soul_logs | [OPEN] Mission 156

Entry tags:

[OPEN] Mission 156

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.
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The wind whipped around the medic area. Fortunately Shibusen had managed to set up a number of portable walls to help deflect the merciless winds to protect those within the camp. There were three large tents set up with cots and medical trays, and along the walls, guards could be seen patrolling the area, their thick boots crunching the snow beneath their soles while they protected the medics and patients within.

It was impossible not to notice the fact that there were those here in this camp that were here for a specific reason. Yuri had done what he could to ignore the presence of Kerrigan and Obito the best he could, and moved from tent to tent to check on the few individuals who had either been injured during battle or affected by Madness.

His injuries still pulled at his torso whenever he turned or made too much of a move, but the Judge managed to keep any reaction to the pain away from his expression. Instead he kept a polite air around him as he finished bandaging up the stitched up arm of one of the fighters, before stepping back and informing the young patient to rest until the mission was complete.

Wiping at his brow, he gracefully moved to pull the long bangs from obscuring his view and tucked it behind his ear. There was much more work to be done, and he couldn't let his thoughts distract him from his mission.

[action or prose is fine by me!]

[Date's pretty used to freezing temperatures, Oshu is pretty far up north. He opts instead for a less flashier appearance, dressed in a long dark coat and close fitting thermal trousers. Currently, he's prepping himself for the trek ahead. There's a roaring fire and he's choosing to stick close to it for the time being.

He and Tem had an advantage in that they would be able to traverse long distances in Tem's usual dragon form, but to do any assaults they would immediately lose that. So Masamune's got some in the form of plain old assault rifle, courtesy of rummaging through the weapons storehouse at The Watch HQ. It really was nothing more than a diversion if they were caught in the air but he'll take any advantage given to him.

Except he doesn't quite know how to put his guns on in this instance. So he's just kinda working out how the rifle works for now. Don't mind him. Or do.]

The Madness was thick on the slopes of the mountain. Already he could hear the sounds of the creatures mutated by Madness crawling through the terrain up ahead. They wouldn't prevent him from reaching his target. That thought caused his lips to pull up into the barest hint of a smirk.

This was where he was in his element, and despite his weakness to the Madness in the area, the ex-General wouldn't let anything stop him from reaching the summit. With his left arm shifting into a slender blade, he wordlessly took off up the mountain.

Sephiroth couldn't move any further up the summit with the way that the Madness pressed against his mind. Gritting his teeth against the force, the ex-General remained frozen where he was. It took everything that he had to maintain the beast within. He could feel the monster clawing at his mind, wanting to be released, but that was something that couldn't be released.

"Cloud," the ex-General ground out, calling for his Meister to prevent what they both knew was coming. He couldn't afford to put Cloud into any danger, now with the threats that surrounded them.

It was too bad that the ski resort was closed- for all the world, he was dressed warmly, as if ready for a day-long trip down the slopes. Perhaps with this Emitter down, they could see about it reopening.

But for now, with the storm raging all around them, blowing stinging snow and ice in every direction, Kanji had to focus on the mission at hand. His leg was wrapped tight, and he'd done everything he could to make sure it wouldn't become a problem. The cold helped with that, taking the edge off the pain, but there was nothing to say what would happen once his extremities warmed back up once the mission was complete. Pulling his scarf tighter, obscuring the lower half of his face, he trudged through the snow and thought warm thoughts: Hot chocolate, soup - shit, he was gonna make a ton of soup when he got back - hot springs...

Kanji froze when he saw something moving ahead. Well, that didn't take very long, did it? He pulled his focus inward, preparing a Soul Descent, and his eyes narrowed.

"Get ready!"

It had been a cold journey, though nothing like wandering the frozen storms of the Northern Crater. He managed to find a scarf for his neck and face, but otherwise, his body was left to fend for itself as usual. He had scouted ahead a little ways, looking for the summit or any sign of more of those white hairy creatures that they had fought once lower down. The animals were almost as dangerous in the madness it seemed.

