MOD EVENT #001

[oblivium]

A CHAOTIC RESPITE

It isn't rare for the seasons in the Netherworld to be a little erratic, though many days have passed now without much of a hint of its typical mercuriality, a good and a bad omen all at once. This respite is commonly referred to as the proverbial "calm before the storm", but it also marks the beginning of merrier celebrations. The Moons above are gilded silver, the twilight sky edged with faint pink and orange -- a sunrise phantasm, spilling over the horizon. It's an infrequent spectacle, accompanied by a dulcet breeze and light drizzles that seem to encourage growth nearly everywhere. Unfortunately, under its influence, people seem a little on edge, quick to anger, but no matter; around Stygia, Restless have begun hanging decorations and ornaments on trees and windowsills, left to catch the moonlight and give off marigold and ginger glows, warmly lighting up the city. Rather than fish, the smell of freshly ground spices permeates the air in the Harbors, Mirth keeps its doors opened to all, but just before the festivities officially begin, a cacophony of chimes resounds all over, a transmission difficult to ignore.

On the screen of your cellphone, nothing; only a voice, ragged, out of breath...

“The woods... Oakwoods! They've come alive! O-One minute he was complaining about the water seeping into his boots, and the next he was... he was being yanked up into the trees! We didn’t see what happened to him, but we heard... the screams, ohh, the screams. Please! Come to Serene, I beg you. This is our safest sanctuary, and the lan... oh, no... wait, no, please... please... NOOO--”

...and the feed abruptly ends, a dull chirr of static. Will you ignore the stranger's call for help and feast, or venture into the woods?

► I. KNOCK ON WOOD (OH PUCK, HE'S HOT!)

When you cross the gates of Serene, an old woman welcomes you, palm flat against her chest and disquiet in her eyes. Myrtille, her name. Oakwoods loom dense and dark in the distance behind her, groaning low as leaves rustle without wind. The Mourning Lantern was stolen, and malevolence rose in turn, dooming them all.

“It was once kept here, a sacred Artifact crafted from the bones of Serene's first founder, who gave her heart’s blood willingly to the woods in an act of contrition. It's the absence of the lantern that is contributing to the wood’s unusually active malice, and if you lot cannot retrieve it, then we must sacrifice another. Go! Take these torches and go, before Oakwoods swallow us whole.”

So you've decided to be brave. Commendable, or foolish? The wood is dark and shrouded in mist, and the trees crowd around you, an absent wind somehow whispering foul nothings in your ear as dead leaves rustle around your feet. Your Shadow basks in the murmurs, sensing the malign presence in Oakwoods as a faint, garbled scream echoes in the distance. You wander deeper and the canopy thickens, thin streaks of moonlight peppering the woods in deep patches of darkness. Behind you, a creature you can't see hisses, and a fluttering of wings nearby alerts you to the arrival of snickering harpies lurking on branches. “Dead,” they croak, in a sing-song chorus. “Dead as daylight.” Oddly enough, they seem content to just watch and stalk you, perhaps expecting you to die quickly, an easy and effortless meal.

It's a frustrating errand if you've ever known one. You barely know what you're looking for, and your Shadow thrives in the dark, taunting, coaxing. You hear it then; a haunting melody, the silhouette of a boy on a fallen tree trunk, strumming. “Come,” he says, with a voice that shimmers like the sun on moving water. If you remember what that's like. “Rest a while. Forget your troubles.” For anyone familiar, you'll recognize him as a Puck, famous prankster, and from his hand dangles a lantern.

► If you attempt to take the lantern from him, he'll immediately drop it to the ground, causing it to break. You may choose to kill him and offer his blood to the woods, or let him go and bleed in his stead. Myrtille should be able to repair what's left of the lantern once the offering's been made.
► If you politely ask to return it, he promises that he will... if you indulge him for the night.

No matter what you choose, you will come across camps, either on your way in or on your way back: pitched tents, most moth-eaten, and some containing vestiges of prior expeditions such as putrid corpses or rotten food. You've been wandering for a while, and sleep sounds terribly inviting. Unfortunately, a wind finally picks up, and leaves begin to blow around you. A nick, then a cut, then a slash reveal the leaves to have razor sharp edges. Sleep well yet? If you've spared the Puck, he'll encourage you to sit with him around a campfire, where he'll sing and tell stories. Or are they. Perhaps you've heard of Bloody Mary before. Slenderman? The Devil that'll make you dance until you die? While the lantern remains in stranger hands, the thread between reality and fiction narrows; protagonists from the Puck's legends come to life, and the only way to rid of them is by quenching the flames of the fire.

