out this ablution thing was happening and it'd help, somehow, but god she hopes it helps faster.

She remains standing at first, but it's quickly become unbearable. She sinks to her knees after only a few minutes, hands pressed to the ground and... The ground is nice. It's cool against her skin as she gives in and lays down, feeling feverish and weak and if only it would all stop spinning the ground and her could be best friends.

It takes everything in her to push herself up again after a moment, half-worried that if she closes her eyes she won't open them again, but... Revoking Hakkai's name is absolutely not an option.

(Because if she does, and he dies, he'll die alone and she'd promised, right? And if it kills her, too, at least neither of them will be alone and--)

None of these are healthy thoughts. Watching Hakkai does little right now, so she turns her gaze suspiciously towards the other gathered people just milling about. The blight's spread up her neck and the front of her chest and partially over her face, making it painfully obvious just who Hakkai's god was here.

Who were these people and why were they there?? She opens her mouth to ask just that, but whatever's happening over at the ablution makes her sudden gasp and bow her head, teeth gritting and nails rasping against the floor as her fingers curl reflexively against the shock of pain.

Fuck.]

[tuishou]

["She's dying right now, actually", and the boy who said it is what he locks in on. This is so that Neji can keep himself under control, or some semblance of it-- there were screams earlier, and they'd led him here and Hakkai can shriek and howl and burn and Neji doesn't feel satisfaction from it because he knows Yuri-- she had screamed, too. Had shouted that she'd stay alongside the bastard even now and it'd felt like he'd been kicked before he'd even reached them and this mess. This suicide pact.

He doesn't want to see her; he sees no reason to let himself be seen by either of the dying two. He'd just be a reminder that this could have all been avoided.

Neji's frozen in place and it's exhausting him because he wants to break the barrier (what is happening?) and break the youkai's skull (it's important, whatever it is). His jaw's hurting from forcing it to keep shut and the entire area seems to melt with that hellish fire that must be lapping against both the traitor and-- and the imbecile goddess that tolerated him. The rage spikes just enough for Neji to lurch forward and stop himself and step back and... it subsides. It has to. He's still staring at the guy with the stupid hat. Doesn't he know him from somewhere? The other two casting the lines are strangers. The others observing (why are they watching? is this a circus to them?) are strangers.

Yuri's collapsed on the ground, either writhing or convulsing or passed out or on the verge of. And it's not supposed to be painful? But what can he do about this, other than pretend the hurt will be worthwhile?

Neji keeps his mouth shut. He tells himself to keep his back straight and head high. He'll wait this out and then... (?) But in the meanwhile, he has to remind himself to breathe. To keep the breaths even. To keep his expression blank, or bored if he can. If he can salvage his composure, his (forced, oh so very forced) belief that the solution to this all is right around the corner-- he doesn't know. But he won't trouble Yuri. She has enough of that. She's had enough of that. If she won't fight for her life... well, damn it, if there's a life to fight for at all after this, he'll do it. _{It's his family that's burning in front of him. It's exhausting to pretend it doesn't begin to kill him too.}]

Wrap Up (everyone)

[kokuyoyo]

[GOOD JOB, TEAM. YOU DID IT. And some of you just stood on the sidelines like jackasses, but that's fine too. But now what?]

[Well, time to wrap things up. Want to go and try to kick Hakkai's ass? Bug the shinki involved in the ablution? Whatever it is, put your top levels here.]

ota

[kokuyoyo]

[With Hakkai properly cleansed, Chikusa's job is done. It's been a long annoying ride, especially with how much Hakkai was already blighted, but, well. Here they are.]

[So what is he going to do now?]

[....Slump over to one of the desks and lay face down on it, actually.]

[Well, he's, uh. He's not going anywhere if you want to bother him for whatever reason.]

Re: ota

[pure_radiantics]

[Kairi comes over to the desk and sits down with her knees pulled up to her chin.]

Chikusa? Are you awake?

[She honestly wouldn't be surprised if he'd passed out. This took longer than the soulless shinki's ablution... was it because she'd been a soulless or because Hakkai was attached to a god? So many questions.]

ota/first prompt for Yuri (&Neji?)

[reformedsinner]

[When the barriers fall at last, it takes Hakkai a few seconds to force himself back to his feet. He aches as if he's been beaten with broomhandles for the past half-hour, instead of simply with magic, but Yuri's still down even with his blight gone -- for once -- completely from his skin, and he's going to go to her side and kneel down to touch her shoulder.]

Yuri?

... You should go home and rest.

