[ he's seen her dead before, and he hasn't exactly left her to a much better fate, so seeing Beck here...
His jaw clenches, eyes narrowed before he turns back around. Hopefully the other two have had more luck on their side, but outside of that aquarium, there wasn't much to see, was there. A museum to his failures. ]
There's nothing that way. [ it's dismissive as he catches up, but then he sees, and--
ah. ...
... he stops a few feet behind them to give them a moment to react, glancing up at the ceiling.
[... It's not the first time that Sanji's seen Zelos' dead body. What's one more for the record books? Ha.
So maybe it's for the best that Sanji picks up on Yasusada's cry; it jerks the chef awake, taking him out of the moment. Breathing feels like a painful rattle in his chest, but he forces himself to ... commit this to memory all the same, even as he tries to gently prop the body up against the wall. Smooths some of the hair back into a semblance of a style -- the asshole hates it when his hair gets everywhere.]
We gotta keep moving.
[Spoken in a murmur that's meant for himself more than the other two, but at least he forces himself on his feet. God, though -- he's gotta get Yasusada to focus, doesn't he?]
Hey, I know it looks real, but...
[Wow, Dick might have to take over. Sanji ain't doing too hot]
[Yasusada rushes ahead as Okita's body tips forward a bit, the wound in his back more obvious now. Dick's maybe making the right call to give the boys their space, given...everything, but as he looks up at the ceiling he'll notice for a moment that it looks as though he's looking at the underside of a bed.
What?
The ceiling solidifies again almost immediately, and they're left with the water steadily rising and sloshing at their feet. Even just beyond Yasusada and Okita there's another figure which fuck I just realized this maybe isn't helpful for Yams either. Another sword lays broken in half, green hair falling loose from its ponytail as the limp body lies on its side, almost fragile-looking. And just beyond the last body lies a small set of steps, and a platform docking a yellow submarine waiting to dive underwater. A hall splits off to the right at the end, the submarine toward the left.
[Thoughtlessly, Yasusada lunges for him, catching Okita's body before he can hit the ground. He lets it--no, him, he lets him slump against him, wrapping one arm around him, heedless of any blood that might get on him. What's a little blood to a sword? (It's everything.)
The other reaches for one of Okita's hands, always his hands. Then as long as we're both here, I'll hold you as often as I can he'd said, so if he can't do that, then it's Yasusada's job to do it for him. He clutches Okita's cold fingers tightly, too tightly, and rests his head against Okita's shoulder, squeezing his eyes shut.
Even Sanji's words don't reach him now.
But he can't cry. Not because it's shameful, but because they need to get out of here, and he can't risk his vision blurring. So he stays like that for a minute, dragging in unsteady breaths, before he shifts Okita back to a sitting position as carefully as possible.]
Hold on, okay?
[He turns slowly, his gaze once again landing on the broken blade before he spots the body next to it. Nikkari... Tonbokiri and Wei Wuxian were the last ones to speak to him, weren't they? So then...
He flexes his fingers before he gets up, carefully moving over to pick up the pieces of Nikkari's sword. He picks them up with care, tucking them into his clothes--it's not ideal, but it's the best he can do, because he needs at least one hand free.
Because the other...
Once he's sure Nikkari's shards won't fall out, he turns back to Okita's body, kneeling down in front of him again.]
We'll go okay? The cold isn't good for you. And you can't see the sunlight down here.
[With that, he'll lift Okita's body up, and even for a human, it's so painfully light. It makes his whole body ache, because he isn't as strong as Okita, he should never be stronger than Okita--but it's his job to care for him, to protect him, so that's what he'll do. He's careful to hold Okita over his shoulder, with one arm wrapped around him, and it'll slow him down if they need to fight, but. It's fine.
Only then does he look at Sanji, eyes dark but determined. There is no alternative to this.]
[ Dick blinks up at the ceiling when it changes, but that's nothing compared to the sight of Nikkari dead on the ground. He wonders...
But this isn't real. He knows that, and a part of him wants to callously move them along in a hurry, to get this entire mess over with-- but he gives them time, instead. Watches Yasusada take care of Nikkari's shards and the other body he doesn't know so reverently. It's dangerous to bring it along for more than just potentially slowing them down: who knows how else this place might try to mess with them with those bodies? Zombies have happened in more than just the ship, after all.
But with how gone Yasusada is, it might be more dangerous to attempt to separate them. Emotions are running high.
So he concentrates on Sanji, turning to him around the same time Yasusada does: ]
This isn't real. [ a reminder, in case it reaches either of them when he knows for a fact it's not that easy to just turn off feeling, but his tone is blunt and unwavering. ] The ceiling is glitching to another place. There's a hallway past the submarine. Submarine might lead us out-- or might lead us deeper into whatever this is, like the trap door did. [ he glances at it. ] Whatever you decide to do, we should leave.
