bravenewworld | Descent into Darkness

Descent into Darkness

As the characters arrive, they will find what appears to be a rather deep cavern. Upon entering, the caverns are quite narrow, with twists and turns everywhere and different tunnels that all seem to be interconnected. As characters travel deeper within the caverns, reality around them will start to warp, they will start to see and hear things that aren’t necessarily there - images of old enemies, past failures, voices of condemnation, visions that strike at the soul and core of the characters. Once this begins, it will only increase in power and volume, demanding it be confronted, lest they be trapped within these caves forever.

[OOC: This event will run for a week. All characters who enter the caves will be subject to some of their deepest fears, darkest demons, and most abject failures. To overcome them, characters must help each other out, finding their purpose through strength of character and resolve to move forward. In general, these visions should require characters to come to grips with themselves. Illusory images and voices can and will appear and can take any number of forms, depending on what is most appropriate to a character. Additionally, characters may thread with each other and are encouraged to help each other out to overcome these personal demons. For those who wish to take part, they are able and encouraged to narrate their own personal demons, which will be on display for everyone who enters their thread. IC threads may be made in this post.]

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He too, never liked caves. Refuge had been fun on its own, but it had larger caverns that opened up into something bigger that he could enjoy, even as a citizen of Citadel. But this wasn't like that, it was cramped, dark, and the exact opposite of how he grew up and what he was used to. He wanted the big open sky, not what was down here.

He sets himself up in some kind of half-assed defensive stance himself, kunai flashing up into his hands. This place was making him more and more nervous, and he didn't like it.

"You think you could shine more light over there? Maybe it's just a pokémon hiding out in here." He hopes.

"R-Right..."

The ball of light floats over towards the far end of the chamber, driving back the shadows and illuminating the corners. The source of the yellow lighting is immediately apparent, as a human figure steps out of the shadows. It looks remarkably like Yukiko, though the outfit is like nothing she'd ever put on in her entire life. It's a black kimono, like something you'd see at a funeral, a bright red obi binding her waist. The clothing is thinner than it should be, and more formfitting as well, and the top is open, displaying a bit more bosom than a normal kimono might should...

The shade glides forward, all elegance and grace, and a black aura begins to envelope her shoulders, quickly snaking out and snatching the light away. The illumination in the room contorts and twists as the sunlight is devoured by the tenebrous energy, like a Spinarak devouring a meal.

"What?!" Yukiko herself stammers and steps back, suddenly very unsure about all this.

"Don't worry, it's not a Pokemon. It's just me, Yosuke. Here to tell you allll about just what kind of person Yukiko really is. Have you ever noticed how she always seems to just need somebody around? What's up with that, huh?"

Edited 2015-07-20 00:12 (UTC)

He has to step back at the sight of another Yukiko stepping out of the shadows like that. He can't think of a single reason why this is even happening right now, and his panic is made clear on his face. There's two of her, and that alone is enough to make him start to freak out.

"I don't get what you mean..." he replies to the shade, not truly understanding what she was getting at. His eyes, however, fall down to the slightly more exposed bosom on the shadow of his friend. It's hard not to look, but he is. It's a sign at least, that this couldn't possibly be the Yukiko he knows at all- he can't imagine her wearing something like that.

"It's..." Yukiko's eyes go white with embarrassment, and a little bit with fear. What the hell was this?! Why was there another her?

"Let me help you with that. It's me! Oh no! Except it isn't." The shadow jabs a finger at Yukiko. "You always need someone's help. You're just waiting for someone to come along and rescue you because you're too afraid to do things on your own. You know you're weak, that's why you rely on people like Yosuke, or Chie, or Rise. It makes me sick!"

She takes a step back now, stumbling into Cassandra and falling over the Absol, landing on her back.

"W-what?! No! That's not true!"

The shadow seems to grow angrier, surging forward with fury in her eyes.

"Yes! It is!"

Edited 2015-07-20 02:29 (UTC)

"Why'd you wanna rely on him anyway? That disappointment? C'mon!"

Another figure appears from the darkness, though clothed the same as Yosuke, unlike the shade of Yukiko. "It's totally a huge pain in the ass anyway! Everyone wants something, it's never sincere, that's why I don't have any friends!" He leans over, eyes full of malice.

"Do you."

"That's...me...it can't be...what the hell is going on here...." Yosuke's mouth hangs open, shocked. This crap about Yukiko, and him, it can't be real.

Edited 2015-07-20 23:31 (UTC)

The appearance of the shadow Yosuke is just as befuddling and upsetting as the shadow of herself. Yukiko's mouth hangs open for an instant, but when he keeps spouting off about how much of a disappointment her friend is, her mouth thins into a line.

