Forieri di Tarocchi - Harbingers of Tarot

[Voltin]

The first thing to break Kent out of the group's systematic slaying of the undead was a loud clanging of metal. Then, a sickening crack. It made him wonder; what in the world was happening on the other side of the forest? This had been followed by the immensive roar of the hollow; a thing filled with rage, or rather, as Kent understood it, fear. To him, it sounded as if the monster were employing some gambit to simply survive. It appeared within their sights; intent to kill obvious.

That too had been cut short, by a bullet of all things. It was an event that had the man on the ground long before Iphie had issued the order. The moments of silence which punctuated the encounter soon ended as the hollow began to scream once more, in something akin to pain. Having seen what the beast had done, Kent could find no sympathy within himself for the hollow. Instead, a simple smirk encompassing his lips. "He's alive," he said to Kaede, still feeling complicated sensations coming from the boy.

Short-lived satisfaction did not mark the end for the Sect, however. Kent could quickly feel his sense of the forest fading and any subsequent alterations to their defense no larger than a rhinoceros' horn. Troubling.

Then, there was a voice -- much more human -- yelling demands from a speakerphone. Even more troubling.

"Something's sapping my power…" he said quietly in response to Iphie, before Jackson had, somehow, made his way to them. "Ah… how are you here?" was all Kent really had to say in this situation; not knowing of his new nature had Kent thinking that it would be best for him not to be there.

Looking back at Iphie who was too preoccupied to pose a reaction, he had seen her draw her card and summon… an egg. "Interesting…". Though weakened, Kent could still feel life pulsing from the ovaloid in her hands. "It's alive. Pulsing… Tarocchi. Perhaps it can help."

Kent made gesture for the girl to pass the object to him. Were she to do so, he would begin using his power to craft an intricate little nest for it. "It's an egg… We should nurture it. Help it develop. But I don't know where we could get some heat without cooking it…"

 

[Tsu]

In response to its new environment, the egg began to steadily enlarge in size; at least until it reached nearly three feet tall after which it began to gradually wiggle. While this occurred, further threats were announced by the soldiers hiding in the brush. Their intentions were for the Sect and Jackson to desist any actions; however, given their lack of immediate obedience, several shots were fired from Team Alpha whose patience had grown thin. Peculiar, however, was the seemingly random trajectory which sent the bullets flying away from any of their intended targets and into the forest environment around them. Immediately, a second spray exploded into the field, yet much like before, the bullets were helplessly lost into the trees and ground.

"Alright, you sons-a-bitches.
I don't know what host magic your pulling with the dampeners on, but apparently the children these days got balls after all.
Better not start crying when we start getting rough on your ass. If anything though, it'll make the beating all the more sweeter."

As the commanding officer spoke towards his prey, he gave his immediate comrades a quick hand command which inevitably forced both teams into sudden action. Since the targets were overall closer together, Team Bravo began tightening their circle; an action which caused the dampening of powers to become even stronger. At the same time, Team Alpha abandoned their rifles with pistols and knifes as they followed closely behind Team Bravo's approach.

Nonetheless, while Jackson or the Sect might have been affected by the words of the soldier, it was the egg which seemed to develop at its own nonchalant pace. At the start of the most recent speech, several spiker-like cracks had formed on the shell's surface, but now, the fissures were rapidly widening until a petite hand finally freed itself from within the egg. In a matter of seconds, a dainty figure of pale white extracted herself from the remainder of the oversized shell before plopping onto the ground with a fatigued sigh. The small girl topped with pink and white hair took no efforts in covering her naked body; instead choosing to struggle into a seated position where she began groggily attempting to visualize her blurry surroundings. All in all, the process took no time at all given a sudden high pitched declaration that was shortly followed by a sudden tackle hug into a particular candidate's arms.

"Iphie!"

In the distance, a hidden soldier from Team Alpha grinned in response to what he considered an opening for first strike. In his eyes, the targets were heavily distracted by current events; thus, it was with rapid stealth that he began to close the distance towards the one he considered the most distracted....Iphie. Whether he was noticed or not, the man was confident in his speed, and in no time at all, his knife was readied and his eyes locked on the neck of his prey. Nonetheless, it was as he leapt from the brush and began weaving through the arcane branches that a particular thorn seemingly burst directly in front of his feet. What was once a rapid sprint, quickly became a tumbling fall that left the soldier impaled by his knife which had slipped from his hand and lodged itself, blade up, into a crevice on the ground. Dying gurgles erupted from his throat which was rapidly spilling blood from the heavily severed artery.

All throughout the forest, cries began erupting from the soldiers who randomly began finding themselves in ominous situations. Even through this, powers remained dampened; however, slowly, power was beginning to return to each individual caught in what was slowly delving into a scene of absolute chaos.

 

[Voltin]

A second volley of fire came. From the delayed action, and the wide trajectory -- still which had Kent ducking on the ground -- it seemed they had expected the group to surrender, and were not happy with their indecisive loafing. It also seemed from the commander's terminology, that they were not the expected kind of prey. Something they could probably use against them; were breaking tarocchi law something they had to worry about. Whatever their motive and first reactions were aside, Kent felt his sense of the forest grow even thinner. This could be bad. But, the egg had started responding.

Whatever it is Kent had expected from the egg, it wasn't for it grow three feet tall. What even further beyond what he could have imagined was the naked child which burst from the shell and encompassing Iphie with all her tiny mass. Out of courtesy, he turned his head away; though through subconscious will, he had formed a -- too form fitting, given the Tarot-being's apparent age -- uniform of twisting, constricting outfit of leaves and vines.

Even more curious was the event which came next. An ambush -- one which would have caught the unprepared, untrained group off guard -- had failed, only through what Kent would guess was a sudden manifestation of his power. Before anybody could question it, Kent said, "I didn't do that..." The soldier had been done in not by the random sprout, but by a hole made by his own knife.

Even as cries echoed throughout their location, KEnt turned to the group even faced. "Sh-should we run while we have the chance?"

 

[TerraBooma]

Jackson had crouched low with the second volley. Not to the floor like Kent, but low enough where he didn't need to immediately worry about getting shot. He felt...calm, even in the face of gunfire and his the sickening feeling of his powers being sapped away. It was like an old friend was knocking at the door in a way, and Jackson knew things would be okay. Or...at least, that was the hope. The others were inexperienced in this type of situation, and so was Jackson in a way. Yet at the same time, he had power now, and the option to fight back. His strength was fading, but it was still there...he could fight.


He wasn't expecting the weird egg thing to grow so big, if he had to be honest, and even more surprisingly was a small girl who had jumped out of it. Similarly to Kent Jackson ducked his head for a moment, until some sort of clothing had been situated for the mysterious tarot-egg-girl...person. Even then, Jackson's focus had turned to the outside world, worried someone might have been approaching. Following the tracker Jackson saw all of the dots coming closer, one of them more dangerously than the others. He turned to shout a warning, legs already kicking off to intercept as the man leapt from the undergrowth attempting to drive his blade deep into Iphie's side. Jackson wasn't in position then to protect Iphie, but someone seemed to have her covered. As Jackson bolted over, the man seemed to trip on a sudden thorn and fall onto his blade, the smell of iron filling the air as his precious lifeblood bled out onto the grassy forest floor. Jackson's first instinct was to look at the others, for while he didn't quite know what each of them could do, he figured at least one of them had to have done it. Kent's own denials confirmed that something else was afoot. Kent had seemingly manipulated the forest before...but Jackson nodded his affirmation. If Kent said he didn't do it, then he didn't. The others were in something that a part of Jackson knew he would never share a connection with, the tarrochi would always have him being the odd one out. He wouldn't be able to truly know what they were going through, or them understand his fusion.

But Iphie was still his partner, and the others were still his friends. Jackson didn't have to understand what they were going through to be on their side. From the first day of classes to their first day in that hellish nightmare of a dream, they were a team together. Maybe Jackson was naive to say that they would always be on the same side. Just then, he didn't care much. Even if one day, Jackson the sect were on opposite sides, Jackson knew that they were friends.

And he'd go through hell and back to get them out of a tough spot. Hell...he already had, in a way. His trip through the burning hell that was Arbaaz' desert had given Jackson plenty of time to think, and to reaffirm what he thought of the people around him. Iphie was his partner from the beginning, she was a bit privileged, but she had brains. Kent was a nice guy, and Jackson felt bad for seeing the poor guy dragged into the whole thing. Kaede was fast, and as Athletic as Jackson himself was...

