001 | The Welcoming Feast

[godsoffortune]

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!

Comments

[sweetdeath]

Tsuzuki took the glass from the shinki, smiling gratefully. "Thanks!"

He glanced around, and nabbed one of the cloth napkins from a nearby buffet display, dunking it in the glass before he pressed it against the purple stains on his shirt front.

"Eesh, that's cold... I guess it fits! Hey, it's a way better job than my last one."

[peoples_keeper]

"I'd assume becoming a God would probably beat any previous employment. What was your previous occupation?" Tsuzuki must have a sweet tooth. Good to know.

[sweetdeath]

"God of death in the Summons department," Tsuzuki said, cheerfully. "What about you? If you're new around here, you must've done something else before, right?"

[peoples_keeper]

"Huh. So you were already a God before? I suppose being the God of Sweets may be more pleasant than the former." For some, collecting souls might be pretty interesting for someone like Izaya. "Sure, I was a Financial Advisor. Haha that sounds pretty boring compared to what you were doing before."

[sweetdeath]

"Way better! -- Wow, a financial advisor? That sounds like a tough job, too." God of Sweets is a nicer title, but, more importantly, it's not something that he'll have to go out and make sure anyone's dead for.

Nobody gets killed over a dessert, right?

Tsuzuki laughs, shrugging, and looks at Ma'at. "So, what do you think about the new position? I don't know what kinds of things they want from the job yet, but it should be interesting."

[peoples_keeper]

"Not really, numbers are quite easy and I like working with money." He really likes money, it make it easier to pursue his hobbies. "I'm in the same boat as you really. I mean what do Gods really do? I mean, most are supposed to listen to the prayers of humans, right? Then what?"

[sweetdeath]

"Then I guess we go answer them!" Some prayers are easy to think about answering -- if somebody wants something concrete, like an invitation to a party or a nice dinner -- but others might be tougher.

"I wonder if it only counts if they're prayers to us. You said you were a pretty obscure name, right? I've got a shrine, but it's not a big one, so I'll probably get to kick back most of the time."

It sounds like a nice life. Plus, it'll give him time to try to figure out what's going on.

[peoples_keeper]

"I guess we do," Izaya replies. He knows how absolutely rotten some prayers can be and he smirks. "Should be interesting to say the least."

"Well I'm the God of Knowledge and Wisdom so maybe I'll get a lot of students looking for help." Izaya has no plans to stay some small obscure God, he knows well how to make a name for himself. "Haha, so you're treating this like some sort of vacation? Fair enough. What does it matter to us anyway?"

[sweetdeath]

"Hey, it's better to start slow and do things right, isn't it?"

And he's overdue for a vacation, anyway. He winks, teasing, and blots his shirtfront with a little more of the club soda. The purple wine stains are starting to spread out and fade to pink, which is going to make them way easier to bleach out even if they don't come out all the way just with soda.

"I bet you'll get plenty of students. I might get bakery owners, I guess. Too bad it's past Valentine's Day, right?"

[peoples_keeper]

"Oh, that's right how unfortunate... or maybe in your case how fortunate for you. Maybe I'm a little jealous of you," not really, he's looking forward to his new job. A day to settle in get to know his Regalia and then off to cause some mayhem and maybe pay a few old 'friends' a visit. "Oh, looks like the spots are nearly gone."

[sweetdeath]

"Oh, we'll probably still come up with something to keep us busy..." He glances down at his shirt again, brightening. "Yeah! Hey, thanks again for that. So have you met up with your Shinki yet?"

[peoples_keeper]

"Sure, and yes as a matter of fact, two of them. How about you?"

[sweetdeath]

"Sort of!" They have met, after all. They met years ago. Tsuzuki just hasn't gone and found him yet tonight. But, more importantly-- "Two of them, really? I guess that'll be useful! Hope the shrine they're making you has enough space."

[peoples_keeper]

"How do you mean 'sort of'?" He asks curiously, you either meet up with them or you don't. Or maybe he is just watching his from afar? "I sure hope so as well, I'm not really one for sharing a room."

