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~

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It's easy to just take this, somehow. Each strike now with Garou yelling about how "it hurts, damn it" is so similar to every word and punch he'd felt in that memory. He wasn't chained up, but he felt just as tied down. He'd already watched this person die, he'd already been responsible for it just by being born, he'd already been the center of his hate and the only person he could talk to— why did he have to be here again? How did his soul end up here?

He's kicked down, and there's about to be more when Hazel's little firework goes off and distracts from this. Garou stops his bitter, angry comments (he was yelling something about it always being Jae-Ha's fault, that he was still a little brat, that it hurt, to hurry up and do something) to stare over at her and ask what the hell she was doing.

It doesn't matter that his hate isn't pointed at her, because Jae-Ha can't stand to pull someone into this in any way. He pushes himself back up and kicks at the corpse, watching as he crashes to the ground in even more pain. He'd have to mutilate him to get anywhere, on his own...

Right now, Jae-Ha hurries back to be by this young girl, standing between her and Garou, and any of the other corpses that might be drawn to the commotion.]

Are you alone here, dear? [He's fine, ignore the horror and heartbreak still stuck on his face...]

[She's used to seeing horrifying things. Izabel's illusions were meant to scare people off. Miss Petrichor's stories always gave her nightmares. She sat on the floor of Sir Robot's room with Kurti while he slept, watching his face screen flash from war dream to war dream. Somehow, this ghost is scarier -- and so is the look on Jae-Ha's face when he gets near her.]

I -- [She gulps down some air and automatically reaches out to clutch at Jae-Ha's arm instead.] Big -- big Hazel said he would watch me if I couldn't find my shinki. [this is like the only tiny someone will ever call Hazel big, savor the moment] Why is that ghost so mad at you?! You're the same! He shouldn't hate you if you're the same!

[Big Hazel... That is the cutest thing. He turns just enough to place a comforting hand on her head, leaning down to be more at her level.]

Hazel said that? Then you should stay at his side, for now, while I deal with this. Your shinki can be found after things have cleared up.

[He thinks that's probably the safest route. He doesn't want to go into detail about this man hating him because they're the same, and he definitely doesn't want a child to witness any of what he's doing or what Garou is yelling. The corpse is climbing back onto his feet now, crying out in pain in a way that really stabs at Jae-Ha's heart.

He stands again, turning to face him.]

He just needs help. Don't worry and move back to Hazel, okay?

[nnnnh...!!! That doesn't sound okay. She chews on her lip, keeping her eyes on Jae-Ha like she's determining if he'll actually be able to deal with this, but then she nods with determination.]

I'll go get him and bring him back!

[They were a team, they should fight together! And then everyone would be able to protect one another and things would be okay again. She's sure of it. So off she goes on fast little feet before Jae-Ha can protest any part of her plan. Big Hazel!!!!]

Hazel!! Jae-Ha needs help!

[Big Hazel is here, what's going on—] Lil Hazel? What—

[Oh, she's talking about Jae-Ha. Of course something's gone some degree of wrong, because that's just how shinki lives work, but he's immediately backing away from whatever zombie he's halfway through dealing with to hurry over to Hazel and then look past her. Where is the lizard-] I'm here, lead the way.

[Oh. He turns after little Hazel like he might stop her, but he doesn't bother. No matter that he might think Hazel doesn't have to be part of this again, he remembers talks they've had, understandings they've reached. He should be able to ask for help like this from him. Hazel doesn't mind, he should know that.

So. The lizard is over here, facing ex-lizard creepy uncle. It shouldn't be hard to spot two heads of the same colored long green hair, even in the fog. Their legs meet to try and clash, and Jae-Ha knocks him down easily, but as Garou climbs back to his feet again, stubbornly, he doesn't feel like he can keep this up.

It's pathetic to watch. It's as pathetic as his dying day, so miserable for his life being stolen away bit by bit for twelve whole years. Now, this corpse is grabbing at Jae-Ha, yelling at him, addressing him by name and demanding that he do something already, that he stop looking at him like that. One of the corpse's hands balls into a fist and pulls back like he'll punch again, and Jae-Ha just stands there uselessly and waits for it.]

