futurologists: (Default)
Hathaway. ([personal profile] futurologists) wrote in [community profile] epidemiology2018-05-27 01:16 am

EVENT ▸ THE END

THE BEGINNING IS THE END

If tensions were high in Drakstaden before, they're practically colossal now. With the infiltration of the Broadcasting Station, the revelation of Ivarson's plot against the lower levels, the attack on the Vakdir prison, and the newly set curfew, Drakstadish citizens are now more divided than ever. Rumor has it that Prime Minister Ivarson is getting more erratic than ever, too, and spending all his resources hunting down the rebel group responsible for the upset.

After a spirited discussion between Ophelia members, it becomes clear what their next plan of action is. All that's left to do is implement it. The day of reckoning is Ivarson's birthday, two days from now, so if you have anything to take care of, you'd better do it soon.

BIRTHDAY PARTY

When the fateful day comes, the Vakdir are on high alert. Anyone on the higher levels who looks like they don't belong is forcibly removed, and any slightly suspicious activity is highly scrutinized. The party itself is taking place at the Prime Minister's residence, and only high-ranking officials and corporate heads are attending; numerous police officers patrol the premises to keep undesirables from entering. There is also a film crew to broadcast the party across the city

As discussed with Rost, Ophelia sends a "truth wave" of sorts out to the entire city. The truth wave forces anyone in its wake to face the lies they tell themselves; unfortunately, this includes Ophelia, since they, too, are in the city. Keep it together, because you're going to have to get moving.

While the guards are reeling, it's time to break in to the party. Inside, it's lavish and filled with extravagant-looking food and drink, far more food and drink than is needed for the number of people in attendance, and expensive decorations involving gold and precious gems are everywhere. But the partygoers are in no shape to enjoy any of it anymore, most of them in visible pain from having to face the lies they had to tell themselves to live under this kind of regime.

There are still a couple guards who seem relatively unaffected by the truth wave -- however, they can be dispatched by intimidation, persuasion, or force. Once inside, it's time to look for the temporal crystal shard.

After some searching, the temporal crystal shard can be found in the Prime Minister's bedside drawer -- good hunch, Ophelia! However, just as it's found, Ivarson himself will burst through the door. It seems he, too, is unaffected by the truth wave. He does not tell himself lies, but rather truly believes in the evil things he says and does.

"What are you doing?!" he demands to know. "That is my jewel!" He clearly doesn't know the true identity of the temporal crystal, only believing it to be a beautiful, valuable crystal. He will attempt to protect it even if outnumbered, as if it calls to him, but if it is destroyed, he will stumble back as if in physical pain. Its destruction will stun him, allowing Ophelia to leave without issue.

Next on the agenda? Freeing the political prisoners.

VAKDIR HQ

Now that you've blown your cover by crashing the party and breaking into the Prime Minister's home, there's no more reason for secrecy. Free to use the full brunt of your eclectic powers to launch an assault the Vakdir Headquarters, it's easy enough to make it inside while most of the officers are still under the effects of the truth wave.

Still, like at the Prime Minister's penthouse, there are some Vakdir present who aren't affected at all; like Ivarson, they are at peace with their way of life, with no self-delusions and no regrets. You'll need to dispatch these in whatever way you like -- fight them, charm them, or do something else -- but remember to keep at least a handful cognizant, because you'll need them for questioning. However you go about that is, again, up to you, but the guards will not reveal the location of the secret political prison easily.

Luckily, those who have completed the bounty for Rost to investigate political prisoners will already know where it's located: underneath the Vakdir Headquarters, separate from the main prison that some of you were broken out of just days ago.

The guards are in the same state here as they are elsewhere -- most are incapacitated but some aren't -- but in addition to that, now you'll have to contend with locks on the various doors leading in. Break them or get some Vakdir to do it for you, but either way, it's a few layers of bolted doors before the political prisoners are found.

They're in bad shape and are surprised to see someone here that isn't an armed guard, but aren't about to look this particular gift horse in the mouth. Free them and escort them back to the lower levels before the truth effect wears off.

