thenearshore | Science has gone too far!

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Science has gone too far!

Who: Anyone!
Where: Anywhere!
When: All of October 2nd
What: Add's experiment starts to affect the Far Shore, causing rifts and mutated ayakashi to begin appearing all over. Please refer to this post for details and questions.

Spatial Tears

The first few cracks are small, barely anything noticeable, but by morning the tears have widened enough to start leaking a chaotic and unsettling energy. Spend too much time around them and you'll start feeling strange. Memories get foggier, emotions start to run wild or go missing entirely... whatever's causing this, it's not good.

Luckily, magic seems to be enough to force them back, and a bit of holy water can seal up a weakened tear in no time. Better get to work!

Freak Ayakashi

Ayakashi are rare on the Far Shore, but not completely unheard of. The ones that linger too close to the tears receive a much more sinister effect compared to gods and shinki—the energy seeps into their bodies in the form of glowing blue patterns, granting the ayakashi even more strength and the power to spread more tears and corrupt energy with their blight. These ayakashi are aggressive and will attack heavenly beings on sight.

... but many of the ayakashi will be very familiar to the older of the outsider gods and shinki. A large number of small Noise ayakashi have ended up in the mix somehow, resembling the ones that escaped from the chocolates way back in March. They're small, but incredibly dangerous, and it'll take a coordinated attack to put any kind of dent on them.

Henir's Temple

A massive tear can be seen looming over Henir's temple, and it grows larger and larger as the day goes on. The temple grounds are a mess, and it seems like this might be the source of the trouble. Is there something inside the temple that might put a stop to all of this?

Later in the day, a piercingly bright golden triangle shines through the darkness of the giant rift. Whatever's going on in there, it's not just Add that's involved.

((If you want your character to investigate the temple, please contact me first! I can be reached on plurk at BlueFlewFedUQueen, by PM, or you can respond to the event OOC post. This is just to keep track of who's going where, so if you've already spoken to me about it in some capacity you're A-OK :|b))

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[It has to have something to do with the patterns, Chikusa thinks as he snaps his yoyo back into his palm, or perhaps the tears in space. Who knows? Perhaps it's both. Yet all this means is that he needs to pump more into it, perhaps with more focus- ]

[-or Hakkai can actually communicate, for once. Chikusa's head snaps up, a sliver of surprise going through their bond, before he remembers to use his won words.]

Do it.

[He's never used his vessel form besides the first time Hakkai named him, and when he came back to life. There's been no time to practice moving as a crane, and no time to practice his powers...]

[....Which he realizes he never told Hakkai, circumstances as they were. Ah. Oh well.]

If it's like these things were before, we have to attack together.

[He slashes at it again, distracting the ayakashi as it begins to turn towards Chikusa. It's not exactly like Susano'o's creatures had been, but they're close enough to make him think that they might have the same vulnerabilities.]

Come, Chiki.

[And -- to give Chikusa time to regroup after his transformation -- he slashes again, opening up another thin line across the ayakashi's hide.]

[His name pulses, almost a relief at finally being called, and then Chikusa's body begins to shift in the same way as before. Fortunately, flying seems to come easily to him- luck or how it's supposed to be, who knows. Flapping, at least, he can manage, and soon he's flapping up into the air.]

[It's just like when he harassed Hakkai, mostly.]

You've fought them before? Ah- allow me to use my power.

[He needs permission, he feels, or at least some sort of will from Hakkai.]

When Goku's first god released them. It's a long story -- but yes.

[His response to Chikusa's request is simply a feeling of assent, as he attacks the ayakashi again, and again, keeping its attention focused solely on him as Chikusa gains height overhead in a heavy flurry of wingbeats.]

Do you know what it does?

[That name means nothing to him, not really, but Chikusa doesn't say that. This isn't the time for it. Instead, he focuses on getting airborn, and watching the battle below him as god and ayakashi go at one another.]

Don't let it hide from me.

[...So, yes. And with that, his eyes begin to glow a low dim red, head cocked sharply as he keeps track of the ayakashi. The effects are slow to start, the first time use of a power, but they start to become apparent: less vicious and quick attacks, more mistakes being made from exhaustion.]

[It's hard to tell at first, but it quickly becomes clear that the ayakashi is slowing down. Hakkai's attacks still aren't striking as deeply as they should, but they're taking their toll, bit by bit, further eroding the creature's stamina.

Bit by bit. Yet, still, it's not badly enough wounded to rend. One neatly placed blow finishes removing one leg, which wisps away to nothingness, and Hakkai's eyes narrow thoughtfully.

If it's true that they need to attack it together....]

I'll attack the head. Stoop on its back. On three?

Yes.

[Nothing else needs to be said. All that he needs to do is adjust himself. It's a little harder, getting the finer points of flying down; perhaps he'll have to ask Davesprite for pointers.]

[Still, he manages as well as he can, and positions himself straight over the wounded ayakashi.]

You, who desecrate this realm... One. I, Li Tieguai, with this weapon expel your pollution. Two. Three.

