kaisou | April Event Log

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April Event Log

April Event
Dominant Element: Earth
Waning Element: Water

Full Moon: April 5th - April 7th

※
Spring has fully sprung. The weather is warm and pleasant throughout the month, with the occasional april shower to help encourage the plant growth. All around town the trees are budding leaves and blossoming their early flowers. The grass quickly retakes it's lush shade of green, and the spring flowers are starting to bloom. The night sky is clear for stargazing, as well as marveling at the warm orange and brown hues that the Spirit Vein is showing this month. Essentially compared to the last few months, the weather will be extremely pleasant this month! Enjoy it while you can, because true to Kaisou's nature it doesn't always last.

Take Your Time

♪- Heartbeat, Hearbreak

Nothing marks spring quite like the cherry trees being in full blossom. Throughout the city of Kaisou, residents will be able to marvel at their transcendent beauty. There's a whole grove in Blue Fish Lake Park, and many people have taken to setting up romantic picnics there, so why not do the same? There's even a food stall that's opened up and selling Japanese bento boxes to share during your picnic. For those looking to make their viewing experience a little more active, they can rent a rowboat or paddleboat to sail across the lake together. The blossoms won't last for long, so you best enjoy it while you can. Just be careful of the trio of geese that are currently roaming the park, going out of their way to make everyone's lives hell.

For the students, the spring activities are in full swing. Spring sports like baseball and track are in the middle of their seasons, and Kaisou High will be putting on a performance of their spring play this year: Pride and Prejudice. Meanwhile in the music department, auditions and rehearsals have begun for the spring music concert in May. The music teacher is once again working students to the bone during rehearsals, so do your best not to get traumatized! Meanwhile at the University, you better believe many students are beginning to feel the pressure of their end of semesters papers and projects.

Shopping Street is full of hustle and bustle. For those looking for things to do, the batting cages and arcades are offering new specials to encourage people to try their hands at them. For those adults looking for some billiard games, the Deathmatch bar is offering specials on dart and pool games. Finally if it happens to be a rainy day, a new chinese diner called Aiya will be offering the Rainy Day Mega Beef Bowl Challenge, in which people will be forced to try to finish off a massive bowl of beef for a prize (a jack frost plushie, a free t-shirt and your name on the wall). It'll take a true test of character or an inhuman apetitute to finish it, and the fact they're able to offer that much meat for such an affordable price might make some wonder if there's a gate to the Meat Dimension in their backroom...but that's a question that'll be left unanswered today.

Finally, for those looking for an unconventional shopping experience might want to check out the Goodwill that's opened up across the street from the Void Denny's outside of Undertown. It's only open on Sundays and it seems to be full of unique curios you wouldn't possibly find anywhere else, anywhere from a massive furby collection to actual archon-bestowed visions (these sell out quick). The only staff member is a person just as mysterious as their shop, only seeming to be referred to as "Shopkeeper". They will evade all questions about themselves, but they seem to know you well enough- enough that sometimes he'll insist that you purchase an item or just slip it into your bag without you noticing. Even not choosing to shop there is enough, as he sometimes decides to mail out items he thinks people will like. All and all, it's an interesting way to spend a free Sunday afternoon before heading home to feed your cat.

Undertown's Woes

♪- Blooming Villain

Undertown was never the most normal parts of the city, but something is very off about it this month. As one enters, they will notice a lot of the usual shops and peddlers aren't around. In fact, there is barely any of the regulars around, seeming to have cleared out. In their place are men and women in black suits, who seem to be patrolling the area. If they spot someone, they will approach and say that there's been a gas leak and they highly encourage you to keep away until they sort out the situation. They will be very insistent about how people shouldn't linger down here. Their persistence will only increase the closer you get to the Zodiac offices.

Should you attempt to fight these suited people- you will find they are not only extremely combatants, but also carrying their own sets of powers and weapons. Even worse, they have their own set of charms that should you get within it's are of effect, will disable any special abilities for 24 hours. They seem to be more interested in incapacitating people and escorting them out of Undertown for now, but if all of this isn't enough to dissuade a person from backing down- they aren't above using lethal force if necessary.

With Undertown off limits, one might find themselves deciding to head to the Void Dennys just outside of the entrance. There, they will find many of the Undertown vendors, making the best of what they can with the limited space to sell their wares. It's a pretty crowded and chaotic atmosphere, even for Dennys. If you ask around, people will speculate that those suited people belong to Zodiac. There's been plenty of rumors that Zodiac had their own armed forces under their command-- and it seems the rumors have turned out to be very true.

The MetaNav

♪- Aria of the Soul

So let's take a moment to recap.

A couple weeks ago, Varian sounded the alarm about what Zodiac's been up to. As it turns out, not only had the company runners turned into demons, but they were planning to become immortal demons by using a Peach sold to them by Moxxie. Everyone knew that they had to act in some way to stop this from transpiring, but the security around Zodiac made it difficult to simply break in. But not all hope was lost, as Jusis from the Black Order contacted his superiors in order to gain the approval to use a method that'd give them a way in, though he cautioned he'd need four volunteers to get it to work. Eventually, the volunteers Jusis, Waver, Takame, and "Shroud" were chosen for the task...though the entire mission was kept in secret.

That is, until the night of April 3rd, when "Shroud" reported some disturbing news to the network about the Black Order's mission. The four "volunteers" had turned out less volunteers and more sacrifices that have been thrown into this realm to face fates unknown. And even worse, something had gone awry and instead of "Shroud" being sent in? Danny Fenton, a teenager who just happened to be nearby when the device was first activated, got pulled in by sheer bad luck.

Worried about their four lost friends and what was to come with Zodiac, many people through the app spent the evening preparing or trying to find someway to make themselves useful - from preparing medical supplies to camping out on the cold Beach where the four had disappeared from. And if anxieties weren't high enough, troubling broadcasts from Waver, Takame, Danny, and Jusis appeared on the Midnight Channel TVs and their voicemails for anyone that attempted to contact them. The broadcasts were nothing short of unsettling. They looked like the lost people, but everything about their demeanors seemed different. Just what happened to them?

After what was probably a sleepless night for many, on April 4th, a new app icon separate from Libra will appear on everyone's phone. The icon is an omninous one, beig bright red with an eye on it. Opening it will grand a message:

JUDGEMENT COMPLETE. THE CONTRACT PRICE HAS BEEN FULFILLED. WELCOME TO THE METANAV.

