32 - Blow Your Top

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: A volcano eruption threatens the Western District
When: Jan 14 - 16
Where: The Western District of the Heavens
Summary: The Western District volcano is erupting again, endangering nearby temples and sending ash sprinkling down across the Heavens. Is it natural, or another attack? Those who dare climb the volcano can find out.






Earthquake Warning

On the morning of the 14th, an earthquake rattles windows throughout the Heavens. It's not strong enough to knock down buildings -- unless they're about to fall down anyway, like some of the older abandoned temples -- but it's strong enough to knock things off shelves and startle any late sleepers out of bed.

After the earthquake, strange sights abound around the Heavens. The poetic koi are swimming in organized schools in all of the canals, heading upstream towards the east. Springs of pure water burst out in some areas, and in others, normal springs or fountains have gone temporarily dry. Blue and green lights bob and weave across the landscape.

Falling Rock

The volcano begins erupting with a roar and a bright scarlet glow on the horizon. Ash and bits of rock fall across the Western district, and may even reach into the Southwest, Northwest and southern Central districts. Volcanic glass fibers that look like golden hair collect on trees, fences and buildings.

Trails and fountains of lava are also erupting from freshly opened fissures and wending down the sides of the volcano. Gods and shinki who live in the Western District are going to need some help clearing ash and glass from their roofs, trying to re-route lava flows (the good news is, if you cool one side down enough, you can turn them! the bad news is, that takes a lot of work) or just offering them a spare room to stay until things calm down.

Swamp Gas

It's not just lava and springwater erupting from mysterious new crevasses -- and it's not just mundane volcanic gases, either. Divine volcanic vents are blowing mind-altering fumes all over the Heavens. Anywhere across the Far Shore, but especially as characters get closer to the volcano, they may experience one or more of the following effects:

• Confusion
• Intense emotions
• Anger and irritability
• Impulsive behavior, loss of emotional control
• Hallucinations
• Unusually clear insight into other people and situations
• Coughing, eye and throat irritation, difficulty breathing
• Irresistible impulses to speak in poetry

Most symptoms will clear up after a few hours in fresh air, and all of them will be gone within 48 hours of the last volcano gas exposure.

Mountain Climbing

Natural disasters don't just happen like this in the Heavens... do they? Amaterasu's white-robed shinki are convinced that something is wrong, and they're organizing into search parties to go up the mountain and seek out the cause of this eruption. New and old gods and shinki are welcome to join them, or form their own groups. All of the hazards -- tremors, lava, ash, and volcanic gas -- will get worse as characters ascend the volcano. Strange little spirit flames, in shades of red and blue, dance on the rocks, dazzling, confusing and threatening to singe interlopers.

And there's someone up here, too. A mysterious figure with glowing red eyes is keeping watch on the intruders and vanishing behind boulders whenever someone turns his way. He won't let anyone traveling with one of the white-robed shinki get too close, but solitary gods or shinki might manage to lure him into conversation, if they try....

OOC: Please comment to the 'NPC REQUEST' thread below in order to talk to the mysterious figure on the volcano.

Those climbing the volcano will have a chance to battle the mysterious figure should their characters choose to do so. If you're interested in a fight, please comment to the 'NPC FIGHT' thread below before the top-level is posted. A top-level for the fight will go up on IC Jan 16/OOC Sept 4.

In Summary:

• Don't get rattled
• Help out the Western District with their volcano problem
• Watch out for volcanic gases
• Find out who's behind the eruption
• Have fun~

Comments

[erogappa]

[ Next time something dramatic and terrible happens, Gojyo's decided, it needs to happen down a hill, in, like, a meadow. No brambles, no trees, no mountains. He's getting really tired of climbing mountains.

There's crashing all around him, rocks rolling down the hillside and crashing in from the sky, but there's something about the sound of one particular crash that catches his attention. There's something familiar about the sound of the explosion, although with the way sound get bounced around in a forest, he can't be sure. Still, it's easy enough to cut across the hillside and check it out.

He regrets this decision almost immediately. ]

What the fuck!?

[ He's barely come into view, just barely realized that it's Hakkai over there, Hakkai and a car that Gojyo's pretty sure is Jeep, when Hakkai pivots around and blasts a ball of crackling energy right at him. Thank fuck the tree he was standing next to is thick! ]

I didn't even do anything this time!

[kokuyoyo]

[A hallucinatory bird might answer, but not this one, no matter how mythical its enormous form might indicate otherwise. Instead, it merely looks down its beak at Jae-Ha, before eventually lowering its long neck down a little closer to look.]

[If he wants to see for himself, well, that's more than fine. Chikusa wants to see if there's anything actually around the man himself.]

