estoria | « 004 ⇢ INTERLUDE004.EXE »

Entry tags:

!event,
!interlude

« 004 ⇢ INTERLUDE004.EXE »

Who: These suckers and E R R O R
When: OOC: 5/29, IC: 7/15
Where: CERES Research Tower and Beyond
What: It seems an old friend has decided the situation is progressing too slowly.
Rating/Warning: PG-13: Violence, injuries and inevitable deaths.

▶ ACTION.EXE | IC: 7/15

For those unlucky saps who disappear today, ranging from early in the morning towards the middle of the afternoon, well...they can't be reached by CereVice.

Any attempt to do so will bounce back the message User Currently Occupied.

It's an odd message, and one that's never been used by the CereVice. How strange. It's probably nothing though, right? No contact can be established between groups or from groups to outside people in Cerealia, whether by technology or magic. You're cut off from everyone but those in your groups, now.

Otherwise, all abilities will remain intact.

As for the people who do disappear, well... things get a little hairy really quickly.

▶ RUN.EXE | MOD NOTES

This is the event log for these sign-ups! Your groups have been sorted below; here are a few handy links for you:

Group 01 | OOC plotting
Group 02 | OOC plotting
Group 03 | OOC plotting
Group 04 | OOC plotting
Group 05 | OOC plotting
Group 06 | OOC plotting
Group 07 | OOC plotting
Group 08 | OOC plotting
Group 09 | OOC plotting
Group 10 | OOC plotting
Group 11 | OOC plotting
Group 12 | OOC plotting
Group 13 | OOC plotting
Group 14 | OOC plotting
There is no tagging order, so feel free to tag in whatever way works best for you as a group.

The characters should not ICly be gone longer than 5 hours -- if they survive, of course. There will be mod involvement in each of the threads.

If there are any questions, feel free to ask them here. Please try to avoid asking hypothetical questions (such as "What will happen if my character does [action]?") as that's part of the fun and risk of the interlude! You are welcome to plot with your groupmates in this post. Thank you!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's true...this is unfamiliar territory, we shouldn't let our guards down.

[Because seriously, that laughter is really loud? Naki moves to check the doors again, just in case. The others seem to have the computer stuff under control, anyway.]

[ Unsurprisingly, when Otome opens the file, it's a contract. The contract is thick in Legalese, but even so after skimming it for a bit, it should be clear that it's a contract between CERES and a being called the Bridge. The terms appear to be parts of Tellus in exchange for some sort of energy.

Naki's instinct is a good one; he goes to check the doors, and there is, in fact, reason to be alarmed!

This reason, mostly.

It's hard to say if they were alerted by the laugh, by the file access, or by something else entirely, but either way there are a good handful of them stepping right through the hallway towards that door.

And then one points at Naki. Uh oh. ]

[ Edna hears more footsteps than accounted for as soon as Naki opens that door, and she dashes over to see the group of robots. They don't look very friendly (the point says as much), so her first instinct is to use her earth artes, summoning solid stone from the ground to block the robots' advance (and hopefully, also crushing them against the ceiling). If they need to get out through this hallway, she can break the stone, but someone should examine the other doors. ]

We've got company.

[ They have basically two choices: stay while some of them try to buy some time to retrieve more information, or get the hell out of dodge now. ]

Hm?

[Viridi glances over at the earth seraph as she finally stops cackling.]

Oh, we're not going anywhere. Not when we're finally getting some answers. You guys keep searching. We can take care of these bozos.

[She flits towards the other doors to check their escape route as the vines snaking across the floor rapidly begin to proliferate.]

[Naki unsheathes his vessel as well, taking up a defensive position at the door. He doesn't have long-range skills like the other two, but he's ready if any of those robots get past their spells.]

We'll hold them off as well as we can!

[ Otome doesn't exactly know what... Edna apparently just crushed/blocked/did something to, but she's pretty positive she doesn't want to know. So she's just going to hurriedly read what she can of the contract, committing it to memory, before she selects Meeting Minutes. And then she's going to reach into her pocket and pull out... a cellphone? Yes. ]

We need to secure an exit, just in case. No one's lives are worth risking for computer files.

[ What a brave line of sacrificial lambs.

The rock will last for a moment, and then it crumbles, shattered by a robot fist -- and then the robots keep on coming. A few of those vines will trip some of them up, but there are always more, and they seem emotionless; they have no problems climbing over their fallen brethren to keep heading towards the intruders.

And then the robots are there, grasping for Viridi, Naki and Edna with hands that can shatter rock and steel.

The first victim is Edna; a panel in the floor will slide away revealing another reaching robot hand. It latches to her ankle, holding so tightly it will break her ankle -- the other strange side effect is that as soon as the robot grabs her, all of her spirituality and seraphim traits are suppressed. She won't be able to use her artes, she won't be able to become less than solid. Something about the robots seems to dampen those traits.