Yet, it was Sephiroth call of his name that alerted him to real danger. He hopped, jumped and slid his way immediately to his partner, feeling the shifting change inside of Sephiroth that indicated madness was thick. Reaching out, he gently took the silver-haired man's wrist in hand and stepped in close as he held his katana to one side as he protected them both until Sephiroth was able to settle again. "It's alright. I'm here with you," he murmured comfortingly.

In truth, he had intended to seek Nagi should there be a pause in the flow of patients to the Medics Area. Pulling his cloak closer around him, keeping his hood drawn, he tried to discern what he could from the hellish landscape, wondering if perhaps he'd stepped onto Jotunheim, the realm of the Giants without even realizing.

Not built for climbing mountains by any stretch of the imagination, preferring to teleport here and there, he found himself feeling unusually vulnerable. He hated it. He needed to find a Meister and shift forms soon, and continue with his original plan.

...And that was when he'd pushed the buttons of dearest Lily Ivory far enough, and she'd decided to find those in need somewhere among the slopes. What sort of human being was he if he let her go out on her own? Why, he turned and followed right after her. He hadn't any idea of whether or not Lily was a Meister, but two heads were always better than one.

"Somehow I doubt freezing to death was part of the mission objective!" He called, the howling winds nearly stealing the sound of his voice completely.

Sarah normally enjoyed spending more time in the combat area, but since the attack on the medics, she had held herself back. She understood that the medics were generally people who were unpartnered and busy attending to the wounded coming from further up the mountain. She also was thinking of Watch duties in protecting them, an act she normally extended to a small few.

Of course, the small few were also in the medic area, but she was fine with that too. She spent much of her time outside in the cold, moving around the perimeter looking for signs of movement but also keeping an eye on those moving from tent-to-tent. She had seen Yuri a few times as he went about his business, but she was content to be armed outside.

She moved with a light precision, making almost no noise on the snow and stepping where others had so her tracks were covered. She carried her rifle in hand, just in case something hostile came within range.

He was already beginning to lose himself as he felt the monster within starting to take control. The world around him disappeared before his shoulder erupted with the dark wing. It spread out wide right as Cloud came slipping down along the mountain path. With the mako glowing brightly within his eyes as he pinned his cat-like gaze on the familiar blonde.

Yet there was a hand around his wrist, and that madness within his mind began to subside. It took time as he broke away from the monster clawing within, and as he heard those soft words murmured to him, Sephiroth felt his mind return to him.

"Cloud," Sephiroth quietly muttered, the wing against his shoulder relaxing as he turned his face away in shame. He had once again become the instrument to Cloud's destruction with no way to prevent such an outcome.

Cloud didn't panic or even get upset when the wing emerged from Sephiroth's shoulder, aware somehow that he would arrive on time. His fingers closed around the coolness of the leather and he remained vigilant until he felt the silver-haired man relaxing. He didn't let down his guard just yet and glanced up as a wave of shame assaulted him.

"None of that now," he called to his partner, tilting his head a little. "You made it much further into the madness than last time. This is good; it's progress and you have to give yourself that," he said confidently as he sheathed his sword across his back. With his hand free, he caressed the feathers of Sephiroth's wing. "Give it time. You're defending yourself better and better every mission we do."

Hisoka may have preferred lighter, easier-to-move-in clothing, but he wasn't an idiot - he'd hunted in enough mountain slopes to know how to dress.

Instead of his usual loose pants, and a tank top, he had a thermal underlayer, thick fur-lined hiking boots, snow pants and a fur-lined snow jacket over the top of a double layer of long-sleeved shirts. Thick gloves adorned his hands, while a scarf was wound around the lower half of his face so only his eyes were showing.

They glinted in the sun that was reflecting off the snow.

He was ready to hunt.

There was nothing but the sight of those calming blue orbs as he stood there fighting the madness away from his mind. The words washed over him, and the shame he felt lingered within as his attention drifted back towards his partner.

