[Open] There and Back Again

[soul_mods]

Characters: Rescue Operation volunteers, kidnapping victims, medics
Location: Underground tunnel system, beneath Death City
Rating: Varies
Time: May 13th, 7 AM
Description: The mission's simple: Arrest the perpetrators, and get our friends back. Of course, the kidnappers aren't going to make it simple...



The first step was finding a way into the tunnels connected to the sewers. Thanks to Guest investigators and the Death City Police Department, two entrances were found, allowing for a pincer movement. The mirrors are primed and ready to go, situated in the sewers proper by dawn and ready for a quick extraction of the abduction victims. On the other side, in the Shibusen clinic, medics are on standby for medical treatment of the victims and the fighters heading in to clear out and apprehend the masked weirdoes.

But the masked weirdoes have tricks up their own sleeves: The tunnels are littered with pit traps, thin wire triggers waiting to be sprung (or disarmed) with darts, arrows, or even falling rocks and debris in store for any intruders that decide to enter these makeshift halls, and the perpetrators themselves are armed with melee weapons, smoke and pepper bombs, and sheer numbers.

Today is also the day that the kidnappers have decided that a little isolation would make the prisoners more compliant. Roughly hauled up bright and early one by one, they're on their way to individual chambers when they each get a message via clairvoyance as promised:



"We're coming."




[ooc: You know the drill; tag your characters in and make your own threads using the following format: [Character(s)][Location][Open/Closed], and the victims are welcome to make threads as well for interactions among each other and those that find them. The operation will be complete at around noon with arrests taking place for a few hours afterward, for those in need of a timeline!]

Comments

[Kanji/Aranea][Tunnels & Prisoner Chambers]

[consider8]

Energy. Power. Everything that Kanji was experiencing was flowing into and through Aranea. Like a constant stream of emotion burst forth from the last bulwark walling away the raging sea. The last time the troll felt anybody feel this strongly was when she was dead and her empathic sense allowed her to experience the emotions of those around her. Yet something was different while connected. Instead of just sensing it, Aranea felt it intimately. As though they both were and weren't a part of her psyche. She felt it too, and far be it for her to restrain it or push it back she added her own emotions, too. She was just as worried for her friends. Just as worried that they would be harmed. She knew that this was going to provide her the best means of directly aiding them. So in that regard, she was every bit as focused as Kanji was.

Yet she also expressed another large feeling, one of compassion and temperance. She knew well the devastation Kanji's feelings, left unchecked, could evoked. So she added her own: emotions regulated by conscience, urging the meister towards a path that will find their friends and get them to safety. Gentle and firm, subtle but present.

Still...

You are doing well, Kanji. That last push knocked three people on their feet. I do believe you may be getting better at regulating it's output, now.

Akiha-Sion-Kanji-Aranea?

[ritsu_kouyou]

Akiha didn't know who the Weapon Kanji was currently partnered with was, but she knew those glasses were their form having never seen the big man wear them before. Falcon-headed staff with a forked end resting on her shoulder, Akiha crouched next to where Kanji had come to a stop.

Her eyes weren't on the criminals ahead of them as Kanji had that well in hand, but they were on the floor and the walls. It felt too... easy.

"Careful, Tatsumi. I'd rather us not end up buried because you brought the ceiling down. Who knows what that might set off here."

Sion... How structurally sound is this tunnel?

They were there to help get Naoto, but mostly to watch Kanji's back.

[computations]

It is stable enough.

As in, there were no real worries. But she'd rather not stop there.

Considering the relative newness in construction in comparison to other places in far older areas, you could say this is far more fit towards wanton violence than any other area. A cave-in is unlikely and, if one were to happen through other means, it could easily be outrun and an exit could be found elsewhere.

She wasn't one to stop with the simple explanations. That and she wasn't claustrophobic so the idea of being trapped didn't really ring home with her. Besides, as long Kanji could keep up what he was doing, getting out of a collapsed tunnel wouldn't be all that difficult.

Works for me!

