Okay. Clues. Unknown narrator refers to himself as male, knows and parted badly with one of the characters in Linda's territory, who has some history with gangs. Possibly that's Nicole, or Sonia (depending on who she's worked for, in the past). Linda herself might qualify, if anyone remembered she existed, or connected any of drunk-Linda's antics to her.

>dream chair thing
That's particularly ominous. Ties back to Guy. Another Tear molded human? Or just someone who was there, that day. In which case the connection might be to Rise. Although I'm not sure the tone sounds right for Jager, and last we heard he was south of the border.

>Are you the one I'm looking for?
Pff. Elizabeth, you know he is.

Response: Sigh to yourself. You already resigned yourself to this, and you're not going to try and worm out now.

Yeah. If you're paying, I'm the one you're looking for.

"Not getting paid enough...Yeah, I'm what you're looking for."

If I don't know about the job entails, now might not be a bad time to ask...

>>594283
"Maybe, maybe not. Who and what am I, to you?"

"I'm not getting paid enough for this..."

You take in a deep breath in an attempt to sigh, only to be interrupted by a sharp, familiar pain in your chest. Ah... you'd almost been able to forget about that. You briefly rub at the spot just over your heart, willing the feeling to fade away, then finally turn your attention to the girl who's approached you. The two men with her hang back a little, clearly trusting the girl, whoever she is, and you decide that she must be in charge, although as to why you can only guess.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Who and what am I, to you?"

"The Undying."

You blink, then frown. This girl clearly knows more than she is letting on, and possibly more about your... condition... then you'd like. You consider telling her you aren't who's she looking for, but get the feeling she wouldn't believe you anyway. This time you do manage a sigh, if a shallow one, and you press on, hoping to get this done with quickly so you can distance yourself from the suddenly large amounts of creepy that seem to have found you.

"I would guess that means I'm the one you're looking for. I wasn't told much about this job, so I'd rather like it if I could have some details."

"We are looking for someone. A... friend. I was told you might be able to help me, particularly if things get... out of hand."

"I... see..."

Damn it... Well, might as well get a move on then. Hopefully this was just a big, unnecessary precaution, because you really didn't feel like fighting somebody. Especially not now.

"You know where this friend of your's is?"

"Lost. Dreaming a nightmare, but not her own."

"... Right. Cause that makes tons of sense. Let's just get going then, if you're so sure about this."

"Can't."

You wait for the girl to elaborate, then frown as she simply stares back at you. You wait another heartbeat or two, then give in and ask the question you're sure she was waiting for.

"And why not?"

"Because they found us."

"Who?"

The bar door is suddenly kicked open again, and the two military types spin around only to be gunned down in a hail of bullets. You react mostly on a sense of self-preservation and years of working as a bodyguard for some very important people. Your body curls around her's protectively while simultaneously throwing the both of you over and behind the bar, protecting you from the worst of the gunfire. You curse to yourself, not even bothering to be silent, even as the gunfire halts and you hear the creak of footsteps against the wood floors. These bastards needed to pay for this shit.

They shot up all the beer.

The girl lays underneath, hardly reacting at all to her allies supposed deaths, although you have the sneaking suspicion that you've just signed yourselves up with a bunch of breakers. Well, you can't say that was completely unexpected, given who it was who'd called you.

Besides, it's not like you weren't a breaker yourself. All that was left really was deciding which of your two forms to utilize in response to the threat.

>The First: Strength Focused
>The Second: Will Focused

Huh. I wonder why Elizabeth needs a mercenary, considering how big our group has got. A specific ability? Or he affects later outcomes in a positive way?

>lost in a nightmare
Oh, great. A dreamtime opponent.

>what form use?
The str one. Guns are a physical direct threat, respond in kind. Save the wil form for the more essotecic opponents.

STR-based. CRUSH THEM LIKE LITTLE BUG!

Undeath is Underrated ??? 2014/09/17(Wed)17:39 No. 594541 ID: 1be917
File 141100079217.jpg - (74.36KB , 1024x736 , zombie-hight-definition-wallpapers.jpg )

You mutter curses at no one in particular as you reach within yourself and command the change to begin. You feel skin pull tight against bones, your body seems to cool rapidly, and you feel... less... somehow. You know that's a lie, however. You've done this too many times to not. The girl underneath your body barely reacts, even as you focus on her with eyes that bear no life in them, then you haul yourself to you feet, scanning for the first target.

You spot the poor man almost instantly, standing right next to the bar. It seems he'd come over to make sure you and the girl were dead. Unfortunate for him. Fortunate for you. Before he really has a chance to react, you lash out with one arm, fist slamming into him and hurling him across the room with ease. Normals, by the looks of it. Any breaker worth a damn would have been able to at least take the blow. That and the man wasn't getting back up after you'd snapped his spine. Poor bastard.

There are two others, both dressed in suits. Well, you suppose all three of them WERE in suits, before you'd made the one's spine bend the wrong way. You'd feel bad, but they shot up all the booze, so fair's fair. His buddies, on the other hand, freaks out for an entirely different reason, most notably the youngest one.

"Z-Zombie!"


You vault the table and land heavily on the other side, not particularly worried about either one of your opponents. The one freaking out like the world was ending starts spraying bullets at you, even as his remaining buddy yells for him to stop. You feel rounds enter your flesh everywhere, and stumble back from the force, but otherwise remain fine. Being a horrible corpse-form of yourself certainly had its downsides, but hey, at least you didn't feel pain anymore. You push through the hail of bullets and grab hold of the man's arm with one hand, his shoulder with the other. You mutter something halfway apologetic and then proceed to rip the two apart, the strength of your undead limbs making the task simple. He screams for a moment, then you put him out of his misery, silencing him with a crushing blow to his ribs, and the squishy organs underneath.

You turn to the final man even as you feel a bullet enter your skull. Ah... that was right. Zombie's were supposed to die after getting shot in the head, weren't they? And they'd called you a zombie. Might as well play the part. You let yourself collapse backwards onto the ground, letting every muscle in your body relax completely, eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. Huh. Looks like the bar owner could use some roof work. Well, would, if he wasn't dead. You listen as the suit takes steps towards the bar again, no doubt looking for the girl, and you turn you head to watch him. Man wasn't even watching you anymore. Well, his funeral.

You haul yourself to you feet in one swift motion and charge across the small space that separates the two of you. He spins to face you, looking completely confused, but that's his problem. You body check him into and through the bar counter, resulting in the suit being wedged into the shelves full of wasted alcohol. You stride up and pluck the firearm from his grasp, tossing it aside before turning your full attention on the last conscious man, getting ready to question him. Your voice, as it always does in this form, sounds raspy and scratchy, like sandpaper would sound if it had vocal cords. Or was capable of thought.

"Now, normally I'd have just waited for you assholes to leave, but you ticked me off. See, you did two things I simply can't let slide. First, you tried to shoot my client, which is a bad idea for everybody, including me. I hate doing this transforming trick. Second, you wasted good booze. Now then, you're going to tell me who you are and what you're doing, before I-"

The man's head suddenly explodes in your face, sending blood and gore everywhere. You wipe away the stuff that got into your eyes, frown in annoyance, then turn around to regard the room again. The girl is sitting in the one seemingly untouched chair, looking for all the world like nothing had happened. Her two military friends also seem to be fine. Breakers, you'd think, although you suppose that's a given by now. You'd even bet your left lung the girl was a breaker to, given how calm she was.

"I don't suppose you thought about, oh, I don't know... telling me about them before they started shooting at us."

"Knew they would not be a problem."

"Course you did... and those two military types couldn't help?"

"They were not necessary."

"Course they weren't."

"Will not be necessary from here on."

"Excuse me?"

"You are my guardian, until later... perhaps."

"... I hate you Nicole. I really do."

God, if you exist... you suck.

This would probably be a good time to clarify things, or at least see about figuring out what you're next move was. The girl seems disinclined to do anything, as if waiting for you to make a decision. The two military types are preparing to leave, although maybe you could try convincing them to at least escort you somewhere else. Might even be able to pump them for info. Last but not least, you might try searching the dead bodies for anything useful. They clearly weren't normal, maybe some of those Division 7 assholes, although the head exploding thing was a new trick if they were.

>>>Input Command

"Okay...So, military breaker guys won't be needed, now that I'm here. Glad you think that highly of me miss...What's your name again? And I'm (insert name here) The...What was that you called me? The Undying? I suppose given that little show it explains why she called me that."

Well, normally I'd be kind of bothered by this guy's apparent disregard for life and not bothering to discriminate between breaker and normal between ripping people apart. Then again, I suppose they killed the bar owner and who knows who else attacking a civilian bar, so I won't mourn much.

>Zombie
Ah. The undying, indeed. Useful, since you can soak 'deaths' without dying. Tank form.

>what say
*grump a little more* If you knew all this, you couldn't have let them not be a problem before they shot the bar to shit?

Before they go, I would ask those two talkative types if they could elaborate on any of her cryptic commentary.

Search bodies, quick, as you talk. Advantage of fighting suits- the pockets are always in the same place.

Might also want to ask your client if she has a name. And where we're going from here, since she apparently knows so much.

(I don't suppose our protag or either of the mercs can normalize the mess? Elizabeth can't, at least).

"So glad you think so highly of me miss..."

You brush more of the gore from your eyes as you mutter to yourself, already preparing to ignore the girl for the moment. There's something else more important that needs taking care of, and in your experience, there's always at least one running around in every breaker group.

"Hey, one of you two mind making this disappear?"

One of the military types frowns slightly, clearly not happy with the request, but the other simply nods and snaps his fingers, the static that hits your face completely ignored in favor of finding the bar back in tip top shape, sans dead bodies. You vault back over the bar, being sure to grab a bottle of whatever was behind you, then sit yourself on a bar stool.

"So, you two military men. What's up with the annoyingly difficult to understand girl over there?"

The one that frowned simply ignores you, while the more friendly of the two shrugs before answering.

"Honestly, we don't really know. We run the security base for this region, but a couple a days ago, she shows up and bam, we have one of the head honchos in our base, just waiting around for the perfect time or whatever."

"Head honchos?"

"Yeah... you new out here?"

"Something like that."

"Oh... Well, she's one of the lieutenants for the breaker group out here. Elizabeth... Funny, I can't really remember what her last name was... oh well. Doesn't matter. She's someone important."

"And you just let her wander around as she pleases?"

"Kinda why we're here. She said you'd be fine though, once she met you. Well, it was actually more like, 'the Undying will protect me while I weave the threads', or something."

Great. More cryptic words that mean nothing to you. The two military types leave by this point, apparently content to leave this Liz girl with you, however important she is. You pop the top off the booze and start guzzling it down, only to realize that you can't test it, because you're still undead... You toss the bottle, deciding that remaining one of the unliving will work out for the best at the moment, and slide off you chair to trot over to your new charge. Your mind briefly thinks that maybe you should have checked the pockets of those suits, but if they were Division 7, you wouldn't have gotten anything useful out of them anyway. Maybe a gun, you suppose, but that's not really your style anymore.

"So, Lizzy, seems I'm stuck with you for awhile. I'm called Revenant, by those people that still bother to talk to me nowadays. You got any idea where we're going, or we just here for some important person to do some feel good charity work?"

The girl stares at you strangely for a moment, as if somehow sizing you up, before nodding to herself in confirmation of something and getting to her feet. She pauses again a moment, then turns to you inquisitively.

"Where can we find information here?"

"Information? About what?"

"Strange things happening. Odd occurrences. Anything out of the ordinary, really."

"No, I kinda got that. I meant, more along the lines of why you would need to find information on anything?"

"Need more information to find the pattern. Understand the work. Focus my sight."

"... Whatever..."

Information... well, you suppose you could always check the newspapers or news sites. While the major ones might not care, locals ones would certainly note anything odd happening. Or you could hit the streets, talk to people. Be friendly. Or at least act like it. Talk to the right people, and you could dig up all sorts of information. Then again, if you needed it fast and dirty, well... there was always pressuring the local deadbeats and criminal elements, they were usually some of the first to note bad things happening. Or you suppose you could let her figure it out on her own. You were getting paid to protect the girl, not do whatever it was she was doing for her.

>>>Input Command

>Elizabeth... McCallahan
Well, uh, shit. I know people are supposed to forgot Linda, but that's like a consequence twice removed. Elizabeth took that name for herself. You'd think that connection to reality would give the name itself enough weight to exist on it's own.

Doesn't bode well for any of the ideas I had for Linda to be able to give her speech as herself.

