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

[doodlebuginette]

It hasn't even occurred to her that she might not have to wait much longer. Mostly she's just trying to picture who they could've set her up with.

In the meantime, she's looking around for a moment, as though she might spot this mystery person. When Yuna speaks up again, she turns back to her and nods. "It's kind of romantic, isn't it? Being set up for a mystery date?" It's the invitation that interests her though, and she leans in to get a look at the paper.

And then she laughs, because it's the same mark as the invitation she had. "That's funny." By way explanation, she pulls out her own invitation and holds it out for Yuna to look at.

"I guess this means we don't have to wait that long after all!"

[myblueskies]

"I think they would sting your mouth if you ate them!" He doesn't know if they are edible. Fish are though and so is jelly so a mixture of the two must be!

The aquarium is very full and Romeo makes sure to stick near Skuld as they wander further into the aquarium. "Look over there!" The lights are really pretty in here and a tank with colourful fish draws Romeo's eye straight away. There's another! And another! So many things to look at he's a bit unsure at what to look at first!

[revolutionfalcon]

[That makes Shun's brow raise in the sense of someone who's about ready to kick someone's ass on her behalf.] You mean someone else signed you up for the dates? Who the hell does something like that without asking?

[There's some sense of him almost being offended on her behalf, which is stunningly ironic considering the timing, crossed with confusion as to why anyone would even do that in the first place. But Shun is already opposed to this sort of thing on the principle that he doesn't feel like a relationship of any meaning comes out of a setup, so doing something like that just feels stupid and petty to him.

Nonetheless, he doesn't hesitate to follow towards the shop, eying it as they get closer. It's definitely busy, which isn't going to help...and his grip tightens on his weapon as he spots that bear in the window.]

Don't suppose there's a good way we can clear the people out.

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun goes right as soon as Wendy starts moving, using the speed of his mount to cut in behind the creatures and push them forward towards her borderline. They flap out from their perch and try to scatter, but another of Shun's birds appears blocking the only easy route and circling them back towards the borderline.

Shun's pursuing them closely, but the space needs to be tightened a little bit before he can properly catch and kill them, and he and his own mount start to move towards that end.]

[myblueskies]

[Romeo looks over at the statue and goes over to have a closer look. The three faces looked scary.

She must be a god of fighting as well as of the kitchen. Though if it was her shinki who could make the nice food Romeo thought she should tell people that, it wasn't nice to lie! He frowned slightly looking over at Ginia, he doesn't want to promise he won't tell anyone because that would be lying too. But he doesn't want to disobey a god, escpecially an old god.

It seemed this was another of those complicated situations!]

[priforprince]

"Nothing beyond this irritation."

One of the ayakashi tests the light and discovers it isn't harmful. In fact, said light might not be....really there? It sniffs, decides this is worth it, and leaps for the stranger.

Who draws an antique-blunderbuss-shaped water gun full of holy water and shoots it dead-on. The ayakashi drops, hissing, trying to re-form. "Is your shinki about?"

The horde around stirs. The light isn't harmful. The pistol is.

But there is only one pistol. And many ayakashi.

[ofnovalue]

I do believe your mind and heart are alligned on the right path, milady. [ Ovelia gave a warm smile. ]

I hope we have proven useful to you on this task.

[unlucky7]

[His indignation would be more touching if the timing was better. Instead, Ginia is more inclined to drop the topic. It was a surprise, a disruption to her schedule, but she understands why her fellow shinki did it. It was fun, and while she didn't go in looking for a love match or anything of the sort, meeting a new person and getting to know someone better is nice. It was what she needed ultimately to move on.

She perches on a post, frowning at the crowd of people. It's only going to get worse.]

Not without being disruptive to the business, unfortunately. Setting off the fire alarm will be the quickest way to force an evacuation.

[unlucky7]

[When you can teleport, might as well teleport. Ginia hangs by a machine, habitually staying out of the way and out of sight of the couple even if they wouldn't notice anyway. She taps her fingers together as the first grab is a miss... the second one is closer... yes... right there on the third one...

Hey! Fourth time is a charm! She breathes a sigh of relief as one of the rabbits falls into the prize chute. He snatches it up with a shout of joy and offers it to his date. Huzzah!]

[reloves]

[ It's hard even for Minako to follow him with her gaze, really. It helps that he pointed out to her which couple he was going to spy on - that way she can scan the crowd near them to find him playing with his phone.

It does take a little bit before he returns, but just when she starts feeling impatient and hops from foot to foot due to a general dislike of inaction in these situations, he's suddenly back and speaking up.

And the information he's giving immediately makes Minako's eyes light up. ]

It's so cute that they're going on vacation together..! It must be so much fun together at the sea with your lover.. And a penguin show, that's just--

[ ...

Wait.. He just asked her something. Right? She has to rewind her brain for a moment to figure out what it was.. ]

Oh..! Um.. You didn't talk to them?

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin gives her an impudent grin and a mocking salute.

"Righto, ma'am. Nothing larger than a candle."

Then his phone buzzes and he looks at it with a scowl.