[ he has a feeling... something worse is waiting for them either. or maybe the dread is unrelated to that. ]
[For as cruel as this scene is, watching Yasusada care for a corpse that will never talk back to him, it's still nothing compared to what he'd experienced back home. There he'd discovered what it felt like to be at his lowest, broken and beaten by fate, and just as quickly discarded by unfortunate circumstances.
It's knowing his limits that allows him to be on the mend, sticking some of the pieces of his stoic expression back into place.
He regards Dick with a cool look and... nods. Because he agrees. Because they don't have time, and there are decisions to be made. Only then does he glance at Yasusada, as if he might voice his disapproval with that obviously stupid choice--
But again just. Nods. Relenting.]
I'll take responsibility for this. [Spoken at Dick, voice quiet] Let him bring them along.
[He and Dick have come to the same conclusion, it seems; best not to split up the group over this matter -- actually, no. It's simpler than that. Sanji just can't bear to tell Yasusada no when he's looking at him like that.
And then Sanji's fingers twitch for a moment, head falling back as he steels himself for his own stupid move: turning back to Zelos, eyes pointedly avoiding the body, to take up his partner's sword.]
Lemme borrow this for a while, eh?
[Straightening, the sheathe gripped in his fist. He turns back to the group and nods in the direction of their choices]
I don't believe in happy endings without a bit of blood being drawn first, so let's stay on alert. We don't know what we're gonna find in that submarine or the hallway.
[So hallway first? Just a quick peek to see if there is indeed a disaster waiting for them]
[After this, frankly tragic moment, the three of them will take up their swords, masters and wits as they begin to venture further down the hall and away from the other bodies. The lights are dim, and the submarine is waiting for them as they check the hallway.
Of course, even just taking a look is enough to draw attention, because there's a laugh suddenly, feminine and bright, as a swish, swish, swish can be heard from the dark.]
"Begone, thot ~♥ A gift for trying my patience last night."
[Not long after, there's the sound of something metal dragging along the floor, followed by the roar of a chainsaw as three figures peer out from the hallway. A girl with light hair in a tan sweaterdress approaches first, purple scrunchie keeping her hair pulled into a ponytail over her shoulder and blood streaking her front and her face as she holds onto the chainsaw. A tall, broad-shouldered man with blonde hair is beside her, more blood caked into his once-pink shirt as green eyes narrow and his left hand grips the axe he's dragging along the ground.
And finally, of course, the voice of their leader. She's a bit shorter than the others, but what she lacks in height she makes up for in confidence. Her kimono's wrapped around her tightly, fox ears twitching cutely on top of her head as nine full, beautiful tails swish behind her.]
Ah~? How foolish of you to come this far. [She looks to the other two before her eyes land on Dick.] Take care of the other mutts. That one's mine.
[And immediately they split off: the girl with the chainsaw darts towards Yasusada, the boy with the axe aims for Sanji with a swing, and the beautiful fox wife leaps straight for Dick.
Y'all REALLY should have just gotten in the submarine.]
[It's not the right choice to make, because it isn't a choice, not to Yasusada. Even if it isn't real, even if it's the most obvious of traps, the idea of leaving Okita behind is unthinkable.
In the end, it's better this way anyway. If Yasusada had been dragged away, he would've been far too distracted to focus what's coming.
This way, though, he simply draws his sword, and follows down the hallway without complaint.
It's almost a relief, to see that they've got enemies. He doesn't recognize these people, or understand anything they're saying, but he knows weapons when he sees them, and they set his blood boiling. He's not really meant to be wielded one-handed, but adrenaline is enough of a boost to his inhuman strength and reflexes that he barely even registers the strain.
He darts away from her, and he's much faster than one might expect from him. This space is more narrow than he's really comfortable with, but it doesn't stop him from kicking out at her, aiming for her side to throw her off balance before he spins back with a wide slash, eyes wild. His usual intensity is nothing, compared to the way he fights.]
Here is the enlightened strike I inherited from Okita!
[Three sharp jabs, aimed at her neck and shoulders. By now, it might even be more familiar to him than it was to the man in his arms.]
it's a good thing neither of the other two are going to be looking at dick's face, since his reaction is-- well, rather telling. he looks absolutely done. still: he flips backwards out of the way of Tamamo's attack (Fake Tamamo, his mind supplements, because as much as their relationship was odd, Tamamo never wanted him dead, and she'd be offended with this make believe version of herself, surely). he lands a little further away, taking a moment to warn them: ]
Neither of yours should have any powers, but the fox girl-- depending on just how far this place is pulling, we might be in trouble! Either way, I don't think they'll let us go back to the submarine unless it's in pieces!
[ he doesn't know if either of them will pay attention to him, but it's worth a shot, though he regrets not telling them some things in advance, maybe. either way: real or not, the danger surely is, and dick waits for tamamo to leap for him again before attempting to sidestep and swiping up the knife he'd kept hidden to try and strike wherever he can reach.
