EXPLORATION #12

[finchmods]

EXPLORATION

For the first 24 hours please post any exploration spoilers in journal posts under a cut!

While the rift once again opens near the lighthouse, the students of Finchwood Academy haven't acquired any new keys and are at something of a loss about how to proceed. A few minutes are spent trying to (unsuccessfully) bust through the three remaining doors and a few more are spent searching the cathedral, but they soon determine that this is a lost cause. Rather than waiting around or returning to the real world, they decide to explore the Shadow World again, including the areas that had been previously inaccessible to them: Haling High School, the boardwalk, the library, and the occult shop. Two squads will also head down to the coast to see what they can find there.

With this plan in place, the squads go their separate ways.

Squad 1: Haling High School

Haling High School is accessible through the cathedral shortcut, giving Scout, Francesca, Danica, and the rest of Squad 1 an effortless way to reach their destination. The classroom they arrive in is empty and quiet, but they can hear something outside the door. At least their Support is able to confirm that the area is still devoid of Shadows, so whatever they're hearing, it shouldn't be dangerous. Right?

Leaving the classroom, the squad finds that the halls are now filled with spectral students and teachers going through part of a seemingly normal school day that resets every few minutes. They can hear the distant echoes of conversations and the figures move through them like ghosts. Based on the way the students are dressed and the absence of smart phones, they guess that these students are from around the time Gladstone, Voss, and the other Persona-users would've been in school.

While searching the building, they eventually find the former Persona-users all gathered in an empty classroom and talking. It's difficult to understand the conversation fully, but they seem to be discussing entering the Shadow World. Some (including Gladstone, Philip, and Isabelle) are adamant that they have to go in, while others (including Voss, Sammy, and Joss) seem less certain. Seemingly frustrated, Philip says that they need to act quickly because he's not sure how long he can keep lying to his father and-- then the scene cuts off, seeming to reset itself. They watch this a few times before leaving. Finding nothing in the rest of the school, they depart to explore the surrounding area.

Eventually leaving the area where Shadows seem unable to tread, they enter into several fights. Unlike the Shadows in the cathedral, these haven't gotten any stronger; the squad is able to take them down swiftly and without much difficulty. It's nice to know they're progressing, at least. The strongest of the Shadows they encounter, a huge gnarled creature of pale wood with sharp claws and a blank face, does manage to slash Francesca across the stomach, only to be caught and crushed in the grip of Danica's Persona in retaliation.

Finding nothing else of interest in the area, they return to the cathedral.

Squad 2: The Boardwalk

The boardwalk is accessible through the cathedral shortcut, giving Dustin, Martin, Noah, Dallas, and Zinnia an effortless way to reach their destination. They find themselves just outside the arcade and, while the area is dark and dank, it still appears to be safe and devoid of Shadows. Not knowing what they're looking for, they and Lucille search the area thoroughly but come up empty-handed.

With nothing to find, they leave the boardwalk and begin to explore the surrounding area, soon encountering Shadows again. While they find several of the creatures, they aren't as strong as the Shadows they've been fighting in the cathedral and they're able to destroy them without even breaking a sweat. Upon learning from Lucille that some of them are vulnerable to air magic, Noah even takes the opportunity to switch to his second Persona (Jophiel) and show off, throwing the Shadows around like rag dolls and cutting them to ribbons.

Continuing their search, the squad eventually spots a humanoid figure coming toward them. For a moment, they think it might be the real Logan Axell, but his bright yellow eyes and Lucille's warning are quick to clarify the situation. This is the boy's Shadow. He talks down to them, saying cruel and aggressive things that don't sound at all unlike the real Logan. Then, he does something unexpected: he criticizes them for saving him in the Shadow World. Are they stupid? Did they think he deserved that? Did they think it would change him? Dustin attempts to talk him down, saying that everyone deserves to be saved, but this only infuriates the Shadow and it transforms into a monstrous creature made of black tar. It has no face and it's burning, flames leaping off its shoulders and back.

While certainly not as powerful as other Shadows that they've faced, Logan gives them a difficult fight, managing to leave them all with bruises or mild burns and inflcting Dustin with Fear. He only doesn't run away because he's grabbed by Logan's Shadow. After beating the Shadow back, it reverts to its humanoid shape. It looks at them and hides its face in its hands before disappearing. Did they help the real Logan? They're not sure.

Martin then takes over as leader for the remainder of the search, but the squad soon heads back to the cathedral.

