Event || The Night of the Thirteen Moogles

[melodiesmods]

Characters: Everyone!
Where: Aqures Ixen (Old Observatory, others).
When: Night from the 31st of October to the 01st of November.
Summary: Midnight is approaching, ghosts are everywhere and clouds are slowly gathering above the old observatory... What does it all mean? This post is open to all characters, there are no sign-ups for this.
Warning: The destructor has come.

Mingle || Before Midnight
Confrontation || Midnight
The Cursed Heroes
King Moggle Mog XIV

Comments

The Cursed Heroes

[nightofthethirteenmoogles]

By the time they reached the Hospital, the Heroes of Light would find the place to be quite desolate. All the lights were out and most of the small team taking care of the patients instead of celebrating like everyone else could be found dead. Their blood was painting walls and furniture, their bodies scattered around as if an immense force had grasped them before murdering them brutally. A few had survived by hiding and the patients who were hiding too or who were still sleeping seemed to be safe for the most part. And should they go to the room where the characters in Crystal Stasis were kept, they would find nothing. No one in crystal stasis, no one in the room at all save for the corpses of two nurses.

But the Heroes of Light probably did not even need to go that far to realize what had happened. As they roamed the corridors, odds were they'd fall on familiar figures: the Heroes of Light who should have been in Crystal Stasis. Needless to say, they looked different. Their movements were slow and broken, their steps uncoordinated as if they were drunk or not really in control of their bodies. It seemed as though they could fall over any seconds, yet it never happened. Some of them kept their head down; some lolled it from side to side. And while their clothes were perfectly normal, as they looked up it revealed the truth of their nature: their skin was pale blue and their eyes a bright violet, nearly glowing red as they looked emptily before them. Dark shadows surrounded their eyes and faint, blue veins could be seen on their skins. Finally, they weren't emitting any sounds and their expression was nearly perfectly neutral, eerily serious.

And while all they did was walk at a slow pace, they were extremely dangerous. They were the ones who killed all these people in the Hospital, and if they managed to get close enough to more people, they'd either rip them apart with their bare hands or use powerful magic made of a dark purple aura to grievously wound those before them or destroy what blocked their path—And sometimes instantly kill. Those who used specific weapons or spells back when they were in their homeworlds will sometimes use them in this sad state—Except all of their effects will be dangerous enough to instantly kill. Trying to reason with them is pointless as they won't emit a single noise nor react upon seeing familiar faces. Attacking them isn't recommended as well as they don't feel pain and can repeatedly use their otherworldly powers to wear down anything that dare oppose them. They can be defeated, but this will take a lot of time and those fighting will most likely be wounded or worse, die.

Of course, while at the start they're only in the Hospital, after ten minutes or so they'll be roaming the city… If Moggle Mog XIV isn't stopped, it will be a disaster not only for this place, but for the world.


[ Threads posted here will not be modded, as such encounters against Cursed Heroes will all be player-driven. All of the characters listed in the Hospital are free game for this. Characters who are in Crystal Stasis because of a Hiatus are also eligible, but you need the player's permission to use them. Cursed Heroes are drawn to people from their homeworlds or with people they friended in Crystallis. Therefore once they've left the Hospital, they may go after your character even if they didn't go there. You can reply to this thread to play out Cursed Heroes encounter in the city as well.]

Open

[fearlessherosheart]

[Tazendra had immediately returned to the hospital. While fighting a giant moogle ghost would normally be relevant to her interested, she had to tend to what might harm her friends in Crystal Stasis.]

[Of course, she hadn't reckoned with the trouble being those in Crystal Stasis reanimated and sent to fight whatever got in their way. And those that were known to Tazendra -- that is to say, Loki and Aerich (or their bodies, at least) -- honing in on her. The skin and eye color didn't even look out of place on Loki, Tazendra having seen the form he normally concealed, and Aerich's face was usually close to neutral.]

[Under ordinary circumstances, Tazendra would be delighted to fight a god and a master Lyorn warrior. When they were friends, she discovered it was possible to feel quite ill at the thought of a fight. On the other hand, she had once promised Loki to oppose him should he ever become a danger to others again. And it's not like her pride would permit her to run.]

Ah, my friends, it is a shame I am no clever necromancer. But I have made a vow and I must keep it.

[Her sword was already out. She would have to deal with Loki first, both for honor and because of their fighting styles: Lyorn fought defensively, waiting for the perfect, fight-ending blow. If whatever possessed Aerich fought with his skill, she had to both fight defensively and cope with Loki.]

[It was a shame this fight was against the bodies of friends: otherwise, it would be glorious.]

