balance_logs | Lunar Interlude 4, Part 2

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Lunar Interlude 4, Part 2

	Now is the winter of our discount tent.
	NAVIGATION

1. THE TOMB OF HORRORS

"The Tomb of... Horrors?"

"Yes. It's a tomb. And it's filled with horrors. Lucas, were you paying attention at all during the staff meeting yesterday afternoon?"

"Yes, but... that doesn't... sound very safe, Lucretia."

"The Space Mittens. The Architect's Pen. The Yarn of Earth's Binding. They've already faced way worse than what's down there, Lucas, and it's mostly harmless. Just a few exercises to get them closer to each other. Learn to work as a team. Build rapport. Support the new Reclaimers. It'll be safe. Edhyln's been working on it for weeks."

"Edhyln?"

"Yes, our Bureau Beholder Best Buddy. He actually likes to be called BB, for short."

"Our... WHAT?"

A. COME ONE, COME ALL

Lucretia stands in front of the Tomb of Horrors. Several Reclaimers have done their best to help clear the path from the main campground straight to the mouth of the cave. She stands in front of it, explaining how this works. Essentially, you form a team- the makeup is completely up to you- and go through the tomb. It's meant to build character and bolster relationships between the Reclaimers. Mostly, it should be challenging, fun and edu-taining at the same time.

You look up at a pretty dingy sign that's been painted onto wood, hanging above the portcullis that keeps entrants out. It reads, "Enter Colleagues, Exit Best Friends."

Lucretia states that the tomb can only hold one team at a time, and it takes a little bit of effort to set it up in between runs. Fear not! You'll all have your chance to enter. Lucas has created some really cool technology to live stream your encounter onto these floating orbs that can be viewed from the campgrounds. They connect to your bracer, too. You can provide live commentary if you'd like; it'll appear inside the tomb itself as floating digital chat for everyone to see.

Lucretia's not incredibly happy about this new invention and worries that it'll hamper the experience a little bit. You, on the other hand, are almost duty bound to make her regret her decision to allow it.

Before you enter the Tomb of Horrors, a wooden box is neatly organized for your team. The lid is left open, and you're instructed to leave all your magical items behind. The focus is teamwork, after all- not cheesing it with OP artifacts.

OOC Note: Feel free to set up a separate top level for interactions from other Reclaimers who might be watching your trial. The top 3 streamers who receive the most comments will receive a Fantasy Gachapon token each! We will stop tallying comments on May 31st, at 11PM EST

B. THE FLOOR IS MADE OF LAVA

(Note: Image over there not an accurate representation of this trial; I just thought it looked super neat.)

Room 1 of the Tomb of Horrors is carpeted in a red, soft texture. There's a leader board that appears on the other side of the room that states: "THE FLOOR IS LAVA," and the second you and your team enter, pixelated faces of your countenance will appear below the warning, and a tally of points will begin. You'll notice that once you've entered, the portcullis drops and you're essentially forced to undergo the trials within until you've reached the final room.

About 6 inches off the ground is a series of five 6½ foot long planks of wood, the ends of which are resting on small, circular metal pegs built into the ground. They make a zigzag pattern over a span of 30 feet, and you notice that below this series of planks, or essentially this low ropes course, is that soft, plush red carpet.

This seems really, really easy. What gives? Lucretia's designed way trickier Tests of Initiation than this. However, if you... for any reason, touch the red carpet even once, the screen on the other end of the room will flash and tally a point deduction from your team. You'll earn one TEAMWORK PENALTY (TP). This seems silly. When everyone is across, you'll hear a noise over the loudspeaker remark: "we all walk the same path in life, and it's easier with help from your friends!"

C. THE WOODEN WALL

Room 2 contains the second trial: a giant, 15 foot, 7 feet wide, several feet deep wall made of wood. There's no way around it, as it seems to vivisect the entire room. It also doesn't come with rope, anything to help you climb over it, and honestly? It's a little on the slippery side. Getting above and beyond it is your challenge. If someone falls down from the wall, you'll earn one TP for your team.

At the end of the trial, you'll hear a similar voice from a loudspeaker: "sometimes life throws obstacles at you, and it's easier to get over them with your friends!"

D. THE TOTEM OF CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM

The third room of the Camp Balance teamwork exercise leads way into a circular room with a small metal statue on a wooden pedestal. The statue depicts cartoonish representations of your party makeup, and when turned over, you see the familiar logo of Fantasy Costco written smack dab on the bottom of them.

