Catch and Release - Semi-Open

[bashfulshifter]

Characters: Anyone who's signed up for the Monster Souls plot. Parts one and two will have their own threads, for those involved in only one or the other.

Setting: Part one - August 3rd, nightfall, starting on floor ninety-nine and working down. Part two - August 4th (early morning) through the 8th, any floor(s). If you think your character might attack/kill Rick for his actions here, might be best to choose the later times to avoid continuity errors/time shenanigans/the like.

Format: Any!

Summary: See above plot link. Rick plans to help Kid Sephiroth with his bestiary by bonding with a monster so that he can shift into it and learn what it is (part one). Things Go Wrong (part two) and Rick begins actively seeking out characters who have close CR that are not presently in the Tower (such as loved ones left at home, or other characters that have disappeared from the Tower and are not currently around); he will engage them in uncomfortable conversation about these relationships and will go out of his way to combine them with the victim's worst fears (which he is also suddenly aware of). Awkward times all around!

Warnings: Violence/injury/character death possible in part one, and...probably the same for part two (combined with lots of angst).

Part One: Catch | Part Two: Release

Comments

Part One: Catch (the Hunt)

[bashfulshifter]

((ooc: Open to those that have signed up for part one – specifically [OU] Patrick Dawn, [AU2] Sephiroth, [AU1] Enoch, [OU] Mitchell Dominic, and [OU] Zelgadis Greywords.))

[It's getting dark and Rick is starting to regret his habit of coming to meetings early. Alone in the crystal caves, with too much of a headache to continue examining the gems themselves, there's nothing left for him to do except think about how dumb an idea this is, and in how many horrible ways it can go wrong.]

[For starters, he could be the only one that shows up and then be quickly overwhelmed by monsters once night officially falls. Rick has informed, in passing, several other individuals of he and Sephiroth's plans for the evening, but without demanding any participation from those parties he can't be sure if they'll participate at all. And even if and when Sephiroth shows...could they do this on their own? Apparently Sephiroth has been "studying" monsters for some time now, but did that necessarily imply fighting them? He's only a kid, after all. And if they do take down a monster, if he has to focus on keeping it just barely alive, who will take care of the other monsters that will surely flock to the scene of their fallen comrade?]

[The man nervously paces as he continues to worry. Best get to him before he changes his mind.]

[warriorscribe]

*Enoch arrives soon enough, his Arch out and open, casting a faint blue glow off any crystals he passes near. Just as in the elevator before, he has his sling (or a sling, if he had to make a new one) loosely hung around his neck and its ammo pouch (or, likewise, a new one if need be) tied to his belt loop, just in case they venture onto a power-nullification floor.

Not that this will actually be of any use if they do wind up there, but he realized that only after he had started down the stairs.

He greets Rick with a calm smile.*

[pinnaculum]

[Sephiroth isn't worried. He knows the monsters well by now, and he's confident in his ability to kill them. He's certain he could accomplish this task without assistance, yet assistance is welcome, as he doesn't wish for Patrick to be injured. Not that he couldn't heal him, but he's cautious, and the well-being of non-combatants is important.

Sephiroth appears suddenly, teleporting to where Patrick and Enoch are standing.]

Hello.

Part Two: Release (the Aftermath)

[bashfulshifter]

((ooc: Open to those that have signed up for part two, or anyone that has permission from the victim character to threadjack. Just specify a time and place in the header and he will find you, be afraid.))

[It's tempting to say that Rick is wandering the Tower, but "wandering" is definitely not the right term to use here.]

[The man is apparently on some very important business; he keeps a brisk pace with his head bowed, sauntering through various floors with little regard to anyone in his path save a cursory, disinterested glance as he brushes by. His eyes are narrowed and odd...the pupils are contracted so far that they're nearly invisible, leaving the impression that his deep blue irises have taken over the whites. After a couple of days, it will become obvious that Rick hasn't been keeping after himself; the orange cat on the dorms' top floor has neglected making his morning rounds. He walks, and walks, never ceasing...]

[...until he reaches his targets, one by one. He stops and greets each one with an unnervingly friendly smile and wave.]

[alephbet]

[Aleph is in the meadow in the afternoon.

For some reason, he never gets tired of the meadow. Maybe it's because it's so unlike his home where the only lush, verdant meadows were a simulation. Maybe because it's better than the rest of the tower. Who knows.

When Rick waves to him, Aleph blinks before waving back.]

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick's tone is casual and his posture reflects it, though he makes no attempts to come any closer.]

Aleph, good to see you here! Nice day, isn't it? [A beat--Rick doesn't wait for a response outside of that manufactured pause.] I guess it's always nice in the meadow, though--a lot better than how it must be on your world right now, eh? Hah! Hahaha!

[Rick punctuates the end of that very unfunny statement with a burst of nervous, almost hysterical laughter.]

hihi floor 85

[myblueskies]

[This wasn't really a safe floor, but Romeo was good at this game. He could follow a few courses of slides and steps and still get out safely. It was dangerous but as long as he was careful it was fun.

