018 | Season Spirits

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Season spirits and spooky things
When: IC August 1-15
Where: The Near Shore and Far Shore
Summary: It's the time for spirits to get a bit more 'lively'.



August is a spiritual season in Japan with many people preparing for the Obon festival but many others get into the spirit in another way. All across Japan, people have begun to share their favorite summer ghost stories. Movie theaters advertise the hottest horror flick of the season, teenagers challenge each other to do trials of courage, haunted houses begin to pop up, and it feels like you can't change the channel without switching to some ghost hunting urban legend special. All of this talk about spirits comes at a cost, though.

July comes and passes easily enough but it's almost as if as soon as August begins, so do the incidents. There's an increase in spiritual activity and shenanigans on both shores. Some of them are harmless spooks but others are much more sinister. Arm yourselves with all of the ofuda and omamori you can find and get out there and restore peace!



Possessed Possessions

Inhabitants of the Far Shore may awaken to find their sheets trying to strangle them and shoes stomping on the floor around them. Others may go about their day and find out their teapots suddenly only serve lukewarm tea or their weapons are trying to take swings at them. They're just playful spirits that will abandon their hosts if you shove any ofuda/omamori at them or yell loudly enough. They aren't malicious spirits... they were only just trying to have some fun.

Spirited Festivals

There's a festival every weekend and some of them have set up haunted houses for patrons to visit. You have your standard haunted house thrills... costume make up, jump scares, special effects smoke, the usual! But it looks like some real ghosts have made themselves at home here. Visitors are going in and emerging hours later absolutely traumatized. It looks like once you enter, the real spirits walk you around in circles and give you real scares. There are some spirits here just to have fun thrills and these are spirits that can be chased away with regular ofuda. But it looks like the more violent ones are actually ayakashi out for vengeance. Be careful in there!

Cursed Charms

There sure are some weird trends out there, huh? The latest one is buying cursed trinkets off the internet and passing them off as gifts to unsuspecting victims whether it be to prank a friend or get revenge on an enemy. Cursed mirrors, dolls, fake ofuda, VHS tapes, and so on are being passed around the Near Shore and spreading all sorts of curses.

• Bad luck. As long as you're in possession of the cursed item, you'll be followed by bad luck to varying degrees depending on the quality of the charm.
• Fear. Holding onto this charm results in intense, crippling fear. The fear can manifest as an intense paranoia at all times or being frozen with fear in the face of danger. Some say you can even die of fright...
• Sickness. This charm is pretty straightforward. Having this charm just makes you feel incredibly under the weather and your health will worsen the longer you have the charm.
• Evil. Holding onto this charm results in you being followed attracting evil instead of warding it. Suddenly, you feel as though you are always being followed, as if something is stalking you and clearly out to get you. You begin to run into smaller ayakashi at first but they keep growing in strength and number until you can't fight anymore.
• Bad romance. Someone's meddled with a romance charm so it ends relationships instead of making them! People stuck with this charm are suddenly hyper aware of the faults of others. Everything gets on your nerves and you can't stand being around that person because they're just that annoying. It doesn't just work on couples! It also works on friends and relatives too.
• Bears? An oddly specific curse. It looks like someone has taken a protection from bears charm and made it so now you attract bears where ever you go. Some of them are nice but others...

You can try to destroy the charms but you will find that unless you have purification powers or rend it, the effects last. It looks like most people have been able to shake off the effects by simply disposing of them at temples and buying another charm to counter the effects.

Haunting Hour

There are reports of violent attacks at night-- people being pulled into alleys and attacked, school children being chased by slashers while walking home from school, homes being broken into-- and all of it is done without a single clue left behind to explain who did it. People are warned to be careful at night and as the sun begins to set, something happens. The hour between sunset and dark is supposed to be the scariest hour them all. At this time, the shadows are suspiciously bigger and darker and you constantly see things just out of the corner of your eye. Suddenly, the wind blows cold and there's a rotten smell in the air like blood. It's Oumagatoki, the hour evil spirits meet. Small time ayakashi and spirits on the verge of becoming ayakashi spill into the streets and begin to terrorize others. Protect the people of the Near Shore and watch your own backs.*

* These are just generic ayakashi! Nothing special, nothing specific. Feel free to make up and NPC your own two-bit ayakashi.

THEN WHO WAS PHONE?

In the evening, everyone will receive a set of coordinates and a message from an Anonymous sender,

I want to talk about the
mysterious things that have been happening
lately.
OF course, i
NEED
EVERYONE to come. so don't be
late! see
yoU.
:)

Everyone receives it and there is no way to track where the message came from. If you follow the directions, you'll arrive at a small temple on the outskirts of a city. A sacred fire is lit on the grounds for people to dispose of any cursed or old charms they may have collected. Hang around a bit and it'll become obvious that no one knows who has gathered all of you here tonight. The only ones around are gods and shinki. It doesn't look like any evil spirits are around so other than being invited to the middle of no where at night... there's nothing to worry about. If you wait around, nothing will happen. So while you're here, you might as well discuss the strange happenings! Or tell ghost stories around the fire.

Wildcard

Choose your own adventure! Feel free to make up your own prompts. Ronald Knox's player (diehardreaper) has offered up their temple as a test of courage in the Far Shore for those who want to try their luck. Check out their description under the Baron's manor.

In Summary:

• Beat the heat by feeling a scary chill
• Deal with cursed and spirit-imbued items
• Keep the Near Shore people safe
• Chat about your scary encounters
• Have fun~

Comments

Ota!

[mermaiding]

[Possessed Possessions]

[Oona doesn't like clothes, this much has always been obvious. On nay given day Oona will wear the least amount of clothing possible, enough to claim she's covered and therefore no one can complain. The short chiton dress and sandals were chosen mostly because it offered a lot more freedom of movement and matched with her being a greek goddess now.

It didn't mean Oona liked them much more than other clothes, but it was Acceptable.

Until her shoes started moving on their own.

They were enchanted anyhow thanks to Forrest, just to try and make walking a little less painful for her, so she didn't particularly want to lose them but... Where were they even going??

Oona can be found trailing with a slightly stiff gait after the shoes as they wander around. At first she was amused, but now she's just annoyed] Funny, at first, but now... Stupid shoes! Stop! [Her feet and legs are beginning to ache even more from the constant moving, but she's stubbornly pushing through despite how obvious it is that she's growing more and more pained.]

Hey! [If she sees someone near-by she immediately points to them and then the shoes:] Stop shoes!

[Spirited Festivals]

Stupid humans. So scared of everything! Sure is fine. Will go through, just fine, you will see! Nothing will scare!

[That was Oona's smug, bold claim just a few minutes before sauntering on into one of the haunted houses. And roughly 2 minutes before there's a noise that probably isn't even part of the haunted house--someone coughs or someone's shoe accidentally scuffs against the ground--and Oona...

Oona yelps and clings tightly and suddenly to the person who's entered with her] What? What was?!

[Cursed Charms -- Bears??]

[Who's buying anything? Fuck that, Oona's just straight up lifting a pretty necklace off a table where one woman was showing it off to another. It was her fault for being distracted and not seeing it being taken to begin with!!

But it's pretty and shiny and Oona seems pretty happy with it! She grabs a crepe as it's being passed from vendor to customer and nibbles on it happily until she realizes, as she wanders more to the fringes of towns and countrysides, she's starting to gather some... followers.

