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Entry tags:
- ! mod event,
- arknights: shalem,
- bleach: grimmjow jaegerjaquez,
- bleach: jugram haschwalth,
- danganronpa: fukawa toko,
- encanto: bruno madrigal,
- ennead: set,
- fe3h: claude von riegan,
- fe3h: felix hugo fraldarius,
- ffvii: vincent valentine,
- genshin impact: tartaglia (childe),
- genshin impact: the traveler (lumine),
- hades: zagreus,
- htwmho: rudbeckia de borgia,
- jjk: fushiguro megumi,
- jjk: itadori yuuji,
- naruto: uchiha sasuke,
- orv: han sooyoung,
- orv: jung heewon,
- shadow and bone: the darkling,
- stranger things: steve harrington,
- the last of us: joel miller,
- vld: keith
(no subject)
I. PUSHING UP DAISIES
cw: depiction of hanahaki, mention of blood, mild body horror
The Frightful Harvest ended on a bloody, eerie note, but the Respite's most welcome interlude has proven exceptionally fruitful. The sky's darkened again, moons struggling to glow through turbulent clouds, but crops all over Stygia have grown dense and healthy, herbs and plants and flowers aplenty. Normally, it'd be a time to rejoice, even as sleet pours and winds grow bitterly cold -- and it might have been, had greens and stems and petals NOT elected to blossom inside you. Your lungs, specifically.
It's an uncommon side effect of the Harvest, affecting those who foster affection or attraction towards another, triggered only by a stray thought. Almost as if punished by Oblivium for harboring any kind of positive feelings. The worst part is that the object of your desire doesn't even have to be in the Netherworld for you to be afflicted. Over the span of three months, you'll gradually experience various degrees of the "harvest's curse", depending on the source of your feelings:
II. DO NOT PASS GO
cw: mention of blood, torture, branding, violence, forced captivity
Full-swing investigations concerning the Harvest's murders have begun, though the mysterious rider has yet to resurface. The day is young still, but no matter; the Hierarchy firmly believes that the creature was summoned by a group of renegades, fully intent on finding and dismembering the organization. Perhaps even literally.
If you've spilled blood not your own in the previous event, the Hierarchy finds you. Do they know? It doesn't really matter; they've targeted you for reasons they won't divulge, persuaded of your involvement -- and off to the Gallows you go. Each of you receives the same greeting when you arrive, held down by rough hands and branded upon the arm with the letter F. The mark signifies ‘forsaken’, and the painful scar is indelible proof that each of you has betrayed the Hierarchy's hospitality. Writhe and scream and glower as much as you want; next thing you know, something heavy hits you across the head, and you collapse.
When your vision slowly creeps back, your eyes adjust to a dimly lit stone cell. Your feet are secured by iron cuffs tethered by one long chain, and you lie in nothing but filthy, tattered rags. It's dark; the air is bloated and filled with agonizing shrieks. Dead vines scrap the walls of half-crumbled buildings, weather-worn stone pillars surrounded by withered clumps of grass. You may converse with your cellmates: the guards patrolling the Gallows couldn't care less, convinced that no one could possibly escape anyway.
III. TO THE RESCUE
cw: depiction of hanahaki, mention of blood, mild body horror
The Frightful Harvest ended on a bloody, eerie note, but the Respite's most welcome interlude has proven exceptionally fruitful. The sky's darkened again, moons struggling to glow through turbulent clouds, but crops all over Stygia have grown dense and healthy, herbs and plants and flowers aplenty. Normally, it'd be a time to rejoice, even as sleet pours and winds grow bitterly cold -- and it might have been, had greens and stems and petals NOT elected to blossom inside you. Your lungs, specifically.
It's an uncommon side effect of the Harvest, affecting those who foster affection or attraction towards another, triggered only by a stray thought. Almost as if punished by Oblivium for harboring any kind of positive feelings. The worst part is that the object of your desire doesn't even have to be in the Netherworld for you to be afflicted. Over the span of three months, you'll gradually experience various degrees of the "harvest's curse", depending on the source of your feelings:
► PHYSICAL/EMOTIONAL ATTRACTION & REQUITED LOVE
It starts with an itch. Your throat tickles, an odd sensation in your lungs, slightly constricted. Allergies? Not quite. It worsens overtime, and days pass by, perhaps weeks. You cough, a little more every day, a little deeper, and then it happens: petals, stuck to your lips as you wheeze and try to empty your chest. Marigold, carnations, daisies, peonies... Thankfully, for you, it's more of an annoyance, sporadic at best and leaving you exhausted at times, but you're in no immediate danger. Unfortunately, not all Restless share the same luck.
