[OPEN] Mission 155

[soul_mods]

Characters: Open to those who signed up here.
Location: An unmarked cavern system outside Death City.
Rating: Various.
Time: March 18th, sunrise.
Description: Shibusen agents brave underwater caverns to take out the first of three Madness emitters.

Missiongoers pile out of the mirrors early in the morning, just as the first hints of sun start to color the walls of the sandstone canyon red and purple; it'll be the last bits of real light they'll see for at least a few hours. The atmosphere is electric -- there're quite a few new (and old) arrivals who're eager to see some action, but just as many people who're feeling rather more apprehensive… And for good reason.

The only way to their destination is blocked by a few hundred yards of sunken tunnels. Luckily they've been provided with mouthpieces, breathing apparatuses with enough oxygen to last about ten minutes: more than enough time, provided that the guests don't lose their way in the dimly-lit, twisted caverns. It's as easy as following the person in front of them, right?

Upon emerging safely from the pool onto mostly-dry land, they'll find themselves in an immense cavern, illuminated by countless, blue fungi clinging to the walls and ceiling, looking like stars dotting a night sky. Already the first signs of the way Madness has been corrupting the wildlife are evident: the mushrooms exude strange spores that make some people's head pound the same way the increasingly noticeable Madness wavelength does.

As they travel further into the watery caves and explore its many branches, they'll begin to encounter creatures twisted by Madness: moles, snakes, beetles, centipedes, all grown to monstrous proportions, some with a venomous bite that quickly turns their victim feverish and delirious. The more daring fighters can easily dispatch those and delve even deeper, and it's near the source of the Madness, in the chamber housing the emitter itself, that they'll encounter the kishin eggs.

There're dozens of them-- eyeless, white, vaguely human-shaped things, but despite their blindness they have no problem finding their quarry, fighting with claws and exuding their own Madness wavelength. If the missiongoers can stand strong against the kishin eggs and the ever-present wavelength given off by the Madness emitter, Shibusen's specialists will have enough time to shut the machine down for good.


OOC NOTES.
- The event summary post containing all relevant links is located here.
- Make your own threads, but please indicate in your subject line [CHARACTER(S) | LOCATION | OPEN/CLOSED] and, if applicable, if you need a kishin egg NPC!
- The locations are the sunken tunnels, the medics area, the cave system, and the emitter chamber, but only the medics will have their designated sub-thread.
- If you have any further questions, the mod thread on the coordination post is here!

Comments

MEDICS

[soul_mods]

There's a small half-tent set up just after the other end of the underwater tunnels. The area around them is large, large enough to hold half a city block, with the small makeshift medical tent situated safely in the middle. There isn't much need for light to be set up, as the walls glitter with a soft blue hue from the mushrooms growing from the damp rock. There doesn't appear to be any danger, but Shibusen isn't taking any chances as they've sent technicians with the Calming Wavelength and fighters to protect the medical personnel and patients.

Within the tent, medics will find six cots set up for the volunteers to work on any fighter who might get injured, along with the basic supplies they would need in order to patch up their patients. All they needed to do was wait, and hope that their fighters would win this battle with little to no injury.

[Yuri Petrov | OPEN | Medics Area]

[hand_of_judgement]

It was fortunate for those involved that there weren't any casualties yet. While it left him with nothing to do, the Judge would much more prefer that then know that their brave fighters were being injured. There were a few others in and around the tent, a number more stationed here to help protect their area from any possible threats, but the main bulk of Shibusen's force seemed to be spread throughout the cave searching for their targeted destination.

Yuri stood just beyond the mouth of the tent. His pale gaze stared out at the glittering cave surrounding them while he waited patiently for anyone who might have been in need of medical assistance.

[ooc: prose or action is fine! I'll adapt to whatever anyone wants!]

[Cloud/Sephiroth | Emitter Chamber | Closed]

[pure_lineage]

Sephiroth and Cloud had made their way through the winding tunnels within the cave the emitter was. It had been next to impossible for Cloud to wield his form in the tunnels, so he had opted for remaining only in partial form while they travelled through the long stretches towards their target. That hadn't been without a price though, and while he said nothing to Cloud, the ex-General had used his partial form to cut his own hand. The pain that followed the injury helped to keep his mind anchored, but Sephiroth knew that it would only buy them so much time. They had to get to their destination quickly.

His partner was travelling behind him, something he never once stopped remaining aware of, as he gracefully took out any and all opponents in his path. The few that had attempted to get at them from behind were swiftly dealt with by his partner, and with little to slow either of them down, they were quick to make it towards the large enclosure where the emitter would be found.

It was easy enough for him to find, given his sensitivity to the Madness Wavelength, and as he stepped into the large chamber, Sephiroth found himself gritting his teeth to ward off the voices that began to boom throughout his skull. He'd been doing better against the Madness Wavelength lately, but it wasn't without sacrifice on his end. Sephiroth knew that it wouldn't be long before his mind would be consumed by the madness, no amount of injury could keep it at bay forever. That was why he stopped dead in his tracks when the sight of the kishin egg horde came into view.

"...Cloud..." Sephiroth managed to say, although his tone was strained from effort. His hand was leaking blood from the wound he'd given himself, but the anchoring pain it caused was rapidly losing its ability to keep him grounded.

