daybreakacademy | battlefield: the enraged ones [open]

battlefield: the enraged ones [open]

Who: A. Anyone!; B. Mostly those who have shown interest in fighting the Dragon, but even if you haven't posted in the OOC interest check, feel free to jump right in anyway!

What: A. Let's talk about Heralds; B. It's time to fight a Dragon daemon!

When: Late June. A happens before B.

Where: A. The Iris Network; B. A small town found within the Mount Lebanon mountain range, Lebanon.

Warnings: There will be fighting, likely with blood and possible gore.

Note: Will match format!

A. UN: murakumo_emille | Subject: Heralds

A. Colleagues and Students,

I, Head of Research Emille, have been looking into the beings known as Heralds in order to prepare for our eventual showdown with Utultar. There are records of battles against a previous Herald, Xelvak, and we cannot forget that a baby Herald resides with us within the walls of the Academy.

Therefore, for anyone who has fought with Xelvak or Utultar, or have interacted with the baby Herald, I would like to hear your story. What was your experience like? What was the Herald like? How do you feel about the baby Herald that resides with us? Is it an abomination, or worth training to fight with us?

As for myself, I will admit that I am wary of the baby Herald. As long as it does not become a threat, it can remain with us, but the moment it becomes dangerous we will need to take action against it. Besides, I do not believe it likes me much. That is my opinion. What is yours?

--Emille

B. Codename: Sleepy Hollow

[One June afternoon, Emille receives a dire phone call from Murakumo HQ in Tokyo. They've detected signs of a butterfly-like Dragon daemon in Lebanon, and they're asking if she can mobilize a squad from Daybreak to nullify the threat. By the next morning, she and a select group of students are on a Murakumo-funded helicopter flight to the Middle East.

Upon touching down at the foot of a mountain range, they are taken in rugged ATVs to a small town within these mountains. The surrounding area is densely wooded, and snow-capped peaks can be seen off in the not-too-far distance. As for the town, it is a mess. It is obvious that something strange is going on, that a battle has been taking place. Burn marks can be seen on some of the buildings. Chunks of earth have been gouged out and strewn around. Small medical tents have been erected near the entrance to the town, with Murakumo doctors aiding wounded humans. And, of course, swaths of orange flowers have sprung up in various places, from the ground to the rooftops.

Emille and the group are greeted by a member of Murakumo as soon as they step out of the ATV. The uniformed, ventilation-masked man gives a quick debriefing: the Dragon daemon, codename Sleepy Hollow, has used some sort of ability like the shedding of its wing scales to turn the people of the town against each other, verbally and physically. Murakumo is currently working on providing an antidote to this problem, both for the victims and for those gearing up to fight the Dragon. Sleepy Hollow itself has been chased off for now, but it will be back anytime.

He then points to three stations: A larger tent set up next to the smaller medical tents where the antidote is being created, a small table with a nurse outside of the medical tents, and the biggest tent of all in the center of the town where the anti-Dragon briefing is about to begin.

Which station will you join? See the toplevels below for details!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The nurse pauses to consider Jonathan's words, then picks up a clipboard and starts flipping through the pages, talking as she looks.]

From what I'm seeing, the majority of our current patients are elderly, so I don't think we should risk giving them a heat stroke just to calm them down. It might work for some of the younger patients, but I would check with the doctors looking over them first. I've been out here handling triage for most of the day, so I can't tell you any details.

[She puts her clipboard back down and looks him over.] You say you can cause heat strokes? That sounds like a strange magic you've got.

It is less that it causes heat strokes specifically, and more that the symptoms are similar. Hamon is akin to radiance, [he explains, allowing it to come over his hand.] The energy of life, but condensed for greater force. It isn't meant to harm living beings, but to be overloaded with such energy can certainly cause harm of a sort- disrupting the rhythm of another's life, in particular.

It needs to be handled with quite a lot of concentration and precision to reach such a point however! [he adds, explaining further-] With typical matters, it helps to hasten healing if anything.

[Energy of life and all that.]

Oh! [The woman seems to light up at this information.] You have an ability that allows you to affect someone's own life flow? That does sound helpful in this situation, as long as you keep it from causing heat strokes. We have enough on our hands as it is! [Yeah, she's going to keep calling them "heat strokes." She'll probably start calling Jonathan "heat stroke boy" if he stays around long enough.]

