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Entry tags:
【fallen stars vs TREE】
Punch A Tree Log
A Twisted Rumor
It's the day after the Fallen Star Meeting regarding the recent rumor. As morning brightens the city's night, stories are making their way from the bottom level to the top.
"The cherry blossom tree isn't going to hurt us, is it? It looks so scary."
For those who have learned the truth about rumors, this may especially distressing to hear. There's no time to wait: If anything is going to be done to save the tree's spirit, it must be done now.
The current plan is to address the tree spirit's wish to be remembered and acknowledged by holding a picnic by the lonely cherry blossom tree. Fallen Stars hope to reenact the lively Reblooming parties that had been happening on the upper levels all month. This tree, though the origin of that tradition, exists at the bottom level of Starsand City: Where spirits and kami are still feared. The hope is that this party will soothe the raging spirit and bring it peace... and, ideally, bring back all of the people who have recently gone missing.
But the meeting also ended on a note of caution. If the spirit will not peacefully give up the missing people, then more drastic measures may need to be taken. And... Spoiler alert, but this log is titled tree FIGHT.
Timeline of Events
This log will operate a bit different from normal! It's also an experiment, so if it doesn't work then apologies in advanced! In order to maintain an easy-to-follow timeline of events, there will be a top-level for each stage of the encounter. As the encounter progresses, new top-levels will be added to reflect each stage of the Rumor.
Character top-levels are still welcome, but please try to use the top-levels for time sensitive threads. Threadjacking is welcomed & encouraged, though please be respectful of one another. And of course, make use of the feedback section!
Backtagging is also still welcome. Event stages will be staggered over the course of the next week & past threads still have time to make an impact. Please don't feel rushed!
Character top-levels are still welcome, but please try to use the top-levels for time sensitive threads. Threadjacking is welcomed & encouraged, though please be respectful of one another. And of course, make use of the feedback section!
Backtagging is also still welcome. Event stages will be staggered over the course of the next week & past threads still have time to make an impact. Please don't feel rushed!
! Timeline of Toplevels
- Battle A - VS Tree Spirit
- Battle B - VS Bread
- Battle C - VS ???
- Battles D - VS Lost Spirits
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[Tau freaking out over Soma smoking, caused her illusion to start to fade. Thankfully, she remembered that she can't be doing two things at once before having to completely set it up again.]
Sorry, please be careful.
[With that she built her illusion back up, this time focusing on how happy the people were, how they loved the tree. Maybe a few 'let's forgive the tree spirit, surely she won't do it again's]
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Vaguely in the distance she could hear a familiar voice (who was it again?) calling out her name, the way someone seems to actually be smoking and saying... something, and then she tries to refocus.
The fact that the tree was out of control was one thing.
But then there's the cage it starts to form and Hanyuu attempts to cut through that. She's being a hypocrite, but she should be stronger and faster than the vines...
Hanyuu plans on diving in towards the spirit, her arms ready to reach out: ]
You're wrong! You can't believe in that!! You're not a monster!
If this world is powered in that belief...
You have to trust us! You have to reach your hand out to us, because if you believe in it, a miracle will really happen...!! You are more than just a Rumor! A happy ending does exist for you, just as it exists for everyone! I've learned that! So please, believe in me! As someone who truly wants to grant your wish! You're no longer alone!!
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Yeah, I can definitely pull that off again. This wouldn't be the first exorcism that I've been a part of. But if you've got any other plans, then I'm down to hear 'em.
[Kevin turns to listen out to Hanyuu's speech. He grits his teeth because he could sense something was off with her. Almost like she was pushing herself a little too hard. Trust was one thing, but would it be enough? There was only one way to find out! Kevin decides to throw his hat into the speech ring too.]
--She's right, you know! Miracles are born whenever people join hands together for a single cause! And we've gathered here together to save you! All you gotta do is take that first step forward and forge that trail of happiness with your own hands!
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[Even as he prepares to answer Kevin's question, he notices a vital flaw in the plan - Madoka is engaged elsewhere. She won't be able to make it in time. No plan of engagement survives first contact with the enemy. He has to think quick to modify the mental image he had drawn up...
