recolle | TEAM FOUR EVENT LOG

Entry tags:

TEAM FOUR EVENT LOG

MAGATUS

READY: START.

Roster: Noah Isaacs + Gunther Schwarz, Gintaro Suzukaze + Elda Marker, Dave Strider + Byakuya Kirigiri, Shouto Todoroki + Akira Kurusu, Eren Jaeger + Yusuke Kitagawa, Soleil Beaufort + Vera Weisz, Alessandro Vinsmoke + Yu Narukami, Cleo Ritter + Minako Arisato, Penelope Raban + Olive Freya Yun, Orihime Inoue + Matthew Murdock, Ryouta Ono + Baren Kaiyou, Prompto Argentum + Keigo Higashino, Zaveid Taleb + Ragna Edgson, Amelia Wagner + Kasen Kaneda

On the morning of the fourth at 9am, you'll find yourself gathering at the Recollé Zoo and Aquarium. Many of you will find yourself partnered up and with a name in mind, and awaiting in front of you is a large bus with the Retrospec logo on the hood. A text comes through not long after, Zee's name attached.

I'm no Ms. Frazzle, but I think this bus will do the trick. Hope you packed a book or something.

Upon boarding the bus you'll find that's it's equipped for a longer road trip. There are snacks, books, video game consoles, and even a few beds and bathrooms. Just as well, seeing how you're going to be traveling north of the city, traveling through the woods for about seven hours. As you travel, the sky begins to change colors and the temperature drops toward the end of your journey. Outside the window you'll see a mountain range and snow on the ground, and stars streak across the sky as you enter the beautiful region of Magatus.

Permanently semi-dark with beautiful colors streaking across the sky, Magatus is filled with rivers, grass, coniferous trees and snow-capped mountains. The temperature is quite frigid, so travelers will need to bundle up!

The region known as Magatus is fairly open and while there may not a huge population like Recollé, there are small clusters of buildings and homes that characters can find by exploring this region. There is roughly 1,500 square miles to cover in the area claiming to be Magatus and some parts of this region may experiences changes in weather including heavy snow, ice, and blackouts.

Most of the towns are quaint and friendly though most people appear to mind their own business. If spoken to, they will explain that they’ve been enjoying their time alone and away from the hustle and bustle of city life, though it may be a little hard to know if this is actually true. Some of the younger ones will say they’ve lived here their whole life, but most will shy away from the topic of where they came from. Shops that can be found seem to range in the realm of basic general stores, hardware stores, mini foodmarts, and weaponry. The Magatus people truly live a simple life.

The true nature of this region doesn’t seem to come out until nightfall, however. As the light fades and the sky darkens, the colors brighten above and the sound of wolves begin howling nonstop. Depending, you may even hear the sound of snarling and growling, quick footsteps crunching through fresh snow and irritated barking. The townspeople know better than to stay out at night when the wolves run and the shadows dance, and they would advise that anyone from out of town take cover.

Too bad they won’t invite you in. You’re on your own out in the wilderness.

This is the Team Four Event Log! You are free to toplevel and thread as you choose on this log, but only team members may utilize this log.

Remember, your activity to qualify for your two free memories and one item is supplying at least 30 comments spread over the three objectives per group (minimum of 5 comments per objective!) with at least three members of your groups. You will not be eligible if you do not participate in all three objectives somehow, and you will not be eligible if you only stick with your preferred partner!

People who are paired with partners will experience some of the following:

-Telepathic connections, but only the thoughts you don’t want your partner to actually hear. You can also use this to influence your partner’s thoughts.
-Color fades when you’re not cooperating, it brightens when you are.
-Cause and effect. If something happens to your partner, you feel it (i.e. if your partner trips somewhere, you’ll feel the effects.)
-Timers. You and your partner will have a countdown embedded somewhere (hand, foot, chest, whatever) and if you don’t complete your missions and see each other before the timer runs out, consequences occur.

These are not required and you may play with these as little or as much as you want!