Squad 5: The Occult Shop

The occult shop is accessible through the cathedral shortcut, giving Adam, Kodi, Lyle, Venus, and Petra an effortless way to reach their destination. While the shop is dank and dark, once Kodi summons her Persona to light the area and they begin looking around, Venus reports that nothing appears out of place....apart from a ouija board resting on the counter. Before any of them even approach it, the planchette on top begins moving.

While Hadlee confirms that the board isn't a Shadow in disguise (the area is still completely devoid of Shadows), she doesn't know what it is and they hurry over to see what the planchette is spelling. The same pattern repeats: WITH YOU. TAKE ME. Even if they attempt to ask it questions, that's the only response they get. It's definitely strange, but the squad reluctantly decides to do just that and Venus puts the board and planchette into her bag. Finding nothing else in the shop, they soon leave.

Eventually leaving the area that had been purified, the squad does encounter several Shadows. Unlike the Shadows in the cathdral that have become stronger and stronger, these are no longer a match for them and the squad is able to take them out with swift efficiency. Even when they're swarmed by a plethora of ghost-like figures that attack them from all sides, Lyle and Venus only take injuries to protect the ouija board from harm. Were the Shadows aiming for it? It's difficult to tell.

After exploring the area for a time, they find nothing of interest and return to the cathedral.

Squad 6: The Coast

The coast isn't accessible through the cathedral, forcing Justice, Jude, Roland, and Ashton to head there on foot, together with Squad 8. Just in case. While they don't encounter anything between the lighthouse and the shore, the dark water and the sound of the relentless waves as they approach are unsettling. Blake is also able to use her Persona's light abilities to detect Shadows hiding just off the coast. They aren't anything like the powerful entity that Ms. Voss had described, but there are a lot of them.

As they get close to the water, dark shapes begin to emerge. Only vaguely humanoid, the shuffling Shadows are eldritch horrors with slick bodies and huge eyes and grasping tentacles. They prove to be a challenge as they swarm the two squads with the clear aim of overtaking them and pulling them back into the water. Fortunately, Squad 6 is prepared for the challenge...mostly. While Roland keeps the Shadows at bay with blasts of thunder and Ashton lands precision strikes with his bolas that collapse several cartilage skulls (...ew), Justice and Jude find that the Shadows are resistant to their magic, putting them at a disadvantage. While Jude manages despite this, Justice is pulled into the water and inflicted with Fear before her squadmates can pull her back. She flees the water's edge in a panic and hides herself by the cliffs that intersect with the coastline.

Soon, though, after several Shadows have been destroyed, the creatures retreat back into the water and the fight is over. As the Shadows are fleeing, Blake notices that they're disappearing from her Persona's sight somewhere along the cliffs and she focuses her Persona's light abilities there, uncovering a network of caves that had been previously concealed. She can't see how far it goes, though, or what might be within. More Shadows or something else? Regardless, the entrance appears to be underwater and there's no way for them to get there now...especially not with Justice in the state she's in.

While the squads (led by Jude) spend some time heading up the coast in the other direction, they find nothing and soon return to the cathedral.

Squad 9: The Library

The library is accessible through the cathedral shortcut, giving Pansy, Monet, and Skylar an effortless way to reach their destination. The library is dark, lit only by the moonlight coming in through large windows, and the smell of moldy books is far from pleasant, but Henry tells them that the area is still safe. The Shadows haven't returned here either. They begin to look around.

The squad first searches the offices and the staff areas of the library, then splits up to make sure each aisle is examined. There seems to be nothing unusual or out of place until, while walking up one of the rows of reference books, Pansy finds the phrase: as above, so below burned into the floor. Strange. She alerts the others and they all examine the area more carefully. Unfortunately, all of the books are too moldy to read and they find nothing, but they make note of this before moving on.

With nothing left to do in the library, the squad eventually leaves and explores the surrounding areas. When Shadows begin to appear again, they have the same experience that several of the other squads have had; they're now stronger than these Shadows and quickly defeat one after another without much difficulty. Even encountering a nest of the creatures, figures composed of smoke that twist and reform into different shapes as they attack, doesn't slow them down. Monet realizing that her Persona has the ability to inflict the Shadows with Fear, giving them a taste of their own medicine and making them easy targets, definitely helps. It's quite a sight.

Soon, convinced that there is nothing more for them to find, the squad returns to the cathedral.

» BEFORE EXPLORATION: There's a light lunch before the squads slated to enter the rift are bussed out to the lighthouse.

» THE SHADOW WORLD: Please put your squad name in the header. Keep in mind that Support students are in the auditorium together with Ms. Voss and are not physically present in the Shadow World, but their threads can go here.

» FINCHWOOD ACADEMY: Students that aren't set to explore are told to stay on campus and be battle-ready, just in case.

