subdivided | week two: mingle

week two: mingle

Week Two
26 in Competition

As the sun rises on Monday morning, all participants will find themselves awakening with a sense of purpose. Regardless of where they slept the night before, they’ll find themselves compelled to return to the main meeting hall first thing in the morning.

Approaching the hall, however, they will find a large, swirling mass grey in color looming near the sakura tree. This swirl cannot be approached just yet, but seems to be locked and waiting for something more.

As the last member of the village enters the hall, they will find Lune and Sol at the head of the room. Though they’re together, it’s Lune who speaks up first this time.

"Good morning, good morning. You've done well to purge the corruption in the previous gateway - allow us to assist with the finishing touches. For the time being, it would appear as though we've been able to locate another. The land might appear a bit familiar to some however... I only advise you watch your step."

When Lune finishes, Sol chimes in from their place at Lune's side.

"The corruption is still out there, and we're going to do all that we can to find a way to contain it. But until then... stick close to others this week. Do your best to protect yourselves and look after each other. Okay?"

The moment participants leave the hall, they will find that the gateway has changed from grey to white, the opening widening enough for multiple people to step through. The Signs will soon take their leave, and all will remain peaceful once more.

The only oddity is that throughout the week, in a noise that extends past the portal but seems to resound even through the village, there will be the occasional, resounding call of a war horn.

In addition, as the week goes on, partners will find ever-growing feelings of anxiety and nervousness dwelling within them the longer they are separated from one another. They will feel compelled to be very close to their partners at all times, and will be on edge if separated for more than an hour by the end of the week. Welcome to surprise codependence at its finest.

Welcome to your week two mingle! As a reminder, murder proposals are open. We will also be hosting a mini-event on Tuesday, so please be on the lookout for that.

In addition, ensure that all of your week one private conversations were reported on the page, and your week two private conversations are reported on that page. If you'll be taking anything from locations, please report that as well.

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[ It may be a blessing for everyone that Four can't absorb blood to become stronger here, but it would be very useful ability in this campaign. She is nimble and agile enough to keep up, and she does keep Minato's back safe, if at least to keep herself safe, too.

She bats soldiers off horses after getting them to stop, knocking them out in ready succession. ]

If you do something too reckless, I'll take you out myself!

[ That's a warning, as she avoids his lava. ]

If only these soldiers would listen, we could settle this with less bloodshed.

[ Four's definition of "too reckless" is likely different from Minato's, who likes to believe he knows what's he's doing in splitting the battlefield so that he only has to care about his left side.

It'd be nice if they could settle this peacefully, but in the middle of a war, sometimes that isn't an option. Minato, for all he raises his voice above the clash of metal on metal, can still barely be heard. ]

Defeat the head, and the rest follow— a short battle means less bloodshed.

[ Four is reckless in her own way, but she prefers fighting battles she knows she can win...... most of the time. ]

That's not always true! Sometimes, someone is waiting to take over. You never know who's planning something behind the scenes.

[ At least Four isn't getting winded, running and fighting like this. ]

[ On the other hand, Minato sure is; he doesn't usually talk so much, and especially not while fighting. He has to choose his battles carefully- which means running away from what he can, engaging only what he cannot, and if he has the opportunity, going for one of the generals' heads. He may or may not remember about the scrolls, depending on if they're in arm's reach. ]

They're corrupted, Four.

[ The black, dangerous aura that surrounds these soldiers, they're the immediate danger that everybody here faces, not a potential "what if" future. ]

We have to deal with them now. If somebody worse is waiting, I'll deal with them after.

Corruption doesn't mean they're not sinister! It doesn't meant they're not planning something.

[ Four hasn't forgotten about the scrolls, but I forgot that they're traveling through pit traps. It's fine.

She kicks a random solider into some spikes and ducks a sword aimed at her head. ]

You are out to get yourself killed, and I won't be blamed for it!

[ She keeps her eye out for the item Baren asked for, not that... Baren has given his name out to anyone. ]

[ Baren just started talking and we all collectively went "okay, you're the boss" ]

I won't blame you, and nobody else will either. [ "I won't die" is what he wants to say, but who knows? The right side of his body is already falling apart.

It takes everything to avoid the traps, let alone the soldier swinging their swords at him; definitely wishes he had both working arms in order to swing his nailbat, because the knife just has too short a range. ]

We're both going to get through this. We'll both be fine. Close your eyes and trust me!

