Open - Cosmic meltdown | Page 2

With all her work done for the day Mizuki logged into Terrasphere, feeling the by now familiar and comfortable sensation of her Earth body fading from her awareness, fading away only to be replaced by the sensation of a different form, stronger and wilder. The more she played Terrasphere the more matter of fact the switch from one world to another became, and where in the beginning she had difficulty using her TS body by now she could actually hit the ground at a dead run if she wanted to (although since she almost always used the sleep option when logging out that rarely happened).

Opening her eyes inside of the second world Mizuki yawned and pushed herself off of the ground, stretching and bending as she flexed her fingers and curled her tail. Opening her eyes, one blue just like on earth and the other golden where her Earth self had a green eye, she looked around and took in her surroundings. She'd fallen asleep out in the open, having found a small spot where the animals of Brisshal weren't going to bother her. While unlike Earth the animals here were a lot more daring and aggressive (she still theorized this was caused by them all being notably stronger than their Earth counterpart) they still didn't cover every square mile, and it was enjoyable to wake up to a body which had been able to rest under the moon, stars and sun.

Sniffing the air she first only smelled the grass with some hints from the stream nearby, but a frown formed on her face when she also smelled something new, the smell of something burning. Followed by that realization was the sound of something exploding in the distance, and Mizuki didn't waste any more time before she rushed in that direction, shifting into her wolf form to cover the distance faster as she tried to think of what was happening. Bandits didn't use explosives, she hadn't heard of any raiders being in the area, goblins were more likely to blow themselves up unless used as minions by something smarter. So what was it she was going to find...?

By the time she arrived @Kaede Hoshi had already expended her energy, so the wolfwoman could at least spare a couple of seconds to take in the scene. @Sean Poteitoku and @Iván Carl were present, and both were talking to Kaede while the Yladian looked furious beyond belief. Mizuki didn't have a clue what that might be about, but what she DID know was that having two males approach Kaede while she was in a bad mood was a risky move. Gathering some of her own energy she enchanted her form, boosting her physical strength and speed as she prepared to interfere...

As she had been fearing Kaede didn't calm down, and instead threatened to stab Sean from behind. Worse, rather than pulling back Sean pulled his own sword and turned around to face the Yladian, and Mizuki quickly changed into her wolf form and tensed before launching herself as she saw Kaede tensing up, the message clear that her friend wasn't going to hold back from attacking.

While Kaede began her assault Mizuki ran faster and faster, her black and white fur blurring from the speed as her golden and blue eyes left a glowing trail behind her, the enchantments she placed upon her own body combined with her physical skill and prowess allowing her to accelerate until she was charging like a meteor, her paws leaving deep claws marks in the already torn and bruised earth as she pushed herself forward with every step, yet even with her impressive speed she still made barely any sound other than that of her paws hitting the ground.

She reached Kaede and Sean while Kaede was still beginning her attack, and without a pause Mizuki pounced, turned back into her humanoid form, grabbed Kaede by the shoulders, and sent the both of them flying away from Sean. Wrap tail around Kaede's waist, pull with tail, push with hands, send both of them spinning, hit ground with shoulders, ROLL with the impact, disperse momentum as much as possible, push Kaede onto the ground with hands firmly placed on shoulders to hold her down, sit on her lower belly.

Just what are you doing?

Under most circumstances Mizuki's expression was fairly friendly if reserved. She tried to be polite and considerate, as much for her own sake as for anyone else, and she didn't really have that much interest in hurting people. However this time her expression was less so, her eyes narrow and her lips forming a flat line, looking at Kaede with both worry and a fair amount of disapproval.

I don't know what's going on but you can't just attack someone of a lower rank than your own like that.

 

As the insane woman began rushing at Sean, he made a split second decision. Run and get onto a tree. He jumped back, but before he could run up a tree, the form of a wolf intercepted the assault. Before Sean's eyes, the wolf turned into a person, who proceeded to pin down the attacker.

"...What."