At the same time, a text from the Black Order will be sent. The number is completely untraceable:
With the contract complete, per the agreement the Black Order has authorized temporary access to the MetaNav to the Libra app users. The MetaNav will allow access to the Metaverse, a realm with the capability of serving as the "other side" to our reality. Preset Coordinates have been set for the following areas. Please visit designated areas in the real world and turn on this app to access:

- "Alcatrez". Real World Location: Midtown Residental Area
- "Castellum Mortua". Real World Location: Bookstore near Undertown
- "Comhartha Mionn". Real World Location: Kaisou University, Chemistry Building
- "Labyrinth of Graves". Real World Location: Kaisou High School
- "El Dorado". Real World Location: Zodiac Offices (ACCESS DENIED TO BLACK ORDER MEMBERS)

Primary mission objective is to enter El Dorado and recover the "peach of immortality". The peach must be destroy. Used caution when handling to avoid its side effects. Please note that destroying a person's shadow in this realm will result in permanent brain damage and potentially death. The other locations designated are where we've detected the sacrifices. Recovery of the sacrifices is optional.

Once both messsages are read through, the MetaNav will turn into a map app with the locations above pinned on the map. Unfortunately, you can't go to the Zodiac offices for information about what you might be facing this time, and the Black Order certainly hasn't provided their members with any real answers about what they might be facing. For the first time since this whole thing started, the app users really will be flying in blind. It'd be best to prepare as much as you can for whatever lies ahead.

Saving the Lost

♪- Backside of the TV

Once you feel prepared, using the MetaNav is simple enough. When a person is physically near the area that was designated, the app will give a pinging sound and will change its display to list which realm they are near -- as well as a large red button asking if they wish to enter the realm. When they do so, the world will shift around them. Should they be targeting one of the areas devoted to the sacrifices, the area will be covered with a heavy yellow-tinged fog, making the rest of the city hard to make out. The only location visibile will be the destination that stands in front of them. They will look as followed:

Alcatrez: Located near Elliot and Rean's home, Jusis's dungeon is a massive prison complex built upon a desolate island. The waves thunder in their fury against the island's shores, and a cold wind steals at your warmth. Searchlights scan the waters alongside patrol boats. There's no life nor warmth to be found there.

Castellum Mortua: Located at the bookstore that sits just outside of Undertown, Takame’s dungeon is a military base barred by spiked metal gates and broken swords that surrounded imposing black steel doors. Both the gates and the door are marred with dents, tears, blood and debris. As if something inside once tried to force its way out.

Comhartha Mionn: Located at the Chemistry building at Kaisou University, Waver's dungeon is a massive antiquated university beneath a black moon and starless night sky. Abandoned to time and overrun throughout by thorned branches of wilting red and gold roses, the building and attached looming clock tower stand in broken disrepair entangled in thorns.

Labyrinth of Graves: Located at the entrance of Kaisou High, the outside of the building will look like the school except much foggier. And once awhile the building will shift, looking like a completely different school building entirely while still covered in a hazy fog. This dungeon belongs to Danny, the teenager who got wrapped up in all this by accident.

[OOC Note: Any threads regarding these four dungeons will be taking place in their own logs! Go ahead and follow the links given and comment there! All four of the dungeons are open to anyone so don't be afraid to check them out!]

El Dorado: City of Gold

♪ - Life Will Change

Whether or not you stopped by first to save the four sacrificed for this mission, it's eventually time to head to Zodiac. With the people in black suits blocking the Zodiac building in the real world, you will have no choice but to activate the MetaNav app from outside the entrance of Undertown. Doing so here will bring you into a completely different landscape. Unlike the other areas that were covered in a yellow fog? This area of the city is completely clear of fog- and completely made out of gold. Every single building, sidewalk, and decoration hanging is made out of gold. There's even statues of people standing around, once again completely made of gold.

The city isn't the only thing that changed either. Characters will find that their outfits have changed to be in the style of thieves outfits tailored to their personality and style, all of them with some kind of mask included. The MetaNav will send out a message as you notice, recommending the use of code names while infilitrating this particular area. Take a moment to think up a good code name for yourself, as it'll make your mission a whole lot easier. [OOC Note: Characters are allowed to bring these outfits into the other dungeons as well. You can't fight if you don't look cute.]

Over the entrance of Undertown there hangs a sign that reads: Grand Palace of El Dorado, City of Gold, Ahead. As you head down the stairs that lead into Undertown (which is also gold plated), you'll find that the people in suits have been replaced with much more sinister looking versions. Try your best to sneak past them, if you can. But should you be the more confrontational type, you can always try to fight them- though they will transforms into various types of monsters. Characters who refused to come up with a code name for themselves or wear their mask will find these fights extremely difficult, as the monsters seem to know and target their weaknesses specifically.

Should any Black Order member attempt to get past this point, regardless of if they used a code name or not, will find themselves heavily flanked by an unending wave of monsters as alarms sound. Zodiac has been keeping too much of an eye on the Black Order to let them further. The Black Order may have carried them this far, but it's up to everyone else to save the day.

After finding your way past the guards, you'll finally reach the Zodiac Building. Instead of the usual office, the entire place has been replaced with a giant golden palace. Gemstones line the trim and any of the greenry is nothing more than paper mache using dollar bills. Trailing out of the door, there are a long line of shadowy people, all holding bags and bags of their live savings that they intend to offer to up to the leaders of this world, "Zodiac". These shadowy people don't seem to react to your presence, but you can hear them talking about how they have to give up everything to please their rulers. This is the vision that the CEOs envision for themselves, endless money, wealth, and greed.

First Floor: The Entrance

♪ - Price

Get through the palace gates, and you'll find yourself in an entry hall that as extravangant and audacious as the exterior. Massive chandeliers made of crystal hang from the ceilings and just about every inch of the place is lined either in gold or some absurdly piece of expensive decoration. The shadowy figures from before are all heading to the center of the room, where they dump all their wealth into a bank chute that fires all their savings into one of the higher floors.

Just like the outside, there are guards wandering the hall. It's your job to get past the guards and find your way to the higher floors. Be careful while you're in here about getting spotted by the guards. Each time you do, the battles will become more difficult and the guard numbers will increase each time until even the strongest of folks would be overwhelmed and forced to retreat. Perhaps the best way to go about it is either sneak past without getting noticed- or ambush the guards before they have a chance to sound the alarm.

Unfortunately some of the guards aren't alone. As you get further on this hall, characters will come across Pokemon that Zodiac has collected and trained for their uses. These Pokemon are just like the ones you find in the Kanto Realm, except they've endured a year of training so they are even more dangerous than their wild counterpart. Try not to get mauled by a Houndoom or poisoned by an Arbok.

Should you need a rest, you will occasionally come across a door where the golden veneer of the palace seems much hazier. Stepping inside the room, and you'll find yourself in a generic cubicle space that is part of the Zodiac office. In these spaces, the guards and other monsters cannot find you, so you have a chance to catch your breath. Not ony that, but if you access the MetaNAV app here, it will give you the option to teleport either back outside of Undertown or to another safer room you've already visited, and vice versa. Consider these your way points, if you don't think you can tackle this mission all in one day. These safe rooms can be found on each floor, spread out sproadically.

