epidemiology | EVENT ★ LABYRINTH II

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EVENT ★ LABYRINTH II

DEEPER

Following the marked path near the lake leads Audentes (and George) further into the maze, closer to the goal found at the center. Some other inmates (including Zymandis agent Mavahari) and correctional officers follow along, having picked up on the organized manner of Audentes and figuring it’s their best bet on getting out of here alive.

Unlike the dry stone and sand in the outer ring of the maze, this next section is overflowing with flora. Jungle vines cling to the walls to the point where seeing the stone underneath is a difficult task; trees sprout from between cracked tiles, bearing alien-looking fruit; branches and brambles cross certain parts of the maze, and will need to be hacked through unless you want to find another way around.

Water is more plentiful now as well, since obviously the plants need it to flourish. For the first time since setting foot in the labyrinth, a rain begins to fall, drizzling and gentle. This can be a respite or an annoyance, depending on how you look at it: while it’s soothing and can make collection of fresh, clean water easier, walking around in wet clothes is probably not that pleasant.

Your fellow ALASTAIR recruit George has inexplicably struck up a friendship with the Zymandis agent Mavahari, and they can often be found exploring the maze together, with Mavahari helping him due to his broken arm. They seem to be getting along well enough, but maybe checking in with George is in order.

Otherwise, survival is the name of the game; though the center of the labyrinth is closer, it’s impossible to tell how close, and how long to expect to be here. Collecting water is simple enough, but food is growing scarce. The tree fruits may be a good solution, but it seems as though some have unfortunate reactions to them, ranging from stomach cramps to rashes to fever and temporary blindness.

But an allergic reaction may just be the least of your worries.

LOVE ME LIKE A REPTILE

The monsters seen so infrequently in the outer ring of the maze are now a common nuisance. Giant insects and rats scurry about, hungry for whatever flesh they can find, but they’re easily defeated, particularly if encountered as a group. But with new terrain comes new, adaptive animals, and the labyrinth is no different.

Lizards are now the main threat: enormous and camouflaged, they stalk their prey and take their time, looking for the perfect opportunity to ambush. The lizards are three-headed, with each head containing fangs dripping with venom, capable of rendering its victims paralyzed within five seconds flat. Their blood is also poisonous, capable of burning through metal, not to mention flesh.

If a head is severed, the lizard will retreat back into the jungle, presumably to nurse its wounds but possibly to grow another head -- no lizard will ever be encountered with less than three heads, so it’s possible they have regenerative abilities. The best way to defeat one is to remove all three heads at once, or simply kill it in whatever way possible. The lizards are quick and mean, but not invincible.

Now more than ever, it’s important to take care in exploring the maze. Stray too far from the group or try to make it alone, and you might not survive.

OOC NOTES

Once again, we have a plotting post here and search requests for the next ring of the maze.

Please note: during the labyrinth event, all drops are ICly delayed. What this means is that characters who drop will be handwaved to still be around on auto-pilot until connection with Oska is resumed, at which point they will be transferred to a different team as usual.

If you have any questions about the labyrinth that aren't answered here, please direct them to the Leramzen dossier. If you have questions for any NPCs, please direct them there as well!

Questions about the game in general should be directed to the FAQ and you may submit mission ideas or player plots at any time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[While Urahara's being extra on the ground, Maya will be extra up in the trees. As frustrated as she is to hunt and fight lizards and defend herself against jungle madness, she's not stupid enough to push her luck by separating from the rest of the group. In fact, this secluded area of Urahara weirdness is about as deep into the jungle she's gone by herself, except that she's climbed up a tree to try to grab some of that fruit. She's so focused on her task that it doesn't click that he's there until she's hanging off of a semi-sturdy branch to swipe at her prey--]

[and fails to catch it, meaning it comes hurtling down towards a puddle of that acidic blood. She lunges forward in a failed attempt to catch it that does nothing but shake the branch she's semi-precariously hanging off of, alas. But hey, if Urahara fought this lizard, he can surely avoid some splashing from a badly timed unintentional cannonball]

[Hopefully]

H-Heads up! [She calls out, far too late to be a proper warning]

[The warning may be a bit too late, but Urahara's reflexes are sharp even when lost in thought. Just before the fruit makes landfall, he swipes a hand out to catch it.]

