[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

[computations]

Soon but not now.

Akiha wasn't warm enough when put in accordance to Sion's standards. A few more minutes, that was all. Just a few more, or so Sion reasoned to herself. Part of her mind filed and logged away why she wanted that couple more minutes, and would dedicate some time thinking on that later. Mostly to find some excuse or reason to her aberrant behavior. For now, it was the cold. It was most certainly the cold.

[ritsu_kouyou]

Akiha didn't even try to argue with Sion, relenting to her partner's decision. She didn't really want to get moving, preferring the heat of Sion and the coat over the cold and biting wind, but she knew they needed to get moving. This should hold her out until they found another enemy, even if it was just a Maddened animal, so she could take its energy.

I don't want to put you in danger by taking too much of your boy heat.

[computations]

You are not taking my body heat. Such an idea is patently idiotic.

Body heat is perfectly self sustaining, even in their current situation. Come on now, Akiha, not everything is going to have the same definitions you are used to.

Stay right here as long as you need.

[ritsu_kouyou]

...shut up.

She glowered a little, not liking having that pointed out to her. She'd been referring to getting Sion's clothing wet as her own were wet.

And... thank you.

Akiha then gave Sion a small squeeze before relaxing again. She's not sure what she would've done if she'd been with someone other than Sion.

[computations]

On the opposite side, Sion is unsure how to respond. She admits that she probably should show some level of willingness to do whatever for Akiha. How to express that was something that was currently out of her social reach. Maybe Akiha would pick up on it...maybe. Sion would probably be better of trying to find ways to express it.

The least she could do is say 'you're welcome' but instead, Sion stood there. With no appropriate decision, she ended up doing absolutely nothing.

[ritsu_kouyou]

Sion most definitely would be better off expressing it as Akiha did not pick up on any of it. She was too busy assessing her own condition to bother reading Sion through their link.

She was getting warm enough to move on, especially since her leg was throbbing now. She hoped she wasn't going to need stitches. Akiha had never been injured to the point of scarring. As much as she disliked her demon heritage, it certainly made some things convenient. The leg was stiff, her ankle bothering her. They needed to get moving before the pain got too bad or the joint locked up.

It's time to go.

[computations]

O-Of course.

Apparently, she could even stutter through their connection. One brought on but something that wasn't the cold.

Sion let go of Akiha so they could continue on. Her body didn't creak from the cold like she thought it would, probably because of the outcropped blocking the wind. She did seem a little...less chilly. Not wanting to count her blessings, she did step back out into the wind, ready to continue their little adventure.

[ritsu_kouyou]

Akiha looked up at Sion when she stuttered like that, only a few inches away, and canted her head just a bit before stepping back to let Sion zip her coat back up. She wasn't sure what had brought that on...

Her thoughts on the matter were interrupted as she started back onto the path, groaning audibly as she limped. She needed to walk it off. At least she wasn't an Akihacicle anymore.

"Here," she said, holding her hand out. "Let me carry you. I'm not sure how fast I'll be able to get to you if we come across another enemy."

[computations]

If that's what she wanted...

"Please use me as a walking stick, at least."

Such a subservient position but, right now, Akiha needed it. So Sion wouldn't complain. She transformed and landed herself into Akiha's hand. Now that she had some free time in this form, she hoped that things wouldn't be nearly as cold while in it.

[ritsu_kouyou]

Taking the staff, Akiha did not use her partner as a walking stick. No, her pride wouldn't let her. Instead, she rest the staff on her shoulder, limping up the path. She figured she would get used to the pain again or it would numb enough that it wouldn't matter.

She also wasn't in a talkative mood, so she kept her thoughts mostly to herself. Every once in a while she longed for the warmth she'd had not too long ago.