>Or you suppose you could let her figure it out on her own. You were getting paid to protect the girl, not do whatever it was she was doing for her.
Do you really want to stand around all night sulking over technicalities? It's just better to get a move on.

Now, as to what to do. Friendly seems something of a stretch for you, and similarly difficult for the space cadet to pull off. Pushing on local deadbeats could get messy, quick. I kind of favor letting her skim the local news. Let her see what they're saying, or maybe more importantly, what they're not saying. Conspicuous normalized holes should stand out.

All three plans kind of require interacting with normal people, though. Unless Rev here has warped minds, you may have to drop the walking dead act. (Uh, hopefully dropping the form while filled with lead isn't a problem).

You almost immediately chuck the idea of simply letting her go about it on her own out the window. While the extra leg work was hardly worth three thousand, you'd rather get this job done fast and move on to better things. For now, that meant getting her whatever information she wanted. You decide to mess with the radio a moment, switching it to one of those news stations and letting her listen to that while you head outside to get something potentially more informative. A quick visit to a local store and you've gotten a few of the local papers, bringing them back to the bar with little trouble thanks to your abilities to remain someone else's problem. You'd never really gotten around to figuring out what let you do that, but something must have. You hand those to Lizzy as well before sitting yourself down and waiting for her to do whatever it was she was doing.

Whatever it was she was looking for, it takes her hours to find it, because the next thing you know, she's shaking you awake, and it's rather dark outside. You glance a the wall clock again and note it's just before nine. Damn, a rather long time to be one of the walking dead for. Still, you were on a job, so you'd have to let that one go for now. It wasn't even real sleep anyway, you were dead after all. More like hibernation? Either way, you stand and stretch out the kinks that had already developed in your pseudo rotting limbs, happy to be moving on. At least, you think you're moving on, until the space cadet places a bunch of things in front of you and demands your attention.

"Patterns found, but... need help discerning which pattern to look for."

"Scuse me?"

"Found patterns. Need help deciding which to investigate."

"Ah..."

You glance down at the newspaper clippings she's placed in front of you, notes and doodles drawn on each. They all seem to have something to do with disappearances, and all seem to have something to do with outsiders, but you can't make much more out of whatever she was taking notes on. Maybe if you had whatever insanity she did you could figure it out. Thankfully, Lizzy goes into more detail on each of her findings.

"This one is in suburbs. Nice place. Outsiders come to look out houses. Don't come back out. Possible place."

"Your friend was looking to stay?"

"No. Looking for disappearing breakers."

"Right."

"Next one disappearances of workers, here, in the small industrial plant. People come to work, disappear after week or two.

"I'm sensing a pattern of disappearances."

"Sarcasm isn't appreciated."

"Hey! You aren't a total lost case!

"Last in entertainment area. Small, maybe a small strip of a side road. Very little to do. Outsiders come to rest during trips through the town."

She stops after that, and you assume that means she's waiting for you judgement. You also get the feeling she's testing you for something. You frown in annoyance, this is not your thing, but you stare at the choices all the same. You can almost immediately ignore the industrial plant, only people working would go there, and you doubt any breakers would stop here if they were looking for work. They could just keep heading west and hook up with that new breaker party.

That leaves your other two options. Both were equally likely, at least in some regards. A breaker might choose to live here, keep out of the way of all the fighting found further south. Even a number of breakers, if another one was already here. Still, the entertainment area, small as it supposedly was, could be easily a place to play whatever games a kidnapper might.

>>>Input Command

Well, the first thing that occurs to me is that a small strip of a side road would take less time to search than suburbia. it's the easier of the two to rule in or out.

Psychology-wise, though, it doesn't make as much sense, though. Breakers coming in from the outside are either going to press on west, or decide to look for a place to crash. Housing seems more likely than entertainment. Especially since if they really wanted entertainment, they'd keep going towards Sun City.

Also, we gotta assume Rise and Sidhe got tripped up, here. Seems to me they'd have been harder to get in an entertainment area (lots of crap for fairy magic to mess with). They'd be easier to ambush in the 'burbs.

Arrival in the Suburbs Revenant 2014/09/22(Mon)16:42 No. 595300 ID: 1be917
File 141142934804.jpg - (18.56KB , 280x186 , House-280x186.jpg )

You debate between the two for a moment, then finally decide on the suburbs. While you feel that the entertainment area might be a bit faster to check, it seems more likely to you that someone who'd set up shop in the suburbs would be worth your time. At the very least, it'll be easier to spot anything out of the ordinary, as most housing areas seem to follow the same general pattern anyway.

"I say we hit the suburbs. More likely to get yourself a house when you're planning on staying awhile, right?"

"Mm. If you say so."

"You don't agree?"

"Make no judgement."

"... Course not."

The two of you step out of the bar, you leading the way as the young girl falls into step behind you. You get the distinct feeling that you missed something important somehow, but you let the matter drop. It isn't your place to question your employer, only to make sure they don't get horribly murdered by anything. Within reason of course. Still, this seems to be a fairly open and shut case.

If only you weren't lying to yourself, and knowing it.

The pair of you quickly make your way to the suburbs via a hailed taxi, and upon arriving find that's the sun has just set. That doesn't mean this will be getting any easier though. Thankfully, Miss Lizzy seems to decide now is a good time to do whatever it is she does, because she immediately sets off, clearly knowing where she's going. You follow along lamely behind, uncertain as to what's going on, but figuring it wouldn't hurt to let her do her thing.

A few minutes of walking and she stops in front of a dilapidated house, which for all the world looks like it came from a horror flick. She stares at it a moment, then nods and turns to you.

"The enemy is there. As is my friend."

"That's... nice."

"... You would do nothing?"

"I was hired to protect you, Little Missy. Not go into creepy houses and search for a missing person."

"..."

The two of you stare at each other for a long time. Clearly the girl is trying to get you to help her without requiring that she actually enter the house herself. You can guess as to why, she knows something but doesn't feel like sharing, but that's neither here nor there. Finally, stubbornly, she points at the house with a purpose, clearly annoyed.

"Go find my friend."

"No."

Unfortunately for her, you're just as stubborn, and your orders are clear. You're to protect the girl, not go hunting around in creepy houses, as you'd just told her.

Of course, it doesn't look like she's going to back down either. It might be faster just to get it over with. Or you suppose you could try some way of convincing the little brat to go in with you.

>>>Input Command

Annoying little standoff here.
"I can just see it now. Dude A goes: Hey, that girl's bodygaurd is leaving her alone. You go get her Dude B, I'll stall him when he enters this creepy house!
Bad idea, unless you're the sort of Breaker that can escape or warn me that I need to get to you in a hurry!"

Pff. Zombie versus glass eye staring contest. No one is gonna blink.

Why would you want to convince her to go in with you? Bringing your client into hostile territory isn't protecting her.

Hmm. If you brought the enemy to you, and dealt with them when they attack, you're technically protecting her. This could be accomplished as easy as knocking, possibly.

...or you could summon up some of your own spooks and send them into the haunted house. Technically you'd still be out here protecting her, while something else flushed them out.

You debate the necessity of using your little mini-me's, but quickly push the thought aside. The things were stupid, to put it bluntly, and the very idea of them either guarding something or flushing anything out was overestimating their abilities. Particularly when you'd prefer to keep the girl close to you. You'd have experiences in the past where'd you'd left the a client behind in a seemingly safe location only to have to rush back just to pull their ass out of danger. Still... it was suburbia. And if you drew the enemy to you, say... by knocking...

"You promise you won't move an inch from where you're standing?"

"... Yes."

"... Fine. I'll go as far as the front door. After that, we figure out another way to do this. Agreed?"

"... Yes."

You glare at the girl some more, then mutter curses and trudge your way up the small pathway to the front door. You knock lightly, hoping someone wouldn't come, but the moment your hand touches the frame, the front door swings open ominously. You stare at in in disbelief for a moment, then...

"Ah, hell no."

You turn back to head the way you came, only to stare in disbelief again, then growl in annoyance. Your charge had mysteriously vanished, the only trace she'd even been there the newspaper clippings she'd been carrying around. You felt the inevitable pull of a very familiar feeling, and decided voicing it might make it a little easier to handle.

"Fucking... breakers..."

You turn back towards the house. Your charge had seemed adamant that this was where her friend was, and if you had to guess, this is where she'd disappeared to. How was beyond you, but that was an issue for another time, particularly when you got the feeling you weren't so much finding her friend as saving her. Now it was your job to get the little brat back. You step into the building, only to have the door slam shut behind you. You immediately turn back to it and try opening it again, only to find that instead of opening to the street, it opens up to another entryway similar to the one you'd just entered. You take a moment to mutter some more curses, then get down to your job.

Both corridors seem like mirrors of each other, at least when it comes to layout, but one has a distinctly... natural... feel to it. Lamps seem to glow not with bulbs but strange glowing flowers, and other things of that nature. The other is built like a military room, filled with all manner of propaganda from times long since passed. You couldn't begin to guess which one to explore first, but you can't help but think either one wasn't who you were looking for. Neither felt right.

Still, you had to push forward somehow, sitting around would get you nowhere.

>>>Input Command

...Nature path? Or military propaganda?
I wonder...
Go the Nature path. A soldier seems less likely to have the kind of ability to teleport people around.

Right. So you're either under the influence of an illusion, or you're dealing with someone who can manipulate the environment. The nightmare she said her friend was trapped in.

Lucky you're kind of a monster. Zombies aren't the victims in haunted houses, or in nightmares.

Using our OOC knowledge: Rise and Sidhe are the ones missing. If I had to guess, the two landscapes (nature and military) represent the respective nightmares they're trapped in. Sidhe's theme is obvious, as a fairy. And Rise comes from a traditional Japanese family- warriors, service. And had that twisted to control her and her siblings.

If we follow zelda-logic, we go Sidhe first. (Midboss, recruit fairy, gain tool). But I kind of think looking at Rise's past (and her families) would be much more interesting to us. And I'm not entirely sure how cooperative Sidhe will be if we find her first.

Head to the proganda room first, and take a closer look at the stuff. What do you see? What era(s) / country(ies) / war(s) is it from? Is there any kind of theme?

You pause, considering the sudden changes you'd just gone through. It was likely this had something to do with that nightmare thing the brat had been going on about earlier that day. Possibly somehow screwing with illusions or something similar. It would be best to find the source. Unfortunately, it seemed like you only had the two options, at least for the moment. You turn back to stare at the military entryway, briefly considering exploring more... familiar... territory.

Still, you toss the idea aside within a few moments. You were here to find your charge, and the military, while formidable, didn't seem to have anything to do with mysteriously disappearing girls of any kind. This weird mystical crap, on the other hand, screamed breaker insanity. Time to have a look.

As you step through the door, it closes behind you, seemingly of its own accord. You ignore it, half expecting it to do that anyway, and instead venture deeper into the room, getting a better look at everything. The wood seems overgrown with flowers and moss and the like, not to mention nearly everything being covered in a generally ominous mist of what you assume to be spores of some kind. Thankfully, breathing it optional, otherwise you'd expect getting air would be rather annoying. You glance around, opening a few of the side doors and discovering nothing but dimly lit corridors, before finally opening a door and hearing some different than simple creaking.

Something giggles, like a child might, right before you feel something shove itself into your gut.

You stay still for a moment as the giggling increases, only to hear it cease as you glance down in annoyance. Well, you can't say this is the first time it's happened, but at least the tool used was new. Can't say you'd been stabbed with a spear made of compressed leaves. Wonder how that happened.

An angry tinkling sound is heard emanating from down the corridor, and you get the feeling that whatever is doing this, it's down that way. You also think that you might be getting stabbed a bunch more, but hey, such is life. Or unlife. Whatever.

You rip the leaf-spear from your torso and toss it aside, before starting forward, only to be interrupted by a voice from behind you.

"I wouldn't go that way friend. She's a temperamental little thing."

You turn to discover another man, wearing what you think is hunting gear. He gives you a friendly smile, before stepping towards you, raising his hands to indicate that he doesn't mean any harm.

Still, you can't help but notice he's not holding any obvious weapons. Breaker seems the only option, particularly when he seems rather knowledgeable about whatever just tried to kill you.

"Though, don't know if my warning means much to you. Saw what happened there, and you hardly seemed to notice. Mind if I ask about that?"

"Yes."

"Ah..."

The silence that follows is awkward, but then, you were never a people person. You suppose he'd be the best person to ask about what's going on, if anyone. IF you do that, however, you have no guarantees that whatever was giggling will still be there. In fact, you rather think that if you want to try going after it, now would be the time.

