EVENT ★ CRUMBLING WORLD

[futurologists]

GO Are you prepared for the fight of your life? You better be. The Oska staff and the others who are staying behind gather in the courtyard to wish the recruits luck. It's a much more formal affair than rifting out to missions usually is, with recruits casting spells on each other for luck and for strength, and still others passing around potions and elixirs for healing and stamina. In addition to Audentes and the guests' teams, there are also a number of ex-convicts from the Asterion Prison ready to rift out as well, and familiar teams like Mariposa, Squirrel Fucker, and Unicorn. The undead catlike humanoid Pomarr stands near a brother and sister recruited from Q-65. A handful of former Zymandis agents look uncomfortable in their new purple uniforms but grimly ready for action, with Mavahari at the head of their team. And Team Kittypaw, Audentes's big sister team, is of course ready to get their hands (and paws) dirty right alongside everyone else. A green-skinned alien who works in the Medical Center steps forward and gives a brief statement of hope and a wish for luck. Then the recruits flagged for the rift begin to glow, the world flickers white, and it's time for the crumbling world. THE LAND AND SKY When the contingent of ALASTAIR teams rifts in, it's onto a series of unsteady, crumbling stretches of land. Why the land is so unsteady is quickly apparent: they are floating platforms, unused to the sudden weight of so many bodies. The platforms are so wobbly that some unlucky ones may lose their footing and actually go sliding toward the edge. This is not a soft landing by any means. Once you get your bearings, you'll want to start toward a castle rising in the distance: the Ophiel AI still active inside the ex-Zymandis agents' jewelcomms pinpoints it as the location of the TIMELINE.exe's signal. But don't expect an easy stroll to reach it. The entire landscape is separated into floating, drifting chunks of crumbling earth, with no way to travel between them but to jump. Making things even more difficult is the steam rolling over the platforms, obscuring the edges and reducing visibility all around. As the planet cracks apart, its surface peels back to let lava heat up the atmosphere, causing the steam and filling the air with oppressive heat and humidity. The lava occasionally burbles up into geysers, so be careful when jumping from platform to platform, and make sure you time it right. Patrolling some of the larger platforms are Zymandis robot guards. If you avoid the large platforms and take advantage of the camouflage provided by the steam, you might be able to avoid the robots . . . but if the steam clears, look out: they're equipped with laser weapons and can rocket boost short distances to whatever platform you may be hiding on. And not only is their close proximity bad for you, but their extra weight is bad for the already-fragile platforms. Make it past all these obstacles -- the platforms, the steam, the lava, the robots -- and you'll find the biggest platform where the castle sits, itself a crumbling mass of stone. THE CASTLE The castle is made of dark and brittle stone, and is palpably thrumming with magic and electricity, like a dark twin to Oska's own castle. It's situated on a platform floating high above the others, fortuitously far enough from the lava below that there's a respite from the humidity and heat. But this far up in the sky, the opposite appears to be the problem: the wind is cold and biting, threatening to push anyone right off the ledge. Best push on into the castle itself. Just beyond the massive gated door is the grand hall of the castle, though in its crumbling state, it's objectively not very grand at all. Elaborate stained glass windows once filled the walls and ceiling, most of the panes now on the ground in jagged piles of glass alongside stone rubble. It's probably best not to stand in one place for too long -- you never know when some other structure in the castle will collapse. Some time may be spent exploring the grand hall before moving on, though there's not much to find. A rusted halberd here, a pile of useless debris there. The Ophiel AI urges everyone to move on to find the TIMELINE.exe, but there's suddenly a noticeable chill in the air and from the staircase descends a trio of white-robed figures. The figures are spirit wizards, Ophiel quickly explains; they have no physical body but are instead formed by pure spiritual energy. As long as one lives, they will keep reforming as three, so all of them will need to be taken out all at once. Physical attacks won't be very effective against beings without a physical form, Ophiel continues; burn them away with magic and the elements and you might stand a chance. The spirit wizards can fling people about with wind magic, electrocute with lightning magic, and engulf anything in flames. Lacking a physical form, they can also teleport, so protecting one another is an important strategy to survive the battle. The other teams are all practiced warriors in one way or another, but with so many people in one place, all fighting the same enemy, some organization is called for before it becomes an all-out catastrophe. The castle, after all, can only withstand so much accidental fire before it's game over. OOC NOTES Welcome to the last mission of the season! This log will ICly last three hours, with the next log picking up immediately afterward. If you have any questions about this log, please direct them to the dossier. Because this log is going up near the end of the month, you may use threads started in October for November AC, provided you don't use the same thread for October AC as well. NOTE: November is the last month for AC Bonus Bank! The Bonus Bank will close on December 5th, 23:59 UTC. To celebrate the finale, we are removing the coin cap, meaning you can submit more than 100 coins with no upper limit. Coin balances will not transfer to Season 2. If you have questions about the game in general, please use the game FAQ.

