lifeaftr | March Event: De L'autre Côté de L'eau

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March Event: De L'autre Côté de L'eau

MARCH EVENT: DE L'AUTRE CÔTÉ DE L'EAU

Who: Everyone condemned to the Water, and those who see fit to rescue them
What: A rescue is implemented!
When:Predominantly on March 19th
Where: Ai'tuoh, and the small islet just off its coast
Warnings: Mark as needed!

Just Sing For Me All Night

It's time for your captured comrades to be recovered, and by none other than your fine selves! While the Storyteller will detail the elements of said rescue below, they very notably don't say anything about how they plan for you make it through Ai'tuoh, and then to the islet off its coast.

You have their tacit blessing to make your way there however you would like. Through stealth, through diplomacy, by salting and burning the earth...whichever you prefer. It is, as it turns out, awfully difficult to discern the innocent from the perpetrators when they all look alike.

Whatever course of action you choose, bear in mind that there will be consequences. The Storyteller will be sealing off Ai'tuoh's mana pool once everyone who has been retrieved has come through, but that doesn't mean that the island will be gone forever.

And If I Shout For You, Never Doubt

While the details of the rescue's mechanics can be found in the Storyteller's explanation below, we ask that, if your character was captured and needs to be rescued, please let us know HERE. This will make it easier for other players to account for who might be their focus, and why!

A few guidelines for each of the groups:

[ ♆ ] Group One will be predominantly busy fending away militia, who you can assume will be pouring forth to protect the Water from these intruders at a fairly concentrated rate. Most of the fighting will likely be grouped around the Water itself, leading to a risk of being forced into the Water or slipping in yourself. The militia largely fight with spears, swords, and shields, but are not above attempting to sedate you if they can get close enough, to make it easier to tip you into the Water.

[ ♆ ] Group Two will be serving as the tether, meaning they will be holding onto the thread the Storyteller has provided. This means physically remaining on our side of the abyss and holding onto the thread very tightly, as well as mentally focusing incredibly hard on the Water itself. When the thread is deposited into the Water, it will open a dark tunnel into the surface itself, leading all the way through to the other side. The Water will not take kindly to this; it will attempt to close, and exert a tremendous mental pressure upon your mind to do so. In order for this portal to remain open, your focus must be wholly devoted to keeping it open. It may feel very much like a mental game of tug-of-war, and you may very well feel a very physical tug on the thread itself as well; you must be actively concentrating on bringing everyone home.

[ ♆ ] Group Three will then have to grab hold of the thread in some way or another and not let go as they're swept into the dimension and through to the other side. As long as they remain in contact with the thread, they will be able to make their way back and be immune to the soporific effects of the strange void, as well as detect the opening the thread makes in the landscape of the netherworld on the other side of the Water. If they let go, they will lose their way and be vulnerable to the somnolent effects, and must be drawn back by someone who is still tethered.

Just remember: once you've found who needs recovering, you cannot, under any circumstances, look back at them while you guide the home.

You simply have to trust that they will follow, and that will be what leads them back to you.

Event Timeline

[ ♆ ] March 19th: Characters are taken to the Standing Water, and the rescue is facilitated
[ ♆ ] March 20th: Monthly Storytelling occurs as usual
[ ♆ ] March 31st: Ai'tuoh disappears, and anyone left on it or in the Water will suffer a death

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The first to be condemned is a child. Their face is ashen. Their hands have been bound in front of them. Their lower lip quivers. They step forward, carefully, delicately, and the militia guarding their approach to the terribly still waters look on, stony-faced.

There is one among their number that many of you will recognize. They call her 41916. That is her designation. And as the child extends one foot to step forward into that chill, glassy surface, her expression contorts into something pained.

"Let..." Her gaze darts to her fellow militia. None of them pay her any mind.

She should not be doing this. She is meant to be restrained. Controlled. She was trained better than this. She can maintain her absolute objectivity. Her absolute impartiality. She could do it in the face of these strange people, for the most part. But...not entirely.