And then the robot yanks her down through the floor panel.

She'll have a brief moment to see glowing red eyes in the blackness, and then everything goes dark.

Edna will wake up 2 IC days later, and will require another IC day before she regains her ability to use her artes. She will not have any of the death consequences, as she did not die. ]

((Just clarifying! So Viridi is at the other set of doors - are there robots there, too?))

Hm.

[Viridi watches the rapid disappearance of the seraph from across the room with a slightly surprised expression.]

I guess I can upgrade from 'bozo' to 'semi-competent'. OK, new plan!

[Robots aren't the only things that can rise from the floor. Hopefully, Naki has had the sense to back away from the door as the earth underneath him ruptures heavily, giving way to several bizarre somethings exploding out from it.]

Boom Stomper! Destroy them!

[The rock monsters begin to smash at the robots with all their strength.]

And you! If you've got a phone, just take pictures of the files! ...Have smart phones been invented yet?

[ The situation progresses steeply from bad to worse.

Should've known the quiet was too much to believe they could just waltz in here without any trouble. Viridi, Naki, and Edna go for the robots– vines tripping some up, rocks smashing into the others. It doesn't seem to faze them any; why would it? They're just robots. No nerve endings to speak of, only a cold determination.

Trowa is just pulling out his from his coat pocket when a panel slides away. Likely underneath the disembodied voice he's been hearing, since there's a clear snap right before. Backing up, he sidles close to Otome, who is trying to collect information where she can. ]

Otome, leave it. [ Draws up his sidearm, aims, and shoots whichever robot seems to be harassing the other two more. ] We need to get out of here.

I know! [ welp, she will snap a picture of what she just pulled up (not only is it smart enough to have a camera, this phone also summons demons pls), fighting back a surge of horror at what just happened to Edna as she turns to face the robots and holds her phone out.

With that comes a ridiculously strong blast of wind, aiming to help Naki and Viridi knock more of the robots away. ]

But like this, we'll be overwhelmed before we can get out!

[If these robots are strong enough to smash through rocks like that, can a sword even hurt them? Naki does in fact back away enough to avoid Viridi's weird rock things and that blast of wind, attempting to slash at the enemies where he can, but--]

Do we retreat? It doesn't seem we can stop them so easily...!

[There are not! The only robots are at the only door, and now coming up through the floor. The other door is perfectly safe.

Of course, that said, Viridi's abilities do two things: they crush a lot of the robots, and they turn the robots' attention to her. It seems they're smart enough to see that she's the source of the majority of their hardships, and so they converge on her first. She destroys the majority of them, but the remainder feel nothing, so they have no problem continuing on through robot parts and pieces, wading through broken robots to reach for Viridi.

Still, her abilities, the sword, the gun and the wind spells are keeping them at bay for now, though they just keep coming towards her even so, more or less ignoring the others. They can't get close enough to touch her. ]

Thanks for the assist.

[It is oddly flattering to be recognized as the most powerful entity in the room, even if she has a small voice in the back of her mind telling her that this isn't going to have a Good End. Still, as the resident Goddess of Self-Impor -- Nature, she smirks confidently.]

Anyway... Sorry to disappoint you freaks, but as long as we're, you know, underground in the earth, I can keep going just as long as you can.

Mudrone, your time to shine!

[The remnants of any felled Boomstompers quiver for a few moments before they collapse into a pile of earth and clay that dissolves into the ground, creating a large, shuddering mass. Moments later, a new monstrosity rises from the ashes, a sticky, oozing mud golem that reaches out with makeshift limbs in an attempt to consume the robots.]

Suck them in and don't let them go!

[In the meantime, she jerks a head at Otome and the others.]

The coast is clear, speed it up a bit! They're gonna invent the 7S before you're done.

You need to come, too!

[ Which is why she'll send another Mazandyne spell aimed towards the robots coming up through the floor, before she gives both Trowa and Naki (and fox) a look - Go - and reaches for Viridi's arm to try and bring her along. Whether she can keep up with them or not, she's simply not comfortable going without the remaining members of the group all present. ]

[Naki doesn't want to leave anyone behind, either...he starts heading for the exit, seeing as how Viridi seems to have the robots mostly handled, but won't actually leave until he's confirmed the others are all coming too.]

Quick, quick!

[ While he's not particularly attached to anyone except for Otome, it's stupid to leave anyone behind. For one, they're already down in number and he doesn't think they'll get through the rest without all their power combined. It's obvious in how they're holding the robots at bay– it's going to take all of them.

So, he heads for where Otome and Naki are, towards the exit and aiming his gun at any robot that seems to get too close to Viridi. ]

Viridi, can you collapse the ceiling? It'll buy us more time, come on!

