006 - Connecting Lines, Connecting Lives

[tabularasa_mods]

Connecting Lines, Connecting Lives New Imprints ▲ Comments The Ground Shakes
It begins unremarkably enough, with the light tremors of the ground so small they might easily go unnoticed, or else dismissed as the movement of some creature nearby. As time goes on, however, those little tremors begin to grow in both strength and duration, the length of time shortening between each one. To begin with only small, light, unsecured objects are rattled loose by the rumbling of the ground, but as the tremors grow in strength there is a growing danger of much larger things being moved.

The realm’s clear lack of understanding of how things work cannot be relied upon in such a situation. If the tremors have grown strong enough to throw all the books of Hammerhead to the ground and throw over all the clothes rails and capsule machines and furniture in the Academy, then what if they grow strong enough to move the heavy blanket of snow atop Mount Silver? What if they grow strong enough to damage the caverns within?

Then there is the question of how, or why, the realm has made the land shake. It must surely have picked up the idea of an earthquake from someone, right? An answer to the question is not immediately forthcoming, but should one stay low to the ground and listen, they might well hear the muffled, distorted sound of screaming.

Creature Chaos
As the rumbling and shaking continues, it is clear to see that the local wildlife has been disturbed, and they seem remarkably active. Critters can be seen running and flying to and fro, and any who go out to investigate may find themselves the center of attention. Brushboys may paint arrows on the ground in an effort to lead them somewhere, or bluurgobos might actively offer rides, or the flying cat-like creatures will excitedly circle someone before attempting to lead them somewhere. Going along with them will lead to one of two places:

1. The meaty, pulsating, cavernous tunnels of Mementos shudder and convulse in a way quite unlike before, and closer inspection will quickly reveal why. The flesh has been cut and torn, hacked apart, leaving gaping and bleeding wounds to spill over the subway tracks. Whichever critter has brought someone here excitedly gestures towards the wounds, and as it does a giant and painful shudder goes through the tunnels and shakes the earth. All those earthquakes… could this be the source?


2. The road to the Hammerlocke Citadel Ruins are as long as winding as ever, and precarious with the risk of an earthquake dislodging snow and rock from the mountainside. The animal that has taken the lead is on a mission, however, as unclear as that mission might be. On arriving, it turns its attention to a group of the spiky, bear-headed beasts that are lazing about as though the land is not currently shaking and quaking around them, and tries to draw their attention. Clearly, these bear heads are expected to do something, and they aren’t doing it.

First Words
Though the tremors have finally stopped, they have left a significant change to the World in their wake. Where the ground above was once flat and untouched, there now lay cracks and fissures that glow with a strange, but enchantingly warm light. There doesn’t seem to be a single area that has been left untouched by them - though the number of cracks are denser in some places than others, it’s difficult to find a place completely devoid of them. Could this be the world’s attempt at trying to heal itself?

If all of that wasn’t enough to warrant investigation, the sound of whispers that appear to be coming from they might do the trick. Upon closer inspection, however, it becomes apparent that the whispers aren’t coming from the lights, but from inside your own head. Focus a little more, and some of the voices may sound familiar…

back to top

Comments

[hightouch]

"Oh...I've heard of them, but this is my first time seeing one."

Shouyou isn't the most spiritual guy ever. Aside from the little habits built up as a result of living in Japan, he hardly thinks about the supernatural. Well, before he got dropped here, that is. Now, he finds himself believing in a whole lot more than he used to.

Thinking of the various creatures he's seen already, he eyes the drum and the broom, with trepidation. "What kind of trouble are we talking about?"

[bridge_princess]

"Where I come from, all the spirits were being forgotten, so we went underground and into a little valley, so we could have our thing, and humans have their thing." She grunted and shrugged. "You wouldn't have seen them too much if ever."

"Well... as long as they're not teaming up? Pranks. Like the broom'll probably trip you if you disrespect it. The Drum wake me up with weird noises if I'm sleeping. That sort of thing." She didn't add that they could be dangerous if they worked together, but that was only occasionally.

[hightouch]

If he's honest, spirituality hadn't mattered much to him. It just hadn't held much of his attention, especially once he developed his tunnel vision for everything volleyball related. Something that didn't concern him, that he could brush off as simply folktales. Even so, Shouyou feels a tug at his chest, feeling oddly guilty as she explains.

"But that's...really sad." Some of the enthusiasm's bled out, leaving behind a frown instead of a smile. "Can that sort of thing happen here, too?"

No matter how he looks at it, being forgotten sounds incredibly lonely.

[bridge_princess]

She sat down next to the drum and reached over for the broom, setting it down on her lap. "Well, like everything here in the Void, the rule aren't being obeyed unless it brought them here," she admitted with a shrug. "Back home, it took a hundred years of loving use and honor for a tool to wake up. And then they had to be forgotten and mistreated for a while. Some of them are just whiny but it does get lonely I suppose."

She was less sympathetic. But that was because, like most youkai, they were just noisy in her book. "These ones are pretty squeaky wheels so I don't think any of them are getting ignored right now. Any I find I bring here. It's a shrine, so they seem happy." Because working in a shrine was pretty honored work for a spirit.

"Name's Parsee... you're new right?"