25 - Troubled Waters

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Alleviating the troubles caused by conflict in Heaven
When: October 10
Where: Orihime's meadows in the Far Shore, as well as various places in Japan, China and Ireland
Summary: Orihime has been tasked by the Heavens with resolving the conflict caused in the mortal world by the new gods' struggles against one another. Several gods have been killed recently, and their violent deaths have led to dangerous corruption being released in the mortal world. Help Orihime expunge the corruption and return the human world to a peaceful existence.







Orihime's Meadows

Before traveling to the Far Shore, gods and shinki can meet and make plans near Orihime's modest home at the edge of the Southeastern District. Her dwelling is too small to accommodate even one team of gods and shinki arranging something as serious as this, let alone several. It is obvious she thought about this fact, and has crafted four cloth tents out in the meadows surrounding her home. The sounds of the milky way river are now joined by rustling fabric in the wind, for each tent has a flag mounted atop it and standing in front of it:

• The blue tent belongs to the team for Ksitigarbha. It has a sigil in black on the flag.
  
• The green tent belongs to the team for Li Tieguai. On its flag, a mortar and pestle in white, but the visible part of the pestle resembles a staff crook.
  
• The red tent belongs to the team for Cu Chulainn, with an impressive reproduction of a two-headed dog celtic knot in shining silver.
  
• The brown tent belongs to the team for Loki. Its flag bears a two-headed snake in gold.
All four tents are spread out in cardinal directions. Near each tent, she has a few stacks of wooden prayer tablets related to each of the problems, as well as maps and supplies for those who might need them.

In the center of all four tents is a simple chair and table where Orihime herself is generally sitting, talking to others nearby, or writing notes based on those conversations. She does a lot of listening when people ask her for new supplies she hadn't thought of previously, but has only been supplied with four shinki runners to get those supplies, one per group. Additionally, she cannot teleport down to the Near Shore herself, nor can anyone use her home to teleport down to where each of the troubles are; that is a problem for each group to solve on their own, with Orihime only able to mediate and provide suggestions.

Child's Play

Kshitigarbha, protector of children and of hell beings, is one of the recent casualties. Without his protection, it seems that babies' fears are giving rise to new and awful ayakashi throughout the city of Xi'an. Shadows on the wall above the crib, oversized stuffed animals, monsters hiding in the closet or rattling the windows at night -- all the fears of earliest childhood are taking real, malicious form. Babies are panicking, parents are exhausted, and all this stress is pulling in even more ayakashi! Someone needs to lure out these nursery nightmares and defeat them before the situation gets worse.

As gods and shinki work to rend the ayakashi tormenting children, they may notice a strange shadow passing by in the street outside, or scratching noises at the nursery window. Something more seems to be waiting outside....

Flu Season

With sky-high living costs and limited space, Tokyo has a large homeless population. Li Tieguai, protector of the poor and patron of medicine, was another recent death: now, winter's coming, and without his protection it seems like everyone's getting sick at once. They're suffering from everything ranging from plain old head colds and 'flu to more serious things like pneumonia or infections. Help pass out tea, soup and blankets, make sure they get the right medications, and get the sickest people to the hospital.

Carrion crows crowd close around the sick and croak, watching the gods and shinki helping them.

Wild Hounds

As if honoring the fall of the Hound of Chulainn, stray dogs have begun to form into large, dangerous packs in rural and suburban areas of Ireland, and even well-trained housepets have started breaking their leashes and joining them. They're starting to chase and bite humans, and it's only a matter of time before someone gets killed. Gods need to defeat the ayakashi possessing the "leaders of the pack," and get the pets back to their worried owners.

The groves of trees where the dogs are lairing seem unusually dark and shadowy, and footsteps seem to echo those of the gods and shinki tracking them down.

Prank War

Teenage pranks are turning unusually cruel and dangerous lately: with Loki gone, a few groups of bored kids have coalesced into more serious gangs in Chiba, and they've been seen setting fires, tormenting animals, vandalizing businesses and intimidating or robbing people walking alone at night. Someone needs to stop them from causing trouble, put them on a better path, or turn them in to the police before someone gets badly hurt.

Even as they're working to stop the teenagers' mischief, something seems to whisper to them and encourage them to join in and cause a little trouble. After all, it's just some fun....

Boss Battles

Those who helped to resolve the problems caused by the gods' deaths have one final enemy to face. Four dangerous ayakashi are behind these conflicts. Each character can participate in one boss battle, but it's fine for characters to form multiple different groups (i.e. multiple threads under one boss's comment.) To ensure that the NPC knows when to respond to your characters, please indicate which characters will be in a thread in your first comment.

Kshitigarbha - Child's Play

Li Tieguai - Flu Season

Cu Chulainn - Wild Hounds

Loki - Prank War

In Summary:

• Check in with Orihime and your new teams
• Save scared children
• Help the sick
• Tame stray dogs
• Stop pranks from going too far
• Watch out~

Comments

[trademark_skull]

[Praise from Toushirou...? Can that even be??]

[--And a Goten?! Goten was Toushirou's shinki?! Emizel is gonna have to get questions answered when he's done being spun around. ...Well, maybe not right right now.]