Getting up to the next floor is easy enough. There is a grand elevator at the far back end of the floor, once you get past all the guards and Pokemon. It will require a keycard to gain access, but you can pickpocket (or mug) those off of any guard.

Second Floor: Casino

♪ - Whims of Fate

With your current keycard access, you can only get up to the second floor using the elevator. The doors will open onto a grand casino that looks as ritzy as any place you'd find on the Vegas strip. The place is packed with those shadowy figures, who are completely enraptured by playing the various games. While there are some guards around, they are less hostile than the ones on the previous floor, only attacking should you draw enough attention to yourself.

Like any casino, exploring this place is a labyrinth. And once you read the elevator, you will find a price meter attached to the door, clamping it shut. In order to get past this stage, you'll have to pay up- $666,000 to be precise. Most of you probably won't have that level of cash on hand, so it's back to the casino! At least it seems the fee covers your entire group, so you can work together to try to get what you need.

There's a number of ways that you can raise the funds. Playing the games legitimately is an option - theres just about every game you can find from slots to poker to blackjack to pachinko. But playing these games you will quickly find that unless you have extremely good luck, the games are rigged against you and you're going to be here a long time. Your next option of course then? Is to try to cheat. Card sharks and rogues unite, because it's time to use your skills for good. Just be careful not to get caught in your cheating methods, as it'll get the guards sent after you and you'll lose all the funds you earned.

For those more noble types, there are ways for you to earn money as well. There is an entertainment lounge in the casino, where bands play and food is served. Spend some time working as a server, or maybe agree to put on the show. Unfortunately, all the paymments earned through this way are absurdly small (are these even living wages?), but every bit counts! Finally, those bold enough to sneak into the back areas of the casino might get lucky and find the computers they are using to cheat the system. Hack into the computers to make the machines work in your favor, or just destroy them all together if you can do it without getting caught. After you do that, you'll find your luck on the machines turning around a fair bit.

Finally once your group has earned enough winnings, you can go to the prize booth to turn in your winnings. Turning in $660,000 worth of chips will indeed get an upgrade to your keycard, allowing to access the next floor. Though if you have a little extra (or just really bad spending habits), you can buy other prizes such as food, drinks, electronics, and...this Zodiac-Zack mascot plushie? I mean, he's only worth one chip, so why not?

Third Floor: Record Room

♪ - Last Surprise

The elevator this time will only take you to the third floor, before opening its doors. This floor, while still as audacious as previous floors, seems slightly more subdue. Along the halls, you will find doors that will lead you to numerous rooms full of filing cabinets. While many of the files are about various business ventures that Zodiac takes part of and written in code that won't make much sense to the characters, the most interesting room will be the one labeled "LIBRA USERS" on the door.

Inside this room, are walls of filing cabinet. These filing cabinets are arranged alphabetically, and contain the characters' personal files that Zodiac has compiled during their time on the app. These records are thorough: everywhere from their backgrounds, their abilities, their weaknesses, any regains they've ever obtained, and a psychological profile. Even information that characters thought were secret are feasibly found in these files, thanks to the seers that work for Zodiac. There's also a whole section about the characters spending and internet habits - because hey, they are a money-making corporation.

Should you choose to leave the files alone? You can get through this hall pretty easily besides avoiding the usual guards. Just head for the elevator at the far end of the hall.

But where's the fun in that? Instead you can take some time to read through the files, but you can't spend all day here. If you spend more than 30 minutes in the record room, you will start to hear the rattling sound of chains from outside the room and down the hall. The longer you wait, the louder it will get as it gets closer. Continue to ignore this omninous warning, and the door to the record room will be shot open with a rifle blast. Outside stands the Reaper, an extremely powerful gun wielding monster. You can battle it, but prepare for long and grueling battle as it's tougher than anything else that wanders these halls. Your best course of action is to try find an opening to escape its wrath, and make for the elevator on the far end of the hall.

If you wish to not linger enough to summon the Reaper but can't just leave the files -- Characters can choose take or destroy files. However, this choice is also fraught with danger. Any attempts to steal or destroy the files will sound an alarm, and the characters will hear the sound of large doors being open, followed by an all too familiar creature sound for anyone that was here last August. A pack of velociraptors will now be on the hunt for you. Great! Try your best to survive their onslaught. Though that won't be the end of your troubles, as for some very very unlucky folks, when they reach the elevator will be blocked by a very large, (very NSFW) new kind of monster. Try really hard not to think too much on what it looks like, and fight your way through it.

Should you successfully manage to destroy your files or take them off the floor- congrats! Even if your identity gets outted to the guards of this place, none of them will have any familiarity with you. Looks like this was the place they were drawing all the knowledge of your weaknesses.

[OOC Note: Please note, characters can only access the files of characters they've received player consent from. If your character attempts to read through files they haven't been given player consent to read, they will find themselves suddenly going blind or turning into a completely harmless animal for a day before they can read a word. Oops, guess you triggered one of Zodiac's booby traps!]

Fourth Floor: The Board Room

♪ - Rivers in the Desert

At last, you've reached the top floor of the palace. The elevator will flash that this is the "board room" as the doors open. The guards here are all over the place, and are some of the most elite in the building. Work your way through the halls until you come across the "Board Room" - which in this reality has been converted into a massive throne room made of the finest marbles and of course, more gold. There is a red carpet that leads up to a throne, where atop the throne sits a large, glowing vial of peach-colored liquid. No doubt, it's the drink of immortality you've been looking for. Behind the throne? Is the ever growing pile of wealth that Zodiac's been collecting, which looks not dissimiliar to a dragon's hoard.

While the throne room appears empty, don't let that fool you. The moment that you step towards the throne, the same alarm your phone makes every time Zodiac posts on the app will sound very loudly. Down from the ceiling above, seven demons in business suits will fly down and confront you. These are the six members of the board and the CEO, all of which have turned fully into demons with glowing yellow eyes. They screech in corporate slang about your trespassing and attempting to steal company property before going in for the attack.

You'll have to find some way to defeat or evade the demonic board members. Most of them can be taken in a fight by one or two people with abilities and fighting experience, though the CEO will definitely be the strongest of the lot and is powerful enough to give even our strongest combatants a real fight. The true challenge will be managing to fight off seven at once. However, being the greed demons that they are, they do have one weakness. Throw down anything that is valuable, and the nearby demon will be fully distracted and go after the valuable item to add to their hoard. Perhaps you can use this to your advantage.

When the demons are dealt with, you have two options - to either kill them or give them the option to flee. Fortunately, these demons are mostly here for greed so they do understand when it's best to flee and will do so once they realize they are outmatched. Otherwise you can kill them to eliminate the risk of ever dealing with them again [OOC NOTE: If your character plans to kill the board members, please notify the mods by commenting here as it will have an effect on the plot]. Either way, with the battle finished, all that's left is to retrieve the immortal peach that has been causing so much trouble and get out of here.

