thenearshore | 018 | Season Spirits

018 | Season Spirits

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~

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's... good, Wendy-chan, but it's still not good for you to be out here in the first place. You'll make everyone worry.

[Yeah, she knows, Wendy was already looking for a grownup to escort them. Well, Natsuru can take care of that now that she's here!]

You need someone to look after everyone, right? I promise, I'll do my best!

[Everyone will get home safely on her watch! Including Wendy!]

Still....

[With what happened to Venus, it wasn't like she could just leave a bunch of kids around. At the offer, however, she immediately perks up.]

Really? That'd be great! I know borderlines and things like that, but I don't know if it's a regular person or not.

[She understands Wendy's concern, at least. She's not going to scold her or anything. She just nods and smiles.]

Good! Whatever it is, let's all stick together.

[A short pause, as she looks around.]

Are we going this way...?

[She's late to the plan, whoops.]

No, this way.

[Shaking her head, Wendy points down another street.]

We figured out where everyone lives, so we're trying to get everyone down one route and drop off the girls who live closest! Makes sense, right?

O-Oh... alright.

[She's mildly disoriented by the change in focus. She'd been so sure she noticed the girls seeming to focus on that direction. But Wendy's been here longer, and she trusts her! The girls all seem to look up to her, too. It kind of reminds Natsuru of how everyone (including Wendy) had been patient with her when she was small last month. It's a lot like how she looks up to Hibiki as an idol mentor and Maria as her god, too. If these girls are anything like she was when she was a child for those two days, they definitely need someone to guide them and reassure them. She definitely can't abandon them!]

Then let's go! Um, I guess one of us should lead and the other should follow, to watch for anything behind us...

[What to do? As the grownup, she should take the lead, but the younger girl seems to know the route better. She ponders this for perhaps a moment too long.]

[Natsuru always seems a little unsure- somehow it seems a little like when she'd been a child for that while. Wendy gives her a couple of moments, looking around to make sure that nothing is coming around, before she feels a bit bad for the older girl.]

Do you want to lead? Aneka-chan's house is first, so she can point it out to you.

[Natsuru hadn't realized she'd been debating it for such a long moment. She snaps back to attention at the sound of Wendy's voice, and her suggestion makes everything click. That's right, she could just listen to the girls! She knows at least Wendy is reliable, and won't let her get them lost.]

Y-Yeah, I probably should! I have to take responsibility, after all.

[She sounds like she's being reluctantly shoved into this role. She doesn't feel that way, but it would be much easier to be a leader if she'd been here for the planning process.

Smiling at the sea of girls' faces, she adds:]

So, you'll all follow Oneechan, won't you? Wendy-chan will make sure nothing comes up behind us, and I'm counting on you all to show me where your houses are so we can get you safely home.

[With that, she takes a position at the head of the group, and takes them in the right direction this time. Still, she regularly glances back to Wendy and the girls, to make sure everything is proceeding according to plan and no one looks lost or uncertain. Honestly, she still looks a little uncertain herself. But she's trying her best.]

[There's an obedient chorus of agreement, and then the small party of children follows her along. Meanwhile, in the back, Wendy stands on the tips of her toes as she watches Natsuru. Ah... maybe she should have taken the lead instead... Older people usually do on their own, sure, but Wendy also babysits Hibiki on a daily basis. She knows it's not always clear cut.]

[So after making sure nothing is lurking around on the tail end of things, she calls over to her.]

Everythin fine, Natsuru?

I think so!

[She feels pretty confident for now, even if her words aren't. Wendy will also overhear her speaking to the children a little bit.]

Ah, is this your house, Aneka-chan? Alright...

[The group pauses for a moment, while Natsuru makes sure Aneka makes it to her door and inside her house safely. That's one down! She's feeling pretty good now... except there's an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach the further she leads the girls along this route. She can't explain it, so she's sure it's nothing. Yet it's clearly affecting her, making her seem more and more uncertain while a couple of the girls try to keep her leading them on the right path.]

