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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That's not really a good description... I don't think anyone'd be walking around like that right now, yeah?
[Unless they're a true moron, but CLEARLY Leon would never befriend someone like that!]
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I would not be surprised if Stahn did walk around like that, even in a situation like this. He is an idiot through and through.
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Oh! Oooh. So you're friends with that guy, huh? [Oh god, Leon was probably the picky eater Stahn was shopping for, he knew that description sounded familiar--]
He's super nice! We'll have to go find him fast.
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Why is Stahn friends with everyone...
Leon needs to start getting used to this, really, but every time it takes him off guard. He never wanted this....... So he hesitates, a little thrown.]
That is--
[um???]
--I don't need your help.
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Two pairs of eyes are better than one, right? Scouting's not really my best skill, but I still have good vision!
[He can see in the dark, you know!! Though nowhere near as good as the tantou and wakizashi can.]
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Did you not hear a word I just said?
[Leave him alone!!!
(But don't, don't leave the grumpy tsuntsun alone.)]
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I did, but it didn't sound very important. [A RUDE PERSON WHO WON'T LEAVE.] So let's stop wasting time and get going!
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Excuse me--
[Ah. Nope. Kashuu's just steamrolling right along.]
I don't want you to come with me!
[IS THAT CLEAR ENOUGH]
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Y'know, if you spent as much time looking as you do arguing, you'd have prooobably already found your friend by now.
[Come on, Leon!! He gestures vaguely over his shoulder and then points toward the city center.]
And now's not a good day to waste time. Some of these guys are pretty mean.
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But ultimately, it's true that he's wasting time, and that Kashuu isn't going to stop--so after a moment, Leon just huffs shortly and starts to walk.
As if this was his idea and not Kashuu's:]
I suppose I shall allow you to come with me if you do not cause trouble.
[Leon you're full of shit.]
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Hey, hey! Don't say that like you're about to babysit me. Since I'm older, I'd be the one doing the babysitting if either of us were, yeah?
[Except he's using five year old logic so MAYBE NOT...]
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Don't be ridiculous. My age has nothing to do with the situation!
[FIGHT HIM]
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That said, while he seems ready to argue his totally flawless point, he actually pauses for a second first...]
...I guess I know some swords older than me who still need babysitting. [HM. Wait, this still has nothing to do with the situation, though--] Anyway! I don't cause trouble.
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He's pretty sure Kashuu's going to follow no matter what he does, honestly...]
You are a loudmouth and an irritation, if nothing else.
[But no, Kashuu doesn't really cause trouble.
(Chal, at least, is going to chirp up when Leon falls silent with a cheerful, "Kashuu, it's good to see you again!"
Some people are friendly here, and it's not Leon.)]
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Suuuper rude. [He says without any actual hint of offense. He's been called worse!!
But oh, look, it's the friendlier half of this pair! Kashuu immediately brightens up, matching stride a little so he can actually look at Chal while he talks. Which is definitely going to make him look like a maniac to bystanders, ah...]
You, too! I hope you guys've been settling in okay. You showed up at a weird time, y'know?
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Chal's perfectly happy to chatter along with Kashuu, though, unsurprisingly.
"We've been okay! Young master can handle something like this without any trouble!"
Calm your hero worship, Chal... Leon just fights the urge to roll his eyes. He's heard this before. Hundreds of times.
"Though it was a little difficult with the books and the way Stahn was actin--"]
Chal.
[Ah, there he is.]
You talk too much. Shut up.
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Ah-- Looks like Chal's said a little too much for Leon's comfort, though. His brow furrows a little as his gaze snaps briefly upward, but he's refocusing on the blade spirit soon enough. Time to just smooth over that particular topic...!]
Eh— You both seem super capable, so I'm sure you'll be able to make it through anything this place throws at you, yeah? [Nodding once, reassuringly! You go little prickly tsunboy and cute sword.]
...But you should also keep in mind that things like the library will probably happen again. That's the kinda stuff CERES does.
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Leon is distracted by Kashuu's warning anyway.]
... That's ridiculous. What do they even gain from this?
[Leon... doesn't like it at all, but it's only shown by the way his hands clench into fists, tensely.]
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But he shakes his head in a sort of "haha your guess is as good as mine buddy" gesture, lips pressing into a thin line.]
No one really knows. I mean, there are some guesses we could make, but... That's probably not a smart thing to do until we know for sure, yeah? Or at least until we have a better idea of what's going on here.
[That seems a safer bet, anyway, but Kashuu is also well aware of the fact that no bet here is entirely safe.]
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Leon doesn't say that, though, even if it's tempting. Instead, he sighs.]
Yes, we should handle this situation first. It is growing out of hand already.
[...]
It is irritating.
[clearly why he wants to take care of it.]
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That's for sure. It's like they're making up for lost time or something... [They get spirited away into the jungle for ages and then have to deal with ALL THIS NONSENSE... Even though he supposes the ghosts are the cause of this part, but hey! They wouldn't be around if CERES didn't murder them!]
—Hey, d'you guys have anything to keep you protected?
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...Chal's artes are more than enough to handle ghosts like this.
[So... it's fine, this is fine.]
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All right... Just be careful, okay? Both of you. These guys can be pretty nasty. [...] Actually--
[Give him a second!! He rummages around in his pocket and, if Leon's doofy outfit has any pockets of its own, he'll shove something down into it. If not, he'll just grab Leon's hand and slap said item down right in his palm. It appears to be a piece of folded paper...]
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But while he probably has some doofy pockets somewhere, they're sure hard to find with his doofy outfit, so into his hand it goes.
He blinks down at it, brow furrowing more in confusion than anything.]
...What is this?
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But Kashuu will very matter-of-factly explain!]
It's a protective charm! Not a super strong one so you still have to be really careful, but it'll help keep some of these things away.
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