Hidden: Sean's Expression

Confused out of his mind, Sean just stood there, taking in the situation. Wolves can turn into people? Shaking his head after a couple of seconds, he was finally able to get out a couple more words. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?"

 

_____Kaede was not expecting the astral foresight that came to pass, but as her body was hit by Mizuki’s tackle she knew decently well the route that would follow and did her best to make sure her still drawn dagger did not find itself in either of them. When she was done making sure that event did not come to pass she found herself looking up to the girl with a slightly stern gaze to meet Kaede’ still agitated gaze. Mizuki would be able to notice some sparks in Kaede’s eyes as the girl did not seem happy to be stopped.

”I don’t have time for playing around right now Mizuki, please get off me so I can beat the living shit out of this cocky kid then get back to dealing with my lost UI issues.”

_____Kaede’s words stung like venom, her temper showing as clear as day as she would first make a half attempt to show she was not going to stop her current actions. If she was met with resistance Kaede would glare at Mizuki, clearly she was pushed to much and was not going to let someone stop her. Trying again if needed, this time with more force and attempt to get herself free. Glaring at Mizuki more should the girl still keep Kaede down.

”Save the pinning down for the next time we go at it please, I am not in the mood to do anything like that when i have two more pressing issues that take paramount. I would also like to avoid having to FORCE you to get off me because I doubt I will hold back and do not wish to harm you Mizuki.”

@Ueno Mizuki | @Sean Poteitoku | @Iván Carl

 

Interesting. Iván had not expected someone else to join the fray. Yet a Caenis (@Ueno Mizuki) came from out of nowhere and singlehandedly pulled the Yladian (@Kaede Hoshi) off the Felis (@Sean Poteitoku). The Yladian had impressed Iván with her power but it seemed that this newcomer, the Caenis, could stand toe-to-toe with her. On one hand, it was a pretty exciting development. Finally, someone was going to give the Yladian a run for her money. On the other hand, this might soon go way out of hand, with way too many players, rather cooks stirring the pot. Iván was looking forward to finding out if the Felis did have nine lives. I guess that'll be for another day.

With eyes narrowed from behind his red mask, Iván turned to the Felis with a concealed grin, "Looks to me like you've got a guardian angel, kid. He nodded towards the Caenis and the Yladian who now seemed to have threatened the former, though only subtly, if there even was such a thing. There was that emphasis on the word "force," which came off to the masked illusionist as a pretty subverted warning, if there even was such a thing. "Though from the looks of things, your guardian angel might need your help after all.

Iván had no intention to confront anyone in this situation, to join the fray, so to speak. Rather, he was already too preoccupied observing and enjoying himself at the prospect of watching strong warriors deal with each other, and just a few moments after he came back to life. The whole UI situation would just have to wait. A lingering question from underneath his tongue seemed to have found its way into getting answered: Will anyone who can't access their UI die differently? This... I've got to see.

 

Sean couldn't let his guard down. The psycho woman could kill him at any moment, so he had to make sure she got no opportunities. He visibly got angrier as the woman tried to get up from being pinned to get at him. He noticed how the shape-shifter had saved his life, and he loosened a bit. "Uh... Thank you..."

He was caught off-guard by the comment the illusionist made. "What do you mean...? I planned that all along... Totally..." He tried to put on his best poker face, but he was sweating heavily, breaking the look. "Uh... Yeah, maybe I should go help." He ran over to where the psycho woman was pinned, but not too close. "Hey. I also can't access my interface, and I'm pissed as hell about it." His face quickly dissolved into anger. "But fighting others and destroying everything won't fix it. We have to work together and get out. If I remember correctly, if somebody removes the power source or removes the headset, you will be forcefully logged out. It'll be okay."

