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daxieoclock · 1 year ago

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Hunters Masterpost 2: First Dungeon

(Refer to this post for a summary of the protagonists.)

This will be a summary of all major plot events during the Hunters campaign during the first dungeon: hunting the Celestial Behemoth.

The first few months of sessions had a lot of growing pains, including multiple player characters retconned out of "canon" so I'll be summarizing events with those retcons in mind. Without any further ado...

Chapter 1: Icarus

Our curtain rises on a quiet Friday in January at Belknap College. It's modern day (minus covid), inner state New York, and we find ourselves in the office of Belknap's dean of humanities: Erin Sakio. She's not here. She triple-booked herself with three students at the same time and didn't show up. In the meantime, those students make small talk and introduce themselves.

Blake Leto, silver tongued young celebrity, famous for being falsely accused of killing a police officer and currently on tenuous parole.

Lena Tarr, rough-talking rabblerouser with a visable limp and a penchant for lashing out at teachers and counselors alike.

Ilse Belanger, who comfortably blends into a crowd. They might qualify for valedictorian if people remembered their name.

Awkward small talk is interrupted by a parcel dropping from the ceiling onto Miss Sakio's desk. A paper wrapped object and a very living bluebird, apparently a robin. Curioisity wins over shock, and the trio unwraps the package, finding a letter addressed to Sakio and an ornate dark key.

–ensuring that your standard issue equipment is accounted for, please insert the enclosed Tindalos Key into the nearest corner. You may count yourself lucky to be among our ranks, but please know we consider you and each of your peers to be your own unique blessing. The duty you perform is beyond vital, and your success ensures that your home, your Earth, will survive. The World Must Turn On. Signed, V.P. of the Daedalus Collective.

Blake jokingly calls the bird "Icarus," a name that sticks like glue. Ilse, fiddling with the key, tries to follow the letter's instructions. After touching it to a corner of the room, the key vanishes and the walls peel open, revealing an impossible purple hallway. A gate into another world. Curiosity wins out again, and the trio head inside.

Blake, Ilse and Lena find themselves in an enormous junkyard underneath a violet sky. While they're taking in the sights, they find themselves face to face with another person, a confused looking Camellia Pavel, college dropout, who was personally delivered their own key and letter and stumbled into this world...about a half hour ago.

While Camellia gratefully chows down on a snack Lena happened to bring, Blake and Ilse take inventory of their surroundings. Blake in particular finds a small purple book, a childhood journal they lost years ago, with everything within still as it once was. As they question that impossibility, the four hear a new voice.

The boy’s impish grin widened into a crocodile smile. “My name is Puck, and this,” he gestured to the junkyard around him, “is the Spiral of Forfeit.” He kicked his heels against the backrest of the chair. “It is where lost things are found, where the abandoned flock, where the discarded may be granted a second chance at life. It is also, as you have correctly identified, my home.”

Puck warns the four of nearby "scavengers," and suggests they arm themselves before vanishing as abruptly as he appeared. Sure enough, a swarm of monsters appear: floating Jack-o-Lantern creatures made of scrap metal, shrieking accusations of thievery. Our newfound party grabs improvised weapons from the junk around them and begins to fight.

While they hold their own as well as they can, the monsters and their fire magic is too much, and the party falters. Blake, however, stares down at their journal as light erupts from their left wrist. Silver text etching itself across childhood pages, a voice without tongue.

“Fuck it… no more. I hear you.” Eyes opening again to a determined stare. “Artemis!”

An ethereal maiden, eyes closed and expression drenched in serenity, a moonlit beauty, both her long hair and that gorgeous bow in her hands braided with the same five-petal white flowers. She reached up, elegantly pulling an arrow – wood woven into a beautiful spiral with a silver arrowhead – from the quiver on her back and nocking it.

Blake brushed a stray hair out of their face and locked their gaze at Camellia. A little smirk graced their lips, and their focus turned towards the scrambling scrap-metal monsters. “If I’m to be the Killer Prince, I might as well play the part. Come then, my other self.” And they snapped their journal closed, bright light spilling forth from some glowing sigil across their wrist. “Let us hunt.”

Artemis's first attack scatters the Pyro Junks, and rallies Blake's new allies. And, it seems, causes a chain reaction. Three more glowing sigils etch themselves in flesh. Three more names leap to lips. Three more Personas make their appearance.

Lena tenses every muscle in her body, then goes almost totally limp. "Well, I'm sure not gonna let myself get pushed around by these fuckers." When she lifts her head, her grin is manic and hungry. "Goliath!"

And a brand forms there. A stone, broken in half. And the giant stands by your side, this monstrous ethereal brute, clad in engorged armor. On his shoulder, a knight, sitting as if to direct the violence. Goliath laughs again, and you can all hear the war drums in his voice.

Ilse looks up to from where they hear the voice. Their call is more of a whisper. "Clotho"

And the string is pulled taught. You know where it leads. There is pain, sharp and intense, and it fades in an instant. A brand resembling a pair of scissors, a few inches below your throat. And a newfound strength in your lungs.

Running would be so easy… wouldn't it? … No. They had more pride than that. Camellia clenched the front of their sweater with their free hand and looked to the sky, eyes twinkling as if full of stars. "Hecate."

Everyone, you feel the bells. Echoing in your ears, ringing to and fro. Hecate rears up beside you, a woman's form wrapped in violet dress, but with four canine legs, and three white-fur wolf heads sprouting from her neck. A staff in one hand, a gem at its tip shining with otherworldly energy.

The four new Persona-wielders make quick work of the swarm and head back towards the gate they came through, only to be stopped by a more fearsome beastie: a lumbering Junk Frost.

While the party holds their own, the final blow is not theirs.

"Chorus!" There is a glimmer of light, and a sudden hum. Not a buzzing but a resonance, a dozen voices in harmony. White robed figures, in masks, floating around the Junk Frost. Singing. They raise their hands in unison, and a bolt of light descends from on high. It strikes the top of the Frost's head and pierces it cleanly, smashing into the earth with a loud crash. Those figures, that Chorus, fade. And the Junk Frost just sort of teeters there for a moment before falling back completely.

As the defeated Junk Frost lets off smoke, you can see someone standing behind the felled monster. A figure in the smoke. You can't make them out at first, but then as some nonexistent wind blows away the smoke, and you can see them clearly.

It's a woman, with reddish-brown hair tied into a tight bun. She's wearing something resembling a knight's armor, but it's made of white cloth, light but effective-looking. A cape-like cloth is draped over her right arm. In her left, she carries a rapier, which seems to shimmer in this odd light. And she is staring at you, with blue eyes wide and her jaw hanging open. You know this woman. You know her very well. But you don't quite remember her every having a tattoo – you think you might recall something as audacious as a musical note tattooed on her throat. And you definitely wouldn't have expected to see her here.

And Miss Sakio, dean of humanities, splutters out "what the absolute fuck."

Chapter 2: The World Turns On

Miss Sakio leads the party back through the gate into her office, her ostentatious outfit vanishing as she steps back into reality, replaced with the simple sharp suit she usually wears. Even though she, Camellia, Blake, Ilse and Lena are all exhausted, the five still field a long conversation, with the party catching Sakio up on what they just went through, and Sakio herself pulling back the curtain on the hidden world they've stumbled into.

