[open] while you are still in full bloom, what do you want?

[revolutionfalcon]

Who: Shun and whoever wants to help him/run into him
When: March 22nd to probably about March 27th
Where: Both shrines of Nekhbet (Japan: Vague handwavy outskirts of Tokyo, Egypt: Nekheb/El Kab and also a little bit in Luxor) and Inanna (Japan: Shinagawa ward, Iraq: Samawah)
What: Shun just lost someone very important to him, and in true Shun fashion, is putting himself to work as a distraction - if one counts dealing personally with matters at both of his own shrines and both of his disappeared friend's as "a distraction". The connected network post is here, but feel free to run into him at random (he will mostly be outside Japan, but he'll be coming back for at least a short time each day), or established CR can handwave having contacted him.

[A: Egypt, El Kab > Luxor]

[Shun's shrine in Egypt, while well-maintained, is somewhat out of the way, and he feels like that may have been to his advantage with the spotting of cultist activities in other countries. Eighty kilometers of desert from the nearest city sounds a lot more intimidating to people who aren't familiar with the area.

He's probably overdue for another visit to the pantheon, though. With things progressing in Japan and all indications that members of the cultists have been travelling overseas even recently, he has to wonder whether his apparent reputation in one pantheon has drawn a target on another. From what he's heard just from those he knows, speaking with Horus before actually visiting the pantheon proper, it doesn't sound like there's been a spike in it, but there's been some, and that's enough for him to want to get to the bottom of it.

It's preoccupying work getting rid of that sort of thing, after all.

Shun moves through those who've made the journey out to his shrine, hewn of sandstone by the east bank of the Nile that the place once known as Nekheb rests on, picking up prayers as he makes his way through, checking for signs of ill luck and perhaps occasionally slipping a good luck charm onto someone's person. It's only after that's done that he makes his way to Luxor - the best way to spot if someone's interfering with the work of gods is to do his work and see if he runs into any trouble, he feels.

Perhaps you came to help, perhaps you're here for another reason, but either way, the arched, landscaped path running alongside the riverbank is where you've ended up, Shun eying the opposite shore as if trying to collect his thoughts.]

So the cultists are still operating out here. The question is if it's all the same people or if we're going to have to do this country by country until we run out.

[It's flat, but with an underlying gravity to it. He might not be dealing with his loss completely with violence like he so often does, but he'd still love something to take it out on.]

--

[B: Iraq, Samawah]

[Samawah is a city of concrete greys and browns, and in some ways, Shun is more comfortable in that kind of environment than he is the kinds of cities he was once used to. But he never came here often with Ren, and he had his doubts the remaining pantheon of Sumer would give too much of an ear to someone standing in for someone who was himself standing in for one of their own.

The cold reception he gets is understandable, but the topic of cultists and his intent to clear them out seems to capture their interest much more. If nothing else, it establishes that the cult's been operating here too, and he feels he can move on with maintaining the shrine of Inanna here without stepping on anyone's toes more than he needs to. If the most recent incident proved anything, it was that gods don't come back just because the person standing in for them vanished too.

His lack of familiarity with this city means he's focusing himself on the area around the shrine, having brought Ren's three soulless shinki with him on the assumption that they'd be more familiar with the particulars of how Ren had chosen to maintain his shrines. It's quiet work, and possibly the part of this whole thing Shun had been least looking forward to - perched in a part of the shrine, watching it move on with an unreadable look on his face.]

Do you think our followers notice who comes and goes? If this goes right, it shouldn't seem like anything's changed here at all.

--

[C: Japan, Shrine of Nekhbet/Shrine of Inanna]

[On occasion, often in the late night or small hours of the morning, Shun circles back to catch up on things at the shrines closer to home. He rarely sleeps in the wake of things like this, so he may as well do something productive, the sooner to exhaust himself so his mind will actually let him sleep in peace. He doesn't look the mess he so often does when his usual reaction to loss comes up in the form of ripping through as many ayakashi as he can find and to hell with the damage to himself, but he does certainly look tired in multiple senses of the word. The kind of companionship he'd found had helped with this sort of thing, for a while - but now it's gone, and so he finds himself several squares back and several more for each of the mounting pile of close losses he's had recently.]

(i.)

[In the quietest hours of the Shrine of Nekhbet, when only the occasional person might drift through as opposed to the busy days the shrine sees, Shun may be found arranging flowers up the body of the lantern directly behind his shrine itself. The area is a tiny park no larger than the space a single house might take up, with a short lantern-flanked path that already has several posts decorated with various colours of flowers - purple and orange, blue and white, orange and black. This particular lantern is being wound with curves of mountain lily and red spider lily, the flowers placed so tightly together the actual arrangement pattern of the stems can't be seen at all.

