Minako Arisato (
missleading) wrote in
daybreakacademy2019-10-24 09:58 pm
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THE THRILL OF THE HUNT
WHO: Characters listed here
WHAT: The Phantom Thieves (and others) infiltrate the palace of a pair of mages who have been murdering innocents in the British countryside
WHEN: October 13
WHERE: A small town in Great Britain
WARNINGS: Some gore, will update as necessary
"Vivianne and Roland Wolfe. Murderers. Amusement park."
The Outland seemed to pulse, as if the world beat like a living heart.
"Coordinates accepted. Beginning navigation."
The red-eyed icon on Ren’s cell phone began glowing brightly as the space around the team began warping as flashes of red and black seemed to rewrite the tenuous reality.
As the world once again came into focus, a scene of horror and carnage unfolded. The team was now in an amusement park, its walls and rides sheathed in garish gold plate that sparkled eerily under a blood-red moon. The whir and creak of highly suspect machinery echoed through the park as rollercoasters sped through the park. Those sounds, however, might well not exist for the extended, sustained screams of terror, shrieks of pain, and the weeping, pleading, and groaning of the dying.
Littering the ground were corpses - shadows, in this world, but bleeding and dismembered as any true human might be. In every case they were missing body parts, grisly trophies taken from them after they breathed their last… or at least, one would hope. Spotlights scanned the ground as those shadows that still lived fled in desperation. A spotlight affixing itself to a fleeing shadow would lock on as one of the mages, Roland in a white suit and tie splattered with blood and Vivianne in a blood-red cocktail dress would swoop down, chasing them with any number of means such as small cars, paragliders, or even glowing magical disks. In all cases, the result was typically the same. The shadow would run, screaming or sobbing, as they were chased down. In most cases the mages would toy with them, perhaps shooting out a kneecap, or speeding by and lopping an arm. This grisly "game" would continue until the mage grew bored, ending the shadow and claiming some kind of gruesome trophy.
Notably, both mages had glowing yellow eyes and somewhat sunken, distorted features - clear signs that these were not truly the people but their shadows, the lord and lady of this palace of horror. And they were thirsty for even more blood.
WHAT: The Phantom Thieves (and others) infiltrate the palace of a pair of mages who have been murdering innocents in the British countryside
WHEN: October 13
WHERE: A small town in Great Britain
WARNINGS: Some gore, will update as necessary
"Vivianne and Roland Wolfe. Murderers. Amusement park."
The Outland seemed to pulse, as if the world beat like a living heart.
"Coordinates accepted. Beginning navigation."
The red-eyed icon on Ren’s cell phone began glowing brightly as the space around the team began warping as flashes of red and black seemed to rewrite the tenuous reality.
As the world once again came into focus, a scene of horror and carnage unfolded. The team was now in an amusement park, its walls and rides sheathed in garish gold plate that sparkled eerily under a blood-red moon. The whir and creak of highly suspect machinery echoed through the park as rollercoasters sped through the park. Those sounds, however, might well not exist for the extended, sustained screams of terror, shrieks of pain, and the weeping, pleading, and groaning of the dying.
Littering the ground were corpses - shadows, in this world, but bleeding and dismembered as any true human might be. In every case they were missing body parts, grisly trophies taken from them after they breathed their last… or at least, one would hope. Spotlights scanned the ground as those shadows that still lived fled in desperation. A spotlight affixing itself to a fleeing shadow would lock on as one of the mages, Roland in a white suit and tie splattered with blood and Vivianne in a blood-red cocktail dress would swoop down, chasing them with any number of means such as small cars, paragliders, or even glowing magical disks. In all cases, the result was typically the same. The shadow would run, screaming or sobbing, as they were chased down. In most cases the mages would toy with them, perhaps shooting out a kneecap, or speeding by and lopping an arm. This grisly "game" would continue until the mage grew bored, ending the shadow and claiming some kind of gruesome trophy.
Notably, both mages had glowing yellow eyes and somewhat sunken, distorted features - clear signs that these were not truly the people but their shadows, the lord and lady of this palace of horror. And they were thirsty for even more blood.
INFILTRATION
“It’s showtime.”
There was no emotion in his words, not even the typical cocky lilt that Joker usually carried with him in this form. The words were grim and deadly serious. It was time to get to work. With a wave of his red-gloved hand, he lead the party into the carnage and darkness. They had a treasure to find.
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And the sounds belonging to Joker, which she might need to ask about later. Also why they had a child along, the one with the hat. The thief she met in a dream made sense.
"Cheerful." She didn't feel anything looking at all the carnage, it wasn't exactly real. But- she wouldn't feel much anyway, just walking into this place caused that familiar numbness to wrap around her senses, "Any idea what we're after? I might be able to listen for it better with something to visualize."
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Apparently there to bring down the aesthetic value of the whole team, Therion's only change to his usual guy-in-a-hoodie wardrobe was the addition of a baseball cap. Still, somehow, just that and his hood made his features difficult to discern in the darkness. It was his magic at work, keeping what he looked like from sticking in anyone's mind. For him, avoiding notice was as automatic as breathing--even among the people he was supposed to work with. He probably didn't mean anything by it. ...Probably.
