011 | Black Parade

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Parade of the dead
When: All day May 26
Where: Shinjuku
Summary: The Near Shore needs a little protecting from the dead



The last few days have been filled with festival food, high energy, and lots and lots of parades. Near Shore residents really know how to enjoy their holidays, stopping up traffic for hours on end as floats and palanquins go by and filling the streets and courtyards in the area with food stands and festival treats. Many Far Shore residents may have found themselves drawn to this particular festival, as it is being held in honor of a shrine.

When an unexpected parade starts up, the people gather round to watch the impromptu spectacle. It's a little strange, yes, but nothing too terribly off-putting. That is until the parade reaches the shrine itself, at which point all hell breaks loose as the members of the parade start attacking anything and anyone in their way.

The Heavens will then call upon all the gods and shinki who are available to help, because these attackers are not normal at all - they are, in fact, the undead.



Let the Festivities Continue

The festival is a large, booming one. There are dozens upon dozens of food stalls set up all over the place with so many different kinds of foods that it could make your eyes go buggy, most of them fried in some way. On top of that, there is live entertainment walking around, stalls with souvenirs, and lots of excellent company nearby. Surely you'll be able to enjoy the festival to its fullest.

The Walking Dead

It is not immediately evident that the parade is being manned by corpses, but keen observers would be able to pick out the noticeable rotting elements of the dead. Anyone with a soul-sensing ability might even realize that they're not soulless, just lifeless. When the parade reaches the shrine, every god and shinki will be needed in order to protect the Near Shore from this menace. Corpses must either be exorcised or completely mutilated to the point where they can no longer move in order to release the soul.

Not Rootbeer Floats

On top of the mass of dead bodies being possessed by stray souls, some of the floats on wheels in the parade seem to have been taken over as well. They are moving slowly and with purpose towards anyone that crosses their path. At first, it may seem like the float is just veering a little off course, but it will soon become evident that it's headed towards you. They may be slow, but they're very large as well, meaning there's a lot more than needs to be destroyed to release the soul.

Souls, Souls, and More Souls

As souls are released from the objects they've taken control of, the air will become thick with a hazy fog of souls rushing away, into the air, and out of sight. This may make the continued fighting a little more difficult, but it means that the job is getting done.

Through some innate sixth sense, some of the dead people may seem familiar to certain gods (or shinki with specific memories). They can recognize some of the souls as friends or compatriots from their home world that had died. And these souls will recognize them as well.

Any characters not currently in the game that have actually died in their canon are free to be used for this part of the event and played out as NPCs by you and whatever partner you are playing with. All of these individuals will react in a similar way, though - they will beg to be released because it hurts them so horribly to be here right now and, of course, they can only be released in the same way that all the other souls are being released: exorcism or total destruction.

In Summary:

• Enjoy the festival
• Help save Near Shore residents
• Take down the dead bodies
• Try not to cry
• Cry lots
• Have fun~

Comments

[oathkeeper]

[He's pouting now, eyebrows furrowed. He wants them to get along really badly. It's kind of making him upset that it might not be a possibility. Was it really so much for Sora to ask for?]

Would you try to, for me? I'll ask him the same thing.

[Though, Sora knows how both of them tick. Maybe it is too much for Sora to ask for. They're both stubborn. Maybe if he just straps them together for a day.........]

[missingache]

.... [Roxas sighs, shifting so he can pull Sora close, hiding his face in the others hair.] I'm sorry... it's just really hard to like him when I don't have the best past with him. But I'll try.

[Mostly to try and avoid a situation where Riku would tell Sora to choose between them. If that ever happened, Roxas would fight.]

Did you tell him about us? I didn't.

[oathkeeper]

[Sora chews on his bottom lip.]

Yeah, I did.

[The reaction had been opposite of what Sora had expected.]

He wasn't happy about it. But I think he just needs some time.

[Which, in all fairness, is granted. Riku has just learned about Kairi too. But Sora didn't think he'd be that upset.]

[missingache]

[That was rather predictable. Roxas takes a deep breath. There's now a simmering anger welling up. Riku upset Sora. Riku upset his best friend because he was stubborn and hates Roxas.

He kisses the top of Sora's head, gently playing with some of the spikes of his hair.]

Even if he doesn't accept it, I don't care. I don't need his approval to be with you. [Just like he doesn't care if Riku respects him or not... though some of those things Riku said were hurtful. Roxas doesn't need to tell Sora those parts.] I didn't like who one of my friends dated in Koriko, but I didn't get in the way of their happiness. I don't get why Amaya chose to date a guy who was a literal TV... but that's not the point! Just an example.

[oathkeeper]

[Sora tilts his head up and reaches up to touch Roxas' cheeks and squeezes just lightly. Trying to dispel that anger.]

It'll be okay!

[He's not disagreeing. He already loves Roxas so much so as much as it would hurt if Riku didn't accept it in the end, he wouldn't turn back on this. But Riku is still his best friend and very important to Sora so he has to at least try and hope.]

Riku will come around, he's just stubborn. He just needs space and he's being a dummy.

[Sora will always see the good in Riku even when he's being an overprotective jerk he just hopes Riku can calm down and realize how happy Sora really is.]

... Someone dated a TV?

[Yeah that curiosity is sticking.]

[missingache]

[Murrrrrr okay no he can't stay mad when Sora does things like this. Roxas gives his adorable boyfriend a smile.]

