sticksandbones | EVENT 031

EVENT 031

BE OUR GUEST, BE OUR GUEST

It starts just before the crack of dawn. The night sky is still pitch dark, still as ice and just as cold and yet the four statues of the Goddesses within the Grove shine brilliantly; two from the courtyard, one in the Moon Shrine and one in the Sun Church. It’s such a bright light, beckoning even those caught in the deepest of slumbers to wake up and come forth. And as more people filter through to the light, there's two playful, downright giddy giggles in the air-

And the Grove finds itself in an orchard of fantastical fruit, a nebula-like sky shining overhead while Beiwe and Ourania stand before you all, grinning.

“We do apologize for how sudden it was…”

“But we decided you deserve a fun fieldtrip for once.”

They gesture around the orchard and uphill you can see what looks to be a mansion of marble and some celestial material you’ve never seen before. Pale silver, gold and blue animals - Stars - can be seen floating through the air, some tending to the orchard and the gardens in the distance while others play. Those who have been injured as of late will find themselves healing rapidly over the course of a few days, with the cost of deep, longer sleeps than usual come time for bed. An entire wing seems to have been built from nothing before your arrival, and it’s entirely dedicated to housing you with whatever you need, from luxury guest rooms to private bathrooms and a large onsen, and while you’re here, not a single want will go unaddressed.

The Goddesses guide the lot of you to the house, encouraging you to explore and play and rest - after all, with the library, the pools and springs, the gardens and the kilns, there’s a lot to do.

PUT OUR SERVICE TO THE TEST

If it’s relaxation and nature you want, Ourania is the one to ask. Her vast gardens hold multiple styles and she welcomes anyone to stroll through the flowers and ponds, or even join her or your own friends on a floating pagoda for tea through a crystalline lake of flowers and radiant pond fish. She has books to read, sights to simply take in, and even walks through a pitch black yet sparkling forest. Her teas bring on a soothing calm, and the snacks served with it are pillowy and light without being too sweet. It’s a refreshing time, every time!

But she’s not just healing; Ourania is also the Wilderness. Which is to say, while she won’t take kindly to you trampling through the flowers, she encourages play no matter the age as well. And if you wish to spice it up, she’ll even grant a minor blessing to heighten agility, the senses, reflexes, speed… and just enough aggression and adrenaline to make things exciting! If not a bit competitive.

She always watches from a seat with a canopy and refreshments for the players, and sometimes celestial animals may join in the fun. Sometimes they simply watch and yell out encouragements, other times the more dextrous of the Stars may give… background music? Regardless, they always return to their own domains laughing joyously.

Beiwe, meanwhile, offers numerous creative pursuits. The kitchens are open for cooking lessons — as she puts it, “some of you are hazards and need a hand”. Numerous, endless ingredients spill out over countertops and kitchen islands, with sharp knives and wooden cutting boards in abundance. Beiwe’s favourite cranberry-orange muffin recipe is pinned to a corkboard for people who had always wanted to learn it — or those who simply crave the taste of autumn in winter. The Goddess is a hands-on teacher, but that means she can only work with one person at a time; for those of you who already know how to cook, perhaps you could assist in the classes? And don’t worry, the kitchens are fireproofed via a wave of Beiwe’s supervising hands. When you’re finished with your lessons, you’ll find her sitting at the dinner table waiting for a sample, with her elbows impolitely on the wood and her chin in her hands.

Aside from cooking, there’s also art — she won’t let you forget that she’s also the Goddess of the Forge. Like back at her church, part of the home contains a large pottery studio with hot kilns and ample supplies. Here, too, Beiwe offers lessons to those who are learning to sculpt with the wheels or simply with their hands. For those who are less inclined toward pots, plates, and sculptures, the adjacent room has easels and paint for free use, though lessons won’t be given there. She’s not much of a canvas girlie.

Out in the courtyard with her twin golden lions sits a single throne, which Beiwe happily plants herself on so that she can watch you duke it out. Craving a fight? You can have any blade you dream of — axes, glaives, rapiers, broadswords, you name it and she’ll conjure it out of a radiant light for use in her outdoor arena. In this space, injuries will not stay for longer than an instant, and your powers will be realised to their fullest without harm to your bodies. Should you wish it, Beiwe herself will join in on the battle, but be warned: the full power of a Goddess is not something she’ll bear against you, no matter how much goading there is.