[de_faulty_hero]

The more times that he fought in caves on this world, the less that he liked them. Maneuverability was always poor, and his katanas just weren't the same as the Masamune in his grasp. He never thought that he would form such an opinion given he had once hoped so much to have to face Sephiroth's Masamune in cramped quarters to limit the man's mobility. Now, with them partnered, it was just a pain in his neck.

Still, they had moved swiftly, Sephiroth's partial form good enough to get rid of most of the crazed animals and the lesser Kishin Eggs. He covered their sides and back, duel wielding the katanas that his partner had gifted him with. He was also keenly aware of the level of madness that his partner was feeling.

He had seen and felt the wound that Sephiroth had self-inflicted, but he kept his peace on the matter for the time being. It was important to get to the emitter quickly, so he allowed his partner to lead while they moved quickly down the tunnels, and he found himself stepping out next to his partner when they had finally reached their destination. Madness was probably everywhere, but he didn't feel it.

Cloud observed the horde in front of them and sighed as he sheathed his swords across his back and reached out to set a hand on his partner's bladed arm. "Easy now, we're almost at the goal. There's enough room for us to work together, yes? Can you transform yourself?"

[Sephiroth | Open | Cave System]

[pure_lineage]

His partial form snapped out to quickly decapitate the overgrown centipede that attempted to take a bite out of him. It had been such a foolish move on the creature's end, and it had resulted in the fool of a thing having its life removed from it.

Leaping back from the falling body, Sephiroth grunted with annoyance when it seemed that yet another irritating creature was attempting to make him its meal. These creatures were nothing in comparison to the monsters that roamed Gaea, after all, and he saw them as nothing more than an inconvenience than anything else. Then again, he supposed that he could fault them following their natural instincts given the current state of his right hand.

They would never learn, but he supposed that was the reason why they needed to be taken down.


[ooc: prose or action is fine! I'll adapt to whatever anyone wants!]

[recitings]

While Genesis and Edgeworth both had goals of their own, it didn't stop the weapon from noticing another comrade on the field. Well-- this is a first. Genesis had never encountered his rival on a large mission before. He would quip up about the creatures not being too far from the beasts of Gaea, but instead, his attention was drawn to the scarlet stream trickling from the ex-General's right hand.

"Are you alright?"

[Nagi & Lezard | Cave System | Closed]

[lezard_valeth]

Practically all who knew him always said he was mad: Off his rocker, out of his mind, insane... but he'd always shrugged it off. Lezard had his head placed firmly upon his shoulders, and knew exactly what he was doing and the ramifications of his 'activities'.

Insanity? Heavens, no. He preferred the term 'eccentric'.

But the moment he'd entered those tunnels at dawn with the dark-haired Meister at his side, Lezard felt something akin to thin, icy fingers crawling up his frame. The corner of his mouth twitched upward in an involuntary grin as he turned to address the young woman.

"Well then, shall we begin?" It was far too cold in these dark, wretched pathways. It was giving him a headache... or was it? He couldn't tell. Lezard drove back the dark as his body was lost in a soft light, arm extended to guide his path of transformation. In a moment, he was the tome once more, blank pages and all.

He hoped Nagi was, at the very least, good with catching a falling object.

[conjecture_this]

This was the part Nagi didn't much care for when it came to this new world. Madness was a feeling unlike any she had ever run into. Even her fear of the Tento Lords with their insect like features never drew such a sensation as the creeping feel of Madness could.

Lezard was a bright figure of light for a moment, then a falling book the next. Nagi was quick to catch, blinking down at the tome she held between both hands now.

Briefly she thought about commenting on his form but chatter wasn't for a fight, was it. The pathway was suddenly dark again and Nagi turned to the only talk she knew wasn't idle chatter. And was important to ask right at that moment.

"How precisely do I utilize you, Lezard?"

He was a spellbook, yes? She assumed that meant she read from him in some way. With demons is was merely a matter of commanding them to perform a certain spell - was he the same?

[Teresa/Shibuya Yuuri | Emitter Chamber | Closed]

[a_royal_flush]

[The blood of the Madness-crazed animals dripped from Yuuri's bladed form by the time they'd entered the large chamber. Because of that, both his and Teresa's form glowed softly from the power his weapon form was absorbing from the energies within the blood.

There were dozens of Kishin Eggs littered throughout the large chamber area, and Yuuri couldn't help but stare wide-eyed as his ghost-like face caught sight of their coming battle.]

OOoowaaah... that's a lot of them...

[of_the_faint_smile]

[Glowing had always been a strange side-effect of wielding Yuuri, but she had grown used to the attention that it brought her. She never particularly liked much subtlety anyway, and the few cuts that she had on her legs were healing up nicely because of his abilities.

The madness was thick, and she felt it tugging at her mind. She was better than them, better than all of them. She was Rank 1, and she was undefeatable. Her strength was her boon, and not even these crazy Kishin Eggs would stand in her way. Tearing them apart would be a pleasure and save the lives of others.

She smiled in complete confidence.] Their resistance is futile. [She began to advance on the masses.]

[Rock Lee/Tassadar | Cave System -> Emitter Chamber | Closed]

[aiursfavoredson]

The smell of their enemies was thick on the air as Tassadar emerged from their watery tunnel. He hadn't needed the breathing device Shibusen had offered, and had taken to the water with ease as he swam through it with his current partner. While he was fine in the water for as long as necessary, the templar was aware of the need humans had, and thus he didn't delay in getting to the other end.

