Zhen Jun and the Tree of Doom (Rev)

<GrandTree>: It is the dawn of a new day at the north pole, or however days and nights work up there. Reverb is in her room, doing whatever the Reverb does, as the rest of the compound continues working throughout the day and night, no matter the time. Treeneto meditates in the main hall.

Reverb lies down on her bed, listening to music.

<TreeDm>: There is a buzzing, the familiar buzzing you hear when Treeneto wishes to see you.
Reverb sighs, climbing off of her bed, and walking out of her room.
Reverb yawns, walking down to the main hall

<TreeDm>: Treeneto levitates in his meditative position, his hollow shadows of eyes feel as though they are focused on you despite being but holes. "Welcome, welcome"
<TreeDm>: "Did you rest well, sister?"
<Reverb>: "Yeah, well enough."

<TreeDm>: "Good. I hope you enjoyed it, as your next station will not offer the same comforts of this base. Come, sit" a chair materializes across from Treeneto
<Reverb>: "I'd rather stand."

<TreeDm>: Treeneto pauses a moment, then with some vexation in his voice "So be it then" and the chair disappears.
<TreeDm>: "I have chosen a new assignment for you, to help you with your spiritual journey with us"
<TreeDm>: "Our organization is more than just an arctic compound with isolated missions"
<TreeDm>: "We are a global force, and your next several days will show you as such"

<Reverb>: "Alright. What do you need?"
<TreeDm>: "You will be sent to one of our bases in the wilderness of Brazil, a training encampment under the guidance of Zhen Jun. He will give you your tasks following"

<TreeDm>: "If you came to us untrained, you would have met him first before coming here"
<TreeDm>: "It is not a place for the faint of heart, and the work is not as... elegant as ours up here, but it is an integral piece of our organization"
<TreeDm>: "I am sure you will fit in just fine"
<Reverb>: "How long will I be staying?"

<TreeDm>: "As long as he sees fit. I will be getting a report following"
<TreeDm>: "Might be days, or weeks"
<Reverb>: "...fair enough."

<TreeDm>: "Is there anything you would wish to tell me before leaving? Perhaps something you would wish to bring?"
<Reverb>: "As long as I have my books and my music, I can keep a reasonable level of sanity on my part."
<TreeDm>: "Then I would advise retrieving those, as you leave effective immediately once you do"
<Reverb>: "Alright then."

Reverb goes to her room. She throws her books into a bag, and returns to the main hall.
<TreeDm>: "Happy travels, Francesca"
<TreeDm>: A bright blinding light flashes, familiar, and you are teleported away
<Reverb>: "Aw shit, a teleport. Should've damn well known..."

<TreeDm>: When you open your eyes, you are in a completely different setting. It looks like a military boot camp nestled deep within the jungle. Small houses within the interior of the large electric wall that surrounds it are packed in, and there are open spaces obviously for training routines. There are people everywhere, you notice very few of them look... mutated
<TreeDm>: In fact, all of the ones training don't seem mutated at all. They wear rags of many cultures and have a strange blank determination to them, they look dirty and muddy as if they haven't bathed in weeks, and smell of it too.
<TreeDm>: The people looks as if they are from around the globe, almost like prisoners.
<TreeDm>: The mutants you do see do not partake in the training, they seem to be guards or organizers passing by.
<TreeDm>: There is also, upon further inspection, small pollen like spores throughout the air, putting a light green haze over everything within the camp
<TreeDm>: the jungle is right outside of the wall, looking untouched by the building of the camp
<TreeDm>: "Ah, welcome, welcome!" a crackling voice is said behind her

Reverb turns around suddenly.
<Reverb>: "Who are you?"

