INBOXtext / audio / video / actionThis is Kozukata Yuri. I'm sorry I missed your call. Please leave a message and I'll get back to you.art creditcode credit
[It takes Yuri a few seconds to leap into action, so it's Majima's grabbing at her hand that finally propels her forward with a yelp of a disgust and alarm.]
Why do those exist!? [WHO IS RESPONSIBLE. WHO DID THIS. Yuri didn't generally think of herself as someone who'd be frightened off by bugs, but this isn't really a kind of bug she'd ever encountered before. And knowing this place? Being poisoned by it was the least worrisome thing a bite from it could possibly do.
She takes it back she wants off the mountain thanks!!] Can we outrun them?
[ In a way, the bugs were kind of beautiful, in the way that a scarab was beautiful as long as you didn't turn it over and see the horrible too-many legs underneath, wriggling and... gah. He was freaking himself out. ]
I ain't pack any bug spray, either!
[ God, all these inventory slots and he'd forgotten the most important thing for hiking in the woods. He drew his dagger as they ran, swiping at a few bugs that strayed too close. Strangely enough, they seemed to stray away from either the heat or flame generated by the blade, and one that had flown too close burned up once in contact with the dagger itself. ]
[Did these weird treasure bug things count as supernatural? Yuri wasn't sure, but she raises her camera as they run and snaps a picture.
While it certainly doesn't kill them, it does seem to stun the ones caught in the viewfinder's path and makes them drop from the sky. So that's...something.]
What's that knife? [it's doing a lot better than her camera at least, since she can hardly keep it steady enough to take the pictures while they're running]
[ Majima waved away more of the bugs as they ran; at least they'd thinned out the impromptu swarm! Now the remnants, perhaps either because of autumn sluggishness or the livelier-than-usual efforts of their prey, seemed to be wavering in their pursuit. ]
Only since I been here, it's changed. Never used to set things on fire.
[ Don't get him wrong, though! He enjoyed the change. ]
[That answered the next question she was going to ask, at least. So it became a magical murder-knife upon coming to this place? She'd be a little more concerned about that with her camera, but so far it's been acting the same as usual.]
Nothing I'd want to be hung on the walls. [At least the swarm seems to be less... swarm-y.] I think they're giving up!
[Which is GREAT news, because Yuri feels like her lungs might actually be on fire]
[ So Majima began to slow to a stop, looking back over his shoulder to make doubly sure the bugs had given up on them. ]
Ya okay? Didn't get stung or anythin'?
[ This expedition was off to a GREAT START, that was for sure. At least the woods and trail in front of them were quiet, aside from the occasional birdsong. ]
[ Majima shook his head as he caught his breath. Human-shaped enemies were way easier to deal with. ]
Here's hopin'. But check it out -- we're a lot closer. And do you hear somethin'?
[ Before, he'd only been listening to the pounding in his ears and the whirring of insect wings, but now it sounded like some kind of humming in the background. ]
[ At what cost, indeed. Yet the further they traveled along the trail, the the more convinced he became it was the same humming over and over, repeated. ]
We should've come across one of them staircases by now. They're impossible to miss.
[ Ah, but up ahead was a break in the trees. ]
That's the mountain, but...
[ Didn't it seem different, somehow? If one looked at it long enough, didn't it resemble a strange, curled-up figure? ]
[Yuri stops short in surprise, eyeing the...mountain? Uh.]
What... Is it? [Or maybe she should really be asking:] Or who? [She remembers feeling Sodder's presence most strongly on the mountain, more than ever before, but...] Is that... Sodder?
That's the same thing I saw back durin' the carriage rides.
[ How rude, calling it a thing!! Although Majima was a little at a loss as to what to call the being. ]
But it's different now. And what the hell are those legs?
[ Those strange, unearthly legs digging into the being's head looked like they were grasping, trying to keep hold. It looked like there was a layer of rock binding the figure in place, too. ]
I think... I think Rei mentioned seeing something like this too. [She doesn't know all the details, but she's pretty sure she mentioned something like this? Yuri takes an uncertain step closer, squinting a little as she tries to make out more details that might be useful.]
[Yuri stares up at it a moment, then down at the ground to watch where they're walking. She doesn't feel the need to ask it out loud, but the next question seems obvious: Was this going to happen to them too one day?
She opens her mouth to ask-- Something, surely, or at least offer up something to break the silence with, but the weeping catches her attention first. Yuri looks up sharply, brow furrowed again as she frowns.]
[ Or something. Spoiler alert, though: Majima hated crying. Which was why he started cautiously toward the sound, which was further down the trail. There was the rustling of feet through the fallen leaves, moving slowly toward them.
"Please..." came a piteous voice from somewhere up ahead. ]
[Yuri's straightens up a little, knowing fully well that it could be a trap, but...] What if someone's stuck up here...?
