Soulfasting Mingle

[bravenewmods]

Who: EVERYONE
What: Soul Fast
When: During Soul Fast
Where: All over Ninetails Vale and in people's houses, etc.
Summary: The Celebrations of Soul Fast Begin!


It's that time of year again, and all throughout Union and in particular the Ninetales Vale, celebrations are beginning. A festival celebrating the passage of another year, of remembering and honoring the dead, and of placating particularly violent spirits has begun. Soulfasting, an old Union tradition, is one of the most popular holidays celebrated, with the Ninetales Vale being overrun with people of all ages.

Children scamper through the streets of the Vale in masks and costumes, begging for candy, while surly teenagers do the same and occasionally play pranks, and adults celebrate in a variety of fashions. Elaborate, highly fashionable costumes are all the rage, and even the nobility slips out into the Vale for a bit of fun. It's not exactly a popular destination most of the year, given the high concentrations of Dark and Ghost-types but during the festival it's most definitely in vogue and teeming with people all happy to help revitalize the area for a week.

The sounds of music drift through the air, celebratory tunes, dirges, jigs, and tunes for all ages. From the Kurain school on it's hill overlooking most of the Vale, a pipe organ solemnly plays out traditional tunes, and is surprisingly cheery for a ghost school. Across the neighborhood on another hill, Hikawa Shrine has it's doors wide open to welcome visitors, with decorations of all sorts set out.

Games are set up at both locations, including Apple Bobbing, Ducklett Pond raffles, and Pin the Scroll on the Spiritomb, though there are others set up all over the Vale's plazas. Skeeball, Target Shooting, Bell-and-Hammer games, and perhaps most strangely a “Whack-the-Diglett” that's been possessed by one of the local ghosts to give the little wooden Digletts faces all hideously angry ones. Eating contests, Pokemon Battle Circles, a Haunted House (with real ghosts!) and dozens and dozens of fortune telling stands all further add to a carnival atmosphere that even the dead can enjoy!

Lanterns and faux Spinarak webs hang from every lamppost and awning, and food stalls line the streets as vendors ply their wares. Food from all over is available, and it all seems to come together around a central square between the two hills. A stage has been set up, with musicians from all over the known world called in to show their stuff. There are dance tunes from Caldera, Union Pop and Jazz songs at work, setting crowds on fire. Sanctuary has sent a full orchestra to play various classical pieces, while Citadel's famous woodwinds and tribal drums surprise and delight. And towards the end of the day, a band from Glacier comes on stage. Their music starts out slow and ambient, but after a few sets they set up electric guitars and the gloves come off. A folk metal concert, complete with an armored warrior-woman doing the vocals and several of the soldiers from the battle weeks prior (some still bandaged) backing her up. It might be a bit shocking, but some of the youth are definitely getting into it...

And then night falls, and the party atmosphere becomes a little quieter. Plays, family meals, Ghost-story tellings, and more subdued activities become the norm though there's still a contingent of rowdies at the heart of the celebration. It's then that the ghosts really come out to play, slipping through walls to greet relatives or tease revelers. For the most part they seem friendly but not always. As usual, some specters of ill-repute have slipped in among the friendly ones, and they're making trouble. Good thing you have a Warp Band to call an exorcist, right?

((OOC: This is a general mingle log, feel free to put up your own top levels and tag around! Welcome to Soulfasting, everyone! We hope you enjoy =D ))

Comments

[faithfulflame]

Ghosts blocked off a bunch of the doorways and sealed the rooms up, sir.

[Rei blinks, surprised to hear that.]

Ghosts did that? That...doesn't seem right. More like a something corporeals would do.

[This was weird.]

Blocked off how?

The doors are jammed, won't come open, and the keys don't work.

[...Rei starts towards the stairs.]

That's...not good. They must be manifesting. Captain, are you any good with getting doors open? I can't, without blowing it apart and that might hurt people inside.

[commissionergrump]

[Gordon's already following.]

Better if I have a pry bar, but I'll manage. I'll get the people out, don't worry.

[He turns to the Rotom]

Sparky, you go on ahead and find the people, then come straight back.

[The little floating bulb shoots a quick, almost joking salute and flies off, through the walls and other barriers, hopefully not running into any bigger, less playful Ghosts on the way as Gordon takes the long way around to try and get to the door.]

[faithfulflame]

[Sparky is joined by Sabaeus, Rei's Gengar. The creature oozes out of her shadow and floats up with the Rotom to provide cover.

Upstairs they'll find the doors barred by some sort of energy field, but the walls seem alright. And peeking inside, there are three rooms. One with staff, one with guests, all asleep and at least five total Haunters hovering nearby. Clearly they are eating some dreams...]

[commissionergrump]

[Sparky does it's investigation, then returns to Gordon, reporting animatedly, bouncing around in the air, including some impressions. It makes an ugly, toothy face, holding it's bolts out in front of it. It seems to get that Gordon won't understand anything it says, and focuses on pantomime.]

Haunter, huh?

[Gordon reaches the sealed door, pausing.]

That's... new.

