5086/TRUE PSYCHIC TALES: Heart Attack

TRUE PSYCHIC TALES: Heart Attack
Date of Scene:	12 February 2017
Location:	Afterus
Synopsis:	Flamel gathers a task team to eliminate the Heart Render.
Cast of Characters:	1094, 799, 22, 151, Priscilla, August Kohler

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Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    PREPARE YOUR MIND, TRUE BELIEVER! Last issue (No. 422), Sasha Nein and Milla Vodello finally defeated the Ghost of Watchpoint X, finally re-opening the mind's eyes of the Psychonauts to nightmare tracking again before the vile Doomthought could enact his plan! Now we turn back to fresh Psychonaut Flamel Parsons, about to lead a fresh, temporary taskforce. The fresh information from Watchpoint X has finally pinned down a location in the Collective Unconscious for the notorious nightmare, "Heart Render", and Agent Parsons intends to lead a team to hunt it down...


    Parsons has found a good spot for projection. Abandoned buildings have some of the best ambient psychic energy around! The old boarded-up theater he's chosen has been spruced up just enough to make it not horribly inconvenient to visit, and secretive eye-symbol signs marked on surfaces and the windowless black van outside mark it as, yes, the correct address. Inside, Parsons has some comfortable chairs surrounding a central round table made in a sort of prefab sixties semi-futuristic aesthetic, and surrounding it, a swarm of holoscreens moving in circular patterns, indicating the high ambient psychic energy and how he can use it, as well as data about tracking the Nightmare.

    Agent Parsons himself is in a trance at the table, oddly, sitting calmly and zoned out. There's a small... Door? A small door, yes, on his head, right on his forehead. It looks just as much like something out of spy fiction, a strange spy agency door with a triangular eye motif on it. The chairs are an invitation to sit, of course, near him at the table. And as soon as one does, the door will pop open, revealing the bright white light within, and one's ASTRAL PROJECTION is invited inside, tugged insistantly from one's body as a strange white ghostly shape.

    https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/201370883/MIND_DIVE.mp3

    Agent Parsons has a sort of jumping off point in his mindscape. A psychic spy super-plane, of course, where those who accepted the invitation will now find themselves sitting, alongside any gear they chose to bring. Looks like it's already on the way out of his mind, too. A mix between that same sixties spy fiction aesthetic with a sort of luxurious lounge, its interior has an extensive mix of psychic comforts, letting people settle in before time to go. Agent Parsons himself seems to be seated up at the front, flying the mind-jet. "So." He says. "We've tracked this one out to a region of the Collective Unconscious, but we don't have an exact location. It's looking for a breach point on minds in the Explorer archetypal range, so we're going to be out in the woods. I'm going to put us down in a clearing as close to the last sighting as I can get, I think it should visualize as a fairly wilderness sort of thing. To answer the tactical considerations early, we're expecting something that ought to manifest at human-like size, lots of melee power, and a focus on tearing into the chest. Animalistic tactics are what you'll probably have to deal with. Shouldn't be more than one target."

    The plane zips through a dramatic landscape of dark blues interspersed with "clouds" of cyan nerve-like visual motifs, but as any good spy-fiction superjet would, it soon demonstrates its vertical landing ability. As he begins having the psionic psychic superjet, projected from his mind, descend into the Collective Unconscious directly, massive "nerve trees" will become visible through the broad, rounded windows of the jet, as will the "ground" that seems like a much more solid depiction of the surface of a massive-sized human brain, creases and all. Doors, shut and locked tight, scatter through the landscape at odd angles and with odd visual motifs. True to his word, it's a clearing in the dense cyan nerve-trees, and the luxurious lounge-like interior's door opens wide into the outside.

Hisoka (799) has posed:
    Whoever thought it would be a good idea to invite Hisoka to a psychic invasion party? Of course he IS a member of the Concord. He's also got access to all kinds of information even without that faction's network. But if anyone actually asked who he was or why he was there at the initial meeting, he would've just shrugged and feigned complete ignorance as to the purpose of the gathering. Curiosity, but no actual foreknowledge. Lying blithely of course, and doing so in such an obvious manner that he might as well have admitted his information source... but that's not Hisoka's style. His style is more like he's the sort to just sit down at the table with an unconscious psychonaut, and just happen to find himself inside a mindscape, looking about with the feigned wide-eyed innocence of a child he probably never was.

    Of course even if Hisoka's innocence weren't badly feigned, his question would probably suggest he's not the naive wanderer he insincerely portrays. "What happens when we get our hands on it?" he asks. "Will it fight to survive, or just to kill?" he asks with a grin. "CAN it die?"

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    Over the centuries there have been several instances where people have claimed to be psychic. In her own world it's a different matter, and Medusa isn't unfamiliar with psychiatry herself. It's only after Flamel Parsons introduced her to the concept of mind diving that she's taken interest in actually going into other people's heads instead of just figuring them out from the outside. It's an experience that only a fool would decline. And since he needs help defeating this Heart Render thing, then why not? Perhaps she can learn something new, both about Flamel and also about just what goes on inside people's heads.

    Since she's familiar with the door and what it means, Medusa doesn't take long to take a seat. The concept of becoming an astral projection isn't too jarring either, and she opens her eyes when she finds herself onboard the plane, blinking slightly as she peers around curiously. As Flamel speaks up the witch offers a knowing smirk in his direction, listening to his intel on this mission. It sounds simple enough; fight a vicious nightmare that sounds rather feral. "Understood. Melee shouldn't be too much of a problem," she drawls. As for Hisoka's question? The witch looks amused as she casually rolls her head to look at him. It's been a while since the two of them have crossed paths, but this might be a good time to catch up. "We intend to dissect it, so I assume it can die."

    It's rather strange to be observing things like this, but then again, Medusa wasn't sure just what she expected from a collective unconscious. But she does inspect the ground closely, poking at it with her bare toes. "I assume that these doors lead to other minds?" she inquires to Flamel. Is there a way to force yourself into these doors, perhaps...?

Ainsley (151) has posed:
    Ainsley arrives by taking a company car of sorts, wearing her policewoman-like Paladin uniform with the winter lining. Once she confirmed she was in the right place, she found her way to her own seat. She hadn't much to say, though she hadn't been warned completely about how they would be doing this. She takes a seat in her chair and senses the tugging at her mind... realizing what that means fairly quickly, she allows the sensation, her eyes closing and her mental projection ending up in that psychic super-plane.

    "Understood," is all Ainsley says to Flamel, or anyone, about the mission specifics, after finding an appropriate place to stand around looking incredibly uncomfortable. She has a big frown on her face, her feathers are slightly ruffled, her tail won't stop fidgeting like a cat's would. Despite this crack in her usually mellow demeanor, she maintains a steady posture while keeping an eye on the others among the group.

    Hisoka is given a mild skeptical look, just for a second.

    Ainsley's gaze looks less intense when she spots the landscape, if that's what it should be called. She mumbles things like 'neurological symbolism' and 'doors leading to connected minds,' apparently making quiet mental notes about the properties of this mindscape.

    "A nightmare about heartbreak," she muses aloud. "Maybe its the proximity to Valentine's Day that is manifesting it like this..." She glances aside to Medusa, her question's answer interesting the feathered serpent woman just as much.

Priscilla has posed:
    Priscilla does not /quite/ know enough of these tropes to make the correct 'is this guy serious' face upon walking past an unmarked black van, and Illuminati tags, into an abandoned theatre, to sit down at a seance table. She is mostly just weirded out when she arrives to Flamel Parsons comatose (in a trance) at one end of the table, with a tiny door on his forehead. Is that always there? Nobody ever mentioned he has a door in his head. She had only met him the one time, and he had been wearing headgear.

