Chikusa (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kokuyoyo) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thenearshore2018-05-19 11:21 am
kokuyoyo) wrote in thenearshore2018-05-19 11:21 am
[open] take it from me
Who: Chikusa Kakimoto and you
What: Staying at the Li Tieugai temple is becoming too annoying lately. Fortunately, Chikusa has plenty of things to investigate, from the library to the blighted spot.
When: Throughout the latter half of November
Where: Heaven's Library, the blighted area, other places
Warnings: Heavy violence in the Add thread, death (temporary)
A - Heaven's Library (constant)
The price of information, to Chikusa's great misfortune, always seems to be effort.
It explains why anyone visiting the Library throughout the month will seem to always eventually run into Chikusa if they're browsing around between the shelves long enough. On one hand, it's not particularly unusual. For months, now, Chikusa has been a constant presence within the library ever since the goblins which maintained it passed away due to that strange time warping event. Most of the time, however, he's been distant to anyone else that's been there with him, and not always looking for anything in particular. In fact, he seems to always be working in his unofficial capacity as one of the library workers there trying to keep it some idea of organized. (Which isn't always particularly successful...) Anyone who's seen him before in the library has likely seen him at work, staunchly ignoring all other shinki or gods, for the most part.
For the next few weeks, however, he's clearly searching for something. Instead of dully pushing around a cart full of books (or slumping against them in what is apparently extreme exhaustion from such an arduous task), he can be found carefully thumbing through the various titles before he organizes them. He can be found leaning against one bookcase with his eyes roaming the spines of book, taking in every title or lack of wording. Sometimes, he even reaches upwards, searching out what appears to be bits of loose paper or scraps that have somehow slipped on top of or inbetween books. Rarely does there seem to be anything worthwhile on the stray papers, judging by his quiet sighing, but occasionally he pauses to stare intently down on what seem to be random scribbles. Perhaps someone will even get to see him doing so.
....Alternatively, they may see him find what's apparently a blank piece of paper, take a pen out of his usual bag, and scribble something on it that's almost definitely rude before putting part of it underneath the strange door in the back of the library.
Fuck you, mysterious presence.
Other times, he's actually sitting down, a small stack of books around him. One is always open, his hand laid out against it to keep it that way, and he occupies his other hand with writing down what are apparently notes in a simple notebook. While Chikusa can be a little hard to read even on good days, he doesn't particularly seem pleased with what he's finding... or, perhaps, not finding.
While he's otherwise busy, he won't stop anyone from approaching him, and will even pause in the middle of what he's doing to level that dead eyed stare of his onto whoever has come near enough, whether they mean to interrupt him or not.
B - The Near Shore, the Blighted Zone
If the library won't give him the answers that he wants, then that means he really has no other choice but to go investigate himself... Well, by peering in on what exactly Heaven is doing in its own investigations on the area that became so badly blighted during the night of the God Meeting. After all, looking into the forest is clearly going to be a little harder.
For anyone else just passing through or perhaps even trying to look into things themselves, Chikusa's lanky figure is an easy one to spot, and not only because he tends to tower over other people even in a dead slouch. Rather, it's probably the shark finned beanie that he's wearing... It's not particularly subtle, but sometimes Chikusa rarely bothers to be. What has more of his attention is apparently ghosting throughout the neighborhood, pausing to take in a particular spot he can recall, or leaning against a wall to overhear what look like some of Heaven's shinki. With the amount of time he's spent in the Far Shore and his own skills of observation, he's learned to pick up familiar faces, after all.
C - The Near Shore, Asakusa
It's late at night. Why anyone would be out at such a time is a mystery that can only be answered by the individual themselves, but then, that's Asakusa for you. There are a lot of festivals held throughout the year in this place, and the amount of temples and other such things means that it's an enjoyable place for travelers of all sorts. Yet the recent ghost stories have apparently been creeping people out. In the dark streets, where various buildings and apartments have gone dark... The sound of footsteps echoing... going faster... and faster....
And bursting out of the doorway of a nearby building in the form of a frantic pair of shoes moving all by themselves, hastily dodging a borderline suddenly shooting out from inside the building. That sure is Chikusa, eyes sharp and his fingers still borderline ready.
Hopefully no one is in the way. That would be just horrible.