Aftermath

♪ - Beneath the Mask

Once it's all over, you will get one last chance to drink the immortal-making peach juice (that is, if you're insane and have learned nothing), before the Black Order member Zhongli will come to collect it. Zhongli will explain that he intends to destroy it completely so no one can get their hands on it again [OOC Note: This interaction will be handwaved unless your character strongly objects, if so let us know!]. With that loose thread dealt with, characters will no longer have to fret about the threat of immortal capitalist demons.

As for the Metaverse locations? Those will be accessible to any characters seeking to explore until the end of the month (April 30th), when the MetaNav app will disappear from their phone completely. Take a tour through your fellow app user's disturbing mental states, if that's what you're into. Maybe some opportunistic characters will be at the very least able to ransack Zodiac for all its gold and valuables. Let's face it, it's only fair. The Black Order members and the four characters who had dungeons will also be able to access the Zodiac building at this point, as well get a chance to get some new thief threads.

As for Zodiac? They will go quiet. The people in suits will leave Undertown and business will resume as normal in that area of town. If you ask the interns at the Zodiac office in the real world, they will comment that all their board members suddenly took some time off- and no one knows what's going on. Guess the only option is to wait and see. Maybe go socialize and work on those social links in the meantime.

OOC Notes

The dominant element this month is Earth! Anyone with an affinity to the earth element will find themselves boosted throughout the month. This could mean a boost to their power, having more energy, feeling more inspired with creativity, having better luck on different attempts -- the boost can manifest in all sorts of different ways. By contrast, anyone with an affinity for Water will be experiencing the opposite. Perhaps their powers will be weaker, they have less energy, they're having a creative block or general worse luck - again it can manifest in all sorts of way and players are free to play with this mechanic as they'd like.

Characters will be allowed to keep their thief outfits after this plot! These can be treated as regular clothing or something you can magically change into whenever you enter the Spirit Realm. Live your stylish dreams!

The original OOC plotting post for this event can be found here. Another Zodiac Post will be going up April 15th to serve as an intro post for new characters and allow characters to react to developments over the network.

Threaded | Flat

Throughout the Event, a Tent outside of Undertown

[Eunie said she would hold the fort. She didn't break a promise. While she didn't have a bloody clue what was going on Zodiac HQ or by that Castellum not far off, she had enough vague and unpleasant memories of her past life that she knew people would come out hurt.

So as she said, she's set up a makeshift infirmary not too far away. She did what she could on the Order's dime to see that it was well stocked with all first aid necessities. Not only that, but she had her Gunrod and this ARCUS II that Jusis... never got a chance to teach her to use. But she'd damn well try.

Any who chose to stay behind or were unable to fight she'd welcome the help from. She may not address everyone unless addressed herself, but she would do what she could.]

[This is gonna be a catch all for Jun prompts throughout the month! Hit me up if you want to do anything around the city or in the Zodiac building with Jun!]

Edited 2023-04-04 18:00 (UTC)

[This is going to be a toplevel of toplevels for ease of starting new things as the month progresses!]

[Putting up a catchall for prompts as I think of them!]

el dorado

[ So. Just so we're all on the same page, Ryoko thinks this whole phantom thief thing is absurd and actively resents every moment she spends on costume. Okay? Okay.

All that being said – "Sentry" is here to join in the raid. She doesn't imagine they'll get another chance to have such relatively unrestricted access to the Zodiac HQ and she plans to take the fullest advantage of it that she can. Physically she's not much of a fighter, but she's much better with that sci-fi phaser of hers than you would ever want a teenage girl to be. She picks off guards from a distance and then streaks in as soon as she finds a break in their formation... only to stop and stare once she actually gets her first proper look at the building. ]

money

[ Her exact expression is hard to read, not with her mask and the opaque white veil covering her mouth. But her unrestrained disgust is not at all hard to pick up on. ]

record room (don't fear the repaer)

[ This is it. This is it.

She hadn't dared imagine they'd come across such a goldmine of information here, even while infiltrating this deep. Most of it isn't relevant to her needs – though you can bet she's stealing her own profile to read and get psychic damage about later. No, what she's rifling through all these drawers and storage areas for is data. Research, programming logs, anything to give her a head start on her work. She's a good way into the record room, in a lonely, dusty corner when she yanks open a stiff and stubborn filing cabinet, thumbs through what's there and...

Her fingertips go numb and a little tingly as she eases the file out of its place and flips through it to see. It's dense, a little technical beyond her current understanding but... she can follow it. And she understands enough to know that she can crack this, given enough time. Slowly, carefully, she pulls it the rest of the way out and lets the drawer roll closed.

The hairs on the back of her neck immediately stand on end. On an instinct she doesn't even understand, drilled in after fighting for her life in her Sentinel, Ryoko immediately drops to the floor a fraction of a second before a deafening gunshot rings out.

At the spot where her head was not even a moment before, the cabinet explodes.

Shrapnel and burning paper erupt from the ruptured cabinet and rain down on Ryoko, scrabbling away as quick as she can. She still isn't quite conscious of what's setting off the danger, danger, death alarm bells in her head until she finally manages to roll over, still clutching her spoilers and sees... well, Death hovering barely a foot in front of her.

Her blood immediately turns to ice in her veins. For a frozen moment, Ryoko doesn't even breathe – the ebb and flow of the Reaper's robes is the only point of motion at all. But then the arm carrying that monstrous gun moves and Ryoko too explodes into motion. She doesn't even bother trying to fight – she knows from experience when you have to pick your battles and run.

There's an alarm howling. Another gunshot goes wild as she ducks behind one of the filing cabinets, slamming it with her whole weight to knock it down and block the path, to try to give herself some time. Screeches come from outside the room – the clatter of clawed feet approaching.

A cold sweat starts to make its way down Ryoko's back. This time... she really might be in trouble. ]

other floors (wildcard)

[ i'll be tagging around into prompts covering the other floors but if you want to hit me up for one on this comment specifically, feel free to do so! ]

Edited 2023-04-04 20:39 (UTC)

1. ✩ˎˊ˗ [ not all heroes wear capes!! ] closed to Garrett

[ He's got his phone up to his ear as he's making his way towards undertown. He's keeping his speed at a mostly-human level as he does his best to attempt to look like he's just in a hurry--and not a mad dash--towards where the Metanav on his phone had alerted him; and likely others; to the crisis currently at hand.

He had other friends who he would likely meet up with once he'd gotten there--having already discussed going alongside them and to meet there eventually--however, there was one person who he really thinks could help. And who he hasn't seen hide or hair of since this whole thing started.
The quick-footed man with the glowing eye he'd helped out of his personal labyrinth.

He knows full well the man has a phone and therefore calling him on the app was easy--but now came the difficult task of getting him to agree to the insanity he's pleading. ]

It concerns you. It concerns the whole city! I don't know what kind of world you came from--but given what I saw in your labyrinth, I bet you're having one heck of a better time here than wherever it was you came from!!

