#Shimokitazawa Tengu Festival

[aishiteru-kenshin]

Shimokitazawa Tengu Festival

January 28th — January 30th Shimokitazawa Tengu Festival is a novel variation on the Setsubun theme, centering around Shinryuji Temple with a small parade through the shopping streets of Shimokitazawa. The parade members are dressed as mountain priests or tengu, legendary creatures with avian characteristics, and throw beans as they go for good luck. The Shimokitazawa Tengu Festival is a result of the Doryodaisatta (a tengu) enshrined at Shinryuji Temple for protection. Although traditionally bird-faced, over the course of time the beaks of these tengu have transformed to the point where now they are often depicted with unnaturally long noses, like an evil-looking Pinocchio. Another unique feature of the festival is that instead of the typical cries of “Demons get out!” (鬼は外), the calls heard at Shinryuji Temple are “Luck come in!” (福は内), the belief being that luck would do the job of driving out the demons, anyway.

[aspenforest732]

Libertias aut Mortis Chapter 4: The Legacy We Leave Behind

Summary:

tw: bomb, mass murder, child abuse/death/torture, starvation Where it really starts to kick off :) and the last chapter of stage 0

Notes:

‘text’ JSL Text thoughts Page break text page break ???

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Mortis emerged from the goo into a cacophony of music and cheers of “Demons outside!” With a sharp nod to Dabi, they slunk with Isao towards the compound, blending into the crowds with their cheap costumes and masks. Street food vendors called out amongst the crowd as the procession swelled, filled with colorful costumes of mystical creatures, demons, and the red-nosed goblins that gave the Shimokitazawa Tengu Festival its name. The smell of fried meats, fruit, and sweet treats filled the air as Mortis and Isao swayed with the massive crowd. A few heroes kept an eye on the procession, but most were engaging with the crowd and not taking the task seriously. According to Nezu’s last update, all the Wrens outside the Legacy Holder branch were assigned to the festival or outside Tokyo.

The pair split off from the crowds as they got closer to the compound, skirting away from the weary cops and heroes spread thin throughout the city. The cacophonous roar of the crowds faded into a hum as they grew closer to their target. There were a few close calls, but they eventually made their way to the safe house Dabi secured during the week. Explosives, a burner, and a modified receiver lay under loose floorboards, and Mortis made quick work of donning them.

Mortis set up their reserves and camera feed then warped four times before disconnecting their own explosives from their burner. Each clone warped in pairs to maintain invisibility. Checking the receiver, Mortis tapped Isao once to confirm it showed all video feeds, albeit a bit distorted. Their equipment rattled, and they stumbled into Isao as a distant explosion broke the quiet. That’s our cue .

Mortis warped their clones inside, dispelling the outside clone. Not meant for the public eye, the entrance hall was more of a foyer than the grand affair they'd caught glimpses of while being transferred. Their clones padded around the few people stationed in the room, most leaning against their post or chatting with the others. Winding hallways branched off into dozens of rooms, a clone staying behind in each as Mortis warped the others forward, the timers Compress added reminding them which ones needed to warp invisible replacements.

The clones quickly spread out throughout the compound, Mortis' gut churning as more and more feeds exposed the bloody and emaciated remains of children who didn't trigger fast enough for the monsters. So many died alone and isolated or betrayed by other starving children who had no other choice. They pushed down bile as they found those who survived, some who couldn't have been older than seven with already sunken cheeks and haunted eyes. They had to do this. If even one survived...

Mortis reluctantly took another drought from their smoothie at Isao's nudge as their quirk strained to keep up so many clones, even as hierarchized as they were, they scoured the feeds for any key points they could have missed. They moved a couple clones into stairwells to be sure and rested a shaky hand on Isao’s. At his grim nod, they tapped the call button. A rumbling boom burst from the compound, shattering the windows in the safehouse and violently shaking the ground. Isao roughly grabbed Mortis to keep them upright, stance wide to steady both of them against the tremors. Dust and blood tasted bitter on their tongue against the sweetness of their smoothie as a high-pitched ring filled their ears. Ooze overtook the pair, and they arrived at the Doctor’s side.

