thenearshore | 010 | Relief and Rescue

Entry tags:

010 | Relief and Rescue

Who: Everyone!
What: Cleanup and moral support
When: All day May 16
Where: Just outside of Tokyo
Summary: It's time to get rid of the mess that that demon made!

The attack by the demon recently has left the surrounding area in a very sorry state. Not only are some people still hospitalized or slowly recovering from the affects of the draining of their life force, but a lot of nasty accidents happened during the time that people were walking around like they were dead to the world. It's been attributed to an odd natural disaster, and many think it may have been an illness that caused it.

The Heavens have decided to send any available gods and shinki down to help out in the relief efforts. If they try hard enough, they should be easily seen for the times when they are helping people out, so it shouldn't be a problem.

On top of that, some new arrivals have suddenly appeared. Amaterasu has left them little handwritten notes pinned to their shirts:

'These people need your help! I'm sorry to throw you into things like this, but please do what you can.

☼ Amaterasu ☼'

And yes, she has doodled little suns next to her name.

Care

There are a lot of people who were left hurt because of the incident with the demon and they are still trying to recover from it. From broken bones all the way to mental trauma, these people have seen a lot of crazy stuff and they aren't feeling so hot. Any kind of care is viable, but you might also want to just be an errand-runner in order to help the qualified people who are already doing a pretty good job of helping these poor folks out.

Food

A fair number of homes and stores managed to get destroyed amidst everything going on with the demon, so there's a lot of work for the neighborhood to do in helping them out. Whether by helping to rebuild what has been broken or by just handing out some free food to the people who need it. Of course, you might also take some food for yourself. Hopefully you're not a horrible enough person to just steal from the homeless~

Literal Cleaning

And here's where the fun comes in. The buildings that need to be rebuilt and the streets that need to be cleaned up are all under works and you can help in any way you deem worthy. You might carry loads or actually put forth the effort to help rebuild some lost homes, it's up to you. Of course, if you set about helping out in this way, you might notice little fairy-like spirits flitting around each of the Near Shore residents who are working hard to help each other out. The little spirits shine brightly and seem to shy away if approached, but they titter happily anytime the person they're following does something nice.

Banquet

After the day is done, the Heavens have a special treat set up for anyone who helped out - a large banquet in the Meeting Hall back on the Far Shore. Just like any other banquet, there is food and booze of every kind available. But also, the small tittering bright white spirits are in attendance, following around any Far Shore resident who helped out today. You might find yourself with a new friend or two who won't leave you alone, who keep giggling anytime you're kind, and who don't seem to be able to talk and only exude delight and good feelings.

In Summary:

Help out the people affected by the demon
Give out food to people who need it
Clean up the messes
Eat some good food, drink some good booze
Have fun~

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[ And it just so happens that the person who approaches turns out to be this war god. There's a small frown as she studies Sanzang closely. ]

I could say the same for you.

[ But she's going to fish in her sachel, before offering her the bottle of water she's found. ]

Here. You've been working hard.

Haha, well, maybe you have far less to worry about than most! [She looks surprised at the offered water and is about to refuse before she realizes that'd be silly.

Sanzang smiles, a little tired, but grateful, and takes the water.]

Thanks. It's not nearly done though, we've got a ways to go! I can't really rest yet... But what about you, sis? I hope everything's going well!

I'm sure no one would mind if you stopped for a few minutes.

[ She does finally smile though. It's clear she's been on edge herself the entire day. So eh, why not. She'll just lean against the wall beside Sanzang, sliding down to sit next to her with her arms resting on her knees. ]

As well as things can be... I suppose. You wouldn't have happened to see a white mask anywhere, would you?

[Sanzang moves herself to a more comfortable sitting position, arms draped loosely over her knees.]

A white mask? [She echoes Bishamon, frowning lightly, then shakes her head.] Like the one that was in the park before the demon thing showed up? [She remembers seeing it, though she hadn't actually been able to get close or anything. She chews on her lower lip]

It means something, right?

The very same. I was worried there would be more like them.

[ Opening her satchel again to get another bottle of water, cracking this one open for herself and taking a drink. ]

That mask was used by a man we only know as the Sorcerer. It's been used to control ayakashi... or attempt to control them.

[ Another frown. ]

I'm sure this tells you how important it is. Finding one is a sure sign of the presence of our enemy.

[Sanzang sits up a little more, surprised by that information. Controlling the ayakashi?] Something like that... Not that the Heavens aren't strong, but if he can learn to control all of them or even a huge amount... Standing up to an army of ayakashi would be devastating. They can already hurt us with just a touch.

[And there aren't nearly as many gods as there used to be or should have been, from what she understands. She chews on her bottom lip a moment, considering.] A mask is quite the calling card, though. It has to mean something. [She trails off, because really the reason of why he uses a mask isn't the important thing here.]

Do you think this Sorcerer might be why so many of the original gods have gone missing too...? If we can find him, maybe we can unravel a lot more mysteries than just the demon attack.

[ There's a nod there as she takes another drink. Good. Sanzang understands the importance of the map. ]

The mask itself is what allows the Sorcerer to control the ayakashi. Using it on an ayakashi gives him the ability to name them as one would name a shinki.

