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yumemigaoka2023-11-13 03:47 pm
beautifuldreamermods) wrote in yumemigaoka2023-11-13 03:47 pm
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Event #6: Deadly Ever After
“Even now, no one knows the secret that lies under the cherry blossoms in full bloom. Perhaps one might call it “loneliness.” But the man no longer had to fear loneliness, for he had become loneliness itself.”
Sakaguchi Ango, “Under The Cherry Blossoms In Full Bloom”
Welcome to our second Disturbance event! To recap for new players, 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, it's our very own Ango!
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.
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 November 30th.
ARRIVAL
- As the mist between dreams begins to clear, Dreamers find themselves wandering through the narrow, crooked streets of a feudal-era Japanese city. Squat buildings made of dark wood and weathered plaster seem to sigh under the weight of their sloping, tiled roofs, paper windows shut tight against the cold night air and the prying eyes of strangers. A blood-tinged full moon hangs heavy in the sky, casting long, eerie shadows. Its cold light washes out all color, save for one… the soft petal pink of the cherry trees that line every street of this place. Tangled trees grow from gaps between buildings and from cracks in the stone pavement, laden with blossoms despite the mid-November chill.
While Ango’s dream looks like something straight out of a made-for-TV samurai drama, the ground is littered with the garbage of modern life: empty cans, snack wrappers, crumpled paper and cigarette butts. On closer inspection, most of the buildings are little more than shoddily constructed movie set pieces, empty on the inside apart from even deeper piles of trash.
The city spread in all directions, but the Dreamers’ destination is clear. Perched on a high stone bluff, the white walls of a samurai lord’s castle gleam in the moonlight. Even from a distance, it’s clear that the grand castle is a ruin, held together – or torn apart – by the roots of hundreds of massive cherry trees.
!THE TEMPLE
In this foreboding place, the old Zen Buddhist temple is an island of uneasy calm. Behind high stone walls, the temple’s ornate buildings and courtyards provide a safe spot for Dreamers to regroup. Savers have set up a medic station beneath the intricately carved wooden roof of the main hall. A towering (if somewhat dilapidated) pagoda makes the temple easy to find even in the maze of dark streets between it and the castle.
Despite the temple’s age, it’s clear that this place has been cared for. The ever-present garbage has been swept aside, so only fallen sakura petals cover its pathway. The main worship hall that would normally hold the sacred images of Buddha is empty, but there are still offerings of incense and rice wine on the altar where a statue once sat. Maybe Ango used to believe, but all that remains now is a lingering desire, a longing for something to believe in.
There are no Torments here, only the occasional Figment tracing meaningless patterns on the sand in the meditation garden.
Despite the temple’s age, it’s clear that this place has been cared for. The ever-present garbage has been swept aside, so only fallen sakura petals cover its pathway. The main worship hall that would normally hold the sacred images of Buddha is empty, but there are still offerings of incense and rice wine on the altar where a statue once sat. Maybe Ango used to believe, but all that remains now is a lingering desire, a longing for something to believe in.
There are no Torments here, only the occasional Figment tracing meaningless patterns on the sand in the meditation garden.
!NAMIKASE SHOPPING STREET
In the old days, large temples often had a nakamise – a row of open-air shops lining the street between the inner and outer gates of the temple precincts, selling everything from incense and prayer beads to snacks and souvenirs. This nakamise offers an even more baffling array of goods: ghoulish papier-mâché demon masks and suits of samurai armor alongside plastic rice cookers and vintage 90s fashion, daruma dolls and good luck charms next to broken mobile phones and expired bags of curry-flavored chips. The accumulated junk of Ango’s mind is stacked high, spilling off shelves and onto the floor. The open storefronts beckon curious Dreamers to step inside, but to be honest, most of the items for sale are nearly indistinguishable from the garbage on the ground.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: As Dreamers walk past, they’ll hear clattering and groaning from within the shops. If they don’t quicken their pace, they’ll be attacked by a Torment formed from an aggregate of random items. With a TV for its head and many limbs made from broken guitars and umbrellas held together with cheap toys and old clothes, it’s not an especially powerful enemy… but it will continue to re-form itself from available junk until Dreamers manage to drive it back into its trashy lair, so it’s more troublesome than it looks.
