Fandom The Only Way To Go Is Up! ~The Story~ [NO SPOT LEFT!]

[Thepotatogod]

The Multiverse...
An Amalgamation of concepts that stemmed from mankind.
Possibilities and different outcomes dictated by the mind
Many Ideas turned into worlds; many worlds then bear inhabitants
Unaware of the truth behind their existence who hides behind the mask of 'Gods'

However, these ideas are all colliding; the boundaries between Reality and Fiction breaking
Mashing and Mixing together into one.
All fades into black...Yet not all.

A Tower which lies in the center of it all finally opens it's gates,
and as the darkness consumes the exterior, the gates shall be locked once more.

To find the truth, to fix the Multiverse, to Return Home...
Those Goals only have one path laid in front of them;
The Only Way To Go Is Up.

-{!!}-

You find yourself vividly recalling yourself running. You're running from something, but what?
You felt as if your life is in danger, yet looking back, you can only see monstrous faces.
Faces that would typically be a bore now haunting you for a reason...
Yet you can't remember why.
You soon find yourself waking up inside a giant green room; filled with various white pillars and a spiral stairwell right on the center. The room is filled with empty shelves and furniture...Kind of a lobby, in fact.
Yet no one appears to be home at the moment...​

 

[Thepotatogod]

FLOOR 0 ~ FOOL'S LOBBY
Irish_Dragon_76 KarmaTheFox heartshapedsprinkles Corrosion

Several people were found either sleeping on one of the Lobby's Many Couches, or lying on the floors. Hell, perhaps some are unfortunate enough to sleep on the shelves. Either way, some of them began to stir awake...

Makoto Yuuki; a young man who lost his soul to become the Seal between Humanity's Life and Death, clad in a black school uniform with blue hair finds himself feeling his face being on something...Hard....That isn't right. He wasn't supposed to feel that, now is he? Finding out that he could feel his body again, Makoto used this knowledge to sit upright, looking at the surroundings that looked awfully familiar to Tartarus.

Oddly enough, he felt as if he was running from something...Makoto turned around, finding nothing behind him...Not even a way out. There were no windows; only the spiral stairs leading upwards; leading towards a swirling clock which had 21 Numbers on it instead of the usual 12. The Hand was currently on the One symbol...It's meaning, unknown.

"Where...Is this?" Makoto asked no one in particular, standing up and placing his hands on his pockets. Soon enough, he found more people stirring from their sleeping; one of them a young girl with thin twin tails and an odd mechanism on her coat and a Young man wearing what appears to be medieval armor.

"Ugh...My Head..." The Man in the suit of armor, Timothy Arthurn, groaned in pain as he sat on the ground, rubbing his forehead. He noticed how this place doesn't look remotely like an Inn, nor does it look like a forest...He remembers clearly that he slept with Brynn and Kairum on an Inn the night prior... He frantically looked around, searching for his friends. "Where is this...? Brynn? Kairum?" Timothy asked, standing up immediately as he grabbed his shield; his blade still on it's hilt. "Are you guys here?" He called out, walking around in search of them; the clanging of him armor might've awakened the other sleeping people.

But alas, his search was to no avail; there were no signs of the Dragon Tamer and the Mage. With a sigh, he addressed to the Makoto;

"Excuse me, but do you happen to know our current location?" He asked, approaching the highschool student as he merely shrugged.

"I don't know...Don't ask me." Makoto replied with a sigh. "I'm about to ask you too, after all."

The young girl with twintails, Stella, woke up on one of the couches, sitting as she looked around; this does not look like the UEF base at all...In fact, it's too clean for a place that survived on earth.

Stella stood up, tiltiing her head as she ponders on her current location...

 

[Irish_Dragon_76]

Ryan slowly awoke from a sleep he didn't realize he had gone into. His eyes squinted open, only to be greeted by a cold, vertical, stone floor. He was on the ground, face to the side.

"Where...?" He mumbled, not even bothering to finish his sentence.

Ryan quickly noticed voices coming from behind him. Two, from what he could make out, both male. From what he gather in the bits of their conversation, they were just as confused as he was right then.

"Docile..." He whispered to himself, still feeling groggy. He decided they could be trusted.

Wasting no more time, Ryan got up and, as he walked towards the two men, and the apparent female not too far off from the other two, Ryan slipped into his mind for a split second.

"Anyone know what just happened? Kinda drawing a blank right now..." He thought to the Elements. There was no reply.

"Shit..." Ryan mumbled, roughly ten feet from the two men now.

He stopped there and looked at them, a tired look on his face.

"Guessing you guys don't know where we are either, right...?" Ryan asked, hoping he guessed wrong.

Ryan stuck his hand into his jacket pocket and, from the dark emptiness of it, pulled out a metallic box, about the size of a large matchbox, and pulled it open, holding onto the longer sides. The glass screen expanded as he opened it and began to glow a bright green, which was quickly followed by yellow lines tracing through it into a grid-form; the rest neglected to show up.

"That's new..." Ryan mumbled, his eyes widening for a moment. He blinked away the bright yellow that tried to form in his eyes and closed the Universal Map, pretending nothing ever happened.

"Well! Looks like we're gonna be here for a bit, so how about introductions?" Ryan said, a little more energy in his words now.

He finally found the strength for charm and a little bit of wit. And maybe a snappy one-liner if he got the chance.

Thepotatogod

 

[heartshapedsprinkles]

Clem awoke with a start at the first sign that something was different. It was the color of the light through her eyelids that jerked her from her restless sleep. It wasn’t a natural light, like she was used to seeing through her windows every morning. It felt far more eerie, almost cold. The woman’s eyes shot open, and she wasted no time bolting upright from her spot on a chaise lounge.

In an instant was on her feet, her back to a wall, and a scowl on her face as she scanned the room, ready to use her magic at a moment’s notice. A quick survey of the room told her that there were still several more people passed out; three men, and a petite, pink-haired woman. Those that were awake seemed to just as confused as she was, she quickly noted, and it helped take her aggressiveness down just a hair. No need to go after people who were stuck in the same strange situation she was.

Still, she had no idea where they were or who any of them were, and her scowl deepened even more at the thought. “Where the ever loving fuck is this place?” She growled out, her voice loud enough to be heard throughout the room. “If this is someone’s idea of a practical joke, it sure as shit ain’t funny.”

