* @SatouTarou so last time on Yu-Gi-Oh: this thread was happening https://knowinginthedark.dreamwidth.org/2296.html?thread=54008#cmt54008 -- now, Tarou's creepiness aside, he HAS been leading up to somewhere, even though you probably are starting to feel like you have to jump through hoops to get there, Renat. But you do end up spotting some ruins sticking out in the seeable distance.
* Renat squints a little at the ruins. "Those it, teach?"
<@SatouTarou> Oh-- yes! Looks like we made good time getting here. Watch your step, this place might be a little overgrown. *... overgrown's right, there's vines everywhere as you get closer, and the greenery has almost fully reclaimed the area*
<Renat> "Good time, huh?" *she sips from her backpack waterpack as she carefully steps around to make sure she doesn't fall. Best to be completely on her guard. ... still not ruling out vampire.* "Do ya know who built these?"
<@SatouTarou> Not a clue! But there are theories about this place. *he steps forward, trying to not disturb things /too/ much* My favorite theory is that this place is effectively a "mirror".
<Renat> "A mirror? Of another place, out there?" *she gestures vaguely to the sky*
<@SatouTarou> Of a sorts! Do you understand the idea of how the "12 Dimensions" and all work? That there's other worlds out there? Well, one theory is that for the most part, all dimensions actually operate at the same "location", and it's why that whole thing that made spirits visible and all actually worked.
<@SatouTarou> If the theory and idea is /right/, then this place is just a "mirror" of another location that's in this same space, just in another dimension.
* Renat scrunches her face up and nods. She understood more of that then she'd like. "That's... real interesting actually. And then here, because of that visible thing and just... weirdness, the things separating one 'dimension' from another are thinner?"
<@SatouTarou> Yes, though according to the notes I've read, these ruins have been here for much longer than how monsters have been visible. How long, no one really can pinpoint, but they've been here before the school was built.
<@SatouTarou> So it's possible that the veil of sorts is thinner here just naturally.
<Renat> "Weird." *she blinks, looking the ruins over for markings or an entrance* "Why build a school here...?"
<@SatouTarou> Kaiba Corp likely got a good deal on the land, is my guess. Plus the ability to fully govern it and not be subjected to any particular laws about digging.
* @SatouTarou trying to move the vines to look at some of the ruins themselves. There's an archway, low-sitting walls, and a bit aways, it looks like there's... a hill? It's all covered in the greenery, but you can tell something's built there.
<Renat> *she peeks towards the hill and starts helping Tarou pull vines away,* "Is that hill where we're gonna try and pop into another dimension? "
<@SatouTarou> Maybe! Do you want to pop into another dimension? *saying that almost earnestly*
<Renat> "Kinda, yeah. It sounds like I'll need to get used to it if I want to do this for a living."
<@SatouTarou> Hahah, well, if it happens, I'll know you're prepared. I do take my responsibility here very seriously, however.
* @SatouTarou maneuvers himself closer to the "hill".
* Renat follows after Satou. Anywhere else all bets would be off, but if he's being serious... "Well, thanks. I tried to be as prepared as possible, but I don't know where this is gonna take us."
<@SatouTarou> Well, admittedly, for our sakes? Hopefully nowhere, but for our excitement? We'll hopefully figure out what "triggers" any sort of spatial movement before we activate it, and then judge from there. Even if it feels like a bit of a mood killer in the end, an important thing about this job?
<@SatouTarou> "Don't touch it if you don't know what it is."
* Renat ... gulps and nods. "Yeah, I definitely won't touch a single thing until you say I can."
<@SatouTarou> Good! I'm glad that's understood. Now, do you have any gloves on you?
<Renat> "Of course." *she reaches into her pack and produces some climbing gloves that she slips on* "No skin contact for this stuff? "
<@SatouTarou> Right, not only for whatever we might find, but whatever's growing here too.
<@SatouTarou> Don't want to end up accidentally handling poison ivy or something, right?
* @SatouTarou pulling out some gloves himself and pulling them on.
<Renat> "Honestly, that'd be kinda funny. Prepared for all this trouble but a mundane thing takes ya out... how do you want to go about figuring out the triggers?"
<@SatouTarou> Well, first, we should take stock of what the common carvings are on the ruins. What is the order and "sense" of it all, to put it like that.
<@SatouTarou> That way you can tell if something "sticks out".
* Renat nods again, starting to look around the ruin walls.
