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

[worthallthis]

Oh, Jesus, that was Misty. That was fucking Misty they'd turned a gun on. Handler Misty. And also the person they'd been looking for, worried sick about.

The Glock falls out of their hand, dropped like it had burned. Not like the metal hand can even get burned. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Misty, god, I'm sorry. I'd never. Never. I'm sorry."

And now they're babbling. Great. Just great.

It doesn't even occur to the Soldier just yet to wonder how she'd appeared, then disappeared. They'll get there.

[shadowsran]

The clatter is heard, but one might forgive an extra few moments to process. Tamp down unpleasant memories and consciously bring herself to refuse anything knee-jerk. It is with a forced calm her head pops around the corner enough to peer at him.

"Are you alright?" Chaotic as it must be, outside... "Hurt?"

[worthallthis]

Absolutely forgiven. Absolutely. This was entirely the Soldier's fault. Completely. They stay put, holding up two now-empty hands, pivoting just a little to more closely face where her voice is coming from. So they can see her eyes, the top of her head, when she peeks at them.

"Fine. I'm fine." There have been injuries, but between the Soldier's own speedy healing and Crowley's magical help, they're fine now. "Are you? Hurt? I was looking. For you. Worried." And now the babbling has turned into clipped phrases, not even full sentences chopped into pieces. Batting a fucking thousand today, Asset.

[shadowsran]

"Are you lying to be polite?" He seems the type. An arm makes itself visible, ushering him in away from the doorway. "I'm fine. Been staying put, gone well so far. How is everything out there? Everyone?"

News from the front!

[worthallthis]

The Soldier comes the rest of the way in, and even closes the door behind them, flipping any locks or edging any furniture nearby in front of it just in case.

Lying to be polite. Why would it lie? It told her on the very first day it would never do that.

They would never do that. This is not a great brain day, apparently. "I am. Currently uninjured? Got a little mauled on the first day. But it's better now." It's been two whole days since then. There's barely a scar.

"Most of us are at the Invincible. A few scattered around in cabins. The museum. You're sure you're okay." She's not lying to be polite, is she?

[shadowsran]

Decent people do it, on occasion. Good people do it often. It's distressing and endearing in equal parts, and wholly within what she would classify as Soldat territory. The closer he comes, she can at least come to accept his answer as truth. Not that 'mauled' doesn't get a scathingly unamused widening of her eyes.

"Fine," she repeats, "Nothing to complain about on my end but sad meal selection. Keeping an eye on these two." A backward cock of the head indicates Matt and the young spirit, not quite capable of defending themselves for very obvious reasons. "Were you here looking for something?" Odd place to expect any useful supplies, really...

[worthallthis]

Matt. Another person on the list of "haven't found yet" but not nearly as high up that list as Misty was. Good to cross two people off the list, and to find them relatively safe here. With... moving bookcases. That's right, those actually creeped in front of them, didn't they. That's weird.

And Misty had been in two places in the span of as many seconds.

That's weirder.

"I was looking for you," the Soldier answers. Making it very clear, this time, without dropping half the words they had been trying to include. "I was worried. Couldn't find you anywhere."

Closer up, in the torchlight and Misty's lantern (its own is tightly shuttered, for protection), the Soldier doesn't look injured or even particularly strained, just apologetic and, as stated, stressed in a decidedly worried manner. They move easily. The tac vest and combat canvas pants are largely whole, though the latter are heavily patched in a couple places. The metal arm remains completely unscathed.

[shadowsran]

Oh. Well.

Spooked, is all. Spooked all around. Understandable enough. She very nearly smiles, and would have were the circumstances not so unfortunate. "Thank you." Most people, after all, do not go to that effort. It's...a lot. Satisfied upon this closer inspection that he is indeed uninjured, he gets one firm nod.

"Came straight here, pretty much - only stop was picking him up." A Matt-ward tilt of the head, again. "Figured keeping away from crowds was the safer option."

