onewiththerevel (
onewiththerevel) wrote in
nexus_crossings2018-05-05 10:43 am
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Bringing in Spring with a worthy revel
[With the changing of seasons, many Nexus visitors are very happy to see the snow melt away and life returning to their beloved home. Spring is here!
It appears overnight: a large pantheon in the center of the Nexus forum, and once can only guess how such a great building was erected without anyone noticing. Atop the Patheon are two golden thrones, adorned with gemstones of great value. No one seems to be sitting there, but they seem to hold a great deal of importance to the cloaked humans who guard the Pantheon entrance.
The land in front of the Pantheon is paved with smooth, old stones in the shape of a large circle. Lush flowers and grass grown along the outskirts of the cropping, full of beautiful and exotic plants. Truly the host of this revel wants even nature to bend before their whim.
On the left and right sides of the sides of the circle are two long marble tables, where different food and drink await those who enter. Freshly cooked meat. Ripe fruits and unsullied wine. Whatever your heart desires, be it simple or sweet, you will be hard pressed to not find it on one of the tables. Near the tables is also a large group of tents, adorned with many plush chairs and sofas for those who like to relax while indulging.
The center of the circle has a large bonfire pit, carved of fine stone, lit with a brilliant (almost unearthly) red fire. Comforting to those seeking warmth or invigorating to the souls of the weary: it carries an important symbol for the revel: let your soul burn as hot as the flames inside. Which, to the satyr, it means that everyone present should be partying and indulging with one another. There seems to be plenty of space for dancing and socializing alike, whatever your preference may be.
The entrance into this festivity is monitored by a group of half-human, half-goat satyr. They don’t seem to be picky about who gets let in, assuming you’re not here to ruin the fun, but it would be wise to check it with them first. This is a masquerade-style party, so all of the guests need masks.
But there can’t be anything possible wrong with such a wonderful party, right? Perhaps things are not all as they seem….]
((Here's your OOC guide guide to this event. Post when you can as you like, no worries. Have fun!))
((The second half of the event is live link here Please read the OOC thread so you know the details!))
It appears overnight: a large pantheon in the center of the Nexus forum, and once can only guess how such a great building was erected without anyone noticing. Atop the Patheon are two golden thrones, adorned with gemstones of great value. No one seems to be sitting there, but they seem to hold a great deal of importance to the cloaked humans who guard the Pantheon entrance.
The land in front of the Pantheon is paved with smooth, old stones in the shape of a large circle. Lush flowers and grass grown along the outskirts of the cropping, full of beautiful and exotic plants. Truly the host of this revel wants even nature to bend before their whim.
On the left and right sides of the sides of the circle are two long marble tables, where different food and drink await those who enter. Freshly cooked meat. Ripe fruits and unsullied wine. Whatever your heart desires, be it simple or sweet, you will be hard pressed to not find it on one of the tables. Near the tables is also a large group of tents, adorned with many plush chairs and sofas for those who like to relax while indulging.
The center of the circle has a large bonfire pit, carved of fine stone, lit with a brilliant (almost unearthly) red fire. Comforting to those seeking warmth or invigorating to the souls of the weary: it carries an important symbol for the revel: let your soul burn as hot as the flames inside. Which, to the satyr, it means that everyone present should be partying and indulging with one another. There seems to be plenty of space for dancing and socializing alike, whatever your preference may be.
The entrance into this festivity is monitored by a group of half-human, half-goat satyr. They don’t seem to be picky about who gets let in, assuming you’re not here to ruin the fun, but it would be wise to check it with them first. This is a masquerade-style party, so all of the guests need masks.
But there can’t be anything possible wrong with such a wonderful party, right? Perhaps things are not all as they seem….]
((Here's your OOC guide guide to this event. Post when you can as you like, no worries. Have fun!))
((The second half of the event is live link here Please read the OOC thread so you know the details!))
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He's not particularly loud, but Adia hears him anyway. She had been edging closer to the locked door, nervous about whatever had caused Hydreigon to stop his rescue attempt and start growling instead, but as soon as she recognizes Caspar's voice, she runs to the door and bangs on it with all her might. "Caspar!" She shouts. "Caspar, I'm in here!"
