RPGWW

by **Idran1701** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:59 pm

Shaking more than a bit, Greg backs away from the counter, collapsing against a nearby wall to steady himself. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tries to steel himself for what's to come, calm his nerves before confronting what seems to be awaiting him there, in the room.

...Blocking out the increasingly pervasive scents, he edges towards the door to room 101, sword in hand. He tries to ignore the blood still tinging it, but the patch of red still lurks at the edge of his vision. Standing as ready as he can be, he slowly pushes the door to the room open, keeping an eye out for whatever might be found inside.

by **Endesu** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:07 pm

What was within the room took a moment or two to even begin to comprehend.

The patch of flesh and secretion that he had seen behind the counter... the being in here bore the same appearance yet was much larger, to the extent of filling much of the room.

Speckled tendrils went out in any number of directions within the room, continually pumping some sort of unseen fluid into the lifeform in question. The secretion that the smaller patch had been oozing was coming out of this one as well, only in much larger quantities; a near tidal wave of fluid splashed onto the floor with each further tendril pump.

Further visual inspection would reveal that the awful thing had a mouth, of sorts. It did not bear teeth, gums, a tongue, or anything of the like that belonged to a mouth, yet it opened and closed just as a mouth did, and it appeared to be readily chewing away, somehow, at a mass of something. Whatever the something was, it regularly squirted blood out of the thing's mouth... blood that matched what was seen on Greg's sword.

The final realization came when he realized what was in the mouth of the beast: people. Hundreds, perhaps even thousands of people, readily compressed and squeezed together into an utterly impossible fusion, apparently entirely for the purpose of facilitating this thing's mastication.

As he looked on at the spectacle, a single eye opened just above the mouth, and peered down at Greg with a pupil that stood out with just as much color as Greg himself. The pupil resembled a fried egg, and dilated as it appeared to study him in finer detail...

by **Idran1701** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:27 pm

Stumbling backwards in shock, Greg quickly slams into the far wall of the hallway. All but petrified with fear, he's barely able to stay standing as he stares at the strange being, not even certain if this is some sort of creature at all. Of everything he's experienced while living in Doma...

...he begins edging to the side, trying to get out of sight of the...thing, and ready to run if he has to.

by **Endesu** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:33 pm

As he tried to edge away, Greg could feel his very blade shaking. Looking at it would reveal that the blood spilled on there actually belonged to several dismembered limbs and organs, neatly shish-ke-babed and heretofore unseen.

Only a moment later would one of the walls separating Room 101 from the rest of the inn come crashing down. The being Greg had witnessed had emerged, and he could now see it bearing down on him, however slowly, with that same chewing mouth and that same eye...

by **Idran1701** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:41 pm

Tossing the sword at it, as he lets out a small shout of surprise at its new appearance, he turns, stumbling a bit as he runs for the door of the inn, intent on looking for somewhere to hide from this thing.

All thoughts of guilt, regret, self-recrimination, have been forced out of his mind for now, replaced with the fact that this thing is wrong, it shouldn't be here, and he needs to be far away from it, protected from that eye and that mouth.

by **Endesu** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:54 pm

As Greg made a run for it, he would find that he had company waiting for him outside.

That is to say, he would find a group of seven standing outside, some kneeling, some standing. He would rather quickly identify the assassin who had been pursuing him; she was standing off to the side of the grouping.

There was a man in front, one with a slightly darker skin tone and a neatly trimmed beard and moustache. He looked calmly upon Greg, even as he spoke.

"Few words suffice, Mr. Campbell, except: thank you. Thank you for helping to facilitate our ultimate plan."

He would then notice Jikuro standing close to their former in pursuit assassin in the circle of seven, looking down at the ground.

"Care to join us?"

by **Idran1701** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 11:29 pm

Still feeling the fear of the strange creature behind him, he jerks to a stop as he emerges from the inn, staring at the group of 8

"Your...your ultimate plan. What...I don't even know most of you! What the hell are you talking about?"