Once Lee had regained his ground, Tassadar began dashing off in the direction he knew the main concentration of Kishin Eggs would be found. While he had some disadvantages here amongst humans, the battlefield was where the protoss truly shined. Even without all of their technology, the large alien race was a force to be reckoned with. The templar was about to prove just that as his keen sense of smell began to track and hunt down their targets.

[awokentospring]

Lee was a good swimmer and appreciated the breathing device he was given, but he had to admit to himself that he wasn't fond of being under the water before a mission. It was too much like the fight against Kisame. Luckily, he never had to experience the a feeling of drowning with the equipment provided.

Lee rushed along with Tassadar, determined to keep up with his Meister and this time he focused on the mission with absolute seriousness. He couldn't let his partner down this time. If he did, he would... He would...!

No. Not now. He needed to focus. Get in there, take down some kishin with Tassadar and remain focused.

[ooc: Sorry this is sooooo late! ;A; I hope you don't mind backtagging a bit!]

[ Kanji/Tifa & Raidou/Alucard | Cave System | Closed ]

[topgun_textiles]

Kanji insisted on going first, pulling himself up from the pool and taking a look around in the dark, wiping his hair from his eyes before they widened at the sight of what was like a sea of stars on the walls and ceiling as they cast a blue light over the stone surrounding him.

But he heard movement down one of the tunnels ahead, and mentally kicked himself. They had some asses to kick and time to buy for those fighting further in. Setting aside his breathing gear, the sodden Meister stepped aside and pulled up his companions as they surfaced. The footing was a little shaky here, especially during the time it took the eyes to get used to this strange source of light.

Sure enough, his patience was far shorter than usual this morning, and that little headache in the back of his head wasn't helping. He tried to think of other things as his jaw clenched, working to push down that horribly familiar feeling from Florence.

"You guys okay?" He managed, sounding a little grouchier than he'd intended.

[heart_rhythm]

Pushing her hair back from her face as she was helped from the water, Tifa looked around at the sights around them once everyone was safely out, much like Kanji had. Unfortunately, scenery like this reminded her more and more of home and the strange places they'd traveled to.

But Kanji's agitation wasn't lost on her. She knew he was far more susceptible to Madness than she was and stepped close to his side as they looked at the others. For right now, she didn't think they were in immediate danger, but she was ready to transform as soon as something appeared.

"I'm fine. You guys?"

[Barricade and Qilby | Sunken Tunnels -> Cave System | Closed]

[badcop]

Everything about this world, it seemed, was designed to infuriate him. Barricade had lost his weapons systems, including his alt mode, and all of his natural defenses that went with it. The only other Cybertronian here was an Autobot, the technology was so archaic it was practically useless to him, and the enemy was nearly impervious to conventional attacks. It was bad enough he was a Weapon, worse that he'd had to let Bumblebee hurl him down the stairs to transform, and now there was this.

The entrance down to the sunken tunnel system had been easy enough, but the rest was painfully built by and made for humans. The main path most of the others were taking was simply too narrow for him, even if he was technically on the smaller side. He didn't know or care if the actual size of him had startled the old man, but he assumed Qilby would be seeing it as a detriment now.

Barricade snarled, moving off to find another way down that would admit him. Something so mundane shouldn't make him angry so quickly, but he fought to keep the Madness Wavelength in mind. It had been far more subtle outside, but underground he started feeling more tense, and paranoia wouldn't be far behind. Water splashed around his ankles as he walked, finally stopping when he thought he spotted a wider - albeit underwater - access point. Firing up his headlights, he got a good look at what appeared to be a collapsed archway, opening up to a broader chamber. He turned back to Qilby.

"This ought to do it."

[dissenter]

Qilby, for his part, was almost too busy grumpily wringing water out of what bits of his hair and hat he could get at without taking the thing off his head-- almost too busy to notice the faint, nagging sensation in the back of his head that'd been growing ever more noticeable with each new annoyance. First, having to manage to swim with one arm: inconvenient and aggravating, even, but not impossible. Second, the robot who ended up being at least twice as large as he'd imagined, entirely too large to fit in the blasted main tunnels. It wasn't as if he minded going off the beaten path -- he almost preferred it -- but he liked to make these decisions under his own power rather than out of necessity.

But he couldn't really complain, however much he would have liked to. Barricade ended up being exactly what his name advertised, a massive hunk of metal that'd make just as good a shield as a Weapon -- assuming he sorted out that whole transformation business. If they got overwhelmed by enemies, alone like this, perhaps he'd be distracting enough for Qilby to slip away unharmed; that'd teach Demona not to shove greenhorns onto him, no matter how tough or helpful they may appear to be.

"And to think, it's only going to take another dip in the pool," he replied, regarding the illuminated pool mildly. Of course it was after he'd just managed to get his hat somewhat dry. "If I'd known you were so fond of water, I'd have let you play around in the earlier tunnels a little more."

Goddess, he didn't like how still it was, the way even the smallest drip of water became a monumental sound that pierced his growing headache. It reminded him of far quieter and far emptier landscapes, places he'd rather not be reminded of. The company was better this time around, however, even if Qilby was liable to start a fight with the way he was treating it. He glanced up -- he wasn't used to looking up at people -- and added, "Have you learned how to transform yet? You may have an easier time of it if I simply carry you."

