Science has gone too far!

[subtract]

Who: Anyone!
Where: Anywhere!
When: All of October 2nd
What: Add's experiment starts to affect the Far Shore, causing rifts and mutated ayakashi to begin appearing all over. Please refer to this post for details and questions.

Spatial Tears

The first few cracks are small, barely anything noticeable, but by morning the tears have widened enough to start leaking a chaotic and unsettling energy. Spend too much time around them and you'll start feeling strange. Memories get foggier, emotions start to run wild or go missing entirely... whatever's causing this, it's not good.

Luckily, magic seems to be enough to force them back, and a bit of holy water can seal up a weakened tear in no time. Better get to work!

Freak Ayakashi

Ayakashi are rare on the Far Shore, but not completely unheard of. The ones that linger too close to the tears receive a much more sinister effect compared to gods and shinki—the energy seeps into their bodies in the form of glowing blue patterns, granting the ayakashi even more strength and the power to spread more tears and corrupt energy with their blight. These ayakashi are aggressive and will attack heavenly beings on sight.

... but many of the ayakashi will be very familiar to the older of the outsider gods and shinki. A large number of small Noise ayakashi have ended up in the mix somehow, resembling the ones that escaped from the chocolates way back in March. They're small, but incredibly dangerous, and it'll take a coordinated attack to put any kind of dent on them.

Henir's Temple

A massive tear can be seen looming over Henir's temple, and it grows larger and larger as the day goes on. The temple grounds are a mess, and it seems like this might be the source of the trouble. Is there something inside the temple that might put a stop to all of this?

Later in the day, a piercingly bright golden triangle shines through the darkness of the giant rift. Whatever's going on in there, it's not just Add that's involved.

((If you want your character to investigate the temple, please contact me first! I can be reached on plurk at BlueFlewFedUQueen, by PM, or you can respond to the event OOC post. This is just to keep track of who's going where, so if you've already spoken to me about it in some capacity you're A-OK :|b))

Comments

Re: Henir's Temple

[all_seeing_eye]

None of the above!

[Very helpful, Futaba.]

But it's definitely not eating me.

[all_seeing_eye]

Caaaaannnnn't heeeeeeaaaaar yooooooouuuuuuuu...

[badassfreakingoverlord]

[Nope. The minions are in a delightful orgy of violence and mayhem, looking for all the world like they're enjoying their work.]

[Zetta catches that look, too.] They don't count! They're just minions! They're contrast!

[minogame]

( He's had a similar power before-- cutting things with water when he belonged to Oona-- but this is different. )

Ah! ( There's an excited gasp in Hitsugaya's mind and he can probably feel Urashima's excitement, a type that one feels when one is ready for battle. At the very least, it's replacing some of the stubborn resistance Urashima had come into this situation with, ) Heh heh, what do you think?

( He's ready to fight now. He's ready to fight he'sreadytofight. )

Let's go! I can get them!

[priforprince]

[ This is a complicated organization in which she has found herself ensnared. Hibiki considers this. Staying close to this....book....might be useful, since she still knows nothing about herself.

And yet.

The decision is quick, and, admirably, requested with that sense of composed, detached calm. ]

I'd like to apply for a severance of contract.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

[Zetta doesn't even bother to be indignant.] Traditional demon rules: to escape from the yoke of your rightful lord and master, especially when you got that position by losing a battle, you have to actually defeat said rightful lord and master.

[priforprince]

Then, consider this my challenge.

[ Hibiki checks her pockets to see if she has a weapon to brandish. She finds a million flowers and a single white glove.

Retrieving the glove, she stares at it. Then tosses it right at Zetta, matter-of-factly.

As it touches upon the hole in her memories, her recollection is hazy. But she's pretty sure this is how this goes. ]

[diehardreaper]

[ There's a... somewhat impressed whistle there. Whatever's happened, it's insanely effective. ]

You're a god, mate. Like the rest of us brought here. Did a bit of a number on you, did it, Hibiki...?

[ And a sigh as he ruffles his hair, suddenly grabbing one shoulder to get her attention. ]

M'not sure what's going on either but... your name's Hibki'n you've taken the part of the god Apollo.

[priforprince]

The god Apollo....

[ That sounds like she's someone important. This is....kind of a nice feeling.

She examines her hands. What slender digits. Bewitching. ] Hibiki.

[ Yeah. Yeah, she's broken. ]

Re: Henir's Temple

[royaltyloyalty]

[Very weird. But she's running off and he can't do anything else to help so...]

Whatever. Next time you see me, just explain things more clearly, huh?

[And off he runs to get some more ayakashi.]

[royaltyloyalty]

WHAT ARE YOU--?!

[ Doku's pissed. Something happened. Something has brought Gojyo here fighting ayakashi on his own without a god at his side. Maybe he lost his arm today or last week, but as reckless as Gojyo is, Doku doesn't believe he'd just throw that kind of thing away carelessly. Something awful happened, of that he's sure. ]

GET OUT OF HERE IF YOU'RE SO HURT ALREADY!

[ All the same, he runs towards Gojyo while cutting down the ayakashi in his path. A particularly big one in the shape of an ape stops him from getting too close, and Doku screeches to a halt. ]

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Okay, hold on a sec -- ZETTA REND!

