soul_logs | OPEN

Entry tags:

OPEN

Characters: Open to all Mission goers to Florence, Frankfurt, Prague and Vienna
Location: Florence, Frankfurt, Prague and Vienna
Rating: PG
Time: Jan 17, starts at about mid-morning
Description: Missions 151 and 152, crossposted to LJ

Florence
Florence had been immediately evacuated the moment Shibusen Florence recieved word from Death City about the danger to its population. Most of its citizenry had left, but the sentries, guards, and local militia (and mafia) had stayed to bravely defend the city. These were unfortunately the ones being affected by madness, to turn against each other with the same determination they had attempted to show their duty.

The streets of central Florence are plunged in chaos, with torches lit and some structures burning. Those who have managed to resist the madness to try to salvage the museums are hardpressed to defend themselves against those that have become crazy, but the light rain in the afternoon helps.

Frankfurt
It's cold and grey in Frankfurt but the streets are busy with activity. Germany has deployed its military to assist Shibusen Frankfurt in evacuating the people into shelters and taking down those that have begun to go mad. The problem is that even with their haste, it's still not enough, and they are becoming more overwhelmed by the hour. A number of makeshift forts and shelter are scattered throughout the city, requiring help to get through the crazed people outside. Kishin eggs in random areas are taking people down one by one in a frenzied eating craze.

Prague

The Prague agents are unlucky today with the weather, with the cold and chances of light snow. They're given coats or jackets before they leave Shibusen Prague, but are quickly urged on to the northwest part of the city. The heaviest of the violence and damage becomes concentrated there by afternoon, with people boarded up in buildings and kishin eggs preying on the people outside.

Vienna

It's snowing lightly in Vienna when the agents come in, and it seems that the situation there had gone from all right to downright crazy in the minute it took for the madness wavelength to sweep the city just an hour before. There is chaos as people run from murderous citizens and the police try to take them down. The prisons are already overflowing, some with people desperate to protect themselves from attack.

It doesn't take long before the first kishin eggs appear, people who accidentally kill others and eat their souls in madness.

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It's only been twenty minutes. [Surely it couldn't have been an hour yet. They haven't been walking that long, have they? Or Barnaby's too focused on trying to figure out what's going on. And of course it's cold, they're in Prague.

But, in no real wish to listen to more of Kotetsu's whining, he holds out the coat he was given.] Here. Use my coat until we find something, and let's keep going.

[Kotetsu frowns and attempts to count on his fingers... except he barely has enough energy to move out of his slouched down, huddled state.]

--well it feels like an hour! And that's still twenty minutes too long! 'ch, an old man like me can't deal with this cold like the rest of you kids.

[He's about to breathe into his hands which have been tucked into the neck of his coat until he startles a little at the coat offered to him. However instead of taking it he frowns even more, though it's more of a pout.]

And let you freeze out here instead without it? [Mumbled under his breath:] I'm desperate but not that desperate.

It's fine, old man. I'm not that cold.

[Too annoyed to be cold, and he's not a big fan of the coat. Just take it, stupid. You look completely frozen.

However, through their bickering, there's a fairly quick shadow, something gone in almost a blink of the eye, zipping around behind Barnaby.]

[Thankfully enough Kotetsu's able to hide the tiny flinch in reaction to being called "old man" again as just another shiver. He's still getting used to it, slowly but surely. Or not incredibly surely, but it's happening as begrudgingly However just as he's about to just give up and take the coat (though he's definitely giving it back. There's no way he's going to let his partner walk around in all this cold without it!) that flitter of... something? Who even knows, it went by so fast that it could have been nothing but that doesn't mean he shouldn't just not react.

And so instead of taking the coat, Kotetsu grabs onto Barnaby's arm and yanks him away as hard as he can. ...a little too hard though, as he almost finds himself tumbling backwards.]

B-Bunny, behind--!

[Barnaby's startled by the sudden jerking, hand reaching out to grab onto Kotetsu's shoulder as a fairly pathetic attempt to keep himself up. He almost falls when Kotetsu does, and takes another second trying to regain his footing.]

What was that for?

[He glances over his shoulder.] There's nothing there.

[For once, Kotetsu managed to keep himself upright though he proceeded to cling to Barnaby's arm just for... support, at least for a few seconds until he eventually let go, whipping his head ahead in order to try and get a better look at-- nothing? There was nothing, but he swore that he saw something for just a moment. Something black?]