Your journey unfortunately doesn't end there. The Puck has a riddle for you: I am a word that is hardly there. Remove my start, and I'm an herbal flair. What am I?

If you fail to answer correctly, he'll vanish before you, and you can bid the lantern goodbye. You'll be forced to gather the bones from the corpses scattered across the woods, and feed it your blood -- or a friend's -- before you escape and return to the woman. The offering will leave you drained and exhausted, weak on your legs. If, on the other hand, you do answer correctly, the lantern is yours, and you'll be teleported out of the woods with a boon in your pocket: a piece of parchment invites you to visit your home in the Shadowlands. There, you'll find an object (or a pet) that belonged to you in your world.

the answer to the riddle is sparsely! it's up to you whether you'd like your character to fail.
legends told around the campfire can be any of the ones mentioned above or any other that might strike your fancy! go wild, have fun!
remember that if you pick an item from your character's world as their boon, it'll eventually disintegrate unless reforged with a soul.

.

► II. GO BIG OR GOURD HOME

Welcome to the Frightful Harvest, a festival that marks the beginning of the Respite, a temporary period of tranquility between seasons. It acknowledges the blessings offered and the role that both good and evil play in the Netherworld. It is a time to give thanks, but more importantly, it is a time of reflection and warding. Warding against not only the darkness of the next seasons to come, but of the nefarious creatures and struggles that will undoubtedly follow.

Carved pumpkins and straw bales are placed everywhere around the city, and streamers and banners are hung from every home and storefront. Decadent cakes, candies, and pastries are made in over-abundance in order to accommodate everyone, and from the lush gardens of Radiance, an elderly, dark-robed man addresses the Netherwork. You'll learn by eavesdropping on nearby Restless that his name is Doran, the oldest among you and loved by all. His smile stretches kind, and while not an official member of the Hierarchy, it's clear he has certain privileges -- well-deserved, or so you hear.

“Let us gather, feast, dance and celebrate. Let us hold our glasses high for those who heroically perished, for goodness, and for the Ascended. May their journey inspire us to change our lives and the lives of others, to resist evil, and to triumph. To you, dear friends!”

And without further ado, let the festivities begin!

► BARDIC BLITZ
The bardic blitz is a friendly competition that pits talented musicians against one another in an attempt to win over the affection of the crowd through festive melodies or personal compositions. Although it can be hosted just about anywhere, the bardic blitz is normally held in a large canvas tent directly in the heart of Mirth, though smaller crowds also gather in Serene and the Harbors around bonfires.

► FEAST
Although all cultures around Stygia bring their own tastes and specific flair to the celebrations, there are a few staple trade goods that you can find at nearly any celebration of the holiday throughout the city. Many producing the various cakes, beverages, and cookies also use the time to test and perfect their recipes, teaching others or using them as guinea pigs.

► Firstdawn Tea: This revitalizing crimson tea soothes the mind and body and is brewed from the roots of the dawn flower, which only sprouts during the Respite.
► Grablenuts: These fist-sized brown nuts have a hard, stippled outer shell and soft, delicious spicy centers. A single bite will slightly lower your inhibitions, and you may find yourself seeking proximity and warmth.
► Elysium: A nonalcoholic beverage that smells and looks as bad as it tastes. Only those with the strongest will manage to gulp it down. Once drunk, the person experiences true bliss, which seems to last for hours; in reality, it's only a few minutes.
► Will-o-the-Whiskey: Whisky with minor hallucinatory effects, visual and auditory.
► Sundrop: A pound cake coated in a sugary lemon drizzle. No side-effects, just delicious!
► Shadowfell Candy: Chewing on this candy will grant the character a deep and rejuvenating sleep, during which they will appear dead to anyone.

