PHASE I [ 9 00 ] The peace of the morning in the Residential District shatters just as the wall caves through. It’s a small segment of wall -- no more than five feet across at most. And yet the crash and groan of the metal being stretched is ominously accompanied by the distinct piercing screech of metal and another sound. A raucous noise, a combination of ungodly wailing and sharp, victorious laughter spills forth from the hole left in the wall as a myriad of ghosts and spirits erupt from the newly created exit. Characters with any type of spiritual sense will find themselves nearly overwhelmed by the amount of negative ghostly energy that suddenly floods Cerealia and characters with no sense of preservation will find any attempt to enter the hole blocked by the fiercest of ghosts, met with deadly force if they try to pass, as the ghosts won’t hesitate to do things such as reach straight into your body to try to stop your heart.
These ghosts are out for blood, and they don’t seem to stop no matter how you try to talk to them -- they just hiss out, over and over again, “Murderersmurderersmurderers.”
From there, the ghosts move on. Their true target, after all, is CERES… but to them, there’s no difference between the character players and CERES. They’ll go for whoever gets in their way, phasing through walls and becoming tangible long enough to reach for characters before fading away again. Characters with special abilities will find themselves in a similar state. Their abilities may increase and decrease in power sporadically, or be completely gone. They may attempt to cast a spell only to find that the wrong spell is cast instead, or an attempt at healing may end up a more dangerous spell. Be careful with your own magical skills!
Those with items or powers specifically intended to ward off spirits will still fulfill their intended purposes when used – unless malicious spiritual energy gets to them first.
PHASE II [ 1400 ] It seems the ghosts have more tricks up their sleeves. It seems that a not-so-friendly ghost has decided to play a game with you. It doesn't matter where you are, or what you're doing, because a moment later a voice calls out -- Hey. Can you see me? -- and once you turn your head, you’ll come face to face with a surprise.
Who is it in this world (or your world, or any world) that you have managed to disappoint the most? A family member? A friend? Yourself? They face you now, eyes full of sadness, and they say, “I need you to do something for me.” Without another word, they’ll turn away and begin to walk. Your vision grows foggy, focused solely on the need to do whatever this person wants – they need you, after all. Your legs move to follow them, unless you manage to somehow resist.
But you apparently don’t seem to notice that you’re the only one who can see this person – or that they’re leading you stray toward that monorail track with the sound of the train coming closer, or that busy intersection, or right off the sky bridge.
PHASE III [ 600 ] Other ghosts don’t feel like borrowing faces in order to inflict damage. No, they’ll inflict their damage on a far more personal level. They manifest suddenly and without warning – then all it takes is a simple touch. A ghostly hand reaches out to you and it feels like the cold wraps around your heart, and your vision skews, and then... they leave just as suddenly as they came.
Those who have been around for awhile may very well recognize the ghosts, at that.
But the damage has already been done. Depending on a character’s assigned sense, they will feel one of the following changes:
Sight: Hopefully you aren’t in the habit of bending the truth. Dead men tell no tales, they say. But what happens to a living person unable to tell lies? Any attempt at telling any lie or falsehood will cause the character to feel as though their throat has closed off, and they can do nothing more than choke.
Smell: The cold passes, but in some way that it never really leaves. And then everything seems perfectly normal. Nothing has changed, right? You're fine -- except that in a short period of time with how crazy things are, it becomes apparent that you're unable to feel pain. The damage to your body is the same as ever, but dangerously, you can't feel a thing.
Taste: It would appear as though the ghosts have a sense of humor. From those who rest in eternal slumber, try a few days of being unable to sleep. Everything seems fine at first... but slowly but surely, that lack of sleep will start to take its toll.
Hearing: Most others would feel relief once the ghosts left, finally a moment of peace. But you? You don’t feel anything – nothing kind, anyway. Rather, you have been left unable to feel joy. Everything seems either bleak or as though it simply has no emotional impact at all.
