WEEKS 5 & 6

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WEEKS 5 & 6

THE CALM BEFORE...

The city has more or less bounced back after the disastrous Go-Kart race. While there are still some people recovering, no one’s hospitalized and there were thankfully no casualties - although there were more injuries than might have been expected, on accounts of some brawls that broke out among the competitors and the audience.

In spite of that, the Shopping District is feeling distinctly friendlier these days. Shopkeepers will take notice of repeat customers and be openly happy to see the better-behaved ones. They may even cut characters a discount on the sly for their patronship!

Perhaps as a result, the Nekyia Shopping District has become clear of haze much like the Nekyia dormitory started. While Shadows still lurk there, they are much fewer in number. Should characters choose to explore some more, they will find that the haze has become thinner in the Nekyia Entertainment District, allowing them to work on cleaning out the various Shadows that reside in that area.

WHAT THE FLUFF.

Meanwhile, back at the dormitory…

…trouble is amiss, but the fun kind of trouble.

On Sunday, September 1st, it seems like there's an event for pets being hosted at the parks near the dorm! That's fine and dandy, but the trouble comes from owners being careless and letting their animals run loose. That's right, some of them have been given free rein to explore, and a number of them have taken a liking to the dormitory!

You might be able to blame Dawn – that cat from the Nekyia who also appears to give you strange items! – because she's got bowls of cat food around her that she's feasting on. It's attracted some pet cats and strays alike. As for the dogs, well, they like people. Enough said.

Why not treat yourself to some animal therapy while you can? And if not, wrangling any animals that manage to get free works too!

SUMMER DAYS.

As summer break draws to a close, the Arcade is desperate to not only redeem its reputation, but also squeeze the last bit of pocket change out of people while they’re still on vacation. As a result, there is an ongoing discount on point cards allowing people to play competitive arcade games - Classics like Mirmo Kart and Street Slayer, as well as shinier rhythm games like Dancerun Stardom and LaiLai Universe Plus!

Of course, the hope is that characters drawn in by the arcade games will stick around for the other offerings - karaoke, bowling, ufo catchers, and even a bar (for those 21+!) And if none of these attractions are enough to catch a character’s eye, there’s plenty of other activities to be found in Carnation Court. Besides the restaurants and bars, there are many themed pop-up cafés and events, and even a few empty buildings with a very reasonable lease fee, should someone want to run an event of their own...

While the mood isn’t as open and friendly as the shopping district, it’s still worth a visit to relax and unwind a bit, preferably alongside Braphine’s other chosen. After all, there are Shadows looming on the horizon...

MESSAGE FROM YOUR RA!

Huh...? That's weird. It looks like a really big Shadow took up residence in the Nekyia. Hold on, I'll set things up so the app will give you the coordinates! Could you please check it out?

COMMISSIONS

NEKYIA COMMISSIONS

FETCH QUEST

I messed up…Mom's gonna be so mad at me for losing track of her dog at that event…

There's a shadow in the Nekyia that's taken the form of a Level 25 Nue. It seems to be growling in despair, and echoing the thoughts of this commissioner. Apparently this person lost his mother's dog at the event and hasn't made an effort to find it yet. Fight the Nue and try to knock some sense into this guy, either by shaking some sense into him or by defeating him; they've got a dog to find, after all.

YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE TOXIC

Leave, Braphine. Leave this world to the people. We don't need anyone. We've only got ourselves.

Seems like someone who might be involved with the vandalism incident might have a shadow here, too, in the form of a Level 24 Mokoi. She sounds like she's going to do something more extreme to the place if she isn't stopped. However, be careful… characters hit with Dazzler from this particular Shadow cannot be cured with magic, and must instead be healed by another person’s touch. It’s time to get cozy with your companions.

GET HEE OUTTA HERE

A powerful Shadow has appeared in the Nekyia and needs to be eliminated asap! Black Frost is a tenacious (if cute?) little guy, and can only be fought after taking down three Level 28 Jack Frosts beforehand. Make sure you ration out your spiritual energy and healing spells, this little Shadow can pack a real punch, being at Level 30! That said, for those who manage to defeat him, he should drop a mascot trading card. Turn this in to the priest or priestess at the temple to unlock a bonus new skill for your Persona!