<Zhenjun>: Before her stands a rather tall man... that looks absolutely horrific. It looks as if a rotted corpse in formal military wear, bits of skeleton and flesh highly visible. The skin is a pale green and has a fluff to it, as well as what seem to be mushrooms and other fungal features appearing on him.
<Zhenjun>: His face is the main facet, somewhat skeletal with fungal stalks growing out of it

<Zhenjun>: "I am Zhenjun, your new trainer for the time being"
<Reverb>: "...Francesca."
Zhenjun puts forward a hand to her, thankfully he is wearing a glove so you don't have to touch whatever substance that made up what his skin was

Reverb extends a hand, shaking Zhenjun's
<Zhenjun>: "I am pleased to meet you, our Lord spoke highly of you in his dossier"
<Zhenjun>: "A bit disappointed he has not permitted me to give you the course, but what he deems is law"
<Reverb>: "Course?"
<Zhenjun>: "Why, the course of course. Let us take a walk"

Zhenjun turns and begins leading her to a remote part of the camp
Reverb sighs, walking after Zhenjun

<Zhenjun>: "This is where we train the recruits and converts to be part of our Holy army." he says back to her "Unfortunately, I have gotten less recruits and more converts as time has gone on, much less... entertaining to train, but are a sign of progress"
<Zhenjun>: You reach a main area, seems like an entrance. Several large trucks are stationed, one of them just coming in and unloading.... people. Looks like captured people being filed in by human guards.

<Zhenjun>: "The course is our training program, where we take those who come here and mold them into the proud crusaders of our cause"
<Reverb>: "...I see."
<Zhenjun>: "Not many are willing, but they see the light soon enough. If not through force, then through... well never you mind"
Reverb can probably tell just how they get people to "see the light".

<Zhenjun>: "As is my talent, my holy gift, I can see what potential one has, train them and unlock it. Truly a skill that was made for such a purpose"

Zhenjun leads her to another area. You see before you a platoon of 24 something men, some mutants the rest not, in formation and uniform. On the way you notice that there is a large building where all the wires connecting to the huts and the electric stone wall come from.

<Reverb>: "Right, so... a mentor?"
<Zhenjun>: "Indeed I am. A shame I cannot formally teach you, but we'll see what I can do for you while I can. First a demonstration"
<Zhenjun>: "Radislav! Front and center!" he yells out to the platoon. A man steps forward, a balaclava covering all but his eyes as is the uniform, but you see his icy skin and glowing eyes clear as day.
<Zhenjun>: "Radislav was a graduate from that school of yours, did not take part in your program and was given lackluster mastery over his own abilities"
<Zhenjun>: "Then I took him in"

Zhenjun motions to the side, two guards bring over metal boxes and put them on the ground. They unfold into robots with large electric batteries on their backs
<Zhenjun>: "Radislav, technique 439!"
<Zhenjun>: The man raises his arms, and spins them as if he is changing the air itself. Then, massive spirals of ice begin to form out of the ground and moisture in the air, impaling the two robots on twin spires that go up several stories. The two towers then mold like putty, twisting around one another in a double helix.
<Zhenjun>: They then crash together, making a large shockwave and shattering into shards. The robots are completely destroyed

<Zhenjun>: Radislav returns to his uptight position once he has finished
<Zhenjun>: "This is what we offer"
<Reverb>: "...interesting."
Zhenjun gives a little golf clap, Radislav returns to the formation with the platoon

<Zhenjun>: "Now, you are not here for these reasons, unfortunately"
<Zhenjun>: "You are to run a few interception jobs in the area, as we are the targets of many here"
<Zhenjun>: "I will let you get acquainted with your bedding first, I would imagine you wouldn't enjoy bringing your bag with you into the field, no?
<Reverb>: "Fair enough. I'll be with you in a few minutes."
Reverb leaves to find wherever it is she'll be staying.

<Zhenjun>: "It is right around the corner, fare thee well" he turns, heading to some business. Around the corner is in the direction of three buildings. The "generator", what looks to be a small private holding meant for you, and what seems to be a chapel of some strange kind
<Zhenjun>: You hear faint chanting from the chapel, and loud electricity from the generator
<Zhenjun>: Feel free to go where you wish, and return to him once you have finished
Reverb slowly approaches the chapel. Once close enough, she begins to slightly open the door, enough to peek inside.

<Zhenjun>: Inside the chapel seems to be a room full of purely humans, all kneeling and praying and saying chants. In the center is a shrine, as well as a large wooden carving of, well, Treeneto. He holds up what seem to be commandments with one hand, holding a staff with the other. He's turned himself into an idol to these people
<Zhenjun>: The spores and haze is especially heavy in there
<Zhenjun>: The people seem even more feverish in here, almost acting on impulse
<Zhenjun>: Its a strange scene, to say the least

Reverb manages to hold back from saying anything. She raises her scarf up, covering her face. Intuition says these spores aren't good.
<Zhenjun>: There is one mutant, leading the service. He seems to be some kind of massive centipede
<Zhenjun>: Once you look closer you seem to notice... children there as well
Reverb takes a few steps back. She can't afford to fuck up now, she needs to stay cool.