[iscursednomore]

[Fai had been worried about what was going and had already found himself at the hospital. With his gun in hand he slowly wondered around, finding the whole thing more than a little nerving. As he heard a noise he turned the corner and held up his gun only to see another person fighting. So it seemed like he wasn't the only one here.]

Do you need help?

open

[red_planet_blues]

[This situation was looking really bleak. After fighting their way through these incredibly tough zombie-like versions of their friends and allies, an injured and exhausted Sparks manages to gather up some of the people who had gone to the hospital. Their moment of respite won't last long, so they need to plan fast.]

Look, this-- Just cuttin' our way through 'em ain't good. And they're startin' to get out of the building. At the very least, we need to keep 'em inside somehow. And evacuate this neighborhood.

[acceptedoblivion]

Gonna need to head off those who did manage to get out, too.

[By some stroke of luck, Ira had managed to evade being cut down just yet. He did have the speed of the dragoon to work in his favor, but having run here after finding 'Lin and weaving through the undead-like versions of other heroes had left him almost missing the days he were nothing but wire and film.]

If we have any with earth spells, we can always block the doors with raised ground - or freeze the doors and windows shut, but that'll only hold them so long.

[Barricades never last, after all.]

Open

[acceptedoblivion]

[ At first he'd wanted to help Rukia defend the Crystal of Fire. With what was ongoing at the Observatory, it made sense that something would go there, and thanks to the towering ball of fluffy marshmallow headed in that direction, he could tell he'd been right to think that.

That was then, and now... there was one other thing he knew couldn't come to pass.

As he headed toward the mayhem, hoping that he wouldn't see someone familiar but with the violet-red eyes he'd come to recognize by now. Yet at the sight of a familiar mess of spiky brown hair, Ira stopped short a few blocks away from the third district. It was the one face he had dreaded seeing, yet knew that he wouldn't be able to escape from doing so.]

...Sora. [The name of the first person to treat him as a normal human was nearly choked out, and he almost expected a response in hopes that he wouldn't be like the others. That by some twist of luck, the real Sora would be in there and he'd just give a dorky grin and mistake him for the real Riku again. That he would have to correct him, and admit that he was nothing but a copy of his best friend and they could fight together once more. Even if he was a poor substitute for the original. When "Sora" turned around though, he could see the pale blue instead of slightly tanned skin and violet-red replacing the bright blue he remembered.

Ira looked away as his cursed friend approached.]

To think that all this time, you had been the one who wasn't faking it. [Hard as it was to admit.] Guess there's always a first time, huh? [Ira shook his head. He knew this wouldn't really be much help to either of them, but maybe it did help him rationalize what he was about to do. Though even just the fought of fighting Sora again left him feeling nostalgic for the days where everything was so simple.]

Almost like the good old days, except this time... [He drew his sword, a dark-but-broken grin crossing his lips.] This time, I can't afford to let a fake like me be destroyed.

[There were people counting on him, even those he didn't know. And if he could buy time for Rukia and the others to fend off Moggle Mog the XIVth with one less of their cursed allies being used against them, then it was alright.]

[makingfriends]

[Ven was among the first to turn and bolt across the city at the noise, but lacking the wheels, wings, and hooves that the others had at their disposal put him among the second wave of Heroes to reach the district in question. Between that delay and the confusion of running into Rae on the way over -- she'd heard the commotion and come to find him; after asking her to change out his clothes for his armor, Ven ordered (yes, ordered) her to go home and stay inside, and she hesitantly obeyed -- by then, word had started to spread already. The giant moogle, something about the crystallized Heroes at the hospital...

Assuming the worst, Ven rounded the next street corner at top speed--

--and then stopped so quickly that he nearly tripped over himself.]

Ira--! [And then his voice did the same stumbling act that his body just had, catching in his throat as he noticed the other figure. At first it was simple surprise as he tried to identify the threat -- clearly a threat, if Ira's posture alone was any indication -- but then the way Ven's tension eased up and the grip on his Keyblade went slack said more than anything else.

Wrong, wrong, something was wrong this was very wrong--

His free hand came up to quickly tear his helm free -- the darkness and his visor were messing up his sight, that had to be it -- but that only confirmed what he was looking at; and the mix of shock, concern, and disbelief on his face wasn't the expression of someone ready and willing to fight. Not this time.]

Sora...

[Not again, not another Cloud--]

Sora--! [His gaze shifted quickly to his roommate instead.] Ira, wait!

[If this was the real thing -- not a memory, not a vision, not a fake or a spirit or anything else that this world had already thrown at them -- if this was like Cloud -- then...]

Ventus | here and there

[makingfriends]

[In and around the hospital - Open]

[Ventus has seen better nights, but he's seen worse ones, too. One might not guess it from the looks of him -- decked in his armor, minus his helm, with a number of nasty gashes and burns on the plates and more than a few bloody scrapes and scratches on his exposed face. He's clearly tired, but it's honestly more emotional than physical; gone is his usual cheer and optimism, replaced by solemn neutrality at best, heated sorrow at worst.

