thenearshore | [closed] to prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet

Entry tags:

[closed] to prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet

Who: Nekhbet's ~~flock~~ temple (Shun, Fubuki, Reisi)
When: July 19th, morning
Where: Some nebulous place on the Far Shore
What: Mission 9, tracking a masked ayakashi.
Warnings: Potential mentions/descriptions of Johan's death if the subject comes up.

[As if things haven't been both dangerous and active enough around the Far Shore recently, Shun just had to overhear two of the advisors' shinki squabbling childishly over whether they'd really seen a masked ayakashi. It's not the kind of thing he can ignore, even with several other problems on his mind, and at the very least, he figures it might be a chance to see how his temple residents work together with the addition of Reisi.

So it is they've returned to the location of the argument, Shun heading over to investigate the patch of woodland the arguing shinki had been gesturing at. It's a little old, and not all the prints are clear, but there's definitely some not entirely natural ones marking the ground and heading deeper into the woods. Crouching down to study them, Shun raises his gaze after a few moments to look further into the trees.]

It's a good place for an ambush...and not one from us.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Call the bluff, he thinks about saying, and only just manages not to. That only works if they have a better idea of what might be coming, he knows that.]

[He looks around at their other surroundings. Keeping an eye on the rear would be a nice way to put it, since he'd lagged behind a little, but...that's not what he's doing. Restless energy makes him unable to focus, even if he were doing it on purpose.]

...Did they say anything else?

[Things have been both interesting and tumultuous since Reisi’s arrival to say the least. Though there’s a lot of information to process, he can easily sort it into categories and begin piecing various parts together like a puzzle. And because he wants to become used to this place and his responsibilities as soon as possible, setting out to track the masked ayakashi is a welcome task.

He hasn’t forgotten what he’s learned about the masks, that they apparently are capable of controlling ayakashi and are associated with two things in particular: demon summonings coinciding with the appearance of new gods and an enemy of the Heavens known as the Sorcerer. Tenjoin had himself mentioned something about being a mask as well, but Reisi had decided against pursuing that line of questioning for the time being. At any rate, there’s only been one instance wherein the masks had been fake, though it seems the true source of those is as of yet unconfirmed.

Reisi’s gaze follows Kurosaki as he kneels to study the prints in the ground, then moves to follow them further into the thick of the forest.]

There's still a fairly clear route of escape as of now. I can take point as we proceed.

[That way, he could draw out potential attacks while Kurosaki and Tenjoin secure the rear.]

Nothing significant. They were arguing like a pair of idiots over whether they really saw it or not. [If the information hadn't been such an immediate concern, Shun probably would have blasted them for arguing about something that sensitive where anyone could have overheard them. As it is, he's more focused on tracking the thing down. They don't need any more risks this big running around the Heavens.

Straightening up as Reisi passes him, Shun gives the man a rather critical eying. While he'd prefer to take point himself, this is the first time he's worked with Reisi, and while he gets the impression he's competent in this sort of thing, he hasn't seen it in practice yet. This could be a good chance to see exactly where his skills lie.

After a moment of thought, he inclines his head.] Fine. But let's keep a tight group. We're not even sure what form this thing is in, other than probably four-legged looking at these prints.

[He glances at the prints as he passes, but whatever Shun and Munakata saw in them, he can't tell.]

[So, probably four-legged and...] How big, do you think?

[Something bigger would require more preparation...probably. In any case, he knows Shun always walks around with a knife, so—] Munakata, did you bring anything?

[As a King, one of Reisi's usual strategies is to gather information and force others into taking action. Even without his memories, Reisi's confidence is enough that he unknowingly enacts it. Although he doesn't move too far ahead, the distance is just between comfortably safe and acting as bait.

While he has his own speculations on its size, he decides not to comment on it for the time being. But he is ready for ~~just about~~ anything.]

I have my sword.

[Which Kurosaki already knows appears oddly locked into its scabbard. The weapon rests at Reisi's left hip, its gold pummel protruding from a dark blue sheath with golden straps laced over it hanging from his sword belt.

More than that, he has himself. However, even he doesn't know his full capacity, as he hasn't needed to activate Sanctum since arriving.]

It's hard to tell, with an ayakashi. Whatever form it's in doesn't have to be something that makes sense in size or weight compared to this. [The prints are somewhere to the tune of medium-sized and not very deep into the ground, but Shun wouldn't be too surprised if whatever this is turned out to be much bigger than that implies. He paces himself a little ahead of Fubuki, eyes scanning over everything in the vicinity back and forth - he's acutely aware Reisi is far enough ahead to basically be a lure, but Shun figures this will be a lesson learned one way or another. Either in being capable of fending off a sudden attack like that, or in hubris.

