Realistic or Modern Zodiac Arc 1: Rise of a General

[Segue]

Skylar gnawed on her lip for a moment as Ray asked for his tea and protection. Anti monster stuff? That was interesting. Maybe there was more to his dream of bad choices than he had owned to? Maybe he'd seen that weird bird vision as well? Her gaze returned to the statue as Hotaru left the room. Ten dollars was a lot on a student's budget, but worthwhile if it did any good. She could not suffer another night like that again, and she pulled a crumpled $10 note out when the shopkeeper returned and outlined the prices. Was that a teensy tiny katana? The dream catcher looked remarkable too, a construction of cherry blossoms and silver. Though likely not real silver at $12.50. The Baku had been more of a gut feeling than anything else, an idea that the little statuette would somehow become the real thing at night and protect her. On the other hand the dream catcher was actually, you know, proven to work. According to some people. She worried at her lip with sharp white teeth as her gaze flicked between the two, then produced another note and some coin. "I'll just eat ramen for the rest of the week," she muttered, before offering both money and smile to Hotaru. She could try to sign it, but after a quick look at the how-to cards at the shop counter she had thought better of the idea. The universal language of charades would have to do.

Looking up from her newly purchased prizes, she gave her Canadian friend a slightly ragged smile. "Yah, I get you there. I wish I could buy more of it, but I'm already on a noodle-only diet as it is. Maybe a little katana like yours. It's almost me-sized, don't you think?" She pantomimed dueling with an invisible sword between thumb and forefinger and a sparkle came back into her pale blue eyes. "Maybe I'll get something else for my birthday." For some peace of mind she would gladly put a hold on the lighting equipment she'd been drooling over for the past several months. "Thanks for showing me this place. How did you find out about it?" She glanced at the time. They had a few more minutes before she had to turn back to make her class, so they could probably do a little more window-shopping. Something caught her eye; a small wooden house in sandalwood at the very border of the anime section, with two little inch-high figurines in traditional silken kimono. She wasn't sure what the significance of the incense sticks was or what the single character on the wooden sign meant, but it intrigued her.

Maybe she would come back on her birthday after all.

 

[AiDee]

Mori glanced back at the voice, “Oh!” She took a step back from the table and grinned back at the new figure who joined, “Yeah...yeah, I’m fine,” Mori bit back on any comments she had about the figure that seemed to be following her. As Ariel spoke and gestured to the couple off to the side. Eliza was clearly the more eccentric one compared to her partner who stood a bit off to the side, quiet and intimidating. The athletic girl laughed at Ariel’s fascination of the two, “Maybe we should ask how they got together!”

As she glanced back at the couple, she noticed the shadow at the edge of the crowd. Mori felt herself staring at the darkened figure as it slowly crept closer and closer. Ariel spoke up, interrupting her thoughts with an introduction. It was only polite if Mori introduced herself back, “I’m Mori! Nice to meet you, Ariel!” The student handed Mori a teddy bear pin. Small and cute, Mori seemed to adore it the moment she held the small trinket.

Lois sounded much more happier with the small bear in her possession. She remarked to Mori that there will be no more scary nights for herself. Mori halfheartedly agreed with Lois’ statement, “This one is adorable!” Mori pinned the bear pin on her track jacket, “I wouldn’t mind another one! It would be like...he gets another friend.” The bear was like a tiny knight for Mori, she wanted the bear to protect her from everything.

Swallowing hard, she took a few steps to the left, distancing herself from the shadow once again, “I'm...uh…” More tuned back into the conversation, “I’m studying marine biology! How about you, Ariel?” As she finished up her statement, Lois pointed out a balloon floating above everyone. Mori watched the colorful shadows it casted and quickly glanced back at the figure to her right. She suddenly wanted to leave, her instincts told her something was going to go wrong.

“Those have to be pretty big lungs to blow that up…” Feeling chilly, Mori zipped up her track jacket and moved closer to the heating stoves, “Are we allowed to leave early?” She watched the figure, “I feel a bit sick…”

 

[TerraBooma]

Ray chuckled as he watched Skylar's attempt at sword-pantomiming, it was pretty funny. "Well hey, if your stuck on Ramen, you can always swing by my place. I have...tea now." He motioned to the bag. "Other than that, I think I'm a biiit better off? I managed to save up a bit of money during the summer, it's not much to work with but gives me a bit of spending cash. I'd have more back home, but your guys exchange rate killed me." He pouted slightly as he remembered his totals both before and after it had been converted into a relevant source of money. "So I mean, I'm not going to be eating out at that fancy sushi place I keep hearing my roomate's friend go on about, but uh...burgers?" He shrugged. "Better than Ramen anyway. Could probably get some of the other club members involved. It'd be fun!" He grinned, hoping she'd be interested. Being in a foreign country sucked without the ability to make friends, the club was actually a pretty good chance in Ray's eyes, and so far Lois, Mori, and Skylar had seemed like pretty cool people. He hadn't gotten the chance to know the others yet, but that would come with time right? Or...maybe that was the point of the meet and greet. Ah well, they probably didn't even have pancakes, since the school seemed to like not having them...man he missed pancakes.

He waved to Hotaru as they walked out of the store, glad he had decided to come here. It was a...weird place, but there was something comforting about the place. Plus he had a katana! A...tiny Katana, sure! But it was still pretty damn cool in his eyes, he wondered if it'd do as advertised. He was kind of skeptical, but who didn't like a little superstition to liven things up.

"As for how I found this place, it's uh...kind of a lame story. It's a nice building, looks cool. I managed to get hopelessly lost on my first couple nights here, being from out of country and all it's been rough getting my bearings...let's not question how I actually managed to find it today. This town is like a maze to me, did you know there's a library? I didn't for like a week! I kept googling things and ordering books online. That...kinda sucked." He sighed, but continued his story. "Anyway, I just kind of wandered in looking really lost. It took me and Hotaru awhile to sort out talking, since I'm...total rubbish at sign language. But, she was nice enough to point me the way home, even gave me some weird pottery thing as a welcoming gift. I...don't really know what to do with it, so it sits in the kitchen. I...think it's a teapot? Kind of funky really. Remind me to show you sometime." After finishing his story, he paused to ponder.

"So where we going now anyway? We might as well drop this stuff off before class. I've got a bit of time anyway, think you can head back to the dorms with me or you gotta run straight off?"

 

[Segue]

"I could do the dorms," Skylar said, tossing off a whimsical smile. "I have to get my camera anyway, and I can probably make enough time for a quick cuppa." She looked around her at the street they were strolling down, noting with relief a lack of creepy face birds. "I'm glad you came with me, I'd never have found my way down here. This is only my second day in Maine though, so I'm sure I'll find Ray's Mystery Library in a few days. A week, tops." She crinkled her nose in amusement and followed him down the staircase. This was much the same route as they'd followed to get here, but with her guardian statuette and dream catcher in hand the events of last night seemed far less real and far less threatening in the cold morning light. "Is that Evertine Park?" she asked. "I heard about it on my way up here." Someone's done her research, and although she didn't elaborate a lingering glance at a kind of distant spire above the trees suggested she'll want to come back to the city to explore before too many more days have passed.

She has other matters on her mind however and followed Ray back to the campus with reasonable celerity. "I could probably stretch to burgers," she admitted. "Not, you know, forever - especially if I want to save up again - but I could do tonight, and maybe tomorrow if the rest of the club is interested?" She grinned back up at him. Skylar liked the people she'd met at the Photography Club, and not just because they seemed to share her passion. Travelling all the way up from the South Coast was kind of like coming from another country, she reflected. They definitely did things different here, so maybe it was even stranger for Ray? With a rare moment of empathy she sidled closer and asked, "So if you've been here a week, that must be long enough that you're starting to miss things from back home. What are your top three, and have you found anything like them over here?" She'd never been to Canada, but she imagined it was very different north of the border. Ray probably didn't ride a moose to school, but she hoped they still had the mounties. And that passion for Ice Hockey, though how they had time for that and baseball she couldn't guess. Sports fiends, the lot of them.

Smothering laughter, she followed her tall foreign friend back to the dorm block they shared and exchanged only slightly elaborated stories of her own youth. Like the first time she saw New Orleans as a child, and the amazing theme park that was there! Or her family's driving holiday to the grand canyon! Between those and her friend's own anecdotes they were soon back where they needed to be, and they'd exchanged cell numbers as well as her promise to meet up later with the gang for burgers at Ray's worst-kept secret. "At five, right?"

