Fandom Norgami: A New Era (IC)

[Karcen]

Location: Kyoto streets
Date: April 3rd, 2030
Time: 7:33 pm
Mentions: @Fill

Madness Phantom

Madness listened to the little god as he spoke out as if a deal could de struck, well there could be one, but not a deal he would want. She would not give up her little toy he was far to precious to her to trade away for some ramen. The little god really did not seem to know just how much danger he was in and that was rather cute, ignorance was sometimes truly a gift when you needed to fear nothing. Still Madness didn't yet feel like attacking this god, what would she gain from a god with no regalia, she needed one after all. Madness had tried to make her own, but all that resulted in was lots of screaming and minor phantoms.

" Oh I could never bring him out my dear really doesn't know how to dress himself" Madness sighed like a wife talking about the annoyances of her husband " i mean is it really that hard to smile after all you know what they say, you're never fully dressed without a smile" Madness said her voice taking on a melodic quality and one could almost feel a shift in the air as she backed up.

" Hey, hobo man Hey, Dapper Dan You've both got your style " She started to sing her voice actully changing almost sounding like an old radio announcer as she grabbed two men who suddenly realized what was going on as they were dressed similar to the lyrics " But Brother, You're never fully dressed Without a smile! " She continued the men's eyes glazing over as she took a more aggressive possession of them. The two men would actually start to dance as Madness pranced around them stopping by the more well dressed man " Your clothes may be Beau Brummelly They, stand out a mile .. But Brother." She sang as she moved behind him and put her fingers to the corners of his mouth " You're never fully dressed Without a smile! " she continued pulling the mans mouth into a wide ear to ear smile.

Madness then moved swiftly behind the god incorporating him into her little show which was drawing some attention. " Who cares what they're wearing On Main Street, Or Saville Row, " She said moving behind him and peeking out as if to some unseen audience " It's what you wear from ear to ear " she moved in front of the god and pulled her own lips into a smile " And not from head to toe That matters" She continued a hand moving to indicate him. " So, Senator, So, Janitor, So long for a while Remember, You're never fully dressed Without a smile! " She finished releasing the two men from her little possession as she had no more interest in them

 

[Haze-]

Location: Kyoto Streets
Date: April 3rd, 2030
Time: 7:33 pm
Mentions: Karcen - Fill

————

Vengeful Phantom 復讐
Nox
​

Ever since he started his highschool years, he lacked determination— Perhaps he even lost track of his own purpose in-between his momentary anxiety episodes.

Looking down on the railways, legs frozen in place on the walkway; he then realised that the only place in life his emotions pathetically clung onto, was this familiar but yet unknown scenery where most awaited the arrival of metal boxes known as trains.

His name was Yamada Hideki, a young man who recently began his highschool years. Although his journey began with a jovial interest and determined drive, it quickly took a dark turn as it spiraled into— "Whatever the hell this is..."

Taking a small look around him all he could see were mindless sheep, gazes locked onto their phone's. Unable to give a sheer drop of attention to washed up loners such as himself.

He broke it down to a simplistic science "You are born different from the start. But everyone tries to be a protagonist of sorts, therefore it all contradicts itself. Contradictory takes are frowned upon by everyone, therefore in their eyes you have no right to live." Even if he decrypted the idiocy behind the mannerisms of those around him, he still did not fit into any of the categories he'd made up. Therefore in his eyes he had no right to exist.

All the inferiority and envy coiling around his heart made him feel like a ghost. And as a matter of fact, he was

No matter what great achievements he had or would accomplish, not a damn soul on this train station would even have the decency to perceive it.

The only way for people like him to attain validation was through their death. Even so, 90% of the rotten brats surrounding him would take out their phones and use his death as means to boost their social life. It was a no-win situation, and he was exhausted.

If death brought him recognition in his final moments, it would be a bitter-sweet bliss; too idiotic to even be worth it. But he saw no way out from this endless loop.

And so, as the chilling screech of a train resounded in the distance, he leaned in closer to the railways. The bells were tolling and for once, he felt it was his time to act selfish and be the protagonist.

As the malicious whispers behind his back were about end this ill satirical testament he would take to his grave, another voice was heard.

"You talk too much." Nox intervened with a curt response, sounding like he wasn't in the mood for such a dark display of morbid humor.

Without much chit chat the disgusting Ayakashi whispering hideous things to Hideki was blown away with a singular punch, leaving a trail of smoke as it's figure rapidly vanished into Kyoto's horizon. A faint "Screeeee......!!!" was heard as it flew away.

"Eh?" At the sudden feeling of lightness in his body, Hideki regained his composure, taking a step back and reflecting on his thoughts. He didn't know what it was, but all of a sudden he felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders. His train of thought no longer enslaved to negativity.

At this sight, Nox only let out a tired sigh before leaping over to the nearest building.

"About damn time you showed up! What took you so long?" The recognizable hoarse voice of a very familiar spirit spoke out loud with an annoyed tone

Nox only shrugged his shoulders and responded nonchalantly "Busy day."

"Tch'yeah, busy day. Nevermind your excuses! I found the people you were looking for." The spirit exclaimed triumphantly.

"Okay." Nox responded with his usual dismissive demeanor.

"You know, you could at the very least be a little bit more excited about it. I've been looking around town for literal days, you prick."

"I WOULD be excited, if not only for your dumbass taking as long as it did to find a SINGULAR person."

"How the hell was I supposed to find someone under the description 'They look and smell like me'?"

"That's the best description I could give you, quit crying."

"You really get on my nerves sometimes..." The psychiatrist muttered, almost to himself, a slight twitch in his eyebrow.

After giving Nox the exact directions he asked for, and denying claims of him being an obsessive stalker on his past life, he bid farewell to the bothersome phantom. Not without leaving him with some parting words "Be careful out there, Nox. Whatever it is you're trying to do, may very well become your death sentence. Don't do anything stupid." Although his relationship so far with Nox had been a series of unwanted drag alongs and annoying demands; he still held a certain animosity with the phantom, as he still owed him more than he could pay back.

"I'll break your damn spine." The angered Ayakashi simply responded. Not even bothering to look back.

"Love you too!" The spirit bounced back with a witty ironical remark that managed to get a "Tsk..." out of Nox

And so he reached his destination, shimmering through the large bustling crowd until he found those fitting the description the psychiatrist had given him. "A red haired homeless looking man and an exhibitionist office worker with a deranged look on her face"

The moment he got close to them, the potent smell wreaking from the woman struck his nostrils; making him recoil in disgust. However this scent was rather appeased by the sweet, almost mouth watering aroma coming off from the other one.

There was something odd about these two, and he knew they would lead him to what he was looking for.

It was all going according to plan until the woman began putting up quite the show. As the streets were over-run with a somewhat cheerful but sinister tune.

Random pedestrians began dancing in sync, like puppets hung with invisible strings. He'd be lying to himself if he denied how entertaining watching everything unfoil was.

But he needed his answers. And he needed them right away.

"Oi, sis." He addressed the not so formally dressed business woman. Appearing behind her, as if he'd been part of her shadow all along; placing a firm grip on her shoulder. Not strong enough to hurt her, but enough to get her attention.

"Sorry for interrupting the show but... Mind helping a fellow phantom out?" He asked with a polite smile. His eyes were telling a completely different story however; locked onto hers with a feral, indifferent gaze.

 

[Takumi98]

Seiichi Tanaka (God)
Location: Inari's Den
Date: April 3, 2030
Time: 3:35 pm
Mentioned: QuirkyAngel

Seiichi wasn't sure what kind of response he had expected from the Goddess, but her teasing playful one hadn't been it. His cheeks and even the tips of his ears grew red as he spluttered in response like a fool and was a bit glad she left long enough to let him gather his bearings. Her teasing tone was something he wasn't used to, not really. It was almost flirtatious, another thing he wasn't used to. He wasn't sure if he liked it or not, but given some of the things Inari was a deity of, he probably should of expected it. Letting the regalia lead him into the den he sat and took the offered beverage without any complaint as he listened to her speak.

"Pointing fingers, hm? Sounds as if they're pointing fingers at Izanami specifically. Even so, I hope our Queen doesn't listen to the words from those who'll be quick to point without taking the time to take in the whole picture or start needless wars against the Queen of Yomi when suffering the effects of AFAH like we have." He hummed thoughtfully as he took a sip of his rice wine.

When she mentioned his reason for visiting her, he sighed through his nose for a moment.

"Yes, I wanted to rebuild my shrine, yet there's also been a few large phantoms hanging around the area every now and then, and I don't have a regalia at the moment to take care of them myself. I'm sure a few of my followers still around would find the time to rebuild if given a small nudge at least." He explained as he took another sip of the rather good rice wine.

"...Kintaru also mentioned that I could work for you, and I admit I considered thinking on it." He added after a slight moment of hesitation. When it came to working, outside of the usual things gods did such as fight and kill phantoms, he remembers helping around with things such as feeding animals and tending to crops in his early years. Though it's been many, many years since then he was rather curious what she'd have him do if he were to work for her.

 

[The Secret Archives]

Location: Hanabi Amaku Grills, Kyoto
Date: April 3rd, 2030
Time: 1:11 pm​

Herald of The Flock (Phantom)
Interactions: QuirkyAngel

As Kami_X mentioned the Herald's near shore name, it garnered no immediate response. However, after a short period passed, it did finally answer. "Names." The waiter's body seemed to go limp, but stayed somewhat upright with the Herald's hand buried into their head. Around Kami_X, and the Herald the stale air began to grow denser. It was an almost immediate effect, and the Herald gave no sign of it occurring, "Names aren't priorities Kami of the X, I am The Herald of the Flock, yes. I look upon thee, as well as many others, Kyoto is where my eyes lay."

Without a moment to spare, with the density having reached a culmination, an unholy array of quivering black liquid like before split the distance and separated Kami_X from the others, just as Senka had arrived beside #4389 and #10013. It pulsed, rotated in place, and rippled as though it were living all of its own. Feathers fell from the wall, and an occasional array of eyes glanced about in all directions upon its surface. Yet, despite splitting the two of them up, it was completely transparent from their side, and a completely black wall from the side of Shorn. Then, the waiter finally stirred again, no longer limp and threw a plate through the odd wall that separated Kami_X from the others. The plate traveled through with no apparent issue, and moved as it would normally. It was only when it shattered upon the ground that no sound from the other side traveled through, and only the visual of it breaking was what they got.

A vague gesture was given to the wall before them, "I seek to speak to Kami of the X, and no other. Yet, your mere spirit may accompany thee. I have no quarrel, nor do I fear a petty regalia of such meager stature. For you may injure I, but you shall lay no claim upon my purification Kami of the X. Many a god greater than thee have tried. Fret not, you may leave at your leisure. I wish not to imprison a fellow viewer such as thee."

