34 - Love is in the Air

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: An enterprising pair of shinki is trying to spread love throughout the Far Shore with exciting blind dates.
When: February 14
Where: Hot romantic spots throughout Tokyo
Summary: Blind dates on Valentine's Day? Sounds like fun (or possibly a disaster, but everyone needs some good disaster stories.) That's not all that's going on, though. Ayakashi are looking to chow down on the negative emotions that a romantic holiday can generate, and those who aren't busy with their own dates might be sucked into helping out followers who need help to make the day go well.






The Dates

Blind Date Matchups

Those who have signed up -- or whose friends and colleagues have signed them up -- for dates will get cards with specified times and meeting places inside for the big event. The cards don't list their dates' names, but instead have a matching symbol to allow everyone to find their proper partner. If anyone tries to stand up their date, they can expect a small and angry owl to harass them until they give in.


• Date One: The Romantic Brunch.
  Couples will find themselves with reservations (and pre-paid coupons for the prix fixe menu) at a swanky French restaurant with a wide balcony overlooking the lake in a central Tokyo park. They can dine on dainty pastries, sweet milk coffees, bowls of grapes and hothouse strawberries, and a selection of fancy chocolates and petit-fours-- plus, some of the trees in the park are blooming in holiday-appropriate red and white!



• Date Two: The Aquarium.
  Couples scheduled for this date have tickets to a rooftop aquarium in Ikebukuro: brightly colored fish, animals including penguins, seals and pelicans, a small petting zoo and plenty of shadowy, secluded nooks to cuddle in make for a fun lunchtime date. The tickets even include admission to the one o'clock penguin and seal show!



• Date Three: The Amusement Park.
  This date sends couples to spend the evening enjoying themselves at a seaside amusement park. Ride the roller coasters! Take selfies with the costumed attendants! Share an overpriced ice cream cone while you watch the fireworks after sunset, then wind up the night with a ride on the colorfully lit Ferris wheel with a romantic view of the Tokyo skyline.

Ayakashi Menace

There's more than just romantic couples out to enjoy themselves today. Romantic holidays can be tough for those whose love lives aren't so rosy, and as always, those negative feelings draw in ayakashi who are ready to ruin everybody's day.

All across the city, besides the usual ayakashi, characters might encounter the following:

Flocks of dove ayakashi whose mournful call induces self-doubt, suspicion and paranoia in everyone who hears it. Are your friends really your friends? Is your lover betraying you? Shouldn't you hurry up and stab them in the back before they can do it to you? These ayakashi are small and agile, difficult to catch but easy to destroy once they're caught... if you can overcome the urge to turn on your allies first.

Long-fingered shadow ayakashi, large and powerful, and capable of sneaking around by blending into genuine shadows. These ayakashi draw those who are alone into their clutches, filling them with resentment and despair. Anyone battling them needs to watch out for the humans they might already have influenced, who may become unpredictable and violent as the ayakashi influencing them grows more desperate.

Cute teddy bear ayakashi, that influence anyone they cling to into greedy obsession: they need attention, affection and gifts, and they can never have enough. When attacked, the teddy bears turn out to fight a little more like a grizzly bear than a stuffed toy, so gods and shinki beware!

Praying for Love

Those who aren't busy with their own dates might find themselves busy taking care of other people's instead. On a day like this one, everyone's praying that things turn out perfectly! Prayers gods might hear include:

"He's just got to ask me out! I made him the biggest box of chocolates... please, let senpai notice me!"

"Does she really like me? Please, give me a sign."

"I got concert tickets for our date, but it's supposed to rain. Please let me find a way to make this work out anyway!"

"The restaurant I wanted to take him to isn't taking any more reservations for tonight. What can I do? I can't cook!"

Wild Card -- players are free to make up their own romance-adjacent prayers for their characters to fulfill.

In Summary:

• Enjoy your dates
• Fight some ayakashi
• Make sure to answer prayers for a good Valentine's Day
• Have fun~

Comments

[reloves]

[ Apparently Ginia's co-shinki's level of meddling is practically on Minako's own level.. She looks slightly amused by their antics, but at least doesn't entertain them if Ginia apparently wants a moment between just the two of them. But she does giggle a little and gives a thumbs up to the retreating shinki before turning to Ginia. ]

I can say it's a great date, right? That doesn't reveal anything.. It's something you should've expected anyway, since I wouldn't give anyone a bad date!

