You're probably woken up by the explosion first. A loud, deafening boom comes from behind the walls of the residential district. When you look outside your window towards the darker, more secretive area of the city, you might see the structure around it... crumbling, the land falling in on itself slowly but surely. That might be what wakes you up first. If it doesn't, you may be awoken instead by the sudden jerking feeling behind your navel pulling you from where you are to somewhere... else.
It's dark. The first thing you notice is that it's dark -- and then come the scrabbling sounds of creatures in the dark, like metal being dragged across metal, a chilling, sharp sound. The first thing that becomes clear, as your vision adjusts, is that you're on a rickety pathway, metal and rusting and frail, above what appears to be yawning blackness. Far, far below, there's the faint sound of rushing water, a ways away.
The second thing that becomes clear is that you are very much not alone. Something is out there with you, and from the screeching metallic noises that come ever closer, it seems to be stalking you.
Thankfully, you're not alone -- right?  ...
...........
................
:)
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PHASE I [ ??? ] It’s drafty here. You’re below ground, that’s for certain from the echoes of the wind in the darkness. If you continue on forwards along the rickety, metal railing that serves as a walkway, the skittering noises of creatures in the dark follow -- but they don’t appear.
It seems everyone has been dumped along this pathway at random; you may be with friends, with enemies or with someone you’ve never met before, but either way, it soon becomes clear. There are only two ways to go along this path: up or down.
If you choose to take the path that follows a gradual slope down, the sounds of water lapping against a surface increase bit by bit, the air growing heavier and danker, until finally, the metallic platform gives way very suddenly (watch your step!) to a muddy bank. Down here, everything is darker, and not far away there’s the water. It’s cold and frigid and there are unfriendly creatures that await if you choose to delve into it. However, if you brave those creatures, and dive deeply enough, there is a mask. It rests half-buried by silt and rocks, but it’s there, and can be found by any intrepid explorers.
Somehow, it feels a little familiar.
And if you carry on in the cave system underground, eventually you will come across what appears to be an altar. There is blood on it -- not fresh, but not more than a month old -- and pieces of trinkets. Old bits of cloth, locks of hair, and some of them may even be familiar. Any dropped character who has a reasonably large amount of spiritual or magical power may have left scraps, such as pieces of clothing, trinkets, hair, or the sort behind at the altar.
Maybe that's why they weren't in the Nexus Code.
PHASE II [ ??? ] If you go up, you will eventually make your way above ground. It takes some time, and some luck -- you’ll have to avoid rusty railing and pathways, the path crumbling under you and that creeping sensation that something is following and watching you -- and then you’ll suddenly be in fresh air.
Well. It’s not so fresh, really.
The landscape is broken down and crumbled. It may have once been part of the city of Cerealia, but now it is in utter disrepair and decay. Buildings have crumbled, and debris is everywhere. There are signs of the same level of technology that Cerealia has -- but it is all broken down and utterly inaccessible.
And you’re not alone.
It seems the technology and metal and broken down destruction has gained sentience over its time sitting alone, waiting. And it is not happy to be disturbed. The creatures are made of pieces of everything around them, and when cut down, they’ll just slowly rebuild themselves from the debris.
It might be time to run.
They aren't happy about being disturbed, and you're in their way.
PHASE III [ ??? ] Above ground, there are a lot of broken down buildings.
Some can’t be accessed at all; some are too broken, too reduced to rubble. For those looking for shelter, they'll be able to find buildings where the doors can be forced open and they can camp out on the inside to various degrees of stability. Though the ceiling may cave in or the floor fall out from under you at a moment's notice, it's better than being out there. Be careful, because none of the architecture here can be trusted anymore.
And other buildings... are even less trustworthy than that.
There is a series of buildings in the midst of the wasteland, somehow still standing. They stand there silently, towering over the rest of the rubble in their two-story glory, and if the doors are forced open, it soon becomes clear that the building itself is full of mirrors.