So much better than Ramen.

 

[Kal]

10:00 - 11:00 AM
(smol collab)
From what Alixce could see, since arriving, the members of the student council looked like a serious bunch. Once identifying who was who, Alixce made a mental note to approach and speak with the student body president. But, first, the rising aroma of hot food beckoned. The second hit of coffee from the pleasant little cafe she'd stumbled upon was stirring her appetite on, and lo'n'behold, breakfast foods. Pancakes, to be exact, with butter and syrup on the side. Taking a plate, Alixce helped herself to both, and a generous amount at that. Not one to criticize free food, especially made hot and fresh, she couldn't help but miss the maple syrup of her home town. At this very moment, though, the pancake stack covered in butter and syrup really hit the spot.

After eating, Alixce located a receptacle, tossed in the used plate and fork, and cleaned off her hands best she could with a paper towel and hand sanitizier. Satisfied, she made her way towards where the student body president was greeting other first years, when her ears picked up, "for Photography..."

Curious, Alixce looked over. The student was speaking to one of the professors making the pancakes. From her hand gestures and the scattered bits of conversation Alixce could decipher, she assumed the student was asking the professor a question. As the student smiled, and, Alixce assumed, thanked the professor, the blonde herself made her way to him.

"Excuse me," she said, greeting the man with a smile, "You wouldn't happen to be Professor Arlindou, yeah?"

The man looked up from the newest set of batter he had been cooking, and a smile came to his face as he recognised the student before him. “Alixce. Good to see you. I must say I was a little worried when you didn’t turn up yesterday. It’s good to know the military didn’t steal you back.” He held out his hand for her to shake. “Call me Eric. It’ll probably take some getting used to but first names are the go to in university. We’re all adults, and the distinction between students and professors isn’t so stark.” He pointed to where an older looking man was talking to one of the other council reps. “Laurence over there is thirty three but he’s starting this semester just like you.”


The dog like creature that was resting beneath Eric’s grill raised its head and yawned. A long tongue ran around the edge of its toothless gums. It reached forward and sniffed Alixce’s boots, then ran its tongue over both briefly. It left no mark on either as if the tongue had been bone dry. The head rested back down on its paws but the eyes remained open, staring at Alixce.


Eric continued on as if he’d seen nothing happening. “I’ll have to give you a make up assignment so you don’t fail the club … if it actually mattered.” he chuckled, “But hopefully you can join us for the next one so you can meet the others soon. We’ve got a fun little group.”


“Thank you, Eric,” Alixce saw the dog just in her peripheral range. There was no sausage to accompany the pancakes, too bad, or she would have thrown him down a piece. Truthfully, she'd approached the photography club's professor because she had wanted to apologize for missing the meeting, but it was clear that was all water under the bridge. Still, “I'll take on the make-up work,” it'd be nice to show some proactivity. “Either way, you can count me in for meetings ahead.”


That was a pleasant conversation, it was a first meeting but Alixce felt a bulb of respect developing. Now that it was over, she turned her attention to the dog. It was an odd thing, elongated, probably a mixed breed. Certainly like nothing she'd seen either back home or on duty, or, anywhere really. He had no collar, which answered the question of an owner being nearby. A stray? That was a hard sell, considering how well behaved it was in the middle of the crowd. Pondering, Alixce decided it was prudent to keep caution, gently lowering her hand towards its snout to sniff, but ready to pull back in case it was not used to, or disliked, humans touching it.

 

[DoughGuy]

7/11/17
Free Posting Mode – Aidee, Ostinato
Turn Posting Mode – Terra, Segue, Kal
Today’s Schedule
8am to 10am – Waking up
10am to 11am (Duration of Post) – Meet and Greet for the new students with the Student Rep Council
11am to 1pm – Mori and Skylar have miscellaneous classes
2pm to 3:30pm – Ray, Alixce and Lois have miscellaneous classes​

After disappearing onto the roof the six legged hollow, the Sillomin, had waited. The image of a pair of dice tumbled through its mind. Each one was covered in the scent of fear and it shivered. It held back while the pair shopped, doing the best to ignore the hunger gnawing in its mind. When they finally emerged it sprung up and skittered to the edge of the roof, laying low and out of sight. It kept to the rooves and walls this time around. No casual backwards glance would spot it out. It followed them back to the corner of the building they had first come from. The Havorcan remained in the tree. The two hollows shared a glance.

It was early morning, still awhile until the human lunch time. The block was deserted. On the north edge of town it was unlikely for anyone else to interfere. And there were two targets, enough for them both. The bird showed its assent by spreading all four of its wings wide. Unlike a normal animal’s wings that were attached directly to its body, the Havorcan had four human hands down its side. Each of them held onto a thick, long wing and flapped it manually. It extended its body to its full height of four and a half feet. With a few flaps it crossed the street and hovered a few feet off the ground between the two students and the dorm doors. Like its beak the two taloned feet were visibly sharp.

The Sillomin slid down the building’s side and dropped behind the pair. It was about the same height as Ray, though only stood two feet tall when it was on all eight limbs like it currently was.

Behind the Havorcan the wind began to swirl on the ground, gathering dust and dirt. It coalesced into an oval shaped stone that glowed with heat. The winds lifted it into the air where a wispy, humanoid body formed around. It looked like air elemental straight out of a fantasy game. Two holes opened up in the face and stared at Ray. A young male voice spoke, “I asked you once to make a choice. Now another beckons. Fight, or die.”

H E A V E N . O R . H E L L
Rank 1 – Sky and Earth​

Ray’s body suddenly rose a foot off the ground and floated there. Thin sheets of what appeared to be stone slipped out of the nothingness and covered his forearms and hands. They fitted to the skin perfectly, not restricting his movement in any way. The Havorcan screeched and dived forward, swinging its legs forward to carve its talons though Ray’s chest.

No being emerged to aid Skylar, though it sounded like she heard an unimpressed snort from close by. The Sillomin charged straight for her. The upper two arms went for the girl’s neck, aiming to strangle her from behind. The other four would try to grab her arms and hold them in place so she couldn’t protect herself.

~***~

“Yes, just like Ariel, without the cute hair. Or the tail. I can live without the latter though.” Ariel kicked one of her legs up behind herself, then leaned forward in a deep bow to prove the point. Her head flicked up and smiled at the pair. “It would make it a lot harder to act!” Straightening up she reached out and patted them both on the head. “You will both just have to have two then won’t you. And believe me Mori, we’ve asked. Nikolas refuses to say anything. And Eliza says she likes winter. They make no sense!” She threw her hands up in the air. “Is it an euphemism? Is she weird? I do not know.”

The shadow that had been stalking Mori stopped a little behind Ariel in an empty space. It made no further moves, merely ‘watched’. Along the ground, difficult to notice unless one was looking directly down, a black tendril extended from its base like a shadow and made its way towards the girl’s ankle.

“No wonder you two are friends, you’re both outdoorsy people. I bet you guys must have a lot of other things in common too. I’m studying the dramatic arts. I love to act. But I like to be the boss too. Which is why I joined the council. And then I’m learning artsy stuff.” She flopped her upper half down as if exhausted. “It’s tiring. But I’ll do it all.”

At the pair’s prompting Ariel turned to look in the direction Lois pointed. After a few seconds she turned back with a confused look on her face. “You guys should head back. Especially if you are seeing things. I don’t know what you mean Lois, there’s nothing there.” She put the back of her hand on their foreheads, checking for their temperatures. “There’s no need to stay. Head back to the dorm and rest!” She shooed them in the direction of the dorm building.

The balloon creature began to circle its way towards the two girls.

~***~

The dog lifted its head up to touch Alixce’s hand, appearing to be perfectly complacent. Its body suddenly extended like a released spring. It twisted as it moved, wrapping around Alixce’s arm. When its head reached her shoulder it kept going, growing across her shoulder until its head rested against her neck on the opposite side from the arm it was wrapped around. From the corner of her eye the military girl could see that when the ‘dog’ opened its mouth to yawn, there were a lot of sharp looking teeth in there. It rested the side of its head directly against her neck. Alixce would be able to feel the warmth of its fur but the skin beneath was cold. Nor did it appear to be breathing. The weight was there but manageable.