[Edgeworth and Genesis | Cave System | Closed]

[recitings]

While it was a challenge to get through the sunken caverns without getting lost, they fared well enough with Genesis' battle-honed instincts and Edgeworth's sharp logic. It wasn't too different from the caves underneath Banora, anyway, so Genesis felt quite confident about this.

Once they rose up from the water, Genesis took off his breathing gear. For this mission, he decided to forgo his coat as it would slow him down when wet. But being dressed in nothing but a sleek black turtleneck and combat pants and boots was a rather bad idea considering the low light.

Thankfully, the bright scarlet blade of his partial form made things easier.

"Are you alright, Edgeworth?"

[prosecutory]

It was a challenge, and it was a good thing Edgeworth had the foresight to dress very lightly (collared, slightly fitted and short-sleeved shirt and pants; his usual outfit was obviously very impractical in these circumstances) and bring a waterproof flashlight. He slowly climbed out of the pool, pushing his dripping bangs from his eyes and removing his mouthpiece, keeping it safe in the small pack he wore around his waist.

He never liked small, enclosed, dark spaces, not since the DL-6 incident more than seventeen years ago. The caves he and Genesis had navigated some time ago, where Edgeworth was nearly killed by a crazed Raidou, were bigger and did not seem to be as confined as these flooded tunnels, so the prosecutor didn't have much trouble then. This time, he had to work harder to keep thinking of their goal - to reach and dismantle the madness emitter, and destroy the enemies in their path - so he would not end up thinking of being trapped in an elevator, or earthquakes -

Earthquakes would be worse here, he could imagine. But he couldn't, and shouldn't, be imagining that.

He gripped his flashlight tightly and just stood there for a while trying to calm himself. Edgeworth looked up, and shone the light onto the cavern ceiling and walls, frowning at the fungi. Good; inspecting their surroundings should take his mind off his fears.

"Yes, I'm all right," he answered, directing his flashlight toward a spot near Genesis' feet.

[Cybele | Cave System -> Emitter Chamber | OPEN]

[recreant_pride]

[She had come to the fight hoping to find even one of her sisters here, but the moment Cybele had magicked herself in, the Witch had found herself disappointed. Now all she had to look forward to was the meagre effort of delaying their plans by taking out one of their emitters.

To say that she was a little disappointed was an understatement. Which translated in the madness crazed animals taking the brunt of Cybele's disappointment.

Two large lions accompanied the Witch as she began making her way down the tunnel. The large felines roared as they set off to attack whatever moved while Cybele chanted beneath her breath to release a torrent of fire towards one of the oversized snakes.]

zeratul lost the coin flip to run into cybele :V

[adun_toridas]

It hadn't been his intention to come this far down the caverns without a Weapon at his side, but his separation from Ramza hadn't been planned. So long as he didn't cross paths with any more Kishin Eggs, however, Zeratul was confident he could hold his own. Despite the pounding headache the growing Madness was inflicting on him. If it got much worse, he knew well enough to retreat.

When the tunnel ahead lit up with fire, he slowed his pace, uncertain which way the attack was aimed. After he spotted the serpent, he felt more confident he had come upon another Weapon, possibly their Meister as well, thought it best to join them. He drew up short when he got a better look at who was fighting the snake, almost disbelieving. Oh, not her.

[Naoto Shirogane | Cave System | OPEN]

[pishirogane]

Beside her Meister, Naoto's eyes darted around in the dimly lit cavern, keeping an eye out for more Kishin eggs. Others had already proceeded towards the emitters to destroy them, but she doubted she would be of any assistance were she to approach them. She could resist the waves here, but any higher and it would be a disaster. Acting as support and assisting others out, she was fine with that. More experience and Kishin egg souls could be used.

The young detective raised her head, eyes narrowing at the slight sound that reached her ears. One shift and the cavern would be 'illuminated' to her wielder. Well then, who or what was approaching this time?

I CLAIM THIS POST FOR IWATODAI

[socialbutterfly]

That time, nothing. Another Meister-Weapon team running past. Minato slackens his aim and lowers the gun. He can feel the edge in her wavelength, so he knows it's important to keep the tension low. Difficult, though; paranoia rules in dark caverns like this.

"Naoto..." He pings her, his voice level and his soul holding steady for now, "Are you okay?"

[Hawkeye, Kaworu, Leon | Cave System | Closed]

[withinsights]

Hawkeye suspected Shibusen's orientation speech could use a good half dozen more explanations because that introductory briefing didn't cover much of anything, if he really thought about it. Kishin Eggs, Madness, the Witches, souls- none of that stuff. He was kind of used to taking on half-baked assignments like this one, but he'd admit that more than half the reason he volunteered was because said organization was willing to arm him for it. So he had a vest, a nice bow, some decent arrows, a handgun and a couple of knives tucked away- all things he considered on a very generous loan until he made some decent cash.

He decided that he really hated caverns; didn't like the trapped feeling because they were trapped down here- vulnerable and packed together in a way that would be all too easy to take out at once. He drifted toward the back and nocked an arrow, loosing it as soon as he caught a flicker of sudden movement in the pale blue glow ahead. Drawing another between his fingers, he kept an eye out above and behind them for telltale signs of a triggering cave in.