[ same vash, same high whine. ]

You're amazing on your feet and your skills are top notch, come ON, you'd be PERFECT for this?? And don't we make a great team?? I'll have your back the whole time, so come on, please??

2. ✩ˎˊ˗ [ a goddess of poverty and bad luck ] Second Floor: Casino

It's rigged. There's no way it isn't rigged. My luck is admittedly pretty bad--but there's no way a guy should lose thirteen times in a row.

[ .....same vash, same whining. Even though he's dressed in a very cowboy-like getup with a pretty fancy mask, his voice is the same, no matter how he claims to be called 'Geranium'. ]

I mean, the casinos back home are pretty bad too, but at least with those, they let you win a LITTLE so it gives you some sense that you're not being completely screwed the whole time??

There has to be something to it. These are all computers, right? Which means they can be programmed. [ ...believe it or not, this man is actually really good at high tech stuff, not that he'll easily admit it.]

3. ✩ˎˊ˗ [ ok im sorry i said dinosaurs weren't real ] Third Floor: Record Room

[ good news! anyone coming along with vash to the third floor has managed, somehow, to find records that'll help with the current plight. Vash was probably just keeping lookout, as quite honestly, he doesn't quite know WHAT it is they'll be looking for. Maybe his partner here is just destroying files to get it over with? But.

Maybe at least that's a good thing when those scaled lizards start pouring out when that alarm sounds. The sound makes Vash's ribcage rattle as his heart hammers in his chest as he comes nearly eye-to-eye with one of the beasts... and very suddenly, he regrets a few words he'd said on the network about a month ago.

His gun is coming out, and he's rattling off a few shots at the beasts--striking one down with some well-aimed shots to their eyes. However, the things are in a huge pack--and there's no way he can just stand still and snipe them all one by one. ]

Either finish what you're doing and make tracks, or you're gonna' have to put that down and help me fight!!

[ He's yelping as one of the things makes a dive at him, teeth poised to tear a chunk out of him.

Good thing Vash is real good at dodging--doing a half-ballerina-like spin and a pirouette to get away from two of them as he yelps again. ]

I don't mean SOON, I mean NOW?!

Outside

It is certainly... different than what he's used to. The evasion is already one thing, as are the costumes. Raha's (or "Archon's", because going for Exarch seemed a bit much), at least, is not as gaudy as some, instead simply well fitted black pants, a tail-coat in a familiar robe's pattern, and a mask of blue crystal.

He stops short as they catch sight of the building for the first time, taking it in. "Well... no plans to be subtle, I see."

The Casino

Oh boy. Archon is no cheat, by any means, but once it becomes clear that the game is rigged there's not really a choice. He doesn't know any sort of slick moves or anything, so card-counting is about all he can do, and he hopes some of the more... rogue-like among them might have better ideas.

In between games (he's winning, though not as quickly as he'd like), he spots one of the others. "Any luck?"

The Board Room

Even before walking in to the alarm, Archon knows it's not going to be that easy, and he puts out a hand to stop anyone from proceeding further. "We're likely to be ambushed," he says softly, glancing back at them, "Make sure you're ready. And a plan wouldn't hurt."

Take Your Time

Luz tried to take that advice to heart.

It might have seemed like Luz had moved on two months from losing Amity, but there was still a longing ache that, while worrying about her friends, still loomed over her. It was better to not be alone with her thoughts, if only because the loss of Amity cut deep. Luz was a girl that needed distraction, and luckily, Kaisou provided when she really needed it.

The beef contest at Aiya's was the perfect distraction, and Luz went for it. It couldn't be worse than the Eat or Die contest in the Boiling Isles, right? At least the "beef" wasn't wriggling?

"That plushie is mine!" Luz proclaimed as she dove into the big bowl!

El Dorado

Once she got the briefing and then the lift from MetaNav, there was no more lingering doubt in Luz. Now that Zodiac's attempt was made public, she had every intention of doing her best to stop them.

They were just a hop, skip and jump away from being a worse Emperor Bellos. She knew better than to let an unchecked power like that step all over people she cared about!

So once she blinked to the first part of where she needed to be, Luz was all in. Garbed costume and a sequined mask to avoid detection, and going by the alias Bruja Oscura, she started at the bottom part of Zodiac, finding that her opponents were much stronger than she thought.

Not that she'd let that stop her! Luz was absolutely fallen into the new persona, and in conjunction with her glyphs, she dispatched the advancing monsters with prejudice!

"Move it, minions! I have a peach to recover!"

The Board Room

CRAP.

These guys were strong, and they knew it. They advanced on Luz immediately, and Luz was suddenly very happy that earth was the strong elemental this month: her vine glyphs saved her bacon and managed to intercept their various attack and duck under a nearby table to recover.

Luz was already quickly starting to recover and react, but she absolutely needed help. There were several of them, and it was going to be hard to keep track of so many and-

CRAP. They were already picking up the desk and Luz scrambled back, narrowly missing the table being thrown in her direction.

[I. city of gold]
[Amal's a little surprised to find himself wearing some robes he hasn't worn in an age, and a simple golden half-mask. Undercover work for Jacke between adventures, wasn't it? He inspects his long sleeves, and admires his bare feet, which are nevertheless bedecked in jewelry and jewels. Comfy. The codename he uses, then, is an easy and familiar one: Charun, merchant prince of the Near East and peddler of rare perfumes (and weapons. definitely weapons.)

With this much skin covered (ignore the very open chest and tattoos everywhere), it should suffice as a disguise. He tucks his phone back into his coat and checks the weight of his scythe. Then he looks at the twisted monsters wandering around in front of the palace that was supposed to be the Zodiac building.

Yeah right.

He could try stealth, but what's the point?]

Dushan!

[His voidsent appears out of thin air and lets out a low, hungry growl as it stares eyelessly toward the palace. It's wearing a frilly red mask that seems entirely unnecessary.]

Feeding time! ♥

[II. ace up your sleeve]
[Amal's luck is either fantastic or fantastically bad depending on the situation. But he can also spot cheating when he sees it. It only takes a few rounds of watching for him to lean over to the nearest Improvised Phantom Thief like himself, and give a murmur of warning.]

Careful. The dealer has a double of the card he just played, right there under his sleeve... Blackjack is already a loaded game, so this is overkill.

[For a time, card games and rigged cups were the only way he could make money. He scammed so many rich people with bad bets... Good times.

Later on, he's got a pretty substantial amount of winnings as he sits at the roulette table. As he sees someone walk by, he scoots his chair back and tries to catch their attention.]

Psst. Hey, how much have you won? Think we can open the door soon?

[III. chairmen of the board]
[As the board members descend from the ceiling, Amal glances around not with alarm, but barely-disguised glee.]

There you are.