    Of course, she had come wearing a Queen of Sunlight's regalia, but when she pops into the flying spy plane, she is wearing that big, fluffy, fur dress, and not much else, including a total lack of pendant. She almost seems surprised at this, but it looks like she knows why. One's mental image of themself isn't changed easily. She's more or less looked like this for so incredibly long that it's been very deeply internalized. The only things that aren't 'original' about her are the Scar of the Worldslayer carved into one of the platinum scales at her throat, and the Black Dragon's eye (though her normal one is back to being green again), more or less because those are parts of her psychic being now.

    Most of what she ever brings with her is . . . weapons, really. She has to make them visible to lean them up against one of the luxury VIP tables, before taking a seat, curling her fluffy tail around to her knees. It's almost a little odd, having the equally terrifying and beautiful scythe, sword and dagger right there, when she looks so much less imposing than usual.

    "Very well. And, well met once more, Sir Parsons. We had very little opportunity to speak with one another before. It wouldst almost seem unfortunate, that we hunt a quarry in the forest, once again. Aside, I am curious as to whence this 'beast' cometh from, and why it threatens thee so."

    Priscilla had been expecting a different kind of forest though. Something with leaves. You know. Normal. Most of her familiarity with what human brains look like comes from having seen people's skulls split open, so having to walk on it seems a little icky, especially seeing as she goes everywhere barefoot, and so she seems to hesitate stepping out of the plane, after picking her stuff back up. "I assure thee very well." Priscilla says to Hisoka, only glancing at him once, with a queer kind of utter seriousness. "There is nothing that cannot die."

    Otherwise, she knows Ainsley too, and knows her to be relatively harmless. Hisoka works for her now, so there's significantly less to fear from him than there ever once was. Medusa is the most unfamiliar one there, and so after very much hesitation and consideration, Priscilla turns to introduce herself. "I presume, then, that thou art dispatched from the League of Progress? Perhaps thou knoweth of me, but I am Priscilla, First of the Concord. I shalt see with mine own eyes, what it is that thou learn'st."

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    Hisoka gets a nod. "Oh, it'll fight hard! I think once it knows we're here, it'll come to us, actually. Nightmares only feel fear and hatred, and this one isn't a runner, so it's probably mostly hatred. Since it feeds on suffering and killing, surviving and killing are the same. Watch for an ambush, though. They're always watching, everywhere, you know."

    "It can definitely die, though. Haven't found an immortal Nightmare yet!" Agent Parsons assures Hisoka. "Fight it the same way you'd fight any monster, and everything will probably work out."

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    "You're right, yep!" As the group progresses out and begins the hunt, Medusa gets a nod, which is awkward now that Parsons has his "weapon" up by pressing his fingers against his temples. "You can't get through them without a bit of a stronger connection than we've got here, but when there's a real cause, you can get in through the back entrance for some minds. It helps for long-distance projections, but there's other risks for it."

    Medusa's examination of the doors leads to seeing one that appears to have been damaged! It has been smashed at from the outside by a heavy, massive clawed limb, possibly as wide as a person's arm is long. Whether or not the attacker broke through, the door is now locked tight and re-sealed, but the damage on the brightly colored construct remains.

August Kohler has posed:
Among the group of Concords, League members, and a Paladin, is one person who isn't a member of any of those factions. A teenaged redhead, August Kohler is dressed in a hoodie, wearing a mirrored bracelet over his sleeve. He has no weapons, as he joins the group through the door and into the Collective Unconsciousness quietly.

Once they're inside, August finally speaks, first introducing himself. "August Kohler. So, Nightmares. Do they have any particular weaknesses, usually? Elements? Emotions? Anything that can be used against them, or should we just strike with raw force?" There's a nod of his head to Ainsley, who he recognizes, and he does stare at Priscilla and Medusa for a few moments, as he's gotten into altercations with both of them. But her turns back to the mission at hand. "My specialties are fire and bullets. I can also buff the attributes of allies, specifically strength, agility, and endurance. If you need a buff, please ask."

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    "Could be. Jungian-type projections always are a little weird on the symbolism. Keep it in mind. Try not to fall in love, maybe? The reptilian overlord race's demands to obey, sleep, and reproduce might interact weirdly here." Oh right, Agent Parsons is /that/ guy. August has similar questions, so the next part gets a broader answer "Most of the people who hunt this thing just die before they get much of a good look at it. We don't have much data! Aside from it hurting a lot."

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    "Good seeing you again!" Agent Parsons is friendly to Priscilla, but then he's friendly to everyone. "Looks like you came well-armed for the melee. Nightmares are born out of traumas, fears, and stress. They kill and devour positive thoughts, and then when pickings get too slim or too protected, they can sometimes break out and escape into the collective unconscious. That's why they're a collective psychohazard! They can put thousands of people into a stressed or fearful state hard. The only ones qualified to put the populace into a state of fear are menacing government agencies and their agendas, when nightmares do it it just increases the risk of problems for humanity. I mean, what's worse than a person who's overstressed and afraid?, right?"

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    August is the last to get here, and enters the Collective Unconscious last. He's the only one who gets to hear something that sounds like a clawed limb impacting the jet, as if landing from a leap, before bouncing off elsewhere, right as he leaves the jet and heads down its ramp.

    Something quietly whispers, "I can see every little piece inside you..." Only August and those with super-senses will detect that, but it's already gone by the time there's a chance to react.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    The theory that Ainsley voices out loud does seem to hold some merit, and Medusa glances towards her with a slight shrug. "Perhaps. It might be premature to say at this point, but I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility. Many people do seem to act in a specific manner around that day." Humans are strange, after all.

    Of course the witch is familiar with Priscilla, even if they have not met in person before. As the woman introduces herself the witch offers a polite nod towards her, turning fully to face her. "I am, and I do know of you even if we have not crossed paths before." Perhaps her voice is familiar at least, but if not... "I am Medusa Gorgon. Mister Parsons has sparked my interest in focusing on the mind for now, and this offers a whole new way to study it... I look forward to working with you," she concludes with a bright smile that looks a bit too cheerful considering their situation.

    Another familiar face there, and Medusa looks amused as her eyes glance at August. "Mister Kohler... how pleasant to see you again in a situation where I don't have orders to attack you~" She sounds sincere...

    So, explaining their powers to the others doesn't seem like a bad move. Most of them already know what she can do anyway, so... "I can focus on quick attacks towards it and possibly create openings for the rest of you," she offers, looking around the strange mind forest. Upon seeing the battered door she does frown. "Do you think something could have escaped through here...?" she says, pointing towards it. "That door appears to have had better days."

August Kohler has posed:
August nods to Flamel. That makes sense, though he frowns. He stares at Medusa without much revelation of his feelings, replying. "Likewise, I guess." And he's about to say something else, probably about the doors...

When August freezes and shudders. He leaps to turn around, moving his mirrored bracelet up to eye level, but he doesn't see anything. When he speaks up, he's shaken. "We're not alone."

Hisoka (799) has posed:
    Anything is possible, and Flamel's particular brand of insanity is the sort of thing entirely possible in Hisoka's homeland. Unusual perhaps in the same way that Hisoka himself is unusual, but not an exception. Likewise with Ainsley or Priscilla's appearance, though they'd both certainly deserve a second glance or two. But of course Hisoka does know the Concord's leader by reputation if not by sight. She may not be as safe from his lethal intent as she might expect, but for today she's safe enough... at least from him.

    Hisoka's pupils constrict abruptly at Priscilla's assurance. Not the dilation of eager anticipation, but an altogether more disturbing sort of narrow focus. He controls himself however, turning a bland smile upon her. "But does IT know it can die?" he asks mildly. "A fight is a lot more fun when the fighters are struggling for their lives, don't you think? When they have the chance to rise above their own limits?" he says in a casual, almost conversational bantering tone.

    He seems impressed, or at least pleased, by Flamel's explanation. And yes, he does intend to keep his eyes open. As for falling in love... well, Hisoka tends to fall in love only with things he expects will be fun to kill. That won't be a disadvantage when it comes to dealing with this Nightmare, most likely.

