soul_logs | EVENT: Witch Attack on the City!

Entry tags:

EVENT: Witch Attack on the City!

Characters: Everyone and anyone
Location: Anywhere in Death City!
Rating: PG-13
Time: August 23
Description: There's a Witch attack on the city and, to make matters worse, there's a dangerous individuals while Meister powers go completely out of control

The evening before there had been a PSA going around the network and the radio to watch out for an individual causing trouble in the city and a reminder to please stay indoors if possible.

Then around midnight something distinctly...strange happens. At first, Weapons probably won't notice, because it's only Meisters who suddenly find their powers flaring up for no apparent reason even when they're not trying to use them.

There's a two hour window where the abilities become stronger until it's practically impossible to control before the alarms in the city sound.

Kishin Eggs have been spotted entering the city in droves and this time they haven't come alone...

((OOC: Please put [Character | Location | OPEN/CLOSED ] in your subject header. Also, please specify in the subject header if you've signed up for a Witch encounter!))

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[Mello's mind has never been an especially hospitable place, even for him. The constant thrum of subconscious criticism (be more, be better, you're not enough yet) has been quieted, and is sometimes almost drowned out by, the opposite hum of his resonance with Near; but he's still never learnt to be still or quiet, and at first he doesn't notice when the chatter starts to grow louder.

By the end of his Watch shift, he's being bombarded by data, too jumbled and fast for him to make sense of, though he gets bits and pieces: this car's about to turn right, that woman will drop her keys on the sidewalk in ten seconds.

Mello gets back to the flat and takes some ibuprofen against the pounding, and growing, headache, but it doesn't help. He can't sleep for the noise, which increasingly feels like pressure inside his skull, but he can't do anything else, either. He ends up on the couch, curled almost into a fetal position, holding his head and waiting for it to stop.]

Edited 2014-03-17 02:22 (UTC)

[Near’s mind has never been quiet, either, and neither has it been a nice place to be in throughout all of his life. Unlike his partner, however, the background noise has never been a steady stream of criticism: it’s all data, variables and hypothesis and percentages, gathering up and processing enough information to keep his mind active at all times… except for certain situations that make his thoughts foggy enough to turn some of that noise down.

He gets the feeling that something isn’t quite right around the time Mello ends his shift, so he keeps a close eye on him through the surveillance cameras-- or, more accurately, he stalks him even more closely than normal-- but nothing seems amiss. A headache isn’t that out of the ordinary, either, so Near lets that pass when his partner comes home and takes a painkiller, but the sight of his Meister curled up on the couch like that, holding his head, makes something tighten unpleasantly in his chest, something a lot like sharp worry mixed with fear.

The noise inside his own head increases: he’s reviewing the pathophysiology of headaches as he walks to the couch, his feet moving just a bit too quickly for his normal gait patterns, trying to figure out whether or not he has to seek medical help immediately-- temporomandibular joint dysfunction, non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage, high blood pressure… bacterial meningitis? Unlikely, the characteristic neck muscle stiffness would make it impossible for him to be in that position, but I should make sure he doesn’t have a fever just in case-- and then he kneels down by the couch, reaching down to place both of his hands over Mello’s, his touch surprisingly gentle.

He’s about to ask him what’s wrong, but peeking into their resonance answers his own question: it’s almost as if he were listening in to thousands of recordings all at once, mind flooded by too much information and completely unable to focus on a single line of thought and process it adequately. It’s overwhelming and painful, and it pisses Mello off, but Near can pick up on something else: it frightens him, too, just a little bit, and that makes the knot in his chest tighten even more.

Near doesn’t know what’s going on-- this isn’t the madness wavelength, and no Meister ability that he knows of can provoke this kind of reaction in others; is it a new device created by the Witches?-- and he doesn’t know what he should do, and he hates not knowing anything, but he hates even more to see Mello like this.

