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

[lostinshadows]

[A. Earthquake Warning/Fall Rock a.k.a the end of the World Heaven]

[Lavi has been mostly taken shelter at Shun's temple, aside from the occasional stay at Hibiki's or holed up in the school somewhere. However, he does often make trips to the Western district. He's not sure why, but he was taken surprise when he's suddenly blasted by pure water. His arm comes up instinctively to cover his face, but then the ground shakes and then--

The eruption is felt.

Immediately, his hammer is activated and there's suddenly rain falling from the sky as Lavi activates the Wood seal. While fighting a volcano isn't exactly therapeutic, it's helping.

And Lavi is going to take his anger out on lava.]

[B. Swamp Gas - Hallucinations

[He can hear her voice again. That cackling glee of a young girl's voice that shouldn't be real.

What's the matter, Bookman Junior?

He can practically feel anger seething inside of him, how all he wants to do is get rid of this demonic presence that takes the shape of such a young girl. Someone who looks so angelic but whose eyes gleamed with deadly gold and smile is tinged with poison.

Bookmen aren't meant to have a heart.

Lavi spins around, seeing no one and he can feel something seize up inside of him.]

Stop it.

[Taunting laughs. He grips his head, eye closing as he tries to ignore the voices. That damn giggle. That accusatory tone.

You didn't deserve her. She left because of you. You've proved to be a worthless shinki.

He can hear a scream, that voice so familiar that it has Lavi's eye snapping open in time to see "Cardia" melt into ink.]

Cardia!

[C. Wildcard]

[Lemme know if you wanna do something different!]

B

[swordofzero]

Are you alright? [Suzaku had been making his way up the mountain but had paused when he had seen the boy acting strange, turning around as if he could see something, gripping his head as if he were in pain. Suzaku scrambled his way over to his side.]

Are you feeling alright? [It was hot up here after all and very smokey, once again they had been sent somewhere with very little preparation. Suzaku would not be surprised if some of the gods and shinki fell ill.]

[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!!

[swordofzero]

[He falls silent initially before he realises that the boy doesn't seem to be talking to him. Doesn't even seem to have heard him to start with. He is ill. Suzaku steps closer though he doesn't touch him just yet.]

Can you hear me? My name is Suzaku, I'm going to help you.

[lostinshadows]

[Sorry Suzaku, you might have to try harder to get through to him.

Lavi is still for a moment

They're nothing but ink on paper.

His body ends up moving on his own and if Suzaku's close enough, Lavi is going to aim a punch at his face.]

[swordofzero]

[He wasn't quite expecting that but luckily Suzaku has very fast reflexes and dodges out of the way of the punch.

He doesn't retaliate, it's clear that this boy is ill, something is going on that Suzaku does not understand.]

Please don't hit me, I'm here to help.

B

[fortunesmiles]

Excuse me, but...who are you talking to?

[A somewhat bemused Komaeda is watching Lavi from behind. The sneaking up on him had been accidental - just a random teleportation as Komaeda makes short hops in the direction he's trying to go - but when he'd seen the man yelling at nothing, he couldn't help but say something. He might be experiencing some nasty side effects from smoke inhalation or something...

(He is, but not in quite the way Komaeda thinks. Komaeda himself hasn't encountered the gas yet...though given how weird Komaeda is normally, one wonders if anyone would notice if he did.)]

[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.]

[fortunesmiles]

Ah! [Komaeda is more than a little startled by the sudden large hammer being swung his way. His conscious survival instinct is...questionable, but even Komaeda has a certain hard-wired desire not to get his skull caved in. He jerks back away from Lavi...

...just as a small rock, marble-sized, whistles through the air and bounces hard off of Lavi's skull. It isn't big enough or moving at enough speed to do serious damage, but Lavi might have at least a small cut, and doubtless it stings like hell.]

[lostinshadows]

[lsjflsd

OW.

Lavi flinches when he feels that sharp stinging coming from his head, forcing him to stop and hold his head in pain.]

