thenearshore | 19 | Peaceful Departure

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

Definitely.

[ Then again, it's hard to explain the way that he and Izumo could communicate without saying anything. Entire conversations and decisions, even.

While Shizuo goes to accept the hand, he sort of freezes before closing it around. It couldn't be helped, and after a moment, he relaxed and just let the hand fall again- that was the closest he'd probably get to a handshake. It couldn't be risked. Of course as it falls, as he adjusts himself the shinki mark on his slung arm's hand became all the more noticeable. ]

Shizuo Heiwajima. Ah... What do you mean by welcome to the family, though?

[ Admittedly, Tatara gives a curious look to the sudden decline of a handshake. He wants to question, of course; but does it really matter? Not hardly. If this man doesn't want to shake his hand, he's not going to let it bother him.

That's quite a feat, actually: Bothering Totsuka. Only one man has managed to do it thus far, and only for the briefest of moments before their conversation continued on, unimpeded and unaltered. ]

Well, you see, Kusanagi-san and I are also very much like brothers, you could say.

[ No, Tatara. He's basically your mom. Don't lie. ]

I'd say you're kinda full of shit, given that Izumo's more like people's mom than anything else.

[ Which is probably a sign for why Shizuo was fine with considering himself the guy's brother. He had no fear in saying this aloud, and has in fact talked to Izumo about his mom tone/look thing, and how it could probably work on most people. ]

Not fully, just kinda. Then again, I guess it's cuz you're younger, from what I can tell.

[ Tatara laughs -- a breathy sound, rather than a robust one, on account of his overarching exhaustion. ]

Aah, you do know him well, don't you? Kusanagi-san really is the 'mothering' type.

[ The kind who thrust umbrellas and jackets on Tatara when he dared to go out into storms. ]

I'm younger, yes; but not by many years. We still went to school together, he and I.

[ ...Kind of. ]

... Ah, I don't think I should know much if you were that much a part of his living life.

[ It's not a lack of interest- with the assumed connection Shizuo and Izumo already set between them, it'd be too easy to wonder where he fit in during all of this. Questions that shouldn't happen- couldn't, really. ]

I really don't want to start wondering too much, y'know?

[ Tatara blinks for a moment. ]

If it's him you're worried about, he remembers me.

[ A beat. ]

But, you're right -- in this case, it's better to be safe than sorry.

[ And one more... ]

Speaking of, I have a favor to ask of you.

[ Well, that settles that much, but it wasn't going to help Shizuo wondering about his place. Yet he knew he couldn't wonder where or even if there was a place he was in back then. ]

Yeah? What sort of favor is that supposed to be?

[ Because he certainly doesn't know you enough to know what to expect. ]

[ There’ a bit of a pause before Tatara answers that question, eyes closing at the behest of a sheepish expression. ]

Well, you see... I don’t think I can make it home on my own two feet, in the state I’m in.

[ Translation: He’s asking for a piggyback ride. Waif and lithe as he is, he doesn't weigh much, he promises! ]

[ Oh. Huh. Most people didn't expect him to be able to do that most of the time. Because Shizuo was far more lithe than his lookalike, unless they already knew about his strength, he wasn't exactly their first choice. ]

Yeah, I get what you're saying. Eat what you've got and then I'll get ya home.

[ Be able to do what? Carry him? Tatara’s not making any presumptions about Shizuo’s strength; not nearly. Rather, he’s banking on his own lightness -- the fact that he’s been thrown over shoulders and hauled away with relative ease for most of his adult life, able to be scooped up in one arm by Mikoto.

(Honestly, if he had any knowledge of this man’s strength, he might ask for a Princess Carry instead of a piggyback, as that’s far more comfortable. Be grateful for this ignorance, Shizuo.)

Anyway, with a nod, he gradually eats away all his various nibbles. Hopefully it’ll last him a while, since he’s not so confident about his ability to get out of bed tomorrow after all of this. He’s betting everything that hasn’t already caught up with him will make its arrival by then, and he’s not going to ask anyone to wait on him hand-and-foot. He’d sooner manage by himself.

Jeez. Rolling an eight with Sakon really was a double-edged sword, wasn’t it? He almost needs a hand getting back to his feet, even; but once he does, he’s all smiles again. ]

Ready when you are!

[ This’ll be interesting. ]

[ Funny enough, as the guy started to eat, Shizuo pulled out and lit a cigarette. While he didn't need to smoke, watching it drift through the air was... relaxing. Enough to be worth maneuvering around the fact that one of his arms was bound in a sling.

When Totsuka said he was ready, the blond tossed the cigarette into a stainless steel personal ash tray- one of those cylindrical cases that had a slide to manage the top. ]

Right. Then let's get you back.

[ He goes to kneel down with his back to the younger man. It won't be the most convenient, but Shizuo knew he could just hook his remaining arm back to support the god. Goddess. Whatever. ]

[ Tatara should, rightly, be in shock. They’ve only just barely met, and already this new stranger is now kneeling before him, waiting for him to climb on for a piggyback ride, just as requested. It has nothing to do with his status as a god, either; shinki aren’t liable to be loyal -- let alone kind -- to anyone but their own, after all.

