Let's Go Retro [PG-13, NDE, Adventure]

[Amagai Kuchiki]

Name: Let’s Go Retro

Participants: Up to Four RPCs, No Racial Restrictions. No reserving spots, players join by making their intro post. Don't be concerned about Character Class.

Location: A broken down mall in Karakura town

Difficulty Level: Easy

Setting: NDE

Plotline: Several individuals recognized as “Mighty Contestants” have received invitations to come to the Sunnyside Fun Complex, an old mall in Karakura town. The mall is in the process of falling apart, but the main entrance is still locked quite firmly. The invitation told the individuals to arrive on September 28th, fifteen minutes to midnight exactly, and mentioned that failure to do so would result in “Disqualification”.

Estimated Enemy Strength: 3

Estimated Time Until Completion: 4-6 pages, most likely.

Starts: Now

Special Conditions: None

[Deleted]

Christoph was there at the mall dressed in almost all white. He wore a long white dress shirt with a golden insignia on his left side over his heart. It had soft pearl buttons that seemed to reflect off any light that hit them. His pants were a pair of pure white jeans that had silver accents on the belt loops. The belt around waist was a light brown with a pure silver buckle that had a fleur de lis on it carved out of silver. However he wore a silver dress jacket over his white shirt that had black cufflinks that were made out of cassiterite His clothing was rather elegant and soft he thought that this was a formal event that he got an invitation to something that he should dress up for not that he had to go shopping for this kind of clothing if there was one thing his mother did make sure was that he always had fancy clothing even if he himself didn't like it.

The note didn't say much else about what was going on tonight however the way it worded disqualification madeChristoph shiver down his spine and filled him with fear. He didn't want to go to this thing he knew nothing about, but he didn't like the sound of disqualification. Still even though he felt panic and terror he made himself go, he knew if he didn't and this was something that Iwa had planned for him it would be a big let down and he didn't want to let her down at all. With his mask over his face he looked at the entrance and sighed. It didn't seem like anyone else was around however he could be wrong after all he wasn't the best when it came to sensing other beings.

[Jin Yamada]

11:30 pm

Sunny Side Fun Complex in Karakura Town


Slipping through the darkness, he landed on the roof of a building just across the street from his destination. Moving quietly, he began to make his way to the edge, where he would have a better glimpse of the building across from him and the surrounding area. Brown eyes peered through the eyeholes of a faceless white mask. A mask with the red letter 'A' within a circle carved on the majority of the forehead and intersected by the eye holes he peered through. The majority of the mask was covered in shadows from the black hood of the cloak he wore. For an adventure like this, he had to make sure he could blend into the night. He couldn't let himself be discovered before he was even able to get inside.

The eyes squinted to take in the details of the entire area. The eyes roamed across the entire landscape, from building to street to smaller things around the area. Nothing escaped the man's gaze and he took in everything. He lifted a hand from his cloak and pulled out a sheet of paper he had brought with him. It was the invitation he had snagged off of one of his customers. Of course, Jin Yamada wouldn't have gotten invited to something this big. How could he afterall? Most assumed him to be dead. This was far from the truth. The man was indeed alive and well. Very well, actually. But, Jin Yamada wouldn't be attending this gathering, nor would Charles Lutner or the man he stole the invitation from. There was no need to expose his identity, so he would attend as Anarchy. Anarchy personified, that is.

He pocketed the invitation, having already read it many times before arriving here. It said to be on time, and to be very prompt. So, he had come a little early just so that nothing would go wrong. He knew that his presence would be unexpected, which was why he would need to be extra cautious once inside. But, there was nothing that this True Bount couldn't handle. At the back of his mind, he was wondering if it had been slightly arrogant for him not to bring a few of his Bount comrades. Had he brought Don or possibly Otto along, it may have made things harder. They were his go-to guys, but there was no way he could procure one or two extra invitations in time; thus, he had to come alone. It was probably the best option he had.

As time started to wind down, he began scanning the street below to see who the other invitees were. At the moment, he could only see one other person. He lifted his hand suddenly to tap the side of the mask, which caused the eyeholes to glaze over and glow with some sort of blue light. Now, he could see much better. With zoom vision activated, he could get a better glimpse of the one who had just approached. The man appeared young, maybe somewhere in his early 20s. He was also wearing alot of white. Was he a Quincy? If he was, he didn't appear to be wearing the Vandenreich uniform or any medals for that matter. Klaus had a huge array of metals plastered on his uniform. So did Aria. Probably to commend them for the many races the two had slaughtered. It sickened him, but right now he had to focus.

"Well then, let's get this show on the road..."

When he spoke, his voice came out in some sort of robotic tone, far from the normal tone of his voice. He stepped off of the building and made his way down towards his destination using air ground in full view of any who may also have been hiding out like he had been. For now, he was being silent and so the other man wouldn't yet notice him. It wouldn't be until his black boots touched down on the ground that the young man would realize that he wasn't alone. Anarchy walked forward from where his feet touched down on the ground, crossing the street to meet his fellow invitee near the front of the Sunnyside Fun Complex. He said nothing and made no attempts to engage the other man in any type of conversation. Instead, he stood quietly, his eyes glowing behind the mask within the darkness of the hood covering his head. If any around attempted to sense his reiatsu, they would be unable to. For the moment, his reiatsu was suppressed, and any attempts to detect it would be moot.

Right then, shall we get started?

