thenearshore | [Open] Break my back till the mornin' comes

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[Open] Break my back till the mornin' comes

Who: Schuldig

volksdaemon etc.
What: Helpful!Schuldig (thank you Eros) is out and about helping gods & shinki answer their prayers and other miscellaneous desires
When: May 27+
Where: Near Shore for most Open Prompts
Warnings: none currently but new CR please fill out his powers & permissions post.
Prompts are in Action format, but I can switch if you'd like.

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[Closed Prompts in comments]

[OPEN] Near Shore: Grisly Kabuki Show
[A long time ago, okay two weeks ago, someone had anonymously suggested to Schuldig that he go to see a kabuki show. Not just any kabuki show, though - Yotsuya Kaidan, the Ghost Story of Yotsuya - on the promise that there was 'plenty of grisly revenge for you there.'

Now that he's being subtly encouraged to get out and about more, he's planning to see it. If you see him on his second or third watch, he might even be outside of the theater conning scalpers out of their own money - a deal that's not a deal sort of thing where he buys 7 at the cost of 10 - so that he can give them to people waiting in line.]

[OPEN] Near Shore: Beach Bum
[Schuldig's pale skin is getting tanned and those sunglasses he's normally only wearing like decoration are actually getting use, finally. Feel free to notice him lounging or trying to chat up the lifeguards.

Then there's the matter of trying to be a good-hearted God of Mischief down here. If he notices that there are people haggling down 'tourist' prices from the locals, he uses his telepathy to calm both parties down. If he sees kids playing pranks, he'll help them not get noticed by parents or authority figures as they run off. That sort of thing.]

[OPEN] Near Shore: Ayakashi
[If you've wandered near that fishy ayakashi and gotten yourself trapped, he'll definitely notice, or try to keep you away from it if he notices you wandering too close. He can hear the thoughts of ayakashi getting closer - the raw, tangled mess of raw emotions that is - as well as those of gods and shinki without strong mental shields.

If you actually do manage to get yourself trapped, he'll have to call a shinki to get you out of there, but he might still do it. Depending on who it is and depending on if you got yourself trapped so that one of his followers didn't get caught.]

[OPEN] Near Shore: Fireworks
[Trying to get a better spot to watch? Schuldig might use his telepathy to convince some noisy neighbors on a blanket to take their drinking elsewhere so you can have that one. Or he might be able to get a crying baby to fall asleep. The line for drinks & food could be a lot shorter as soon as he decides to go there, standing behind you in line. If you're trying to get an adult beverage and you're not an adult, he has no problem getting you one. Drinking customs in Europe are different, so he doesn't care.]

[OPEN] Far Shore: Anywhere But His Temple
[Even while very empathetic towards the human race now - specifically his followers - Schuldig doesn't plan to invite people out to his temple. As a result, he's out wandering. Specifically, he's combing the place for one of Amaterasu's lackeys somewhere down the chain of command with low enough mental shields that he can read their minds. It's a promise he owes Jae-Ha, actually.

As a result, Schuldig could be found just about anywhere standing off to the side with a thousand-yard-stare as he canvasses small sections of the Far Shore for just such a lackey.]

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[Walking along the beach is usually a pleasant enough pass-time. But now that the weather is warming up the vendors are coming out in force.
Yukine can hear it just as he comes in view of the storefront- haggling is not really a thing that happens in Japan, but these guys are doing their loudest and best. Yukine rolls his eyes as he walks. It doesn’t even look like rain for the moment, so why fight so hard over an umbrella?

And then suddenly, the voices tone right down. He might not have even noticed, but for how abrupt it was. Half-afraid that it’s an ayakashi appearing to make things worse Yukine takes a careful look around, but it turns out that the vendor and the customers are just …calmer.
Well, that was weird. But welcome.

Shrugging to himself Yukine continues walking down the sparsely peopled street.]

[Now this kid is interesting to Schuldig because, when scanning a crowd, he catches all kinds of wild chatter - white noise really. Nothing much of interest, but it's a steady stream of information as he switches channels from the store clerk to his customer and back again. Then there's this kid - not exactly a blank spot, but with a kind of shield up that prevents him from even wanting to talk to him. Apart from obviously being a Far Shore denizen - obvious to Schuldig - this makes him interested in who the kid is.

