21 - Heavenly Job Fair

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Welcome to the Heavens' Job Fair
When: August 30 -31
Where: The Meeting Hall grounds & various places in the Near Shore
Summary: The Heavens are offering a location for new and old gods to trade off prayers that they can't answer. Did someone ask a god of war to intervene in their high school love triangle? A god of poetry to strike down an ayakashi giving them writer's block? Sometimes, everyone needs a helping hand....



Established gods sometimes pass prayers off to one another if they receive a prayer that doesn't match their own skill set. In order to help the new gods and their shinki integrate into Heavenly society, Heaven's set up a big prayer wall in front of the Meeting Hall, where new and old gods alike can bring prayers they can't answer and pick up prayers that they can. Most of the prayers are written on brightly decorated little wooden plaques, with ribbons attached to hang them from one of the many nails driven into the prayer wall. Pick a plaque and give someone a hand, or bring a request that's been stumping you, and let's make sure that everyone's prayers are answered!



Leave a Prayer

There's a lot of room on the prayer wall. Did someone leave your god a prayer that they just can't answer? Or are they willing to try it out, but think they'll need a helping hand? Bring a prayer that your character's been asked to fulfill, and either post it on the board or ask someone you know if they can take it on.

Players can write their own prayers, from the mundane to the bizarre, and leave their prayer as a reply to the LEAVE A PRAYER comment below!

(Writing Your Own Prayer: Prayers can, but do not have to, involve ayakashi. They can be as detailed as you want, or be simple prompts like the "Take A Prayer" examples below. If you have any questions about whether something you want would be OK, please feel free to ask on the event announcement here!)

Take a Prayer

Characters can either accept a prayer from another character, or pick an anonymous one from the prayer wall. Among the anonymous prayers on the wall are:

I just bought a hot spring bathhouse, but I'm afraid it's haunted! All my customers say they think someone is watching them, and some even feel something touching their ankles when they're alone in the bath! Please get rid of the ghost.

My girlfriend blocked my number and I don't know why. Please make her talk to me so we can work this out.

My family just moved and I don't know anybody in my new school. Please help me make new friends!

Someone keeps tearing open garbage bags and leaving kitchen trash all over my street. It's disgusting! Make them stop!

The street by my shop is under construction and customers just aren't coming in anymore. At this rate, I'll go out of business. Please bring in more customers so I can pay the rent.

I NEED a limited-edition copy of the Super Mega Battle Droids X-234158 figurine with the real chrome trim!! Please help me find one for sale!

No matter how much I complain, the bathrooms at my neighborhood train station are still stinky. Please inspire the janitors to work harder.

My homeroom class this year has no energy, and as their teacher I'm worried! Please give them more fighting spirit before exams!

To turn in a prayer: Whether it's a prayer from this list or one written by a fellow player, you can receive exp/followers for writing a prayer thread on this log. Once the thread has reached 10+ comments with progress towards achieving the prayer's goal, turn it in by replying to the COMPLETED PRAYERS comment with a link to your thread. Each completed prayer will earn 200 followers for each god character in the thread and 20 exp for each shinki character.

Advertise Yourself

The job fair will only last for a few days (that big board of prayers just ruins the aesthetics of the garden, so it will be coming down.) If you want to bring in more reliable business for yourself or your god, this is the time to let everyone know what you can do! Heaven's workers have conveniently provided plenty of rolls of butcher paper, cardboard and bamboo sticks to make banners and signs, along with multicolored inks, markers, tempera paint, glitter, ribbons and other craft supplies. Make an advertising banner and let the Heavens know what you can do! Maybe you could even hand out business cards or free samples....

Take a Break

There's a nice grassy area, broken up by flowering trees and bushes, to the side of the prayer wall. There, white-robed shinki have set up several tables with water bottles and small snacks for anyone who's worn themselves out working hard. This isn't just a banquet, though, it's a potluck -- there's lots of room on those tables for gods to set out their own homemade foods or fancy purchases. There are a few extra-fancy picnic bento there already, with beaming shinki in the uniforms of several different Gods of Fortune or of Amaterasu's advisers standing behind them.

In Summary:

• Bring prayers for other gods to answer
• Answer prayers yourself
• Let everybody know what you can do (with glitter!)
• Bring something for the potluck
• Have fun~

Comments

[heartshutter]

[ Mere sheepish laughter to that, and a small shrug as if to say he's guilty as charged. Which, he is. Self-preservation was never Tatara's strong suit and, no surprises, he's kept right on-track with that in the afterlife.

At the second comment, however, he turns a wan smile on the shinki, an awkward chortle escaping him. ]

Now that's not a nice thing to say...!

[ He knows you're kidding, Izumo.

...Mostly kidding.

In the meantime, he'll snap that photo now, along with a couple more just in case. See? No splashing. ]

Think these will do?

[toremainbehind]

Really now?

[He drawls the tone out, but he is mostly kidding.

Izumo peers over his shoulder, nodding.]

Looks good.

[heartshutter]

You think so? [ But Tatara won't push his luck -- approval is approval, end of story. ]

Then, there's one more thing I want to do.