SPOILER: Click to show

{Jin's Stats/Skills}

Strength - [100] (50) Points

Speed - [250] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [340] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [310] (620) Points

Light Aura - [35] Points

Dark Aura - [65] Points

Instinct - [150] Points

Senses [150] Points

Energy sensory - [100] Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points


Total SP: [1400] Points




Skills


[Battle Analysis] {3}

[Learning] {2}

[Martial Arts: Capoiera] {2}

[Utility: Charisma/Leadership] {2}

[Weapons: Bladed Yoyo] {3}

[Pain Tolerance] {3}

[Strength of Will] {3}

[Col Arana]

An invitation? Col had no idea how such a thing had managed to reach him. But it had. And it was worth investigation. An old abandoned mall loomed in the distance, and a small, silent figure paced down the street towards it. Col was not especially tall. Not necessarily short either, but certainly on the smaller side of "average". His pale features, wispy silver hair... even his blood red eyes gave the appearance of a ghost gliding towards the structure. Appropriate, given that's exactly what he was. Col's black coat cloaked him in its folds. On the inside of the coat hung four plasma blades. On Col's belt, two more, in addition to the Espada Ropera he wore-- his zanpakuto. All was concealed within this cloak. As Col approached he absently allowed his senses to fold out from him. His eyes were closed, and he seemed almost peaceful. His senses creeping out to detect those in his area-- to gauge their power. To see if there was a feast worth having.

Even if this was the human world, Col's ability to sense energy was highly advanced. He sensed one individual immediately. A pathetic weak one. He stood out-- stronger than a normal human. Too weak to be of consequence. But there was another one... ah... this one was a clever one. Col could barely sense him. He was well cloaked. A being less advanced in his craft would have failed to notice him. But he could. The hint of a wing buzzing against his web, and Col knew his presence. And he knew this one was powerful. Could he have been the one to summon him here? Col licked his lips in anticipation, and continued his stroll down the street to the abandoned building.

The note had said he risked disqualification if he did not show. Disqualification from what, he wondered? Well. He was sure he'd receive his answer soon enough. Or perhaps it was an elaborate prank? In which case, Col considered that he might just burn this town instead. That also suited him fine. As he approached however, he saw a white garbed figure-- coincidentally creating a contrast against Col's own night black apparel. He could sense some power from the figure... but it was pitiful and weak. And Col was presently not nearly hungry enough to attack someone this weak for sustenance. "And what is a young man like yourself doing on a clear night like this?" He queried as he entered earshot for casual conversation. Ignoring that Col appeared to be quite young himself.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and Abilities}
[Strength: 300 (100)

Speed: 400

Reiatsu Strength: 400 (1400)

Spirit Pressure: 340

Light Aura: 0

Dark Aura: 100

Senses: 150

Instincts: 390 (130)

Energy Sensory: 120 (420)

Healing Expertise: 100 (33)

Total: 2200]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Abilities}
Martial Arts: Blades: 3
Martial Arts: Wing Chun: 2
Special Skill: Climbing: 3
Stealth: 2
Battle Analysis: 3
Analysis: 2

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

Asmoskon rode through Karakura Town around fifty miles an hour taking quick turns and barking swiftly as he rushed to find the abandoned mall. Whatever the note meant by "Disqualification" meant that it was obviously serious and someone had went through the trouble of sending the note to Asmoskon. While the young Quincy held respect as highly as possible the fact was that he wasn't one to normally arrive early or on time for that matter. As was normal Asmoskon wore his school uniform not because he was pleased with the look yet was simply poor and currently unable to afford other clothing. Asmoskon had rushed from Tokyo the night before upon noticing the note. His only idea at this point was that most likely Kazura was putting him up to another test of some kind, but why a note and why in Karakura Town.

The note had said to be on time and that was what Asmoskon was trying to do, but he didn't ever really come to Karakura that often and knew every little about the town especially where anything was. Now in the last few minutes Asmoskon saw what looked like a large building in the distance a few streets over. Stopping his bike as the tire slide against the rode Asmoskon concentrated and felt the reiatsu of two individuals toward the building. One was much larger than Asmoskon's yet not nearly the largest he had ever felt, but it seemed to be the most negative and dark something that gave him a eerie feeling about the note. The other reiatsu felt familiar as if it belonged to a friend someone that Asmoskon knew. "Christoph" the Fullbringer that Asmoskon had met only a short time ago was also at the building and if that was true than Asmoskon wasn't going to let some eerie feeling get in the way.

Asmoskon rode through the streets and stopped at the entrance of the mall stepping off of his bike once it had been turned off and taking the black helmet from his head. Looking around Asmoskon could see three individuals that had arrived before him, one of them stood out immediately with the white hair and almost entirely bright outfit Christoph. The other two dressed rather dark preferring the color just as Asmoskon did however the style that they wore was nothing alike to him. Placing the helmet on his bike and stepping forward surveying the other two Asmoskon realizes that this most likely wasn't another test from Kazura, but something else entirely.

