[LOGS] Dundee Game: Day One, Late
#starttwo
You wake up on a cold stone floor. The smell of dust is heavy in the air. It is very dark.
* Kaname sits up and tries to look around.
(Do I see Raidou?)
* Raidou also sits up, reaching automatically for a confinement tube
It is very d-- oh right, vampire
Yes, Raidou is here.
* Kaname speaks. "Hello?"
Who's there?
Kaname. And you are?
Raidou.
* Raidou summons Agathion to illuminate the room
Agathion appears in his jar with the usual commentary, lighting the area. You are in a small, 10x8 room, shelves lining it and liberally coated with dust. There is a door in one wall, but it looks heavily rusted.
A strange place...
Yes.
A part of the camp, perhaps? Or...
* Kaname trails off, wondering, as he tries the door anyway.
The door doesn't seem locked, but does seem jammed with rust. It may take some effort to open.
Hmm
See if there's anything on the shelves that might tell us where we are.
Agathion casts Inspect, in hopes of finding any hidden items that might help.
* Raidou nods
* Agathion doesn't find anything. Agathion feels useless :'(.
Agathion grumbles, "This sucks."
* Raidou grimaces in sympathy at Agathion and begins checking the shelves
You find extremely dusty animal bones.
Strange... I wonder what these are here for.
Maybe they are creatures that unfortunately wandered down and were trapped.
I wonder where they could have wandered from, in that case.
* Kaname doesn't answer, but ponders the door. Then, tries to force it open with his strength.
Your manly aura aids you in budging the door slightly.
It feels ready to give more fully with a few more pushes.
* Raidou recalls Agathion in favor of Yoshitsune
Yoshitsune is prepared to use force on the door.
* Kaname looks over at these...things... Raidou is summoning with an eyebrow raised.
Yoshitsune looks over at Kaname. "What? I got somethin' on my face or somethin'?"
Yoshitsune uses force! The door flies open. A simple task for him.
Yoshitsune grins. "Hells, yeah! Anarchy in the... wherever this is."
* Kaname exits.
* Raidou and Yoshitsune follow.
* Kaname looks around.
The hallway outside is also dark.
A light, please.
Of course.
Yoshitsune grimaces. "Back in the tube again, huh? Dammit."
Sorry, Yoshitsune.
* Raidou recalles Yoshitsune and re-summons Agathion to cast Light Up again
And there is light. The corridor extends along to the right, dusty and full of loose rock. It was supposed to extend along the left as well, but has caved in.
Well. This place has clearly seen better days.
* Kaname heads right. "Clearly."
* Raidou follows, while Agathion accompanies him and grumbles about the dust.
* Kaname looks behind them as if trying to see something in the darkness, a curious expression on his face.
* Raidou glances at Kaname. "What is it?
I'm not sure... but perhaps we are not alone.
* Kaname continues walking
* Raidou does the same, glancing back down the hallway periodically as he goes
* Kaname slows, looking back.
(but still going forward)
* Raidou abruptly reaches up to his neck, as if attempting to bat hands away
Raidou, what is it?
You're right; something's here. I -
* Kaname goes over to
* Raidou is reaching up to his neck as if trying to pry imaginary hands off.
* Kaname says to the air, "Whoever you are, show yourself!"
* Raidou attempts to look behind him
There is no change and no reaction.
* Kaname takes hold of Raidou's shoulder and walks back down the corridor for a few feet, trying to find the source of the strange sensations.
* Raidou attempts to concentrate; if the presence is demonic, then he SHOULD be able to sense it, but the sensation of hands around his neck is still distracting
You sense a faint darkness, but finding an actual source is difficult.
I - there's something, but I can't quite pinpoint it.
Agathion floats over indignantly. "Hey! What do you think you're doing to my summoner, you weirdo?" He casts Inspect again, hoping it will help.
The presence flees.
* Kaname narrows his eyes into the dark. He turns and continues their way down the hall. "Let's find a way out."
Yes... let's.
Agathion casts another glance back down the hallway. "Creep."
(Rayfell PM)
Rayfell, you find yourself in a dark corridor. It's dusty and there's crumbled rock underfoot. There are no light sources, but you can hear people talking up ahead, voices warped by the echo.
* Rayfell ...heads towards the voices.
#starttwo
You hear someone coming towards you up the hallway
* Raidou turns abruptly, palming a few confinement tubes just in case.
* Kaname calls out, "Who's there?"
Agathion glared. "It had better not be that creepy again."
* Rayfell approaches. "Just who exactly are you calling creepy?"
Agathion continues to glare. "If you're the same creep from before, then you!"
What creep?
A presence that seemed to watch us.
It wasn't me. I'm sure I could find someone more interesting to watch than you.
And you are...?
* Kaname prompts for a name.
Rayfell.
Kaname.
Raidou.
Where did you come from, Rayfell? We woke in a room at the end of this hall.
I woke up in the hallway. Where are we?
We don't know. We were looking for a way out.
(We will walk and talk /o/)
I'm guessing you haven't found one.
* Kaname shakes his head.
Not yet.
Let's keep going.
* Raidou nods, though he casts another glance back down the hallway
There's nothing to be seen back there
Agathion huffs in annoyance. "Yeah, it had better NOT come back.
* Kaname walks, glancing at Rayfell and Raidou. "The two of you. Also from the Camp, I assume?"
Yes.
Mmmhm.
This is no place I recognize, but there are many areas within the Camp...
* Kaname just thinks to himself.
* Rayfell lights a cigarette.
The hallway curves around a corner, out of sight. There seems to only be one direction to go.
* Rayfell goes that way, then.
* Kaname keeps going, quiet.
* Raidou follows quietly, but has Agathion cast Light Up and Inspect again, just in case
* Rayfell raises an eyebrow at Agathion. "What IS that thing?"
It seems reasonably safe, if very not-well-used; like nobody's been here for ages. Dust is thick on all the furniture, what little there is left of it that hasn't been smashed.
Agathio glares at Rayfell. "Hmph."
(furniture?)
Broken chairs, tipped over tables, a shredded sofa.
* Rayfell rolls her eyes at the glare.
* Kaname eyes the stuff. "..."
...
* Rayfell nudges a piece of broken chair with her foot, idly.
* Raidou looks more closely at the shredded sofa, wondering what did that.
The hall behind us had collapsed. With all this damage, perhaps there was a fight.
You hear a dripping sound from up ahead.
...?
* Kaname listens carefully as they approach.
The hallway comes to a dead end; the ceiling here has collapsed. Water drips slowly from up above, trickling down over the rocks. A dim source of light seems to be coming from up in one corner, where there is a gap in what's left of the ruined ceiling. As you approach, something crunches beneath your feet.
* Kaname looks down at the ground.
* Raidou glances downward
Bones.
...Lovely.
Indeed.
* Rayfell glances up at the gap in the ceiling.
(human? or animal?)
(or something else again?)
They aren't in a particularly recognizable shape, though they don't appear to be human.
There's nothing else here. Let's head... up.
Yes.
(how far up is the gap in the ceiling?)
You can probably climb the pile of rubble if you're really careful, though it's hard to say if you can fit through the hole at the top.
Hmmm.
(Can I go batty to get up through the hole?)
Agathion floats up to take a look around.
The ceiling is hard and made of rock, Kaname. But it's probably bat-sized, yep.
Hang on.
Raidou, how many creatures do you have? How strong are they?
* Rayfell dissolves into a ... flock? herd? whatever. of bats. and flies up through the hole
Twenty or so, but their strength varies.
* Kaname watches.
Transformation...hm.
* Raidou raises an eyebrow as he watches the flock of bats.
Is the unnecessary amount of bats some sort of mass displacement theory? . . . in any case, Rayfell, you find yourself surfacing into a room that, inexplicably, has a lit torch mounted in a sconce on the wall.
Is there one that can assist in breaking through, Raidou?
(Is the hole large enough for a smallish dog?)
(APPARENTLY A GROUP OF BATS IS CALLED A COLONY. THE MORE YOU KNOW ~~*)
Yes, although I'm a bit worried about the rest of the ceiling collapsing.
* Rayfell reforms, and looks around the room.
* Kaname calls up. "Rayfell, what do you see?"
The hole is approximately dog and/or loli-sized. It looks like it can probably be widened without causing a structural collapse.
(. . .)
