thenearshore | Closed

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Who: Sharak and Konzen, Sharak and ~~the other hot blond~~ too many Sanzos just too many
What: Two grown ass adults at Capyper Land, both swear they have a good reason for being there. Also: Sanzo party without the party and with extra Sanzo flavouring
When: May 9th, May 8th late afternoon, May 10th evening
Where: Capyper Land, Kanzeon's temple, does Tokyo even have dive bars
Warnings: Because they're at an amusement park for children and the happiest place on Earth, we must include warnings for gun violence, swearing, mention of child death and reckless child endangerment. But like, in a fun way.

[It's a courtesy call, really. Genjo had been pretty worn out after their chat the other night and Sharak wants to see how he's doing. After their discussion, she's pretty sure she knows where to find him too... And so she walks up to Kanzeon's temple and lets herself into the front yard.

Even if she can't find the Genjo she's thinking of, she wouldn't mind speaking to the other one. It really depends on which one she finds first.]

[She'd been asked to look into a childish spirit wandering around a theme park looking miserable so... Here she is. Sharak still isn't keen on this "God" business, but the best way to learn what's going on is occasionally to play along. For now, anyway. "Aditi" is everyone's mother and so of course she cares for lost children in need of protection. Sharak, on the other hand, is certainly no mother... But she's not opposed to protecting children anyway.

For now Sharak is stood by the wall outside a restaurant opposite a particularly large rollercoaster, watching the children run around screaming with an indulgent look in her eye. Maybe this isn't so bad.]

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[ The back of his neck isn't blighted anymore, but it sure is turning red. The flush creeps up towards his ears as he firmly turns away, but he'll master it quickly while spreading out his robe to dry once again. Don't do hand-touching things in front of other people! ]

Tch, maybe. [ He will. ] You'll want to supervise her carefully while she makes tea. [ That's the best advice he can offer. Don't die in a tragic kitchen accident, Sharak... ] I'm going to dry off.

[ In short, trudge off because he's hopelessly flustered and doing everything in his power to not acknowledge it. ]

[He's blushing! He's blushing again! ]

Pfft- [Sharak barely manages to cover her mouth and stifle her laughter. It's probably inappropriate to find this so amusing, but Sharak can't help herself.] Y-yeah, I will. Thank you.

You go dry off, Genjo, I'll take care of Sanzang. [She'll protect her from whatever is so dangerous about tea.]

[Sanzang stamps her foot in protest, waving her sleeves at his retreating back] Sanzo! It was only one time! And I wasn't even making tea then!

[She turns to Sharak with an exasperated sigh, reaching to grab at her hand and lead her away] Don't listen to him! Everything'll be just fine! I haven't blown up the kitchen since a week ago, and that was a freak accident, we'll be fine!

Sheesh, he's never going to let me live it down... [Grumble grumble. So unfair!! But she slows down and sighs a little. Okay, time to be at least a little serious] Sharak... [How does she word this question] Whatever happened... It'll be okay, right?

[Wait what? Blew up? Maybe she does need to be concerned. Sharak lets Sanzang pull her to her feet and away from the gazebo before gently pulling her hand free.]

... I'm almost impressed. I kind of want to see how you managed that now.

[Explosive kitchens... Her cooking failures just end up tasting bad. But then Sanzang becomes more serious and Sharak's features tighten.] ... It will. I'm going to take care of it.

[Sanzang is quiet for a long moment, considering everything. She feels-- out of the loop. Like somehow what's happening with Sanzo and Sharak and everyone else from their world is the silk of sleeves, slipping just out of her grasp when she tries to hold on. It's not her place, exactly; they're not her Sanzo-ikkou, their journey isn't her journey, and really she shouldn't involve herself more than they invite her into.

But it's hard, because it's Sanzo and dammit if Sanzang doesn't care too much. She keeps her silence a while longer, unclasping her sleeves and removing them carefully, before putting her fingers to her mouth and whistling sharply. One of her monkeys scampers out of nowhere and she drops her sleeves into its arms, never breaking stride. She doesn't need her sleeves on her own territory--and it's not like the sleeves are her only weapon either.]

