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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Unfortunately for Leon, his sword is in his sheath, which is why he's in this problem in the first place. If he can't reach Chaltier, he can't cut himself free.
But he sure can bristle.]
You bastard... leave me be right now!
[Because Leon is incapable of asking for help.]
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Shit! I'm the one who's going to be saving your ass, jerkwad. Don't tell me to scram.
[ YATAGARASU IS HERE 4U, FRIEND. ]
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[He says, as the balloon robot drags him closer--he makes an unfortunate "ghk" sound at that.]
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then again, even if you don't, yata's still going to do what he can. that said, he kicks the ground and starts to skate towards the robot. his fists get covered by red flames and he punches it hard, sending it to fly a couple of feet away, hitting a trash bin.
yata doesn't let his aura diminish yet, as he waits for the robot to get up. you know, just in case. he doesn't even look back at leon (yet) to see if he's okay. ]
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But thankfully, Yata is still here to help him, because he needs it; Yata punches the robot and sends it flying, and Leon can only blink for a moment.
Oh.
Well, Yata's actually...]
... You are somewhat competent. I'm astounded.
[DON'T BE A DICK, LEON. He means it as somewhat of a compliment, but... yeah, he's a dick.]
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[ THERE, SAID IT OUT LOUD FOR YOU. he moves back to where leon is after letting his aura dissipate to try and get the balloon strings off of the other guy. ]
Jeez, that robot was really out to kill you. What the hell did you do to it?
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So instead, he huffs a short sigh.]
I didn't do anything. It isn't a problem individual to me either--haven't you seen the others dealing with robots as well?
[None of this is new to Leon, really; he's more used to the robots who murder people.]
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Glad you're fine now.
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Somehow this feels like an empty victory, especially considering Yata saved his ass. Ugh. Especially when he follows it up with something like that. Ugh!!]
... Should you be out here? [Changing the subject, that's a safe bet.] Aren't you afraid of situations like this?
[He's... NOT WORRIED OR ANYTHING but just. Curious!!]
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Shut up! That was a one time thing. [ NO IT'S NOT, HE'S STILL SCARED RIGHT NOW. ] I'm not going to let CERES make fun of me anymore... s'why I'm out here.
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For your pride?
[...]
Well, try to be sure that such a ridiculous reason doesn't get you killed.
[This is a case of the pot calling the kettle black.]
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[ he smirks at leon's direction. LOOK AT HOW COCKY THIS GUY IS UGH. ]
It's gonna take more than that balloon guy to kill me.
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[Leon's response comes a bit more cooly, even as he arches an eyebrow.]
I will believe that when I see it.
[Even if he does think that Yata... is probably more competent than he first appears...]
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You asking for a fight, hah?!
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[Still insulting, still Leon, etc etc etc]
There would be no point to fighting amongst ourselves when the situation is already so dangerous.
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Shit! Move it! [ SORRY LEON HE'S PUSHING YOU OUT OF THE WAY. ]
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Except then Yata is shoving him, and he makes a frustrated noise even as he goes stumbling forward.]
What the hell do you think you're doing?! Get out of my way!
[This is teamwork.]
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[ aaand here's more missiles coming their way. ]
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[And now that he can draw his sword, it's true. Leon lifts his sword, and the missiles coming their way are blocked by a pillar of solid rock, bursting straight up from the ground.]
Grave!
[And then Leon is grabbing Yata by the collar, shoving him behind said pillar more.]
Stay there and don't move!
[pain in the ass. And then he's moving forward to take care of those robots, entirely focused. If nothing else, he's fast--it really shouldn't be hard for him to slice and dice the closest of those robots with some confident sword work.]
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What the hell is that!!!
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You are an eyesore! You are not worth my time, so get out of my way!
[Leon's not going to stop with just that, either. He handles the second of the robots, but when the third turns its (her???) attention towards Yata, Leon lifts his sword, taking a few precious seconds to cast again.
The arte suddenly increases the pressure of gravity around the robot by an immense amount, and all that's left a few moments later is crumbled and broken pieces of machinery.
And then he lowers his sword, brushing off a speck of metal shreds from his shoulder.
(What a show-off.)]
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Is it over?
[ he's also amazed by leon but let's not say that out loud because HE'S BEING SUCH A JERK RIGHT NOW. ]
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For now.
[Leon just crosses his arms, huffing.]
I told you. I am more than capable of taking care of myself.
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[ even if he was totally helpless back there. IT'S THE FAULT OF THOSE BOOBS OK. ]
You didn't have to shove me like that, yanno. Asshole.
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