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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4
So when Han got to see a young blond boy with his Digimon running away from a bunch of hug bots? Well,
whowhat are you gonna do now?]no subject
[He was worried here. Especially with him having been sick for days now.
He's aiming for those obnoxious hugbox, but he's an expert at multi tasking.]
What are you doing out here?
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H-Han-san! Is that yo-...?
[But before he could even finish? He immediately ducked in cover before the older could shoot at said hugbots!]
Be careful, they can be really dangerous!
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[He strikes the first of the hugbots. It takes a couple shots to really get its attention. Damn droids.]
That's why you're supposed to be at home.
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I...I know but when my friends were in danger, I just couldn't help but do something!
[He said before getting back up and looking forward. Now with the hugbot no longer closer to him, he needed to think of something quick!]
But what about you? Are you going to be okay? There's a lot of them coming after you though!
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[Hence him being worried. And still shooting at the hugbots.]
We need to find a place to lose them.
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T-Then how about we just go back home? Do you think they'll come all the way back up to our apartment?
[But he probably answered his own question didn't he? However, as he got back up, he quickly ran over to Han before gesturing him toward the direction of their home]
We better hurry, maybe we can outrun them!
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[Which is why he had said you were supposed to stay there in the first place.
He agrees on the running plan. He's close on Takeru's heels, making sure he's between him and the bots.]
I'll be able to hold them off when we have walls and doors if they make it that far.
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But either way, as he kept following Han and making sure to duct his head at all times, he was mumbling to himself]
You think that would work? Wouldn't they be able to walk past all those walls and stuff?
[As much as he was trying to keep up with Han, it was becoming clear that his fever was getting the better of him. Don't mind him slowing down a bit!]
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[As for loose ghosts... well, he might have to let Leia worry about them.
He gives Takeru a worried look.]
Do I need to carry you?
[He's bigger than the twins, but he's still young enough to manage]
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I-I think that might be a good idea but if you get tired, we should find a place to rest really quickly! I don’t want you to get hurt because of me!
[No seriously, was this really the same way that Hikari felt whenever she was sick? Still, he gave his hand out in hopes that Han would take it]
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[He gathers Takeru up. He's pretty sure he can handle this.]
This is part of being a dad. I've gotcha.
[You're so grounded when you get home, but for now he just wants to get you home safe]
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Then c'mon, we better hurry! We don't want those ghosts to catch up!
[But even without the force telling him, he could tell Han was reallllllyyy angry at him Which was why he just kept on mumbling the either way through]
I’m really sorry…
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[Priorities. The whole reason he was upset was that he didn't want any harm coming to Takeru. Which is why he's taking off.]
Let me know if you can't run any more.
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He might not have said anything to him but it was rather telling and especially with how much he was panting.
Which was why Han might feel as if he were dragging Takeru around just a bit]
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Up you go.
[He can handle this. He just wants to get him home safe right now.]
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O-okay but be careful! I think I see a lot more coming our way!
[And behold, the more they ran! The more they were coming their way! What now?]
I think I see something over there! You think we can make it?