Comments

Loki | Open

[selfimage]

i. from ledge to ledge

[ being a no-good dirty thief means that he has experience traversing over impossible surfaces (including, but not limited to: waterfalls, rainbows, vertical inclines made of glass, and snow drifts). being sneaky and next to impossible to catch made it easier to get his grubby hands on whatever prize was in his sights. with his Seven League Boots, the slippery, crumbling platforms don't seem to deter him or his confidence.

from one to the next, and the next to the other, he balances single-footed with his hands in his pockets, causing his green jacket to flare dramatically. the soles of his shoes give a dim, green glow, and the footprints behind him linger for a few moments as if announcing the pathway in which he's taking.

occasionally he'll stand precariously close to a geyser and wait for the person in the closest proximity to yell. when he ""notices"", he opens his mouth and says one thing: ]

Whoopsie.

[ well, there's always other places to jump, right? ]

ii. within the walls

[ the first thing Loki notices is the magic, and for the briefest moment his bright green eyes narrow with the feeling of the thrum. reality has a certain way that it vibrates, either certain of its observer or brimming with possibility, and when magic is involved, it's the latter rather than the former. it puts him on edge: the norm he can deal with, no matter how destructive, but it's the reality warpers that finds himself all the more wary. his divinity has proven to an asset, but his time here has shown him that he's not the master of sorcery like he arrogantly touted back in his own world (especially with this Theodor Arbatel goat dung being tossed around).

he sails through the debris, his boots clicking along the floor, and lets out a low whistle as the robed figures glide there way down the staircase. sizing them up, he doesn't make a move yet, but he still looks confident. ]

Ah—hello. [ he tips his head, looking easy. ] Just some friendly advice? Dressed like that you're going to get an awful lot of attention. I'd suggest picking something ... [ hissing in through his teeth, he rolls his hand in an exaggerated gesture of thinking. ] ... less ...

...

Predictable?

[ so, who needs a sassy sorcerer in their party? ]

ii. wildcard

Heeeey! Got an idea? Toss it at me. You can PM this journal or hit me up on plurk. xoxox

[metacides]

( there are indeed plenty of other places to jump; but following after the green foot prints in the fog to figure out what the shit was causing them seemed like a good idea at the time. seemed. not anymore. the geyser goes off and jon raises both of his arms up to guard his face from the blast of water. it doesn't throw him off balance despite the great deal of pressure the water gives; if loki cares to look close enough, his feet aren't even touching the ground at all, but hovering a few centimeters above it.

eyes focus on loki when he lowers his arms, absolutely drenched but unharmed despite the heat. jon shifts back a few steps, takes in a deep breath through his mouth, before letting it all out directly into the geyser, blowing steam and hot water directly towards loki himself with a lot more force than anyone blowing air should have. more than enough to redirect the flow of the geyser.

talk shit get hit, loser. )

ii

[purrtagonist]

[Akira hasn't quite made his battle transformation yet. he had phased in and out of Joker's disguise during the journey to the castle-- black trench coat and red gloves when battling robot sentries, and ALASTAIR's purple uniform when moving from platform to platform. by now, undoubtedly, his teammates have seen his abilities in action, so it's probably pointless for him to keep hiding it]

[and yet. . . here he is, looking like nothing more than a scrappy teen with a weird sense of fashion, staring down the wizards as they float down the stairwell. oh, goody]

[his own gaze narrows, but possibly for reasons different than Loki's. his brain is already moving, thoughts whirling from plan to plan, until he overhears that quip]

[ah]

[he snorts in amusement, barely able to contain his laughter, as hard as he tries]

You know, that would be clever. A mage disguised as a rogue, or even a paladin.

[a hum. he steps back, bracing himself with his arms hanging at his sides]

Luckily for us, they don't seem that smart.