Even so, he doesn't stop moving throughout the night, having stationed himself in the fifth district to try and help with stemming the tide of cursed Heroes. Given the limitations of his equipped Jobs, it's no easy task -- at best, he can only really play keepaway as a distraction to divert the zombies' attention, flitting in and out of sight thanks to his Time Mage abilities. It's better than nothing, but it's taking its toll -- physically as well as mentally -- and he can only hope that those fighting King Mog defeat the source, fast, and put an end to all this.]


[Streets, vs Kairi - closed to Saori]

[The brutal encounter with Sora rattled him bad, and that's putting it lightly. Ever since then, every step Ven's taken has been plagued with thoughts and worries and questions, doubts and regrets and uncertainties -- but the best he can do is make sure no one else gets hurt, or worse, and if he has to suffer through the discomfort of seeing familiar faces transfigured like this, so be it. It's not as though anyone will shake him as badly as Sora did.

Or so he thought.

When he hurries after the sound of a scream, he's painfully aware that he could end up squaring off against a total stranger or someone he knows -- but he doesn't expect to find a stranger he knows.

The girl is instantly familiar. His age, long red hair and a pink outfit -- but the same dead eyes and unnatural skin when she turns toward him, her head snapping in his direction unnaturally fast. Ven's positive he's never met her before -- never spoken, never even seen her that he can remember.

And yet her name's on his lips before he even realizes.]

Kairi?

[Another scream -- but this time it's Ven's, and it's a cry of pain rather than terror as he's suddenly hurled backwards, slammed full in the chest by one of those strange and powerful spells. It knocks him clear across the street -- and for the second time in the last few months, he's thrown backwards through a window, the shriek of shattering glass loud enough to be heard up and down the block and beyond. He lands in a heap of broken wood and glass, a cafe table having broken his fall. It's going to take him a moment to right himself, but Kairi isn't waiting. She crosses the street in a shambling beeline.]

[needsteaplz]

VEN?!

[Saori heard the screams and activated [Shushin] to rush to the source. She barely got a glimpse of the attacker due to her increased speed but sent a clone to distract them. With a worried look on her face, she went over to Ven and helped him. Perhaps out of motherly habit, she helped brush the broken pieces of wood and glass off of him.]

Is anything broken? Are you alright?

[It was only then she turned her head to see who did this to her 'adopted son'. Eyes went wide in show. It was about a year ago but she remembered the girl who was one of her first housemates. If Kairi was here then that would mean....A lump formed in Saori's throat but she stood up. The clone disappeared as fast as it appeared.]

Kairi? Damn it. I wish didn't have to be like this.

[Even though she had a proton pack, she quietly pulled the katana she had out of its scabbard. She took a deep breath and stared down at the enemy. While it was tempting to attack now, she waited for Kairi to strike for the sake of landing a powerful counter once evading the attack.]

Open

[derplander]

[He had intended to go after the giant marshmallow King Moggle Mog. As a primal slayer, it was his duty and his right to fell the beast, ego nonwithstanding.

However, as he had ran out the Observatory, he was struck by that unearthly power as he flew head over heels backwards. Landing in a crouched skid, he unhooked his Ghostbuster thrower and fired it at the direction of where the attack came from.

More and more waves of eldrich power lanced out and he closed the gap, firing with one hand as he spun Bravura with a roar. It lanced downward, and cleaved against a familiar blade that made him pause in surprise as he came face to face with an old friend.]

LIGHTNING! When did you...?

[But it was all for naught as the monster that was in Lightning's form blasted him backwards and he tumbled to a kneeling position, panting.] I do not understand... your said your God had reason for this... if this is the will of your God, then...!

[With a cry, he charged the monster in his friends flesh as she continued to fire at him, the edge of her gunblade ready to slice into Meteor if he got too close.]

Re: Open

[aero_dienamic]

"You're moving far too slowly, boy."

In moments the Warrior was struck with a Haste spell, which struck him again and again, as though he were in his own time loop. Not that it increased in effect, but it simply stayed in effect.

"Go on, have your fun and play." The voice says, though, it's not an unfamiliar one, as now, as if to tease him, or confuse the enemy Lightning was on his side, backing him up and pointing an effectively useless Gunblade back at the... well... is either one truly the original?

[Yuffie] – Random Hospital Room (2nd Floor)

[thegreatninja]

[Yuffie is just outside the observatory when she feels the ground shake. She doesn’t know what’s going on but she has a really bad feeling about this. She hears the cries at the hospital and then watches in horror as the large moogle rises over the city.