Ha~ yup! It's one of the spells I know!

[He's got other ones just as cool! Goten will need to see those sometime.]

[sweetdeath]

[Tsuzuki shakes his head, smoothing the washcloth with unnecessary care. The man's fever seems to be a little better, but he's still clammy and breathing with difficulty.]

I don't know. There's got to be a way to stop it, right? Other than just trying to treat all of them? There aren't enough of us here to take care of everyone.

[shutupnail]

[The further he went into the trees, the darker it seemed to grow. There were no more trees than typical elsewhere nor did the spread of them change, but the shadows seemed longer and deeper here. Piccolo got the feeling nothing about this was natural.

He wasn't surprised. If anything, he was just irritated by the fact. Well, even more irritated than he was already. If it wasn't natural then he wanted to know what was causing it.

And beat the ever-living crap out of it for it. To put an end to it of course. And to beat the crap out of something. Especially if it was a strong something that he could really sink his fangs into.

After going a bit deeper into the wooded area, Piccolo stopped to assess the situation. There was the faint sound of footsteps pattering about when he stopped to listen. It made his pointed ears twitch, but for whatever reason he couldn't seem to get a lock on it. Definitely unnatural.

He caught sight of a shadow darting amongst the trees off to his side and quickly whirled on it. A dog, he suspected, running into the trees like all the others. He followed it, at a more slow pace now.]

[shutupnail]

[There was a moment. A silent and blank moment where Piccolo just stared at the redhead. With a Look.

Then Piccolo shook his head and gave a small huff. No use. He felt like this was familiar somehow... and instinctively knew it would be no use to try and fix the other's mistake. Or bite the bait. Either way. He shook the response off.]

Right.

[He looked back into the darkened woods and rolled his shoulders. Then glanced back at Ren, watching the redhead approach.]

Not long. It's impossible to navigate accurately. There's an unnatural energy to the whole area... [He paused briefly, and then:] But it's where all the dogs are headed when they're not out menacing people in packs. So there's definitely something in the middle of it all out there.

[shutupnail]

[His eyes darted back up to Goten's face and then narrowed slightly.]

It looks damaged. You should head bac-

What?

[Took off guard, Piccolo tried to discern what the child meant by his last comment. Goten's injury (and Piccolo's attempt to get the child off the battlefield to have it attended to) were temporarily forgotten.]

What are you talking about? Do what?

[untodeath]

[ It would make sense, that he heals so quickly. He is a death god, after all, isn't he?

Expression settling into a lopsided sort of smile, Grell shifts her weight whilst foldin her arms across her middle. There's no intention to harm Tsuzuki, you see - despite how aggressive she may come across! ]

Mn, like that--? No. I attacked without motivation, instead focusing on anyone unfortunate enough to cross my path.

[ She shakes her head with a sigh. ]

You're simply not my type; entirely too kind - and one of our own, besides. I couldn't expect you to forgive me for it, but I am sorry.

[untodeath]

Tch, please. I couldn't intend to scare a infant, I'm not a monster.

[ Lips pursed with annoyance, she steps aside while gesturing toward the crib with an open palm. If Shizuo could quiet the child instead, she wouldn't have to get any more attached - and perhaps, most importantly, it would shut him up.

Thankfully, she's forgotten that he's mentioned his troubles regarding control over strength. She's too busy staring at those eyes of his, because she's never seen him without his stupid sunglasses. ]

Let's see what you've got, then.

[sweetdeath]

You know, that's the first time I think I've been flattered to hear I wasn't somebody's type?

-- uh, no offense meant.

[Considering "her type" seems to mean "the kind of guy she wants to stab with a chainsaw," he'll be just as happy to stay on the less intriguing end of the scale.]

Anyway. I'm fine, and Spears said you didn't wind up killing anybody... is that true?

[bartenderizing]

You've got a shitty track record with that.

[ There's plenty of people who would argue that Grell was a monster, for her own lack of control. That very thing is what has Shizuo feeling that he's probably some kind of monster, and why he used to seriously question the whole thing when he first arrived as a shinki.

Right now, he's leaning over with his hands at the top of the crib's bars, not daring to go much closer. As Grell's so busy staring at his eyes, she could easily see that they're nowhere near being red, but just dark enough to not be considered a golden brown. That and he's too scared himself to reach into that crib and comfort the child. Which is probably what it needs.

Instead, he hums. Nothing in particular, but loud enough to be heard in the room with the deep and smooth baritone range without the irritation or temper that he'd had just before. ]

[sweetdeath]

We can get it!

[Tsuzuki stuffs the last few ofuda back into his pocket, so hastily that one crumples, and slashes his hand across, aiming to cut one wing away with a borderline. Maria's up on the creature's shoulders now, which means she's safely out of the way.]

Line!

[untodeath]

[ Grell's smile twinges wider, a chuckle escaping her! No offence is taken at the comment, it only shows her that he's been paying attention. ]

It is in fact.

[ There's a quirk of her brow, hearing that William's already been by to speak with Tsuzuki. Not that it's a total surprise - and she can imagine what he'd said, in any case. ]

As could be expected, this is a resilient lot.