[ A visible look of disgust comes to her face. ]

I can't say if the two incidences are connected. But this Sorcerer... I have a personal score to settle with him.

[She considers this a moment] ...Under anyone else, something like that could be seen as a good sign, couldn't it? It might mean we could tame ayakashi instead of destroying them, maybe turn them into good spirits or something.

But obviously that's something that would have to come with a lot of trial and error, you'd have to try and figure out if it's really worth it, if it's even doable. And you'd have to place a lot of trust in the gods who would try it. That'd take a lot of time, and it's time we don't have right now-- and in the wrong hands like this... [Well like she said: devastating. After a moment of thought, Sanzang gives a resolute nod.]

Alright. I've decided! I'll definitely help out in any way I can! [Sanzang hesitates a moment though, wanting to ask but uncertain if Bishamon might want to say anything]

Can I ask what happened...?

It's... expressly forbidden. An ayakashi is dangerous, closer to a wild animal. It places too much risk to try and tame.

[ She appreciates the offer to help though. It'll take her a moment to pause, taking another drink as she considers how best to approach the story.

Well. Best to be direct. After all, all gods need to know of her story so as not to make the same mistakes. ]

That sorcerer and the masked ayakashi... they attacked my home not long before the first newcomers arrived. My shinki... my children... many of them died that day.

[ There's an evident quiet rage bubbling up beneath the surface. So many what ifs... but when she gets her hands on those responsible, she'll make them pay. ]

Even wild animals can be domesticated. That's how we got dogs, after all. [But she smiles to show she's not entirely serious, even though she. Kind of is?? If there's chance of reversing the ayakashi process somehow, she thinks the risk would be worth it. But of course, that's a BIG 'if' and rather fanciful thinking that's best left to the future. There are immediate problems at hand here that need attention more.

Sanzang listens carefully, her eyes growing wide at the tale.] Bishamon... [She doesn't know what to say and after a moment she just reaches out to put a comforting hand on the other woman's arm. Her fingers curl and squeeze lightly, reassuring] We'll find him, don't worry. He won't get away with this. If there's anything I can do, let me know, okay? I'm on your side.

I suppose. But it places too much of a risk on the god in question. I don't suppose your shinki has ever blighted you but if you were to name a creature whose very nature is blight itself... I'm certain you understand what could happen.

[ It made sense when she thought of Ebisu's condition. All the time he spent trying to tame ayakashi and why his health was always so poor. It wasn't a question any longer.

But she does relax with that hand, letting out a breath and placing her own hand on it to squeeze it lightly back. If Sanzang was supposed to be her "sister" of sorts, she's doing a pretty good job as far as this war god's concerned. ]

Thank you. If he truly is tied up in all this, I will do everything I can to make certain he's brought to justice.

[ Or, y'know... end up as a bloody smear on the wall. Details. ]

[She's got a point there, Sanzang can concede to that. She smiles again to be encouraging. Justice or a smear, either way...

She sits back again to drink more of her water, feeling more of her strength returning to her in the face of a goal to work towards.]

Alright, what do we know so far about this sorcerer person? [hopefully a little more than the masks thing, though she supposes that's a pretty good place to start anyhow]

There isn't much we know about him. What we do know is guesswork at best.

[ And she's closing her eyes and leaning against the wall just to gather the facts in her head. ]

He may be a god as he has the ability to name a shinki. We've only managed to interrogate one shinki about him... and they referred to him as Father.

[ A breath as she finally opens her eyes. ]

Apart from that, there's nothing else we know.

Father... [SHE'S KINKSHAMING-- no.]

I see. [That really isn't a lot, but she smiles a little] Well, if he's a god it shouldn't be too hard to find him! Most of the gods we have now are brand new, but this guy would be one of the older, original ones, right? And there might not be a whole lot of those left with new people coming in all the time.

[But there's still probably a lot, she'd imagine.] And that shinki can't tell you anymore?

[ Wait til you meet his shinki. That's going to make you wonder who's got the kink. ]

I'd said "may be". Nothing isn't certain about him. Right now, I wouldn't want to sow mistrust between the newer and the older gods. This situation is more important and I can certainly deal with holding off my hunt for now.

[ There's a shake of her head though. ]

I'm afraid not. Kuguha... he went mad after I released him. There isn't anything else he could tell us.

What else could he be if not a god of some kind? Normal humans can't do things like that... Can they? [She realizes she doesn't quite know the logistics of this world. Kids and animals and those spiritually sensitive could see the gods and their shinki easier than most, and she supposed in a world where magic existed things could happen, but...

She considers this to.] Part of my abilities here in healing emotional trauma... I could always try it on him too and see? [It won't work but she doesn't know that. She's trying to be hopeful!!]

They certainly can't. As far as we're aware, only a god can bestow a name.

[ Ah, this entire situation and its complications... what else could go wrong? There's a small frown at that though. ]

He's too far gone. It'll be hard to tell if that madness was caused by any form of trauma or if it was caused by whoever Kuguha called father. Not even Kazuma's spells could tell us any more than that. But... thank you for the offer.

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010 | Relief and Rescue

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