20 | Shopping Frenzy!

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Helping a grand opening go well
When: August 21
Where: The Near Shore
Summary: The owners and employees at a new shopping center are begging for help. Bad luck has plagued them, and their grand opening is this weekend! Gods and shinki alike have been asked to respond to their prayers on Opening Day, find the source of their misfortune and ensure that the opening goes smoothly.



The Yamada Corporation is opening a new, high-class department store in a Tokyo suburb. They've been running advertisements for weeks and excitement among their prospective customers is at a fever pitch. Unfortunately, things inside the project aren't going so well. Construction has been delayed, deliveries are wrong, employees keep getting sick or hurt on the job and it's starting to look like the grand opening will be a grand disaster. Their fervent prayers for help have reached the Heavens, who are passing them along to you to be granted... but with an addition: Heaven, too, is very interested in learning where that bad luck is coming from.



Maintenance Madness

For a brand-new building, Yamada Department Store is having a lot of maintenance issues. Toilets are overflowing, lights are burning out, stair railings are coming loose, and either the air conditioning is set so cold there's frost on the vents or it's not working at all. The overworked maintenance crew needs all the help they can get! How many gods does it take to change a light bulb?

Secret Shoppers

Are you really going undercover to make sure you stop problems before they start, or just enjoying a day of high-class shopping on Heaven's dime? Whatever your real motivation is, all expenses are covered... but you'll still want to keep an eye out for mishaps. Unfortunately, the grocery and bakery in the basement are under construction (they've had some flooding problems) but there are still six floors of designer clothes, consumer goods and restaurants to enjoy.

Retail Rescue

Between mysterious accidents and that nasty flu that seems to be going around, the department store is badly understaffed. Grab an employee uniform and someone else's nametag and pitch in before the lines get too long. There are positions open in every department, from the restaurant on the top floor to book sales on floor one.

It's not just sales and service you have to worry about: thanks to the store's misfortune, displays are toppling over, the wrong orders are coming in, fancy candies are melting all over the shelves and ink tags are exploding on their own. This is hard work!

Intrepid Investigators

The Heavens aren't just sending so much supernatural help to this department store to keep their faithful followers happy. They have reason to suspect that there's something more sinister behind this mysterious streak of extra-bad luck. Between keeping the lights on and the customers happy,
you've been asked to search the store and investigate all of the "unlucky" incidents in order to determine what's going on. The shinki who brought you this request hinted that Heaven would look favorably on anyone who uncovered something particularly useful....

If your character is investigating the department store and needs to know what they have found, please comment to the "Investigations" thread below with a link to your thread. Your hint will be provided.

Investigation threads longer than 10 comments will earn 200 followers for every god in the thread and 20 exp for every shinki. Once your thread reaches that length, please turn it in by replying to your hint under the "Investigations" thread to let us know you've earned the bonus.

In Summary:

• Keep the lights on
• Take some time out to enjoy a shopping trip
• Make sure the customers are happy
• Discover the cause of the bad luck
• Have fun~

Comments

[kokuyoyo]

...Not quite flooding.

[But it is a bit wet, just because things have been clogging up.]

[Still-]

You're right on everything else.... I glanced down there and it's weirdly empty for a place that was supposed to open....

[kagenonadeshiko]

[That certainly gets her attention and for the first time, Ayumu looks at him directly, her expression unreadable.]

What else did you notice? Anything else out of the ordinary?

[The contractors and the corporation are certainly suspicious but Ayumu needs more information to go on before she can plan her next move.]

[kokuyoyo]

Plastic sheeting everywhere, mostly... I think there were some maintenance people down there trying to fix things, but no one else.

[His shoulders rise up loosely.]

....Since there's not a lot of people.... I was going to take Ken down there later....

[Sniff things out, bust down a metal door, u kno]

[kagenonadeshiko]

I'll come with you. I want to take a look at what's down there myself.

[Ayumu just needs to find a place to stash her shopping cart first. Everything's bought and paid for and to say she would be very irate to have all her purchases stolen would be a vast understatement.]

Know any good places to hide these for safekeeping?

[She gestures to the shopping bags and boxed teaset stuffing her cart to bursting.]

[kokuyoyo]

[There's a long thoughtful pause.]

