Meet the Landers: S'yne Lokk

Not much time has passed since the Scale Emblem Alliance managed to reach the 12th floor of the Aincrad Tower. This isn't the first time that what they've found, have largely just been the remnants of ruins. But the devastation upon this floor is something else.

Enormous blade markings across the remnants of fallen walls. Burned farms. Enormous holes ripped into houses and land. Most of the western and southern region is an utter wasteland of plains now. There are other small town remnants, but they have all proven just as empty as the next.

With only a few forests to the north-east, and plentiful water, the sound of the wind blowing a hollow tone through the wiped out buildings of this unknown town is eerie more than anything.

But so is the subtle sorrowful whisper of a song at the edge of town.

"Whatever did this is either really big, or weilding the biggest overcompensation sword ever."

That is Vertina's observation as she crouches next to one of the massive gouges made through what was presumably a town at one point. Picks up a bit of rubble, rolls it between her fingers, and then flicks it away.

"And one can't help but be concerned that whatever it may be is likely either the boss of this floor, or a seperate super nasty hazard like that goddamn whale."

Soujiro Seta is here. It describes the Souji experience at times as he isn't saying a whole lot but is undeniably 'present' instead of being in his head or distracted. It lets the wind catch his long blue hair. Scent of the ruins hit his nose. The divination of the world to flow through like a clear path through the chakras. Although it is not the first time ascending a tower floor, the dangers of an unknown zone go far beyond just a Church visit. His time with the Tea Party taught him that. His time in Ezzo confirmed it. So being around his friends, just being present, is the best the vanguard can do.

"I think it will all be okay," Soujiro says as he looks to Vertina. Its that sparkly smile that seems to say 'because we have smart, talented people that can handle anything with us' without saying a word. A calm, genuine sort of glow. His ear is turned to the sorrowful sound, heading in that direction. If someone is hurt or lost, it takes priority to the samurai.

Normally, Kita leaves the follow-up to scalimg the Tower to those of a more sociable nature. Despite the fact that many might consider her to be someone knowledgable in basic affairs of Scale Emblem, she always seems to find a reason to be busy. The simple fact is... while Kita may very well feign being an extrovert around most people, she is quite happy not having to play the social game.

Yet, here she is, and perhaps there is some relief that there is little sign of much life around her. Relief that is tamped down by the fact that the floor looks as if it has become a war zone. "At the very least, I don't think they can claim that we caused this, for once." As people outside Aincrad as so prone to blaming Scale for everything.

The Imp's tail flicks as she pushes her glasses up on her nose, taking careful steps as she looks around. Her recent companion, a small mote of darkness, bobs at her shoulder, looking at everything with the angriest eyebrows you can imagine on a ball of dark flame. That hint of music, though...

"Do you hear something?" Just to make sure she is not going insane.

    Setsuna trudges behind Vertina as he looks about at the world around him, at this new fixer upper of the floor that they had unlocked. To be fair it wasn't the biggest fixer upper of the tower, a few different floors came to mind for that trophy but it was definately no eighth floor, or even the fourth floor. Still it was nice to be back climbing. Looking about at the wasteland he lets out a small whistle and then adds, "War never changes."

     The necromancer lets that hang in the air for a moment before adding, "I mean just look about, this had to be some sort of war to burn the land into such a wasteland." Looking over at Kita he grins ,"Now now lets not put to much faith into our new friends to soon, scale motto number 16. If it can be blamed on us, it will." He does go quiet though at the question of hearing something and even reaches for his dagger, there was definately something out there.

What the scouts have reported thus far about the state of the 12th floor is somewhat concerning. By all accounts, it's a veritable wasteland of war-torn ruin and desolation. Nature is slowly reclaiming what structures are left, swallowing the ruins bit by bit. It's almost like some kind of giant tore through the area, raking a colossal blade across land and buildings alike.

It's... eerily empty. Heartachingly so. There were people here, once-- or that's how the place was designed, anyway. This is all still a game, isn't it?

"I do," Prophylaxis answers Kita with a quiet murmur, idly nudging his grunty, laden in all manner of supplies (medical and otherwise), into motion. "There might still be survivors. Come on, let's go."