EPILOGUE

Rost is grateful for your assistance in freeing the prisoners, albeit slightly shaken by the experience of the truth wave. Their hope is that everyone in the city will have felt the true horrors of their actions and that the first steps toward peace can now be made.

With the temporal shard located and destroyed, it's time to leave Drakstaden and return to Headquarters, a simple matter of the familiar bright light of a temporal rift and the immediate relocation afterwards.

Thanks to the fluid nature of the Timeline across the multiverse, Timeline Analysts are able to quickly decipher the fate of Drakstaden within hours of Ophelia's return; it seems as though Ivarson's sudden disconnect from the temporal shard caused his health to quickly decline to the point where he was no longer considered fit for office. The truth wave helped some see the errors of their ways but not all, ultimately resulting in a civil war.

The war left many dead on both sides, with surrounding countries finally intervening and taking as many refugees in as they could. Eventually, Drakstaden was abandoned and left to decay out on the taiga as a looming, thirty story ghost town. The future beyond that is murky, but Hathaway will continue to monitor that universe's timeline.

But try not to dwell on it! The nature of time is unpredictable, and no one ever said this job would be easy. Until your next mission, take advantage of the amenities that Headquarters has to offer, and try to relax.

OOC NOTES

This is the final log of Mission: Drakstaden! We hope you enjoyed your time here. Characters have returned to Headquarters as of the epilogue, so feel free to continue on from there.

If you have questions about this log or the mission, please direct them to the dossier. Questions about the game in general can be directed to the FAQ.

CR/Welcome MemeDrakstaden DossierDrakstaden LocationsDrakstaden Bounty BoardMay Calendar
gunning: (❤TIME TRIP)

[personal profile] gunning 2018-05-27 02:54 am (UTC)(link)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. PRESIDENT

[ there's a moment during the chaos where all yuna can do is stand and watch, still as a post in a doorway as people writhe on the floor and flee the premises. she's sad. this was the solution that seemed best to her, the one that would cause the least casualties, but a mind isn't an easy thing to heal — there wasn't any sure way to allay scars on your soul. even though these people should be abhorrent to her, she can't help but feel some sympathy. she was this way, too. bound by her eyes to falsehood.

and really, she's a little sad for herself too. sometimes she wanted time to allow herself to be selfish. time to mourn a lifetime of hardship. always looking ahead meant sometimes being unable to reflect. now wasn't a great time for that, but she didn't really have the option to ignore how she felt right now. it isn't a pervading sadness, but a subtle one, a wistfulness for the people that had departed, and for tidus.. the man she loved. it would be a long time before she saw him again. she knew that realistically. and it was better to deal with that feeling head on, right here, than to dwell until it festered. ]


Hey. It's going to be alright. [ if you're feeling unwell, or look like you're straggling, yuna's there to put a hand on your back. ] We have to keep going. It's almost over now.

EPILOGUE

[ she had hoped that it would end as bloodless as possible, but it looks like that wasn't the case. did she make the right choice? that was the hardest part about this. making your own answers to problems was always sticky.

also, she hated sitting around. like, a lot. she's parked firmly on a bench at the park, picking at a cupcake. she thought sweets would help her nerves. it kind of didn't. ]


Geez, what's there to do on this ship anyway? [ train endlessly. go shopping. eat till you burst. that was great and all, but a girl gets bored of it fast. she sighs melodramatically. ] Rikku would make her own fun right about now. She'd say we should throw a concert, or have a pool party. Or both? It is summertime back on Besaid.

[ that's not how the timelines work but ya know. chronologically speaking! ]

WILDCARD

[ hit me with whatever, especially if your character wants to like cry about their sad life or something! available at [plurk.com profile] vanilladome. ]
Edited 2018-05-27 03:02 (UTC)
kisha: (bow sketch)

Hayame | OTA

[personal profile] kisha 2018-05-27 07:02 am (UTC)(link)
01 ↣ 認めたくないのは ↣ TRUTH WAVE*

[After what had happened in the team discussions on Hanabira, a world she had considered herself largely comfortable with... Hayame had removed herself from the discourse in Drakstaden. She did not truly understand this place, and the way these people lived... and she did not consider herself able to render judgement on what should be done with their world. She would execute the orders.