 

Ignoring the shouting that her sudden entrance provoked from the man who had been about to get stabbed Mizuki focused on Kaede, as her friend was a much more pressing issue. Also physically closer. She could see in Kaede's eyes that the woman wasn't content with being pinned to the ground like this, but that just made Mizuki's gaze harder as she realized that she might have to do something unpleasant to prevent things getting out of hand here. She would have liked to try and gently calm Kaede down, but considering the circumstances she couldn't afford to take the time, and there were at least two factors present which would make Kaede calming down a lot more difficult...

I'm all in favour of trying to deal with the UI issue, and I'm really sorry you're one of the people afflicted with it, but your current plan isn't going to work and beating this kid up isn't going to improve matters either.

She could feel @Kaede Hoshi trying to push herself back up, but Mizuki was still the more physically oriented fighter of the two of them, and she wasn't going to let her friend go on a rampage which at best would just work as stress relief and at worst got her branded as a threat. Especially since she was apparently willing to attack anyone who caught her attention right now, which meant any male was in danger if they got close.

Pushing Kaede back down Mizuki made it clear that she wasn't going to relent on pinning her, wanting to make sure the woman didn't try anything stupid.

Although, speaking of stupid... She couldn't really blame the man since he probably didn't know Kaede and thus couldn't take into account her reaction towards men, but she still had to suppress a sigh of exasperation when the redheared Felis ran back towards the two of them after Mizuki had tackled Kaede a bit further away so the man wasn't a direct threat to Kaede's patience. Hearing the woman's words Mizuki tightened her grip on Kaede's shoulders, her heterochromatic eyes staying locked onto Kaede's even as she addressed @Sean Poteitoku

I appreciate the gesture of trying to help, but you'd be more useful making some distance. As long as you're here she's got something to keep her angry and focused. As for you...

She moved her head lower, until her forehead was pressed against Kaede's and her eyes were glowing faintly, her fingers pressing tightly against the clothing surrounding the seer's shoulders as the Caenis's tail bristled behind her.

I will do my best to help you deal with the loss of your UI, I will even help you vent as much stress as you want if that's what it takes, but right now I'm not moving until you're calm, and if you don't wish to harm me you'd better take that as motivation to not try because that's the only way you'll be getting me to get off.

The last word was pretty much a growl, Mizuki's fangs now bared even as her eyes told the clear story that she wasn't blind to Kaede's pain, but that she nevertheless wouldn't be moved that easily. She really hoped the two men would at least get far enough away that Kaede wouldn't keep noticing them, but either way she'd probably be in for a rough couple of minutes.

I do this because I care for you, but if you're determined to force this then you'd better be prepared to do your worst.

 

_____Kaede wanted to least blow an arm off the male fir pissing her off, Mizuki could least let her do that much right? Kaede growled as her hands sparked when she could see Sean from the corner of her eye. A bad memory stirring caused Kaede’s ends to release a small explosion into the ground as she wrestled to shut the memory off and focused purely on @Ueno Mizuki to help with it. She was not alone with a bunch of males, she was not being held down against her will by them, or having everything that happen recorded.

_____Her eyes glowed with the fear from that day still, a few moments and it seemed to do exactly what was needed at the time to calm Kaede down. Her body trembling when she finally was allowed freedom from the memory as it came to an end like so many times when she saw it before. Tears trailing down Kaede’s face as she tried to peacefully rise, hoping with almost all her heart Mizuki could tell she was not angry in the slightest but fearful.

_____That was the emotion Kaede was trying to hide behind her anger. She feared she was trapped in the game, she feared she was dead in real life and her father was left alone. She was afraid she would never get to walk down an aisle, or accept a nobel prize or anything she wanted and had wrote on her bucket list. She felt so lost and trapped and afraid the only thing she knew that could cover that was her temper that no longer could rise against the crippling fear.