[At that moment, a male field medic rushes up to the tent, carrying a little boy on his back. The boy isn't moving, and he's obviously wounded, though it's hard to tell to what extent due to the position he's in. The nurse picks up her list again and tells the man that cot number three is open. As the medic takes the boy inside, the nurse looks at Jonathan.] If you want to help, this might be your chance.

I would not quite call it that, [he begins, already wondering what he's gotten himself into. But then they're bringing in a little boy and...Oh, bugger it.]

...I shall do my best however. Please, realize that anyone I help with will certainly require further attention all the same however! It is by no means a phenomenal rate of recovery which I can bring.

[The nurse smiles at Jonathan when she notices his (what she perceives to be) nervousness, from how he has to reassure her about his skills. It's her turn to reassure him right back.] Oh, of course. A doctor will meet you at the cot. We're all in this together, after all. Do your best!

[Once to the cot, the field medic gingerly lays the boy down on his back while a doctor rushes over to them. The medic wastes no time in explaining what he saw:] I found him knocked out in the street, holding a tree branch. He was either using it to attack someone or defend himself. I saw that he has a cut on his scalp, but I've disinfected it. It still may need stitches, however.

[As the doctor and the medic begin prepping the child for care, the boy begins to murmur and stir. His eyelids lift slightly, then pop open when he realizes that he has no idea where he is. Immediately he's scrambling and clawing about in an attempt to run away. The doctor and medic try to restrain him, but the child starts viciously biting at their arms. It looks like they might need some help with calming the kid down.]

Right..!

[So he says, but he's not entirely sure just what to do. ...At least until the child wakes and begins to start biting.

Then, well.] Here- [he insists, moving to grab the child instead.] Allow me to hold him. I'll be careful, you have my word-

[It's a tricky skill, knowing how to hold firm without harming what is held, but Jonathan is the master of it indeed. More than that however, he's the master of arm injuries without flinching. The boy's welfare is more important after all, than things like being bitten.

And well, he's taken sawblades and knives to the arm without moving so-] It will be alright- they're here to help you boy, trust us please.

[It might not do much if the scales are what's causing this of course, but he'd like to think quiet words mean Something.]

[Once Jonathan has a firm hold on the boy, the medic and doctor step away, huddle together at the table next to the cot, and begin preparing something.]

[The child continues to flail about, beating his fists on the cot. But instead of biting, he begins crying pretty intensely. Between sobs, he can be heard whimpering,] Mommy... Daddy... Noooo...

[The crying is quite loud and may be disrupting other patients, but the medic and doctor continue working on whatever they're doing, obviously trying to finish as quickly as they can. Just a little longer...]

[Oh...Oh no, now that's just terrible...

It's impossible for Jonathan's heart not to be tugged by the words, but he holds firm- but at the very least, he tries to carefully console the little one in the meantime, quiet shushing accompanied by his words.] It will be alright- fear not, okay? Wherever your parents are, we shall most certainly find them for you, understand?

[...Hopefully alive.]

[The boy just trembles and cries as Jonathan consoles him. He occasionally ekes out another "nooo..." in between sobs.

The medic and doctor turn back to the cot, one with a tourniquet band and the other with a syringe. The doctor, holding the syringe, looks at Jonathan and asks,] Could you please continue to hold him? The medic here is going to tie a tourniquet around the child's left arm and I plan to inject him with a sedative so he'll calm down.

[Unfortunately, the boy catches sight of the syringe and begins freaking out even more, screaming and trying his hardest to squirm away. The doctor and the medic may seem forceful, yes, but these men are busy and they can't treat the boy as he's flailing around. Unless there's a better solution?]

Ah....

[...Well. The nurse was primarily worried about older people when it came to this right? And not...younger people so-]

Shhh...don't worry. Just get some rest, alright..? [he coaxes- and in the same moment, carefully shifts his hold until his hands cover the boy's ears. They shine with the light of the sun and-

...and the boy's eyes slowly close as Jonathan sighs and disperses the hamon.]

...I do hope that wasn't overstepping...it seemed as if he could well become more injured if this went on too long however...

[The boy, eyes still closed, lays backwards on the cot as he falls into a relaxed state. He isn't quite asleep, but could very quickly end up that way, especially now that his body is comfortable.

