Snow in the Summer

[subconmodo]

Who: Avery Atchison, Jailbreak, Valvatorez, Hieke, Héctor, Puella Tempus, James Griffin, Ekkehardt Gehring
What: A mission to stop a queen who just can't let it go.
Where: A museum ice manor in Germany, August 20th.
Warning: Violence, disturbing imagery, one (1) yandere

[No top text here. Will instead be breaking everything down into sections. Make sure to hit up the plotting post if you haven't already!]

Comments

Preparation and Planning

[subconmodo]

You stand before a large, imposing manor carved entirely of ice. Only the briefest glimpses of the museum that stood here before are visible.

Hopefully you managed to pack your coats. It's positively freezing out here, and the inside doesn't look to be much better.

[subconmodo]

He'd only agreed to go to prove something to himself.

She was gone. After all these years she couldn't possibly be alive. Coincidence. Nothing but coincidence.

Now that he stands in front of the manor, reality hits like a punch to the gut: she's alive, she's here, and he's just walked right up to her goddamn doorstep like a fool.

Avery looks paler than usual, and tense, as though he's seconds away from bolting from the scene.

If no one's paying attention, if no one stops him, he may do just that.

[nor_iron_bars]

[Jail can see him tensing up, looking like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming car- poised to leap or to... well. "Freeze" may be an unfortunate word to use, in this context.]

[She draws up beside him, just casually changing her pace a little so that it brings her closer to where he's standing. In a low undertone, not quite a whisper but a bit too quiet to be overheard by the others further off:]

Y'know, I brought my car for a reason. I hit the panic button, that thing'll come right through the nearest wall and we all drive like Satan's hanging on the rear bumper 'til we hit state lines. Just say the word.

[...what, was she supposed to discourage him from running away? Fuck that. Cowardice is only not an option if you care more about the mission than living, and she has pretty much never felt that way in her life. It's probably why she still has her life.]

[Sometimes, you can take dishonor instead of death.]

[subconmodo]

[He slides his gaze over to her without turning his head.]

Don't make promises you don't intend to keep. I may take you up on that offer.

[unpocoloco]

He's not going to say "I told you so". Least of all because he's not happy about this either. It's really her. It's been her this whole time. She was there in Avery's old home, sending those things after them. After Avery. She's here now, that much closer than she was before, and no longer a distant "what if".

He tried to tell Avery, but he's not going to say that. Instead, he swallows his fear. As much of it as he can at least.

"I told you I'd look out for you. Do you remember that? I'm not going to break that promise."

He's just not sure what it's going to take.

[subconmodo]

"I'm not sure what you think you're going to be able to do, but thanks, I guess." It's only half sarcastic, but the bite to his words makes it hard to tell.

"I know you're used to hanging out in freezers and all, but do try not to do anything stupid."

[spelleton]

The mental gears are already turning, shifting him towards the more focused state he reserves for bloodier work. He can't seem to stay completely still; he seems to be keeping himself from just pacing around while he waits.

"Well, now, you look even worse than usual." He doesn't ask why; he's put together enough of the pieces over the last few months to know that would be a stupid question to ask, and wouldn't get an answer. "I hope I don't need to intervene for your health."

Showing concern like a normal person? What's that, he doesn't know what that is. And it would be hard to swallow from him, he thinks, their relationship being the way it is.

[subconmodo]

"You're the one who should be worried. You do realize we're up against a woman who wiped out an entire kingdom all on her own, right?" He gestures to the manor before them.

"And just look at that: we're already getting the cold shoulder."

[inflictwounds]

"You look like shit."

Which is probably not the ideal way to start a conversation, but it's how Hieke's starting one as he approaches Avery. He's bundled up from the cold, only his golden eyes visible above the scarf he's wrapped around himself.

The hat he's wearing has holes for his horns. He's very cozy.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

[arcadianvampire]

Valvatorez looks up to the icy manor, looking... well, generally unfazed by its appearance. It was impressive, for sure, and even beautiful in a rather haunting way. But it was rather clear that Avery wasn't taking any of this well. It was clear he was wound up tighter than a spring, and actual trepidation in his eyes was something that was... unseen before.

"...Never thought I'd see the day that you looked somehow worse than when you got food poisoning from eating a Hollow. Yet here we are." It's not said in any sort of hostile or dismissive tone, though the lack of levity in his voice was still pointedly obvious. Val was as serious as ever, and he could tell that his friend was not okay. "...Anything you need to get off your chest before we go in there?"

He figured Avery wouldn't exactly openly talk about what was bothering him. But even if he could only pull a snide remark out of Avery, that would be something. Might get his head back into it.

[spelleton]

If you didn't manage to pack your coats, that's fine (and even if you did, it's worth stopping by), because Ekkehardt basically brought enough cold-weather equipment for everyone.

Notably, it's all battle-ready gear; layered, enchanted clothing meant to protect the wearer from cold while not restricting their movements. Many have runes. He might have had to call on a favour or two to get them, but what else are favours for?

"Even if you don't plan to fight what's in there, you should wear them anyway," he says, brisk and calm as ever. "At the very least it should shield you from the ambient effects."