Time was nearly up as the Quincy looked at the individual close to Christ making sure to file away the fact within his mind that he was the individual to possess such dark and negative reiatsu. Yet he wasn't the one to cause as much tension in Asmoskon's chest as the other due to the fact that for some reason Asmoskon couldn't sense reiatsu from this individual and that the Quincy knew might prove to be a problem in the future. Now all that was left to do was wait until whoever had arranged this get to gather to arrive and indulge them all as to the meaning until then Asmoskon stood stern with his arms crossed as he pondered what in the hell was going on.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}Strength - 75 Points - 30% = 53 Points
Speed - 60 Points
Spiritual Pressure - 80 Points
Reiatsu Strength - 120 Points + 50% = 180 Points
Light Aura - 80 Points
Dark Aura - 20 Points
Instinct - 90 Points
Senses - 50 Points
Energy sensory - 30 Points
Healing Expertise - 10 Points

•[Analyzing] [1]
•[Weapons=Archery] [1]
•[Battle Analysis] [1]
•[Pain Tolerance] [1]
•[Battle Focus] [1]
•[Focused Eye] [1]
•[Damage Recovery] [1]
•[Charisma/Leadership] [1]

[Amagai Kuchiki]

It was a motley crew to be sure, with highly varied strengths. And although Asmoskon and Christoph knew each other, they certainly didn’t know their other companions, in the same way that the other two companions didn’t know them, or each other. And although the four didn’t know it yet, they were going to prove to certainly become a force to be reckoned with, given time. But of course that was a matter for the future, and the present held it’s fair share of dangers. Col Arana could possibly prove to be one of them. The Zarpa’s undying hunger and incredible energy sensory would likely inform his actions, and although Christoph and Asmoskon wouldn’t be primary targets, Jin would have to keep an eye on his ravenous companion. For now, however, the passage of time opened up a whole new set of options.

The clock ticked to 11:45, and in that instant, the great gates opened up, swinging open with great force. If any of the four had been in the direct path, they’d have certainly been flung back with broken bones. Luckily, however, none of them were. Lights turned on, illuminating the cobblestone path to the mall’s main doors, which were similarly open, with light pouring out. As if by magic, the building’s electricity was restored, and on some level, it’s life returned. It was still covered in vines, and the paint was peeling off, but all of that could be ignored. With the doors open, the Sunnyside Fun Complex seemed to have been returned to it’s prime, and was highly appealing and inviting.

And yet, it was obvious to anyone with a fair amount of Energy Sensory, 100 minimum, that something was off about the Sunnyside Fun Complex. At an initial examination, it was hard to place, merely that some sinister reitsu permeated it. But a deeper look, with 350 Energy Sensory, gave a significantly foreboding feeling. Whatever had animated the Sunnyside Fun Complex was a deeper power than one would expect, and was located on the third floor. It had an incredibly dark reitsu, a Dark Aura of 100. Certainly an odd thing for such a pleasant appearing building to say the least. However, the letter had somewhat indicated something of the sort.

For those who didn’t have such expertise in Energy Sensory, the mall wouldn’t pose any apparent danger. If one was to enter it, Sunnyside Fun Complex appeared to be an ordinary mall, with a large atrium style main chamber where one could see upwards at the contents of all floors. On the first floor, there were numerous dining options, now all closed, including a Cinnabon, Panda Express, and other such eateries. The second floor held clothing shopping options, with ranging prices, although they no longer had much in the way of wares, merely undressed mannequins and metal racks for t-shirts to be hung upon, although none were hung in such a manner. The third floor however was the main attraction for the people that typically frequented the mall.

The third floor of the Sunnyside Fun Complex was divided into two sections. On the north side of the floor was a kid friendly area, with a jungle gym and ball pit, still filled with half deflated balls after all these years. On the south side however was the real attraction. The Sunnyside Fun Complex had been home to the largest arcade in all of Karakura town. And in fact, with the power back on, some of these machines were returning to life. On the first floor, there was a red line painted on the ground, trailing from the main entrance to the elevator. In the elevator, the button for the third floor was covered in red paint. Finally, on the third floor, there was a line leading from the elevator to the arcade. The line split into four, each of them leading towards identical arcade machines, which stood out from the rest, each in a corner of the room.

But the four individuals weren’t in the arcade, and thus couldn’t know what made the four machines so special. Instead, they sat outside of the Sunnyside Fun Complex as the gates opened, a few of them engaging in idle conversation.

[Deleted]

It didn't take long before Christoph was no longer alone. He knew that there was a chance that he wouldn't know everyone here, however the people that he was going to meet were all so different. The first person he didn't even hear approaching him until the man was right behind him. Christoph slowly turned around to see who it was. He was shocked to see someone else was wearing a mask, it made him feel a bit more normal to see that he wasn't the only one who would be wearing a mask. However the fact that he had a mask was about the only thing that he could say that the two of them shared. This person's clothing was dark as if he was trying to hide in the background, while he was wearing all white. Christoph took a few steps back not knowing what was going to happen or if this person was a friend.

As he took another step back he hear a voice from someone else around him. Christoph turned his head to look at the source of the voice. There was another man standing there, however Christoph didn't feel as afraid of this person. It had to do with the way this person looked. Christoph saw this man's eyes, his hair and his tone. It was all so close to his own, however Christoph, knew he was paler than this person, and he knew that he was much, much weaker than this person as well. He didn't know what it was, however the way this person walked and spoke made him seem strong. Christoph kept his eyes on this man and tried to keep himself from shuddering too much while he answered the question this man gave him. “I-I-I-I got a-a-a-an invitation, t-t-t-to come here.” He hated that he was shuddering so much, he knew he had to work on it so that he could be useful to the organization that Iwa spoke about. Even if he hadn't joined it yet he was still thinking about if he should join or not.

