— survival can be summed up in three words

[arrancar]

WHO: grimmjow, vincent valentine & others
WHERE: around stygia and the shadowlands
WHEN: month of october
WHAT: catchall for event / other prompts
WARNINGS: language, violence etc.

( ooc | planned logs for both grimm and vv only. plotting comment here. feel free to hit me up if you're interested in doing something with one of the boys. if we've already discussed a log beforehand, feel free to drop it below or i'll get a starter tossed up. )

Comments

[lapses]

[ he has seen far too many atrocities as well to be bothered by the sight. ]

Likely. It's too public. [ but he wouldn't be surprised if the authorities didn't plan to disclose their findings. ] Caution may be advised until we learn more.

[healthkit]

Caution's always a good idea. 'Specially in these cases.

[ Best not to make a splash or appear to be too interested or involved. Joel folds one of the pages up into squares and pockets it too. Just in case, you know. ]

Seemed to be what that horseman was thinkin' too, just before he left. Couldn't catch up to him, and I ain't slow either.

[lapses]

Neither could I.

[ he nods his chin towards the direction in which the horseman first appeared. ]

I'm going to take a look at where he came from. [ more information may be discovered at the original site of attack. he doesn't wait for a reply as he begins to move down the street. he will leave it up to the other man if he wants to tag along. ]

[healthkit]

[ And the other man, indeed, decides that wherever this guy's going, it's worth checking out.

Ain't got anything better to do anyway. It's not exactly like he's got anywhere to be, or anyone to see.

His closing the distance between the festival site and where the original place the attack took place should be indication enough that Joel's along for the ride without verbally having to say so. The trail of blood is all to easy to follow, but it stops without warning past the place where ten Hierarchy members had been slain. ]

Sure left a slaughter behind.

[lapses]

Its intended targets.

[ guess they know who the message is for now. ]

The rest were collateral.

[healthkit]

[ Joel nods.

With the dark stain, and the sharp metallic scent from the blood still left in the dirt, it's unmistakable: this was a killing spree, all right, and that Headless Jackass didn't care who or what got in its way.

Still not sure he understands the meaning of those pages left up ahead, though. ]

Think that's it? [ Did the Horseman accomplish his goal? ] Or are we expectin' a return visit.

[lapses]

[ if this was a message to the hierarchy, then whoever's behind it — whether it be the horseman or someone else — has made it abundantly clear that they care little for any who gets in their way. a gesture as violent and conspicuous as this one can only be the beginning of something far darker and sinister.

trouble is on the horizon.

he walks over to where the trial ends, his brows furrowing ever so slightly. ]

They always return. [ but if their target is the hierarchy, is this something for him to be concerned about? ]

[healthkit]

[ Yeah. Joel wonders the same thing.

If this is about the Hierarchy, then fuck if he cares. He's never been much for politics anyway, or being a part of any kind of big change. Always been the kind of fella who lived and let lived and not so much about any bigger picture; so long as he was left alone and could do whatever it is he wanted, provide for his family, it was all he care about. Doing things for the greater good was never on his mind.

And maybe that's where he and Ellie differed so greatly.

Well, shit. ]

Think we got somethin' to worry about?

[lapses]

[ he has seen and experienced enough to know that sometimes people don't get to choose whether they want to be involved or not, especially when it has to do with powerful forces at work. but there is no guarantee anything will come to pass until it actually happens, so he doesn't intend on sowing discontent. ]

Only if we get caught in the crossfire.

[healthkit]

[ Joel grunts a sound of agreement. He studies the trail of blood for a moment longer but he's honestly seen all he's needed to see of the crime scene.

If something means to come back, it'll come back all right, and they'd better be goddamned prepared for it then. ]

All right. So what'll we need to keep this thing off our backs?

[ What can put a headless horseman down besides a bunch of magic mojo and waking up from this goddamned nightmare? ]

[lapses]

[ they don't know enough about the horseman yet to effectively eliminate it, so the best answer he can offer right now is— ]

Avoid associating with the Hierarchy.

[healthkit]

[ Well, it ain't exactly the answer he'd expected — it being the most obvious one. But it'll do for now.

Because it's true: they just don't know enough yet. ]

Should be easy enough.

[lapses]

I'll see what else I can find out.

[ it will require some digging around. he doesn't know how fruitful it'll be, but someone is bound to know something around here. ]

If anything turns up, I'll relay it on the network.

[healthkit]

You do that.

[ He nods, more or less silently agreeing that he'll do the same thing. The more information is shared, the better he can be prepared to avoid what he needs to avoid and confront what he needs to confront. ]

Name's Joel, if you need to find me on that network thing.

[lapses]

[ he nods his head in turn before offering his own. ]

Vincent. [ with that simple introduction, he part ways from joel to continue looking for answers on his own. ]