EVENT LOG: ENTER MR SANDMAN (DEFENDERS)

[inthenightmods]

EVENT LOG:
ENTER MR. SANDMAN (DEFENDERS)

characters: those who signed up as defenders for the event
location: all around Beacon
date/time: november 16-29
content: the defenders attempt to drive off a spirit invasion
warnings: lots of horror! body horror, psychological horror, gore, violence, etc.. please cw all threads where appropriate! mods will do the same

in your closet, in your head.

It all happens in a matter of moments. Your friends, your companions, and even some people you aren't all that fond of; everyone who took so much as a bite of the spirits' feast suddenly collapses into a comatose heap. Which is bad enough already, but the worst, by far, is yet to come.

Before anyone can really figure out what's happened to the sleepers, the woods surrounding the town come alive with sound. Rustling, screeching, clicking, howling, and under it all, the characteristic hoots and whistles of the forest spirit tongue. But these aren't the friendly creatures that set up the banquet in the first place, and they aren't the familiar faces (or masks) from around Beacon. As they begin to emerge, bursting forth from the trees, these spirits reveal themselves as a horrifying army of terrors. And sprinkled among them, distinguishable by the emerald glint in their sockets, are the infamous "green eyes", the dangerous spirits that appeared once before.

Attempting to talk to these spirits is a moot point, made obvious by their immediate assault on anyone they get close to. They attack with claws and teeth, with limbs far stronger than they have any right to be, and the green eyes, as they are wont to do, will try to get into your head. Somehow, they seem to know what it is that scares you most, and they don't seem too hesitant to use it. It's not clear what they want— are they here to eradicate you? To frighten you? To send a message?

Whatever the case, one thing is very clear: you and everyone else, sleeping or waking, are in serious danger. Are you ready to defend Beacon?

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Comments

Bucky/Soldat | OTA

[worthallthis]

I. Directly After the Feast - Closed to Crowley and Xayah

The Soldier had been on patrol when the feast started up, on the far edge of town, nearer the gym and museum. By the time they make it back to the central lawn with the tables, people have already started falling asleep.

They stop and stare for about ten seconds at the chaos of other people who had already noted the problem while the Soldier had still been on approach. Then they dart over to start checking pulses and sniffing the food suspiciously, immediately on high alert.


II. Digging In (Invincible) - OTA, for fortifications

It's the closest place that the Soldier can think of as defensible, with the fewest number of windows on the ground floor, food already inside, and sturdy walls that won't be easily breached. There's even plenty of tables, chairs, and beds that can be hauled around to make barricades, or dismantled to block the windows that do remain.

So once Crowley and his sleeping angel are safe inside, the Soldier starts hauling furniture around, and giving clipped orders to anyone else that followed them there. "First story windows. Front door. Stairwell. Need blocked."


III. Search and Rescue - OTA, for checking on people

When Crowley and Aziraphale (and anyone else they picked up along the way) are as safe as the Soldier can make them in the Invincible, and guarded by someone they at least halfway trust to keep them safe, they gear back up and head out. There are other people still out there, who either stumbled away from the feast before passing out, or that no one had enough spare arms and shoulders to collect during that first mad scramble to safety.

The Soldier is going to find as many of those sleepers as possible and get them to safety. Starting with their personal connections, because in this, the Soldier is letting itself be selfish. Scarlett, Bodhi, Bruce, Daylight, even the new handler Eve-slash-Villanelle. Misty and Eleven, even if they aren't actually asleep-- the Soldier doesn't know they aren't, yet-- also need checking on.

They keep to the edges of buildings, occasionally rooftops, all senses on high alert and a gun out in one hand, to check for signs of other people. And they keep their lantern entirely shuttered except when cracking it open long enough to check into buildings, not wanting light to betray them.


IV. The Long Term - OTA, for the in-between-battle moments

It's a mission. A war. A long-term siege. The Soldier remembers those, somewhere in broken brain. The Sergeant remembers better, and offers snippets of advice now and then. Maintain the boards on the windows, barricade stairwells, guard all remaining points of entry. Hoard supplies, always keep a patrol, check in regularly with all other defenders and civilians under their protection. Eat a whole damn lot instead of sleeping, because they don't have time to sleep, and even if they did, the ceaseless underlying anxiety wouldn't let it happen.

After a couple of days, it's settled into a kind of routine, interrupted now and then by attacks from the Invincible front doors or a window a spirit broke through. The Soldier goes out once daily to hunt down anyone not behind solid doors or sleeping without protection, to make a circle of the village, to check on those hunkered down in other places, and to shoot or stab any green-eyed spirit that makes an attempt at attacking.