It's getting a little dark, isn't it? We should hurry and get everyone back...

[It seems like just an ordinary, mundane thing. But is it?]

Edited (accidental click, whoops) 2017-08-12 02:18 (UTC)

[It seems like all the girls are being good and helpful, so Wendy focuses on keeping an eye on things in the back. So it takes a moment for her to realize that Natsuru is looking around uncertainly.]

[Quietly, she tells the girls in the back to keep holding hands and not let go before she starts to make her way up to the front. It's with a gentle touch that she reaches over to touch Natsuru's arm.]

Is something wrong?

[Natsuru jumps ever so slightly at the touch, relieved when she turns and sees it's just Wendy.]

N-No, not at all! It's just... [She pauses for a moment, unsure of whether she should bother Wendy with something like this. It's better to be honest, though, right? She'll just try her best not to scare anyone.] ... The shadows are getting kind of creepy. But it's nothing to worry about.

[What a flashback this is turning out to be. Reassuringly, she pats Natsuru's hand.]

It's gotten pretty late and dark- that's normal right? It's probably why all these rumors are popping up. But you don't have to worry. We can handle things together, right?

[Natsuru doesn't consciously recall what's so familiar about all of this in the moment. She's too focused on being Responsible and trying her best to get all of these girls (Wendy included!) to safety. But the pat on her hand and the calming tone of Wendy's voice help her anxiety, just like they had the last time. Arguably, the most time they'd spent together so far was when Natsuru definitely needed looking after. It's easy to slip back into that pattern of behavior without even realizing it.

Being careful not to speak too loudly, she leans in closer to Wendy and half-whispers.]

It's just that, if something really is out there...

[She trails off, letting herself imagine the possibilities for a second before Wendy's attempt at comforting her breaks through. That is true... she'd gotten so caught up in thinking of Wendy as one of the large group of children here, that she'd forgotten she should be just as capable of a shinki as anyone by now. It still doesn't sit quite right with her not keeping an eye on the smaller girl, but she thinks she can at least trust her to help.

Or, that's how she rationalizes her feelings to herself. While still looking around at the shadows, seeming a little concerned, she nonetheless gives an emphatic nod in reply.]

Right. We can help each other.

[She looks back to make sure the remaining girls are still okay, and scanning the background for any imposing shadows nearby. While she does, her hand moves near the one Wendy had been giving that reassuring pat with, her own fingers brushing against Wendy's.]

[Patiently, Wendy waits for Natsuru to absorb what she's said. It's nothing she can't repeat, or drive in further.... But better for them to keep moving while they can. She's a little worried that it might not go through- but then she's nodding and Wendy grins.]

Exactly! We'll be fine.

[Taking a second, she tucks her bat into the opening of her backpack. It's becoming obvious that she's going to need both hands. Not for fighting any stalkers or ayakashi, but instead so that she can take another person's hand in each of hers: one of the girl's and one of Natsuru's.]

[Loudly, forcing as much calm as she can into her voice, she announces-]

Someone's home is right up the street, so all we have to do is keep moving forward.

[She feels Wendy's hand take hers first, and before she can even fully realize it, she holds on a little tightly. Perhaps it is habit from when she was actually younger than Wendy, but she feels instantly more assured and comforted with her there. Another of the girls, a small and shy-looking type, seems to notice the older girl falling in line behind Wendy with the rest of them, and decides following Wendy's instructions means taking Natsuru's free hand too.

The feeling is a little different when Natsuru grips the girl's hand back, as if she's passing along the comfort and reassurance she's getting from Wendy. She still feels protective over the group, after all, even if she's a little nervous herself.]

Right... everyone, listen to Wendy-chan.

