Heaven's BBS | Video

[heartshutter]

From: Minerva
Date: August 17th, morning

[ Pursuant to a conversation he’s had with Shizuo, Tatara’s become curious about a particular topic he was a bit too exhausted to delve properly into, (especially with a man he’d just met).

But, who better to ask than the Far Shore?

So Tatara flips on the video feed, his face clearly visible. He’s seated at some kind of breakfast bar. a countertop covered with odds and ends of knickknacks. A fish, (who may or may not be familiar to some), in a small tank swims in the background. ]

Good morning~!

A friend recently mentioned something to me -- something called an “ablution”.

Previously, I knew only that they’re for a shinki who has been very bad, and blighted their god. But, I wonder... exactly how bad would a shinki have to be to warrant an ablution? What’s the process like? What are the chances of success?

[ He pauses here. In immediate retrospect, this all looks pretty bad, doesn’t it? So Tatara waves his hands at the camera feed for a moment, shaking his head. ]

I’m not asking for myself, of course! [ A patter of nervous laughter. Neither of his shinki have done nothing wrong, he promises! ] Just curious, that’s all!

Comments

[blizzardrock]

["Bad"...]

You say that like it's on purpose, but sometimes it can't be helped, you know?

[heartshutter]

Aah, haha... that's not intended to say anything for intent!

At least, the person I met who'd had the ablution didn't seem the malicious type.

[blizzardrock]

I was just teasing. We all have things we can't help, right?

[But speaking of "help," he...does not actually know much about ablutions.]

But you'd need multiple shinki for that, I think. [Mmmaybe.]

[heartshutter]

That's right!

Aah, what I've heard implies it's a group effort, though I'm not sure how many or why. I do know it's a dangerous last resort, and that it hurts the shinki.

[blizzardrock]

Something to do with the borderline, I would guess.

Are you worried as a god?

[heartshutter]

Not a bit! I trust both of my shinki wholeheartedly.

I worry for other gods, though.

[blizzardrock]

You've noticed untrustworthy shinki, huh?

[He's teasing again. Mostly.]

Sometimes it's not a matter of trust, though.

[heartshutter]

Or just shinki who have hurt their gods somehow.

Even so, we still have to trust in them. Good relationships aren't forged with a lack of trust.

[blizzardrock]

Hurt in what way?

It sounds so simple when you put it like that. Haha.

[heartshutter]

Stung? Blighted? Whichever word fits better!

Huh? Why shouldn't it be simple? At least until that trust is broken...

[blizzardrock]

Ah, so just the usual, then. That's good.

Wait it's not good. [Something like that]

Well...maybe I should have said "easy." It can be hard to tell what people are thinking sometimes, you know?

[heartshutter]

The usual? Is it that common?

[ he must have a pair of really good partners, then. ]

Mm, it can be. Though gods can tell what their shinki are feeling, if not thinking. That helps a bit! I wonder why it doesn't work both ways, though...

[ not that he wants it to. no. hell no. then both of his shinki would have spent this past month inexplicably miserable, and that's no good for anyone. ]

[blizzardrock]

Ah I don't know how common it is... It's the usual thing to watch out for, you know?

[The next part stumps him for a second, because he'd forgotten about that.]

Wouldn't that make it trickier...?

[heartshutter]

I see what you're saying! Yes, it seems it would be.

[ what else do they really look out for in their shinki, as gods? other than ensuring their safety and general well-being. so, yes, that does make sense. ]

Knowing a shinki's feelings? Maybe. But, maybe it helps sometimes, too.

[blizzardrock]

Just in general, speaking as a shinki...

[Did Fubuki just accidentally give away that he thinks about it a lot? Well...no taking it back now...]

Maybe! But as with all things... It might be a problem if it's not mutual.

Though I understand that there's nothing you can do about that though.

[heartshutter]

[ So he dwells on that little topic a lot, does he? It's better that than not, in Tatara's opinion. At least it shows he cares. ]

Mm, if the viewpoint isn't mutual...

Or, do you mean the connection? Because not knowing your god's feelings can be... a double-edged sword.

[blizzardrock]

Yeah, the connection. I understand it, I think... so that we can't hide it if we're turning into ayakashi. But for other things I wish it went both ways

[And here's where he remembers it's a public board and he didn't go anon, so he adds—]

Sort of!

[That fixed it]

But what do you mean by viewpoint?

[toremainbehind]

What brought this on?

[Who did you talk to? Did your shinki do something to you?]

[heartshutter]

Aah, Kusanagi-san! [ Just the person he'd been thinking of. ]

I talked to a friend of yours about it -- your brother, actually! That's what got this started.

[toremainbehind]

[No, don't give him that smile. He'll go to your temple just to bonk your head again.

He sighs.]

What did Shizuo tell you?

