revenance_rpg | All Night, Hearing Voices

Well talk about least favorite people. Emizel was trying hard to not seem bothered (or more so annoyed in this case) by Eraqus showing up, however Moxie was showing a bit of uneasiness, and backing away. Other than that though, he tried to just ignore it for now.

"Does it really talk?" then again he did come here to at least see it for himself, after all.

"In a manner of speaking," Even said to Emizel. "Mentally. Thus far, however, none of them have been 'loud' enough to parse. The hypothesis here is that overlaying them will remedy this." He wasn't particularly pleased by some of the attendees himself and was coping by pretending they were there only in the capacity of furniture.

Meanwhile, his Spirit, glorying in the extremely unwieldy moniker of 'Acetylsalicylic Acid', rolls over to the Spirit gossip corner. Hi! Nice to meet everyone and everyone's people!

...Well, that pretty much shot the hell out of his idea about using his bat form for better hearing. Probably for the best. Regardless, Soma saw the odd looks Emizel was getting and moved over to join the reaper. "Friend of yours?" he murmured, glancing in Eraqus' direction. He'd seen the elder keyblade master fight and didn't relish the idea of an encounter that could easily come to blows, but if he was going to start something with Emizel, Soma was going to step in.

Even's explanation of the general idea behind this meeting felt a little lacking, at least to Soma. "There's also the possibility that they're all different voices, and all combining them will do is produce cacophony. Or it could unleash something with more claws and teeth than strictly necessary, or possess whoever happens to touch them, or any number of other outcomes. It could even just not do anything at all." He shrugged. "It's still a good idea, whether anything happens or not. There's enough firepower here to take down anything short of an elder god if we need it, and plenty of able minds as well. If it's possible to make any headway on this right now, we've got a good chance of doing it."

Soma's spirits, meanwhile, had made their own arrangements. Tepes the Komori Bat was hanging from the closest overhead debris he could find, fast asleep; Yoko the Peepsta Hoo, on the other hand, was far more active and social, and was even now greeting the gathered spirits. Hi guys! Newbie here. Aren't people weird?

Edited 2013-11-23 14:07 (UTC)

Lin at least offers a warmer, if professional, nod in Eraqus' direction, before turning back to Washington as he extends a hand, pale green eyes narrowing briefly at Soma when he speaks up.

"The best hope we presently have is that something might happen." The idea of the items possessing Wash is not particularly thrilling, but Soma is right about the fire power present. "But if things go to hell, let's avoid lightning for the time being."

Settled on the railing with his feathers puffed high, the Peepsta Hoo ignored the other dream eaters. However, when it became clear they were going to be noisy, the recently named Azurite hooted in stern disapproval: Pay attention, the Persons are doing something important!

"Exactly," Aqua answered with a nod. No one knew quite what was going to happen when all three were brought together, or even if anything would happen. But like Soma, Aqua was pretty certain that between the various people present they had enough firepower to stop most things, in the case something didn't react as planned.

"But I agree that we should maybe avoid lightning for now, if things don't go as planned."

Of course, there was still no indicator of what would happen, but better to be prepared for the worst, then not. Especially when things were so very unknown as they currently stood.

Eraqus gave a nod of equal fashion back to Lin, and a warmer smile to Aqua. Anyone else that might be troublesome was not the primary concern right now, and he doubted they would be even if the objects did produce a negative reaction. Whatever the case, he felt they were prepared enough.

Meanwhile, Chuza noted where all of the other Spirits were gathering, and lazily rolled over to them. Maybe there was a potential cuddle pile with other Meow Wows! Hey, she recognized Moxie there, after all.

"Or any large spells, unless it's absolutely necessary," he said, finishing the thought of most there. They definitely didn't need a repeat of what had happened with the Hockomonkey.

"In any case, there's no time like the present."

"Well, yes," said Even to Soma, "it might do just about anything. If we knew the answer, we wouldn't need a hypothesis, now would we?" He was, it was evident, already writing the lab report in his head.

"I think we should prepare for the arrival of a large and powerful Dream Eater," Celestia said with a glance around. Everypony here could handle themselves, she felt, but that meant they were most likely to endanger each other from sheer numbers and uncoordinated tactics. "I do not expect it, but it costs us nothing. Just in case."

Was this conversation really for real?

"No big lightning spells, got it," Emizel didn't have anything like that. That incident was not anywhere even close to being his fault to begin with. "Can we just see the items already?"

They were gathered here for a reason, remember guys? ~~And he kinda wanted to just get this over a quick as possible now that certain people have arrived.~~

Moxie didn't really mind Chuza, but since their persons seemed to be fighting now, or something, he was a little worried about getting close. It was kinda awkward.

"No magic here, but I can keep Theta on standby to throw up a shield in case anything happens."