    He glances at Medusa, and his pleasantish smile gets slightly feral. He's pleased to see her again. It's been entirely too long. But he nods. "That should be good to see. And yes, I came armed." he says, flourishing his hand to reveal a deck of playing cards that appear as if by magic. Well in this landscape maybe they did... or by an act of mental juggling at least. "Quite the collection of strong individuals here today..." he muses, conscious of the apparent non-sequitur. "I look forward to seeing every detail." he says. And he intends to do just that, keeping his senses fully alert for ambush, to be aware of both friend and foe alike. Perhaps especially he intends to be aware of friends... because today's friends are likely to be tomorrow's opponents, while today's opponents will just be dead.

Ainsley (151) has posed:
    "..."

    Ainsley was going to mention that she is in a functional relationship that has been going for more than a year but the reminder that Flamel Parsons manifests the most peculiar perception of the world creates a reaction of dumbfounded surprise. She doesn't want to contradict him -- at this point any response to that tinfoil hat comment would be contrary -- so she focuses back on other aspects of their task, which seems to draw her back to her dubiously calm state.

    "I'll focus on trying to keep it from getting in clawing range," she tells the others, "If it only attacks at close range then the threat can be greatly lessened." ... "Or I just anger it and it singles me out. Either way it will be easier to fight," she tells the others, her eyes half-lidding at remembering most of the times she's been out fighting things like this.

    August's remark gets her to pull a metal-bound book out from her coat, holding it at the ready in a similar fashion to what he's doing. While holding that, she carefully walks across the gross brain landscape to get a closer look at the door possessing those huge claw marks.

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    "Definitely, no question." Agent Parsons nods to Medusa. "Breaking into and out of minds, that's how the Nightmares work. Whether it got in or got out doesn't matter if--" And then August reports what he's heard and Agent Parsons immediately takes cover near a tree, one hand held out like a pistol. "If it's still here. You might be able to find something more if you look for the traces. Might give some insight, but don't look too hard if it takes too much focus." He says, in an unnerved tone. "Get ready. It's been aggravated somehow. I think--" Then there's a moment where he's interrupted. By what, exactly, will be explained shortly.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    If she's upset by the feral grin, Medusa doesn't show it. Rather, Hisoka gets a pleased smile. "I'm glad you are prepared. Do leave the dissection to me if you would, please?" she chuckles. "And I would say we are, which is good if this thing is as vicious as Mister Parsons intel suggests."

    At August's words the witch looks towards him, narrowing her eyes before she scans the area. "Is that so..." Ainsley isn't a fighter from what she knows, but the others should be okay. Flamel knows more about this place than the rest of them, so it would be prudent to make sure he doesn't get injured either. Who knows what happens if he's injured, after all. For now the witch remains quiet, observing as her golden eyes glance around, trying to catch any sudden movement, her ears listening for that voice that August said he had heard. Flamel seems spooked...

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    August's report got Parsons on-edge. He can see him preparing to defend himself over near Medusa. He'll experience an... Odd sensation. Like something tugging at his Persona. And yet, not psychically. It's as if someone was trying to physically grip the thing, even when it's not manifested. It can't get a grip, by any means, whatever it is either doesn't understand enough or doesn't have enough power to hold on properly, and yet... Something about the Tin Soldier is drawing its attention.

    "I just need to get them out..."

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    "Nightmares know they can die. Fear. Fear and hate. That's what they are. You'll have plenty soon." His full alertness for ambush winds up being helpful. He can hear a twig snap. He hears a heavy breath and a noise like a claw on metal. It's from the other side of the jet. He knows which direction to watch for, but it'll be one more moment before he can use that information, and it's just before a startling interruption to Parsons' explanations...

August Kohler has posed:
When August feels the creature basically pulling on his mind and /soul/, he backs away from the group, and is entirely wigged out. He moves the mirror up to eye level and keeps it there, but does not say the necessary words. He's a bit /afraid/ to. "What is its motive? Does it have a motive, or is it just a beast? It's talking, so..."

Priscilla has posed:
    Well, Medusa seems like a nice enough lady. She's even got snakey eyes and realizes that shoes are for plebeians too. She can't possibly be all that bad. "Likewise, I am certain. At the least, for the time being." It feels a little weird to be acting all official while she's dressed all fluffy again.

    August, meanwhile, is just sort of there. This is a young man Priscilla has never met. Clearly.

    Parsons is as friendly as ever, which is a pleasure as before. He is also factually correct. "In theory, very little." she concedes to his very good point. "Man is known well to be the least predictable, and most oft, the most destructive, of all common creatures." Lords know they don't need horrible monsters tearing through their psyches, eating up their sanity. Sanity is hard enough to come by as-is.

    Tactics time. "For the part most, mine specialities art irrelevant. If it exists, in any way, shape, or form, even partly, as a living or combatable entity, I am apt to slay it, regardless of what defense or nature it may layeth claim to. Though I doubt it of little use here, I am possessed of countermeasure against magic. I am most comfortable within the clash of arms, but fire from distance is possible. I believeth I shalt open with support, however. Whence thou seeth the mark of a baleful eye, strike whence it appears, and behold."

    A leery eye is cast on August, trying to size up what about him attracts the beast so.

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    Ainsley's metal-bound book comes out.

    As soon as the metal catches the light of the neuron sun, there's a noise that sounds like the middleground between a lion roaring and a girl screaming and sobbing. The left engine of the psychic jet-projection, twisted into a gargantuan clawed shape as if by some form of ferrokinesis, arcs into the air and slams down claws-first towards where Ainsley's standing, or, hopefully, was standing just before it landed. It can be intercepted, but it's a tough, well-crafted spear of a strike. An opening shot from the ambusher, to distract and likely cover a sudden melee rush.

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    "Has a motive!" Parsons shouts back to August. "The motive is 'kill'!! And now that's ours too!" He leaps into action, firing bolt after bolt in suppressing fire at the creature, trying to keep it behind cover of the jet. This may be a bad idea: The powerful crunching sounds and the aggressive roaring turn up, not down, as the midsection of the entire jet shears off. The creature, yet unseen, shoves the whole mass forward, going after August especially with the intent to strike him with the /entire front segment of the jet/.

    Its words remain whispers. Normally that would be difficult to hear. For some reason, it's not.

    "Only I can do this for you... Let me help you..."

Hisoka (799) has posed:
    Tactics are probably a bad idea to share, right in front of an enemy. Hopefully the group understands the creature well enough to make their plans useful at least. Hisoka listens intently, nen-amplified senses catching everything he can sense, seeing extensions of power that are normally invisible, hearing things others don't necessarily hear. He doesn't let on if he can sense the beast. No, he prefers to not show off advantages without exploiting them first. Especially not to allies of momentary convenience. And he won't be using his full powers... not unless absolutely necessary. In this fight he intends to be a strong presence, but much simpler and straightforward than he's truly capable of.

    The Magician approaches where the creature is rending the jet, moving carefully and slowly as if wary of an invisible beast. He intends to provoke it into a melee attack. He could throw cards effectively, but it's more fun to catch the thing with physical attacks. It might well be stronger than he is, given its ability to tear a jet to pieces. That's okay though. Hisoka can focus his power, and timing is everything. It doesn't matter how strong it is if Hisoka can interrupt its attack with a perfectly-timed punch with all his strength and all his considerable power behind it, stepping in to counter-attack when it's presumably expecting itself to be unseen.

August Kohler has posed:
Well, Priscilla isn't acting like she recognizes him. That's useful to August, atleast. But he's still pretty put off, attempting to move for cover...

When the creature moves to attack August with a jet. His eyes widen, and the bracelet moves up straight to eye level. As it whispers, he can feel that this isn't the smartest choice. But he can't leave himself defenseless. Blue energy arcs around him as he stares into his reflection, and his words have power, as he speaks.

"PERSONA!"