Watching them, and glancing back behind himself for the fleshy thing lurking within, his hand slowly begins edging down to a potion vial at his side.

by **Endesu** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 12:07 am

"Now, now. No need for unneeded questions. You may not know us now... but you will know us the further our plans progress. Why... by keeping this woman alive, you've already guaranteed us some progress in our pursuit of our intended goal. She's far more involved than she may even let on...

You can save some time and some unneeded trouble on your part by simply helping us, here... you've already done so much. If money is the issue, that can also be taken care of. Alternately, you can turn and face that 'monstrosity', as you seem to be thinking of it as, and choose to oppose us." The same man spoke, keeping his tone.

Jikuro looked to Greg as the man spoke, and though she did not say a word, her eyes seemed to be crying out for him to turn tail and run from this sight. To run back into the inn, where the unspeakable being was apparently waiting.

Speaking of which, the being had not made an appearance to disturb Greg as of yet...

by **Idran1701** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 12:14 am

"So...it's another choice, is it? Stay and help you achieve...whatever it is you want to achieve...or abandon her to you and try to stop that thing back there?"

A bit calmer now that he has something to focus on, he takes a small step forward, watching the group's reaction as he does.

"One or the other. Forcing me t' choose between a pair o' extremes again? That's about th' long and short o' it again, right?"

by **Endesu** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 12:27 am

"Are you entirely aware, ya annoying-ass piece of shit?" His would-be assassin spat out, stepping into the fray, perhaps a little too closely. At this motion, the rest of the group became more obscured, more shadowy. The assassin, who he had become distinctly familiar with, came into focus.

"This is a goddamned dream. Hence the gray tones and empty city and all of that shit. What you're seein' here..." At this, she jerked a clawed thumb towards the obscured shade of Jikuro. "... is a dream-derived fragment of that woman you're palling around with. She was here before you were, and though she woke, she left part of herself behind. Seems that since you neglected to wake her, she had to force her own ass awake... improperly lifting her from this place and thus leaving behind some rather important stuff. In the oh-so-convenient shape of that weak little bitch you're parading with. Following?"

She set her hands behind her and kept a dead eye on Greg, still a bit too close for comfort. "No one's forcing ya to make another choice. This's the first time we've appeared to you at all to negotiate, you dipshit. We're offering one choice, one prompt before this becomes overly ugly. You've already helped us out... helped us push our side of the toss by keeping this woman alive... the same source of this fragment, as well as other things to come... and you can help us further, if you choose to. You'll be paid and you'll be left to live on. That's what you want, isn't it?"

She waved a hand towards the inn. "That, you could say, is what lies behind us. Going against us essentially means that you will be going against that. Consider it an incentive, and consider yourself goddamned lucky to get it in the first place."

She stepped back, keeping an eye fixed on him steadily. "So what's it gonna be?"

by **Idran1701** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 12:42 am

"...This is a dream, innit?"

He seems distracted, glancing around at the scene starry-eyed.

"Seems a bi' obvious now tha' you've pointed i' out."

He stays lost in thought for about...another second, waiting for that first bit of her guard to drop against this sort, as he continues to slowly lower his hand to his side...

...slamming his head into her own without warning, hoping to drive her down

...grabbing the vial and popping the seal atop it, letting the noxious gases pour out before smashing the remainder of the container against her chest

...dashing towards a certain shadowy, indistinct figure, grabbing an arm before bounding off the ground back towards the inn door and the creature within.

That's the plan, at least. So many ways it could fail...but it's his dream, right?

IM: That...that thing might have made me choose one or the other...not going to happen again, not if I have any say.

by **Endesu** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 12:55 am

"Yes, this is a dream."

She pauses as Greg goes through the motions of an attack. As Greg slams his head... or attempts to slam his head... into hers. However, she catches him by the face as he attempts this, and simply flings him back into the ground.

"You seem to think that this is your dream. That you can get the upper hand. You seem to not be paying attention. It was stated that your friend there," once again, the assassin pointed to the shadowy form potentially being the dream fragment of Jikuro, "came to this same place. This dreamscape was set up before you even came here. You have no control, ultimately, and to attempt to gain such'll just end up in your ass getting wasted. You want to live, right?"