Thank god he got left with the only man in the group, huh? Otherwise this would be a real fuckin mess. Sanji's been on the battlefield enough times to acknowledge a teammate's instructions, and he turns to the blond man dragging an axe behind him, expression darkening into gravel]
Tch... Fine. Let's clean up quick then.
[A kitchen knife's not going to have the reach Sanji wants so a sword-fight it is. He can practically hear Zoro howling from across the void as he unsheathes it, holding the blade in a loose grip, but his footwork is as quick and steady as he darts forward, aiming the business end at whatever vital points he can reach. Not knowing how powerful these phantoms might be is a gamble, and it's why Sanji aims for the neck -- a quick, concise, and hopefully bloody end before that axe leaves the ground and smashing into him]
[So the thing about a chainsaw is that it's a lot of momentum that can't easily be stopped once a girl starts swinging. As Yasusada jabs at her with his sword, he cuts cleanly through her shoulder but not before the chainsaw swings for his side. Even with the jabs at her neck, and even as blood spills, she continues to fight and attempts to take off his sword arm.
Sanji, meanwhile, also aims for the neck and everyone trying to behead them is funnier to me personally in retrospect for reasons, but anyway. The thing is that this man is strong and when Sanji aims he might not be expecting the sharp, quick swing of the axe right into his shoulder solely to wound him and knock him off course. The axe pulls back and the man readjusts his grip, ready for another strike. Unfortunately, he knows how to use an axe better than most people. Firemen. What can you do?
And Dick, meanwhile, gets a stab into Tamamo's chest, but it isn't before she embeds her claws deeply into his stomach and swipes across his face to knock them both back, teeth snapping for his neck almost immediately.
Are the phantoms just a teensy bit strong? Yes. Are they possibly going to have to fight to the death? We'll see.]
[Yasusada might be strong, but he's still a sword. He's meant for fighting his own kind, and while he can often push through if he's fighting others, there's a limit to his understanding. He doesn't know what this weapon is, so it's impossible for him to truly gauge its strength, momentum, agility, until it's far too close for comfort.
He dodges the swipe at his side, but just barely, the fabric of his haori narrowly missing the sawchain. Yasusada's used to moving around teams of 6, but Dick and Sanji fight very differently than he's used to, and that, combined with the small space, means that he can't go very far. Pushing back is really the best he can do.
But fighting aggression with aggression, it seems, isn't the best move in this case. He lunges forward with a yell and wide swipe, but she's faster than he expected, and he lunges right into her swing. With his desire to protect Okita so strong, he's holding his body back and stretching his arm further than he normally would, and...
Well. The clatter of steel to the ground is never good sound, is it?]
[ dick is, at first, distracted by his own fight-- he expects the claws, and manages to twist just enough that they don't hit anything important as they embed in him. he didn't try to move away for a reason, though, as he doesn't move the knife out of her chest after the initial stab and simply attempts to carve up and deeper, aim sure-- the swipe to his face is what makes him move away, the scratches coming dangerously close to his eye, but it's also what gives him a chance to react when he sees her coming for his neck, reflexively lifting a leg and kicking at her torso, using that momentum to flip back again, taking the knife with him.
of course, that's when he hears it, turning with a curse-- that's an arm! shit. he can't help much, he knows, not with fake!tamamo hounding him. but what he can do is at least distract chainsaw girl (and he knows who it is but he is not acknowledging it) a little-- and he grabs the two darts in his pockets to send directly at her, aiming for her neck and face. maybe an eye? that would be nice.
he'll turn back to tamamo after, though there isn't a lot of places he can flip to in this tiny hallway and dodging is probably not going to be an option on this one
[Maybe Sanji would have been able to dodge that axe if he hadn't heard the telltale signs of a fight going sour, but the moment that clattering of steel reaches his ears, well--
He looks -- stupidly -- over his shoulder, and doesn't get a chance to yell Yasusada's name.
In part because there is suddenly a sharp, searing pain followed by lot of blood pouring from that shoulder wound of his. Hm, bad. And the fucker really dug it in there, too. Zelos' sword drops to the floor as Sanji's eyesight dims and a hand flies to the wound, cradling it. This sure as hell ain't his finest hour.
The only silver lining is he's pissed off, now, and already calculating the odds of -- no, fuck it.
He doesn't give a shit anymore.
Even if the other blond is fast, Sanji seems to have thrown caution to the wind and gone back to basics, using his body as both his weapon and shield. He'll dart up close, grab his enemy by the throat, and god yes he knows he's probably gonna lose a limb for this, but the goal is still the same:
Wheel the enemy around and then kick him directly into chainsaw lady.]
