WEEK 2 DAY 5: MISSION

[wonderful_mods]

Mission: "Free the Black Rose from the Hydra's grasp."
Time Limit: Medium
Noise Plane: Solo
Wall Instructions: Key walls around the church, other walls as you see fit. Do not use Noise as a wall clearing condition. Harriers may still attack players with Noise.
Wall Rewards: Tin Pin Thrift
Reaped Rewards: Lovely Beam
Mission Rewards: Black Rose



[Well. Nobody did erase the GM last week, did they? Even if they did, she obviously had some trick up her sleeve, as she's definitely skulking around town... in several places, even. She's obviously been demoted, as well, judging by the scowl on her face. She doesn't seem to be harrying today - another reason for the scowl, judging by how aggressive she was at the end of last week. The reapers have a strange set of instructions as well - obviously, the goal to this mission isn't combatative.

And what's with guarding the church? There's nothing of note there.]

Comments

[needsmorezippers]

Really? [Huh. That's... really weird. Technically, this was around the church, but he wouldn't have thought to put up a wall down here.

Does that stop him from continuing? Hell no.]

[juuichi_yosamu]

[Easy work is boring work - players aren't even thinking to come down here. Probably for the best, since missions are meant to be difficult, not impossible.

Which meant, he figured, that the reason his mission was 'special' was because he was walling off something from someone other than players. Hm. And sure enough, just as he gets that suspicion, here come two reapers - two familiar reapers - heading his way.]

[tamedhollow]

Definitely. I can sense it. [Ichigo follows after Neku, down into the entrance to the catacombs below the church. Creepy... then he spots a familiar green Pokémon. Guarding a... wall?]

Grovyle? What are you doing down here? [he gives Neku a look, then turns back to Grovyle and gestures to the wall] What's with the wall? No Player is going to find this place. Hell, I only found it because I can track souls.

[needsmorezippers]

[He's seen this... thing(?) around, first as a Player and then a Reaper, but Neku's never actually talked to him. He'll let Ichigo talk for the moment, while trying to figure out why the hell this is here..]

[juuichi_yosamu]

[Hell if he knows what this wall is for.]

Got specific instructions to guard this spot. You're right, though - no player is going to stumble on this except by complete random chance.

[He smirks, a bit. Considering it's Mr. Must Fix Everything, his intuitions seem even more right than before.]

Maybe it's not to keep out the Players.

[tamedhollow]

[Ichigo gives a bit of a sneer] Specific instructions, huh? [Now that leaves a bad taste in his mouth. He brushes past Grovyle and taps on the wall with his highest level Keypin... no good] A wall to keep out Reapers... you know we want to see what's on the other side, Grovyle.

[needsmorezippers]

[Yea, that's never a good sign. Neku sticks a hand in his pocket, out of habit more than anything. He should still have some of the higher up key pins... but if this really is a 'special' mission, those might not work either.]

Do you have any idea why they asked you to do this?

[juuichi_yosamu]

Obviously, whatever's in here is important. Probably not to the mission, otherwise the mail would've led Players here.

[Yeah, it's suspicious as hell. At the same time...]

It could be a trap, you know. There's been a lot of poking around this week, and this all seems a little too convenient.

[tamedhollow]

[Ichigo tilts his head, then lays his hand on the wall] So what? You aren't curious about it? Maybe it is a trap. But we won't know until we spring it.

[needsmorezippers]

[Neku approaches the wall now, glancing down at his pocket to see if he can rifle out his key pins.] Did they give you a specific condition, or do you get to come up with one?

[juuichi_yosamu]

...It's not my place to ask. And I think that's the entire reason they asked me, instead of you two, even though you've been doing a better job than me.

[And with that, he smirks, that wall reaper 'tone' coming back.]

Though a door that doesn't open is just a wall. They never told me NOT to let people through here.

[He chuckles a little, glancing at Neku rifling through his pocket.]

Want past the wall? Show me you're willing to play by the players' rules. I haven't had anything to eat for the past couple days, think you could bring me something? Can't exactly move on the acting orders.

[tamedhollow]

Because you don't ask questions? [he smiles a little, wryly, at that. He and Neku asked a lot of questions. Wanted to change things. Well... just enough to get themselves home, anyway.]

Hm? Something to eat? [Ichigo nods. That doesn't sound too hard] I can grab you something. What do you want?