Progress was slow, but steady, and there was something in the air making his head throb- something chemical that couldn't be cleared because it had nowhere else to go, stuck between the water and wherever the cave system led. Hawkeye sincerely hoped the place had been properly scouted beforehand.

He shot a few more deformed and overgrown shadows, but he was losing his grip, felt the way the pressure in his skull moved to the forefront until his concentration held on by a thread. He took a moment to stop and let his head rest against the cavern wall, squeeze his eyes shut and draw in deep breaths. He didn't loose the bow he was holding or the arrow between his fingers, let the string cut into his fingertips just for something to ground himself with.

Whispers echoed through his mind, ignoring the way he shook his head to dispel them and dug their claws in deeper until the voice sounded far too familiar for comfort. He swallowed, felt sweat bead down the side of his face and snapped his eyes open, raised his bow, looking for something to shoot for the sake of a distraction. He found his sights trained on the backs of the other operatives and flexed his fingers around the grip.

You owe them nothing. You've got what you wanted and they foolishly march to their destruction. Why follow?

The voice wasn't real, it was worlds away where it couldn't reach him. It was gone and gone for good. But that didn't stop the arrow from slipping through his fingers.

[diedforyoursins]

Everything is dulled here, but his senses are still stronger than a normal human's by just a bit, and so he heard the arrow long before seeing it, felt the shift in the air it cut through. And for a moment he was torn between his normal serene detachment and panic, the assurance that nothing could harm him that he'd had for the entirely of his life as a human, and the rational part of his mind reminding him that no it doesn't work like that here.

He'd only half turned, instinctively willing an AT Field that he knew would not work here, when there was a clash of energy not unlike when Unit 01's prog knife had been halted in midair and he saw an arrow clatter to the cavern floor through a semi-transparent sheen around him.

The field dissipated with the danger and for a moment he just remained still, parsing what had happened and no, that had not been his AT Field but it was similar, would not be manipulated for levitation or whatever else he might have used it for back home but for this most basic level of defense...

He spotted the man separated from the group with a drawn bow, empathetic nature drawing him to the distressed expression before any thought of the risk, and Kaworu frowned.

"Are you alright?" he asked automatically, stepping away from the group toward the person that had just fired at him, lowering the sword in one hand and the other that had been drifting towards the pistol in his pocket. Movements slow and nonthreatening, everything that he should not have been able to afford in this place but, if he still had at least this level of protection here, then for a person in pain he could.

[Hatake Kakashi & Maito Gai | Cave System --> Emitter Chamber | CLOSED]

[grab_my_bells]

They emerge from the water having made it without incident, and Kakashi puts his mouthpiece away into his pack. The cave system looks to be expansive, the darkness of the caves adding to the effect. The starry-sky of mushrooms overhead get a moment's glance, partly in awe, partly to see if he can detect anything beyond the faint glow they cast across the cieling of the caves. He can't see much of anything.

Kakashi steps back from the wall as a mushroom, disturbed by the movement of air from their passing by, releases a small cloud of equally glowing spores. He sneezes and is grateful for the mask when his head only throbs gently before subsiding behind a dull ache and slight irritability.

"Stay away from the walls and touch nothing." Except each other. Kakashi takes Gai's hand and feels the madness get pushed farther from his mind.

[spandexisyouth]

Gai raises his free hand to cover his mouth, giving him a little protection from the spores but not much. "He says after he bumps into something," he replies. It's a gentle comment, not quite teasing, but not angry. Right now it's hard to tease. There's madness in the area, and even though they've trained against it neither of them is immune.

He squeezes Kakashi's hand once as they move on, leaving a trail of water behind them, and then Gai stops. "Do we have anything to mark the path with? These are large." He's already mentally going through his pockets. There's rope, of course, but that would run out and it's too easy for it to be cut. There also aren't a whole lot of rocks on the ground. "We may have to memorize things that stand out."

Up ahead there's one rather large stalagmite that stands out simply because it looks like it's leaning over, reaching for the slow drips of water from the ceiling. The water must have shifted over time, but it makes it unique. "There." Gai points. "The stretching one. We use that for now. Unless you brought chalk?" He should have thought of it before, but he didn't.

[ Yuri Lowell/Ange Ushiromiya | Cave System | CLOSED ]

[snarkymorale]

[ strange. He felt... a little at home, in these caves. His adventures back in his own world often lead him to places like this. It felt familiar. If it wasn't for the growing pounding in his head, he probably would have enjoyed the familiar surroundings a little more. ]

Jeez...[ He rubbed his head, looking back to Ange. ] Even though they warned us, it's still annoying, huh?

[entreats]

I didn't expect any less. [ Her tone was a little lower than usually, even if it was still fairly calm - in control. Maybe even moreso than usually, since she was trying even harder to focus now things were getting serious. She couldn't look bad on her very first mission, right? No, instead she should try to figure out exactly how these things work, so Ange just glanced around the cave walls. ]

They already said this wasn't going to be easy, after all.

[Amaterasu and Waka | Sunken Tunnels -> Cave System | Closed]

[motherofthesun]

The light rose from the water as the wolf stepped out, fur heavy and flat against her sides. For a moment, she glanced around, her nose crinkling and ears turning this way and that as she got a better sense of this place. A few more steps and she stopped, finally shaking out her fur which immediately resumed its expanded and fluffy state.

