thisavrou_log | The Hannya Mask

Entry tags:

The Hannya Mask

Who: Event Post | Open
When: Dec. 5th - 15th
Where: Around Avagi
What: A demon is haunting the station, spurred on by emotional responses. More information can be found here.
Warnings: Violence, possible death, body horror, etc.

THE HAUNTING

The onryō starts making her first patrols in the early morning when most people are comfortably asleep and not wanting to wake up. The sense of unease she creates is palpable, and initially she just looks at who is around. She chooses in the dark who she should be angry with, who is a foolish idiot for making her mistakes and who is an ignorant soul who ignored the anguish of someone else's attention. Everyone else is unimportant.

Occasionally, rarely though, she'll stop and look at something. Usually carved or drawn or molded, something someone used their hands to create. The very faintest of scraps of who she used to be, though that's barely significant. There's not enough left of that self to deter her from stopping more of the foolishness that damned her.

The Noh mask appears the same day, the same time as her first investigations get underway, and there it remains, conveniently close to where the Ingress once was.

The mask will always return to this original state the moment it's not being observed. It'll be returned to its resting place. If it's been destroyed or altered or damaged in any way, it'll be back to the state that it was when previously examined (even permanent marker would disappear).

It's made of cypress wood and is covered in layers of chalk paint and a glue-like sealant. On the back is a raised signature, indicating that it was handmade by an artisan. On closer examination (like swabbing or enhanced senses or super scanner) there's a bit of smoke damage, but otherwise it's not been worn many times. The straps attached are hardly frayed at all. However it's aged, it's not from scuffing or rough handling.

There might not be much time to notice or to bother with it, though. Not when people are being hunted in the shadows, when quick hands reach out from cabinets or a hunched form hangs upside down from underneath a table, waiting for someone to sit down too close to her.

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[Like Kurt, the Big Sister has also had something of a supernatural encounter. Unlike Kurt, she isn’t running from it—quite the opposite, in fact.

When she had woken to a strange, twisted little creature pawing at her unused armor, she hadn’t even considered fear as a response. Instead, she had pounced at it, looking to make it answer for its intrusion. It had slipped away, but the Big Sister had gotten a few good hits in before that happened. It stands to reason that it would slink off to the medbay to lick its wounds afterwards, so the Big Sister takes to a dark corner to wait on its reappearance

She’s disappointed when, after several minutes of waiting, someone else enters the medbay instead. Nonetheless, her interest is piqued when she sees him nursing a wound on his shoulder—a wound that looks like it could have come from the same being she fought.

She announces her presence with a loud footfall as she steps out of hiding. She’s not the most reassuring figure herself, a teenager’s body stretched to almost seven feet tall with yellow eyes that flash like a cat’s in the darkness. A gauntlet mounted with a long, thin spike is wrapped around her right arm.

She says nothing, only looks in open curiosity at the wound on his shoulder. Where had he gotten that?]

[Ordinarily, Nightcrawler wouldn't be so jumpy. To be fair, there is a demon stalking the station and while he has figured out ways to fend it off, he's not positive in his ability to react accordingly.

A heavy footfall surely won't go unnoticed in his already anxious state.

His first thought is to teleport, find the brightest place available to stand in, that way the creature can't get him. When he glances back, though, he clutches the armful of items to his chest, wide ruby eyes staring at the approaching (being? mutant?) girl. Kurt's eyebrows lift and his head tilts, tail flicking with curiosity.

He's seen peculiar people before-- nothing quite like the Big Sister, but she doesn't seem to be hostile, despite the large, imposing weapon that's strapped to one of her arms and her tall stature.]

Hi, [manages Blue, gaze flicking from her to his injury then back again.] Did you ... need supplies?

[The boy looks to be about her age, but that’s where the similarities end. There had been plenty of abnormal bodies in Rapture, but the Big Sister has never seen blue skin or a tail. She watches it flick through the air for a moment before turning her attention back towards his face.

She shakes her head in response to his question, instead pointing to his wound and cocking her head in clear question. She could try to communicate via her TAB, but with the bulky gauntlet on her arm, she’d rather avoid the awkwardness.]

[Thankfully, it's only the back of his shirt that's been torn or else he'd been far more cautious about turning to face her. After he does, his head tips back to better see the Big Sister's face, iridescent eyes gleaming with curiosity. What kind of mutant is she?]

Oh, [a pause, his free hand moving to motion over his shoulder.] It got me. The demon, I mean. Have you seen her around?

