soul_campaign | [video] February 2nd, Dawn

[Filtered to Shibusen]

There's a large force amassing from the southeast! They aren't Kishin Eggs, and don't appear to have souls at all, despite most of them greatly resembling humans. I'd say they were dead, if my vision didn't prove otherwise. They're accompanied by an aerial force of large birds and 5 powerful souls that appear to be headed directly for the city!

[Filtered to Sasuke, Clare, and Tenten]

The city is falling under attack. Unfortunately, I can't continue to search for them until my district is under control. I'll rejoin you later.

Clare, I truly appreciate your assistance thus far. I won't drag you into anything else unless it's by your own decision.

[Filtered to Watch]

We're under attack. Spirit-san has issued the Watch directives to assist in the evacuation of the civilians, then join their operatives on the field to combat the threat.

[Filtered to Outer Residental Quarter III]

Those of you have partners or even temporary ones, your abilities are put to better use defending the city. The rest of you that have kept hold of your sanity, come with me. We're aiding in the evacuation of the citizens of this district before the force breaches the outer wall.

[Public]

[Those filters out of the way, Neji turns strung-out eyes to the network itself, speaking over the sirens that flare up in the background]

Morning training is cancelled, and I don't advise anyone come out to the training field needlessly. The district is being evacuated, along with the rest of the city. It's time to put everything you've learned to use.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

You're still without a weapon, I'd hate to leave you alone when there's trouble.

Besides, spending all this time with you is really fun!

[Neji nods, a brief flash of gratitude lightening grim determination and the exhaustion that's just starting to set in. But there's no time to rest now]

Then I'll appreciate your continued aid. We'll be heading back to my district to aid in evacuation, and fend off any threats we encounter in the process.

*The video flickers on to Clare looking... teasing, might be the right phrase. No, no she hasn't given up.*

Right, evacuate the innocent, fend off the attackers. Then you can show me how much you... appreciate my help? *Yes, yes there is more to that word.*

Then I can help you with whatever you need, finding Lain, unwinding, making... tea.

[And here he'd almost managed to convince himself that he'd imagined it. But here it is, with all the subtlety and tact of a freight train. He flusters, looking more than a little uncertain about just about everything right then, and clears his throat. Professionalism, right.]

...We can relax once we've established peace in the city. I apologize for putting you through so much already.

*Audible, overdramatic sigh.* Fiiiiine, we can relax when this is all done with. Best to earn it, you know, relaxing.

Besides, fighting off the attack should be fun. *Clare's too fearless to lie about things.* Especially with the right company, right? *Leading question is leading.*

..Something of that sort. [Evasive ninja is evasive, attempting to steer the conversation back on track] I wouldn't say it's entertaining work, but so long as neither of us sustain significant injury, it's fine.

I--- shit. [And that, that is Spirit hitting something on his communicator that sends the alarms blaring through the city.] How far are they? Did they-- [kill their scouts, who were supposed to be patrolling far outside the city borders.]

Roughly 800 meters--

[His eyes widen, barely-visible irises searching for something as his head turns] Dammit, the massive souls I sensed before have disappeared. I don't know where they are..!

Five witches. [that's a lot, and his face says so.]

Get the Watch to help the civilians to safety and then join us in meeting the threat.

Understood, I'll relay the message immediately.

Take care.

[He wants to give more orders, say more things, but--]

Stay safe, and thanks.

[A nod, attention half on the conversation and half on what's going on outside the city, he cuts the feed to contact the appropriate channels]

[Genesis is torn when he hears the report from Neji. Right before him was someone he cared about who tried to take her life due to the madness, and on the other hand was a situation he could not simply ignore.

A fear grips at him-- the fear that he might lose one of the few people so close to him if he chose to leave her to struggle between life and death on her own.]

Give me a little time.

[He can understand, but he understands the dire situation the city is in more because it's painted before his eyes in a looming, dark swath]

We don't have much.

I know. I am trying to strike a compromise.

[It's not his place to offer a suggestion, but the word tranquilize almost makes it onto the screen. It's the same applied logic for a charge that's only hindering progress on the field, but it's crude and likely inappropriate, and so he switches tactics]

They have aerial forces. Be careful.

[if ever there was a time for truce, it would have been now. while it's aggravating (betrayal, his blood tells him) that Neji backed out, he knows stopping civilian death is priority.]

Do what you have to.

..They're heading north.

[It's a small concession, because he doesn't want to back out, and fully intends to only play the part he's truly responsible for. Following that, his partner is his greatest responsibility.

Neji silently swears to rejoin them again at earliest opportunity, and cuts the feed before he doubles back on his decision]

--witches. [The way she pronounces the word makes it sound like she's spitting it out even though her intonation isn't really that all different from normal.]

Don't try to seek them out. Leave them to us.

Of course. I'll coordinate my district to cover the evacuation of the civilians before we move onto the field to combat the main force.

Direction, Neji!

They're coming from the southeast, roughly 400 meters out-- getting close. I can't detect the Witch souls at all anymore..

Does this look like a diversion, then? And how many roughly are coming?

Without a doubt, the main force is a diversion, to keep as many pairs occupied as possible defending the city from attack while the Witches hone in on their targets... Shibusen has warned against attacking them however...

At any rate, the number of reanimated dead are a few hundred, it's difficult to estimate aerial forces in their constant motion and some swing out of my vision now and again.. There are also another couple hundred smaller creatures- ants.. spiders.

[Yep. Just a hint of disdain at that last bit, clearly looking at them from afar, but he gets over it] It's a large, full-scale assault, no doubt timed to coincide with the wave of madness spreading throughout the city.

Did you get a sense of the Witches' heading and what their target might be? Or were they too far out for that?

[He's on the move, headed for his place and his Meister.]

Few hundred, couple hundred... so you are estimating a number around a thousand? But these at least are not Kishin, and so other tactics may work on them?

[Gai nods grimly.]

Of course it was timed. No doubt it was part and parcel of the plan. And our heads still are not entirely clear.

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[video] February 2nd, Dawn

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