It's not an hour Shun's expecting company, though, which means regardless of if it's someone he knows or not that happens into his shrine at this time, his answer is the same, accompanied by a bare glance over his shoulder.]

Why are you here?

(ii.)

[The Shrine of Inanna is one that Shun does actually check in on before it goes completely dead in the wee small hours, perching himself on the torii gate so he can scrutinise those coming in and out. The three soulless shinki accompanying him busy themselves with the shrine duties they're still familiar with, arranging fortunes and charms and collecting letters and offerings, and Shun's fingers clench that little bit on the stack of letters already in his hand, the ones he found the morning he woke up to familiar, upset meowing and the plummeting feeling of something having gone very wrong.

It seems like he doesn't quite want to leave to deliver them just yet, though. Minutes stretch out in a way he rarely lets himself remain idle long enough to allow, until, perhaps, the motionless figure on the torii gate may start to look like part of the construction...until you get close enough to identify him, that is.]

--

[D: Wildcard]

[[If you want something more specific, feel free to hit me up at reviseleviathan!]]

Comments

CI - March 23rd

[unlucky7]

[Ginia waves as she approaches. She's dressed in a sharp black suit that isn't out of place at all around the Near Shore, though the red kanji on the back of her left hand would be frowned upon in any corporate office. Slung over her shoulder is a backpack. Right behind her is a woman in her 20s with short brown hair dressed in a matching suit.]

I told you my hours are limited. Only time I could find today. Shun, this is my coworker, Kasumi. She works at Ebisu's shrines and we were already in the city together.

[Kasumi doesn't know sign language well enough to understand what Ginia is signing, but she's quick on the uptake as Ginia looks back at her. Her usual cheer a little reserved, she smiles, hands clasped in front.]

"It's an honor to meet you, Nekhbet-sama."

Feel free to put us to work.

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun hums slightly as if to say the explanation is fair, before inclining his head slightly to Kasumi. He still doesn't think much for niceties and it shows in his expression, but he's focused on business right now, so he chooses to bypass the issue by just getting straight to that instead.]

It's not going to be anything that hard - it's mostly scouting for cultists again. I don't trust that they're not familiar with who's coming and going after what happened with the doll festival, and I don't want anything going on with Ren's shrine here while I'm trying to sort out how to keep it occupied, or mine when I'm out of the country.

[It looks like Ginia came prepared, as usual, so he figures he should make clear what he's requesting here upfront so everyone's on the same page.]

[unlucky7]

[For her part, Kasumi is unphased. Everyone's heard of Nekhbet's prickly personality, whether it's from word of mouth or witnessing it. A few centuries of customer service and surviving getting killed by Heaven also dulls you to most things. She surveys the area, taking in the size of the space, the decor, and the layout.]

"Do you or Innara-sama have human attendants at your shrine or was it always run by yourselves and your shinki?"

[Ginia can already see the plans turning in Kasumi's head. When it comes to shrine-related duties, she'll leave it to the expert. The cult is something she can focus on. To keep Kasumi in the loop, Ginia takes her phone out and types and plays her next message.]

I can keep tabs on the cultists and search the shrines for cursed charms. I could also set up some security cameras for you, if you don't already have some.

[revolutionfalcon]

I don't think he did. When he was running his shrine at New Year it was just him and his shinki. I've got maybe a handful of human attendants, but none of them are going to be around at this hour.

[Shun just lets them come by and do things when they have the time to spare for it, which keeps things functioning fine for the most part. But when it comes to cultists, it's not really a thing he can rely on them to look out for as much as he can a Far Shore resident.]

I don't have cameras set up myself, so it's not a bad idea. I have a flying camera I could leave, but I wouldn't be able to check the footage until I got back anyway.

[unlucky7]

"Ebisu-sama would not mind if I helped out at another shrine. I think I could come by at night to attend to things..." [Kasumi nods and smacks a fist into her hand. Who needs sleep when you're sleep deprived? She needs to set a good example for her kouhai, after all!] "Yes! I can! You can count on me!"

[Ginia looks at Kasumi and gives her senior coworker a grateful smile.]

Don't overwork yourself.

[Which is the constant state of being at Ebsiu's temple, but they keep an eye out for each other.]

I'll walk the grounds and figure out where to set up cameras at. I know a few good models that will let you observe remotely on an app.

[And with all the cameras she's broken into, Ginia knows she can find a camera system that's secure and tamper-proof.]

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun's brow furrows slightly at the enthusiasm, but he doesn't remark on it besides a faintly questioning glance to Ginia as if asking if Kasumi is always like this. It fades as soon as the topic of the cameras comes back around, though.]

