thenearshore | 001 | The Welcoming Feast

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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!

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[Coal is curious about trying all the food, so he is in human form (and fully clothed!), carefully picking up something, sniffing it a bit, and then eating it with a smile. He's not pigging out, he's just sampling a bit of everything. Same with the drinks.

He's never been allowed alcohol before ever, but he doesn't know this. Still, something tells him he should go easy on it.

If you approach him, he'll point at one of the non-Western foods with a happy grin.] Have you tried this? I don't know what it is, but it's amazing!

[To say that Shepard approached him is just a bit of a stretch. More like she approached the dumplings -- pretty much the best she's had since leaving Earth -- and he just happened to be standing in the way of them. Still she can't help but spare a glance.]

Don't tell me you've never seen sushi before?

[Maybe if he were turian or krogan she might not sound so incredulous but humans had that everywhere, right?]

Edited 2016-02-16 00:44 (UTC)

Banquet

[You can bet your ass that Killua is pigging out on this GREAT FOOD. He doesn't know why he's here or what's going on, but it's really hard to be a sourpuss when there's good food to be had. In fact, he will actively be sneaking food off of other people's plates if he sees them eating something he wants to try, sorry!!]

Gaming

[It's also hard to say 'no' to a fun game or two. But Killua kind of feels like pressing his luck.]

Hey, hey. You wanna play some darts?

[He flourishes a set of darts at someone, smirking.]

[Banquet Hall]

Bo was very much not okay with what was happening. Lauren wasn't here. Actually, no one she knew was here. And what the hell was up with this god thing? Oh Bo was more than aware of where she'd come from and who she was. And now, apparently, she was a goddess? A Norse goddess. Actually it was intensely ironic that she was the new embodiment of Freyja, considering she'd been close to Tamsin, who was a Vakyrie.

So the first order of business once the announcement was made, was going for food. And alcohol. Bo was not shy about taking a heaping plate of food. She even took a second plate that consisted of every dessert that had chocolate on it. She then got some alcohol. Normally she'd probably have wine with a meal like this, but with what was happening now? She was going to drink vodka straight. She may line up some shots later. Luckily, she could hold her liquor.

Taking a seat, she started to dig into her heaping pile of food. "Holy crap this is good," she said, her mouth half full of food.

[Game Room]

Taking her drink with her once she finished eating, Bo went into the game room. And there was a pool table. She wasn't that good of a pool player despite how long she'd spent around Kenzi and Dyson, but it was something she could play to break the ice with, right? She grabbed a cue, took a sip of her drink, then set it aside.

"So, who wants a game of pool? I promise I don't bite. Unless you want me to," she added with a chuckle.

[After Midnight]

Once it was obvious the party was over, Bo stepped outside. She glanced around, wondering where the hell to go. Though she had a feeling for what direction she should go in. Bo had to say, she really wanted to know where she'd be living. Though she definitely wasn't okay with being alone. Even though it had been several years since Kenzi had struck out on her own, and Tamsin was gone, there had still been Lauren. The woman she loved, and now Bo had been taken from her life and brought here.

She needed to be back home where she could help prepare Dagny for the day Hades would try to return. Bo needed to prepare everyone for that, most of all herself, and yet she was here instead. Maybe being a goddess would help in the fight against her father? Though what if her father was here?

Shaking her head, Bo took a breath and just started walking. There was too much on her mind, and the alcohol she'd consumed earlier hadn't been enough to make her drunk, but it was enough to make her brood if no one was around to distract her.

[Banquet Hall]

Ohhh!

[That is a ton of food holy crap. She can't remember being alive, but she's pretty sure she's never seen so much before.

Her first thought is that this might be a liiiiiittle too indulgent. Is it really okay to partake in such a lavish feast?

It lasts for all of about five seconds. Regardless, the food is here, and she's invited (apparently), so as long as she doesn't go overboard, it should be fine. Besides, wasting food is worse than gluttony! Probably! Yeah!!

Once she's reached that particular peace of mind, she hunts down some food, starting with a nice bowl of oshiruko.]

-!

[This taste... this texture...!]

It's so good!

[It comes out as a squeal of delight. There's just something about it, something she can't quite put her finger on. Even without memories, there's some quality to this soup that she feels she hasn't tasted in a very, very long time.

