Hacking Punishment

[animusnpcs]

Characters: those who participated in the hacking plot
Setting: the Tower; nighttime
Format: any
Summary: You can't go digging without a cave-in or two.
Warnings: monsters
Note: This post will not be NPCed--please play your own monsters!

[It seems almost as if they got away with their scheme. The day passes without incident, and soon night falls just as innocently. But then, no matter where they are, those who participated in either the distraction or the hacking portions of the ploy will find a floating, film-like computer screen in front of their faces. Riki stares back at them, and he looks annoyed.]

If you're gonna mess with my things, you'll get punished by me no matter whose turn it is. Feel lucky the kid wants me to go easy on you.

[All of the characters will grow dizzy and black out. They awaken on the first floor--the cafeteria. All their abilities, while not gone completely, have been severely dampened and are much more exhausting to use than normal. They cannot teleport, flash step, or otherwise travel great distances using their abilities at all. A strange, blinking light has been attached to all of their collars and cannot be removed.

They will now attract monsters--mostly uncommon and rare ones--to their location. No electronics work for them--the elevators refuse to open and will not move while they are near, even if they try to get someone else to aid them, and the terminals will not turn on and let them call for help.

The only way to get out alive will be to climb up through one hundred and one floors to the dormitory levels, where they will be safe in their rooms. Good luck.]

Comments

[bowandblade]

[Archer crouches to get a better look at the blinking light, scoffing as he finds himself thinking about movies and games about espionage and action, where blinking lights are associated with explosives.]

An odd place to send us, if they have set our collars to explode.

[Yes, he did just jump to that conclusion.]

[looselips]

Explode—

[For a second, Shinji's heart all but stops. Did he miss something? He runs through what has been said another time, and he can't find anything that indicates blowing anything up in particular.]

Sh- Shut up. Come here, you idiot.

[Though even as he tells Archer to come, it's Shinji that moves; Archer is already crouching, so it's a simple matter for him to maneuver into a position where he can examine the light more closely.]

[Even up close, it looks like a simple light and nothing more. When he brushes Archer's collar with his fingers, he can find nothing for his spirit hacking to connect with, no different than usual. He wonders if he would be able to tamper with the detonator of a bomb like this; it's not something he's ever had to try.]

[...Stupid Archer, putting ridiculous ideas in his head!]

Great, now I'm going to feel paranoid. Thanks a lot. [He makes a show of rolling his eyes.] After all that fanfare, it seems a little ridiculous to bring us down here just to have our collars explode.

[bowandblade]

[The disgruntled expression on Shinji's face brings back a bit of amusement to an otherwise annoying situation, and Archer smiles and tilts his head as the little boy examines his collar. The others from the elevator, as well as the ones who he presumed were with Shinji, seemed to also have the blinking collars.]

With the administrators' ... creativity, it cannot be dismissed.

[His own awful conclusion does not stop him from tapping at Shinji's collar again before standing up, arms akimbo.]

But it does not matter! Whatever they intend to do, it can be overcome.

[looselips]

[Shinji puffs, looking disgruntled. It is an annoying situation—so obviously the thing to do is treat it like anything else he dislikes and ignore it.]

Whatever. I'm tired. [Already turning to start toward the elevator, he says:] Come on, I want to go back to bed.

[bowandblade]

[With a smirk and a shrug, Archer follows Shinji and pushes the button to call the elevator. There is no telltale whirr or chime of any kind from the elevator, though it will take a moment for that to register; Archer is still pondering the meaning of the blinking light.]

It seems this was a waste of time.

[looselips]

[The lack of response occurs to Shinji more quickly. He doesn't respond to Archer's comment, instead scowling at the elevator and pressing the button a second time—and then a third, when there's still no response.]

What the hell...?

[He sets his hand against the panel, and again he attempts to sync his magic circuits with something, but it's as though there's nothing there at all.]

[bowandblade]

[The repeated motions are what catch Archer's attention, and he tilts his head with a faint frown. It doesn't take too long for him to catch on as well.]

He must have stopped the elevator.

[He reaches and places his hand on the elevator door, intending to at least force the door to slide open. Even when he exerts force, the door remains shut.]

How irritating.

[looselips]

[So they'll have to take the stairs up, all the way from the first floor. That must be what this is about.]

H— Hah. [Shinji shakes his head, scoffing.] Is that all? If that asshole thinks we'll just roll over and die because of this, he's got another thing coming.

[bowandblade]

Then this is child's play. [He backs away from the elevator, already looking over in the direction of the stairs. Without further commentary, he again crouches -- this time to sweep Shinji up and onto one shoulder.

He makes a face when he finds holding Shinji somewhat different than normal; the boy was still light to carry, but his weight was more ... obvious against his arm.]

That fool has done something to my powers as well.

[looselips]

[Shinji has already grown accustomed to Archer carrying him on his shoulders so, and he isn't surprised when his Servant bends and scoops him up. In fact, he's come to enjoy being being carried this way; the idea that Archer might drop him doesn't so much as register on his radar any longer.]

[When Archer informs him of his status, Shinji scoffs a second time, the sound lower and more irritated now. It's not like the administrators won't just put them back together again even if they do lose this stupid game, but more importantly than that—]

Then we'll just have to show him that he can stack all the conditions he wants on us and it won't mean a thing, won't we?

[He doesn't like to lose, and he can't think of a better way to show the admin what he thinks of his punishment than making it back to his room alive.]

[bowandblade]

[Shinji's words are met with laughter from Archer, and he smiles as he heads for the stairs. That competitive, challenging edge to Shinji's words just underlined that ambitious personality that he had found so interesting in a child his age.]

Of course! Who does he think he is trying to punish? [He is already climbing the stairs with Shinji balanced on his shoulders, his steps steady and sure.]

There is no way he can stop my relentless advance!