>>>Input Command

Doctor Watson I presume?
Maybe do a bit of a lurching laugh afterwards, then ask how long he's been here and how often the place changes.

Well, I called it right, at least. Nature leads to the prank-fairy, who promptly attacks us. Too bad Rev had no reason to follow ooc logic.

>what do
If you're trying to get to the heart of the mystic bullshit, following the thing that fights with leaves is probably better than a hunter. Besides, if you're on the right track, things will try to distract or block you. A spear, a warning. That's how this mystic craps works, right? You're on the right path.

Also, the only people in here will be the friend who needs rescuing, and the enemy (and/or parts of the illusion). So if this guy doesn't look like he needs saving...

Would have been easier if the damned kid just told you who we were looking for.

Tell the stranger to walk if they want to talk, and follow the laughter.

"You want to talk, then keep up."

"What?"

You don't wait any further, instead turning on your heel and heading off after whatever the hell had been giggling. You needed information, sure, but you knew at least one thing about mystical bullshit.

If you were going the right way, things would try to kill you.

Thankfully, the hallway you find yourself in does not disappoint, numerous deadly traps doing their absolute best to kill you. Unfortunately for whoever set them up, they weren't expecting an undead monstrosity to come walking through. You shrug off any damage that occurs, your odd form of undead regeneration working to heal whatever might actually hamper your search, still following the sounds of giggling and laughter. Just as you reach another door the giggling increases in volume. You can only assume something very bad is about to happen, because all those traps going off seem to amuse whatever unholy abomination made this mess, and you yank open the door angrily, expecting another deadly trap.

What you get is a sign that has a bunch of flowers painted across it.

You stare at it a moment, before brushing it aside and entering the room beyond. It seems very much like a dining room, albeit covered in greenery, and you glance around for any sign of whatever was giggling. You get nothing, and mutter a curse under your breath.

"Well, you certainly are an interesting fellow. All those traps and not a single scrap of damage to show for it."

"That's nice."

"I told you she was rather tempermental. I'm not sure where her little heart lies, but whatever she is, she seems to find it amusing to lead people on little chases through this maze of a place."

"... You been here long?"

"Long enough, I suppose. Long enough to survive, at any rate. I've seen a few of these kinds of places come and go.

"Hm. What the hell is going on?"

"No idea, unfortunately. I can tell you that I've been searching for Her ever since I found this particular place. Always did enjoy a good hunt, and she's proven one of the most elusive yet."

"So you have no idea what's going on. Great."

"I do know that if we find her and get rid of her, we will most likely be taken somewhere else."

Useful information, at least it gives you a goal. Still, the man doesn't seem like he knows where this mysterious Her is, or anything else that might be useful. He's also too curious for his own good. You might have to abandon him somewhere at some point.

For now, though, what you need is a plan. The giggling has started up again, but sounds just as faint when you first went after it and got to this room. You doubt it will lead you where you need to go.

Gah, you hate mind games. It's so much easier dealing with NORMAL clients afraid of NORMAL things. Like guns. You can handle guns.

>>>Input Command

...Okay.
While Rev COULD, yanno, go chasing down the fairy. I've got a better idea.
"Yo, Hunter guy here? Track dat fairy. Don't worry about traps. nothing's been able to deal with me, and I don't think 'she' can either."
Rev ain't got time for this puzzle nonsense, he's too busy decaying!

>I do know that if we find her and get rid of her, we will most likely be taken somewhere else
This suggests two things. First, that he's gotten rid of people or things (whatever She is) before. Killed the 'boss' of an area, for lack of a better term. Second, that killing the boss doesn't do any good. Sure, it clears the level, only to dump you in a new one!

It's the illusion of progress. Just like chasing the laughter doesn't get you anywhere. It's a mean to keep you occupied, trapped in the maze.

There's also the problem that this place is a trap. You're trapped here, as is Lizzy's friend. How can you tell who is a prisoner, and who's part of the system? It doesn't help that any enemy can lie, and that any victim who survives in here will start treating others as threats, or get twisted by mind games.

...I don't suppose our inquisitive friend here happens to know any annoyingly cryptic girl with different colored eyes? (See if he knows her name, if he's the friend).

>what do
Well, we could keep after the laughing trap-maker, and see if she gets frustrated at not being able to hurt you.

...or we could see what happens if you don't play the game. Instead of following, searching, what if you try to sequence break? Just... walk though a wall. Or punch down though the floor. You're strong enough and plenty durable, maybe we can cut corners. Or maybe ignoring her will draw her out. Seems like she needs attention if she's playing games.

Wait, I think we may have things the wrong way around. Rise and Sidhe are the ones who are trapped here, in their own thematically appropriate mazes. Now this Hunter chap, he's the one who is out of place.
I don't think he's caught in the trap, I think he's the trapper.

>>596071
Yes, it's possible the hunter is the baddie. But notice the maze also put us in a position to hunt Sidhe, while she tries to kill us. The maze seems to be pitting people inside it against each other. We really can't tell if it did the same with him, or if he's part of things. (Well, until he tries something, maybe).

The important question might be when do you go from being a helpless wanderer in other people's nightmares, to having your own themed one?

You glance towards the door you think the giggling is coming from again, staring at it for a long moment. Then you choose to ignore it, instead heading towards a nearby wall. You don't have the time to be playing pointless games. Let's see how "She" likes it when you start trying to change the rules.

You pick up a sprint as you near the wall before lowering your torso and driving your shoulder into your target. The sheer amount of strength in it would normally be plenty to smash through a wall like this one. Instead, the wall seem to stretch, like rubber. The giggling stops suddenly, apparently you'd attracted whatever's attention, so that was one bonus point for this plan. Regardless, instead of letting up, you push forward, intent on breaking through, rubbery wall or not.

Then you feel it. Something was here all right. Something breaker worthy. Something you could touch, if you extended your will outwards. You can also feel something farther out, but it would require more effort to rip through whatever is guarding that.

So, you have options. Stop pushing through and consider the changes noted, or just go for one of the two feelings. The closer one is easy to get to, not as much breaking required. The other feeling is farther, much farther, as if extending out of your reach. You'll need to much more focus to get to that.

>>>Input Command

Interesting.

...grab for the further feeling. Again, if it's harder to get to, it must be important, right?

You let out a low growl of concentration, then force your will outwards, for the feeling so far away. For a moment, you hear jingling, like tiny bells in your ears, and then the wall you're stretching like rubber suddenly snaps, opening up for you.

And then you find yourself standing in a room. Circular in appearance, and lacking any real identifying traits other than that. Doors appear at intervals around it, and as you glance behind you, you can still see the place you'd come from, it's "door" smashed open and apart. Even the hunter man is staring in shock, stepping towards it cautiously. Before he gets much closer, however, something small darts through the doorway, zipping past your fast faster than you can react. The sound of tinkling bells fills the air, and you watch as whatever it is darts around the new room, in what you assume is happiness.

"Well... I didn't think to do that. Course, it brought her out in the end, didn't it. Now we just gotta get rid of her and move on."

The hunter has stepped through, a bow appearing in his hands, and he draws it back, arrow between his fingers. He's readying himself to fire, and while you don't know how good his aim is, breakers tend to specialize rather well. You frown, glancing at the apparently oblivious... whatever... and start making connections. If you assume whatever is trapped in there was producing the odd looking rooms, then that would the thing was likely defending itself using those traps. Trying to delay getting caught. And if this man was hunting her...

>>>Input Command

Pixie there leaving traps in self defense or whatever? You can understand that. Archer there though? Unwarranted aggression against something that's not acting hostile.

Plus, we're not interested in a sting of killing whoever to move between sets of rooms. We're here to get someone and get out. Maybe kill whoever or whatever is in charge if it tries to stop you. Or for being a pain in the ass.

Reach out, crush / break him bow. Assuming his manifestation isn't a piece of shit, that actually costs him more BP than just killing him. Plus, if he's a ranged fighter, he's at a big disadvantage close in, and unarmed.

"Tinkerbell there doesn't seem to be much of a threat right now, hot shot. ...and I'm not stupid."

Also, since a fight is apparently about to break out, this is your last chance to ask if the name Elizabeth means anything to either of them. We don't want to kill our client's friend. (You're asking for a god-damn description next time. Or at least a name. Why couldn't it have been nice and simple- grunts with guns surrounding someone tied to a chair in a cell?).

In addition to the ideas of >>596154
'If that pixie lays traps, and your thing is hunting, and I'm a zombie (no need to be specific) then who's doing the maze thing?'

The thing, whatever it is, doesn't deserve to get stabbed in the back. More than likely, it was looking for a way out just as much as you were, all things considered. This Archer, on the other hand, is looking to kill, simply assuming that will work eventually. There's only one thing to be done with murderous assholes.

You reach out with your hand silently, not really intending to give the man fair warning. A split second before you're ready to spring towards him and crush the wooden weapon, however, he looses an arrow. You waste no time in charging at that point, throwing your strength against the man in a body check and hurling him to the floor. Then you spin to check on the whatever, and find that the arrow has been deflected off of... something. The little thing darts higher into the air, apparently intent on avoiding the fight, even as you feel in arrow pierce your back and jut out of your chest. You frown at that, and turn just in time to take an arrow to the eye.

"Hey... stop sticking me with arrows."

The man has already drawn back the bow again, arrow ready to let fly, but at least he holds off on actually shooting you with it.

"Stay back! I have to get out of here, and She could be what's making this place!"

"Could be. Doesn't mean I'm gonna kill Her over it. Now shut up and put that down."

"No!"

"Fine. You know anyone named Elizabeth?"

The man just looks at you in confusion, but the thing up top starts making those jingling noises again, and darts down in front of your face. With the thing that much closer, you finally get a look at what you assume to be a fairy of some kind. It jingles at you again, then seems to gesture at you wildly. You assume, thanks to her rather energetic reaction, that the little thing knows who you're talking about.

"Well, seems like this little one knows. That means it's time for you to calm down, buddy. I need this one alive."

"She has to be what's causing all this. There... can't be anyone else! Everyone else is human!"

"Since when have humans ever been nice to each other. Now you gonna put that thing down, or do I have to kill you?"

There's a long silence as the two of you stand off, then he let's fly. Thankfully, you were well prepared, and you snatch the fairy from the air and twist your body, letting the arrow make its home in your shoulder. The man, no doubt well acquainted with your brand of break by now, has charged not towards you but towards another door, and crashes through it to reveal some sort of sea of stars. At the same time, just for a moment, you feel it. The same feeling you got from little Lizzy. You charge forward as the door shuts, and slam into it, only to come out on the other side in some sort of office building.

The little fairy finally wiggles herself from your grasp, and jingles angrily at you. You ignore her for a moment, examining your surrounding before turning to look back at the door. Someone or something was screwing with you. And there was that murderous hunter guy running around where you thought your charge was...

Damn it...

The fairy jingles again, trying to get your attention, but you choose to consider your options instead. You could go back into the circular room and try one of the other doors. Or you could attempt to explore this one, and hope for the best. You could try prying some answers out of the fairy either way.

>>>Input Command

Frankly we don't know up from down in here. Let's see what the fairy wants.

>fairy gets flowers / lizzy gets stars
That pretty much confirms that something else is making these rooms for people, not that they're making them themselves. Killing the fairy might collapse her area, but caving-in cells one at a time by murdering their occupants doesn't get you out of jail, or stop the warden.

Real question is why you or the hunter were dumped in the fairy's area, instead of finding yourself in one made up to match you. Maybe this place doesn't 'know' you yet?

At a guess, the room your broke into before was some kind of central hub. A backdoor that allows access to all the different places people are trapped in.

>what do
Fairy's been here longer than you, and apparently is who you were looking for. Might as well take a minute to listen to what she's trying to say, maybe it'll help.

You're Lizzie's friend, huh? That a form you can drop so I can understand you? (Of course her friend is impossible to understand, too). Or are you an avatar and there's someone else I still gotta find?

Mr Trigger Happy with Lizzy is worrying, but you have a little time before things get bad. Time enough to try to be smart. He's gotta find her in the star-maze, she's probably got at least a trick or two, and worse case, shooting a breaker to death takes a few minutes before they stop coming back.

Anything distinctive or noticeable about the office you're in now?

You turn towards the fairy, uncertain as to how this will turn out, given that so far you haven't heard the thing utter a single word.

"You're Lizzie's friend, huh? That a form you can drop so I can understand you?"

The fairy just jingles at you some more, clearly annoyed, before floating up to your face again and pointing imperiously at the way you came. Apparently, she doesn't want you in here, wherever here is. Or maybe she just doesn't like the looks of the place. You can't tell anything more than her strong desire to not be here.

