[OPEN]

[daddyscythe]

Characters: OPEN to new arrivals and NPCS.
Where: En route to Casualty Communal
Rating: Gen
Time: September 9 Afternoon
Description: New arrivals for the first time in a while.

Comments

[OUTSIDE SHIBUSEN]

[guillotineofgod]

Passing beyond the main doors to Shibusen Academy, the sight of a vast, open terrace greets your eyes, beyond which stretches the expanse of Death City. From its outer boundary lie ruins in sporadic clusters, which are in turn girt by a sea of sand that forms the desert terrain of Nevada, United States. True to its nature, it is ungodly hot, and those who turn their eyes to the sky above in protest may discern a faint distortion that is caused by a faint, translucent barrier that surrounds the city limits

[robustgood]

It certainly was a sight, that was for sure. The sky, the sand, the sun. The temperature was something he still needed a bit of adapting to, Jenrya supposed, but he could manage. It was the least of his concerns at the moment. At least in been in a similar situation before, so he knew how to take it all in stride.

Not wanting to disturb the strange teenager from what he could only guess where inner musings, Jenrya took the flyer silently, nodded once in thanks, and began to read.

Kishin Asura.

He glanced up, then back down at the flyer once more. Asura? As in Hinduism's Asura? The one who had fought the Devas... The one that Cho-sensei had used to explain the concepts of... non-absolutism in the sphere of good and evil.

"Er... Excuse me?" the twelve year old spoke up. As awkward as it felt, the flyer did say that this man was here to answer questions. That is, if he was a Shibusen Faculty member. He wasn't speaking, so Jenrya couldn't fully tell.

[guillotineofgod]

Considering the cacophony of music that sounded like it vaguely resembled Techno, it was rather plausible to believe that the youth had not heard a single word said. As the other boy had remained in front of him, however, his eyes flickered ever so slightly in an almost imperceptible sign of recognition. His gaze was otherwise as vacant as it had been previously, pale blue eyes devoid of emotion.

His head eventually, then, tilted slightly, providing a slightly more noticeable acknowledgment to suggest that he was, probably, paying attention. Pale blue eyes rose slightly to make visual contact before lowering again, quite slowly, as if the boy's thoughts and actions were mired by something akin to a waking trance. Whether there was something wrong with him remained at question, but for now, he was aware of your presence. Maybe.

[OUTSIDE SHIBUSEN]

[fortomo]

The heat was nigh on oppressive as Mafuyu left Shibusen proper, following the group out onto the terrace. The surreal quality was starting to fade being confronted with technical details and realities like the heat she felt as if it was a physical presence around her: light, but definitely there. She hadn't thought much about the United States of America, at least not in regards to weather (of all the often inconsequential things), but it almost seemed ridiculous that when she was finally visiting (a version of) it, her first impression was how much she wanted a cool spring right about now. Brief thoughts of the lake behind St. Mihailov flitted through her mind, before she found herself focusing on the person standing next to a table in the middle of the open area

[guillotineofgod]

Justin had almost considered following his usual routine for the majority of the "tour", which was to simply level that soulless gaze at nobody in particular until somebody made a suitably large idiot of themselves. As it happened, though, this particular girl's question had stricken him as rather unexpected. As much as he was interested in peddling the crowd's reactions for his own benign amusement, religion was the one subject on his mind as of late that he was inclined to speak about seriously

[fortomo]

She looked taken aback, as if the idea of an entire Church dissolving, just like that, was hard to fathom. Tomo had always been the one with more faith in-between the two of them. It hadn't always kept Tomo awake in their morning regards at the campus church, but that had been part of Tomo's ongoing condition.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said, and she was; not just in hearing it but learning that the question of faith she had in God since her Uncle's disappearance and subsequent abandoning of Tomo and herself had spread so quickly among people who might have benefited in having something to believe in, even when it was hard. She'd felt, before, that God had no interest in watching over the people of Earth. If God helped those who helped themselves, well, so did almost everyone. That wasn't special, and it wasn't spiritual.

