[semi-open] i reached out my hands and seized something shapeless but precious

[revolutionfalcon]

Who: Temple Nekhbet residents, visitors, and concerned parties after the event (basically anyone who Shun is on good enough terms with to feasibly be allowed into his temple. If you're not sure, ask!) There'll be a couple of closed prompts in toplevels too.
When: November 15th-17th
Where: Temple Nekhbet
What: Post-event temple mingle, for concerned parties, some in-temple problems, and the grand effort to actually get Shun to sit the fuck down for a few days.

[The vultures on the grounds of Shun's temple are a little calmer than usual in the wake of the recent incident, though perhaps that's courtesy of their usual meticulous care being taken over temporarily by Kotori, who is much more willing to keep them off people on the grounds than Shun is. In a slightly different, but equally carelessly-worn kimono to the one she was wearing in the video post, she's grooming a couple of the messier birds, who seem very attuned to her presence.

If anyone comes by intending to visit or at least look in on Shun after what happened, she'll invite in people she knows happily, or even those who responded helpfully to the network post and seem to know Shun well. However, she may tactfully suggest they not stray too much further than the well-lit visitor's room furnished in plain white linens until she can bring him in...or track him down, as the case may be. He's probably tried to sneak out of the temple at least once since he's been up to getting out of bed.

However, he's certainly not the only person about the temple, so feel free to take the opportunity to meet other residents or regular visitors as well.]

Comments

[unlucky7]

[Ginia studies the photos side-by-side, eyes narrowing. From Shun's history post, the department store was only a few months ago. Certainly enough time for numbers to grow and another plan to go into motion, if they are connected. The coincidence is unsettling, the idea there are two possible factions even more so. Her arms cross over her chest, fingers tapping against her arm.]

Has this script been seen anywhere else? Or maybe other incidents that seemed isolated, but maybe had similar items involved?

[revolutionfalcon]

I haven't heard anything about the script being seen in other places. We did have another sort of bad luck charm incident a while back, but it was during Obon, so that could have just been seasonal.

[It feels a bit weird to him to say that, but he couldn't deny that Obon had seen a marked increase in spiritual activity, mostly of the bad kind. It's entirely possible that that incident hadn't been so much planned as a side-effect.]

I looked into the department store a little myself. There were a couple of humans being used as pawns for that one too, but the orders seemed to be coming from somewhere else.

[boneofsword]

[Archer watches it without a comment, though he frowns.]

I wonder if it's possible to clear the audio from all the interferences to have a clean recording of their chant. It's risky, since it's a spell, but knowing the kind of spell will make a difference. [he wonders aloud, thinking who does have such skills. There's Futaba, who seems to know more about computers and scripting (from what he'd seen on the network) than both of them combined. Add is another option, but also is a risky one.]

I wonder if we can find anything about that blighted circle from the god's meeting. Cultist claimed that the new god is already here and now needs power, which they were gathering in the forest. Most interesting is that those guys had even more trouble than usual to notice any of us. Surprisingly well suited to guard the sigils without noticing the victims it drained. [Archer shrugs, his voice filling with disdain.] Draining life force is a quickest way to obtain more power that I know of.

[welcome_home]

[ She flashes Kotori a warm smile as she's guided towards the door, letting her do what she needed to to let her inside with Shun. She doesn't mind the Borderline staying there for a moment, but just to make sure Shun doesn't try to challenge that, she quickly reaches up to latch onto his hand, giving him a tug towards the interior of the temple once more. ]

I think Kotori thinks you need more rest. Are you still hurt at all, Shun-oniichan?

[ Cue a tiny chattering goddess as she officially leads him away from his primary escape route with a cheerful smile. ]

[unlucky7]

[Ginia knows from Archer the cultists in the forest were serving some god, all in the name of bringing around a new order. The only reason she doesn't mention it to Shun is because she knows Archer plans on paying Shun a visit himself. Why waste Shun's time with second-hand information when they can discuss other things?]

Let's not discount Obon, but this and the department store definitely have the strongest connection through the tags. Do you recognize the language? Some of them look logograms of some sort, but most if it seems like a mess.

