Event || The Answer

[melodiesmods]

Characters: All characters who signed-up for the event.
Where: South Continent of Balance (Imperial Territories)
When: April 20th to April 30th.
Summary: The Heroes of Light have lost consciousness and now find themselves in the middle of nowhere, without their Moogles and away from everything they know. They will have to get back home, but what awaits them on the path? For more information, please check the First OOC Post and Second OOC Post.
Warning: Bad things.

Group 01: Team Hijinks House
Group 02: Team Brigands
Group 03: Team Discovery Channel
Group 04: Sephiroth's (In)Sanity Squad
Group 05: Team (Bad) Shipping Advice
Group 06: Team Blue-Haired Lords on Fire
Group 07: Team Mom and Late Sleepers
Group 08: Nothing Bad Will Happen
Group 09: The Hellhounds
Group 10: Loftwings, A Working Title
Group 11: Team Oni
Group 12: Team F.N.T.I²
Group 13: Team Name-In-Progress
Group 14: Team The-Mods-Couldn’t-Brain-A-Name
Group 15: Seraphim Shenanigans

Comments

[gorgeous_sin]

I grow weary of these games.

[Lust casts only one brief glance over her shoulder at the others, and her expression is clearly unamused. If it weren't for the fact that she finds Aya to be a tolerable roommate, she'd start hacking at the forest itself to see if that provokes it into action. At least then it would treat her as an enemy instead of practicing this contemptible condescension. Does their stalker truly believe that a creature like her can be cowed by spooky noises? Bitch please.]

It's clear that whatever is watching us expects us to follow this path. I dislike being manipulated.

[Her eyes narrow before she turns her head to face forward, and continue with her own route.]

[mindofathief]

[Well. Duster can't be left behind, so as Lust and Aya walk further away from the path, he follows. He has much more experience traversing uneven terrain, but he has a strong feeling he has to keep quiet, else they attract the powerful force that lives in this forest, if there is one at all. Still, he has to reach the others as quickly as possible.]

If they're watching us there, they might be out here... [He catches himself before he steps on a dying, dry branch and moves around it.] So, do you know which direction you're taking us?

[answernpcs]

[The surrounding flora seems to have stopped -or at least has become less obvious- turning or twisting the path in one way or the other but it remains nigh-on impossible to keep a clear direction as they progress through the forest on a way that Lust seems to think is entirely her own.

There is something heavier about the air though which has now seeped forwards into recognition. It's not quite pungent so as to be identified as a smell, yet it's not light enough to be dismissed as simple pollen either. As the Heroes continue their never-ending trek through the forest it does seem that this discreet vapor is slowly starting to poison them-

Just as a small clearing starts to open out between the trees, revealing two statues somewhere near the middle. It almost seems as if someone has teleported two crystallized heroes -from the hospital, or elsewhere- and planted them there on purpose, they stand out so stark from the surrounding green.

These two, in particular will be instantly recognizable to Aya and Duster; as if they might also have been Heroes of Light but snatched to the stasis before either Hero had arrived.]

[silencesfate]

[ Minato does a good job as he usually does not being fettered by the environment--Crystallis has shown him a lot of weirder things before. If anything, what registered more was how much of a chore this long walk was turning out to be... But even he can't deny a troubling sensation begin to fester, and he can't explain it. He lightly, repeatedly, taps his staff with his pointer finger subconsciously as to serve as some kind of channel for his stress. Or maybe a distraction?

He doesn't recognize the statues in front of him, but he does know he's never seen either of them in the hospital. ]

Who are...?

[mindofathief]

[Duster holds a sleeve up to his face as they walk father away from the path. There's definitely something off about the air here, and he regrets following the others away from safety. It's going to make him sick, the air is quietly fighting against them and their minds.

He freezes when he approaches the cleaning. He should have known. This forest is trying to trick them with illusions; they were going on the wrong path the entire time. That can't be Lucas. That's just a rock. It's a lie, it's a lie, it's a like, it's a....]

Minato, can you see them, too? [This forest had to work like Tanetane island. It's a mass hallucination that aims to hit them at their weakest points.] It can't be real. Lucas couldn't....

[He bites his lip, debating whether to wait at the edge of the clearing or step forward.]

[silencesfate]

... So you know one of them?

[ He tries to state it like simple fact, but his lowered voice briefly cracks, uncertain. ]

................... [ Observing the other man's expression, Minato decides to stay by Duster's side for the time being. He won't be the one to force anyone to look closer, though he notes the awful way these things stand out compared to what they were already trekking through... What could it mean? ]

[mindofathief]

[Duster nods, never looking away from the statue. It's bound to go away or be replaced by something else the moment he shifts his gaze somewhere else. Or attack. Lust and Aya are more than capable of handling themselves, but Minato's too young to go through whatever this forest has in mind for them.