Later

[He's not, he can admit, at his best, but he's still stubborn enough to make it to the chair behind his damaged desk once he's done speaking to Yuri, and collapse back into the chair. He picks at the splintered wood with one claw, frowning at it absently.

It looks like he might be trying to pretend that none of this just happened. Someone ought to burst his bubble.]

[onerous]

[SHe debates for a few seconds either pretending to pass out or actually passing out, if only because it'll give her some rest before dealing with what she's certain is going to be Hakkai's anger and disappointment in her.

Then she decides that since she refused to let him run away, it'd be too hypocritical of her to do the same herself. She takes a deep, steadying breath and pushes herself up to sit, moving to rub a hand over the back of her neck. It comes away clean and she relaxes, looking up to Hakkai for the first time since he's come over.

It says something that his first action was to come to her.

Yuri wonders too if she should apologize, but, she thinks, she has nothing to apologize for, since she certainly doesn't feel sorry.]

...I'm alright. [Resting sounds nice, sure, but it's not an immediate concern to her right now.] You're...? ['alright?']

[pure_radiantics]

[She's not sure exactly what she wants to say, or if she needs to say anything at all... but she walks over and by the time she sees him scratching at his desk, she finally decides on one thing.]

I'll keep your secrets. I won't tell Roxas whose ablution I was at today if you don't want me to.

[And she won't feel guilty about that either. This was private information even she wasn't supposed to know. She gets that. This was an accident blown way out of proportion, so there's no way she'll recount everything to Roxas in vivid detail.]

30 years late /hands over a latte?

[returnedfromtheline]

[Yukine keeps glancing at him.
It's over. It's in the past. Nothing said needs to be dragged up again. But who knows how the new shinki think.

Making up his mind Yukine walks over to Hakkai-san sitting at his busted up desk. Leaning in so that he can speak at him softly he says,]

You don't need to think about what happened here ever again. It's been dealt with. But... if you ever want to talk about it... I've been there. [His eyes shift slightly to where the purgatory had been. Straightening up a bit he adds,]

Take it easy. Let me know when you're up for class again. [He tries to smile faintly- he knows that Hakkai-san doesn't 'take it easy' easily.]

OTA

[pure_radiantics]

[All of these people who'd been watching them... some of them she doesn't even recognize. Slowly, even while looking and feeling pretty wiped out, she'd at least like to introduce herself to them if she can. She'll stand off in one corner or out in the hallway if necessary to wait things out and try to catch them between other conversations.

But if nothing else, maybe she can catch up with Yukine. For one thing, to make sure he's doing okay, but if he's feeling up to it... maybe a question or two for him.]

[tuishou]

[It's ridiculous, but he does just sort of. Stare. At Hakkai and Yuri and he can't care to wonder what they're talking about or refusing to talk about because he's just painfully dumbfounded by everything. That's it?

The fight's long since left him; he'll kill the youkai some other day, maybe, and maybe Yuri will care enough for her own life to not kill herself soon afterwards, too. There's no reason to linger- what's done is done.

But Neji reminds himself that there's something he has an obligation to do. There's a subdued and shameful and docile air to his steps as he approaches the girl- he is straight-backed and sure in his movement but damned if he'll ever want to do it again. His eyes flick to catch hers just briefly. Then he bends at the waist and he feels his hair fall from its neat tie like a curtain around him. The bow is as low as he can, properly, maintain. And he wonders fleetingly if he should just sink to the floor because that's how heavy he feels in all of this. Seconds pass and it feels like a second eternity to agonize in, so Neji speaks. Doesn't let up the bow, though.] Thank you. For saving Ixtab-sama.

[Yuri. All of her names. Did it matter? She's alive; they'll sort it out later.]

30 years late... /hands over a latte?

[returnedfromtheline]

[That... felt like it took forever. Probably not as long as his had taken? But it's hard to tell. Not like he'd had a stopwatch.

Yukine wants to get home and sleep as soon as possible, but he's curious about what had happened that Kairi and some other shinki had known what to do.
He can probably get the full story later, but he won't be able to relax unless he gets some answers now.

When he goes out into the hallway he finds her there, almost as if she'd been waiting for him. And suddenly he has to collect his thoughts.]

Ah- Um. Thanks for your help today. I'm glad you knew what to do, but how? Hakkai-san, and Izumo, and you, and that Chikusa guy... And how did Hakkai-san find out in the first place?

[It'd been all in a rush when she'd told him, but he'd caught that much.
To the point. Let's go.]