barrierabovethecrowd | CMO 4/2024 ー名前を呼んでくれー

[ The worst thing about being Inaba Himeko: being someone who doesn't like dealing with monsters. Actually, she probably should check what's on her person... aha. Okay, yeah, she should consider herself lucky that she has her Foundation-regulated gun in the off chance that she needs to shoot something, but she'd rather not have to resort to that, because there's a nagging feeling at the back of her head that even dares to wonder if a normal gun would even work on these things.

But at the very least, this is most likely not Starsand, or something that the Facility built; monsters just didn't really seem to be their style, not entirely.

Not with what they were doing. And it'd be pointless, especially since she's...

She shakes it off. She just needs to play the stealth game and not get noticed by said monsters, which means it's time to get moving, and get moving quick. She's out of here, off to find the closest hint of civilization or at least other people. Lest she ends up dealing with the monsters first. ]

[Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the buildings are an option for hiding until someone comes; the doors are locked. It's at least clear that people would have lived here at some point with how relatively intact everything is, but... if anything drove them out, they shouldn't have had time to lock everything down, right?

Past the buildings themselves, though, there's a few roads open to Inaba. One has a sizable pothole right at entry, along with a car stuck inside. It's also far enough from the monsters, but... getting out might be a problem if she falls in while making an escape. There's an odd glowing circle inside the pothole if she squints enough, but this place is already an unknown as it is.

She could also chance it and move along the sidewalk, but the closer she gets to the wider road further ahead, the more concentrated the monsters' presence is. At least it'll be easier to run away from them, any obstructions she finds aside...]

[ Well, that's fine and cool and all that.

The fact that the buildings are on lock down is not the greatest sign of things, and she doesn't want to call out in case the monsters hear her cries and then...

Nope, not risking that today. No thank you.

Looks like the best bet is just to continue moving along the sidewalk and pray. ]

[The good news is the strange monsters seem to not have the best vision; they don't seem to notice Inaba right away. The smaller ones seem to lumber about, too -- only moving swiftly in bursts, at least for now.

The bad news: what she'll find as she draws closer to the wider road -- it's got two more of the creatures covering it. The one floating in the air with its hands raised appears to be calling down bolts of energy from the sky, and appears to be somewhat oblivious to its surroundings. The grounded one at least looks easy to sneak past, but the floating one... there doesn't seem to be a pattern to where its bolts land. Not unlike thunder, really...

If she sticks around to watch, though, she'll find there's gaps in when it calls down each bolt that she can slip through and into the alleyway.

...

Mei, on the other hand, hadn't counted on being delayed here and there as she made her way over. Tulip Alley, at least, wasn't too far off, but there were still more of the constructs that needed dealing with. It looks like she'll have to put her katana to work for a bit longer before she can get answers...]

[ That's not great!

She doesn't want to risk getting hit by those bolts, even if there's a possibility that her nullification - she can still feel it active - could potentially work on those creatures. But that's not a risk that she's willing to take, right now. Better safe, than sorry.

Inaba's definitely going to watch for a pattern and thankfully time things correctly, running when there's a good gap, keeping as quiet as possible as to not draw too much attention to herself, although she does have her hands on her gun holster. ]

[Sound, mercifully, proves to not be an issue. Being seen, on the other hand...

The primate-like creature turns around at the worst possible moment; while it doesn't seem to have immediately picked up on a living being in its purview, it's not going to be long before it does.

Think fast, Inaba.]

[ To be fair, she doesn't have a lot of options here.

Guess she'll have to see if maybe shooting her shot is the best option, especially since she knows that her athleticism isn't exactly what people would consider... good.

So a distraction would be better.

And if she's lucky, maybe someone will hear the abnormality. But she's not aiming towards the monsters; she's aiming as far away from where she needs to run in hopes that it'll work as a distraction. ]

[Inaba's choice to prepare a signal pays off -- there's a car window she can shoot while slipping into the alley.

Though the fact there's a car just sitting here right next to a gaping chasm dividing the road...]

[ Well, hope that person has car insurance, because she's going to shoot the window before going to run away from said car. ]

[This being a relatively ordinary car, Inaba's gun is more than enough to make a decent hole in the glass; not a moment too soon, as the primate-looking monster finally comes alive enough to recognize there was a person in the vicinity. The sound of its claws scraping across the ground is all the warning one would need -- it's begun a pursuit.

