thebastion | Pre-Day 61: pre-game threading

[When everything went black again, Maka thought--for a brief and horrible moment--that he was dead.

But--that couldn't be, he heard noises, felt that same damp and sticky warmth on his forehead from the bleeding injuries he still had. The boy cracks open one eye, then sits up, looking around the new area.

It doesn't look anything like the moon, no, though it does look like the courtyard for the Academy just slightly. Maka chances standing and looks looks down at himself--yep, the bits he could remember were correct, he had been fighting recently.

...Where's Soul?]

Soul? Black*Star? Kid?

[He looks up and sees a beacon in the distance, squinting at it as though he was trying to see past the light and pick out any details.

Is that the moon? Did I fall off? Why can't I remember anything?

Better follow it, it might lead him to some answers. Maka starts forward at a brisk pace, breaking into a run soon after.]

[Maka isn't the only one running, and soon enough there's a decent ruckus behind him of some one tearing up the broken skyway frantically.

If Maka turns, he'll see a girl already beat to hell, blood dripping down the side of her face, a pink and white school uniform stained and dirty. She's carrying a sword in one hand, clutching a red silk case in her other, but whatever she's been fighting she's no longer going after.

She's just running.

And there's a good reason for that.]

[Oh there's someone following hi--

Clearly he looked too fast, he'll look again--

...Nope, it's still a girl carrying a sword and running for her life.

For her LIFE? What's going on?]

Hey!

[Maka can slow down to let the girl catch up, of course, it's not like there's an issue ~~or he's an idiot shonen protagonist~~]

[The closer she gets, the clearer it becomes, what she's running from. Something large - a little bigger than human sized - and swinging a heavy looking hammer-axe combo is right on her tail. Literally. She has a tail, and it's right behind that.

But that aside, whatever is chasing her looks pretty damn dangerous and intent on smashing the girl in to itty girl pieces, and she's running out of steam to keep going.

She jerked her head around at the voice, and seeing another person seems to give her an extra boost of speed if only for a second. She reaches the boy and--

yanks him down to the ground.]

DOWN!

[Probably a good thing she did that, though, considering the next second was that axe being swung hard at where he had just been standing. Had that hit, Maka would have gone flying off the skyway, never to be seen again.]

Wh--? SHIT!

[They're being attacked. They're being attacked they're being attacked they're being attacked, why isn't Soul here?! Maka's battle instincts are nagging at him, but he can't do anything about it without Soul. And there's someone else to consider, too, this strange girl that was being pursued by the thing in the first place.

Act, don't think. Maka stands again once the axe makes its pass and bursts back into speed, towing the girl along with him by her wrist.]

What the hell is that thing, a golem?!

[They've got to get to the beacon. He's not sure why it's so compelling, but they absolutely must get to the beacon, weaving along the path to avoid the creature chasing them. Maybe some opportunity will open up to knock it down along the path.]

[Rin barely registers that she's being pulled up to her feet again, so utterly exhausted she's slipped in to a disturbing sort of numbness that dulls both her physically worn body from touch and her injuries from pain. She stumbles along behind him, panting heavily, nearly gasping for air to lungs that are too achy to properly take it in.]

I don't know! Just keep g-- YAAH!

[The creature is getting tired of this BS, and rather than swing directly at them, it slams the heavy end of the weapon down on their precarious walk way. The shock wave is close enough that it sends Rin falling face on the ground.

Ow.

Even exhausted, though, she hears the hissing sucking sound of the thing preparing for another strike, and she rolls over on to her back, throwing her scabbard-covered sword up to block the sharp metal coming down on her.

Arms trembling, covered blade rattling, she manages to hold it back, but it becomes a game of strength at that point, and from that position she's more or less pinned.

Damn... this is it... should be more surprised that I'd go out in the lamest way possible--!

She tilts her head back, seeing Maka not that far from her. She doesn't know the kid, but like hell she's going to let this become a grave for two.]

GO!

[He can almost hear the audible creak of joints as the thing lifts up its weapon again to break through the barrier of strength the girl has set up with another strike.

Go?...

Maka scowls, reaching forward and grabbing Rin to sweep her out from under the strike and--hell--if she can't go anymore, he's going to carry the both of them to the proverbial finish line.

Caught in a mid-strike, the creature now hits an empty spot, shockwaves surging forward prompting Maka to jump when they're about to reach him to propel him forward faster.

It's like something out of a video game. That would be funny if he wasn't running for his life and completely disarmed.]

We're going to get there! We're going to do it together!

[Hell, he doesn't know her either, but from what he's seen so far she's another survivor and needs protecting too.]

[Rin had closed her eyes, shut them tightly against the oncoming strike that she knew would shatter her sword and leave her a bloody smear on that strange hovering walkway.

