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

ota, of course

[tatsumi_textiles]

Banquet Hall.

[ This situation is screwed as all hell- and gods (his god? This is weird) only knew whether the people here are even telling the truth.

That said, one thing can always make a situation better.

Food

So Kanji's found the banquet hall and started to dig in, piling his plate as full of food as he can manage, focusing on the food instead of the situation. ]

Man, I don't think I've ever had sashimi this good!

[ Alternately, you might be able to head him off before he snags a glass of sake for himself. ]

Gaming.

[ Kanji's picked up the controller for some first person shooter on the TV, and it's pretty clear, pretty quickly that he's bad at it.

Just really, really bad, in the way that not even practice would be able to fix. ]

Oh, fer- Come on! I hit that guy, why the hell's he still standing?

[ Someone should probably save him from himself, here. ]

After Midnight.

[ As soon as they're let out, Kanji's gone, leaving the building even if he has no idea where he's going.

He might not know where he's going, but he knows what he wants- and finally when he finds himself a slightly secluded spot, he takes the chance to actually look himself over.

Eventually, his brief self-examination turns into just sitting against a tree, turning his dragon's eye cloak pin over in his hands, wondering why the hell he'd be wearing something like that.

Or a cloak at all.

...and for that matter, why the hell is it magenta? At least the rest of it is mostly black, but this is just stupid! ]

gaming

[idkmybffgon]

[Unfortunately for Kanji, Killua isn't one to help out in a situation like this.

No, no. He's the one who'll flop down next to you, watch you screw up repeatedly, and snicker loudly.]

Ahahaha, you think that really hit him?? Geez! You were like a mile off!

[tatsumi_textiles]

Oh, what, like you can do better?

[ Kanji, after a short look at his controller to make sure he's hitting the right button, tries throwing a grenade- and then starts swearing as it bounces off a wall and flies back at him. ]

Come on! There's no way that missed!

[idkmybffgon]

[The laughing just gets louder, Killua is greatly amused by Kanji's antics.]

You're aiming all wrong. Look where you're aiming BEFORE you shoot, dummy!

[Oh, at least that was helpful. Somewhat.]

[tatsumi_textiles]

How about you get bent?

[ Seriously, what the hell was this kid's problem? Kanji's character on screen ragdolls to the ground, and his hands twitch, clearly wanting to throw the controller across the room.

Instead, he exits the game, the main menu's bombastic theme playing over the room's general noise. ]

The damn thing's glitchy as hell, anyway.

Gaming

[outwardinsight]

[ There goes Hisoka's hopes that it wouldn't somehow be worse back in here. Why someone that was that terrible at a game would even bother is a mystery that he doesn't actually care to solve. The fussing is enough to get him to pause in his walk through the room so he can offer an unhelpful side comment, though.

Deadpan: ] You missed. If you're that hopeless at it, don't bother.

[tatsumi_textiles]

What, like I knew this game'd be broken before I started playing?

We've all got amnesia, remember?

[ In the time it took for Kanji to turn, scowl, and start to argue with Hisoka, the AI troops moved forward. His avatar on screen jerked and falls as bullets riddle it's poor body, and the game over music starts to play. ]

[outwardinsight]

I must have forgotten.

[ There's more heat behind his words now. Even if it's a shared vulnerability, his lack of memory is a weakness he isn't happy to have pointed out. Bickering is better than dwelling on that.]

Ah, it looks like it's working to me.

[tatsumi_textiles]

So I ran into one of those glitch things, then!

[ His scowl deepens as he sees the screen, and he tosses the controller to the chair next to him, standing abruptly. ]

This game's bullcrap anyway.

AFTER THE CLOCK STRIKES TWEEEELVEEE

[munify]

( after speaking with the goddess bishamonten, the caretaker has made it his priority to neatly tuck away all of his feelings to deal with later and find the children who have been placed in his care. with ochre, of course, being the first of the two. there is no mistaking the selfishness behind it, but he had failed him enough already. he could not do so again, not when anything could happen to him. they were not home anymore, he couldn't count on someone else to protect him.

he continues to dwell on this line of thought until he finds ochre against a tree, gazing down at the pin he'd made for him. he can't tell him, can he?

gently knocking on a nearby tree, he tries to announce his presence without startling him. )

Sir Ochre. May I have a moment of your time?

Cracks knuckles

[tatsumi_textiles]

[ Kanji's first instinct is to shove the pin into his pocket, hide it from sight- but that's dumb, he'd been wearing it in plain sight all night, so instead he closes his fist around it, hiding the bright gem from view before he bothers to answer. ]

Think you've got the wrong-

[ He turns to glance up, glare the intruder off, but instead he stumbles over his words, shock and awe vying for control. That's- that's one hell of a lot of dog. ]

-the hell're you?