[Thank god Hazel doesn't ask questions. Bitty Hazel wouldn't really know how to say "please help, someone is beating your shinki up real bad and he won't let me help and I think it's his dad maybe but I don't understand why a dad would ever be that mean" right now. So instead she doesn't bother closing the gap between them to grab hold of his sleeve -- she just turns right on back around and starts sprinting back. When she slows, because her tiny lungs can only manage so much when she's this off-kilter, she jabs her arm out in her direction she came to urge Hazel forward. She doesn't know Jae-Ha, but Big Hazel seemed alright and liked him enough, and the thought of him just...taking it like that tied her stomach up in knots. Jar-Ha definitely didn't deserve it. No one did, really. That's the conclusion Hazel reaches.]

Stop! Stop it!

[Whoa, okay, here they go. Hazel isn't a tiny child at least, so he has no problem keeping up and even getting ahead of her when he spots Jae-Ha having whatever trouble this is—

But he knows, when he can hear the things the corpse is yelling at Jae-Ha, what this is. He doesn't need to recognize the man to put two and two together, especially because Jae-Ha only remembers one person... It couldn't be anyone else. He goes from concerned to angry in seconds flat, and leaves little Hazel there to shout while he doesn't stop at all; he doesn't even slow down before he reaches the two of them, and while he might be a split second too late to stop Jae-Ha getting hit, he's taking advantage of the corpse being unbalanced from the move to just haul off and slug him in the face. Can his corpse nose still break?? That would be swell.]

[He's punched, but it doesn't hurt as much as his heart. Hazel can feel that too, he's sure, but just as he's thinking about that, the second punch that he's expecting doesn't come. He blinks, touching his face as he looks over to see Garou falling to the ground and clutching at his face (he probably does have a broken corpse nose now) while cursing, and a very angry Hazel beside him.

He hadn't even noticed little Hazel back there, shouting for it to stop. He'd zoned out...]

Hazel. [It's more relief than surprise, but he's still stuck staring at Garou trying to push himself to his feet. He feels like he doesn't have to explain anything, from how Hazel seems so angry, so—]

I can't do it.

[Eventually, he does turn back and gesture for little Hazel to come closer. He still doesn't know her name, but he knows she's too young to be off too far when there are corpses everywhere. Come here, come here... He'll also add:] Thank you. [For her fetching him.]

[BIG HAZEL THIS IS NOT HOW WE RESOLVE CONFLICT no she's...pretty sure it's fine. Probably.

She doesn't hesitate to go over to him, even when she could hear her Granny swearing in the back of her mind about how stupid it was to go along with every little impulse. Hazel's instincts hadn't steered her wrong yet... Besides, he doesn't look great. She knows just enough first aid to perform an exam on herself, having the importance impressed upon her when they were still in the detention center and she had to be really careful about that kind of thing, especially if there was no one else around she could trust to not turn her over or kill her for her wings.

So. She's by Jae-Ha, leaning in to try and see if there's any damage that would need actual medical attention and still gasping for breath.]

I tried [WHEEZE] to be really fast... He still hurt you! [There's an implied WHY WOULD YOU LET THAT HAPPEN somewhere in her tone.] I-it's okay, Big Hazel will put him away!

[This is definitely how we resolve conflict?? This has always worked for Big Hazel, alright, he will definitely put this corpse the hell away. He looks at Jae-Ha but only briefly, since he can't afford to give in to the emotions tugging at his heart and go to him before this guy on the ground is dealt with. It's just one corpse faking it like the rest of them are, so it probably isn't so urgent, but—it's not every day the opportunity to beat the shit out of the guy who used to beat the shit out of your boyfriend presents itself.

So keep Mini-Hazel busy over there, because the moment Hazel has his balance back after throwing that punch, he's moving again to curbstomp Garou's shoulder. He won't beat him into a second death, or anything, but he's certainly not going to make having his soul released easy on him.

