|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2023 4:20 pm
 |
|
|
 |
Quote: One Foggy Night (6) - As the seasons shift, the temperature changes too. It’s not uncommon for fog to roll in, sometimes from the mountains, sometimes out of nowhere. This fog is particularly thick and difficult to see through; Destiny City has issued several weather warnings and cautions being out or driving at night. It’s easy to get lost and difficult to see obstacles. Not to mention the strange, smothering sensation of dread and fear that rolls in with the fog. While there is sometimes the sensation of being watched, it worsens when the sun goes down. Some have even said they’ve caught glimpses of a tall, horned figure traveling with the fog. The news has reported that this is probably just a side effect of climate change and suspects that weather patterns should return to normal towards the end of the month.
The weather channel hadn’t mentioned any chance of fog tonight, so naturally Beira was suspicious when a sudden wave of white rolled in. He’d seen the sudden, strange fog before but he’d been inside both times–and the sun had been up both times. Once in the early morning and once around lunch.
Neither times had he been outside, but standing here in the cold, prickly mist all he could think about was getting back home.
That just felt like a strangely impossible task. Less than a minute ago it had been thin enough that he could still see the path ahead of him. Now, he could hardly even see his own hand outstretched before him. If he looked down, he couldn’t see anything past his waist.
Worse, he knew there was a Chaos signature nearby but just as soon as he’d felt it, it seemed to disappear. Distantly, he knew it was still there, but maybe it was just something in this fog disrupting his ability to actually feel it?
There were streetlights ahead, he knew it, but in the gloom of the fog he could see nothing but misty white, even in the darkness.
Something moved in the distance; he might not have been able to see but he heard the crunch of leaves, and something that sounded like rustling in the bushes.
If it was a youma, he couldn’t feel it. If it was a person, or a dog–
He wasn’t going to get answers by taking slow, steady steps along the path as he hoped he was traveling in the right direction. Maybe it was foolish to give away his location if there was an enemy nearby, but Beira felt like a sitting duck with this extremely limited visibility.
“Is someone else out there?” he called. His voice was steady; he wasn’t afraid.
He was just lost in the fog and would really like to hear a human voice so he didn’t have to worry about getting jumped by a bear or something.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2023 7:13 pm
|
|
|
|
There was somebody there.
For all the planning that Audra had done that day for the quick run down to the supermarket for groceries, it was almost cruel how Mother Nature seemed keen to throw a wrench into the girl's carefully constructed plans. The wall of fog normally would not have bothered Audra that much, but from the moment that she was engulfed in the pearly white clouds of moisture had she begun feeling ill at ease. She had been warned not to allow her identity to become known but considering there was no one else in the fog, or if there was, they'd not be able to sneak up on her, did Audra transform into her powered self. As Xihe, she could at least shake off a little of the fear that had coursed up her back, but not all of it was dispersed.
"Just great, I just can't catch a break," were the first words out of Xihe's mouth before she pursed her lips together before trying to wave away some of the fog that swirled around her. Not to far from her location the dark mirror senshi could easily identify an aura that was unlike her own and though she was relatively new, thought maybe the owner of the voice, and the aura would know of a way out of this messy, soupy, fog bank.
It didn't help that it still felt as if something else was present, some unseen presence.
"Someone's there, yeah. Though are you friend or foe?"
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2023 8:04 am
|
|
|
|
The voice brought Beira simultaneous relief and stress. He liked that he wasn’t alone, but he didn’t know if he was going to like who he was alone with.
“Not a foe, I think. I’m not looking for trouble, in any case. I’d like to get out of this fog before someone gets hurt. I’m Beira, Senshi of Loneliness. Are you lost, too?”
…She didn’t sound like she was enjoying her time, and though he wasn’t superstitious, he’d seen enough in Destiny City to know to be vigilant and not trust anyone right off the bat. He took a slow, cautious step towards her voice.
If she seemed reluctant…
It was okay. He’d find his way out, somehow.