You don't have to go it alone. [That's what she finally decides to go with and she glances over her shoulder with a gentle smile.] I promise, I'm tougher than I look! [A short laugh, but, like, for real tho.] If someone's a threat to Sanzo I won't take it lightly. I have something I want to protect too, and it'd be better if we could all just get along and play nice--and I'll see to it it happens! I'm not above putting some naughty kids in time out! [Permanently. Her voice is still light and playful despite her words though.]

[Sharak can see why Genjo likes Sanzang so much. There's a firm, open kindness to her that feels warm and bright even with the threat in her words. Sharak smiles wryly back at her, amused despite the serious topic. "Making things your business" really does seem to be a common trait among Sanzos.]

I'll have to make sure I'm nice to Genjo, since he has such an intimidating protector. [But, like, for real. Not that she wouldn't be nice anyway.

Still, Sharak hesitates. Is this really something to discuss with a stranger? But Sanzang is also Sanzo and she's been verified by Genjo. He told her to talk to her and in this case Sharak is willing to trust his judgement.]

... Has he told you much about Ukoku?

Huh? Intimidating? Whaaat? [She looks over her shoulder, face the picture of wide-eyed innocence. She's clearly the bunny rabbit here and all the other sanzos the hawks except the bunny is probably the one from Monty Python but shh.

Still, Sanzang waits patiently--she's not about to force an answer from Sharak, and she'll trust either she or Sanzo will fill her in on what they think she needs to know. If she goes in with faulty or incomplete information, that's on them, isn't it? She just has to do her best to protect what she has with whatever she has.]

Ukoku...? [Sanzang echoes the name, tapping her mouth thoughtfully before she shakes her head.] It doesn't sound very familiar. [It's vague, like something she's heard in passing but hasn't thought to connect to anything in the present.]

He's also "Sanzo".

[There are too many fucking Sanzos here. Too many. No where needs this many Sanzos.]

And an "enemy".

[At least, in terms of Genjo's mission and the fight back home, which Sharak hasn't been away from long enough to distance herself from yet. And the feeling she got from him today... Yes, he's definitely still an enemy, though to what end who knows.]

An enemy.... Of course he is. [It's said with an almost comical resignation to this. Of course he's a sanzo and of course he's an enemy, because why couldn't anything in their lives be easy?? ????

Maybe this was all a great big misunderstanding. Maybe they're just overreacting! Possibly this Ukoku is well-meaning enough and they can all sit down and be friends with a minimal spray of bullets!

And maybe Sanzo and Sharak will give up their guns and become Proper Priests. The outcome of either of these things happening is equal.]

And the likelihood we can all sit down and talk it out and become friends is...? [She knows, but she still feels like it's her duty to at least ask so she can say she did]

Very low. [She says, roughly 48 hours before she goes to sit down, talk it out and become friends with the guy. Okay, not that last one. Sharak gives an irritated sigh and crosses her arms while she walks.]

Genjo was the one who warned me about him to begin with, but now he doesn't remember anything about him. It's troublesome.

[Though really, Sharak thinks he shouldn't have to remember him to realise that letting him name him was probably a bad idea. Ukoku screams untrustworthiness with every smile. But it's too late to complain about that.]

[Another sigh. Alas.

She leads Sharak through the temple to the kitchen--the stove is definitely destroyed and blackened, and there's some damage to the ceiling above it and still some scorch marks around, but look, it's fine. Everything's fine. Sanzang gestures for Sharak to take a seat at the little table]

The shinki not having their memories is really troublesome... But some have started to remember things. The longer a shinki is here, the more they seem to start remembering. [She trails off, because hopefully this means Sanzo's memories dealing with what bad life choices to NOT make will come sooner rather than later as well.]

Sanzo is still on his journey, isn't he?

[Sharak pauses in the entrance to the kitchen. Is this okay? Is this really okay? Genjo's warning seems a little less of a joke now. Warily, she goes to take a seat.]

I know he remembers some things. He recognised me, after all. [She could have gotten shot if he hadn't. Maybe she should greet fewer people at gun point? ... Nah.]

... I'm fairly certain it's his intention to continue it, at least.

[Saying that he's still on his journey now is a little difficult, not only because he's currently here instead of in India. That's just a detour. Being ordered to return home is something a little more disturbing. But it was never just about stopping the Gyuumaoh resurrection for Genjo.]