[Hakkai lunges smoothly on three, blade held at full extension and ready to pierce the ayakashi's body.]

Rend!

[And right on three, Chikusa drops down through the air.]

[It's not particularly graceful, but his wings are tucked tight against his body and gravity does fast work. His large feet fall straight onto the ayakashi, and even a bird's weight can keep something down for at least a moment if it's not expecting it.]

[Hakkai's blade cuts through the creature's body in a spray of purplish liquid, and he tears it out to the side, cleaning the ayakashi's substance from the blade with a swift flick of his wrist as he straightens. Under Chikusa's claws, the creature slowly deflates, bubbling away into nothingness, and he exhales, looking up at the crane.

He smiles, just a little.]

Thank you. Shall we see if we can find any others?

[There's one of those strange rents nearby, he thinks, and looks up at it, expression going coldly thoughtful again.]

[One of Chikusa's trademark slow blinks shows in the crane's face.]

Ken. Are you going to use him as well?

Where is he?

[Hakkai's letting his sword fall to his side again, his expression going distant as he seeks the vague tug he feels towards each of his shinki. It's hard sometimes to distinguish, with multiple shinki, but two of the three are right here with him.]

I told him to go check on Ayumu.

[Those red eyes stare pointedly at him. There was another conversation they were carrying on over the phone as well.]

[So there was. That conversation, however, isn't necessarily related to Ayumu's well-being. Hakkai frowns at the crane. He can feel a distant tug.]

Where is she staying?

[They haven't spoken since he revoked her name-- but, perhaps, they should.

And if she hasn't found a new god, by now, she's vulnerable.]

I don't know. On her own.

[His wings shift slightly in discontent. The tears in space are only feeding his aggravation.]

She wanted to be your exemplar.

After I named you, she told me that the only reason she hadn't yet asked me to release her is that she had no other god who would take her in.

[Hakkai's voice is cooling a little.]

And she asked me to release her. I had no problems with her as an exemplar; she was dissatisfied with me as a god.

You're wrong.

[Simple, and blunt. Chikusa knows this for a fact, like he knows that he and Ayumu are incredibly alike. His eyes stare at Hakkai, unblinking, and his tail flicks behind him.]

What do you want a shinki for?

It's what she told me. I choose to take her at her word.

[She'd expressed her disappointment in no uncertain terms, and while Hakkai is frustrated by the fact that she'd chosen to do it while he had no memory of anything she might be talking about, he doesn't think she was lying to him. Not deliberately, at least. She'd seemed confused when he took her at her word in that same conversation.

He shakes his head, still watching the rift.]

I want someone who is comfortable making their own decisions, but willing to work with me when necessary.

Liar.

[The tail flicks again. Chikusa still isn't blinking, or looking away.]

You remember now? [He's certainly mentioning the past before his death, anyway.]

I remembered the morning of the formal party.

[That statement is cool and factual; Chikusa had been in no state to remember much of their conversation at the time.

As he continues, though, his voice acquires a note of dangerous amiability.]

She may have told you something else, Chikusa, but that's what she said to me -- and I did ask her for clarification.

I'm not the one who's lying.

[If Chikusa were more inclined to show sympathy, he might have some now. Remembering another life is difficult. Remembering that while being battered by two other emotions is probably a nightmare.]

[But he isn't, so he doesn't. Instead- ]

How did you die?

Loki's shinki asked me for assistance convincing his god to release him. He'd requested it more than once, to no avail, and I knew that Loki had also used some kind of mind control ability to force other shinki to let him name them and use them against their will.

When I confronted Loki, he attacked me immediately, and I was killed in the fight.

I checked for his temple after I remembered, and it is gone; either he died as well or his disappearance was very conveniently timed.

[Things he'll discuss aloud: his issues with his former exemplar.

Things he won't discuss aloud: a very serious attempt to murder a fellow god. He doesn't know just what the Heavens can eavesdrop on, but the connection between a god and a shinki is as secure as anything can possibly be.]

And you told none of your shinki.

[Chikusa's "tone" hasn't changed much, but the ice that's going through their connection can't be missed.]

[It can't be missed, and Hakkai doesn't miss it, but he isn't flinching from it, either. His smile is flat and unamused.]

No. I asked another person I know, who is an expert at long-range sniping.

Not knowing how extensive Loki's mind control abilities were, but knowing he had used them on shinki in the past, I did not want to expose any of you to that at close range.

I did, however, bring Asshole.

And told us nothing.

[Chikusa hasn't been in his bird form enough for any particular habits to really form. However, slouching instead of being tall seems to be a constant, although that's really for the best in a crane. Right now, however, he's drawing himself up taller, and his red markings seem a little brighter.]

You told the soulless with no mind more than your exemplar, or your nora. Ken and I have taken down a murderer before, and Ayumu has skills, and you still told us nothing.

[His tail flicks a few more times in rapid succession.]

I have a blight poison specifically for denizens of the Far Shore.

Science has gone too far!

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