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

[abgrund]

[ He's just going to... not answer the question. It'll take too long. ]

Sometimes I wonder why they still tolerate my existence.

[ Maybe they regret it. Maybe they expect him to be a trump card. Or maybe they're... well. ]

I have been mistaken for the ayakashi before, though I take care to avoid that now.

[abgrund]

[ The time that Jen buys for him lets him reach out to the shinki trying to douse him with water. Jen would be able to hear his message also: ]

I am not your enemy. Let us work together.

[ Not really convincing coming from a giant eyeball, but the jellyfish presses the matter home by aiming a few of its tentacles at them. Ain shifts into a dome-like form to block its advance. ]

[chibisu]

Considering the kind of shenanigans that the newer generation of gods and shinki can get into, it's very good to to know that Ginia is in fact still alive and, hopefully, in good health. At least, if she's still able to type, then that should mean something. Kimi and Unmi are the first to respond to her-

!(•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑
- Unmi



║ . º 艸 º . ║ lmk if you're hurt (ﾟ艸ﾟ;)
- kimi


In contrast... Kiwami takes a little bit longer to get back in touch with Ginia. It's a good five, ten minutes before her phone buzzes with yet another text.

Lost target. Master and I will come to you.
>ﾟ)))彡

She only has a minute or so to raise any objections, because Ebisu sure will shamelessly abuse his connection to his shinki and the ability to teleport.

[unlucky7]

Considering the kind of shenanigans the new generation gets into, the fact Ginia is walking away with a few light bruises and scrapes, and a lash across her arm that looks worse than it feels is pretty remarkable.

To Unmi, Ginia sends back:

✧٩(•́⌄•́๑)

Kimi receives:

Nothing serious, don't worry ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ

Which probably doesn't actually alleviate the fact she's not denying injuries. Both of them get the address of her location of her current location too; a park not too far off from the area, a quick run for the athletically inclined.

Ginia doesn't even get a chance to raise any possible objections as Ebisu and Kiwami teleport to her. She's seated on the table portion of a picnic table, jacket casually bundled over something on the table. A red whip-like mark crosses over her upper arm, skin split, but it's really minor.

She hops off the table and bows her head to Ebisu, pulling her jacket back enough to show the mask. It's a bit scuffed, chipped and scratched from battle, but overall intact.

[phantomtrick]

[ Ren pokes Ain on the forehead, just making sure if he can feel it???? Hello??? ]

Are you really?

[ Time to find out.]

[defensivematrix]

[[ ooc: since this is SO LATE into the event u__u I'm not making a full top-level, only a wildcard option. You can hit me with anything, or if you wanted to go for certain prompt I can write a personalised starter for you ]]

[subconmodo]

Wow. Thanks for the compliment. Really appreciate it.

[don't mind him. Salt is just a natural part of his being.]

Anyway, I'm playing because the guy who was here before couldn't play the cello to save his life. And as I consider myself a relatively merciful god, I thought I'd give the people here a performance that would leave them with their eardrums intact.

[closed] For Waver

[defensivematrix]

[ This is embarrassing and above all else incredibly frustrating. Satya already noticed she does not fare well within crowds. But sometimes they were manageable- people don't notice them, and even in a crowded train, everyone is doing their best to keep invading other people personal bubbles to the minimum.

That doesn't work here. This is a parade, a celebration, a holiday- and thousands upon thousands of people are on the temple ground, filling each and every of narrow alleys around. A neverending river of humans, and it's dizzying.

She doesn't remember last time she had to work so hard to suppress her own feelings, but she is not going to trouble Iskandar by sending him weird pings of panic and discomfort. Not when he might be busy with the important stuff- besides, she's an Exemplar, she gotta keep her cool.

So now, that she sent Waver her coordinates she is sitting on--- top of a vending machine. A thin layer of hard-light between her and the machine's surface (it's not clean, obviously). Being above the crowd is only slightly better than being inside the crowd, but only slightly.

Once Waver finds her she's intensely focused on tapping the screen of her phone, with a very simple numbers game. Racking up the points to insane levels, just to keep her focus elsewhere. ]

[godsoffortune]

Sorry, did you just say my clothes are weird?

[He still can't gesture dramatically, not when he's pinned to the ground, but he turns a disbelieving stare on Aymeric's ears and Yamanbagiri's cloak in turn.]

You've got some nerve. You chased me! And attacked me!

[And-- funny-- he isn't answering the question about whether he knows what happened. He seems content to work himself up into a froth of accusatory dramatics.]

Get off or I'll call for police.

[godsoffortune]

The quantity and variety of food are roughly the same, though there's possibly a few more junk food wrappers the second week and a little less healthy (but still pre-made) food.

[godsoffortune]

He has considered and dismissed the option.

- It is possible to get the plates off the blue van. Running them through a database would reveal that it's registered to an even more elderly local farmer. The overwhelming smell of the van is "reeking exhaust, possibly burning oil."

- It's a tree. It has no unusual markings visible, and the only thing that can be determined about it by scent is that a) local stray cats have definitely pissed on the trunk, and b) there's a smell of sake around where Shimoda left the offering, this probably isn't the first one he's left.

- Maeda is complaining about scheduling difficulties. Shimoda is commiserating. They both express hope that "it won't be much longer."

[reloves]

"I can try."

She still doesn't sound entirely sure of it, but there's a lot more determination in her reply now than there was in her earlier one. She's damaged ayakashi before. Sure, this one is way bigger than any she's dealt with before, but if she can try to do something about this, she ought to do at least that much.

