thenearshore | 19 | Peaceful Departure

Who: Everyone!
What: Celebrating Obon
When: Evening August 10
Where: The Near Shore
Summary: Mortals may be partying, but there's lots of work for the denizens of the Far Shore to do.

It's the final day of Obon and spirits are being sent back to their homes -- both the ancestral spirits that have been welcomed home for the duration of the festival and the mischievous spirits that have been plaguing the Heavens. But some of them might not go easy, so Amaterasu has requested that gods and shinki old and new alike help ensure the spirits' peaceful departure.

Mukae-bi

Fires have been lit on hillsides and near cemeteries to lead the spirits back to their resting places and to protect them on their way, but angry ghosts and ayakashi are trying to quench the fires so they can attack weaker spirits. Keep the firewood stocked and the fires blazing high while you fight off the attacks.

Heavenly Exorcisms

Guarding the Gates

Hidden pathways into the underworld in caves throughout Japan are open from sunset to moonset on this night to allow the spirits who have temporarily left to return. Gods and shinki must watch over these pathways and ensure that no dangerous ayakashi take the opportunity to escape from the underworld before the moon sets.

After-party

After the moon sets, the denizens of the Heavens can finally kick back. Everyone is invited to a private hot spring on the Far Shore, where a midnight banquet spread is waiting in thanks for their hard work. Wash off any blight in the hot springs and enjoy the banquet before heading back home for a good night's sleep.

In Summary:

Keep the fires burning
Exorcise those annoying spirits
Fight powerful ayakashi
Enjoy a banquet
Have fun~

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It's probably for the best that there be extra eyes watching out over the gates, no harm in providing extra back-up, right? Soleil has taken to patrolling with her own heaven-provided shinki when she spots the ayakashi slinking toward the barrier. The god and shinki duo nearby don't seem to have noticed at all...!]

Hey, watch out!

[And, with no extra warning, she lunges in between the pair and the creature making a break for it, sword-shinki in hand and ready to fight. There's no way she's going to let some monster go after a totally unsuspecting person like this!]

Eh?

[Alex turns to see an armed girl jumping straight for them--]

WOAH!

[Leaning back out of her way, it's only when she goes past them that Alex and her shinki notice her true target. She actually saved them just then.]

Sarah!

[The shinki reacts immediately, creating a line to keep the creature from escaping.]

[She may have caused quite a scare, but at least she managed to stop the ayakashi from getting to them. There's no way she's just going to let that thing go free to go after some other unsuspecting victim, however.]

Sorry, things might be getting a little messy here for a minute, [She calls back to the other two, a confident smile on her face.] Let's try and make short work of this thing, all right? [She is, very likely, addressing her own shinki here, though he's not actually going to respond.

Either way, to battle! Time to cut that ayakashi down with the confidence of a seasoned fighter!]

Oh..That's..that's okay.

[It doesn't look to Alex like she has to lend a hand at all. The girl was clearly more trained asa fighter than she is.]

[Had it looked like she was prepared to fight, Soleil would have likely tried to call in Alex's help, but as it stands, there's just something about her simply being nearby that fills her with bravado.

Probably just the part of her that wants to be impressive for a cute girl, you know how it is.

As she and her shinki fight against the thing, she works to try and push it back out of the way, wanting to create a good distance between the other pair before she rends it. Please watch over her as she fights, miss...!]

[ Since Alex has gotten here she's seen more and more women who can easily handle their own. It was amazing and awe inspiring. She did wonder if her shinki shpuld go help, but the girl seemed to have it under control. The last thing she wanted was to get in her way.

So she cheered her on quietly, not taking her eyes off the scene before her.]

[Soleil's focus remains sharp, but there is a point where she does flash a quick look behind her, like she's checking to see that the other two are all right (or perhaps to find out if they're watching? Who knows!) before flashing them a quick grin. She's got this! No worries!

The ayakashi is finished off with a sound-] Rend! [-from Soleil and her shinki, after which she takes a moment to steady herself, catch her breath... and throw another confident look back at Alex.]

You two all right?

[And just like that, she was done. Alex was surprised at how quickly that ended.]

Y-yes. Thank you..you deal with that so easily..!

Well, I wouldn't want something like that sticking around long enough to escape and going after another lovely lady, would I?

[So shameless, so smooth, she even gives Alex a wink when she says it.]

Besides, With someone so cute watching me, there's no way I could have lost.

[Alex paused for a moment before chuckling. It was funny how such a cute girl was also such a smooth talker.]

Seems like you're as good with your words as you are with your sword.

[What a cute laugh...! Soleil is even further charmed. Hefting her shinki up, she rests the sword over her shoulder to help take on a more casual stance.]

Well, such a cute pair, I can't exactly help myself. [She smiles, as sincere and disarming as can be.] Soleil, it's a pleasure to meet you.

It's nice to meet you too, Soleil. I'm Alex.

[She says such things with such ease, it was quite impressive. Maybe it was because she wasn't a guy, but it was rather endearing.]

[She'll keep the smooth comments coming as long as you'll take them in stride, Alex.]

Alex, a charming name for a charming lady. [She even offers that compliment up with a wink! How totally shameless!!] You two must be working very hard, hm? Would you do me the honor of giving both you and your shinki a quick pick-me-up?

[She is... strictly talking about her own god power to let them rest up a spell, shockingly enough, but with that wording it might not. Be clear. Exactly.]

Thank..you?

[She didn't think her name was anything special. If anything, Soleil's was much more interesting.]

Pick-me-up?

[Alex looks at her quizically, not exactly sure what she means.]

[She likes the sound of it - it has a nice sort of ring. Regal, in a way, but not a total mouthful on top of it, and definitely fitting of the one it belongs to, in her opinion.

That reply wasn't so much of a 'no' as it was a 'tell me more!' and Soleil takes initiative to circle around back of her,] Kind of like this, just relax, all right~? [Lightly, gently, she rests her hands on Alex's shoulders, concentrating enough to channel some of her divine power down to them. The effect is a pretty clear feeling of relaxation seeping forward, though as just a demonstration, it's not terribly strong just yet.]

Make sense?

[Alex is surprised when she suddenly feels..calmer? Less tense? ]

That..was you?

[Just a quick little rejuvenation! She looks pretty pleased with how well it's going over.]

Haha, yep! Pretty handy, right? Hmm, what about your shinki? If the both of you have been working hard, both of you deserve a little break.

19 | Peaceful Departure

B

Re: B

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So gallant..!

Anything for a cute girl! (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

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