The room above seems to be the remains of a library. Books are scattered everywhere, though, pages scattered and bookshelves knocked over.
* Kaname turns back to Raidou. "Try it anyway. Just be careful."
* Rayfell calls back down. "It looks like what used to be a library."
* Rayfell steps away from the hole and goes to look through the wreckage of the books.
* Raidou nods and recalls Agathion ("Awww, man...!") for Yoshitsune ("Hells yeah!").
What are you looking for, Rayfell?
(eroti---- er. anything that looks interesting and isn't damaged beyond recognition)
Most of the pages have faded over the years, or are ripped to pieces. You find the outer cover of a book on architecture. A little further on, you find several pages still clinging together, with diagrams on scientific method. There is what appears to be a water-logged bible sitting in a pool of mud.
(Is the bible more or less intact?)
Speaking of water, part of the room is slightly waterlogged, with water seeping from the ceiling here and running down the rocks into the room below.
Yoshitsune is assessing the ceiling. "You want I should punch it here, boss?"
Please.
Yoshitsune looks at you. "Yeah, that ain't you." He looks at Raidou. "Okay?"
It's all right, Yoshitsune; go ahead.
Yoshitsune uses force on the ceiling!
It's pretty effective, although some of the rocks crash back down towards Kaname and Raidou.
* Raidou was afraid of that. Dodging them as best he can.
(Rayfell: the bible is all but worn to pieces, bloated; but the title is still visible, and some of the page corners)
Unfortunately, gravity works.
* Kaname dodges.
* Kaname climbs out of the hole when things are settled?
* Raidou and Yoshitsune follow. Yoshitsune is less than impressed: "Man, what a dump."
* Kaname goes over to Rayfell and the bible
There's not much up here that isn't ruined.
* Rayfell points out the architecture cover and the pages with the diagrams
* Kaname takes care in picking up the book out of the mud.
* Raidou heads over to look at the architecture cover and diagrams, glancing around to see if there's anything else of note.
Yoshitsune wanders around looking for anything useful as well.
If there's a torch lit, then someone's been here.
Someone's been here /and/ they either know we'd wind up here, or they're coming back shortly. No other reason to leave a torch burning, unattended.
The torch keeps burning, oblivious to your intense scrutiny.
(How many doors and/or windows are there?)
* Kaname looks around for a table to put this book on
There are no windows, but you see a pair of double-doors on one wall.
There is a table that is still standing, though covered with a thick layer of dust.
Is that the only way in or out?
There may have once been another set of doors in the ruined section of the room, but it's all rubble.
* Kaname places book on table.
"Try to find a hint to where we might be..."
Yoshitsune heads over to the door to see if he can hear anything on the other side.
* Raidou retrieves the architecture book cover and the diagrams and walks over to the table where Kaname is
Most of the books are old; you don't find anything with a visible date later than the 1800s.
There is no sound on the other side of the doors; either they're thick, or there's nothing there.
* Kaname looks at this soggy book?
* Raidou checks both sides of the book cover
Something something Nervenzellen beim Flusskrebs.
Is this... German?
* Rayfell eyes the cover Raidou's holding. "Freud?"
Is it? I don't read the language.
* Kaname frowns.
It's about the nerve cells of crayfish.
* Kaname glances at.
((Question: doors are rubble or just closed?))
(The doors are just closed.)
* Kaname looks up at the doors. "Raidou, was there anything?"
I doubt we're going to find anything else here that's still intact enough to be of any use.
* Raidou glances at Yoshitsune, who shrugs. "I can't hear anything, boss. But that don't mean there's nothing out there."
* Raidou checks the diagrams
* Kaname thinks he'll go check out the doors now.
They are faded and nearly illegible. The pages, not the doors. The doors actually open fairly easily if you try.
(Is there anything on the other side of the book cover?)
Slime, mostly.
* Raidou attempts to wipe the slime off the book cover, in case there's something underneath
* Kaname opens the doors??
Hey, look, Kaname opened the doors.
* Raidou looks up as Yoshitsune moves towards the doors, swords at the ready just in case
* Kaname looooks around.
You can join #startone
#startone
* Germany gets up slowly and is quietly taking in his surroundings.
They're a little difficult to take in at the moment.
* Belphegor gets up as well. "Who's there?"
* Germany still thinks it's worth trying to make his eyes adjust to the dark. He hears a voice, and simply responds with "I am," not wanting to identify himself until he knows who else is with him.
* Belphegor holds back an eyeroll. Some idiot bug. He tries to let his eyes adjust to the darkness, trying to pinpoint the other person by sight. "That doesn't tell me anything."
* Germany snorts. "It tells you that someone else is here. And you haven't been particularly forthcoming either."
* Belphegor says, "I asked first."
* Germany pays attention to the sound of the voice, in the attempt to pinpoint the origin and face the speaker. "Germany," he finally says, hoping that he won't regret identifying himself.
* Belphegor tries to remember if that's close to what he recalls of Germany's voice. It's been a few months. Figuring it sounds close enough, he offers up, "Belphegor." He slips a hand into one pocket, grabbing the handle of several blades just in case this was a trap of some sort.
* Germany lets out a sigh that isn't quite relief, but close to it. "I've never been very good at identifying people by voice alone. Do you have any idea as to what we're doing here?"
* Belphegor laughs his trademark 'shishishi,' sibilantly. "None at all."
* Germany sticks his hand out and begins to reach around, in the attempt to find a wall, or something. "I suppose we'll find out then. ...Probably."
You find a wall made of crumbling stone. It feels heavily cracked and possibly not stable.
* Belphegor heads away from Germany, one hand out to feel for a wall.
You find a pile of rubble on that side, Belphegor.
* Germany is not going to apply much pressure, and carefully try to follow it.
* Belphegor feels around for how loose it is, if it can be dislodged. "Most likely. There had to be a way in in the first place."
It feels solidly lodged, as if the rockfall stopped because of the way the rocks had wedged together.
Germany, you follow the wall around to an adjacent wall, and can feel just the edge of a door... liberally covered in fallen rock.
* Belphegor walks along the wall, forward, fingers exploring the wall at convenient intervals.
* Germany is going to do the best he can in the darkness to determine how stable the area by the door is, to see if those rocks might be safe to move.
Some of them are shiftable, but once you start trying a few you hear an uncomfortable grinding sound from the entire room.
* Belphegor calls out, "What was that?"
* Germany immediately stops touching things and steps back. "It might have to do with these rocks."
* Belphegor demands, "You touched some?" It's nothing accusatory, more just a haughty tone that sharpens his words.
* Germany frowns, even though he knew Belphegor couldn't see it. "I found what looks like a door. I was trying to see if I could remove the rocks from in front of it."
* Belphegor pauses in thought. "A door... There could be more. We don't know the entire layout of the room yet. Look further on your side." Bel's side was less likely to have such things, he thought. Perhaps he should try illuminating the room with the storm flames of his ring... if it was there. He checks.
His ring is there.
* Belphegor tries using it just as a test; meanwhile his other hand checks his pockets for his box weapon.
* Germany decides to take Belphegor's advice, as he didn't want to risk collapsing the room, and begins to feel along the side where the door is.
You have your box weapon. The room illuminates with your ring, flickering; half the room has collapsed, and the other half looks ready to go. The door is partially buried but the doorknob is free. If it opens out you might be able to manage it without disturbing the rocks. Or maybe not.
* Belphegor heads over toward the door, to better examine the knob and layout of the rocks.
The rocks are piled around the bottom third of the door.
* Belphegor says, "Here we go." Does the door open out, or in?
It seems to open out, judging by the hinges.
* Belphegor grips the knob, turning it slightly.
The rocks make a dreadful grinding noise.
* Belphegor lets go immediately.
the grinding continues a few more moments before settling.
* Belphegor looks around at the room again, giving an annoyed sigh. "Now what?" he mutters in a low tone.
* Germany continues to examine the area by the door, and the wall around it, determined to figure out some way to open it without killing them both.
The wall around the door seems crumbly on the non-collapsed side.
* Belphegor heads over to that side of the door, using the ring to give better light now that Germany's feeling and prodding at the wall.
It looks like the rock around the left side of the door is held in place by the collapsed pile, but on this side is somewhat loose.
* Germany contemplates moving the rock. "...What do you believe the odds of killing us are if I attempt to move the rocks on the right side?"