Important links to mod toplevels are: Mod Questions, Participation Reporting, NPC questions. Please be aware you are responsible for reporting your own participation & objective completion efforts with links. You must ICly tap into the log within the first 48 hours, or you will be removed from your team.
If your activity is low per objective, the moderators may reach out to you about reassignment as well.

The schedule for Team Four is as follows:

Feb 3rd: Objective 1 posted (9PM EST) | Threading for Travel to Location | Threading for Objective One
Objective 2: Info about Objective Two | Threading for Objective Two
Objective 3: Info about Objective Three | Threading for Objective Three | Objective Three point Five
Mar 3rd: Outro

Objectives will be given in mod toplevels to this post with instructions; please check the log currently for Objective 1 to see how this will work.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ our mod info thread over here!

the usual divvying up of tasks and teams goes more or less smoothly, as far as dave is concerned. this time he knows everyone in his team from further back than this too-long field trip, and he's comfortable placing himself casually in the command of any of the three other guys. all he does make sure of, pretty much, is that he's generally near enough to byakuya to be able to react defensively if he has to. yusuke and yu, he figures, will be perfectly capable of taking care of themselves.

as they go he's taking shots with his digital camera, something that soothes his sometimes-frazzled nerves, although he looks generally okay. ]

Say cheese. Or actually say somethin' more interesting than that, as you choose?

[ time for a HIGHLY IMPORTANT group selfie, obviously.

also he's still refusing to walk in the snow today and is just floating an inch above it. this is how he crossed the lake, and he would have easily enough offered to give one of the others a ride if need be. ]

[Another day, another task. Byakuya saw fit to help out with this exploration team. He may as well continue accompanying Dave considering his loyalty and his useful abilities, as well as feeling a bit antsy about the timers that tick whenever they'r separated from each other. He doesn't know the other two as well, though he doesn't have the highest impression of this Yu. He's easily recognizable as one of those twins who insulted fruitkind with their fashion...

As Dave turns his camera lens on them, Byakuya looks a bit unimpressed and responds dryly to the offer of saying something other than cheese.]

How about 'let's focus on the task at hand'?

[His tone isn't very severe at all. He doesn't mind the taking of pictures that much, especially if it helps his mind-linked friend, but he'll still make no effort to look like anything other than a human version of grumpy cat once again.]

[ All Yu says is, ]

Pizza.

[ ... which is apparently his replacement for "cheese." Dry as the sahara and not smiling, though Dave and Yosuke will probably realize he's trying not to laugh.

He's calm and collected as usual, his sword lashed to his hip so he doesn't have to actually carry it as they trudge through the snow. If the drifts get particularly deep, he'll pull out Mada to light the way and melt the snow with the ambient heat he gives off simply by being a big ass constantly on fire kinda guy.

Ahead of them, it's easy to spot a dense thicket of trees, perfectly normal and not foreboding at all. ]

Should we check it out?

Hyperrealism.

[ Is anyone surprised? Anyone?

Yusuke just looks curious, at the concept of the group selfie. Leaning down a little to make sure he fits into the frame. This is the second time he's ended up in a group without his partner - and while the separation doesn't concern him, he knows Eren well enough but he also knows he's capable to a point after all, the whole... getting himself beaten up thing means he's a little apprehensive about what might happen on their respective missions.

But he'll just have to deal. ]

We have to start somewhere.

Video game rules: see a dark foreboding place, immediately head into it to see what's up. Also maybe loot some people's houses along the way?

[ casually. he still has his camera out, but everyone in the group has likely seen him trade shit in and out of his sylladex before, so he's effectively armed. just not...currently. he starts heading towards the thicket, taking a snapshot of it as he goes. ]

This would be so much more fun if we got achievements.

[Byakuya nods along as he looks towards that thick thicket (thiccet?) of trees.]

I prefer to register achievements in my mind. That aside, I agree. We're out here to explore, so we may as well investigate that area. You all have my permission to proceed.

