[open] we're closed to the earth until further notice

[reformedsinner]

Who: Cho Hakkai and you
When: Oct 15-17
Where: Around the Near and Far Shores
What: The best way to deal with stress is to stay so busy that there's no time to think about it, right? No flaws in this plan.
Warnings: Ayakashi-fighting violence in the Oct. 16 PM prompt, probable mention of illness/death in the Oct. 16 AM prompt, mention of suicide in Gojyo thread

Oct. 15 - Gardening, Temple of Li Tieguai

[Mid-morning finds Hakkai in old clothes and rubber gardening clogs at the front of his temple, where bright yellow chrysanthemums have bloomed all around the outside wall. He has a stack of cheap plastic pots, a trowel, and a wheelbarrow half full of pots filled with freshly uprooted flowers, and he's leaving a long series of sad little pits in the turf behind him.

It's not that he minds flowers, of course. Flowers are fine.

It's just that he's noticed the way these particular flowers seem to be influencing his mood, and he doesn't like it at all.

He sits back on his heels as someone approaches, and wipes sweat off his forehead with the back of one hand, leaving a long streak of mud there instead.]

Good morning! Would you like a potted plant?

Oct. 16 (AM) - Prayers, around Tokyo

[Tokyo's crowded on Sunday mornings, even on a gray and rainy day like this one, where the first gold and orange leaves of fall have been beaten down from the trees and are fading to soggy brown in the gutters and the canals. Hakkai slips through the crowds like a shadow, messenger bag over one shoulder as he scrolls through his phone calendar and snuggles his transparent umbrella closer down over his head. It's not doing much to keep the water off; he keeps having to dry his phone screen on his sleeve, to the annoyance of the small white dragon snuggled down on his scarf.

Chirps of complaint trail in his wake, and he looks up from his phone to murmur to the dragon quietly.

Unfortunately, that means he's not looking where he's going anymore, and in a crowd like this, if anyone's standing still--

-- well, they've just been run into by a man, a dragon, an umbrella, and a very heavy bag.]

Oct. 16 (PM) - Leech Treatment, Ikebukuro

[Hakkai hadn't really planned to wind up doing any fighting today. He has a long list of followers he needs to visit. He's busy, damn it, but a bloated purple leech-thing had detached itself from the neck of a glazed-over pachinko player as he brushed past and lunged for his face.

He hadn't had a choice, which he plans to point out to Chikusa if this gets him in trouble, considering that he also hadn't brought any of his shinki.

The leech is determinedly crawling towards him across the concrete. He aims a kick at it, and it dodges with surprising speed and bites at his toe, leaving an ugly, deep scar across the leather of his shoe. Jeep, reluctantly, lifts off his shoulder and circles up above the umbrella as Hakkai considers the stubborn ayakashi.

This is not the afternoon he'd planned on.]

Oct. 17 - Morning Classes, Abandoned Temple School - Mingle

[Hakkai doesn't always show up for the morning shinki spell practice sessions, but he's here today, sitting towards the side of the courtyard and taking notes in a battered memo book in between circulating to help with borderline or Bind spells. He'll occasionally stop, too, to listen in if anyone's talking about other spells. He'd only bothered to learn Bind himself, after all. It might help to learn a few extra....]

Comments

[kagenonadeshiko]

You think so?

[This is part of why she came to him for advice though. Hakkai understands how this world works better than she does. Most of what she knows about this situation comes through the intelligence she's gathered recently and what she's learned from Gojyo. Ayumu might be a quick study but she still has her limits.]

If the authorities took action, that would be best...

[He makes a lot of good points and what he'd just said about visibility gives her an idea of something that might benefit her goddess. That's a different matter though and one she'll put aside for now.]

Setting up a situation that forces them to break whatever agreements they have and then contacting them seems like it could work.

[reformedsinner]

Ha ha, perhaps I'm being too cynical to think that they must have an agreement with the authorities!

[Perhaps they're just good at keeping their criminal activity secret, and the police aren't corrupt at all.

Perhaps pigs will fly.]

But if they don't, it'll be even easier to set them up for arrest.

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Cynical? To Ayumu, that just sounds like realistic consideration. Whether it's true or not, it's a good possibility to be aware of.]

Hopefully. Though it might be better to assume there's an arrangement and plan accordingly. Just to be thorough.

[When in doubt, err on the side of caution. Or what passes for caution in a violent extremist like Ayumu.]

[reformedsinner]

Mhm. I doubt that any agreement would go so far as to cover murder and blood in the streets. Particularly if the press were to report on it.