But this- perhaps she should have gone. Perhaps she should have put her hoof down, argued until she was hoarse- but she hadn't, and so now she is here. Standing in the dark spaces between the packed architecture of the city, long bow in hand and heavy arrow notched, looking down from a distance over where the party is to take place.

Taking a position on watch, she hopes, will spare her from being seen by most of the team. Will allow her to face whatever this truth might do to her in at least minimal privacy. But when the wave hits, when the spell begins working its way through her mind... her knuckles go white on the bow and her muscles begin to tense in rejection, jaw to grit as the roar of a waterfall and a voice she hasn't heard in a year echoes in the back of her mind.

You were relieved, weren't you? When I saved you. Don't you want to live in a world where it's alright to feel happy about that?]


02 ↣ 復讐 ↣ VAKDIR RETRIBUTION

[The mission was one thing, but Hayame's grudge with the Vakdir is personal. She has scores to settle, and though most of them had kept their helmets on, preventing her from going after individuals... she is keeping her eye out for one with a particular gait and half an ear missing. Until she finds him, she does not spare any mercy for those Vakdir who are still wrestling with their truths.

She doesn't try to kill them. But she also does not waste her efforts trying not to.

Once they make it to the prison beneath the earth, though... there are doors that require passing, and no Vakdir on hand with passcodes. Instead, Hayame turns to her "teammate", hand moving to touch the ring on her finger.]


- Where are the "cameras" in this hall?

[She'll kick the damn thing down if she has to.]

03 ↣ お帰り ↣ HEADQUARTERS

[The return to Headquarters is more welcome than usual. She is glad to leave Drakstaden behind, and though she feels pity for those people, and the war that supposedly awaits them now that some of them have accepted their reality and some have not... she had never considered herself, or even the whole group, enough to prevent a war. And she has more pressing things to occupy her mind. More pressing truths.

The spaceship is no Oska. She can't just run through the woods, through the fields until she tires. But there is a bit of green space on Headquarters, and so the first chance she gets... she gallops, long mane and tail trailing out behind her in an inky black wave, fingers tight in the harness she wears on equine half to align her spine and fall into a smooth rhythm, hooves tearing up the artificially cultivated grass lap after lap-

Except this isn't the wilds, it's technically a park space... and when a fellow guild member wanders into her path... she has about two seconds to decide whether to try and slam on the brakes, dodge, or jump.

With the way the muscles in her back legs bunch up... maybe you should duck?]


04 ↣ 鬼札を引く ↣ WILDCARD

[*only 2-3 hits please! If that prompt is full up or you'd prefer a custom starter, just hit me up via comment or at [plurk.com profile] stormcoming]
epistolatory: (contemplative)

2

[personal profile] epistolatory 2018-05-27 11:36 am (UTC)(link)
[ Violet herself sits calmly nearby, click-clacking away on an old-fashioned typewriter, her demeanour doll-like and unreadable as always. Not that they've crossed paths before, but Violet is noticeable for how expressionless she is, so it's possible they've noted each other before. Violet pauses in her typing when she hears Yuna speak, however. In her usual monotone, she replies-- ]

I have never been to a party before... [ Or does the one with Iris count, she wonders? That was over before it had begun. ]

I was led to believe that they are typically only thrown when there is something to be celebrated.

[ yikes. ]
gunning: (❤TRIGGER HAPPY)

[personal profile] gunning 2018-05-27 11:50 am (UTC)(link)
[ yuna recognized most of the guild members at this point, and hoped she'd eventually acquaint herself with everyone. she gasps, genuinely shocked by the gap in violet's party-going experience here. ]

You what?! Your birthday wouldn't happen to be coming up soon, would it? [ for, you know, reasons. ] There's always something worth celebrating. The start of a season, someone's birth, even just one for the sake of it. Life's a celebration!
epistolatory: (serious)

[personal profile] epistolatory 2018-05-27 11:54 am (UTC)(link)
[ Completely straight-faced: ]

I am unaware of my date of birth.
gunning: (❤SAMBA OF SILENCE)

[personal profile] gunning 2018-05-27 11:55 am (UTC)(link)
Oh.. Whoops. I'm sorry.