They seem pretty benign at first, but they just keep...trailing her... Oona squints at them and bares her teeth in warning, but they actually seem really friendly, or maybe just really interested in her crepe? She's gonna assume that and she jumps back with a scowl]

No! Stop! [Scolding the bears nbd] Is mine, stole fairly! Go away!

[She waves her free hand ineffectively at the approaching little group. There's probably like 3 or 4 of them just happily bumbling along, but she is definitely about to fight these bears over a crepe.]

[THEN WHO WAS PHONE?]

[oona's curiosity has gotten the better of her, so of course she's followed the instructions and showed up at the spot. She loiters around with her hands on her hips, looking more irritated as more people arrive and nothing's happened.

So, it's Time To Complain]

Booorring.

Spirited Festivals

[minogame]

That's not nice...

( It's the last thing he says before he follows Oona inside the haunted house. He'd thought it was a good idea to come see the place because everyone else was saying how much fun it was going to be but now that he's here, people have been saying it's way scarier than he thought it would be.

He isn't feeling this anymore but if Oona is going in, he isn't going to let her go in alone! And now that he's actually inside, it feels worse. There's a chill going down his spine and he senses something is out there. He's more focused on this feeling now, keeping on alert when she suddenly grabs him. )

Ah! ( he grabs her right back so I guess they're just holding each other in the dark now. ) I don't know!

Shun Kurosaki | OTA

[revolutionfalcon]

[A: Possessions, August 1st]

[Somewhere in the back of his mind, Shun had noticed they were getting into haunting season, but he hadn't been too concerned about it affecting the Far Shore. When at least half their number were technically ghosts anyway and they already have the creepy forest for that sort of thing, he'd been mostly preparing for an upsurge of potential spirit activity on the Near Shore instead.

The wrongness of that assumption is evidenced fairly early on the morning of August 1st, when he's interrupted on the couch by one of the pillows in the pile on his loungeroom floor hurling itself at the back of his head.

Apparently, Shun's policy is that if spirits are taking up residence, they might as well make themselves useful, and soon enough, he takes them and himself outside. Anyone passing by his temple may be party to the sight of a stack of pillows throwing themselves at him, occasionally one by one and occasionally not so politely, as Shun kicks or punches them out of the air, or occasionally backflips over them.

Judging by the faint, reedy sound of laughter from the pile, the spirits are sufficiently amused by this, but that also isn't necessarily going to stop them from hurling themselves at anyone else nearby, either. Better watch out.]

--

[B: Haunting Hour, Sunset August 2nd-5th]

[It's a little unfortunate how neatly the sudden upsurge in random spirit attacks coincides with Shun's evening patrolling, and he's prepared himself as appropriately as he can once he starts hearing the rumours and noticing the increase in activity. Additional blessed water to ward off ayakashi is one part of it, and given the abundance of superstition becoming real, he's picked up an evil-warding omamori to see how well it works against them. While the ayakashi aren't likely to feel a thing, it seems to keep most of the smaller-time spirits healthily away.

Unfortunately, this also means Shun is, if possible, even more on his toes than usual, and anyone approaching him too closely at this kind of time is likely to get maybe within a few feet before he either turns (or, in closer cases, backflips over them), and pulls out his blessed water-soaked dagger with no apparent fear, but all apparent suspicion.

Once he recognises they're not an ayakashi or spirit, he lets out a breath and returns himself to a more normal, but still wary bearing.]

About time more people started looking into this.

--

[C: who was phone, Late Evening August 2nd-5th]

[On one hand, Shun isn't stupid enough to just roll up to the location specified in a random anonymous text and not expect something bad to happen. On the other, he's a little too curious who sent it not to pursue the lead, so the result is that he ends up lurking in a tree a little way away from the fire. It would be a difficult spot to ambush him, despite the fact that the fire light makes it not too hard to pick his form out among the branches.

If anyone approaches, he'll look them over before nodding towards the fire.]

Has anyone figured out who set this up yet?

--

[D: Wildcard]

[[Shun would likely also be chasing the smaller-time spirits out of haunted houses if anyone wants to assume running into him in one of those. If you'd like to do something else or something with these prompts but further along in date, feel free to hit me up at reviseleviathan!]]

A

[fullcowl]

[Izuku picked up a doll mostly because somebody threw it directly at him while assuming he was empty air. Oh, the "joys" of being a Far Shore resident. And wow he has never felt so grumpy in his life. Every single thing is getting on his nerves and when a spirit throws a pillow at him he glares in the pile's direction.]

Can't you control where those are going?

Davesprite | OTA

[redotiertwo]

[A: Spirited Festivals, August 1st-4th]

[So maybe not all of the harmless trolling spirits turned up just with the haunting season. Maybe some of them have been secretly here the whole time. And also maybe Davesprite is trying to clear some of these people out before they hit the parts of the haunted houses that have the actual threats in them.

Either way, anyone investigating the haunted houses might hear a few screams as a gaggle of young teenagers bolts out of the haunted house. Entering the room they just left will reveal an etherial, intangible afterimage of something large and winged, pale enough that it's more like a shadow than anything even if it has a distinctly orange look about it. There's also some words scrawled on the wall in intentionally scratchy, overdramatic handwriting, which is also neon orange and quite literally glowing. Unfortunately it's in English rather than Japanese, so the full message might not have gotten across, but Davesprite at least had the courtesy to avoid the flowery language here and just put it in straight terms of threats of death and eating people and whatever else sounded right for whatever's lurking deeper in here.

There also definitely isn't the twitch of a much more solid, orange feathery wing behind the next doorway as more writing appears below the original message, still scrawled but in a way that reads as more natural handwriting.]

Come on, dude, don't walk in on people while they're changing, even if it's just scene changing.

--

[B: jesus christ it's bears get in the car Charms, August 5th]

[Okay, so maybe Davesprite picked up one of these charms to try and get into the spirit of the occasion. And it also might have been a cursed one, because Davesprite has never been a particularly reverent person when it comes to superstitions.

He is definitely reconsidering that attitude now that he's somehow managed to draw two black bears to the bottom of the tree he's now curled himself close to the top of.]

Alright, alright, fuck, okay, the bear charm works, now can someone take it away before I have to fuck up what I'm sure are some perfectly nice bears.

[He could also fly away, but that risks someone getting attacked while the bears wander back to...wherever they came from.]

--

[C: existential phone memes, Evening August 5th]

[Well, Davesprite sure did manage to finally toss that bear charm into the blessed fire. It was kind of cathartic, all things considered, even if he did mostly answer the text to see who exactly the fuck thought sending a text like that out was a good idea right now.

Now he's laid himself out right near the fire, both wings stretched away from the fire so he doesn't accidentally get toasted by a stray spark. If anyone approaches him, he'll offer a somewhat half-assed wave before dropping his hand.]

So. Bears. How was your day. [He sounds about as done as it's possible to be while still being completely deadpan.]

phone memes

[minogame]

( He gladly tossed this no good awful bad luck of a fake 5 yen coin into the fire and takes a seat net to Davesprite with a loud, heavy, sigh. Boy is he glad you asked because he sure does have a story to tell! )

A vending machine took my money then I lost my wallet and then my shoe fell down a well and Himechan fell right after it and I almost got hit by a bunch of bicycles and then someone threw water out their window and it hit me...! And a bunch of spirits chased me in the haunted house too and I couldn't get out!

