bravenewworld | Event - Confrontation with the Enhanced

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Event - Confrontation with the Enhanced

With the revelation of the presence of the Enhanced, Union was able to quickly mobilize. As the strange conditions continued to worsen, the Trainers of Union once again set out to bring order to the chaos.

This time however, they do not walk entirely alone. A small, dedicated team remains behind in Union, sorting through the dossiers and information that Crystal and Rory have collected. Connected to those in the field via Warp Band network, hopefully they can identify the Enhanced and find a way to calm them before a tragedy occurs.

[OOC: There will be a thread for each active team based on the sign-ups. Any areas that did not have any sign-ups will not be present and will be addressed later. As per our usual standards, moderators and NPC helpers will progress the log at least once every 24 hours. The Union log will work somewhat differently from the battle logs in that the participants will be collecting information concerning the Enhanced; when enough information has been accumulated, they will be asked to tag into the battle threads to provide guidance and support to those out in the field.

Characters participating in the Union log will function as support staff for this event. They will have their own log interacting with Rory and Crystal and as characters in other logs encounter the Enhanced, they can use the observations made to try to find out more about the Enhanced in the field and help the people in the field determine an appropriate situation. Because of this, players in the Union thread may threadjack any ongoing log to relay information as needed.

The outcome of this event will depend very much on player decisions and the ability of the characters to respond to the threats at hand, so we would highly encourage you all to tag as regularly as possible. Thanks!]

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[ Endangering the city? She was--

No, no, that couldn't be right. She wasn't doing anything wrong. She didn't do anything wrong! She just wanted to help them... Help her friends. Sakina understood. She didn't do anything wrong.

Even after things started falling apart around them. Even after they all started to lose control.

No. This wasn't her fault.

This couldn't be her fault.

...This wasn't what she wanted. It wasn't what she wanted at all. She was tired, scared, hungry. She wanted them to have a new life. Away from the pain. That pain. The pain that made her lose control. Her friends, in pain.

No. Stop thinking about it. You have to stay in control, Prisca. Carl, Chanda, please...

The specters were restless, but, for the moment, held in place, at ease. Two lights flashed, then, after a moment, the girl finally stepped out from behind a building. She was small, barely over five foot tall, her clothing dirty and worn. Beside her two were two pokemon, a Chandelure and Lucario. The Chandelure stayed close, while Lucario, his eyes narrowed, stood between the group, the specters and his trainer. ]

Please... I don't want to hurt you... The dead, there are so many, I can't control--

[ The girl stopped. A gun. That was a gun at her feet. Why did they have a gun? The handlers, sometimes they had-- ]

Ah--

[ A tremor, from somewhere deeper in the Old City; they were common, but the timing was less than ideal. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it was enough to startle the girl, a look of utter panic crossing her face. ]

Don't touch her!

Leave Miss Prisca alone!

[ Lucario sprung forward, moving toward the closest targets--Gordon and Matthias--with a flurry of punches and kicks. One of you did this, didn't you?! Chandelure's flames pulsed. The one in the back. What were you doing? What was that strange pulsing around your body. You were trying to hurt her master, weren't you?! Flames turning black and lashing out, she threw a Shadow Ball straight at Martin. ]

Carl! Chanda! STOP!

[ The specters surged in her panic. They surrounded the group at all sides, forms changing, multiplying becoming more threatening, more terrifying. ]

Wai--

[Boar ends up taking the Shadow Ball for Martin while Sunflash lunges for the Chandelure, leaving Martin to try and handle the Lucario--

Only the tremors and the panicking girl and the attacking 'mons and the sudden influx of spectres are starting to get to him. The faint double image is more pronounced now, impossible to ignore. Martin's on the ground before he really knows what's going on, yelling in pain before passing out.

There is now a ghostly form of Martin, hooded and cloaked, facepalming over his unconscious body. He tries to grab his sword but of course his hand just goes right through it.

Dammit.]

[When the girl appeared, Ichigo was hoping that maybe that would be it - that she'd come with them, and a fight could be avoided.

...But then, the tremor hit - and everything went to hell. The two pokemon flew out at the group, sure they'd caused their trainer to panic, and Ichigo was thrust into battle. Martin was down before Ichigo could move - but he was a little closer to Gordon and Matthias, and he had an attack that would help-!

It only takes a second before Ichigo rushes into action, sliding his body between the two and the Lucario's attack.]

King's Shield!

[The lucario's blows bounce off his Shield, and also has the effect of blunting the Pokemon's attack.]