Dreamers who jump onto the tiled roofs to bypass the Torment will find themselves smacked back down to the ground by a large, vaguely humanoid creature with huge wings covered in black feathers. It’s no angel, though… it’s a Torment in the shape of a tengu, the winged guardian spirits of mountain temples. This tengu wields a heavy iron staff, smashing roof tiles (and unlucky Dreamers) with every blow. Its face is covered by a scowling, long-nosed mask. While this physically powerful Torment will be a challenge for all but the strongest and most agile Dreamers, breaking its mask will cause it to dissipate into a cloud of feathers.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: As Dreamers walk past, they’ll hear clattering and groaning from within the shops. If they don’t quicken their pace, they’ll be attacked by a Torment formed from an aggregate of random items. With a TV for its head and many limbs made from broken guitars and umbrellas held together with cheap toys and old clothes, it’s not an especially powerful enemy… but it will continue to re-form itself from available junk until Dreamers manage to drive it back into its trashy lair, so it’s more troublesome than it looks.
Dreamers who jump onto the tiled roofs to bypass the Torment will find themselves smacked back down to the ground by a large, vaguely humanoid creature with huge wings covered in black feathers. It’s no angel, though… it’s a Torment in the shape of a tengu, the winged guardian spirits of mountain temples. This tengu wields a heavy iron staff, smashing roof tiles (and unlucky Dreamers) with every blow. Its face is covered by a scowling, long-nosed mask. While this physically powerful Torment will be a challenge for all but the strongest and most agile Dreamers, breaking its mask will cause it to dissipate into a cloud of feathers.
!RESIDENTIAL AREA
Once Dreamers pass through the outer gate of the nakamise, they’ll emerge into a quiet residential district. The stately upper-middle-class homes have all fallen into disrepair, but glimpses into their walled gardens can be had through gaps in the decaying plaster. The cherry trees are larger and wilder here, their branches growing up through buildings and bursting through the uneven streets. Most of the buildings are dark and empty, but light flickers through the torn paper windows of one of the larger residences.
Upon entering the dilapidated estate, Dreamers will find that the flickering light comes from a series of old-fashioned film projectors that have been set up inside its rooms, beaming grainy black-and-white footage onto cracked walls.
Ango may be a novelist-turned-screenwriter, but here, he’s a movie star. The films consist of short, silent clips spliced from snippets of memory, all featuring Ango and three men who are clearly close friends. They laugh over glasses of bottom shelf whiskey in a Tokyo basement bar, they get shot down trying to pick up girls in Kabukicho, they crash on the floor of Ango’s apartment after all-night marathon writing sessions, they pose for stupid selfies at each other’s book signing events. But as Dreamers wander through the sprawling house, the films begin to change… one by one, Ango’s companions disappear. The lighthearted clips are interspersed with scenes of funerals, drunken arguments, and empty seats at the bar. Ango in bed staring wide-eyed and sleepless at the digital clock as it ticks over to 4:00 AM. Ango running, even though he knows that he’s already too late. Ango fidgeting in the smoky waiting room of a loan shark’s office. Ango punching a hole through the cardboard wall of his apartment. Ango trying not to cry. In the final reel, Ango is alone, drinking cheap shochu from a paper bag and wandering Tokyo’s streets at night.
When Dreamers finally leave the house, they’ll notice a splatter of fresh blood on the street.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: While the house itself is free from dangers, Dreamers exiting the building will suddenly be attacked from above by bird-like Tormets that tear at their hair and clothes. In Japanese superstition, seeing birds at night is a bad omen. These may be smaller than the tengu before, but these black-winged creatures are still a danger to inexperienced Dreamers - they attack in swarms with their sharp beaks and clawed feet, and they seem determined to steal anything shiny… including Sandglass weapons!
Upon entering the dilapidated estate, Dreamers will find that the flickering light comes from a series of old-fashioned film projectors that have been set up inside its rooms, beaming grainy black-and-white footage onto cracked walls.