* Belphegor thinks a moment. "The closer to the collapsed half, the higher the odds, most likely."
There seems to be no sign of your imminent death as you start to move the rock.
* Belphegor lets Germany do all the work. :>
* Germany is still going to be incredibly careful regardless, and ready move if needed.
* Belphegor heads over to that side to watch and continue providing good light.
A hole begins to appear. Through the wall, you can see another room, or perhaps a hallway.
* Belphegor makes an appreciative hum as he peers through the hole. Good work, minion, he thinks to himself. "Interesting." How soon will the hole be large enough for grown men to slip through? (The prince counts as a grown man.)
That depends on how willing the prince is to get his clothes dirty.
* Belphegor can handle some dirt or mud or grunge. Who do you think he is?
* Germany looks back at Belphegor. You may have to go through first when it's wide enough. You're smaller than I am.
* Belphegor is a skinny thing, yes. He waits for the hole to widen before slipping through carefully.
You find yourself in a hallway, leading up to a mostly-intact staircase.
* Germany continues carefully widening the hole in the wall to allow himself to crawl through as well.
* Belphegor heads toward the staircase. (Is the hallway lit? If so, Bel doesn't need the ring's flames anymore.)
The hallway isn't lit. It's still pitch dark. Belphegor has helpfully left Germany to move large rocks in the dark.
* Belphegor wins. :D
* Germany is now determined to no longer work with Bel out of spite, but is still moving the rocks -- carefully feeling to make sure nothing collapses.
* Belphegor 's attention span sucks, okay. He waits patiently~ near the stairs.
Successfully not killing yourself, Germany, you can join Bel at the stairs.
* Belphegor gives an absent wave with the ring hand, which illuminates the stairs and that end of the hallway. "There you are. Such a convenient staircase, hm?"
"How would you consider it convenient?"
"That one shows up so quickly. We could have been wandering through halls and around corners a while." And now, to test the stairs with a booted foot.
The stairs creak, but seem solid enough.
"...It's a building structure," Germany stops himself, it was pointless to explain that the architectural structure of a place wasn't going to change, and thus 'showing up quickly' meant nothing. He waits behind Bel as the stairs are tested.
* Belphegor keeps going, hand held up along the nearest wall.
Shockingly, the stairs go up.
* Germany follows a good three steps behind.
"After that room back there, it makes the most sense to go /up/. Anywhere the same floor and below isn't safe," Bel finally answers, heading up the stairs. The rest of the argument is pointless, so he drops it otherwise.
The air is beginning to smell damp.
* Belphegor sniffs at the air curiously.
Drip . . .
* Belphegor scans his eyes back and forth, but keeps going. He listens in hopes of pinpointing the direction the drip is came from.
(Up)
* Belphegor looks for drips of ...water?
There's nothing for a long moment; then a splash of water hits you in the face.
* Belphegor frowns, stepping to the other side of the staircase and spitting out any water that might have gotten in his mouth.
The ceiling is damp, but there don't appear to be any gaps from above.
* Belphegor wrinkles his nose, but keeps going up. How long is this set of stairs, anyway?
Long, long, long . . . until it's not so long anymore, because you're coming out on a landing. Germany may have died somewhere mid-stairwell, but we'll assume you're both fine.
* Belphegor stops when he reaches the landing and looks around.
* Germany continues up until he reaches the landing as well.
* Belphegor heads down the hallway.
* Germany follows quietly.
Up ahead are a set of double doors.
* Belphegor heads for the double doors, wondering whether they're locked.
As you approach, one of the doors opens.
* Belphegor slows down in stride, watching curiously. He can't help but make a "hm?" sound. Still continues to approach.
Ah...
... What are you doing here?
Yoshitsune stares at the newcomers, eyes narrowed. "Man, what the hell?"
You say that like we had a choice, Belphegor. I woke here.
You know him, Kaname-san?
We're aquainted.
* Raidou nods
A tumbleweed blows by . . .
I woke in a room a level below, with Raidou here. We found Rayfell along the way.
Do you know where we are?
For the record, there is a second set of doors in the hallway as well.
* Raidou glances at the torch, then looks curiously at Belphegor and Germany. "You didn't happen to be the ones to light that, did you?"
I didn't light anything, no.
* Raidou hmms. "That's one mystery still unsolved, then."
* Kaname heads over to the second set of doors to open.
As you reach for the doorhandle, you hear, somewhere, distantly--a gunshot.
#startthree
You wake up on a cold stone floor. The smell of dust is heavy in the air. It is very dark.
* Kazuki breathes in deeply, as one does when they wake up. Then cough-hacks up some dust, augh.
Joshua and Itachi, you definitely hear that
* Joshua stirs and straightens up, all too used to waking up in random "unfamiliar" places. He doesn't hesitate to extend his senses to see what he can feel.
* Itachi glances toward the sound and manages to say "Who's there?" before starting to cough himself.
* Kazuki puts a hand over his mouth and nose a little, and sits up before responding to Itachi's voice-- muffeled due to the hand: "Kazuki. You?"
Joshua, you sense the remnants of old power, dark and creeping, distantly. You also sense Itachi and Kazuki. The area itself feels somewhat confined
* Itachi glances around before responding to Kazuki, but can't really see anything in the dark. "Itachi."
Oooh, the ninja guy.
* Joshua huffs, unsurprised. The sound is strange--unclogged by the dust that's bothering the others. Joshua fully stands, sure that they've heard the huff. "Don't forget me," he says, and a snicker follows his words.
If you were hear, say so earlier--!
* Kazuki coughs again, as yelling making him breath in more dust :(
Yes, that's right... Ah. Joshua, isn't it?
That's correct! Good to know that I'm memorable. There's a dark force surrounding this place ... but you're not terribly surprised, are you?
Not in the least.
It's a dark place we're randomly waking up in. Of course it's suspicious.
* Kazuki gets up onto his feet finally and tries to feel around for a wall
You find one, smooth plaster.
* Kazuki knocks against the wall for a moment, then pauses to think
I wonder if there's a door along here, or if I should just kick it in...
The wall does not knock back.
* Joshua doesn't seem to be helping. Wonder why? All the same, he does come up behind Kazuki and grabs his hand. "Don't want to go somewhere without this, do you? I still want to see you in action." It's not long before a faint
glimmer appears on and then fades quickly off Kazuki. "Do you sense it?" he asks as he pulls back his hand.
* Kazuki ...blinks
GIVE A LITTLE WARNING!
* Kazuki then huffs, but tries reaching out anyway, sensing for whatever Joshua was talking about of course.
* Itachi stands slowly, dusting himself off and remaining silent.
Kazuki, a distant feeling of darkness that creeps into the senses.
... freaky. (But awesome, I leveled up!)
Yes, quite the end boss now, aren't you? A shame this isn't a real game ... But oh, well! We should carry on. And Itachi, don't feel left out, but you just don't show the same potential. Hope you keep up!
I don't know what kind of potential you're looking for, nor do I care if you see it in me.
Jeez. Enough chatting. Let's just find a way out of here?
How motivated! Why don't we leave that to you, then? I'll observe in case we come into any troubles.
* Kazuki pulls a sour face. Not that Joshua can see it, considering how dark it is. "Fine, whatever."
* Joshua snickers. "I knew I made a good choice."
* Kazuki BACK TO THE WALL! Starts walking along it, dragging his hand to find a door or a lightswitch, anything!
You find a door, via a rusty edge of medal door hinge in your fingertips.
* Kazuki ...tries opening the door!
Your smarting fingertips smear a little blood as you grab the doorknob. It feels shockingly cold to the touch.
* Kazuki grips on extra tight as a reaction, something like that won't stop me from trying to open it
The door opens! A gust of cold air rushes in.
* Kazuki TAKES IN A DEEP BREATH yay air without dust, then steps out
Oh, it's still dusty, just cold.
Let's get moving, Itachi.
* Kazuki --nevermind. COUGHS.
* Itachi sighs and follows.
* Kazuki looks around!
You step out into what seems to be a hallway. It's still dark.
Lead the way! And be careful about breathing. Don't want that to slow you down, do you?
Like that'd stop me.
* Kazuki puts a hand on a wall again! And reaches out with his senses, is the darkness any closer?
No. It feels old and distantly permeating, like a miasma.