Fuck . Mortis grimly smiled at the Doctor with the confirmation. They dropped the burner in the disposal bin of acid and turned to the array of screens. The League fought alongside nomu against a dozen heroes as chaos reigned below and around them. Winged nomu took off with grounded heroes, killing them in the air or dropping them as flighted heroes tried to keep them alive while fighting. A few Wrens in the distance flew towards the compound while another feed put the crater on full display. The closest buildings collapsed into the rubble - fortunately empty due to the family’s paranoia - and many others in the area were clearly unstable.

“Looks like it’ll be a war after all,” Isao murmured, and Mortis numbly let him draw them into a side hug. They knew this was a possibility. The universe wouldn't let their luck be that good another time.

Shortly after, the Doctor warped the League and nomu back to base. Mortis checked on everyone while Magne got the med kit they’d restocked for the mission. Some second-degree burns, early stages of frostbite, and lacerations, but nothing too severe. Mortis gave Dabi a look when they noticed him surreptitiously hiding his hands. With an eye roll, he took them out, smoke curling off the seams. Mortis pulled out a water bottle and towel they had on hand for this reason and applied the now-damp towels, carefully avoiding the medical staples.

‘ How’s the cooling system holding up? ’ Mortis asked when they were done.

“Kept me from overheating for longer,” Dabi admitted, voice husky with smoke. He started to pick at one of the towels before Mortis gently batted his hand away. “Come on, we can finish up here. Get back to your dorm or wherever you’re intercepting your clone.”

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Dng, dng, dng, dng . The bells, for now the echoes of what was yet to come could be distinguished as such, continued their unsteady crescendo.

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That weekend, Akira stayed at the dorms, not up to the questions Hitoshi was bound to have or the pressure to act like everything was fine for Eri. At least the noise came down to a quiet murmur most of the time with only Midoriya, Katsuki, and Aoyama there. Saturday afternoon, Akira watched the news reports while working on History homework, mind drifting back and forth to the day before. They looked up as Midoriya exited the stairwell, surprise and something else flitting across his face before it fell into his usual bright grin.

“Oh, are you staying for the weekend?” Midoriya asked as he made his way to the kitchen.

Why is he masking? they wondered, watching him a beat before shrugging.  ‘ Yeah, wanted a break from everything. Don’t you usually visit your mom? ’

Midoriya shifted awkwardly and shrugged, shoulders hiking higher than normal. Eyes narrowing slightly, Akira warped and swept the room for bugs. Other than the two standard security cameras, nothing seemed amiss. What’s got him worked up ? Akira wondered as they padded closer to him to check the kitchen. While he didn’t think they were looking, Midoriya’s expression dropped into disbelief as he mumbled under his breath.

“…that doesn’t make sense. They’re not a killer, why would they do that? There has to be another explanation. But the licensing exam means it is possible. The debris indicates multiple sources of explosion, and I mean if they can turn invisible, with their clones cloning, maybe…”

Akira stumbled back a step, eyes wide as they realized he knew. Fuck . Dispelling their clone, Akira tapped him on the shoulder. Midoriya froze and slowly turned, his smile back although not quite as blinding. ‘ We need to talk. ’

“O-oh! Sorry, didn’t see you there,” Midoriya tried to recover, but Akira motioned for him to follow. He slumped and trudged behind them. The elevator ride was filled with tense silence as Midoriya fidgeted and Akira tried not to panic.

Once inside their room, Akira swept for bugs more thoroughly than the common area. After several minutes, they sat in one of the beanbags and gestured for Midoriya to do the same. ‘ I need to know what you’ve figured out and how. The Wrens might not have your talent at their disposal, but they certainly have the skill. ’

“You’re not denying it?” Midoriya squeaked. He searched their face and blanched at what he found. “Okay. Okay . So you told me you go invisible while at least one clone is active, and during the licensing exam, your clones duplicated your equipment and their effects. Since your clones can clone themselves, they would theoretically also be able to go invisible as a result. There were probably multiple origins of explosions from the footage I found, but they wouldn’t have just let anyone waltz in, so they must have had Stranger interference.

But…” Midoriya finally glanced up, chewing on a fingernail. Akira quirked an eyebrow. “You were in class all of yesterday. You don’t have that far of a range, so it would be impossible on your own. Your roommate is in the League, so you’d have access to Twice’s quirk if the attack on the festival was a distraction.”