[ That would probably be a good idea, because even if Viridi's making a massacre of the bots, there are just always more of them. And even worse, the ones on the ground for long enough just start...eventually piecing themselves back together. They're usually broken and not all too impressive, but they're still functional again and moving towards the group once more.

And with Viridi holding the line, she's the one they'll be reaching for.

She'll have the time to make one more action -- whether it be bringing down the ceiling or something else entirely -- before one of the bots manages to grab her ankle, and then every last ounce of power she has will be gone. She'll be terribly mortal all of a sudden, and no magic whatsoever to call upon. ]

Hey, no pulling! I'll be fine; don't worry. Just go on ahead.

[With these fateful words, Viridi straightens up and cracks her knuckles.]

One collapsed ceiling, coming right up. ...I mean. Down.

[As Mudrone continues to suck as many robots into its growing body as possible, Viridi points upwards at the ceiling and snaps her fingers. ...There comes a crack. Mere moments later, the sheer rock begins to quiver like liquid as enormous vines and branches burst forth, breaking through the concrete and beginning to bring it all crashing down.

...With her attention diverted, she does not, of course, notice the lunging robot.]

Child's pl -- eeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiikkkk!

[A few things happen at this point - the floating girl drops back into Otome's arms like a sack of bricks, Mudrone unceremoniously dissolves into an enormous pile of goo, and the ceiling, without Viridi's slightly more precise direction, simply plops down in one enormous crash. For the next few seconds, she continues to utilize the one power remaining to her: the ability to screech loud enough to shatter glass, right up until the point that she faints for no apparent reason.

If the robot tugging at her ankle made it to the doorway before the ceiling came down, the rest of the party can play tug of war if they'd like.]

Edited 2016-06-03 00:07 (UTC)

[ Otome's stats are not focused on her strength, but there's a little something called motherly adrenaline, which keeps her from dropping Viridi's unconscious body and only slightly buckles her knees before she staggers and manages to stay upright. Hopefully that robot let go, because if not, she's going to try and get it to (via one more Mazandyne for the road) before she heads for the exit as quickly as she can. Either way, she'll be yelling-- ]

Go!

[Naki sees her catch their fallen comrade, hears the command, and immediately rushes for the exit, spurred on by the threat of the ceiling coming crashing down around them.

He turns once he's reached the (hopefully) safe zone though, to help Otome through the door a little faster if she needs it. No comrade left behind! While his fox scans the path ahead.]

[ They reach the safe zone, but there's one more problem.

Just a little one, and one that shouldn't cause too much trouble. But one of the security features of this place is to rust anything metal -- originally it was implemented so that technology could not be stolen from that room, as it would rust and break to pieces within a few steps out of the exit.

They've definitely tripped the alarm. Trowa's gun will suffer, the hinges of Otome's cell phone will snap, and Naki...well, Naki's sword will rust and break to pieces, just like the rest of the weapons.

Unfortunately, Naki is a sword; it will be lethal to him, leaving little more than sword shards and a rusted hilt on the ground. He'll wake up in 3 IC days in his home, and for a few IC days he will be extra susceptible to the cold and wet.

But they did escape the cave-in. ]

[ Trowa isn't going to argue with Otome as she rushes them out of the room. The cave-in itself was enough to make him want to put distance between him and this place. Unfortunately, Viridi seems to be out cold after the whole affair. Otome is half-carrying her as she heads for the exit. Naki is closely following as dust from the crumpled ceiling comes billowing out of the doorway.

There's barely any time for a breath before the next thing piles up. No attackers, but Trowa watches in mute horror as his gun becomes painted in swathes of rust. Just behind him, he hears a quiet shattering sound– Naki isn't there anymore. All that's left is a pile of dust. Reluctantly, he drops whatever is left of his weapon, watching it explode into small shards. ]

Great. [ Well, no time to cry about it. Turning to Otome, he offers– ]

Here, I'll take her.

[ She hates seeing a life lost. As a doctor, she's seen it a lot, and for a moment, Otome looks as though she's on the verge of tears (once she realized what actually became of Naki, though she can't claim to understand it yet). But she can't afford to grieve just yet, not when they're not out of this mess. ]

Be gentle, Trowa. She's had a shock, so you won't want to jostle her.

[ And she'll pass Viridi over to him, crouching just to gently touch the hilt, before she picks both that up and Naki's fox and moves ahead. ]

[She's pretty light when she's not falling on top of people. The flowers she wears in her clothes, though, have all wilted, and there's something pale and sickly about her coloration.

She'd much rather be dead than mortal.

She'll probably wake up soon enough if the light sigh she gives is any consolation, though.]

[ Trowa will be extra careful when he takes Viridi from Otome. The young girl might've been a little loud, but she'd helped out in the pinch. Those robots are currently buried (for now) because of her. Her weight is relatively easy to shoulder, so he follows after Otome. ]

We should re-trace. I don't know if that entranceway will be open, though.

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