The junkyard is the Spiral of Forfeit, one of many areas within a world known as Fractals, a dark mirror of our world. The monsters the party faced are variant species of Shadow, birthed from collective fear and imagination.

Shadows tend to obey even stronger creatures, the Behemoths, which act as deities. Before they're even fully born, a Behemoth's personality and whims shape the area they call home, and Shadows in that area will align themselves with this "aesthetic," as servants to their g-d.

Behemoths are not always malicious, but they have an insatiable hunger. Even the kinder ones will eat until they grow large enough to emerge into our world, shattering the barrier between Fractals and reality, ending the world as we know it.

The Daedalus Collective is an organization that funds teams of Persona users, giving them Tindilos keys to access Fractals and assigning them to scout areas or hunt Behemoths, culling them before they can grow large enough to threaten our world.

Erin Sakio, dean of humanities at Belknap College, moonlights as a Shadow Hunter for Daedalus. She's been assigned to find the currently-unborn Behemoth that rules over the Spiral, and kill it. Her Persona is Chorus (and her Arcana is Temperance).

Personas are powerful weapons born from oaths of self-actualization. If a human in Fractals swears this oath, their true inner self will manifest under that human's control, etching a "Brand" onto their skin as proof of their bond. Each Brand is distinct, and only other Persona users can see them.

Now that the party all has their own Brands, someone from Daedalus will eventually notice and scout them. To get out ahead of it, Sakio (who distrust the organization she works for) asks the party to join Daedalus as her teammates.

After some time to think, the party agrees, and are whisked off the next day to an unmarked white office building a few miles from the college, which they can now see ethereal blue lettering on, marking it as Daedalus's HQ. Miss Sakio takes them inside to meet with Amil Fischer, her assigned "Liaison"...and ex girlfriend.

Amil used to be Sakio's teammate, but an injury on the job exacerbated his existing physical disability, leaving them reliant on Daedalus's extremely generous employment benefits. Now they act as a Liaison, ferrying orders to various teams of Shadow-Hunters, and reporting their successes and failures to the hidden higher-ups. An anonymous meritocracy is maintained.

Blake, Ilse, Lena and Camellia work through their remaining concerns and agree to work for Daedalus. Blake, impromptu leader, names the team "the Hunters;" and they are given their first mission:

Travel to the spire within the Spiral of Forfeit, climb it and slay the Celestial Behemoth at its peak.

The next few days pass in a blur as the Hunters prepare in their own ways.

Lena meets up with "Twitch" Blum, a classmate and acquaintance with a campus reputation for his public displays of anxiousness and general jumpiness. Him and Lena hit it off pretty well, but it's still an awkward affair.

Blake has an unexpectedly tense back and forth with their RA, Masumi Saito, well-kept head of the student body and "sharpest motherfucker alive" award four years running. Rumor has it she keeps a gun in her dorm and gets away with it. She also has some manner of history with "Saint Sakio," and treats Blake with cold suspicion for their newfound affiliation. The two exchange veiled barbs and then part ways.

(Masumi, though an NPC, is the creation of @lilyhoshikawa who also plays Blake, and permitted me to use Masumi for this campaign)

Ilse visits Lena (and Lena's longtime friend and roommate Rita) and the two make clear their mutual distrust of Daedalus's shady bullshit, with Lena in particular suggesting that saving Behemoths might be an option, though neither knows how to go about it yet. When Ilse returns to their room, they ponder over an old damaged angel figurine, a knickknack from their childhood friend Stephen. They remember how alone they felt when they left him. They don't feel quite as alone anymore.

Blake sees a patch of flowers near campus and remembers the field of wild sunflowers next to their home, the one they'd sneak out to when their parents would fight. They wonder if it's still there, like the journal is. Lost. To be found again.

Lena heads to the student store to spend her first paycheck from Daedalus, and gets immediately distracted helping out the two deeply bisexual work-study employees: Bee and Theo. Bee is a neurotic control freak and Theo is a former surfer dude, and the two are fucking inseparable, the best of friends. Lena offers to help them find some stolen store product (initiating a detour sidequest with Ilse I won't cover in full) and fun banter is exchanged.

Camellia's rent anxieties drive them to stop by Amil, awkwardly asking about bonus opportunities. Maybe even solo work? Amil gently pushes them to stick to working with their team, and promises to advocate for early assignment pay if things go pear-shaped in Fractals. They've got Camellia's back, same as the rest of the Hunters.

Chapter 3: The First Hunt

The Hunters assemble in a small break room in one of Belknap's buildings. Sakio used it when she and Amil were on a team together: the Hound Table. It's a windowless room with a single round table, a bunch of chairs, and a plastic potted plant. Still, pomp and circumstance and legacy. Sakio produces a Tindilos Key (rationed to her by Daedalus), opens the Gate into Fractals, and the party heads inside.

And immediately gets seperated, with Sakio landing at the base of the Spire, while the rest of the Hunters are plopped back in Puck's "living room" for another round of Q&A with the fae boy – and a chance to show off the new Fractals-only combat outfits given to them by Daedalus. After reaffirming that he's on the Hunters' side, Puck magically opens the way forward, giving them a clear shot to the Spiral Spire, home of the Celestial Behemoth, where Sakio meets back up with them.

As they all travel inside, Artemis starts feeding Blake environmental information through text in their journal, her navigational skills making themselves apparent. The Hunters go floor by floor of this tower of junk, fighting a number of minor Shadows, each made of discarded scrap. It takes them a couple days of expedition, using an in-built dumbwaiter as shortcut, and taking multiple days of break in between to not burn out.

During one of these breaks, Camellia asks Sakio to come with them on what they present as an impromptu walk in one of Belknap's graveyards. Camellia spends the whole walk cracking wise, to the point where Sakio clearly starts to suspect they're forcing it, when they reach a particularly well maintained grave. "Frey," with the last name carefully scratched out so no trace of it remains.

Camellia's mask slips as they place a metal flower on the grave. This was a friend of theirs. This was their best friend. Sakio silently takes that in, and reaches into her pocket to pull out a small scuffed metal pin with an etching of a rose on it. She places it down on Frey's grave and thanks them for the chance to meet.

Meanwhile, Lena delivers a handmade flowerpot to Amil, Ilse and Twitch visit a nearby museum together, and Blake visits their favorite place: a cat cafe named Le Petit Prince with the very old and very friendly calico Herbert.

Finally, the Hunters return to Fractals and storm through the remaining floors of the Spire. However, on their way back, they end up running into a classmate fighting for their life against a powerful Shadow. They recognize them: Sammy Cabra, college freshman and general Silly Fellow (gender neutral). Sammy found the blue robin Icarus in reality and was guided to and through the gate, where they found themselves in Fractals and awakened to their persona: Neko Shogun The Hunters help rescue Sammy, and after a quick debate, agree to have them become part of the team. Sakio takes Sammy to get registered with Daedalus, and the rest of the Hunters crash, resting up for the Behemoth fight.

Chapter 4: Red Bloom

After a few days of rest, recuperation and bond-building with their new teammate, the Hunters return to Fractals. Sakio, Blake, Ilse, Lena, Camellia and Sammy use the dumbwaiter to ascend the Spire, stepping out into the tenth floor vestibule, beyond which the birthing Behemoth waits in his chamber.