For her part, Mei had already cleared out the monsters that covered the path she took -- the relative silence that settled over her path was quickly broken, not just by the gunshot, but the bullet's impact. In fact, it startled her -- as far as she knew, the only guns she would hear were that of her colleagues...

...

If nothing else, the old hideout should still be safe. She'll just have to bring whoever showed up there for the time being. Mei moves in -- not quite expecting that a familiar face would be able to see her as she enters the other end of the alleyway...]

Edited (whoops the gun wasn't specified in a previous tag lmao) 2024-04-04 14:46 (UTC)

...!

[ The familiar face might be both relieving and worrying. Nevertheless, she isn't going to compromise putting other people in any potential danger, so there's no calling out verbally, but as she tries to, at the very least scramble the hell out of dodge.

Try being the key word, because she is tripping over herself after a bit.

Nobody ever said she was athletic. ]

[--No. It can't be--!

Her instincts flare the second she spots Inaba taking a fall, and as soon as she sees the construct that's pursuing the younger girl preparing to pounce, Mei takes swift, decisive action -- jumping and lashing out at the primate. No more than three thunder-charged, dashing slices and a sharp lightning-powered kick to the monster's midsection later, the creature is slammed into the wall behind it, falling to pieces in the wake of Mei's attack.]

[...any later and there would have been serious trouble. With outside assistance cut off, there was no way they would have gotten her out in time for treatment. If nothing else, they should be able to scavenge some more supplies...

...she puts away the what-ifs and turns, offering a hand to the girl she'd found herself watching over in that cordoned, star-dotted city.]

I have to say... this wasn't quite how I imagined our reunion going.

Are you alright, Inaba?

Ahaha...

[ She laughs a little sheepishly as she makes sure that her gun won't accidentally go off before placing it back into its proper holster, grabbing Mei's hand as she pulls herself up. Gratefully, she's not too hurt. ]

I didn't expect to get transported to yet another world that isn't my own for the third time. I'm fine, though. Mostly.

I wasn't expecting anyone to wind up here to begin with, but... I suppose life finds ways to keep surprising us both.

[Mei gives Inaba a once over after making sure she's on her feet, before nodding -- good, she should at least be able to get around... now to plan the route back to the safehouse her squad used prior to things going downhill.

She takes the time to check her comms before turning back to Inaba.]

Regrettably, any catching up will have to wait; right now, our first priority is getting you to safety. Just from earlier, I think you've already got an idea of what the situation is here...

It happens, I suppose.

[ She lets out a bit of a sigh before smiling a little awkwardly. ]

Getting to safety would probably be for the best. I don't even know if I can handle monsters.

[ Even if she is technically part monster herself. ]

Let's not stick around and find out the hard way...

[The last thing she wants to do is pressure Inaba into fighting. Especially with how much more threatening the constructs have become...

Right. Back to the matter of safe spaces.]

There's a safehouse near here that we can still use. I'll take you there. [She turns to the way she came from.] I cleared the path on the way to finding you, so we shouldn't have any issues.

[And if there are any stragglers she missed, she'll make sure they stop being issues.]

[ Inaba nods her head in understanding. She doesn't know how fast, how how long she can run, but if it's not too far... ]

Alright. Hopefully you didn't jinx that just now, though.

At the very least, I can do something about it this time.

[Too many times, she has found herself on the wrong end of misfortune, be it in years past or even in recent memory. As used to it as she is... she hates, loathes repeats.

Mei leads the way through the streets, lent their eerie red glow by the unusual construct that stands in the distance; as she does, she opens her comms again, this time to make a proper call. Though getting anything outside St. Fountain would be an issue as things are, it should be possible to get to anyone within the barrier--

Ah.]

This is Bronya.

[...what a relief. It gets her to slow a bit, though not so much that she hamstrings the brisk pace.]

Sorry for calling out of the blue. I found a friend near where the Honkai anomaly was picked up.

A friend...? St. Fountain was supposed to be...

I'll explain later. Right now, we're on the way to the safehouse; can you meet us halfway?

I shouldn't be far off from your location. Just be careful until then.

Mm. See you soon.

[Mei hangs up not long after, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she held in.]

That was more than I really expected...

Mm.

[ Inaba hums thoughtfully to herself as she continues to try and keep up the pace, still ever being so vigilant in the off chance that a 'worst case scenario' happens. She isn't going to ask much about who she was talking to - that's something that can be saved for later, but instead: ]

It happens. Sometimes you just got to roll with the punches.