[usedperishsong]

Only way to get the attention of two aspiring artists like yourselves.

[ Kanade is all smiles. ]

What was it gonna be? Dirty words? Dirty pictures? You guys don't have tough-guy aliases for yourselves or anything, do ya....?

[ Teasing is clearly the best method of crime prevention. ]

[revolutionfalcon]

Not necessarily. [Enough people are helping that they'd get care one way or another, and a lot of the most urgent cases seem to be getting their symptoms alleviated by the various healers around. Shun has his doubts about the risk being worth the reward.

But he'd just be wasting his time arguing, so he starts heading in the direction of the hospital himself.]

There's another one a few blocks in another direction. [Shun tilts his head in the direction in question.] It'll be a lot more annoying to get to from here, but it's possible if we need to start redirecting people.

[revolutionfalcon]

[It's probably a good thing the kids are going to forget this in a few minutes. Shun draws a bit closer to Lavi to make sure he isn't caught up in the gathering storm, watching it rise and expand.

Thankfully, even the kids in this state can recognise a threat that can't be dealt with, and a few of them choose to flee rather than confront it.]

Looks like a couple of them are cutting their losses.

[revolutionfalcon]

That could be hours. [Shun is admittedly the type to do similar himself, but he also knows what kind of dedication that needs. Part of the reason he's continued following the trail and disposing of the gangs is to kill time until he finds something that works.

When she speeds up and changes direction, Shun follows with a slight sigh of annoyance.]

This is just going to wear you out faster.

[revolutionfalcon]

I'd say so. With this much going on, even if they're not the cause, there'd have to be ayakashi around.

[It's enough upset and despair to feed any ayakashi who happened by, so he expects there's quite a few of them out of sight. With that in mind, he speeds up his pace a bit so they can return to the park quicker.]

[redotiertwo]

Yeah, but was dying actually going to make you tell your shinki what you were doing next time.

[As he understands it, that was the main source of the offense, besides maybe that whole thing with Ayumu punching him in the face that Chikusa told him about.]

I'll keep your number next time I manage to fuck my own wing off, then, maybe you should start a business for this shit.

[There is that clinic that's supposed to be happening, but he's not sure Hakkai is involved with that.]

[declamando]

I think so, but that wouldn't tell us why it is they're here. [The suggestion does get a rueful smile, at least, but Maria's more worried about the why right now than simply their presence.]

As it is, we'll just have to hope we can get enough done before that comes to light.

[declamando]

[It's weakening, and Maria's not planning to let up, especially with the other two having done so much to keep its attention on her. When her first slash hits home, she brings her shinki blade up once more, driving it down with intent different to her previous attacks.]

Rend! [It feels more certain to call it in a situation like this, and she plunges the blade deep into the slashed area at the back of its neck.]

[declamando]

I'm afraid it's a little more complicated than that regardless. [More than baseline isn't just something she can draw on at will like Dust seems to be able to. She's an exceptional fighter by human standards anyway, but any supernatural element to it comes exclusively from her Gear.]

Are any of them getting close to home, do you think? [Dust might be better at reading the dogs than she is.]

[revolutionfalcon]

So she's inexperienced. [Shun gives a somewhat dismissive sound - considering what she'd been telling him about at the dance to try and get him to trust her more, he would've expected that she'd at least have seen some kind of action on that front.]

Could use an eye on her if she wants to get involved in something like this, then.

[revolutionfalcon]

I am. [Despite how much others may disagree that Shun is particularly careful about just about any of these sorts of missions, he considers himself as such.

He starts walking again, pace a little slower, specifically keeping an eye out more around the wall and surrounding areas for any spots ripe for the snakes to be hiding or good chokepoints for an ambush. He focuses on the sound of the hissing - how it changes, where it seems to be coming from - and steers his course accordingly.

By the time they're quite close to the wall, one thing is obvious, though Shun whispers the words so they're not caught by the creatures.]

More than one. [Sounds like about four, if he had to guess - plenty to be getting on with, considering the size and agility of them.]

[usedperishsong]

I can handle it!

[ Or, you know, pass out trying. Deal with that when it happens, y'know?

--Was that shadow over there more thugs, or something worse? ]

[heartshutter]

Still! [ He rebuffs rather cheerily. ] I can heal them, you know.

[ Opening his palm, he beckons with the other hand for Sorey to offer an injured arm. It doesn't matter if they're just small scratches or not -- the fact is, these are wounds he took for Tatara's sake, because the elder is too weak to protect himself. He can't not repay that debt, period.

Sorey's glance to the dogs makes the other god smile wanly, chuckling under his breath. ]

Eheh. You would think of them first, wouldn't you? [ He's so kind it aches. ]

[heartshutter]

Ah, this?

[ It’s not his god power, which he actually rarely uses; this, he finds, is far more useful, if also far more taxing on him. At least warming the little one in his arms doesn’t require much concentrated effort, precision, or focus.

But, in a sort of secret homage to Anna, he explains it in the most vague (and childlike) of ways: ]

This red comes from my King. [ A serene smile is cast Hakkai’s way. ] I’m keeping her warm, is all.