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

[He knows a drunk adult when he sees one... even if this one does look barely old enough for it. What does he thing he's doing, getting flush at a time like this--

Wait, you're going for polite here, Yukine. Polite.]

I haven't gotten that far. But the strawberry looks good. I'll get some later. They won't run out, I'm sure.

Who knows?

[Tsuzuki polishes it off in one last bite and drops the top onto his plate, oblivious to the smear of chocolate left on his cheek. He grins cheerfully at the kid, and sets the plate down: it's nearly empty, anyway, and he'll have to go raid the buffet again soon.

If they do run out it's going to be mostly his fault.]

So, what's your name? I'm Tsuzuki! Asato Tsuzuki. Nice to meet you. [He ducks his head in a casual sketch of a bow, and looks around the room.] Man, do they throw a good party here.

[It's Heaven. They can't run out... can they?

He calls this a good party? Well, Yukine supposes he doesn't know any different besides what a cherry tree viewing party is like. (.../shudder)]

Nice to meet you too, Tsuzuki-san. You can call me Yukine. I'm a shinki. [He uses his left hand to point to the red 'yuki' mark on his left collar bone.]

Are you a god or a shinki?

God. [Tsuzuki blinks owlishly at the mark: shinki are tattooed with their names? There's another difference between them and the shikigami he's familiar with. Huh.

There's probably something important about that, but it seems complicated and probably not all that important, so he'll figure it out in the morning when he's sober.] I've been one for a while, but not around here, so 'm gonna have a lot to learn.

[He laughs cheerfully, and glances at the kid again. Man, he looks young. It's sad, seeing anyone dead that young, but it happens...]

... so are you new or have you been here a while?

[It's easier to tell with gods. The old ones all seem to introduce themselves with their divine names, and the new ones with their real ones, like Tsuzuki... but that's not really the case with shinki, is it?

Ha, he wonders if Hisoka has his name tattooed on himself somewhere now. That'd be funny. And Hisoka'd probably like having the excuse to not go in any public baths.]

[He's been one? What the heck? This is getting more confusing the more of these new gods and shinki he speaks to.

(Sorry Yukine didn't introduce himself with all three of his names this time. It's just troublesome.)]

Right. I'm sure the other gods will take care of you.

As for me, I've been around for a while. [Long enough to become Hafuri, thank you very much~]

I just need to ask you, have you met up with your shinki yet? It's really important that you take care of them and treat them well.

Whoa, really? --Great! Hey, can you tell me how stuff works around here? You know, a little? [He leans forward with tipsy earnestness. He's talked to a god, but the guy wasn't that helpful, really... and it's got to be different from a shinki's perspective, too, right?

It's important to figure that part out, so he can take care of Hisoka.]

M'gonna meet up with him later. His name's Hisoka. Actually, he looks kind of like you -- except his eyes are green.

[His smile softens affectionately, and he glances out at the crowd. Hisoka's probably somewhere else. He doesn't like crowds. So yeah, Tsuzuki'll get him when the party ends and then they can figure out where home is around here...]

Don't worry. He's tougher than me!

[Looks kinda like him? Yukine wonders if that's the alcohol talking, or if they're really that similar.

... And he worries that this is the second god so far to tell him 'not to worry'.

He backs away a half-step from Tsuzuki's earnest leaning in towards him.]

I'm glad that you've met him already then. Sure, I can tell you some stuff. Like I said, the most important thing is to take care of your shinki. You'll be pretty much defenseless without him. And the happiness of your shinki will affect your health. Literally. So if you feel that he's troubled by something, you better work on fixing it.

[True words spoken from the school of hard knocks.]

[Like that! That backing away, that's just like Hisoka used to be. They're definitely alike. Or maybe it's because Tsuzuki's breath smells like a distillery. Who knows?

He stares at Yukine, confused. Of course it's important to take care of Hisoka, but how's it supposed to affect his health? That's just weird.]

Wait... affect my health? What's that mean?

[Without his shikigami he's much less formidable than he used to be, but he still has enough magic to fight and keep them safe with. And maybe he can figure out how to get Hisoka some weapons, too, since the time for him to go find a shikigami of his own hadn't come yet.]

[Yukine knows. More of the latter.]

[Okay, well at least here's something for him to focus on in the sea of information that this new god will need to know.]

That means that how the shinki feels and acts will affect you. When the shinki gives into temptation and does something wrong, the god gets stung. It's... a corruption that shows up like a painful bruise. If you get stung you better deal with it right away. [He says that hastily. Not like he had anything to do with stinging his own god almost to death.]

Also if your shinki is upset in any way you'll feel it. Most shinki try to hold back their feelings to not upset their master's health, but it's actually better to solve it than to repress it. [As his friend died in part to that being Bishamon's shinki way of doing things, he has a lot of reason to say that earnestly.]

[Boy, it's a good thing Tsuzuki's a god and not a shinki, he can't help but think, and laughs uneasily. There's no reason to worry about Hisoka doing anything wrong -- he's always the one who's the stickler for doing things right, and Tsuzuki's the one who goofs off. That'll be fine... but feeling it whenever Hisoka's upset? Really?

