epidemiology | EVENT ★ THE USUAL SUSPECTS

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EVENT ★ THE USUAL SUSPECTS

THE BARRIER

As promised, Arthur has the means to unlock that first, crucial step to saving the ALASTAIR recruits: unveiling the runes maintaining the barrier. He has sequestered himself in a rented room in the inn down the road from the prison; he’s at a good enough distance to keep his concentration unbroken, but near enough that he can reach the runes in question. The recruits are told to be ready, to wait for his signal before they take action.

The signal comes just after the stroke of 5 on the town’s clocks, at what would be dawn in a world of less darkness. There’s a shimmer in the air around the brick building of the jail, like the surface of a bubble. Then suddenly the runes are there: glowing bright green, flaming into existence at various points along and within the barrier.

There are at least 30 of them along the outside. They’re etched on walls, scribed into doors, carved into the very ground. These have to be destroyed first to make any progress, in any way the recruits are able to. Once these all have been broken, erased, or scattered (and some of them are cleverly hidden or out of reach -- have you checked the topmost brick in the clock tower of the jailhouse?), the first defense of the barrier has fallen. Then the jailhouse itself can be rushed, but magic is still hampered until every rune is destroyed. From there the runes can be found every few feet in the walls, ceilings, and floors of the jail, and only once each one is broken will the spell be completely lifted, magic and abilities restored to the area, and the inmates considerably easier to break out.

The recruits aren’t the only ones that can see those runes, though. The jailers are quick to react, and some spring to the defense of the runes while others rush to sound the alarm, calling even more armed guards to the area. Even city guards start to show up in response to the alarm -- there’s definitely a time limit on this venture. Dispose of the runes, rescue your friends, and be out of the area quickly, or you might just be overrun with armed, angry opposition.

THE ESCAPE

By the time those in the cells are finally brought out, it’s pandemonium. The guards, jailers and city guards alike, might not have been able to stop ALASTAIR’s recruits from destroying the runes and bringing down the barrier, but they’re determined at least to stop dangerous criminals from escaping into the city. And these criminals were due to be hung, so they’re not looking to take anyone down peacefully. They’ll be going for the killing blows.

The best chance will be to rely on numbers and scatter. In ones and twos and threes, people should be taking to shadowy alleys, slipping around corners, even dropping down into the sewers, if they have to. Anything to thin out and disappear. The most capable and destructive fighters are asked to stay as long as they can, giving the bulk of the rest of the escapees time to disappear into that unending night.

THE COOLDOWN

Those that helped free their friends probably won’t run into too many problems in the following days, unless you run into a guard with a few injuries and a long memory. The ex-prisoners, though, are another story. They were in there long enough that the men and women who guarded them know most of their faces quite well, and since they’re out of prisoners to guard, what else do they have to do but take to the streets and search? Ex-prisoners should play it carefully, then, if they don’t want to end up right back where they started. Guards are more than happy to cause an immediate fracas should they spot anyone that belongs in jail.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t go out at all! Just, you know, take a disguise with you. As if anticipating the rising demand for them, all local merchant shops seem to be stocking up on scarves, shawls, and bulky clothing. Isn’t that nice? Most of them don’t really care what anyone did to end up in jail, they just want to share in on those ALASTAIR-paid wages.

If spotted, townsfolk have varied opinions of the escapees. Some are mistrustful and bitter, and will immediately alert guards upon realizing who they’re dealing with. Some of them really don’t care. They’re tired of the darkness, tired of the conflicts, they just want to get on with life. One old man in particular seems to inexplicably love all ALASTAIR recruits, the ex-prisoners in particular, and will insist on buying a drink and playing a game of chess with any of them he runs into. The goblins, of course, have pretty good opinions of anyone on the wrong side of the king, and will be your best bet for finding lodging and food. Some of them might even think of you as a hero, or at least a roguishly charming vigilante.

Spend your post-breakout time well, and try not to make any more enemies.

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[it's true. she needs to think fast. rin stands firm, jewel pressing an indentation into her palm the longer she clutches it so tightly in one hand.]

Of course I'm all right with running. It's the only option. ... I don't intend to kill anyone, today.

[she doesn't much care if any alastair members judge her for that, either.]

As long as you don't end their lives, you can go ahead and do whatever you want to do.

Just what I wanted to hear.

[Especially "I don't want to kill anyone". His kind of person right there.

So, you know how he showed up without warning? The same thing has happened - except rather than a skeleton, it's a trash can, and he tips it just enough in her direction to get the message across.]

Hop in, and we're outta here.

[She could ask any number of things here, but now the guards are advancing. And she did say "anything". Clock is ticking...

