station72 | EMPTY CHAIRS AT EMPTY TABLES

Entry tags:

EMPTY CHAIRS AT EMPTY TABLES

CHARACTERS: All
WHERE: Concordia - VEN DIAGRAMS HQ + BOUT IT OUT PARLOR + BEARINGS APARTMENT BLOCK
WHEN: Late Day :022 + Early Day :023
SUMMARY: The results of all your hard work - for better or worse. One win, one draw, one loss. Anakin Skywalker bites the big one.
WARNINGS: Violence, non-graphic character death.

IT’S BEEN A LONG DAY. Unfortunately, that’s not about to change any time soon. In the late hours of the evening, two things are happening: the final round of the Bout It Out expose between Kun-Kun and The Darkling is spooling up; meanwhile, the infiltration team at Ven Diagrams is working to retrieve information on H+H1 from the company’s security drive. Unfortunately, neither is going to reach the natural conclusion.

At the REGAL STREET GAMING PARLOR, emotions are running high. After a long day of simulation violence and the reveal of Kun-Kun’s new automaton fighting avatar, the crowd has been stoked to a few pitch. The music’s loud but the crowd is louder: cheering and booing, shouting for every landed or evaded strike. There’s an electric pulse of excitement in the air-- and then there’s a very literal one as an electromagnetic pulse rocks the Regal Street Parlor. The Bout It Out ring shorts and the entire parlor is pitched into total, window-less darkness. It doesn’t take more than a few seconds for the crowd’s excitement to melt into panic. Pushing, shoving, shouting - a piercing shriek as one of Kun-Kun’s representatives is stabbed. The nearby hosts (Lexa, Sam Alexander, and anyone in their faux attachment) should be able to help Kun-Kun and his reps to safety, but the crush of the crowd tangles up everyone else. When a rudimentary bomb goes off in the center of the parlor, it catches plenty of people in the crossfire.

There’s a white hot flash. A pulse of heat. A sizzle of agony. It’s a pain that guts, that persists long after the flash of the bomb and extends all the way to the infiltration team at Ven Diagrams. It’s like a limb badly severed. Anakin Skywalker is killed by the blast and every host knows it before they’re aware of anything else.

Unluckily for the infiltration team, they won’t have much time to recover. News of the bombing hits Extraspace in a matter of seconds, which triggers Ven Diagrams - paranoid from the recent attack on their own properties - to lock down their headquarters. All systems are tightened and security clamps down before the infiltration team can access the private servers. If you’re somewhere you’re not supposed to be, now’s the time to get the hell out of dodge.

Retreat, regroup. Upon returning to the Bearings apartment block, the hosts will find that two of their previously comatose friends have woken up: Hux and Aoba Seragaki will probably need to be briefed on the current situation.

     I. THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS
In the Regal Street Gaming Parlor, a pulse flashes. Electronics sizzle. A fight reaching rhythm is shattered and darkness consumes the parlor in its entirety. There’s something like a collective inhale - and then the panic sets in. Screaming. Pushing. Elbows in the dark and a wave of bodies forcing their way toward wherever they think the exit is. Parlors like this one are supposed to be shielded from this kind of problem, but today that doesn’t matter. In just a few short moments of panic, a bomb - basic compared to the one that blew out the Ven Diagram warehouse only days ago - goes off.

There’s a buzz. An electrical hiss. In the wake of the explosion - in the wake of the agony of Anakin’s death -, the parlor’s fire systems go off flooding the upper and lower levels, the spectator balconies with flame retardant powder and coolant. The emergency lighting kicks on, throwing the carnage into stark fluorescent light. The probable intended victim has escaped, along with his entourage, but there are plenty of wounded - groans and weeping permeate the chemical stale air. In addition to Anakin, three people have been killed and two androids have been rendered into scrap by the explosion. Countless others could use help; maybe even a few other hosts have been wounded by the blast.

     II. MEANWHILE...
If you’re part of the infiltration team, you’ve officially overstayed your welcome. Security tightens to a chokehold; if you’re somewhere you shouldn’t be, it’s time to leave. An alarm blares through the development laboratories. The building is evacuated and then sealed throughout. The powerlifts cease operation. All networked systems go offline.

     III. FROM THE JAWS OF DEFEAT
Back at the parlor, the evacuation continues. The parlor is half-collapsed, there are injured to tend to and local authorities to deal with. In a matter of minutes, the the parlor is swarmed by public security and medical personnel. If you’re able bodied, you’re welcome to assist with rescue efforts - or try to find a lead on who could’ve been responsible for this. Some evidence, some sign - anything to make this worth it. During this time those with Kun Adetokunbo will have the chance to make their case.