Once, the mirrors had perhaps covered the walls and ceiling. Once, this building might have been akin to something of a ballet studio, somewhere to express yourself creatively. But now the mirrors are shattered and broken into pieces and the building lacks the joy it might have once held. Shards of mirror cover the floor, some big, some not so big, but they still hang from the walls as well and everywhere you look, you can see yourself.
And then, the reflection changes. From one blink to the next, you see a memory playing in the mirrors. Your memory. You’ll see a glimpse of one of your most traumatic or life-changing moments, broken up but clear in the shards. Blink and look away, and it’s gone, only to show up again in the next mirror a few moments later. Surely it’s just a trick of the light, right?
Except if someone else is with you, they’ll see it too -- and you might end up seeing a bit of their own past as well. Hope you're fond of sharing.
PHASE IV [ ??? ] If you survive the monsters, the crumbling landscape and the untrustworthy buildings, you may eventually find a terminal. It is buried deep among the rubble. One turn around a corner, one stumble into a hole, and you will find it. It sits there, out in the middle of nowhere; the building in which it used to be housed is apparently long gone, reduced to nothing but rubble.
And if you turn it on, there is a brief message.
Transmission Broadcasting.
Transmission Connected.
And then, there is a face.
BONUS [ ??? ] For those who have been wearing their masks a little too much, they might also start to notice that there are some strange effects attached, which worsen the more they’ve been wearing said masks. How badly they worsen is up to your discretion.
➝ Broken Mask: An intense feeling of paranoia, focused on whoever your character is with. They might also begin to remember fabricated memories of being betrayed by those people.
➝ Barcode Mask: Everything will begin to have value to them. There will be whispers in the back of their mind of the worth of their friends, the worth of a monster, the worth of everything around them. An intense need to own and consume as much as possible and as quickly as possible.
➝ Dripping Blood Mask: An intense lack of self-worth, a hollow feeling and thoughts of being weak and empty. Feeling as disposable as possible and an intense listless along with it.
➝ :( Mask: A need to prove yourself, to show everyone how strong you are as quickly as possible. You can do things, you can be of worth to everyone around you. Why won't they see that? Why?
➝ Ivy Mask: A choking sort of terror from all things metal and technology based, and a need to lash out against it. An intense distrust for anything that they feel is against the laws of nature.
➝ Grey Mask: More personable than normal, more emotional, more empathetic. An intense feeling of kindness and gratitude to those around you and a renewed love of life.
➝ Feather Mask: A dulled, lack of emotion. A detached feeling to everything around you. A sort of bland curiosity towards things without any empathetic reaction.
➝ Bloody Fingerprints Mask: They'll feel absolutely fine. No change.
The effects of the broken mask can stack on top of the others, if they chose to break their mask after the other effects began to appear. No other effects can be stacked, as no other changes can be stacked.
PENALTY [ ??? ] For characters who die while in the dark parts of the city, things will get... a little strange. They will die as normal, but they will wake up almost immediately after their death -- in the Nexus Code. They will have a few surreal moments to be there, to see their friends who have left Cerealia hanging lifelessly from odd, glimmering strands (though there are some faces, of course, that are missing, anyone who was spiritual, or magical, seems strangely absent) and then --
They’re back to being dead.
When characters revive in Cerealia, anywhere from one IC day to three or four IC days later, they will find that things are… not quite right with their code. They’re glitching, for a lack of a better word. Sometimes, their fingers will phase right through an object, their own limbs registering as cold and lifeless. Sometimes, they will see a face watching them -- but when they turn around to try to see who it is, the face will be gone.
These effects will last an IC week, before slowly things go back to normal.
That was strange.
[ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with sensitive or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ] |
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no subject
But...that's okay.]
That's right! Kanzeon and I can track them and pick up their readings wherever they are. [A little pout.] It's taken some getting used to. I've never had to read so many people before, but I can try. Who're you looking for?
no subject
[He was, always, on top of the priority list here, if only because statistically speaking, he was the one at most risk of dying or suffering injury. True, his accidental death-by-monster had skewed the ratings, somewhat, but, still, just for his peace of mind...]