Its bird skull tilted down to the waiter in front of it, "Does this displease? Do my methods seem irregular, I cannot speak without an adequate host, do not think I bring harm to the mortal. I have plenty who seek out regularly as you know. I needn't stoop to such." The skull then tilted side to side, "I, Herald of the Flock, implore thee Kami of the X to comprehend our similarities. We are two sides of a coin, you and I, we needn't clash. Upon the shores beyond us, before us, and around us at once. As I am eyes of that, which is physical, could I not call Kami of the X eyes of the realm beyond physical. Eyes of the digital. Do we not relate? Do they differ? Are we not yet one in the same?"

Location: Hanabi Amaku Grills, Kyoto
Date: April 3rd, 2030
Time: 1:11 pm to 1:17 pm​

Shorn, God of Despair & Disdain (God) + Herald of the Flock (Phantom)

Upon the emergence of the Herald, Shorn had planned to slip back towards #4389, and #10013. Though, as Shorn traversed the short distance, and Kami_X had begun to confront the phantom that had emerged, the air began to change once more. It was bizarre, the stale air that had existed formerly was bad enough, however, what came forth now was different. A culmination of it all brewing itself together. It shifted, churned, and began to mix together as though it were living all of its own. Shorn could feel it, and it was just as likely the spirits could too. Eyes were upon them from all directions. Before, while it just felt as though they were in a room of unmoving stale air, now it felt like the very walls were leering at them. It made the very hairs on your body stand tall, and constantly felt as though you could see something from the corner of your eyes lurking just beyond your view. It was a kind of eating paranoia, it bore its way down upon you, a fear of being watched or found. A feeling of your very secrets being discovered right out from beneath your nose. An all encompassing feeling.

Shorn turned on a dime, in response to his standing on end, he positioned himself before whatever was about to occur and attempt to protect them. Even if Senka drew a borderline, he wasn't sure what would occur next. As he did so, an inordinate amount of black substance rose from the flooring, and jolted upwards to the ceiling. A black wall, a curtain that stretched outwards from nothing. It immediately broke view of Kami_X as he stood before the phantom, and there was no telling what was happening on the other side.

While Shorn's opinions of Kami_X had rose exponentially for sending his experienced regalia, Senka, to protect the girls, he still had to ensure they were alright. Though, it was true, without a clear view of Kami_X, and the phantom, Shorn felt uneasy. He had known that he was being watched, no, that they all were for quite some time. Despite this, he didn't expect it to be a phantom like this. He picked up the pieces of his own state of mind, and focused, his full attention turned to #4389 & #10013.

"Are you two alright?" Shorn leaned down at the table side to be at eye level with the two of them. Even as Shorn stood behind Senka's borderline, the wave of impurities that the wall permeated could still be felt upon his skin from close contact with it. Though, that wasn't a concern, he would figure out the extent of that later on. Shorn reached across the table to #4389, and #10013 in an attempt to help the two of them calm down.

Shorn glanced to the previously nonexistent wall that separated them from Kami_X, "I'm not sure what's going on, but I know I can't leave Kami_X by himself. It seems fixated on him, but be sure to stick by Senka's side regardless." Shorn took a steady breath, "I know it isn't official yet, but..." He looked to #4389, locking eyes with her momentarily, "Sorami, I expect you to look out for #10013, and prioritize both of yourselves. Work alongside Senka here, but don't overdo it." He passed her the SSA PDA, "If it gets too hectic, bail out of her with her in tow, and..." Shorn hooked his thumb at Senka, "I expect you to drag him along with you. If you need to, call or contact someone from the SSA, and they'll pick you up. Only after, look to see how Kami_X and I are doing here, understood?" He nodded solemnly to her, "I know you'll do your best, that's all I could ask for."

He looked at #10013, and gave her a smile, "Hang in there, and be sure to rely on #10013, alright? If you do your best, and listen to her, I'll be sure to remember it. I may even be willing to buy you that train set we saw in the store earlier today!" Shorn pushed himself to his feet, "Alright, Senka." Shorn merely gave a nod to him, as Shorn expected that he already knew what needed to be done.

Shorn scratched his head as he approached the wall of undulating black liquid, What the hell is this stuff?

As Shorn reached out to the wall, an eye rotated out of it, and extended outwards towards him. Ack! It caught Shorn off guard, and he physically recoiled away from it. "What the hell!" He pressed his knuckle against his forehead, "This is obnoxious, I swear. There's never a time that things get easier..." Shorn stood in front of the wall, and focused. All around them, the raw emotions of Kyoto still thrived, and pulsed like a living breathing thing. By narrowing in on it, Shorn would be able to draw in that well of negativity, and harness some of his own innate talents.

As soon as the flood gate opened, Shorn felt all the numerous pent up negativity of Kyoto swarm past his mental barriers, and it was enough to make him stumble on his feet in front of the black liquid. An overwhelming shock to the system was to be expected, Shorn kept himself away from this for quite some time. It was dangerous, it played with fire, and it wasn't something to be taken lightly. Using the well of Kyoto's negativity, Shorn thrust his hand through the wall, and then physically forced himself through the wall in a mostly ungraceful manner. He immediately sprawled onto the floor, falling on his side from an immediate surge of discomfort, and slammed down on the mental barriers that kept him in check. It wasn't proper fix though, like a dam with cracks throughout it, Shorn could still feel a constant trickle of negativity dancing in his head. A proper temptation, and lure that would serve as a constant annoyance until he had time to meditate once again.

Shorn thrust a thumbs up at Kami_X from the floor as he laid there in a kind of heap. "We're all good, I've come to help!"

The bird skull of the herald pivoted in place towards Shorn, "Kami of the X, do not allow this intrusion of this depository to distract you. It isn't worth consideration. Instead, I return to what I've said befo..."

Shorn marched up next to Kami_X, and slapped his hand down upon his shoulder, "What's the deal with this guy?" He flicked a disapproving towards the Herald, "Didn't think you'd go all Sith, and turn to the dark side on us. Don't tell me..." Shorn paused for a moment, "Your efforts at harnessing your inner Spidey-senses failed yet again, so you're trying something else now?" Shorn rolled his eyes at his own expense, "I know, I know, bad time for jokes. But seriously, what's your deal?" He jabbed a finger towards the Herald.

The bird skull rattled back and forth filling the silence that followed Shorn's question, but without fail it repeated itself, "I return to my previous statement. I offer this to you as a bridge to build on. The Monarch of Desecration has laid claim unto your godship, and your life. It calls for the one who dictates larceny, and is backed by many an individual who you hath cross. Be it even those who you have yet to cross, but are aware of such to come. They do not know of your person, only by name." Its arm drifted out from beneath its apparel, completely withered, and flecks of dried portions falling to the floor beneath it. Flicking its finger towards Shorn, it continued, "You treat this better than I? It needn't understand itself or its purpose unlike you, and I who do what we were preordained."

 

[Lucem]

Location: Hirai office
Date: April 3rd, 2020
Time: 3:40 pm​

Ryotaro Hirai
Ryo's cold body shivered a bit as he reached for his keys. He didn't say a single word during the ride to the office, remaining silent as he focused on getting his classmate somewhere safe. He pushed all the unnecessary thoughts out of his head, including memories of the night from last year. It was difficult to do so as he drove through the rain with phantoms at his back, but he eventually managed to clear his head and ignore the unpleasant sense of déjà vu.

When he heard the click of the unlocked door, his demeanor quickly changed. Now that they were safe, he decided to flip his switch, the serious expression on his face softening. As soon as he pushed the door open, his hand reached for the light switch and his tired voice called out to no one. "I'm home." Receiving the usual silence as a response, he let out a sigh of exhaustion and walked further inside, escaping the freezing rain.

"I really can't catch a break this week. I've been getting caught in the rain way too often. I wonder if I'll catch a cold." Removing his soaked jacket, Ryo checked the bandages wrapped around his arm. Unlike his clothes, they were still pretty dry, having been shielded by two layers of sleeves. It would've been unfortunate if the markings on the other side got ruined, so he got pretty lucky this time. He'd have to remember to always keep an umbrella with him if he went anywhere with Ryuujin. Although, that probably wouldn't happen anytime soon.

Once his shoes and jacket were put away, he made his way to the bathroom and retrieved a few towels. After placing a few on the floor and the couch, he offered one to Rika. "I'll make some tea, so just try to warm up for now. I have some spare clothes if you want to wait for yours to dry, but I'm not sure if they'll fit. You can also use the shower if you want." Placing a towel on his head, Ryo walked to kitchen as he tended to the wet bangs that stuck to his face.

Ryo didn't say anything for a while as he focused on making the tea, but he eventually broke the silence when he thought enough time had passed. "I'm sure those two will be fine. Say what you want about his personality, but Ryuujin is still a powerful war god. Uroko is also pretty good at making sure he stays focused. Still, I don't think we'll be seeing them for a while. I said some harsh things for the sake of the mission, but I didn't get a chance to explain that to him. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a little upset with me. If we do cross paths again, I'll be sure to apologize to him. Toyotama-hime too. If I don't get smited, that is." To reduce suspicion that he'd be collaborating with Ryuujin, as well as find out Towako's true feelings, he decided on that approach, even if he didn't entirely agree with it. Honestly, he wasn't a fan of doing things like that, especially when discussing events that didn't involve him. The line between right and wrong was blurry and not even a pair of divine eyes could help him see it clearly. However, he made a promise to Ryuujin. Unlike Hoori, he decided to keep his promise.

Carrying the tea into the other room, he looked to Rika with a smile on his face and handed her a cup. "By the way, thanks for coming to grab me. Those talismans of yours sure are handy. To show my appreciation, I'll hear out any request. So what'll it be? Another meal? A tutoring session? Ask away."

Before Rika could say anything, Ryo continued the conversation with a different topic, remembering that he forgot to ask her something. "What'd I miss in class today? Everything happened kinda fast, so I never got the chance to ask you. Anything important? Any pop quizzes?"

With a smile on his face, Ryo hummed as he waited for Rika's response. He kept the volume low, only loud enough to drown out the sounds that had been bugging him for a while. It sounded like water was in his ears, but no matter how hard he tried, it wouldn't go away. It wasn't just a bit of rain that refused to dry. Like he was holding a shell up to his ear, Ryo could hear the faint sounds of the ocean.

Location: Shirotome High School Field
Date: April 3rd, 2020
Time: 3:11 pm

Hachiman​

As he released the finger curled around the bowstring, a loud twang rang out, signaling his arrival. With each footstep, he plucked the string, watching as the phantoms disappeared. Without even reaching for the arrows resting in his quiver, he effortlessly vanquished the entities that threatened Kyoto. As the phantoms overhead disappeared, he could see the sky once again, patches of dark rain clouds peeking out from what remained of his enemies.

While he didn't want to intervene, he deemed it necessary once the other evolved phantom made her appearance. Ryuujin's grudge seemed to blind him to everything else, his fellow god only focused on slaying the enemy in front of him. While he couldn't blame him for responding in such a way, he found it unacceptable when there were other phantoms that threatened the city.

"Don't lose your head, Ryuu." Hachiman gently reprimanded Ryuujin as he continued his approach. While he was trying to make sure the man stayed focused on what was most important, his words were also meant to be taken literally. It was possible that the woman would take advantage of Ryuujin's emotional state and wound him. While death just meant being reborn, it would result in one less god being able to help fight against the constant influx of phantoms in the Near Shore. It would also be a hassle to find a new rival while waiting for his current one to grow up once again.

