INTRODUCTION

[petoskeymods]

INTRODUCTION

A sound wakes you up, muffled yet somehow near - the sound of a trumpet being played, from somewhere outside the building you're in. There's no fog, no headache as you greet a new day - only the confusion of being in an unfamiliar cabin, lying on top of an unfamiliar bunk bed in somewhere that is certainly not where you last closed your eyes. You're also pretty sure you weren't wearing this outfit before you somehow arrived here - so that's an uncomfortable thought. Yet, the cabin you're in is comfortable, but looking in the steamer trunks near the bunks will only result in finding normal toiletry items and sets of underwear and more of the same strange uniform. Your personal items have been stripped away - well, in the cases they're not absolutely essential for you to live.

Stepping outside, you find yourself in a very forested (and ungodly humid) area, outlooking a wide lake - there's cabins and other buildings next to yours, but the main thing that'll most likely attract attention are the three adults standing out in front of the largest building, bearing the name 'LODGE' on it in large letters. A woman, an older man, and a man in full priest garb, tooting away on a trumpet - your wakeup call, apparently. Just in front of them is a picnic table littered with markers and 'MY NAME IS' nametags.

Maybe you should go and demand some answers? Or will you just decide to explore...and try to find a way out of this weird camp?

Comments

[sophistryking]

I see it's so bad that he has to be put out of his misery?

[He doesn't seem to worried though. What you going to do shoot him?]

[fallbymyhands]

Wh--

[SEEMS TAKEN ABACK BY THAT SUGGESTION??]

-- hardly. Why on Earth would you think I'd resort to such a drastic measure?

[see: Evoker]

[sophistryking]

Shooting him again will only do one thing. The bullet has already been removed, we just need to clean to wound and wrap it.

[Really calm about this. He's even reaching out with his right arm to pat her head, you silly you.]

[fallbymyhands]

Shooting him-- I would do no such thing!

[ALMOST OFFENDED THAT HE WOULD THINK SO??]

[sophistryking]

[hahaha time for head pats.]

Guns shoot bullets.

[fallbymyhands]

I am not carrying a gun.

[and with that]

[she lifts the weapon up]

[and points it at her temple]

[killtheanimals]

[He'd relaxed just a little when she talked about it being a spell component but hey, thanks, now that panic is spiking again.

Mitsuru (tall) why is this the way that you are]

[sophistryking]

[Why must you do this to the boy whose mom committed suicide in front of him?

His left arm, the one not patting at her hair. Rises, making a wavering grab at her hand. It's not even making it the whole way before his shoulders hunch and he grits his teeth.]

-Guh...

[Yeah the hands falling back to clutch at his chest as he stumbles, breaking into a cold sweat.]

[fallbymyhands]

[WHY IS THIS THE WAY THAT SHE IS, INDEED]

[Lenka and Sayama both reach for her, but Sayama falls back and by the time Lenka grabs her arm, it's a bit too late. her finger twitches over the trigger]

Artemisia!

[the sound of shattering glass replaces the sharp rapport of a gun. translucent shards seem to burst out from the side of her head, a flash of blue momentarily taking over the red of her eyes, but. there's no bullet, and there's no blood. and out from behind her arises a new creature (pixie sized), also semi-transparent in appearance and wielding what looks to be a thorned, metal whip]

[green sparkles coalesce around the creature's weapon, before settling down on Ren and his injury. this is a Diarahan BUT Mitsuru's healing spells are relegated to "able to fix broken bones only," so it is probably enough to knit the worst back together but may not be a full heal]

[killtheanimals]

[He jumps as the trigger is pulled, as the sound of glass shattering fills the air, and...

Ah. Yes. That is a healing spell, isn't it. And from a summon no less, from what he can tell. Rather small, though...

His eyes narrow, and though his posture straightens to something less defensive, he does continue to take a couple more steps back. Still observing, but definitely ready to leave once it's settled.

He really needs his staff back.]

[yunolikebugs]

[Gonta stops in his tracks as soon as he's little over a foot away. It's too late...?

Wait, she's not dead, and a little fairy came out to fix Ren a bit.]

... Uh?

[Gonta.exe has stopped working.]

[sophistryking]

[He's still clutching his chest, his hand making horrid little creases in the fabric. There's still a hitch in his breathing.

...But he seems to be calming down when the magic happens instead of a gunshot.]

[le_mat]

[Ren groans as the wound finishes closing as much as it's going to, his eyes fluttering. He looks up, seeing Mitsuru and Artemisia. His voice is slurred and has just a tiny hint of country boy accent to it that wasn't there before.]

Ngh... I know a Dia when I feel it. Holy shit... and I even got an angel to save me. Lucky me.