[sedulitas]

[ While some people can afford to be seemingly completely casual about what was going on, Jude is far more cautious and isn't going to be so careless. In fact he's on edge when he's approached. ]

Uh, hello... [ He replies on reflex, clearly distracted. ] Wait—less predictable?

[ Were they about to have a conversation about clothes?Suppose it isn't the worse topic of conversation but was now really the time for it? Jude looks between his new companion(?) and where he was watching the robed figures just kind of hover.

It looks like they were just kind of waiting around. Huh. ]

I guess this is all standard gear but... [ Jude looks down at his ALASTAIR gear and frowns a bit. It wasn't as though he had much of a choice of what he wanted to wear—a change of clothing wasn't anything he hadn't been on his priority list. ] Is that really necessary in a time like this?

[ You know, seeing that there was the white robed figures were starting to get a little closer to them. ]

akira kurusu | ota

[purrtagonist]

A. Press 'x' to Jump

[floating, crumbling chunks of broken earth? please. give a Phantom Thief a real challenge, why don't you]

[which is to say? this totally average and completely non-athletic looking kid is moving swiftly from platform to platform, the ALASTAIR uniform he's sporting a purple streak against the dark landscape. he lands pretty gracefully on each semi-solid surface, and even when the rock beneath his shoes begins to crumble? he uses the platform's lack of steadiness to his favor, shifting his weight to the side so he glides down a sharp slope and shoots off of the end, towards sturdier ground. he looks like an action hero, especially with that hood pulled up over his head. what the hell. show off]

[but hey, even action heroes make mistakes. like landing on a particularly wily platform that you happen to be standing on, totally throwing off the precarious balance it had achieved and threatening to send both him and you sliding off the edge]

Whoa--! Hey, look out!

[after a moment of windmilling both of his arms to the sides? his hand shoots out to grab you by the arm or wrist or shirt or whatever, before anyone tumbles into the lava below. yikes]

B. Robots. . .

[the journey to the castle is swiftly coming to a close, Zymandis robot guards increasing in numbers the closer ALASTAIR get to their goals. one particular platform has a rather large population of robots, and you? well, you might be engaged in battle with one, or trying to sneak around them utilizing that steam. whatever you're doing? there's a very sudden, very loud and metallic crash coming from behind you]

[if you happen to turn around to face that noise, you'll see one (1) robot guard falling to its doom in the lava below. you'll also see one (1) Akira Kurusu, standing near the edge of a platform hands in the pockets of his hoodie as he watches the guard fall. there are hints of. . . blue? fire? dancing around his feet, although the mysterious flame disappears soon enough]

[he looks up. he blinks at you. he shrugs]

Guess that guy wasn't programmed with grace and balance, huh?

[Akira you're really bad at this "pretending to be completely normal and average" thing]

C. Null Phys

[organization, huh? well. . .]

[this group of rag-tag ALASTAIR agents wasn't his team from home, and Akira knew it. he also knew that, as a new kid? he probably had no sway with anyone. but he can't help himself-- some habits die hard, and Leader Mode is absolutely one of them. especially because a plan is already forming in his mind the moment he hears the Ophiel AI inform them that physical attacks are ineffective against their ethereal opponents]

[he takes a step back, arms at his sides, hands balled into fists, and raises his voice above the commotion]

Physical attackers should hang out on the front lines, focusing on defense and shielding those with magic! Healers hang out on the sidelines, but be ready! And for those with magic. . .

[he lifts a hand and points forward, like a commander giving the attack signal to a battalion]

Hit 'em with all you've got!

[AKIRA PLZ WHO IS GONNA LISTEN TO A KID. . .]

D. Wildcard

[hit me up at rogueclass for plotting if you wish!]

B

[unholey]

[Fugo is sick and fucking tired of dealing with robots. There's nothing he can really do about them, given that he's a scrawny teenager and his Stand isn't exactly useful against inorganic enemies. And they've got lasers, which is unfair in his opinion. So he's back to stealth (a-fucking-gain) except this time sneaking around includes jumping from rocky platform to platform like this is really poorly laid out ... Superb? Superb Mario? That game with the red guy and the jumping that Narancia wouldn't shut up about. The point is this whole situation is like a crappy level from one of those games.

(Man, wouldn't it blow if their "princess" ended up being in some other shitty castle? If there's a flag pole at the gate of the castle or a fire breathing turtle in the dungeons, he is going to scream.)