. ► HARVEST HUNT
The harvest hunt happens in a corn maze located in Mirth's amusement park, specifically created for the occasion. Because of the labyrinthian horrors dwelling in the Tempest, some find the terror-free replica a little inappropriate, yet participants still abound every time. A favorite seasonal game of the exuberant and athletic, characters take on the role of either hunter or prey, racing through the maze to either corner their quarry or escape the hands of their pursuer. As long as Shadows behave, it's a relatively safe activity. Friendly spars sometimes occur, picnics, and star-gazing.

► THE PARADE
The parade is the activity most looked forward to by younger Restless. Citizens clad in colorful costumes walk the streets to the rhythm of festive music, and according to tradition, it helps ward away any lingering evil that might try to hide in the community. For reasons unknown, incidents where Restless unwillingly swap bodies sometimes occur.

► III. WAYWARD SUN

The Warding Ritual is a private affair, a behind-the-scene execution on the last day of the festival as you dance and feast and frolic, blissfully unaware. Something goes awry. First, a shriek in the distance, and soon, birds flying away in apparent surprise as the landscape rustles with the sounds of creatures and Restless alike fleeing. A vague sense of dread knocks the air out of your lungs, an iron grip around your throat. And you see it then, a headless figure shrouded in a black veil of cloth, sword in one hand and a bright flaming pumpkin in the other. Its head. It thunders through the night on its skeletal horse, its blade flashing in the moonlight in search of prey. Heads fall. You might get injured during the chase -- collateral damage. 10 members of the Hierarchy won't ever rise again, and the rider eventually charges into the Tempest, leaving behind bloody puddles and a slather of confusion. If you opt to help clean up the mess, you might come across stained sheets of paper on the ground, a painting of a white scorpion in the middle. Otherwise, it's time for you to go home.

---

ooc note

► Welcome to Nightfell's first event! If you'd like additional, more casual prompts, the Notice Board is right here! New prompts will be added next month, if you've already had your fun with them!
► You'll find some answered questions here, but if you'd like to ask something else, please comment below!
► For a little spooky ambience in the woods.

Comments

Genocider Syo | Danganronpa | this is way too long help

[janescayre]

E) PUCK IT ALL - closed to both KAITO and JOONGHYUK

[She'd come up alone. Intended to keep it that way, until the last leg of the journey some knucklehead had up and joined her. Totally uninvited by the way. Too old for her tastes, but they were both knee deep in the shit now. And by this point, she's grateful for the company. All Syo's had the whole way was that icky voice in her head, and it had a running commentary that could put DVD extras to shame.

a͖͖͖n͓͕̪d͖͚̦ w̢̘͖h͇͉a̼͎̝t͍͚̞ d̝͖͜o̢͙̟ y̟̙̼o͖̫͜u̡̦͎ p̡͉l̺̼͉a͙̻͖n̢͎ t͕͉o̻̫̙ d̪͖͜o͕̼͓ w̢͉͙h̙̙e̢̙n̡̡͜ y͖̠̻o̢͖͇u̢͇͎ f̙̘̟i̙̙͜n̝̦͎d̡͕͚ t͇̙h̝͎̫e̢͖͓ c̞͖u̢̺͇l͔͉̦p̫̠͓r̡̟i͖̠͉t̟͓̼?̢̞̝

y̟͔̘o̪͇͔u̢͉ s͍̫̞h̝͎̠o̢̙͔u̞̝̝l͔̝͜d̼̙͔ h̺̘̫a͔͍̫v̢̺̝e̢̢̡ c͉̼͔a̼͔̼j̼̪̪o̪̠͉l͚͕̞e͇̺̞d͓͔̻ o͍͎n͓̝͙e͇͔͖ o͚̙̺f̡̢̙ t͓̝̝h̫̻͇e̪̺̘ b͇͓͚o̡̟͖y͖̫̪s̝̙̠ i̫͍͜n̢͖͔t̞͚̙o̝̝ c͙̪̼o͔̼͎m̞̟̞i͍̼͜n̡̦̦g̠͕,̝̻̪ t͉̠̪h̝̠͎e̼̘̞r͙͍͓e̟͇'͉͎͉s̪̝͕ n̻͉͙o̢̼̙ o̝͚̘n͓͓̺e͎̼͜ a͓̙̦r̼͎̪o͍͍͇u̢͖̝n̦̞̟d̢͇͍