There was the sound of a motorcycle coming up and around. When it stopped he waited to see if someone else was going to join them there. There was a fourth person, and this time he knew this person. It was, Asmo a person he met before who helped him become stronger. Christoph was happy that there was at least someone who he knew. Christoph wanted to say hello, however before he could the gates opened up wide and a bright light shined out blinding him for a few seconds before he could tell what was going on inside. It was creepy and eerie to see that a shopping mall that once held the hopes and dreams of many was still brightly lit, but almost all signs of life were gone from the place. He could only stare at the sights inside of the mall.

The longer he looked the more things he saw. Like how dusty the floor looked, and on the floor there was a red line painted onto the ground that lead somewhere. Christoph took one step forward towards the entrance. He was now curious about what was going on inside and why they were gathered here tonight. “I-I-I-I think we h-h-h-have t-t-t-to go in.” Slowly he made his way into the mall and followed the red line while looking at the shops that were around. Eventually he would make his way to the elevator, however he would be the last one to get to it as he would often stop to try to look inside the long abandoned eateries. Even when he would make it to the elevator he wouldn't step inside of it. If asked why he would simply answer as such “I-I-I-I want t-t-t-to look around more. T-T-T-The stairs a-a-are b-b-better f-f-for that.”

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}Strength - [50] Points

Speed - [50] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [40]=[50] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [40]=[50] Points

Light Aura - [70] Points

Dark Aura - [30] Points

Instinct - [50]=[37]Points

Senses [50]=[37] Points

Energy sensory - [0]=[0] Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points

[Jin Yamada]

A Fullbringer, an Arrancar, and a Quincy.

The Bount's eyes glanced over the three that were gathered there with him. He surveyed each, noting certain things about them all. His energy sensory was strong enough to pick up on each one's individual race. He was cautious of each one, and noted each of them as a potential threat. He wasn't planning on fighting any of them, but plans always changed. He just hoped that it would be later than sooner. The first one, the Fullbringer wouldn't be too much of a threat. This he surmised based on reading the young man's body language. He was extremely anxious. As to why would be anyone's guess. The Bount's eyes searched the young man in white and noted the mask he wore to cover his face. He wasn't sure why exactly he was wearing a mask, but then one could also ask him the same question. To each his own then.

The second figure, the Arrancar, was possibly the biggest threat out of the three. The aura he gave off was sickening and foul. There was a dark aura about the man, who seemed younger even than the Fullbringer. Jin was never one to trust hollows, especially not Arrancar. His experiences with Arrancar hadn't been very pleasant at all. On the bright side, however, hollows were quite delicious. He licked his lips underneath his mask, remembering the exquisite taste Hollows had. Before he had discovered the taste of Shinigami, and the power which feasting on their souls could give him, hollow souls were his favorite delicacy. This one would prove quite tasty too. The reiastu he could sense from the Arrancar was quite powerful and tasty. He would watch that one.

The Quincy was last. This one didn't dress like a Quincy, though. He wore darker clothing, a contrast to the normally bright clothing Quincy wore. He was also around the same level of power as the Fullbringer. Ironically, the two also knew one another, evidenced by the reaction the Quincy gave upon seeing the Fullbringer. Calling out the Fullbringer's name also told the Bount that one's identity. Christoph. I'll remember that... He smiled as he observed all around him. He would have to keep an eye out for all three of them. Though the two weaker ones didn't seem like they'd be a threat at the moment, things always changed.

As he was pondering what he would do if his cover was blown, everything suddenly came to life. The great gates swung open and all four were bathed in light from the building. The Bount had to lift a hand to shade his eyes from the bright light. As he did, he also began to feel the foul aura coming from the Sunnyside Fun Complex. There was something eerily wrong with this place, but he couldn't put his finger on it. How had the place just so suddenly come alive? Were he just a normal human, he would have said that ghosts weren't real. But, there was no way to say that given all of his experiences with the spiritual world. Ghosts were infact real. But the question was which type of ghost has brought the building to life.

The Bount made his way forward, making sure to stay behind the others. He didn't trust the Arrancar and thus made sure to keep behind him specifically. He didn't want to find himself with his back turned to that one. He would probably stick around the other two, weaker ones. He was thinking of watching Cristoph more closely, in order to learn why the young Fullbringer was so tense and shaky. The Fullbringer seemed to be following a red line painted on the floor, but kept stopping at different shops that he saw. Anarchy watched him closely as he followed, his eyes maintaining a close observation of his surroundings. This place gives off a really creepy feeling, and that Arrancar's aura doesn't make things better. The bloke's making me feel more cautious about this place than I should be.

Within the cloak covering his body, Anarchy retrieved an object, his newest addition to the yoyo weapon series. He gripped the black yoyo-like weapon tightly in his hand beneath the cloak. The eerieness of this place made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Just entering it had him feeling like something was watching them and waiting for a time to strike. When it did, he wasn't going to be unprepared. So, he walked and held tightly to the weapon in his right hand as he made his way towards the elevator. He was also walking slowly to check for alternate options to get to the second floor. There probably wasn't one, since the red line led them straight to the elevator. Wait, why was there even only one way to get to the upper floors? Was this some kind of trap? Christoph was right in his apprehension about getting onto the elevator.

"There's no way to know whether that elevator is rigged with some kind of trap. Why is it that it seem as if there's only one way to get to the next floor?" he finally said. His sudden speaking might surprise some of them, since he had been silent when he had first arrived. The sound of his voice would also be quite unexpected. It was almost robotic and gave off slight echoes as if he was speaking from a distant place. Either way, he left them a question to ponder before any who got on the elevator could actually press the button to get to the next floor.