It's during this rambling train of thought while he's waiting (checking and double checking that the coast is clear before jumping to a new, less occupied hunk of rock) that he hears an almost comical metallic bang followed by the whoosh of something heavy falling off the island. There's another surprisingly loud thud when it hits the lava below, followed by some worrying sizzling sounds. Yikes. He whips around and catches Akira, hands in his pockets, staring thoughtfully down over the edge of the platform with the last ghost of blue fire licking the heels of his shoes.]

Nevermind that. What the hell was that fire just now? [Why aren't Akira's shoes on fire? Or at least melted a little??]

B.

[ofobedience]

[Just as well then, perhaps, that he finds himself faced with someone who makes no attempt at all to pretend to be normal and average.

Giovanni had been locked in battle with a small cluster of said robots, moving smoothslick with unnatural grace and poise across the crumbling platform as though it were of no consequence, nothing to be feared at all. Which, for something like him, it probably isn't.

He'd been laughing, too, high and sharp and piercing as his hand slams into one of the guard's hot metal guts, pulls free of the thing's chest with a handful of sparking, smoking wiring. Still, despite the obvious animal glee that seems to overtake him within the thick of the fight, the resounding metallic clang from behind still has him whipping round, lips curled in a crooked-pin smile but with traces of confusion showing around its edges.

When he spots Akira he only smiles wider, brighter. Shrugs his narrow shoulders.]

An oversight on the part of their creators, clearly.

[He's glad he can't say the same.]

a

[webdesigned]

( it's pretty nice of Akira to try and keep him from falling. clearly the guy doesn't know Spider-Man is naturally sticky. this fun little sky island could be upside down and Peter would be fine, but... the thought is still appreciated, because they're suddenly trying to balance on a piece of ground that probably isn't big enough for the two of them. )

Thanks, ( Peter manages, sliding a little closer to Akira and the equilibrium of the middle. Akira might noticed he's not dressed in his normal hoodie — he skipped the mask but Peter has on his spider suit, ready for the final battle and knowing he'll be a little more mobile with it on. )

Pretty sweet parkour moves, man. ( a little dangerous when it ends up with them sharing the same rock in the sky, but otherwise, it was pretty cool. )

press x to styx

[feytality]

[Maya does not have the motor skills to be parkouring across floating platforms above lava, she can't do a real life Lava Reef Zone. On top of that, she gets distracted watching Akira's sweet ass parkour movies when she really should be moving on, leading to the altercation, and Akira being the hero this time]

Woah!

[Luckily he manages to pull her back before she goes toppling off and getting a game over, and she grabs the arm grabbing her out of a nervous reflex to stay on, then eventually relaxes when they both regain their footing]

Geez....... Senpai taught you well, you did the dashing rescue this time!

[she taught him nothing but okay Maya]

C

[foolishjustice]

[Akira's advice is good...but there's one slight problem. Akechi, like all other Metaverse users, is a rebel. Unlike the other Metaverse users, he's a rebel who doesn't have motivation to listen to Akira. In fact, his kneejerk reaction to the order is to do the exact opposite.

Fortunately, he's not a complete idiot. Hanging back behind everyone focusing on the enemies so they won't see his Persona, he briefly swaps to Loki to cast Makarakarn, before switching back to Robin Hood. Then he strides confidently forward, looking pointedly at Akira as he steps onto the front lines to cast Megidola on all three spirit mages.

You're not the boss of him anymore.]

urahara kisuke | open

[predomination]

𝚒. 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚟𝚎

[The decision doesn't come easy, but with the steam clearing and the platforms crumbling something has to be done. Urahara lights on one of the larger platforms and stabs his sword into one of the robots from behind, tumbling out of the way of another onslaught from another. It's there, after throwing up a blood mist shield that he makes his decision. There are advantages to having a large platform secured and, even if briefly, stabilized. The only downside is revealing this ability- his last ace in the hole. There'll be no living with anyone after this is out.

He dismisses the shield between volleys from the robot and speaks, clearly and without hesitation:] Bankai: Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame. [Like his kido, the words go untranslated, and anyone around could possibly piece together some sort of meaning from the words there, but it won't prepare them for what happens next.

The robot gets off one shot before all hell breaks loose, hitting Urahara in the shoulder and knocking him backwards... right into the arms of what can only be described as a giant, kneeling woman dressed in red.