He opens up his mind to his partner, pushing into his side of their resonance just enough to make his soul’s wavelength noticeable over the flood of information, but not enough to impose yet another thing on Mello’s mind; just giving him something to hold on to, if he can do that much.]

What can I do to make it better?

[It's a moment before Mello can filter out the cacophony of background noise enough to focus on his partner. Physical sensation and voluntary thought are noticeably lagging, so that he's aware of trying to think well before he achieves it.

One thing that's entirely instinctive, and therefore immediate, is how he shifts his hands to grab onto Near's tightly, for whatever stability a physical sense of being anchored will bring.]

I don't know.

[He's too miserable and feels too fragmented to spare the energy to hate admitting that.]

It's got worse. Since it started. The range expanded, or something.

[He takes a deep, shaky breath, and reaches for their resonance with an effort that feels like trying to sprint through molasses.]

Oh-- [He breathes it aloud, and is able to open his eyes. The noise is still there, still roaring, but their resonance is like a layer of soundproofing. Mello holds very still, feeling as if he's balanced on some edge, hoping he'll be able to stay there.]

I think, [he says, quietly, carefully,] that helps.

[Near waits, uncharacteristically impatient out of worry, for Mello to reach out for him in return, and he can feel how slow his Meister’s mind is and how much it takes for him to actually think. Mello reaches for his hands, but any relief Near may have felt at that fades away as he notices how tightly he’s holding on, as if the physical connection is the only thing separating him from insanity.

He knows that his partner would have hated to admit that under normal circumstances, and the fact that he doesn’t even feel that way right now is almost disturbing; his fingers slip into Mello’s hair in response, tangling in the blonde strands but careful not to hold on too tight. He wants to ask him when it started, and make other relevant questions as well, but the need to know more and assess the situation is pushed back when Mello takes a deep breath that sounds much too shaky for Near’s liking, and he waits to see if his partner will say anything else, or if his condition will improve at all as he holds on to their resonance.

He doesn’t know if Mello can pick up on the relief that hits him when he opens his eyes and quietly confirms that Near is indeed helping, but he doesn’t care if his partner realizes just how worried he was and still is: he nods and focuses on their resonance even more than before, letting his mental walls down completely, but careful to do it gradually instead of all at once.]

Okay, [he replies just as quietly, twirling a strand of blonde hair before he even realizes he’s doing it, as instinctively as Mello reached for his hands.] Do you want to wield me? It could--

[--help even more is what he would have said if the city alarms hadn’t gone off at that exact moment. Something’s up, something big, and he thinks he can make an educated guess about what’s happening if the familiar chill of the madness wavelength is anything to go by.]

We’re under attack, [he says, but he doesn’t let go of his Meister, doesn’t move away or pull his hands back to check what’s up on his communicator: Near holds on to Mello, anchoring him the only way he can, and knowing that his efforts will have to be even greater when the madness tries to enter their minds.

Mello’s state can’t be a coincidence, not when it was so conveniently timed with an invasion to the city, but Near doesn’t know if anyone else has been affected as well-- why is he okay? Is it because he’s a Weapon, or something else entirely?-- so he doesn’t voice that thought out loud or through their resonance, not wanting to add yet more information to the already existing overload in Mello’s mind.]

[Mello has felt this vulnerable only once in his life, and he didn't call Matt until after the worst of that passed.

Near's fingers in his hair help, the twirl he obviously can't help but give a strand comfortingly familiar. The relief the Weapon feels is indeed strong enough that Mello picks up on it, despite everything else crashing around in his head, but it doesn't hurt. It's like a cool breeze, faint but soothing.

Then the alarms add another layer to the deafening influx their resonance is only just keeping at bay, and Mello winces, curls tighter in on himself and closer to Near, the fragile equilibrium he's managed to find shattering.]

Make them stop, [he says, not sure if he speaks out loud or through their resonance. Either way, it's barely a whisper. He's trying to open his mind so they can achieve their usual level of almost-perfect resonance, but every instinct is screaming at him to pull inward and shut down.]