It'd be useful. It's not the kind of thing I normally think of myself because I'm more used to being on the other end of that kind of surveillance, but with things as they are now it's probably the best option to keep an eye on things. We had to rely a bit too much on public camera systems for Sensei.

[And that took far too long to comb through, even if they did get results out of it in the end. Shun would prefer to have something a little narrower if someone tries to make a move on these shrines.]

[unlucky7]

[Yes, Kasumi is always like this. Ginia confirms the silent question with a light smile and huff. The older shinki leaves to walk the grounds, talking quietly to herself as she notes where everything is. With her out of earshot, Ginia changes back to signing. As little as she minds typing on her phone, it is faster and more comfortable signing.]

It's the sort of thing we shouldn't have to worry about. Hopefully we can find a resolution.

[A peaceful one, ideally, but given Heaven's stance on the rogue gods, it feels far more unlikely. Even if this cult ends, there's no telling what's next. More masked ayakashi? More rogue gods? Petty vandals?

Ginia sighs, arms briefly crossing over her chest as she looks over him.]

Look. Neither of us really talk about our feelings, but how are you holding up?

[revolutionfalcon]

And maybe one that's more to do with the actual problem than the Heavens' solution is. [Shun points that out somewhat dryly. He hasn't forgotten how his conversation with Amaterasu at the meeting ended, and he has his doubts that even if they get rid of the cultists, that the rogue gods are going to be left to possible reform from the newcomers.

Shun makes to turn back to the flower arrangement to finish up his line before he shows them where might be best for surveillance, but when Ginia asks that question, he hesitates. It takes him a good few seconds to get to a response, and though there's the tiredness that tends to come through with all his losses, there's actually a touch of what sounds like very faint actual upset in there deep down.]

It's only just started to really sink in because I've been working so much. I suppose I got naive and started to think certain people were safer than others, but Lavi and Ren...

[He trails off, though it sounds like he's kind of irritated with himself for not being able to finish. Lavi and Ren had been two of his closest friends left here after most of his shinki disappeared, and now they're both gone within weeks of each other.]

[unlucky7]

[Heaven is always Just and Right and can do no wrong except when they clearly are. The rogue gods will be pardoned after execution, but what if they don't reincarnate? What if they do and fall back into the hands of the cult? Sotero has Kimi as his exemplar and that puts him in good hands if they can reconnect, but what about Votelli?

It's a mess. A mess with war brewing on top.

And yet still easier to deal with than other problems. They've all had their share of losses from people leaving, but hell, Shun's sure had a rough time between losing two of his shinki and now and friend and boyfriend. The dolls at hinamatsuri probably haven't made things any more understandable or easy about the who, why, or how they're here.]

I think we're all guilty of that. Thinking some people will always be here because they've been here for so long. Or that things are fine because no one we know has left, but that's because we don't hear about the other disappearances or didn't know them.

[The new may have banded into a community, but they still exist in their own factions. Of the contact list, how many people does Ginia really know? How many of them does she care about?

It's a small number when she's really honest with herself.]

It sucks. I'm sorry you've had a lot of losses.

A - March 24th

[boneofsword]

[Archer narrows his eyes. The path is perfect for easily spotting anyone who tries to get closer.]

That depends on what exactly is going on here. Some things are impossible for the tourists who don't know the area well, while some can be done if one gets paid well. [humanity in general isn't worth much in his eyes.]

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun figures the river is a natural draw for anyone who's not familiar with the area, but at the same time, the cultists tend to stay in the shadows. It is a good place to get his bearings and decide where they should start out, though.]

I wouldn't be surprised if they sent the same cultists to the same places so they got more familiar with them, but that also depends on how many of them there are in total. Last time I caught traces of them overseas, it was in Iceland, and it sounds like they're all doing the same sort of thing when they leave Japan.

[boneofsword]

If they send someone already familiar with the idea it's better to look for shrines.

[Archer shrugs one shoulder, watching the passerbyes with an air of indifference. He doesn't seem to be on guard, but that's not true; if anything was to happen he'd be ready in a blink of an eye. With a half-smirk and nod at Shun he adds.] Unless you want to play the bait for more than local ayakashi.

[revolutionfalcon]

In terms of the local gods I know where to find Horus', but it'd be useful to check ones from reincarnated ones as well, and we've gone through so many Egyptian gods since I got here that I'm not sure where any of those are other than my own.

[Shun's is in a somewhat out-of-the-way location, at least, so it's slightly more difficult for anyone to throw flyers or bad luck charms all over it unless they're very determined, but if anyone has shrines in more trafficked areas, they might be at risk.]

Mine's not really in a good location to use as bait. Only the outliers are going to bother going out that far anyway.

