WEEK 4 CYOA - MAYA, LEO, NIER, TSUYUKUSA

[dormheads]

Comments

[duranduel]

[A nice warm breeze caresses your face.]

[It's time to wake up, all of you. You're just laying on the ground, as if you decided to take a snooze - and why wouldn't you? It's a beautiful day out in the countryside, after all.]

[It might take a bit to get yourself up to your feet, because your clothes have been completely replaced with strange outfits with armor. You all also have a small sword at your side, laying next to you.]

[Everywhere you look doesn't net you much except trees and lush greenery....but hey, what is that? There seems to be something near a tree...though it's too far away at the moment to be identified.]

[What will you do, brave cavaliers?]

[feytality]

[ maya gets up with some difficulty, as armor is hard to balance even though it's pretty plain ]

Woah..... what is this, some kind of cosplay? Check it out guys, I'm a knight!

[ anyone close enough will feel her curiosity and a bit of childlike excitement, but there's also an undercurrent of trepidation. ]

[ she picks up her little sword and shield, and goes to see what the item near a tree is ]

[ investigations start.. ]

[commandertoolbelt]

[ leo spends a few moments flailing like a turtle on its back before he finds his way to his feet. and immediately he's nabbing this sword. ]

Sweet, free sword!

[ while maya investigates, he will just be here inspecting this weapon, and. hm. hm? there is a bit of disappointment coming from the boy. why, you ask...? ]

I could probably make better than this.

[ the judgment. ]

[amain]

[ Nier doesn't find it that difficult to maneuver in armor, though it is also different for him. He stands up, checking what he's wearing, then the people here. The emotions really are weary with so much dread.

He handles the sword a bit to check the weight. ]

We have to make do with what we're given, unfortunately. Keep your guard up and... [ Wait— ] Maya, where are you going?

[ Of course, he follows her?? ]

[branches]

[Tsuyukusa has a tiny bit of difficulty getting up, but mostly he seems annoyed??? So exactly what you'd expect from him, really.]

What sort of weird armor is this? And-
[Ah.]

Hey, don't wander off on your own!!
[TROMPING AFTER MAYA. He forgot to pick up his sword.]

A TEST OF CHIVALRY

[duranduel]

[When you all step through the doorway, Astolfo included, there is a bright light that consumes the senses. The saint's voice can be heard in the air, deadpan as always, as it speaks.]

Chivalry. Courage, honor, courtesy, justice, and a readiness to help the weak. Each knight must uphold these ideals.

Show me. Prove to me, if you have what it takes.

And eternal glory, and the restoration of Roland will be yours.

[There's a pause, and then another familiar voice pipes up.]

Oh, if you need help, count me in! I'm on your side! Haha, I'll get through this test in no time, alright? I'm a great knight, after all! So just call on me, your cute Astolfo, and I'll help where I can, easy-peasy lemon-squeezy!

[Looks like you have an ally, in case things get tough. There's a very exhausted sigh from the saint.]

[The test has begun.]

MAYA

[duranduel]

[Maya will find herself standing in a pristine white hallway.]

[At the other end stands Claude, dignified, standing tall and noble.]

[He raises his bow at her and cocks the arrow, as if aiming to strike.]

[His eyes are glassy. In her own hands is her own sword from before, and wow! Would you look at that. Your Roland-dented shield is back.]

[feytality]

[ yay... the ball shield... it's what claude deserves ]

[ maya is not making any move to attack, but she does freeze ]

[ this is a test, right? and she know the real claude wouldn't hurt her. so. ]

.... What's wrong?

[duranduel]

...

[He doesn't answer. His brow furrows, like he's considering something...]

[And then he's launching his arrow - it's definitely heading at her chest. He finally speaks, but it seems distant.]

...I will kill you. Don't stand in my way.

[feytality]

[ i rolled a 13 so maya manages to deflect the arrow with her shield, but she's still not making any move to attack, still ]

I know you don't want to hurt me, Edualc! We don't have to fight.... what is it you're trying to do?

[ she's saying it partially to try to differentiate the two -- because this man looks just like him. ]

NIER

[duranduel]

[Nier will find himself standing in a pristine white hallway.]

[At the other end stands Kainé - when she turns and sees him, her lip draws back in anger. Her eyes are glassy.]

[He will have his sword and whatever he had on him before, but she's already dashing at him, her own weapon ready for the kill.]

[amain]

Kainé—?!

[ Nier can't say he wasn't expecting this. After the amount of trips and people talking about seeing others from their world or in the school, he should. Still, he barely blocks her sword when she comes after him.

He keeps his somewhat dulled blade against hers, doing his best to prevent her from slashing more. What if this is her? What if this is real? Damn, being a simp is hard. ]

Snap out of it.

[duranduel]

Snap out of it? SNAP OUT OF IT??

[Her rage is palpable, but even so, her voice still sounds distant, somehow, like its being played somewhere on a recording. She practically spits as he meets her slashes, and she's practically hacking at him.]

FUCK YOU! I'll KILL YOU!

[amain]

This place is controlling you and...

