Expedition to Autunno Keep [PLOT] Day 2 - Nightmare (MATURE CONTENT)

As expected. "I'm sure you don't, but that won't stop me from saying that it would be preferable if you don't kill yourself before you're able to even see your true target. Your chances of actually getting your revenge is much higher with allies. I will hope you do not forget that." And even if you do, I hope you're capable enough to at least draw enough attention so others can escape. Kirkka doesn't look at Aoife as she speaks, but instead keeps her attention on their surroundings as they head up the stairs. Her weapon is in its full form, minus the broom extension of course, and being held in her right hand partially behind her. Her eyes changes from a dull gray to a faint glowing red color, as she begins monitoring her new 'teammates'.

Nigrum turned as he heard the sound of a jackboot. fantastic he thought looking around for the source.

"Wherever we are, we're nowhere near safe. I hear these damn... Jackboots everywhere. I'm content with staying here until I can walk better... preferably behind you if you're thinking of icing them again." Aphelion said.

Nigrum let out a sigh, of course he had to lead. "Alright, I'll lead. I don't plan to do that attack again unless I really need to." He glanced around, "So which way should we go then? Upstream or down?" Nigrum looked in the direction the clone bodies were coming from and then the direction they were going, the answer in his mind as to which direction was obvious.

Chiu wasn't sure which idea scared her more. That last night's dream was caused by her own perversions, or that this... thing knew her well enough to give her what she hadn't even known she wanted. Either scenario left a bad taste in her mouth. Did she have some unknown entity in her head or was she truly as disgusting as she felt. Surrounded by strangers she felt isolated and alone. She needed Viola. Needed her strength.

The thought of Viola reminded Chiu she who she was here with. And what he had done. Or, rather, what he hadn't done. It was at that moment she caught the giant glance over to the faunus' dead doppelgänger. "So tell me Tin Man," She began. Keeping her voice soft, but her words sharp. "Did you even look back a Viola when she fell? Or was it more of a 'Well, that hole's dead. On to the next.' Sort of thing?"

Bell just nodded when Kirkka spoke, staying suspiciously quiet before looking back up at the Nevermores continuing to scream at them. She merely shrugged when Aoife spoke. All she said was "Professor" when Viola commented.

And she quickly averted her eyes when an elongated face, full of fangs and horns, appeared in the opening they were walking toward, its eyes flashing red and white repeatedly. It was unmistakably a creature of Grimm, but it simply sat, not charging down the stairs at them.

Bell just clutched her magnifying glass. Saying nothing.

==HEALTH==
?????: 200


As if in response to Nigrum's suggestion, a loud series of snapping and crunching sounds could be heard downstream. Something was feasting on the rotting remains floating through the sewer.

At those sounds, even the Jackboots were silent...


Leo froze when Chiu spoke, taking a few moments before answering. "... I was there... when she fell... My combat computer calculated... her velocity and noted her position... upon impact..." Slowly, his visor turned to lock onto the girl. "Without any means... of verifying spinal injury... I stood over her... to protect her during the battle... and could do nothing... while she was unconscious... without risking exacerbating injury... When the fighting stopped... we had wounded... and one who had appeared to have been severely mauled... from a distance... Rather than stand helplessly... over someone I cared for... and allow another to possibly bleed to death... I made a pragmatic choice..."

His fist clenched.

"... because I do not have the luxury... of being as myopic as you..." He closed his eye, his scanners still fully active. "... But I was not the one... who turned away from what... Viola and I were... I suggest you ask her these questions... providing the fates have not... ended her..."

Slowly, he looked down the hallway, loosening his hold on Isabelle.

"Speaking of pragmatism... we are in hostile territory... in case this fact... has slipped... from @%&#ing mind..."

Groaning slightly as her nose picks up the scent of Grimm, Viola rolls her eyes and quickly shifts her fans to her palms, opening them almost entirely. She prepares for their fancy new-ish ignition feature, but says nothing to Aoife, Kirkka, or Bell. They can probably handle themselves after all, and she's only concerned for herself... and Chiu. Goddess, she hoped Chiu would survive this mess, and without the massive emotional scars that she was currently dealing with.