<@SatouTarou> Another trigger of course, is if you end up finding an object that's disconnected from the ruins, but looks like it belongs there. Definitely don't pick it up if you find anything like that, since even jarring it might cause something to happen.
<@SatouTarou> The third, and most obvious, of course: watch your step.
* @SatouTarou as you start moving the vines away though, the "hill" starts to look more like... a pyramid?
* Renat oh no. She keeps moving vines away, being extremely careful to not touch anything she's not supposed to.
* @SatouTarou it's quite a challenge. But when you do move them away, you realize there's an opening to the pyramid. it looks like a tight fit though-- maybe about four people could fit in there comfortably.
<Renat> "Teach? I think I've found our gate."
<@SatouTarou> Oh? *he moves over closer to what you've found, noting the opening... ... and then sticks his head in. it'd be funny if it just activated right there, but thankfully for his head, nothing happens yet.*
* Renat would definitely not know how to react to that. "Should... should we step inside?"
<@SatouTarou> Do you have a light on you that you can hand me?
* Renat produces two electric lanterns from the depths of her pack, the kind that turn on as soon as you open them. She opens hers and steps away so as to not cast shadows.
<@SatouTarou> *moves a bit so the light shines in. it looks plenty mysterious enough, but...* No, I don't think this is the gateway. Something about this spot doesn't feel... right about it.
<Renat> "Then what would this even be used for?"
<@SatouTarou> Oh, it's probably a trap. *says that a little too cheerfully*
<Renat> "...oh. how can you tell?:
<@SatouTarou> This appears to be a pyramid, right?
<Renat> "Yes. ... because pyramids are... tombs?"
<@SatouTarou> Yes, but take note of the size of this.
* @SatouTarou it is... small.
<Renat> "Yeah, you could maybe fit in... three people? Four if you squeezed."
<@SatouTarou> Right. A normal pyramid is much larger than this and serves a purpose if it's going to be built to serve as a tomb, but this one is pretty small, even just outward structure-wise. But the structure itself shows no obvious sign that it used to be bigger.
<@SatouTarou> So what does that tell you?
<Renat> "I mean, if it was for a grave marker... the grave it's supposed to mark isn't 'dug' yet so to speak?"
<@SatouTarou> That's a possibility. My guess though is that we're only seeing the tip.
<Renat> "...oh." *she peers into it now, very careful to not stick her head through* "I guess... that would also make sense."
<@SatouTarou> That's why I think it's a trap. Another thing I have to note is... *looking around* If I were to logically guess, the archway would be the actual "gate".
<@SatouTarou> Or at least, it might've served it at one point, but it's broken now.
* @SatouTarou the whole top is broken off, yes
* @SatouTarou you can even sorta tell the stone that might've been part of the archway.
<@SatouTarou> Now, say you're a normal person, you pass through the gateway, and weird things start happening. What'd be your first reaction?
* @SatouTarou none of us are normal so this might be a thought experiment
* Renat scrunched her face up, deep in thought. "That I'm hallucinating?"
<@SatouTarou> Probably, or that you're being attacked by something. You'd probably want to take cover.
<@SatouTarou> Which is why this thing's a trap, and why it's as small as it is.
<@SatouTarou> Pretty likely if a spatial shift happens, if you were in here when it occurs, you'll either be in immediate danger, or worsew.
<@SatouTarou> ((*worse))
* Renat slams her fist into her palm. "I woulda never thought of not fighting, even if they were hallucinations! So you take shelter from something, and then this... dumps you deeper into a pyramid?"
<@SatouTarou> Maybe! Or whatever results from the spatial shift, you end up in a place that is most certainly not down here near the safe, safe ground.
* Renat nods, shaking her head away from the chamber. ... hanging out with her two-family is definitely killing her sense of self-preservation. "So if that arch is the way into another world, we don't gotta worry, yeah?"
<Renat> (*bio-family)
<@SatouTarou> Well, as long as we don't stumble across the trigger! In fact, we might have even more to worry about.
<Renat> "You sure know how to make a girl feel comfort
<Renat> *comfortable, teach."
<@SatouTarou> In this business, you don't get to be comfortable, really.
<@SatouTarou> It's better to find things being intact than to have something lying around.
<Renat> "Mm." *she swings her lantern around the walls, looking for anything out of place. Or that she might recognize from her small bits of occult study* "Just don't touch anything..."
