[ WELCOME TO HELL! WELCOME TO HELL! WELCOME TO HELL!!
it's less jarring, though no less oppressive. it still takes her a moment to observe the door, before she's able to push forward to grab her companion's hands to pull them free. she has to do this one at a time, so whoever tags next has to help, it's the law. ]
she doesn't even really think about it, or have the chance to, she just grabs for baiken's hand when it's presented, and when she's back, when she's in one piece, she's so bluescreened at that she can really just be directed to do whatever. she'll help grab ichiban. that's okay. she can do that. one step at a time.
[ ichiban got to have his deda feelings already, he doesn't get shit this time around. he is somewhat more aware of the situation this revival, though, because he's not just a shredded up meat slurry—this time, he can see baiken and throné's hands, feel their warmth calling him back. he reaches out and grasps them both and returns once more. ]
Thanks...you two, again. [ he breathes in, out, in, out—then pauses. and frowns. ] ... Wait, did you guys see Aya-chan in there, too?
[i'm sorry to report that throné is in bad shape. not physically, mentally. hell is bad, guys, don't go there.
she doesn't answer at first, because she is contemplating going over and just yartzing into a corner. she doesn't! but boy does she think about doing it. but after a second, she tries to manually reboot, wrapping her arms around herself.]
... No. [she mumbles.] Do the two of you need healing?
[ very quickly, before he leaves it this time, ichiban bows his head in front of the door and observes a moment of silence for aya—but only a moment, because they still have a job to do. ]
I'm okay, Necchan. Let's get going. [ he turns to baiken. ] Did it leave behind any of that enkephalin stuff or anything?
[she says, through a wheezy breath. but she's going to wait, if they don't need it. because the last time she used it, ichiban immediately needed it and she doesn't want to fuck up like that again. so. deep breath, as much as she's able, and then she starts disconnecting. one by one she puts away the worst of the panic and fear, and evens out. it's alright. finish the job.
she glances at the other two briefly, and then at aya, before swallowing hard. carefully she's going to crouch down and close aya's eyes and cross her arms over her chest, and then:]
One of you go check the... the monster. Does it have anything on it?
[they are... very much on their own now, huh. they don't have any guides left, so they just have to figure this shit out on their own.]
[ baiken will go check it out, because at least these idiots are back now, even if they keep dying. "throné has died once" stop dying. she isn't entirely sure what it is that she saw - maybe it was nothing? maybe it's a second, smaller evil apple.
[ he nods to baiken as she goes forward, taking a moment to breathe and reorient himself. as selfish as it is . . . he has died twice at this point. maybe there is some wisdom in letting others shoulder the burden for once.
(huh... isn't that ironic.)
again, he very nearly just places his hand on throné's shoulder because it's just such an automatic response for him, it's how he shows support because how better to relieve somebody than to give them undeniable proof that you are here with them—but he has learned. he successfully fights the urge and, instead, offers his hand. she's free to say no if she wants. ]
[WELL DICEBOT HAS DECREED EMPHATICALLY THAT BAIKEN GETS A 10
On entering the room-- she isn't immediately attacked. Things look pretty much the same, initially. However-
The glow within the apple has faded a bit, largely because something seems to be blocking it. What she missed in this room the first time were the bodies.
One body has just been pulled fully into the apple's core. Its roots are wrapped around two more, dragging them to itself... and from the apple, a stalk emerges.
At the end is the head of a man, grinning down at her.]
[he has learned! which is good, because she flinches, when he offers his hand. instinctive. but after a second, she takes a deep breath and takes his hand. it's nice to have something to center herself with. you know, until she realizes what's going on with that fucking apple monster.
she assumes baiken will shout to them to tell them what's up with that. haha.]
[ cute that you think baiken is thinking of anything else in this moment.
her first reaction is abject horror. there's no hiding the tremble in her hand as she reaches to draw the katana - she almost forgot she had it. her stomach flips upside down, and she falters as she tries to find her voice, as well as her stance. it's hard with the roots to get the right footing.
whatever this thing is, it isn't him. ]
What the hell did you do to Anji?!