But more importantly, they were all his friends. He hadn't known them for long, but the bonds they'd made through trial and their own versions of hell...that would always remain with them. The few battles they'd fought and time they had shared would stay with Jackson. He vowed that the few good times they had had, he would never forget.

Jackson nodded to Kent when he asked aobut if they should leave. Sure they had seemingly gotten lucky with the sudden knife-tripping incident but Jackson knew there was no way whatever was going on would last. Kneeling down, he pulled the bloody knife from the dead man's neck, before looking back to the group. Jackson had the way out, and he knew it. If they could get clear then he could call for an evac. Trinity had some neat technology, so evacuation from the area would hopefully be fast, it wasn't like time was on their side. He held up his tracker, showing them that he could keep an eye on the many blue dots around them.

"We need to get out of here. Stick together, and we'll get out of this hellhole alive. I'll lead the way, I've got the tracker and the weapon...plus if we do come across any of the soldiers, I think I'm the best fighter here close up, especially after...well, that's a story for after we get out of this." Giving his friends a smirk, Jackson looked back down at the Tracker. Sure the soldiers were expertly trained, but the forest was rough and unforgiving, and chaos seemed to have them in disarray. Jackson focused on finding his best path out, the one that would lead them to the least amount of soldiers as well as getting them out of the forest in the least amount of time. "Let's get the hell out of here guys! I don't know what the hell it is you guys can do...but whatever it is, it's time to do it."

Tracker in one hand, bloodied blade in the other, Jackson started to lead whoever would follow on his chosen path. A determined look on his face and a firm grip on the blade, the thuggish teen waved for the others to follow, and ducking low started retreating from the field of battle. He would get the others out of this mess, and he'd do whatever he needed to to make sure it happened.

 

[Astoria]

"…Huh."

In the absence of a better course of action, Iphigenia allowed the egg to be passed on to Kent. She raised her eyebrows with mild interest as she watched him use his powers to weave a small bird's nest of twigs for the oversized shell. To her surprise, the simple and rather ham-fisted experiment gave fruit to a significant reaction; the egg began to grow at a steady pace. In the meantime, the external threats persisted with more verbal warnings. In light of recent developments, however, even Iphie was placing her bets on the growing egg over the words of the crass-sounding commanding officer. When Jackson arrived, she gave a quizzical nod in his direction, although her attention to him was more affixed after revealing the odd radar-like device on his person.

What she had no expected, however, was shots fired. Instinctively ducking, the shots went wide. Unsure if they were meant as warning shots or as directed violence towards them, she dived once again as another spread of bullets sprayed everywhere around them. It was the voice of the soldier, however, that confirmed that the dispersion of the bullets was not intentional. Amidst the rapidly developing events around them, the egg in Kent's care began to form cracks along its surface, before gradually falling apart completely. Iphie's attention for the past few moments had been outward, trying to make sense of the fireteam's sudden failures, so she was completely off-guard when a certain new presence cried out her named and promptly slammed into her, nearly sending her onto her back.

"Eh… Eh!?"

Glancing between the unclothed girl beneath her arms and the remnants of the egg's shell, she was quick to realize where the small girl had come from. There was little time to guess or think who she was and what she did, however; after all, they were facing soldiers armed with automatic rifles. Momentarily distracted, she noticed the closing soldier far too late, and was only able to react some moments after the man's misfortunate fall onto his knife. Glancing back at the small girl and then at Kent, who had formed some sort of cover for her, she nodded at his words. "Yes… Let's make haste."

Rising, she took the small girl's hand with one of hers. Like Jackson, her intent was to obtain a weapon or additional means of self-defense from the dead soldier. Looking to his hands, she relieved him of his pistol, which she quickly slid with her free hand into her inner coat pocket. Pausing for a moment, she pulled off his gloves too. She intentionally left the man's rifle alone; while it was likely infinitely more useful, it was also an order of magnitude more noticeable and far more difficult to carry. Instead, she searched for more handgun ammunition with the few moments she had before calling out to Jackson. "Hey, toss me that device for a moment?"

Giving a brief thanks after taking the device, she glanced at its screen to gauge their situation around them. The disarray of the soldiers had left them with a good number of openings, but the direction that Jackson, while fantastic for any others, was one she disagreed with. "We need to head farther in and away from them. If we leave the forest now, we're only putting ourselves into the open." Briefly leaning in towards the blond-haired boy, she pointed at an alternative location on the screen for them to head to before handing the device back and awaiting a reply.

In the meantime, she looked down to check the young girl that had accompanied her, removing her outer coat to put around her as she did so. "So, what's your name?"

 

[Tsu]

Arc 2 - Journey Abroad​

Chaos was the only way to accurately define the conclusion of the hollow hunt which ended in a way that none could have predicted. Four parties converged with a similar goal in mind, yet while three escaped of their own accord, a particular group found its men unable to leave the forest by their own will. In the end, nothing ever became public news concerning the event which occurred, yet rumors and folktales began to rapidly spread from the immediate town and into the neighboring city of Providence, Rhode Island. These tales, without basis for their existence, began to form from the spoken and eyewitness accounts of adventurous souls who journeyed into the wreck of a once ordinary forest. Although no bodies remained, it was obvious something large had occurred given the consistent destruction of the environment in addition to knifes and bullets shells littering a wide range across the grounds. No further humans ever went missing like before, yet once and a while, a traumatized explorer returned with a frightening tale about some supernatural entity who stalked him straight out of the forest. Of course, to the general public, the Haunting of Snake Den State Park was nothing more than the next myth to add alongside of Nessie, Bigfoot, and the Bloop; however, to equally many, the forest was the latest supernatural hot spot to be investigated or explored by the brave, fearful, or ghost hunters alike.

~~~

"What is the meaning of this event?"

The Empress' words were calm yet cold as she declared her inquiry across the inhabitants of her Court. At this point in time, it was Justice who stepped forth in an attempt to save the Sect who were nothing more than flustered and confused by the sudden transition from forest into royal marble. In the course of Sect's escape, several mirrors had manifested themselves along the path of their travel. These mirrors were directly connected with the Empress' private Court; a transportation was that rapidly prepared following Justice's earlier disappearance. Initially, he planned to observe the Sect's performance from the shadows of the forest; however, the sudden arrival of power-inhibiting humans forced a change in plans that remained impossible until the human's formations were broken by a mysterious stroke of luck.

"There were complications that affirm that findings of our investigation.
Judgement and I shall handle the direct clean-up of this event.
Garner the report of this Sect; however, I can affirm that any violations are within the boundaries of self-defense.
More important to discuss is this...child..."

The Empress shifted her eyes to the nature clad youth who seemed oblivious to anything that wasn't Iphie, herself. With a wave of her scepter, a gentle glow of golden light began to envelop the girl who happily pranced around her figure of interest while announcing the seemingly only word that she knew how to speak, "Iphie." The perfect brow of the ruling figure wrinkled as she seemed almost lost for words in response to the inspection that she actively performed. Silence encompassed the Court for several long minutes until the Empress spoke with hesitant results from her analysis.

"The girl...she smells like a human...feels like a human...exists like a human...
Yet in addition to that fact, she is a bona fide Candidate of the Empress that I assume has aligned herself with the Candidate of this Sect..."

A heavy sigh exhaled from the Empress who for the first time set aside her scepter and began rubbing the temples of her head.

"Why is it always your Sect which in the recent times have caused nothing but unpredictable trouble for our kind?
From Temperance breaking Tarocchi law...Lillian....Ya know...Never mind any of this...
If Death is the fate that each of you lead, then it is Death to which we sentence you all.
Perhaps all of us can then achieve peace of mind knowing why you have been chosen to exist as you do."

With her declaration, the Empress retrieved the scepter at her side and performed a grandiose flourish that caused the ground under the Sect's feet to form into a black abyss that began gradually sinking their bodies down. From the distance, Justice gave a small smile as he waved and spoke his farewells to the group.

"It was short, but I enjoyed your company, Sect.
I'm sure we'll meet again in the near future, but for now answers are more important for all of us.
Truthfully, I hope you do not think ill of the Tarocchi given circumstances that have plagued you all.
I am certain Death can provide insight that will ease your minds, and after, rest is in store for your weary minds.
For now, farewell until we meet again."

....

Being enveloped by the abyss left each member of the Sect in an expected state of darkness. For most of the Sect, it was a simple descent which seemed to endlessly drone on and on; however, for the small youth depserately clinging to Iphie's body, the new environment was one of terror as she began lightly sniffling in fear of what was to come. Nonetheless, the free fall was not infinite as everyone's feet eventually reached solid ground, yet even at this time, the darkness did not fade...at least until small wisps of flame began to appear in the far distance.

"You've come."

A low, raspy voice whispered in and about the ears of the Sect as a sudden presence became obvious in the darkness around them. A silent swoosh whistled past the ears of each individual as a small flame positioned itself alongside of their body while the voice counted in a unique order.

"One soul...Two soul...Three soul....Weird Soul...Hmmm"

The tone of the voice became increasingly more contemplative until it finally paused with sudden consideration. It was in that time that both Kent and Kaede felt the smack of a metal rod against their body; an act which left a familiar presence suddenly at their side.

"There we go...Temperance soul...Magician Soul..."

At the conclusion of the voice's count, each of the flames began to expand in size and luminosity until there was just enough light to make out any immediate features. Apart from fellow members of the Sect, there was seemingly nothing in the area apart from the stone on the ground and the figure who stood hunched before them.

"Yes..Yes...Yes...
Fate hasn't left answers for you...Confused...Annoyed...Nrrghh...Of Course!
Your here for answers...Something....Yes....Yes...
Similar you are...Answers from the same home...Yes...Yes
Yes...Yes...."

The figure's voice trailed off as he dropped both the lantern and staff in his hands before knelling onto the ground where he began erratically rocking his upper body back and forth.


