Kazehana
Vivacious Flora
I can't delete this so
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Kazehana
Vivacious Flora
April 8, 2013
"And in other news, it seems as though we have some unexpected clouds over our fair desert region to the North. While a desert certainly does not need the rain, it should be interesting to see what it does with the overcast. Meteorologists predict that it will dissipate overnight to leave for a normal, bright sunny afternoon tomorrow."
April 9, 2013
"Researchers are still looking into the weather in the desert. It seems to be going strong with no signs of stopping. This type of natural phenomenon has not occurred in recorded history, and the source of the problem is unknown. Looking at the map, we can see that the dark region over here is the desert. It appears to cover the entire desert, which might end up being catastrophic for the life there. However, the plants and animals that live there see no change in normal activity, and the people seem to be doing just fine with it."
April 11, 2013
"Reports of wild sightings have been submitted by many residents living within the desert. Most claim to have seen very disturbing images off in the distance. While this cannot be confirmed, several reports from all across the region are being submitted daily. Professionals speculate that this may be a side effect of prolonged exposure of overcast in the desert, perhaps creating some sort of mirage. Others think that some hooligans are taking advantage of the situation to scare the area. However, people always seem to report seeing vastly different things, although no one can quite confirm what they are. Psychologists are working with the subjects to get a better idea of what's going on."
April 13, 2013
"Research over the past few days have proved largely inconclusive of the events happening within Agar's desert region. Looking at the map, meteorologists have confirmed that the overcast seems to only be over the desert and has not changed locations since it was first reported. No one can confirm why the overcast is restricted to such an area, or how long it will remain. The sightings of ominous objects seems to be increasing as the days go by, but psychologists still cannot develop a valid conclusion for this mass hysteria."
April 15, 2013; 6:15, late afternoon
"The desert overcast phenomenon has reached a new update as video footage is released. As you can see, the video is near the desert shrine. Two passerby hikers were 'vlogging' their adventure when a loud explosive noise set them off. The camera then pans to the source where nothing happens for a few seconds. Then, all of a sudden, a translucent black beam shoots up from where the shrine stands. It reaches the sky and then releases the overcast from its epicenter. Experts have since traveled to the shrine and discovered its destruction. Religious authorities believe that the gods are angry because the shrine has been demolished, which could be why the overcast remains. Whether of not this is a science or religious matter, the remaining shrines have been fortified to prevent the possible destruction. If the unthinkable has happened once, it can happen again, and authorities want to be prepared for that possibility. Meteorologists are still no closer to deciphering if the overcast can or will go away in the future. Psychologists are reporting even more occurrences of strange behaviors in the desert, some even submitting the reports of their own testimonies. It appears as though people are seeing fairy tale monsters and villains throughout the desert. Speculations about why this is occurring saw a pause when spectators stepped up and claimed they had never even heard of the stories they were seeing in real life. Overall, experts are unsure how to proceed with the matter, as nothing even remotely similar has been seen before."
CoreyXIX
BA Freakin' Overlord
While Benson walked by the break room in the precinct he saw quite a few police officers huddled around the television. He was planning on stepping out for a smoke and then put some more work into his current case but he first decided to see what all the ruckus was about. Seeing as it was a Monday it obviously wasn't a sports game they were watching so what was this important? As he walked in he caught bits and pieces as he approached the group.
'Experts have traveled to the shrine and discovered its destruction.'
'Gods were angry, which could be why the overcast remains.'
'Overall, experts are unsure how to proceed with the matter...'
When he got right behind them and could see the TV he read some of the headline from the local news channel. That strange overcast had been around for quite some time now, hadn't it? He didn't know much about meteorological patterns, but everybody he knew seemed to be interested in what was going on. The fact that some people have been acting strange in the region only further adding to the oddities of this. As he walked off the pulled his box of Lucky Strikers out of his jacket and stepped out the side door, waiting before he was outside to light it. The chief had been getting adamant about keeping his habit outside, so Benson had to just to keep him off of his backside.