Reisi gets a slight aside glance at the mention of the sword. It doesn't seem like it'd be much use in an actual combat situation if it won't come out of its sheath, but Shun doesn't want to question it too much. It's probably something to do with how it was used in life, and Shun considers it less risky to let Reisi do what comes naturally on that front rather than pushing him towards certain thoughts by asking.]

I have shrine water on me as well, so that'll give us a better distraction if we need it. [Along with the knife and flask of water, he also has his sword hidden under the drape of his coat and a lighter tucked into another of his pockets, but most of it isn't so relevant, so he neglects to mention it for the moment. The woodland around them is also silent for now, but for the occasional (normal-sized) tweet or fluttering sound.]

[Fubuki also has shrine water, but he carries a small one, so he figures it wouldn't be of much use against anything bigger than the jellyfish—]

[...Moving his thoughts away from that topic, he tries to keep an eye on his surroundings—"escape route," Munakata had said, and if Fubuki is in the back, it falls to him to keep an eye on it, right? Right.]

It'd have to be small enough that those shinki doubted what they saw, right? [Unless it can turn invisible.]

[...He is going to bodily turn himself around and walk backwards, focusing only on that and avoid thinking about anything else.]

[Reisi may be confident and self-assured, but it doesn't mean he's careless. Should he successfully draw out any ayakashi, he'd be able to shield himself with his power, and he isn't so far that he won't be able to protect his god and the other shinki.

Besides, there's still something else he could do, but he'd rather avoid it if possible. To amass that sort of power in one area could be quite dangerous.

Focused on seeking out their target, Reisi quickly falls quiet. Is it nearby or deeper into the woods...?]

Not necessarily. This is a woodland area. If they saw it through the trees, they might not have gotten a chance to see much more of it than the mask. [That's the one part they have to have at least glimpsed to be arguing over whether it was this specific variety, but any other details are in the air.

Keeping an eye on both of the other two even as he looks over the trees as well, Shun tries to focus on noises more distant than the sounds of birds. It's incredibly annoying to get his attention snapped by another flash of wings before his instincts die down and he can properly register that it's a harmless noise, but after a few more moments of walking, he can hear a faint, scratchy sort of sound very distantly.

He doesn't outright pause, but his eyes narrow, and he tilts his head in that direction - it's somewhere ahead and to the left.]

I hear scratching. It's far off, though.

[With his attention elsewhere, he doesn't see Shun's headtilt, so he listens, instead. He can't quite hear it over the sound of the three of them walking, though.]

[He does spot something on the ground, and stops to pick it up. Ceramic. Which...could just be trash...]

Shun, what are those masks made of?

[Also, you two...don't get too far ahead... It's his own fault, though, so he resignedly turns and catches up. Just...think about ayakashi. It'll be fine. People disappear here all the time, it's not a big deal, he doesn't need to think about it. It'll be just fine.]

Check out the scratching, or wait for another sign?

[Gradually, the sounds of birds and other animals, water running in the distance, and their own footsteps fade into natural ambience. Reisi hears the faint scratching just before hearing Kurosaki's voice and casting a glance back for confirmation. Ahead and left. He focuses his attention in that direction and can more clearly hear the sound—it's oddly repetitive and persistent.

Just as he's about to ask about proceeding, Tenjoin asks about the masks' composition. Reisi pauses, maintaining his focus on the scratching rather than turning back.]

Did you find another lead, Tenjoin-kun? [He doesn't think the other shinki would spontaneously ask about something like that.] The sound seems fixed for now, but we may be too distant to rightly determine its movement.

I don't know. If they're formed by magic, it could be anything strong enough to hold up to combat. [Since Shun assumes Fubuki's asking the question for a reason, he glances back to see Fubuki with the piece of ceramic. It seems unlikely to him that it'd be part of the mask, but they probably can't write off anything entirely.

For now, though, the noise is more relevant, and Shun returns his attention to front and centre before recommencing his back and forth scanning of the area.]

We'd need to get closer to decide how to confront it anyway. Even if we can't get exact movements, if it starts coming closer faster than we're moving, we'll know. [Shun has an unfortunately extensive amount of experience reading enemy movements out of the sound of them, and an ayakashi can't be worse than organised military.]

There was something on the ground. [He considers tossing it, but eventually decides to slip it into a pocket instead. There's no drawback to holding onto it.] Might be nothing...

[Mask made out of magic, huh? There's something kind of darkly amusing about that, but he has no idea why.]

Be careful, then. [Since they're both in front of him, and all.]

Stay close. We move.

[With that, Reisi begins silently heading toward the sound, making sure the others are still nearby and can follow. As they close on the unnatural scratching, it becomes more apparent that the target isn't moving for now.]

[Shun doesn't need any prompting to follow an order like that - his pace levels to something more consistent and moves him smoothly to an appropriate distance behind Reisi, as if he's very used to this kind of motion. While he spares a glance to Fubuki to ensure he's keeping up with them, he mainly keeps his attention forward, scanning for signs of movement and listening out for that scratching.]