Ango may be a novelist-turned-screenwriter, but here, he’s a movie star. The films consist of short, silent clips spliced from snippets of memory, all featuring Ango and three men who are clearly close friends. They laugh over glasses of bottom shelf whiskey in a Tokyo basement bar, they get shot down trying to pick up girls in Kabukicho, they crash on the floor of Ango’s apartment after all-night marathon writing sessions, they pose for stupid selfies at each other’s book signing events. But as Dreamers wander through the sprawling house, the films begin to change… one by one, Ango’s companions disappear. The lighthearted clips are interspersed with scenes of funerals, drunken arguments, and empty seats at the bar. Ango in bed staring wide-eyed and sleepless at the digital clock as it ticks over to 4:00 AM. Ango running, even though he knows that he’s already too late. Ango fidgeting in the smoky waiting room of a loan shark’s office. Ango punching a hole through the cardboard wall of his apartment. Ango trying not to cry. In the final reel, Ango is alone, drinking cheap shochu from a paper bag and wandering Tokyo’s streets at night.
When Dreamers finally leave the house, they’ll notice a splatter of fresh blood on the street.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: While the house itself is free from dangers, Dreamers exiting the building will suddenly be attacked from above by bird-like Tormets that tear at their hair and clothes. In Japanese superstition, seeing birds at night is a bad omen. These may be smaller than the tengu before, but these black-winged creatures are still a danger to inexperienced Dreamers - they attack in swarms with their sharp beaks and clawed feet, and they seem determined to steal anything shiny… including Sandglass weapons!
!BACK ALLEYS
Following the trail of blood will lead Dreamers to a neighborhood of narrow back streets that run alongside the river. Occasional paper lanterns provide just enough light to see by, but this is a place for people who don’t want to be seen. Dreamers will begin to experience the unsettling sensation that they’re being pursued through the twisting, claustrophobic streets. A faint odor of smoke lingers in the air, reminding Dreamers just how quickly this whole city could burn to the ground.
Dimly lit neon signs outside the cramped back-alley bars advertise cheap booze and all-you-can-drink specials, and the sound of Showa-period pop songs echoes from inside. If Dreamers peek inside, though, they’ll find that the buildings here are like everything else in this city: empty façades stapled together from plywood and cardboard, an illusion that falls apart under the slightest scrutiny. The tinny music is coming from an old cassette player.
Dreamers will notice that one of the bars is little more than a burned shell reeking of charred wood and gasoline, still faintly smoldering in the cold air. Outside, there’s more blood on the ground.
Something shiny glints from the floor of the burned wreck - a pair of cracked sunglasses. Ango’s sunglasses, the silly prescription-strength ones he always wears because he’s self-conscious about being nearsighted. The fake building went up in flames so quickly that some of its contents have survived, trapped under fallen debris.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: Dreamers will find themselves constantly looking over their shoulders, unable to shake the feeling that something is following them. Whatever fears and worries they might be running from in the real world will manifest in the shadows, chasing them off the relatively well-lit path and into even darker, narrower side streets. It’s easy to get disoriented here, where the streets seem to bend back on themselves in ways that violate the basic rules of geometry. Dreamers will need to think clearly to find their way out, or risk being lost with only their own fears for company.
⧖ INVESTIGATION: Dreamers who investigate the wreckage of the fire will soon realize that they are being followed… by Ango himself!? He’s standing silently on the roof of the neighboring building, dressed in a formal samurai costume with a sword in his hand - a sword that’s still dripping with fresh blood. Besides him stands a mysterious woman wearing a pink kimono. With her long dark hair, she almost resembles a certain idol… but the glint in her eyes is cruel.
Dimly lit neon signs outside the cramped back-alley bars advertise cheap booze and all-you-can-drink specials, and the sound of Showa-period pop songs echoes from inside. If Dreamers peek inside, though, they’ll find that the buildings here are like everything else in this city: empty façades stapled together from plywood and cardboard, an illusion that falls apart under the slightest scrutiny. The tinny music is coming from an old cassette player.
Dreamers will notice that one of the bars is little more than a burned shell reeking of charred wood and gasoline, still faintly smoldering in the cold air. Outside, there’s more blood on the ground.