It’s a long, protracted clean up and triage; it’s absolutely possible that some of the infiltration team members might make it to the site of the explosion to assist or care for their friends.

     IV. WE TEND OUR WOUNDED, WE COUNT OUR DEAD
In the early hours of the morning on Day 023, the hosts limp back to Bearings. Maybe it should be achingly quiet, but it’s not - there’s a murmur of activity in the mental air as Hux and Aoba muddle out of their way from out of their comas. From here, it’s up to to the hosts to recover, to discuss how they want to proceed, and come up with a way to recover from this setback - and from Anakin’s death.

((OOC NOTES: Here it is, your wrapup log for the event! You may have noticed that the Hosts didn’t succeed at the Ven Diagrams infiltration. We thought this was a better way than asking everyone to handwave a huge amount of plot or simply having the NPCs get the evidence. Don’t worry though - there will be other mysteries to unravel soon. Very soon, in fact.

There will be an NPC top-level for the escape with Kun-Kun, but otherwise you’re free to make your own top levels! If you have any questions please feel free to ask them in the event OOC post.

Thanks everyone!))

NAVIGATION • SETTING • FAQ • MOD CONTACT • GLOSSARY

( CODE BY WHAMBAM )

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[ It's not so much what she had done that exhausts her, it's all of it - it's losing Anakin, it's having gotten stuck in such a difficult situation, the gore and the mess of who was left afterwards, and having to make the choices to do with it, that eventually that stress needs to give out, needs an outlet - and hugging him, the one, one good thing to come out of all if, is just that. The surety that comes with contact, with closeness.

For a second, doesn't speak, just shakes her head against his chest as she sucks in a calming breath. ]

I was on the team that was infiltrating Ven Diagrams when the explosion went off. We had to get out, fast. It wasn't exactly the clean exit we imagined.

[ it's a bad attempt at something like brevity to lighten the mood of the memory easily shared between brood members. The tense seconds holding herself still around corners, trying to avoid the boot steps of guards now on patrol, fearing each and every one. Dragging whoever else she could find with her. A guards face that was there one second, gone the next in an ebb of electricity. ]

I went after, to see who I could help, whatever I could do. It's a mess there, Aoba. I expect the rest of us will start trickling in when it's safe to come back. [ she lets out a thready sigh. ]

[ Aoba doesn't move from where he stands and holds her. He's afraid to, like she was in the guarded halls of Ven Diagrams. It's half due to the shared memory, and half to the fact that he doesn't want to let her go again. She sucks in a breath and he presses his hands more firmly against the frame of her shoulders as she mutters brave explanations into his shirt... but his mind fails to grasp meaning without all the details he missed. ]

I don't understand... why were you infiltrating Ven Diagrams? I thought the explosion was at the arena...

[ Her mental images are jumbling and blurring in the collective stress their portion of the Nest is under, and it's starting to trigger a fresh headache for him. ]

Come on, let's... sit down. I cleared the couches, I-I'll get you some water...

[ He says it outloud to help convince himself to move for both their sakes. ]

[ She nods, as hard as it is to detangle from him. Doesn't want to, but - convinces herself it's probably the best for both of them. All too easily led sometimes, her fingers uncurling and she steps back. Hands dropping back to her sides. ]

Thank you. It really is good to see you again, I'm so happy you're back.

[ She makes her way to the couch again, her corner that - is far less messy than it was. Her bits and pieces all packed up neatly and away. It's neater, and she appreciates it, even if she's too tired to say it. ]

[ He lets her pull away, watches as she moves, but all the while his hands are kept just out at his sides as if ready to catch her should she fall. But she just falls to the couch, and Aoba's glad for it. She needs to rest, mentally and emotionally, but he'll accept physically for now. ]

I'm glad to be back too. Just rest here a while, I'll be right back.

[ He doesn't go far, not even out of sight if she angles herself right. Just around the corner to the kitchen, where he starts up the oven with a few frantic taps on its surface. Knowing Angel, it's likely she hasn't fed herself since... well, since he's been asleep. He found a pizza in the freezer when he was cleaning it out earlier, and how hard can that be? He even takes it out of the box first. And water, he can do water too. ]

Here-

[ He comes back with a full glass and presses it into her hand. Sits down next to her, close like he doesn't want to leave again. ]

Alright, what else can you tell me about what happened tonight? But please take your time.