"Of course you'd be just as difficult to understand as the brat..."

You take a look around at the office space, noting the same sorts of things that would be in any office building. You're tempted to go look out the window and see if you can spot anything, but you don't really want to leave the door unattended either. Regardless, you get one very strong feeling out of all of this.

"Something definitely doesn't feel right. If this is supposed to be representative of something, then that means someone is making this shit."

Suddenly, you feel a burst of golden light enter your thoughts, accompanied by the sound of bells again. You glance at the fairy thing and realize she's smiling, although you can only barely make it out. Huh... seems she can communicate, in a way. Still, you'd best figure out what you're going to do.

"You got any ideas, little one? Oh... I suppose you wouldn't be able to tell me, would you?"

The fairy pauses a moment, then darts further into the room before settling on top of a desk phone. She points as it, then points towards the door and jingles herself again.

... Well, you were never that good a charades, but you suppose you could give it a shot.

>>>Input Command

>you don't really want to leave the door unattended
Yeah, if we leave it unattended it'll probably stop leading to the hub.

>charades
Hmm. Phone and door. Talk through the door? Talk in the other room. Use the room to talk to someone? Or... use the room to dial something or somewhere? (Like the right set of doors is a set of coordinates. There's a way to control where it goes).

Heading back to the central room seems like the best idea. If each space through the 'doors' is a custom-made prison, then that room is the only space that isn't. If there's a way out, it'd be through there.

You stare at the little things pantomiming for a few minutes, trying to puzzle it out. A phone? You think she's trying to say something about the phone, but can't get much more than that. You can at least tell she wants you to not be here, or rather, she wants you back in the other room. You find, after a moment of thinking, that you agree. Best to not go wandering around area's you aren't sure about. You turn to leave, and as you step back into the central room, you feel a weight settle on your shoulder. You glance over to find the fairy settling herself into her chosen spot, and after a moment of hesitation decide to leave her there. Despite your misgivings, at the very least she has proven to be an ally so far. Well... besides the whole trying to kill you in the freaky garden thing.

Still, that leaves you with a number of options. You feel like finding a way out entirely should be one of your priorities, and now that you think you've found this friend of her's, maybe your charge will be more inclined to listen to you concerning her safety. That, of course, would be helped by actually finding the little brat, but for now, take things in steps. First things first... let's investigate more of these doors.

You spend the next couple of minutes going through various doors, checking each and leaving them open before you make a decision as to which, if any, you'll spend your time exploring. You don't find that one that leads to the starry place, which irks you somewhat, but you do find several others, primarily the military one, a japanese styled one(the little fairy seems to react somewhat to this, albeit refuses further comment), an undead themed one(perhaps one meant for you?) and what looks to be a way out.

The little one seems keen on leaving, although for what purpose you couldn't say, but you've still got a job to do. Perhaps it would be better to keep looking. Then again, the little thing on your shoulder seems oddly insistent...

>>>Input Command

Leaving's all well and good, but we've got a job to do. I figure open the doorway out and offer it a chance to leave. If it'd rather stay, then go to either the military area (Who's this?) Or the Japanese zone (RISE!)

Gordian option: start ripping doors off their hinges.

I can't help but get the impression we missed the point of what she was trying to say with the charades. She made it clear she wanted out before the phone came up.

Maybe she's trying to say she can make a call if she gets outside?

What does this supposed path out look like? It's possible it's a fake, or just another realm that happens to look like the outside. Does it feel any different? (Is it still made of rubber?). 'Waking up' inside a dream is an old trick.

Might be worth asking why she's in such a hurry to bug out (Heh). Lizzy's still in here, somewhere. And I'm not inclined to leave her at the mercy of a maze, or that hunter. And... if you're not a form, that might make you an avatar. And since Liz wouldn't need help getting to her own critter, doesn't that mean you've got a partner somewhere, hereabouts?

Maybe they don't get on well? Or she's not their first? Might explain why the maze split them up. Try the Japanese area again, she reacted to that. Give a yell, hey, anybody in here?

>>596504
So the doors to the hub stay open? Not a bad idea, but I'm not sure I don't trust the doors to reform or repair themselves when we're not looking. Dream and/or illusion rules cheat.

(I'm going to be amused if our zombie bodyguard does all this work to 'rescue' Elizabeth only to find her calmly chilling with a new hunter puppet).

You stand in front of the doorway to the outside, or what looks like the doorway to the outside, and sort of motion with your shoulder for the little fairy to leave. She hesitates, than gestures for you to go. You offer her a lopsided grin in return.

"Sorry little thing, I can't leave yet. Lizzy is still in here, and I'm supposed to keep her safe... Although I guess you have your reasons for wanting to leave, too."

The little fairy frowns, then darts up to glare at you as best she can. You have to admit, if she were normal size, you might have even felt a twinge of fear, but with her being small enough to crush in the palm of your hand, you find you're hardly feeling a thing. Or maybe that's just the undead thing kicking in again. Oh well.

"I'm not leaving. That's final. Not until I find Lizzy at least... You gonna help me, or you plan on bugging out?"

The little one seems to shake furiously, offers one last longing look at the door, then flits back up to your shoulder and settles down, managing to look properly peeved about the whole thing. You find yourself chuckling a little, the broken things that pop up may be unnatural in your eyes, but that doesn't mean you can't find some joy in it all sometimes. This little one certainly qualifies.

"Alright. Seems I got your help after all. Now then, you mind telling me why you're so uptight about this door here?"

You make your way over to the Japanese door again, gesturing towards it to accent your point. The little fairy sighs, then seems to get an idea in her head and presses a tiny hand to your cheek. Suddenly, your head fills with flashes, images, associations, thoughts and feelings and ideas. You stumble back a little, surprised, but at the same time suddenly more aware of what's going on. Not to mention one other side benefit.

partner must help need help call help help come make better

You think, after a moment of analyzing what just happened, that this is the little one's thoughts. She's... communicating. You think. You hope. You decide testing it with something simple would be best.

"Hey... I think I can hear you now... You got a name?"

name call herald sidhe this one sidhe

You frown again, not sure what any of that really means, but hey, if anything sounded like a name, it was...

"Sidhe?"

You feel a burst of rainbow colors in your head, and you shake it as if to dislodge the suddenly burst of colors. Still, at least you know you can somewhat communicate. And it seems you were right on the money. The little one- er... Sidhe... had wanted to call for help. You would assume from wherever they would get help, Sun City further west, you'd guess, but there's no telling how long THAT would take to get here. At the very least...

"Well... if I'm understanding you right, your partner is in here. So I guess this is your owner than."

You feel a tiny fist punch you in the cheek, mere moments before something nearly caves in your skull. You get the idea though. Apparently this is one of those avatars that likes to think it's really alive. Well, whatever. You move a little into the room, never to far from the door, before calling out to... someone.

"Hello!? Uh... Anyone home?!"

There is no response, and you frown again. You have new information now, and while you did say you'd prefer to explore some more...

>>>Input Command

uhh...Japenese room...Soo move slowly, respectfully...maybe jokingly say 'braaaaains' in a way that shows you're not actually the zombie you look like? No reason not to be cautious, all things considered.

I'm kind of impressed her reaction to this situation is to try and find a way out and call in reinforcements. That's more presence of mind and trust in the group than I thought she had.

Liz seemed to know they were here, though. So the Calvary is already here; no need to go call for help. Although she brought you instead of a pile of her own guys. She seemed to think that would be enough, though. How she knows though...

Hmm. Here's hoping Rise needs help because she's trapped. Not because this place has gotten to her, or messed with her head. That might explain the conflicted feelings, or why Sidhe would rather go get help than intervene directly.

>what do
Try exploring this area. It's a lead on another person who might be a help or know something, and you don't have a more direct route to your client, right now.

I really don't trust the door to stay open, or there, if we leave it unattended, though. Maybe we could spawn a zombie and leave it with orders to keep the door open?

You figure you might as well keep going forward. However, you can't just leave this door unnattended... you turn to it for a moment, then grab hold and rip it clean off its hinges, both physically and... in reality? Someone needs to come up with a word for breaking things at whatever level "breaking" happens, because otherwise people are going to start getting really confused. Or at least, you are.

Either way, you find the entrance, and whatever is holding it there, remain open and be held open by both a physical and... whatever else... Gah! That's going to annoy you now.

Choosing to stop worrying about it, you step further into the room, ignoring any desire to be "respectful" or "quiet". You are here to do a job, not kindly do whatever it is Japanese people do in whatever qualifies as a residence. You're not sure this is one, given the odd look to it, but then again, you've never been to the Land of the Rising Sun. Or anywhere near the Empire of the East at all, really. One of those things the UNA propaganda spouts on about as a threat, but you never really pay attention to.

Regardless, you step loudly into the room, briefly muttering something about brains under your breath for some odd reason, before taking a better look around. There doesn't seem to be any major threats here, if anything, you don't feel any sort of threat at all. The little one remains silent, apparently content to simply ride along on your shoulder. Either that or she's sulking, it's kinda hard to tell from this angle.

Eventually, you find one of those sliding doors on the opposite end of the room. Before opening it up you take a glance back to check on the door behind you and find nothing amiss, and once you do step through, you find another room, this one filled with what looks like trainees, all sitting in neat rows and bowing to someone at the front. The little one jingles lightly against your shoulder, and as you step further into the room, you note a woman, black hair tied back, dressed in a simple robe looking thing, seated at the top of a small raised area. You frown slightly before starting forward, ready for anything strange to happen, only to find you are allowed through unmolested. As you approach, however, to of the students break from their line and step into your path, raising their hands to stop you.

"What brings you to these sacred halls of the blade, outsider?"

The woman's voice is... surprisingly average. You'd always expected one of these grandmaster types to be a bit more... intimidating? Something, but this one just seems... not quite up to snuff. Or maybe you'd just built up an image in your head. Still, even as you begin to respond, you feel the fairy's words slip across whatever connection you have.

partner rise must help

"Don't know. Although, this one seems to know you."

You gesture towards the little fairy on your shoulder, at which point the woman seems to examine her before shaking her head.

"I'm afraid I don't-"

There's an angry jingling sound, and then the fairy is off your shoulder and in the woman's face, apparently performing her version of shouting angrily. It's quite comical when all you have is jingling noises to base off your assumptions, but this... Rise... seems entirely amused.

"Placate your companion, outsider, before I see fit to do so myself."

"Alright, alright. Hey, little one, come here."

The fairy makes one more gesture of anger before darting back to you shoulder, settling herself once again. Words slip across the connection again, and you almost grin at her choice of description.

idiot fool nincompoop unfaithful ungrateful

Still, if this is the person you were looking for, you'd best figure out why she's apparently acting weird. Perhaps you could talk her down in some way. Or you suppose you could just beat her into submission. That was a thing in the Imperial East, right?

>>>Input Command

I came in here looking for someone I've been charged to protect. Have you seen a girl about this high, brown hair, kinda creepy but you don't know why?

>Someone needs to come up with a word for breaking things at whatever level "breaking" happens
The firmament, perhaps? Elizabeth might call it the tapestry, or I suppose if you wanted to be gauche we could make some kind of Matrix analogy.

>Rise
Huh. She seems to have bought into the dream, here. Not acting like someone trapped in a maze. (Was that why Sidhe was more interested in traps than escapes earlier? Or maybe why the hunter defaulted to hunting? It traps you in your nature).

>Perhaps you could talk her down in some way.
>What brings you to these sacred halls of the blade, outsider?
Maybe if we talk to her, in the terms of this illusion, we can get through to her.

You seek to return to a child prophet, with eyes of two colors, who you are charged to protect. She bade you to return with the one she seeks, and you believe that person to be her, Rise.

Aim is to get her interested enough to follow, and hope maybe getting her out of this room (or seeing it for fake) snaps her out of it. Worst case, you could offer some formal challenge to win her cooperation, but you'd probably end up fighting the entire dojo (it's okay, those other people are probably only dreamed up and safe to kill. Hopefully not hapless normals sucked into the trap and dumped in her dream).

...I'd note in ghost form you have way better will for persuasion rolls, but in context, changing forms in a tense situation like this probably doesn't net any points. Looks like you're preparing to fight, and/or just looks freaky or off putting or like you are up to something.

"I... uh... seek to return to a child prophet, with... um... with eyes of two colors, who I was charged to protect. She bade me to... ah... to return with the one she seeks, and I... uh... I believe that person to be you."

Rise settles back into her seat, if that is at all possible, musing over your words. Her eyes close for a moment, a you think you see a flicker of discomfort slip into her expression, before that calm reasserts itself and her eyes open again.