n̫̟o̠͍͕ o͓̺̘n̦͉̪e̡̟͇ w̦̙̞o̡̟͇u͇̟͔l̡̙d͍̼ h̙͔͚a͕͚͕v͔͔̞e̘̻ t̡̼͖o̺̼ k͚͉̘n̢̼͙o̟̠̘w̞͔̠,̟̪͉ n̞̪̘o̢̪̻ o̙̠̪n͕̦̺e̪̠͔ w͙̞͎o̞͙̠u͔̼͉l͖͓͚d̫̞͓ f̡͓͜i͕̺n̢̫̙d̺̝̫ t̪̺̦h̡̺͇e̫͔͖ b̡͙͙o͕̙͕d͖̦͓i̫͚̦e̘͎̝s͓̞̦

So on and so forth, dredging up the memories. Kazukiyo-chan, soft little Shu-kun, oh, dear Takeda-senpai? Her blood is boiling hot. The replay is lifelike, as if she's been transported through time.

Then when she and this new guy find the sucker who took the lantern, it's like Christmas came early. Puck is otherworldly gorgeous, like he walked off a plinth in the Louvre. He gives them a spiel, something something tit for tat.

She's barely listening.]

Ooooh, I love a man who plays hard to get. [Her hands come to her cheeks. Her giggle is high and manic.] If you can't give us the lantern, should I pry it from your cold dead fingers?

[Puck raises a brow.

Shing!

There's a puff of smoke and Puck is gone. He's reappeared three meters away. A pair of scissors have been lodged hilt-deep in the tree he left behind — right where his neck should be.

No matter, more where that came from. She's already armed herself, three more pairs sling on the outside of her knuckles, the sharpest set of brass knuckles there ever was. She leaps after him. She can't stop laughing.

She forgot how much fun this was.]


F) MAZE RUNNER

[You've probably had a grand old time so far, being lost in this corny ass maze. What merry we're all making! What fun! What joy!

Except by now, you're surely lost. And there's a pair of footsteps always just behind you, until the second you turn around and there's nothing there. This repeats twice. Three times.

SURPRISE! FOURTH TIME'S THE CHARM! There's a fucking creep leaning out from the last turn you made. Her tongue hangs loose from her mouth, her eyes are bright beneath broad glasses, and they're fixed dead on you.]

Hiiiiiiii~ [She gives a little wave.] I was trying to give you a head start, but I'm getting fucking bored. Try running, okay?


G) HAYWIRE SUN

[In a shocking twist of fate, Fukawa has managed to swap personalities. Probably by mistake, maybe she got knocked out? Either way, you should be grateful. The Headless Horseman is raising his blade towards you, and the only thing that keeps your head on your shoulders is a sudden yank to your collar.

The swing narrowly misses you. There's a hiss of satisfaction and a crass voice cackling.]

Too slow, Gourd Guts!

[Your saviour is a magical school girl, too old for her uniform and too unruly to be permitted in class. She's got her scissors at the ready, and the Horseman is doubling back for you both.]


H) WILDCARD

[how tf did i make it all the way to H....anyway wildcard me bc I'm tired, Syo is difficult and mean but I guess you can find her on the fringes of society. Being a huge creep, cackling, dashing off into the night. Fukawa is at the festival because she's marginally more fit to be seen in public, catch her at any of the events or save her from falling on her ass. PM, discord me for plans, hit up my plotting comment, or just wing it. Love a surprise.]

E - Kaito ver.

[nagano]

[ Weirdest fuckin' Akaname I've ever run into.

That's a joke. Half-joke. Three-quarters joke? Look, this girl's tongue would be unsettling if he wasn't so desensitized to the macabre and grotesque. By comparison, this girl just looks like a gremlin.

Regardless of Kaito's (rather judgmental and maybe even kinda rude???) initial impressions, he's opted to hang around with her for the time being. Two heads are better than one, and while the aura bleeding from her psyche tells him otherwise, his usual overprotective tendencies are overriding his desire to continue searching for the lantern alone.

It pays off, since the pair of them come across a rather familiar fairy from both folklore and a personal experience. He's a Puck, he's got the lantern, and—

—is that a hint of desire bleeding into the girl's aura??? And what's that murderous intent?!?

By the time his incredulity processes, the thud of metal embedding itself into wood has replaced the Puck's visage. ]

Oh, goddammit.