[ She begins peeling herself out of her clothes. Nothing to horrifying him, but the tactical vest and the long sleeved jacket down to the undershirt. Dropping it heavy onto the floor and kicking her boots off to follow. It peels off in parts, where blood as stuck to her, dirt over to that.

Though if there's a sign that she hasn't really switched off from her work, other than the clatter of her mind is that her markings are glowing still. A steady pulse. Can't disconnect, just in case, just in case they need her - she's got to be present and - ]

Huh? Oh right. Thank you...

[ She takes the glass of water off of him, and the first sip is a relief. Holds it in her mouth, then swallows. Little by little sticks the words into order. ]

We were sent out in two groups. One group to the Bout It Out matches, the other were sent into Ven Diagrams. Our plans were fine... we just weren't expecting the explosion. Ven Diagrams had an attack of their own a few weeks ago so when news came...

[ she takes another mouthful. ] We were already in by the time it happened. Which was all according to plan - the extra guards that Ven had called in, weren't.

[ Everything after that point was a mess. ]

[ If Aoba thinks anything of her shedding her gear, it doesn't come up over the network. He's more concerned with her well being and comfort. ~~Besides... girls undressing? Tch, whatever.~~ Though he does note the way her tattoos glow, like the time she helped him crack that datacache on Avera 9. She's connected to something besides the Nest. Probably extraspace, which is a bigger mess than it usually is. It explains why her mind won't quiet down.

He wants to help her. She's undoubtedly been helping everyone else all night and she ought to relax now that she's back in a safe place. But he wants to listen and figure out what's happening, too. She's given him some information to think about, but there's still pieces he's missing. ]

Angel, Angel - before you say anything else, just... slow down for a little while. Here-

[ Remembering their first meeting, he sends a memory she seemed to like before. The feeling of sunlight from a warm summer day, and blue skies with clouds skimming past in the island breeze. It's high up and clear and the brightest blue, (like his hair - like her markings). He pictures it clearly as he can for her, holding back how much he longs to go back there - he's never been farther from it.

He settles a little closer, shifting on the couch to face her better. Taking it slow, hopefully she'll settle too. ]

Ok, now... what were you planning to do, infiltrating them? I remember the attack on Ven Diagrams... were you trying to find out more about who did it? And what did the Bout it Out tournament have to do with it? What was that group doing?

[ The memory comes like being washed clean, and it undercuts the misery and panic of the last few hours. She leans into him again and this time, it's a little less like desperation, and more like the trickle in over exhaustion. Without the snap of tension to keep her up, she doesn't know how to continue. Lets out a sigh, takes a sip of water, and nods slowly to his questions. ]

The champion of the Bout It Out matches, Kun - he has android sympathies. They were holding a tournament for amateurs that the winner got to meet with him. So a group of us that are more inclined to fighting went to see who could get close to him to find out just how strong they ran. While they did that, our group went to infiltrate Ven Diagrams. Got the feeling they might know more than what they were saying.

[ She breaths out. ] That was when the attack happened, at his match. Apparently it was getting tense as it was. [ She turns her face into his shoulder, another breath, sinking into the waters of his memories. The coolness, the removed state of his mind and his past from the violence of her own. ]

[ He lets her lean on him, and leans back to press against her where she buries her face in his shoulder. Their mental connection is restored, but there's something about physical closeness that seems to please the symbiote too. It doesn't matter to Aoba if it's artificial right now, and besides that, he's genuinely glad she's alright. Maybe even starting to feel better, with the gentle memories his mental stream feeds her-

At least, until they're cut short. Like a rolling film reel sliced in the middle of playing. A headache fires up within him, hot with... something to do with Angel's mention of the Bout it Out matches. Hosts got to go? Got to get close to the fan favorite by what, fighting him? Why does he feel jealous about that?

Aoba cringes. He doesn't want Angel to have felt any of that - the pain, his odd string of emotions that went along with it, even the strange feeling of something lurching and struggling to be free from back of his mind. But they were quite close when it happened, and he can't pull away fast enough. ]

S-sorry! O-ow...

[ He sits up straighter, head bowed, one hand pressed against his forehead. The stab of pain subsides to a dull throb, settling there. He'd need to get up and find his medicine, an image of the bottle in his room floating across his mind. ]

Sorry Angel. I... I'm fine. I was listening, I just... I don't know where that came from.

[ She feels it sharp and direct, stinging against her. They're him - but they're not him, and she's felt it before. Every time they've lost someone, some great beast rattling at it's cage and between him and Petre, she had needed Cathaway's lessons just to keep her head above water between the two of them. A bad habit between the three of them it seemed, when they lost their control, they became destructive.