The platform should crumble beneath her weight, but the crumbling is just as it always was- no better or worse. Her eerie disjointed, puppet-like fingers clasp in front of Urahara, shielding him from a another series of laser fire, allowing someone else to take the kill- if they're not too stunned by this turn of events. When the woman's hands pull back, glimmers of string can be seen for a brief second, stitching up the wound in Urahara's shoulder, while half of his shirt hangs in tatters beside him. The telltale stitches wrapping around his shoulder and chest are all that indicate that there was a wound at all.

But it doesn't stop there. When the mysterious, silent puppet lowers her hands to the ground, stitches work their way into the platform- surgical and precise, strengthening it as they loop over each other until the place is fully secured and no longer crumbling. A makeshift safe zone.

Urahara gets to his feet, Benihime looming behind him with eyes closed and a passive expression on her pale features. She's a sight, that's for sure, but so is a stable place to stand.] Don't worry. This one won't collapse. I've restructured it to make it stronger, so it's safe here.


𝚒𝚒. 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍

[Urahara's not in great shape. Pr Bankai use on top of getting hit by the robot (after dismissing her, even the stitches he'd used to close up the wound that nearly took his arm off had ripped open- he could have prevented that if he spared the reishi) has left him at a very unfortunate disadvantage... On the bright side, at least this is familiar ground. He can feel the reiatsu of the spirit wizards, even if it's different than anything he's felt before. He can deal with this.

But he's not in any shape to do it alone.] I have an idea for dealing with them, if you'd indulge me...

ii

[perma_banned]

[Stepping out of a smoking crater, a lanky and charred husk of a man rose up in front of Kisuke, holding a sectioned staff. Rapidly, his muscle, tendons, blood, and skin came back to him, reforming completely before he reached up to cup his chin and pop his jaw a little. His eardrums had grown back by the time Kisuke decided to pose his question.]

Haaah? I'll hear ya' out. [He spat a burned wad of something in the dirt, watching the spirit priests hover at an angle that prevented any individual strike from hitting them all at once. Ban could tell as much just at a glance. Nonchalantly, he looked over Kisuke--saying little about the fact that he was wearing his own blood quite profusely.]

I'm open ♪.

i.

[pummelling]

[After a display like that-- and what a display it was-- it's almost a miracle that Jin can gather himself long enough to lob his chakram at the robot. The blade's not strong enough to pierce the robot's hull, but the aftershock-like burst of magical energy certainly is: it goes down, firing an errant laser weakly into the air before it collapses, long gashes rent through the metal.

(Hard to believe this was a beginner's Blood Art. He never really got past those first few lessons before Reika was transferred away.)

But with the obvious risks eliminated and the platform hovering as it is-- frozen at a near-precipice of collapse-- Jin's finally got the time to investigate... whatever the hell just happened here. Jin yanks his throwing weapon out of the robot, then turns to approach Urahara and the giant woman, incredulity on his features.]

Uh. [STARES..... AT BENIHIME......] Thanks.

i

[feytality]

[Well. That's..... something. Maya's gotten used to many things in her time with the team and between different worlds and all, but this is a lot for even her to process. She more or less understood what he was shouting out, but it definitely didn't prepare for her for a giant puppet lady, she openly stares for a good few seconds after all's said and done from her now safe platform]

That's..... a crimson princess?

[She's not going be taking any killing blows against robots (not that she would normally, mind), but she does spring into action to put herself between him and the robots, at least, ready to provide extra (and probably unnecessary) shielding in case it starts shooting again]

Ummm.... your giant surgeon lady is pretty tough, right? I don't think I can make a shield that big.

(ii)

[signifies]

[ Punching them is useless, and sadly none of the spirit wizards seem to want to talk to anyone either. Clark weaves through them, shifting any fallen debris out of the way until he comes upon Urahara.

Finally, a chance to strike back. ]

What did you have in mind?

Ban | OTA

[perma_banned]

1 - Ridges and Robots

[Obfuscation had been Ban's best friend right from the very beginning. He stepped ahead of a few of his fellow recruits, vanishing into the rising steam and smoke, before jumping on a platform. Though, no one would have really known he jumped to the platform even though he did so without hiding himself anymore. He passed through the haze and used Zero Sign, removing the ability for other to detect him from all senses. Even the robots on the platform didn't register him as they walked past their opticals. As such, he imagined they would have been surprised were they more humanlike--but each one made a whirling noise as Ban came back into existence long enough to say--]

Sorry, make some room~.

