starsand | June ADA Meeting/Open Mingle/Rumor Discussion

June had been an active month for everyone in Starsand. The fake tradition at the Shrine of Love, the three ghost stories, and still no way home. Knowing this, Osamu Dazai decided the only thing to do was to organize a meeting for the Fallen Stars and citizens alike...🗈

[Dazai had set up a gathering at the park with a small podium. This would do until they'd gotten an official meeting hall. Atsushi, Fauna, and Akutagawa had probably all been tasked with putting up flyers earlier advertising the meeting. He approached the podium, clearing his throat.]

Good afternoon, ladies, gentlemen, Fallen Stars and citizens of all shapes, sizes, and gender persuasions. This is the first meeting held by the Armed Detective Agency to discuss recent events and to set up plans for the future ahead. Let's go ahead and go over what we already know, shall we?

[He shuffled his cards at the podium, flicking one aside. Tellingly, if anyone picked it up...it was blank. Showoff.]

First off. The 'protection charm' so-called tradition. This, as some of you may know, is not an official tradition sanctioned by the Kami of Love. We're not certain who started it, but my guess is that it's for nebulous purposes. If you've tried to 'protect' someone, you had better let them know. And if you've been 'protected', prepare for whatever may come. We'll be doing what we can to decipher the intent behind this and the perpetrator.

[Fwip. Another cue card to the side. This one, if picked up, has 'Chuuya Nakahara has a stinky butt' written on it in red crayon with a chibi drawing of Dazai's face winking with his tongue out next to it.]

Now, let's get into the meatier situations. I believe we've had three curious spirits haunting our dear city as of late, and I'd like to go over each. If anyone has any relevant information pertaining to any of them - encounters, confrontations, simply details you've overheard - please do feel free to contribute to the discussion after the overview is finished.

The first of these is Bloody Mary. The Armed Detective Agency - meaning, my team - Atsushi, Fauna, Akutagawa, raise your hands. These three and myself have looked into this incident in particular. We intend to look into all of them, but this one was our first priority. We regret to inform you that she is quite real. Do not attempt this ritual. She will chase down whoever summoned her, and attempt to attack. She left us with the warnings that she 'learned so much' and that she'd be 'stronger next time' before melting into a puddle of blood. I repeat, do NOT summon Bloody Mary. We will not be discussing how to summon her in the interest of less people doing it...but you've been warned.

[Fwip. Another cue card to the side. This one, if picked up, has 'YOU CAN REACH BLOODY MARY BY SPELLING OUT ICUP AND PRAYING IN FRONT OF YOUR TOILET' written on it in blue crayon. Off to the side, it has the word 'spooky! do not attempt!' written on it. And a little drawing of a bedsheet ghost seemingly dripping blood.]

The second is the Footsteps Behind You ghost. Much like Bloody Mary, I've looked into this one on my own. It attempted much the same. An assault, a promise that it had learned, and a declaration that it'd be stronger next time. It, too, melted into blood. Do NOT summon the Footsteps Behind You ghost, either. Once more, no discussion as to how to do so will be taking place for your personal safety.

[Fwip. Another cue card to the side. This one, if picked up, has 'DON'T TELL THEM THE FOOTSTEPS BEHIND THEM IS ACTUALLY A LARGE HAMSTER WITH SELF-ESTEEM ISSUES. THEY CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH.' written on it in green crayon. The giant hamster is drawn on it looking sad.]

The third and final spirit that has been spoken of is regretfully the one I have the least amount of information on. The girl in the reflection. I made an attempt to summon her as well to no success, but the important thing about her is she made no attempt to attack. Unlike the other two spirits, the potential harm of this one is undetected. Still, you should not make an attempt to reach out until further information is given.

[Fwip. Another cue card to the side. This one, if picked up, has 'Potential Reminder: have ADA attempt another summoning. Certain issues may have gotten in my way.' Unlike the other cards, this one was written in pen in fairly elegant handwriting.]

With that, I open the floor to you, meeting participants. If you have any further information, feel free to share with the rest of us and talk amongst yourselves. The purpose of this meeting is to gather information and perhaps get to know your colleagues a bit better.

[And then, suddenly, he brightens.] Of course, after that, if anyone has any way to brighten the mood, we may all need it! So feel free to contribute that, too!

