video; un: blade

[unreachableside]

WHO: Blade (?) and you
WHERE: The network
WHEN: Some time after the Zodiac network post
WHAT: Kicking off the possession plot for Blade. A log for his labyrinth will go up this Friday!
WARNINGS: Threats of violence, death, kidnapping, torture, stalking, blood, language (probably in comments). Will add more if necessary.

[video;]

[Blade doesn't make video posts often, which might make it clear that this is probably not a usual Blade post. The feed is grainy and dark, and difficult to make out at first. There are unidentifiable shapes, shuffling, and what sounds like sharp steel on concrete.

Then the light snaps on.

The room is some kind of underground, forgotten-about basement. A couple sits in two chairs, though something is wrong about their posture; they appear to be unconscious or perhaps even dead, if the amount of blood on them is any indication. They have been tied together as well as to their seats, so it looks like they're holding hands. The young woman, a college sophomore, wears a plain white dress. Her boyfriend wears a white suit that doesn't seem to fit him, and he appears to have been stabbed at some point. They aren't app users, but they attend Kaisou University as science majors: Cara, biology, and Nicholas, chemistry.

A deep and depraved voice narrates from off screen. It's Blade, no longer pretending to be friendly.]

This reminds me... of an old poem.

Since our hair was plaited and we became man and wife
the love between us was never broken by doubt.
So let us be merry this night together,
Feasting and playing while the good time lasts...

['Blade' appears in the frame with his jet black sword. He uses it to lift the young woman's chin. Quiet and trembling, she begins to cry.]

Do not worry, ['Blade' says, his voice low and mocking.] You will soon join your beloved in the afterlife.

['Blade' walks over to the phone and knocks it over so it's pointing at the ceiling. Then he kneels and peers into it. His eyes have turned completely black to match his loose dark hair, giving the sense of gazing into the void.]

You have taken something from me, Imbibitor Lunae. I have taken it back, and I am collecting interest. These are your precious students, are they not? Their blood shall whet my appetite before the main course.

My foolish, cowardly little Yingxing. How he cried and pleaded for a second chance. Old souls like his are rare, but so delicious after the wait. What could I do but grant his wish?

Let this be a lesson to you, now and forever. Know it well should you try to save this cursed vessel.

[He laughs like a mad thing.]

None of you should have ever touched w̵̧̛̥͈̟͐̂̔̐̓h̸̨̝͇̙̟͇̜͆̅̄ā̸͖͈̪̜̠͌t̵̔͊͊͋ͅ ̷̝͚̒̿͋̇̌̀͘w̶͓̓̈́̏̿̄̉ą̶̱͓͎̲͚͘ͅs̶̖̹̰͎͜͝ͅ ̵͈̓̒̒͛͆̚ṁ̷̺̹̦̫̹i̵̡͇͖̞͒͊͠ǹ̴̪͔͋̄̓͠ͅẽ̸͎͎̜̲̠̻͆̅͋̀̚ͅ.̵̣̹͊͆̔̈.

[He brings the sword down, and the feed cuts off.]

[ooc: Blade will not be responding. Their bodies will turn up in Kanto sometime after this post.]

Comments

[whiteshroud]

[Christ, and now they're all fighting. On the weekend that Lil Nas X dropped a whole new Jesus look, they're fighting.

Jun isn't about to get involved. Instead he's going to step away to try to focus on if he can sense Dan Heng past his usual range. And when that doesn't work, he's going to pull out his phone and browse the network for clues]

[reenforces]

[Mikleo, thankfully, doesn't try to drag Jun back into this. He can scream enough for three people.]

Of course not, but—

[He wants to say five or six things and they all clamber into his throat at the same time so he can't say anything. He sucks in a breath through his teeth, rubs at his temple.]

You don't get it. Running off like this—it's how Maple and I lost our best friend. He ran off without explaining his plan to everyone, and he never. Came. Back.

I-I can't let that happen again.

[killerapp]

[Ah.

Yuuki says nothing at that, largely because he can't think of anything. Instead, he whistles for Pod; Pod comes flying in with the spirit realm scanner from Yuuki's room.

Time to get to tracking.]

[medicgunner]

[Eunie felt something catch in her throat just as tightly. A thought, a memory, several of them suffocating her. How torn she, Noah and especially Lanz were seeing Joran seemingly buried under rubble while they escaped from Colony 14.

Feeling helpless watching Mio go off to a forced Homecoming while Noah fruitlessly bashed the bars of a jail.

Being frozen in fear in this life while that guy killed her friends and almost her then being found by the Order. The situations were different, but the feelings of utter uselessness were similar. That constant need to ask what if I were a little faster or stronger or whatever.

But that was then. And this was now. It would be different.

It had to be different.]

You dunno what I get or don't get, Mikelo. I don't want that to happen to you again either...

That's why it's not gonna. Dan Heng is gonna be fine, 'cos we're still gonna help him. And if he's not I'm gonna get him back myself with Blade just to kick both their arses.

[A pause to take a shaky breath.]

He wasn't gonna stop no matter what. So none of us are gonna stop either to make sure both of 'em get back in one piece.

[reenforces]

[If there's one thing Mikleo is receptive to, it's stubborn shounen types, which Eunie definitely counts. He folds his arms and turns away, almost hugging himself.]

... Then let's find him and bring him back.

[He sniffles self-consciously.]

There's no time to lose.

[killerapp]

[Yuuki hands Mikleo the scanner, pointedly not saying anything about the sniffling or the hugging himself.]

Here. Go with Jun to find Dan Heng, and take that with you so you can start trying to find Blade. I'll grab the other one and hand it off to someone else.

[whiteshroud]

I'd suggest filtering the scanners to detect Wind element specifically.

[Jun will come back into the living room, having finished a conversation with Venti while these three were talking. Notably, he's changed back into his civilian clothing. That's probably not a worrying sign]

I just spoke with Venti. It seems as an attempt to drive out his possession, Blade formed a Pact with him.

It's likely what caused the demon to lash out.

[medicgunner]

[Eunie had some idea of the plan Blade had, but the execution (literal)? She didn't give Mikleo or Yuuki shit for how they were going about things instead reserving it for the other morons at play here.]

We need to go get them back. Then grab Venti and throw them all back in ourselves.

[reenforces]

[Mikleo looks a little surprised to see this offered to him, but... he understands. Yuuki's right, and he's helping in his own way. After a moment, he nods.]

... Thanks.

[He looks between Jun and Eunie. The change in wardrobe has not gone unnoticed.]

What is it with this family and poor planning?

[He breathes a deep, deep sigh.]

All right. We'll tune this to Wind element and start looking. The demon is going to have to retreat into his labyrinth sooner or later, but I bet Dan Heng wanted a piece of him first.

[whiteshroud]

[He sighs]

Believe me, that's what I'd like to know. I've heard of many wild ideas to cure possessions, but this one takes the cake.

[He'll go to Mikleo's side, reaching over to gently squeeze his shoulder. Maybe he's limited in how much he can do about Blade, but that won't stop him from supporting the Seraph]

Mm, I'll let you lead the way then. [Glancing over at Eunie and Yuuki] When we find something, we'll let you know.

[killerapp]

Thanks.

[Hopefully you guys will find him before the demon does.]

Don't do something risky, though. Not unless you have to.