The thought is slightly troubling, but only for a moment before she shoves it out of her mind. No time like the present, and that's what she's going to focus on!]

[Did Someone Say Games?]

Whoaaaa!

[If the food had her excited, the games have her ecstatic. She wastes no time dashing about (and fast, at that) to check out all there is to offer. Eventually, she unearths an electronic circlet of some sort.]

An AmuSphere! I wonder what games it has installed?

[She turns it over in her hands with wonder before suddenly drooping, her movements slowing to a halt. If she puts this on, she'll have to lay down to play whatever's on it - it would be like her body would be asleep while her mind adventured.

Something about that... It didn't make her unhappy, exactly, but she didn't quite want to. Not yet. The smile returns to her face, albeit a bit more subdued this time. She sets it aside and gives it a few pats.]

Mm, maybe later!

[She doesn't mean to speak to anyone in particular, but it wouldn't be too hard to overhear her. She isn't especially quiet.]

[After Midnight]

[And here's the moment of truth... The start to a whole new lifestyle. No, not lifestyle - existence? Hrm. She'll have to think that one over later.

Unlike the rest of the night, she's a bit more meek at this moment, seemingly reluctant to leave the halls even though it's quite clear that they're being kicked out. What kind of life - nope, existence, we went over this - awaits her out there?

Someone might need to give this uncertain shinki a nice shove out the door.]

[So... this is death.

Well. Yamato may not have his memories, but somehow, he gets the feeling this isn't what he expected.

He's fine with being dead, really. And he's happy being a shinki, even if he hasn't properly met his god yet. To have someone relying on him, to be a partner, to be useful-- it all feels perfectly natural.

Sudden, mandatory parties, though... he's not quite sure what to make of that.

At the banquet, he can be found chewing on something leafy and green, which may or may not be part of the decorations.]

But I don't understand. Do we need to eat?

ii.

[Yamato isn't terribly familiar with games, but the idea of competing is incredibly appealing. So he spends some time just watching, learning how to play by observation. Eventually, he decides to try his hand at air hockey. Holding the puck, he wanders around the room, asking politely, "excuse me, would you like to play?"

But the gentle, friendly young man disappears as soon as the puck hits the table. Like a switch has been flicked, he shifts into a battle stance, hitting the puck hard enough to send it flying like a bullet.]

Ora ora oraaaa!

iii.

[Finally, once he's done eating the plants and making holes in the walls, it's time to head on home.

That's the idea, anyway. But passersby may notice Yamato simply sitting on the ground outside, quietly staring up at the sky.

So this is death.]

[While this place didn't exactly offer an air of 'danger' to it, there's still a large building of unease in Alluka's mind. A feeling of isolation, despite all the people around... no one looks familiar! And for good reason, probably, she doesn't even know who would be familiar at this point.

But... someone of a close age, who doesn't look too threatening... that might be a good sort of person to approach and stick with. ~~The food is a tempting draw, too, honestly.~~]

Um, hello... [Comes a small, uncertain voice. Let's be friends...?]

[And here we have one small child, peeking curiously at all the different kinds of food, trying to figure out which ones would be the best ones to try. As if to answer the unspoken thought, Coal's suggestion reaches Alluka's ears.]

Is it...? What's it like?

[Without really waiting for an answer, she reaches toward the food that he motioned to, fully intending to give it a taste regardless of how he answers.]

[ It's startling to be approached for no good reason, and even more so to be invited to play darts. The bafflement that is apparent in his expression sticks for a moment longer than is probably reasonable, but then he pulls it together enough to answer the question. ]

I don't play games.

[ It's easy to say 'no' to a fun game or two. ]

Banquet: (OTA)

[ She's looking rather nice tonight, if one must say so. Not too military, not to gaudy. Just with her hair loose and over one shoulder, backless white dress and heels. Nothing too opulent. After all, the last thing she'd want is to scare these newcomers off. Questionable as the circumstances are, Amaterasu had asked that they be taken care of so they can't be a threat.

After her usual hellos to the rest of the Lucky Seven, she'd thought it would be best to mingle on her own.

So she might approach, a small pleasant smile on her lips and a second flute of champagne to offer to you. ]

Enjoying the party so far?

