[early morning cat posting]

[sevenhorrorsmods]

Who: everyone
When: July 25
Where: class 3-C
What: a few visitors!
Warnings: none!

[On Friday morning at 6:00 a.m. on the dot, the student body is awoken not by the bell, but by the sound of meowing echoing over the intercom.

[It's not just the PA system, either. Soft, gentle, and very cute mewls fill the classroom hallways; distant on floors one and two, but much louder on floor three. Intrepid explorers who follow the noise will find that one of the third floor classrooms has been overtaken by a pack of ghostly cats!]

[Each creature is the size of a normal housecat, and has the mannerisms of one. That is, they will attempt to hop into your lap for some prime cuddling time, ears and tails flicking adorably all the while. Their bodies are a pale, ghostly white, and their eyes glow a soft, gentle blue. Although they are translucent, they are still solid to the touch, and they feel just like a normal cat does. Soft fur and everything! Aren't they precious? Aren't they just so stinkin' cute??? DON'T YOU JUST WANT TO SMOOSH THEIR ROUND LI'L KITTEN FACES??]

[So long as characters are kind to the cat spirits, the Nekomata are completely harmless. They just want to play and snuggle!! Although. . .]

[Anyone who touches a cat spirit will find themselves hit with a sudden need for physical contact. This can range from something small (desiring a high five) to something bigger (needing to CUDDLE THE SHIT outta someone). Being surrounded by more than one Nekomata means the compulsion becomes stronger, too! One cat means it can probably be safely ignored, but five?? If you don't HOLD SOMEONE'S HAND RIGHT THIS SECOND you JUST MAY DIE!!]

[Oh, so you don't like cats? No problem! The Nekomata are mischievous creatures, and they WILL leap onto people's backs and shoulders without warning. Being cat spirits, they can also teleport from one place to another, so. . . you can be minding your own business one second, blink, and then be staring into the eyes of a cute cat spirit perched on your lap the next.]

[The Nekomata will be drawn towards members of Anzen more than anyone else per their target lock curse, but they are excited to shower literally anyone in a bit of cute kitty affection, regardless of their homeroom]

[Please let me know if your character is being violent and/or aggressive towards the Nekomata. Otherwise, enjoy some compulsive physical bonding with a cute ghostly flair!]

Comments

[presgarddihellis]

That's the general gist.

There are rituals, also, depending on the Pathway and Sequence. And at any misstep between taking the potion, performing the ritual, and successfully digesting the potion can have a Beyonder lose control or die.

1/2

[ordimame]

. . . okay. Got it! So--

[ordimame]

Are you a god??

[ABSOLUTELY INSANE QUESTION TO ASK A GUY. THIS SHOWS ON HIS FACE]

[presgarddihellis]

[................






honestly, this is a natural question to ask but also he's been trying so hard but also

isn't this all just the curse making him talk so much?!

but also, let's consider the question in its entirety.

is he, the current person sitting here right in front him, a god?]

... technically, no. Not at the moment. I'm, at most, at a Sequence 5, the Sequence noticeably just before demi-god Sequence 4.

Among other things.

[internal laughs at himself in Marionettist.]

[ordimame]

[oh excuse him, he should have asked if Smith was a demi-god]

Okay. . . cool. [that's fine. that's neat. one of his classmates is a grim reaper, so. ya know. it happens] Not a god, but only on a technicality.

. . . what made you want to become one?

[presgarddihellis]

... I wanted to go home.

I thought if I could get power, I could find a way.

But I only found out that it was not possible.

[except now... he looks at this Earth history book... from a year after he'd performed that ritual.]

[ordimame]

[frown!! deepens!!]

Impossible because the magic to return home doesn't exist, or. . .

[impossible. . . for some other reason?]

1/4

[presgarddihellis]

... even if there's some magic I didn't know about... I can't just leave anymore.

[one of the nekomata seems to be sensing his mood and is stretching up to put paws on his shoulder so it can lick his face.

he huffs and pets the nekomata.]

That's probably why they grabbed a marionette of mine instead.

2/4

[presgarddihellis]

3/4

[presgarddihellis]

[... nooooo he didn't mean to say that last part alooooud.]