Your injury is closing up but your finger is throbbing.
* Kazuki ...sucks on his fingers a little anyway
It tastes sharp.
...Huh.
Suddenly the darkness feels a lot closer to you, though it's still more like a general cloud than any specific presence. Very, very close. Joshua, you can sense it too. Itachi... you're a ninja idk.
* Itachi can feel and see chakra if darkness has chakra.
...let's hurry it up.
* Kazuki tries to go down the hall a little faster, trying to create a bit more distance between himself and the darkness.
You can't seem to, Kazuki. It seems to be following you... your hand is getting colder.
Running away from it isn't going to help you any, dear. You are a reaper now!
Do you have a better plan? What'd you like me to do, attack the darkness?
* Kazuki .........actually, pauses, considering this.
* Itachi is listening to all this but not saying anything.
Or control it! You can do a little more than me, I'm afraid. I'm a little more ... light than I'd like at the moment.
I'll give it a shot, but no promises.
* Kazuki ...attempts to control the darkness! Also if his hand would get warmer that would be nice.
It's a little like trying to catch water in your hands.
That's no good either, huh.
* Joshua raises his hands up into the hair. Like that icon. ... Anyway. "Too bad. You have to get used to the limitations. It just means they're afraid."
* Kazuki ...sucks on his fingers again, trying to warm them up. And glances back towards the door (if a little futilely considering he can't see.)
Alright. Why don't you guys go up ahead? I want to check out that door a bit more, I won't be long.
It's likely wiser to stay together.
You don't think I can take care of you?
* Kazuki ...remembers he is in a dark, cramped place. Shuts up about any protest towards staying together.
Right, right. It's not that. But we can stay together.
So, you guys are okay with me holding you up, or do you want to keep going?
* Joshua snickers. "Guess I'll just be watching both your behinds."
* Itachi raises an eyebrow at Joshua.
* Joshua can't see that! But he snickers again, as if he can. MYSTERIOUS.
Ah, whatever. There's no use on dwelling on something. We can come back later if we have the time anyway. With a torch.
I could send a clone to scout ahead, if necessary.
My, he's actually useful! What a surprise.
Yeah, why not? In case there's a bunch of traps or something.
* Itachi glances in Joshua's direction before performing the seals for Kage Bunshin "You seemed to have little interest in whether I was useful or not."
Oh, I can see what I want to know. You aren't the sort of ninja that interests me. So little hidden power!
* Kazuki ...leaves them to catfight, and suddenly starts hunting around his pockets. "I'm sure I had it..." ...for his PSP. ;D "There!"
* Kazuki tries turning it on.
It turns on just fine, though you won't be able to pick up any sort of signal.
Of course. We can't all be like Miharu.
* Kazuki that's fine. Shines it around as a weak torch instead. And says, a little too serious to actually mean it: "Let there be light"
The PSP . . . cuts the darkness very weakly, but you can see ahead a few steps by sheer force of will, probably.
* Itachi looks toward Kazuki and the light.
* Kazuki thumbs up!
* Joshua pulls out his cellphone and flips it open--pointedly ignoring the Miharu statement. "Might as well help."
I guess we'll check out the door then, but only for a sec.
* Kazuki heads back!
The door hasn't gone anywhere.
* Itachi finishes performing Kage Bunshin and sends the clone ahead before following Kazuki.
* Kazuki checks out the door with the psp light
The door appears quite normal, made of a plain, heavy gray metal that is rusting in several places.
* Joshua lurks on behind them, holding up the cellphone. Helpfully.
...guess I'm just paranoid.
* Kazuki turns and heads back down the hallway!
Paranoid about the door?
With that thorough investigation completed . . .
For the record, Itachi's clone hasn't exploded.
It cut me a little, and my hand feels weird. Nothing big, probably the rust.
It might be worth taking note of.
Why do you think I was being paranoid?
You checked it twice ...
Itachi's clone may or may not have died of TB by now.
ANYWAY. Has the clone done anything interesting yet?
There's a stairwell up ahead.
Then, let's go up it!
* Kazuki TO THE STAIRWELL
The hallway gets progressively narrower as you make your way towards the stairwell, as if the walls are moving closer and closer in.
* Kazuki ......shudders a little, and grits his teeth.
* Joshua waits for Itachi to move on ahead and follows. WATCHING THEIR BEHINDS and all. He may have snapped a camera phone picture with night vision ... of their behinds.
* Itachi keeps moving forward, occasionally glancing over his shoulder at Joshua.
* Joshua is smiling. Helpfully.
The number one threat other than a cave-in seems to be "rampant homogay."
By the time you reach the stairwell, the ceiling is close enough to touch by lifting one hand.
* Kazuki ignores any homogay happening behind his back. And lifts his hand up to touch the ceiling, sure.
* Itachi doesn't find Joshua's smiling helpful, so he focuses on the stairwell.
* Joshua moves closer to Itachi. "Might be a hint to move faster. Chop chop."
* Itachi is urged forward by rapant homogay.
The stairs creak perilously, but hold Itachi's weight.
* Kazuki lets climb up the stairs to the top, shall we.
* Joshua following! Plans on levitating if the stairs can't hold his noodle body, as well.
* Itachi follows Kazuki steadily.
Eventually, you hit a trap door.
Anyone else want to try opening this one, or do I do it again?
I think I can pull my weight a little. Try and duck!
* Kazuki ducks!
* Itachi ducks.
* Joshua shoots a jesus beam toward the trap door!
The trap door is obliterated!! . . . though it probably would have opened if you just pushed. But hey, NO MORE TRAPDOOR.
Though now you're getting covered in a collapse of dust.
* Kazuki .................coughs. And generally looks unimpressesd, but hey, at least it's open.
* Itachi starts coughing again. He's starting to hate dust.
This dust tastes particularly acrid and heavy, with a coppery, metallic taste.
* Joshua dramatic hands in the air thing. "It wasn't on me to push it in."
* Kazuki spits out what dust is in his mouth, not deigning to reply, and goes down the trapdoor.
(The trapdoor was above your heads. You can go up the trapdoor, though. That's cool.)
* Itachi heads up through the trap door after Kazuki.
Joshua heads up the rear. I'm helping.
* Joshua is certainly doing just that.
There seems to be slightly more ambient light in the new corridor. You hear faint sounds in the distance, like a piano being played in a far-off room.
Finally.
* Joshua tries to recognize the song--is it familiar?
* Itachi dusts himself off. Again. "Indeed."
You can't even tell if it's actually music; it fades in and out of hearing.
* Kazuki also starts dusting himself off. And heading down this new hallway!
* Kazuki also Joshua, missed any dust on his butt. In case you're wondering.
* Joshua is grateful for the useful information!
* Itachi is following Kazuki down the hallway now that he's rid himself of a layer or two of dust.
* Joshua is also dusting himself off. Can't be stylist while covered in dust bunnies, after all.
The dust smears a little, leaving reddish-brown stains on your skin.
* Joshua is LESS STYLISH AND NEEDS A BATH, APPARENTLY.
* Itachi frowns as he studies the stains on his hands.
* Kazuki rubs some of the dust between his fingers. "Wonder if there's rust dust mixed in."
It tasted metallic.
Yep, sure is rust.
* Kazuki shrugs it off then, and keeps heading down the corridor towards the music sounds
* Joshua follows, straining to still see if he can recognize the fading-in-and-out music.
The music isn't recognizable, but as you enter another hallway, you find that it may be slightly familiar.
I figure I should tell you that this is familiar. ... Unsurprising, that someone might seek power here! A shame there isn't a game to play.
"...Thank you, Joshua," Itachi says dryly.
You say that like we're not in the middle of a game already.
Oh, this isn't a game. There aren't any rules, but there is an investigation at hand. I wonder what they want us to investigate. Too bad they didn't give us any guidelines for that. We'll just have to do things our way.
Our way or your way?
We're partners, aren't we?
I didn't say otherwise, right?
You believe in teamwork, do you?
You hear voices up ahead. From the light of the cellphone and PSP, you can see a door.
It's very important in games, dear. Now, carry on. No need to waste time over a little grudge.
Let's just say teamwork gets you places. But yeah, there's a door! Let's go through it!
I have no grudge against you.
* Itachi heads for the door.
* Joshua snickers. "That certainly seems to be the case." He walks toward the door and opens it.
