[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

[cardfortress]

[The Weapon's relief is obvious through their resonance, but he doesn't let this small victory distract him: he focuses even harder on keeping his partner anchored, reaching back for Mello's mind with his own, much like what his partner is doing.

He hears his thought, too, and Near hopes that the blond can keep on believing it when the madness truly gets stronger and they have to fight it to the very limits of their resonance.

Hoping to make this easier for Mello, the Weapon visualizes the scenario in front of him, thinking in numbers: closest creature at an angle of 60º to Mello's right, getting closer at an approximate speed of 25 centimeters per second, and Near does all the necessary calculations inside his head, to get his partner to see without actually seeing.]

Is it working?

[want_the_world]

[Mello's not relieved yet. He doesn't feel the madness pushing at his awareness anymore--for now--but the effects are still with him.]

Yes.

[That's all he has the concentration to spare for; he's focused on letting Near's words draw a mental picture of their surroundings for him. Some of the warmth of their resonance is starting to come back, the connection getting less staticky. Mello takes aim, trusting Near's calculations.]

All right, take it out.

[cardfortress]

[Near follows Mello's lead perfectly and effortlessly, targeting his laser attack at the creature, but Mello's aim isn't perfect: the gigantic spider is now missing a few legs, but far from being dead. That can give them some time, at the very least, but the creatures mutated by the madness are more resilient than their normal counterparts would ever be, and faster, as well.]

Lower my Weapon form by three centimetres and move your arm 10º to your left. We need to finish it off before another creature comes along.

[want_the_world]

[With their resonance feeling stronger again, Mello's sense of what the mutated creatures will do is coming back. He adjusts his aim as Near says to, then immediately re-adjusts to target a beetle the size of a small dog.

He notices with relief that he can see the eerie glow off the cavern walls once more.]

Ready to go deeper in?

[cardfortress]

[The sudden clarity and stability in their resonance feels like a boost of energy, and Near uses his laser ability on the mutated beetle, finishing it off. He's ready to use the lasers at any other creature as many times as necessary, and as long as they can keep this level of resonance up.

He knows the madness is only going to get worse, and he knows how difficult it will be to pull his Meister back. But their resonance is strong enough to make anchoring his partner possible... right?]

Yes. You?

[want_the_world]

You know it.

[But he hesitates for an instant before continuing on, taking a deep mental breath and quickly taking stock. His vision's fine again, and he feels the same sense of renewed energy Near does, like a second wind.

He knows he's going to need their resonance at its best to withstand the next onslaught of madness, so he does what he can to make sure all the walls in his mind are down, and to hell with how much it reveals. Embarrassment's secondary to survival.]