But perhaps what is waiting for them there is a trap, instead...?

It takes a bit of searching. With the wind blowing, the music is hard to find. Luckily, Kita has a certain set of knowledge that helps her key in on the music itself. Drawing closer and closer.

The music stops before the song really becomes 'clear', as they come upon a singular woman with short white hair, wearing a fanciful garb - seated on some debris. A white mantle, and a black-and-purple main body. Far more notable however, is the /enormous/ pair of scissors she has leaning against the wall next to her.

"The ghosts continue to haunt me even now, Ess-Ess." She chimes to what appears to be her scissors, as she turns to face the approaching crew. She looks a bit emaciated, but not to a deadly degree, and her lips are scabbed up a little.

Closing her eyes, Kita seems to focus in on the music, despite how faint it seems to be in the distance. She lets out a breath, flexing her fingers as if she were playing an instrument with the same notes. This seems to partially activate one of her spells, causing a brief bit of magical energy to form in a circle around her, stretching off vaguely into the correct direction.

The mote of darkness at her shoulder bounces once, twice, then hides behind her hair. "This way, I think. I can hear it." Despite the fact that the music doesn't truely resolve into a specific song, the magic still seems to be able to follow it to the strange woman in the fanciful clothing.

Kita's initial reaction is a widening of her eyes, likely caused by a combination of 'she's pretty', 'she's crazy', and 'she needs a sandwich'. "Not a ghost, last I checked, I'm afraid."

Soujiro Seta was heading towards the sound but not actively searching it out. He trusts in his instincts over knowledge or process. So when there is active searching being done he rolls with it by keeping open senses to what is going on as a sentry. "There are ghosts?" he turn to ask Vertina. The natural next turn is to Setsuna before back to the woman and her ample scissors. Maybe he missed the ghosts. Its possible! But really he is taking the woman's statement at face value. Hey, a new lady is just a new lady friend that needs a nice cup of tea. Maybe some cloth for those scissors.

Vertina turns her head when she notices Kita has picked up on something and gets up to follow her. To a scissor holding lone woman. Who probably looks closer to a ghost more than any of them do.

All the same Vertina gives herself a light pat with one hand. "Pretty alive the last time I checked." Eyes the woman again. "Do you need something to eat?" She certainly looks like she needs something to eat, but Vertina is being polite enough to ask.

    Setsuna takes up the rear of the group, only getting in to ear shot at Soujiro mentioning there being ghosts. "I mean there are a lot of ghosts, even ghost slimes, which look a lot like jellyfish that float in...oh hello there." Yep Setsuna finally noticed the scissors wielding lady that looks totally friendly and not someone who will curse them or anything. "Soujiro are you implying she is a ghost? Demilich maybe but not a ghost." Setsuna pulls up the menu and does the usual steps to inspect the lady for a moment before he looks over at Soujiro, "See not a ghost, or a monster even." Turning to finally acknowledge the lady, "Hello there. How are you today? Do you come here often?"

Prophylaxis' ears may be malfunctioning a little bit. This is what happens when you get wrassled by a little fox capable of mooning a goldfish with her bare hands. Nevertheless, Kita leads them to the source of the sound regardless. It's this way, she says. This way...

...They find... someone who /is/ definitely alive. Someone with a giant pair of scissors. That certainly is an odd weapon to have, isn't it? Could those blades be responsible for all the damage...?

"...Pardon me, miss. You seem like you've been here alone for a very long time," Prophylaxis opens his gruntyside-packs and pulls a loaf of bread and a bottle of water from their contents. "We have food and water. Please, have some. We're travelers exploring this world, and what we've found has raised... several questions."

Kita is 100% correct that this woman... needs a sandwich. As the team gets closer, she slowly grabs the massive pair of scissors and hugs them to her chest. Her eyes staring at the ones approaching with a mixture of confusion and... not so much fear, as just weariness. As if this isn't the first time.