[He unfolds his wicked scythe and reaches out invisibly. A red glyph appears around him, spins, and then cloaks him in darkness and crimson lightning. A half-voidsent, if only temporarily—of course, with his pointy ears sticking out of the hood. New this time, though, is the autumn-colored dragon tail with feathers fluttering behind him as he runs forward.]

Run if you can, pigs! I'll suck you dry 'til there's not even dust!

[There is absolutely nothing friendly about the laugh he lets out as he separates one from the herd and brings his blade down. But uh, at least he's enjoying himself?]

Edited 2023-04-05 05:56 (UTC)

[A home for prompts with Rren. Hit me up if you need a sidekick with no real idea what they're in for and more fireworks than sense.]

[for the off chance more ideas come to me with time, this'll be a catch-all. hmu if you'd like to do anything with viv!]

El Dorado: City of Gold/First Floor: The Entrance - OTA

Moxxie, or 'Devil's Hitman' as he's calling himself on this mission, is ready to go. He's wearing a basic black opera mask, as well as a black bodysuit with numerous straps and holsters for his various guns. On his waist he has a utility belt with little pouches for the different types of ammo to go with each. And, of course, since it's Moxxie, the whole ensemble is finished off with a little red bow tie.

Deciding it's now or never, he heads out, gun in hand, skulking through the shadows. Moxxie's small size is a huge advantage here. Sure, no one associated with Zodiac is going to see him as a possum, but it's still easy to find things to hide behind when there's so little to hide. As he moves he keeps an eye out for his allies in case anyone might need his help.

Once he gets inside he continues with the same strategy, carefully avoiding any potential confrontation to the best of his ability unless there's someone in need of some back up.

Second Floor: Casino - OTA
When Moxxie enters the casino, he soon realizes that hiding isn't needed here. However, money is, and he definitely does not have that much, so he's going to have to start earning some. Fast.

At first he tries playing the games, betting more and more money and hissing angrily each time he fails.

"This game is rigged!"

...only to put down more money and try again.

Eventually, though, he realizes...absolutely nothing about why his plan is a bad one, but he didn't really bring a lot of money with him on this mission, so he at the very least realizes he'll have to try something else. It's around this time that he discovers that they're offering some singing gigs in the lounge for anyone who has talent, and if there's one thing Moxxie takes pride in it's his musical ability. It's not long before Moxxie's on the stage, giving a rousing rendition of the song from his other life.

"Oh, what a thrill,
When the crimson starts to spill,
And my Millie goes in for the kill..."

Well. At least in a casino run by demons a song like that won't be too out of place. After that song finishes, he'll then sing a few songs from CATS and Phantom of the Opera, earning him a...really pathetic wage for the amount of time he put in, but hey, at least he has something to put toward the pot, right?

Fourth Floor: The Board Room (Feel free to either leave a single post in response to this or just use details of this in your post. Moxxie won't respond if you reply to this one, though, because he's very dead.

Moxxie's feeling pretty good about the situation as he walks into the room. He's gotten past every obstacle this place has thrown at him and as far as he's concerned, he has exactly what he needs to deal with a bunch of demons. On top of that, he's not alone. Even if everything goes wrong he knows he has back up, and all of this together gives him maybe a little bit too much confidence as he steps out into the open and pulls the blessing tipped rifle off his back.

Sure, the room appears to be empty, but he knows better than to trust that the demons who run this place would just leave the drink of immortality unattended. However, his calm demeanor gives way to panic when his phone goes off. Loudly.

"Fuck!"

He looks down for a second, wondering if there's a way to turn it off...before he quickly realizes there would be no point. The noise has already alerted the demons that run this place, and they're already surrounding him.

When they go in for the attack, he doesn't think. He just reacts. He points his gun at one of them and fires...and just like that, he's only being attacked by six demons. For the tiniest split second, he feels a rush of giddiness as he realizes the power he holds in his hands. For that brief moment in time, he imagines himself shooting each of the demons and single handedly fixing the mistake he made when he sold these demons the peach. That moment is short lived, though, and gives way to horror when the reality of the situation hits him.

He's instantly swarmed, and he soon realizes that the demons are now far too close for him to even try to aim the gun. He cries out as one demon snatches him up, flying into the air, and another one yanks the gun out of his hands. He's then tossed unceremoniously onto the ground. He doesn't get the chance to try to get back to his feet. He doesn't even get the chance to scream. He looks up at the demons above him, and realizes he's looking down the barrel of the gun. His eyes go wide. There's the sound of a gunshot and a brief moment of pain and then...nothing.

Moxxie is ash in only a second.

{TAKE YOUR TIME - Prompts in Bold}

Ah, the coming of Spring. With the frigid snow finally gone for good, and the peril of exams finally out of the way, Yasuho can finally feel herself relax after all the internal chaos of March. 'That's nothing', you say? 'People were being cursed by faeries', you say? Tragic. Terrible. Precisely why she stayed inside as much as possible.

But now! Now, she's free! And what better way to celebrate, than attempting the Beef Bowl Challenge?

... ...Well there are plenty of better ways, because Yasuho won't be found facing the beef bowl ready and raring to go, nor will she be found with an empty one. Instead she's found with her face against the table, her bowl sort of half eaten, egg sad and broken, chopsticks in hand. She tried. She tried so hard. She has failed, though, she has failed so dramatically.

Perhaps then, that's how she wound up here.

"...2 AM...?" At Void Dennys. You know, she swore it was 2PM when she entered. Though, she's not really sure how she got here either. You're warned about faeries and demons and all kinds of things, no one ever tells you about wandering into a liminal fast food space giving her a complimentary glass of apple blood with her dish of imaginary pie. It looked nice and fluffy, how was she supposed to refuse. The Void Dennys isn't the only thing catching her eye though, as she looks out the window and frowns.

"Are there people in suits out there..?"

Come to think, this place is very busy. She's pretty sure most of them are trying to sell her stuff actually. Has she maybe entered shock?

{UNDERTOWN'S WOES - Prompts in Bold}

You can take the investigator out of the Yasuho, but not-

Wait, that's not quite the way it works.

In any case, what she saw from Void Dennys was apparently exactly what she thought. It was people! Going in and about. And from asking others around the place what was all going on, she gets a big fat 'don't know, probably Zodiac'. It smells. It's smelly.

And that's ultimately why she's in here. Slipping in as best she can with all her incredibly normal, incredibly human tricks and trades, Yasuho tries entering Undertown. The key word might be 'try'. She's fine for a little bit- as someone who's never been in the Undertown to begin with, her investigations are really more sneaky wanderings without actual direction. In fact, she probably would have been fine!

...Except-

IN 9 METERS, MAKE AN IMMEDIATE U-TURN, demands her GPS, which she was pretty sure she hadn't opened. Or turned the volume up on. Or-

"Who's down there!" says a voice from about 9 meters ahead. Yasuho immediately covers her mouth to smother her gasp. Her phone, unfortunately, has different ideas.