'Experts have traveled to the shrine and discovered its destruction.'
'Gods were angry, which could be why the overcast remains.'
'Overall, experts are unsure how to proceed with the matter...'
When he got right behind them and could see the TV he read some of the headline from the local news channel. That strange overcast had been around for quite some time now, hadn't it? He didn't know much about meteorological patterns, but everybody he knew seemed to be interested in what was going on. The fact that some people have been acting strange in the region only further adding to the oddities of this. As he walked off the pulled his box of Lucky Strikers out of his jacket and stepped out the side door, waiting before he was outside to light it. The chief had been getting adamant about keeping his habit outside, so Benson had to just to keep him off of his backside.
Kazehana
Vivacious Flora
Cynthia's eyes bulged and her mouth hung agape as she stood close to the mirror putting mascara on her eyelashes. It almost seemed impossible not to look ridiculous while doing it, as many people may know. Then, she stepped back and smiled, proud of her work. Once she blinked, however, the moment was gone. She dabbed the clumps away like the self-esteem from her make-up so far. The TV was mostly in the background because she was focusing on looking her best. The news lately was all fascinating and it made for good gossip, so she liked to keep informed on the matters. The newscaster had just moved to the desert story when she finished her blush and set the curling wand on medium heat. She absentmindedly sprayed and brushed her hair as she stepped out of the bathroom to watch the news clip. Everything about this situation seemed a little too far fetched for her, and it wasn't like her entire life wasn't far fetched. Once they moved back to boring news like the local library, she slunk back into the bathroom and started on her hair. Because her hair was long and quite heavy, the curls hardly stayed in, but that wasn't going to stop her from trying. She did admit defeat and only curl her hair to about halfway up the shaft, then she called it good and coated it with strong hold hairspray. Satisfied, she finally put on her cherry red lipstick; she always put that off to last as a quirky force of habit.
With her clutch in tow and heels punching the floor, she headed to town. She was supposed to meet a few of her only friends for a night out, but they were going for dinner first. After all, it would be ludicrous to try to start their night when it wasn't even evening. The doorman greeted her with a silent nod, and she returned the gesture. She was an assassin, not rude! The warm breeze complimented her sundress, and you better bet she wore one because it was finally warm enough and it's some weird phenomenon that all girls have to do it. You know, because they can. The streets bustled with activity just after the normal work day finished, and that's the way she liked it. So many people walking around, minding their own business, having their own lives, it made her wonder how it was possible they were all different. Of course, quite a few of them were much more boring than her own, and she wasn't about to trade.
She glanced inside a window belonging to La Fontaine, the restaurant she was supposed to be at. Puzzled at the lack of people she was supposed to meet, she texted the group chat to see what was up. Just before she sent the message, she noticed that the meet time was 7 and not 6:30. Maybe she planned to leave at 6:30? Well, either way this was awkward. She had an entire half hour to kill, and she wasn't about to stand around hoping something exciting would happen. For the time being, she walked passively down the streets, barely paying attention and mostly just thinking to herself. Of course, what was appropriate for someone who actually took the time to dress up? Was shopping okay? Well it better be because she had no other ideas. She swung the door to an antique shop open, then immediately started perusing. While these types of items were fascinating, she never intended to buy any of it. To her, it was like living in the mountains; it's fun to visit, but not for every day. A typewriter caught her attention, and she knew immediately that she had to pretend to type on it. The keys moved much further down than a conventional keyboard, and they were far apart. That was somehow entertaining for her. After the typewriter, it was straight to the outdated kitchen equipment that made her thankful for not having to use it ever. This store was like a free museum, except you could touch everything.
