thenearshore | Semi-open - You are the sun

Entry tags:

Semi-open - You are the sun

Who: Son Goku and friends.
When: December 5th and 6th
Where: Huitzilopochtli's temple and Tokyo.
What: Catch-all log for some things. Training with his shinki, hanging out and wandering around town.

A. December 5th- Morning (closed to

kagenonadeshiko)

[It's a chilly morning beneath the treehouse currently posing as the temple of Huitzilopochtli. There's no snow on the ground here yet, thankfully, but there's a bit of frost on the ground this early in the day.

But that's not really their concern at the moment. Goku is doing warm-up stretches, humming to himself happily and thinking about how good the breakfast they just had was. That will entertain him all the way till lunch.]

So, you wanted to practice fighting and stuff, right? [He straightens up to start stretching out his arms.] Do you wanna spar? Uh, I've never really fought a fox before but we can try it if you want!

B. December 5th- Afternoon (Open)

[Eventually, Ayumu has better things to do with her day and Goku still needs to be fed. He could go beg food off Hakkai or Chikusa, but he suspects they have better things to do with their day too. Instead Goku decides to take a trip to the Near Shore, wandering the streets of Tokyo and ending up in Togoshi and trying to haggle with a vendor selling croquettes.]

Hey, if I buy four, can you give me five instead? [Goku, what. The seller at least looks more bemused than offended.] Or, or! If I buy five can I try one of those others ones as well? Please?

[You can get away with a lot with a face like this. He's probably not actually going to get any free food though.]

C. December 6th (closed to

erogappa)

[Once again, Goku needs to eat. It's sort of a running theme in his life. He also craves company, another running theme in his life. Ayumu can only spoil her new god so much, Hakkai has a job or something lame like that and Chikusa and Ken are too busy paying attention to each other so-]

This way, this way! [Goku is dragging Gojyo to Inokashira Park one early morning. No, this will totally be worth it, he promises.] Someone told me there's some guys here who sell really yummy yakitori!

[Normally at this hour the park would be full of joggers and people on their way to work, but it's oddly quiet today. Maybe it's too cold for them. Goku is fairly bundled up himself and he's still pretty chilly, after all.]

Gojyo, come on! I'm hungry!

D. Wildcard

[Anything we've plotted elsewhere, we can throw it into this log if you want.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ It's too cold for anybody to be out, Gojyo's decided, stumbling along in the early morning light. His breath is a thick white cloud around his face, and he can feel his body heat being drained with every exhale. ]

You're always hungry.

[ It's not that meat doesn't sound good. It's just that a big cup of coffee -- maybe from one of those places that puts in chocolate sauce and whipped cream and sprinkles? -- sounds so much better. There's parts of downtown where you can't walk ten feet without passing three coffee shops. Why couldn't there be one here? ]

I'm always hungry, everybody's always hungry. Just a town full of [ Brrr. He tucks his hands tighter against his body. ] hungry ghosts.

[ A big cup of sugered coffee, and one of those buttery cinnamon things the size of his head. Yeah, that's more like it. ]

This better be the best damn meat on a stick I've ever tasted, shrimp.

[You gotta burn energy to stay warm, Gojyo. Maybe that's why Goku keeps running ahead and then running back to make sure Gojyo's keeping up.]

I'm not a ghost or a shrimp! [Yelling also keeps you warm. He's not properly annoyed yet though. The promise of food and a day out with Gojyo is enough to keep him cheerful.] But I am really hungry! I wanna eat ten thousand skewers of meat!

[That might really turn him into a ghost. It's fine, he'll be fine.]

[ Some days he really can't tell if Goku's twenty or twelve. ]

You eat that much, you're gonna turn into a whale.

[ As cold and miserable as it is out, as much as he'd like to be curled up in bed still (or maybe lazing on the couch in the front room with a cup of tea while eight tons of dog snored on his feet and Hakkai puttered in the kitchen... shit, he's really got it bad, doesn't he? This is just getting embarrassing)... it's nice to be out with Goku. the kid's good for his mood, what can he say? It's hard to be sad or down when he's around -- mad, sure, annoyed definitely! But not sad. Not worthless. ]

I'm gonna have to roll you back to your temple, drop you into that sinkhole and use you as a raft.

No way! [Goku elbows Gojyo in the ribs, bouncing along next to him on the path.] I'm not a fat kappa like you!