Out of the blue energy, directly in front of the jet, spawns a robotic man. Eyeless, with empty indentations where eyes should be, wearing Danish military dress. The machine is covered in burn scars, and one of its legs is missing, instead an old-fashioned military rifle. The Tin Soldier makes no natural noise, and is not actually a machine: it's a psychological construct. August stops moving, as the Tin Soldier rushes forward, gun pointed upwards at the jet to spray it with fire, to attempt to melt the bits that are coming at it down. The Tin Soldier's body shifts mechanically as it moves, its clothing bristling with every step. August only says one thing. "The hell are you?!"

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    "Marking with a baleful eye would be /fantastic/ to do right now!" Agent Parsons calls out to Priscilla, still blasting at the cover with bolt after bolt as it rushes towards August. "We've got two about to close to short range, we need to get this thing off its momentum /fast/!!" She's about to get a line of sight on the thing and a chance to help some melee assaults soon, with August and Hisoka both clearing things up, and Medusa just about to join in as well!

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    Medusa is mostly left without too much issue. The creature is distinguishing between targets for some reason. Ainsley and August were targeted, but the others, less so. Her guardedness means she can detect the signs of the attack and the assault incoming with her senses, but only just before that awful claw comes down. It's time enough to react, but not to counter-ambush. More than enough that she can do just with reacting, though, given the proximity to Ainsley!

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    Whatever this thing is it appears to have an effect on August, as the young man seems rather spooked and nervous about this entire deal. Just what has such an effect on him?

    The whisper might be part of it, however, and Medusa looks around as she tries to figure out where it came from.

    The screeching sound as the plane is torn apart is hard to ignore, and immediately the snake witch has turned around, assessing the situation as the plane engine twists and clearly attacks Ainsley. Rather than intercepting it however, Medusa has another plan.

    "Vector Plate!" Two black arrows appear on the ground. One underneath Ainsley, and one under Medusa. Right before the claw strikes at Ainsley she will find herself tugged off to the side, over towards Medusa who is also hurtling through the air, and the witch grabs onto Ainsley to soften her landing, digging her feet into the ground as she skids along. At least it shouldn't be a rough landing for Ainsley, though Medusa seems more interested in looking for their attacker than asking whether the lizard girl is actually okay.

    Where is it? And how is it using the plane as a weapon against them?

Priscilla has posed:
    Invisible enemies are uncommon, but Priscilla would be about the dirtiest liar in the universe right now if she said she has no experience fighting when invisibility is concerned. Parsons is correct in assuming that what she'd promised would help, or so it seems.

    Priscilla doesn't play her own card yet, even if she was doing it before it was cool and this guy is just a copypcat. Instead, she hones her senses on the sounds of the scraping, crunching metal, sliding one foot back with her eyes roving over the area. As the chunk comes loose at Ainsley, and then at August, she quickly traces the ballistic paths of both pieces, figuring a common source, and then her left eye, made that bloody, molten orange, blazes a star of baleful, fiery light, and an area of the ground follows suit. Though she cannot directly see the thing itself, it seems she can project the power to fill the central, focal area of her vision, covering a fairly significant, circular plot.

    More importantly, in the middle of a psychic landscape, the evidence of the power is extremely obvious, as its effect resonates directly with the mindscape all around. The trees shiver, the ground quakes, the air ripples off of the grey matter as if scorched air off of white hot metal, and quivers with an actually audible, keening screech. The sound is horrific, like steel being cut apart with nails made of glass, and layered underneath it is a river of crawling, scorching whispers, of something far more unintelligible than what August hears. Little bits of the ground burn and peel away like flaking paint under Priscilla's gaze, turning into a blowing drift of ash.

    The effect remains roughly the same, despite the incredible theatrics though. Should she catch the Nightmare anywhere within her line of sight, the mark of Kalameet's eye of disaster should appear on it, even hovering in midair. Not only will this mark it out, but also dramatically amplify all damage done to it, by some incredibly arbitrary means.

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    Hisoka punches square through the jet assault, ripping a hole through it and letting it slam around his body without much harm. The advantage of detecting an ambush a second early is unspeakably great. His counterattack runs into some problems, in that something... Odd has shown up. He'll notice a very gentle glow on... Of all things, his heart? That is to say, the heart on the surface of his chest. The creature, in what brief sight he gets of it, takes the strike hard. Amid the dust and noise, the shining light of Priscilla's ability is clear, and there's a sound of flesh and bone snapping and striking hard.

    The creature sobs. It is both a sound of pain and a sound of rage.

    Six massive five-clawed arms rush out of the dust abnd debris of /whatever/ Hisoka just punched, striking at him. They're intent on pinning every limb and plunging a claw straight through the heart segment on his chest. The good news: This is a lot easier to survive as an astral projection, where having a hole in your chest is closer to a bruising experience. The bad news: If it's successful, it'll still hurt like hell.

Ainsley (151) has posed:
    Ainsley is already preparing to summon her Persona when she finds herself pulled off her footing by another force. Medusa's words make it clear the witch is making sure that she doesn't get struck directly by the attack, and the reptile girl finds herself in uncomfortable proximity with Medusa Gorgon, the person that keeps harassing her beloved. The reptile girl politely and hurriedly thanks Medusa and pulls away from that, then draws the book up to prepare something... she looks down into the book, hunching a little as if trying to find the right angle.

    "Persona!"

    Similar to what August does, a Persona emerges in a surge of blue light from near Ainsley. This turtle man seems elderly and sitting in the air with crossed legs and a gentle and friendly expression. He holds a wooden pipe up to his mouth with one hand and his other hand rests on his knee. He seems clad in modern fisherman's gear, with a old-timey hat on his head. There's a fishing net strewn over his massive shell.

    She points toward Hisoka, and Urashima Taro, the turtle man, turns his head with a ponderous movement, all the joviality disappearing from his face. He holds out a hand, and an array of mirror-like flat projections appear to try to repel the claws that are directed to Hisoka. They're fragile but serve to try and reflect some of the force back at the creature. In a scenario like this, it's like redirecting the negativity back at it. "Tamatebako!" Ainsley shouts while she casts this ability.

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    Tin Soldier makes short work of the plane heading towards August. In a sense. He'll still have to deal with proximate masses of superheated metal, which can cause TREMENDOUS damage if not evaded, but it's better than getting his astral projection kicked early! And it's at least a bit easier to evade now...

    But more importantly, it's depriving the creature of its weapon that it was hoisting with its brutal claws. Disarming the creature of the huge masses it was using to assault the group provides a significant ATTACK DEBUFF to the foe, an effective match to the DEFENSE DEBUFF Priscilla has provided. Unfortunately, this has drawn more attention.

    "I'm sorry... I'm s-so sorry..." The whispering, sobbing noises of the Nightmare are still audible. "I only want to help... I need to get them out..." There's a glint of green light from where the "eyes" of the creature marked by that shining orange eye might be, the hunched and many-armed shape. That's when its back seems to errupt, like a jaw opening, and eject a swarm of horrific little deformed orange figures. They're no taller than a foot or two, but the dozen or so of them dash at the Tin Soldier, screaming, and intent on tackling it to the ground, and then /exploding/. It wants that specific entity on the ground and waiting shortly.

Hisoka (799) has posed:
    Gyo is a very useful ability, and core to the strengths of any Hunter expecting to do battle against strong and varied opponents. Hisoka's nen energy, shifted to his eyes, allows him to perceive things otherwise hidden. He can see the Nightmare literally inhabiting the section of the plane it hurls. It BECAME the plane. By counterpunching its attack, Hisoka knew he would be striking the Nightmare's form itself. Not a truly physical being, but that doesn't matter really. With nen, psychic energy, the jester's using power-infused weapons that just happen to be fists, feet, or whatever parts of his body he chooses to use.