He reaches out to feel for the teen's sleeve and grips the edge of the cloth.]

We have to get out of here. It's too dangerous.

[answernpcs]

[It seems that the toxicity of the air has 'leveled out' some as the Heroes take in the sight of two crystallized heroes before them; no less poisonous, but no more overpowering than it was already. The creeping feeling of the forest still watching them in the background wasn't loosening at all though.

As Duster watches the statue of Lucas, both it and the statue of Kyle rapidly take on a purple shimmering just underneath where their skin would be. As they continue to watch the hard surface of the crystal just seems to melt back into the surface of their own skins. There might be a moment to consider how strangely otherworldly they seemed, with their pale blue skin, before vivid violet eyes across the pair of them instantly shot open.

Lucas was the first to snap his arms up from where they had been idle at his side, reaching, near-enough clawing for the nearest person that he could reach. The violence is obvious, both heroes-now-awake would rip the others apart with their bare hands if they could manage it.

In the meantime, Kyle's frame seemed to start to generate a ominous dark purple mist around it. His head lolled to the side a little, not unlike how a zombie's might.]

[gorgeous_sin]

[Lust doesn't bat a lash. As soon as this...boy statue...begins to move and exhibit violent tendencies, she draws her weapon. Instead of looking frightened, there's a wild excitement in her face that she doesn't try to hide. Her eyes widen, and her slitted pupils narrow to razor-thin slits. Her dark lips spread into a wicked smile.]

[In short, she intends to rip this thing apart, and it looks like she's absolutely going to enjoy it. Stop her if you like, but do so knowing that she'll consider any intervention to be extremely foolish.]

[mindofathief]

Lucas?!

[Duster took a few steps closer from the edge of the clearing when the statues turned purple, but stops when "Lucas" claws his way out of the crystal, looking nothing like the real one.]

Lust, wait! [Illusion or not, he can't have someone kill Lucas in good conscience, especially when running away would be easier. He runs up to her side and grips her shoulder.] Don't do it. We need to get out of here fast!

[gorgeous_sin]

[Scowling, she jerks her shoulder out of his grasp and shoots him a withering glare.]

And where would you have us go? This is a forest of lies!

[...Which would be hilarious if their circumstances were different. Lust assumes a battle stance.]

You face an enemy. If you run, you expose your back. Die if you wish, but I have no intention of playing the fool today.

[mindofathief]

[He pulls his arm back, not enough to break free, but to show protest.]

I've been in a situation like this before. We can't risk our lives fighting every illusion, Lust. There's some enemies you don't fight!

[This is too reminiscent of that island, though the fact he's facing one of his dearest friends from a world he assumes is dead makes it worse. Much, much worse. He remembers pulling Lucas by his hand through the swampy jungle, shielding their eyes from their family hiding between the trees, taunting and attacking them. He wants to drag Lust away, but the statue would reach them in a short time.]

[gorgeous_sin]

[He should worry more about Lust attacking him instead of the statue, if he tried to manhandle her like that. Thankfully he doesn't. She shoots him a narrow gaze that conveys perfectly well how foolish she thinks him to be.]

...Fine.

[She doesn't like it, but fine. Who cares if they get killed, anyway? That buys them a one-way ticket back to Aqures Ixen and away from this rotten forest.]

[answernpcs]

[ As they were trying to make up their mind, Kyle's statue slowly came to life and trudged towards them in a morbid manner. Its glowing eyes prominent as he attempts to swing its arms straight at the two of them when it gets closer.

In any case neither Kyle nor Lucas were prepared to let the them escape scotch free. While Kyle's statue aimed for the closest person, Lucas' went in for another swipe at Lust. Regardless of what their choice is, it doesn't seem like the statues are waiting for them to make a decisions.

Any hit from these things could be fatal. ]

[gorgeous_sin]

[Sorry, Duster, but Lust isn't just going to let herself be attacked without retaliation. As that hand reaches out of her, Lust whirls around on one of her high-heeled boots, her black blade slicing in an upward arc. She plans to take that offending arm off at the elbow.]

[mindofathief]

[Duster is pushed back and stumbles while he tries to process what just happened. Lucas isn't real. This thing that looks like Lucas is trying to kill them, much like the man with the gun is trying to do. He can't run.

Deep breathes, you did this before. You had to fight the illusions of friends and families before, what was the difference now?

...He can't find himself to hit Lucas, but he can still help. He pulls out his ocarina but pauses. Which song should he play? Are Lucas and Kyle past Heroes of Light?

...He'll risk it. Duster raises the instrument to his lips and plays Dancing Mad, the song meant to make Heroes more powerful when fighting other Heroes.]