"I know I shouldn't talk back to the ghosts." She mumbles, talking to her scissors. "No, I know." She lets out a sigh, then turns to the team. "I'll amuse the ghosts - yes, hi, I am S'yne Lokk. I am the Scissor Hero of this village." She motions a hand out - trembling; "This is Lokk." Is she saying she is the village?

She doesn't grab for the food or water being offered, largely because she's clearly not convinced they are real yet.

"I don't recognize these ghosts." She whispers conspiratorially to the giant scissors. "Do you think they are Heroes from another World?"

It's a good thing Soujiro is here because giving this woman anything even the slight bit alcoholic would not be a good idea. Vertina, however, can cover food easily. She's gotten into the habit of preparing yakitori to take with her on missions in case someone needs a snack or an energy boost. Though even when offered the 'Scissor Hero', wow that name is right on the nose, doesn't seem to be interested. "Come on miss, we are definitely not ghosts." A pause as she glances off to the side. "Though I can't deny this is the sort of place you'd probably seem some...."

It's obvious, even without medical training, that something is not entirely right in this woman's head. Perhaps an after effect of what happened here, or simply isolation taking a toll. Kita turns to look at Prophylaxis, perhaps wondering if the good doctor has any insight.

"I'm Kita Blackthorne. I'm an artist and musician." She lifts a hand, motioning to herself and the others. "We're from outside of the Tower, outside of Aincrad. We heard music from this direction and found you."

The mote of darkness peeks out from behind Kita's hair, bobbing up and down with the creature's usual grumpy nature.

    Setsuna blinks at the introduction of S'ynne and the conversation she appears to have with her scissors, stepping over to the doctor he speaks softly, "So lander with a strange mood status?" It would explain the lack of food, and the talking to inanimate objects and calling them ghosts. Truthfully who is to say what happens to someone who can't complete their strange mood project. Looking back at S'yynne he raises the question, "Oh a hero, like Ascheriit? Did you fight in the scrap princess war too?" The question is blatantly asked before he looks over at Kita introducing herself. "Oh right introductions. I am Setsuna , friendly necromancer and monster hunter. Pleasure to meet you."

'Scissor Hero.' Like the Shield Hero, or the Spear Hero, or the Rod Hero...? It's too soon to say there's a direct link there, yet. Prophylaxis watches the woman carefully, but there's no indication of hostility, only... disbelief and caution.

"We are, in a manner of speaking," Prophylaxis explains, "We come from the Worlds below this one, and have ascended through eleven in total before arriving here. This is the first time we've encountered a place quite like this, however..." He casts a long, meaningful stare across the ruins of Lokk. "...I suppose there aren't any other survivors, given your reaction. Mm."

"I am Prophylaxis, a man of medicine," the doctor explains, "May I approach? I can tell from looking at you-- you've not had anything to eat or drink in a while, have you...? Please, take this bread and water. I promise it's safe."

Soujiro Seta sees that this is well taken care of already so doesn't add into bombarding the (possibly crazy) lady with conversation and question. He looks to Setsuna as he takes out a kettle and jars of loose leaves. "I was wondering if we missed ghosts on the way here or if she has ghost senses," he tells him, "I didn't see any in the town and do not feel any here." Fire magic heats the kettle up and he prepares the cup. Warmed to the temperature of the water. Emptied. Leaves are placed in, loose, poured. He lets the natural scent drift as he steeps before adding the rest of the hot water.

The cup of tea is offered over to S'ynne with a smile, "I am Soujiro Seta, a Samurai. Not a ghost. Nice to meet you." Because there are other things besides illusions there. The warmth of the cup and the drink. The scent. Things rooted in sensory reality. After the cup he steps back to make himself one in the same process.

The woman jerks a bit when the black mote suddenly shows itself, gripping the scissors, before relaxing again. "I'm seeing spots now." She mumbles to herself. "Hehe... outside of the Tower. Funny. Hmm? What?" She seems to hear something that isn't there.

To Setsuna, she asks; "What's a Scrap Princess? That's a stupid name."

She then looks to Prophylaxis and awkwardly motions her hand. "Y-ye, you can approach. Whatever." She then whispers to the scissors. "The ghosts are getting stranger and stranger."

