[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

[diedforyoursins]

Even with his empathetic abilities voided here, Kaworu knew enough about human psychology to know what to pay attention to, the eyes on his weapons and subtle movement into more open space. He smiled and casually slipped the sword away into the sheath buckled at his hip, pulling his hands away afterwards in the palms up universal gesture of 'look I am unarmed and not a threat to you'.

"What were you aiming at?" He was careful to keep his tone only curious, accusatory, and glanced over is shoulder towards where the rest to where the rest of the group was moving further away, likely to take care of another set of madness-infected beats.

sorry it took so long to get back to this sob

[withinsights]

"Shadows moved," he lied, watching those hands like he didn't quite believe the gesture, and backed off another step.

The instant the kid glanced away was an opportunity he felt compelled to take advantage of- the chance to neutralize this 'threat' and get out of there as fast as humanly possible- and he pulled the string back, wondered which limb to take out first.

Hawkeye breathed, forced himself to loosen his grip again and shook his head against the oppressive force seeking to rob him of his own will.

"What do you want?"

no problem!

[diedforyoursins]

He should be nervous, especially with such an obvious itchy trigger finger (or whatever the bow equivalent was) aimed at him. But knowing his defense system was still more or less intact did wonders for keeping up that whole angelic serenity thing, and so he simply arched an eyebrow as he looked back to the man.

"We are allies," he pointed out. "Even if I were not concerned simply because I would rather not see anyone so distressed, it is in my better interests to make sure that you are alright."

[withinsights]

"Allies," he repeated, like it was an unfamiliar word, and slammed his eyes shut as too-recent memories broke through.

How many agents..

The arrow he held clattered to the ground, expression twisting into something haunted.

"I can't.. Just go."

[diedforyoursins]

He frowned, concern slipping into his expression at the obvious pain, and for a moment he simply eyed the man, unsure of what to do. Eventually he settled for just crouching to pick up the fallen arrow.

"It hardly seems wise to leave anyone on their own in this place," he said gently, careful to keep his movements slow as he extended his arm to offer the arrow back. "Especially a person who is so obviously distraught."

[withinsights]

He eyed the arrow, then the person offering it with that same vague suspicion.

"Gonna get yourself killed, doing that," he informed the kid, focusing on the words in an effort to shrug out of the blue-tinged darkness plaguing him. "What are you gonna do about it?"

[diedforyoursins]

"I think it would be very difficult for most people here to kill me," he replied smoothly, smirking. A bit arrogant, perhaps, but then he was in a position to be arrogant. "And if I am in less danger than most here, then it seems fair that I be the one to wait with others until the danger has passed. Even if waiting is all that can be done."

[withinsights]

The city had no shortage of arrogant kids, seemed like. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but he'd feel better if there was something behind it.

"How'd you do that? Stop my arrow."

[diedforyoursins]

"Here, I believe they would call it a Meister ability." Talking was good, if it kept the guy distracted until the madness or whatever it was that was messing with him let up some. "Where I come from, however, it is similar to what is called an A.T. Field, the light of one's soul."

[withinsights]

Right, he'd heard about those. Briefly. Shiny new alien powers. "So if I tried that again, you'd be able to stop it?"

Hawkeye reached out with slow fingertips to retrieve his arrow, all in plain sight in an effort to ignore the urge to test the theory with rapid fire shots. But the implication of neutralization tempered the burst of violence lying in wait with an undercurrent of curiosity and a little hope. He didn't like killing kids.