(OOC: Please turn in your threads for this commission on the rewards page to unlock the new skill, which is separate from your leveling skillset! You may select one elemental skill for light damage to apply permanently to your character's persona. When turning in the skill will be effective immediately once rewarded.)

REAL WORLD COMMISSIONS

FINE DINING

Various restaurants, from fast food and fast casual grub to the fine dining establishments in Carnation Court are trying to outdo each other in terms of promotion, and as such are on the prowl for any free hands to help entice potential customers with free samples and food challenges galore. Grab a buddy and help hawk some bite-sized treats! Or maybe try to beat the record for the biggest burger ever eaten, if you dare.

ALL HANDS ON STAGE

A number of performers were involved in the Go-Kart incident and have yet to fully recover enough to do their parts for the show! For the next two weeks, the Sunset Grand Theater is looking for understudies for roles, as well as stage hands who are willing to ninja around and maneuver props and sets for the actors. The production is a fanciful tale of starcrossed lovers, evil stepmothers, political feuds, and for some reason, a dragon.

PREPARE THE PETS

The pet store in Vermillion Village is looking for some volunteers to help socialize the pets through playtime, as well as feed some of the more persnickety ones. Those who want to pet some adorable balls of fluff and energy can work with the kittens, puppies, and bunny rabbits, while those who are brave enough can try their hand at feeding the reptiles their meals of live crickets and frozen rats.

OOC

READ ME!!!!

Welcome to your log for Weeks 5 and 6! Feel free to use this log for any developments that happen during the next two weeks. There will be no log next week, but we will still be posting a small mini-event on Saturday.
For plotting, please feel free to head over to this post on the OOC comm to post your plotting top levels.
For Nekyia commissions, you can assume that the Shadows will respawn until they've been beaten enough times to go back to normal.
Palaces start this week! Please refer to the Palace schedule here and sign ups for this week's capped Palace here

ic comm | inboxes | ooc comm | full nav

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week 6

[prozaic]

you know that we're toxic

[Who in the hell would go straight into battle as soon as they arrive? Shalem is not the type, but with the way things have been going with him lately, he would rather nothave an idle moment to think right now, or he would just lose his mind. He was on the verge of a panic attack before he got here and he really, really just needed to get out, walk, stretch his tail. Is this insane? Yes, unfortunately. But he's dealt with worse. Maybe.

Shalem flexes his arms, especially his wrists, because he hasn't used any weapon outside of a shield in so long... He needs to warm up to prepare to use this quarterstaff.]

Haa. [That's a deep sigh.] At least it's just a staff. [And not a weapon he can easily draw blood or kill someone with. Then he blinks up at his companion, the person he managed to ask to accompany him to this place.] No, it's nothing to be concerned about-- I'm merely speaking to myself.

In any case, our mission is clear. Have you ever seen a Mokoi before?

[He looks about as if to try and spot their quarry or even anything of note... but comes up with nothing (6) due to his lack of experience with this place.]

all hands on stage

Hm, hmm~ [This is the happiest Shalem has been in such a long time, and his pleased expression as he carries the biggest, heaviest supplies around backstage is quite bright, even with the dark shadows under his eyes threatening to overtake the purple wings of paint (is that paint or make-up? neither, actually). Hell, if he was just allowed to show all of himself, he would be using his tail to carry more. He even helps with placing and testing the lighting, and giving tips to the others on how to best handle the costumes so they don't drag on the floor or crease, or sag with hangers, such as rolling up scarves rather than just folding them.

It's clear that he is extremely comfortable on stage and handling props, costumes and equipment-- more than comfortable in fact. The snake-man looks at home.]

summer days (bar, 21+ only)

Buy me a drink?