[It's a mess. All of them with their injuries, a lost arm, bloody gaping wounds...it's a mess and yet the phantoms are relentless. Even as the blonde man barrels into the girl's chainsaw, and even as a dart nails her in the eye, a spray of blood showers all three of them. The fox woman growls as she holds a hand to the wound in her chest, dropping a knife out of her own sleeve as she immediately dashes forward again to stab directly into his thigh. The axe in Sanji's shoulder pulls, opening the wound wider as the blade almost nearly drags across his front as the blonde is kicked and--
--and without warning there's a voice that some of them may find familiar immediately ringing in their heads.]
Enough!
[And like that, the three of them will be blinded by a bright flash of light, feeling themselves pulled directly from the fight before the vision settles again.
...
...
...
...
...all three of them are in a pile on the floor of what appears to be a wooden cabin, just like their own. This cabin, however, is a little fancier. For one thing, there's a full-sized bed instead of the four bunk beds, black covers and purple and blue pillows propped up against the headboard. There's also a line of pillows on one side of the bed like a barrier. There's a desk, a dresser, a closet, and another door on the back wall that's currently closed. There are all sorts of things scattered everywhere on shelves and surfaces, a duffelbag halfway under the bed and post-it notes stuck to several spaces on the wall.
The good news is: Yams' arm is attached! It's just bleeding heavily, but at least it's attached and should heal with time. Likewise, Sanji and Dick's wounds, while bleeding and needing attending to, are no longer life-threatening or hindering.
At the foot of the bed is a small first aid kit though. If they look inside it, they'll find just enough supplies to fix themselves up.
...welcome to "the gift shop" aka Purple Heart's cabin. Fix yourselves up, and then take a look around. There's a lot they can snoop through and also a few things for them in particular but this tag's already too long.]
[It's probably the shock, that prevents him from screaming. At first, the pain hardly even registers--he can't quite connect the lack of damage to his sword with the sight of it on the ground like this. His ears are ringing, and it's really all he can do to clutch Okita's body closer to his person and turn his own body away, trying to protect him further. It's a toss-up as to whether he's dropping down to dodge or just collapsing to his knees, but he absolutely hits the ground before either of them.
...He's not really expecting to open his eyes, honestly, so when he does, all he can do is stare at the ceiling, dazed.
[ DICK IS GETTING REALLY TIRED OF PASSING OUT AND WAKING UP IN NEW PLACES, ACTUALLY
he doesn't expect the drop, and when he wakes up it's with a jolt, completely jarred between what he just experienced and what is happening now. His thigh still hurts, and for a second he can't tell if it's phantom pain or not before he looks down. His wounds are still there, just ... less?
Wait. Wounds.
he can't be bothered to look around the room when he remembers, eyes going straight for yasusada and sanji as he moves out of the pile-- ]
Everyone okay? [ it's rasped out after he sees both yasusada's arms are. still attached, oh thank god. ]
[In pain, still bleeding, and dazed from being aggressively dropped out of battle, but Sanji can tell that his wounds are peanuts compared to before. And that voice he had heard--]
M'gonna get chewed out for this...
[God, he wants a nap.
First things first though; Sanji is also snapping his head up to check on Yasusada's condition, and huffs in relief once he notes that all limbs are accounted for. Dick is also spared a cursory glance. That just leaves the cabin itself. Gingerly, the chef picks himself off the ground, grunting when all that careful movement still irritates his shoulder wound, but still taking a look to see what their surroundings have in store for them.
[Poor Yams has spent so much of this break-in on the floor. He's still bleeding and should be bandaged up, but if he thinks to check on his person...he'll find a little yarn doll in the likeness of Souji. It even has a tiny pig in its hands? There's also a small model-size version of Nikkari's sword. Too bad it isn't sharp enough for a stab.
Sanji, likewise, will find that he has a small yarn doll in the likeness of Zelos, but no model sword for him.
Dick gets nothing because Dick didn't touch the bodies. So okay. What are they doing now? And where is Sanji looking?
At least they'll get the sense that whatever the fuck that was? It's over. No more danger.]
[The first thing he'll truly notice is that Okita's body is obviously not with him anymore, so the first thing he'll do is check his person, yeah. Wow, his arm hurts to move--but it's attached, and he barely had time to register its absence in the first place, so the whole thing just sort of feels like a surreal dream.
His fingers close around the doll and the sword, and he pulls them both out, heedless of the blood on his hands. He brushes his thumb over doll!Souji's face, and honestly, the smear of red he leaves behind would be a relief, if not for how it covers his mouth.
Hm.
Well. They knew it wasn't real, didn't they? It's... it should be a relief. Okita's still safe. He's fine.
Tenderly, he tucks them both away again, staggering to his feet. His arm is bleeding, yeah, he should probably take care of that--but he'll wander on over to the desk first. Anything interesting on top? Any drawers to open?]