Aphelion thought about Nigrum's question, but the snapping sound downstream helped him to make his mind up, "Upstream, definitely upstream." Aphelion nodded to himself before bending his leg a bit more. Guess I'll have to bear it for a while. he hissed quietly before gesturing to Nigrum, "Leaders first."

Knight stared at the beast ahead of her, getting into a fighting stance yet obviously distracted, saying with a small blush, "Oh my god I want one of them as a pet. Or a mount. Someone PLEASE get me that as a present for my birthday." Shaking out her mind off her fantasy of riding the Grimm into battle, she rolls her neck and stares it down, the odd glance between the others in the group checking to see how they react, obviously despising working as a group, after all, she couldn't use nearly as much strength when having to watch out for their safety.

Bell didn't get a chance to warn Aoife. She was too busy not looking at the Paingaze sitting at the top of the stairs.

It was a curious process, involving a combination of a human's Aura and photosensitivity, but Aoife would soon feel the effects.

The girl simply dropped, intense agonizing spasms wracking her body. The entire world blurred into an eye-searing mess, though it wasn't in sight long before her eyes rolled up. Bell was behind her, and kept her from breaking her neck on the stairs, but the seizure that took hold of Aoife would last a good while, and tended to sap the victim's strength. (HEAVY auto-hit.)

Paingazes were the apex predator in the Autunno region for good reason, and as the monster skittered out of the dark, its six meter long body crawling out on no less than sixty spindly, clawed legs like a malevolent centipede, it looked ready to prove this fact.

==HEALTH==
Paingaze: 200

Nigrum looked at Aphelion waiting for an answer before a snapping sound came from down stream. Nigrum turned his head and looked in the direction of the noise, noting the sudden sioence from the jackboots.

"Upstream, definitely upstream" Aphelion said. Nigrum nodded in agreement, whatever was downstream did not sound like it would be friendly. "Leaders first" Alphelion said.

"Alright, just holler if that thing downstream gets closer" Nigrum said starting to move up stream. He drew the blade from the Panther holding the blade out in front with his left hand, the body of the cane gripped around the middle by his right hand. He moved up stream keeping his eyes peeled.

Stifling a laugh as Aoife falls to the ground in pain, Viola pokes the other girl with her boot before turning around completely, back to the creature. It was clear the creature she had smelled was the cause of it, so she had to think fast. Obviously the problem wasn't a scent, or sound, or she would have picked them up. It also clearly wasn't a taste, or a touch... that really only left sight. Deciding on a few things, she tears the left sleeve of her shirt off almost entirely, glaring at Bell. "So, Bell, while I do this... explain what that is, and what the best way of dealing with it is. And that isn't a question."

Beginning to tear a few strips of cloth from the sleeve of her shirt, she lays them on top of each other to create a makeshift blindfold. It wasn't the best, considering the color of the cloth, but with five layers, it did eliminate almost all of her vision. "Since I'm assuming none of you can fight without sight, I'm probably going to have to take care of this, huh?"

Knight lets out a scream of pain, dropping her weapons at the first spasms. As the seizures end only then she stops her cries of pain. Taking yet longer to do anything, she slowly looks around and barely registers Viola's words, instead the flickering of her aura coming to life taking hold. Staggering over to White Dragon, she connects it into spear mode, it igniting into flames before her Phoenix mode kicks in, a pair of fiery Cat ears forming on her head as a way to stop excess aura being wasted. "Fight without sight? I'm going to make it so there will be nothing to see!" With that she moves back and behind the others, using the general direction she can hear the skittering from as her target as her eyes stay firmly closed, her spear starting to be engulfed in yet more flames as she powers up her attack.