~~~~

"You look like hell, kid."

The familiar voice of Dr. Magus spoke from the opposite side of a familiar table where the elder was seated in his usual office recliner. On the table, the hollow capture device existed in front of Jackson who looked worn and torn from the experience he was earlier extracted from. Compared to the Sect, Jackson's call for assistance was met in a less magical fashion by a chopper which used the commotion below as an easy opening to retrieve its target. Fast forward several hours, it was now Jackson, Dr. Magus, and his assistant who sat together sipping coffee and tea while discussing the debriefing of the youth's missions.

"I suppose everything did not go according to plan, but you did well for your first time.
No one could have expected special forces crashing the party...much less that they even knew about the other worlds that existed parallel to our own. Seems an investigation into our very own government is necessary after all....Of course, that doesn't concern yourself, kid.
What matters is you retrieved the hollow, you came back alive, and you proved yourself as a worthy employee. Ill have five grand wired to a bank account we made for you. You deserve some payment after that job."

For a moment, Magus paused his announcements to take a sip of his tea; however, the break in conversation was only momentary as he quickly continued with the declarations he wished Jackson to know.

"Now, I'll let you speak in a bit, but first let's get business out of the way.
Your sister, Lana, the paperwork for her enrollment was successfully finished. Until her graduation, she has permanent residence at the Academy, and she'll begin classes tomorrow. Later, you can go see her at her dorm...Floor 3, room 47, I believe.
Next, you'll need to visit Dr. Mu for a checkup on your body. Based on appearances, you seem entirely normal, and I'll assume the procedure went well...but just in case...safety first.
Finally..."

As his voice trailed, Magus threw a new file onto the table. The folder landed open which in turn spilled the secrets within; an application to what appeared to be another school's club.

File

Scentia Astrology Club
| PERSONAL DETAILS |
SURNAME: _____Rolando_______
FORENAME: _____Jackson______
AGE: _________17_________
SEX: _________Male_______
| ETHNIC BACKGROUND |
AFRICAN AMERICAN -- HISPANIC -- ASIAN -- CAUCASIAN -- OTHER
[ ] -- [ ] -- [ ] -- [X] -- [ ]

| PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION |
//Please attach a picture of yourself along with a physical description

___________________________
___________________________
___________________________

| EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION |
What school year are you currently in?
1ST -- 2ND -- 3RD -- 4TH
[ ] -- [ ] -- [X] -- [ ]

| Entrance Examination |
The Astrology club has only one goal: Learn about our galaxy and it's constellations. In this club, we expect your
full cooperation and attendance after the mandatory school activities are completed. Below is our very own questionnaire to gauge whether or not you're a fit for our club!

| Questionnaire |
Truthfully answer the following questions to the best of your ability. Do note that there are no right or wrong answers.
Would you consider yourself an individualistic person?
Yes -- Sometimes -- No
[ ] -- [X] -- [ ]
Would you consider yourself a bold individual?
Yes -- Sometimes -- No
[X] -- [ ] -- [ ]
Would you consider yourself emotional or easily swayed by emotions?
Yes -- Sometimes -- No
[X] -- [ ] -- [ ]
Do you believe the world is aligned against you?
Yes -- Sometimes -- No
[ ] -- [ ] -- [X]
Do you hold true to your morals and beliefs?
Yes -- Sometimes -- No
[X] -- [ ] -- [ ]
Would you consider yourself materialistic?
Yes -- Sometimes -- No
[ ] -- [ ] -- [X]
Do you believe you hold a notable quality within you?
Yes -- Sometimes -- No
[X] -- [ ] -- [ ]
Is there always an opportunity for teamwork?
Yes -- Sometimes -- No
[ ] -- [X] -- [ ]
Should innovation derive from historical inspiration?
Yes -- Sometimes -- No
[ ] -- [ ] -- [X]
Do you consider yourself a spiritual individual?
Yes -- Sometimes -- No
[X] -- [ ] -- [ ]

| SIGNATURE |
I hereby state that Scentia, nor it's Astrology club is not responsible for the loss of personal items or injuries that occur within or outside of school grounds. This holds true unless any event is proven to be of direct result from policies or beliefs initiated within. By signing this agreement, I give the Astrology club and all direct sponsors permission to access and distribute any information directly stated or inferred through this application. Furthermore, I agree to abide by the ideals and policies upheld by the Astrology club, and accept that such directives may be changed at any time. Failure to do so, may result in disciplinary action, not limited to community service, suspension, or expulsion from academy grounds. Scentia and the Astrology club are equal opportunity providers, and does not, in any way, discriminate against Age, Sex, Religion, or Race.
I, _R. Jackson_, fully understand the rules and guidelines set by Astrology club, and am ready to join.

"This is the astrology club at Scentia Academy.
Sources give me reason to believe there is importance in concerning myself with this particular club and school...A host to be exact.
Same goes for the city. I have been tracking a particular individual for quite some time, and I now have reason to believe he has temporarily settled in Providence.
Now, if both of these statements are in fact true, then the recent events of the forest are bound to have a snowball effect on the nearby areas...in particular Scentia. Supernatural presence tends to spill, and this is something I wish to avoid.
As such, consider yourself a new transfer student in their Academy, Jackson. The semester has already begun, but it shouldn't be an issue in terms of catching up on missed work.
For the upcoming months, I want you to observe the club; act like one of them, and if anything seems out of the ordinary, simply report it back to Trinity.
I have a hunch that things are about to escalated in Providence. If they do, then everything is bound to converge with you directly at the center of it all.
You get my info; we extract you; your back at home with Lana all the none wiser.
Its an easy job, Jackson, and it starts soon, so expect a flight to for Rhode Island in the next couple of days."

 

[Voltin]

There was running, as much was certain. The group of four had all proceeded in their determined direction, but then... Mirrors. They were before the Empress... yet again, and no Jackson. Kent was unsure of whether they had lost him in the forest, or if Justice and his gimmick had simply separated the Sect from their wayward friend. They hadn't even the chance to ask him what he was doing there... Well, with how their luck was turning out, they were likely to run into him soon, if not the next day... again.

Whatever their crimes may be this time around, Justice was there in nostalgic defense of their case (a brief wonder if every medium had such cyclic tedium to deal with day-in and say-out crossed Kent's mind) before redirecting the Empress' ambiguous attention towards the egg-girl who continued to dance around Iphie despite the circumstances. The following rhetoric came as a surprise; she was Tarocchi, yet human? Didn't such things require one's death?

Apparently annoyed by just their existence, the Empress let out an exasperated statement. How do you think we feel? Then, she began to dole out the group's punishment: Death. Had Kent not been wiser -- that is to say, completely lacking in common sense -- he would have been worried for their imminent execution, but in reality, they were to meet with another of the Tarot. The Empress waved her scepter, and as the group sank into the black abyss, Justice gave a parting farewell. Kent was almost certain they would be meeting again; though probably not by his choice.