Anyway, talk to Hazel in about three minutes, in three minutes he'll have broken enough corpse bones or dislocated enough corpse limbs to get the soul-ripping part over with. He won't be keeping this one in his trusty tennis racket.]

[Watching Hazel go from that look to stomping on his predecessor is unreal. Jae-Ha's heart sinks, and he turns back to the little Hazel who's fretting over him. Kneeling down to the ground, he reaches out with both of his arms to pull her into a hug very close to his chest, to keep her from seeing any of that very angry bone breaking going on back there.]

Come here, dear. It's fine, it didn't hurt nearly as much as it must have looked like it did. [He'll say things like this to distract her from the way Garou keeps yelling things that will probably only make Hazel angrier. That's the goal, at least, since Garou or this look alike has realized that this is the key to finally being freed. He shouts at Jae-Ha even as he's getting bones broken and yelling in between, calling him useless, telling him he won't be able to jump away from everything, saying that he's a monster and that all they had was each other.

Jae-Ha, meanwhile, still hugs little Hazel closer and keeps talking slowly to try and tune him out for the both of them. His face is definitely bruised, and he probably has a bloody nose after that most recent punch, but that's it.]

We haven't properly met, so why don't you tell me your name? [Three minutes will have passed by then.]

[ -- oh. Oh, this is a thing happening. She squirms a little at first, moreso at the discomfort from keeping her wings bound tight to her body and then having extra pressure on them than the act itself, but then she settles easily into the hug. From all that noise going on behind her, she thinks he probably needs it. Hazel doesn't flinch at any of the words or crunches, and soon her rabbit-like heartbeat has slowed to something approaching normal. Now that things were going to be okay, it...was okay. She was definitely fine, anyway.

This is probably not a reassuring sign, but whatever.]

Oh, [she gasps, like she's genuinely surprised at herself.] I'm Hazel, too! So now you know two Hazels. I think.

[Anyway, over here in the angry murder corner, Hazel takes his three minutes and not a second more.

Well. Maybe a few seconds more, since somewhere along the way he does comprehend that he's genuinely losing it in front of Jae-Ha and Mini-Hazel, and he needs a moment to get himself under control after the soul is dealt with.

At this point he'll come over, in time to hear her introduction and smile slightly, since she's precious even if everything else that just happened probably shouldn't be spoken about for a little while here. He's fine, they're all fine, that was fine. Great show.

He'll let them have their little introduction exchange before he looks Jae-Ha in the face, finally.] You're bleedin'.

So that's what you meant by Big Hazel. I should have known... It's nice to meet you, Hazel dear. I didn't hurt your wings, did I?

[He'll have to ask her about those, and the horns, but he's immediately distracted when he sees Hazel approach. He glances up at him (since he's kneeling right now) and then blinks in surprise, reaching up to touch his own face. Little Hazel is free from this hug, now.

Sure enough, blood smears onto his fingers and drips a little into his palm, too.]

Oh. [He hadn't noticed. Not that, or the black eye he'll probably have under his bangs, or the sore skin on the other side of his face, at his cheek.] I didn't feel it.

[Her shoulders tense a second, but she's quick to draw back enough that she can put her finger to her lips and give Jae-Ha a deathly serious look to quiet him. That crazy ghost thing had been screaming about Jae-Ha being some kind of monster, so it was...probably okay that he knew about them. Unavoidable now, at any rate. But she'd rather keep it as much of a secret as possible, and for now that hopefully still includes the other Hazel. At least her poncho has enough slack that she can safely bring it up to mop at some of that extra blood.]

Hi. I don't think he needs a doctor. My teacher hit her head once and she bled a lot more than this, and she was okay really fast. I think he just needs a bath.

[Mercifully for little Hazel, big Hazel is interested in absolutely nothing besides Jae-Ha being alright at the moment, so he doesn't actually hear a single thing about wings and only hears half of this little story about her teacher hitting her head. What??

He looks down at her. Uh-] Oh. Sure. Thanks for the help, lil Hazel. Ya did good.