[ Azure light bursts into view around Kaito, evicting his irises of their usual gold shade. A swipe of his right arm conjures threads of water that create a mesh net aimed right for Syo's back. He has every intent of wrapping her up before she actually manages to murder the fairy. ]

The hell are you doing?! We don't have to kill him to get the lantern!

[janescayre]

[By now, she's cottoned on to there being some exceptional sorts among the Restless. Not that she's gotten bombarded with psychics-defying demonstrations, but enough that when she hears the guy (Faito? she can't remember) shout and there's a disco glow bopping around his head, she's more annoyed than blown away.

Bad enough that Puck is playing whack-a-mole in thin air, now she's gotta dodge this asshole.]

Who said anything about "have"! [She vaults left, away from the shimmer and towards her prey, swing the blades and just barely nicking the the cheek.] What about, I want to kill him, huh? Huh huh huh?

[nagano]

[ Kami, she's quick—but not impossibly so. He can adjust the velocity of his next spell. However, it's her retort that leaves him frustrated.

What a pain in the ass. He doesn't even have time to psychoanalyze her, not when she's already drawn blood from the fae.

W̷h̸a̵t̶ ̸i̴s̴ ̸t̶h̵e̷r̷e̶ ̸t̵o̷ ̴a̵n̴a̶l̴y̴z̸e̷?̸ ̸S̷h̷e̵'̸s̸ ̷j̸u̵s̴t̷ ̴p̶s̴y̶c̵h̸o̸,̵ ̷h̴a̷h̶a̸h̷a̶!̸!̴!̵

Ugh. ]

We need his lantern, that's what! You trying to snip his neck is making our job harder!

[ A hand-sized orb of water spawns in front of Kaito's face. He snatches it, reels back, and blurts out: ]

So take a chill pill!!

[ His arm snaps forward as if all its muscles had been coiled tighter than wound springs. The orb hurtles toward Syo at blistering speeds, easily tripling that of the net from earlier.

If it impacts, it won't be painful... per se. On contact with any surface, the ball will explode, splatter and stick—like a very restrictive slime. Ew.

At least it smells nice? ]

[janescayre]

[Puck is looking rather queasy the next time he poofs in and out of existence, patting at his oozing cheek in surprise. Isn't that delicious? The shock of mortality hitting the divine. It makes her love him all the more.]

You can have the lantern once he's dead, idiot! [She's after her new paramour once more, still spouting off as she swings and cackles and Puck does his damnedest to dodge.] Can't play keep away once you're six feet under, can you cutie?

[The next teleportation takes Puck further away, makes Syo turn her back to her nagging tagalong. That's where it all goes wrong.

The warning shout gives her time enough to glance over the shoulder. Not time enough to escape. The glob hits her back.

Then the splatter sticks. Not just to her, but plasters her arms to her ribs, her hair to her spine. Syo skitters back, dumbfounded.]

What?! [She wriggles, lip curling, fury rising, even as she gives a deceptive giggle.] What's all this? Have I been squirted on by a man I just met? Oh, the shame!

[nagano]

[ Get splatted. You're a kid, you're a squid—

Once he's confirmed that his little slimeball (please don't call it that) has thoroughly creeped its way (that's even worse imagery) onto and around the girl, Kaito starts a leisurely stroll her way. Footsteps carry him across the gap, stopping about three yards outside of swiping range.

His irritation seems to have given way to something more collected, though he's wary that she might break out of his binding sooner than he'd like to. We'll see. That much Nagoopno Slime (STOP) is enough to keep an oni in check for a few minutes. ]

I'd have taken you out for dinner, but you immediately started looking at someone else. Honestly, I'm offended. This is our first date. [ His tone is rather flat, but he'd be lying if he didn't feel at least a hint of amusement to counter her veiled ire while playing along with the dialogue. ]

Some people like the humiliation, anyway. You can never judge a book by its cover. —Except I can tell pretty clearly that you'd get off to killing that fairy if I wasn't watching. Maybe even if I was. He might be a dick for stealing the lantern, but I'm not about to watch you bleed him out just because it's your kink.