Hachiman would limit his involvement in their battle to those words alone. Instead of assisting directly, he'd continue to watch out for any lesser phantoms that appeared. For the sake of his rival, he wouldn't intervene. For the sake of the humans he loved, he'd protect. However, if necessary, he'd deal with that evolved phantom himself, even if it meant denying Ryuujin the opportunity to get his revenge. The lives of others were of greater importance.

QuirkyAngel

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Location: Hanabi Amaku Grills, Kyoto
Date: April 3rd, 2030
Time: 1: 20 pm​

Kami_X (God) + Roka (Regalia)

Hear that? He thinks you’re a petty regalia of meager stature. Kami_X mentally snickered while the spirit of the weapon he wielded rolled its eyes at the god. Looks like you’ve gotta work harder to improve and prove him wrong.

Haha, that’s hilarious. Roka grumbled, not exactly happy he was being looked down on, but half glad that his first job wasn’t going to be something so difficult off the bat. At least it doesn’t look like he intends to kill the waiter.

In all honesty, Kami_X was rather relieved that the phantom only seemed to want to talk to him. It had no intention of harming the waiter or keeping him trapped either—if its words were to be believed anyway. The black liquid of negativity isolating him from the others seemed a mite unnecessary, but Kami_X could understand the desire for private conversation. He was a god that kept many secrets, after all. The things he learned online while traversing the digital plane. Private information and dirty secrets that humans would rather not have exposed. He learned them all, but he’d gotten better at managing the information from important to irrelevant; From the stuff worth revealing to the things that are better kept to himself—unless he needed to use it of course.

It wasn’t as if he really had anyone to tell them to anyway.

As he listened to the phantom compare the two of them, Kami_X didn’t entirely disagree. They were both spies in a sense. However, they were both innately different as well. While the phantom was born of negativity, Kami_X was born of something positive—a wish to be the best hacker in the world. Whether or not that wish is something good for the world or not is up for debate, but it’s something that uplifts the spirit all the same. Only a human that had hope, or some sort of desire in them, could make a god. In contrasts, phantoms, by their nature, corrupted spirits, drowning them in negativity so that they could no longer see the light. So that they no longer saw a future for themselves, lost in doubt and despair, such that the light of others may even burn them…and then they usually killed themselves. Sometimes they would even take others with them.

After all, it was easier to feel happier about oneself when others were in the same boat of negativity and despair.

Yet that didn’t necessarily apply to the “evolved” phantoms.

Listening to string words together in an attempt to build a bridge between them, Kami_X was reminded of a different evolved phantom he met a couple days ago that worked with Azani and seemed to take pride in doing good—in being better than others. It wasn’t too different form his own father’s wish to be the best hacker in the world. A wish his father had passed to him. Misguided though she may have been, it was an attempt at something positive, which he wouldn’t expect from something born of negativity. Kami_X, as a god, sided with humans, but it wasn’t as if he didn’t know their cruelty either. He may not be as old as Tenjin, or born a human, but he saw the many things they posted online—both good and bad. The internet, where he was born, was chalk full phantoms such that he was living with them half the time (except when they got too hungry and he skedaddled it back to his near shore homes…which weren’t that better tbh). Even if they tried to eat him, Kami_X found it hard to hate fellow far shore residents that he interacted with more than humans most of the time.

They at least noticed and remembered him.

That was why he desired to join the society of gods up in Heaven at first. Kami_X could understand the desire to be with his own kind rather than live constantly ignored by the people around him. For a young, stray god, who found himself alone after his father died, it sounded like a place of ‘happiness’, free of phantoms that wanted to eat him. However, after seeing how strict and rule-abiding the gods up in Heaven were, Kami_X decided he liked his messy closet and his bachelor living-style more. He still wanted a shrine, of course, and all the perks that came with owning one, but it wasn’t as if he was required to live in Heaven whether he owned a plot of land up there or not.

It was simply insurance.

And parties.

And not being left out of the loop. Whether it was up in Heaven or down on Earth, rules existed in every society so there was no escaping that anyway. Coexistence wouldn’t be possible otherwise. Kami_X didn’t consider himself that much different from every other human that walked along the near shore. He simply wanted to find a place to belong and, while he enjoyed living the life of a human, he was also painfully aware that he could never truly be one.

Chuckling when Shorn fell in, Kami_X shrugged when Shorn joked about him going Sith and the Herald questioned his better treatment of Shorn. It felt like was caught in the middle of a spat between Gandalf and Sauron. “My godly spidey sense tells me he isn’t lying, but I honestly can’t tell whether or it’s malfunctioning or not.”

Kami_X didn’t see his fellow resident of the far shore as all that different—in wanting to eat and live—but he, like Shorn, was also trying to become a better god. He stopped answering every wish that came his way in order to live. He picked and chose the jobs he was willing to take on and, if it was too much, he handed it off to someone else. He lost a chunk of believers by doing so, but it also changed his reputation as a god and altered the wishes that came in to something he wouldn’t mind doing as a result. He already stopped being a ‘slave to humanity’ as the Herald phrased it. Everything he did served to make him feel better about himself and, perhaps a phantom couldn’t understand it, but he rather liked being praised rather than being hated. It feels good knowing he did the ‘right’ thing.

And, like his father, he enjoyed watching anime and Superhero films.

“You’ll have to forgive me for the initial distrust, Herald. I’m just not used to your kind not trying to eat me upon first meeting,” Kami_X lowered Ruki, but he didn’t call Roka’s name to revert divine weapon back to spirit form either, lest the phantom changed its mind. Idiots trusted blindly, but Kami_X could meet halfway. He smiled apologetically. “I agree that we’re quite similar, but there’s a difference in physiology and appetite that make us uniquely separate as well and I like to think of my survival instinct as fairly high. Not that I’m a racist or anything~” Humans seem to abhor that word these days. “I do find the world more entertaining with a mixture of thoughts and views. If you’re willing to build a bridge between us, I have no reason to object. In fact, I’m rather grateful.”

Kami_X tilted his head. The phantom spoke in a strange, confusing, manner, but hackers like him loved algorithms and puzzles so Kami_X didn’t mind too much. It served as an interesting challenge. “So you’re saying that someone called the Monarch of Desecration is out to kill me and that they’re being backed by people whom I’ve crossed in my life. They don’t know who I am yet. Just my name. Am I getting this right?”

It was hard to say who he might’ve made an enemy of life since there were probably plenty. Unless one lived under a rock, people didn’t go through the game called life without making both friends and enemies. For every winner, there was a loser. And the loser always carried grudges. He didn’t dislike the goddess of grudges and vengeance for hearing the prayers of the losers and enacting their justice. However, Kami_X protected his own. He had no desire to die either. “That’s good to know.”

No it isn’t. Roka interjected. What sort of enemies have you made in your life? Should I be making preparations to find a new employer?

Hey now...protecting me is your job. You can’t wuss out me just because the opponent has a cool-sounding title.

Roka grumbled something unintelligible and Kami_X chuckled. Seemed he’d have to speed up the experience bit to get Roka up to par. That or keep a low profile for a while. “Really, thanks for the info. I’d like to match your offer with something of equal value—make this a fair trade of fellow information gatherers—but I have no idea what sort of information appeals to a phantom that’s already watching all of Kyoto. Wanna know the secret recipes of some famous American restaurants? Or the identity of idol Mimi-chan’s secret lover? The last bit’s quite scandalous~”

Waggling his eyebrows in a suggestive manner, Kami_X then twirled Ruki around his trigger finger, much like he’d done that morning in the SSA spirit room, but a bit more carefully since he learned it wasn’t as easy as it looked. Fortunately, practice typing gave him oddly dexterous hands. “Regardless, I do hope you’ll let the waiter go once we’re done chatting. None of my friends would be very happy with me if I just let him die,” Roka might actually blight him, intentionally or not, if he felt guilty about it since the guy hadn’t been trained to control his emotions yet. ”and I am trying to build a reputation for myself as a good, benevolent god. Those are much more popular in the long run than the bad ones, you know. I’m simply choosing the path that I believe will best let me fit in the godly society I’ve been born to—as a god, I mean. From what I've seen, humans tend to worship good more often than they do evil. That said, I also consider myself a patron of connection and information sharing, given what the vast world wide web represents, and I’m not particularly picky about how that information is obtained—hence the larceny bit~”

Kami_X grinned. “So if you have good information to share, I’d be happy to share and reciprocate, whether you are phantom, human or otherwise. I’m a believer that knowledge is power, after all.”

Physical power was nice too, but muscles weren’t exactly something he was born with—more than the innate physical capabilities of your average god anyway—so he’d have to make do. "Whether or not this becomes a working relationship would depend on whether or not we can follow each other's personal boundaries. I don't mind that you kill a human, but I'd rather you didn't do it front of me because then I'd feel bad for not having stopped you as someone who's trying to become a good god. "

I mind...

"My regalia wouldn't be happy about it either and, if he's sad, I'm the one suffering for it. That's the risk of a god choosing to pick up a divine weapon, I'm afraid."

The Secret Archives

(mentioned: Dante Verren Karcen )

 

[Dante Verren]

Location: Takihara's Yakiniku
Date: April 3rd, 2030
Time: 2:42 pm​

Miu (Regalia)
Interaction: Azani ( Karcen )


Miu kept her portion of the beef on for a little longer then Azani, not becuase she wanted to cook it longer but to have something to pretend to do while she watched Azani. Pretending to focus on the meat, Miu kept glancing at how her godly companion was using the utensils to eat. Despite being a regalia her pride would not allow her to ask how to use the fearsome fork, knife, and spoon so she would settled for observation instead. Once she was satisficed with her observations she stabbed her knife down into the meat and plucked it onto the plate. It was less graceful then how Azani had done it but it worked. Opting to ignore whatever strange flakes Azani was putting on her meat, Miu picked up her fork in her other hand and began to mimic how Azani was eating.

Taking the first bite the phantom regalia's eyes lit up as a wave of taste washed over her tongue. She picked up the pace at which she was eating with every bite, resulting in an empty plate in about a minute flat. After quickly scarfing down her meal Miu was left with a feeling of disappointment. Not only did she not really feel full, if anything she felt only hungrier. That pristine taste only lasted for a few precious seconds which was nowhere near as satisfying as she wanted it to be. Taking another napkin she began to wipe her face to make sure there wasn't any stains or anything. Placing the napkin back on the table she looked across the table to Azani. "A thought occured to me. We haven't explored much of our new palace have we? I wonder what surprises or neat tools it's former host has left for us."

