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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Although... [he cast her a curious look, as one would if they finally saw how individual pieces of a puzzle would fit together.] Talking to these spirits might be best if we had someone with a certain sensitivity to them already. Are you someone like that?
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Still. There's some saying about those who can do something, but choose not to, are the worst kinds of people or whatever, and she's pretty sure that's true.] If we can find a spirit, I can attempt to talk to it. I can fight them too if they get too aggressive, so... I can protect you too if it comes down to it. ["You" not "us" because she doesn't think of it like that.
Yuri slowly releases a breath and runs a hand through her hair. This day was exhausting and felt like it was never going to end at this rate.]
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Don't push yourself if you're not comfortable. There are others here who can do the same, but I feel like your talent might overwhelm you.
...What happened out there, [he said after a moment's thought.] That wasn't intentional, was it?
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His question makes her jump a little and hastily shake her head.] No! I usually have more control over it, and I don't-- I don't... use it on the living, usually... [How do you put that in a way that's not incredibly awkward.]
But believe me, I didn't do it on purpose. The spirits or this place or something must be interfering. I...I'm very sorry.
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It was too big, and a girl this young shouldn't have to worry over it.]
Don't apologize, [he said mildly,] just be glad it was Kouha and Kougyoku that you saw and nothing else. There are things in my world that many here would find... 'unpleasant', to put it simply.
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...I don't know what you've seen, so I can't say I've seen worse, but... There isn't a lot that would really shock me now. I've seen a lot of things. [The amusement gives way to a sort of world-weariness that's out of place on her young face. But then, Yuri's always been told she's had a sad look about her.
She can't even begin to count the number of times people have asked if she's alright, simply because she has the kind of eyes that make her look perpetually sad and grief-stricken. 'That's just my face,' she'd reply awkwardly and wonder just how close to death she really is to bring up that question so often.
She glances away as if to feign disinterest, but really t's to better collect herself.] Your siblings... They seem nice. It's nice to have a family. I don't know whether I should say I'm sorry that they're not here, or say I'm glad they're not... [it's a weird balance. On one hand it'd mean they were here and alive. On the other hand, it'd mean they were, well, here.]
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Whatever her reasons were, he understood-- and he wouldn't press for details.]
Whether their absense in this city is a good thing or not remains to be seen. Like many, I have unfinished business I need to attend to in my country. The outcome will determine how my family fares in the days and months to come.
...There's twelve of us, in total. I won't lie and say that I don't miss them, either.
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Twelve?! You have twelve siblings? Your family is huge! [She's impressed but her other thought is 'that poor mother,' unaware that they all pretty much have different ones.]
Are you-- [Yuri hesitates slightly, but she thinks on the richly dressed siblings she saw] Is your family rich...? [Or royalty, but she doesn't ask that quite yet.]
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[Though wealth tended to mean a better education and a better quality of life in his world, the standards he was familiar with paled in comparison to the wonders he had seen thus far in Tellus. Nothing in his life had prepared him for this.]
It's the same in my country. Though my older brother currently stands as the man who should rightfully be king, ten years ago this wouldn't have been the case. Knowing the right people and making the right choices is overall more important than any amount of wealth that you could be born into.
...And besides, twelve isn't such a large number even among the regular population. War and disease bring many casualties.
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Yuri looks a little embarrassed.] ...Ah, that sounded a bit cold, I guess...
[She looks away, rubbing her arms against the chill she's feeling] I didn't have any siblings... The worlds everyone comes from can be so different. Was there a lot of war where you're from?
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Koumei responded with a shake of his head and a small, dismissive gesture with his hand.]
No, that is a reasonable theory. I've tried to figure out their reasons myself, but it must differ for every individual.
Like, for yourself, your uncanny talents may have been a deciding factor if we're talking about this from a strategic standpoint. A person with your gifts is a rarity where I come from, and those individuals often have a special status where ever they travel. Of course, like you said, every 'world' is different.
...and, war isn't uncommon where I come from. But, can't that be said for any land? War is simply an escalation of disagreements where one party finally imposes their will upon another. Disagreements, unfortunately, are an inevitability.
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[It's not fun. Eventually after being told so long it's all in your head, you start to believe it. She's not sure she ever would've made it out of the hospital if she hadn't pretended to be cured after a while.]
At least, until I found someone else. Powers like that used to be respected, when people believed in them. But nowadays, at least where I'm from, if you try to tell someone, "I can see and talk to the dead" they just get angry or upset or laugh at you. I don't know which is worse.
...Ah, but... Where I lived, it wasn't so bad. People believed in it. I could make a living there doing these sorts of things. [She's not sure why she's being so honest about it--it's not really like her to be that open about her powers or where she lived, but?? Weird. Thanks weird ghost that touched her.
Yuri tilts her head at the war commentary.] ...I guess. But, it's usually the people higher up that decide those things, right? No one seems capable of just agreeing to disagree. Everyone always wants to be right. [It's tiring, honestly.]
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[And why 'world peace' would never be attained in any of them. So long as people had the capacity to disagree, there would always be conflict and violence tearing lives asunder. Koumei heaved a sigh-- it really was tiring.]
Lacking an understanding of these powers seems to come with scientific advancement, if the literature in the library is something to go by. It makes one wonder if there's more than a simple correlation between the two aspects...
But, regardless of it's cause, no one should be made to feel 'crazy' because of their skills. You've a unique skill, and it's good that you've found a niche for yourself.
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I think it's... Well, when people start developing a way to prove things, with science and the like, they start disbelieving or being suspicious of the things they can't instantly explain. People who use those claims of powers to swindle others don't help.
For example, it's easy for me to say "there a ghost next to you right now, someone you miss very much." You can't see it, so how do you know I'm lying or not? If I'm lying, you might end up revealing more to me than you would others. "Yes, that's my mother, I miss her very much." Then I would say misleading comments that make you spill even more, then I use that information to make you think I'm actually seeing your mother when I could be seeing nothing at all. A lot of people can trick others that way, out of money or secrets and such.
[Yuri shrugs lightly.] And like I said, people don't like things they can't explain. They can't use science to prove it exists or the claims are real, and that's frustrating and scary... I guess. I'm just rambling, don't listen to me.
[She just looks more embarrassed, face turning red up to her ears at the-praise? Was it praise? Kind words, either way. Kind words she wasn't particularly used to hearing] I, uh-- [Jeez...!!] Thank... you. That's kind of you to say. I... don't hear things like that very often.
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No one could predict the future.]
Nonsense, Miss Kozukata. I find it fascinating to hear about this from another perspective. Liars and con artists are notorious for ruining honest practices, and I'm sorry to hear that such a thing has personally affected you.
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Luckily where I live now, they still believe in a lot of the old traditions and things. I mean-- [The corner of her mouth twitches sightly, a hint of a smile] Most of them are teenage girls who want love fortunes told. But we still get plenty of people who want us to locate lost items-- or people.
[She frowns suddenly and looks caught between embarrassment and confusion.] ...I'm not sure why I'm talking so much about this... Sorry. [She's not usually this honest and open, and she's starting to grow suspicious that the ghost did something.]
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[Koumei was still learning about the culture of this city as well, and he had thought that the openness of her speech was a byproduct of another era's sensibilities. But if it wasn't...]
The details are safe with me. I won't tell anyone.