Mission focus helps keep the hallucinations at bay... sometimes.

I

[featherknives]

She wasn't even near the Bonfire when everything started going to chaos- for better or for worse. The clicking of the forest feels almost familiar and dangerous, something she never felt before from nearby trees of the Beacon. A chill runs down her back and Xayah hurries up towards the bonfire, using wings during large jumps to float and give herself a spring in her step.

"What the fuck happened?" she asks, not too quietly when she lands near where the feast is being held, eyes scanning frantically over the people collapsed all over the place.

"Crowley...?" She doesn't see him amongst the passed out people, but she does see Bucky and rushes over to him. "What happened!? Who did this?" Another set of clicks makes her turn hastily around- her eyes are wide and irises narrowed to slits as she stares at the gap between the trees nearby. "...the forest is alive..."

[sauntered_downward]

"Aziraphale!"

Crowley had been standing apart from the feast, choosing to judge everyone who had decided to partake rather than partaking himself. The whole thing was stupid, he had decided. Why trust the spirits? Who would trust the spirits and indulge in a bunch of stupid food?

The answer to that was, of course, Aziraphale. Aziraphale, who had quickly fallen asleep and was laying limply in Crowley's arms.

He grips the angel as he looks out to the forest where Xayah is looking.

"Shit, oh shit," he says, scrambling to lift Aziraphale into his arms. "Quick, we have to get out of here."

[worthallthis]

"I don't know, I was on patrol and didn't see." The Soldier can hear the sounds from the forest, but Crowley's distress has their visual attention. Their brain is already running through potential plans for if those sounds actually mean an attack. The only viable one includes walls between the sleeping people and a source of danger. "We need to get people inside." Worry about waking them later. The Soldier strides to Crowley and Aziraphale's end of the table. "Crowley. Can you carry him or do you need me to."

[featherknives]

There is a slithering sound and Xayah doesn't even need prompting to summon her knives. She takes a cautionary step forward, making sure that she covers the others bustling in the background with people that passed out.

"Go you two, before it arrives." She has no idea what's coming, but she can fucking hear it, so clearly and she's trying not to jump at every little sound until she sees the threat with her own eyes.

[sauntered_downward]

Crowley lifts Aziraphale up in a fireman's carry, a little awkwardly, and starts in the direction of the Invincible. "I've got him," he says.

He turns around, back towards the feast, where everyone is asleep.

"Did any of the children eat?" he asks, panicked. Children are always suckers for food. Children also can't handle as much poison as adults can.

[worthallthis]

The Soldier scoops up one of the nearer bodies that they recognize, the pilot with the terrible nerves. Bodhi. Tucks him under their metal arm, eyes scanning the table briefly, then the woods. "Yes. I see Mary. Rosinante has her." They push at Crowley's back. The closest defensible building is the inn. "Move, Crowley. Invincible. Now."

iii

[policier]

( Javert doesn't harbor any sort of sentimentalizes. There's no one here he wishes to protect, to go out of his way to search for, to cry their name in desperation because that isn't who he is. He is stone. Despite the numerous acquaintanceships that he's made, he doesn't value anyone's life more than another.

That isn't to say he isn't going to throw himself into danger to save people. He is a police officer, after all, and though he may not be proud of it, he knows it's his duty to protect others. When he's out on patrols, he's hyper-vigilant, keeping one hand gripped to his sword while the other remains on his lantern. He doesn't draw his blade when he notices the Soldier, but it is a very near thing. He doesn't speak to him, not at first. Instead, he simply move closer, mouthing the word, )

Spirits?

( Because if they're nearby, he doesn't wish to be careless and draw their attention. )

[worthallthis]

[When you've never been allowed to make personal connections, the first ones you ever make do kinda tend to feel more significant. It's hard not to put them ahead of regular people. Thankfully, by now, most of them are either safely tucked into the Invincible, or else verified awake and looking after themselves all right.

The Soldier stops at the sight of another body out in the night, adding up the height and shape and long coat and the tip of the sword, even in the dim light, to a total that means "Inspector Javert". They unclench the metal arm, shifting into an attentive parade rest at the approach, gaze going into the diffuse alert-but-not-looking-it stare that makes it easier to avoid eye contact without picking a specific place to stare.

They shake their head at the word, rather than answering aloud. Nothing obvious. Not yet, anyway.]

[policier]

( It's only a matter of time, he's sure. But since the Soldier hasn't seen anything, Javert concludes that that must be true. He would not trust anyone else's instincts, not like he trusts the Soldier's. They may not yet be friends, and Javert may still have some reservations about him, but him wouldn't rather have anyone else to watch his back. The man may be an assassin, but he is capable, he follows orders. That is more than Javert can say for most of the people here.