"When did our lives become a PowerPoint?" Kent had said through the abyss, drowning out the monotony of the descent even if it didn't last as long as it felt. Landing on rough cobbles below, they were still enveloped by a perpetual darkness, before noticeable flames began to linger amongst the inky cloud. Kent felt breath in his ear before he had heard the prescience speak. "Spooky," Kent said, his voice still monotone. There was a count, a slap which was likely to leave Kent bruised, then the continued count. Flames which had hovered near them slowly expanded, revealing each of the group in turn, and then the peculiar figure of who could only be Death... And it turned out he was a loon.

"People called me crazy..." Kent whispered as he circled around to inspect the huddled man. Remembering of how everybody, even Death himself, spoke as if he had all the answers, the medium was able to draw some conclusions. "Go mad from revelation, I suppose..." Though, feeling worried for the man's mental well-being, Kent knelt so he could be at eye level with him, he continued to speak. "D-do you need a hug...?"

 

[TerraBooma]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Jackson rose a brow as he read through his file. Infiltration? He looked up and gave Magus a confused look. "I'll do whatever you need me to but...infiltration? Why me? I'm uh...not the subtlest guy out there in the world, and I've hardly got the most clean record in the world, school wouldn't treat me well at all!" [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Jackson's mind was a bit all over the place, after all...he wasn't quite sure how to react to suddenly having 5 grand. He had been doing the job because he had nowhere else to go..but it seemed like Trinity had more than enough incentives to keep him interested. Besides, with a safe place for Lana...Jackson didn't need to worry as much.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Magus chuckled in response to Jackson's sudden doubt.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Whatever are you talking about, kid.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]As far as Scentia is concerned, your record is as clean as a whistle.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Act like a student, don't reveal your power, and scout what I wish to know.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]It's a pretty easy job if you ask me."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Jackson nodded, starting to understand. He had forgotten what kind of power he was working for here at Trinity...they seemed to be more powerful than any force he'd seen, maybe even the Tarrochi when it came to influencing the world so far. That said, Jackson still had questions he wanted to ask. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Okay, fair enough...can't be that hard. First question I have to ask is about the uh...procedure, I went through. Are there others like me? Seemed like you guys know what you're doing...how many other half-hollows are out there?[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]A snort erupted from Magus who once again burst into a fit chuckles as he gestured towards Valinheym who rose to her feet, grabbed the hollow device off the table, and beckoned Jackson to follow. As she walked, the secretary began speaking with the further instructions that the doctor failed to speak from his incessant laughter.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"That is a question for Dr. Mu.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Please follow me. I shall direct you one last time so you know the way."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]….[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Overall, the trip was entirely similar to the previous instance; however, unlike last time, Dr. Mu was actually present in her underground laboratory/office. In an instant, a glowing smile encompassed her face as she gazed towards the hollow capture device which left Valinheym's arms and onto the nearest table. Without any acknowledgement towards her guests, the scientist quickly rushed to the device where she began carefully inspecting the visuals that it demonstrated. In response to such behavior, a sigh exhaled from Valinheym's mouth; nonetheless, it was after a quick nod towards Dr. Mu that she turned to depart from the room.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Uh...hey Dr. Mu" Jackson said with a wave after arriving back to the familiar looking doctor's office. He still wasn't quite sure what to make of the scientist that had implanted of the hollow within him, but she had seemed nice enough so far...and that was what mattered right? "I managed to capture the hollow, it got shot by a...something, there was a squad, things were weird. What are you planning to do with it anyway?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]A small expression of surprise formed on her face as she noticed Jackson for the first time. With a sheepish hand rub atop her head, the woman directed an apologetic smile towards the student whom she quite frankly was surprised to see in one piece.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Well, my apologies. I didn't realize you were there.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]As for our friends here...well, he'll be joining the rest after a few procedures that will ensure its overall dormancy. Honestly, nothing you would understand or find too interesting."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]With the explanation, the scientist quickly delivered the device to the refrigerated room at the side before returning to seat herself at the gurney nearest Jackson's position. There, she continued her speech with a follow-up inquiry of her own.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Now, I assume you're here for a post-mission check-up.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Visually, you seem fine. Any concerns?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Well a few, kinda. I just had some questions I would hope your able to answer? Mostly I've been wondering. That procedure was...well, it looked practiced, in a way. I was wondering if there were people out there like me working for trinity? You know...people who are only half human now."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]For a moment, Dr. Mu seemed to contemplate Jackson's question; her brow furrowing from the thought that filled her head. Nonetheless, it was after a short period of time that she shrugged and began answering with what he wished to know.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"There have been failures in the past. I suppose those remain unimportant towards your question though. Back on track, I'd say the past has had two successful procedures...well one and a half. The first time this was performed, the host failed to control the hollow and ended up dying as result. The following time this was performed, however...it was very successful.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]As a matter of fact, the second individual in question is the one you have been tasked to find.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Trinity has been tracking him for quite some time now. He has remained quite elusive, but we are certain he has taken residence in Providence."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Right. Okay...well, it'd be nice to know a bit more about him" Jackson let out a chuckle. "All I have to go on right now is to stay quiet and gather info for Magus, I can do that sure but...well, information is half the battle or whatever that quote is right? I've also been meaning to ask if you've managed to find any info on the hollow I've been...fused with."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]As he spoke, Jackson took a moment to concentrate deep within himself, searching for a familiar voice. Inside his mind, he called out. [/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent][/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"Hey...anyone there?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Dr. Mu watched as Jackson stood in a meditative state that seemed to achieve nothing apart from looking silly. A small giggle escaped her lips, just before she began answering the next set of questions that he brought to the table.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Like I said before, there is honestly no way for me to know much about your hollow. It's a strength archetype which is why is seems to have assimilated fairly well...but apart from that…"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]An awkward silence fell upon the room; at least until Jackson's phone buzzed with a text from Valinheym.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Preparations on our end are complete. Finish up on yours then reply your readiness.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]A ride will take you the airport, and from there, Providence.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Further instructions will be delivered upon your arrival.[/BCOLOR]

 

[Doughguy]

From the first words out of the Empress's mouth Kaede was already annoyed. The tone made it clear she was blaming the sect for what had happened once again, despite events being out of their control. The ruler of the Tarrochi either needed to change her attitude or get a better spy network. Kaede just stood back, keeping her mouth shut and the sphere she had taken from the soldier hidden as Justice was forced to defend them once again. The Empress didn't inspire her with the confidence that the matter would be treated correctly. When they were alone with Justice again she'd reveal it.

She snorted at the Empress's appraisal of their 'troublesome' group. It was almost like they'd been abducted from their ordinary lives and thrown into a supernatural world with virtually no warning or training. Crazy. The sentence to Death would have worried the girl just a few hours earlier, but Justice's answer to her question was still clear in her mind and she guessed the Empress wasn't being so literal there. Can't say the same she thought in reply to the Empress's farewell, Maybe you could stop thinking ill of us every five seconds.

~***~

As she drifted along in the darkness Kaede very carefully removed the sphere from her pocket and began to examine it. She had a feeling activating it while she was floating through nothingness in a bubble of magic would end badly for her. Back in the forest she'd only had time to find the off switch, now she gave the casing a closer look, examining any other features it might have or if there was a way to open it up. When her feet finally hit the ground she put the device away again.

There was a voice, then a painful smack on the chest, suddenly Lillian and Temperance were visible. The area lit up to reveal a lanky man in an open chested shirt holding a long metal staff and a lantern. She had a hunch his favourite word was 'yes'. As she watched him curl up into a ball she had a feeling the sphere would be staying in her pocket for a while longer. This Tarrochi didn't appear to be sane of mind let alone competent. She crossed her arms and stared at him, trying to make sense of his words as Kent bent down and offered the man a hug.

She turned her head towards Lillian, "Any help?" she asked, hoping that they would have some information, then looked back to Death. She softened her voice and her attitude, sass wouldn't get them any answers here. "Who are we similar to?" she asked, "What home do we share?"

 

[Astoria]

For all the running they'd done, Iphigenia had expected for Justice to intervene. Even so, she didn't think she could ever get used to being immediately thrust into mirrors and being sent through to a completely different environment of another realm. Regardless, she appreciated the swift extraction, although she was less than pleased to see the Empress once again. Despite her words being marginally more amenable to her ears this time around, the events that transpired in the court left her once again having more questions than any answers would have given her.

