There was literally a post warning against this

[bartenderizing]

Who: Shizuo, Izumo, Goten, Chikusa, Yona, Kija and any other spectators
When: Mid/Late July
Where: Cnoc Áine
What: The end result of a confrontation, and no surprise to those that personally know the target of this absolution.


On our last episode, Yona had realized that she was being stung enough to get blighted by her shinki. The newest two were able to confess the reasons for their ire and rage, though not without words of their own for Yona's self-imposed suffering.

However Yona's first shinki had taken to a downward spiral of guilt, but also settling, accepting and justifying his feelings and decisions. Instead of confessing and seeing Yona's reaction to what that was, Shizuo tried to escape. With the help of two particular dragons, he was pulled back and time was bought for Izumo to get the necessary people for this divine punishment.

Time was running out- not for the severity of the blight, but for the fact that Shizuo seemed to be resolved in that Yona's best interests were to dissolve their connection instead of... Well, you know. Talking it out.

Now...

Comments

[kokuyoyo]

Chikusa could have swore they just had a BBS PSA about this. He really could have.

And yet here he is, reluctantly trudging up the enormous flight of stairs and entering the front gate. Even on a good day, Chikusa rarely seems energetic or enthused about anything. In fact, his default expression is neutral, and his starter stance is slouching as if his spine forgot how to work. Yet right now particularly, he seems particularly annoyed as he looks for the other shinki who called him (or really anyone who can guide him to where he needs to be).

"Why," he grumbles, to no one in particular, "did there have to be so many stairs...?"

Yeah, he knows, there's someone in danger of dying and another in danger of becoming an ayakashi, but, listen. Priorities.

[toremainbehind]

Calling Chikusa might not have been something he would initially think about, but he knows the teenager has had experience with dealing with ablution already. It saved Izumo time on trying to find others, and instead of calling Yukine, he turned to Goten to come help out, too.

With the way things are, it's better to do this fast before Shizuo gets worse.

Even so, he's gone to get Chikusa once the other shinki arrived while the others hold Shizuo and prevent him from leaving.

"Sorry for calling you all the way out here."

[sonofson]

Goten isn’t far behind. Though much like countless times before he doesn’t remember to carry his cellphone with him, like he should. It just always got forgotten about or left behind with Izumo or Aymeric but luckily Izumo did seem have an easy way to get his attention. He also knew this estate too. Shizuo showed it to him before. Yona’s place.
He comes flying down from the sky, not long after Chikusa reaches the very top of the stairs and walks through the front gate. One of the many benefits of being able to fly, sorry Chikusa.

“Izumo!” Goten can’t help but grin upon seeing the older shinki and drops down next to him. His gaze flicks to Chikusa, who didn’t look happy to be here at all, before looking back up to Izumo curiously.

[kokuyoyo]

As Goten comes into place to join their little group, Chikusa glances over at him for a moment. Not his first choice for someone to make an ablution, but... If he's seen one already and been practicing his border lines, he could still be usable. There's only one way to find out, and that's what has his gaze return to Izumo.

"...It can't be helped. Where is he?" He means the shinki that is in such a shit state that an ablution is required.

[toremainbehind]

Izumo gives Goten a nod of greeting.

"I'm going to need your help, okay?"

Because otherwise, things will only get worse.

"This way." And with that, he'll lead them to where Shizuo is being kept at the moment. As he leads them, he addresses Goten: "Goten, we're going to perform an ablution. Think you can do it?"

[sonofson]

“Okay. Don’t worry Izumo, you can count on me.” Goten says it almost instantly. He’s always willing to help the older shinki with whatever it is he needs, he doesn’t even need to know what it is before already agreeing to it. He follows along after Chikusa before jogging a bit to walk along Izumo’s right side as he explains. Goten knows the temple, he knows of some of the people that live in it and not seeing Shizuo around is concerning. Izumo and Shizuo were practically a pair and they were in Shizuo home so shouldn’t he be lingering around? Already he was getting a bad feeling...

“Ablution?” He blinks, repeating the word as he looks up to Izumo. He remembers what that is, how could he forget? That even happened the first day he met Izumo face to face...

“Uh...yeah, I think so. I don’t remember the words you use for it though...Where’s Shizuo?”