At the very least, he didn't seem keen to flit off on his own into the carnival of horrors around them. The corners of his eyes were tight as he pulled his hoodie collar up and over his nose, though Therion didn't otherwise flinch from the bodies on the ground or the awful wailing. He scanned the area slowly, taking in the gaudy decor, the spotlights, the gleeful, cartoonish ostentation of the mages' Shadows' hunt. This is what they were about, behind their deadly carousel: fun and games. A roller coaster thrill.
"If I had to guess where to look for it, though... I'd search whatever this park's biggest attraction's supposed to be. The scariest, the fastest." Though, given their penchant for trophy-taking... "Or wherever you win prizes for skills."
He nodded in the general direction of the entrance.
"Info booths usually have maps or ads for the biggest hits. Might give us a hint if we find one."
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[She looks the same as ever, hammer slung casually over her shoulder. She has some new equipment on her belt, prototypes she's testing, to see how well they handle this unusual space between the physical and mental... but she's got some more blunt instruments to back them up, if it comes down to it.]
What I wanna know right now is where not to go. They ain't looking for us yet, but that don't mean we're safe just walking around. I'd bet good money there's gonna be traps around here, 'specially once we start getting closer to where we need to be.
[Her gaze traces lightly over the surroundings, searching for something out of place, any more subtle threat to counterbalance the obvious display of blood and violence.]
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"Traps in Palaces can vary a lot. A map is a good start, though. In places like this, they generally aren't too heavily protected. An info booth is supposed to be open to visit, after all."
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The map was giving them a destination, and routes. She didn't like it. At all. "Places I definitely wouldn't want to go is on the roller coaster tracks in a crazy murder carnival."
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And they wouldn't get anywhere if they didn't start somewhere. If the Trophy Room was the heart of the park, it might well hold the 'heart' of this Palace thing, too, as far as Therion understood what they were doing. (Admittedly, it was all kind of abstract, but whatever.)
"Assuming the Trophy Room's our first priority?" began Therion, glancing at the others for agreement or dissent before he continued. "Following the tracks will get us there, but they don't exactly offer cover from around or above. And I doubt trying to blend in with the locals will get us far, since it looks like everyone but those two," he said with faint distaste, "is fair game for target practice. So it's a matter of staying completely unseen without missing any traps ourselves."
Straightforward to say, difficult to pull off. After another measuring glance across his team, Therion's gaze flickered off towards the roller coaster rails, as hard to catch and keep hold of as his codename: Smoke. "I might be able to help provide cover for one or two people if needed, but I don't have much experience sniffing out supernatural traps."
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[This can't be good.]
Wonder what direction those go in...
[Oh no.]
The tracks ain't much cover, but if we could get one of the cars on 'em going towards the Trophy Room, and going fast enough? We might be able to get in and out before they have a chance to react.
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[He examines the map, looking for anything that might be boarding for a roller coaster.]
We might also find some useful things in the 'attractions'. It's pretty common for these places to be full of puzzles that reflect the owner's mindset.
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We can at least use the tracks as a guide to stay on course. Investigating the rooms might not be a bad idea...
[ And as he says this, a horrific scream, followed by the sound of flesh tearing and a soul-wrenching gurgling noise follow from a nearby tent ]
On the other hand...
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Maya flinches at the screaming. But not the screaming, she can hear the magical damage done to the soul of a shade in the space. Which was another thing that she didn't like to hear. "Let's just follow the tracks to wherever we're going."
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Shaking off a shudder, Therion edged further forward into another shadow. There, he adjusted the bill of his cap and faded even further into the background, near impossible to keep eyes on.
"It may be we have to duck into one of the tents or rides to avoid that spotlight, but if we don't have to, let's not."
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Maybe next time.
[WHAT 'NEXT TIME', JAIL, WHEN DO YOU THINK THIS SITUATION IS GOING TO COME UP AGAIN???]
[She traces lightly over a path on the map, then straightens up and turns away.]
This route's the shortest, looks like. Let's go while the going's good.
[She doesn't fade out as dramatically as Therion, but she seems to always be just out of reach as she saunters casually from cover to cover, never quite stepping into the line of fire despite her seeming ease.]
BOSS FIGHT
What is less commonly known, however, is that they have grown bored of animals and have turned their attention to more… intelligent prey. The space under their manor is a fiendish deathtrap of their own devising where they test their armaments on hapless non-magical humans they’ve kidnapped and set loose.
Here in their Palace, their shadows share that same predilection for exotic armaments and the hunting of innocents. The amusement park that forms the primary palace is lined with roller coaster rails that the two are constantly traversing, riding roller coaster carts at intense speeds with brutal spikes on front that will pulverize anyone who dares step onto the tracks. From these perches, they attack with a variety of wands, guns, and other exotic weaponry. What is universal about their tools is that they’re all rather precise - the spells they cast from their wands and guns are not likely to kill without intent, nor will they damage the equipment. After all, what fun is a hunt without a bit of maiming before the kill?
