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Post by lichlord on Oct 25, 2018 22:43:18 GMT
Rei just shakes her head.
"It won't help, trust me. And again, only a portion of the issue..."
She just sighs and walks on, ignoring the other two. Her head feels like a storm is raging in it now and her anger is mixing with her sadness in a very unpleasant way.
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May 31, 2023 21:25:23 GMT
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Post by Raven on Oct 25, 2018 23:58:25 GMT
After walking down yet another super-long hallway (boy, whoever built this place *really* loved long hallways), she reaches a point where the path forks. To her left is another hallway, presumably leading to the far side of this level. Straight ahead, however, the path/hallway seems to begin to slope downward. A quick check reveals that the path she is currently on continues on down. It doesn't quite feel like a whole other level so much as another room. This 'new room' theory is supported by the fact that the downward path was partially hidden behind some rubble. Rubble that doesn't look like it fell 'naturally', but was instead placed there. Possibly as a deterrent for curious explorers.
Curiosity piqued, Rei & her now silent companions head down the hidden staircase, eventually coming upon a large, heavily reinforced door. Seems whatever lies beyond here is important.
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Post by lichlord on Oct 26, 2018 0:09:05 GMT
The silence isn't helping Rei feel any better about having another breakdown. It's clear she's upset Holly and Zoey. She doesn't know what to say and she's hardly in the mood for exploring anymore, but decides to trudge on anyway. When they meet another door, Rei dispenses with caution and calls out Gryz to just straight up break the door down.
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Post by Raven on Oct 26, 2018 0:13:57 GMT
Gryz happily obliges, ramming his head into the door as hard as he can. The door shudders a bit under the impact, but the result is a dazed Gryz and a still-shut door. On a whim, Holly walks over and tugs on the door handle. It opens easily...outward. Beyond the door is... a library?! Shelves upon shelves of books, too numerous to count lie within.
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Post by lichlord on Oct 26, 2018 0:16:12 GMT
Rei just sighs, gives a small apology to Gryz and recalls him before stepping into the room and taking a closer look around.
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Post by Raven on Oct 26, 2018 0:21:04 GMT
The first few books she looks at appear to be written in a strange, glyph or runic-based language that Rei's never seen before. Checking some others in a different section reveals titles written in an entirely different language. It'd take literal weeks to check every title in this place, and that's just the ones she can see. The far wall of this room isn't even visible from the entryway. This place seems to dwarf the size of even the Library of Fate above-ground.
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Post by lichlord on Oct 26, 2018 0:32:04 GMT
Rei rubs her temple for a while but at least this is something she can take back. Maybe the doctor knows about this language and the knowledge there is a second city as well as things like this library down here will be enough to earn more than a temporary entrance here. She takes one of the books and places it in her pack before looking around and giving another sigh. Just more mysteries about this place that she doesn't understand that raises more questions.
Rei turns to leave and head on.
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Post by lichlord on Oct 29, 2018 6:57:35 GMT
As the last one falls, Rei heals herself and Shinpuru up and walks over to Holly.
"Holly, you don't look so good."
She puts an arm on her.
"Can you please take it easy for a while?"
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Post by Raven on Oct 29, 2018 7:02:34 GMT
Holly flashes Rei a cheeky grin. "I gotta protect you, don't I, 'your majesty'?"
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Post by lichlord on Oct 29, 2018 7:16:52 GMT
Rei sighs.
"Wasn't that 'my' job, not too long ago?"
She tries to stomach a smile, despite how messed up she still feels after that display a bit ago. She couldn't even stop to ask herself what kind of power was that, just her own bubbling insecruities were too much to face. And she just pushed Holly and Zoey away with that display. Because of course she did. And now Holly is just hurting herself rushing into battle to 'protect' her.
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Post by Raven on Oct 29, 2018 7:20:38 GMT
Holly nods. "We're all supposed to protect each other. Even disregarding that, being on the front lines means I'm a primary target. It's a hazard of my fighting style." She looks into Rei's eyes. "I'm sorry if I'm making you worry, but I do know my limits; limits I seem to have hit."
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Post by lichlord on Oct 29, 2018 7:27:21 GMT
Rei holds the look for a bit before having to look away.
"Well we have to protect eachother, as we are cursed together. We don't have a choice."
Rei holds her hand to her head as she turns.
"But I guess I can't stop you from protecting your 'queen', Holly."
With that, Rei turns to continue on.
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Post by Raven on Oct 30, 2018 3:36:09 GMT
The next door opens up into an enormous cavern with a giant lake taking up the majority of the space. It's almost like stepping into another world; one moment you're in the well-built castle hallway, and the next you've stepped into a system of caves, complete with natural stone walls that are damp with condensation from the underground lake. In roughly the center of the lake, it seems as if there is a large hole, as the water constantly is draining down, though not quite fast enough to form a visible whirlpool.
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Post by lichlord on Oct 30, 2018 3:54:24 GMT
Rei looks out over the lake and tries to peer toward the 'hole' as constant draining (therefore refilling) is the most interesting part of this.
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Post by Raven on Oct 30, 2018 4:05:09 GMT
The hole seems to lead down into a seemingly endless void, from what little Rei can tell from the shore. Without something to fly over and take a look, there's no way to tell what's down there.
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Post by lichlord on Oct 30, 2018 4:17:03 GMT
Rei sends out Gryz to fly over the hole. Out of the two pokemon she's got that 'can' fly, she's betting the predatory dragon has better eyes to see down.
Gryz Perception:
NnBMzuGc3d6+13d6+1
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Post by Raven on Oct 30, 2018 4:18:57 GMT
Gryz can see a larger pool of water several hundred meters further down the hole. That must be where the water from this room ends up.
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Post by lichlord on Oct 30, 2018 4:43:05 GMT
Gryz reports back but that's even deeper down this place and she's already probably used up her 24 hours nearly. Holly is also beat to hell, their supplies gained from Zoey are already running low... And Rei can't get that image of the dancers out of her head. Time to leave.
She rubs her temples.
"Ok I think we are done with this charade for now, time to head up."
With that, Rei silently starts leading the pair back up the flights of stairs to the entrance.
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Post by Raven on Oct 30, 2018 4:56:05 GMT
The device counting down Rei's 24 hours begins to beep almost as soon as the group returns to the second level. Shutting it off, Rei leads the way back up to level 1 of the basement and to the door leading outside. It takes a few minutes for whoever is on the other side to undo all the locks on their end to let the party back in. As it's a different guard from the morning, they don't see anything odd about there being a third member of the party of girls. Zoey's eyes light up as she sees the castle interior for the first time. She, as quietly as possible, squees in amazement at all of it. She's even more impressed by the exterior, though suspects it will look better still in the morning.
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Post by lichlord on Oct 30, 2018 5:08:46 GMT
Rei just lets Zoey enjoy the sights the first time, as she stews in her own feelings. Rei leads them (to the healers first), and then back to the place she and Holly have been staying at the past week or so. If Holly and Zoey talk, Rei doesn't really respond. She went down there for research and power and found... what? About a zillion questions, a lot of injuries, a guilt trip, and even a manifestation of guilt in the form of Zoey. Aka, the loving daughter of the woman she's sworn to kill. Maybe the doctor (with the knowledge of a second city and a book with ancient language) will give them the full time pass in order to get a better scale of it all.
But for now she's just in a mood and has a headache. They walk into the inn, and Rei leaves the two to secure Zoey a seperate room. (Things are already akward enough.)
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