[fortunesmiles]

[Oh. Well, that was fortunate. Komaeda's a lot less surprised by the convenient coincidence than he was Lavi's aggression before that; this is just the way his luck works, after all. He's accustomed to it by now.

He wonders if he should simply leave now, but...then again, maybe the hit to the head might have calmed the man down. And now that he's not caught by surprise, it'll be easy to teleport away if the man goes on the attack again. So, a touch warily, Komaeda watches him.]

Are you all right...?

another b

[creepface]

[ Rasu hasn't seen any hallucinations of his own yet, and isn't aware of them, but hoo boy will he be soon, considering Lavi's state of mind.

This guy is not okay, and Rasu has a big first aid kit that contains so many things, he readies it in case he'll need it. ]

A-a-are you okay?! I'm a n-nurse, I can t-try to help you if you'll l-l-let me?

[ All the while he's coughing and his makeup is a bit smudged because the gas makes his eyes tear up.

Also, his current confusion has made him completely lost and he's been unable to find his way back to his temple, so that's worrisome. Tings just keep piling up here. ]

[lostinshadows]

Get the fuck away from me!

[It's unsure if he's talking to Rasu or talking to the hallucinations in his mind.

He doubles over, hands continuing to grip his head.]

[creepface]

I, I won't touch you I p-p-p-pro-pro- swear...! Are you h-hurt anywhere?

[ He stays far away from him, since that's what's been asked of him, and he doesn't know how to fight, and he can't help anyone if he himself is out for the count. He crouches down to be more level with Lavi, even at their current distance. ]

Is it your h-head?

[ He's speaking calmly, though he might seem more nervous than he is due to his stutter. It's permanent though, so it won't go anywhere anytime soon. ]

You're o-okay, I'll help you as much as I c-can. Can you m-match my breathing?

[lostinshadows]

Go away.

[He hisses out, still not quite hearing Rasu.

Snarling, he suddenly charges at him and punches him. Or tries to anyway.]

[creepface]

S-sorry I r-r-r-r-really can't l-leave you like th-this-

[ And then Lavi lands a punch on him, because there is no way Rasu would have been able to avoid it. He's weak and uncoordinated on a regular day, but while stressed out? It's not a good spot. ]

A for a change

[mithrarin]

[Little time elapses between the eruption and Dust charging towards danger with his usual lack of self-preservation -- which puts him in prime viewing position to see the sudden and bizarre eruption of rain. More than enough cause to make him slow, looking for the source.]

[Which isn't too hard to find.]

How is it raining!?

[lostinshadows]

Oops, sorry about that.

[Not really, but Lavi's peering down at him from on top of his hammer.]

[mithrarin]

Did you -- is that some sort of rain magic? That's...

[How can he use this? There has to be a way!]

[lostinshadows]

Something like magic, I guess.

[But not anything he can teach.]

[mithrarin]

Is there any way you can direct it at me? [Dust draws his sword, spinning it reflexively into a backhand grip.]

B, always bugging Lavi. Sup friend?

[redstray]

[ Eric paused as he spotted a familiar figure not too far from him acting...a bit strangely. He only managed to walk over before frowning as he heard the words and saw Lavi grip his head. That wasn't good. ]

H-hey!

[ Eric blinks as suddenly Lavi opens his eyes and yells, taking a precautionary step back. ]

Uhm, Eric...actually. What's wrong?

[lostinshadows]

[He tenses a bit.

Well, that's a familiar voice, and one that has him backing up more.

Lavi growls warningly at Eric.]

Stay back.

[redstray]

[ That. That grabs his attention. There was a moment when he tensed as well, wanting to growl back in return but he stopped himself. That wasn't going to do any good.

So Eric did what he could, he knelt down, kept his hands free of his pockets and made sure he wasn't too close. ]

What's wrong?

[lostinshadows]

You need to leave.

[Eric's familiar, so Lavi doesn't want to hurt him. He can still hear Road laughing at him, telling him how weak he is.

Eric's no one important. Ink on paper. What does it matter if he's here or not? So close to danger that if he isn't careful, he'd get hurt?]