6603/Old Schoolhouse Exploration 1

Old Schoolhouse Exploration 1
Date of Scene:	19 May 2019
Location:	Thors Military Academy - Old Schoolhouse
Synopsis:	The exploration team investigates the third floor of the Old Schoolhouse.
Cast of Characters:	7002, Bahamut, Staren, Rean Schwarzer
Tinyplot:	Old Schoolhouse Exploration
Tinyplot2:	Trails of Cold Steel 1

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Mikoto Shimizu (7002) has posed:
Mikoto looked around for something to do, something exciting and dangerous...but obviously not completely suicidal.  She was, after all, just a normal girl.  This mission seemed like something she could do to pass the time and get a bit of that excitement she was craving.  She was dressed in a green blouse with a pair of black pants.  

She also had a wooden kendo stick with her, resting on her back.  Rean introduces the three classmates and she gives a little bow, "Nice to meet you!" she says cheerfully enough, and walks in with the group like she belongs.  

While people investigate the button, she climbs on the platform.  Seems like the obvious place to investigate first!

Bahamut has posed:
     As the others are gathering, a large dark shadow passes overhead. The source of the shadow slowly spirals downward to land in front of the building, revealing itself to be a metallic dragon of imposing height and build. He crosses his arms as he looks the gathering of humans over, then bows his head politely. "I am Bahamut. It is nice to meet all of you." he says politely before following them inside.

     It takes him a bit of work to get through the normal human-sized doorways, and so he is slow to join them on the platform. "Hmm. Some kind of elevator?" he asks the group of young people who seem familiar with the situation.

Staren has posed:
    Staren is wearing the same armor he was in Germany -- it may or may not be something out of science fiction in this world. The catman nods in greeting to Rean's classmates. "Of course." He pulls what appear to be smartwatch-bracelets and glasses from his bag, offering sets to anyone who wants them. "These will allow us to share tactical data -- see eachothers' locations through walls, as well as those of enemies that any of us is looking at."

    Staren looks at the panel. "What do the numbers mean? Or do you have no idea yet? ...Is this just an elevator? So, which of the floors have you already cleared?"

    Once they've chosen a floor, he starts deploying small quadrotor drones to map the area.

Rean Schwarzer has posed:
Varying degrees of 'whoa what' crosses Class VII's faces when Bahamut lands. Elliot in particular stares at Bahamut for a few moments before heading inside with the others. "N-Nice to meet you too..." Elliot stammers, a bit intimidated. All three take the bracelets and the glasses, with Alisa fiddling around with hers, not unlike how Rean did when he got his.

Rean and his classmates are already on the platform as well, seeing as there's room for all of them. "That's exactly what it is." Gaius says. "We've only gone through 3 floors so far."

Rean shrugs. "Ok, If we're all ready, let's get started." Rean says, pushing the button labeled '3.'  The platform shudders, and begins to lower passing by 2 other floors before stopping

Once on the third floor, you find that it's dimly lit, and there's two large doors.

"Uh...Hmm." Rean says. "Looks like we'll have to split up. Alisa, Gaius, Elliot and I will go one way and you guys can go the other. Be careful! "  He says, and leads his group through the door on the right.

Once you go through the doors, you hear the sound of water. There's a whole bunch of bridges The passageway is large and tere's a whole bunch of paths, including a few yellow bridges across the water.  

Staren: Your drones successfully start to map the area- There's a lot of different paths through, as well as a few hourglass looking devices with yellow lights, and a blue unlit crystal beneath it.  Some of the paths don't have ways across the water, but there IS blue lights on the edges of the gaps.

There's this large and vaguely Rat-rabbit looking monster prowling around. It spots you, and charges into battle!

Rean Schwarzer has posed:
The ratbit charges at you, and it has some very sharp whiskers. It charges at Mikoto and Staren, and then turns to slash at Bahamut with its whiskers.

Bahamut has posed:
     Bahamut can't help but smirk lightly at the stares and the stammering from the teens. "Nice to meet you." he says back to Elliot before they ride the elevator down. "Is this magic or technology?" he asks, even though he is fairly certain he would be able to tell after a bit of observation.

