thenearshore | [ Closed ]

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Who: Nanako and Chikusa
When: December 5th
Where: The Near Shore
What: Nanako gets a prayer from a thief.

[ The prayer was unusual enough from the ones Nanako often got that it caught her attention right away and she'd sat and puzzled over it for a few moments before going to find one of her shinki. Chikusa was the one she sought on purpose, actually, because she wasn't sure how to answer this prayer and... well. He had the most experience with this sort of thing, right?

Which is how they end up teleporting to the Near Shore, to a rundown set of apartment buildings where the Prayer had originated from. nanako's hand is clutching Chikusa's tightly as she glances up at a particular window, where a crack of light slipped out from the edge of closed blinds. ]

This is where it came from. He's up there, I think. I've never gotten a prayer like this before. Do you think it's alright to just go in? Should we knock first?

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Just go in.

[....That's sure just a direct answer. But then, knocking and explaining sounds too bothersome... Besides-]

It'll look more god-like or something... if it's done that way.... right?

I guess so? We can try that. Hopefully, we don't scare him, though...

[ She hums thoughtfully a moment before making up her mind. Giving Chikusa's hand a squeeze in warning, she teleports them just inside the apartment.

It's one room and brightly lit, although messy and cluttered, clothes and food containers scattered everywhere. The thief who had prayed to her was currently curled up on the futon, staring up at the ceiling. But he sees them the moment they arrive and jerks backwards, his eyes wide, letting out a startled yell. ]

[This is almost as messy as his and Ken's room... although he doesn't bother to take in the similarities too much. Instead, he raises an eyebrow as the thief yells.]

So he's someone who can see us.... That's rare.

[Usually it's kids, and old people.]

Who are you? Why are you here?! I didn't mean to take it, I tell you! It was just lying there! I don't want it anymore, take it back!

[ The man shoves his hands outwards towards them, a faded looking charm clutched in his hands.

His earnestness and panic is a little alarming, however, so Nanako can't help but sidestep behind Chikusa's lanky legs in unease.

But she eyes the charm with a sudden curiosity, seeing how it gleams. Glancing up to Chikusa, she points to it. ]

I think it's because of that.

[People who are also not going near that charm, and in fact has his hand on a yoyo just in case? Yeah, it's Chikusa. He eyes the charm warily, shifting a little more in front of Nanako.]

....That would explain it. [His eyes flick up towards the man, head not moving.] So what has it been doing exactly...?

[Yeah, he's drawing this out for the guy. No mercy.]

[ Nanako's fingers clutch at the side of his pockets as she glances between the man and her shinki, feeling safer with him, especially when he moves to put himself in front of her.

Before them, the man is still babbling in desperation. ]

I don't know, man, it's cursed, I tell you. It's brought me nothing bad luck. Everything that could go wrong HAS, ever since I picked it up. I'm scared to even leave my apartment. You gotta do something! I'm going to get killed by this thing at this rate!

What's going to kill you is... [Wait, no, no threats made of annoyance, Nanako will scold him again and he never has enough energy for that.] ...being dumb.

[...Close enough. He glances back down behind him.]

Nanako... [Oh, right, the guy can see them.] Nanshe. What should he do.... to make up for it. Since he took it when he shouldn't have...

[ Nanako's still staying partially hidden behind Chikusa's leg, which is probably not particularly god-like, but she feels safer back here.

But she listens to the man's pleas with a small frown, considering the matter. He certainly sounded sincere and sorry enough, so even if he did something bad, she was pretty sure he should be forgiven for it, if he really meant what he said. ]

If you took something you shouldn't have, then you should take it back to where it came from, and apologize to the person who you took it from. If you do that, then I'll make sure you're not cursed from it anymore. But you have to mean it!

[ She's pretty sure she can do that. She glances up at Chikusa, hoping that made sense. This wasn't like any prayer she'd had to answer before, after all. She's feeling a little out of her element here. ]

[...That's pretty light... but questioning the 'head' in front of someone isn't a good thing. He feels like he knows that much. So he'll just offer his own addendum.]

And make sure to help clean Nanshe-sama's shrine once every week.

[Reaching up, he adjusts his glasses.]

...As part of the apology.

[ Her mouth drops open at that, because cleaning the shrine every week? Doesn't that seem... a bit much? But it's been stated and maybe Chikusa thinks it needs to be more stern than just saying sorry. She guesses she can understand that. Maybe always having a task to clean will help him remember not to steal anymore?

Closing her mouth, she thinks about that for a moment before nodding. ] Yes. Especially if that will help you remember not to take things that aren't yours, and what can happen if you do.