( It's been a no good awful bad day. )

It was awful!

Urashima | OTA

[minogame]

Spirited Festivals

( He'd told everyone he was going to go to the haunted house and nothing is going to stop him! As he waits in line with someone else (he'd either run into or invited along), he listens to the screams and sobs coming from inside the haunted house. )

Uuu…

( He was feeling pretty brave when they first got here. He was feeling brave the whole hour they waited in line! But now that their turn is coming up, he's beginning to get the chills and he glances back. )

Did you feel that? ( He looks a little spooked, ) I felt a chill down my back…!
( Its not too late to abort?! )

Cursed Charms - Bad Luck

( For the most part, Urashima is a lucky kid. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that fluffy tailed turtle he's always with is a rare and lucky symbol here in Japan. But today is just not his day. He'd picked up a lucky charm from a temple to hopefully keep him out of trouble but it looks like he's grabbed the wrong one. This is a fake charm and he's had nothing but bad luck all day.

He's running around trying to chase away all of these menacing spirits when he suddenly had to stop…

You can find Urashima crouched next to a storm drain, missing one slipper, and trying to figure out how to get his shoe back. )

WHO WAS PHONE?

( At the temple with everyone else, Urashima hadn't even thought about the message. He wasn't the only one who received it and he'd decided to come along the moment Oona said she was going to go too. He's sitting next to the fire watching people dispose of their cursed and old charms when he begins to catch some of the conversations around him. Huh? No one knows who invited them?

He pulls out his phone and scrolls through the message a bit as if hoping to find some sort of clue. Nothing. There's no way to track the sender? )

Huh… ( He was just listening to others talk but now he's thinking out loud, ) What if the phone sent the message?

Wildcard

( Choose your own adventure! If you want to plot, hit me up on plurk at eski! )

bad luck

[revolutionfalcon]

[At this point, Shun's thanking his good sense that he managed to actually get a legitimate omamori when he went out looking for one instead of whatever the charms that are giving people hell are. He's just on his way to check out another suspicious area when he passes by Urashima...apparently very focused on a storm drain.

Given the current circumstances, his first assumption is entirely different from what's actually happening, and he heads over to peer alongside him into the drain.]

There'd better not be more of those damn things hiding down there. This place is already in bad enough shape.

Sakura | OTA

[festal]

Spirited Festival

( Being a priestess, she's always had a strange sense for these things. She was drawn to the haunted house and only wanted to confirm that this strange feeling she was sensing was coming from it. But she'd wandered a little to close and had been pushed inside with the next group of patrons. )

W-wait, no…! ( She tries to go back but the crowd pushes her in like a wave. She manages to escape, stepping back and turns back to leave through the entrance only…

It isn't there anymore? ) Where…?

( Someone sneezes. A thundering sound effect rumbles through the haunted house. And when she hears someone approaching her, she shrieks, turning around to slap whoever is coming towards her. )

S-stay back!

Haunting Hour

( Sakura hates being afraid. She's frightened very easily and she doesn't want to be out here at this hour. The shadows are bigger and there's something strange about all of them. There's a rotten smell in the air and she just wants to turn around and leave. Maybe she can head back to that festival? She'd only wanted a moment to clear her head and still her heart…

She's heading back to the festival when she spots you, )

Um…! Wait, I d-don't think you should be out here alone!

WHO WAS PHONE?

( There's a sacred fire and this is something she knows she can do. As others begin to arrive, she'll go to take their charms and help dispose of them, tossing them into the fire. As the charm burns, she lets out a sigh of relief,. )

Good riddance…

Wildcard

( Choose your own adventure! If you want to plot, hit me up on plurk at eski! )

Haunting Hour

[declamando]

[It's difficult not to notice how oppressive and chilling things are getting at this time of night since the new month started. Maria was planning to look in on the festival on her way back from work, but she's just having second thoughts when she hears Sakura speak up.

Turning sharply, as if startled by the voice but not quite enough to show it properly, Maria eases a little when she recognises who it is. It doesn't make her look any less uncomfortable, though.]

I'm starting to think that myself, but not being out here alone goes for you as well.

Tatsuya Enomoto | OTA

[hackberrydragon]

a. I thought they were native to Australia?

HEY! NO! BAD BEAR!

[ If one would be wandering past a local park today, one would be able to catch sight of something quite unusual: Enomoto playing tug of war with a medium sized black bear using the saber he has strapped to his side. ]

Come on... give it back... good bear. Give!

[ And as he's tugging the sword, he's starting to back away and seems to be heading to a tree where another bear is standing in the branches. Said bear seems to be waiting for the right moment, as if wanting to get the ...drop... on Eno. ]

--

b. All up in flames...

[ Good freaking riddance. At least the bears are gone. You can find him by the fire, sitting and inspecting the scabbard of his sword. There's a small grumble as he holds it to the light.

There are tiny bite marks on the scabbard. Nothing too big but if you're picky, they're definitely there. ]

...you'd think a bear charm would keep the bears away...

A.

[redmare]

[It was quite a sight, seeing tug of war with a bear. Chinatsu wasn't sure whether to step in or not, ar least, not until he was about to stumble back into a bear trap.]

AH! WATCH OUT!

[Her feet move on their own and she leaps in to push him out of the bear's war, tumbling down onto the ground with him.]

Maria Cadenzavna Eve | OTA

[declamando]

[A: Possessions, August 1st-3rd]

[It's really quite something waking up to see one of your dresses dancing and twirling like it's having the time of its life in the middle of your room. Maria's waking call on the first day of the haunting season is exactly that, and it only keeps happening the next few days, various skirts and shirts and dresses carrying themselves away to drape themselves out over an awkward branch or splash into the river by the temple.

Occasionally, one of them will find its way out the top of the cave that houses the temple, floating down to the ground outside with Maria in pursuit after she climbs the tree up far enough. The wayward clothing is definitely going to be floating itself towards whoever happens to be nearby, but not before Maria hurls herself off the outside of the cave walls to crash-tackle it to the ground.]

Got you! [It's a tone of immense frustration, though it clears up some when she turns her head to whoever she just did that in front of.] Sorry. It's been like this all morning.

--

[B: Charms (Fear), August 4th-5th]

[Considering the talk of curses a bit of harmless fun compared to what goes on in her world, Maria picks up a "cursed", but rather nice-looking mirror on the 4th. It's not until she's passing by the setup for one of the weekend festivals that anything seems amiss - the very sight of the decorations puts a shiver down her spine, and as she starts to back off and think about maybe walking back to her shrine in another direction, it's entirely possible she'll back into someone she's not looking out for.

She doesn't quite scream, but she does gasp very loudly and in obvious panic before rounding on the person behind her...before realising that it's indeed a person, and immediately breaking out in an embarrassed flush.]

Couldn't you have spoken up? It's the middle of haunting season, isn't it? [It's politer than most people probably would have made it, but she still sounds a little ticked at having been scared like that.]

--

[C: no john you are the phones, Evening August 5th]

[Thankfully, when Maria gets over her sudden and crippling fear enough to head out to see what that message is all about, she spots others throwing objects into the fire and still has the presence of mind to realise what that probably means. Nice mirror as it is, she's been more and more on edge since she found it, and though she stands well back as if the fire might bite her if she gets closer, she tosses it into the inferno.