"I'm afraid I know little of a child prophet. However, if she desires I speak with her, it must be of some important reasons. However, I cannot just abandon my position here as Grandmaster, nor can I ignore the duties I accepted. Perhaps she could be brought here?"

This... this is utter bullshit. You're hoping this leads to a fight of some kind. You were terrible at the talking thing, unless you were deliberately trying to put the fear of pain in someone. Then you were rather good at it. As if you could even bring the little brat here. She was the reason you were gallivanting around in this stupid place, hunting for her ass.

"Look. I don't have time to be explaining this, and I'm terrible at all that polite bullshit. What's it going to take for you to come with me?"

The woman's eyes widen slightly in surprise, before a small smile places itself on her face. She stands in one fluid motion, perhaps with a little difficulty, if you don't miss your guess, before gesturing for you to follow. You do so, albeit you make sure to hang back a few paces out of caution, especially when she picks up that long sword as easily as if it were a toy. Regardless, she eventually leads you outside, onto a veranda, and you find yourself gawking.

What lays before you can only be described as breathtaking, or would be if you actually breathed in this form. A valley stretches as far as you can see, and you can spot waterfalls off in the distance. Trees grow everywhere, and you get the feeling this... dream... is imitating some remote mountain monastery somewhere. You hardly get a moment to take it all in, however, before your host is pointing out across the valley, towards another, much bigger monastery(you think). You are quickly proven wrong.

"That is the imperial palace of this realm. Go there, ask for the Emperor's permission that I might leave my place and travel with you. I do not expect a positive response, but that is what it will take."

You frown as you gaze off at the building. With your strength, you could easily get to the building by literally jumping from mountain to mountain till you reached it. Of course, there's no telling what you'll have to deal with on the other side, and from what she just said, it likely won't be something good. Either way, it would probably eat up a lot of time. It might just be easier to knock her out and drag her. Of course, that might not help her get out of whatever funky dream thing she's in. Actually, the other method might not help either.

Well, either choice would at least get you closer to Lizzy, one way or another.

You hope.

>>>Input Command

Pffff-hahahaha. Wow. That sure is bullshit, and completely not what I was expecting. (Totally the wrong character for this too. Send the grumpy merc instead of the person with dream powers and who would understand this Japanese anime nonsense).

>I do not expect a positive response
...but you'll believe me if I return with one?

Goal here is to quite simply get her to tell us what form she expects our 'proof' to take. (Would the emperor give us a scroll, some kind of seal or emblem?).

Then we cheat. Head out of sight, and active break the McGuffin into existence. Since 'reality' here is really her dream, it should be easier to twist it into what she expects it to look like. (And it'll be really easy if the plot device already exists over in the 'palace'; we won't create it, we'll just be moving it). Also, since we've got warped reality, that should make it easier too, right? Reality wants to bend and remove obstacles between us and this arbitrary goal.

Might have to cheat further and make it look like you were gone longer (break the dream sun to move across the sky?).

Of course, this gambit depends on 'Grandmaster' Rise being so caught up in her dream she doesn't recognize breaking when she sees it. That it's not part of this feudal-medieval narrative. Although, if she does catch you in the lie and get mad, I guess we get to fix this with a fight after all.

"...but you'll believe me if I return with one?"

The words slip from your mouth almost without you thinking about them, and for a moment, you think you might have insulted her. But then you feel this itchy sensation in the back of you skull, a rather familiar one. That feeling always means your life is about to get a whole lot easier.

"Of course. All it requires is an imperial seal. Much like the engraved onto this sword here."

Rise shows you, the seal itself looking like nothing overly remarkable. A little intricate perhaps, but nothing too fancy. You frown slightly, then nod to yourself. You could recreate this. You think. She raises an eyebrow at your expression, but you wave away any concern. Just you thinking is all. Not really a lie. Rise returns inside once she is sure you understand what you need to do, and you waste little time in literally leaping from you place on the balcony, slamming into the face of a nearby cliff and burying your now broken fist inside it. As always, only a dull throbbing sensation alerts you to any damage, and you throw yourself to the top, landing on solid ground and watching with a mild disinterest as your arm reconstructs itself.

Sidhe seems to take the entire trip as marvelously fun, tinkling bells sounding in your ear, and you allow yourself a small smirk. At least someone enjoyed it. You soon take a seat against a rock before closing your eyes and reaching out with your will.

At first there was no reaction of any kind. You weren't really one to do any... what had they called it? Free-form? Yeah, free-form. You weren't a free-form breaker. You'd seen what those who were could do. Still, as you forced out your will, you began to feel the world around you shift, ever so slightly, to meet your demands. Still, something immediately gets in your way, more specifically, you feel something else push back, forcing what you'd hoped to happen into not happening. What's worse, you can't pinpoint it exactly, at least not while you're concentrated on something else.

You suppose you could just try to keep forcing what you're trying to force. Or you could try to find whatever it is that's stopping you, although you get the feeling that it might notice you if you tried that. Or you could abandon doing this and just go to this imperial palace or whatever it was called.

>>>Input Command

>what had they called it? Free-form?
Yeah, although we tend to call them active breaks once you actually have that ability. (Not that the terminology is standardized, or much of it even used in-character, at all).

>what do
Well... drat. I was expecting either success or that to blow up in our face. Decisive action. Not a fizzle.

Alright. Rev still doesn't want to mess with this bullshit more than necessary, and he's still concerned his charge is in danger (although I'm pretty confident Elizabeth will just control-wire the hunter if he attacks her. And whoever's running this maze seems content to let things draw out slowly).

With that in mind, focus on what's blocking you. Try to figure out what it is. It's probably either the person causing this, or an agent of theirs. Worth removing. That... or it's Rise, enforcing the rules of her own dream. If you discover that's the case you might want to break off that attempt (or we're back to shortcutting to violence as a solution).

...I wonder if Sidhe can or will help with any of this? She can't 'break' per se, but she can prank, and she's got independent reserves of some kind, now.

Hrrm. This is an interestingly tricky situation...Let's save getting the attention of the 'preventer' until after we find Elizabeth, and go see if we can't get a seal somehow or what it would take.

You frown in distaste. This is annoying. And while you'd love to pursue this... "preventer"... you have other things to consider. Like the safety of your charge. As such, you scramble to your feet, and focus instead on retrieving one of these oh so precious seals. It seems the fastest way to do that now would be the palace, so that becomes your new destination. You flip the bird into the air, really only using it as a means of blowing off some steam, before you turn away. You ready yourself, then give yourself a running start and launch yourself once again into the air.

The trip is relatively short, only a few hours from what you can tell. As you arrive at the palace gates, it seems that the "people" of this particular place are going through the motions of a busy market. Of course, that all quiets as you land, sending dirt and debris everywhere. The silence is almost thick enough to cut with a knife as you emerge from the dust cloud, brushing yourself off and letting your regenerative properties do their job, but you ignore the onlookers with practiced ease. There's the gates. That's where you need to go.

As you approach, two guards shove spears in your face, although they are clearly intimidated. You wonder slightly if maybe you could just punch your way in a take a seal, but you get the distinct feeling that wouldn't go over well with anyone. So instead, you go about trying your hand at diplomacy again.

"Uh... I'm here to see about getting a seal or something?"

Both guards blink in surprise, then start chattering in some language you don't recognize. Japanese maybe? Either way, one of them runs off, while the continues to keep his spear in your face. You idly wait for a few minutes, to be rewarded with the presence of someone new. This one is another guard, albeit far more fancily dressed. A captain maybe? He approaches without hesitation, stopping in front of you without any outward signs of hostility.

"You. You are here to receive the Mandate of the Emperor's Will?"

"Uh... that a seal?"

"... Yes."

"Then yeah. Yeah I need that."

"May I ask why?"

"Someone wants it before they'll help me... Um... Rise was her name, I think?"

There's an audible gasp from the crowd that has formed around you, and even the captain looks a bit taken aback. He regains his composure quickly however, although he looks slightly more respectful than before.

"You have had audience with a legend, my friend. Let it be known that the Emperor will hear of this at once. Please, find a place to rest for the night, and I am certain you shall have audience come morning."

He turns to leave, even as you feel a slight twitch reach your eyebrow. You don't have time to wait till morning. Perhaps violence is the answer. Or maybe you should try explaining that you're in kind of a rush. Conversely, after seeing some of the things Sidhe can do... maybe she can provide a distraction and you could slip by, in this form or your other...

>>>Input Command

...Hrrm.
Kinda wish we had tried breaking Rise outta her current mindset or something...Hrrm.
So, on the one hand, need to get to Elizabeth, on the other hand...If we try and break something that's not ourselves, we'll probably catch the Preventer's attention...
Now that I think on it...
This might be how this jail works.
One person is 'Master' of the domain, and the realm matches them. The next fellow becomes the 'Prisoner' held by the 'Master's world...
We could TRY and explain that yanno, we're in a hurry, but I'm betting some other issue will arise...
I think the key is patience and making our move at the right time. As tempting as it is to just RAMBO through, we might need to be smart about this. I figure try and negotiate, and if that fails see if Sidhe wants to have some fun with these guys.
From there, find a Servant, ask him/her about the Emperor's throne room and where the Emperor is. With any luck, we'll be able to ghost to the rooms where the seal things are kept, ghost out, get Sidhe, and start slogging back up the mountain to get Rise's attention.

>hours
>wait till morning
I really hope dream time distortion is in effect, otherwise this is getting really annoying.

>You have had audience with a legend
Man, ego much? Maybe these aren't rooms aren't about trapping people in nightmares so much as giving them something they'd want. Seductive prisons?

>Let it be known that the Emperor will hear of this at once. Please, find a place to rest for the night
Let's try words once more before we do something else.

I have no need of rest. If word of this will come to the Emperor's attention at once, then I would as well. My quest is one of some haste.

It might be nice would be nice to break some kind of omen to reinforce our words, here. Superstitious medieval japan, and you just met with a legend. A falling star or something? (Active break, warped reality, and/or Sidhe?).

That doesn't work, we'll reevaluate backing down or pressing forward.

"I... uh... have no need of rest. If word of this will... um... come to the Emperor's attention at once, then I... uh... would as well. My quest is one of... er... some haste."

You admit, it's somewhat difficult to come up with how you should be talking. Period dramas and the like were never your thing. You much preferred to just do your job. You've seen a couple while guarding some rich man's brats, but other than that have little association with anything coming from the Imperial East. Regardless you try your best, and it seems that the guard doesn't seem to think anything of it. Perhaps he thinks you're a commoner of some kind?

"I... see. Well, if you are coming from Master Muramasa's school, than you must have some urgency. Particularly if you need the seal to acquire her help... I shall see what I can do. Wait her, if you will."

The man leaves, and you impatiently start tapping away at the ground with your foot. Sidhe seems to echo your thoughts, her own foot tapping rhythmically against your shoulder. Some time passes, and the crowd grows bored with watching you just stand there, eventually dispersing. As if on que, the guard appears again, gesturing for you to follow him quickly, but as you begin to take a step forward, something brushes against your sense of reality. You halt in place, a little surprised, only to find yourself more surprise when you can feel where its coming from. You turn to the direction, frowning slightly. It wasn't from where your charge's friend was, that was for sure. This feeling was more... unhealthy. You feel a shiver come from your shoulder, and you glance down at Sidhe in confusion.

hate... enemy... trap... hate...

Well... whatever it is, your companion doesn't seem to like it. As for you... well, you think this is what stopped you before. It seems it couldn't find you earlier, so it tried again and gave itself away. Still, this guard is waiting for you, and there's no telling if it noticed that you'd found it or not, or if it would move again.

>>>Input Command

Zaealix 2014/10/26(Sun)14:34 No. 599460 ID: 2149ae

Well, that's telling.
I THOUGHT that 'thing' was simply an enforcer, but it looks like it's actually more like a 'chaser' that intends to catch you for...Something.
I want to say that we might want to consider breaking that thing to us and force a confrontation on our terms instead of walking into the trap, but tell Sidhe the plan first before starting up with the 'yoink the chaser' plan...
Possibly we COULD do something fun- given the whole 'eastern' theme of this place we could make the 'yoink' some sort of 'formal challange' to boost the odds of it working?

Note the direction you sensed the presence, and leave it, for now.

You already spent those hours jumping across mountains to get here, you might as well see if this is going to work. You can always confront the thing later (and if it's not there, that tells you it can move quicker than you, or that it has some way to cheat moving around these dreams).

