Troubled Waters (Video)

[starfestival]

From: Orihime
Date: October 10th (early morning)

[Some people may recognize her from the Autumn Reception, or from the Tanabata festival, but Orihime is far from radiant and regal this evening. Oh she's still in her very formal, ancient style of kimono that the old gods favor in the Far Shore, but there is a very different look in her face. If anyone has ever spoken to her at length about Hikoboshi, that's the closest sort of stern concern anyone's seen her openly express before.

She is holding her phone like a lady might hold a compact mirror while she speaks into the video recording, but she still bows her head just enough to be noticed. That is all the formality she spares before speaking.]

Honorable gods and goddesses, dear shinki, if we have not had the chance to meet under better circumstances, please hear my words anyway. My name is Orihime, one of the immortal beings of the Far Shore, and I have been tasked with grave news that I hope can be swiftly addressed for the sake of all.

The Gods of Fortune have just learned that the Near Shore has reached a chaotic peak of ayakashi activity. They have reason to believe that there are four distinct areas of the Near Shore on the brink and they directly correlate to the... the murder of four gods here in the Far Shore.

[Now she takes a deep breath. Looking a bit more nervous and less confident about explaining this next part.]

The Gods of Fortune and our Lady Amaterasu have given me a solemn duty that I have accepted most graciously - to marshal whomever is willing to quell the ayakashi brought on by the loss of these four gods, without whom prayers have gone unanswered and the gods' followers have become weaker prey for the ayakashi.

It is my sincere desire to fulfill this task for the sake of peace on both Shores. However, I do not wish to withhold information about the personal blessing offered to me, after several of you have spoken so well about my character. I cannot thank you enough. The blessing offered to me is to restore my status as a goddess, should I succeed in attending to this matter swiftly. That is all I wish to say.

[But her mouth does quirk up in a smile and her eyes sparkle too. Then, she breathes out and tries to be serious again.]

Please - if you are willing to join me in this effort, please come to the meadows near my home along the Milky Way River at Noon. I will gather what supplies I can by then. There will be four tents set up, one for each of the teams, and I will be coordinating these efforts as best I can, channelling those skills that have brought us many wonderful Tanabata festivals.

I thank you for listening.

[And she bows her head just a little once more, then raises back up while slowly making her way out into the meadows beyond her home, the sound of the river seeming to get louder in response to all of the impending activity.]

[[OOC: Check out the Signups in Takamagahara for more information! The log itself will be posted on the usual day.]]

Comments

From: Chikusa Kakimoto

[kokuyoyo]

[....Why does he have a bad feeling about this...]

...Which gods...

Re: From: Chikusa Kakimoto

[starfestival]

Ah, Exemplar Chikusa, of course, let me just find the information that the Gods of Fortune have provided me with...

[She clearly picks up her pace and ends up over at a table in the middle of some grass, rustling around with some papers before finding what she's looking for.]

Cu Chulainn, Kshitigarbha, Li Tieguai, and Loki are the reported losses.

[kokuyoyo]

[Chikusa says nothing and emotes even less, for a long god damn moment.]

[And yet. And yet. There are practically waves of aggravation radiating from the screen before he lets out a long slow breath.]

....I'll take care.... of whatever mess Li Tieguai made...

From: Dust

[mithrarin]

That's...

We'll make it happen. I'll make it happen. We're going to do this.

Re: From: Dust

[starfestival]

You are one of the people I felt I could count on. Thank you, Dust. I will see you shortly.

[mithrarin]

You ought to know by now.

text, from: nekhbet

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun turns up after Orihime's response to Chikusa, because on one hand, at least Loki's finally dead, but on the other, god damn it Hakkai.]

If we can help across more than one team, I'll be doing that, just in case you need to keep track. But you seem to have gotten a good enough rapport with us that you'll have plenty ready to help you succeed at this.

Video

[starfestival]

[She appears a little startled by his offer, bowing a little to the screen again.]

I do not pretend to be fully aware of the transportation powers of all of the gods. Some can do more than simply teleport down to the Near Shore, of that I know, and if you are such a one that can quickly move between places, I thank you for your immense assistance in this regard, Mr. Nekhbet Shun.

[revolutionfalcon]

I don't usually have any trouble teleporting myself to other places once I'm there, so it should be fine as long as I have a specific location. [So he doesn't end up teleporting into something instead of where he wants to go.]