[topgun_textiles]

Despite his brusque and reckless personality, the soul couldn't hide much of his inner worries; Naoto'd been through a hell of a lot before she was kidnapped, and to think of what the abductors may have been doing with her was keeping that anger at a steady boil. It powered the Descent, gave it an extra punch.

Yet Aranea's influence was keeping it all steady, lest he concentrate his ability into a wider array and blow away poor Akiha and Sion as well. The Emperor was rather flawed that way- to charge ahead and get things done, much to the dismay of others around him.

Thanks. Been workin' on it. He turned and took in Tohno's warning. He hadn't thought about it much until now, but his ability was a shockwave... granted, it'd been a while since he took a mission underground.

"Death City got rocked by a pretty big quake a while back. If these tunnels are older than that, then I dunno if I'd be doin' much of a dent." But he looked up now. The paths split here. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a silver pocketwatch, looking at the digital number reading at one corner of the face before he held it up before both entrances, taking a few steps. To think a gift like that would come in handy like this!

"Damn it... where are you...?!" But in those three steps forward, he felt his foot land upon something that was taut a moment ago, but had now snapped. A wire...?

[consider8]

Aranea was appreciative of the help of the meister and weapon pair following him, though her attention focused more on figuring out where to go, but her mind also wondered who these people were and what were their ultimate goal. If they wanted them to leave, what sense was it to kidnap their own people? So many contradictions, so many things that just didn't make sense...

While I am gladdened by the rumination of the integrity of the tunels, I feel I should remind you to be careful, Kanji. We're entering into an area we don't have any information about this area or what could be--

Almost on cue she felt the tug and the bewilderment flare as Kanji tripped the wire.

...oh, fuck.

[ritsu_kouyou]

Good to know. I assume you've committed the maps of the sewers went over in the briefing to memory? We'll need that to keep oriented properly if we end up having to run from a cave-in.

Akiha was glad to know that the tunnels had already survived an earthquake on top of Sion's analysis. She also wasn't claustrophobic, but who wanted to get caught underground? As much as she wanted to make haste, this had to be done properly and with caution lest something worse happen than already has.

"Careful, before you--"

Akiha had been in the process of telling Kanji to calm down before he overlooks something when she heard the faint sound of something snapping. She reacted immediately.

Trap.

Not sure exactly what the trap was going to be, Akiha darted in front of Kanji and, with a strength someone her size shouldn't rationally possess, shoved him back a couple steps with a hand on his chest while bringing the staff up. The repetitive twanging sound of some projectile being fired from one drain pipe of the sewer rose from the side.

A flurry of arrows shot from the pipe just as Akiha got her Weapon in position as she turned toward the sound. Two were deflected off the shaft of the staff, one flew over her shoulder as she spun to get out of the way and the last was accompanied with the audible ripping of fabric and a faint stinging pain on the Meister's thigh.

Back hitting the wall next to the pipe, Akiha drew in a couple quick breaths. "You okay?"

Who she was asking wasn't clear.

[computations]

Of course Sion was okay. She was the weapon here and doubted such a low level attack would penetrate through whatever natural defenses she possessed. Which means that Sion was sure that Akiha was asking everyone else, despite the fact that she was injured, if even just a little bit.

But Sion wanted to be sure that said arrows weren't poisoned. If these people wanted to kill, they made not have slacked in any way, shape, or form.

You should ask yourself that question. Just a scratch from something with a poisoned tip could be dangerous.

It was said without urgency but she was still worried about it.

[topgun_textiles]

He hadn't felt much of that snap, but that expletive practically had his ears perk up. He couldn't recall the last time he'd heard Aranea swear-

A whole lot of movement happened at once, and with a strength that was unexpected, he was knocked back those few steps and had no time to really take in the situation until it was happening- an arrow trap triggered to one side of them, and the snapping of the wooden arrow shafts as they break upon impact with the opposing stone wall. But he knew the sound of torn fabric when he heard it, and quickly checked himself first before-

"Tohno-san!" Did she seriously just...!?

"Y-yeah, I'm fine, but- y'didn't need to-!" He'd triggered a trap like a moron, and Akiha could have been seriously injured or worse. He clamped his mouth shut briefly, and went to her immediately, hiking up the duffel bag at his side.