The far side of the trial reads: "THIS IS THE TOTEM OF CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM."

In order to pass, you must give at least one piece of helpful criticism to your teammate. You'll take turns, and if the criticism comes from a place of pure personal truth, it'll light up gold. If it comes out of mockery, disdain, or condescension, it'll glow red hot- to the point of burning your hand. You'll also earn one TP for that one.

Once all four totems are lit, the exit becomes apparent. "Good advice makes for good friends!"

E. THE ARENA

You step forward into the next room, and it looks very similar to the arena back on base... only it's been retrofitted to look like a McDonald's ball pit instead. You wade forward, as someone stands in the middle, a sheet over their face to make them appear to be a spoopy ghost. Oh no! It can only be vanquished by true teamwork! What will you do?

The figure flings a ball at you, and depending on the color, you feel a light effect that resonates with a similarly colored element:

○ Red for fire
○ Blue for ice
○ Yellow for lightning
○ Green for wind

It's not hard to take down at all.

Have a little fun with it, why don't you?

Or don't. The person under the sheet is getting a little ticked off with how you're not taking this trial seriously. If your team managed to score even one TP, he'll stop midway through the fight and rip the sheet off.

You know those weird feelings you've been having at night while wandering around the campsite? That's because BB, the Buddy Beholder, has been around, watching all of you and trying to have a good time. He's not a very good beholder... in that, he's not very great at being a beholder. His eyestalks emit a kind of nauseating feeling that can cause confusion, blindness, paralysis- the same things you experienced back at the cabins.

One of two things happen, here:

"You're not taking this seriously! You were supposed to walk out of this becoming better friends. I think I know just the thing to help you become closer." (You've scored at least one TP)

"Congratulations! You've earned the grand prize!" (A treasure chest drops from the ceiling, and when opened, shows a banner with the word "FRIENDSHIP!" printed onto it. This, too, has a Fantasy Costco logo on the bottom right of the flag.)

Either way, the ground below you begins to tremble, as it seems all the balls in the ball pit start to suck through a vortex and the floor gives way.

You're about to experience the real Tomb of Horrors.

2. YOU'VE REACHED.... THE END?

For those of you who clearly did not take BB's cooperative training program seriously, he is extremely insulted!! Some of these tasks were meant to be interpreted more metaphorically, something to consider while forging stronger bonds with your colleagues, not just stomped through or made fun of. This is IMPORTANT. This is FRIENDSHIP.

(Note: He is not mad at all of you sweet Reclaimers who enthusiastically tried your best at his workshop. But this is a team-building exercise, which means you all MUST do everything as a team).

And clearly, as a team with the majority sorted into the fighting-based paths, the only thing you lot will respond to is actual danger.

F. COME ONE, COME ALL... AGAIN?

The little kid gloves are off — or, at least, they're off as far as a kind of ineffective beholder is concerned. The moment you regain your bearings deep down in the Tomb of Horrors, you'll find yourself in a dimly lit, dank corridor. The air is thick and unpleasant to breathe, like it reeks of magical energy, like maybe this tomb actually belongs to someone more sinister than a kind of goofy eyeball monster (Let's be clear about something, though: Goofy eyeball monsters are usually a lot more dangerous than BB is).

You'll have to make your way to the end of the corridor, fumbling your way through the dark as the ground slants downward, deeper into the tomb — because any path action you have that might conjure light curiously doesn't seem to work in this area. It'd probably be best if you all held hands or found another way to safely navigate the corridor.

Or not — because at some point, one or more of you will misstep, or suddenly, it will become apparent that the corridor, twisting far above the bottom of the tomb below, doesn't actually have any walls.

And just like that, one or more of you will suddenly be gone.

G. BIG BASS FISHIN'

That's how easy it is to die and throw an entire mission off balance, isn't it? Maybe that's the actual message that little exercise was meant to convey: that you must be willing to keep moving forward even when your teammates have fallen.

But luckily, much like the Bureau has plenty of diamonds on hand for Revivify, that fall wasn't fatal. It was pretty painful, though.

Also, you're soaking wet, because you fell in a lake. It's cold, expansive, dark as all get-out down there and a little bit salty.

In any case, those who slipped to their Tomb of Horrors death and those who managed to squeak down the corridor themselves will be able to reconvene at said lake, their lightbearing spells intact again, and have a rest at series of stones set up as a seating arrangement. There's even some fishing gear there, since your next trial does involve some BIG BASS FISHIN'.

