[OPEN] Mission 156

[soul_mods]

Characters: Open to participants who signed up here.
Location: Lake Tahoe, CA
Rating: Various.
Time: March 27th, late morning.
Description: The second of the three Madness emitters outside Death City is the target for this mission. Bundle up, everyone -- it's gonna be a cold one.

The mission begins late in the morning, to allow the mission-goers as much sunlight as possible in the warmest part of the day. Not that it'll help much… Temperatures are well below freezing already -- unnatural even for early Spring in the mountains -- and a howling snowstorm threatens to blot out the sun, beginning up the mountain where the slope just begins to rise sharply.

The slopes themselves are fairly barren: a windswept-looking tree here, a cabin that may have once belonged to the snow patrol there, maybe a Madness-crazed bear or mountain lion. Those braving the storm are lucky enough to see five feet in front of their face in these conditions!

Those brave few who manage to make it to the top (enduring falling temperatures and defeating the corrupted fauna and hulking kishin yeti along the way) may come across their goal at the very summit of the half-mile-high mountain: the Madness emitter itself, in the eye of the storm… And one last obstacle: the Witch guarding it.



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]
- If you have any further questions, the mod thread on the coordination post is here!

Comments

[crs01]

It was nothing he was entirely used to. Being in the middle of a battlefield was never something he pictured himself doing. He never pictured himself outside of prison either after all that happened. They were all living things out here though and he needed to remain focused to assist with the more serious of wounds. There was something different about it though. With every touch he made on any of them physically, he saw those pictures. It did not get any better as the day progressed.

He told himself that whatever it was had something to do with this place. Kurapika mentioned how often their abilities would have something to do with what they did back in their own world. If that was true then what was it that he was seeing? There was not a healing ability that went along with any of it. Perhaps during a war was not the best place to try and assess that though. He had a job to do and nobody standing around to tell him when he could and could not continue work with those who were essentially his patients.

The array of tents were almost daunting to him. There were so many coming in and out it was difficult to keep track of it all. Like the others stuck behind here, all he could do was wait and stare off until he was needed again. In this back and forth, he saw a familiar face. Their conversation in the beginning was still something he was having difficulty with, but she was here to help just the same as anybody else was. Whatever they spoke of was unimportant here.

"Rosalia, do you need any extra assistance with the people coming in?"

[bloodinbloom]

She had been staring blankly into the distance again when CR called to her. Jumping, she turned to face him, eyes wide for a moment, but then falling back to a calmer state. There were a few flecks of blood on her coat by now, but nothing a short round of bleaching couldn't take care of.

"Not right now. Most of them have been conscious enough to get inside and lay down."

There may have been one or two stumbles earlier, but with some extra support, Rosalia had managed.

[crs01]

He did eye the blood on her coat, but it was to be expected in the line of work they were focusing on. It was admirable to see somebody be able to stand there and not be losing it in the middle. As far as he was aware of, she was not even a nurse.

"You seem to be doing well at it."

His eyes went back into the snow towards where the battle was going on. He did not have it in him to fight and cause harm...but he did not like waiting either.

"I wonder...how many people out there cannot make it back to the tents before it is too late."

[bloodinbloom]

Obviously, there was more to know about her. At his comment, she smiled and nodded. "I'm trying to do the best I can."

Following his gaze out to the snowstorm, Rosalia blinked and the smile curved downward as she nodded.

"I was thinking about that. I wouldn't mind going out with a Meister to look for people who might be lost, but I don't think I could hold my Weapon form for too long."

[crs01]

Did that mean she had figured out her form? If she had then she was definitely a step ahead. Somehow...he was not surprised by this. She seemed so determined to learn that she must have discovered it easily enough.

He wondered...what she was capable of. Was she able to fight against the enemies here? Did she become a a straightforward weapon or something less conventional?

"...What is your form?"

[bloodinbloom]

Rosalia did her best. She twirled a ribbon around her finger, but then lowered it, clasping her hands together.

"I'm a ribbon. I don't really know what I can do though..."

Could Weapon's heal people? Were they only meant for combat? Maybe she had a more supportive role that wasn't healing, but still useful to a group.

[crs01]

A ribbon. That was indeed unconventional. From what he had seen out of the wounded coming in and out of here, every change had a purpose. He had seen very little though without being on a battlefield. He learned something before he came here and it was not to give up on anybody.

"...I am not sure what my own ability is...but I would be willing to find out for the sake of the wounded that are out there. I know you must feel the same."