He could feel the fingers brushing against the dark plumes, before he nodded his head. "There are still moments where I feel myself slipping," Sephiroth admitted quietly before turning his gaze up towards the summit beyond Cloud. "We should focus on this mission." It wasn't a dismissal, but more because he wanted to make sure that Cloud remained safe.

They would wait here for as long as it would take for Sephiroth to feel comfortable and to shake the emotions inside. He wasn't about to push for resonance when it was obvious that his partner was still shamed over the growing lack of control. He was here to protect Sephiroth's mind, even if he knew that the mad side would probably just take pleasure in running off and little else.

"Those moments are few and far between now," he replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "You're too hard on yourself," he added as he tugged lightly on the the wing that hung nearby. He turned his gaze towards the summit as well, flexing his shoulders as he rearranged his scarf on his neck. "We might be first to the top."

Perhaps he was being too hard on himself, but that was all that he knew how to be. The tug, however, did manage to calm him further, and despite his attempt to change the topic, the ex-General found his attention shifting back towards his partner.

"Perhaps, but I have you to remind me of myself," he quietly murmured before feeling the lingering traces of madness disappear. It caused the barest sigh of relief to slip by his lips, and with a subtle nod, the ex-General began to transform.

Cloud had once again protected him, and he would do the same for his partner.

Tassadar's armour protected most of his body from the cold and biting winds as he charged through the area towards his prey. His people were gifted in many ways, as their bodies were easily adaptable to almost any type of environment, and it was no different here as his large form travelled with ease. While his visibility may have been low, Tassadar didn't need it as he instead relied on his strong sense of smell to navigate the area.

That was how he had found one of the madness crazed animals waiting to ambush whoever walked by its territory.

He didn't need any mundane weapon in order to fight. The sharp claws on his hands were more than enough to offer a fatal blow if the need ever arose. Besides, he had fought against far worse than what this world could throw at them, and had nothing but trust in his abilities in these battles.

How convenient for her white fur making her not only disappear in the cold thick, but it also kept her warm. Without a Weapon, she wasn't expected to move much higher than she was now, but that was fine. Her amber eyes narrowed and she let out a hot exhale of breath through her nose. She turned her head this way and that, ears tuning to listen through the wind.

So far, she had stopped several maddened creatures, preventing them from going any further or attacking the medics at the base. What else would come through the snow next?

Not entirely ready to split or suture still, Rosalia busied herself with the fighters brought down from the mountain being affected by Madness. The others medics, she mainly assisted, watching them closely and trying to remember everything they were doing when it came to treatment. Clean stitches, straight bandages, all of that she still needed to work on.

She paused, noticing Yuri had finished. Now was probably the time to check on another tent.

[ First underground caves, and now snowy mountains. Not unlike what he'd seen back home. He couldn't quite pin the feeling as nostalgic, it's only been a month since he got here, but it did make him think back. What he was doing right now wasn't too different from back home...To help destroy the emitters and stop the madness from destroying the environment...Just like fighting the Adephagos.

Only he wasn't, you know, a sword back home. ]

I'm a little jealous, Ange. You get to have all the exercise. [ He said blankly, looking up to her from the position in her hands. He couldn't tell how cold it was, thanks to his weapon form, but he guessed pretty cold, since her face was turning red. At least, that's what it looked like. In all honesty, she'd been this way ever since they left the tent. Jeez, what was up with her? ]

[ .. Seriously. Ange didn't even mind the whole snowy mountain part all that much. Sure, it never showed this much where she came from, and she had never visited a single mountain in her life, but she could get used to new situations. Adapting never was much of a problem for her. Plus, there was the fact she had already been on the last mission, so the idea of this one was not scary or nervous-making in the slightest.

