009 | Where Your Demons Hide

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Emergency demon fighting
When: Late May 5-Early May 6
Where: Just outside of Tokyo
Summary: The demon from the school has reared its ugly head again and needs to be taken down.



On the evening of May 5, the Heavens suddenly receive an influx of prayers from people in and around a certain town just outside of Tokyo. There seem to be a lot of people in the area that have suddenly stopped responding normally (or at all). The situation continues to spread as the night goes on until not only is the whole town suffering from this malady, but the neighboring towns are starting to become affected as well.

With so many gods and shinki on hand - including new ones that have just appeared - the Heavens have issued a request for any available gods and shinki to go investigate what might be happening down on the Near Shore. New gods and shinki will be given the low-down on what's happening, but not much more than that.

The situation will continue to expand until just a little before dawn, when the demon finally has enough power to revive.



Drained Humans

Many humans in the affected areas are walking around despondently. Oftentimes, they are just walking into things or getting hit by things. There have been a few car-related incidents as well. Anyone who was present for the high school incident will recognize these symptoms as something that was happening to people in the school. The glazed looks, the spiritless responses and reactions. So this should be fairly familiar to some.

No One's Safe

Unfortunately, being in the town will start to wear on anyone who is there. Gods and shinki alike will find themselves growing more despondent the longer they spend in the town. All of their energy will be slowly sapped from their bodies, and shinki in particular will feel almost like their existence is draining away.

Hellish Circle

There is a large park in the center of the town. Drawn all around this park is a magic circle, large enough to encompass the whole park. There are candles around the edges of the circle, and in the center there is a cup filled with blood covered by a mask with a swirling eye pattern on it. Stepping into this circle will not only make you extremely tired and suddenly drained, but it will also bring bat-like ayakashi bearing down on you.

The Demon

The Demon itself rears its ugly head just a little before dawn, springing out from the center of the magic circle and looking right pleased with itself. It stands about 5'8" tall, so it is largely unimposing, but there is an aura about it that makes it undeniable that it is powerful. The demon will gladly fight anyone who comes at it, though most he will just shove out of the way without a second thought.



In Summary:

• Help the drained people
• Try not to get drained yourself
• Be careful about being corrupted
• Fight the demon
• Have fun~

Comments

[revolutionfalcon]

I know. [Looking in the direction of the park again, he lets out a low hiss through his teeth.] If we find anyone else on the way, they can help too. But I'm not sitting out because of something like this.

[While he had been tired this morning, it hadn't been this bone-deep, so he's assuming part of his current weak feeling is something to do with what's happening in this town. And if everyone else is here handling this to help, then he'll be damned if he can't handle it as well.]

If I collapse, then it's not like I'll have a say in the matter. [He says it like he sincerely disbelieves it's going to happen.] You wouldn't be the only one not letting me hear the end of it, trust me.

[jocularly]

I can agree ta that. [Joker isn't one to fight to the death over these matters. He cares, he worries and he will keep a watchful eye, but he never wants Shun to feel like he doubts him.] Yer a strong one. I don't think ye'll collapse easily.

[He sticks his hand into his pocket and motions to the park, smirking.]

What're we waitin' for? I'd like to see the thing downed in the next hour or two.

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun nods in acceptance of the concession, pulling himself together properly again to the far less obviously worn state he's been holding for most of this mission. He's grateful to have a shinki as flexible as Joker - and hearing Ren's seemingly constant troubles with Hibari only increases the feeling - but he's not particularly good at showing it.]

I'll make sure I live up to that expectation, then. [Not that he thinks he won't, but it's another way to reassure him.

In any case, Shun starts walking again at the prompt, keeping his eye out to make sure there aren't still any hazy humans wandering into danger around their area.]

So would I, but we need to figure out what the hell it is first. Last time this happened, I thought we got rid of the thing that was causing it. [Then again, that hadn't exactly been the end of it...]

[jocularly]

Ye will whether you try or not. That is thy nature. [Somehow, some way, not being trouble has been ingrained in Joker's being. He would be hurt and quick to change if Shun said he was being a nuisance (except when it comes to him fussing over Shun's well-being). On that point, Joker will never change. Sorry, god.]

There could be more than one of 'em. [Anything is possible. He perks up when he sees a man ahead.] Leave 'im to me!

[Quickly, gently, he redirects the man, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.]

This way, my good man! Ye don't need to be part of this show~

[revolutionfalcon]

[Well, Shun can't really argue with that. He doesn't make a habit of giving up or failing once he's set his sights on something, and that goes hand in hand with living up to expectations.

As Joker goes up to help out the stray walker, Shun lapses into a brief, thoughtful silence before speaking up again.]

That might not be it. The last thing that did this...we found occult books and some kind of shrine in the office of the school it happened at. Like it was summoned. Maybe someone's taken up the mantle of the dead principal of that place, except they're going for something stronger. The area it affected was nowhere near this big last time.

[jocularly]

[Well that's disquieting. Once the stray man is directed away from the danger, Joker rejoins Shun.]

So either someone is tryin' to avenge this...principal...or they jus' like power.

[Either way, it's no good.]

They need ta be stopped, plain an' simple. [He takes out one of his daggers just in case. In battle, he will, of course, assume his shinki form, but before then, the blade will be of use.]

[revolutionfalcon]

[With a short nod, Shun considers things again for a moment before he settles on the most likely of those two. Normally it wouldn't take him this long, but he's not firing on all cylinders right now.]

Probably the second. We found fraudulent financial records in the same office. The principal was probably working alone, or at least not on anything important enough to prompt an attack on this scale. Maybe this is something to do with how he got that power in the first place.

[Since he's pretty sure random humans don't just get hold of occult things and have them work that consistently. There has to be something else involved here.

Glancing over at Joker as he draws his dagger, Shun shifts aside the heavy lower section of his coat to reveal the wrapped golden handle of his own dagger.]

Have you got enough, or do you need mine as well?

[jocularly]

He'll end up the same way regardless~ [Joker winks at Shun, trying to ease that harsh expression on his face. He is a good looking lad, but he's serious far too often and he pushes himself too hard. Maybe Joker is more sensitive to those qualities because they describe him too. It's easier for him to focus on someone else rather than himself.]

Only got the one hand - unless I start throwin' 'em! [He chuckles and shakes his head.] I wouldn't throw that beauty if I were ye.

[revolutionfalcon]

[Winking does not work particularly well on Shun, as people other than Joker have previously learnt; he simply frowns and continues to take things as seriously as ever.]

True. It doesn't make much of a difference why it's being done. [As for the hand problem, that is also true, and Shun lets his coat fall with a short nod.]

I thought throwing them would be more your style, though you're effective enough with one hand that some might overlook it. [Shun being the way he is, it's always something he considers, but he isn't lying about Joker being effective with just the one.]