[revolutionfalcon]

We could run it by someone skilled in that sort of thing. Can't hurt to at least check. [Most of the people with that kind of technological prowess here seem interested in finding a way out, or at least finding out more about what's going on, so chances are they wouldn't be wasting anyone's time.

As for the blighted circle, Shun nods a little.] I could definitely use more information about that. It reminded me of an incident that happened not long after I got here - nobody died that time, but a spell circle drained the energy of people from a town to fuel a demon summoning. And considering we had two energy-draining spells go up in quick succession, it seems like something they're focusing on now.

[Maybe those new gods only truly came here recently...which means they may have more enemies yet, or it could be several working together to the same ends.]

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun looks like he's seriously considering taking another potshot at the borderline, but Nanako taking his hand kind of voids punching it as an option. Though he does allow himself to be led back inside, he gives a faint hiss of annoyance at the same time.]

She doesn't know more about what I need than I do. [On the subject of injuries...well, there's some obvious scratches on Shun's face that are still healing, but he shrugs slightly. Most of it is hidden under clothes, so he can get away with dismissing it, he thinks.]

Nothing that won't disappear in a few days anyway, so no.

[revolutionfalcon]

Not most of it. These look like outdated kanji or Chinese, which weren't on the original ones. [Shun points out the couple of more identifiable symbols on the forest tags.] The rest I haven't had any luck finding out more about, and I've asked a couple of people since then.

[Not a huge number, but enough familiar with things like magic that he has some confidence this isn't some kind of established magical language he's unfamiliar with.]

[boneofsword]

Futaba and Add are best suited, and can be persuaded to work together. She has more common sense than him and may stop him if he gets too far ahead. [Archer suggests as he considers the possibilities and skills that others do possess.] She could also check any of the surveillance cameras from the blighted area, and see if there's anything of relevance. That's one of things to investigate.

[He's not sure if such idea occured to others, though he's not going to blame them for not being familiar with how things on Near Shore work. They all come from different world and times.]

[unlucky7]

I plan on doing some research at the library and talking to Hakkai about the writing. Do you have any suggestions on who else to talk to or avoid?

[This information would be useful to everyone, but the more people who know, the more likely the wrong people can find out too. Even the most well-intentioned can let something slip.]

[revolutionfalcon]

I wouldn't give her too much benefit of the doubt on common sense, but I'll agree she has more than him. [Considering that conversation he had with her a while ago at the reception, he has some reservations, but he's not going to get any more specific than that.] Checking the surveillance is worth a shot, though it's going to be harder the more time we let pass. I'm surprised someone hasn't already done it.

[He personally doesn't have that kind of specialised knowledge, but the fact is that there are people here who do and should have done so in theory.]

[revolutionfalcon]

Lavi would be one, but I should probably ask him myself, since he has more language knowledge than just about anyone else I know here. I wouldn't say there's anyone to avoid specifically, just don't tell anyone you don't trust to keep their mouth shut.

[In Shun's experience, most of the competent people here do know how to do that, so it shouldn't be too much of a concern anyway.]

[boneofsword]

I'll ask them to do so, if you send me a copy of that video. [Archer gestures at Shun's phone.] Asking them to report any findings to both of us shall suffice.

[At Shun's other remark Archer just shrugs.] How many here can hack?

[It's not a basic skill, and how many of them are from modern times, after all.]

[abgrund]

[ it's easy to give up on everything, but he's since been pushed to care about at least a few things. this is one of them. ]

Okay.

[ a slightly longer pause, and then: ]

.... does it bother you, to wait?

[blizzardrock]

[...He doesn't remember that at all. And the mention of the reception only makes it worse. He...must have really blurted out everything that day, huh.]

...I cut it.

[His emotional connections. Everyone he knew. To the point he could throw a knife at Chikusa's head and not feel a thing.]

[...But that's not what causes blight.]

[unlucky7]

[Lavi. A meeting with him is long overdue. She'll have to find time to visit after talking to Hakkai and regrouping with Archer.]

I'll let you know once I have a translation for the words on the spell tags.