[That's said with a slightly flirtatious tone and half-lidded eyes as a certain long-haired, purple-eyed man sits down at the bar with you, practically batting his eyes. Then he breaks the illusion himself, straightening up, schooling his expression into something a little more playful, with a mischievous smile.]

No, no, I'm simply joking. I shall buy the drink.

all hands on stage

[townmusician]

[For all the people he's seen behind stage, this new guy (for as much as Haruka can call anyone a new guy) is the first he's seen who actually seems like he belongs here.

It's when Haruka's looking for costume pieces that he finally gets a moment to talk to him, because it's not like he's here to slack off, either.]

Did you work in theaters before you got dragged into this or something?

[prozaic]

[Shalem's smile doesn't falter. It simply remains steady.]

When I was younger, I did work in them. But I've not set foot on stage in a long, long time. [Of course, he can't say exactly why, so it's fine for him to think of a believable lie.

Not that it requires much acting, he already had a hint of nostalgia in his tone.]

[townmusician]

Do you want to go back on stage? These people seem pretty desperate to get the show rolling, and you wouldn't be the worst actor I've seen here.

[Which is pretty presumptuous, but... He's not sorry, Aubrey.]

Though the play seems kind of mid, honestly...

[prozaic]

[Shalem shales his head, a small smile on his face.]

I left that life behind long ago. Even if I may look back on occasion, it's best to simply be content in looking back.

[Yes, he seems sad as he looks down at the box of stage props in his hands, but his tone makes it clear that he's not wavering. He's not going back.]

[townmusician]

[...Ah. It's the sad look that gets Haruka to pause, because people don't look sad like that for no reason. There's a reason for why he won't get back on the stage, and it's not Haruka's place to pry.]

...If you're sure.

[He fidgets a bit, staring at the box of props instead of Shalem's face.]

Are you good with that box? I can help out, since there's a lot to do an all.

[prozaic]

[Ah... no prying questions-- it seems that today, Shalem will not need to lie about his decisions. Good.

Nevertheless, he gets himself together, and gives the boy a nod.]

There are a few more boxes in that room. [Then he tilts his head towards it, just beyond his shoulder.] However, most of the boxes are larger than this, so you may want to avoid those and leave them to me.

[townmusician]

[No prying questions yet! It's bound to happen eventually.]

Don't worry, I'm not an idiot. Hurting myself right now wouldn't do anyone any good.

[Much less himself! But mostly it wouldn't be great for this whole, like, teamwork making the dream work thing.]

we're toxic

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Another new guy... Why do his ears remind him of...? But when Shalem came asking for a partner to go through the Nekyia with, Eli wasn't about to say no. The last thing he wanted was someone getting ganked by some lowly shadows. Two deaths were enough; there was no need for three. ]

Yeah, I've seen 'em before. Butt ugly fuckers, too.

[ He'll pause, listen hard momentarily, and then choose a direction. It is the wrong direction (1 cries), but damn if he doesn't seem super sure of himself. ]

They're usually over this way.

[ They are not. ]

[prozaic]

[That's descriptive! ... No, not really. He's rather be prepared, but he can tell it's impossible to have proper intel in a place like this.]

Very well.

But, has anyone managed to make a file or handbook of the various beasts? [Because if not, they really should... It's not like they can't bring their phones to the missions. Surely someone can take a picture of the monsters.]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Can't they? The app for entering and leaving is literally on the phone, so... ]

I think there's one on the phones? Like, what's it called? An app or whatever. I don't always remember to use it, though.

[ Not that it matters to Eli since, just as he said, he constantly forgets it exists. Welp. ]

A real, physical handbook might be interesting, though.

[prozaic]

Perhaps I'll pick the brains of someone more experienced than myself. There's only so much that can be put on a document.

But in the meantime, we must concentrate on this. [Rather, Shalem must concentrate on not going insane during a fight. (But it might happen.)

He's still checking for their surroundings, and hears footsteps, little pattering that seems to be heading their way, but for the life of him, he can't pinpoint where or how far it is. (7)

Until something is almost breathing down their necks.]