Something shiny glints from the floor of the burned wreck - a pair of cracked sunglasses. Ango’s sunglasses, the silly prescription-strength ones he always wears because he’s self-conscious about being nearsighted. The fake building went up in flames so quickly that some of its contents have survived, trapped under fallen debris.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: Dreamers will find themselves constantly looking over their shoulders, unable to shake the feeling that something is following them. Whatever fears and worries they might be running from in the real world will manifest in the shadows, chasing them off the relatively well-lit path and into even darker, narrower side streets. It’s easy to get disoriented here, where the streets seem to bend back on themselves in ways that violate the basic rules of geometry. Dreamers will need to think clearly to find their way out, or risk being lost with only their own fears for company.
⧖ INVESTIGATION: Dreamers who investigate the wreckage of the fire will soon realize that they are being followed… by Ango himself!? He’s standing silently on the roof of the neighboring building, dressed in a formal samurai costume with a sword in his hand - a sword that’s still dripping with fresh blood. Besides him stands a mysterious woman wearing a pink kimono. With her long dark hair, she almost resembles a certain idol… but the glint in her eyes is cruel.
!CASTLE DUNGEON
Dreamers who skip the back alleys and proceed towards the center of the city will soon reach the fortified outer walls of the castle. Isolated on a sheer cliff cut by the river, the main keep can only be reached by a long stone staircase that winds through boulders and battlements. The path is frequently blocked by the thick, gnarled roots of cherry trees that have broken through solid stone. Petals float like snow from the hundreds of trees above, growing through the windows and walls of the ruined castle.
Finally, Dreamers will reach a courtyard that’s dominated by an even larger cherry tree encircled by sacred shimenawa ropes. The shimenawa mark the boundary between the mundane and the spiritual, the home of an enshrined deity. The enormous tree certainly has a divine presence, with branches outstretched over the courtyard like the many arms of the Buddhist goddess of mercy.
Passing warily beneath the sacred tree, Dreamers will find the castle gates open and unguarded. Those expecting the castle to be another hollow set piece will be surprised to find that the lowest level, the dungeon, is packed from floor to ceiling with books. Thousands upon thousands of books, all tossed into haphazard piles so dense that Dreamers are forced to climb over them in places.. Oil lamps set into the monolithic stone walls provide just enough light to read by, so they'll see that every book bears the same author's name: Sakaguchi Ango. But every novel is half-filled with blank pages, some trailing off after only a few lines of text. These are the stories Ango never finished. Amid the heaps of books are crumpled sheets of loose paper - rejection letters from publishing agencies, unpaid bills, and torn-out magazine articles featuring scathing reviews of everything Ango's ever written.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: There's no obvious way to reach the upper floors of the castle. No staircase, no ladder, no crack in the heavy wooden beams that make up the ceiling. But fans of ninja movies and escape rooms will realize that this is actually a ninja trick house - a building designed with secret hiding places and concealed escape routes. Astute Dreamers will notice that there's an area of the floor that's suspiciously clear of accumulated junk - above it, a section of the ceiling can be pulled down to reveal a hidden staircase.
Making one's way across through the neck-deep mess of books and paper will prove to be treacherous, though. One careless move can cause an entire stack of books to collapse, and the piles of garbage provide precarious footing.
Finally, Dreamers will reach a courtyard that’s dominated by an even larger cherry tree encircled by sacred shimenawa ropes. The shimenawa mark the boundary between the mundane and the spiritual, the home of an enshrined deity. The enormous tree certainly has a divine presence, with branches outstretched over the courtyard like the many arms of the Buddhist goddess of mercy.
Passing warily beneath the sacred tree, Dreamers will find the castle gates open and unguarded. Those expecting the castle to be another hollow set piece will be surprised to find that the lowest level, the dungeon, is packed from floor to ceiling with books. Thousands upon thousands of books, all tossed into haphazard piles so dense that Dreamers are forced to climb over them in places.. Oil lamps set into the monolithic stone walls provide just enough light to read by, so they'll see that every book bears the same author's name: Sakaguchi Ango. But every novel is half-filled with blank pages, some trailing off after only a few lines of text. These are the stories Ango never finished. Amid the heaps of books are crumpled sheets of loose paper - rejection letters from publishing agencies, unpaid bills, and torn-out magazine articles featuring scathing reviews of everything Ango's ever written.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: There's no obvious way to reach the upper floors of the castle. No staircase, no ladder, no crack in the heavy wooden beams that make up the ceiling. But fans of ninja movies and escape rooms will realize that this is actually a ninja trick house - a building designed with secret hiding places and concealed escape routes. Astute Dreamers will notice that there's an area of the floor that's suspiciously clear of accumulated junk - above it, a section of the ceiling can be pulled down to reveal a hidden staircase.
