[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

[counteracts]

[There's a dull sort of cloying apprehension that sets in when Orga sees his own name listed. With all the situations he's been in the last few years, it's not something to send him into a panic; he's almost used to this kind of shit. Of course, he's also used to having a mercenary company and several other powerful alliances standing between him and being called in by officials, so he has to adjust his plan for what he might have usually done.

Usually? Lean on powerful connections and try to call attention to why the hell such a summons would be required. Now? He's caught out in the streets, a half dozen citizens staring at him uncomfortably. He ends up just raising his hands in a peaceful gesture, a grimace on his face.

When you're a foreigner in a foreign place, sometimes you just gotta kowtow rather than make a scene. When he's collected, he goes with the monitors peaceably.]

TELEPATHY
Hey. Everyone else who's been rounded up in here, we should have a little chat.

They're most likely going to question us individually, so we should get our story straight while we can. What sort of stuff can we tell them to get 'em off our backs? Or, more importantly, which things are we going to be sure to keep quiet on?

telepathy;

[armigers]

[ He doesn't really have any bright ideas for busting out short of using brute force, and his idea-man is several dimensions away. ]

Could tell them we were technically kidnapped already.

[counteracts]

A fair point, but...

[He thinks of Human Debris, children sold into being little more than weaponry, who they sometimes had to fight even though those kids had no true say behind what they were being commanded to do. Sometimes, the reason for a person's being there wasn't important, especially when one was feeling threatened by the force they were shanghaied into.]

I get the feeling they won't really care either way.

So I guess appealing to empathy is probably out, unless we get incredibly, stupidly lucky. Maybe we all just play dumb until they let us go?

[It wouldn't be hard for him, at least. He has no idea what's going on.]

[armigers]

[ He almost snorts out loud at the suggestion. He'd thought about doing the same... and likewise, it wouldn't take a whole lot of acting on his part. He really doesn't know a whole lot about their current situation. ]

Probably wouldn't believe us, but at least they haven't figured out the whole psychic thing, yet.

[ And if they remove the devices on their necks, then they'll lose contact with those on the outside. Speaking of which- ]

You reach anyone on the outside, yet?

[counteracts]

[Seems to him that the authorities of this city were expecting the blind to lead them. Maybe this was why they weren't debriefed all that well; it was a hell of a way for their so-called employers to cover their tracks.]

Lucky for us.

[He's being genuine. It was a great tool, especially to keep in contact with those on the outside.]

Yeah. I've been keeping contact with a few. [Mostly Mika, keeping him from tearing a path to wherever this place is. Orga had gone willingly, and he wanted to see how this shook out - even though he knew the other guy wouldn't see it that way.] They know even less than we do, from what I can tell.

Shitty as the situation might be, we could use the opportunity to try to get some information from them as well. We'll have to keep eyes and ears open.

[armigers]

They didn't seem like they were in the talking mood before. I'd rather just get us all out of here fast.

[ Or maybe leave the interrogating to this guy. He's not exactly sure how he himself would get their captors to talk, as he's more adept at the kidnapping part. ]

What would you even want to know from them?

[ If they're going to be leaving this place eventually, there might not be any point in expending so much effort trying to find out all there is to know about it. ]

[counteracts]

The guards? Those guys were just following orders to get us from point A to point B. I'm more interested in the people who are actually going to sit us down and try to get information from us.

[Part of him thinks that an exchange could be made. But that's an instinct from another life, what might've worked in another situation. What little he knew about the witch and their mission and their powers wasn't really information he owned to trade.

But, hell. If they could get a guard to talk, that might prove useful too.]

Plenty of things. What grounds they had, how long they planned on keeping us here. I assume they had some kind of legal precedent to take us, since they broadcast the thing to everybody in the city. I'd want to know some specifics about that. That's all just to start. What I really want to know is if this is all just about us and them being wary of our abilities, or if there's something else to it.

[armigers]

[ It sounds like he's more on top of this than Noctis is. He hadn't even thought of all that, still more concerned with the fact that he was even captured at all. ]

I'd say given the way everyone else was acting when they found out that it's probably them being afraid of us even though most of us haven't done anything.

[ He doesn't know about the other coven members, but he himself managed to behave. For the most part. ]

Wouldn't be surprised if they want to dissect us like in those sci-fi flicks.