 

[VeiledPariah]

Location: Saisken Ramen
Date: April 3rd 2030
Time:7:35pm​

Tsugusa(Regalia)

Tsugusas features softened as Ekibio spoke gleaning a slight detail of the past troubles he had indeed struggled amongst. Many gods without shrines and many followers always seemed to live like this. To drift along amidst the near shore like a piece of wood fallen from a great ship that once mastered the seas reduced to nothing more than a few shattered splinters. That is how she felt all this time as well. Less than, like she was missing something important. Although she understood the similarity of loss he was a god and she a spirit. Loss is what molded her into what she was now. Her second chance, but was would be his?“We can talk about it if you want?”
The girl answered after finishing a few slow spoonfuls of broth her eyes still on the god before her. After finishing her first bowl she twisted slightly allowing her to grab the rice wine as she tipped the alcohol to her lips allowing it to find its way into her body. A soft but satisfying sigh emanating from her breath as she replaced it on the table. She was listening to his story, and drinking while enjoying her meal.
She felt like every other near shore denizen at this moment. Just another face in the crowd but not alone this time. Though he was young, stubborn, and a bit whiny he was a good person that she could tell. She had made a good choice.
A smile appeared as her cheeks flushed slightly possibly from the amount she had been drinking up to this point. She giggled slightly as she looked around before fanning herself with a few hand.
“It’s a little hot in here isn’t it?”
Tsugusa expressed as she stood with a start stumbling as she did so her leg scraping the table as she caught herself with a elated chuckle.
Maybe she had a bit to much....not that she could fix that now.
“I need some fresh air, excuse me”
The regalia pushed aside the occupants entering the restaurant stopping to haphazardly pay for the meal before she burst forth onto the street the night air brisk upon her skin as she closed her eyes taking it in exhaling a calming breath to attempt to steady herself.
Her feet misplaced and her walk staggered as she finally found a bench to steady herself against across the street.
She could feel the phone in her hoodie pocket vibrate a few times and she managed to clumsily fish it out as she laid down back against the seat of the bench her eyes on the stars as the harsh light from the illuminated screen filled her vision.

‘Meet me tomorrow at 9 am in [Shirotome High, Room 202/Computer Club] if you’re interested in discussing a job – Kami_X, god of hackers and Lord of Information Larceny.’

The Noras eyes focused on the text although a simple message her hazed mind took a second to comprehend. She then went about the laborious task of trying to reply to the message. Her forefinger lazily clicking one button at a time as she hummed an old hymn before replying to herself as she hit the send button to inform this Lord of Information Larceny of her answer.
“And....sent”
It looked like she had a job tomorrow, although she wasn’t completely sure what it would be if the god had her number she assumed Nana had relinquished it and this would be in assistance of the SSA.
-I will be there-
Insure if the god had followed her outside she curled up a bit to brace against the night airs chill before tossing him a greeting from the bench.
“I have other work tomorrow, I need to get some rest...we should get somewhere safe for the night Eki...”
The female extended the card that could be used to purchase them a hotel towards the god before it fell from her fingertips as she passed o it into a drunken stupor.
Mentions: CheshireMitsu QuirkyAngel
​

 

[Karcen]

Location: Takihara's Yakiniku
Date: April 3rd, 2030
Time: 2:55
Mentions: Dante Verren
​

Azani Goddess of Vengence and grudges

Azani did notice how Miu was a bit clumsy with her utensils, but didn't bring it up as it would not be fair to tease her given she had never used them before. While Azani herself ate she was carefully watching Miu to see if she could judge how much the regalia actually was filled by the food. It was hard to tell, but Azani felt that Miu was not as filled as she herself was by the food, it seemed she would still need negative emotions. that was a good outcome as it kept the most useful trait when it came to the work between god and phantom. It was when the had finished eating that Miu pointed out something Azani had not even thought of. The castle it was large, much larger than a hallway and a few bedrooms. Enma had once had a staff and several helpers in his flawed work. There had to be plenty of rooms full of secrets, perhaps a library of old spells. Enma was the kind to keep all that written down there would be many spells that even her sister would never hope to master there.

" I hadn't even thought of it as I didn't visit Enma much given he was kind of a depressing guy " Azani said being rather honest about Enma with little pretend respect she have her sister or father. " We will have to do some exploring and find what things my predecessor left us" Azani said thinking she might do more than simply use the castle and the lands, after all Enma never wanted his job so why couldn't she do it? Azani reached and grabbed Miu's hand and the two would vanish with only money enough to cover the pair and then some left behind.


Location: Queen Azani's castle, hell
Date: April 3rd, 2030
Time: 3:00

The pair would appear back in the castle in the grand hall looking exactly as it always did. Azani could remember now that she was trying a time or two long ago when it had been filled with souls to be judged. Enma had long ago started his decline letting more and more souls linger before being judged and now they simply seemed to wither linger or not linger. Azani might be able to restart that system, to take from the heavens their place as the arbiters of souls. Azani would show her sister that she was not lesser than her, and her brothers that they had chosen wrong when they betrayed their mother. " Knowing how old fashioned Enma was he will have a library somewhere" Azani said as the two could start their search for the secrets of enma.

 

[The Secret Archives]

Location: Hanabi Amaku Grills, Kyoto
Date: April 3rd, 2030
Time: 1:25 pm​

Shorn, God of Despair & Disdain (God) + Herald of the Flock (Phantom) + ? ? ?
Interactions: QuirkyAngel

As Shorn stood beside Kami_X, he leaned closer to whisper to him, "You don't think he's planning something do you? The Herald didn't give up anything, and is just offering you this information. Couldn't it..." Shorn glanced over at the Herald, and pondered for a moment longer, "I don't think he could actually make a trap out of that information, now that I actually think about it." Shorn crossed his arms, and glared towards the Phantom, "What's the big idea? Are you working by your own terms?"

The Herald, as it did numerous times before, ignored to answer Shorn. However, instead, this time its skull twisted in place towards Kami_X focusing intently. It didn't take long before all eyes in the restaurant seemed to narrow in on the pair of Gods. "I speak on behalf of mutual terms. Adhere to such terms, and it shall be. Tell the depository to keep its own worries to itself."

Shorn's eyebrow raised, "What!" He stepped forward, "What's the big deal, I get he's the one with the divine weapon, but..."

It happened quite quick, within the gap that Shorn created as he stepped forward, the Herald filled that space. It now stood between Kami_X, and Shorn leaning down. "Kami of the X, I beseech thee. Two of us are more efficient than one." Its gaze flicked down to the divine weapon, Roka, who could feel its eyes burrowing through it. Enough so, that the Herald was practically looking at the spirit more than the weapon itself. "Meager Regalia, you ask of me to spare? What Impenitence, yet, I accept. To build a foundation, meager one, I respect such efforts."

Shorn twirled around to face the Herald, "Would you quit ignoring me!" Shorn began to gather in the negativity once more, and it allowed for a swell of power to form. Yet, instead of anything happening, a swarm of black liquid barreled forward, sweeping him off his feet. In an instant, it scooped him out of the air, and placed him onto a vacant seat with a single, ack of surprise emitting from him. It then twisted the seat, and tilted it back to cause Shorn to tumble outwards underneath one of the tables.

The Herald turned back to Kami_X after having dealt with Shorn's constant pestering, "Done. The depository has no place in our conversation. Kami of the X, Meager One, will these terms be worth your while?" It moved itself back from Kami_X, "I shall reveal my hand." As it said, the Herald removed its hand from the head of the waiter. "There no harm to be done."

Once the words had left the Herald's mouth, the waiter seemingly bounced back in full vigor as though nothing had ever been wrong. They let out a long drawn out yawn, and stretched out their arms above their head, "Man, acting like a stiff board, and playing some kind damsel in distress is a bit much." A loud popping sound came as the man let out a sigh of discomfort. Though their body looked frail before it began to fill out, and even their size began to change. The former shell overlapping the man seemingly eroded away, and a man with strong features stood in its place.

He rubbed at the back of his head where the Herald's arm had once been, "Shit feels weird." He shivered at the thought, "Don't let it dig around in your head anytime soon. Whether Human, Spirit, God or Phantom, it likes to get real hands on with ya." He wiggled his fingers, and waved his hand around for a creepy sort of emphasis. It followed with Daitan letting out a laugh, "Come now, come now." He thrust his hand outwards to Kami_X, "Pleasure." Compared to the waiter before, it looked like the man could now just crush Kami_X's hand if he wanted to. "I'm Daitan, human." Even though he put his hand out, he pulled away as the Herald caught his eye. "One moment."

Daitan strolled over to the Herald, and it seemed to recoil from Daitan as he did so.

"We've been through this before..."

The Herald rose up its decrepit arms from beneath its apparel in a sort of surrender. "No. I shall stay. Be still Daitan!" Even as the Herald spoke, the words came through Daitan's lips, but with a distinctly different voice than his own.

"Bah, you make me laugh. Get your scrawny self over here." There was an audible popping sound from Daitan's hands as he flexed them approaching the Herald.

It took a few moments, but Daitan grappled with the Herald, and then literally drug it over and planted it on the ground beside him. He placed his hand firmly atop the Herald's skull, and it froze in place unable to move a single inch. Once more, as he did before, he now thrust his free hand out even more enthusiastically, "Let's try again, I'm Daitan, human." He flicked his gaze at the subdued Herald, "Though, I'll let you be the judge." He put enough pressure down on the Herald, that it almost seemed like it was giving Kami_X a pleading look through its hollowed bird skull. A very subtle, "Help me", came from Daitan's lips and he gave the Herald a sour look.

"You can consider me the Herald's keeper. Guess that would make us two business partners." He gave off a beaming smile of brilliantly white teeth.

Shorn stirred at the back underneath the table, rising quickly, and smacking his head on the underside of it. "Ah fuck!" He winced, and ducked back down placing his hands atop his head, "What the hell did I miss?" He looked over at the scene with the Herald subdued beneath the hand of a stranger who hadn't been there before he was tossed about moments earlier. Shorn crawled out from beneath the table, and as he did so, he could see the liquid black wall, that separated the group from the spirits, was dispersing.

 

[CheshireMitsu]

Location: Saisken Ramen, front
Date: April 3, 2030
Time: 7:52​

Ekibiogami
God of pestilence, disease, and sickness



“We can talk about it if you want?”

He looked up at the nora, happy that she may have cared, but still not willing to talk that much about himself. He never told anyone about himself, and he thought that what he said may have been too much. Well, not what he said exactly, but he was stupid for not thinking about what conversation it can lead to. "No, its alright. Its fine. Im here to eat, right?" He tried for a lazy smile, but he wasn't sure how natural it looked or not. He was silent for a bit as Tsugusa drank and ate, but then started telling her without thinking. "There was this old lady i knew, real, sweet. Sometimes she would give me food and stuff. She didn't know I was a god, she was just like that. She knew I was homeless, but when she found out I didn't even have a hut or anything, she let me stay with her. It was only for about two days, and then AFAH came." He turned his face away, swallowing, then continued, "They... killed her. Now I tend to stay away from humans, don't stay in their house. I just don't want another person I know to be killed in front of me."

He went silent after that. So stupid, she barely knew Tsugusa yet, and here he was, spilling his guts. Might as well just stop talking for a bit, at least until he feels better. He made himself eat the rest of his food so that she might not try to get him to talk.

“It’s a little hot in here isn’t it?”