► UNREQUITED LOVE
It doesn't matter whether it is truly unrequited; as long as you think it is, whether you're fully convinced or distantly resigned, you get the whole package. It starts the same way the lesser variation does, gradual, and with unsavory (!) additions: lilies and dark red roses. The first slowly spreads its poison in your body, inducing fevers, skin rashes, blistering in your mouth and stomach aches. The second pricks your throat bloody, making speech difficult and breathing even more so. It spreads throughout Stygia, and if most wound up meeting their end in the past, some speak of a highly hypothetical cure. It's believed that if the object of your affection confesses equally strong feelings for you, the curse should rapidly subside. If this option isn't viable, Doran promises that all Healers in Hale are working extremely hard to find a solution. In the meantime, symptoms can be partially soothed with poultices and spells that you can find in the Marketplace or in Serene. Some merchants might even take pity on you and offer them for free.
It starts with an itch. Your throat tickles, an odd sensation in your lungs, slightly constricted. Allergies? Not quite. It worsens overtime, and days pass by, perhaps weeks. You cough, a little more every day, a little deeper, and then it happens: petals, stuck to your lips as you wheeze and try to empty your chest. Marigold, carnations, daisies, peonies... Thankfully, for you, it's more of an annoyance, sporadic at best and leaving you exhausted at times, but you're in no immediate danger. Unfortunately, not all Restless share the same luck.
► UNREQUITED LOVE
It doesn't matter whether it is truly unrequited; as long as you think it is, whether you're fully convinced or distantly resigned, you get the whole package. It starts the same way the lesser variation does, gradual, and with unsavory (!) additions: lilies and dark red roses. The first slowly spreads its poison in your body, inducing fevers, skin rashes, blistering in your mouth and stomach aches. The second pricks your throat bloody, making speech difficult and breathing even more so. It spreads throughout Stygia, and if most wound up meeting their end in the past, some speak of a highly hypothetical cure. It's believed that if the object of your affection confesses equally strong feelings for you, the curse should rapidly subside. If this option isn't viable, Doran promises that all Healers in Hale are working extremely hard to find a solution. In the meantime, symptoms can be partially soothed with poultices and spells that you can find in the Marketplace or in Serene. Some merchants might even take pity on you and offer them for free.
if your character has heard of similar diseases in their home world, they're absolutely welcome to share their insight on the netherwork or anywhere else
the evolution of the disease can be as gradual, as fast or as severe as you wish it to be
a mini quest to retrieve ingredients for a cure will be available in december or january
by february, all characters should be cured
II. DO NOT PASS GO
cw: mention of blood, torture, branding, violence, forced captivity
Full-swing investigations concerning the Harvest's murders have begun, though the mysterious rider has yet to resurface. The day is young still, but no matter; the Hierarchy firmly believes that the creature was summoned by a group of renegades, fully intent on finding and dismembering the organization. Perhaps even literally.
If you've spilled blood not your own in the previous event, the Hierarchy finds you. Do they know? It doesn't really matter; they've targeted you for reasons they won't divulge, persuaded of your involvement -- and off to the Gallows you go. Each of you receives the same greeting when you arrive, held down by rough hands and branded upon the arm with the letter F. The mark signifies ‘forsaken’, and the painful scar is indelible proof that each of you has betrayed the Hierarchy's hospitality. Writhe and scream and glower as much as you want; next thing you know, something heavy hits you across the head, and you collapse.
When your vision slowly creeps back, your eyes adjust to a dimly lit stone cell. Your feet are secured by iron cuffs tethered by one long chain, and you lie in nothing but filthy, tattered rags. It's dark; the air is bloated and filled with agonizing shrieks. Dead vines scrap the walls of half-crumbled buildings, weather-worn stone pillars surrounded by withered clumps of grass. You may converse with your cellmates: the guards patrolling the Gallows couldn't care less, convinced that no one could possibly escape anyway.