‘ The League wasn’t behind that particular attack, ’ Akira corrected, slowly nodding as he nervously watched them. ‘ And what are you going to do with this information? ’

“What am I going to do? What are you going to do if I say anything?” Midoriya looked around nervously, and Akira shifted to make sure he had a clear path to the door if he needed it. No use getting hurt jumping out a window. “You just murdered twenty people.”

‘ Thirty, ’ Akira corrected, ignoring how their gut churned at the reminder. It’s not like they hadn’t killed before, so why did this feel so different? They even knew exactly why so many had to die at once. ‘ And it depends on who you’re going to tell. Eraser and Principal knew from the start. If you go to the police or Wrens, I’ll just have to leave sooner than I was hoping. ’

“You’re leaving?” Midoriya looked up with wide eyes before the rest hit him. “Wait, they knew ? They just let you murder all those people? There were children there!”

‘ And leaving even one alive could’ve made my current path necessary. Killing all of them had the highest chance of preventing more deaths, ’ Akira shot back. Midoriya flinched. They sighed and ran a hand down their face. ‘ Kids are being tortured and dying every day because of the Wrens. Someone needs to be the monster the kids need for what will be a mere moment in history if this works. ’

Midoriya grew quiet twisting the hem of his shirt as his face pinched. He looked back up, that fiery passion blazing in his eyes as he asked, “And what happens afterward? Can you ever get that piece of your soul back?”

‘ That’s why it’s called sacrifice. ’

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They screamed soundlessly to not involve Midoriya, to keep kids out of it. He didn’t need to know. He didn’t need to know. Why did he know? Why did they confirm anything? Maybe it would’ve been better to never attend U.A. at all. If they couldn’t even find the present, how were they supposed to pass whatever test they must still be in. They straightened at the reminder. Of course, this was all a test. Just get through it, find the path. Find the pulsing echo that now pounded almost silently against their skull, and they could find their way back home.

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With phase two complete, Akira tried to attain a sense of normalcy while they had no contact with the League. They itched to check in, messing with their fidget toys and throwing themselves into tutoring and their continued work study to avoid their phone. The League launched assassination after assassination against young Wrens, sometimes taking credit but most of the time avoiding direct ties. Each crime scene had just enough remains left behind to identify the kid. While Akira had to believe they were trying, resentment started to build the longer the League went without taking Asami.

Surveillance started the moment they left U.A. and set up around the Yamazawa house. Wrens and evidence of their quirks popped up around Esuha City with thinly veiled excuses for their presence. As the days passed and more Wrens “died,” the quirks and people watching grew more obvious. Akira swept their room in the morning and night, finding at least one bug each time, although they grew increasingly creative with placement and use. A few days before midterms, Akira got a text from Giran, “ten tonight”.

The message deleted itself seconds later, and Akira glanced around the table. Fumikage caught their eyes, holding their gaze for a moment before his eyes widened slightly. He glanced at their phone but stayed quiet. Katsuki narrowed his eyes slightly but quickly returned to helping Kaminari.

“Reaper, what are we having for dinner?” Katsuki pulled them into the kitchen once they got back to the dorms.

‘ We still have leftovers. You don’t have to- ’

“You’re being cryptic as shit, so we’re cooking.” Katsuki pointedly glared at them as he tossed them an apron and donned his own.

He’s just going to press more if I don’t… Akira rolled their eyes and put a small smile on. ‘ Sure, is yaki-udon okay? ’

Katsuki huffed, but they quickly fell into their usual rhythm. Kirishima joined them to help chop while Mad Banquet lingered nearby. Akira’s smile grew genuine as they worked in tandem, although it occasionally slipped if their mind drifted among the warm, familiar smells of soy sauce, beef, and pork filled the kitchen. At least they’ll be safer this way .

They got a few odd looks as the others drifted down from the aroma. The wealth of leftovers in the fridge rarely lasted more than a day, so anyone cooking on a leftovers night usually meant trouble or at least a bad day. Akira going upstairs afterward at eight with Katsuki drew even more looks, but they caught the soft gaits of Fumikage and Koji behind them.

In their room, Akira swept for bugs one last time, catching a few more before starting to pack. “You’re not coming back, are you?” Koji asked softly.

Akira shook their head, swallowing around a lump in their throat as they extracted their costume from their futon. Come on, you’ve known this was coming. They paused and turned sharply to add, ‘And don’t follow. You need to stay here where it’ll be safe. I’ll keep everything as far from here as I can.’