Making one's way across through the neck-deep mess of books and paper will prove to be treacherous, though. One careless move can cause an entire stack of books to collapse, and the piles of garbage provide precarious footing.
!CASTLE LIBRARY
Dreamers who make it past the trick staircase will be met with an awe-inspiring sight: the entire upper part of the castle is an enormous library, with bookshelves reaching up several stories into darkness. A network of dangerously narrow ladders, balconies and catwalks provides access to the upper shelves. The books are an eclectic, disorganized collection of the works of every storyteller who's had an impact on Ango, whether they ever wrote them down or not - from Edgar Allan Poe and Akutagawa Ryuunosuke and Agatha Christie to the nameless drunks who shared their life stories with strangers on the subway, all bound in rich leather like treasured tomes.
The cavernous room is lit by the haunting glow of floating paper lanterns, just like the ones sent down rivers on the last night of the Obon festival to guide the spirits of the dead to the next world. The floor here, too, is covered in paper and forgotten books. As Dreamers explore the vast space, a cold wind will sweep through and stir the loose pages. The library seems empty... but they aren't alone.
The cavernous room is lit by the haunting glow of floating paper lanterns, just like the ones sent down rivers on the last night of the Obon festival to guide the spirits of the dead to the next world. The floor here, too, is covered in paper and forgotten books. As Dreamers explore the vast space, a cold wind will sweep through and stir the loose pages. The library seems empty... but they aren't alone.
!THE FOREST
When Dreamers touch the sacred tree in the center of the castle courtyard, the air around them will momentarily shimmer... and they'll find themselves standing beneath the same tree, now surrounded by a castle in an even more advanced state of ruin than before. The roots and branches of countless cherry trees have completely consumed the library, eating through its walls and roof until little of the original structure remains. The trees bloom profusely until sakura petals blanket the courtyard nearly knee-deep in places, obscuring wide cracks in the pavement below. There's a madness to their beauty, a feral taint to their faint, sweet fragrance.
She’s been waiting.
She’s been waiting.
no subject
It doesn’t sit well with Tycoon either way]
With all this paper around, I don't know if we'd want to set fire to it.
[just dodging the attacks is straightforward enough, but between the papers covering the floor and the wind-magic, poor lightweight Tycoon is having a hard time keeping his footing]
no subject
[This entire city is made of little more than plywood and paper... it would quickly go up in flames, endangering every other Dreamer present. On top of that, the heat would vaporize Cinnabar's mercury, turning it into an airborne poison. No, fire is out of the question. Sam's lightning might work, but lightning-based powers seem difficult to control in such a confined space... Cinnabar has enough fears over controlling their own powers.
...But if they worry too much about hurting others, they won't be able to fight.]
Grab onto my hand - carefully!
[Cinnabar extends a hand towards Tycoon - the fact that his Dreamer costume came with gloves (even if they are just silly little gloves that only cover two fingers) and theirs didn't seems ridiculously unfair when they're the one whose body is full of poison, but that's yet another of the Dream Sphere's mysteries. Their weight will at least keep Tycoon from being tossed around by the wind.]
Maybe we can channel electricity through the mercury?
[It's risky - the same combination of electricity and mercury injured Dreamers during the mission to rescue Mio Kasuga - but it could allow for a more precise attack...]
no subject
Not the time, though, so she's not going to bring it up.]
Mine's not long-range, and it's more intended to go through my Sandglass...but I'm game. Worse comes to worse, I can channel it into my axe and then slam it into your mercury, if you try lashing this thing into knots with it?