* @SatouTarou there are definitely a lot of markings, but they all look... Egyptian in inspiration?
* Renat is next to useless with this. "Well... damn."
<@SatouTarou> What?
<Renat> "I'm not super versed in this kinda stuff. I'm more with the... alchemy stuff."
<@SatouTarou> Oh, that's fine. Having experience in anything is good to have! It's good to recognize where your weak areas are.
<Renat> "I didn't expect Egyptian stuff here... what's our next move, teach?"
<@SatouTarou> Hnmm... I think we should move on back towards the archway. If we can find the trigger around there, we can isolate it.
* Renat takes steps back into the archway, very carefully watching her steps. She doesn't want to trigger it right now.
* @SatouTarou right. At the least, even with how overgrown it is, you can tell where the carved pathway is still, even with the vines crossed over all over the place. But some of the large tiles are also broken up, crumbled, with dirt showing in some spots.
* Renat carefully steps around the large tiles. "Have you not been here before?"
<@SatouTarou> I've been here mostly to confirm the location, but I haven't done a thorough search of the area quite yet, since, well. It is kinda farther out of the way than most of the other locations on the island that could use more immediate attention.
<@SatouTarou> Given the size of the area too, I'd have rather had assistance with surveying it.
<@SatouTarou> Better to not make too many trips back and forth given the walk.
<Renat> "Yeah, really..." *she takes a sip of water and peers up at the arch*
* @SatouTarou it's huge. you can tell by the basic structure that it must've been pretty large-- perhaps made to accomodate a large group moving through, before. Ritual purposes? given the size of the rubble around you, you should be glad it already got it's falling over part done already.
<Renat> "Wonder what made this go over... time?" *she bends over a piece of rubble, humming to herself*
<@SatouTarou> Time, likely. There might've even been a civilization that lived here, too, but time and lack of maintenance just causes it all to crumble.
* @SatouTarou kneels down too. He seems to be investigating a patch of dirt that hasn't been overgrown. hnm.
<Renat> *she looks back at him and then kneels next to him* "Something weird?"
<@SatouTarou> Well, it's just mostly instinct at work here, but given how overgrown everything is, isn't it weird when a spot has nothing growing in it at all? And this island is incredibly fertile with its' soil. Volcano, and all.
* @SatouTarou taking out a small shovel, as he starts to dig at it.
* Renat produces a folding shovel and helps Tarou start digging, considering. Maybe it'll be treasure! It'll probably be terrible though. It is Domino.
* @SatouTarou hey now, legally we are outside of Domino's city limits
* Renat this whole area has not really been a great experience for her.
* @SatouTarou you'll adapt! he keeps digging though. the soil does definitely seem to look good quality, but you're not even encountering any insects as you dig, which is... odd.
<Renat> "I... no life, no roots... this IS a weird spot."
<@SatouTarou> It just gets weirder when you dig down, yes. But it's why it's almost a blessing that this place is so overgrown. It makes things like this stick out.
* Renat nods. She doesn't have a magic nose so this is probably important. Be aware. Be very aware.
* @SatouTarou yes, as you dig down, you feel something... clink, against your shovel. be reaaaaally really careful here.
* Renat stops and pulls her shovel back. "There's something there, teach. I'm afraid for me to keep digging."
<@SatouTarou> You're lucky just touching it didn't trigger something off, honestly. But good!
<@SatouTarou> Do you think you can tell about how big it might be, that you touched?
* Renat shakes her head. "No, not really. Do we dust it off now?"
<@SatouTarou> Well, we're going to have to. *getting out a brush, as he tries to remove the upper layer of dirt.*
* Renat didn't bring anything like this and just crouches next to Tarou, holding her breath.
* @SatouTarou brush, brush, staying reaaaally careful... but you start to see the form of something in the ground. It looks carved, like an eye of some sorts.
* Renat keeps holding her breath, now shaking a little. "What... the hell?"
<@SatouTarou> This... /might/ be the trigger we're looking for, but we can't be sure.
<Renat> "We... shouldn't touch it, right?"
<@SatouTarou> We should definitely, absolutely, not touch it.
* @SatouTarou says that as he keeps trying to brush away around the dirt, trying to get a feel for how big this might be.
* Renat resists the Briar urge to make things worse, looking at the eye. How big COULD it be...?
* @SatouTarou it looks like it'd be bigger than your hand, so it's not. huge. but it's sizable.