[So much for making significant progress in getting his Meister to feel better: as soon as the alarms go off, Mello’s mental walls go up, and he curls tighter in on himself, moving closer to his Weapon as he does so. As if that weren’t enough, Mello’s next words make the sharp worry come back with full force, and Near moves closer as well, unconsciously, as he tries to figure out what the hell he can do now.

While he is completely unfamiliar with whatever the hell is happening with his partner at the moment, he can definitely understand what is going on inside Mello’s head: the alarms made an already terrible situation become downright unbearable, and every synapse in Mello’s body is telling him to shut down. Which means that Near has to act and he has to do it now, or else they risk Mello closing himself off too much for him to pull him out.]

Mello.

[His voice is closer to its normal tone rather than the almost-whisper of moments before, and he leans in, close enough to kiss him but not doing so just yet, his fingers still twirling that same strand of hair. He felt how comforting it was to his Meister, when he did it seconds ago.]

We can make them stop, [he continues, the gears in his mind turning faster and faster as he considers different possibilities. And then a thought crosses his mind as he thinks of how strong the noise in Mello’s mind is and that he could try to drown it out with another source, almost like fighting fire with fire: the piano. He thinks of every single time he played with Mello by his side or in the same room as him, focuses on every piece he’s ever played, and hopes that that can distract him, that the music can make all that noise become less deafening.

But no amount of distraction will be enough if Mello keeps him out, and Near knows it, so he finally closes the distance between them and kisses his Meister; briefly, almost chaste. Things have always been easier when they’re touching: physical contact has always helped them, has always made mutual understanding so much easier, so Near hopes it will have that effect right now, too.]

Let me in.

[All of Mello's concentration is focused on trying to keep the noise out; he's got none to spare for his pride, so he can't keep a small sound, part frustration and part entreaty, from escaping when Near kisses him.

The Weapon knows him more than well enough to choose exactly the words he needs to hear; let me in is the first thing he says that truly registers, and Mello forces himself to relax bit by bit, finally enough to give a slight returning pressure of his mouth instead of holding rigidly still.

He catches at the memory of the piece Near composed, the unfinished one that's them. Mello might not have an ear for music, but he has an excellent memory, and was very motivated to commit this particular piece to it. He can follow along as it plays, moving from his partner's mind to his, the flow of it anchoring him again. The chatter stubbornly refuses to become white noise, always staying just intelligible enough to taunt him, but the music gives Mello enough strength to make a leap of faith and drop his mental walls.

This time, relief rushes into him as the noise fades to a bearable level. Not gone, and still not white noise, but it approximates the telly being on too loud, and that, he can work with.]

Thank you. [He only pulls back as much as he has to, to speak.]

What in fuck is doing this to me? You're all right?

[The level of noise coming from outside grows even louder, human screams mingling with sounds that are definitely kishin egg or Witch in nature, but Near stays where he is: no matter what happens, he will not leave Mello’s side. They’re partners, and partners are supposed to remain together no matter how dire the circumstances may be; he told Mello as much, four months and thirteen days ago, too angry at his Meister for what happened on the floating island.

The small sound that escapes Mello’s lips when he kisses him makes that weird something in Near’s chest tighten unpleasantly all over again, but then he realizes that his words did have an effect, and cautious relief floods him again as he feels Mello relax little by little, and as he returns the kiss, even if just slightly.

Thinking of playing the piano for him works even better than Near had anticipated and hoped for, and soon enough, the flow of the piece he still hasn’t finished composing anchors Mello to their resonance, giving him something to hold onto as he dares to reach out and let his mental walls down. The rush of warmth and relief that follows is strong enough to make his lips part in a silent gasp, and Near holds onto their resonance as tightly as if their lives depended on keeping a perfect connection (which they probably do).]

I remain unaffected, yes, [he gives Mello’s hair a slow little twirl instead of saying you’re welcome out loud, but doesn’t let go of him yet.] I haven’t checked the network yet, so I can’t say if others are experiencing the same as you or if your condition is an isolated incident, but it’s too well-timed with this attack to be coincidental.