Knowing his luck, he'd get into some kind of trouble. I just wanna check up on him... and probably some other people too. Like William, or Hyou-Kyou, or... er... [He paused, realising that he probably sounded a little too, uhm, demanding? Using a Persona was probably a lot of work. Maybe?] I mean, if that's okay. You helped me out of an awkward spot just now, so I don't wanna ask too much of you.
no subject
I think I can find Arisato-san more easily than others I haven't met yet. Let's try that first...but we should probably get out of this creepy place before we do that, don't you think?
no subject
[The area they were in was thankfully sparse of any wall mirrors, though there were a few shards here and there. Kaz's eyes glanced over one unintentionally, and he saw the flicker of a blue sky, a bright sun, and tall cattail grass waving gently in the wind. He determinedly looked away]
I don't know what it's even doing, or how, but it's nothing good, whatever it is. [He cautiously peered around him, feeling a bit disorientated. His sense of direction was pretty good, but...] Which way's the way out again...?
no subject
Tell me about it. Okay, I think I can see a way out...but it's a little bit of a walk. If we head down this hall and go left, we can take a shortcut.
no subject
Huh, so you can tell the layout of the building with that? Guess that antenna is for scanning...
[He looked down the hallway she indicated then, narrowing his eyes until he was peering through his eyelashes. Everything was all blurry and out of focus, but it meant Kaz couldn't clearly see the mirrors! Now, to avoid hitting walls or tripping over when utilising this method, hmmm...]
Alright, gimme your hand. [He held his out expectantly] I'll be your meatshield and sword, so it's best you stay close as possible, okay?
no subject
What else would the antenna be for? But yeah, I can see for quite a bit of distance. Not the whole way but a lot. [She dismisses Kanzeon, rolling her eyes down to face him again even if he sort of looks ridiculous. But she can see why. The mirrors aren't the best and she's doing what she can to avoid them herself.]
You're sure about that? [But then again, she doesn't really waste time before latching onto his hand. They'll get out much faster this way if they both cooperate. Then they could focus on finding Minato.] I'll guide if you lead. We shouldn't have too many things to face in a building like this.
no subject
[It was an attempt at a joke, but it was half-serious all the same. In Kazuya's experience, that was just tempting fate something fierce. Well, so far, the only monsters were the junk ones outside, and there was noway they could fit in this building without making it reeeeally obvious]
Alright, onwards! Please avoid looking at the cursed mirrors during this trip for the sake of your own sanity.
[And with that, he strode forwards, only able to see the barest of shapes and shadows with his half-shut eyes. Turning corners was going to be very dicey like this...]
no subject
There is something else though.]
So, when are you gonna explain the fire and Beelzebub? [May as well ask.] I know it was probably something...weird since this whole place is pretty creepy but I didn't think you knew him or could cause something like that.
no subject
H-How did you- oh, you must've walked in... uh, well... [Though, who the hell was Beelzebub? Was that Belzaboul's other name or something?] I dunno who this "Beelzebub" guy is, but basically, uh, I tangled with a demon called Belzaboul once, and it was the most traumatic thing I had ever experienced in my life.
[Or, one of the most traumatic things he had ever experienced, he supposed. It was definitely in the Top Five]
I don't want to talk about it. But the fire, um, that was me. I can summon fire, and do other things, like this, see? [He stopped walking and turned to face Rise, lifting his free hand. Black flames flickered to life on his palm, accompanied by a powerful smell of burning cedar] Sorry, I kind of got startled by the mirror so I, er, lashed out...
no subject
"What else are you capable of, Kazuya?"]
