007 | Clean Up Your Act

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Spring cleaning
When: All day April 15
Where: All around the Heavens
Summary: The Heavens don't like things being cluttered, so it's time to clean up a little bit.







Main Hall

While the main hall of the Heavens seems spotlessly clean at all times, that's not the case at all. In fact, it's been at least a decade since the last time they actually cleaned everything out properly. There are a lot of hidden closets and back rooms that have layers of dust and dozens of boxes filled with nothing but junk. Who knows, though! You might find something interesting and useful in there along with all the garbage.

Suprises

Unfortunately, some of the older temples on the Far Shore seem to have some interesting surprises tucked away, ranging from cursed artifacts all the way to magical creatures locked up in long-forgotten rooms. You are free to be creative with this as a way to get your characters into trouble while cleaning.

Complimentary Dinner

After all of your hard work, you deserve to have some tasty food and refreshing beverages. So the Heavens have provided that for you, so that you can wind down after a long day. It's not as fancy as the banquets they often put on, but there is a nice array of food and drinks for everyone to enjoy.

Counselling

As usual, there is a white-robed shinki bearing the gold chrysanthemum of Amaterasu sitting at a table in the Main Hall. There is a small sign that denotes her as the counselling shinki. Anyone is welcome to approach her, and she will smile serenely at anyone passing by as well.



In Summary:

• Clean up your home
• Help clean others' homes
• Get the main hall clean too!
• Hope no hidden magic jumps out
• Seek counselling if you need it
• Enjoy your complimentary dinner
• Have fun~

Comments

[ex_adept179]

[Slaine's in the middle of another furtive attempt to usher the cats away so he can get back to his duties when he hears Sheryl's comment. He stills where he is, remembering how well their last conversation went... And then stiffly goes back to the most cautious attempts at nudging one of the cats aside with his foot]

I suppose they must be lonely...

[His attempt doesn't achieve much when the cat gets on its hind legs and opts to stand on his shoe instead in the most bizarre display, and he can do little better than stare]

Do cats...normally do this?

[Actually, a few of the ones behind him even have little yukatas...]

[galactically]

[It's been a week since Sheryl had spoken to Slaine, hasn't it? She remembers so vividly — inviting him to her temple, revealing certain details of herself, and disputing with each other over specific matters. How awkward.

She'll have to eventually unlock the elephant in the room, but for now she focuses her attention on those cats, gasping at some of them wearing yukatas.]

That's not normal!

[That cat on its hind legs standing on Slaine's shoe quickly captures her line of vision. Time for pictures? Yes. She lifts the phone towards the critter, pressing a few buttons.]

Hold still, Slaine! I must keep this image.

[ex_adept179]

[So it's not normal... Slaine's first thought is that this is surely concerning, but Sheryl seems to have decided this is a good time to stop and take a picture. There's no masking his disbelief when he looks from the cat to her]

Seriously?

[Really, Sheryl, who wants a picture of this?]

[galactically]

[Who wants a picture? Sheryl does. It's even going on her heavenly Twitter account, okay? There are now two camera clicks: one to take a picture of the cats... and the other of Slaine.

After making sure his face is on her phone, she nods, seemingly satisfied with the result.]

Seriously.

[Potential blackmail material, ahoy!]

[ex_adept179]

[Slaine huffs out an exasperated breath, looking away from Sheryl and back to the crowd of strange cats around him. The one standing on his shoe remains there, still upright on its hind legs.

This is...more than a little weird. They don't seem dangerous, but they won't let him leave...]

I really don't have time for this...

[Though the cats just continue to watch him as though he's some new and entertaining plaything they've discovered]

[galactically]

[Sheryl can't help but giggle at hearing Slaine sound exasperated, whether it's by those cats or by her taking pictures of him in his state, but a furtive smirk is on her lips at the sight. After putting away her phone, she bends down to pet one of the cats nearby, gently scratching behind the ears.]

You're not used to being admired.

[A soft murmur out of her. Is she talking about Slaine being watched by the cats, or is it something more? Only he can guess.]

[ex_adept179]

[He's not so sure about being admired. But he is wondering if that game of catch-the-urns had anything to do with these cats. And he's got a suspicion that it's the case. The less he saw of stray pottery the more he saw these guys, and now-]

A little to the left.

[The comment comes not from Slaine, but from the cat as it looks expectantly up at Sheryl. It's cause for another round of staring before he has the presence of mind to point at the cat and ask what seems the most relevant of questions right about now]

Is that normal?

[Because he's read nothing and seen nothing about actual talking cats]

[galactically]

[Slaine isn't the only one surprised, needless to say, and the sudden voice prompts Sheryl to widen her eyes and slowly glance at the cat. Her hand immediately stays still against its head.]

Definitely not normal! Cats don't talk!

[She's so sure of this.]

[ex_adept179]

[The cat bumps its head against Sheryl's hand as a prompt, tails flicking behind it. Another off to her side speaks up, this time-]

Staring is rude, you know.

[This reminder isn't doing anything for Slaine's ability to stop staring, however]

...If they're not cats, what is this?

[galactically]

I don't know, Slaine!

[For a split second, Sheryl thinks that these cats might have implants embedded into them — how else can they talk? — until a momentary pause ensues, reminding herself that she's not in Galaxy anymore. Her hand twitches under the cat's gentle bump, and eventually she relents, patting it on the left side.

Talking cats... they're being surrounded by talking cats. Yes, definitely unusual.]

Aaah, I've never seen anything like you before! The cats I know have only one tail and don't talk.

[ex_adept179]

Anything, she says.

I haven't seen a girl with pink hair either, you know.