With her clutch in tow and heels punching the floor, she headed to town. She was supposed to meet a few of her only friends for a night out, but they were going for dinner first. After all, it would be ludicrous to try to start their night when it wasn't even evening. The doorman greeted her with a silent nod, and she returned the gesture. She was an assassin, not rude! The warm breeze complimented her sundress, and you better bet she wore one because it was finally warm enough and it's some weird phenomenon that all girls have to do it. You know, because they can. The streets bustled with activity just after the normal work day finished, and that's the way she liked it. So many people walking around, minding their own business, having their own lives, it made her wonder how it was possible they were all different. Of course, quite a few of them were much more boring than her own, and she wasn't about to trade.
She glanced inside a window belonging to La Fontaine, the restaurant she was supposed to be at. Puzzled at the lack of people she was supposed to meet, she texted the group chat to see what was up. Just before she sent the message, she noticed that the meet time was 7 and not 6:30. Maybe she planned to leave at 6:30? Well, either way this was awkward. She had an entire half hour to kill, and she wasn't about to stand around hoping something exciting would happen. For the time being, she walked passively down the streets, barely paying attention and mostly just thinking to herself. Of course, what was appropriate for someone who actually took the time to dress up? Was shopping okay? Well it better be because she had no other ideas. She swung the door to an antique shop open, then immediately started perusing. While these types of items were fascinating, she never intended to buy any of it. To her, it was like living in the mountains; it's fun to visit, but not for every day. A typewriter caught her attention, and she knew immediately that she had to pretend to type on it. The keys moved much further down than a conventional keyboard, and they were far apart. That was somehow entertaining for her. After the typewriter, it was straight to the outdated kitchen equipment that made her thankful for not having to use it ever. This store was like a free museum, except you could touch everything.
Kazehana
Vivacious Flora
April 15, 2013; 4:00, Location Unknown
"We simply cannot let him continue on his little rampage!" a woman fretted, stopping herself from standing up and leaving right then and there.
"Calm down, my dear. We still have time yet," the man across from her assured her. Although clearly vexed, she resigned to her seat once more. "Have we discerned a reason for the destruction of the shrines?" he pressed, glancing around. Another man flipped through his portfolio with haste, then slide a stack of papers to the middle of the table.
"It appears as though the long term effects are unknown, but the short term effects are clear." The other man retrieved the stack and flipped through them.
"We already know that this allows portent to retain full power round the clock, but what about the exposure to the humans?"
"We simply cannot be certain of that outcome. So far, it has had no direct impact on them, but we cannot control the multitudes of portent exploiting the opportunity. This threatens to expose the portent to the general public, and we cannot handle that sort of mass hysteria."
The woman returned from her resignation when she could no longer hold it in. "Why would any portent want that for themselves? Doesn't he know this puts him in danger too?"
"Of course he does, but that doesn't mean he'll stop because of that. There has to be a bigger reason I couldn't see in my investigations." The man began to flip through his findings in frustration, trying to find anything to help their cause.
"Well well, it doesn't much matter the why, but rather the when, no? Reports clearly indicate his movement towards the mountain shrine, so let's cut him off, yes?"
"It's not quite that simple. He's already breached the barrier, so we would have to wait for him to finish clearing it. Even then, we're almost powerless unless he's in the light." She shifted in her seat in discomfort. "We might have to consult the oracle," she added hesitantly.
"That would be fine, dear. Can you go?"
"Me?!" she gasped. "No way! He can go, but I won't. Personally, I'm off to find potential Champions and silence them." With that, she way on her way out. The two men watched her go in silence.
"Now, will you go? I presume you've nothing better to do."
"Fine, fine. But I need some time to prepare. If I'm going that far out, I'm going to make it worthwhile."
When the man had left, one was left alone. He closed his eyes and smiled to himself. "And so it begins. I do love a good game - especially when the rules are unclear, and the pieces are invisible." After his monologue, a distorted bubble expanded out from him, and in turn collapsed, taking the man with it.