It’s really big.

Without thinking she goes running towards the hospital. It’s easy to spot those who can fly heading towards the moogle so she’ll split their defenses. The hospital looks more like a war zone so instead of going in the front door Yuffie can be seen scaling one of the walls. Even with her ghostbuster gear it’s easy, something she’s done a thousand times before at home.

Her leg hooks into a window before pulling her torso into the room. It’s empty, except for the corpse lying across the bed. This patient must have screamed.

She slowly makes her way towards the door, peeking just outside to see a collection of figures in the hallway. She lets out a slow breath before turning back towards the room she’s found herself in. She keeps her back pressed against the wall; the cold surface does nothing to stop the sweat that trickles down her forehead.]

What the hell is going on…

[She exhales before noticing movement to her left. She quickly tries to stand, however the figure is reaching for her, its hands grabbing her shoulder and then pulling as if to tear her arm off. Yuffie screams, her skin burning as she elbows the crystal zombie in the face. She takes a few steps away readying her gun when she sees the face of her attacker.]

Zack?

[Wisps of smoke rise from Yuffie’s shoulder where the purple black energy had burned her. She feels her throat dry while tears rose to her eyes.]

You aren’t him.

[Even knowing that this isn’t Zack she’s unable to hold up her gun, she’s unable to do more than stare as the lumbering phantom comes moving towards her.]

[shinra_dog]

[Reno was still focused on finding the one person he cared to see when he heard the scream. He stopped, torn. He knew that scream... that was Yuffie's voice.]

[But Kyo...]

[In the end, he grit his teeth and made his decision. As much as he hated it, Kyo was probably just like the others. Yuffie needed him now.]

Yuffie!

[He burst into the room and froze, seeing just who stood before him.]

Shit...

Hospital

[vindr]

[Honestly, Manami had been lying low ever since the whole ghost thing got started.
They're... scary, when they're real.

But all the commotion today was impossible to ignore. He was riding not too far from the observatory when he saw the huge moogle-- and Yuffie go zooming past.

She looked like she knew where she was going and what she was doing, so he impulsively followed her. Even sprinting on his bike, her agility was hard to keep up with though--
Especially when she climbed her way to a second-story window of the hospital.

...

Yuffie-san...

[That's okay. He'll use the front door.

He almost immediately turned back. The smell was staggering, and the dim shapes of the corpses and blood gruesomely terrifying.

...

At least, did this mean that the ones who had done all this killing were gone?
But then, what was Yuffie-san doing here? He's got a bad feeling about this...]

[Now Manami is quietly making his way through the halls, trying to find Yuffie after having come this far. (And perhaps... he feels like he kinda owes her one, even if she doesn't remember it.)

After climbing the stairs to the second floor he pauses, listening carefully. Is that some... shuffling? Some sort of movement.

Crouching so his head is close to the floor, Manami cautiously peeks out from the stairwell doorway, and breathes a heavy sigh of relief when he sees Yuffie, recognizable even in the dim light. The atmosphere of this bloody place is weighing heavily on him though, so he remains cautious as he makes a small gesture to try and catch her attention and whispers,]

Yuffie-san, over here.

Open - In the Streets

[greenmagick]

[It’s a promise.

She’ll stay home and she’ll stay safe. As dusk slowly slips into night Terra finds herself falling asleep on the couch waiting for Sephiroth to return. Her mint green hair spills unbound over her shoulder, her thin form snuggled under a light blanket.

The shake of the earth wakes her from her nightmares, her bright blue gaze searching the dark house for some measure of comfort. Nothing comes and after a few moments of silence she decides to investigate. She walks to the front door and opens it to peer outside. Terra has no intention of leaving the house. She’s in her pajamas which consist of a tank top and a long pair of sweat pants. It’s too cold to step outside but the sight of the large moogle pulls her from the safety of her home.

Her eyes widen at the towering moogle.

It’s adorable.

After a moment of panic she started to run. It’s Tempest who flies in front of her to stop her progress forward.]

Where are you going, kupo? You said you’d stay? [Terra shakes her head, the curls from her hair bouncing as she steps forward.] I have to check on the kittens. It’s close. I’ll be right back.

[Tempest crosses her arms looking down at Terra as she flutters a little higher.] You aren’t wearing any shoes, kupo, and where is your sword?

It will be quick. [Before Tempest can protest further Terra is off, running towards the flower shop. It’s cold out but she doesn’t let it bother her. Tempest choses to quickly collect Terra’s sword and a pair of shoes before fluttering after the young Esper. When she finds her hero she’s stopped, the flower shop over a block away. Four figures slowly make their way towards her; the only one she recognizes carries an arm as if it was a souvenir, the woman’s fingers curling around the limb before disintegrating it with dark magic. Sabin, Locke, Edgar were all strangers to the girl but she knew the person leading them; the General Celes.]

