England - The Vanishing Town

*As they listened to Masque explanation, Kaele was growing suspicious and very very curious to how he could destroy akuma without being an exorcist. Komui had told her that only those who could control Innocence could destroy the Earl's weapons. She guessed that Oliver was thinking the same thing.*

"Well, if there are no objections, off we GO!"

*Before Kaele knew it, she watched Masque fall back into the well. She paused for a minute or so, and then activated her Innocence. Grabbing Oliver, she shot down the well like a blue bullet. When they reached the bottom, Kaele was surprised. Her ankles were buried in the fine sand, and the only light that was in the cavernous area was the light being given off of her Innocence and the dim reflections of the puddles of water. Meanwhile, Masque was still looking around from where he'd landed in the sand.*

Uh... *Kaele mumbled, trying to get her voice in the strange area.* Do you want me to keep my Innocence invoked for the light? *She pulled her feet out of the sand, and walked over near the edge of the little sand bar they had landed on. By then, Kaele's flames were only on her arms and hands, but it helped her greatly in trying to see the well's cavernous bottom.*

"Thats up to you, but I don't want you to strain yourself, just in case things go wrong down here." responded Masque

*He then raised his staff and the stone atop it startedto glow. He started to walk through the small cavern entrance and down the passage before seeing the opening to a large cavern. Miraculously, right there was the entire town, with every building within that was within the town. And scattered on the ground was the clothing of villagers and their ashes. Masque raised and eye as he looked around, slightly confused about what they were seeing.*

"Any ideas about what we're seeing right now? Last I knew this place was above ground." said Masque quizzically.

*Kaele decided to keep the Innocence in her hands only, just to keep some light so her and Oliver could see. She didn't know whether Masque could see in the dark, but she knew the answer would most likely surprise her. She followed Masque as he walked through the cavern after doing some sort of trick with his staff. Kaele gasped.*

*The entire town was there under the ground, every building intact. In fact, the damage from the fight with the akuma was completely gone. Kaele didn't want to see the empty clothes strewn about, knowing what they meant. Although she could understand that the akuma had killed the town's population, she couldn't understand how the town had gone from above the surface to a couple hundred meters under the dirt.*

"Any ideas about what we're seeing right now? Last I knew this place was above ground." *Masque said, speaking Kaele's mind. She couldn't think of a reason why this would happen other than Innocence, but Masque and Oliver had greater knowledge of other paranormal means than she possessed.*

The only thing I can suggest is that there is Innocence in the well... *Kaele admitted humbly after a moment of thought. Oliver, who had been speechless from the town, nodded in agreement. She walked towards the town, amazed that at one point in her life she'd ever thought this type of phemomenon didn't exist.*

"Judging by the phenomena, I suppose thats a very safe guess. But I won't just abandon this place, though, because there must still be a reason why this happens. The bodies I can understand, but why would the town move between here and the surface? So until my curiosity is satisfied and the Innocence is safe with you, I shall aid you in your search as it is no longer my own." replied Masque still wondering what was happening.

*He began walking around, unsure of where to explore first. He then wanders to the middle of the town where the well was. Like he expected, there was no well, but two things caught his eye. Where the well would be appeared to be what was now a puddle of water. The town was also surrounded by a moat of water as well.*

*Kaele was listening to him speak, and nodded when he said he would accompany the two and help them find the Innocence.*

Thanks, Masque. *She glanced at him and smiled. She waved Oliver over and had him inspect the buildings while she would search around the stone streets. She lightly jumped over the small moat of water into the town.*

*Kaele noticed the puddle of water replacing the well, but couldn't understand why Masque was so interested in it. She could have guessed her confusion was because of her inexperience, and she was sort of saddened to know that it was true. Approaching the water, Kaele crouched down to see the puddle up close. Being at level with the water made her realize the puddle was just as deep as the moat she'd jumped over. She didn't know what to think of it, and all of her explanations were coming up blank.*

