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yumemigaoka2023-09-15 01:44 pm
beautifuldreamermods) wrote in yumemigaoka2023-09-15 01:44 pm
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Event #5: Fractured Melody
- There's never been an Excursion quite like this. Groups are usually kept small to keep things from getting too chaotic but today, practically every Dreamer in Yumemigaoka has assembled at the northern exit of the Slumbering City. The air is tense – apprehension and fear of the unknown and a whole host of other feelings that nobody quite dares express out loud just in case saying them makes them true. This is the Dream Sphere, after all.
Suffocating sunlight pours down from the sky and catches off the water as everyone wades their way down the tracks. Just at the point that the surroundings begin to fluctuate and the barriers of the dream are just shy of being breeched, Dreamer Ange takes point and turns to address the group.
"I get that this probably goes without saying but whether you're new or an old hand, this is not going to be like any of the Excursions we're used to going on. We don't know for sure how dangerous all this is going to be – all we know is that there's somebody in there who can't protect herself and she needs our help. Keep smart. Stick together – use a buddy system if you have to. Don't even let yourself be alone if you can help it. And anytime you think you're in real danger, head back to the other side and wake up. Understood?"
She waits for a noise of affirmation from the group before turning back around and taking a long, slow breath.
"Let's go."
Like heat haze mirages, the air around them ripples. Making way into a new dream is usually as easy as stepping from one room to another, but finally breaking through to this is more like tearing back a curtain that resisted you every step of the way. And most alarmingly of all is the feeling that settles over everyone when they first set foot in what's waiting beyond, a sort of dizzy hyper-lucidity like a false awakening. It passes quick, but it's unfamiliar... especially since it's a sensation that will be very familiar to some Dreamers...
Welcome to Beautiful Dreamer's very first Disturbance event! To recap from the monthly post, Disturbances are surreal and dangerous dreamscapes that draw directly on the struggles, fears and emotions of a single character, similar to the TV world dungeons in Persona 4 or the Heartscapes in Blue Reflection Second Light. They're unique among Outlying Locations in that they vanish once resolved and incubate extremely powerful enemies at their core who must be defeated to save the person at its heart – in this instance, the idol known as Mio Kasuga.
Using the descriptions in the log below, you may freely toplevel and have characters explore and investigate as you please! The descriptions given in this log are to give direction and progression to the events but please feel free to play around within the bounds of what's established as much as you like. Characters wishing to investigate and uncover additional hints and lore nuggets at the heart of the dungeon should indicate they are investigating in the comment header of their toplevel.
Since this is our first Disturbance event, things are relatively simple. To clear the event and prevent a negative outcome on the plot that will effect both the Dream Sphere and Yumemigaoka, characters must clear both the Mid-Tier and Boss Combat Encounters by the OOC deadline of September 30th.
FRACTURE MELODY
- Upon entering the dream, all Dreamers will first find themselves standing in the paved courtyard of a grand concert hall built from shimmering white marble. It's an imposing structure – somehow, it looks more like a siege fort or a prison than anywhere you might want to go for an evening's entertainment. Despite the dark night sky above, the courtyard where they stand is well-illuminated with most of the lights crossing to center on a massive banner overhead announcing: "Mio Kasuga Live in Concert."
Well. At least you know you're definitely in the right place.
The air is charged with anticipation and a hint of nervousness – all around there's the bustle of excited voices and footsteps of people coming and going but it doesn't seem like there's anyone else at all in the courtyard apart from the Dreamers. And... the sound can't be coming from inside because there isn't a single window on the entire building you can see. Just one way in – a huge ornate door carved in thick, black stone that looks like the door to some sort of dungeon.
As if anticipating guests, it swings open.
Once inside, the Dreamers will be able to split up and explore as they like but for now... looks like there's only one way to go.