"Adia?" He steps forward, mind jumping to an unpleasant conclusion, but she anticipates this and bangs on the door again.
"Caspar, Hydreigon's been trying to get me out of here! That's why he's breaking down the door! See if you can help him!"
It takes him a moment for his mind to shift gears -- to think of the pokémon as an ally instead of an enemy. He's been burned before. But if Adia trusts him...
Slowly he lowers the sword. The switchblade gets retracted and tucked back into his pocket. "I can pick the lock," he tells Hydreigon. "Unless you want to keep slamming against it."
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Setting down his sword, he takes a few seconds to examine the lock. It's a simple metal lock, the kind that takes time and determination to pick, but no clever tricks. Fine by him. He slips a tie pin out of his delicately patterned tie and begins probing at the keyhole, catching at the inner mechanism and patiently working through it.
"This is going to take a few minutes," he warns Adia through the door. "Are you okay in there?"
The question cuts through the comfort of Caspar's presence that had briefly overrode her fear. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Please, Caspar, you have to hurry. 'Josh' is here somewhere."
Caspar's hand slips and he swears, fishing out the pin and starting over. "What?"
"He's possessed," she adds. "The witch that opened the portal for him, she's using him to bring a god named Nyarlahotep into the Nexus to spread chaos."
The image of that badly dressed man in the mask fills his mind and his jaw tenses unconsciously. "I think he already did, babe. There's a full on riot going on outside." All the more reason to concentrate on picking that lock and setting Adia free. "Hydreigon? Do me a favor and keep at least one of your heads on watch while I get this open."
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That doesn't matter now, as the lock pops open after a few, long minutes pass. In that split second, Hydreigon growls, looking up at the staircase. Someone can be heard clapping from up above.
"Looks like I underestimated the power of true love."
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Adia pauses in her pacing, but only because she remembers that Jeff has her PINpoint. This fills her with a dizzying wave of worry. What if Nyarlahotep decides to spread his brand of chaos to other worlds? Atlantis could be in jeopardy.
She places a hand on the door and takes a steadying breath, but it's Caspar on the other side who gives her balance. He'll get her out of here, and then they can work on that problem together.
The lock pops with little fanfare. Caspar already has the door open when he realizes that they have company. Swinging his gaze to the stairs, he bends down to pick up the short sword. Whoever it is, he's not expecting them to be friendly.
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”It looks like certain calculations were not taken into effect. The will of humans is much stronger in the Nexus than I anticipated. But the harsh reality remains: you are all creatures of chaos.” It’s still not Jeff’s voice, but to prove that it’s really him, the mask comes off. What lies beneath is simple terrifying.
It’s Jeff’s face, but his skin is completely turned gray, his eyes are a deep black. Whomever or whatever is controlling him is clearly not of this world.
”You’re not going anywhere.” He points the sword at the Pantheon entrance, causing it to be engulfed in a large wall of flames. The gemstones in his sword glow a vibrant red, and if Caspar even thinks about looking at his PINpoint for an escape, he’ll find the device is not quite working as planned. "Let's settle to score, here and now, Caspar Millen."
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Big words from a guy with a significantly smaller sword. But Caspar is not above talking smack if it gives Adia a chance to escape. He grabs his PINpoint with his free hand and shoves it into Adia's as she quickly exits her former prison, but by then it's too late: the PINpoint is dead and the wall of flames cuts off the other obvious avenue of escape.
Jeff's ghastly appearance makes Adia gasp, and even Caspar looks a little shaken up. He's looked death in the face before -- he's died before -- but he's never gone toe-to-toe with a god.
"Try to get her somewhere safe," he tells Hydreigon, gesturing for Adia to hide behind the dragon. As for Persian, he gives her a brief, reproachful look, before meeting the black, fathomless gaze of her master.
"Fine by me, unless you were planning to have your pet kitty do your fighting for you."
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Hydreigon doesn't wait for Adia's approval, as one head tries to grab her by the cardigan she's wearing. If allowed, he's going to get Adia on his back and fly upwards, somewhere much safer than the ground. Persian looks at Hydreigon and feigns violence, slowly pacing the dragon, but is clearly giving him time to get Adia to safety. Clearly the cat Pokemon isn't loyal to Jeff either.
