She's A Restless Spirit On An Endless Flight

[steadypulse]

Who: Soldier: 76 & T'Challa
Which: Closed Log
Where: Within and around Town
What: Dreamboard Quest #1003 Witches by Moonlight; 76 and T'Challa run in to each other and end up taking up the quest of dealing with a few divebombing witch pranksters on the loose.
Warnings: Violence against paint dumping witches

Oh, he'd seen the post about it before he'd even gone in to the town that night. Wasn't it just another good distraction? Keep himself from growing restless, keeping along the rooftops for the most part, sticking to the shadows and aware of anything flying overhead. He'd seen darting shadows and heard the laughter from high, pressing against the roof to try and keep himself unseen.

Sights of fresh paint glittered from the street, still wet and it looked like something had been the target from the smears of paint walking away—

"Heads up and move!"

Even before the cackle could be heard, he'd spotted paint falling towards someone passing below.

Comments

[steadypulse]

They were still kicking about, even trying to claw their way out of the mess of shadows. There was a flash of a face, of a pair of red glowing eyes narrowed, but it was once again hidden by shadows and hair as they fought and struggled about.

"Something up?" Even with a destination goal in place, there was something that tugged at him. Something that he couldn't quite put his finger on, but was so close. Maybe once he didn't have to worry about keeping them secure it'd hit him.

[galactichero]

Making sure to keep the broom far enough away from the witches, he held it up to the light. "It's this paint...or whatever it was they were using. Because I don't believe it's actually paint."

[steadypulse]

It was a familiar smell, but then his sense of smell had been far more sensitive; a slight difference that-

His eyes narrowed then behind his visor, pushing forwards to keep from stopping. All the more determined to lock these witches up before he lost hold of them. "It smells like ink," even if ink mixed with something, it was still ink. 76 looked back ahead, as if to measure the distance, as if contemplating something.

"They're dumping some sort of ink mixture, not just paint."

[galactichero]

Now that the other mentioned it, it did smell like ink to him as well. "But why? What is the point of all this?"

The question is more directed to the witches at this point, though he didn't really expect an answer.

[steadypulse]

He was going to force the door of the building open, careful enough to not break it, not liking the connections his thoughts were falling in to. "I've got an idea, and I don't like it," 76 growled under his breath, eyeing the still fighting witches as they practically howled, only muffled by his shadows as he was hauling them inside after him.

"Get the door closed, don't want something following in here," see if there was a smaller room to lock them in. Windowless at best. "Something isn't right- didn't the post say they melted if water was thrown at them?"

[galactichero]

He closed the door behind him, then glanced around the darkened space they stood in. "I believe it said something like that, yes," he replied, walking over to where he'd spotted another door. "There's a story on Earth where something similar happened to a witch when doused in water."

It seemed odd, though. Was there a connection somehow?

[steadypulse]

"Wizard of Oz, I'm guessing?" He couldn't be sure if it was story or something else if the scent of ink was anything to go by. There was a door, and the moment 76 opened it and saw it was a closet? Well, it was a sight to see a grow man stuff a bunch of shadow wrapped witches in to a closet and slam the door closed with a lock behind them.

All so he could let the shadows dissipate, rubbing hands gloved hands as he flexed fingers. "Remember me telling you about the place I was before ending up here?" Oh, 76 had a few suspicions alright, and rather than turn them over in his head, well.

This could be a bad sign.

[galactichero]

"That's the one." Once the witches were stuffed and locked inside the closet, T'Challa uses the broom he's still holding as an extra bar for the door, just in case.

"The one about stories, right? Yes, I remember. There have been a few others who mentioned it through the journals as well. You think this might be related?"

[steadypulse]

Hadn't gotten to that story, and there had been someone running around with an Essence from it. Hadn't paid attention to things past what he could garner from quick glances through the journals then. There was a slight hiss, a noise of irritation more than anything else- it passed quickly enough, leaving the witches locked away for the moment.

Shoulders rolled with a little popping of joints, before a hand did gesture back towards the door the witches were scratching against, "They are producing magical ink, and haven't spoken a word," the sounds weren't words, nor the cackling and snarls, "I've got a sinking feeling this is a test of something, and those things we've just caught are Erasers."

[galactichero]

"Erasers?" He vaguely remembered the purpose of the Erasers from what he'd heard and read about the world some others have been to. "So what of the ink they've been dropping around town? What might its purpose be?"

[steadypulse]

"Erasers," something final in the tone used, kneeling down to examine a bit of ink smeared on the floor of the place from dragging them in. Eyes narrowed behind his visor- "I can't be sure of what the point of that is other than an attempt at testing without drawing suspicion- if it was more violent it would raise alarm a lot more than something that seems like a prank," but how many of these things were tree flying around? All reports made it out to be more of an irritating mess than anything else.

