central_librarylogs | Log Title--Failed Ritual...[Closed]

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Log Title--Failed Ritual...[Closed]

Log Title Failed Ritual...[Closed]

Characters: Sunset Shimmer, (Future)Trunks Briefs
When: Orientation event, Central Library
Where: The world of Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly
Summary: Two new residents in the Library have ventured into a book, and found more than they expected. Vengeful ghosts, curses to be broken, and a town they can not leave.
Warnings: Angst. Angst. Angst. Mentions of violence and Death.

There are whispers. Voices of children, of adults, screams of pain and echoes of sorrow and tears. It's cold the closer he got to the book. The cover is tattered red leather, a beautiful embossed red butterfly adorning its spine. When he isn't looking directly at it, the wings seemed to move pulling his attention back to it.

Curiosity made him reach out, if only to affirm what his eyes thought they saw. But the moment his fingers brush the book, a flood of red luminescent red butterflies erupt from the book and circle around the warrior. "The ceremony... it must be completed..." The world is dark. A decrepit and falling apart village in Japan came into view. It looked empty for all intents and purposes, but the whispers... the whispers will never stop.

At their feet is a camera. Old. Antique. "Pick it up. It's the only way you will defeat those that linger here as vengeful spirits. Keep them away from the portal. Ease the spirits of the dead. But be careful... where you can't touch a ghost, the ghosts can hurt you."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"On one game yes," said Sunset. "Haunted Picture, it's one of Pinkie's favorites. As it stands, that's DEFINITELY a no-win boss fight right there. We need to find a way around it before we get involved in that house again."

There is a noise, growls of frustration coming from him that Sunset can pick up. And she added, "Rest, and we'll start again. I'm sure we can defend ourselves here for now."

No-win? That just made his frustration spike for a moment before it was tamped down. "There had to be away around it, or to weaken it..." Thinking on it, chewing on his thumb for the moment as his brain worked. "What else happens in those kind of games? Don't they usually have items or medicine or something too?"

... He had a point. "Yes, you're right. There's a way to beat it, but I don't know how. Probably a key item somewhere. We'll have to brave the town and find items and information."

They were approaching this all wrong, initially she surmised. They needed to treat this like a game. And in a game, there was no such thing as a no-win boss. "There is no no-win scenario, only solutions. Rule number one of game design..."

"We don't know if it's a 'game' though...just a world in a book." Trunks countered, but he didn't have any better ideas. Getting to his feet, trying to orient where they were, from what he'd seen during their escapes while in the air. "I'm still willing to bet these 'key-items' are in that house. We just need to find a way to survive going through that house."

They were, if he recalled, in an area that lead to a dead-end with a storage shed. "Is it worth our checking the woods again, do you think? There was a graveyard, and there's probably a shrine or something there too."

"But each World has a Rule. And that Rule defines a World. I know this because I've been to two already before coming here," said Sunset, countering his point.

"But what if there's locations leading UP to the house? Maybe. We might be able to find some lore first."

It was better than what he had, so no objections. "Then we explore this village and its surroundings, right?" Sounded good to him. "Especially if we can find something useful besides lore."

Medicine would be good, of some kind. Even with enough time though, if they could get it, he'd bounce back. Moving towards the end of the side-alley, and peering around cautiously. "So long as we don't encounter that thing again, we should be fine." A pause, looking back towards her. "I can still take point, since you have the ability to sense these things, and the camera."

"Yeah, we should. It's riskier, but there's probably less spirits there than in the rest of the place." said Sunset.

She nodded. "The camera I have a bad feeling about, but its our only defense right now. I'll be able to pinpoint any enemies."

"It's the only thing we've found that's working though, so bad feeling or not..." Not that he sounded thrilled about the idea. "Keep close, and we'll get through this somehow."

Ready to move, still taking point as they moved into the houses once more. Time to start exploring more in-depth. Deep breaths, keeping himself as calm as he could as they moved through deserted and abandoned homes.

Trusting Sunset to warn them, whenever a ghost (or ghosts) appeared, and if needed, Trunks played bait so she could get shots with the camera. The houses were actually all scarily connected, including at least one set of houses that had passageways running between them. Odd, and they'd find a scrap of paper, or Sunset would be able to make out the murmurs of the ghosts as they moved.