[He'll walk along behind Dave, while trying to keep alert.]

Should we break any pottery we find?

[ These trees are thick. Thick enough that the light is actually dimmer once they pass into the thicket. It's quiet, almost unnervingly so, and Yu stares up at the trees as they walk (or float). Murmurs: ]

... stay on your guards, everyone.

Are we likely to find pottery in the midst of a forest?

[ Yo, guess who doesn't play video games. This guy. Still, the darkness and the oppressive stillness is enough to make Yusuke rest a hand lightly on the hilt of his katana. ]

...

It feels like something is going to leap out at us.

That'd be in keeping with the -

[ movement and dave stops joking around, letting his camera disappear into his sylladex. he doesn't draw his sword (yet?) but his left hand twitches as eight shadowy shapes come into view.

wolves. he slants his gaze towards byakuya, the emotions from his heartstone reading caution and concern but no fear as of yet. ]

[...Well, that sure is something. Byakuya comes to a complete stop as he finally sees some of these infamous wolves begin to appear.

The emotions from Dave's heartstone easily spread to him. He was instantly starting to feel similar, but with some fear mingled within it. He glances between Dave and the shapes several times, while thinking back to the suspicions raised by the journal.]

...Well. Let's try to remain calm. We don't know what they want. [And if they're not attacking immediately, then they're not mindless killing machines...]

[ Here it is.

Yu keeps a hand on the hilt of his sword, his expression unchanging as the wolves materialize in front of them. Eight of them. And they have to decide what to do.

He has his heart stone, too. And there is nothing in him besides a calm that borders on the preternatural. Is that really just how he feels? Is that intentional? Nothing about the cast of his face will give anything away.

Yu lifts a hand, edging one foot forward. ]

We're--

[ The wolves snarl and snap their jaws, and Yu walks back the step he took. There's a low growl, a rumble on the air that might be coming from one or all or none of them.

And then the wolves seem to ... change. ]

[ wolves are to be expected - after the one he'd seen across the lake the other day, the sight of more isn't so surprising. The number though, is. Eight of them - that's two each to take down, assuming that Byakuya can fight. He hasn't seen him with a weapon since they left.

When they start snapping, he tightens his grip on his blade, takes a couple of steps to the side - moving so that he could angle himself to block or stop the wolves on the far side of the group if they tried to attack...

... but when he turns to face them, he stops short. That is not a wolf he is looking at. ]

...Mom?

[ dave's sword is in his left hand when the change starts, but he doesn't move. his expression is so frequently perfectly neutral with only small tells, little smiles that flicker away too fast and are barely there or very slight frowns or the way he holds himself. he's good at being hard to read. except he takes a step back now, completely gutted, lips slightly parted and eyes wide, and while there's nothing more than an intake of breath it's probably a little like a maelstrom in terms of emotions.

john's one thing and he'd have taken a step forward if not for the other person he sees (that they don't see, although byakuya may get a flicker of not him in the wordless no). it's stupid, because in this life this man never existed, except dave remembers too much and is too much who he was not to short circuit. he hadn't broadcast anything like fear for much of the trip so far: he has been at times lonely and sad, uneasy and reserved, but not afraid and utterly distressed like he is just from seeing the figure of childhood nightmares (childhood days). there's helpless resignation and terror and the sense of being not enough and worthless and holy shit does he not want to be there at all.

bro doesn't speak; he never does. dave doesn't drop his sword only by virtue of years of training.

the other person he sees does speak, though, and his eyes flick over, the back to bro.

he still doesn't move. he doesn't know if he can move, even if he's being told to attack the one person who terrifies him most - who he hates most - because what the hell would that do?

he's not thirteen any more but he always feels it, these days. yusuke said something, he should pay attention, but no he's just having a very quiet mental breakdown someone else take the baton?? ]

[Before he can even finalize the best way to deal with the wolves, suddenly there's two other beings in the place of the wolves.

