takenwithhim: (⚡ thousand mile stare)
山崎 宗介 || Yamazaki Sōsuke ([personal profile] takenwithhim) wrote in [community profile] thefarshore2016-11-30 10:02 pm

Heaven's BBS | Text & Video ~ A Stolen Voice


Posted: May 21st
From: Sousuke Yamazaki

What are shinki?

I’ve not been here long, so I don’t know the truth. Apparently no shinki can. But I’ve experienced enough.

I don’t like it.

We’re shinki. We weren’t told anything upon our arrival. All we knew is that we’re dead and know nothing else. Other shinki probably had the same experience I did: stumble around until someone told me I had to find a god or something before something bad happened to me. We have to rely on whatever our gods tell us as the truth. We’re told we’re supposed to help our gods with their duties and wants and protect them or fight for them. We can’t exist without you; gods give us form and prevent us from fading away. We have to depend on you to survive.

So what are we to you?

I have a god. A Master. He tells me that I’m human more than I’m his shinki. I don’t know if I believe him entirely.

Not all Masters are like that, are they. Some don’t care what a shinki feels. I guess that’s not far from the truth though. After all, shinki are really nothing more than tools to gods. Gods can pick us up simply because they want something from us. Maybe you feel good having us at your side because you think we remind you of something. Maybe you want us because we’re useful to you or you like our looks or fit your fighting style or powers.

But if it doesn’t work out, if we piss our gods off or don’t please them, they’re allowed to discard us like a broken item. Gods can even cycle through us one after another until they’ve found the perfect tool to fit their current needs. And when you’re done, you can throw us away until you’re ready to use us again. Or left to wander for someone else to maybe pick up before we fade away into nothing.

And we have no choice but to come when you call us whether we want to or not. Because we’re nothing without you. We’re valuable possessions to keep close or useful but expendable objects to get the job done.

I don’t know if all gods are aware of this; I know the shinki aren’t. Gods can even steal shinki from another god without asking. Force a new name upon us and give us a new form and power. And if we’re stubborn, apparently blackmail and threats are just as effective. Or you can simply hurt us until we break or get rid of us because we’re not working as you want. Like we’re some kind of toy for your amusement.

We’re told we’re entering a partnership with our gods, but in reality, it only goes one way. We have to choose between vanishing or living as a weapon, companion, prize, tool, whatever, for a god we don’t even know.

If you’re a shinki, think about this. If you’re a god, ask yourself why you have a shinki.



[A video feed flicks on. A full moon glows yellow in the sky above, encircled by spiraling clouds. The edge of a sakura tree billows pink and gentle at one side of the screen, releasing ghost-light sakura petals into the winds that carry them away. It’s silent, some for himself to gather his thoughts, some for letting whoever’s listening to him think. Maybe it is rambling, but the experience he went through…]

So what are our rights? Does anyone want to tell me how this is supposed to work?

All of this may not be something some of you gods care about.

But the shinki should know.

[His is a quiet voice, deep like the dark waters far below the surface of the sea.]

I’m aware I’m probably a rare case; most of the gods I’ve met seem decent. Some of you say you’d never act like I’ve described or think like this towards a shinki. That we can trust you. But we don’t know you. So how can we trust you? Ultimately we have to trust our gods because we don’t know anything else. Whether you use that to your advantage or not is up to you.

It’s a disgusting feeling to know you’re powerless against someone else. I can be stolen and wielded by any god who wants me, regardless of how I feel about it. And if I don’t want that, I have to eternally stick by my Master’s side like a frightened child. We’re not free; we can’t even rely on ourselves because our powers, beyond the borderline, is useless unless directed by a god. I didn’t want this, I don’t know if any shinki does.

[A quiet breath seeps backwards above the screen and the edge of a shirt sleeve flutters into view on one side of the screen. Sousuke’s leaning against the wall beside the window, not in sight, but obviously here if someone feels like talking.]

And if any of you gods haven’t yet learned how to track or trace your shinki, you should start working on that now. Otherwise you're going to find yourself out a useful tool for a while simply because some other god wants to do something different for a change.
reformedsinner: (look at this mess)

[personal profile] reformedsinner 2016-12-03 09:00 pm (UTC)(link)
You may have noticed that borderlines are capable of cutting through ayakashi.