He held out his hand. That was what he saw out of the Meisters here. If she did not want come with him then he would accept that. This was bordering insane to walk into the middle of everything, but maybe that was how they would find out what they could do. Whatever their past was could wait.

[bloodinbloom]

She stared at him when he offered his hand, both surprised and unsure about this. It was still considerably dangerous for the two of them. They weren't fighters, but medics. Going out there was the last thing they should be doing, but it was for the sake of saving people.

Rosalia decided to nod and reached out for his hand. Remembering what she was taught at training, she closed her eyes and let herself focus. She felt warmth wash over her as she changed, coming to wrap around his hand and a portion of his forearm. She already tied off in a small bow.

"...--ou hear me?"

[crs01]

It was indeed a gamble. He had no skill in a battlefield and neither did Rosalia. They should be staying behind with the other medics, but they had to see if there was anything else they could do for those out there that might not have a chance. The last thing he remembered was that girl he never had the chance to save before coming here. He told Holden that he would have to shoot him if he intended to stop him from doing so.

He had never experienced something quite like this before. She transformed before his eyes into a pink ribbon and wound around his arm without him having to lift a finger to do so. That feeling he had before...it was much stronger, but there was something else. He could feel her presence as if she was a part of him. When he heard her voice, his eyes widened somewhat and he nodded.

"...I hear you."

He spoke that out loud as he pushed himself to walk quickly out into the snow, on the lookout for anybody that might require a hand. If they ran into a Kishin egg...

[bloodinbloom]

"You can? Great!"

It felt odd being able to transform and wrapped around him instead of speaking to him face-to-face. She could still 'see' him and was physically touching him, but it wasn't normal. It was kind of like she was hugging him.

When he headed out, she bit her lip in the empty space she occupied, eyes blinking as she glanced around. It was much worse outside of the protection of the wall. Howling wind, blinding snow walls, and this was just near the base. She didn't want to imagine what it was like closer to the emitter.

"I'll try holding this form as long as I can. Be careful."

[crs01]

"I understand."

If she needed to transform back out here then it might not be much different than if they were separate and running along together. Somehow though...somehow he knew they had to stay like this. Whatever she was able to do, it was the only thing they could count on. It was strange having her this close. It was strange being this close to anybody. That image he had before that he could not identify was there.

He kept that arm close to his body as he hurried along. It was not like she would simply blow away in the wind. Despite that, there was a fear he had that they would be separated out here. The further away they got from the tents, the more he felt as if they were about to run into something horrible. In places, he was sure he could see blood. A second later it would be gone.

A twig snapped and he came to a stop. What was he going to do if they were attacked? He arm slowly went down to his side and his fist clenched.

"Rosalia...be ready."

[bloodinbloom]

Rosalia fell silent to let him concentrate on walking. These were ideal conditions for new arrivals like them. Maybe they should attend training for moments like this. Or maybe they needed to ask for some people to help seek out any injured Meisters and Weapons.

Her vision was blocked when he brought his arm close. She turned, but didn't say a word. Did she not tie on tight enough? Maybe he saw something. But then this wasn't a good idea!

She glanced back quickly at the snap, eyes widening. Was it a Kishin??

"I'm ready...!" At least, she hoped she was.

[crs01]

This was foolish of him to suggest going out here with absolutely no training in this. The conviction to find people that needed help was something he had trouble resisting after the time he spent at Resurgam. There was a fair bit of blame he felt he should have for convincing Rosalia to come out here, but she felt the same about it.

He thought he heard something else. How was he supposed to fight with a ribbon? Why did he not go out of his way to go to morning training? He knew the answer to this, but that did not change the fact that they were here now. He heard a sound again. Was it a twig he heard the first time?

"It's coming."

It did not sound anything like a team of people either or somebody that was wounded. As something rushed towards them, something he knew to not be friendly, he held out the hand with the ribbon wrapped around it. He had no idea what to picture....or maybe he did. The most dangerous thing he could think of from his own world: A virus attacking the body. Was that enough to produce a result?

[bloodinbloom]

Rosalia's nerves were creeping higher as the sound drew closer. This form was pretty useless; she wouldn't be able to save her brother if it really was an enemy. They shouldn't have come out here! It was a bad idea! A really bad idea!

When he thrust her forward, she watched as the thing came out of the snow. It connected directly with her. It felt like some of her energy slipped away, bursting upon the assailant's body as a bruise. Ah? Was that her doing?