There is someone in their way. Someone who radiates fury and strength. Someone who may not be exactly human.

The moment she sees the woman, Sakio lets out a sound like she's been stabbed, eyes wide and fearful. She stands motionless at the top of the stairs, frozen. Almost shaking.

The woman gazes to the side, through those cracks in the metal of the tower walls. Has the breeze picked up? Or had it always been nearly howling, quiet, like the distant sound of snarling wolves. "My father called me his little primrose, once. I would say that's the best of the names he called me." If her tone was calm before, this is anger. Fire boiling beneath every word. "But flowery language doesn't suit this place. Ugly, and garish." She looks back at you, almost through you, like you're made of paper. "You may refer to me as Prim. Or, if you like, you need not refer to me at all."

[Full dialogue for this scene is available here for those interested.]

Prim verbally dresses down the Hunters one by one, making clear she doesn't want to stop them from killing the Behemoth. She just wants to see if they're worthy of Puck's attention, of being his crusaders. This is a test. And every word is a failure.

Sakio, furthermore, clearly has a history with this woman, a history that fills her with dread. She doesn't take a step.

But Blake does.

They tuck their book under one arm, right hand reaching over and gripping their left wrist tightly. “To answer your question. I do intend to take full responsibility for my teammates here. And if you’re intent on interfering, I ask that you…” they flinch, muttering a curse under their breath. “I ask that you go through me first.”

While Prim isn't phased by this display, Blake's courage does soften her approach somewhat, giving the remaining Hunters a chance to freely advocate for their worth. When Lena openly mocks Prim's sharpness, Prim lists off three names: Vladamir, Amelie, Roland. Three of Daedalus's that she's killed. Three of Daedalus's that Sakio watched her kill.

When she turns her attention to Camellia, Prim finds an odd ethereal resistance, like the air itself wants her to leave them alone.

"How curious. And here I thought he didn’t pick favorites.”

After one last bout of open disdain, Prim manifests a shadowy flicker, like a Persona bathed in dark, and uses it to punch a hole in the vestibule wall, vanishing through it.

The Hunters explode in argument, all ire turned towards Sakio and her festering secrets, but she pleads with them to wait. She'll answer their questions, she promises, but they need to kill the Behemoth still. Begrudgingly, the party makes their way into the room beyond the vestibule and prepare for battle.

The world uncurls. Almost as if it's resisting the motion, pulling back into a form by strength of will alone. You finally see the thing before you, the so-called Celestial Behemoth, in all its horrid glory. His skin is grey and stretched, like a bodysuit pulled too tight, and it's covered in green lines and odd indentations like inconsistent scales. His hands are outstretched, fingers long as his palm. And his wide mouth is full of sharp teeth, and a long black tongue that lolls out the side. Bulging eyes spinning in a reptilian skull. Those eyes focus. First up, towards the sky. Then down, towards you. And he screams. A roar that could spit the heavens.

Blake, your journal snaps open. Shuddering with fear and hunger, Artemis writing not in silver but in crimson ink as dark as blood.

The Celestial Behemoth Star Arcana J A B B E R W O C K

[Full fight and extra art is available here for those interested]

The Jabberwock is a more powerful opponent than any they've faced before, protected by a divine veil and habitually charging up devastating attacks behind an anti-magic barrier. The Hunters are caught off-guard by one of these attacks, explosions rocking the room. Camellia uses their last Salvation to protect Ilse. But Sammy, just out of their reach, is knocked unconscious.

Sakio, in a panicked rush, crushes a golden bead – a late-game revival item – and sprinkles the dust over Sammy, who gasps back to lucidity. Still injured, but conscious again. When the Hunters recover from the shock of seeing their teammate collapse, they turn back to the Jabberwock with vengeance in their eyes and hearts. Sakio stops holding back, and empowers her students with an enhanced version of her Rebel Will skill.

The Counterstrike begins.

The Hunters unload damage on the Jabberwock, bringing it to its knees for Sakio to deliver the coup de gras, sending the reptilian Celestial through the floor of the arena, crashing down through layer after layer of its Spire. It does not rise again.

Part 1 Epilogue: Red Wilt

The Hunters return to the Hound Table, spent beyond belief. Once again, they turn to Sakio, waiting for her. The truth, as promised.

"After I left my first BaSH team – after Amil was injured – I joined a Daedalus operation requiring a large number of Persona-users, to slay multiple Behemoths which had cohabitated together and grown as one." She purses her lips. "The Director oversaw that operation firsthand. And, once it had been completed, that was when she struck." Her tone tense, eyes distant. "She injured multiple Daedalus operatives in a mad gambit to murder the Director. Two of the Director's personal aids were..." Sakio trails off. "From the reports afterwards, all I was told is she is likely some manner of rogue Persona-user who has decided to ally herself with the Behemoths, for whatever reason." And she looks at Blake. "That is all I know."

It's not the full truth. But it's not a lie either. The party leaves, exhausted, frustrated. Victorious and unsatisfied.

Blake, Lena, Ilse, Camellia and Sammy wake to the sound of a robin's song and the corner of their rooms peeling open. A gate not violet, but a steady velvet blue. Through it, they find themselves back in Fractals, in Puck's junkyard abode. The Spire collapsed, but the Spiral remains.

Puck greets the party warmly, congratulating them both on slaying their first Behemoth and being lucky enough to be visited by Prim – a joy he hasn't shared for months now. The two clearly have history, but Prim has resigned herself to solitude, and her visits have become more and more frequent. And, he won't tell the party what her "deal" is. Secrets better kept than confessed.

However, he does expand the limits of his services. Through his permission, the Hunters (Sakio excluded) may freely travel into Fractals to visit him without the use of a Tindilos key. He'll also keep a stock of valuable items, purchasable with simple and generous barter (a little snack here or there). And...should they wish to speak Prim again for whatever reason (Lena and Blake seem especially interested)...he'll find a way to let them.

The curtain closes on a little fae boy's impish smile, and the distant grumbling of a red-eyed murderer.

TO BE CONTINUED...

#the hunters #blake leto #ilse belanger #sammy cabra #lena tarr #camellia pavel #erin sakio #amil fischer #masumi saito #lucy twitch blum #puck #prim

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daxieoclock · 2 years ago

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The Division of Day and Night: Hunters Highlights

(Art, with permission, is by the wonderful @thesunsetbox. Medusa’s reference image is “Herohero” from the Overlord manga.

This entire sequence is a twofold homage, crossing over dialogue and imagery from the visual novel We Know The Devil and the short horror game Anatomy. I would heavily suggest checking out both, they’re both incredible live-changing pieces of fiction.)

Context:

After the Hunters’ continuing success, the Director of the Daedalus Collective - Gregory Petrikov - personally grants them a mission above their usual station: to slay a Behemoth Shadow known as “the Giant” alongside their established rivals, Team Trinity. However, once they enter Fractals again, they find Trinity attempting to beat them to the punch. They catch up, and the two teams get in a violent scrap. Their fight is interrupted by the Giant’s interference, and Trinity manages to slip away, but not before Blake fires an arrow at their leader and Ilse’s old friend, Stephen. In order to save the life of their foe, Camellia calls on the power of the unseen entity known as Icarus to destroy the arrow before it reaches him.