“We told you we’re going to be there for you,” Koji insisted. “Whether we leave now with you or later on our own, we will join you.”

Dark Shadow swelled as Fumikage’s feathers ruffled. “You can’t stop us, but we can stop you.’

‘ If I stay here, everyone goes up in flames with me. If I can’t protect the people who should be safest, how can I protect anyone else? ’

“We don’t need protection,” Dark Shadow crowed.

‘ And what happens if you do leave? You just abandon your dreams of being heroes? Because I will be a villain the moment I leave. If you come, you will be villains. It doesn’t matter what future you had, your future will be gone. No family, no friends, no security, just us. ’ Akira breathed heavily by the end of it, desperately trying to make them understand. Glancing at their watch, they swept a few more rolled-up clothes into their bag before pausing at the shelves. A few picture frames dotted the shelves in addition to the books and small Eraser Head and Fat Gum figurines. They grabbed the pictures, dolls, and the Latin books while ignoring the textbooks.

Testing the weight of their bag, they glanced back at two of their oldest friends before resolutely turning back. The weighted blanket, two regular blankets, and the Bastard plush could go, but the bulkier items would be too much when they needed to move. Faking their own death wouldn’t work a second time and would raise too many questions for U.A.

“So now or later?” Fumikage interrupted their thoughts.

Akira spun to try again when they saw the determination on their faces. Running out of options, they huffed, ‘ Fine. You want to throw your lives away that badly? ’ Koji flinched slightly at the intensity, but Fumikage and Dark Shadow faced them head on. ‘ When your mentor makes his choice, you can follow it. If I’m right, that’ll at least give you an out later. Animal Whisper, tell Sir you need to talk away from birds. Just know that if either or both of you leave, you are putting everyone here in more danger. ’

“How long do you have?” Fumikage peered at them.

Glancing at their watch, Akira answered, ‘ One hour. It’ll be less suspicious if you leave before then, though. ’

“Until we meet again, then.” Fumikage started to bow, but Akira pulled both of them into a hug. Dark Shadow enveloped the trio in their staticky darkness, drawing them a little closer.

“You’ll be back,” Koji breathed, hot breath tickling their hair. “Both of you will or I’ll send the shrikes after you.”

Akira chuckled as Dark Shadow grumbled about death by a thousand pecks. A traitorous knot of anxiety swelled in their chest, and Akira reluctantly pulled back a bit. The others immediately broke the hug and backed off a step. ‘Stay safe. Don’t involve anyone else if you can avoid it. Avoid…’ Akira huffed with a grim smile. ‘Well, there aren’t any Legacy Holders to avoid now.’

With that, Akira watched their friends trudge back down the hall to rejoin the class. They turned back to their room, twisting their toes in the soft rug and breathing in the cinnamon and cedar smells that had become one of their safe zones. The dark, smooth wood of their bookshelf was cold beneath their fingers, and their fingers ghosted over the textbooks that would be too heavy to bring. Their savings rested where they always had been, tucked in the lining of the duffel bag that had served them for almost three years now.

As the black goop bubbled up their throat, Akira looked around their room one last time and could only hope Koji would only send the shrikes for one of them.

Notes:

A former friend of mine gave me this idea for taking out the Legacy Holder branch :) I was originally just gonna have them make sure everyone else was away and swarm with the League and nomu, but… this theoretically leaves no trace of them being involved. And with that, we leave behind most of what we’ve known. I wasn’t sure about having the transition be this early in the fic, but the war is supposed to take up most of it. You don’t need to remember the quirk classifications for this fic, but if you’re interested in why certain types are paired together in compounds, check out Chapter 2 of Memoirs Mori. It has a breakdown of each classification and how it’s triggered. Some like Mover/Blaster are paired more for function than method compatibility, but I do have all of them grouped up. Legacy Holders had a very specific method known only to themselves, but they had Master (Suggestion) quirks specifically focused on changing memories and emotions.

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[trigonognathus]

speaking of goblin sharks and tengu (today the tengu festival starts in shimokitazawa btw) this is my oc Kaitengu which ive had since 2014 so he's turning 10 this year! he's a 50+ meters tall giant monster who has terrorized Japan since the 15th century and is a walking receptacle of crustacean parasites. he's got a number of accolades but i havent posted them yet. i'll draw a new render for him soon 👺

Abyssal monster KAITENGU (2021 render)