Dammit! We didn't attack you - stop!

[Minato grunts as he falls back in surprise, fiddling with his Warp Band to leave a hissed message.

Toriumi helps him as he scrambles up. He figures he should probably call out Nemesis, but... not just yet... not while there's still a chance at salvaging this...]

[Matthias only barely had time to roll cleanly out of the way of the Lucario's assault, though a solid kick did find his ribs, turning his roll into a tumble as he skidded across the hard ground. He clunched his side, his thermos having rolled off in some unknown direction and his eyes on the body...and specter of Martin who was only a few inches from where he'd been tossed.

He stood up though, holding himself as high as his bruised bones would let him and held his palms out towards the Pokemon. He let his shoulders relax, let the tension in my muscles go, and let his voice carry out softly, yet firmly towards the attacking Pokemon.

"Pokemon are straightforward beings. Let your intentions be known plainly and they will respond in kind. If you are not a threat, they will no more treat you as one than they would a leaf or a rock."

Wise words from old Methuselah. It was time to put them to use.]

I will not raise my weapons against you. I will do you and your friends no more harm and on my word as a defender of Union, I hereby swear that no more ill intent will fall upon you. I care not if you continue to strike me, but leave my friends be. If you wish to carry on, then do to me what you will. I will listen to whatever it is you wish to say and provide you with whatever aid I possibly can.

[After all, it was the duty of the Saviors to provide aid to those who had none. Basil seemed to mirror this sentiment, pushing up against Matthias' back to keep him steady despite his injuries. The most important objective here was to ensure his friends got out safely and that this young lady was given a chance to get away from her life of pain and suffering. This was really all he could do, so far from his weapons and equipment anyways...it was all or nothing it seemed.]

[Everything happens all at once. Gordon, seeing the Pokémon coming, leans out of the way on instinct, the effects of the Confuse Ray, he trips over Rex, falling to the ground, a wuff of breath from himself and the pokémon. Then Mac is stepping in, hands up in a boxer's pose, preparing a Fake Out, only to be intercepted by Ichigo's King Shield. Gordon looks groggy for a moment, but then panic snaps him out of his confusion.]

I'm okay! We're okay! Everyone calm down!

[He gets up into a crouch, hands going back up.]

[The initial attack scares Piper and the tremor makes her stumble, only managing to catch herself on Amore's shoulder. But in a way, the sudden chaos clears her mind. She's still scared, but all of this is getting them nowhere. She takes a deep breath, and motions for both Amore and Fierte to stay behind, as she walks forward, trying to ignore the ghosts. She keeps her hands out in front of her, palms out and moves with slow deliberate steps.]

It's okay. It's okay. [Her voice is quiet and calm. Internally she's scared as all get out, but she also really empathizes with this girl, and that helps Piper keep her voice level.]

I think we all startled each other, no? We don't mean to harm you, I promise

[Sure, it's basically what Matthias already said, but sometimes simple words worked better]

[ This was wrong, this was all wrong, she had no control over anything anymore. Her friends. The spirits. Now this.

Seeing Boar take the hit full force, the redhead winced deeply, form shrinking a bit. Crying out when she saw Martin fell and Matthias take a dampened kick from her Lucario, the girl doubled over a bit, still standing but gripping her sides. ]

Carl, Chanda stop hurting them, I can't--

[ It hurts, their pain, she can feel it in every fiber of her being, twisting in her stomach and crowding her head.

She was a monster. She did all this.

It hurts.

If it weren't for her, none of this would have started in the first place.

It hurts.

She wanted to be normal. Just a normal woman.

It hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts IT HURTS MAKE IT STOP PLEASE.

Grandpa... ]

STOP IT!

[ Screaming out, a surge of Ghost-type energy washed over the area like a wave--harmless, but at the same time powerful beyond belief. The specters stopped, screaming and writhing against it, teeth gnashing and incorporeal bodies trying to force themselves out of their bonds. Both the Lucario and Chandelure stopped in their tracks, looking back.

She sat on her knees, trembling hard, tears streaming down her face. It was all she could do to keep them at bay and, looking up as Piper neared her, she found herself unable to move as well. Her legs didn't seem to want to work, and every muscle in her body felt tight and unresponsive. She was like a caged animal, certain that she had done something wrong, and that she would be beaten for it.

As the other woman got closer, she might notice that the girl wasn't quite a little girl but, rather, a young woman. There were heavy bags under her eyes, and lines where tears were once shed. She tried to shrink away, certain she knew what was going to happen, eyes downcast, wide and fearful.