I don't remember the last time a boy didn't run from the laughing urn trick, either-

[A chorus of feline banter rises up before Slaine can say anything. It precipitates into commentary about what they all have and haven't seen, tails flicking as they compare and seem to forget entirely the two people staring there staring at them.

So he just looks at Sheryl. Just looks at her and spreads his arms helplessly. Look upon what you have wrought, Sheryl Nome]

[galactically]

[So many talking cats are here making the most idle commentary about the topics that, frankly, Sheryl doesn't give an iota of cares about. There has to be a way for her to stop this nonsense, a thought that lingers while she focuses on Slaine. He seems just as lost as she is.

Her gaze remains narrowed until suddenly...]

[galactically]

Silence!

[She raises a hand up towards the ceiling in an attempt to gain the cats' attention, all before she lowers it to the side.]

Slaine and I are very interested in getting to know your kind. So, if you cuties don't mind, please introduce yourselves!

[ex_adept179]

Our kind, she says. Rude...

At least introduce yourself properly first.

[Slaine just presses a hand to his face and groans. They might've been better off before the cats started commentating, but now it seems the floodgates have been opened and there's nothing but sass coming out]

Or play with us, you look like you could carry a few pots-

[And then there are a good half-dozen waist-height urns cackling as their lids clatter along with the sound. Ah, yes, this is going very well.

Slaine notes it was far more disturbing before he knew what the cause was]

...They're heavy.

[Just...just so you know, Sheryl]

[galactically]

[The sounds of heavy cackling echo in Sheryl's ears, her posture stiffening up as she casts a worried glimpse at Slaine. These urns must be haunted, and it's this thought that sticks to her, a heavy shiver down her spine.

But she can't let her feelings be displayed on her face. Sheryl Nome will not lose to talking cats.

And so, she takes a deep breath, pushing her composure into the forefront.]

No thanks, the only things I'll be carrying are the hopes and dreams of every boy and girl who follows me.

[Said as smooth as butter, all thanks to her experience talking to millions of people on stage. Her posture straightens up, just in time for her introduction.]

My name is Sheryl. Sheryl Nome. I'm the current incarnation of the goddess of music — Euterpe.

[ex_adept179]

Boring.

Ever heard of that one?

Nope.

Boring.

[Slaine shakes his head, and in contrast to Sheryl, he does bend to pick up an urn. He's dealt with this entirely too many times today, by now. The cats part to give him room when he straightens, and perhaps they were wise to do so, because he has to correct his balance over the course of a few paces]

Slaine Saazbaum Troyard. That's all I know of myself, so don't expect much.

[Said with the same sort of flat disenchantment one might experience when reading about a subject in which one hasn't any interest whatsoever]

Which one of you is this, the calico one?

[He hefts the pottery up a little more, peering at the remaining crowd]

[galactically]

Boring?

[Sheryl is just... going to give these cats a pointed look while she rests both hands on her hips. Boring?!]

All of you have obviously been living in those urns for too long!

[Speaking of urns, she rushes to Slaine's side and carefully looks over his shoulder, one hand resting on top of it for support. That name of his is quite long, almost like it belongs to a fancy royal.]

[ex_adept179]

Guess again!

[Slaine jostles the urn in his hands as though this helps him assess a nearly-bored hum sounding his his throat. It's apparently a game with which he's become familiar over the course of the day]

Is it... The black one with white paws?

It could be...

[He huffs out a breath]

Noncommittal.

[galactically]

[Is Slaine trying to send the cats back into the urns? That's what Sheryl wonders, darting her eyes around each cat that's peering at the boy next to her. There are far too many of those critters to go with the urns... perhaps if they speed this up..]

The tabby one!

[She points at the cat she described as though she just discovered a hidden treasure beneath all that fur.]

[ex_adept179]

Sheryl, that's-

Does she even know how to play?

[There's an impatient air about that question, and in a burst of smoke, the urn vanishes to reveal a black cat. The cats aren't inside the urns; they're transforming into the urns. Strange as it is, Slaine has seen it enough times throughout the day to find it rather unremarkable now.

So long as they don't pop up out of nowhere, that is]

[galactically]

[Sheryl, unlike Slaine, jumps in surprise at the sudden transformation, seeing this for the very first time. To think that a heavy urn is now a fluffy cat in his arms.]

How do they even do that?!

[Such troublesome creatures.]

[ex_adept179]

I'd imagine they're not normal cats...

[Or such is his assumption as the cat hops down to join its fellow felines. They're still chattering away, this time debating if some other game might turn out being more engaging, since somebody doesn't seem to understand the game.

For his part, Slaine can only shrug]

Though I'm afraid I'd never heard of two-tailed cats before.

[galactically]

What a shame that cute things can turn out to be so annoying.

[From the way her eyes narrow at the two-tailed fiends, it's clear that Sheryl's words are at their expense. The constant chattering like she and Slaine aren't there is frankly getting on her nerves, and it shows from the disapproval plastered all over her face.]

Come on, Slaine. Let's get out of here.

[ex_adept179]

[In a way, Slaine prefers being treated as though he's not there. It's a lot better than having his attention demanded for games he doesn't entirely understand the point of. He can understand the notion of being bored and lonesome, but he's spent the day trying to work and being interrupted by these strange cats...]

How do we leave though? They're rather...encumbering.

[What with the way the cats have crowded around them both from all sides]

[galactically]

[How do they leave, indeed. As much as she'd been spending her idle time with her phone, it's coming to a point where she'd rather start on her cleaning duties instead of dealing with these cats.

Even so, as irritating as these creatures are to Sheryl, she doesn't want to hurt them or step over them in case of an accident that might ensue to her or Slaine. What to do...?]

If these cats aren't normal and can transform into things...

[Slowly, she pulls out her golden microphone from her purse, glancing at Slaine with pursed lips.]