______Kaede could not bring herself to even speak up, her voice lost as she just trembled in place. She could never deal with her emotions, she thought that by shoving them down and focusing on her studies or anything but emotions she was fine. But all it did was make her a ticking bomb whenever an emotion got a chance to show and the rest of that same emotion rushed to boost the effect it held on her. Frame balling up as she tried to regain her composure as quickly as she could and hide her face from everyone in the process.
@Sean Poteitoku | @Iván Carl

 

Iván raised an eyebrow at how things soon devolved, although “devolved” was probably an overstatement. He had expected someone’s guts to get spilled all over the ground where he stood, probably the Felis (@Sean Poteitoku), but he was disappointed, somewhat, when the Yladian (@Kaede Hoshi) ended up…crying?

Oh. This was not what I expected. Taking his place beside the still-alive Felis again, Iván simply stared at the two girls, wondering if the tears were truly the Yladian’s own or if it was the effect of some sort of magic the Caenis (@Ueno Mizuki) had used on her. At the very least, though, this turn of events could probably finally lead to some actual thinking, brainstorming, about their shared situation. That or the Felis was going to piss off the Yladian again.

He slowly, carefully, took out the bottle of ant juice he had been keeping with him since his first mission with the Aristocracy, slowly, carefully, taking a sip of the deceptively fruit-flavored concoction. By its stink, anyone would’ve never guessed it actually tasted great. It was one of those uninviting consumables, like that one fruit he had in that one country in the east, but it was perhaps more delicious than anything in the real world.

“Here,” Iván offered a sip to the Felis, wondering if he should offer the same to the other two.

 

Sean breathed a heavy sigh of relief. The woman had seemed to start to calm down. Thank goodness... He heard a sound to his side and looked to see the figure from earlier, offering him a drink of something. "Ah, no thanks, I had a meal just before this happened." He patted his stomach as to motion that he was full. "Anyways, now to the pressing matter." He turned back to the woman who had freaked out over losing her interface. "Would you like me to help you get your interface back so you can pursue your education? It's your choice, if you would not like my help, you can decline."

 

Mizuki was tense, expecting Kaede to try something rash even with the warning the Caenis had given her. While Mizuki certainly didn't think of herself as weaker than Kaede she was fully aware of how dangerous the Yladian could be, possessing both the power of precognition and a ridiculous amount of firepower. Hard to predict, hard to outsmart, hard to defend against. Not impossible, mind, but Mizuki wasn't going to mistake of thinking that this would be an easy fight just because she was the physical type and Kaede was already in range.

Although it would really help if the other two quickly got out of range since she didn't have to worry about keeping them safe even as she fought against Kaede, or at least kept the woman busy.

Instead her nostrils flared as Kaede's scent changed together with her posture, the Lupis's intense stare turning to confusion as she tried to figure out what the change was before she realized it: Kaede's body was no longer tense, she no longer felt the Yladian fighting back. Instead she felt Kaede trembling underneath her, and she smelled a strong fear. It couldn't be that she was afraid of Mizuki's threat, so... oh. The Caenis's expression softened as she realized what was going on, that Kaede had been trying to hide her fear behind a layer of anger and that now that anger wasn't working the fear worked its way back to the surface.

Feeling Kaede try to sit up Mizuki relented, moving off of the woman's stomach and helping her get up so she could instead wrap her arms around her friend, embracing her with both arms and her tail as she tried to comfort Kaede as best she could, hoping she hadn't gone too far with trying to make Kaede back down. Even if it had worked she didn't want to end up hurting Kaede in the process, physically or mentally.

We'll find a way to get you out of here, I promise. I'm really sorry for this and I wish I didn't have to do what I did, but you don't have to worry. We'll find a way.

Kaede wasn't the first one to be trapped in the game and so far Mizuki hadn't heard of anyone who was trapped actually getting out, but she had a hard time believing that the situation was hopeless. She wasn't a programmer or anything but she was pretty sure that a VR set did nothing like actually separating your body and your mind beyond messing with the input and output of your nerves. It might take a lot of work to figure out a safe method but she had a hard time believing it was impossible to disconnect someone forcefully if they couldn't log out of their own will.

With the situation having calmed down Mizuki could afford to address the other two more fully, although in all honesty she still didn't think them being here was very helpful. The Felis might be trying to help and she acknowledged it but it was the unfortunate fact that Kaede couldn't get along with males, the Caenis glancing at the redheared man over her shoulder.

