Konzen (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bon_bon) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thenearshore2016-11-07 07:58 pm
bon_bon) wrote in thenearshore2016-11-07 07:58 pm
[open] how long is forever? sometimes, just one second
Who: Konzen and open
What: Drowning in work, sorrow, and/or drink. Also prayers.
When: May 11-15
Where: A bar, a park, a temple, a stationary store, a karaoke box
Warnings: n/a
[ open ] May 11, morning-afternoon: A Kumamon wedding
[ So things aren't exactly amazing right now. People are disappearing and it's kind of scary and depressing. The best thing to do in such situations is to fall into a familiar routine, and for Konzen, that inevitably involves work. He ramps up his hours at Itoya and obsessively goes through all the prayers he gets and accepts even the most mundane shit. Especially the mundane shit. This one is right up his alley.
A bride-to-be has pleaded for him to help with her wedding invitations. For some reason, this is a task she'd rather entrust to a god rather than a specialist in … whatever the hell invitation writers are called. Fortunately for her, Konzen is both. He doesn't work at the premier stationary shop in Tokyo for nothing.
And look, he's even recruited some help. He'll pay you for it, too. All you have to do is show up at the Itoya and he'll usher you to one of the workrooms where such things are done, and sit you down with several hundred sets of embossed cards, envelopes, RSVP notes and their envelopes, postage, and a specially designed Kumamon ink stamp that the bride wants placed just so on each of the invitations. You'd better practice getting the ink placement perfectly, because Konzen's a pro at this sort of thing, and he'll let you know exactly what he thinks if you suck. ]
[ open ] May 13, evening: Are you serious about karaoke?
[ And a couple days later, and he's still at it. Prayers, that is. Today it's some kind of assignment at a place that's called a 'karaoke box.' Konzen is familiar with the concept, but has never actually been to one, himself. He shows up at the place after work and waits outside. He's been told that someone else is supposed to work with him on this, which is just as well.
There's an almost-ayakashi thing that's been hanging around the place for a few weeks and the owner of the establishment has finally pled to the gods to help get rid of it. Honestly, it sounds pretty benign, but it's bad for business when rumors go around that the place is haunted. From what Konzen understands, the spirit just wants to go out with a good song. Who doesn't, right? It's not the fault of the dead that all the customers who've been frequenting the karaoke box are tone deaf.
Hopefully, whoever arrives to help Konzen has a good voice. Because Konzen's in no mood to sing. Or so he thinks. ]
[ closed: Youji ] May 11, evening: The best counselor ever
[ It's been a couple days now but it has really yet to sink in that Tenpou and Kenren have disappeared, possibly forever, into the nether. Or wherever the fuck people go after the undead-life of a god-turned-pseudo god. If Konzen were the optimistic sort, he might think that they've finally moved on as they right well should have to begin with, on to samsara, the next cycle of life. Nowadays, he's wondering if everything he's learned about life is just bullshit. Whatever. It's not exactly good to mull over things you know nothing about.
He surprises himself by agreeing to go out with Kudou Youji, that guy he met at the picnic shortly after the whole Seiten Taisei debacle. The guy kind of reminds him of a darker and edgier version of Kenren for some weird reason, which might be why he simultaneously likes and dislikes him. Konzen doesn't really think this is a contradiction.
Anyway. So here he is. Bar Remembrance, this place is called. That's a pretty dumb name, he thinks to himself, as he opens the door and finds his way to the bar. Though for a stupidly named place, it looks comfortable and well stocked. Apparently they're known for their excellent sake collection, but Konzen doesn't know that. ]
[ closed: Sanzang ] May 12, morning: A better counselor, maybe
[ He comes to the park sometimes to train. Or more like swing his naginata around like he knows what he's doing. Though actually, he is getting better at this. You can't practice this much and learn absolutely nothing, after all. He'd probably do better if he had a proper teacher, but he hasn't really felt like looking for one. His mind has been occupied mostly by work, and caring for the kids, and more work. Better to fill your head with things so you don't have to remember the gaps that are there in your heart.
He carries Haru in his naginata form, walking through the park to find the clearing that he knows is just beyond the trees right there. He pushes through the branches and then stops. ]
Oh.
