NIGHTMARE PLOT: BATTLE LOG

[these_balls]

Who: Nightmare Plot participants!
Where: THE BASEMENT (dun dun dunnnnn)
When: Wednesday, October 30
Summary: IT'S NOT CHERNOBOG. But you still have to fight it.
Rating: PG-13 in general; please mark threads that go higher accordingly!
Log:





YOU ARE HERE. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS. YOU'RE FIGHTING THIS. (IT'S NOT CHERNOBOG.)

ALSO, MOOD MUSIC.


KEY:

• RED areas are inaccessible regions! This time, characters have a little less discretion in what they perceive as the reason for the inaccessibility; it'll either be something like a broken or crumbling wall, a locked door, an archway overgrown with dangerous-looking vines, thick fog, or something else of that nature!

• The GREEN area is the set of stairs you used to get down here in the first place! Again, this is here so you know where your starting point is in relation to everything else.

~

☆ THE NUMBER TO MEET OR BEAT IS 55 PARTICIPANTS ☆.

REMEMBER: IF YOUR CHARACTER DOES NOT POST TO THE BOSSFIGHT LOG AT LEAST ONCE
(AS A TOP-LEVEL COMMENT OR IN RESPONSE TO SOMEONE ELSE'S TOP-LEVEL COMMENT)
BEFORE 7:00 AM EST on OCTOBER 31, THEY WILL NOT COUNT TOWARD THE 55-PARTICIPANT GOAL!

~

QUICK LINKS

THE BOSSFIGHT INFOPOST | QUESTIONS FOR MODS | SUPERPOWERS REQUEST THREAD | BOSSFIGHT PARTICIPATION CHECK-IN

Comments

[sadisticwarfare]

[Archer hesitates after that question. If Kimblee uses the stone, it's possible he'll lose control again, isn't it? But if he doesn't use the stone, that thing might get enough time to attack him. The answer is pretty obvious, but Archer does wonder if he's making a mistake.]

Use the stone. Destroy that thing as quickly as possible.

[But instead of waiting for Kimblee to bring the stone back up (since he's pretty sure Kimblee's swallowed the damn thing again), Archer removes the one from around his neck and hands it to Kimblee.]

Just don't use it all up. I'd hate to lose such a gift.

[That's said with a smirk though; he might not be entirely serious.]

[explosivecombat]

[Kimblee just sort of smirks at that; he pauses for a moment as though contemplating it, but ultimately he doesn't close his hand around it, instead pushing it back toward Archer.]

Surely you realize that I use those to level cities - and besides, I'd think you want me capable of following orders.

[And with that he pulls away, bringing his hands together and setting off another of those whips of energy through the air; he shakes his head a bit as though to clear it once that's out there and the force detonates itself upon meeting its mark - just the same, he's seeming very pleased with himself when he looks back at Archer, even if he is shaking a bit.]

Have some faith in my work; I can destroy it without.

[sadisticwarfare]

[Archer considers protesting, but when Kimblee gives him that look he relents. Kimblee just looks so damn pleased with himself. Very well, Archer will trust him; he'd better not fail.]

Alright. I'm sure you can do it.

[explosivecombat]

[You had better not protest; he's not going to take that thing from you, at least not now.]

I have my own, if it comes to that.

[...]

Oh, and Archer? Don't stand within grabbing distance. I do protect myself before anyone else, and that's gotten a bit unfortunate in the past.

[sadisticwarfare]

[Archer rolls his eyes, but his smirk is still present. Some things never change, do they?]

Very well.

[He's quick to take several steps back so he's no longer in reach.]

Do try not to get me killed; you wouldn't be a very good subordinate if you did that, now would you?

[explosivecombat]

Of course, Archer.

[Unfortunately, the next round he manages to fire off is more than enough to visibly stagger him; he keeps his balance and he seems determined to shake it off, but it takes him a moment to refocus on what he's doing.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[Well, so much for keeping his distance. Archer returns to Kimblee's side quickly to grab his arm, an expression of concern flickering across his face before he manages to control himself.]

Are you alright? Don't overdo it. Is it because you haven't had these abilities in such a long time?

[explosivecombat]

...I'm not sure.

[He hesitates for a moment, glancing back at that thing he's been fighting, the other individuals fighting it, and then looking back down at those minions below them.

