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

[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-!]

[Just a little further.... and they're there!]

[Really, it's fortunate that people live closer together sometimes. Wendy isn't sure if they'd be able to keep going before something eventually leapt out at them. But then they're there at the girl's house, and she goes hurrying through her gate and to the door without any hesitation. For as much as they might have been able to make it a little better in the latter half, it is still late at night. Of course a little girl is going to hurry into her home, where it's bright and safe.]

[Still. Wendy stretches one arm over her head, satisfied with what was able to be done.]

There! I guess from all the noise and stuff, it must have kept things away.

[Or there was nothing there at all, buuuuuut....]

[There could have been nothing there, after all. Kids have active imaginations, you never know when one might get startled and panic at a noise or a moving shadow! Never mind who was the first to scream and cause the panic to spread through the group in the first place. That's not important.]

Yeah, maybe!

[Now that they've dropped off the last one, it's just Natsuru and Wendy left. She's not still sticking close to Wendy because if she doesn't she'll be all alone out here in the creepy shadows. Nope. Not at all. It's clearly because she has to look after her friend and Hibiki's shinki too.]

I guess the singing really did help...

[She means it helped pass the time and keep their spirits up. Mostly. Who knows what might keep creepy spirits away.]

S-Still, we should... probably go somewhere safer, huh?

[At least somewhere decently lit, so she's not still checking the shadows nervously!]

[Whether or not Natsuru is sticking closeby for reasons that totally have nothing to do with how scary it is at night on quiet streets, Wendy doesn't mention anything about it. They are done, after all. So instead, standing on the tips of her toes, she tries to see how far the nearest street lamp is.]

[Hopefully, a street sign to let them know where they are will be there too. She thinks she's gotten a little turned upside down.]

Yeah.... And we should get something, too.

[Taking Natsuru by the hand, she starts to lead her along again. This is probably the right way...]

Like ice cream! There are stores still open, right?

Eh?

[Despite her surprise, there is not a hint of resistance to be found, and Wendy easily takes the lead with Natsuru trailing behind her. This also handily distracts her from focusing on how creepy the shaded parts of the street are, and turns her focus to where Wendy seems to be leading her.]

Ice cream? [Not that she's complaining, but color her confused.] Er... yeah, I think so. It's not that late...

Good! All that skipping and singing made my throat dry, and we deserve a reward for doing good, right?

[Besides, what's the point of having a rich god if you don't treat yourself every now and then? It'll cheer Natsuru up as well. As they reach the spot of bright light, Wendy takes out her phone. It's taken a while, but she thinks she's finally getting better at it... After a moment, she takes the lead again.]

This way! Probably.

[The 'we' part of that makes it okay and perfectly normal, obviously. Never mind that somehow, Natsuru has still forfeited the lead to Wendy even when they're alone. Wendy's even figured out her phone more since the last time they spoke. There's not much else Natsuru can do but take comfort in the brief respite in the more brightly lit spot, away from any creepy potentially-moving shadows, until Wendy starts moving again.]

Ah-?

[Now that they're stepping away from the comfort of the light, Natsuru holds on tightly to Wendy's hand again, and quickens her pace for a moment so she can stick close while she matches the smaller girl's stride.]

Don't you know where we're going?

[That 'probably' is concerning.]

Well, I've never really been to this part of town a lot, so... I'm just going where the phone said.

Do you want to double check?

[It might be for the better.]

I haven't really, either...

[She's able to convince herself on some level that's why she's following Wendy's lead. But now that Wendy asks, maybe she should look at the phone.]

I don't know. It seems right, I guess?

Well, we can take care of ourselves, so it'll be alright~.

[Wendy waves around her bat for emphasis. As long as it's something that they've seen before, then it'll be okay.]

Do you want to come over to see Hibiki when we get our ice cream?

I guess... yeah.

[She agrees, yet she sticks close to Wendy. Being together is safer than letting themselves get easily caught off guard and separated! Or something like that. She doesn't feel the need to put on a brave face for Wendy right now like she tried to do with the other girls, though.

The question of coming over to see Hibiki makes her blush again, and she chuckles nervously.]

W-Well, it doesn't have to be to see Hibiki-sama! We're friends too, right?

[But that's a 'yes' to coming over?]

[If nothing else, Wendy is indulgent, keeping their hands together as she humans and keeps walking.]

I guess, but I thought you liked Hibiki? Since you're over all the time.

[She's not teasing. Who, innocent her?]

W-Well... yeah, Hibiki-sama and I are...

[... 'Friends'? That's what she had been about to say, but something about it doesn't feel like friendship, exactly. Hibiki is a mentor and a tutor, and someone she genuinely enjoys spending time with, but...

Pay no attention to how she hesitates and fails to find the correct word, Wendy.]

... She's, um, teaching me to be an idol, so...

Um, and you know how my practice room is there, too...

[See? Totally justified that she's over all the time! Ignore the blushing... so much blushing...]

[You mean pay all the attention, right? Good thing she's so short; that means there's a less of a chance of being able to see her teasing grin clearly.]

Aaaah, I guess that's true~. Still, you should come over for more than just practicing!

Well... yeah. It is nice, just coming over to visit.

[Yep, she's completely oblivious to how much Wendy totally sees right through her.]

I'm not even sure I've seen everything in the temple yet! There's so much...

Yeah, it's a pretty huge castle. I guess it fits Hibiki.

[Over the top, extravagant, sparkling in every which way.... Yep. Hibiki wouldn't settle for a temple that's anything less. As they turn a corner, Wendy perks up and starts to tug Natsuru along.]

There! I guess the directions were right, there's the store!

[Thank god for convenience stores.]

[Natsuru's still somewhat creeped out from the shadows earlier, and she's clung a little tighter to Wendy's hand whenever they pass through a particularly dark area between street lights and storefronts. The topic of conversation has distracted her, though, and now she lets out a small, relieved gasp when they see their destination nearby. This time, she holds on tight just so Wendy doesn't get too far ahead of her!]

Ah! We made it...

[As they reach the doors and leave the shadows of dusk behind, she smiles gratefully at the smaller girl.]

Thank you, Wendy-chan! You really helped me out a lot.

[It's like she's completely forgotten that she was supposed to be the one helping Wendy. Maybe it's for the best... she'd always seemed so awkward and uncertain whenever she tried to treat Wendy as a normal child, since Wendy's responses would often catch her off guard. This is a Natsuru that's much more relaxed and comfortable and natural, whether she realizes it or not.]

018 | Season Spirits

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)