But the outsiders, they all cried and railed and screamed freely. Many of them, they acted as though this - this was something she wanted. Something she supported. And many others...

Some of them...they treated her almost kindly. As though she was not their jailer. Some of them scoffed at her. Some of them acted as though she would sit idly by, while a child is led to the Water for their cleansing. While a child that she knows is drawn closer and closer to that edge.

If they step through, she'll never see them again.

That is what parts her lips in a desperate, forbidden cry:

"Ninth!"

The child twists around, shock painted cleanly on their features. The heads of the surrounding militia snap around to regard the source of the outburst - many with palpable surprise and concern, and some with a bristling menace. One of their own, responsible for such an emotional outcry. What a disgrace.

41916 charges forward, so abruptly that she manages to bowl over the first of the guards that attempts to restrain her. Several more converge upon her, abandoning their prisoners as 41916 starts to scream, louder, louder.

"Ninth! Ninth! Let them go!"

For a moment, every militia in the vicinity is distracted, and all other prisoners are unguarded.

Will you run?

[ooc: Feel free to use this top-level as a jumping off point for reactions and escape attempts - or escape successes!]

It all happens so fast. He'd been waiting for his chance to break out and take a shot at getting everyone out alive. Then everything is going to hell and the water swallows the girl he'd fought with and the child...'ninth'.

No.

He turns and whips a kick out at the back of a guard that's left his side. He needs a weapon or something to free his hands. Then he has to get to them.

--

His hands are free and there's no time to waste. He races across the space and dives in without a shred of hesitation. The cold hits him like a fist to his stomach. It doesn't matter. None of that matters. His focus is solely on his goal. It's a shame he doesn't have a name to attach to her face but he has one for the child. It's enough he thinks, as the cold and surreal world around him tries to steal his resolve.

But nothing, not even the one who could had ever done that.

No matter what he'll get them free even if it costs him his life.

Throughout all commotion, the pellucid Water stands still. The glasslike reflection of its surface remains unwavering, as if even these rituals are beneath its notice. Even as 41916 slams her elbow into her restrainer and breaks free, taking off at a sprint towards the child called 'Ninth', the Water is undisturbed.

As she throws her arm around them and hugs them to her side fiercely, backing to the Water's edge, it stands still.

As Ninth's lip trembles, and they bury their fingers into her collar and look from the advancing guardsmen to Keith, meeting his eyes, the eyes of all those who cry out to their aid, 41916 casts down her weapon. She drops to her knee and hugs the child desperately to her chest, her breath shaking with unbridled fury and despair. She strokes their hair, and murmurs to them.

"Forgive me, little one."

The guards converge, pulling, tearing them apart, enraged by 41916's traitorous display and the interruption of their most sacred practice. Ninth screams, and 41916 screams, and then both are silent as their feet skid across the wet stone at their feet and they slide down, down, disappearing like phantoms into transluscent depths.

Even as it swallows them whole, the Water stands still.

He will remember this scene for the rest of his life. It will remind him of finding an empty cockpit where the center of his world had suddenly been gone. Or the glare of a line of text that was so obviously a lie.

The screams echo in his head as he drops down sliding under a guard’s reaching hands and thrusts his bound wrists against the spear blade of the cast down weapon. Not his favorite kind of weapon but beggars can’t be choosers. His skin is cut along with the bindings but that is secondary. He surges to the side and rolls, snapping the weapon up sharply.

They want him in the Water. Okay. He wants in the Water. Just not on their terms. He sweeps the spear out in a wide arc and rolls to his feet fast like a dervish. “Back off!” He’ll have to knock a sword out of one of their hands he thinks as he spins the spear like an oar.

Edited 2018-03-18 19:24 (UTC)

Shion is beyond terrified. He feels almost calm, not in a peaceful way but more that his panic and his fear and his overwhelming anger are all balled together in his chest and feel stuck. There's nothing he can do, no way he can overpower their guards and rescue everyone. But there is also no way he can not try.