Tomo had been more correct. God will always help those who don't hate, and are always smiling. Mafuyu had doubted it at the time, but in reflection, neither one of them had been left entirely to their own

[mansae]

By now, Korea was downright disturbed by that Sun. But pushing aside America's strange aesthetic for his group touring enjoyment, he grabbed a paper clip bundle like everybody else. Unconsciously he moved comfortably to the music blaring from the headphones as he examined the information. This guy had some good taste in music!

The nation's lips pursed into a frown of sorts. Ever curious, Korea flapped the paper in front of the deadpan guide and asked the very thing he was told not to: "hey, why shouldn't we ask about this guy?"

[guillotineofgod]

The uttered question certainly succeeds in evoking animation from the stoic youth. His expression abruptly breaks into something torn between horror and aghast disbelief, translating to a silent message of: Oh God why would you even...? Can you not read?

Closing his eyes, he clasps a hand around the odd crucifix that hangs from his neck by a chain and murmurs a quiet prayer that is inaudible over the music. Grasping it tightly like a talisman, he says solemnly, "To speak of the Evil and give name to it is to summon it upon yourself." His eyes then reopen and he fixes a hollow, soulless gaze upon the newcomer.

"You do not want that."

[mansae]

Korea smiles obliviously at the disturbed expression. Why, he was probably so overwhelmed by his very wonderful and curious question that the stranger's feelings were bursting! He thought that might be the case. Good thing he asked! Still, he thought it odd that talking about it would summon the demons if it was so plainly written. "But it already says his name right here..."

[guillotineofgod]

Justin's hands shoot up and wave frantically in a defensive motion that screams urgency. "No No NO DON'T!" he pleads desperately. "Don't speak it aloud!"

His eyes then rise to the heavens in a gesture that could just as easily be an expression of exasperation as a request for inspiration from the divine. Sighing quietly, he explains far more steadily, "Do not say it out loud. It can hear all. From the time at which it is uttered, it may manifest at any time without warning to take you. It is dangerous."

[mansae]

From the sound of it, it was the method for summoning the boss battle! Why wouldn't you want to do that? Korea refrained from saying the professor's name but continued to probe questions. It was hard to say if he was just messing with the boy now or if he really meant it. "'It'? But I thought it was a... By the way, where will it take me?"

[guillotineofgod]

Justin sighed dramatically. "I see there is no dissuading you." He lowered his voice quietly, as if he were fearing to be overheard speaking such blasphemy, and confided in the newcomer.

"There is a dark place in the city," he whispered, "that is simply referred to as the 'Outer Quarter'. The only places there are guarded and kept secret, except for one which cannot be contained: a laboratory, where the Evil dwells. It is there that It takes Its victims to bind them and defile their human bodies, transforming them into mockeries of their former selves.

"If you are ever unfortunate enough to lay eyes upon It, you will see for yourself what becomes of those it takes. I pray that you have not summoned It upon yourself and the rest of your companions, here."

[mansae]

Korea moved closer to the narrator and nodded his head at every new development. This would make such a good drama! Hopefully they would have dramas here. Oh, what would he do without them? He shoved that thought aside and concentrated on the story being told. It was hard to believe this was real. He pinched himself just to make sure he wasn't dreaming, and shook his fists excitedly when the sight before him remained. "You can count on me! I won't summon It!"

[guillotineofgod]

A faint smile broke the youth's expression before he bowed his head in gratitude. "Thank you," he said softly, "I would not have It terrorize this new group of Guests any sooner than is absolutely necessary." His gaze rose and he stared off into the distance pensively for a long moment, before finally realigning it to the newcomer and observing him closely in minute detail. He nodded to himself, satisfied, before elaborating.

"It is inevitable that you will all meet It. I pray that you, at least, will be prepared for that time." Not that anyone was ever truly 'prepared' for Stein.