He echos Chikusa’s question. Seeing it happen to someone he doesn’t know is one thing. He’s hoping Shizuo isn’t that dumb and Izumo just figured his twins’ borderlines were too weak to be used for an ablution.

He hopes that’s the case....

[kokuyoyo]

"This spirit of the deceased neglected to devote himself to the god, and protect the great name bestowed upon him/her. Wipe away his/her impurities, and establish a bright, straight and correct soul without malicious intent. Use this purification ceremony to make this one pure."

It's a quiet recital behind Goten, but the words are clearly said. Chikusa committed the words Hakkai told them to memory, and that was before he had to do another ablution on the man himself. He has them down perfectly.

After a second, he murmurs, "After that first part- to the god- you're supposed to say the name of that god."

[darkestbefore]

Yona is waiting for them in the Courtyard at the top of the stairs, the center of the castle compound. She looks tired and worn, her face pale, one arm held at a careful angle against her chest. By now the Blight has spread from the spot on her upper arm to encompass much of it, as well as creeping up her shoulder and along her torso. Shizuo has been making it progressively worse since she confronted him, to the point that she'd come here to wait for the other shinki in hopes that perhaps he'd stop trying to sabotage himself further to force her hand.

She looks relieved when she spots the three of them approach, dipping into a polite - if hesitant - bow.

"Izumo. Thank you for answering so quickly. You as well, Chikusa. And I'm afraid I don't know your friend." She gives the smaller boy a warm smile, despite the sadness in her gaze. He's so young, it comes as a surprise. But she trusts Izumo to know what he's doing all the same.

[toremainbehind]

Once Izumo sees Yona and how worse the blight has gotten, something flickers in his expression.

He's aware of Shizuo punching against his Borderlines, trying to escape and perhaps find a way for Yona to cut off their connection. While Izumo can understand, the blight is just going to get worse all the same until they get rid of it.

"This is Goten," Izumo introduces the youngest shank. He sees the sadness in the goddess's eyes, and he can only give her a reassuring smile.

[sonofson]

Goten glances over to Chikusa as he recites the words. There's...a lot more then he remembers them being which makes him a bit more concerned. Does he really have to say all that?

"Okay...thanks Chikusa..." He smiles and turns back before muttering the words under his breath. He's trying to recite it and commit it to memory. Maybe if he can say it enough times, he'll be able to remember it all! Hakkai should have taught this in school instead of math! He's not worried about the ritual or borderline itself. It's the words.

But Goten perks at Yona, eyes widening a bit. He's heard of her before by name but he's never met her in person. Shizuo spoke fondly of her so why is she so blighted?

"Hi Miss Yona." Goten smiles back at her, bowing even. She seems like a nice polite lady and he has at least some manner. "Nice to meet you."

Even with everything that is happening

[kokuyoyo]

Patiently- or at least quietly- Chikusa waits out the introductions. His eyes are busy taking in her condition, and how badly it's gotten. Still better than Yuri's was when she came to see what had happened to Hakkai, so... It's at least not too much of a threat yet.

Although, probably it's only getting worse.

"It's not like there's many other choices..." He shrugs, barely. "How long has this been going on...?"

The Ablution

[darkestbefore]

[ After Jae-Ha and Kija had restrained Shizuo from leaving, Izumo had shown up to help contain him within a Borderline, since everyone was still worried he'd try to flee to force Yona to release him. Something she was not intending to do until the Blight was taken care of him and she could talk to him honestly once more. She's still not certain if the words he'd thrown at her were his true thoughts or if the Blight was affecting this, too.

So it's a more subdued goddess who leads the three shinki here to help with the purification rite into the garden where Shizuo waits, her face pale and drawn. There are others nearby, some here to keep an eye on Shizuo and some here for her own moral support, which she is grateful for.

Upon reaching the garden and her Blighted shinki, she turns to Izumo - and Chikusa and Goten - with a hesitant look. ]

We're ready whenever you are.

[bartenderizing]

[ The blighted shinki was also eerily quiet. He'd gone through the phases of cruel words and fighting the force of multiple dragons- though it'd be clear that he wouldn't go all out against Yona's precious friends. Not when he didn't really want to hurt any of them. Shizuo had also gone through the stages of saying cruel things and encouraging Yona to break their connection- after all, it'd save her from the pain that was being caused.