Maya-san~ [He lilts, looking up into the tree and holding the fruit up so she can see it.] And you accuse me of always finding trouble.

[And thus, the day is saved]

[And Maya's hanging awkwardly from a tree]

You were the one hanging out here with lizard blood! You could have burned your feet off, you know.

[She puffs her cheeks up from up there. He's right, she did find trouble, he's got a hat and likes to creep around dead lizards] ....Sorry, though. That could've been bad.

[He straightens up.] Now, now, I'm a much more careful scientist than that! But you look like you're a second away from being half the girl you used to be.

[Get it. Get it. 'Cause you're about to fall into dead lizard blood and have half your body dissolved.. You know what, it's not funny if it's explained.] Would you like some help?

I think you mean twice the girl I used to be. [Since there'd be two of her!!! The acid would just split her into two Maya halves, that's how acid works.]

[she looks down from where she is, straining to hang onto the branch and starting to sweat a little from the exertion]

I, um...... [She stammers a little, because she's concerned about being an inconvenience. Her priorities are A+, clearly] What, like flashjump me down, Mr. Urahara?

I was thinking more along the lines of you letting go of the branch and me catching you. [He grins, cheeky as ever.] There are worse things in life than falling into the arms of a handsome older gentleman~

[He's being a dick, but still. Urahara, stop.]

I don't know if I see any of those around there....

[Wow, Maya.... way to sass your would-be rescuer. It comes out instinctively, because she's a little shit, but she hesitates a little after that]

Um... are you sure? What if I'm heavy?

[Yes, this twig who weighs 10 pounds soaking wet and hasn't eaten a decent meal in how many weeks now is definitely too heavy for him]

[SO AFFRONTED. But honestly, any twig of a girl who can say something like that about her weight doesn't deserve to have such a comment held against her.]

Unless you're carrying rocks in your pockets, I don't see how you could be~ [Please Maya.] Don't worry so much. You've been much braver when I was less trustworthy, haven't you?

I.. I've got muscle! You can't see it from down there, but.... I've been working out!

[He's right, though, she's fussing over nothing. She wiggles a little from where she's hanging, glancing down at him, then takes a little breath]

I'm not--- scared or anything! And I'm about to drop! Are you ready for this, Mr. Urahara?

[And abruptly, she just lets go and starts falling. This is one hell of a trust fall. Punctuated by---]

CANONBAAAAAALLL!

[maya no]

[Were he a normal human, he probably would have caught her and faceplanted into acid blood and that would be the end of them him, but he isn't human and he has better reflexes than that, but her sudden drop does come as a momentarily surprise that he stumbles a bit when he catches her.]

Y-you don't do things by halves when you set your mind to it, do you, Maya-san? [He's impressed. And a little bit caught off-guard.]

[She's trying to break the tension!!!]

[Probably??]

[Anyway, she gives a relieved sigh when he catches her and doesn't die, despite all the... Mayaing]

Well... I just thought I'd go all out, you know! [now she looks sheepish] I might have overdone it, though, sorry.

It keeps me on my toes. It would be a shame if my reflexes dulled out here.

[He steps away from the blood pool with his arms full of Maya and sets her down safe and sound.] The next time I face one of those monsters I might not be so lucky, you know?

You say that, but I don't believe it, Mr. Urahara. I saw you flash stepping! Those lizards wouldn't stand a chance, you'd just run circles all around them.