<Renat> "...do we just.. leave it here?"
<@SatouTarou> Let's first see how intact it is.
* @SatouTarou once he knows how big it is though, he starts digging around it, trying to figure out if it's possible to lift from below with the dirt...
* Renat starts digging with her hands now that she has a better idea of the size and shape of the object, being very careful to not touch it. "What if a shovel touches it...?"
<@SatouTarou> Well, you touched it already with your shovel, right? So we should be fine, there! But maybe it's also where it touched it? Who knows! *oh no he's excited*
* Renat prepares herself to die as she tries to dig under the object and pull it out.
* @SatouTarou you try to do it. and to be quite fair, you succeed for the most part to get it loose-- but the movement is enough, that it starts to glow slightly, which, well. it's a good thing it's closer to the evening, cause that lets Tarou get up fast.
<@SatouTarou> Uh-oh.
<Renat> "... should we run?"
<@SatouTarou> Probably!
* @SatouTarou heading for the gateway, as more glowing starts to happen at spots around the "courtyard" of sorts.
* @SatouTarou thing is: you're still contending with the foliage. really watch your step.
* Renat don't worry! She's definitely watching her step as she starts running, leaving her shovel and the eye there.
* @SatouTarou of course, now you have another thing to worry about: stonking big green lights shooting up from the ground.
* Renat this is new! Why is this happening to meeee
* @SatouTarou because you agreed to go on this little trip with a maybe-vampire!
* @SatouTarou said maybe-vampire is getting tangled up in the ivy though as he tries to get past the gateway, and the lights are really ramping up. Will you make it through? Or will you try to assist him?
* Renat pauses. He's weird and definitely up to something, but she has no idea what. He may just be a weirdo and that Kou guy is just... paranoid? She pauses to help Satou, even as her brain screams at her.
* @SatouTarou good news! You're a good person.
* @SatouTarou the bad news is that going to help him means the lights have surrounded the both of you now.
* @SatouTarou clearly you're both doomed.
* Renat gulps. "Well, sorry teach."
* @SatouTarou letting out an awkward chuckle, as the light swallows you both up. you're vaguely aware that the sky looks like it's warping.
* Renat watches the sky warp with a 'probably shouldn't have done that' face, but manages to swallow most of her anxieties and give Tarou a thumbs-up
* @SatouTarou well, as the sky warps and the light clears up, it looks like there's... ... is that three suns?
* Renat ... stares blankly at the sky and takes a deep breath.
* @SatouTarou it's even weirder since it was getting closer to nighttime last you checked. As the world seems to settle a bit, you realize a lot of the greenery is gone, too. ... and the archway is fixed, huh.
<@SatouTarou> ... I think we might be alive.
<Renat> "I'm pretty sure I'm alive."
<@SatouTarou> It's good to be assured of that. *he straightens up, now that he isn't tangled up in the vines* ... This is different, though.
<Renat> "So... how do we reactivate this?" *she looks up at the archway, especially the eye.* "Different? Howso?"
* @SatouTarou the archway itself looks very ornate. there's dragons carved there.
* Renat ... oh. Oh no. She takes another breath, stops. Another. Flexes her fingers a little. "... do ya wanna poke around the surface a little?"
<@SatouTarou> Sure! Let's do the first experiment: Will walking through the archway reactivate this?
* Renat nods quickly and takes a step forward, through the archway.
* @SatouTarou ... nothin'. Drat.
* @SatouTarou interestingly though, there's a small pool of water in front of the archway too. The forest is still there as well, but... you can sorta see past the trees?
* Renat squints up at the forest, then to the puddle. She is very careful to inch around the pool to stare upwards at the new forest.
* @SatouTarou edging closer to the forest too, as he looks through. ...
* @SatouTarou goes in further, as though to make sure of what he's seeing here.
* Renat follows Satou, seemingly relaxed now. She's watching the forest warily, waiting for the next shoe to drop, so to speak.
* @SatouTarou well, here's for a shoe drop: you get through the forest, only to find that there's a cliff. You do not want to trip down this cliff.
* @SatouTarou because there's uh. A lot of air there.
* @SatouTarou it's a big, big drop. you're not even sure if you can tell what's at the bottom, cause there's actually some cloud cover /below/ you. ... and there's other platforms in the distance that seem to be landmasses, too.
* Renat stares down the side of the cliff. Then to Tarou. ... back down. "We're in the sky."