...and then Hanyuu decides to be a shounen hero. Well... if she was successful in her attempt, they wouldn't need Madoka's bow after all. But he was very quickly learning that putting all your bets on one play was a fool's errand. He turns to Kevin, drawing a giant, glowing greatsword from somewhere inside his coat. Seriously, where was he hiding that thing? It's longer than he is tall!]
If Hanyuu's gambit fails, I'm going to need you to strike the spirit with this. It's a holy weapon - it'll purify anything it cuts. Madoka won't be able to fire from where she is right now, and... there are reasons I can't strike the blow myself. [Translation: He does not want to accidentally Dominate the deranged kami.]
I'm going to try to reconstitute the spirit before it can dissipate and give it a new life by combining it with another soul with alchemy. The Rumor that did this to it should have no purchase on that new form.
[He offers the sword to Kevin, his face deadly serious.]
This is our last resort. Can I trust you?
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Terror once again consumes the spirit and their roots begin to push out in resistance.]
"You can't come close! What if they ensnare you too?!"
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Understood.
[But at least she was more or less used to pushing herself past the point of exhaustion. Although she hadn't needed to recently. And she was getting exhausted, as exerting oneself with barely any sleep will do. She focused on having the illusions go on and on about second chances, and believing in the tree spirit.]
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The look in the spirit's eyes.
It's something she's seen before, she's certain. Of course, overexerting herself to the point of overdoing it has caused her to forget where, and when, and why -- but she knows.
It's like looking into a mirror of her past self.
Having everyone else around you believe and have faith, but still having your own doubts. ]
It's okay!
[ Hanyuu's rough voice tries its best to be reassuring. ]
If it ensnares me, I'll just push it back! Again, and again, and again!
[ No matter how many times it takes.
She won't make the same mistake again. ]
Someone once told me that by believing, you can make a miracle happen. I've seen it!
[ Who was that someone again? She... can't remember it, now. ]
You can't hesitate because you're afraid.
[ She's been afraid for so long, so she gets it. ]
Your 'fate' -- the one where you're doomed to be a monster, a Rumor forever -- I'll cut it myself! I'll show you what he said: [ What who said? ] that it's so thin that even my claws can break through it! No matter what, I'll keep fighting for you! That is what the people I love have taught me! So don't run away! You must fight, too! Because that... is how we'll achieve victory. Together!!
Because I'm not the only one that believes in that!
All of us do!
[ And so, she dives in, closer, closer... she needs to reach the spirit! If she can, then maybe...!! ]
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[After all, it was his duty to handle heavy artifacts if necessary and if he ever lost his bowgun, then he had to be prepared to use whatever other tools that were at his disposal. Reaching out to grasp the sword's hilt, Kevin lets out a light grunt before he holds it up. Yes, he could sense the holy energy radiating from the blade... It was such a beautiful sword that he felt that it would've made Agate jealous. A blade that was meant to smite evil if he had anything to say.
He stakes the sword into the ground as he listens out to Hanyuu's speech. Even in the middle of this tenacity, Kevin doesn't forget to smile. She really was fired about saving the damned kami before them... There might've been some anxiety in his heart about how long she could keep this up, but as she said... They had to believe.]
But as you said... We'll be saving this if Hanny fails. We can't forget that that she's a kami like the one we're dealing with, so we should give her some of our faith. She believes in us, so we gotta believe in her too!
[That being said, Kevin holds his hand in the air and towards Hanyuu as if he's transferring some of that "faith energy" over to her.]
--Hold those hands up, guys! Hold 'em up high and say "Give it your all, Hanny!!"
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[As a man whose previous life was spent, by and large, fighting against a God, it might come as some surprise that Soma does in fact have faith in some of them. And right now? He's choosing to have faith in Hanyuu. Pray for the best - prepare for the worst.]
[But Hanyuu isn't the only one putting their neck on the line right now. In this heightened state of awareness, he can sense Tau's strength begin to ebb. That certainly will not do - he takes a phial of glowing red liquid from his pocket and offers it to her.]
