[closed]

[existentialcrisis]

Who: Guy Cecil and the No-Good Very Bad God
What: Ukoku's temple is like one step above a shack in a cemetery. Welcome!!
When: April 15
Where: see above
Warnings: n/a



[ Ukoku drifts through the main hall, weaving in and out of other gods and shinki still diligently cleaning. There's dust on his shirt and a broom with half-ruined bristles in the crook of his arm, but he only looks like he's been working: he's scanning the hall, back and forth, for a particular blond head.

(He's seen his death, so he knows who to look for: a hero-type, young, with a good face—though the last thing Ukoku saw of it was bloodier. He probably has a preconceived idea of what a god should be. He'll probably be disappointed.)

And there he is. Ukoku sidles up next to him, smiling. ]

Hi. You must be Guy, right?

Comments

[fontechnician]

[It's probably fortunate that where Guy comes from, there aren't really 'gods' so much as very powerful elemental spirits. Not that he could recall any of them at this moment, but that wasn't particularly important.

He heard the god approach but was focused more on (actually) cleaning, so he's only slightly surprised when he hears a voice next.]

...Huh? Hey, yeah, that's me. [That's the only thing he can really remember for sure. Weird, that.

Ukoku isn't someone he remembers, but he feels like he knows him anyway. That's also weird.]

You're...?

[existentialcrisis]

Mahakala. We're supposed to work together now.

[ He pauses for a second, peering at Guy, and makes a vague little whatever wave. ]

But that's too formal, right? You can just call me Ni, if you want. Do you want to see the temple?

[fontechnician]

[Sort of abrupt. But then again, they'd probably both been there a while--Guy had, anyway--and a change of scenery wasn't a bad idea.]

Sure, I don't think the rest of them will miss our help. And I'm good with either one, what do you prefer to be called?

[Ni is certainly easier but if he wants to be called Mahakala, then Guy's going to go with that.]

[existentialcrisis]

[ Instead of responding he lays his hand on the back of Guy's arm—and then they're somewhere else.

The garden outside his temple is a travesty. It's weathered boulders, dead shrubs, a round pool lined with black tiles, and a persimmon tree covered in half-rotted fruit, and the grounds around it are just as bleak: dead trees in evenly-spaced rows stretch forever, housing hundreds of crows.

The temple itself looks like it's been there since the beginning of time. The wooden pillars are cracked; the pictures painted on the walls have faded to the point of complete obscurity.

Ukoku drops his hand. ]

Ni is fine.

[fontechnician]

[Well, that was a neat trick. One second they're in the hall surrounded by people and the next they're...near what looks like a mausoleum in the middle of a cemetery. A poorly-maintained one, with all the dead trees and bushes everywhere. Despite also being dead, Guy feels the most alive of anything in the immediate area.]

Ni it is th--whoa th-this is...

[Would saying it looked like a dump offend the god? Because it really did.]

...it's very...uh...very gloomy...this is your temple?

[existentialcrisis]

It is! [ He spreads his arms, smiling. Nice, right? ] It's cozier than it looks.

[ No it is not. He heads in, beckoning for Guy to follow. The inside is badly lit, mostly stone, and generally empty. There's a monkey skeleton dressed in a hat and a child-size robe sitting on a little chair in the entryway, its spine wired upright so it gives an air of attentiveness. Beyond that is an atrium with an open roof and another pool in the center; the floor slopes down toward it. Crow feathers dot the water. The corridor surrounding the atrium, lined with carved wooden pillars on one side and open doorways on the other, recedes into darkness. ]

Anyway, make yourself at home. [ As if most people could. He heads toward a doorway. ] The kitchen's over here.

[fontechnician]

Right...

[It's a good thing Guy's not afraid of the dark. Or of skeletons, though the presence of the one in the entryway startles him when he crouches to get a better look at what exactly it is in the terrible light. Eugh. He's not touching that--hopefully it's as stationary as it looks.]

I'll try. [He follows in the direction of the kitchen, intending to check out the darker areas a little later.] Are there any rooms you want me to stay out of?

[existentialcrisis]

[ Ukoku glances back at him, eyebrows raised. Is that a real question? ]

You mean like my dungeon? No, you can go in there.

[ Deadpan.

He turns back toward the kitchen. It's small and cramped and as dark as everywhere else, all clinical stainless steel except for a strikingly out-of-place ancient-looking carved table with two chairs. He digs around in the fridge for a beer and leans against the counter while he pops it open, thinking. ]

What else? Oh, I'm supposed to take care of whatever it is you need, yeah?

[ He pulls out a drawer full of cooking accoutrements. There's a wallet on top of a kitchen knife, inexplicably. He tosses it to Guy. It is absolutely full of cash he did not earn. ]

[fontechnician]

[It's totally a valid question. He had no idea why, but it felt appropriate to ask if there were restrictions, since it wasn't his place at all. He sighs internally; a dungeon didn't seem too out-of-place, really.]

I think I'll pass on that.

[Equally deadpan.

At least he won't ask to sit down at the table, taking one of the chairs without another word, until he's tossed a wallet with a considerable amount of cash in it. Looked like he was on his own for everything besides a roof over his head.]

Ah...thanks. Speaking of...what do you need from me? We're supposed to be working together, but I don't know what that means for me.

[Okay, this might not be entirely true, he's heard that shinki serve gods, but not exactly for what purposes.]

[existentialcrisis]

Oh, not much.