Were her Weapon and herself normal, the dim setting would probably be a problem. It was a little dampening on her sense of smell due to all the moisture, but everything else was fine. Yes, she didn't like this; it was making her fur stand.

Amaterasu turned her head back to Waka, waiting. "..."

[halfbakedfruitcake]

Swimming wasn't the easiest thing to do for someone who was used to just walking on water. Waka had stuck close to Amaterasu during the way through the tunnel while keeping a hand on the wolf's back. Once they were on solid ground again, he removed the breathing apparatus from his mouth and tucked it away.

"Sometimes I wish I could shake out my fur too," he remarked cheerfully as he scanned the cave, soaking wet. With Amaterasu close by, he barely even noticed the Madness, though the air was still stifling. It was probably the mushrooms all over the place, and whatever else was lurking here.

"Shall we?"

[Chika Daimon and Aqua] Cave System | Closed

[scatterflower]

Chika let out a deep breath as she made it out of the water and into the cave. Her entire body was cold, even despite the specialized gear she had been wearing for the trip through the water. Though Chika wasn't entirely sure if the cold had been due to being in that water, or if it was because of how close they were to the source of the madness wavelength.

Still, she couldn't back down now, this wasn't going to be a repeat of the whole black blood fiasco. They were going to destroy this thing (well, someone was going to destroy it) and then everything would be fine.

Pulling off the breathing apparatus, Chika turned behind her. "Hey, you ready, Aqua?"

[blue_wayfinder]

If she were being honest, Aqua had to admit that she was nervous. She had a certain amount of confidence fighting as a Meister. That was something she'd gotten used to.

This was her first time fighting as a Weapon and she wasn't entirely sure what to expect. But the time for doubts was long passed. Right now, she needed to focus.

She nodded at Chika's question before pulling off her own breathing apparatus. "As ready as I can be."

[Kanji/Tifa | Cave System, nearing mission's end | Closed]

[topgun_textiles]

They'd done all that they could. At least, from what Kanji could see. He'd passed by numerous bodies of local fauna mutated by the Madness, unmoving, destroyed utterly by the combative efforts of the Shibusen agents sent to clear out the tunnels. With his path lit by the luminescent mushrooms, Kanji could only see shapeless heaps, step through their gore as it spilled openly from wounds both fresh and aged. The smell... it could not be described.

But it was something else entirely that turned his stomach, caused his head to pound incessantly, his mind filled with the whispers and giggles of voices he could and yet could not recognize. The voices would not stop no matter what he did, only seemed to get worse as he grew closer to what he assumed was the chamber that held the Emitter itself. Surely he could turn back and make his way out, but something compelled him to move at a steady pace, his long stride carrying him over puddles of standing water, that gore as he sought just one more foe to fight, one more twisted, faceless bastard to tear apart. To focus on the fight was to temporarily drive away the voices, his pounding headache, smooth the static in the resonance he had with his partner right now.

"You pickin' up anything else? 's too damn quiet here..." He spoke through their link with as much control as he could muster, his breathing starting to become labored again as he felt another mild panic setting in. In his eyes, it looked as if the mushrooms were going dark, one by one.

[heart_rhythm]

As they'd been fighting, Tifa had felt the Madness in her partner all the time, starting small with the twinges of a headache, growing steadily until he'd reached this point. There was much to focus on--getting rid of the kishin eggs, keeping them busy so the techs could do their work, staying alive. By now, Tifa felt Kanji and she were a formidable duo against their enemies, but the environment they were in...

He was breaking away from her, the more the Madness seeped in. Their resonance grew shakier, and his blood lust was starting to turn her stomach. They'd already done what they could for now, so she didn't see the point in getting closer just to take on a few more, especially just for the sake of killing. This place didn't need more bloodshed, not from them; the bodies and the gore that surrounded them were ever present in Tifa's mind.

"Kanji," she spoke quietly, keeping her tone even, "I think we should turn back. We took down a lot of them already, we did what we could. Let's go back."

The last sentence had a touch more force to it, more like a command. In his state, she knew he'd be hard pressed to listen so she tried to make herself as direct as possible to get through to him.

[ Black☆Star/Tsubaki | Cave System/Emitter Chamber | Open ]

[big_star]

Perhaps it would be strange for those who've met Black☆Star but not witnessed him in a serious battle to see the young two-star Meister so focused and composed as he swiftly moved from one area to the next within the caves, his form almost a blur at times thanks to Speed☆Star while he and Tsubaki fought Madness corrupted creatures alongside their allies.

He knew this was important, and was taking it seriously... though that didn't stop him from being loud like usual, yelling every so often as he attacked and moved around. He had to make sure this mission would go successfully. Of course, he knew it would, since he was there, and the convinction in this was as strong as ever. He wasn't about to let Kid down.

When in the Emitter Chamber, the fighting continued, Black☆Star not letting up even a little. Swinging one end of Tsubaki's Kusarigama form out, he struck a Kishin Egg some distance away that had looked like it was going to attack someone from behind. The next moment, however, he sensed one trying to do the same behind himself, and, without turning, he simply called to his Weapon.

