23 - Crazy Cat Shuffle

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Crazy Cat Shuffle
When: September 20
Where: Shibuya & Ikebukuro, as well as the Far Shore
Summary: The new Crazy Cat mascot keychains are sparking real passion in Tokyo's hot spots. Brawls have broken out over the extra-rare versions, and all of this angst is attracting ayakashi. The gods have been asked to step in before things get out of control.







Crossing Crisis

The Shibuya scramble crossing is always busy, but it's especially wild today. Ten new Crazy Cat vending machines have been installed at the mouth of the alley across from Shibuya Station's exit. Rumors are flying that these machines have extra Blue-Star Cats in them: the very rarest kind! A crowd of hundreds of excited fans have gathered, but the people at the front of the lines are buying lots of cats, and the mood is starting to grow sour as the people at the back of the lines begin to wonder if there will be any left by the time it's their turn.

This crowd needs crossing guards... or just someone who can snag some of those ultra-rare Cats and sell them to the back of the line for crazy cash. Everything a god does is righteous, after all.

Sunshine Struggle

Crazy Cat machines dot the Sunshine City complex in Ikebukuro. The machines here are attracting some particularly nasty ayakashi: jealous little purple creatures with too many legs that stoke buyers' envy and need for more and better collectibles. Under their influence, it's not just the Cats going fast. The local stores are selling out of everything cute on the shelves.

Worse, some of the ayakashi victims are turning to theft when they run out of pocket money. Time to exterminate those bugs before they start a new crime wave.

Taking Stock

Accident? Sabotage? No one's telling, but a delivery truck carrying boxes of new keychains to restock the machines blew a tire and overturned on a major street. Under the influence of those greedy little ayakashi, collectors are descending on the wreck to snag their favorites before the police show up.

The dazed driver doesn't know what to do, the crowd is starting to get violent, and those Cats do look amazingly cute. And appealing. And, for that matter, valuable.

Bad Kitty

The cat keychains are super cute! Even gods or shinki might be tempted to buy one and take it home, but taking these keychains back to the Far Shore will give away their hidden secret. It's not just human envy that's attracting ayakashi to the Crazy Cats. There are ayakashi hiding inside this batch of cute kitty dolls, and bringing them through a shrine to the Far Shore will force the hidden creatures out of their plushie prisons.

They're big, they're mad, and they're hungry. And the Heavens are full of souls that smell delicious.

The ayakashi escaping from Crazy Cat dolls on the Far Shore resemble gigantic (taller than a person at the shoulder) versions of the cute plushie cats, with very real and sharp teeth and claws. They run and attack at random once released from the dolls, so even gods and shinki who did not bring the toys back could be faced with a fight. The patrolling shinki will do their best to hold them back with borderlines, but they need help to rend these crazy cats before they do too much damage!

In Summary:

• Placate the crowds
• Squash bitty ayakashi
• Struggle with temptation
• Defeat the cat invasion
• Have fun~

Comments

[fortunesmiles]

A) Crossing Crisis #1

[Never let a person with extreme luck near a gacha.

Komaeda has tried his hand at the machines; knowing his luck, he'd guessed that he'd get valuable cats, and perhaps use them to draw away some of the crowd. Not to mention that if he gifts them to people who'd given in to despair that they'd never get one, he's creating hope, right?

And Komaeda's luck has indeed come through, at least in the current moment. Oh, he didn't just get one rare cat, or even a couple. He has no less than four Blue-Star Cats in hand(and he'd only even played three times; one of the capsules unexpectedly had two in the same capsule). The crowd around him, while perhaps not paying attention to Komaeda in particular as a denizen of the Far Shore, is acutely aware of the cats, and the obscene luck of his acquiring them, and they're going berserk. Komaeda hadn't quite planned for this eventuality, and considering he's frail and sickly in any case, there's a rather bewildered god in the middle of a crush of grasping, clawing hands, holding his charms out of reach and looking as though he might get trampled.

Realistically, he can teleport away if things get too hairy and he knows it, but he's a bit reluctant to do so with so much attention on him and the crowd in the state it's in. He's afraid he may start a riot that way...]


B) Crossing Crisis #2

[Never let a person with extreme luck near a gacha.

Having escaped his previous predicament, and never being one to be overly concerned with his own well-being, Komaeda's gone back for another try at the machines. This time, though, his luck seems to have swung the other way; when he uses a machine, it jams. The crowd behind him is...well, 'irate' would be an understatement. The line for his machine is long, and people in the lines for the working machines aren't willing to let the unfortunates behind Komaeda cut in front of them. The people closest to the front of the line and Komaeda are able to perceive him enough to be yelling at him, while those further back in the line are taking their frustrations out on each other, and the people in line for the working machines.

There is a subtle trend of Komaeda making everything worse here.

A rather frazzled Komaeda has managed to push his way out of the crowd and get enough distance for people to forget about him, at least, but he's pale, breathless, and looks fairly distressed. You might want to check to make sure he's not going to keel over...or make another disastrous attempt to try to help.]


