32 - Blow Your Top

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: A volcano eruption threatens the Western District
When: Jan 14 - 16
Where: The Western District of the Heavens
Summary: The Western District volcano is erupting again, endangering nearby temples and sending ash sprinkling down across the Heavens. Is it natural, or another attack? Those who dare climb the volcano can find out.






Earthquake Warning

On the morning of the 14th, an earthquake rattles windows throughout the Heavens. It's not strong enough to knock down buildings -- unless they're about to fall down anyway, like some of the older abandoned temples -- but it's strong enough to knock things off shelves and startle any late sleepers out of bed.

After the earthquake, strange sights abound around the Heavens. The poetic koi are swimming in organized schools in all of the canals, heading upstream towards the east. Springs of pure water burst out in some areas, and in others, normal springs or fountains have gone temporarily dry. Blue and green lights bob and weave across the landscape.

Falling Rock

The volcano begins erupting with a roar and a bright scarlet glow on the horizon. Ash and bits of rock fall across the Western district, and may even reach into the Southwest, Northwest and southern Central districts. Volcanic glass fibers that look like golden hair collect on trees, fences and buildings.

Trails and fountains of lava are also erupting from freshly opened fissures and wending down the sides of the volcano. Gods and shinki who live in the Western District are going to need some help clearing ash and glass from their roofs, trying to re-route lava flows (the good news is, if you cool one side down enough, you can turn them! the bad news is, that takes a lot of work) or just offering them a spare room to stay until things calm down.

Swamp Gas

It's not just lava and springwater erupting from mysterious new crevasses -- and it's not just mundane volcanic gases, either. Divine volcanic vents are blowing mind-altering fumes all over the Heavens. Anywhere across the Far Shore, but especially as characters get closer to the volcano, they may experience one or more of the following effects:

• Confusion
• Intense emotions
• Anger and irritability
• Impulsive behavior, loss of emotional control
• Hallucinations
• Unusually clear insight into other people and situations
• Coughing, eye and throat irritation, difficulty breathing
• Irresistible impulses to speak in poetry

Most symptoms will clear up after a few hours in fresh air, and all of them will be gone within 48 hours of the last volcano gas exposure.

Mountain Climbing

Natural disasters don't just happen like this in the Heavens... do they? Amaterasu's white-robed shinki are convinced that something is wrong, and they're organizing into search parties to go up the mountain and seek out the cause of this eruption. New and old gods and shinki are welcome to join them, or form their own groups. All of the hazards -- tremors, lava, ash, and volcanic gas -- will get worse as characters ascend the volcano. Strange little spirit flames, in shades of red and blue, dance on the rocks, dazzling, confusing and threatening to singe interlopers.

And there's someone up here, too. A mysterious figure with glowing red eyes is keeping watch on the intruders and vanishing behind boulders whenever someone turns his way. He won't let anyone traveling with one of the white-robed shinki get too close, but solitary gods or shinki might manage to lure him into conversation, if they try....

OOC: Please comment to the 'NPC REQUEST' thread below in order to talk to the mysterious figure on the volcano.

Those climbing the volcano will have a chance to battle the mysterious figure should their characters choose to do so. If you're interested in a fight, please comment to the 'NPC FIGHT' thread below before the top-level is posted. A top-level for the fight will go up on IC Jan 16/OOC Sept 4.

In Summary:

• Don't get rattled
• Help out the Western District with their volcano problem
• Watch out for volcanic gases
• Find out who's behind the eruption
• Have fun~

Comments

[reformedsinner]

[The vines catch Goku's feet and race up, binding. Binding, but not fast enough; Goku's upper body is still free, and his staff extends, whipping around and down towards Hakkai with crushing force.

Letting go will break the restraints. Not letting go will get him killed. There's no one here with him, and so Hakkai lifts his hands, teleporting away an instant too late to completely dodge the blow. His side aches where it had clipped him as he reappears, just behind Goku, and sweeps his foot across in the same movement to knock him to the ground.

His side aches a lot. Cracked rib, he diagnoses absently, bringing up a chi shield between the two of them in an attempt to squash Seiten Taisei flat against the ground.]