[ That should probably be "trust me" first, and then "close your eyes," because it takes a certain amount of trust to do that in the middle of a battlefield. But hopefully it's enough warning, because Minato digs into his bag and tosses something out towards a group of approaching soldiers— a glass bottle, filled with sand. He doesn't need to be very accurate, isn't very accurate throwing with his off-hand, but like he'd hoped for, one of the soldiers smashes through the projectile with their sword, and the glass shatters, shrapnel everywhere. Even more dangerous: sand in everybody's eyes. ]

[ baren just started talking, and four suddenly got annoyed for no real reason*

The problem with this week is that Four is more anxious than usual, and that means she trusts even less than usual.

She does not shut her eyes. Mistakes were made.

Four screams and goes down, her hands flying to her face. Her eyes water, trying to remove the particulates.

Are they both going to get through this? Even if the surrounding soldiers are also down, there are more coming. ]

[ Oh my god.

WELL, WHAT IS THERE TO DO??? Minato made that sort of promise, so of course he has to keep it, I'm crying, Ara. There is no way he can grab Four and drag her to safety, so instead, he stands over her, in front of her with his knife out. ]

Sorry...

[ he says, but that's not just to Four, it's also to the other soldiers, of which he cuts the backs of their knees so they cannot stand anymore, and kicks their weapons to one side. There are more soldiers coming but what can he do...?

Stand his ground until Four recovers. He sets a sword on one side of him, picks up one of the guns. Let's do this. ]

[ Please don't say sorry when all Four had to do was close her eyes to be safe. It's entirely her fault, but she's not going to say that. She's not even going to think about because all she can think about is how she's been blinded. ]

It— will only be a moment. I'll be fine.

[ She's not fine and sounds it.

Rubbing her eyes is painful. She hisses. She needs to wash her eyes out, but she has nothing but her angry tears. ]

We need to take a horse from one of these soldiers.

Okay... Hang in there. I'll focus on that.

[ It'd be nice if he kept water in his bag, but he just has paper and apples and sand bombs, nothing safe to flush eyes with. Four's angry tears will have to do while Minato steps a little further out before her, scanning the field for the closest horseman.

Four, please don't move, because Minato goes ahead and surrounds them with a ring of lava, leaving just a small gap in the front of them so that the footsoldiers and horses keep away from the heat and fire. It's that little gap Minato takes aim with, fires

misses

picks up another gun, and the same thing happens. Third time he clips a rider on the side, whereupon they fall off the horse but their foot gets stuck in the stirrup and the horse drags the body around, turning wildly in confusion. ]

[ why are they such a mess

Four doesn't move, but she squints to see what he's doing, and she wonders if all this effort is worth the scrolls. ]

I'll get it to slow down.

[ She breathes out a shaky breath, and true to her word, the horse slows in its wild movements. It doesn't stop because Four is still a little too focused on her pain, but it's enough to catch it. ]

[ It tracks that Minato can only figure out how to use his powers for mass destruction, while Four does exactly as promised and gets the horse to calm down enough for Minato to run out there, dislodge the fallen soldier, and grab hold of the reins. He hooks his broken arm through the hoop because he's smart, leaving his free hand to dig through his bag for some apples. ]

Here...

[ looks over at Four ]

Are you hungry? Do you want an apple?

[ She wants to scream, but instead, she shakes her head. ]

Save it for the horse after we're through here!

[ She runs over to him and mounts the horse, slower than she'd like for herself. ]

Get on, and navigate for me.

[ She hasn't forgotten his arm, and who knows if what's she suggested can work since she's still at least partially blind. She can't assume he knows how to ride a horse, and she doesn't even want to see him try. ]

[ Alright. Minato's going to have to sit in the back since he's taller, which also means he gets to hug Four from behind and pray he isn't immediately shoved off the horse for wrapping his arms around her. ]

Hang onto the right side for me; I'll tap your arm if I need you to pull.

[ In that way, he can guide the horse left or right. To go forwards... He can't remember what the voice command is. So he just rolls another apple in front of the horse and it starts trotting after it. ]

[ She tenses very visibly. It takes all her willpower not to shove him off, but she told him to get on in the first place. She did not think this through.

Four nods, holding onto the reins on the right.

For the tenth time this thread, getting sand in your eyes is not recommended.

As the horse shifts into a canter, other soldiers on horseback come after them. They shout as they charge, their only warning. ]

[ Getting sand in your eyes is the worst and he apologizes profusely to all those soldier back there. Also to Four. But he will apologize to Four all at once at the very end, because they will make it to the end, they definitely will.