"You take that back," she says angrily, glaring at the shadow. "He is my friend. And that's all there is to it."

Her shadow trills a laugh, covering her mouth as she does.

"Hah! That's a laugh! You only like him because he worships the ground you walk on! You're just begging for attention, waiting on your prince to carry you away."

"What is this?!" He stomps his foot, yelling at both of their shadow selves. "I've already had enough of this! What's your guys's deal anyway? Quit it with the bullshit!"

His fists ball, knuckles white with rage. This just crossed a line with him that he never thought he'd have to deal with.

"Who are you?!"

His own shadow chuckles, bearing a wicked grin. "Isn't it obvious? I'm you."

"And I'm you" Yukiko's shadow adds without prompting.

Yukiko herself clenches her fist, anger welling up inside her as she hears that.

"That's not true! You're nothing like us! You've just...got our faces. But we aren't like that!"

Her shadow laughs again, reaching over to pull Yosuke's copy into a one armed hug, leaning down with a teasing smirk on her face.

"Oh yeah? Is that so? You really don't like having people around, huh? Then why aren't you alone? Why are you letting him get angry for you? Why aren't you doing something about it, huh? Like I said, you just want someone to solve all your problems for you and claim you helped."

"I...because..." Yukiko stammers, her face going red with anger now, hand outstretched and beginning to gather sunlight. "Because going alone is stupid! And I don't want anyone to solve all my problems! That's just bullshit!"

The shadow's own arm goes around the other, looking to the copy and grinning. "And you'll go ahead and let her. Some hot girl, relying on you for help, but you really just wanted to get to know her for her looks." Yosuke's shadow makes sure his hand runs along the other's side, clearly enjoying it.

"Jealous, arnt'cha." He continues to grin evilly at Yosuke. "And what's this crap about you exploring these caves anyway? Life not exciting enough for you at home? Ha! What, did you think you'd become some kinda celebrity if you came out here? Of course you did."

The teenager recoils, growing angry and jealous at his other self. "Shut up! Get your filthy hands offa her! Seriously, what's going on...!"

Edited 2015-07-22 01:07 (UTC)

The clone of Yukiko leans against Yosuke's double, grinning sensuously and flashing a wink at the duo. She's clearly enjoying this, or at least the horrified look of anger on Yukiko's face.

"Seriously, what are either of you doing down here. A couple of losers feeding off one another. It's like a cycle of endless suck!" she cackles.

"You want to see me stand up for myself? You want to see me get mad?" Yukiko finally grates out. "Fine! I'll take you on, then! I'm not afraid to do things on my own, but so what if I let them help? I don't need someone to fight my battles for me either! Not Yosuke, not Chie! I refuse to accept that you're any part of me, too! I'm putting a stop to this now!"

With that? Things start to shift. The cavern becomes a wide open arena lit with torches, and the shadows begin to shift and flow apart.

"Take this!"

The ball of light in her hand ripples and a Solar Beam erupts from her palm, driving into the shadow like a spear, kicking up a cloud of dust in it's wake...

The entire scene makes him start to shake in anger, wanting to lash out himself. Calling them a couple of losers, it hurts to be called that, but the lack of understanding of what's happening on Yosuke's part only serves to make him angry and to ignore what's being said. It's bullshit, and he can feel his nails digging into his palms. He stands with solidarity when Yukiko begins to yell, but that doesn't last long as he steps back in uncertainty when the room starts to shift. Surprise takes him, his mouth dropping open and barely noticing what Yukiko's doing anymore until the beam shoots off and rips towards her own copy.

His shadow self jumps off to the side, to save himself, not willing to die just yet. It grimaces, eyes flicking back and forth between Yukiko and her own shadow.

"Things are finally heating up in here! It's about time, I was getting bored!" It rushes Yukiko, blades appearing in the shadow's hands but Yosuke is fast- and his hands flip up underneath his jacket to find his own kunai, which clang together viciously as Yosuke blocks the attack.

"Lay off!"

"Trying to be a hero again, huh. It's not going to work." It replies with a twisted grin, struggling against Yosuke's own effort.

"Shut up! I don't need that kinda crap from you!"

"Yosuke!" Yukiko shouts out as she sees her friend and his shadow clash. Her eyes are wide, but there's anger there, not fear. A fight she can handle, this is just another fight...that's all. Her hand rises again, palm up as more sunlight gathers at her fingertips. Beside her, Cassandra steps up, hissing and drawing on reserves of power to go after Yosuke's double.

