post-impocalypse: a field trip

[farfromgrace]

Vengeance is a Hell that cannot forget the past. Places of violence sometimes waver and reveal their old scars, bullet holes reappearing in fixed tables. It hasn't even forgotten the fall-- white chalk outlines in some of the alleys show bodies bent and crumpled at fatal angles, bodies that if stared at long enough show the pale shadow of wings at their backs. Some of the damned have claimed these angel bodies, hoping for a patron in hell or a weapon against it should they ever stir-- or a favor from Asmodeus, if they bring a waking one to him.

Beyond that, the cramped jumble of a city has the look of a place that belongs in a film noir, the light that's cast from the sky here washes out colors, and at night the fog comes in across the dark water and envelopes the city. So, in opposition to that, the occupied buildings are garish and loud on the inside and with their neon advertisements on the outside, demanding attention and refusing to bow to an environment that seems to want them silenced.

Space suddenly shifts, in a jarring, nauseating way, and you're falling into a landscape that's definitely a city, but not your Tokyo-F.

And land, unceremoniously, in an alley, the portal closing behind you. Nothing special about it, covered in peeling advertisements, full of shadows, littered with broken bottles and crushed cans and other kinds of garbage.

No one seems to have noticed you yet...

Comments

[worthathousand]

Everyone, behind me.

[ She readies the naginata—still faintly dusted with deadzone dirt, though probably not enough to coat it for more than a strike or two—and puts up Juniper Tree.

Keeping her own voice lowered, now— ]

Can what's coming see through the illusion?

[farfromgrace]

[ SHRUG?????

their guess is as good as yours. ]

[dragonheartedgirl]

[ She tenses up. Kija has GIVEN HER BACK HER WEAPON and she could summon her aibou. WHO SAYS SHE CAN'T DO A FITE EVEN WITH MAJOR BLOOD LOSS AND ASH-LUNG-WEAKENING!?!? fight her

For the moment though she is following Amaranth's instructions and also moving Suri along with her. PROTECC THE ANGEL. ]

If you need to, Suri, please run away.

[worthathousand]

It's worth a try, then:
If you press your back against the true alley wall, I'll hide you as long as I'm able.

[backstory]

[ Whip blade at the ready, he grits his teeth, moving into a defensive stance beside his master.

Like Amaranth, there's not much dirt left on his weapon but he's willing to make do with what he's got. ]

They didn't have a way to track us, did they...?

[asonoficeandfire]

[he's separated his spear into two smaller crude blades instead, standing at the ready. sadly his weapons are without dirt]

Unless they saw through the disguises somehow?

[farfromgrace]

[ oh

well they're just going to lean back against the wall. scoot scoot.

they're good at staying still in one place forever. this is their main skill in fact. ]

[dragonheartedgirl]

[ suri we need to get you a new hobby

build some life skills ]

Even this city is only so large. I absence must have been noted back home. It was just a matter of time.

[worthathousand]

[ You're doing amazing, sweetie.
Amaranth gives Suri a nod, and then there's another shimmer of leaves, this one leaving them looking like a mound of creeping ivy.

And then she steps out from behind the false wall. If whatever is coming can see through illusions, better that there be a distraction from looking too closely. ]

[idharlotry]

[ chikichikichikichiki echoes around them, shadows coating the walls and ground as a woman steps into view, red and gold dress bold in the nightlight. She looks to Amaranth—and then directly to the false wall, directly upon the rest of the gang as though she could see right through them. ]

—I thought I heard something.

[ The sound of her voice is pleasant to the ear, smooth, but there's something to be said about her tone—it isn't quite cross, but there's a touch of impatience to it. ]

Where did that girl go. . .

[worthathousand]

[ Haha fffuck.
She moves to step more directly in front of the woman. ]

Perhaps I can be of assistance, if I am not the one you are searching for, my lady.

1/2

[idharlotry]

Hardly.

[ considering her for a moment or two ]

[idharlotry]

[ then—her lips purse together, the corners curving up ]

But no matter. I've found you all the same.

The rest of you can come out, too.

[backstory]

[ She did look at them as though she had seen right through the barrier. What 'girl' does she mean, though...?

It's with some reluctance that he takes a step forward, a little ahead of his master, weapon in hand. ]

How did you find us?

1/2

[worthathousand]

[ Never mind questions. ]

All of you—run.

[worthathousand]

[ And then she's bark-coated and throwing herself at the woman, naginata whirling low.

(( dice roll: 5 )) ]

[asonoficeandfire]

[he's a hero, he's not running, though he's stepping out of the way to give her space.]

We're not leaving you here!

[backstory]

[ Oh guess questions are over that didn't last long.