So he walks on up next to Yukine, hands in his pockets.]

I know they tell us to keep an eye out for wandering spirits, but I take it they didn't mean someone like you.

[Never quite expecting to be spoken to while on the Near Shore, Yukine is surprised by the man suddenly appearing at his side and speaking to him. But he tries to not let it show too much.

Looking up at the red-head with a bland expression he shrugs.]

That makes for a good pun seeing as I'm just wandering around killing time right now. But other than that, no, it doesn't mean me.

[He points to his left collarbone, where his shirt is partially covering the red kanji of his name.]

I'm already taken.

[That's sure a weird way to start a conversation though, pun intended or not. Must be a new god. Or new shinki, but he can't imagine that the shinki have been told to watch for wandering spirits, when they can't do anything about them.]

[Schuldig laughs, shrugging..]

I saw the joke opportunity and I took it. Sue me.

[Looking down, he locates the name symbol just to solidify his information. He suspected as much already thanks to the shield.]

Although I was thinking less about godless shinki and more about ayakashi, to be honest. Who's your god, then, a god of knowledge?

[That would make a bit more sense with this mental shield.]

[Having that opener confirmed as a joke, Yukine relaxes a little and smiles a back at the man's laugh.

And then he spits out a clipped laugh- god of knowledge?]

Pfft- no, completely the opposite of that. He's a bottom-rung nobody called Yato, but we're working on getting him up to 'god of happiness'.

[Despite Yukine's default expression of disgruntlement with Yato, there is a sense of pride beneath that- Yato has been doing what he's asking (for the most part), and is trusting that his way is right. Like he told Hiyori, that sense of purpose is important to him.]

[He can't help it - he laughs first.]

Yato? No wonder he talks big.

[Between knowing what Yato looks like and the quick glance of the boy's god he manages to swipe from his mind, Schuldig's sure that it's the same god. He does catch that Yukine's pride wouldn't enjoy talking smack about him, but he can still tell the boy the one hilarious conversation they had to kick things off.]

He surely told you that he challenged another god to a race? First one to God of Fortune? I'm the challenger.

[Yukine’s expression freezes at that. Then his smile turns a shade more dangerous, although the ire is not directed at the guy standing before him.]

Is that right? Nice to meet you, then. I’m Yukine, that guy’s shinki to whom he doesn’t tell a damn thing. [But boy will they have words later. What the hell, you damn jersey- what do you need to go and make a useless bet for? It better not have been for anything serious.

Trying to bring himself down a notch, Yukine figures he might as well hear about this for himself.]

I suppose I should apologize that you got sucked into another of that guy’s diversions. So, you’re a new god?

[What a lovely face that is. From the little emotional sensations he's getting through his telepathy, he can tell that a smirk is allowed.]

How unfortunate you had to find out from me.

[Good job Yato, this might be why he was so easy to rile up.]

Well, it's nice to meet you too, Yukine. I'm Loki.

[Which he tries to avoid using as much now, but it's what Yato might have heard that first day too.]

Good thing I didn't try to name you when I've got that bet ongoing with him. I'm not one of the newest gods, but I suppose by comparison... yes, you can still call me one of the new gods.

[It is unfortunate that he had to find out about it like this, but at least he did find out.

Yukine nods to acknowledge the god's name, and absently wonders if it's his god-name or real-name. A lot of the gods he's met prefer to go by their real name, after all.

And then his back goes stiff. Try to name him? He remembers Add's threat to come after him-- No, if it were like that, he would already be defending himself. Still, the smile falls into a neutral line and his eyes narrow.]

Do you usually go around trying to name every spirit you run across?

[Because that is so much NO, he'll tell you right now.]

No, of course not.

[Not this week, anyway. That white lie slips out quite easily. And this week he's feeling more like "Loki" and less like "Schuldig" too.]

I meant that little joke earlier when we talked about 'wandering spirits' but you're taken, that's all.

[That much is true.]

All I need, I think, is one reliable shinki and then I'd be set, but instead I've got two I can't depend on.

[Yukine is still a bit hung up on his anger from the former comment, but if "all" it was was a follow up to the joke…]

It’s a joke in horrible taste, just so you know. You new gods need to take naming shinki way more seriously.