No appeared to have noticed what had just happened. None of the other students remarked on it, nor did Arlindou act as if anything weird had occurred just before him.

“You’ve got yourself in quite the pickle there haven’t you?” A figure had appeared from nowhere and was now sitting on the edge of Eric’s grill. They wore a black hooded jumper that covered their entire torso. A flap of material hung down over their face. Stuck to its surface were two white circles were the eyes would be and a sideways crescent for a mouth. The sleeves flapped in the air. Skin-tight grey wraps like one would imagine a mummy’s bandages covered their legs. Their shoes were also grey and had a little upturn at the tip, elvish in appearance. “It’ll kill you the moment you’re alone with it. But that’s the fun in trying new things ain’t it!” Again, no one reacted to the presence of the new individual.

The figure laughed and hopped down from its perch. He started walking through the crowd to the south end of the square. When he encountered people in his path he simply passed through them like a ghost. “Come along Alixce and let the games begin!”

T H E . W O R L D . I S . M Y . P L A Y T H I N G
Rank 1 - A little touch of it all​

Zodiacs currently under GM control – Efelgon, The Wind of Change. Hood, The Worldly Connoisseur

 

[Kal]

Alixce froze. Her mind screamed she was in danger, but she was unable to garner a reaction against such a distinctly unique threat. Assess, boomed through her mind. She did just that. At first, she thought to fall on her side, in a way that would put her weight on the "dog" creature while tucking in her neck, protecting it. But, then she noticed... No screams, no gasps... No reactions...

Fear and confusion wanted to flood her senses, but training kicked in. Shallow breaths turned steady, an active process to keep it so. What could this be? Plainly, simply, it could be in her head. Worse, it could be that only she could she it...

And then he appeared. He/she, Alixce didn't know, the voice presumed male but their body and visage covered. She recognized the full moon eyes and crescent moon mouth... from... where again? "I disagree, sir," she said in a steady tone, just low, "the fun is in learning to defend against, if not champion over, the adversary."

He floated away from her, beckoning her follow. "I take it no hint, then?" Fleeting and free he seemed to be, she doubted help from the second of the figures only she could see. Though, if honesty held, she thrived in this intensity: do-or-die. And she was, doing, slowly reaching with her free arm to her pocket.

 

[Segue]

Coming back to the dorm block, Skylar and her taller friend from the far north found that this morning's nightmare visions were no less horrifying with an hour or two's retail therapy behind them. She stared at the terror bird as it flapped down to head them off from the safety of the building, but though she looked with enough intensity to make her eyes well up it didn't even waver in the direct sunlight. At closer inspection it didn't look so much like a bird either. More like something pretending to be a bird; something wrong, that didn't belong anywhere on this world.

The wind swirling and the wispy form that appeared didn't belong either, but it seemed more focused on Ray and didn't seem entirely hostile either. Just alien. She heard it speak to him, and then saw him lift off the ground as well. Her eyes widened and she backed away, her teeth sinking into her lip as she bit back a cry. What was he? What were any of them? What the even hell was going on here? The confusion and anger were rising, singing in her ears when she heard the snort from behind her and whirled around. She saw something else that didn't belong, something that looked like twisted love child of a coon and a waterboatman charging straight for her and abruptly all that fear, pain and anger overflowed in pure rage.

She didn't waste any more time trying to put what she saw into terms she could comprehend. She didn't waste any more time at all. The muscle memory Jackie had trained into her dropped a hand to her bag and pulled out a tiny dark blue gun with a canister loaded in the end. Twelve feet. Eight. Six, the Sillomin closed on her as she brought up the weapon and sprayed a blast of chemical spray square into its face from point blank range. The Sillomin hissed with annoyance and squinted shut its five eyes but scarcely slowed down before it barreled into the small girl and knocked the weapon from her grasp.

She felt it grapple at her throat. She felt it grasp around her mid-section, but while she had no time to get away she wasn't quite where it had last seen her. Skylar Rieman stared the abomination square in its face and saw it for what it was, and also what it wasn't. She brought up the Baku in her fist and struck at the creature's eyes with all of her fury. She swung at its throat for the terror that had wracked her night. She brought both fists down at its snout with the fear she had known as a child, hiding with her family as a monster of wind and rain raged outside. She swung again and again until she was free or she felt the its grip on her throat turning the world to black.

 

[TerraBooma]

Ray had tried to ignore the weird animal things the first time around, as time seemed to freeze as the bird monster charged his floating self, he realized this may have not have been the best approach; note to future self Ray, shit that looked evil was probably evil. Hindsight, 20/20 and all that. Still. was this some continuation of the sick dream he had? It even featured that same voice that seemed to be really obsessed over choices. That voice was starting to rub Ray the wrong way. This couldn't have been real...at least, he was pretty sure floating wasn't something a human could normally do. But could a dream be so detailed? He'd been with Skylar all morning, was she part of the dream too? He felt confused, and wasnt' sure what to-

oh fuck right death bird.

Ray's mind flashed back to an ice hockey game he'd had not over a year ago, the scouts for crow tree were there, and everyone knew it was a big deal. The opposing team had a big guy, or goon as most of hte players referred to him,. that liked to bully anyone on Ray's team with a puck and throw them into the boards. The whole thing had rubbed Ray the wrong way, so he took care of him the best way he could...by outsmarting him. Ray really hoped birds of death weren't smart.

Flying through the air was a bit awkward, but Ray figured out how to dodge fast enough, as the bird flew in he shoved himself to the side, dodging mostly out of the way from the attacks, earthen armor scraping against one of it's talons in defiance as he had failed to completely avoid it. At least it had taken it somewhat successfully, the armor didn't look like it would hold up to a lot of abuse, but it was better than flesh.

From the side, Ray came up over the swooping bird, and delivered his best punch onto it's back as it flew past him, hoping to at least throw off it's flight and make it second guess attacking him. He turned as it moved away creating distance, wanting to check on his friend.

"Skylar! what the hell is ha- oh fuck." His reaction as he saw her situation was pretty dire, but he moved without thinking, throwing himself at the other hollow for a straight punch. There wasn't much finesse to the action, since Ray was busy trying to aim. All he knew was he probably needed to get the monster thing off of his friend, and fast. If this attack didn't help Skylar create distance, Ray would wail on the other hollow for as long as he could before the bird made another pass.

 

[0stinato]

10:25

Lois' mouth stayed as a smile, which surprised even her. But it seemed more like a smile of immense shock than a genuine grin, and that was because Ariel was acting as if she couldn't see the thing that both she and Mori could see. Ariel was messing with them, surely. Mori had commented on the balloon thing, it was clear to Lois she could see it too. What prank were they under? Being misdirected with the teddy pins.

She waited passively while Ariel felt her forehead, apparently worried for both her and Mori's health. Lois took the opportunity to eye the thing again and - yes - it was definitely getting closer. When Ariel suggested they head back, she felt a little weak. Was she seeing things?

And Lois paused, and in that pause she felt the backs of her knees get stronger, her elbows bent and her arms were at her sides. Her back was straight. No more weak little passive girl. She thought of the dream - one more time - and thought of what she'd done in the dream. That was no ordinary nightmare, it meant something. And what it meant was right in front of Lois' face, it was blindingly obvious what it meant, and it was obvious that her actions had opened her heart somehow... and the obvious was what Lois was running from.

She took a step away from Ariel, keeping that smile.

"Well, if you say it's not there then... I disagree," she said. "It was nice seeing you anyway, but we should... solve this."

She grasped Mori's hand, a sense of solidarity flowing through her, despite the unease. What was she doing? She was making a decision to be with someone, that's what she was doing. Sticking by Mori's side. If Mori could see the balloon thing too, then that was all Lois needed.

"Let's go and find out what it is, perhaps it's another club's mascot," she said firmly, taking charge lightheadedly. She started walking, going to cut past Ariel, her hand still around Mori's, and her thin eyebrows were creased with purpose.

She couldn't see what she was walking towards, other than an area with more people. She was going to find that balloon and ensure herself it was real. Seeing was believing.

DoughGuy AiDee

Lull saw a pair of yellow high-heels he thought Lois would like. He wondered how he'd take them.

 

[AiDee]

As Ariel talked, Mori couldn't help herself but stare at the space behind her. The dark silhouette stopped moving closer and it was slowly becoming more and more apparent that she had no idea what was real or in her imagination. Lois could see the big float as well, but Ariel couldn't? It made no sense. The balloon animal's tethers kept brushing against the tops of people's heads.