► Ironically, a magical barrier around the Gallows prevents magical/spiritual abilities from functioning. However, characters who roam free still can absolutely sneak in! Be careful not to get caught, though!
► Loud disagreements might attract unwanted attention. A single guard will come, and if he finds nothing else amiss, will threaten them to be quiet. A second violation earns the offender a rap on their bare feet with a club. A third violation will cause the offender to be gagged. Note that in order to beat or gag the offender, the guard must first open the cell.
► If you share affinities with Gargoyles, incapacitating a guard in any way will draw the attention of one. It'll show you to the gates where you'll be able to escape, taking care of sentries on your way. You should probably keep a low-profile from then on, and avoid showing-off your brand.
► A secret passage may be found through a mausoleum nearby; an arrow of flaking red paint marks the entrance. Or is it blood? Inside, it's nearly pitch-black. Perhaps, if you're lucky, your vision extends as far as 30 feet in front of you, but occasionally, the darkness is broken by clinging phosphorescent fungi or crawling luminescent creatures, and from out of the silence echo sounds of dripping water. You're underground, and Abysmals can be encountered here if you're too loud. You should also watch out for cave-ins, but as you get farther away from the general region of the Gallows, your magical abilities gradually come back.
► Eventually, a long, broken staircase will lead you to Hale. If you're injured, you'll be sent to the main infirmary; characters with healing abilities or knowledge are super welcome to help!
Luckily for you, there are so many prisoners it's a difficult task for the Hierarchy to always keep track of all of them. Your brand, however, is a dead giveaway, so you might as well try and find a way to get rid of it; you might hear through the grapevines that the dead skin of Badaliscus can be used as bandages, and overtime, the brand will fully heal and disappear.► Loud disagreements might attract unwanted attention. A single guard will come, and if he finds nothing else amiss, will threaten them to be quiet. A second violation earns the offender a rap on their bare feet with a club. A third violation will cause the offender to be gagged. Note that in order to beat or gag the offender, the guard must first open the cell.
► If you share affinities with Gargoyles, incapacitating a guard in any way will draw the attention of one. It'll show you to the gates where you'll be able to escape, taking care of sentries on your way. You should probably keep a low-profile from then on, and avoid showing-off your brand.
► A secret passage may be found through a mausoleum nearby; an arrow of flaking red paint marks the entrance. Or is it blood? Inside, it's nearly pitch-black. Perhaps, if you're lucky, your vision extends as far as 30 feet in front of you, but occasionally, the darkness is broken by clinging phosphorescent fungi or crawling luminescent creatures, and from out of the silence echo sounds of dripping water. You're underground, and Abysmals can be encountered here if you're too loud. You should also watch out for cave-ins, but as you get farther away from the general region of the Gallows, your magical abilities gradually come back.
► Eventually, a long, broken staircase will lead you to Hale. If you're injured, you'll be sent to the main infirmary; characters with healing abilities or knowledge are super welcome to help!
III. TO THE RESCUE
As you attempt to escape, or perhaps once you’ve successfully snuck in, you come across a terrifying spectacle: in front of you, impaled through the shoulder by a spear, a weary humanoid figure covered in blood. The body is being restrained by additional shackles on each arm and leg, which are linked to chains anchored within the walls. There's a guard nearby, armed to the teeth… and still you decide to free them.
The guard’s magic is just as useless as yours, and while impressive in size, dexterity definitely isn’t his main strength. He hits hard — with brass knuckles, a chain mace, and a sturdy shield — and his stamina almost seems endless, but it’s not. Keep evading, and he’ll eventually tire enough to topple over. It’s also possible to have him chase you around if you don’t go too far, which would allow someone else to grab the spear. Once he’s too exhausted to go on, you can either kill him or chain him to the wall. The keys are in his boots, and you’ll find a bottle of water as well as a small vial of ointment in a satchel on the ground, where he previously stood.
The prisoner is a young man, perhaps in his mid-20s. Once freed from his shackles, he immediately keels over, though he’s not unconscious. He thanks you with a deep and raw voice, begging for water. You can tend to his wounds if you’re able—the ointment quickly soothes—and when he finally stands again, he asks you a question: “I’m a stranger to you, and you could have died. Yet, you chose to free me, unaware of my past. Of my crimes. Of my virtues. Why?”
