4719/Heaven Laid In Tears

Heaven Laid In Tears
Date of Scene:	25 October 2016
Location:	Crystal Valley
Synopsis:	Operation FOO goes into effect. Ophelia gets curb stomped.
Cast of Characters:	Inga, 975, 151, Staren, 385, Kotone Yamakawa, 946

---

Inga has posed:
Tucked within the Crystal Valley is a small grove of crystals that should be familiar to Ophelia. They'd met here before, among the reflections of the past and the future possibilities.

Today it is Inga that sits alone, staring into the reflections. She sits with her staff across her lap, dressed in a plain, long black dress with the usual talismans and adornments, long white hair braided down her back. The reflection in the crystal shows Inga sitting in a similar position--but that is where the similarities end. The mirror image sits alone in a large room in an overly long white dress, her legs barely visible beneath the folds of flowing fabric. Her hair is intricately braided, beyond what she could accomplish on her own--especially as it is revealed her hands are chained to the wall. Her fingernails have been allowed to grow so long they curl into talons lacquered in red and gold.

The reflection-Inga raises her head to meet the gaze of Inga herself...but there is only a black blindfold concealing the eyes of the reflection.

Inga looks to another crystal, another reflection. This image shows Inga weeping over the body of a man with white hair and beard, a familiar man, a pentacle and an iron hammer pendant around his neck.

Inga lets out a heavy sigh, shoulders slumping, head bowed under the strain of these visions. To someone like Ophelia, she glows with grief and suffering.

The best way to tell a lie is to make it close to the truth. Inga suffers. She's put herself into a dark place to draw Ophelia to her. She prays to the gods their plan works. Let Ophelia not see those hidden by magic, waiting nearby.

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
It comes.
A sigh of a guitar, a lonesome wail that shivers its way down through the crystal valley - the calling card of Doom. Tendrils of unnatural fog weave their way across the placid and clear waters, hovering above as if afraid to touch, afraid to kiss its purity. Fingers curl about the crystals further away, destroying sight and vision, somehow both distorting sound and increasing it. A sigh from Inga's slumped form would echo, pulled from place to place, before submerging itself beneath the rolling crush of DEATH METAL.

The soft step of bare feet upon the hard ground. The patter of liquid striking the earth. The glow of blue wake candles upon the head of the Six Stringed Sorrow, as Ophelia is practically -summoned-. The ache of a heart, the bleeding of grief; It calls to her blackened, stoned heart as nothing can. A banshee from the thickening fog, her chin lowered, her steps swaying - blind with her own weeping.
".. Inga..."
She murmurs, blackened claws pulling away from the guitar. The hammer of DEATH METAL continues unabatted, summoned to being, as she reaches out for the broken seeress. Black lips a thin line of .. misery. There is no mock joy in this victory - only the knowledge that the inevitable has occured
".. I'm here, Inga... I'm here to stop your bleeding heart.."

Ainsley (151) has posed:
    Ainsley is here. In addition to the magic applied to her in order to conceal her presence, she is adorned with a large array of runes and lines across all of her visible scales, and possibly even under her clothing by the looks of things. Before the spell concealed her presence, it was clear that she was prepared like a true Wizard for something very big that she would need a certain amount of preparation for. The lizard woman knelt in her spot, just out of view behind a convenient crystal jutting out of the ground, her hands clasped over her her lap and her tail looped around her like a circle of its own.

    Her eyes focused on Inga, her Arcane Sight fixated on the seer to take in the emotional affect, and to help her with some of the final touches of her spell. This is the component that will help her reach into Ophelia's being, the part that will let her communicate with the heart and soul of the sorrowful wraith and act as the conduit for emotional power of the others. She isn't even sure if this will work... but she understands that it plays into how her magic works just right.

    Ophelia feeds on sorrow. Hate. Despair. She will grab ahold of that rotting heart and show it that other feelings exist, other reasons to live can drive an individual. While she tries to think of the best way to direct the magic, she closes her eyes, deactivating her Sight and remaining dormant and eerily still so that she doesn't disturb the enchantment that keeps her presence hidden from view.

    When Ophelia's presence is known, she opens her eyes again and fixates her sight on Drowned Ophelia, seeking the other end of the connection. Preparing and waiting for her moment, like the coiled serpent that she is, a venom born of hope and connection boiling in her soul. All she needs is to get close and lay a hand on Ophelia, a fact already relayed to any allies waiting for the trap to be sprung.