After a little while of reeling back and reeling in some ... honestly pretty boring baby bass that wouldn't even make it to the pail for measuring, something appears to emerge from deep within the middle of the lake. Something ... about human-sized, actually.

Something kind of pissed.

And it is intensely focused on you.

That sure as hell is a Skum: A dangerous aquatic monster that specializes in biting and raking with any number of sharp appendages to eviscerate its foes. For this encounter, though, the Skum is going to pick only one target to attack, and will continue doing so.

Your job here? Work together to protect the person who was unlucky enough to be spotted first.

H. FREAKY FRIDAY

Perhaps the most egregious of exercises puts you in a plain stone room, split into four stone hallways, effectively separating you from the rest of your team.

It seems innocent enough when you pass through the entrance to your hallway. At the end is a door, with a speaker — approach it, and a pleasant-sounding voice will ask the following question:

What is it that you value most?

Maybe that question sounds familiar. But if you haven't noticed already, it'll suddenly become apparent when you try to answer: You are not currently in your own body — it seems you've swapped bodies with one of your teammates.

Which means, of course, that your own, personal answer, the thing that you value most, isn't going to cut it. You might want to break out your bracer for this one and message your other teammates.

Because this exercise is kind of a really weird way of forcing you to learn more about each other.

I. BB

The final doors swing open, and as you pass through to an empty room, the final area before the exit, you'll feel something of a snap, as you're returned to your body. That's not disorienting.

Neither is coming face-to-face with the mastermind behind the very clearly aptly named Tomb of Horrors himself — BB, a beholder, an enormous floating eyeball sporting even more eyeballs, because all the better to see you, and all the exercises he built to encourage cooperation, with, of course.

And look at how or mildly surprised/vaguely pleased with himself all those eyeballs are at your success.

"You made it! Oh cripes, I'm not supposed to be in this room right now?? So ... that's pretty much ... it? I've got a comment box over by the door if you want to leave some feedback — I don't claim to be a dungeon master or anything, but I thought some of these exercises were pretty all right, and.

"............

"Oh, what am I saying. You're going to want to fight, aren't you?"

You have a couple of options here:

○ Yeah, you can fight BB if you want! Just a word of warning, though: Even though he is kind of terrible at being a beholder, subverting the usual alignment, uh. beholden. To beholders. He is still a beholder. When he decides to fight, he can be incredibly dangerous. You'll want to mind the lasers and the biting, but where BB shines in particular is his wide arsenal of status effect spells. He is the one responsible for all the weird effects happening overnight at the camp — and if you can think of a weird effect, any at all, he's likely got a spell for it.

Don't kill him, though! He's got more Reclaimers who need to make their way through the tomb. Actually, he'll probably make a hasty, floating exit if you harm him too much.

○ You can leave a comment in the comment box. Positive or negative, you'll be receiving a reply in the form of a dramatic retelling of your adventure through the Tomb of Horrors in a large and very loopy script. It's unclear how exactly BB wrote it.

Regardless, when you do leave the Tomb of Horrors, you'll find a box with a tag addressed to you on a table by the doorway. Inside is about 300 GP — plenty enough to buy yourself a new weapon or way too many snacks from Fantasy Costco — and a note.

"This all seemed awfully silly, didn't it? But I do hope that you were able to learn a little bit about each other today."

3. THE GREAT BONFIRE

J. THE END OF CAMP BALANCE

Now that we've sung camp songs, played potato sack races, enjoyed a month of relaxing with friends, and made some good (?) memories down in the Tomb of Horrors, it's time to wind down from the activities of Camp Balance. Lucretia calls everyone around the campfire the night before return- and it's meant to be a rather joyous occasion. Food of innumerable styles and quantities are laid out and kept fresh with a charming ward- burgers, fruits, veggie dip, a jello mold that no one will probably touch... you name it, it's there.

Tonight's celebration is one to mark unification. She thanks everyone for everything they've done up to this point, and humbly asks that they continue to do the outright unbelievable things that they've accomplished since coming here. It marks a half way point for the war she's waging to rid the world of the Grand Relics, and more than that, it marks almost 6 months since some of you have come here. Through bonds, new and old, and through hardships shared and vested similar passions and goals, you've made this journey possible. And she wants to reward that.