'Sides, it'll be even worse if we get in trouble for slaying a spirit, and I will not be going on the Hierarchy's shit list just yet. Do you want to be on their shit list? Do you think you've got the resources to survive if those assholes try to hunt you down?

press f to pay respects

[declass]

[ oh! what a nice looking young lady. rosa was concerned that the footsteps might be a monster of some kind, but no, it's another person. she relaxes slightly.

and then the girl speaks. i see. ]

A head start?

[ rosa doesn't move, really, but she at least is no longer relaxed. there's a wave back. ]

presses d for disrespect

[janescayre]

[Are those animal ears? The fuck is she looking at?

Syo ignores the wave, sliding out from the corner and surveying her second-rate prey with one brow raised. In a perfect world she would be chasing adorable boys to her heart's insatiable content.

However, after the incident with Puck? She's got to put herself on a time out, lest her scissors slip and someone gets sent to the next hell over. So instead, she assigned herself to the most hateful, repulsive, lewd-looking bitch she could find. There was no fun in murdering women, and with a body like that she could muster the spite to keep the hunt going. Just spook her a little.

Mind you, if she's tougher than she looks this might actually be fun.]

Yeah. I hold back, you get ahead. Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut, but-but-but! [She smiles extra brightly.] You blew it! So. Which side of your face are you less attached to?

[There's a glint as she moves her hand from behind her back. Scissors — elegant, overlong. Sharpened on both sides of the blade.]

[declass]

[ as rosa cannot read minds, she misses out on all the very tasteful commentary that syo has.

her gaze shifts to focus on the pair of scissors, but it shifts back towards the other girl soon after. it's polite to maintain eye contact, right? her hand lowers back down to her side, and the ignored wave isn't minded too much. the smile doesn't leave rosa's face. ]

I am quite attached to both, actually. You did a very good job at keeping those sharp!

[ she still doesn't actually move, but her stance changes to one that is ready to bolt if needed. ]

[janescayre]

[can anyone really "miss" syo's commentary...

Anyway, either this chick is playing dumb, or there's nothing between those ears but pocket lint and wishes. It would make sense. Seems like she's spent considerable energy growing can-can legs and bouncy tits.]

Oh yes, I have! I keep all my beautiful scissors in pristine condition! [She waves the current set high, illuminating the glistening finish. They're threaded over the back of her knuckles, perfectly poised to punch into flesh.] Here! Allow me to demonstrate~

[Then Syo is a blur. She's vaulted forward, much faster than she looks.]

[declass]

[ ah.

well, at the very least, rosa was prepared for something, even if she couldn't be entirely sure what syo was going to do. her first reaction is to try to reach for something... she doesn't actually have with her.

her second reaction is to aim a kick at syo. while rosa may not be the most seasoned physical fighter, she is definitely very strong. ]

E

[regression]

[ He's glad he's too old for most people in this game. Puck appears with his shard of the lantern, attempting to entice them into following him who knows where. Joonghyuk is unimpressed despite how hot he is and keeps his gaze pinned on the artifact hanging by his hand.

It's only when the girl he thought was Fukawa Toko starts mad giggling, acting out of character from what he learned on the soul-tinder app. First, he considers how cheap scissors might be for purchase... They are useful and can be used for stabbing, might be cheaper than a sword, too, but then he reels in his thoughts. There is a mess to be made in front of him and it prompts a scowl. ]

What are you doing?

[ Puck tries to persuade Joonghyuk onto his side, as handsome man to other allegedly handsome man, which has his Shadow whisper: let him die. More violence is suggested as Puck divulges that he had a night all planned out for them! They can forego murder and enjoy a stroll! In his mind, he weighs Puck's annoying ways and being bossed around by his Shadow. ]

Fukawa Toko. Keep him alive for questioning.

[ Yes, he's going to boss her around despite hating being bossed around himself. ]

[janescayre]

[It must be terrible to have no eyes and no taste.]

What the hell kind of questions do you have for him? [Her snarl is livid and toothy, and yet her tongue is still hanging out of her mouth like a dead snake. Mysterious how she can even talk that way.] Do you want his fucking measurements?

[She lunges for the god man again, and is once more subjected to a cloud of smoke and no hottie under her blades. But this time she swings around at once, launching a pair at the first human shape she sees.