Tempest run!

[There is no time for anything else. Tempest drops the shoes and sword and zips off towards the battle looking for a hero who might hear her cries. Terra turns to run but her movements are slowed by the cold, her feet are almost numb. She stumbles towards her sword, grabbing the familiar handle before running towards her home. Edgar holds up a crossbow made of the swirling purple magic and shoots; the arrow just misses Terra and instead explodes in front of her. The blast pushes her off her feet, her side crashing into the ground. Her vision swims and a faint ringing sound echoes in her ears.]

[iscursednomore]

[Fai had managed to get out of the hospital, turning around and shooting a target every now and again as he kept moving. Maybe there were others that might need help because right now, if they got any further then people could get hurt or worse killed. As he moved closer he could see the outline of some figures as well as another one on the ground. That was enough for him to raise his gun and fire at the leader of the small group.]

Are you okay?

Open - Hospital Entrance

[whereishe]

[As she exits the old observatory she feels the haste spell circle around her, the familiar flash of red ticking like a speedy clock. It’s enough to fuel her faster, the ground disappearing beneath her feet as she ran. Celes is by her side again, the little moogle zipping in next to her.]

You should leave. [The little moogle shakes his head, his wings flapping frantically as he stays by her side.] What’s a beastmaster without her pet? [Yuna smiles at the little moogle but doesn’t urge him away. If it gets dangerous she might implore him to leave but for now she’s glad to have him by her side.

She takes note of those around her all while taking long strides towards the hospital. When she reaches the large double door’s she’s panting, her breath appearing in front of her in a clouded mist of cold air. Even from outside of the hospital it’s easy to tell that something is wrong. She continues inside but quickly skids to a halt. Two familiar shapes stand in front of her. One is a small girl, a girl she had sworn to protect in the world before this one. The other is her ever present protector, who was also Yuna’s teacher before Crystallis stole away her skills.]

Caius?

[She feels a tremor in her heart, much like fighting Bahaumt beneath Bevelle. A hand comes to rest over her heart before she spreads her arms to either side.]

You must stop!

[Caius rises his hand, a swirl of dark energy gathering in front of him. Yuna inhales a sharp breath and he released the dark orb at the little moogle fluttering at her side. She grabs Celes, pulling him down towards the ground as the explosion shakes the hallway behind them. She knows he won’t stop and she knows that she has to fight.

She softly whispers Celes’s name, the little moogle pulling bombs from his pouch.]

I won’t let you use his body for your games. [Her voice chokes while anger seethes just below her tone. She’d fight, even if she knows that she might not win. This isn’t Caius it’s just another husk.

There will be time for tears later.]

[iscursednomore]

[Fai already knew one thing for sure. Whoever caused this was going to get a punch to the face for this. As he aimed his gun, ready he hadn't been expecting to see his friend in front of him. It was enough to give him pause and for that brief moment for the other to use a dark energy attack and send him flying. Hitting a wall nearby, blood slowly dripping down his head he glanced around and it wasn't long until he could see Yuna out of the corner of his eye. Slowly he pulled out a gun and got ready to aim, but only if she said it.]

Yuna, do you need the help? [He wasn't sure how long he would be able to last before his friend would appear again though.]

Open - Hospital Entrance

[makingfriends]

[As if hoping the others have been a fluke, Ven also makes his way to the hospital over time, boosted by Haste but still lagging compared to the others. He already has some wounds to show for his efforts and he's panting hard by the time he reaches the entrance, the rattle of his armor announcing his presence -- but he stops just inside when he spots--]

Yunie!

[Just as quickly, his notices the state of the lobby. The walls and floor alike are slick with blood, the bodies of hospital staff torn and scattered. All of them facing the doors, as if they died just short of escape.

It makes Ven sick, not least of all because it drives home the exact dangers of what he just left behind -- but he forces himself to focus again on Yuna, also noting the cursed Heroes.]

Yunie, be careful!

Sheena | Streets | Open

[ninjainviolet]

[ Thanks to the Haste spell she had cast, Sheena is more than hard on the heels of Yuna, but doesn't make it to the hospital as she's stopped by the sight of a familiar figure as she runs past. It takes a few seconds for her to stop and turn, but once she does, her proton gun is in her hand. ]

Corrine. Go home. [ It's a definite order, said calmly and sternly, in a voice seldom heard from Sheena. And one which Corrine quickly defies. ]

No, Kupo! Where you go, I go! You help me and I help you!

[ For a moment, Sheena stares at the Moogle, then sighs. ] Fine, just don't get too far away from me, all right?