But also not leaving. Immediately he moves forward to attack alongside Amaranth, striking with his whip blade (3) at the same time he activates picking me apart again to try and ruthlessly tear whatever scars she has apart. ]

[asonoficeandfire]

[I guess we're doing this.

he's stepping around to the other side to dart in and strike from there with his blades]

[dragonheartedgirl]

[ A part of her very much wants to stay and fight. It burns in her--that impulsive desire--and it's only because Amaranth reminds her that they all need to run that she doesn't join the fray. Because there is someone much more important than her own prideful need to defend (when she logically knows that she is not strong enough for this fight right now). She--has to live--to fight another day, and Suri needs to live or they've done more harm than good here.

Hiryuu grabs Suri's hand with her free one (the other grips her Heart Weapon; if trouble continues to come for them, there won't be any choice) and starts pulling her in another direction. At this point--ANY other direction.

(Rolled a 4 for running away) ]

C'mon! Let's go!

[ But... well. It would be very unlike her to not try to fight. Hiryuu summons up her Aibou, again--this time the massive brawling dragon of crimson hues from before. ]

Help them!

[ With a roar, the dragon lunges at the woman, teeth snapping.

(Rolled a 5) ]

[everylast]

[ he doesn't intend on leaving, either. even if he had been listening on the edges, as a newcomer to this- he has enough physical strength to act as muscle for these good people, when things get bad. and so, he dashes in- his lance being swung in the same fluid motion as concrete jungle is activated in the same moment to give him any kind of advantage. ]

nsfw, cw bugs

[idharlotry]

. . . Oh, come on.

[ It doesn't seem like Levi's picking me apart Again worked—and it doesn't seem like any single blow lands on her. Did she dodge them. . . . ?

No—every single person who strikes finds purchase with their weapon, but it's the crumple of carapace and wings that sound; her dress breaks apart, the chikichicki increasing in louder volume as the cloth becomes insects that swarm all around everyone's faces. It leaves the Lady completely naked, scarless and pale in the moonlight.

For Amaranth, she'll find the bugs clinging to her face, blinding her; Levi will find the bugs rushing up his legs; Duality will find his blades completely coated; Hiryuu's dragon is devoured entirely with a thousand crunches and Hiryuu herself will find that she's blocked off from the rest of the alley, a wall of chirping bugs towering over her.

Horizon is the unluckiest—as close to her as he is he won't be able to keep himself standing, the very ground itself rumbling as insects break the floor apart underneath his feet, and the woman reaches out to grab him by the hair—

You see the rest of them—everyone here, your fellow explorers—completely crushed, bodies broken beyond repair; as the insects feast upon their body you can see the woman you just attacked snap her fingers.

Suddenly, your surroundings are different—familiar. WILD CITY, your dorm—yet she's still in front of you, and the insects all have come with her. They seek out your unitmates, dragging them all out of their rooms—in parts if they have to, and even if they don't—and you can hear their screams, so loud in the reverb that it feels as though your ears themselves would break.

Every single strike appears then, on his body: Amaranth's naginata strike, Duality's blades, Levi's whip-blade, the dragon's teeth, and even his own lance—the damage of all these strikes appear on himself. Moreover, Horizon will find his scars unraveling, as though he was picked apart Again. ]

Must we, dears?

Re: nsfw, cw bugs

[worthathousand]

[ Amaranth swipes at her face with a snarl, clearing her vision just in time to see what's become of Horizon.
Her voice is strained. ]

I told all of you to run!

[ She whips back around to face the woman. ]

Let them be, please. Do not punish their innocent bravery in following me.

Re: nsfw, cw bugs

[dragonheartedgirl]

[ RUNNING ISN'T WORKING OUT SO GREAT EITHER, MOM.

She just had part of her soul devoured

or like. got to feel the semblance of that? I guess? whatever it would be like if your soul was just a giant tamale someone was hungry for.

She crying but. She's also casting Charm on all of these MOTHER FUCKIN BUGS ]

Get out of our way!

[ gonna keep trying to go forward. ]

Re: nsfw, cw bugs

[backstory]

[ Whatever Hiryuu feels through the buddy bond, she can probably feel the absolute panic rush through from Leviathan's side for a myriad of different reasons. Fear for her and what she's feeling at the moment, the insects, and the fact that--

Everything they did... backfired onto Horizon.

And this woman is made of insects. He tries to take a step toward Horizon, and that's when he feels it. Something on his legs and rushing up fast as he looks down. Immediately scrambling, he screams, kicking wildly and trying to brush them off of him.

At the same time, he activates Part of Your Property to drag the man to him and immediately try to set about healing him if it's not already too late. ]