He just had to keep going, even if his instinct was to curl in a ball and scream wordlessly. He couldn't do that. He would escape and he would rescue all these people. Somehow. He had managed to help restore hundreds of worlds he could help save his friends and these children.

This city killed their children. These kids, they were as old as he had been when he had screamed out his frustrations into a storm. As old as Nezumi had been when they had shot him and hunted him like an animal. Children condemned to death for not obeying rules.

41916's shout surprises him, but only slightly. She had spoken to him, despite the fact she wasn't supposed to. Hope surged in him and he was able to move.

It wasn't to the exit he ran though, he wasn't leaving without everyone. He trusted that the others from Ensō would run or fight themselves. Though he would help any who looked like they couldn't. But the children and the other prisoners from the city. They might not run. If they accepted this as normal... they might not take this opportunity.

"Come on!"

Throughout all commotion, the pellucid Water stands still. The glasslike reflection of its surface remains unwavering, as if even these rituals are beneath its notice. Even as 41916 slams her elbow into her restrainer and breaks free, taking off at a sprint towards the child called 'Ninth', the Water is undisturbed.

As she throws her arm around them and hugs them to her side fiercely, backing to the Water's edge, it stands still.

As Ninth's lip trembles, and they bury their fingers into her collar and look from the advancing guardsmen to Shion, meeting his eyes, the eyes of all those who cry out to their aid, 41916 casts down her weapon. She drops to her knee and hugs the child desperately to her chest, her breath shaking with unbridled fury and despair. She strokes their hair, and murmurs to them.

"Forgive me, little one."

The guards converge, pulling, tearing them apart, enraged by 41916's traitorous display and the interruption of their most sacred practice. Ninth screams, and 41916 screams, and then both are silent as their feet skid across the wet stone at their feet and they slide down, down, disappearing like phantoms into transluscent depths.

Even as it swallows them whole, the Water stands still.

There is chaos, Shion had ran over to the other prisoners but his attention is still on 41916 and the child Ninth. On 41916's desperation, trying to save the child. The guardsmen swarming in on every side. The child met his eyes and for a moment Shion froze as still as the water. It seems like he does not even breathe as 41916 hugs Ninth, as they are ripped apart from one another by guards and thrown into the water, that stands as still as it ever was.

For a moment Shion is just still, shocked, horrified at what he had seen but the part of his mind that was trained by Reno took over. He had to move, no one had been able to save 41916 or Ninth in time but these other children... The other prisoners who will share their fate if they do not take this opportunity.

"Come on we have to go" His hands are still bound but he will try and get them to move. "Run, come on!"

When the week past in such horrid conditions, Takane was silently resigned to thinking that none of the island adventurers, herself included, had gotten through to that guard who expressed curiosity and apprehension of their new prisoners. Such failure... she was supposed to be an idol, one that captivated and brightened the hearts of those whom she's interacted with. Something she will have to work on, or would, given that they all were to face impending drowning.

Though normally sliding between the scales of politely smiling or being deadpan and stoic, a rare look of apprehension and hostility was on Takane's face as The Standing Water came into her view. Something about it... was wrong. It behaved nothing like how water should; it reflected nothing, nor could nothing be seen through it. Rather than water, it felt more like a giant pool of nothingness. Takane's entire being shouted within her that, no matter what, she must not step foot anywhere near That Water, and must resist anyone and anything forcing her to do so. She assessed the situation in her mind, considering her options, opportunities, and obstacles that could possibly be involved in an escape attempt...

However, her thoughts were interrupted by shouting, from a source that was most unexpected. It seems that an escape tactic will have to manifest through her intuition, rather than careful planning. As much as she would love to celebrate the guard's acceptance of her own humanity and aid her, she knows it would only create more liability. She will just need to have faith that someone more able can accomplish such. For now, Takane places her bound hands on the closest fellow captive she had within reach, lightly pulling at their arm in a gentle urge to follow along.

