WEEK 4, DAY 7: MISSION

[wonderful_mods]

Mission: ---
Time Limit: ---
Noise Plane: ---
Wall instructions: ---
Wall rewards: ---
Reaped rewards: ---
Mission rewards: ---

[Darkness. Silence. That's all that hangs over Tatsumi Port. The city is completely blacked out, all signals are dead. No phones work, there's nothing but static on televisions and radios across town.

The sky is overcast, and the people on the Realground have found themselves looking up towards the sky... perhaps the giant tower standing where Gekkoukan High School once was might be an indication of why. Oddly, none on the RG seem to actually see it - at least, none of them notice it, judging by what you might find if you scan.

Speaking of scanning... the area is shockingly noise free. There's no interference, just a calm, unflinching acceptance.

All of the walls are down. Reapers have no orders, players have no mission. It's obvious there's one thing left to do.]

[[OOC Note: There is a Mission Reward, but the mods couldn't bear to let go of their radio silence. Mouse-over the dashes!]]

Comments

[apprisingreaper]

[She won't need to use her pins while climbing the tower. There aren't any shadows around, so the most Zecora needs to worry about is the labyrinth of corridors, the thousands of steps to go up, and the eerie red puddles spreading along the floor. As long as she doesn't let the confusing and suffocating silence get to her, she'll make it up to the top just fine.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[Zecora completely fails to notice than any of this should bother her. One of the advantages of being her. By the time she reaches the top, she's actually a little confused about how pleasantly atmospheric that trip was.]

[apprisingreaper]

[Well, she'd probably be one of the few people who is comfortable with the aura of the tower. The only other human that was at home in Tartarus was Ryoji.

That confort, unfortunately, came from the fact that the tower was meant to summon Nyx, just like he was meant to.

Or just like he did. That shadowy figure standing before Zecora clearly isn't human, despite the few familiar features. It's Ryoji, but it's not him.

It just stares at her, not blinking or flinching or frowning... or doing much of anything. That may change if Zecora retaliated, but for now, there's no need to do more than sit here and wait for the end.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[She steps right up to him to look him in the eyes, folding her arms.]

Well, Ryoji? Is this you?
Does the 'you' inside you have any clue?

[apprisingreaper]

There is still part of Ryoji here. But what I wish for does not matter. I have a duty to perform, and I will see it through regardless of what I may have desired in the past.

[So no, Zecora, he doesn't really have any consciousness anymore. Unfortunately, that not only makes this monster apathetic of anyone's existence, but makes it difficult to reason with it at all. Zecora can try if she wishes, but that won't stop the ending of this world.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[Sighing, Zecora reaches one hand -- the one without her Pins -- up to his shoulder, resting it there gently.]

[apprisingreaper]

[Unfortunately, the creature that Ryoji has become is a little too tall for Zecora to reach its shoulder. If she reaches up, she should at least be able to grab its hand, but that gesture, kind as it is, won't mean anything to Nyx.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[She'll settle for that. All she's really after is leverage to push said creature back into the flaming X she draws with Fiery Spirit, Spirited Fire.]

[Apparently, once Nyx isn't Ryoji any more, THEN Zecora has no problems fighting it.]

[apprisingreaper]

[The creature is obviously pained by the fire, making a short noise and jerking forward, out of the path of the flames, once it finds its footing again. Yet there is no retaliation, at least, not yet. It almost seems to be testing Zecora, determining whether she's actually ready for the long battle.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[Good luck, because as soon as it jerks forward, Zecora lunges forward with Velocity Attack sheathing her, both to crash into him and knock him back once again.]

[apprisingreaper]

[That double attack seems to injure Nyx quite a bit, but it flies up out of the way to avoid the rest of the attacks, landing behind Zecora and speaking calmly, as if they aren't in the middle of a battle.]

The moment man devoured the fruit of knowledge, he sealed his fate... Entrusting his future to the cards, man clings to a dim hope. Yes, the Arcana is the means by which all is revealed... Attaining one's dream requires a stern will and unfailing determination.

[There's a small pulse of light before Nyx raises a hand, casting a fire spell.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[Creepy Weepy Barrier goes up, shielding Zecora from the spell.]

Spin a better story if you can!
You forget I'm a zebra, not a man!

[She jumps at him, intending to use the barrier offensively as well as defensively.]

[apprisingreaper]

[Well, that does more damage than expected. If Zecora can keep that barrier up for a decent amount of time, she might deal enough damage to force it to change tactics again.]