thenearshore | [Closed] Agony's torn at the heart too long

[Izumo doesn't seem to be as surprised as the others. Goten had been with him, and so the boy must've concluded something had happened enough to warrant him to follow Izumo.

He remains quiet all the same, glancing at Kairi briefly before he looks back at the young girl.

A slow blink and a dim red begins to appear around him.

If Kairi's borderline fails and Goten isn't quick enough, Izumo'll provide backup if needed.

He cranes his head though, glancing at Hakkai.]

Does anyone have water?

[Goten blinks, his shoulders dropping at Kairi's response to him arriving. He gets he shouldn't be there but is she still upset about that prayer? He fidgets a bit, unsure of what to do.]

But Kairi--

[Goten stops when Hakkai's stricter tone cuts in. Just the way the older shinki says his name snatches his full attention. He nods quickly to Hakkai's order. That's really all he can do because he's not about to argue with him. Nope, no way. But at least he gets to stay! So instead he floats a little more away from Kairi and closer to Izumo and Hakkai, still minding Hakkai's orders to stay back. With a bird's eye view he can see most of the soulless shinki's temple.]

There's a well on the other side of the entrance wall. If it's like other shrines, that should have holy water, right?

[Likewise, Kairi comes to attention when Hakkai puts his foot down. At least now if anyone asks why Goten was around to deal with this blight - and the possibility of killing a fellow shinki - she can try to explain Hakkai's role in taking their bickering out of the equation. She even knows some of what Goten's capable of. She's just hurt by the sheer proximity of 2 days ago's events.

All the same, Goten makes a fair point.]

I'll go look at the well.

[And off she goes around the corner, drawing a bucket of the water out of it and bringing the bucket - rope and all - out to where her Borderline remains. She would have thought it would be gone by now... but thoughts for later. She hands the bucket over to Hakkai.]

I was worried about getting too close, but if you want me to drop the wall I will - is this part of the ritual?

I have water, but it didn't seem like nearly enough...

[It's just a tiny bottle, on account that he's never really thought he'd have to use much.... This wasn't something planned.]

[But then, perhaps it's for the best to cute something off at the head before it has a chance to get any worse. As Kairi comes back, he raises an eyebrow at Hakkai.]

What is this ritual anyway...?

It's not. The ritual is called an ablution. [Hakkai takes the bucket as Kairi offers it to him, and circles to the side, watching the young soulless shinki coolly. She doesn't seem like she's about to attack. He nods at Kairi.]

Drop your borderline, please. I haven't performed one myself before, but we'll need three of us to cast borderlines around her so that they create a triangular prison.

[He hefts the bucket, waiting for Kairi's borderline to fall so that he can step forward and douse the soulless shinki.]

There's an incantation: This spirit of the deceased failed to devote herself to her god and protect the great name bestowed upon her. Wipe away her impurities and establish a bright, unbowed and correct soul without malicious intent. To purify her, we use this purification ceremony -- Imprison!

[The eyes twist in their sockets, and steam rises from the ayakashi-stained blight as the water strikes the young woman's skin. She screams, a warbling ayakashi tone doubling her human voice, and cringes back from Hakkai and his bucket.

The blight isn't gone.]

Well, I don't think we have a choice. I'll cast. Which of you think you can remember the entire incantation?

[He steps back from the stricken shinki, glancing to Kairi, Chikusa and Izumo in turn. Izumo, interestingly, is glowing just a little.]

[Izumo remains quiet throughout the ordeal. He doesn't really have much to say, but he listens to the incantation.

There's a steady gaze on the shinki as she practically tries to withdraw, perhaps to get away from the five of them.

Five shinki to handle a blighted soulless shinki, who is proving to be more of a threat, and Izumo breathes out, that red surrounding him disappearing, but the warmth that it gave off doesn't disappear.]

I can remember it. [He'll follow along with your instructions, Hakkai.]

