[open] how long is forever? sometimes, just one second

[bon_bon]

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.

Comments

[bon_bon]

An odd sort of gift, maybe. But practical, especially if the recipient was already adept at throwing sharp projectiles in combat.

"Hm," he says as he picks one up and examines it. It looks sharp. It seems weighted, which he supposes it should be, to have some manner of control when you throw it.

"Did you teach yourself how to throw these things?"

[oneblackcat]

"More or less," Omi says with a touch of sheepishness. It was basically true, after all, and it nicely omitted the role any confidential vigilante organization might have had in the matter.

"It took a lot of training, but it makes a nice defense. They're effective short-range and long-range, they're easy to conceal and carry, and they don't rely on having a lot of muscle or fighting ability.

[bon_bon]

"That makes sense, I guess..." Konzen says with a nod. As someone without much muscle or fighting ability, he can relate to the need for defensive measures that don't require either of those things.

"Show me how it works."

[oneblackcat]

"Of course. For starters, I think it might be helpful to start with this."

Omi fishes into the bag he brought along and pulls out a pair of frisbees. He offers one to Konzen.

"This will make it easier to get the hang of timing. When you release is one of the biggest determinants in where what you're throwing will go. First stand like this."

Omi moves into a standard throwing position. Aiming while in motion will come later. For now, basic forms.

"This is the same stance you'll use to throw other projectiles, like darts."

[bon_bon]

This might (or might not?) come to a shock to some people, but Konzen has never thrown a frisbee in his life. He holds it in his hands, turning it over to examine it with curiosity.

"Okay.."

He moves to copy Omi's stance, holding the frisbee just so.

"Now what?"

[oneblackcat]

Omi studies Konzen's stance for a moment and steps out of his to nudge one foot a bit wider and further back.

"Bend your knees a bit more. It might feel silly now, but you need a stance well-balanced and ready to move quickly later on. It's best to get into the habit now.

"Next hold the frisbee like this--" Omi pauses just long enough to show the proper handhold "And pull back, aiming to keep the plane of the disc parallel to the ground. You want to keep it like that while you throw, and when you release, your index finger should be pointing at your target. Watch me and give it a try."

Omi gets back into the throwing stance and draws back the frisbee. For illustration, he leaves his arm extended and pointing after the throw longer than he normally would. The frisbee sails across the grass and smacks against the target hung from a nearby tree.

[bon_bon]

Wow, that's ... impressive. The frisbee beelines straight for the target and smacks it right on the mark. Omi makes it look very easy, but Konzen finds the stance somewhat awkward.

"All right ..."

He studies the spot carefully and tries to recreate the throw. He finds that understanding the move in his mind is a much different thing than getting it right with the body.

The frisbee sails way to the left, missing it with almost embarrassing inaccuracy. He has a feeling he released it too soon.

"Shit."

[oneblackcat]

"That's okay," Omi says without a trace of incredulity. "That's what practice is for."

Maybe it feels embarrassing for Konzen but this is wholly to be expected. What Konzen hasn't seen that Omi has is his own first several weeks of learning to throw. No one was born a perfect shot.

Omi jogs out to retrieve the two frisbees, this time standing by to offer both to Konzen, one at a time. He plans to let Konzen try a few more before giving any pointers. The first throw was the one where you didn't know what to expect; if the premature release seems like a trend, then he could correct.

[bon_bon]

He nods when Omi brings back the Frisbee to throw again. At least this kind of practice won't end with him accidentally cutting someone in the head with the tip of a spear. Though perhaps beaning someone with a wayward Frisbee is just as likely... (but won't draw blood, so there's that).

Maybe by the time he's throwing the tenth or twentieth one, it'll actually fly toward the right target instead of completely off to the side.

As they practice, he falls silent, concentrating on what he's doing wrong or right, trying to adjust his technique to match the perfect arc of Omi's Frisbee.

[oneblackcat]

By and large, Omi is a passive teacher with Konzen, who he already knows to be both intelligent and reflective. He watches to see what Konzen does and how he adjusts on his own, only offering guidance when a correction isn't self-evident. After all, practice is just that: practice. Even when you know what you need to do, it takes time to train the body to nail the timing. He continues to fetch the discs for Konzen, and every few minutes he demonstrates the throwing form again in slower motion with emphasis on the aspects that seem to be proving most struggle for his student.

When it seems like Konzen more or less has the hang of the stance and timing, Omi collects the frisbees and puts them back in his bag.

"You're doing great. I think you're ready to try the darts. They're going to feel much different to throw, but the form is the same and the timing of your release is the same. What do you think?"

[bon_bon]

The frisbee-throwing practice ends with no head-beaning, much to Konzen's relief. And as strange it it felt at first, it's finally feeling a little more natural by the last of the throws.

As for the trying it out on actual darts, though ... he might be skeptical.

"Fine," he finds himself saying. But he adds just in case: "Are they very sharp?"

[oneblackcat]

"Well... Obviously, they have to be sharp enough to stick to the board," Omi says in a bit of a dodge. Yeah, they're kind of sharp. "But we're not going to start out standing this far back for these. Darts require more precision than frisbees, so we'll start close range with slow throws."

Omi collects the darts and walks to six feet out from the target. Konzen sounds nervous about this change of projectile, so maybe starting super-close will reassure him. This distance should make it fairly easy to hit the board, and the location and angle of the darts will be good indicators of how to start honing.

"About here, for now."

[bon_bon]

If he sounds nervous, it's because he's hurt before by accident during weapons practice. He's not going to admit that though, in case it would make Omi nervous.

"All right. Go on, then."

He'll watch as you demonstrate a few.

[oneblackcat]

Omi nods and offers Konzen one of the darts. "I'll throw first, but I want you to take this one now so I can show you the best way to hold it."

Once Konzen's grip on the dart properly matches his own, Omi gets back into the throwing stance he showed him earlier and, as with the Frisbee, draws his throwing arm back to the inside.

"Most people will throw overhead for a game of darts. It's a more natural throw for this range, but you get much more distance throwing this way. That's why I want you to learn this style."

But since they don't need much distance at all for this throw, there's no need for a fast, forceful sling of the arm. Omi moves steadily and smoothly at about half speed; that's enough to still give the dart some throwing inertia while also being more easily observed.

Perhaps unsurprisingly given the incredibly short range, the dart plants itself in the pinpoint center of the bulls-eye. For good measure, Omi pulls the dart from the board and repeats the demonstration. Then he pulls the dart again and steps to one side, offering the prime throwing angle to Konzen.

"Before you throw the dart, spend a few turns going through the motion of it. Pay special attention to where your finger stops. Remember that it's your aiming guide."