51/79

Aphelion followed, limping slightly as his leg was still hurt, "Will do." beyond that, he went silent as he listened out for anything dangerous, keeping sight only of Nigrum to make sure he didn't lose him at any point.

Yin listened as Leo spoke, however he didn't particularly care for the teenage drama that seemed to be happening behind the scenes. He was about to say something about them still being in danger before the cyborg's story ended and he said it himself. He closed his eyes a moment, once again feeling the malignant presence of the dagger press down on his mind. He pushed it away, opening his eyes again, "Let's get going then." He said, "There's no point in screwing around here any longer."

It was an odd sensation listening to the robot explain why he had left her friend to see to someone else. Chiu had long been aware that she wasn't quite as caring as most when it came to compassion, but to think that the barbaric half man was more of a human than she was a bit unnerving.

"Huh. Who would have guessed the biggest difference between us was a heart?" Chiu scoffed as she pushed passed the others to continue farther into the tunnel. "I wouldn't hesitate to let any number of strangers die to keep Viola safe." Stopping a few paces past the others to turn back around and face them she steeled her gaze. "For the record, by strangers I mean the three of you."

Having been watching Bell, she curiously wonders what she is doing, as she avoids eye contact with the creature at the top of the stairs. Aoife, however, did the opposite, and was screaming in pain quite shortly after. This caused Kirkka to shift her attention up the stairs, but only very briefly as it connected in her mind what was there. Her eyes instantly dart toward the ground, then to Viola, who is now blindfolding herself. Wise, but I hope she can fight like that. Aoife had since recovered, but her eyes were closed. Her demeanor had changed slightly as well, as she prepared to fight.

Kirkka took in a short breath. Paingaze. Long, agile, difficult to catch. Large, dangerous tail, and claws. No big weaknesses, except general ranged attacks. Great. Oh, "It has poisonous spit. Melee combat is not advised. Stay at range." I suppose there's no point in stating that bit about jumping into melee. Ahh, well. Standing between Viola, Bell, and Aoife, she wasted no more time, splitting her staff and slamming the ground with the longer segment, sending a wave of ice toward the creature. Its wide, so aiming isn't so important.[Medium] Pointing the second shorter segment toward the creature, she directs an arc of lightning up the stairs, avoiding looking that direction. [Heavy]Both attacks reach the creature at the same time, but are not well aimed.

As the attacks are made, her eyes flicker to a red color, but she keeps her eyelids low over them, keeping her gaze downward. I can pickup the location of these three well enough I hope. Maybe I can use their position to make strikes.

100/95

Yin clenched a fist as his irritation finally boiled over, "Alright, that's enough!" He snapped, "In case you people haven't realized, there's a &#$%ing omnipotent aura demon toying with us before it kills us all! If we want to get out of here alive, or even with a shred of sanity, I suggest we start working together!" He said, "I don't particularly care if you don't like each other or have problems with someone for some stupid reason, we need to focus on getting out of here alive and with our god damn heads on straight!"

The world flickered.

The sky vanished.

Everything grew dark.

For a brief moment, the students and Kirkka were back on the airship, as it lifted off from Beacon.

Only a moment, and all was right again.

... Or as right as Autunno could be...


In the bloodsoaked hallway, Yin's eyes opened.

Not the one screaming for cooperation. The one impaled on the wall. Slowly, his mouth opened, and he screamed.

The unholy shriek came with a blast of force, one that threw Isabelle and Yin against the wall, knocking the former unconscious. Down the hallway, a voice began laughing...


The sewers were unchanged after the flicker, but the crunching got louder. As if whatever was downstream from Aphellion and Nigrum was getting closer.

If there was any benefit to the sound, it at least drove the Jackboots stalking them away, though if it terrified the Jackboots...


The room Melissa was in changed after her re-appearance. The table was still there. The hammer fell on her leg, bruising her, so it was still there.

But now there was a door.

And there was a voice, as Aoife cried out in terror and pain. "No, wait, please," Aoife cried, "someone, help!"