April 13, 6:30, The Mountain Shrine
"Finally, the next shrine." The man glanced around cautiously, making sure there was no one to speak of. Fortunately, this shrine was yet another out of the reach of civilization. Without another word, he lifted a large sledgehammer imbued with a black aura. Then, he got to work, disrupting the area and sending a black beam into the sky. the rubble of the shrine briefly glowed a bright white, then receded into its center. The man reached in and pushed a few boards aside, revealing his target. He remove it from the destruction and placed it into the bag slung over his shoulder. Without any hesitation, he began his descent down the mountainside to his next target.
Same time, All Human Characters
"H-hello? Can anyone hear me? Help!" a voice shrieked in the mind of the humans. "Please, can you help me? Can you even hear me? The swamp is swallowing me!" The outskirts of the swamp in question was, of course, just 15 miles northeast of Ether. It is known to be exceptionally muddy with quicksand-like properties along with a diverse wildlife. This message is inaudible to anyone that was not targeted.
Kazehana
Vivacious Flora
Cynthia's interest for the rotary dial quickly vanished as she heard the disturbing message. Thinking it something bizarre, her had swiveled sporadically around her. In the brief pause, she calmed herself and scanned more slowly. "What?" she called out in bewilderment, almost in incredibility. As the voice continued, she wasn't sure where it was coming from. She walked around cautiously, not sure of who she was supposed to be looking for. It came from no discernible direction, and it was the same volume regardless of where she walked among the shelves of the antique store. The puzzle only seemed to complicate itself when the swamp was mentioned. The boggy area never interested her, mostly due to the mud and the horrendous bugs. For a moment, she considered the figment of her imagination that always seemed to linger, but this voice was different. As far as she knew, he didn't have more than the one voice. Curious, she exited the store and glanced up and down the street. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and no one seemed to mind the plea for help. Cynthia frowned to herself and grunted softly. "Well, I have nothing to lose but a dinner date," she mumbled to herself. When something this interesting arose, she wasn't about to ignore her intuition.
Without thinking too far into it, she started walking down the street opposite to her original destination. Perhaps it was her subconscience telling her something she couldn't remember for herself. But did she ever even think about the swamp, let alone have a need to go there? Surely it was something - anything. An aside from a client? A news story? What was it? On top of why, there was the question of how. Living in a big city, she didn't own a car herself. Would a taxi take her that far out of town? Surely not. Too many questions, not enough answers.
CoreyXIX
BA Freakin' Overlord
Right as he had stepped out the back door the shrieking voice hit his ears and made him stop quick and dead in his tracks. What was that about? Benson took a few steps back towards the break room to see what these new guys were watching. It was still the news? His mind was boggled for a moment s to where such a proclamation could even have come from in the first place. He was for sure concerned over the source of such nonsense, especially since he had no idea where it originated from. Even more so that nobody else seemed to notice it. Had he just imagined it? He;d only been getting not enough rest the last few nights. No where near as many as it usually took for him to start perceiving stuff that wasn't there. He sighs as he walked back outside. As much as he wanted to brush it off as hearing a TV in another room or just him daydreaming, it sounded far too real for him to so easily dismiss it as either of those claims. Why would would that near-worthless bog be coming to mind anyway? He wasn't a fan of going out to nature places that were out of the way doubly so for places that most people wouldn't go near in the first place. He couldn't just simply go out there, could he?
Actually, yes he could. He needed both some fresh air and a new lead or two for some of his cases. Those new leads were likely to be found in parts of the city not far from the swamp. Whether it was intuition telling him something was wrong or just him piecing a puzzle together he soon found himself at his old beater of a car. As he got in he rolled the window down before lighting a cigarette to smoke on the drive. He then started up his car and headed out in that direction.
Actually, yes he could. He needed both some fresh air and a new lead or two for some of his cases. Those new leads were likely to be found in parts of the city not far from the swamp. Whether it was intuition telling him something was wrong or just him piecing a puzzle together he soon found himself at his old beater of a car. As he got in he rolled the window down before lighting a cigarette to smoke on the drive. He then started up his car and headed out in that direction.