[worthallthis]

"This doesn't seem like a bad place," they admit. Reluctantly. "Door closes well. Not many windows. Lots to barricade with. Magic moving furniture." Which probably isn't a quality of the furniture. Does Misty have magic, like Crowley and Aziraphale do? Crowley made furniture move, too. That will... maybe not make the Soldier worry less, but still be a little comforting. A little.

"Most people are at the Invincible. Off and on. We've closed up the windows. Got a bad on the door, barricades in the stairs. Patrols." Trying to make the place "with crowds" sound a little better. This might not be a bad place, but it's not someplace right under the Soldier's own watchful eye.

[shadowsran]

The intent is clear, and Misty strays toward a more steady smile.

"That are all probably necessary." Because it could be attracting more attackers, or those meant to guard might abandon a stranger to help a friend if a split second forced such a choice. People, as a whole, are not to be trusted in these circumstances. She's certain. Patting his arm, just the once, she shakes her head.

"And I'm glad to hear it'll be working well for everybody. Been lucky here so far, I don't see any reason to fix what isn't broken, you know? You could come here."

[worthallthis]

That. Shit. Christ, that'd be a hard order to obey. There are so many people at the Invincible they care about, and others they don't care about specifically but who still need the backup of someone like them. And yes, all of them together do make a tempting target, and though there hasn't been a mass attack yet, the Soldier wants to make sure they're there just in case there is one. There are good fighters among the defenders there, but none of them are the fucking Asset.

But Misty. Not just as a handler, but Misty. They want her safe as much as they want Crowley and Scarlett safe, and more than pretty much everyone else.

The Soldier shifts their feet uncertainly, looks aside. "Do you. Want me to. I will if you want me to. You need to be safe."

[shadowsran]

Soldat.

"I'm already safe," she counters gently, "You don't have to move anyplace. I'm just saying - I don't think I'm about to up and change course, either." However reliable he is, the town is emphatically not. Can't endanger herself, or Matt, or Ivy. There's sympathy enough to look more than reassuring, at least. "I mean it, really, I'll manage."

[worthallthis]

Look, they're not used to having multiple protect targets, let alone having opinions about them. This is a mission they literally gave themselves, and while said mission is pretty rock-solid, "protect everyone" is also very... broad. This is yet another new experience for the Soldier to learn how to navigate.

"I'm protecting the inn," they say after a pause, looking at her feet. (Helping protect. Same thing. Ain't alone, pal. I'm still one of the best there. I can't deprive them of that if she's safe in here.) They can't bring themselves to completely disappear on her, though, either. "But I patrol, look for supply. I can come by every day. Bring you food." Then she can stay inside where it's safe, and they can visit and lay eyes on her and know she's still safe, and still help without making either of them abandon home base. Compromise?

[shadowsran]

"Don't risk anything that you don't have to," she warns, mind already full of preventable injuries accrued in the name of bringing her something as mundane as bread, "You can, but only if it's no trouble. No big mid-attack heroics."

As it stands, she feels comfortable with her ability to provide. Never too proud to accept more assistance when offered, but Soldat's idea of acceptable or necessary risk likely differs greatly from her own.

[worthallthis]

She knows them so well. Risk is unimportant, and the Asset is the best-trained thing in this damn place. The order barely even registers: keeping Misty safe means any risk is a risk that they have to take. Just not the one that keeps them here all the time, without being able to help the rest at the inn.

So the Soldier shrugs, decision made. "Already running supply to the inn, and the museum. Can just add the library. The attacks aren't constant. I go hours without seeing a spirit, sometimes. It'll be fine."

[shadowsran]

The urge to ask into his certainty is strong, and useless. Fair enough.

"How is everyone else? The town? I don't look around much when I leave, haven't exactly had time for small talk either." All these other people you're helpfully protecting, hmmph.

