Phantasmal Rift Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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phantasmalrift2018-12-19 11:39 pm
phantasmods) wrote in phantasmalrift2018-12-19 11:39 pm
DUNGEON - BELLMARE ENCLAVE (BELLMARE MOUNTAINS, PT 2)
The shadows are starting to grow very long as you crest his particular ridge - it's not night yet, but it will be soon. In the shadows of the afternoon, with a tall mountain already blocking the sun, lies a snow-covered valley that is different from the ones you've come across thus far in your investigation.
This valley is home to a town, and unlike all the settlements you've seen so far - Incendia, the Telovia mining town, and the manor - it's very much active. There are actual people in the streets, visible from above, going through their days on snow-free streets, bundled up against the cold.
Those of you who asked were told of the handful of people who didn't go into the slumber of stasis as the Fissure conditions of the world grew worse and worse, instead isolating themselves and trying to continue living their lives as they could. Now, it seems, you've found exactly such a group.
Welcome to the Bellmare Enclave, and enjoy your stay.
[[OOC: Welcome to part 2 of the dungeon! For the most part, interaction with the town's NPCs can be handwaved as described on the main information post. Worth noting are the following major things: The Bellmare Enclave isn't expecting visitors, though the people are generally friendly to the new arrivals. They don't know about the time dilation effect of their Fissure - to them, it's only been about eighteen years since the Slumber Plan was put in place and they withdrew from the world. And finally, by a similar token, they have no idea how far the Fissures outside of their own have grown - while it's not uncommon for them to find odd objects from time to time, they'll assume that the characters are just arrivals from other places within their own world, rather than outsiders, until told otherwise.]]
This valley is home to a town, and unlike all the settlements you've seen so far - Incendia, the Telovia mining town, and the manor - it's very much active. There are actual people in the streets, visible from above, going through their days on snow-free streets, bundled up against the cold.
Those of you who asked were told of the handful of people who didn't go into the slumber of stasis as the Fissure conditions of the world grew worse and worse, instead isolating themselves and trying to continue living their lives as they could. Now, it seems, you've found exactly such a group.
Welcome to the Bellmare Enclave, and enjoy your stay.
[[OOC: Welcome to part 2 of the dungeon! For the most part, interaction with the town's NPCs can be handwaved as described on the main information post. Worth noting are the following major things: The Bellmare Enclave isn't expecting visitors, though the people are generally friendly to the new arrivals. They don't know about the time dilation effect of their Fissure - to them, it's only been about eighteen years since the Slumber Plan was put in place and they withdrew from the world. And finally, by a similar token, they have no idea how far the Fissures outside of their own have grown - while it's not uncommon for them to find odd objects from time to time, they'll assume that the characters are just arrivals from other places within their own world, rather than outsiders, until told otherwise.]]
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It makes it infinitely worse.
It's one thing to know intellectually that in an infinite number of branching timelines and outcomes, every conceivable scenario will occur. It's another thing entirely to be forced to confront that idea as a reality. Minato knows he will never fully understand what his lovers went through in that mall, and he isn't even completely certain that's what happened in this vision...]
Won't go through that again. Won't-- Won't let it happen.
[Minato knows that's not within his power. He doesn't make promises he won't keep...but he's desperate.]
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... Yeah. I'll fight, too. [ brushing kisses over the side of Minato's head now ] Thank you... I promise to never stop fighting, okay? To stay with you all as long as I can, and to never give in to the demands of a place like that.
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Won't let them take you. [He has no idea who 'they' might be. But...he makes a silent promise, here and now, that if it comes to it - he'll go in Akira's place. Or Goro's, or Kurama's. The three of them went through one nightmarish 'game' already. Minato hasn't.
He'll protect all of them.]
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I trust you.
[ He pulls back just enough to gently rest a hand against Minato's cheek. He presses a gentle kiss to his lips, offering a small attempt at a smile. ]
Thank you.
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He'll find a way to keep things this way. At least for the others, if not for himself. They can get by without him... He knows they'll be sad, but as long as the three of them have one another, they'll be alright. They can overcome anything.
He closes his eyes and touches his forehead to Akira's.]
It'll be alright.
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Instead, he's sliding his fingers through Minato's hair, eyes closed as he enjoys this moment, for now. Let them have this... ]
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[He reaches up, his own fingers twirling and combing through Akira's hair. And he shifts to kiss him. It'll be alright, because Minato won't let it not be.]
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I don't want you "anyway", Minato...
[ Brushing a kiss over his cheek.... ]
The reason I want you [ then his nose ] is because [ his forehead ] you're you.
