DOUBLE PILLAR ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE SKY

[re_alignedmods]

[It extends upwards as far as the eye can see, vanishing directly into the Lambda. Markings adorn its rough, worn surface, too ancient to read. The material itself seems new, however--a contradiction in forms. All who approach will hear its rhythmic thrumming, a noise pulsing from it with a lulling and dangerous tone. Around it the earth is broken and crumbling, and pieces of debris from the junk pile radiate outward...some of it charred as if burned.

Will you approach?

Examine?

Climb the precarious looking footholds?

Or fall victim to something equally sinister...]

Note: This is the Pillar interaction post! A mod will be observing any threads made here, and will occasionally post with a response from the pillar depending on which actions you take. It is strongly suggested that you approach the pillar with a friend, as the effects of the Pillar's influence are not always pretty. (Also, it's difficult to hold a conversation between a character and a piece of stone.)

BE WARNED--many different outcomes will be administered here. If you don't want your character to be killed/injured/possessed then clear your post with Saeru before making it. All effects (yes, even death) will be temporary (IE not lasting more than three days).

Comments

[happyduckbutt]

Especially around here... [With everything so many times bigger than him. It'll just take a second for him to do so, tapping the gem on his shoulder guard. His armor appears in a flash of light, just as quickly as it had disappeared.]

I wonder how safe it is to go near. Not sure what I think about that sound though...

[sciencetank]

The understatement of this century, I believe.

[He glances back -- but the transformation doesn't give him as much pause as it would have, elsewhere.]

We'll hardly find out standing here. Will we.

[happyduckbutt]

No, I guess not.

[He nods towards the pillar.]

We're here for answers, so let's find some.

[Taking a deep breath, Ventus nudges his glider towards the massive structure.]

[sciencetank]

Indeed. Onwards, then.

[He all but marches forward, heading closer to the pillar without hesitation or fear.]

[He's ready for this.]

[happyduckbutt]

[Ventus hopes he is too. His hope that they'll be able to shed some light on things is all that bolsters his courage against the growing tension as they move closer towards the pillar.]

It looks like it goes up all the way to the Lambda... I wonder how deep it goes into the ground...

[sciencetank]

If it truly does extend that high, it's likely to continue on nearly as deep, in order to stay upright.

[He waves a hand as he picks his way closer, glancing between the ground he's marching on, and the looming pillar.]

[happyduckbutt]

[Not wanting to let Perceptor get too far from him, Ventus hovered closer beside him.]

Do you think it came from up there..?

[sciencetank]

It's entirely possible, I will admit...

[Wow, it just gets bigger the closer they get. Close enough to -- ]

[He hefts that stick, and gives the side of the Pillar a sharp prod.]

Just pretend he still has his armor on lalala

[happyduckbutt]

[Ventus holds his breath, looking anxiously towards the Pillar at that.]

Hi I am a pillar

[re_alignedmods]

[The stick immediately begins to vibrate, as if the pillar itself is shaking. Around both Perceptor and Ventus, the thrum of the pillar seems to intensify, as if the very air is thickening.

The material, on the other hand...seems weak. When the stick prods it, a tiny chunk of 'stone' dislodges.]

[sciencetank]

What on...?

[Of course, the only logical course of action is to prod at a different location, in order to see if the same reaction results.]

... You may want to move back.

[happyduckbutt]

Whoa-

[The boy is startled by that, eying the pillar nervously. Perceptor doesn't have to tell him twice as he pulls his glider back. He'll just...stay behind the bot, okay? Okay.]

[re_alignedmods]

[The same reaction does indeed result, but stronger this time. The vibrations begin to transfer, until you can feel them beneath you--coming from under the ground.

They increase.

They increase, until suddenly a pair of what look like robo-wolves suddenly errupt from the ground behind the both of you...so that you're trapped between them and the pillar. They spread a pair of razor sharp wings, and bare double-rows of pin-sharp teeth...and growl. Clearly, someone doesn't like you prodding at the pillar...

but this could be a good sign, right?]