Regardless of your answer, he smiles, a private understanding that turns the stretch of his lips enigmatic. There’s a bubbling chuckle in his throat, very hoarse, and then he hisses, touching where you’ve helped him apply the ointment on his body. “You know what they say. If it stings...” He looks at you, deliberately pausing there and staring bold into your eyes. “... then it must be working.”
It might feel like there’s more to what he’s trying to say, though it’s pointless to ask: he bows, and then he slowly inches away from you. “Until we meet again.” White and thick tendrils of smoke envelop him, seemingly coming out of nowhere, and then just like that, he’s gone.
The guard’s magic is just as useless as yours, and while impressive in size, dexterity definitely isn’t his main strength. He hits hard — with brass knuckles, a chain mace, and a sturdy shield — and his stamina almost seems endless, but it’s not. Keep evading, and he’ll eventually tire enough to topple over. It’s also possible to have him chase you around if you don’t go too far, which would allow someone else to grab the spear. Once he’s too exhausted to go on, you can either kill him or chain him to the wall. The keys are in his boots, and you’ll find a bottle of water as well as a small vial of ointment in a satchel on the ground, where he previously stood.
The prisoner is a young man, perhaps in his mid-20s. Once freed from his shackles, he immediately keels over, though he’s not unconscious. He thanks you with a deep and raw voice, begging for water. You can tend to his wounds if you’re able—the ointment quickly soothes—and when he finally stands again, he asks you a question: “I’m a stranger to you, and you could have died. Yet, you chose to free me, unaware of my past. Of my crimes. Of my virtues. Why?”
Regardless of your answer, he smiles, a private understanding that turns the stretch of his lips enigmatic. There’s a bubbling chuckle in his throat, very hoarse, and then he hisses, touching where you’ve helped him apply the ointment on his body. “You know what they say. If it stings...” He looks at you, deliberately pausing there and staring bold into your eyes. “... then it must be working.”
It might feel like there’s more to what he’s trying to say, though it’s pointless to ask: he bows, and then he slowly inches away from you. “Until we meet again.” White and thick tendrils of smoke envelop him, seemingly coming out of nowhere, and then just like that, he’s gone.
so you’ve chosen to free him, which in turn has generated a future plot point that’ll occur some time in february. some of you WILL see him again.
what he says to you is a clue.
you can answer his question OOCly right here. it’ll have some bearing on the way your character will be approached re: future plot point.
if you've voted no and would still like to participate, you could always allow your character to be convinced or reluctantly dragged by another!
ooc note
► As always, check out the Notice Board if you'd like additional prompts! Older quests from previous months are always available as well. You'll also find the Calendar right here.
► You'll find already answered questions just here, and if you'd like to ask new ones, ask them here!
► For fun's sake and similarly to the puck adventure, you may play it out in different groups or on your own, and still obtain the same results as everyone else whether your characters threaded together!
no subject
Kaito doesn't bother acknowledging his Shadow this time. His gaze narrows considerably (the poor onion he was cutting is probably scared to shit right now (oh wait it's dead)). Even if her aura wasn't betraying just how Fucked Up her state of mind was right now, she still had yet to learn that her partner was a hypocrite.
Right now, only he can dodge questions.
'Hibiki. What. Happened?' ]
no subject
Propping herself up with a wince, she hones in on Kaito's voice. She needs to ignore the lamentations in the background and steel herself for her partner's reaction.
'Got picked up off the streets, because of my 'involvement with the brutal murders of members of the Hierarchy'. That I was part of the coordinated attack during the harvest festival. I. ...I'm in one of the cells in the Gallows.'
As soon as she finishes, Hibiki prepares for the absolute tidal wave that he will no doubt unleash. Well, it's time to add some mental pain to the physical she's feeling right now. ]
1/2
Again.