Staren has posed:
    Staren waits some distanc e away, ready to teleport in when called. He's all for Inga and Ainsley's plan -- if it works, it will be far better than having to kill Ophelia dead.
    Since he's not that knowledgeable about the magic Inga and Ainsly are using, thoough, he's relegated to a combat and utility belt role. If things go south he's ready to fight Ophelia's minions, and if they go some other weird direction he he hopes he has the right tools.

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
In the hopes of simplifying the issue of concealing her, Yuna is still in civilian clothes - a black turtleneck sweater with a red jumper over it, rather than any kind of uniform. Elner is staying close to her as Yuna remains crouched behind one of the crystals, almost huddling underneath the spell which conceals her - as if hunkering down to minimize her physical size would make the spell more effective at hiding her.

Or maybe she's huddling against the gloom and sorrow seeping from the crystals themselves.

Although she dares not make any outward noise, Yuna is 'reciting' lyrics to some of the songs she knows - just shaping the words with her lips, not propelling any air through her mouth to give voice to them. It's something she occasionally does to fight stage fright, a charm of sorts to steady herself before a performance or other appearance when she's less than confident in how it'll go. Needless to say, 'trying to stop a girl whose sorrow and pain are basically weaponized' goes a little beyond stage fright -and the nature of this place doesn't help matters very much.

Elner's thoughts are the robo-faerie's own; one may safely presume that they're of a more tactical (and less emotional) nature than Yuna's own. And the rest of the Matrix of Light is a fairly long distance away from here; Jiina, Marina, and Erina can't help with Yuna's intended role ... but if things fall apart and combat can't be avoided, Elner is ready to call them in as needed.

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone was here too given what Ophelia did to her organic remains? Twisting them into Flesh Doll? Then Flesh Doll was used to hurt people she cares about? She was totally in on this and she had been in contact with Inga about this. She knew that Ainsley would need cover and that's somthing she could do as Kotone wasn't alone yet she was waiting behind a thermoptic cameo tarp with several drones. They were mindless and hopefully the Tear Drinkers couldn't pick those up She simply would wait for the signal now and she was ready to spring into action the drones were a trump card really she herself would b e one hell of a diversion to Flesh Doll if she was around and if not she could do a pretty good job to help restrain someone should it be needed.

White Berserker (946) has posed:
    It's at this convinent point that White Berserker materializes out from the aether near Ainsley. She was informed of something going to be going on, and for that reason she's here with the Bridal Chest at the ready, aiming to smash whatever might get into her Master's way. There's a low groan as she takes a few steps, getting herself ready for what may come.

    There are a couple people here that the Berserker Class Servant knows, Yuna and Staren of people. And there's Kotone as well. "Mmm." comes a low groan again, brushing the bangs out of her eyes so she can get a clearer vision. "Let's... be ready..." she whispers, slowly taking a couple steps. The servant was ready just in case her Master says smash.

Inga has posed:
The Seer turns toward Ophelia when she hears her approach, tears shining on her pale cheeks, despair in dark eyes. Inga walks a fine line. It is a very, very convincing performance of pain. "Release me from this...I can't stand the Knowing. I do not want to be chained to this future," she says, her voice barely above a whisper, eyes pleading.

When Ophelia moves closer, when she steps inside the unseen circle, Inga's eyes close. She raises her arms out at her sides, conducting an invisible chorus to crescendo--and lights shoot up from the stones, blood shed earlier rising up to help form the circle she and Ainsley had pre-made. All she had to do now was give it life.

She floods the circles with anima. Runes drawn into the stones glow with energy, uncanny electricity buzzing through the air, setting hairs on end. The air is heavy with potent magic, thrumming with a pulse all it's own. As long as the circle holds, Ophelia isn't going anywhere.

Ainsley (151) has posed:
    As the circle solidifies and light bursts up from it, Ainsley's own concealment enchantment fades. She squints at Ophelia, frowning at something she had seen. She isn't startled and doesn't react in reflex. Instead she reaches out with her left hand and outspreads her fingers, palm facing downward. She closes her hand, and the circle pulses, her mana holding the circle together. It would be very difficult to break it so long as the strange reptile was doing this, hidden to the side as she was.

    "Now, Yuna," she vocalized through her magic to her ally, giving her the cue to begin distracting Ophelia with the cheerful or heartfelt sounds she so despises.