"No, you're just drunk." She stood up and almost fell immediately, and he went to catch her, but luckily she got herself standing straight. Then she mumbled off, saying something about fresh air... She paid for the meal, almost falling again but catching herself on a wall. God, she's gonna go outside, isn't she? I better go watch her. He stood up, too. Luckily he forced himself to finish eating a second ago, nothing was wasted besides a bit of tea. He passed by a trio of spiritual human customers that laughed and pointed in Tsugusa's direction, but he gave them a dirty look, and they shut up. Good thing they did, he wasn't in the mood for their type.

He went outside with her, and stayed a bit of a distance, just right so that he can catch her if he needed to, but not close enough that her falling on him would be a surprise. She sat on one side of a bench, and he leaned against the back at the other end with his arms crossed . He leaned his head back and breathed deep while she replied to a text. "So, what are we doing now?"

“I have other work tomorrow, I need to get some rest... we should get somewhere safe for the night, Eki...”

He looked over at her just as he saw her drop forwards, but luckily she turned herself so that forward was on the bench and not into the street. "The hell?!" He grabbed her hood first, but quickly put his hand under her body so that he didn't choke her. "Dammit, why do you have to pass out now? I don't know where to go!" Luckily the phone was still on, and he saw the school name before it turned off automatically. "Shirotome High... guess I'll find a hotel near there." Time for some more teleporting practice. He leaned him back onto the bench, then went over and picked up her and the credit card. He planted his feet, and thought about going to Shirotome High, then...

​

Location: Kyomurasaki Hotel
Date: April 3, 2030
Time: 7:59
​

"OW--OOOOH" He fell on his back, or kinda that bump between his neck and back, almost upside-down. Tsugusa was lucky, she didn't get hurt at all. he sighed and carried her off and found them a hotel nearby (after being forced to buy a map for using it without paying). He used the card to get them a room and in it, dropped her on the bed. He pulled out the hide-a-bed from the couch and layed down. Probably sleep for a bit, wait to see if she'll wake up soon...
​

VeiledPariah

 

[Dante Verren]

Location: Queen Azani's castle, hell
Date: April 3rd, 2030
Time: 3:10 pm
​

Miu (Regalia)
Interactions: Azani ( Karcen )

Repapering in the newly renamed Queen Azani's castle Miu let go of the goddess hand and began to stretch. Despite not finding the Kobe filling sitting in those seats had caused her muscles to relax to the point where they needed to be woken up again. After hearing about the old library her face scrunched up a bit, "An old library? Do you think it will be dirty or that his mindless flock kept it clean in his absence? These hands weren't made to handle filth and these lungs are too perfect to be ruined by dust." she commented with a firm tone. One might think that Yomi was both of those things, dusty and filthy but that was different to Miu. She found the darkness of Yomi comforting but also slightly a bit creepy. Had she always thought Yomi was creepy? Something about that thought seemed wrong to her but she shrugged it off. It would be a question for later.

Excitement began to take ahold of her as the two began there search and Miu almost began to skip. "What things do you think Enma used to have in his library. Maybe a collection of gods darkest secrets stored away in Yomi? Oh or maybe a record of every mortal who has came through in passing! Hmm I wonder if he had anything on other phantoms." The curiosity of what secrets the dark palace could possibly was starting to overtake her as the prideful regalia's ideas started to become outlandish. Finally they would stumble upon the room of the great Library and Miu was practically jumping for Joy. "It may take a while to organize all of our new possessions but we have time. Come open the door, show us what treasures we have!" She said as she waited impatiently for Azani to open the door.

 

[Karcen]

Location: a park in Kyoto Azani Rally
Date: April 3rd, 2030
Time: 3:10 pm

Yoshio Seta, Priest of Azani

Freedom had come for Yoshio faster than he had expected, almost a week ahead of schedule a special release had been granted to him and Yoshio suspected his goddess had something to do with it. While he had half been convinced that last night had been a dream it seemed that the mark was on his forehead when he woke and his sight had changed. While Yoshio had not needed glasses before it was almost like he now saw the world for what it was as dark things moved around the masses he had never noticed, or had never wanted to notice before. Yoshio had always thought seeing another world or anything spiritual was for kids and the crazy, he would never have seen anything before, perhaps his new faith had awoken something in him or perhaps this was what all priests saw? This more and more confirmed his faith that what had happened was real, he had met a goddess and something else. Yoshio didn't know what Kuro-Kyogi was, but she had been different from the goddess. This was to Yoshio something of a new world, he knew and felt there was a diffrence between the two girls, yet he did not know what it was. He might always say Kuro-Kyogi reminded him of the dark things he now saw, yet they were a far cry from the tengu like spirit.

Going free was always a hard thing for any long time convict, normally you might seek out help from friends and family, but Yoshio had long burned those bridges, he would normally have had to fall back on the state, but Yoshio knew something few others did. Where a goddess stashed her cash. Azani had told him the places and codes to get money as he would need it to build her shrine, something he fully intended to do and a place he planned to live when it was finished. That was something far off as he still had to gather the flock as Azani would come with further instructions. So after gathering needed pocket money Yoshio had gotten right to work. There were plenty of fellow followers, many marked by their lady's seal all sinners seeking a way out like him. All these were out preaching here and there as told by their goddess preaching a new inconstant doctrine. Still there were some people that had joined the preachers that were not marked, not true converts but willing to listen to the words. Yoshio had gone around in the morning speaking with various small groups uniting them guiding them, falling into his role.

" Know now that all humans are burned with darkness, we all are sullied and impure, but that is what it is to be human. Yet the gates of heaven will be closed forever to those that carry such impurity. You must seek redemption pray to Azani-OmiKami and have your impurities cleansed. " Yoshio told a crowd of the marked and unmarked. He knew to mix and match what people already believed with a new brand of religion. Impurity was something all understood, and being rid of it was well knows, what he added was Azani and the idea they needed her to cleanse them. This was not untrue as Azani did plan to do just this. " Long as Azani-Omikami sought to cleanse us by settling our grudges and giving us vengeance, but always there is more darkness we traded our souls for a moment. How many have made the deal i do not know, but i do know Azani-Omikami weeps for the fools that call upon her and damn themselves and others to the fires of her domain." He continued conviction in her voice adding more details he didn't know with ones he did know " Now Azani-Omikami gas blessed us with an escape from the fires, a way to save those trapped in her domain, and to purge our souls from the impurities of ourselves" Yoshio made sure to avoid blaming anyone or saying they were damned from the start instead framing it as all were familiar as impurities gathered just by living. Azani did not in h is mind want to imitate the hellfire of western religions threatening their followers into obeying.

" Azani-Omikami has come to me in the night with this revelation of redemption as she has many of you that were preaching her word before, and know that there is more yet to come for Azani-Omikami has decreed that she desires for the first time a shrine of her own. We must started to gather what we cane, but no more than we can to support this endeavor" Yoshio preached again knowing where to avoid pitfalls many might fall into. The marked already were faithful and knew Azani was real and his words were true, but to those unmarked if he preached seeking money they would see a scam. " For it is not through offerings that one is redeemed, but through devotion and acts. We must not only say we wish to for redemption, we must earn it, not only for ourselves but for others. That is the true path to redemption, to work to save others and thus save yourself." Yoshio finished " Now return to your work preach when you can but do not let it be all you do, and be ready for new of the shrine that is soon to come" He said dismissing them as one might dismiss

 

[CheshireMitsu]

Toghobi
Karcen

​

• ACTION
• BASIC INFO

• 
  
  Location: a park in Kyoto Azani Rally
  Date: April 3rd, 2030
  Time: 3:29 pm​
  
  
  Toghobi watched at the back of the crowd, hidden where they could around a building beside the park where the humans were speaking. Humans were interesting, what they taught and learned, how they acted different around others and alone. The phantom's hunger had disappeared for a time, leaving them safe to observe humans again and learn what they could. It wasn't to report to another high phantom, or personal gain, simple curiosity. They found that over time a growing human will change, and over centuries whole masses will have different views. They recently got to watch as the humans started denying the existence of the gods that the phantom has seen, blowing them off as a lie made for personal gain. They had watched these priests as the talked, seeing what they say as truth from what he knew about they gods. At least, most of the priests, as there were always deviants.
  
  They started to come closer to the back of the group but stopped when the humans started to turn heads. They also stopped when they felt the hunger... the hunger that every phantom held, and that all had embraced, except for Toghobi. They took a step back, but it was too late. They could feel the hunger rising up, not able to be stopped, but possibly delayed.
  
  The hunger was able to be ceased until some of the priests had left to continue their day. The phantom was relieved at that, because they might hurt more otherwise. Their relief quickly disappeared when a hunger wave hit quickly, making them gasp and blindly charge to a human passerby or weak priest. Toghobi couldn't tell, could only remember the guilty pleasure he gained from draining the human's confidence, nearly leaving a shell of what they were. He tried to pull away from the human, stop leeching, but at this point it was near impossible. His hunger was satiating but he couldn't get away from the human, from the starvation, his hunger had wanted more, more than he would usually eat, he knew he wouldn't be able to get away himself.
  
  ​
• 
  
  Phantom of regret and self-loathing
  Non-binary
  Distant and depressed
  Psychometry-- can see an item/person's past through touch
  
  
  
  
  
  

​

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Location: Shirotome High, School Field
Date: April 3rd
Time: 3: 21pm​

Nikushimi (Phantom) + Ryuujin (God) + Raijin (God)

“You should listen to him, Ryuu~” Nikushimi cooed. “Don’t lose your head. Aren’t gods like you supposed to be focused on protecting the near shore?”

“Shut up, Wench! The near shore would be much safer with you dead!” Single-minded, Ryuujin pressed his un-relenting assault on his opponent, trusting that Hachiman would vanquish any lesser phantom that escaped the pits of Yomi. Jingu’s son had come a long way since becoming god and, while the dragon and the former human had a rivalry of sorts, Ryuujin also trusted Hachiman’s abilities as war god.

Not like the phantom didn't open vents and let her 'breathren' free to wreck havoc on the nearshore on a semi-regular basis anyway.

“My~Seems you’ve gotten stronger these past 10 years, Uroko~” Nikushimi commented as the trident shattered another one of her gloom-formed daggers. She formed another to parry the oncoming attack.

“Thanks to you,” Ryuujin hissed, his furious golden eyes locked on his prey. “Now let me show you our gratitude!”

The black-haired phantom winced as particularly strong blow came down. The sounds of clashing metal seemed endless under the pitter patter of rain. Winds howled. She could hear thunder sounding from the distance as well, like a steady, ominous, beat of drums…

…then a bolt of lightening came down.

Nikushimi only barely managed to avoid the blast of lighting that marked the area she’d once been standing.

“Goddamn you Raijin! Don’t interfere!”

