hide and seek

[realitymods]

[A fair amount of time after Wolf's transmission, the lights go out, stars and all. When they snap back on a minute later, anyone currently on the Plane will end up at the gates of a run-down, darkened city that looks a bit like old Tokyo, except with the same Plane sky overhead. There are bent and beat-up posters plastered all over, with illustrations of some horrible monsters and a riddle.]

To win hide and seek,
hide from darkness and seek the light.

[The monsters aren't out yet, and there are no residents to be found except the Plane's captives, but there is an eerie, empty feeling about the place.

On closer inspection, this 'sanctuary' is really a dead end. The buildings surrounding it are high with boarded windows, and the alleyways are quick dead ends.

Also, no one has powers anymore. Sorry!]

[ooc: plot start! There will be a post for prisoners going up in a couple of days.

Threadhopping/threadjacking is much encouraged. Don't worry about order, as I will be jumping in occasionally to screw everything up :D]

Comments

THE GATES

[realitymods]

[An old deli shop is nearby in case you want to make yourself food. The supplies seem fresh! How strange. There are plenty of chairs, tables, and benches near the gates leading inward. Mind the posters, though.

The doors are huge, wooden, and unlocked. They're left just slightly ajar. However, you'll have to push to see what's beyond them.]

THE MAIN ROAD

[realitymods]

[There sure is a lot of dust and trash left behind. Neon lights flicker and buzz. There's enough light to pick one's way around, but not enough to really feel safe. Unlike before, some of the buildings look like they could be used as hiding places, though all of them are woefully abandoned.

There are four ways to proceed, not including backward.]

NORTH

[realitymods]

[There seems to be another gate waiting for you at the end of this long, claustrophobic street. The businesses you can see are boarded up or burned out.]

SOUTH

[realitymods]

[At some point the road curves downward, disappearing into a tunnel and making it hard to see where it goes.]

EAST

[realitymods]

[Tiny red lights line the balconies of the buildings above you. Torn wind scarves in the shape of carp lie destroyed in the narrow street, as well as trash once identifiable as pieces of a parade.]

WEST

[realitymods]

[This is the most well-lit of the choices, at least for a good while. The buildings are shorter, but still packed tightly. The road is littered with abandoned cars here and there.]

[grip_on_reality]

[Menzies is still showing some side effects from her month of invulnerability, with her long hair done up in a bun on her head. however, she broke a nail this morning, so she's discovered that it's worn off--and had a chance to solve a few of the problems it created. now that she's seen that Albrecht is down for the count, she figures it's fitting that it's gone. she can't help but wonder if he not only set up the wishes but was personally keeping them going--until now, at least. and she wonders if someone else in charge feels they deserve trouble after such a kind reprieve. after all, the current changes to the Plane have created an atmosphere that implies anything but safety]

[she walks cautiously along the deserted road. she has her police equipment with her, including a torch that she's using to improve the lighting situation and a baton that she's holding at the ready just in case. she's going slowly, looking around as she does so. more than anything, she's watching for movement. she doesn't know what to expect, and so she's trying to be ready for anything]

[ooc: Open for someone to join me if you'd like!]

[fallbythesword]

[Jacqli is far from claustrophobic. She's got this. (Or so she thinks, anyway.)

She's ignoring the boarded up businesses, the dilapidated buildings. She's walking toward that other gate at the end of the road, with purpose. She'd probably slow down and take her time if she still had her powers - or her robot - but as is, she's going with the obvious before she tries branching out.

Something had better come of this venture, or she's going to be very annoyed.]

[darkercalling]

[Riku's been keeping to himself and keeping his guard up. He's not taking any chances - this seems incredibly bad, to say the least. He's pressing forward, his face hidden behind his hood. At least what little light there is in this place means he has no need for the blindfold or the sunglasses.

He sees the light from her torch from a ways away. Figuring there's probably safety in numbers for something like this (especially after he figures out that he can't use any magic right now... figures), he heads toward it. He doesn't particularly care who it might be at this point. But when he spots that it's Menzies, he's relieved. He smiles faintly as he pushes his hood back.]

Hey. Want some company for the walk?

[grip_on_reality]

[she tenses at the sound of his approach, whirling and shining the torch at him. but when she hears that it's Riku's voice, she relaxes--and lowers the torch] Riku. Sorry. [after all, she knows how well he gets on with bright light]

[she smirks at his question, though] Considering 'ow busy things are 'round 'ere? I don't know, there might not be space. [she gestures for him to join her] So 'ow 'ave you been?

[lamb_of_gold]

[He could feel it. His Cosmo. It was burning and roiling inside as it always did but it would not come when he called for it. It was as though he were blindfolded - deprived of a sense, but not stripped of it.

It was troubling nonetheless. That he could, it seemed, still come and go from the Plane at will was only small consolation.