» AFTER EXPLORATION: Everyone doing ok? Students that were injured or afflicted with ailments are taken to Iason before they're allowed to do anything else.

» OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

Once outside, they wait about 15 minutes before the rift closes and they head back to Finchwood. The rift was open for a total of 5 hours, 46 minutes, and 21 seconds.

Comments

AFTER EXPLORATION

[finchmods]

Lucy, Open

[lucillefer]

It takes an hour of staring uncomprehendingly at a copy of Emma, pointedly ignoring her journal, and sucking on an illicit weed goldfish in a cave of blankets, but Lucy -- a parched emotional wasteland of a person -- manages both to fall asleep and stay asleep for hours after returning from exploration.

Unfortunately, when she does wake, nothing in her heart has changed. It's only 8PM, but she's feeling more like an angry, forlorn 3:30AM: kind of like she never slept at all. Kind of like something is wrong. Her limbs are heavy and her head is worse.

It's easier to focus on the fact that she's starving, though, so she stalks her way to the kitchen, bed-headed and shadowy of eye, retrieves a handful of strawberries, and eats them like a feral creature over the sink.

Lucy and Pearl

[opalescents]

Pearl's on the road to exhaustion, meanwhile, and it's entirely her own fault. She's running around and fussing over all of her friends. Of course Ces's wound will heal, and she knows in a few days, everyone will be back to normal. For now. Until next time. The crushing weight of uselessness sinks into her bones, and the only thing to do is work it off.

And make some tea. Maybe she'll just leave some Sleepytime in the common room. Maybe that would help. Mission in mind, she flings the kitchen door open to make a grand rescue entrance to absolutely no one. Or someone. Because Lucy's at the sink eating strawberries, and she looks tired. Pearl deflates in an instant, crosses to her side without an invitation.

"You're baaack." She cheers quietly.

Lucy and Pearl

[lucillefer]

Lucy discards a little green top into the sink's bottom, stalling for time before offering a response. She regards the rest of the clutch with sudden disinterest, then carefully lays them down too. They look red and healthy. Too luminous.

"I'm back," Lucy repeats at last, turning from her abandoned "meal" to look at Pearl, lean her shoddy frame against the counter. Her tone is low and resigned, but pleasant enough. A little sleep-grumbly. She tries to run a hand through her hair, but it's too tangled.

"Hi."

Lucy and Pearl

[opalescents]

Pearl's patient, but Lucy seems more frayed, up close. She, as a rule, tries not to hover too much. In the silence, though, she finds herself scooting the rest of the berries to Lucy's fingertips. She looks like she should eat.

"Hi." She returns, her voice soft. And then she seems to remember all at once, "Aww. We were supposed to sing tonight."

Lucy and Pearl

[lucillefer]

"Oh, fuck," Lucy murmurs.

She'd forgotten too, apparently. Completely. Despite their preparations and plans, and, truthfully, how much she'd looked forward to their stage time: an escape she'd normally have insisted on regardless of exploration. Forgetting is a symptom of the times, she knows, but there's that cold stab of self-loathing regardless. Lucy smiles through it for Pearl's sake.

"Next time?" She ventures in a little voice, shrugging and ignoring the little pile of strawberries.

Scaredy Cat Justice & Open ++

[thatskarma]

Justice is, honestly and more than anything else, embarrassed about what happened to her today in the Shadow World. She's never blamed her classmates for getting hit with shadow ailments, but there's something very specifically mortifying about running away from a battle she was already not pulling her weight in that Justice is having trouble owning up to.

Iason told her that it might be a few days before she's totally back to normal, but Justice has elected to tell everyone that she's back to normal now, and she's trying her hardest to be. She's been putting off her homework all weekend, preoccupied with the promise of Exploration, and has holed herself up in the study room downstairs to try to do some damage control. Every little sound seems to make her jump, though, so she's got headphones on to blast music as a distraction. She hasn't considered that this will make it very easy for someone to sneak up on her at all.

Scaredy Cat Justice & Spooky Cecilia

[dissentjabot]

Cecilia has spent roughly the last month alone with her thoughts. While she hasn't quite come to terms, it's becoming increasingly clear that isolation coupled with too much Nietzsche is slowly melting her brain. After sending a lengthy, rambling email to her brother and receiving the simple, unsatisfying response, "You need friends," she decides maybe it is high-time she talk to someone (more sympathetic) about her ponderings.

The universe has been unkind to Justice today.

Snapping her laptop closed, Cecilia slinks her way toward the other girl by scooting over one seat at a time until she's sitting right beside her. The approach likely wouldn't have changed if she had been aware of Justice's ailment but maybe she would have more tact in her delivery. Oh well. "If you kill someone while afflicted with rage, are you morally responsible?" She raises her voice to combat Justice's headphones.