Unless you've got a solution that you would be able to present right now it'd be better not to make such offers. Let's wait until everything has calmed down a bit.

She tried her best to sound polite, although she was having some trouble as she was still more focused on Kaede, one hand stroking the woman's hair slowly while the other held the Yladian tight.

Given all the effort put into making VR as safe as possible there'll be a way out of this. Even if the makers of TS ignore the regulations the players still use the same equipment as they use for other VR programs, so there must be a limit to how dangerous it can be.

Of course with limited knowledge there was no telling where the limit lay... well, it was better to wait with that and first tend to Kaede. Looking at the other man present Mizuki wasn't sure what to say to him, since so far he hadn't really interfered in any significant way... which, the more she thought about it, bothered her. While it was good that he wasn't riling Kaede up she didn't think her friend would appreciate the idea that someone was just observing her as if taking her suffering as a source of entertainment.

My apologies, but can I ask what you're doing here? Are you two friends?

@Kaede Hoshi @Sean Poteitoku @Iván Carl

 

_____Kaede was not diverting much attention to the conversation as she likely should have been, her mind still crippled by fear even though her friend was trying to help comfort her. She wanted to push the fear back down, wanted to show a brave face or make a perverted joke to help hide her emotions but simply found ho creaks to wave through to cover the fear. Part of her mind tracing over what some of them had said before she slowly lifted her head. Eyes red as she clearly seemed to have started to cry at some point.

"Getting to where I am... is like trying to break into a army base on high alert... The university does not allow guest in without a sealed letter or message from someone inside the school... Then there is the fact only direct family is allowed to visit those who live on campus... and the last barricade would be Athea... Who would break anyone's arm who tried to get into our dorm room while i was asleep... that is if i even still am alive in the real world..."

Kaede took a slow moment to breath as she tried to look past her tears and keep explaining her case.

"Not to mention the only thought I could have with trying to get me out would be to directly pull my headset from power... That I refuse to allow... If even the slightest probability it could damage my mind or worse I will not accept that... Hence why I tried to get a GM to show..."

_____Kaede moved her sleeve to wipe her face as she looked up, she was still clearly unease but she was in a better state that would at the least allow her to speak to the group albeit with pauses as she sniffled or lost her words. Why did she have to have such bad luck, and all because she died three times in a game... what was a game if you could not die from mistakes and improve?
@Ueno Mizuki | @Sean Poteitoku | @Iván Carl

 

To say Iván admired @Sean Poteitoku ’s tenacity to help was an understatement, especially since the person he wanted to help had just tried to murder him. The masked illusionist didn’t understand why he would still be this generous, though to be fair, he doubt he’d understand compassionate to this degree. There was almost a sense of naivety to it, which he didn’t really see as anything but a knife to the back. Still, things were only going to get interesting, so he just stayed back and watched everything unfold.

The Caenis (@Ueno Mizuki) seemed to have the Yladian (@Kaede Hoshi) under control. That was a good thing. They needed to work together at this point, not cut each other up, though to be fair, the Yladian only seemed to want to cut the Felis up. Iván could always just skedaddle if things get a little too feisty for him. He had just died. There was no sense in ending up dead again, and this time, with his UI virtually unresponsive.

“In a way, yes,” Iván deadpanned, not entirely sure he liked the idea of considering complete strangers friends, considering the last time he thought of anyone that way, they ended up failing him. Still, he wasn’t there to cause anyone harm, simply to try and figure out a way to know more about fixing the predicament all three of them seemed to share. “I mean no one here any harm. These two seem to share my problem. I simply want to know if a solution is truly at hand.”

He turned to Sean next, with more of a question than a statement, “Do you have a solution in mind?”