C) Wildcard

[Perhaps it's due to all the bad luck from earlier in the day, but Komaeda brought home one of the lucky Blue-Star Cats and it was not actually possessed by an ayakashi. (He checked, after news of the trend of people bringing the keychains to their temples started getting around. It's not hard to notice when giant cat ayakashi keep running rampant.) He feels he's done enough damage for one day, though - and has probably been told so by more than one person - and so he's keeping to himself, idly fiddling with his own keychain.

Well, keeping to himself might be a touch of an overstatement; he can be found in various places across the Far Shore, often near wherever the newest cat ayakashi appears as he observes things from a distance. With the trend of his luck today, he can hardly risk helping anyone, but he's at least curious enough to want to observe.]

shitshow 2

[kokuyoyo]

...You really suck at this.

[Let it never be said Chikusa is not an honest soul.]

[He's just here to get food for the most part, and watch the shitshow as it unfolds... Although looking into the origin is something he's been debating on doing. Still, he's occasionally stopped to watch the disasters... one of which has happened to be Komaeda's.]

[Munching on some chips, he just slowly blinks down at the god.]

[fortunesmiles]

Ah...hello... [Excuse Komaeda while he tries to catch his breath, Chikusa.] It's all a matter of luck, really...

[Sort of. Except that both good luck and bad luck got Komaeda in trouble today, so maybe it's just that this was a bad situation for Komaeda to get involved in at all.]

[kokuyoyo]

[A glance to Komaeda... and then a glance to the riot that has started up since he left the crowd.]

....Bad luck. Are you going to keel over...

[Seriously, how sick are you, Komaeda? ...the other kind of sick.]

[fortunesmiles]

I don't think so...

[Well, 'terminally' would be technically correct but also somewhat inaccurate, since an illness can't really kill a god. So let's settle for 'incredibly'.]

[kokuyoyo]

Good. Because I wouldn't carry you...

[It's debatable if Chikusa would even do anything besides step over Komaeda's body and continue on to the next vague point of interest.]

Do you even care about those things...?

[fortunesmiles]

Not really...I was just trying to use my luck to get some rare charms for those at the back of the line... [He smiles weakly, perhaps in some form of awareness that his plan doesn't sound that great.] It worked earlier...

[kokuyoyo]

For a prayer?

[Since that's apparently something pray for now. Chikusa probably should judge less than he obviously is.]

[fortunesmiles]

No, just to make myself useful. Considering this is something related to luck, I thought I could put my worthless talent to use...

a

[artificialrose]

[In the middle of a raging crowd full of gacha addicts... That's a hard thing to push through, no matter how strong or tall one is. Even using borderlines probably wouldn't help. So Garry has to think a little smarter.]

[Komaeda might be too busy trying to avoid death by trampling, but if he isn't, there's a chance he'll start noticing a change in the crowd. It begins at the outskirts, at first, as a few people suddenly start breaking from the throng to go bolting down the street. But eventually, as a few more people leave, Garry's tall frame can be see as he keeps pushing through. Occasionally, he leans down to whisper something into someone's ear, and tries to help push the way so that they can go bolting off. Bit by bit, he's making an easier path through the crowd until he can finally shove aside some of the people closest to Komaeda and tug his god close.]

Jeez-! This is really getting out of hand! [Batting someone away, he looks down at Komaeda.] Are you alright?

[fortunesmiles]

Ah - yes, thank you, Garry - [Komaeda gets jostled, which stumbles him against Garry's lanky form. Komaeda's clutching his prizes close, more to attempt to conceal them from the crowd and perhaps let the excitement over them die down than because he necessarily wants to keep them. If he dropped them, he imagines, the scramble for them would create even more havoc than holding onto them.]

Should I risk teleporting...? [He has to say it louder than he'd like to be heard, but then he trusts that few people in the Near Shore can hear, or will process, anything he says at any volume. The only reason any attention is on him at all is because he's holding material goods for people to fixate on.] Or can you see a way out of the crowd...? [Garry's taller than Komaeda and will have an easier time seeing over people's heads.]

[artificialrose]

[Even as Komaeda stumbles against him, Garry simply digs his feet in harder against the ground as a balance. He can at least do this much, after all. In the meantime, he looks around.]

I tried to make a way, but... [Well, the gap has closed once again, and he lets out a frustrated breath.] But I have another idea that I think could distract them enough so that they wouldn't notice you disappearing.

It's just, ah, going to be a little rough, perhaps.

[fortunesmiles]

Oh? [Despite everything, Komaeda's almost smiling again. Of course, Garry knows how little the man cares for his own well-being at this point, so it's not too surprising.] Please don't do anything that would...put yourself in danger, Garry...but what is it?

[artificialrose]

Oh, I'm sure it will work out fine... probably... [Nothing but the most reassuring answers out of his mouth, yep.] I just plan on yelling out a distraction that I think ought to work. When they get all focused on that, you can teleport, and it won't be a problem.

[Thank goodness for that Far Shore forgettability, along with the fervor of obsessed people.]