[ Genjo Sanzo. The other one. ]
Sorry, I didn't realize someone else was here...
[ closed: Hakkai ] May 13, afternoon: A familiar face, sort of
[ He sent a brief text asking if he could talk. Konzen's not exactly sure what about, but for some reason he thinks that he should tell someone about it from … that faction? He's not even sure what to call them anymore. And given how Hakkai seems to be the one who's got himself the most together (at least outwardly), he figures he should probably talk to him, first.
It's been a few days since they disappeared, and maybe Konzen is a little calmer now. The rising sense of panic doesn't seem to come as often, though it could be because Konzen's kept himself busy twenty-four-seven since it happened. He put off contacting Hakkai until now, but it needs to be done. And so he arrives at the temple of Dionysus (still as tacky as ever) and takes a deep breath before knocking on the door. ]
[ closed: Omi ] May 14, evening: Sometimes, you just wanna shoot something
It's a little messed up (and yet somehow not all too surprising) that even the kids are more talented at killing things than Konzen is. He's not exactly sure he wants to know why Omi is so skilled with projectile weapons, but anyway. Maybe that's a conversation for another time.
What he does know is that he's good at it, and Konzen is not. An offer was made and accepted. Somewhere down the line, maybe Konzen will actually have a skill set that will be handy the next time he has to face down a jello monster or a large winged dragon that spews fire from its mouth. When you're a god in this heaven, you never know what the fuck you'll encounter.
He sits on a bench in the park, examining the darts Omi has laid out.
"Where did you even get this stuff from?" he asks somewhat curiously. It's obviously not his shinki weapon.
[ closed: Goku ] May 15: Lost
[ It's a little rough, hiding your sorrow from the one person who would understand it most. Goku didn't know Tenpou and Kenren like he used to, but he must be sad about it all the same. That's just the kind of person he is. Even back in heaven (their heaven), it's not like they knew each other for so long. But bonds like that, they form quickly and forever. And it doesn't matter if the memories are gone. Like Konzen promised him the first day they met here, he will remember for the both of them. And now, more than ever, it is true.
He tries not to talk about it. Maybe that just makes it worse. Goku might have noticed that Konzen has been busier than ever, diving in head-first with work and prayers and training and so on. Today is no different.
And like all the prayers he accepts, Konzen puts a lot of diligence into it, no matter how small the request. This time, it's a prayer for a lost puppy. Konzen has printed out the pup's picture. He's a small fluffy looking thing (a "Maltese" apparently). When they arrive in the neighborhood where the dog was last seen, Konzen hands Goku the picture. ]
His name is Moshi. The owner told me he likes the smell of pancakes and bacon.
What: Drowning in work, sorrow, and/or drink. Also prayers.
When: May 11-15
Where: A bar, a park, a temple, a stationary store, a karaoke box
Warnings: n/a
[ open ] May 11, morning-afternoon: A Kumamon wedding
[ So things aren't exactly amazing right now. People are disappearing and it's kind of scary and depressing. The best thing to do in such situations is to fall into a familiar routine, and for Konzen, that inevitably involves work. He ramps up his hours at Itoya and obsessively goes through all the prayers he gets and accepts even the most mundane shit. Especially the mundane shit. This one is right up his alley.
A bride-to-be has pleaded for him to help with her wedding invitations. For some reason, this is a task she'd rather entrust to a god rather than a specialist in … whatever the hell invitation writers are called. Fortunately for her, Konzen is both. He doesn't work at the premier stationary shop in Tokyo for nothing.
And look, he's even recruited some help. He'll pay you for it, too. All you have to do is show up at the Itoya and he'll usher you to one of the workrooms where such things are done, and sit you down with several hundred sets of embossed cards, envelopes, RSVP notes and their envelopes, postage, and a specially designed Kumamon ink stamp that the bride wants placed just so on each of the invitations. You'd better practice getting the ink placement perfectly, because Konzen's a pro at this sort of thing, and he'll let you know exactly what he thinks if you suck. ]
[ open ] May 13, evening: Are you serious about karaoke?