It's like Tsuzuki's suddenly started sharing Hisoka's empathic powers, and it feels weirdly like he'll be poking his nose into things Hisoka wouldn't want him to know.

At least Hisoka can feel him back, though, so they're even. It'd just be too weird otherwise.]

I guess I'll keep an eye out for bruises, then, huh?

Thanks, Yukine-kun. So I'll be careful, huh.

Uh, do you know... do we have to work? Like, back home, we had an office, and we went out on cases whenever something needed attention from a god of death, like souls not showing up or something. Does this god thing come with a job here? Or just, like... [He waves a hand vaguely. There's got to be responsibilities. Does he answer confectioners' prayers or something? That could be fun. Too bad it's past Valentine's Day.]

Yes.

[Immediate answer. Wow, yes, please don't be a slacker-god like that jersey.
But then... what do the gods usually do?]

Yes, you have to work. The other gods can give you a better idea but it depends on your talents. A warrior god kills ayakashi. A god of learning answers prayers for good test results. [Still not sure exactly how Tenjin does that.]

Uh, so... what about a god of sweets?

[It sounds like he actually does have to answer confectioners' prayers. Or maybe give people cooking advice... yeah! This is going to be a lot of fun.

He wonders if he can convince Lord Enma that they need him here more than they need him back home. If Enma comes looking at all, of course; for a slacker low-level Summons division employee, it's hard to imagine he'd bother.]

God of sweets?

[Okay... you got him on that one.]

Uh- like I said, the gods will give you more details.

[He'd love to see Bishamonten talk to him about godly duties.]

Thanks, Yukine-kun. 'll go ask!

[If he can find a god who's not new... there's Bishamonten, of course, but she's kind of intimidating. Maybe he'll call later.]

You've helped a lot.

[He grins at the kid, and offers his plate, still mostly full of desserts.]

... Hey, want one? These chocolate things are the best.

No problem.

[He can't help but smile proudly (and a little smugly) for being told he was such a help. Heh, this might turn out okay after all.

At the offer his smile slides a little. The chocolate thing does look good, but it's also right next to the strawberry stem that he'd dropped on his plate earlier.]

No thanks. I've got to keep working for now, but I'll for sure eat some of those later.

Okay! Oh, hey, yeah, who's your god? I guess it's gotta be one of the old hands around here, right?

[And someone else Tsuzuki can ask for advice on the divine side of things! Other than the really, really big-deal deities. Who still intimidate him a little.

... Okay, a lot. He picks up the chocolate bonbon Yukine hadn't wanted, and eats it himself, instead. It really is good.]

[Yukine's eyes slide off to the side for a moment and he murmurs blandly,]
He's an 'old hand' all right, but not around here...

He's a bottom-tier nobody called Yato.

[(Oh god don't ask Yato for advice if Yukine knew you were thinking that-!)]

Wow, I feel like we've got a lot in common already!

[Bottom-tier nobody, check.... Tsuzuki laughs. Yep, he sounds like he'd be safe to ask. Way less likely to get mad about it than the big, important gods. Probably also less likely to be scary if he does get mad.

That's a win all around.]

Anyway, should you really say that about your god?

You and Yato? I hope not...

Ugh- yah, it's fine. He knows that about himself too, even if he whines when it's said aloud. It should just motivate him to work harder to get off the bottom!

[Excuse him while he quietly seethes...]

Number one biggest screw-up God of Death in the Summons department for all Japan, right here. [Tsuzuki cheerfully taps himself on the nose -- or, anyway, that was the plan: his finger goes astray and he winds up tapping himself on the cheek instead.]

Hey, maybe I'll do better at this job, huh?

[Dude, are you even going to remember this conversation in the morning? Way to miss your nose there.

Yukine blinks with sudden understanding. Ohh, so he was a shinigami before this. So that's what he meant by he's 'been one'.]

I imagine it's a change of pace but yah, I'm sure you'll do fine. Just don't screw up too badly.

[Parts of it! He'll definitely remember parts of it. And other, fuzzy bits. Once the hangover has passed, he'll probably be able to piece it together just fine.

He laughs, nervously.]

So what happens if I screw up too much?

[The bit about Hisoka's feelings stinging him sounds unpleasant, but not actually all that bad. But something must've happened for them to need a bunch of new gods, and Tsuzuki's a little too tipsy to think about that except as something that might be really bad. If it wasn't a group retirement. Do major gods retire?

Anyway... he returns his attention to Yukine, wide-eyed.]

[What indeed.]

Usually a god that dies is reincarnated, if they have enough followers who remember him. But you guys, showing up under such unusual circumstances... who knows?

[That's a lot milder than Tsuzuki was afraid of. Nothing about the big, scary gods punishing you? Not even "it'll have horrible consequences for the human world"?

He can't relax thinking the only thing that depends on him is his own life, though. There's Hisoka, too.

Slowly, he nods.]

Hey, don't worry! I'll be careful!

[... Wow, this guy wasn't put off by that at all?
What happened to him if he screwed up as a shinigami?]

Good. You do that.

[He kind of wishes people would stop telling him to 'not worry' though. Somehow it feels like he's going to have reasons to worry because of it.]

001 | The Welcoming Feast

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