The Far Shore Mods (
godsoffortune) wrote in
thenearshore2018-11-01 08:17 pm
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
Entry tags:
- chikusa kakimoto | katekyo hitman reborn,
- d2 | alive,
- ebisu | noragami,
- event log,
- garry | ib,
- ginia | original character,
- hibiki shikyoin | pripara,
- joscelin fitzthomas | oc,
- ken joshima | katekyo hitman reborn!,
- minako aino | sailor moon,
- obi | akagami no shirayukihime,
- romeo | romeo's blue skies,
- suzaku kururugi | code geass,
- takashi shirogane | voltron,
- wei shen | guardian,
- wendy | kuroshitsuji,
- ω agrias oaks | final fantasy tactics,
- ω emizel | disgaea 4,
- ω hat kid | a hat in time,
- ω nephenee | fire emblem radiant dawn,
- ω ovelia atkascha |final fantasy tactics,
- ω petra ral | attack on titan,
- ω rasu | countdown 7 days,
- ω ross | senyuu.,
- ω sha gojyo | saiyuki,
- ω son goku | saiyuki,
- ω yunlan zhao | guardian
34 - Love is in the Air
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
Ayakashi Menace
Praying for Love

In Summary:
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
- 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~
no subject
The cat will lead them to a young woman fiddling with her jacket while standing under the overhang of a department store. She's dressed entirely in varying shades of black, with a few silver accessories here and there. It might take a while to get her attention though, since she doesn't see Orbis even after the cat sits down right at her feet. ]
no subject
Hey there! Nice to meet you, miss. We're here to answer your prayers.
-- No, really, though. [Just in case she turns out to be the sort to break the nose of a guy who flirts outrageously with her on the street; she looks kind of tough, and prays to death gods, so she might just be.]
You wanted some help picking a gift for your special somebody, didn't you?
no subject
Of course. You'll help me? That's wonderful.
[ She reaches into her purse and fishes out her phone. Her wallpaper matches her entire coordination - a red rose with some barbed wire vines. This might seem kind of tryhard but she put in effort to buy clothes and makeup of good quality, so she really plays the part of some Iron Maiden well.
A few taps on her screen brings up a photo of her with (presumably) her boyfriend. The guy looks remarkably normal standing next to her, dressed in a scarf and the manner of someone likely to buy stuffed toys. ]
I was going to taking him out for dinner like always but he says he wants something more exclusive. I texted him some suggestions but he keeps turning them down, I don't know what he's thinking!
no subject
[Exactly the kind of love experts that a lady with roses and barbed wire on her phone wallpaper -- and with that a keen a hand with the inky liquid eyeliner -- needs. Zhao leans over to take a thoughtful look at the boyfriend. He looks a lot less goth, which, frankly, speaks well of him that he's going out with someone as tough as this mortal.
More exclusive, huh.]
Tell me, is he a one-on-one kind of guy? Or does he like going out and partying?
[You can't always tell from a scarf and the atmosphere of a stuffed animal owner.]
no subject
Ain is content to observe for now; showing both Zhao and the follower that he's listening to both their words. The lady makes eye contact with him a few times, but most of her attention is on Zhao. ]
One-on-one. We usually spend some quality time together, dinner then a cafe.
[ You know, perfectly innocuous things. ]
no subject
Then add a nice gift. Right in the middle of the place setting with a red ribbon's always a good way to go.
[How about that. Apparently, he does know romance.]
no subject
On the other hand, the follower looks quite impressed, nodding along with the suggestion. ]
I could try that. I know what he likes to eat, there might still be enough time...
[ She starts looking at her phone for a few more moments. ]
no subject
Great! Why don't you run that idea by him and see how it lands? If it's not what he's looking for, I've got more suggestions where that came from.
no subject
I think he likes it. In fact he wants me to meet him now... he's at the department store [ insert location a short walk away here] waiting for me. I'll go and see what he's going to show me .
[ She nods confidently, more relaxed now that she has a plan to follow in mind. Maybe the two of them should tail her to see how it plays out... ]
no subject
Then, he nudges Ain with an elbow, throwing him a grin.]
Okay, let's go see how this works out. We might have to give her some more tips!
no subject
I think your advice is sound. It should work.
[ Watching it play out will probably give both of them satisfaction, so there's no reason to Not do that. He follows the human following another human, down a street or two before turning into an avenue housing a large department store. The store seems to have a decent number of shoppers, but not too much; meaning they can track down the goth lady easily.
So far, everything seems to be fine. The boyfriend is there, holding a teddy bear with a black jacket and a red ribbon wrapped around its neck. And everything should be fine, except....
Ain frowns. The man is not only raising his voice, but is that...? ]
Do you see what I see?
[ He tilts his head, the words clearly directed at his shinki companion. He wants to be sure they're thinking about the same thing. ]
no subject
Zhao takes a step closer, and he swears the teddy bear turns its head to look at them.]
The bear?
[His voice is low and cool. Yeah, something's wrong there, all right.
Possessed doll? Or is it an ayakashi?]
no subject
[ The bear is definitely looking at them now, the beady eyes stitched onto it gleaming in an unnatural light. ]
I would prefer to do it without disturbing their date. Can you sneak?
[ He has an idea but having a human do the act would be more beneficial than having... well, tentacles do something. ]
no subject
[He starts towards the couple; the bear's head turns, just slightly, to follow his movements, and Zhao represses a shudder. So, what might work? It seems like the guy'd just come out of the store, so maybe--]
'Scuse me, sir.
