thenearshore | [Open]

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Who: Sharak Sanzo and you
What: Hanging out in various places. Just come bother her.
When: May 14th, all day.
Where: The Near Shore- Tokyo and then Patna. Also temple Dionysius for Sanzo.
Warnings: #justsanzothings. Will update as needed. Guns and swearing, mostly.

A.
[So. Sharak's shinki really has a thing for flowers, it turns out. Sharak had just been exploring Tokyo, but as she walked past a garden nursery with a display of seeds out the front, she was reminded of that. Now she's paused outside the store, looking at a packet of chrysanthemum seeds in her hand with a critical eye. With her robes half hanging off her torso, a sutra over one shoulder and a furry tail tacked onto her ass, Sharak makes quite the attention grabbing figure even now.

... Muttered under her breath:] Potatoes would be better.

[Sharak, no.]

---

B.
[There are, of course, shrines to Aditi in India. She's a Hindu goddess. So it shouldn't be odd that later in the day, when the city of Patna starts to cool down (comparatively speaking) that Sharak can be found strolling down the busy streets. She seems a little frustrated, despite her steady gate, looking around and weaving her way through the crowd. Eventually she gives up on this and makes her way to the river, jumping over a short wall to find a spot on the shore to sit. Staring out at the water, she absent-mindedly rummages through her robes to pull out a packet of cigarettes.]

Suppose it's a nice surprise even it's still here.

[This is not quite the city she remembers. Oh, well.]

---

[And then, eventually, Sharak decides that there needs to be a conference between Sanzos. Two of them specifically. She would have called on Sanzang's temple again, but Gojyo had said he was at his temple the other night, hadn't he? Well, she won't stop by too early, that would be rude after calling so late at night before. Instead she swings by the temple of Dionysaur at around ten past ten in the morning, let's herself in (like the very polite woman she is) and seeks Genjo out.]

C.
[Alternatively, wildcard for things we've discussed oocly that don't fit those two options.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ A crow has been watching her. It's been inconspicuous, staying mostly on the street, picking up crumbs and dodging pedestrians and bikes and stray dogs, but it's followed her steadily all the way to the river.

Ukoku appears out of thin air, just behind the wall. He hops over it and flops down next to her, making himself comfortable. He's in his priest robes, too, out of totally serious deference and respect for their shared station. ]

It's so different, isn't it? I like it.

[Crows are smart, interesting and lovable birds. Tragically misunderstood birds that really should not be seen as bad omens. They don't deserve that. Sharak wouldn't have cared about any number of crows flying about, but she can't quite shake the feeling that something-

Oh, god damn it. It takes barely a second for Sharak to have a gun pointed at Ukoku's throat.]

What the fuck are you doing?

[ He responds with a perfectly innocent bewildered expression, not bothering to raise his hands. ]

Visiting! I have a shrine here too, you know. [ Not really; it's miles away, but whatever. He rummages in his own sleeve for a pack of cigarettes and a tacky paisley-print lighter, which he offers to her first. ]

So how are you settling in?

So not only do I have to share a title with you, I have to share a pantheon too.

[What did she ever do to get stuck with this asshole she has no connection to otherwise. Bother Genjo more. Except don't. Sharak ignores the offer and leans a little bit away from Ukoku.]

... Just fine.

[ Good news! The title and the pantheon are both meaningless. ]

Glad to hear it. [ He takes the lighter back—suit yourself!—and pauses to light his own cigarette. ] I was hoping to catch up with you. See if you'd changed your mind about the sutras. [ There's a mild humor in it, an unsaid but of course you haven't; that'd be too much fun. ]

[Well, she agrees about the pantheon...

The challenge in Ukoku's tone annoys her a little. Partly because she has been thinking about it, despite herself.] What, about saying fuck the potential consequences and firing them both off together?

[... It probably would be cool, but someone has to have restraint if no one else will.]

Three of them! I'm telling you, two's nothing. And I had Genjo over the other day, working on controlling Maten.

[ So deal with that. He takes a smug drag. ]

[Don't break his nose, Sharak calmly reminds herself. Don't just slam your fist into his face. It either won't do any good or it will escalate which is the last thing anyone needs between two Sanzo priests. Do not grip him by the hair and slam his head repeatedly into the wall behind you. Don't think about how your hand is still on your gun and it would be so fucking easy-]

I hope you two had fun.

[She could probably get away with decking Genjo at least.]

I did, but I wasn't the one who had to sit there and concentrate. He made some progress, though!