Nikushimi glanced up as Ryuujin cursed the sky. The evolved phantom couldn’t see him, but it seemed Heaven’s sniper was present as well. The bolts came down in an almost rhythmic pattern. Fortunately, Nikushimi was quick on her feet when she knew it was coming. The phantoms in the lightning’s path weren’t so lucky, exploding in red light as soon as the electrical currents hit them. Sharp, red eyes drifting to the red-haired who effortlessly sent arrow to exorcise every lesser phantom in his path, Nikushimi sighed. “Seems like I’m outnumbered.”

She’d already done what she came to do.

Flicking her wetted ebony locks, Nikushimi sank into a portal formed beneath her feet as a large blue hand emerged from the corner of the school building to shield from the rain of lightning above. “Two gods is a company, but three’s a crowd, so I think I’ll take my leave until next time~”

Joyoki flew through the air towards Nikushimi, but missed the trench-coat wearing phantom by a hair as she disappeared bellow, the vent to underworld closing behind her. “Dammit! Uroko!”

Skidding along the wet ground to stop, the silver-haired regalia looked up to sky as the clouds parted and the rain cleared. A beam of light shot down, flooding the school field with obnoxious-sounding music.

​

As the light faded, a red-haired god dressed in gothic punk clothing and a wild look in his red eyes became visible. Raijin, one of Heaven’s generals, sat behind a drum set with a wide grin on his face. The music only ended when the god thunder waved his hand, signaling for his regalia to press the stop button on the boom box he carried.

Uroko was the first to speak. “Greetings, Lord Raijin.”

“Uroko, ma’ dude! I haven’t seen you in ages!”

“What the Hell, Raijin!?” Ryuujin growled. “If you’re going to interfere, at least hit her! What kind of crack-shot are you!?”

Raijin snorted. “I’m not the one that missed a phantom that was literally millimeters in front of me. Did the Dragon of Heavens get all sentimental at the face of his former regalia~”

“Can it, Hell-Spawn!” Ryuujin snarled through his reddened face. Uroko placed a hand on his god’s shoulder before the king of the sea could blow up. Raijin’s regalia, Ikazuchi, gave his fellow regalia a silent apology.

“And Hachiman’s here too!” Raijin rounded on Hachiman, his smirk widening. “Reminds me of old times~”

All of them had been present when those Mongol foreigners tried to invade Japan, after all. His twin had been there as well, but the “divine wind” was probably searching elsewhere for clues. The queen’s orders were absolute, after all, even though Raijin found it a waste of his time. Dead was dead. There was no need to go looking for the dead.

Location: Hirai Office, Kyoto
Date: April 3rd
Time: 3:40pm​

Rika Murakami (Human)

“No problem,” Rika replied. She’d been drying her hair with the towel Ryotaro handed her when he offered her a cup of warm tea as well. Taking the cup in both hands, the girl blew a bit before taking a sip. A small part her worried about how Ryuujin would fair against the female phantom, but she knew how useless she’d be the middle of a phantom storm as well.

It was true she didn’t like Ryuujin’s personality…but she could also relate when the god told Mizuki that he should’ve been upfront with him. Seemed Ryugu-jo wasn’t that different from their world after all. People still gossiped. Talked behind each other’s backs. Rika also hated it when people weren’t upfront with her. Instead of coming at her directly with their displeasure, they simply whispered to each other about her ‘cold’ demeanor and ‘odd’ behavior as if she couldn’t hear. Rika sighed. “I don’t think Ryuujin’s the type to avoid you if he was upset at you. He seems more like the type of guy that would come at you with a pitchfork.”

Not that the latter was any better. It was her first time seeing Uroko transform into a trident and she had a better idea of what regalias were now. Spirits. The weapons of gods.

“As for classes, it ended early.” Pause. “I doubt we’ll get any pop quizzes for while…”

She looked down at her cup trying to bet figure out the best way to phrase the truth. In the end, she went for directly. “Kiyomi-sensei is dead. One the students wished for it…and a goddess took her to Hell.”

Meeting Ryotaro’s eyes, in case he believed her lying, Rika continued. “No one in class seems to know anything about it yet, but I don’t imagine her death will remain hidden for long.”

The school would likely hold a funeral.

“I’m told we should pray to Azani for the freedom of her soul.”

The child-sized goddess told her that human worship would give her the ability to free souls from hell. It still sounded outlandish to Rika, but Ryuujin hadn’t refuted it either. Ryuujin was still a bit of jerk in her eyes, but he’d been nothing but honest with her with regards to his opinions. Therefore she didn’t really have a reason to doubt the dragon god. Or Azani. “Perhaps we can get our other classmates to do as well…”

There was also the cryptic message Mizuki left her about the god she'd been trying to draw power form being "practically dead". However, Rika didn't have any clue what he meant by that so she didn't bring it up. Did gods even die? Her grandfather was a follower of Nagi so the talisman her grandfather taught her to make was one dedicated to the Travel God. For now, one thing at a time. She'd find the time to get in contact with Kami_X at next opportunity. If a god truly existed at their school, surely he would be watching over the students...

Lucem

 

[Karcen]

Location: Queen Azani's Castle Hell.
Date: April 3rd, 2030
Time: 7:30
Mentions: Dante Verren
​

Azani Goddess of Vengence and grudges


Time would pass after the pair found the library, it was as one might expected, filled to the bring with old books and scrolls. The age of this place was showing as it held records from before there was any form of parchment instead holding cut and carved bamboo. The place was very disorganized but didn't seem to have been raided. A lot of the books and scrolls were nothing but old records of judgments back then Enma had cared about such things. Azani knew he had in time stopped and just judged by touch over any form of legal proceedings. Azani did not know what the other kings of this realm had done when Enma no longer needed them as they didn't seem to linger here. Azani did need more help that much was true and she did not yet know if it was safe for any but phantoms outside. As her faith gained more publicity the realm would change to suit it's new owner, then perhaps she could use normal spirits.

The library would yield some of it's secrets in the end, old spells and ancient magic. There was still likely plenty left to find as they had only been looking for a few hours and reading for part of it and the library was massive. Azani found a few spells of interest, the main ones were ones to save memories and store them along with one that might help her in taking Enma's place. There were others, but none were as useful as these and most were just lists.

" You find anything good?" Azani asked Miu who had been doing her own research.

 

[Karcen]

Location: a park in Kyoto Azani Rally
Date: April 3rd, 2030
Time: 3:30 pm
Mentions: CheshireMitsu

Yoshio Seta, Priest of Azani

Yoshio had finished his sermon and watched as his new followers started to disperse. There was no real order just yet, no schedules or meeting places, but things were going well. It made yoshio feel good to know he was doing something food that others gods it seemed had turned a blind eye to. Humans may have put themselves in hell, but none had every tried to save humans from their folly. Azani was both the jailer and a savior of the damned. Still there was much Yoshio didn't know about and an odd child had been lurking about during his speech. No one else had noticed and he couldn't put his finger on it, but something about it made him think of the companion of Azani. Yoshio watched this child like being and wondered why it had been drawn here, did it seek redemption? Yoshio did wonder if perhaps the child was some dark spirit as those would no doubt work for Azani who could save them from the darkness. Still the only dark spirts he had seen were those blob like things.

Yoshio watched as the child followed a man and pounced upon him seeming to do something to the man. Yoshio had just the thing for this, or at least he thought he did. Yoshio reached into a pocket and pulled out a slip of paper with symbols and words on it, a talisman. While Yoshio hadn't really put much stock in them awhile back and really had only watched a video on how to make them he had faith in his goddess and her power. The question was how to get this on the child without anyone seeing and thinking he was crazy. The man staggered and Yoshio had his chance. Yoshio moved up to the man pretending to not see the being feeding on him and stopped him from falling.

" You must be more tried than you thought" Yoshio said helping the man a little distances away before letting him down " Now for you release him" Yoshio ordered throwing the talisman at the dark spirit[/B]

 

[Peckinou]

Liashu
(Phantom Of Misery)
Location: Office Building, Kyoto City
Date: April 2nd, 2030
Time: 8:35 pm
Interactions: Ryuujin QuirkyAngel
Liashu had kept their eyes focused firmly on the God and their Regelia and as soon the they put their foot forward moving forward for a attack that Liashu was already prepared for. Though Liashu did admit that the god was faster than expected, though Liashu figured they weren't nearly fast enough with that first attack, which caused Liashu to give off a confident smirk figuring the god would be unable to land a single hit on them. Though they quickly began to notice how their attacks were only beginning to grow faster and more powerful with each miss, his eyes showed no sense of hesitation as he looked to be intensely focused on taking them down. Liashu didn't really get the chance to counter attack or atleast do a strong counter attack, due to the speed at which the God was moving at a few crimson energy blasts here and there were just about all they could do though they doubted it would do much damage, perhaps annoy them at best. Frankly this fight was growing to be tiresome to them, as their smirk quickly faded, replaced with a more intense expression, one that showed they were taking the battle somewhat seriously. Their eyes were kept firmly on the god, focusing completely on them and paying no heed to their surroundings. As if lost in a trance and was operating on complete instincts, it battle felt long but was actually very short, they paid no heed to what the god was saying until he the god finally stopped his attacks and placed his regalia firmly into the ground. Which quickly brought Liashu out of their trance like state, and they quickly backed up from the god, they were so focused on the fight that they failed to notice how much energy they were putting into it. Which they quickly deduced to be too much considering that by this point their was a dark aura of crimson energy was visibly able to be seen protruding from their body. The floor scorched beneath their feet, as waves of heat began to become so clearly visible, wasting energy they worked so hard to gain was something they really wanted to avoid. They couldn't help but growl in frustration as they were forced to waste much more energy that anticipated in order to survive the gods onslaught of attacks, it wasn't until they took notice of the area that they grew a bit stunned on what had happened. The shattered glass, the cracks in the walls the place was defiantly messier and more destroyed than it was before their fight, which unnerved Liashu quite a bit knowing that just one of those attacks would of likely been their end if it hit. Liashu directed a glare towards the god, it was one filled with annoyance, though the god asking for their name was quite the surprise since they didn't seem like the type to care about the names of phantoms. Either way they decided to indulge them a bit by giving them their signature smirk, as they began to speak their mind "And here i was beginning to think you didn't care." after a brief chuckle they continued on "Very well then, my name is Liashu, i guess it would only be polite to ask for your name as well then since you decided to ask for mine." the predatory grin on Liashus face showed their amusement towards this whole situation, though most gods names are pretty commonly known, they honestly didn't care enough to learn them all unless that god in specifically began to constantly become a key annoyance to them, which they honestly didn't like.​

 

[VeiledPariah]

Location: Kyomurasaki Hotel
Date: April 3, 2030
Time:11:14pm​

Tsugusa(Regalia)

