Scene #5719: Rebel Yell

Owner	Pose
Carna	Another day has come and gone in Emblem City. Changes have been wrought during the night. The city has grown far larger in scope. New ground with new buildings growing up out of it sprawling outwards in every direction, from horizon to horizon. There is more city now than there is people to live in it, and there is an aesthetic shift as well, futuristic high-technology blended with fantasy structures and Greek architecture giving way to the design of a western-style 'big city'. Lots of tall, blocky buildings, alleyways, roads stretching on for miles, iron bridges over large bodies of water, and so on. Coeus is doing his part to fortify the city, it seems, and to provide more room to battle without endangering Emblem City's noble souls... And maybe so that he has more city to observe from with his many stone masks. There might be other reasons as well, but the point is that the heavenly cloud layers that once surrounded the city are now basically gone, replaced by actual city. Huge ropes of blue energy being pulled down from the cobalt sun as it moves through the sky, dimming the light levels signifiantly. The power all seems to be accumulating in one of the new structures: some huge control tower or receiver or transmitter or something extending up from Coeus's workshop. What might require so much power that Coeus has to drain the sun is uncertain. Maybe it's this very expansion. Many residents still remember the events of the previous day, even if in a highly edited form. Many are fearful, others determined to protect their home, some others curious, a small handful who do not betray their feelings outwardly anxious to get out if the intruders prove not to be what the gods of this city say they are. People seek answers, reassurance, and leadership. But Phoebe has returned to guarding the boarders after setting fire to the unusual paintings that the intruders escaped through and entered from, and Coeus is busy fortifying the city, and Prometheus is as absent as ever. That leaves it to those who know what's going on from being front-row witnesses to it to talk to the people, to organize, and to decide what to do next.
Wandering Dog	Balences remembers that feeling vividly. Saving people, being a hero. He's not entirely sure what was going on, but he remembers the faces he saved, how the people looked at him. And it makes him feel good. This is who he was meant to be. People are still worried, but Balences remembers several who both helped, and were involved. The copter in the sky, those shouting out to others, the past few days had been full of action. Therefore, Balences headed to a terminal, inputting a request to everyone who had been previously involved in the events (read: PCs) to meet up and talk about what's going on. The city needed strong leadership and support, and they were the best ones to help do it. The message is simple. "Hey, this is Balences, friendly neighborhood performer! With everything going on and how we've all been involved in it, we should all meet up and talk, see what we can do for Emblem City. I'll be at the park if you're up for it." And so, the entertainer sat at a table at the park, waiting. His mask was in his hands, being looked at. Wearing it was so much fun. So much power. He'd love to do it again.
Asterios	Yesterday, a monster emerged to defend its territory amidst misty and not-too-distant woods. Now it seems almost as if the experience has faded into the fog of forgetfulness. And yet for those who were there, the beast's bloodcurdling roar still lingers at the very far edge of memory. None Escape. But! That was yesterday. This! Is today. The city's recent renovation has not gone unnoticed. One of its local architects and carpenters is actually quite a bit nonplussed at the fact that his favorite pieces have been replaced by the bare and forgettable edifices of your average and mediocre metropolitan center. Why did they have to get rid of the old to replace it with the new? It's such a shame...! And so someone has responded to Balences' call to action. A man who is as large as he is unmistakable and as Large as he is... So very fluffy. The architect sits at the table without ceremony, resting his massive hands on the wooden benchtop thoughtfully. "You called...?"
Finna	Nico Zangt has been a bit rattled by what happened yesterday. She's back to her normal cutesy figure in the scholarly robes with the hood - even featuring slits cut for her ears - and the silvery triangle facepaint on her cheeks! Definitely is not an awful giant werefox. She's shown up answering Balences' call and came zipping over as soon as she got the request. And she's come prepared, with an armful of papers and drawings that have been rendered in... well, pastel watercolors. Things she's seen. People she saw. Even a jotdown of names and weird things that were said. She is, after all, a scholar, and a good scholar knows not to trust their own memory entirely! "Heyyyyyy!" She leaps right on over to the park, leaning towards Balences with a big impish grin! "Seems you're as eager to get to the bottom of this as me!" Of course, once that cutesy display's over with she rises and glances over to... The foxgirl's giving Large one heck of a series of blink-blinking. Followed by a cant of the head and a mystified look as if she's struggling to think about something....
