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

[Neku'd be snippy or insulted if the bizarre advice hadn't come out so unironically helpful, so as it is he's just startling a little and balking at the newcomer for a second.]

Wh-what? I, yeah, I know you're supposed to-- [The hell?] I was... thinking?

Oh, okay. [Most people might go 'd'oh, silly me' but Yamato's just relieved that Neku understands what drinking is. You never know!] What were you thinking about? It must have been important.

[Sometimes there are just things that are too weird to bother responding to. Someone asking if he knew how to drink something falls into that category.]

About what's going on. It feels... weird, you know? Even if I don't have anything to compare it to.

[Is that better or worse than starting with 'Sakuraba-san, would you like some daifuku?' out of nowhere, that's the real question.]

What part feels weird to you? [There are a lot of things about this situation that could seem weird. Yamato understands that, even if he himself is taking it all remarkably well.] Is it because you're a shinki now? Maybe you're not used to serving a master.

[Better, if only because he's pretty sure he hasn't told anyone his name past the 'Neku' part. And he's just... gonna skip the 'serving a master' bit because that makes it sound really skeevy to his ears.]

Just waking up suddenly to all this, I guess. It's pretty damn surreal.

[Luckily it seems like Joshua hasn't been that much of a troll... yet.

The funny thing is, it sounds perfectly normal to Yamato. For him, the word "master" brings with it a feeling of warmth and protection, a term of the highest honor. He has no idea why he feels this way, of course, but he also has no reason to question it yet--it doesn't even occur to him that anyone else might feel differently.]

To go through such a big change, but not remember anything before it... it will take some getting used to. [Yamato's a poor substitute for the official counselors in the private rooms, but he's trying to be sympathetic, at least.] But being dead isn't so bad, if we have a life to live now too. And I'm sure Tsukiyomi-sama will help you adjust.

Makes me wonder if people forget about being born when they get older because it's too weird to handle. [It's a grumble mostly to himself, but that's really the easiest thing he can compare it to. Even if he doesn't remember... not remembering being born. He doesn't need counseling, though! This is intellectual distress, not emotional.]

[Augh, but this is annoying. At least the name-drop of his god snaps him out of it well enough this time.] Tsuki-- ...Oh. You met him, huh? [It really doesn't surprise him that the guy's a friggin gossip, apparently.]

[That's a question Yamato wouldn't have been able to answer anyway... but right now, he has no reason to think he wasn't just like Neku. So he tilts his head, considering how to respond--but then Neku's changing the subject, and this one is much easier.]

Yes, a little while ago. [A nod!] He told me to come and talk to you.

Of course he did. [Hands, meet face. Now drag a little and hold for a second. GOOD. He has no idea what Josh's deal is but it's just another little obnoxious thing. Not that this guy's that bad, just-- Why send people to talk to him?]

He didn't happen to say why, did he.

He said you were shy and standoffish and that you needed friends.

[He was also trying very hard to get rid of Yamato, but Yams doesn't know that, so! Simple honesty it is.]

I'm Yamato no Kami Yasusada. I'll be your friend, if you'll have me, Neku-kun.

[Since he's apparently in the market, according to his god and all.]

'Shy and standoffish', huh. [It sounds like someone isn't interested in having a smooth start to a partnership with their shinki.]

[A sigh, though, because that's not this guy's fault.]

Yeah. Shinki gotta stay together, I guess. But, uh... that's a mouthful. Can we shorten that a little?

Yes. He told me to make sure you were enjoying everything. [And Yamato listened, because he wants to be a good shinki and help his god gain a good reputation, if they don't have one already.

The idea of shinki sticking together, though... that's kind of nice. Like... maybe not friends, but something similar. Allies?]

Oh, of course. Is "Yasusada" alright? [Still a bit long, maybe, but it feels like the next best thing.]

001 | The Welcoming Feast

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