linkingup | AUBREY'S PALACE

[ He... hasn't been listening to what anyone else has been saying, actually, but the idea of "attack the shadows" comes to him because what they're saying is pissing him off. Even without the enrage effect, he would be pissed, but since he does have it, well... ]

Will you useless assholes shut the fuck up?!

[ He pivots from fighting Aubrey's Shadow, launching himself into the shadows instead to physically fling one of the pews they sit on over (14). ]

SHADOW AUBREY flinches at the psychic damage, meanwhile the shadowy figures gasp in shock as Eli launches his attack on them. While the pew is flung, the only effect seems to be that those shadowy figures who would have been affected appear on other, currently fine pews.

“What do these delinquents think they’re doing? This is a place of worship!”

“Someone needs to stop them... Where are their parents?”

That pressuring gaze upon everyone grows stronger.

Sou may notice that his cards are calculating a number before the answer becomes obscured by wriggling shadows.

Apparently SHADOW AUBREY is just as angry, though - because she's casting another Wage War on everyone. Sou (13), Mafuyu (19), Yoon (15), Richard (18), Kaine (13), and Eli (15) all become enraged.

Arven and Jesse manage to keep their minds this round!

She then casts another Mabufu - Mafuyu, Yoon, Richard, and Kaine all take double damage and are Knocked Down! Sou, Jesse, and Eli are able to dodge, but Arven takes light ice damage and is still on his feet!

[ He feels angry again, angry that he feels so violent. He wants the Shadows to shut up and Aubrey to stop. His mind goes back to his friends who are waiting for him at home. He's only been here for a few days but he wants to return so, so badly.

He gets ready to strike again, but then the Mabufu hits, and Yoon is now helpless on the floor. Hm. This feels familiar, and not in a good way. ]

You asshole-!

[ He says it through gritted teeth but he can't get up. ]

Edited 2024-09-01 18:22 (UTC)

[This is getting really creepy really fast. Oh god, now everybody’s freaking out too.]

Hey, guys? How ‘bout we chill out—- [Terrible wording.] —-nah, calm down. Something’s watchin’ us.

[Jesse casts Energy Shower on Sou, Mafuyu, and Yoon as he talks.]

Edited 2024-09-01 18:37 (UTC)

Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!

[ Eli carries on smashing through pews (15), intent on making sure the gossiping shadows have nowhere else to sit. He is... still enraged! Amazing. Guess he's going to keep doing this until someone slaps some sense into him. ]

[Ow.

Arven didn't even get hit with the enrage but he's still more than a little annoyed at those shadows.]

Aren't you supposed to be adults?! You should be helping a kid in need, not talking down to her!

[Given everything he's seen so far, he's getting the impression that Aubrey didn't have many people to turn to for help. No wonder things have gotten this bad.

Staggering a little, he still manages to call for Hestia. The fiery figure bestows an Energy Shower to cure the rest of the group of rage.]

[

She's on the floor again and too angry to pull herself up (even if she could do that. The string of curses that starts coming out of her mouth is unbelievably violent and scathing, so much so that it cannot be replicated in text.

Maybe she could use a round to cool off.]

Edited 2024-09-01 18:39 (UTC)

[Huh. That's an odd reaction. He's never seen that happen to a card before.

But before he can think too much about it he's hit by wage war and now he's enraged and trying to stab (17) Shadow Aubrey with a crazy look in his eyes.]

( mafuyu's been knocked down!!! and holy fuck these shadows are so- she hates them. how dare they. how dare they- mafuyu hides her face in her hands, only one eye showing as she tries to breathe. )

As Eli flips another pew, the sounds of dissent grow louder. The pressuring gaze begins to feel crushing.

Sou manages to slip in with a stab, and as she raises her sword to strike him on the spot, a swell of whispers distracts her.

“That girl is a threat to this neighborhood. There’s no hope for sinners like her!”

Everyone who was on the floor has an opportunity to get back to their feet! They can take action again this round!

Turning her attention to Kaine, she focuses the brunt of her attacks on her - striking her with two Giant Slices for medium damage (12, 11). Soon after, she darts back and casts Dia on herself, preparing for the attacks to come.

She is beginning to look haggard.

Edited 2024-09-01 19:02 (UTC)

[Ah, anger, his old friend... it's so easy to embrace it, let it wind itself into his mind... it's a good thing that he was immediately knocked off his feet by that Mabufu or else he may have tried to give in to it.

Fortunately, Arven's Energy Shower prevents it from getting a solid hold, and a moment later he finds he can stand again. Ugh. He may not be enraged now, but he sure as heck isn't pleased.]

How dare you...

[That's all the warning he gives before darting in with a Tiger's Prowl (13) to strike at her with his Electric-infused rapier.]

( with the anger relieved, she can focus again...

wordlessly, she commands snow white to use media, healing three other people and herself. )

You're wrong! [The pressure is getting to Arven, angering him as much as Eli.] If you're not gonna help her, then just get out and let us do it instead!

[He charges to help Eli with knocking over the remaining pews (20).]

[He's glad to be sane again at least. He steps back and tries to act like nothing crazy just happened and he's completely sane.