[ He gets cut off. Please. Please. Kainé is stronger than him, but he has never fought her in a while. He does better in parrying her swings, though he has to use angles so that she doesn't fucking break her sword.

He's a mix of emotions. He promised her if something like this happened, he would steel his resolve, but what if she's real? Her attacks feel real. ]

Try to remember! It's me, Kainé! [ He can't stay on defense forever, so he starts pressuring her with slashes, too. ] We said we would go home together!

LEO

[duranduel]

[Leo will find himself standing in a pristine white hallway.]

[At the other end stands Caleb. His brows furrow, and he lifts up his hands, magic dancing at his fingertips. His eyes are glassy.]

[He won't attack yet, but he looks like he's conjuring something monumental, the air crackling with energy. Leo will have his sword and whatever he had on before.]

[commandertoolbelt]

[ oh this s Not Great. leo doesn't even have his powers back yet?! so he's adjusting his grip on the sword uncertainly, grimacing when his wrist gives a little twinge. ]

Uh. You just have the Polymorph spell, right?

[ two fire boys, one of whom has no powers at all - what could possibly go wrong here?! ]

[duranduel]

...No. I have more than that.

[And then, he draws his hand back - and launches a giant fireball right at Leo. Fire vs fire, you know how it is!]

[commandertoolbelt]

[ there's a yelp as leo dodges. ]

How is that fair?! I'm not even immune anymore!

[ AAAAAAA. he's going to try to activate the blessing of hephaestus anyway to conjure a fireball of his own, just to see if it will work. these adventures aren't real, maybe it will! won't know until he tries! ]

TSUYUKUSA

[duranduel]

[Tsuyukusa will find himself standing in a pristine white hallway.]

[At the other end stands Manwol. There's an elegant sword in her hand, which she twirls effortlessly as she faces him. Her eyes are glassy.]

[He will have his own sword and whatever he had on him before. She's starting to stride towards him, starting to raise her sword.]

[branches]

[HEY he doesn't like this. He does not want to fight Manwol! However, based on what he's heard about the field trips, he knows this isn't the real deal. It can't be.]

Fine, if it's a fight you want, you can have it!
[His words sound confident, though if anyone else was around to feel his emotions they'd know he doesn't feel as resolved. Still, he darts forward to try and hit her with the sword. He handles the sword in the way someone who's only ever fought with a staff might, because that's what he is. A staff boy.]

[duranduel]

[And she meets his swings easily, metal clattering against each other. She lets out a scoff, and speaks, though it seems distant, somehow.]

You'd really go against me with this? Is this some kind of insult?

[She launches a kick at his midriff, scowling.]

A TRIP............TO WHERE?

[duranduel]

[The courageous cavaliers having passed their tests of chivalry (though maybe because a saint was tired of having to run tests in the middle of rewatching Death Parade) will now find themselves suddenly outside a large, cathedral-like building that stands behind them. They are back together, and whatever wounds they have incurred during their test are...odd. Its as if they've been given a haphazard heal, with some wounds closed, while others open. Nothing is actively bleeding, but if you pushed yourself too hard, maybe you could start them bleeding again? Terrible! Maya is not going to have arrows sticking out of her, at least. No souvenir arrows. She may still have the ball shield, and everyone else still may have their weapons.]

[Also, Astolfo is in a different outfit, now? Even he seems a little confused by the change.]

[Above them is the saint from before, who seems to be sitting at a desk, perched on a cloud hovering above them. He looks at them all with an exhausted air.]

Hm. So you all have passed. What comes next is...well. Elijah?

[An old man comes out from behind them, pulling...well. It's a flaming chariot.]

In order to restore the wits of your Roland, you must retrieve his wits. They will be found on the moon, in the palace where all lost things can be found. Elijah shall lend his golden chariot for you to make the trip there.

[And he points to the sky with his chalice at...the moon. The moon in the night sky. That sure is the moon.]

You must also wear these special suits of armor, to protect you from the elements.

[Elijah helpfully pulls out...astronaut suits? Those are literally astronaut suits.]

And now, a word of warning. You may see many things there. Things that you recognize. Things you have lost. You are not there for them. Remember. You are there to retrieve Roland's wits. Nothing more, nothing less.

[He raises an eyebrow.]

Have I made myself clear?

[feytality]

[ i just wanna say that maya is gonna give nier a one-armed hug and the other boys can also have hugs if they feel distraught. maya has basically shoved all her feelings down as usual ]

Wow... the moon, huh! I've heard of cheese and bunnies, but never lost things.... maybe that's why astronauts are always going up there.

[ but maya nods. ]

Got it. [ also: ] Astolfo, you look so cute!

[commandertoolbelt]

And you're sure the literal flaming chariot isn't going to set any of us on fire, right?

[ glances

at the tree ]

[amain]

[ Nier will give Maya a hug in return! And if the boys want one, they can get one, too. But... Uhm. He has never seen the moon before now and these dudes are telling them to go there? Time to fashion on a suit. ]

Roland's wits. [ Clear. ] I hope they're appropriate.

[ as in PG-13. fucking naked man ]