The medic and doctor, who had watched the scene unfold, look Jonathan over for a moment before turning to each other and whispering. This doesn't last very long, however, and they turn back to Jonathan after nodding their heads in agreement. The doctor speaks:]

We appreciate your help just now. You're with the Academy, right? If you'd like, we may have a special task for you. Would you feel comfortable working with orphaned children? All you'd need to do is calm them down just like you did with this boy here. What do you say?

Ah-

A...are you certain? I shall absolutely do my best, but as I explained before I was warned that this is rather like inducing a temporary heat stroke..! In this particular circumstance it felt less dangerous than watching them injure themselves further however...

[The medic and doctor look at each other with a slight panic on their faces, then turn to examining the boy. What Jonathan did seemed so natural and peaceful that they'd forgotten about that fact! His heart rate seems normal, he doesn't seem to be running a fever, and it seems that he's dozed off since the Hamon was used on him. While he's at it, the doctor continues looking the boy over and takes a peek at his head wound. The medic speaks to Jonathan.]

It doesn't look like you hurt him in any way, so I think it should be fine if you are able to control your power that precisely every time you use it. But, it's completely up to you. I think this little guy will be okay, but it's only a matter of time until another patient comes in who might need calming or healing. [He shrugs.] You can tag along with the doctor and stay in here, or come with me when I take this boy over to the orphan tent. Or you can do neither. Your choice.

[Well, he can certainly do that much...Jonathan nods.] Alright. I have enough confidence to repeat what was done- I shall do my best to aid with the others then, [he adds. To the children!]

[The medic nods at Jonathan's decision.] Thank you. We really do appreciate it.

[The doctor meanwhile has removed the hair from the area around the boy's cut in order to treat it and bandage it up. The boy has continued to sleep through all of this. While waiting for the doctor to finish, the medic begins to bow to introduce himself, then catches his action and sticks out a hand for a handshake instead.] By the way, I'm Takeuchi. I've been impressed by what I've seen you do today.

[A few minutes later, the doctor announces that the boy is ready to go, and takes his leave. Takeuchi looks at the napping boy, then back at Jonathan.] Do you want to do the honors and carry him out? I don't care to, if you'd rather me do it.

Oh- Jonathan Joestar, [the man introduces in reply, shaking the medic's hand.] It really isn't much though...I suspect if my master were here he'd have far greater advice to offer...

I can take him though, [he determines with a nod. Carefully, he scoops the boy up in his arms.] Alright- lead the way.

[Takeuchi's handshake is firm, but doesn't last too long. There are things for them to do, after all. He waits for Jonathan to pick the boy up, then leads him to the exit of the medical tent after winding around various doctors and nurses. He points towards a smaller tent a few tents down from where they're currently standing.] There's where we're heading.

[As they walk, Takeuchi has to follow up with what Jonathan told him a few moments ago.] You say you have a master, Jonathan? So your power is something you've been taught, like magic? We have a lot of magic-users in Murakumo -- even I know how to use basic healing magic -- but I've never heard of anything that's like a heat stroke but can also calm others down. It sounds like some kind of arcane magic that's only reserved for the most worthy pupils or something cool like that. [Takeuchi says this with a noticeable enthusiasm. He miiiight be a bit of a nerd.] Unless your master is just a professor at the Academy you attend, and all of you can use that power?

Ah- I did, yes. [Did is unfortunately the operative word. His expression softens a bit as he tries to avoid the upsetting parts of the matter.] I would not call it magic persay- while doing some research of my own, I came to find that 'hamon' is technically a use of radiance, made to fight off their natural opposites. The trouble is that my master unfortunately passed before I could learn much from him- and the art itself is quite old. I have yet to truly see anyone else who has used it.

[At least beyond anyone he's, well. Taught himself.]

Really, it's Radiance?! [Takeuchi's eyes light up again.] We don't have very many Candles in Murakumo. It has something to do with "creating warriors instead of waiting for them to be created"? But anyway, that's so neat! I hope you find others who can use Hamon some day. It would be a shame for it to not be passed on after you, especially since it's been around for a long time.

[Amidst all his gushing, they nearly walk past the tent they're meant to enter. Takeuchi has to make a hard stop and even walk back a pace or two.] Oh, we're here. [He peeks his head inside the tent for a moment.] Yeah, it looks good. Let's go on in.