[Between her movement ability and that, if the creature stops lashing so much, she might be able to make that work...yeah, there might be a splatter, but if she's the only one close, DropD-Tune figures she can probably get out of the way in time.]
no subject
[he reaches out to (carefully) take Cinnabar's hand. He's still being blown around, but having a stable point of contact makes it easier to balance himself at least. Like being able to hold onto something when on the train. Tycoon knows he can't stay too long or risk mercury poisoning but for now, he'll take the break from getting swept around]
... But it looks like it's just made of paper... [with no other way to incapacitate it, the only option they have left is to shred it right?] Anyway, we need to get in close before we can damage it, right?
[he summons his weapon into his free hand, preparing to fight]
no subject
It looks like the wind is less intense closer to the creature's body - like the eye of a hurricane!
[They glance back towards Sam and nod. Their mercury isn't strong enough to bind such a large Nightmare, but they can at least send quicksilver tentacles to spread over the surface of the paper.]
That's a good idea, but I don't have enough strength to hold it still... this won't be easy!
no subject
Say, Tycoon, you want to catch a ride?
[It's probably safer for her to try to take him closer, than to let him get blown around by the winds, or get too much exposure to Cinnabar's mercury. Sam is positive they'd do their best not to let Tycoon come to harm, but the stuff they control is still dangerous, despite their best efforts.]
This way we can get in close, and Cinnabar can kind of keep their distance. Unless you do want to get up close...not like we've ever worked together before, but there's a first time for everything, right? I just figure if you can get your mercury in without getting within smacking range, you're probably better off.
[That says nothing about her own ability to withstand a potential smack, but Sam is nothing if not tenacious...]
no subject
I'll be okay. [after a break from getting blown around let him get a proper look at their surroundings, he feels like he's got a better handle on the situation... Sort of] I think... There's something that might be worth trying.
Could we cut off it's tail as well?
[it wouldn't hurt to remove one threat even temporarily, right? If he's careful, he might be able to make it over to the tail even with the winds whipping through the area
He suddenly lets go of Cinnabar’s hand, running off towards one of the ladders leaning against the bookshelves but away from the other two. The movement draws the Kyourinrin’s attention as it sends a blast of wind at Tycoon with a roar. He must have learned some new
ninjustsumagic sometime this month as he disappears temporarily in a puff of black smoke to avoid the major impact though he's still nearly blown back into a nearby shelf, only barely able to regain his footing before having to jump up onto the shelves to dodge another gust sent his way. But Tycoon is at least intact and the Kyourinrin momentarily focused on swiping at him]no subject
[Their mercury may be virtually indestructible, but Cinnabar themself is just a bony, gangly teenager who looks like they'd struggle to lift a sack of rice while grocery shopping. While they might be able to block a direct hit from the Kyourinrin's tail, even a glancing blow would probably knock them to the floor.]
But I think I can manage to pin the tail for a few seconds...
[Apparently that's enough of an assurance for Tycoon, who suddenly lets go and starts climbing a ladder. That's not a bad idea... against such a large opponent, they need to consider all three dimensions of the battlefield.
Cinnabar extends thin tentacles of mercury across the floor, where they can't be blown away by the fierce wind. If they can just hold it still for a moment, D-Tune could chop it with her axe...]
D-Tune, if this all goes horribly wrong, I'll try to shield you!
no subject
Even if you can pin it a few times, I might be able to chop it up in slices. Anything to distract it and disorient it...
[Pain's pretty disorienting, right? Or maybe the distraction part is better served. Still, if she pumps enough charge into it, that might disorient it too. Just so long as they can take it down...
But at Shinsha's next comment, she laughs cheerfully.]
Cinnabar, I'm no Chaosbringer, but I promise you, I can take a few hits! Thanks for thinking of me though--make yourself your first priority.
[She figures they're a lot less likely to take a hit well...]
no subject
Up here it's a lot easier to spot the mercury snaking across the floor, getting into position to try and pin down the dragon (snake?) tail... Not that it's going to be easy with it swinging it at them. Maybe he could lure it into a trap...?
Standing, he shouts;] I'm bringing it back to you guys!