[ she feels kind of bad about that. she didn't sound upset, but, well.. there's usually a reason for someone not knowing when they were born. ]

Well, do you want a birthday? It doesn't have to be exact. It can just be what feels right.
epistolatory: (surprised)

[personal profile] epistolatory 2018-05-27 12:00 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Violet pauses and tilts her head, seeming to think about it for a moment. ]

... I cannot say that I have strong feelings one way or another.

I believe I have lived this long without one. Is there some point to it?
gunning: (❤PRAY)

[personal profile] gunning 2018-05-27 12:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Mm, well, it helps you keep track of how old you are. And it gives you something to look forward to throughout the year. Giving presents to people you love on their birthday is a great way to show your appreciation.

[ she briefly wonders why she has to explain this to what appears to be a grown woman, but ophelia was full of eccentrics. ]
epistolatory: (wistful)

[personal profile] epistolatory 2018-05-27 12:33 pm (UTC)(link)
I do not know how old I am either. Though I suppose I could choose an arbitrary number based on averaging the guesses I have received.

... I do not think I am close enough to anyone here to count as a loved one. But... I would not like to deny anyone the opportunity. And... I find I am fond of presents.
Edited 2018-05-27 12:34 (UTC)
gunning: (❤DARKNESS)

[personal profile] gunning 2018-05-27 12:39 pm (UTC)(link)
[ she tries not to allude to it, but that makes her very sad. instead, she smiles. ]

See? Everyone likes presents, deep down. I'll surprise you with something sometime. [ there's another question on the tip of her tongue, but she worries she might be overstepping a boundary. either way, she wants to know, so she decides to go for it. ] Do you.. have anyone you care about back home?
epistolatory: (headtilt)

[personal profile] epistolatory 2018-05-27 12:48 pm (UTC)(link)
[ If Yuna has overstepped, there's no sign of it. Violet seems only stoic and unruffled as ever. ]

... Yes.

[ There's a pause, then, where it seems like that is all she is going to say and she isn't going to elaborate. Awkward...

But then she seems to realise that the question was an invitation to say more, and she picks up the thread again belatedly. ]


The Major. President Hodgins. Cattleya Baudelaire. Benedict Blue. Erica Braun. Iris Cannali. Luculia Marlborough.

[ It's more of a list than an explanation, but she seems satisfied that she has answered the question. ]
gunning: (❤DISPEL)

[personal profile] gunning 2018-05-27 01:11 pm (UTC)(link)
[ yuna is satisfied too. everyone deserved somebody, and violet seemed to have several somebodies. ]

I have a lot of people, too. There's nothing sweeter than having people you know would come running if you whistled. [ and, a slight subject change, without being subtle at all: ] Do you like sweets? Chocolate?
epistolatory: (bemused)

[personal profile] epistolatory 2018-05-27 01:26 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Something in Violet's face reflects confusion at the first statement, but she opts not to say anything. Instead, she focuses on the second question. ]

They have no nutritional value, but I am not averse to them.
justbeingknife: (ha!)

[personal profile] justbeingknife 2018-05-27 03:14 pm (UTC)(link)
BIRTHDAY PARTY (Drakstaden)
[ A brief flick of the lighter in his hand, and his cigarette was alight; Majima waited a few moments, watching with admittedly not much sympathy as a man covered in gem-encrusted jewelry clutched at his temples. This looked like a man who was resisting the moral of this story. He also looked like the same man Majima had seen administering orders to security earlier.

"It's... it's not my fault!" the man moaned. He had a ridiculous cybernetic monocle mounted on his face, and he clutched at Majima, whose dark formal tux at least offered some comfort to him in its familiarity. "If they'd just been willing to put in the work, like I did..." ]


Think we both know that's not true, buddy.

[ So. Was it time to play good cop... or was it time to play bad cop? ]


A LITTLE PRESCRIPTION SHOULD CLEAR THAT RIGHT UP (Headquarters)
[ Majima was standing in front of a sign at one of the restaurants, a glowing, holographic monstrosity that depicted a giant, reaching crab with moving legs. The brightly-colored text that surrounded it? ]

ONE-DAY CRAB CHALLENGE! ALL THE CRAB YOU CAN SUBDUE!*

* We assume no liability for personal injuries.