!LOBBY
Upon entering, the Dreamers find themselves in an opulent lobby, spacious and open with dizzyingly high ceilings and wraparound balconies that are perilously out of reach for even the most determined of Dreamers. Like the outside, the building's inner walls are crafted from white marble that seems to glow from within and crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, catching the light to send shimmers of rainbow light across the floor and walls. The white marble floor is polished to a mirror shine but whenever someone stops to try and peer down at their reflection, it will fracture and undulate beyond recognizability until they look away.
Along one wall, red velvet drapes cascade from floor to ceiling to frame the entrance to the main stage and all around, various side doors and hallways split off into different directions. Faceless shades – not Torments but not Figments, either – mill around the hall, giving it the appearance of a crowd. But if you pay attention, it becomes clear none of them are actually moving with any sort of purpose; they're randomly drifting here and there to give the illusion of movement and activity. It's clear that these faceless guests are just as much a fixture of the dream as the chandelier is.
It's oddly, eerily silent aside from the scratchy recordings of Pure Candy's songs playing over some unseen speakers. Even that meagre filler noise occasionally gives way to record scratching sounds and indiscernible babbling before lapsing back to the cheery, happy pop of Pure Candy.
That same unpleasant tension from outside is simmering under the surface but by all appearances, this lobby should serve as a safe zone for regrouping and resting as explorations continue.
Along one wall, red velvet drapes cascade from floor to ceiling to frame the entrance to the main stage and all around, various side doors and hallways split off into different directions. Faceless shades – not Torments but not Figments, either – mill around the hall, giving it the appearance of a crowd. But if you pay attention, it becomes clear none of them are actually moving with any sort of purpose; they're randomly drifting here and there to give the illusion of movement and activity. It's clear that these faceless guests are just as much a fixture of the dream as the chandelier is.
It's oddly, eerily silent aside from the scratchy recordings of Pure Candy's songs playing over some unseen speakers. Even that meagre filler noise occasionally gives way to record scratching sounds and indiscernible babbling before lapsing back to the cheery, happy pop of Pure Candy.
That same unpleasant tension from outside is simmering under the surface but by all appearances, this lobby should serve as a safe zone for regrouping and resting as explorations continue.
!MAIN STAGE
Ducking under the curtain and entering the main stage, the Dreamers find themselves amidst a sea of empty, crimson velvet theater seats dimly illuminated by the glow of the overhead crystal chandeliers high up on the ceiling. The rows and rows of seats are arranged in a semicircle around the stage, packed so closely together and to the stage itself that the whole thing feels remarkably claustrophobic.
The stage itself is a vast expanse of obsidian-black marble that captures and amplifies every hint of light, creating the illusion of a swirling galaxy beneath a Dreamer's feet. The effect is something like stepping on a glass floor at the top of an enormous tower; a horrible sense of spinning vertigo. An ebony grand piano stands at the center, its surface speckled with starry reflections both from the spotlights and the backdrop of the stage.
A huge, towering mosaic looms behind the stage, an intricate pattern of shattered mirrors and crystal fragments suspended in mid-air by invisible threads. Each fragment casts light in a slightly different hue with odd perspectives that subtly warp the reflection of anything inside them. Look long enough and you might see a flash of something – or somebody – else. Mio Kasuga as she's seen up on this stage, laughing, smiling, dancing, screaming, singing, crying, performing, laughing, laughing, laughing–
Oh. She isn't in there at all, actually. What were you looking at again?
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: If the Dreamers approach the grand ebony piano at the center of the stage, they will notice that the keys seem to play of their own accord, growing louder and sharper the closer they get. Ethereal notes that fill the air – pleasant at first but then the very pretty melody starts to turn discordant and ramps up in volume as each of those ear-splitting notes resonates with the obsidian stage beneath their feet, creating violent waves of sound that pulse through the main stage.