"Tsubaki! Uncanny Sword Form: Shadow☆Star!" He would trust her to deal with that one - knowing she would be able to and believing in that without a doubt - while his gaze flashed around, trying to find the next enemy target.

((ooc: the last little bit is more for Tsubaki but feel free to have a character witness the scene and respond to it!))

[ Black☆Star/Tsubaki | Cave System/Emitter Chamber | Open ]

[shadow_star]

And this was where her young Meister truly shines; in the thick of battle. She smiled as she kept a careful eye on his progress, and remaining alert for any threats that he might not be paying attention to while they were fighting.

If only Black☆Star could do this quietly they'd get the drop on so many Kishin eggs! But this worked just as well, to tell the truth, and in some cases, better. Black☆Star was so easily underestimated due to his recklessness and loudness.

She sense the Kishin Egg at the same time as her partner, responding the second he called for her. "Yes!" In complete synch, her kusarigama quickly changing to her more powerful form in his hand. Kishin eggs is goin' down.

[ Yami Bakura & Ryou Bakura | Sunken Tunnels | Open ]

[feelsgoodinyou]

Despite his lack of a partner and recent injuries Bakura had decided to tag once again along for the battle. This time the thief hadn’t even bothered trying to find a Weapon who would be willing to volunteer for a temporary cooperation.

His latest experiences with them had been frustrating up to alarming, but that wasn’t the main reason why he had decided against it. The main reason was that he wanted to try and see what getting his hands onto some of the local souls would do for himself and for that no noisy person who stuck their nose into his business again was needed.

So it came that he was standing close to the water surface, armed with a scimitar as well as two smaller, yet just as deadly knives and a long rope that he had fastened on his belt. Examining the provided diving gear in order to figure out how to properly put it on, he pulled a face that made him look much like a cat right before it took a bath.

He didn’t mind the dive, but running around in soaking wet clothes was nothing he looked forward to. There was also something else grating on his nerves ever since he had stepped outside the mirror.

Growling to himself, he snapped without turning around. "What the hell do you want?! I know you're there, you've kept following me since I left the mirror and it's fucking annoying!"

[shiromadoushi]

Bakura flinched slightly before glaring and taking a step forward out of the shadows. "You haven't gone anywhere for me to follow," he returned with a scowl, crossing his arms and looking to the side.

"...I just wanted to know what you were doing, that's all," he half mumbled.

[Near and Mello | Sunken tunnels -> Cave system | Closed]

[cardfortress]

[Just like he did when Mello and himself submerged not long ago, Near tries to ignore that tiny detail of being surrounded by water. Being in his Weapon form helps matters considerably, because he knows he can't drown like this, but there is still a lingering anxiety which surely won't fade until they are back on the surface.

He knows it shouldn't take long until they get to their destination, if his calculations are correct, which they always are. But he still feels uncharacteristically impatient, wanting to get this underwater journey over and done with, specially because Mello's ten minutes of oxygen may not be enough if his Meister gets lost.]

How much longer?

[As much as he had disliked being a Rubik's cube in the past, he has to admit that it has its perks, such as being easily carried inside a pocket while his partner is the one who has to swim. He just wishes Mello hadn’t chosen the back pocket of his jeans as the most appropriate place to place him in.]

[want_the_world]

[Near's annoyance is perfectly clear, and Mello's amused by it, though not as much as he would be if he couldn't also sense the Weapon's anxiety.]

It was that or my front pocket; would you rather have done that? [he thinks.

Navigating the tunnels would be impossible alone, but following the person in front of him makes it a matter of simply keeping going. Mello's apprehensive himself; this is their first mission since the night he let Near get him drunk, the first test of their resonance under their new circumstances. He fully believes they'll be great. They have to be, to prove that he was right to push for them to get closer. There are just so many variables that could fuck things up.]

Not much longer.

[Ramza & Zeratul | Cave System | Closed]

[adun_toridas]

The journey through the sunken tunnels had been less demanding than he'd previously thought, though Zeratul knew he might be in the minority there. He was a powerful swimmer simply by nature, especially since he didn't require the oxygen the rest of the humans did. What little cloth he wore was completely soaked, but he didn't let it slow him down as he made his way through the starry cavern. Any other time he might stop and admire its alien beauty, but not now.

That Madness here was much, much heavier on his mind than it had been during his previous mission. It made him rethink going on without a Weapon, even if there were other partnered pairs around. He hadn't come all this way to stop, let alone back away from a fight if it presented itself. Perhaps he ought to catch up with Tassadar, and provide support for the templar as he had done before.

It wasn't long, however, until he found his path blocked by a particularly nasty looking creature. Zeratul was silent enough that it hadn't noticed him outright, but the way it was sniffing around meant that wouldn't last long. Overgrown fauna he knew he could handle, but a Kishin was outside of his power to harm.

[heretic_hamlet]

Ramza was used to fighting in low light, and even in confined, musty caves- that old monster-infested colliery and the forlorn caverns of Midlight's Deep came to mind- but he doubted he would ever grow accustomed to moving through water, let alone fighting in it. It took all of his efforts to simply keep his borrowed lantern from becoming completely waterlogged.