[Yay...... look, he's capable of being normal, that means everything is okay now. But since Jae-Ha's let go of her, it's only a moment later that Hazel sinks to his knees beside them both and reaches glumly for Jae-Ha. Come here...] I'm sorry, I shouldn't've— [gone so fucking crazy,] I couldn't stand it.

[Oh. It's a secret...? He blinks at little Hazel quietly and gives a nod, silent until big Hazel reaches for him. Jae-Ha immediately turns to fall into a hug. Thanks for cleaning the blood off his face before he pressed his face into Hazel's shoulder like this. Seeing him like this, seeing him like he had been before... his stomach knots and his whole body is tense as he squeezes him. He wishes he didn't have to see all of that.]

I'm sorry you had to see him. I'm so sorry...

[Sorry to little Hazel, too, for having to witness these sad gays embracing. But since she's their adopted daughter now, this is probably fine.]

[It's pretty gay. She digs some earwax out of her ear as she awkwardly shifts more solidly onto her ankles. For now, the chaos around them was at a low level... Still, she'd keep vigilant while they were being all vulnerable and weird and stuff. Ha, kinda reminds her of when she'd been sitting with Kurti, that night she'd fought with Izabel... All those apologies.]

If you need to kiss, you can.

[HAZEL]

[Ugh, god, come here sad lizard. Hazel goes from reaching sadly for him to holding him tightly almost immediately, one hand cradling the back of his head. He can feel the emotions coming off Jae-Ha and each one stings, maybe this wouldn't have happened if he'd stuck to his side more closely, or something—] It's alright, I'm right here now, it's—what?

[LITTLE HAZEL... well, she has a point. Hazel looks up from Jae-Ha's hair to blink at her, and it's like the world shifts a little bit back out of abject misery. He makes a noise that can't be called much of anything, first, and then laughs a little awkwardly, like he can't remember how right now.

Kids......] Are ya gonna say it's gross to see grown-ups kissin'?

[This embrace is what he needed, after that. He can't help but remember Hazel's expression in that brief moment he'd looked at him before he started going all out. Was that really okay to let him do? He's busy thinking about that when little Hazel's words interrupt the both of them, and he's looking over with just as much surprise.

His own little laugh slips out after Hazel's, and he ducks his head a little more against him for a moment before he pulls back. His arms still stay loosely holding onto him, though, unwilling to let go.]

Are we so obvious? I'm sorry, Hazel dear.

[It's so satisfying, being right. Satisfying enough that she won't gloat out loud and offer them a shrug.]

Granny read a lot of grown-up books. I know grown-ups do a lot of stuff. I don't like it, but I know it makes people feel better, sometimes.

[She didn't feel super after kissing Kurti, but it had been nice to feel like she wasn't alone.]

That's why I won't even make any faces if you want to. But it might be gross if he's still bloody and stuff.

[Okay, it's not like he was even super in the mood to make out right this second, but nothing kills said mood like a little kid talking about how gross old people are. That's fair. And Jae-Ha is still kind of bloody, that's true.]

I think we'll save the kissin' for later. [This very gay hug is fine, for now.] You're spared the grown-up stuff, kiddo.

[Somehow, having little Hazel here is probably for the best right now. Jae-Ha is less distracted by guilt, Hazel seems less distracted by guilt, and they all get a little bit of a breather after that. Jae-Ha still trails off on his laugh as he stares over to where the body is, and then glances down between himself and Hazel.]

Little Hazel dear was telling me that you offered her some help. [Picking up cute kids, huh... cute. Jae-Ha glances up and between them, still loosely hugging Hazel even as he touches at his own bruised face. He feels it now.]

Do you think we should find somewhere a little safer?

[Hazel shrugs and wipes the earwax off on her poncho before she pushes herself to her feet. It was already a,complete mess, anyway...]

Everyone's already fighting all over. I don't know how I can find my shinki. [So no luck so far on that front... Sorry, big Hazel. And sorry Jae-Ha, because maybe if she'd had one, she could have saved him from half his injuries, at least.] ...I know a lot of bad people that died. If I'm supposed to stay by you guys, "safer" might mean really far away. But I don't think you're supposed to fight after you hit your head real bad anyway.

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