36 - Dragon Dance

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Help the Heavens cover for a missing goddess at her temple festival.
When: March 18
Where: Near the Sensou-ji temple in Asakusa
Summary: After Kannon's disappearance last year, the Heavens are concerned that things might go wrong at her temple's March 18 omikoshi festival. They've asked new gods and shinki to attend the festival and keep an eye out for trouble. Meanwhile, trusted newcomers and older gods and shinki alike are watching over the cultists that have been identified.






The Festival

Shrine-carriers, musicians and dancers congregate early in the morning in their matching outfits to get organized into their parade. Luckily, all of the parade participants this time are alive and well. There aren't even any troublesome ayakashi hanging around... so why is everyone having such bad luck?! Laces are breaking, costumes tearing, small children are getting sick from nerves, and even the drums seem to have gone out of tune. It looks like this parade is going to need a whole lot of help to prevent disaster.

For those who aren't busy with the parade preparations, food and souvenir booths throng the area in front of the temple. There's traveling games, too, and plenty of people showing up early with their families to find a good spot to watch the parade. This is one of Tokyo's most popular temples, so it's quite a crowd!

The Stakeouts

Any gods or shinki who were told about the cult problem by Amaterasu -- or anyone who might have heard from friends and allies about the plans -- can help Amaterasu's shinki keep a tight watch on all of the known cult members. Her shinki are looking for any sign of the young gods who she believes are behind all of this trouble, but are there other clues that might be found by a keen observer? Join in on staking out a cult member, and see what you can see.

Current cult members that the shinki are watching include:

• Mitsui Ryou - lives alone in a medium-sized apartment, appears to work a 9 - 5 schedule with occasional late nights.
• Imai Takeru - lives in a small two-story house by himself, has an unpredictable schedule.
• Shimoda Tsuki - lives alone in a small apartment with a lot of plants, works retail with varying shifts.
• Oota Saburo- lives in a medium-sized apartment with his wife and two young children, works a 9 - 5 schedule with frequent work trips.
• Maeda Shinnosuke - lives alone in a small, messy apartment, works construction (early mornings, long days.)
If your character is taking part in the surveillance of any of these people, please feel free to comment to the Cult Clues thread below with the name of the character they're watching, and the times that they're watching that character, in order to learn what they might see. (Note: surveillance doesn't have to take place only on the 18th. Characters can take part in watching the cult members at any time after Amaterasu's announcement on March 8.)

The Parade

At noon, the parade begins. Misfortune is still dogging the participants and the crowds around them, but it looks as though everything will go all right up until the final turn as the heavy, gilded shrine turns back towards the main temple building, tips, and slowly falls over sideways, straight for the crowd.

What's worse, when the shrine hits the ground, it cracks open -- and a huge, jellyfish-like ayakashi wearing a giant white mask with a single black eye inscribed on it heaves its way out and begins lashing its tentacles in every direction. People stung by the tentacles are driven into a furious frenzy, and fights are breaking out everywhere. Stop the humans from fighting, take care of the injured, and destroy the ayakashi before the situation gets any worse.

The Pursuit

In the middle of the fighting crowd, two white-robed shinki are chasing after a very average-looking salaryman in a tan coat. He doesn't seem to know that the shinki are chasing him, but he is moving fast, and they're in danger of losing track of him. They're calling out to any Far Shore denizen close enough to hear, shinki or god:

"Don't let that guy get away! He knows what happened!"

Anyone who has met or spent time staking out Mitsui Ryou will recognize him as the escaping salaryman. If your character takes part in the pursuit, please comment to the Cult Clues thread with a link to your thread - the character who successfully catches Mitsui will be determined by RNG on January 6, 2019.

In Summary:

• Attend the Sensou-ji festival
• Enjoy food and games
• Help Amaterasu's shinki stake out the cult
• Fight a masked ayakashi
• Have fun~

Comments

[welcome_home]

Oh no. [ Nanako looks upset as she glances around sees just how many kids have gotten sick. ] That's no good. Maybe I can make them feel better...?

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako pauses from where she's standing and eyeing a lopsided float with a puzzled frown, glancing around when a voice calls out to her.

Spotting the other girl, she breaks into a warm smile and lifts a hand to wave at her in greeting. ]

Ummmm, maybe! Does this... look crooked to you?

[ It is definitely crooked. ]

[welcome_home]

But there's so many people! [ Nanako looks around in dismay. ] Where would we send them all? We have to do something about the ayakashi!

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako skids to a stop at the sound of a familiar voice, turning to beam warmly at Marinette, although she is starting to look a little worn down. ]

Marinette! Hi! I'm helping!

[welcome_home]

[ There's immediate relief at the sound of Ken's voice and she spins around, searching for him through the crowd as he pushes towards her.

Although she still casts him a worried look as he gets closer. ]

Ken! Are you sure? It's really big!

[shiitan]

[Wait what

Ross was prepared for a lot of things. He’d been exposed to not only Zetta's Prinnies, but Hibiki's purple goats too, and that had been trying enough already. But someone dragging him off? To see a doctor, of all people? That seemed more strange somehow, and he wasn't fighting her on that. On the other hand...]

But I don't want to get stitches.

[He was not clearing things up even though it would be so easy to do so.]

[yasei]

[ You gotta take a break sometimes.