Lucario and Chandelure quickly swooped in, one at each side, staring Piper down. You would not touch their master. ]

[This is the biggest mess Martin thinks he has ever seen--and he died.

Everything seems to stop for a moment, which is a blessing though Martin can't seem to wake up and return to his body. Boar is down for the count, close-but-not-quite to fainting, and Sunflash has retreated to nose at Martin's body. Hopefully he'll wake up soon.

In the meantime, Martin floats over to join Piper, kneeling in front of the girl. He can't touch her, but she seems to be a Ghost type. Maybe she can hear him.]

We won't hurt you. We don't want to hurt you. We want to help you, I promise.

[Still pretty faint, but Piper's close enough that she might hear him if no one else does.]

[The wave of ghost energy was intense - and being someone so close to the realm of the spirits as it was, it...didn't exactly Hurt, but for a second he felt as if he should stop completely in his tracks.

It was unnerving, but...the feeling soon passed, and in it's wake was...a young woman, looking scared and sure of punishment. Almost instantly, an old, old feeling rose in his chest - The feeling of an older brother wanting to comfort his scared sibling.

Like Piper and Martin, Ichigo floats forward - but stops, considering that he's still in Aegislash form. Would he frighten her, like this? and he certainly couldn't comfort her well when he's a sword and a shield...

The memory of his death is what stuck him in pokemon form, but it's the want to help someone else, to protect them that ultimately cements his place as a shifter. A bright flash of light briefly shines in the area, and then Ichigo's human form is there, still coming closer with every step until he's near both Martin and Piper.]

Hey...Hey, it's alright. It's going to be okay.

[Despite the pokemon at her side, Ichigo reaches out with one of his hair hands, trying to touch her shoulder to at least give her some contact, some reassurance that they were just trying to help, that they cared.

His voice is low, soft, trying to be comforting. Honestly, all he wants to do is rush up and hug her, but that would probably end badly. So, instead, he'd just use his hand and hope for the best.]

They're right - we're not going to hurt you. All of us...we just want to help you. I know that probably sounds strange, but it's the truth. And...I know that you're probably scared. I would be, too.

But...we can't help you unless you let us. So...will you let us?

[Piper lets the wave pass over her - it's an odd feeling, but she tries to put it from her mind to focus on the young woman. She crouches down, to better be on eye level with both the woman and her Pokemon.]

It's okay. [Her voice is still quiet, the tone she uses to calm skittish Pokemon. She addresses her next words to the Lucario and Chandelure.]

We're not going to hurt her, I promise. I swear.

[She looks away from the woman and her pokemon to sweep a glance around at the rest of the their group. Her earlier nervousness is gone, and there is a hardness in her gaze that indicates no one should make her a liar. And then her attention turns back to the girl.]

You've been running for a while now, haven't you? I'm sorry we frightened you, but you really are safe now.

[It took everything Matthias had to remain standing when the wave of energy passed by him, the sheer force of it, while not harmful, was absolutely staggering. Thankfully though, nothing came after it; no more attacks, no ill intent...just a calm, tentative though it was, it was something. With Basil helping him along at a relatively slow gait, Matthias hobbled back towards the young woman and even managed to find his thermos, miraculously unscathed against a rock which Basil picked up and handed to him; he was grateful for that...leaning down right now would have been a bad idea.

It took him about a minute, but he eventually got within arms length of the young woman and stopped. Her Pokemon were making a clear show that they weren't allowed any closer, and he was alright with that. With a great sigh, Matthias sank down and took a seat, motioning Basil towards his pack; the Buneary gave a nod and shot off towards it, coming back a moment later with three cups which he filled with the soup.

It was even still warm enough to have steam rise from it as it hit the cold, Old City air and despite having been tossed around, still smelled rather inviting. Each cup was set down as far from him as he could managed and he gestured to the Lucario of the group slowly before he spoke, both to the Pokemon and to the young woman.]

Indeed, we do apologize for the misunderstanding. Please, here's that soup I promised. Eat, you all look hungry and exhausted; you can tell us your story at your leisure if you so choose but from here on out, no harm will come to you.

[And just for emphasis, to make sure they knew his intentions were pure, he took a sip of his soup straight from thermos and swallowed in plain sight. He didn't want to have come so far for them to assume he was trying to offer poison. That and nothing gets the appetite going quite like getting punted a few feet, the soup was really hitting the spot and the warmth was starting to ebb away the pain in his ribs.

A little at any rate. Still felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer to his side though.]