[ With a quiet "kupo" Corrine settles on her shoulder, but doesn't interfere with either Sheena's aim or ability to heft the proton gun.

Approaching the figure slowly, the ninja stops when she's still several feet away--close enough to talk and to study her opponent in battle. Something she had learned back home--and something she'll soon be thankful for had stuck with her. ]

Seles? [ She looks closely at the figure and shakes her head. ] No. You're not Seles. You look like her...but...No. I won't let you take her soul or body! [ She raises her hand to cast, but before she can, a purple beam heads for her almost too fast for her to dodge, and she gets clipped in the ankle. ]

Damn! I really screwed up this time!

[ Getting to her feet with a muffled curse, the ninja makes an instant decision to move away from the hospital for the time being. Yes, there are supplies in there to help the injured, but she's still going with her "divide and conquer" idea. After all, no one can keep track of everything, right?

Grabbing Corrine, she begins hobbling away, looking over her shoulder occasionally to make sure Seles is still following her with brief bursts of protons directed towards her while dodging those purple beams that keep coming.

If she could only figure out how to trap her... ]

[they_call_me_sonic]

TERRE-YAH!

[Sorry, Sheena, you're gonna hafta watch as a certain blue hedgehog comes out of nowhere, landing on Seles' head and push off, kicking her back and landing nearby you.]

Someone really screwed up here!

Open

[shinra_dog]

He shouldn't have separated from Sparks. That was a bad idea, practically speaking. Safety in numbers and all, especially with the much larger population of Heroes in stasis here.

Or, he supposed, currently out of stasis.

This was wrong, all wrong. Reno's stomach churned as he ran through the hallways, dodging strangers -- the cursed and the fleeing alike -- searching desperately. He had to find Kyo. Even if there was little to no hope of Kyo being okay, he had to... He still had to see. He had to know.

And then there was Cloud. Reno cursed as he ran. When had simple sex turned into feelings? When had feelings turned into more? Kyo, Cloud, Sheena... whoever else showed up... they didn't even know him here. Reno didn't owe them anything.

Why did it have to hurt so much?

A flash of orange caught his attention and he stopped. Bright hair fell into the figure's face, familiar; a thin body that was lithe but strong; just a boy. Just a boy that Reno had come to know inside and out, just hair that Reno knew was soft as cat's fur, just a body that Reno knew every inch of. And it was not supposed to be blue.

"No..." Reno murmured. Even knowing the odds, it killed him to see it. His heart felt like it had shattered.

He didn't move as the creature shambled toward him, dead eyes of red-violet staring ahead without emotion. "Kyo, it's me," Reno pleaded, hoping for some exception, some miracle. "Fuck, please, tell me you know me!"

[areasontohope]

He knew that he shouldn't be here. He knew he should just go home already and try to..well there was no running and hiding. Yuki had already nearly tripped over Miss Honda and even if something told him this wasn't real, it didn't stop him from being very upset.

Kyo hadn't been far from Miss Honda and he'd nearly gotten sick more than once at being in this horrible place. His Amethyst eyes were searching for an exit, and that's when he heard a familiar voice. Reno.

Maybe the man knew where the exit was, so Yuki turned and nearly collided with a dark haired..man. Luckily he got away and continued to run. The man who knew the Sohma family secret was advancing towards something gruesome, but Yuki had to try and get through to the other.

"Reno!"

Around the Hospital, In the Streets

[silencesfate]

Around the Hospital;

[ Minato can be found in the vicinity of the hospital during the critical early half hour, delaying the progression of the Cursed Heroes in various ways. Rather than taking them head on, he would use the various elements to cause the ground at their feet to be slippery, to block them off with raising up the ground, and even futilely trying to deter or distract them with fire or water. This was a challenge... but he was less afraid than tired. He'd been casting at a consistent pace, he needed some time to catch his breath--but this was going to be one long night. He hoped if he lived by the end of this, he could have a nice nap that spanned a week. And if not, that the embrace of death would at least be relaxing. ]

Streets - A & B;
A) vs. An Old Memory;

[ Because his day wasn't bad enough.

Minato gets distracted from his evacuation duties by seeing a familiar face across him: A familiar face that he last saw a long, long time ago. Minato stares at her, and she stares back with a gentle expression that nonetheless felt off. He thought he was better than this; and truth be told, this was something the Shifter would not have been able to find in detail within the depths of his mind, if circumstances had played out differently. ]

Hello, Minato̙̲. Beautiful night, i̢̬̪sn't it? Are̷͍n't you t͖̺͠i̧red? Why ḑ̗̰̹̝̝͓̳o̮̣͇͠ņ̟̰̭'̧t͟ ́ỵ̥ou ̖̼͔̻r̸͇̤̬̖̼͉̭eͅs̼̫͜t̤͔̦̹̺̝ ̵̹͖̞̹͔f̨͕̩or ͙̼̠̗̘͖ḁ ͙̯͈͇͕whil͏͇̪̣̲̩̣̥e̹̩͙̠͓...