[She feels obligated to continue to lead in some capacity, being the adult here. But really, she's just following Wendy at this point. At least they manage to continue on and get the next girl safely home! Still, those shadows are getting creepier, and Natsuru may unconsciously be clinging to Wendy's hand even more as they go. She wants to be a good role model and leader for these girls so badly, so what if it means she needs to lean on Wendy for support to even feel up to the task right now?]

[In a way, this is exactly what was going to happen from the beginning if no one had come along: Wendy leading the small group of children along through the ever darkening streets. The only thing that's changed from that mental image is Natsuru is right there alongside them.]

[Well. With how strong her memories are of a much smaller Natsuru, maybe it isn't as strange.]

[With the first girl, and even the next, Wendy always makes sure to call out the same parting words: to go thank Apollo for getting home safely. It's only proper, right? Even if it's possible that she'll just end up forgotten in the end. Yet right after that... Hairs pricking up on the back of her neck, she frowns and glances over her shoulder.]

Has anything seemed weird to you yet?

[This is marginally better, in that Natsuru is at least attempting to comfort and guide the other girls as well. But Natsuru's memories of Wendy as a reliable older sister figure at Hibiki's temple are still strong too. Although she's been restored to her proper age now, Wendy is just too good at being a comforting presence for Natsuru to ignore the instinct to look to her for guidance and take solace in her being nearby.

She's still concerned for the girls' safety, of course, so she at least tries to be vigilant. While she holds on tight to Wendy, the shadows aren't quite as scary. Still imposing, and creepy, but she feels safe enough to actually examine them for real, unimagined movement.]

Um... everything's a little creepy...

[She keeps her voice low, in an attempt not to disturb the other girls.]

But it doesn't look like anything's actually-... aah?!

[There's a sudden noise nearby, followed by a surprised shriek from Natsuru. Her hand grips Wendy's and the other girl's tightly while she stops in her tracks, shrinking away from the perceived threat in the shadows. It's not unlike how the smaller Natsuru reacted to a thunderstorm once; only this time, what scares her is that she can't figure out the sound.]

Wh-What was that?!!!

[It's a hard line to balance, being vigilant enough that nothing can creep up on them while also not alarming any of the kids. Still, Wendy tries her best as she leans closer to Natsuru to get an idea of what she's saying without them speaking too loudly.]

[...Which means she's far too close when Natsuru's shriek suddenly goes off, making her ears ring. All the other girls react appropriately, adding to the scared yells as they cluster together. So many tiny hands clinging to her arm and the back of her clothes- she has to fight a little just to raise one hand up in case she needs to draw a borderline.]

It's okay! It was from that way, right?!

[Natsuru has the advantage in height here. So when the girls cluster together around them, she only has to worry about her legs. It was definitely a mistake, letting whatever that was scare her enough to scream like that. She's still shaken, yet she tries to help calm the girls huddled around them.]

D-Don't worry! Just stay close...

[She still holds on tight to Wendy's hand, though, unless Wendy pulls away. She replies to Wendy in a more quiet tone of voice, as much as she can manage with the frightened girls surrounding them.]

I... I think so, yeah.

[She looks about ready to draw up a borderline of her own, for what it's worth. Even while trembling and looking in the direction she heard the sound with wide, alarmed eyes. Between the recent rumors and the creepy shadows, it's just too much for her to handle perfectly calmly.]

Alright, then...

[Wendy pauses for only a moment before, decisively, she draws her hand out to bring a borderline to life. It rises up immediately, a soft glow adding a little more light to the gloom of the street. With how the sun is still in the sky, although not particularly high, it's not much help... But it's better than nothing. And, more importantly.... It's a barrier in the way the sun can't be.]

There! [Turning back to the girls and Natsuru, she tries to seem undisturbed.] If anything is coming from that way, it'll be stopped. But...

[Something still has her feeling uneasy. Shaking her head, she tries to forge on.]

Let's hurry anyway, alright?

[Natsuru nods, seeming almost unaware in that split-second moment that Wendy's reassurance is aimed at the group and not just her.]

