( HUNTERS - WEEK 4 )

[abhoth]

For this week, there will be no sudden loss of control for those who have signed their souls away for the greater good. As long as they're in the Curio Shop by 6:05 PM on Monday, nothing out of the ordinary will happen. All they must do is knock on the shop's door, carefully as if to not draw attention towards themselves, and the door will creak open by itself much like the previous week. As per usual, inside this strange room they'll find Craftly seated at a round table. Shelves of antiques line the walls and the smell of peppermint tea wafts through the air. A thin tendril slips across the table from Craftly's sleeve, hooking around his cup of tea. As smug as ever, he smiles to the group. "Come in, Hunters. It's time for us to begin". ( quick navigation ) ic rulebook | locations | statuses | room assignments private conversations | ic profiles | graveyard | full navigation hunter's handbook

Comments

[abhoth]

The rebellion will continue as long as you will it. The basin hardly needs me to be present to work, and one of my men will allow you to enter the room.

[ninjay]

Would someone replace you for everything else then? Or would one of your men just fulfill your role? They don't seem like they can answer the types of questions we ask.

[ you know. cause of the lack of mouths. ]

[abhoth]

No. If I die, no one will replace me for the duration of this game. You will have to find the answers you seek through other means.

[ninjay]

[ that doesn't sound good, especially during trials. ]

Another question, then. At the beginning, you said that the Prophets were unaware of us. Obviously this has changed, since they even know how many we are. Do you know how they figured that out?

[abhoth]

[There is a pause here, not quite thoughtful as it is surprised, and then he narrows his eyes ever-so-slightly.]

Your ill advised expedition to the Library. I must ask all of you to show me your injuries at once.

[ninjay]

[ oh.

once they were in the library, all three of them became very suddenly aware of how dumb it was to go in together like that. after all, if all of them died, then who would stop the prophets? after the other groups went in, jay figured they'd be fine. they weren't even the first group of three to break in somewhere.

obediently, jay lifts his sleeve to show craftly his injuries. ]

What did we do wrong? [ ... ] Besides the obvious.

[abhoth]

[Boy........... Don't mind Craftly to poke Jay's little body horror eyes, frown becoming more pronounced as the eyes just. Do their thing down there, rolling under the flesh.]

... It is as I thought. You allowed her to mark you, giving her access to all you see, hear and feel. [Who is this mysterious "her," he doesn't elaborate. But he will let go of Jay's arm, looking him in the eyes.

The ones on his face, I mean.]

We must get rid of these parasites at once.

[ninjay]

[ oh my god

he glances at his arm, then back at craftly, looking pretty horrified. ]

Is-- they told us not to trip over our blindness. Is this what they meant?

[ GET IT OUT ]

[abhoth]

... I would assume so, yes. Goodness—

[A faceless man just. Rushes in, carrying a tray full of very scary looking medical equipment. Pliers, mostly, as well as sharp scalpels.]

We have to act at once. The longer they remain on your body, the more information they will gather. I apologize for the pain that will come.

[So. Does Jay want to pull them out himself or should a faceless man do it. Yikes.]

[ninjay]

[ jay looks at it, and then looks at the sign telling them how to cut off their ear. this is not how he expected this day to go.

he picks up the pliers, but he gestures at a scalpel. ]

Can he help me? It'll be faster if we do it together.

[abhoth]

Very well... Be strong, young sir.

[And

I guess they're just removing his eyes together and dumping it into the tray. Godspeed, Jay.]

[ninjay]

[ listen i could wax poetry about how painful this is, like we do during choice thread, but honestly this is what best captures the current mood as this is happening. ]

[nowyouseeit]

[. . . at some point during the process, Kaito's reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder]

[ninjay]

[ he mumbles a thank you. ]

[nowyouseeit]

[he won't remove his hand until the wounds are stitched up again. quiet solidarity!!]

[abhoth]

[francy im gonna piss

but also, one of the faceless men will deliver an ice pack and fresh bandages once they're done. sorry, jay.]

[ninjay]

[ once it's finished, he will accept the bandages and ice packs. and then once jay is able to talk and sound coherent while doing so, because holy shit, he'll... look at craftly. ]

If... if anyone gets something like this, then that means they were marked as well?

[abhoth]

I'm afraid it does. [Grimly.] Horrors such as these are only an extension of her role.

[ninjay]

[ well. jay will have to keep an eye out for that. ]

I apologize for being so careless.

[abhoth]

Your apology is accepted, Jay.

[thawedheart]

[Oh, ouch.

Kaito has the silent solidarity handled, so Yukina will mumble quiet encouragements as he works and will scramble to help with cleanup and ice packs and so on once he's,$ done.]

[ninjay]

[ he appreciates it, yukina. he'll give her a quiet thanks as well. ]