<@SatouTarou> Sure seems like it. I don't think we can scale down this... If this is like the other landmasses we're seeing, this is pretty precarious.
<Renat> "Scaling down this..." *she squats near the edge, peering down* "A few days, maybe? And no telling how the air is between here and there, no water..." *she shakes her head* "I guess we'll have to find a way home on here." *Renat backs away from the edge and rolls her shoulders*
* @SatouTarou well guess what Renat, there was another shoe and it just dropped. Something pokes into your back when you back away.
<Gravekeepers> "You're not gettin' home, thief." *that's a pretty rough voice, and you're pretty sure a spear's poking at your back.*
* @SatouTarou staying. very still. there's at least THREE spears at his back now.
* Renat sighs and puts her hands up. "We're not thieves. ... trespassers, maybe."
<Gravekeepers> "Same's either way. Get movin'." *you feel a poke, poke, a couple from the side from other spear-weilders, as they try to guide you back through the trees. You're pretty sure these are Gravekeeper's Spear Soldiers, the whole lot of them.*
* @SatouTarou getting moving, his hands up. is keeping his face fully neutral. you're at least 90% certain he's trying to convince himself to not wig out.
* Renat also keeps her hands up, moving. At least they're not pushing them off the side of the cliff. It's the little things in life, right?
* @SatouTarou right! but it's more worrying about what they plan to do with you otherwise.
* Renat I mean, probably, but it's the difference between a probable escape and a no escape!
* Gravekeepers the soldiers end up leading the both of you back through the gate, and-- uh, was that pyramid that big? it sure got big. it actually looks like a real pyramid now.
* Renat lets out a whistle as she looks up at it. That'd be a really good trap if it's their headquarters. ... and if they're gravekeepers, it would be.
* @SatouTarou you're pretty sure if Tarou wasn't trying to stay neutral, he'd have been gushing over this right now, but he's keeping himself steely faced and probably repeating a song in his head to take his mind off of the spears at his back.
* Renat looks up. Then around. "In here?"
<Gravekeepers> "Keep movin'." *they poke at you again as you keep on being led into one of the inner courtyards*
* Renat starts moving again, glancing every so often at Tarou.
* @SatouTarou keeps a neutral face as they're both led in. the courtyard is surrounded by tall walls, and up one of them, you spot a Gravekeeper's Chief, who's looking down at you.
<@SatouTarou> "You have been charged with trespassing with intent to rob this sacred tomb. How do you plead, intruders?"
* @SatouTarou imagine that was the other window but yes
* Renat pauses, trying to not say the first thing that comes to mind. She glances over at Tarou. ... they're not exactly wrong. "Ah, about that. We, ah... got lost?" They wouldn't kill a kid would they? ... who is she kidding, they absolutely would.
<@SatouTarou> We're definitely not here on purpose, and we're definitely not here to take anything.
<Gravekeepers> "And do either of you have proof of your intentions?"
* Renat pauses. ... how do you even prove intent? "We were on a hike, basically. All my hiking gear's in here?"
<Gravekeepers> "Any equipment that is on you, turn over to the guards so that they can be examined throughly." *can you really afford to argue when they're still pointing spears at you?*
* Renat sighs and drops her pack. It's filled to the brim with stuff. Mostly water, two sleeping bags, a tent that could conceivably hold her and Tarou, and dried food.
* @SatouTarou dropping his bag as well, which contains all of the basic tools as well. As well as water, yes. and some dried food. Two of the guardsmen search through and dump out all of the contents. if you had your duel disk/pad in there, it probably got dumped out, too.
* Renat is very paranoid and always keeps it on her person. It costs alot of money y'know.
* Gravekeepers oh, good. ... Tarou's definitely got dumped out though. he keeps his /deck/ on himself, but the disk is replaceable.
* @SatouTarou ... though he did wince a little when it dropped. it's in a case at least.
* Renat ... oh right she also has some chemicals for starting fires. She looks at the stuff, back up at the chief. "See?"
* Gravekeepers one of the guards holds up the fire stuff. and the disk.
<Gravekeepers> "Did you hope to burn our forest to make us rush and panic, as you snuck in? You seem as though you were prepared to defend yourself, otherwise."
<Renat> "... what? No, that's stuff for campfires. I'd need more than that to set your forest on fire. Green wood doesn't burn well and... Oh." *they're just looking for excuses, huh?*
* Gravekeepers yes, basically. you might be digging the hole deeper.
