thenearshore | 001 | The Welcoming Feast

Entry tags:

001 | The Welcoming Feast

Who: Everyone!
What: A little bit of explanation, thank goodness.
When: Early morning. (February 15, 2016)
Where: The Heavens. Specifically in the Meeting Hall.
Warnings: Exposition is coming your way, sit back and enjoy the show!

The Heavens have summoned you. And there is no way to turn down a summons from the Heavens. Of course, some of you know where you are and what you are probably doing here, but most of you might be completely confused as to what is going on. All gods have been ushered into the meeting hall, where every person suddenly becomes anonymous and obscured, while every shinki has been gathered up outside in the hallway, both sets to listen to the same message sent by Amaterasu herself. And while you cannot see her properly or really figure out what her voice sounds like, you definitely know that it's her speaking:

'Welcome, one and all, to Takamagahara. There are many new gods and shinki here today, and I hope you all find your stay pleasant. I wish that I could explain to you exactly why you find yourselves here now, but I am unsure of the details myself. Please make use of the shinki dedicated to our services in order to make yourself more acquainted with your new position. You can find them by looking for my golden insignia.

As compensation for the trouble you are all being put through, I have had a wonderful feast prepared. I only hope that it is to your liking. Feel free to eat and drink as much as you would like, though please do not leave before the clock chimes midnight, for that is when your homes will be prepared.

I ask that all pre-existing gods please help those new to our ways. Let them know what is and is not acceptable and what duties will be expected of them. I am counting on your all to support the Heavens in this confusing time as we attempt to sort things out.

Thank you all for your time. And I am truly sorry that you have found yourselves in this situation.

With that, the figure that is Amaterasu bows deeply and disappears from their sights. The gods are released from their chamber and the shinki are allowed to roam. All exits are manned by a white-clad shinki, bearing a golden, embroidered Chrysanthemum on their chests. So, technically, there is no way out. You can't even seem to teleport out by any means.

All that's really left to do is enjoy the food and hope that you'll actually be able to leave after the clock chimes midnight. Though the clock doesn't seem to work on a minute-by-minute basis either...

Banquet Hall

There is food from literally every culture and walk of life here. Everything is prepared gorgeously and deliciously, no expenses spared. There are shinki bearing the Chrysanthemum carrying out new platters of everything as it's eaten up and nothing seems to go hot or cold as time passes - it always at the perfect temperature for eating and it never tastes anything but delicious. Maybe there's a little magic making it taste so good...

On top of the delectable dinner, there are plenty of desserts and every kind of alcohol available and constantly being refilled. The liquor is being offered to gods and shinki alike, no matter how old they are/look. Let's hope that you can hold your alcohol.

Counselling

In the main hallway, there is an innocuous door with a small, nicely written sign that reads "Gentle Counselling". Inside the door is a small room with a few sweetly smiling shinki inside who are willing to listen to your problems and answer any questions you might have. They are also here to help out any gods that are having a hard time dealing with knowing about how their shinki died and also any shinki that is having trouble coming to terms with the fact that they are dead.

Did Someone Say Games?

A large room connected to the back of the banquet hall has a wide variety of games set up for everyone to enjoy. There are old-fashioned board games (like chess and Othello) as well as newer ones (like Candy Land and Sorry!). On top of that, there is every kind of console available with every video game ever made - and plenty of handheld devices for everyone to be able to play. The devices don't seem to work outside of this room, though, so you'll have to stay there if you want to keep playing. Gaming is, after all, a great way to get to know new people!

After Midnight

Finally, the clock starts to chime. It seems like it's been days and yet only minutes at the same time. Time seems to work so strangely here in Takamagahara and it's hard to keep up with what's going on. But now that the shinki guarding the doors have left their posts, you are more than welcome to leave. In fact, the Heavens seem to want you to leave because all of the food has disappeared, none of the games work anymore (including the board games, which keep flipping over when you try to play...), and the friendly shinki are smiling as they usher you out the doors.

You are welcome to start wandering around Takamagahara, but it's an ambiguous sort of place and might just take you straight home anyway. Feel free to go home and start bonding with your partner. Or sneak home with someone else because your partner is a meanie-pants. It's up to you!

In Summary:

Amaterasu says you're stuck here and she doesn't know why. Sorry!
There's lots of food to eat, though! Eat your fill.
Oh, and there's booze too. Try not to get TOO drunk.
Guidance/Grief counselling is available, if you need it.
Use gaming to get close to others!
Try to start bonding with your god/shinki. Or just form new friendships. Whatever you feel best doing!
Have fun!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Haaaaah?

[It comes out a bit broad, thanks to a lump of mochi being in her mouth when she tries to reply. It's enough to remind her of the fact however, and she hurriedly chews through the rest and swallows before she ends up spitting it on someone.]

I... I guess it would be weird if we got to eat like this every night, huh?

[Oh man, what a depressing thought. She's pretty sure she doesn't know how to cook - just what kind of food is she going to scrounge up out there?]

Well, people don't usually have a banquet every day, do they. [He's agreeing with her- it's just the way it is.]

But your god should take care of you. Including feeding you, even if we don't need to eat, strictly speaking.

[Something tells him these new shinki and gods will be better of than he was in that regard right off the bat.
Trying to wipe away that thought by quickly putting a square of cheese in his mouth and swallowing ~~14 year old boys don't chew~~ he continues on to the point.]

I'm Yukine, a shinki. [He shifts his plate to his right hand for a moment so that he can point to his left collarbone where his 'yuki' mark is partially visible.]

And you?

We probably shouldn't eat if we don't have to... [It's sorta wasteful if you think about it.] But it tastes so good!