The hazard here lies in the piano's unpredictable melodies. The resonant waves of sound can cause the marble stage to vibrate and shift, making footing unstable. At times, the vibrations can become so intense that sections of the stage rise and fall like waves, creating gaps and uneven terrain. The Dreamers must time their movements carefully to avoid being thrown off balance or falling into these gaps, all while the hauntingly beautiful music of the piano plays on. Destroying the piano or otherwise putting distance between it and the Dreamer will stop the performance... at least temporarily.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT #2: As the Dreamers explore the seats, they notice a series of spotlights positioned around the perimeter, seemingly at random, each casting a brilliant beam of light. However, if they step into these beams, they realize that they cast long, elongated shadows that move independently of their actual positions.
When the Dreamers step into a spotlight's beam, their shadows take on a life of their own, seemingly pulling them in unexpected directions or shoving them around and tripping them. The only way to disperse them is to shatter the light that created it in the first place... but good luck even getting close when your own shadow is determined to pull your feet our from under you!
The stage itself is a vast expanse of obsidian-black marble that captures and amplifies every hint of light, creating the illusion of a swirling galaxy beneath a Dreamer's feet. The effect is something like stepping on a glass floor at the top of an enormous tower; a horrible sense of spinning vertigo. An ebony grand piano stands at the center, its surface speckled with starry reflections both from the spotlights and the backdrop of the stage.
A huge, towering mosaic looms behind the stage, an intricate pattern of shattered mirrors and crystal fragments suspended in mid-air by invisible threads. Each fragment casts light in a slightly different hue with odd perspectives that subtly warp the reflection of anything inside them. Look long enough and you might see a flash of something – or somebody – else. Mio Kasuga as she's seen up on this stage, laughing, smiling, dancing, screaming, singing, crying, performing, laughing, laughing, laughing–
Oh. She isn't in there at all, actually. What were you looking at again?
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: If the Dreamers approach the grand ebony piano at the center of the stage, they will notice that the keys seem to play of their own accord, growing louder and sharper the closer they get. Ethereal notes that fill the air – pleasant at first but then the very pretty melody starts to turn discordant and ramps up in volume as each of those ear-splitting notes resonates with the obsidian stage beneath their feet, creating violent waves of sound that pulse through the main stage.
The hazard here lies in the piano's unpredictable melodies. The resonant waves of sound can cause the marble stage to vibrate and shift, making footing unstable. At times, the vibrations can become so intense that sections of the stage rise and fall like waves, creating gaps and uneven terrain. The Dreamers must time their movements carefully to avoid being thrown off balance or falling into these gaps, all while the hauntingly beautiful music of the piano plays on. Destroying the piano or otherwise putting distance between it and the Dreamer will stop the performance... at least temporarily.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT #2: As the Dreamers explore the seats, they notice a series of spotlights positioned around the perimeter, seemingly at random, each casting a brilliant beam of light. However, if they step into these beams, they realize that they cast long, elongated shadows that move independently of their actual positions.
When the Dreamers step into a spotlight's beam, their shadows take on a life of their own, seemingly pulling them in unexpected directions or shoving them around and tripping them. The only way to disperse them is to shatter the light that created it in the first place... but good luck even getting close when your own shadow is determined to pull your feet our from under you!
!BACKSTAGE HALLWAY
Once they manage to find a way around the stage's hazards, the Dreamers will be able to make their way into the wings of the stage. Passing through a discreet side door, the Dreamers enter a dimly lit backstage hallway, a stark departure from the grandeur of the main stage. The walls are lined with peeling wallpaper that might have been a vibrant red once upon a time but time and neglect have faded it to a dull, muddy pink. Sconces are placed intermittently along the walls but the light they provide is dim and flickering and only really succeeds in casting eerie shadows that dance across the cracked and weathered floor.
Along the hallway, the walls are dotted with framed photographs that seem to be moments from Mio's life as if captured on film... but they seem oddly distorted, as if the feelings associated with them have caused them to warp and contort. As you progress further down the corridor and the walls narrow to a slightly anxiety inducing squeeze, you'll be able to follow their progression. Mio as a young child in the audience of a stage show, looking awed. Mio as a grade schooler at a piano with her brow furrowed in intense concentration. Mio as a middle schooler despondently watching a competition going on without her. Mio posting an envelope. Mio at some sort of audition. Mio on stage as the centre of Pure Candy–
The last frame has been pulverized by some terrible force, glass shattered and photo almost shredded to pieces. From there to the end of the corridor, every single remaining frame has been broken as if someone had struck it over and over again in the midst of a rage.