[and he's off again, this time running and jumping across the ladders and catwalks (he slips every so often, what with all the paper and the wind blowing around). Tycoon's trying to bait the Kyourinrin to swipe at him, always staying just close enough for it to try and whip him with it's tail, but he's also trying to find a point in the slowly growing web of mercury where Cinnabar can more easily ensnare the Nightmare's tail. Once he spots it, he jumps down and taking care to landing in the network of mercury while trying to not step on it.
Hopefully it's not a gust of wind headed his way and the plan works. Tycoon will dart out of the way to the best of his ability once the Nightmare attacks or Cinnabar's mercury moves, whichever happens first]
no subject
Belatedly, after a few moment of wide-eyed gawking at D-Tune, they remember to spring the trap they've been setting up. The thin spiderwebs of mercury that stretch across the floor suddenly curve upwards, narrowly missing Keiwa to wrap around the Kyourinrin's tail like a net. While mercury is a liquid that lacks the strength of solid metal, the immense weight of the substance pins the creature's tail to the floor.]
I'll hold it as long as I can!
[Now really isn't the time for Cinnabar to question why these two people they barely know seem to care about them, but their social anxiety rarely chooses a convenient time to strike.]
no subject
Got it. No time to waste!
[And she suits her words to her actions, charging at the dragon's tail, battleaxe raised and crackling with electricity. She's got no illusions of paralyzing the thing--her charge isn't powerful enough for that--but if she can give it a few painful jolts, it's all to the good, right? Whittle it down as far as she can, as fast as she can. She wastes no time attempting to nick the very tip off, and then moving up the beast's tail, laying about with the axe as if she were actually the barbarian she once played in a tabletop game...]
no subject
Which is when he spots the papers flying around, the sound of shuffling paper nearly overwhelming but not in the directionless manner it had been earlier. He probably wouldn’t have noticed the change if he hadn’t been dodging the blasts of wind up to now]
Everyone, look out!
[Tycoon splits his weapon as dashes forward to start slashing at the papers being drawn back towards the Kyourinrin. It slows down the regeneration slightly, but even with his twin blades out he can’t cut down all the paper flying around the room]
no subject
[Horrified, Cinnabar watches as the damage they managed to deal against the huge Nightmare is literally papered over. The Kyourinrin's regeneration isn't a fast process, but if they don't figure out a way to stop it, then there's no way to win...
But the pages that were damaged by Tycoon and D-Tune's attacks aren't regenerating... the burnt and torn pieces flutter harmlessly to the floor.]
We need to overwhelm it somehow!
[Cinnabar's mercury net tightens around the remains of the tail, crushing and crumpling the papers into an unreadable lump.]
no subject
Her acknowledgement is nothing past that one vulgar word. Instead, she lets out a roar that does embody the fact that she's got the pipes to be a heavy metal vocalist. Unceremoniously, she jabs one stiletto heel into the crumpled remains of the Kyourinrin's tail, and vaults herself further up its back, being very careful to avoid Cinnabar's mercury as she does.]
Doing what I can, here! [Mostly, Sam's used to channeling electricity through her battleaxe, but here, she's going to try something. For the moment, she flips her weapon up into its holster on her back, plants both hands on the Nightmare's papery hide, and grits her teeth as it keeps trying to buck her off it. However, her gambit sort of works--it's not a magnificent bolt like Chaosbringer might launch, but there's definitely lightning crackling between her fingers...]
Smack it, Tycoon! Can't keep this up much longer before it flips me off! [Literally!]
no subject
[Tycoon turns from slashing apart the pages that the Kyourinrin was attempting to use to regenerate to the monster itself. Yes, he technically fought the thing in Mio's Disturbance event but the victory was more or less won by Chaosbringer.
... But the remains of it's tail and lower body are weighed down by mercury and electricity coursing through the rest, maybe if he timed it right-]
A-all right!
[he dashes off, blades cutting through whatever pages he passes along the way, as he runs towards where the Kyourinrin is facing. He's still learning about his own powers and how they work, but for this maneuver all he needs is to be able to time it right...
There!
As it tilts what remains of its body forward to throw D-Tune off, its head dips down, lowering just enough that Tycoon can jump on top of it. The Kyourinrin sees him coming and breathes out in an attempt to stop him. While Tycoon makes it on top of its head, he's not fast enough to fully avoid the hit. From there, well...]