EVENT | ZUGZWANG | SEPTEMBER 21-28

[ironwood]

Characters: ALL!
Date: September 21-28, 2014
Location: Keeliai
Situation: Something in the city has caused the Foreigner's powers to go off the charts, affecting even those who wouldn't possess any. Things pretty much go downhill from there...
Warnings/Rating: Add warnings as needed.

The state of affairs in Keeliai has been tense since the incident at the Midnight Hotel with Evandau, and the aftereffects have put a touch of pall on the city. Kedan look at each other distrustfully, wondering who among their number might be possessed by Malicant's essence and that suspicion carries to the Foreigners as well. How can they fight for us? they seem to be asking. They can't even stop fighting amongst themselves and the Emperor. Of course, the kedan's opinion of Evandau is likewise not exactly stellar any longer, as whether through inevitability or design, his cold actions of killing those who cross him has come to light. While there's no open dissent in the ranks (and likely, it seems, more due to fear of repercussion than loyalty) there are certainly looks and whispers.

The turtle hatchlings have also picked up on it, and they've become quieter than normal. Especially those who are suffering under shedding the remainders of Malicant's taint if they were injured by the poisoned weapons, they'll seem hesitant to bother their parents for minor things, or if possible will ask a parent who isn't afflicted first.

It feels like the calm before a storm.

---

LINKS
Powers Going Haywire (Sept 21-25) | Powers Nullified (Sept 26-27) | PART 2 TBA (Sept 28) | OOC Plot Post

OOC NOTE
Reactions to the Part 2 plot reveal will also be threaded on this post and the comment will be unfrozen when the other posts are made. Event questions can be directed to this comment. Have fun!

Comments

[akito]

Passing out isn't anything new to Akito; it happens every now and then when he's tired enough, and he certainly was more than tired enough last night. What's new is the instant, overwhelming feeling of dread that is only amplified when Mal-nyan makes his appearance. However irritated he still is with Quintus (not very) he immediately sends him a panicked mental message checking on him as he rushes out the door.

Maybe the turtles aren't really gone (they are and he knows it). Maybe he can do something to help them. After all, Asti gifted him with healing for a reason. He has to at least try.

But when he reaches the scene the faint stench of decomposing flesh hits him. It likely isn't noticeable to anyone without a sensitive nose, yet it's enough to make him gag with the knowledge of what it's coming from. Akito steadies his stomach in preparation to try and make the poor things look less... broken. He tries Waterbending on each of them unsuccessfully. Then tries again. And again.

Eventually he pauses and instead fills the cracks in their shells with water, freezing it solid, then layering frost over each patch job he does to try and make it seem more ornamental. He feels sick, and exhausted despite the six hours he spent unconscious.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you," he tells each of them in turn.

[peacefullywreathed]

Akito isn't the only one there, though Solomon's efforts are somewhat different in nature. He can't bring them back, he knows that--but patiently and methodically he sends semi-transparent shadows into each corpse, trying to revive them enough for an explanation, or at the very least so they could say goodbye.

The shadows wreath around him in a swirl, occasionally quickening when he exerts his power on the bodies and then slowing as if in confusion when they're unable to catch on anything to bring back. The worst part is, he can't tell if that's because there is nothing to bring back, or if he's being blocked from it.

Finally he sits back with a sigh, and then rises. "Wait a moment," he tells Akito, and then uses those same shadows to move the turtles' bodies into something more peaceful before the boy fills them with ice.

[akito]

The shadows are surprisingly easy enough for Akito to ignore - he registers them on his peripherals but pays no attention to them. The shadows that mingled around Skulduggery just a few days ago were more disconcerting, and even then he hadn't been all that bothered.

Solomon doesn't have the biggest fan in Akito (through no fault of his own, really), but there are other things occupying his attention for the time being. It's simple enough to ignore his presence entirely until he's told to pause what he's doing. He doesn't want to but does anyway; tries to keep himself busy enough in the meantime so that his energy doesn't ebb away too quickly.

[peacefullywreathed]

It doesn't take long. Solomon arranges them carefully, to make it seem as though they're sleeping, before he steps back and nods to Akito. "Go ahead."

He recognises the boy, but Solomon doesn't have enough of an opinion on him to care much who it is who's there--insolent as Akito is or not. It's clear the boy is used to loss, and Solomon certainly isn't going to bother getting into that argument over children and their rights to attendance.

[akito]

Solomon does what Akito wishes he could have, which he's grateful for. Seeing the hatchlings bodies relaxed instead of frozen in the position of their last, clearly traumatic moments gives him a feeling of great relief. It was painful enough for him to see them that way, and he can't imagine how awful it must be for their 'parents'.

"Thank you," he intones loudly enough that Solomon knows who it's directed to. Then his attention returns to placing just enough water into any cracks in their shells to freeze temporary patches, like filling a hole in a wall with plaster.

[peacefullywreathed]

It's an acknowledgement more than a requirement for conversation, so Solomon nods toward Akito and then moves away to find Marcelon and begin preparations for Emily-Helen.

[akito]

Conversation is one of the last things on Akito's mind, though he could probably use the distraction. He acknowledges that Solomon is leaving but still has work to do here himself and so stays where he is, pondering over Mal-nyan's riddle of a message.