poisontippedcure: (pic#17159042)
Rose Qeido ([personal profile] poisontippedcure) wrote in [community profile] kaisou2024-05-06 05:53 pm

The Garden

WHO: Everyone going after Rose
WHERE: A Spirit Gate within the Vogue
WHEN: May 6th onwards
WHAT: Rose's Labyrinth!
WARNINGS: Plants. There are so many plants. Also, descriptions of self-loathing and canon-typical violence.




The Garden


Your search for Rose eventually leads you to her home away from home, the Vogue. When you enter the club, something immediately feels different. Upon opening the door, you're immediately hit with the scent of fresh flowers.

Naturally, you head to the costuming area she usually works in. In the verdant hues of the Dark Hour, something else seems amiss. At first you wonder if it's your eyes adjusting, or if it's a trick of the light. Closer inspection reveals that it's neither. There's a rack of clothes off to the right that has vines growing out of it. The plants themselves appear to be innocuous, weaving in and out of the clothes and wrapping around the wire rack.

Pushing the clothes to the side will reveal a portal behind the rack. Welcome to THE GARDEN.




Entrance

♪- Forest of No Return

Under a beautiful blue sky is a flower garden, with roses as far as the eye can see. There's a gentle breeze blowing, and a slight buzzing can be heard as you wander in. The path itself isn't hard to find--vines wrap around archways and serve as an entryway, beckoning you further in.

Sans those you came in with, there are no people in the garden. However, that doesn't mean there aren't voices. Near the beginning of the path, the voices are quiet, but if you strain close, you can hear them. They seem to be gossiping--indifferent to what they're saying.

"Did you hear about the Warrior of Light?"

"Aye, I heard that she slew Ifrit herself."

"Really, I heard that she single-handedly ended the Dragonsong War after slaying Nidhogg in the Aery."

"That's nothing, you should have seen the part she played in Doma's revolution."

As you walk deeper, however, the voices begin to lose whatever jovial quality they once had. The noises of insects fade away, and the voices grow louder. Near the middle of the path, it's impossible not to hear them. It feels they're having a conversation in the same room as you.

"If it's not one thing, it's another. If you ask me, the Scions need to mind their own damned business."

"It's such a shame, so many lives were lost. If you ask me, they never should have gone to parlay in the first place."

"For the last time, Ahna, the answer is no. All that you'll accomplish is getting yourself tempered by a primal."

"If this is a regular occurrence to you, then you should know. You have a strength that could aid the worlds you land in. And yet, you are... so terribly selfish.

The path continues. The further you go, the closer the vines grow together. Near the end, they've all but blotted out the sunlight, with only an occasional glimpse of the sky shining through. In the dark, you can't miss the voices. They're all but shouting.

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into. The only thing you'll accomplish is getting someone else killed saving you."

"You of all people must understand! We cannot, we will not falter. We brought our world to the brink of destruction, and now we must save it."

"Fool! Do you want to die here?! GO!"

"Perhaps you brought Kaisou back from the brink and bought them more time, but it never would have fallen in the first place if not for your presence."

"Selfish outworlders who do not belong--rotten deserters who do not understand their purpose in this world--and aimless children selfishly hoarding their power from a world that needs their help?"

At the end of the pathway is a sign. Made of wood, vines have long since reclaimed it. Chains reach from each side of the sign to the last arch. If you choose to brush the vines off, there's a warning written in plain text:

CLOSED

Due to the abundance of harmful plants, the garden is closed indefinitely.

Enter at your own risk.

If you linger long enough, you might catch Rose's voice too. It's faint, a contrast to the louder shouting voices.

"Do you ever think, we've hurt more than we've helped?"



sunforging: (and your hands are worn)

[personal profile] sunforging 2024-05-06 10:21 pm (UTC)(link)
...

[Scintilla was oddly quiet as they entered, ears pinned back in discomfort at the surrounding sound of voices. Her hand rested on the hilt of her rapier, claws tapping almost nervously as they approached the crossroads.]

Think we...ought split off into groups, or take it all one after th' other?

[For some reason, her heart really wasn't in it right now.]
crisantemo: (my wounded wing's still beating)

[personal profile] crisantemo 2024-05-06 10:33 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Between the voices and the sight of those particular plants... Worry curls in Lapis' chest, icy and tight as she forces a façade of calm. There's no visible weapon on her though, instead her hands twist together as her eyes glance over the belladonna and hemlock.