Whatever it was, it was creeping Mori out. Her hallucinations seemed to be harmless for now. She needed to get more sleep or wake up a bit more. Mori's fingers brushed over the small teddy bear pins that Ariel made and glanced back at her, "I'm sorry for leaving so soon! I'll make it up and come back to clean! See you later..!"

Lois quickly dragged Mori away, her grip around her wrist was firm and slightly frightening, "Let's go and find out what it is, perhaps it's another club's mascot," Mori swallowed hard and glanced back at the balloon and then behind Ariel, where the shadow was. Although she was being dragged along, Mori was quickly able to make her roommate stop in her tracks by tugging her back.

“Hey, cool it Nettle!” Mori tossed her ponytail behind her shoulder, “Who were you going to even ask? You heard Ariel. She couldn't see it. I doubt she would play tricks on us.” The athlete turned her back on Lois to stare at the shadow, “Tell me, Lolo. Can you see that?” She pointed at the shadowy figure.

 

[DoughGuy]

7/11/17
Free Posting Mode – Aidee, Ostinato
Turn Posting Mode – Terra, Segue, Kal
Today’s Schedule
8am to 10am – Waking up
10am to 11am (Duration of Post) – Meet and Greet for the new students with the Student Rep Council
11am to 1pm – Mori and Skylar have miscellaneous classes
2pm to 3:30pm – Ray, Alixce and Lois have miscellaneous classes​

The small ivory figure struck the Sillomin’s eyes at an angle, and with a satisfying pop there were only four eyes remaining. The second blow landed squarely on its throat and flung its head back. Its grip wavered slightly, enough for her to grab a full breath of air, but not enough to escape. Her next strike was blocked, bouncing off its furry forearms before the fists could crush its head. Before she could attack again the SIllomin’s hands found her arms and managed to trap them. Still blinded by the earlier spray it nonetheless retained its hold of her neck and continued to squeeze.

Ray’s punch landed on the Havorcon’s back and sent the bird flying past at even greater speed. His next struck the blinded Sillomin dead on the shoulder. Already battered by Skylar’s assault it released the woman with a pained hiss, using the momentum to perform a backflip and create some distance between itself and the stone armed behemoth.

A golden doorway opened in the sky above them. A figure descended from within and landed beside Skylar. What the pair of humans each saw was drastically different. The figure appeared as the most beautiful person either could imagine. Male or female, short or tall, blonde or black, whatever perfection looked like to them was the form it took.

And then it snarled down at Skylar. “Disgusting. Ugly. Untrained barbarity. Where is the elegance you so demand? The form and finesse? At least finish this quickly so I don’t have to stomach any more of it.”

C O N T R O L . O F . P E R F E C T I O N
Rank 1 – Control of the Self​

The figure waved a hand over her body and her view shifted. She was suddenly in her own body. She saw her muscles, her blood, the genetic makeup of her existence. She saw every imperfection in her own body on display.

Then a foreign power swept through and everything began to change. Her muscles melted and reformed, knitting into stronger forms. Arteries, veins and intakes widened for better blood flow. The pattern of her DNA shifted, eliminating the imperfections she had just seen.

The world shifted and she was seeing through her eyes again. Her body would feel strong. Fast. Tough. It was a like she had become a female Captain America. At the same time she could feel the aftereffects of the change. Her skin crawled from the repulsive changes that had been forcefully wrought upon it. In places she felt tight and uncomfortable, as if not everything fit perfectly.

“My name is Nellen.” The figure announced. “A contract has been forged between Zodiac and human. Your search has thus begun. Tear the limbs off the Sillomin and it will die. The spider ape if it wasn’t obvious.” It added the last two sentences as an afterthought.

“We must defeat the bird.” Efelgon said, like words whispered on a breeze to Ray. “If you knock the wings from its hands it will be easier to finish it off.”

The Havorcon had recovered from its unexpected burst of speed and was now climbing skyward, preparing to divebomb Ray with its claws. It was possible he could reach it before it attacked, but he could also wait. With its eyesight recovered the Sillomin had no tactics in mind. This time it leapt at Skylar, using the two lower arm as legs for momentum. It flew at her, ready to match six arms of strength against her two empowered ones, trying to use its weight and strength to bowl her over. Skylar would find unless the hollow used all six at once she would have the upper hand.

~***~

Ariel turned and watched the two girls leaving, still with a confused look on her face. They seemed nice, even if Lois was a bit weird. She’d have to talk to them about it the next time they all met. Hopefully they were feeling better by then.

As the Balloon thing turned the way of the two women it paused. The frontmost tendrils curled upwards and made what could only be called a ‘come this way’ gesture. It then turned around and began to head west. If the pair followed it they would find it led them around behind the uni’s gym building.

When Lois had started walking again the shadow that had stopped near Mori began to move again, slowly crawling after them. The shadowy tentacle remained on the ground, avoiding contact with anyone else as it moved through the crowd. When they came to a stop again so too did it. The tentacle kept up its chase, edging ever closer to Mori’s ankle. A faint line appeared down the front of its body vertically. Like a closet door opening up the two halves of its torso swung open. Within were dozens of tentacles waiting to be released.

~***~

“Ohoho.” Hood chuckled, giving up the pretence of needing legs as he floated back over to Alixce. “Going straight for the knife, now that’s bold. I like it. Buuuuuuuuut,” he kicked back and began floating as if he was in a hammock, “There’s a lot of people around here don’t you think. A lot of witnesses. I’ll know you’re stabbing the Moxig, but all the humans will see is you stabbing your own arm. This isn’t the type of game that there should be witnesses for.” True to what Hood had said earlier, the Moxig showed no further signs of aggression, content to sit there on Alixce’s arm and shoulders for now.

Eric noticed that Alixce had suddenly froze in front of him. “Why don’t you tell her directly what she’s meant to do instead trying to be mysterious. It’s her first experience with hollows.” He looked at her concerned. “I can’t help you directly, but the ghost can. If he stops playing his own games.”

Hood’s eyes lit up. Literally lit up. Two torch beams shot out from the white circles. “You can see me! Ohoho things are really getting exciting here.” The ‘mouth’ flipped upside down so it was now in a frown. “I did give you a hint Alixce. I told you to come along.” The mouth flipped back to a smile. “I told you to move.” He hopped from his imaginary hammock and started walking away again, this time golden sparkles began to surround him with every step.

“Do what you believe is best Alixce.” Eric said, “Whether you go after him or follow through with your own plan. He doesn’t seem like the type to get annoyed you chose your own path. Just keep in mind the consequences. He was right about one thing, people can’t see it but they can see you.”

~***~

Zodiacs currently under GM control – Efelgon, The Wind of Change. Hood, The Worldly Connoisseur. Nellen, The Open Eye.

 

[0stinato]

10:30

"Can I see wh..."

Lois' head whipped round to Ariel, but she was occupied with something else, and wasn't looking in their direction. There were eyes all around, all belonging to other students - freshmen, sophomores, mature students like herself - but, again, they all seemed to have applied themselves to a particular vocation. That left her and Mori in a moment.

"All I can see is a sh... adow, is that what you mean... maybe it belongs to that...?" Lois was having a hard time taking her eyes from the shadow before her. If she was to describe the thing, she would find it impossible. Because the shadow didn't look like it existed visually, but was instilling in her a feeling of chills, fixation and paranoia to the extent that it felt as if those three emotions were mixing in front of her to become something.

She managed to drag her eyes away from the shadow to point at the balloon. It gestured at her before turning... and heading purposefully away. She blinked, felt her gaze back on the shadow, and stepped away.

"I don't know what this is..." she said, clutching onto Mori again. "But... can we follow the balloon? It looks less... scary, less threatening, you know..."

At her words, she saw a shimmering thing in the air, a vertical line. In the shadow. There didn't seem to be a noise as the middle of the shadow opened, but her ears popped, and a horrifying sight punctuated by the slithering and slapping of eager tendrils met her eyes. This was enough to give her lightheaded mind a spin, and she found herself stumbling backwards.

Why? What?

It was a matter of reflex and Lois managed to narrowly avoid headbutting the thigh of some girl in leggings, righting herself and feeling a tear snake past her nostril. Her ears popped again.