We don't have to talk about it. [First and foremost. She received the answer she was originally searching for, that's all she wanted to know. Does she want to know more? Sure. But he's been kind to her and so she'll respect his wishes.] It doesn't hurt you or drain you at all to do that? The fire, I mean. [It's no wonder he lashed out though.]
no subject
Nah, it's a part of me. Like... I don't know how to explain it exactly. [he slowly closed his hand, the flames harmlessly slipping between his fingers before being snuffed out. The burning smell lingered] I mean, if I overuse it, I get dizzy and hungry, but I'll have to be using it constantly for hours on end for that to happen.
no subject
I didn't think other people had something like that, too.
no subject
[That was why Kazuya was so comfortable showing off his magic. He could easily pass it off as something from his world, and with no one to contradict him, his secret that normal humans were incapable of it was safe. It was only because he was a demon that he could do this without a COMP, but good luck getting him to admit that]
I'm curious about your persona though. I mean, I don't ask Minny about it because, well, m'not sure how to. Like, your Persona's are a part of your soul, but somehow summoned... out? I don't really get it.
no subject
[She would never guess Kaz wasn't human, so at least his secret will be safe. The question stumps her though even as she pulls him around a large pile of glass so he doesn't directly step on it.]
Think of them as an extension of ourselves. Like an extra limb if you need something physical to imagine it. We can use them and control them and they'll take damage for us, but it still directly hurts us. With work it can get stronger and stronger and we're the only ones who can use our particular Persona. If my friends and I traded, we wouldn't be able to control them. And we couldn't trade anyway since they're sort of tied directly to us. Does that make a little more sense.
no subject
Yeah, I think I get it. [He tilted his head slightly] So I guess it's like a projection of your will or something. Is there a limit, though? Like, how strong do your persona's get?
[Because from what little he had seen of these Persona in action, the majority of them looked like they could be on par with a demon. Thinking that humans could naturally develop such an ability actually filled him with excitement. Could you even imagine? Humans wouldn't have to worry about demons or angels ever again if they could wield Personas!]
no subject
If there was a limit on the Personas, that'd be like saying there's a limit on us, too. [Which while possible doesn't seem likely after everything. The Personas were them, they were their Personas in a strange way.]
no subject
[This was murmured more to himself than to Rise. Kazuya supposed he was biased, having been born a human, but really, humanity was amazing. Even when they were the "weakest" amongst the big scary monsters of this vast universe, they kept managing to adapt to insane levels to stay on equal footing! Kaz's world created the demon summoning programme, Rise's words developed Persona (somehow), Hyou-Kyou's had espers... it made him so happy]
That's really amazing. Like, seriously, where I'm from an ability like that would be so useful- [He stopped abruptly, quickly amending his words] Since, um, magic is kind of limited depending on the person.
[Ish. Sort of. Cough.]
no subject
I don't know how many people could really develop a Persona though. I know you said you don't ask him about it, but has Arisato-san ever told you how he obtained his?
no subject
[Kazuya had only really witnessed it up close back in the Jungle event, and he had been cross-eyed from losing a fight with a tree, so he never got a good look at it anyway. After that, well, Kaz had been too busy trying to survive to inquire much about it, and it soon became just a background thing about Minny that Kaz just accepted and never really thought about exploring]
Do you have to do something specific for it? I mean, I'm guessing it's not so easy that humans can just obtain it, huh? [Kaz's steps slowed when he felt a sudden draft, before he resumed his pace, realising that they were close to the exit] Ah, freedom!
no subject
It's really not that easy, no. My friends and I all had to kinda go through something difficult to obtain ours...that's why I was wondering how Arisato-san and his team got theirs. Think about it this way, Kaz. What does the word persona mean to you?
no subject
[Kazuya paused, waiting until he felt the slight shift in temperature when they stumbled out of the building and into the wasteland instead. He cautiously opened his eyes, peering about himself before fixing his attention back on Rise, the last knot of tension in his belly easing up. Out of that hellhole...]
Isn't it like, uh, a thing? [Clever.] Urgh, I mean, a false front you put up? Or is that a façade...? Uh, you get what I mean, right? Like, it's a you that you made? Ah...
no subject
That's exactly what it is. Obtaining our Personas wasn't really easy at all...we all had to face our true selves instead of the false fronts we put up. It's true of everybody. Once we accepted those parts of us though? The Personas were born. That's why they're unique to all of us, too.