19 | Peaceful Departure

[godsoffortune]

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

It's time to bring any possessed household items to the Near Shore to ensure that the spirits are sent safely on their way. Some might go peacefully, while others might have to be purified by fire in order to set the spirits free. Hope you weren't too attached to that chair.

(Careful... spirits that manage to hide from the housecleaning can become permanent guests!)

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~

Comments

[bartenderizing]

Heavenly Exorcisms
[ Luckily, when it came to the haunting, most of the everyday objects were a convenient size. In fact, most of the time Shizuo had brought over things that were easily brought over with one hand. Chairs, teapots, lighters and plates. Easy things.

One of the haunted items, which was putting up a bit of a fight (if kicking it over from Double Cross bar counted as a fight,) was a full range oven. The fight was this appliance trying hard to open and close its door on the foot that kept casually kicking it closer and closer to the fire. It's not as convenient as picking it up like some irate and exhausted child, but about as easy to kick as carrying that teapot from earlier. There were orders from a medical 'professional' not to use the arm that was currently in a sling, so he was honoring that. ]

Oi, that's enough from you. It's time to move on.

[ Which is when he gives the oven a harder kick, sending it flying (like it was just casually lobbed) up and into the bonfire. Ah, sorry. 'Purifying flame.' ]


After-party
Shizuo's chilling and in the arm sling, which kinda detracts from the eye candy thing a bit. Unless you're into that. Also watch out for falling asleep. He already has.

[ Honestly, it doesn't take much to convince Shizuo to take things easy and relax for a while. While the food certainly did something (not that he was eating quite as much as he could,) there was nothing easier to get Shizuo to do than nothing. Which meant, even though he was keeping a towel tied around his hips, it wasn't going to be too long before the man was in the hot springs. Which was more than some people have been wearing, that was for sure. He didn't really care about that, though. Actually, it was a good chance for anyone curious to see just how little his muscles have built up, and that aside from a barely visible pinkish scar on his abdomen and thigh, there were few signs of him having been through many fights. Or being as 'clumsy' as it's been proven that he could be, for those that have witnessed his accidents.

No, instead of letting that or the fact that his arm had to stay in the sling stop him from relaxing, the blond was fully leaned back and letting the steam and warm water soak into him. Wasn't there something about not falling asleep in hot springs? Ah, it's probably fine. ]


Wildcard
[[ Just come up and hit me with something. Do it. ]]

Heavenly Exorcisms

[alchemists]

[ The poor oven, there could have been a more peaceful way to get it to the bonfire. ]

Are you sure the spirits are ok with being kicked like that?

[bartenderizing]

Uh...

[ Why did this child make him feel like he was doing something wrong? ]

I mean, it wasn't okay with leaving the bar either way. I can't really carry it right now, either, so this is the only choice.

[alchemists]

Couldn't someone have helped you move it though?

[bartenderizing]

How many people are gonna be much help with moving something that's hundreds of pounds?

[ Not that it looked to be that heavy, what with the way Shizuo was moving it around with just his foot. ]

After-party

[ittenbari]

[Someone is going to ruin Shizuo's beauty sleep.]

You're the guy that looks like the guy that's Tatara's friend, but isn't that guy!

[Apparently hanging out at the hot springs wearing nothing but a towel hasn't made Sakon the least bit self-conscious. Nope. He's here to party, make friends, and say every stupid thing that comes to mind at any given moment.]

[bartenderizing]

[ Which is probably for the best, because the hot springs are not a place to catch up on sleep. Lazily opening his eyes, the blond sort of just stares at the guy for a couple of seconds. ]

... Who?

[ It takes a lot, or something significant, before Shizuo starts remembering names. But 'look like the guy' is enough to guess what that meant. ]

But if you're talking about me looking like someone, then yeah. I'm the guy that looks like Izumo.

[ittenbari]

It's weird that there are two people who look so much alike, isn't it? I don't think I'll see anyone here who looks exactly like me, though. That would be really weird. I'd compliment the guy, especially if he managed to pull the hair off, but I think I'd still be like "Whoa, who are you!?"

[He smiles broadly, like what he's said makes any sort of sense at all.]

I'm Sakon, by the way! Tatara's shinki.

[He points to himself helpfully.]

[bartenderizing]

.... Shizuo.

[ Sakon was really a high energy person- which was a huge contrast to Shizuo usually running at neutral, if not flat-out lazy. ]

I mean, it's always possible to come across someone that looks like you enough to be a brother or something. I just kept getting people I never met calling out at me with the wrong name, so I knew about someone looking like me before having run into him.

[ Actually, he was dragged over to a place that the other worked and owned, because of the mistaken identity. ]

Heavenly Exorcisms

[stonebird]

You needn't be so rough with them. (Yes, the objects are at best an annoyance and, at worst, a fright, but to treat the dead so bothers her. She is giving him a scowl, lips pursed.) If you need aid, ask for it. Do not take out your frustrations on them.

[bartenderizing]

Hah?

[ That was the sound of confusion, not frustration finding a new target. Mostly because he wasn't exactly frustrated or annoyed with anything. Not that could be easy to tell, with the way he told it off at the end. Still, the guy stays where he is, adjusting the sling for his other arm. ]

You know that these restaurant ranges weigh a lot, right? More than 500 pounds, which doesn't mean much to me, but it's a bit more than people are able to help out with.