"Mori!" she cried, and Mori seemed miles away. "Mori! We have to... go...!"

She started through the crowd, trying to follow vaguely the direction of the balloon, hoping Mori was coming. All along as she shuffled and dodged through the slalom of stands, free hand-outs and laughter, she could almost see tendrils coming at her in her peripheral vision. Whether they were there or not was unknown to her.

She wasn't moving fast, but her heart was beating, and her lungs were beginning to ache.

AiDee DoughGuy

Lull was at the junction of a dilemma - should he purchase lunch for himself, or get staff discount on those shoes?

 

[Kal]

Alixce opened her mouth... then closed it, a smile forming. Not one of mirth, more like that of a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Then a moment of shock, surprise, when the Professor spoke. She gave a nod in his direction, not only for his words, but also because when he'd acknowledged the ghost, a part of her that was assured she was crazy calmed down. A part Alixce hadn't even realized was there, or panicking. But the relief, partial as it was, gave her more of her senses back. She stood, one hand resting over her pocket casually, the other subtly gesturing the ghost lead the way.

On his feet, as if forming around them, around him, the glint of sparkles. The soft, golden glow of the morning. Something snapped in her brain, the memory returned. She remembered now where she last saw three moons. The smile changed to one of knowing, even if it was a small knowledge in the vast black of confusion. Like the doors of her dreams, something about the sparkles called to her. Already, Alixce had decided to follow him, but this gave her something else, these golden points of light...

Walking with purpose, she followed ghost towards the outskirts where the crowds of students began to thin out. "Thank you," she said, low but audible to the spirit who passed through solids. "I thought I had my next move ready, but, no," she scoffed lightly, gently laughing at her own self. She'd, despite training, despite thinking otherwise, had fallen to panic. Had been pushed on by fight. "Looks like I have a lot to learn, still," she said, this time more to herself than to the ghost. All this, it was terrifying. I'd ask if he knew the Professor, but he looked just as shocked. "Eric was right, though," she said, growing more verbal as there were less and less people. "You're a lot more patient than any drillmaster I had." But this 'game'... she thought, borrowing the ghost's word, is a lot more deadly.

Acting as normal rather than acting against the threat, albeit on standby, brought a flood of questions to the forefront. To be prepared and to be efficient against the threat meant to know... Is that... A smile began to grow on her face, the same one from this morning. Soft, glowing fireflies, like those of the forests at night of her home town, began to form around her forearms. I wonder if this isn't like the dog... no, hollow? She recalled the professor's word, And the moon ghost. Considering the sparkles formed around the spirit too, Alixce wanted to assume none could see those either. More pressing than that, what were they?

 

[TerraBooma]

"Just get rid of the wings? Sounds like a peice of cake!" Ray sad sardonically, this whole fight was being a pain to adjust to. He felt floaty, and not in a good way. Staying still took as much concentration as moving. This was going to take some getting used to.

So! Ray just had to deal with the bird. Great. And the wind thing was...talking to him, at least it was friendly...if a bit centralized around choices. Still, he seemed to be in another one of those situations, either go to the bird or have it come to him...and frankly Ray was a bit tired of being on the defensive, reacting both in his dream and to these freaks of nature. Or...supernatural, whatever the hell it is really. Fixing it dead in the eye Ray let out a scream of anger, confusion, and pain and charged the thing. Flying was...weird, but he was making it work.

He approached on the bird thing as fast as it swooped down on him, in the back of his mind, he remembered odd tidbits from tv shows and video games about dog fighting, something about altitude being super important? It...probably didn't matter much at this height anyway. All he knew was he only really had one shot at this, since he wasn't really sure how good this armor would hold up. Clip the birds wings, and then he'd have the advantage of flight, and the tide would...probably turn in his favor. At the last second before he and the bird met, he tried dodging to the left before counter attacking it and aiming a fist at the joints where hand met body. It was a clumsy maneuver, but if it worked he figured he'd do a ton of damage to the beast's supposed weak spot.

He just really hoped the armor held up.

 

[Segue]

When she was a child, Skylar had gone to visit Oma Claudia in Vermont with her family one Christmas. They had stayed for two weeks, and the first half had been a bubbly children's wonderland of gingerbread and custard pudding culminating in December 25th, when the young blonde was given her first disposable camera. Bundling up in her jacket, beanie and scarf, the girl had made her way out into the back garden and discovered a true Christmas miracle; an angel carved from dark stone leaning over a fish pond, frozen tears on its cheeks. She spent the next week in contemplation of its perfect beauty, filling her film with different moments in varied lighting and weather. The next year Oma Claudia died of pneumonia and the Rieman family never returned to Vermont, but that treasured week remained close to Skylar's heart for years afterwards; growing ever more magical in the balmy light of memory.

Buffeted by the twin shocks of the Sillomin and the mystic being's rebuke, she saw that dark stone angel again now, descendant from the golden portal before it inflicted its cruel blessing on her. The feeling of transformation struck her as nothing so much as an extended inhalation that goes on and on, with no air reaching her lungs until abruptly she found herself recast in a mold of perfection; Skylar as she might someday be, but nothing that felt natural to her now. Still it was a blessing she could use - and one day perhaps, earn the right to.

The spider ape lunged at her, all legs and height and bristling speed. This time Skylar had the speed to meet it though and she grasped its upper arms behind its hands. Side-stepping at the last moment, she threw her own strength behind the Sillomin's impetus and threw it into the tree behind her. She spared little time for it to recover and pursued it on the balls of her feet, catching up to it in time to bury her knee into the small of its back with full force. Grabbing at the Sillomin's upper right arm with both hands, she wrenched it backwards and tried to leverage it off at the shoulder. She would do as the Nellen said, but in her own way and style.

 

[AiDee]

Follow the balloon? Mori couldn’t help but feel like it would just lead her to a trap. But, what other options were there? Pausing for a brief second, she sprinted in the direction that Lois left her with. Briefly turning her neck to watch the shadow, she could see tentacles burst from the shadow’s body and freakishly squirmed around. The girl bit into the insides of her cheek, drawing blood and turning her fight or flight nerves on full rampant.

As she was running, she could feel slight regret stinging her insides. She should have fought it instead of just running away. Fight your fears, she thought briskly to herself. Mori narrowly dodged the crowd, turning left or right. Running and avoid all traffic in the way reminded her of her days in Girls’ Powderpuff. A specific game where the score was favorable towards the enemy was harshly rehashed in her mind. She tried so hard to try and bring the game back. She was running with the ball and everything, but there was no way to comeback from the incredible gap.

Mori stopped in her tracks, “Running away won’t solve anything…” She turned her back on Lois and faced the shadow. From a distance she can see the tentacles wiggle uncontrollably, creating a darker presence. She stood her ground, she can try and hold the shadow back while Lois escaped, “I can finally punch a ghost now.” Mori cracked her fingers walked towards the shadow.

 

[DoughGuy]

7/11/17
Turn Posting Mode – Terra, Segue, Kal, Aidee, Ostinato
Today’s Schedule
8am to 10am – Waking up
10am to 11am (Duration of Post) – Meet and Greet for the new students with the Student Rep Council
11am to 1pm – Mori and Skylar have miscellaneous classes
2pm to 3:30pm – Ray, Alixce and Lois have miscellaneous classes​

The Havorcon saw Ray approaching and knew it wouldn’t reach the height it had wanted in time. Faced with a similar choice in turn it also picked the aggressive play. It folded its wings in and dropped towards Ray. The two met at high velocity. Ray found his manoeuvrability was even more limited at speed and worse, the Havorcon was prepared for such a tactic this time. His ‘dodge’ resulted in little more than leaning his body to the left before he launched his punch. The fist landed on one of the hands. Stone crunched against human skin and one wing was suddenly free. The wind grabbed it and took it away. At the same time the bird’s claw locked around his upper arm. The impact cracked the stone but didn’t fully break it. However the claws were sharp enough at the tips to punch through and in three places they pierced Ray’s skin superficially.

As the two collided their momentum combined and threw them into a spin. Ray’s superior speed kept them going up for a few seconds until gravity took control and the pair began to fall. The Havorcon showed no indication of trying to stabilise its flight. Rather it used the proximity to Ray to slash at him with its beak, going for his unprotected eyes and neck. At the same time it squeezed the talons around his arm, digging the claws in deeper. “Fight it Ray!” Efelgon called out, appearing at his side. “It doesn’t care what speed it hits the ground at. You do!”