[crs01]

He did not mean to put her out there right up against this thing. He hardly wanted to be this close. There was a moment where he nearly slipped to the ground as they grazed by. What was that bruise though that suddenly appeared? He recognized it. Did that really appear because of Rosalia?

Something about that was important. His mind was clouded, but it was like he was supposed to know exactly what this was. The same feeling washed over him before during one of his surgeries when they just-....the thing shrieked and came at them. Somehow he managed to dodge to the side.

"Are you...okay? Do you think you can do this again or should we run?"

[bloodinbloom]

Watching the thing leap past her brother, she could only stare at the bruise. That had been her doing; she knew it was her doing. Her brother would never inherit an ability like that.

"... I'm alright. I thi-... I can do that again."

But they should run. She didn't want to think what would keep happening if she continued brushing against it.

[crs01]

He did not like the way she sounded, but the only way they were going to escape would be to injure it a little further. This was his fault for coming out here. Still there was no time to hesitate. He just managed to dodge what he presumed to be a Kishin egg of some kind, managing to reach out to touch the creature again with the ribbon before sliding clumsily on the ground below

Another bruise. He saw it appear. He also saw something else or rather felt it. The image he saw before when he touched other people. He knew...how much Rosalia had actually damaged it. He could not risk doing that again, not when he was certain she would not hold out.

So he started to run in the other direction back towards the tents, hoping that those bruises would slow it down. Who knows where they would end up running towards the battle?

[bloodinbloom]

The bruise screamed as it imprinted itself against the creature's body, virus beginning its usual process of ripping through it. Why did it have to be her ability? She didn't want to infect anyone with this, not even an enemy. It was too cruel.

The ribbon tightened slightly around CR's arm as she bit her lip.

"Why did that have to be my ability?"

[crs01]

She did not sound pleased at all for something like that to be what she was able to do. He did not question that aspect of it. Whatever it was, it was something in his past...their past. He felt the tightening of the ribbon and his hand slowly closed around the ribbon wrapped around his palm.

He was having a difficult enough time attempting to run and consider what to say to her about all of this. Luckily that thing behind them was not gaining as far as he could tell. Maybe that was just false hope.

As he skidded along the ground and slowed, he was able to speak.

"What is that bruise?"

[bloodinbloom]

Wondering if she was bound too tightly, she loosened again, not saying a word. Her pink eyes shot back, but she couldn't see the creature. How quickly had it been infected? How fast did the virus spread here?

They weren't moving. She hadn't realized that immediately until he started talking. Her eyes rose, but then fell.

"... It's a poison. No... that's not right." She shook her head, curling up a bit. "It's a virus. The virus I was born with."

[crs01]

So that was it. That was what she meant by what was in her blood that the man that was apparently their father was studying. Did a Weapon also manifest something the person was in their own world? It was obviously not what she wanted at all as the ribbon curled slightly.

He could understand that. There was still something he could say about that though that might give her the only comfort he knew how to give. He was facing back towards where that creature that attacked them had been. Was it dying back there then of the virus?

"...If you did not have that ability though, we would not have gotten through that.."

[bloodinbloom]

She flinched and shifted, brushing this way and that. He was... well, having it still it... Rosalia sighed. "That's true, but I didn't want anyone to experience it again."

Raising a hand, she rubbed her eye. No, she wasn't going to get upset over this. "Dr. Stein said it shouldn't infect any of the Guests, but what if it does?"

She didn't know if this ability could spread from those infected. It would cause another outbreak.

[crs01]

He was silent for a moment, still listening for the sounds of that creature and trying to think what to say. It was obviously something that was a heavy burden for her. The idea of having something like that in her blood that could infect others...

There was always the possibility of contamination. That was the worst thing about an infection or a virus. That being said though, would this BREW really bring somebody here if they could infect others?

"...If it infected anybody, I would stop it. If it will put your mind at ease, I can run tests for you on my own to be certain."

[bloodinbloom]

She continued to wipe furiously at her eyes, managing to get the tears under control, but there was one or two hiccup in the process. When she had them stopped, she nodded.

"I know you would. That's why you're a really great doctor."

She nearly nodded again, but he couldn't see it. "I would feel better if you did. I don't think Dr. Stein understands how bad it can be."

[crs01]

"...When we get back, I will begin testing."

He was curious about something he had apparently tried to stop before. It was the way she spoke that got to him though. Maybe that was why she never sounded like she wanted to talk about it.

There was a need there to reassure her. That was what he learned needed to be done when somebody he intended on helping was upset.

"Maybe...it was meant to save lives here instead of taking them."