Yasusada, your arm. [ dick is nyooming to the first aid kit at the foot of the bed, ignoring the pang of pain as he walks. compared to the other two, he wasn't hit that bad, so: priorities. ] There should be enough in this to get you guys taken care of, at least.
[ probably dick as well, but, again: priorities! since he's walking around, though, he'll also look at post-its around the room as he does. ]
[Let's. Start with Sanji first. When he opens the closet, he's going to see a couple of things. Namely, he'll see a leather jacket hanging up, along with a red flannel shirt, a grayish sleeveless hoodie, a blue puffy vest, and a variety of black t-shirts and other muted colors. There's a couple of pairs of sneakers on the floor of the closet. There's also two jars on the top shelf hidden toward the back, and an odd open space like something used to be there but it's since been moved!
Dick can look at the post-its and he'll recognize the handwriting immediately. Countless of notes organized in a way that look like...timelines. It's names of the campers organized by worlds and groups and games, all of their important events and experiences. There are also a few stray ones about the camp itself.
What's interesting on top is...the ouija board! It's identical to the one that was on the bus. It, likewise, can't be moved at all. There are a few scattered pens and things, too, with even more post-its. There are a few books on top too including a copy of This Side of Paradise and a book of puns, and a small container of spare rabbit treats.
Opening the drawers is a mistake. There's two of them, and as Yasusada opens the first one he'll find:
A thin black journal that can be opened A bandage The clamshell from earlier The hairpin from earlier A bandage A knife ...a few condoms
The second drawer contains: A thicker black journal that can be opened A singular rainbow-colored brass knuckle A hitclip with an unidentifiable file on it Random snacks The same untitled blu-ray from before A ring box
I feel like I should also mention there's an electric scooter in the corner of the room just because.]
[Well Yasusada's immediately taking the knife out and holding it out to Sanji]
Sanji-kun, another knife for you.
[--Oh yeah, he's injured huh. He blinks down at his arm, but he'll let Dick bandage him up if he wants to? He's still standing it's fine. He's gonna open the thin journal first!]
[ dick makes a disgruntled noise of protest when he sees his namesake knife, even though yes, he's started on yasusada's arm while he's doing other things because APPARENTLY this is his life now ]
I think we should probably leave that one here. Forever. [ his eyes are flitting around the room and objects he knows pretty well, but he still says nothing? ] This is PH's ... personal stuff, they'll notice if it goes missing.
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His jaw clenches, eyes narrowed before he turns back around. Hopefully the other two have had more luck on their side, but outside of that aquarium, there wasn't much to see, was there. A museum to his failures. ]
There's nothing that way. [ it's dismissive as he catches up, but then he sees, and--
ah. ...
... he stops a few feet behind them to give them a moment to react, glancing up at the ceiling.
this sucks. ]
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So maybe it's for the best that Sanji picks up on Yasusada's cry; it jerks the chef awake, taking him out of the moment. Breathing feels like a painful rattle in his chest, but he forces himself to ... commit this to memory all the same, even as he tries to gently prop the body up against the wall. Smooths some of the hair back into a semblance of a style -- the asshole hates it when his hair gets everywhere.]
We gotta keep moving.
[Spoken in a murmur that's meant for himself more than the other two, but at least he forces himself on his feet. God, though -- he's gotta get Yasusada to focus, doesn't he?]
Hey, I know it looks real, but...
[Wow, Dick might have to take over. Sanji ain't doing too hot]
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What?
The ceiling solidifies again almost immediately, and they're left with the water steadily rising and sloshing at their feet. Even just beyond Yasusada and Okita there's another figure which fuck I just realized this maybe isn't helpful for Yams either. Another sword lays broken in half, green hair falling loose from its ponytail as the limp body lies on its side, almost fragile-looking. And just beyond the last body lies a small set of steps, and a platform docking a yellow submarine waiting to dive underwater. A hall splits off to the right at the end, the submarine toward the left.
But...hm. A moment of silence for failure.]
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The other reaches for one of Okita's hands, always his hands. Then as long as we're both here, I'll hold you as often as I can he'd said, so if he can't do that, then it's Yasusada's job to do it for him. He clutches Okita's cold fingers tightly, too tightly, and rests his head against Okita's shoulder, squeezing his eyes shut.
Even Sanji's words don't reach him now.
But he can't cry. Not because it's shameful, but because they need to get out of here, and he can't risk his vision blurring. So he stays like that for a minute, dragging in unsteady breaths, before he shifts Okita back to a sitting position as carefully as possible.]
Hold on, okay?
[He turns slowly, his gaze once again landing on the broken blade before he spots the body next to it. Nikkari... Tonbokiri and Wei Wuxian were the last ones to speak to him, weren't they? So then...
He flexes his fingers before he gets up, carefully moving over to pick up the pieces of Nikkari's sword. He picks them up with care, tucking them into his clothes--it's not ideal, but it's the best he can do, because he needs at least one hand free.