[ He digs around in the same drawer for a pack of cigarettes and matches, pauses to light one for himself, and tosses the match in the sink (it's probably going to stay there for a while). ]

You have some kind of weapon form—or whatever it is, it could be anything—and when I say its name you turn into it, we get rid of some ayakashi, like we're supposed to, people on the Near Shore don't kill each other, whoever's in charge of all of this is happy. [ He makes a vague there you go gesture. Easy!! ]

[fontechnician]

[That must be the temple's official junk drawer.]

I heard a bit about that. Talked to a man who claimed his other form was a spear.

[Which he's just the slightest bit jealous about, even though a spear is a less ideal weapon to him personally than, say, a sword. Not that it would really matter.]

Sounds easy enough.

[existentialcrisis]

[ Ukoku makes a mildly disinterested noise in response, nudging the junk drawer shut. ]

How do you feel about all this, by the way? The whole weapon-form thing.

[ His tone is polite, but he's watching Guy keenly. ]

[fontechnician]

With all due respect, sir, that's a loaded question.

[He thinks it's bizarre first and foremost, but that's a fairly obvious answer and so he doesn't say it, quiet for a minute while he considers his answer.]

...But honestly? I don't know. It sounds like I'm going to have to put a lot of trust in a complete stranger, at the very least. I don't really like the idea of having my existence reduced to a 'someone else's tool' either, but at the same time I can't help hoping I'll be useful.

[existentialcrisis]

[ He holds up his index finger—wait—and turns around to find an ash tray. There isn't one, predictably, so he taps his cigarette over the sink. ]

I'm glad you said that. There are other gods who like to go out and hunt down ayakashi, and there are other shinki who like to be weapons. I don't mind leaving it to them. We can both be useful in other ways.

[ He pauses to take a long drag, studying Guy. ]

So what about this: I'll never ask for your vessel form unless I have no choice. All right?

[fontechnician]

[At least a portion of the money in that wallet is going towards at least one ashtray, and he makes a face while the god's back is turned.

He's relieved that they're in some form of agreement on that situation. It might not last as long as they're partnered together, but that's an issue for another time.]

That works for me, as long as it doesn't end badly for you.

[existentialcrisis]

[ Ukoku makes a face like Guy got him a present, laying a hand over his heart. ] You already care whether I die? That's so cute! [ …And then he drops it. ] But I wouldn't worry about it. Gods just come right back.

[ He nudges the refrigerator door open with his foot, lazily. ] Do you want anything? [ There's nothing in it but beer, sake, and soda. ]

[fontechnician]

No, I...hey, don't say it like that, I don't--I'm not that worried about you.

[He doesn't care about Ni that much, but he wouldn't want to watch the guy die in front of him or anything.]

I didn't know gods revived after death. What do you have? [Getting up to go check out the contents of the fridge. No food, but he's also not hungry so whatever.] Some of the wine, I guess.

[existentialcrisis]

[ Wow, okay Mr. Serious Drinker (welcome to the official club). Ukoku moves aside, pulls open a cabinet housing various cups and glasses and whatever else, and waves at the fridge. ]

Well, you live here! It's all yours.

[ All that nothing! Imagine. ]

[fontechnician]

[Serious drinker, perhaps, but not serious drunk. Maybe he'll just claim a bottle of saké for himself and put it away out of Ukoku's reach.]

Uh huh. [He grabs the nearest small glass and opens up the bottle, filling the glass most of the way and setting the bottle on the counter.] Rice wine...there's not much food in there.

[Or any, for that matter.]

[existentialcrisis]

[ Joke's on you fella he has godly get-things-down-from-improbable-heights powers.

He leans over to look at the fridge like he might see something that wasn't there before. ]

Oh, really? Well, you should be able to use my shrine to go back and forth between here and Tokyo.

[ That is to say: enjoy grocery shopping! ]

[fontechnician]

[Unfair.

He caught that hint, but unfortunately hasn't heard of Tokyo yet. Or forgot about it. Either way:]

Tokyo's the nearest city, right? Or shopping center?

[existentialcrisis]

City, yes.

[ He pauses for a long drag. ]

The shrine's in a park, but there's a lot within walking distance. When you're up for it, we should go down there. I can show you around a little.

[fontechnician]

[It's Guy's turn to pause, and while he doesn't need to think too long, he takes several seconds to 'decide' anyway, glancing at his wine, Ni, and the dimly-lit kitchen.]

I'm up for it right now, if you're not busy with anything.

[Knowing how to leave the temple grounds would be a good thing, and he doesn't know Ni's schedule at all yet. If he even has one.]

[existentialcrisis]

[ That makes it easy. Ukoku sets his beer down and comes closer. ]

I have lots of time.

[ He lays his fingertips on Guy's shoulder, not too close or personal, and then the temple is gone: it's been replaced by grass and trees and the sound of a river. The shrine itself is just a six-armed statue against a boulder, about half as tall as Guy, with a bowl at its feet for offerings. ]

Traveling should be nothing but intention. You can try it without me when we get back. [ He hops over a fence on the other side of the boulder, an evidently failed attempt to keep visitors on the path, and starts to walk. ] There's a main road up here.

[fontechnician]

[Such a small shrine. It apparently is attempting to make up for its size with an overabundance of arms. Ni certainly doesn't match his earthly depiction, if the statue is supposed to represent him.

He follows over the fence and follows Ni, making a note of the surrounding area. It's an improvement over the temple, that's for sure, but a lot more to keep track of.]

Ah, so I can go back and forth as I please, but only from the shrine or temple.

[On the plus side, he'll definitely get exercise.]