[WORLD TWO | SHIT MEETS FAN]

[spellbindmods]

Who: The Chosen 12, Shehui Monitors
Where: Around Shehui, The Underground Holding Areas
When:
Open/Closed: OTA, but especially the Chosen 12

[ Something seems different about today...you feel it when you wake up if you're of the sorts who happen to have a good gut instinct. You don't have to wait around long for the news of the day to confirm this anxiety in your chest. In fact, it may only intensify if you happen to be looking at your ID card when the announcement comes in.

On your ID's text scroller, a message comes through with a loud, blaring beeping:

The following Shehui residents have been requested for an audience with officials. If you know of their location, please tell them as such and maintain their location as much as possible. (The list, though, contains last names OR the name they offered at their Shehui introductory meeting.)

Ruby
Haru
Geir
Madoka
Jade
Julius
Jusis
Shirley
Orga
Noctis
Akechi
Riza

If you're in your apartment and happen to be on that list, you'll find that your door is locked from the inside suddenly. You and your buddies aren't going in there until a monitor comes by. For those out and about, you may be able to hide for a while if you're in a crowd of folks who don't know who you are. However, any and all news or screens will begin offering photos of those on the list as the day continues. That might get you some interesting looks.

That being said, you have options -- giving in and surrendering is only one of the choices you can make.

pre- or just after the announcement: Want to react to this sudden discovery that you're quite possibly a wanted criminal? Go right ahead! Maybe this is where you begin to plot your life on the lam. Maybe, maybe you have a mental break down. Maybe, maybe, maybe you just need some advice about what to do. Who knows!

running: Life on the lam is entirely possible, and even though it might not last, you can definitely make a break for it. If you have magic that can help you...why not use it? What do you have to lose? However, know that monitors will be looking for you far and wide. You thought there were a lot of monitors hanging around the city before? Think again, now. There are some pretty good places to hide, like in the woods of the more rural areas, but be warned -- that doesn't mean the monitors won't come for you there, either.

fighting: Maybe you're more proactive in your denial. You don't want to go anywhere with these monitors, and they're closing in...instead of surrendering, it's time to battle! Magic will do you well in this scenario, but monitors do have weapons and tools they can use to try and combat your fighting spirit. These include stun guns, energized-batons and a gun-like device that shoots out magnetized clamps designed to grab at arms, legs...even your neck. Trying to cut through these is also very hard, and once the gun is attached to you? It's also electrical in nature. You'll get a pretty good zap if you don't comply.

capture: So that's it. You've been caught. What does that mean for your future in Shehui? It's hard to say -- but it is for certain that you aren't simply being interrogated in your apartment this time. The monitors lead you to their underground doorway, opening it and bringing you inside. What you find is a totally different building that looks very ornate yet official -- this is the home of the Shehui government. The hallway you're led through is long, and your restraints tighten before your feet are clasped together with a device that's similar to the clamps the monitor's gun spat out. There are hundreds of monitors looking to stun or even shoot you now that you're away from the public. Escape is seemingly impossible...at least for now.

From there, monitors will take you to a holding room that lies at the furthest end of the last hallway you're taken to. It's not that bad for being what is essentially a jail cell -- there's an enclosed restroom, sizable bed and mini fridge. A table, a television built into the side of the wall...and a sign on the wall that lists up to three different names. Even though there's one bed, that doesn't mean you'll be utilizing it on your own:

-- Geir (his own, larger cell -- though it's outfitted with larger amenities)
-- Riza, Jade, Ruby
-- Jusis, Noctis, Julius
-- Madoka, Shirley, Haru
-- Orga, Akechi

The first day, everything is quite quiet. A monitor brings you food, carefully making sure that you can't escape through the door...since they're sliding it through a tiny slit, it might be very hard to squeeze through. That's where you're at right now...Today is day one, and who knows what the next day will bring.