[--Before he smashed the few robots into bits and tossed them off the platforms and into the lava with a few jabs and kicks, each. He continued kicking the remains off with one foot before walking to the edge and making a gesture to the others to follow.]

C'moooon, it's lookin' clear to me.

--

2 - Wight, Caster and Sorcerer Scribe

[Everything reminded Ban of a church at that point--the imagery and symbolism behind a broken, crumbling world situated around a collapsing church being completely lost to him. He had taken his ascent up the stairs nice and slow, following stained glass and well-trimmed marbled with his eyes in an effort to find anything trying to hide from the group for an ambush. He looked nonplussed when it turned out to be anything but an ambush as he cast his gaze on the robed specters. It figured. Magic casters had very little in terms of subtlety when it came to an outright attack. They hadn't been focused on him, so he took advantage.

The armor Ban had strode into the fray with earlier had essentially been destroyed by the time he found himself at the front of the three robed specters. With a nonchalant and flippant gesture, he jumped straight at one and put his fist right through its chest, humming to himself. It was natural to attack a distracted enemy, after all. Ban began to remove his fist before realizing there hadn't been any resistance at all. Wisps of smoke and magic came off with his arm but he had no time at all to reflect on it. One bolt of lightning surged into his chest and a ball of fire crushed the small of his back from another angle. He caught flame and hung, confused, in the air before a third ball of compressed air smashed him straight into the floor like a ragdoll. Burned, with muscle and bones exposed--Ban looked up in shock as the first specter looked to be fully undamaged, the hole in its body closing up as if it were just mist woven together.]

...Crap. We can't damage 'em with physical atta--?

[This time, three bolts of lightning struck him at once as they all initiated a well-coordinated coup de gras to keep him firmly plastered against the ground. The specters moved past Ban's charred husk, towards the others before his voice came back and he echoed a complaint--]

What a pain in the ass. Enemies like you are the ones I hate the most ♪.

jon lane kent ( open )

[metacides]

i. geysers & platforms

( weight may have been a problem for some when traveling over the platforms, but it isn't quite for jon; he hovers just a few centimeters off of the ground, completely unsupported by the unsteady grounding below them. he moves directly over patches of lava, narrowly moves out of the way when most the geysers begin to form. he fucks up every once in a while, moves two steps too close and doesn't realize how close the geyser itself is to going off until it's already hitting him full force.

luckily, the suit he arrived in (and hasn't. taken off yet) is extremely durable, and even getting smacked around by the overly hot water and steam doesn't seem to be effecting him too negatively. he'll be soaking wet by the time they get to the castle, but.

if anyone follows his lead--he doesn't jump at the platform breaks, simply keeps moving forward. anyone caught off guard by the break in earth will have a gloved hand extended out to them, fingers gripping onto the back of their shirt, under their arm, whichever's easiest to nab--to pull them back up and throw them onto the next platform. )

Watch it.

ii. no one likes a spoilsport

( the magic makes him uneasy. he's not as weak to it as he could have been--but he feels it in the walls, palm gently gliding along the dust-covered surfaces as he gets a good read on the layout of the inside the castle. something shifts nearby, and jon's narrowing his eyes, lowering his hand from the wall and dusting it off against a thigh just as the wispy wizards descent down the staircase.

he hears the warning that they all have to be taken out at once, but it still doesn't stop him from focusing on taking down whichever one comes closest; there's one thing he doesn't do, and it's magic shit like this. his eyes glow a fiery red as he wraps telekinetic energy around the spirit wizard, squeezing tight around anything that looks like it's particularly fragile, intent on breaking it into bits and pieces.

it's just too fucking bad he lets that hold his attention and doesn't notice the wind magic moving to fling him across the room. he twists at the last moment, raises both arms to brace against the hit and goes flying into one of the nearby castle walls, eyes squeezing shut as his back creates a fairly large indent in the already crumbling building.

the distraction costs him the hold he had on the wizard--but he slides down the walls surface, lands back on his feet, and looks a shitton more angry than injured, so. )

i.