The pink-haired young woman, on the other hand, took a while to wake up from her dream, her breathing soft, even, and relaxed as she laid curled up on her side on one of the fluffier couches in the room. Colette had never been an easy person to wake up; she could sleep through just about anything, even a hurricane, her aunt liked to frequently joke with her about.

At some point she’d managed to hug a decorative pillow to her chest, curling up a bit tighter around it to unconsciously fight the chill in the room, shivering slightly in her sleep. It wasn’t until the dream she’d been having turned dark that she started to stir. A soft whimper escaped her lips, and her brows knit together slightly, her expression clearly indicating her discomfort. Clem’s exclamation is what finally brought her to the waking world.

After a few moments, she opened her eyes, blinking a few times to rid herself of the blurriness in her vision. Her expression turned confused, her brain not quite awake yet, making it hard to process what she was seeing before her. It wasn’t long until that confusion turned to panic though, and she hugged the pillow tightly to her chest, her eyes darting around the room at all of the strangers before her.

She could feel her heart pound in her chest and her mouth go dry, and she was unable to stop her eyes from welling up with tears as panic took a hold of her. “Wh-what’s going on? Where is this place?” She managed to whisper frantically, the fear evident in her voice.

 

[Thepotatogod]

Makoto Yuuki, Timothy Arthutn
Irish_Dragon_76 heartshapedsprinkles

Makoto turned to the approaching man, clad with a scarf and a black outfit; similar to a person he knows, but different at the same time. He let out a nod.

"Looks like we're all in the same boat." Makoto said, "We just woke up too...Although I feel as if I'm supposed to be running away from something." He assessed, rubbing his chin.

"Ah, so you, too, had a waking nightmare?" Timothy asked, as Makoto merely gave him a quizzical look and merely nodded. The newcomer man soon asked for their introductions. "Indeed! I am Timothy of Arthurn! I am currently an Ex-Paladin of the Order of Arcune!" He introduced with pride, straightening his posture like a soldier.

"Yuuki Makoto. Call me Makoto or whatever." Makoto introduced in a bland tone, his hands still in his pockets as he observed his surroundings. "If I have to make a guess...Almost everyone here doesn't know where they currently are, huh?" He said, assessing the sudden yell of a red haired woman and a whimper of a cute, pink haired girl.

Stella
heartshapedsprinkles

"PSS Call...I found human refugees...Do you read?" The Twintailed girl, Stella pressed an earpiece on her ear, attempting to notify the rest of the human resistance, only to be greeted with static. The realization soon hit her that something had happened to the team...Recalling that she's the only one left on Earth...But why then, are there more humans than she can recall? Stella gave up on her contact, only to hear a woman crying near her. "Are you...Okay?" She asked, in an attempt to comfort the woman. In Stella's very little time of interaction with the UEF Soldiers, she learnt that women are supposed to be the bearer of the next generation, and should be handled with care...

 

[heartshapedsprinkles]

"PSS Call...I found human refugees...Do you read?" The Twintailed girl, Stella pressed an earpiece on her ear, attempting to notify the rest of the human resistance, only to be greeted with static. The realization soon hit her that something had happened to the team...Recalling that she's the only one left on Earth...But why then, are there more humans than she can recall? Stella gave up on her contact, only to hear a woman crying near her. "Are you...Okay?" She asked, in an attempt to comfort the woman. In Stella's very little time of interaction with the UEF Soldiers, she learnt that women are supposed to be the bearer of the next generation, and should be handled with care...

Colette shrank away from the young woman speaking to her, shaking her head wordlessly as she reached up to scrub the tears from her eyes. She was still clutching the decorative pillow tightly, and had pressed herself back into the couch, unsure of how to respond to the woman in front of her. Cheeks stained pink with embarrassment at crying in front of total strangers, she sniffled softly, feeling around for her purse where her antianxiety medication was.

Visibly shaking, she found the container and shook a tiny blue pill into her hand before grabbing her water bottle, taking a tiny sip to wash down the medicine. It would take some time for it to kick in, and meanwhile, she figured distracting herself with conversation would be the best way to keep her panic at bay.

Clearing her throat and loosening her grip on the pillow slightly, she looked back at the girl who'd asked if she was okay and responded softly, "I'm... I'm sorry. That was rude of me. I don't know if I'm alright. I feel scared, like...." She paused, glancing around the room once more, confusion evident on her face again, "Like something is chasing me?"

 

[Thepotatogod]

Stella, The Black Rock Shooter
heartshapedsprinkles

Stella observed the girl as she gulped down an unfamiliar substance with water. She didn't know what to make it; if it's either food or some sort of Medicinal substance...Either way, despite her limited knowledge of humans in general, she noticed the girl calming down albeit not entirely, speaking at her.

"So you experienced the same..." Stella said, her face remaining a tad expressionless as she retreated her legs into her arms as the inherit loneliness swarms into her once more; the memories of their deaths plaguing her mind. She let out a sigh, brushing the thoughts once more...For now, her top priority are protecting these women; ensuring the future of mankind. "To be completely honest, I don't why, but I feel like we're being chased by the same thing."

 

[Irish_Dragon_76]

Makoto Yuuki, Timothy Arthutn
Irish_Dragon_76 heartshapedsprinkles

Makoto turned to the approaching man, clad with a scarf and a black outfit; similar to a person he knows, but different at the same time. He let out a nod.

"Looks like we're all in the same boat." Makoto said, "We just woke up too...Although I feel as if I'm supposed to be running away from something." He assessed, rubbing his chin.

"Ah, so you, too, had a waking nightmare?" Timothy asked, as Makoto merely gave him a quizzical look and merely nodded. The newcomer man soon asked for their introductions. "Indeed! I am Timothy of Arthurn! I am currently an Ex-Paladin of the Order of Arcune!" He introduced with pride, straightening his posture like a soldier.

"Yuuki Makoto. Call me Makoto or whatever." Makoto introduced in a bland tone, his hands still in his pockets as he observed his surroundings. "If I have to make a guess...Almost everyone here doesn't know where they currently are, huh?" He said, assessing the sudden yell of a red haired woman and a whimper of a cute, pink haired girl.

