Ghostbusters: Japan Quest

[Tempest Kitsune]

I think we should tell Sato exactly what we saw.

[EchoGarrote]

Sato is standing there, looking around the empty room. "So...where'd you see it?" He asks.

You point to underneath the couch. "Looked like a kid holding onto a Chym."

"I thought they didn't make those anymore." Sato shrugs. "So..." He eyes the couch, warily. "It didn't attack you?"

You shake your head.

"Okay...hold on." He opens one of his pockets and pulls out a small spiral notebook with the Ghostbuster logo on it. He thumbs through a few pages and then stops. "Alright." He clears his throat and begins to read.

"Attention entity, good afternoon. My name is Insert Na-...oh...My name is Sato Fumihito, As a Ghostbuster and as currently appointed representative of the SongBird Cafe, the City of Tokyo and its wards, and the nation of Japan, I request you make yourself corporeal so we may have audience." He says loudly. He flips a page and says in a softer voice. "Wait for ghost to make presence known, if hostile begin subdue procedures as noted on page 37. If non-confrontaional proceed to page 8. Okay..."

Slowly, a figure crawls out from under the couch. It's a girl who looks to be in her early teens. She's a mousy little thing, brown hair cut short, a little spotty and slightly awkward in her own body, typical for a girl that age. She's wearing a black and white school uniform, holding the Chym tightly, she also has a large gash in her neck about half an inch thick. The front of her uniform has red blood stains on it. She looks scared.

Sato flips a few pages. "Greetings. Can you understand me?"

The girl nods.

Flip, flip. "Can you speak?"

She shakes her head.

Flip, flip, flip. "Okay...that's okay. Alright, while we acknowledge your desire to remain on this plane, we must request that your presence here is disruptive to the living, and ask that you vacate to either a different location, or a different state of reality of your choice or convenience."

The girl frown and tilts her head confused.

Sato sighs. "We need you to leave."

The girl shakes her head and backs away a sep, she technically should have stepped into the couch, but she stepped through it, and now the lower half of her body is no longer visible.

Sato frowns. "Let's see, reluctant but non-hostile...page 21." Flip flip. "Ah, okay. We understand that this is a dramatic change, and are willing to assist you in any way that we can so that your transition process can be eased. Do you have any unfinished business that you feel is necessary to complete. A message that was never sent, or a task to be completed?"

The girl frowns and looks thoughtful for a moment, then shakes her head.

"Were you murdered and you feel that your killer has not received justice?"

The girl looks down and shakes her head. She draws a hand across her throat wound and then points to herself.

Sato looks confused for a moment, and then his eyes widen. "Ah. Alright...is there something you need or desire?"

The girl shakes her head.

Flip "Is there something keeping you here?"

She nods.

Sato sighs a 'Finally' sigh. "Okay, page 24...is this a physical object?"

A shake of no.

"A person."

She starts to shake her head, but then pauses and waves her hand.

"So, kind of a person...what would..." He goes through the book and then his eyes widen. "Another ghost, or other such entity?"

The girl nods wildly.

"This ghost that is keeping you here, is it hostile to humans?" He asks.

She nods again, eyes wide.

Sato grins. "Excellent! Alright, so if we dispatch this other ghost, will you be free and willing to leave?"

The girl nods.

"Good, I have to call in back up." He takes out his phone and then frowns. "PKE interference...alright, stay here with my friend Michiko. I need to find a spot where I can get a signal. I'll be right back." He exits the room.

Leaving you alone in the room...with the ghost girl.

[doc.exe]

"OK. Either I'm more drunk than I thought, or this is the best show with mirrors and lights that I have seen."

[Darkandus]

"Um, Hello. You...ah. Hmm. Would you like to sing some karaoke? You can uh, help me keep rhythm by tapping maybe?"

[gman391]

Mutter to self
"And this kids is why you don't do drugs."

Louder.
"So do you have a name?"

[Phht]

"If you move on, will the music player stay behind?"

What? Priorities, people. Remember the funding to not be NEET! Though, regardless of response, afterward we can totally try karaoke with the ghost while we wait. And maybe ask if the ghost can point us to where the evil spirit hangs out most of the time.

Also, I can't help but want to ask "Where are you from, originally?"