She's in the Gallows. She's—
C̶a̵n̵ ̵y̸o̵u̷ ̷s̵t̷o̵p̵ ̶f̶u̷c̸k̸i̶n̶g̵ ̶s̶p̷i̴r̷a̶l̸i̵n̶g̴ ̸f̵o̶r̴ ̷t̶w̵o̵ ̵s̸e̵c̵o̴n̷d̶s̴?̴ ̴Y̸o̸u̷'̷r̶e̷ ̶s̵o̵ ̷m̶u̸c̵h̶ ̷m̴o̴r̶e̸ ̶a̶n̶n̸o̶y̵i̷n̴g̴ ̴w̷h̷e̵n̶ ̶y̴o̵u̸ ̸d̸o̶ ̷t̷h̴i̶s̸.̴
Somehow, it's his Shadow whose voice tears through his rapidly deteriorating mental state, with that cutting complaint muted from Hibiki's perception.
G̴e̷t̸ ̴a̴ ̶g̷o̸d̴d̷a̵m̷n̸ ̷g̸r̶i̶p̶.̶ ̵S̴h̴e̴'̵s̷ ̸i̷n̵ ̸g̶̻̾̿͝a̴̹͠y̵̢̭̒̐̇ ̶̺̿b̶͉̃͂͊a̵̝̰̔̈́b̵̨̛̯̬͛y̵̙͇̽̉ ̷d̵u̸m̸b̸ ̵d̷o̴g̵ ̶j̶a̴i̵l̶,̴ ̴n̸o̷t̴ ̸d̶e̶a̴d̶.̸ ̸S̷t̸o̸p̷ ̸p̵a̸n̴i̵c̴k̸i̸n̸g̷ ̷a̶n̸d̵ ̷s̵t̶a̶r̴t̸ ̶T̶H̴I̸N̶K̵I̸N̵G̴.̴ ]
...You're right. [ It's a quiet murmur, nigh-imperceptible even to the speaker. Kaito looses a shudder, allows himself to slump forward, then steadily rights himself.
Oh, if he could only sense the devilish grin on his Shadow's face. ]
2/2
'I'm in my home. I'm okay. Did they hurt you badly? Please tell me you're okay, that they only roughed you up a little. And please don't try to shrug it all off. I know how strong you are, but you can be honest with me.'
'Y̸o̵u̵ ̸k̶n̵o̸w̶ ̵y̵o̸u̴ ̶c̷a̷n̴ ̶t̸r̴u̶s̶t̸ ̵m̴e̸.̷' ]
no subject
Don't lie to him, he'll know if she does. Just like Hibiki wants him to trust her, she knows Kaito wants her to trust him. She exhales deeply, in relief.
'Good. That's good, I'm glad you're okay.'
Pushing herself upright, she takes a look around her as her brows knit. Try and take in as much as you can, Hibiki, then figure out a way to get out of this stupid cell.
'My head's still ringing from when they knocked me out, but I think I'm... okay. I mean that. Probably would've been worse if I tried to fight, but--'
W̶h̶y̴ ̴t̴r̷y̶ ̷t̵o̵ ̶h̸i̸d̴e̴ ̸i̵t̵ ̵w̵h̷e̶n̴ ̴y̵o̸u̴ ̶k̶n̵o̵w̵ ̶h̴e̴ ̸c̶a̸n̵ ̵t̴e̵l̵l̴?̸ ̷A̸r̷e̸ ̶y̵o̵u̷ ̸r̷e̶a̸l̵l̸y̴ ̸t̵r̷y̷i̸n̷g̵ ̵t̸o̸ ̸p̵r̷o̵t̷e̵c̷t̴ ̸h̶i̴m̷ ̵r̴i̷g̴h̷t̶ ̸n̶o̷w̴?̸ ̶L̸o̷o̶k̷ ̵a̵r̶o̵u̸n̷d̴ ̷y̷o̷u̴.̷
Her shadow shielding its words from Hibiki's shared link with her soulmate, it speaks directly to her in tired tones, as if to say This Shit Sucks. They're both stuck, and it doesn't benefit it to encourage Hibiki to put up a (usual) tough front.
'My arm. I can still use it, but they burned something into it. It hurts like hell.' ]
no subject
Her initial reply prickles him uncomfortably. The river's already beginning to boil.
When she elaborates, the water ignites and freezes over all at once. Frigid fury trembles in each syllable that follows her words.
'I am going to get you out of there. And I will return this offense in kind.'