[cachemoney]

[While Fiona likes to think of herself as being light on her feet, she doesn't really have any experience with ground this unstable, and she finds herself kind of slipping gracelessly the whole way. Still, she manages not to fall into the churning lava below, until --

She misjudges the jump, landing on the very edge of the platform unsteadily on the balls of her feet. Arms pinwheeling, she does her best not to fall and, like, burn to death or whatever, but when someone is suddenly grabbing her by the jacket and shoving her forward onto the platform.

She lands unsteadily on her feet and one hand, whipping her head around to see what the hell just happened.] Did you --? Are you flying, that's totally cheating.

ii.

[ofobedience]

[And because fanning the flames is something that comes almost as second nature to him now, something that burns - subtle but sure - within his blood, Giovanni barks out a quick abrasive laugh at the sight of his teammate slamming into the wall, at the way he slides across it.]

A little over-zealous, were you? Well colour me surprised.

[A wry drawl, lips twisting into a crooked grin even as he's extending one hand palm-outwards, shoots something bright and hot in the direction of one of the wizards. There's the quick flash-bang of the oncoming explosion, not unlike the letting off of a small grenade, and whilst it hits its target its not much use when there are still two others floating about the place.

Perhaps he was just showing off his latest gift from ALASTAIR rather than seriously hoping to achieve anything.]

dos

[cashlin]

[if there's anything that can turn lilith into a semi-willing team player, it's abject mortal peril. she's minding her own damn business and taking cover behind a pillar, peeking out to lend out hails of supportive SMG fire; it's all she can do for now, as an explosive phasewalk would send them all tumbling to their deaths. (she hates it, of course. a day when she can could and should use her powers to their fullest, and she simply can't.)

and then, all of a sudden--]

Son of a--

[WHAM, there's jon, colliding with the wall she's nearest to hard enough that she wobbles on her feet, grabbing onto the pillar for support.]

Would you watch where they're casting?! You're gonna send the whole damn building down!

ii ish lemme know if this isn't ok I can change!

[feytality]

[Maya's got her budding powers from ALASTAIR, but she's not going to even attempt to fight the things. It crosses her mind that she could try channeling them, considering they are spirits and all, but it's not something she wants to risk. Better to leave the fighting to actual fighters.]

[There is something she can do, though -- she sees the guy fighting with telekinetic powers and about to be ambushed from near the walls, calls out (way too late):]

Watch out!

[And then runs over as he goes hurtling towards the wall. Her magatama starts to glow as she makes a grab for him as he flies by, a faint purple energy surrounding him, but it's only enough to maybe soften the blow rather than protect him from the hit.]

[But he's up anyway, and.... seems fine, if angry, so she winces briefly at the indentation as he gets back on his feet, and then sprints over to put herself between him and the wizards]

You have to um, you have to take them all out at the same time or it won't work! D-Do your thing, I'll shield you--!

Goro Akechi | Open

[foolishjustice]

[Who Likes Platforming, Anyway?]

[The surreal appearance to this castle almost reminds Akechi of a Palace. While he might seem ordinary and unassuming at first glance, aside from the serrated, red sword tied haphazardly at his right side, the way he moves suggests otherwise. He makes difficult jumps with practiced ease, making three point landings look almost casual before darting off for the other edge. Where he needs to climb, he pulls himself up the floating chunks of rock as if it's second nature.

If one were to catch sight of his face during these feats, they'd catch a hint of a smile, something that almost looks like it could become a grin. It's fun, really. This has always been his favorite part of navigating the Metaverse, these practical obstacle courses produced by the warped topography. His muscles still ache, he arrived too soon before this trip to properly recover from his physical exhaustion, but familiarity breeds a sort of comfort that makes it easier to push through.

Except, unfortunately, the enemies here aren't Shadows. The robots won't miss him just because he's partially hidden, and a pistol won't do much to thick metal plating. Overconfidence leads to him still being within a sentry's line of sight as a steam vent clears enough for it to make out his shape and movement, and a laser clips him on the shoulder. He stumbles, turning to face his assailant, and bites back a curse. His hand goes to his sword on instinct, but he can already tell it won't be enough. He needs to get out of here, needs a distraction...but unfortunately, he doesn't have the means to create one on his own.]

[Masks and Magic] (Minor P5 spoilers)

[Immune to physical, huh? That could have been a problem earlier, but now...he'll have to thank whoever set the robot sentries. They taught him something very valuable. Having already been drawing on his Persona's power to get him past the guards, Akechi's ALASTAIR uniform has been replaced by a princely outfit, the regal appearance slightly at odds with the cruel looking weapon he still carries. The confidence in his posture, however, suits the outfit perfectly.]