"Stop making your goddamned assumptions about what's right and what's wrong. Stop presuming that you're making an impact. Stop being yourself, you little shit. Make up your mind."

It seemed that, regardless of Greg's intent, the assassin was pressing it in upon him.

by **Idran1701** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:11 am

Lying on the group, staring up at the assassin, even in the position he's in...Greg can't help but smirk. It might be a bit of a forced smirk at this point, but it's still there.

"Yeah, guess it'd take a bi' of omnipotence like this f'r you t' have th' upper hand on me. Y' want me t' make a choice? Fine. I'm standin' against you lot. Not jus' t' try and stop whatever i' is y'r doing, or f'r Jikuro's sake, bu' also because I think it mi' annoy you jus' that little bit more."

by **Endesu** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:21 am

In turn, she grinned a bit as well. "Good to hear. You're prolly gonna end up helping us indirectly, anyhow... you've already gotten us this nice fragment, due in part to the fact that you were with her today... it's just too damned bad for you that you won't end up reaping in the rewards. Personally, though, I'm looking forward to the chance to pick your skeleton clean."

She looked towards the inn for a bit. "Well, here's the part where I keep my promise. Have fun."

With that, she snapped her fingers. The group of eight, the assassin among them, disappeared, and the horrible monstrosity immediately took their place. Still chewing, still looking. And now, its mouth was literally stretching towards him...

by **Idran1701** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:52 am

The smirk falls as she talks, and he realizes his commentary didn't have quite the effect on her he was hoping. He grimaces, about to stand as she disappears...

...only to collapse again as that...thing manifests in front of him. His irritation and rage quickly gives way for that near paralyzing fear once more. Seemingly recognizing this part of his fate, however, he just sits, squeezing his eyes shut and turning from the appendage reaching out for him, waiting for whatever's to come.

by **Endesu** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:02 am

The thing approached...

And then Greg found himself elsewhere. In a bed. In an inn he had never left.

He was back in Room 101, and Jikuro was shaking him somewhat hard. She spoke in a hushed tone. "Are you awake? Keep your voice down if you are... you looked like you were getting pretty bad in there, and I've been hearing some odd noises outside this room...!"

by **Idran1701** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:26 am

He wakes up, slowly realizing where he is, and breathing a bit hard. Though dark in here, Jikuro could likely make out an expression of fear and worry on his face as his arm snaps out, holding onto hers, as he tries to make sure she's actually here.

His other arm soon comes around, wrapping around her and pulling her down almost reflexively; it's less an embrace and more an expression of relief from the feel of it. His breathing slows some, though she can feel him shaking a bit, shuddering as the last images of the dream bounce around in his head.

by **Endesu** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:41 am

Jikuro honestly hadn't expected this reaction. From her limited observations, Greg was experiencing some sort of discomfort during his rest. The symptons had worsened over time... to the point that he had apparently been suffering from a nightmare.

She had also been hearing odd noises emnating from outside the room... noises she couldn't quite describe. They bothered her, and she didn't care to be alone to face them, given the chance that whatever may have been outside could've entered the room, boarded up or no.

She slowly comes to place an arm around Greg and slowly pat him on the back, in an effort to help him calm. Her tone, while still low, shifted to a concerned one. "... I can understand if it was bad... nightmares often can be. But you're awake now, so don't lose your composure..." That arm remained around Greg's side and continued to pat until his breathing slowed to a more regular rhythm.

by **Idran1701** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 3:02 am

Nodding, he tries to get himself under control, regain a bit of composure. His breathing slowly gets more relaxed and eventually settles down to a more normal rate. The worst of it over, he lets go and pulls back. Though he still looks more than a little shaken up, he tries to put on a brave face, even if he can't quite seem to look her in the eye right now. He speaks up quietly, sitting up against the head of the bed.