Here - it's not quite as effective as those candies, but it also doesn't have their side effects. Hang in there. We'll see this through yet.
[And finally, he turns his attention to the spirit.] If you lack strength, I can give it to you. I offer it willingly and freely, and the only thing I ask in return is that you believe. Both in yourself, and in us. We will make this right.
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Just a little more. Don't let her go, Hanyuu-san.
[The spirit's half-hearted attempts cannot force Hanyuu back. With another wail of despair, the spirit squirms in the hug.]
I don't want to risk it! This is my fault! I have to pay for my selfish wish, it's the only way! They'll never love me after all that I've done!
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Thank you.
[It seems like it turned out okay after all, because while she was still tired, her illusion was getting easier to maintain.]
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It's one that she should know, but Hanyuu's mind, after being in this form, after using her claws for so long...
She can't immediately place it.
It isn't as if she's lost the memories. Rather, it's like the memories themselves end up proverbially slip through her fingers like sand. They're there, but she can't reach them. That's what it feels like.
Thankfully, it's not like anyone can peek into her mind or physically tell that it's crumbling, falling apart at the seams. ]
Sometimes, you have to! If you don't take a leap of faith, if you don't take risks -- how can you possibly reach that happy ending!?
Everyone--
Everyone has had selfish wishes at times! You're not alone! Humans have them. Kami have them. And even if the whole world decides to hate you... I, alone, will not! You can trust that, on my word as Oyashiro-sama!! If not wanting to be alone is a sin, then I will carry that sin with you! If your wish is a sin, then I will take the burden of those sins within me! For that is my role!
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Just hold on for a little longer, alright? We're almost at a breakthrough.
[Then he hears out Hanyuu's speech again and a rather complex smile forms on his face. Her words came from a good place, but he could also see the hypocrisy within them. If you carry everyone's sins, then you become a sinner yourself. If you fight monsters, then you eventually become one. Kevin had also thought in a similar fashion that if he continued taking on sins to punish himself, then he could make up for his past failures. And if he wasn't saved by his friends, then who knows where he could've ended up...
As the man who carried the weight of a Stigma and the power of a demon within him... He knew the sins of loneliness and power. That's why he decides to say his next piece with less bravado than he usually projects, but his tone was sincere.]
And if she can't shoulder those sins alone, then we'll share the burden with her. After all, there's three of us here which means that we can split it all even. Sounds like a fair deal, yeah?
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[Hanyuu and Kevin's words resonate with Soma in some pretty interesting ways. Selfish wishes and sins? Yeah... he knew all about those, even if it was secondhand knowledge and experience.]
I once knew a man who lost himself in his rage and sorrow, long ago. The things he loved most dearly were cruelly ripped away from him, at a time when he wasn't there to stop it. That man cursed God and human alike, and plunged himself into a war that lasted for centuries... but in the end, he was reborn and redeemed. If there is hope for one so steeped in darkness as he was, then the Wheel of Samsara can surely turn for one such as you, whose only sin is the desire to love and be loved.
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[The spirit gasps. Holding onto Hanyuu like a lifeline and hearing so many people willing to forgive her-- The dark petals that fall from her eyes become pinkish blossoms and her eyes lose their dark hue. Between the four fighters, a wind begins to stir. It pulls the remaining blossoms, pure pink and gooey black alike, into a whirlwind. And with a flash of light, the kami of Love finally makes her appearance. Her red eyes briefly flash with anger, before the emotion cools into a calmer smile.]
Sorry for making you wait. Soma-san. Tau. Fancy Man-san [sry kevin. she isn't psychic.]... Hanyuu-san. It's alright now.
[She calmly scans the battle. Though she cannot tell that Hanyuu's memories are in turmoil, Satou can see that a foreign kami has taken up her role. And for that, she is very sorry. Closing her eyes, the kami steels herself against her guilt... then clasps her hands together in prayer. Magic fills the barrier that surrounds the tree, so thick that its floral scent permeates the air.
With her blessing transferred, Satou's eyes snap open and flash an emotional red glow]
If you've chosen Love as your kami, so be it!