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He'd even suited up in costume like he had been suggested to... though his outfit was significantly less showy and garish as the Phantom Thieves. Clad in a black spec-ops suit and wearing a pair of night vision goggles, Gunvolt, or, for purposes of this mission, Wraith, unlatched the snap on the holster for his Dart Leader. Though it was a costume, all of his equipment was heavily runed for protection and stealth capability; nothing about him came in half-assed. ...In fact, between the outfit and the name, he might have been trying too hard.
"...Don't like this. They're going to be moving targets and they'll have an elevation advantage at all times. Fittingly, this area's a kill-zone. Gonna need to do something to turn the tables."
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She grew up away from this world; away from a world where some mages could do such terrible things, away from easy sight of power corrupting so absolutely, away from finding this sort of depravity. She is dressed in a violet jacket, with a skirt and white shirt, and a fanciful mask. Nana walks with ease, a little past Gunvolt.
Maroboshi, she said her nickname is. "Phantom," or illusion.
She stops as she comes in behind Gunvolt -- eyes drift down to him -- and then she nods to him. "...All right," she says. "I shouldn't be surprised. Maybe... if we stop the roller coaster, somehow? Or maybe we need to find a way to get on it."
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"The latter sounds like a more feasible option. If we stop the coaster they'll still be on the higher ground; we need to make this an even playing field."
And probably use their stealth to their advantage.
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"We'll have to be quick about it so we're not lingering on the tracks. I don't think I wanna know what'll happen if we end up on the wrong side of those spikes on the carts." She grimaces. "Anyone have any ideas for getting up there?"
Stock: Orpheus, Parvati, Samael, Quetzalcoatl, Saki Mitama
Her eyes turning skyward, she pulls her Evoker from the black-colored holster at her hip, resting the grip in her other hand. "I wonder if we can overload the system somehow. Pump enough electricity into it that the cars stop running." She's more than equipped to help with that. "From there, we climb I guess."
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Suitably, Stone Free is nowhere to be seen just yet, she didn't want to put all of her cards on the table just yet.
"Sounds like a plan to me, I can probably get up there the quickest once we get the freedom to do so. Bonuses of strings, I guess." Which is precisely why this dumb-ass decided on using Corda, literally just Italian for string.
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"This is going to take a lot of my stored up light," she says, and offers no explanation.
The light is the glittering light in the pommels of her two swords -- one the red one of the Student Council President, the other more normal. It dims -- and their feet lift as a wooden platform with a giant painted yellow star appears. It then lifts straight into the air under all of them, rising up fast, as a stage prop wooden tower begins to rise higher and higher -- towards the tracks. Nana looks up and swallows.
Then she shouts: "Go!"
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"All right. Leave overloading the rails to me. I can dump enough volts into the ride to fry it. Just keep clear of the tracks when I do. I'll wait for your signal."
GV drew his Dart Leader, and started shooting darts at the base of the rail tracks, each shot lodging in pretty deeply. Azure lightning crackled between his fingertips, ready to unleash the moment the word was given.
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"If you need me to be a distraction, I can do that. Teleporting means I can make sure I don't get hit. Just tell me where you need me to be."
She's ready to go.
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"If we need a diversion, I can help with that as well. Otherwise, I think I'm better off hanging back until we can secure a route on the tracks!"
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"Quetzalcoatl!"
The coiling serpent lifts her from the rising platform into the air, flying up toward the roller coaster like a silvery streak through the dark sky. She only has a few seconds to pluck the shadow from the tracks before the car mows it down—hopefully with Nana's extra boost she can make it in time.
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"What have we here? Interlopers?"
The cart's rider, Vivianne, raises her arm. Several of the corpses littering the ground explode in a burst of gore, their blood and organs congealing into blades that then launch themselves at the team.
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Frankly, he was glad he had practiced control of his powers by now. Even with the targets marked nearby, he threw up his Flashfield and kept the lightning in check from jumping out of it towards the rails yet. In a zone around him, GV created a bubble of lightning; harmless to his companions, but fully capable of deflecting or destroying the lances being launched at him.
But it does take some intense concentration to keep the Flashfield under control. He doesn't bother retorting to Vivianne, figuring someone else would be better suited for that... and he couldn't be distracted, especially if the call came to trip the rails.
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She turns towards Vivianne, and her green eyes are hard. She lunges forward, rushing over the battlefield with both blades held out to each side. She leaps as she gets close, slashing with both swords simultaneously.
"Why are you doing this?" she shouts.
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She's quick to act and uses her water to get herself onto the battlefield as well. She makes note of Nana's injuries but doesn't comment on it. There's no time for that. They have to stop Vivianne, and Ana isn't letting her get away with the mess she's made. She'll let Nana do the talking. She's mostly here for backup.
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She gets a running start before leaping into the battle--she'll settle for just getting closer for now, rather than attacking.
... But she is ready to teleport at a moment's notice.