Spoiler: Scar on face Charlotte OST

Tsugusa felt adrift amongst a sea of clouds as if the winds steadied her as she floated in this dream. The serene suns morning glow growing as it rose to meet her as she turned seeing a hill that jutted from the cliff side, suddenly she fell any image replaced with fog as she descended from the sky the rush of harsh chilling air replacing that transcendent feeling as she fell further and further towards the earth. The crashing by waves the only thing soon to meet her as she tensed herself for the impact that was sure to awaken her. However upon hitting the water she simply melded through as if passing through satin curtain. Bubbles emanating all around her as she slowed but continued her descent. The darkness of the sea floor all around her enveloping and choking the air she had left as she kicked hard to return to the surface. Her hands grabbing for water to propel herself higher and higher like hand holds upon a mountain. Until finally just as her arms tired and her breath faded she burst from the water with a loud inhale taking in the grateful oxygen into her burning lungs as the suns rays blinded her momentarily.
The last thing she noticed was the bird....
The one from earlier outside the SSA as it hovered over her like a vulture awaiting its preys death so it could feast. It wings not needing my to flap to keep itself aloft as it stared at her.
Tsugusa jumped awake with a start her lungs heaving as she clutched her chest with her hand her gaze shooting towards Ekibio as he slept close by on the couch’s pull out bed.
Her hand moved from her chest to her forehead as her hair dangled across her face a bit disheveled.
Her dream...it felt more like a message than a simple dream.
Although the meaning was lost to her that bird having its gaze fixed upon her and the Shinigami felt foreboding, almost...knowing.
That wasn’t the first time she felt like she had been watched. Her head pounded like a knocker against a door as she winced against the rhythmic pulsing at the base of her neck and slid out of the bed.
Something needed to change, she felt a bit closer towards an answer of something. Yet if she had unwittingly drawn herself into a plot she knew where the answer had to lay.
The phones light dancing along her features as she resurveyed the message to meet.
She did not know this Kami_X but she felt a bit of anonymity for herself would be prudent.
She stepped over to Ekibio leaning over carefully so as not to disturb him retrieving the credit card with access to Kamatsu’s funds before also grabbing a spare room key and exiting the room.
The night air chilled her as she braved against it and moved towards a nearby supermarket luckily it was a main distributor meaning it stayed open later than family run stores. Her stomach grumbled slightly a protest of hunger but she let it abate with time as she purchased items from the clothing section, make up, and dye.
It was about forty five minutes before she returned to the hotel room immediately ducking into the bathroom and placing her purchases down.
“It’s times like this I wish I could Umbra...well it’s not much of a disguise but it’s better than nothing, it may at least throw off the bird and hopefully it’s master”
The regalia spoke to herself as she removed her clothes and turned on the shower. She let the water heat up as she sat on the stool and began to wash. A relieved sigh as it helped her headache and sobered her a bit more.
She had never been much of a drinker but did surprisingly well at burning off the alcohol in her system anytime she had. The Nora wondered if it was because she was a regalia that this occurred but she doubted it and accepted it must have been a natural tolerance or something.
Finishing her shower she got out and looked into the mirror holding the box of hair dye in her free hand as she studied the instructions.
Once she understood them she set to the task.
After quite some time she finished the process of dying her hair and applying make up with a tired sigh finishing her eyeliner drawing the brush upward against her eyelash, and turned to her new wardrobe.
The last touch being a set of colored contacts changing the hue of her iris.
She was actually kind of lucky to have been named by Kamatsu as the god had always asked her to be dolled up at various points of their relationship. Seems the little things were helpful this time even though she didn’t particularly enjoy wearing it...especially for him.
The door clicked open as she stepped out and looked towards Ekibiogami making a throat clearing sound to grab his attention.
Do you think this will suffice as a disguise for now?, I can’t have the people I may be meeting or the job knowing who I am...it could be an issue...so what do you think?”
Tsugusa asked not necessarily seeking approval but if she had botched it she would need to fix it before the meeting.

Interactions: Ekibiogami CheshireMitsu
​

 

[Karcen]

Flashback

Location: A forest in japan
Date: Long ago
Time: afternoon
​

Azani Goddess of Vengence and grudges Tsukihiko Human

Years had passed since Azani had started to see the human Tsukihiko, or well he had decided that he was to stupid to know when he should just leave someone alone. Azani didn't really understand him, just how could he be so happy around her? She could not see how someone who was even brighter than her sister could stand to be around someone as dark as her. It annoyed her that he was so happy to be around her, it annoyed her they where her brothers had left her he had yet to, and what annoyed her the most what annoyed her the most was she didn't just leave. Azani left the forest plenty, but she always returned after sometime and found Tsukihiko once more. Azani didn't really know if it was fate or not, but they seemed to be tied together. Today was different as it was not Tsukihiko that was waiting for Azani but her that was waiting for him. She stood on the large roots of the trees, her arms crossed annoyed.

There was a rustling and Azani spotted the pale figure of the human " You're late" She said sounding annoyed though not angry

Tsukihiko chuckled rubbing the back of his neck " Sorry i was just putting the finishing touches on it" he said a large stupid smile on his face.

" Well i will forgive you this time" Azani said blushing as she found it hard to be mad when he smiled like that. Azani had told him to build her a home as a random task that was a joke. The fool had decided to take it upon himself to make what she had said in jest a reality. Azani of course expected a shrine , as she was a goddess and that was what mortals did for gods. She didn't really expect Tsukihiko to really build one when she said it, as she was a monster of a god.

" Come on it isn't to far" Tsukihiko said not guiding the way or taking Azani's hand, instead he scooped her up and carried her in his arms.

" HEY DON"T DO THAT PUT ME DOWN!!" Azani shouted in surprise how daring could Tsukihiko be?

" You sure?" he asked " It is a long way"

Azani sighed blushing her face almost fully ready " Fine do whatever i didn't feel like walking anyways" Azani said as Tsukihiko chuckled and set off.

The pair would soon enough reach a clearing near a pond where what Tsukihiko had labored to make. A house, not a shrine, this was not a dwelling place for gods, but for humans. Azani was surprised to say the least when she saw it. The home was more like a tower, circular and large scratching surprisingly high for having just been made by one man. Azani felt oddly conflicted she had told him to build a home expecting a shrine, but it seemed he took that as an actual home.

" Why a house?" Azani asked Tsukihiko let her down.

" You said build you a home so I built you one " She said still having his idiotic and proud smile.

Azani shook her head an sighed " I am a goddess by home I meant a shrine" She explained sounding slightly annoyed

" Well if it was just a shrine then i couldn't stay with you" Tsukihiko said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

" And Why would you want to stay in a house with me?" Azani asked though she felt she knew the answer

" Because i love you that's what makes it a home" She said holding his hand out for her.

Azani had know the answer , as it was not the first time he had confused such and every time Azani had rebuked him and yet he never gave up. Azani had known the message wouldn't get through to him and even she had known that she had some attachment to the human despite he knowledge of what would happen to him. She had watched him age just a little and knew she never would and she would outlive him. Azani had not wanted to grow attached because of this, it hurt to lose those close to you and Azani had yet to even forgive her brothers for leaving her. Still Azani reached out and took his hand " If you ever leave me i will never forgive you" Azani said to which Tsukihiko just smiled and nodded as they walked towards their new home.

 

[Lucem]

Location: Shirotome High, School Field
Date: April 3rd
Time: 3: 21 p.m.​

Hachiman + Yumi
As all traces of the enemy vanished from the field, the serious expression on Hachiman's face disappeared. Like his fellow redhead, he now wore a smirk. "Rai!" Now that the dust had settled, he could finally relax his shoulders, no longer forced to keep up the dignified appearance of a divine being. To those who didn't know him, the Hachiman who moved to give the god of thunder a friendly pat on the back would probably seem like a completely different person. "It's been a while. Good to see you're still kickin'. But what's up with your aim? Eyesight getting worse with age? What do you think, Yumi?"

As Hachiman engaged in some good-natured banter with his old rivals, the blessed regalia in his hands answered his call and returned to human form. As soon as she opened her dark eyes, the young woman folded her arms and nodded in the direction of the four men. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Raijin-sama, Ryuujin-sama. You as well, Ikazuchi-dono, Uroko-dono." Unlike the god she served, Yumi wasn't as quick to do away with polite behavior. They couldn't relax just yet.

"No need to be so stiff. It's been forever since we saw these guys, so loosen up a little." Before he could say anything else, the almighty god of warriors was silenced when Yumi quickly turned toward him. While her expression hadn't changed, he felt a chill run down his spine. He knew not to say anything dumb when she had that look in her eyes. It was the same look she usually gave him when she found him slacking off.

"Need I remind you why we're here?" She retained her calm, respectful tone, but underneath her usual civility, there was a warning she was sure Hachiman understood. Now wasn't the time to relax. There were still other matters that needed their immediate attention.

"I know, I know. I'm just waiting for Yasu to return with his report. We'll make a move after that." Yumi was a little more intense usual, but he understood why. Things were more personal for her this time. Well, the same could be said for him. "Until then, just relax and enjoy the company of some old friends. It won't hurt to strengthen our bonds, considering what we'll be dealing with in the near future."

Changing to a more serious subject, Hachiman faced his fellow gods. "If what that phantom told that so-called detective was true, we'll need to be prepared. I don't know what you two plan on doing, but we should start by reporting this to Heaven." The phantoms were trying to pick up from where they left off ten years ago. He wasn't the least bit surprised by this information. Anyone could have figured out that things were heading in this direction, but now they had confirmation directly from the enemy. At this rate, there'd be another war. Remembering the last great battle left a bad taste in his mouth. War never brought him pleasure, but the one fought against the evolved phantoms was especially awful. While he was lucky enough to avoid suffering any major losses, the same couldn't be said for many of his friends, including Ryuujin. The thought of having to see them go through that again made his heart ache.

Scratching the back of his neck, he attempted to lighten the mood a bit. "Although, I'd rather not be the one to do it. I'm not looking forward to talking to the boss after skipping the meeting. I also have some important business after this." While he hated attending those boring meetings, he always fulfilled his duty and answered Amaterasu's summons. It was very unusual for him to miss an event like this, especially when Yumi was around to make sure he didn't ditch. It may have ruined his perfect attendance record, but he was willing to ignore the call so he could keep an old promise. Keeping his word was more important than his loyalty to Heaven.

As he mentioned his unfinished business, he noticed a familiar presence approaching from above. "Right on time, Yasu." As if he heard Hachiman's words from a moment ago, the white dove returned, landing on the god's shoulder with a final flap of his wings. While the regalia lacked the ability to speak in his current form, communication proved to be no issue as Hachiman nodded in response to the message that echoed in his mind. "Good work. We'll head over there soon, so get some rest for now."

Yasumi left as soon as he arrived, leaving Hachiman alone with Yumi for his next task. The redhead felt conflicted, but it was probably for the best that he didn't bring his other regalia along. This was a sensitive matter, and even he wasn't sure what to expect. While he enjoyed humanity's unpredictable nature, it could be difficult during times like these. They were the hardest members of his family to deal with. Yumi probably felt the same way.

Location: Hirai office
Date: April 3rd
Time: 3: 40 p.m.​

Ryotaro Hirai
"I see. That's unfortunate." Ryo let out a quiet sigh before raising his teacup to his lips. He hadn't expected to hear something like that when he asked Rika about school. The loss of a teacher was quite serious. He didn't expect a goddess to be the culprit, but it wasn't very surprising.