One of them is his cousin Kyouko, one of the most reliable minds he knows. And at her side is Monokuma, the black-and-white horrible little bear who set all of those killing games, all of that suffering into motion. Those games that cost him his own life...

Part of him wants to question Kyouko's sudden appearance. But she was one of the most capable people he knew even before she turned out to be a SHSL Detective. He wouldn't be surprised if she found a way to join him here. And now she's beckoning for him to kill Monokuma and stop the suffering. It would be all so easy... his fear and anger regarding that bear emanate from his stone, while Dave may receive thoughts involving piercing skewer thrusts.

But it's Dave's thoughts that reach him and appeal to his logic not him. Not her... And didn't Yusuke just say something about his mom? He doubts Yusuke was born of his cousin or of Monokuma. This can't be real. This is some sort of a trap. Even if Kyouko seems so real and her words sound so convincing...

And so, some moments after the illusions begin, he feebly raises a hand.]

Don't... do not listen to them. [It's hard to ignore them, but he's fighting it. And trying to urge the others.] Something's wrong.

[ It's a long, breathless moment, staring down a copy of Yosuke. Yosuke, sweet and warm and scared and sincere, begging him to kill "that copy," just get rid of it--

That copy being ... who? A young man with silver hair and golden eyes, standing there stoically, his chin lowered. And Yu has to look away, has to shut his eyes, because he doesn't know if that young man is Souji or if it's himself, and he's not sure which answer is worse. No matter the answer he knows it means he should feel guilt. That he still has so much further to go.

But he does know that no copy of Yosuke would ever tell him to do this. To try and kill a piece of himself, or his brother, or ... of them. The person that they are. The initial spike of alarm he felt, like a stone dropped in a pond, slowly fades, ripples of anxiety dying out into that all-encompassing calm.

Yu opens his eyes. ]

Kirigiri-san is right. Whatever we're all seeing, it's not real. This isn't real.

[ Yu unties the cord keeping his sword at his waist and steps forward. The growls crescendo, the six remaining wolves he can see hopping and snapping their jaws. But all he does is kneel, and place his sword in the snow. When he stands again, he's got his hands raised in a gesture of surrender. ]

We won't hurt you, [ he says, and his heart stone blazes with courage.

He just went through a month of this. Of thinking he wasn't real. Of thinking he didn't deserve to exist. He won't fall for it again. He's loved.

Much more softly: ]

I don't hate you.

[ The growling gets a little fainter, but doesn't dissipate. There's a single faint, confused whine. ]

Edited 2018-02-11 05:23 (UTC)

[ Yusuke recognises and knows his mother like the back of his own hand - it's been just them for so long now, her being supportive even when her health was at its worst and she had days when she couldn't get out of bed because she was just so deeply tired and drained that moving took everything from her.

He knows the other man now as well - and this is where the illusion breaks down for him, even if it's still unnerving and eerie to him. As far as he has been able to find out, there is no Ichiryusai Madarame in Recolle. At least, no where near and in no place to control his and his mother's lives like they were the paintbrushes at the end of his hand, for nothing more than his own benefit. Not like the him in these memories he'd been getting.

There is no reason for his mother to want him to kill a man she doesn't know. No reason at all, and that's enough for Yusuke to let go of the hilt of his sword, and straighten himself out of his ready-stance. ]

Right. It... can't be. [ Logically. He takes a deep breath, before turning his attention to Dave. Unlike the others, he hasn't said a word. And Yusuke needs something to distract him from the increasing pleas of his mother to strike Madarame down, amid the backdrop of warning growls from the remaining wolves. ]

Dave? [ It's accompanied by a hand on the shoulder - light enough to snatch away if need be. ]

[ right. dave definitely hasn't said a single word, and he's not even paying attention to the "loved" half of the equation. yusuke's hand touches his shoulder and he jolts, too tightly wound but not attacking at least. he can't even bring himself to look at yusuke more than briefly, and he's too pale and his hands are trying not to shake.