"One of 'em got ya. Where is it?" If it were the case of tainted arrows, it was something that needed an examination and pronto.

"Sion-san, y'feel anything off?"

[consider8]

Aranea felt the twinge of fear, and knew immediately that Sion needed to be looked at. Fortunately, Aranea served as a medic during the time that the madness emitter was placed in the underground cavern. Though, for something like this resting on top of Kanji's face would do no good whatsoever. With a flash of light, she was standing next to Kanji, offering to take a look at the wound.

"Superficially, it doesn't look like you are in any immediate danger," the troll said cautiously, "But it isn't like poisons outside of the movie screen were color coded with violently green residue to warn people of their lethality. I would recommend that you sit tight for a little while, but since I honestly don't believe you'd let this slow you down, do be sure to check your heart rate and breathing to make sure there are no irregularities or sharp pain originating at the wound. If you begin to feel weird, exit immediately and seek medical assistance. Please." The last please held a soft and earnest desire that Sion did nothing to continue to harm herself.

She gave Kanji an askance glance. "Either way, we're going to need to be even more careful now that we know they've been preparing for us."

[ritsu_kouyou]

Resting the forked end of the staff on the ground and letting it lean in the crook of her shoulder, Akiha glanced down at her leg. Skirt torn from where the arrow grazed her, she could see her own blood slowly welling up through the rip in the black fabric of her skirt. It didn't look bad and other than the sting of the cut itself, she felt fine.

But, with a sigh and a frown, she hiked her skirt up enough that Kanji could get a look at her soccer shinguard 'armor' the two inch long shallow cut on the side of her thigh.

"I'm fine."

She then blinked at Aranea when she appeared. Whereas Akiha knew there were trolls, she'd never actually talked to one before or saw one in person. And it was only her upbringing that kept her from stupidly stating the obvious 'you're a troll' as if Aranea didn't know what her own species was.

"Check the head of the arrows for anything that could be poison."

She then internally rolled her eyes at Sion, turning her head to look more at the falcon on the staff. Are you going to fuss all over me, too?

It wasn't that she didn't appreciate it, but she felt they were making too big of a deal over a scratch considering the other injuries she had sustained in the past on missions. And, really, she was far tougher than she looked, thanks to her heritage. Not that Kanji or Aranea knew that...

[nofarplaneyet]

"Nice going, Kanji."

Auron stuck with using the flat of his large sword to knock away people. There were enough that no one got stinted a chance to beat on the kidnappers.

"Just keep a rein on that temper and you'll have your girl back before you know it."

[topgun_textiles]

"My g--" He wanted to fluster. Had the urge to fluster. But instead clamped his mouth shut and let his face burn, nodding firmly. Now seriously wasn't the time to get hung up on a little teasing. He'd spent enough time screwing around, waiting for this morning.

He shouldered the folding chair and nodded to him, looking down the tunnel.

"Sooner she's found, sooner I don't have to rein in shit," he growled, and continued quickly on his way.

[consider8]

And in the corner of Kanji's mind, a soft chuckle might be heard...

[nofarplaneyet]

"Fair enough. Just keep an eye on..."

Auron held up his hand to get Kanji to stop. "There's something up ahead. Something wrong with the way. You've still got two eyes. Take a good look and see if it's trap in the wall."

[topgun_textiles]

He paused, but nodded. He didn't know much about traps, but had seen a few of them coming in and was confident he could recognize the triggers when he saw them. So he pushed aside his worries.

Aranea, can ya sharpen the eyes a little more? Those trip wires are a bitch to catch.

He moved ahead. Primarily it seemed to be triggered by snapping some sort of line at a level most convenient for severing, but the light was bad here, masking them almost flawlessly.

[consider8]

It was true, though the traps seemed to have an unintended positive effect. It leveled Kanji's anger at least enough that he wouldn't charge ahead blindly.

If my being glasses are anything like my own eyes, you should be able to see in clearer definition and better in the night with your left eye. Try closing your right.

[nofarplaneyet]

"What's up? Did you find anything?" If necessary, Auron could trip it with his sword as it was certainly long enough.

