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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[I'm here with you, so please, just stay with me. Even if it's just for a little while. Yuri had gotten the chance to turn those words around at last, had spent night after night obsessively braving the suicide mountain and spirits and everything else just to rescue her. She'll be damned if she dies permanently before she sees it through to the end.]
So you should be careful. The spirits might try to trick you, too. [A light warning, because hey if it happened to her she has no doubt it might happen to someone else.
Besides-- Yuri shakes her head.] I don't want to die. But, that's pretty kind of you. [What's the catch, is what she seems to be quietly implying.]
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I've seen it all before. Boring tricks aren't that interesting.
[ 'or effective' he thinks without knowing how close he's come to falling for that exact trick recently... Then several shades cooler, ]
You've got a warped definition of kindness if you think I'm being kind to you. [ He picks up on that implication, but he's also like insulted by this compliment?? he's not kind, ugh. who knew Yuri could insult him so easily with such a simple sentence. ] I've got things to do tonight that don't involve looking after you. That's not too hard to understand, is it?
[ regardless, he turns around and starts walking, fully expecting Yuri to follow, but at the same time not feeling too bothered about the possibility that she won't. this time, he'll let her decide. ]
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You haven't killed me and you're taking me to someone who can look out for me. That kinder than most people. I didn't realize being thought of as a good person would be such a bad thing. Should I insult you instead? [Well he's kinder than she's come to expect from people in general, really, but she doesn't feel like she has to say that out loud. He could, after all, just abandon her entirely. But he hasn't, so: Kind.
She follows after him easily enough. Really the same could be said of her; she doesn't need the protection of anyone, but she's curious as to what kind of person Souji would think to leave her with.] Who are you taking me to?
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If you can't keep your assumptions to yourself, then I won't bother taking you to anyone. [ as for who that anyone is... at this point, he's just keeping his eyes open for familiar faces. ]
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[The last thing she needs is for him to actually stab her. It'd be horribly inconvenient, for one thing. She still thinks he's being kind, but given that her capacity for understanding what constitute as kindness is generally around the vicinity of 'isn't actively trying to kill me' that's probably not saying much.
But no, she'll be a good girl for now okay.]
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There he is. [ he briefly says to Yuri, then quickens his stride as he approaches. ] Good evening, Sousei-san. I found someone who needs your help.
[ That's Yuri. Who probably doesn't look like the typical damsel in distress. But Souji's not going to waste any time here!!! ]
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Sousei was minding his own business!! You know, stabbing ghosts with his exorcist sword, the usual. It's just Sousei being Sousei, trying to do damage control.
And that's when Souji shows up to drop a metaphorical puppy on him.]
...What are you doing, Okita?
[Though even as he says so, he's glancing over Yuri. Not someone he knows, but... this clearly is becoming his problem for a reason.]
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She's still quiet as they approach, eyeing Sousei with a mix of curiosity and wariness. If he's someone Souji knows, what does that say about Sousei... Her eyes dart between the two men as if trying to find a connection.
After a moment though she looks back at Sousei when he looks at her and tilts her head, normally passive features turning to one of slight sympathy and apology. This wasn't really her idea either, sorry bro.]
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You're the type who can't leave helpless people alone, right? [ wow ] She shouldn't be too much of a burden, but she almost fell off a bridge, so.
[ so???? He looks at Yuri. ] Don't worry, he looks strict and mean, but he's alright. [ then, with a pause and eyebrow raised ] Aren't you going to introduce yourself?