Touch: How many deaths have been caused in the name of heroics? Apparently in an attempt to keep future casualties down (or perhaps for their own laughter), the ghosts have left you unable to be brave. Suddenly, a situation you'd face fearlessly is one that has sent you running, panic sharp in your chest.
These effects will last throughout the event, if a character is caught by them.
PHASE IV [ 1000 ] While chaos erupts throughout the city, some of the more misguided ghosts (but still bloodthirsty, so very bloodthirsty) just happened to run into the wrong part of town and don’t know how to give a proper scaring. One ghost seems to think that it was a great idea to possess a masseusebot from the Spa. You’re grabbed suddenly! You fight for your life but can’t seem to get yourself out of its metal grip! With expert precision that only a robot can mange, it finds your pressure points – and releases all that tension from this Incredibly Bad Day. The ghost inside the robot is confused, distressed -- why is this human suddenly so relaxed? It only wants to murder. But the only illegal thing happening here is how good this massage makes you feel.
Maybe later you’ll walk down the street and get stopped by the ghost that possessed a balloon dispenser. Perhaps a ghost has possessed the friendly McCERES mascot, and is now handing out coupons with murderous intent. And of course, there are always the hug bots...
Look, they tried really hard, okay.
Of course... they might end up possessing technology a little closer to home as well, at which point it's not so funny.
BONUS [ xxxx ] Hopefully you have friends who have ghost-fighting skills. Or ghost-taming skills. Or ghost-bellydancing skills, who knows, we won't judge them if you don't. But what of those poor people who come from worlds where the supernatural is some weird television show?
Worry not, poor souls, for CERES is here to provide! Some time after the ruckus begins, characters will find what looks to be a hand-held vacuum cleaner situated innocuously in their rooms (only one per person, you greedy gus). The logo on the side will helpfully inform you that this is of CERES make, because the paper pamphlet beside your new device? Well, it's more like a picture book. Observe Stick-Man Sully as he uses his vacuum cleaner to capture ghosts! Learn from his stellar example! Do not stick the hose in your mouth or attempt to give the vacuum CPR, there's a big X over that picture. Also of the one where Stick-Man Sully sets his captive ghosts free once more, we don't want that, do we?
Your new ghost vacuum should prove effective against any ghastly ghoul that shoots your way, but beware! Should you capture a ghost and not turn in your vacuum to CERES for weekly ghost disposal, your ghost will serenade you in the wee hours of the morning with its song of choice. If you capture a whole horde of ghosts, well, congratulations. You have a boy band living in your vacuum.
[ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with sensitive or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ] |
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[What happens when a tech savvy ghost tries to possess an antique automaton running a custom OS that hasn't been modified since the 80s? Short answer: nothing good.
The Spine has no warning. He's in full control, and then he isn't. Everything stops, the tall automaton going offline mid-shoo, his arm comically frozen halfway through flapping his fedora at a ghost. A moment passes in which absolutely nothing happens.
And then his photo-receptors brighten from their dull standby glow and he lumbers forward, jerking and twitching like a man possessed. Which is fitting, considering that he is. The ghost seems to be having a hard time steering the heavy robot, throwing him forward rather than walking, making him stumble like a drunk down the street. It doesn't have the hang of his voicebox, either, emitting static and half-formed syllables instead of the chilling chant--murderersmurderersmurderers--that it means to. Steam billows into the cool air.
The ghost pitches him down a side-street and forces out a frustrated yell. This machine is all cogs and gears, copper tubing and rubber hoses and wires. What good is it? What good is it? It lunges clumsily for the nearest warm body, silver fingers grasping like claws.]
ooc note: rabbit will be popping into threads to minimize damage! i don't intend for the spine to actually seriously hurt anyone, but if you'd like it to happen PM me and we can work something out
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He's wandering past, one hand resting atop his three swords just in case, because the whole place has been more than a little crazy, when one of the robots he usually ignores just lurches at him, yelling inarticulately. He startles and jerks to the side to avoid it, operating under the assumption that it's mostly harmless and just weird.]
Gah! Get off, asshole! Leave me alone, go do your robot things.