"Damn, I need to leave for the next round of torture." Looking somewhat diminished, he gives Ginia a little wave.

"I'll see you around."

[priforprince]

Hmph.

[ Hibiki's eyes close as the rabbit finally makes it out of the machine. ] A needlessly complicated ritual.

[ ....Are the corners of her mouth threatening...to tug upwards? ]

[priforprince]

[ "Ah, yes!"

Somewhat fittingly, the girl is only looking at Ovelia when she says that. "I can't believe people really came to my house because I prayed! I'll leave extra offerings at all temples I visit!" ]

Here, as well.

[ Hibiki presents the girl with two tickets to the current smash-hit romantic film, now playing in theaters. The theater in question is in the area. ] Your smile is my only reward.

[ "Oh...thank you!"

Hibiki smirks. She wasn't lying. That movie theater...is her shrine. ]

[kokuyoyo]

[...Well, at least she was paying attention, up until he opened his mouth. Chikusa will take that as some sort of victory, he guesses. Coming back to where he dumped his stuff, he leans against the wall.]

Mm. I didn't look like I was paying them any attention at all, even when I went up right besides them. In a crowded place like this... You can do that at couple of times. You just have to not make it obvious. I mean... Unless they do something that gets other people's attention, I guess, like yell or something.

[ofnovalue]

If I may ask you offer your thanks to the Goddess Sancus as well. Her dedication to virtuous oaths is why I was able to help today.

[ Or, to put it more accurately, Ovelia's admiration of Agrias is what lead her to being willing to offer her aid to people that had intimidated her previously. If Agrias could face such things with a brave face, so should she. ]

[unlucky7]

[Sure, people are idiots, but that doesn't mean you set up an elaborate dating situation to fix the problem. Is it worth pressing though? She could hound him, maybe get an answer, but what is the price of curiosity here?]

Fine. Hope you got the outcome you wanted.

[She tilts her head at the triple-boxed ayakashi, changing to signing for the moment. Good practice for him.]

Now what?

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun doesn't care enough for the topic to pursue it, so he leaves it be in favour of the important thing right now, which is dealing with the situation at the shop. As for Ginia's suggestion, he shrugs slightly.]

Fire alarm might disrupt it for an hour at most while they explain what happened, so it's probably the best option. I'll take it over trying to fight them around the people in here, and if people have reason to leave through your borderline, then it means we don't have to try and fight anything that's clinging to someone.

[reloves]

[ For a moment Minako still seems in her proud mood, but then the full impact of Ovelia's words hits her. It's totally reasonable for someone to not have noticed it, especially if they're new, but since Minako is an idiot it still feels like her heart is getting crushed.

Which is why she suddenly sinks to the floor, crouching down there all melodramatically. ]

N-No way.. All my efforts...

[revolutionfalcon]

Shun is fighting ayakashi with Ain and Wendy.

[rockthemonkey]

Do you wanna just stay up all night? [ Heheh, hand holding. He guesses it's probably childish, but it helps ward off the cold so he's not going to let go. ] We could watch the sun-

[ Romantic date suggestion predictably ruined by sudden cockroach appearance. Goku jumps a little, looking around before he realises where Gojyo is. It might say something about how distracted he was that he didn't feel his own shinki approaching, but this is Goku we're talking about. ]

Gojyo? What're ya- what're you doin' here?! [ Blushing like he's been caught doing something embarrassing which is dumb because he's not. ] What's up?

[ He's going to get teased for this. He can sense it. ]

[rockthemonkey]

[ Goku sits across from Nia and pops a piece of fruit into his mouth with a happy hum. ]

Mmyeah! [ Goku, chew. Swallow. Then talk. ] S'good! 'm not a shinki but it makes me hungry too!

[ He's also always hungry though... ]

[abgrund]

[ It does. But then again, pointing it out probably has little use on Shun. ]

Do you have no engagements today?

[ Ain would rather not be the one nagging Shun to rest. Someone closer to him should, but... ]

[abgrund]

[ Time is a limited resource for many people. For mortals, this day might very well be their last. It's hard to predict when one would die, so every moment must count and be treasured. Might be strange for an immortal entity like him to count what would be minuscule numbers to him, but that is the way of the people he will have to work with. ]

It's alright. I'd like to buy you something instead.

[ She's talking to Hades, the god of money wealth. It feels more appropriate for him to buy it instead of a shinki. ]

[priforprince]

[ "Sancus...I will! I'll pray to her every night!"

Hibiki files that goddess's name away for further investigation. ] Then, we'll take our leave. May your love be as blessed as this day has been.

[ "Yes! I...I'll do my best!"

Hibiki, to her credit, refrains from offering an opinion on the girl's best. ]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[Nia jumps a little, very much like a startled cat, and turns a little red herself. She doesn't even bloody well know why! She quickly turns a scowl on Gojyo, because that seems like the appropriate reaction here.] Probably getting off his own date, Goku, a bunch of people came here, right? We had our own dates earlier and decided to hang out for a bit when we ran into each other.

[In other words, don't read anything into this, you bastard!]