[ Which... probably sounds more serious and possibly threatening than the seven-year-old goddess realizes, but maybe that's for the best.

The thief just swallows hard, glancing between them at this statement, looking uncertain. ]

If I do all that, I won't be cursed anymore, right?

[Aw, look, baby's first threat... Now they just have to teach her how to murder, but that will be a little while. Chikusa just gives a slight nod, both approving and in response to the question.]

Right... It's an order from Nanshe-sama herself... so take it or don't.

[Just enjoy being cursed for the rest of your life, no skin off Chikusa's nose.]

[ The man nods and scrambles to his feet, clutching the charm. ]

I'll go right now!

[ He doesn't even wait for them, just dashes right out the door.

Nanako blinks after him in surprise for a moment before glancing up at Chikusa once more. ]

We should go make sure he does it, so I can make sure the curse is gone, right?

...And he took the charm with him...

[Dumbass.]

[Heaving out a sigh, Chikusa offers his hand down to Nanako again.]

At least we know where he's going.

Well. I did tell him to take it back.

[ Nanako gives Chikusa a sheepish smile as she grips his outstretched hand and nods. ]

Yeah, the shrine it came from, right? Let's go make sure he's okay. Although I wondered how it got cursed in the first place? That doesn't sound like anything at Nanshe's shrines that I've seen....

[ Nanshe was known to offer shelter to all who needed it, after all, and everything that came along with that care. To hear that someone had been cursed so easily didn't sound okay to her.

Chikusa's hand gripped in her own, she teleports them both just outside the shrine, beside the path lined in azalea bushes. ]

After he was trying to shove it onto us...

[He waits patiently until they've teleported, only to immediately sink back down to sit on the ground. It might take a while, depending on how fast that guy hauls ass.]

...But that's a good point... It would be a pain if it were something like that time there were all those cursed charms. Maybe we should take it ourselves... [Shove it onto Amaterasu's lot, they can deal with it.]

[ Nanako doesn't mind his tendency to slouch downwards, it just means they're at the same level more often.

At the moment, she looks very thoughtful as she glances around the shrine, which at least looks surprisingly busy today. That seems unusual, too. ]

Can we do that without it cursing us, too? Although I don't know why a cursed charm would be here in the first place. Nanshe's temples are supposed to be helping people who need something. I don't want people getting accidentally cursed for that.

[ Is it really thievery when Nanshe just provides equally to all? ]

We probably we can. Or, if nothing else.... We can just set it on fire.

[What can't be solved with arson, really? Still, he watches her for a few moments contemplatively.]

...Or we could also try covering it in shrine water... carry it around that way. That might negate the effects...

[ You're talking to the wrong person about arson, Chikusa. Nanako doesn't look entirely convinced. ]

I do have some of the shrine water. That might work? We can get it back when he returns it, so we can make sure no one else gets hurt by it. We should go find the priest. Maybe they know something about this charm?

[Darnit, Nanako... One day he'll teach you how to crime properly. For now, he just makes a reluctant sigh. He just wanted to sit...]

Alright... But do you know what your priests look like...?

[ I mean. You can try?

She pats him atop the head lightly at his sigh before glancing around. ]

Ummm.... There was an old woman here the last time I came to see it. But I know there was a couple of men priests here, too. I just liked the old woman, she was really nice. But they shouldn't be too hard to find? We just have to go look for anyone who looks like they're in charge!

[ That shouldn't be too hard, right? ]

[So it looks like he's getting up now. Damn.]

Sure.... but I meant if they were wearing uniforms or anything. Like those robes... or whatever.

[ Sorry, Chikusa, time to work. Unless you just want her to wander around here looking alone? ]

Ummm.... not last time I was here? They didn't have any fancy uniforms, they just dressed like everyone else when they were helping? But they did have a sort of sash thing over their shoulders. With a pin. It had a pelican on it!

[uuuuugh, he's up on his feet, he's up on his feet.]

Then... We'll look for people with those sashes. Alright?

[ What a good Chikusa. She smiles and reaches up to take his hand again, tugging him towards the center part of the temple. ]

Come on! I think we can find them over this way. There's usually a pool or a fountain in the middle of the temple and you can always find the priests and helpers around that!

[Despite the fact that he is probably twice Nanako's size, in height if nothing else, Chikusa is apparently very easy to just.... tug along. It's probably the fastest he's ever gone, being dragged by a literal child.]

...Sounds fancy...

[He can't remember if Axel ever had something like that... and he's now wondering if there are some things that have been missing of Hakkai's own temples. Hm. Something he'll have to look into.]

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Starting Prayer 61!

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