[serbii]

I like Darks suggestion, we should make friends with ghost-tan.
Uh remember with all the questions you're asking she can't speak!

[Vael]

((Oh man, that was awesome...they actually have an instruction manual for this stuff ))

Yup, friends with ghost-tan? Why the hell not! Anyone up for making us an anchor for her?

I'm suddenly reminded of ghost-girl Aisaka Sayo...anyways, how about sitting next to her and:

"So...high school huh?"

[Tempest Kitsune]

Look at the girl for a moment, and smile weakly. Sure, our paradigm is shifting gears so hard that they're squealing, but that's no reason to be impolite. Then realize that Sato just left you here, when this ghost girl has just confirmed there is a HOSTILE SPIRIT ON THE PREMISES. And we are NOT ARMED. "Um, you're not going to vanish if I step out for a second, are you? Because if what you're... indicating is true, then what ever is keeping you here could come through at any moment. And while I'm sure Sato has any number of fun toys to subdue the foul beast, I am a bit unarmed for such an occasion... excuse me... SATOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[ShonenHero]

Um, good point. As fun as it would be for our broke NEET butt to make friends, even ghost friends, we should tag with Seto given that there's a hostile spirit roaming around..

[EchoGarrote]

You stand there blinking for a moment. The girl just stands there in the middle of the couch, looking uncomfortable. SLowly, you make your way to the couch and sit down at one end. The ghost girl 'sits' on the other side. Both of you looking at each other.

"OK. Either I'm more drunk than I thought, or this is the best show with mirrors and lights that I have seen." You say.

The girl's mouth twitches slightly into a smile.

"It's also why you don't do drugs, kids." You sigh.

She's now fully smiling.

"Um, Hello. You...ah. So...do you have a name?" You ask.

The girl blinks, slightly surprised. She looks upwards for a moment, frowns. Then shakes her head and shrugs at the same time. Her eyes rome around the room for a bit, and then she shrugs and points at the Chym logo and then to herself.

"You want to be known as Chym? Are you sure?"

She shrugs.

"Well, it's your call if you want to have a name like a pokemon."

The girl looks puzzled.

"Never mind, Let's just add an E so no one gets confused. Okay. So...High School, huh?"

Chyme nods. She takes her Chym and fiddles with it. She holds it up to show that it's playing song number 2003 out of 9999999.

"Where are you from, originally?"

Chyme concentrates again, but again does the shake head/shrug move.

"If you move on, will the music player stay behind?"

Chyme's eyes go wide and she clutches the Chym to her 'body' tightly. She shakes her head.

"Okay, okay." You say. There's a pause as the two of you sit there. "So... Would you like to sing some karaoke? You can uh, help me keep rhythm by tapping maybe?"

Chyme makes a face and sticks out her tongue. She fiddles with her Chym, and shows a 'Previously Played' list...it's a history of some of the most popular J-Pop songs to come out...played over and over and over and over and over and OVER again.

"Okay, so..." The concept that there's a hostile spirit on the premises finally reaches your rather deep-fried brain. (Consider yourself sober now, seeing an actual ghost can do that.) Also, that the only person with equipment, and who knew what he was doing (God help us) has left. "Um, you're not going to vanish if I step out for a second, are you? Because if what you're... indicating is true, then what ever is keeping you here could come through at any moment..."

Chyme isn't looking at you though...she's staring up at the ceiling...and she looks terrified.

(EDIT: Needed to change the year Chyme died, forgot that there were no ipods until 2001. )

[ShonenHero]

Scream for Seto to get his butt in that room, pronto! AND RUNNNNNN!

[Phht]

No! We're Japanese! Godzilla is merely a regular inconvenience to us! Tsunamis only temporarily slow us down! No surrender! How can we have a chance to get a job ghost busting if we panic and flee now! We're going to show that we aren't afraid of any ghost!

Walk calmly over to the karaoke machine, scroll through the list for an appropriate song that can serve as battle BGM without words, start it, suck up our courage, and turn to stare down the hostile spirit!


...and make the decision that Sato is totally footing any of your bills connected to these events if you survive.

[doc.exe]

Mmm... I think a middle point between both suggestions will work better.

So calmy adress the hostile ghost, make some brief idle chat, then politely ask him to excuse us while we go to get our friend. Bow down, walk calmy to the door, get out of the room then look for Sato.