[rockthemonkey]

[Hakkai dodges, just like Goku expected him to; the real goal was to get free of the vines. That much he manages, but just as he's managing to wrestle his feet loose, they're knocked clean out of the dirt and Goku falls flat on his face.

It's really not fair, Goku thinks. Hakkai can take his limiters off, but Goku can't remove his diadem. No matter how much faster Hakkai is, no matter how many tricks he has, Goku can't really go all out. Not until there's no other option. The Seiten Taisei might have the power to kill Hakkai- might be the only way Goku can possibly kill Hakkai- but if he manages it, Goku can't think of anyone else he can count on to stop him. Gojyo can't do it alone. Sanzo isn't here. There are other strong people around, but no one Goku can count on. So it's just him.

The earth is warm beneath his fingers and there's a heavy pressure bearing down on his back. He's trapped again. Goku digs his nails into the dirt. He can't beat Hakkai's speed and he doesn't have any fancy tricks, but he does have something. Quickly, Goku shoves against the shield with all his strength, aiming to break through it. ]

[reformedsinner]

[Seiten Taisei plants his hands in the dirt and heaves up, his strength hitting Hakkai's shield with brutal force. Hakkai bares his pointed teeth in a snarl, knuckles whitening. No. No.

Cracks are beginning to radiate out, instability zig-zagging its way through the flow of his energy as he pours more of his strength into it. Ten seconds, he estimates, before it fails; his arms are shaking, and his side a solid blaze of pain. He breathes in, and out, and lets the shield drop, twisting to throw his elbow down at the back of Goku's head in the same instant. With any luck, with the amount of strength he's putting into breaking the shield, he'll pop directly up into the blow--]

[rockthemonkey]

[Hakkai is trying to crush him. It's pure energy behind him, Goku can feel it, like the full weight of Hakkai's power is directed at him. The weight is heavy, but Goku is strong no matter the circumstances and he can feel it starting to give. One more second and then-

The weight is gone and Goku's head snaps up directly into Hakkai's elbow. The thunk is audible and Goku sees stars for a moment, hitting the dirt once again. When his vision clears, he's confused. Volcanic ash and dirt surround them, yes, but weren't there more vines and trees and shadows crowding around them and wasn't the ground covered in blood? He blinks a few times and takes in a deep breath. Yes. All that and it's still here, he can see it before him. Everything seems out of place and it's hard to focus, but Hakkai's energy overpowers everything else. That's the only thing Goku needs to focus on.

In a split second, Goku goes from laying prone on the ground to leaping up and grabbing at Hakkai, aiming to throw him down onto the dirt.]

[reformedsinner]

[Goku -- no, Seiten Taisei goes down, face-first into the ash, his long hair settling in a halo around his head. He heals too quickly for Hakkai to have much time; he takes advantage of the pause as best he can, sitting up and scanning wildly. Where is his limiter? Surely, surely it can't have shattered, it must have been removed; if it's shattered, nothing but personal intervention from a boddhisatva is going to save them. Therefore he will assume it is not.

He can't see it nearby. There's no telltale gleam of gold--

-- and, faster than he'd expected, Seiten Taisei is up again, clawed hands closing on Hakkai's arms and bearing him down flat to the ground. He might not want to kill Goku, but, demonstrably, the Sage has no such compunctions about him. His head hits the ground hard enough that he's the one seeing stars, too dazed to dare teleport, but he struggles for his life, twisting, kicking, clawing at any flesh he can reach.]

[rockthemonkey]

[Goku wastes no time once Hakkai hits the dirt, quickly moving to straddle his waist and force him to stay where he is. It's times like this Goku wishes he was bigger, heavier; grappling on the ground just isn't his strongest suit. He's too easily pushed aside and thrown off. But if he gets to his feet, Hakkai will too, and then Goku will run the risk of losing to his speed. He can't afford that while he's like this. His only chance is to overpower Hakkai with brute force and keep him in place.

He responds to claws with fists, ignoring any strikes in favour of punching Hakkai clean across the jaw and fighting back just as desperately. One hand struggles to restrain one of Hakkai's and starts to shake while Goku feels blood drip down his face. It doesn't matter how much damage he takes, Goku knows that, all that matters is that he doesn't stop. So long as he doesn't die, Goku will heal. He can't lose, so he won't.