So, Shizuo is simply a good person, then. That makes Tatara trust him all the more.

Carefully, he drapes himself over his best friend’s lookalike, arms around his neck. Indeed, this is where he and Izumo differ, and he can tell that now, though he makes no comment. Rather, he’s content to latch to the man with whatever strength his body has left to impart, quivery as his muscles are when asked to work. ]

Thanks for doing this, again.

[ Thanks for helping out a silly young god who got in over his head; though it wasn’t the first time, and it likely won’t be the last.

Once they’re moving, to keep conversation going, Tatara gently inquires. ]

What happened to your arm?

[ It's fine if Tatara's muscles are protesting the efforts right now. Though it's only one arm going to the back to provide the guy with support on staying in place, it's more than strong enough to handle his light amount of weight. ]

Don't mention it. You're gonna have to give me directions, though.

[ Ah, yes. The arm. ]

Ah... I was an idiot and let some people dislocate it in an attempt to force my god's hand. Didn't work, but that's probably for the best.

[ Because, like he said, he was an idiot. ]

[ One arm is more than sufficient -- especially given that, with how slender Shizuo is, Tatara might just be able to lock his legs at the ankles to steady himself, at the very least. He has zero shame about being a human backpack, at this point. ]

Force your god’s hand...?

[ He repeats the words in a sort of contemplative mumble, partly in disbelief. “Force”, meaning that, from the sound of it, he was tortured for the sake of someone getting something out of his god. Tatara’s expression tightens with worry at that knowledge. Who would do such a thing...?

He has to internally remind himself here that there’s still a killer on the loose. And if murder is possible, surely torture is far from off the table. ]

I’m sorry that happened to you. Does it hurt still?

[ He’s not especially great with it all just yet, but Tatara is a healer here, to some degree. (An unsurprising role for him, given his past life.) ]

I'm really an idiot, so when I accidentally caused my god blight, I tried pushing that so she'd remove my name. That way it wouldn't happen again.

[ It wasn't exactly torture, but this was clearly of his own doing. ]

Nah. I don't actually feel pain, so that was never a problem.

Aah, I see. [ It was his own doing. So, basically, he harmed himself in effort to manipulate his god into releasing him, in case he caused further blight.

...Honestly, that is pretty stupid. Stupid; and yet, Tatara can see the good intent in it and respects him for it. As if he needed further proof that Shizuo is a good man.

After all, even good men do really dumb things. Tatara would be the foremost authority on that. He smiles wryly. ]

Sounds like the two of you are pretty loyal to each other.

[ He's glad for it. Exhaling, he settles some and falls quiet until hearing that second bit of information. That's got him peering at Shizuo as best he can from over the man's shoulder. ]

Haaah? Seriously?!

[ No pain? He's got to be bluffing. ]

For better or worse, I guess.

[ The worse, obviously, being that he caused Yona another case of blight. To which he'd have to scold her for breaking that promise he pushed her into making. ]

The only time I've felt pain was when I was a kid or during my ablution. Everything else, while I sometimes can tell there's something happening, I don't know about any injuries unless I can see it or if something isn't working right.

[ Hence that sling. ]

[ Cue the lift of brows. ]

Your ablution?

[ Someone's been a bad, bad boy... ]

Why... what happened?

[ It's more that he considered himself to be very bad and has a very high guilt complex. ]

I, uh, made some bad decisions in how I reacted to a few things. After I was shown how it was causing blight, I tried using that to try and force my god's hand into releasing my name. Y'know, so she wouldn't have to worry about it happening again.

[ That's it in the tightest nutshell possible. ]

I was really being an idiot.

Aah, I see. [ He angles in his head some on Shizuo's shoulder. ] Lost your temper...?

[ That's his best guess; and his first grab for a conclusion, given the company he keeps. ~~Here's lookin' at you, Yata.~~ ]

That happened as well, yeah. It was... a bunch of things in a short time. Like deciding things that I had no place in, or using my own pathetic situation to push someone into confiding with me about theirs.

[ It's not even things that are that bad, but when you're someone with his ability of self-blame, it's dangerous. ]

I think the way you say that makes it sound worse than it actually was.

[ This is him speaking up for you, Shizuo. A vote of confidence.

A small pause. ]

...You're a complicated man, aren't you?

[ That's way more confidence than Shizuo has in himself, but that's what got him in that situation in the first place. ]

Nah, not really. I try to keep simple because it's easier that way. It's a lot less work that way, y'know?

[ ... Shizuo, no one that's decidedly simple actually is simple. It's how people know you're both smarter than you act and just as much of an idiot as you claim to be. ]

Aah, I think we all try.

[ But he's far from the type to pessimistically point out the reality here. ]

So your ablution was... recent?

Yeah. It was... a bit over a week ago at this point, I guess.

19 | Peaceful Departure

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we can wrap here if you want?