TIE YOUR NAPKIN 'ROUND YOUR NECK, CHÉRIE, AND WE PROVIDE THE REST

All great vacations must eventually come to an end, but worry not: Your final night involves an extravagant ball thrown in the Goddesses’ ballroom, an event that lasts from afternoon to midnight. Here, everyone is welcome and dressed to the nines — should you need an outfit, the Goddesses will spend the prior day outfitting you. You and your pets, if you would like them to have cute little outfits. The Goddesses themselves will be dressed to the nines too. Ourania waltzes with Beiwe in a silver princessy ball gown, and Beiwe is… wearing a suit with the sleeves ripped off. Sun’s out, guns out.

When they say “everyone” will be there, they do mean everyone. Lady Death dons a trailing mermaid gown in black, flecked with sparkles of green and a glass of wine in her right hand; the Seasons make their first appearance to many of you, dressed in clothing that gives off small cosmetic magical effects — Winter’s snows roll off their sleeves, Autumn’s crisp leaves fall from the ends of their coattails, Summer’s dress colours fluctuate with the sunset and sunrise, and Spring’s suit jacket blooms pink flowers. The Guardians are here as well, though Moder is simply covered in barding made of flowers and leaves, and Callan regularly tries to escape his clothing. Somehow, the Goddesses have managed to cram Aurora into a vest and bowtie, and Sehul is in the armour they used to wear before their prior death. Some Stars, translucent and in various shades of blues and pinks and whites and oranges, make their appearances as well. Some are more animal than man, some more man than animal, all grateful for your efforts to save them despite everything. And though the Lord of the Mountains and Cosmic Serpent couldn’t make it — one of them is trapped, and the other is napping — the Goddesses assure that the two have sent their well-wishes. For those looking for old friends who have since come to live here, they’re here too — all in good health and working hard, of course. …which, yes, does mean that a certain crane hasn’t slept in a week. Nothing ever changes.

All formalities aside, while Ourania loves her formal dances and classic ballroom music, it seems like Beiwe has gotten hold of Sesa’s phone and learnt what EDM is… so halfway through the party, the classic ballroom music will abruptly flip when Beiwe has the orchestra somehow, by some otherworldly miracle, playing fantasy Daft Punk. Did you expect her to not clear the floor for those who don’t want to waltz all night? Come on.

Those with musical talents themselves are encouraged, nay, voluntold to play music for everyone else to groove to. Up on the balcony is ample space for performances of all kinds, though the Goddesses will ask that those who opt to take the mic don’t be too raunchy with their performances. Love songs are beautiful, but let’s keep that love PG-13, okay?

Food and drink will flow in abundance, with the buffet table constantly restocking. Dietary needs have been taken into account, too, and appropriate labels are on every food. No “mystery meats” here! By the end of the night, you’re welcome to take home a little goodie baggie of extras to snack on before the Goddesses send everyone home the next morning, back to the Grove with bright smiles and many, many hugs.

…

Many days later, just as January begins, those of you who look up at the ever-shifting moons may notice that each of them has a gouge in their surfaces, black as pitch and moving, squirming… and that a new celestial object has entered its orbit in a sickly-coloured brown-red.

Spark Notes (Click to Expand)

summary

BE OUR GUEST, BE OUR GUEST: Welcome to your sleepover with the Goddesses! Room and board (and food and everything) is free. All they ask is that you enjoy your vacation.
PUT OUR SERVICE TO THE TEST: The Goddesses have provided numerous activities for you to do around their home, ranging from wildlife walks to full-out PvP. They'll both assist you with whatever you need, too.
TIE YOUR NAPKIN 'ROUND YOUR NECK, CHÉRIE, AND WE PROVIDE THE REST: The party begins! The ballroom is decorated to the nines and so are you. Free food and drink are provided, and so are outfits. The Goddesses encourage performers to get up on the balcony and entertain the partygoers, and the morning after, you'll be returned back to the Grove.

out of character

Welcome to December! This month will be check-in AC, but please remember to post your check-in whenever you're able because we will sweep you otherwise. For now we are also asking players to hold off on creating logs that take place in January, given the end of this event.

updates

Any potential updates, such as characters damaging something important or whatever else, will be put here.

submissions

❖ Questions
❖ December Plotting
❖ Past Life Plotting (Closed to Game Members)
❖ Investigations

code

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[the first pierce is quick and painless enough, but akaza finds that the exit is not as pleasant as the entry. that, he feels, like an oversized fishhook being torn from his flesh -- repeatedly, as he whips his head trying to track her movements visually. it's nearly impossible, and without his compass active, even her fighting spirit seems like a blur around him.

akaza still wouldn't consider it torture, although shinobu is fast enough to inflict the next wound before the previous heals. this arena amps up his regeneration even more than its original level.

even with the pain, brief as it may be, he doesn't stop smiling. an old habit he'll struggle to break.]