[pirateofdragons]

[There isn't, but it's not like Jae-ha knows that. For all he knows, this bird can just be a hallucination brought to life. It makes him flinch, his scaled leg twitching with some kind of anxiety. He can feel the chains tugging him down further.

It makes him growl, swinging his leg harshly at Chikusa to force the bird to back off.]

[unlucky7]

Oh, hello Kimi. That's slightly embarrassing. Ginia glances at where the non-existent ayakashi was a few seconds ago and exhales heavily through her mask. It'd be easy enough lying, but if he already saw... well, no point hiding it.

"I thought I saw an ayakashi. Better safe than sorry though, right?"

It doesn't help all the ayakashi she's seen have been fake. It doesn't help only a handful of people have been real too.

"Want company on the way up?"

[monkeyblue]

Barely. I can't get a good look at them.

[lostinshadows]

[Lavi doesn't hear him at first, eye staring wide at where he had seen "Cardia" fall.

See? She's gone. She wasn't worth anything anyway.

He claps his hands over his ears.]

Shut up, shut up, shut up!!

[lostinshadows]

Bring her back!

[If Komaeda isn't careful, a sudden large hammer head is going to be swung at him.

However, it doesn't seem that he actually sees the god. Rather, it's more like he's still trapped in whatever nightmare's engulfed him. He can still hear that mocking laughter, the slide of a petite hand on his chest, that childish giggle in his ear.

What's the matter, Bookman? She's gone now anyway. You can't bring back someone who's turned into ink.]

Scatter and fall

[hellskitchen]

[ Rin is doing his best to cut into the rocks that fall from the volcano. He's able to slash through the mass easily with his sword, setting them aflame so nothing falls to the ground. However, he catches how this guy is able to use his staff to hit not only one --- but three right back at the volcano. That's really cool.

He looks back at him only to see the steam come up from the ground, and make the guy bump into a nearby tree. He looks like he's been down for a bit, so Rin goes over to him to check if he's okay.]

Hey! Did it get you?

[lostinshadows]

....

[The redhead exhales deeply, eye trailing after her.]

Having trouble there?

[lostinshadows]

[That just has Lavi frowning deeper.

He comes closer.]

You can't let yourself be haunted by them. [Lavi moves so that he's in front of the god. However, he's still at a distance where he can get away if Shun ends up lashing out.] You're in a war, Shun. If anything, let their memory become what makes you stronger.

Backbone

[hellskitchen]

[ The air is dry, and it's definitely hot. He can feel it. However, it doesn't bother Rin too badly. He's in his demon form, and his blue flames are surrounding his body as well as the blade of his sword. He's in the middle of cutting apart and disintegrating a few boulders that fall from the volcano.

However, he hears Nia's exclamation and sees that she's in trouble. The flow of the lava on it's way to washing over her, and it would be bad if it makes contact. Thinking quickly, he grabs one of the boulders and throws it down to temporarily interrupting the path of the magma. He then jumps down from the air, and offers his hand to her.]

C'mon! This way!

In my bones

[hellskitchen]

Princess!

[ Rin comes rushing in. Though he doesn't appear as he normally does. His flaming blue horns protruding out of his head, his eyes red slit and he has elf-like ears. His whole body is enveloped in blue flames, even the edge of his long black tail is a lit in a blue blaze. Despite the flames, Rin doesn't feel hot but comfortably warm.

He grabs the boulder with his bare hands, and he grunts as he helps Celestia push back the boulder. Rin's stronger than an average human, so together with their combined strength, they are able to push back with more ease. If Celestia wants to use this chance to escape he can hold it.

He strains out.]

Are you all right?

[reformedsinner]

[I didn't even do anything this time, Gojyo says -- and where is his voice coming from? Hakkai finds himself briefly unsure, but he can see the youkai assassin, shadowy and definitely carrying a weapon, duck behind the tree next to him just in time to dodge Hakkai's attack.

So Gojyo must be behind him, as usual, dealing with the assassins on his other side.

Yes, he can hear the rattle and hiss of the shakujo's chain extending and blade slicing through air, now. It's strange that he hadn't before.

He stays where he is, summoning up another chi blast, and calls back in a tone that's all lighthearted banter.]

Perhaps it's our faces that are the problem!

[There, he can see a flash of the man's arm behind the tree; he releases his second attack.]

Swamp Gas

[dredefulchilde]

[Everywhere Joscelin turns, he sees shadows and hears voices he can't quite comprehend. There's something there, in the fog; a hulking shape and then--

An explosion. He jumps back, startled; the handkerchief he's been wearing as a mask falls to the ground and is forgotten. So that's how it's going to be, is it it? He's going to have to fight his way out of this. If only it weren't so damned foggy. There's another flash--and he doesn't quite dodge it in time. The vampire screams in pain and rage at the searing heat in his shoulder, blood blossoming through his clothing.