There's music in the air as Johann plucks some spiriting songs on his violin. Spears for s'mores run iron hot in the huge bonfire centered around the midpoint of Camp Balance. It's a calm last farewell to the month you've had here- enjoy it in the hot springs. Go for a walk and take in the clean, crisp sea air that envelops every direction of the land. Swim in a nearby lake. Find some new friends, old friends, romance, good discussion. The world's your oyster.

And as one last treat, Lucretia pulls out her staff, and stamps the floor. Into the sky shoot rockets as fireworks explode into blooms at the skyline. They'll make you feel somewhat nostalgic, and whether that's by the magical entrails they leave behind as they die out, or the warm feeling it brings in your chest to see them. Either way, it's a night to remember, for sure.

K. AN OMINOUS VISION

And just at the tail end of the celebration, as if bad luck waits for no one, there will be a deafening silence that pervades the entire camp. A gut feeling will fill your heart with dread, something that you recall, something that you're familiar with... but maybe can't place your finger on it. It seems as if the entire world comes to a still: no wind, no rustling of grass or sounds of crickets in the forest.

It stops, and so do you.

As you look up into the sky, where there should be a canopy of now-familiar stars... are eyes. Millions of them in varying sizes and widths. And they watch you, unblinking. The intensity in which you feel your very soul pervaded into is terrifying, and almost as quick as it started, it ends.

Looks like we've been found, adventurers.

The Hunger knows we're here.

4. OOC

We hope you enjoyed this month's corporate retreat, and that you learned a lot about your fellow Reclaimers!

You'll note there's no RNG thread this go-around. That's normal! We are working on your next mission, so we need a little bit more time to work on that over the next few weeks. Don't forget, there's a reward for the top level that gets the most amount of niconico video flyby's, in the tune of 1 gachapon token to the top three livestreamers.

Also, please remember to turn in your activity for May — you have a little over a week left! As a reminder, you can turn in two bonus threads for two path actions this month.

New players only need to check in, but you can also claim your small reward for the initiation thread as well as two bonus threads.

blurb code by photosynthesis

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Stomping forward into the next room and being greeted with a ball pit -- the colors and sense of whimsy lets a brief feeling of nostalgia wash over him. It's a reminiscent of when his mother took him to an amusement park as a younger child -- although not anywhere close to being as powerful as the carousel!

And then a moment of sobriety from his final outing to an amusement park... ah.]

It would seem we are not alone.

[Gundam gestures to the specter in the center of the pit.]

Edited 2019-06-03 00:16 (UTC)

[Kaede's very careful with the gift as she slips it into her backpack... it's not just that she wants to get out of the penalty criticism room as quickly as possible, but opening a gift in front of other people is really embarrassing on its own, let alone in front of all the other Reclaimers via livestream!

She's quiet on their walk to the next room, thinking about what Minato and Gundam had told her. It really is reminiscent of Kokichi's lecture during the Death Road of Despair; how is she going to work on being a better person, like she promised Akira, if she's still the same person she was back then?]

Huh?

[That sure is a ballpit! And a ghostly spectre (a person? under a sheet??) before them! It whips one of the balls at them, and Kaede lets out an eek!! of surprise and ducks to grab a ball of her own.]

Alright!! Let's take it down together, everyone!!

[She pumps her fists and starts throwing the light balls as fast as she can.]

[ Minato trails after Kaede, who serves to be an adequate shield from the plastic(?) ballpit balls that get chucked at them when they enter the room.

... A ballpit.

With some guy in a sheet.

Alright that's it. The obstacle course stuff was one thing but this is just stupid. Luckily the other two have a lot of energy.

He picks one up and halfheartedly throws it towards the guy in a sheet. It lands harmlessly a few feet away. There. That's good enough. ]

[Gundam's quick to grab a red orb, feeling it's light effect in his grip. Fuahaha... yes... YES!]

INFINITY UNLIMITED FLAME!

[Yeah every single stupid ball pit orb gets its own uniquely named attack as he chucks them.]

Edited 2019-06-03 00:37 (UTC)

Come on, Arisato-kun, you can throw better than that!!

[Kaede scoops up a whole handful of balls. They feel pretty weird in her arms, almost tingly, but she still keeps throwing them as fast as she can. This is actually really fun! A good distraction from criticism.

But maybe her joyful laughter isn't what the spectre is looking for? All of a sudden, it rips the sheet off, revealing a freaky eyeball monster.

Kaede shrieks and drops all the balls in her arms, throwing her arms in front of her face as if that might somehow help? (It doesn't.)]

