thenearshore | 011 | Black Parade

Entry tags:

011 | Black Parade

Who: Everyone!
What: Parade of the dead
When: All day May 26
Where: Shinjuku
Summary: The Near Shore needs a little protecting from the dead

The last few days have been filled with festival food, high energy, and lots and lots of parades. Near Shore residents really know how to enjoy their holidays, stopping up traffic for hours on end as floats and palanquins go by and filling the streets and courtyards in the area with food stands and festival treats. Many Far Shore residents may have found themselves drawn to this particular festival, as it is being held in honor of a shrine.

When an unexpected parade starts up, the people gather round to watch the impromptu spectacle. It's a little strange, yes, but nothing too terribly off-putting. That is until the parade reaches the shrine itself, at which point all hell breaks loose as the members of the parade start attacking anything and anyone in their way.

The Heavens will then call upon all the gods and shinki who are available to help, because these attackers are not normal at all - they are, in fact, the undead.

Let the Festivities Continue

The festival is a large, booming one. There are dozens upon dozens of food stalls set up all over the place with so many different kinds of foods that it could make your eyes go buggy, most of them fried in some way. On top of that, there is live entertainment walking around, stalls with souvenirs, and lots of excellent company nearby. Surely you'll be able to enjoy the festival to its fullest.

The Walking Dead

It is not immediately evident that the parade is being manned by corpses, but keen observers would be able to pick out the noticeable rotting elements of the dead. Anyone with a soul-sensing ability might even realize that they're not soulless, just lifeless. When the parade reaches the shrine, every god and shinki will be needed in order to protect the Near Shore from this menace. Corpses must either be exorcised or completely mutilated to the point where they can no longer move in order to release the soul.

Not Rootbeer Floats

On top of the mass of dead bodies being possessed by stray souls, some of the floats on wheels in the parade seem to have been taken over as well. They are moving slowly and with purpose towards anyone that crosses their path. At first, it may seem like the float is just veering a little off course, but it will soon become evident that it's headed towards you. They may be slow, but they're very large as well, meaning there's a lot more than needs to be destroyed to release the soul.

Souls, Souls, and More Souls

In Summary:

Enjoy the festival
Help save Near Shore residents
Take down the dead bodies
Try not to cry
Cry lots
Have fun~

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Hestia... [He trails off thoughtfully, and taps a forefinger against his chin.] I'm afraid I don't know who's currently filling that role!

[Vesta, yes, but sounds-like doesn't help him place Chikusa's goddess. He raises his eyebrows at Chikusa and suggests, helpfully:]

Since you have some spending money now, you should really pay for that treat.

...Do you need to?

[Chikusa could tell him Axel's name, but he's not sure if it's necessary or regular. The idea of two names is still a bit odd to him to begin with.]

[The suggestion is met with a blank stare although, once again, his eyes flick down towards that cat like he thinks it's going to attack him.]

But then I won't be able to spend it in an emergency...

[What 1000 yen will do for him in an emergency is, frankly, a mystery, but he seems to think it's doable.]

Well, it might help me recognize her!

[Or him. Hestia sounds like a woman's name, though, somehow.

He chuckles, and settles the cat more firmly under his arm.]

It's not enough for an emergency anyway. You should be able to get money from your god for whatever you might need.

[Considering the way Chikusa tilts his head, this is clearly news to him.]

...Axel-sama didn't mention that yet...

[Although Chikusa has to admit he didn't ask. He didn't think it would be important.]

... Axel?

[He hesitates, and adds, carefully:] Is he red-haired?

[The shinki who became an ayakashi and was slain... has now come back as a god? That's -- interesting.

He's not the first shinki to have done so, but it's still interesting. Hakkai doesn't let himself think about the possible implications, for a shinki who's been wondering how far he can push the few slivers of memory he's regained so far.]

[The hesitation and care that comes in the question sharpens Chikusa's attention, and, for a second, there's nothing but a long stare.]

[For all that the emotions and thoughts of others eludes him at times... Something seems off about the question, and how Hakkai already know an important part of his god's appearance. What should he do about that?]

....Why?

If so, I don't know him, but I may know of him.

Nothing that speaks badly of his character. [He shrugs, very slightly, and favors Chikusa with a bright and innocent-looking smile.]

[That sounds... sensible, he supposes. He's only just arrived to this state of being, unknowing of everything else including even the Shores. If his god has been here for longer, than of course others might know of him.]

[After a second, Chikusa nods, seeming to accept this answer. Still, that reminds him of something else.]

I was told I'm to serve him- [Or, rather, partners, but Chikusa is selective, unfortunately.] -but I don't know much about how to serve a god of hearth...

It'll depend on what he wants from you. [Hakkai doesn't argue with the word serve. It's what he was told to do, too, and he happened to be lucky in a first goddess who didn't want obedience as much as she wanted honesty.

With gods who expect obedience, he supposes that what matters most is what sort of person they are and what sort of orders they give.]