There was something! There was definitely something behind you, I saw it! Don't go thinking my eyes are going bad, you're the one with the glasses! Look! [Pointing straight ahead.]

[Barnaby doesn't even notice the clinging, already distracted with trying to figure out what Kotetsu's talking about. Something behind him? He doesn't see a thing. He stares, for a good half a minute, just scanning the area, and there is nothing there.

Though, as he turns back to face Kotetsu, it jumps across again. The dark, quick, disappearing mass of something, and disappears behind a building.]

Are you sure you're not just seeing things? The coldness must be getting to your head.

[It's totally mocking you, Kotetsu.]

[Curse you, fast moving dark mystery thing! Making him look bad during his first official mission, and in front of his partner too. Well enough of that, Kotetsu just huffs loudly then tugs on Barnaby's arm in order to urge him to walk toward that building with him.]

Fine, if you can't see it yourself then I'll just have to show it to you! Come on.

What--

[Oh they are going this way. He wants to yank his arm out of Kotetsu's grasp--he's a big boy, damn it!--but part of him is wondering, if his older partner isn't going senile already, whether he's spotted what they're looking for. Barnaby just keeps his eyes peeled, glancing around for anything out of the ordinary.

Meanwhile, the demonic little shadow has already begun creeping around the side of the building. If you listen really closely, you may hear a ruffling.]

What are you even talking about? I don't think anything's over here. This place is deserted.

[Maybe... or maybe not.]

[He's not exactly sure if the noise is just from their own movement or something else in the area but it's enough to get Kotetsu's attention. Though, unfortunately with Barnaby bickering away it's hard to do much investigating here and he lets go but only so he can turn around and place a finger to his own mouth in order to show the other that he needs to hush up. You're not showing proper hero etiquette!]

Well if you're gonna keep complaining the whole time of course we're not going to find anything, you'll blow our cover! Just try to be quiet for a while and keep looking with me.

[Like you ever show proper hero etiquette, old man. But Barnaby doesn't say anything, just giving Kotetsu a very sour look before he yanks his arm away and starts to glance around. He really does not see a thing.

The creature makes one more scritching noise, but then silence as it sneaks around the roof. It's watching, waiting for its chance...]

[It happens! Not a lot but sometimes!! Whatever rookie, Kotetsu's just going to take a few steps ahead and try his best to look at every nook and cranny of this building.]

'tch, this'd be a whole lot easier if we still had our NEXT powers.

[After a few moments of silence:]

OOOOI! YOU CAN'T HIDE AND STAY STILL IN HERE FOREVER Y'KNOW! YOU'LL GET FROZEN TO THE WALLS!

Do you honestly think yelling at it is going to have it show up?

[Because Barnaby thinks you're an idiot. ~~This is nothing new.~~ But he walks over to check the other side a bit more closely. And, while his back is turned, the monster jumps off the roof in a very daring move.

A claw reaches down to try and knock off Kotetsu's hat. It'll definitely pass Kotetsu's line of sight.]

[Quickly Kotetsu harshly whispers over his shoulder:]

It will! If it thinks it's gonna get stuck on the walls it'll have to come down!

[Letting the other go off in his own direction, Kotetsu returns his attention back to his task at hand-- and that's when he sees it. It's not that mysterious black thing like before but he at least know it's something that not only shouldn't be there but that he should be avoiding right about now and with a clipped yell he clutches the top of his hat and ducks down as fast as he can, attempting to roll forward and then scramble to try and get a good look at whatever tried to attack him.]

Bunny, it's here! Be careful!

[It scurries back onto the roof by the time Kotetsu yells at it. It's not too large, along the size of a house dog, with short back legs and long, constantly extending arms. Where hands should be, there are claws, arranged in some sort of pincer fashion.

Next time it peers over, Kotetsu will be able to see a face - a mask of a face, a silver semi-circle with two dark, round orbs for eyes, and a protruding jaw with an entire bottom row of pointed teeth. It's currently pressed against the roof so it can't be seen again, not when Barnaby turns around.]

You saw it again? Where?

[Barnaby just returns to Kotetsu's side. Since he knows Kotetsu isn't joking, he's wondering if Kotetsu's just been losing his mind... but his hardwired doubt for his partner has all but dissipated by now. He's fairly certain Kotetsu's just the only one capable of seeing it at the moment.]

[Kotetsu keeps his eyes right on the last spot he'd seen the creature disappear at, grumbling out a curse and punching the ground in anger at letting it get away this simply.] Shit, if we had our NEXT powers...