    It also lets him see the creature manifesting claw-arms from the dust and debris, giving him a moment's early warning. He twists and dodges, his body moving in awkward and almost inhuman ways to dodge blows. It's not wholly effective. The Nightmare's claws are going to score. But between Ainsley's redirection and Hisoka's measured agility, none of the hits will strike his core.

    Hisoka leaves his body unshielded by nen, letting the Nightmare tear at an arm that happens to be where his heart used to be while his other hand closes down hard on the attacking claw-limb. He twists, heaving with power-imbued might, intending to either hurl the beast up into the air or rip the claw clean off it. He doesn't much care which, and his 'allies' should be able to take advantage of either. Could be that he hurls it deliberately in Medusa's direction. Whether he intends it to turn its attentions on her or because he expects her to murder it properly, who knows?

Priscilla has posed:
    That's just creepy. Priscilla had assumed a Nightmare like this to be something of hate and rage and animalistic carnage, not this kind of . . . weepy, apologetic panic. It elicits a contemplative sound, as well as one of quiet concern, as the crossbreed talks to almost nobody in particular, with her unusually quiet voice nearly melting into the background. "It is as if the thing fears the heart, as such it hast seen a heart do something terrible in past, and wishes to rid the world of them, such that none else may suffer it. How . . . bizarre." she admits.

    Physically, as a person descended from amortal beings of stone and mist, Priscilla kinda doesn't have one, or else the merest vestigiality of one at most. She may also be thinking too literally, just for the moment. Her train of thought would continue, but Parsons has just dubbed the bizarre little sprites 'personal demons', and that's just too weird. "This aberration is born of a single man's psyche?" she asks. That's the only way she can imagine it having anything 'personal' at all.

    There's nothing to be gained by sitting back though, especially not when one of the Concord's is pressed singlehandedly into melee combat with the beast. The black and silver greatscythe fills Priscilla's hands, at least for now, exactly how she visualizes it in her head, rather than being some weird psychic manifestation like how her eye had worked. "Lady Medusa, if thou wouldst." she shoots off, crouching down to await a Vector Plate of her own.

    Should she get one, the crossbreed adds her own considerable acceleration to the launch, becoming a person-sized streak of white, and then disappearing in whirling wake of freezing air. Shortly thereafter, it's the curved inner edge of the scythe catching the target, in a horrific, bladed clotheslining maneuver.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    Ainsley is allowed to pull away as Medusa doesn't have any interest in holding onto the girl after she's made sure she didn't fall and hit her head, thereby making her a liability in this fight.

    Priscilla's magic does the trick, and Medusa's gaze snaps to the strange six armed creature, all while a look of distaste crosses her face. There, their target. A sobbing piece of darkness that attacks Hisoka, all while it spawns more creatures that seem intent on taking down Kohler's persona for some reason. "Perhaps we can figure out where it came from and why if we manage to stop it," Medusa asides to Priscilla. The woman delivers a request, and the witch intends to grant it as she gets into the action herself. Again Medusa kicks off, muttering under breath as she closes in the distance between her and Hisoka as he seems to hurls it towards her. "Vector Plate!" One for her and Priscilla both. Again she is sent flying forwards, and this time she twists her body while in the air, swinging her leg around in a roundhouse kick that she aims directly for the creature's head in an attempt to send it flying towards Priscilla who seems eager to use her scythe.

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    The engine remains crashed down where it landed, looking like a massive organic claw. In fact, more organic than claw-like; it's visually not especially claw-like, but has every medical and tactile element of a massive animal's claw. "Fur" is lovingly rendered by sheared scrap, and its musculature is perfectly modeled. Horrible thing, though.

    Oh, right, and here it comes... Hurtling through the air. Thrown by Hisoka, in fact. We'll get to how that happened later. Medusa gets her first good look at it: Its head looks like the shape of a mix between a gasmask and a feudal helmet, with bright green eyes. Its body is elongated, over six feet tall when hunched, with an unspeakable number of churning, massive clawed arms. It lacks legs, having only a strange mass of shadow where it connects with the ground. And now, after some fiascos elsewhere, it seems like it has a heavy mass bored out of two of its arms, by something done elsewhere in the battle.

    Something about August's Persona has its attention. It tries to meet Medusa in mid-air, swiftly enough to try to plunge a heavy claw straight through her chest and right to the back... And whisper, "They're so small... But they'll kill you if I don't..." Whether it accomplishes this attack depends on her swiftness. But it does launch away from her, elsewhere. Soon Priscilla will have to deal with it. But Medusa gets a view of its eyes. Its primary objective has something to do with that freshly-spawned Persona. An obsessive, strained look. And then it's away, off to the half-breed to deal with.

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    Hisoka manages to withstand the damage against his body. The creature... Isn't focused on his arm, though, it does its best to get to his heart. As many times as it can. He lets the metallic thing -- armor shattered over the flesh where he smashed through it -- twist and scream and tear at him, but protects his core. In turn, Ainsley's powerful Tamatebako turns the attack against it. By letting the creature assault him, tanking the eviscerating damage, the mirrored strikes, inverted claws ripping through the Nightmare, manage to tear through two of its arms and dig a horrid hole through its own chest.

    Hisoka can see a glint of something. There's a single beating heart... And something gleaming, lodged in it. But soon the creature seals itself back up, seeming desperate to protect it. The swing manages to HURL the beast, interrupting its planned rush against August! It launches up into the air, finally in full sight.

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    Medusa manages to kick the bloodied beast in mid-air to Priscilla. The scythe tears through metal and flesh. The massive orange eye's effects FLASH and shine through it, letting the blade rip another arm into a mangled mess and shear a heavy mass of flesh from another. The scythe plunges into it, reaching the heart... And stopping.

    Clang!

    Priscilla can feel a heart beating right on the edge of her blade, but something stopped it just short. Something metal? The creature's sobbing intensifies. "I can get them out of you... Shhh... Please, please be quiet, stop struggling..." Then its hands latch onto the scythe lodged in it. "Why can't feel your heart beating anymore...?" The sob intensifies, a sound of abject despair. "It's just metal now... I only wanted to help... They were so small..."

    The bright green in the eyes begins to BURN. The sob/roaring sound intensifies as the creature self-destructively attempts to PLUNGE the two into the ground, pressing one of its remaining claws against her chest with the intent of tearing... A hole through the chest, even if there's no heart, but it seems to lack the same urgency. Now it seems strained and hateful in an abstract way, not a personal way, and yet, all the more destructive for it.

August Kohler has posed:
Well, that's a lot of metal. The Tin Soldier's reaction is to dive at August, covering him on the ground, allowing the two to narrowly dodge the superheated metal. August stays still for a moment, at the Tin Soldier gets up and begins dodging the Nightmare's attacks, as a few explode against it, knocking it back and denting and scarring it. However, the Persona refuses to go down.

And then, as the others fight, there's another whisper. And then the group is in danger, with the creature moving to rip Priscilla's heart out. The Nightmare is obsessed with the Tin Soldier, but it's distracted. And that means it might kill someone else. August can't allow that to happen. It wants him. So it gets to /have him/.

The Tin Soldier, damaged by the explosives, turns to face the Nightmare. The gun leg begins lighting up as bullets pour out, moving to strike at the monster's arms. The Persona taunts silently, a 'come at me' with its hands, as it stands still, away from anyone else. It taps its chest. It wants the Nightmare to pursue.

And if the Nightmare does, in fact, pursue? As soon as it gets up close, the Tin Soldier points that gun upon itself, and sets itself ablaze. Like a phoenix, or perhaps a wickerman, the Tin Soldier begins burning uncontrollably. It flails at the Nightmare, August losing direct control over it, and is in terrible, horrible pain from the fire. August falls to the ground, meanwhile, feedback from the fire attacking every nerve as if the fire was burning him itself. It would seem that Fire = Bad.

Ainsley (151) has posed:
    "Dark Introspect!"