[Now that Mello can think again, the connection between this and the attack outside is obvious.]

It started hours ago, and got worse.

[The witches might have gone back to a method that worked so well with the Madness, and put whatever caused this in the water--or air, or something else. Only one of them being exposed to whatever it is would explain why Mello's affected and Near isn't. Or it could be Meister-specific. Or any number of other plausible explanations. The method is only important if they can use it to make this shit stop.

He feels steadier now, each passing moment making him more certain he's not going to lose his grip on their resonance and get overwhelmed again. They have to be sure not to let this level of resonance slip, but he wants to get out there and kick some ass.]

They'll need us in the battle.

[Near nods; he did feel like something wasn’t quite right, some time before Mello got back home.

Like his Meister, Near’s mind goes through the various possibilities at play, and he also knows that figuring out what caused this is only relevant if they can use that information to make this stop. Maybe they’ll find out what’s causing this and reverse the situation, and if not, well, they’ll just have to deal with it like they’ve been trying to do for the past minutes.

The way his partner feels steadier than before is definitely a very good indicator that he is well on his way to recovering from what the hell is happening-- or becoming much better at dealing with it, so that letting their resonance slip won’t mean getting one or both of them killed-- but simply feeling better is not enough guarantee that they can go out there and fight.]

I know, but we aren’t leaving until we’re certain you can handle it.

[Kicking kishin egg ass is definitely on his to-do list, too, but Near is far from being suicidal, and going out there with Mello’s mind still too vulnerable could definitely qualify as such; who knows what they’ll find on the streets, and who knows how strong these kishin eggs-- or other, more terrible creatures-- will be? No, they need to be absolutely sure that the odds are the best they can be given the circumstances, and that means taking all necessary precautions and not take unnecessary, dangerous risks.]

You have to sit up. Is your head still hurting?

You worry too much.

[But even though Mello wouldn't dream of admitting it, he's grateful Near's insisting he take longer to ready himself before going out into the fight. It's a risk; their resonance is very, very good, but counting on it to be perfect under stress is a gamble they haven't yet taken. Of course Near would want to do what they can to increase the likelihood of success as much as possible before they leave their flat.

The thought almost makes Mello huff a laugh, and, probably not coincidentally, the music he's kept playing in his mind reaches a section where the counterpoint of his theme and Near's is highlighted.

He uncurls, not letting go of Near's hands.]

But I'll humor you.

[Most of a smirk, now, but he can't hide that when he shifts away enough to look his Weapon in the eye, it's still as carefully as if he's moving something very fragile.]

It's better than it was. Some coffee wouldn't hurt.

[Except he's not ready to let go yet.]

[He raises an eyebrow at Mello’s remark. Months ago, he would have let go of his partner’s hands all of a sudden just to prove that, no, he isn’t overreacting or worrying too much-- he’s as worried as he should be, given the circumstances-- but the time for petty arguments and I told you sos has ended.

Mostly.

The amusement he can pick up on through their resonance is a very good sign of how Mello’s condition is progressing, and so is the music he can hear, too, and Near watches as he uncurls, paying special attention to how he doesn’t let go of his hands yet. His Meister may have told him that he worries too much, but the way he shifts away, moving far more carefully than that movement would usually require, speaks volumes, and no smirk can cover that up.]

Right.

[Near is about to point out that a city-wide invasion is not the right time to brew a cup of coffee, but the noise outside grows even louder; he looks out the window and frowns, feeling tenser than before, half expecting a kishin egg to crash into their flat at any given moment. It wouldn’t be the first time such a thing happened in Death City, after all.]

They’re getting closer, [he says as he moves his hands just enough to hold Mello’s in return, before he rises to his feet, not letting go yet, either.] You need to stand up. If you absolutely must ingest caffeine, there is still some coffee left from when I brewed it forty minutes ago.