[Upon entering the tent, the two men will see a good number of children ranging in age from babies to their teens all over the place. The babies are in their cribs, the younger ones are playing with each other on the floor, and the teens are mostly talking. One is reading in a corner, next to a seemingly out-of-place pile of ventilation masks. Everything seems relatively peaceful for the moment.]

If you want to put the boy onto a cot, I'm going to check in with the attendant over there. [He gestures towards a portly woman talking with a teenager.] You can join us once he's settled. Sound good?

Indeed! I haven't had the chance to teach many candles, but it seems to operate well enough...

[At least Jonathan seems happy to converse on the matter. Guided into the room, Jonathan will move the boy over to the cot with a nod. Hopefully when he wakes he'll be alright.] Of course, [he tells Takeuchi, before focusing on his task. At least everyone else in here is alright- he's not sure he'd be able to handle trying to knock out everyone.]

[The boy is still asleep and looks very peaceful once he's laid onto his cot. Meanwhile, Takeuchi explains about the boy to the attendant -- he has a wound on his head that needs healing -- and begins telling her about Jonathan. He's from the visiting Academy and has a really neat Flame ability that allows him to calm children down in a snap! The attendant can be seen glancing at Jonathan and looking him over.

When Jonathan makes his way over to them, the woman smiles at him.] Hello! I'm Mai. Takeuchi here has been telling me about what you can do. I'd love to have you stay and help out. Your ability will especially be useful momentarily -- we're about to have a Dragon drill. Those tend to rile the kids up. All you'll need to do for now is follow my lead. Let me know when you're ready. [She asks Takeuchi if he doesn't mind staying to help with the drill as well, and he shakes his head no.]

Oh, that's not quite...

[He's doomed. He's doomed! He's never getting the story straight! But with a weak nod, he'll stick to it as well.] Right. It's good to meet you as well then, Mai. Before we begin, may I ask what the 'Dragon Drill' is precisely..?

[Maybe he can just. Not. Give everyone heat strokes. That would be wonderful.]

[Poor Jonathan, but it's all that the Murakumo folks have seen him do so far. They're not used to Hamon, okay? ~~It only takes one heat stroke to get the point across...~~]

[Mai nods.] Right, the Dragon drill. When I blow my whistle, [she grabs onto a whistle laying against her chest, hanging from a lanyard around her neck] Fatimah over there [she points to the girl reading by the pile of masks] and some of the other older children will scramble to help put ventilation masks on all the children. You, Takeuchi, and I need to take as many babies from their cribs as we can -- the older kids will also help with this after their task -- and we need to gather in the center of the tent in a circle.

It's all to prepare for the Dragon's attack, since its method of attacking is suddenly flying over us and spreading some kind of magic that causes everyone to go crazy and attack each other, and then it flies off again before we can get it. [Mai huffs a bit in frustration, her round cheeks growing even rounder with her frown.] That Dragon is such a pain, making us hurt each other instead of facing us itself like it should!

[As soon as she says that and gets it off her chest, Mai deflates and goes back to smiling.] Are you okay with that, Mister Jonathan? When you're ready, we'll start the drill. Or do you have any other questions first?

[NO HE MUSTN'T,

Jonathan swallows, and nods- though before he agrees he does bring up a hand slightly for a question.] I do have one, though it isn't entirely related...When the true attack arrives with its magic, is it visible? You are using gas masks, so I'm wondering if I could perhaps simply create a protective barrier using Hamon.

[Hamon is weird, so he hopes he doesn't have to test that. But hey, it lets people walk on water and make leaf hanggliders somehow so...]

[Oh boy, Takeuchi gets all excited again. What can't Hamon do?] You can make barriers too?! [Mai looks questioningly at Takeuchi's outburst, causing him to clear his throat and regain his professional composure.] I mean, yes. The Dragon's ability seems to come from its butterfly wings. It's like it's shedding its scales. When it does, this fine pink dust floats through the air and makes anyone who inhales it directly go insane and start attacking indiscriminately. [He frowns. It's not a pretty sight when out of nowhere, people start brutally attacking each other.] Thankfully, anyone inside a tent wearing one of those enchanted ventilation masks should be relatively safe...

[Mai butts in.] Yeah, we've been able to make it through okay the past few times the Dragon has attacked. But that's why we do these drills, so we can have the best possible outcome during the real thing. Does that answer your question? [She might seem a little pushy, but she's noticed Takeuchi's excited vibrating and is trying to keep him from saying something stupid.]

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