I was kinda hoping I was just being paranoid again... Is something actually after us though?" Ryan thought to himself.

"Nice to meet you all. You a soldier than, Arthurn? I've met a few Paladins, so if you're anything like them, I'm glad you're on our side." Ryan said, chuckling a bit afterwards.

An angered voice spoke out nearby, catching Ryan's attention. A red-haired woman had her back against the wall, and was obviously very confused and very mad.

"Time to meet the neighbors..." Ryan said humorously, more to himself than to the two guys he had just met.

heartshapedsprinkles

Walking up to the woman, who looked like a pinned alley cat ready to scratch someone's eyes out, Ryan slowed his approach, just as before. He kept a good distance from her and put his hands in clear sight.

"Hey, don't worry, we're all friends here." He spoke softly, hoping it'd calm the woman's nerves.

"I'm Ryan. I'm stuck here too I guess, so I thought I'd might as well get to know everyone sense we will all be together for a bit..." He added, still standing back to see what the woman would do.

"What's your name friend?" Ryan asked, smiling warmly.

"Please don't have a gun..." He thought, doing his best to keep his muscles relaxed. The last thing he wanted was to look tense right now.

 

[heartshapedsprinkles]

Stella, The Black Rock Shooter
heartshapedsprinkles

Stella observed the girl as she gulped down an unfamiliar substance with water. She didn't know what to make it; if it's either food or some sort of Medicinal substance...Either way, despite her limited knowledge of humans in general, she noticed the girl calming down albeit not entirely, speaking at her.

"So you experienced the same..." Stella said, her face remaining a tad expressionless as she retreated her legs into her arms as the inherit loneliness swarms into her once more; the memories of their deaths plaguing her mind. She let out a sigh, brushing the thoughts once more...For now, her top priority are protecting these women; ensuring the future of mankind. "To be completely honest, I don't why, but I feel like we're being chased by the same thing."

Colette sat quietly as the young woman shared that she'd been experiencing a similar feeling of being chased. While she listened, she absentmindedly fiddled with the fringe that adorned the edge of the pillow she was hugging to herself, her brows still knit together in worry. Chewing on her lip at the new information, the pink-haired woman's head tilted to the side as she glanced about the room, looking at all of the other occupants before her gazed returned to the twin-tailed girl in front of her.

"I take it that means you don't know where we are or how we got here either, do you? All of you are acting relatively... calm, given the situation." Her cheeks flushed once more in embarrassment as she rubbed the last of her tears from her eyes and took a deep breath, managing a shaky smile at the woman she'd been speaking to. Hesitantly, she stuck out her hand for a handshake, and introduced herself softly, "My name is Colette, by the way. Th-thank you... For asking if I was alright."

I was kinda hoping I was just being paranoid again... Is something actually after us though?" Ryan thought to himself.

"Nice to meet you all. You a soldier than, Arthurn? I've met a few Paladins, so if you're anything like them, I'm glad you're on our side." Ryan said, chuckling a bit afterwards.

An angered voice spoke out nearby, catching Ryan's attention. A red-haired woman had her back against the wall, and was obviously very confused and very mad.

"Time to meet the neighbors..." Ryan said humorously, more to himself than to the two guys he had just met.

heartshapedsprinkles

Walking up to the woman, who looked like a pinned alley cat ready to scratch someone's eyes out, Ryan slowed his approach, just as before. He kept a good distance from her and put his hands in clear sight.

"Hey, don't worry, we're all friends here." He spoke softly, hoping it'd calm the woman's nerves.

"I'm Ryan. I'm stuck here too I guess, so I thought I'd might as well get to know everyone sense we will all be together for a bit..." He added, still standing back to see what the woman would do.

"What's your name friend?" Ryan asked, smiling warmly.

"Please don't have a gun..." He thought, doing his best to keep his muscles relaxed. The last thing he wanted was to look tense right now.

Clem scoffed at Ryan's use of the word friend, crossing her arms across her chest and narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously. "Well, let's get one thing straight, shall we? I ain't your friend." She resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she said the word, the familiarity with which the strange man was choosing to address her was putting her on edge almost immediately. In her experience, men that acted that familiar with her right off the bat usually wanted something more than just her friendship, and she'd had a few rough encounters when she'd turned them down.

His warm smile immediately set her on edge and made her wary, and her eyes darted around the room once more, silently attempting to figure out the potential fighting capabilities of everyone in it. Just in case. Though, she knew much better than to judge any of them by their covers, given her rather casual appearance and the depth of her own magical abilities.

"My name," she said finally, after giving some thought to whether she'd give it, "Is Clem. And just like everyone else here, I've got no fucking clue where we are or why we're here." Her scowl relaxed just the slightest bit, her expression settling into one of displeasure. She was definitely not a happy camper at the moment, and the tension in her body showed it. How the man in front of her could appear so relaxed, she had no idea.

 

[Thepotatogod]

Stella, The Black Rock Shooter
heartshapedsprinkles

"It's okay...I've been through worse situations." 'Like being abandoned in a capsule for several years and wake up when the world you know is almost dead...' Stella admitted, nodding in response to the pink haired girl, whose name revealed to her as Colette. She merely nodded in response to her gratitude, not knowing how to respond to that statement rather than a nod...Falling silent for a bit, she soon recalled some of her manners and soon introduced herself. "They call me a lot of things, but I prefer the name 'Stella'." She introduced, having no idea how these formal nor casual introductions are supposed to work at all. She soon stood up, and began looking around once more, seeing as how everyone is getting to know their fellow trapped men. Stella looked up, finding what appears to be a giant clock with 21 Numbers on it. The center of the clock, which appears to be large enough for some people to go through it. Wondering what it is, she turned to Colette.

"Do you think we can go through there...?" She asked, seeing as there are no windows nor doors, she speculated that it's the only out of this place.

Makoto Yuuki and Timothy Arthurn
Irish_Dragon_76 heartshapedsprinkles

"You may address me as 'Timothy'." Timothy elaborated as Ryan soon went ahead and spoke to another maiden of fair red. Before Timothy could follow him, Makoto stopped him with his hand on the Armored lad's shoulder.