But it never comes, and instead she has the very odd, very new sensation of being carried after getting yanked up off the ground and away from the weapon seconds before it comes crashing down.

This was a first, and she was no damsel in distress, but even heroes fell to fatigue, fright and general physical damage eventually. She was already at that point, ready to collapse even before the damn thing knocked her on her ass, and he had just saved her from becoming very much dead so there was no way she could be ungrateful for that. Even her pride was willing to take that hit.

And the hit of actively clinging to this strange teenager with her shaking arms as he tore down the rest of the skyway.]

Ohgodohgodohgodrunrunrunrun--!

I'm going I'm going I'm going!

[At least now he can tell Black*Star that he broke her record of doing a mile dash under a given set of minutes as he darts and weaves along the skyway. He's not entirely sure if the thing is still following them anymore, the shockwaves stopped, but that might have just been the sound of his ears roaring in blood-rushing panic.

Finally, the thing they had been trying to reach, the Bastion is here.

Maka stops upon realizing that the environment is different and looks around, panting, shaking, about ready to collapse but--]

Hello? Is anybody there? We need medical help!

[Rin peeked an eye open when they stopped, looking over Maka's shoulder. The creature had been following, but once they reached the Bastion it stopped, hovered for a bit, and eventually floated away.]

It's... it's leavin'...

[A shaking breath escaped from her. It was quiet, and no one had emerged from the strange buildings just yet. She straightened to lean back and look at Maka, blinking in mild surprise. He had saved her without even knowing her name, but he couldn't have been any older than she was.

It was impressive, to say the least.]

Hey, you okay... ?

...Yeah! I'm fine, what about you?

[Maka you're bleeding and trembling, that is so obviously a lie.]

I'll... live. We're both pretty trashed though.

[Sorry, Maka, she doesn't even know you and she can catch that lie. The shaking helps her figure that out, though.]

Oh uhm. You can put me down.

[Okay Rin can go down.

But Maka's going to join her as he flops to the ground, staring at the sky.]

God...I just have more questions than answers right now. Where are we? Where is everybody?

[A beat.]

...Why do you have a tail?

[Flopping is good. Flopping means not standing which is excellent because god damn her knees are still shaking and her calves feel like they're on fire. Which is... odd, considering her power.

She slumps forward, shaking hand still clutching the sword that she hasn't let go of since she arrived, not even to put it on her back where she normally carries it, head resting on her arms. Her tail twitched, but even that seemed to ache from all of the running and fighting and getting tossed about like a ragdoll.]

I don't know where we are. I don't know... if we're the only ones alive but--...

[There had been the statues, at the start where she woke up. The ones wearing True Cross uniforms. And some of the broken stones looked suspiciously like the material that the steps to the front of the academy had been crafted out of...]

I-I just don't know.

[Wait he asked something about her tail--?]

Oh. That. ... I just do.

...Okay, cool.

[He doesn't really have the brain to argue at the moment and man the light's really giving him a headache--he'll just cover his eyes with his arm.]

...Thanks. For helping me out back there. [And he lifts his other arm out to...who knows, pretend to shake her hand or something.] Name's Maka.

['Okay cool' is probably the best reaction she's ever gotten. It's hard not to smile just a little at it.

She takes his hand, returning the handshake a little awkwardly.]

Rin Okumura.

Nice to meet you. I'm guessing you're not from Death City.

[How it happened, he's not sure, but it still feels like he's the only one left.

His friends...

No, stop that, Maka, don't be negative! They'll find their way here too, just be patient.]

Death City? ... nope. True Cross City, Japan. Where's Death City?

[It's then that a friendly NPC finally appears! A woman in her late 20s runs up, carrying a box full of medical supplies.]

I heard someone shout for help, was it you two?

The United St--oh.

[Maka sits up and brushes himself off, peering up blearily at the woman.]

Yes, ma'am. My friend and I are pretty banged up here, we just came off of that...[he merely points behind himself for lack of anything better to say.] And we were being chased by something.

[Oh hey there are people here. Good to know.]

You should probably take care of him first.

[COMPLETELY IGNORING that she's actually in worse shape than he is.]

Oh hush, you're in worse shape than he is!

[NOPE sorry Rin is getting medical attention first. But this NPC is a doctor so she can evaluate her wounds and treat her quickly.]

Honestly...you were the one that was actually fighting the thing.

[Mumble mumble, people and being heroes, gosh.]

[Shush you.]

Yeah I was but I can heal on my own, okay?!

[Sorry lady she's totally flailing at you.]

Stop flailing! This will go a lot faster if you cooperate, and then I can take care of your friend here.

[She is curious about what Maka had said, though.]

Did you two really fight the monsters out there?

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unflattering - 2013-04-29 01:07 (UTC) - Expand

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hellpyre - 2013-04-29 23:32 (UTC) - Expand

Pre-Day 61: pre-game threading

Day 35

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