But Goku's not sure how he's supposed to win, either. Hakkai is practically frothing at the mouth like a rabid animal, looking like he wants to shred Goku to pieces with his teeth. Already he can feel claws digging into his skin.]

Hakkai- [Goku tightens his grip on the one wrist he's managed to catch, twisting as hard as he can.] Hakkai, you gotta stop! Hakkai!

[If he doesn't stop on his own, Goku only knows one other solution.]

[reformedsinner]

[He's caught-- and he's not dead; Seiten Taisei's hand comes down at his face in a clean punch that snaps his head back against the hard ground and sends black sparkles wheeling across his vision. A hand grabs his wrist, fingers digging in, and blood splashes his face, dripping down Goku's cheek.

... Goku's cheek?

He's pleading. He's speaking, and he knows Hakkai's name, which Seiten Taisei has never shown any sign of doing, and Hakkai is so shocked that he stops fighting, going still under the slight weight of someone who still very much looks like he's without his limiter.

And yet... and yet, his wrist aches from the strength of Goku's grip, but it's not bleeding.

There aren't any claws.]

... Goku?

[rockthemonkey]

Please, Hakkai!

[Hakkai hadn't believed Goku had it in him to kill one of his friends- and maybe he's right, because Goku dreads having to prove him wrong. People come back to life here, but Goku will still know, will still feel all of it, will never really forget because-

"Goku?" The sound of his name cuts through the fog and fear. Suddenly, Goku notices a lack of resistance beneath him; Hakkai isn't fighting him anymore. He's just staring at him.]

... Hakkai?

[reformedsinner]

[He'd answered. Very, very carefully, Hakkai blinks up at him, still not moving.]

Are you yourself?

[Without his limiter? How could he possibly--

That's a question for later. For now, they can hope it'll last until it's back on.]

[rockthemonkey]

[Goku stares down at Hakkai, blinking slowly as his vision focuses and unfocuses. It's hard to look at him properly, for some reason. But hearing his name makes it easier.]

... Yeah? [What's he talking about? Of course he's himself.] Hakkai...

[Has he already come through to the other side, like the youkai in the village? Goku's never seen it happen so quickly. But he's never heard a youkai in full berserk mode speak so clearly either.]

... What about you? [Goku can't let go until he's sure.]

[reformedsinner]

There's no minus wave here.

[He stares up, bewildered. As the adrenaline fades, his wrist is beginning to ache sharply in Goku's grip.]

Of course I'm myself.

[rockthemonkey]

[Goku doesn't loosen his grip, not yet. It probably doesn't help that he's likely sitting on Hakkai's cracked rib.]

I know that, but...

[There'd been no explanation, but Hakkai had been covered in blood and clearly not himself. Hakkai had attacked him on sight. Hakkai hadn't responded to Goku calling his name, until just now.]

... You were really tryin' to kill me though.

[reformedsinner]

[To point out the missing limiter, or to continue hoping that Goku, not realizing, will stay himself. For a long moment, it's a terrible dilemma, and then Hakkai's gaze, going to his forehead, catches a glimpse of gold.

Only a glimpse, and it's as hard to focus on as a coin at the bottom of a murky pond.

Instead of saying that Goku isn't, he says, instead, very carefully:]

Are you wearing your limiter, Goku?

[rockthemonkey]

[For a second, Goku is briefly terrified that he isn't. Then logic sets in, because of course he is.]

'Course I am, Hakkai.

[He can feel the metal- warmer than usual, from the heat emanating from the volcano- against his forehead. There's a pause before Goku guides Hakkai's hand up to it, so he can feel for himself.]

I didn't take it off.

[reformedsinner]

[Goku drags Hakkai's hand to his forehead, and Hakkai's vision briefly goes red and almost black with the pain of his reflexive attempt to resist the pull. When it clears again, his fingers are pressed against skin-warm metal, grooved, familiar. He can see it spreading out from his fingers like oil on water, see Goku's hair short where it brushes his hand even though yellow eyes and sharp teeth still occupy the same face.