It's only after a moment she speaks up, brows furrowed slightly. ]


... Maybe it might be best to stick together. We don't know what to expect.

[ They need to get to Rose as soon as possible, but they can't risk getting cornered or worse either. ]
sunforging: (and if it was up to you and you)

[personal profile] sunforging 2024-05-06 10:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Mm. S'pose you're right on that one. Then we ought get ourselves in order and get this done right quick, aye?
hoshikiri: (nebula.)

[personal profile] hoshikiri 2024-05-06 10:37 pm (UTC)(link)
["Do you ever think, we've hurt more than we've helped?"

Yes. Daily. And nothing can be done to atone for that. Nothing save live.

As much as Takame wanted nothing more than to turn off his emotions and proceed through, that was much more difficult these days than it once was. He's grown soft. Soft from the affection his family here and friends have given him.

He could not hesitate, though. He only succeeded in shutting off his heart halfway. Because if he came to Rose's rescue... appearing as a monster, a weapon like his own Shadow was... she would be angry with him. He was at an emotional crossroads. But so help him gods, may that empower his blade.]


If this place is similar to last year, she is at the furthest edge of this place.

[He tried to sound stoic as ever, but the grit in his tone betrayed that intent.]
jackdawvision: (where we are forever young)

[personal profile] jackdawvision 2024-05-06 10:47 pm (UTC)(link)
[Edward rolls his eyes heavenward once Rose’s shadow’s voice fades. Pinches the bridge of his nose and lets out an annoyed breath.]

Bloody shadow. How many of us have killed someone? [Softer, more worried:] Does she truly think she’d be seen differently?

[Anyway, as for the puzzle, he reads the plaque and then looks at the flowers. Then:] Which one of these is in the center? Once we know that one, the rest should fall into place easily.
crisantemo: (where the weapon and the world divide)

[personal profile] crisantemo 2024-05-06 10:57 pm (UTC)(link)
We'll just have to convince her otherwise, when we find her.

[ She's their friend, no matter the blood on her hands. It's not as if they were all innocent.

But for now, the puzzle. The one at the centre... Lapis taps a finger against her chin, as she reads over the inscriptions. ]


Lilies are west of violets and south of hydrangeas, so that wouldn't be it...
jackdawvision: (would you follow me)

[personal profile] jackdawvision 2024-05-06 11:11 pm (UTC)(link)
[It’s that final faint voice that shakes Edward, more than anything else. Most of what’s been said he can brush off easily enough, but—this is something he’s found himself dwelling on, in recent days, what with the persistent inability to get drunk and the creeping certainty that all this is because he hadn’t done the clean-up right. And now Fugo and Rose and god only knows who else are paying the price for his mistake.

But that he doesn’t say out loud, and even the briefest stumble in his usually-sure pace can be shaken off. They’re here to put things right and to get her back—they won’t leave until they find her. Edward won’t leave until she’s safe.

And then he’ll find the bastard who did this and shove his hidden blades into their throat. Call it fair payment, for what they’ve done on the Vogue’s grounds.]


Should we put it to a vote? Mine’s for the Arena, personally, it’s been too long since I got into a good brawl.
jackdawvision: (maybe when our hearts've realigned)

[personal profile] jackdawvision 2024-05-06 11:22 pm (UTC)(link)
And hydrangeas are west of sunflowers, so it can’t be them either. [Scratching his chin as he thinks.]

…did you notice that the directions involving the roses are more precise about their placement? The rest are east, west, south, but the roses are northwest of violets.
fionnuisce: (and with no hesitation)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2024-05-06 11:33 pm (UTC)(link)
[Quietly seething, Waver twirled a long-barreled scarlet pistol around in his hand.]

As good a place as any. We tackle that first, we might have time to recover before we reach the end.
bebest: (Now here's a tip)

[personal profile] bebest 2024-05-06 11:47 pm (UTC)(link)
[Zulius hates this. He hates that this is the third time he's been here, trying to help Rose from a situation she was stolen into. This time feels heavier, though- because she was taken from the Vogue. A place she should have been safe in. He doesn't know what he could have done about it, retrospectively, but it feels he could have done something. The guilt of that gnaws at him.