There's nothing at all childlike about the small monster rushing the Jeep at inhumanly fast speeds. His eyes are red and his fangs are extended and he wants blood.]

Falling Rock

[hellskitchen]

Rin can help with both evacuating and defending the safe zone from falling debris. He comes to the area prepared to help as well. So when he spots Suzaku, he feels like he remembers him from a while ago. Though he doesn't mention it right away as Suzaku points out that the lava is coming closer.

"All right! I'll check to make sure no one is left behind." There were a bunch of temples in the area. It'll take time to check all of them, but he's glad that someone else is there to lighten the load. "I'll come back here. We're going to need to stop the lava, at some point."

Maybe put up some sort of barrier to prevent the magma from seeping in. They're going to need more hands to pull that off as well.

[dredefulchilde]

[Somewhere down the line Joss has acquired a cut on his cheek that is bleeding freely, mixing with all the ash and soot and muck on his face, but he doesn't seem to notice it. Besides that, he seems physically unhurt. He reties the white handkerchief around his nose and mouth and goes back to hefting a bucket.

He doesn't notice Romeo until a beat too late.]

I'm fine. Can you carry a bucket? We need to wet the roof so that it doesn't catch a spark and go up. Won't do much if the lava comes, though.

[veiledflame]

"Oh, I'll be fine." The boy doesn't offer his name in turn; instead, he leans forward to look at the knife in Ebisu's hand, ignoring the gas mask.

"That's your shinki? I mean, that's what he turns into? Do you fight a lot?"

[veiledflame]

"Maaaaaaybe," the boy drawls. "I'd laugh at anybody trying to put out a volcano.

"Is that what you're here trying to do?"

He brushes at the shoulder of his hoodie, smearing ash across the fabric more than actually brushing it away, and gives Gojyo a more interested look as he notes the red of his eyes.

They don't glow, though. So they're not really twins.

[chibisu]

"Oh, okay." Yeah, that checks out. Ebisu accepts it without a second thought, fumbling to try and hook the gas mask onto his belt on the opposite side of where he has Kimi. At the question, he nods. While his own mask hides his expression, there's no hiding the pride in his voice.

"Yes! He's very handy for combat- or, rather, I suppose the aftermath of combat." Kimi can stab anyone as well as any knife, of course. Still, Ebisu won't be distracted so easily, and he leans forward. "Hey, you need to be polite when someone introduces themselves, and do the same."

[reformedsinner]

[The assassin's form is tiny, child-sized, although he's rushing towards Hakkai with a speed and fury befitting a seasoned adult. He's fast, faster even than most youkai; even with the distance between them, Hakkai barely manages to react in time to turn, grabbing for the assassin's injured arm, aiming to wrench him around into a submission hold.

He may be a real danger, but perhaps if they can stop him from attacking, they can talk him out of it.

He looks, after all, like a child.]

Mountain climbing

[hellskitchen]

Due to being in his demonic state, the volcanic gasses doesn't seem to bother Rin. Neither does the ash or the fire spirits for that matter. Blue flames envelop his body as he starts ascending up the volcano. He then spots the small boy making his way up as well. It is an odd sight. Especially with the number of clothes he has, but he does seem well prepared for the situation.

He seems to move about the volcano with ease. So he must not be an ordinary child? Rin still worries for this child's welfare. "Are you okay up here...by yourself?"

Rin looks a bit concerned. Where were this kid's parents? Although, it's more likely that he's a god or a shinki, and doesn't have parents in this world.

[veiledflame]

"What's that mean? Isn't a knife mostly good for fighting?"

He leans forward in turn, and announces proudly, "I'm Sotero. I'm new."

That's totally a good cover, right?

There's lots of new gods.

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin can't breathe. He can't see much, either; his eyes are burning and the world is a blurry mess. So he jumps when someone approaches, his normally fairly astute senses failing utterly in the chaos. "'m okay," he gasps, but he immediately collapses again with more painful hacking.

Okay, so maybe he really does need help.

"Need...Water."

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin only manages a nod; he's coughing too much to answer verbally, just now. After a moment he points to Garry's mask and mimes putting it over his own face, as if to ask: do you have another one? All he's got is his own scarf and wool doesn't make a very good filter for particulate matter. Every breath feels like he's being stabbed in the lungs.

"Temple of Vesta," he rasps, once he can trust himself to talk. "My goddess. By the volcano..."

[priforprince]

Wh---

[ Hibiki's bike skids and sputters. Her tires have just started to melt.

She was not ignoring the heat so much as it was waiting for the right moment to hit her with a gag. ]