I think I'm beginning to understand you! [even so, true to his word, he doesn't raise a hand against her.]

Do you?

( because she's going for nerves now. bundles of nerves to make his arms seize, to inflict sharp unending agony throughout his body as she continues the dance- she will not dip into the poisons yet, but she's going for what she knows to be excruciating from her years of experience with other demons.

she wants to hurt, and he wants to be hurt. its only natural, in the end. )

[beginning to, he says, and how true that turns out to be. the first blow elicits a sharp hiss through akaza's fangs, and by the third or fourth, the grin is vanished. as her blade lands true and makes his body jerk in ways he doesn't mean for it to, instinct kicks in and he tries to move to block her strikes. even then, she's too fast, and works around him.

by now, he's warring both with the bone-deep pain, short as the bursts are, as well as his own body's desire to fight back. it's humiliating and wrong for a demon to just stand here while a slayer beats them. even so, even with a snarl that says he doesn't want to endure this without resistance... he does.]

( he bares his fangs, he clearly hates this and he still does not fight back. )

This isn't even what I actually have planned for demons, you know. This is just the only way I can fight, as you asked.

( no, she wants to dig her nails into him and rip. but he asked to be her training dummy, so that's what he gets.

she pauses the assault, practically floating to a landing some distance away as she stretches her wrist.

...

he gets seconds to recompose himself before she launches into the dance of the dragonfly. )

[given the short pause, the quick healing, akaza can indeed straighten up.]

No? What else can you do? [her figure is more suited to this style of quick thrusting, her sword so specialized for piercing, that akaza doubts she could sever a limb from him even if he didn't harden his flesh. he hasn't said it aloud, but it will be extremely difficult for shinobu to inflict the suffering of each one of his victims on akaza when the majority of them ended up pulverized.

her next attack is as quick as all the rest, maybe even more so. akaza feels the punctures on various vital points simultaneously before they can even heal. once more, he hisses as the wounds close.]

You're... impressive, you know.

The last time I offered to help a demon become our friend, I told her I was going to remove her eyes and drag her innards out as many times as needed to make up for what she did to her victims~ Needless to say, she didn't like that very much.

My poisons all have different effects too- they have to, to make up for my own lack of strength, you know? I'm sure you've noticed it.

( that even if she had the best sword in the world, she could not sever a head. no matter how hard she tries...

so she is vicious and venomous instead. )

But thank you~ You're so sweet.

[that poison... at least in theory, he can understand it, now. it isn't that this woman waits from safety and shoots it at demons or waits for them to stumble upon it. no, her fighting style forces her to get up close and personal at great risk to her tiny frame. he figures it's only by merit of her highly trained speed that she wasn't simply crushed prior to douma.

he understands, but... still, he's grateful she doesn't insist on using it on him right now.]

That's it? [totally normal thing to say in response to the idea of having one's eyes gouged out and being disemboweled repeatedly.] Surely you can get more creative than that after a few rounds.

Well, I never get much farther! They always try to kill me before I can offer more ideas.

Stupid of them, isn't it?

( she comes to a stop, re-positions herself for a different dance (beesting again, horsefly relies on someone trying to fight back) as she hums thoughtfully, like she's not taking this seriously. she is, of course. she wants it to hurt, after all. )

I could use hot irons, nonlethal poisons- a foreign country has a casket full of nails and I think that could certainly be efficient, don't you?

I can't blame them. [he won't run away after agreeing to it, but any creature with a sense of self-preservation certainly would.

it's almost funny, how something as menial as a thrust from a tiny sword-tip can force the air out of his lungs. even as little as he truly knows shinobu, akaza can see how much anger is packed into that small body. he was small once, too, after all.]

Outsourcing, then... Well, you'll need a lot of ideas to keep from boring yourself.

[he wonders if the library has books on this subject...]

I can't have demons getting numb to it all. That's hardly the same as their victims... your victims have felt, is it?

