Harmonize NPC account (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
harmonizenpc) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
harmonize_rpg2013-10-06 08:43 pm
harmonizenpc) wrote in harmonize_rpg2013-10-06 08:43 pm
Training Exercise #2
Who: Persona-users (optional), ensemble NPC cast
Where: The other world.
When: Thursday, April 27th, "critical thinking" class time.
What: Practice makes perfect?
There was little fanfare before this exercise. In a follow-up email, Yachiyo had instructed those who'd responded to the invitation to meet in the hall; once they'd gathered, she'd brought them to the lab.
From there, they were ushered more or less straight into the portal, after a cursory explanation for the newcomers. The landscape that greeted them was nearly unchanged -- same ominous red sky, same too-bright grass, same pile of equipment, no bizarrely-shaped targets.
Araragi, Komatani, Takaoka, and Suwa were the ones accompanying them today, and while the latter two busied themselves with the machinery, fiddling with some settings and picking up a few portable items, the former surveyed the horizon, down the somehow out-of-place path.
"Live-fire exercises today, kids," Komatani said by way of explanation, voice made oddly hollow by her suit's visor. "We set up a perimeter around this spot, but they're not far off." She paused, half-turning back to look at them. "Imaizumi-kun, you should be picking something up, off thataway." She punctuated the comment with a point down the path.
Where: The other world.
When: Thursday, April 27th, "critical thinking" class time.
What: Practice makes perfect?
There was little fanfare before this exercise. In a follow-up email, Yachiyo had instructed those who'd responded to the invitation to meet in the hall; once they'd gathered, she'd brought them to the lab.
From there, they were ushered more or less straight into the portal, after a cursory explanation for the newcomers. The landscape that greeted them was nearly unchanged -- same ominous red sky, same too-bright grass, same pile of equipment, no bizarrely-shaped targets.
Araragi, Komatani, Takaoka, and Suwa were the ones accompanying them today, and while the latter two busied themselves with the machinery, fiddling with some settings and picking up a few portable items, the former surveyed the horizon, down the somehow out-of-place path.
"Live-fire exercises today, kids," Komatani said by way of explanation, voice made oddly hollow by her suit's visor. "We set up a perimeter around this spot, but they're not far off." She paused, half-turning back to look at them. "Imaizumi-kun, you should be picking something up, off thataway." She punctuated the comment with a point down the path.
no subject
She swayed slightly on her spindly legs, as though in some unseen wind, as the adults did their prep. She'd already broken out the Evoker, and tossed it up and down a few times in one hand while she waited, seemingly spacing out as usual.
She was also wearing a hat today -- a floppy, well-worn cap adorned with an odd assortment of pins. It had gotten a few looks (and a glower from Yachiyo), but no one had bothered to tell her off about it yet.
no subject
Not being a fool like the others, he looked over his shoulders at the portal - and discovered there was nowhere to go to. So he said to himself, build a big wall. Those soldiers with their weapons pointed at something nearby. Strong! He smiled - a sight as unpleasant as his anger. Because it was also clear to him that this land was almost encouraging him to abandon these people by only working for himself.
Mirai cut deeply into his stomach. The Evoker brought out fear, panic, alarm and sweaty trepidation. And he urged it to come forth in a wave. For here was his persona that people had taken to examining like it was some tool, coiling round him on the ground that he fell to on his knees, where he was protected by a sphere, which some people would be turning to to watch.
As soon as his emotions had settled a little, he began communing and reminding himself to repeat what was said when they finished. Shadows. What looked like three indistinct blobs of darkness, patrolling in no discernible pattern. He saw them prowling around the camp, where they spent several long moments till they were crawling away on the grassy floor. It amazed him to see movement was all they could do.