[nor_iron_bars]

Before you start giving me that look, I just wanna point out that this has plenty of warding runes sewn in it, okay?

[Jail is wearing a cloak. Not a long coat, or a shawl, but an honest-to-God old-style cloak, looking like she swiped it from some medieval re-enactor's costume. Underneath it she is, of course, still sleeveless.]

[At least she does seem to be telling the truth about the runes- it's probably the only way she hasn't keeled over from hypothermia already.]

[inflictwounds]

[Hieke is normally dressed like he's ready for winter, but he still stops by Ekkehardt.

Granted, it's not so much for the gear, though he does take a scarf.]

He's not taking this very well.

[...And he makes very little effort to be subtle about that.]

[hattersgonnahat]

She brought a coat - thank you very much. But there was something very runey about them that she had to check them out anyway. Either to get some new ideas, or...

"...It's kinda big." Never mind, might stick to what she has already.

[unpocoloco]

Héctor, who has never had a full winter coat ever in his life or death, even after a winter back on earth, look upon the gear he's been presented with wonder. It's a look that turns right up at Ekkehardt.

"This is amazing. You're amazing. Where the heck did you even fit all this stuff?"

He's already jamming that coat on and grabbing whatever else looks 1. useful, and 2. not like something he'll accidentally set off on himself. The latter narrows down the list a fair bit.

[onebetter]

[ James is in his battle gear which already has some temperature-protection runes on it, but he's still feeling the cold. How can anything be this cold? So it's time to hit up Ekkehardt anyway. ]

If I put one of your rune jackets over my own rune armor, will anything interact badly and malfunction?

[hattersgonnahat]

It's creepy, but also a bit fascinating. Like something out of old horror movie or a fantasy book. Was this really the museum?

Puella still did not know too much about its significance, despite going to the excavation site and the museum once before. The site had been covered in permanent ice as well though, but the ruins itself, she can't be too sure if this manor looked the same.

It almost felt colder here than in the ruins too. But that can't possibly be true, right? It had to be because she was staring at a giant ice castle - which is enough to make anyone feel cold just by looking at it. Either way, Puella suddenly let out a sneeze. Probably nothing to worry about. Maybe.

[subconmodo]

"Really?" It's somewhere between a statement and a question, flat and wholly unimpressed. "They let a little thing like you come along for this."

He puts his head in his hand and groans. "Fine! Whatever! Hope you like dying, kiddo, because you sure picked a GREAT time to be part of the team!"

[unpocoloco]

It's not the first time he's had to frown over little kids being brought along for dangerous assignments. It won't be the last. At this point it's more of a background anxiety for his unlife here. He stifles down his protests and instead just tries to stand as support. For her and for Avery, that's really the best he can do.

He hears that little sneeze. With all kinds of fears on his mind, he says, "Ay, Puelita, you got your coat? Is it all done up? Need to make sure you're warm as possible."

He may just fuss over said coat now, assuming she has it.

[onebetter]

[ James is wearing a suit of rune armor that looks hilariously out of place in the German streets, but is certain to be sturdy. He's also got a runic sniper-rifle in hand. His expression as he lets his eyes wander up and down the building is serious. ]

Can we go over the plan one last time? Seems best to make sure we're all on the same page about our roles.

[ Especially since one of their team members is a little girl. ]

[spelleton]

[ Battle plans are something he's not very used to; in all his various guises, he's never needed to fulfill the role of a fighter. An assassin wasn't the type to face an opponent head on.

Still, he has some ideas. ]

If my hypothesis is correct, it will only get colder as we approach the target. She has the ability to freeze people solid, which is presumably a close range ability.

With that in mind, I'd suggest that we surround her and attack from multiple angles to minimize the risk that she'll focus on one person. Keep moving and try not to spend too much time close to her - the assumed temperature drop will slow down reaction times and movement.

Inside

[subconmodo]

The halls of the manor bustle with more activity than they should, employees and visitors frozen solid flitting to and fro in shockingly fluid movements, chattering to one another in half formed phrases and bouts of conversation in Old German.

Even if you do understand what they're saying, the conversations make no sense, snippets of chatter cut and pasted together in an unsettling facsimile of daily life.

Take care that they don't see you.

Boss Fight/General hearing Vanessa things

[subconmodo]

"WHO DARES ENTER MY HOME?!"

It echoes through your head, down to your very bones, bringing with it an unearthly chill squarely between the realms of biting cold and bitter fear.

Whether it's time for hide and seek or time to put the queen to rest, Vanessa would like to play.

you guys wanna start a fight.jpg

[spelleton]

[ The voice hurts more than he expects it to (in that it hurts at all when he's trained to withstand such things), and that startles him enough that he flinches for a moment before refocusing. She probably has more to say and it will definitely sound just as unpleasant, if not more so.

Thanks, he hates it!

He looks back at their small group. ]

You're all in one piece, I hope? [ His voice is dry. ]

[subconmodo]

[It doesn't hurt.

It doesn't need to.

Avery doesn't reply, standing stock still, white as a sheet.

He feels sick. It makes him feel sicker.]