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
"Can you feel that fire, scorching your soul?"
Whispers the Queen of Tears, as she lifts her chin. Her smile is quiet and sad. The Six Stringed Sorrow fades away, a ghost in the wind, as she spreads her arms wide as if to draw Inga into her embrace. To draw her into the domain of Sorrow itself.
"I'll put out your flames, Inga. You won't have to hurt like this ever again.." The ichor of the Black Tears rises around her, a miasma, twisting on itself - one part liquid, one part smoke. Pale blue arms move to curl about the Seer one last time-
And then the lights go on. Crystals flare to life around the broken creature, and she draws back, confusion evident upon her features. She smears a palm against her eye, breath hitching as she steps back. The power about crackling against her affects, the Death Metal hesitating - mistepping. And then she refocuses, her bright eyes turning towards Inga. And chin dips, the tendrils of black tears thrashing.
"-Betrayal-" She whispers. And Death Metal HAMMERS to life once more. Quickly, now!
THEMESONG SHIFT: Lita Ford - 'Betrayal'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E0e_Q4i7Gs

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
o/~    Uninterrupted feelings are my guidepost
    From where I crouched here, I'll go to a continuing tomorrow, with you

Yuna begins singing even as she steps out of the spell of concealment, and Elner triggers her transformation at the same moment - a swirl of wind and light that starts at Yuna's feet and rises upwards around her body, forming not only her Light Suit, but a couple of extra pieces of equipment - specifically, a pair of small but efficient speakers, hanging at either side of her waist from the belt she's wearing over her Light Suit, and a sleek-looking microphone which materializes in Yuna's hand. No sooner have the speakers materialized on Yuna's figure than the instrumental backing for her chosen song starts playing from them, a bridge leading from the first two lines into the body of the song.

o/~    No matter how many times I get lost when I can't read the wind's direction
    The image I always go by isn't much, I think

o/~    Even though I often see days when I smile through tears,
    My feelings overflow to the point of running off the map

Ophelia is already engaging in her own musical onslaught; Yuna winces a little at the Death Metal kicking in, but she stands her ground - physically and mentally, spiritually ...

o/~    Everything is tied together ... !

... and artistically. Elner actually cranks up the volume a little on Yuna's mobile karaoke rig as the blonde idol/magical girl/paladin launches into the first chorus - like an old-fashioned battle of the bands, simply trying to out-music Ophelia. But it's not just a matter of raw musical force; Yuna is focusing her heart and her will into the song, emphasizing her feelings of togetherness and optimism.

o/~    Today's the day that's changing into the best future
    Making it a place to be proud even of yesterday's tears
    The pain that we shared, those dreams we discussed,
    Now let's hold them closer in both hands, together

Staren has posed:
    Staren appears nearby in a flash of light. "Not betrayal. Saving you." He unclips something from his waist and then is suddenly charging, swinging a glowing purple energy sword at the tendrils to try and cut them!

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone Yamakawa is making sure she's ready this is certainly is not a time to jump the gun she waits cloaked she's not sure about the music but she does her best to ignore it. She's really come to have little love for Death Metal after the issues with the Tear Drinkers. Yuna's song is a very welcome change a as she waits ffor the signal to go she knows it's almost time and maybe just maybe she'll start to sing herself which could be a side effect of haging about Steven and the Crystal Gems.

Kotone's drones don't move but she does she moves cloaked for the moment trying to close in on Drowned Ophelia and she's in and has her combat knife out as she goes to town on the tentacles because? Well shes' got reasons to really, really /hate/, tentacles. Also her spider drone turrets are moving for Inga once Kotone is away to plant themselves and give her some cover should it be needed.

White Berserker (946) has posed:
    The circle is there and Yuna's starting to sing and there she goes. It doesn't take the Berserker too long to know what needs to be done and she groans lowly again. The Bridal Chest sparks and off she runs towards Ophelia, "Get... Away..." she groans out, the Berserker class servant's weapon is raised, charging in those boots! She makes a loud scream and barrels towards the Drowned One and, as soon as she gets close, she lets the weapon dissapear to grab at Ophelia to try and hold her still for her Master

    "You... are mine...." she scowls, "YOu... won't escape...."

Inga has posed:
Inga backs away from Ophelia, having no desire to be impaled again. That would put a hitch in their plan. Inga was sure they would need as much power as they could muster, and Inga had a part to play still.

Using her staff to aid her, the witch pulls herself to her feet, facing Ophelia. "No, Ophelia. Not betrayal. You were trying to help me, I know...now we will help you. Save you from yourself--purge you of the black tears!" she says, Yuna's music blooming around them, suffusing the air with /hope/. Upbeat rhthms and major chords clash with the driving power and discordant guitars as magic swirls around them. A true clash of wills.