Something moved in the mist, not too far away. It looked too tall to be human, and it disappeared almost immediately. Frozen, he stared into the empty space where it had once been, but nothing else peeked through the fog.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2023 3:02 am
|
|
|
|
Was she lost? Not really. She knew she was still somewhere in Destiny City unless this fog acted like a large mass transportation device somehow. Peering around in the direction that the other voice came from Xihe shook off the sensation of dread that had permeated the very atmosphere around her before squinting hard into the soupy mess. She wasn't lost, just unsure of which way home was anymore. Or where mirrors could be that she could at least try to transit out of the fog bank somehow.
Well, it left one in a bind, that's for sure. Best case scenario, she could seek help and then drain the help afterwards if it meant getting energy for the court. But what she really wanted, was to merely get home, preferably in one piece.
"Yeah, I don't know about being lost. We are still in Destiny City, right," she queried of the unknown speaker, "as long as we're still within city limits it should be easy to find a way out of this mess."
Xihe tried casting out her senses like Acubens and Katya had taught her to do before sighing. There was another aura, not unlike hers, that felt off but was it her mystery speaker in the same fog bank that she was currently entrenched in, or someone, or something, else?
Realizing that an introduction still had to be given to Beira did Xihe clear her throat before coughing suddenly, "Xihe -cough- of Cicadas."
She'd gotten out the important part before the air turned just a little bit colder and she felt as if a giant amount of pressure had dropped down on her, stealing her ability to breathe. Her gaze, though limited, worked fine and nothing was around her, but it felt as if she were in a vise, with sides being slowly squeezed together. The matter of her allegiance to her court had been left out of her response. Hopefully this Beira wouldn't mind the omission. Hopefully they were not experiencing this awful sensation like she was.
Snap out of it. There's nothing there. But why am I feeling like this then?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2023 2:15 pm
|
|
|
|
The name and sphere was unknown to him, but Beira had enough experience to know she was afflicted with Chaos. She didn’t seem unfriendly, and in the face of a greater trouble–or even just that of the unknown–he’d take someone who knew Destiny City.
They hadn’t left. At least, he didn’t think they’d left.
It was hard to tell when he couldn’t see, and when the only thing he smelled seemed to be dry fog. He couldn’t hear the sounds of the city, couldn’t see light in the darkness.
He saw a shadow, dark and looming, pass behind him. Before he could even turn to face it, the mist had swallowed it up. Wispy tendrils seemed to grope the empty space of where the figure had been.
Beira was uncomfortable; his hand balled into a fist and he took a step backwards. Towards the voice, but with caution enough that he could watch to make sure whatever was stalking him–them?–couldn’t come up from behind.
Her voice was closer, so he continued backing up towards it.
“...I don’t suppose you’re six, seven feet tall, are you?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2023 2:19 am
|
|
|
|
Xihe gave the fog that surrounded her a suspicious glance. There was a small kernel of confusion percolating in her brain as the other voice was asking her if she were six or seven feet tall. Now that would have been a feat worthy of being in the Guinness Book of Records if that was the case. Her eyes widened a little as she to began to close whatever distance there was between herself and Beira before she gave the softest sound of distress before answering her fellow fogged in senshi, "I don't think I am that tall. Unless I ate something that has magical properties that I cannot experience myself. I think I'm still the same size I've always been," Xihe paused before she countered back with a question of her own, "I don't suppose you have this ability to turn the air cold, do you?"
The fog around her had dropped a few degrees and she briskly rubbed at her arms before she called out, "maybe it's best if we find each other, as it's starting to appear that we aren't alone in here," ... it seemed to be a good idea but would Beira agree to it. "I can keep talking and guide you in towards my location, but if you are seeing something large, maybe that's not a good idea."
Xihe's footsteps echoed in the dense fog as she began to attempt to hone in on the other aura that she was feeling. If it came down to it, whatever it was that Beira seemed to be seeing, then maybe they'd take it down together, if he was amenable to the idea of teaming up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2023 12:03 pm
|
|
|
|
Beira meant to answer her, but when she asked if he had the ability to turn the air cold–
Well, yes, he could, but he wasn’t doing this. He didn’t think, at least. His magic had been erratic for so long but he thought he had that under control now. Or, maybe he’d just been lucky. He didn’t feel tired or drained so he didn’t think this was coming from him. Briefly, he was tempted to see if he could cast his magic just to prove it, but he really didn’t want to add to this–and if something was in the fog with them then he might actually need it later.
Her voice was closer now, and when the mist moved again, he half-turned and saw a bit of color from her uniform.