[ I mean, he did like crab. He turned to the first person to come along, hooking a thumb at the advertisement. ]

Feel like some seafood?


WILDCARD
[ whatever ur heart desires ]
persists: (pic#12203441)

1

[personal profile] persists 2018-05-27 03:16 pm (UTC)(link)
[ It was some noble sacrifice, was it not? The ones that wouldn't result in them meeting in the afterlife, but instead humbling themselves and tormenting their souls for only a short while. It was the least they could do — this was one of the first times she hopes to stand tall without an ounce of need to run and carry this burden herself.

Ciri is joining Yuna, shaking her own cobwebs and trying to stuff the skeletons in her closet. Streaks of black drip down her cheeks — the tears unable to be tucked away even through heavy make up. She wouldn't comment instead using the back of her hand to push away the streaks. ]


Right. Just a bit longer.

[ She tries to remove the thoughts of those sacrificing themselves for her, the guilt of her refusing to ascend a throne to a nation that needs her — her voice is husky, tired and sore. ]

When we're ready, they'll be scattered and vulnerable. It won't be hard to finish this.
kisha: (jump)

for korra | special delivery

[personal profile] kisha 2018-05-27 03:25 pm (UTC)(link)
[Hayame keeps her promises, and pays her debts.

Having to ask for a healer, let alone one of the ones that worked in ways foreign to her world and what she liked to accept, had been trial enough. But at least Korra had been able to name a price that made sense to her.

Shortly after their return to Headquarters... Hayame, back to her natural form and her proper clothing, knocks on the door to the bender's quarters, a thick pelt bundled in her arms.]
gunning: (❤DREAM POLLEN)

[personal profile] gunning 2018-05-27 03:27 pm (UTC)(link)
[ she should have known ciri would be fine. she was a fighter and a comrade till the end. the way her makeup was running down her cheeks.. she looked powerful and admirable. ciri was a warrior. ]

It should be a cakewalk now, huh? [ she has a hand on her holster just in case, but she's convinced she won't be needing it. not for now, at least. ] I'm sure the Prime Minister has something up his sleeve still. It's almost too easy, you know? There's always got to be some struggle.

I just hope it's all worth it.
persists: (2409942-12)

ciri / ota

[personal profile] persists 2018-05-27 03:41 pm (UTC)(link)
one — don't cry for me, little girl.
[ On paper, it sounds a lot more simple. A necessary sacrifice Ophelia would need to play to complete this mission, to do good. Her inexperience with formalities and politics lead her to go along with the plan, finding it a direct path to the known evil. What she fails to comprehend is how deeply the truth latches to her beating heart, bringing the tightness to an all-time discomfort.

The new warrior to Ophelia was all but strong when one knee drops to the ground.

She joked with Urahara — about how simple a truth serum would be to assist them on this mission, but there's some cruel irony when it causes this.

The guilt, the anger, the bitterness, the desperate desire to do good — Ciri feels herself pulled into the different roles that people want her to live. A Witcher, an Empress, a girl, a woman, a lover, a friend, a daughter, a catalyst... her truth is that all of those meld together in the beautiful chemistry of what makes her the girl of Space and Time. That burden weighs her down to the ground, tears beginning to stream down her face when she thinks of her own freedom. Even in this moment, is she free? Truthfully? Her regrets stem of the loss of life for her loved ones, unable to protect them. ]


two — it's time to fight
[ She's gathered her barings, using the shadows outside of the headquarters to provide her temporary relief. While she isn't eager to jump into the fray, there's no way they would leave a mission half-assed, right? She pulls her sword from her back, letting its weight rest in her palm. ]

Alright, then. It seems since we've arrived persuasion and subtly has not been our strong suit. I doubt it'll be the same. Are you ready for this?

[ She implies: a fight. ]


three — ashes to ashes
[ Ciri is thrilled to leave this city behind and move onward. Headquarters isn't exactly home, but it'll be far more safe and suitable for a woman like her than this political mess. The best thing? A shower. Indoor plumbing rocks, y'all. 10/10. Leaving her own bed quarters, Ciri's hair is all but wet and sprawled out down her back. Of course, she's fully dressed but it's different than the woman in the shadows.

