[she shifts so they can't so easily see the crystal that's spread on her arm, rubbing at it briefly. the bite hurts, her other arm hurts, her leg still hurts, but-- she's up. she's good, for now.]
anyway, jiaoqiu gives them both a skeptical look, but it's okay - the gate is now open, and they can start to move across the weird platforms and stations of the xianzhou ship. there aren't any people out here still, so it's quiet and uncomfortable, the silence ringing in your ears.
basilio keeps itching at a certain spot on his arm, every so often, twitchy. jiaoqiu keeps glancing at him, ears pinned back. but, eventually, basilio speaks up. ]
Hey, so you said Hell, right? What did y'mean, Hell? Literal, like? With portals and whatnot?
[ he sounds cheerful enough. jiaoqiu glances at him, but picks up the thread of the conversation: ]
We may have something that you can use to contact someone to pick you up. Would you mind us taking you to our base of operations? You can take a moment to eat something and we'll get you set up with the device. I'm not sure it will lead you to... Hell. But something is better than nothing.
Sounds like a plan to me. Even if we can't get there-- if we can get some kinda word out to the other two, maybe they can make it here to get all of us out?
[glancing over to saber... nerd squad save them. SAVE THEM NERD SQUAD]
[ then they will do just that! they lead the two of you through those platforms - there's some teleportation involved - until you reach a nice little closed off area. it's got a huge tree right in the middle of it, and it's surrounded by makeshift tents and tables that are being used to direct soldiers to various parts of the yaoqing.
but none of that is so important. jiaoqiu sets you both up in one of the tents, and promises to come back in a minute with more supplies. basilio gives you both a little jazzy salute, and heads off after him.
the two of you are alone in this tent! there are a couple of things of note in here. a big storage box, two cots, a few bookshelves with various knickknacks on them, and a rug. it'll be a bit before your guides come back. and he did say to stay here, but you don't necessarily have to. what will you do? ]
[wis'adel immediately flops down onto one of the cots, wincing slightly with the movement. yeah, she could go dig around here and be nosy, but what happened back there was disconcerting, and now she kind of just wants to chill?
she'll look over the knicknacks though, what are they.]
[ there's a couple things on the shelves - there's a fading train pass, a holographic type thing that shimmers slightly when you tilt your head, and a white circular device with a screen.
when saber opens the storage box, they find... a little dude. there's just a little dude in there, snoring. you instinctively know what this is - it's a tuskpir, and they're known for eating nightmares! though maybe this little dude could be useful with a lot of things. it makes a little meh... mehr mehr... meh meh sound as it snores. ]
[ she takes the pass! you get the idea that this may summon something to help you in your battle against satan. the device is a superconductor! it will power someone up one time to super saiyan levels.
as for the tuskpir, it sleepily wakes up and stares at you both with big dumb eyes, its little legs waving around in the air. ]
the tuskpir does little kicky legs again, with a meh meh meh!! and rolls over to stand up. it can walk, and it can run pretty fast, but it probably cannot get out of this box. please assist.
in any case, as you poke your head out to see what the heck is going on here, you hear a commotion in the distance. in the direction your new friends went. uh oh! ]
well it's probably best if wis is holding onto it, since she can fight from a distance while saber cannot.. but yeah time to run over to see what's going on. ]
anyway, she can pick it up, yeah, it is so content to be carried around if she wants to.
when you reach the commotion, all you can see at first is a huge crowd of people all mumbling and chattering in concern. why? because there's horrible snarling sounds coming from the center. there's a voice that comes from that center: Back up! Back up, he's --
and then there's an alarming, echoing crack of a sound, and a howl.
that's about the point that people start scrambling away in earnest, screaming. you can only just barely see it, but basilio is on his hands and knees, screaming in a mixture of rage and pain as horrible black crystals crawl out from under his skin, bursting out of his spine and shaping into ginkgo leaves. these flowers start to glow, pulsing, like a thermal bomb ready to blow at any second, but it doesn't seem to stop him. the glow of his eyes and his sharp, malformed teeth are burned into your mind as he looks up at the two of you, and pulls himself to his feet. wis'adel, you'll recognize those black crystals. even in the middle of your au memories, you will very quickly and suddenly know that this is oripathy, somehow - that it's mixed with mara, for rather explosive results.
(is it your fault? are you next?)
and that's about when jiaoqiu comes out of the crowd and grabs both saber and wis'adel, trying to push them to somewhere safer. ]
We have to go, he's gone, there's nothing left of him --
[ we're really putting bas through some shit this cyoa huh ]
[shit. shit, she-- wiš'adel never touched him. how did this even happen? the reasonable assumption is it's somehow her fault, but that shouldn't be possible, he couldn't have...
she glances down to her arm, brow furrowed, before jiaoqiu appears to grab them.]
[ saber, meanwhile, has absolutely no idea what just happened, and only stares at the scene dumbfounded until jiaoqiu comes up to them. they stare at what's left of bas before turning their attention to the other two. ]
There are people. Can they handle this or are they civilians?
something strikes her, eyes wide for a second, and she curses.]
Shit. No, you have to-- we have to get everyone away from him. Trust me. Clear 'em out of here.
