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

[boneofsword]

[Archer just stiffens in surprise. Sure, it's still warm outside, but getting splashed with cold water is least expected and just as pleasant.]

...thanks. [he prefers to avoid water soaking his pants, thank you very much. There's no helping it now. Archer sighs and turns to look at Caster.]

Did it ever happen before? Using so much mana to the point it's starting to affect you.

[futhark]

It's not life-threatening. I won't disappear if that's what concerns you. [ If that was the case he'd be gone a long time ago. Perks of that "physical incarnation thing" ]

But when it runs out- well, I just need to be more careful about using spells. [ Because he suspects that once he's out of mana - he's out of it permanently. Unless he goes and replenishes it in the usual way. Drain a district, drink some blood, and few other options. But he's not that greedy to do it if he has no good reason to. ]

[boneofsword]

[Archer narrows his eyes and frowns.]

If I can replenish it during rest it's possible yours will replenish too. Gods don't run out of power permanently, so if shinki can still cast borderlines it means they regain theirs. [he muses outloud, more worried for Caster than he'd like to admit. It's not something Archer was prepared for.]

[futhark]

Yeah, could be. If it replenishes over time, the rate is slower than I'm using it up though. [ Since he's been steadily having less and less of the literal MP over past month. Then the sudden realization hits ]

...wait, isn't god power directly linked to his followers though? [ The big names are big because everyone believes in them. It was obvious from the start but he never paid real attention to it because... who cares. He's lazy, he don't want to be a god, it's all daddy's fault, etc ]

So I have to start my own religion? [ To get faster MP regain rate. ]

[boneofsword]

[Archer ponders for a moment.] That's correct, they said something about having more followers to be more powerful. All those prayers and such.

[He gives it a longer thought, considering the possibilities.] You can always help some of those wannabe artists or musicians to spread the word. Nothing better than becoming an artists' muse.

[It's not entirely sarcasm, though.]

[futhark]

What the hell...? [ Caster blinks at him, N-NOT SURE IF SERIOUS...? This might be a sarcasm or might be not. ] Do I look like a muse to you?

[ Right now when he's looking if that hollowed up tree has another towel, a dry one this time ]

[boneofsword]

If you want someone to spread the word about you as a god who's better than musicians? Artists can do that too.

[There are more towels, and Archer grabs some. He's planning to dry the used ones, courtesy of a line between two trees.]

[futhark]

[ Stop being that househusband who thinks of everything... or no, better don't. Fewer house chores for Caster ]

Good bardic tradition, I know about that trust me. Thing is, they immortalized the deeds of those worthy - or tore them down from pedestal if they were unworthy. [ Bards and filis were those kings were afraid of. A good, memorable song with appropriate lyrics could spread the word and love - or lack of it - among great distances. ]

Bards are no longer here though. And if they were, how could they witness those deeds?

[boneofsword]

[Archer genuinely enjoys it, Caster. He may spoil you rotten.]

Musicians are still out there. If some of the bands start singing of Cú Chulainn it can start a fad. Teenagers following the band can spread the word, and if some of their prayers get answered by you the word will spread even faster. They may forget us the moment we leave the Near Shore, but the songs will stay.

[That's all simple logic for Archer. He's aware that Caster isn't as used to the way modern world is, so he tries to explain.

Perhaps he should invest in a laptop, and then teach those two fossils how to not destroy it.]

[futhark]

[ So Archer's advice basically boils down to "go and help Celtic folk/metal bands and grab all the profit". That's actually a really sound advice, because there is a ton of them, just... not in Japan. But it's not like Caster is knowledgeable about the world of music genres and endless sea of spotify. ]

Hmmm... [ He's starting to consider it ] Answer their prayers, and leave some books about legends as inspiration?

[ Even if he's not convinced, this might be worth trying ] I'm not a god of musicians but... I don't have a well-defined domain anyway.

[ He might step on somebody's toes, like- actual god of musicians. Not that he's going to care about that ]

[boneofsword]

[After all, first of Caster's shrines was in a house of such fan. The posters covering all the walls will be forever burned into Archer's mind.]

I also mean artists in general. Becoming a physical muse may not work, but giving a painter inspiration, convincing a script writer to make a movie, series or even a clip based on you or your legends, heck, even inspiring an advertisement for some product will get you fame.

[Some manly cologne for example. Or a horrible brand of clothing, whichever works. Your Exemplar won't judge you.]

[futhark]

[ Why are you pushing him into the entertainment industry? The best he'll get will be some forgotten bar with equally forgotten indie weirdos with rainbow colored hair. Probably drunk and under the table ]

This all sounds so good that makes me wonder... why is no one else doing this? [ Maybe they are, and he's just not realizing it. Or maybe, they're not as savvy, and he should thank Archer and his quick thinking. ]

Maybe because it sounds like so much effort, that carving a ritual into a building to drain its inhabitants sounds simpler. [ And it is already a big and annoying hassle- plus bad on a godly PR to possibly send some people into a hospital. He walks closer to Archer and suddenly runs his hand through this hair, only to grab a handful and make him turn around- ]

[boneofsword]

[That's just one of the options of being an actual mitological hero instead of forgotten god while needing to replenish mana. Others rarely rely on it.]

It--!

