soul_logs | [OPEN]

Entry tags:

[OPEN]

Characters: OPEN
Location: Outskirts of Nevada
Rating: PG
Time: All day, Feb 27
Description: Shibusen offers a field trip to acclimate the guests to the Madness wavelength.

It's a perfectly pleasant day for the most part, if one is to look at the sky and maybe the horizon. For the attendees of the fieldtrip, however, things are naturally a lot more grim, if also lot more colorful. There are understandably no civilians in the area -- or any other signs of life apart from the group.

As promised, the location is extensively arranged to cordon off various areas of the place where Madness spikes have been identified. They are all properly labeled, both with text and visuals, and discreet agents kept an eye on all corners of the large field. The mirror by which the guest will come in is set in a corner, with some food provided next to it.

People are free to come and go, though the other end leads to the clinic instead of the Death Room. The rules are simple: venture into a level you think you can handle, and if you can't, someone will help.

In the afternoon, a light rain will come to add some variety to the endless desert. Make sure to take shelter in the open tents provided to protect you from the elements!

[ooc: Just put in open tags in the comments, [Character Name | Open/Close | Area/sort of madness targeted/whatever marker you want].

Plotting and information post was here.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Naoto tends to put everything lightly since it could be a much worse condition right now. He didn't have to be addressing her at all right now and instead, could be attacking her.

"Yes. That would be the best method." Of course, it was going to become much worse quickly.

"... Of course. Just like before." Though, Naoto was unsure if it would be so easy to pull them from their Madness as it was to convince each other into accepting their shadows. Or at least, him helping convince her to accept her shadow.

He'd had some awful nightmares to that effect the nights he was afflicted with the Black Blood. There was so much riding on whether or not he could control his emotions with the Madness pressing in all around him.

Kanji nodded, keeping his best face. He couldn't be unsure... the wavelengths in the air would swoop in and take advantage of it.

I'm sorry... I don't know what came over my son.

If only your father were here.

"Resonance pushes it back, right? Y'wanna do that, or are we goin' in as is?" The latter was risky. Very risky. But, he'd seen others doing it, both veteran and greenhorn.

Whatever happened, Naoto wouldn't blame him.

Naoto's expression was briefly broken by a wince, but she said nothing. They really should keep their attention on the Madness.

"... It does, but..." It was still risky. They would have to maintain focus for now and one day, they would still have to confront this separately. She just shook her head. "Let's try it for now."

"Okay," he answered, silently relieved as he offered a hand. One day they would have to face it head-on on their own, but right now, he was feeling rather glad he wasn't stepping into those roped off sections alone; not when he didn't know what 'low', 'medium', or 'high' even meant in a Madness sense and how each would affect him.

"Gonna start with that one over there when you're ready, Naoto-kun."

Naoto herself wouldn't admit it, but she wasn't ready to handle the stronger portions of Madness alone. She wasn't prepared back in Vienna and she barely pulled herself out in time. Had Minato been there, she wouldn't have her scars reminding her of the consequences. It... just one step at a time to conquer the madness.

Reaching out, her hand brushed against his palm, but she didn't grasp his hand. Instead, she assumed her Weapon form.

"Ready when you are, Kanji-kun."

The light caught the corner of his eye as he looked ahead, and his fingers closed around the gunblade's grip. With a nod, he pressed on, stepping through the soft sand and into a section marked mid-level; the low-levels were filled to the brim with similarly-unsure pairs, or those unwilling to step beyond their comfort level.

The feeling was immediate, as if the weight on his shoulders increased. He heard police sirens, squinted his eyes against the patrol car headlights that weren't really there. His ears were filled with the metallic click as guns were cocked, ready to fire as his soul wavelength reached out, confused. He was in the desert, not THERE, damn it...!

Naoto felt the pressure increase as well as Kanji moved from one area to the next. There were sirens for her as well, but they were silent, simply flashing in her mind. Naoto was prepared for another Madness-induced memory. What she didn't expect was to hear her voice presently echo, sobbing.

... No, this wasn't right. When did...? She hissed and shook her head, feeling some of the Madness get pushed away at another Soul's presence. Naoto turned away from the darkness attempting to sink into her mind and reached for the other. This wasn't going to get the better of them.

His hands, trembling a little over the gunblade, tightened and stilled. That was years ago. As much as it pissed him off, that was in the past.

Kanji canted his head, mopped his brow against his coat despite the heat today being tolerable. Deep within, he 'felt' another little light, one that was mysterious, intelligent, and just a little hardboiled. He reached out and held on.

Little harder than I thought... He admitted, and secured the connection. That stifling inky black of Madness recoiled and drew back, though it continued to try and push its way in. He wouldn't let the deep gray of that stormy soul of his get dirtied up.

Blue shifted against grey as Naoto allowed her soul to settle besides his, exuding a little more strength against the Madness. Consuming those Kishin eggs was worth the resistance.

"With some more training, we'll gradually improve." She didn't want to hear the crying anymore. What happened last year wasn't the same as Yosuke, but her mind could easily construct the scenario and the Madness would easily make it reality.

Her soul felt so much stronger than before, and just for a moment, there was a little ping of admiration and something else through their connection from his end. The Madness didn't seem to like that either.

Kanji focused on that, and slowly those sirens died down in his ears, replaced by the wind in the desert. He just wished those headlights in his eyes, the sudden cold, sterile scent in his nose to go away.

You okay? He couldn't hear what she heard, couldn't see what she saw... and wondered if he was still a rookie for being unable to.