"Let go of the pain Ophelia...the pain does not free you--it makes you it's slave! Accept that the pain is there, but do not let it drown you. I SEE you still, the girl that loved. The girl that only wanted to be accepted. She is within you and I will pull her out!" she shouts, opening her third-eye wide. The wyrd explodes before her, layer upon layer, path upon path, twisting, turning, overlapping and intertwining. An overwhelming tapestry, writhing like a living beast in a fathomless sea. Inga must swim through it, sort through the strands and follow them back...find the one, pulsing thread...find the core that is Ophelia.

And they must bring it to the surface.

Ainsley (151) has posed:
    "The undoing of your sorrow will be your very desire to spread it to others. You have opened up the connection, and now here I stand."

    Ainsley rises from her kneeling position before she says this. The words ring out when she slips into the chaos with a practiced grace. She moves like a ghost, a gust of wind. She then reaches out and tries to physically rest her hand across Drowned Ophelia's face while she speaks those words. The runes on her body light up as the connection is established... she tries to strengthen the signal that Inga is projecting and direct it to where the humanity in Ophelia can be found. Like a lance of white hot light, the sensation of Hope and Comfort and Connection rolls off of her, and even the blue in her eyes turns to white, her feathers glowing, the colors in her body becoming oversaturated, her silhouette blurring.

    "This is an intervention, Ophelia. You are addicted to a darkness that smothers the other vital parts of humanity. Sorrow deserves its place, but now you must be reminded of the rest."

    And she lays into the Black Tears with every ounce of prepared Good Feelings she's got. It will not make Drowned Ophelia happy...

    "You have spread so much pain. It is time to rest now. Find understanding in others now."

    Her voice resonates through the air as the runes all over her scales burst to life with blue light. The spell is fully active.

    Damn, that is bright.

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
The snarling, broken CREATURE that is Drowned Ophelia twists her head back as Yuna begins THAT MUSIC. The Queen of Tears grits her teeth, twisting her head towards the -newest- threat just as Ainsley shows herself. Just as the full depth of the trap becomes evident. Well - first thing's first! She lashes her hand aside at Inga; And the ectoplasmic Black Tears respond, as brittle and razor sharp as glass as they look to tear the Seeress from this world once more in a glorious rip of dea-
SHATTERED. Staren's glowing sword rips through the tendrils, Ophelia twisted around by the blow. She pivots, claws swiping towards-
CLANG! Kotone's knife catches the edge, blocking that brutal hurt from ever happening. And still that MUSIC. That warm, fuzzy, hopeful -thing- that is twisting up the sound of her hateful grief. "AUGH! SHUT UP YOU STUPID LITTLE-!" She hisses at Yuna.

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
Then she lifts her wrist to her own mouth, teeth bared as she prepares to open a vein; A suicide hobby. Release the agony of -
ZAP! She shrieks, hateful and thrashing, as the White Berserker grabs her up. HUGS HER EVEN. There is madness in her eyes, madness and hate as she stares down at the creature that holds her. The patter of tears fall from her cheek, hissing and bubbling where they strike living skin; Sorrow can burn like acid, it can etch itself into the very soul if left unchecked. Those who have dealt with depression know just how dangerous it can be, and here it is, oozing out in living metaphor. The miasma of Black Tears rising once more, curling over her shoulders like spider's limbs - preparing to tear -into- the Berserker.

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
"Save me?" She spits, towards Staren. Then giggles madly, the laughter choked off into a snarl as the White Berserker Bride squeezes tighter. "I'll pull apart your -life-, thread by thread, and let you see just what -living- means." Eyes for Kotone now, wild and mad. "And -you-. I've already taken -your- heart, tin can; Don't you want to be whole once more?"
And finally for Berserker. She's suddenly calm. Frozen. Smiling wicked and dark, even as trickles of the black ichor flow down her black lips. "Escape? No.. I'm going right.. inside.. -you-.." The 'spider limbs' flex out, glinting as they sharpen, ready to plunge into the Servant's back-

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
And INGA TO THE RESCUE. She screams, twisting her head aside. Squinting into that glowing third eye as she spits her hate in a wordless shriek, before hissing, the spider limbs losing their vigor beneath Yuna's HOPEFUL SONG. But the thread is found - her broken heart. Cold but not still, beating in time with the rhythmn of her maddening grief - the power of a misery unleashed. But if Inga laid the spear, it is Ainsley who drives it home. Her forehead is cold, cold as death itself, and she twists her head as if to bite those very hands that try so hard to save her. Any hurt she can spread, -any- pain she can share. -Anything-.
But there is no hurt here, in the crystal valley - the pure ground will not take her taint. She turns her head as the brightness grows, the thumping heart in her chest glowing as -happiness-.. as -forgiveness-.. as -hope- wind their way through her darkness like molten poison. Her scream rises, and for one moment the broken thing knows -fear-.
Thumpa, thump.. Thumpa, thump goes her stone heart.
Thumpa... thump.... thumpa...... th... um.... p..
An explosion. A concussive force, shoving outwards, black glass sent flying in all directions. The last kiss of the Queen of Tears as she is poisoned by the very thing she so sought to destroy.