Scaredy Cat Justice & Spooky Cecilia

[thatskarma]

Luckily for them both, Cecilia doesn't manage to take Justice by surprise. She sees her scooting over, in her peripherals. She surreptitiously turned her music off so she can hear better, a precautionary move which means she gets Cecilia's question loud and clear. Not that hearing it is like, better than not hearing it. If Blake sneaking up on her had been a cheap slasher flick jump scare, this is some weird psychological thriller shit.

"Uhhhh," she says, pulling her headphones off. She doesn't like the question, and tries not to think about the answer too seriously. "Why? You kill someone?"

Scaredy Cat Justice & Spooky Cecilia

[dissentjabot]

"I mean, sorta, yeah," Cecilia responds in a tone that suggests this is obvious. She is undeterred by Justice's discomfort. "What do you think happens when we release," in air quotes, "people from their Shadows?"

Scaredy Cat Justice & Spooky Cecilia

[thatskarma]

"Oh." Justice sets her pen down and thinking for a second. The last time she thought about this, all she'd bothered to wonder was what her own persona would look like as a boss shadow. The implications of Cecilia's situation sink a little deeper now. "I don't think that counts," she says anyway. "Cause they were already dead."

Blake Bothers Scaredy Cat Justice

[undebted]

It's not her business if Justice insists that she's fine—except that it is, kind of, as Justice's Support. Blake feels guilty that the role hasn't meant anything to her until lately, but surely Justice would've laughed if Blake had ever called herself her Support, as opposed to Squad 6's. If Justice cared at all. Why is she overthinking this? God.

When Blake finally tracks down Justice in the study room, she almost turns right around and leaves. "Don't," Blake scolds herself. Maybe it feels stupid to care, but she does care, so where does that leave them? She comes up behind Justice, and gently touches her shoulder. "Justice."

Blake Bothers Scaredy Cat Justice

[thatskarma]

In what is not her finest moment, Justice nearly jumps out of her skin. She hadn't been expecting anyone to bother her here, and hadn't heard Blake at all. When the other girl touches her shoulder, she jolts away from her hand like she's been shocked, ripping her headphones off her ears as she turns to assess the threat.

No threat. Just Blake.

"Jeeeesus," Justice drawls, sucking in a long breath afterwards. Her heart is pounding uncomfortably in her chest, an unfamiliar sensation. Usually, adrenaline is a welcome high. "You—" Scared me? She can't say that out loud. "You need something?" she tries instead.

Blake Bothers Scaredy Cat Justice

[undebted]

Blake just stands there for a moment, her hand hovering in the air like she jerked it back and froze that way when Justice jumped. It's strange to see Justice look... frazzled. Even in the most vicious moments of her and Jude's constant mutual antagonism, Justice never appears anything less than self-assured.

"I wanted to see," Blake begins, then pauses like she knows just how awful this will sound, but there aren't any better words coming. "—if you were okay."

Scaredy Cat Justice & A Ghost-Person

[minisupreme]

Junior very lightly walks up behind her and taps her shoulder gently.

Scaredy Cat Justice & A Ghost-Person

[thatskarma]

Justice has been startled twice already tonight, and she turned her music off just so she could keep an ear out for more would-be assailants. But Junior, damn him to hell, is light-footed enough that he manages to sneak up on her anyway. The light touch on her shoulder feels too soft to be intentional, like it's a ghost or a shadow made of smoke or something, and Justice picks up her textbook and wheels around without thinking about it at all.

But it's not a shadow. It's one of her idiot squadmates, and she smacks him clean in the jaw with her physics hardcover, spine-first.

Scaredy Cat Justice & A Ghost-Person

[minisupreme]

There's a loud crack and honestly, it doesn't hurt all that bad, but Junior is so startled that he hits the floor like he's been shot. With his knees curled under him and his hands cupped protectively over the back of his head, he looks kind of like a sad little turtle. It's both extremely pathetic and? A testament to his exceptionally good reaction time.

After a few seconds of screwing his eyes shut and bracing himself for blows that don't come, he finally peeks at Justice. She doesn't seem to be actively engaged in battle with a Shadow monster, so he sits up and rubs his jaw.

"Hi," he says.

Flint & Scout

[empereurs]

Another Exploration down. The stress of waiting around is at once agonizing and monotonously familiar—they've been through enough of these that Flint trusts it won't be that bad; no matter who's been stabbed or afflicted with an ailment, they've always come through in one piece. He studies with Suzy, and reads half of a chapter twenty times. When they get news that the squads have returned to school, Flint stays put, not wanting to crowd anyone or demand attention. He sends Scout a simple text telling him that Flint is in the Swords boys' common room, and not to rush.