As soon as it's consumed, a weight seems to come off her chest, and she breathes out in relief before sitting sharply down on an abandoned tree stump, looking very haggard all of a sudden.]

I've heard of a magic mirror before, but honestly...

B.

[sweetdeath]

Sorry! I thought you saw me!

[He also hadn't expected her to back away from the decorations on what looks like a house some kids are decorating for a test of courage. The spiderwebs in the windows are obviously fake, and so are the spooky cut-outs. Tsuzuki eyes her dubiously.]

Are you okay?

Misaki Yata | OTA

[thevanguard]

A. Spirited Festivals

[ Yata is here on a dare.

Mostly because that is literally the only way he would be caught at one of these things, and from the tense and almost paranoid way he keeps glancing around him as he waits in line for one of these Haunted House tours, it shows that he is not enjoying himself at all. Especially when someone comes up and taps him on the shoulder and he jumps nearly a foot in the air in his surprise, despite the hyper-vigilant watch he'd been keeping. ]

Shit, man, don't sneak up on someone like that!

B. Cursed Charms

(( OOC: Dealer's choice on which you want to play! Preference for bad luck, fear, evil or sickness, but will take any! ))
[ Yata has considerable bad luck on most days ending in y anyway, so the fact that he ends up with a charm that is cursed should be a surprise to no one. In fact, he keeps seeming to stumble across them and ending up with them with increasing frequency (Maybe that's his bad luck being doubled and triples? Does this status effect stack? Apparently yes.) Which is why during the span of a few days, he finds himself in possession of a number of them until he figures out what's going on, but that doesn't mean he's any less affected when another one somehow finds its way into his possession.

....He's beginning to suspect this is a conspiracy. ]

C. Haunting Hour

[ The last thing Yata wants to be doing is hanging out anywhere ghosts might show up and scare him more. But at least he's here with a purpose tonight. Still looking jumpy and paranoid, he's at least got a trusty bat with him this time as he skates down one of the streets, just as a cold wind sweeps by him, carrying with it a scent that sets his teeth on edge, the hair raising on the back of his neck. ]

Dammit, show yourselves so I can beat the shit out of you assholes!

D. THEN WHO WAS PHONE?

[ He wants no part in the ghost stories. He'd mostly shown up because he wanted answers (because someone was obviously behind all this trolling of him, right?) Although once he got here and just found more people as clueless as him, he started to suspect that he wasn't going to find what he was looking for. By this time, it's more than obvious he's been having a Very Bad Week.

Oh well. At least, the fire at the shrine was a great place to burn the rest of those cursed charms... ]

E. Wildcard!

(( OOC: Hit him up with anything! Yata hates scary things like ghosts and spooky stuff, so obviously I am open to people tossing all manner of things at him to exploit this. )) ]

A.

[redmare]

[Chinatsu jumps when she's suddenly yelled at.]

Wha-- I wasn't sneaking up on you! I came in after you did!

[She huffs, crossing her arms.]

I was just gonna ask if you were going the right way.

[Because it's totally not that she's lost and has no idea where to go.]

Elfnein | ota

[alchemists]

1. Possessed possessions

[ Books were falling off shelves, chairs weren’t in their places and a weird white noise was also playing. Elfnein’s library temple was slowly becoming a place where it would be hard to study and read books. Of course, this was happening everywhere and it wasn’t only this temple that was being tossed around. ]

“If you have issues with the current spirits making a mess please see Elfnein.”

[ She had used her power to write a bunch of flashing notes in the air in high traffic places. If there was one thing Elfnein knew how to handle it was talking to people and trying to solve the issue with science. It’s ghost busting time, or ghost reasoning time. ]

2. Wild card

[ ota ]

[1wing]

[ Well, if Elfnein says she can help, then Tsubasa is going to ask her. So off he goes to her temple, knocking on the door as one does. ]

Elfnein?

Toushirou Hitsugaya | OTA

[freezetheheavens]

A. Haunting Hour

[Toushirou is very familiar with the haunting season. It’s always been one of the busier days back in his world since wandering spirits attract Hollows and those were always a pain to deal with. So, it’s not really any surprise when he sees a sudden influx of spirits popping up.

It would make sense for ayakashi to come out too, wouldn’t it?

Somewhere along the way, he’s gotten a young ghost child attached to him, clinging onto his hand. It doesn’t seem to faze him with having the ghost attached to him, only pausing briefly when he hears the child whimper, the spirit clutching his hand tightly.

When he hears someone approaching, his eyes flicker to them, expression wary as the spirit tries to hide behind him.]

B. Cursed Charms

[He’s quickly becoming very done with this.

While he doesn’t purchase any of the cursed trinkets, he’s also quickly avoiding anyone who might be trying to pass it off to him.

Until someone managed to stick a bear charm on him.

Anyone passing by will see Toushirou looking somewhat annoyed as a bear cub nuzzles against his leg. However, he’s also not oblivious to the murderous mama bear slowly stalking towards him.]

C. Wildcard

[Anyone can run into Toushirou whether he’s being followed by some horde of spirits or him watching some spirits possessing a poor soul’s belongings. If there’s something you wanna do and none of the other prompts interest you, make up one of your own or hit me up at seabutterfly]

Haunting Hour

[redmare]

[She stops once he turns to look at her, holding her hands up to show she means no harm.]

Ah--so it is you!

[Not many people with that hair around. As much as she's rather not interact with the guy, Chinatsu had to admit that she wasn't comfortable being out there alone. She figured at least being near other people would be better than being completely on her own. Since their last interaction wasn't exactly pleasant, she dud try to keep her distance.]

Sorry, I was uh..heading the same way so...

Hibiki Shikyoin ♔ OTA

[priforprince]

[ I. - Possessed Possessions ]



NOW WHAT?!

[ That shout was loud enough to be heard even outside of Apollo's Temple, but perhaps that's because the door isn't hanging straight yet. Something just slipped inside said door through said door, however.

Something leaving drops of water on the ground, and smelling faintly of tea leaves. ]

[ II. - Spirited Festivals ]



There's no need to rush.

[ Hibiki has her hands folded in the sleeves of a new yukata - the old one got eaten by ayakashi - and she's smirking as she strolls, calm as can be, towards the haunted house into which people have been vanishing. Said yukata is deep purple with golden suns whose rays resemble crowns embroidered upon it. Golden laurels gleam in her hair.

She might be here on Apollo Business. Just a hunch. ]

But, entertainment that causes distress cannot be tolerated. Those besmirching its name are as good as dealt with.

[ And she promptly....stops to admire some painted fans on display. Good as dealt with, okay? She's got this.

Eventually. ]

[ III. - A New Kind of Phantom ]



[ Perhaps you've made yourself known on the network as a detective or a hero. Perhaps you've been inquiring about the murders. Perhaps this message was sent to you by mistake, but whatever the reason, you have been delivered the following message on an ornate card: ]

In the season of spirits, a phantom hosts a sumptuous party. I shall descend upon the History Museum for the Sword of the Sun King at 10 pm.

[ This message remains unsigned. A quick Internet search will reveal that a traveling exhibit of ancient European weaponry is currently being hosted at, yes, a history museum. A quick Internet search of said history museum, in turn, will pull up forums where people have been reporting rumors that the museum is currently haunted.

Do you check it out? Or do you dismiss it as a summertime prank? ]

I.