"Don't...Your cheery attitude might tick her off." Makoto said, soon heading off and silently stop beside Ryan. The woman, whom he overheard as Clem, also had no idea where to go...This concluded his hypothesis of the situation and concluded that everyone here has no idea where this place even is. He glanced at the stairs, and seeing as the top of the stairs lead at the clock itself... "The Stairs..." Makoto spoke up, facing the two once more. "I have a gut feeling that our situation is related to it..."

Meanwhile, a hole began to open up in the center of the clock, a blue light coming out of it...

 

[Irish_Dragon_76]

Clem scoffed at Ryan's use of the word friend, crossing her arms across her chest and narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously. "Well, let's get one thing straight, shall we? I ain't your friend." She resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she said the word, the familiarity with which the strange man was choosing to address her was putting her on edge almost immediately. In her experience, men that acted that familiar with her right off the bat usually wanted something more than just her friendship, and she'd had a few rough encounters when she'd turned them down.

His warm smile immediately set her on edge and made her wary, and her eyes darted around the room once more, silently attempting to figure out the potential fighting capabilities of everyone in it. Just in case. Though, she knew much better than to judge any of them by their covers, given her rather casual appearance and the depth of her own magical abilities.

"My name," she said finally, after giving some thought to whether she'd give it, "Is Clem. And just like everyone else here, I've got no fucking clue where we are or why we're here." Her scowl relaxed just the slightest bit, her expression settling into one of displeasure. She was definitely not a happy camper at the moment, and the tension in her body showed it. How the man in front of her could appear so relaxed, she had no idea.

"Ouch..." Ryan mumbled at her response.

He noticed her begin to scan the room, most likely overlooking everyone in it. She was obviously on edge...

"Hm... You look a little on edge..." Ryan said, putting his hand in his pocket and pulling out a relatively large, black jar from it.

Ryan opened the jar, which had the words 'Phil's Herbs' taped to it, and stuck his hand in it, pulling out a pinch of what looked like a very dark, green grass. He put it in his mouth and began to chew it like gum.

"Want some? Helps calm the nerves." Ryan said, feeling his worries slip away. "Heh, and a little tingly; makes you wanna laugh." He added, a smile growing on his face.

"I thought you threw that stuff away..." Ice said, like a mother who found her son bringing a stray into the house.

"Oh, you're back!" Ryan exclaimed, instantly looking at Clem afterwards.

"Sorry, wasn't supposed to say that out loud... Here, hold this, help yourself to some!" He said, handing the black jar to Makoto, who he had just then noticed was there, before walking away.

"So what's up? Where'd you guys go?" He said, a little softer in tone this time.

"Had some trouble finding you... You kinda disappeared off the map for a bit actually..." Wind explained.

"Yes, and there seems to be a very strange energy here... We can't quite explain it, but it may cut us off from you every now and then, so be careful..." Ice added in his usual, monotonic tone.

"Huh, a redhead... I always thought you preferred brunettes..." Water said teasingly, as if to mock Ryan.

"I'll be careful, thanks for the heads up." Ryan answered, a bit of seriousness in his voice.

He didn't like being without the Elements. They were more of a morale support than anything and he felt alone without them around.

Makoto Yuuki and Timothy Arthurn
Irish_Dragon_76 heartshapedsprinkles

"You may address me as 'Timothy'." Timothy elaborated as Ryan soon went ahead and spoke to another maiden of fair red. Before Timothy could follow him, Makoto stopped him with his hand on the Armored lad's shoulder.

"Don't...Your cheery attitude might tick her off." Makoto said, soon heading off and silently stop beside Ryan. The woman, whom he overheard as Clem, also had no idea where to go...This concluded his hypothesis of the situation and concluded that everyone here has no idea where this place even is. He glanced at the stairs, and seeing as the top of the stairs lead at the clock itself... "The Stairs..." Makoto spoke up, facing the two once more. "I have a gut feeling that our situation is related to it..."

Meanwhile, a hole began to open up in the center of the clock, a blue light coming out of it...

"Ummm... Remember when you said something about strange energy or whatever? Did that include weird blue lights appearing on the faces of clocks?" Ryan asked, seeing what appeared to be a portal-like object begin to form on the clock.

 

[heartshapedsprinkles]

Stella, The Black Rock Shooter
heartshapedsprinkles

"It's okay...I've been through worse situations." 'Like being abandoned in a capsule for several years and wake up when the world you know is almost dead...' Stella admitted, nodding in response to the pink haired girl, whose name revealed to her as Colette. She merely nodded in response to her gratitude, not knowing how to respond to that statement rather than a nod...Falling silent for a bit, she soon recalled some of her manners and soon introduced herself. "They call me a lot of things, but I prefer the name 'Stella'." She introduced, having no idea how these formal nor casual introductions are supposed to work at all. She soon stood up, and began looking around once more, seeing as how everyone is getting to know their fellow trapped men. Stella looked up, finding what appears to be a giant clock with 21 Numbers on it. The center of the clock, which appears to be large enough for some people to go through it. Wondering what it is, she turned to Colette.

"Do you think we can go through there...?" She asked, seeing as there are no windows nor doors, she speculated that it's the only out of this place.

Colette’s shaky smile grew slightly as Stella introduced herself, the silence that proceeded it making it pretty obvious that the young woman’s forte was not keeping up casual conversation. Not that Colette minded at all; she was a firm believer than everyone had their own personal strengths and weaknesses. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she placed the pillow she had been hugging neatly back into its spot on the couch, taking a moment to fluff it back up to her satisfaction.

She then pushed herself to a standing position, wobbling for a fraction of a second, her head feeling a tad bit light after she’d almost started hyperventilating a few moments before. She shook her head the slightest bit in an attempt to focus, then picked up her purse from the couch, looping it around her neck so that it hung across her body.

Turning to face the clock that Stella had pointed out, she tilted her head, examining it from afar. “Well, it certainly wouldn’t hurt, would it? I suppose the stairs are there for a reason…” She trailed off, her eyes widening as the center of the clock seemed to be widening as she spoke. Startled, she took several steps backwards, biting her lip once more as she watched the blue light begin to form. “U-uhm!! Is that supposed to be happening?”