[ there's a waver in her voice, her typical growl softened by her fear. ]
[ >two more bodies >two more of us >hmmmmmmm nah its fine probably
with throné's hand in his, he gives her a little encouraging tug to get her going so they can catch up with baiken. though... well... once they do, he can immediately tell something is off. fear isn't something he'd ever think to associate with her.
he carefully treads over the roots, makes sure throné can safely traverse them too, before standing by baiken's side, glancing at the twisted face staring down at them now before focusing on her again. ]
[That head just grins back at her. Taunting. Too quiet, nothing to say (for now).
And as Ichiban brings Throné in... they see the apple finish absorbing its new nutrients. The other two bodies are sucked into its core, stifling the last of its golden glow from within, before moments later, it grows one new head. Then another.
she follows ichiban into the room, dizzily. she's not sure exactly what's going on with this thing, even if she can hear baiken panicking. baiken doesn't ever sound afraid. it's off. it doesn't make sense. but throné isn't looking at the head just yet, distracted by the way the bodies are being dragged across the floor, being absorbed, and she thinks... strange. it must be alive, powering up. it makes her think of the carnivorous plant the travelers had fought, not so long ago.
and then she looks up at the newly grown stalk.
her breath leaves her all at once. she sucks it in harshly and then can't figure out how to exhale, staring at the last head. her heart drops, her blood turns to ice, and her expression is horrified as she yanks her hand out of ichiban's grasp and goes for her dagger. but she can't...
she can't get the name out. she stutters on it, tem - temen - te -- and takes half a step back, and then another step forward, like she can't decide what to do. was he... he wasn't, he told her, what did he tell her? he'd said something about these trips. she can't remember. the only thing running through her head is
temenos is dead and you failed him temenos is dead and you failed him temenos is dead and you failed]
[ the way the head says nothing is all the more unnerving. anji always had some line or quip for her. no matter how she tried to steel her resolve, no matter how tried to convince herself that this isn't real and that isn't really anji... her sense was already too distant to pull back. not with that thing smiling at her.
she almost misses ichiban's question in her focus on the monster, and without tearing her eye away she responds: ] It's Anji.
[ this means nothing and there's no time to explain. with her hazy perception, she missed the other bodies being pulled in, and jumps back half a step when the new heads sprout.
this isn't real. this isn't real. this isn't real.
if this is affecting her this badly, she can't imagine what these new faces are doing to throné and ichiban. even with the one she kind of recognizes - it's easier to see through the facade she thinks is there. but not anji. even after all the times she threatened to cut him, she never thought the day would come she would actually have to. ]
[ as soon as baiken responds to him, he knows what's up. but... even though he braces himself to see a familiar face, it's different when it's, you know, actually in front of him. the one staring at him is alien, twisted, a shadow of the man that ichiban remembers... and yet, a voice rings out in his head, a rough-sounding 30-something whose japanese is tinged with just enough of a twang that makes you go "wait, where are you from?"—
"isn't it better to die for something than live for nothing?"
those last two times—did he die for something? ]
Yeah. That's your Anji, that's Throné's Tem, and that's my Tomi.
[ he steps forward, even if the other two are rooted to their places. he looks at the abomination before them, locking eyes with the one wearing his friend's face before declaring, ]
You guys... it's all fake. You know that, right? [ he tightens his grip around the hilt of his blade, knuckles white. ] It's... not them. It's not.
[Temenos is a little different from the other two heads-- eyes closed, drooping lifelessly, looking much more dead. Gone, not even enough of him to whisper an accusation, or to call out to her. Blood drips slowly down the stem.
Anji still smiles down at Baiken, though, same as ever.
she can't take her eyes off of temenos - she's trying to make her brain work, but ichiban's words fall on deaf ears. it's not real, it's not, temenos even said, when he came back from his, that it wasn't real, but this is her nightmare, this is what she promised.
she darts forward. she can't just - leave him here, she has to - he's dead, so she'll cut his body out of the thing, she'll stop it from happening, if she can get him out she can heal him.]