That, and Sidhe's reaction suggests she ran into this thing before. Might be better to face it at full strength. Ie, after you've gotten giant-sword lady working with you.

You stare off in the direction of the... thing... before finally shaking your head and moving on after the guard. You'd spent all this time getting here and getting a meeting, you might as well see it through. Besides, if there was something that made your little companion nervous, it was probably best to face it with as much strength as possible.

You soon find yourself walking through carefully cared for gardens and wooden hallways. Guards seemed to be stationed at regular intervals through out the route, and each you can swear is eyeing you suspiciously. You ignore the feeling as best you can until you eventually arrive at an incredibly ornate pair of doors. The guard captain stops in front of them and turns to you, bringing your attention back to the man.

"Beyond these doors his Imperial Highness is prepared for your arrival. Before you meet him, you must understand the rules. His Highness will be on a raised dais. You are to stop 100 paces from this dais. You are to never look his highness in the eye. You are to keep your forehead pressed to the ground when you are seated. You are not to-"

"I get it. Be respectful."

The man seems slightly taken aback, but takes it in stride and turns to the doors again. He pushes them open then instantly bows to someone on the inside. Then he steps to the side, maintaining his bow, letting you step past him into the surprisingly small room. You bow awkwardly, trying your best to mimic the guard's actions, even as you eye the room.

Like everything else you'd seen so far, wood seemed to be the way to go. There really was a raised dais, and on top of that was a semi-transparent screen, blocking you from getting a clear view of who you can only believe is this Emperor. You take a few steps in to the room, hearing the wood doors shut behind you, even as you stop at what you think is 100 paces and drop to you knees, keeping eyes on the ground. There's no way, however, that you're going to make yourself anymore vulnerable to any... unpleasant surprises.

Thankfully, this Emperor seems to take it in stride, even if the various courtiers in the room don't. He speaks softly to a man who sits near him, and its this other man that speaks.

"His Highness greets you, traveler. He has been informed of your plight, and asks why it is you require the aid of Master Muramasa."

You pause, mind trying to form a proper response.

>>>Input Command

>each you can swear is eyeing you suspiciously.
As any guard worth their salt should be looking at a conspicuous monster come to visit their employer.

>and asks why it is you require the aid of Master Muramasa
Ahaha, crap. Now we've got to explain to him, in dream-universe, why he should give permission, and Rev has to somehow be polite and well spoken. Why didn't we see the flaw in this going forward.

Variation on the story you gave before. You've done it once already, so maybe you can pull it off without sounding terrible.

Your duty is the protector of a child prophet. But she bade you to enter this place and return with Master Muramasa. You wish to complete this task with haste, as you believe your charge may be in danger (we can truthfully say something about seeing it in the stars, and a hunter?). As for Master Muramasa herself, she should come. You don't understand the full breadth of the prophecy, just that is trapped, by something she does not currently understand.

There, that's suitably formal, and all true, I think. Assuming that matters, here.

You take a deep breath to settle yourself a little more, than you raise your head ever so slightly. Here goes nothing. You'd given this story before, you could do it again.

"I... I am charged with protecting a child prophet. She claimed she was in danger, and she... um... she sent me to find R- Master Muramasa, and return with her. Shortly after she made this claim, she was taken. Where I do not know, but I hope with Muramasa's help, I can find her again."

There is silence as you make your case, and then there is a low chatter from the various courtiers. A single raised hand from the Emperor silences everything, then a whispered conversation. The man who spoke seems a bit surprised, but quickly recovers and begins to speak.

"His Highness has heard your claim, and feels for your plight. He grants Muramasa leave to join you, for a time, in hopes that your journey will lead to success. Please, recieve the Mandate of the Emperor's Will."

Another man comes from your right, stepping up and kneeling to present you with what looks like a small stone seal. You take it with a little hesitation, examining it briefly before tucking it securely into a pocket. You got what you needed. You offer a brief thanks, then stand and turn to leave. You don't have any time to waste.

As you start to leave however, you feel it. The static effect that seems to strike whenever someone alters reality. You halt in surprise, and then someone bursts in through the doors. Actually, a lot of someone's. Guards charge in and level spears at you, anger clear in their faces.

"Demon! We know what you are!"

You stare in disbelief, then mutter a muffled curse. That can't be good. The courtiers seem frozen in shock, and the guards, while angry, and at least cautious and moving to circle you. Still, as they do so, you notice someone beyond the doorway, someone that feels breaker off.

A woman, eyes narrowed and lips curled in what you can only describe as a smug grin, seeming to almost literally fade into the scene.

Breaker.

You don't get much longer to ponder the issue, however, as one of the guards charges forward with his spear. You're about to react, when the spear suddenly meets a barrier, and Sidhe is suddenly hovering in front of your face, arms outstretched as if pushing something away from her. A few more guards try jabbing at you, but they meet similar resistance.

Well... it seems you've outstayed your welcome.

>>>Input Command

Huh. Didn't expect that to work so easily. Maybe warped reality works better than usual in dreams, since even the people are mostly passive parts of the environment.

>enemy breaker manipulating the guards
An enemy finally appears! About time. You were getting sick of not having anything to fight. Although it's kind of annoying to have to fight these guards after going through all the diplomatic bullshit.

...also, we never confirmed if the actors in Rise's dream here are fake dream people, or if they're real people trapped like her. Maybe fighting them would be the equivalent of killing hostages.

Gordian option, again. Standing behind Sidhe's shield, apologize to the emperor, but you don't wish to harm his ensorcelled subjects.

Then use all your strength to do one of those mountain jumping leaps, right through the paper thin walls or roof of this Japanese castle. (This would be what we're apologizing for).

If the breaker can follow you? Fine, you'll fight her, outside, without the convenient mind-washed cannon folder. If she can't? Tough. You got what you needed and you're moving on.

As much as you'd love to bash everyone's faces in, they might be actual people trapped in here like you. Normally this probably wouldn't stop you, you had bigger concerns, but you doubt Nicole, or even your charge, would be very pleased to find out you'd harmed innocents. You make the quick decision that simply leaving would probably be the best option, and you turn back to this supposed Emperor, and give another small bow. Might as well finish this well enough, you suppose.

"I apologize for the trouble, your Highness."

Then, without much more hesitation, you snatch Sidhe out of the air, crouch to brace yourself, then launch yourself skyward, body slamming through the wooden ceiling. You'd made sure to give your jump a slight angle and you soon found yourself crashing into someone's house. You offer a mumbled apology to the occupants, who look extremely confused, then find your way outside and get your bearings. There. There was the monastery training school thingy. There was your destination.

Then you feel it. Another radar like pulse of reality breaking power. And whoever it was, likely that girl, knew where you were. Just as soon as it hits you, you feel where it came from.

The monastery. The damn bitch was already at the monastery.

You launch yourself without hesitation, following the same path back the way you came. The journey feels much shorter than the first time you done this, but then, you knew the route now, and could much more easily traverse the terrain.

Still, as you arrive at your destination, smashing into the balcony you'd taken off from, you find the monastery covered in what look like spider webs. You pause in the destroyed doorway, gazing into the dark, empty hallway within, your fairy companion choosing to hover just off your shoulder instead of resting. You can tell she's nervous and agitated.

Looks like its time to come up with another plan.

>>>Input Command

Hrrrm...
Spiderweb right? If video games has taught this quest-player anything, it's that a blade or a torch is the way to handle webs...
Buut we're probably going to have to FIGHT in that web, not get rid of it.
So. I'm not sure if form types can do this but could you temporarily break some sort of...Viking armor onto you or something? Or summon a zombie or two to step onto the web to trigger the trap...Or you can just go ghostly and hover through...
Hey, why not combine a trick or two? Summon a zombie, go ghostly, then send the zombie. The opposing breaker is probably gonna attack once the zombie hits the web and then you ambush the ambusher!

I think it's time to mix things up a bit. You've been breaking all the tricks in this place by brute forcing through. It's how you got out of Sidhe's area, and dealt with that last attack at the palace. If this breaker chick has been paying attention and is trying to intervene, she's here to stop that. Use your strength against you.

She wants you to power through the webs. I'm guessing they're a lot stronger than they look, and pulling on them is a bad idea.

Swap forms, ghost through the traps. We're looking for Rise so we can recruit her, and the baddie to stop her.

Hey... spiderwebs are kind of forest-y and fairy-y, right? Maybe ask Sidhe if they're something she can work with, like we saw her do before. It'll be amusing if we can turn this breaker's tricks back against her. Spider may not find herself so comfortable in her web.

Ghostly Remnant Revenant 2014/11/16(Sun)18:51 No. 603041 ID: c4468a
File 141619269885.jpg - (17.42KB , 350x218 , Wraith.jpg )

You stare at the webbing for a moment, turn slightly. It was a good thing you had your own little tricks. A snap of your fingers and a little use of will, and suddenly there's one of your little zombie friends standing next to you. This seems to freak out your fairy friend a moment, until she sees you ignoring it and calms. You make sure you have full control over your minion, who moans in response to your mental command to "speak", and then you turn towards your other companion.

"I'm about to go all ghosty on you, so I don't think you'll be able to follow me. Still... spiders are all foresty ain't they? Think you can cause some of your brand of mischief for me?"

Sidhe's eyes light up like a lightbulb, and she gives you a grin that could only be described as vicious. You smile in return and gesture to your zombie. She darts over and settles down, although you can already feel a familiar feeling of breaking coming from the fairy. Interesting, that an avatar would be able to do that. You've never seen one do that. Then again, you've only met a couple before Sidhe.

That leaves you to your own task. You close your eyes and take in a ragged breath, and then you command the change to begin. For a moment, you feel your skin and muscles return, and take a single breath of living air again. Then, as you exhale, you feel the all too familiar chill of death overtake you again. This time, however, instead of dead flesh, you simply feel your body become intangible. The feel of air and warmth against your skin disappears, to be replaced with nothing. You watch skin disappear into a dark, black cloak that seems to spring from nothing and wrap itself around your form. Fingers lengthen to shadowy points, while your feet seems to disappear completely in favor of you floating just above the floor. The final step follows soon after. Where your heart would be, a small glowing point exists. This is the only one of your two form that the "heart" of your breaking is even somewhat visible.

As the transformation finishes, you feel your new, ghostly senses reach out and begin to paint a picture around you. Like a pulse, your "heart beat" sends out a wave of what can only be described as spectral energy, and you can feel little points of life within. Or more accurately, only two points. There are other things moving, but they only feel hollow. Inhuman.

And surrounding one of the living.

>>>Input Command

>ghost senses
Ooh, useful, you've got a radar, now.

I think it's safe to assume the inhuman things are probably hostiles, or at the every least, creature of the dream.

Your course of action seems obvious. Two lifesigns, one surrounded. Someone is in need of help, here. Make a beeline for the person in trouble, right through the walls.

Did the stuff you were carrying turn intangible too? It'll be inconvenient if we can't carry the emperor's seal with us to Rise.

You home in on the living one being surrounded and will your incorporeal form in its direction, simply passing through the walls and webbing that might get in your way. You also tell the zombie minion of yours to start moving, and it begins to stumble into the webs like an idiot, although it doesn't seem to be getting stuck at all. Regardless, you easily reach your own destination to find Rise fighting against a bunch of her apparently mind controlled students, swinging her two-handed sword around like its a twig. Still, the sword does her no good as she remains defensive, likely trying to see a peaceful way out of this situation.

You hold no such reservations.

One of the students spots you as you emerge fully into the area, and he lets out a startled squeak of surprise before you descend on him. Your ghostly hands pass through his physical form to tear away at what amounts to his soul, and whatever the lifeless husk has a replacement. He drops to the ground instantly, apparently there isn't much holding them together on the inside, but the noise he makes draws the attention of the rest, and some of the students break off from the Master to surround you instead. Like that matters at all.

It does seem to help Rise, however, and that's something. Now that you're here, you have more options, especially with the pressure off of your hopefully soon to be ally.

>>>Input Command

>your hopefully soon to be ally
She may not be so keen on that, especially after watching you kill one of her students she was going out of her way not harm.

I would make sure Rise can see the emblem, or toss it to her, while shouting (or whatever it is that ghosts do) that they aren't real (follow up explanation after combat: you can sense life in this form. She's alive. They're... something less). Then she should stop holding back, and the two of you can mop up these grunts.

"These do not live... do not have life...You have life...Not these Hollow beings...Nothing but strings and dreams..."
Should get the point across to Rise, even if it's going to be creepy as all get out to try talking to her.
Showing the seal should help at least.