[topgun_textiles]

He tried closing his right eye and, strangely, it seemed to work perfectly. He saw better than he did with both eyes, even if his depth perception took a little bit of a hit. But there it was, a little glimmer on the floor a little bit ahead of them.

"Yeah... got some wire- gonna point it out t'you." He looked up.

"Whatever it's for's right up in the ceiling. Sure as hell don't wanna find out what's in that little room up there."

am I too late for the spiderparty?

[overkrill]

Meenah almost passes Kanji by entirely as she vaulted over one of the nearest fallen opponents- she would have ignored him entirely were it not for the glasses on his face. The familiar, horn-rimmed glasses that she knew for a fact were also the weapon form for a certain spidertroll. So she stops, blinking slowly, and then in a blink is peering up into Kanji's face, not much caring about how much she may or may not be intruding on his personal space.

"...yo. Is you wearin' Serket?"

It was obvious that he was, of course- Meenah could tell- but it still seemed necessary to ask.

Nope!

[topgun_textiles]

Wow, hi, he liked his personal space. He was distracted from his mission when this troll seemed more than happy to step right into his bubble.

"Serket? -- Oh, Aranea! Yeah, I'm workin' with her." Man, it'd been a while since he heard the last name. There was a spark of shame over the connection, if only briefly. His memory was kind of fried right now.

"Friend of hers?"

:::;)

[consider8]

Don't worry about my name, Kanji. Aranea's voice echoed. I'd probably forget it too if I was in your position.

She wondered a bit how her frond would react to her being used as a weapon on a mission. Well, at least she was being proactive, right? Her biggest concern was for Kanji, who she knew would be more than scrutinous of.

Yes, that's right, Kanji. This is Meenah Peixes, my closest friend. Though she is a bit of a pain in the butt. As though to confirm that, her soul was marked with a tint of ease and mild annoyance.

"Hello Meenah." She decided to add, speaking from the glasses.

[overkrill]

"As good a one as she's got," Meenah replied to Kanji with a shrug, easing back and crossing her arms a little. She hadn't gotten a hold of Ramza just yet- but she knew her weapon would come along soon enough. At Aranea's greeting, she blinked and then reached up and prodded at the glasses with a thoughtful hum, raising an eyebrow behind her own.

"Yo Serket. You figured out what you doin' up there finally?"

Did someone say spider party?!

[heretic_hamlet]

Thankfully sound carried well in these tunnels- Ranza had fallen behind after tending to a few unlucky trap victims via his healing wavelength, but Kanji wasn't exactly the sort to blend in with a crowd. Meenah even less so.

"Meenah, Kanji. ...Are we all met? Is Serket with us?"

However, a second glance combined with what words he'd heard on his approach reminded him that Kanji didn't usually wear glasses; and those frames were, suffice to say, not his style...

"Ah, she's a weapon; a thousand pardons, Serket."

He was quick to follow suit; he soon took his place beside Meenah, and moments later that polearm-and-banner stood planted in his stead.

"I trust you've fared well thus far? Already I've seen my share of wounded volunteers..."

[topgun_textiles]

He adjusted those glasses smartly, and it looked like Meenah had a workable Weapon. Maybe she knew how to use Ramza a helluva lot better than he did. Never seen him in action in a way he was intended. Oops.

"Makin' our way to wherever they're holdin' 'em, but they got a thing for fake tunnels leading to jack shit," he grumbled, but pointed down a path with the folding chair in hand.

"Just swung back- this one I never had a look down yet, but traps are slowin' everybody down." He clenched his teeth. Most annoying sons of bitches ever! He'll take the kishin eggs over this crap. With that, he started on his way, and closed that eye briefly just as before- where were those wires...

[consider8]

Over the conversation of Kanji's griping, Aranea managed to convey to Meenah. "My abilities to see and provide clarity is very helpful in this situation. Kanji has avoided a fair number of traps with my guidance. He has not been especially needy of me as a physical weapon. He is quite powerful on his own, that way."

And with that, she returned to her meister. I know that you are frustrated, but keeping a clear head is important too! And don't forget that I am here to see too. We can use both of our eyes to catch the -- watch out, belly-length wire!