But as if expecting confusion, he adds-]

It's a shortcut.

[rin, unfortunately, lacks any idea of what the trash can would indicate aside from the fact it is... a trash can. in addition to being structurally ineffective against sharp weapons, it is also highly unlikely that there's a portal that's a "shortcut" at the end of it, or it's a necessary component of some sort of magecraft.

she looks at the trash can, looks at sans, looks at the trash can again and finally, as if acknowledging the guards, stares at him with one very firm warning.]

You know, if you're joking around with me, I can still save myself. But I will not be happy with you.

[she's sure to keep hold of her jewel, bracing it between two fingers and channeling her magical energy into it already so that if the trash can is—in fact—just a trash can, the guards won't know what hit them with the magic that explodes at the critical moment. she could also call archer. as for right now, however...

frowning, rin carefully climbs into the one place all of fate canon belongs: the trash.]

Edited (repetition...) 2015-12-07 02:39 (UTC)

[Stepping into the trash can fully suddenly creates the sensation of falling down one of those tube slides, only with the actual sliding part cut out of it. It's like pushing yourself in at the top and suddenly falling out the bottom instantly without pause. Once she does, she'll find herself lying on the ground at another part of the jail's grounds, and for the moment they're alone.

Yes, they. Sans is already there, as if he arrived before she did, standing with his hands in his pockets and looking down at her.

Their trash can friend, sadly, was left behind. r.i.p.]

You have a banana peel in your hair.

[the sensation of gravity giving out beneath her is the last event rin expected. as a result, she's sprawled over the cold ground once she can actually process her surroundings again, and she blinks up at sans' skeleton-y face, both hands open and her jewel harmlessly rolling away from her palm to hit the dirt and stones.

at his comment, she reaches up to her immaculate twintails hairstyle immediately.]

I...! What?! There's a banana?

[well, here you go, sans. is there really a banana peel, or are you just joking with her?]

[Nah, true to his word there is a banana peel stuck to one of her twintails. Gross.

He could help, but he's just watching her instead.]

Yeah, the left one- [Gesturing.] -no, my left. Little more. Little more...there, you got it.

[you're the only gross one, sans! rin eventually paws it away with an undignified squeak. the rancid banana peel tumbles lifelessly to the dirt, and when she sees it, she springs into a sitting position and carefully inches to the side to avoid it. ew. it's like it's toxic.]

Didn't you clean your— shortcut, before you used it?

It's a trash can, kid. They don't tend to stay clean.

[Honestly, Rin. Although he's also implying that was just some random trash can too, and not one specifically belonging to him.]

[she's grasped that part, too... once all trash can garbage is no longer a pressing danger, she visibly relaxes.]

It can't be helped. I won't complain since it got me out of the way of those guards.

[rin, this probably counts as complaining, sort of. but she speaks mostly to herself at first, and it's now that she really looks at sans. predictably, she isn't so alarmed by his talking skeleton self; not anymore.]

... Thank you.

Don't mention it. You're one of Papyrus' friends, right? So I don't mind looking out for you sometimes.

[Surely Papyrus must have mentioned her.

It's not like he was stalking your conversation or anything.]

[—he took the words right out of her mouth.]

I was about to ask you about that, you know. I wondered if you knew Papyrus. We haven't actually met in person, but we've talked over the communication jewels.

[she stops, like she's having trouble understanding something he just said.]

He called me a friend of his?

Know him? He's my kid brother.

[And won't it be funny when she sees him now, considering the height difference.]

But he doesn't have to call you one. I know him well enough to know it's just how he is; the guy likes everybody, even if they don't feel the same way.

Even if...

...well. That's a conversation for another day.

But fact is, you've got yourself a skeleton friend for life.

Edited 2015-12-14 13:53 (UTC)

[it will be. she has pretty much no idea what papyrus looks like, let alone that he's so much taller.

rin finally stands up. at her full height again, she's a foot or so above sans. she's awfully quiet as she pats down her skirt and her coat, but it isn't for lack of a conversation topic. her eyes flit off into the distance, attempting to get a feel for where they've landed.]

He considers me a friend, huh...

[her stare is a little hard. indiscernible.]

... Even though I'm a human, and I use magic.

[It's not too hard to figure out what she means; Papyrus must have mentioned the whole barrier situation to her.

And if things had worked out a little better for this Sans, maybe he would have reassured her, saying she's his friend too. That the barrier wasn't anyone's fault except some idiots 1000 years ago, and holding onto any resentment over it wasn't doing anybody any favours.

But...more than any other monster, he knows the true depths of human cruelty. He might not blame Rin, or Olivia or any human he meets here for what happened back home, but it's an example of a human who could do the greatest kindness and still go back on it all, simply on a whim.