He leans forward so that his mouth is right beside her ear, speaking over the sounds of war around them. ]

Can you get it to go faster? As fast as it can go. I'll handle steering.

[ Four almost jumps off the horse when he leans forwards and speaks, her eyes widening. Her gut instinct is to elbow him back, but she resists. Wordlessly, because she wants to ignore the fact that he surprised her and that her cheeks are reddening, the horse accelerates into a gallop, taking them away.

This doesn't stop soldiers from shooting at them with guns. ]

How much farther do we have to go?

[ Fortunately or unfortunately, she doesn't have an ear to speak into, so she shouts back at him. ]

[ Unfortunately, Minato doesn't like raising his voice, so he just keeps his face next to Four's ear like that for the rest of the time, a soft hum as he looks out across the battlefield to assess the quickest route through. Kind of hard, when there's soldiers everywhere, and he presses himself closer to Four so he can cover her as much as he can from those bullets. Gotta do something about those bullets. ]

Not much further. Can you reach back to the bag on my left? There should be a couple more glass bottles inside. Drop 'em to the ground behind us.

[ More sand, and they should be kicked up to make it a little harder for the guns to aim. The horse has blinders and should be okay. Four... is already blinded, so that's okay. And Minato knows to squint to protect his vision, get them to cause enough chaos to break through the formation and find an escape route. ]

[ Even more unfortunately, Four is so tense that you could snap her in half. She grits her teeth. Her thoughts are in scrambles.

She hears him, but she can't focus. She doesn't do as he asks. She does nothing. His desire to protect her has backfired, for his proximity is rendering her useless.

All through this, Four's probably still holding onto his dumb nail bat. ]

[ At least his dumb nail bat is safe.......

Guess he's wrapping the reins around his left wrist, causing the horse to veer slightly left as it gallops forward, but this way he can keep a hold on the reins and reach into his bag himself to let the sand bombs drop—

and this is a good a time as any to get shot in the foot, Minato gritting his teeth to stifle a cry of pain that he muffles by burying his face in Four's back. ]

[ That snaps Four out of the stupor she was in, and she gasps, looking back at him. She pinpoints his injury, and her expression twists in regret and anger.

She grabs the reins from him. Her vision has cleared enough for this. ]

I'm sorry.

[ Her apology is a whisper on the wind. ]

Please hang on.

[ She's taking them straight to the leader. At least the leader of this squad of soldiers. ]

[ It's all Minato can do to hang on, one hand on the reins and the other awkwardly around Four so he doesn't slip off sideways, feeling his foot throb dully and then sharply as bumps against the horse's side as he picks up speed. There isn't even a need for weapons this close to the soldiers; the horse tramples over them- or at least the ones that don't get out of the way quick enough, screaming and scrambling to get aside before they're crushed by reinforced hooves. ]

[ The screams fall on deaf ears. All Four cares about is doing what must be done. The soldiers could be broken in a million different places after being trampled, and Four wouldn't look back.

When they reach the leader of this area, her eyes lock onto the scroll hanging on their hip. The horse slows to a stop. ]

Stay here. Stay on. I'm finishing this.

[ Her voice is firm, and she removes Minato's arm from her. ]

This could be over so soon if I had my Song, but... I'll get this over with.

[ He doesn't speak as he lets go of Four, because if he doesn't speak, he doesn't have to make any promises he might break. He nods to her, biting at his bottom lip as he leans forward on the horse's back, gets into as stable and comfortable a position as he can. ]

...You got this, Four. End it.

[ She can take the final blow; Minato entrusts her to it. But that doesn't mean he's letting her go at it alone, reaching for a fallen gun as soon as Four's back is turned. He might not be able to fight by her side, but he still has her back. ]

[ No guns exist in Drakengard 3, but every soldier in her way is ruthlessly taken out with a flurry of kicks and punches. She hisses every time a sword nicks and cuts her and miraculously dodges any bullets shot her way (because rng was kind to her), but as she makes her warpath, she picks up a fallen sword and hurls it at the leader to get their attention.

Every wound she bleeds from only fuels her drive to end this, and it's here in the final hour that she gets injured. She knocks the leader down (please button mash a video game fight scene here), and just as she unhooks the scroll from them, they drag a sword down her leg.

She crumples to the ground.

i just put four down as not having her shit together at all so this is where we are ]

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