Hmm. [Sanzang hums at that and eyes Sharak.] Did you say 'hi' with your gun to him too? [Is she bitter?? No of course not. But come on!!

She busies herself with preparing the tea. There's no stove, so the electric kettle will have to do. Isn't technology amazing??] Well, I can't imagine him not. [Continuing, she means.] He's stubborn like that, haha! And if it goes anything like how mine did, he's in for a lot of interesting things ahead!

But hopefully your version of the Heavens is a little calmer than mine. [If they just have Gyuumaoh to worry about, she figures that's better than the mess she had to deal with after it.]

He was trying to sneak up on me, so he can't complain. [Sanzang, meanwhile, probably can. It's fine, she was fine, everyone was fine. They were having a fun time.]

That whole group seems like the type to just keep doing what they want. [They're all as bad as each other, really. She likes them.] ... Up until recently, I would have thought the Heavens didn't pay us any mind at all. "Interesting" is one word for what's ahead of them.

Hmmm.... I don't recall me sneaking up on you... [She taps her chin thoughtfully, looking towards the ceiling as if trying to recall. But then he gaze slides towards Sharak and she smiles to show she's just kidding around. No hard feelings, honestly.

She can agree though that this version of Sanzo and co. would definitely not let anyone tell them what to do, but she smiles slightly] The Heavens are always watching. Humans are too fascinating to them not to take notice of everything. There are some that pay less attention than others, but...

[Sanzang trails off with a nostalgic sort of expression. She misses her cute Mystic friends...] In my world, when I reached the temple in India, it turned out the Heavens had been taken over. Almost all the divine beings had been killed by Asura, and the great Buddha himself had fled and hid. If Sano and the others only have to worry about Gyūmaō, I'll consider them incredibly lucky. He was easy compared to all of that...

And his wife is so nice! Little Kougaiji was so cute too! [Don't mind her, babbling away and reminiscing]

You were fine. [Looks back at her with her eyebrows raised. Don't whine.

But the Heavens are always watching, huh... Sanzang's story gives Sharak pause- If she'd been given a similar mission and was also "Genjo"... could something similar be happening in their world? Is that why Nataku is acting so strangely? Why the Three Aspects had changed their orders so abruptly this late in the game?]

... Sounds like quite the adventure. Can't say I'd call our Prince Kougaiji "cute". [Fucker attacked her fortress.] ... Did you ever meet the War God Nataku?

[Please feel free to babble away, Sanzang, Sharak will listen patiently and pick out the bits that interest her.]

Haha, well, our Kougaiji was only a little boy, really... [And stole her staff like a little shit and was imprisoned in a crystal for the rest of the journey so that was fun.

The name brings Sanzang pause and she taps her fingers against the cups she's brought down] Nata...? [It's the closest approximation she can figure and she thinks about it a moment.]

I'm not sure if they're the same person, but they might be similar. We called him Prince Nezha, or the War Prince-- or jsut Nezha. He helped against Gyūmaō. [She thinks a moment again] He and Goku were-- Friends, I think. Of a sort. [She laughs and repeats herself] Well! Of a sort. They would bicker every time they saw each other. I think Goku said he used to bully Nezha in Heaven and they'd fight whenever they saw each other, but I think that's just their way of being friends.

[What else, what else? Sanzang shifts her weight back and forth anxiously, trying to think] He was killed though, but brought back. But he was...different. It was like he didn't have emotions anymore, he was so cold...

[Time for me to play the "How Much Does Sharak Know About Everyone" game, where I just make shit up and decide on the fly- but whatever she knows about Son Goku, it doesn't quite include this.]

Goku was in Heaven? [Shocked! Well, that doesn't necessarily mean their Goku... Though the way Sanzang is describing everything makes Sharak realise that she's serious about the whole "female AU" thing. Anyway, that all sounds kind of cute, and not hard to imagine until...

Sharak frowns. Now this is really starting to sound familiar.] Like he was empty inside.

Yeah... [Sanzang trails off, remembering when she saw Nezha again after his resurrection. He'd always been the arrogant sort who looked down on humanity a little, but it seemed to have gotten worse. The 'yeah' also answers both questions really, but she pauses the Q&A to finish making the tea and bring it to the table, sitting opposite Sharak.