    This next phrase is shouted as the creature comes into visual range for Ainsley as well as the others. She points at it while she says this, and Urashima Taro opens one eye, pulling the pipe from his smiling mouth and frowning. One eye opens and reveals it is a sharp Yellow, hammering the being with a power not unlike what it is made of. Because it is made of negative emotions, the debuffing spell tries to chain it down with them, slowing it down, enfeebling its attacks, generally making it harder to fight by turning the violent emotions inwards back at it... or perhaps weakening its defenses. Ainsley struggles against the invisible weight of the spell, as she isn't made for extended conflicts and this is starting to take its toll on her.

Hisoka (799) has posed:
    Hisoka's arm should probably be severed after that monstrously strong creature savaged it while it was unprotected... but he feels fine. Bruises instead of spurting blood, which is something he can ignore with impunity.

    He'd noticed the metal gleam, and has a decent idea how to kill the Nightmare. With a feral delight he pounces after the creature, his limbs flailing in an oddly effective motion, elbows and knees pistoning with more enthusiasm than athleticism.

    Hisoka doesn't even care if the Tin Soldier immolates itself. Hisoka's willing to plunge into the fire, his fingernails extending like tiny claws, buttressed by his power. He shouldn't burn TOO much, not with his power in his hands and the Tin Soldier on the other side of the beast besides, but he doesn't care. He's seeking the beast's heart, intending to tear it out with his bare hands. That or the metal thing surrounding the heart or embedded within. He doesn't much care what he grasps and rips out, so long as it's significant.

Priscilla has posed:
    It's been a while since Priscilla has cut into something with this level of force, and not come spraying blood out the other side. The jolt that catches the crook of the scythe and strains her arms, forcing to tense the rest of her body to stay level with the ground, takes her by surprise, as does the steady *thump-thump* she can feel faintly reverberating down the haft. "It protects itself. There is something steeled around its own heart, as if--"

    So close, and yet within an instant, she winds up flat on her back as the creature's ridiculous pile of arms bears down on her, and goes for that which she does not have. The thing's claws plunge towards her flesh, where she deftly twists the scythe about like a polearm, and interposes the haft against its palm, such as the claws stop dead where they rip open the fabric of her dress, and no further, drawing only the barest points of inhumanly dark red on the pale skin exposed. Priscilla wrestles with the ungodly mass of arms leveraging its weight down on her, as the squishy ground provides very poor leverage to fight with, until August responds in the nick of time, drawing the creature away.

    Priscilla rolls to her feet as easy as blinking, guardedly tugging her dress upward a little by the collar. "Fool of an aberration. Thou knowest not the sins thou commit." She holds her arm over her chest as she takes in a deep, deep breath, braces back, and then spits out the White Dragon's deadly breath.

Hersn effulgent ray of gleaming, blue light, as thick around as an arm, follows. It lances across and through the Nightmare's body, burning with white hot soulfire where it touches, and inflicts a horrific curse that turns flesh and metal alike into rapidly expanding crystal, like some terrible cordyceps of razor sharp grey glass, whorled with the patterns of screaming faces.

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    The creature is weakened by the debuff. There's no difference between a psychological dampening and a physical dampening in the Collective Unconscious and other psychic pursuits. The sobbing/roaring noise is screamed in Priscilla's face, but the Nightmare isn't interested in focusing on her. It's focusing on the Tin Soldier! It's rushing towards it! It's going to try to tear out its heart!

    ...No it's not, actually. The burning man is soundlessly tackled by the six-foot screaming, crying monster. "I'm the only one..." It cries. "I'm the only one that can help you. I'm the only one that can get them out. I'm so sorry. They're killing you... They're killing you, I need to get them out..." It's burning alive, the fire easily searing flesh from its body. The grim smell of cooked flesh is on the air. "I'm... killing you...!!" Its voice is desolate and despairing. But it's not focusing on the Tin Soldier's heart.

    It's trying to remove its gun-leg. Something about the metal embedded in its body -- specifically the idea of metal, embedded in the body -- seems to be enraging the nightmare, prompting it to try to tear it out. All remaining claws focus on pinning the Tin Soldier down and cutting the gun-leg out, even while it burns alive...

    And becomes vulnerable to others' attacks.

August Kohler has posed:
The Tin Soldier is trying tp wrao its arms around the Nightmare, in order to keep it pinned in the fire, even as it silently screams from the pain. The tearing at the gun-leg is even more painful, but the Nightmare will find trouble actually tearing it off: it's a core part of the manifestation, and will require /strong/ effort to tear off. Here's hoping it doesn't succeed.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    This is clearly something that is non-biological by the looks of it, indeed. So can it be killed by conventional means? That remains to be seen!

    As her foot connects with the thing it also seems to get her, even as she twists her body brings up her arm, earning herself a wicked slice that digs deep to the bone. The witch gasps from the pain, though luckily the creatures doesn't get to do much more as it's launched off towards Priscilla, and Medusa lands on her feet, blood dripping from her arm. It's most likely not something that will carry on to the real world, but still, that's painful. For some reason, despite the torn muscles she seems able to move her arm however, and she looks down at her arm with morbid interest. "So that's how it works here, hmm...?" More inspecting later once they've dealt with this thing!

    While the nightmare is busy tearing into the Tin Man, it seems they are to unleash their final attack, and Medusa isn't slow to join in as she stands in place, extending both her arms as she begins moving them in a near hypnotic motion, her left swinging back and forth rhytmically as she twists her right one, turning her wrist as black vector snakes begin pouring out of her back. "Nake Snake, Cobra Cobubura...! Vector Arrow!" With a combined gesture of her hands towards the twisted creature, she unleashes the summoned snakes, all of them heading to tear into the creature while avoiding her teammates for this mission. Right now she's blind to August's suffering as he made himself a target to distract the thing, but she makes a mental note to check up on him once they've stopped the creature.

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    Hisoka finds the flesh still tough. Even in spite of Priscilla's massive defensive debuffs and half of Ainsley's heavy debuffing, even in spite of the tremendous amount of damage it sustained, the monster's horrible flesh remains hard and tough. He got through it once, but that was before it was on fire, which has ironically softened the armor such that it's a little more flexible. Now, there's another challenge. Luckily, Priscilla has risen to meet it. Her damaging beam rips through the burning flesh, combining crystalizing corrosion with brutal flames in a way that's especially destructive, ripping its flesh-and-metal hide apart. A hole begins to open, right at where her scythe tore into it.

    As the beam carves the beast's body open, bolstered by so many different defensive debuffs, Medusa's vector arrows rip through the body, plunging upwards... Her surgical experience, her anatomical knowledge, and her powers of mundane medicine mean that the heart is ruthlessly, though difficultly, extracted, though heavy cords of what look like some kind of eastern plant combined with rock are wrapped around it, keeping it firmly connected to the body through the wound Priscilla carved, one that has uncanny trouble healing. The screaming/sobbing/roaring continues, and intensifies, with each bit of progress. The exposed heart is pure flesh... With a massive piece of twisted metal embedded in it. It seems to feed power into the heart, making it more and more resilient each time the heart itself is attacked. "I'm the only one who can help you... It's my power. I'm the only one who knows how. I know how. I can do it. I can do it, I promise, just trust... I'm sorry, I'm sorry... Please stop screaming, stop struggling... I'm trying, I'm trying to help, they'll kill you if I don't... I'll kill you if you keep... HHHH!!!"

    The choked sob when Hisoka yanks the metal shard out is the sort of thing that people have heard before only in fiction. The kind of noise you hear in a movie that makes you think they had to kill a puppy in front of the voice actor to get a sound like that. The sobbing grows more quiet after, the lashing at the Tin Soldier's limb grows less painful... It tries, as best it can, to rip the gunleg out, but a spark of yellow energy rushes along its body, showing that Ainsley's debuff managed to just barely reduce its strength under the threshold for dismembering August's Persona.