Being offered a cup of hot tea, she takes it... and pauses as warmth enters her hands. She then suddenly downs the entire cup, trying to gulp it down rapidly. But not a second later she begins to cough and violently grab at her throat, before she throws up...

Well, there's not much to throw up, except for the tea itself. Along with some remainders of berries and nuts it looks like.

Her face seems to go even paler and she leans against the scissors. "I don't feel good." She mumbles.

Prophylaxis winces severely as the woman promptly loses what little is left of her lunch. "That bad, huh...? How long have you been-- no, nevermind. Vertina, can you prepare something easy to digest? Porridge, or something like that?" He shakes his head and dismounts from the grunty.

"Slowly, now," the doctor cautions, offering his waterskin. "You're... suffering from severe malnutrition. At the moment, you're not going to be able to keep anything down if you rush it. Little swallows," he advises, offering a hand. "Please, sit down. Don't worry, I'm a doctor; I can assure you, this is quite treatable."

Soujiro Seta shows concern for the sick lady coughing, grabbing, and eventually releasing the contents. He takes a sip of the same type of tea just to be sure, but is otherwise keeping an eye on her. Sickness isn't his forte. Tea drinking is and he demonstrates a slower pace. Sip sip. No vomitting. Vomitting is rude. Like returning a gift! Sip sip. He makes a cup for everyone and sets them on a small wooden tray before sitting seiza style. Sip.

Vertina takes a step back when the woman tries to drink and then hurls it back up. ".... Okay, maybe cooked meat isn't a good idea just yet, even if she is starving," she mutters and bites a chunk off the yakatori skewer herself. The nods when Proph makes a different suggestion. "Oh, good idea Doc, that'd probably be much more suitable for her right now. Give me a few." Fortunately they brought water, and it's not hard to get water boiling when you've got Fire elementalism to get it heating up fast. While Vertina rummages through her inventory stash for stuff to put in it. Nothing too spicey or sweet considering the woman's condition, so plain will have to do. But a simple soup shouldn't be that hard to make on the fly (hopefully).

"That's not a spot, that's Mote. He's..." Kita pauses, looking at the strange creature who's eyebrows lift in response. "Well, I don't know what he is, but he's mine." She shrugs, uncertain how to describe the oddness that is relics and their unusual impacts on Adventurers.

Of course, seeking the woman empty her stomach is another matter, and Kita steps back, her nose scrunching and one hand going over her mouth. Her eyes look to Prophylaxis again, before nodding a little to his assessment. "I'm afraid all I have is travel rations and they certainly wouldn't be good even on a proper stomach."

The Imp looks around, seeming uncertain why this woman is here on her own in this war torn wasteland. "I don't like the fact that she's here alone."

"Heee, hear that, he's a /doctor/. Ghosts can have professions now." The girl remarks as she stares at Prophylaxis with a 'strange' and almost lopsized smile.

She will wait patiently for Vertina, she's clearly thinking she's just nearing the end of her life. But when Kita mentions her being alone, she pats her scissors. "I am not alone. I'm here with all the other ghosts. And you are here." She remarks.

"When the other Heroes came from that other World, I knew I would be too weak to stop them. They destroyed so much of my home." She remarks. "But after a while, they stopped coming. So I guess they are done with this World." She looks around. "I guess this is good and well the end of this one. The fields have died, and the forests will be next, very soon."

Soujiro Seta finishes his tea, leaving the untouched cups made for everyone else to cool on the tray. He stands up, feeling that he is little more than a third wheel in this situation, and raises a hand to the party. He leaves to go finish doing his check of the area, starting with the forest now, in case there are other survivors or ghosts abound.

There's /so much/ to unpack here. So very much. Nevermind the fact that there's apparently other ghosts-- but Prophylaxis presumes that's a PTSD thing. Hopefully.

"Thank you, Vertina," Prophylaxis inclines his head gratefully. In the meantime, he can... prepare something else. At least, he can give her something to drink. The doctor casts an ice spell on his waterskin, then takes a moment to shatter the suddenly frozen water into a mess of chips. "Suck on these one at a time," he advises, "That should pace you well enough to keep the water down."