Kazehana
Vivacious Flora
The transition from the city to the suburbs all the way to the countryside gave Cynthia a slight chill. Her life was based almost entirely in the city; she rarely left for reasons other than business. It was almost a metaphor for the bizarre position she was thrust into. As she rested against the door of the car, she barely even blinked she was so far into thought. The scenario kept running through her head, but she never seemed to get closer to an answer. It sounded too real to be electronic, and there wasn't anyone else near her in the store. The radio droned softly in the background to entertain the driver, but that was the only sound to accompany her thoughts.
As the driver slowed and halted at the entrance of the more touristy side of the swamp, the area where kids went on field trips and bizarre couples hiked, she rummaged through her clutch to find fare. With a curt nod, the driver sped off and left her to her own devices. When she was done, she was sure she could call her friends to get her. This was too urgent to wait for them, and she felt obligated to discover its origins on her own.
Once the cab was far down the road, she sauntered to the edge of the parking lot that met with the swamp. A neat path was laid out for the people that visited, and she planned to never stray from its boundaries. Her heels might sink into the muddy atmosphere, and she was not about to get her dress dry cleaned for what could be a silly prank. After her pause, she silently stepped onto the path. Perhaps it was intuition, but she thought this was another metaphor. That day was a weird day for the mercenary.
As the driver slowed and halted at the entrance of the more touristy side of the swamp, the area where kids went on field trips and bizarre couples hiked, she rummaged through her clutch to find fare. With a curt nod, the driver sped off and left her to her own devices. When she was done, she was sure she could call her friends to get her. This was too urgent to wait for them, and she felt obligated to discover its origins on her own.
Once the cab was far down the road, she sauntered to the edge of the parking lot that met with the swamp. A neat path was laid out for the people that visited, and she planned to never stray from its boundaries. Her heels might sink into the muddy atmosphere, and she was not about to get her dress dry cleaned for what could be a silly prank. After her pause, she silently stepped onto the path. Perhaps it was intuition, but she thought this was another metaphor. That day was a weird day for the mercenary.
GingerBread
The Most Ginger Of Bread
Evie was making her way downtown, towards the restaurant that she begrudgingly 'worked' at. She was, of course, three hours late, not that she wanted to even go anyway, but she knew she had to at least show up to work; She was looking for any excuse to not go, so when a Voice shrieked about needing help, she was at first annoyed, but then realised she could use the fact that the voice wanted her to help them, as an excuse to not go. 'I'll just go there, snap a picture of the person so I have proof, and then go home.. I'm sure someone else will help her anyway.. either way it's not my problem' Evie shrugged and walked off to find a Taxi, before having them take her to the swamp.
@Kazehana (No idea what's going on; I hope this was good enough, kinda tired right now)
CoreyXIX
BA Freakin' Overlord
It wasn't too long before he was on the roads in the middle of the city, then finding himself going outside of it. Some of the air was rushing in through the open windows as he drove by to the outskirts. The swamp was awful, for the lack of a better term. Never liked the place and the fact that it came up so often in their work just drove the nail into the coffin a little further. Why he was even coming out here in the first place was completely ridiculous yet here he could see the tourist side of the place.
As he parked his car he turned his radio down a little and finished his cigarette before he rolled the windows up, turned off the car, and then then got out of it. Why there was even a tourist attraction was a mystery to him. His disdain aside it looked pretty much ordinary here today. A few people milling about for the usual activities. Really, it just made him wonder even more if there was just some sort of prank being pulled on him here. If so, he wouldn't be laughing about it.
As he kept his hands in his jacket pockets he walked up to the trail and saw that he wasn't the only person here today that was going for a walk. With a bit of snarky amusement he wondered if she heard the (probably a prank) voice too. "Some weather this time of year at the swamp, huh?" he says to her while he approaches.