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

Well just a few moments after Asmoskon had crossed his arms in preparation to wait the gates swung open with considerable force. Asmoskon might not be the smartest Quincy or even human for that matter, but something seemed off with the amount of force that the gates opened with as if electronics or controls hadn't been what opened them. Now as all the lights returned to glory and the mall to bliss along with it Asmoskon knew the time had come and this wasn't some kind of joke. Moving forward with the rest of the invitees Asmoskon stepped into the lights of life that marked the innards of the beast seen only as a mall.

Even as he moved forward into the mall Asmoskon made sure never to leave himself open to an attack that could surprise him to his knowledge. However, even though his energy sensing was rather unimpressive or advanced for that matter he still could tell that the one individual he could sense other than Christ had reiatsu far larger than his own. This was something Asmoskon knew already and because of that he wasn't actually sure if he could defend himself whether he was ready for it or not. The fact that this one individual's reiatsu was so strong was enough to make him worry, but what truly made a small amount of sweat run down his forehead was how evil it felt.

Now walking throughout the first floor of the mall Asmoskon made sure to keep an even steady pace hoping to not give away the fact that he was keeping his tensions wired for an instinct reaction whether this was successfully or not he couldn't know. He could tell that the first floor was not the meeting place simply because he could see that the red line that all of them were following led to an elevator at the end of the hall. As Christ separated from the rest of them and made his way toward the stairs Asmoskon nodded his head while keeping eye contact hoping to pass on the message silently to be as safe as possible.

After all Christ was a personal friend of Asmoskon. While the boys might not have grown up together or even know each other for little more than a few weeks now Asmoskon had trained with him and seen what Christ had been like when they first met. Honestly Asmoskon without knowing it already considered Christ to be a member of few people he could respect and rely on. This feeling though wasn't one create from Christ's power like Iwa's but his own personality and ability to push forward similar to Asmoskon himself. Stepping into the elevator Asmoskon moves to the back left making sure to eliminate the possibility of an attack from behind.

[Col Arana]

Poor fool was terrified. Col couldn't help but smirk at the comments of the stuttering man boy. Another had arrived and announced the name of the one Col was speaking to. Christoph then? Col didn't really consider the boy worth remembering at all, but for the remainder of the evening, Col would keep it in mind. That was only good manners, afterall. He turned to address the newcomer along with Christoph, but at that moment the doors opened. "What theatrics~" Col remarked-- clearly amused. He did not wait but strode in. Perhaps the other one he sensed would appear soon. Ah, but wait! There it was! As the arrancar entered the mall, he sensed a new presence. That foreboding feeling.... ah. Col did not mind it at all. No, he relished it. Such a feeling meant little to him. His face formed a mask of amusement, the hint of a smirk playing at the right corner of his mouth. Was someone trying to intimidate him? Well. He was not especially well known. That was fine.

As Col entered, he noticed the newcomer looking at him. Hmph. So he could sense Col's power? It didn't matter to the Escudo. His power was too tremendous for the arrancar to hide. It served him as a beacon attracting strong enemies to him to devour. Though it was also a nuisance at times. Regardless, it was his power. And it seemed the one here had a similar problem. He felt their power strongly, coming from the Third Floor of the building. "Ah. Well. It seems I've found out benefactor." Col remarked to the two with him. "If you do not mind, I hope you'll excuse me so that I may properly greet him~" Col began to make his way towards the nearest staircase. He certainly could have leapt up, using air ground, or risen to the third floor another way. But Col wished to humor their host, and would take the stairs. The Escudo walked easily, that half smirk still visible on his face. His aura hung in the air around him like a cloud.

Indeed, it seemed Col was actively battling the presence as he rose, his tremendous power vying with the other for dominance of the space. As Col reached the second floor, his power surged from him in tremendous waves, that required no effort on his part. Christoph and Asmokon would feel this power without a doubt. As would Jin. A tremendous, terrifying, black power, that may very well have made the former two feel physically sick, if not force them to their knees. It was Col's own way of making his answer to the power that resided on that floor, even as he made his way to the stairs leading towards the third floor. And also a warning to the other power he had sensed.

Col Arana, Zarpa 3-6 of the Escudo, had come.

[Amagai Kuchiki]

Although the four individuals all seemed to agree that entering the former shopping mall was a wise idea, their plans quickly diverged afterwards. Christoph forged a path into the mall itself, slowly, taking his time to examine the shops around him. Nothing that he saw seemed particularly out of the ordinary, but that was a problem in and of itself. This place wasn't ordinary, shouldn't be ordinary, but yet it still presented itself as if it was. When he finally arrived at the elevator, and decided against ascending in that manner, he found that there was a set of stairs in the far north corner of the mall, next to the Cinabon. If he ascended it, he could stop at the second floor, and look around there, or continue onto the third floor. If he continued onto the third floor, he would emerge in the kid's area, nearby the ballpit. At the top of the stairs, there was another set of red lines, again leading towards the arcade. All roads lead to Rome, or in this case video games.

Jin Yameda, on the other hand, had a different approach. Whereas Christoph entered slowly, as if in a state of wonder, Jin appeared to move more deliberately, careful of who he let stay behind him. When he noted that the red line connected directly to the elevator, and raised his concern, he noticed that there was a set of stairs, the same one that Christoph decided to take. An alternate route, and one to be considered. But the lack of a red line connecting to the stairs raised further questions: what if they weren't meant to go up the stairs? Given that the letter had warned about disqualification if rules weren't followed, it certainly was something to be worried about. But perhaps he was overreacting, or the overwhelming aura of evil coming from the Sunnyside Fun Complex was making him paranoid.