[ it was only the last time she saw him that he had said those very words to her. and she said the same to him then.
ichiban's convincing - thin and pleading though it may be - helps reaffirm her own internal monolog. this isn't real. that isn't anji, or temenos, or tomi. this is a monster, and she's fought plenty of those before.
except there isn't even a chance to reorient before throné is charging ahead ]
Wait— !
[ shit. she dashes forward, sword a little more steady in her grip. ]
[ the words of the monster wearing tomizawa's face hit ichiban hard, enough to throw him off balance for a bit. he did say that, didn't he... tomizawa, chitose, the legendary kazuma kiryu himself—he promised all of them he'd help them, didn't he?
. . .
yeah. yeah, he did. and he intends to keep his word, because ichiban kasuga is a hero—he's the hero of yokohama, and a hero never lets their party down.
so even as throné darts forward and baiken tries to dissuade her, ichiban remains calm. he adjusts his grip on the katana, rolls his shoulders as he steps forward with a cocky grin. where the aberration had tried to frazzle him, to taunt him into believing he can't do a damn thing... it actually ended up reminding him what's really important, what matters the most to him—
the friends he made along the way. ]
Hey, apple jackass! [ hehe. ] When life gives you apples... make APPLESAUCE!
[ bringing his free hand to his heart, he taps into his e.g.o. and charges. ]
[Throné charges forward, and while Baiken follows-
Ichiban taps into his E.G.O. The warmth of it fills him, the strength of that flame-- so long as anything, anything is alight, then it's fine, isn't it? Even if it's only the flame of a match. That much can burn more than you would think.
"I burn only what I wish to burn."
Flame erupts around him, infusing him and his weapon both, and while the other attacks will still be effective against those heads... cutting one of them down prompts a mass to burst from the apple, rot and decay and tiny worms forming a larger shape that looks like a haunting face, two other shapes that seem to be arms.
It's this mass that Ichiban meets with his flames, the fire setting it alight easily as the False Apple lets loose an ungodly scream. As he charges in, he'll be able to smash it up much more effectively, the material of the apple growing softer and more rotten.]
she doesn't stop trying to get up close. if she can just - get there, if she can get into the apple, she can find temenos, she can pull him out of it, she can heal him. he can't be dead all the way. she won't allow it. does she find anything? can she try to slice the stalk with temenos's face off and down to the ground?
she does not, for a second, care about the fire. if it hits her in her attempt, she ignores it.]
[ death may be cheap in this world, but that doesn't mean baiken has to deal with it if she doesn't have to. with ichiban's assault she hops away (although she's already covered in applesauce so what's more), but, she still has a low tolerance for stupidity and scruffs throné to yank her away. don't make her parry throw you because she absolutely will. ]
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it's less jarring, though no less oppressive. it still takes her a moment to observe the door, before she's able to push forward to grab her companion's hands to pull them free. she has to do this one at a time, so whoever tags next has to help, it's the law. ]
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she doesn't even really think about it, or have the chance to, she just grabs for baiken's hand when it's presented, and when she's back, when she's in one piece, she's so bluescreened at that she can really just be directed to do whatever. she'll help grab ichiban. that's okay. she can do that. one step at a time.
which she can do! because she has both legs!
for now.]
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Thanks...you two, again. [ he breathes in, out, in, out—then pauses. and frowns. ] ... Wait, did you guys see Aya-chan in there, too?
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she doesn't answer at first, because she is contemplating going over and just yartzing into a corner. she doesn't! but boy does she think about doing it. but after a second, she tries to manually reboot, wrapping her arms around herself.]
... No. [she mumbles.] Do the two of you need healing?
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but she isn't there. goodbye, aya. you were a real one.
she's quiet a moment longer, with a solemn nod in response to ichiban's thanks. ]
...I'm fine. The thing that got you has been dealt with.
