Something Unexpected

[animusmods]

Characters: characters selected to go into the elevator
Setting: the admin levels
Format: any
Summary: The admin elevator has been left open, its destination preprogrammed. Where is it going to take you?
Warnings: general horror warnings for now

The elevator doesn't announce itself when its doors slide open. There's no alarm, no message to be found about it. It sits open and waits for anyone curious enough to enter. There's a barrier on it that locks out anyone without a collar, and it isn't going to stay long, but aside from that there appears to be no security. There's nothing stopping someone--or multiple someones--from climbing into the elevator and going down.

Where's it going? Who knows.

Hub Area
A lounge area with sofas and chairs. It's large enough to hold the entire group, constructed similarly to the dorm rooms, and is connected to five doors.

Door One
???

Door Two
???

Door Three
???

Door Four
???

Door Five
???

Comments

[pitiedthefool]

[...GIVE HIM A MOMENT TO NOTICE BECAUSE SUDDEN RINGING IN EARS = PAIN.

Yu raises a hand to his forehead almost immediately, grimacing. This heavy atmosphere... why has he felt this before? No, it's different than before... not the same kind of heaviness. Though if he were in any way not in his right mind, he'd likely whisper a bit of gratitude to Izanami for getting him unfortunately used to this shit.]

...C-careful. The psychic pressure is heavy in here.

[Ooooooow.]

[sageprincess]

Somehow, I feel I should not be so surprised at her tastes.

[It's so... girlish. Almost like something she might have had when she was a child. Well, whatever, they're not here to critique interior decorating, let's get looking for that button--]

Nngh... [Upon crossing the threshold, she staggers slightly, holding her head with her hand. What is this weight upon her mind...?] We should not stay here long...

[Whatever it is, that much is apparent. Zelda begins feeling her way around the walls, half searching for hidden switches or buttons, half bracing herself.]

[no_longer_a_king]

Stay outside, John. Pull us out if something happens.

[Because 1. Someone has to stay out in case something explodes and 2. the pressure hurts. It's almost like being around her other self and Rin, but far more oppressive, almost suffocating.

Arturia has dealt with worse. She doesn't like it, but the pressure is no worse than when she'd been carrying out her duties and fought her own body tooth and nail. Still, if Zelda and Yu insist on going in, she's going after them and taking another wall to check for potential switches.]

[ghostytrainer]

[Slimer is none to happy about being Gandalf'd by the door. Grimacing and complaining, he moves away from the door and rubs his head, shooting the room a few nasty looks.]

[John turned to check on the ghost, wanting to make sure his companion was okay before following the others to look for the button. At Arturia's command however, his plans change. As much as he wants to follow and be a useful, helpful member of the team, she has a point. If they all get trapped in there, they'll be pretty well fucked over.]

[He nods.]

Alright. While I'm at it, should I send a message to the other groups about the buttons you think?

[Five doors, five buttons...can't be a coincidence. They can't all be in this room.]

[no_longer_a_king]

[No, it cannot be. Arturia trusts they're all on the same page as that.]

If you believe it's safe to send one, then by all means do so.

[animusnpcs]

[Anyone in the room will hear something like static in the background of their thoughts. There are no buttons on the walls.

For a moment, though, the walls seem to drip with blood and stain the hands of anyone who touches it--but this only appears as such to anyone in the room. It's an illusion, though one which manages to alter all of the senses of those in the room.]

[pitiedthefool]

[... Yu is silently thanking Thanatos for that vision of the Dark Hour now, wherever he and his keeper may be. He straightens, wincing still at the oppressive atmosphere before simply closing his eyes until he holds up the orb of sight close to his face in hopes that one, if it is an illusion, he can at least see, and two, help him focus so he can keep looking.

Even though in the back of his mind, he could almost swear he is hearing Igor state that this was not what they had originally intended the Orb of Sight to be used.

The bed does look comfortable, though. He somewhat wondered if maybe the button was there since there isn't one on the walls.]

Anyone check the bed?

[IT WAS ALREADY BAD ENOUGH THAT HE WAS IN A GIRL'S BEDROOM UNINVITED, OKAY?]

[sageprincess]

[Zelda immediately retracts her hand as the walls begin to bleed, though not quite quick enough to avoid staining her hand. As if she wasn't unsettled enough already...]

... Not yet. I suppose that would count as easily accessible, though.

[Yu, this is really not the time for modesty, but if it unnerves you that much, she'll start fluffing the pillows, not quite undoing the bed but still searching it for something button like. Damn, they need to get out of here - she can barely hear herself think--]

[ghostytrainer]

[He flashes Arturia a thumbs up before pulling a piece of paper and pen out of his fanny pack. Moving towards the wall, he scribble out a quick note to Dave before taking yet another Pokeball off of his belt. This time, he calls out his Altaria, offering her the note as he gives her a few pats on the head.]

Give this to Dave, okay girl? He went through the door three to the right of this one.