[fullmoonmutt]

Nah, it ain't that hard to find them. They're loud and annoying. I'll hear it from a mile away.

[ Eli, totally not noticing... the shadow now looming over them... from behind (2)... This will be embarrassing in retrospect, considering his whole thing back home is being able to track demons the best.

Finally comes that muttering, the angry, despaired murmuring about Braphine that the Mokoi is obsessed with, whispering directly behind them. Eli freezes. Wait. Wait a damn second. ]





...it's right behind us, isn't it?

1/2

[prozaic]

[Shalem looks behind them... and then looks forward again.]

I'm afraid so.

[How did these two suckers with excellent senses fail their perception rolls so bad??]

2/2

[prozaic]

[Then he jumps to action, putting himself between the monster and his companion-- sorry for the tail bumping your leg, Eli-- and drawing his staff to deter any action from the Mokoi until they're both ready.]

[fullmoonmutt]

Oi! [ Tail? Tail?! Tail! No, Eli, focus. There's no time to chase tails! ] What do you think you're doing?!

[ Eli doesn't need a snakey meat shield between himself and danger, so he does what he can and hurries to cast Rakukaja on Shalem. He'll now feel moderately defended, wow.

As for the Mokoi, it moves to strike at Shalem, but it's fairly slow and will miss hitting him (7). ]

Summer Days

[silentfury]

[So there Yuri was, nursing the largest mug of beer the barkeep would offer him, when some guy just sits next to him and starts flirting.

What the fuck does he even do with this?

Shalem is met with a stony-faced expression and a few slow blinks.]

[prozaic]

[Top meets top means someone doesn't line up with the other's tastes--]

A shame that you're not interested then. [Because that's the only way he can interpret that...! He doesn't know this man, how can he anticipate what to do or say? (10)]

Don't let me disturb you if you were doing something.

[silentfury]

[As Yuri is already a couple of drinks in at this point, using the phone to communicate isn't exactly on his mind. Instead, he gestures to the barkeep to hand him a writing utensil, and after a few moments a pen is tossed his way. He takes a few contemplative moments and writes on the nearest thing available (a napkin), then slides it Shalem's way.

You're not disturbing me. I'm just not used to attention in this way.]

[prozaic]

[Shalem has to scan the writing-- luckily, he's quite quick at that. You know what? Valid.]

No one has? A shame. [He rolls for charisma but it might just fall flat (7).]

I must wonder why people don't attempt to speak to you this way! Is it because they dislike bars?

[silentfury]

[Fortunately, Yuri is rather buzzed and is willing to divulge in his background unless something particularly weird is said or done.

People are either scared of me, or intimidated by me.

There's a sigh as he continues to drain his mug of its contents.]

[prozaic]

Intimidated? [He looks at the bartender for confirmation, genuinely surprised as evidenced by his raised eyebrows. Unfortunately, the man can only give him a grumpy shrug before tapping his finger on the counter in a show of impatience-- for his order.

Shalem has to sigh and just order a sidecar before turning back to his conversation companion.]

Apologies for my reaction, but I genuinely do not understand the reasoning behind that.

[silentfury]

[I am larger than most townsfolk. I have a hard time communicating with them. And I am not shy about defending myself. My scars are proof of such.]

you know that we're toxic

[emptyself]

[ soujuurou tends to work on his own more out of habit than any inclinations against working with others. but the person he's with now seems new, and he thinks it'd be rude to simply leave him to the fates without helping him out at least once.

he nods, seemingly weaponless. ]

I have. They look somewhat strange... like statues, kind of?

[ and with a quick survey of the land, he spots one at a distance (16). when he speaks again, it's in a low voice, as if to not attract attention. ]

There, you see?

[prozaic]

[Well... He concentrates on the location being pointed out to him. He sees it in the distance! Just barely, but it's enough. (11) It looks like... Well, it looks like an ugly clay doll.]

Very well. [His voice is so soft as to be barely audible, his assassin training slowly kicking in.]

Let's approach it carefully, shall we?