thenearshore | 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

"Wow, that's a long list. Sex, death, sei-tsuru..." Tsuzuki stumbled over the word and gave Bo a pleading look. It cried out for a helpful definition.

Leader of the Valkyries made perfect sense, though! He grinned at that thought. "Are your shinki all Valkyries, then?"

Bo chuckled softly. "Seiðr," she said slowly for him. "It was a form of sorcery practiced in Norse society." Suddenly she sounded like Trick, and she couldn't help but think that he'd be proud of her if he'd heard that. But he'd have to be alive for that. She still wasn't over his death or her mother's death. They had both deserved so much better than that.

"You know, I have no idea! It would actually be cool if they were." And then she was missing Tamsin. She wished Tamsin could see this just so she could laugh at, or be really weirded out by, this situation of Bo being Freyja.

"Seizuru..." His pronunciation wasn't that much better the second time around, but at least, Tsuzuki figured, he knew how it was supposed to sound. "So, magic, in other words? That's an impressive list. I bet you'll be busy."

He tipped her a cheerful wink, and added, "I bet you can name your shinki honorary Valkyries even if they don't come with the title already."

She didn't mind the mispronunciation. She tended to do the exact same thing at times with words she didn't know. "Yeah, basically magic. I most likely will be busy. We'll see how much of a headache I get dealing with it all." She laughed. But Freyja did certainly have the wide swath of areas to oversee. It would be difficult to keep up with it all.

"I probably could, and I just might do that. And I'm wondering if I get a flying horse because of the Valkyrie thing. It'd be kind of lame to be the leader of the Valkyries and not have a flying horse!" Bo was definitely going to complain about that if she didn't have a flying horse.

"Whoa, a flying horse? Really?" That sounded amazing, and Tsuzuki's brightening instantly at the thought. He doesn't know much about the more complicated aspects of his own position -- the basic mythology, sure, and the kinds of things you pray to him for, but nothing about his divine instruments, or his home, or anything like that.

Maybe he'll get a flying horse, too.

"You might be able to fly on your own if you feel like it," he added, thoughtfully. Shinigami certainly could. Why wouldn't more powerful and independent gods have that power?

"It's part of the mythology, so I don't see why I wouldn't get one." Bo also wasn't that familiar with the minute details of Norse mythology or her role as Freyja. But she was aware of what popular culture said about Valkyries, and she knew she was the leader of the Valkyrie. So it only stood to reason horses were involved somewhere.

"You think? That would actually be pretty damn cool if I could fly on my own." Oh if only Kenzi was here to hear this. Bo being able to fly? That would be totally cool. And something she'd need to experiment with at some point as well.

"It's worth a try! I'm going to see if I can turn other food into sweets, myself."

That probably wouldn't work, but it was worth a try. Shouldn't divinity come with some kind of special power?

"If I can fly, you should totally be able to turn other food into sweet. Though a warning, if you have a specialty in turning things into chocolate sweets, I may just make myself your new best friend." Bo said with a wide grin and a laugh.

So she had a chocolate addiction, what of it?

"If I work out the trick, you'll be the first to know!"

Chocolate addictions seemed like a great thing to bond over, as far as Tsuzuki was concerned. He might prefer matcha parfaits and cinnamon rolls, but who didn't like chocolate?

"I definitely like you already, Tsuzuki," Bo said with a grin. She'd definitely appreciate that. Of course, chocolate was an easy way to her heart.

Or to other things, but that wasn't going to be anything she'd pursue at this precise moment in time.

"So do you have a sweet tooth?"

"Same to you, Frejya! And anybody who doesn't have a sweet tooth is just wrong," he declared, waving his fork with determination before he dived into the slice of cake he'd balanced on the edge of his plate. Even if he couldn't actually turn things into chocolate, he could enjoy it while he had it.

"So have you figured out what kind of things they're going to ask us to do yet?" He shrugged, glancing down the table at the other gods and shiki with their plates. "...And if we get paid?"

"I definitely agree with that!" Bo said with a grin. While she may not always delve into sweets that weren't chocolate or had chocolate in it, she did find that anyone who had an aversion to sweets was kind of an abomination.

"I'm sort of expecting some sort of fighting? But I'm used to handling conflicts and being thrown into fights and all of that. Beyond that, I don't know, god stuff? I don't know what that means, but clearly we're here for a reason. No one seems to know that reason yet, though." Bo took another bite of food, then chuckled. "I'd love it if we were paid, but somehow I doubt it."

"It'd be nice if we were, huh? Otherwise I'm gonna have to go find a part-time job."

It was tough enough keeping the bills paid on a shinigami's salary. Even if they got a shrine to live in up here for free, he'd need something for food, clothes... all of that stuff. Tsuzuki sighed wistfully, and took a big bite of cake.

"Oh well, I'm enjoying the luxury while it lasts."

"Yeah that would make it way nice if we were paid." Which made her wonder what the hell she'd do here for a job if she needed one so she could have food and clothes and the like.

"I'm right there with you most definitely." She grinned, then took her own big bite of something that was smothered in chocolate. Luxury like this certainly couldn't last forever, even for gods.

"If only...." Tsuzuki sighed nostalgically, stuck the final bite of cake in his mouth, and scooted back from the table. "Anyway, I'm gonna go grab some more dessert! See you around, Bo.

"And if I figure out that chocolate thing, I'm calling you right away!"

He winked and turned to head for the buffet table. After all, if they were living it up for one night, he planned to live it up as much as his stomach could take.

001 | The Welcoming Feast

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