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. ] |
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
Not exactly what I was going for, either, but whatever works. [no point in being picky as long as it gets the job done.] Let's go.
[he motions down the path he came. it's ghost free. trust him. perk of being able to sense light and darkness.]
no subject
You got a place in mind, or are we just running and hoping to ditch them?
no subject
Running and ditching, no hope involved!
[full out confidence in that statement. it's not cocky overconfidence, either. sensing these creeps comes super easily to riku the darkness bloodhound. being able to tell where the ghosts are makes avoiding them a piece of cake. it's a intense sort of darkness, too. though not the worst he'd felt and nothing that feels like xehanort, it still ranks high on the darkness scale.]
no subject
Then what're we waiting for? [It might be a legitimate question or it might just be to pester Riku and tease him a little. The world may never know.] As much as I'm sure you like the exercise, I'd rather not.
[He'll ask Riku all about his darkness bloodhound senses when they stop. If they stop. Oh god please stop soon, Riku.]
no subject
What we're waiting for is a spot about a block away where you can catch your breath. [bloodhound senses says it's ghost free. a grin comes hiro's way shortly after saying that.] Think you can handle that or is that ego weighing you down too much?
[haha, oh man, he's so funny. but really, this is why p.e. is a good thing. work out that body along with that brain!!]
no subject
How long did it take you to think that one up? [A block, huh?] You better be right about this, Riku. [And just for that he picks up speed to sprint that last block.
What a mistake.]
no subject
Yeah, I am.
[much confidence, so wow. confidence with reason is totally cool and not cocky, either. hiro picking up the pace makes riku do it, too. surprisingly, it isn't to be an ass but to make sure to lead the way. soon enough, an alley comes up and this would be their destination.]
Take a left down here.
[and ta-da! ghost free and hidden away from view. how're you holding up, oh duck-inferior boy?]
no subject
...n-not bad. [Are we done running, please say yes.] How'd you know this would actually work?
no subject
Call it a hunch.
[said in a way that doesn't make it sound like just a hunch.]
You doing okay or do you need an oxygen mask?
[teasing and concern in one: true riku fashion. he does sound a teeny bit concerned, though, so it comes across more the latter than the former.]
no subject
A hunch that comes with being a Keyblade master? [What else can that thing do…he'll think later, he's busy getting himself back together.] I'll be fine…usually when I'm running back home it's not from ghosts. It's way easier to book it from guys four times your size and weight.
[And that's being generous with guys like Yama.]
no subject
Something like that.
[less of a keyblade master and more of a kid who nearly gave himself to darkness, but details details. rather than chat about that stuff, let's focus on the kid who gets chased around by giants.]
You rubbed some bullies the wrong way back home?
[either that or there's actual giants back in hiro's world. hey, if there's armored marshmallows, there could be giants.]
no subject
Then again, if they were smarter this wouldn't be a problem. There aren't actual giants, but Hiro's still got a ways to go before he hits a growth spurt.]
Something like that. I used to rub a lot of people the wrong way back home before a lot of stuff changed. [He seems to have his breathing under control again at least and he stands upright.] Happens when you're a lot smarter than most of the people you know.
no subject
You mean a lot more of a smartass than most of the people you know.
[just correcting hiro like a good person would! why no, he isn't smirking! definitely not smirking.]
Did you ever take any of them out or just hightailed it out of there when things got rough?
[it isn't a judgmental sounding question, but more curious. sure, the kid has baymax, but sometimes robots won't be there to bail you out when the going gets tough. running away isn't always an option, either. ghosties today are pretty solid proof of both.]
no subject
Are you kidding me? Those aren't the kind of guys you take on on your own. [Shaking his head here.] Tadashi usually bailed me out. [And then the whole man in the kabuki mask thing happened and Hiro took matters into his own hands and Baymax helped and the "Immortals" montage happened and now here they are as superheroes. But he's only offering information about his life prior to the formation of the Big Hero 6, and he knows that.] After a while they stopped being a problem, too.
no subject
Why's that?
[most bullies don't back off just cause you asked nicely. big bro, well, he ranks pretty low on the 'SO SCARY BULLIES EVERYWHERE TURN A NEW LEAF' scale, probably on the same level as fluffy bunnies and birthday cakes. were they scared off by baymax? he did say he knows uh... kung fu? or was it karate? either way, big guy said he knows how to fight.]
no subject
Having Baymax definitely helps though. He's bailed me out of trouble a couple of times. But usually it's trouble we know how to fight. That's why we got separated...trying to protect me and then disappearing to who knows where. If I can't get in touch with him that's gotta mean his sensors for tracking me are messed up, too.
no subject
[riku sounds pretty happy about that, too. maybe he doesn't know hiro super well just yet, but still. kids need good friends, this much he can say for sure. without friends who get you, no one'll be there to knock sense into you when you need it and that can lead to some pretty bad stuff.]
And these ghosts are messing up a lot of things.
[see: weird magic. then again, at least he has magic and fighting abilities and darkness senses. hiro seems pretty out of luck without big, tall and marshmallow around.]
Want a hand in tracking him down?
no subject
Never thought I'd have to deal with ghosts anyway. [But that offer's appealing.] You really think you could find him? That'd be awesome. If I can find him at least then I'd have a better chance getting him to listen to me.
no subject
Worth a try.
[he hasn't ever tried to track down a robot but he's got a couple tricks up his sleeves.]
Wait here a second.
[does riku give hiro a chance to reply before starting to scale a building with such ease that it's like he was just walking up any old flight of stairs? nah, saying things ruins lowers that coolness factor. getting up high means having a better look around the immediate area. couple that with darkness sensing and it makes things easier. hmmm... there! it's a solid distance away and riku only caught a glimpse but big squishy robot located!]
I think I see him!
no subject
Wait, really? [That's useful.] How far out? As long as he stays on the ground we should be able to catch up with him.
no subject
Looks like a couple blocks!
[and riku's just jumping off the top now, no big deal. a bit of free fall and then whoosh using a shadow slide to pop up right behind hiro. not a scratch and not even out of breath. yeah, he's that awesome.]
You think you can handle another sprint?
no subject
no subject
Keep up with me and I’ll think about it.
[and he's sprinting off in baymax' direction! does he mean that? does he not? follow and find out. though any darkness related stuff is out by default, but still.]
no subject
And we can probably wrap it here, I think!]