( because that's what this is truly about, isn't it?

she does not give him a moment to recover this time. not for the dance of the centipede, met with the same force she used for upper two- she is not merciful, and she's done playing. if he wants to atone, then by god

he will atone. )

Edited 2025-12-09 03:56 (UTC)

No, it isn't. [he can admit to that openly; the ones who didn't die instantly died without exception in agony and more often than not in fear.

while akaza can't deny that what follows for him is agony... he doesn't know that he fears shinobu's physical strength (although he by no means finds it lacking) so much as the venom in her heart.

...

he doesn't know how long it is before it's over, only that it is. has her human body grown tired, or her mind simply bored of him? perhaps she just doesn't want to look at his face anymore today.

even after the last of the wounds heal, they've been so constant that the ghost of them echoes in his nerves. his ears ring as if the blows continue. these are sensations he recalls from a lifetime ago. there's a shake to his limbs tiny enough to be imperceptible to most humans, but surely a hashira will take note.

akaza inhales sharply and looks up at shinobu. is she in any better of a state? it's one thing to knowingly submit to corporal punishment, but if in doing so, he caused her to overdo it and hurt herself... he wonders whether kyojuro would continue to be so forgiving.]

( pushing herself like this was a mistake- a mistake she'll have to treat alone, quietly and privately so she doesn't risk her fellow healers' wrath and her fellow slayers' worry.

or worse.

try as she might though, she knows she can't hide her true status and heavy movements from a martial artist of his caliber. she does not strike again. no, as she approaches this time, it's to wipe some of the blood off of him. )

... Do you hate me, for what I've done to you now?

[that gesture and question throws him off completely. his head lolls to the side and his brows knit together as he watches her, his body attempting to recoil from a "gentle" touch even more than a violent one.]

You don't have to do that...

[and really, she doesn't. as sense slowly returns to him, and he can focus on controlling his cells, his spilled blood seems to simply dissipate.]

... Why would I hate you? I asked for this.

You can hate the medicine and still take it.

( he says she doesn't, but something about leaving him a mess otherwise, even if it's fixing itself, feels wrong. she hums thoughtfully. )

Do you think this has changed anything?

Maybe. But it'd be stupid to hate the doctor for it, too.

... It feels -- right. [it doesn't make everything better, but the relief is, indeed, palpable. he's told kyojuro before that violence was once the only language he understood, but right now, it feels true, still.

akaza tilts his head in the other direction, focusing a little more on shinobu.]

What about you? You overdid it. [it isn't a question; he can tell just by looking at her.]

( she doesn't expect either response. it showed in how he let her rip into him, rend him to pieces almost and never once raised a hand against her. but this just... hits in a different way.

he's serious about this. and about not hating her.

... how wretched, that he is somehow a better person than her in this regard. )

I did. Miss Lily is going to get upset with me. ( she almost laughs- ) It feels like being scolded by a mother, doesn't it?

... I did go too far today. I will have to rest tomorrow.

It... Well, I imagine that's what it's like. [he doesn't quite have the experience to compare it with...

... akaza wonders if shinobu is feeling relief right now, too, or only more frustration. so long as she's speaking with him, though...]

... I'm sorry. Do you need any help getting -- home? ["home" is very temporary right now, he knows, but, like... still.]

( shinobu can't hide the surprise on her face at the offer, and she struggles to recover. )

... No. You should go find Kyojuro.

( it's something she doesn't want to suggest, but- akaza is

sincere.

so he'll need a carrot to go with the rod. someone to keep him assured and provide care that she can't, won't give. someone who has faith in him. )

Be sure to rest up now~.

[honestly, he didn't have high hopes that she'd accept the offer, but it would have felt wrong not to.]

You, too.

[as he turns to go, something else still feels... unsaid. unresolved. he can't quite put his finger on it, but...]

... Thank you.

[what a bizarre thing to say to the woman who just brutalized him. but hopefully, she understands what it is he's grateful for -- a chance, as small as it may be. and hopefully, he'll continue to have the opportunity.]

( shinobu is quiet for a moment.

kyojuro has sworn up and down for this demon. he's put himself at risk from all the other demon slayers here.

and shinobu knows liars and bastards. he's been sincere and

kind.

in ways she cannot ever deserve.

shinobu smiles, like she's sending the boys off on their next mission. )

Of course. And you know where to find me for your next session.

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EVENT 031

cw: same but i still love a violence

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cw: discussion of eye trauma, disembowelment, torture and beheading

cw: discussion of eye trauma, disembowelment

cw: more torture talk

cw: more torture talk

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cw implied torture

cw torture aftercare...?

Re: cw torture aftercare...?

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