[ There's more than a passing resemblance between the two. Minato had inherited her blue hair (though hers went down just a bit past her shoulders), and a soft expression, hers more apparently kind, than Minato's being dazed. What was he supposed to do? She shouldn't be here. She couldn't be here... ]

... Mother... That's not you.

[ She tilts her head, smile slowly extending further past normal into her cheeks. ]

Ẁha̺̖̗t͓̼̠̖̲̼̲͘ ̮d͕̱͇̫͍o̰͚̣̫͚ ̯̫̮̫̦̗͇yo̧u͖̤̳̜̞͍͝ͅ ͈m̢͙ẹ̹͈͟a̱̗̳̬̻̠n̡̼͓͈͍͚̬͎?̹͎̩̖͍ͅ

[ Minato breathes heavily. When he exhales, he casts a concentrated Firaga, and his following expression is unreadable, if it was more in sadness, or rage. This being Minato--maybe it would best be put, he didn't care for this situation, or this oncoming fight. He knew he was at a disadvantage, and can't win without his Ghostbuster job. But he couldn't take another second of this sickly impersonation that attempted to be sweet. He had let go of the past a long time back, with no intention to yearn for impossibilities like some child. ]

She died ten years ago. Don't wear her face like that.

[ So shut up, and stop trying to deceive him. ]


Y̴̲͇̺̓̓͆̉̚o̠̳̗͚̬͉ͭ̂u͓̗͓͓͊̊̾̂̄ ̨̰̻̰͒̽ͦͦ̎̚ḷ̳̦̦͔̃̿̓̓i̙̣͉͓̙̝̓͐ͧ̓̋̽̌t̨̺̟͛̎̎ͭ̒͆͒ṱ̶̩̯̥͚ͭl͍͇̮͕͚͖̥ͮ̏̌e̫̲̥ͫͭ̆̽̒̇ ̮̼̝̀̇̂ͤ̊̊̒BR̪̝̥̯̰͉̦͗̀̅ͭͥ̿Aͦ̋̓͐́́͘T̵ͬͣͣ.̴̖̜̦̱ͩ̋͆̌̉
̩͇͕̥̭͓͇ͬ͐ͨ͞
̨̫͇̹̺̠̝̓̿̂̇D͗́ͯ̔̌ͥI͍͓̙͍̠͓͇ͭ̾̽̽ͫ̉̚͜E̠̯̻͍̻̥ͯ͊̈́̅͞ͅ.͕̮̰͚̬̱̼


B) vs. Elizabeth;

[ Finding him, somehow, was very easy for her this time around, even if she wasn't really herself. She set a nearby house on fire to make her presence known to him... How flashy. ]

Elizabeth-san--

[ Without warning, he next feels the biting chill of more freezing wind at his shoulder, narrowly dodging it with his thankfully now-existent battle instincts. He stares in disbelief, and he could feel his heart pounding harshly against his chest. The round, floating snowman figure with its wide smile disappeared, and was now replaced by a tall dark figure, with a hammer. They listened to the bidding of the blood-splattered, silver-haired woman.

Run.
Run, she'll kill you.

Though he had only gained minimal information during the time they had spent together--he could feel it in his mind, that she was unleashing the powers of Persona. Didn't she call herself a friend? Was there any awareness of her self, still in there? One more try, then he would retreat. ]

Elizabeth-san...!

[ But no response. A thunderbolt crashes loudly behind him and shattered tile and debris crash into his back, blurring his vision and hearing as he felt the sharp pain over his right shoulder. What strength she had--! He's never felt this forced into a corner before. He notices the street behind his footing now had a steep, gaping hole in it... Ah, so that's how it was; literally had himself right where she wanted him. Her steps continued on slowly, in an unsettling half-drag, half-rhythmic skip. Even if she probably had no emotion as this shell moved, it was like she was having fun... maybe toying around with him, before finishing him off properly? Minato clutched his stinging shoulder, looked around his other sustained wounds, and with his palm dripping red verified that he was bleeding. ]

...

[ Damn it, he could barely feel his legs. Resignation to his fate flashes over his eyes, but... maybe someone can catch him before Elizabeth's next move. To join him in action, or to yell at him to run... Or Minato might just do something a little nuts that involves changing his elevation. ]

open

[cantante]

[There hasn't been any question regarding Tear's whereabouts when the earthquake had happened. She would have gone anyway given the importance of the facility, but the screams that had accompanied the shaking made it all the more urgent that she make her way there. Though she had seen the monstrosity that was King Moggle Mog XIV, she could trust other fellow Heroes to take care of it.