Stephen is protected, but that power weighs heavily on Camellia, and they collapse from exhaustion. Forced to retreat, the Hunters return to reality and drive Camellia to the hospital. On the way there, Lena gets a phone call informing her that friend of the party Warner Blum, known to most as Twitch, vanished abruptly a few days ago, while the gang was still out of cell phone range. As soon as Camellia is situated and safe, the Hunters prepare to return to Fractals and track down Trinity. However, before they can do so, two injured people stumble out of the portal the Hunters opened in the hospital bathroom. Stephen and his ally Kaya, two of team Trinity. Apparently their third, Lucien, was...”taken” by the Behemoth, and Twitch is possibly being held hostage by the Giant as well. Now even more on edge, the Hunters head back into the Fugue District, and towards the Giant’s signal...

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) You find yourself in a clearing, surrounded by buildings that tilt upwards, forming a sort of cage. Surrounding you. Boxing you in. At the center of the clearing, there's a pool of dark liquid. It looks like an oil leak, but ripples like water. And there's someone in a red hoodie, brown hair in a ponytail, on their knees, crumpled and limp in that dark water, clothes stained with the ichor. Twitch.

"And here I thought you were never gonna show. Guess you proved me wrong. You're stupider than I gave you credit for." The voice comes from on high. From the top of the lowest building, right in front of you. A young man kicking his legs over the side, smirking down at you. A young man with short purple hair that flows around his head like he's drifting through water. With scars that seem both vivid and faint. Bright blue eyes that now have slit pupils and black sclera. And a Brand gleaming unlight around his neck. A tattoo of two hands, wrapped around his throat, as if it's trying to choke him.

Lucien.

Lucien, who regards you all with a predatory smirk.

Lucien, with a new Brand glowing with the same dark light that Lena's temporary bond to Mimsy once did.

Lucien, who now looks far less like himself. And far more like Prim.

Lena Tarr (Dave) "Hey!" Lena points a finger at him. "You scared those other two assholes to death, idiot!" All the while, she's carefully inching forward towards Twitch.

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Lucien is going to laugh. "Oh, like I should fucking care about those two chumps. What, you're gonna drag me back out of this place so we can all make up and sing Kumbaya?" He throws up an L with his fingers. "Fat chance, Sports Bra. I've got a new buddy here, and he's real damn convincing. You've met him, yeah?"

His eyes shine, his Brand pulses with shadow. "He goes by Bandersnatch. And he's a real good pal. Told me I could mess with you fuckers however I like, so long as I keep you away from him." He leans back, humming to himself. "And I'm not that hard to convince, you know. So long as it means I get to break you all down? No complaints here."

Ilse Belanger (Ralu) Ilse takes a couple of steps closer, but stops before being close enough that they could touch the liquor if they tripped

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) And you're tossing a rock in?

Ilse Belanger (Ralu) Yeah! Assuming I there’s one to pick up?

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) sure! You toss a pebble into the pool. And it ripples in...a really weird way. Like you've disturbed something there. You get the distinct impression that if you were to take a step into this inch-deep pool, that you might not get your foot back.

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) Blake shrugs dramatically. “I think you’ve missed the mark, Lucien. I don’t care about your team. In fact, I nearly put an arrow in your leader’s head myself. Your life has hardly any value to anyone.” And Blake runs, a spinning motion as they swipe across their brand, Artemis manifesting in an instant. And as they come to a stop, they’re right in position to strike Lucien with a clear shot. “Make no mistake. You’re an obstacle.” And Artemis fires.

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Something bursts out of the ichor. Not an arm. A mouth at the end of a black tendril. And it snaps down on the arrow mid-flight, breaking it in half, biting it apart before slowly slinking back down into the dark water.

Lucien bursts into shrill laughter. "Prince, Prince, Prince. Come on now, you think I'd really just let you run wild, do whatever you want?" His eyes gleam with anger and hunger. "This is Bandersnatch's playground. You're in over your pretty little head."

Twitch starts mumbling. Indistinct. He's alive, and awake, and he's saying something.

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) Blake grimaces, then smirks. “A compliment and a hint? You’re too kind. Or perhaps too stupid.” They’ll turn Artemis’ attention toward Twitch.

Lena Tarr (Dave) "I shouldn't try to swim to Twitch, right?" Lena whisper-yells to Ilse.

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) (the pool is an inch deep, as far as you can tell)

Lena Tarr (Dave) THATS EVEN FUNNIER

Ilse Belanger (Ralu) Ilse shakes their head and puts a hand on Lena’s shoulder

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Blake, the Revival Bead in your pocket is warm. It's hot. It's pulsing. Beating like a heartbeat, so warm you're worried your leg might catch on fire. It's very, very warm.

It feels alive.

Lucien smirks down at you. Like he knows. "I'm surprised you're still carrying that thing around. Come on, don't you know what that little marble is, even?" He laughs again, giving you a toothy grin. "Come on, Prince. I know you want to ask. Go ahead. Ask me what it is."

Lena Tarr (Dave) Lena throws a rock towards him, missing by a long shot. "Fuck off!"

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) “I don’t waste my time interrogating idiots,” Blake says. “I’ll get it out of your boss. Just pray you live to see it.”

They will attempt to fire an arrow at Twitch.

Lena Tarr (Dave) CAN LENA STOP THAT

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) you can definitely try how do you attempt to?

Lena Tarr (Dave) like. desperately communicate to goliath thru their bond to make artemis' bow Not point that way

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Goliath knocks Artemis's bow to the side, and the arrow jolts away from its target. It slams into the ichor next to Twitch, rippling the water. He doesn't react.

Lena Tarr (Dave) "Are you fucking insane? That's Twitch! You can't fucking shoot them!"

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) “And why not?” Blake says, narrowing their eyes to glare at Lena.

Lena Tarr (Dave) "Because they're Twitch!" She babbles incoherently for a bit. "We can't just! Start hitting people whenever we want! Kindergarten taught us!"

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) Blake’s face morphs in anger, baring their teeth. “And prison taught me that rule only applies to the powerful.” Before you have a chance to question that, they have Artemis aim another arrow at Twitch.

“They’re possessed and they have been possessed by a force that wants us dead. We stop them now or we sit down and let them kill us.”

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Lucien rolls his eyes. "You're no fucking fun. Goody two-shoes and mean old murder Prince. Boooooring." He leans in, somewhat conspiratorially. "Hey, here's a freebie. I'll tell you anyway, cause I'm nice." He nods to Blake, and the bead pulses even more, light and sound spilling out of their pocket. You can all hear it now. A panicked, desperate heartbeat. "See, I didn't know either, until Banders started feeding me all the answers. He's a helpful fucker like that. That thing, little bead guy? It's a Shadow Seed."

He leans back again, smirking down at you. "Apparently, every human's got one in here. Most of the time, they're dormant; those golden ones, the ones we can use. They won't hatch, cause there's not enough bad thoughts. But the green ones? Oh, those are the dangerous little fuckers. Cause that means you've got an active time bomb ticking away, a Shadow ready to hatch." He grins with his eyes at you. "And whose do you think Stephen found in here?"

Lucien's gaze slowly turns down towards Twitch, who is still mumbling something. Louder now, you can hear him.