4/4

[presgarddihellis]

[putting a hand on Edamura's face before he can ask]

--do not. Cursed knowledge. Don't look. Don't ask people to look. Don't investigate further.

[ordimame]

[THAT TIMING. . . because Puck's mouth is already open with the question dangling from the tip of his tongue by the time Smith shoves a hand against his face]

ACK--

[snags at that hand, grasping it tightly and pulling it away]

-- what the hell does that even mean!

[what is "cursed knowledge," and how can it be "cursed" when he has NO IDEA what Smith just said about the marionette even means???]

[presgarddihellis]

If you don't understand, all the better! Stop thinking about it.

[ordimame]

Easier said than done!

[ANNOYED. INDIGNANT. shifting his grip to Smith's hand, squeezing it tightly, the movement subconscious]

You can't just unring a bell like that!

[presgarddihellis]

It wasn't my intention to ring it in the first place!

[less polite victorian tones, more aggravated post-university grad with shitty IT job.]

[ordimame]

[his grip on that hand loosens, but he doesn't yet pull away. it is unclear if he is even aware of what he is doing]

[one silent scowl later, Puck has seemed to calm himself well enough that he is no longer yelling in indignation]

. . . so what is "cursed knowledge," anyway?

[presgarddihellis]

... it's why I'm using the name Miskatonic. It's like that. Lovecraft.

At a certain point, even the thought of a concept could cause a person to express a kind of corruption and go mad from it.

This isn't at that level, but...

[hand is shaky subtly. unfortunately, it's also being held. his expression's even, but the tremble is a dead giveaway about how much he's afraid he'll open a horrific eldritch can of worms on people here.]

[ordimame]

[and just like that, his features grow slack, gaze flickering down at the trembling fingers within his grasp. he notes several things at once:]

[a) this guy's fear and anxiety over "cursed knowledge" is very real, which makes Puck wonder if he has seen the effects of unleashing same on someone before]

[and. . .]

[b) why is he holding Smith's hands]

[a few blinks later and he releases his grip on those fingers, once again leaning back so he can return to casually petting a Nekomata like that didn't just happen]

Whatever brought you here is powerful enough to grab grim reapers and gods. [demi-gods??] Maybe it's powerful enough to suppress the effects of "cursed knowledge," too.

[after all! he feels nothing after being told about the marionette. though he doesn't know if that's simply because he didn't look too far into it, or because of this place's interference]

[presgarddihellis]

[one second, have to look at his hand like he's confused it was being held

and then start to use it to pet nekomata that butt its head against it, purring.]

... it's... possible. But I'd rather not risk it.

[ordimame]

[don't think about it, this guy sure isn't!!!]

. . . I guess that's fair enough.

[kind of like how no one is taking risks with their names, even though nobody knows what will happen if they share them]

[. . .]

[lapsing into silence as he continues to scritch behind the Nekomata's ears, gaze drifting away for a moment]

[presgarddihellis]

[well, this is awkward.

and Klein is mentally weighing pros and cons here.]

... I'll also admit... it's not just the "one shouldn't look directly at a god" issue.

Explaining things like how a Sequence 5 Seer Pathway Marionettist makes their marionettes is... unsettling. I've long gotten used to these things, but.

[pauses. considers.]

Maybe there is still some part of me that's unnerved by it.

[ordimame]

[. . . his imagination doesn't know what to do with that one. but perhaps. . . that is for the best? god knows what kinds of horrors can weigh that heavily on someone's mind]

[. . .]

[(. . . he already knows, too)]

[a sharp exhale]

That's not a bad thing. It means you've kept your humanity.

[presgarddihellis]

Does it...

[not really questioning, just. hm. complicated feelings there.]

I suppose that's a positive.

[ordimame]

It is.

[he replies, with emphasis on every word]

That's how I meant it, anyway.

[. . .]

[he debates saying more. staunchly decides against it]

. . . anyway. You're an interesting guy.

[presgarddihellis]

There's a lot of interesting people here. I'd hate to be left out on that front.

[he's just been more talkative about some things, and it's still barely scratched the surface.]