"Come," though her voice is soft, there is a tone of firmness, almost commanding, to it. "We must exercise silence and swiftness."

Edited 2018-03-18 17:11 (UTC)

Throughout all commotion, the pellucid Water stands still. The glasslike reflection of its surface remains unwavering, as if even these rituals are beneath its notice. Even as 41916 slams her elbow into her restrainer and breaks free, taking off at a sprint towards the child called 'Ninth', the Water is undisturbed.

As she throws her arm around them and hugs them to her side fiercely, backing to the Water's edge, it stands still.

As Ninth's lip trembles, and they bury their fingers into her collar and look from the advancing guardsmen to Takane, meeting her eyes, the eyes of all those who cry out to their aid, 41916 casts down her weapon. She drops to her knee and hugs the child desperately to her chest, her breath shaking with unbridled fury and despair. She strokes their hair, and murmurs to them.

"Forgive me, little one."

The guards converge, pulling, tearing them apart, enraged by 41916's traitorous display and the interruption of their most sacred practice. Ninth screams, and 41916 screams, and then both are silent as their feet skid across the wet stone at their feet and they slide down, down, disappearing like phantoms into transluscent depths.

Even as it swallows them whole, the Water stands still.

She is free to try and release the other captives, if she likes, but the pair of them - they are lost to her.

It is only instinct that causes her to look once more at the chaos unfolding around them, and she immediately regrets doing so. Takane can't help but feel a pang of guilt for her inaction as her eyes meet with that of 41916, but she is far too aware she is unable to help the girl. She lets out a brief pained exhale filled with remorse and helplessness as she looks away, unable to mask the disappointment towards the pragmatic choice she is forced to make. She tugs again at the arm of her fellow captive, trying her best to ignore the screams from behind her.

"Please," she urges once more. "We must go now."

Mickey's heart hasn't stopped pounding in his ears since he first saw the children. How could any civilized land do this to their young? But without his sword, what can he do? His magic isn't strong enough to save himself - let alone another.

But then, a number is called out - a name - and all heck breaks loose. Mickey takes one look at the situation - and then sprints toward the child, crying out, "No! Stop!" in a desperate urge to grab them, save them, sacrifice himself if need be.

Throughout all commotion, the pellucid Water stands still. The glasslike reflection of its surface remains unwavering, as if even these rituals are beneath its notice. Even as 41916 slams her elbow into her restrainer and breaks free, taking off at a sprint towards the child called 'Ninth', the Water is undisturbed.

As she throws her arm around them and hugs them to her side fiercely, backing to the Water's edge, it stands still.

As Ninth's lip trembles, and they bury their fingers into her collar and look from the advancing guardsmen to Mickey, meeting his eyes, the eyes of all those who cry out to their aid, 41916 casts down her weapon. She drops to her knee and hugs the child desperately to her chest, her breath shaking with unbridled fury and despair. She strokes their hair, and murmurs to them.

"Forgive me, little one."

The guards converge, pulling, tearing them apart, enraged by 41916's traitorous display and the interruption of their most sacred practice. Ninth screams, and 41916 screams, and then both are silent as their feet skid across the wet stone at their feet and they slide down, down, disappearing like phantoms into transluscent depths.

Even as it swallows them whole, the Water stands still.

[ Lined up with the rest of the prisoners, Kanata peers into the glassy pool with a transfixed gaze, waiting for a ripple to spread across its surface that never comes. The weight that's settled in the depths sinks heavier when he hears the scream, tearing his eyes away from The Water to watch the guard from the prison cell fight her way to the child-- Ninth, he thinks?

