thenearshore | Open! | Catch-All for August

Who: Yona and anyone!
When: Various points during the month.
Where: Her temple, the Far Shore, the Near Shore
What: Yona has decided this is the month she's going to learn more about this strange world she's been brought to.

A. The Near Shore

[ With most of the excitement over the past few weeks, Yona's in the mood for some distracting, something to keep her busy, or something she can engage in with the new companions she's made in this place. The biggest priority here is understanding more about this world she's found herself in and so she makes several trips down to the mortal world with the intent of exploring and learning more about it.

The place is full of wonders and she's often easily distracted as she wanders, whether it's by some strange new type of food that might catches her attention or a colorful storefront that draws her over to peruse strange wares. The first time she discovers an open market fills her with delight, because this is at least a little more familiar to how commerce is dealt in her world, but then she discovers a grocery store and her mind is blown all over again. She might loose several hours wandering through a bookstore, filled with more tomes than she's ever seen in one place. A colorful candyshop has her stopping to pick out gifts to take back home to her friends, picking out a strange and varied sample, all of them ones she'd never heard of before, but look fantastic all the same.

But as fascinating as it is, it's also a little overwhelming, and all too easy to get turned around. Hopefully, she can manage to not get too lost, or at the very least find someone to point her in the right direction, if she does... ]

B. The Far Shore/Aine's Temple

[ Things at her temple are often lively and filled with laughter. Any visitors are greeted with happy smiles, although on occasion, it's the temple's other residents that beat the gods and shinki to the greeting. Namely a mischievous pair of kittens who answer to the names of Eun and Min and enjoy getting into every bit of trouble they can find. Or perhaps it's one of the horses that make their home among the orchards, an intelligence in their gazes that speaks to much more than just a common animal and hints at fae bloodlines that come as part of Aine's heritage.

Or perhaps you've wandered by and there's a conspicuous lack of a greeting. A little wandering around might lead you to find the temple's goddess seated in the center of one of the gardens, eyes closed and her attention focused on.... something. Occasionally strange things will happen around her, such as a sudden gust of icy wind rushing outwards away from her or a shadowy outline of a bubble around her or a fiery claw slashing downwards, shattering a nearby rock in half before vanishing abruptly. Yona's only starting to understand what her magic can do and learning to master it is proving to be a challenge... ]

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[ Her eyes widen a moment before she quickly shakes her head. ]

No, before. We had to subdue him before I could call for Izumo to find us enough shinki that could help.

[ That he had managed to struggle even that much against the combined strength of both Kija and Jae-Ha spoke to just how strong her shinki really was. Or perhaps just how reckless he'd been, considering the injuries he'd sustained in the process. ]

... ah. [That does make more sense. Well -- from a certain perspective. What had he expected to do, if he'd fought his way free? It's not as if gods could be effectively forced to release their shinki. Hakkai should know; he'd tried on Hibari's behalf, and, once, on his own.

That had been for the same reason as Shizuo... and it had been just as ineffective, though he hadn't gone so far as to attack anyone.]

He hadn't told me the details. I'm sorry it was so difficult for you.

[For all of them, really. Hakkai's lips thin a little in disapproval.]

It's difficult for a shinki to reverse the problem once blight really begins to set in. Sometimes I wonder if it doesn't make more sense to address it at the outset, rather than waiting....

[ She musters a rueful smile at that, fingers fidgetting with the hem of her robes. ]

I am not certain if it was very clever or very foolish of the heavens to pair together two people as potentially stubborn as Shizuo and I are. But yes, I suspect the Blight only accelerated the spiral his thoughts traveled on. I tried to stave it off early, but it happened so quickly... And in this case, any attempts I made to reason with him only seemed to make it worse.

[ She winces slightly at that. ] I fear I am still not very good at being a god.

I had my own problems of that nature when I was a shinki. Please believe me when I say that it's not the god's fault.

Pride and stubbornness are both very difficult to overcome.

[He shakes his head, slowly, and glances at her.]

But I hope he'll have learned you can be trusted now. -- Or at least learned you won't discard him, and so he will have to ensure he considers your interests as well.

I hope so. It's not my intent to discard him. I'm afraid he's already much harder on himself than I would ever be. I am just not certain some days how I can balance that in a way that is helpful. [ She casts him a half-hearted smile. ]

[Hakkai's remote expression softens into a genuine smile: she does care about her stubborn shinki, doesn't she? Good for her.]

With your support, I think it'll be easier for him going forward.

[ She does. She has from the moment they'd met. He reminds her so much of her companions from home that she couldn't help it. Even if he endlessly stubborn some days.

Hakkai's reassurance brings a smile to her lips, however, and she gives a quiet laugh. Straightening, she nods, determined not to let her thoughts dwell on the doubts that still occasionally plague her. She's much happier focusing on what she can do, after all. ]

I hope so. That is my goal, anyways.

[Good girl, indeed. She's brightening right up at that mild encouragement. Did she really just want to hear that she could do it?

Well, he won't complain about optimists. They're abrasive in excess, but they're very easy to reassure. He keeps smiling, instead.]

And you said his arm is doing much better?

[ To be fair, Yona's typically quick to switch between bright and serious, depending on the topic. She much prefers to face her problems with a smile, even if it hides the doubts or fears she still harbors. Those are for her to face, after all, and she has companions - and shinki - who tend to fret if something is shown to be troubling her. ]

I believe so. That is difficult to tell, when he can't feel pain and discomfort. he kept it in the sling for the number of days you instructed, but I had mentioned that he should check back with you all the same before he starts using it normally again. Just to be sure it's truly healed.

Of course. [And if he hasn't been using it normally, he wouldn't notice any unusual weakness, either. Hakkai nods understanding -- it's best that he doesn't risk reinjuring himself before it's been checked -- and gestures towards the temple.]

In that case, I'll stop in and check on him! Shall I let you continue practicing with your powers?

Open! | Catch-All for August

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