[sweetdeath]

"Well, we've met, we just haven't had time to talk yet tonight."

That sounded right, didn't it? Tsuzuki's smile is a little nervous, but he gladly snatches for the change of subject anyway. "And hey, you can always make them share! God's prerogative, right?"

[peoples_keeper]

"Are you waiting for a golden invitation, well I guess I mean a second golden invitation? I'm pretty sure Willy Wonka only printed five of them. The odds aren't in your favor," Izaya is curious to know why he is trying to shift his attention elsewhere. "I suppose so." He adds so as to not look like he is dwelling on the former subject.

[sweetdeath]

"Willy who?" Tsuzuki's confusion is genuine. Golden invitations and printing limited numbers of them and -- what?

Maybe he should've kept up with pop culture a little better during the last century. He's gotten really bad at getting jokes.

And it's nice to have a question to ask instead of answering the guy about him and Hisoka and his feelings about it. Because it is weird, and having Hisoka's death in his head in Technicolor was bad enough before he found out that Hisoka probably didn't even remember it himself.

He's going to have to go talk to him at some point.

He feels like he hasn't fortified his nerves with nearly enough booze yet.

[peoples_keeper]

"Wonka," he repeats, "popular novel made into a couple movies? Inspired Wonka Bars made from chocolate? I figured you would know it being the God of Sweets and all." That could be jab at Tsuzuki or it could be completely innocent.

To be fair, while Izaya is pretty up-to-date one popular culture and he is generally pretty smart, he has barely scratched the surfaces of this God thing himself... he doesn't feel like reminding Tsuzuki though.

[sweetdeath]

"Oh, sorry, I don't read a lot! And movies are expensive..."

Tsuzuki pulls a face. Maybe he should know -- Wonka Bars? Sounds pretty good -- but it's still not ringing any bells.

Curiously, he adds, "When did those chocolate bars come out, anyway?"

[peoples_keeper]

Izaya gives him a blank look to the first part but gives precedence to the second. "Well candy isn't really my forte and it was long before I was ever conceived, maybe the 70's or 80's," Izaya shrugs. "What is it exactly that you do for fun then? Or were you just a workaholic who was underpaid?"

[sweetdeath]

"Way underpaid," Tsuzuki says mournfully. And it's not that he's a workaholic, it's just that sometimes, he ends up working all day and half of the night. If a mission needs it...

Well, he doesn't have to go into that.

"Anyway, I'm usually busy. I like to garden, though. And try snacks, and go to bars. Karaoke... party... you know."

He's cheering up: the litany makes him sound way less pathetic than 'underpaid workaholic.'

"What about you? What do you do for fun?"

[peoples_keeper]

"I see, so even previous Gods of Death in the Summons Department have some typical very human businessman-like hobbies. That is an interesting factoid." It would be nice to meet more former humans but so long as the beings around him act human he knows he won't be bored with this new existence. That and he will probably be spending a lot of time in the Near Shore anyway.

"Hmm, I have a lot of hobbies," that come and go on a whim, "but if I were to name my favorites... gathering information about the world around me, people watching and researching mythology would be at the top of my very long list."

[sweetdeath]

Human businessman-like hobbies? Tsuzuki can't tell if that's a compliment or a prettily disguised insult. He eyes Orihara dubiously, and shrugs.

"Well, we all started out human, so I guess it makes sense, huh? Your hobbies are really going to help out with the job."

Researching mythology especially. Tsuzuki'll have to remember to ask him about the gods he doesn't recognize, which are most of the foreign ones already.

[peoples_keeper]

"I'm not so sure about that," he says in regards to Tsuzuki's assertion that they all started out as humans, after all, neither of his Shinki were previously humans. "Some of it might come in handy but what amount of knowledge I have come to understand true to this world is yet to be seen."

[sweetdeath]

"Shinigami did. I can't speak for the gods here--" he glances around the room-- "but we all look human, don't we?"

Mostly. There are a few who look as inhuman as the Snow Queen's court, but Tsuzuki is distracted by something else Izaya's just said.

"What do you mean, this world? Aren't you from the mortal world?"