[SPECIFIC NOTE: For large creatures, i.e. Geir's big dragon ass, the monitors are going to be using helicopters and larger versions of their regular weapons. They'll be very cautious in trying not to injure Geir -- more than they would be when it comes to the average coven member -- because potentially felling him from the sky can lead to casualties. If he is captured, the underground door will grow to accommodate him, and there is a larger holding area for bigger creatures. Hallways, however, will be a tight squeeze.]

telepathy: Telepathy can be utilized at any time during your long, hard day, but it may be beneficial to attempt to use it while you're locked up underground. Those who hear your mental feed will find that whatever signal you're trying to send is very faint -- for instance, sending text, the letters will be less than opaque. Voices will be softer and potentially static-y, as well as video transmissions.

In general, citizens of Shehui will take a pretty standard approach to coven members who are on the circulated list. They won't get directly involved with the chase; there won't be many citizens who will put a coven member in a headlock and directly involve themselves. However, they will shout, point at and follow coven members who they know are on the list in an attempt to help the monitors. However, you do have the freedom to create non-standard reactions from Shehui residents. You can say they feel some sympathy, or maybe they're even more violent than the average person!

Comments

telepathy

[counteracts]

There's a familiar-sounding voice.

[Hey, Julius, what's up. What a wacky situation we've gotten ourselves into this time, huh.]

Could be a hell of a lot worse. Were it not the whole "being kept against my will" thing, I could've been convinced this was a hotel room rather than a cell.

What about on your end?

[bulletbiter]

[ He's a little surprised that Orga had been taken, owning to the utter unfamiliarity of magic to him, but that might turn out to be in their favor. ]

The same. Though one bed for three people is definitely lacking. Perhaps they ran out of space. [ The good thing is that they could probably ferment an escape plan here. ] Makes you wonder why we were taken.

[counteracts]

[He's fairly perplexed himself, but, well. In Orga's mind, he would prefer himself taken than someone else who might be more affected by it. But then again, he was the type of guy who purposefully gleaned the ire of superiors growing up so he could take beatings intended for others. It's basically second-nature at this point.]

Damn. Three? I'll count myself lucky for just the one cellmate, then.

Maybe. Seems kinda strange since they were half-way considerate about our comfort in a handful of other ways here.

I can think of a few possibilities. The fact that we're mysterious interlopers with magical powers is probably the biggest. I wonder if they have any idea about the witch, though.

[They're supposed to be trying to find her, right? And then protect her, or something? The debriefing wasn't the best he'd ever received.]

[bulletbiter]

[ This too is a mentality they both share; though in Julius' case it has an added dimension. His affliction makes it difficult to conclude any useful data from monitoring him; something that he intends to use to full advantage ]

I don't mind taking the floor. If anything, it gives us the opportunity to discuss a possible escape.

[ He's about to continue, but then a burst of static clouds over their connection - if Orga strains, he might hear some sort of song from the noise.

Or maybe it's just his imagination. It clears as quickly as it appeared. ]

- we could try asking, but I doubt those assigned to shuttle us have any idea of it.

[counteracts]

[Orga's power is going to make it difficult to get any sort of useful data. He's only got a vague idea of what it does, because he's never had any opportunity to use it, but it requires other powers to even work at all. And even then, it might not. If their magic is really what they're after, they're going to be ramming their heads against multiple dead ends with him.

He's formulating a mental response when the noise blossoms across the line. Well, that's how he would've thought of it if they were on a standard communication, but this was mental. Is this their interference? And was he imagining something half-way melodic beneath it?

It's gone before it proves any more of an issue, however.]

Sorry. Lost you there for a second. Ask who, the guards? I get the feeling they will either be unhelpful or unknowledgeable or both.

Don't suppose anyone here has an ability that can spirit us all outta here?

[If they did, they might've used it better to get away.]

[bulletbiter]

[ His concentration had lapsed for a moment, and Orga's response confirms that it had gotten over their telepathic connection. Something to mind himself more over, then. ]

None teleporting, I'm afraid. I know Geir could possibly bust us out, but we would need a place to escape to.

[counteracts]

[On Orga's end, he doesn't think much of it. Maybe it was some sort of interference on their telepathy. It'd been less than reliable lately.]

Gier?

[He heard a few rounds of the name, just listening in on telepathic conversations, but he's never met the guy. Must be strong, then.]

There's probably some on the outside that could do the same, but yeah. Escape might be riskier than staying. They're holding us here for "questioning," but who knows what they'd do if they could actually hold us for a definitive crime.