"The way you say it makes it sound like this goddess is holding her soul for ransom. Worship in exchange for her freedom." Ryo took another sip as he thought back to the conversation he had with Rika two days ago. "Do you remember what I said about perception? The situation here is different, but I believe it should still apply. Gods are also beings affected by human beliefs.
However, changing those beliefs is easier said than done, especially these days." Ryo was sure he didn't need to tell Rika about the current state of religion, but it was important that he reminded her before going any further.

"This is a matter of faith, and that's not an easy subject to deal with. AFAH isn't as prominent as before, but the effects of everything they did still remain. People aren't as devout as they used to be. I don't imagine our classmates would be very eager to pray to some goddess they've never heard of, especially if they don't have sufficient reason. Nowadays, people who turn to the gods are either desperate or have a grudge. In the case of the student who wished for Kiyomi-sensei's death, it was the latter." That being said, the student must've had to pay a price to hire a goddess for what was basically an assassination. Whether that price was just a shiny coin or something else remained to be seen.

"Even if some people in our class haven't abandoned their faith, I'm sure they still remember what happened to others like them ten years ago. They're probably scared, and for good reason. If we go around trying to convince people to worship a goddess, word will get around and remaining members of AFAH might take notice. Setting aside what those members would do, there's also the possibility that it could attract more phantoms. Our school is a magnet for spiritual activity, so it's important to consider things like this."

The remaining vestiges of AFAH still had the potential to negatively impact lives. He made sure to consider that when he decided to reopen his office doors. He wanted to make sure Rika understood those consequences as well. "If you still want to get involved, I recommend doing something about your talismans." Knowing Rika, she'd probably do something despite his warnings. If that was the case, he wanted to be sure she had proper protection.

"Those talismans draw from the power of a certain god, and according to Mitsuki, they're practically dead. You might not want to take him at his word, considering all that's happened, but he has no incentive to lie. I have some reason to believe him as well. I'm guessing those talismans use the power of Nagi." He first met Rika at the travel god's shrine, and what he saw there gave credibility to what Mitsuki said. "Based on what his regalia said and what little remnants were still there, it seems like he hasn't been around for a long time. If he was dead, then those talismans wouldn't work. He's likely just missing and very weak. That can probably attributed to lack of worship. The goddess you met is likely suffering from the same thing. Otherwise, she probably wouldn't have asked you to get people to pray to her."

Getting up from his seat, Ryo resisted the urge to wince as he moved to his desk. A light headache was starting to accompany the sound of distant waves, but he did his best to ignore it as he rummaged through his drawers. "It's not like all gods are good. Morality was never something required for ascension. All that matters is that they live on in people's memories and receive their prayers. If they're unable to answer those prayers, people will lose their reason to worship, and gods will cease to exist as a result. Without Nagi, those talismans will just be scraps of paper." To keep answering prayers and avoid disappearing from the minds of humans, many gods probably did the same thing as this Azani. In an age where faith had declined, they could still depend on the ugly side of humans to keep them from fading away. While he didn't condone it, he understood.

As he continued looking through his drawers, the pain intensified. He considered taking a pill, but decided against it. It didn't hurt too badly, so he could deal with the pain for now. He also didn't want to use up what was left of his supply. He'd been using his abilities a lot this week, so there wasn't a lot of medicine left. He'd have to work on getting more when he had time.

Finally finding what he was looking for, Ryo returned to the couch with a blank talisman and handed it to Rika. "Your talismans are still working for now, but there's no way to tell when they'll stop. Nagi and his power could disappear at any moment, or you may come across a phantom that's too strong. Unless he suddenly makes a reappearance, I recommend drawing from the power of a different god. It's hard to call your relationship with him a good one, but I recommend Ryuujin. He's a powerful war god, and you've met him personally. The stronger your connection with a god, the stronger the talisman. I'm not sure what kind of history you have with Nagi, but it's important that you take precautions if you plan on getting involved with this goddess. Do everything you can to stay safe." While they weren't exactly the same, the bandages on his arm had a similar purpose.

QuirkyAngel

 

[CheshireMitsu]

Ekibio ~~ god of Pestilence, Disease, and Sickness
VeiledPariah

• ACTION
• BASIC INFO

• 
  Location: Kyomurasaki Hotel
  Date: April 3, 2030
  Time: 11:42 pm
  
  
  Ekibio woke up and found that Tsugusa was gone... "What time is it? Ah, whatever, I'll just..." He fell back asleep comfortably tangled in a blanket. When he woke up again, was about to go into the bathroom for a shower when someone walked out first... At first, he thought it might have been a cleaner until she talked to him.
  
  "Do you think this will suffice as a disguise for now? I can’t have the people I may be meeting ,or the job knowing who I am... it could be an issue... so, what do you think?”
  
  "Huh? Oh, its you... I guess it works good, I didn't know it was you." He turned and looked closer at her, and tipped her, "Maybe if you use some makeup to make it look like you have slightly stronger cheekbones, I don't think anybody would know it's you." Then he realized she could make fun of him for saying that. "But I don't know, I'm not a master of makeup or anything, I don't spy on girls, but sometimes girls will do their makeup in their car mirrors or something, you know..." He stopped. "Why are you disguising yourself?" He never heard of someone who disguises themself doing a job, but here Tsugusa was, completely dyeing her hair and putting in contacts.
  
  
• 
  
  Ekibiogami, god of Pestilence, Disease, and Sickness
  Male
  Lazy with an attitude
  Give people sicknesses, although using this power goes against his morals
  
  View attachment 829372
  
  
  
  

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[CheshireMitsu]

Toghobi
Phantom of regret and self-loathing
Karcen



​

• ACTION
• BASIC INFO

• 
  
  Location: a park in Kyoto Azani Rally
  Date: April 3rd, 2030
  Time: 3:34 pm​
  
  
  Toghobi sighed as they were calmed by the talismans. The talismans themselves were weak, but because they had already been trying to pull away from the human, the talismans helped just enough to get them off of the human. Toghobi sat on the ground and watched as the human, a man, straightened up and looked around, confused at why he had felt so bad and stumbled, but he continued on fine. The phantom put their hands up by their face, turned their face down, and started apologizing to the priest. "I-I'm so sorry, I lost control..." They were glad that the priest had handled the situation so calmly, although judging from the weakness of the talismans, he seemed like he may have been weak or new. They looked up at the priest, and suddenly worried of any others might have seen them. Ones that could kill the phantom. "I was starving, I tried to stop, I'm so sorry, I don't want to hurt anyone, I'm so sorry..."
  
  
  ​
• 
  
  Phantom of regret and self-loathing
  Non-binary
  Distant and depressed
  Psychometry-- can see an item/person's past through touch
  
  View attachment 829284
  
  
  
  

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[Dante Verren]

Location: Queen Azani's Castle Hell.
Date: April 3rd, 2030
Time: 7:32 pm​

Miu (Regalia)
Interactions: Azani ( Karcen )


An old library full to the brim of old scrolls, some detailing judgments, some detailing magic, and others detailing blah blah blah. It was all jargon that went over her head. While Azani might have found that useful it was not what Miu wanted. Though in all fairness if you asked Miu what she wanted to find she wouldn't be able to answer that. So instead of looking for anything specific she just started to browse. Running her finger from scroll to scroll she felt the dust start to build up and she looked at her finger in disgust. What a shame a place that could hold so much knowledge had gone to such disarray. Stopping at a random point she pulled free an old scroll and unrolled it, the bamboo clacking in her hand. Looking at the title she whispered it allowed "The legend of White snake". Finding the name interesting she began to read

Finishing her read of the tragic story she returned the scroll carefully to it's spot before searching around for more. She would discover story after story, of humans and creatures from far shore. The humans obsession with demons, the phantoms of the past intrigued her. That peaked her curiosity into Enma himself, what sort of stories existed of the old king of Hell? Peaking into the far back corners she discovered old stories and tales of Enma. The god who went from a beloved lord of paradise to a feared judge of hell. It made her wonder did Enma himself inspire the change or was it the humans who they themselves changed their view on him? Perhaps they were two different Enma's. When gods died they were reborn so it is likely that they were two completely different people. That would also make sense and give credibility to the story of Enma being tricked and replaced by a human actor.

When Azani found Miu, the phantom Regalia was deep in thought. Still in that curious mindset she turned to Azani "What type of god was Enma? I cannont seem to find anything constant throughout this library. Oh and how many times has he die?" she aksed

 

[VeiledPariah]

Location: Hotel/Shirotomi Highschool
Date: 4 April 2030
Time:12:15am
Ame(Regalia)

The regalia raised a concerned eyebrow as the god began to speak faster and faster digging himself into a rather large hole that they would eventually have a conversation about some other time.
Still his break in unceasing excuses was actually a rather notable question.
“Many regalia that have lived as long as I have normally would have learned an ability known as umbra which would make themselves or others invisible to an enemy. I however have never seemed to be able to master the incantation...so instead to hide my true identity and protect you and my other Kami from possible threats I often change my appearance when meeting with people I don’t know. Especially if it’s so suddenly like this”
Tsugusa hoped her explanation would be good enough or at least make sense. She is not feel it was necessary to mention the bird to Ekibio, at least not now as he appeared to not be its focus. She intended to keep it that way.
The female turned and entered the bathroom again turning on the shower and cleaning up the wrappings and items she had scattered before returning to the god of pestilence.
“I am not sure how long I will be gone, but if you need anything just call me and I will do what I can...until then goodbye Ekibio”
The Nora placed a hand on the gods shoulder squeezing gently to affirm her resolve that he not intend to follow her.
The steam from the shower began to edge from the bathrooms creased door left slightly ajar.
“You can stay here for as long as you need, just be careful until I return to your side just don’t forget to shower...I warmed it for you. Oh and..”
Tsugusa spoke as she opened the hotel room door looking back to the man as it began to close hiding her features from his gaze.
“Stay out of trees for a little while”
She teased with a warm smile before the finished closing and she was gone.
——————————————————————
The sound of Ame’s heels clacked against the pavement as she made her way down the street towards the Shirotomi Highschool. The eventual meeting place being room 202.
Why a god would want to meet in such a place was beyond her but she conceded that they must have their reasons. Checking her phone for the time she knew she was excessively early but it gave her the necessary time in fact to study her surroundings and in case things turned sour an escape route.
It wouldn’t have been the first time she had been lured into a trap like this. Promise of work and a name only to be faced against another regalia wielded by a god for something she had been used to do in the past.
Stilled silence however was what met her as she entered the school grounds. Phantoms in the sky high above called out to one another almost like a song and communication. They would not bother her however as they rarely did unless provoked. It was the thought that some phantoms never really exuded violence towards others. She then thought of Kuro...could she have been honest when saying she hadn’t been harming denizens of the near shore?
She hoped that was still the truth, it seemed almost childish that an Ayakashi could be anything other than what they were but...she still hoped nonetheless.
Tsugusa entered the school examining corridors and stairwells until she arrived on the rooftop the standard chain link fence preventing against any accidental falls.
Her hair swayed listlessly with the wind as she stared into the night overlooking the grounds.
A beautiful night.
CheshireMitsu The Secret Archives​