[ It's harder to believe that it weighs that much when it's someone as thin as the blond tossing it around with his foot like a ball. ]

[stonebird]

How are you - (Now she is utterly baffled. Surely he is jesting? Sansa makes her way over to him and tries to push the range - only to find it not moving an inch. It doesn't even wobble.)

You must be incredibly strong! (Yet he doesn't look it? Where are his muscles?) Has Heaven granted you such strength?

[bartenderizing]

I, uh, can't really question it that much.

[ To which he adjusts his hand, which casually poked out of the sling. The mark of a shinki, his vessel name, was clearly seen. After about a second, he adjusted it back to the lazy position it was in before. ]

Given that we've got powers as vessels, it's probably safe to say that this is just how I am. It's a hassle enough of the time, but comes in handy for things like this.

After-party

[bussounoshima]

[Fortunately for everyone's peace of mind, Sharak isn't the kind of woman to barge into the men's side of the springs. She may be greeting any man coming too close to the women's side at gunpoint, but no one can complain too much about that.

Still, it's possible to run into her in a more neutral setting. After she's had her bath, Sharak puts on one of the robes offered by the onsen. Her hair is still wet, clinging to her neck and back, and the robe sticks to damp patches on her skin after her lazy attempt at drying herself off. She still smiles when she sees Shizuo in the hall.]

Hey. I'm surprised you're not asleep already.

[She just assumes Shizuo is two minutes away from napping on the floor at any given moment.]

[bartenderizing]

[ In the hall, Shizuo was also taking advantage of the robes that were being offered to everyone. Though this mostly meant that everything below the waist tie was covered- Given the whole sling thing, the blond settled for only one of the arms being properly sleeved as the injured one just had the cloth draped over his shoulder. Which meant that the mostly healed scar from the extracted bullet could be seen, but hey. That's what happens when you don't have enough muscles to distract from it. Maybe if he had actual abs, or pecs.

Whether it's because of how relaxed he was, or another reason, it takes the blond a couple of seconds before he replied. Given the way his hair was still a mess (though considerably damper than normal,) he was definitely already at the hot spring, but he was definitely looking over the monk. Then again, the shirt she usually wore left even less to imagination, so this wasn't anything exactly new. Well, until she turns around, unless Sharak still kept the wolf tail with her. Even now. ]

Yo. It's what happens when you're in a social place, I guess.

[ Meaning that he tried. ]

Was it easier to relax on the women's side?

[bussounoshima]

[Usually with Sharak there are more layers, more folds in her robes leaving her figure something of a mystery. Less exposed collar and neck. Without all her various regalia and accessories, she looks a little less... formidable. Whatever Shizuo decides to make of that. If she notices him looking at her, she doesn't acknowledge it.]

I had Celty for company. [So that was peaceful.] Though I don't recommend trying to take a nap over there.

[She's not worried about Shizuo trying to peep so much, but still. Don't go over there.]

Heavenly Exorcisms

[sonofson]

....Wasn't that Izumo's?

[It's really hard to miss the racket or sight of a grown man kicking around a fighting a full range oven. It's no surpirse it grabbed Goten's attention but it's too late when the oven goes soaring into the fire. There's really no saving it now. Izumo's fire is one thing but Goten isn't about to dive in after a oven no matter how useful that was for all the tastey stuff at the bar.]

Shizuo, Izumo cooked on that!

[bartenderizing]

[ Destroying something that A) belonged to Izumo, and B) was part of the food-making process, was probably a guaranteed way to summon the flying boy. So it's no surprise when he's suddenly here. ]

Well, it's been haunted for a while, and this is how you let the spirit pass on.

[ Not that that would completely ease the loss for the boy that was always hungry. ]

... If it doesn't survive the fire, we have a replacement ready to be ordered.

[sonofson]

I don't think anything is going to surivive that fire.... how long will it take to get another oven? Does Izumo know?

[He doesn't see the problem in cooking in a haunted oven. Maybe it was just angry that Shizuo was kicking it along.]

After Party

[deniles]

[Most people shouldn't fall asleep in hotsprings be of how they can get overheated. Shizuo shouldn't fall asleep in the hotsprings because Niles is nearby. He's always nearby.

And right before he falls asleep, Niles, who is on the edge in just a towel, leans in with a smirk on his face.]

You should be careful. Never know who's around.

[bartenderizing]

[ There will come a day when Shizuo realizes that Niles is a constant threat to his peaceful life. Right now, when his eyes slowly open to barely regard the man, it's clear that this was the last thing on his mind. ]

... Ah. It's you.

[ There's the light watery sound as the blond lazily raises his hand to wave the guy away. As in, he's fine with 'smacking' Niles back with the back of his hand, while in this relaxed state. ]

[deniles]

Aww, you could sound more excited about it.

[But he's barely doing anything. The smack is so light, he barely feels it. So he'll just stay here. And enjoy the view.]

But I know you'll miss me when I leave again.

Exorcisms

[nibelungvalesti]

[Without any warning whatsoever, the Valkyrie appears out of nowhere, like she'd stepped through a curtain without moving at all.]

Is the situation under control?

[bartenderizing]

[ He looks away and over to the Valkyrie, as the flames continued to engulf the appliance. ]

Yo. Yeah, it just needed to get in there. This just took a little longer than it normally would've.

[nibelungvalesti]

That was... a possessed item? [Why would a spirit possess such a strange device? Is that not highly unusual?]