     When they reach the third floor down and Rean declares they should split up, Bahamut rumbles uncertainly. "If you are sure. I would feel responsible if one of you was injured because I was not there to assist you when we were asked here for that exact purpose." he says.

     But, it seems the decision is made, and so Bahamut follows Staren and Mikoto. "If I had to guess, I would say these hourglass devices are connected to the bridges somehow." he says before...raising an eyeridge as that creature shows up. "Is this a dungeon of some kind?" he muses to himself as the ratbit charges. Bahamut crouches down somewhat and brings his arms up, and the sharp whiskers glance off his thick hide, striking metal sparks in the process and leaving a small gash in one of his plates.

     He lowers his arms after the attack, revealing his confident smirk is still in place. "It seems this world has fiends of its own." he says before slashing at the creature with both sets of his razor sharp hand talons. "And I am sure it will fall just as easily!"

Mikoto Shimizu (7002) has posed:
The Rabbit is a BIT faster than expected, coming in with those dangerous whiskers before diving past her.  Mikoto barely avoids being hit head-on, instead of being cut on the side as she just seems to just barely get out of harm's way.  Ow!

"Ouch...hey that hurt!" she says, surprised, and then grabs her Kendo stick, and proceeds to try and hit the Rabbit pretty hard.  Managing to swing the weapon in a downward angle to try and smack the crap right out of it. There is an unamused look on her face now as if the realization that this place might be dangerous.

Or she's just really focused on hitting.

Staren has posed:
    "Magic shaped to a purpose /is/ technology." Staren observes. "But if you mean does it run on electricity or not, well..." Staren's scanners should quickly be able to check that!

    "Hourglasses and bridges? You think it's a timed switch thing, we have to make it over the bridge before the hourglass runs out? But, we can fly..."

    And then: Monster! Staren takes aim and blasts it with the twin particle beam cannons on his arm, then activates his forcefield just as the creature smashes into it, cracks spiderwebbing all across its surface and sending Staren skidding back a few feet!

Rean Schwarzer has posed:
Staren's scanners detect not electricity but magic, actually!

The ratbit falls, taking too much damage from everyone's attacks.

Alisa's voice comes over the comlink. "It's not timed, but the yellow bridge retracted itself when we hit the switch." Gaius chipped in in next. "If you can fly, it might just be better to bypass the switches."

The nearest bridge is yellow, but there's also what looks like a floating upside down obelisk and a vine covered quadripedal rock on the otherside. There's also one of those hourglass switches and a retracted blue bridge.

Bahamut has posed:
     "Quite true." Bahamut says to Staren, then smirks. "But, using electricity as the distinguishing feature could also be folly. Magic could easily generate electricity. Perhaps...magic or mundane would be most appropriate? I would say magic or scientific, or magic or mechanical, but magic is too versatile and often considered a science."

     The ratbit is taken care of easily it seems, and it is suggested that they fly rather than use the switches. Bahamut looks over at the vine covered rock...and finds it odd that a rock has four limbs. A table or platform of some kind? Or...

     He spreads his wings, then looks to Mikoto. "If you cannot fly, I am quite happy to carry you." he says. Whether she accepts or not, he makes his way over the divide to the rock, leaving the obelisk to Staren and his scanners. Once there, Bahamut looks the rock over for signs of activity before giving it a light poke with a claw.

Mikoto Shimizu (7002) has posed:
Mikoto gets a good weak shot on the Rabit, and it goes poof and dies.  Wiping her forehead, and getting another selfie of herself and the dead monster, she looks towards Bahamut who offers her a ride.  Well, that's embarrassing, but there doesn't appear to be any other way across right?

"Uh sure....how do we handle this?" she asks, and with aid will likely get carried across without much effort.  She is pretty light, as she is literally just a school girl of athletic build.