A wet crunch followed, and Aoife screamed.

"Poor Aoife," the Dagger cooed from some unseen source, its countless voices laughing.


The Paingaze reared up, only making itself a better target as six shells impacted from lower on the Keep, splattering the monster. A chunk of its skull struck Viola, knocking her unconscious, Bell barely catching her and keeping her from breaking her neck as she glanced down the stairs.

Aoife dropped next, as her nerve staple was activated, the burning figure at the bottom of the stairs watching her fall.

It was Leonius. Or rather, what was left of Leonius. The hole in his helmet, revealed the man within was no more, little more than decay and rot visible, though Kirkka no doubt recognized the voice that issued from the suit. Its tone, if not its purely synthetic nature, was distorted by the Nightmare. Even with its distance, near the bottom of the keep, it was still plainly audible.

"Target Verified. Commencing Hostilities."

Bell looked at Kirkka in horror. "Pick her up. We should probably run." She paused, looking down at Viola. "We should minimize casualties. Every allied combatant is one more to ensure survival of the group."

==HEALTH/AURA==
Nightmare Titan of Steel: ????/????

Aoife blinked as she collapsed onto the ground, her flames going as quickly as she lost control of her body, the fire she had formed on her spear dissipating. "W-What the?!" Escaping her as she leaves Phoenix mode, trying to look around but failing. Upon hearing the distorted sounds, she starts to develop a cold sweat, "W-Wait? Why is this active? W-Why would Leo activate it now? T-That retard!"

Tilting her head at the hammer, Melissa picks it up, confused as to why a hammer kept falling. Was it meant to symbolise something? Maybe someone was telling her that her future contained a lot of construction work? Or maybe they were trying to tell her to start building something now.

Hearing the shouts and screaming coming from the other room, she spoke to herself, "Hm? That doesn't sound good!" Before skipping over to attempt to open the door, laughing along with the voices. Strange, usually the voices in her head didn't laugh! Usually they just lectured her on things. Well, apparently this voice had a nice sense of humour!

A haiku comes to mind at this moment. No. Ha.

Kirkka must have been thinking the same thing as Bell, because she was already leaning down to pick Aoife up. "That's a question for another time!" Before that, she pauses briefly, and slams the ground between the party and the Titan of Steel with her staff, blasting it with a large amount of ice, forming a barrier between them. This worked reasonably well against his attack the last time... Finding a surprising amount of strength within her, Kirkka lifts Aoife over her left shoulder, maintaining a grip on her staff with her right hand and using both arms to keep her stable. She won't be able to maintain a great speed like this, but maybe that tin can won't be able to climb the stairs. "Up the stairs, right Bell!?" Her voice is rushed slightly, knowing there is no more free time to spare for collecting thoughts, or listen for a reply, as she begins making her way up the steps.

Nigrum glanced back towards the sound as it got louder. "sounds like it's getting closer" he said to Aphellion picking up the pace. "Let's try our best to not find out what it is."

"Agreed." Aphelion followed at a faster pace, the leg becoming more useful after being given some time to heal up, doing his best to put a good distance between himself and the... thing.

Yin flew against the wall, but managed to prevent serious injury by twisting his legs under him. The impact jarred his damaged legs, but the pain was negligible. He fell to the ground in a heap, rolling to bring himself into a sitting position. He quickly identified the source of the unworldly noise and removed his shorter blade from its sheath. He took aim and flung it, sending it swinging through the air at his doppleganger's face. As a precaution, he raised a shield of aura in front of him, fearful of what the creature's death, or lack thereof, might bring.

Chiu had marched steadily down the hallway, heedless of Yin's suggestions. She was in a place she didn't want to be with people she didn't want to be with, so the sooner she got out of here the better. She had separated herself from the others when her world suddenly changed to a series of unfamiliar scenes and sensations. Of joy and happiness. Of love and lust. Of blue and purple. And over it all two familiar voices raised in laughter that didn't fade when the accompanying visions did.