Asmoskon however blazed on ahead of the others, unwilling to show fear or apprehension. He followed the red line more closely than the others, and ended up in the elevator while the others either went to the stairs, or stayed outside of the elevator, considering their options more thoroughly before proceeding. As he took a spot in the back, however, the doors closed at a speed far greater than normal mechanisms should allow, approximately 150 speed, and the button for the third floor lit up. Anyone currently outside the elevator would notice the sudden movement, although it is unlikely they'd be able to react to the doors themselves closing. Any attacks made against the elevator, from the inside or outside, would prove unsuccessful. The elevator began to go up slowly, and Asmoskon would be able to hear a ticking of gears, steadily increasing in volume with each passing second.

The Zarpa, lastly, took a far more direct route than the other three. Whereas Asmoskon followed the rules laid out by their host, and the other two avoided the rules in a way to keep themselves safe, Col Arana chose to effectively say "Screw the rules, I'm a bigger badass". The truth of that statement was uncertain currently, but would be proven in due time. Col's monstrous aura seeped out of him, enveloping the Sunnyside Fun Complex in great swaths of power. Although Jin likely would be unaffected by it, other than slight perturbation, his other two comrades weren't nearly as lucky. The host's aura was more subtle, as if it had been slowly melted into the very foundation of the building over the years, whereas Col's was more blatant. Both Asmoskon and Christoph could likely feel physically sick from the exposure, and there possibly could be mental repercussions. In the elevator however, Asmoskon's susceptibility to this darkness was heightened, since he was trapped inside an already foreboding situation, with a ticking that wouldn't stop and began to threaten his sanity.

One way or another, however, most of the group if not all of them found their ways to the third floor. Upon reaching it, the elevator would pop open, letting Asmoskon out if he was physically able to leave. The elevator was a short distance away from the arcade, whereas the stairs, as mentioned prior, were on the opposite end. Once the four reached the arcade, however, the specifics of the situation became more clear. Upon crossing the threshold into the arcade, anyone with 150 or greater Energy Sensory would be able to recognize that the four arcade machines with red paint leading up to them were the source of the dark energy. Their host, whoever he was, was nowhere to be seen or sensed. In the middle of the arcade, there was a small table, with papers on it. If someone was to approach and read the papers, this is what they said:

"Greetings ladies and gentlemen, you've been invited to play in a game, with stakes far greater than you could imagine. The four Mighty Contestants must compete against the Overlord in a series of challenges. The very limits of your minds and skills will be tested, and the consequences for failure are dire, but the rewards for victory are great. However, let it be known that if you chose to back out, the Overlord wins by default, and his victory would spell catastrophe for those who oppose him, meaning those who each of you represent. Each of you will approach an arcade machine, and hit the start button. At midnight exactly, the games will begin, and the four of you must work together, or independently, depending on the challenge, in order to beat the Overlord. The rules of the game will be explained to you upon the start of it, and the rules of individual challenges may be reviewed thoroughly before contestants are expected to compete."

The arcade games were all labeled "RetroLand", and were covered in 8 bit depictions of classic video game and cinematic characters. The controls were simple: two buttons and a joystick. The buttons were each specified as "Start" and "Quit", and pressing the Quit button didn't seem to do anything from the current screen. The current screen, for that matter, was a standard splash art. It had the title of the game, and below it, an 8 bit man in black armor, who occasionally threw back his head in laughter. Underneath him, there were four outlines of individuals, with question marks in the centers of each of them. Moving the joystick moved the cursor between each of the four individuals, but besides that, nothing seemed to change. 

SPOILER: Click to show

{Loading Screen Music}

None of the other machines in the arcade were on, and most of them looked like they were in pretty poor condition. By contrast, all four RetroLand machines were in perfect condition, and even dustless. Anyone with more than 0 Energy Sensory could tell that they had some reiatsu related properties, but were currently disabled. Given that they were currently disabled, discerning their true purpose with any amount of Energy Sensory was impossible. Perhaps hitting the start button would enable them, but that was uncertain.

[Deleted]

His head turned around to look at the person in the mask. This was the first time he had spoken and it was a shock to him. He had just thought that the man would keep quiet for the entire time. The words that he spoke did make Chris feel a bit better about not stepping into the elevator. From where Chis was standing he could see the doors of the elevator slammed shut and it started to move up. For some reason he was glad that he wasn't inside of that thing, but also upset that his friend was in there. Still with the elevator going up it seemed as if his choice to take the stairs was the right one. He just hoped that nothing would happen to Asmo inside of that elevator.

It couldn't be said that Christoph wasn't paying attention to Col, more that he lost himself in his own thoughts as he wandered around the place. So he had no idea that Col had already started up the stairs just at the same time that Chris decided to walk to the stairs to move onto the next level. Chris didn't hear what Col said either as his attention was drawn to a store that had a broken window. He noticed it,because it seemed out of place with everything being so orderly. Being wrapped up in his thoughts wasn't a good thing especially given the place he was in.