“Oh, there you are.” He breathed a sigh of relief; she looked real. A slow moving breeze thinned the fog between them, and behind her he thought he could even see the glow of a streetlamp in the distance. It was a way out. Where there was one street lamp, there were more, and maybe they could find their way out before some giant fog creature got in the way.
He raised his hand to point at the light, unsure if a more subtle gesture would be too easily missed. “I think we should head in that direction, that’s the first light I’ve seen in like five minutes.”
…And hopefully it wasn’t a trap.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2023 7:04 pm
|
|
|
|
He had no reason to bristle when she took his hand, he’d been expecting some sort of contact. In his ordinary life, he liked to keep to himself, but this was different. There was a monster hunting them. He couldn’t afford to be so picky.
His skin was crawling for many reasons already; the fog felt like it was clinging to him like wet plastic. She was taking the front, he could take the back. “Yeah, go for it.”
He spoke quieter than before; they were near enough to each other that he could hear her without yelling, and he really didn’t want to broadcast their location.
In the distance, the fog swirled oddly, so he was quick to note, “We are definitely not alone here. I just can’t see or feel what else is around us. I can fight if we have to.”
…He just wished he knew what they were up against. Hopefully it had an aversion to light; he’d much rather get out of here unscathed. She was far more trustworthy than the unknown monster. He'd take his chances with her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2024 2:52 pm
|
|
|
|
When Beira didn't pull away from the hand that she had clasped Xihe took it as a sign that she could move forward and that he'd follow. She'd wanted to keep chatting but when he stated that they definitely weren't alone in the fog, she closed her mouth with an almost audible snapping sound before her curiosity rose. What else could be out there in the fog? Beira had mentioned seeing something that could have been six or seven feet tall, but she'd not seen anything yet. Realizing that the best idea would be to get to the source of light as soon as possible did Xihe begin a pace that was still fast but added caution to the mix just in case whatever Beira was sensing was indeed tracking them.
Taking the chance, Xihe gave rise to the question that was on her mind, regardless of whatever else was in the fog with them.
"Beira, is this a normal, everyday thing that happens. Being hunted down by a fog creature?"
Her voice was soft, quiet, almost not there for how much she wanted to shout the question. But considering the fact that Beira was stronger than her, his words made sense ... even if he wasn't a senshi from the mirror.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2024 7:20 pm
|
|
|
|
“Not for me,” he answered, just as soft as she had been. He kept moving, determined to get out of there before they could get in over their heads.
The further they went, the thinner the fog got. He could make out more shapes of the world around them. The familiar sights of the park, the things that reminded him that they were on Earth and not in some horror movie.
He wanted to answer her questions but he didn’t want to draw the attention of anything still lost in the thick haze of fog. He kept his voice just a bit louder than a whisper. The fog seemed to muffle the sounds around them but he didn’t know if some supernatural fog creature had sensitive hearing or something.
“I’ve seen weird things in Destiny City, but not this. Just keep moving, we’re almost there.”
He could breathe a little easier and the light from the streetlamp was a bit brighter. He kept skimming the shadows, looking for danger, but each step away from the suffocating haze gave him a bit more hope that they’d get out of here unscathed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2024 11:04 am
|
|
|
|
Beira’s eyes lingered on the empty space behind them, like he wasn’t completely willing to accept that the trouble was gone.
And yet, the fog had filtered out, and there wasn’t even the faintest trace of it on the wind. The hair on the back of his neck had been standing up before, but now he felt none of the lingering effects.
He nodded and turned back to Xihe.
“Of course. I don’t have anything against the Dark Mirror Court.” He didn’t think, at least. He didn’t really understand them, but he found them far preferable to the Negaverse. He felt on edge, but only distantly. It wasn’t like the uncomfortable, almost painful tingling sensation he felt when the Negaverse was nearby.
“I;m just as grateful you were willing to work with me. But, I don’t think we should stick around here for long. Just in case that thing comes back. Will you be okay on your own or do you want company back to the nearest mirror?”
…He didn’t need to know where the mirror was, he wasn’t even sure that he cared. It wasn’t exactly his business and he wasn’t going to go around smashing them. At least, not while the Dark Mirror Court remained amiable.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