[Goten can't help but spare a few worried glances in Kairi's direction, he tries not to though and instead focuses on the soulless shinki in front of the group. Hakkai seems to know the most about this whole thing which is good, he's a good teacher. Goten doesn't understand it all but he's ready to support the best he can. Which he feels more confident in because borderlines aren't his best and memorizing isn't his strong suit either. Kairi and Hakkai have strong borderlines. Izumo, he's assuming does just becasue Izumo seems strong. He doesn't know about hat-guy though. Regardless, with this many strong shinki everything should be fine.

At least Goten can keep the girl away if needed, his hand absently stays open at his side just in case she does decide to attack or do anything. But even with the creepy ayakashi eyes she doesn't seem like that much of a threat. If anything, Goten feels sorry for her and the screaming makes him wince. The ablution should help her though, right? That's why they were here doing it.]

The ritual will work...right?

[Of course Kairi dropped the Borderline when Hakkai asked for it to be done, but then... then her dedication wavered as the bucket was dumped and steam rises up... The way the girl reacts to the holy water has Kairi backing off, but not too far. She just doesn't want the shinki to get away... and she doesn't want to answer Goten's question because she doesn't want to lie to him. She wants it to work.]

I can remember the incantation as well.

[Worried still, she places a hand on her chest, trying to reassure herself more than anyone.]

I just hope it still works, even if she's not bonded to a god - I can hold my borderline for a little while, thanks to our training. I just don't know how long this will take... For her sake, I don't want it to take any longer than necessary.

[But all the same, what will Roxas think? She keeps getting herself into these situations and can't bear to look away from the issue immediately at hand, and with how quickly blight can spread - it's a very serious issue to turn away from.]

I can remember....

[As usual, Chikusa's words are slow, but no more slower than usual. Why should he hesitate? He can remember the words, and he has no doubts about what needs to be done. He starts to shuffle a little closer, somewhere on Hakkai's rival side so that they can make something...]

[....But then he glances back at Kairi.]

If you're not sure... You'll just be a hindrance. We only need three shinki.... right, Hakkai?

It only needs three to cast the spell. If it fails before it's complete, though, she'll definitely become an ayakashi, and I don't know how long it'll take either.

Kazuma said that the blighted shinki would need to repent, but with this....

[Is she really blighted by guilt, or is this just a very serious ayakashi mauling? And, if a soulless shinki has enough of her mind left to feel such serious guilt, does she also have the capacity to confess it and repent of it?

His gaze flicks to Kairi, thoughtful and evaluative. Chikusa may be right that she shouldn't be one of the casters, if she's not convinced of the strength of her borderline.

After all, its strength seems to rely in large part on the confidence of its caster. Hakkai's not confident in this spell, but he is certain, at least, that he can hold the line.]

Kairi, if you're not sure, please stay with Goten and be ready to help us if it fails.

[Repent? Izumo doubts that whatever is causing this soulless shinki to feel guilt would also allow her to repent?

But he makes a soft sound of agreement with Chikusa, despite not knowing him.

If the three of them can do it, it should be fine, right? But Izumo could only keep his eyes focused on the young girl as she seemed to grow weary of them, but she won't come closer either. Some traces of humanity - or whatever it should be - left in her may still be enough to save her.

If they take too long, though--]

We may be running out of time.

[Because who knows how much longer it'll be before she truly turns into an ayakashi.]

[Goten blinks and looks over the shinki and then finally to Kairi. She's not going to be apart of the ritual? But...Kairi is the one that brought them all here. He bites his lower lip, wanting to argue on her behalf but the last time on the BBS didn't go well and they don't have time for it here. And with Hakkai here...well. Now isn't the time. The soulless shinki is practically cowering from them and now in pain... The blight is slowly spreading and creeping more across her skin. Izumo is right, time is running out. The faster the ritual is started, the sooner its over and the girl will be okay. Surely Hakkai, Izumo and Hat-guy are strong enough to help her. If not Kairi and him can back them up in an instant. So...why does he feel so nervous?