At the end of the corridor, in place of a door is... a full length mirror? How strange.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: As the Dreamers approach the mirror stands in place of a door, they become aware of a menacing presence – the mirror seems to radiate an aura of anger and frustration, and the air itself crackles with malevolent energy. Once they draw close enough to see their reflection in the mirror, they'll get the shock of their lives once it starts moving all by itself! It seems like whatever lays beyond is protected by the presence in this mirror who is delighting in forcing them to play along. The presence can be appeased with a little game of 'follow the leader' in which Dreamers must perfectly follow their reflection's movements until the door swings open. A single failure, however, will have their reflection vanish altogether and they'll be forced to wait for another Dreamer to come along to take a second shot at the game.
Of course, there's always the brute force option... but shattering the glass will result in a whole swarm of Torments exploding out of the mirror and you'll be forced to battle your way through in the narrow corridor! Keep on your toes!
Along the hallway, the walls are dotted with framed photographs that seem to be moments from Mio's life as if captured on film... but they seem oddly distorted, as if the feelings associated with them have caused them to warp and contort. As you progress further down the corridor and the walls narrow to a slightly anxiety inducing squeeze, you'll be able to follow their progression. Mio as a young child in the audience of a stage show, looking awed. Mio as a grade schooler at a piano with her brow furrowed in intense concentration. Mio as a middle schooler despondently watching a competition going on without her. Mio posting an envelope. Mio at some sort of audition. Mio on stage as the centre of Pure Candy–
The last frame has been pulverized by some terrible force, glass shattered and photo almost shredded to pieces. From there to the end of the corridor, every single remaining frame has been broken as if someone had struck it over and over again in the midst of a rage.
At the end of the corridor, in place of a door is... a full length mirror? How strange.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: As the Dreamers approach the mirror stands in place of a door, they become aware of a menacing presence – the mirror seems to radiate an aura of anger and frustration, and the air itself crackles with malevolent energy. Once they draw close enough to see their reflection in the mirror, they'll get the shock of their lives once it starts moving all by itself! It seems like whatever lays beyond is protected by the presence in this mirror who is delighting in forcing them to play along. The presence can be appeased with a little game of 'follow the leader' in which Dreamers must perfectly follow their reflection's movements until the door swings open. A single failure, however, will have their reflection vanish altogether and they'll be forced to wait for another Dreamer to come along to take a second shot at the game.
Of course, there's always the brute force option... but shattering the glass will result in a whole swarm of Torments exploding out of the mirror and you'll be forced to battle your way through in the narrow corridor! Keep on your toes!
!DRESSING ROOM
With the mirrors blocking the way crossed one way or another, the Dreamers emerge into what looks at first glance to be a regular dressing room – then with a blink, the oddness of the whole situation asserts itself. The room is divided almost perfectly in two with one side pristine and glamorous, white walls adorned with photographs of "Miomio" posing and beaming at the camera – moments of radiant success, her radiant smile and glittering costumes befitting an idol adored across the nation. A grand dressing table sits against the wall in this half of the room with expensive cosmetics and trinkets scattered across its surface – a sparkling tiara, remnants of glittering confetti, and a copy of Pure Candy's first ever album release. It all sits glittering prettily in the soft light from the chandelier above... but something about the scene feels plastic and hollow. Something about it is wrong.
The other half of the room is in stark contrast – dark, dingy and neglected. It feels dimmer, even though it's under the same light, as if struggling to hold back the shadows. The walls are papered with what was one probably a striking crimson velvet wallpaper but neglect and damage have left it torn and frayed, its rich color faded to a sombre, muted shade. The walls bear faded and torn posters, have ripped from the wall and while there's a second vanity on the other side, it's not in much better shape than anything else on this side of the room. The vanity mirror on this side is cracked and fragmented, reflecting a distorted image when the Dreamers peek into it and empty makeup containers and brushes are in disarray all over the table. It's dirty and dismal over here but... something about it feels more honest, too.