<Gravekeepers> "It is our policy to bury intruders alive. If you have any way of defending your actions, you best say it now."
<@SatouTarou> It feels kinda more like whatever we say, you're going to want to bury us alive anyway... but really, I think we'd /like/ to just go back to our own dimension...
<Renat> "Same. We're just wanting a way back home." *she sighs. ... it'll take a few weeks to replace all this gear*
<Gravekeepers> "Back to your dimension?" *... the chief leans to speak with someone who's hiding in the shadows that you can't see, nodding* "Only two others have passed this trial, but if one of you is willing to face us in a duel, and win, then we'll allow you to pass through and return to your world. However, if you lose, a great penalty shall be placed upon you."
* Gravekeepers meanwhile, the guard keeps digging through Tarou's stuff. one of them has found some big folder of notes and things.
* Renat looks at Tarou. The notes. It's not her 'real' deck, but she might be able to do this. "You want to Teach, or should I?"
<@SatouTarou> Oh, no, please, go ahead--
<Gravekeepers> "The older one shall duel."
* @SatouTarou tenses up. it's clear enough the chief means him.
<@SatouTarou> ... w-why?
<Gravekeepers> "You looked too relieved at your companion offering to do so."
<@SatouTarou> O-oh.
<Renat> "... You said only one of us had to be willing. You can't just change that up!"
<Gravekeepers> "You wish to disagree?" *aaaand the spears are pointing at you again*
* Renat puts her hands up, hissing. "Fine, fine. Teach duels ya."
<@SatouTarou> Uh, maybe we could reconsider this-- *poked with at least five spears* -- okay! Okay, I get it, please stop poking at us with those things.
* Renat looks at Tarou and gives a thumbs up. "You've... definitely got this! ... right?"
* Renat words said moments before disaster
* @SatouTarou ... he goes back to that stony neutral face
* @SatouTarou he definitely does not have this, he's stopping himself from panicking.
* Renat ... oh. ... well, being alive was pretty okay. Maybe someone from my family will come and eat these guys after I die. That seems like something they'd do. Maybe?
<Gravekeepers> "If you're prepared, you'll be led up to face me. The other will stay down there until the duel has come to its' conclusion."
<@SatouTarou> *... sigh* Fine then. *he goes over to the one guard who's trying to figure out the case with the D-pad inside of it, as he takes that* I'll be needing this, I guess.
* Renat comforts herself with this thought. She sidles close to her own stuff, and plops onto the bag with a sigh. "Hey, Teach. Sorry about, well. All this."
<@SatouTarou> It's fine. I have at least some sort of plan. *he trieeees to give a reassuring smile* Besides, like I said. I take my responsibility here very seriously, right?
<Renat> "That's true. Well, don't worry about me. Maybe I'll teach these guys some games while I wait for ya to crush that guy."
<@SatouTarou> Feel free and good luck, with that! Try to not get stabbed.
* @SatouTarou gets led off by a few of the guards. ... huh, the folder with all of those notes just got tossed to near you, while these other dudes are still rifling through things.
* Renat ... waits until Tarou is absolutely gone and out of sight before she starts peeking through the folder.
* @SatouTarou Tarou... has a /lot/ of notes. A lot of it is handwritten and goes into great detail about research and the sort... but the more interesting bits is when you get to pages of drawings of circles with markings about them, stapled to a very... interesting sheet. something about exorcism?
* Renat is absolutely going to read everything she can about this. And sometimes glance around to see if she's doomed/saved.
* @SatouTarou thankfully for you, it seems like the duel hasn't started yet. they have to climb quiiteeeee a ways up. you're pretty sure you're not gonna be able to hear anything unless they yell down on purpose like the Chief's been doing. but... hnm, the notes definitely seem to be about an exorcism. Notes about "masking", a spirit that believes itself to be someone?
* Renat ... oh no. Outside of this, she really can't trust this guy as far as she could throw him, can she?
* @SatouTarou but there's also some. odd notes. it says basically that a smaller "circle" would be necessary to handle this, but that a much, much larger one would have to be used comparatively if you were to handle something bigger... if the topic's on one person that needs something smaller, why would he note this?
* @SatouTarou as well as multiple sigils. that'd need to be placed all around to handle it.