"Ouch..." Ryan mumbled at her response.

He noticed her begin to scan the room, most likely overlooking everyone in it. She was obviously on edge...

"Hm... You look a little on edge..." Ryan said, putting his hand in his pocket and pulling out a relatively large, black jar from it.

Ryan opened the jar, which had the words 'Phil's Herbs' taped to it, and stuck his hand in it, pulling out a pinch of what looked like a very dark, green grass. He put it in his mouth and began to chew it like gum.

"Want some? Helps calm the nerves." Ryan said, feeling his worries slip away. "Heh, and a little tingly; makes you wanna laugh." He added, a smile growing on his face.

"I thought you threw that stuff away..." Ice said, like a mother who found her son bringing a stray into the house.

"Oh, you're back!" Ryan exclaimed, instantly looking at Clem afterwards.

"Sorry, wasn't supposed to say that out loud... Here, hold this, help yourself to some!" He said, handing the black jar to Makoto, who he had just then noticed was there, before walking away.

"So what's up? Where'd you guys go?" He said, a little softer in tone this time.

"Had some trouble finding you... You kinda disappeared off the map for a bit actually..." Wind explained.

"Yes, and there seems to be a very strange energy here... We can't quite explain it, but it may cut us off from you every now and then, so be careful..." Ice added in his usual, monotonic tone.

"Huh, a redhead... I always thought you preferred brunettes..." Water said teasingly, as if to mock Ryan.

"I'll be careful, thanks for the heads up." Ryan answered, a bit of seriousness in his voice.

He didn't like being without the Elements. They were more of a morale support than anything and he felt alone without them around.




"Ummm... Remember when you said something about strange energy or whatever? Did that include weird blue lights appearing on the faces of clocks?" Ryan asked, seeing what appeared to be a portal-like object begin to form on the clock.

Clem raised an eyebrow at Ryan’s offer, staring at the black jar in his hand before slowly shaking her head in response to him. “I don’t think accepting weird drugs from strange men is very high on the list of things I wanna do right now.” The fact that he took some himself didn’t serve to change her mind at all, her eyes rolling a little as the smile on his face grew. Is this guy an idiot? This is the WORST time to be getting high on some weird shit.

Outwardly, she crossed her arms over her chest, staring at him as he yelled out at seemingly nothing. “Is you getting high right now really the best idea? Shouldn’t we all be trying to figure out where the fuck we are? Or why we’re all here to begin with?”

Silently, she wondered how the hell he was able to fit such a large jar in his pocket without it being obvious, though that was the least of her worries at the moment. The fact that he was wandering off to talk to himself didn’t make her feel all that much better either. Juuuuuust great. I’m stuck who knows where with a pothead who talks to himself. Fan-fucking-tastic.

She noticed the blue lights a few moments before Ryan pointed them out, narrowing her eyes and moving herself away from the wall, lest she accidentally corner herself before something happened. Her mouth set in a grim line, she took a few steps back, putting some distance between herself and the light. Clem might run her mouth, but even she knew not to be cocky when it came to the unknown.

 

[Thepotatogod]

0 - FOOL'S LOBBY
Irish_Dragon_76 heartshapedsprinkles Axcicos Count Gensokyo
​

Out of the lights a young woman clad in a steward's outfit walked down from the blue lights and into the stairs; holding a clipboard on her arms as she made her way down the stairs, finding several different figures. She appeared to be no older than 18, standing a inches taller than Stella. She bore blue hair tied in a pony, her sapphire tinted eyes being somewhat soothing.

"Oh! I didn't know there would be Guests already..." The girl gulped, stepping down from the stairs as she finally made it down, facing her 'guests' as she let out a bow. "I am known as The Fool's Stewardess, and I hereby welcome you to my Lobby, and the Tower of All Origins."

"Tower of All Origins?" Timothy asked, approaching the Stewardess, gripping his blade's hilt. "Would you be kind enough to tell us exactly where this is?"

"I'm afraid I cannot answer that." The Fool's Stewardess shook her head, raising her clipboard and pen. "Although I can only tell that you are in a place no man should've reached before."

"Yeah...But I don't recall women coming down from it though." Makoto answered, taking out his Evoker; a Gun like object that's used to wield his power. With a sigh, he knew that this day is going to be truly bothersome...

 

[Axcicos]

Edd woke up on a soft sofa. To be fair, it really was comfortable. After the literal hell he just witnessed chasing after him it was a nice contrast. He saw a multitude of different people inhabiting the area, as the Fool's Stewardess introduced herself.

"Tower of All Origins? Sounds neat. Do you know where the exit is? This looks like the first floor but I dont see a door nowhere."

The Batter awakened aswell, taking a look around, as his three add-ons, Alpha, Omega and Epsilon wandered around with the Batter. As the man in green stated, there was not a door to be found. Then again, the Batter pondered if they were on basement floor. He thought it'd be best to introduce himself, as it was possible he was stuck in this place for a while.

"Well, in any case, I'm the Batter. I am on a sacred mission to purify all that is unholy. Are the spectres in this building?" he asked the Fool's Stewardess.

 

[Sumirenko]

Something was chasing her through the pitch black night. Something horrible that shouldn't exist. Kokoro had no idea how long she had been running for, only that her legs ached and her lungs burned for air and she was absolutely exhausted- but she didn't dare stop. Because whatever was behind her wanted to hurt her even more.

But where was she running to? Kokoro was sure that she was in a forest when she first started, but now she couldn't feel the leaves crunching underneath her feet, nor the branches that scraped her arms and legs. Could she be in a field? Did this forest even have a field? No, no, Kokoro didn't have the energy to spare on thinking right now. All that mattered was getting away from the beast (beasts? Kokoro didn't know) at her heels. But as she stumbled through the darkness, her trembling legs were threatening to buckle underneath her weight. She wasn't so sure she could make it. Unlike her, this thing didn't seem to be getting tired.

Something had to give.

Something...

THUD!