"I've been...dreaming. About eyes. Growing all over me." He curls inward, hugging himself, shuddering. The water distorts. Patterns, distortions in reaction to a sound none of you can hear. "They're on me, and in me. And I can't cover them up because she's holding down my hands." A potent ripple at the word. As if a stomach, churning in anger. "And they just keep growing, they keep...being more of me, until I'm nothing left but irises and pupils and bundles of fucking nerves!"

Blake. The Bead shatters in your pocket.

Twitch's head snaps up. Eyes open, wide. Yellow eyes. A shuddering breath. And he screams, tilting his head back and letting out a pained and furious howl that echoes through this false reality, twisting and distorting the air.

A form rises out of the pool behind him. Arms already reaching around, as if to protect Twitch, shield him from you. An indistinct body, plump and twisted. Dripping with black ooze. A Shadow. Twitch's Shadow.

Blake, your journal flips to an empty page. Not silver text, nor the red of the Behemoths. But a calm, simple black.

Medusa Lovers Arcana P R I M E

First in the order is Lucien

"Let's make things a little more fun, huh?" And he snaps his fingers.

Heat Riser.

A pulse of multicolored light, and Medusa swats at it, even as it envelops her, empowers her. She doesn't seem happy at the assistance. A mouth forms on her shoulder and snaps idly at Lucien, who just laughs.

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) Megido megido megido Violence kill death

Blake stumbles back as the bead shatters, Artemis fading momentarily, but then quickly stumble back to their feet and Artemis reforms in her full form.

Blake’s mind is racing. Lucien’s an annoying brat, but on his own he’s likely not a threat, and the main enemy is obviously Twitch… or Medusa, whatever. Best hit them as hard as they can right away.

They grin. “Lena won’t protect you this time, Twitch. Now get out of my sight for good.” And they fire.

Lena Tarr (Dave) Lena straight up just screams.

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Medusa reacts immediately, surrounding Twitch completely. The force of the blast tears away at the ooze that composes her, and her body steams and hisses from the blast. But when the light fades, Medusa uncurls, letting you see Twitch again. He's still somewhat limp, rocking ever so slightly from side to side. Yellow eyes glazed over.

Lena Tarr (Dave) "Twitch, wake up, buddy!"

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Sammy turn. They're going to nervously look back and forth between Blake and Twitch, and then they're going to scoot over to defend Ilse. Shield up, almost recoiling from the scene. "Ready steady," they mumble. "Ready steady. Ready steady."

Lena Tarr (Dave) Lena is gonna stand between Twitch and Medusa and the other hunters in a defensive pose- defending Twitch. "I'm not letting you hurt someone for no good fucking reason! Without even fucking trying anything else!"

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) There's a long second where the Shadow regards you, Lena. Maybe she's considering something. Maybe she wants to fight as little as you do.

"Liar." Twitch says. A little vitriolic sing-song. "Liar, liar, liar." He giggles, pressing his head into the ooze surrounding him, getting ichor in his hair. "You said I was brave. You said I was good." His eyes shine with pain and hate. "Still jealous of me, Lena?"

And Medusa leans back and a lets out a deafening scream from a thousand mouths.

Nihil Klaxon The Siren Countdown Has Begun 3 -> 2 Lucien is going to burst out laughing at you. "Really? You're defending that? It's literally trying to kill you!" He runs a hand back through his gravity-defying hair. "Fuck, this is too good. Wish I had a camera." And snickers to himself. "Anyway, let's try this." Snaps his fingers again.

Blake, you successfully dodge out of the way as the ground below you erupts, and two huge hands clamp together like an enormous jaw on the spot you occupied a second before.

The ground is also now covered in that dark water. You are all standing ankle deep in Medusa's pool. Lena, the dark ooze is sticking to your skin, like tar, hot and angry and painful

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) They shake their head, scoffing. And they glare at Lena silently for a moment, before tilting their head up and grinning at her. “Well, look at that, Lena. You can’t protect anyone after all.”

Ilse Belanger (Ralu) Can Ilse try to use the lullaby? Would that do something here? (Does ooze sleep?)

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Pick your target, medusa or twitch

Ilse Belanger (Ralu) Twitch

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) what's the lullaby? any song in particular? clotho does have the whole string of life dealio, so she can play along djfgbhj

Ilse Belanger (Ralu) I don’t have the words for it, but Ilse remembers a lullaby from their childhood, about a young bird lost at night in a strange forest. It might be scary, but there’s a way back home towards a safe nest

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) im not even gonna roll to resist. Twitch conks out.

Ilse Belanger (Ralu) !!!

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) He just slumps against Medusa, eyes closed, breathing deep. And she seems...a little relieved. Or distracted, maybe. Making sure he doesn't fall, adjusting him with little tendrils of dark water.

Lena Tarr (Dave) Lena gently speaks to Medusa. "We don't have to fight. I know you only want to protect Twitch. I want that too. I know we can find a way." And she defends Medusa.

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Medusa's ichor roils. She's angry. She's so, so angry. So hurt. You get the feeling she doesn't want to hurt you.

But she will. She'll tear you apart.

Nihil Klaxon Siren Countdown 2 -> 1

You all get the feeling bad things happen if that reaches 0

Lena. Medusa is going to punch you. As hard as she can.

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) As Lena flies back, she can sense Artemis moving behind her. There’s a moment where you probably wince on instinct- last you saw her, Artemis still had her bow out, arrow cocked, ready to attack. But she catches you gently, in both arms. She holds you so carefully, so tenderly. And something like an apology whispers through her as her form disperses.

Lena Tarr (Dave) She turns to look at Blake, throwing her hands up. "Wanna see me not die?! Help me calm them! You have the brain! Please!"

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Lucien snickers again. "Man, you guys fucking suck at this. Ah, well. Banders is gonna be giddy as shit." And he snaps his fingers.

Another Heat Riser sweeps across Medusa, buffing her attack again. She doesn't resist this one. The yellow eyes beneath that water are two furious flames. She wants to end you. And she is fully capable of doing so.

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) Blake steps forward, in front of you all, quietly tucking their journal into a back pocket of your cape you never noticed until now. They look back at you, Lena, with a quiet glare. Firm, but not angry. “We try it your way, Lena,” they mutter, just loud enough for you to hear. “One time.”

And they stand in front of you all, between you and them. “Medusa,” they say. “I know you’re angry. I can feel it. Because I know that anger.” They grin. “I know it very well. And I know how it works. People telling you to calm down, that they’re here for you? That doesn’t quell the anger. It just makes you angrier. Doesn’t it? You must be downright furious.”

They hold their arms out wide. “I’m sure you know this, but Twitch hates me. Passionately, jealously despises me. Every time we’ve met I’ve felt it boiling over. I’ve mocked him. Taunted him. Played with him. And you know what?” They smile, wide and smug as they can. “I don’t feel bad. Not an ounce of remorse. I’d do it all over again.”

They look at Medusa. “So,” they say, voice solemn now. “Go ahead. Unleash all that fury on me, if you want. Remember, I’m the target. These people behind me are MY friends. The ones I stole from him. The ones I got without any merit at all, that he could never have. I’m the one who has everything he wants. Make him proud. Hit me.”

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) "I...hate..." Medusa says. It's Twitch's voice. Distorted, twisted. Dark. "That you...hold back. I hate that...they...love you." Her fingers dig into the ground, through the water, fury drenched in every motion. "I hate...that you...don't admit it." Yellow eyes like venomous suns. "I hate...that you can't...be honest. That you hate yourself...as much...as me." The water forming her body ripples and distorts. "I'll make you. I'll make you say it."