Most of the new gods were once mortal, just like we were. They all have different expectations and needs.

[He shrugs slightly.] There's an instructor in shinki magic if you're curious about that. One of the older shinki -- Kazuma, who serves Bishamon.

[Another new thing to learn: gods were once mortal. Maybe that explains some things, then.]

[However, that quickly gets tossed aside at the words instructor in shinki magic, and something actually seems to liven up Chikusa's dead stare. Even his slouch actually straightens out a little.]

...What does he need in return for teaching it?

Ha ha, I don't think there's any kind of charge! He might ask you to help out with a few chores around the temple, but it was a public service when I studied with him.

[That did get the boy's attention. Good, knowing what he can do early on will make him less vulnerable. A god who was once a shinki should be less exploitative than one who wasn't, but Hakkai doesn't like to assume the best when assuming the worst is so much safer.]

...That seems simple...

[Then again, maybe it will be another troublesome thing. He's not sure on his feelings about chores, but it's probably easy. He nods to himself slightly.]

Does he have a phone like the one I was shown?

Do you mean a cell phone? Yes, he does. It's probably easiest to reach him by just dropping by Bishamon's temple for a visit, though.

[Hakkai shrugs casually; Kazuma's on the network now and again, but he's almost always where Bishamon is, and that is usually her temple.]

...Am I allowed?

[He'd sort of thought they were private property, territory that wasn't to be intruded on, but that might just be his own preconceptions getting in the way.]

Oh, certainly, but you should be careful of your manners! She is a war goddess, after all. Bring a very nice gift to thank her for her hospitality.

[None of this is actually required, but Hakkai's a little curious about whether he'll do it.

It's certain to make a good impression on Bishamon if he does, which is all the better for him, of course!]

[...Well. That is a problem. One that he accepts, because it certainly seems to fall in line with the things he' seen himself: the strength of the gods, the opulence of the Meeting Hall, even Axel's own temple. It's harder to catch a lie when it seems so much like truth.]

[Chikusa may not care much for nice himself, or honestly have much experience with it at any rate (something that shows in his actions and feelings even if he can't remember it all), but he's fairly certain that 1000 yen isn't going to get him "very nice". He can bullshit on a limited budget, but that's for sensible things.]

[The direction of his eyes seem to drift a little bit as he thinks carefully over this issue.]

...I see.

[What's going through his head is a mystery, but it may or may not involve more theft.]

[Hook, line and sinker.]

Let's see... is there anything else you've been curious about?

[He’s ratting you out the second he finds out what you’ve done, Hakkai.]

Everything.

[...But that’s a pretty big request. He nibbles a bit on his meat again.]

How do I recognize ayakashi? I’m meant to help Axel-sama destroy them, but I don’t know anything about them yet.

Ah ha ha, I'm sure you'll pick everything up as you go!

[Eventually. Hakkai can't claim that what he knows is anything close to it yet; but ayakashi are a simple request.]

They come in all different shapes and sizes, but you'll notice that they tend to be vividly colored and unnatural in form. Some of them have extra eyes, and all of them have a feeling of --

[He pauses, trying to decide how to describe it. There's something innately repulsive about an ayakashi; a sense that strikes him the moment he sees one, of disgust and a desire to back away.]

-- A feeling as though they're wrong. You'll recognize it when you see one, I'm sure.

Do be careful getting too close when you do. Unless you're in your vessel form, they'll blight you.

[Vivid colors, unnatural form, extra eyes, feeling of wrongness- wait.]

...Blight?

[Someone needs to make a pamphlet for the recently deceased.]

[Someone really does. Hakkai isn't surprised that they don't explain stinging to new shinki -- he'd learned it himself the hard way on his first day -- but blight is rather important, and not every god thinks to ask the right questions.]

It looks something like a dark purple mark on your skin, and it will spread if you touch it with any other part of your body. You can wash it away with water from a shrine or temple.

...Filthy.

[While his face is still as blank as ever, there's a quiet but distinct hint of disgust in his tone.]

[Still. The knowledge that water from shrines and temples is important to note.]

Is it fine to carry that water around, then...?

Yes. [Hakkai notes the disgust in Chikusa's voice with silent approval. He'll be good at borderlines, won't he? Revulsion at ayakashi is a useful feeling.]

It won't lose any of its effects if you carry it around in a bottle, and it does help if you're caught well away from a shrine.

Then… I’ll take care for myself and Axel-sama.

[There’s a pause. He feels like there is something he should be saying here, but it feels awkward to say… so he elects simply not to say it. Instead, he pulls a piece of meat off of his skewer- the piece he’d been nibbling on before Hakkai stopped him- and offers the rest to him.]

[Hakkai blinks.

Well, that's one way to say thank you, isn't it? After a startled moment, he smiles, and accepts the skewer, taking a neat bite of the next piece of meat down.]

Hmm, they do put a nice grilling sauce on it here, don't they? Thank you.

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