[boneofsword]

It's the new gods that interest them, not the old. [Archer frowns.] Such shrines are most likely old, which means many of them are popular touristics spots.

[He quickly browses a list of those on the phone and memorizes each location. There's no use for gps here, and he prefers to rely on his senses instead. Archer briefly shows each location, along with the photo, to Shun. He taps his phone/]

This one is closest. The shrine of Ma'at - I recall seeing this name on the bbs.

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun hums slightly in assent at the mention of Ma'at.] I know we had an incarnation of that god a while ago, though it's been a long time since they disappeared. It might be a good way to gauge how much they're messing around with the shrines of new gods who aren't here anymore.

[He can't imagine they'd burn as much time on those as the ones run by active gods, but on the other hand, they'd make for much easier targets with nobody around to care for them. It doesn't seem like the old incarnations are reappearing after the new ones vanish.]

[boneofsword]

It's worth checking if there are any charms. Finding them should be easy. [his skills at least make it simple. Archer shrugs and starts towards the shrine, using his favourite method of travel - leaping onto a high perch and then another. He knows Shun can follow him easily.]

[revolutionfalcon]

[As expected, Shun leaps up onto the higher ground without hesitation, following the path. He knows a little bit about the lay of the city from having answered prayers in the area before, so in his head, he starts mapping out a route that minimises the likelihood that they're going to have to drop to ground level anywhere. It might take some jumping across trees at points, but he figures they'll manage.

It's fast travel, in any case, and it's not long before they're approaching the area, Shun starting to look out for signs of the shrine.] Hopefully this is actually going to be something big enough to spot.

B

[redmare]

[ Chinatsu sits next to Ren, looking out at the view until he speaks.

From what she could see so far in their trip...]

I doubt it. People are pretty self-absorbed. If it doesn't affect them, they won't really pay attention.

[revolutionfalcon]

I suppose then it depends on how much we personally affect them. [Shun shrugs slightly at that, watching Ren's soulless shinki work below. It seems like some of those around the shrine who are approached by them recognise the three when they draw attention to themselves, but it's a little hard to say for sure.]

I've never really thought of myself here as anything but standing in for someone else's role, but I don't think any of us have any idea what kind of position the gods we replaced were in before we showed up. Some of us probably made bigger names for ourselves by now.

[redmare]

Well, you definitely did.

[ He made of God of Fortune, after all. Plus, Chinatsu can't imagine any of his predecessors having worked harder than Shun had. ]

You planning on taking up the name of two gods?

[revolutionfalcon]

I'm apparently an outlier, though. There's only two other newcomers who've gotten to God of Fortune so far. [Hakkai's been here longer than almost anyone at this point, and Hibiki is an idiot who likes attention, so those track, as far as he's concerned. Since he basically considers it a stupid popularity contest with the way the Heavens frame it.

As for taking up the role of two gods, he shrugs slightly.] Not the name, but I want to find a way to keep these shrines operating, even if it's just maintaining the followers that already exist.

[redmare]

You think they can handle it?

[ She's not against Shun helping, but he does a lot already. ]

I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, just...[ Chinatsu hesitates a moment. She was one to talk, she didn't even have any suggestions. ]

How can I help?

[revolutionfalcon]

Ren left me his soulless shinki, so they should be more familiar with the operation of his shrines. We've been running mine between just us for a while now, so I don't think it changes all that much to assign them to his.

[Fubuki hadn't been present for a while before he actually disappeared, at least, so at worst they were short Reisi since he vanished. Lavi hadn't really been named by Shun long enough to have factored into it significantly, however unfortunate it might have been.]

If you want to be more active in dealing with things at my shrines, then I'm not going to stop you. Kotori can help as well. If I'm splitting my attention a little bit, then all that really needs to be done to make up for it is a little bit more work between us.

[redmare]

I can do that.

[ No retorts, no complaints. When it came to duties, Chinatsu didn't mind doing the work, and there wasn't much conflict in what needed to be done. However, that wasn't all she meant by her question. ]

But what can I do for you?

[revolutionfalcon]

[That visibly gives Shun pause, mostly because he doesn't really tend to think about this sort of thing in terms of what others can do for him. As tempting as it is to dismiss the help, he...really does need to establish more relationships like the ones he's lost, ones that are more give and take rather than him refusing anyone giving back to him. It's one of the more consistent things that seems to have been creating friction for him, and as much as he might dislike having to admit it, it...has helped, when he's allowed it.

So after a few moments, he leans back a bit and shrugs. At least it's honest.] I don't know. I've told enough people they don't have to worry about it that it seems like a waste of breath since you must already know, but even if I let people help, I...honestly don't know what will help me any better than anything else.

[His tone is straightforward as ever, as if not knowing that about himself isn't at least a little bit screwed up.]