Obi peers up while he's still mid-bow, and he straightens up. He noticed her watching of course but that's a funny name. ]

And you're the love advice Miss. How do you do, Miss Minako?

[timeforpink]

Got it.

[ At the first sign of attack, Jen swings her makeshift bat at it with a grunt, slamming the ayakashi's would-be limb with all her strength. It's really satisfying, in fact.

Don't mind her enjoying this a little as she keeps it busy for you, Ain. ]

[yasei]

[ Well color him surprised. You see the strangest things sometimes. The strange things being her armor, not the curses.

He sits on his branch, swallows down a mouthful of food, and is blinking wide eyes at her. ]

Uh, Miss...?

[yasei]

[ Many other men might have dropped their balls in surprise, but not Obi, he catches them perfectly, as if he's not been asked something of a messed up question. ]

Flirting with the wrong person?

[ Seems pretty likely to him. ]

[yasei]

You don't think so?

[ He squints at her, then shrugs. ]

Maybe it's that you look a little tired, that's what makes it seem that way.

[yasei]

We do, actually. If we wanna sit out we can sit out.

[ He's not a compulsive do-gooder like she seem to think that she is. ]

[smilingbullet]

[ Keeping an eye on Ain and his pace as well as his flickering shadows, D2 shakes his head. ]

Just some minor blight I can take care of later. You seem worse for wear though, perhaps you ought to be slightly more mindful of your body?

[smilingbullet]

No?

[ D2 places two of the wood pieces together and picks out a long enough nail to hammer them together with. ]

I'm assuming so. It wouldn't do if you let go and it instantly went down over you or something.

[unlucky7]

[The ayakashi is fast, but Ginia moves faster. It's easy being bait, especially when she's not the only person peppering the ayakashi with attacks. She dodges to the side, parrying the tentacles with borderlines, moving again with a high leap into the air. An easy target as she falls slower than any human should. An attack comes her way; she waits until the last second to drop down fast, slashing along the underside of the tentacle. It splits and pulls back. Flesh is already knitting back, but it's still a few seconds of time.

She can see Waver, but she doesn't look his way as she focuses on keeping the ayakashi away from him. It can't see him, won't know he's there until she releases Umbra or the natural ten minute timer on the spell runs out. But that doesn't mean a stray tentacle can't accidentally lash him.

It's another reason she's left her borderline up for him. One less barrier for herself, but a good offensive is a good defense. A tentacle lashes her arm; she hisses as blight spreads hot on her flesh, but there's time to handle that later. Attack, parry, keep moving, buy more time, put your life on the line for the greater good.]

[mithrarin]

It'd be a heck of a mess to clean up if it broke. [That's the real issue. The sign probably can't do any meaningful damage to him.] And I can only take standing around for so long.

[unlucky7]

[Ginia looks at Chris and gives a firm nod, a small smile spreading on her face. It's funny; she's used to wading into battle and getting called by her god when they're close enough. She's not sure anyone's asked her before calling her name.

You're a kind soul, Chris, but now it's time to shred an ayakashi.]

[letteropener]

Then allow me to rephrase. I have no other palatable choice.

[So many other people here are so quick to help others in need, to use what they have to prevent harm and suffering where they can. Once again, Celestia has to wonder if this whole pairing is simply a sick joke.]

[unlucky7]

[Sewing is a basic skill Ginia has little to no mastery over. To her eye his work is impressive; she can't see where the tear was. The owner of the obi will love it.]

The festival is nice, could do without the bad luck.

[Isn't that how it always goes?]

But it's nice everyone is helping out.

[smilingbullet]

(( ooc: that is alright with me. ))

Oh- hello, hi.

[ D2 slips the cork gun from his grip to a more relaxed manner. ]

Likewise, but on the other hand maybe that's a mistake on both of our part, since the Heavens are involved.

[beyondtheblade]

[Tsubasa's own expression brightens in itself.]

Ah, did she now? [She will have to remember that. Even if she has no idea just HOW highly.] I'm glad Yukine has been able to make friends here. Even though I would prefer better circumstances, I'm happy at least to be able to work side by side with her, here.

She spoke well of you though, as well. Thank you, for any help you've been able to give her.

[It's a bit overly formal, but... well, that's Tsubasa, and she's still scanning the crowds for the boy's party.]

[beyondtheblade]

But of course! A Senpai should have faith, shouldn't they?

[She grins at that, but does hold a more serious look in her eyes.]

I am glad, though. I just figured you needed a little push.

We all do, from time to time.

[smilingbullet]

[ Having a fascination with fake guns isn't the most unhealthy thing imaginable. And it's convenient, for people used to daily practice. ]

Seems good to me, that way it becomes more measurable. My schedule is flexible, so you can choose a time.

[ Another prize falls over when he hits it, and he adds it to his accumulated things. ]

[smilingbullet]

[ Possessions are a pain in the ass, particularly when they turn violent. If only there were easier ways to cut those things short.

For now, trapping the mortals one by one and scaring off the ayakashi with cutting Lines and burning holy water is the best he can do until the crowd thins and calms. ]

[onedrinkwithme]

Yes but it is possible for him to just jump in on his own.

[What if he crashed into a thing and alerted the people inside? Lucky that the little guy is waving as a sign. All there is now is to wait.]