Reaching the stairs he placed his hand on the metal side to hold himself as he slowly started up the stairs. He didn't know it at the time, but he was the second to last person to move up. Asmo being the first and Col already on the second floor. He liked the cool feel of the metal guardrail on his skin as he walked up the stairs. However he couldn't of known what as about to happen to him. Suddenly a wave of pressure came from above and hit him, it hit him hard. He toppled over and fell to the ground on the stairs. He was able to keep himself from falling back because of his hand on the guardrail.

The feeling from the aura was sickening so much so that he couldn't even more after feeling it. The only way he could describe it, was as if someone was pulling all the fear from the world and having it forced into his body. Chris would be shaking on the ground of the stairs as he felt this aura. His whole body would be trembling as more and more fear seeped into his mind. There was no way Chris was going to be able to keep on going now, at least not on his own. His only way of reaching the arcade machines would be if someone helped him. If someone did, they would find him unable to walk without shaking and falling over, meaning they would have to have him lean on them for the rest of the way, but whoever did do that would actually look like a hero in Chris's eyes as not only would they have to resist this aura, but also be strong enough to help carry him, but that's only if someone helped. Right now Christoph couldn't even speak, but he was able to nod his head if someone asked him if he needed help. While walking however he would be able to make some small talk, as best as he could do normally.

[Jin Yamada]

His mind was slightly put to ease when the elevator doors suddenly shut at a speed he found to be quite uncomfortable for him. Normal elevators didn't usually shut with such incredible speed, as if attempting to prevent those inside from making last second decisions to take a different route upwards. He felt as if he had made the right choice in not getting on. There would definitely be another route, he just had to find it. At the moment, he was just very wary of the elevator, given that it was the only way their "host" had set up for them to travel to that foreboding aura. What if he was attacked by whomever possessed the powerful, evil reiatsu as soon as he stepped off. What if that Quincy also faced that same danger? Perhaps, he would find out once the elevator reached the topmost floor.

For a few seconds, he watched as the elevator ascended and made its way closer and closer to the reiatsu that had been bearing down on them all since stepping into the venue. Hopefully, Asmoskon survived his trip upwards. The Bount shifted his gaze from the elevator to his surroundings once more in order to find a second way of transport to that powerful reiatsu. He surmised that their purpose for being here was to meet it. The Arrancar must have also deduced this, since he was already making his way upwards to meet the foreboding presence. With his reiatsu pulsing out in waves, the Bount could sense now Col's great power in greater depth and realized just how much of a threat the Arrancar could actually be to him if things went bad. He hoped it didn't come to that. Plans always change though...

Jin made his way to the set of stairs the Arrancar had used, but suddenly felt another presence outside of the other four in the Sunnyside Fun Complex. The reiatsu he felt was no doubt that of a hollow's, similar in feel to the Arrancar's own. He could feel the reiatsu of an Arrancar, but he couldn't see one. At first, he looked around, wondering where the presence he felt was, when he realized that he was infact the new presence. I'm still not used to this infiltration cloak Gatz gave me. It works just the way he said it would. Hpnestly, he didn't use the technology very often, therefore whenever it activated, it always startled him. He realized that the Arrancar's surging reiatsu must have activated the cloak. How did he say it worked again? It's similar to the Quincy ability to absorb spiritual particles? Should probably pay more attention when he described this stuff to me... He remembered Gatz telling him that the cloak absorbed any spiritual particles being released by anyone nearby and then reflected that back so that the wearer's reiatsu would feel the same as that of the reiatsu taken in. It was a powerful tool for infiltrations, which was why Jin had brought it along with him. He just had to make sure he didn't release Hitze, or his own reiatsu would overpower what the cloak was giving off. He made sure to make a mental note of that when Gatz had described everything to him.

Beneath his mask, he smiled. He knew that the other three couldn't sense his actual reiatsu before now and with it suddenly being released it might create confusion, especially since it would make them all think that he was also an Arrancar. The reiatsu his cloak gave off was also dark and evil, but not as much as the other Arrancar's reiatsu, given that his cloak had only absorbed small amounts. It wasn't as powerful as the original. But still, it worked nonetheless. And so, he made his way to the stairs, following after Col when he spotted the young Fullbringer heading in that same direction. He watched the young man teeter as he climbed and then suddenly collapse on the stairs. Within, he wanted to leave the boy, given that he was too weak even stand within the presence of that Arrancar. Yet, he also knew that he could one day use the boy. That is if he grew stronger. He could use Christoph just as he was planning to use Lax. Both would be very useful once they became more powerful. These days, everything was useful, even if it seemed weak at first. You just had to know how to use it.

The Bount approached the Fullbringer and gently placed a hand on the young man's back, assuring him that he was okay. "Don't worry." he spoke in that robotic voice of his. He lifted Christoph, placing one of his arms over his own shoulders and guiding the young man up the stairs. He cursed himself under his breath and within. Within his mind, he knew that he was taking a gamble. That Christoph could actually be a detriment to him. If he was here carrying Christoph, how could he fight off any threats from that dark presence permeating this place? He might have to blow his cover in order to get out of here alive. For now, he would play it by ear, and do what he could to gather as much information about what was going on here as he could.

"Why did you come here, if you're not yet strong enough?" he asked the Fullbringer. "Was it to prove something, Christoph?" He used his full name to let him know that he knew it. Asmoskon had said it back then, when they were waiting to enter. How Christoph responded to that was yet to be seen. Jin walked up the rest of the stairs to the second floor in silence, choosing to no longer speak for some time. When the pair made their way to the next set of stairs to head up to the third floor, Jin spoke again. "I will look after you in this place. I will watch over you." he reassured the young Fullbringer. At a price of course...