how the fuck did he used to do this? it's been too long and not long enough and the others are talking but he's just staring at bro and half-listening to john speaking but not really. the words aren't penetrating what's well on its way to being a panic attack.

something's off about john, anyway. dave isn't breathing properly and he hasn't given dave that look he always gets like dave's scaring him which maybe dave should be scaring himself??? but it's hard to breathe right and his mouth works soundlessly for a second before he manages: ]

I can't - [ don't make him do something, here. ]

[Byakuya tries to focus on the movements and words of his party members rather than the two familiar beings attempting to reach out to him. He watches as Yu steps forward and completes his gesture. And noticeably, the wolves aren't moving to attack the unarmed young man.

He wants to step forward and join him... but he doesn't want to step forward without Dave. Byakuya turns towards his partner and closes his eyes as he softly murmurs towards him.]

You can. Dave... Whatever you are seeing, you have to look past this and move forward. The wolves. Focus on the wolves... [There's no telling what could happen if one of them gave in to the call of their illusions. And more than that, Byakuya doesn't want to leave Dave in this condition if he could help it. Closing his eyes, he tries to let go of various random thoughts, in hopes that they'll help to snap Dave out of this.]

... Kirigiri-san ...

[ Yu finds himself glancing around at the other boys. Togami seems steady, a blessing, because Dave is anything but.

A breath. Another. It's clear this is affecting all of them, but it's hurting Dave the worst. They need to put an end to this, somehow. ]

Dave-- it's alright. We won't let anything hurt you.

[ There's a sound, unnerving, and Yu whips his head around. It couldn't-- they can't... no, they couldn't be laughing--

Yosuke and ... the Shadow (that's all he can think of it as-- that's what he has to think of it as) continue to argue, as much as he tries to ignore them. Yosuke gets angrier and angrier, shouting at Yu for ignoring him. The Shadow murmurs in a deadened tone, its quiet voice carrying through all other sound.

It's not real. It's so clear it's not real. They're all seeing their own specters. Yusuke's mom? was enough to confirm that. Visions, tricks, whatever they are, they're not worth listening to, they just have to stand their ground and--

Just going to hide from this, like all your other problems?

He'll never face them, says the Shadow. That's what I'm here for.

There's a flash of silver--

a knife-- ]

No!

[ His hands go out -- to the sides, finding and gripping the arms of the two boys beside him, which happen to be Yusuke and Dave. If you asked him he couldn't tell you who he was trying to stop -- them, or himself.

At this point his heart stone is practically screaming -- but he fights it. He fights for calm.

it's not real

it's not real. ]

We're not seeing the same things, I think. Whatever you're seeing, Dave, I don't see it.

[ his voice is a little quieter - unsurprising, seeing as just out of his line of vision, the shouting is getting louder. angry, tearful pleas to get rid of That Man before he can ruin their lives again warring again equally angry assertions that Yusuke is only as good as the works he produces.

how much what he paints for the sake of madarame's career are worth amounts to his worth as a human. that his mother is a distraction, and her health is only holding him back and if she were just gone he'd had the time and energy to devote to so much more...

he inhales, deep and slow. ]

It isn't real.

[ or, that's what he's telling himself when Yu's hand suddenly digs into his arm - sharp and sudden, causing him to wince and turn towards the grasping hand as Yu shouts out loud. It's enough for him to see Madarame round on his mother, with the flash of a blade and splatter of rich, bright red.

his breath catches in his throat, in a sound of pure distress and horror that doesn't quite make its way out of his mouth. the grip on his arm, and his own grip on Dave's shoulder act as guide posts, not letting him pull away from the grounding reassurance they're giving him. ]

[ he doesn't relax on it isn't real but at least there's some sort of choked acknowledgement - a noise, not a word - when yusuke says he can't see it. him. bro. the secret dave has kept for over a year now, who he only ever talked about twice and neither of those people remember the conversation. he'd never really even fully explained it to yuri, just tried to explain that there was a reason he hated waiting for the others to remember things (hated waiting for then to remember enough to call him out on it, on what bro had and had not done).