He relaxes a bit, giving a little nod of acknowledgement to the other man before asking, quietly, )

What is it you're doing?

[worthallthis]

[A handler, even a good one, is a long way from a friend. But Javert is a good one. The Soldier might not trust Javert personally, not exactly, but they do trust him to know what he's doing and have smart orders. And probably not to hurt them. Probably. Like 62% sure.]

Looking for others asleep in the village that we missed on the first past. Others barricaded in cabins. Not everyone wants to come to the Invincible.

[And the Soldier isn't going to argue with most of those people. They have their reasons. That doesn't mean they don't want to check on those people, though, make sure they're still safe.]

[policier]

( It's a sensible reason. The Invincible is a far cry from being impenetrable, and the more people they have there, the more likely it is for the building to be attacked. Javert wishes they could have come up with a better emergency plan — it was mentioned briefly at the town hall, but never acted upon. Perhaps the others will realize now how tuly important it is. )

I shall accompany you, then.

( It's better for them to go in pairs, so they don't get overwhelmed. )

Which buildings have you checked thus far?

[worthallthis]

[There really isn't a better emergency plan, if they all aren't going to congregate in the same place and fortify together... maybe having designated places for each smaller group? But the Soldier has pretty much determined where everyone is, at this point, so it's close enough to that end.

They had thought to travel alone so as not to risk anyone else, but one, Javert is a handler and not to be put off; and two, maybe companionship isn't a terrible idea. It's relatively comforting, anyway, having someone competent to give orders if necessary.]

The general store. The church. I am heading for the bridge into the village, now.

III

[tribridfreakshow]

One of the first people Hope looks for is Scarlett, the woman who's like a big sister to her, who gets her, who's been here for as long as she has been. If she's awake, Hope wanted to fight by her side. If she wasn't, well...

...then she needed to make sure she stayed sleeping and not dead.

Sure enough, she finds the woman rather easily, and she crouches next to her, slapping her palm against her cheek a few times to see if she can rouse her, but to no avail.

"Shit."

She doesn't realize someone is approaching them, possibly to help. She's too focused on trying to get Scarlett's arm over her shoulders so she can try to carry her; Hope is strong, but the dead weight of an entire person laying on the ground is still something to overcome.

[worthallthis]

Hope may be strong, but the Soldier is stronger, and they're not risking letting anyone else carry their first friend in seventy years. Standing over Hope, they say, "Give her to me."

Their voice is almost, but not quite, a growl, and their expression is a scowl.

"I'll carry her."

At the very least, the Soldier looks strong enough to carry someone like Scarlett and then some, and has a gun in one hand.

[tribridfreakshow]

She's just standing up, struggling only slightly to her feet, as she hears the man's voice. Her gaze flicks over in surprise; he's an intimidating figure, to say the last, but she's seen a lot of those.

That said, he's also relatively familiar.

"Fine. Take her."

She steps closer, waiting until he has a firm hold on Scarlett before she even thinks about letting go. Even then, she's watching carefully, making sure he's not having any difficulty.

"Go. I'll watch our rear."

[worthallthis]

Absolutely no difficulty. The metal arm hefts Scarlett easily over their shoulder, and pauses there just long enough to focus through the sounds of advancing spirits and other panicked Beacon residents to register her heartbeat. Slow but steady. Asleep, not injured. There's an obvious lessening of tension in his shoulders, obvious relief. This guy cares about Scarlett, that much is at least apparent.

"Thank you," they say briefly. "We have been gathering at the Invincible. Barricades, barred door, blocked windows. I'll take her there." Hope can, of course, come to. They would rather keep her safe, too.

[tribridfreakshow]

"I'm right behind you."

The only other person she had to make sure was safe was her Uncle, and he was already inside. There were things she could do to help protect them once they were inside, too.

She was impressed by the guy's strength, for sure; he'd picked up Scarlett as easily as her father would have, when he was still alive. The sound of approaching spirits was enough to catch her attention back, though, and she waved him off.

"Go."

She turned toward the sound, back up a few steps as soon as she heard him start to move, her hands moving in a circular motion as she prepared a shielding spell if they needed it. Who knew what these spirits might throw at them, literally or figuratively.

[worthallthis]

The Soldier doesn't need to be told twice. They take off at a run-- not top speed, but rather a speed they anticipate Hope can keep up with-- towards the Invincible. Scarlett is an awkward burden, but not one that slows them down, just one that requires constant maintenance to keep her in place. The metal arm curls around her back, both for support and protection.