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
o/~    I still don't know where this place is, but
    I'm sure this single-minded feeling won't stop

o/~    Even the road before my eyes doesn't indicate its destination
    I discovered that day when you and I could meet ...

Yuna's full focus right now is on her singing; her eyes are closed to assist her concentration, and it's probably just as well. She doesn't see the struggle unfolding, and while she hears Ophelia snarling at her, it's easier for Yuna to shut that out and focus on the song, trusting in her allies to keep Drowned Ophelia contained.

o/~    Let's connect to tomorrow --

And then the explosion, the shower of black glass shards.

Yuna isn't ready for that; Elner *is*, though, and a shimmering field of golden light flares into existence, a force barrier intercepting the shards which would have struck Yuna and depriving them of forward momentum. Some of the glass shards simply tumble to the ground, others carry enough inertia to bounce back in Ophelia's general direction before gravity lays claim to them as well.

And Yuna, slightly rattled by Ophelia's scream and the explosion which followed it, just keeps singing.

o/~    Today's the day that the best power is born
    Because we're in a place where yesterday's passion sparkles
    Colliding and cuddling, let our bonds grow stronger
    And resound to the sky's edge, even more

Inga has posed:
There it is, pure and bright and heart's-blood red, thrumming with the music of Ophelia's soul. A core thread of her wyrd. A bright moment from which others have woven themselves--her heart, cold, will flood again with the myriad emotions that make up existence.

Inga nods to Ainsley, feeling it when Ainsley delivers the gift they've so carefully prepared. Every times Ophelia had killed her, mained her, kidnapped her...all worth it. All that painful research and soul searching culminates into this moment. Many had suffered at her hands...and now, that would cease.

The dark glass through which Ophelia's soul had interacted with the world shatters, the blast knocking Inga back, shards sinking into her flesh--sevel in her stomach, one in the chest, two in her left arm and one embedded in her cheek. She'd been helping to fuel the circle, not her own wards. Inga falls backward, gasping, blood soaked hands reaching for her chest and her stomach, using her right hand to pull the slippery shards from her flesh as she chants the words to her healing spell--because if she's hurting this badly, others will be worse. Ainsley was closer to her than Inga...and as far as she knows, Ainsley doesn't come back if killed.

Ainsley (151) has posed:
    Ainsley isn't about to falter when this dark creature experiences pain like this. She knows that if she does, someone here was gonna get seriously hurt. She knew she must be someone to depend on. She knew there was only two way this was going to end: Victory, or complete failure. There was no more room for failure, not when she's seen what Ophelia can do.

    She is like a glowing, reptilian angel smiting a demon, the pure emotion rippling through the air... and then washing down like a soft rain after the explosive force. Ainsley is thrown backward, the impact cracking the magic circle beneath them. She slams into the ground and tumbles, letting out a loud animal-like squeal of pain as she quickly pushes herself up to her hands and knees. She had taken the majority of the blast being as close as she was. The last sting of Drowned Ophelia stabbed into her body in a couple places, leaving shards that hissed and bubbled in her flesh, and the caress of one of those biting shards had left a sizzling groove along her face. She expels the sensation of acidic sorrow quickly with her inner positivity, but this day was going to leave a lasting mark on her. Several new scars already forming where the deadly black had struck her.

    Her nerves scream at her, and her body trembles, but she doesn't pass into sweet unconsciousness. She chokes and gags and slumps to a seat there on the ground, hands still in the dirt and grass.

    Tears roll down her face, the emotional vestiges reminding her of a long, frustrating life without answers that she had endured. She looks alright, not actively crying, apparently trying to regain her composure with slow, deep, shaky breaths. Then she pulls the more stubborn shards out of herself, one at a time, a physical representation of her rejection of what Ophelia represents: An aimless dark pit, where she would never have found the light she craved. A place she almost fell into, once. She growls and hisses against her own pain.

    She looks messed up. She's going to need that spell, because she's losing more blood than she might realize, growing steadily weaker...