The southern edge of the dorm building was approaching them quickly.

Down below there was a wet, tearing sound followed by a pop as the Sillomin’s arm came free under the pressure Skylar was exerting. No blood leaked from the black flesh despite the size of the wound. Screeching in pain the hollow bucked its body as the wound was delivered. Combined with Skylar’s own backwards momentum it was enough to tumble the small girl off the creature, allowing it to scamper a short distance away. It hissed at her again, this time in anger. It showed no signs at the freshly inflicted injury was bothering it.

“Better.” Nellen told her, “For a few seconds. Yet still brutish. Had this creature any intelligence to match yours I shudder to think at the embarrassment you would be suffering.” The Zodiac shook its head. “At least your fellow host does no better, saving me from shame. Finish it off before it causes any more problems.” It floated across the street and turned around to examine the dorm building, marking lines in the air with a finger, Skylar and her opponent already dismissed from its mind.

The Sillomin approached again, ready for round two. This time it came on more cautiously and with its arms held oddly. The lower two arms hung down with the forearms up, like a lowered boxing guard. The remaining upper arm stretched high into the air with an open palm. And the middle arms were held out in a pose that was ready to grab. Its goal was simple, the mid two would grab Skylar’s arm and hold them from as long as it could. The lower two would then commence a flurry of punches to her abdomen and legs, while the upper arm went for her hair, pulling purely to cause pain.

~***~

As Lois called out and then plunged through the crowd she drew many looks from those around her. Most were curious as they only saw a running girl. A few caught a flash of her face and were more concerned. The tendrils were left far behind by her speed, only their memory chased the girl.

At the edge of the crowd in her path a figure loomed out, easily noticeable by their odd attire. They were shirtless revealing a chest and arms that were pure muscles. They looked like a body builder who had even then been taken to the extreme. A messy mop of grey hair sat on their head and a handlebar moustache of the same colour the length of Lois’ arm stretched across their face. Their torso narrowed to a thin waist and legs. A collection of waterskins hung off their belt.

But the oddest thing was what they were doing. In front of them was an active pottery wheel that they were happily working on. They hummed as they worked, smiling as their clay covered hands shaped the vase. They looked up as Lois approached, and the smile only grew wider. The figure radiated warmth and care. They reached out with a hand to catch the girl as she ran. A purely symbolic action as the being was incorporeal. “Little one you must calm down.” they said with a heavy Russian accent, “There is no need to panic. You are ok.”

The Balloon had abandoned its previous path and was following Lois again.

The tentacled shadow followed the two girls at its usual slow pace. When it reached Mori it stopped and faced her. Once again she could feel its full attention on her, not a single thought was spared for Lois. A growing ball of black liquid emerged from the tip. When it reached the size of a human eye it stopped. A cornea, iris, pupil and all the other parts of an eye appeared. The newly grown organ examined the girl before it. Four tentacles extended from its innards in the corners of a square and began moving towards her. If they reached her they would grab onto her limbs and hold her in place.

“Are you sure you’re making the right decision?” The Chinese general from her dream was walking up from behind Mori. As he got closer his body began to change. His shirt and jacket tore open and his stomach inflated. Sleeves and shorts ripped part as his limbs swelled with fat. A decapitated pig head fell from the sky and landed on top of his own. A needle began stitching it to his chest, sealing his real head away beneath it. By the time he reached her side he was seven feet tall and just as wide, almost a literal ball of flesh. He plopped down on the grass beside her and pulled a trio of sweet pork buns from behind his back.

“It’s so much easier to run away. Fighting is such an effort and all it does is make you hungry. I haven’t had a fight in years, can you tell?” he slapped a thick hand against his stomach. He lifted up the buns to her, “Want one? They’re not real but they say it’s the thought that counts.” He rumbled with laughter. “If I were you I’d run away. Well, roll. Running is just as exhausting as fighting!”

~***~

Hood spun and turned to Alixce as she spoke to him on the edge of the Square. His mouth didn’t change but it felt like he was extra smiling. “Learning is what living’s for. And you only learn by pushing yourself through new experiences. That’s why you’re here. To try new things and find where you want to go in life. You and me, we’re gonna discover everything life has to offer. We’re gonna do everything. But first we’re going to have to make sure you live through this little issue. The dead are pretty dull to be around.” The less people there were around the more active the Moxig was growing. Its tongue darted across Alixce’s throat, still dry as a bone.

Hood came to a stop near the edge of the campus, close enough to be in the sight of a few people, but with a few more steps they would be out of sight. The Moxig was now growling softly with its teeth fully bared. When the Zodiac looked at her this time he was confident, cocky even. “The world’s got all these rules and laws to stop you, to hold you back. So if you want to do everything you gotta break them.” The sleeves of his jacket lifted up, too loose and baggy to tell if there were arms within or not. The sparkles rose with them, spinning faster and faster around the clothing.

“Rules like sharp things cut skin. Laws like force is equal to mass times acceleration. Energy, physics, biology. They all fall apart when you throw a little magic into the mix.” Hood started walking backwards, crossing the line between visible and not, clearly wishing for Alixce to follow. “Take your hand and shove it down that hollow’s throat. Then give it a punch for good measure. It’s time to try something totally new.”

~***~

New Zodiacs: Gohortzky, the Paternal Teacher. Oomloof, the Rainbow Pig

 

[TerraBooma]

"Wasn't really planning on hitting the ground!" Ray exclaimed as he fought for control of the pairs downward spiral towards the ground below. He struggled against the death bird, armor taking various hits against the armor on the side of his head as he doged frantically to avoid having his eyes pecked out. That wasn't how he planned on going out. Every time the bird struck, his grip tightened around it, attempting to get a grasp of it's body and control their spin. With teh dorm building coming up he knew he'd have to get out fas-

Wait...

The dorm building!

A long grin formed on Ray's face as they kept spiraling. He hastened the spin, increasing both the revolutions in an attempt to make the bird dizzy, but also speed htem up. He dived towards the earth like a bat out of hell...or a rock out of the sky. The only thing was he wasn't planning on hitting the earth, as when the dorm roof came into view, he was sure to make it so the Havorcon would take the blow, sending the bird crashing into cement and tile with a thunderous crash. His hands jumped back quickly to avoid taking any damage himself from colliding with the roof. His view quickly changed from open streets to a wall inches in front of his face, but he knew he couldn't slow down. Focusing everything he had into turning, Ray pulled away from the wall, straighting out mere feet above the ground, the earth racing ahead of him. He hoped his blow had dealt with the bird thing, but he had a friend to look out for too.

"Skylar!" He called out, shouting over the wind battering over his ears. He was flying at an insane speed to him, full of energy being converted from potential to kinetic in the speedy dive, He pulled a fist back before slamming it into the side of the Sillomin, away from it's guard, attempting to deliver a sick uppercut. "NOW!" He called, hoping to have made an opening by throwing it off balance, or even straight up into the air or if that failed, simply forcing it to change it's guard to help her out and let her take the finishing blow.

 

[0stinato]

10:32

Something was going very wrong, and Lois was feeling awful that she hadn't taken Ariel's advice. A lie down looked great now, even in her mind, she ached to feel the cool press of a pillow on her cheek...

But, while everyone was looking at her and Mori as she stumbled to a halt in front of a man's arm, none of them were looking at what she could see. With her hand on her chest, she stood bent double, her lungs feeling like dust, occasionally glancing up at something she was certain should not be there. Her eyes were on it, on the wheel, on him. On that facial hair!

"Wh..." she managed. It was nought but a sound, for she was much more scared about literally suffocating because of her own throat than she was about anything else at the momen--

Mori.

She stumbled again, trying to turn, and kindly strangers were asking if she was okay, did she need to go to the nurse, should someone call an ambulance? But no, really, did she need them to walk her to a bench? The voices were numerous, their worries justified.

A voice cut through them all though. His voice. The moustache-man's voice.

“Little one you must calm down. There is no need to panic. You are okay.”

She couldn't tell whether it was making her heart flutter from nerves or from a shock of relaxation, but his voice was undeniable. Not even her reflexes could muster the courage to defy the truth in his voice. And the accent... Lois recognised it. It wasn't a difficult one to recognise, but she'd been in contact with a Russian accent numerous times before - Lull was learning Russian.