* @SatouTarou ... though it's fascinating that the "sigils" that've been obviously hand-drawn seem to take inspiration from multiple countries' histories, too.
* @SatouTarou they all have very. distinct designs.
* @SatouTarou so you are clearly dealing with a wizard.
* Renat ... this feels VERY IMPORTANT for some reason and she is going to copy as much of this over to her own notes as she can. ... Wait, if it's bigger... could he do this to an entire city? ... OH NO.
* @SatouTarou makes you wonder what'd be the target, if it'd be that big.
* @SatouTarou there is definitely a note about how there'd have to be a focal point created, so at least it wouldn't be like a blanket, but...
* Renat scribbles furiously. If she lives, she HAS to tell someone. If they die, it doesn't really matter, right?
* @SatouTarou right, of course. also the duel seems to have started, somewhat. you can vaguely tell some sort of fiend monsters on one end (and a dude with blue hair), while there's set monster and card on the other.
* Renat ... also wonders if she could appropriate the idea here to bust Bright out of her weird limbo. And then she'd be so grateful... And then she'd have to make her a student in Super Blue. ... focus up Renat. Weirdo first, saving Bright later.
* @SatouTarou right. that'd be an idea-- oh the blue hair guy got robes now.
* Renat stares up for a few seconds, then back to copying. How many people would this 'exorcism' hit? Would it just unmask them, or would it kill them? She doesn't want to know what kinda chaos it'd cause.
* @SatouTarou it seems like it'd forcibly separate them, far as the notes go... but it does seem a bit chaotic. The focal point would be important. also there's a rockstar up there now. And is facing some white-haired guy and an entrouge of Gravekeepers.
* Renat looks up. ... oh, of course he runs Burning Abyss. She keeps scrawling. That weird cop would definitely be able to make sense of this stuff... But she can't risk getting caught looking through these notes.
* @SatouTarou right, of course he does. ... huh, one of the monsters he just summoned looks. really familiar. something from your trauma.
* @SatouTarou and then-- well now even the guards are paying attention, cause you're pretty sure a whale's now peeking out from over the walls. you can't even SEE it clearly and you know it must be huge. there's a lot of commotion from down where you're at though as they rampantly talk in their own native language.
* Renat ... stares blankly at the monster, flashing back to a stairwell, darkness... No. No. That'd be too easy, a simple explanation for a weirder world, but... here it is. And a whale?What the HELL. Is he one of those weirdos who doesn't want to duel because he's too stupidly powerful and will absolutely tip his hand? She finishes with her copying of the exorcism notes and briefly flips through for anything else
* Renat interesting, before closing the book.
* @SatouTarou yeah, it's even more interesting that the Chief just responded with what looks to be a Quintet Magician, but it can't even move.
* Renat ... that's not a monster I know. She glances around the guards, now smug.
* Gravekeepers ... looks like something's being said, and the Chief is now forfeiting, likely at a suggestion to do so. You should wrap up copying things.
* Renat slams both books shut, tucking her journal back into her survivalist gear, and holding onto Tarou's journal, like she'd just been holding onto it for him.
* @SatouTarou you're pretty sure you hear running. running isn't always good. it's getting closer as Tarou jumps in and grabs you by the arm with one hand, and his bag of stuff in the other-- least what's left in it.
<@SatouTarou> Okayletsgobeforethingsgetworse.
* Renat scoops up her own stuff that she can before running with Tarou. "OkayokayIgotyourstuffTeach"
<@SatouTarou> Alrightgood. *dragging you along and back out. The guards seem to be rummaging for their weapons again. things are not super great! but he's leading you back to the courtyard, which is when he speaks again* So, by the way, our theory was right! The archway is the gate!
<@SatouTarou> By the eye isn't the exact trigger on this end.
<@SatouTarou> It's the suns instead. They align every once in a while, and when that happens, it causes the gateway to activate! Isn't that exciting?
* Renat desperately wants to ask him about the whale but gets the feeling it's also the reason everyone hates them right now. "... it is. That's actually real cool. And let me guess, we're not due for another alignment for a while?"
<@SatouTarou> Not after this one! And if we miss this I think we're going to get skewered.
* @SatouTarou little too cheerful but that might be the adrenaline
* @SatouTarou which, yes, the suns are moving into alignment. And you can see the light starting to form again as you approach the archway, especially from the water pool.
* Renat nods. Looks up at the suns as she absolutely books it for the gate. She's moving pretty well now, since she lost like 40 pounds of gear.