[ Uuuuhhh... What? He's only seen stuff like that in Tartarus and everything in Tartarus wanted to kill them, so he instinctively goes on the defensive, putting a hand on his sword and rushing forward to -- fall over slowly and awkwardly, because he's in a ball pit.

This is so stupid.

The creature starts crying about them (or maybe Minato specifically) not taking it seriously, they're supposed to be a team and strengthen their bonds of friendship.

By the time he's righted himself, the floor is shaking. ]

[Gundam's so shocked by how utterly uncute this creature is when it pulls off it's sheet, it takes him a moment regain his bearings.

I think I know just the thing to help you become closer.

Except Gundam can't regain his bearings. Suddenly it's as if there's nothing there for his feet to regain at all. The balls start to disappear as if something is sucking them down beneath him and a moment later Gundam is falling right with them into the darkness of the void.]

We're doing the best we ca-- Eeeeek!!

[In the middle of her attempt to make her argument, she feels the ground starting to give way beneath her feet. She casts around, looking for something to grab onto. There's only Gundam and Minato.]

Grab my hand!!

[She's reaching for Minato when it finally all collapses out from under her. She screams, but it's abbreviated, cut short by a fall that isn't nearly as long as she thought it would be. Or as painful? When she lands in a crumpled heap, it's on something soft and somewhat familiar-feeling.]

Guys?!

Edited 2019-06-03 01:54 (UTC)

[ He reaches for her as she slips away, and as the ground underneath him gives way he pushes against it to propel himself towards her, determined not to lose her in the darkness that follows. Overshooting his mark, he hits the ground first, and shortly after is suddenly crushed by Kaede's weight.

OOF.

He wheezes. He's right here. ]

[There's not a lot of time to process the whole situation as they're falling, so Gundam acts instinctively instead. He quickly digs Ribo-N out of the confines of his scarf, cradling her close to spare her the brunt of the fall.He hits the ground in a graceless heap--]

[--but Ribo-N is fine at least!

She wouldn't have been able to sustain something like that with so few hit points at her disposal. Still sprawled out on the ground, Gundam rubs her gently. She seems more than a little startled by the entire event.]

Good girl. Good girl. You're alright.

Arisato-kun!

[Yet again, she fell on Minato; yet again she has to scramble off him, though this time, no matter how she blinks, she can't see. Don't mind her patting blindly in search of his hand to hang onto.]

Tanaka-kun, are you okay? H-Hang on, I can cast Prestidigitation-

[She hums the first song to come to mind, the opening notes of Grieg's Hall of the Mountain King-- but the spell fails. She can feel the magic, but nothing happens.]

Ummm...

[She hums a little more. Still nothing.]

[ He takes a moment to get his bearings -- the darkness along with the double impact of him hitting the ground followed by Kaede landing on was strangely reminiscent of him dying. It's as if a foreign memory has come to the front of his mind, planted by some outside being, and he doesn't understand the mapping of it.

The thought is quickly pushed aside at Kaede's "Um"ing. Something's wrong with her spell. He sits up and looks around at the darkness around them. He doesn't think he's been someplace this dark since he was a little kid hiding in a cupboard at night. When he feels her hand make contact with him he reaches out and takes it. Okay, now to find Gundam. ]

Tanaka-san?

As if such an insignificant event could fell the Supreme Overlord of Ice.

[Gundam grunts a little, picking himself off the ground. Ribo-N plants herself in his hand as he continues to rub her gently while looking around.]

...

[It's very dark in here for a party that was supposedly casting Prestidigitation.]

[Her humming grows a little more frantic as she keeps trying to cast her spell, but-- nothing. It's like the music stops right after it passes her lips, though she can hear it.

...Actually, Hall of the Mountain King is a little creepy to hum in pitch darkness like this. The hum turns into a frustrated, pouting nose as her fingers squeeze Minato's more tightly.]

The spell isn't working... I've never had that happen before!

[ They're up shit's creek now. It's too dark to see each other or, more importantly, any enemies or hazards in the area. Maybe once their eyes adjust they'll be able to make something out, but for now they should stick close together and -- Wait. Gundam doesn't want to be touched because of the poison. Hm... ]

Tanaka-san, could you give us an end of your scarf so we know where you are?

[At Kaede's frustration, Gundam tries seeing through Ribo-N's eyes for a moment. Hamsters are nocturnal and familiars are entities of dark power so it seems reasonable enough that she'd be able to see.

--but that doesn't seem to have much effect on piercing through the darkness either.]