"The Story Eater used these things like weapons, and this is a new world. Maybe it's trying to figure out how to use the energy of this place to it's advantage," and this was a test.

[galactichero]

"And the ink would...what? Create more Erasers? Or start trying to erase this world too?"

[steadypulse]

He brushed a gloved finger over the ink, letting it catch to his glove. It felt warm even through thick fabric, seemed to move a little over his finger; a slight crackle of electricity over his hand took care of that, however.

A bit of ink dust drifted to the floor. "If enough is gathered it could- well. The Story Eater could corrupt natives in a story. I don't know if it can do that here or not."

[galactichero]

He hummed thoughtfully. "It might be best to take care this before it gets that point."

[steadypulse]

"Said water dissolved these things, right?" Glancing back towards the 'closet' they'd locked the catch of witches in to. "Make them loose shape at least, but can't be sure it would completely destroy them, if they are Erasers that's just an inconvenience if anything is left." His nose wrinkled under his mask.

"Plus whatever could be added to them if it got any new tricks. Can electrify after we've gotten them dissolved?" His head tipped, "Unless you've got a better idea."

[galactichero]

He shakes his head. "I believe you are more familiar with them than I am. Perhaps doing both at the same time? Charging water with electricity to shock them as they dissolve?"

[steadypulse]

"There's a well outside if there's not a sink in here working, unless you've got another source of water." Better to do this quick, because one of them flinging water while the other electrified it seemed like the best idea to pull it off. "Probably wouldn't hurt to clean up a bit outside when we're done here."

Get rid of what ink and paint they could, just in case.

[galactichero]

He shook his head. "Unfortunately not, and I don't want to risk taking too much time trying to figure out how to conjure up some." Even if he could figure out how to use dreamotion to create water, he wasn't sure if he could make enough to douse all the witches.

Even with the well, though, there was a probably of bringing enough water back here. But they'd have to worry about that a bit later.

"I'll go get some from the well. Will you be all right by yourself?"

[steadypulse]

He kept that door they witches were kept behind close, even as he spoke; at the very least it didn't sound like it was breaking down despite the clawing and pounding against it and the walls of the small room. "At least we should be good if we can get water on all of them- electricity could jump along it," and likely be an awful sight but.

Erasers were dangerous, could be a handful at best and deadly at worse. That these were just pulling pranks... Trying to just come off as some figment or other because of the time of year?

"Yeah, should be," attention turning more to T'Challa, letting out a breath as shoulders lifted. Just taking a little guard if the door did come down somehow- "I'll make sure you can hear if something goes wrong," didn't want to just leave them unguarded, just in case.

[galactichero]

With a nod, he heads out to locate the well, still trying to think of how to transport enough water. If the well had a bucket, it wouldn't be enough, and he couldn't even be sure there was enough water in the well in the first place.

[steadypulse]

There was a well, but no bucket with it- but by luck there seemed to be a water bump just a few feet away with a bucket. Worked well enough, even if a little rusted.

76 tried to keep himself from pacing as he was still rolling over thoughts; just what this could and couldn't meant for everyone in this world. Having to test could either meant Story Eater was seeing if its powers worked the same, or it had been weak until now to test them.

There was scratching at the door, finally moving to sit on his heels in front of the door, facing it as hands rested against thighs, "What are you even planning here." A world of dreams, made enough sense it was connected to a world of stories in some way at least. How others could find pieces of them 'awake' here as well.

[galactichero]

He was glad for the water pump, but as he was afraid of, the bucket didn't seem large enough to take care of all the witches. Still, he couldn't dwell on that now, as he worked the pump to fill the bucket.

Returning was a bit slow, as he made sure not to spill any of the water. As he approached 76, though, he couldn't help commenting, "This might not go as smoothly as we'd hoped."

[steadypulse]

His head lifted a bit, eyes scanning over the bucket and then T'Challa himself, pushing himself up to stand- "Slosh it over the floor and their feet. Might be the best bet, and at worse it might keep them stuck in place long enough for me to get this going."

Shoulders were already rolling, working himself a little loose, getting rid f built up tension as he moved to take a hold of the door knob—

"Won't be pretty, but let me know when you're ready for me to get this door open."

[galactichero]

He nodded, taking a moment to put his helmet back on just in case things didn't go right.

Then, once he prepared the bucket to throw the water, he said, "Let's go."

[steadypulse]

A nod, and at the ready, well-

76 yanked the door open, and for better or worse the witches fell on top of one another as if all of them had been putting their full weight against the door in their escape attempts. "Before they can get up!" Perhaps easier to even make best use of the amount of water T'Challa was able to collect.