[He looks to Rotom, nodding towards the door. The Rotom nods and quickly goes to rejoin the Gengar, whispering conspiratorially.]

Spook some Ghosts?

[faithfulflame]

[Sabaeus nods, and Rei braces herself.]

Get the first door open, Captain. I'll bind the ghosts as they come.

[The Gengar flows into the room first, oozing through the walls and charging right at the largest Haunter, silently jumping it's pre-evolution while the priestess waits.]

[commissionergrump]

[Gordon's considering the barrier sealing the door. The Rotom dives into a nearby electric light, the bulb glowing brighter then going dim. When they emerge in the other room, it's from a light, bolting out lightning fast, Astonishing the nearest Haunter.]

Boo!

[Gordon touches his band, and summons Mac the Hitmonchan.]

Let's see if we can break through.

[He points at the door, and HItmonchan nods. It throws a haymaker punch, fist bursting into flames en route.]

[faithfulflame]

[The Fire Punch pretty much demolishes the door, cracking it clean in two.

The unfortunate Haunter that's attracted Sabaeus' attention is more or less taken down in a single Shadow Claw as the much stronger Ghost assaults it's weakness and vanishes into a nearby shadow, and the Astonished ghost seems taken aback, knocked aside.

The other three? Break of their assault to take stock...and perform a Nightshade on Mac, the Rotom, and Rei as she steps through the door. Gritting her teeth, she bites out a hex and a paper scroll flies towards one.]

Akuryu Taisan!

[The prayer strip smacks into a ghost like a physical blow, binding it to the floor with one of Rei's special powers...but there are still two more to go...]

[commissionergrump]

[The Hitmonchan recoils from the Nightshade, but not as much as the Rotom. It recoils, putting some distance between itself and Sabaeus. A chill, Ominous Wind begins to blow, striking at the remaining Haunters.]

[Behind the humans, there's a deep woof of a large dog. Mac immediately clears the doorway. Gordon drops down to one knee and ducks his head.]

Clear the door!

[Rex the Stoutland comes sailing in over Gordon's head, through the doorway, the pokemon's large form nearly filling it. It simply Tackles a Haunter. It's normal typing leaving it unconcerned about all the ghost type attacks being flung about, but yet, somehow, able to strike back with even the most ordinary of attacks.]

[faithfulflame]

[Well then. That's certainly something...he must be a Scrappy boy.

Rei lets the massive dog knock into the Haunter, which reels in surprise, dropping to the floor underneath it's weight. The sounds of combat have attracted the other Haunters from the various parts of the inn, and at least one of them seems intent on Gordon. It flies at him, claws raised...]

Captain, look out!

[commissionergrump]

[Gordon, still crouched, rolls to one side, bringing his hand up to the inside of his jacket. He pulls his gun, putting a steel typed projectile right into the oncoming Haunter's forehead as he lands on his back in a motion that, as a younger man, was likely smooth and practiced and even now is hard to break down into separate parts.]

[Not satisfied to leave it at that, Mac turns, using the motion to add power to a punch that begins to spark as it travels. He delivers the blow to the same Haunter then drops into a practiced boxing stance, one hand raised to protect the side of his face, the other raised to frame his view as he carefully observes the Haunters.]

[faithfulflame]

[The shot strikes clean, sending that ghost spinning backwards and smacking almost comically into a wall. It rebounds and gets clobbered, falling to the ground with eyes spinning.

And that's when Rei throws out two more scrolls at the remaining ghosts...]

Akuryu Taisan!

[Smack. Smack. Purple bindings appear around both of them and they drop to the floor, paralyzed.]

You see any more?

[commissionergrump]

[Mac turns, offering Gordon a hand up, which he accepts, it an awkward position to get up from.]

Not seeing any.

[He glances about.]

Sparky?

[The Rotom disappears into a nearby wall, quickly making a circuit of the area.]

[faithfulflame]

Sabaeus, go with him.

[Rei takes that moment to start rounding up the ghosts, all five, by the scrolls she's smacked on them.

And neither the Rotom nor Gengar will find any more Haunters, just confused guests and staff starting to wake up.]

Good moves there, sir.

[commissionergrump]

[Rex is already helping the confused, waking guests, his more experienced partners as used to his job as Rei's are to hers.]

Thank you. Do this job long enough, without help, you learn a few things. Though the trouble I deal with tends to be a bit more... corporeal. It like this every Soulfasting?

[faithfulflame]

Every single year, yes. Some ghost decides to cause trouble, and I get called in to deal with it. It's part of my family tradition.

[And why she still maintains a lot of the old ways.]

[commissionergrump]

Well, you're doing a great job. Your family should be very proud.

[He looks to the Gengar, then to his own Pokemon.]

Having help is nice.

[faithfulflame]

Grandfather is. I'm sure mother would have been.

[Since her mother was the good one. and her dad the councilman was...not.]

[commissionergrump]

[Gordon's eyes dart to the young woman at the exemption. He takes a little breath, expression going carefully neutral for a moment before, giving a gentle smile, he pats her shoulder.]

Like I said. They should be.

[He turns towards the exit.]

We should let the owner know everything's taken care of. And apologize for the door.