Scene #6633: The Records Of Man

Owner	Pose
Vergil	The route to the lost library and the silent expedition team consists of a descent through a long series of caves. Thankfully, ladders and spray painted arrows have been provided to ensure that the path is clear, and glowsticks have been littered to provide light. It's a bit of a squeeze at places, but the path is negotiable, and the library soon comes into sight. It would seem like another cavern on the path, were it not for the expedition base being set up outside it. It sits on a ledge above a pit, a wall with well-preserved carvings chiselled into them, depicting monstrous figures and crude humans bearing spears against them. The camp shows signs of recent activity. Mugs of tea are still slightly warm, and a generator powering floodlights is chugging away. Packaging for rations is scattered about, and it looks like there's little left. Anyone who were to peek over the edge of the pit would see that the bottom is not far, but it is covered in lethal-looking stalagmites. Indeed, a recent human corpse is impaled on them, a gun lying at the base of the stone that pierced them. From within the gap in the library wall, small sounds can be heard. Human breathing, the turn of a page, suddenly drowned out by someone talking. "So this here has some similarities with Sumerian cuneiform, so my best guess at a translation would be... 'bring to bear your beast weapons in the hands of your greatest warriors upon the creatures, then fashion from their body new, greater weapons. Nothing pierces their hides better than their own tooth and nail.'" A cold voice replies. "Hm. Ancient Devil Arms, eh. A good idea, were it not for the fact that mere humans would need to be able to fell a demon to do it." The other voices say nothing in response, but the turning of pages resumes. Once the library is entered, the sources become clear. A white-haired man leans against a clay wall studded with gaps meant to serve as shelves. Pots and other containers rest in the recesses, all labelled with stickers. Sitting at chairs before the man are two of the expedition members. Once is carefully cradling a stone tablet, while the other consults a thick book of ancient writing systems. The two seem scuffed and a bit starved and very frightened. The white haired man is calm, collected, clutching a sword, and looking at the door as the investigators arrive. His response is to lift a finger to his lips. "Remember, this is a library."
Jack Flash	Among those entering the door, quietly, is a man with a cigarette in his mouth. Jack Flash has short dark brown hair, green eyes, and a Members Only jacket over his shoulders, revolver holstered at his side, open carry. He takes a long drag from the cigarette, careful not to breathe in the old man's face, but doesn't put out his cigarette even inside the ruins. He takes a look around, and then speaks, quietly. "Jack Flash, Elite investigator. You must be the expedition team. Is there a reason you haven't been reporting in?" The cigarette is pressed between his fingers gently, as he looks over. Investigation instincts. Two frightened, hungry men. A man with a sword. "So, where's the monster, or the bandits, or whatever has you in a daze? Clearly you're armed, and those two are nearly pissing themselves. There's something in here for us to deal with, right?"
Rean Schwarzer	Following behind Jack is a black-haired teenager in a red blazer, one hand on a sword of his own. He glances around as they pass through the caverns, taking note of the fact that the expedition camp was occupied recently, so aside from the man in the pit, they were probably still alive. Then they got to the room in the back, and Rean recognized the white haired man. From that one time he tried to commentate for one of Staren's matches. He was also the only one not scared, though that wasn't really an indicator of anything...right? Rean took a quick glance at Jack and then said, "What happened with the guy in the pit, for that matter?"
Vergil	The two in the chairs look at Jack fearfully as he asks why they haven't been calling in. One of them, a woman, starts to say something, but the man with the sword places it against the ground with both his hands on it. The light sound it makes is oddly heavy, and whatever words she was about to say die in her throat. "A library," the man says, "Is a place of solitude, contemplation, and study. 'Calling in' detracts from that, wouldn't you say?" Rean pops in, and asks a good question. The man recognises him also. "Ah, the commentator. The man in the pit? Well... he fired a few shots, and... a library should be silent." He cracks a slight grin as the other member of the expedition finds his courage. "This madman showed up, killed Grant, and isn't letting us leave until we translate everything in here!" "Silence," hisses Vergil. He regards the Elites before him. "Tell them that the expedition is going on as planned. Once they have documented everything, they will leave. And if you could, arrange the delivery of further supplies, these two are running low." He then strides forward, and holds up the Yamato, his thumb under the hilt, ready to push out the blade. "Or you can make something of it. But if you do, let's take it outside. I don't want these records damaged, or these two hurt. You want the same, I'm sure."