Should a god try to name you, it's quite possible that casting a borderline through some vital part of their anatomy would distract them from the spell.


[Not that he's advocating for shinki murdering gods, of course, this is all hypothetical!

But if anyone tries to name him against his will they'll be collecting their intestines up off the pavement. If this boy's as volubly upset as he seems to be, having a backup plan may calm him down.]
latentforlife: (We're seven drunken pirates)

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[personal profile] latentforlife 2016-12-03 09:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Or maybe the alternative was worse? Then again, you could be right and we're all snagged for no better reason than they need tools.

Yeah, I'm not comfortable thinking on why this seems okay right now. Nobody told me there was a pool though!
churchbelle: (this went from unimpressive)

[personal profile] churchbelle 2016-12-03 09:12 pm (UTC)(link)
[Hazel will choke someone out if he really has to, that's fine, buuut that's for later.]

That depends on your god, I reckon. I'm apparently well-to-do myself, but if your god's not answering anybody's prayers, no one's gonna start leaving him offerings.

[He just gets so many donations for paying attention to prayers, it's not that hard...! But hmm, that's a refreshingly reasonable reflection on this whole extensive outburst. How nice.]

Most of us aren't keen on the arrangement, by my estimate. Being called a god at all doesn't sit well with me, and that's just the first among plenty. There's no love lost between me and the folks in charge here, I figure most of us are on the same page.
forsakens: icon base: @cherrytini & color: @kagaminokakera (💫 sᴏʀʀᴏᴡ)

[personal profile] forsakens 2016-12-03 09:19 pm (UTC)(link)
I haven't been keeping track but it was too short to count, honestly. I arrived when that god wanted us to help hand out food and clean.

[ Among other things anyway. He doesn't want to count the days he's here. It's more than enough to agitate him. ]

I see. Do you know what kind of problems I'll face being one without a god?

[ He much would like an answer on that matter. ]

Huh, so it means I still have to pick someone to be "adopted" by. In more ways than one, there isn't much of a choice right now. I don't like being vulnerable.

[ The more he knows the more unhappy he's becoming. However, it's not like this person is at fault. He's giving him information that others have not. It does make sense to find a god for the time being and make use of them. I.t means depending on them for a short time, but that doesn't mean that he can't choose to leave at his own will. He'll have to look into this all more carefully. ]

It is still quite a troublesome thing to hear about, regardless.
latentforlife: (And left us somewhat reelin')

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[personal profile] latentforlife 2016-12-03 09:21 pm (UTC)(link)
An ocean? I'm starting to realize I don't have a clue as to the expanse of all of this. A little overwhelming, you know?
reformedsinner: (elementary my dear dragon)

[personal profile] reformedsinner 2016-12-03 09:22 pm (UTC)(link)
As far as I know, we can't. You'll have to be careful not to get into a disadvantageous position.

More advanced spells don't always require gestures, though.

Should all else fail, the bond between a shinki and a god is a mutual one, and blight is significantly more painful to the god than to the shinki. The sort of god who would name you for convenience against your will is likely also the sort of god who would release you if they found themselves severely blighted in response.


[Shinki do have options... even if one of those options is effectively a threat to drag a god down to destruction with them.]
latentforlife: (In the search for liberty)

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[personal profile] latentforlife 2016-12-03 09:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Lucky! Everything about this place seems so surreal. Even the land of the living.
churchbelle: (Do you like Huey Lewis and the News?)

[personal profile] churchbelle 2016-12-03 09:41 pm (UTC)(link)
It's downright annoying sometimes, to be honest. But the people're grateful for it, and plenty of them ask for real easy things to handle.

[Well, the ones he gets, anyway. Things like beauty tips...]

I don't know much about the people in charge except for they've got a collective bad attitude and gave my shinki a hard time for not acting like a piece of meat. I'm not a fan.
reformedsinner: (mister manners)

[personal profile] reformedsinner 2016-12-03 09:41 pm (UTC)(link)
There are. If you want to work on learning them, please talk to Kazuma, Bishamon's lead shinki. He's an expert; I'm only a beginner so far.

Blight, from a certain perspective, is the purpose of shinki. Do keep it in mind as a weapon.

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