[ Even though Chikusa did the majority of the organising. But Minako kept an eye on it for the people she actually knows and cares about. Mostly. ]

I don't know too much about the first person today, but I've spoken a little with second person.. they seem nice? And fun! That's important, right?

[creepface]

Is there a w-webpage for the concert? Does the tick-tickets say anything about rain or sh-shine? If it d-does it'll definitely n-not be any problems even if- if it rains.

[ Rasu's own dates have gone, well... it's been an experience, to say the least. Two out of three were definitely with people he's not attracted to, even after Goku told him he's not a child. ]

O-open air concerts always h-have a risk of bad weather, m-maybe she could get a rain c-coat to wear? Th-there should be some she finds c-cute or wh-whatever style sh-she likes.

[unlucky7]

[Their meddling is exasperating, but if Ginia truly wanted to escape, she's confident she could outrun and hide for the duration of the day. That she's here... well, what is there to lose? Meet new people (or run into people she already knows), make acquaintances that may one day become friends. It's only two people, a single day, no expectations.

She smiles at Minako and gives a thumbs up.]

I trust you and Chikusa made good choices for me. I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun today.

[Though... it's silly, she knows she shouldn't, but she can't help ask another question.]

Did Archer sign up? Or get signed up?

[reloves]

Yeah! That's why I'm not approaching them! [ Don't get her wrong, Minako does think her presence could liven up any social occassion, even a date. But she's also not enough of an idiot to not know that third wheeling can be super awkward for the two people on the actual date, hence why she's not doing that. ]

You wouldn't want me there if you and your boyfriend were on a date, right? No one wants that! So I have to watch from a distance and intervene from here if necessary instead.

[creepface]

A v-very small t-travelling one, once. [ If she means amusement parks. It was more like a small funfair than an amusement park though. ]

Th-that doesn't sound very fun, n-no. Um... n-now that you're here n-not like that, do you, have any r-rides you like?

[cloakedinruins]

Distract..? [ Quite a few of the humans were still on the ground, while those that were just regaining their feet did not look like they were going to continue their attack. Shen Wei's eyebrow rose in slight disbelief that they were going to attack at once. ] Fine.

[ No, he couldn't help the slight disapproving tone in his voice even as he gathers up energy again, his fingers flexing as patterns of ice and darkness shifting through them. (He was a teacher and there were times that it came through even when he was focused on other matters.) ]

Get ready then.

[reloves]

Got it!

[ She nods. Dodging shouldn't be much of a problem since Minako is nimble enough for that. Even while running away from that bear now she easily dodges a couple having a picnic on the grass with a wide curve so the bear won't consider those mortals as a quick snack.

They're quickly starting to approach the trees though-- ]

Get it now..!

[reloves]

[ There's a whole lot more than 15% if you count Hibiki's lap as a viable sitting spot..

But Minako will be good and not incredibly thirsty for once and just.. sit down on the 15%. It's a good excuse to be all up against Hibiki anyway. ~*Romantic*~. ]

Well, I'm sure you know I'm honored.. [ She has perfected the bashful act. Red cheeks, fluttering eyelashes, hands on her cheeks. ] Spending even a moment with you is like a true Valentine's miracle-- I didn't even dare to wish for it!

B

[deniles]

Indeed they do. Perhaps you should start.

[Hello Yata, did you miss him? He hopes so.]

[reloves]

[ Maybe the way of talking should have tipped Minako off that this is one of those people the Ye Olde Lifestyles from the past.. but it didn't. She sure is catching on to that fact now with Agrias not even knowing what a restaurant is, apparently. ]

You've never heard of a restaurant before? [ It's why she doesn't sound surprised as much as just curious. Just making sure she's got the right idea here. ] It's a place you go to eat! There's all kinds of restaurants.

B

[deniles]

[Niles is going to watch her carefully, and wait for her to land. She's doing quite well, and he's so proud of her every day he's known her. Smiling as he moves closer to her and tapping her on the shoulder.]

You are quite the amazing god, Nanako.

[It's been a while. He enjoys talking to you very much.]

B

[deniles]

If everything is safe and dry, probably.

[He doesn't really know, he's just taking a random guess. Also hi Garry.]

Then again, they might not for whatever reason. It's hard to say with these sorts of things.

[Maybe they can find a tarp or something.]

Sorry about being so late - still working on coming off hiatus

[dredefulchilde]

[Joscelin is would be utterly put-out by this whole blind date thing if it weren’t also so mystifyingly weird. As far as he knows, he’s a dead ten year old. Why would he want to be romantically connected with anyone?