Banquet: (locked to Kazuma)

[ Even though they arrived together, Bishamon had said it was best for them to mingle alone - for now. After all, what better than a god to recon with other gods and for a shinki to recon with other shinki? Besides, if there were any shinki that needed guidance, her Kazuma would be the best to offer that guidance. But he would find her near the wall, nursing what seems to be a flute of champagne and nodding once to call him over the moment they've made eye contact. It's clear she's probably seen enough to ask for his 'report'. ]

[ Banquet Hall ]
[ Everything is terrible and Hisoka wants to give up for the night right at the start. It's really just too bad that this isn't an option here for a few too many reasons. He didn't want to be stuck somewhere with other people. It was bad enough that he had to come to terms with his situation, but it seemed unfair to have to deal with other people doing the same.

(What kind of compensation was this if it was mandatory?)

Hisoka's determination to be an overly defensive wallflower is strong, but the rest of him is wilting the longer it all goes on. Maybe people watching would be of some benefit? He does his best to seem like nothing is wrong, though there's a time or two that has him with his head in his hands.

Parties are the worst. ]

[ After Midnight ]
[ Hisoka's among the first to get out when the party rather abruptly shuts itself down, quite narrowly avoiding a collision with a person or two on his way out. He doesn't get far before he pauses, just needing a chance to order his own thoughts. ]

Stupid...! [ He realizes belatedly that he should have been more aggressive about looking into his circumstances during the banquet. Even if it wasn't like he was going to be short on time now, there wasn't an excuse to waste a good chance to investigate his circumstances thoroughly.

He knows that he shouldn't just accept this situation at face value. ]

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! ]

Banquet Hall

[So he was a God now. Okay... that wasn’t something he ever expected to become. Although everyone in the meeting hall seemed pretty serious about the whole situation, the young Hunter isn’t really all that impressed. He pats his chest thoughtfully as he looks himself over. Nothing looks different and he really doesn’t feel all that different. His Nen is still gone, that much he can tell. Still

Upon the doors opening up, Gon’s attention isn’t on himself anymore.There's a delicious scent that makes his nose tickle. Sniffing the air only confirms it. Something smells really good! The smell is all it takes for him to suddenly notice just how hungry he is!
Gon quickly makes his way out of the room. He’s one of the first ones too, as he jogs over to the table where the feast is being laid out. He has never seen so much food before! So many different kinds too! Where does he even start?]

Whoaa! This is really all for us?!

[He grins wide before grabbing a plate and piling it as high as he can. It’s almost like a game. Just how much can one plate hold? Either the kid’s eyes are way too big for his stomach or he’s a bottomless pit.

Careful not to bump into him!]

After Midnight

[Gon doesn’t bother saying past his welcome. He’s out the doors once they start ushering everyone out~~and the food is gone~~. He ever waves to the nice Shinki as he goes. But he does linger a bit around the exit once outside, just a little off to the side, stretching. Something was telling him to stay and wait around just a bit longer. He isn’t exactly sure what that feeling is but he can’t ignore it.

As sudden and strange as becoming a God is, he doesn’t mind. The Hunter was a bit lost on what he wanted to do next. His Aunt was great and everything but he needed something to get his blood rushing again. He didn’t like sitting around for too long. But with his Nen gone it wasn’t as though he could really do too much. Maybe...this was just what he needed]

Yes, yes I have. That, I believe, would be daifuku. It's traditional in Japan.

[ There's a chuckle there. This one's certainly excitable. Much like the enthusiasm of a puppy, if she should say so. But it's good to see someone appreciating the spread. Heaven's spared no expense, it seems. ]

I take it you aren't from here?

[ Ah, these newcomers. They're certainly a lively bunch. Outside of Yato (where WAS that guy?) and Kofuku, most gatherings like this were quiet to say the least.

And then there's this girl. ]

Enjoying yourself, I see? You should take your time. There's more than enough food and it's still early.

[ She just doesn't want you choking. Doing the heimlich in this dress is a pain. ]

That was seriously one of the creepiest things Killua could think of. He stared at the lady for a good few moments before making a face.

"You're like... old enough to be my mom, what the HELL??"