Because the other...
Once he's sure Nikkari's shards won't fall out, he turns back to Okita's body, kneeling down in front of him again.]
We'll go okay? The cold isn't good for you. And you can't see the sunlight down here.
[With that, he'll lift Okita's body up, and even for a human, it's so painfully light. It makes his whole body ache, because he isn't as strong as Okita, he should never be stronger than Okita--but it's his job to care for him, to protect him, so that's what he'll do. He's careful to hold Okita over his shoulder, with one arm wrapped around him, and it'll slow him down if they need to fight, but. It's fine.
Only then does he look at Sanji, eyes dark but determined. There is no alternative to this.]
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But this isn't real. He knows that, and a part of him wants to callously move them along in a hurry, to get this entire mess over with-- but he gives them time, instead. Watches Yasusada take care of Nikkari's shards and the other body he doesn't know so reverently. It's dangerous to bring it along for more than just potentially slowing them down: who knows how else this place might try to mess with them with those bodies? Zombies have happened in more than just the ship, after all.
But with how gone Yasusada is, it might be more dangerous to attempt to separate them. Emotions are running high.
So he concentrates on Sanji, turning to him around the same time Yasusada does: ]
This isn't real. [ a reminder, in case it reaches either of them when he knows for a fact it's not that easy to just turn off feeling, but his tone is blunt and unwavering. ] The ceiling is glitching to another place. There's a hallway past the submarine. Submarine might lead us out-- or might lead us deeper into whatever this is, like the trap door did. [ he glances at it. ] Whatever you decide to do, we should leave.
[ he has a feeling... something worse is waiting for them either. or maybe the dread is unrelated to that. ]
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It's knowing his limits that allows him to be on the mend, sticking some of the pieces of his stoic expression back into place.
He regards Dick with a cool look and... nods. Because he agrees. Because they don't have time, and there are decisions to be made. Only then does he glance at Yasusada, as if he might voice his disapproval with that obviously stupid choice--
But again just. Nods. Relenting.]
I'll take responsibility for this. [Spoken at Dick, voice quiet] Let him bring them along.
[He and Dick have come to the same conclusion, it seems; best not to split up the group over this matter -- actually, no. It's simpler than that. Sanji just can't bear to tell Yasusada no when he's looking at him like that.
And then Sanji's fingers twitch for a moment, head falling back as he steels himself for his own stupid move: turning back to Zelos, eyes pointedly avoiding the body, to take up his partner's sword.]
Lemme borrow this for a while, eh?
[Straightening, the sheathe gripped in his fist. He turns back to the group and nods in the direction of their choices]
I don't believe in happy endings without a bit of blood being drawn first, so let's stay on alert. We don't know what we're gonna find in that submarine or the hallway.
[So hallway first? Just a quick peek to see if there is indeed a disaster waiting for them]
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Of course, even just taking a look is enough to draw attention, because there's a laugh suddenly, feminine and bright, as a swish, swish, swish can be heard from the dark.]
"Begone, thot ~♥ A gift for trying my patience last night."
[Not long after, there's the sound of something metal dragging along the floor, followed by the roar of a chainsaw as three figures peer out from the hallway. A girl with light hair in a tan sweaterdress approaches first, purple scrunchie keeping her hair pulled into a ponytail over her shoulder and blood streaking her front and her face as she holds onto the chainsaw. A tall, broad-shouldered man with blonde hair is beside her, more blood caked into his once-pink shirt as green eyes narrow and his left hand grips the axe he's dragging along the ground.
And finally, of course, the voice of their leader. She's a bit shorter than the others, but what she lacks in height she makes up for in confidence. Her kimono's wrapped around her tightly, fox ears twitching cutely on top of her head as nine full, beautiful tails swish behind her.]
Ah~? How foolish of you to come this far. [She looks to the other two before her eyes land on Dick.] Take care of the other mutts. That one's mine.
[And immediately they split off: the girl with the chainsaw darts towards Yasusada, the boy with the axe aims for Sanji with a swing, and the beautiful fox wife leaps straight for Dick.
Y'all REALLY should have just gotten in the submarine.]
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In the end, it's better this way anyway. If Yasusada had been dragged away, he would've been far too distracted to focus what's coming.
This way, though, he simply draws his sword, and follows down the hallway without complaint.
It's almost a relief, to see that they've got enemies. He doesn't recognize these people, or understand anything they're saying, but he knows weapons when he sees them, and they set his blood boiling. He's not really meant to be wielded one-handed, but adrenaline is enough of a boost to his inhuman strength and reflexes that he barely even registers the strain.
He darts away from her, and he's much faster than one might expect from him. This space is more narrow than he's really comfortable with, but it doesn't stop him from kicking out at her, aiming for her side to throw her off balance before he spins back with a wide slash, eyes wild. His usual intensity is nothing, compared to the way he fights.]