There is the sudden bang of a gunshot.
You wake up on a cold stone floor. The smell of dust is heavy in the air. It is very dark.
* Kaname sits up and tries to look around.
(Do I see Raidou?)
* Raidou also sits up, reaching automatically for a confinement tube
It is very d-- oh right, vampire
Yes, Raidou is here.
* Kaname speaks. "Hello?"
Who's there?
Kaname. And you are?
Raidou.
* Raidou summons Agathion to illuminate the room
Agathion appears in his jar with the usual commentary, lighting the area. You are in a small, 10x8 room, shelves lining it and liberally coated with dust. There is a door in one wall, but it looks heavily rusted.
A strange place...
Yes.
A part of the camp, perhaps? Or...
* Kaname trails off, wondering, as he tries the door anyway.
The door doesn't seem locked, but does seem jammed with rust. It may take some effort to open.
Hmm
See if there's anything on the shelves that might tell us where we are.
Agathion casts Inspect, in hopes of finding any hidden items that might help.
* Raidou nods
* Agathion doesn't find anything. Agathion feels useless :'(.
Agathion grumbles, "This sucks."
* Raidou grimaces in sympathy at Agathion and begins checking the shelves
You find extremely dusty animal bones.
Strange... I wonder what these are here for.
Maybe they are creatures that unfortunately wandered down and were trapped.
I wonder where they could have wandered from, in that case.
* Kaname doesn't answer, but ponders the door. Then, tries to force it open with his strength.
Your manly aura aids you in budging the door slightly.
It feels ready to give more fully with a few more pushes.
* Raidou recalls Agathion in favor of Yoshitsune
Yoshitsune is prepared to use force on the door.
* Kaname looks over at these...things... Raidou is summoning with an eyebrow raised.
Yoshitsune looks over at Kaname. "What? I got somethin' on my face or somethin'?"
Yoshitsune uses force! The door flies open. A simple task for him.
Yoshitsune grins. "Hells, yeah! Anarchy in the... wherever this is."
* Kaname exits.
* Raidou and Yoshitsune follow.
* Kaname looks around.
The hallway outside is also dark.
A light, please.
Of course.
Yoshitsune grimaces. "Back in the tube again, huh? Dammit."
Sorry, Yoshitsune.
* Raidou recalles Yoshitsune and re-summons Agathion to cast Light Up again
And there is light. The corridor extends along to the right, dusty and full of loose rock. It was supposed to extend along the left as well, but has caved in.
Well. This place has clearly seen better days.
* Kaname heads right. "Clearly."
* Raidou follows, while Agathion accompanies him and grumbles about the dust.
* Kaname looks behind them as if trying to see something in the darkness, a curious expression on his face.
* Raidou glances at Kaname. "What is it?
I'm not sure... but perhaps we are not alone.
* Kaname continues walking
* Raidou does the same, glancing back down the hallway periodically as he goes
* Kaname slows, looking back.
(but still going forward)
* Raidou abruptly reaches up to his neck, as if attempting to bat hands away
Raidou, what is it?
You're right; something's here. I -
* Kaname goes over to
* Raidou is reaching up to his neck as if trying to pry imaginary hands off.
* Kaname says to the air, "Whoever you are, show yourself!"
* Raidou attempts to look behind him
There is no change and no reaction.
* Kaname takes hold of Raidou's shoulder and walks back down the corridor for a few feet, trying to find the source of the strange sensations.
* Raidou attempts to concentrate; if the presence is demonic, then he SHOULD be able to sense it, but the sensation of hands around his neck is still distracting
You sense a faint darkness, but finding an actual source is difficult.
I - there's something, but I can't quite pinpoint it.
Agathion floats over indignantly. "Hey! What do you think you're doing to my summoner, you weirdo?" He casts Inspect again, hoping it will help.
The presence flees.
* Kaname narrows his eyes into the dark. He turns and continues their way down the hall. "Let's find a way out."
Yes... let's.
Agathion casts another glance back down the hallway. "Creep."
(Rayfell PM)
Rayfell, you find yourself in a dark corridor. It's dusty and there's crumbled rock underfoot. There are no light sources, but you can hear people talking up ahead, voices warped by the echo.
* Rayfell ...heads towards the voices.
#starttwo
You hear someone coming towards you up the hallway
* Raidou turns abruptly, palming a few confinement tubes just in case.
* Kaname calls out, "Who's there?"
Agathion glared. "It had better not be that creepy again."
* Rayfell approaches. "Just who exactly are you calling creepy?"
Agathion continues to glare. "If you're the same creep from before, then you!"
What creep?
A presence that seemed to watch us.
It wasn't me. I'm sure I could find someone more interesting to watch than you.
And you are...?
* Kaname prompts for a name.
Rayfell.
Kaname.
Raidou.
Where did you come from, Rayfell? We woke in a room at the end of this hall.
I woke up in the hallway. Where are we?
We don't know. We were looking for a way out.
(We will walk and talk /o/)
I'm guessing you haven't found one.
* Kaname shakes his head.
Not yet.
Let's keep going.
* Raidou nods, though he casts another glance back down the hallway
There's nothing to be seen back there
Agathion huffs in annoyance. "Yeah, it had better NOT come back.
* Kaname walks, glancing at Rayfell and Raidou. "The two of you. Also from the Camp, I assume?"
Yes.
Mmmhm.
This is no place I recognize, but there are many areas within the Camp...
* Kaname just thinks to himself.
* Rayfell lights a cigarette.
The hallway curves around a corner, out of sight. There seems to only be one direction to go.
* Rayfell goes that way, then.
* Kaname keeps going, quiet.
* Raidou follows quietly, but has Agathion cast Light Up and Inspect again, just in case
* Rayfell raises an eyebrow at Agathion. "What IS that thing?"
It seems reasonably safe, if very not-well-used; like nobody's been here for ages. Dust is thick on all the furniture, what little there is left of it that hasn't been smashed.
Agathio glares at Rayfell. "Hmph."
(furniture?)
Broken chairs, tipped over tables, a shredded sofa.
* Rayfell rolls her eyes at the glare.
* Kaname eyes the stuff. "..."
...
* Rayfell nudges a piece of broken chair with her foot, idly.
* Raidou looks more closely at the shredded sofa, wondering what did that.
The hall behind us had collapsed. With all this damage, perhaps there was a fight.
You hear a dripping sound from up ahead.
...?
* Kaname listens carefully as they approach.
The hallway comes to a dead end; the ceiling here has collapsed. Water drips slowly from up above, trickling down over the rocks. A dim source of light seems to be coming from up in one corner, where there is a gap in what's left of the ruined ceiling. As you approach, something crunches beneath your feet.
* Kaname looks down at the ground.
* Raidou glances downward
Bones.
...Lovely.
Indeed.
* Rayfell glances up at the gap in the ceiling.
(human? or animal?)
(or something else again?)
They aren't in a particularly recognizable shape, though they don't appear to be human.
There's nothing else here. Let's head... up.
Yes.
(how far up is the gap in the ceiling?)
You can probably climb the pile of rubble if you're really careful, though it's hard to say if you can fit through the hole at the top.
Hmmm.
(Can I go batty to get up through the hole?)
Agathion floats up to take a look around.
The ceiling is hard and made of rock, Kaname. But it's probably bat-sized, yep.
Hang on.
Raidou, how many creatures do you have? How strong are they?
* Rayfell dissolves into a ... flock? herd? whatever. of bats. and flies up through the hole
Twenty or so, but their strength varies.
* Kaname watches.
Transformation...hm.
* Raidou raises an eyebrow as he watches the flock of bats.
Is the unnecessary amount of bats some sort of mass displacement theory? . . . in any case, Rayfell, you find yourself surfacing into a room that, inexplicably, has a lit torch mounted in a sconce on the wall.
Is there one that can assist in breaking through, Raidou?
(Is the hole large enough for a smallish dog?)
(APPARENTLY A GROUP OF BATS IS CALLED A COLONY. THE MORE YOU KNOW ~~*)
Yes, although I'm a bit worried about the rest of the ceiling collapsing.
* Rayfell reforms, and looks around the room.
* Kaname calls up. "Rayfell, what do you see?"
The hole is approximately dog and/or loli-sized. It looks like it can probably be widened without causing a structural collapse.
(. . .)