[The... thing that eventually emerges and reveals itself, however, isn't what Yuri might call a 'someone.' It reminds her a little of the dolls at Shiragiku's shrine. And although she doesn't have to, because sure Majima is smart enough not to charge ahead or anything, she still reaches out to grab his arm to stop him]
Is that-- Is that a doll? [UNSURE. It sniffles and appears to be quite upset, which makes Yuri's heart ache for it a little, but she doesn't want to rush it without some ideaof what it is]
[ "Please, I beg of you!" it cried, clicking as it made its way towards them.
It was missing almost all of its limbs, save for a single leg; it smelled like cat pee. Worst of all, there seemed to be some kind of infestation in its torso. This was literally the sketchiest monster Majima had ever seen. He didn't move forward, but he didn't yet step back, either. ]
You what now? Who are ya?
[ Monsters typically didn't talk to Majima, or at least they hadn't so far. Was this actually a person somehow? Maybe transformed?
"Hold me," it said instead of answering, twisting its face up to look at them. Well. It could all just be a giant trap. ]
[ Wow, this seemed like a terrible idea but let's not pretend Majima was immune to terrible ideas. He turned back to Yuri. ]
Ya sure? I bet I heal faster than you.
[ "It's been so loooong...." said the creature, sounding... actually, that was a little suspicious. Hopefully it wasn't a clinger. With its... leg. Possibly teeth. ]
Things like this are what I used to do back home. In a way. [She'd take that pain if need be. She was... Well, maybe not used to it, but it was fine.]
Let me pretend to be able to protect you for once. [She glances over, a hint of a tired smile, before she approaches the doll. Thing.]
Here. I'll embrace you. [The doll lurches at her, near-collapsing into Yuri's arms. She stumbles a little from the unexpected weight and shivers in revulsion, but seconds later the doll suddenly becomes dust. Yuri makes a startled, confused noise and stares down at herself and the dust now coating her front.
...Did... She win?? She turns to face Majima, looking baffled, then yelps at the raven that comes to land on her shoulder. It looks around, head cocked, croaks a "hello!" and starts picking some leaves from Yuri's hair.
Slowly Yuri looks back at Majima with a bewildered expression that seems to ask 'is this supposed to happen??']
[ "Cheese!" said the bird, flapping its wings once or twice. Sure, he'd heard that ravens could talk, but he'd never heard a bird speak so clearly. Although... maybe not all that usefully. ]
Ya look about the same.
[ He fished a handkerchief out of his suit pocket and offered it to her. ]
[Yuri winces in surprise at the flapping and casts the bird a wary look, but it doesn't seem to be doing anything concerning beyond... Existing there.
She takes the handkerchief to wipe her face off just in case some dust got on her there before concentrating on brushing herself off.]
I don't... think so? I feel like I need a shower now though. [She frowns, then gives a helpless shrug.] I guess we'll see if anything happens later, but that went better than I thought it would.
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Why do those exist!? [WHO IS RESPONSIBLE. WHO DID THIS. Yuri didn't generally think of herself as someone who'd be frightened off by bugs, but this isn't really a kind of bug she'd ever encountered before. And knowing this place? Being poisoned by it was the least worrisome thing a bite from it could possibly do.
She takes it back she wants off the mountain thanks!!] Can we outrun them?
cw: bugs I guess
[ In a way, the bugs were kind of beautiful, in the way that a scarab was beautiful as long as you didn't turn it over and see the horrible too-many legs underneath, wriggling and... gah. He was freaking himself out. ]
I ain't pack any bug spray, either!
[ God, all these inventory slots and he'd forgotten the most important thing for hiking in the woods. He drew his dagger as they ran, swiping at a few bugs that strayed too close. Strangely enough, they seemed to stray away from either the heat or flame generated by the blade, and one that had flown too close burned up once in contact with the dagger itself. ]
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While it certainly doesn't kill them, it does seem to stun the ones caught in the viewfinder's path and makes them drop from the sky. So that's...something.]
What's that knife? [it's doing a lot better than her camera at least, since she can hardly keep it steady enough to take the pictures while they're running]
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[ Majima waved away more of the bugs as they ran; at least they'd thinned out the impromptu swarm! Now the remnants, perhaps either because of autumn sluggishness or the livelier-than-usual efforts of their prey, seemed to be wavering in their pursuit. ]
Only since I been here, it's changed. Never used to set things on fire.
[ Don't get him wrong, though! He enjoyed the change. ]
You gettin' some good photos?
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Nothing I'd want to be hung on the walls. [At least the swarm seems to be less... swarm-y.] I think they're giving up!
[Which is GREAT news, because Yuri feels like her lungs might actually be on fire]
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Ya okay? Didn't get stung or anythin'?
[ This expedition was off to a GREAT START, that was for sure. At least the woods and trail in front of them were quiet, aside from the occasional birdsong. ]
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I think I'm okay. I think... I think if that's the worse we face up here, we'll be okay. Even if that's a pretty... Pretty ominous start.
[Wheeze. This was possibly a bad idea.]
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Here's hopin'. But check it out -- we're a lot closer. And do you hear somethin'?