Something about a ritual, and how it had failed. It had to do with Twins, and pacifying an abyss. How the Dark had come, the repentance spilling over. It was sad, at times, as some ghosts didn't seem to realize they were dead yet (like the kids playing tag in one room). Or the ghosts who pleaded for help.

A few times they had to fend of ghostly villagers, trying to capture them, or a ghost who seemed to hear them more than see. The aura and atmosphere was filled with pain and despair, sadness and clutching at desperate hope. A few times, Sunset would notice with her empathy that occasionally Trunks was had a spike of those same emotions. Usually after a difficult encounter with a ghost that didn't vanish after one photograph--but took multiples.

They did find some useful things--film. Different types of film in fact. Medicine, and holy water. Also underground passages under the houses, but every clue they get seemed to say they needed to go back to that large house. The Kurosawa house. A ritual to appease some massive darkness had failed, and it started there.

All of these encounters, these clues made Sunset more sure of their destination once they had gathered enough information. Even now, her hands were white knuckled but she clutched one hand on her gemstone necklace. "I think we need to get in there," said Sunset, arming the camera with a film that could protect them from that nasty one-hitter.

"We need to figure out how to close that Abyss without sacrificing one of us. And I have an idea. But you're not going to like it."

Considering some of the notes they'd found? Trunks already didn't like it. Apparently this ritual had involved sacrificing twins--or one twin sacrificing the other. Or an outsider who had to die, to be a stop-gap.

It was frustrating, and horrifying as they pieced together the information. The village believed it was their duty to act as a seal on this abyss...that twins were sacred. The older twin had to kill the other...

"I already don't like this, so what's your idea?" At least the medicine was helpful. Holy water didn't seem helpful in driving off the ghosts, so why was it there?

They did find a useful clue about a way out of the village, but apparently it'd been sealed off after some twins escaped.

"We're going to have to get down there, and I use my magic to channel as much of our frustration, pain, rage and sadness into the Abyss. We need to get not too close, but it'll take both of us." said Sunset, finally arming the camera.

"I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to have to dig deep into your memories to get that kind of emotional power, and deep into mine."

Don't mind him just...staring at her for a moment. Then there's a small laugh, and a resigned smile at the corner of his mouth. "Trust me, I can definitely give you those emotions, and power too." She was right, he didn't like it. But they didn't have a better plan.

"Alright--new plan. We go back to that house. BUT, we explore it and try to find as much information as we can on this abyss. Just so we know what we're up against. We have to, we run."

"Gotcha. You lead, cause I hate to say it, but I'm not offensive power magic boom at all," said Sunset with a first genuine smile for the entire adventure.

"Considering that ki didn't actually seem effective against that thing, it's not very useful as offensive power right now anyways." Trunks remarked, remembering how it had seemed to attract the ghosts too whenever he'd used it to light up a space.

He'd smile later, maybe. For now this place just--brought up all sorts of bad memories and feelings. He wasn't exactly looking forward to someone delving in his memories either. Even though it'd likely be necessary.

Leading the way, choosing to conserve energy this time since they'd need all the could get, through the village. No more flying, just quick darting as they approached the gate and bridge once more.

"How're you detecting them, anyway?" Trunks asked curiously, taking a deep breath to prepare to head across the bridge, back into the Kurosawa house.

"Empathy," said Sunset as she followed behind him. "I have Empathy and touch telepathic power. It comes from this."

She touched the red necklace around her neck where there was a small gemstone inscribed into it. "It's a power from my home world, which has given me special powers. I can... feel their pain and anger a few meters away. This whole place is one big danger zone for me."

"Sorry about that." He's probably not helping, considering this place has just brought up too many bad memories for him. Even more reason for him to stay calm then--as calm as he can.

"We make it out of this, I say we find something completely and mindlessly fun to do. Pet kittens or something." A hint of smile, as kami knows he'll need quiet time with something non-threatening.

"Ready?" If she was, then it was go time. A sprint across the bridge, opening the gate and then into the house again.

"No worries."

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "Lets do this."

And down they would go, Sunset armed with the camera and her psychic radar going off every couple of minutes.

Quiet, and they moved slower than before--even if both of them wanted to just finish this. Exploring and searching, leading them to notes and tomes with useful information. Not that any of it was good though, although what they learned seem to be that this abyss was appeased by pain. It was the duty of the village, their purpose apparently, to guard it.