Tomoe	Jeci recalsl somethings of the prevcious day it's got her spooked, she recalls helping people escape an attack, standing up to horrors form beyond and other things were more hazy too Jeci. There was also a sense of fear of a monsterous thing in the woods she was not very chipper as she got up. She couldn't fully place it either as she went about eating her morning meal. She then got the call and she was quick to get on her way if someone else wanted to talk? She would be there and soon she'd be flying in on her wings landing in the park.
Wandering Dog	Large and Nico both get a big grin from Balences, who waves to them as he brushes a hand through his sea-blue hair. "Hey! Sorry if I interrupted your day or anything. Just, as you know, things have been all sorts of weird." Balences waves a hand to one of the new structures in the city, as the others come up - he moves to wave Jeci over. "Something's going on. It's scaring people, and our leaders are too busy to...well, lead. They need assistance, and to be reassured that whatever's going on, it won't happen again." A thought crosses Balences' mind. This is his chance to be what he's always wanted to be. "We have intruders causing problems. People were hurt, trapped, terrified, and instead of telling us everything will be fine, they're all silent. I think we have the best knowledge of the situation and ability to make sure everything's fine, to be leaders where the others can't. What do you think?"
Asterios	Large responds to Nico's strange eye-fluttering with a confused stare and a slow, rolling shrug. What? He feels around at his face. Are there still crumbs in his mane? Did the marinara stain his hair? ... Weirdo...! "Mmn, that's an understatement. The city has changed for the worse since yesterday," Large answers Balences, shifting to rest his chin against his fist. "Nevermind the architecture. There's something going wrong, people are scared, someone needs to do something about it." "But what I don't get," he huffs softly, "Is what it is they're not telling us. That's what I'm really worried about."
Finna	"I'm worried, myself! They're doing all they can, I'm sure, but... I -hate- not knowing the situation! .. and if there's a way to help, you can count me in. I saw them churn through our poor Selenes... it's PISSING ME OFF!" Nico grouches out, flailing her papers rather noisily as she exclaims this! "These invaders are just waltzing around doing whatever they please. And they have the gall to call our existence a prison... admittedly, they're a little right. I mean, we've only got the one city! .... I'd like to see where they're coming from, but on MY terms... not theirs..." Realizing she's rambling now, Nico grins embarassedly and lays out her papers on the park table. There's drawings of the invaders that have been spotted so far! And a few drawings of the moonlit landscape seen in the tower...
Tomoe	Jeci arrives a bit after Nico doe sand looks to Large for a moment concenred. "It's changed for the worse I can sayu that the invaders are taking anf warping souls into mockeries of whom they are suposed to be. It's terrible and we may be targeted next too. Also that one was utterly infruating, what a little prick."
Wandering Dog	"There's probably something about the intruders they don't want us to know, like how they got in here." Balences muses as the others join the table. "Or what they're capable of, maybe. Either way, I'd say it's our duty as capable citizens to do something about this. These things were never supposed to happen, yet they still did. What else are we supposed to do but stand up for ourselves and our fellow souls?" As Nico puts down her drawings, Balences glances over them, nodding. "A list of threats. Excellent. We'll need to make sure people avoid these guys. This landscape," Balences taps the landscape drawing. "What is it from? I've never seen anything like it." Balences nods to Jeci, as he stands up briefly, waving his arms out to the city at-wide. "Look at all these people. They're our people. They live alongside us, and both we and them are at risk of being tormented by whatever those things are. But we can change that! I never used PRAYER, but even so, I awoke to abilities. I can breathe underwater and leap buildings. I've been seeing weird visions. Whatever's going on means we have a chance to be /heroes/, use our abilities both from and besides PRAYER. What do you say?" Balences quickly sits back down to not draw too much attention, but he's smiling. His mask is placed out forward, hand firmly on it. "Do you want to be the ones to do something about it?"