    The burning figure's sobbing grows more despairing and less energized each moment as it seems to run out of psychic force... Until, at last, the voice seems to fall into a gentle sort of sleep. And the dismembered, eviscerated Nightmare, still burning, slowly extinguishes as it turns to stone.

    And that's the death of Heart Render, the Nightmare. Time to recover a little... And then get to work on figuring out where it came from by pulling it open even more.

Ainsley (151) has posed:
    Ainsley witnesses the violent demise of the Heart Render. She seems troubled by its insistence that it's only trying to help. The insistence suggesting that it has killed people because they tried to struggle. She appears greatly disquieted as it starts to calcify into an inert form, but she relaxes when it no longer makes those hideous mournful noises that make her scales crawl.

    She approaches it when Parsons confirms it is dead, her Persona dispelling in a shower of gentle blue light. She stands so close to it that, if it were alive, it could've reached out and plucked her head off her shoulders. She seems eerily confident and comfortable with the proximity. She activates her Sight and begins her probe of the Nightmare, searching the chaotic mental projection for key phrases and meanings associated with it. She seeks out puzzle pieces to its story, perhaps spoken names or locations, anything that may have formed it. She grimaces, steeling herself for a horror show. That's usually what happens when she does this.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    There's a sense of gratification as the vectors tear into the Nightmare, and Medusa looks pleased as she lowers her arms with the creature finally going silent after its incessant prattling. Blessed silence.

    It's an interesting thing to see it turn to stone, and Medusa exhales as she turns to the others. "Who requires first aid? Hisoka? Mister Kohler?" The others appear to be okay from what she can see. And she can tend to them while Ainsley does her thing.

Hisoka (799) has posed:
    Hisoka's never been particularly bothered by conscience over people he's killed, let alone nebulous nightmare creatures. He's probably created more nightmares than he's killed anyways, so he's owed at least partial credit for this one. Caring about its insistence about only trying to help... that's for others, not for the murdergician.

    True to his word, Hisoka turns to watch the dissection. Only to be vaguely disappointed when the first investigative step turns out to be magical probing rather than surgical steel. Instead, he shrugs to Medusa, propping one arm on a hip and lifting his other arm up so his hand cradles the back of his head. Posing weirdly, he smiles. "Nothing worth your seeing to." he claims, not at all bothered by pain. Not lying, in fact, though he might seem like he is. "Next time I'll have to try to get more injured so you have something to work on." he says warmly. Is he... flirting with Medusa by offering to get grievous bodily harm? Why... yes. Yes he is.

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    Oddly, it seems, this mode of projection refuses to work in words, or at least refuses to work PRIMARILY in words. What Ainsley manages to pull out are Figments of the Imagination, or so Agent Parsons tells her when he says, "Oh, you're doing a Figment extraction just on your own? Wow, lots of veterans can't manage that one." Agent Parsons offers a telepathic link to Ainsley, to receive and interpret, and subsequently broadcast, the data, letting her display her findings immediately and dynamically.

    "Alright, so, most of this is going to be digging through its first victim's stray thoughts. We'll get to see hints about whatever they were thinking about a month or so ago, when this first got out. We can piece it together from that, and fill in the details with my clairvoyance by surgically cutting this thing open." Parsons says. And with that... Assuming Ainsley accepted his small telepathic connection for just this information, Ainsley will find her first Figment, a clue as to the identity of the originating dreamer.

    The first figment of the victim's imagination is... A Paladin badge.

Ainsley (151) has posed:
    The phrasing that Parsons uses makes Ainsley confusedly furrow her brow. But she realizes what he means when it reveals a Figment and it's something she knows well. In fact, she has a Paladin badge on her coat right now. She reaches up to self-consciously rest her hand on it, and quirks a corner of her mouth at the sight of it. She accepts the telepathic link, of course. She keeps looking for more Figments after this, as it has hooked her curiosity thoroughly. She even reaches out to touch the Nightmare to help with her focus, even if she can't really see where she rested her hand due to how her Sight works.

Priscilla has posed:
    Priscilla finishes breathing out, as the brilliant lance of light sputters out into fluttering sparks, with a little puff of unhealthily cyan steam. Seeing the ridiculous chunk of metal lodged into the heart absolutely explains what she had run into, though the rest is a little confusing. Thankfully, it's unsettling pleas for cooperation die out, and the thing turns to stone at last.

    This leaves Priscilla time to examine her weapon, examine herself, shuffle her dress into place where the tear is less obvious, and walk back over to examine the corpse turned stone. "Am I to suspect, then, that there is a less than metaphorical design to all of this? I believeth it is after something quite different than simply the heart, as was the original victim traumatized by."

August Kohler has posed:
The Heart Render's pain was unbearable, and August is still sitting on the floor, clutching his leg (the one that matches the Tin Soldier's) tightly. The Tin Soldier eventually fades away once the fire goes out, disappearing into energy. "...I can use medical attention, y-yeah."

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    "...Huh. Okay, so, Paladin badge is a positive thought. Alright, so, either it's a natural positive opinion towards government authority, which is just what happens when you drink fluoridated water and go outside on chemtrail days, or it's someone who actually has a personal reason to think highly of the Paladins. That cuts out a fair chunk of the multiverse, so you're making a lot of progress!" Mr. Parsons says, putting a hand to his chin. He gives a few nods to Priscilla. "I'd say there's something iffy about a heart somewhere! In the real world, I mean, someone's got a heart with... Something wrong with it, who knows. Some of this stuff is pretty literal, I know you secret government reptilians usually wind up getting all the info you need eventually without the speculation."

    See, though, this time, he's actually speaking to a secretly-reptile-related conspiracy-covered-up government stealth person, and it STILL sounds silly when he says it.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    As expected Hisoka doesn't seem to be in need of medical help. It had been the same the first time they had talked together as well, and Medusa does look somewhat amused at Hisoka's reaction to being injured. And his offer to get more injured next time? Now that makes the witch smile warmly in his direction. "By all means~" She wouldn't mind if he does, unless it's a waste of her time, that is.

    For now she moves over to August to tend to him, kneeling down beside him as she looks through her pockets, finding various syringes with medicine and enhanced witch potions. The young man gets medical in the form of a syringe that Medusa administers to his leg, and it's clear that it's a painkiller, a fast acting one. It should still hurt however when the snake witch pours some medicine over his leg, and it begins sinking into his skin and to the tissue underneath, causing an itching sensation. But at least it's not outright painful treatment so far.

    If she has any opinion on Flamel's conspiracy talk, she doesn't offer it as she's occupied with working. But within minutes August should start feeling better, and at that point Medusa offers him a vial. "Drink this." Why should he care what it is? For now she's done with the basic stuff, and she reaches into a pocket on her thigh, revealing a sharp looking scalpel. "Is it time to look at what it ate then?" she inquires as she looks at Flamel. Clearly this is something they have discussed beforehand.

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    The next couple of figments are less helpful. One of them is gemstones! Lots of gemstones. Cut and uncut, these gemstones seem to be entirely in black-and-white, though they're very defined. Whatever thought of them sure didn't think of them in color though. Whoever this is, they've got a lot of knowledge and positive thoughts about gemstones.

    Then things take a turn for the distinctly unhelpful. The next figment is rock. No, it's just... A rock. That's what they were thinking about. There doesn't seem to be anything the least bit interesting about this figment. "Thanks, Nightmare." Mr. Parsons says, rubbing the bridge of his nose frustratedly. "But, I guess, it was something they had positive thoughts about. So, rocks, gems, Paladins. Is this adding for anyone?"

Ainsley (151) has posed:
    "There are a couple of candidates for who this belongs to that come to mind immediately," Ainsley speaks up, as she turns her Sight off and steps aside for Medusa to give it a go. "I know of exactly one Paladin that thinks of rocks positively," she tells everyone, and then she says, "This form the Nightmare has taken is very weird, though. I'd need to quiz them on it, and see if they remember the imagery." She rubs the feathers along the back of her neck, and looks to Flamel uncertainly.