[Still feeling a bit prickly, he tries to put that aside at the latter comment. Shinki trouble, well, he might be able to help with that. Time for serious senpai mode.]

It's important that you and your shinki get along though, so you at least don't feel like making bad jokes like that. What's happened that makes you say your shinki are not dependable?

[He sees that Serious look and adopts it as his own. It's not usual for him, worrying about such things, but today is one of those days he does.]

One of them ran off with another god without telling me but still wants to live in my temple. The other turns into a weapon I can't use and the guy himself just hangs around the temple, hardly ever goes out.

[He would know. He's got a telepathic link on the guy. Twice a week isn't exactly physically active for someone he thought was a warrior - a sword's soul. And the nora thing doesn't bother him nearly as much as if she'd run off with someone from Weiss, but it does complicate his control over her.]

[Damn, that is bad. Nora-!]

For the first, you should just release their name. They've already betrayed you. The other god should take responsibility.

As for the other, there's no such thing as a shinki you can't use. Motivating him and finding out how to work together will be tough, but it's something you have to do.

[He pauses a moment, then his tight tone relaxes a notch as he thoughtfully adds,] To be fair, that's just what I think now. I'd want to talk to your shinki too, to get the whole picture.

[He shakes his head.]

I can't release the nora until this issue with the other one is taken care of, otherwise I can't take out ayakashi when I answer prayers. I can't leave my followers in a lurch like that.

[But then he sighs at the other part.]

I'm starting think he just needs a different god to work with. I don't wield swords - I'm a long range person until the absolute last minute.

[Plus the whole... not wanting to use the weapon of one of his enemies thing.]

[Wow, picky. He gets having a preference, but nothin' wrong with swords, man.]
This sounds pretty 'absolute last minute' to me.

[Sticking his hands in his pockets, Yukine looks up at the sky for a while as he thinks.]

That's good that you're thinking about your followers. But fact is, the nora won't always be there for you. It's only a matter of time until you're in a real pinch.

And it's good that you're thinking about your shinki's well-being. If he might do better with another god, you should tell him he's free to do that. You should be able to tell if he's really unhappy, too. [This guy doesn't look like he's being blighted, so at least it's not that bad.]

You know- I don't think the new gods have had a chance to know about this, but the old gods put out job postings. Just like Near Shore jobs, they can search for shinki that way.
So why not put out a notice on the BBS saying that you're interested in interviewing for a new shinki?

[He nods at the young man's assessment. That's his own feeling too - that a nora'ed shinki is just unreliable. For all that Jennifer may profess that her god won't need her, Schuldig doesn't know the guy. He could very well call Jennifer at any moment.

On the other hand, the options Yukine is presenting don't work for him personally. They'd work for some other god in his position, but then - likely - another god wouldn't have gotten into his position in the first place. He taps his chin thoughtfully.]

You've given me a lot to think about. For one I'll see about this man releasing the nora's other name. It's worth a shot.

[He doesn't actually believe that. He knows that Jennifer told him at least one thing about him that would make any man of upstanding moral character, as she claims Hijikata is, dig his heels in and insist that Schuldig should release her.]

And then the other one... might have to see how he feels. He's already been shunted from one god to the next. Could be some resentment there.

[Hardly. The man's loyalty isn't the problem. It's his motivation. But both of these things give Schuldig an excuse to get out of dodge before he says too much else.]

I have a lot to do, it seems. So if you'll excuse me, Yukine, I think I'll get on that.

[Yukine doesn’t think much of trying to take back a nora, and the tightness of his expression probably says as much.

He can see how the situation with the other shinki could be more complicated if that was the case, and he would need a lot more information to really say much more- not that he’s being given the chance to. And he’d just been getting warmed up! But while he is surprised at the sudden end of the conversation, he supposes maybe the god has realized that this is something that he should take care of sooner rather than later.]

Right. Well, if even that much advice helps you out, I’d be glad.
If you get a chance, let me know how it goes? You can send me a message on the BBS or something.
Anyway, good luck, Loki-sama.

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[Open] Break my back till the mornin' comes

Late to the beach

Re: Late to the beach

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I'm cracking up at that face so hard omg, as villainous a face as Schuldig ever wears

hahaha, good (?) :3

yes indeed >w<

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