It also helped little that the young girl that had sprung out of the egg in the forest had little of help or even to say except to hop around Iphigenia's position, saying, one every minute or so, "Iphie." She was already jumping to conclusions and bemoaning the prospect of having to take care of the girl, especially in light of the Empress' declaration that she was for all intents and purposes, human.

The regal woman's final verdict was troubling. Or at least, it would have been, if her wording was less ambiguous. Apparently they would be paying a visit to Death. Would he be a skinny, boney fellow with an edgy hood and scythe? With things so far from her expectation of reality only several days ago, she would be surprised if he was.

What met Iphigenia and the rest of the group in the dark abyss the Empress had lowered them into was indeed not the Death with a blackhood and a scythe, but something entirely unexpected altogether. Standing in silence, Iphie resisted the urge to fidget under uncertainty. Standing silent as a flame passed each one of them by, seemingly counting souls, the area finally became lit enough for her to see an animal-eared man clutching a staff and lantern. She watched warily as he spoke; his words were of little comfort and sounded more akin to the babble of a raving lunatic than any of the tarocchi she had encountered before.

Iphie was stunned when, without notice, he let the items in his hand fall to the ground, kneeling onto the floor in a fetal position. She gave a look at all the others, even the young tarocchi child, a look that seemed to say "is he serious?" Her gaze quickly returned to the man, however, and she stepped closer.

"Are… are you alright?"

 

[Tsu]

"Yes...Yes...Quite alright...Yes"

Death replied to Iphie while rising to his feet and shoving past Kent's offer for a hug. Instead, he grabbed his nearby staff and flung it in the direction of Kaede. After looping the circular tip around the girl's body, he somewhat roughly tugged her forward; an action that would have stumbled her closer to his own self. In doing so, he began speaking with a direct response to the question she asked.

"Destiny...Home...
Yes...Yes...You share a fate at home...Yes...
Watch...See what lies beyond thine eyes...Yes..."

His words sparked a sudden change in the environment. The flames which hovered at the side of each individual suddenly flew towards a single point directly in front of Death's position. There, they formed into a unified flame that began to rapidly expand until it reached the size of a several foot pillar from the ground. Reaching into one of the pouches on his belt, Death grabbed a handful of black powder that he tossed into the flames. Immediately, the pillar of flame shot into the seemingly infinite darkness above where it plumed into the abstract shape of a rooster. From the wings, ashes began to fall across the area; particles of hallucinatory elements that forced a sudden environmental shift in the eyes of the Sect.

Gone was the darkness, the flames, and Death. Instead, a blinding light shone from the sun above and reflected against the shallow water that each Sect member found themselves toppled within. Nonetheless, the aquatic discomfort was bound to be short-lived given the sheer beauty which surrounded them. In all directions, the immediate water was a shallow lake that stretched a fair distance until plains of flower and grass replaced the terrain. Along the horizon, a range of ice-capped mountains stretched all around the seeming valley which the current area encompassed. A short distance from the Sect's position was a series of small huts which extended above the surface of the water and seemed to represent an ancient Chinese style of Architecture. From the center-most hut, a plume of smoke escaped from a small opening located on the right-most side of the roof.

"Yes...Yes...Yes...
Fate calls to here...
Yes...Destiny binds you all to this point...Yes...Yes"

Up until this point, the new realm had been a perfect immersion for the Sect; at least until Death's voice echoed throughout the area and gradually began a deconstruction of the hallucination. For most, coming out of Death's shamanism left the individual in a dazed state of being; however, the Tarocchi gave no time for anyone to recover. Immediately, he walked over to retrieve his grounded lantern and with a wave flung a small spark of fire at each individual. In a matter of seconds, the Sect was entirely enveloped by a burning flame which surprisingly did not hurt, but instead, caused their bodies to slowly crumble into ash.

"Yes...Yes...Yes...
Burn into ash...Become reborn...Yes...
Face the destiny you have been chosen to lead...
Yes...Yes...Yes...

------

Chinese markets were not known for their tranquil environments, and as such, the Sect was given a rude awakening into their sudden new location. In terms of their physical being, their bodies were entirely normal; however, glances from nearby pedestrians made them seem as if they were spirits who suddenly rose from the market fountain that they found themselves within. Whispers and talk began to spread across the crowd; however, eventually, people lost interest and continued about their daily business. The surrounding area resembled a rustic town that never kept up with the ages. Modern technology seemed entirely at lost with carts and wagons toting most of the goods that traders managed. Wooden buildings and stalls littered the area among a heavy crowd of Chinese denizens who all seemed to be shouting over the best possible deal on produce and other essential goods.

After garnering her bearings, the small girl hurriedly pulled herself over the fountain's edge and stepped onto the dirt road below. Her expression seemed to be one of wonder as she spun around in observation of her surroundings. Based on the construction, the current area was an obvious crossroad for the town with the road extending into a plethora of directions around the circular marketplace. In the farthest distance, a range of ice-capped mountains were visible along the entirety of the horizon on the south-side of the town.

"Húběi Shěng..."

The words came as a matter of fact statement from the girl who seemed somewhat dazed by the entire experience. Nonetheless, further development was next to impossible given the the small commotion which began to form at the east side of the market. Cries of "Haizi Tufei" erupted from the crowd as they were subsequently parted by a group of horses riders who stormed into the marketplace, swords drawn. For a moment, the obvious leader gazed upon the immediate surroundings until he pointed at several individuals. In a split second, the girl, who was facing Iphie with her words, was suddenly being carted away in the arms of a bandit, who with his group, began fleeing down a west-side alley with a small selection of kidnapped children.

 

[Voltin]

While Kent was glad to see that the man wasn't going to need help, yet still found himself muttering, "Rude," as he was pushed off to the side. What's more, after having pulled Kaede closer to the rest of them, Death began to speak of fate, and home, and... Kent really stopped listening as he quivered at the thought of going home. He didn't want that, not at all. Though whatever it was he was saying, his words seemed to inspire change in the environment; a flame which grew, transformed into the shape of a chicken (was this some allegory for their new companion?) before something engulfed the entirety of their vision.

What was seen intrigued Kent. They all had found themselves within water, on a sunlit day. They were in a valley, far away mountains marking its boundary. Plains of flowers and green stretched between them with the occasional building littering the space. How Kent wished for a pen and a piece of parchment, if only to capture a fraction of the all too real scenery in front of them.

Then, it was gone. Kent let out a small whimper as the hallucination faded. He hadn't heard a word Death had spoken, but soon, he along with the rest of his sect found themselves truly immersed in water. Glancing around, Kent found themselves within a market's fountain; curious glances cast at them as they had suddenly appeared. Thinking as quickly as he could, even as the sidelong stares drifted away from the group, Kent stood and bowed. "Ta-da," he said with little flourish. Understanding at least a little of what this gesture meant, a few of the onlookers lightly applauded before they too turned away.

Temperance, still beside him from before Death's transition, seemed the most likely to know anything about where they were, even if they were a few centuries off. Before he could even utter a word to the girls, a large commotion begot distraction for the man, who's head turned to see what was happening. Men on horses appeared, and before any significant amount of time could pass, one had rode past and snagged the small egg child. "There she goes..." Kent commented idly, not even attempting to do something. With the current lack of plant life, and all the bystanders, Kent really couldn't, and he knew that. He tried following their life signs but even that was moot, as they soon rode out of his range. He sighed. "I tried..."

Whether the rest of the group decided to give immediate chase or not, Kent would return to his question for Yin and Yang. "Do you know where we are?" Then, a further question had crossed his mind. "Do you know where Death showed us is? He said... 'home'.

 

[Astoria]

Despite not being entirely convinced by the man's answer, Iphigenia nodded carefully. Nonetheless, she found his response to Kent amusing despite the circumstances, watching him as he interacted with Kaede and provided her answers. Had she not been aware he was a tarocchi, she would have thought the change in environment from darkness was one of those immersive interactive movie experiences; the flames and the pillar that Death raised from the ground felt almost Disney-like.

Under his performance, the environment continued to shift until Iphigenia and her group found themselves atop the center of a lake surrounded by mountains that struck an Eastern vibe with her. In the distance was a small village of similar import, and altogether, the landscape painted a very tranquil, if not classical Chinese vibe to it.