He is near the stairs when he sees the man and grins back, waving from the top of his slide.]

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick keeps his distance at the entrance, apparently not willing to try and track Romeo through the maze of selective playground equipment. He can project just fine from where he's standing, thanks.]

You having fun up there, Romeo? [Beat--apart from that, Rick wastes no time in waiting for Romeo to respond.] Don't you have someone else to come play with you?

the 4th, Floor 48 a.k.a. I am a legitimately awful person

[attheclocktower]

[It is a little unusual - though not entirely so - for new faces to appear on the graveyard floor who don't work there. At least... don't work there as far as Xion knows. A lot of people seemed to have gotten jobs recently, so maybe he was a part of the new crowd. Regardless, she pays him little mind, having just finished her work of brushing off dust and debris from some of the larger graves and watering the flowers with the rusty watering can she "borrowed" from one of the other floors.

Putting the can down near one of the monuments, she puts a hand into her pocket, moving towards a particular one of the graves. That's when she realizes the newcomer hasn't gone about his own business, but instead is approaching her with a smile and wave. Xion pauses.]

Hello?

[Her head tilts a little to one side, brow furrowed with confusion]

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick stops moving forward as soon as Xion looks at him more closely, though he keeps his unnervingly pleasant demeanor despite her apparent apprehension.]

Hello. [WIDE GRIN. It makes the bow of his head--intended as a sign of condolences--really unnatural and sinister.] Taking some time to pay your respects while you work the graves? I know so many have gone recently, it's only natural...

8th (or whichever is latest if he is stopped earlier), floor 83 and with it cw for organ description

[warriorscribe]

*Enoch had read the floor guide Diarmuid had worked on, at some point. But that was a lot of things to keep in mind, and Enoch had a lot of other things on his mind. Sure, there was a fair bit of rain, and it was nowhere as hot as a day in the desert, but it was still getting warm, and Enoch wanted a hood or a loose robe or something that wasn't the same cloak that kept him warm in the winter. He needed something of lighter material, and he found it here. It was a hood familiar to him, one he might have worn himself.

But when he put it on, it was immediately apparent something was wrong. The distinct slime of something's entrails, known to hands and arms from hunting but never to his head and neck, writhed against his skin, warm and alive and wet but leathery and dead and mummified just like Armaros as he stared down at the fallen angel's dessicated face features twisted in pain mouth open for the organs inside him to spill forth where they had rested against his head when he woke and Enoch tore the hood from his head and dropped to his knees, empty stomach turning and dry heaves giving way to gasps for air as he fought hyperventilation.

Trembling, he finally caught his breath, pale and sweaty. He blinked his eyes to focus and turned to sit, to rest...and saw Rick, smiling and waving. His eyes were unnervingly off, but that didn't sink in the way it should have in Enoch's current state.*

R-Rick...

[bashfulshifter]

[The normal Rick would have been very perturbed to witness someone he knew to be infallibly strong-willed retching on the floor because of some coat. This one, however, was super happy to see him!]

[His face is still flushed red, but that wasn't anything Rick could control, even if he wanted to. On the other hand, his stutter has vanished--as if he knows exactly what he needs to say.]

You all right, Enoch? Darkness got your tongue?

[HAHHAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA Rick you're so clever]

5th August, Floor Eighty

[brbtalkingtogod]

[Lucifel was just about done with the job he had been assigned at - not on his own mind you, he had found himself with this job just the other day when he checked his mail box.

But in all honesty he could have ended up with worse. as long as you kept your distance from the clowns you'd be fine.

When Rick waved at him the Archangel raised an eyebrow. Something about the other was off compared to the last time he had seen him...

With a quick flick of his left hand he got over to him, hands now resting in the pockets of his jeans.]

Rick, wasn't it? Is something the matter?

[bashfulshifter]

[Oh Lucifel, you and your teleporting shenanigans! Rick doesn't flinch when the fellow appears before him, keeping an even gaze, an unwavering grin--apart from when he laughs, which he seems to be doing a lot of for some reason. Or maybe that's replaced his usual speech impediment? Hard to tell.]

Don't be ridiculous, nothing's the matter with me! I'm just checking in to make sure you're adjusting to your new job here--wouldn't want you missing a jump and breaking your neck, eh? Hah!

August 6th - Floor 38

[averytinyparticle]

[Quark had been pretty quiet ever since he woke up in the middle of the night on the 28th and then gone on to aggravate his fears by getting stuck in the art gallery. It could have been worse. He had stopped panicking, at least.

His old friends and new friends had been able to calm him down. Maybe it really was just a dream, anyway. A really real, really scary dream--but dreams weren't something to be afraid of. Not even the nightmares. They couldn't reach out and hurt you unless you let them.

Quark didn't want to let them.

That was why he had been trying to avoid places that made him think of his Grandpa. When he did, Quark tended to see a flash of dead, hollow eyes before he could stop himself. Maybe this floor wasn't the best choice--it left him to stare thoughtfully out at the raging weather coming from the clouds.