Her head moved to him, her lungs suddenly feeling much more secure in her chest. Still, people around her asked questions, but now they were turning to Are you being followed, what are you looking at/for?

"Mori..." she said. Should she run to her? And help her with - "oh my gosh" - a pig-headed bloated humanoid and the shadows of the tentacle monster or should she--

"Mori!" she cried again. "Come on, please! Come on!"

Run. That was her answer. She had no physical strength and although Mori did, Mori was small. No matter how much power she could muster behind her fist, Lois knew it'd never be enough. Use that power and run, girl, run better than she herself could, run further!

She pushed herself away from the worrying crowd, with lies and excuses and a flustered tone, and, the closer she got to the potters' wheel on which the strangely-shaped man was sat, the more comfortable she felt... but look over her shoulder at Mori again, and panic would get her pulse fluttering.

AiDee DoughGuy

At one point, Lull was asked to please do a circuit of the mall rather than hanging around this one spot. Although he was loath to leave the shoes out of his visual range, he couldn't disobey his direct orders. Instead, he opted to half-arse the job, not keeping his eye out for anything suspicious at all.

 

[Segue]

Skylar burned inside, the shock and the lingering fear replaced by a more familiar emotion; the embarrassment of disappointing a wise mentor, even though it wasn't one she'd asked for or particularly welcomed. The voice from her dream and the androgynous stone angel spirit were reconciled into one, and she shot it a fulminating glance that suggested she was past being stunned by its unearthly presence.

She had larger concerns right now though, in the form of the tall insect thing cantering towards her and her apparent life goal to wrench off its arms through main force. This was so not how she'd expected to spend her time when she accepted a place at Crowtree, or even when she woke up shaking this morning. But apparently this was her life now, and she was beginning to adjust to it. Dropping into a crouch as she rose to the balls of her feet, she pivoted past the initial grab, stepped inside the Sillomin's reach and locked her hands around its lower arms. She swung around in an effort to use the Hollow's own force against it, but its mid hands had a bruising grip on her biceps and it simply swung around her. Her head dodged and wove as much as it could, but it still got an imperfect grip in her violet hair and began to yank as the changing situation allowed.

Whimpering in pain, Skylar remained defiant and planted one foot on its chest and heaved; then a second foot, hauling with all her might against the spider-ape's thin chest until she's standing clear of the ground. The Sillomin was not stupid despite its bestial nature, and it bent its body to reduce the amount of pressure she could bring on it just shy of the breaking point. That was when Ray landed his killer uppercut on the creature's flank, sending it flying in one direction with an insectoid shriek of pain and rage. Skylar spun in the other direction and came crashing to the ground with bruising force, one ragged-ended arm in each hand.

Catching her breath, she put one hand on the curbside and pulled herself back to her feet. That had hurt and she would show the graze on her cheek for days but her imposed enhancement seemed to be giving her enough recovery to shrug off falls that would have left her limping for hours if it had come from freerunning. Inhaling again, she goes onto the attack against the spider ape with short precise blows at its open arm stumps, focusing on keeping the range open and keeping out of its grip while she tries to slow it down. "I got it, Ray!"

 

[AiDee]

Mori stared at the tentacle monster slowly reaching towards her. Mori was standing at the halfway point from where she was earlier and the shadow. As it inched closer, the shadow began to create some kind of sphere. Black liquid melted away from it and an eye emerged from the tar like subsistence. More tentacle appeared and slowly reached for her limbs. Before it could do anything, Mori quickly distanced herself from the creature and grasped at her shirt, wondering what she could do. Fighting is the only way!

Quickly breaking her thoughts into pieces, a voice from behind shot through her head, “Are you sure you’re making the right decision?” It was a voice that she could recognize. It was from her dream earlier that morning. As she spun around to face the voice, she saw the Chinese general emerge from the crowd. He was wearing his traditional Chinese garb, until all of a sudden his figure began to swell and inflate with fat. His clothes were no longer tailored to fit him as it began to rip apart from the pressure.

Out of nowhere a pig's head fell from the sky and engulfed his head like a mask. Mori stared at the scene, slowly feeling more and more like whatever she was experiencing was just another dream. A needle appeared and stitched up the pig's head onto the man. As he reached over to her side, he jumped down to the ground and pulled out pork buns out of nowhere. He was about 7 feet in diameter, the pig-man was just a ball.

"You're...." Mori took a step back and knelt down next to him, "You're eating pork buns! Aren't you a pig-man? Isn't that just cannibalism? And even if you aren't...you're wearing a pig mask, shouldn't you be able to taste pig every time you wear it?"

She cleared her throat and faced the ball of flesh, "Why should I run away if I could fight?" Mori tucked away strands of her hair behind her ear and plopped down beside him, she could see the tentacle monster reaching closer and closer to her position. There was enough time to run-..or rather roll away, "It won't solve anything..."

 

[Kal]

"Something tells me you'd be a great travel partner," Alixce said with a quick up-curve of her free, sparkle surrounded index finger towards the spirit. Her words and motions grew more bold as nearly no-one was around them now, she spoke to him as if he were there, rather than that which only a select few could see. This brought up more questions, but more pressing was... the creature pressing against her neck.

Like she, the less people, the more active it became. It had even rubbed against her neck. But it hadn't felt right. It felt dry, but not like the fur against her neck. She couldn't tell if it had nuzzled her; when she was watching the spirit, the angle didn't permit full vision of the spiral 'dog'. Glancing now, she could see glinting teeth. Hear the deep-set growl. Everything about this 'dog' was wrong. Hot, yet cold. Though it was so close to her skin, she couldn't feel the wet of its nose. But it wasn't a dog, was it. The rules are all changing. Seen, unseen, what existed, what didn't...

Hood proposed something even more interesting. Break the rules altogether. He wasn't talking about any man-made laws either. No, the rules of the world. At the edge of campus, devoid of others save herself, the ghost, and the hollow, Alixce watched in awe as the sparkles rose from his feet to follow the motion of his sleeve-covered-arms. For a breath, almost forgetting the peril around her neck.

When he spoke next, her ears attuned to every word, as she followed his increasingly transparent self, it the last few words that grew her eyes large, involuntarily. "This is gonna hurt, isn't it?" If she was so sure, then why was she grinning ear to ear? Without pause, she tightened her free fist, the little firefly glows seemingly gathering together, growing dense. She braced herself in motion, and waited for...

It showed its tongue, presumably to lick her, Alixce didn't wait for it. Driving the strength of her hip into her fist, she shoved it into the hollow's mouth. As she did, the shining sparkles closed in around her fist. The hollow wasted no time in accepting the arm like greek god given an offering, opening its mouth wider, showing its razor teeth before CHOMP.

Instead of its teeth tearing her flesh, the teeth connected with the glove of light now around her fist. Soundlessly, the glove exploded. Turning back into its base components, sparkles upon sparkles. Alixce retrieved her arm the mix of light, and aimed for a second punch at the side of its eye, a soft place for humans, she was about to find out if it held up for the hollow. The sparkles that had exploded had dimmed out, but the ones surrounding her captive arm rushed up now to meet her punching arm. They shaped into a whip, striking the creature, and then exploding as the arm-shield had.

 

[DoughGuy]

7/11/17
Turn Posting Mode
Today’s Schedule
8am to 10am – Waking up
10am to 11am (Duration of Post) – Meet and Greet for the new students with the Student Rep Council
11am to 1pm – Mori and Skylar have miscellaneous classes
2pm to 3:30pm – Ray, Alixce and Lois have miscellaneous classes​

The Sillomin took a few more blows from Skylar’s fists, making no attempt to counterattack, before it managed to throw itself backwards and escape the small girls range. It was now clearly showing the effects of its wounds, the entire upper body was drooping and it was having a difficult time staying upright. Dropping to all five remaining limbs it turned tail and fled, running as fast as it could. From above a few black feathers were drifting down. But before they could reach the ground they began dissolving. As they even passed the second row of windows the lasts hints disappeared.

“Don’t even think of chasing after it into an ambush.” Nellen pre-emptively scolded Skylar. It raised its hand and waved it over Skylar’s body. All the changes that had occurred were undone as the Zodiac restricted the use of its powers. The change back was no less pleasant as the girl’s flesh reformed. And then Skylar was an ordinary human once more. All the pain and exhaustion her enhanced form had been holding back would hit her at once, though she suffered no additional wounds.