"...ahem...thanks. I...I appreciate it."

by **Endesu** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 3:43 am

"No problem. Just try to keep it together, okay?" She withdraws her arms and fully shoulders her gun, looking out towards the door. "Like I said, though... there may be something out there, so keep your voice down. Go back to sleep, if necessary. Unless you have a better suggestion..."

by **Idran1701** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:07 am

He shakes his head a bit quickly after her suggestion, the thought not exactly a pleasant one. Keeping quiet as she suggested, he replies.

"...I think I'd rather stay awake, if it's all the same to you."

by **Endesu** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:28 am

"Well, do as you wish. It seems the both of us will be up and waiting for what may come..."

Time would pass, and the sounds from outside the room would increase in frequency. There came the sound of brief and mild chittering emnating from both above and outside of their room. Every now and then, the sound of a dull *thwack* would come from somewhere above. Beyond that, ever so faintly, came a steady laughter of some sort.

Not the most comforting of noises.

by **Idran1701** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:32 am

Greg glances around, giving a slight jump at each thwack as it issues out.

"...How long has this been going on?"

by **Endesu** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:44 am

"For some time now." Jikuro grimly replied, keeping a close eye on the door. "Far too long for my comfort, really. I'm beginning to suspect the worst has happened out there..."

She looked towards Greg. "Perhaps we should check it out...? Or would you prefer to wait here until daybreak?"

by **Idran1701** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:59 am

"I...I think we should, yeah. For all we know, she saw what we were planning here, and thought to...teach us a lesson, or something."

Sliding off the bed, he stands (looking just a little bit shaky, still). Grabbing his possessions, he gets ready to head out.

by **Kelne** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 6:29 am

Note to self. In future, let sleeping dogs lie. Not that Kelne truly believed he'd follow that particular directive. His temperament just wasn't suited to ignoring provocation.

One thing was for sure - that wasn't Astrynax tailing him just now. Just why the idiot hadn't confronted him in the clearing was beyond him, but he wasn't about to be drawn into another fight just now.

Quite aside from the whole spreading undead blight thing, he needed to spread the word that there were Infinity goons on the prowl. He sincerely doubted that he was the only one on their hit list.

Best organise that now. It would still be a little while before he reached the city himself, but telepathy was certainly an option.

Rather than waste time seeking out and contacting people individually, Kelne simply opened a link to #32.

"32? I need you and the others to deliver a message to some people. End, Sorune, Kyle, Astrynax, Griff, Enlil..." He continued rattling off the names of anyone and everyone who'd been involved in Infinity's machinations at one point or another. Some of them had apparently vanished off the face of Gaera, but the minions would undoubtedly track them down sooner or later. In some cases, probably after the crisis had passed, but likely quicker than Kelne himself would be able to run them down.

"Tell them that there are Infinity goons on the loose, and they should act accordingly. While you're at it, get one of those net-wielding minions to get in touch with their boss."

He left the link open for any inane questions, but had no doubt that 32 would soon have the operation underway.

This done, he turned his attention to his pursuer. Without slackening the speed of his flight, of course.

"Yes? Was there something?"

by **Endesu** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:38 pm

Jikuro turned to Greg for a moment, pondering, before speaking what was on her mind.

"Just in case... perhaps you should stay back, for now. I can take a good look around before informing you that the cost is clear. Does this work with you?"

***

Naturally, the supposed Astrynax was keeping up rather handily with Kelne's flight.

He immediately snapped back in response - verbal response. "Certainly! I don't have the faintest idea who the hell you are - don't really give a damn in the first place - but given that you apparently have a connection with that goddamned Moogle, I can't let you run off free to meet him in the flesh, now can I?"

In a single thrust of action, the mage shot out an arm, gathered a burst of wind energy, and shot it forward, towards Kelne's carpet.

No damage was dealt to the carpet, no.... and obviously no damage was done to Kelne, either, as the spell had not targeted him. Rather, the spell was a very attack on the balance of the carpet - an attempt to knock Kelne off his ride. And the spell succeeded, at least, in sufficiently shaking Kelne all over the place - not enough to take him down, but enough to cause concern.

by **Idran1701** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:01 pm

"...What? Oh...no, no."