It's hiding on the roof! The damn thing's just messing with us! [Taking off his hat and shoving it into his coat pocket Kotetsu quickly stands back up and starts running over to the building, hoping there's some way to get to the top. He's not going to let some mysterious thing get away with toying around with them like this. Even if he's not even sure just what exactly they're capable of doing in order to fight it, they'll figure out a way. Eventually. Somehow.]

[Next powers would come in handy at this point. It bothers Barnaby that they're at such a disadvantage, but they have to do what they can. And at least Kotetsu's seen it more clearly enough to find a direction. But if it's up there...

They'd probably have to wait it out.]

Let's just wait for it to come down. It can't stay up there all day.

[It's not. Honestly, it's scuttling down the back of the house and preparing to jump again.]

[Coming to a skidded halt, Kotetsu turns around and yells back over to Barnaby. His patience is wearing pretty thin from the cold and his frustrations at not being able to handle this whole thing the same way he could if they were back in Sternbild.]

Are you kidding me?! I'm not waiting for that thing! I'd probably end up frozen right in one spot and I'm sure this guy would love that!

[He just sighs. They're not going to have this argument. But as Barnaby's trying to think of something to do, the thing scuttles around the side, then behind some trees so it can attack from the other side.

Finally, it plans to reveal itself to Barnaby...

by leaping from the left and aiming for his head.]

[Kotetsu continues to bristle and shake angrily, getting more and more frustrated with this whole mission as every second ticks by that they cease to do anything, and that thing continues to hide from them. He's almost about to suggest that they just split up for the moment in order to make finding it a little easier until he sees it, right out of the corner of his eye. A quick flash of something black and he not only knows what it is but he's damn well sure that if Barnaby doesn't see it then he's going to get hurt, or worse.]

BUNNY!

[Kotetsu doesn't bother to wait for the other's reaction and instead acts himself, reaching out to grab Barnaby's arm and yank him aside as quickly as possible while at the same time extending his other arm to see if he can finally get a strike in on this guy. But something happens, he's not sure what and he's not sure why but that fist he was about to aim at this thing? Isn't just a fist. There are claws.]

[It all happens too fast for Barnaby to even catch most of it with just his eyes alone. He finally manages to catch a black flash of something--the kishin egg, most likely--but it's just a large blur of something headed straight for him--

He catches Kotetsu calling his name as he focuses on his feet sliding against the gravel as he's tugged aside, trying to catch his balance from the tug. Then, as he hears the clank of metal against metal, he looks up, eyes turning straight to the demonic creature before them. And... claws? Kotetsu had claws?! His weapon form...

It's a bizarre thing to witness.] See if you can scratch it.

[He's at a bit of a loss. Part of his mind is trying to think of a strategy for this, but another part is just wondering... what the hell is that?]

[For a brief moment Kotetsu just stares wide-eyed as he not only comes face-to-face with what they've been after this whole time but he realizes that he has claws and how is that even possible?? But there's no time for him to get distracted by how kind of cool this is and soon enough he snaps back to attention and shifts his stance so he can attempt to land another blow at this thing.]

Got it! [Cue second clawed hand striking out to do as much damage as possible. If this doesn't work then he doesn't know what will.]

[Barnaby watches the creature intensely, still struggling with trying to make sense of this. Kotetsu, the only one currently capable of offensive moves, manages to keep it back for a good moment or two.

It attempts to dodge, but the claw gets it in the arm, opening wounds of an unnatural black blood. It lets out a strange cry and tries to claw back at Kotetsu.

At the move, Barnaby reaches for Kotetsu's other hand, trying to tug his partner back. So long as he can't fight, he decides to watch for Kotetsu's defense, and keep a harsher eye on the creature before them.]

[The cry and especially all the blood catches him off-guard enough that he hesitates in blocking for a single moment, awkwardly trying to dodge away before he's hit until he feels Barnaby's hand try to yank him back. He tries as fast as he can to match his partner's movements and just barely manages to avoid getting struck, though the edge of the other's claw manages to swipe across his cheek and Kotetsu grits his teeth at the pain but he knows he doesn't have time to let himself be too phased by it, already preparing himself for the next move.]

[Barnaby's really not sure what to do about this thing. It's jumped back for now, back on the roof, watching the two intently. It's ready to go in for another strike. But... is it playing another waiting game?]

Wait it out, see if it'll jump back first. I'm not sure we can take it down if we chase it.

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