Naoto's soul continued to hover around Kanji's, watching the Madness sneak around in the dark void. It was persistent.

"... I'm well enough." Naoto was concentrating on protecting him from the Madness. Mentally, it gave her something to do, making all the sounds she heard dim.

A'right.

Feeling his shoes sink a little into the sand, Kanji took another step, shutting his eyes to do something, anything against that bright light. If its purpose was to aggravate him, it was working.

Still seein' shit here... let's push it a little bit more.

He had to stop it. If he didn't, he didn't know what he'd do.

"Understood."

Naoto proceeded to upping her portion of the Wavelength slowly. She couldn't go too quickly or else Kanji might not be able to keep up.

He wasted no time, bracing and extending his soul's reach to match hers the best he could. The last time they'd tried (when zombies and bugs weren't trying to eat them), he could hardly keep up, and tired after just moments of achieving the apex of his skill.

This time, the reach was smooth. The boy had been practicing.

His eyes slowly opened as that light began to die down, revealing nothing but the red-gold expanse of sand, the caution tape, and the murmurs of other Agents and Shibusen representatives. Good... but he could do better!

Lemme know if it quiets down. And onward he'd go. They'll beat this!

Naoto wasn't surprised. Of course Kanji would improve himself after their last resonance back during the invasion. He had ample time to work on it and strengthen his ability to control himself following his rescue.

"Quiets? Oh, yes..." She hadn't even focused on the voices, but she heard nary a peep from them currently. "You may proceed."

He nodded, and began to lead the way. Part of him was curious as to what heights the strength of his soul could achieve.

So he reached, feeling around a little, warm gold sparks escaping from the exertion. The last of those sounds and visions melted from his senses, slowly restoring clarity.

At the spark, Naoto blinked and sent a small pulse back. Was there something he wanted or was he conducting his own experiments with the resonance? Were they approaching a higher concentration of Madness now?

That little pulse was like a nudge in the side, and his hand moved to it before he could realize. That was weird... resonance itself was weird. He hesitated, wondering if she was bothered by the move.

Uh, s-sorry... should I slow down, move to the next one? He looked to another roped off section. That one was a 'High'...

It wasn't so much that she was bothered, but curious. He was being apologetic.

"Oh, no. That was a misunderstanding. I was confused as to why you did that... but slowing down would be in our best interests unless we're prepared for the consequences should the Madness infect us."

Edited 2012-06-22 17:31 (UTC)

The sparks, right? Tifa asked that once, too. It kinda just does that on its own. And he thought it was sorta cool in a way. It made him miss his Persona.

But he stopped his ascent, choosing to hold their current connection instead. Kanji lifted his head and looked around. He felt a little winded, but he could maintain what they had. Testing it in combat would be another story entirely. Even though he personally heard or saw nothing, he could still feel the Madness working to claw its way in the moment he let up.

Kanji began a lap around the perimeter of the taped-off area. Some portions would be stronger than others, and the pulses would be random... but that was the perfect test. His soul seemed to try and 'zap' away any of those little black claws that tried to snake their way for that blue light despite a cold feeling creeping up his body.

"If I think about it, it makes sense why your pulses are sparks. Your persona was affiliated with lightning."

Hers as waves and lights made sense. Her affiliation was darkness and light with some almighty. It wasn't a form so much as a state.

When Kanji stopped, Naoto continued releasing pulses, maintaining their connection and keeping the Madness away. She concentrated on this while Kanji examined the higher Madness, blinking only when she felt sparks past her. She hadn't realized the Madness had reached her. She leaned against his soul, letting out a breath.

He nodded with a grin. "BREW tried, but it can't get rid of Maoh that easy."

Kanji couldn't describe it as well as he'd liked, but he didn't doubt Naoto knew exactly what that meant. He wondered what it would have been like to have the Demon King cleaving through the inky black of Madness as if it were made of wet paper.

His soul started a little bit as she leaned, but soon leaned back just the same. He's got this. They could move onward to the High-level, but... he hadn't finished that lap and getting a feel of this place. It was nice to be able to drive it back for once instead of drowning in it.

Naoto probably wouldn't have to worry about the Madness if she still had Yamato-Takeru. Perhaps she had become too reliant on his passive abilities, but they would be helpful right now.

She remained where she was, watching the inky black grow and thin as considered approaching. The wave rose and fell much like a tide, but more threatening. They managed so far, but she was still somewhat unsure if they would manage.

His focus pulled inward from the murmurs, the shouts of surprise and frenzied calls to pull the occasional Meister, Weapon, or pair out of the sectors. It seemed he wasn't the only one who spent a good portion of the field trip just watching others, ready to yank them out should things get nasty.

He followed the caution tape, making a wide circle at the edge of their sector, passing by a neighboring 'High'. That would be the first mistake he'd make today. A stray wave bled into his vicinity, and Kanji stopped as he felt a tearing pain at his brow, and his hand moved to dab at the scar, bringing his fingers to his line of vision.

His eyebrows furrowed as he stared at his clean hand. He saw blood... what the hell hit him?

Naoto briefly peered to the other Meisters and Weapons being pulled back from the Madness by those unaffected or less so. Some of them looked only slightly shaken while others were horror-stricken, eyes unfocused, and a few were reduced to choked sobs and tears. Would that--?

She inhaled sharply, feeling her breath seize as something tore through her. Her eyes widened; when did she...? How was she back to normal again? She could've sworn she had been a Weapon so why was she like this? Where were the others?

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haha, y'know, I should do quotes. I'm a dope.

It's okay

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