You in all your wonderful, quirky, reckless, endearing ways. I'd never, in a million years, wish for you to have been trapped in that mall for even a single day. [ now pulling back to kiss Minato's hand ] I'm genuinely happy you didn't have to go through it, just like I'm sure you'd be happy if the three of us never had to experience it.
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Easy to shut out anyone who could be called an outsider. Know... [He did it. Minato did it, before.] ...Mitsuru-senpai. Don't think I've seen her just go have fun, or heard her call anyone outsise of SEES a friend. Think she's been fighting too long...
[So, yes, even wanting Minato for his own value is in spite of his not sharing an experience of that magnitude. It's accepting an outsider. It's telling him that he outweighs that uncrossable piece of distance.
It hurts that there's a distance at all, and Minato would give near anything to let Akira, Goro, and Kurama be together without the mall. The good without the bad. Failing that....he'd rather have suffered alongside them, because it's not right that he's always the protected one, because it hurts anyway to be the only one who's safe, because... Because...]
...maybe I could have helped.
Part I: Welcome to infRaRed
[ Suddenly, there's what sounds like an announcement, similar to what might happen in just about any public place: a subway, a grocery store, a mall, etc... The only difference is that the androgynous voice is in the most monotonous tone (one could ever imagine being used over those kinds of intercoms). Like whoever's clearly reading from the script is more ready to curl up for a nap than do this.
Regrettably, it would seem our "Hot and Ready Body-Snatch Sale" has come to a disappointing end...
Only one body was created, meaning the upcoming Peace Week has now been canceled...
The usual rules remain the same, however...
Unless whoever created the body gets away with it, we will be shifting meals to every three days.
Unless whoever created the body is caught, we will be canceling next Monday's minigame. Hah. Hah. Wouldn't being broke really suck?
Bet none of them would like that, huh? That'll really show them to mess with the great and powerful Riso--
(oh. Right... Not the parentheses.)
You all have one hour to investigate. Clock is ticking from the moment this announcement ends.
Unless one of the buttons are pressed to begin the single five-minute Q-and-A, that is.
Announcement ending in three . . . two . . .
--
It ends with a logo that reads "infRaRed" in eye-searingly white-against-all-black.
It's during this announcement, one (1) young man who looks an awful lot like Akira Kurusu can be seen staring at a screen in horror, watching as each word (with certain ones being bolded, just like above) appears in bright pink text that is almost painful to the eyes - what amazing technology this place must have, to be able to send the announcement through to all the televisions of this department store-- wait.
Department store?
... Yep.
And, as soon as Akira lookalike looks away from the screen, gaze darting to each person (who, like him, is dressed like they're outside in the dead of winter) who'd joined him in the store to watch the screens in horror, it would appear a horrifying realization is sinking in... Finally, he snaps in a panicked voice:
"Where is he!?"
Several people look up - an incredibly tired (but still definitely elegant) young woman with long, wavy, red hair is already joining him in hurriedly looking around. She looks... frantic, almost immediately.
A young man with brown hair responds: "... Where's who, Akir-"
"Who else would I be looking for, like this!?"
... But, it's almost immediately that Akira is turning towards the glass doors, slamming through them with all his might.
The mall is huge - unmercifully so.
It's not until he's two floors down from the earlier department store, the young woman with red hair clearly doing... surprisingly well to hold it together, to take charge in delegating (the best she can, it would seem), Akira's coming to an almost screeching stop next to a spa.
"Those doors are-"
Young woman with red hair's eyes are widening, her jawline setting for a moment.
"-are never closed..."
"... Exactly."
Before the young woman can even begin to stop Akira, he's rushing forward... and that's where everything suddenly goes black.
--
Real Akira is... pale. ]
Dun dun dunnnnnn
That announcement. A body. Someone dead. Minato feels every hair on his body stand on end, one by one by one. A creeping dread and horror as he comprehends what he's watching. It completely drives all arguments about whether or not his kindness sets him apart from other people out of his mind.
Akira isn't okay. How could he be?]
Akira... Is that- was that another one? [His voice is a whisper, like his lover will shatter if he breathes too hard.]
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[ He's trying to focus. But, then, all of the things said have his stomach turning into what feels like cold lead. He- hates it already. He's wanting to punch the wall that this whole thing is appearing on. ]
... Yeah. Yeah, it was. It wasn't the same mall, but...
[ And now an unsteady breath is escaping as he suddenly slides a hand through his hair.
It's shaking. ]
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[He's still staring at the wall. He said he wouldn't be able to understand... Is this because of that? Why should Akira have to watch, too, when Minato may well be the cause?
Minato reaches for Akira's hand as it leaves his hair; he interlocks their fingers, then draws their hands close to kiss Akira's knuckles. He's right here. It's not real.]