"... Hmmm. Those are Shadows?" he asked. "I don't have to tell you they're dangerous, right?"
no subject
The German looked tired. There were dark circles under her eyes now and if it were possible, her gaze had become even more grim. At the mention that today was a live-fire exercise, her icy gaze did sharpen somewhat. The stakes had been raised this time around. The tall girl did her best to stand as straight as she could. She had to focus this time. If it was live-fire...
no subject
Imaizumi-senpai. I guess with all his self-importance, I shouldn't be surprised, but Kiiro-san too? No wonder she was so tense. And Shikata-san, you'd better be here so I can chastise you.
The reality of their situation hits him fully once they enter the portal and step into the other world - it looked nothing like he remembered, but the odd sensation returning to him reminded him that it was indeed part of that same 'world.' He removes his own evoker from his jacket pocket, thumb tracing the grooves of the item gently, silently observing those around him. Those suits they're wearing look impressive, but if they were any good against our enemies, they wouldn't need us, would they? His fingers brush over an object in his opposite jacket pocket: a charm he had purchased in the city yesterday.
Sticking to his silence, he simply follows along with the group, occasionally stopping to give the grassy field a suspicious stare. Live fire in a place like this. Something's not right, for sure.
no subject
She came through the portal, her cane feeling ahead and pushing the tall grass out of her way. She caught stray bits of words, tilted her head, and approached until she sounded close enough.
no subject
Imaizumi. Rather surprised he beat me here. Kasubata as well. Half expected her to be absent. Glancing over toward the tall girl who could only be Chloe. Abendroth appears to be distraught. Curious. He then greeted Shikata with an even toned "Hello." Shikata looks like she just arrived as well. Before he could continue a conversation with her however, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed someone who looked out of place. Someone he didn't expect to see in this mock task force of theirs.
"Ogata? Why... are you here?" A moment of bewilderment and shock raced through him as he addressed his roommate.
no subject
"Presumably for the same reason you are, Ryuta-san."
He hardly seems surprised - and why should he? Ryuta was in nearly every other aspect of his school life, so it was only fitting that they would share 'critical thinking' as well. When his gaze catches Haruka, he can't help but call out to her.
"And you, Shitaka-san! You're in trouble," though his playful tone and facetious smirk imply that there might not be much trouble to go along with his statement. No, he preferred not to think about the negative, but he was hardly remorseful for his words or actions on that day.
no subject
It was only once they'd arrived that she'd broken from her own thoughts to look around. Chloe... was still not looking well, which brought on a puzzled frown. And sensei had said there were others...
... Baku?
Well. That was a very peculiar coincidence.
no subject
And with that, he started off down the path, Komatani beside him, both relaxed but watchful.
no subject
The smile was quickly gone. She didn't show much on her face but she did mutter, without the snark in her tone, "Huh. You too. At this rate, the most of the school were going to be 'drafted'."
They were moving though so Haruka followed the flow, remaining near the back.
no subject
Wonder how the others got roped into this, but it's probably not a good time to ask.
no subject
no subject
And this would be almost perfect, he thought. First he had thought he had drawn the lame card of the pack. Now he wouldn't have to go all the way down there. In short, he had won the powers game; he had brought out his straw from the pot and found it was so short he wouldn't need to walk anywhere at all.
He stooped to his knees and began to clear a spot in the dirt by stamping down his feet and clearing the path. Then he sat down and went quiet, curling over his knees, head almost touching the floor. It was as if he was looking at something the human mind couldn't see or comprehend, and nobody could see the sly grin on his face.
"Don't worry," he said in their heads simultaneously. "I'm right behind you."
Pre-main thread, for Chloe:
Chloe was excused from a portion of her last class to go to the hall about half an hour before the rest were due to arrive, and it was Ishichi who was there to escort her to the lab, pale skin oddly ghostly in the blue light of the corridors. She was silent the whole way, which might have been expected with the woman's demeanor.
The others were busy with prep when she arrived, but Suwa and Ishichi were ready for her, Suwa greeting her with a slightly tentative, slightly worried smile. "Good afternoon, Miss Abendroth. Could I ask you to come over this way, please? We just want to do a basic physical exam and a few scans to make sure everything's all right."