Safety first, but she is curious. Piecing together what she can from her observation of him so far. ]

It's alright. What do you need?

[ She can ignore - the rest of it right now. The strange jealousy that leaves her off footed. A need to move with it. Settles for bringing her hands up to brush at his cheek tentatively, making sure he was alright. ]

[ He doesn't flinch at her touch on the outside, but the thing inside him does. Crawls back to the cramped space it's allowed and settles there, but not before digging it's claws in. Like it wants to give them both pain out of spite and that same hint of ugly jealousy.

Through it all, Aoba remains seemingly unaware of this other side to his own self. It's just another headache. At least, that's the mantra playing through his mind as usual. Just another headache. He can fix this, he just needs- ]

My medicine. I-it's alright, I can go get it. I'll be back.

[ He lowers his hand to hers and forces a smile for her. Really, this is normal. She of all people would understand, right? She'd felt his headaches before and despite the pain he's caused, she's continued to be nothing but kind. The least he can do is try to keep it under control for them. Gently, he pushes her hand away and gets up to head to his room. Slowly, to not make it worse for either of them.

It's a while before he comes back. He swallowed the pills Cathaway left him right away, but wanted to give them some time to kick in before he got close to her again. When he comes back to the common area, he's clearly made himself more comfortable. ]

Sorry about that, Angel... Angel?

[ Let's him go with worried eyes following, but he never broached it, even iif - well, it was her problem too if she didn't want her head muddled up - but Prince told her to respect privacy, so she would. Sighs, and leaves it, as long as he felt better.

Goes back to getting out of the heavier clothes as quickly as she can so that by the time he comes back she's draped on the edge of couch. Her gear is set down in a ( messy, sorry Aoba ) pile on the ground beside her. The flak vest with equipment still mercifully all inside it. Boots next to it and her heads cradled in her still good arm - the other is bandaged across her shoulder and from the top down it's not looking much about it either. Red turning blue turning yellow and brown reaching down to her elbow. Her arm was going to ache for awhile after this, but that was just the price to be paid for getting away with her life.

His voice calls her back from the sleep that's right there. Just a reaching out for him to come back because wasn't sure if he would, said goodbye to him and now he was, but now that he was she forces herself back the rest of the way - ]

Yeah?

[ She sounds so tired when she finally responds, and it becomes clear he woke her from near-sleep. Mild guilt floods his chest, especially when he gets a look at her from over the couch. The symbiote might help them heal faster now, but that arm looks bad and she clearly needs rest. ]

Ah, sorry! I should just let you-

[ Something stops him. A whiff, a hint of... what is that, all of the sudden? Burnt cheese? ]

Shit, the pizza...!

[ It's amazing how fast the mind can drop fixating on one thing and rush to another. Almost as fast as Aoba rushes into the kitchen, where a thin haze of smoke is hanging in the air. It grows a little thicker after he turns off the oven and opens it, coughing as he pulls out the slightly blackened pizza he left in for too long. ]

Sorry- I thought you might be hungry, but I- ...I-it's fine though, just stay there and rest! I got it!

[ He chokes it out between coughs, and fumbles to open a window with thick oven mits still on his hands. ]

[ a night spent smelling smoke means it could just be a figment of her imagination at this point. Not different enough to the smoke hanging around on her, anyway to stand. Wants to help more quickly, really she does, but all her limbs are slow to respond. Protesting in response to her request to get up and see what she could do.

She manages to get standing, which is a start at least. A content, if exhausted smile there regardless. ] Thank you, Aoba, you didn't have to, really. Is it too badly burnt?

[ Despite his protests. she drags herself over to help anyway. Damn it why is he always such a mess in the kitchen? He shoves the window the rest of the way open and fans some of the smoke out with a mitt. ]

I-it should be fine once it cools down. At least on the half that's... not as black as the other half.

[ He sighs. It's half a cough. ]

Maybe I should just stick with ordering food...

[ her smile is weak, but it's there. Tight where she's exhausted more than anything and she shakes her head at him. Both in affection and in laughter at him trying so hard for her. ]

You are doing better than me. I still haven't tried cooking yet. It's.... I used to have people hat cooked for me, I guess you could say. So you're doing much better than I am.

[ easier than explaining digistruct, or that she never used to have to eat. Then again when she did, Jack would spoil her. The best chef in their side of the galaxy made meals for her birthday. A team of the Helios cooks did the same for her. Pretty princess in her tower. Never had to lift a finger. ]

I'll take it anyway. I'm sure it's fine. It's just extra crispy.

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EMPTY CHAIRS AT EMPTY TABLES

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