Moving upstairs first, once they were in the house. The ghosts were far from pleasant, and at least one room had Trunks sweating. They weren't...they weren't androids--but the lifelessness AND lifelike-ness of the dolls along with his higher anxiety already made him have to take a break. Deep breaths, and Sunset could feel the fear and anger coming off him, before it was reigned in again.

They found a circular room, filled with ropes. The pain and anger and confusion was palpable as was the desperation, and they encountered ghosts of a veiled priest. Searching the first floor revealed some tomes of the village, and notes and scraps. More medicine as well, and higher-powered film. Most of their information was found in a cell, and the pain/confusion/desperation miasma in that room was incredibly strong.

It seemed however, that so far Sunset's plan was the best. They weren't twins, even if either were inclined to sacrifice the other. They also weren't going to just sacrifice one of themselves, so the other could escape.

Sunset was coming up with a plan more or less.

While they descended deeper into the house, she voiced, "Maybe I could channel the pain in the town too, but that might overtax myself. We might just have to stick with this."

"We're getting close though," said Sunset.

"Start with me." Trunks murmured, as they headed down. "Don't overtax yourself unless you have to."

They found their way into the underground areas, through that circular room with all the ropes. Large red pillars, and it was eerie from how the wind would occasionally echo through the wells. It seemed like it used to be larger, linking the houses more in a network as they traveled the long and deep path under the lake.

At several points, they moved even more quietly--this place was littered with corpses that bore ropes and cuts. Failed sacrifices of outsiders? And ghosts who were blind. Looking into one area also prompted a spike of anxiety and fear, as a wraith that resembled the one they'd faced earlier reached out. The pain and anger wasn't as strong as it grabbed at them. The camera was more effective, the higher the grade of film they used--and it was effective.

Still, it couldn't have been that simple.

Especially as they got closer to a central cavern.

"There," said Sunset when the cavern came into view.

"That must be it. I'm sure of it. All the pain is flowing into there, but it's stoppered up, like some kind of whirlpool with no bottom."

"Don't look in it, whatever you do," said Sunset. "I'm sure that won't end well."

They'd come to a large cavern, in the center of which was a pit. But they weren't alone, as the wraith from before was there too. Had it been drawn by them, or this place? It wasn't clearly, as it floated over to them.

Avoid the pit, avoid looking into it--and dodge the wraith while killing it with the camera. Simple, right? As soon as the wraith started moving, Trunks was too. Manifesting just enough ki around him to make himself look 'tasty', so to speak. "Over here!" Bait to keep it away from Sunset, so they could get rid of it once and for all with the camera. After that, they could deal with the Abyss.

Sunset lined up the shot when the wraith came for him, and she snapped the picture, making sure that it was going to be framed in the shot. There was nothing they could do it calm it otherwise, and after it took a spiritual chunk out of Trunks previously, she was in no position to argue.

"Got it!"

It was going to take a few shots, but so long as they managed to take it down it would be worth it. He didn't mind burning the kit to make that aura around him, so long as it focused on him and not Sunset. Avoiding the giant hole in the center of the cavern was harder, as it meant there were fewer areas to go.

Things didn't get any easier as the ground started shaking and rocking with tremors. Anguished wails came from the Abyss, echoing through the caverns and the whole area radiated darkness-pain-sadness-anger-madness. The wraith was one of many voices amidst this noise, and when Sunset got her final 'shot' with the camera it was almost anticlimactic.

Trunks skidded to a halt near her, watching as the agonized spirit faded into the ground, the wails and noise suddenly gone and the earth still once more. "Think that was it?" He asked cautiously, before both of their attentions would be caught by a crimson-butterly that came into view over the abyss. At first it was one lone butterfly, then a dozen, then more.

"Not yet..."

Sunset tucked the camera under her arm before she held out her hand. "I think it's time. Grab my hand, lets do this and get out of here."

She would consciously invoke her power, as her body shimmered with the same warm red flame as she held out her hand for Trunks to take.

Once that happened, a power welled inside as she drew on her memories. Growing up angry and spoiled, the anger that she lashed out at her mentor. The resentment and frustration, the bullying, the pain she inflicted on others, all of it.

Edited 2017-02-01 02:03 (UTC)

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