    Until, healing or not, she nearly slumps over, her strength wavering under the stress of her magic, the moment and the impact.

    She holds her consciousness, because her spell isn't done.

White Berserker (946) has posed:
    Berserker's holding on tight towards Ophelia, not wanting to let this thing go, otherwise her Master would be mad. "Right... inside?" she eyes the wicked smile and a frown is given... those limbs are given a look but she holds herself tightly to Ophelia. The white dressed Servant's eyes go wide as she holds steady, waiting for the impact... but there, fortunately, isn't one. At least, not directly...

    That explosion happens and that concussive force threatens to rip White Berserker off of that sadness-imbued woman... the black glass embeds itself into the Servant, a loud groan of pain is given as more prana is drained to try and heal those wounds, shifting a bit to hopefully try and prevent more hitting her Master. "You... shall not... hurt my Master!" she growls in pain, clutching tightly to Ophelia...

Staren has posed:
    With Kotone fblocking Ophelia's attack, Staren's free to plunge the beam sword into-- Oh right. Trying not to kill her this time. Staren hesitates awkwardly for a split second, then as the miasma of tears forms spider legs, he tries to cut them, instead...

    Staren's share of the glassplosion sends him tumbling back, glass lodged in his armor, some components damaged. He sits up from the ground where he fell. "She exploded? Did we literally kill her with kindness? Ainsley! Stay with us!" He pulls thos advanced bandages from his bag, plucking bits of glass free and covering the wounds. "Hang in there!"

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone Yamakawa blade catches claws and she looks right at them. "Don't like Jpop? Maybe we could get some Jbabypop idol death metal?" She's just trying to stay alive she lustens to Ophelia cackl and lose it. "I am me, the shell doesn't matter!"

That's all Kotone has to say on that as she moves attempting to bring up the blade again and Ophelia might notice Kotone's a hell of a lot stronger than she used or she's figured out how to use her powers a hell of a lot better. It's likely the other the Turrets meanwhile will cover Inga as best they can taking shots and she's also very worried about Ainsley too both she and Inga are puging a lot of souls into this attempt.

"Everything ends even nightmares, Ophelia."

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
The flickering shadows of Sorrow rise like a storm cloud - and slowly, achingly begin to dissipate. And in Berserker's arms, a silouette in the evaporating cloud? .. A woman. Long brown hair, pale skin. Black shirt, torn jeans. Spiked bracelets.
Ophelia. Her heart is still glowing, pulsing, and somewhere within - a tooth on a chain? A necklace? It slowly fades away, her heart still.
Her eyes are wide, confusion and fear written on her features. Twin swords jangle on either side of her hips, useless in this situation. But it does not appear to be the GIANT LIGHTNING BRIDE that scares her so - it's her own body. She's gasping, mewling, head thrashing as she fails to draw breath. Drowning, even as her sneakers kick and thrash in the air, eyes wide, the veins on her face and pale limbs standing out in strain. There is nothing she can do, held in White Berserker's grasp, surrounded by enemies/friends/saviors/assassins. No ichor; No miasma. No DEATH METAL QUEEN. -Human-. As Kotone said - even nightmares must end.
NEW IMAGE
http://tinyurl.com/znmeyol

But that magic is not done, even as the circle cracks. For Ainsley and Inga can -feel- that something has gone wrong. The poison of kindess slithering through the ethereal threads, past -this- Ophelia, flowing back towards the Sea of Black Tears, far over the horizon. And in its depths, something -else- glows; A sputtering light, a flexing hand in the darkness, quickly smothered beneath the endless, freezing grip of the black waters..

Inga has posed:
Inga feels the misery and sorrow from the shards trying to seep into her soul, the oily blackness, the dark tentacles trying to get inside...

It's a damned familiar feeling. It brings her back to another blackness, another dark madness trying to get its filthy fingers into her brain...a man without a face, ichor dripping from an ear...

The black tears try to overwhelm.... Inga shrugs it off. She tells it, in the most appropriate words, to BUZZ OFF. "Our wisdom flows so sweet..." she murmurs, crawling to Ainsley. There's plenty of blood to work with, no need to open a vein now. She lays her hand upon Ainsley, crimson hand-print sinking in to infuse her with life energy to help her heal and give her strength.

Inga looks toward Ophelia, crawling toward her. "Shhh...Ophelia, breathe..." she says, but she knows something in not quite right. There's something stretching further, something...deeper... what went wrong?

Inga looks to Ainsley, eyes wide. She shakes her head, then looks back to Ophelia. They'd done /something/!

