MOD LOG #3

[bequiet]

MOD LOG #3

Arriving in style
Content Warnings: Fighting, death, violence
Themes: Survival, plot

It's early in the day when it happens. The red dust that seems to be everywhere sweeps through the city streets, mixing with the steady patter of rain and making it hard to see and breathe. All red and leaving the taste of copper if inhaled, what could have been an easy day without any trouble quickly becomes anything but. While those in the community are heading for cover or finding ways to continue on through it, the new arrivals begin waking up in different cities all over the world. There won't be anyone to greet them, and leaving the room through the door is their choice - after doing so, they'll immediately step out into the city they were assigned. The streets are empty, houses abandoned, everything crumbling and in ruins. There will be signs noting their location, which they'll catch a glimpse of before a sharp push forward causes darkness to engulf them.

Waking up for the second time, in Reims but not in the Reset Room, they'll come to inside the red dust as it whips through the streets of the community. They won't be alone for long. Another person will be waking up beside them, and after a few moments of disorientation, try to attack. They might have weapons or use their hands, and they will not stop until they've taken a fatal blow. Their blood is dust, and they, along with their weapons, disintegrate after they've died. Can you stop them on your own? Will someone come to your aid?

The Sight of Lightning
Content Warnings: Poison, sex
Themes: Survival, plot

The day after the storm, the same red dust will find its way through Reims and come into contact with every person. Since the dust is everywhere, some might not notice that it's floating through the community and know that something is off. The effects don't begin until night fall, where everyone will feel the desire to seek out companionship of many different kinds. Though it is not always the case, the people that saw each other in color will "want" to be with that person more strongly than they might already, and will be more likely to confess or do something about it. Some might feel an intense need to be around another person, though not necessarily sexually - almost as if they need that person around them to be happy or content. For some, it might be a desire that can only be fulfilled by more than one person.

The effects wear off the next time the person gets wet. This can be a splash of water across the face or fully submerged. Or even drinking something.

OOC
From your mods:

Please be mindful of content - if something triggery comes up or if it goes up a rating to say, something sexy, mark your threads in the subject line. We're very flexible and allow any material; we just want our players to be respectful of each other. If you have questions, pp the mod account, use the faq or comment to the appropriate post below. Have fun! The OOC Plotting Post.

NAVIGATION

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Comments

[list_maker]

[It may have been unsettling having Rei watch her like that if she weren't so used to Jaqen's unblinking stare. Having Rei watch her doesn't feel much different than that.

Arya is still working the girl out. She seems in some ways similar to her, but also very different. They were both warriors of a sort. Hardened but in different ways.] I don't mind. If you just want to watch. Or I could try to teach you. Return the favor for you teaching me to knit.

[She continues through her motions, sword up, swiping down, step back, parry.]

[lilithsoul]

[There was definitely a similarity there. Those eyes watched every moment, right up until the offer came of a lesson. Rei's eyes shifted a little, as if she were considering before she nodded.]

I would appreciate that. I am familiar with firearms. They are not practical here.

[As for Rei, she was considering if she should try to figure out Arya. It wasn't because of anything specific. People were telling her that she should try to relate, to understand others. It ... was not her strong suit at all, but she could make an attempt Practicing fighting seemed a good method.]

[list_maker]

[Arya nods. She's remembers what Rei has hold her about what she's used to do. She doesn't know much about firearms outside of canons.] No, anything loud would be counterproductive.

[She looks around. There are two brooms in the corner, which she grabs. Unscrewing the bottoms she tosses one at Rei.] We can spar using these?

[lilithsoul]

[For someone with only a secondary focus in melee combat at best, Rei caught the broom pitched to her easily enough. She hefted it and nodded. Yes, a staff would be a good choice.]

Spears would be useful in this place... yes, we can spar with these.

[She spared the door a glance to make sure it was firmly shut before walking to the opposite side of the room and turning to face Arya, waiting for instruction, breathing in and out slowly to get her mind settled.]

[list_maker]

[She nods, glad Rei agrees. It's always better to practice with a partner anyway. Even if she's training Rei, she can learn things herself in the act of helping her.] Keep turned to your side away from me. That lessens the amount of space for me to attack. Keep your staff in front of you. Focus on defense first. Try to block me.

[Then she's on her, Arya is simply training her the way she'd been trained. By force. Arya had gotten more than a few bruises and cracks of staffs against her back and face. She's not going quite so far, but she's not going easy on her either.]

[lilithsoul]

Don't go easy on me.

[Rei listened, positioning herself in a way that matched what was suggested, and as soon as Arya moved, she was bringing the staff up with both hands to try and block the blow that was incoming. She managed to parry the first blow, but she wasn't moving quite as fast as Arya, and didn't know how to efficiently position the staff so that it could protect the widest range of her body. It was a guard that could be gotten through easily enough.

She was, however, focusing on defense. Even if there was a blow that got through, she didn't let it show. This kind of training? She understood it implicitly.]

[list_maker]

I won't. [That is a promise Arya most certainly can keep.] Follow the blows, step back with them! So that don't land so hard against your staff or body. [Arya brings her staff down with a crack, waiting to see how Rei might handle the attack.]

[lilithsoul]

[This time, she caught the meaning, but her reaction times were poor. She did pull back in response to the blow, but most of it struck with its full force. The next time, she was trying to slide back, to use the force of Arya's attack to propel her while her eyes stayed narrow.

She was panting a little, but not much. At the very least, she definitely looked like she was in good shape, which was to be expected given what she had to do.]

Awareness... of surroundings... important for that.