The room above seems to be the remains of a library. Books are scattered everywhere, though, pages scattered and bookshelves knocked over.
* Kaname turns back to Raidou. "Try it anyway. Just be careful."
* Rayfell calls back down. "It looks like what used to be a library."
* Rayfell steps away from the hole and goes to look through the wreckage of the books.
* Raidou nods and recalls Agathion ("Awww, man...!") for Yoshitsune ("Hells yeah!").
What are you looking for, Rayfell?
(eroti---- er. anything that looks interesting and isn't damaged beyond recognition)
Most of the pages have faded over the years, or are ripped to pieces. You find the outer cover of a book on architecture. A little further on, you find several pages still clinging together, with diagrams on scientific method. There is what appears to be a water-logged bible sitting in a pool of mud.
(Is the bible more or less intact?)
Speaking of water, part of the room is slightly waterlogged, with water seeping from the ceiling here and running down the rocks into the room below.
Yoshitsune is assessing the ceiling. "You want I should punch it here, boss?"
Please.
Yoshitsune looks at you. "Yeah, that ain't you." He looks at Raidou. "Okay?"
It's all right, Yoshitsune; go ahead.
Yoshitsune uses force on the ceiling!
It's pretty effective, although some of the rocks crash back down towards Kaname and Raidou.
* Raidou was afraid of that. Dodging them as best he can.
(Rayfell: the bible is all but worn to pieces, bloated; but the title is still visible, and some of the page corners)
Unfortunately, gravity works.
* Kaname dodges.
* Kaname climbs out of the hole when things are settled?
* Raidou and Yoshitsune follow. Yoshitsune is less than impressed: "Man, what a dump."
* Kaname goes over to Rayfell and the bible
There's not much up here that isn't ruined.
* Rayfell points out the architecture cover and the pages with the diagrams
* Kaname takes care in picking up the book out of the mud.
* Raidou heads over to look at the architecture cover and diagrams, glancing around to see if there's anything else of note.
Yoshitsune wanders around looking for anything useful as well.
If there's a torch lit, then someone's been here.
Someone's been here /and/ they either know we'd wind up here, or they're coming back shortly. No other reason to leave a torch burning, unattended.
The torch keeps burning, oblivious to your intense scrutiny.
(How many doors and/or windows are there?)
* Kaname looks around for a table to put this book on
There are no windows, but you see a pair of double-doors on one wall.
There is a table that is still standing, though covered with a thick layer of dust.
Is that the only way in or out?
There may have once been another set of doors in the ruined section of the room, but it's all rubble.
* Kaname places book on table.
"Try to find a hint to where we might be..."
Yoshitsune heads over to the door to see if he can hear anything on the other side.
* Raidou retrieves the architecture book cover and the diagrams and walks over to the table where Kaname is
Most of the books are old; you don't find anything with a visible date later than the 1800s.
There is no sound on the other side of the doors; either they're thick, or there's nothing there.
* Kaname looks at this soggy book?
* Raidou checks both sides of the book cover
Something something Nervenzellen beim Flusskrebs.
Is this... German?
* Rayfell eyes the cover Raidou's holding. "Freud?"
Is it? I don't read the language.
* Kaname frowns.
It's about the nerve cells of crayfish.
* Kaname glances at.
((Question: doors are rubble or just closed?))
(The doors are just closed.)
* Kaname looks up at the doors. "Raidou, was there anything?"
I doubt we're going to find anything else here that's still intact enough to be of any use.
* Raidou glances at Yoshitsune, who shrugs. "I can't hear anything, boss. But that don't mean there's nothing out there."
* Raidou checks the diagrams
* Kaname thinks he'll go check out the doors now.
They are faded and nearly illegible. The pages, not the doors. The doors actually open fairly easily if you try.
(Is there anything on the other side of the book cover?)
Slime, mostly.
* Raidou attempts to wipe the slime off the book cover, in case there's something underneath
* Kaname opens the doors??
Hey, look, Kaname opened the doors.
* Raidou looks up as Yoshitsune moves towards the doors, swords at the ready just in case
* Kaname looooks around.
You can join #startone
#startone
* Germany gets up slowly and is quietly taking in his surroundings.
They're a little difficult to take in at the moment.
* Belphegor gets up as well. "Who's there?"
* Germany still thinks it's worth trying to make his eyes adjust to the dark. He hears a voice, and simply responds with "I am," not wanting to identify himself until he knows who else is with him.
* Belphegor holds back an eyeroll. Some idiot bug. He tries to let his eyes adjust to the darkness, trying to pinpoint the other person by sight. "That doesn't tell me anything."
* Germany snorts. "It tells you that someone else is here. And you haven't been particularly forthcoming either."
* Belphegor says, "I asked first."
* Germany pays attention to the sound of the voice, in the attempt to pinpoint the origin and face the speaker. "Germany," he finally says, hoping that he won't regret identifying himself.
* Belphegor tries to remember if that's close to what he recalls of Germany's voice. It's been a few months. Figuring it sounds close enough, he offers up, "Belphegor." He slips a hand into one pocket, grabbing the handle of several blades just in case this was a trap of some sort.
* Germany lets out a sigh that isn't quite relief, but close to it. "I've never been very good at identifying people by voice alone. Do you have any idea as to what we're doing here?"
* Belphegor laughs his trademark 'shishishi,' sibilantly. "None at all."
* Germany sticks his hand out and begins to reach around, in the attempt to find a wall, or something. "I suppose we'll find out then. ...Probably."
You find a wall made of crumbling stone. It feels heavily cracked and possibly not stable.
* Belphegor heads away from Germany, one hand out to feel for a wall.
You find a pile of rubble on that side, Belphegor.
* Germany is not going to apply much pressure, and carefully try to follow it.
* Belphegor feels around for how loose it is, if it can be dislodged. "Most likely. There had to be a way in in the first place."
It feels solidly lodged, as if the rockfall stopped because of the way the rocks had wedged together.
Germany, you follow the wall around to an adjacent wall, and can feel just the edge of a door... liberally covered in fallen rock.
* Belphegor walks along the wall, forward, fingers exploring the wall at convenient intervals.
* Germany is going to do the best he can in the darkness to determine how stable the area by the door is, to see if those rocks might be safe to move.
Some of them are shiftable, but once you start trying a few you hear an uncomfortable grinding sound from the entire room.
* Belphegor calls out, "What was that?"
* Germany immediately stops touching things and steps back. "It might have to do with these rocks."
* Belphegor demands, "You touched some?" It's nothing accusatory, more just a haughty tone that sharpens his words.
* Germany frowns, even though he knew Belphegor couldn't see it. "I found what looks like a door. I was trying to see if I could remove the rocks from in front of it."
* Belphegor pauses in thought. "A door... There could be more. We don't know the entire layout of the room yet. Look further on your side." Bel's side was less likely to have such things, he thought. Perhaps he should try illuminating the room with the storm flames of his ring... if it was there. He checks.
His ring is there.
* Belphegor tries using it just as a test; meanwhile his other hand checks his pockets for his box weapon.
* Germany decides to take Belphegor's advice, as he didn't want to risk collapsing the room, and begins to feel along the side where the door is.
You have your box weapon. The room illuminates with your ring, flickering; half the room has collapsed, and the other half looks ready to go. The door is partially buried but the doorknob is free. If it opens out you might be able to manage it without disturbing the rocks. Or maybe not.
* Belphegor heads over toward the door, to better examine the knob and layout of the rocks.
The rocks are piled around the bottom third of the door.
* Belphegor says, "Here we go." Does the door open out, or in?
It seems to open out, judging by the hinges.
* Belphegor grips the knob, turning it slightly.
The rocks make a dreadful grinding noise.
* Belphegor lets go immediately.
the grinding continues a few more moments before settling.
* Belphegor looks around at the room again, giving an annoyed sigh. "Now what?" he mutters in a low tone.
* Germany continues to examine the area by the door, and the wall around it, determined to figure out some way to open it without killing them both.
The wall around the door seems crumbly on the non-collapsed side.
* Belphegor heads over to that side of the door, using the ring to give better light now that Germany's feeling and prodding at the wall.
It looks like the rock around the left side of the door is held in place by the collapsed pile, but on this side is somewhat loose.
* Germany contemplates moving the rock. "...What do you believe the odds of killing us are if I attempt to move the rocks on the right side?"