[It might not be expected, but this is the sort of thing that Killua LOVES. The moment that he sees that battle stance, it's like his own body responds without him even having to think about it, settling into something of a crouch at the other end of the table.]

Bring it!!

[Seemingly effortlessly, Killua meets the puck with his own paddle, which only sends it shooting upward and ... then ... onto the floor. Oh air hockey.]

...uh. Whose point is that?

[Gon isn't far from her, stuffing his face as well and enjoying every moment of it! He glances over to her once she speaks up and nods his head quickly since his mouth is full. But it only takes a second for him to fix that problem and swallow the mouthful.]

Everything taste great! There's so much too! Stuff I've never seen before...

[He is amazed by the sheer amount of everything to. Someone worked hard to put on a display for them. But even with all the food before him, he is curious to the what's in her bowl. Gon even leans over to see.]

What is that?

Only if you feel like eating.

[ She'd actually asked for a light dinner before leaving. After all, if it was important, there sometimes wasn't enough time to eat at these little shindigs. But booze. She's glad it's there. Looks like this evening was for making sure people don't kill each other.

Like this guy. Because... is he eating... a plant...? ]

I... believe you may be eating part of the centerpiece.

[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!

Awwww maaaan.

[Killua comes out the doors, hands in his pockets, pouting because all of the fun stuff wasn't working.]

You could've at least left the games on... I was just about the beat the high score!

[He scuffs his foot on the ground in irritation just as he walks by Gon. As if he doesn't even notice the other boy.]

[ 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.

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!

Banquet
[If there's one thing that's good for getting timid kids out of their shells, it's a spread of food so diverse that there's bound to be something delicious in there. Alluka's not sure what to make of this situation on the whole, and for a little while seems troubled about being in a new place, fretting slightly as if trying to find some specific person to latch on to. But... who? It's mysterious! And the food just smells so good, that those concerns slowly break and give way to the temptation of a good meal.

After piling up a plate, the thought crosses Alluka's mind, 'is this really safe?' Ah, but... everyone else is eating it just fine! Surely it wouldn't be a bad idea to indulge, too!]

Games!!!!
[Fed and a little more at ease, Alluka decides to check out what sorts of things are being offered to pass the time. Upon entering the room, her eyes positively light up at all the different things to do!

Most of it, however, is really, REALLY unfamiliar. There's a good chance that, after discovering some board game, or specific kind of card game, or pretty much any of the video games, Alluka will turn to the closest person who looks at least a little mildly interested in trying out some of the offered games to ask,]

How do you play this? I haven't seen it before.

[ BANQUET HALL ]

[It's a little hard to have an appetite at will when there's all this... activity going on, with so many people, and even if his self-awareness is mostly blank aside from the whole Being Dead thing and his name, Neku's pretty sure he doesn't know how to handle this many people aside from watching them all while he tries to think.]

[So. A party. A party where it was a lot harder to secure a safe soda instead of booze, and he's pretty sure just judging from relative height that he's still a minor. So a bizarre and overly fancy party. And then what? What do gods and their shinki even do? His brain really wants to process and squeeze some answers out of this situation but the whiplash of "suddenly exist when did not before??" combined with amnesia makes that basically impossible.]

[He'd walk up to someone and start bugging them for answers but he doesn't even know what he'd ask, so sitting with arms crossed and glaring a puzzled hole in the glass containing an orange soda'll have to suffice.]

[ GAME ROOM ]

[Some time later, though, Neku's relaxed enough to be quicker to say 'fuck it' and sorta socialize. Or at least move to do something where he seems a little more approachable. Kind of?]

Damn it-- Come on, I totally got that!

[If one's not intimidated (who would be, really?) of a scrawny teenager grumbling with his eyes glued on a ridiculously fast-paced rhythm game, anyway! He's doing pretty well but that may just be because no one's tried distracting him just yet...]

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Page 1 of 73

001 | The Welcoming Feast

Banquet Hall

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OTA!

OTA

OTA

Yamato no kami Yasusada | ota

Food :V

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Gaming (I-I'm sorry for Hisoka already...)

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ota, of course

OTA~!

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Banquet

game!

ii

Banquetttt

A!

gaming

here comes a pumpkin

Gaming

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OTA!

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