Efelgon was far kinder in his approach. He teleported by Ray’s side once more. “Nellen is right. Chasing it is dangerous when you’re so inexperienced. It’s better to regroup. To turn off yours powers just touch your fingers to your toes. If you need to activate them you can just stretch your arms to the sky as much as you can and imagine you’re flying.” The wind spirit demonstrated for him the two simple manoeuvres. If he followed the instructions Ray would feel a wave of tiredness hit him as well, as the magical powers had been drawing on his own reserves of energy.

Provided neither attempted to follow the Sillomin the two Zodiacs remained silent until the pair were together again. Once they were Nellen gave Efelgon a stern look. The wind spirit managed to look flustered before addressing the humans. “So uhm. You guys have questions. We’re Zodiacs. You’re our hosts. Your dreams formed a contract with us. So you guys get some of our powers. Those were hollows. Everything is invisible to normal people. Though they can still see you flying in your armour Ray. Anything else?”

~***~

The Russian figure, seeing Lois’ panic, hopped up off the wheel. Disregarding the clay work that was spinning there he picked up the entire pottery wheel and slung the table over his shoulder. The vase tumbled off and fell to the earth in a wet heap. He did his part to cross the distance between them and dropped to one knee before her with his arms outstretched, like father waiting for his young daughter. “Ah little one, your friend is ok. Oomloof will ensure the hollow does not harm her. She is in good hands, just as you are!” He gave her a broad smile and then flexed his mighty arms in a show of strength.

The offers of help and questions from the crowd of students quickly died out as if some invisible force had swept them away. In their place another figure came to Mori’s aid. The University Chancellor, Ken Shimana, stamped out his cigarette and approached the poor girl. The man exuded an aura of authority. He’d finally recognised Lois as the girl Damien had spoken about prior to the term’s start. And since neither Sam nor any of the security team was around it was up to him to step in now. She looked like she was in trouble and that was the last thing they needed.

“Excuse me, Miss Lois, do you need some assistance? I’d be happy to lend a hand if you need anything.” he asked her when he was close, though made no move to intercept her if she kept running past him. He was quite close to Gohortzky though, so if she stopped before the Zodiac he would be within reach.

In response the Zodiac lifted a finger to his lips and made a shhhhh noise. “He can’t see or hear me, the balloon or the things near Mori. You shouldn’t talk about any of us in front of anyone. We’re your little secret.” He added a playful wink, trying to take the edge of the situation.

The Balloon started making a circle around the trio, not approaching but staying close.

~***~

Oomloof toyed with the buns in his hand, spinning them in a circle between his fat fingers. He chortled at Mori’s accusations. “I’m a Zodiac. And you can’t eat us.” To prove his point he flailed his hand through Mori’s body where it passed through her like a ghost. “Therefore I can’t be a cannibal. Besides, it’s not my real-” he reached up and pulled sharply on the pig snout, only to let loose a pained squawk. He opened his mouth and poked the floppy tongue that sat there. There was a silent pause. “I guess it is my real head now!”

Between sitting down and Oomloof’s extended conversation Mori had made a mistake. She had kept the four tentacles in sight, but forgotten about the one on the ground that had never disappeared. It struck from the opposite side that Oomloof was on, wrapping around her ankle and taking a tight grip. It didn’t pull on her or try to force any movement, just kept a strong grip she couldn’t break. But if she tried to walk in a direction that it didn’t want her to go then it would pull, and hard. The Hollow began moving towards the back of the gym building once more.

With some difficulty Oomloof managed to find his feet, letting out a sigh of exertion when he did so. When he had turned into the pig man his voice had changed into a jovial, careless tone. For a short time it became calm and measured once more. “Your friend over there, she’s worried about you. Running away would have solved her worry and fear.” And then the happy tone was back. “But now look at the pickle we’re in! Mmm pickles. Well, we better go deal with this thing don’t we?” He let out a large yawn. “You get to fight after all.”

~***~

The Moxig’s head was flung back by the shield’s explosion. More than one broken tooth flew from its mouth thanks to the close range explosion. Enraged by the blow it swung back in to slice her neck open. Just in time to meet the glowing whip that struck from Alixce’s other hand. Between its own movement and Alixce’s ignorance of her own power it missed the Moxig’s eye, but still connected squarely with its head. The hollow flew back again, this time in its entirety, as its body released its constriction upon her arm.

It recovered enough to land on its feet though it staggered and almost tipped over. Quickly moving it put some distance between itself and Alixce.

“Booyah!” Hood yelled, jumping with each explosion, “That’s how we roll!”

However the two attacks had left Alixce exposed, as the sparkles were now completely gone from her arms. The Moxig clearly noticed this, as its eyes moved from one arm to the other, then to her face. Its mouth opened up into a broken toothed grin.

“That,” Hood explained in a far more composed manner, “is the power of energy, controlled by magic. That energy has to come from somewhere though, after all, no one did anything by sitting on their ass did they?” He did a few dance steps and a few sparkles appeared around his legs.

The Moxig didn’t waste its opportunity. It shrank its body back in, then rose up on its hind legs. Then like a slingshot the head struck. Its mouth opened to reveal the full extent of its damaged teeth. But despite any pain it was determined to bite with the full strength of its jaw. It went for Alixce’s thigh, aiming to cripple the girl’s movement, almost like it had heard Hood’s words.

~***~

Some time later ...

The injured Sillomin scampered into the building through the open window, unseen by anyone who worked there, except for one. The General was alone in their office and gestured for the Hollow to approach. It crawled along the floor and bowed its head, touching the pointed tip to the floor. The message was clear.

Failure.

The General grunted and the Sillomin rose onto its legs, standing tall. The General reached out and pressed an open palm on its chest. For a few seconds nothing happened. Then the Hollow’s remaining shoulders exploded. The Sillomin dropped backwards, all of its arms missing, and began dissolving on the floor.

The General leaned back in their chair and steepled their fingers.

Then they clapped three times.

 

[0stinato]

10:34

Although something in her head was sceptical that "Oomloof" would make sure Mori was okay, there was something about the man's open arms, hands outstretched with palms towards her, that she couldn't... take her eyes off.

And then--

Bang.

Her dream came back to her. Suddenly. So suddenly she felt a spinning behind the eyes. A tightness in her chest. Was this recollection or an asthma attack? Behind her eyes, there was nothing but the view, the vision, of large hands holding her own.

Just like this man's.

Large but delicate. Moulding clay. Shaping something unique. Creating something not in his own image but yet his own image would be in it somewhere. Shaping something. Or was it... someone? Her throat tightened as she thought about the man's hands.

But what did she mean by "the man"? Whose hands was she referring to? His? Or his?

She was reaching for them before she even knew what was happening, and still was her back to Mori, and another voice was echoed somewhere in the back of the scene, and then the man told her no one else could see him.

Hence why... eyes were on her and not on the oddly-proportioned man kneeling on the ground. And her hands were... going towards his... towards a shape only she could see. Was she crazy? She and Mori sharing a dream? Sharing a horror? Sharing a "little secret..."

Her eye wandered and that echoed voice finally cut in. Someone had said her name, and her head flipped around when she finally heard it.

“Excuse me, Miss Lois, do you need some assistance? I’d be happy to lend a hand if you need anything," said a man Lois recognised from before at initiation. He was the man who sent the enrolment letter... his name something Japanese... but she wasn't sure what.

"Uh... uhh..." she said. She could make a noise without dying, she wasn't having an asthma attack. But perhaps she should claim she was, so he wouldn't start asking about her hands. Sure, nothing she was doing with her hands indicated an asthma attack but her breathing...

"I just ran... um... thought I was gonna have an asthma attack... so I had to stop... I don't have an inhaler with me..." and that last bit wasn't at all a lie, she didn't have it with her. Which was probably a mistake.

As she spoke, her eye wandered momentarily to the kneeling man. Then it wandered again to the clay... the sad, soggy shape on the ground. She couldn't turn to Mori now. The clay was too heavy in her mind. The dream was too heavy in her mind. The memory was too heavy in her mind.

DoughGuy

With an impressive overhand shot, Lull chucked a half-empty plastic bottle of coca-cola at the offending youngster who had littered it in the first place. By the time the youngster turned round, confused and rubbing the back of his head, Lull had resumed the stance of a passive, innocent mall guard.