Sammy Cabra (Nyanko) Sammy is gonna try to freeze Medusa again to try and prevent whatever hell they're going to do-- (sub-zero)

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) She is Frozen Solid. All buffs are stifled, and she loses her next turn. also! as a heads up Nuclear attacks auto-crit against frozen targets >:3c

Ilse Belanger (Ralu) Oh!! Ilse attacks Medusa, hoping it won’t harm Twitch. Revra

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Medusa writhes, breaking free of the freeze, flailing her arms, slamming them against nothing, slamming out a chunk of the nearby building. The water around you boils, echoing her furious scream.

"What happens to a girl when it is left alone?" Twitch's eyes are still closed, but he speaks, mumbling the words. You can hear him. "When skin goes too long unlived in. Do you think it dreams?" He laughs to himself. So quiet and bitter and hurt. "Oh, and when it is so very lonesome, it will reach out forever towards you; and its heart will jump and it thinks 'here, here is someone again, I am not alone.' And every time it is wrong." Twitch curls up, hugging himself tight. "And the hurt starts over."

From within Medusa, beneath her outer skin, spots of yellow brilliance ignite. Eyes. Dozens of them, covering her body, down her arms. Four more arms sprout from her torso, fingers peeling themselves into existence. One that hits, slapping the water. One that pets, running her fingers along Twitch's hair. One that grabs, pulling chunks out of the nearby stone. One that holds, wrapping tightly around her human ward, keeping him from you.

Judgment Delayed Siren Countdown 1 -> 3

Medusa's many eyes gleam bright, pointing in all directions. But the only one she seems intent on seeing...is Blake. "Only...one." She says. A pained, angry whisper. "Devils like us...only get one chance." All six arms poise outwards, fingers clenching into fists. "And you...chose to cover...your face." She leans her head back, a tremor warbling through her. "I will...lay you bare!"

Dirge of Weakness

blake, you lose 10 SP you are now omni-debuffed

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) They cough out a laugh, grinning wide. “Is that all?”

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Nihil Klaxon Siren Countdown 3 -> 2

Lena Tarr (Dave) Lena whisper-yells. "I hope you have like. A plan. And that it's not just dying."

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) “Lena,” Blake whispers back with a smirk. “I understand you’re of a lesser intellect but please have some faith in me. I have a whole revenge plot to enact before I die.”

Lena Tarr (Dave) She takes your word for it and seems way calmer.

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Lucien snorts out a laugh from on high. "Revenge. Ah, classic. Fits you well, Prince. Well, about as well as anything can. Not like you ever fit anywhere." He sneers down at you. "See, I'm not the smartest. All I'm good for is seeing what things look like. But Banders? Oh, Banders has eyes." He snaps his fingers.

Heat Riser

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) “Yes, Lucien,” Blake says. “You didn’t have to tell me you were an idiot without Bandersnatch spoon-feeding you answers. It was already rather apparent.”

Despite their words, they keep their eyes on Medusa.

“Come now,” they say. “I’m still standing. Is that really all your rage and pain amounts to? I’ve been hurt worse by stubbing my toe.”

Lena Tarr (Dave) i think. lena will once again try chaos breath

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Medusa. falls asleep

Lena Tarr (Dave) NAP TIME

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Now both Twitch and Medusa are snoozing. She sort of...slumps down to cover him, still protecting Twitch with her own body.

Nihil Klaxon Siren Countdown 2 -> 1

Lucien growls out a curse. "Come on, you big lump of stupid self loathing. Do your fucking job." Snaps his fingers and it echoes like a gunshot. Medusa's eyes gleam bright and lucid. Twitch's eyes snap open.

Lena Tarr (Dave) Lena throws another rock in his direction. can lena use her turn to try and get closer to twitch, maybe give him a hug?

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) if you want to attempt to approach medusa and slip into the sort of hollow cavity she's made for twitch. you can absolutely attempt it. but. fair warning, it's not going to be easy. i would need. three consecutive rolls with three different stats. and two of those rolls need to get at least 2 net successes

Avrae (BOT) Result: 7d6 (1, 3, 5, 6, 1, 3, 4) Total: 23

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) 3 successes, 2 failures. You charge forward, aiming right for Twitch. And he just stares at you. And smiles, as his Shadow bears down on you, three hands aiming simultaneous attacks at you.

Avrae (BOT) Result: 5d6 (4, 3, 4, 6, 6)

Lena Tarr (Dave) COME ON I KNOW WE CAAAAN

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) 4 successes, no failures. You push forward. Dead set, quick as a bolt. Ducking and weaving through the onslaught. Aiming right for him. Right for your friend.

Lena Tarr (Dave) whatever i roll. im happy i tried khfkj

Avrae (BOT) Result: 6d6 (1, 5, 3, 3, 4, 3)

Lena Tarr (Dave) noooo so fucking close

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Twitch holds out a hand. Palm up, fingers outstretched. Like he wants you to take it. And then, a second later, before you're even within five feet of him, his fingers close against his palm. He smiles, odd and soft. "Don't take me back," he says. And the dark water around your ankles crashes against your face, sweeping you back and around. Stumbling, now soaked, back into the awaiting arms of your allies. Away from him.

Lena Tarr (Dave) "Fuck. Fuck!" Lena punches the ground. "We said we will get to know each other better, Twitch, you asshole! I can't do that if you won't let me get fucking close!"

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) He lowers his head. "You had your moment. Stop trying to take away mine." Medusa stiffens. A tension warbling through her. "I can't go back. Don't you get that, Lena?" He's crying. Fingers curling into the water. Ichor dripping down his cheeks. "I'd rather die than go back. I'd rather die." He looks back up at you, and his yellow eyes go black. "If you really want to stay here...then drown with me."

A song carves itself into existence. A single, screeching note. Twitch would sing it to both of you. But it's Medusa's mouth. And right now, she only has eyes for Blake.

Siren Countdown 1 -> 0 Judgement is Wrought O R I G I N A L S I N

Blake, your Hp is already 1, so it doesn't change. but your SP drops to 0.

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) Blake drops to one knee, coughing. And they keep coughing. Breathing heavy. And they laugh. Intermixed with that coughing is laughter, a loud and hysteric and furious thing. And they weakly lift their head, glaring at Twitch.

“Did that feel good? Pushing back Lena, to get at me.” They laugh, and they cough. You can almost see that pitch-dark bike across Blake’s face too, but it’s probably just recoil from Medusa’s attack, surely.

“You’ve always been a monster, Twitch. Haven’t you? A liar. A Devil. I would know.” They shrug meekly. “I’m the same. In fact, between us? I thought it would be me. I was so sure. But I guess I’m wrong sometimes.”

And they shake their head. “You tried so hard to be good and quiet and well-behaved, didn’t you? To appease everybody. But deep down, you’re like me. You resent it. Like I resented it. Like I still do. It still makes me so, so mad.”

They stand, shuddering through their whole body, and outstretch their arms once again. “They want people like us to be good so badly. But I don’t want to be good, ever. And you shouldn’t want to be good either.”

They cough, and another laugh slips out. “I’m not going to let Lena save you. I’m not going to let any of them save you. I’m going to fuck you up for the rest of your entire life.” And they laugh, looking back at Lena with wild eyes. “And if you want to stop that, I guess there’s a problem, and you will have to kill me.”