Hopefully nothing would Nothing in this case being a Nightmare, of course. Clues would be more than welcome.

"May want to avoid oversized weapons, too," Soma added to the list. He had no desire whatsoever to be hit by someone else's giant sword. Again.

Of course, coming from the guy with a six foot claymore in his coat, that might fall a bit flat. Ah well. He could burn that bridge and salt the wreckage when he came to it.

"No lightning, no hellfire, no cloud of scythes or giant swords. And mob the guy with the shield if everything goes to hell. Right. I think that's about as prepared as we're going to get without some intensive group training. Who all has the talking items?"

Well, that was the last time Wash invited the brain trust anywhere. He could have done without all the theories about how he could possibly die within the next five minutes, thanks. "How about just not killing each other? I think that covers everything." He might have been tired of the conversation at hand. Just a bit.

"I have them, and I have no idea what's going to happen. I hope you're all ready." Which was all the warning anyone was going to get. He trusted North to be ready with the shield, at least. He fished into his storage compartments, picking up the ID card with the same hand that held the photo, then pulling up the AI chip-

And froze.

Holding one of the items had been relatively simple - the voice it spawned in his head was an indistinct murmur. It was easy to block out, given the experience he'd had dealing with unwanted voices. Three items overlaid on one another magnified the effect. He still couldn't place the voice, though it had now become achingly familiar. What he could latch onto - what he couldn't block out - were the words finally distinguishable through the murmuring.

I'm sorry

need your help

trying to find anyone

hold them off

Just find him

keep trying to

Don't

The message repeated once, twice, three times, the words standing out of the static like blood on snow, before he managed to yank himself out of it. The first thing he realized underneath the noise was that he ached all over, a result of the tension pulling his muscles taut, tension that hadn't been there when he'd picked up the items a minute ago - had it really only been a minute? The second was that he was breathing heavily, like he'd just been in a fight-

Well, that made sense, he realized slowly. He was fighting off panic, because there was a voice in his head and it wasn't shutting up not again not again-

He forced his fist open. The three items clattered to the ground, and the voice cut off mid-sentence. It took him another few seconds to begin unwinding himself, slowly, easing tension out of his body. Taking that upon himself was probably not the smartest thing he'd ever done, though it was by far not the dumbest either.

He should probably at least let everyone know he wasn't possessed.

"It's a warning," he managed. "I think. One voice - putting the items together made it louder. I got some words out of it, but not all. I think we're missing pieces."

As her person was speaking, Melody gathered the items up into a neat pile and promptly sat on them. They were obviously Very Important, but they also hurt her person and he was therefore no longer allowed to touch them. She'd look after them instead.

"Wash, are you alright?" North asked, some relief clear in his voice. Once the items had been combined, Wash hadn't been the only one to tense up.

North wasn't sure if he would have been much help if something else had happened, but he could at least be there. What exactly the items had said could wait until after he knew that everything was safe.

...Sadly Emizel could really care less about Wash's well being. In some way maybe it was just karma catching up for all times he's been a wise ass so far.

But..

"Warning?" Emizel repeated. He was tempted to ask what the warning was exactly, but oh yeah, 'missing parts'. Hey wait..

"It must mean there is more like these."

Edited 2013-12-07 07:36 (UTC)

"That... was anticlimactic." Celestia, who had spread her wings in preparation for whatever might come, now mantled them again. Though concerned about Wash, he seemed to need time and breathing space more than medical aid. "But not surprising. I expect another piece of the puzzle will come to light when we find the Elements of Harmony."

"Given the way things have been going, that seems likely," Soma said, nodding to Celestia. "I guess that means we need to get to work on figuring out the new world. And whatever comes after it."

He returned the small knife he'd drawn when Wash tensed up to his pocket, relaxing his own tensed muscles as he did. It was hard to read body language in someone wearing that much armor, but what he'd seen did not bode well for when they gathered all the pieces together.

Smart cat.

Lin had observed with no small, private concern, as Wash had held the items and let the voices in. Anticlimatic? Yes. But surely that was better than a full fledged battle. "Just the one voice?" Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Was it familiar at all? Like someone from your world?"

That Ponyville no doubt held the next piece was obvious. Lips twitched in a downwards frown. "So far, the items have all been found prior to the battle that opens the next world." She mentally ticked off fingers. "We'll have to make it a priority to bring them together again when the next part is found - though had we the means for all to hear and not just one person.."

Sora agreed with the overall sentiment that anti-climactic was better than a fight. Still, he'd also been on edge just as everyone else had when Wash had tensed up. It had been a little bit startling.

That the message was a warning wasn't really that much of a surprise. What they'd been able to hear before had sounded urgent, but that had been all they'd been able to get from them individually.

"I guess the only way for everyone to hear it right now would be to pass them around." Which might actually be a good idea, if everyone agreed. Maybe someone else would recognize the voice?