Initially, this appears to be a dead end. However, looking into the shattered mirror will reveal a door in the reflection that does not exist in the actual room. Nothing you can do will make it appear but touching the mirror will allow you to pass through into the reflection (though uh, getting up onto the dressing table is a little awkward...). Once you're in the reflection side of the room, the door can be opened and things start getting really bizarre from there...
There are no hazards here, but interfering with any of the trinkets on the pristine side of the room will spawn a particularly aggressive and surprisingly powerful Torment!
The other half of the room is in stark contrast – dark, dingy and neglected. It feels dimmer, even though it's under the same light, as if struggling to hold back the shadows. The walls are papered with what was one probably a striking crimson velvet wallpaper but neglect and damage have left it torn and frayed, its rich color faded to a sombre, muted shade. The walls bear faded and torn posters, have ripped from the wall and while there's a second vanity on the other side, it's not in much better shape than anything else on this side of the room. The vanity mirror on this side is cracked and fragmented, reflecting a distorted image when the Dreamers peek into it and empty makeup containers and brushes are in disarray all over the table. It's dirty and dismal over here but... something about it feels more honest, too.
Initially, this appears to be a dead end. However, looking into the shattered mirror will reveal a door in the reflection that does not exist in the actual room. Nothing you can do will make it appear but touching the mirror will allow you to pass through into the reflection (though uh, getting up onto the dressing table is a little awkward...). Once you're in the reflection side of the room, the door can be opened and things start getting really bizarre from there...
There are no hazards here, but interfering with any of the trinkets on the pristine side of the room will spawn a particularly aggressive and surprisingly powerful Torment!
!MIRROR MAZE
The Dreamers pass through Mio's dressing room and straight into madness. Behind the mirror room door, they will find themselves entering a gigantic labyrinth, a colossal glass structure impossibly suspended in an infinite expanse of darkness. Its transparent walls extend seemingly infinitely in all directions, creating an eerie sensation of being adrift in a sea of reflections. The glass is flawless and unblemished, but its cold, almost sterile quality stirs up an odd sense of isolation and disconnection.
Trying to find your way in this maze is like... well, a nightmare. Pathways snake and twist in every direction and mirrors reflect each other, creating infinite regressions and dead ends and leaving it more or less impossible to predict what lies around the next corner. It's like trying to navigate a gigantic kaleidoscope, with reflections multiplying and refracting in baffling ways.
While it is possible to navigate, Dreamers must do so carefully. Getting lost in this maze is incredibly easy, especially if you're alone, and once you've gotten turned around there's no reliable way to escape without waking up and returning – and who knows just how much time you'd lose by going the long way round like that? To make matters worse, the maze itself is absolutely festering with Torments. . . and one super pissed off Nightmare right at the heart of the maze!
Dreamers looking to challenge the Nightmare should check into the Mid-Tier Combat thread.
Trying to find your way in this maze is like... well, a nightmare. Pathways snake and twist in every direction and mirrors reflect each other, creating infinite regressions and dead ends and leaving it more or less impossible to predict what lies around the next corner. It's like trying to navigate a gigantic kaleidoscope, with reflections multiplying and refracting in baffling ways.
While it is possible to navigate, Dreamers must do so carefully. Getting lost in this maze is incredibly easy, especially if you're alone, and once you've gotten turned around there's no reliable way to escape without waking up and returning – and who knows just how much time you'd lose by going the long way round like that? To make matters worse, the maze itself is absolutely festering with Torments. . . and one super pissed off Nightmare right at the heart of the maze!
Dreamers looking to challenge the Nightmare should check into the Mid-Tier Combat thread.