The immersion did not last for long as the unstable tarocchi spoke once again, causing the environment to slowly come apart. Although the transition was slow, the abrupt actions of Death left Iphie startled as flames engulfed their position.

Iphigenia woke instantly. Finding herself immediately drenched with others, she floundered in an unladylike manner before quickly composing herself and immediately stepping out of the fountain that she found herself in. It was only then that she took in her surroundings; all around her, a mix of sounds invaded her ears. They had found themselves in what appeared to be a small village with bamboo huts and wooden carts, and if she didn't know better, would have thought it to be a third-world country.

The people around them had been startled by their appearance, and that was natural given how they'd just been plopped down, but Iphie quickly took notice of their Asian features and the language they spoke. While she natively spoke English and Japanese, one of her childhood maids was Taiwanese and she took Mandarin in secondary school. The language she picked up on was not quite the Standard Chinese dialect that she was used to, but still understood it to a degree, picking up phrases in the marketplace chatter that were particularly loud amongst the crowd.

The little tarocchi (which Iphie had assumed her to be) seemed to share a far more rooted connection to the land than the rest of the group. She was mildly startled when she uttered a phrase other than "Iphie," in her daze, and Iphigenia realized she identified the village they were in as within Hubei Province. How she knew, Iphie had no clue; the village to her didn't look particularly remarkable in terms of landmarks, and the only place she knew that was in that province was the capital, Wuhan.

Before Iphie could further muse on that or even ask her a question, however, cries of what she quickly realized was "kidnappers!" snapped her attention towards the parting crowd. Momentarily stunned by what appeared to be swordsmen on horseback, she was unable to react in time as one of them swooped down, snatching her little tarocchi girl in his arms before starting to ride away.

Alarmed, she yelled "stop!" in English, before quickly switching to Chinese. Surprise quickly turned to anger, and upon remembering the weapon that she had obtained only mere hours ago, drew her pistol and pointed in their direction, continuing her demands to stop. Eventually, a modicum of rationality returned her mind, and she thought better of shooting at strangers in an unknown village, even if they seemed to be bandit-like and wielding swords. Gritting her teeth, she cursed in English, kicking her feet as she returned the weapon to her inner pocket.

Saying "shit!" one more time, she turned to Kent and the others. "We need to pursue them. She said we're in Hubei Province before they took her. Unless we're in some particular backwater village, I don't think we're in our time again. We might be on our own for help. Let's go! I'm not letting those cunts get away."

 

[Doughguy]

Kaede's first instinct upon being caught by the staff was to escape, an act she was adept at. Her hands grabbed the metal circle and she jumped off the ground. Halfway through she caught herself and let the man simply pull her closer. She doubted Death was planning something painful and had probably overreacted. She watched the pillar of flame form very close by to her. She closed her eyes as the change took effect and the sun exploded into life. Her body felt cool, a little too cold but not so much as she felt the need to get out. She knew she would adjust to it soon enough.

They were in a place of serene beauty, far off in the country side somewhere that was clearly not America. An Asian architecture was evident, probably Chinese. The girl started moving towards the huts more to remove herself from the water and move further into the wilderness than any desire to meet the people there. She enjoyed nature in its beauty, undisturbed by man, and this was a rare chance to experience it. At least until Death or Justice popped back in to give them whatever task they were required to complete.

Which happened all too soon, before she could even reach the lake's edge. The scene fell apart and was quickly replaced by the same desolate environs from before. Something hit her body and reds and oranges filled her vision as the flames consumed her body.

~***~

Half of the second awakening felt the same as the first. Unfortunately the experience was ruined by the sound of people moving about and talking, cart wheels turning and children laughing and screaming. Kaede pushed herself up with a groan, so noisy. They were apparently in a fountain in the middle of a busy town. Kent was doing a little flourish for the passer-by's, some of whom appeared briefly amused, but she followed Iphie's example in not drawing any extra attention. She guessed they were someplace in China which was unfortunate for her, and she hoped someone else in the group could speak the language.

Iphie's tarot appeared to know a bit more about the situation than the rest of them, but any hope of an explanation was short lived as bandits suddenly appeared. One of the men went for the girl and Kaede turned to Lillian, her mind whirring, "I need marbles!" There wasn't time to try and summon the elemental smoke on her own. But there wasn't time for marbles either as the bandits were already gone, heading out of the village. Iphie had her gun out but Kaede knew the shot was too risky, a single degree off and they'd have a dead child.

She nodded in reply to Iphie's angry words, "Let's follow them, quickly. If this really is the past I think I have a plan." The further back in time they went the more people would believe in gods and magic. She wasn't sure if Kent's nationality would help of hinder them here, but she was sure the pair of them could pull off a convincing nature gods' act to scare the shit out of some bandits. "Come on Kent!" she called to him, the man was acting so passively and there was a splinter of irritation in her mind from his actions. "We're going to need you to speak for us all leader." she said to Iphie, guessing the girl knew the language from what she'd just heard.

 

[Tsu]

"Jiù shén de róngyào! (For the glory of the old gods.)"

The phrase was roared by both the band of bandits and those who resided within the camp they arrived at. The area in question was several miles away from the nearest town; a rather small encampment that composed of numerous tents stretching across the open plains that defined their home. Along the perimeter of the camp, tall, spiked barricades formed a makeshift fence that existed as a relatively impenetrable defense apart from the fairly large gate which defined the entrance to the bandit's home. All in all, the encampment was a bold declaration of the bandit's courage against any militant force from nearby villages--in turn giving them even more flexibility for the acts of kidnapping that gave them their name.

For the most part, the interior of the encampment was as expected for the home of a group of bandits. Rough looking men littered the grounds while many were actively participating in vices such as gambling, alcohol, or smoke from lengthy pipes. Nonetheless, an unexpected attribute was a fairly sized group of children who excitably stormed out of a plethora tents, welcoming the successful band who in turn, eagerly acknowledge their presence with a wave. In time, the band leading their horses through the village soon had a large following of children who happily followed along the same path, giggling with their peers and eyeing the new children who remained bound atop the horses. In time, the band came to the stop in front of the largest tent where they quickly dismounted, helped their captives to the ground, then directed the entirety of the group into the destination.

"Nín yǐ fǎnhuí (You have returned.)"

The voice was a gentle one spoken from a man sprawled across a luxury mat with a fairly long pipe extended from his mouth. After directing a quick nod towards the shoulders, the man's eyes immediately shifted towards the bound children who were forced into a knell before the obvious leader of the camp. One by one, he inspected the figure of each bawling child; at least until his eyes came across the sole entity who remained entirely calm unlike her peers.

"Hé wǒmen yǒu shé me zài zhèlǐ(And what do we have here?)
Yī wèi yǒnggǎn de niánqīng nǚshì zhī zhōng zhuā(A brave young lady amongst the catch.)"

Rising to his feet, the man crossed the distance between himself and the girl to whom he proceeded to gently caress against her cheek. That being said, the action was entirely short-lived given he quickly retracted his hand as if she had just given him a shock. A stunned expression formed on his face as he pointed towards the door with a quick order to his troops.

"Zǒu kāi, dàizhe háizimen píngshí de(Begone, take the children to the usual.)
Huí dào nǐ de shǒubiǎo(Return to your watch)"

As the man waited for the tent to clear, he returned to his lazed position on his mat. There, he beckoned the girl towards another mat directly in front--after which he waited to see her subsequent response. As time passed without movement from the child, a small sigh escaped the man's lips as he proceeded to speak despite her disobedience.

"Yǒu shé me hǎo pà de, háizi(There is nothing to fear, child.)
Nǐ shìfǒu juédé cóng wǒmen jiēchù shénme?(Did you feel nothing from our contact?)
Yěxǔ, nǐ bù jìdé nǐ zìjǐ?(Perhaps, do you not remember your own self?)"

With the declaration of his questions, the man continued to patiently wait for any response, and once again, he lightly sighed when the girl remained both silent and motionless.

"Yěxǔ, shì wǒ cuòle(Perhaps I was wrong.)
Nì tiān, bǎ tā dài zǒu píngshí!(Guards, take her to the usual!)
Shíjiān huì gàosù wǒmen zhèyàng huò nàyàng de(Time will tell one way or another.)"