[ Before, he'd only been listening to the pounding in his ears and the whirring of insect wings, but now it sounded like some kind of humming in the background. ]
I don't remember that sound from before.
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She tilts her head though, brow furrowing somewhat at the noise.] ...Is it a machine? [None of this bodes well.] Where's it coming from...?
[Yuri trails off a little, mumbling the question to herself as she begins to walk again, trying to locate a source or a direction to follow it in.]
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We should've come across one of them staircases by now. They're impossible to miss.
[ Ah, but up ahead was a break in the trees. ]
That's the mountain, but...
[ Didn't it seem different, somehow? If one looked at it long enough, didn't it resemble a strange, curled-up figure? ]
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What... Is it? [Or maybe she should really be asking:] Or who? [She remembers feeling Sodder's presence most strongly on the mountain, more than ever before, but...] Is that... Sodder?
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[ How rude, calling it a thing!! Although Majima was a little at a loss as to what to call the being. ]
But it's different now. And what the hell are those legs?
[ Those strange, unearthly legs digging into the being's head looked like they were grasping, trying to keep hold. It looked like there was a layer of rock binding the figure in place, too. ]
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Can we get closer? ...Will it be safe...?
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[ Was that humming coming from the giant being? From the legs? Somewhere else? He continued forward, a bit more cautiously now. ]
Maybe it is Sodder. It stepped in when all those beasts were attackin' us.
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She follows close behind, eyeing the figure with a frown.]
I thought Sodder was someone like us--Someone who'd been dragged into this dream world type thing. What could've happened to make her like... This?
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I don't know. One of those 'tests'? Or maybe she was dragged in, but then turned into part of the dream.
[ Maybe that shady Mother Superior was involved; she didn't seem above sketchy experiments with bits of living people.
From up ahead somewhere in the trees came the sound of quiet weeping. ]
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She opens her mouth to ask-- Something, surely, or at least offer up something to break the silence with, but the weeping catches her attention first. Yuri looks up sharply, brow furrowed again as she frowns.]
Do you hear that too?
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[ Or something. Spoiler alert, though: Majima hated crying. Which was why he started cautiously toward the sound, which was further down the trail. There was the rustling of feet through the fallen leaves, moving slowly toward them.
"Please..." came a piteous voice from somewhere up ahead. ]
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[The... thing that eventually emerges and reveals itself, however, isn't what Yuri might call a 'someone.' It reminds her a little of the dolls at Shiragiku's shrine. And although she doesn't have to, because sure Majima is smart enough not to charge ahead or anything, she still reaches out to grab his arm to stop him]
Is that-- Is that a doll? [UNSURE. It sniffles and appears to be quite upset, which makes Yuri's heart ache for it a little, but she doesn't want to rush it without some ideaof what it is]
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It was missing almost all of its limbs, save for a single leg; it smelled like cat pee. Worst of all, there seemed to be some kind of infestation in its torso. This was literally the sketchiest monster Majima had ever seen. He didn't move forward, but he didn't yet step back, either. ]
You what now? Who are ya?
[ Monsters typically didn't talk to Majima, or at least they hadn't so far. Was this actually a person somehow? Maybe transformed?
"Hold me," it said instead of answering, twisting its face up to look at them. Well. It could all just be a giant trap. ]
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Hold... you? [Yuri echoes the request, looking surprised. Huh.] ...If I do, you won't hurt us, will you?
["Please..." It sobs, which isn't exactly an answer, but she takes a deep breath anyhow.]
...Majima-san, I'm going to do it.
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Ya sure? I bet I heal faster than you.
[ "It's been so loooong...." said the creature, sounding... actually, that was a little suspicious. Hopefully it wasn't a clinger. With its... leg. Possibly teeth. ]
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Let me pretend to be able to protect you for once. [She glances over, a hint of a tired smile, before she approaches the doll. Thing.]
Here. I'll embrace you. [The doll lurches at her, near-collapsing into Yuri's arms. She stumbles a little from the unexpected weight and shivers in revulsion, but seconds later the doll suddenly becomes dust. Yuri makes a startled, confused noise and stares down at herself and the dust now coating her front.
...Did... She win?? She turns to face Majima, looking baffled, then yelps at the raven that comes to land on her shoulder. It looks around, head cocked, croaks a "hello!" and starts picking some leaves from Yuri's hair.
Slowly Yuri looks back at Majima with a bewildered expression that seems to ask 'is this supposed to happen??']
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[ "Cheese!" said the bird, flapping its wings once or twice. Sure, he'd heard that ravens could talk, but he'd never heard a bird speak so clearly. Although... maybe not all that usefully. ]
Ya look about the same.
[ He fished a handkerchief out of his suit pocket and offered it to her. ]
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She takes the handkerchief to wipe her face off just in case some dust got on her there before concentrating on brushing herself off.]
I don't... think so? I feel like I need a shower now though. [She frowns, then gives a helpless shrug.] I guess we'll see if anything happens later, but that went better than I thought it would.
Ah... Sorry if I worried you.
want to wrap this up and say they couldn't find a way to the mountain?
Sure!