[ Which means he'd rather get out sooner than later. ]

[counteracts]

[Only because for the last few weeks the more analytical side of his brain had mostly been asleep and this had jolted it back into consciousness, all synapses firing.]

Haven't done anything yet.

[It was a shitty way to go about this sort of thing, but that was the core of it. They were dangerous unknown variables, and their plans and motivations were unknown. Fear was exactly the sort of motivator that led to things like this.]

If you ask me, they don't really care. Either they manage to get some of us to talk, which is good for them, or they can use us as leverage or a warning, whatever suits their needs. They can't really lose from most angles.

[Hell, in a way it was smart. Having declared them publicly, it seems like something being done for city-wide security, gaining support of the population. Orga can't really fault their logic, even if being in a cell sucks.

...Man, Noctis, why did you have to bring up something like that.]

I'd prefer keep everything where it is right now, thanks.

If things really go that far, we should get ready to make some trouble. What sort of stuff do you have up your sleeve, if you had to use it?

[(Mostly asking because Orga is flatly useless, powers-wise.)

He'd played along so far, but self-preservation was a different story.]

[mapsio]

That depends on what we told them in the first place, doesn't it?

[Haru remembers telling the first monitor that she had nothing to do with magic. Even if it was an easily crafted lie, wouldn't it be better to keep that up?]

[counteracts]

Hm... yeah. True.

This is my first run-in with these bastards, so my slate is clean, but we're all at different points on this.

What did you tell them?

[mapsio]

The only time I have spoken to them is when they locked the apartments down not too long ago.

I told them I didn't have anything to do with magic and that they had no reason to suspect us of anything.

[counteracts]

Right... I don't think I was around for that.

If possible, I'd say try to stick to those guns. If you can prove they have no reason to hold you, I'd like to think they'd let you go.

[They were half-way considerate about their accommodations, at the very least.]

[mapsio]

I would like to think so too. But I don't believe that this is going to be so simple.

[She is firm in that belief.]

[counteracts]

[Nah. It probably won't. Nothing is.]

You worried?

[He's not really concerned for himself. He's dealt with some pretty rough treatment; he's practically used to it. It's the others he's worried about.]

[mapsio]

A little, at the uncertainty of the situation.

[She doesn't want to seem overly worried. Even if she might be. She feels like she's been in worse spots...!]

[counteracts]

[Regardless of the level of truth of the answer, Orga's mostly convinced. Others sounded a lot more unsure than she did.]

That just means you're sane, then. Try not to sweat it.

These people are a lot more by-the-books than other police forces I've seen. Not saying they won't do anything shitty, but they'd be taking a greater risk doing so. We can try to use that.

[efface]

Do you have an idea of what they'll be asking us about?

[counteracts]

Whatever counts as an unknown variable for them.

Currently they know we are here in at least a somewhat organized fashion, but they don't know why. They also know we have strange abilities, but they don't know what.

If I was gonna put money on it, I'd put it on either of those two subjects.

[efface]

Also considering their predisposed fear towards magic, anything out of the ordinary could easily be considered a threat.

As far as your question goes- I don't think we should tell them anything at all.

[counteracts]

Just existing as we are is a threat to them. It's something to keep in mind, definitely. To them, this is all defensive.

Playing it dumb, huh. Yeah. It's probably the best idea. I don't like to think how what little we know could be used against us.

Guess we'll have to see how much they plan on "encouraging" us to talk, then.

[efface]

And whenever forces of authority are on the defensive, things can get dangerous, quickly.

[ speaking from experience and all. ]

There's no telling what extents they'll go to, but we have to assume anything we tell them about us will be used against us.

[counteracts]

[They have similar experiences, then.]

Yeah. You're right.

Best prepare for the worst. They've been civil enough so far, but there's a limit to that, especially given what you've said about them being so defensive.

From what I understand, things'll get a hell of a lot worse for us than getting a little roughed up if they learn too much about why we're here.

[He's still a little foggy on this whole witch business, since he just got dragged into this thing, but something happening to her, or something preventing them from recovering her... would be very bad.]

[efface]

The more information they have, the more power they have.

[ which is where things get complicated, considering how many children are being held alongside them. ]

We just need to hold out until the other plans can finalize and we can get out of here.

[counteracts]

Agreed.

[On both parts.]

If you had to guess, what do you think it's gonna take? Usually I'd say just brute forcing it would work, but it might put us in a precarious position here. Think there's any chance they can work a diplomatic angle?