He doesn't want to watch this, unable to do anything but stand by with his hands bound in front of him. Beside him, abandoned and unguarded prisoners nudge at each other to start escaping, but Kanata doesn't move even when his common sense tells him to. He wants to see what happens- knowing full well he would do the same for someone he cared about, he wants to know what the consequences are. And if he must- saving someone like this, it's ridiculous to think about in terms of how he's played hero for pretend, but Kanata won't hesitate now to try it for real. ]

[Eichi looks worse than ever. While normally he can rely on his own pretty face, and his burns had been healed thoroughly, the sedative used to capture him and his jail time have left him a wreck, unable to make himself presentable. Hands are bound so he can't dry the occasional tears leaking from his eyes. They're red, irritated, and he feels like he might be sick.

If it weren't for that guard, Eichi wouldn't have been able to escape. He realizes that in the instant that the guard holding him stumbles away to try and stop her, and his eyes are wide, trying to meet hers. His lips open to call her, but that wouldn't help, would it? Nothing he can do would help. He's trying to communicate that he can't help, that he hopes she can get away.

But he can't stay. He's afraid. Stumbling backwards, Eichi bumps into someone else. Another guard, maybe? Or a fellow prisoner. Maybe he shakes a few more people free in this clumsiness from his violent cough, or maybe he's just getting in the way. Either way, he's definitely going to need help getting out of here, or he'll just end up on the ground coughing and captured again.]

[The entire situation at hand made him feel as if his body was separated from his brain -- the only reason he had any leigh way was thanks to his small stature painting him as more child than adult.

It didn't seem Eichi had the same luck, however, and the sight of a figure of such high authority ragged and struggling was disconcerting. It made it all the more obvious that Shinobu had no time to sink into his own anxieties. Lowering his usual voice to a coarse whisper, he calls to the other Yumenosaki student.]

Emperor-dono! It-- It is I! Shinobu Sengoku.

Shinobu...-kun?

[He turns, finding the source of the voice, and tries his best to push himself to his feet even with his bound hands. They're bound in the front, but he fell on his ass, so it'll take a moment.]

What are you doing here, Shinobu-kun? [He hurries to his side, but his eyes flick back to scan the crowd. Kanata is too close to the front. Takane seems to have been abandoned by her guard, as well, and she's trying to help others, which is dangerous on its own. He's still looking for Ritsu, but he turns back to Shinobu halfway through.]

It's dangerous here.

[Awkwardly Shinobu holds his hands out in case Eichi needed any assistance, keeping a sharp eye out for their surroundings. He's obviously deeply troubled by the situation, but a ninja must always put the mission before his feelings and not get caught up in them.]

I-- I had lost Shinkai-dono a while ago and went looking... Yes, of course it is dangerous, such is why I have arrived to help! Um, are you hurt? Where is Shinkai-dono....? [A million hushed words slip his tongue a minute, barely giving Eichi any time to answer before stiffening like a deer in headlights.] Ack, we should move over this way and remain unseen----

The drug they used to sedate me has been causing some difficult reactions, but I should be fine, despite that.

[He answers quickly, reaching to take Shinobu's hand so he can stand easier on his own. It's trickier moving to the side as suggested, and his other arm wraps around his own stomach at the unease. Ugh.]

Shinkai-kun is much further in. He's near what they're calling the water. [It's... incredibly dangerous. They have to save Kanata, but at the same time... Kanata wouldn't want Shinobu to be in danger, either.] He's capable, so the ruckus will surely allow him to escape. I can't allow you to go in even further, Shinobu-kun. As selfish as it may be, I need your help to get out of this place.

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degozarus - 2018-04-02 00:52 (UTC) - Expand

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finethanks - 2018-04-16 21:15 (UTC) - Expand

[The whole being cleansed by water thing didn't sound fun. Most so when he finds out it's Eichi. Ritsu does care about the class president, so why would he want him to die? As Eichi seems to make a scene Ritsu takes the chance to move his way into help. At least he was good at coming up with plans for many things. That meant he was now gently touching the emperor's side as to not aggravate his condition.]

Ecchan...

Ritsu-kun?

[There's alarm in his voice as he speaks his name, shifting to grab at that friendly arm as he covers a cough. Everything hurts, he feels nauseous, how is he supposed to move like this?]