Come on, Hope, let's zoom.

IV | 22nd

[darkeyed]

<sub>[Darkness is not meant to be a permanent condition. Pilgrim was right about that, in more ways than he could know. And he was right about M.K., too--for someone as strong in darkness as him, even he can't keep his gift active constantly in these conditions, forcing him to take shelter when his accumulating injuries and battle fatigue call for rest. When he turns off his darkness, that's when the aches and pains really set in.

But his energy is waning. He can feel it, each time he reaches for his power. And he can see it, in the flame of his lantern burning just a little smaller every day.

And still, the horrors keep coming. The spirits let up their attack once before, during Robin's less than auspicious debut, but these ones are different. No guarantees they'll do the same now. No guarantees they'll find a way to wake the sleepers up, either. They're holding a wall of sand against the oncoming tide.

They can't win. He knows it, a trickling certainty he finds creeping in around the edges of his mind when he pictures those inhumanly bright green eyes of the spirits. He's so tired of these pointless battles. So tired.

M.K. sits in silence against a wall during one of these rest breaks in the Invincible, swords resting across his knees, not too far the staircase leading to the higher floors but not too far from the boarded up front door, somewhere in middle so that he'll be ready to leap up should he be needed. Sometimes he closes his eyes in the closest to a light doze as he can get while still aware of the softly shifting bodies in the room. Sometimes he watches the man with the man with the metal arm hazard a look outside. He hadn't seemed to sleep much, either, even the spirits had left them well enough alone while exploring the forest.]</sub>

Anything?

[worthallthis]

Not right now.

[Out of all of them, honestly, the Soldier may be holding up the best. Partly because they're not great at thinking further ahead than a few days yet, and partly because they're very, very good at practical planning. But partly because this is the first time in weeks, months even, that they feel useful. Like what they're doing is making a difference, like they're using their extensive and otherwise awful training for something good.

The occasional nightmarish hallucination and worry about sleepers is worth feeling needed again.

They step away from the crack between boards on the window, come to crouch at M.K.'s side.]

When's the last time you ate. I brought back some more sweet potatoes from the store earlier if you need something.

[Also, they get to feed people. Protectiveness and mother-henning appears to be programmed even more deeply than the shit HYDRA stuck in there. It scratches some previously unnoticed itch that can only come from Before.]

[darkeyed]

<sub>[To an extent, he could relate to Bucky's sense of invigoration. The other him, the darker him, had always had a taste for killing; since learning to fight with his gift while fully conscious and in control, he supposes some part of him had inherited some of that taste. The fighting satisfies a need for an outlet for the worst of his urges.

But truth be told, M.K. had seemed more invigorated on the hike that had eventually culminated in discovering the armory, when nothing had attacked and they had merely mapped out a bit of the impenetrable darkness.]</sub>

Thanks, but I'm fine for now. _{[His gaze tracks the man as he ventures over to crouch.]} You should save as much as you can for those who aren't as used to going without. We might have to. And there's no guarantee the sleepers can go without some kind of nourishment much longer, either.

_{[Maybe they're like the Master's sleepers, and they'll somehow stay suspended without food or drink. Maybe they're not. Either way, he can't shake the feeling this could get infinitely worse. What if the spirits change their tactics, wise up and sabotage their stores? A fair way to put the squeeze on them if this were any kind of normal siege.]}

[worthallthis]

[The Soldier glances over at the sleepers, lets their eyes drift over at Bodhi and Scarlett, and Crowley hovering over sleeping Aziraphale like usual. Their expression is calm, more out of habit than actual feeling, but they don't feel too bad right now anyway.]

Nothing has changed with them. If their bodies were still working like normal. There would have been more problems by now. I think this is less sleep. More suspended animation. They won't need food unless something changes.

[They understand suspended animation. Maybe not normally without a cryo chamber, but still, it's not an unfamiliar concept.]

[darkeyed]

You can't know for sure, because nobody knows. The spirits don't follow any rules that make sense.

_{[He gets little enjoyment out of playing devil's advocate, lowering his gaze to where his hand loosely curls around the hilt of one of the scimitars he has at rest. But it's the truth. Something could change any minute.]}

If this sleep doesn't kill them, the spirits will.

_{[A grim pronouncement.]}

[worthallthis]

Then we protect them.

[So far that particular plan is working. So far, though, the spirits haven't been particularly interested in the ones asleep-- just the ones awake. Just the rest of them, who can actually fight back. So protection pretty much covers anyone, sleeping or not, as far as their own mission parameters are concerned.]

And keep an eye on them to see if anything goes wrong. Magic should have rules. We just don't know them.