[It's all that Archer manages to reply before Caster grabs him and--

he actually needs a moment to understand that Caster is kissing him and it's happening. Archer parts his lips in surprised gasp, letting Caster use it to his advantage. He starts kissing back, for a short moment forgetting everything else.

It's just a mana transfer, he reminds himself, letting Caster take as much as he needs. It's only for that reason Archer embraces his god and allows himself be kissed breathless.]

[futhark]

[ That's right, he is doing exactly that. Archer was the one offering so if he complains now, he'll get a foot in the face, Caster figures. This way is easiest, for now, less invasive than blood - blood is messy, and it's easy to take too much - and there is no need to waste time on the other option.

He's not greedy, but he takes a liberal amount of what's offered and doesn't mind that Archer decides to turn it into- well into an actual kiss. ]

Well, that should be enough for a while. [ Unless he decides to whip out his Noble Phantasm which-- he doesn't. It's useless on ayakashi, and everyone here are allies in theory ]

[boneofsword]

[Archer licks his lips, feeling a bit disappointed that the kiss ends. It was longer than needed for mana transfer, though.]

Hn. Giving you such amount of mana every second day won't put much strain on my abilities. I've been testing it lately. [In other words, you're welcome to use him as your personal mana generator, Caster. Archer won't mind.]

[futhark]

Every second day...? [ Have a quick of eyebrow, momentary confusion turning into a short laughter ] Archer, you're so full of shit-

[ Maybe there is a lesson there somewhere for Caster, about how he shouldn't act like this towards most women he meets, maybe... but if so he's choosing to ignore it. It's not his life is much more difficult because of it. ]

I just need to be more mindful of using runes. That's all. [ Like not using spells to light a cigarette, really. ]

[boneofsword]

If you need it, since who knows what we may face.

[Archer shrugs. He knows that his offer is going to be shot down, but he has to try. That ping of disappointment was merely a reaction, and was squished immediately.]

Unless it's my mana that's questionable.

[futhark]

[ Daww, that disappointment is so heartbreaking. And you're oversharing it on purpose, poor, abandoned puppy-- not, since it disappears quickly. So it's the other way around, he wasn't supposed to notice it. ]

I admire your tenacity, I know. Just that is worthy of respect. [ Not giving up when there's still a chance that's it. ]

Every three days sounds more reasonable, to eliminate the possibility of "putting strain on your abilities".

[ To be honest, if a day like today happened again, he'd rather be in top condition, not running on scraps of energy. ]

[boneofsword]

[Respect, huh. All in all, it isn't bad.]

Whenever you need it.

[Archer is well aware of the risk, even if after the first Gáe Bolg fiasco he tried to find out his limits and speed of mana replenishment. Overworking himself with projection and reinforcement included.]

We may as well test it. I'm not planning to hide it if I'm weakened.

[futhark]

[ Servant using other Servant as battery just sounds like a lot of trouble. Even if the shinki nature seems to tamper with the "Servant'y" nature somehow. Lancer either doesn't have his weapons or haven't realized yet he can get them. Berserker... he saw her only once so it's impossible to determine if she has her- either way, it seems neither of them possesses the access to their Noble Phantasm, and if they energy replenishes normally...

That might mean they might not be Servants at all, just souls of dead, famous people- but if that's so, the class-confusion shouldn't be even part of it-- argh, Heavens, why you make no sense ]

I know you're offering because you're going to enjoy this. [ Duh, you twisted, sly fox ] Ah, with my luck, of course, I had to get stuck with unmanageable shinki. So I can only make sure I'm equally handful of a god.

[ So there is equivalent exchange of giving each other trouble ]

[boneofsword]

[Funfact is that Archer wouldn't be able to project his weapons if not for his NP, but shh, he doesn't remember that fact.]

Hmph. You should start blaming your legendary charm. [E rank luck and all that. At least they can disagree without dropping a rank if they do.] You're a good kisser.

[futhark]

[ Legendary charm, bah. Turned out later he was a son of a god, probably that's why half of Ulster wanted to foster-parent him ]

I don't think it deserves to be "blamed" if anything it's a perk, don't you think? [ It's his bad luck that could be blamed not the "charm" itself. ] Looks like the legends kept that part though- [ The part where he really got around ] -but I'm good leaving that behind me.

[ He's a weaponized spirit, a summoned copy, etc, etc. Not seeking for a "new life", his old one was good enough ]

[boneofsword]

[That doesn't diminish Caster's charm and his easy-going nature, quite on the contrary. Here he can be appreciated for who he is, not his bloodline or anything else.]

We can spend some time exchanging stories. [Archer will gladly listen to Caster's retelling of his own tale, or some other ones.]

[futhark]

[ The "here" is still strange. He's a fish out of the water but works on fitting in. ]

What, you want to hear about my... adventures? [ Adventures, or "adventures", really? What kind of stories exactly are you angling for Archer?

Fanservice time over, he starts dressing up again, albeit only now he noticed that his shirt suffered some damage... aw shoot, he really liked it. His hair is still a bit wet because of the water, but nothing he can't deal with- by wringing them casually. ]

[boneofsword]

[It's not exactly a lot of damage and it can be salvaged thanks to someone with skilled fingers. No portable sewing kit this time. Even if the shirt is an eyesore.]

About you, about your times and your people. [Archer has it much easier - short hair and just a turtleneck.] While I can't share stories about mine I can share stories of weapons.