[One group at a time, none of his Pokemon can speak English after all so that makes relaying the message a little difficult. The large bird chirps in response, taking the note in her beak and heads quickly out of the room. If not met with any opposition, she'll be heading straight for group five. If met with opposition, well...she's not completely defenseless.]

[John, meanwhile, directs his attention back to the room and those inside it. It still looks normal to him, but he pulls a third ball off his belt just in case. If he needs to pull them out, he's got just the monster to do it.]

[animusnpcs]

[There's nothing in the pillows, at least, but it's a big bed. The static increases--it's now definitely intruding on their thoughts, making it difficult to focus.

The illusions increase--hands stretch out from the ceiling.

John's Altaria will face no difficulties in reaching Dave.]

[pitiedthefool]

[Son of a bitch this is getting crazy and the orb of sight isn't fully working on keeping him sane. He keeps from looking up (barely) and focuses on helping Zelda search the bed. If this gets any worse...

Well, to hell with it he'll apologize later if it comes down to it he is more focused on searching the room and getting out.]

[sageprincess]

[She grits her teeth against the static, trying desperately to push past it. C'mon, Zelda, stay calm, don't p̴̡a̧n͜i̷̢̡c̵̵͝.̕.̨҉.̵̛]

I'll look under the bed.

[She says, mostly to keep herself on track of what she needs to be doing. And she doesn't waste any time getting to work, in an instant on all fours and lifting up the bedskirts.]

[animusnpcs]

[There's a heart-shaped button on the floor beneath the blankets and bedskirts.

The static has turned into a piercing whine.]

[sageprincess]

Found it!

[She screams over the sounds invading her thoughts, barely even making note of the shape of the button before slamming her hand down on it.]

[animusnpcs]

[The floor of the room lights up pink--then the entire rest of the hallway outside of the room does, all the way back to the hub area, which lights up the area in front of the door in pink.

The effects of the room don't dissipate, though--the whining is growing painful now, and the hands are reaching deeper into the room.]

[no_longer_a_king]

Move! Now!

[Arturia's head is pounding and she pulls on Zelda's shoulder to pull her from under the bed. She presses on her shoulder to keep her low, sword held above her head in an impromptu shield.]

[pitiedthefool]

[Arturia didn't have to say that twice, because Yu pretty much began acting as a rearguard the moment she pulled Zelda from under the bed. See you pink room, he will most certainly not miss you.]

[sageprincess]

[And there is no resistance to Arturia's tugging and pushing - the second she's on her feet, Zelda makes a beeline for the door.

Worst. Bedroom. Ever.]

[animusnpcs]

[The oppressive, piercing feeling follows them; it begins to affect John as well, now.

All the books have crashed to the floor in the library. There are a lot of books.]

[no_longer_a_king]

[As soon as Zelda is free of the door, Arturia dismisses Caliburn from her hand, scoops John up princess-style and makes a beeline for the door, not caring one iota about how many books she steps on along the way.]

[ghostytrainer]

Gah!

[Suddenly there are a lot of things going on at once and John is not entirely sure how to deal. His head hurts, books are falling off the wall and suddenly he is being scooped up princess style by King Arthur.]

[Sounds legit.]

[At least he has enough presence of mind to call Slimer and Chandel back into their balls. Because they have to get out of here in a hurry and he doesn't want them to be effected by any of this.]

[pitiedthefool]

[...Oh... Hell.]

ODIN.

[The purple-skinned ruler of Asgard appears behind him as he runs as well, not really caring abut how many books he steps on either. Odin blocks some of the books falling down upon them with his size, to be sure... but that isn't why he's been called forth. Instead, he simply casts Masukukaja on the four as they flee, giving them a speed boost because oh god oh man oh god oh man oh god oh man.

Yu doesn't even care that it kind of hurts him too, feeling the books falling on them. Though maybe having Isis clear a path would have been a good idea. Who cares though when whatever it was that was in there is following them...]

[sageprincess]

[It's not stopping.

Why isn't it stopping?!

Zelda follows the others' lead, scooping up her skirts and bounding over the piles and piles of books they must cross to reach the hub. The speed boost is greatly appreciated, though now is really not the time to be doling out gratitude.]

[no_longer_a_king]

[Did pressing that button release whatever was in there? She doesn't doubt it, but now is not the time even for theories as they fly through the library as fast as they can, as she can feel the piercing whine crushing the back of her mind. She can't even bring herself to look back when she has a charge in her arms to look after and the others to fend for themselves.

She's seen all manner of terrain before in the past and, while speed is not her forte (thank you so much for that boost, Yu) a pile of books is nothing compared to doing battle in swamp lands or in the tangle of a forest.

She just has to keep moving and refuse to look back to see if those hands are following as well.]

[animusnpcs]

[The hands are following, lurching out and stretching impossibly, but with the speed boost they're lagging behind.

The library's shelves twist and turn, but they at least haven't moved, and the door to the hub area is waiting for them.]