MAKE AN IMMEDIATE U-TURN

...

...So anyway she's back at Void Dennys not so long after that nonsense. Yasuho sits there, where it's 2AM again, where this time she has a stack of pancakes, and coffee of questionable origin, and for that matter her phone. Her phone, which appears to occasionally be glitching out.

"...This is their fault, I'm sure..."

Paisley Park has Installed Herself-

{EL-DORADO - Prompts in Bold}

Where so many had sleepless nights, if at minimum one extremely sleepless night, Yasuho's early April was spent in Peace. The grand exception of course went to her brief misadventure with Undertown, and her phone doing...what it was doing, including refusing to let her turn it off, the sneaky little pest, but it was nothing that could keep her away from a nice long sleep in her nice warm bed.

And then her phone starts blaring an alarm file, and Yasuho wakes screaming. An incident which, after a long and awkward chat with her mom to assure her that it's nothing to worry about, just an accident, yes mother it was very inconsiderate of her please go back to bed now, well.

...Well 'Paisley' as she's taken to calling the thing, has pulled open a text, a new app (A NEW! APP!!!!), and more.

Frankly she's inclined to ignore this. She's not down for this. She's not! Except-

"...Oh, no, Jamie why..."

...Except now she just feels responsible so there she goes she supposes...

And really this whole set up just screams 'trap' of some kind. It's probably less a trap and more a call to arms she knows, but nothing says 'danger' like a map leading you right to a building before turning into a big red button. Yasuho doesn't even have time to turn around. The button presses on its own-

Or rather, with Paisley's help.

And now, Yasuho looks...Different. Complete with a mask- though the flower seems to completely obscure her eye, and the other side seems glazed over with rose glass. For that matter the mask itself covers her entire face in smooth crackled porcelain, giving a strange and mysterious look beneath that hat indeed.

Good thing her hair- for all that it's been done behind her in a braid- is bright pink. Hard to miss that number.

So. Game, Start, or at least as much as it can. Yasuho initially after all, seems to be panicking. "No- No- Shoot, where did the earbuds go, we needed those..! Paisley..!!"

There is no mercy from her phone.

...Though that might be because the earbuds didn't vanish. It's time to Sneak. Once on the first floor, and even before it, Yasuho's phone is ever present in her hand. She holds it forward like a strange radar, peering around corners, and staying as quiet as possible. ...Unless, you know, you bump into her.

"AH-!"

Or even take the earbud, from which can be heard- 'IN 2 METERS, TURN LEFT'

...Handy.

More handy perhaps is what she uses her phone for on the next floor. That is...Cheating.

Now, one would assume the phone to be an obvious method of cheating. Certainly by now it should just be confiscated right? ...Right? Yasuho's new Stand seems a bit cleverer than that though. Certainly she's counting those cards- but any time the phone is checked over, nothing seems to be amiss. ...At all.

"Ok that's...I think 10,000 so far..."

Maybe they should make sure not to get carried away here though. There's a third floor as well after a-

...

Well there was a third floor.

But really, the first time Yasuho passes through, the stress of time loss from the Casino is just too much to follow the siren's call of the Record's Room. Thus, she rushes for the Fourth Floor instead.

Only Yuu will find her there- ...stuck hiding behind a pillar as she realizes where this is. Navigating some of these halls was hard enough as it was. Those...big doors titled 'Board Room' though? Er. That Throne room, more like?

She definitely needs to leave.

{THE THIRD FLOOR???}

Well they almost left, and then remembered that Yasuho came here for a Person, not a Peach, and after some debate and sighing and maybe just a little bit of crying on Yasuho's part, they went Back In. Back through the halls. Back through the Casino. Really, they take their sweet time going through those areas- not because of any need for caution, but instead because they don't want to miss any sign of the one Yasuho's been looking for.

Which brings them back to the Record's Hall. It doesn't take long to see, based on the sorting system, that there are files on them in here. It takes equally less time to find the 'H's under 'Libra Users', and start skimming. And it takes even less time, presumably, to figure out how to burn that sucker real fast and real good.

LEFT, FOR 100 METERS- chimes Paisley through the GPS as a massive alarm starts blaring, and somehow Yasuho doesn't think that's a fire alarm. Her eyes are wide under her mask. Her grip on her phone shakes. And then-

URRRWWWWWWWYYYYYY!!!!

"R-Run..!!!"

Good news, file destroyed, bad news, THOSE ARE DINOSAURS-

{CLOSED - SOBA SORROWS AFTERMATH}

Well.

That all happened.

The Metanav app sits ominously on her phone still, but Paisley hasn't touched it so she's counting her blessings. More than that, she got outta there, went back in there, got lost, got attacked by dinosaurs, ran out again, and decided to cut here losses only to find out just how far and hard everyone else went.

This is all a lot. This is all so much.

Yasuho stares at a bowl of soba, and her phone beeps quietly every now and then for what seems to be no reason.

She's tired, if she's honest. Very, very tired.

1. Take Your Time.

[ While Izuku can be found around the city in normal mode in many places, he takes a definite interest in the cherry blossom viewing. It always reminds him strongly of home - Japan, that is. For that reason, he's going to want to grab one of the bento boxes, not having made his own but wanting to get one...or, rather, a few. The best part of viewing is involving other people, so he's going to splurge and purchase a selection, shyly approaching anyone who looks like they're in the mood to go viewing as well. ]

Want to sit together? Or I hear there's boats you can rent, too... [ He'll pay. ]

2. El Dorado: City of Gold.

[ When asked to choose a codename, Izuku usually goes with the easiest one available: "Deku". That being the case, his outfit will be black-and-green themed, and his mask will seem to be rabbit-themed? So there's that. Izuku seems like he might be okay with stealth, although this month his skin occasionally has a faint glow to it, which isn't helping...

Still, if he spots another "thief" he'll be quick to join them. ]

If we work together, we should be able to sneak by! I've analyzed the pattern of the guards.