Re: Pre-main thread, for Chloe:
Re: Pre-main thread, for Chloe:
Re: Pre-main thread, for Chloe:
Re: Pre-main thread, for Chloe:
While Ishichi took measurements -- heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, the basics -- Suwa peppered Chloe with questions. Had she been experiencing any pain or strain recently? Any mental stress? Of course, some was to be expected, but besides that. Any physical pain? If so, how intense, and for how long? Under what circumstances?
Meanwhile, once Ishichi had finished her basic measuring, she fiddled with an odd-looking handheld scanner, by all accounts completely absorbed in her own task.
Re: Pre-main thread, for Chloe:
When she had finished answering the questions, her gaze turned towards the scanner. She said nothing, but her icy gaze never left the device. Just what was it, and what were they hoping to find out? The German already knew the answer; there had to have been a mistake. Clearly she was failing miserably at this whole "shinmen" thing. Would they take her off 'active duty' like they did to Miyume? These thoughts aggravated her slightly, and her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she became lost in her own thoughts.
Re: Pre-main thread, for Chloe:
Ishichi met Suwa's eyes and lifted the scanner slightly, shaking her head. "Inconclusive. But we have a baseline."
She locked her flat gaze onto Chloe's, then. "Please summon the shinmen. We just need to take a few readings."
Re: Pre-main thread, for Chloe:
"Garmr."
She said calmly as the blade flickered to life and plunged into her chest. As she had expected, the pain hadn't lessened any. She couldn't tell if it hurt more because it was just a sea of white hot agony. One of Chloe's knees buckled slightly and her breathe caught in her chest, the looming figure of the demonic beast of a dog rising in front of her to stand at attention. The hound's image flickered as last time, and Chloe was having a bit of trouble getting her breath back.
Re: Pre-main thread, for Chloe:
"You can dismiss it now." She moved over to Suwa, and the pair had a quiet conversation over the scanner in which the word "irregularities" popped up a few times. After it was done, though, it was Suwa who went to deliver the results.
"We don't know the precise problem, but it's nothing that'll require keeping you from duty. Of course, we can excuse you if you need it, but it's up to you." She paused briefly. "But I would like to schedule an appointment for you with Sekimiya-san. She'll get in touch with you to make the arrangements."
Re: Pre-main thread, for Chloe:
Chloe did her best to straighten up once more, but her shoulders sagged a bit and her breathing was a bit laboured. She would be fine in a bit, she reasoned with herself. She just had to push through it. The possibility of being excused came up, and Chloe was almost confused. Just like that, they would let her go? After they had gone through all that just to get her here? It didn't really make sense... but even if she was excused, then what? She couldn't leave, not with what she knew. They would definitely keep tabs on her, she would be a loose thread just waiting to be snipped. Her thoughts turned to Miyume.... was that what they were doing with her? Unbidden, a warm, protective anger rose up. It was different from the usual anger she felt. It wasn't white hot and all-consuming. Why was that? Regardless, she would have to speak to Miyume about it next chance she got, perhaps when she delivered the girl's lunch.
"No." The German said in her low, even tone. "I can continue."
It was the last part that made her eyes narrow ever so slightly. Sekimiya-san? Wasn't that...? She didn't need a head doctor. Her mind was not a place anyone should go. It was off limits.
"Why?"
It was a simple question, one that would probably be met with a good amount of irritation. Yet the more she knew, the better she could come to a conclusion about what was wrong by herself. That was always how she solved things. By herself.
Re: Pre-main thread, for Chloe:
"The shinmen are linked to the mind in ways we don't completely understand yet." She sounded almost apologetic as she said it. "There's nothing physically wrong with you -- not as far as we can tell -- so I think it's best for you to see someone who has a better chance of being able to help."
Re: Pre-main thread, for Chloe:
"...alright."
She had given in faster than she usually would have. The German didn't want to argue with Suwa. Mostly because she was tired, but also because she didn't want to upset the only staffer to show her any amount of kindness.