He walks into the aquarium in his usual dark coat and long scarf, neatly (if not fashionably) dressed, and stares up at a fish tank for a long moment before he spots a small girl who looks vaguely familiar. Is this his ‘date’?]

Did you get set up on this rubbish too?

[roundtablerebel]

[ Mordred stares back at Minako, her expression a mix of surprise, embarrassment, and irritation. ]

That's not—! I just—! Would you just get out of the way already!?

[ But she doesn't really deny what she said either.

Of course, instead of addressing that right now Mordred tears into the crowd with a flurry of punches and kicks. While fighting her way toward Minako she makes a conscious effort to restrain herself, but it's likely a couple of people are going to have broken bones after this. ]

Were you just trying to piss them off with that speech or did you figure out what's makin' them crazy?

Aquarium II

[dredefulchilde]

There’s still time before he has to go to the amusement park. Joscelin is not enthusiastic about that prospect—he wants to go, but being forced to go on another stupid date with an age appropriate partner seems like torture.

So he wanders off, losing himself to the calming blue of the aquarium. He can be found sometime later near the shark tank, watching the circling predators all rapt attention and childish glee.

[unlucky7]

Ginia overlooks Joscelin for a second, mistaking him for the numerous kids around on school trips and with families, but that grin is unmistakable too. Quietly, she walks over until she's behind him, placing the open aquarium map on his head like a tented hat.

What, even adults can be silly from time to time.

[dredefulchilde]

“Wh—get off!” Joscelin squirms away from Ginia, but he’s laughing. He’s clearly putting only the minimum effort into this whole blind date thing; he’s dressed, as usual, like someone is about to put a tag on his coat and send him to the country for the duration of the War. He’s retro like that.

“So they got to you too, did they?”

[unlucky7]

Ginia takes her map back before it can flutter to the ground, giving his head a fond pat. He's not dressed any differently, but he's a child in appearance and heart right now, he doesn't need a romantic date.

"My temple signed me up, though I'm already done for the day. What about you?"

[myblueskies]

Yes sir! [There were no people there so it was a good place to lead the bear! Romeo ran as fast as he could keeping pace with Zhao. The bear wasn't far behind but soon they arrived at the lake. He quickly through another borderline at it, to try and slow it down a little before it arrived!]

[myblueskies]

Um... I think we should go and ask them what their date likes! Because then we can make their favourite food!

[myblueskies]

I can, miss! [He stared at the borderline and the ayakashi, willing it to stay up long enough for Ginia to catch the ayakashi.]

[dredefulchilde]

“Supposed to go to the amusement park,” he shrugs. “With whatever child they can scrounge up for me—there aren’t that many of us in the primary school age group.” He gives her a wry grin. Somehow, Ginia has become one of the few people he can fully let his guard down around, now that Ayumu’s gone.

“I’d rather go for myself, not to babysit. Who’d you get stuck with?”

[unlucky7]

Kid dates are adorable, okay? Sure, there aren't a lot of young kids around, but it's good for them to get to know each other (even if her present company is actually a vampire older than some of the old shinki around). She hides an amused smile behind her phone. Hopefully he didn't give his "dates" too much trouble.

...On that matter, shouldn't someone maybe chaperone them?

...Nah, they'll be fine. The kids are gods and shinki after all.

"My brunch date was with a guy named D2 and I just finished with Yunlan Zhao. Have you met either of them?"

[unlucky7]

[Ginia unwraps her scarf and takes a deep breath.]

Ritsuki, Saki, Umbra!

[She signs the spell fast, willing her presence to fade away, for the world to ignore her. In a blink, Ginia disappears from sight as the spell takes hold. Scarf in hand, Ginia advances on the unaware ayakashi, dropping the fabric over it and bundling it up before it can react.

Ayakashi secure, Ginia drops the spell and nods back at Romeo, hurrying back with her dangerous bundle. Inside the scarf, the ayakashi kicks and leaps, agitated.

...Problem solved. Now what to do with the ayakashi?]

C

[unlucky7]

[Ginia's glad she's not the only person with a tactic of "do as much damage to the ayakashi as possible with borderlines until a god-shinki pair can handle them." With her dates done with the day, Ginia considered heading back to the Far Shore and naming a soulless shinki for some rending on her own, but with too many questions and risks, she decides to keep what she's always done.

With the bonus of working under the cover of umbra.

As Chikusa dismembers a dove ayakashi, there's an extra slash that cuts across the wings of the ayakashi. Ginia, standing on a retaining wall, keeps still, curious if Chikusa can see through the spell.]