Emile crossed his arms. New information or not, if it was going to cause that kind of reaction there was no way in hell he was picking up those things.

"Or we could just let the man tell us what he heard."

A warning would at least give them all an idea of where to look for more information, if it was specific enough. Yes, he was aware that most people took warnings to heart and didn't immediately go after whatever they were being warned against, but Emile wasn't most people.

Anticlimatic was certainly preferred when it came to effects...but for all the trouble they'd gone to to obtain some of these items, they needed to at least get some important information from them.

And it looked like they'd at least gotten a warning from it...but also left Wash with some bad effects. He wasn't sure if that was a result of the objects themselves, or some...other things he'd gleaned from observation.

"If the voice is someone one of us may recognize but others may not, then it'd be in our best interests to pass it around, once we're sure it's manageable." Eraqus reasoned. He stepped forward and held out a hand towards the Necho Cat that had apparently taken it upon herself to guard them. "If I may."

"I'm fine." He was lying. He also wasn't planning on focusing on it. Wash had higher priorities than hashing out personal trauma, especially in public.

"It was familiar," he said, answering Lin's question, "but I couldn't tell you who it was." That in and of itself was troubling, given that he normally had perfect recall. He should have been able to place that voice.

"If anyone else wants to take a listen, be my guest, but I'm not leaving without the pieces I brought in." He was entirely aware that that wasn't too helpful, but it was the truth. Wash had a bad habit of taking responsibility for the things that fucked him over. Plus, one of them belonged to Ziva.

Melody sniffed Eraqus' proffered hand delicately, then raised a paw and pushed his hand away. Nope. She was guarding these things, not anybody else.

"Melody, stop it."

She meowed in protest. But she was helping!

"Don't give me that. Now move."

She huffed, stepping off the pieces and slinking around the other side of her person's legs. She still planned on being ready, though. Just in case.

Lin didn't believe Wash in the slightest when he said he was okay, but she wouldn't call him on it. North was present, however; if anyone might intervene, it would likely be the Freelancer's closest friends.

Melody's antics earned an eyeroll, but at least Wash seemed to have his Spirit well in hand after some scolding.

"Given three brought the voice into greater clarity, it may well take that inevitable fourth to clear up that mystery," Lin said as she folded her arms across her chest. "Still. Who out there would be trying to help us? Certainly not our anonymous spectator." She kept the huff from her voice, but the irritation was clear on her face. "And how is it these fragments they keep sending only reach us after battle?"

North knew that "fine" and sighed. Still, this wasn't the best place to confront Wash about it, so perhaps once they'd dispersed, he'd pester Wash a bit more.

"This might sound a bit silly, but it's almost like a reward for beating it, kind of like in a boss battle for a video game."

North shrugged.

"But it stands to reason that if we can get the next boss to appear, and beat it, we'll get the next item and the voice will probably get louder."

Eraqus just continued to hold out his hand, giving the Spirit a patient yet potent stare. He understood protectiveness, but those things did not belong to her, thank you.

Once she hopped off, he took the objects in hand and held them. There came the voice again, and he closed his eyes as he listened to it. It was, indeed, strikingly familiar...but he just couldn't quite place it. He listened through it several times, absorbing the message as best he could.

Aside from the strangeness of hearing a voice in one's head, which was not even the weirdest or most damaging kind of magic he'd ever encountered, the objects didn't seem to be producing any other ill effects. So, that probably meant that Wash himself was reacting badly.

He opened his eyes again and loosened his grip on the objects. "Not much can be gleaned from a message so brief...except the possibility that there is more than one anonymous spectator: one seeking help, and one intent on denying it." He had a feeling if they found out the identity of either one of them, they would soon learn the identity of the other.

In the meanwhile, Chuza had suddenly taken notice of what master was doing, and waddled back over to check on him. She sniffed at the objects in his hand with interest.

Celestia gently took the objects in turn with her magic, all she needed to 'touch' them, as she'd discovered back in the mansion. She shut her eyes as well, listening to the message a few times before she looked up once more. Anypony was free to take them from her, if they wished.

"I wonder if perhaps the worlds here are asleep because of some conflict between two sides, that we are expected to resolve."

Just like everyone else, Soma took his turn - just not as a bat, as had been his original intent. Voices in his head? Nothing new there. But though they sounded familiar, he couldn't place them, either.

"Where I came from, there's a video game. In it, you collect pages from two books, in which are trapped two people. One of them acts friendly - the other, not so much. In the end, it turns out neither is what you'd call a good person, and you have to rescue instead a third, which turns out to be their father. That's a bit beside the point I'm trying to make though; what I'm trying to say is, we should proceed with caution in listening to anything either of those voices tell us."

All Night, Hearing Voices

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