I guess this has been too easy so far. Well, if reviving one another is their only gimmick, they won't be much of a challenge for Robin Hood.

platforming!!

[purrtagonist]

[the swish of a cape, the thud of boots landing against rock? the sounds are easy to miss in all the commotion, but what happens next sure isn't]

Odin!

[the lightning that streaks through the air (a well-placed Thunder Reign assault) seconds later strikes the robot sentry before it can fire up another laser attack. the electricity does wonders for frying the bot's circuits, and it isn't long before the lights on its front panel flicker and dim as it crashes into the rocky platform. unfortunately, the commotion has done wonders for catching the attention of back ups. . . one robot may be out of commission, but three others are rocketing through the sky to take its place]

[Joker strides in front of Akechi as Odin disappears, blue fire whirling around his face as the mask reforms. he might be trying to keep his Persona abilities on the down low with the rest of ALASTAIR, but Akechi? Akechi already knows]

[. . . uh, well. sort of. it occurs to him that he never actually told the detective they had access to their abilities, even without the Metaverse]

You okay?

[he asks, inclining his head slightly, gaze trained on their enemies. he had seen how that laser had clipped Akechi's shoulder, after all]

Go on. I'll take care of them.

hellboy / a guest character / open

[hellshaped]

i. PLATFORMS.

[Despite the goatlike construction of his hooves, Hellboy isn't really built for this kind of terrain. He can't seem to get a good grip, often sliding a good few feet once he leaps onto a platform, and more than once almost slipping right off the opposite edge.

He's pausing now in the secure center of a platform, crouched down to lower his center of gravity so he doesn't go toppling off the side, his great stone fist planted in the rocky earth for more support. He's trying to judge his next jump, yellow eyes narrowing as he tries to peer through the steam, when he catches sight of someone else struggling and calls across.]

Hey! Need help?

ii. CLOSED: RIZA & LANCER.

[Physical attacks won't be effective. Great. Exactly what Hellboy wanted to hear.

Letting out a low, guttural growl of frustration, he unsnaps his holster and pulls his revolver. Glancing sidelong, he comments,] Do you think bullets count as physical?

1.

[grunehexe]

[Help was... definitely something that Sieglinde needed.

Even though she'd unbound her feet after Nalawi, it hadn't made her as agile or balanced as a girl her age and size ought to be. It had been enough, allowed her to walk unaided most anywhere she needed to go on a normal day, but... floating platforms in the sky?

Not so much.

So when she hears the offer the Green Witch turns, prepared to answer in affirmative, but instead,]

- You?

[Was that the demon from Chantes???]

mayonnaise | ota

[feytality]

[Instead of doing specific prompts, hit me up for a wildcard or launch a wildcard at me! Just give me a vague idea of what you want or I'll probably just write up something very stupid]

do you need a method of transportation?

[scrap_metal]

[ So this is it? The epic battle everything led to? It's probably inaccurate to say so, because lack of conventional bloodstream etc- but Genos is getting pumped up by the grandeur of it. Just a tiny little bit, he's as serious as ever of course. But you don't get to be part of a fight like this.

But as easy as it is to just jump into the fray, there is character development to consider - that is teammates and a little kindness towards them. He might have no problem with platforming but, but then he's been cybernetically enhanced on his own wish. So instead of going his merry way he approaches a familiar face from his old team ]

Maya. [ Saying someone's name counts as greeting, right? ] Need a ride?

[ You know, like that last time when Oska burned ]

clark / semi-open

[signifies]

( customised starters this time around! lmk what you'd like and I'll write it up, or wildcard me )

~webdesigned

[signifies]

[ When they finally reach the castle, Clark stands off at the doorway with his attention focused wholly on the parts of this platform about to collapse. He's a red and blue blur: he weaves through the chaos to move as much of the shattered glass and other rubble in that direction. No amount of strength will stop it from falling away, but the castle is at least clearer than it was a few moments ago.

The wizards descend, and finally it looks like there's something more than damage control. Clark doesn't like to hit things, but right now, they have to make it quick.

He's direct, but so is the wizard he targets. Lighting blossoms from the tips of his fingers, and Clark only has time to wonder how that actually hurt before it sends him flying back into one of the walls. ]