If something like this is going to cause that much harm to humans, then it's natural to want to solve it as quickly as possible. I'm just trying to make sure that's how it happens.

video ♔ from apollo

[priforprince]

It's been a while, Lady Orihime.

[ You didn't like being called "Princess", correct? But perhaps that too shall change soon. ]

Any chance to restore your favor is an unconditional pleasure.

Re: video ♔ from apollo

[starfestival]

Thank you Apollo Hibiki, you are too kind. I am doing my best to focus on the matters that plague the Near Shore. Whatever shall be shall be after that.

[priforprince]

Rest assured. Others' incompetence shall be amply compensated for.

[ Even if she grumbles the entire time about OTHER PEOPLE'S USELESSNESS. What kind of idiot gets themselves killed while serving as upper administration for a puniverse?! ]

from: Archer

[boneofsword]

I will be joining Cú Chulainn's team.

[He's not thrilled, but Caster is his responsibility.]

Re: from: Archer

[starfestival]

Thank you very much, Mr. Archer. There will be a red tent I have emblazoned with a two-headed dog that should be easy enough to locate.

[boneofsword]

[How ironic to have that color associated with Cú Chulainn.]

There's no need to thank me. I'm simply following my duty.

From: Hachiman (video)

[koukai_kirai]

[It never ends, does it?]

[Then again, Hijikata isn't really sure what he'd do with himself if there weren't any battles left for him. His expression is displeased, but clear of any fear or doubt.]

I don't believe we've spoken at length, but as the current avatar of Hachiman, you can rely on my support and my shinki's.

[He's a god of samurai, after all, and a man who's had men killed for deviation from the samurai path. How much of a hypocrite would he have to be to ignore this kind of need, when the way of the samurai is meant to be founded in righteousness, in courage, in benevolent compassion?]

Re: From: Hachiman (video)

[starfestival]

[She nods her head in deference.]

Lord Hachiman... Indeed I have known many before you. I thank you as well for joining this cause for peace.

[koukai_kirai]

[Hijikata shakes his head a little bit, looking nearly awkward for a moment.]

There's no need to be that formal with me.

[Honestly, it's a little unnerving. Going from peasant to samurai to general was one thing, and he could handle becoming a god surprisingly well, but having gods and goddesses he heard about as a child speak to him like he's the one being looked up to? That's... that's a step too far, somehow.]

Do we know any details regarding the gods who were murdered or the circumstances they died under?

[video]

[spes_phthisica]

Well, my god has already made his intentions clear, so you don't really need my response. But I'll be happy to help any way I can.

[He offers a small, encouraging smile.]

Re: [video]

[starfestival]

[She smiles back in an equally small way - it's encouraging to her to see shinki him and Dust and Chikusa so adamantly speaking up.]

Mr. Okita - I do not to which god you refer, but you have my thanks for accompanying your god so willingly.

From: Thanatos

[trademark_skull]

[Emizel had physically cringed when he got the message of more gods being killed off. After Alan's sudden absence and his temple falling further to disarray, it seemed possible that he could have been another caught up in whatever this mess was.]

[But then he saw the list of god names mentioned. It was relieving, but at the same time, his heart sank more. Kshitigarbha. He well, he could recognize that key smashed name from just about anywhere. What could have Doku possibly gotten himself into too?]

[Emizel was getting more worrisome.]

Umm...

Are you sure that's all the gods that died recently?

Re: From: Thanatos

[starfestival]

Thanatos... Of all the gods I hope you will understand. I do not think that is all of the gods that have vanished, been reborn, or otherwise ceased answering the calls of their followers. However, it is the understanding of the Gods of Fortune that those four are the gods that have been... struck down, rather than fading as gods do.

[trademark_skull]

...I-I see. [Struck down...oh boy. The same as those "incidents" from when he first arrived then? Emizel is less convinced they were resolved now.]

[If that was the case though, then it does mean Alan didn't go down that same fate. But Dokugakuji though....]

[He shakes his head.]

What happens to the gods that "fade"? Where do they go? Do those followers cause problems too?

From Celty (Text)

[lookingforhead]

During the party I remember Diarmuid was looking around for his friend (god?) Caster. He said he went missing.

Is he one of those who was murdered?

Re: From Celty (Text)

[starfestival]

I am afraid that I have never met these four gods in person before their murders, so I am unsure of any other names they may go by.