Which is to say his usual brightness is considerably dimmed as he stands in the garden. He has his Soul Device out, ready to use it- but he handles the stupid little baton with no flourish. He glances up at Takame, catching that grit, his brow furrowing in worry.
]

...Great. Super. So a lot of nasty between us and her, then?
jackdawvision: (maybe i'm headin' to die)

[personal profile] jackdawvision 2024-05-06 11:52 pm (UTC)(link)
—where’d you get that gun?

[bro he only brought his antique-ass pistols to this fight.]

Best to get the hardest part out of the way first. Or at least I’m assuming the arena will be the hardest part.
soulreleaser: (9)

[personal profile] soulreleaser 2024-05-07 12:09 am (UTC)(link)
None of that matters.

[ he might be speaking to someone near him. he might be speaking to himself. he might even be speaking to the voices that echo around them, only pausing when the reflection of Rose herself colors the air. he tips his head, seeming to consider, and then lets it go with a shrug. ]

All you can do is live today and try anew on the morrow. Regret and doubt are weeds, and my only aptitude in life has ever been destruction.

[ at this point he'll actually look to the others gathered here, hand on his hip for a moment--and where his speech would usually be colored with the bright boisterousness of a man who's rarely known fear and challenge, there's instead a low, sharp quality to him, clipped and decided. ]

I intend to destroy at least part of this farce, as that is what my powers are best suited for. We should stay together in pairs at the very least. [ a memory comes to him, and his gaze flickers between the three options. ] Keep the strike forces small so that we can cover a maximum of ground quickly. It gives 'this' world less time to reinforce and fester.
sunforging: (and if it was up to you and you)

[personal profile] sunforging 2024-05-07 12:17 am (UTC)(link)
[It was rare--near unheard of--for anything to really shake Scintilla. She took even the worst of Kaisou in stride easily enough, rolling with the punches and carrying on for the sake of others who bore the weight far worse. But oh, gods, long as it had been since Castrum Fluminis she could still clearly remember the haunting thought deep in the back of her mind--we weren't really that different, well back at the start.]

...

[Her tail lashed restlessly, fur standing on end as her ears swiveled back like a cat on the verge of running for its life--but she drew her blade in a flourish of red hardlight, stepping forward. She took a breath, and the Lominsan accent was all but gone when she spoke up:]

I've seen this one before. Follow my lead.
fionnuisce: (man of many hats although)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2024-05-07 12:19 am (UTC)(link)
Magic bullshit.

[Waver gestured to his outfit before reaching back to draw out a second matching pistol--this one bright yellow instead of scarlet.]

I can get around more easily like this, for a while. And I can fight well enough to keep up.
jackdawvision: (i'm gonna see you there; where)

tw body horror in linked picture

[personal profile] jackdawvision 2024-05-07 12:19 am (UTC)(link)
[Sometimes you realize you are just a lil pirate man with two hidden blades, two swords, and two flintlock pistols, and you find yourself about to face down a goddamn JRPG boss and you just mentally prepare yourself to be stunlocked into forever.

Anyway, Edward is looking at Tsukuyomi with the look of a man who’s aware he’s in over his head but goddammit, he will see this through. And to help with that—]


Conrad!

[—he summons his ghostly Persona, then flicks out his hidden blades with a shink.

To Scintilla:]
On your command then.
Edited 2024-05-07 00:26 (UTC)
hoshikiri: (midare setsugekka.)

[personal profile] hoshikiri 2024-05-07 12:28 am (UTC)(link)
Mm. [This isn't Zulius' first time going through a place like this. It should not have been this way. Guilt settled just as heavily in Takame's heart, threatening to consume him had his love not been so close by.

It's rare that Takame didn't try to sugarcoat things or make them sound less dire. Let that speak to how angry he was, and how determined he was.]


I'll not pretend that this place will be as unpleasant as last year. 'Tis likely we may stumble across similar memories.
bebest: (I'm marching to the)

[personal profile] bebest 2024-05-07 12:30 am (UTC)(link)
[Zulius has never been much of a fighter, but it's never stopped him from running off into danger to save the people he loves. He did it when this mess happened last year, he'll do it now- he'll do it time and time again if he needs to. The spring is decidedly out of this step this time- guilt and worry weighing him down in equal measure- but he doesn't draw attention to it.

He has his Soul Device at the ready, along with an arsenal of light powers on the go. He looks at Tsukuyomi, then at Scintilla, who at least seems to have some clue of what they're dealing with.
]

Seesh, overdone the headdress much? [It's not got the usual sass to his tone, he just sounds frayed.] Okay. What do we do?

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