"You should be more concerned about yourself!" comes Yukiko's double's voice from within the steadily falling dustcloud. A blast of flame rips through the air, a burst of heat that forces her to drop her attack and duck out of the way.

"Both of you are just so predictable! Ahahahaha!" she cackles, raising a ring of flame around the whole arena. There wouldn't be anywhere to run now, unfortunately.

"Well, we're going to have to show you how it's done," Yukiko snaps back. "Yosuke, we have to work together. That's what they don't want."

Her fingers snap together, working in concert to perform a move and direct a friend. The first is aimed at Yosuke's shadow. A Forest's Curse, giving him an extra typing that she knows her friend is strong against: Grass. The second is to give Cassandra a nonverbal instruction. The feline Dark Type darts forward at the order, hitting Shadow Yukiko with a Sucker Punch.

He manages to push back his double, glaring. But it worries him that the room just became a ring of fire, with nowhere else to go other than beating both of their shadows. He's trying to think, but anxiety and adrenaline isn't helping his case. All he wants to do is punch that sorry grin off of his shadow's face, as it mocks him further.

"Mwahahahaha! What are you gunna do now? You're the one who wanted some excitement around here! Well, you got it."

Yosuke's head snaps over to Yukiko at her words, listening and nodding. Yeah. That's what they'd have to do.

"Got it." He turns back to both his shade and her own, holding both his kunai up.

"Let's see you handle this!" He clangs them together, making use of the enhanced blades the Magi had made for him, Metal Sound ringing out and hitting both of their shadows, making them more weak to Yukiko's special moves. He takes the opportunity to use his Warp Band, and in seconds Fuzzball stands next to him.

"What is this? You're both so annoying!" His shadow wails, seeming to grow angrier.

Edited 2015-07-26 02:05 (UTC)

Yukiko's shadow recoils from Cassandra's attack, and she diverts her attention over towards Yosuke's shadow. The Metal Sound is a great trick, and she's making a mental note to thank him for it later.

"Why don't you both just stop, right now!"

Her shadow sneers and twists her fingers in an almost offensive gesture, attacking Yukiko with a Vine Whip. The plants whip out and hit her, but she's not really hurt, thanks to her typing. Her body snaps away, and her eyes close as she gathers power. A searing ball of fire begins to take shape in her hands, growing bigger and bigger, coruscating like a miniature star.

"That won't work on me, you know!" The shadow Yukiko declares with a sneer.

"It's not for you. Yosuke, get her!"

With that little quip, her hands jerk forward and a singularly massive Fire Blast erupts from her hands, aimed straight at Yosuke's double!

"Alright!" He moves instantly, no longer paying attention to his shadow, but rather starts to make copies of himself as he uses Double Team to throw off the aim of Yukiko's shadow. That fire would mess him up, so he'll use what he has to make sure that doesn't happen. Fuzzball understands- and uses a Water Gun attack as well, to hopefully quell any flames that come from the double.

"Here I come!"

Wind kicks up violently as Yosuke moves in with an Air Cutter attack, his blades seeming to be powered up themselves by the gale he commanded in the arena.

The Fire Blast slams into Yosuke's double, sending him flying backward. It's surprised by how much that ended up hurting, burn marks appearing all over its body. But Yukiko has done more than enough to shut up the shadow, lying on its back grimacing.

The Air Cutter crashes into the shadow Yukiko, sending her flying backwards as well. The Water Gun is partially resisted at least, because of Yukiko's rather unique typing, but it still stings, throwing up steam.

Cassandra snarls furiously and leaps forward, teeth bared. The Absol's movements are predatory, instinctive, a reminder that the Dark Type creature might seem domesticated, but still has a savage side. It lands on Yukiko's double as she falls, overbearing her and forcing her down, unable to move.

"So rough..." the double manages to grate out as Yukiko walks over to stare down into her shadowy visage. Black eyes meet golden, implacable and angry. Trying to come to grips with what she's seeing is unnerving, but the anger helps. The double struggles, but doesn't rise, the Absol's weight too much.

"...Without help, that wouldn't have gone that way. Sometimes you have to work with people, and support one another. That was your mistake."

The weapons that Yosuke's double had flown out of his hands, too far away for it to grab as Yosuke makes his way over to it, standing over him and glaring. The sight of the shadow pissed him off, after all it had said, especially right in front of Yukiko. Things that he didn't want people to know.

"Sorry your little plan fell through. We're a lot tougher than that." He spits out at the shade, still angry. "You didn't have to say that shit right in front of Yukiko. That was seriously embarrassing. Just get out of my face." He dismisses the shadow, with a wave of his hand. He can't bring himself to kill it or anything- it didn't do anything that deserved that kind of fate, even if it had his face and voice. That was just weird.