[warmyyarny]

[Kanji was still holding onto Gonta when Ren commented that. Mitsuru's Persona was nothing he wasn't used to, having seen so many Personas before, but he didn't expect Ren to say such thing. He knows about Dia spells. That means...

Wordlessly, Kanji lets go of Gonta and steps away from the group, surprised. This day is turning stranger by the minute]

1/2

[fallbymyhands]

[ah--]

2/3 actually oops

[fallbymyhands]

[STEPS ON HIS (UNINJURED) SHOULDER]

If you're well enough to spout such ridiculous lines, then you should be well enough to return to your cabin and stay there to rest for the balance of the day.

[fallbymyhands]

[okay more seriously, stepping back, Evoker still resting at her side. there's something more authoritative about what she says next]

When you're well, we'll discuss where you learned what a Dia spell is.

[le_mat]

[He grunts in pain, but his eyes are bright]

Ma'am, I will tell you anything you want.

... ngh, after I have more of my blood back.

[soylentprotag]

[Ah.

He feels the motion when she pulls the trigger through what grip he's managed, the impact from the blast, and even though there's no blood blowing out from the side of her head and a strange creature rears up instead (there's fear prickling at the edge of his awareness, things that aren't human that he doesn't recognize have never, ever been a good thing), Lenka doesn't quite register any of that just yet.

He can't, because he's too busy staggering back, gritting his teeth and closing his eyes and pushing down as hard as he can on the sudden clawing panic in his chest. The scent of blood still hanging in the air isn't helping matters.

Breathe. It's fine. Forget the sound. Forget the feel of it. Forget the blood, forget the urge to run. He'll just stand there for a while, still as a statue. Feel free to work around him.]

[velocirainbow]

[ Cielo does not have a good reaction to that. He really digs his nails into his fists and bites down on his lip. His breathing hitches.

... Right. She's not--she's not... it's fine. She's fine--nothing bad happens.

He doesn't know when he eventually remembers to breathe, sometime around the time Ren is up and talking again. Distant memories are jangling in his head. More present ones. War. Death. War. Death. People being devoured. Him doing the devouring--a bright light and

they're just meat.

... He's fine. He's... he's fine. It's... fine. But he feels a little sick. Looking at Ren's blood on his hands. He doesn't know why he feels sick. But he sure does. Serph. Sera. Argilla. Heat. Gale. His comrades. Aren't... here. It's just him and he can't protect everyone. But... but he's got to try. Even if she can help people too, he's the only one here whose powers seem to work unaltered for the most part. He's got to do his part. He can't let this happen again. ]

... You... you feelin' okay after dat, sista?

[fallbymyhands]

[NOBODY HAS A GOOD REACTION TO THIS, HONESTLY]

[later, she'll feel sheepish about it. later, she might feel a twinge of self-consciousness that her summoning struck fear into so many people. but for now, Artemisia vanishes in a flurry of blue sparkles as the healing spell ends, and she lowers her Evoker to her side]

[. . .]

[Cielo addresses her directly, and she lifts her gaze to meet his, not an ounce of fear or hesitation in her expression despite what she just did]

Yes. I'm fine.

. . . are you, Cielo?

[velocirainbow]

[ He realizes he's showing some... serious upset here. And not wanting to bother Mitsuru, he just puts on a big smile.

It's fake. ]

Ain't nothin' wrong, sista. Don't you worry about it. I'm jus' real glad you could help Ren.

[bladeisme]

[HOLY SHIT, WAS SHE ABOUT TO SHOOT HERSELF? Ichigo instantly reaches out, arm outstretched, heart pounding -]

Wai-

[And then the fairy(????) pops out, and he's just dumbfounded.

Then, he remembers how his badge, Rukia's glove, and Urahara's cane worked - and settles down. That seemed pretty normal, then - just her way of summoning her power, even if it's a little, well...

Dramatic.

And she didn't think to warn any of them about this, which what makes his shocked look turn into one of annoyance.]

....God, you could warn someone first, you know!

[fallbymyhands]

[YOU KNOW WHAT, ICHIGO. . . yeah. yeah, you're right]

. . . my apologies.

[and now she stars to feel bad]

It didn't occur to me to say anything beforehand. Forgive me for being so thoughtless.

[trashmouthtozier]

[Richie's been watching this the whole time, wide-eyed, terrified but unable to look away, like he's watching something at the Paramount, covering Eddie's ears for him so he doesn't have to use up his ENTIRE INHALER on his first day]

Well, hey, thanks for closing the goddamn door now that the motherfucking COWS are out! What the CHRIST WAS THAT?!!!???