* @SatouTarou it's the small blessings that count, especially since the guards are catching up. But you and Tarou manage to dive through the gate as the light envelopes the both of you-- and you end up falling flat into vines and overgrowth.
* @SatouTarou all good signs.
* Renat scrambles back from the gate, grabbing the closest blunt and heavy object to wield in case they're coming through after them.
* @SatouTarou ... thankfully, no. ... and also it's nighttime.
* @SatouTarou is just... taking a moment to stay perfectly still, face-down in defense mode.
* Renat tentatively lowers the rock and looks over at Tarou. ... he can't creepy no jutsu here? "I think we're safe, Teach."
<@SatouTarou> *muffled* Gimme a minute, the adrenaline's wearing off.
* @SatouTarou takes a deep breath, and pushes himself up. ... fixes his glasses and gets the grass and leaves out of his hair.
<Renat> "Fair. You want any help?" *she takes a few breaths and frowns a little*
<@SatouTarou> I'll be fine. Probably. That sure was an adventure, huh.
<Renat> "It was... sure a thing."
<@SatouTarou> Right. I'm sure we'll both need a while to mentally file this away. But at least we learned a few things!
<Renat> "Yeah, we really did." *she hands you your journal back, sighing.*
<@SatouTarou> One: The arch is a gateway. It's broken on this end, so likely the purpose of the other world's set-up is to reflect the aligned suns to the trigger using the pool. Two: If we had gone into the pyramid when this happened, we'd have probably ended up right on top of their dinner table, given relative scale. *taking it*
<@SatouTarou> And three: Definitely never move anything you find.
<@SatouTarou> Take pictures next time.
<Renat> "Well, we couldn't have known if it didn't react to the shovel touching it..." *she sighs* "Yeah. ... were they planning to eat us if you lost?"
<@SatouTarou> Oh, no, they were going to toss me from that height, and also you were going to be buried alive.
<@SatouTarou> I won us the way out and a five minute head start.
<Renat> "... Pleasant. That's better than nothing, I guess. ... thanks, Teach."
<@SatouTarou> No problem. Just never have me duel ever again for something like that.
* Renat nods. "I was willing to, but... You did it."
<Renat> "Which I'm super grateful for. Otherwise, I'd be, you know. Buried alive."
<@SatouTarou> Yeah. I didn't expect the chief to have a sense of humor like that.
<@SatouTarou> But, well, he knows better now.
* @SatouTarou little ominous when he says it like that
* Renat ... isn't gonna talk about it. "I mean, they... made their bed essentially."
<@SatouTarou> Well, effectively! But what's important is that no one got hurt, except maybe the spots where they kept poking at us might be sore. And we definitely lost some supplies. I hope they'll put them to good use.
<Renat> "... What if they just bury them and curse at us from another dimension?" *she frowns* "I liked that stuff too."
* @SatouTarou realizes now that he's holding onto his notes. He opens up the folder and looks through it a bit to make sure it's all there.
<@SatouTarou> I think they tend to not get a lot of "new" things coming in, so I imagine they'll prod at it a while before deciding anything.
<Renat> "... I hope they blow themselves up." *she looks at the folders and nods to it* "They just chunked that at me. At least they didn't take it."
<@SatouTarou> At least. I'd have been very upset if they had ripped it up or something. *flip, flip* Did you look at it?
<Renat> "I flipped through it a little, I'll admit, sorry Teach. Curiosity got the best of me... Then I started really watching your duel up there, since my life kinda was in the balance."
<@SatouTarou> Did you see anything that caught your eye? I was going to show you some of the stuff, since you liked my last research notes.
<Renat> "Not really? I was trying to distract myself from my imminent death and, uh. Didn't really work. But I'd love to look some at some stuff when this all passes."
<@SatouTarou> Hnm. *he gives a snile* Well, hopefully! But I think right now... ... I should really probably get you back to your dorm, now.
* Renat nods after looking up at the sky. "It's pretty late, yeah. Thanks."
* @SatouTarou getting himself up properly.
* @SatouTarou and starts leading you back. in the dark. you're probably safe.
* @SatouTarou it'll just be a walk of also trying to not trip over something in the dark.
* Renat figures it's safe! Tarou won't eat her here. It'll be when she's not specifically under his care.
* @SatouTarou we can fade to black there then. you'll get back to your dorm safely.