Yukiko's mouth closes, lips pursing into a thin, angry line. She won't kill her shadow, and she won't let Cassandra either. It'd scared her, sure, but it wasn't...entirely...wrong either. She didn't want people to perceive her that way, definitely, but at the same time she really couldn't say that the shadow's words had been 100% false too. She just hoped that Yosuke would forget about what it'd said.

Her fists ball up, and her finger jerks sharply, indicating that Cassandra should let her go, and the Absol complies with a growl.

"You're seriously messed up. Whatever you are. Now just...go back wherever it is that you came from."

At the words, the arena begins to fade, shifting back into the cave, leaving the two teenagers alone with their Pokemon. It's not a jarring shift, more like the real beginning to overlay the surreal. Yukiko's silent for a moment, eyes closing. That hurt...that had definitely hurt. Hearing her voice saying those things. But...business first. No time for tears.

"You okay?"

He tries to put on his best face for her, but it's pained. After experiencing that, even now it's hard for him to act like everything was alright. He's glad those things were gone, whatever they were supposed to be, even though he knew in his heart exactly what they were. It didn't speak any lies, as much as he didn't want to admit to it or want Yukiko to know.

"Yeah! I'm alright. It's just...you know." He shrugs, letting it go. It didn't seem worth it to try and hide it now.

"That was a lot of stuff I didn't want anyone to know about. Hell, I didn't even really believe it at first."

"I understand," Yukiko replies with a half-hearted shrug. The light fades from her, the cave dimming along with her mood. It wasn't like she wanted anyone to see her like that, at all, but it had been unavoidable, she supposes. It was going to come out, at one point or another, whether or not she wanted to admit it.

"It's, um...the same for me. I don't really know what to say, other than I guess? It's..." A sigh and she shakes her head. "I admit I'm afraid of that. I don't want to be seen as needy. I hate asking for help."

"Well, you did say it yourself back there, didn't you?" Yosuke grins, wanting to cheer her up a little bit. "Sometimes you just have to. That's not really something to be ashamed about," he says casually.

He means it, but he doesn't want it to seem like a heavy concept that Yukiko would have to burden, since it already bothered her enough. He's glad not to talk much about his own shadow right now, and the things it said. It definitely made him look a lot less cool than he would have liked, so he strays away from that.

"Besides, I think you do fine! I mean, you've been handling things yourself ever since I met you. Sure, maybe you needed to talk to someone about it, but you still pulled through."

"That doesn't mean I'm not worried about people seeing me that way." Yukiko answers back, a little less sulkily. The commentary about Chie had hurt the most, honestly. She really didn't want to burden her best friend, after all. That was just not okay.

"Anyway...I'm sorry. I guess you're feeling about the same, right?"

"Yeah, I..." His voice trails off. An apology might be in order, because he's not sure if she's forgotten what his own shade said. It was pretty straightforward, and even he doesn't think Yukiko was that airheaded that it would blow over her without realizing. He liked her as a friend, and it was really embarrassing that his shadow revealed that he'd only originally talked to her because of her looks.

"Sorry. About that stuff he said," he says apologetically. "I mean yeah, maybe I did sorta wanna get to know you better because I think you're totally hot but-! Well, wait, I mean like we're friends and everything and I don't actually wanna date you anymore or...ok no, that's probably not any better..."

He stumbles over his words, screwing up what he wants to say.

In fairness, she'd only initially noticed him because he'd been trapped in a trash can and Cassandra had called her attention to it. But the apology is appreciated. She takes all that in with a neutral expression.

"Yosuke, it's okay." She says that very, very simply. "I'm not upset with you. Like I said before, it's flattering that you think I'm attractive. But like I said, I'm not interested in a relationship right now." Her lips quirk and she holds out both hands, palms up.

"We're friends. So please, don't be nervous about that. I like you a lot, and I respect you. Whatever that thing said? That's not how you really feel. I'm just glad you are my friend, okay? Even if you only talked to me at first because you wanted to date me."

He calms down a little, thankful that she hadn't gotten mad at him. Usually girls do, and that's when he gives up after they tell him off. But Yukiko isn't like that, and they were friends, that was true. His face softens, and he nods at her in acknowledgement.

"Yeah, you're right. Some of that stuff was true- I do sorta want to be in the spotlight for a change. But that's not the only reason." Talking out loud was helping him reason through it. "But in the end, that's not what's important, right? What's important is getting down to whatever is going on around here."

Descent into Darkness

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