19 | Peaceful Departure

[godsoffortune]

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

It's time to bring any possessed household items to the Near Shore to ensure that the spirits are sent safely on their way. Some might go peacefully, while others might have to be purified by fire in order to set the spirits free. Hope you weren't too attached to that chair.

(Careful... spirits that manage to hide from the housecleaning can become permanent guests!)

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~

Comments

[thevanguard]

I... guess? I don't know a lot about that.

[ He confesses this a bit sheepishly, shrugging it off. ]

Then again, you guys are gods, I'm pretty sure you can do whatever you want. [ Wasn't that what they were gods for? ]

[sing_for_me]

That would make them--us, more like brats than gods then..

[At least that was her thought on it.]

Ah--bur anyway..! You can at least take a seat right..? I'm sure you've been standing around for a while now.

[thevanguard]

Yeah, but who's gonna tell the gods that? [ He shoots this back with a slightly cheeky smile.

Although her offer gets a blink before he casts a glance around him, as if double-checking to make sure everything was quiet for the moment. ]

Ahh...? I guess so? I mean, if that will make you feel better? [ He flops down beside the fire at her urging, crossing his legs in front of him. ] Better?

[sing_for_me]

[She chuckles at his comeback.]

I know I'd like to be told if I was going overboard.

[Alex watches as he does take a seat, smiling at him apologetically.]

Yeah... Sorry, I don't mean to nag or anything..

[She couldn't help it, especially with those younger than her. Plus, she did notice him wobbling earlier on. There was no way she was letting that go.]

[thevanguard]

[ He just waves a hand at her apology. ]

It's fine. You're not. No harm done. I mean, probably. If we all get stampeded by a sudden swarm of ayakashi out of nowhere, then I'll bitch about it. Deal?

[sing_for_me]

[Alex looked down at him for a moment before chuckling. ]

Deal.

Ah, but at least you'll be a little bit rested if it happens, right?

[thevanguard]

[ His lips quirk at that as he rests his arms on his knees. ]

Yeah, yeah. Guess saving my energy's probably gonna be necessary anyway. Although you, too. Unlike me, you can end most of these things, at least.

[sing_for_me]

Aah...it's kinda tough without a weapon type shinki though.

[Small ayakashi are fine, but bigger kinda or numbers? Alex hadn't dared to try those yet.]

I'm pretty sure you've done more.

[thevanguard]

[ He blinks at her a moment before glancing to her shinki. ]

I guess that would make it trickier, huh?

[sing_for_me]

Mm..and I'm not much of a fighter either.. so I'd rather not put her in danger.

[A lot of the people she's met here so far seem to know how to fight or have some offensive ability. She felt bad for her shinki since she didn't have much to offer in that respect.]

[thevanguard]

Not all gods are supposed to be fighters. Not in the way most people think, right? [ Yata just shrugs, because there's lots of different kinds of prayers so there would need to be lots of different types of gods to answer them, right? ] I think it says a lot that you want to protect her. Some gods wouldn't care.

[sing_for_me]

Your god...what are they like?

[thevanguard]

Ahh... [ He freezes, looking almost guilty for a moment before lifting one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug and casting her a crooked smile. ] I don't have one.

[sing_for_me]

[The change in his his expression was brief, but it did confuse her a little]

Eh..I thought it wasn't safe for shinki without a god?

[Wait, then what was he doing out here on his own fighting ayakashi!?]

You shouldn't be out here then..!

[thevanguard]

I can't kill 'em. But they don't like being set on fire very much. And they needed these fires guarded, so that works well enough, right? [ He sheepishly rubs at the back of his neck as he shrugs. ] It's fine. I was being careful.

[ ....ish. ]

[sing_for_me]

[Set on fire? She looks him over, but it doesn't look like he has anything on him that'd do the trick..and she's certain a lighter won't do much. Maybe he was one of those that had certain abilities. Even then..]

Still...it's not good to put yourself in danger like that..and you're all alone here. What if something happened to you?

[It was a little hard for her to hold back that worrywart side of herself. She couldn't help but sound like she was scolding him a bit.]

[thevanguard]

[ He just grins and waves that off. ]

It's not that big a deal. I'm being careful, and gods have been wandering through all night anyway. Like you, see? I can't just sit around and do nothing, This is important.

[sing_for_me]

[What a dutiful guy. Even if she didn't exacty approve, it was admirable how he would still do this even if he had no god.]

You're very brave.

[thevanguard]

[ That gets a slow blink before he looks a little embarrassed. ]

Ahhh... thanks? I mean. It's what we're supposed to be here for, right?

[sing_for_me]

True..I could se some of that bravery.

[She laughs lightly, leaning back against a tree.]

When you do get a god..I think they'll be very lucky.

[thevanguard]

[ He just looks more sheepish at that, rubbing at the back of his neck. ]

Well. If you ever need help, you can ask, if you want? I don't mind.

[ Which... really isn't something he normally offers to anyone. But she's not giving him the weird creepy vibes like some of the gods here do. She seems... genuinely nice? ]