You would love to explain why you just effectively murdered one of her students, but that brings up the rather interesting problem of the living interacting with the dead. Thanks to your incorporeal form, you can't really... speak... in the sense that the living do. It was possible in zombie mode thanks to still having lungs(albeit rotted ones) but this form... not so much. You can, however, display the seal. That's a simple matter of pulling it from wherever your transformation stores it. You've done it a couple of times. In kinda feels like throwing up, only not unpleasant.

You will yourself through the students in your path, happily tearing into and ending them along the way, before form settles next to Rise. She seems just as cautious, if not more so, than her opponents, but her eyes widen slightly as your "hand" reaches out and deposits the seal onto the floor at her feet. She stares at it, clearly confused, but you don't have more time to spare for the woman. Better to see about getting her to safety. Or relative safety.

You sniff out where that other life sign was, thinking you could possibly end this without pissing her off any more than you had to, but find a third you hadn't noticed before. Or maybe it was too small for you to notice before, because if its position is anything to go by, it seems the little fairy avatar is the one letting off the feeling. And it seems to be growing in strength. Suddenly, you hear it, the sound flowing through the whole building like a breeze. Tinkling bells and giggling laughter. For a moment, that is all, and then you hear a low groan come from underneath you. Kinda like...

Kinda like wood right before it snaps.

"Oh god... Sidhe, not again..."

Rise suddenly bursts past you, aiming to push towards the nearest doorway, even as her students move to stop her. You hear more of that groaning sound, giggling, and the distant and distinct snap of wood foundations going.

Well... you suppose that WAS mischief...

>>>Input Command

You can't talk in this form? Good thing we didn't pick it before, when meeting with Liz.

Can you ghost-write, maybe? Manipulate the stuff you're made of into letters?

>Sidhe bringing down the house
I had hoped to catch the spider in her own traps, but if she's indoors, I suppose dropping the house on her might qualify.

And it seems like Rise remembered Sidhe! That's progress.

>what do
Clear a path for Rise through the not-students. She needs to be through that exit before she gets crushed. Won't effect you, of course. Ghosting through the rubble may give you a free attack on you opponent, too.

Oh. Can't talk, problematic.
I wonder if that means that ghost girl of the kid-duo is a banshee or something different?

Clearing a path seems good, if push comes to shove maybe use a zombie to stave off the building collapse...Or maybe just turn the building into zombies so they can make sure not to fall on Rise? Seems expensive to try that one though.
A final idea, if making zombie minions/turning into a zombie fails, is to run to Sidhe and ask her to protect you. Iffy, but a possible last resort plan.

>I wonder if that means that ghost girl of the kid-duo is a banshee or something different?
Not sure. We only ever saw her active in a fight or two, and I don't think we witnessed her applying her power. I don't think we observed her talk in-form either (or scream, which is what I'd expect from a banshee).

Notable traits were that she seems to be focused on protecting her partner, and appeared afraid. Unclear if those were form traits, or well, personality traits.

Never really did get close enough to those two to figure out her deal. And as I remember, they were actually going to school before Marc moved them cross county. That leaves some uncomfortable questions about their situation, months later (did we pull them away from parents? A home? What reason was given for their disappearance?).

Not sure we can do anything about that, though. It would be kind of a weird thread for Linda to suddenly go back and pull at, unless it was part of a larger effort checking up on the people in the group? (Or more narrowly, checking up on the situation of our underaged members).

You dart passed Rise, charging right into and through those that are most directly in her path, tearing away at their "lives". Soon, enough, their lifeless bodies are littering the ground, and your companion is crashing through the doorway, the enemy close on her heels.

Rise keeps going, hardly losing any momentum from the door at all, and you easily keep pace, floating around her and keeping your senses as open as possible. Sidhe seems to be doing something, as she's chasing around what you think is the enemy, although you aren't sure what that is looking like. As Rise nears the pathway that leads towards the doorway you'd entered from, she looks like she's going to take the wrong way. You quickly move in front of her and point the right way, and she skids to a halt to glare at you a moment.

"I don't even know you that well? How do I know-"

You dart past her to rip through another group of her supposed students, quickly re-assuming your place in front of her and pointing again, this time a little more insistently. You don't have time for the QnA session. That can come later.

She glares at you another moment, but seems to at least take your advice, heading down the right corridor and towards the doorway out of here. That leaves you to gather up Sidhe. And maybe find out more about this enemy of yours.

You watch as the whole building shakes again and starts to pitch to the side, but you ignore it in favor of sliding through the walls towards your other companion. Soon, emerge in a more collapsed section of the building to find the place covered in even more webbing, your fairy friend jingling like mad as she continues to manipulate something to keep the crumbling building crumbling. Her opponent, on the other hand, is not what you were expecting. Where there was what you were expecting to be a woman, instead you got a giant spider like thing, hissing incoherently and spitting webbing at the fairy, and instead hitting that weird barrier thing. At least you knew Sidhe was the one doing it for sure now.

Still, giant spider or not, you had to get the little fairy back to the door. Sure as you were that this spider thing was somehow related to the woman you'd seen earlier, it certainly wasn't time to deal with her now. You float over to the fairy and get her attention by "snapping" your non-existent fingers in front of you face. She blinks a moments, concentration lost, which makes the very "alive" feeling she had in her disappear, although it does little to stop the building from continuing to slide off its supports. She stares at you a moment, then her voice flits across your mind.

Leave... time... leave...

You nod, and the fairy disengages from her present company, flitting down the various corridors and disappearing from sight. Hopefully she knows the way. The spider moves to charge after her, effortlessly moving across the webs like... well... a spider, but you quickly intercept, placing yourself on its route and flaring you existence as much as you can. Got to buy just a little more time.

Now though, its time to consider. Do you head back now, or do you see if you can't cause some damage to this... whatever it is? It might not matter, it could be just as unreal as the rest of this, if only less so. It feels real enough, but then again, whoever made it could have just put more effort into it.

>>>Input Command

Okay. Your opponent (form type) or her creature (avatar, or dream-thing) is trapped in a collapsing building. It's dead. That's pretty simple, all you have to do is stall it long enough that it won't get out in time. And falling walls don't hurt a ghost.

Your only constraint is the door. We don't know that it will stay open when the building goes. You could be cut off from Rise and Sidhe and the hub, stuck in this far east dream place, if you don't get to it in time.

So: what do. Stall the spider, see if there's anything spiritual for you to actually hurt. And then fly as fast as you can right through the walls to the door before it breaks apart and the walls come down.

You waste little time considering your options. Stall the spider long enough to ensure its demise, then make your way to the door as quickly as possible. Thankfully, you're a ghost, and walls hold little challenge for you. That just makes your life that much easier.

You use your ghost form to shove your way through the spider, tearing away at whatever counts as it's life, then sink through the floor and start "sprinting" back towards the doorway. You hear the spider shriek behind you, although whether that's from pain or the sudden lack of anything to attack you can't tell, but soon enough you've made it through the door, with minutes to spare. You pause just on the other side, watching the world on the other side collapse, and then the doorway vanishes completely, as if it had never existed. Well, isn't that convenient.

"I would assume you are the one my friend here has spoken of."

You turn to face the speaker, Rise, and start to speak, only to remember you're still a ghost. You take a moment to drop your form, re-assuming your normal, human appearance and reveling in the feeling of getting actual air into your lungs. Always felt good to breath again. Regardless, you've hardly finished the transition when you feel something settle onto your shoulder, and you glance over to find Sidhe once again taking up her now customary position. You notice Rise raise an eyebrow at the little fairy, to which the only response is an upturned nose.

"And it seems she is not yet over her... petty sulking over me ignoring her advice."

"I take it from the familiarity you're this friend the little one was talking about."

"You would be correct. Rise Muramasa, at your service."

"You know anything about some crazy girl somewhere in here? Elizabeth... something."

"Elizabeth? She's a lieutenant with the group we are a part of. I don't understand why you would ask about her though, she should still be back home, in the west."

"She's... in here somewhere. Apparently, she thought you lot were in trouble. Seems she was right. Regardless, now she's trapped in here as well. Along with us."

"I... see... That... that is not good..."

Rise drops into thought, leaving the hub-room silent. You frown yourself, not entirely sure what else you can do but start cracking open doors again. Or maybe find out about what's going on, although you honestly doubt Rise has anymore clues than Sidhe did.

>>>Input Command

Might as well try for information, while we actually have the chance.

I don't suppose you can tell me what happened here, or who we're dealing with? Lizzie was pretty cryptic, and this one's here's not so big on talking either.

Assuming information is something Rise doesn't have...
Part of me wants to return to that military propaganda room, see what's in there, maybe we can start to gauge a pattern of what's going on here. Or maybe the dream-maker will send another minion we can fight at us.
That's a good plan B if Rise doesn't have anything good. Chances are though, she at least knows SOMETHING of value.

"I don't suppose you can tell me what happened here, or who we're dealing with? Lizzie was pretty cryptic, and this one's here's not so big on talking either."

The question jars Rise from her thoughts, and she blinks a moment and then refocuses her attention on you.

"I was sent here, along with that one there, to investigate the disappearance of breakers in the area. I can safely say that someone or something is apparently carting them off to here, wherever here is. Judging from what Sidhe has told me, I assume that each area is tailored towards a specific person, but..." Rise frowns again in thought, then shakes her head to clear whatever it is completely away. "I am afraid I do not know much more than that. I remember entering someone else's world briefly, and then nothing until I woke up in what I assume was my own little world. I would also hazard a guess that someone is deliberately making these worlds themselves, and can also somehow interfere with the thoughts and actions of those within. Why Sidhe, and I suppose yourself, are resistant is a mystery however."

You respond with only a grunt of acknowledgment, taking in the small bit of information she's provided you with. Sidhe doesn't seem to offer any different opinions or new information, which you expected in all honesty, but regardless, it doesn't leave you with much to go on at all... if the little space cadet was here with you. Then, at least, she might be able to tell you more. Seems like her abilities ran in that direction anyway. Eventually, you figure that, seeing as you were apparently all on the same team now, you should ask their opinions about what to do next. Rise takes a moment to consider before responding, while Sidhe jumps right into it.

fight flight hunt help choice

"If I thought we had the time, I suppose calling for help of some sort. However, I do not believe we have the luxury, seeing as I have not heard of anyone in the organization capable of traveling great distances quickly. Then again, no one knows who the leader is, or what abilities they might possess..."

No one knows the leader? That's... odd.

Huh. So Linda's non-existence results in an invisible leader. I was kind of expecting people to assume one of the others was in charge, or to see our lieutenants to be seen as a ruling council or something. People being aware of the whole / gap is... interesting. (At the one time, it's a problem of trust, since we appear to have made ourselves unapproachable. Which is conspicuous right after overthrowing Marc, a leader they couldn't trust. At the same time, it's an opening, because Linda could potentially introduce herself as the person in charge whenever she needed to. Although I don't know how we make that claim believable).

>get backup
Unless Liz is just plain overconfident or wrong, backup that can handle this has already arrived. And the fact that this place doesn't work on you right would suggest she might know what she's doing. Not that you can say for sure.

Can't call for help anyways unless we find a way out again, anyways.

I guess we try opening doors again? See if any look promising.
or if the person or force who interfered in Rise's place comes after you here. (Might need zombie form to rip things open?).

You watch. There are thousands of stars around you, and thousands more stretching beyond your grasp. And that alone tells you all you need to know. Only a few thousand stars your sight can touch. A more unconvincing prison probably would have worked more effectively. As it is, your teachers have already taught you too well how to mold the fabric to your will. You've had many teachers, each trying desperately to both curry favor and demand respect. Unfortunately for them, your favor rests with only one, and they are not she.

You suppose your mother would be proud, if she knew how much you loved her.

... A funny word. Love. It leaves an odd taste in your mouth. Figuratively of course. Words can't have a taste. Not unless you will them to.

You snap your attention back to sharp focus. You've been trying to be better about that. Ever since your deal with the Watcher, you've noticed that your paths, while uncertain, demanded your more immediate attention to your surroundings, and not the infinite tapestry of reality. The tentalizing threads that pulled at fate. The gossamer strings that-

No!

Had to stop.

Focus.

Breath.

LIVE.

Still, in this instance, the Sight is needed. Your eyes peer beyond this weak veil of stars and inky blackness to the threads beyond. And you SEE. There, a light, shining in the tapestry, like a firefly in the night, a star descended from the heavens. There, a warrior, free but just as alone as she was in her prison, her fate decided long ago and not for you to change.

And the last. Death clings to him like a lover. He has died, truly died, before. Yet reality snapped around him, demanded he live again. To others, they see only a man, or a corpse, or a ghost. You see...