Here is the enlightened strike I inherited from Okita!
[Three sharp jabs, aimed at her neck and shoulders. By now, it might even be more familiar to him than it was to the man in his arms.]
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it's a good thing neither of the other two are going to be looking at dick's face, since his reaction is-- well, rather telling. he looks absolutely done. still: he flips backwards out of the way of Tamamo's attack (Fake Tamamo, his mind supplements, because as much as their relationship was odd, Tamamo never wanted him dead, and she'd be offended with this make believe version of herself, surely). he lands a little further away, taking a moment to warn them: ]
Neither of yours should have any powers, but the fox girl-- depending on just how far this place is pulling, we might be in trouble! Either way, I don't think they'll let us go back to the submarine unless it's in pieces!
[ he doesn't know if either of them will pay attention to him, but it's worth a shot, though he regrets not telling them some things in advance, maybe. either way: real or not, the danger surely is, and dick waits for tamamo to leap for him again before attempting to sidestep and swiping up the knife he'd kept hidden to try and strike wherever he can reach.
not his preferred weapon, but it'll do. ]
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Thank god he got left with the only man in the group, huh? Otherwise this would be a real fuckin mess. Sanji's been on the battlefield enough times to acknowledge a teammate's instructions, and he turns to the blond man dragging an axe behind him, expression darkening into gravel]
Tch... Fine. Let's clean up quick then.
[A kitchen knife's not going to have the reach Sanji wants so a sword-fight it is. He can practically hear Zoro howling from across the void as he unsheathes it, holding the blade in a loose grip, but his footwork is as quick and steady as he darts forward, aiming the business end at whatever vital points he can reach. Not knowing how powerful these phantoms might be is a gamble, and it's why Sanji aims for the neck -- a quick, concise, and hopefully bloody end before that axe leaves the ground and smashing into him]
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Sanji, meanwhile, also aims for the neck and everyone trying to behead them is funnier to me personally in retrospect for reasons, but anyway. The thing is that this man is strong and when Sanji aims he might not be expecting the sharp, quick swing of the axe right into his shoulder solely to wound him and knock him off course. The axe pulls back and the man readjusts his grip, ready for another strike. Unfortunately, he knows how to use an axe better than most people. Firemen. What can you do?
And Dick, meanwhile, gets a stab into Tamamo's chest, but it isn't before she embeds her claws deeply into his stomach and swipes across his face to knock them both back, teeth snapping for his neck almost immediately.
Are the phantoms just a teensy bit strong? Yes. Are they possibly going to have to fight to the death? We'll see.]
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He dodges the swipe at his side, but just barely, the fabric of his haori narrowly missing the sawchain. Yasusada's used to moving around teams of 6, but Dick and Sanji fight very differently than he's used to, and that, combined with the small space, means that he can't go very far. Pushing back is really the best he can do.
But fighting aggression with aggression, it seems, isn't the best move in this case. He lunges forward with a yell and wide swipe, but she's faster than he expected, and he lunges right into her swing. With his desire to protect Okita so strong, he's holding his body back and stretching his arm further than he normally would, and...
Well. The clatter of steel to the ground is never good sound, is it?]
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of course, that's when he hears it, turning with a curse-- that's an arm! shit. he can't help much, he knows, not with fake!tamamo hounding him. but what he can do is at least distract chainsaw girl (and he knows who it is but he is not acknowledging it) a little-- and he grabs the two darts in his pockets to send directly at her, aiming for her neck and face. maybe an eye? that would be nice.
he'll turn back to tamamo after, though there isn't a lot of places he can flip to in this tiny hallway and dodging is probably not going to be an option on this one
this sucks! ]
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He looks -- stupidly -- over his shoulder, and doesn't get a chance to yell Yasusada's name.
In part because there is suddenly a sharp, searing pain followed by lot of blood pouring from that shoulder wound of his. Hm, bad. And the fucker really dug it in there, too. Zelos' sword drops to the floor as Sanji's eyesight dims and a hand flies to the wound, cradling it. This sure as hell ain't his finest hour.
The only silver lining is he's pissed off, now, and already calculating the odds of -- no, fuck it.
He doesn't give a shit anymore.
Even if the other blond is fast, Sanji seems to have thrown caution to the wind and gone back to basics, using his body as both his weapon and shield. He'll dart up close, grab his enemy by the throat, and god yes he knows he's probably gonna lose a limb for this, but the goal is still the same:
Wheel the enemy around and then kick him directly into chainsaw lady.]
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--and without warning there's a voice that some of them may find familiar immediately ringing in their heads.]
Enough!
[And like that, the three of them will be blinded by a bright flash of light, feeling themselves pulled directly from the fight before the vision settles again.
...
...
...
...