[As the others close in, Gordon hangs back, feeling that crowding the young woman is the last thing they need right now. He rises to his feet, brushing himself off, apparently no worse for wear.]

Young Lady, most of us, we are Swords of the Savior. Earlier, I asked if you knew what that meant. What it means is we protect those that need protecting. From what we've heard, sounds like you need some protecting.

[His tone is fatherly, calm and kind. He looks to the younger members of his party as they all move to comfort the girl.]

Let's not crowd her. I know she looks like she could use a hug but, for now, let's let her tell us what she needs, what we can do to help.

... Yes, let's keep our distance for now.

[Toriumi takes a seat where she is and Minato follows suit. Minato doesn't feel the immediate need to share the information he got over the Warp Band--mostly because things seem to be peaceful for now. If the situation changes, he will, but for now...]

[ The Lucario narrowed his eyes as Piper addressed him. He could take this human. He could take her easily. Just one precise strike and--

The Chandelure looked at him, shaking her head briefly. That would do more harm than good. The Lucario made an indignant noise before slowly backing down. He was close enough that he could strike if needed, and continued to size up the group warily.

They weren't the only ones surrounding her. The specters, slowly beginning to calm--or, those who were still more aggressive, fading back into the earth for the time being--grouped around the girl, protecting her. A few even appeared to be whispering something to her, their voices silent. It was very obvious from her expression that, while scared, she was in a state of deep concentration. She had to keep them at bay.

She wasn't in danger.

She wasn't hurt.

It wasn't her. This pain wasn't hers.

Please, calm down, restless spirits.

It was when she heard a spirit's voice that she didn't know--Martin's--that she broke from her trance, quickly looking up. The man from earlier... ]

You...

[ She could tell he wasn't dead, but... had been at one point in time? Slowly, tentatively, she reached out a hand, trying to touch him. Her hand seemed like it should have gone through, but it didn't; it felt warm, comforting, a strange feeling.

She quickly jerked it back as she felt something touch her shoulder, looking in another direction. Who was this red-haired man? It didn't quite register until she heard him speak, startled surprise filling her face. ...The Aegislash? But how?

Looking in yet another direction, she watched Gordon with rapt interest. Her expression was hard to read, but it looked almost... familiar. This man, the way he spoke, the way he stood, he was so much like her grandfather. It was uncanny. ]

You want to... protect me?

[ ...Were there always so many people, or was her mind playing tricks on her? Watching the young man who Carl had let out his aggression out on walk toward her, she watched him closely, not sure how he was still moving. She saw him take a hit, and he was still moving.

She blinked in surprise at the cup, then looked back up at him in disbelief. They hurt him. Why was he being so nice? Why were they all being so nice? Staring down at the cup again, she slowly reached out and took it, holding it in her hands. It was warm. So warm. Bringing it to her lips, she took a sip, stopped, then went at it with a little more gusto; it was obvious the woman hadn't eaten well in a long time.

Despite herself, the tears flowed down her face, her shoulders shaking. It was too much. It was way too much. ]

[[OOC Note: The bulk of this encounter is now COMPLETE. Players may continue the thread at their leisure without worrying about tag order, and, if there are tags, it will still adhere to the 24 hour rule. For purposes of this thread, the danger meter has been reset to 0 and will stay as such unless there are any additional player-added threats.]]

[Gordon watches, and doesn't move forward until things look like they're calming down. He pats Matthias on the shoulder, giving him an approving nod. Ichigo's shoulder gets a squeeze.]

Good to have you back, son.

[He turns to Martin, both of him.]

Are you going to have any problems getting back?

[And then the tears are coming, and Gordon freezes. He stands, awkward, a glance to the others, then back to the young woman.]

[Martin shrugs. Faintly:]

This hasn't happened to me before. Usually it's only while I'm asleep.

[ Food does wonders and, making sure to ration herself, she leaves a bit for her pokemon, which both make quick work of the remaining soup. Careful, Matthias, Chandelure is giving you Deerling eyes. You have more, right?

Wiping her eyes, she takes a few clear breaths before speaking again. Her voice is a bit less delicate. ]

You've died before. But you're alive.

[ She looks at Martin, perplexed, then to the rest of the group. ]

Who are you people?

[Again, he nods. Really what else can he do?]

It's a...long story. I'm not even sure how it happened. But I'm Martin. I used to be a Sword of the Savior, part of the group that protects Union. And, ah, then I died. I guess I'm sort of retired now.