Finna	"They're after us too." Nico reluctantly admits. "Some of us. At the very least me. They were throwing more names around in the tower at some of us." Well, if anyone needed a motivation to Really Care about this mess, THAT should suffice. Who wants to get kidnapped?!
Asterios	Large is silent for a long moment. He makes a curious noise after a few minutes of careful, quiet contemplation. "I want to protect them as much as you do, Bal. Want to make the ones responsible for all of this just... Stop and leave them alone. But aren't you curious what they want? How they got in here? This is a city of the dead, but they seem to come and go as they please. It's odd for people to be able to just... do that, isn't it?" There's a beat as Large peers at the landscape as well. The moon... "...It's quite beautiful, isn't it? The moon."
Tomoe	Jeci knows there's a lot to think over here, she thinks on Balance's monolog for a moment. "There has to be a reason they are targeting certain people as well but the quiestion is what is their end game? Twist everyone? Are they after the gods? As for that I would be willing to help look into this we need to figure out how to drive these being out they can't return and disturb the natural order of things. I do want to be one of the ones to do something about this menace."
Wandering Dog	Balences grimaces at Nico, as he considers. "That just means we need to be quick and careful, doesn't it?" There's a nod to Large, Balences taking a hand to his face and stroking his facial hair. "Yeah, I am. I want to know why they're hunting us. But they can tell us that when we find them." There's a grin to Jeci. "Right. We need to work together if we're going to find anything. There's too much secrecy in the air. We'll be pushed away if we try to ask or volunteer to those in charge, so instead we need to find who is doing this, make sure they stop, and hopefully find out what could possibly be going on. That's all I need to know."
Asterios	"That sounds vaguely like you want us to try and fight these invaders all on our own," Large says, crossing his arms laboriously over his chest. He thinks for a moment, tilting his head this way... And then that way... And then up again. Then down again. "Hmmn. The alternative is that we sit, we wait, and we do nothing while the world falls apart around us, isn't it? Though I admit that I am... concerned. We are already outnumbered and on the backfoot. I'm not certain of our chances unless we secure the assistance of one of the Gods." "But if you do this even without them, then I will help you." Large gestures at the featureless facade of a city towering all around him, "After all, I cannot allow my work to continue to be squandered so."
Finna	"I've never seen that landscape before. But it -was- beautiful. Didn't... LOOK like any corrupted void." Nico adds rather deflatedly, unsure what to make of it. "Were my eyes tricking me?" Because she doesn't want to doubt the Gods...
Wandering Dog	Balences laughs, but does nod to Large. "While I think we could easily do it on our own, getting their help can only make this even easier, that's true. Then it's simple, we're going to need to approach one of the gods and ask for their assistance. Something about Phoebe's bugging me the wrong way..." Balences frowns ever so briefly. "But what about Coeus? We could head to his workshop and tell him we want to help. The assistance of his machines should be a great boon." Balences moves a hand over to Nico, waving it in the air. "Don't worry about it. If you say you saw it, I believe you. I've heard that even the worst things can be strangely beautiful, and even if it's not corrupted, it's still a place of interest, yeah?"
Asterios	"It's Phoebus' job to protect this place from any who might try to enter," Large muses, another deeply thoughtful note reverberating in his chest. "It is strange then, isn't it? That she hasn't pushed these outsiders back beyond our borders. Whereas Coeus labors day after day to make us more safe... Mmn, I think we aught to pay him a visit at least." He shakes his head, then. "I would prefer to be more certain of our chances, is all. You understand, of course."
Tomoe	Jeci thinks for a moment as she looks to Large for it. "I have no idea I didn't see anything like that I don't think. Look we got it good here right? It's not a bad hearafter why would you want to lose that?" She shakes her head for a bit but looks over to Balances. "Either way I'm in to help on this, I'm not leaving any of you snapping in the wind."
Wandering Dog	"Of course." Balences stretches his arms out, before moving to put his mask away. "At the very least, whatever the plan is, we all want to find a way to solve this, and we're together on that, yeah? If so, that's what matters most. That we're not going in on this alone."