[ That, at least, is true. ]

You know, we don't have to have this conversation here. There's a place that's supposed to be really good right down the street.

[ This is less smug. Date Two let's go it'll be great. ]

[Well, at least there's that. If Genjo can somehow get better control of his sutra without being fucked in the head by Ukoku, that's fine.]

I don't remember asking for a conversation with you.

[She didn't even booty call him this time.]

[ He stands, brushing off his robe, and holds out his hands for her. ]

Well, maybe I'm asking! I don't get to be honest with people very often. It's kind of novel. [ Okay, so it's not complete honesty, but it counts!! ]

[It is kind of nice, having someone she can talk to "honestly". Especially with all the amnesiacs running around. She still doesn't like Ukoku, but...]

... Fine. [Stands up as well, ignoring his hands. Don't fucking touch her.] But you're paying.

Of course. [ Nobody has any faith in him, for some reason. He hops over the wall and heads back to the street, toward a hotel whose facade is covered in bright strings of lights. ]

If you do want to try it with just two, sometime, nobody needs to be potentially affected. I have a temple out in the middle of nowhere. Kind of falling apart, but so much the better, right?

[For some reason. Honestly, Sharak just doesn't want him touching her. She vaults over the wall and follows him a few paces behind.]

Setting them off with no goal in mind seems pointless. Odds are we'll just get a barrier and a pit of nothing while Kouten and Muten stare each other down, right?

[That may be more or less what happened with Genjo, after all. Also, this is all still hypothetical.]

[ His voice is cheerful, but sharp: ]

No! You have it backwards. The sutras don't oppose each other.

[ He pauses in weaving through the people ignoring them in the street to turn back over his shoulder. ]

You're making assumptions because you don't want to do it. There's nothing to be afraid of.

[Excuse you, Ukoku, does this look like the face of a woman who is afraid of anything?]

I bet. If you're the expert, why not tell me what you expect to happen if we try it?

[ Depends on the kind of fear, but it's a cute face, anyway. ]

Because that's boring, don't you think? You can expect that nobody'll get hurt and nothing bad will happen.

[ The restaurant off the hotel's lobby is relatively full, which is sort of unfortunate; it'll be harder to get someone to remember they exist. On the other hand, maybe he'll be less likely to get shot at. ]

[Maybe. The innocent bystanders do make her less eager for a brawl, but take it as a challenge, Ukoku.]

Can I? [Sharak is still more preoccupied with glaring at the back of Ukoku's head to bother getting the attention of the restaurant host.] I don't mind taking risks, but you haven't given me any reason to yet.

[She still has no intention of being lead by Ukoku, but she's curious what he'll come up with to try and make it worth her while.]

[ That's okay, he's just gonna pick a table. It's romantically lit, as are all the tables here. It is uncertain whose karma this is. ]

I think Genjo's Maten is eroding whatever's suppressing of his memories. Two might do better. Three might send us back! You'll never know unless you try.

[ This is probably the most halfassed argument of all time, but that's what killjoys get. ]

[Sharak pauses at the table as she takes in the candles, the tablecloth and the little flowery centerpiece and starts to realise just what she's gotten herself into. Slowly, she sits down.]

... Just like that, huh? [Like clicking their heels together. There's something to the idea of amplifying whatever it is Maten is doing though.] I heard about Maten, but I wouldn't have thought Genjo getting his memories back was in your best interest.

Well, you're already here, ruining this for me. [ It's as pleasant as anything else he's said. ] He probably has questions that I can answer. And maybe I will! I haven't decided yet.

[What a pleasant thing to say. Sharak can take some quiet pride in ruining things for Ukoku, sure. He really is turning up the charm for this romantic date.]

... I don't think there's much of use that you can tell him.

Really? [ He props his chin in one hand. ]

Of course it wouldn't be of use to you, but you don't know him very well.

[ He plucks a flower off the centerpiece and flicks it across a table at a passing server. Hello, notice them, it's time for super romantic wine. ]

[Wow, Ukoku, really throwing down the gloves there. At least if the server pours them wine, she can drink it this time.]

You're right I haven't known him long- [though she's been doing whatever the Shangri'la equivalent of Facebook stalking him is for a few years now] but I think we understand each other pretty well.

Yeah? [ He pauses to ask the faceless background character for a really good bottle of wine, thanks, the whole bottle, yes, and turns back, leaning across the table a little. ]

I wonder if he'd resent you saying that. How was the training process for you? Formative? Scarring?

B for buddies pallin around with no animosity or bad feelings, probably

B is for best friends

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