No, he can't blame them, but he can't trust them, either. Not like Papyrus would, even if he knew what happened. That's what made his brother so strong, and Sans so weak. That's how he saw it.]

He's amazing, isn't he? A real gem. No matter what happens he always strives to do the right thing. To make people happy.

Hell, if he thought for a second it was bothering you, he'd do everything he could to help you get over it.

So my advice, even if it's just for his sake...don't let the past get in the way, okay kid? Just be his friend...it's what he wants.

[she doesn't need his reassurance. in rin's world, if someone locked her behind a barrier for years, she'd probably never forgive them—to say nothing of suffering on the receiving end of more violent treatment. there's a part of her that wants to forgive shinji, but the bounded field he set lasted only a portion of the school day. she does not know what monsters like sans and papyrus went through and it's not her place to expect a friendship out of either of them, or anyone in alastair, for that matter.

if he's weak, she is "weak", as well. but she doesn't think of it that way. the world is cruel. trust should not be given freely, nor should kindness, and it's terrible, but they aren't weak; they're just surviving. she's been surviving for a long time.]

He's always that nice? [she doesn't sound like she's doubting sans. she's had proof of it herself, after all. the moment she asked about what happened with the humans, papyrus strived to brush it off.] —Then yes, he is out of the ordinary. Just who do you think I am that I'd focus on a past that isn't my own?

[it's a lie, of course. she always remembers things like this. she always keeps them in mind, for the people she deals with.

rin's brow furrows.]

I don't know what those humans were thinking. What I do know is that I'll only do what I think is right. It's ridiculous for a magus to do anything less.

[she whips around to face sans. blankly:]

Someone is going to use him here.

[It's a fairly transparent cover, unfortunately. Then again, nothing really passes by Sans anyway; he's a smart guy. If it didn't matter, she wouldn't have brought it up in the context of their conversation.

Or...that's how he sees it.

But at the same time, if it's what she wants, he won't say anything. You totally don't care Rin.]

Heh...yeah, I know. Living with your heart wide open to everyone...you may as well paint a big target on your skull.

But you know, it just means guys like him need guys like me around. Anyone tries to cheat him, I'll put a stop to it. That's what big brothers are for, y'know?

[yeah, she totally doesn't care.

hearing his answer, rin just nods, though. ultimately, she approves of whatever he's chosen to tell her. and the reasons may not be clear right now, she still might be a human "kid" with a little too much attitude and a whole lot of perceived maturity to take on, but the look in her eyes implies they aren't so different.]

That's what I was about to say. If I were you, I wouldn't let anyone try to hurt him at all.

[he's not locked away from his brother like she once was (still is) from her sister—there's no surpassing that "barrier".

she shifts on her feet. it may be time to move on. she has more people to check on, to save.]

How can I thank you for helping me...? You realize I owe you one, now. Even if it was a trash can you sent me through.

[If only it were so easy...you can't protect someone all of the time. That's why it's important when you can to pick the time you're needed most.]

I guess this is where we part ways. I won't be hanging around much longer.

[He puts his hands into the pockets on his jacket, like he's preparing to leave.]

If you really wanna pay me back...keep an eye on him for me, alright? That's all I want.

I can do that.

[surprisingly, rin doesn't offer much argument here. it's simple enough. she likes papyrus. she can stand to be around him.]

You barely know me, but you're already trusting me. [she shakes her head. that is not a statement meant for papyrus, but sans. sans didn't call her a friend, and yet he's essentially requesting she watches over his brother.

that signifies something.]

I won't be able to keep an eye on him all of the times that you can't. No one can do that for you.

[she's about to step off, then:]

What's your name, by the way?

[she's never asked.]

It's Sans.

Listen...don't get the wrong idea.

Do you know what'll happen if I don't tell you to look out for him?

You'll both hang out anyway...because it's like I said. He wants to be your friend.

[I don't trust you.]

So if it's gonna happen anyway, I may as well ask you to do it.

Edited 2015-12-16 11:15 (UTC)

I mean, you don't seem like a bad kid. Maybe you're trustworthy, but...

I'm not my brother. Remember that.

And if you ever do take advantage of him...

[...]

You're gonna have a bad time.

[Much like what happened before as he'd dumped her through the trash can, for the briefest of moments her perception of everything is suddenly affected, but it's very brief, only as if she'd blinked just that bit longer than usual and everything went dark - but when it's over and her vision is back to normal, Sans is gone.

Maybe he didn't need that trash can after all.]

Edited 2015-12-16 11:16 (UTC)

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defenceless - 2015-12-16 15:29 (UTC) - Expand

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