Fifty-fifty on which guy is getting it.

i̡̡̫t̙͉͙ h̝͖a̢̢̠r̘͓͜d͓̪̠l͕̦͕y̟͎͔ m̢͓̠a͍̠t̠͔t̡̫̘e͔͚͎r̢͙͓s͉͇͍ a̠͍̺n̡͉͓y̟͔m̼̫̼o̡͚̪r̠͕̙e̼͔͓ d͚̦̫o͔̘̺e͉̪̘s̞͎̟ i̻̠t̻̟?̢͕͖]

[regression]

[ Joonghyuk really does have bad taste. I'm going to flip a coin to see who she attacks and it has chosen Joonghyuk. There are a number of questions he can think of—mostly the reason why this is happening. Why take the lantern? What does the trickster get out of this? Things stop being funny when people start dying.

Except he's met with blades. It takes him no time to parry her with his knife, guiding it away from him with a steady hand. ]

If you're going to stab someone, at least be consistent. [ His right eye starts glowing gold in anger because HELLO? HE ISN'T PUCK? ] Get a hold of yourself.

[janescayre]

[ty coinflip, chaos reigns]

Get the hell out of my way then! [She's not going to fight the brush off. That he has a knife out, has a mystical glowing eye (a piece of the Millenium Puzzle? A Terminator sniper scope?) make him less a by-stander in this dance of passion and more active obstacle. Sheesh, what fucking business of his was it what she did with Puck?

g̻͔e̪͚͜t̠͙̦ r̢̟̞i̠̦͜d̠̝͓ o̘̠͖f̼̘ h͓͇̫i̠̦̻m̺͓͓

No no no, she wants the other one. She wants to watch him writhe as she splits his skin.

Syo rushes to the side, looking left, right. She pirouettes on the spot.]

Wheeeere are you, daaarliiiiing?

[THERE!

She speeds forward, aiming for the thick brush Puck has taken refuge in.]

[regression]

Use your eyes.

[ He wasn't in your way and his Shadow stokes the flames. If she's going to be difficult and disallow him from extracting information from Puck, then they may as well both die. The thought is familiar... He has thought this way plenty of times, but it feels invasive as much as it's comfortable. With a deep breath, he reels it in. Think about reward—maybe Puck knows something. Maybe Puck can tell them more about the Netherworld, escape, or anything that hasn't been provided to them.

At the flick of his blade, lightning runs along and strikes a couple of steps ahead of her path. Smoke rises from the torched area and affirms the warning. ]

We are keeping him alive.

[ He has decided as rebellion against the voice, Puck will live. ]

f

[fallingsand]

[ Well, he had been enjoying the maze right up until something kept making little running footstep noises behind him. Every time, he would freeze and whip around, wide-eyed and searching, and every time, it was the same: nothing, no one. ]

...okay, okay, this is. Fine. It's. Part of the maze, that's all. Part of the... [ He mutters to himself as he turns to carry on his way and it happens again, only this time when he whirls back around, someone is there. He leaps back a step in shock, hand flying to clutch his chest. ] ¡Dios mío!

[ Aaaahahaha but isn't that only a kid? He takes in a deep breath and lets it out again, trying to relax. ]

Uh, that's. Ha... ha, wait, you're. You're not serious, right? About the running?

love that you went straight for the serial killer edition

[janescayre]

[Ha! Look at him clutching his chest! Love that. A little shock and alarm never hurt anybody, right?

Syo hums, sliding out from behind the corner, hands clasped at her back. Such a sweet little school girl, if you discount the myriad of rips in her musty old uniform, the wild mess of her too long hair. Or the sense that there might be something behind her back.]

Oh, yeah, totally kidding you! I mean, if I was taking this seriously, do you think you'd still be walking around? [She beams at him. Her tongue is still hanging out of her mouth.] I'd have iced you right out the gate. Lucky for you, you're not my type at all...

[Way, way, waaaaay too old.]

how could i not

[fallingsand]

[ Yeah, sweet little school girl definitely isn't the vibe Bruno was getting here. He may have taken a step back as she stepped out from around that corner! ]

I... well, I guess that's... probably true. [ Iced him? Her type? Excuse him? Regardless, it's actually a relief to not be her type, thanks, even though he doesn't think someone her age should even be talking like that! ] In that case, I'll just be, uh, on my way?

[janescayre]

[And she'll be taking a step forward in turn. No distance lost or gained.]

