EVENT: Battle Against the Kishin Adachi

[soul_mods]

Characters: Anyone who signed up for Mission 254
Location: Matsue City, Japan
Rating: PG13
Time: September 11th
Description: It's time to bring down the Kishin Adachi, once and for all!



Matsue was once a lovely city and a nice place for tourists to visit.

It is now a ghost town.

Some lucky citizens had managed to escape the city before things got really bad, but they are the minority. Even fewer still are those who stayed and are still alive.

Most of them are dead, or worse, they had been driven mad by the Madness the Kishin Adachi exuded and killed their fellow citizens and consumed their souls, becoming Kishin Eggs. To make matters worse, sometimes when you're fighting you'll hear the distant rattling of chains and some primal part of your soul knows, something wicked this way comes.

And then there's all the Yellow Fog...

Only those who persevere will make it to their final destination: the Adachi Art Museum where Adachi is.

It will not be an easy fight, but in order to prevent the fate of this city from befalling on another, everyone will need to try.

((OOC: Please indicate in the subject: Character || OPEN/CLOSED. There will be a separate thread for encountering Adachi. Event information is here.))

Comments

[loveanddreams]

The birds served their purpose, sacrifices to their unseen assailant to gain time for them to escape. Eventually, the chains grew fainter and then died out completely. After a couple of more minutes with no sound other than Rosalia's footsteps, they were in a cramped alleyway and it seemed safe again.

"I believe we've lost our pursuer. Are you all right?" He didn't think she had gotten hurt during the chase but it seemed best to be certain.

[bloodinbloom]

Rosalia remained hidden though, crouched with her knees pulled up to her chest, even after the sound died away. Her heart was still pounding and she was holding D close. Really, she was on the verge of tears, a few escaping her eyes.

"I-I'm okay... I have to be okay if I'm going to help anyone..." With one hand still holding him, she wiped her eyes and sniffed.

[loveanddreams]

"Miss Rosalia, what's wrong? Perhaps, we should return if you feel unwell."

The way she curled up like that, like a little child hiding, she was obviously distressed about something. Attempting to continue with her in this state seemed unwise.

"No, what's really unwise is that you're allowing yourself to get attached to a human again."

The voice came through the fog, a distorted version of the count's, as the Shadow stepped into the alley, the only thing distinguishing him from D's human form being two yellow eyes rather than a mismatched set of yellow and purple.

[bloodinbloom]

"But... I don't want to leave everyone behind fighting..."

She would come out in another minute. Rosalia just had to get the Madness under control.

That's hard to do when the voice called out though. She jumped and blinked, almost fumbling with Count D. Tilting her head, her brows furrowed a bit. "C-Count D?" But... wait, she was still holding him. And then she noticed the eyes and how both were bright yellow. "Ah--!"

[loveanddreams]

D wasn't happy to see the Shadow. The two yellow eyes made it look exactly like his grandfather and it was almost as if the man who had raised him were admonishing him again.

"Careful, Miss Rosalia. Let's get away from this illusion of the fog, shall we?"

However, the duplicate had other ideas, moving closer and blocking their way.

"But shouldn't she hear about how your family's goal was to kill all humans?"

[bloodinbloom]

"Uh... okay..."

She stood up and turned, but the Shadow was there. Rosalia stared at it, holding onto D.

"... Huh? What are you talking about?"

[loveanddreams]

"Don't pay mind to that imposter. It's trying to trick you."

At that, the Shadow's smile seemed to become a little more sinister, a malicious gleam entering its bright yellow eyes.

"Trick her? It's simply the truth." Those yellow eyes looked into Rosalia's. "That man that you're holding cares little for human lives and has helped bring many to an end."

[bloodinbloom]

Though D said to ignore it, it was kinda hard to ignore the double in her path. Not to mention, how it seemed to become more intimidating. She took a step back, head ducked slightly.

"He... has? But... what about Chris?"

[loveanddreams]

"Chris is fine. He regained the ability to speak and returned to his relatives." That was the truth, nothing sinister there although D had been sad to see him go.

"Yes, Chris. That boy and his brother were two of the humans he got attached to. But others weren't so lucky. He didn't hesitate to feed those who crossed him to his dangerous pets."

[bloodinbloom]

"That's... good." But the Shadow was still talking. And it looked so much like Count D, it was hard not to listen to it.

"Cross him? Cross him how?" And to his pets? But... but why? Rosalia was confused and it wasn't helping her fight the Madness.

[loveanddreams]

"It could be as simple as threatening him. Thugs who broke into his shop or attacked him. They usually became pet food."