[ And a couple days later, and he's still at it. Prayers, that is. Today it's some kind of assignment at a place that's called a 'karaoke box.' Konzen is familiar with the concept, but has never actually been to one, himself. He shows up at the place after work and waits outside. He's been told that someone else is supposed to work with him on this, which is just as well.
There's an almost-ayakashi thing that's been hanging around the place for a few weeks and the owner of the establishment has finally pled to the gods to help get rid of it. Honestly, it sounds pretty benign, but it's bad for business when rumors go around that the place is haunted. From what Konzen understands, the spirit just wants to go out with a good song. Who doesn't, right? It's not the fault of the dead that all the customers who've been frequenting the karaoke box are tone deaf.
Hopefully, whoever arrives to help Konzen has a good voice. Because Konzen's in no mood to sing. Or so he thinks. ]
[ closed: Youji ] May 11, evening: The best counselor ever
[ It's been a couple days now but it has really yet to sink in that Tenpou and Kenren have disappeared, possibly forever, into the nether. Or wherever the fuck people go after the undead-life of a god-turned-pseudo god. If Konzen were the optimistic sort, he might think that they've finally moved on as they right well should have to begin with, on to samsara, the next cycle of life. Nowadays, he's wondering if everything he's learned about life is just bullshit. Whatever. It's not exactly good to mull over things you know nothing about.
He surprises himself by agreeing to go out with Kudou Youji, that guy he met at the picnic shortly after the whole Seiten Taisei debacle. The guy kind of reminds him of a darker and edgier version of Kenren for some weird reason, which might be why he simultaneously likes and dislikes him. Konzen doesn't really think this is a contradiction.
Anyway. So here he is. Bar Remembrance, this place is called. That's a pretty dumb name, he thinks to himself, as he opens the door and finds his way to the bar. Though for a stupidly named place, it looks comfortable and well stocked. Apparently they're known for their excellent sake collection, but Konzen doesn't know that. ]
[ closed: Sanzang ] May 12, morning: A better counselor, maybe
[ He comes to the park sometimes to train. Or more like swing his naginata around like he knows what he's doing. Though actually, he is getting better at this. You can't practice this much and learn absolutely nothing, after all. He'd probably do better if he had a proper teacher, but he hasn't really felt like looking for one. His mind has been occupied mostly by work, and caring for the kids, and more work. Better to fill your head with things so you don't have to remember the gaps that are there in your heart.
He carries Haru in his naginata form, walking through the park to find the clearing that he knows is just beyond the trees right there. He pushes through the branches and then stops. ]
Oh.
[ Genjo Sanzo. The other one. ]
Sorry, I didn't realize someone else was here...
[ closed: Hakkai ] May 13, afternoon: A familiar face, sort of
[ He sent a brief text asking if he could talk. Konzen's not exactly sure what about, but for some reason he thinks that he should tell someone about it from … that faction? He's not even sure what to call them anymore. And given how Hakkai seems to be the one who's got himself the most together (at least outwardly), he figures he should probably talk to him, first.
It's been a few days since they disappeared, and maybe Konzen is a little calmer now. The rising sense of panic doesn't seem to come as often, though it could be because Konzen's kept himself busy twenty-four-seven since it happened. He put off contacting Hakkai until now, but it needs to be done. And so he arrives at the temple of Dionysus (still as tacky as ever) and takes a deep breath before knocking on the door. ]
[ closed: Omi ] May 14, evening: Sometimes, you just wanna shoot something
It's a little messed up (and yet somehow not all too surprising) that even the kids are more talented at killing things than Konzen is. He's not exactly sure he wants to know why Omi is so skilled with projectile weapons, but anyway. Maybe that's a conversation for another time.
What he does know is that he's good at it, and Konzen is not. An offer was made and accepted. Somewhere down the line, maybe Konzen will actually have a skill set that will be handy the next time he has to face down a jello monster or a large winged dragon that spews fire from its mouth. When you're a god in this heaven, you never know what the fuck you'll encounter.
He sits on a bench in the park, examining the darts Omi has laid out.
"Where did you even get this stuff from?" he asks somewhat curiously. It's obviously not his shinki weapon.