Goten floats down and lands on the ground behind Izumo as he looks to Kairi again.]

Hakkai and Izumo are super strong, Kairi! I'm sure them and that other Hat-Guy will be able to do it.

But I can...

[She wants to protest more. This all feels rather typical to her - a time pressure building on a group and The Emotional One is asked to stand aside. But what's wrong with being emotionally invested in trying to save someone who can't do it for themselves at this moment?

... All the same, right now, Kairi's looking at someone she respects, Hakkai, whom she encouraged here through Chikusa to help this girl. If he says that only three can do the ritual and, for whatever reason, Kairi should stay back... then she's going to stay back.

She nods in the direction of Chikusa, Hakkai, and Izumo.]

Okay. I leave her to you. Please help her.

[And she walks over to take Goten's hand, worrying her lower lip and her free hand balled at her side while she remains incredibly nervous for all of them involved.

For all that the Soulless are normally placid and docile servants, the Soulless girl is starting to show signs of fear as well - like she can tell that the five of them will kill her at a moment's notice.]

[And that's settled. Chikusa doesn't waste much time- Izumo is right in that they don't have a lot of it. So he raises one hand.]

You said borderlines made in a triangle, right...?

[Carefully, he draws one towards Hakkai's direction. The good thing about it is that this sort of thing will also block the Soulless Shinki's route if she tries to make a run for it... So he supposes even if this fails, they'll be able to confine her.]

Cast with the incantation.

[Hakkai moves around her. He can see the blight spreading visibly over her skin, and he wonders if anyone here would recognize her. Is she someone's friend, someone's enemy?

Or just a very lost soul?

He raises his hand, and makes eye contact with Chikusa and Izumo, beginning to recite the words Kazuma had mentioned months ago. He'd wondered, back then, if it would be something he'd ever need to know for himself. This hadn't been how he'd expected to use the information... but it's worth it, he thinks, for the chance to save the girl.

Slim though he admits that chance may be.]

[There's a brief wonder if this ablution would actually help the girl, but he knows that right now, there isn't any time for hesitation.

The blight is only continuing to spread, and the worser it gets, the more time they'll run out to actually save her.

As Izumo shifts a bit, he gives a brief nod and raises his own hand to draw the borderline, reciting the words along with Hakkai.

Whether they can save the girl or not is up to debate, but right now, the most important matter is to focus.]

[Goten perks a little when Kairi steps over to him and takes his hand. As he holds onto hers, he tilts his head up to try and offer her a small reassuring smile. It's Hakkai of all people. Of course they'll be able to do it! Izumo is strong too, he can just feel that. As for Hat-Guy...well... if he was here then he's got to be able to handle it too. He doesn't look shaken up at all!]

It'll be okay, Kairi.

[As the ritual starts he turns his attention back to the three older shinki and the souless, silently cheering them on as they get into position and start saying the incantation. His hand tightens a bit on Kairi's in a mix of nervousness and eagerness to see what exactly it would do. Borderlines usually blocked off or cut Ayakashi so how would that work with a shinki that was so infected by one?]

[Kairi wants to get closer to the ritual, for all that they've told her it's dangerous. The only thing holding her back right now is Goten - it's not like he's physically stopping her, although he could - but his presence keeps her where the two of them are standing, several yards back. She meets the other female shinki's eyes though, Soulless or not, and tries to plead with her.]

How did this happen to you?

[While the three men hold their lines, the Soulless shinki starts to writhe again, the extra eyes on her body bulging from the pain. She just keeps shaking her head vigorously, then crying as she shouts wordlessly at the dark colorations on her arm - but they get worse. The blight spreads all the way to her elbow and down one side of her chest, only barely visible through her shirt that's getting torn up by the effects of the Ablution.

The Soulless shinki tries to grab at her own arm with her free hand, practically scraping the skin with her nails, but in the end it only blights that hand too.]

