Endgame: Eyes I Dare Not Meet in Dreams

[animusnpcs]

Characters: open
Setting: floor 101/hidden floor; June 2
Format: action brackets, please
Summary: Something arrives.
Warnings: psychological horror, physical horror, violence

[The thing arrives on the twenty-third floor where no one is around to see it. But even if there was anyone except the retrieval units there, they would hardly have a chance to spot a single shadow, as the Tower pushes around and caresses the thing, hiding it away. The Tower ripples, then, and delivers the thing up and up, skipping floor after floor.

Floor one-hundred and one goes dark, and the glamour fails entirely. There's a thing lurking about in the darkness, approaching the way to the hidden floor. It can't be seen in this gloom, but it can be heard taking heavy, laden footsteps.]

Comments

101

[midgarhorizon]

[Reno, standing watch on Floor 101, feels a certain sense of dread when the glamour fails and hearing those footsteps... what the hell? Didn't the monsters get zapped out?

Moving closer to the entrance to the hidden floor, he looks around trying to spot whatever it is. Unfortunately, he's missed the excitement on the hidden floor.]

[animusnpcs]

[It's the eyes that are easiest to spot--they gleam with their own light, and when the thing turns to look at Reno, there's just enough illumination to make out an outline.

It looks like a skeleton constructed of metal and only attempting to resemble a human's in the most vague sense.]

Hidden Floor

[culbutiri]

[Darkness did not scare Nesir. She was born and raised in darkness, most of her earliest training had been done in the dead of night. She is still afraid, of what is coming and of what might happened but she pushes it away. Servants of shadow do not fear anything, and temple warrior acolytes do not show fear even when it is felt. She was both.] We do be needing to be ready. [The only light came from their souls and she looked around at the wireframes] If you can be fighting be getting near the doors, if you can no be then be getting back, be setting up places to tend the injured. If anyone do be having any real weapons left they do be needing to be distributed.

Re: Hidden Floor

[provenworth]

[Coming to stand next to Nesir, Elena doesn't stop the gasp that comes when lights falter, leaving nothing but dark blackness. Hands fist at her sides, eyes blinking furiously to acclimate to the sudden loss of vision.

For a girl so young, she's too calm. Too...ready to face whatever horror was clearly coming their way.]

Agreed. Everybody here should also understand that there is a very good chance that this might be our last stand. We should give it everything we have. If one of us falls, do what you can to move us to the side to those who will be tending to the wounded, but do not give so much as an inch onto this floor.

[Elena is a fighter, but really when she has the right weapons. And, in a fight like this, she suspects it'll take more than fists and kicks to stop it.]

I will lead up the efforts to mend anybody who gets hurt in the process. We'll set up three stations to take care of anybody who gets hurt. Who will help me?

[warriorscribe]

I have a real sword in my stash if you can find it in the dark. It's along the east wall. The tip is bent, however. I don't know what use it will be.

*Enoch's wireframe, set apart by his gleaming armor and his jeans and sandals, and the Arch which remained an arc of blue light in the darkness, headed for the teleporter entrance. She'd have to come in this way, right? He could take hits reliably, thanks to his armor, and if he could simply keep Ruana's attention, there might be a chance for the others. Maybe a chance for Zo and Aria to get away.*

[notayoungkitten]

[Her gun is finally useless now. If she can find a real one, or even if she can find a knife, anything it will be enough to fight. Ocelot has been left with a sense of resignation. Live or die, or doesn't matter. It's all the same to her.

She lives the life of a soldier who has always known war and such a soldier doesn't fear death.]

If only we were given more weapons. Film won't help us any longer.

[chevalier_mal_fet]

I will Aid in holding the Door for as long as I am Able.
[He is only a tall Construction of Wire and Film, his Metal hand curled around an ill-favored, though Actual, blade-- but there is still something of the Swordsman about his stance, his movements.

He lays his Metal hand upon what he knows to be her shoulder.]
Your God go with You now, Nesir Aeser.

Hidden Floor

[morphballin]

[The ripple was enough to put Samus on edge, but when the glamour fails, she's on full alert. She's still a bit weary from the chase a few days prior, but things need to be done.

Samus approaches the entrance to the floor, leaving some distance - those sort of footsteps, in her experience, usually mean something big. There's a flash, and her wireframe body is wrapped up in a semblance of her power suit, though there's still wireframe laid over it. A bit unsettling, but it's not something she's gonna worry about too much right now.

She turns to the rest of the floor for a moment while adjusting her cannon.]

I suggest everyone be prepared for the worst.

Re: Hidden Floor

[greyerrant]

[ Loken shrugs, wireframe or no, and he prepares his weapons. ]

Always. The question is... what is the worst that Ruana is capable of throwing at us, at this point?