Jack Flash	As Jack realizes the real situation, he takes another puff of the cigarette and narrows his eyes on the man. Where has he seen this man before...that's right, as he mentions 'commentator', he was in the MECC posters. An Elite. Jack just takes a step back, takes a few moments to converse with Rean over radio, and then speaks up. "You're going to let these fine people leave alive when you're done, right? Or do you plan on gutting them, no witnesses sort of thing?" He'll leave the rest of the negotiation to Rean. If it fails, he can blame the kid.
Rean Schwarzer	So the guy was threatening the expeditioners, forcing them to translate the records in here. They'd been here for a while, if they were running low on rations, too. Even if Vergil said he'd let them go once he was done... Rean couldn't just leave them there. Eventually he and Jack decided to see if they could talk it out with Vergil. And by them, Jack meant him. "What are these records, anyway?" Rean asks, glancing around. "Why is it so important that they can't leave?"
Vergil	Vergil lets out a small laugh as Jack demands assurance that he won't hurt the rest of the expedition. "Don't worry. I don't kill," he looks towards the door. "Needlessly. As long as they don't make a fuss, I won't lift a finger against them." "Are you seriously contemplating leaving us with him?!" The woman exclaims, causing Vergil to turn and glower at her. "Don't fault them for speaking sense. If you wish so badly to leave, challenge me yourself." She goes quiet again. Rean asks a question, and Vergil is quick with an answer. "Ah yes, I shall explain. Enclosed here is ancient man's record of their battles against demonkind. The size of it reveals how... successful they were in that regard." He lets out a dry chuckle and gestures at the single, small room. "My father, Sparda, was the demon who saved humanity from his own kind. I was curious if anything here would mention him. Nothing, as of yet, but there's still more to go." He lowers Yamato and crosses his arms, still keeping the sheathed blade in hand. "Any further questions? Or shall you be on your way?"
Rean Schwarzer	"It's going to be ok." Rean says, smiling at the panicking woman. "I see." Rean said, looking up the small shelves. He was looking for his father, or trying to learn about him, huh? "...Were you planning on publishing anything you find here?" Rean continued, still talking to the woman.
Jack Flash	Jack just nods. He doesn't leave, yet, waiting for Rean to finish up his last thing. Instead...Jack wonders if Vergil might get tired of the questioning, and wants to be prepared for a pre-emptive strike. Behind Vergil's line of sight, in the shadows further down the room, a purplish-black shadow of a man with a wide-brimmed hat and a jagged, crooked smile manifests. It doesn't move, just sitting in the shadows, boredly. If Vergil moves to attack, Jack will be ready to try and intercept.
Vergil	"What does that have to do with anything?! Get hi-" the woman says, only to be cut off by the man this time. "No. This is for a private collection." Vergil nods his head. "Hence why I felt the need to come along. I did not want this important information disappearing into a vault, out of my reach. But I have no intention to publish either. It is purely to slake my curiosity." Jack is just staying back, but the shadowy man arises in the corner. Vergil smirks, and glances at the detective. "You're being quiet. I hope you're not planning anything. I'd be happy to give you a fight, as long as we go outside first." His hand clenches harder around his katana.
Jack Flash	Coming to a decision because Rean has an actual '''plan''', Jack sighs, and then speaks to Vergil. "We've come to a decision." The shadow moves. Vergil will be able to notice it right before it comes up in his own shadow behind him, and then suddenly, an inky black tendril moves to smash into him with superhuman strength, and try and throw him through the front wall of the library, outside. Tendrils move to block debris if the roof starts to collapse, too, but only enough for the people and Jack to get outside, not to protect the ruin. "Run!" The Black Parade is fast. It starts spreading the shadows over any light sources except those necessary so Jack can just barely see, and then moves to try and pin Vergil down long enough for the team to start running to their vehicle. Hopefully, Rean will give back-up.
Rean Schwarzer	...Well, it was worth a shot, and he'd run out of things to say. He noticed a weird shadow looming in the background, though, and Jack confirmed it to be his. After a few more words to Jack over the radio, they had a plan...kind of. Jack's shadow creature rose up and the man shouted to the staff to run. "You heard him, get going!" Rean shouts, running out the door. Once outside, he quickly draws his blade, sending an arc-shaped shockwave in Vergil's direction.