[Truly, life... er, death? is hard.]

Oh-- I'm Yuuki. It's nice to meet you!

[Though when he points at the mark on his neck, she blinks curiously at him. Did she have something like that? She hasn't noticed...]

['Shouldn't'?]
Think of eating as good for your mental health then.

[He looks right back at her curiously.]

...And, are you a shinki, or a god?

Oh... that's true! Mental health is important.

[She nods, mostly to herself, as though that somehow confirms that yes, eating is okay even for the dead.]

--Ah, sorry, sorry! Are we supposed to say that now? I'm a shinki.

[Usually if someone introduces themselves by saying so, isn't it normal to follow suit?]

Yeah, it'll be helpful until everyone gets used to knowing who you are. I'm asking in particular because I'm supposed to be helping you new shinki out.

Your god should be taking care of you, but I can explain anything you have questions about.

[Shhhh, she's still getting used to the whole being dead thing.]

Oooh! Thank you! But...

[She tilts her head to the side, frowning.]

...I'm not even sure where to start. [Maybe...] What do we do?

[He kinda gets it- it's so new that you don't even know where to start asking questions about what you should know.]

That's not a bad place to start. To begin with, when your god calls your 'sound' name you change into your vessel form. And when they say your regular name you change back. From there you can figure out what kind of abilities you have that will help your god so that you can work better together.

[...Uh.]

Sound name? Vessel?

[What are these things.]

...

[This is one of the first people he's spoken to, so he's still figuring out what the shinki know and don't know.
So if the new shinki don't know who their god is, then maybe the god wasn't there at the naming? So the shinki... don't know all their names yet?

Yukine passes a hand through his hair, whispering under his breath,] Eh- this is so weird. [But okay, he can do this.]

I guess your situation is way different from how I started. So, you should now have three names. One is Yuuki. The second is the name your god calls to change you into a vessel. And- mmm- okay- let's just use me as an example.

[He points at the 'yuki' kanji on his collarbone again.] My name is Yuki. But everyone calls me Yukine, because it's not good to use the 'true' name too much. [He shrugs a little.]
Then the vessel name. This character 'yuki' can also be read as 'setsu', right? So when my god calls me 'Sekki', adding 'ki' [vessel] to the end of the other reading, then I change into my vessel form. I become two swords, that my god uses to kill ayakashi.

You follow me?
[Yukine looks a touch strained, trying to explain this much, but he hopes she's getting it.
But he wonders- is 'Yuuki' her nickname or her true name? Or, you know, to go with the theme of 'weird', maybe she only has two names?]

[She listens intently, although the part that gets her is:]

Ehh-- You turn into swords?!

[That's a thing that happens?!?!]

[Yukine nods, and his lips twitch ever so slightly up into a (smug?) smile. It's pretty cool, isn't it.]

Yep, a katana and wakizashi pair. Shinki turn into a vessel that serves the god. Just about anything- an earring, a lion, clothes, a fan, and of course weapons.

Are you supposed to know what you turn into first, or do you just... do it? And are the names in the same place for everyone?

[She tugs a bit at her collar, but it's pretty skintight - it's doubtful she'll be able to check out in the open like this, for various reasons.]

No, you just do it.

[He glances away when she tugs at her collar, his mind at once getting where she's going with that.]

And they are all written in different places. For example, my teacher's is on the back of his hand.

[Thankfully, it's a turtleneck, so he's unlikely to see much even if she had been more successful at taking a peek.]

Oh. Okay.

[She'll have to check for it sometime later in private - she's not that shameless. Although on that note:]

Seems kind of weird to have so many names... Are all true names just one kanji?

[His pretty clearly was, but her name - as far as she knows - is not.]

[Thankfully yes, but he's 14 and doesn't need to see it to imagine it... ~~quietly tosses him under a bus~~]

[Yukine thinks for a moment. He's not 100% certain, but going by everyone he has met-]

Yes, all the names are just one kanji. And all the names have a use. A regular name to be called by, a vessel name that changes you, and the true name that reverts you back.

[Oh- he hadn't gotten around to mentioning the point of the true name yet. Well- there you have it.]

Edited (making that so you can read it...) 2016-03-08 13:31 (UTC)

[Yukine...]

Huh... [Filing that information away for later! But wait a sec.]

My name doesn't match that at all!

Edited (that joke would have been funnier if I actually had my dates right) 2016-03-09 06:26 (UTC)

[[It was still funny ^.^]]

[He nods at her statement, not overly surprised.]

I was wondering how it was spelled but- [His expression twisting briefly into a frown he sighs.]

Add it to the list of weird things, I suppose. At this rate I'm going to wonder if you new shinki really do turn into vessels.

[Yeah, there's like three kanji in there, something's not adding up.]

What are we supposed to do if we can't become vessels?

[She's still putting together the full impact of it, but it sounds Bad.]

[It would be Bad, but he was also being not all that serious.]

Don't worry about that. Honestly, I don't think Amaterasu would have called you 'shinki' if you couldn't become a vessel.

I hope you're right.

[She's still uncertain about serving a god to start with. The last thing she needs are extra complications.]

Hey... what other weird things are there?

[Since he did mention a list.]

Besides shinki names? Well, I've just gotten started so I haven't talked to a lot of people yet, but there's things like the gods not all being from Japan, or even Asia.

And well... [With a shallow grin he points at one guy who is taking leaves from the centerpieces to nibble on.]

Weird.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

001 | The Welcoming Feast

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and the mun got something wrong already, sorry /o\ *vessel, not sound name

o/ no worries!

\o

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