Hopefully, the ghost will be so confused by our behavior that he will not attack us while we leave the room.

[Wittgen]

Protect Chyme at all costs!

If the ghost kills us, we can just bond with Chyme, become eachother's anchors, and start wrecking havoc on the jerks who made our lives so miserable. Ghost BFFs!

[Phht]

Mmm... I think a middle point between both suggestions will work better.

But we might goad the spirit into a karaoke duel that causes the PKE energy to spike enough that us and Chyme (on air guitar) double-team the hostile spirit (as Sato and his back-up arrives at the room) with Tenacious D's Tribute to finish it off and send it on to the afterlife! Followed by us high-fiving Chyme with the expected results.

[spudman]

This, a thousand times THIS!!

[Vael]

I humbly second Phht's decision.

[gman391]

I'm with it.

[Tempest Kitsune]

Don't even look up, simply attempt to grab Chyme's hand, run for the door, and scream for Sato like a little f**king girl. Though I would start screaming even as we do the other actions.

[serbii]

You know, I can't help but suspect the little miss is not a human soul, or at least is haunting her Chym so to speak.

she shrugs and points at the Chym logo and then to herself.
"You want to be known as Chym? Are you sure?"

She takes her Chym and fiddles with it. She holds it up to show that it's playing song number 1994 out of 9999999.

"If you move on, will the music player stay behind?"
Chyme's eyes go wide and she clutches the Chym to her 'body' tightly. She shakes her head.

Lunge for the minbar and grab some pretzels! Ghosties hate salt! Also pretzels, mmmm.

I'm all for a Karaoke duel.

[EchoGarrote]

You motion for Chyme to stand behind you as you get up from the couch. "Sato!" You cry. "Sato, get in here!"

The little ghost girl all but dives behind you.

You take a deep breath a look up.

For a moment, the only thing that really registers in your mind is a purple light. Which makes sense as the brain commonly translates most colors that the human eye can't process as being a shade of purple.

However that fades and what appears in its stead makes you take a step backwards as it lowers itself to the ground.

The...you hate to call this thing a girl, or even imply that it had been human once, is wearing a school uniform like Chyme's, it's a different color (orange and black) and cut though (Chyme has a regular looking outfit, this thing is wearing the 'Skanky Costume-Shop' version). Her arms and legs aren't arms and legs, but rather writhing, undulating, twitching cables and cords. Her hair is a mass of stripped bare wires. Ball microphone speakers form her fingers. There are two speaker dishes where its eyes should be, stretched tight against the pale skin. It has red, white, and yellow A/V plugs for teeth. Black slime drips from between the teeth.

"Girl..." The thing says looking around the small room. "Where arrrrreeee you?" It says in a voice that sounds like every horrible, screechy, slightly drunk, tone deaf, karaoke singer. "You know we'll find you girl. We always doooo..." The way it looks around and the way Chyme has her hands over her nose, mouth, and neck would points to the thing being unable to see.

"Sato!" You yell. "Get! In! Here! NOW! The other ghost is HERE!"

The Karaoke Ghost's head snaps up and looks directly at you. "You can SEE us? What are you? Spirits, Priestess, Guardians?" It takes a step back.

"Uhh...Ghostbusters?" You say. "SATO!"

"Ghos-..." There's a pause and then the ghost starts to laugh. A horrible sound that's half feedback and half static noise. "Is THAT what the other two are dealing with in the lobby? A pathetic mortal?!"

Now you can hear from down the hall the sound of screams and what sounds like...some kind of electrical thing going off.

"Do you think this can help you Girl?!" The Karaoke ghost says, flinging one of its cable arms around your neck, and dragging you up close to it's slime dripping mouth. "No one wants to help you Girl! Not the society. No spiritualists. No ogre. No reaper of any kind. No creature. No angel. No demon. The only ones who care are these pathetic mortals with no power at all! Give in Little Girl...and maybe I'll spare her." The thing starts to squeeze...little spots start to appear in your vision.

Chyme shakes her head and opens her mouth and makes a soft little 'ah' noise.

"Ahhhh," The Karaoke ghost's other arm wraps around Chyme's waist. "There you are...just in time for tonight's concert."