[ she is covered in apple goo. ]
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[ very quickly, before he leaves it this time, ichiban bows his head in front of the door and observes a moment of silence for aya—but only a moment, because they still have a job to do. ]
I'm okay, Necchan. Let's get going. [ he turns to baiken. ] Did it leave behind any of that enkephalin stuff or anything?
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[she says, through a wheezy breath. but she's going to wait, if they don't need it. because the last time she used it, ichiban immediately needed it and she doesn't want to fuck up like that again. so. deep breath, as much as she's able, and then she starts disconnecting. one by one she puts away the worst of the panic and fear, and evens out. it's alright. finish the job.
she glances at the other two briefly, and then at aya, before swallowing hard. carefully she's going to crouch down and close aya's eyes and cross her arms over her chest, and then:]
One of you go check the... the monster. Does it have anything on it?
[they are... very much on their own now, huh. they don't have any guides left, so they just have to figure this shit out on their own.]
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[ baiken will go check it out, because at least these idiots are back now, even if they keep dying. "throné has died once" stop dying. she isn't entirely sure what it is that she saw - maybe it was nothing? maybe it's a second, smaller evil apple.
she is going to find out. ]
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(huh... isn't that ironic.)
again, he very nearly just places his hand on throné's shoulder because it's just such an automatic response for him, it's how he shows support because how better to relieve somebody than to give them undeniable proof that you are here with them—but he has learned. he successfully fights the urge and, instead, offers his hand. she's free to say no if she wants. ]
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On entering the room-- she isn't immediately attacked. Things look pretty much the same, initially. However-
The glow within the apple has faded a bit, largely because something seems to be blocking it. What she missed in this room the first time were the bodies.
One body has just been pulled fully into the apple's core. Its roots are wrapped around two more, dragging them to itself... and from the apple, a stalk emerges.
At the end is the head of a man, grinning down at her.]
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she assumes baiken will shout to them to tell them what's up with that. haha.]
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her first reaction is abject horror. there's no hiding the tremble in her hand as she reaches to draw the katana - she almost forgot she had it. her stomach flips upside down, and she falters as she tries to find her voice, as well as her stance. it's hard with the roots to get the right footing.
whatever this thing is, it isn't him. ]
What the hell did you do to Anji?!
[ there's a waver in her voice, her typical growl softened by her fear. ]
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>two more of us
>hmmmmmmm nah its fine probably
with throné's hand in his, he gives her a little encouraging tug to get her going so they can catch up with baiken. though... well... once they do, he can immediately tell something is off. fear isn't something he'd ever think to associate with her.
he carefully treads over the roots, makes sure throné can safely traverse them too, before standing by baiken's side, glancing at the twisted face staring down at them now before focusing on her again. ]
Baiken-san... you know that guy?
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And as Ichiban brings Throné in... they see the apple finish absorbing its new nutrients. The other two bodies are sucked into its core, stifling the last of its golden glow from within, before moments later, it grows one new head. Then another.
At the ends of these stalks are familiar faces to each of them.]
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she follows ichiban into the room, dizzily. she's not sure exactly what's going on with this thing, even if she can hear baiken panicking. baiken doesn't ever sound afraid. it's off. it doesn't make sense. but throné isn't looking at the head just yet, distracted by the way the bodies are being dragged across the floor, being absorbed, and she thinks... strange. it must be alive, powering up. it makes her think of the carnivorous plant the travelers had fought, not so long ago.
and then she looks up at the newly grown stalk.
her breath leaves her all at once. she sucks it in harshly and then can't figure out how to exhale, staring at the last head. her heart drops, her blood turns to ice, and her expression is horrified as she yanks her hand out of ichiban's grasp and goes for her dagger. but she can't...
she can't get the name out. she stutters on it, tem - temen - te -- and takes half a step back, and then another step forward, like she can't decide what to do. was he... he wasn't, he told her, what did he tell her? he'd said something about these trips. she can't remember. the only thing running through her head is
temenos is dead and you failed him temenos is dead and you failed him temenos is dead and you failed]
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she almost misses ichiban's question in her focus on the monster, and without tearing her eye away she responds: ] It's Anji.