But there are... other things. Other, very worrying things. "...Can you tell us anything about these other Heroes? When and from where did they come? What did they look like...? Our world has been invaded by... similar individuals in recent months. We've pushed them back each time, but, well."

He glances around. The situation is pretty dire.

"...We may be able to stabilize things here. Why are you so certain that the forests will soon follow the fields?"

    Setsuna looks from the others as they try to care for her and then looks around at the world of the scissor hero and frowns a bit. "Another civilization locked away within the floor of the tower. " It is said to no one but the 'ghosts' around them as Setsuna takes it all in. Finding a near by rock he takes a seat and looks about for another moment. "Ok so us ghost come from the world below and are looking to go to the world above. Usually to do this wwe have to fight some monster boss thing in a horrible battle. I don't suppose you know of anything around here that could be counted as a boss of this world do you?" Setsuna knows S'ynne isn't doing great and all but at the same time this is a scouting mission.

Vertina is starting to think this woman is going to need more than some old fashioned nurturing food, but she's diligent about it all the same. At some point she drinks the tea provided by Soujiro while she's at it. Don't worry, she'll make sure everyone can have some buy the end. But her focus is on trying to help S'ynne out.

"Sounds like some of those 'visitors' have been up here already," she mutters about people attacking from other worlds. Or is this that theory were every floor of the Tower is taken from a different world and stacked atop each other. Eh. Someone else's crackpot idea to figure out.

Eventually she'll have a small helping of on-the-spot soup made, which she offers to the woman. "Like the doctor said, take it slow this time."

Kita falls quiet at the mention of the 'other Heroes'. If this is what Heroes do, then maybe it is better to be the Villian of the story. The mote of darkness hovers there, bobbing around in a circle as it seems to be scanning their surroundings.

She pulls out her sketchbook and starts to tap a pencil on the page. "Can you describe any of these Heroes that you saw?" Though most people don't offer enough details initially to do any kind of portrait from a description alone, it might be enough to coincide with someone they have already encountered.

"Don't you hear it?" She raises her hand slightly. "Just how quiet it is?" The young woman doesn't seem to be making sense. It's hard to even tell who she was really answering. She finally does take the ice chips offered to her by Prophylaxis and begins to slowly make use of them. Suckling away while her fingers shiver against the cold.

She doesn't seem to understand what Setsuna is talking about in regards to a 'boss'. "Do you mean the mayor?" She tries.

Before she explains to Prophylaxis; "It was a man wielding a book. And then... a man with a sword. And then the book... the book.. and... sword? Or was it the book?" She seems confused and delirious. "Blue hair... and... grey hair."

Vertina lets the woman finish with the ice fragments before offering her the soup. "Maybe we should let her eat some and rest first guys, it may help clear her head when her body isn't nearly about to collapse."

"Quiet..." Prophylaxis' gaze is steady for the longest moment, then his eyes suddenly widen with realization. "You mean... the /song./ The song isn't here, is it?" He steadily rises, standing slowly. "Those people-- sound familiar, from reports I've read. But, first."

He takes a few steps away, inhales, and then recites: "hYAmmrA ttu lEnca! hYAmmrA ttu mamLYE! zz tAn, hErOnUtE daf ayulsa...!"

It's... a song. It's definitely a song. A song that, under normal circumstances, would generate a pile of dirt. But, will it do so here...?

    "Yeah the mayor, where's the mayor?" Looking around Setsuna seems to be expecting someone to walk up, "One of my best friends is a mayor. " Setsuna imagines somewhere right now that mayor is sneezing, and probably remembering that Scale owes him a debt. Even then for now he looks at Vertina then at the doctor, "Yes yes let us make sure our new friend S'ynn is safe. Perhaps we take her downstairs to the 11th, they had a nice bed and breakfast with a view of the beach. I think it even had a nook." Then he stops as the doctor tells him to be quiet and starts to speak in tongues. The necromancer looks at the others then back to the doctor with an expression that shouts 'What the hell was that?'.

Kita makes notes, as much as there are notes to be made anyways. It comes down to only a handful of words. Man - Sword, Man - Book. Blue Hair. Gray Hair. That... isn't all that helpful.

