soul_logs | [OPEN] Mission 155

Entry tags:

[OPEN] Mission 155

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Bakura gave a small startled exclamation as he was grabbed, adrenalin informing him that this was it and he was going to be eaten again. He stumbled back, falling on his butt the moment his double let go. "Aaa!" he exclaimed, trying to recapture his gun, a different sort of panic flooding him. No no, not Vash's gun, he needed that, that was important, he couldn't just---!

"It's not loaded!" he whispered, voice frantic. "I ran out!" Give it back give it back, he needed that to--

to...

His breath started to calm slightly as even just being in close quarters with his double helped push back the Madness's effect on him slightly. Now if he could just stop panicking...

"For the love of- Everything you touch is useless!!" He all but snapped at him (though he kept in mind to do it at a low volume) as he edged further back.

Instinctively he moved to gather all o f his own snowy-white hair and press it as close to his skull as possible when he heard the sounds of something non-human draw closer. Tossing his doppelganger a meaningful look, he moved for him to stay silent as he shifted his hold on the gun with the intention of using it as a club or a projectile instead.

There was a flash of anger on Bakura's face before he grabbed hold of his double's hand, all but shoving the extra bullets in it with a pointed glare.

If the Voice at all damaged his gun using it like that...!

He rolled his eyes and took them, fiddling a little around as he tried to put them properly into the gun without having any light. Once he was sure they wouldn't just fall out again, he gestured Ryou once more to remain silent as he edged back even further.

There were sniffing sounds coming from the other end of the crack.

Bakura frowned as he kept his eyes trained on the opening. Without looking back he reached out very slowly with his free hand until he could touch his host's shoulder. He didn't like to initiate any kind of connection between them, but having the fool do anything stupid would cost more than just his own life so he had to. If the touch of his soul were a smell, then it would have been the aroma of an old grave deep down inside a pyramid: dry and old yet clean, full of past impressions of things that had happened and yet in a strange ultimate way peaceful since they were log gone and nothing new had dared to intrude upon it, it was full of contradictions that made it feel just wrong and made the hairs raise on the back of one's head. It was dangerous, but not outright malicious.

'How many followed you?'

Bakura tensed slightly at the touch, almost flinching before he relaxed.

It felt like the Ring had always felt when he had held it. All that time, was he really...?

He shook the thought off, focusing on the present.

'I don't know, I didn't want to fall when I was running to check...'

With his luck, the moment he turned to check, that would be when there would be a rock in the path or another monster just around the corner... He might be stupid, but he had seen enough horror movies to at least sometimes know what not to do!

'Tch' He tried to sever the connection, although a feint sense of worry and alertness still managed to come through if Ryou felt like exploring it.

Turning his attention fully back towards the monsters, he tensed. He didn't like this situation at all, it made him feel much too much like a corned animal with nowhere to go.

It only seemed to echo Bakura's own, even has he unconsciously clung to that thin connection, needing it to stave off the encroaching madness. It had been stupid to come alone when he knew the madness would be heightened, but with how things where...

'If it's a kishin, the gun alone won't work...' It wasn't a directed thought, just a quiet worry. If Yuugi were there... even with the Voice, he'd find a solution.

.... except he hadn't that one time, had he? That was how he had ended up in this entire mess to start with....

He shook off the thought, blaming the Madness for it, trying to focus on finding a solution to this problem.

... that wasn't the same as that one had been.

From what he could feel - faint echoes of madness, similar to dark magic - it was at least one kishin out there. He scowled.

'I know!' His hand crept to one of his knives which was now bloody and splintered at the edge. 'That's why I'm going to use more than just that.'

Bakura fell silent, but there was still a strong undercurrent of doubt and worry. The only thing that could kill a kishin was a living Weapon... Did the Voice really think that he could do it on his own...?

They were going to find out about that soon, because a loud snarling sound came from the other side of the crack. Seconds later, a clawed hand was reaching through the crack, futilely trying to grab one of them and drag him outside.

Bakura gritted his teeth, but didn't start shooting yet.

The less pointy Bakura shrank back, barely keeping from crying out, one hand over his own mouth to help keep him quiet, a small litany of panic running though his mind. Logically he knew he was out of reach and that if either of them was going to be killed, it would be his double... but that would leave him alone with the mob...