...all three of them are in a pile on the floor of what appears to be a wooden cabin, just like their own. This cabin, however, is a little fancier. For one thing, there's a full-sized bed instead of the four bunk beds, black covers and purple and blue pillows propped up against the headboard. There's also a line of pillows on one side of the bed like a barrier. There's a desk, a dresser, a closet, and another door on the back wall that's currently closed. There are all sorts of things scattered everywhere on shelves and surfaces, a duffelbag halfway under the bed and post-it notes stuck to several spaces on the wall.
The good news is: Yams' arm is attached! It's just bleeding heavily, but at least it's attached and should heal with time. Likewise, Sanji and Dick's wounds, while bleeding and needing attending to, are no longer life-threatening or hindering.
At the foot of the bed is a small first aid kit though. If they look inside it, they'll find just enough supplies to fix themselves up.
...welcome to "the gift shop" aka Purple Heart's cabin. Fix yourselves up, and then take a look around. There's a lot they can snoop through and also a few things for them in particular but this tag's already too long.]
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...He's not really expecting to open his eyes, honestly, so when he does, all he can do is stare at the ceiling, dazed.
What.]
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he doesn't expect the drop, and when he wakes up it's with a jolt, completely jarred between what he just experienced and what is happening now. His thigh still hurts, and for a second he can't tell if it's phantom pain or not before he looks down. His wounds are still there, just ... less?
Wait. Wounds.
he can't be bothered to look around the room when he remembers, eyes going straight for yasusada and sanji as he moves out of the pile-- ]
Everyone okay? [ it's rasped out after he sees both yasusada's arms are. still attached, oh thank god. ]
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Aa, I'm fine.
[In pain, still bleeding, and dazed from being aggressively dropped out of battle, but Sanji can tell that his wounds are peanuts compared to before. And that voice he had heard--]
M'gonna get chewed out for this...
[God, he wants a nap.
First things first though; Sanji is also snapping his head up to check on Yasusada's condition, and huffs in relief once he notes that all limbs are accounted for. Dick is also spared a cursory glance. That just leaves the cabin itself. Gingerly, the chef picks himself off the ground, grunting when all that careful movement still irritates his shoulder wound, but still taking a look to see what their surroundings have in store for them.
Hopefully less chainsaws, foxes, and axes.]
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Sanji, likewise, will find that he has a small yarn doll in the likeness of Zelos, but no model sword for him.
Dick gets nothing because Dick didn't touch the bodies. So okay. What are they doing now? And where is Sanji looking?
At least they'll get the sense that whatever the fuck that was? It's over. No more danger.]
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His fingers close around the doll and the sword, and he pulls them both out, heedless of the blood on his hands. He brushes his thumb over doll!Souji's face, and honestly, the smear of red he leaves behind would be a relief, if not for how it covers his mouth.
Hm.
Well. They knew it wasn't real, didn't they? It's... it should be a relief. Okita's still safe. He's fine.
Tenderly, he tucks them both away again, staggering to his feet. His arm is bleeding, yeah, he should probably take care of that--but he'll wander on over to the desk first. Anything interesting on top? Any drawers to open?]
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[ probably dick as well, but, again: priorities! since he's walking around, though, he'll also look at post-its around the room as he does. ]
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It's for the best he keeps focused, anyway. He passes by Yams on his way to the closet door, sparing a moment to ruffle the other's hair as he goes.
Sorry Dick, but you're getting ignored. Searchy time is now, so closet, tell Sanji your secrets.]
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Dick can look at the post-its and he'll recognize the handwriting immediately. Countless of notes organized in a way that look like...timelines. It's names of the campers organized by worlds and groups and games, all of their important events and experiences. There are also a few stray ones about the camp itself.
What's interesting on top is...the ouija board! It's identical to the one that was on the bus. It, likewise, can't be moved at all. There are a few scattered pens and things, too, with even more post-its. There are a few books on top too including a copy of This Side of Paradise and a book of puns, and a small container of spare rabbit treats.
Opening the drawers is a mistake. There's two of them, and as Yasusada opens the first one he'll find:
A thin black journal that can be opened
A bandage
The clamshell from earlier
The hairpin from earlier
A bandage
A knife
...a few condoms
The second drawer contains:
A thicker black journal that can be opened
A singular rainbow-colored brass knuckle
A hitclip with an unidentifiable file on it
Random snacks
The same untitled blu-ray from before
A ring box
I feel like I should also mention there's an electric scooter in the corner of the room just because.]
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Sanji-kun, another knife for you.
[--Oh yeah, he's injured huh. He blinks down at his arm, but he'll let Dick bandage him up if he wants to? He's still standing it's fine. He's gonna open the thin journal first!]
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I think we should probably leave that one here. Forever. [ his eyes are flitting around the room and objects he knows pretty well, but he still says nothing? ] This is PH's ... personal stuff, they'll notice if it goes missing.
[ he sounds oddly certain about that ]
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