* Belphegor thinks a moment. "The closer to the collapsed half, the higher the odds, most likely."
There seems to be no sign of your imminent death as you start to move the rock.
* Belphegor lets Germany do all the work. :>
* Germany is still going to be incredibly careful regardless, and ready move if needed.
* Belphegor heads over to that side to watch and continue providing good light.
A hole begins to appear. Through the wall, you can see another room, or perhaps a hallway.
* Belphegor makes an appreciative hum as he peers through the hole. Good work, minion, he thinks to himself. "Interesting." How soon will the hole be large enough for grown men to slip through? (The prince counts as a grown man.)
That depends on how willing the prince is to get his clothes dirty.
* Belphegor can handle some dirt or mud or grunge. Who do you think he is?
* Germany looks back at Belphegor. You may have to go through first when it's wide enough. You're smaller than I am.
* Belphegor is a skinny thing, yes. He waits for the hole to widen before slipping through carefully.
You find yourself in a hallway, leading up to a mostly-intact staircase.
* Germany continues carefully widening the hole in the wall to allow himself to crawl through as well.
* Belphegor heads toward the staircase. (Is the hallway lit? If so, Bel doesn't need the ring's flames anymore.)
The hallway isn't lit. It's still pitch dark. Belphegor has helpfully left Germany to move large rocks in the dark.
* Belphegor wins. :D
* Germany is now determined to no longer work with Bel out of spite, but is still moving the rocks -- carefully feeling to make sure nothing collapses.
* Belphegor 's attention span sucks, okay. He waits patiently~ near the stairs.
Successfully not killing yourself, Germany, you can join Bel at the stairs.
* Belphegor gives an absent wave with the ring hand, which illuminates the stairs and that end of the hallway. "There you are. Such a convenient staircase, hm?"
"How would you consider it convenient?"
"That one shows up so quickly. We could have been wandering through halls and around corners a while." And now, to test the stairs with a booted foot.
The stairs creak, but seem solid enough.
"...It's a building structure," Germany stops himself, it was pointless to explain that the architectural structure of a place wasn't going to change, and thus 'showing up quickly' meant nothing. He waits behind Bel as the stairs are tested.
* Belphegor keeps going, hand held up along the nearest wall.
Shockingly, the stairs go up.
* Germany follows a good three steps behind.
"After that room back there, it makes the most sense to go /up/. Anywhere the same floor and below isn't safe," Bel finally answers, heading up the stairs. The rest of the argument is pointless, so he drops it otherwise.
The air is beginning to smell damp.
* Belphegor sniffs at the air curiously.
Drip . . .
* Belphegor scans his eyes back and forth, but keeps going. He listens in hopes of pinpointing the direction the drip is came from.
(Up)
* Belphegor looks for drips of ...water?
There's nothing for a long moment; then a splash of water hits you in the face.
* Belphegor frowns, stepping to the other side of the staircase and spitting out any water that might have gotten in his mouth.
The ceiling is damp, but there don't appear to be any gaps from above.
* Belphegor wrinkles his nose, but keeps going up. How long is this set of stairs, anyway?
Long, long, long . . . until it's not so long anymore, because you're coming out on a landing. Germany may have died somewhere mid-stairwell, but we'll assume you're both fine.
* Belphegor stops when he reaches the landing and looks around.
* Germany continues up until he reaches the landing as well.
* Belphegor heads down the hallway.
* Germany follows quietly.
Up ahead are a set of double doors.
* Belphegor heads for the double doors, wondering whether they're locked.
As you approach, one of the doors opens.
* Belphegor slows down in stride, watching curiously. He can't help but make a "hm?" sound. Still continues to approach.
Ah...
... What are you doing here?
Yoshitsune stares at the newcomers, eyes narrowed. "Man, what the hell?"
You say that like we had a choice, Belphegor. I woke here.
You know him, Kaname-san?
We're aquainted.
* Raidou nods
A tumbleweed blows by . . .
I woke in a room a level below, with Raidou here. We found Rayfell along the way.
Do you know where we are?
For the record, there is a second set of doors in the hallway as well.
* Raidou glances at the torch, then looks curiously at Belphegor and Germany. "You didn't happen to be the ones to light that, did you?"
I didn't light anything, no.
* Raidou hmms. "That's one mystery still unsolved, then."
* Kaname heads over to the second set of doors to open.
As you reach for the doorhandle, you hear, somewhere, distantly--a gunshot.
#startthree
You wake up on a cold stone floor. The smell of dust is heavy in the air. It is very dark.
* Kazuki breathes in deeply, as one does when they wake up. Then cough-hacks up some dust, augh.
Joshua and Itachi, you definitely hear that
* Joshua stirs and straightens up, all too used to waking up in random "unfamiliar" places. He doesn't hesitate to extend his senses to see what he can feel.
* Itachi glances toward the sound and manages to say "Who's there?" before starting to cough himself.
* Kazuki puts a hand over his mouth and nose a little, and sits up before responding to Itachi's voice-- muffeled due to the hand: "Kazuki. You?"
Joshua, you sense the remnants of old power, dark and creeping, distantly. You also sense Itachi and Kazuki. The area itself feels somewhat confined
* Itachi glances around before responding to Kazuki, but can't really see anything in the dark. "Itachi."
Oooh, the ninja guy.
* Joshua huffs, unsurprised. The sound is strange--unclogged by the dust that's bothering the others. Joshua fully stands, sure that they've heard the huff. "Don't forget me," he says, and a snicker follows his words.
If you were hear, say so earlier--!
* Kazuki coughs again, as yelling making him breath in more dust :(
Yes, that's right... Ah. Joshua, isn't it?
That's correct! Good to know that I'm memorable. There's a dark force surrounding this place ... but you're not terribly surprised, are you?
Not in the least.
It's a dark place we're randomly waking up in. Of course it's suspicious.
* Kazuki gets up onto his feet finally and tries to feel around for a wall
You find one, smooth plaster.
* Kazuki knocks against the wall for a moment, then pauses to think
I wonder if there's a door along here, or if I should just kick it in...
The wall does not knock back.
* Joshua doesn't seem to be helping. Wonder why? All the same, he does come up behind Kazuki and grabs his hand. "Don't want to go somewhere without this, do you? I still want to see you in action." It's not long before a faint
glimmer appears on and then fades quickly off Kazuki. "Do you sense it?" he asks as he pulls back his hand.
* Kazuki ...blinks
GIVE A LITTLE WARNING!
* Kazuki then huffs, but tries reaching out anyway, sensing for whatever Joshua was talking about of course.
* Itachi stands slowly, dusting himself off and remaining silent.
Kazuki, a distant feeling of darkness that creeps into the senses.
... freaky. (But awesome, I leveled up!)
Yes, quite the end boss now, aren't you? A shame this isn't a real game ... But oh, well! We should carry on. And Itachi, don't feel left out, but you just don't show the same potential. Hope you keep up!
I don't know what kind of potential you're looking for, nor do I care if you see it in me.
Jeez. Enough chatting. Let's just find a way out of here?
How motivated! Why don't we leave that to you, then? I'll observe in case we come into any troubles.
* Kazuki pulls a sour face. Not that Joshua can see it, considering how dark it is. "Fine, whatever."
* Joshua snickers. "I knew I made a good choice."
* Kazuki BACK TO THE WALL! Starts walking along it, dragging his hand to find a door or a lightswitch, anything!
You find a door, via a rusty edge of medal door hinge in your fingertips.
* Kazuki ...tries opening the door!
Your smarting fingertips smear a little blood as you grab the doorknob. It feels shockingly cold to the touch.
* Kazuki grips on extra tight as a reaction, something like that won't stop me from trying to open it
The door opens! A gust of cold air rushes in.
* Kazuki TAKES IN A DEEP BREATH yay air without dust, then steps out
Oh, it's still dusty, just cold.
Let's get moving, Itachi.
* Kazuki --nevermind. COUGHS.
* Itachi sighs and follows.
* Kazuki looks around!
You step out into what seems to be a hallway. It's still dark.
Lead the way! And be careful about breathing. Don't want that to slow you down, do you?
Like that'd stop me.
* Kazuki puts a hand on a wall again! And reaches out with his senses, is the darkness any closer?
No. It feels old and distantly permeating, like a miasma.
Your injury is closing up but your finger is throbbing.