Kokoro's eyes flew open and she let out a cry, her nightmare broken by the hard floor. The disoriented youkai immediately turned herself onto all-fours and scanned the area for threats, an instinctive growl rising in her throat. There were no signs of what had chased her, thank goodness, but she was in a weird room with ugly green walls and funny-looking people she had never seen before in her life. What's going on here? Where's Miss Miko, or Miss Futo, or any of them? Relaxing her more predatory stance, Kokoro took a shaky breath and began to stand up... only to bump her head onto the armrest of a couch. Ow. Well, that explained what she fell off of. Kokoro fell into the seat and rubbed her head with a wince.

In this new position, she could see the rest of the strangers much better, including a man dressed in green clothes that kind of matched the walls, a boy with short blue hair... and a kind-looking lady who could probably tell her what's going on. Kokoro looked up at the woman with wide, pale eyes. "Um... good morning, Fool's Stewardess," she began, the masks beside her face shifting around until they finally settled on confusion, "Thank you for letting me sleep on your couch, but how did I get here? I fell asleep in my bed. Are you a kidnapper?"

While she talked in a calm, matter-of-fact sort of voice, her nightmare continued to nag in the back of her mind, knocking like an unwelcome guest. Kokoro didn't want to think about yet. It was all still too fresh, still too creepy.

Still too real.

 

[Thepotatogod]

0 - FOOL'S LOBBY
Irish_Dragon_76 heartshapedsprinkles Axcicos Count Gensokyo Sumirenko​

"Yes Sir Gould, was it?" The Stewardess soon jotted down the name 'Edd Gould' onto her clipboard, along with the rest of the names. "Yes, the stairs behind me should lead you all to the top floor; where your exit lie in wait." She answered, pointing at the 21 numbered clock. "However, you must traverse through 20 more floors to reach my Mistress; The Pandora Seal, residing on World's Edge..." She explained, as the pink haired girl whom she registered as Hato no Kokoro soon raised a question.

"Ah, I am sorry Miss, but I'm afraid none of us knows about how you get to this place." The Stewardess explained once more. "It just happens every other day, so I am tasked to keep record of everyone that appears in the Tower."

 

[Axcicos]

Edd

"Well then. My vote is that we start the long and winding journey up a flight of stairs!" Edd cheered on. He started his Lovely Descent into the first floor. "It'd be better if we got out as soon as possible, because I am not sure about you guys, but I wanna go home." Edd talked as he climbed.​

 

[Irish_Dragon_76]

Edd

"Well then. My vote is that we start the long and winding journey up a flight of stairs!" Edd cheered on. He started his Lovely Descent into the first floor. "It'd be better if we got out as soon as possible, because I am not sure about you guys, but I wanna go home." Edd talked as he climbed.​

"I'm with that guy!" Ryan exclaimed, following him towards the staircase.

"Ryan, shouldn't we ask what this place is meant for first before jumping into the fray..." Ice asked, more as a suggestion than a question.

Ryan ignored ice as he sped walked towards the winding stairs. Between the herbs and the gnawing feeling of being chased, Ryan was ready as all hell to do get a move on.

"Hey, what's your name friend?" Ryan asked, catching up to Edd.

 

[Axcicos]

Edd

"Oh, me? I'm Edd." the animator said as they climbed the stairs. "Wonder how long this is..." he began thinking to himself. "Hey, I didn't catch your name. What was it? Do you know how you got here, too? I got chased by a big scary... thing. Not sure what that was about."​

 

[Irish_Dragon_76]

Edd

"Oh, me? I'm Edd." the animator said as they climbed the stairs. "Wonder how long this is..." he began thinking to himself. "Hey, I didn't catch your name. What was it? Do you know how you got here, too? I got chased by a big scary... thing. Not sure what that was about."​

"The name's Ryan. Nice to meet you Edd!" Ryan said, patting Edd on the shoulder.

"And honestly, I have no clue whatsoever. Kinda a first sense a long time actually..." Ryan said, thinking back on old memories for a bit. His eyes turned Grey for just a second before turning back to their normal Green

 

[heartshapedsprinkles]

Sumirenko

Having still been seated on the couch she’d woken up on, Colette jumped to her feet when another young woman fell off of her couch and growled at the room, intent on checking on her and potentially attempting to calm her down. She hesitated though, when the mask upon her head seemed to come alive, mimicking Colette’s own confused expression.

“Are you alright?” She asked the girl softly after the Stewardess had answered her question, worry evident on her face. Colette kept her distance, as the young woman seemed to be on edge upon waking, and she didn’t want to crowd her and make her feel worse. She touched her head own where she’d seen the mask-wearing girl hit hers, indicating that she was asking about the bump she’d taken to the head. "I'm Colette, by the way. It seems like none of us know why we're here... We all woke up the same way you did."

After a moment, Colette’s attention turned from the other pink-haired girl to the others in the room as several began to move towards the door, her heart rate ticking up as she felt her anxiety take over one more.

Axcicos Irish_Dragon_76

“U-uhm!” she called out to the room, though mainly focusing her question towards Edd and Ryan. Her voice wavered slightly, as if she were unsure of herself. “We’re just going to accept that answer from the Stewardess? I mean… That’s, uhm, not a lot of information to go off of. We should really ask more questions. More information is better than less in situations like this…”

Clem found herself nodding at what the pink-haired woman was saying, placing her hands on her hip and scowling at the two men who were ascending the stairs, snapping at them much louder, and with more annoyance in her voice than Colette had.

“Seriously, are y’ll morons? We don’t know a damn thing about one another or about what’s up ahead, and you’re still going run head first into who knows what? It’s like you’re asking to be killed.” Her scowl darkening slightly, she added, “You’re gonna drag the rest of us along into potential danger with your recklessness. And I, for one, don’t fancy being killed trying to save your asses.”

Thepotatogod

Having said her piece, she turned her attention back towards the The Fool’s Stewardness, asking curtly, “What the hell is up ahead? What are we facing? What help can you offer us? Why do we have to traverse the tower, when you’re obviously able to come and go as you please? Why can’t you just take us straight to the top so we can talk to your ‘Mistress,’ and get the fuck outta here? You say you don’t know why we’re here, yet you’re unwilling to offer any help to us in getting to the top? I call bullshit.”

Clem’s questions were relentless; she’d had plenty of practice getting to the bottom of various stories, given her job as an investigative journalist. She was not one to accept simple answers and charge ahead without grilling whomever she was talking to first.