[He's bowing, playing background retail worker as hard as he can. He's not dressed for it, but he's hoping the tendency to overlook shinki will save him if he gets the act right.]
There's just been a recall on that item -- inferior stitching -- if you'd like to return it we can cancel the charge or deliver a replacement...
[He's reaching out to take the bear.
It turns its head and bites his hand.]
no subject
Give it to me.
[ — with an urgency so profound that one would never ascribe to someone so laid-back as him. Ain is suddenly immediately next to Zhao, having invoked some trace of his void power to weave through space. He moves to try and pry the bear from both Zhao and the man's grip, not hesitating to use excessive force if necessary. The man gives both of them a look that is both simultaneously confused and angered, but it melts as soon as Ain can get it out of contact with the mortal, replaced with a dazed air. Their follower still regards Ain with some suspicion, but her attention is diverted by the fact that her boyfriend seems to have gone a bit soft. ]
Someone tried to curse him. I'll take care of it.
[ And he'll muster some authority in his words. Hopefully with the veil that covers the Far Shore she would be convinced.
And as for the bear... it appears to have grown another mouth and is gnawing energetically at Ain's hand in a bid to be free. However, it has little effect as he can't feel the pain of being bitten. The pain of blights, however...
... well, it's nothing compared to pain he had endured in the past. ]
no subject
Ow, shit-- Ain, it's biting you too! Drop that thing!
no subject
[ He won't, but that's not really an issue. To him, it's more justified if he gets hurt, as he can't feel pain the conventional way. Mortals must be protected from a danger that can be borne by another.
Still, Zhao manages to get its jaw to loosen, and that's enough for Ain to try and fling it towards the centre of the (thankfully empty) street. The bear lands with a thump and gets up, trying to muster a comeback, but Ain swiftly projects a bounded field around it to prevent it from moving. For now, the ayakashi scrabbles at the inside of the field like a hamster in a ball.
Though, his illusion has broken where the bear had bitten him. His left hand is now a dark inky black as opposed to the normal skin tone of a human, but it doesn't seem like blight.
There is no need to involve Zhao when he can take care of it himself. Letting him get more blighted would hurt him and his god. ]
I need you to help the humans.
no subject
Hey there, can you two step inside for a minute?
[He gestures to the shop front, and gives her a meaningful glance.]
We're busy out here.
[She looks sharply dubious -- but she does seem to recognize him, and, after a moment, she nods, and starts urging her boyfriend towards the door.
Good, they'll be fine. Zhao Yunlan turns back towards the street, scanning for Ain and his little shielded ayakashi.]
no subject
Since Zhao's god is nowhere to be found, he figures it's easier for him to summon his own shinki and get the job done. He holds out his uninjured hand and a lantern appears hooked around his (still human-looking) fingers. Instead of fire, it houses three fluttering orbs of light, red yellow and blue. ]
I suggest you step back a little...
[ He places the cage onto the floor, and the ayakashi scrambles against it in a bid to scramble free - but it won't be able to move, because a couple of black spears sprout from the ground and the top of the cage to impale it with extreme prejudice.
Hope you're not afraid of stakes, Zhao. ]
no subject
He does take a step back, because he's also not sure what kind of control Ain has over those spears.
His gaze goes to Ain's hand instead, concern flickering in his eyes as he nods at the blackened skin. It's black like an ink pool, and not black like a burn. It doesn't look blighted. It doesn't look human.]
How's your hand? That thing got you, didn't it?
[The blighted bite mark on his own hand is throbbing, but he really can't tell if Ain's injured or not. His hand wouldn't look like that if he weren't, Zhao supposes. Probably.]
no subject
A sigh as he lets go of the lantern and it vanishes as well. ]
That was tiring.
[ Maybe it's too human a sentiment, but having to work with the constraints on his abilities is troublesome. The presence of the blight also prevents him from reapplying his illusion on his hand, which means: ]
We should get cleansed. How are the humans doing?
no subject
They're fine-- that follower of yours has a good head on her shoulders. She's getting her boyfriend inside to safety.
[With a little shrug, he adds:] I think they'll handle it from here, but you're right, we should do something about that blight.
[He nods at Ain's hand.] What is that?
no subject
That is how I look like. I am not human, though I think you already know.
[ Ain lets his hand fall back to his side ]
I use an illusion to conceal my true form. The blight prevents it from taking shape.
[ Probably some strange constraint on his vessel because of this world. Inconvenient, but not too important. He eyes Zhao with what hopefully passes for mild curiosity. ]
Are you afraid?
no subject
No, I'm not afraid, you idiot, I'm glad that you don't have gangrene!
[Patches of inky black don't look anything like blight, which makes them worrying when they show up all of a sudden. He relaxes into an easy smile, now that the concern's dealt with, and absently reaches down to scratch at the stinging blight patch on his own hand.
He remembers why that's a bad idea the moment his fingertips make contact and begin aching with transferred blight.]
So do you think I could talk you into showing me the rest of you without the illusion sometime? I'm curious now.
no subject
But, that's a story for another day. ]
I find it curious that you are interested. [ Time to lead them along the roads of the Near Shore to the occult trinket store that happens to have a small statue of Hades... ] But I could. Though, it terrifies most people. I wanted to warn you beforehand.
[ He can't show his true form as manifesting it would cause severe spacetime disruption, but the intermediary would still work. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
we can wrap this one up here? :D