Kronshi

Afterimages: The Mirrored World

---

Drip.

Drip..

Drip...

DRIP

Blood. It dripped from the beasts mouth, the cold drops falling onto Fubuki's forehead and mixing with what was already there. The beast hunkered down to his ear, the growling words bringing him back to his senses. The predator was right above him, and he was but helpless prey at this moment. Fubuki opened his eyes and saw the creature staring directly into them, a cold glare that sent chills down his spine.

"The only way to change the way things are, is to break through the veil. You fear me because you know deep down what I am. I am you, the side you try to hide but comes out anyway. You stand stalwart, triumphant. So why do you run?"

I am you. Why Do I Run?

The words echoed in Fubuki's head as they warped into his own voice. He stood up and faced the deer, the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing, and threw a side-kick into its bloodied maw. The beast's head violently jerked to the side, but its body remained stationary and it looked back at Fubuki again. He swallowed hard, trying to swallow the fear in his throat and readied for a fight.

"Who said anything about running?"

The deer acted first, charging Fubuki with its antlers pointed forward. He grabbed hold, his feet slid across the floor as he was pushed back. He sturdied his stance, and used the beast's momentum to fling it over his shoulder and slam it into the floor. Fubuki never saw it stand up. In the millisecond it took him to go from throwing the beast to turning to face it properly, it was already reared onto its hind legs as if it had turned to mist and reshaped into this form. Quickly, the creature brought its front hooves down, aiming for Fubuki's already injured head. He slipped under, crouching and then pouncing into the creature's chest to hold it upright and keep it from fighting back. He should have expected its response, the thing merely looked like a deer, it didn't have to fight like one.

The beast bit down into Fubuki's left shoulder, pain ran through his body and the fear and rage that was lodged in his throat was released in a bestial scream. In turn, Fubuki bit into its neck and the two were locked in a battle of attrition. Who ever bled out first would lose... but that wasn't how Fubuki did things. A fight should be quick, with powerful, decisive strikes to bring conflict to a close. He released his hold on the thing's neck and instead grasped at its mouth, one hand on each jaw, and pried its mouth open. Fubuki shoved its face upwards and threw a jab into its chest with his right arm, cracking its ribs and causing it to fall backwards.

"How's that for breaking the veil asshole?!" Fubuki shouted at the beast, fully aware of his bloodied and weakened arm. Fully aware that if this creature got back up, he was dead.

Avatar: The White Jade Gambit

---

"The storm is already here. Best we follow the tracks now 'fore they wash away."

Stepping out directly after Huo, the street was empty and then suddenly filled with a man running away, followed by four guards screaming for him to stop, followed by the citizens trying to escape the crime scene. It happened in a manner of seconds and the chaos had caused the two's approach to slow. Ryschi was about ready to reveal his airbending and get himself and Huo over the crowd when the waterbender broke off towards the shore. Ah, he wants to enter in a more discreet way. Alright, I can manage that. He then made for a nearby alley where he was out of eyesight and leaped up onto a nearby building, thrusting his open palms towards the ground causing hot air to hit the ground and then rise back upwards with equal force assisting Ryschi's ascent.

He jumped from building to building, careful not to reveal himself to any leftover guards but thankfully they all seemed preoccupied with other affairs. The nearest building to the wall gave him a bird's eye view. He saw a woman fighting the guards all on her own yet doing remarkably well, and the monk was also still there, trying to broker peace and doing no more than deflecting boulders from striking anyone. Ryschi was unsure who his target was supposed to be and assumed the guards were what stood between him and Shunon but right before he was about to leap in, Huo arrived and also attempted to dissuade the guards from fighting. One readied an attack, but was quickly knocked aside by his companion's reflexes and skill. It seemed a fight would be about to begin after all.

The monk strode into action suddenly, taking Ryschi by surprise and causing him to hesitate further as two guards were blown away into the water. When he arrived at this town, Ryschi had hoped to find his contact and figure out what needed to be done before he fought on behalf of the rebellion and potentially ruined any element of surprise they were relying on but now that seemed impossible if an airbender was fighting back. At least fighting was something he knew how to do quite well, and he jumped off the building and over the wall to join in. His target was a guard on the far side, but before he could even line up his attack, the monk acted again and knocked Huo away as well. His target changed.

Ryschi brought hot winds into one palm and cold winds into his other, and with a swift motion the two air currents swirled against one another. This attack is more effective under different circumstances, Ryschi hadn't built up enough heat for one current and was too focused on his target to chill the other, but as he landed he expanded the swirling sphere outwards. The border of the tornadic sphere approached the guards, the woman, and the monk with a speed and force enough to rattle their stances and unbalance any who were distracted. This would buy Ryschi enough time to act, and he lowered the center of his gravity and took a wide stance like one would expect from a firebender. A strong step towards the monk, followed by a palm thrust aimed at the large man sent a gale at him that would be capable of punching a tennis ball sized hole through the raised rock wall if taken directly. Ryschi knew that the monk would be capable of defending that though, and was only doing it to show he meant business.