He'll go ahead and crush that card from before to send some ice damage (8) at Shadow Aubrey that misses entirely whoops.]

[ Maika's finally picked herself up off the ground by now — and she doesn't need a status effect to be full of rage, but her head is clear of supernatural influences... for the moment. ]

And who the fuck decided she had to be hope for you? Spit on that.

[ She doesn't literally; but with the clumsy swipe (6) she tosses towards the Shadow, she may as well. ]

And you! Are we really the ones you want to be fighting right now?!

[She's not sure how much she buys the peanut gallery being the real enemy thing when she's the one who has a giant twisted rabbit Shadow wailing on her, but the condescending, encroaching voices aren't getting any quieter, and she's not taking any less of an ass beating.

With Eli already doing the job of telling everyone to shut the fuck up, she'll just bust out a very forceful Mapsi (20) for light psy damage to all enemies. If it splashes the accumulated congregation and gets them to zip it, then fine.]

And that makes you any less of a threat how?!

[ He says it to the Shadows, but now that he's feeling like himself again (thanks Jesse), he'll cover the rest of the party with a Media of his own.

Being here, though, has told him way more about Aubrey than he ever thinks he needed to know, but he understands her more, now. ]

Aubrey, please! You don't need to keep doing this, look at how tired you are from fighting the people who should be your allies!

SHADOW AUBREY isn't quite able to defend herself in time - Richard and Kaine manage to score hits on her, though Kaine's attack ripples through the crowd. Between that and Arven helping to flip the pews, the pressuring gaze feels nearly unbearable, and the whispers are now a dull roar of judgment.

“Ah, ever since her father left... ...She’s so uncontrollable... ...Disrespectful... ...I feel bad for her mother...”

The sword and shield once meant to defend and counter against any attacks against her falter.

SHADOW AUBREY has fallen into despair!

SHADOW AUBREY cannot move this turn!

HER MOTHER DIDN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING. NONE OF YOU DID! NONE OF YOU TRIED TO HELP HER AT ALL, DID YOU? And you did this, talked about her like this, hurt her in the house of God! What would your God say about all of this? You're all HORRIBLE!

( telling, isn't it, that that is what sets mafuyu off. how dare these people! how dare these people look at a struggling family, a struggling child and scorn her! did they even bother trying to extend a hand? or was it funner to judge!

mafuyu isn't sure what to do right now. so she might act in a little bit- )

Edited (actually she ahd more to say) 2024-09-01 20:04 (UTC)

[He should be focusing on the fight, but that shout pierces right through all the noise coming from the shadows. She must know, too.]

Mafuyu...

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beathollow - 2024-09-01 20:16 (UTC) - Expand

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supherb - 2024-09-01 20:36 (UTC) - Expand

...

[ Yoon sees her fall. She doesn't even attempt to attack. The voices are growing louder, and he decides to take a risk. He'll leave himself vulnerable to an attack, and he'll try to get out of the way if he can, but -- there's so much fighting and noise. He can't stand it. He's upset at her but also upset for her, someone he's only known for a few days, someone who wanted nothing to do with him on their first meeting.

He approaches with the beach ball and lightly tosses it towards her. ]

Hey. You said your friends -- they're not in your life anymore, are they? One of them is gone and the others have aggravated you. Your mother clearly wasn't there for you when you needed someone. These people are calling you a threat but haven't even bothered to understand you.

[ I couldn't protect Yona...but maybe, here, things can be different. I have to at least try.

(If it looks like his eyes are watering, well, no they aren't.) ]

Come on. Ignore them. Ignore your neglectful mother. You may have lost your old friends, but a new one is here, standing in front of you right now.

[...

They may have stunned Aubrey's shadow for a time, but in no way does it feel good for Arven. It hits so damn close to home, way too close for comfort. One parent not in the picture, and the other may as well be too.

He lashes out at the shadows with Mafuyu.]

Stop it! You don't know anything!

[Hearing that part, Sou hesitates. This is stirring up feelings in him that he doesn't really like, but maybe he needs to be uncomfortable to end this.]

You're not alone in this. I...

[He still can't quite say it, even now.]

People say all sorts of things when they should just keep their mouths shut.

Instead of fighting us, how about we shut up those voices instead?

[ That pressuring gaze, those words... They hit home for Eli as well, one amongst the others who know this same feeling here. How could she adopt such a beastly child, they should have put him down, it would have been a mercy, he's too wild, he's too aggressive...

He could easily hear these things saying all of that to him, too, and it pisses him off all the more if that's even possible. ]

I told you all to shut up!

[ Sadly, Eli fails to flip any more pews (4), so he's just yelling at the shadows now. ]

You don't get it! People like you never do! Fucking useless gossips, sitting on your asses and running your shitty mouths!

[... ah. Richard's grip on the hilt of his sword loosens, the blade lowering. People really are all the same, aren't they... they don't see. They don't understand, because they don't care enough to try. They don't care about anyone but themselves.

They're all the same in the end, and that's why...

Behind him, Lambda stands motionless, as if awaiting his command.

But Richard doesn't move, doesn't act, doesn't do anything but bow his head in silence, his eyes squeezed shut.]

Edited 2024-09-01 20:18 (UTC)