The pain isn't necessarily from vasodilation, but it sure as fuck feels like a migraine.

[And even if coffee's effect on his ability to concentrate is purely psychological, every remedy he can try is worth attempting.

Mello follows Near's glance when he looks at the window, tensing for a moment after the sudden, instinctive movement, but relaxing quickly when their resonance, and his focus, both hold. He hoped the data battering at his psyche would get quieter, easier to tune out, if they gave it some time. But time's one thing they don't have, and the noise doesn't seem to be budging from its current level.

He's not aware that he grips his Weapon's hands more tightly for a split second before getting to his feet.]

I'll be quick about it.

Okay. Go on, then.

[Near notices how his partner grips his hands more tightly before he stands up, but he doesn’t let his mind dwell on that thought, completely unsurprised by it. It’s only natural that Mello would find it more difficult than usual to start moving around, after all.

Mello’s description of how his headache feels like matches what Near was expecting, and he seems to consider something all of a sudden, becoming deep in thought. Resonance helped Mello return to a more normal state rather than giving into the overwhelming noise inside his head, lowering the pain in the process. Given that the pain Mello is still experiencing is a consequence of what is happening to him, will resonance help with that, too, if Near focuses on that detail specifically? It’s worth a try; the slightest decrease of pain intensity can make a very big difference.]

Let me try something, [that is the only warning he gives before frowning in concentration and reaching even deeper into their resonance.

Whenever his own head hurts, be it on its own or as the consequence of being exposed to high levels of madness wavelength, Near often applies a cold wet cloth to his forehead to reach a desirable level of comfort as he waits for the painkillers to kick in. He isn’t about to do the same to Mello, of course, but he thinks of snow, like he has done so many times before whenever the madness brought fire to Mello’s mind, thinks of winter winds soothing some of the pain.

It’s going to take a very strong focus to keep this train of thought up, on top of everything else he is already doing to anchor Mello’s mind, and it’s going to drain him slightly faster than usual, but there is no other option: it’s either this or risking a break in resonance when the madness really hits them, and that is something they absolutely cannot allow to happen.]

Better?

[Near neither asks for nor needs permission, and Mello makes a conscious effort to take his mental barriers all the way down. They've counteracted the madness wavelength with this tactic many times, and it works partly on a subconscious level by now. Consciously, he's aware of soothing coolness in their resonance, and it does work to make the pain of the noise back off. The babble is still there, now a jumble of information about the battle taking place in the streets below, but he feels as if he's been able to take another crucial step away from it.]

Better.

[Like his partner, he's quite aware that they're going to have to maintain their concentration, and their resonance, at the current levels for what's going to feel like a hell of a long time. They can do it; Mello's utterly confident of that, even though he can feel that it will drain Near more quickly than fighting usually does, and this is just maintaining. He swiftly decides he can forego coffee to gain a few more useful minutes, and holds out a hand.]

I'm ready.

[Mello doesn’t have to say Better in order for Near to realize his strategy paid off: he feels the relief almost like being able to breathe more freely, as if something that had been restricting his thorax had finally loosened just enough for him to take a deep breath. He can tell that the noise is still there, of course, but he can also tell that what he just did added another layer of soundproofing to Mello’s mind, making his current situation a lot easier to handle. Near knows that this extra help will make all the difference outside.]

Okay.

[He gives Mello’s hand a squeeze before transforming, his Weapon form falling effortlessly on to Mello’s palm. They both want to kick ass and survive yet another invasion, but Near isn’t going to hurry them: he knows that his partner may require some time to adjust, even though their resonance is as strong and steady as it was before he transformed, if not stronger.]

Still good?

[Mello catches the cube as effortlessly and unthinkingly as ever, and that helps, too. He can't be too fucked up if he's able to do that.

Near's relief amplifies his own, in that strange way their resonance can make a feedback loop sometimes, and Mello takes a deep breath, feels as if everything steadies enough for him to go to the door and get his boots on.]

Yes. We need to get out there.