[Ahh.... solid ground... she's already forgotten her reason for going up the tree in the first place]

[He places a hand over his heart, hamming up his reaction to her praise.] Ah. You're going to embarrass me at this rate. Did you really come all this way out here just to watch? [fan thwoorp.]

Sure, let's go with that. [both... kinda playing along and still teasing]

[why did he think hamming at her would work? It never has in the past]

I bet you've got loads of other tricks up your big puffy sleeves, don't you?

[Because he's a giant ham and it just comes naturally.]

[Fan thwoorp. Thank god for there being a word for just casually snapping a fan open at random. Also, wow, he has a fan up his sleeve, Maya. That's all.] I'm sure I'm not the only one.

[Doubletalking and deflecting onto other people is a gr8 tactic.] In fact, most of Audentes are more than what they appear to be, don't you think?

[HE'S NOT SPECIAL. REALLY. HE'S JUST A SHOPKEEPER... /magical ghost.]

That's only one trick! Don't skimp out on me! [But she can't deny the practicality of having a fan to snap out and make his point with]

Yeah, I do think that. We've got a pretty impressive bunch here! [except for Maya herself....... at least as far as she thinks. Not that she'll admit it out loud] Fooooor example..... you're kind of a spirit or something, right?

[The fan cannot hide Urahara's look of shock. It's not that he's really hard-pressed to keep it a secret anymore. It's just that he'd rather avoid the questions, and anyway it's not like it really matters.

But this is the first time anyone has ever just guessed. And you think you're not extraordinary, Maya.]

You can tell?

A pretty strong one, too! [That's more of an outright guess, (he is a strong presence, as far as she can tell, spiritually, but these aren't the kind of spirits she's used to. It's interesting to see him so off-guard like this]

[maybe he isn't used to being #calledout]

Yep! Kinda comes with the territory. [Of being a spirit medium... in training] Did I surprise you, Mr. Urahara? I guess even really impressive people can be surprised.

So it seems.

[It's both. Definitely both.] Well, I've been here for over a year now, and no one has actually guessed. I think I've allowed most of the team to keep assuming I'm human.

[He says "I think" as an afterthought. Like maybe he's stopped letting people believe that, as opposed to like actually telling them. Classic Kisuke.] It can get complicated having to explain that to anyone who isn't spiritually sensitive.

It shouldn't be that big of a deal, though.... we've got all sorts of people here, aliens and undead and all. You'd think, after doing the big ol' timeline shuffle, people would have an open mind about it.

[It certainly opened her mind... and this was someone with an already active imagination]

Plus, it's not like you're the only spirit hanging around.

It's a bit more complicated than that... [He's the only shinigami, which comes chock full of even more assumptions... unless he's completely daft or they're better at concealing their spiritual pressure than even he is, so she's still got him intrigued.]

Oh? I'm afraid they've never bothered to introduce themselves to me.

It shouldn't be! We got boatloads of special people here, so why should special spirits be any different?

[But that's curious, though. She thought he'd have known already, since he's mister smartypants and all]

Maybe they're shy, or maybe they just don't wanna hafta explain again, like you.

Edited 2017-09-04 23:14 (UTC)

[Or they're Mettaton and they're in denial...]

Well, that's a valid point, but people do tend to have very specific ideas about what a shinigami is. They might think that I'm marking them for death at every available opportunity.

[Or something equally ridiculous. Shinigami. Grim reaper. They all come with their own things that different people believe and don't believe. And none of them are true, but it's not really for the living to know the details of the afterlife.]

[That too]

It'd make a fun prank though, wouldn't it? You could get a scythe and dress all in black and be like "your time has come!"

[Maya no]

Anyway, it's kinda the opposite! You kinda saved most of the team from a sticky end in Woodhurst, so it'd be kinda silly if people thought you were out to collect them for the grave or something.

EVENT ★ LABYRINTH II

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lemme know if this isn't ok and i will change!

NO IT'S BEAUTIFUL. i'M CACKLING.

I'm glad ;D

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