[worthallthis]

She shouldn't be leaving. See, this is why she needs protecting. The Soldier gives her a Look of clearly worried disapproval, but only briefly. The answer to her questions makes it melt away, and instead they actually give a little sigh, crouching to retrieve and reholster their gun. "Tired. Afraid. But all right. No one's died, no one too badly injured. We have fourteen people asleep at the inn. Including Aziraphale." Since they know Misty and Aziraphale are friendly. "One at the museum. A few in the village. Now one, here. The spirits-- the friendly ones, from the inn and store, and the nearby woods-- they're all missing. That one--" They nod in the direction of Ivy. "--is the only one I've seen. And I looked."

[shadowsran]

A reflexive smile. There's just no helping it. So odd a thing, to be receiving Looks.

"Nobody?" The surprise goes unveiled; Crowley at least would have bit it by now, by her estimation. Kudos, Beacon. The rest of this news is alternately comforting and distressing. She nods.

"Not sure if I'd call it good news or bad. I noticed the Librarian, but figured - I don't know, hiding or something."

[worthallthis]

Not for lack of fucking trying. The Soldier is working double-time keeping that idiot alive, it feels like. They almost feel... insulted by her surprise, though. Like she might doubt its training, skill, and devotion to this mission. "I am a good protector, Handler Misty," they say. "And I know how to withstand a siege."

Technically, the Sergeant knows how to withstand a siege, but somehow they never did get around to telling Misty about him. (Now's probably not the best time. No, we're not bringing that up right now. Or ever. Aw, buddy, do I embarrass you? Shut up, Sergeant.)

"If they are hiding, they are hiding well. I tried to find my contact, but they didn't respond, and I couldn't find them at their home territory." Yes, the Soldier has a spirit contact. Kind of sort of friend. They got give the spirit head-scritches and coffee, okay, that's friend-behavior.

[shadowsran]

Less a reflection of the quality of protection on offer, Soldat - however fantastic, she refuses point blank to believe any one person would manage to corral as many individuals as are currently populating the town, let alone keep that many safe. Plenty are doing fool things to endanger themselves or insisting on sticking it out alone as she is, at similar or terribly low levels of advantage.

"Your contact?" Whomst?

[worthallthis]

The Soldier may have slightly unrealistic expectations about their own ability to do just that. Or at least, in their ability to corral the ones using the Invincible as their home base. The ones outside their purview don't get the same assurances.

Except Misty, of course.

"Contact. Spirit. This high--" They hold their hand up almost as tall as they are. "--head and hands like an owl, dusty suit. Likes coffee and being scratched under the feathers on the back of their head and. Me, apparently." The Soldier shrugs, a little awkwardly. "They answer questions and give me warnings. But I can't find them, now." It might be inferred from the Soldier's faint expression and tone that they're worried about this particular spirit.

[shadowsran]

Friend, he means. He is describing a friend. Her nod is thus suitably sympathetic to this level of emotional investment, however aware all parties are.

"They're probably fine. Whatever blowup happened before we got here on the ferry, the nice ones were still around after, right? They might just know a better hiding place than us."

[worthallthis]

Honestly, they're aware, even exchanged the word to make it official. They just haven't had the greatest reaction from people when calling a spirit a "friend", plus it feels more personal than calling Crowley or Scarlett a friend. "Contact" is safer all right. "Maybe. I hope so. There are other possibilities." Worse ones, like they're being forced to fight somewhere, too. Or changed somehow, over the course of the events. Or killed. Spirits can be killed. The Soldier has been doing it for two days.

The Soldier shakes their head. "If they come back after, I'll ask them. For now, I'm not going out into the woods to look harder. I'm not stupid. And I have work to do here."

[shadowsran]

"How much, exactly?" Her eyes don't narrow, but she's curious. "You're not getting saddled with more than your share, are you?" He'd volunteer, certainly, but as far as she's concerned that means it's simply on other people to politely refuse him. One spectacular person need not get themselves killed for others' convenience.

[worthallthis]

The Soldier blinks at her blankly. "I don't understand the question. I'm not too busy. Or tired. I feel. Useful." For the first time in weeks, maybe even since they got here, it feels like they're actually making a difference. Doing something that actually really helps keep people safe, using their training for something good.