    "Could you..." she trails off, sighing to herself. "We aren't all from the same race, okay? That's a little ... distracting." There is a very clear impression that while she is not lying she is trying very hard to word it politely. "I'm hardly a /secret/ government reptilian," she adds, trying to defuse her own discomfort with some levity.

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    "Oh, oh! Right. Of course." Agent Parsons nods, agreeing to just sort of not do this. "Of course, I'll stop." He does an unexplained sort of leaning gesture and cocks his head. There's a long pause while this goes uncomprehended, before he says, "Oh, right. I'm winking. Under my sunglasses." He gives another friendly head-cock gesture and whispers, "Wink."

    Jesus fucking Christ.

    "Okay, well, I think we've got some initial data! You work on the quizzing. For now, Ms. Gorgon? We're finished with some of the thought skeletons, now the dissection will be best. It should still be straightforward to cut through, even if it's a little more petrified. Try to separate out anything that looks organ-like besides the heart, the samples will help tell us where in the dreamer's mind it originated, so we can know where to breach, among other things about the identity if Ainsley is wrong."

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    The figments are certainly curious, though Medusa doesn't seem as curious about them as the creature itself and the chance to dissect it. As Ainsley steps aside the witch isn't slow to take her place, leaning over the creature as she /jabs/ the scalpel into the stonelike texture, pleasantly surprised at the ease it takes to cut it open in this state. It will take a while to open it up completely, and she puts her fingers into the cut, then grunts as she /tears/ the ribcage of the Nightmare open. "Okay, do these things even have a stomach to begin with..." she muses for herself. It had a heart, that was easy enough to find. It helps with Flamel's explanation and suggestion however, and she nods as she looks around, not minding the gore and this new creature for her to cut apart. Though within seconds Medusa slices something inside the creature, sticking her arms uncomfortably deep into its chest cavity, then yanks something out for Flamel. This is from a vesica up near the heart," she informs him... and hands him what looks like a strange creature with long claws, a bulky body and a long tail. A creature that Flamel might recognise from elsewhere.

Ainsley (151) has posed:
    "... r... right..." Ainsley says, seeming to deflate when he does that, especially when she places a hand to her face and closes her eyes.

Hisoka (799) has posed:
    Who the hell SAYS wink? Well okay, Hisoka knows a few who probably would, but none of whom he particularly cares to remember.

    He does pay attention though, looking up when Medusa's called upon to cut into the Nightmare. He's a lot more interested in that than in the mystery. Someone who thinks in shape rather than in colors. Someone who likes rocks and gemstones. Someone aligned with a powered enforcement squad. Someone who embeds metal into other people's hearts. Well okay, perhaps not that last one.... but the rest form a picture. A boring picture. If someone provides some major revalation about why this is happening and it resonates with Hisoka's interests that's one thing, but until then he's not terribly interested in the riddle.

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    "Huh." Mr. Parsons looks at the psionic construct. This and the other 'organs' that show up are similar. Physical objects that... Have no right being inside a creature. Several large rocks show up. A sword. What looks like a metal helmet of some kind. Some strange wooden eastern-culture objects. But he focuses on the creature. It looks like a stone carving of...

    "I remember seeing one of these. Never caught the name. Looks like a badger. Or maybe a mole? Weird. Definitely saw it in that girl's mind, though. Maybe she'd know the name?" Yes, it is indeed a badgermole. An invisible hand grasps each object, hoisting it telekinetically, while he presses two fingers to each temple, scanning them with clairvoyance just to be sure.

August Kohler has posed:
August begrudgingly lets Medusa stab him with syringes and give him medicine. At first it begins itching, but the pain starts to go away! And then she tells him to drink a vial. Well, if she was trying to kill him, this probably wouldn't be a terrible way to die, so August drinks the vial, before watching the surgery from a distance. "So, what the hell is going on here, anyways? I've never seen a Collective Unconsciousness like this. The one I'm used to is more...well, firmly shaped?"

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    The figments are indeed strange as Medusa pulls them out of the creature for Flamel to take. A black sword of unqiue design... delicate tea sets, a black cat, an Iron Man helmet... and of course the badgermole.

    "I don't know what's going on here either, but I assume there are different versions of it from world to world..." Medusa muses as she works, pulling up yet another figment that she hands over for Flamel's psychic powers to take. A brief look of distaste crosses her face as she looks at it; the stylised head of a young man with a wolf tail, and she quickly resumes digging for figments.

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    "Oh, that depends on your projection methods and regions!" Mr. Parsons says, still closing his eyes while he scans. "This is a non-archetypal Jungian-Adler technique I developed for multi-person exoprojection and introprojection. Things look different from if you used... I don't know, it sounds like you're using a leyline-energized archetypal Jungian holistic-exoprojection technique, which is kind of weird and insane by the standards of how my world works, but, works for you, right? If it works for you, that's impressive and good enough for me."

    It's LIKE a helpful answer, but not really.

Ainsley (151) has posed:
    Ainsley stares as each object pulled from the Nightmare seems to support more and more of her theory of where this came from. She has a conversation over the radio with someone she is certain is connected to this... somehow. Don't question psychic weirdness. The reptile woman turns and addresses Flamel directly, "I've confirmed someone at least connected to this. Parsons, could you confirm the source of a Nightmare if you met with them in-person?"

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    Parsons nods to Ainsley. "Oh, definitely! Match a psychic trace to the sample and bam, as easy an info-gathering as a systematic alien infiltration wiretapping the entire United States telecommunications system." Wait, what? "I can work on clairvoyance scans of this stuff in the meantime to find the source. It looks like it was mostly just driven out by another mental image, probably something more healthy, but if the source mind gets into a bad place again, it'll probably spawn another of these. So, we've got plenty of time to try to track down a nest of these!"

Priscilla has posed:
    On the subject of secret scaled people covered up by the government who now own the government, Priscilla opens her mouth to say something, and then promptly closes it. Vexingly, Parsons is not actually wrong. This is somehow troubling.

    Instead, she frowns mildly at the 'audible wink', and at how patently ridiculous this is kind of getting, recording the expert babble Flamel rattles off using her radio regardless. Those sound like important words. "Mine own question is if this sample itself is quite dead enough. Sometimes, these things claimeth to be more difficult to terminate."

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    "Oh, this is definitely dead." Parsons says, nodding firmly. A small translucent hand emerges from his mind on a translucent noodle arm, then taps on the stone corpse of the Nightmare. "Not ever seen a nightmare come back from this. Now, if you're worried it'll come back, that's a sensible worry. If a mind spawns one Nightmare, it can spawn two, or four, or however many its psychological ecosystem and psychic bandwidth can support, until you resolve the stresses, traumas, or stuff like that, that cause it."

    He makes a broad gesture. "Psychohazards!"

Ainsley (151) has posed:
    "Marvelous." Ainsley makes that remark, but then immediately mutters under her breath, "Terrible," because her magical state makes sarcastic remarks nearly impossible.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    It appears that they are done, and Medusa wipes off her hands on the ground before she rises to her feet. "Mister Parsons is right... I can't imagine this thing crawling about again. I don't suppose there's a way we can take it back to the real world from here...?" Medusa asks she looks over at Flamel.

Flamel Parsons (1094) has posed:
    "Oh, no." The agent shakes his head there. "But you can keep it in mind. Keep ahold of it, and I can send you data for a Nein-type Brain Tumbler device to work with the corpse in your own mind, if you're interested in a full dissection, Ms. Gorgon!" Very encouraging! "I have to admit, I want to know what you find out too."

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    Now that's an interesting suggestion. Medusa looks quite pleased, smiling a bit. "I must admit, I've never dissected things in my mind before... though does mental training affect that, I wonder?" Either way his offer is greatly appreciated. "I will make sure to share my findings with you, perhaps it will be useful in your work to get an outsider's opinion on these things..."