 

[Tsu]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Ever since their arrival in the new region, Yin & Yang were in a state of awe as they gazed around the immediate area. Even when the girl was kidnapped, the twins failed to react in the slightest; at least until Kent directly provided them with a question. In an instant, it was as if they were broken out of a trace as they attempted to stammer their response of rhymes.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"H-Hubei i-is the p-place we currently be.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Ezhou, this town; a land with nothing to see.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Save the girl, we feel you must.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]From then we go, Wuhan; the home we trust."'[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Iphigenia was already rushing forward in the direction the bandits left. Charging through the part in the crowd their horses had left, her weapon was still in her hand, seemingly ready to gun down whoever interfered with her path, interspersed with the occasional "move, move," in Chinese. Running through the path, she hoped to glimpse the direction they were headed. With the assumption that others had begun to follow, she poised the twins another question. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Anything we need to know about this area? How far is it to Wuhan?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Who simply were not there. They still stuck close to Kent, still awestruck and only coherent enough to answer his questions, taking no real not of how he was getting washed away by the crowds. Of no real build or stature, Kent was helpless at the heels of masses as they reformed to go about their daily business; even with him standing there![/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Resigned to go with the flow of the town, Kent began trudging along, stepping out of traffic and into the refuge of a misused side street. Realizing he had been separated from the group -- again, though this time not of his own volition -- the medium let out a sigh.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Looking up at Temperance -- who had managed to keep alongside him in the crowd -- Kent began to think of what he could do. "Could you translate? I'm certain--ly believing that the girls will be back when they realize I'm gone; it would be helpful to know somethings of where we are and who they were…"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]The twins took a moment to ponder Kent's inquiry. In doing so, they blatantly began examining each passerby as if the town's citizens held some importance in their ability to translate.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"The possibility does exist.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]But only if our language persists.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]The times are familiar from what we see.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]But certainty is not, our answer to thee."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]There was a pause between the verse of Temperance, and the next question Kent had for the pair. "You aren't going to rhyme my responses... Are you?" [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]The meager tidbit, and what the medium thought to be a funny joke, out of the way Kent proceeded back into the civilian byways of the town. "You just need to listen. Then I can go around with my questions… if you two can understand."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Kent would continue to walk around with crowd until both Yin and Yang gave the affirmative; were comfortable enough with the local dialect to act as his interpreter. He would offer small smiles -- what Kent thought passed as a smile -- of encouragement, up till then.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]~[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]As Iphie asked her question to Kent's tarocchi, Kaede turned her head to see the pair answer. And saw that neither they nor their medium was following. "Iphie!" she called out, grabbing the other girl by the arm and trying to pull her to a halt. "They're not there! Kent's not following." She came to a stop herself, it was too dangerous to keep chasing them without the third of their group. If the bandits turned on them she didn't trust her smoke to stop armoured warriors on horseback just yet. "We need to find him first!" She made to head back to the fountain.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]They returned to the fountain with Iphigenia in an irritated state. Kent was nowhere to be found, which only served to anger her some more. While it was probably easy enough to find the white man in a sea of Chinese, it was still a daunting, time-consuming task, and there was no hope of pursuing the bandits now. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Kent! Where in god's name are you!?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Looking about in vain, she finally pulled over some villagers, grilling them in Chinese. "Have you seen a white boy? Looks skinny, wearing funny clothes?"[/BCOLOR]

 

[Tsu]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Being abruptly apprehended by someone partially foreign did not bode well with the villagers chosen by Iphie. Rather than focus on the broken Chinese that she spoke, the villagers were more concerned with shoving past the girl and continuing along their intended business. Nonetheless, such failure was nothing but a minor set back given the inevitable commotion that was bound to occur in the residential district of the village.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]At the same time Iphie was experiencing rejection, the twins were cheerfully walking along the streets of the village while eavesdropping on the conversations that the people spoke. Truthfully, it only took a matter of seconds before they were confident in their ability to understand and translate; however, rather than announce this fact, they remained silent in hopes of extending the exploration which stimulated the nostalgic excitement that they were experiencing. Nonetheless, their frivolous behavior soon came to a close since urgent priorities were at stake-- not to mention the conversations of the villagers were gradually becoming a concern for the twins.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"For once, there is merit in hiding.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Lest we wish to engage in pointless fighting.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]A devil of white, they say you are.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]It seems your kind is a race of mar…--"[/BCOLOR]

"Zǒu kāi! (Begone)"

The word was screamed from a nearby alley--shortly followed by a rock which struck against Kent's shoulder. From that point on, several more projectiles were subsequently thrown at Kent from a group of seemingly ordinary villagers who remained sheltered in the village alleyway.

"Báisè èmó yǐjīng shīqùle wǒmen de wǒmen de háizi (The white devil has lost us our children!)!
Zǒu kāi cóng wǒmen cūn! (Begone from our village)"

Although it was solely the militant group who instigated the offense against Kent, nearby villagers gradually began to join in on sudden crusade. While most refrained from any attempts of physical abuse, they had little qualms about vocalizing their thoughts on Kent.

What started as something minor, gradually began to grow, and in turn, an increasingly obvious incident for the village as a whole. With this in mind, the twins quickly grabbed ahold of Kent's arms and began gently tugging while announcing their opinion on the event.

"Let us haste away, from this place.
It is best we find a friend of better taste."

~

Thankfully for the pair of girls who had no clue where to start searching for their missing partner, the village quickly chose to help. The sounds of chanting and yelling erupted from a side street not too far from them. "That could be him." Kaede said, moving towards the area. Being of average height she had to push through the circle of villagers to see their object of their derision. Not surprisingly it was Kent who was suffering more than just words as rocks sailed out of a nearby alley at the man. She couldn't be certain of what they were yelling but guessed his skin tone had something to do with it.


Kent had been in little rush, enjoying the scenery of the rustic village though not quite as much as the lovers obviously were. They were pleasant emotions to see for Kent; having already seen so many from them, and each being a little different.

The moment wasn't meant to last. Before long, the twins had begun their warning, before being interrupted by a sudden pelt to the the shoulder. "That hurt…" Kent said, clutching the bruised and thankfully not pierced area. Looking around at the hostility around him, Kent could see that his injury had been intentional. Temperance didn't have to a say a thing for Kent had already begun moving; the one grace of his apparent diabolical nature being the wide berth provided, even if it a range for the people to continue their ranged assault. He tried keeping his head down, but he had already formed a crowd, following along him and picking up more villagers as he moved.

More rocks sailed, some hitting, some not. Kent never let out so much as a cry through it all. A single stone to the cheek changed that. Something had snapped. He stopped moving; he was shaking. His chest started hurting. He sniffled.

Kaede strode forth, dodging any stray stones that came her way, and grabbed Kent by the wrist. "We need to go now, before they kill you. Iphie wants that pleasure." she told him as she started pulling him back the way she had come from. She hoped the display of 'bravery' might earn them some respite from the villagers. "We need to get out of here before you cause more trouble."

As that was said, Iphie pulled her jacket over his head, trying to lead him through the crowd alongside with Kaede. "We've captured the white devil!" she proclaimed, while trying to maneuver towards what looked like the village entrance.

Thankfully for the man, a familiar face had found him. "Kaede…" Kent sounded as if he were about to cry. He gave no resistance as the girl began towing him back through the way she had come. At the mention of "trouble" he began to start choking up. "I-I didn't. We-we were w-walking. I wanted t-to talk with them…" He was glad when Iphie had put her jacket over his head; it hid the forgotten wetness that had begun cascading down his face.

 

[Tsu]

The antics of the Sect were far from enough to adequately satisfy the mob which continued to follow and hurl their insults. Nonetheless, the abuse came to a rapid halt when a short, old lady hobbled into the street and began angrily waving her cane in the direction of the mass commotion.

(Its in chinese. Im on a phone)
"Find peace, you buffooned ruffians!"

Although the old woman's voice was raspy and low, her words held obvious weight as the crowd came to an immediate silence. A satisfied nod was the elder's only response as she slammed her cane into the ground and continued with her lecture.

"It is not the white devil to blame. It is our own weakness in regards to our waning respect towards the Old Gods.
Do not scorn a fellow human for your own selfish satisfaction.
As for our guests, follow."

The crowd began to slowly disperse with heads held low--at least apart from the old lady who boldly began strutting along the streets of the village until she arrived at a small hut towards the outskirts. It was there she settled herself onto a mat and began addressing the Sect under the assumption they had kept pace in following her.

"White devil, you owe my charity.
In regards to your group, however, what does the living and dead want with a humble village such as ours."