[ this means nothing and there's no time to explain. with her hazy perception, she missed the other bodies being pulled in, and jumps back half a step when the new heads sprout.
this isn't real. this isn't real. this isn't real.
if this is affecting her this badly, she can't imagine what these new faces are doing to throné and ichiban. even with the one she kind of recognizes - it's easier to see through the facade she thinks is there. but not anji. even after all the times she threatened to cut him, she never thought the day would come she would actually have to. ]
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"isn't it better to die for something than live for nothing?"
those last two times—did he die for something? ]
Yeah. That's your Anji, that's Throné's Tem, and that's my Tomi.
[ he steps forward, even if the other two are rooted to their places. he looks at the abomination before them, locking eyes with the one wearing his friend's face before declaring, ]
You guys... it's all fake. You know that, right? [ he tightens his grip around the hilt of his blade, knuckles white. ] It's... not them. It's not.
[ who is he trying to convince more? ]
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Anji still smiles down at Baiken, though, same as ever.
I'm not ready for you to cut me down.
Eric's eyes remain focused on Ichiban, meanwhile.
Thought you said... you'd help me.]
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she can't take her eyes off of temenos - she's trying to make her brain work, but ichiban's words fall on deaf ears. it's not real, it's not, temenos even said, when he came back from his, that it wasn't real, but this is her nightmare, this is what she promised.
she darts forward. she can't just - leave him here, she has to - he's dead, so she'll cut his body out of the thing, she'll stop it from happening, if she can get him out she can heal him.]
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[ it was only the last time she saw him that he had said those very words to her. and she said the same to him then.
ichiban's convincing - thin and pleading though it may be - helps reaffirm her own internal monolog. this isn't real. that isn't anji, or temenos, or tomi. this is a monster, and she's fought plenty of those before.
except there isn't even a chance to reorient before throné is charging ahead ]
Wait— !
[ shit. she dashes forward, sword a little more steady in her grip. ]
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. . .
yeah. yeah, he did. and he intends to keep his word, because ichiban kasuga is a hero—he's the hero of yokohama, and a hero never lets their party down.
so even as throné darts forward and baiken tries to dissuade her, ichiban remains calm. he adjusts his grip on the katana, rolls his shoulders as he steps forward with a cocky grin. where the aberration had tried to frazzle him, to taunt him into believing he can't do a damn thing... it actually ended up reminding him what's really important, what matters the most to him—
the friends he made along the way. ]
Hey, apple jackass! [ hehe. ] When life gives you apples... make APPLESAUCE!
[ bringing his free hand to his heart, he taps into his e.g.o. and charges. ]
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Ichiban taps into his E.G.O. The warmth of it fills him, the strength of that flame-- so long as anything, anything is alight, then it's fine, isn't it? Even if it's only the flame of a match. That much can burn more than you would think.
"I burn only what I wish to burn."
Flame erupts around him, infusing him and his weapon both, and while the other attacks will still be effective against those heads... cutting one of them down prompts a mass to burst from the apple, rot and decay and tiny worms forming a larger shape that looks like a haunting face, two other shapes that seem to be arms.
It's this mass that Ichiban meets with his flames, the fire setting it alight easily as the False Apple lets loose an ungodly scream. As he charges in, he'll be able to smash it up much more effectively, the material of the apple growing softer and more rotten.]
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she doesn't stop trying to get up close. if she can just - get there, if she can get into the apple, she can find temenos, she can pull him out of it, she can heal him. he can't be dead all the way. she won't allow it. does she find anything? can she try to slice the stalk with temenos's face off and down to the ground?
she does not, for a second, care about the fire. if it hits her in her attempt, she ignores it.]
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