"I'm not sure if Zelda is around though-- so you'll still need to find someone else to rend it."

[reloves]

[ !!! Good job, Minako. She's mentally giving herself a pat on the back for finding a perfect excuse for this whole situation. And it went so smoothly too, clearly it's since she's a master planner and not just because Obi is easily going along with it. Clearly. ]

Then let's get going! There's so much I want to try-- like the goldfish scooping game!

[kokuyoyo]

- well, time for chikusa to give ken an exercise. he'll try to get the address off of the database, and then send Ken over to see if he can find anything worthwhile by snooping around as chikusa keeps an eye on the resident plant nerd.

- and that counts for with the duo over here! this time chikusa will leave ken to look after shimoda and see if he can't get anything useful from trailing after maeda

[reloves]

The rabbit! It's cute. [ And something also feels incredibly faintly familiar about it, but Minako sure isn't going to try and dig into that feeling. Instead she just smiles. ]

It's my first time having cotton candy here too. But I guess I must've had it while I was still alive before since I know what it's supposed to taste like.

[unlucky7]

There was a festival my first day. Went to another one in January, so I've had a few chances.

[Honestly, festivals are pretty nice when you aren't trying to shoo away bad luck and keep an eye out for cultists. Maybe one day it'll be quiet again and they can all enjoy a good day.]

I don't think I had cotton candy when I was alive though. It seemed pretty new.

[With how quickly the stand is turning out cotton candy, it doesn't take long for them to reach the front of the line. Ginia points out a rabbit for Minako and a bear for herself and pays. Massive animal cotton candy in hand, Ginia pokes the nose of the bear and giggles. She takes out her phone and takes a picture of her cotton candy, then waves Minako in for a picture.]

[beyondtheblade]

[A couple moments pass and a person-sized sword suddenly comes spinning overhead and as the tentacle recoils from Suzaku's borderlines, it lands dead on its tip, slamming it into the ground and (temporarily) pinning it. It probably won't last long, as it yanks and the sword shifts, but Tsuabsa lands beside Suzaku and blinks.

Already new passengers.]

You work fast.

[beyondtheblade]

[Tsubasa shifts back a little. That tentacle she leaped over a few moments ago? Suddenly sliding fast along the ground right back at them. She leaps, and Rita is going to get a taste of just what she can do as she spins in the air, landing on clear ground and taking off in a dash.]

Us rending it on our own does not seem to be the order of the day. It's large, and there are several gods attacking it... Dividing up that work seems to be more in line with what to be expecting!

[subconmodo]

Of course not. Even if our invisibility dissent extend to him, my minions are more than capable of getting around without being noticed.

It may not be as easy as back home, but if there's something to be found, he'll get it for us.

[He sounds almost proud as he says it, and sure enough, about ten minutes later, Jeremy crawls out the window and runs over to them, clutching something tight in his little hand]

[beyondtheblade]

Mm, so far. I haven't been trying to stress it, however...

[She blinks and looks down at her. She SHOULD have enough Phonic Gain stored for that, however...]

That should be doable. It's more a matter of herding people in that direction...

[beyondtheblade]

[As Ginia is busy using herself as bait and drawing attention, Tsubasa holds her stance and begins focusing her energy, resuming the same song she had started with:]

Thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of millions of lives...!
I grasp and wield them all!
A tearing that chills the spine...
Do you have the resolve to break it?

[She leaps, dodging a larger tentacle that goes for her, misses, and then starts to surge towards Ginia.]

The tip* of my sword in the evening sky!
Resembles the fragrant crescent moon!

[She holds her swords high and they transform into each other, creating a cleaving sword, and then it expands again from seemingly nothing, forming a sword easily twice or more her height, which she brings down towards said large tentacle.]

Time and time again I disappear completely...
To the flame of my sword!

[Weight, gravity, and the propulsion from her armor sends her crashing down into it, and the ground, cleaving through it. It seems like a lot of effort to just anger and and not do much overall damage, but it's one less thing that can strike the people she's trying to protect, at the very least. She releases the sword, letting it fold away into nothingness, flipping back towards the ground and landing beside Ginia.]

[beyondtheblade]

[Tsubasa nods at what he says, as she follows, shifting her sword back down to its katana form for speed.]

Yes, I could imagine. I'm well past when I'd think tackling something like this alone would be a good idea. I would rather have help and be there to fight future enemies than go it alone and not be able to do so, regardless of whether or not I won.

[Which implies she has, of course, thought it was a good idea before.]

Size does not mean everything. Any enemy can be deadly. Are these masked ones stronger than normal ayakashi in general?

[beyondtheblade]

[Tsubasa's drained and so is her Phonic Gain. Still, she's not about to stop now. She appreciates the support and gives her a nod.]

...I could pin down a tentacle or two, but...

[She glances at her friend's shinki, considers for a moment the state she saw Shun's in, and some of the things he said.]

...do not try and rend the entire thing yourself, Yukine.

[She frowns, glancing back at the monster.] With as many gods as there are here, we need to spread this out.

[beyondtheblade]

Well, let us be fair - she might also be that. But it comes out of love.

[After all, that is one of the sources of their power, right?]

It's only befitting that she's so powerful, really.

[beyondtheblade]

[Tsubasa eyes her curiously, then back where they came from, then back to her.]

What precisely is a "countermeasure" to that?

[She's a bit concerned if that's her idea of a "poison."]