[redmare]

[The voice took her by surprise. Man did they sound upset. Actually, they sounded pretty familiar. Chinatsu notices something slipping through the door into the temple, but she didn't catch what it was. This is the part of the scary movie where you criticize the character for following unknown objects-- but it's not like the temple looked suspicious. Knocking on he door gently, she enters.]

Hello? I'm coming in--

[sweetdeath]

Possessed Possessions - August 1

[It's laundry day, and it had gone exactly as usual until the very moment that Tsuzuki heaved the futons over the pole he'd set up outside Sakura's temple to air them, and delivered the first swat with his bent-wood paddle to shake the dust out and soften up the compacted stuffing.

That had been the point when the paddle turned itself in his hand and delivered a stinging swat right to his shoulder in apparent revenge.]

Ow!

[It wriggles itself free of a grip that's gone loose with shock and starts after him as he makes a dash for safety, managing somehow to keep up and keep delivering smacks to his legs, his back, the arms he's desperately covering his head with, and anything else that it can reach.]

Ow, stop it! Help!

[In the battle of Tsuzuki vs. the Futon Beater, it appears that Tsuzuki is losing in a rout.]

Cursed Charms/Bad Luck - August 2 & 3

[It'd seemed weird that someone had left a charm sitting next to the donation box at Sakura's shrine on the Near Shore, and Tsuzuki'd pocketed it, thinking he'd have to look for the owner. It's clearly not a new charm: it's a little scuffed, the cord meant to support it slightly frayed and discolored by sunlight, but he hasn't managed to figure out if there's anything on it to connect it to the person who left it there.

He's been too busy, because it seems like ever since he picked up the charm, he's been reeling from one disaster to the next. He can be found mourning a freshly planted flowerbed dug up by rabbits, dashing for and barely missing the train back to Sakura's nearest temple on his shopping trip to the Near Shore -- and then losing his grip on his shopping bag to send it tumbling down over the edge of the platform and right under the wheels of the train as it starts to move....

... tripping on a stone on the pathway and taking a header into a Heavenly canal, then emerging without realizing he's torn the seat of his slacks wide open in the tumble and is mooning half the Heavens on his way back home to shower and change....

By evening on the 3rd, Tsuzuki's sitting safely on Sakura's porch with a fresh can of Sapporo, looking despondent and staring at the little charm as it twists in the wind between his fingers.]

Are you mad at me? I swear I'm trying to get you back home! I promise!

[He's sorry! ... And boy, does he need a drink. He's not getting it right now, though, because as he absently pops the tab on his beer, it's immediately frothing over in every direction and soaking his lap. He jolts upright, dropping the charm and trying to fumble the beer can out away from his body as the spray goes everywhere.]

Then who was phone?

[Tsuzuki's lurking dubiously around the edge of the party, checking the shadows over his shoulder every few seconds. He looks like he's about to jump out of his skin... and, when he steps back to get out of someone's way and runs into someone else, he almost does.]

Aaaaah!

Oh. Uh -- hi.

[He rubs the back of his neck, offering an embarrassed smile.]

I didn't see you there!

possessed possessions

[priforprince]

This is a new low.

[ Hibiki has stopped by with some Japanese sweets for Sakura, but her entertainer's soul could not help but attract her steps to, well, what appears to be a sideshow.

Welcome to knowing someone from a running-gag comedy. You're A Bad Butler is now your Thing. ]

[reformedsinner]

Spirited Festivals

[It's just a small local festival in a town that is technically part of the greater Tokyo metro area but realistically enough of a backwater that the sidewalks drop off into rice fields every other block and a significant number of the houses are growing moss in the roof tiles and holes in the balcony screens. The haunted house that the local junior high has set up in a textile store rented for the purpose shouldn't be scaring anyone older than the age of ten...

... and yet, grown adults are stumbling out of it white-faced and shaking, hours after they'd gone in. There's a group of high-schoolers clustered together by the entrance, staring in.

Hakkai insinuates himself into their murmuring group with a light step, and leans over to murmur -- hoping his voice will be mistaken for a classmate's:]

What's wrong?

[The nearest girl, hands white-knuckled where they're clasped in front of her chest, whispers back: Mika and Tomoe didn't come out with the rest of us! They're lost in there!

A dire rattle, like wind through bamboo, shakes the building, and the group of teenagers bunches closer together in terror. Hakkai exhales, considers the haunted house and its obvious aura of corrupt spiritual energies, and sets off for the door at a brisk walking pace, dropping a hundred-yen coin into the box set to collect entry fees as he goes.

(After all, he may as well support school activities.)]

Cursed Charms

[There's been an rash of sicknesses lately, and Hakkai's busy with sudden prayers from his -- from Li's -- followers: he's been out and about these past few days, and every house he's visited has something, somewhere, with a polluted aura about it hanging on the wall or even in the sickroom itself. He's been quietly collecting them, leaving a few capped vials of medicine or sachets of herbs for infusions and neatly written instructions for the mortals who will be left with a vague sense that surely an herbalist must have stopped by, how kind of him to make a home visit, how odd they can't remember his face or name.

He's collected a whole basket full of the little charms by a few days into April, and it might look, to anyone who checks closely, as though his shoulders are slumped just a bit more than usual, as though his movements are slightly slower, his back held more rigid, his eyes a bit rimmed with red.

He's fine, though. He's definitely fine. He's perfectly okay --

-- at least, that's what he tells everyone, until, halfway between his temple and the school building on August 3rd, he stops in his tracks, raises one hand to his head, wavers, and pitches over face-first towards the path.]

Cursed Charms

[revolutionfalcon]

[While Shun hasn't quite pinpointed effects yet, he's well aware there's charms going around that seem to be having the exact opposite effect to what they're supposed to be. Largely, he's been countering them by nudging people around temples to get rid of them in favour of a genuine charm, but that can only do so much.

He's midway through a patrol when he notices someone collapse from a distance, and immediately heads over to check on the situation. Admittedly, once he gets close enough to actually identify who it is, he pauses for a few moments as if weighing up whether it's actually worth it, but eventually sighs quietly and takes the last few steps over. He might not like Hakkai, but they're on civil enough terms that abandoning him in this state would still feel a bit low.

That doesn't mean he has to handle him with any particular decorum, though, and given Shun doesn't know where Hakkai's temple is, he instead elects to take him back to the school building. Which will likely involve grabbing his legs under one arm and dragging him rather unceremoniously back that way if Hakkai doesn't wake up in time to stop him.]

Wendy - ota

[nopixiedust]

A - Possessed Possessions

[Those wandering around near Hibiki's temple- although not too near, but the trees that are closest to the ridiculous sprawling palace that is her temple- will hear a rustling up in the trees and what is apparently nervous creaking.]

[There is also Wendy's voice.]

This is your last chance, and you're frankly pretty lucky that it took me this log. But you have only this time to buck up and start heating things up like they should be.

[Those who look up will find her perched effortlessly on a branch, holding out.... a very fancy looking and very fragile teapot. It's what the creaking is coming from.]

[Wendy isn't looking impressed.]

Do you know how many teacups we go through in a day? A week? If I have to clean those up for much stupider reasons, then I'm not going to hesitate in sending you crashing.

B is for Bears

Uh...

[It'd been a cute little charm, she'd thought. Bears are cute when you don't have to deal with them up close.]