[Both of these boys need a sandwich, let's be real. But Goku is more than happy to start scrapping with a dumb jerkface cockroach if he wants to start something. It can keep them warm while they find where the hell this yakitori stand is. It's a long-standing technique that hasn't failed them yet, not that Gojyo remembers that.]

You're the one who's gonna be in trouble. You're too lazy, you'll never work off all the stuff you eat.

I'm not lazy, I'm conservin' energy!

[ It's a little strange, though, isn't it? There's nobody else in the park right now. Sure it's early, not all that long after sunrise, but where are all the joggers? The grandmothers taking walks? The gardeners and custodians tidying the place? ]

Unlike some shrimp, I'm not gonna wear myself out before we get there!

[ And shouldn't there be, like, birds and chittering squirrels? It's quiet. It's really quiet. Gojyo drops his voice, from mock-the-monkey down to something more like an inside tone -- still casual, but definitely not for bystanders' ears. ]

So, who told you about this place?

[ Because it's sure starting to feel like a trap. ]

What, you get tired that easily? [Goku tilts his head back to stick his tongue out at Gojyo.] You sound like an old man.

[It is quiet. At first it passes for the usual, peaceful still of a winter morning but... The city is bustling not too far from here. Everyone's day has already started. They were shoulder to shoulder with people before entering the park, but the further they've walked the less people they've seen. Now there's no one around. ]

Just some guy... [Goku looks around, staying close to Gojyo and matching his tone.] I was in a restaurant yesterday and a guy was talkin' about it.

[Come to think about it, didn't he also mention he hadn't been back in a while? And that there was no way he was taking his girlfriend here any time soon? Huh.

It's very quiet in the park. It's weird that there's the sound of a third set of footsteps somewhere.]

[ That's definitely weird. ]

You're eavesdroppin' on private conversations now? [ His tone is casual, light, and from all appearances he's just strolling along with his little brother, taking in the sights of the park. But scanning the area for threats is something Gojyo didn't have to learn -- it's instinctive, easy as breathing.

The footsteps seem to be coming from the other side of the stand of trees, off to the right. It's hard to tell, with the way sound bounces around in wooded areas, but he's pretty sure that's where their visitor is. Gojyo nudges Goku with his elbow, aiming him subtlely in that direction. ]

Next you'll be walkin' around smellin' people, like Ken does.

I talked to 'im too! I wasn't being rude or nothing.

[Just a casual conversation between two bros. Goku leans in the direction of the sound when Gojyo nudges him before straightening his course again, signaling that he's noticed it too without alerting anyone else. It's a familiar routine, one he's so used to it barely registers as one. It's not uncommon for someone to try and to sneak up on them these days.]

Ken's not doing anything wrong, it's not like he can turn his nose off. What, you don't look at people?

[Man, who's trying to mess with them now? Goku is ready to summon his staff and leap into the trees to find them, but he's not sure if they're planning on letting whoever it is make the first move right now.]

[ It's probably a good idea to get a little closer first, right? And get an idea of who's over there before they show their hand and attack? It's possible it's not an enemy... okay, not likely, but possible. And if it is an enemy, then they still don't want to announce that they've both got magic summon sticks right up front. Right? ]

Not in the bathroom I don't. [ No, they don't shit, but bathroom time is still private time for a healthy red-blooded 20-something, and he's never going to get over Ken being able to smell him in there. ] That kid's got no sense of privacy... like some shrimps I could name.

[ There's a stirring sense of wrongness growing in the back of Gojyo's mind as they approach, and it's really no surprise when they round the corner of the path and spot the ayakashi. Gojyo swears quietly under his breath -- it's huge, the size of a city bus, with claws as long as his leg, and it's...

Huh. It's digging through the dumpster. ]

Just when I thought they couldn't get any more disgusting.

[Who let the two brawlers of the party go off on their own and try to strategize? Who keeps letting them do that? Goku wrinkles his nose as they turn the corner. That's gross. Ayakashi are gross.]

Not another one of those things! [And it's way bigger than the boogeymen from the other park. He's not sure how Ayumu would do against it. But this thing doesn't seem to be bothering any humans.] ... Should we leave it alone? It just looks hungry.

[Eyes sticking out of the bear's back turn to face Goku and Gojyo and there's a hissing sound from them. "Hungry... Hungry..." The ayakashi raises it's muzzle from the dumpster and sniffs the air thoughtfully. Whoops.]

... Hey, I think it can smell stuff too!

