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.
- 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!

Threaded | Flat

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.

[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!"

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.

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.

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?

[ 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? ]

[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]

*Okay, it was freezing.

Chika couldn't help but shiver, even underneath all her layers upon layers of clothing that she was wearing. It was just that cold out. She was... really going to have to be a bit more choosy about which missions she went on in the future. Though, considering how important this one was, there wasn't any real chance of her staying behind, even if she really didn't like the cold that much.*

Can we have a nice warm tropical mission next time?

*She sighed, before turning to look over at Aqua. They hadn't come across anything dangerous yet, but it was only a matter of time.*

Hey, you holding up okay?

[It's cold. Gai's bundled up as much as he can be, but it's still cold. He was from Fire country, not Snow, and he'd never really gotten used to the snow and the cold. Every mission there he'd rather disliked, to tell the truth. But now they were headed up, throw the snow and the storm, and his cheeks were beginning to burn.]

It should not be too much farther!

[He had to shout to be heard over the wind. It was taking most of his energy, though, to stay optimistic.]

We will make it, Kakashi!

It was the chance to observe a Witch in action that had caught Waka's interest. The vague summary by Shibusen was far from satisfying, and without the sources he had once possessed in Nippon, the only way to find out more would be to find one himself. Not to fight it -- he wasn't quite arrogant enough to think he would stand a chance as he was now -- but to watch.

Not that this snowstorm was helping the visibility any. Fortunately it worked the other way around as well; be it through luck or something else, he managed to avoid Kishin Eggs and other monsters as he made his way towards the summit, far beyond the areas Shibusen had assigned for unpartnered guests.

Waka squinted at the skyline, trying to estimate how far he was through the raging storm. He would have to be more careful the further up he got... Besides the obvious threat of a Witch, he was beginning to feel strangely heavy and trip over things that shouldn't be there. It was growing darker, too, despite it being daytime. So this was the famous Madness wavelength he had heard so much about... Not that different from the cursed zones back home, surely. He could handle it.

Ducking behind trees, rocks and walls, he slowly made progress towards the emitter, confident in his ability to keep his presence hidden.

It was freezing. Who cares how much Sion had bundled up in preparation. She was used to dry, hot climates. Cold and wet were her absolute bane and it showed. Her body was visibly shaking and she huddled in on herself. Not only that but her cheeks were a bright red, the blush caused by the cold and the wind.

"Is this really worth it, Akiha?"

Sion never thought she'd be turned off from a mission but right now, she was having second thoughts. If only her brain would work faster. If it weren't for the cold physically slowing her thought processes, she might be able to figure out a way to get around the biting weather. Why, Egypt, why?

Edited 2012-09-29 23:45 (UTC)

Being on the mountain made Auron think of similar treks up and down Mount Gagazet on his pilgrimages. Like those trips, he wore heavy clothing, gloves and a red hood to cover his head. The shades helped to cut down on the snow glare.

Would he be able to find a Weapon in need of help? That would remain to be seen.

[The fauna affected by Maddness were relatively easy to deal with...as long as she wasn't caught by surprise.

One had to wonder how long their luck will last.]

Sheena paused, her eyes and ears scanning the area for any signs of trouble. Unlike many of the others, she was wearing only a scarf with her normal outfit. It's design kept her warm for the most part, and if she needed to move, she couldn't afford to be weighed down by any heavy clothing.

She knew from her own experiences that medics tended to be a target in any battle since without them, people tended not to survive or be able to continue to fight. A thought that made her wish that she had been able to bring her gels to this world to make their job healing the physically injured that much easier; too bad they couldn't help with the Madness.

Sighing, she turned her gaze to the mountain; maybe if she hadn't had such a bad experience with the Madness, she would have a partner by now and she'd be heading up there, too. She was definitely going to have to remedy that as soon as possible.

Raidou hadn't expected to dig out his winter coat again, yet here they were. The wind was bitingly cold as it kept blowing his cape back. It wasn't quite as bad as some of their missions earlier that year, however, and so they pressed on, slowly making their way up the mountain.

While the cold didn't worry him overly much, Raidou was bracing himself for the Madness. It would have too many things to target, and Rei's recent disappearance hadn't helped his mental state. It might have been safer to stay behind, or to remain on the lower areas... But in the end, he couldn't just hang back. The war had to be finished, and soon.

It was kind of divine irony (of the worst kind) that had led the both Bakuras to decide to go and try working on this mission together, albeit each one of them had not only different motives but would be also quick to blame the other of how exactly it had come to be. (There had been lots of arguing and back and forth snarking involved, as well as loud complaining, shouting, some whining and one or the other death threats.)

Having an idea of what to expect from the cold weather thanks to his stay in Japan, Bakura had opted to wear light-colored winter clothes that he had acquired at a high quality from Shibusen's local army and sports shops (the bills were going to Shibusen), starting from a warm cap that covered his hair to a neck gaiter, sturdy boots, gloves and so forth. Together with the rest of his pale appearance it made him look a lot like a particularly angry snow wraith.

At least part of his anger was directed at the snow mobile that he had found and been busy trying to spur back into working for the last fifteen minutes, muttering to himself and the thing angrily.

Unlike most of the mission goers, Kid didn't need as much gear. He did dress accordingly, but it was just him and his weapons. He needed to carry light if he wanted to get through the storm and up the mountain. If it weren't for the storm he could have just used his skateboard to fly, but as such they had to do it the harder way—climb.

But after tearing through their own fair share of kishin eggs, the other parties after the witch had split up and the trio moved closer to the summit where the snow was the thickest and the winds the harshest. If visibility had been better, they may have been able to see the Emitter further ahead. Still quite a distance, but close. Even without sight they could feel it, and even if the witch had her Soul Protect off (and it was likely she did at this point), the amount of Madness was making difficult for even Kid to pinpoint her location. And there were moments when he would see familiar flashes of the Kishin Asura's symbol or suddenly become hyperaware that there was something else out there. Something that could come and grip his very being and tear him apart—

He staggered a few steps and pressed a hand to his forehead as he snapped out of the delusion, taking a few deep breaths as he did. No, he couldn't lose his focus here, Not now. Not when so many were riding on their success on taking down the witch. Otherwise destroying that Emitter was going to be impossible and there would be more fatalities.

"How are you two holding up?" he finally forced himself to say through the storm. He had to stop thinking and maybe some small conversation with his weapons might help.

Edited 2012-10-01 20:58 (UTC)

It was beyond cold; it was bitterly, unrepentantly freezing. Yako had on two sweaters beneath her coat, a hat and a thick scarf, and she could still feel her teeth chattering. Worse than the weather, however, was the Madness. She could feel it pressing in on her, trying to squirm its way into her head and seep down, poisoning her rationality and shattering her focus. Being close to a Meister helped keep it at bay, so she hadn't strayed more than a foot or two away from Kaworu since they had left the safety of Death City.

"A-Are you okay?" Even with him so close, she had to raise her voice to be heard above the howling winds.

These weren't the best conditions for a conversation, honestly, but Yako needed something else to focus on beside the desolate, imposing aura hanging down over them like a guillotine. Anything would do, even an inane back-and-forth about the miserable weather.

Threaded | Flat

Page 1 of 2