thenearshore | 19 | Peaceful Departure

Who: Everyone!
What: Celebrating Obon
When: Evening August 10
Where: The Near Shore
Summary: Mortals may be partying, but there's lots of work for the denizens of the Far Shore to do.

It's the final day of Obon and spirits are being sent back to their homes -- both the ancestral spirits that have been welcomed home for the duration of the festival and the mischievous spirits that have been plaguing the Heavens. But some of them might not go easy, so Amaterasu has requested that gods and shinki old and new alike help ensure the spirits' peaceful departure.

Mukae-bi

Fires have been lit on hillsides and near cemeteries to lead the spirits back to their resting places and to protect them on their way, but angry ghosts and ayakashi are trying to quench the fires so they can attack weaker spirits. Keep the firewood stocked and the fires blazing high while you fight off the attacks.

Heavenly Exorcisms

Guarding the Gates

Hidden pathways into the underworld in caves throughout Japan are open from sunset to moonset on this night to allow the spirits who have temporarily left to return. Gods and shinki must watch over these pathways and ensure that no dangerous ayakashi take the opportunity to escape from the underworld before the moon sets.

After-party

After the moon sets, the denizens of the Heavens can finally kick back. Everyone is invited to a private hot spring on the Far Shore, where a midnight banquet spread is waiting in thanks for their hard work. Wash off any blight in the hot springs and enjoy the banquet before heading back home for a good night's sleep.

In Summary:

Keep the fires burning
Exorcise those annoying spirits
Fight powerful ayakashi
Enjoy a banquet
Have fun~

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Yeah, he knew he'd been... sort of hovering around but he couldn't help it. What else was he supposed to do? he was up again. He felt like he hadn't spoken to Zero in forever. ]

[ But when the other called out having felt his presence, the former shinobi too a few steps out. He paused, just off to the side, a bit behind him. ]

You're awake. [ A pause, and a sigh. ] I...

I was worried.

[ Zero stares, a hint of confusion lingers in the depths of his eyes though he quickly smothers it with a neutral gaze. ]

Who are you?

Who...

[ There's a pause as he registers ehat was said. Itachi's red eyes give a slow blink. Wait... ]

[ What? ]

Zero... that's not funny.

[ His gaze remains steady, taking in the stranger but at his words - a repetition of the same feeling as before - Zero understands. ]

You knew me.

From before.

Before...

[ Then he realizes something. His eye line is all off. Before... before... ]

Zero... you're smaller.... you and Ichiru are the same height now...

Edited 2017-08-05 20:18 (UTC)

[ He's taller than Ichiru by a few inches still bit but he can imagine that they look the same. They were twins after all. But what does he mean smaller? Still that's not as important as the mention of that name. ]

You do you know Ichiru.

[ He's watching him closely now, gaze steady. ]

Edited 2017-08-05 20:27 (UTC)

He and I are... friends? Or something of the sort. But you know that. We live together.

...Don't...

Don't tell me you've forgotten me...

... again...

[ He.... understands now. ]

You knew me. From before.

[ Before he lost his memories. ]

And the time before that, as well.

This would make it the second time that you've forgotten... [ He looked off to the side thoughtfully, needing to teat bis gaze away before it gave away all of his hurt... though he was probably too late for that. The person he had considered his closest friend... ]

[ Was he just.... that unworthy of being kept? Not just in the physical plane but the mental as well? ]

[ Zero can see him hurting, clear as day, and the thought of having been forgotten... just like Ichiru had forgotten him. Twice. ]

I'm.... sorry.

[ What else could he say? ]

It's fine. [ No, it wasn't. But there wasn't anything else he could do. He couldn't make him remember. He tried that, once. It didn't work. There was a moment of silence for a moment, before... ]

It... it's not your fault. It's the fault of all these gods running around...

Ichiru doesn't know who you are, and now you can't even remember me, but that shouldn't come as a surprise. I'm the worthless shinki who's gods get sick of them. So I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise that my best friend forgets about me twice. [ Oh no, he was gettung angry. He hated confrontation. Why was this happening, why was this--]

You promised you'd look after me. You have some nerve!

.........

[ His brows crease. Best friend? Were they... close? He gets his answer moments later. Twice. He'd forgotten him twice along with a promise he'd made.

He's silent after, not quite sure what to do or say. He doesn't remember him. Whatever he might have felt for him is gone and all he see's is a stranger throwing accusations at him yet it's clear that he's hurting. Try as he may to hide the depths of it, Zero can see it and the raw emotions he's so desperately trying to keep at bay are enough to pull at his humanity, whatever there's left of it anyway. ]

Promises aren't about the mind. [ He steps forward. ] But the heart. [ And places a hand on his shoulder. ]

I won't break my promise to you.

Can you really say that so easily? How can you keep a promise you don't remember making? I'm no longer your friend now--all you'll see me as is a burden. An obligation. [ And he reached up, swatting Zero's hand off his shoulder. ]

I have to go find Ichiru now.

[ He lets him push his hand away and in return slaps those accusations down. ]

Don't put words in my mouth.

Then what am I?

Someone who's hurting.

[ And that was enough for Zero. ]

Edited 2017-08-06 18:10 (UTC)

When you came back... I was going to ask you something important... something very important to me... but I am unable to, now... you don' remember me... so you wouldn't understand how important it was to me...

...But I suppose... there's no use in thinking about it now... [ He looked away, frowning off to the side. Maybe it would be good to ask Ichiru for advice, but... he wasn;t sure what advice the other could give. ]

...I spent all this time that you were sleeping... summoning my courage... but for nothing, now.

You're right.

[ He stands alone, unmoving. ]

I won't understand. I don't remember you. Who you are, what you've done. I don't know what happened before I woke up... What you did, who you were, why you care so much. I only know what's in front of me right now. What you wanted to know...

I can't tell how I would have answered.

[ He steps back, facing the door. ]

When you're ready, I can give you a response at least. Not from who I used to be, but from who I am.

[ He moves to the door, ready to leave, to give him some time to think about all that he'd said but not without parting with one last apology. ]

I'm sorry... for forgetting you.

[ Itachi remained silent as he watch Zero depart. The dark-haired shinki wanted to go after him... but didn't know what to say,f or now. ]

...

[ Perhaps, if he was able to speak with someone else on the matter, things would become clear to him. ]

[ 'When you're ready, I can give you a response at least. Not from who I used to be, but from who I am.' ]

[ What was he supposed to think? Or say? He didn't know... ]

[ With that, the shinki turned around, heading off in a different direction. ]

19 | Peaceful Departure

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