Meanwhile, the real D was becoming irritated within the soul space, something his partner might be able to sense through their connection although he tried to keep his voice pleasant.

"Miss Rosalia, let's try exiting at the other end of the alley."

[bloodinbloom]

She could sense it, but she was having very mixed feelings.

"O... kay..." Turning, she started to the other end of the alleyway. They were supposed to confront it, right? She didn't know if she could make D face himself though.

[loveanddreams]

But the Shadow wasn't going to let them go so easily. Following, it placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned close to her ear.

"Don't leave yet. You haven't heard about the customers who died after bringing home one of his pets."

"They were warned the shop couldn't be held responsible for the consequences if they broke the contract," D coldly stated. "Now, stop manhandling Miss Rosalia and we will be on our way."

[bloodinbloom]

Rosalia was not feeling very comfortable.

"D... didn't they say you had to... accept what it says?" Because she wasn't sure if she would be able to run away. There was fog everywhere and this one kinda just... appeared.

[loveanddreams]

Poor Rosalia wasn't likely to feel any more comfortable about the Shadow's other hand appearing on her other shoulder.

"Yes, since you're becoming attached to this girl, I don't think I'll let her leave until you do. After all, I am part of you even if you wish to ignore it."

"Do you really believe that mockery of myself?"

And at that, the Shadow's already long nails grew longer and more claw-like, its smile becoming the type would give Leon the chills. Uh, oh.

"It is the truth. You've helped along many humans to their deaths. Yet you still couldn't help getting attached. What would your grandfather say if he knew you were doing it again?"

[bloodinbloom]

Rosalia jumped slightly and kept a tight hold of D. Maybe she shouldn't believe the Shadow, but it was hard when she noticed how claw-like his hand was becoming.

"... D..." She squeaked. "I-Is it so bad? You want humans to die, b-but not all humans are bad. I-I don't know what happened, but I'm sorry... and, a life of wanting everyone dead... it sounds lonely."

[loveanddreams]

D noticed the claws too, like the sharp talons on some of his pets, and considered changing back to pull Rosalia from the Shadow's grip. He didn't want the girl hurt. But she was holding his form so tightly and the words made him pause.

"...It is," he quietly admitted. "Pursued and hunted, hated, I almost gave up on living shortly before I arrived here. Humans slaughtered my kind down to a single man in Ancient China. My family vowed revenge and grandfather always reminded me we could never forgive the humans."

[bloodinbloom]

"... So, you felt like you were... not keeping your promise when you befriended Chris and his brother?"

She didn't mean to grip him this tightly, but the talons. Hopefully talking him through it worked.

[loveanddreams]

"I began to wonder if there was hope for humans after all. But because of my family, because I'd drawn attention to the shop again, it was impossible for me to stay. I had to leave, push them away. It was foolish of me to become attached to humans."

As he spoke, the claws slowly shrank, moving back towards their usual length.

[bloodinbloom]

"Is it? I wouldn't mind having friends... even if it was for a short time."

She felt bad for what happened to D and his family, and upset that people did what they had.

[loveanddreams]

"It is when my family had sworn revenge, promised the animals whose speech we could understand that we wouldn't forget their suffering either. Many of their species died out as ours almost had and numerous animals still suffer at the hands of humans. Humans that would call me a monster if they knew what I was, what I had done."

They had been like a little family. Leon, Chris, himself, and the pets. But he had known it couldn't last.

[bloodinbloom]

"... Did Leon know?"

She didn't mean to pry, but she naturally became curious. Also, they were missing something that the Shadow was still there.

[loveanddreams]

"Yes. The dear detective was always accusing me of various crimes and threatening to arrest me someday. He learned what my family was in the end and that was why I had to leave. I enjoyed his company and was sad I needed to push him off the ship."

Meanwhile, the Shadow was loosening its grip on Rosalia's shoulders, slowly fading away.

[bloodinbloom]

"You pushed him off a ship?"

Well, that sounds a little scary. The Shadow was disappearing, but they were still going on with their conversation. "... You had your reasons though... I... can't apologize for everything that's happened and understand that you hate humans... but I want to help you get home if that's okay."

The end's a bit hard to explain... Whether it's partly a dream on Leon's part or something...

[loveanddreams]

"The petshop was really a flying ship. And he finally could see the animals' true forms. But humans still hadn't earned the right to board that ship. He should have survived if that's what you're concerned about. What my father did caused far more harm to the detective."

He looked up within the soul space, surprised, although she'd be more likely to feel it through the resonance than actually see it. "...You really would help me even knowing what I've done?"