It really exasperated the blight issue, and was probably the biggest offender for why Yona's blight had advanced so quickly.

Now, Shizuo was quiet, but had a fist resting against the borderline that kept him from going past. The other arm hung, like some kind of dead weight. He'd been kicking it before, had made cruel comments of how Izumo must have felt he was so much better with their current positions. No wonder he was holding up such a strong and persistent borderline. They were warned on what to do to keep the stinging from turning to blight, back on that PSA a while back. No one mentioned how easy it was to get hooked and spiral downwards into your being.

But the people that had shown up- Chikusa he didn't even really remember (despite having met him twice before,) but it was the fact that Goten was there as well that seemed like a kick in the gut. Except it just irritated him further. ]

... Seriously. You're gonna drag him into this too?

[toremainbehind]

[If he were anyone else, he might have been affected by the cruel comments Shizuo made. It wouldn't have been good otherwise for Izumo to get caught up in doing this ablution, but Shizuo's words often gets ignored as he makes the proper preparations.

But when they come back and he sees Shizuo's irritation, he raises an eyebrow.]

It's not Goten's first time seeing an ablution. He's one of the other people I know who have strong Borderlines to help with this.

[So yes, he's dragging him into this, too.]

[kokuyoyo]

[In the meanwhile, quiet as usual, Chikusa takes a look at the set up that's been established. A single borderline to keep him in place is all well and good as a temporary measure.... but that implies that Shizuo is going to bolt or start a ruckus the second it goes down.]

[Sighing, Chikusa looks to Izumo.]

Do you want me to neutralize him so that we can get into position...?

[He can do it, he has yoyos and an owl.]

[sonofson]

[It really is him!

Goten stares at Shizuo, its weird seeing him behind a borderline and looking worse for wear. Is it bad that he was silently hoping Shizuo was just somewhere else and it was going to be one of Yona’s other shinki? Not to wish it on anyone else but...it's Shizuo...

He frowns at the blond, walking over to the borderline and stopping just in front of it. He’s not mad just worried. Izumo is right, he has seen an ablution and it isn’t pretty. He knows Shizuo can handle pain, Goten hasn’t been able to make him wince no matter how hard he’d punch him but this is different. There were stakes here too.]

Shizuo, we’re going to help you, okay? So don’t worry.

[He’s a little nervous but determined which is easy to see. He reaches up and pats the borderline where Shizuo’s fist is resting as if trying to reassure the blond. But Goten steps back when Chikusa speaks up, they do need to get this started before Shizuo gets worse. This has to work. They have to help Shizuo and Yona. Let’s do it! ]

[darkestbefore]

[ Yona keeps her distance for the time being, because she's pretty sure Shizuo does not want to see her right now, which hurts in a way far deeper than the Blight on her flesh. She glances over at Chikusa at his question, her expression carefully composed, despite the fear and dread tying knots in her stomach. ]

Yes, please, if you would, Chikusa? Do whatever's necessary to complete this, you have my permission.

[bartenderizing]

[ Honestly, Izumo probably saw through the whole stunt before Shizuo had gotten to saying anything to him earlier. It was clear that he had been trying to force Yona's hand, to break their connection, out of some kind of desperation. Which just fed into the blight in the sense that he felt terrible about doing it, but swallowed that emotion.

Now he had to deal with Goten looking at him like that, and some stranger was offering to, what, put him down? Using most of his strength, the blond punched at the borderline once more. ]

Someone's worried? Get out of here, you piss me off.

[ He didn't really feel that way, but Shizuo really didn't want Goten to see all of this happen. It's not like the kid ever looked up to him in the first place, but this was still humiliating. He didn't care about how the kid in the hat felt, or what he'd do, because that person was essentially a stranger. ]

Yeah, do whatever you think would would work. Even though we know taking away my name will be the fastest and most efficient way to get rid of this for you, Yona.

[ Would it get rid of his own blight? Shizuo wasn't sure if that mattered. Maybe it would be a good warning against other gods so they wouldn't go through the same trials that Yona did. So many more that he didn't know. ]

[toremainbehind]

[He gives a nod to Chikusa.]