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
o/~    Something akin to self-satisfied pride
    Was getting worn down under a heel
    I recognized when it was that I stumbled
    If I turn and look there, there's a smile
    I won't pull away from the hand that clapped me
    On the back; let's start running together

If Yuna is aware that Drowned Ophelia is on the cusp of being no more - that their efforts have succeeded, and Ophelia is free from the Sea of Black Tears as Inga and Ainsley had been planning on - she doesn't let that knowledge stop her from singing. She knows that the explosion and the shower of 'glass' meant *some*thing, though - and where before, she was singing in clear defiance of the Sea of Black Tears and its vessel, her song now is more supportive, encouraging - strengthening and reinforcing.

Yuna may fit most of the description of a magical girl; however, she doesn't truly possess any real magic. That is, not unless you count the 'magic' that even mundane music represents - songs that bring people together, that support their hearts and connect their spirits; music that conveys emotions in a form independent of conscious language, then adds words to give those emotions a clearer form.

o/~    Any time is changing into the best future
    Making it a place to be proud even of yesterday's tears
    The pain that we shared, those dreams we discussed,
    Now let's hold them close in both hands
    Surpassing the wind that blows through my breast
    Colliding and cuddling, let our bonds grow stronger
    And resound to the sky's edge, more and more with you

And Yuna's emotions and spirit are all bent towards helping drag Ophelia back out of the Black Tears' clutches .... never to kill her, never to destroy her, but to open the path for her to live free of the Tears' influence.

If Ophelia can hear one thing as she hovers on the edge between life and death, Yuna wants her to hear a song that leads her away from oblivion, and welcomes her once more among the living. And *that* drives her song through the final chorus. Only once she's finished singing does Yuna open her eyes, taking a moment - oh so brief - to catch her breath and see where things are, see if she needs to switch songs and keep singing ...

Ainsley (151) has posed:
    "..."

    Ainsley wheezes and seats herself on the ground. She turns her attention toward Ophelia, as her wounds are mended enough that she doesn't have to worry about passing out from the pain or any other factors. She looks at Inga, grimacing in sympathy but finding little to say. She knows that Inga would just return to life if she expired, so she doesn't worry about it beyond the empathy of seeing a friend in a bad state.

    "Berserker, let her go. We've done what we could," she tells the Servant. She reaches out and rests a hand on Inga's shoulder meaningfully, and relays with a bit of telepathy, another perk of her magic, "<It seems there is more to this story than first appeared. At least we know a good way to neutralize her power for a while...>"

White Berserker (946) has posed:
    Berserker continues to hold onto her target, watching what's going on with her in her hands... she tilts her head and frowns, making sure that she isn't going to harm anyone else as her Master gives the command. She kneels down, slowly lying Ophelia on the ground and backing away, giving her some space just in case. She looks between Inga, Yuna, Staren, Kotone and her master, tilting her head. She knows nothing's okay right now, that sky is proof of it...

    "Be... careful..."

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
Ophelia is laid on the ground, and her hands immediatly go to her throat. Gagging, and coughing as she curls in on herself; Black ichor comes from her mouth, sticky as tar, settling and twisting on itself atop the crystals. Unable to sink, and unable to rise, it simply takes the form of the Six Stringed Sorrow. Then shivers and evaporates away, unable to hold itself without the maddening grief.
The young woman herself stumbles back to her feet, knees practically knocking together as she tries to keep her balance. Wiping her nose on her knuckle before she pulls the twin blades from her belt. Panting, her voice hoarse.
"Wh-" She coughs. "Where is it? What is this? What happened to the temple?!" She's turning, blades held at chest level, trying to keep an eye on everyone at once while simultaneously holding her balance.
It's not going so well. Inga-Ainsley-Berserker-Staren-Kotone-Yuna, and back again. The points of the blades wavering as her eyes keep trying to drift closed.
"Who are you?!" The blades finally settling towards - Staren! Or Kotone. Back to Staren! And his glowing blade!
And back to Yuna. Swaying on her feet. ".. What are you -doing-?"

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone Yamakawa is lowing her weapon a bit now she has to make sure it's over she peers at Ophelia. She lowers her weapon but doesn't put it away she needs to be certain it's all right she'll notput her guard guard down just yet. She does take enjoyment from Yuna's song though she sees why she's managed to get notice in the multiverse. She looks to White Berserker nodding. "Right we should be caregfful."She pauses for a moment at Ophelia and lowers her wepaon now.

"Easy, easy you have had a hell of bad trip, Ophelia." She fully puts away her weapon now.