[Bad publicity: always a powerful force against corrupt authorities.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[She mulls that over for a few moments. It makes sense. Political pressure can be a powerful tool when applied correctly and with enough force.]

That's a good point. The additional pressure would help push them in the right direction.

[She looks thoughtful, some tension in her shoulders and neck dissipating a bit. Between this conversation and the flowers, this task isn't weighing quite so heavily on her mind now.]

Thank you, Hakkai. This has been a big help.

[reformedsinner]

It's the least I can do.

[The lid of the kettle rattles with steam, and he fusses for a moment with teapot and one of his better grades of loose green tea before handing her one steaming cup. Kishi strolls in through the kitchen door, chirruping curiously at them.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Ayumu's eye lights up the way it always does when she sees the cats. She bends down to give Kishi's head a quick pet before straightening to take the cup.]

Still, I appreciate it.

[Without really thinking about it, she moves to sit in her old chair but catches herself, hand resting on its back. She's a guest now and doesn't live here anymore. Maybe she should ask first before sitting down.]

Mind if I have a seat?

[reformedsinner]

Of course I don't mind. [Hakkai smiles at her attention to the little cat; Kishi, meanwhile, purrs ecstatically and weaves around her ankles. Hakkai suspects he's missed her attention, or, at least, her treats.]

Please, consider yourself at home here.

[He hopes she won't take that too seriously -- he'd prefer to be warned before walking in to find her here -- but when it comes to how she should behave, it's serious enough.

He settles into his own chair, hands folded around his cup, and blinks down at it. The steam fogs his glasses immediately, and he half-smiles, reluctantly letting his cup go so that he can take them off, dry them on his sleeve, and leave them folded on the table.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

Thanks.

[Ayumu sits the cup down and pulls out the chair. As soon as she sits down, Kishi jumps up into her lap, headbutting and rumbling away. She resumes her petting, cooing at the little cat a moment before continuing.]

It's nice to visit.

[And she does mean visit. The relative peace and contentment that Ayumu's found at Sanzang's temple is much preferable to the awkward tension and insecurity she often felt living here. She's often busy but returning home to Sanzang is suiting her better than she expected, despite their different philosophies.]

We just have the monkeys though Sanzang said I could have pets.

[There's almost a childlike pleasure in her tone as she says that.]

And of course, it's nice to spend some time with you again, too.

[reformedsinner]

Did she? Well, if the monkeys aren't a problem for cats, I think Musha and Kishi might enjoy spending more time with you, Ayumu.

[They miss her, and, besides, they keep trying to play with Jeep when he wants to sleep. Spot is a calmer cat by nature, and doesn't bother the dragon.

He smiles a little, and picks his teacup up for a careful sip.]

... and it's nice to see you, too, of course. I'll have to think up something good for all of those vegetables! Five-ingredient rice, perhaps?

[There'd been carrots and burdock in the basket, and it's the right time of year for rice cooked with fall vegetables.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Ayumu smiles softly, brightening at that. While she's been sleeping remarkably well at Sanzang's, it's just not the same without the cats curling up in bed with her. She never thought she'd miss being woken up by cat hair on her face but she has.

She gazes fondly at Kishi in her lap.]

What do you think about that? Wanna come home with me?

[She gives the cat another pet before turning her attention to the food conversation.]

That sounds good. Maybe add in some meat for Ken? Generous portions of beef might do the trick.

[reformedsinner]

Chicken might go better with it... but then, it is for Ken.

[And Ken will eat any animal that goes on the dinner table. Hakkai's not convinced he wouldn't have gone through the sukiyaki beef raw.

Kishi meows, and rolls onto his back, batting at Ayumu's hands.]

Well, I'll ask them when they get back.

[kagenonadeshiko]

It can't hurt.

[Ayumu smiles down lovingly at Kishi in a doting, motherly fashion briefly, wiggling her fingers at him.]

Ken might like the chicken. Pork might go well with them, too.

[This is nice, too, just sitting at the table talking with Hakkai over tea. It feels like it's been quite some time since they've done that.]

I hope the boys aren't being too much of a handful to manage.

[reformedsinner]

He's not too picky, as long as it's a big meal with plenty of meat. [The corners of Hakkai's eyes crease, in a tiny smile that looks far more genuine than his usual expression. It has been a long time since they've sat and chatted over tea: since well before she'd asked him to release her. Even for as banal a topic as dinner plans... it's nice.]

They're a bit of a handful, but it's nice to have some noise around the place. Asshole isn't much company.

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Ayumu nods her agreement. She'd spent a depressing amount of time trying to adjust to the shinki's presence and make do with his company when Hakkai was out. In the end, the housepets had been much more responsive and engaging to interact with.]