[heartshutter]

[ There's awkward laughter at that sigh. Please let him live, Izumo. ]

He mentioned he was in an ablution about a week ago, but... he seems like a very kind man who maybe just lost his temper.

I wonder... what could he have done that would have made him need that kind of intervention? How many times would he have needed to do it to cause such harm to his god?

[toremainbehind]

It can happen to any kind person, Totsuka.

[There's a pause as if Izumo really wants to say this before:]

It depends on the amount of guilt he holds inside of him or how much anger. It's easy to hold secrets, especially if you don't want to do anything to upset your god. [And really, Shizuo is a special case.] But it can be different depending on each person so I wouldn't use Shizuo as a comparison.

[heartshutter]

[ There's a long pause after that explanation. ]

...You two really are like brothers, aren't you?

[ This said based on how much Izumo seems to know about Shizuo's specific situation. But! That's beyond the point. ]

So you're saying even pent-up feelings can blight a god? It doesn't need to be actions?

[toremainbehind]

I won't deny nor confirm anything.

[For a good reason.

He hums.]

That's right. While actions may play a part, pent-up feelings can do damage just as bad.

[heartshutter]

[ Tatara hums as well, adopting a sort of sly grin. Are they actually brothers or are they something much closer than that...? ]

But... feelings just don't go away, Kusanagi-san.

[ HE KNOWS THIS. Trust him. ]

So if those feelings are hurting a god, how does an ablution help?

[toremainbehind]

...It's more than just that, Totsuka. Let's say that I experienced something, things that I haven't bothered to tell anyone when it's obvious that I should and it can gradually form into guilt. The longer I go without telling anyone about it, it can turn out badly, especially if guilt or anger is added to it.

[...Just hope Izumo never gets that bad of a blight.]

An ablution is a process to help purify the shinki. However, the blighted shinki will have to confess everything - every negative feeling and why they have it.

[heartshutter]

Mm.

[ Tatara nods, but looks contemplative still. ]

So it could be avoided with communication?

[ That’s what he’s gleaning from this. Who knows -- maybe talking things out does help them go away; that’s just not what he’s experienced. ]

Why does it hurt them, then?

[toremainbehind]

....

[Izumo is quiet for a moment, unsure of how much he should actually divulge on the public network.

He should've made this private the moment he answered Totsuka's video.]

You're at your temple, right? I'll be there shortly and we can continue this talk there.

From: Epona

[lovemguns]

[ As someone who was present for two ablutions just yesterday, and has a bit of an opinion on it (and everything related to the heavens)--- ]

They ain't bad, it's if they feel intense guilt. That doesn't mean they have t' have been or done somethin' bad. Anything can cause guilt, no matter iffen it's anythin' in their control or not. But don't say they've had'a been bad and that it's for that reason that they need ablutions. Because that's wrong.

[heartshutter]

But what could a shinki feel such intense guilt for, if that guilt is misplaced?

[ Just give him an example, and that'll help. Of course, he's such a freewheeling, happy-go-lucky sort that he can't imagine attaching misplaced blame and subsequent guilt to himself...

(That's a lie; he just doesn't realize it.) ]

[lovemguns]

What, you say... A lot’a things. [ He rubs a hand through his hair, and sighs deeply. ] Like the disappearance of their god. Even though they ain’t the ones that caused it.

[heartshutter]

I see... so, would their new god take on that guilt as blight, then?

[ If so, he's exceptionally, extremely fortunate, given one of his shinki's gods was murdered. ]

[lovemguns]

Yeah, they would.

[heartshutter]

Aah, that would explain why so many gods have hesitated to take on shinki left behind by other gods...

[lovemguns]

Which I think's ridiculous, cause it ain't the shinki's fault that they're feelin' guilt. Ablutions can be risky, but if it can help 'em I think it's worth it.

[ But he's also an outlaw who's used to putting his life on the line for others. Because most often when he pulled a robbery, that's what it ultimately was. ]

[heartshutter]

Not at all!

[ A moment of consideration. ]

Learning this, I'm really surprised one of my shinki hasn't stung me by now...

[ Maybe Sakon just knows in his heart he had nothing to do with his former god's murder? ]

[lovemguns]

‘s that so? Maybe they’re just good at reasonin’ with themselves an’ know what ain’t their fault and what is.

[heartshutter]

Maybe so!

He's... a bit odd, sometimes, but seems levelheaded enough for it.

[ Plus, Tatara's talked to him about it, more than once. What's happened to him, (over and over again), is not his fault. None of it is. ]

[lovemguns]

Odd’s just fine, it ain’t gotta mean one ain’t got a head on one’s shoulders. That he’s levelheaded seems t’ be of help to him, then.

[heartshutter]

You're right -- odd is fine. I don't think I'd change him if I could, honestly!

Anyway, it seems like maybe I owe him a thank you, after this.

Thanks for explaining it to me! It all makes a lot more sense now.

[lovemguns]

Ah, yeah, no problem, son.