[list_maker]

Yes. [Arya agrees. Bringing her staff around in a twirl and stepping back from Rei, assessing a moment how she's doing. When she determines that she doesn't seem particularly worse for wear she gestures for her to move forward.] Now you try and attack me.

[lilithsoul]

[She took the haft of the broom and nodded, and when she moved forward, she was wielding the staff in a fashion that was more like a spear than a staff, jabbing forward, and going for the midriff.

Mentally, she was starting to recall the motions of the Eva unit and her neural link. Translating that into motion of her regular body wasn't easy, but with time and practice it would get easier. For now, however, the attack was fairly well telegraphed.]

[list_maker]

[Arya is pretty quick, so because the movement is so clear she easily sidesteps the attempted jab, grabbing told of the spear with one hand and tugging it forward with a yank with the intent to put her off balance. And then kicking outward with a leg toward stomach.]

[lilithsoul]

[Rei was caught off balance and felt the kick coming. She had options here, and went with what seemed the easiest. Her body slackened and she loosened her hold on the staff, rolling backwards from the blow and coming to a rest on her knees, getting into a crouch quickly afterwards, wincing a little from the force of the kick.

Her hands were up, waiting for the next blow, or the staff to be tossed back, eyes fixed on Arya's every movement.]

[list_maker]

[Arya's not quite as brutal a teacher as the Waif, she still has some humanity left. So she doesn't take this opportunity to continue to trash Rei with her staff. No, instead she walks over to it and kicks it up to catch in her free hand and then pass it back.] Anticipate your enemies attack. Watch the placement of their feet, the tension in their muscles. Figure out what they mean to do before they do it and you can use it against them.

[lilithsoul]

[Thrashings didn't teach much, other than 'don't do that.' Rei would definitely prefer this method, if she new better how Arya had been taught.]

... Yes. Come at me again.

[She was setting herself, and it was pretty obvious that her eyes were focusing more, watching to see if she could get a feel for the way that Arya's body twitched or moved. She remembered some of what she had seen before. She wanted to see if it was different, or the same. If different, she would prepare for another angle.

This was not going o be immediate, but she was determined to get the hang of this. Perhaps it would even help her later, if she remembered this when she got home, to utilize her unit better.]

[list_maker]

As you wish. [Arya's nod is curt, spinning the staff around a moment. She feints left, but ultimately moves the staff for a strike on Rei's right side. But while her torso tells the tale of the feint the left, her Rei may notice as shift on Arya's footing that foretells the beginnings of her shift to change direction moments before it happens.]

[lilithsoul]

[She did notice, though her reaction times were still poor. She got the defense up on the right just barely in time. It forced her to roll back more than she would have proved. She still kept her feet, though, trying to sweep at Arya's legs as soon as she recovered.

She was learning, that much was clear.]

[list_maker]

[Arya looks pleased that she's picking it up so quickly. It's not as though she enjoys beating someone up just for the hell of it. Unless they deserved it. It feels good that she can teach Rei something. She needs to jump to avoid the sweep, but it does manage to catch one of her feet, which causes her to stumble and nearly tumble right to the ground when she tries to find her footing again.

Smiling, she jumps back. And Arya will come back again. And again. Once more. Each time trying to switch up her movements with each pass and with each attack Rei is learning more and also getting in a few good cracks at Arya.

The young assassin is grateful for the challenge too.]

[lilithsoul]

[Rei didn't smile during these exchanges. But, then again, she always seemed to have a sort of dead-eyed focus and determination in everything that she did. She was keeping pace as best she could, and it was obvious that she was learning, though today she'd walk away with more bruises than anything else.

As she finally reached a point of panting, she held up a hand to pause. How long had they been at this? The challenge was good, and she had lost some track of time.]

I... thank you, Arya. [Yes, that was the girl's name wasn't it? She was going to have an easier time with this one, she thought.] W...Would you like to do this again sometime?

[And at that point, she remembered what Ikari-kun had said and saw the smile on Arya's face. Rei tried to mimic it, even if she wasn't exactly good at smiling. She did it so rarely.]

[list_maker]

[Arya is sweating pretty substantially by the time they finish and is looking overall quite pleased too. Rei is different than most other people here, but it's something Arya can relate to. She's hardly normal either.

And she finds Rei isn't terribly much different than Jaqen H'ghar, the Faceless Man who taught her. In a way. Never revealing too much, never showing much emotion. She nods, watching the struggling smile with some amusement.] I'd be happy to. Sparring with someone is good for me as well.

[lilithsoul]

[There were definitely differences from Jaqen, but that would be clearer over time probably. Rei nodded in gratitude, leaning against the pole and panting lightly.]

Yes. More effective that way. Should practice with knives. I am more familiar with their use.

[list_maker]

[Arya grins back, reaching for the weapons she set down. One of them a long elaborate dagger.] I can spar with knives too. If you ever want.

Tetora also seems to like it knife fighting, if you know him. But he also like the stabbing part. [Which Arya didn't mind, either. But she'd be willing to curtail the urge.]

[lilithsoul]

[She looked at the weapon and nodded.] Good. My unit used a progressive knife, so I am more familiar with its use and posture. I am familiar with Tetora, yes. Perhaps I can practice with him as well.

I cannot rely on my usual methods at home.

[list_maker]

[She nods once.] Then I'll have to get a hold of some knives for us to use when we do this again. [Because Arya wants to.]

[lilithsoul]

I will speak with Tetora when I have the chance. He might know where some can be found or acquired. [She smiled a little awkwardly.] This feels... good.

[She'd been missing the military regimen of her some aspects of her former life. Things had gotten a little too ... domestic.]