[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

[usedforcepalm]

Hanabi's task (and Hinata's by extension) in the mission was to run back and forth through the cave system to the Emitter Chamber, delivering supplies as needed to the experts dismantling the Madness Emitter. She was also carrying out the smaller pieces of the Emitter in her backpack. It was a good thing she was accustomed to vigorous exercise and could handle running this much.

She'd been instructed to keep running unless a kishin egg was blocking her path or right behind her, in which case she'd have to fight. The first priority was supply running, though. There were enough people here to help fight that she thought she could evade most of the eggs.

Especially with Black☆Star and Tsubaki here. It wasn't hard to miss the sound of his voice carrying through the cave system, and in fact, was a pretty useful distraction that allowed her to slip by a few kishin eggs without even being noticed. With the speed he could go at while resonating with Tsubaki, Hanabi knew there wasn't much chance of moving herself at that pace, no matter how hard she pushed herself. But since they were here, they were one Weapon/Meister pair whose skill she had no doubts or concerns about.

Eventually, Hanabi's luck with evading kishin eggs ran out and she was forced into battle with one. Hinata's Weapon form significantly amplified her Soul Menace and after dodging several attacks, she forced the sisters' combined energy into a vital point.

One sickening 'SPLORCH' sound later, the glowing red kishin egg soul hovered harmlessly in the air. As for Hanabi, she was left wide-eyed with a bit of goop spattered on her face, hair, and shirt.

"...ewwww."

[big_star]

While fighting, Black☆Star made sure to keep Hanabi in his sights whenever he could, though he knew she could take care of herself much better than most of the people here - she was his student after all. It didn't stop him from watching out for her though, of course not.

So when that kishin egg had come at her, he'd moved closer to that area without pausing in his fighting, just in case Hanabi and her partner needed assistance.

However, like he'd thought, she had no trouble with it, but after killing the kishin egg and seeing the scene before him now, he couldn't help it. Laughter spilled from his lips as he regarded Hanabi, and appeared at her side.

"That was a good shot! Though next time ya might wanna tone it down if ya don't want guts all over ya." Shoving a hand into his pocket, he pulled out a small bit of cloth that belonged to Tsubaki and held it out.

[usedforcepalm]

"Thank you, sensei," said Hanabi. She took the cloth gratefully and wiped her face first, then her hair, and gave herself a brief wipe. She also wiped down Hinata's handwrap form, although Hinata would probably feel cleanest after a shower.

Hanabi would allow her big sister dibs on the shower, but she was going to have to insist that she get the shower before Neji or Lain since they weren't on this mission. Somehow, she was pretty sure they'd understand.

"...I was going to ask you about training before because Hinata-neesan's Weapon power amplifies Soul Menace and I'm not really used to it, but you had to go and meet with Kid and I forgot to bring it up after that."

At least she was able to handle herself on the mission, but she was having trouble determining what just the right amount of force for defeating a kishin egg was. She suspected it would take a few more disgusting experiences before she got it right.

[big_star]

Black☆Star made a noncommittal sound at the thanks, before he turned away from her so he could keep his gaze on their surroundings.

He was still paying attention though, and after nodding to himself, he replied, "Right, ya gotta get more adjusted to using it while resonating with her then. Not the same as when you're on your own." The power levels were probably a lot different, he predicted.

He grinned. "Leave it to me when we get back to the city. In no time I'll get ya used to it." And he meant it, helping his student gave him a great sense of pride, and it was satisfying, too.

"For now there ain't no helpin' it, their gonna explode like that." It had been kind of funny, admittedly. Well, to him. "How's the supplies runnin' going?"

[usedforcepalm]

She looked forward to the training. Particularly since with this level of soul wavelength power, she could probably manage a true kaiten. She'd been working on advanced Jyuuken moves with her cousin, and had begun learning that technique years ago. As time went on, it was less and less clumsy, and much closer to what it was supposed to do. The only thing she was missing now was having enough power to use it completely on her own.

"I guess I'll just look forward to a long shower when I get home in the meantime," she said, not looking forward to the kishin egg explosions. Perhaps it was for the best that her focus was supposed to be on supply running instead.

"It's going well enough. I have to be careful not to let anything hit my backpack, just in case the equipment gets damaged...but it's letting me work on my dodging."

She wished that she was capable of using Byakugan here. It would have helped tremendously, but only Neji's meister ability worked like that.

[big_star]

He laughed and nodded. "Right, good idea. Dunno what nasty stuff is in 'em after all." Not that he especially cared, but clearly Hanabi would prefer being cleaned up as soon as possible.

"You're quick, so I know you'll manage." He didn't have much to worry about as far as she was concerned, in his opinion. "If ya get in any trouble or anything though, you know who to call!"

He'd certainly come to the rescue.

[usedforcepalm]

"I'll make sure to shout for you if I need the help, sensei," said Hanabi.

She doubted she'd need the help as it was, but things could happen. If she fell and hurt her leg badly enough, she would need an assist. She had no doubt in her mind that he'd come to help her if she needed it, and that he had the strength to fight whatever she couldn't.