When she did reach there, her feelings regarding the decision were indescribible. Yet she kept her expression hard and determined, putting her efforts into delaying them the best she could before they could make their way far into the streets. Watching the other Heroes trying to delay them made it obvious that they were not to be approached, and too often she would find herself just barely dodging a spell or attack, her own music and magic interrupted or not as powerful as it should be.

Nevertheless she gives it her best, her expression unfaltering until...

She feels her hand go cold and her heartbeat falter at the sound of a voice in the distance, eerily haunting and beautiful in its power. Her moment of hesitation nearly costs her when her opponent, a face all too familiar, makes his way closer and moves to try and pierce her with his blade. She was lucky to only just be nicked by it, but the pain was disproportinately excruciating.]


K̵̪̘̮̱̮̔̿́ͨͥͬ̆͢͞ṵ̴͚̝͍͈̬̥͍̈́͑̚͜ŕ̓͋͋̄̄҉̨̢̼͕̺̘̹ö̴̢̠̯̬̖͓̞̩́̃͒́͢ͅa̢̪͈̮̖̺̓ͥ͘ ̴̨̘̜͔̝̳͆͐̃̔̚R͍̥͎̝ͬ̇ͪ̾͛̊̄̐ͪŷ̴̶̼͕̮͐u͔̲̞̯̝̹͛̓̔ͨͫ̊͡o̧̭͎̤̠̦̗̥̩͖͑̅ͪͣͬ̌̏ ̯̤̮̪̻̖ͬ̍̏ͭ̅͠Ķ̶̻͙̰̘̝̫̍ͨ̊͛ͨ͗̒u̶̟̥͕̹̥͔̳̓̿̊ͮͦͯ͝ṙ̵̟̟̠͕̘̥̼̈́̈́͐ǫ̶̗̝̦͉̆̍̏ͨ̍̍̓a̯͓̰͈̗͉̠̫͆̽̕ ̄ͬ҉̷̪̭̩͉N͕̹̖ͭ̆ͯ͌̇̆͋̚ḛ̯̩̹̘̱̂ͤ̍ͣͩ̋͞u̡͋͠ͅ ̧̱̪̝̙̼̪̔͗͛̓̉ͩ̄̇̀T̴͇̅̊ͬ͐̓́ŝͩ͆҉̩͚̞̲u̢̮̝̭̘̙̭͖̤̽͐͑ͧͣ̐ͨ͌á̻̺̪̪̐̄̈́̔̋̅̀e̪̞̭͔͔͊̽̐ͣͥ́̔͂͟͡ ̘̟͇̟̬̗͍̈́L̨͙͕̝͔͈̻̘̭ͥ̓̃͌͛͟e̷̗̹̮̠̝̝ͦ̽͂̚͢ì̩͉ͪ̽͐͗̓̏͡͡ ̙̟͍̪̑͑̋͛̉̍K͎̟̞͖̮̹̏ͯ̐̀͘u͙̥͇̩͇ͮr̦͍̟̦̯̖̪ͤ̿ͥ͋̍͝͡ǫ̭̲̼̪̭̙͎͋ͬ̄̋ͪ̿̕a̵̩̰̜̤͑́ ̠̭̮̺͇̎̈ͪ̀ͨR͚̯̼̫̝ͭ̉̃y̠̞̼͍̩̥͔̣͉̓͐̌͂̕͜u͙̯̫̰͇̺̭̇͛̈ͭ͠ǫ̯̭̰̗̻̲̜̥̂̉̎ ͕͉̼̓̊̃ͮ̐̿̚T̸̥̙̖̮̘̬̭͖̠͋̀̀͜s̶̢̋͆̌͂҉͓̦ŭ̧̡̳̮̰̝́a̴̪̱̞̘̯ͬ̏͋ͥ̋̔ẹ̵̛̬͆̾̃̊̔ͣ́ ̷̡͙̖̖̤̱͓ͦͮ̆̍̾L̙̩͔͉ͤ͐ͭ̇̚̕ͅe̒̐ͦ͏̶̨͎̖͓͖̳͔i̼̻̲̜̩ͭ͛̄ͩͨ̔̊͠ ̓ͨͮ̓̑ͨ̕͏͚̙̼̤̻̺͇V͔̺̼̥̋̈́̅̅̿͛a̶̧̘̞̞̥̲̖ͬ͐ͧ͂ͮͮ̽


[No, she was doing it again, who was she intending to strike with that spell? If she could break away from her opponent soon enough, she could go to their aid and get them away.

Or maybe the body whom the voice belonged to would make its way to her first, wanting to break her other self.]