[juuichi_yosamu]

I'm happy with just about anything at this point, though I'd prefer warm and not all that spicy.

[Considering a grovyle's similarity to a raptor, it's not unlikely that he can eat meat, too, if need be.]

[needsmorezippers]

[Well, if they can play by the rules, might as well.] Ok, sure. [shrug! they'll find something.]

[tamedhollow]

[Ichigo nods and heads off, bringing Neku with him. The nearest food is a little deli cafe, serving sandwiches and the like. Easy enough. Ichigo buys a toasted turkey club for Grovyle and a bag of potato chips... and then gets a ham and cheese for himself too. Which he eats on the way. The sandwich is still warm when he hands the bag over to Grovyle]

Turkey club... not sure what you like, so you can just pick off anything you don't want. The bread's very fresh though, it'll stick to the roof of your mouth. Good enough?

[juuichi_yosamu]

[It's a familiar motion by now, regardless of what kind of pin it is - shake the leaves, drop the pin into his hand. The wall goes down with little fanfare.]

Yeah. You know I'm on you guys's side. Just... don't go getting erased, alright? You can't fix things if you're made into "examples".

[He did his job. He manned a wall, and nobody saw nothin'.]

[needsmorezippers]

Not planning on it.

[Still, it's something they probably do need to keep in mind... the higher ups aren't stupid, after all.]

Thanks.

[tamedhollow]

We won't. Thanks, Grovyle. If you hear screams, go get help. [he gives a little wave, then heads down into the catacombs... not knowing what to expect. So he moves slowly]

[wonderful_mods]

[The pungent stench of mildew emanates from the wet dungeon walls Catacombs are a bit of a misnomer, as there's neither any dead entombed in the tunnel, nor is it very labyrinthine. There's no natural light for quite some way, but even with the echoing sound of motion above, the passageway is quiet enough to pick out bits and pieces of a hushed conversation much further in.]

...TOLD you it'd work. Now we know...
...-f COURSE they're coming...
...already got it covered...

[needsmorezippers]

[Neku hears the voices and holds out a hand to stop Ichigo- he doesn't say anything, just glancing over at him. Yup, some kind of trap. Good thing he has some of his really good pins on him.]

[tamedhollow]

[YOU ARE ATTACKED BY A GRUE. Wait, no. No grues.

Ichigo sees extremely well in the dark, almost as good as he sees in broad daylight, and his eyes glow dimly in the darkness. Hollows are predators, after all. His hearing is pretty damn good, too, so Neku holding up his hand isn't required to make him stop. He stops the second he hears the whispering, the fur on his neck standing on end.

He gives Neku a nod, and then summons out his "sword"; more just a vaguely sword-shaped blade of black and red flame held in his hand. He steps in front of Neku, lifting his feet to keep his claws from clicking on the stone. He gives a little jerk of his head, indicating that he wants to go first. He continues forward, quietly, keeping his tail out and touching Neku's leg ever so slightly. Keep close.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[The two of them are not alone.]

[..obviously, but there's sound coming from behind them, and a pair of eerie yellow eyes approaching from the darkness.]

[wonderful_mods]

[Closer to the source of the conversation, the voices get clearer - words can be made out. In addition, there's a bit of dim light, enough to see two dimly-lit figures with noticable reaper wings. On the other hand, it's still far enough away that there's little way of telling which one of the two is speaking.]

"I told you. Everything is under control. Trust your partner and all that, right? That was one of the things her game was supposed to teach."

"You're talking like you know something again. You said those pins would be the perfect bait, and then you made everything into a cheap B-movie horror. How much aren't you telling me?"

"Showing the world what cards you're holding is only good for the shock factor once."

"...wait. Do you hear footsteps?"

[After that, the two reapers look back down the passageway, silently, waiting to catch another sound.]

[tamedhollow]

[Ichigo hears Zecora before he sees her. Hard not to hear the sound of hooves on a stone surface. He turns around and holds out his hand in a clear "stop, wait" motion. He gets a little closer and listens, carefully.

Trust your partner... Reapers could have partners?

But when they stop talking, Ichigo stops moving closer, standing still as can be and hoping that Zecora and Neku would as well]

[needsmorezippers]

[Neku's been listening carefully, frowning as he hears the conversation. One of these people is responsible for yesterday's mission, then... already, he can tell this won't be pleasant. Neku doesn't move, but he is on edge, ready for most anything.]