We at the Armed Detective Agency thank you for attending. We'll appreciate your cooperation in the future and know that we are looking into each and every incident with precision and care. Good night, tri-state area~

[And then he just. Drops the rest of the blank cue cards on the podium, folds his arms behind his head, and walks back.

The floor is yours, other participants.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

...isn't this place a little too public?

[ Hanyuu of course, is here -- but there's definitely something different about her today. Instead of being in her usual child form, she's now started to show up physically in her adult form, looking much more like a petite woman in her early twenties. ]

I also agree that it is being used for bad things. As for something that I can say: when I checked, Satou's power -- the power from the shrine seems to be going to many other channels.

[ So there's that in mind. ]

Also, when I asked the attendants... this month is meant to give her power through love confessions, connecting with friends and stuff...so it's possible that someone's trying to drain Satou of her power, given how strong she is.

We haven't gotten an official meeting place yet.

[But, that having been said...]

....Mmm. That's definitely nebulous. Could you sense if it was directly going towards the charms?

[He nods.]

That's a strong possibility. The question is who? And if that's the case...perhaps we should be most weary at the end of the month, since they may need to collect on their little taps.

I don't have much to add right now [ threads pending ] but: be careful about hanging around the Love Kami's shrine at three in the goddamn morning. Went past my nullification and decided to knock my soul out.

Edited 2022-06-07 12:28 (UTC)

... I haven't exactly checked yet, but if it isn't the windchimes themselves, it might be towards the people whose names were written on them.

[ Both options are not necessarily not good. ]

Regardless, it means instead of gaining power, the opposite is happening. Think about it this way: the equilibrium between the faith and the power needed for protection may not be equal.

[ She sighs, something heavy. ]

Well. It was mentioned before in the last meeting we had that there are people certainly involved... but I do not know any details further than that. I'm sorry.

[...]

If it's towards the end of the month, we have time than ample time to prepare. And... hopefully, I can get more people to believe in me as well, if this means that I can help save Satou.

I met the girl in the reflection.

[Fauna folds her arms.]

It's the same girl I met before, the weird... god-thing I met when I touched the shrine to space-time last month. She's still alive. But she had a warning.

That 'they' are trying to find out about us, and we can't let them. 'They' want to know more. 'They're' testing us.

And that we're the ones who can decide whether something is real or fiction, light or dark... And that if we don't, 'they' will decide it for us.

... Beyond that, all I know is that some 'battler' named her, but she vanished before she could tell me her name. So, if that rings any bells to anyone here, get talking.

[ Hanyuu is looking much older than usual and her voice is stern, filled with a clear urgency: ]

Where and when did you find her?

[ She needs to meet her. Desperately. It's good that she's still alive, but she needs to be able to see her and speak with her for herself.

But that's interesting, bringing up light and dark again... ]

Huh? I just... did what the rumor said. I went to a pool at night, shut off all the lights... Oh, there was a weird guy there, too. Ink. But once we stopped fighting, I heard her.

[She thinks back.]

And then I just jumped in.

[Immediately, he's raising his hand. And he looks a reasonable amount of alarmed.]

That--would be me. Ushiromiya Battler.

You were talking to Ariel?

[Real. Fiction. Light. Dark. ...That's all some worrying concepts there, but he needs to know more.]

YOU WHAT YOUR SOUL?

[Concerned friend is teleporting next to her, all filters off as he begins looking Inaba over for injuries... and then remembers that he doesn't know where her soul is.]

Inaba-san, what were you doing?

... I'll see if she's still there by the next evening.

[ She's going to do it. Alone, if she must. ]

Glowy girl in a weird, watery space?

[She squints at him.]

.... You're that 'ihihihi' guy?

[Fauna just nods.]

If you can get clearer answers out of her, do it.

... This was the best I could do.

...Yeah.

Yes on both counts.

[....he can't help how he laughs...]

I didn't do anything to my soul! Just that-- someone just knocked the soul out. Like put it to sleep. I was checking to see who was putting the windchimes at the shrine in the first place.

[SHE REMEMBERS YOU FROM THE FLOWER-VIEWING...]

That's her. Her name's Ariel, huh....

[...oh yeah]

...Yeah.

Or, at least, that's what I named her. I met her when I arrived. We talked for a while, she left a mark on me that went away after a few days, but...

[...]

If that's a way to contact her again, I'll be using it.