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He pivots to face Zoro, head cocking to the side with a sharp crack.]
m-m-mururrRRRRrrrrd-d-derer
[In celebration of its victory over the automaton's recalcitrant voicebox, the ghost swings back one of his heavy arms. It lunges for the swordsman again fist-first.]
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[Zoro pulls Shuusui out just in time to block that fist with a metallic ring, catching it on the flat of the blade. If this were one of CERES' robots he wouldn't hesitate to hack it to pieces on the spot, but the steam is new. He's pretty sure none of the fancy newfangled cyberbots exude steam. And the voice, now that he's heard it clearly...he might have heard it on the device.
His brow furrows as he goes from surprise to suspicion and anger.]
Who the hell are you?
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His fist remains raised, not moving an inch from where Zoro's sword stopped it. The metal is shifting, plates lifting and separating all along his arm, accompanied by the sounds of ripping cloth and clicking gears.
... this probably isn't a good sign.]
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There's a hum of something in his chest spinning up. The Tesla coil high voltage discharger hasn't been put to use in decades, but as the violet crackle of high-powered electricity fills the air it's more than apparent that unused isn't the same as defunct.
Whether bad aim or a scare tactic, the possessed automaton takes a shot that goes wide, blasting a hole into the sidewalk.
The Spine is probably going to be fined for that. Thanks a lot, Casper.]
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Right. Time to think.
The weapon, whatever it is, is big. Can't get too close, until he can figure out how it works and how to stop it. Or can he? The other side seems clear to strike, but there's no point to slicing off an unarmed arm. How does this thing work, anyway? It wasn't a living human so going for the head or the heart might not have done anything. Zoro needs to figure a few more things out, so he goes on the offensive, pulling Kitetsu and charging in with both swords held low, testing to see how fast the robot could swing that thing around and zap at him again.]
MIGHT IF I CUT IN~?
It was supposed to be a lazy afternoon--like most of hers usually were--sprawled out along the couch and pretending to be asleep while The Spine tutted from here to there within their cramped apartment, picking up after her mess. But instead of her brother getting more and more fed up with her inactivity until he burst (his angry faces were some of her favorites to laugh at, hence why she tried so hard to push those particular buttons), the titanium automaton had done the smart thing and slipped out the front door into the city instead.
No no no no. Not cool. This ruined her plan completely!
Hopping to her feet with an unsteady wobble and chasing after him as any good sister would do (but not before changing her shoes and checking her appearance in the silvery side of her toaster), it hadn't taken long to track down the towering seven foot machine.
It also didn't take Rabbit long to realize something was very wrong.
The stranger (Zoro) arches gracefully forward with his swords swinging, but there's suddenly an obstacle blocking his path to the possessed robot. Stamping her booted foot between the boys, Rabbit's copper head jerks violently to the side with a CRACK to give one quick appraisal in The Spine's direction before she's glaring right back at Zoro, copper face scrunching up. Frighteningly sharp teeth are bared, the woman holding out her gloved arms to fruitlessly hide the other robot behind her slightly shorter build.]
D-d-d-don't touch my brother or I'll roast you! [It's an empty threat--for the most part, Rabbit just doesn't have it in her to hurt any living thing on purpose--but she's hoping that the intimidating display might be just enough to keep the human from advancing again.]
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Still looking pretty determined, on top of surprised as fuck.]
Your brother?! What the hell?
[ESPLAIN PLZ]
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Baymax would always protect Hiro, but that's not what's going on here. No…it seems that the ghost possessing Baymax is upset that someone's trying to move in on its new victim.]
This one is mine.
[Baymax's technology seems to be a little easier to navigate for the ghosts. And Hiro? He's just…going to be over here watching the scene and mildly horrified this is happening. What the hell, Cerealia?]
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If the ghost were having more luck with The Spine's voice box, it would probably have been saying no fair calling dibs! Since it isn't, his mouth drops open, emitting a hiss of static and a sound like an amplifier picking up interference.
It takes a step forward, trying to force Baymax back. This is probably not going to go as well for the ghost as it thinks it is, considering that it has no idea how to drive this thing.]