But the beanbags were comfy, so he had been more than okay to hunker down in one and curl up. At least, Quark figured, nobody needed to worry about him, here. The lounge didn't seem too scary or anything.]

[bashfulshifter]

[The kid in the beanbag chair hasn't noticed Rick's silent greeting, since he's too busy looking out the window or something silly like that. RUDE.]

[Rick will just have to walk up behind him and address him directly, then.]

What does the rain remind you of, Quark?

August 7th, noon - Floor 92

[seekinganswers]

[In the days since the infiltration, Sheba has taken to wandering. Sometimes - more often than not - her wandering is aimless. This is one of those times. She's found herself entrenched pretty deeply in the pyramid, idly studying some of the hieroglyphs on the walls and trying to make sense of them. She doesn't have much luck, but they're fascinating anyway.

She turns when she hears footsteps behind her and upon seeing Rick, she relaxes - just a little. She remembers seeing him with Enoch during the infiltration. If Enoch trusted him, he shouldn't be a bad person, right?

...well, maybe she'd have to reserve judgment. There's something strange about his eyes... she returns the smile and the wave anyway, but she steps back a bit to put some distance between the two of them.]

Hello. I didn't know there was anyone else exploring down here today...

[bashfulshifter]

[No further approach is made on Rick's part; he regards Sheba from across the way, smiling casually as he makes idle conversation.]

It's a nice day! I'm also a little worried that you're here by yourself--you could get lost, you know, without others to retrace your steps. Aren't there others that are willing to take a walk with you?

Floor sixty-two: BEACH TIMES!

[no_longer_a_king]

[He doesn't really need to seek out Arturia as, once she spots him, she approaches him with a polite wave. She'd been skipping stones across the water, something she hadn't done since she was a child. Something that was easy to focus on so she could ignore the ache in her heart at so many people she cared about leaving at once.

But what could she do about it? They were trapped on their worlds and she was here. All she could do to help them was try to stop Ruana from feeding on them eventually and then find a way to revive the worlds. Which involved fixing the Tower. Which meant, hopefully, not winding up permanently trapped on her own.

Luckily for her, Rick arrived, and she approached him more for a distraction from her thoughts than anything else. Little did she know what was about to happen thanks to his little experiment.]

It's good to see you. Are you faring well?

[bashfulshifter]

[No longer is this a blushing, nervously-stuttering man--he still blushes, granted, but he seems unusually sure of himself. His voice remains steady and his pure blue eyes are unwavering in his unnerving attempts to seem friendly.]

Feeling great! [SUBJECT CHANGE] Funny thing--I almost mistook you for the other Saber, but, ah...she's gone now, isn't she? What a shame. I mean, between her and Archer and Rin, it must be difficult...You're doing okay though, right?

August 7th, floor two

[vermicompost]

[Kariya's looking for more bandages, not a particularly unusual errand for him. He usually doesn't go far without Lancelot's help, unless in someone else's company, especially since he lost his left arm, but he does still try to assert his independence. The arm will return the next time he dies, but he isn't in any hurry to die, so he deals with it for now.

The medical supplies in the infirmary tend to move around. They're rarely in the same place twice, and Kariya pushes some medicines aside with his remaining hand, in search of what he needs.

He's so focused on the task that when Rick suddenly approaches him on his blind side, he starts. Kariya doesn't recognize him, but he has no reason to be alarmed, and he returns Rick's smile readily enough, even though his own smile is more cautious.]

Hello. Do you need anything?

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick shakes his head slowly; he is apparently trying to be sympathetic, but it's really hard to get that across when he's smiling as widely as he is.]

I don't need anything, no...Just wanted to come give you some company, is all--and my most sincere condolences. Aoi's disappearance must be weighing pretty heavily on you, I know.

The sixth, Graveyard floor

[lightofhumanity]

[It had become routine for chaos to come here and comfort those whom he saw mourning over their friends before wandering over to a few unmarked sticks he had put in the floor during December. They didn't have any names on them, but that just made it easier for him to properly grieve and think things over without being found out.

However, when he saw and sensed Rick, he turned toward the person, smiling a little.]

Hello. Are you alright here?

[bashfulshifter]

[BIGGEST GRIN]

I'm doing great, thanks for asking! [And then he tones it down to something slightly more somber, but still extremely creepy.] Are you all right, though? I'm sure those losses still hurt.

[He nods curtly at the unmarked graves.]

KOS-MOS, Shion, Margulis...at least it was the admins that got rid of them instead of you, I suppose, but you've lost so much. It must be a great burden for you to worry over.

[immortalia]

[ For Sertoria, it's rare that she has a moment to herself due to how busy she is around the tower, but here she is in the chapel and praying to herself. Maybe she's searching for some guidance, who knows? She's still on high alert, however.

So, that's when she notices Rick and turns her head to wave at him. ]

Hello. May I help you, Rick?