[He knows he doesn't have to say it; it's more 'if you're going to object, do it now.' But he starts solving the cube, to have the laser attack ready. The noise has deadened down to static. If they can hang onto their resonance, they'll be fine.]

[Their resonance feels steadier when Mello catches him, which doesn't surprise him in the slightest; it has always felt stronger when his partner is wielding him, after all.]

Ready when you are.

[He knows he doesn't have to say it, either, but just like Mello offered him room to object, he's offering his Meister the chance to delay the inevitable for a few more minutes, if he needs it. Mello isn't as impulsive as he used to be so many months ago, but he still isn't as patient as his Weapon, and if he needs a couple of extra minutes to ensure they're as ready as they can be, Near can wait that long.]

I'm ready now.

[He sees the out Near offers, but there's just as much risk in trying to sustain this level of resonance for a long period of time as there is in going out to fight right now; Mello figures they need to act while their window of effectiveness is still wide open.

He goes down to the street, where the fucking mess he's been expecting greets them. Mello takes a moment to get a firmer mental grip on their resonance, then wades into the fray.]

There, [he tells Near, focusing on two Kishin battering the doors of a Deathbucks, and takes aim at them for the laser attack. This time, he's saving their resonance attack for if they desperately need it.]

Understood.

[If Mello is ready, then there’s no point in delaying this. Near increases his focus on their resonance automatically when they finally leave the building, and it’s a good thing he does, too: the scenario is as chaotic as he’d predicted.

He feels his Meister hold on tighter to their resonance, as if bracing himself for whatever is about to happen, so he returns that same mental grip, making it quite clear that he’s anchoring him like always, even though he knows he doesn’t need to remind Mello of that.]

Roger that, [he says in reply when Mello takes aim, silently agreeing with him that they should save the firepower for then they really need it. He focuses on keeping a steady laser beam, strong enough at this point to pierce neatly through most kishin eggs, and keeps it going while Mello moves his hand and swipes the beam across the creatures.]

[The beam cuts a very satisfying swath through the kishin, and Mello turns to look for more as soon as Near cuts off the blast, while bits of the creatures are still dropping to the sidewalk. He knows they can't afford to waste a second.

He doesn't need the reminder that Near's there to steady him any more than he needs to remember to breathe, but it's calming in a way that being conscious of his breath has always failed to be for Mello.

It's as annoying as ever that there's no strategy to the attack other than to damage as many people and buildings as possible; it makes formulating a defence strategy impossible. But Mello forces himself not to spend any mental energy on being irritated, and finds another batch of eggs attacking a civilian.]

There's our next target.

[Slicing kishin eggs is as unpleasant and grossly satisfying as always, so Near doesn't pay any more attention to the now dead creatures than he absolutely has to; just like his Meister, he focuses on their surroundings all over again.

It is annoying that they can't formulate a defence strategy, ridiculously so, but Near has stopped thinking too much about that a long time ago, chalking it up as yet another item on the huge list of "reasons why the Witches and their creatures need to die already". So when Mello finds a different set of kishin eggs, his Weapon wastes no time in targeting it, getting the laser ready for when Mello takes aim.]

Go for it.

[Before the shot can go off, the two will find themselves suddenly twice as heavy as they normally are, as if gravity had doubled. Of course, if they look around, they'll find a witch floating up above them.]

I can't have you ending things too quickly.

[Mello staggers against the sudden weight, and mentally clutches convulsively at their resonance.

Fuck, this is the last thing they need.

Mello knows they're stronger (sixty-plus souls' worth stronger) than the last time they faced a witch. He's still frozen for a split second by the sensation of falling, the memory of desperately flinging Near's Weapon form back towards the floating island.

He recovers, but feels a hell of a lot less stable than he did moments ago. There's only one thing they can do, and Mello fervently hopes he's still holding it together enough to do it.]

Resonance attack, now.

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EVENT: Witch Attack on the City!

[Mello and Near | Tartarus Terraces | closed | Witch]

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