Alright...

[She's been trying so hard to at least partially bury how shaken she is by all of this and help guide the younger girls. But her increasing unease is robbing her of what confidence and self-assuredness she has. It takes considerable effort to calm her nerves enough to where she reaches a free hand to draw her own borderline, back the way they came. It's... something. She feels like she's contributing, at least.]

That way too. So nothing sneaks up behind us...

[She wishes it calmed her nerves more than it did. She finds herself looking to Wendy for her input yet again. So far, they're still managing to guide the girls to their homes, and the group is shrinking down bit by bit. But it is getting darker and creepier as they go.]

[Even a little contribution is a contribution, and Wendy makes sure to smile up at Natsuru.]

Good thinking! That'll keep our backs clear.

[If there's anything that's important, it's keeping their cool. Once the rest of the girls panic, it's going to be a lot harder to get them to listen. Wendy is certain of that. However.... Frowning as she gets the group moving again, Wendy tries to think. The borderlines won't hold forever, or they can't completely cover them all the way... But if she asks everyone to hurry, then they'll only get worried like she doesn't want them to. How to make this work...]

[An idea suddenly hits her, and she looks up to Natsuru again.]

Do you know any good kid's songs from here?

[The encouraging smile has the intended effect! Natsuru's smile in return is a little sheepish, but she's glad to have been able to contribute to what was objectively the best plan for the time being. Why would it matter that Wendy's the one who initiated the plan while Natsuru is still shaken from all the spookiness around? The most important thing is getting these girls home safely.

And it seems Wendy has another idea, albeit a surprising one.]

Eh? Kid's songs...?

[She thinks about it for a moment. Had she heard anything like that in her time here? Slowly, as a recent memory comes to her, she starts humming a tune. Then, she softly sings... a song about an acorn that rolled down a mountain and fell into a pond, where it meets friendly fish that want to play together. It's short, and doesn't exactly end on a happy note - the acorn wants to return home, while the fish are upset and don't know what to do. But the point is more the calming, familiar tune, which Natsuru just starts over again from the beginning. The girls are catching on, and soon there's a chorus of small voices (and Natsuru intentionally singing in a soft, gentle tone) singing the tale of the acorn and the fish.

While singing, she looks to Wendy, slight uncertainty in her eyes. As if she's almost sure of this plan, but also wondering if this is what Wendy had in mind.]

[Perfect! Bit by bit, as all of the girls start to pick up on the song, Wendy starts to hurry the pace. It's not a big thing. Just skipping in time with the song and, just like how they'd copied Natsuru's singing, the girls begin to follow suit.]

[It's hard to feel scared when you're singing.... and it's easy to go a little faster when you're skipping instead of walking.]

[So Wendy beams up at Natsuru, nodding to her to let her know that it's all going according to plan. Another girl soon gets dropped off at her home, and there's another house not that far away. Wendy puffs up a little proudly, pleased with all of them.]

Just one more house to go! We'll be there in no time.

[Ah, it's working! Natsuru's apprehension seems to melt away, and her mood brightens up a lot while she continues to lead the girls in an endless loop of the familiar tune. The way Wendy turns their walk into a rhythmic skip is working on Natsuru almost as easily as it is on the rest of the girls. Eventually, they stop singing the words and just keep humming the melody along with their pace.

Seeing Wendy beaming up at her, she smiles back, blushing a little at the unspoken praise. They really are getting them home quickly and safely now!]

Mm-hm!

[Natsuru agrees between bars of the song that she's humming a little more softly now, just for the benefit of the one remaining girl holding her hand while Natsuru still continues to hold Wendy's. While her apprehension hasn't gone away completely, she's relieved that they're almost done getting the girls home. Her eyes dart towards what might be movement in the shadows once or twice, but she zeroes in on their destination once it's in sight. Just a little further-!]

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oh god, sorry for the extreme late...

No worries! I backtag forever

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