[The problem right now is that they're very close. A bunch of them. In the middle of a god damn street near one of Apollo's shrines that Wendy had been trying to check up on.]

[The shinki in question is partially up a pole, her tiny frame wrapped around it tight as she clings with all her might.]

[HELP]

C - Haunting Hour

[The small gaggle of elementary school girls look petrified as they linger near the gates of their school, sticking close together and linking hands. The talk of a stalker or murderer has swept through the school, but they don't have any adult to walk them home...]

[Out of the group, however, a certain familiar Far Shore face is there, dressed in an eye catching galaxy patterned uniform. Smacking into one hand is a small baseball bat, retrieved from the gym. (Thanks, Far Shore invisibility.) Don't ask what's in her backpack.]

[But you know what! She's got weapons, she's got borderlines, and she's got her hair in a cute butterfly bun. Let's do this.]

Alright! Let's go! If we dilly dally around here for too long, then it'll get dark, and worse things will happen! [The girls squeak in fear and huddle closer to their apparent new leader, even as she leads the way.] We won't let anything harass us!

[And for anyone nearby? Well, that bat is getting swung to point in their direction.]

Hey! Are you just going to let a group of kids wander off with a crazed murderer on the loose!? Come here and escort us!

[You aren't getting a choice in this.]

D - Who was phone?

[Wendy comes onto the grounds looking harried and annoyed, and that only gets worse when she does a quick sweep around and realizes no one with any answers is there. With a frustrated shout, she flings the bear charm as hard as she can manage into the fire.]

I guess it would be too much to ask to get answers!

[Although really she just wanted to kick someone in the balls for gifting her that damn charm.]

C

[revolutionfalcon]

[Once Shun had spotted the group of unsupervised children still out at this hour, with things as hellish as they've been lately, he'd already been headed over to see if he could help them out. Once he recognises Wendy amongst them, though, he's not altogether surprised to get a bat swung to point at him, and he just raises an eyebrow at her rather flatly before letting out a breath of frustration.]

I was already halfway to doing that. Point that bat somewhere useful.

[Casting a glance behind him, he brings a hand to his side, where there's a sword safely concealed under his coat.] There shouldn't be as much trouble the way I came. Come on, and stay together.

Garry - OTA

[artificialrose]

A - Spirited Festivals

[The sad thing is... Garry hasn't even gotten into one of the haunted houses before being sick with terror.]

[Literally, practically sick. Just getting into the shopping center was a trial with how many posters seem to have been plastered everywhere advertising haunted houses and scary movies. With one hand bracing him against a wall, he bends over slightly with his mouth covered. With how the chills are going up and down him, he guesses he should be glad he brought a second layer even though it's the summertime...]

Why... Just what is the obsession with scary things this time of year!? I can't deal with this...

[Then again, maybe it's not just his general fear of horror... but the uncanny valley affect of some of the dolls and humanoid props that some haunted houses are using.]

B - Haunting Hour

[You know who never learned about all the Japanese mythological lore, including things like Oumagatoki?]

[Probably the poor foreigner running his ass off down the street while pursued by a small hoard of ayakashi, screeching as he puts those long legs to use.]

[SAVE HIM]

C - Wildcard
[I'm game for anything else you can come up with?]

A

[asterflower]

[Oh that is one unhappy and sick person... Shion wanders over and places a gentle hand on the other's shoulder.]

Are you feeling alright? ... I think the festival is supposed to pay homage to spirits. I guess everyone gets a little carried away.

[Can he get you some water or something?]

narumiya mei | ota!

[koshien]

possessed possessions.

[ narumiya mei would like to start by saying that he does not deserve any of this.

admittedly, he'd seen the post on the network about spooky ghosts and just laughed it off, because ghosts aren't real! they're just something made up by people who need a reason to be scared!

on the morning of the first, everything is calm in huitzilpochtli's temple. the sun is shining. the birds are singing. it's a completely and utterly peaceful day. ]

--GET BACK HERE!!

[ except when it totally isn't. that would be none other than the sun god himself yelling at the top of his lungs, because the thing that is causing him so much trouble this morning is not either of his shinki, but rather, a pair of plain white baseball pants. it seems that the haunting has made them "grow legs", so to speak, and the haunted pants go tearing down the marble stairs and straight past any unsuspecting visitors or passerby, right in time for mei to suddenly appear at the base of the temple.

...he's not pantsless, but he's definitely got a pair of clearly too big pajama pants (either kazuya's or sanada's) that he's holding up with his left hand, and he's still got the remnants of what looks like a face mask on his cheeks. he's half dressed, hair still a mess, toothbrush spat out on the forest floor as he tears after the haunted baseball pants like a bat out of hell, stumbling forward and windmilling his arms before he gets going.

help him? laugh at him? get run into? mei is suffering here. ]

cursed charms.

[ continuing this theme, mei doesn't deserve this.

he'd been given a little gift by a cute girl earlier in the day, so of course mei's not really going to say no. after all, he helped save her from the haunted house earlier in the day! of course, ever since getting the charm, he's been feeling a little...well, under the weather. ]

Ahh-choo! [ mei sneezes, loudly, in the middle of the streets, and rubs his hands against his arms. he doesn't get sick often, which means that he is certified Miserable, which means he's definitely not above complaining. (not that he is usually, either.)

he jams his hands into the pockets of his (no longer haunted) baseball pants and shivers, swaying a little as he walks through the streets. though he doesn't pass out or anything, he ends up pausing at a stopping point with other spirits and people around, leaning forward, and bonking his forehead gently into the person in front of him's back (or shoulder, depending on height.)

he didn't do it on purpose. someone's not looking so good... ]

wildcard.

[ feel free to come up w/ anything you want! i'm open to it all ♥ ]

gutbuster icon to arrive shortly

[neraiuchi]

[ So.

Miyuki had been minding his own business in the bathroom, having gotten up and made some food (mostly for him, but also for Mei, because he is a gigantic mooch), before going to take a shower. Now, things in the Far Shore aren't boring around this time of the month. Never, ever boring. New arrivals come in, something happens - good or bad - and it's a constant revolving door of stuff.

So, you know. Mei coming tearing into his room, and then out again, to subsequently shriek like a banshee on the way out of the temple...

Well, he has to come and find out what's going on? So Kazuya abandons what he was doing to meander out after him, shirt slung over a shoulder and towel ruffling his hair as he trots down the marble steps to find out what's going on.

That's about when the pants come out of nowhere to go running. ]

What the hell?

Izuku Midoriya | OTA

[fullcowl]

A. Bad Romance

[So here's the thing, people will sometimes toss odds at ends at Izuku because as a Far Shore resident, he sure doesn't register as taking up space most of the time. So he maybe ended up with a cursed doll.

And he's maybe more annoyed than he usually is. Every single thing seems to be fraying at his nerves. (Is this what Bakugou feels all the time? This is miserable.)

Admittedly he also looks like he's been having a hard time sleeping. The kind of creepy old doll in his hands may also be a cause for concern.]

B. Then who was phone?

[Part of him says "Go deal with it" and the other is wondering if it's a trap. It's probably a trap but people are so trusting- He can't leave it alone if it actually is a trap so even though he'd rather hole himself up in his room right now, he's there.]

Do you know who sent that phone message?

A

[lostinshadows]

....Deku...you okay?

[Has the lack of sleep finally caught up with you?]