Unfortunately. I didn't think being stuck in Starsand would actually help, but here we are, cut off from the outside world all over again. At least there's good odds that we can get rid of what's causing it more directly...

[...from the look of things, too, the road stayed somewhat clear. If there are any stragglers, she can tell they haven't converged back on the road enough to be trouble, but something in the back of her head is telling her that's not going to last.]

We should be able to rendezvous with my companion at the fork ahead. It won't be further off after that.

Well, that's good news at least.

[ There's optimism in that regard. Although that definitely doesn't explain why she's here and how she can find her way back... What's also a relief is that she seems to have been the only straggler around. ]

Alright. Although I can't say that I'd be able to give a proper explanation for my appearance here if someone asks.

I don't think we'll have answers for that, either, not until we can re-establish contact...

[If nothing else, anyone else they know from Starsand shouldn't be pulled into this.

...She quickly knocks on wood mentally as that thought comes to mind, and keeps moving. It's incredibly unlikely, but it's best to see if another of that Honkai anomaly comes up before she even thinks they're safe...]

...let's just refocus on getting back to that hideout for now.

[The trip back to the hideout, at least, proves mercifully painless -- something Mei will gladly count her blessings on, given the alternative. After meeting up with Mei's contact, the silver-haired Bronya Zaychik, they opt to save the introductions for when Inaba can finally rest, and hurry along. It wasn't too much further from where they stood, and after the panic that was nearly having her get killed by the Sky People's handiwork...

Well, it was better to not dally.

Once they're there, too, she finally breathes a more proper sigh of relief. The place still could have seen better days, but it was enough to serve as a good hideaway from the horrors that still lurked within the streets of this forgotten city. Temporary measures were already in place to keep things afloat, including a little space for the rations they had, and a place for Mei to do some more rudimentary cooking. She made a point of keeping everyone in shape in spite of the circumstances.

The young principal takes the chance to set up at that rudimentary cooking area as they get inside, Bronya settling near the hole in the wall to monitor the situation.]

Sorry for all the mess. It was kind of like this when we first got here.

Take the chair for now; I won't mind.

[ She can't help but sigh a little. ]

That sounds about right.

[ It's not surprising. Things always tended to be like this, one way or another. She's sure that people might potentially worry, and she's certainly concerned to an extent.

It's her first time having to explore a city like this - both the Foundation's world and Starsand had such modern buildings; nothing so bleak and sad as this, although there are signs of life. In any case, it's not something that she should think about right now.

Being somewhere safe, at least, is enough of a relief for her to square her shoulders and stretch a little bit. ]

Thank you. And don't worry, I'm used to handling rough situations, so it's not a problem.

[ She is taking that seat, however. Hers now. ]

Ah... is there anything that I should know about the situation? Since it looks like I might be stuck here for the unforseeable future, I want to at least help in any way I can.

[The question gets Bronya to turn her head; there's something of an impressed noise. Well, as impressed of one as she could make given her muted expression.]

Your friend certainly hits the ground running, doesn't she?

[Mei lets out an awkward chuckle as she finishes prepping a simple tuna sandwich for Inaba to eat.]

This wouldn't be her first time getting roped up in outlandish situations. We actually met in... a very similar context to what we're dealing with now.

Was that why you seemed to be spacing out here and there...?

Mm... well, I can't say it's the only thing, but we're on a bit of a tangent. [She finally turns to Inaba.] Inaba, this is Bronya. [Then to her fellow veteran.] Bronya, Inaba. [Then back again, as she gets to the point.] A lot's happened, and I think saying that is putting it very mildly.

[Bronya gestures to the crystal formations that dot the landscape of St. Fountain.]

Those crystals, the Rubrillites, are at the heart of our current problem. The long story short is that a handful of these formations are fueling the barrier that's cutting us off from outside, and those constructs you've seen roaming this city are guarding them.

We're not the only ones here, either; we have squads that are currently working on clearing those areas. We've only dealt with a handful of them at present, including the formation that dotted the road we just passed through.

It'll be a while before they come back, but I trust them. They can handle themselves just fine. [...it's as good a time as any to look at the issue of what Inaba can handle, too. After bringing the sandwich over to her, she joins Bronya at the window, mindful of her step.] The barrier originally cut us off only one way, leaving an opening through the nearby station, but right around the time Bronya came back from another part of the city with our squads, even that opening was gone.

I know you're not good with them, so I won't ask you to fight. But we'll need someone to monitor things, keep everyone in touch and call in help as soon as the barrier is dealt with.

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