[Of course he does. He's still adverse to breaching any personal space lines here, so instead he'll just simply set out the Thermos itself at as far as he could from himself so the woman or her Pokemon could retrieve it and divide it amongst themselves. It was still about half full, and could likely do two more cups each between the three of them.]

Please, have all you'd like. As for who we are...I am Matthias of Union, affiliated with the Swords of the Savior...a group dedicated to maintaining peace and order here. I'm sure...if you have any other questions of us...we can adequately answer them as well.

[A problem was slowly becoming apparent with Matthias, though it was not readily obvious to anyone who wasn't looking or paying attention to him directly. The adrenaline of the situation had worn off, removing any dulling effect it had had on his rib injury; he'd rolled directly into a full force kick that had been hard enough to send him skidding feet instead of inches and while nothing was broken or punctured, the difficulty he was having in catching his breath was indicative of very bad bruising of the ribs.

As well, even unbeknownst to him, he'd landed hard and smacked his head against the floor when he'd come to a stop, hard enough to leave a small gash on the side of his head which, while not bleeding profusely, was still bloody to say the least. The lack of adrenaline was also giving way to small bouts of dizziness, making it harder to focus than it was normally.

Not that he gave any of this real thought. He didn't have double vision and he attributed his symptoms to the flush of relief replacing his fear. He didn't even seem to notice the wound on his head in lieu of focusing on this poor girl. He could endure a few blows, he was a Sword of the Savior after all!

Basil noticed however, and was desperately trying to point others in the direction of the problems; it wasn't like Matthias had been responding to his rapid fire poking after all.]

[The shoulder squeeze and comment from Gordon doesn't go amiss, and he smiles at the older man, nodding. It was good to be back.

But what she says - and what Martin says in return - gets Ichigo's attention, even as he withdraws his hair 'hand' from her shoulder.]

Wait, you died before too?

[Sure, he was ghost type...but a lot of people were, and they didn't die before.

But she asked a question, and he should answer it, shouldn't he? returning his attention back to Prisca, he replies:]

Oh, uh....I'm Ichigo. Kurosaki Ichigo, and I'm also a Sword of the Savior from Union. Although...I guess you could say I'm really from here.

[He looks around, slightly gesturing at the ruins of the old city. It's...becoming less painful, and just more...a fact of life, now. His past, and he'd just have to move on.]

[It takes a bit, but Minato eventually speaks up. His first words are directed at the girl.] My name's Minato. I'm not part of any group, I mostly came down here because I was worried. [His attention afterwards is directed to Basil and then Matthias.]

... Matthias, you're pretty injured there. [He's already motioning for Toriumi to get his bag, the Zoroark reluctantly getting to her feet to grab it and bring it over.]

[He blinked at Minato's words, noting that his breathing was off and that the side of his head felt...sticky. He gratefully accepted the bandages that were handed to him and quickly wrapped his head, as well, he leveled out his breaths as not to agitate his symptoms. He was still a touch dizzy, but his pain had become more of a slow, uncomfortably stinging ache rather than anything serious. He'd be able to get out of here on his own feet, though if Ichigo hadn't insulated against the attack, he'd probably have been in much worse shape.]

Ah...thank you Minato, looks like I wasn't quite as...careful as I thought. Still...all things considered...I'm not unhappy with how this turned out. I'll have to bother Methuselah for more soup though it seems.

[His laugh was a bit sparse, but it was warm all the same. He'd probably need a few dedicated days for rest, but it was all in the line of duty.]

[ You don't have to tell Chanda twice, the Chandelure grabbing one of the cups somehow with her ghostly candle-hands and taking a drink. Carl the Lucario, who is a bit more hesitant and judgmental, gives Matthias a long look before finally taking the other cup.

While most of the specters are gone, a few do stay, keeping close to Prisca. Their features are much clearer now, their dress somewhat similar to the agricultural workers in the towers. A few watch, while another--a young boy from the looks of it--keeps particularly close to the young woman, occasionally whispering something in her ear, then shyly looking at the rest of the group. He seems to be trying to distract her from something.

The thing that Minato points out plainly. She winces very noticeably, averting her eyes downward, trying not to look. Even still, she ached, and the few spirits left near her watched them cautiously.

Prisca directs her attention to the specters. ]

It's all right. I can control it.

[ Then to the group. ]

Union? The city to the southeast? [ She made it that far? Leaning forward, she stood up. She really was quite small. She smiles, very vaguely, almost fondly. ] Sakina's told me stories about Union.

[ The redhead pauses, turning her attention to Ichigo. ]

You live in this place?

Edited 2015-02-03 06:27 (UTC)

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