[Demon? The Big Sister supposes that’s one word for it. She nods, making a fist with one hand and knocking it on the other palm. Not only had she seen it, she had fought it—or rather, she had attacked it. It had seemed more interested in fleeing than fighting back at the time. It seems this boy hadn’t been as lucky.

Her gaze drifts over his shoulder, as if she's expecting the creature to reappear for a rematch. That would be convenient for her, wouldn't it? Maybe not so much for him.]

[The motion she makes earns a smirk from Kurt; he'd been hoping that he wasn't the only one trying to fight the monster off. Her gesturing reassures him that he's not alone in this battle.] You fought her? I hope you pummeled her good.

[Honestly, he won't be surprised if it does show back up and if that happens, he'll be ready this time. Big Sister looks at his shoulder again, which makes him feel like he should start working on getting it cleaned up and bandaged. So, he starts with antiseptic on a rag, making sure it's thoroughly saturated before reaching around to start cleaning.

His eyes wince shut as it promptly begins burning, but he fights through, figuring he can distract himself by continuing to talk.] I'm Kurt, by the way.

[The Big Sister practically beams at that, giving a vigorous nod. She does a pantomime with her fingers, mimicking the movement of a creature scurrying away. Not only had she pummeled it, she had sent it running.

Names are… harder to return with hand gestures. There’s a brief pause after Kurt introduces himself and then the Big Sister motions at herself with a gauntleted hand. Her lips move as if she’s speaking and yet the sound that comes out is nearly incomprehensible, sounding more like a whistling metallic scrape than anything human. Still, if Kurt reads her lips, he may be able to decipher the simple words she’s so carefully enunciating:]

Big Sister.

[Ordinarily, Kurt might not have laughed at such a thing, but the fact she'd sent the demon off with its tail tucked makes him snicker.] Good riddance.

[Fortunately for Big Sister, he can read lips. The noise that comes out of her mouth is peculiar-- one that he wants to immediately question, although he resists that urge. He's getting better at holding back things that might offend someone. Another idea flits through his mind, though: would she be able to learn sign language?

He bobs his head in understanding,] Nice to meet you, Big Sister.

[It’s something of a relief when he gets her name right; not everyone here is able or willing to make the effort to understand her when she speaks. She nods in response to his greeting—it’s nice to meet him too. For once, she actually means it.]

[Smile widening, he shifts over to a nearby chair and sits, setting up the few items he's picked up for nursing his wound.] So, how long have you been here?

[Might as well make small talk while he starts bandaging himself up.]

[The Big Sister stays on her toes while he focuses on bandaging his wound, keeping watch lest the creature reappear. She’s not too focused for conversation, however.]

Long time. Since we were in empty land. [She means the Midway Hub, the barren planet where the Ingress had brought her from Rapture.] Before we went to [A pause, as she puzzles through the long, difficult name of the planet.] Thisavrou.

[She looks back at him.]

What about you.

[She still forgets question marks sometimes.]

[He's grateful that there's someone else to watch out for the creature, taking into account that covering up an injury on his back is harder than it seems, even if he has a tail at his disposal. Nothing he can't handle without some contortion, though.]

The empty land? [His eyebrows knit with confusion, but it doesn't take long for it to click once she says it's before Thisavrou.] Oh, the Hub!

Actually, [Kurt starts, gingerly pressing the medical tape into place and raising his head to meet her gaze.] That's around the same time I arrived myself.

[Doesn't seem like he minds her lack of correct punctuation, either.]

[She nods. The Hub. It had only been a matter of months since she was there, yet it feels like lifetimes ago. It’s startling to realize how much she’s changed since then.

The boy’s comment gets a backwards glance, followed by another few words punched into her ACE.]

Have not seen you before. [And then, after a pause:] I would remember.

[There’s no malice in the comment. She’s sure Kurt would agree that he has a rather distinctive appearance—much like her, to be honest.]

[Remembering their earlier living situation only brings back memories of how odd it had been, traipsing about in the body of a child. At the time, Kurt'd been lucky, getting discovered by someone who had taken him to a medical tent when he'd drank too much glowing water.

The second time is no less forgetful, but that was a 'mistake' the Savrii had claimed.]

And you're certainly not someone I would have overlooked.

[Another shrug, then he grins again.] Can't meet everyone, considering how many there are of us.

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The Hannya Mask

Re: kurt wagner [nightcrawler] ❧ ota

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assuming she's using text? if i'm wrong, lmk!!

yep! sorry, i forgot to mention the shift!

all good on this end!