[Ginia pauses to look over him, face drawn with mild worry. He's on his feet but still looks tired. If he's injured, they're either patched up or he's handling them well. Certainly faring better than Caster, still sleeping solidly.]

Do you remember anything from when you were taken?

[welcome_home]

No, but you worried everyone when you disappeared and got hurt, Shun-oniichan! They're allowed to fuss over you because they were scared. it will make them feel better. [ She pats his hand as she leads him into the temple and towards somewhere to sit. Clearly he wasn't aware of the Rules of Fussing. ]

...If there's something that will disappear in a few days, that means you are still hurt though, right?

[revolutionfalcon]

They're not any more allowed to fuss over me than they usually are. Besides, I'm not the only one who got hurt. [Well, not "hurt", but someone who won't be named definitely wiped himself out naming soulless shinki enough for Shun to be worrying about him as well.

Shun withdraws his hand from reach once she asks that question, though.] I don't want to be healed, Nanako. I know you're worried, but give me that much.

[He couldn't save himself. Healing by himself at least gives him some feeling of coming out on top of this, and his pride won't allow anyone else to intervene with that natural course this time, not even Nanako.]

[revolutionfalcon]

[That's very vague, but in terms of what it could be referring to...it explains some things. If he cut himself off, it would certainly explain why he'd been acting so strangely, and hadn't grouped himself with the rest of the rescue party.

It does leave at least one thing unanswered, though, and Shun observes Fubuki closely, as if searching for reactions.]

And I started feeling your guilt not long after I was taken. So either you didn't completely cut yourself off, or the thing you're guilty about wasn't that.

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun simply nods in response to the comment on the spell tags. That sort of thing is going to take at least a small amount of time to find someone familiar with the language, but once they do it shouldn't be too difficult.

He can see the way she's looking at him, too, and returns her gaze with a very steely, almost challenging one. He might be tired, but he's determined to demonstrate that it takes more than this to lay him low.

His mouth twitches partway into a grimace at her question, though.] ...I was patrolling with Kotori. People have been getting lost in that forest for a while, so we were checking inside. I remember hearing the trees start to move, and thinking it sounded like an oncoming attack - that's when I sent Kotori back, and they struck right after. I couldn't teleport out, it just put me somewhere else in the forest, and it drained me enough that I lapsed and the trees managed to get hold of me. After that...I was awake in that clearing for a while, trying to fight it off, but I must have slipped under the fireflies' magic at some point. I just remember waking up and seeing Ren, Chinatsu and Munakata and realising what must have happened.

[And being extremely pissed off with himself for not being able to resist longer, but that doesn't really need to be pointed out.]

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shrugging slightly, Shun starts tapping at his phone screen. A few moments later, Archer's phone will chime with the arrival of a copy of the video.]

Honestly, those two are the only ones I know of. There's probably others, but that's not the sort of skill everyone is open about having.

[Considering it's generally used for sneak purposes and things that aren't necessarily legal, it's probably force of habit for some people to avoid mentioning it.]

[revolutionfalcon]

Yes. Especially if I'm having to wait for my enemies to make a move before I can do anything. [Shun at least says that much straightforwardly, and with some hint of a sour tone. It's definitely not an uncommon situation for him to be in, but it's also definitely not something that one adjusts to more the more it happens.]

It's been like this for a while. We just keep getting questions and almost no answers.

[abgrund]

[ he listens with quiet attentiveness - impatience used to be a value that he attributed to mortals, but it seems like shun's motivations run deeper than just a keen awareness of time.

so, in an oblique question: ]

How old are you?

[revolutionfalcon]

[That is definitely a somewhat suspect non-sequitur, and Shun narrows his eyes slightly. Still, giving out just his age in theory isn't that important in a place like this...]

Seventeen. Does it matter? [He'll be eighteen in another month anyway, but saying that in any form would mean giving away his birthday, which he's much less prone to do.]

[abgrund]

[ that's actually quite young. yet, it doesn't surprise him somehow, an acceptance that becomes inexplicable due to his loss of memories. ]

I suppose not......

[ not when this place is half inhabited by kids ]