No, the only problem here was her clothing. They had agreed there was no way she could face these mountains in her own clothes - skirts and thigh highs were not made for cold environments - but since she didn't have any pants herself.. she had been doomed to borrowing the guy's clothes. And wearing those was just stupidly embarassing her, to think she was wearing the clothes he normally wore-- it was only due to her overthinking that it was such a big deal to her, really, other people might just have shrugged it off.

But not Ange. ]

Believe me, I would switch if I could. [ Especially right now. Anything to get out of these clothes again. ]

[ Oh jeez. ] You're not still mad about the pants, are you? It's no big deal, don't worry about it. [ Though that was easy for him to say, considering they belonged to him. Ange always picked the weirdest things to get embarrassed about, though. At least these would keep her warm enough to brave the elements. Seeing his partner freeze to death was the last thing Yuri wanted. ]

Just concentrate on the mission. I heard the kishin eggs this times are pretty beastly.

[Basically, he can't see shit. At the moment he is really glad he fixed his goggles, else this would be a lot worse. Adding that, it's also really cold (Arctic kind of cold) and just looking at what they have to climb up is making him tired already.

This is such a fucking bad idea why the fuck is he even there?!

At least he has a gun - even though he technically is a gun, but Matt feels a lot safer with one - and while very unsure about all of this, Sollux is there too. He is still trying to figure out if that's a good thing or not. He's trying to trust the kid, who used to be Matt's partner so it means it did work out before, but the troll is still a stranger in a way.]

We can't use Portals here. [there is also that.]

[fml: fuck matt's life]

For all that he hated the desert heat sometimes, Neji was beginning to think that he preferred it over the chilling cold seeping through his coat and the flakes of snow and ice stinging his eyes. He had goggles, but they were uncomfortable at best, pinching the veins that rose on the sides of his face as he activated Clairvoyance.

Neji swept the area with his Meister ability, constantly alert for threats because he needed all the warning he could get to have time to discard the snowshoes for combat situations. Turning away from a suffocating wind, Neji squeezed his eyes shut, blinking with exaggerated motions, and raised gloved fingers to massage his temples.

"When you start getting even slightly tired, Lee, transform and I'll carry you. We don't need to waste energy here."

[When she was told it was going to be cold, Demona was pretty sure she could handle it well because Gargoyles have thicker skin and different metabolism and she is much better than those pitiful humans and she is great and why would she worry.

Yeah. No.

It really is very cold. Too cold. In the end, she is glad for bringing along something that covers her skin more - she accommodated the clothing so her wings and tail could still move easily - and she has come to the conclusion she can't really glide through the air with this weather]

We will have to walk.

[there is no way in hell Saya will walk. She looks up at the slopes and sighs, annoyed.]

We are going in blindly. We are nothing but cannon fodder, like this. [she isn't happy with the situation. It's very cold and they can't see much.] One step ahead will take us two steps back, we need something else.

[The genius eyes the lifts. No. Too unstable. If they stop in the middle of the journey ahead, it might be impossible to get off them due to height; worse, if they actually fall, they could get really hurt. She isn't about to risk it]

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[OPEN] Mission 156

Medics Area

[Yuri Petrov | Open]

Date Masamune | Open

[Sephiroth | Heading up the Mountain | Open]

[Cloud/Sephiroth | Towards the summit | Closed]

[Kanji/Tifa | Heavenly Mountain | Closed]

no subject

[Lezard/Lily | Heavenly Mountain | Closed]

[Sarah Kerrigan | Around the tents | Open]

no subject

no subject

[Hisoka | Lower slopes | Open]

no subject

no subject

no subject

[Gray/Tassadar | Lower areas -> up the mountain | Closed]

[Amaterasu | Lower Areas | Open]

no subject

[ Yuri Lowell/Ange Ushiromiya | Lower Areas | CLOSED ]

no subject

no subject

[ Matt/Sollux | Lower slopes | Closed ]

[Neji/Lee | Up the mountain | closed]

[ Demona/Londo | Lower Areas | Closed ]

[ Saya/Sendo | Lower Areas | Closed ]