Lavi | OTA

[lostinshadows]

A. Possessed Possessions

Get back here!

[Better watch out.

There’s a familiar silver bird hair clip suddenly zooming past you, quickly followed by a redhead.

Lavi chases after the hair clip, growling.]

Give it back already! That’s not even mine!

[There’s some giggling that can be heard as Lavi tries to grab the fleeing hair clip.]

B. Cursed Charms - Sick

[Honestly, he wasn’t even interested in any of the charms. Sure, they looked interesting, and eventually, he was tricked into holding onto one of the charms.

It took about an hour before the effects finally kick in, making Lavi feel sick.

Anyone who runs into Lavi might find him trying to balance himself by a nearby tree. There’s an arm outstretched to touch the trunk while his free hand was covering his face.

Feel free to come check on the poor soul. Just—don’t be surprised if he collapses the moment you’re in arm’s reach of him.]

C. Then Who Was Phone?

[After finally managing to get rid of the annoying charm, Lavi is seated around the fire, looking very much done with it all.]

How annoying.

[He looks over the text message again before he gently taps his phone against his forehead.

Can this whole thing be over now?]

Sick

[priforprince]

That is hardly the posture befitting an investigator.

[ MORE PEOPLE GOT KILLED, ONE OF HER IDOLS IS CRYING, CLEARLY THIS WHOLE MURDER NONSENSE IS A SLIGHT AGAINST SHIKYOIN HIBIKI PERSONALLY

ALSO SHE IS HAVING A VERY WEIRD DAY

but she has her horse back, so there's that. And here, therefore, is Hibiki on a purple horse. The back of her hair is messy. She does not realize this. ]

What do you think you're doing?

Ronald Knox | OTA

[diehardreaper]

a. All's fair in love and ayakashi? - Baron's Temple
[ He would've hated this season, is what the reaper can't help but bitterly think. Ghosts everywhere. Would've been up to him to drive them away. Tell the loa to get them to back off.

Both of them would have hated all these ghosts.

But anyone who ventures around the manor will find the river... and a particular god with dual toned hair pacing the riverbank. ]

FINE! BE THAT WAY! I NEVER WANTED THIS RUDDY PROMOTION TO BEGIN WITH!

[ It's yelled into the sky, as if he wanted to direct his anger to the very heavens themselves. With that, he picks up a pebble and chucks it as far as it can go. If it lands in the river, it doesn't make a sound. But he's left with his shoulders heaving as he stumbles over to lean against a tree. His only hand moves up to punch the tree --Which causes all the leaves to fall right on him.

Someone isn't having a good day… ]

--

b. Like water off the back of a duck - Phone

[ But then again, he's never been one to wallow in his troubles. One outburst and he's fine again! Kind of. Somewhat. At least until he's all alone… which Is what brings him out and heeding the call of that text. It's better than sitting in his cellar and drinking himself stupid anyway.

So anyone at the temple might catch him puttering around the temple on a red lawnmower he seems to be riding like a moped: his hand on the handle, both feet on the motor. He does put one foot down as he stops, the motor dying down to a soft purr. His hand reaches into his pocket to pull out his phone just so he can show the text. ]

Any idea what this is about? Can't tell me I'm the only one who's gotten it.

[ He seems tired, fairly worn out and his eyes seem red behind the frames of his glasses but as his senior said before him: it's just a job. There's no place for emotion in a job. ]

--

c. Wildcard!
[ Anything goes! HMU on 10778438 if you wanna plot or just gimme something. ]

A

[genkireaper]

[ Given that Botan's taken to flying around for leisurely purposes, it's not hard to hear that shouting. Which is why, by the time Ronald gets to have all of the leaves fall onto him, Botan's finally floating down. ]

It sounds like you're having a very rough day, Mr Knox.

[ To say the very least. ]

Chinatsu Hiyama l OTA

[redmare]

Possessed Possessions: Inside or outside Eris's temple

[It was a regular morning. Chinatsu woke up to the sun light streaming in through her window, lazing in bed for a few more minutes before finally deciding to get up. As she began getting up from bed, something wrapped around her leg. Was she still dreaming..? She turned her head, seeing her futon clinging to her leg. ]

What the--

[And then it pulls her down.

If you're inside the temple, you'll probably here her screaming for help as she tries to fight off her bedding.]

You might also catch her outside, trying to run from the demented futon, wrestling it on the ground, or already wrapped in it like a burrito and struggling to break free like a caterpillar in its chrysalis.

Karma's a bitch.]

Cursed Charms: Fear

[Earlier that day Chinatsu happened upon a street vendor, who much to her surprise noticed her. Maybe she should have been suspicious then, but she didn't give it much thought. After a brief chat and a generous offer, she ended up buying a cute, pocket-sized mirror off of him. Slipping it into her pocket, she continued on with her day.

It started off with small things. Loud sounds startling her or jumping when someone so much as grazed her. It was strange since she wasn't this jumpy, and somehow that got her feeling more anxious. Was this her gut telling her she needed to be careful? Was something bad going to happen? Was someone or something after her?

Suddenly, the people around her all looked suspicious. Who were they, really? What were their intentions? She starts to back away, maneuvering around them cautiously and looking at her surroundings frantically. It felt like everything was spinning. She had to get out of here.

Chinatsu turns to make a run for it, but ends up bumping right into you. She looks up, and you can see the terror in her eyes.]

Wildcard

Want something off menu? Just lemme know! I'm down to figuring something out! mightycheese

A

[declamando]

[Given Maria's been dealing with possessed clothes all morning, the sight of some poor girl wrapped up and trapped in her bedding is probably less shocking than it should be. That doesn't mean Maria's any less sharp about reacting to it, though, hurrying over to yank harshly at the end closest to Chinatsu's head to try and pull it open a bit more. It's quite a strong tug, despite her graceful build.]

Can you roll? I might be able to unwrap it. [While she does sound concerned, she mostly seems serious and focused on getting Chinatsu out of this right now.]

Dust | OTA

[mithrarin]

Betrayal at the House on the Hill

[Haunted house, huh?]

[Sounds kind of entertaining -- probably in a campy way, considering the real stuff shinki and gods have to face. Dust's curious what the inside spectacle is like, but going in there alone seems like it's not any fun at all.]

[So those who walk by might spot the Sen-Mithrarin musing thoughtfully at the entrance to the entertainment... and those he knows get a glance their way and a self-conscious smile.] Hey, want to go in?

The Doomed Curse

[Dust had gotten rid of his cursed charm the second he realized that his luck had turned for the worse... but the bad luck of it clung to him nonetheless, meaning the second charm he picked up had been no more genuine. Which means a very unlucky Dust has been backed into an unfortunate dead-end alleyway, with a massive bear sniffing around the garbage cans while Dust leans back against the bricks at the far end and wonders what to do.]

[He tries to inch forward a step, but the bear lets out a low growl. Dust leans back against the wall, and the bear subsides.]

Great. Now what?

Haunting Hour

[Inevitable as the day: Dust faces down a strange ayakashi, crablike but flying, with his sword held in a reverse grip and his whole body lowered in a combat crouch. The only thing stopping him from engaging it is the knowledge that the fight is mostly futile, when he can't destroy it himself.]

[At least he can buy some time, though -- and holds the creature's attention onto him, instead of others.]