!HEART CAGE
Somewhere deep within the maze is an unassuming looking door that when crossed through...
darkness awaits.
darkness awaits.
no subject
The singing snaps him out of his musings, however, the voice in the approaching melody feeling a bit ominously familiar. Being Ai-Doll's former trainee, music on the battlefield was hardly a new thing for him, but there was just something about it that made him nervous for some reason--
But then that glass gauntlet and orange form rocket right past him, and a high pitched shriek rips out of throat instinctively at the very sight of it. Who needs a giant glass kaiju when the most terrifying thing just launched herself right into the fray???]
GYAAAAAAAAA--!!
[But it looks like the only thing getting smashed in today is Glasswrath's fist as Hibiki meets the beast's blow head on, managing to actually send the beast reeling as she counters it's blow. It... admittedly was kind of really cool, like something out of a monster flick, but-- no, this wasn't the time to boggle over it now! He peeks over from behind Sage, whom he had darted to out of reflex when Gungnir touched down, trying not to vibrate out of his skin like a chihuahua. She's on your side, Hanako-- she's on your side and you're somehow untouchable at the moment. It'll be okay!!]
I-- y-yeah. I'm. Totally fine. Absolutely.
[Ignore that scream that had erupted out of him like a minute ago, it was nothing!! Thank goodness for Sage for getting things back on track, however, as she offers up her ideas, and he places a hand on his chin in thought. Hanako wasn't much of a strategist, unfortunately, and he only had vague ideas about these other girls' abilities, but--]
I dunno-- with the heat, I can't get close enough to use my Knife, and my Haku-Joudai can only do so much damage... maybe if we can tangle up it's legs and knock it down somehow, it might smash apart? But we'd have to hit it really hard from the back...
[And he didn't really want to use his Signature Ability unless they were out of options...
But then something comes to mind, and he glances over towards Gungnir, the fear replaced by something a bit more inquisitive in his expression.]
... hey, actually-- do you mind if I use your body? I think we could make this work.
[HANAKO. CONTEXT. PHRASING. OH MY GOD--]
no subject
Good, then don’t forget to keep moving! It’s super big, but that means it’s slow too!!
[ She’s about to leap away and continue her assault after confirming that the other two were okay, but Hanako’s question stops her in her tracks…
…and Hibiki is, uh, perhaps understandably misunderstanding the young boy. ]
E-EHH!? Y-You want my body, Hanako-kun!? W-Why are you asking something like that NOW!?
[ This is hardly the time or place, young man!
Phrasing, you two. Phrasing.]no subject
She stares at Hanako. Then, she stares at Hibiki.
Her mouth hangs open for a moment.]
I--I think he meant it another way!
[Oh. Oh, god.]
I hope he meant it another way!
no subject
...huh? Why not now?
I mean... most of my other powers aren't gonna be much use here, but if I can possess you and get you through this guy fast enough, you can knock it down before it knows what's going on. That's a good enough plan, right?
[But before anyone can assume the misunderstanding went entirely over his head, his expression turns sly, and he covers the wide, teasing smile beginning to cross his face with the hand that had been on his chin.]
Or... what, did you two think I meant something peeeervy instead?
[SOMEONE NEEDS TO HAVE HIS HEAD SMASHED IN AGAIN, CLEARLY--]
no subject
[ Before Hibiki can say anything, maybe something about the way she swings, or even another punch that he’s very clearly asking for… the nightmare lets out a massive roar before taking a large step towards them, simultaneously firing off a bunch of globs of molten glass in their direction… which is probably all that’s needed to make it clear that this is NOT the time. ]
U-Um!! Sure!! Okay!!
[ Did he say something about possession? Hibiki’s mind is too rattled from Hanako’s innuendos to think much about that. ]
no subject
She looks back at the Nightmare, and then she winces -- ducking down low, as molten glass flies over her head of pastel green hair. It smashes into the ground behind her and she hisses. She looks between them.]
I'm going to try to hit it!