He glanced to the tops of the buildings nearby, trying and failing to teleport to them. Of course. Still, Cosmo or no, he was still strong and hale, and with only a moment to prepare himself, runs at the closest structure, intent on scaling the wall by hand - the advantage of high ground was too good to pass up.]

[spiritofadventure]

[Castor can be quiet when she has to be. She's creeping around the deli with soft, nearly silent footfalls, making notes of where the food is stashed, and other such landmarks.

It's those doors that are interesting though, and she very slowly starts to nudge them open with her foot - hands up to defend herself if she has to.]

[realitymods]

[Mu finds plenty of footholds. When he gets to the top of the building, he can see the ruined city has been divided into five districts. Four are accessible, but there are higher buildings, ruined skyscrapers, keeping from seeing what's beyond the north set of gilded gates.]

[darkercalling]

[Ow, light. He winces momentarily, shields his eyes with his hand until she points the beam away from him. No harm, no foul.] It's fine.

[He moves to her side, walks with her wherever it is she's planning on leading. He has no real leads for this whole escapade, after all, so he may as well let someone else set the course, at least for now.]

Yeah, this is definitely a party. Sorry I'm late. [He's amused~] I've been busy. But fair, I guess. What about you?

[Small talk while demons lurk around? While keeping his guard up and his eyes open for any little detail that might point to a fix to this? Yep. That's how he's gonna do this, apparently.]

[dododo]

Hide from darkness and seek the light?

[ Scrunches face. ]

Vague riddles. Fantastic.

[dododo]

[ And the Doctor is following. Because she sure is moving with some conviction there and, hey, might as well. Just in case.

And he's curious about all the gates too. ]

[grip_on_reality]

[Menzies doesn't know where to go either, so for now she continues down the main road, mostly training her torch on the path ahead but regularly turning to sweep the buildings on either side. she keeps the light carefully off of Riku now, though. like him, she's happy to make small talk while she watches and listens for any movement around them]

[she smirks] You 'aven't missed too much. [but she raises an eyebrow when he answers her question. she has a feeling "fair" is one of Riku's more positive answers, but considering how things were when she last spoke to him, she can't help being curious] Yeah? What's been going on?

[his question in return, however, elicits a chuckle] Oh, I've been enjoying this place's version of 'ospitality, mostly. [her smile is wry. considering how much to explain, she decides to start by asking:] Did you find yourself, ah, stuck together with someone recently?

[fallbythesword]

[She doesn't mind being followed. It's probably better that there are others around, even if she doesn't want to admit as much. She doesn't have her song magic right now, after all...]

You know, it's not like I have a set destination in mind. Are you sure it's a good idea to come with me?

[But she's still walking as she speaks, and now she's reached that gate, looks to see if it can be opened or if she's going to have to start climbing.]

[darkercalling]

[Her answer gets a smirk out of him. Welp, now he can just answer both questions at once, can't he?]

Yeah, I did. That's what's been going on lately. [He sounds at least partially amused, though.] I ended up in someone else's world, joined up with a woman named Castor. I take it you got stuck with someone, too?

[dododo]

[ Shrug. ]

Sure it is. I don't have a set destination either.

[fallbythesword]

[She cracks a shade of a smile, amused.]

Whatever. [Beat.] What do you make of this? Another experiment, or something on another level?

[grip_on_reality]

Castor, huh? I met 'er once, but that was a while ago. I take it you managed to separate, then. [it isn't a question--she has all the evidence she needs in front of her. she is rather curious about how, though, since she doubts most people took the same route she and North did. still, it isn't exactly something she wants to ask] Ah, yeah. Agent North Dakota. Ever met 'im?

[that said, she decides not to leave him in suspense about that real point of her question, so she continues] Anyway, you know the wishing bit afterwards? Mine...didn't exactly turn out as planned. [in fact, it's at that moment that she reaches up to awkwardly brush stray hair out of her face with the hand holding the baton. she is more than ready to get rid of it now that it's vulnerable again] I ended up invincible. A bit unexpected, but not the worst I've seen from this place. [she shrugs as though to emphasize her point]

[and as they continue forward in the unchanging landscape, Menzies purses her lips] Riku... [she runs her torch over the nearest building, considering] Look, if we 'aven't found anything by the end of this block, I think we should take a look inside one of the buildings. Are you up for that? [she asks the question, but she has a feeling she already knows his answer]

[realitymods]

[The gate, as a reminder, has a multiple-key lock with symbols for each-- star, moon, sun, diamond, and heart. It's too slippery to climb, and none of the walls around it seem able to give purchase; there's no way to those roofs, either.]

[realitymods]

[The ground beneath their feet vibrates distantly, then stops.]

[dododo]

From what I've seen of their experiments, I have to wonder if there even is such a thing as another level. And if there is, I dread to think.