[The whole situation sucked, basically.]

[bulletbiter]

Geir is a dragon. Have you seen him around? He was part of the group that had set off the explosion, which might have contributed to us being here. But it was that, or wait like sitting prey.

[ It sucks. It sucks like a bloody hostage situation, is what. ]

Questioning can imply interrogation, in my experience.

[counteracts]

[A... dragon? Seriously?

Surprising as it is, no, Orga hasn't seen him around yet. He must be blind. But he had actually had a hand in the explosion? He'd heard about that, but he never got concrete evidence that they were behind it. That makes things a little thornier...]

Well, if anyone's going to get us out of here by brute force, my money'd be on the dragon.

[Said rather deadpan, but, well, if they ever got an opening, they should use their largest and most blunt weapon to power through. Gier might end up being just that. They'd just have to be prepared.]

And in my experience, interrogations only remain polite until someone gets frustrated. Then things break down real fast.

We need to make sure the people here are ready for that, but without freaking them out too bad.

[A tall order, given some that were taken. And some were just kids (not that that had ever saved him from some of the abuse he'd taken, growing up).]

[bulletbiter]

[ There are normal kids, and then there are military kids. If someone had to be interrogated, he would rather it be a military kid, being a military kid himself. Somewhat. ]

Aye. I've half a mind to volunteer ahead of them; though thankfully my cell is occupied by young adults.

[ A pause. ]

Who's with you?

[counteracts]

[Orga would agree entirely. He's not necessarily military (paramilitary, technically), but he knew that he could take rough physical treatment that others couldn't. It'd been common enough practice for him to provoke the ire of the First Corps when they'd gotten a little too frustrated and felt the need to vent it on the poor kids on the rung beneath them. It'd always been better him than anyone else. He feels the same here, though he doesn't think it'll be so easy to divert the attention.

Apparently Julius feels similarly. He respects that. He'd gotten that kind of vibe from the guy.]

Guy named Goro Akechi. Not really sure about him. Seems kind of guarded.

But if he's that way with me, the interrogators might have their hands full.

What about on your end?

[bulletbiter]

[ Better him than anyone else, in more ways than one. The punishment taxes the curse within him, dulls its fangs that would have otherwise sunk itself into his own sanity. If he had to explain it to someone, it might have come off as sadistic.

Better to keep it to himself. ]

I'm with two other youths, Noctis and Jusis. Noctis is also kind of guarded, I asked him to take a rest. [ A pause, before his tome becomes dryly amused: ] The guards seem to have problems telling me and Jusis apart.

[counteracts]

[... Yeah, Orga might not get all of that immediately.

He does get that Julius sounds like he's 40, with the way he remarks on the "youths."]

Yeah. I know Noctis. [Decent enough-seeming guy, his age or perhaps a little older, even though he only acted it half the time. He isn't sure how the guy would react under pressure like this. Getting him rested was a good instinct, he thinks.

Orga laughs at the comment regarding Julius and his other cellmate.] Hmm. Wonder if you could use that.

[bulletbiter]

[ He's suffered enough for five lifetimes. It probably explains how old he feels. ]

It'd mess up their interrogations, definitely. We could stall for time and fool them out of getting useful information.

[ It'd bite them in the ass later because of how... Weird Julius is, but for now it seems a promising path. ]

Small victories, I would think.

[counteracts]

[...That's rough, buddy.]

At this point, I'm willing to fuck with 'em in any way I can, even if it's a minor inconvenience.

[His tone is usually fairly level, but there's some irritation leaking in there. He's playing it cool because it's certainly not the worst thing that could've happened, but there might be hell to pay if things go a certain way.]

Well, at this point there's not much else for us to do besides calm people down and get our stories straight. I'll check in with you more once we start getting our interviews, though.

[bulletbiter]

[ It's alright, no one needs to know unless absolutely necessary. He can continue to pretend to be relatively normal. ]

Same here. I'll be tuning into anything that the other coven members are broadcasting as well.

[counteracts]

[You and him both, bud.

Though to different extents, of course.]

Alright. Working together, we should figure this all out soon enough.

Talk to you then.