event: portal four | the mountain

[mayfield_mods]

The fourth portal, as might be expected, can be found atop the hill known as Makeout Point. The other side of the portal isn't altogether that much different from the side you're entering from, save for the thicker trees and somewhat darker lighting.

The other side of the portal is significantly colder than the Mayfield side; frost covers the ground, and although it's not quite freezing, you'll want to bundle up. A glance at the sky reveals what you might have been dreading: glitch holes, in varying size, litter the skyline. The sun is hidden behind a set of thick clouds, creating a melancholy atmosphere.

The landscape around you is relatively flat, and you can't see too far beyond the forest ahead of you. It isn't until you turn around, facing the portal that you entered from, that you see the rising slope of the ground. The mountain rises high, higher than you can see from its base. There's a rough, primitive path heading up its slope, and for now simply hiking will be sufficient. As you get further, however, simply walking won't be enough: you're going to have to climb...

Somewhere, closer than you might prefer, a single wolf howls, and is shortly joined by more.

Better get moving.

Comments

[doesnotgetit]

[With September rolling in and the town cooling down, Hakuno has taken to wearing a jacket over her - still sadly Mayfield-style - clothes. She's glad that she did, when she finally gave in to the curiosity of exploring. When she stepped through the portal, she immediately zipped the jacket up as best as she could. She'll need to keep moving, this won't protect her for long...

Thankfully, she's not unarmed. Tucked into her belt is an ornamental dagger, and in her hands is a thin, wicked-sharp looking sword, which she's currently examining.]

... Geez, why'd I even bring this along? Saber's the one who knows how to use this, not me.

[... But Saber's not here, and hasn't been for a long time. As much as she hates it and fails at it, she just has to protect herself from now on.]

blah blah continuity let's just say mii got temporary separated....

[envyspites]

It seems better than nothing, especially in this kinda place. [says the nearby green-haired girl with a gun and spare bullets in a holster slung around her hip.]

[doesnotgetit]

Yeah, I guess... still. I barely know how to hold a sword, let alone use it to defend myself. [She eyes the gun.] At least you're lucky. The most you need is to know how to aim.

[envyspites]

[She peers at the dagger.] Why dontcha use that? Knives seem easier than swords.

[doesnotgetit]

[She pulls the dagger out of its sheathe, holding it out so Mion can see.]

The blade is dull. This isn't really a thing to be used for fighting... not the actual blade, I mean. It has a spell in it that I can channel and use against enemies.

[envyspites]

Oh. More...magic stuff. [She grows a bit awkward.]

[doesnotgetit]

Y-Yeah... to be honest, I'm not really sure how it really works either. So don't feel too left out.

[envyspites]

[Mion shakes her head.] I'm used to being locked out of the loop by now, haha.

[doesnotgetit]

... What do you mean? If it's because you don't really understand the things going on with this town, I really doubt you're the only one who's feeling lost.

[waiting_for_the_worms]

[Well, there was one word he understood out of all of that...]

...Did you say Saber, just now?

[doesnotgetit]

[See, this is when being from the Moon Cell's War really comes back to bite you. No sense of secrecy.]

... Yeah, I did. Have you met her?

[waiting_for_the_worms]

...You could say that. Something like that. I mean, not personally, but...

[Way to be awkward, Kariya.]

[doesnotgetit]

[Wait. Hold on. She doesn't remember ever seeing him around before Saber got droned, so does that mean...? Yikes.]

Uh, I should tell you then that she doesn't normally act like that. However you might have seen her acting. She's been droned for a long time here, and she's totally different when she's not.

[waiting_for_the_worms]

...Act like what? No, I know what drones are, that's not exactly what I'm talking about.

[doesnotgetit]

So... what do you mean?

[waiting_for_the_worms]

I fought against her and her Master in one of the Holy Grail conflicts.

[Because hell, why not. She probably already knows about Rin's involvement anyway if she's one of her friends.]

[doesnotgetit]

... Huh? But... I'm Saber's Master. We never...

[She trails off. Hold on... she recalls a memory, from when she first woke up in town. Talking to that red-headed woman, who said that Saber already formed a contract with someone else. The confusion she felt, before the woman mentioned Saber's name...]

Oh. Oh! N-No, my Saber is different!

[doudemoe]

Not used to fighting with a sword?

[It looks much better than the crude-looking one he's got with him. Can they trade?]

[doesnotgetit]

I've never even held one before now.

[Sorry, this is one of the few things she has to remind her of Rani. u_u She ain't lettin' go of it.]

[doudemoe]

[Fair enough. Social link items are serious business.]

Hm. I can give you a few pointers.

[doesnotgetit]

If it's not troubling you... yeah, that'd really help. [She laughs a little.] Any little bit helps, I think.

[doudemoe]

Alright. Then, first thing you need is a good grip.

[He takes a hold of his sword - the one he had to sneak into his old address to get back - and holds it in front, so he can show off his hand gripping the hilt.]

Like this.

[doesnotgetit]

[See, even then she was screwing up. The Vorpal Blade wasn't a particularly large sword, but she had held it in a two-handed grip anyway. She lets go, adjusting the grip of her right hand a little.]

Ha... guess I've been messing up right from the start.

[doudemoe]

[Thankfully, Minato has plenty of patience.]

Just keep a firm hold when battling. Even if it starts to hurt, don't let go of the sword. [And trust him, it will hurt. Something he learned first-hand is how much your hands blister the first week or so of handling melee weaponry.]

Next, to guard you bring the sword up in front of you like this. [stance]

[doesnotgetit]

[She mirrors him, a little less than perfectly though; her stance is a bit wider, more open.]

I know that much. This is the only thing I can really defend myself with, so if I lose it, I'm as good as dead.