What: Staying at the Li Tieugai temple is becoming too annoying lately. Fortunately, Chikusa has plenty of things to investigate, from the library to the blighted spot.
When: Throughout the latter half of November
Where: Heaven's Library, the blighted area, other places
Warnings: Heavy violence in the Add thread, death (temporary)
A - Heaven's Library (constant)
The price of information, to Chikusa's great misfortune, always seems to be effort.
It explains why anyone visiting the Library throughout the month will seem to always eventually run into Chikusa if they're browsing around between the shelves long enough. On one hand, it's not particularly unusual. For months, now, Chikusa has been a constant presence within the library ever since the goblins which maintained it passed away due to that strange time warping event. Most of the time, however, he's been distant to anyone else that's been there with him, and not always looking for anything in particular. In fact, he seems to always be working in his unofficial capacity as one of the library workers there trying to keep it some idea of organized. (Which isn't always particularly successful...) Anyone who's seen him before in the library has likely seen him at work, staunchly ignoring all other shinki or gods, for the most part.
For the next few weeks, however, he's clearly searching for something. Instead of dully pushing around a cart full of books (or slumping against them in what is apparently extreme exhaustion from such an arduous task), he can be found carefully thumbing through the various titles before he organizes them. He can be found leaning against one bookcase with his eyes roaming the spines of book, taking in every title or lack of wording. Sometimes, he even reaches upwards, searching out what appears to be bits of loose paper or scraps that have somehow slipped on top of or inbetween books. Rarely does there seem to be anything worthwhile on the stray papers, judging by his quiet sighing, but occasionally he pauses to stare intently down on what seem to be random scribbles. Perhaps someone will even get to see him doing so.
....Alternatively, they may see him find what's apparently a blank piece of paper, take a pen out of his usual bag, and scribble something on it that's almost definitely rude before putting part of it underneath the strange door in the back of the library.
Fuck you, mysterious presence.
Other times, he's actually sitting down, a small stack of books around him. One is always open, his hand laid out against it to keep it that way, and he occupies his other hand with writing down what are apparently notes in a simple notebook. While Chikusa can be a little hard to read even on good days, he doesn't particularly seem pleased with what he's finding... or, perhaps, not finding.
While he's otherwise busy, he won't stop anyone from approaching him, and will even pause in the middle of what he's doing to level that dead eyed stare of his onto whoever has come near enough, whether they mean to interrupt him or not.
B - The Near Shore, the Blighted Zone
If the library won't give him the answers that he wants, then that means he really has no other choice but to go investigate himself... Well, by peering in on what exactly Heaven is doing in its own investigations on the area that became so badly blighted during the night of the God Meeting. After all, looking into the forest is clearly going to be a little harder.
For anyone else just passing through or perhaps even trying to look into things themselves, Chikusa's lanky figure is an easy one to spot, and not only because he tends to tower over other people even in a dead slouch. Rather, it's probably the shark finned beanie that he's wearing... It's not particularly subtle, but sometimes Chikusa rarely bothers to be. What has more of his attention is apparently ghosting throughout the neighborhood, pausing to take in a particular spot he can recall, or leaning against a wall to overhear what look like some of Heaven's shinki. With the amount of time he's spent in the Far Shore and his own skills of observation, he's learned to pick up familiar faces, after all.
C - The Near Shore, Asakusa
It's late at night. Why anyone would be out at such a time is a mystery that can only be answered by the individual themselves, but then, that's Asakusa for you. There are a lot of festivals held throughout the year in this place, and the amount of temples and other such things means that it's an enjoyable place for travelers of all sorts. Yet the recent ghost stories have apparently been creeping people out. In the dark streets, where various buildings and apartments have gone dark... The sound of footsteps echoing... going faster... and faster....
And bursting out of the doorway of a nearby building in the form of a frantic pair of shoes moving all by themselves, hastily dodging a borderline suddenly shooting out from inside the building. That sure is Chikusa, eyes sharp and his fingers still borderline ready.
Hopefully no one is in the way. That would be just horrible.
no subject
[She would say she's surprised, but she isn't, really. Chikusa gives off the impression of someone with barely enough energy to keep himself upright, but he's quite intelligent underneath that. Carefully, Zelda sets her own small stack of books on a moderately clear spot of his table.]