"brrk...kiiii...uuug" You choke out.

"Pardon?" The ghost says loosening the grip.

"I bet I sing better than you!" You gasp. "Chyme and Sato do to, you tone deaf bitch!"

"Is that a challenge?" The Karaoke ghost says. Chyme is shaking her head violently.

"Yeah. It is." You say.

The thing grins. "MARVELOUS! Come!" It leaves the room, dragging you and Chyme with it, back to the main lobby of the SongBird. It looks like all the humans have fled...and someone carved a squiggly line into one of the pink walls with a blowtorch. Sato is on the ground, pinned by two more Karaoke ghosts. One in a male uniform, and the other in a Blue/White school uniform. One of the male ghost's arm is wriggling on the floor, and the other one looks like it has some holes blown in it.

"What happened to you two?"

"Mortal put up a fight. Girl! Did YOU call this one here? You will PAY for that." The girl growls.

The male just puts out a blast of ear-piercing screech noise.

"Oh, she will...but first the mortal's partner says that they're better singers than us. A challenge!"

The other two Karaoke ghost look at each other and grin. They pull Sato up, and the three of you are forcibly pushed into chairs. Wires wrap around you and Sato holding you in place and around your mouth, gagging you. Chyme just looks terrified.

A microphone stand and a small television float down the hall into the main room, and the screen clicks on showing
TEAM SongBird : 000
TEAM Ghostbusters: 000

"Now, let us be-"

"Ahem." A voice interrupts the lead Karaoke Ghost's ranting. The six of you look. It's a guy standing in the hallway, leaning on one of the walls casually. He has black hair that covers part of his face, and a green hoodie.

Chyme's eyes go big and the three Karaoke ghosts take a step back. "What do YOU want?" One of them screeches.

"You said this was a challenge." The guy says. "So I'll judge."

"But...but that's not fair!" The Blue/White ghost says.

"No. It is. That's why you're upset. If you win, then you can do as you like. If they win, the door becomes unsealed." The man says. "Take it or leave it."

"If we leave it?"

"You will upset her." He says. "She wants them beaten and cheating doesn't do that."

The Karaoke ghosts look at each other for a moment. You, Sato, and Chyme share a confused look.

"Deal."

"Good...now...since the Ghostbusters challenged." The boy nods and the wires fall away and a spotlight clicks on illuminating the standing microphone. "They get to pick the first song."

Sato stands up behind you, rubbing his throat that has a lot of red wire marks wrapped around it. "Is it a bad time to tell you that I, as the ancients say, 'Sing with all the grace of a rusted blade,' right?"

"So," The guy in the green cardigan says. "What will it be?"

[serbii]

"We're in! BUT REMEMBER! This is Karaoke! You lot!" Point at the ghosts, "Go get yourselves drinks, NOW! And none of this soft drink crap, if it's not alcoholic it's not karaoke. Sato, go grab us beer and chips. If we're going to do this by god we're going to do this right! If you're a horrible singer then you're going to get us points for being an enthuastic drunken singer! Because I think we can all agree that is the True Meaning of Karaoke! There is no room for idol singers here! Karaoke is not about the best singer but the best showman! THE MOST PASSION!"

Turn to the judge "You might want to get a drink too, and pretzles, ooh! Yakitori, do they do yakitori here?"

"Chyme-chan, no drinking for you ok, you're underage, go grab yourself a coke, and I'll have you know your Chym is awesome, very retro. Seriously, the hipsters will be scrambling for those things soon, iPods are so over done. Don't ever let them tell you otherwise, it's super cool."

*Googles Japanese karaoke song rankings. Ahahaha, 2010? Cruel Angel's Thesis isnumber 2, after all these years
Anyone got a better suggestion?

[Wittgen]

How many rounds? Anime->J-pop->Disney->Surprise enka for the anchor is a good. The first 3 create a sense of fun and whimsy. The more traditional enka at the end lets us flex vocal power and really show our stuff. Ideally, the J-pop choice would have a bit of a rock flavor, though that's really my flavor. If we want to instead showcase fluffy silliness, AKB48's "Aitakatta" works. Though not as well as if we were a dude.

[serbii]

love ★ gun by Hirano Aya for j-pop?

*Snerk* Sing from a chorus line, the whole point is one of them can't sing.