@Kazehana
As he parked his car he turned his radio down a little and finished his cigarette before he rolled the windows up, turned off the car, and then then got out of it. Why there was even a tourist attraction was a mystery to him. His disdain aside it looked pretty much ordinary here today. A few people milling about for the usual activities. Really, it just made him wonder even more if there was just some sort of prank being pulled on him here. If so, he wouldn't be laughing about it.
As he kept his hands in his jacket pockets he walked up to the trail and saw that he wasn't the only person here today that was going for a walk. With a bit of snarky amusement he wondered if she heard the (probably a prank) voice too. "Some weather this time of year at the swamp, huh?" he says to her while he approaches.
@Kazehana
Kazehana
Vivacious Flora
Her initial reaction was that of aggravation due to her clubbing mindset, but she suppressed it in favor of getting on with her day in peace. A quick glance told her all she needed to know. That was a cop, and this was a set up. When she found who ratted her out, there would be hell to pay. She didn't have a job tonight, but that didn't stop her from taking a pistol for protection. Ironically, the only thing that could have protected her in this sort of situation was leaving it at home. Regardless of her past decisions, she was fully prepared to pretend that part of her never existed.
"Oh yes, I just love the muggy atmosphere and the return of my beloved mosquitoes. I would like to point out that you're also here, so I would appreciate it if your-"
Her thoughts were interrupted by approaching footsteps. Who else would be here on such a horrendous day at this hour in the middle of the week?
A woman emerged from the reeds that lined the path in all smiles. Everything about her seemed contrary to the bog, begging the question if she really belonged there. "Well, at least i got two of like 50 to come. Not exactly passing, but anything works." She paused and glanced between the two. "And it looks like I got some of the more useful ones. Now look," she started, her expression dropping to a serious undertone, "someone's going around destroying shrines, as you know. The next one is likely the mountain shrine, although that one is about as remote as the desert. I'm sure by now you've heard the stories, but the destruction of these shrines and the removal of their cores releases the darkness to consume their territory. Each province is - or was - protected by the holy light that banishes darkness. With these protections gone, the beasts are free to roam to their heart's content. You're both stalked by beasts, no? Their part of the same race. With these divine protections missing, there is no longer anything stopping the beasts from ransacking the entire continent. There is one man doing all the dirty work, and he's set on destroying every last shrine to take their items. Everyone seems to be in a panic, and these stories usually seem farfetched to authorities. You know what they're like, and you know how they think. We need you to find this man and put a stop to this ludicrous goal." As she finished, she took a few deep breaths, almost as if the story itself was too hard for her to handle. She closed her eyes briefly to recompose herself.
"Oh yes, I just love the muggy atmosphere and the return of my beloved mosquitoes. I would like to point out that you're also here, so I would appreciate it if your-"
Her thoughts were interrupted by approaching footsteps. Who else would be here on such a horrendous day at this hour in the middle of the week?
A woman emerged from the reeds that lined the path in all smiles. Everything about her seemed contrary to the bog, begging the question if she really belonged there. "Well, at least i got two of like 50 to come. Not exactly passing, but anything works." She paused and glanced between the two. "And it looks like I got some of the more useful ones. Now look," she started, her expression dropping to a serious undertone, "someone's going around destroying shrines, as you know. The next one is likely the mountain shrine, although that one is about as remote as the desert. I'm sure by now you've heard the stories, but the destruction of these shrines and the removal of their cores releases the darkness to consume their territory. Each province is - or was - protected by the holy light that banishes darkness. With these protections gone, the beasts are free to roam to their heart's content. You're both stalked by beasts, no? Their part of the same race. With these divine protections missing, there is no longer anything stopping the beasts from ransacking the entire continent. There is one man doing all the dirty work, and he's set on destroying every last shrine to take their items. Everyone seems to be in a panic, and these stories usually seem farfetched to authorities. You know what they're like, and you know how they think. We need you to find this man and put a stop to this ludicrous goal." As she finished, she took a few deep breaths, almost as if the story itself was too hard for her to handle. She closed her eyes briefly to recompose herself.