 

[Thepotatogod]

0 - Fool's Lobby
Irish_Dragon_76 heartshapedsprinkles Axcicos Count Gensokyo Sumirenko​

"She raises a good point." Timothy nodded at Colette's suggestion, facing the Stewardess as a red haired woman soon fired off most of the questions he was about to ask, making an impression that she might be a sage(By his standards, of course).

"To answer most of your questions, Ms. Clementine..." The Stewardess started once more, facing the red haired woman. "Up ahead lies the many concepts that are the basis of the many worlds that exists as of today; yes, I am saying that the Floors are indeed vast lands, filled with various different Geography, Architecture, and Economies...Many of those Floor's residents varies differently. Some are docile, whilst some are filled with hostility...And don't get me started with the Herald at the 20th floor." She soon rolled her eyes at the mere mention of the Herald, making it clear that she hates him at some extent. "Rest assured, I was not able to leave the Tower as I please...In fact, none of us can, even if the Mistress, allows it." She said, flipping through the pages of her clipboard. "Many had arrived, and only one of them reached the Top; the Mistress of the Tower, who wished to have you go through the same pain she experienced..."

"The same pain? So you're telling me she's once a human then?" Makoto walked up to the woman, his hand in his pockets as he hang out one hand holding his Evoker.

"Not quite, but just as Mortal. Her real intentions were unknown, though I deduce that the reasoning for her request were only for the sake of Tradition." The Stewardess answered with a nod, As for my assistance...I may keep record on how much progress you've made, and provide reasonable safe zones where those who were left behind may catch up or to provide suitable protection on dangerous floors. Think of it as a 'bunker' of sorts, keeping you safe fro some of it's natural predators or the environment itself."

 

[Axcicos]

Sumirenko

Having still been seated on the couch she’d woken up on, Colette jumped to her feet when another young woman fell off of her couch and growled at the room, intent on checking on her and potentially attempting to calm her down. She hesitated though, when the mask upon her head seemed to come alive, mimicking Colette’s own confused expression.

“Are you alright?” She asked the girl softly after the Stewardess had answered her question, worry evident on her face. Colette kept her distance, as the young woman seemed to be on edge upon waking, and she didn’t want to crowd her and make her feel worse. She touched her head down where she’d seen the mask-wearing girl hit hers, indicating that she was asking about the bump she’d taken to the head. "I'm Colette, by the way. It seems like none of us know why we're here... We all woke up the same way you did."

After a moment, Colette’s attention turned from the other pink-haired girl to the others in the room as several began to move towards the door, her heart rate ticking up as she felt her anxiety take over one more.

Axcicos Irish_Dragon_76

“U-uhm!” she called out to the room, though mainly focusing her question towards Edd and Ryan. Her voice wavered slightly, as if she were unsure of herself. “We’re just going to accept that answer from the Stewardess? I mean… That’s, uhm, not a lot of information to go off of. We should really ask more questions. More information is better than less in situations like this…”

Clem found herself nodding at what the pink-haired woman was saying, placing her hands on her hip and scowling at the two men who were ascending the stairs, snapping at them much louder, and with more annoyance in her voice than Colette had.

“Seriously, are y’ll morons? We don’t know a damn thing about one another or about what’s up ahead, and you’re still going run head first into who knows what? It’s like you’re asking to be killed.” Her scowl darkening slightly, she added, “You’re gonna drag the rest of us along into potential danger with your recklessness. And I, for one, don’t fancy being killed trying to save your asses.”

Thepotatogod

Having said her piece, she turned her attention back towards The Fool’s Stewardess, asking curtly, “What the hell is up ahead? What are we facing? What help can you offer us? Why do we have to traverse the tower, when you’re obviously able to come and go as you please? Why can’t you just take us straight to the top so we can talk to your ‘Mistress,’ and get the fuck outta here? You say you don’t know why we’re here, yet you’re unwilling to offer any help to us in getting to the top? I call bullshit.”

Clem’s questions were relentless; she’d had plenty of practice getting to the bottom of various stories, given her job as an investigative journalist. She was not one to accept simple answers and charge ahead without grilling whomever she was talking to first.

Edd

"I mean... alright, we'll stay. We do have to start our ascendance sooner or later, though. I don't fancy being trapped in a bunker for a long while just because you guys have fears." Edd said under his teeth.
​

0 - Fool's Lobby
Irish_Dragon_76 heartshapedsprinkles Axcicos Count Gensokyo Sumirenko​

"She raises a good point." Timothy nodded at Colette's suggestion, facing the Stewardess as a red haired woman soon fired off most of the questions he was about to ask, making an impression that she might be a sage(By his standards, of course).

"To answer most of your questions, Ms. Clementine..." The Stewardess started once more, facing the red haired woman. "Up ahead lies the many concepts that are the basis of the many worlds that exist as of today; yes, I am saying that the Floors are indeed vast lands, filled with various different Geography, Architecture, and Economies...Many of those Floor's residents varies differently. Some are docile, whilst some are filled with hostility...And don't get me started with the Herald at the 20th floor." She soon rolled her eyes at the mere mention of the Herald, making it clear that she hates him at some extent. "Rest assured, I was not able to leave the Tower as I please...In fact, none of us can, even if the Mistress, allows it." She said, flipping through the pages of her clipboard. "Many had arrived, and only one of them reached the Top; the Mistress of the Tower, who wished to have you go through the same pain she experienced..."

"The same pain? So you're telling me she's once a human then?" Makoto walked up to the woman, his hand in his pockets as he hangs out one hand holding his Evoker.

"Not quite, but just as Mortal. Her real intentions were unknown, though I deduce that the reasoning for her request were only for the sake of Tradition." The Stewardess answered with a nod, As for my assistance...I may keep record on how much progress you've made, and provide reasonable safe zones where those who were left behind may catch up or to provide suitable protection on dangerous floors. Think of it as a 'bunker' of sorts, keeping you safe fro some of it's natural predators or the environment itself."

