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

[timeshields]

[A very clingy duckling.

She kneels down and writes it into the ground. 暁美 ほむら]

It's like this.

[socials]

[ Instead of remaining above her, Souji crouches down so they're on the same level, tilting his head to look at it. He takes all the components into consideration, and: ]

You have a really cool name, Homura.

[timeshields]

[She doesn't think she's heard that very often. There's a light flush on her cheeks as mentions her name.]

... Thank you.

[socials]

[ Cute. He doesn't comment on it, though, and instead looks down at her name. After a moment, he traces out the writing with his own finger. ]

I think I know what to give you. [ With Reiji, it'd been more based off his personality than anything else. With Homura, he thinks this suits her role in her life. ]

[timeshields]

You do?

[She watches him trace out the kanji and hiragana of her name.]

I'm ready to hear it.

[socials]

[ Carefully, he writes out ホウ in the dirt, after dissecting her first name. A part of him - a very large part, actually - hates what they're supposed to recite. He wishes they didn't have to. ]

I'm not fond of the phrasing in this, but... [ Souji looks back up at her, holding his hand out. ] Grasping thy true name, I bind thee here. With borrowed name, I dub thee my servant. The name answers, the vessel to sound. I call thee as my divine instrument. The name, Akemi Homura. The vessel, Hou. Come, Houki.

[timeshields]

[And there's a strange feeling coming over her- and there she is a shield. It's not familiar to her, but it's the same she had as a magical girl.]

This feels strange.

[socials]

[ Hup - Souji makes sure that he takes her into both hands so that she's properly supported the second she changes. Once he gets a good look at her, recognizing it from the memories he inherited, he rocks up to his feet, straightening. ]

So I've been told. Are you all right?

[timeshields]

[The buckler/sand timer is his hands now.]

It's strange not to have limbs. Other than that, I feel fine.

[socials]

[ Well, as someone that uses swords, a shield is certainly useful. The problem is that Souji's never actually used a shield. Maybe someone who has will show up to the study groups... ]

Good. Would you like me to change you back now, or do you want to try and see what your abilities like this might be?

[timeshields]

[She's at least not particularly bulky and can just be put on his arm.]

I think I know what it is.

[And with that, the world- or at least what's around them, is frozen in time. Nothing moves.]

[socials]

[ His heart aches, a little, at the implications of her power. A reminder of what she went through, and one that she won't actually realize is a reminder.

But he just moves to see how her shield fastens to his arm, making sure to attach it to his left side. Even if he prefers two-handed swords, it seems the wisest course of action. ]

Let's see how long this lasts, and then we'll change you back. [ Time to assess and interact with everything, see how far it reaches around them and how it can be used tactically. ]

[timeshields]

[It's a familiar power but she doesn't recognize it as such.

She adjusts easily to his arm, getting comfortable there. It's not bad.]

I don't know how long it'll last.

[The only things that move are the things Souji touches and moves. Otherwise the world seems paralyzed.]

[socials]

[ While he walks around, occasionally poking at things to see how they react to him, Souji always returns his hand to the edge of the shield. His fingers rest against it absently, just a reassuring and constant contact for both of them. ]

That's fine. I would wager a couple of minutes, so as not to put strain on you. But it's best to know now, rather than when we're in the middle of a fight.

[timeshields]

[Things don't seem to react. Even insects and animals who should, don't.

They'll run off once time resumes itself.]

Agreed. Better to know what I can do while you're not in danger.

[socials]

[ When time resumes after five minutes of investigating things, Souji makes a note of the time period. They'll have to test it with his ability at some point, and maybe make sure that his Personae still work - they probably will, given they're an extension of him - but this is good to know.

Homura is an incredibly useful shinki, but he'll make sure she's happy. Somehow. ]

I'd say that was about five minutes, without any augmentation.

[timeshields]

[She doesn't feel exhausted after using that ability. Maybe because of her many, many years of time based magic.]

Five minutes is a lot of time in a fight. That's plenty of time to get the upper hand.

[socials]

[ Given what he saw of her life, that's what he's guessing. He imagines that, if his augmentation can extend it somehow, she'd be able to handle it. ]

It is, you're right. Especially given both of our skillsets. So I think we'll be able to get a lot done, quickly and efficiently.

Would you like me to change you back?

[timeshields]

[She doesn't feel off to be a shield but...]

I wouldn't mind being myself again.