Blake attacks Twitch.

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) This time, Medusa doesn't step in. She shifts, moving like she wants to. But as you ready your attack, Twitch places a hand against her. And she stills.

The arrow slams into his chest. He gags, coughing up bile. Still stealing glances at you with eyes that return from black to yellow. Eyes that, for a long second, seem almost brown.

Sammy is going to frantically pull out their plastic microphone, and make a lot of very distressed noises before breaking into a strained rendition of Oh! Susanna.

Blake and Lena, you are no longer debuffed

Lena Tarr (Dave) Lena falls to her knees, utterly exhausted. "Why are you two doing this? Can't you get it?! I can't let go. Of either of you. So that you'll do what?" She punches the ground. "Stay here and drown? Fight for no reason? While every asshole who hurt you is out there, living their merry life, like they've done nothing wrong? No, no, no!" Punching again and again, rocks smashing against her knuckles- knuckles smashing against rocks. "If you're so angry, then come back with me and set everyone who hurt you on fire- don't just dream of it here!"

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Medusa...hesitates. Her fingers clenching and relaxing. Contemplative. Unsure. She'll still attack. Just less confidently.

She's going to fire off another Dirge of Weakness. This time, aiming for everybody. Artemis protects Blake from this, but not the rest of you.

Nihil Klaxon The Siren Countdown 3 -> 2

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) Blake coughs, still weak. But still standing. “You haven’t killed me yet,” they say. “And I don’t have the energy to do any big moves.” Artemis forms behind them, cocking an arrow. “So I guess I’ll just keep hitting you.”

Blake laughs, weak. “One other thing, though. Twitch. You keep pissing me off, you know.” They shake their head. “You pretend I have some enviable, luxurious life.” And they look up, glaring at him. “You’re never allowed to think I have it better off than you. Ever.” A laugh. “It’s the worst thing you can do.”

And Artemis fires.

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Twitch starts laughing. It's almost honest at first, before devolving into low, howling chuckles, hoarse and grating. "All I wanted was for you to listen. And yet, at every turn, you have pried, and you have prodded, and you have interfered." Running his nails down his arms once for each word. Deep red marks that don't fade when they should. Stark against his pale skin. "Didn't it occur to you that your intrusion would be felt? And still you harass!?" Medusa is still and tense with fury. Shuddering out breaths that should not exist. "But now...like the wayward spider who witlessly settles on a sleeper's tongue, you will be swallowed. Because the truth is this. When a girl is both hungry and awake." His gaze snaps up. Yellow eyes turn black once more. "Every eye becomes a mouth."

Medusa's surface, her outer shell, begins to boil. To tear and snap and come undone. As those eyes...those mouths rise to the surface. Claws that bite. Jaws that catch. Yellow and jagged teeth set round in mouths that cover her skin. And each one opens. And each one screams.

Judgment Delayed Siren Countdown 2 -> 3

Lena Tarr (Dave) She rubs at her face, trying to clear it of tears and sweat but ending up just getting dirt in her eyes. "Really think you're the only one who can scream loud? Fine! Get all your rage out! But I'll do the fucking same!" She uses her bat to get herself up, one hand on her ankle. "Goliath! Show them how we hurt!" And the giant sweeps his club, debris flying in its wake, aiming for one of Medusa's many mouths.

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Medusa laughs as well. A thousand laughs from a thousand chattering mouths. Twitch, inside her hollow, winces away, covering his ears. Eyes still obscured by pitch. "I want...so many thing...from you." Her voice crackling like radio static. "Maybe...I want everything."

Final Wish The Siren Countdown Ebbs

The water beneath your feet froths and roils. It smells like smoke. Like honey. Like distant flame. It smells like old flowers rotting in abandoned greenhouses. It smells like death.

Medusa's Defense plummets Medusa's Attack skyrockets Medusa is preparing an attack

Lucien just raises an eyebrows at the proceedings. "Huh. That looks...bad." He passes his turn.

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) Blake laughs. And they cough.

“Are you coming undone, Twitch? I can’t help but notice you’re losing your grip. Is it because we aren’t acting like we’re supposed to? Saying ‘get behind me’ and ‘I rebuke you’… ha.” Blake shakes their head. “The reality is you’re just like us. Or… like them. And I’m not going to stop you. From becoming that thing you’ve been trying very hard not to be.”

And they laugh. “And as I said to Lena. If you have a problem with it, you’ll simply have to kill me.” They smile, something almost earnest. Almost kind. “But this is going to happen. You are going to do it. One way or another.”

Blake does nothing. “I won’t attack you. It’s your metamorphosis. I think you’re more than ready to finish it. You’ve been waiting awhile, after all, haven’t you?”

Ilse Belanger (Ralu) Ilse looks at Blake, and at Twitch. Doesn’t want to be part of this self destruction. Uses Broken Echo.

Lena Tarr (Dave) Lena is gonna plop down on her ass. "I really wish it was me." She looks to Twitch. "I'm still jealous . You get to have all the fun." She chuckles. "I don't even get to feel like a monster at all. Just. Like a total dumbass who can't save anyone."

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Every mouth snaps open wide. Brilliant shadows twist and squirm within, overflowing, spilling out of every eye.

Megidola.

But she pauses. Stares down at you.

Sammy is standing between her and you all. Arms outstretched. Eyes screwed closed. "I won't let you hurt them!"

She tremors. Growls. Whines. And one by one, her mouths snap shut, gnashing their teeth, furious and impatient. At war with herself.

Lucien grits his teeth. He does not look happy.

"Okay," he mumbles. "Okay, okay okay, we're still golden." And he smirks, a wicked gleam in his eye. "Just gotta..." Snaps his fingers.

An enormous ethereal hand forms in the air, swirling and barely imperceptible. Like a heat shimmer. A giant's hand. And it curls into a fist. Aimed right for Lena.

And it never moves. Without even looking, a thick tendril bursts out of Medusa's back, a gnashing mouth that slams into the hand, latching onto it, biting and tearing. Lucien yelps, recoils, blinking quick and confused as the hand vanishes. And the tendril mouth slowly sinks back into Medusa's form.

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) They sigh. “I might regret this.”

They shake their head. “No. I know I will. One way or another.”

They take a step forward. “But just because I’m a miserable sad sack doesn’t mean both of us have to be.”

They step into the thick goo. Ignore it. Keep moving forward, heading for Twitch. “This is your opportunity. You deserve a chance to be what I can’t be.”

Blake’s going to get as close to Twitch as Medusa will let them.

“I hate you,” they whisper. “But that’s not your problem.”

Blake will reach out, touching Medusa gently with their hand. And active support on Twitch.

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Medusa lets you approach. She doesn't as much as move to strike. And Twitch watches you. Shaking. A single black tear slips down his cheek. And the ichor drains from his eye. From his brown, human eye. One black, one brown. One blind, one free. The division of day and night.

Sammy, Lena, Ilse. your debuffs vanish.

Sammy is going to stare at you, then at Twitch. Then up at Medusa. Then at Ilse. They purse their lips, brow set. And they nod. Slow and firm.

They're gonna pass their turn, but they are ready to open the tap on whatever you're doing, ilse.