You close your eyes, forcing the image away. Another fate you have no business influencing. Not now, at least. But the Angel would have to know. When the time came, she needed to know.

Now, though, it was in your best interest to guide the threads. To force open a path. The breaker here was getting stronger, accelerating her plans. Others were being devoured, their power consumed to fuel her own. Soon, she'd come for you. Choices lay before you. Do you guide them out, let them call for the Angel, and let the Angel descend upon them with a fury only a mother could have? Do you guide them to you, and let them fight alone, a mere three against a Dreamwalker? Or do you guide them to those that still live, hopefully allowing them to recruit others to the cause?

>>>Input Command

Hrrm...
Out, and call the Angel. Good option, but risky in terms of how long it could take. Safe though.
To you, and fight. Problem: Dreamwalker. Empowered Dreamwalker. Hard to call how strong she would be, but probably very strong and very hard to fight...
Others? Mistrust, perhaps. Waste time, perhaps. But also likely needed. Let the Slumbering masses turn against their rest unnatural.
three versus the Dreamwalker...

Kind of funny that Elizabeth is considering calling in Linda now, when she asked her to let her take care of it before, while and Linda went against her instincts to trust her, instead of running to protect her.

Also, last we saw Linda, she was on the phone with a confused and upset Cass, and we haven't seen how that ends yet. And we don't know how long after that morning this is. And she's supposed to be working on that public address we haven't done or written yet.

>You suppose your mother would be proud, if she knew how much you loved her.
She's proud of you, regardless.

>He has died, truly died, before. Yet reality snapped around him, demanded he live again.
...like you? Except she demanded it.

>what do
If you wanted to call the Angel down, isn't that trivial to do? You broke a connection to her earpiece before, and you haven't undone it yet. (Unless this place blocks transmission? Holiday's place, and their barrier didn't).

Or, if for some reason the earpiece won't work here, what about the control wires? The right to thread type. Connect to a person, use them to pass a message, let them go (if there's a range restriction, and you can't reach someone near her, grab someone nearby and have them call her).

>Do you guide them to you, and let them fight alone, a mere three against a Dreamwalker?
Would they stand a chance of winning? Throwing away lives, threads, would serve no purpose.

>Or do you guide them to those that still live, hopefully allowing them to recruit others to the cause?
Your mother would want to save those that could be saved. (Elizabeth has reached a point where Linda's role as mother can't just be protector. She has to hope that she's had an impact on her, taught her something of her own beliefs).

>she'll come for you
Can you make that harder on her? She put you in an unconvincing prison- can you improve it? Put yourself in a convincing labyrinth of stars? Force her to waste time in getting to you. Tangle the spider's web, weave the threads into something more.

You quickly shake thoughts of calling your mother from your head. You had wanted to take care of this. Had practically demanded it. Calling her now would only make her more protective and less likely to allow you freedom of motion later. Besides, you had seen the outcomes. You had all the pieces you needed. Now to just get them where they needed to be.

First, of course, is the need to protect those who were vulnerable. Mother had made her organization a place of protection. As a member of it, and as her daughter, you needed to ensure their safety. The easiest way to do that would be to simply eject them from the dream entirely, but that could take time, and for that, you'd need to distract the Spider from her task.

Choices choices. You could either use your pieces to force her hand, or use yourself as bait. The former would put your... friends... at risk, while the latter would force you to play far more defensively and in the open than you were used to.

Although, you suppose being in the field at all is rather unlike you.

Then again... with the Weave bending to your will, it might be you could cause any number of scenarios to appear. It's a dangerous prospect to force the tapestry to flow the way you want, however, especially without someone or something to anchor yourself against...

>>>Input Command
Thread Manipulation: Elizabeth, having been under the tutelage of some very powerful Watchers, has begun to understand how to manipulate the threads of reality more directly. This allows her to easily force situations to go her way, however, doing so has its own dangers. Use her new found power carefully, too much change to a thing can cause often unpredictable and dangers repercussions.

Let's see...How badly would it go for the Spider if we just brought everything in her web together?
She wants everything in it's place, so let's make a mess.
If the Spider has to deal with us all she'll be under duress!

>Thread Manipulation
So our seer has a way around the Casandra conundrum. If you don't like the possible futures you see, or you can't do anything about them, you have a way to shuffle the deck, reseed the future, set up new outcomes.

Interesting that the being who objected to your "existing when you shouldn't" would teach you (or make a deal that would lead to you being taught) this.

>this is dangerous without someone or something to anchor yourself against
You're alone, in a dream, in an artificial sea of stars. That's about as short of anchors as I can imagine. (Unless we can use one of the others, or learn on Linda via the memory focus. Although someone who's not real might not be the best anchor). Until circumstances change, that seems very dangerous to use.

Especially if stirring the pot effectively deprives you of foresight (ie, if we change the tapestry, she won't know what futures could be until she reassess).

>use yourself as bait or use the others to distract her
Obvious questions: can you tell which is more likely to succeed? Would using yourself as bait interfere your expelling others from the dream? If you use yourself as bait, what role would your pieces / friends be playing in the meantime?

Not knowing those answers, I'd lean towards being your own distraction. She's a spider, you see and manipulate thread. She traps people in nightmares, but you're no stranger to those yourself. (You're not afraid of your visions anymore, you've known two Nightmares now, and you have your own ways to inspire fear). You're well equipped to be her foil.

>meta stuff
I really want to find an awesome way to turn fear itself on the spider. And I'm half wondering if there's a way we can pull out / tap into Linda's otherwise inaccessible spider fear form through the memory token and throw it at her.

You briefly consider bringing everyone to you, but quickly push the thought aside. Manipulating the Weave that much could lead to dire consequences. Still... bringing your three friends to you...

You set to work, first by expanding your influence over the area around you. A few tweaks of the world, and the endless starry sky that isn't really endless suddenly IS endless. Unfortunately, the Spider notices your efforts. Rather quickly, all this considered, but hardly unexpected. You did just do something rather... big. Still, you reach out with your will again, demanding a passage be opened from your friends to yourself. You thankfully succeed, even with the Spider attempting to interfere, and then you can do little but begin guiding the others out. Hopefully the Undying can get here in time.

The Chase Begins Revenant 2015/01/18(Sun)14:47 No. 620964 ID: 52a0f0
File 142162122608.jpg - (114.91KB , 1024x731 , Drider.jpg )

Barely moments pass as you process the information you'd been given, and consider beginning to open random doors, when one flies open all on its own, and you feel it. The brat is there. Waiting. How you know you have no clue, but just knowing is enough.

"Looks like we caught a lucky bre-"

Your words are interrupted by a shrieking clack of mandibles, the massive spider from before dropping down from the ceiling right in front of the door. As it lands, the thing seems to fold in on itself until that creepy woman is there. She throws an angry glare over her shoulder, then darts through the doorway, already shifting again into something else. You feel a wave of breaking pass around you, you think targeting the door, but something shoves it aside with as much consideration as a man might give a bug. Well, wasn't that convenient.

"What are you doing? We have to go after her!"

Rise charges through the door without any consideration, Sidhe close behind her, although your fairy friend pauses on the other side and stares back at you. You let out a sigh before taking off after them, passing through the doorway into some sort of twisting maze of stairways and starlight. This... this is not what you were expecting at all.

You spot the Spider... woman? What the hell is that?

You quickly shake away your surprise as the half-woman, half-spider whatever scuttles along the stairways, passing by entire sections with ease. Rise seems to have far more trouble, actually having to traverse the walkways instead.

You suppose you really should shift forms... and come up with a plan for dealing with this thing.

>>>Input Command

The Spider seems to be weaving worlds specifically to trap Breakers. But where is the Spider? Three against a dreamwalker in a dream is risky, but three against a dreamwalker in reality?
Guide your companions to the Spider, then eject them all. Or maybe bring yourself to the Spider, and take over all the dreams at once, trapping the Spider in a dream of her own creating.

Ghost time.
Why run the maze when you can bypass the walls?

A 3 dimensional stair-star maze? Neat.

Before you lose your ability to talk, call out to Rise and Sidhe.

She can cheat / sequence break sections by using her sword (cutting through walls, cutting and moving / repositioning stairs) and with Sidhe's help (shield bubbles can act as bridges or stepping stone between areas if she's nimble and Sidhe cooperates. ...and Rise having to ask Sidhe for help would probably sooth her wounded ego).

Obviously, go ghost. You need to cut off and/or attack that spider-woman. She's going right for your charge, and you're still employed as a bodyguard.

>more meta stuff
If Rise falls under the illusions again (Rev being dead and Sidhe being non-human seem to protect them) Liz could probably keep her on target with View the Weave. (See the spider for what she really is, via spirit sight, regardless of the dream).

"Sidhe, help Rise catch up. I'll try to stall the... whatever it is."

The fairy looks a little unhappy, but quickly flits off to do what you asked. In the meantime, you take a moment to let you physical form melt away, to be replaced with the Wraith. Another moment passes as you get your bearing, then you charge in the most direct path possible, passing straight through the spider-things body within a few minutes of beginning the chase and tearing away at its life. You keep going after that, placing yourself directly in it's path in hopes of stalling it. Unfortuantely, you're attack against its life doesn't seem to have done more than stall it temporarily, but even that small amount of time helps. It hisses at you, which at first you don't quite understand, until suddenly the hissing seems to form itself into words... sorta.

"Why?! Why must you stop me?! Why must you care so deeply for no one at all?!"

You don't respond, at least no with words. Instead, you simply flare at your spectral body, making yourself appear as big as possible. The Spider-thing's response is to rear up and shoot webbing at you, which does nothing at all, conveniently. Still, what you don't expect is the spider to suddenly take to the sky, almost literally flying through the air. You stare a moment, then frown.

You... don't think spiders can do that...

Still, it looks like you've forced the thing into an indirect path. You can feel the brat's presence farther along behind you. It might be time to hook up with her. Or you could keep going after the spider directly, eliminate the source of the issue. Or...

Actually, those seem about the only options.

You glance around for Rise, and see her and Sidhe still making their way towards you, although the pair working together seem to make great progress. They'll be here in a few minutes at most. Unless something gets in their way.

>>>Input Command

>Why must you care so deeply for no one at all?!
Ah. The trap is based on connection? The drifter and the doll don't have enough left to catch them.

>You... don't think spiders can do that...
I guess if this is her place, she gets to cheat.

>chase her, or go for the girl
Bodyguard first. Get to the girl, get your allies to her. We can deal with the threat once your client is safe. If you go right for the spider, something might beat you there.

You quickly decide to ignore the Spider for now, instead turning around and darting off towards the source of all this trouble. It seems mere moments pass, and suddenly you are there, on a platform suspended on nothing, Lizzy seated with her legs folded underneath her and eyes screwed tight in concentration. Only a few moments after reaching her, however, her eyes snap open, and she offers you a small smile.

"You have arrived. I must concentrate. Keep her away from me."

Her? Her wh-

You are interrupted by the shrieking of a woman who is likely incredibly deranged dropping from somewhere above you, heading straight for Lizzy. You react instantly, years of protecting others kicking in, and snap your ethereal for right for where you know the creature will be within the next few moments. Even as you do so, your body shifts from Wraith to human, than human to Draugr. You collide with the creature, sending it hurtling off the edge, although you can hear skittering somewhere below you and can only assume she's managed to land on something. You land just before the edge, quickly pushing yourself to you feet. You have a few more minutes before Rise get here, and while you know you need to defend the space cadet, there's the issue of how. If the Spider really is controlling all of this, then she's got a damned large advantage over you.

There's got to be something you can do to slow her down.

Oh hey, rapid form shifting to make a flying tank is a pretty cool trick. (I wanna use that for one hell of an entrance, later. Fly way the hell above a target, form shift, and fall. Zombie terminal velocity orbital insertion strike).

Okay. So, we're playing capture the flag here, and we're on defense. Our opponent can scale walls, fly, and may be able to manipulate the environment in her favor. Flying is out for us, if we want to be able to physically attack her.

If she's below you, we could fight by collapsing stuff down on her? Precision smash attacks to break off terrain to fall on her.

We could summon up some dummy undead minions. Hard for her to catch us by surprise, coming your client from an unexpected angle if we've got the zone flooded. They're probably too dumb to stop her, but it buys us time to react.

And/or you could try to taunt her into focusing on you. She's the big bad here? How come you're the only one she couldn't get, huh? Everyone else got stuck in their own private little world- the fairy forest, feudal japan, the stars. Why couldn't she get you in a box? Too tough for her?