"What do you think you're doing big guy?! Years of airbenders sitting back and watching the world suffer, and the moment some individuals that have nothing to do with you decide they want to stick up for themselves, you decide to intervene against them! You just swept two guards into the sea but I'm almost convinced you're on their side! How pompous of you to decide that now you want to get involved and try to tell these people how they can and can not protect themselves! This is their fight, not ours, so pick a side and shut up or get out of here with your naive idealism!"

---

@Asura

Afterimages: The Mirrored World

---

Four responses to fear and confusion could be found within the minds of organic creatures.

Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn.

Fight: Fubuki rose his head from his desk, worried that his teacher would notice that he had fallen asleep. Instead, the room was empty. No teacher, no students, no chalkboard, no other desks besides the one he was sitting in. He stood, and went to check the hall and found it equally empty. More concerning though, the hall seemed strangely long, with no other doors for other rooms, and it bent at odd angles at the end of his vision. He turned back and his desk was also gone, and now he noticed the room had also been absent of any windows. Fubuki decided this must be a dream and that it was about time he woke up. He raced to the opposite wall in the hall and began bashing his fists and head into it, not noticing the pain until blood began to run down his face. He looked down at his bloodied knuckles and realized that they hurt. He shouldn't be able to feel pain in a dream. Fubuki looked around again, trying to find any sign of a culprit that would have put him in this situation. There was no one to fight, and his fear heightened.

Flight: Fubuki dashed through the halls, no thought into what direction he was going. The only consideration he made was to insure he didn't run in a circle. No doors, no people, just a labyrinth of halls and the occasional stairs. With no doors, Fubuki figured downstairs would be a deadend, and would only head upstairs in the hopes of finding an eventual roof. Then, he began to see the outlines of shadows peeking around the corners and would run after them, only for the shadows to disappear as he approached. This continued for what felt like an eternity, and Fubuki could no longer remember how many flights of stairs he had gone up. There would be no roof, this place seemed infinite. He would then find himself in a place where the halls opened up into a wide rectangular room with multiple halls branching off of it. This room was cold, almost too cold for even Fubuki, and at it's center stood a deer. There was no where to run, and his fear heightened.

Freeze: The deer smiled that terrible smile. The temperature in the room lowered further. Fubuki froze in place, paralyzed by what was in front of him. His head and hands bleeding the same as the deer's mouth. The pain was the only thing keeping him in the moment, but he didn't dare move. The deer looked at him, stared straight through his soul with a bone-chilling glare, and then turned around and wandered off. Fubuki still couldn't move as he felt the adrenaline crash hit him. He couldn't even make his legs hold him up any more, and he fell backwards onto his ass and sat there. There was no telling if he should stay or leave, not that he really had a choice to make, and his fear heightened.

Fawn: Fubuki couldn't keep his body upright anymore, forcing him to lay down. No more movement, no more thought, just a complete surrender to the elements and to any predators that may be hunting him. He felt as though his consciousness was slipping, and he had no will to keep his eyes open. Eventually, the pain and cold was all he could feel. Whatever would happen, would happen. There was no more he could do, this was his limit, and his fear left him.

Afterimages: The Mirrored World

Also, I'll be posting my part tonight. Eta: 6-10 hours from now.

Afterimages: The Mirrored World

I'm cool with it. Already doing that for another rp I'm in so I don't see why not.

Fun Friday Adventure Log (updated every Friday)

The patch of fur was a dud. The hair actually belonged to a beaver and Shelly led us to it's dam, but the view of the river gives us an idea. Bigfoot is known for his love of dipping his toes in the water. Maybe of we grab our snorkeling set, we can try to get pics that will make us some money on less appropriate sites.

Avatar: The White Jade Gambit

---

The flow of wind made its way through Lazhou, carrying with it the hope, scorn, regret, and anger of the people that called it home. It was not what Ryschi had expected when he was told to make for the fishery here, as he imagined port towns to be places of excitement, diversity, and creativity. Instead, this place felt like a well maintained prison and it wasn't long before the wardens had to check for contraband.

Rushing past the Inn that Ryschi and his traveling companion, Huo, were taking a moment to rest in, a group of guards made way towards the same fishery that they were supposed to go to later in the day. Shortly after, a women sped out of the establishment headed to same way and some commotion began to rise outside. "Hey Huo, do you think we should go che-.." Ryschi began to ask before realizing his friend had already stopped his pandering and gone to question the barkeep. He'll be fine if I go take a peek without him right? Yeah, of course, He's a grown man.