[Junna takes off in a run, to the side. She pulls back her arrow -- focuses, and it gleams with a green light -- and then looses. The arrow flies for the Nightmare, and when it gets close, it explodes into vines that wrap around its legs. They start to smoulder, smoke, and burn already.
Hopefully it's enough time.]
no subject
The sudden snap from Sage is enough to momentarily cow him, though, and that, plus the new round of projectiles being fired their way, is more than enough of a sign from the universe that this wasn't the time or place for dirty jokes and teasing. If they had wanted to get this plan rolling, they had to act fast, and with Junna already running to fire off her arrow to bind it's legs, Hanako couldn't waste a second more of their precious time. At least he was grateful that Gungnir already gave her okay on the whole matter...
In one moment he's there, and another he's vanished in thin air, as if he had suddenly blinked out of the realm entirely. To those unaware, it might seem like he had gotten suddenly ejected from the Dream Sphere (or just decided to bounce from battle), but those looking at Hibiki might notice she's seems... just a bit different. Straighter hair, a slightly brighter golden glow to her eyes, and an impish smile upon her face, with a more playful lilt to her voice as she speaks up. Before, Hanako could only act as a telepathic backseat driver to whomever he hijacked, but now that he's gotten a little more control (in more ways than one), it felt easier just to speak up instead of going through all that extra hassle.]
Okay, I'm gonna take the reins from here, but I'll tag you back in when it's your turn, alright?
[At that, he floats their body into the air, kicking off into a boosted bunny jump to dive them straight into the creature's mid-section. It admittedly felt a bit tricky, trying these maneuvers in a body that wasn't his own, but Hibiki's strength overshadowed his own in many ways, so he felt a lot less apprehensive about going all out like this. Before they can collide head-on with the glass and searing heat of the monster's body, he activates the intangibility over their shared body, slipping them through the Nightmare's form like water in a sieve. Now that Hanako knows he's capable of it, the ability feels easier to turn on and off, although going through a living creature for the first time... was certainly new!!
Once they're clear on the other side of Glasswrath, Hanako reaches out to wherever Hibiki's mind was in this state, metaphorically tapping her in to switch controls as he promised he'd do.]
Hit him! NOW!
no subject
[ On the inside, Hibiki is in complete awe at what's happened. Her body is moving all on it's own! Plus, she can hear Hanako-kun inside her!?
Regardless, Hanako has full reign... and as Hanako brings Hibiki's body to just behind Glasswrath... ]
E-Eh!? Okay!!
[ She's still rattled from what the heck just happened, but...!! ]
Resonate, resonate! (o' heart of mine!) Surpass these tears! (o' heart of mine!)
It's all good! (No need to worry!)—it doesn't hurt anymore!!
[ As she falls, she brings both hands together... the gauntlets on each hand suddenly combining together into one larger gauntlet on her right fist, which suddenly opens up and propels itself forward, firing off like a rocket while still attached to Hibiki towards the Nightmare... ]
Even if I!! (Wither away!!) I will leave behind!! (The warmth of my soul!!)
It will plant a seed, sprout with a bud, facing towards tomorrow
And bloom in full glory as a song with the power of thousands!
[ ...and unleashes her signature ability, directly onto the back of the Nightmare. ]
no subject
She is a little alarmed when Hanako just vanishes. Her eyes widen in alarm -- she looks around for him -- but then she catches the way that Dreamer Gungnir looks just slightly different. Her mouth opens, as she realizes. This must be Hanako's power; an extension of the very thing he did to her, perhaps, where his hand almost went through her. And she realizes that he's guiding Hibiki.
And she realizes, too, when Hibiki takes back over. The song prompts her to smile -- she wouldn't mind singing like that some day.
She tenses, though, readying another arrow -- but it proves unnecessary. With Hibiki's final blow, the Nightmare crashes down and there is a TREMENDOUS crack. Junna sucks a breath in.