[ Even he's not sure if he means 'who' or 'what'. ]

Gaming

[spacedog]

[He peers over your shoulder, at Kanji's hands, and then back to the screen.]

I think he's still standing because you missed.

[No judgement here, just an observation.] Maybe use a bigger gun? [This is not Coal's area of expertise either.]

[tatsumi_textiles]

No shit I missed! This game's broken, is all.

[ Kanji scowls, and steers his character back behind cover, where the AI teammate is making potshots at the enemies down the hall. ]

Think there's a way to steal these guy's weapons-

[ He pushes a button- and his character bashes the AI in the face, killing his ally. ]

...aw crap.

[spacedog]

[Coal winces. Good thing he doesn't know Kanji is supposed to be his ally yet? And then he pauses thoughtfully as he watches the game.]

At least that gave you some more bullets? [Though you lost your only ally and you didn't get a gun that is any easier to aim.]

[tatsumi_textiles]

I guess.

[ It's said somewhat dubiously, and Kanji hits the button again to see his character hit the air. ]

...wonder if I can drop those guys as quickly as this one.

[ With one last hit of the melee button, Kanji turns the character around and, after a short false start, sends it running down the hall.

Right into the rain of bullets. ]

adding to the gaming train it's too good

[roeh]

[Shepard was just cruising the gaming area and this turned out to be the closest she's gotten to any real action since arriving. If only Kanji wasn't putting on such a dismal show. Her fingers are inching to pluck the controller right out of his hands. What do they call that shrinking feeling she's getting again? Secondhand embarrassment?]

I think you mean the granny on the ground behind him.

[Leaning over his seat, she points, just to make sure he doesn't miss it.]

He just came here for a good time...

[tatsumi_textiles]

[ All Kanji'd wanted, was to just pass some time until the guards at the doors would let him leave.

No one else had been playing the game cued up, and hell, it's not like he'd remembered ever playing this kind of thing before.

How the hell was he to know this game was bugged to hell and back, making it impossible to win? ]

Yeah, thanks, I see that.

Ain't you a little old to be in here? Weren't all you guys in some big meeting?

[roeh]

[Rude. And after she'd been so helpful too. Well, what can you expect from teenagers?]

Turns out the babysitter cancelled and they sent me instead. Looks like I showed up just in time too. [Just another day in the life of the Normandy's commanding officer isn't it.]

So you want any help with that? [Turns out there's two controllers after all.]

[tatsumi_textiles]

What, like you can do better? The game's broken or some shit.

[ Who needs two controllers, he's tossing the one he's holding to the couch next to him, scowling so hard it looks like it's his normal expression. ]

I'm going to see if there's any real games here.

[ Screw this shooter crap, maybe there's a-

Well.

...he doesn't actually know any other kinds of games. ]

Banquet

[soundsurfing]

[Head him off? Quite the opposite, the moment Kanji gets close enough, Beats shoving a drink into his hands and beaming widely at him. One way to forget your woes is to drowned them and kill your liver at the same time.]

Drink up dude, figure sooner or later shit'll make more sense.

Re: Banquet

[tatsumi_textiles]

Before or after we get drunk?

[ Kanji takes the glass and grins before taking a quick drink, somehow convinced any minute someone was going to come steal it from him. ]

Which group were you in, the guys who got into the room, or those of us trapped outside?

[soundsurfing]

Pft, after of course!

[He raises his own glass to the guy as he drinks and takes a swallow himself. It's been copiously mixed with other drinks to make it palatable, and he's been drinking steadily.]

I got to wait at the door wid the others.

[Like a dog, but he doesn't say it. He's bitter about this whole business and he can't put his finger on why.]

So that makes us... what'd that dude say? Shinki?

[tatsumi_textiles]

Sounds like it.

Not sure how I feel about being told I'm tied to some kinda god.

[ He frowns, peering at the drink in his hand, wondering what the hell was in his cup.

Despite the taste, he takes another drink, warming to the subject. ]

Sure as hell don't feel like I was the religious kind of guy, even if I can't remember shit. Shouldn't this kinda crap happen to priests and not-

[ He waves his hand, indicating the room at large, and the average age in particular. ]

Another good first impression... yep

[returnedfromtheline]

[Yukine had been coming over to try talking with this guy, but then he'd started up the video game. Well, he could wait. Let's see how good this guy is--

Yukine snickers. Wow, this guy sucks at video games.]

Unbelievable. Good thing you can't shoot yourself in the foot.

Gaming

[sweetdeath]

You did hit him! I saw it.

[Anyway, it looked like the little gun on the screen was pointed sort of that way, which is how you work it, right?

Tsuzuki's never actually played a video game, or, for that matter, fired a gun. He's fairly clear on the idea that you point it at the thing you want to hit, though.

This is not the advice you needed, Kanji. Sorry.]

Maybe you have to hit him a couple of times before it works.