She hesitates a moment and then carefully glances around and makes sure Sanzo isn't around anywhere to overhear.] 500 years ago, before Goku was trapped in his rock, he was in the Heavens. He got into all sorts of mischief though, haha... [She smiles fondly and sips her tea.] I don't know how much the Goku here remembers, or if the stories are the same, but I figure there's enough similarities, you know?

But Nezha-- Nataku.... Yeah. Empty is a good way to put it. [Sanzang glances at Sharak over the rim of the cup] I'm guessing he's causing trouble for you guys now?

[Huh. Maybe she's heard something about that. We don't know, but either way Sharak sits there thoughtfully in silence for a few moments. She also glances around to make sure Sanzo isn't too close- they can probably hear him in the distance shouting at the monkeys to give him his phone back- but she still hesitates. Is this something she should discuss with Sanzang? Well, Genjo did say to talk to her about anything she couldn't discuss with him.]

... After five hundred years, he suddenly reappeared recently. First at my castle while we were under attack and then again recently at a village under my protection. [...] Genjo and the others were instructed to return East and let him handle Gyuumaoh.

[So. Genjo is fired and doesn't know about it.]

[Sanzang doesn't show any outward reaction right away to that, just sipping her tea and running it through her head.]

That's... [She sets her cup down with a 'clink' that seems too loud in the oppressive silence of the kitchen (broken, yes, by Sanzo's yelling and maybe Sanzang would've smiled and giggled at that earlier but right now her mouth is a thin, hard line and her expression confused and irritated)] That can't be right. I mean-- That's not how it's supposed to go.

[She knows, logically, she can't expect everything to be the same, but she knows that story. She knows, ideally, about how it should end and being fired definitely wasn't on the agenda.] To get so far and then told to turn back? That doesn't make sense. And to send just Nez-- Nataku? [Sanzang's a little offended on their behalf, tone becoming a touch indignant] Something doesn't feel right about that at all.

...Five hundred years, though... The same time Goku woke up... [Her Goku and Nezha had known each other in Heaven. Maybe this version did too?]

[Look, Sharak agrees it's bullshit and she doubts the boys are going to listen anyway. For one thing, Genjo still has the Seiten sutra to consider. But she nods.]

It took them two years to get as far as India, now Genjo's been told to return to Chang'an immediately. [They're so fired.]

Apparently Nataku was injured during some calamity in Heaven five hundred years ago. He woke up with no warning. But he was the one to seal Gyuumaoh away in the first place, so him being brought in once he recovered isn't so strange as... [His behaviour in general. Sharak huffs, picks up her own cup of tea and takes a sip.]

... I don't know about any connection he has with Goku. If there is one, the Three Aspects didn't mention it. But there is definitely something wrong with that child.

[She makes a slight face.] Two years.... [She's fairly sure her journey didn't take nearly that long just to reach India itself. What the fuck guys.

Still looking disturbed, she continues to sip her tea as well as she listens.] Worrisome. [For lack of a better word. She sighs and sets her cup down, elbow on the table and chin in hand. Pouting and sighing isn't going to make the situation much clearer, but it makes her feel a little better to indulge in it.]

Jeez, what a mess! Sanzo and them can't make anything easy and straight-forward, can they? [The levity in her voice is almost certainly faked, but she smiles and laughs with a practiced ease] I'll sit and go over everything I remember sometime soon, and if I can think of any other connections to help, I'll let you know, okay? Nataku and Nezha might be pretty different, but I'm sure there's enough between them and our worlds that we could figure out something.

[Worrisome is one word for it. Sharak is tempted to indulge in pouting and sighing herself, but she refrains and instead just leans back in her chair.]

I'd appreciate it if you could. We're operating with very little information at the moment.

[And it's frustrating because her people are in the firing line right now. She thinks about the youkai villagers for a moment before she forces herself to stop- there's no point. Either this world traveling business works in such a way that she still has time to save them, Hassan and the rest of the Kouten Brigade miraculously managed to save them without her or...

Well, there's no point in thinking about it, that's all.]

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oh yay angry icon twice in one thread

Sharak is so special....

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