[Zetta sweeps his brutal eyebeams across the battlefield, bursting ayakashi into so much spirit dust as the blasts wash over them. It's poor experience compared to a longer fight, but details details.]

[Battle subsided, Zetta draws himself up to regard Hibiki from his floating perch.]

Hmph. All right. Since I'm the challenged one, are you prepared to hear the terms?

[priforprince]

If you're quick about it.

[ She's the sort of person who carries around a lot of flowers. Hibiki is more interested in seeing what kinds she has on her than in listening to Zetta.

Purple roses, red roses.....Ah, these red lilies are lovely. What's their name again?

...Casablanca. There is no way that is not the name for these bright red flowers. ]

[mostsuitable]

—Then I'm coming with you.

[He states it stolidly.

There's no telling what awaits them inside, but Reisi will do whatever he can to protect them.]

[freezetheheavens]

[Now he's getting into it?

Hitsugaya doesn't say much but he does rush forward now, swinging out another dragon of water at the ayakashi, rending them quickly.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[They are pretty evenly matched and despite her playful challenge, she's content to keep stride alongside him, breaking into a sprint barely a second after he does. The ayakashi give chase, unwilling to let their next meal escape but the borderlines serve as effective deterrent. The pair manage to make it to the safety of Hachiman's temple unscathed.

Once they burst onto the temple grounds, Ayumu doubles over in a breathless gigglefit.]

That was fun! Are they still coming?

[One would think from her tone that she's referring to someone they'd just played a prank on rather than supernatural beasts bent on eating them.]

[badassfreakingoverlord]

[Within an instant, the minion army has surrounded Hibiki -- not with weapons raised, but more as the conventional 'arena formed by people'. Also many of them have popcorn, because of course they do.]

The challenge is as follows:

[Out of the mass of body steps a Prinny, who strolls on up to Hibiki with a cheerful wave of one flipper, while Zetta speaks.]

Get through a conversation.

[The Prinny stops, then turns to face Zetta with a puzzled look.]

Dood, wait! Seriously? She keeps screaming and passing out every time I say anything...

[As the book glares balefully down, the Prinny lifts its flipper to its mouth thoughtfully.] Ohh, I get it now! Awesome plan, dood!

[spes_phthisica]

[Souji is staring back trying to determine this, because while the temple is a much safer place to be, he wouldn't want to let down his guard.

He can see them slinking about out there, keeping their distance for now, but he wouldn't trust caution to hold them off forever. So he tugs gently at Ayumu's sleeve, as if impatient and excited.]

I think they gave up for now. Let's go look for the kittens inside, okay?

[And hopefully find Hijikata too. Just in case.]

[erogappa]

[ The blight hurts, but he's discovered that he can take a hell of a lot of pain. His tolerance level for bullshit, however, is a lot lower. ]

I don't remember askin' your opinion! [ --he hollers back, before turning to the ayakashi and attacking with new fervor. He's got a new attack style, where he swings the spade-shaped blade back and forth in front of his body in a kind of figure-8, and it's remarkably effective at keeping the ayakashi back.

It's not stopping them, but at least -- for now, anyway -- he's holding his own. ]

Go find your own damn invasion!

coding is evil, is what it is

[kagenonadeshiko]

'Kay!

[Ayumu's expression brightens at the promise of kittens as she follows Souji into the temple. She looks around very slowly, curious, not only on the lookout for cute fuzzies to play with but also just taking in the surroundings. Ordinarily, she'd be exceptionally pleased to see a place that looks more familiar than most places do but she's so tranquilized from the rift effects, she just looks completely relaxed.]

Oh, the kittens! What are their names?

[She'd asked before but gotten distracted by their impromptu footrace.]

[priforprince]

[ Agh! There's that - that inexplicable pain again. Hibiki grabs at her head and glowers.

This book's reputation for villainy may not be exaggerated, but she isn't thinking about that right now. No, only one thought fills her aching head: ]

What is that despicable verbal tic?!

First time using this power, wao

[royaltyloyalty]

Like hell I am!

[ He puts out his sword and doesn't actually attack the ayakashi. Instead, he runs around to one side so that he can at least see Gojyo. ]

Do your thing - Mokki!

[ And there's not much that happens, visually. The sword's tip glints in Gojyo's direction and before long the ape is coming after Doku again, but the effect remains. Dokugakuji designated Gojyo as his target for the soulless shinki's power: that half of whatever damage Gojyo takes should be routed to Doku instead. ]

html has it out for me

[spes_phthisica]

Oh! [He looks a bit startled, for a moment forgetting about ayakashi, and then laughs a bit sheepishly.]

You know, I haven't actually given them names yes. I guess it's because I never named the ducks, so I didn't think about it.

[But the ducks are over 200, so of course he hasn't named them all. The kittens, on the other hand, are only four adorable fluffballs, and of course they need names!]

Could you maybe help me name them? [He pokes his head momentarily into Hijikata's room.] Hijikata-san? [Not there. Hmmm.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

Oh, I see. I'd be happy to help!

[Names can be tough, especially when there's a lot of pets to name. She tilts her head thoughtfully.]

How many kittens are there again? Do you know if they're boys or girls yet or are they still too young to tell?

[badassfreakingoverlord]

I'm a Prinny, dood. From what they tell me, we all have the souls of people who led worthless lives in us, and now we've gotta work off our sins in the Netherworld for below minimum wage! It sucks, dood!