Hmmm.]

I'm going to ask you to follow me, but you're going to need to stay close if you don't feel like being attacked; unless you have other orders, I'm going to suggest that we do this now. Is this acceptable?

[sadisticwarfare]

You're sure you know what you're doing?

[Of course Kimblee does, but he feels the need to ask anyway. Archer finally nods.]

Let's go. Lead the way.

[explosivecombat]

As disgraceful as I find it, yes, I do.

[He reaches out suddenly, grabbing Archer's hand in one of his; he would really prefer they not get separated at this point. He takes a second to spit his own Philosopher's Stone out into his free hand, closing his fingers around it and keeping it in contact with the array for the sake of keeping it activated should he need it; once that's taken care of, however, he immediately starts down those stairs at a ridiculously quick pace.]

You should know better than anyone that I'm not fond of leaving the battlefield with an enemy undefeated, but I can't trust my alchemy right now - quite frankly, there's a time to try to be some sort of hero and this isn't it.

[Come on, Archer, we are ditching.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[..............................

kimblee are we seriously running away]

...You're right. Let the others take care of it. They can throw their lives away trying to be heroes.

[Archer tightens his grip on Kimblee's hand and follows him as closely as he can. This isn't his ideal way of dealing with things, but Kimblee does have a point. He doesn't need his subordinate fainting while trying to use his alchemy or anything like that.]

[explosivecombat]

[shut up shut up shut up yes we are running away, does he look like some sort of shounen hero to you]

My thoughts exactly, Archer.

[Once they've hit the ground, Kimblee is quick to set off a blast one-handed, pressing the stone into that array on his palm as he does so; it takes him a moment to keep moving, but he's cleared a decent amount of space around them for the time being.]

Don't you have any weapons? I don't know, a gun or something would be useful right about now.

[sadisticwarfare]

Of course it would be, but I don't--

[Archer reaches down to his belt to check out of habit; he's surprised when he finds a gun there. He stares at it blankly for a moment before drawing it and momentarily breaking his grip on Kimblee's hand to check and see if it's loaded. It is.]

I take that back, apparently I do have a weapon.

[He grabs Kimblee's hand again and fires off a shot into one of the closer minions, smirking as it hits its mark. He might not have had any practice in a long time, but he's still a pretty good shot.]

[explosivecombat]

[...OH FOR HELL'S SAKE HOW DO YOU MISS SOMETHING LIKE THAT]

...It would have been nice if you'd found that out earlier, you know, but at least we know now; it'll spare me some work.

[sadisticwarfare]

[HEY IT DEFINITELY WASN'T THERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FIGHT SHUT UP]

I have your back, Kimblee. Don't worry about it.

[explosivecombat]

[And if now were a time for overthinking, this would likely be the point at which Kimblee would realize how strange it is to hear something like that; he's used to fighting alone, and even when he had bodyguards they were really nothing more than human shields - certainly useful, but nothing that he could consider himself to be fighting alongside. Even when proper soldiers had been offered to him, he had always down their offers of assistance; hearing this sort of thing from Archer and, more importantly, actually being able to accept it, is a new experience, really.

It would be a lovely realization to have, really, if a bit mind-boggling; however, it's something he's going to have to think about later, as now is going to be dedicated to getting the hell over to those stairs they came down thank you very much.]

I know you do; I trust you on it. Just make sure that trust isn't ill-founded.

[sadisticwarfare]

[Likewise, if Archer had the time to reflect on it, he would realize that this is the first time he's ever sincerely offered anyone his help. It's the first time he's really been able to, especially in a combat situation like this. He wouldn't do it for anyone else.

But for the time being he's busy clearing the way of minions so they can get up those stairs and back to safety.]

You don't need to worry about that either. I'm still a damn good shot.

[explosivecombat]

...You are, actually; it's fortunate that you have the weapon, really, since I couldn't hit the broad side of a -

[...shit, his coordination is not good right now, catlike grace let me tell you

He stumbles a bit but manages to keep moving; come on, Archer, almost there.]

...at any rate, that door had best be unlocked up there...

[sadisticwarfare]

[Archer fires off another shot before approaching the door, grasping the knob and twisting it with the expectation that it will open.

It doesn't move.]

Shit.

[You had to jinx it, didn't you, Kimblee?]

It won't open. Can you blow it up?