Steadying himself...trying to push everything out of his mind, he once more puts on a brave face for her. Even if he still can't quite seem to make eye contact with her right now.

"No, don't worry about me, Jikuro. Just a nightmare, like you said. I'm all right now."

by **Endesu** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:21 pm

"Very well."

Jikuro went to the door, ripped the board of wood cleanly off -nails and all - and swung the door wide open.

The room outside was entirely dark - the floor and walls were covered in shadow.

... more than covered, as it turned out, as the very shadows began to move. Hordes of yellow eyes began to open. And hundreds of individual shapes began to emerge from the mass.

The outer area was flooded with Shadows, as it turned out.

by **Kelne** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:44 pm

Kelne's response was to get a better grip on the carpet and take a potshot with his pistol.

"You people never cease to amaze me with your stupidity. Did it even occur to you that tracking down the moogle barely even made my list of priorities until now?"

Technically, he'd been looking for a moogle before all this idiocy, but that was semantics.

by **Idran1701** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:50 pm

Stepping up with Jikuro, sword out, Greg's definitely a bit amazed when she pulls the wood off without even flinching. Ready for...something, he waits as she opens the door.

Whatever something was, it wasn't this, but this is almost a relief compared to what he hadn't exactly been anxious for. Of course, it's still a fairly major looking threat to the pair; thus for now, he moves to slam the door shut (as little as that will likely impede them) if not stopped by Jikuro, looking to her.

"All right...that's more than a bit daunting, that. Whatever those things are, I'm guessing we'd need magic to take them on. Fire or lights, if you've got them, I suppose? But I'm short either, myself."

Edited by: [url=http://p068.ezboard.com/brpgww60462.showUserPublicProfile?gid=idran1701>Idran1701</A] at: 12/20/06 0:00

by **Endesu** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 3:19 am

"Shut up!" The mage snapped, even as a bullet struck him in the arm. "They told me you were heading for him, and I'm more apt to believe them than some random idiot with an Arabian fetish and a proclivity to strike up conversations with potentially hostile strangers! I know you'll be heading for him eventually, and I'll be goddamned if I'm going to let you get to him before I do!"

This said, the mage thrust a finger forward, and a beam of energy went forth from Astrynax's finger... to Kelne's eye. Yes, you know which eye.

***

Jikuro nodded slightly, pausing to think about it momentarily.

"Or... we can attack it with the weapons we do have, as I'm about to."

Before Greg could get a word in edgewise, Jikuro swung open the door, rushed out into the fray and proceeded to open fire on the crowd of shadows.

by **Idran1701** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 3:47 am

...Blinking, a bit surprised, he steps out into the hall himself, sword out, and begins attempting to cut down the shadowy beings. Standing with his back to Jikuro and slicing what he can, he starts shouting above the noise of combat.

"All right, maybe it's just me, but shouldn't a living shadow be a bit less solid than this? Not that I'm complaining, of course."

by **Kelne** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:36 am

The mage was fast, but Kelne had been hit by this trick before, and he had a counter. He ducked. Not a particularly diabolical or long-term solution, but it would do for now.

Truth be told, the earlier fight had drained him considerably, and he was reasonably certain that even at his peak, he wouldn't be able to conclusively defeat this one. Not because he was any more skilled than himself, but because these people had an aggravating tendency to cheat death. As he'd been reminded recently.

Unfortunately, each encounter invariably forced him to delve deeper into his bag of tricks merely to stay alive. In any case, bullets constituted an annoyance at best, so he traded the pistol for his sword, bringing it into a position to block any future attacks.

Fighting down his anger, he kept up the conversation. Every moment brought him closer to the city, and if this idiot wanted to take on the guards within, Kelne was more than happy to let him.

"I take it you're not in it for the money."

by **Endesu** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 12:29 pm

Jikuro had already taken down a good number with a firestorm of ammunition. Greg, too, found that he was capable of taking out two or three here and there; the Shadows, as they were, seemed almost deceptively frail.

"A Shadow, if I remember correctly, is a living being who has essentially had the living essence sucked out of them; they're reduced to little more than a husk of their former self. So, in a sense, these are essentially zombies with dark blankets over their heads. The... corporation used quite a bit of these."