* Kazuki ...sucks on his fingers a little anyway
It tastes sharp.
...Huh.
Suddenly the darkness feels a lot closer to you, though it's still more like a general cloud than any specific presence. Very, very close. Joshua, you can sense it too. Itachi... you're a ninja idk.
* Itachi can feel and see chakra if darkness has chakra.
...let's hurry it up.
* Kazuki tries to go down the hall a little faster, trying to create a bit more distance between himself and the darkness.
You can't seem to, Kazuki. It seems to be following you... your hand is getting colder.
Running away from it isn't going to help you any, dear. You are a reaper now!
Do you have a better plan? What'd you like me to do, attack the darkness?
* Kazuki .........actually, pauses, considering this.
* Itachi is listening to all this but not saying anything.
Or control it! You can do a little more than me, I'm afraid. I'm a little more ... light than I'd like at the moment.
I'll give it a shot, but no promises.
* Kazuki ...attempts to control the darkness! Also if his hand would get warmer that would be nice.
It's a little like trying to catch water in your hands.
That's no good either, huh.
* Joshua raises his hands up into the hair. Like that icon. ... Anyway. "Too bad. You have to get used to the limitations. It just means they're afraid."
* Kazuki ...sucks on his fingers again, trying to warm them up. And glances back towards the door (if a little futilely considering he can't see.)
Alright. Why don't you guys go up ahead? I want to check out that door a bit more, I won't be long.
It's likely wiser to stay together.
You don't think I can take care of you?
* Kazuki ...remembers he is in a dark, cramped place. Shuts up about any protest towards staying together.
Right, right. It's not that. But we can stay together.
So, you guys are okay with me holding you up, or do you want to keep going?
* Joshua snickers. "Guess I'll just be watching both your behinds."
* Itachi raises an eyebrow at Joshua.
* Joshua can't see that! But he snickers again, as if he can. MYSTERIOUS.
Ah, whatever. There's no use on dwelling on something. We can come back later if we have the time anyway. With a torch.
I could send a clone to scout ahead, if necessary.
My, he's actually useful! What a surprise.
Yeah, why not? In case there's a bunch of traps or something.
* Itachi glances in Joshua's direction before performing the seals for Kage Bunshin "You seemed to have little interest in whether I was useful or not."
Oh, I can see what I want to know. You aren't the sort of ninja that interests me. So little hidden power!
* Kazuki ...leaves them to catfight, and suddenly starts hunting around his pockets. "I'm sure I had it..." ...for his PSP. ;D "There!"
* Kazuki tries turning it on.
It turns on just fine, though you won't be able to pick up any sort of signal.
Of course. We can't all be like Miharu.
* Kazuki that's fine. Shines it around as a weak torch instead. And says, a little too serious to actually mean it: "Let there be light"
The PSP . . . cuts the darkness very weakly, but you can see ahead a few steps by sheer force of will, probably.
* Itachi looks toward Kazuki and the light.
* Kazuki thumbs up!
* Joshua pulls out his cellphone and flips it open--pointedly ignoring the Miharu statement. "Might as well help."
I guess we'll check out the door then, but only for a sec.
* Kazuki heads back!
The door hasn't gone anywhere.
* Itachi finishes performing Kage Bunshin and sends the clone ahead before following Kazuki.
* Kazuki checks out the door with the psp light
The door appears quite normal, made of a plain, heavy gray metal that is rusting in several places.
* Joshua lurks on behind them, holding up the cellphone. Helpfully.
...guess I'm just paranoid.
* Kazuki turns and heads back down the hallway!
Paranoid about the door?
With that thorough investigation completed . . .
For the record, Itachi's clone hasn't exploded.
It cut me a little, and my hand feels weird. Nothing big, probably the rust.
It might be worth taking note of.
Why do you think I was being paranoid?
You checked it twice ...
Itachi's clone may or may not have died of TB by now.
ANYWAY. Has the clone done anything interesting yet?
There's a stairwell up ahead.
Then, let's go up it!
* Kazuki TO THE STAIRWELL
The hallway gets progressively narrower as you make your way towards the stairwell, as if the walls are moving closer and closer in.
* Kazuki ......shudders a little, and grits his teeth.
* Joshua waits for Itachi to move on ahead and follows. WATCHING THEIR BEHINDS and all. He may have snapped a camera phone picture with night vision ... of their behinds.
* Itachi keeps moving forward, occasionally glancing over his shoulder at Joshua.
* Joshua is smiling. Helpfully.
The number one threat other than a cave-in seems to be "rampant homogay."
By the time you reach the stairwell, the ceiling is close enough to touch by lifting one hand.
* Kazuki ignores any homogay happening behind his back. And lifts his hand up to touch the ceiling, sure.
* Itachi doesn't find Joshua's smiling helpful, so he focuses on the stairwell.
* Joshua moves closer to Itachi. "Might be a hint to move faster. Chop chop."
* Itachi is urged forward by rapant homogay.
The stairs creak perilously, but hold Itachi's weight.
* Kazuki lets climb up the stairs to the top, shall we.
* Joshua following! Plans on levitating if the stairs can't hold his noodle body, as well.
* Itachi follows Kazuki steadily.
Eventually, you hit a trap door.
Anyone else want to try opening this one, or do I do it again?
I think I can pull my weight a little. Try and duck!
* Kazuki ducks!
* Itachi ducks.
* Joshua shoots a jesus beam toward the trap door!
The trap door is obliterated!! . . . though it probably would have opened if you just pushed. But hey, NO MORE TRAPDOOR.
Though now you're getting covered in a collapse of dust.
* Kazuki .................coughs. And generally looks unimpressesd, but hey, at least it's open.
* Itachi starts coughing again. He's starting to hate dust.
This dust tastes particularly acrid and heavy, with a coppery, metallic taste.
* Joshua dramatic hands in the air thing. "It wasn't on me to push it in."
* Kazuki spits out what dust is in his mouth, not deigning to reply, and goes down the trapdoor.
(The trapdoor was above your heads. You can go up the trapdoor, though. That's cool.)
* Itachi heads up through the trap door after Kazuki.
Joshua heads up the rear. I'm helping.
* Joshua is certainly doing just that.
There seems to be slightly more ambient light in the new corridor. You hear faint sounds in the distance, like a piano being played in a far-off room.
Finally.
* Joshua tries to recognize the song--is it familiar?
* Itachi dusts himself off. Again. "Indeed."
You can't even tell if it's actually music; it fades in and out of hearing.
* Kazuki also starts dusting himself off. And heading down this new hallway!
* Kazuki also Joshua, missed any dust on his butt. In case you're wondering.
* Joshua is grateful for the useful information!
* Itachi is following Kazuki down the hallway now that he's rid himself of a layer or two of dust.
* Joshua is also dusting himself off. Can't be stylist while covered in dust bunnies, after all.
The dust smears a little, leaving reddish-brown stains on your skin.
* Joshua is LESS STYLISH AND NEEDS A BATH, APPARENTLY.
* Itachi frowns as he studies the stains on his hands.
* Kazuki rubs some of the dust between his fingers. "Wonder if there's rust dust mixed in."
It tasted metallic.
Yep, sure is rust.
* Kazuki shrugs it off then, and keeps heading down the corridor towards the music sounds
* Joshua follows, straining to still see if he can recognize the fading-in-and-out music.
The music isn't recognizable, but as you enter another hallway, you find that it may be slightly familiar.
I figure I should tell you that this is familiar. ... Unsurprising, that someone might seek power here! A shame there isn't a game to play.
"...Thank you, Joshua," Itachi says dryly.
You say that like we're not in the middle of a game already.
Oh, this isn't a game. There aren't any rules, but there is an investigation at hand. I wonder what they want us to investigate. Too bad they didn't give us any guidelines for that. We'll just have to do things our way.
Our way or your way?
We're partners, aren't we?
I didn't say otherwise, right?
You believe in teamwork, do you?
You hear voices up ahead. From the light of the cellphone and PSP, you can see a door.
It's very important in games, dear. Now, carry on. No need to waste time over a little grudge.
Let's just say teamwork gets you places. But yeah, there's a door! Let's go through it!
I have no grudge against you.
* Itachi heads for the door.
* Joshua snickers. "That certainly seems to be the case." He walks toward the door and opens it.
There is the sudden bang of a gunshot.