Holding its position. We'll see if it lasts. [His voice is quiet, only enough to carry back to Fubuki, who is mainly who he's aiming the remark at given he's unsure how well he can hear the noise Shun and Reisi are following.]

[For his part, he's given up on trying to hear the sound, and is just following along.]

[And since everyone's being quiet right now, he declines to clarify where they're headed. But keeping an eye and ear behind, and stopping occasionally to look at something on the ground (more ceramic shards? no, that's just some paper...), means he's lagging behind more often than not.]

[The sound of a twig snapping from behind has him whirling around, though.]

[Following a sound doesn't mean tuning the rest of them out, and Reisi can't help the nagging feeling that it's too quiet behind him. Kurosaki seems to have experience of his own, going by his citing Tenjoin's lack of combat experience. Reisi is the sort who trusts others based on their qualifications and capabilities, so he doesn't trust the radio silence bringing up the rear.]

Tenjoin-kun—still with us?

[He slows a little bit, waiting for confirmation as they start upon their target's threshold.]

[Shun glances back at the sound of the twig snap, but there doesn't seem to be anything in the vicinity of where the sound came from when he looks except Fubuki, so he looks ahead again after a moment or two. They're getting close enough to the ayakashi now that they can't really afford any distractions.]

Lagging like that is more likely to get you attacked when we're this close. Don't lose focus.

[Again, his voice is quiet given the situation, but still firm.]

[Fubuki isn't as sure that it's nothing—there could be two—but the concern and the mention of getting attacked has him turning around and catching up.]

[Or at least, it would have, if after taking two steps he didn't hear another snap.]

[...That isn't just his imagination, right? He's not in top shape right now, mentally, but it's not like—]

I'm... I'm right behind you.

[With a final glance backward, he catches up. If it does turn out to be something, he'd probably be a liability that far back. ...Or something.]

[There doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary when Tenjoin checks the rear one last time. However, this isn't to say his suspicion isn't well-placed, does it?

At any rate, it'd be better if they tightened their formation up right now. It should help that Reisi's slowed, now moving even more quietly as not to attract any attention.]

[If there is something back there, it would serve Fubuki better to be close to help rather than lingering where the noise is, so Shun nods slightly as he finally decides to catch up. The second twig snapping does make him scan the area again, but it still doesn't seem like there's anything there...

The main noise is still in front of them, though, so Shun once again returns his focus there for the moment. The trees thin out ahead into a clearing, and between them, snatches of the bizarre colour of an ayakashi can be seen. It might take getting closer to fully identify it, though, and Shun's own movements are quiet as he pads after Reisi and tries to pick out any identifying details about the ayakashi.]

[He's starting to hear the other sound now, and slows down (again). For the first time he notices the clearing ahead, and a glance at how Reisi and Shun are moving gives him the clue that that's where they're headed. And since they're being quiet now, he declines to ask.]

[In another moment, he can glimpse an ayakashi, too. What it's doing is another matter entirely...]

[...So that's an ayakashi, Reisi mentally notes. Although he commits this one to memory, he doesn't bank on all ayakashi looking or behaving similarly. They seem like the sort of thing that might be wildly varied depending on a number of things.

Its unnatural coloration contrasts it with the forest and other creatures. If that weren't enough of a giveaway, then the eyes randomly dotting its body would. Its back is turned, and its form is still somewhat indistinct from the group's line of vision. As they grow closer still, the scratching becomes louder and more distinct, but it's difficult to tell exactly what the ayakashi is doing.

It does appear to be hunched near or over something...]

[As they get closer, the form of the ayakashi becomes clearer - it's vaguely feline in shape, with too many legs but only four even enough in size to reach the ground. The edges of the white mask on its head are visible, but it's bent down low, scratching and pawing at the something Reisi's already noticed.

That something is a long, but relatively narrow fissure in the earth, enough to admit one or maybe two people alongside one another. It appears that the creature might be trying to get back through, and as soon as Shun notices that, he comes to a stop and gestures to the other two, keeping his voice low.]

If one of you gets it away from that hole, I should be able to rend it with the other of you. [He looks first to Reisi, then Fubuki, because even such a short time after coming here, he'd be very surprised if Reisi wasn't more competent in borderlines than Fubuki was. He's also rended ayakashi with Fubuki before, and something this sensitive doesn't feel like the time to be experimenting with Reisi's vessel form.]

[...Why would a controlled ayakashi be digging...?]

[That aside, it's not too hard to tell what Shun has in mind, so he just nods. He'd be worried if he didn't have the impression that they know what they're doing... And anyway, if he were going to bring up the danger, the time to do that has long passed.]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject