The text message was brief and to the point. It was also accompanied by a loud unpleasant noise that overrode any other settings on the phone.
Text from Lance
My office. Now. Emergency.
If someone was napping at 9:43am in the morning, it would certainly be a rude awakening.
Nyxtsuki Moon
Ol-j-man
Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 9:04 pm
Nevada was in a deep and very peaceful sleep in the shared room with Stormy, dreaming of well...clouds...and fluffy things. She was dreaming of sleeping because when she slept, she wanted to sleep.
Not dream of building a car with Jack and racing Finn afterwards. That was a lot of work.
The phone didn't register in her puffed filled dream at first...but then the ringtone was so....obnoxious that her hand reached out in the clouds to grab it.
"Yeah what is it..." She brought the puff of cloud to her face and realized it wasn't someone calling. Blearliy she woke from her dream, with phone in hand and stared at the text.
First word that registered was emergency.
"Stormy." She was out of the bed, dressing quickly and throwing her coat over a messy outfit. "Lance." She made out. Once the other girl was ready, they were on their way to his office.
"We're here..." She burst through, rubbing at her eye..."Emergency, yes...what happened....?"
The alarm made her stir--eventually. When she really wanted to, Stormy could sleep like a log, and since she had yet to get used to the amount of work Caelius threw on his Assistants, the previous day helpin gOtto out had been particularly draining. She was just beginning her groggy stream of not yet sleep more long day, blearily blinking as she turned over. And then Nevada said one word.
And up she went, nearly tripping over herself in the process as she reeled off the bed in want of fresh clothes.
The sleep was gone from Stormy's eyes by the time they reached their leader's office. She was anxious, honestly, since she didn't know how much Lance remembered from their . . . last meeting. But regardless of her personal feelings, Lance still was her leader: and if he needed them, she was obligated to answer.
Nevertheless she did hang back just a little behind Nevada as they moved in, excusing it as just letting her lead the way. "Everything okay, sir?"
Marushii
Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 9:49 pm
"And if there was a fire, both of you would have been burnt to a crisp," Lance said in lieu of greeting. Their leader was pulled up behind his desk, wide-eyed and clean shaved despite his former preference for a nocturnal lifestyle.
Before the trainees could reply Lance pulled open a file. "A report just came in. A town out in the sticks is experiencing a large number of animals becoming more and more aggressive. This is one of the first signs an animal has been exposed to too much Fear, and the longer this goes on the more likely things will go downhill fast."
"Another group with more experience will take care of the animals. You two are going to go in and take care of the cause of this. Be on the lookout for someone or something from Halloween and eliminate it. Whatever it is, it's producing enough Fear to affect a large number of animals."
He set the file down, gesturing towards the two. "Nevada, now's a chance to prove yourself. I've chosen you specifically because it's time for your promotion. Stormy will be supporting you, as she's close to you. Since this is major, both of you are going to need to watch each other's backs. Also, catch."
The division leader picked up a small rune-inscribed USB from his desk and tossed it towards the two. "Take that to the Lighthouse. It contains the coordinates to your destination. Go now -- the longer whatever is poisoning the animals sticks around, the more likely those animals will mutate into Halloween spawn. Get going."
"Sorry Lance..." Nevada offered in return, stuff her shirt down in her shorts since it was hanging half out anyways. "I'll forgo clothes next time right?" She was teasing but her attention was clearly focused on the leader.
Animals with fear radiation, it was the first time she had seen something like this and curiously read over the file.
The mention of proving herself had the mist girl looking up, one eye to Lance's. "yes...I will do my best sir." she noted nervously. It was the first real mission besides the doll one with Stormy of recent. She had been laying low for a long time now, maybe she could do something useful this time around.
The USB was caught and tucked into her coat pocket. "We'll be back with results." She said with a lazy confidence, masking the shaky fear and uneasiness. Turning on her heel, she waited for Stormy to join her before commenting.
"I wonder what kind of halloween creature has enough fear to infect living animals?" Nevada hustled to the lighthouse, handing the USB to the techs. "But the sooner we get this done....whew, then I can become a hunter?" She teased Stormy, "I always thought you'd be first?" She nodded as the portal lit up. "Here we go."
Ol-j-Man
Marushii
Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 11:08 pm
Stormy might've made a quip as well, but she was busy waiting for Lance to give her one of those looks she'd recieved before: the long, narrow, predatory kind that had so easily frozen her in place. But when nothing came, she huffed out a sigh and merely dipped her head apologetically. It was a little weird, listening to him sound very . . . leader-y and not his usually casual self. Maybe she shouldn't let her guard down just yet.
(Or maybe he needed a candy refill.)
So: Animals. Large source of Fear. Elimination. "Yes, sir," she said, touching two fingers to her temple in salute. It sounded clean cut, but most missions ended up being convoluted somehow, some way . . . Stormy was surprised at the mention of this being a promo mission, though. Was it really that time already . . .? She'd have to work extra hard, then. "We'll be back before you know it."
She was learning from Nevada how to project confidence: on the inside, the idea of tackling her first mission with only one partner made her insides churn a little.
On the way over, Stormy hummed thoughtfully. "Big ones?" she joked, preferring to try and keep a light mood while they still could. "Why'd you think I'd be ready, though? You were here before me, it only makes sense you'd be up to it first." She gave Nevada a pat on the back and smiled. "Sorta jealous~ Let's make this a good one, then! Afterwards, we can take leave and go celebrate at a restaurant or something, my treat."
She didn't share what her real concern was: that they might run into some of Aria's friends. Or worse, Aria herself.
When the portal lit up, Stormy took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and stepped in.
Nevada's quip was met with a tired look from Lance. "It's nearly ten and both of you show up with bedhead as if you both just rolled out of bed. Where are your kits? You two should know better by now. Not to mention given the time? Both of you shouldn't be sleeping in." He shook his head, then launched into the explanation of their mission.
As the pair were leaving, Lance raised his voice. "Come back in one piece. I look forward to both of your results." In the meantime, he was awarding them both demerits for their performances so far this morning.
Nearly an hour later he would realize he made a terrible mistake.
---
The portal closed with a whisper. Surrounding them were tall trees bursting with bright yellow leaves that were almost painful to look at. There was a sharp autumn crisp to the air, refreshing after the heavy rain that sulked about Deus Ex. Aside from the rustling of insects and leaves in the distance, the two were completely alone.
They were also lighter in the pockets. Neither trainee had any runics on them, meaning that if they were going to start on the mission they would have to start hunting.
The OOC
The mission has begun! Neither Mist has their Mist kits OR runics -- what you rolled out of bed with is what you have! Hope you at least put some flipflop sandals on instead of slippers...
You guys can either freeform RP or roll for prompts:
1:
It feels like something's watching...
(( Quote me and keep RPing~ ))
2:
A cold chill slinks its way around the hunters. It feels as if someone or something is behind them, breathing down their necks. When either huntress turns, nothing's there.
3:
Shouts can be heard in the distance before fading away.
4:
A large, bulky shape can be seen in the distance. It ambles away out of sight.
5:
Something hisses as it flies by, burying itself into the trunk of a tree. It's a small metal disc, and shatters into a fine powder moments later. Whatever it was, it wasn't natural. It's show time.
(( Quote me and keep RPing~ ))
6:
A sharp, quick breeze causes the leaves coating the ground to rise up in a quick burst before fluttering down aimlessly. The forest fall silent for several minutes before the hum of insects and chirping birds resumes.
7:
The trees rustle overhead, crashing and getting louder as a large dark shadow passes overhead. It doesn't stop, and it moves too fast to get a good look at it. At least it's making enough noise to follow it...
8:
A large snap and crack can be heard as the forest gives way to a cluster of bamboo. The large panda in the middle of it seems to be happily (or aimlessly) snacking on bamboo. It doesn't seem to notice the hunters or care.
"Sorry, will work on it." She nodded, understanding the first of her mistakes. Being prepared would've been handy and well....
---
Soon enough they were in the middle of a thick wooded grove, trees towering over them with a unusual crisp sight. Like each one was lined in the dark. Nevada rubbed her arms, drawing her coat tighter and hissing as she realized that she had forgotten her runic bandages. Usually she kept them in the pocket at all times but welll.....
"Next time Lance calls us in the morning, we need to stop by the labs for runics first..." Nevada hissed as she looked around, alert and aware.
"Okay Halloween creature...come out where ever you are."
The forest gave away to bamboo and the further she walked...then there was a panda...She froze as she looked at it. It didn't seem to give her a care so she just...
"Stormy there's a panda here..." And then marked that as something to be talked about to Lance.
Ol-j-Man
A large snap and crack can be heard as the forest gives way to a cluster of bamboo. The large panda in the middle of it seems to be happily (or aimlessly) snacking on bamboo. It doesn't seem to notice the hunters or care.
Stormy regretted forgetting her swiss army knife in the fuss of getting up from her nap. Then again, maybe that was for the best because it seemed neither of them had their gear on them--a quick pat down of her person revealed they were going in without any aces up their sleeves.
We both have artifacts, she reminded herself. They'd have to do for now.
At the sight of the panda, Stormy froze. Under any other circumstances she would have been more than happy to encounter one, but with Fear tempering with the local fauna . . . She pressed a finger to her lips and shot Nevada a look. Calling was probably not a good idea.
Motioning her friend to just back away slowly, she turned to try and get a better look around. The bamboo thicket made things difficult as did the bright leaves, but she swore she saw something ahead and stiffened again; whatever it was disappeared into the thicket a moment later.
"Feels almost like the Death course all over again," she murmured to Nevada. "One wrong step and something'll come at you."
Nyxtsuki Moon
A large, bulky shape can be seen in the distance. It ambles away out of sight.
"One wrong step and we'll be sinking in a pit of animals and FEAR." Nevada summoned her weapon just in case, wondering if there was anything more specific they should be looking for. She followed the Fauna, once reading that things touched by FEAR could be disengrating...dying unnaturally.
Just as she went, a breeze picked up the leaves she went to look at, rising up at a burst before fluttering down. It was followed by a weird silence, her green eye widening as if she expected an attack...then it went back to insects and birds.
"I don't like this..." She muttered nervously, "It's too quiet, where are the big animals?"
Quote:
A sharp, quick breeze causes the leaves coating the ground to rise up in a quick burst before fluttering down aimlessly. The forest fall silent for several minutes before the hum of insects and chirping birds resumes.
The silence following the odd breeze made the hairs on her neck and arms rise a little. It felt less like solitude and more like suppression."No pits please." Although maybe it was a good idea to check where they stepped--
A shiver went up her spine suddenly. Thane made an alarmed noise in her head that something could sneak up like that, but when Stormy whipped around there was nothing there. Wide eyes searched for any sign of what had caused it, fingers twitching anxiously in want of her weapon. Keep calm.
She glanced at Nevada with a frown. "Did you--?"
Quote:
A cold chill slinks its way around the hunters. It feels as if someone or something is behind them, breathing down their necks. When either huntress turns, nothing's there.
After the breeze, she kind of awkwardly chuckled. "No bits...into death traps right?" The longer she was here, the longer she felt like something was watching them, testing them.
It was like being in the eye of the storm, calm as it raged around them. Just waiting to engulf them in it's destruction...
She felt cold, rubbing at her arm as goosebumps appeared, her head sliding slowly left to right. "Did I what?" Nevada turned her head in a snap, looking behind herself and behind Stormy.
"Nothing. God, Freaking ourselves out already. Not quite use to his kind of calm..." She rubbed her arm again, turning to focus. Unfortunately her path led her right back to the Panda and Bamboo....
"Um, nothing. Sorry." Nevada was right, she was probably just psyching herself out. So far it was just wind and random chills and . . . the panda.
Stormy stared and wondered. Maybe it was their target. Or maybe they were horribly lost in the forest.
"Hope not," she replied, reluctant about the idea--that was what the other Hunters had to do, Lance had mentioned, worry about taming the Fear infected wildlife. "It's got a nice quiet life, and I respect that. Let's try a different route."
She didn't get the chance to pick a direction, however. A split second before she heard the hiss, Thane rattled a warning for her to duck--and as she did so and gave a small cry for Nevada to do the same, something flew near them and embedded itself in one of the trees. By the time Stormy picked up her head, the object was beginning to disintegrate.
"Or not..." The greatsword appeared in her hands almost of its own volition, her partner's teeth indignantly gnashing as she tried to pinpoint where it had come from.
Marushii
They really like the panda idk. Auto going to prompt #5!
Quote:
Something hisses as it flies by, burying itself into the trunk of a tree. It's a small metal disc, and shatters into a fine powder moments later. Whatever it was, it wasn't natural. It's show time.
Nevada slowly walked out, closer to the panda and snapped a picture of her and part of Stormy in it...and of course the panda. If they were going to keep coming back to it well..
She attached the picture to a text and sent it to Otto:
Quote:
Text to Otto: Attachment 121.JPG
Quote:
Text to Otto: Look! Panda on my Promo, really likes the Bamboo...
Quote:
Text to Otto: I kind of want to hug it C: <3
"I don't think it was, by the way, you made a cameo in the picture I just took-" She began as something whirled by then, ingraining itself in the bamboo.
Quote:
Text to Otto: Getting Attack! Ttyl
"What do you think it is..." She made sure to place her back against Stormy's, watching the direction that her best friend couldn't while the other mist watched her back.
"If you're gonna attack, just come out and do it!" She yelled.
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