Would you mind a second pair of eyes? I would be very interested in learning more on those topics as well.
no subject
[And he was always looking for some way to help Axel, and, now, ways to help Ken, and Hakkai. Hakkai has his school, and Ken hates studying, so... It's up to him.]
[Slouching against his notes, he watches her set her books down.]
....If you want. Are you just looking for things about that forest...?
no subject
[Opening one of the books - one that seems to be about Chinese calligraphy - she reveals the paper wards she had collected while in the forest. She has no idea how the blight spell was activated or what its purpose was beyond collecting energy, but she at least has something concrete to work off of when it comes to the spells that affected the forest.]
Though, of course, if there is a connection to be found between it and the other events that could be attributed to this "new," unknown god, I would be loath to ignore it.
no subject
[Yeah he's.... just going to come out with that. Chikusa lets his gaze roam over the wards she's brought in with her, feeling wary about them. He's kept them off his person, somewhere safe, because, well.... Weird magic. Still, as long as the library doesn't catch on fire...]
You.... weren't in the Far Shore... when there was that thing with the department store were you...?
no subject
She tilts her head, eyebrow quirked in curiosity.]
... No, I cannot say I recall any such thing. The first major gathering of gods and shinki that I attended outside of the introductory training day was the "job fair." [Which is still a weird concept to her but that's digressing from the point.] What happened?
no subject
[So there's no doubt that they knew something was up. It'd sure be nice if they shared that sort of knowledge with the class, as it were, but Chikusa isn't holding his breath.]
Once there... Some of us found charms like that in places such as the vents, which ran too cold or not at all. [There's a brief pause before he decides Zelda might be worth it. She's unfortunately not pro-murder, but Chikusa can recognize someone worth it when he sees it.] And there... was an altar in the very bottom section of the building.. barred from regular people.
no subject
[Zelda repeats with unmasked curiosity, pulling over a chair and sitting down as Chikusa speaks. That all definitely raises numerous questions, not the least of which being--]
That certainly does sound like the cult could have been involved. ... I do not suppose you could divine the altar's purpose, or who it was meant to be for?
no subject
[....But maybe.... He stares at her silently for a moment.]
....You could look at it all for yourself. If you wanted.
no subject
You mean to say it is still there?
no subject
....But I took pictures... of things before that happened. And after the fire.
no subject
[Even probable, she would say. But she's mindful of jumping to conclusions around Chikusa since the chiding she got in the forest.]
I would be most grateful if you would be willing to share those pictures.
no subject
[He quirks up an eyebrow expectantly. Zelda is at least one of the more dependable people around, but still. He's not going to give his intel away for nothing.]
no subject
I do not know if I possess any information you are not already aware of. Tell me what you desire and I will answer if it is something I can provide or not.
no subject
You're doing research into this cult too, right...?
no subject
I thought that was fairly obvious. Do you want updates on anything I might find?
[Because she was kind of planning on doing that anyway, sooo...]
no subject
...Then, any information you find. I want to know as well.
no subject
[She holds her hand out over the table.]
Do we have an accord?
no subject
....I don't have to tell you how I got some of the information, do I...?
no subject
If it might affect the reliability of it - for instance, people may say all sorts of things that may or may not be true while under extreme pain - then yes, I do think it would be pertinent to know that information. But otherwise, fine, you can keep your methods to yourself.
[This is the most reluctant concession.]
no subject
[And boy was he prepared to do it. But, he didn't, so... yay...? At least he's reaching over to take her hand.]
....Anyway. Sure.
no subject
Very well. May I see those pictures now?
no subject
[Just let him pull out his phone and start flipping through it... His backup phone, as a matter of fact, because Fuck Heaven.]
I also have... physical copies of the pictures for everything, from the shrine we found to the strange charms that had been scattered throughout the building.
no subject
[Is this about the phone or the photocopies, WHO KNOWS-- no, it's about the photocopies. Zelda doesn't know anything about phones. Zelda waits patiently for him to pull up the pictures.]
I wonder why they would destroy the shrine... If it was connected to the same cult behind the forest problem, presumably it was meant to be for one of the "new gods" they created...
no subject
...To cover their tracks. If the writing on it were understood... it could endanger the god by giving away their identity.