Sorry, but I need your help! Hanyuu-san, please! Borrow my power and hold her spirit in place! Don't let her go!
You three-- Destroy her body and free her from this Rumor!
Don't be scared! Love and faith can do anything here... Even defy logic, even rewrite the laws-- Even bring about miracles!
[As soon as they seem to agree, Satou will take off across the field.]
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Understood.
[Tau dropped her illusion and dreamed up some fireballs to shoot at the lower half of the tree.]
sanity roll: 7
Her grip around the spirit tightens, her sharp claws that have extended out digging into their body. There's an inhuman snarl that comes from her lips as she nods before closing her eyes to extend her power.
She needs this power.
She desperately needs it, because as she is, she's weak.
She's just a small-time kami from a small village. Insignificant, small, and weak. The static permeates her brain.
She's here for their sake, and that alone. That's the only coherent thought that she has left, that continues to ground her. ]
I won't let go. No matter what... if this means I can save you, then—!
[ Don't let go don't let go don't let go don't let go don't let go don't let go-- ]
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[Look, he has to get one tsukkomi comeback in here! But it looks like they were given the green by the other kami in question. Tau was blasting away at the lower half of the tree, so he'd handle the upper half. And right now, Kevin felt like he could do anything... What better time than to use that. He never thought that he'd have to activate it in this place, but just as Hanyuu was tapping into great power. Kevin would also have to unveil his power. He turns to Soma for a moment with a determined expression.]
Soma, yeah? I'm gonna put this blade to good use! You couldn't had given me a better weapon!
[Lifting the sword into the air with both of his hands, Kevin takes a breath as he closes his eyes and an aura forms around his body. And a large blue seal blossoms out from his back like a pair of wings. The light radiating from it was very warm and protecting. This was the power of his Stigma... There were two sides to this power. One held despair and the other held hope. Both sides of his Stigma worked in an equilibrium for the perfect balance. Kevin, too, was afraid of this power. He was afraid of losing himself to the Stigma and creating another "sin" because of it.
But he couldn't forget the bonds that he's formed to walk onto the path of light. They were all here to save this kami from her suffering and loneliness. Resonating with the Stigma... Soma's blade will shine with a bright holy light. Then the knight opens his eyes with a chant as he dashes forward like a rocket.]
O blue seal carved within my soul's abyss, become a pillar of light upon this purgatory! Strike, sword of light...!
[Within his soul, he heard the name of the blade... Leaping into the air, Kevin cuts through the trunk with a flash of radiant cold steel.]
CLAIMH SOLAIS!!!
Warning: description of killing blow
[And Hanyuu... Hanyuu doesn't seem to be doing too well. There's a crazed edge to her that's giving Soma some 'oh no' vibes... but with Satou's arrival and the infusion of power, she does seem to be holding on, at least. Quite literally.]
[That just leaves... the spirit form Hanyuu is holding onto. With a sinking feeling, he realizes that Satou wasn't just talking about the tree. Quietly, he says to himself:] So... it falls to me to play the villain.
[It's with a heavy heart that he draws another blade from within his coat. This one is less flashy than Claimh, but no less storied - Kaladbolg. He raises the blade point up before himself and kisses the crossguard - a crusader's salute - and in a blur, rushes the spirit, impaling it through the chest from the side. The blade passes through the space that would contain both lungs and the heart, narrowly avoiding Hanyuu's arms.]
One life ends and another begins, kind spirit of the tree. Be reborn and know happiness and love unending. So long as we here gathered draw breath, you will neither be forgotten nor forsaken. Relinquish your pain and your sins unto us and tread the path of rebirth. In the name of life - in the name of love - be free of this curse.
[He quickly removes the blade from the spirit's side before it can begin to unravel, hot tears gathering at the corners of his eyes. The observant might notice they're tinged red.]
[Balanced on the flat of the blade is a seed, faintly glowing yellow. Soma takes hold of it gently, and holds it over his heart. Pricking his finger on its point, he utters an incantation under his breath, and between his fingers, the seed glows more brightly, turning a pure and vibrant red.]