[she shoves the tuskpir into jiaoqiu or saber's arms. please keep creature safe. excuse her, she's breaking away to go try to catch basilio's attention, gun leveled on him:]
no subject
...yeah. Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry about me.
no subject
saber peers down at the creature before glancing at wis. they don't want to hover too much over her when she's already being tended to. ]
... right. Let's go quickly, before we are attacked again. We really appreciate your help.
no subject
anyway, jiaoqiu gives them both a skeptical look, but it's okay - the gate is now open, and they can start to move across the weird platforms and stations of the xianzhou ship. there aren't any people out here still, so it's quiet and uncomfortable, the silence ringing in your ears.
basilio keeps itching at a certain spot on his arm, every so often, twitchy. jiaoqiu keeps glancing at him, ears pinned back. but, eventually, basilio speaks up. ]
Hey, so you said Hell, right? What did y'mean, Hell? Literal, like? With portals and whatnot?
no subject
[she shrugs, casual. it's fine, it's fine, everything is... fine.]
What're you so itchy for?
no subject
sadly they don't think this ]
no subject
[ he sounds cheerful enough. jiaoqiu glances at him, but picks up the thread of the conversation: ]
We may have something that you can use to contact someone to pick you up. Would you mind us taking you to our base of operations? You can take a moment to eat something and we'll get you set up with the device. I'm not sure it will lead you to... Hell. But something is better than nothing.
no subject
[glancing over to saber... nerd squad save them. SAVE THEM NERD SQUAD]
no subject
[ well they may also need to restock but they're not saying that one out loud it seems rude ]
no subject
but none of that is so important. jiaoqiu sets you both up in one of the tents, and promises to come back in a minute with more supplies. basilio gives you both a little jazzy salute, and heads off after him.
the two of you are alone in this tent! there are a couple of things of note in here. a big storage box, two cots, a few bookshelves with various knickknacks on them, and a rug. it'll be a bit before your guides come back. and he did say to stay here, but you don't necessarily have to. what will you do? ]
no subject
she'll look over the knicknacks though, what are they.]
...what a weird fucking place.
no subject
Yes. I am surprised they brought us here.
[ it is weirdly helpful at all ]
no subject
when saber opens the storage box, they find... a little dude. there's just a little dude in there, snoring. you instinctively know what this is - it's a tuskpir, and they're known for eating nightmares! though maybe this little dude could be useful with a lot of things. it makes a little meh... mehr mehr... meh meh sound as it snores. ]
no subject
[yoinks the pass and pokes at the white device... what is this.
she glances over at the little sounds the tuskpir makes, though, peering down at it.]
-aw, it's cute.
no subject
[ they feel crazy saying it out loud ]
no subject
as for the tuskpir, it sleepily wakes up and stares at you both with big dumb eyes, its little legs waving around in the air. ]
no subject
[listen you can't assign me animal handling backstory and not expect her to go AWWW CREACHER.
she passes the superconductor to saber, though.]
Here, feels like this is gonna be more useful for you than me.
no subject
time to go poke their head somewhere to see what the heck is going on here ]
no subject
the tuskpir does little kicky legs again, with a meh meh meh!! and rolls over to stand up. it can walk, and it can run pretty fast, but it probably cannot get out of this box. please assist.
in any case, as you poke your head out to see what the heck is going on here, you hear a commotion in the distance. in the direction your new friends went. uh oh! ]
no subject
[she had a weed and she's FINE
she is not fine. but she'll keep saying it, honestly, she's good enough by video game logic. just going to free the tuskpir, picking it up...
before that commotion happens. UH OH INDEED. saber gets a quick glance and a nod; let's go check that out.]
no subject
well it's probably best if wis is holding onto it, since she can fight from a distance while saber cannot.. but yeah time to run over to see what's going on. ]
no subject
anyway, she can pick it up, yeah, it is so content to be carried around if she wants to.
when you reach the commotion, all you can see at first is a huge crowd of people all mumbling and chattering in concern. why? because there's horrible snarling sounds coming from the center. there's a voice that comes from that center: Back up! Back up, he's --
and then there's an alarming, echoing crack of a sound, and a howl.
that's about the point that people start scrambling away in earnest, screaming. you can only just barely see it, but basilio is on his hands and knees, screaming in a mixture of rage and pain as horrible black crystals crawl out from under his skin, bursting out of his spine and shaping into ginkgo leaves. these flowers start to glow, pulsing, like a thermal bomb ready to blow at any second, but it doesn't seem to stop him. the glow of his eyes and his sharp, malformed teeth are burned into your mind as he looks up at the two of you, and pulls himself to his feet. wis'adel, you'll recognize those black crystals. even in the middle of your au memories, you will very quickly and suddenly know that this is oripathy, somehow - that it's mixed with mara, for rather explosive results.
(is it your fault? are you next?)
and that's about when jiaoqiu comes out of the crowd and grabs both saber and wis'adel, trying to push them to somewhere safer. ]
We have to go, he's gone, there's nothing left of him --
[ we're really putting bas through some shit this cyoa huh ]
no subject
she glances down to her arm, brow furrowed, before jiaoqiu appears to grab them.]
Wait, wait, then shouldn't we stop him--?!
no subject
There are people. Can they handle this or are they civilians?
no subject
as for jiaoqiu, he looks over his shoulder. ]
There are soldiers, they'll take care of him. I couldn't ask you to help with our problems when you're just visitors.
[ but - he's not going to stop you if you want to fight, to save the people. he just doesn't want to make you responsible for this. ]
no subject
she pauses, looking at them. if they've grown--
something strikes her, eyes wide for a second, and she curses.]
Shit. No, you have to-- we have to get everyone away from him. Trust me. Clear 'em out of here.
[she shoves the tuskpir into jiaoqiu or saber's arms. please keep creature safe. excuse her, she's breaking away to go try to catch basilio's attention, gun leveled on him:]
Hey, you!
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)