Despite how she came off during the mission, there's a sense of relief about the woman that is easy to see throughout her wandering.

She'll take her chance to explore, curious like a child at all of the marvels allotted to them. ]


wildcard — go for it!
[ i'm open to all! please feel free to throw some ideas at me! through pm or <user name="cirilla" site="plurk.com'> works well! ]
Edited 2018-05-27 15:41 (UTC)
kisha: (arms crossed)

attack of the space crabs

[personal profile] kisha 2018-05-27 03:56 pm (UTC)(link)
[One day □□□□ □□□□□□□□□. All the □□□□ you can □□□□□□.

Hayame has improved somewhat. She can read... part of the sign. And the giant illusion of a crab goes a long way to providing context to at least fill in the blanks. Still... she cannot help stare at the sign with her brows knit, arms crossed.]


... I suppose?

[Back in her proper form, she isn't about to actually turn down food when she can get it. (Until she notices that... having all this food consistently available with Hathaway and their recent mission destinations means she's actually starting to put on a touch of weight.)]
justbeingknife: (what god hands)

yes gawd

[personal profile] justbeingknife 2018-05-27 04:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Great. Two, please.

[ Majima said, turning to the man just outside the door.

"Oh... customers!" said the storekeep, looking for some reason enormously relieved. "We can seat you right away. The truth is that we ordered a few too many crabs this month, so we were hoping some agents would d -- uh, take them off our hands! Come in, come in!"

The inside of the restaurant was quite spacious, but Majima couldn't help but notice that most of the tables had been cleared and set aside... and also that there were gouges on some of the walls? And burn marks?

...and also a track of blood leading out from the kitchen door? Hmmmm.

"Carlotta," called the man, "It's okay! Release the crabs!" ]


Wait, what? 'Release the' --

[ The double doors to the back burst open, and a horde of space crabs the size of labradors came spilling out, with psychedelically-patterned shells and giant claws. ]
persists: (witcher3-076_anabiotic)

[personal profile] persists 2018-05-27 06:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Wishful thinking, let's go with that. Better than dragging our feet through the mud.

[ Just because they all will overcome and the party-goers will not doesn't mean their task will be simple. Ciri wishes it was and as Yuna assists her, she offers a weak smile and half laugh. In mere moments, Yuna proves she's not some optimistic girl — it's the wisdom of the situation and the gravity of what weighs them to this plight that makes her fully smile. ]

You're right. It would be foolish for a man who rose to power to not have ways to ensure he remains in power.

[ As far as worth — ]

I'm not sure, but you have my sword if we shall need it.
gunning: (❤DARKNESS)

[personal profile] gunning 2018-05-27 10:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Of course. And there's no turning back now.

[ she knows she's safe with ciri around — it felt like having paine there, someone gunning for her to watch her back. she'd make sure to do the same for her.

the building is much darker the farther you go in, the back hallways not lit like the opulent ballroom. the closer they get to ivarson's quarters, the more tense they get — particularly because of how lax the security had been. she stands at one side of the door, looking to ciri for affirmation. ]


It won't be barren in here like it's been so far. Ready?
tenthousandmiles: (pic#12153845)

Ginko | Mushishi

[personal profile] tenthousandmiles 2018-05-27 11:40 pm (UTC)(link)
i. birthday party

[When the truth wave hits, Ginko is perhaps one of the few that's relatively unaffected. The thing is, he's had some twenty years to come to be at peace with himself and his place in the world. Most of his own personal demons and insecurities are things he's already confronted; he knows them, and accepts them.

It puts him in a good position to be able to pass the guards fairly unhindered as they struggle with their own denials, though he isn't without sympathy for them. The truth can sometimes be difficult to face -- in his career as a mushishi, he's even hidden it intentionally on occasion, because the lie was kinder.