[ Fuck the element of surprise -- Gojyo's got his summon weapon out, held (backwards) with the spade blade forward like a spear, ready to jab. The ayakashi's too big to leave here in the park -- who knows what it's been up to with the people here? -- and it's far too big to just pin under a borderline and beat on until it runs away. They have to fight it.

He has to take a name from Goku to fight it. Fuck. This was not how he wanted the day to go. ]

I think I've lost my appetite.

[Oh, okay, they're doing this. Goku summons Nyoi-bo as well, not quite sure how they're going to kill this thing but pretty sure they can at least beat the crap out of it. Pretty sure. Okay, it's really big for something he's not allowed to touch with his hands or feet.]

I'm still hungry, so lets beat it up quick, okay? [The bear gives a low growl in their direction, a dripping tongue lolling from it's mouth as it eyes them hungrily. Gross. Goku twirls his staff in his hand and moves a few steps away from Gojyo to give him room to fight.]

We should- [Side-glances at Gojyo, notices how he's holding shakujo again.] ... Why do you keep doing that?

[The ayakashi cuts him off with a roar.]

Keep doin' what? [ Before he can even finish his question, though, the bearakashi charges, drooling mouth snapping for Goku. ] Shit. Look out!

[ Ssssssmells good it snarls, and Gojyo can't help but shiver. Whatever they are, they were sure built to react to these things, he thinks angrily, running forward to jab at the ayakashi. The sharp blade has been more than enough to take limbs off of ayakashi before... although never ayakashi this big. ]

You keep- woah!

[There's barely time for Goku to jump high enough, but his staff is pointed at the ground and quickly extending to help him leap up into the air and over the bear like it's a pogo stick. The bear snaps it's jaws around the air where Goku was as the monkey boy lands on his feet behind it.]

Gojyo! Quit messin' around and slice it up properly! [There has to be a reason Gojyo is holding his staff weird and using the spade to attack with and that reason is probably that Gojyo is fooling around and not being serious. Probably.]

[ Goku leaps over the ayakashi -- damn, that staff of his is great!, Gojyo can't help but marvel, even as he's jabbing the flat blade at the ayakashi's neck as the creature snaps forward at the spot Goku just occupied. The blade scores a thin line along the side of the bear's neck, but it's like stabbing a block of granite -- his blade all but bounces off, and he has to scramble backwards as the bear turns on him, mouth wide and full of too-sharp teeth. ]

I'm tryin'!

No, you're not!

[Maybe it should be flattering that Goku's so sure Gojyo should be kicking more ass than he is right now. Maybe it's not. He takes a swing at the bear's back legs, which makes it stumble. But Nyoi-bo is more for smashing than cutting, and no normal (or normal magical) weapon is going to seriously hurt an ayakashi.]

Don't you wanna kill it? Cut it's head off or somethin'!

[ The bearakashi doesn't seem to be slowed in the slightest by their efforts. If anything, they're just making it mad. Gojyo jabs at it again, again going for the throat, but he has to get too close to make contact. The bear lunges for him, claws digging up great furrows of soil as it advances.

This isn't working. ]

It's too big! [ He can only swat and slap at the beast for so long before it's totally proved worthless, okay? ] Just fucking name me already!

Gojyo, look out!

[Goku rushes forward to try and smack the bear back from Gojyo, extending his staff until it's several meters long to keep his distance. He's confused. Something is wrong with Gojyo and Goku's not quite smart enough to understand what it is. Fighting is one of the few things he really understand. It comes intuitively to him, so much so that he barely has to think in the heat of battle. But watching Gojyo fight with his staff, something is clearly wrong.

But that's something he'll have to think about later. Maybe he'll just ask him when they're not fighting a gross, giant bear.]

What, why? [The bear swipes at Goku's head with his claws and he has to duck to dodge it.] Don't you already have one?

[He'll get the hang of this god and shinki vessel stuff at some point. Hopefully today.]

[ Sssssssmeells gooood</>b the bear wheezes, hauling its huge mass up onto its hind legs in preparation for falling forward onto Goku. Gojyo jabs at the thing's ass, but his blade actually skips right off its hide. Fuck. Fuck. ]

We can't kill it like this! [ Doesn't Goku have a shinki already? Doesn't he know how this works? ] Name me somethin'! Something-ki, and then we can rend it!

[He has two shinki already, Gojyo, but he is so dumb. So very dumb.]