"No. We fight to the death this time. Me and you" He doesn't seem to care that Caspar has a small sword and his blade is an unfair advantage. Do what needs to be done. 'Jeff' takes a swing at Caspar without a second thought, aiming for the Cylon's shoulder.
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He takes a step back when the other man descends. A quick glance towards Adia when she squeaks in fright at being hoisted like a baby animal, but she settles quickly once she realizes what Hydreigon is trying to do. Wrapping her arms around the dragon's main neck, she tries to keep her eyes on the impending fight below. It's a relief to see that Persian isn't interested in fighting, but what does that truly matter, now that 'Jeff' is possessed by a dark god? "Caspar, look out!" she cries out when the other man starts swinging.
Caspar raises his sword and blocks the blow, grunting with the effort, then takes a swing of his own, attempting to push the other man back towards the stairs.
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"You're wrong. The chaos can't be stopped, and to be honest, once Adia dies...It'll spur many people into despair and hopelessness." It's as if the God possessing Jeff knows what will piss off Caspar, expecting the Cylon to make a fatal mistake or movement.
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At least until 'Jeff' taunts him. Caspar snarls and overextends his reach, trying to stab the other man in the face to get rid of that insufferable smirk. Only at the last moment does he realize his mistake and draws back on his swing. "To be honest, once you die, no one's going to give a frak!"
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"As if a God can die. But if you're referring to this body..." 'Jeff' holds out one hand. "I was prepared to sacrifice this form anyways. If it dies, then it doesn't matter to me." Those words alone cause Persian to snarl, frustrated at the situation.
Even Hyrdreigon, who still keeps Adia on his back safely above the battlefield, grumbles in discontent. Something has to be done. What can they do without hurting their master? Both Pokemon seem to be hinging their bets on Caspar's abilities for now.
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A weakness. Nyarlahotep must have a weakness. Everyone does. Athena killed herself by plunging from the Gates of Hera, but that doesn't seem to be an option here. "Hey, Adia!" he calls out, blocking more pushback. "Any ideas on stopping this asshole without setting him loose?"
The question snaps Adia out of her tense silence. Despite everything, she doesn't want to see Jeff sacrificed any more than his pokémon do. "Try disarming him!" she shouts back. She can't articulate why, but that sword has been tugging at her subconscious this entire time. There's magic involved, clearly. Whether that's relevant to Jeff's possession is not something she can tell, but it's worth a shot.
Without missing a beat, Caspar changes the aim of his swing, this time going for the hilt of the sword, and the hand holding it.
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The swing at his wrist is ultimately starts the landslide of problems for Nyarlathotep. His grip is weakened, but he takes a last ditch swing at Caspar's arm, before stumbling backwards. Without warning, Hydreigon flies closer, his body glowing purple, and a stream of black and red chunks of rock appear out of nowhere. The powers Pokemon possess are truly scary as the Draco Meteors fly past Caspar, aiming directly at the feet of 'Jeff', sending the sword flying out of his hands.
The blade slides across the floor, well out of grabbing range, as Jeff hits the floor. Looks like the monster has been stopped for now.
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A quick check on Adia, who is hanging onto Hydreigon for dear life but otherwise unharmed, and then his gaze rests on the fallen God. "Not so tough now, are we?" he grits out, although there's a hitch in his step when he heads towards the other man, stepping between him and the sword. He'd never admit it, but this fight has worn him down, and he's not eager to start another round until he can at least catch his breath. With the stairway now clear, he gestures for the three-headed dragon to head up that way and fly Adia to safety. It's the only escape, so long as the temple's entrance remains covered in flames.
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Persian, meanwhile, rushes over to the blade and puts the handle of it in her mouth. She drags the blade behind Caspar, keeping it well out of the hands of her master. 'Jeff' is only laughing out loud to himself while the whole situation plays out.
"For a machine that imitates man, you've mastered the attitude of an arrogant worm. If you truly think this is the end, you are wrong..."