[It only takes the slightest of seconds to recast his line, murmuring the incantation along with it in sync with Hakkai's wishes. Seeing what comes into existence, the glowing lines perfectly connected, is.... something. It's such an obvious idea, but it's another thing to see it in action. Surely, now that Axel has another shinki under him, this is something he'll have to remember for the future.]

[....Not that it seems to be working right now, and Chikusa's nose faintly wrinkles in disgust as the blight spreads further along the Soulless. However, neither line or will falter.]

[This has to be done. And if this can't work, then next...]

[She twists and shrieks inside the prison of the three borderlines, but, Hakkai notes, they're holding. Even as she hurls herself against one of the lines, her shoulder jarring hard against it as her newly blighted hand scrabbles for purchase, they're holding.

His gaze darts from Chikusa's face -- disgusted; no worries there -- to Izumo's, and back to the young soulless shinki's.

The blight is advancing. If this isn't enough....]

[Izumo doesn't lose his composure, even as she bangs herself against the Borderlines.

At this rate, not even three of them will be enough to stop the blight.

He watches the soulless shinki as she screams, eyes flickering briefly to Hakkai before he resumes paying attention to her.

They might need two more helpers in order for this to succeed.]

[Kairi shifts herself in front of Goten when she sees the Soulless shinki thrashing against the walls. More than thinking Goten can't protect himself, it's just such a painful sight for her, she doesn't want to subject Goten to any more of it than necessary.]

You can tell us - we'll understand. Sometimes accidents happen... [She looks over her shoulder at Goten.] Sometimes we don't know what we're getting into. We're all just trying our hardest without our memories to guide us, aren't we?

[Looking back at the Soulless shinki, Kairi takes several steps closer, until she's in line of sight with the Soulless shinki girl between Chikusa and Izumo.]

Maybe it was just an accident and that's why you feel guilty about it?

[But as soon as Kairi says 'accident' that gets the other girl's attention, and she shakes her head at 'guilty,' much more intensely this time.]

"Not an accident - an ayakashi."

[Kairi's eyes open wide - she hadn't heard a Soulless shinki speak before. She thought they were mute given how much screaming this girl had done without a single word.]

But... if it was an ayakashi, then the holy water would have...

[It had done something, or else the girl wouldn't have screamed in pain at the time. Now she looks on the verge of tears and yet no tears appear to be coming.]

"If not for that thing-!!"

[Her voice has an unnatural growl to it now, and the Soulless's neck and chest are protruding in strange ways, a horn growing out the side of her head too.]

She was attacked- so it's not her fault, right?!

[Kairi's gaze darts back and forth between Hakkai - across the other side of the Ablution barrier - and the Soulless shinki herself.]

[At first he's not really thinking much about Kairi's attempts to speak with the soulless. It's just background noise, something that might distract him. However, then there's actually a response, and he stirs slightly.]

If holy water and ablution won't work.... then....

[His hand slips into his pocket again, wrapping around the yoyo he'd tucked away but not returned to its box. That leaves only one choice, doesn't it?]

It hasn't failed yet.

[Hakkai's voice is cold, his hand still raised with fingers outstretched in the borderline-casting gesture as he stares at the warping shinki within the tiny triangle of light. His next words are addressed to her: just as cold, just as implacable.

But she is a person, damaged though she may be. She understands them.]

It doesn't matter whose fault it is. Let go of your hatred.

[Hypocritical? Yes, of course.

But he's on this side of the barrier, not that one, where negative emotions are transforming her into a monster before their eyes.]

We can't let her go as long as she continues to transform.

[He's sorry, Kairi, but whether it's this shinki's fault or not, she's still a threat.

Izumo watches the warping shinki, watches as she screams at them while that horn continues to protrude out of her chest. Those eyes seem to look around wildly at all of them, and Izumo keeps his fingers outstretched, focusing on keeping up the borderline.]

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