And even then, each flicker of each shadow he'd pass started to quicken his heart more and more the further he delved into the caverns. He'd endured far worse than this with only fleeting moments of fear and doubt in his mind; but this gaunt quiet, the low visibility... solitude. Most of his battles had been fought in groups, after all. But Ramza had never held any real allies to begin with, just sellswords like he who would turn coat if given a--

No.

That wasn't true.

And the falsehood was startling enough in his gut to snap his mind back to lucidity, and to note that one of the figures before him in the dim, starry light of the room was one he actually recognized. But only one of them. He hurriedly put out his lantern and approached Zeratul with quiet steps and a hushed voice.

"Zeratul!" he forced out at a whisper. "What is that thing?"

[Sendo & Saya | Sunken tunnels -> Cave System | Closed]

[sayatakagi]

Trying not to get lost in those tunnels. And water. Saya liked to swim, but it was hard to enjoy the current situation. When she finally reached for dry land, she tried to take some water off her hair and cursed at the wet clothes that clung to her body.

She felt annoyed by all of this, really. The nagging feeling at the back of her head wasn't helping either, but she fought it. The girl had to keep her head up and move in for the battle.

Saya turned to look for her partner as she took the mouthpiece off her mouth.

[naniwarocky]

Sendo was glad that he got a proper rest the day before. He wanted to be at the top of his game to handle this mission. They’d only just completed their last and now they were hopping aboard to do this one too. It was a nice feeling. It felt like they were really making progress and he wanted it to keep up.

He climbed out of the water once they reached land he started to remove his equipment too. “They could have put this stuff in an easier to reach place..” Though that would have made it just that much easier for them to destroy the Madness emitters.

[Bayonetta and Stripperella | Deep in the Caves | Closed]

[madamabfly]

While it was certain that the both of them were adept at fighting, they all had their limits-- especially when both had been fighting so tirelessly for a while now. Bayonetta had thought that they both could hold their own against the beasts separately, but she was soon finding out that it was not the case. Gritting her teeth, Bayonetta reached for Stripperella's hand.

"I'm not sure if it'll work, but things might be better if we fought as Meister and Weapon this time!"

[erostripperella]

Stripperella accepted to fight separately since they were facing mutated beings and not kishin. While she hated to hurt animals, bugs were - well... She avoided the moles (poor things!), but she had no issues fighting the giant insects.

Unfortunately, just like Bayonetta, she reached a point she couldn't fight on her own. She needed a boost of energy, and that would come from the resonance. "Yes!" Stripp squeezed Bayonetta's hand, ready to hold her the moment she turned.

[Dirk Strider | Cave System | OPEN]

[splinterstrider]

Swimming through the tunnels and entering the caves were a very odd experience for Dirk. It was darker than he was used to, even on Derse, to the point where he had to remove his sunglasses for a bit, although he eventually dropped them back on after he exited the sunken tunnels. At his back was a sheathed katana, which Shibusen had been so kind as to provide. He was pretty sure it wasn't as good as his old one, but he'd practiced with it enough at morning training to get used to it.

He noticed something was off very quickly after they left the tunnels and entered the cave system. He feels a dull pain that he's certain is the Madness Wavelength, but he tunes it out, even as he travels closer to the Emitter. Eventually, he finds himself at what basically constitutes the end of the line for him and at the same time gets his first good look at what the Madness Wavelength is capable of doing to things constantly exposed to it. As he puts a hand to the weapon at his back, he notes to nobody but himself that he's pretty sure he's seen uglier before.

An oversized snake lunges towards him. He's not as fast as he was before BREW got its claws in him, but this thing might as well be moving in slow motion. The blade given to him by Shibusen slides free from its sheath in one motion, then in one more, he slashes into the snake's neck. He leaps back, keeping mindful of the other creatures. He knows he's not the only one here, but he's not about to let his guard down, either way.

Here he was, acting all careful about fighting what basically constituted the scrubs that guarded the rest of the scrubs. Geez. Well, gotta start somewhere. That's what he told himself as he engaged another of the animals, anyway.

[divide_by_zero]

One advantage about being a robot? Not needing to breathe. Zero eschewed the scuba gear to run his way through the underwater tunnel. He did take a borrowed sword with him and it proved handy for trying to slice apart wildlife.

Concentrating on killer monsters was better than listening to Sigma's ugly laugh trying to echo into his brain. He saw someone else engaging in combat and ran to help them out. "You all right?" he asked.

[Demona & Londo | Cave System | Closed]

[pmsgargoyle]

After the water, they finally reached the caves. She wouldn't need any light since she could see at night, but the worst of this was the fact that there were no air currents in this place; she could not fly. Demona was in disadvantage.

And she wasn't happy. At all.

She felt angry and annoyed and tense and there was something scratching her brain that made her feel so... this was madness, she knew. And she tried to fight it. But there is only so much a genocidal gargoyle fueled by hatred could do.

Demona turned to Londo, reaching out her hand for him. "Let's go deeper." they probably wouldn't be able to get to the emitter, but she wanted to fight.

[proudambassador]

Londo couldn't see well, not with just the mushrooms, he was wet, it was chilly, and he could feel something eating at him. "Deeper. Of course, yes. I begin to despise these Witches. It is always somewhere cold, or dark, or bothersome. They could not make bases in places that are nice, no."

He sighed and took her hand, transforming. At least he'd feel less cold like that. "No wonder why they want us to help. Their own people, they would not like going down here either."