Slinking outside, Ryschi casually walked towards the fishery to investigate, glad that without his orange sash it would be hard to tell him apart from any other poor villager, and glad that Kimo was a good two hours out of town to avoid detection. The tension of the air grew thicker as he approached, sensing not hostility but pure, unwavering resistance coming from the core of the scene. The source revealed itself, a large man stood between the guards and an older gentleman.

"Might you honor a humble wanderer with the knowledge of what brings such valiant men here?"

Ryschi couldn't believe his eyes, he had never expected another airbender to find themselves here, especially at a time like this. There were a few more shifting winds in the crowd, people moving to act or preparing to follow suite, but he couldn't take his eyes off the monk. Was he brought here to scold Ryschi, or worse, force him to return home? He certainly couldn't take him in a conflict if that was the case, even beyond his physique. Ryschi knew that his style relied on forcing opponents to bend to the wind's will, overwhelming those that had no way to disperse his strong gales, but other airbenders were his natural weakness. Noticing how long he was staring, and that the situation was progressing with the advance if a neutral negotiator, Ryschi decided it was time to return to Huo and see if he had gathered enough intel. Last thing he wanted was for the monk to notice him back. A head of hair, an arm tattoo, and non-traditional clothing were all things that made him look nothing like a nomad, but Ryschi was certain that if he had been seen then the monk would know his origin.

On his way back, he made sure to avoid those that had storms brewing inside them. Years of chasing spirits, meditating amongst them, calming them, and seeking their understanding had helped him hone an eye for what others were feeling and as such, Ryschi could tell the difference between those that were concerned, or hiding, or just curious to see what happens and those that were waiting with bated breath for what would need to come next. He leaves this to them, and whispers a prayer for the safety of all who will need it.

Re-entering the Black Eel Inn, He began to try and locate his companion and upon spotting him, wasted no time winding through the crowd. Ryschi leaned over Huo's shoulder to whisper into his ear, "If you know where our contact is, we need to go find her quick. Otherwise, we may want to leave town for a bit and return when things calm down."

---

@webboysurf

Afterimages: The Mirrored World

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Alumni of the Shirubashedo Academy dead from suicide, Fourth one this week.

The newscaster from the tv reported while Fubuki had stopped for lunch at a nearby venue. The fried chicken here was remarkably good considering the price and so Fubuki came here almost every day.

Man, this school is so cursed. The poor publicity is bringing the cost of tuition down though. Dang, people are dying and I think about how this will save me money... I swear, any broker and my personality will just be poverty.

Fubuki finished his food and began to head back to campus, his two early morning classes were out of the way, but he still had his two midday lectures and then his late night lecture. As he walked, he realized that he spent too long eating and needed to rush, choosing a back alley for a shortcut.

He'd taken this route many times, but things were different today. It was like everyone had decided to refurbish their mirrors on the same day. Fubuki's pace quickened, both because he was in a rush and because he saw shapes moving within the mirrors and began assuming he was being followed. Once he reached a spot out of eyesight, Fubuki spun around ready for a conflict.

Nobody was there. Just a cold breeze that sent shivers down his spine. Paranoia was getting to him, and the weird events of today weren't helping. Fubuki turned back around to continue when he saw it, plain as a day. There was a deer, standing in one of the mirrors where his reflection should be. Just like what he thought he saw in the reflection of his computer screen earlier today. Fubuki approached the mirror, but as he reached out to touch it, the deer smiled. A toothy grin with a mouth full of fangs, dripping with blood.

With a swift kick, Fubuki shattered it, glass spilling onto the ground. The pieces showing many broken reflections of the shaken man, but no deer.

"Hey, what's going on back here?!"

An elderly gentleman yelled into the alley from his back door. Fubuki scrambled away before he could be noticed and surrendered his shortcut the moment he could get back on the main road back to campus. That would be enough mirrors for today.

---

Returning to campus, Fubuki rushed into the building and up the stairs to his next lecture, making it with seconds to spare. He took his seat, pulled out his computer, and began to inspect it for any oddities or deer reflections before turning it on.

Fubuki could hardly focus, the image of that deer stuck in his head. The grotesque smile, the predatory gaze, dye it red and have it stand on two legs and it would look like western depictions of the devil. Devil? Like the dream. What on earth did I make a deal with? What does it want from me?"

Crack

The teacher had smacked a ruler into his desk. "Mr. Hanzai, are you with us?" The class turned to look at him, and some immediately looked away again knowing his reputation. Fubuki froze, trying the remember if he was being asked a question prior to the sound of the ruler. "Mr. Hanzai?!"

"Y-Yeah, sorry. I'm with you."

Afterimages: The Mirrored World

@Baphomini

Ah, suppose I should have checked their status. Thanks man.

Afterimages: The Mirrored World

@EchoWolff

Any ETA on the next gm post? Don't mean to be pushy but with only having 2 posts per person, and no character meetups, this seems like an odd time to have 4 days with no gm interaction.

Once again, not trying to be badgering, just concerned about the first game I join after returning dying this quickly.