'If the Hierarchy wishes to indiscriminately persecute us, then they had best steel themselves for the consequences.' ]
1/2
Y̶o̶u̸r̵ ̸p̵a̷r̵t̵n̸e̸r̵ ̴h̷e̵r̴e̶ ̵c̴a̵n̷ ̸p̴r̷o̶b̵a̸b̷l̵y̴ ̸s̶e̴e̸ ̴y̶o̸u̷ ̴f̵r̴o̷m̶ ̸a̴ ̴k̷i̷l̸o̷m̵e̶t̵e̴r̴ ̴a̴w̵a̸y̵,̶ ̶r̵i̸g̵h̷t̷?̶ ̸S̸o̸,̷ ̶l̴e̷t̵'̶s̵ ̶c̷a̸l̷l̷ ̴a̷ ̶t̵r̴u̴c̴e̵.̴ ̴
...What? Why would she--
N̶e̷i̴t̴h̴e̵r̸ ̶o̷n̶e̸ ̴o̸f̶ ̶u̵s̴ ̷w̵a̵n̷t̷s̷ ̸t̷o̷ ̴d̶i̴e̶ ̶h̷e̷r̴e̶,̵ ̴a̵n̴d̷ ̷h̴e̶'̶s̴ ̶c̷o̸m̸i̸n̴g̶ ̷h̵e̶r̴e̶ ̸o̵n̴e̴ ̸w̶a̵y̵ ̵o̶r̵ ̴a̸n̴o̸t̷h̸e̵r̶.̸ ̷W̵h̴y̶ ̷n̶o̷t̷ ̶h̶e̷l̴p̶ ̸h̶i̶m̴ ̸f̵i̸n̶d̵ ̴t̵h̴e̶ ̵w̷a̵y̵?̵ ̷W̸h̵a̷t̶e̶v̸e̴r̴ ̵y̵o̸u̶ ̶d̸o̸n̸'̴t̴ ̵r̶e̸m̷e̶m̶b̷e̶r̵ ̸f̸r̶o̸m̶ ̸o̶u̷r̵ ̵t̴r̴i̶p̸ ̶o̵v̵e̸r̵ ̸I̵ ̸c̴a̵n̸ ̸p̷r̵o̵b̸a̶b̶l̷y̵ ̴f̵i̶l̵l̸ ̶i̶n̸.̴ ̷J̷u̷s̶t̵ ̴m̷a̶k̷e̸ ̶s̴u̶r̷e̵ ̷b̵o̸t̵h̶ ̷o̴f̴ ̶u̸s̶ ̴g̴e̶t̸ ̶o̵u̴t̵t̶a̴ ̷h̸e̸r̸e̶.̶ ̷D̴e̴a̸l̷?̸
Hibiki hesitates, pressing her lips together as her gaze slowly slides toward her (branded) left arm. But her attention snaps forward again as she hears the metal clang of a weapon knocking against metal bars, as a guard barks at someone in the cell next to hers to keep it down. Shut up or he'll give them something to really scream about. ]
...
2/2
'You better not try to escort me out then go to town here. I went quietly the first time--and I'm not doing that again.'
WHAM!
With what little room she has to move, Hibiki draws her leg back before slamming the metal shackles against the bars, wincing as it clatters against bone. Ahhh, dammit, that's going to bruise! But it gets the guard's attention, and with dirtied blonde hair falling in messy tresses over her eyes, she grins up at him. ]
Hey Fatty, you gonna feed us already or did you scarf everybody's plates before you came down here? The uniform's looking a little tight.
[ The guard glares down at her before making a quiet "Tch" as he continues down the line. Hibiki brings a cuffed hand toward her mouth before shouting. ]
If you wanna bring a change, I can take the seams out for you! Not like it'll do much, but any little bit helps right~?
[ Her gaze following the guard as far as she's able, Hibiki directs attention back toward the other (other) voice in her head.
'I think I remember some of the trip here, but it's foggy. I might be able to guide you part of the way, but you're gonna need to get in on your own. I think the guards assume there's no fight left in us, but the one down here looks like he hates his job. We can probably use that.' ]
no subject
'...I'm not the only one who's going to be marching into the Gallows with a bone to pick. If you break some noses and I'm too busy to notice, then I'm too busy to notice.'