Staren has posed:
    The ratbit goes down. "The problem is that, in both our languages it seems, the terms are overloaded. Magic and technology, in more common parlance, are more about the trappings. Magic deals with spells, and leylines, and spiritual energies, technology deals with particles and circuits and engines and whatnot. A useful shorthand, but sometimes it falls apart. In a more technical -- or perhaps 'arcane' -- sense" he smirks at his little joke, "technology is any work of applied knowledge, and magic is anything people don't understand. If we had four words for these four concepts, instead of two, things would be much less confusing."

    Staren flies over to scan the obelisk. His magical scanners are a bit less sophisticated than his electromagnetic and space-time ones, but they should at least show if any energy is flowing into or out of the thing, and from or to where.

Rean Schwarzer has posed:
The rock doesn't like being poked and tries to kick Bahamut in the face with a backflip! Also, the obelisk is alive, and isn't ok with people messing with its buddy! It hovers up and down aggressively, glowing with a golden light. Staren's sensors pick up space-tinted magical energy flowing into into it from the environment. Also, his drones are done scanning. There's a short staircase and a door not too far away if you just straight up fly over the gaps in the path!

Mikoto Shimizu (7002) has posed:
Her ride is hit, Mikoto hangs on before putting out her Kendo stick again.  Trying to struggle on the back of Bahamut, she swings her stick towards the face of the backflipping monster.  Repeatedly hitting it because it's dangerously close to hurting her too!

"Ok, this is starting to be really dangerous!" she says, with a grin, "I'm enjoying this!"

Bahamut has posed:
     The how when it comes to carrying Mikoto it seems she settles for climbing on his back. Mikoto's modest weight doesn't even seem to register for Bahamut, almost like he is lifting a feather. Bahamut rumbles lightly at Staren as their conversation continues. "I am not sure more words are needed. Magical and non-magical seems to cover everything." he says, chuckling lightly at the joke.

     Just as Bahamut suspected, the rock was no mere rock. The backflip hits him and causes him to take a step back, but other than a dent in one of his metallic scutes he hardly seens to notice it. "Quite an interesting selection of creatures so far. Even Spira has no moving rock monsters as far as I know." he says before rearing back and delivering a strong punch with his metal fist.

Staren has posed:
    "Alright, rock." Staren faces the obelisk. "Are you gonna play nice or am I gonna have to blow you to bits?" He steps back a bit, pulling a rocket launcher out of his bag, but... if it's not attacking he sees no reason to blow it up.

Rean Schwarzer has posed:
The rock monster is falling apart, but it's not quite dead yet. It just backflips at Bahamut and Mikoto again, though. As for the obelisk, it's still mad. It stops glowing, but all that energy it built up is released, forming a small black hole!

Mikoto Shimizu (7002) has posed:
Mikoto holds on for dear life as she struggles to avoid another back flipping Stalagtite.  Oh no wait, it's a monster, StalagMITE!  Haha...she's so good at this.  Laughing, she narrowly avoids the brunt of the attack thanks to Bahamut's size and just gets a bump to the head.  

The kendo stick comes out again, this time aiming to try and find an eye and jab it right into it.  "Wooo, this is nuts!"

Staren has posed:
    Staren actually screams out in pain as tidal forces tear at his flesh! (His armor is more resistant.) He fires the rocket launcher and just tries to GET AWAY, activating wings and jumpjets and just trying to pull away!

Bahamut has posed:
     Bahamut can't help but laugh along with Mikoto as she keeps swinging while hanging on to his back. He doesn't seem to mind being used as a shield of sorts, either. "I suspect you are a bit nuts yourself." he says with a teasing grin as he makes a quick gesture with his hand. The area around the rock monster gains an icy blue tint to it and a few crystals of ice form in the air before several spears of thick magical ice suddenly explode outward just below the creature.

     Once the creature is down, Bahamut continues down the passages, carrying Mikoto with him. "If you think this is nuts, you should visit Spira sometime." he says with a chuckle and a slight shake of his head.

Rean Schwarzer has posed:
The rock finally falls, and the Obelisk decides it's had enough and flees.

Rean Schwarzer has posed:
You all continue through the caverns, fighting any monster along the way and eventually make it through to the door. There's also a circular platform with an orb shaped thing on a pillar on it. Once you walk through the door, there's two large horned and winged demons floating there. The one on the left spots you and fires a laser at you! Oh, and There's also a second door to your right.