Weeeeeell, there is the teensy tiny matter of the theme of the maze. A charming local tradition, to be sure! Gets the locals real riled up, it does! A hazing initiation for newcomers, one and all! [She nods enthusiastically.] It's called the Harvest Hunt, old timer. So which one are you? The Hunter?

[Her teeth shine bright in the moonlight. Her grin might split her face in two.]

Or the hunted?

[500 yen if you guess correctly.]

[fallingsand]

[ While she isn't technically wrong, that the other part of the maze is the traditional chase through it, Bruno can't help but clear his throat awkwardly and take yet another little step back. Oh dear, oh boy, this is... ]

Oh, well, it's. I mean. I'm definitely a, uh, a hunter, so, we should just... carry on with our hunting? Since I assume you are also a. Hunter. And in that case, I had better go and get to it, haha, yep.

[ Sadly, Bruno is a terrible liar. He was absolutely not granted the Hunter role on entering the maze. Pretty much everything about him oozes prey, from the nervous rambling to the way he's inching away from her. ]

g — bc how could i not ;

[fawcetted]

Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!

[ This is starting to become a running gag: weird, possibly (probably) murderous girl saves hapless boy with great hair. ]

Are you serious? Why is everything here trying to kill us? We're already dead!

[ Can he know no moment of peace in this hellscape?

Yeah, don't answer that. There's no time for it anyway, Steve scrambling to get back to his feet. He looks between the Horseman and his sword, to the crazy girl with ... hold on, are those scissors? ]

We gotta go, we gotta go now.

perfect

[janescayre]

[They could have their own show someday. Get into wacky hijinks, hassle the locals, get chased out of town by the cops.

Anyway, in the meantime there's this absolute buffoonery.]

Oooooooooh, do you think there's another layer to hell? Will we peel back the skin of this fruit and find incomprehensible horrors beneath?

[Once he's back on his feet her hand's back on him. This time she snatches his hand and sprints, zero to sixty, a speed demon in heels. Not that there's anything supernatural about it. Just practical experience and anime horseshit.]

Yes yes, we gotta go fast! Before we're double dead! Triple dead!

[The horsemen might pursue, but being on foot has its advantages. Squeezing into slender spaces, perhaps, like the split between two buildings too petite to call an alley. Much too tight for a horse. She doesn't slow even as the shadows swallow them whole, nope nope nope, they've got to make quadrouple sure they're in the clear!]

[fawcetted]

[ Gotta warm up with the absolute buffoonery before we get a real blockbuster hit on our hands. ]

Hold on, hold on, wait —

[ Steve doesn't even have time to respond to wild and kooky ideas about layers of hell behind this one, peeling back fruit or whatever, because he's already being yanked forward without a moment's notice to breathe or think. In order to keep from stumbling over his own damned feet, he has to keep up with the literal Flash here (not that he knows a hell of a lot more than that about the character; he's not a nerd or anything) and he can only thank those four years of being on nearly every sports team possible for being able to keep up as well as he can. ]

How are you running so fast? You sure you don't have like, superpowers or something?

[ He glances past their shoulders for only the briefest of seconds, spotting the headless horseman still in hot pursuit. Fuck. It surges him to move forward. ]

Shiit. Keep moving, I think it sees us.

[ And then, just like that, they're still running and then they're being sucked into the space between two buildings, and Steve still barely has the time for his brain to catch up. ]

[janescayre]

[Yes good, first mid-budget TV series, then hit movie. Got it.]

Nope! [Syo chirps, perfectly at ease with mid-marathon conversation.] I'm all natural, baby!!

[And that comes with a cackle and a half.

He's right though, there's no resting on any laurels. This Horseman guy is one dogged pursuer. Almost reminds her of hoofing it from the cops. (Just kidding! Those dipshits were always waaaaaaaaay off base.) Their sneaky alleyway dive is fine for the moment, but to truly escape they'll have to take a route their madman cannot.

She sees it just ahead: a window into a large complex. What kind of building doesn't matter. They'll deal with the consequences later. Syo releases Steve's hand as she veers suddenly to the right, jumping high.

And there's a calamitous crash as she barrels through the glass. She rolls over tile flooring, leaping back to her feet in a flash.]

GET INSIDE, SQUARE-INGTON!