There's nothing to be done for the guards, since they still have a mission to complete, but for any struggling teammates, he does spare a moment to ask:]


Holding up alright?

ii. headquarters

[Ginko finds himself deeply troubled by the announcement of the upcoming civil war in Drakstaden. It's not quite guilt, as there were few good options for a country with such deeply entrenched problems, but he can't help but think if they knew the outcome from the destruction of the temporal crystal, they should go back and undo it before it comes to pass. They had gone to Hanabira just to prevent a civil war, after all.

Not for the first time, Ginko wonders if he is truly cut out for this work. He had little to contribute in this mission, in the end; not only was he unfamiliar with matters of politics, but he had no familiarity with the advanced technology of Drakstaden. Not only that, but he'd been largely unable to provide support with combat, either...

He finds himself gravitating toward the park spaces, ultimately -- more comfortable with the natural feel of the plants and small animals than the rest of the sterile and mechanical environment. Even these feel barren to Ginko, who is so used to seeing the world overflow with life everywhere he looked, and he oddly finds himself almost ... searching, just in case. It's a silly thought, of course; there is no koumyaku here, and thus no mushi. It's for the best, given his need to live here until his contract is fulfilled, but it's an odd feeling. Lonely, maybe, if in a different way than he's ever experienced it.

Ginko's lost far enough in thought that he momentarily loses track of his immediate surroundings, accidentally bumping into another person that's walking through the area. He offers an apologetic smile:]


Ah, forgive me. I wasn't watching where I was going.
persists: (pic#12203440)

[personal profile] persists 2018-05-28 12:13 am (UTC)(link)
[ How she wishes the circumstances were different... despite everything, she believes this could be the end of their mission. It will be to the people to build and gain what was lost - balance. However, she isn't blinded by what fearfully may come next.

Ciri finds her footing a bit easier, less shaky than moments ago. A sword almost as long as her body steadies itself. She follows Yuna, pushing her body to the opposite side of the door. ]


Yes. Let me go forth first, draw attention if the patrolmen still have their wits.
reposing: (ME!!!)

Adrian "Alucard" Ţepeş

[personal profile] reposing 2018-05-28 04:22 am (UTC)(link)
❧ I. happy birthday mr. president

[There is a great cruelty to truth.

The wave hits him so suddenly, as he is sure it does to others. Masquerades torn away, falsehoods revealed, even the lies they tell themselves. It shreds away, even for Alucard, and his hand scrambles up his own chest, digging in and remembering the terrible scar there. He thinks of his father, mad with grief. His mother, dead for her love and kindness for others, nothing but ashes in the wind of his homeland. After everything, he could not even collect them.

Her pleas. Be better than them.

Why does he fight for humanity?

Because it's what my mother would have wanted. Not out of some selfless heroism. Not out of love for humans. Not out of love for anything but the dead and the insane, gone out of his grasp.

Everything is finite. Everything ends. Everything breaks and dies, no matter how they may deem themselves immortal. Even those he's called friend, it won't matter. He will say good-bye them, he will fight his father; Dracula will die, and then there's nothing else.

It is cruel, but that is the truth.

Alucard chokes for a moment, and does not see fit to even bother stopping the tears rolling down his cheeks. He bares his teeth for a moment, gritting them, unsure of what else to do for a moment as he staggers forward.

Then he shakes his head.]


We have to press on.

[There is no noble determination in his voice. It is sullen acceptance.]


❧ II. vakdir hq

[What echos and lingers in his body does not melt away. It may very well ring inside for months to come, but he knows, knows what it means for him.

Alucard steps forward, not concerned for recognition.

There is little mercy in his bones.]


I will leave at least one of them alive.

[His voice is cold and distant.]


❧ III. epilogue

[At the end of it all, Alucard still feels hollow. Perhaps more now that the results of Drakstaden's future is known to them. Everything breaks eventually. Civilizations, people, all of it. It is damned to end, one day.

Alucard is sitting by one of the windows, gazing out into the cosmos quietly to himself. Stars pass them by. It is vast and incredible out there. Cold, dark, and inviting.

There is a kind of comfort to it, in a way.

He says nothing, even should someone approach him. Still, he is available for conversation, should someone see fit.]



❧ IV. wildcard

[make your own prompt, or request something more specific!]

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