Kaito's already on the move. There's no point in making an announcement on the Netherwork. Public communications are compromised. This is one of the rare, rare moments where he wishes he was like Mavis. He'd be communicating to Sakura and Zagreus and Noctis in a heartbeat.
'Getting in won't be a problem. The Gallows probably has some sort of fuckery going on that seals powers, or else it'd be a really shitty prison. But I can feel your aura all the way from the Shadowlands. So long as I can get to the outer perimeter of the power sealing zone, I can let my eyes do the rest.'
'Ply the guard as best as you can, but try not to get too roughed up. You're already burned. Once I'm inside, I won't be able to use my powers either. Those jackasses are probably oafs, but they're armed.' ]
no subject
For now. It really depends on what face these guards choose to show them.
'So I need to make myself as loud to you and to them as possible, huh? I can handle--'
Her thought abruptly stops as she hears a metal door move and the clattering of chains. Hibiki carefully tries to move herself to see, but it's hard at first from the angle she's sitting. But given the noises she hears--the pleading from a female prisoner before something covers her mouth, a sickly crunch of bones before a cell door slams shut and locks... that's all she needs to hear.
So there is a way to get the door open. Kaito's going to hate her for this. Focusing for a few seconds, she slowly rebuilds some of the blocks on her mind--specifically around pain receptors.
'I think I might've figured out a way to get them to open up the cells, but I won't wanna do it until your close. We'll wanna go in together. Sound like a plan?' ]
no subject
Okay, the book was already in his bag and he was honestly just too lazy to leave it at home. In any case, he has something more pressing to address.
'Hello? Netherworld to Hibiki? You do realize I can sense all of that mental shuffling you're trying to sneak under my nose right now, yeah?'
'On a scale of one to I'm going to chew you out so hard when we get out of the Gallows, how badly are you about to act out?' ]
no subject
'Not shuffling, just listening. Not to you--'
Wait.
'Not at that moment, I mean. I was listening to something else a couple cells down. I always listen to you.'
Y̵e̶a̷h̶,̵ ̶o̵k̶a̶y̶.̷
Please give her a break? Both of you?? Everyone here already knows that she's about to do something Incredibly Stupid, but that doesn't mean that they all need to call her out on that so openly.
'And let's go with... Yes.'
aka he's probably not going to stop chewing her out for a loooong time after all of this. ]
no subject
He's mad and he's loud. And maybe she's caught on, but that means that he's already given her his implicit approval. If he were truly angry, he'd never have raised his voice.
Still, after a beat:
'...Please don't overdo it, you hear? What'll I tell Ritsuki if I have to bring his mom back all beaten up? There. That's my last guilt trip. I'll be at the Gallows in half an hour.'
There's something else that threatens to spill into their linked conscious, but he manages to rein it in without any fuss.
I can't lose you. ]
no subject
'Oh, don't worry, I'll make sure this guy ends up hurting even more when I'm done~'
It's all about calculated risks. They are both somewhat limited in that they no longer have access to their powers in this prison, but for once Hibiki is more than confident in her ability to take that challenge and throw it into a wall. The fact that he at least trusts her to not get in over her head, even if that's exactly what she would have done normally still factors in somewhere.
Coupled with that stinger he leaves her with, Hibiki briefly falters as she takes a deep breath. Both of them know what it's like to lose someone so important to them, so to say something like that...
'You won't, don't worry. You're stuck with me, dumb ideas and all.'
G̴o̵d̴,̷ ̷t̵h̶a̶t̵'̶s̷ ̵s̸o̸ ̵c̵h̵e̸e̵s̴y̷.̶.̸.̷
By the time Kaito makes it to the Gallows, Hibiki is well on her way toward making herself the overweight guard's worst nightmare. Between making a ton of noise and heckling him, she has managed to get a few other cellmates to join along, solidifying herself as the group's ringleader.
She's taken a few more hits from the last time the two have spoken, the guard taking a swing at her feet and legs with an oversized club. She always manages to position herself to keep him from breaking or shattering anything, but her bare legs have begun to bruise badly. Thankfully, Kaito won't hear a thing.
And so, the blonde bides her time, strategizing how she plans to set this guard over the edge. ]