Mikoto Shimizu (7002) has posed:
Mikoto jumps off the back of Bahamut, as they finally get to the other side sans one dead monster.  Landing, she takes another selfie with the dead monster behind her.  Oh man, this was totally going to make so many likes on Multiverse Linkedin!

Following with the rest she whistles as they continue down until they reach two demons!  Oh no, and they're blocking the way?  Most normal people would be afraid, and while Mikoto /is/ afraid, she is also very very reckless!  Taking a stance she runs forward ahead of the group, aiming to jump up into the air and swing the Kendo stick in a wide arch, aiming to try and cleave her way through them.

Aiming to land on the other side with the Kendo stick at an end of swing pose.  

Bahamut has posed:
     Bahamut growls as the laser strike leaves him with a smoldering wound in his side, then looks over at the others. "Keep clear." he says as the golden gyro on his back starts to spin. White lightning arcs over his form and into the gyro as it spins, and Bahamut lowers onto all fours. He firmly plants each hand and foot, his sharp metal claws digging into the floor to anchor him, then those arcs of energy start flowing into a growing orb in front of his open maw.

     The blinding orb of energy grows quickly until it is nearly as big around as Bahamut himself, then explodes outward in a swirling beam of white, blue, and purple more broad than the dragon unleashing it! He seeks to engulf both demons in the beam, which lasts several seconds. But, even if he doesn't manage it, the area the beam passed through explodes upward in more of that pure energy.

     When the beam tapers off, the monsters might possibly be vaporized, and the room and hallways might be blackened. But, Bahamut was careful to avoid hitting anything that looked important.

Staren has posed:
    Staren fires missiles until the obelisk is out of sight! Then he stops to rest for a moment while his medichines release pain-relief drugs. He's a bit more cautious as he follows the others, so he has time to get his forcefield up in time to take the laser (it gets whiter and less translucent where the energy hits it, like the field is deforming from stress) and raims his weapons to counterfire. But, uh... Mikoto and Bahamut seem to be pretty much already on that. With Bahamut's big fuckoff energy beam he can't even see the targets to aim at them, anyway!

    "Well."

Rean Schwarzer has posed:
Mikoto's sword stroke strikes true and Bahamut's Megaflare tears across the room, leaving scorch marks in its wake and piercing through both demons. The two demons explode spectacularly in a burst of darkness-just as the door to the right opens and out comes Rean and co. "Uh...Well then." Rean says, looking around, and rubbing the back of his head. "Guess you guys beat us." He then pauses, thinking about something for a moment. "Anyway, if that's done, we should probably head back." Alisa says, pointing out the way they came. The room they were in was a dead end, actually, with the only other doors being the ones they just came through. "Was there a platform near your door when you came in here?"

Mikoto Shimizu (7002) has posed:
    Mikoto looks proud...

    Looking behind her she see's the flare starting to build up. Looking towards the two monsters who are probably dazed from her attack, "I should skeddadle..." She says, and dives for cover as the Megaflare tears through the space she had been, and the two monsters die. In that moment, she flips out her phone to take the shot. Yessssss...

    Flipping to her feet she immediately gets behind Rean and his friends, taking a group photo with them. "Alright! Lets go back and get something to eat!"

Bahamut has posed:
     Bahamut slowly stands after his attack, then lets out a booming roar before folding his arms over his broad chest. "There is the one with the pillar and orb." he answers Rean, then nods as the suggestion to head back is made. "Sorry if I stole all the fun. Eliminating monsters is basically my full-time job." he says as he starts for the door. "Something to eat sounds good." He looks toward Staren. "Will you be joining us, Staren?"

Rean Schwarzer has posed:
"Really? It'll be good to have you on hand, then." Rean says. "Anyway, the platform thing should teleport us back to the entrance. " Mikoto's attempt at taking a selfie with the group got met with some mild bewilderment until they realized her phone had a camera in it and then they posed with her properly.