It would seem this is an enchanted area that wishes to prevent us from seeing through any means.

[Minato's question gives Gundam a moment of pause.]

Just be careful to not venture any closer to me than the length of this item, lest you perish before us all.

[Gundam unravels it from his neck though, letting it drape instead. He's been choked out enough times to know better. Ribo-N carries an end, seeking Minato out in the darkness.]

Edited 2019-06-03 03:46 (UTC)

Okay... okay. As long as we stick together, we'll be fine!

[She squeezes Minato's hand again and carefully tries to push herself to her feet without letting go of him.]

This... has to be part of the test too, right? It's not like we'd just be trapped down here, s-so... let's just keep moving forward! We can do this!

[ He'll let her push herself off of him if she'd like, still holding her hand. He doesn't know if this is part of the test, but if it isn't then they need to stay alert. And if Gundam's right and it really is a magically induced darkness, then there's a greater chance that it isn't part of the test. ]

If we can find a wall, we can keep our backs covered.

[ He spent a lot of time in Tartarus sticking close to the walls of its maze-like interior to avoid detection from enemies and to rush past them when the opportunity permitted. It seems like a good idea to do here, in a place where they can't even see where the enemy would come at them from.

Then the hamster bumps into his leg. He reaches down carefully and feels the scarf. Oh, guess there's a delivery service for this. He gives the hamster a little pat (and hopefully doesn't get bitten) before taking the scarf in his hand a giving it a little tug to let Gundam know that he has it.

... He doesn't know how to return the hamster without getting close to Gundam though. ]

[Ribo-N leans affectionately into Minato's rub, climbing into his hand with the scarf.

It's rather comfy over here. Besides, she and Gundam are linked in mind and soul through their contract. It should be fine.]

Then let us proceed.

Edited 2019-06-03 04:17 (UTC)

Find a wall... got it.

[She laces her fingers with Minato's for a more secure hold, trusting him to have Gundam's scarf in his other hand. Her heart is pounding in her ears, but she's doing her best to keep her voice steady in spite of her fear. Even if her eyes are starting to adjust to the dimmest lighting she's ever been stuck in, it's not revealing much. She can't be sure which direction they should go, nor can she even see a wall!]

Umm... do you think we're supposed to be going down?

[ He has been entrusted with Gundam's hamster now. This is strangely reminiscent of Cocoa, who he died for. Except he had the death experience first this time around. At least, he hopes he doesn't die again. The resurrection is kind of a pain in the ass.

In a few minutes he can barely make out what's around them, and... ]

No idea.

[ In Tartarus they were supposed to be going up. And, theoretically, if they fell down into somewhere they should be trying to go up, but downwards could lead to an opening near the bottom of a hill or a cliff. Or it could get them into terrible danger where they all end up dead. And, as noted earlier, resurrection is kind of a pain in the ass. ]

Is there an up? [ Besides where they just came from, anyway. He can't make anything like that out. ]

Edited 2019-06-03 04:42 (UTC)

[Gundam's only known Minato for a short time now, but he believes that if anything threatened Ribo-N he'd get himself killed first before he let her perish. He's heard the stories of Minato saving Cocoa from peril.

Gundam stretches his arm out, reaching for a wall. Being taller he's probably got significantly better reach than either Minato or Kaede. He can't feel anything on either side of him in the darkness though. It must be a rather wide hallway.]

Even if I were to fill the corridor with fog to see the dimensions around us, the darkness prevents us from seeing how far it takes for the cloud to fill the space. A most vexing conundrum.

[Gundam's scarf is pretty lengthy though and gives him a much wider range than holding Minato's hand. He doesn't mind being the one to veer off a bit to reach out further into the darkness especially if it means locating a wall.]

Maybe if we just keep going, we'll start heading up eventually!

[Kaede pumps her free hand in the air, though the others probably can't see it. She can tell where Gundam is by sound, at least; even if she doesn't have a hand on the child leash, and even if their footsteps are echoing, she can kind of get a general sense of his location. SHSL Pianist ears.]

Tanaka-kun, are you... heading to the side? [She starts drifting that way.] Do you see something?

[ Kaede. Gundam didn't even say it cryptically that time. He doesn't try to stop her, but he does give her hand a squeeze to get her attention. ]

Don't get too close.

[ Down doesn't seem like a terrible idea. There has to be a bottom somewhere, which means a wall! Though it could take hours to reach... ]

Let's keep going down.

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