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'Jeff' taunts him again, and Caspar glares down at him. The irony is that this machine-made-man is feeling the very opposite of arrogant. The sword quivers ever so slightly as his hands start to tremble, truly at a loss over what to do. What satisfaction would he get from killing the possessed man before him if he and Adia remained trapped?
Out of the corner of his eye, he spots Adia sliding off Hydreigon's back and coaxing Persian to come over to her. She's close enough to touch, but he doesn't, worried that it will attract Nyarlahotep's attention. His girl is up to something -- she wants the sword, maybe? But why?
He recalls the way the gems glowed right before the flames appeared and suddenly he understands. He points his short sword at the other man's face and hisses, "Big talk from someone lying on the ground,"
Let this off-brand deity assume that Caspar is a foolhardy idiot. Anything to keep him distracted.
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From the staircase, a girl no more than ten years old emerges from the rooftop, holding a brown and red colored spear. She gets a quick glance at the people and Pokémon standing in the Pantheon, before jumping off the stairwell, spear held tightly in one hand.
The smile on her face is horrific, as she quickly lunges towards Caspar with the spear. If she can kill him, Adia will be a pushover. One stab is all Chara needs…
She immediately frowns upon seeing Jeff get back up on his feet, quickly running towards her to intercept the attack, pushing Caspar out of the way. Instead of getting to skewer Caspar’s back, the spear plunges into Jeff’s stomach by a few inches. Surprisingly, the child laughs, quickly retracting her weapon and stepping away from her former ally. Jeff merely falls on his back, one hand covering the bleeding wound.
”Good riddance. You’re an acceptable sacrifice as well.” Chara retreats back to a corner, where Sara is standing with a frown on her face.
”You lived a pathetic life and now you die a pathetic human, Jeffrey. But this is what you wanted, after all. Just not as you dreamed.” She nods, before moving her hands in a circular motion, creating a blue portal out of thin air. Both disciples of Nyarlathotep step through the glowing gate, which vanishes behind them.
“Neither of you were hurt by that spear, right?” Jeff’s voice returns to normal, his skin is now a pale white and his brown-colored eyes are back.
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-- and promptly gets shoved out of the way. Tripping over his own feet, he falls to the ground. Not his finest moment, but fortunately the only part of him that's wounded is his pride. By the time he scrambles to his feet, Sara is wrapping up her little speech. Guessing that she's the witch, or perhaps simply frustrated that the two disciples are getting away, he chucks his sword at her, but it only sails through the space that they once stood, clattering against the empty wall and landing on the ground.
Jeff speaks, and Caspar glares at him furiously. "Oh, now you care if we're injured or not?!" he snaps, ready to unleash his ire on an easy target.
"Caspar."
Adia's voice is soft, barely above a whisper, but the way she says his name cuts through his haze of indignation. He turns, and she's standing before him, offering him the hilt of the bejeweled sword. With a more subdued expression, he nods, then takes it from her.
"It's the jewels, isn't it?" he asks Jeff. "I need to destroy the jewels to stop the magic. And don't lie to me or I'll be using your body as a riot shield."
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Jeff coughs, red blood is now dripping from his mouth. His eyes drift from Caspar to Adia, struggling to even stand. Laying down sounds nice right about now. "I'm a dead man walking, and if any of can truly stop the future from going to Hell, it's Adia." His brown eyes rest on her calmly, his other bloodied hand is extended to her while holding a PINpoint.
“You have to trust me, Adia. We have to go. You’re the only one with the potential to stop this insanity from truly taking over the Nexus.” Persian and Hydreigon both walk / float next to Jeff, visibly distressed at what’s going on. They know he’s dying and there’s nothing that can be done to stop it. "I promise I'm not going to hurt you, not in these last few minutes while I'm alive."
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The gems shatter as if they were made of glass. Though the air remains still, all the fire is simultaneously snuffed out. From outside, the sounds of violence fade into murmurs of confusion. There are calls of distress here and there, but they are quickly met with offers of help. Perhaps some of the damage cannot be undone, but at least for now, things are peaceful.
Caspar looks around in the mild surprise. "Huh. That actually worked." He tosses aside the broken sword, just in time for Adia to throw her arms around him in an relieved embrace. He hugs her back as tightly as he dares, a hand curled up in her disheveled locks, grateful that she's safe and unharmed.