It's too quiet when it's just him around. He might as well not be there at all when he's in the room. But at least, he's useful when it comes to tasks that need to be done.

[She smiles and sips her tea, rubbing Kishi's belly with her other hand. It's not a jab. She truly has no hard feelings toward Hakkai anymore. Some lingering regret that so much of their time together had been difficult but all that's in the past.]

And Ken does have a pretty hearty appetite. I hope he and Chikusa aren't eating you out of house and home.

[She chuckles a bit.]

[reformedsinner]

Ha ha, I suppose that's true, at least. ["At least he's useful"... yes, that's really about all that can be said for the soulless shinki. It's a shame. Banri might not deserve much better, but Hakkai can't say the same for any of the other shinki who've been left nearly mindless by whatever affected them.

He doesn't hear it as a jab; they'd certainly fought, but not because either of them were useless. His gaze lingers for a moment on the cat sprawling comfortably on his back, shamelessly soaking up the attention, and the lines around his eyes deepen with affection. Yes, Kishi and Musha will enjoy spending more time with her -- and he thinks she'll benefit from it, too.]

We're managing. I suspect Chikusa steals most of the groceries he gets, of course.

[kagenonadeshiko]

I wouldn't expect any less of him. You might wanna check his room, make sure he isn't hiding any food in there that might attract vermin. It couldn't hurt to check Ken's room either.

[It's just off-handed guess but she knows Chikusa. It's well within the realm of possibility.]

I don't know if there's cockroaches in Heaven but it's not worth the risk of finding out.

[Ayumu laughs softly at Kishi, her eye warm with affection. Oh, how she loves cats. They're so much easier for her to bond with and feel close to than people are. And she can enjoy having company in bed without feeling exposed or vulnerable.]

[reformedsinner]

If they do get cockroaches in their room, I think I'll let them learn that lesson all on their own!

[Because a) they do share a room; and b) Hakkai's fairly sure that room checks won't do much good for keeping them from stashing food in it. He hasn't even managed to convince them to sleep on a bed yet, after all.

He hopes Spot will be enough of a bulwark to keep away any roaches that venture out of the room. If, of course, there are cockroaches in Heaven.]

It's not too close to my room, after all.

[kagenonadeshiko]

Not a bad idea.

[It was just a sudden thought that popped in her head. She hasn't seen any cockroaches but she's seen other bugs. It seemed plausible they might exist, too. Ayumu gives a little shrug.]

It'd be good for them to learn how to handle such things themselves.

[Chikusa, especially, can always benefit from a little extra work when he's too being too idle. Of course, if they are hiding caches of food. It's not like there's any actual proof. She's mostly just making conversation.]

[reformedsinner]

Ha ha, yes, I think that's a lesson that's much easier to teach them through experience. [As long as they don't eat any of his herbs. Which reminds him-- he glances up at her.]

How is your wrist feeling, by the way?

[It had tended to ache, before. He's not sure how long the salve he'd concocted for it will last.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

Oh, it's a little sore, actually, with the cooler weather and all. I've been using the salve and it's been helping but I'm afraid I'm starting to go through it rather quickly now...

[All the strain she'd put on it during the raid really hadn't helped. She's been wrapping and resting it the past few days and it's helped. The swelling's gone down, at least.]

[reformedsinner]

I'll make you another batch, then. [And flip through a few more of those books to see if he can find any recipes better suited to healing the soreness of an old, bad break. Surely there must be something there.]

And -- I'm afraid I haven't any idea if it's still a power of hers, but Sanzang was able to heal, when I knew her earlier. It might be something to mention to her if it gets too painful.

[kagenonadeshiko]

Thanks. I'll be sure to ask her about it.

[When Ayumu had come home after taking care of the yakuza, her goddess had opted to bring her a washcloth rather than use any power to heal her injuries. It hadn't been a big deal though, given how minor they'd been and she doubt Sanzang would refuse to help if she truly needed it.

It's kind of funny how both of the gods she's been assigned to so far have been healers. Maybe the Heavens are trying to tell her something? She doubts it but the thought makes her chuckle.]

[reformedsinner]

[She chuckles to herself, and Hakkai raises his eyebrows at her in inquiry.]

Hmm?

[kagenonadeshiko]

Oh, I was just thinking it's a little amusing that both you and Sanzang are healers. It's probably just a coincidence rather than a hint but...

[She trails off, her expression looking a bit pained just for a moment.]

I know there's something wrong with me. I don't know what it is but I don't like it. I suppose I was just wondering a moment if I wasn't being given a hint to change. Maybe it's a silly thought.

[She picks up her teacup again.]