[fortunesmiles]

Shall I bring you with me, or did you want to stay here...? [Komaeda looks thoughtful.]

[artificialrose]

Me with you. Please. [Garry doesn't want to stay here either, trust him. It's been luck and planning that's had him make it this far.] Are you ready?

[fortunesmiles]

All right, then...and I guess nothing too bad can happen to you if I'm with you. [Komaeda smiles faintly.] Go ahead with your plan, then...

B!

[discerp]

[DID SOMEONE SAY CHECK UP?

Where there's a riot, there's injured people, so of course Mikan's around trying to, er, help. She just didn't expect to find him here, though perhaps she shouldn't have been surprised to see him at the center.]

Komaeda-san! [She's even got a little nurse's bag with her this time as she eyes him in worry] A-are you alright? You should sit down!

[fortunesmiles]

Ah, Tsumiki-san... [He smiles thinly at her.] I'm all right...

[He doesn't look it. Then again, he still has the body of a terminally ill man with a corpse's hand attached to his left wrist. He never looks all right. But he does indeed look worse than usual, almost swaying from exertion and heavy breathing. He's also, as Mikan no doubt knows, the kind of person who'd feel no particular distress at the idea of dropping dead, and would express none until he actually did so.]

[discerp]

Th-that's not true! [Looking after Komaeda is like looking after one of those fish that tries to fight its own reflection and just keeps bashing into the mirror over and over.

She flails one hand a moment before reaching for his arm] C-come on! You need to sit and, um, drink some water, at least! When's the last time you ate?

[fortunesmiles]

Ah, I had some miso soup this morning... [Komaeda doesn't resist her tugging; it's possible he wouldn't really be in any shape to if he wanted to, but he's not even trying. She is, effectively, using her Ultimate talent on him, isn't she? How could he be so ungrateful as to refuse it?

Especially when it's Mikan, really. There aren't many situations in which she's able to display her competence, or has the confidence to be anything remotely resembling assertive. So it's not often he gets to admire her talent...the one time he had the best opportunity to do so, he'd been deathly ill.

Also, unless the bowl of soup Komaeda had was pretty massive, he definitely has not been eating enough.]

[discerp]

Th-that's definitely not enough! [Mikan frowns, brow furrowing as she opens her bag and immediately pulls a sports drink out of it. It's not ideal, but--] The electrolytes in this should help a little, until we can get you something else to eat. There's a cafe near here... We should get you more soup, that way you can drink and eat slowly... If it's anything too heavy or dense it might make you sick to your stomach...

[She's mostly talking to herself here now, taking hold of his good hand to check his pulse rate at his wrist, using a near-by clock to keep count.]

Th-that's probably most of your problem right now... Have you been feeling ill for a while? Or is it just today? [Hopefully it's something just some food and rest will take care of.] E-either way, you should go home and rest! [Mikan pauses, hesitating, and then adds a ta more meekly:]

A-at least, um...That's my professional o-opinion...

[fortunesmiles]

[Komaeda takes the drink from her, although Mikan - in her professional fervor - snags his hand to take his pulse before he can open it, and his left hand certainly isn't functional or strong enough to manage it one-handed. He patiently waits for his other hand to be freed, with a vague smile and no complaints. This is just Mikan, after all.

Besides, she's taken excellent care of him before...the murders she committed while he was bedridden notwithstanding. Of course he'd trust her care.]

I think it's mostly the weakness from my pre-existing condition, really...I don't feel any less healthy than I usually do, but then I usually don't feel very healthy. I can't imagine my illness is actually dangerous anymore now that I'm a god - I'm sure it can't kill me - but godhood doesn't seem to have restored my body to any healthier a state than it was in before I died in the simulation. [He shrugs and smiles.]

I don't handle a lot of sudden exertion very well, so getting shoved around by the crowd was kind of awkward...but I think that's all it is. [And probably some not looking after his nutrition too well to compound it, from the sounds of it, but in terms of disinterest in his own well-being, that's pretty tame for Komaeda.]

[discerp]

[Mikan pauses, letting go of his wrist once she's satisfied--and absently she reaches out to unscrew the cap of the bottle too, just automatically moving through the motions of taking care of him when she sees something that needs to be done.

She'd known he was sick--What kind of Ultimate Nurse would she be if she couldn't notice something like that? Especially that obvious?--but she'd never really known the details.]

Komaeda-san... C-can I ask-- I mean, y-you don't have to tell me, obviously, but... What exactly are you sick with?

[She's definitely going to pester him to go eat something and like, take a nap though.]

[fortunesmiles]

Hm? Oh, I thought you might already know. [He takes a sip of the drink after Mikan opens it for him.] Thank you, Tsumiki-san...

Anyway, I have lymphoma. And frontotemporal dementia. When I was diagnosed in high school, they expected me to be dead within the year.

[So, you know, just casually terminally ill. And with a perfectly logical medical explanation for why his thinking is so messed up. Things he has apparently not bothered to share with people, up to and including his classmates.

Yeah, sounds like Komaeda.]