The two continued on, making their way further up until finally they reached the third floor. On the way, Jin had to keep taking rests since he was supporting most of Christoph's weight. When they finally reached the top, Jin noticed that the other two were there already. Of course they would be. The elevator had provided a direct route, from what he had noticed when he watched it going up. The stairs, meanwhile had taken them to the other side. He had had to use the red lines again to get him through the maze of a third floor and make his way to the arcade. The Arrancar had gotten there before him on the account of him heading up the stairs before Jin had. Plus, Jin had had to carry Christoph and this had slowed him down considerably. Nonetheless, he made his way into the arcade, stopping at the small table in the middle there to read what their "host" had left for them. Huh. He had a feeling there was more to all of this than it seemed. Whatever. He was pretty much trapped here now and had to play by the rules. He walked with Christoph to the last two arcade games left. He tried to help Christoph stand against his arcade game. At first, it was difficult, but once the Fullbringer gave him some sort of sign that he was okay, he moved on to stand infront of his own and prepared himself mentally and physically for what would come next.

SPOILER: Click to show

{JJYAGP02}
Item Name: JJYAGP02

Item Type: Stealth Gear

Item Description: After studying the Quincy ability to draw in spiritual particles, Gatz was able to design this cloak for Anarchy. The cloak itself reaches down past the knees and is completely black with a hood attached to the back. What makes it special is the property it has. When around someone of a different race, the cloak will draw in the ambient reiatsu of the individual giving off any form of reiatsu and cloak the user in this reiatsu so that the reiatsu signature given off by the user becomes that of the individual giving off reiatsu. If no reiatsu is being given off, the cloak can instead use the stored reiatsu from a previous encounter. While the cloak is active, the user should suppress their own reiatsu or the cloak will not function properly. When it comes to using techniques, only general reiatsu techniques can be used; the reiatsu of a race specific release will overpower the cloak's own reiatsu signature. Only those with an energy sensory of more than 200 can detect the actual reiatsu signature of the user.

Price: 100,000 Ryo

Donated to shop?(Yes or No?): No

[Col Arana]

Following the reiatsu he sensed, Col continued to follow it towards the arcade. He did not even spare a passing glance at the individual he passed by-- who had crumpled under the weight of his sheer power. He could have amplified it, he suspected, and outright killed him... but he wasn't worth the effort. He was below Col's notice. ...And for that he should be grateful, for horrible things occurred to those worthy of his notice. Like the Bount that had appeared to help him up. Did he think he had escaped Col's notice? Col had been aware of his presence for sometime... just... unable to pinpoint it. He was worthy prey. And should Col gain the chance, he would devour Jin without hesitation. It was a ruthless world, and to survive, one had to be strong. And it just so happened Col could become stronger by eating those who were strong themselves. An ironic curse-- for Col had to face the most dangerous foes to accomplish this. But if he could achieve victory, then great prizes awaited him.

Certainly greater than whatever the writer of this note had written. It promised a game. Hm. Col had no liking for games, in truth. Four machines. One for each of them, he supposed. Well enough. Col was unfamiliar with video games, but he was an astonishingly quick learner. In a few short months he had developed his swordsmanship beyond that of his unwitting teacher. He picked things up quickly, all the time, on any subject. He was certain he would do so here as well. This was a challenge. And Col had nothing better to do aside from maybe try and eat the Bount. But he would prefer to do so while the Bount was distracted. And so, he allowed his tremendous reiatsu to die down a bit. And moved in front of his chosen machine, eyes glimmering red. "How curious." He remarked. And then hit the start button.

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

The doors of the elevator slammed shut so suddenly that Asmoskon reflexes reacted with the concentration of his reiatsu. This resulted in the materialization of his black bow in his left hand. As the elevator began to rise up in floors of the mall Asmoskon realized that he had been unintentionally holding his breathe. Releasing the oxygen from within his lungs while attempting to calm his heart Asmoskon shakes for the freight of what had just occurred. Normally he wouldn’t have even flicked at such an event, but the fact was that these individuals including the reiatsu of the mail/host were dark.

In the next few moments Asmoskon felt something strange then it just occurred. Asmoskon dropped to his knees bracing himself with his hands on the metal of the elevator floor. The spiritual pressure was immense. So massive and evil, like nothing Asmoskon had ever sensed or felt before. Sweat running from his forehead down to the floor of the elevator while breathing heavily as if the air was being pulled from his lungs. Whoever was choosing to unleash their power was no only powerful, but cruel and deserved no such power. It took a few moments before Asmoskon was able to steady himself and begin to gather his focus.

Once the immense pressure started to fade Asmoskon stood up and wiped the sweat from his forehead and inhaled deeply. He noticed that he was now on the third floor of the mall and that the red line was present in front of the elevator door when that it had opened. Stepping out from the elevator Asmoskon saw that one of the individuals who had arrived for this challenge was already about ten feet in front of him walking down the red line. Not wishing to provoke any violent confrontation yet Asmoskon de-materializes his black bow.

Asmoskon could tell that the individual in front of him was the origin of the immense spiritual pressure and knew now to be extremely wary of him. Walking into the arcade after about a minute after the other individual Asmoskon sees that only four machines seem to be workable. Walking over to the one across from Col Asmoskon looks over the old game. Slightly puzzled however willing to go along with the game Asmoskon presses the start button.