[Kneeling, he uses his blade to dig a small hole, and deposits the seed inside before covering it. Finally, he infuses the soil with the power of Life... and those attuned to such things might notice that he, himself, is a little less alive afterwards. Might want to tone down that holy aura a bit, Kevin...]
cw: death
She cries out in surprise at first. Twitching in Hanyuu's arms, confused and scared-- Then, gasping lightly in surprise.]
"I'm... free..."
"That's right. You won't be burdened by this type of story any longer."
[Almost like an explosion, everything that the spirit had created bursts into cherry blossom petals. They hang in the air, which seems rose-tinted thanks to the kami's magic. The spirit's body dissolves much more slowly in Hanyuu's arms. Her body leans in, trying to return the embrace.]
"Thank... you..."
[When the body has vanished, a glowing light is left behind. It's absolutely tiny, easily missed among the cherry blossom petals, but it's free. The tree is gone, but the spirit remains.
The petals that had been held by the tree's branches begin to fall slowly to the ground. The barrier is dropped and they begin spreading through the city. Tiny petals, little pieces of the spirit's curse, distributed harmlessly and beautifully.]
... I'll be right back. [And Satou walks off towards Fight C.]
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What mattered more was that t̴̡̠͓͖̥̳̽́́̄͑͛h̸̰̹̜͕͕͆̾͋ě̷̖̲̲y̸̟̪̋ͅ were safe.
Yeah...
That's good.
But then -- there's a sound. As if something was attempting to hit glass. A crack. For those with good enough eyesight to see, they'll notice it.
Hanyuu's chipped horn, splitting even more.
That's when she lets out a primordial scream, her eyes flashing, her teeth bared sharp and the strong power coursing through her, but it only lasts a second, maybe two before it fades away.
Her form sheds into sparkling lights.
No longer does she look like the woman from years past.
She is back to how she usually is, the bright red color in her eyes turning back into its normal violet hues.
And she falls from the air. ]
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[The tree spirit was safe? It looks like it was a seed now and hopefully her family would come back. She was ready to go back to her room and nap for a week when she heard the scream.]
Ah? Ah. Wait. Uhm.
[She threw her arms out in front of her, and the first thing she thought of would appear under Hanyuu. Which since she was thinking of sleep a second ago is a cartoonishly big blue plush bed with frame that looked like wood carved to be clouds. If Hanyuu lands on it it'll be extra bouncy too.]
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But what he could sense from Hanyuu gave him a big chill. Something was coming and he was ready to brace himself for the worst. But he hears something snapping and narrows his eyes... Something broke and turned her back to the more petite form that he was used to. He had a small theory in his head, but he'd have to leave it aside for now.
With his Stigma disappearing and retracting back into the confines of his soul, Kevin couldn't help and run over to the newly created bed that Hanyuu had landed on. Right now, his comrades took precedence over the pain and fatigue that he was feeling right now.]
Hanny! Khhh... [Okay, note to self. Don't yell too much.] Uh, Tau... Thanks for the save there. Dunno if I could've pulled off a princess carry right now.
[He takes another breath as he looks over to Soma. He was also worried about him... Not only did his Grail Sphere affect him, but so did using the holy side of his Stigma.]
Guess I owe you a drink for all the crap that I put you through today. How you holdin' up, buddy?
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He was already making ready to catch Hanyuu when Tau intervened, and he deflates a bit, relieved that he won't need to rely on the chaos ring's power any further. At least... not yet. Turning to Kevin, he offers a pained smile.]
Nothing rest and medicine won't fix. I wasn't expecting holy magic - it's one of the few things that can really hurt me in a lasting way. The dangers of being a dhampir.
[He sighs, and looks down at Hanyuu.] I fear for her. She hasn't come through this unscathed - none of us have, but her perhaps most of all.
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And another relief is that she's still conscious.
...however, her form seems to be flickering in and out of existence, as if struggling to maintain her physicality.
Her eyes gaze up, as if searching for something. ]
It's over now, right...?
[ Her voice is much softer now, but there's a struggle to her words. ]
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