[sciencetank]

Yes... see if you can locate something to collect a sample with... I'd rather not pick--

[He was going to suggest they find tongs or something, because there's no way he's going to touch the pillar piece with his hands.]

[But then the rumbling gets worse.]

[He actually steps back, casting around warily -- and all but stumbles when the creatures come into view.]

... That can't possibly be good.

[happyduckbutt]

[Ventus swallows as his gaze goes from the pillar to the ground. He has a very bad feeling about this...

He turns sharply at the new sound to follow, eyes widening behind the dark visor of his helmet. His keyblade flashes into his grasp.]

Guess someone was home after all!

[re_alignedmods]

[Indeed, someone is home...and someone is not happy.

The first wolf--Growly--begins advancing on Perceptor. The second--Bitey--jumps into the air, flapping its huge wings with the assistance of some jump jets. It looks as if it's intent on diving towards Perceptor, both of them perceiving him as the threat...since he's the one who has been poking at the Pillar.]

[sciencetank]

[He holds up the stick.]

[Yep. That's about the extent of his battle plan, here. He's never seen anything like this. Scientific curiosity is warring with self-preservation. He should run. He should... do something. But all he can do is stand there, holding his stick.]

[And he jabs it at the nearest one.]

[happyduckbutt]

[Hard to run when you were stuck between a rock and a hard place. Ventus could possibly get away, but Perceptor's situation is what poses the problem.

Small as he may be, the kid doesn't balk at having to face something so much bigger than him. He's not about to abandon the scientist, especially when it doesn't seem like Perceptor knows what to do. -wait, don't you guys have guns or something? WHY ARE YOU USING A STICK.

He zooms through the air on his glider, raising his keyblade to cast Thundara, lightning arcing towards the other robo-wolf before it can make a move at the Cybertronian.]

No you don't!

[re_alignedmods]

[Growly seems, if anything, very confused by the stick. It's initial instinct is to back off, but...it's just a stick, right? So, of course, it does what any canine would do. Congratulations, Perceptor, you're now engaging in tug-of-war with a wolf about the same size as you!

As for Bitey, he's in mid-dive when the arc of lightning hits him. Being mechanical in nature, it's very effective, and the loud yelp it lets out is clearly one of pain...especially when it crashes head-first into the ground instead of into Perceptor. For the moment, its stunned, leaving a chance to either attack it again or retreat.]

[sciencetank]

Ah-!

[Well, that's the last thing he expected. He ends up shaking the stick wildly, trying to dislodge the creature on the end. This is certainly nothing the tank has ever had the misfortune of experiencing in his lifetime.]

[He's worried letting the stick go will end up with the creature attaching him, so all he does is shake it awkwardly back and forth.]

[happyduckbutt]

[Perceptor what are you doing, this isn't the time to play!]

Hang on, I'm coming!

[A laughable announcement from a boy perhaps less than a fifth his size, but Ventus is quite serious. With one wolf down for the moment, he redirects his ride, cutting through the air to lash out with his keyblade and send another arc of lightning, this time towards Perceptor's playmate.]

[re_alignedmods]

[While the one robo-wolf is currently out of the picture, the second seems to be quite enjoying the game it's playing with Perceptor. After a particularly violent yank, it nearly wrenches the stick out of the scientist's grasp...

At which point its struck by the lightning and also collapses.]

[sciencetank]

[He blinks. Staring at the fallen wolf. For a second, he's startled this happened at all. Where did the lightning come from?]

[He prods at it with one foot, blinking at the body. Then at the boy.]

Did we win?

[happyduckbutt]

[Coming up beside Perceptor again, Ventus shakes his head as he looks back towards the first robo-wolf.]

I think I just knocked them out temporarily- don't know how long they'll stay down.

[re_alignedmods]

[Indeed, Ventus has a bearing on the situation. The engines of both wolves are still running, and the first one that crashed is already starting to stir. You'll have a few more moments to decide whether to stay or go...but at least more aren't showing up, right?]