3. First Floor.

[ Inside the break room, Izuku takes a seat at one of the couches, though like most office furniture it's not exactly the most comfortable. He's checking the app on his phone, and his eyebrows lift at the options. ]

This really feels like a video game. [ Just how it's working. Maybe not surprising when it's connected to a phone app? ]

4. Second Floor: Casino.

[ Izuku is no card shark, so instead he's going to agree to work as a server. That said...he's also quick to dart in and offer opponents of players drinks if any of them seem like they might cotton on to cheating from the more bold? He's helping! ]

5. Wild.

[ For aftermath or sidequests just hit me up and I'm happy to write up a starter! To reach me just pm me or you can hit me on plurk at roseburst ]

1. Take Your Time.

A. Bento Boxes.
[ Minato ends up on a blanket spread out beneath one of the trees with an absolutely enormous pile of bento boxes next to him. He's methodically working through them. Apparently they are all for Just Him? Those who know him well know about his possession price, though - or at least that aspect of it. Still, if you approach him to watch or perhaps just because you recognize him, he'll look up calmly. ]

These are mine. ...but I can spare one, if you want. [ He doesn't actually mind sharing more than one. He just needs a lot of food. ]

B. Beef Bowl Challenge.
[ Every food prompt is a Minato prompt. He hears about the "Beef Bowl Challenge" from the app and then spends a lot of time thinking about it, and now he is out here living his dreams. It goes without saying that Minato's able to finish the challenge...though after he stares at the Jack Frost plushie with DEEP contemplation. Like, just totally intense, like he's trying to figure it out. ]

2. El Dorado: City of Gold.

[ Minato ends up choosing the alias "Shade" since he can't come up with anything better in an instant. His usual username is a bit hard to shout in combat, probably...his outfit ends up blue-and-black themed and he just seems to be standing at the outside area, watching the guards and activity almost sleepily. Those "monsters" are getting an intense look, too. Is he...asleep? But no, he shifts where he's standing and looks around closer at the other "thieves". ]

The shiny gold...might make hiding in the shadows a bit harder...but light always creates more shadows.

3. First Floor.

[ That shimmery door of a save point sure is curious. Minato ends up outside of the room, leaning in to look at the haze around the door, his expression a giant unspoken question mark. Until he speaks. ]

...This feels like something important.

4. Second Floor: Casino.

[ There sure are a lot of ways to earn money! Minato watches them all and listens, and then he's like. Hm. ]

...Why don't we just steal it? [ ARE THEY SPECIAL ROBIN HOOD FOLKS OR NOT? ]

5. Aftermath.

[ Once they're out and free, Minato ends up sprawled on a bench in Kaisou, apparently too exhausted to actually go home or anywhere else. He has an arm over his eyes, but if he hears someone approaching, he'll lower his arm to see who it is. As long as he recognizes them as another user: ]

Did those monsters seem familiar to you?

6. Wild.

[ For aftermath or sidequests just hit me up and I'm happy to write up a starter! ]

Med Tent -- After Moxxie Gets Got

[August comes stumbling out of the Palace, feathers flying from his thief's gear and mask held in Helena's claws. The panic and terror is setting in again and he's in a hurried daze as he makes his way towards the med tent.]

Wildcard

[In case I need it.]

[ "Snow" hears that there's some Shit going on on the fourth floor. He debates on whether or not he should check it out, but he's here, he's in it now, and he may as well help people take down the evil plaguing their phones. He takes the stairs -- why are y'all taking the elevators still!!! -- from the casino floor, where he's been occupied with helping Yuu.

He makes it to the fourth floor. This is. A lot. ]

...What the hell?

[ It's uttered under his breath, and while Aki is fully expecting another ambush, he sees that most of the...demon folks...are pretty distracted at the moment, to say the least! There's even death, isn't that great! And then some of the other app users are yelling about retrieving the peach? Oh, yeah. That was the objective, wasn't it? And now he's being tasked with doing this? Aki Hayakawa who, in this universe, has no combat skills and only knows how to play ball?

Cool, cool. It's fine. Aki really should've brought pizza up here, given all the fires going on right now.

Aki looks around. Seems like he's got an opening to sneak his way towards it. Hopefully he doesn't draw the attention of any of the demons, but some help would be nice...! ]

[el dorado.

He was ready to just go and bust down the doors in the real world, he had everything set to go full frontal assault- and so when the noise from the Black Order came and the instructions, Nox is already headed to Undertown with all his gear in tow. A few steps outside the entrance and the MetaNav activates, changing everything about the appearance of the world around him.

Holy shit is there gold. What the fuck. Is this literally the city touched by that one king, Midas? Nox has to stare for a minute or so, trying to take it all in, before he finally notices he's not exactly wearing the same thing himself anymore. The mask itself is the last thing he expects, but he doesn't argue with it.

Naturally, Nox turns back to see who all else is here. Sure enough, people start to arrive and show up in similar styles and masks, and the MetaNav pings again, explaining the need for code names. Shit, he's always bad at this, he has no idea what to pick.

Finally, he gets at least a decent name to work with, head turning to look at who's nearest. One finger taps to his mask and he exhales.]

Archangel. [His code name.] You ready to fix this mess?

[casino.

Far be it for him to want to gamble- if anything, it's apparent that these things are rigged to hell and back. Nox travels quietly from one table to another, eyes looking to see if there's any way the group can somehow put the winnings in their favor. After what seems like the millionth time around the room, he sighs, crossing his arms and trying to think.]

You'd think they don't want us going anywhere at this rate.

[Yeah, he's a bit stumped, since clearly breaking the machines themselves isn't going to help any.

for will.

After barreling head-first into fighting the Reaper in order to let Amal and Scintilla escape, Nox definitely took injuries of his own that he's healed from, mostly. He still looks like he's fought like hell against something as he walks out of the MetaNav, but doesn't even bother going home. He knows what's going to happen if he does, so he just heads to the med tent and finds the specific medic who is going to chew his ass out immediately.]

All right, come on, get it over with. I know I'm here to be scolded again.

[Said with a bit of a grin, and Nox crosses his arms. Hi, Will.

med tent.

Nox, compared to a bunch of others, definitely looks like he's on the lesser side of injuries- scrapes and bruises show, scuffs and cuts, but otherwise he seems fine. There's definitely an itch to move and just go, his demon content but also not liking having to stay put, but Nox ignores it in favor of leaning back against the tent wall and closes his eyes, trying to get rest and make sure everything else relaxes, even if it's only for a moment or two.]

Grounded by a teen and put in time out, yeesh.

[He expects he won't be doing this for long- plenty of people to catch up with, and he's sure some are going to come looking for him too.]

Edited 2023-04-08 20:16 (UTC)

[Take your Time]

[Spring is such a wonderful time. Normally he would be enjoying the flowers and plants to the fullest. But, well... there's other things occupying his mind.]

[Still, Souta takes the time to visit the cherry trees. He even gets a bento box for himself. The boy picks a bench rather than put out a blanket, since it's just him having lunch. But it someone seems to be looking for a place to sit, he will pause to offer]

Do you need a spot? I can move.

[The MetaNav: Undertown Edition]

[Souta has some complicated feelings about this whole situation. Lots of them. He had trusted Zodiac so long, and now there was no ignoring they were acting against others' well being. Not to mention the Black Order calling the people who risked their lives "optional."]

[However, he also knows that people would be very unhappy if he tried to jump in to fix things. So while he stops nearby the various MetaNav locations, it's only to see off those who have some hope of stopping this.]

Please be careful.

Threaded | Flat

Eunie | Xenoblade Chronicles 3 | Black Order AU

Jun Kohinata | Tokyo Xanadu | Paranormal AU