His voice is excessively calm and level.]

Ah. I'm seeing things.

[rockthemonkey]

Seein' things?

[This is confusing. Goku is confused. He hesitates but, finally, his grip on Hakkai's wrist starts to loosen. He waits a second. Whatever he's seeing, he doesn't feel like Hakkai's claws are immediately digging into his throat. When he looks down at Hakkai, he still sees vines and mismatched eyes, but...

... Goku's hands drops down to cover both of Hakkai's ears.]

[reformedsinner]

[The points are real, and really there against Goku's palms. Hakkai blinks.

He's not going for Goku's throat. He's leaving his hand against the limiter -- it's reassuring to feel it there even when his eyes keep trying to lie to him about its presence. He is also starting to realize that the tips of his ears are ticklish.]

I saw you without your limiter. I thought something must have happened.

[rockthemonkey]

Like it broke?

[There are points under his hands but also a pressure against his diadem. No claws in his eyes, no sound of snarls- he can smell blood, but he can feel that dripping down his cheeks so who knows how real the blood drenching Hakkai's sleeves is? His back aches and his face stings from the deep scratches already there, but he can't actually feel Hakkai using his free hand to dig into Goku's stomach.

Finally, Goku just scrunches his eyes shut. Focuses on what he can feel, not what he can see.]

... Are you wearin' yours?

[reformedsinner]

I took them off when I saw you. They're in the car.

[Because, well, his likelihood of survival with them off, if what he'd seen had been true... he lets his hand drop from Goku's diadem, resting it carefully against his chest, and brings his other hand up to keep it from moving too much.]

May I sit up?

[rockthemonkey]

But when I saw ya y'were already...

[Already without limiters, already attacking people, already covered in blood- Goku groans, moves his hands to cover his eyes and just falls to the side with a thud. There you go, Hakkai, you're free.]

What the hell!

[reformedsinner]

Is that why you came after me?

[So they both thought the other was without limiters, and Goku must've thought he had gone berserk, limiterless and attacking like that--

Hakkai's version of the dramatic groan is a restrained little sigh as he gathers himself and gets to his feet, still keeping his injured wrist carefully tucked against his chest.

The first order of business is to head back to Jeep and get his own limiters back on.]

Ah, Goku, I'm afraid we've been tricked....

[rockthemonkey]

[Goku keeps his palms pressed tightly against his eyes. If he can't see, he has to rely on his other senses- and they're not so easily fooled.]

You looked like you'd totally lost it... and I couldn't think about it coz you started attackin' me...

[However strange it seemed that Hakkai had lost to the minus wave here, Goku hadn't been able to mull it over much while dealing with Hakkai trying to kill him. That was the sort of issue that required all your focus.]

... Man, we coulda killed each other! That'd have been so dumb!

[reformedsinner]

Ha ha, it really would have been.

["Dumb" is certainly one way to describe that situation. Hakkai's left wrong-handed as he tries to get his limiters back on with his uninjured hand; it takes a few extra seconds, but he lets out a breath of relief as the sharpness of his senses fades back down to normal, his strength diminishes, his claws and teeth are blunted again.]

I have mine back on.

[He turns to look at Goku, his frown pinching worriedly.]

I should get you off the mountain. If it's something around here....

[rockthemonkey]

[It would have been very dumb and very embarrassing. Other adjectives can be neatly swept under the rug like all other trauma and fears.

Goku still isn't opening his eyes. He can feel Hakkai's energy dampen and that's enough for him. He's not risking looking and seeing something terrible again.]

I was messin' with you too, right? [He sits up. He's really not all that hurt, he thinks. Hopefully Hakkai isn't either.] ... Is Jeep okay?

[They're probably very lucky to have not just been run over in the middle of that fight.]

[reformedsinner]

[Hakkai turns, squinting up towards the road where Jeep is sitting, back seat still piled high with supplies.]

Ah, yes. I think so.

[It's probably only the fact that Jeep suspected he'd get them both killed by trying to intervene that saved them from being hit by a flying and annoyed vehicle.

He's going to have to do a lot of apologizing when they get home tonight.]