Ah- [Goku scrambles backwards, trying to get out of the ayakashi's range and remember the complicated spell for naming a shinki at the same time.] Okay, okay, I got it!

Um, ah- [What's a good name, what's a good name?] My name is Son Goku! [Names are important, even if they're quick tools being used in a panic.] Grasping thy true name, I bind thee here. With borrowed name, I dub thee my servant. [He's not sure how he's remembering all this.] The name answers, the vessel to sound. I call thee as my divine instrument. [What to call him, what to call- Gojyo's hair catches the sunlight, attracting Goku's eye. It looked warm.] The name, taku! The vessel- ... Han!. Come, Hanki!

[A flame, a stove burning, a warm place- that sounds like something Gojyo would like.]

Edited 2018-06-13 16:23 (UTC)

[ Taku? Like burning? An odd choice, he thinks, as his body dissolves, but not a terrible one. He vanishes into a shimmer of light that isn't warm at all, no matter how it looks, and reforms pressed snug against Goku's skin. He's heavy -- that's his first impression of his new fighting form. Heavy, and round-ish. Is he bracelets?

It doesn't really matter, honestly. No matter what shape he's been changed into, he'll still be able to cast borderlines, strike at the ayakashi without being blighted, and, most importantly, now he can Rend. The morning's looking up!

Let's go! This bear is toast. ]

[After Ayumu, he should have been prepared for this. After talking to Hakkai, he should have been prepared for this. Goku has no excuse this time, none at all, but he falls to his knees anyway, wrists held close to his chest.

The vision plays through his mind quickly. Hakkai. Hakkai is there, so Gojyo must be okay. He has to be, right? Why does Hakkai look like that, what is he doing, why isn't he stopping-

Goku knows this street. The rain is familiar, in an implacable kind of way, and even a limiter can't burn the image of Hakkai's golden eye from his memory. He knows what this is. Why isn't Hakkai stopping? Why isn't anyone stopping him? Where is he? Where's Sanzo?]

Ghk- [Goku curls in on himself, starting to shake. The bear roars but it may as well be in another world right now. Gojyo's gone and that means Hakkai is gone too and Sanzo is- where did Sanzo go? He thinks he can hear Gojyo's voice, but Sanzo is-

He looks down at his hands for some reassurance, knowing somehow that there's someone there. The iron cuffs around his wrists are so familiar he's almost not surprised to see them. The rest of his thoughts and feelings are too tumultuous and confused to be anywhere near coherent to someone else, but Goku spent too long staring at chained wrists and a barred entrance for the image in his mind to be any less than crystal clear.

He's alone again.]

[ Goku falls, and a jolt of guilt sears through Gojyo. Fuck, he should have thought of this! Goku knew him in life, so of course Goku's going to be upset seeing his death! God, he's so stupid.

Goku! Goku, it's Gojyo. I'm right here. That wasn't real, okay? The bear, back on four legs again, has noticed that its prey isn't moving. It lumbers closer, drooling like something rabid. Dammit shrimp, snap out of it! If you get me eaten I swear I'm gonna kick your ass! ]

[Snow falls outside the cave, the suffocating silence is-

... broken. Goku blinks a few times at the familiar voice in his head, dislodging a some tears that fall down his cheeks and finally dragging him out of his own past a little.]

You're- it wasn't- [Gojyo's here. Gojyo's in some ways closer than he's ever been before and he's calling Goku's name. Right. It wasn't real. Hakkai said it wasn't real. They wouldn't have- that couldn't have-

The important thing is that it didn't. Goku holds his hands close to his chest and rolls to the side, barely dodging the ayakashi's teeth and getting a streak of blight on the back of his head from the creature's fur.]

I'm okay! You're okay, I'm- shit, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-

[Stupid, stupid, stupid, he nearly got them both killed!]

Edited 2018-06-13 17:11 (UTC)

[ It's okay. Gentler now -- it's harder to keep his emotions out of his voice when talking like this, mind to mind. His words are colored with his concern -- god, is he really crying? That poor kid -- and genuine affection. Goku's a good guy. He doesn't deserve to have to see things like whatever he just saw.

But if Gojyo were making the rules, the world would be a much different place. The ayakashi snaps to the side, chasing after Goku's, and Gojyo strains to pull himself free of Goku's chest, to reach Goku's hand out toward the creature. He can't move much on his own, but he'll do what he can until Goku can shake it off.

Point me like a gun and say Rend! Let's rip this fucker up. ]

C

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject