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

[kokuyoyo]

[Oh. He stirs uneasily. That… sounds like a lot of people to deal with. That sounds exhausting, in fact. Not the part about answering prayers, or assisting their gods- that sounds doable. Familiar and focused, giving him a purpose when just seconds before he had nothing.]

[But all that choice? It’s just… too much. Too much, too soon.]

Do all shinki live that way, then…? With that many people?

[pure_radiantics]

[She can see the hesitation, but doesn't know why, so she just tries to shake her head reassuringly.]

No, definitely not. I think we're the odd ones out, even though I'm happy about it. Most gods only have one shinki, I think? That's what Yukine told me was a bit more common.

[She didn't want to get into 'New Gods' vs. 'Old Gods' and how Lady Bishamon was like their big happy family, but since she was an Old God it wasn't as weird to Yukine, apparently.]

Instead there's just a lot more visiting people that way, I think, and helping teach one another what we find out while on prayers.

[kokuyoyo]

[Subtly, his shoulders slump.]

Good… I’m not sure how I feel about that many people in the same space…

[Too much to deal with, especially when everything is so- confusing. To put it lightly.]

How… do I find a god?

[pure_radiantics]

Well... I'm not 100% sure since I was assigned mine and we got along so well, but I think after meeting other people who chose their gods...

[She pats one shoulder gently.]

Keep an eye open for a god you like and can work well with. Most gods expect us to help them answer prayers, so if you can't get along with them, then asking to switch is better for both of you. If you can't find one by tonight, I can probably ask my god to let you stay at our temple for the night.

[kokuyoyo]

Someone I work with well…

[It sounds easy, when she says it like that. Of course that would make the most effective pair. If your style matches another’s, then it’s only common sense. At the same time… How is he supposed to know? All he has is a name and strange things in his pockets that tell nothing about himself. Not really.]

How were you assigned yours?

[pure_radiantics]

Yeah! Like, tonight a bunch of us are going to a festival. If you talk to gods there, about how you might answer prayers or how they like to keep their temple or how many shinki they think they want to have, those kinds of things could help you figure out if you'd work well together.

[Kind of like dating, actually, but she doesn't want to point that out to him and make things more awkward.]

My god found me, actually. His name's Roxas, but his temple is Artemis.

[kokuyoyo]

A festival…

[Sounds loud. And busy. And filled with way too many damn people. But if gods and other shinki will be going to it, maybe that’s enough reason for him to deal with it all. There’s a good chance he might learn something decent, after all, and for this… It feels important to know more, just for himself if nothing else.]

...If my god finds me like yours did... I'll ask him, then...

[pure_radiantics]

[She nods.]

Alright. Well, good luck - oh wait, did they give you a phone?

[She pulls out her own, holding it up.]

I can give you my number to contact me directly - that way if you don't find your god, you can find our temple to sleep one night and I can help you look in the morning.

[kokuyoyo]

Ah....

[Right, they had, when he was still wandering haplessly around, and he'd accepted it from sheer bewilderment, unable to say much more while he was still feeling so lost. He tugs it out from his pocket, holding it out.]

....Alright...

[pure_radiantics]

[Before she accepts his, she holds out her own in exchange.]

There you go - plug yours in while I'm entering mine.

[Which she does quickly in his phone, then holds his up for when he's done with her phone.]

Now you're all set with my number. I hope things go well for you with your god, Chikusa.

[kokuyoyo]

[Just as obediently as he’d given her his phone, he inputs his number as well before handing it back. It’s almost robotic, honestly, but that’s how he feels in the moment- blank and obedient. Beneath it all, of course, there’s fear, uncertainty, confusion…. But hopefully that will change.]

[Hopefully his god will make that change.]

...We’ll see. Then- I’ll see you another time.

[But even that he doesn’t sound entirely sure about.]

[pure_radiantics]

[She holds up a finger to gesture at him when she's got her phone back.]

But if you don't see me-

[Pulling her finger back, she smiles.]

Then you can always call or text. Okay?

[kokuyoyo]

Alright.

[That sounds easy enough, and he keeps his phone close for a moment.]

If there’s a problem then…

[He’ll be sure to call. ...Probably.]

[pure_radiantics]

[She shakes her head no.]

There doesn't have to be 'a problem,' Chikusa - it could just be to talk.

[Mostly because she doesn't want him assuming what counts as a problem and that it's instead an open invitation.]

[kokuyoyo]

[That seems to make Chikusa even more confused and uncertain but he nods.]

[Talking just to talk. What a concept.]

That's a wrap for me~

[pure_radiantics]

Alright, glad to hear it.

[And she waves satisfied.]

See you around, Chikusa!