....The roof?

[Chikusa no]

[Still, he slowly gets up, and glances over it.]

...I wonder.... They're complaining about the corporation that own the supermarket in the basement right...?

[kagenonadeshiko]

That's what it sounds like. Though the contractors could be working separately. The head can't always see how the tail is moving.

[A pause.]

How easy is it to access the roof? Have you tried yet?

[Her good eye narrows a little as she inspects his hands. She doesn't see any purchases on him at the moment but she finds it hard to believe Chikusa wouldn't take advantage of an opportunity like this.]

Is that where you hid yours?

[kokuyoyo]

I don't trust this building.

[So no. He hid his somewhere else.]

Anyway.... Maybe both companies should be looked at... For things to be that empty is strange.

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Ayumu sighs. Fine. She'll just take it with her and find a closet to stash it in along the way. Hopefully, nothing will happen to them before she can get them out of the store but it's not a pressing issue right now. The investigation is.]

I think you're right. Did you check out the other store that's supposed to be down there? The bakery?

[She starts pushing her cart toward the elevator, clearly expecting him to follow.]

[kokuyoyo]

No... I only glanced down at the basement in general.

[Shuffling after her, although not with any particular speed, he blinks at her.]

Do you want to look at that...?

[kagenonadeshiko]

Yes. And the rest of the basement, too.

[Maybe she's good at investigating? Her instincts have served her well so far in this place and right now, they're telling her the basement warrants a much closer look.]

Notice anything else? Other than the sheets? Did you check behind them?

[kokuyoyo]

No..... [A pause and he thins his lips.] I think.

[Unlike most other times, his memory has been... questionable as of late. It's entirely possible that he might have done something, but forgotten it.]

I didn't want to interfere with too much before Ken could get down there.... It might mess up any scents.

[kagenonadeshiko]

Scents?

[Smell's an important sense and certainly not one to dismiss. She notices how distracted he seems compared to her other encounters with him and while it doesn't exactly soften her feelings toward what he'd done, it does make it a little easier to firmly put them aside.]

Ken has a good nose, then?

[It's a good trait to be aware of.]

[kokuyoyo]

Sometimes.

[Depending on the channel, really. Chikusa is already familiar with it even quicker than he might have expected, as if it's simply common knowledge that he had to get a reminder for. He can't manage to find it unusual.]

....For things like this, he's the best. No one else can do what he can....

[kagenonadeshiko]

I see. I'll leave the basement to you two then.

[It's sort of an olive branch. A really awkward gesture but Ayumu never been the best as talking about her feelings or expressing herself. While they're on a mission isn't the best time for deep discussion anyhow.]

I'll stay on this floor and see what else I can learn. Report back later?

[kokuyoyo]

I can do that...

[Oblivious that any olive branch is being offered at all, Chikusa pauses slightly.]

....Easier to call you on your phone...

[kagenonadeshiko]

Oh. Right. I gave you my number, didn't I?

[At least, Ayumu thinks she did. Didn't she? If not, she has her phone on her now anyway and can pass it along to him.]

If not, I'll give it to you now.

[kokuyoyo]

Yeah. Remember to keep it on you...

[Most normal people wouldn't need this to be said... but Chikusa spends so much time with Ken "is a phone a chew toy" Joshima that he feels the need to make sure it's reminded.]

I'll contact you in a bit...

[kagenonadeshiko]

'Kay. I'll be waiting then.

[In the meantime, Ayumu can see what other information she can gather on this floor.]

You two be careful down there.

[kokuyoyo]

Ken will keep me safe.

[It seems to be a very quiet but very determined sentence, before Chikusa finally shuffles off to go find his surely nearby partner.]

[Some time later, Ayumu will get a text message.]

Where are you?

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Shortly after speaking with Hakkai, Ayumu's on her way back upstairs when her phone vibrates. She pulls off to the side to answer.]

5th floor. heading back upstairs. any news?

[kokuyoyo]

Why so many stairs?

[This is apparently a Personal Affront.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

because you went to the basement
and i stayed up here
but i could meet you in women's lingerie on 3rd floor if you prefer
i could buy a few more pairs of panties

[Be careful what you complain about, kid.]

[kokuyoyo]

[...]

You could have just said on the third floor.