[ Without warning, he'll grab Izumo's nearest arm (mostly for leverage), and pull (mostly himself) into and slightly in front of the other. The camera comes up next, aimed at the two of them from somewhat above. ]

3... 2... 1...!

[ Click! ]

There. That's better.

[toremainbehind]

[He's a bit startled when Totsuka grabs his arm and the next thing he knows, a picture has been taken.

A blink and he makes a face, peering down at him.]

You could've given me a warning.

[heartshutter]

Sorry, but if I had, then you would have tried to get out of it.

[ He knows you, Izumo. ]

Besides, it's more genuine this way, I think.

[toremainbehind]

I'm not a big fan of selfies...

[But he doesn't seem to mind too much.

Izumo chuckles.]

Are you going to develop any of those pictures?

[heartshutter]

Mm? Of course I will! Don't ask silly questions, Kusanagi-san.

[ His expression steels for a moment then. ]

You see, after Johan died, I realized I didn't have any pictures or videos of the people important to me here.

[ Perking back up. ] So, I decided I'm going to fix that.

[toremainbehind]

[--Ah.

Izumo's expression doesn't even shift, doesn't give anything away.

He just gives a nod.]

Should I just gift you a photo album next? [His tone is a bit teasing now. He won't suggest to put up pictures on the photo wall he has at his bar since it's something more personal for Totsuka.]

[heartshutter]

You know I'll never say no to a gift from you. [ Because he has some manners. ]

But actually, I think I'd rather hang them. Somewhere I can see them, outside of a book.

[ So he can remember to visit once in a while. Sheesh. ]

[toremainbehind]

...Do you want to hang it on the photo wall in my bar then?

[May as well just offer it, anyway, he guesses.]

[heartshutter]

[ Tatara's head tilts to one side. ]

You would hang a selfie of us on your photo wall?

[toremainbehind]

I don't see why not.

[His shoulders lift up into a shrug before lowering.]

Goten's been complaining to me about the lack of photos of me on the wall, anyway. Said it wasn't fair since I have pictures of a lot of people on it already.

[heartshutter]

Sounds like it's settled, then!

[ Said with a sense of finality. ]

I'll develop what I have and bring it over to you.

[toremainbehind]

I'll be waiting.

[A pause and he looks over.] Hopefully you don't end up bringing me a box full of pictures. [It honestly wouldn't be surprising if Totsuka brought him a lot of pictures.]

[heartshutter]

[ With a sly wink and a two-fingered mock-salute: ]

I guarantee nothing~!

[toremainbehind]

Suppose that means I'll just have to make more room.

[He sounds a bit exasperated at it, but the smile on his face betrays his words in a way.]

[heartshutter]

[ An innocent shrug. ]

Sorry!

[ The grin on his face reads "not sorry". ]

[toremainbehind]

That grin is a lie.

[Izumo's eyes narrow at him playfully.]

[heartshutter]

[ Tatara's grin only broadens. ] As is how put-out you seem by all this. Deep down, your heart is as big as King's is, you know.

[ A small pause. ]

When will you share it with someone, Kusanagi-san?

[toremainbehind]

I'm not sure how to take that comparison, Totsuka.

[It's an honest note since he's not even sure how he should feel about Mikoto half the time. To hear that his heart is as big as Mikoto's? That's something to adjust to.

He pauses a bit at the question, lips thinning a bit.]

...I'm not so sure what you mean. [He says it carefully because they both know Izumo is aware of exactly what Totsuka means.]

[heartshutter]

[ Sweetly: ] Of course you aren't.

But you really are two of a kind, whether you see it or not.

[ A glance Izumo's way. There's no way he doesn't know what Tatara means, and they both know that. But given the way he tensed so noticeably at that comment... it's safe to say that type of sharing isn't going to happen for a while yet.

A chuckle, then, and a dismissive wave. ]

It's fine, it's fine! Like they say, 'everything in due time', right?

[toremainbehind]

I suppose you would know best.

[He sees that glance, and it's returned with a flat one of his own.

When has he ever been one to share?]

Right. [It's said a bit flat before he shakes his head.] I suppose it'll be the same time when you decide to share with me any other troubles you've been facing.

[heartshutter]

Ehhh? [ A series of blinks. ]

But Kusanagi-san knows my troubles! [ A casual -- but still too forced -- laugh, because that... certainly wasn't intentional. Then again, Tatara would have kept it from every single last living being, if at all possible. ] There's only ever been one, after all.

[toremainbehind]

[Just a look at the forced laugh.

He huffs out softly as he takes out a cigarette.] And I would hope you don't mind coming to me with your troubles, but that's wishful thinking.

[heartshutter]

Aah, I wouldn't want to burden you. Besides, everything will work out in the end just like it always does, so what's the point in talking about it?

[ ...Wait. Wait just one second. Weeks -- months?? -- at least weeks after the fact, now he's acting hurt that Tatara wasn't willing to speak at-length on the topic? Is that what he's seeing here? ]

Does that bother you?