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He doesn't have long to contemplate that before that hiss leaves The Spine's mouth and Baymax takes a retaliating step backwards to rebalance himself.]
I'm...pretty sure you're going to lose, dude. [It's debatable if he's talking to the ghost or The Spine himself.] Pick somebody else to take for a test drive.
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The ghost turns brightly glowing photo-receptors on Hiro. It twists The Spine's mouth into a hateful rictus and risks removing one hand from holding Baymax at bay to take a swipe at him.
Steam begins to rise from the seams in his plating. He... probably shouldn't be venting like that. No, he definitely shouldn't be venting like that.]
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Hey! [Okay...let's fight the urge to run away completely. He's already been touched by the ghosts once and that was met with disastrous results. A second time isn't in the cards. At the same time, he knows better. He understands machines more than he understands people most days and he recognizes the signs of machinery that doesn't have much longer before it combusts.
So yeah. That's not okay by him.] You're doing a pretty poor job, aren't you? [He's focused on trying to draw the ghost out now.] What're you gonna do when you break him? Might be time for an upgrade. [And he waits.] Come at me.
[Big mistake? Big, big mistake.]
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More likely it's considering just how stupid of an idea it would be to ignore Baymax and give Hiro exactly what he's asking for. The temptation must be too great; a tense moment passes, and then the automaton pivots on a booted heel, clumsily ducking away from the larger, bulkier robot. This... thing... it's possessing lacks speed, and when it turns the graceless spin into a lunge for Hiro it...
It falls over with a crash that sounds like someone tipped a box full of pans down the stairs.
If it were capable of vocalizing more than shrieks of rage it would probably be cursing up a storm right about now.]
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--that never comes? He's cowering and he has his eyes shut prepared for the hit but he hears the crash and finds himself staring down at a pile of automaton. This could have gone better. He doesn't move any closer but he's not backing away either as he just stares before speaking in the most deadpan tone.]
Wow. [He leans a little forward to get a closer look, trying to figure how, exactly, he can extract the ghost while it's now on the ground. At least he's no longer afraid of him. The commotion's also brought the ghost possessing Baymax to a halt, too, and the robot's watching the scene play out.] Can't even do that right. Any other bright ideas?
[If he has to, he can outrun it. Baymax will follow no matter what now that they've found each other, and then at least he can ditch the ghosts.]
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H-Hey! What're you doing?!
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m-m-muh-mur-- [the rest of the word is lost to static. The automaton's voice box is having none of the ghost's shenanigans. If only the rest of him found it so easy to disobey--unfortunately, this isn't the case.
If Freddie doesn't think fast, he'll find himself being thrown hard at the nearest wall.]
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Hey, stay back! Just-- Just stand still!
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And then something deep within his chassis starts to whine, and his head snaps up, mouth open. There's a blue glow at the back of his mouth, and it's growing brighter.]
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MIND IF I CUT IN~?
Dancing her way between the somewhat murderous automaton and the squishy, trembling nerd he'd been after, the female automaton shoots her brother a disdainful glare, her copper mouth twisted into a lopsided frown. Considering the glow that's building up there, Rabbit seems momentarily unperturbed over the situation.
A hand falls to her curved hip, fingers tapping there.]
That's enough o' that! Knock it off, Th'Spine or yer g-g-g-grounded! Stop bullyin' th' fleshy.
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There isn't any hesitation; the ghost in the driver's seat doesn't care if the copper automaton insists on standing in the way. A machine is just metal after all, and easy enough to blow a hole through. The bright glow just keeps building, the whine building to a sustained hum of deadly energy.
Unfortunately for the ghost, it really isn't prepared for the idiosyncrasies of The Spine's design. When his system begins to compensate for a perceived lack of balance, it's caught completely off-guard.
The automaton sways where he stands, and the laser blast goes wide.]
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Be careful! I don't think he can--
[Before he can finish that thought, the laser goes off. It thankfully goes well above his head, but Freddie still yelps in surprise and hits the dirt anyway. Just in case.]
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