For a moment, it seemed as the gathered mass were going to continue their violent assault of Kent and the Sect for harboring him; though just as the commotion was coming to its peak, it had died with hardly the blink of an eye. Kent had pulled away from Kaede's grasp, curious as to what could have soothed this mob's hysteria.

An old lady, whom henceforth was able to deftly handle the situation. Yin and Yang had both already started their translation for the group, having become comfortable with the dialect only minutes before. The woman beckoned them to follow, a suggestion that was obligatory with how she had just helped them. Kent say no reason to be stubborn, and obligingly followed without argument.

Arriving at what could only be assumed to be the woman's hut, she took a seat, and began to address the group privately. Kent perked at the Tarocchis' translation of her words. Taking a moment to compose himself, Kent began to ask questions of his own. "W-who are you? You can… s-see them, can-can't you?" He wouldn't bother repeating whatever it was Temperance would express in Chinese, just to see if his assumption of this lady's ability to be correct.

Almost as an afterthought, "Ah, a-and thank you for your help…"

After the timely intervention of the village elder, Iphie had grabbed her coat back from Kent, seeming to ignore the boy. Instead, she had focused her attention on the elder to grasp more information. Ever wanting, she made a determined effort to understand and communicate in the dialect and its odd idiosyncrasies, but it would seem that she would take far more time to fully adapt than their two impromptu translators. Even so, she found herself speaking Chinese, although more carefully and simplistically to get the point across over the differences in pronunciation.

"Our companion was kidnapped the moment we arrived. I see your village has problems with bandits. I don't think our arrival is unrelated."
Though their efforts hadn't been enough alone the group had been saved, and Kaede found herself now in a small hut that belonged to the old lady who had come to their rescue. She was thankful for Temperance's aid in translation, it made things much smoother. And Lillian still looked too helpless to assist them in that aspect at all. She threw her next words out into the hut, giving either Temperance or Iphie the chance to translate, whoever felt like doing it first. "Who are you? And maybe more importantly what are you?"

The old woman remained mostly passive as the Sect took turns speaking their mind. It wasn't until Kaede's translation reached her ears that she burst into a small fit of laughter. At the same time, the drape which defined her hut's door parted to the side as a man walked in with a tray in his hands. Over the course of the next few minutes, he began to expertly pour cups of herbal tea for each individual in the room before departing with a quick bow towards the crowd. After taking several sips, the old lady set aside her cup and began her reply for each concern brought to light by the Sect.

"I am but a humble elder in a humble village of Chinese descent; nothing more, nothing less.
An old woman such as myself has seen many things in many years of life. Spirits are of no surprise to these eyes."

With such statements, she fell silent for her tea all while gazing at each spirit in order of their position. Once she was satisfied with her inspection, a small snort sounded from her nose, yet she did not press the light mockery she expressed. Instead, she simply continued with her replies for the Sect's inquires.

"You, girl who attempts our tongue. Perhaps you are right in saying our predicaments are related, yet I cannot help but believe that your kidnapped friend is outside of all our hands.
The bandit camp is but a few miles south west from this village. A vital crossroad that connects our town's trade with the nearest city market.
Yet ask yourselves...Why has the Chinese military done nothing to eradicate such a minor hindrance? Surely, an army can disband a lone camp of bandits, yet in this case, the opposite remains true. Countless lives have been lost in assaults against these bandits."

The old woman rose to her feet and hobbled to one side of the tent where she grabbed a fabric scroll that was soon unraveled for the Sect to see. On the tapestry was an illustration of the twelve Shengxiao and a mysterious thirteenth shadow which existed in one corner of the banner. After seating herself back on the center mat, she immediately pointed in Kent's direction while continuing with her explanation of the situation at hand.

"His kind is responsible for a wave of modernization spreading across our lands. Ever since the white devil arrived from the west, culture and traditions have been rapidly changing in favour of what Chinese governments consider "advanced." Most remain against such deviation from the old ways; however, there are those who take their distain to chaotic levels--worshipers of the old gods...the old traditions...the true culture of our people.
Many would scoff at my words, but given the spirits at your side, I believe you understand my words when I state that worshipers of the old gods are special.
I cannot stop you from journeying to their camp; however, I cannot guarantee your safety in any way. All that I ask in return to the generosity I have shown you is that you return our children back to this village.
If you agree to this request, I can provide you a hut for your rest and horses for your journey. A fair trade if you ask me."

 

[Tsu]

Kaede awoke first of the group the next morning, something which wasn't a surprise to anyone. The sun was barely breaking and she was getting out of bed and leaving the house. She knew there was clothing in the hut but had worn her modern clothes to bed and remained in them still. It was probably a bad idea to keep them on, so she chose to get as much use from them before she changed. At the same time she was wary of tiring herself. After the meeting with the lady the previous afternoon she'd spent the evening practicing her power, trying to draw out the elemental smoke without marbles. Small progress had been made but she'd still need Lillian's help for now.

One lap around the village, followed by a trip to the fountain with a bucket, and she returned to their hut. Finding a quiet spot in the house she stripped, gave herself a rinse with the water, and then dressed. The clothes in the house weren't as comfortable as her own but they weren't as terrible as they could have been. Taking her clothes she headed outside to where the horses were waiting. She'd never ridden one before but was confident in her own ability.

Taking advantage of being up alone she hopped on the horse, easily clambering up its side, and landed in the saddle. The horse shook slightly and she wobbled before regaining her balance. Up on the animal's back with the reins in her hands she felt far more nervous. How did one make it go? Without making it suddenly gallop specifically.

~***~

A few minutes later, with Lillian's instruction, the girl set off at a trot for the river. Once there she soaked her clothes in the water and wrung them out. If they were suddenly returned to their own time she wanted to have them ready to wear. Especially if the current clothing proved no more than an illusion in the end. Getting back on the horse she managed to make her way back to the hut.
--

Iphigenia was the second up, not too long after Kaede. Unlike the other unusual circumstances that she'd found bedding in the past few days, the hut was the least comfortable and she found herself quick to rise. The previous evening, she'd spent some time touching base with the twins, talking about China and requesting an impromptu lesson on their dialect of Chinese. Retiring at sundown, it really was the only reason she was able to wake so early without an alarm.

Having been informed of the presence of a small river running alongside the village, Iphie decided to take a look. Taking a washcloth and the change of clothes from the hut, she headed down to the water, eventually finding what appeared to be a suitable spot to bathe. She was never really much of a prudish person, and after another day of running about a forest and all the huffing and puffing it entailed, she was about ready to get some respite. As a precaution, she brought along the handgun looted from the dead soldier and set it nearby as she bathed.

While there, like Kaede, she took the opportunity to freshen up her clothing, doing her best to avoid wrinkling the dry cleaning of shirt while washing it. Donning the fresh, but rather scratchy attire that had been provided, she returned to the hut, hanging out her washed clothes to dry. Paying little attention to the horses for the moment, she returned to her belongings to get an idea of what she had to work with. When the others woke up, she would have to ask them as well.

Neatly arranging her stock on the straw bedding, besides the clothes drying was her blazer, with her watch and the pilfered handgun magazine hidden away in its inner pocket. The wallet she still had was less than useless in this time period, and she didn't even bother opening it to check the money inside, although maybe the credit cards could be used as a spudger for something. Also laid out was her phone, but she didn't dare turn it on even now; with all that was happening, she would have to ration its battery power for when it was needed for something like a compass or flashlight.

With only a handgun with a limited number of rounds and a soon to be dry phone for useful tools, Iphie felt grossly underprepared. She wasn't sure how much or how long their bandit-extinguishing excursion would be, so it would only make sense to get some supply of food and maybe a blade at the market. If need be, she would have to pawn off the watch or the jacket.

As it would turn out, the jacket was a far more sensible article to sell. With her uncertainties over the exact nature of their spiriting to the past, a custom-tailored suit jacket from an otherwise unknown tailor would not cause too many problems, and wasn't even far departed from English fashion if her estimate of the time period was correct. Although she had a difficult time finding a merchant that was even suitable to trade in fine clothing, she was able to negotiate for currency that allowed her to buy ample traveling food and a trio of simple but sturdy utility knives with a few coins left over.

Returning to the hut with her goods, she felt a bit incomplete without a coat over her shirt, but if all went well, her little tarocchi girl would be back, and with the police coat she'd given her