Even though they had taken down a good number, an equal number of Shadows emerged from parts unknown to replace the fallen. Unless something drastic was done, they would be overrun, frail opponents or no...

***

Astrynax appeared to let his arms fall; in their place, an aura of sorts formed around him... and as soon as it came into focus, it began to build in size and emnation of light.

"Have you not been listening? I'm here to get at that goddamned moogle, for my reasons alone. I don't give a damn about money or anything else that's material... I'm just here to claim my blood debt. I'm not the ignorant shit who bothers random people in the midst of brooding, now am I?"

The aura continued to build, though Astrynax did not attack as of yet...

Doma, as it was, was still somewhat far away...

by **Idran1701** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 8:51 pm

Starting to get a bit out of breath, Greg glances across the still-full hallway before speaking over to Jikuro.

"...Well, nonthreatening as these theme, we're not going to last long if they can keep replenishing themselves like that. I'd suggest we try to make our way to those sounds we were hearing upstairs."

He continues, just deflecting another slash from one of the dark creatures as he does.

"Any chance you know how to keep these things from...whatever they're doing? Regrowing...or manifesting...I dunno, whatever it is."

by **Kelne** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 11:35 pm

"Y'know, it's difficult to believe, but you've actually come up with a less sensible justification than being in it for the money."

Rather than letting the Astrynax lookalike carry on with what he was doing, he abruptly reversed direction, directing a chopping blow at the mage's midsection. Hopefully, he'd be too surprised by this sudden move to dodge.

"You've also got the Astrynax impression down pretty well. Minus the whole learning from experience thing, of course."

by **Endesu** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 11:50 pm

Jikuro continued to open fire on the shadows, suppressing their continued regrowth as much as she could. "Search me. Don't you have some kind of trick or surprise to use? Anything at all? I wasn't really prepared for this sort of situation, to tell the truth."

And her gun ran out. "And I'm pretty much out of ammo. I could reload..."

And she smacked her forehead. "Except I left the bag back in our room."

The shadows continued to rise around them...

If Greg were to check his surroundings for potential 'prank' items, he would find...

A pitcher of water, left unattended and somehow still standing, on the innkeeper's counter

A nice painting, on a wall close to Greg but behind a group of Shadows

A preserved fish, mounted on the wall opposite the painting

An umbrella, left by persons unknown just behind the innkeeper's counter

A duck, from parts unknown

***

Astrynax was indeed caught by surprise, and the blow did indeed land, dealing a sufficient amount of damage; however, there was no notable source of blood or anything else spurting from the wound, as the mage continued to charge.

"I could really care less if some random hick thinks ill of my goal. I'm not the one who bothers random people, now am I?" The mage continued to charge, and appeared to stop moving entirely, simply folding his arms together and hovering in place. His aura was far brighter and far larger at this point...

"And.... impression? You mean to say that I'm a fake, dressed up as someone I'm not?" The mage laughed, almost maniacally, as the aura built up even further. "Honestly, I doubt my name is well-known enough around here to attract imitators; it's only 1310."

Edited by: Crawling Reshiki at: 12/24/06 0:10

by **Idran1701** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 12:56 am

...Looking over what he can spot in the main room, he quickly puts together what plan he can. The pickings are a bit slim, but it's better than nothing.

Grabbing onto Jikuro, he presses past the Shadows, hoping their lack of outright aggression holds for now. If they can get past, Greg darts for the umbrella, flicking it open and using it as a short-term makeshift barrier against the dark beings, holding his weight behind it.

"Get the fireplace lit if you can! Dunno if light'd hurt them directly or not, but at least then we'd have some fire to work with!"

by **Kelne** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 1:04 am

"Actually, it's 1316. Do try and keep your facts straight. It so damages your credibility when you get the little things wrong."

Kelne's next move was to strike at the aura itself, channeling a dispel through his sword so as to disrupt whatever he was building up. And if that didn't work, well, he'd just have to try evasive maneouvres.

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