Unfortunately, for people outside of her small circle of friends, Kita isn't the most patient person in the world. "Maybe Vertina is right. Getting information out of her right now seems like it's not going to happen."

And then, Prophylaxis starts up one of the Songs. She quiets, tapping her pen on the book and just waiting to see what happens.

"The Mayor is dead... everyone is dead. I am the only one who lives." S'yne Lokk answers Setsuna, as if he should just understand this, then turns to her scissors. "The ghosts are bad listeners." Pause. "No, you are a great listener." Pause. "Don't get snippy with me. Fine, I will have more ice-chips."

"A bed would be nice though." She then adds. "I haven't slept in a bed in..." She tries to count... then tries to use her fingers. Realizes she doesn't have enough fingers. "A long time." And gives up on that attempt.

In the meantime, a pile of dirt shows as expected by Prophylaxis. Nothing 'more' or 'less' than usual. It just lays there, and S'yne actually claps and applauds Prophylaxis. "Good job! You made dirt!"

Prophylaxis does indeed make dirt, but it's the process of making dirt that seems to have... unsettled him. "I did," the doctor murmurs, his expression troubled. "But-- she's right. It's... quiet. It's quiet in a way I can't explain. The song isn't /here/," he sighs, setting himself back down. "...Normally, when I sing, when I attune to the Earth Song, I can feel like there's... /something/ there. Something else, singing along with me, in its own way. Here, there's... nothing."

"And if music is as important in this world as I believe," he adds, sadly, "Then she may be right. This world may truly be doomed. But how did it happen...? How do you kill the very potential of life? And if it can be killed, can it be restored...?"

He is, as ever, a doctor.

"Still, Kita and Vertina have a point. You cannot stay here, miss S'yne. We control several settlements further down the tower. Would you... like to come with us? To rest? In the meantime, we can... start trying to determine if there's anything we can do about this place."

    Setsuna tilts his head as he looks at S'ynne, "I should have brought the three headed bus." Setsuna then looks over at Prophylaxis, "I know you and I tend to have different roles in the process of life. I will just say though that as a necromancer nothing is truly ever dead, not even death itself." Standing back up he stretches and looks back towards the lower stairss. "So then to the stairs?"

"I... I would like a bed." S'yne simply replies to Prophylaxis as she takes another ice-chip, and just kind of leaves it at the edge of her lips for a bit, before her eyes kind of just droop...

And she falls asleep clutching those massive scissors.

Kita's first thought upon hearing about the Doctor's experience with the Earth Song: "Uta will be fascinated." One, because it is true, and two because the LOONs will certainly be interested in exploring this further.

Closing her sketchbook, Kita nods and starts to stow it away when the woman just... falls asleep. "Um... I'll leave it up to one of you manly sorts to carry her." That is Kita's way of saying: 1, 2, 3.. NOT IT!

Prophylaxis sighs, "I'll put her on the Grunty. There's a reason I bring one with me, you know. We have a ranch full of them!"

Vertina tilts her head. But doesn't understand anything more than the 'Song is a big important part of ETO' that she's heard several times. Still that's enough to make Prophylaxis' unsettled analysis of the dirt uneasy feeling. "Yeah. That's not good. Not good at al--"

She interrupted by S'yne falling asleep on the spot, and drops the remains of the soup to catch the woman (careful of the scissors!) before she falls over. "I got her. Maybe moving her out of this 'dead', no offense Setsuna, location might help clear her head." Vertina is stronk, so she snorts softly at the 'manly' remark from Kita, amused. "Manly, shmanly, I got it." Then Proph offers the grunty. "... Okay, yeah, I can get her on that."

    'Setsuna shakes his head, "Can't use a grunty, the right of head of Demon gets grumpy. Seems to believe I am taking her food and you don't want to get in the way of the right head of a cerberus and their food." Shaking his head he moves to clean up the impromptu camp site to make sure they don't leave a sign of their own incursion on this 'cursed' land. If Setsuna has learned anything this last year it was just how much you can learn from someone else's rubbish.