[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]

[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.]

[armigers]

[ Well, okay, if this guy is going to jump to the worst conclusion, sure, why not? It's not like there's a saner approach or anything. Then again, he doesn't exactly know a whole lot about these officials in Shehui, so who's to say this guy's paranoia isn't right on the mark? ]

If it gets that bad, I guess I can transform. Give the other dragon more back-up.

[ But he's not entirely in control of himself in that state, and there are a lot of risks involved, especially if he goes on a rage-fueled destruction binge. Dragon!him and regular him are two very different mind sets. ]

But I'd rather we figure out something else before that. Shehuis full of civilians.

[ So are those who are imprisoned with them. It's the more responsible thing to do -limit all risks, keep the people safe. If only his dad had thought of that before Insomnia came under fire. ]

How about you?

[counteracts]

[Always jump to the worst conclusion, Noctis. Most people (especially organizations in authority) were terrible, so you'd be right most of the time, and if not, you would only be pleasantly surprised.

Other dragon? What the hell.]

Oh.

[The more he learns about what other people can do, the more he feels like he drew the painfully short stick in this whole thing.]

Nah, you're right. The people are afraid of us, but they aren't really a part of this. We might have a bone to pick with the people who put us in here, but we shouldn't give the citizens any more reason to work against us.

[They'd most likely follow orders of their government either way (they'd certainly been sure to keep an eye on Orga until he'd been captured), but they had a kind of timidity and hesitance that they should maintain.

And ah, right.

A little vexed:] I'm practically useless, so we can't count on me for much.

[They'd just picked really poorly with Orga, if their aim was to learn more about powers. He hadn't ever really been able to use his due to its restrictions.]

We can keep the dragon angle as a back-up plan, maybe...

[Would it be smart? No. But now that he's down here, Orga's just going to fantasize about two dragons tearing this place apart on their way to freedom to pass the time...]

[armigers]

Hey, I told you mine. Now it's your turn.

[ Besides, he's pretty curious what with this guy keeping tight-lipped about it all of the sudden. It must be juicy ...or embarrassing. Or both. ]

How useless can it be? Unless your power is turning the lights on and off without having to move.

[ That's not really useless, though. Given Noctis' excess degrees of laziness, he'd actually be pretty okay with that power. ]

[counteracts]

It's, uh... [Fuck, he's not holding onto it because it's anything interesting. Well, maybe, in certain situations, but it's so niche he's pretty certain it will almost never come up.]

I can reflect stuff. Like, say someone shot a laser beam at me or something. I'd be able to reflect it back. [...] But again. It only works on certain stuff, and if I'm not really certain what it is I'm reflecting, it can go kinda badly. It's finicky to a point of uselessness.

[armigers]

So like a mirror? One of those movie ones. Not the actual ones.

[ Because those would break obviously. ]

What if you got stabbed or shot? Do you still get hurt before reflecting back, or are you more like a shield?

[ If so, move over, Gladio, he's hiring the guy with the cooler powers. Not that he has anything to pay him with. ]

[counteracts]

[Movie ones... What is he talking about?

He mostly gets his point, though.]

I guess so. I haven't really been able to do it, though, so I don't know for sure. Not that I'm complaining or anything. I don't really want anyone shooting lasers at me.

[He's thought about that, but he's not so certain about it either.]

I couldn't reflect those snowballs back at you, could I?

[Spoilers: no, he hadn't.]

I don't think so. Hell, maybe I can and I just haven't figured it out yet. When that happens, I'll be a lot happier with this power, because right now it's next to useless.

[armigers]

Probably could have saved you a few snowballs to the face.

[ And Noctis wouldn't have been spared, so he's kind of glad at the moment that his power is useless but also not glad about that because he'd like to escape. ]

So where does that leave us if I can't use mine and you can't use yours?

[ Doubly-screwed? Seems that way. ]

They didn't leave me with my phone either, so you're all I got for entertainment at the moment.

[counteracts]

Oi, careful...

[He's mostly joking, but there's a bit of bruised ego in there. If you don't want him exacting revenge at an unforeseen point in the future, Noctis, you'd tread plenty carefully there.

But he's right. Things would've been a bit unbalanced if he'd actually had that ability in that circumstance.

They're thinking along the same lines, though:]

Fucked, probably.

[No, it's not so easy as that.]

Not until we make a stand, anyway. We've been playing by their rules so far, from what I've seen. If we wanted, though, we could make some damn fireworks.

[Surely some of them in here had talents that could help. Otherwise, everyone out there had their powers, and they'd be able to telepathically coordinate something if necessary. The Shehui government had actually painted themselves into a bit of a corner with this set-up, in his opinion.

He laughs at the final comment. Get a load of this guy...]

Oh, no, say it isn't so. Expecting me to tell you fairy tales to pass the time, then?