Vergil	The shadow Talon strikes Vergil in the back, putting him through the wall as he grunts. The two make a mad dash for the exit gap, but a wall of shimmering blue swords manifests to fill it, blocking the exit. Rean's shockwave slash arcs towards the mass of shadow that pins Vergil, but in a flash of blue lightning, he forces them all off and blocks it with his arm. He stands before them now, demonic in form. The expedition members scream and hide behind a rock as Vergil glowers at Jack and Rean. "Hmph. Hoping to resolve this without a fight, were you?" He pops his neck and points at the two. Yamato is now melded with his arm, the blade houses in an organic sheath upon it. "You'll need more than the two of you for that." He moves, leaving behind a blue afterimage. The sharp 'shing' of Yamato slicing through the air fills the cavern as whirling blue bubbles of space-tearing slashes occupies every conceivable space, ripping at the detective and schoolboy!
Jack Flash	Space-tearing slashes come in a blue afterimage. Jack was not expecting that at all. It carves straight into him, leaving a gash in his jacket, and a gash in his side, a massive bleeding wound. "AGH!" He screams, injured, but keeps standing. "FUCK YOU, SWORDSMAN!" The revolver is drawn, and fired at him. It's a distraction. As Vergil probably parries the blow, the shadow suddenly dashes across the landscape, and a pair of spikes move to impale him. It's a lash-out attack by someone who's scared for their life, by a superhumanly powerful creature.
Rean Schwarzer	Unfortunately, the way is blocked, so any chance of them getting out of there is pretty much gone. Vergil was unimpressed and transformed, performing that space rending move Rean saw during that one MECC match. The teen braced himself against the strikes, as they cut into him from all directions. "...D-damn it..." Rean murmurs. This is exactly what he was trying to avoid! Vergil wasn't wrong - Rean'd seen what he could do, and it was just the two of them and the two civilians. ...Though, Vergil wasn't the only one who could make himself stronger. Would that even /help,/ though? Or would it just screw something else up? Then, Jack screams, bleeding from a massive wound and panic firing at Vergil. Rean winces. He needed to do something, damn it! He closes his eyes, his body becoming surrounded in a dark aura. "...Sorry for getting you into this mess." Rean says. "If you can, try and get that barrier down and get them out of here." And then, he /changes./ It's not nearly as dramatic as the actual devil's, but having white hair and crimson eyes now is definitely different. He greets Vergil with a look of absolute contempt. [ansi(xterm9, Hraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!)] Rean shouts, charging at Vergil. He swings his sword again, and this time there's a lot more weight behind it.
Vergil	As Vergil reverts to his humanoid form, jack squeezes off a shot. Yamato flashes, and sparks against the bullet, sending it flying up into the air. As a shadow spike erupts from the ground, Vergil blurs, appearing in the air above it and standing upon the spike. "Here. I believe this is yours," he says, his now-sheathed sword swatting the bullet to send it right back at Jack's feet. And then Rean /changes/ The shock of white hair upon his head has Vergil curious. "What form of power is this?..." he asks, hopping down from the shadow spike as Rean rushes in. His blade scores across Vergil's chest, his blood gushing as he hisses through his teeth. "Not bad," he concedes, before retaking his demonic form. "If you survive this, let this be a lesson; if you have power within you, don't hold it back." He disappears again, and space is rent. Unlike before, where a swarm of microslashes filled the air, this is like the whole cavern becomes encased in one. The library is spared, as are the researchers. But nothing else.
Jack Flash	Another series of microslashes come at Jack. He should get at minimum knocked otu by this. It's immensely lethal and he's already wounded. But he has a Stand. He has Fighting Spirit. The Black Parade suddenly surges in the way of Jack, as tendrils start slamming into the air. Even as various microslashes cut Jack open, most of them are in fact deflected by the shadow, which takes no damage, being a shadow. Jack's immediate next process is to ignore the researchers. He charges for the door, moving to shouldercheck through the blades with Shonen Power, and escape to their ride. "Come on, kid! We need to get out of here alive!" He yells to Rean.
Rean Schwarzer	Rean didn't really care about what Vergil had to say. He just wanted him to fuck off, really. Vergil rends space again, slicing into Rean, leaving several heavy wounds on him. He's still standing, though and he growls, raising his sword again- ...And then he falls to his knees, exhausted. "Ugh..." Rean says, his appearance returning to normal. He looks up at Vergil who is at leas bleeding. He got a good hit in, but it still wasn't enough. JAck yelled at him to leave, and he gave one last glance at the researchers before finally just limping towards the exit. 'Sorry.' He thinks, following after Jack as they leave.
Vergil	The swords are smashed, and the two make their escape. The researchers attempt to pursue, but a new wall of swords springs up about them, containing them. Vergil shouts up the tunnel, "Do not forget the supplies! They will not last long without them." The last thing heard is the sound of Yamato being drawn, and the two being ushered back into the library. Back into the darkness.