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
For now, Yuna lowers the microphone, giving Ophelia a friendly (and nonthreatening) smile. "My name's Yuna; I was asked to help rescue a friend of ours."

The fact that Ophelia wasn't a friend *yet* is just a detail of past tense vs. future tense, not something she's going to worry about overmuch. Yuna tucks the microphone into a loop on her belt, a loop which seems designed to hold it, and keeps her hands visible now that they're both empty.

She *could* say more ... but Yuna's probably going to let Inga take the lead, at least for now.

Inga has posed:
Inga is healing--but it hurts like hell. Another thing she is getting used too, which is...messed up, to say the least.

She nods to Ainsley. "It will buy us time," she replies quietly.

Inga rises, leaning more heavily on her staff than usual. She limps slowly toward Ophelia. "Ophelia...it's alright. It's alright we are here to help you," she says, trying to sooth her. She'll use a spell if she must, but Ophelia's been through enough magic today.

Oh, gods, she's forgotten everything.

It is not what they had wanted. This was not the result they had planned for...

but it was something.

Inga represses a sigh. Oh, how they'd wanted this to be over...but the path is not yet at an end. Just a small reprieve.

Inga looks to Ainsley, her eyes expressive of her disappointment. They'd need to discuss this later. Right now...what is to be done with her?

"You had an accident Ophelia...you haven't been yourself. You probably do not remember. It's alrigt...we'll help you. I'm Inga," a woman alarmingly covered in blood with wounds that are healing before their eyes.

Staren has posed:
    "...You don't remember us?" Staren deactivates his sword and stands. "I'm Staren. We... we were trying to save you from what you'd become, but I guess there was some memory loss..."

White Berserker (946) has posed:
    Berserker's just here, standing near Ophelia. She's unarmed right now but... she was unfamiliar with this situation and what happened. She just holds her place and stares at Ophelia as everyone else introduces themselves for a possible second time. She tilts her head a bit, trying to understand what might be going on.

    "Berserker...." she starts, "Master... is helping..."

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
"A friend?"
Ophelia looks even more confused than ever, her brows drawing down over her thin nose as she stares at Yuna. Watching the heavily armored woman - put a microphone back up.
What. The. ****?
She slowly straightens up, spinning her swords about and sheathing them in one smooth motion along either hip. Her focus on Staren for a moment, that same bewildered expression. She drops her gaze towards his tail. Then over towards Berserker. And finally to Staren, before pointing a finger at - White Berserker.
"You want me to believe I'm friends with.. a -demon-?"
And to Kotone, she draws back a few steps. She hasn't pulled weapons yet, but! ".. No, that's.. I don't remember any of you." Eyes towards Inga and Ainsley. "And I -know- I don't know you. Who sent you? The Emperor? I .. "
A pause, and her eyes travel back to Staren. Between that strange cat-thing and Kotone. ".. The temple. There was .. someone there. A man.." Her frown deepens, even as she rubs her temple. A quiet trickle of black ichor sliding down her cheek.
".. what happened?" She finally asks, calming down.

Inga has posed:
"You do know us...but you don't remember. You have been...very sick, Ophelia. Give us time, and we shall explain. Tell you what we know. But now you should rest. You've been through a lot," she says. "We were not sent by the emperor and there are no demons here. We only want to help you," she says, looking briefly to the trickle of black ichor. That is not encouraging.

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
"It's all right, Ophelia," Yuna says, still smiling gently. "You were a different person for a while, so you might still be confused .. but we're not going to hurt you."

She steps closer, crouching, and holding a hand out to Ophelia - palm tilted up so it's visible, and it's clear she's not hiding anything, but otherwise angled to shake hands, or just clasp hands briefly with Ophelia. "It's good to meet the real you at last."

Staren has posed:
    Staren smiles. "I could be a friend, if you want me to."

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
Forgotten Ophelia frowns once more, looking towards Inga and Ains. Momentarily distracted from the faint shadow of memories in her mind - and in her heart. She then looks to Yuna, and down at the proffered hand. Back to Yuna. A hesitation-
And then she clasps hands. Wrist to wrist. "Hail and kill." She greets, that confused frown on her face. Before waving a hand.
".. Come on. I'll.." She glances around at the crystal valley. ".. show you how to avoid the Coils patrols. If they come out this far.."

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone Yamakawa has put her weapon away at this poind she nods. "IF that is the case then I'm afraid. You need time to heal as Inga said we'll explain more when you can recover a bit first. You had a hell of a day." She notices the ichor, and wonders maybe they will have to take out the sea entirely to stop it's curse?