[swordofzero]

[Suzaku looked around, everyone seemed to be organising themselves quite well. He grabbed his sword- a real one and looked at the wireframe figure with some kind of armour.

Of course those with the new liquid would have access to abilities. Suzaku didn't and he was glad. He would not want to fight beside these people knowing he might be forced to betray them. Without the glamour his Geass was gone. Everyone was safe from him.]

And yet be ready to except this might not be the very worse that she can throw at us.

101

[irreverence]

[Whether it's a lucky thing she'd been headed back up or not is debatable, because when she hits floor 101 the relative ease she'd been feeling throughout the day dissipates entirely. Klaxons go off in the back of her mind a bit too late, and for once, the cloneblades don't encourage her to fight.

If she were smart, she'd run.

But it's not that she isn't smart, it's that she refuses to be afraid of whatever's out there. She's still not entirely calm when makes her way further onto 101, hands jammed in her pockets and eyes roving the dark somewhat aimlessly.

Still, her expression is surprisingly mild and her voice is surprisingly calm when she looks out into it and tilts her head, as if making a casual request.]

Hey, could you do me a favor and just, you know, not do whatever horrible murderous thing you're planning? You know, just to change things up a bit.

[animusnpcs]

[Glowing eyes settle on Asagi before the floor beneath her spikes up rapidly into sharp points.]

Not on the agenda today. [The voice is Riki's, albeit an echoing, metallic version.]

Hidden Floor

[ninjainviolet]

[ Ninja thrive in darkness using all those skills comparable to a cat's to move about unseen and unheard under that cover, and if it had just been the lights going out, Sheena could have dealt with it. But the addition of the glamour disappearing revealing the souls under wire frames put the ninja on edge. The last time that had happened to her, she had found herself in a city of death, and can't help feeling that something similar is about to happen.

Unable to keep still, Sheena began pacing like a nervous cat, eventually prowling the area with senses turned up high to make her way through the gloom. ]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Similarly, Veronica's senses had gone into overdrive. The infrared vision really didn't help at the moment, what with everyone already being walking lamps, but she could still use her special hearing.

And she could hear it, whatever it was, coming for them.

She glanced at the wireframe of Sheena, her grip of her sword tightening as she watched her pace.]

They're coming. We'll have to fight soon.

i'm sorry he's kind of a jerk

[cursedchosen]

[Zelos is pretty on edge with everything going on, too. The glamour being gone is definitely reminding him of the city, and the city can't help but remind him of everything back home. Between the countdown, and the discovery of the hidden floor, things were probably going to start going really bad. Really fast.]

[But, Zelos was pretty determined to not let it show. He'd had enough time to compose himself, and that meant tracking down his favorite ninja. Not in the least because he was worried about her.]

And how's my favorite demonic banshee?

floor 101

[wrigurun]

[Wriggle had been keeping watch at floor 41 when it happened. She hadn't heard the screeching of metal, unaware of the situation upstairs but she sure as hell felt the movements in the tower.

Against the unknown there was safety in numbers and she began to follow it, up and up through the tower. Wriggle hadn't even reached the top floor by the time the glamour cut out and the fact that she was still in the air gave her a rush of adrenaline. She could still do something, which only increased her chances of encountering something terrible. And that terrible thing... whatever it was she knew she couldn't fight it alone. Using her antennae to feel her way through the dark she tried to make it to the hidden room unseen]

[animusnpcs]

[Riki's eyes are glowing points of light in the darkness, sweeping the area. The air hums with energy, too subtle for normal senses but enough for antennae to pick up, as if the whole Tower were waiting at attention.]

Hidden room; after Xion leaves and calls out that Riki's out there

[sageprincess]

[The sudden tear in space where the teleporter should be is perhaps the most frightening thing about this whole affair since it started - a visible, physical breach in their defenses, the first they've ever had since this hidden room was constructed six months ago. In an instant, Zelda is on her feet, erecting a shimmering golden barrier around the tear. Through gritted teeth, she calls out to the rest of those in the room.]

If any of you possess the ability to create seals or barriers, please, help me!

[If Riki makes it through to the entrance of the hidden room, she doesn't know how long she'll be able to hold up against his abilities on her own-- ... but then, maybe she doesn't have to.

She whips her head around, searching for Zo in the dark.]

Zo! Can you seal Riki's powers away? As you did with Jason before?

[fragileprophet]

I'll help!

[At the mention of seals, Ion promptly jumps into action from where he had been standing nervous and unsure of what to do since Ruana's message had appeared and everything went dark. Having played a part in evidently alerting her to their presence, he feels guilty. There isn't any time to dwell on it, of course, so when given the chance to help--to do anything--Ion doesn't so much as hesitate.