[ closed: Goku ] May 15: Lost
[ It's a little rough, hiding your sorrow from the one person who would understand it most. Goku didn't know Tenpou and Kenren like he used to, but he must be sad about it all the same. That's just the kind of person he is. Even back in heaven (their heaven), it's not like they knew each other for so long. But bonds like that, they form quickly and forever. And it doesn't matter if the memories are gone. Like Konzen promised him the first day they met here, he will remember for the both of them. And now, more than ever, it is true.
He tries not to talk about it. Maybe that just makes it worse. Goku might have noticed that Konzen has been busier than ever, diving in head-first with work and prayers and training and so on. Today is no different.
And like all the prayers he accepts, Konzen puts a lot of diligence into it, no matter how small the request. This time, it's a prayer for a lost puppy. Konzen has printed out the pup's picture. He's a small fluffy looking thing (a "Maltese" apparently). When they arrive in the neighborhood where the dog was last seen, Konzen hands Goku the picture. ]
His name is Moshi. The owner told me he likes the smell of pancakes and bacon.
A Kumamon Wedding
[Difficult.]
[It's difficult to keep himself from feeling restless whenever he's not up against an ayakashi, like he needs to be doing more. So the Medicine Seller -- Hakari, as he's taken to introducing himself, since he's not selling any medicine here or anything, and not having a name to go by is more conspicuous in his new surroundings than just accepting the name he's been given -- has taken to wandering the Near Shore, keeping an eye on potentially troublesome ayakashi that cross his path, getting to know the surroundings that he might be called on to fight in.]
[When someone actually notices him enough to try and recruit him to help with something, he figures they've got to be a god or another shinki. And gods and shinki... they have interesting work, don't they? Work worth doing.]
[So he thinks at first, but now he's in a room full of envelopes and stamps and whatnot, and honestly, he's a little confused. He does as he's been instructed with the first set -- pressing the stamp down just so, putting the papers in the right order, tucking them neatly into the outer envelope -- then turns and holds the envelope up, looking up at the man who recruited him.]
...Like that?
[He... He feels as if he must be missing something, somehow. That's it?]
no subject
He leans over the guy's shoulder and takes a scrutinizing look at the stamping placement. ]
Try to get it all the way to the edges. Without smearing.
[ He sits next to him and takes a scrap piece of paper to demonstrate. Any aficionado of stamping would admire his technique: it begins with the inking, which is done with an even roll from one edge to the other, placing the exact same amount of color over the entire stamp. Then he carefully sets the stamp down over the paper at a 90 degree angle with just the right amount of pressure to make sure that enough ink is applied without over-doing it. He pulls off the paper and there, you can see, a perfectly shaped Kumamon smiling up with rosy cheeks. ]
Like that. Got it?
no subject
[He just still for the life of him can't fathom why.]
I... understand.
[This is baffling.]
[He takes up a new piece of paper, and with pale, slender, purple-nailed hands, he repeats the task again, before looking up at Konzen for some kind of confirmation.]
no subject
That's better.
[ He nods and pushes over a few more sheets of scrap paper. ]
Practice a few more, and then you can start.
[ Konzen himself takes a seat across from him and picks up a calligraphy pen to hand-address all several hundred invitations. ]
What did you say your name was?
no subject
[He takes the scrap paper, lining everything up carefully, as instructed. It's not difficult, just precise, and he has no problem with precise.]
I've been... given the name "Hakari."
[An odd name, but less noteworthy than not having a proper 'name' at all, so he's content enough to go by it for now. Names mean nothing in the end, after all, so whatever works is fine with him.]
[He sets aside one neatly-marked sheet of scrap paper and takes up another one to practice with.]
no subject
'Given' the name? In this life?
[ Doesn't he remember it? Hakari makes it sound like this is a recent thing. Konzen knows that a name is the only thing that a shinki remembers. He takes some comfort in that, at least. Goku might not remember Konzen, but he still remembers the name he gave him. ]
no subject
[He presses down the stamp -- just so, not too much pressure and not too little -- and examines the result before moving on to the next piece of scrap paper.]
[Then, as if he'd perhaps been unclear, he adds:]
By my god.
no subject
[ Well, maybe some shinki don't remember their names and need to be given a new one (in addition to the vessel one). Konzen doesn't want to press him, in case it makes him feel uncomfortable... ]
Does your god provide for you okay...?