dave doesn't shake yu off, either, but he hadn't been moving to go forward. there's a soft protest as bro's specter turns and of course there's the damn katana, but he doesn't move until that figure turns again and rushes at them.

he stumbles back, either falling in the snow or maybe being kept on foot by yusuke and yu, his left hand with the sword raising to block but nothing further. the pitch-darkness comes and when it ends he tries to shake them off, too pale and clammy still, because he kind of has to stumble off to be sick a little ways away, thank you mr. wolf. ]

[Everyone seems to be coming together around Dave... that's good. A great show of solidarity for their group. A true team.

Even so, he can't drown out the supposed apparitions entirely. Kyouko keeps on calling out to him, while Monokuma taunts and chortles.

Byakuya allows himself to look towards them again - but that's a mistake. His eyes widen as he sees the glint of a knife suddenly within the bear's arms. And before Kyouko could react, she's suddenly pierced by that blade.]

No! [It feels so real, and all of the pain echoing from everyone's heart stones doesn't help either. His own cries out in pain as well. Byakuya starts to reach out as he beholds his cousin's dying expression as she crumples and falls apart into the snow itself. He stumbles forward and falls face-first into the snow.

Monokuma rushes towards them, laughing madly, and Byakuya winces as all becomes darkness. But just for a moment.]

[ Yu is taking deep, gulping breaths, his eyes wide as the darkness rushes over them. It wasn't real, it wasn't real, it wasn't real, the apparition of Yosuke broken and bloody in the snow was gone almost as soon as it appeared, none of it was ever real--

but that doesn't stop his heart hammering at his rib cage.

When the darkness washes over them harmlessly and leaves only a single wolf behind, whining in apology, Yu doesn't immediately react. Instead he lets go of the other two boys so he can crouch in the snow, both hands pinned over his mouth as his body heaves just once. He doesn't throw up, but it was a near thing. ]

Dave, [ he'll croak, once he's sure he won't throw up. He gets to his feet a little unsteadily and heads back for the other boy, to help him up if need be. ]

[ without yu or dave to act as a literal support, it doesn't take long for yusuke to pretty much give up on holding up his own weight and sink slowly down to the snowy ground instead. he doesn't feel... sick, and fhere's no urge to dry heave; he just feels like someone took a spade to him and hollowed him from the inside out.

even the apparitions vanishing as quickly as they appeared isn't enough to fill that hollowed sensation with relief - it's just too much too quickly. even the bitter anger he wants to feel at the sight of madarame isn't enough to make an impact. he just feels like if someone were to pick him up and shake him, he'd rattle uselessly.

the sad, small whining of the wolf seems quiet and distant to his ears, but it's enough to draw his attention to it. as cowed and sad as it manages it look, he can't say he feels forgiveness. what next? he wants to ask. is he going to see Haru next? is something terrible going to happen to her? Or someone else - all of his friends? Are these illusions going to start picking off his entire support network bit by bit? but when he opens his mouth to try and say all of this, nothing comes out. even when he clears his throat - dry and pathetic.

what next? he thinks, as loud as he can, watching as the wolf seems to shift slightly, as if it's about to move again. he wants to tense, prepare for a strike, but the way it rears back and howls, as though beckoning them to follow is... not what he expected. at all. ]

.... ?

[ there's a moment of sharp, painful longing for dirk, of all people. back when dirk had remembered and had sometimes accidentally said the right words. for yuri, who dave had finally quietly told in the dark about his brother, a fraction of the truth. rose and john, who know nothing but at least represented home and safety. for himself before he remembered all of it.

dave's unsteady even on his knees, wiping at his mouth with the back of his right hand, but he lets yu help him to his feet and gulps in one breath, then two.

lock it down, strider. dave's eyes shut behind his shades for a moment before he slams down what control he can muster on his feelings (shove them away; deal with the cracks later) and he tries to speak. has to clear his throat before: ]

It looks like it wants us to follow.

north one: subdue

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