Was that enough, or...?]
no subject
Hanako waits until they're safely back on the ground before disengaging himself from Gungnir's body, blinking back into existence as if he'd never disappeared to begin with. Judging by the massive CRACK that came from Glasswrath's body, they clearly did at least some permanent damage to it... though the question remains whether it was actually enough. He hovers in the air, peering down at the gigantic, prone figure upon the ground, hesitant to get too close in case they merely stunned it as opposed to knocking it out.]
Whoa... did we actually manage to do it...?
no subject
she didn't use it shut up we changed our minds, channelled all of her energy into that single blow with the intent to pierce straight through... and for a second, when she felt it crack against the force, she thought she succeeded.Fortunately, while she didn't completely shatter the thing, the dust clears to reveal a series of massive cracks spreading out from the middle of the Nightmare's back, slightly caved in and having definitely taken a considerable amount of damage, even if it's still holding itself together.
But after a moment of silence, it starts to move again... trying to push itself back to it's feet. ]
Then...!! One mo—EEEEHHH!!?
[ Maybe she should've used her finisher after all, because before she can follow up with another devastating punch, a hailstorm of molten glass shards suddenly fires out from the Nightmare's back with an ear-shattering roar... and Hibiki, being directly on top of it, can't exactly avoid it. ]
GAHHHH...!!
[ She quickly pivots into protecting herself instead of attacking, but being up so close against explosive glass shards means that after a huge explosion on Glasswrath's back, Hibiki is sent flying away from the Nightmare. ]
no subject
[Junna turns as she hears it moving. She turns, and the hailstorm of molten glass flies out. Several catch her, pitching the Novice Dreamer across the battlefield. She hits the ground, rolling a few times. She hisses, stumbling up -- her body protesting with a sharp pain in her side.
There's tears in her eyes from the pain.]
D-Damn it...!
[She draws another arrow, then looses it. One, two; they slam into Glasswrath's side, making more cracks. But it's swinging up a hand, ready to bring it down for Hanako.]
LOOK OUT!
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totally retconnedpunch was substantial, he forgot to take in the most crucial detail: it's fiery core. As long as it still had that molten glass still running through it's body, it would be impossible to fully break apart unless they neutralized it, somehow. And while Hanako's signature ability could definitely do that for (hopefully) long enough for the other two retaliate, he didn't want to use it unless it was their very last resort.He tenses as it starts to move, ready to attack as well if it got back onto it's feet-- but then suddenly, it's body erupts in those burning projectiles, hitting both Hibiki and Junna dead on in the process. Hanako's eyes widen in panic, first at Hibiki being blown back and then at his poor Mentee being caught in the crossfire, feeling the familiar unfurling of anxiety in his stomach at the sight of the latter. No, not again, not again--]
NO--!!
[But then one of the stray shards hit him head on, the distraction of his other comrades-in-arms getting hurt leaving him with no time to properly dodge or phase through the attack. The force is enough to not only send him flying across the field, but negates his floating ability to boot, sending him slamming to the ground with a skid and a bounce. Thankfully, Dreamer durability was nothing to sneeze at, but even with that, Hanako looks a little worse for wear, with his uniform sleeves nicked and singed and a nasty cut across his left cheek. It takes him a second to regain his bearings, struggling to prop himself up on arms that dully screeched at every scratch and burn upon them, and his eyes scan the area to see if Gungnir and Sage were okay. He couldn't spot the other girl from where he was, but Junna at least seemed to be on her feet, thankfully--
But then she shouts out that warning, and he gaze flicks up, seeing the rapidly approaching fist bearing down upon him in a morbid sense of deja vu. Hanako remains frozen in place, though whether that was due to his injuries or just a bad case of being a deer caught in headlights is anyone's guess. There was zero time for him to run or roll out of the way (if he could even roll away from something that massive--), and with no protective abilities to his name...
The hand smashes onto him with a thunderous SMACK, lingering for a good few seconds on the spot as if to make absolutely sure he was good and squashed. As it lifts it's fist back up, the crater is ominously empty, as if the bone-crushing blow went and ejected him right on the spot.
... welp. RIP, Dreamer Hanako, you put up a good fight.]