He waited until the kishin egg had moved its head close to the crevice and then shot it pointblank into its mouth after inching as close to it as possible. The injury caused it to reel back, its own yell of pain hiding the noise the gunshot made.

Quickly dancing back out of its reach, the thief laughed, low and breathlessly. "Don't like that much, do you, ugly? Keep try, I still have a lot more for you!" It sounded a lot like a challenging hiss of a snake.

Bakura flinched as the shot echoed, barely managed to back out of the way as his double moved.

It was too close quarters, to tight, to cramped, too much like--

No. No, no no, not thinking of that, not not--

His shoulders curled in as the effects of the Madness filled his ears with the sound of shattering glass, crunching metal and screams cut short and he took steps back. No, no, stop it, focus on the present, focus on--

His eyes snapped open and he turned just in time to see the arm swiping at him from an opening in the small cave he had been pulled into. With a far too high pitched yell that may or may not have been a curse, he stepped back, tripping over the uneven floor and starting to fall.

It was the d10 that landed, however, Bakura huddling in the relative safety and sanity of his Weapon form.

His attention flickered to the side as he heard the sudden commotion behind him. Cursing under his breath, he rewarded the seeking hand with one of his daggers that he pushed through it with all the force he could. There was another shriek and then the monster was caught, unable to move either for- now backwards like a monkey with a lump of salt.

Cursing under his breath he returned his attention to the first enemy which seemed to have learned by now that getting carelessly too close to their hole was a painful mistake. Then he started smirking. "Hah, I didn't know you even knew words like tha- Where the fuck are you?"

It would probably have been easier to find him if he hadn't stepped onto the die in his hurry.

'Get off me!' The reply was slightly distant and somewhat angry. It wasn't as if Bakura was afraid that he would be crushed (he was pretty sure he couldn't be, despite the seeming cracks that were on his surface) it just was very uncomfortable to have that weight on top of him.

..not to mention that it chafed what little pride he had.

" -" He raised his foot and gave the little thing a meaningful look. "If you were looking for a hiding place, that's a very good one." He gave it a small kick. "Now get out of that before I toss you out there to entertain the monsters!"

Or tripped on him, which was more of a worry even if he'd never voice it.

'No. It's safer in here,' came the stubborn response. 'You took my gun, what else am I going to do but be a target if I'm any other way that this?'

...and being in that form helped him fend off the Madness that had been beating away at his sanity so that he could think properly instead of panicking.

"Be less of a hindrance, for one." And because he has no problems making his threat true, he picks the die up and moves as if he were going to toss it right between the monsters outside. "Remember, don't stumble when you're running."

The red thread reaches out and clings tightly to the Voice's palm, the full force of Bakura's stubbornness behind it. Like hell he's letting that jerk throw him to the wolves!

He curses and tries to get the little, clingy thing off. Not again!!

Oh yes again. It's very rare when Bakura gets his back up, but he'll be damned if he lets himself be thrown away.

'Did you think I would just let you do that? If you don't want me underfoot, find somewhere else for me to hide, but don't think you'll get rid of me like that!'

Oh hell, as if he'd really have done that after he just saved his life! He bites down a curse as he barely moves out of a searching claws reach in time. The monsters hadn't missed that something was amiss between them.

'I'm not putting you into my pants!'

There was a distinct lack of trust when it came to the Voice. Bakura wouldn't have put it past him.

'Don't you have any other pockets?!' If he was wearing Bakura's clothes it was more likely than not.

Not.. that Bakura was too inclined to let go even that way. Resonating helped fend off the Madness, after all. Even if it was with that jerk.

He had, but rather hell would freeze over before he let a guy he didn't trust get anywhere near close to his weapons.

'Forget it. They're full with things I actually need.' Unlike certain clingy former hosts who looked just as unreliable in their Weapon form as they were in their true one.

'I'm not letting go,' Bakura responded stubbornly. 'This is the only defense I have against the Madness and from getting hurt!'

There was a silent, almost resenting 'You took my gun, what else am I supposed to do?' only half audible follow up, not one directed, but bitterly sent none the less. Without a Meister and without his pistol, he had no way to do anything. All he could do was hide in dice form to keep from going Mad and making things worse.

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