And then, naturally, Jeff has to start talking again and ruin the moment. “You cannot be serious. After all the bullshit you’ve put her through —“
“No… Caspar, it’s okay.” Adia keeps her arms around him while looking at Jeff sadly. It’s not the love that he had desperately wanted from her, but her compassion might be a decent consolation prize. He’s not a good person, not by any stretch of the imagination, but he tried to be one. For her, he tried.
The least she can do is not let him die alone.
Caspar looks at her, incredulous at first, then with a reluctant nod. Jeff did save his life, and Caspar has seen enough death to know that the other man doesn’t have much time. “I’m coming with you,” he says, even as he lets go of her.
“Of course you are,” Adia replies. She walks up to Jeff, but doesn’t take his hand. “I’d like my PINpoint back first, please. And you need to tell me what’s going on.”
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"I'll give you the quick version, I did some research and I think I've found a way to kill Nyarlathotep. It was where I wanted to take you, before I truly lost control of myself." Jeff can't help but glance down at the floor, where a pool of blood is starting to form, covering his shoes. "Only someone with a pure heart can attain the blessing of a higher being. Adia is that person..."
Jeff looks at Persian, who gets up on two paws and sticks her nose into Jeff's suit pocket. Within seconds, she removes Adia's PINpoint with her mouth, thankfully the device is not bloody. The cat Pokemon takes the device and offers it to Adia calmly.
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But to give up without even trying seems worse. Not with Sara out there, and that girl with the slasher smile.
"Okay," she says finally, with a soft sigh. It seems that despite her best efforts to avoid entangling herself with higher powers, they have found her once again.
She takes her PINpoint from Persian, then gives Caspar back his. Both appear to be working, and she looks at him a moment, wondering if he'll argue that they should go home instead and leave Jeff and the Nexus to their fate. She's surprised when he takes her hand instead, without complaint. He's remembering something that Professor Madrone said once about the pure of heart. He has faith in his girl.
Besides, he'll be with her. He's got his other hand on his PINpoint, too. It doesn't hurt to be prepared.
Adia pockets her PINpoint, then places her free hand on Hydreigon, forming a chain. It crosses her mind that he and Persian will be alone after this, but that's a concern for later. At least she'll be there to comfort them.
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Once everyone has connected, Jeff presses the button on the PINpoint, sending the group elsewhere...
And by elsewhere, it's a completely surreal world.
The PINpoint teleports everyone to the top of a mountain; the skyline above is painted a deep blue, full of pink and purple clouds, while stars twinkle above them. There doesn’t seem to be a sun or moon in the sky, but the area is lit up by some unseen force. Surrounding the group is a large circle of statues depicting the strongest legendary Pokemon of lore. In the center of the open shrine is a large statue of Arceus, which is staring down at those who dare set foot in this hallowed ground. The source of light and all power seems to stem from the statue.
Gengar can be seen waiting at the steps of the altar, and when he sees Jeff and company show up he floats over and...Wait, why is Jeff bleeding? The Ghost Pokemon seems upset, scrambling and pointing to the Arceus statue. It’s pretty clear that the mission was to get here without dying.
“Sorry Gengar...I kept you waiting…” Jeff seems to be playing off the fact that he’s been stabbed and is bleeding to death, even keeping up a friendly smile. Gengar gimes an unamused look to Caspar and Adia, while the other two Pokemon try to nudge the group forward.
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"Legendary pokémon," Caspar murmurs. He's done his research. His gaze lands on the statue in the center. "That's Arceus," he tells Adia, who stares at the statue in fascination. She can feel its power from here, or at least the power of what it represents.
Looks like Caspar's memory of Madrone's words was more on the nose than he had assumed. He spots Gengar and gives the ghost pokémon an unamused look in return, not wanting a repeat of their previous interactions.
Watching Jeff try to put on a brave face for his pokémon breaks Adia's heart a little, and without further prompting, she approaches the center statue, not wanting to waste time. "What do I need to do?"
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Clearly Katsuya never played Persona 3
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