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

Nanako | OTA

[welcome_home]

Ayakashi Menace

1. Taking Wing
[ Nanako stares up at the flock of doves perched overhead, eyeing them suspiciously, but even from here, she can tell they're not right. She frowns, hands propped on hips, as she regards what to do about it. ]

We can't let those birds ruin everyone's Valentine's Day!

2. You're Not My Teddy
[ She'd seen them in a window-front and even Nanako had been drawn to the cute appearance of the cuddly teddy bears waiting to be gifted to unsuspecting partners. Except coming closer has given her a weird feeling and she turns to see someone walking away with one of them in their arms. But was that... was that a claw she saw wrapping around the unsuspecting human's side?

Her eyes widening, Nanako is quick to run after them, despite the fact that she might be running straight into danger herself. ]

B. Praying for Love

[ Nanako is flitting here and there around the Near Shore, listening for prayers coming in for people wanting help conveying their feelings or finding the courage to give their gifts. She is a delighted little cupid, bobbing her way on feathery wings as she chases down the tug of prayers that call to her, dropping down to assist wherever she can. She might not be old enough to have dates of her own, but she's delighting in making sure those who are so desperately praying for assistance or good fortune have just the right nudge they need to succeed in their efforts.

And she might be watching the fruition of any of her efforts with a delighted little giggle, peering to watch the various humans offer chocolates and confess their feelings... ]

C. Chocolate Delivery!

[ While Nanako is still small enough not to take part in many of the traditions of this day, she does still put a lot of effort into one aspect of it. The morning of Valentine's Day itself, several of her very close and precious friends will find little packages of homemade chocolates wrapped up with bright paper and colorful ribbons and bows. The chocolates are obviously made by a child's hand, but Nanako had done her best and put a great deal of effort in making sure her friends got something special today of all days. ]

A 1

[kokuyoyo]

So we need to kill them.

[Mukurou keeps coming back pissed off because the doves are in the way of him reporting back to Chikusa, with varying amount of blood on his talons and feathers each time. That would be enough to be annoying, because then Mukurou bites at his fingers when he's giving him snacks that the shitbird doesn't need. However, they might also overwhelm the owl...]

[And, even more importantly, these ayakashi might affect the whole dating set up thing he has going on. If there's one thing Chikusa hates more than hard work, it's when he does hard work and it goes to waste.]

....Anyway... I'v been wanting to see if my vessel form has changed for you...

[It's a guarantee that he's a hafuri vessel for Hakkai in all the ways that means, after all, since he died for him, and the change of his bird body is confirmed quite solidly. However, he doesn't know if that means the same thing for Nanako. How much can he really change as a hat, anyway...?]

omg yes good

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako glances up at him in surprise for a moment, her head cocked to the side curiously as she eyes him. She had known he'd changed with Hakkai, but she hadn't thought about what that could mean with her. ]

We can try it...? Are you ready?

[kokuyoyo]

Mm. I'm ready.

[There's not much else he can really be, after all. It's one thing to transform for Hakkai, where he was a mobile animal vessel already even before he became giant and made out of weather. That requires a bit of preparation to ready himself, even if just for the change in shape.]

[Hats aren't that big of a deal. Unless he's something else than a hat. That might be awkward.]

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako takes a deep breath, now a little nervous about what might have changed, but excited all the same. ]

Inki, Come!

A-1

[hakingitup]

So we need to get rid of them.

[They're going to cause issues. They've probably already caused plenty of issues, for all they know, so they need to get removed. Looking up at them, he grumbles.]

It'll be easier if we can force them to the ground.

[For murder.]

[welcome_home]

[ Nanakop squints up at the flock of birds - ayakashi? - for a moment before humming thoughtfully. ]

Well.... What do you think would make them come down? Can we lure them with something they want? Or... I could try and chase them down?

[ She sounds a little dubious about that last plan. ]

[hakingitup]

They don't seem like regular birds, so I don't think we can encourage them with food.

[He sighs, and rubs his chin.]

Let's follow them for now and see where they go.

[welcome_home]

[ She glances over at him curiously. ]

...Can you keep up with birds? They can fly really fast...

[ Although something else occurs to her then and she glances up at where the flock is still roosting. ]

I might be able to lure them down, even without food?

[ If they're ayakashi, after all, they wouldn't be wanting normal bird food. But ayakashi always seemed lured in when she used her powers... ]

[hakingitup]

...Are you sure?

[She's small, and he doesn't know how to deal with that, letting her handle that.

But... if she's sure. He won't force her into it.]

[welcome_home]

[ She nods in determination, smiling brightly up at him when he sounds worried. ]

I can do it! But they're probably gonna come quick, so be ready, okay?

[ With that said, the little girl looks up to focus on the flock above them before she closes her eyes for a moment to focus. A warm white light surrounds her, making tiny wings appear on her back and a golden halo over her head. She doesn't actively do any magic, but wraps it around her like a warm blanket, almost a barrier. And it lights up her presence on the street below, a flame beckoning the moths to her warmth. ]

[hakingitup]

...Alright. If you're sure.

[He's learned to trust people like this. Ones who are determined in what they are doing and know not to give up. He looks at her for a moment before nodding. Then, he takes a step back and pulls out his polearm.]

Let's do this.

[Getting into position, he is ready to go.]

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.]

[welcome_home]

[ She squeaks a little in surprise, not having realized anyone was watching her and turns to glance up a little guiltily at getting caught.

At least until she sees who it is and her expression brightens before she throws herself at his legs to hug him. ]

Niles! Hi!

[deniles]

Hello there Nanako.

[He lets out a laugh, smiling down towards her.]

How are you? I hope you're still doing well.

[welcome_home]

[ She nods happily. ]

I'm doing lots better! How are you, Niles?

[deniles]

I'm doing very good. I'm glad you're doing better.

[Smiling and touching her on the head.]

I've missed seeing you.