Ilse Belanger (Ralu) And Ilse…shudders. They have planned to attack, but not like this. A nod back to Sammy, then they rise their arms, open and empty palms towards Medusa and Twitch, part sign of meaning no harm, part surrender. “I’m sorry. I don’t fully understand, but I don’t want to add to the pain.”

Lena Tarr (Dave) She tentatively steps closer to Medusa, to Twitch. "You know, this is kinda silly, but like. I have friends here? Their names are Puck and Prim. And Prim's really angry too! Like us and shit. And, uh." She sounds really shy. "I'd like it if you met them." She rubs at the back of her neck. "You could bring Medusa too. I also have a friend that she might like! Her name is Mimsy and she's a big bird. I'm not making much sense! But! Basically!" She shrugs. "We could be total weird monsters together?"

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Twitch's expression twists. For a moment, he's furious. Teeth bared, no doubt ready to demand Medusa attack you, to carve his wish into reality, to make you hurt for it. And no such demand comes. The anger drops away. Black tears flow freely.

He curls in on himself, fingers digging into his arms. "It's not fair. Why can't...you just make me?" All the way forward, the black water staining his hair. "Why can't you just choose for me? Like everyone else. Why does it have to be me who picks!?"

Because they love you, dearest. A golden voice like the pluck of a lyre. Because it has to be you who says it. Who makes it real.

Twitch and Medusa stiffen in one. And the latter writhes at nothing, grabbing onto nearby buildings, skin boiling and bubbling. The former clutches his head, shuddering, almost convulsing.

Be not afraid. You may think you know this song, the rotten fruit of knowledge. But this is a new touch. A new apple.

"I can't..." he whispers. "I can't say it. I can't."

A song that never ends is hell, my love. It's your choice. If you let it play...or sing anew.

There is silence, for a time. Nothing but Twitch's wracked sobs, the writhing of his Shadow. "I want to be strong," he whispers. "I don't want to go back."

Then do not go back.

One of the mouths on Medusa's body swells. Like a distended boil. Something glows within. Not yellow, but white as a pearl. And it cracks in half, disintegrating, turning into ash, as the light within spills out all at once and then fades from view.

I am thou. Thou art I.

Another mouth swells. Another. Another.

Thou, who brings the flood, the storm, the light. Thine wings see all, and thy eyes shine unclouded.

Twitch struggles. Still clutching his head. Dragging himself, inch by inch, back upright.

You know my name, dearest. So...say it.

And the girl rolls her head back and screams two syllables into the sky.

"VENUS!"

Twitch's hairband snaps in half.

A beam of light spears through the building hovering above you and crashes down onto Medusa. Vaporizing her. Scouring her darkest thoughts into nothing. The dark water beneath your feet evaporates instantly. As Twitch's Persona spreads her wings.

Venus is nude, clothed only by sea foam, standing atop a halved shell. While she covers herself demurely with her arms, two extra pairs of disembodied hands float nearby, suspended by tiny flapping wings. And she has wings as well, white feathers sprouting from her shoulder blades. Her serene smile is...beautiful. It is beauty itself.

Two of her disembodied hands drift down and help Twitch to her feet. Her eyes are brown again. And there's something glowing beneath the hem of her sweater. A heart, etched into her left collarbone. Her Brand.

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) Blake smiles at something distant, sighing and shaking their head. “It’s as I thought,” they say, almost a whisper, half-laughing. “I really do hate you.” And they flip open their book, writing something, whispering the last part too quiet for anyone to hear. “But only because I’m jealous.”

Lena Tarr (Dave) Lena steps closer to Twitch on shaky legs. "You ..." Her gaze drifts between Venus and Twitch. "Are beautiful. Holy fuck." And she laughs with all her chest, happy and relieved.

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Twitch's cheeks go very red. "Uh," she says. "Wow. Um. Th...ank. You?" And she giggles, light and airy and a little dazed. "I'm...kind of...confused. But..." She gives you all a wide, wobbly smile. "I'm really glad you're all...uh, alive, and stuff." Twitch winces. "Uh. Sorry. You...I mean...thank you. Thank you."

Ilse Belanger (Ralu) Ilse returns a smile. “And we’re happy you are…” they trail off, the description maybe less important than the existence. “That you are well like this. And have her. And that you are alive” They stop, and smile again.

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) A sharp, confused cough. Like Lucien just remembered to breathe again. "Goddamn!" he finally says. "Fucking hell. You really threw me and Banders for a loop. And here we thought you'd just play your part all nice and quiet. But no, you've gotta make a ruckus." He smiles down, sweet as venom. "Real hassle, Blum. Real fucking hassle."

Twitch and Venus both turn their gazes towards him. Fury shining clear in both their eyes. "Get out of our sight," Twitch says. A hand up, over her heart. Her Brand. "Before we make you get out."

Lucien just raises an eyebrow and whistles, low and maybe impressed.

Lena Tarr (Dave) "Yeah! What she said!", Lena exclaims, like the world's most red faced hype-man.

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) Blake flips through their journal idly, quietly irritated that Twitch is considered more threatening than them.

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Lucien finally laughs. "Alright, alright. I'll go hole up where it's nice and warm, and you all can go lick your wounds for all I care. And..." He winks towards Twitch. "Guess I'll be seeing you around, lover girl."

"Yeah," Twitch says. "Guess you will."

"Arrivederci," he says. And he leans back, tumbling backwards off the top of the building. Out of sight.

Lena Tarr (Dave) "Fingers crossed he broke his neck."

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) “You were moments away from breaking down sobbing when you thought he was dead,” Blake says.

Lena Tarr (Dave) "Was not! I was just sad because his dumb friends were sad! It's different!"

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) “I’m not sure feeling bad for Stephen and Kaya is much better…” they add with a smirk. Not looking up from their journal. Just really proud of themselves over a dumb jab.

Lena Tarr (Dave) Lena pouts.

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Twitch is just going to glance between the two of you and smile. And she leans in closer to Ilse. "I have no idea what's going on," she says, barely louder than a whisper.

Ilse Belanger (Ralu) “Full explanation might take a while.” They lean towards Twitch and keep their voice at the same level at hers. “This other team got attacked and badly wounded, so that’s what the concern is about. But they are also…kinda jerks? And Blake and Lena are just like this”

Everyone Else (DaxieVane) Twitch nods along to your explanation, and then giggles. "Uh...maybe we should...head back then? I'll follow you, um, all of you." Her eyes are firm and brave. "Wherever you're going, that's where I'll be." Venus begins to fade, but her hands find you all. Squeezing Ilse's shoulder, interlocking her fingers with Lena's, gently touching Blake's forearm, patting Sammy's head. A hand for every kind of touch. A feeling that lingers even as she flickers out of sight.

Blake Leto (Jane 🐈) Blake’s forearm jolts at the slight sensation of touch, flying in front of their chest momentarily. And they shut their eyes tight. “Don’t,” they whisper, too quiet and too distant to hear. “Don’t touch me.” And they take a breath. Erratic. Angry. Jealous. Guilty. “You shouldn’t… touch me.”

They shake their head, and force a smile at the group. Fake enough to be believable.

“Shall we get going?”

#the hunters #hunters highlights #blake leto #lena tarr #ilse belanger #camellia pavel #sammy cabra #lucien punica #we know the devil #wktd #anatomy #lucy twitch blum

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