<ZhengJun>: The centipede slithers up to her. "Ah, I see you are new to our service, the one who has seen our Lord in person. Are you free to join us?"
<Reverb>: "Sorry, doing stuff for Zheng. Just dumping my bag and leaving."
<ZhengJun>: "What a shame. I would invite you later, then?"
<Reverb>: "Maybe."
<ZhengJun>: "Then we will be seeing you, sister" he slithers back to the congregation

<Reverb>: "...weirdo..." she mumbles to herself, walking over to the private holding.
<ZhengJun>: It looks a normal cabin, very modern and well lit. It has electricity, tied to the generator building, that allows it to have heating or air conditioning as well. There is a bed, a computer on a desk, and a closet.
Reverb drops her bag on the bed. She sits down, pinching the bridge of her nose with a sigh.
<Reverb>: "...fucking... shit..."
<ZhengJun>: There is a small wooden figure, seems to be some holy symbol obviously left by the centipede
Reverb leaves the symbol where it stands. If she touches it she just knows that bug will get on her case.

<ZhengJun>: There is a bathroom, with all the normal facets you'd expect from one. There's also the large cables that run along the bottom of the wall, leading in from the ones outside
Reverb stands up. It might be for the best to get started on the missions.
Reverb leaves her room.

<ZhengJun>: To her left is the chapel, to the right the generator, and ahead is the rest of the camp. The main yard's platoon has been replaced with another, looks like a bunch of new recruits, and more varied. Women, children, mutants, non-mutants. Seems like whoever they could find.

<ZhengJun>: Zhenjun is standing at the other side of camp, conversing with a few people. The buzzing from the generator room continues, and gives off static radio signals as well, ones you can't quite make out
Reverb makes a mental note to examine the signals at a later date. For now, she walks over to ZhengJun
ZhengJun stands, conversing with the two officers
ZhengJun has his back turned to you, not noticing you there

<Reverb>: "Hey, Zheng."
<ZhengJun>: "Oh! Hello" he turns around to her "Are you ready for your assignment?
<Reverb>: "Yeah, I'm ready."

<ZhengJun>: "Good. Headed towards us is an assault group, formed by an organization yet to be known that has discovered our presence and wishes to take the camp"
<ZhengJun>: "The mission is simple, stop them in the rainforest before hey reach us"
<ZhengJun>: "Joining you will be a trainee of mine, well, two of them"
<Reverb>: "Right."
<Reverb>: "Am I expected to keep them safe and all of that?"

<ZhengJun>: The officers he was speaking to turn over to Reverb. One a man, one a woman, both in the military uniform. They take off their balaclavas, revealing their faces. The man is shorter, having an italian look and tan to him. The woman is taller, she has long golden hair and very pale skin.
<ZhengJun>: "They will be assuring your safety, in fact"
<ZhengJun>: "Meet Janett, and Jonas"

<Janett>: Hello there
<Jonas>: How are you?
Jonas extends a hand

<Reverb>: "...I'm fine."
<Reverb>: "Not a handshake person. Germophobe."
<Janett>: That is fine
<Jonas>: Takes a lot to make the world turn

Janett smiles
Jonas smiles
Reverb doesn't smile
ZhengJun would smile, but his face is quite rotted away

<Janett>: Anyways, so we are suppose to stop intruders to our temple
<Jonas>: yes?
<ZhengJun>: "That is correct"
<Jonas>: Then we shall make haste
<Janett>: Before the heathens come to disrupt us
<ZhengJun>: "Now" he turns to the gate, which opens up. There is endless jungle as far as they can see, and only a bare dirt path outside of the confined walls of the camp
<Reverb>: "They're somewhere in there, huh?"

Jonas begins to head out, holding Janett's hand
Janett begins to head out, holding Jonas' hand
Reverb follows the pair, already regretting everything. Fuckin' weirdos.