If he takes too much time I'll go pay him a visit.

[Not to fight. Just to tell Riku he's really hurting Sora by being an idiot.]

His work name was MTT, and he had arms and legs... and then changed into a guy with a tv on his chest or something? It....... he was weird.

[oathkeeper]

[He smiles too, feeling a blush warm his cheeks. Sora would have no problems harping on Riku about all this if he takes too long to get his head out of his butt, but knowing Roxas would make that effort too makes him happy. It might even go better if it comes from Roxas and not Sora, who knows.]

As long as you guys don't fight.

[He's firm about this too, no more fighting allowed.

Then Sora makes a face, looking amused.] Really? That sound so cool!

[missingache]

[Sora gets a flat look.] I won't start a fight, but if he does...

[Roxas will finish it.

He snorts, shaking his head.]

He was super pushy and rude, but they were good together since they both had no problems with stabbing or hurting people who pushed them too far.

[oathkeeper]

[sora swoons over his super hot strong farmer boy boyfriend Sora squeezes his cheeks a bit more.]

No fighting!

[He'll tell Riku this too. UGH.]

Oh, okay maybe not so cool. But I guess if that's their thing.

[missingache]

[sora likes strong boys eh? Roxas lets out a sigh.]

I know, but I'm allowed to defend myself!

[Like Riku will listen??? Who knows.]

I had.... some interesting friends there. And some weird enemies.

[oathkeeper]

[yes kjdhfdkgf i mean better to spar with??? Sora stops squeezing Roxas' cheeks and opts to nuzzle him instead.]

Okay, I know. But still, I'll tell him no fighting too.

[He really hopes they don't fight Sora would get really upset.]

[missingache]

[or princess carry you Roxas ruffles up Sora's hair.]

So what should I do? I'm not gonna run.

[oathkeeper]

[Weh. His hair. Sora fusses and pouts up at Roxas for the travesty against it.]

I dunno!! Just, if he doesn't fight in the first place, it'll be fine! Just talk.

[Hufffffffff. Sora doesn't know how he's going to settle these two down in the end but all he knows is if the fight he might get mad at both of them equally.]

[missingache]

[Hey, Roxas likes playing with Sora's hair. It's soft.]

.... Talk. Right. I'll try.

[Settle down? Sora, these two are like tomcats around each other. You might be mad a lot for a while.]

[oathkeeper]

[He likes it too, he's just being dramatic about it.]

That's all I'm asking! Trying. From both of you.

[He kisses Roxas then, having enough with the banter about Riku.]

[missingache]

[Even when dramatic Sora is adorable.

Kisses are always a good way to change the subject.]

Did you have at least some fun today?

[oathkeeper]

[Sora tilts his head slightly, thinking back to everything that happened.]

Yep, playing some festival games with Omi and Elise was fun, oh and- music! The music, did you see Demyx?

[He totally forgot about that. Guess Demyx isn't high on Sora's list of "oh no" people...]

[missingache]

[Omi he knows, Elise not so much, but Sora's mentioned her a few times. Roxas nods.]

Demyx is just as weird as a shinki as he was in the Organization... I made sure to get him food since he tried to steal some. [He reaches over and grabs a stuffed animal that looks like a fat chocobo chick.] I came back home to drop this guy off. I met a shinki named Masaki and she helped me learn how to use a gun.

[oathkeeper]

[hgnnnnnnnnnnn fat chocobo chick... He wants it. Gonna stare at it with puppy eyes.]

I know Masaki! We've talked a few times! She tried to help me pick out a gift for Kairi but I wasn't very good at picking out girl kimonos...

[Sora laughs.]

Demyx... I told him to go up on stage and play the drums, he loved it. Maybe I shouldn't have, but he looked really happy.

[missingache]

[Just gonna boop Sora on the head with it.] It's staying here, but you can cuddle with it.

[It better not go missing. Roxas really wanted it, so he made sure to earn it. He's not going to talk about the conversation he had with her about Sora not talking about him. That's a conversation for the future. Only happy things now.]

He played music on his sitar sometimes before missions. He always looked happy when he did.

[oathkeeper]

What!! ... Okay. [Pouting. He loves chocobos just as much as Roxas. But if he gets to cuddle it sometimes he'll be good.

Sora nods.] Guess it won't be so bad having him around. He's pretty funny. Oh, and I met Axel's shinki Chikusa too.

[Sora makes a face. He was kinda weird.]

[missingache]

I won it on my first try. [Knocked down all the bottles he needed for it!]

As long as you feed him he's happy... Axel has a shinki?

[oathkeeper]

Whoa! Really? Roxas, you're so cool! [Sora probably wouldn't get close to getting it on the first try. He's seriously impressed.]

Yeah, I think he's new here. I ran into him right before the zombies broke out. He's a little weird, but he helped me fight some zombies off. He wasn't bothered by all the gunk from the zombies at all...

[missingache]

You just gotta aim a gun like you would a bow. It's not that hard. [Knowing Masaki can use a bow was neat, too, since it made him feel more comfortable using the gun in front of her.]

..... remind me to have Senri take a bath when he gets home. [Because ew. Gunk. Everywhere.]

[oathkeeper]

At the next festival I'm going to get five of them. [Determined sparkle.

A second later, Sora yawns.]

Time for bed?