Spooky Scary Skeletons House

[fortune_detective]

[Naoto had come to the weekend festival with the rest of the members of the Izanagi shrine. She'd been a little hesitant to jump at attending, as horror stories and games were never really her thing. However, when even Nanako stepped up bravely, Naoto couldn't very well be the only one to back down. And so, here she was at the festival. At the moment, she'd currently gotten separated from her housemates and was trying to find her way back to them when she passes Dust.]

Hmm? Oh, hello Dust. You came to check out the festival as well?

[It's then that Naoto looks over at the Haunted House attraction he'd gestured towards, and her face turns slightly pale. She does her best to seem as cool and calm as ever.]

Ah! Um... just us two?

Princess Celestia | OTA

[letteropener]

Bearapy Session

...and I know you have an image to uphold, but you simply can't go around menacing people in towns. Especially not big ones. That will just get you hurt.

[Six or seven bears form a semi-circle around the pony, each of them seated comfortably on the park grass, while Celestia gently chides a seventh bruin the way a parent might talk to a child.]

The best thing you can do, if you want to be an outstanding model of a bear, is to be an outstanding model of a bear. Not what modern society thinks a bear is, but what a bear truly is.

[The bear grunts, sounding all the world like it's reluctantly agreeing, and then shuffles back a couple of steps. Celestia regards it with a continuing calm smile, before turning her attention to the others. She's no Fluttershy, but a princess's grace and long experience mean she knows how to deal with an animal or two.]

Now, would any of the rest of you like to tell me what brings perfectly respectable bears into a city on a day like this?

Celestia Firmly Chides Literally Everything

Now this is not funny.

[The pony's eyes stare at the crown that ought to be on her forehead, gripped as it is in front of her in golden light that holds it still more firmly than a vice would.]

You stop messing with other pony's possession right this instance, you young colt of a spirit.

Still A Little Young at Heart?

[In contrast to the serene parent/statespony from before, the afternoon finds Celestia practically bouncing on her heels (which she has, having taken a human form for the nonce) outside a haunted house. Being Princess of Equestria means she never gets to go to these, and when she does they're sanitized and sappy because nopony wants to scare royalty. But here she's practically bereft of title, and all she needs is some company!]

[As tempted as she is to simply magically lasso the nearest person, she does have respect despite her enthusiasm. So instead she quickly turns to approach, her eyes practically shining with anticipation.]

Would you like to go in?

burrs

[pathofheaven]

[ Well, this too is new. A horse talking to bears, and the bears seeming to understand. Tendou stands off to the side, fascinated by this new and interesting view. ]

Respectable bears, huh? But if they were truly bears in a purely bear-like way, surely they wouldn't care much about being respected?

[ Although this is a horse that talks, so who knows? ]

Lenneth Valkyrie | OTA

[nibelungvalesti]

[It began with faint disease, a curious feeling in the pit of her stomach as if an ayakashi were close or an undead threat loomed at the fringes of her perception. And then it progressed to an upset stomach, to weakness of the arms and legs, to a general malaise and misery that is like nothing she has ever experienced.]

[The platinum-haired woman in the faintly medieval dress is down on one knee beside a building, one hand supporting her on the ground and the other hand against the wall for balance, her breath coming in deep gasps as she shudders against the feeling of sickness and profound ill-health that she frankly shouldn't be able to feel at all. The nature of the residents of the Far Shore, though, means that most passing by pay her no more heed than a bush. If any help will come, it will be from a god, or a shinki.]

[twilightdragon]

[Possessed Possessions]

[Corrin is having quite an interesting morning to say the least. She woke up to having her sheets trying to throw her off the bed that she had to transform her hand in order to get out of bed. At least she could get ready for the day without much problems, however breakfast was a different story. She sighed as she poured out another cup of lukewarm tea. She placed the cup on the counter before she stomped over to the kettle.]

Listen! I know I'm not the best tea maker around here, but I'm trying! The least you can do is work with me!

[Yes, Corrin is talking to her kettle. How else can she make it understand? Anyone that comes by the temple will see her arguing with her kettle to make her one good cup of tea so she can move on with her day!]

[Cursed Charms: Fear]

[Corrin heard about the charms being sold around the Near Shore that she wanted to catch the culprit selling them. However, in her haste she forgot about the charm she picked up so she could take it back to have it purified. Now she can't go home without being paranoid about something bad happening to her on the way back. What if she gets hurt? What if she runs into an ayakashi and she can't defend herself? What if something happens back home?

Corrin hasn't been this scared since the first time she left the Northern Fortress. She can do this. She knows she can go back home, get the charm purified then come back to stop the person selling them.

...Or she can just sit at the nearest place that's fine too.

She'll work up the nerve soon.]

[The Mysterious Caller]

[Corrin goes to the spot that the person specified on the phone. Finally, maybe she can get some answers about all the crazy things that's been happening today! When she arrives to the spot she's ready to fight off any crazy ghosts that might come by or a ghost that wants to mess with her when none of that happens. After her day she doesn't mind not having to fight off any ghosts or curses for awhile.

Corrin goes over to take a seat and turns to the nearest person.]

Did you have to fight a ghost today too?

[Wildcard]

[If you'd like to do something else with these prompts hit me up at sunnycrow]

cursed charms!

[gentilitea]

[ Both the Near and the Far Shores appear to be in mayhem once more, and he isn’t even surprised anymore. After chasing down errant teapots and beating down parades of two-bit ayakashi preying on the mortals’ feelings he’s almost surprised to have run into a god for a change, and at such a secluded side road of the Near Shore, to boot.

And it’s that girl again—the one he’d met not long before. He almost decides to simply ignore her and go about his business, except…she seems to be in some distress, and despite his best attempts at acting cold and callous he really can’t help helping other people from time to time.

He clears his throat, to alert her of his approach. ]

Surely you have better places to be.

Cardia | ota

[drops_acid]

Cursed Charms- Fear

[Cardia had refused the special one time sale on handmade accessories the old woman had been so eagerly pushing. They were lovely, but she has to be careful with jewelry. But when the peddler moved on she noticed that one of the hairpins had fallen off the woman's cart. By the time she picked it up though, the woman and her cart had disappeared into the crowd.

And soon after that, Cardia has more important things to deal with. She's normally nervous in crowded places, but only because people might accidentally get hurt. But now she's starting to feel a growing sense of paranoia. Of danger. It feels as if everyone's eyes are on her, like they all know what she is, and any minute now they're going to turn on her. She's had to flee from torch mobs before and is not eager to see another one. She has to escape. To get away. From everyone. They could all be dangerous. They are all dangerous!

This is how she came to be huddled in the corner of a darkened alley, watching the entrance warily. Anyone who gets close will hear a frightened gasp.]

St-stay away from me!

Then Who Was Phone?-

[Cardia was glad to get rid of the cursed hairpin that caused her so much trouble. But... who made all these items? And why? And who sent that message? What reason did they have to conceal themselves? She looks at the message again.]

They said they wanted to talk to us so they must be here somewhere...

charms

[priforprince]

[ A swirl of cape in the shadows. It seems someone was out and about in preparation for a grand event. Green eyes gleam behind a gold mask, and a floppy hat is pushed up on a head. ]

Bonjour, mademoiselle.

[ A pleasant, even kind smile. This gentleperson may be a Phantom Thief, but they're not without sensitivity to others' moods.

Entirely. ] We meet again.