 

As Sean listened to the woman's situation, his mind hit a blank. "The only way we can save you is to sneak in..." He didn't notice the person next to him talk, until he asked if he had any plans. "All I got is we become ninjas." He shrugged. "Ninjas are a horrible idea, though." He pondered other options. Brute force? We'd die... Contact parents? They wouldn't believe us... "Nope, I got nothing. She's in too tight of a situation."

 

Well, with the man (@Iván Carl) sharing the same problem as the other two Mizuki couldn't exactly blame him for sticking around, and given how @Kaede Hoshi had been acting he might just been showing a surprising amount of self-preservation by avoiding any attention. Nodding towards the man in understanding Mizuki turned back towards her friend, hoping that at least the crying and the openly talking about the issue would help the seer recover a little from her breakdown. She didn't think Kaede really appreciated being seen like this, but her mental health took priority over her public image.

Kaede's explanation that she was in a very strict university where contact with outsiders was limited and heavily regulated did make the situation more complicated. Mizuki had mentally noted 'visit the woman in the flesh and see if she can't just turn the VR set off' as a possible option even if she doubted it would be that easy (someone would have figured out by now, after all) but the way that Kaede explained it she might as well try to break into a military base. Somewhat exaggerated she was sure, but still not feasible.

At which point @Sean Poteitoku suggested sneaking in, which had Mizuki shoot a glance towards him even as she stroked the back of Kaede's head in an attempt to help the woman calm down and recover faster. He did seem to be genuinely trying to help, which somewhat impressed her given that he was offering to break in to help someone who just now had done her best to give him a few new holes to breathe through. While he didn't know the word 'retreat' he wasn't lacking on courage or altruism. Nevertheless...

As Kaede herself already said, this isn't going to be as easy as just finding an opportunity to pull the VR set off of her head. Even if we had a way to sneak in it'd be too frantic a situation.

Fortunately Mizuki thought that she knew of something they could at least do, either to speed the process of waking Kaede up or verify what was already happening to her body. Turning back towards the seer she coughed lightly.

With that kind of defense we can't barge in ourselves, but do you think we could send your roommate Athea a message? Even if she doesn't know us if we inform her that you're one of the people stuck inside the game she'd at least check, if she's as protective of you as you're saying she is. And then at least you'd be looked after if it isn't happening already, and otherwise she can at least update us on the situation. Since you're roommates you'd know her email or something, right?

Rather than create a convoluted plan it'd be easier (from Mizuki's perspective) to contact whoever happened to be close to Kaede and willing to check up on her and try to help her. If Athea had been leaving Kaede alone while she was stuck a message could help move her to act, and if she had already noticed something was up (which Mizuki found more likely) with some luck she'd share at least the smallest amount of information about the situation.

And if worst came to worst, and Kaede's body had already perished while her mind was stuck in this world and this body... It wouldn't be easy, but Mizuki thought it would be better for Kaede if she knew for sure and could grieve and move on, try to get used to permanently living in this world, rather than constantly being uncertain about her fate.

 

_____The idea to contact Athea was, smart and logical. Yet when asked about the email address Kaede's face turned several shades of red. She knew it alright, and there was not a day that passed she wished Athea would change it to something more mature or less nerve destroying for Kaede. Leaning to Mizuki Kaede would try to muster the courage to least tell the girl she trusted with it.

"I... It's... KaedeXAtheaYuriForever... at... gmail..."

_____Kaede's face only seemed to turn more red about the email of her childhood friend. It was not so much the account, but the fact Athea had the same email since the two of them had been in elementary school together. At the time Kaede had the reverse for the names, only to later discover what Yuri had stood for and since can never see that email without getting bashful at the images she saw at such a young age for googling it.

_____If either of the males tried to get close when Kaede was trying to say it she wouldn't, nor would she look happy if Mizuki spoke it aloud to them. Even if three people telling Athea Kaede was trapped in the game would likely make the girl believe it more, she REFUSED to have that email address spoken any more then it already was. Moving to hide her face Kaede tried to calm herself back down.

@Sean Poteitoku | @Iván Carl | @Ueno Mizuki