008 | OVERFLOW

[godsoffortune]

This is an overflow post for 008 | Sakura 2.0: You Can (Not) Have A Picnic. Please bring any further comments here and link to your threads at the original source.

Thank you!

Comments

[reformedsinner]

What a story! [His laugh sounds genuine this time. That must have been an amazing comedy of errors. The poor mortals.

Not that Hakkai is really going to bother to spend any sympathy on them: he's only disappointed he wasn't there to see it.]

I do my shopping there. Heaven isn't very well-provided with stores.

[As for hanging out -- well, he's always preferred to do that at home with a book in the evenings. He supposes Gojyo's less of a homebody than he is that way.

Absently, he continues the line of thought aloud. Perhaps the trees are getting to him again.]

... But I don't go out much for fun. Maybe if I had my limiters on.

[It's annoying enough to shop without them.]

[skyleopardess]

[Yoruichi beams; it's nice to meet someone who can appreciate the humor in trolling other people.]

That is one thing home does better than here. [While people do go to the living world for fun on occasion, there's enough to do in Seireitei that you don't have to.

She tilts her head at the unfamiliar term.]

What are limiters?

[reformedsinner]

Oh, you have markets? [That would be convenient. And so much less annoying than trying for five minutes to try to get a lazy cashier's attention. Hakkai has occasionally considered violence.]

Limiters of youkai power. Mine are earrings -- when I'm wearing them, they make me look human.

[skyleopardess]

[Yoruichi gives him a curious look, but she doesn't look surprised by the concept.]

That makes sense; we have something similar. It doesn't change how we look, but it does partially seal our power. [Which is especially useful for new recruits still working on their control; humans may not be able to see them, but they can certainly see the damage they cause fighting Hollows.]

So you're a youkai, then?

[reformedsinner]

That's right. [He indicates his pointed ears with one clawed hand.] I thought youkai were common enough, but it seems there aren't very many people here who have met one before!

Ha ha, just one more strange thing about this place....

Is yours a training aid, then? To seal powers until they're fully under control?

[If there's no purpose to them other than to simply limit powers, that's the first reason that springs to Hakkai's mind. The second would be sealing powers in order to deliberately prevent people from using them -- if, for instance, they can't be trusted -- but it seems rude to bring up that possibility when she had said we.]

[skyleopardess]

[Yoruichi shakes her head]

You're just stories where I'm from. [She flashes a grin to show she means no offense. It's odd to meet a childhood story come to life--although she'd never imagined one looking like Hakkai.]

Partially. But the stronger of us get it to limit the amount of damage caused in a fight. Normally, we don't need our full strength to handle the average Hollow.

[reformedsinner]

Ha ha, stories, really? Are we the good fairies or the big, bad wolves?

[His return smile is just a little wicked, but in more of a teasing than a malicious way.]

I don't believe I've heard of Hollows, myself.

[skyleopardess]

Depends on the story, really. Every good one has to have both, right?

[Her expression sobers a bit, going more thoughtful.]

Sometimes when humans die, their spirit stays behind. [She waves a hand] Parent wants to stay behind to watch over their kid, somebody dies in an accident and is pissed off--shinigami have to help them pass on, whether they're ready or not.

[All of that is technically true, if not the entire story. But Hollows have too much in common with ayakashi, and Yoruichi doesn't want anyone deciding her shinki needs to be hunted down. Best to keep the relevant details to herself.]

[reformedsinner]

You do have a point there.

[He lets the subject go, watching her expression with interest. A 'Hollow,' then, is essentially a ghost. The earthbound, wandering soul of the dead....]

I see. Then the ones you fight are the ones that aren't yet ready to move on?

[skyleopardess]

Hey, people don't always deal well with change.

[Her voice goes dry, a faint thread of humor running through it.]

And death is a bigger change than most.

[She may understand, but it doesn't change the fact that they're too dangerous to let run loose.]

[reformedsinner]

Yes, it really is a bit challenging to accept! Even when you don't remember it.

[This isn't actually true: Hakkai finds that he hasn't minded the idea much, and so he pauses thoughtfully before continuing.]

Although death loses its bite when you wake up on the other side.