We can't worry about him bolting the minute it goes down.

[There's a bit of a look directed at Shizuo for talking to Goten like that, but otherwise, he doesn't really say anything else more about it. He can understand the other shinki's desire to have Yona take away his name, to at least spare herself from the pain, but he also knows Yona well enough that she wasn't going to do so.

Not until the blight has been cleansed.]

Let's not waste time.

[kokuyoyo]

[Chikusa doesn't need Izumo's permission, or even- maybe definitely not- Shizuo's permission. Yona's agreement already has him reaching into his pocket to pull something out: a small box with some metallic embellishments on it and a single hole-like area on one side. The single ring he wears, which counts as the only nice thing he has on him at any given time, flares to life with a shimmering blue flame that seems almost more water than fire. It goes against the box like a key, making it burst open with blue energy coming out of it and.... forming a pair of yoyos.]

[Sliding them into place, he promptly sends them whirring high through the air, over his beanie'd head and going on either side of Shizuo before they unleash a duel spray of needles. What makes them so unique is the same flickering blue glow radiating out from them that matches the flame that had come from Chikusa's ring. Shizuo might be able to avoid some of them, or take out a yoyo, if he's so inclined.... But Chikusa is fairly certain he can't in such a confined space.]

[That glow would be Rain Flames, carrying the attribute of 'tranquility'. It's more than just a pretty word.... Once they hit Shizuo, they take effect immediately as they seep the energy, speed, and strength out of him.]

[...That's how it should work, anyway. Chikusa admittedly still isn't sure if there's anything that might work against his flames.]

[sonofson]

[Goten frowns at Shizuo. How as he making him mad?

But before he can dwell on it, Chikusa is moving in and doing something fancy with some yo-yos. Everything that is happening with blight and Shizuo aside, it's still really cool to see. Goten would never picture yo-yos could be a weapon but however Chikusa is doing it is really really cool! The only problem being that the target is Shizuo....but if he's going to fight them then there is no other choice.

Hopefully whatever power the yo-yos have works and then they can all get positioned and get this over with.]

[bartenderizing]

[ It wasn't really that any of them were making him mad- At least Izumo would realize that if Shizuo were really upset, he wouldn't have actual control. No, it was his was of trying to dissuade the boy from participating. It just needed to work on one of the shinki, any of them, and the chance of 'saving' him was gone. That's what was behind this, wasn't it? Shizuo wanted to spare Yona, but part of him didn't feel like he should be saved.

Izumo probably picked up on that instantly- he didn't know the other kid either, which left... Goten. As shitty as it made him feel to even say cruel things to the kid.

Which is why he gave those floating yoyos a look. Not underestimating the 'toys' but not really believing they'd do anything. whether or not they did would depend on whether the needles needed to be more than skin deep. Because they wouldn't get much deeper than that, due to the unusual way Shizuo's body was. Anything that managed to stick at that shallow level of penetration was brushed off almost immediately.

If it only needed that much, he'd be taking a knee. He doesn't look impressed. ]

This is NOT a Spectator Spot

[bartenderizing]

[ But there's some of you who're watching this happen anyway. Either from having tagged along, making sure your hard work in containing Shizuo pulls through, or to be Yona's support. Go ahead with your quippy commentary. ]

[justclaws]

[Kija does not consider what he is doing to be spectating.

[What he is doing is waiting. Waiting to be called upon, waiting to see this through, waiting to know that the Princess is going to be all right. That it should involve a decidedly reluctant Shizuo and - well, and whatever it is, aside from that, it does involve? That, unfortunately, is not important. He cannot, will not allow himself to leave the Princess's side until this terrible thing is undone, until the marks on her skin have vanished, and she is safe and well and whole. His anger will not help her, or his fear--

[For Kija cannot help her at all. Not with this, galling as it is to be confronted so rudely with the limits of what this place considers a deity's power, and the power of those who aid him. For now, he can do nothing but watch. So he watches, and he waits for it to be over.]

What exactly does this involve?

Show's over! No encores allowed

[bartenderizing]

[ However it ends, for better or worse (at least there was a success,) it leaves many people pretty exhausted. That doesn't mean it gets swept under the rug and treated like it's fine, though. Toss in prompts and things when the ablution has finished. ]