"So we have to go through much trouble to get out? Darn it... crazy lady. I hope we find her on our quest so that we can give her a piece of our mind." Edd said, starting to listen again. "Safe zones, eh? That sounds good. Maybe stay in those so that these guys can complain about the crocodile that bonked his head into them." he chuckled slightly. "Alright, anyone have any more questions? I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get a move on." Edd told the group.​

 

[Thepotatogod]

0 - FOOL'S LOBBY
Irish_Dragon_76 heartshapedsprinkles Axcicos Count Gensokyo Sumirenko
​

"I agree." Makoto said, holstering his Evoker as he looked above towards Edd. "The earlier we start moving, the faster we might get there...Speaking from experience, we need to move together as a group." He said, beginning his climb on the stairs, catching up to both Ryan and Edd. Timothy followed suit, eager to see his friends once more; the ones he protected for years.

"How do we know you're not an enemy?" Stella soon asked, drawing a black tinted katana and raised it towards the Stewardess. "For all I know, you could be leading us to a trap..."

"I am not able to leave...And thus, it is my desire to help those who would ascend the tower, wishing them luck and assistance in the process." The Stewardess said, as if vowing to assist them in any way possible.

Stella remained silent, lowering her blade as she turned to Colette, wondering if she was prepared for this journey.

 

[Count Gensokyo]

Sanae Kochiya

In the dark skies above Gensokyo, two mechanical behemoths clashed in a battle to decide the fate of the very nation itself. Hisoutensoku Mk. III, the Moriya Shrine's last ace in the hole, stood against the God Fortress, the shrine-turned-mecha that Mistress Hakurei had used to terrorize the citizens of Gensokyo for so many long months.

Craters had been created, forests had been decimated, and the Youkai Mountain had all but crumbled into rocky debris. Both combatants were battered and torn, but only one could walk away from this field victorious. Sanae had been fighting to free the oppressed people of Gensokyo all this time, and she couldn't lose to Reimu today.

​

"It's over, Hakurei Shrine Maiden! No longer will you force money from the hands of Gensokyo's honest citizens...Take this!" Commander Sanae shouted as Hisoutensoku began to charge up its final attack. Its chest plate retracted to reveal a massive cannon. As it charged up a yellow beam of pure energy, an over-exaggerated, more evil depiction of Reimu Hakurei laughed maliciously from across the field.

​

"Foolish Miracle Maiden...do you not realize that all your efforts are in vain? When I defeat you here once and for all, Gensokyo will bow to me and bestow upon me all the wealth I could ever deserve," Reimu monologued. "This land is mine to control..."

​

"And this, Commander Sanae, is your final hour! Mua-hahahahah!" The caricatured villainess exclaimed as the God Fortress charged up a large purple laser.

​

"Prepare yourself..."

​

"Magicannon of the Seventh Sanctum!"

"Graviton Beam of the Golden Cosmos!"

As the two pilots screamed out the names of their signature attacks, the beams collided in a mix of glorious light before erupting into a nuclear-sized explosion.

When the dust settled, Hisoutensoku rose from the ground, having barely survived the ensuing blast. The God Fortress had crash-landed in the Forest of Magic, its pilot still not emerging from the wreckage.

Sanae took a deep breath as she leaned away from the controls. She opened up her comms, attempting to notify her patrons, Kanako and Suwako, about her triumphant victory.

"Kanako, Suwako...I did it! The God Fortress has fallen, and Gensokyo is saved!" Sanae shouted giddily. She was the hero this time, and nothing was going to change that.

"Excellent work, Commander. With the God Fortress down, Reimu will have no choice but to surrender now. Thanks to you, Gensokyo is saved," Kanako replied.

"Great job, Sanae--sorry, Commander! Make your way to the Fortress and apprehend Reimu," Suwako instructed. "Our mission isn't over yet."

Before Sanae could take off, though, an inky blackness made everything outside of the cockpit impossible to see.

"What happened? Is a storm rolling in, or..." Sanae mused as she inched closer to the cockpit's reinforced glass.

Suddenly, a pair of red eyes emerged from the murky fog, and the mech's hull was bombarded with blunt force from multiple directions. Pieces of the armor were ripped to shreds as monstrous hands dug into Sanae's once-mighty flying fortress.

Sanae screamed out loud, and she tried desperately to raise Kanako and Suwako.

"What was that, Sanae?!" Suwako yelled through comms.

"Status update, now--" Kanako began to say as the comms channel fizzed out.

Sanae gasped fearfully as she felt her only safety slip right out of her fingers. With her battle mech totaled and her only protectors now out of the picture, Sanae quickly realized how alone and scared she felt here with an unknown horror trying to force its way into the cockpit.

She wasn't going to sit in the cockpit and wait until she was some monster's snack, though. Sanae sprung out of the pilot's seat, her body floating out of an open hatch at the top of the mech's head. When she was outside, Sanae flew away as fast as she could.

...

Two minutes of fleeing from the pursuing beast had seemed like hours of running. Sanae was even more frightened now, as she had somehow even lost her ability to fly. She was now running for her life in the middle of a dark forest. She could barely see in front of her face, and with every trip on a stray twig and collision with a nearby tree stump, she knew that the beast was closing in on her. She had never been so scared in her life, but she invested all of her energy into running like mad away from this dangerous new foe. Sanae gave into thoughts of hopelessness, knowing that she was already doomed...

You find yourself vividly recalling yourself running. You're running from something, but what?
You felt as if your life is in danger, yet looking back, you can only see monstrous faces.
Faces that would typically be a bore now haunting you for a reason...
Yet you can't remember why.​

...Until she woke up from her nightmare, that is.

Thud.

Sanae fell from an empty shelf onto the hard floor, jolting herself awake in the process.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow..." the shrine maiden whimpered as she woke up on the floor of a strange, bright-green room. Before her mind registered that she hadn't woken up in the Moriya Shrine, however, Sanae heaved a sigh of relief upon realizing that she had only dreamed of that shadowy figure that was out for her blood for some reason. She comforted herself mentally, telling herself that it was all just a bad dream. Now that she thought about it, that dream before the nightmare happened was pretty weird in its own right.

"Huh? This isn't the Moriya Shrine..." Sanae muttered as she slowly sat upright. "M-Miss Kanako? Suwako?" Sanae called out as she began to notice that the whole room was full of people she had never seen before.

"Could that have been a dream inside a dream, maybe? Maybe I'm still dreaming," Sanae thought as she tried to make sense of the room and what was happening in it.