He's pacing the floor when Scout finally appears. "Hey." Flint immediately closes the distance, reaching out to touch him, just to reassure his overactive brain that Scout is okay. He finds Scout's elbow and runs his hand down Scout's arm, until his pinky finger catches onto the bracelet tied around his wrist. "This is starting to fall apart," Flint murmurs.

Flint & Scout

[star_boy]

"Hey."

Scout is happy the space between him and Flint is closed quickly - he's feeling pretty drained, but the other boy's presence makes him feel at least slightly revitalized. He glances down where he's hooked by the bracelet around his wrist as his other arm going to loop loosely around Flint's waist.

"I wear it too much. And I'm not too delicate with it, maybe." He pulls in a slow breath. "You didn't worry too much, did you?"

Flint & Scout

[empereurs]

Flint smiles when Scout's arm comes around him. This setting is still too public for Flint's tastes, but the two of them standing too close is hardly a rare sight around campus anymore. He rubs his thumb against Scout's arm, trying to be comforting.

"No," he lies. "Didn't think about it at all. Is Ces alright?"

Flint & Scout

[star_boy]

There's now a jittery restlessness in Scout despite his fatigue, so he has to resist just pulling Flint tightly to him. The loose contact is enough, and he focuses on the gentle touch of the other boy of his arm, frame mostly relaxed and neutral. He can't help quirking a little smile at Flint's lie, though - like either of them could not think about it.

"She is; I stayed to make sure. With all the healing and everything, it feels a lot more manageable now. And... it wasn't necessarily easy, but the Shadows were definitely weaker out in town."

"What did you get up to?"

Blake & Pansy

[undebted]

She never knows what to do with herself after the Shadow World. Normal people must sleep or drink coffee or curl up with friends, but Blake always finds herself wandering through campus like a restless ghost until she exhausts herself enough to lie down. It's well after dark by the time she makes it back to the Swords floor. She heads straight for her room, but stops when she sees Pansy.

Squad 9 is fine, she knows. Blake had paused long enough to learn who'd gotten hurt in the last exploration, but she hadn't really spoken to any of her fellow Swords yet. "Pansy," she calls out softly. Blake must look like a mess; she hasn't even looked into a mirror since leaving the auditorium. She self-consciously smooths down her hair as she approaches Pansy.

Blake & Pansy

[tippedin]

The hour or so after exploration is always hectic for Pansy. Checking in on her squad, making sure people get tended to, consulting with other leaders, reporting back to the staff. And always an outward display of assuredness and strength and calm. But once the dust settles, she disappears.

She's only reappeared recently, wrapped in a blanket at the window of the Swords common room. She's always liked that they have the top floor -- it's ideal for cinematic brooding -- which is what she finds herself doing now. She's making sense of her thoughts, but mostly trying to quiet them. Blake's voice turns her and brings a surprised smile to Pansy face. "Hey," she whispers back. She adjusts the blanket around her shoulders and waits for Blake to reach her. "I was wondering where you were." And she realizes she's ready for company again.

Blake & Pansy

[undebted]

Blake's hands drop back to her sides. "Nowhere," she answers, not trying to be evasive. It's more true than not true.

She takes a seat next to Pansy, kicking off her boots so she can pull her legs up onto the yellow-upholstered booth sofa. She maintains a foot of distance between them, but otherwise looks more relaxed than she usually does. It's a little easier to be herself with her roommates. "Weird Exploration." Blake stares out the window, focused on nothing. "Did you find anything?"

Blake & Pansy

[tippedin]

"Yeah, it was different." Being proud of her squad isn't the same as being satisfied with exploration. Pansy plops down into another seat, feeling very much the former and not the latter. "I found a message. Burned into the floor of the library." If there's some annoyance in her voice, it's because she's doing nothing to mask it. She wants progress, no puzzles. "'As above, so below.'" She cocks her head over at Blake, less to see if the words means anything to her and more to bring her into the situation. A That's some fuckery, huh? look. She's spent too much time alone with that line today. She scratches her scalp. "It's clearly a message. But on top of trying to figure out what it means, I don't know who left it and why and..."

There are more questions, but they're too unformed to waste Blake's time with right now. "...so yeah, that was us. Sorry." Pansy has the impulse to ask Blake about her squad, but she's unsure if she's just trying to divert away from her current failings. Plus, Blake knows she can talk to Pansy about anything without needing prompting. So, she just kicks off her shoes too and sighs.