With the glamour down its easier for him to use his abilities without weakness setting in, so when he makes it to Zelda's side and thrusts his palms forward, a brilliant white glyph joins her golden barrier. Ion doesn't doubt that the administrators can break his seal regardless of their lack of Fon Master status, but as long as he can hold it, he will.

And if that doesn't work out, he can fight as best he can.]

[culbutiri]

[Nesir had been near the teleporter anyways with the others who had agreed to hold the entrance. She had seen the girl with the key sword and realised who it was they had to face. And now the entrance was larger.

Her head turned at Zelda's words] Do there be being anything we can be doing to help you if we can no be making barriers. [She knew some who used magic needed no distractions, or other things that made their jobs easier.]

Hidden Floor : Clinic Corner - Post Riki-Announcement

[provenworth]

[Assignments have been made, the clinical staff identified, and so now Elena has made her temporary medical ward. Items previously brought up from the infirmary were carried over in a sling made from her suit jacket, laid out and prepared in three identical stations.

Standing nearby, Elena watches the crowd at the teleporter, waiting for any wounded to be urged back in her direction.

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya stands nearby - he can jump into the battle if the situation calls for it, but he's not a serious fighter without his demons.]

Hopefully some of this will help...

Floor 101

[bowandblade]

[The crowdedness of the hidden floor had Archer leaving its relative safety somewhat often -- never too far, but in search of other things that could keep his mind off the metaphor of a tightening noose.

He's climbing up from floor 99 when he realizes that floor 101 has gone unnaturally silent. He frowns in the dark, trying to pick his way through towards the hidden floor.]

Floor 101

[idkworldruler]

[As always he is trying to skirt around everything, preferring to stay away from the actual fighting for as long as Earthly possible. And is instead laying down some trap ruins with his blood. A simple precaution should their former architect decide to move further inwards and more towards where people were hiding. There was no sense in dying at this point in time.

If anything that would be extremely silly.

Still he wondered how long he, or anyone, would be capable of avoiding Riki. But by the sound of things, shit just got started. So for a few more spare moments, he is going to continue laying down his traps in areas that were either unexpected or or defensible.]

floor 101, after the fight has begun

[keepscalm]

[It kills England that he doesn't have many abilities that would be of use here, and in the darkness, he's even less helpful than usual. The most he can do is guard those who are helpless — the injured, and children.

When he's able to catch the entrance of a fighter that has withdrawn, he calls out to them:] Oi! What's happening out there?

[Obviously, he knows it's Riki; Xion had said as much. But the sound of the struggle has gone on for a while now — have their efforts had any effect at all?]

[keybearer]

[Nothing's working. Magic's been deflected. Riki managed to spring back up after getting knocked down. Even his Strike Raid failed to pierce Riki's barrier. So, while the stubborn part of Riku wants to stay and fight, the practical part of him's screaming at him to bail. Catch his breath.

When he spots England, Riki skids to a stop, taking a moment to catch his breath. After that, he finally speaks up.]

Riki's trying to break in, nothing's taking him out, and now he's got a stupid film barrier wrapped around him.

[That's the short of it, anyway. He'll communicate specifics if asked.]

Floor 101 - Elevator Dance Party

[keybearer]

[The plan was simple enough in theory. After learning about the ground floor, Riku was quick to dash up to the Secret Floor and alert the others. They need to get Riki down there. The elevator's the quickest route. Possibly the only route.

Using the fight as cover, he and his Ryu Dragon make their way towards the elevator with the plan to first see if it's even there and then, with a little luck and hopefully some help from the others, force Riki down to the ground floor. Then they can really finish the fight.]

[ooc: Riku will have told people on the Secret Floor and Tobias will have told the people outside to get Riki into the elevator so they can send him to the ground floor. They may have a way of killing him there, thanks to the permanent death spotlight outside the tower doors. This can only be done through the elevator itself.]

Got an okay from Cee to handwave them getting to the elevator

[attheclocktower]

[Enough time has passed and she's been able to heal her leg adequately. She'd been about to head out when Riku had told her of the plan, and she'd switched tactics, opting to go with him instead.

For now, she's right behind Riku, keeping herself ready to fight any incoming attacks. Thankfully Riki's attention seems to be primarily on the people already engaged in fighting, and though they stick to the edges of the battlefield to be sure, they manage to get to the elevator unscathed.

Once there, Xion turns back to check the progress of anybody following along, to make sure they make it okay. She's still practicing the barrier spell Aqua taught her, but hopefully it'll do in a pinch. Once some of the others are a bit closer, she speaks.]

What should we do first?