You shouldn't be here, so get away at once before someone scolds you for it. I'll follow after you. [He says that, but he's having so much trouble— he needs the help.]

[He nods, well aware that he needs to stay quiet at this moment. It wasn't safe for any of them here. Though he looks around before holds onto Eichi. Ritsu shakes his head before moving to grab him a little more firm.]

We are getting you out of here.

Wait—

[He doesn't pull away from the grabbing, but he does tense considerably, staring into the chaos.]

Shinkai-kun and Takane-chan— they're both somewhere in here, as well, aren't they? I know that I'm unfit for scenes like this, but until they're safe... [He can't just leave?]

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strayknight - 2018-04-22 01:56 (UTC) - Expand

A distraction. Wade's been in this situation enough times that he knows he's only going to be afforded a few seconds, and those few precious seconds are all he needs to make a deliberate choice and follow it through. Before his healing factor rendered that a moot point, sometimes his life was reduced to a few seconds of action.

But he does not even think of escape; doesn't even think of running away to save his own skin the way others probably would have. It hadn't been on his radar from the moment he'd seen that small and scared form being pushed onto the docks toward certain death.

Wade's hands are tied, but his legs are not. He rushes toward the chaos, slamming his shoulder into the back of the guard closest to him, hoping to knock them off balance long enough to steal a weapon and get his hands free. He needs to save the child. He has to. Nothing else matters in that moment but preserving that one tiny life.

Throughout all commotion, the pellucid Water stands still. The glasslike reflection of its surface remains unwavering, as if even these rituals are beneath its notice. Even as 41916 slams her elbow into her restrainer and breaks free, taking off at a sprint towards the child called 'Ninth', the Water is undisturbed.

As she throws her arm around them and hugs them to her side fiercely, backing to the Water's edge, it stands still.

As Ninth's lip trembles, and they bury their fingers into her collar and look from the advancing guardsmen to Wade, meeting his eyes, the eyes of all those who cry out to their aid, 41916 casts down her weapon. She drops to her knee and hugs the child desperately to her chest, her breath shaking with unbridled fury and despair. She strokes their hair, and murmurs to them.

"Forgive me, little one."

The guards converge, pulling, tearing them apart, enraged by 41916's traitorous display and the interruption of their most sacred practice. Ninth screams, and 41916 screams, and then both are silent as their feet skid across the wet stone at their feet and they slide down, down, disappearing like phantoms into transluscent depths.

Even as it swallows them whole, the Water stands still.

Wade, it seems, is free to try and release the other captives, if he likes, but the pair of them - they are lost to him.

Shepard follows dutifully along as she's taken. Every step of the way she looks for weaknesses, breaks in the guard line, anything that could allow her an opportunity to get everyone out of here. No dice. But she keeps an eye on the guard she spoke to while in captivity. She's young. Inexperienced. It's clear to see, or at least clear to her, that she's nervous. Instinctively she tries to move towards her; whether it's to comfort her or from some silly desire to protect her, Shepard isn't sure. What she is sure about is the moment she even moves in that direction there is a sharp knife to her back. So she settles down and waits.

And then, finally, they come to the spoken of Water. It's eerie. Shepard shows no apprehension on her face but she feels a chill run down her spine as she looks at it. The cold hand of horror grips her heart tight next as she sees a child brought forth first. No. She begins to struggle against the guard that holds her. No.

When the guard, that young girl, first speaks Shepard's eyes dart to her. There's a part of her that is almost proud of the small display. And another entirely that knows exactly what will happen if she speaks. When she yells, desperate and pained, and then charges, Shepard takes advantage of her guards finally abandoning her to break the bonds on her hands and start swinging.

She knows she should run. She knows that this is the perfect opportunity to get out of here and save herself. But she's not going home alone. So she runs towards Ninth and the guard and gets ready to fight to free them both. Her biotics crackle down her arm as she gets ready to rain down blows.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

March Event: De L'autre Côté de L'eau

a daring escape | for those condemned to the water

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OTA!

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