*Meanwhile, Oliver was wandering inside one of the buildings. He walked into an apartment, and didn't notice anything weird until he tried to pick up a picture frame from a dresser. The small frame was glued to the wooden dresser. Suspicious, Oliver tried to pick up many things around the apartment, but everything was bolted or glued down so it wouldn't budge. Were these people too paranoid for their own good... He paused halfway through a thought. Or did they actually live through going from the surface to underground?! Oliver left the building, but where ever he went, every single thing in the houses couldn't be budged.*

*Masque bent down toward the puddle before rifling into his coat pocket. He retrieved his monacle and peered into the water. It was unmistakeable. There was Innocence at the bottom of the puddle. All Masque saw was the small whitish-yellow glow across the green crystal of the monacle. He stood up and gave the Monacle to Kaele carefully so that she'd be able to see it as well.*

"Oliver!" shouted Masque loudly as his voice echoed among the cavern walls, "Come quick!"

*Masque came up beside her and took out a greem monacle, peering into the puddle. Kaele couldn't understand what he would be seeing, the puddle was cloudy and it was hard to see anything other than the depth. Masque handed her the eye glass, and shouted for Oliver to come. Kaele looked through the glass, and saw an off-white-yellow glow at the bottom of the now clear puddle. She had a good guess for what it was, and handed the monacle back to Masque as Oliver came running from one of the surrouding buildings.*

"Yes?" *Oliver asked, huffing from having to run with the big telephone on his back.* "What is it, Mr. Masque?"

*Kaele idly wondered why he hadn't left his big pack on the surface along with her luggage, but she guessed that it was manditory to carry it with him at all times. Knowing the answer to his question, she answered for Masque.*

The Innocence is in this little puddle here. *She glanced at the water, seeing the reflection of her own Innocence's flames. She looked back at Oliver, who was smiling.*

"Wow..." *He spoke with heavy skepticism, staring over at the pool of water.* "... Already?"

*Kaele sighed, crossing her arms.*

"Yes, I think we've found the Innocence, but I do see one problem. This little puddle isn't so little, and the Innocence appears to be at the bottom of it." spoke Masque as he handed his monacle to Oliver.

*Masque bent down and attempted to use his gloves to bring the Innocence to him, but as he did so, the deep waters of the puddle seemed to thrash violently preventing the Innocence from budging.*

"I cannot retrieve it with my gloves, so I'll have to enter the water myself." spoke Masque as he rose up and took his hat off.

*He reached into his hat once more and took what appeared to be leather straps from it. He then proceeded to attach the straps to his mask so that it would stay tightly fastened around his head. He then began disrobing himself to until he was in his underclothing so his gear wouldn't be damaged.*

"Wish me luck." spoke the Masque sternly as he knelt down. "Don't worry, I don't need to breathe, so I'll be fine."

*Masque smiled in assurance as he dipped his hand into the water to make sure he wouldn't die of hypothermia if he was under for too long. The water began to whirlpool as water-made figures arose from the moat, taking the forms of the villagers and Akuma that had been sucked down into the well, whther it be dead or alive, including the gatling gun Akuma. Masque looked around and saw the figures.*

"Maybe going for a swim wasn't such a good idea afterall." responded Masque a bit stunned.

*Masque mentioned the depth of the pool, which made Kaele curious. He bent down to the water and put his gloved hand over the glimmering surface. The water swirled and rolled against the sides of the indentation. Kaele stared at the surface with a freaked out expression.*

"I cannot retrieve it with my gloves," *Masque removed his hat while speaking.* "so I'll have to enter the water myself."

*Kaele and Oliver observed the strange man as he strapped his mask to his flat face, and undressed himself all the way down to his underwear. Kaele knew he was getting unclothed so he wouldn't harm any of his magical objects, but she was amused by her perverted thoughts and slightly disturbed by the fact that she was only 15 and Masque could very well have been some pedophile. She wasn't too worried, though, and tried not to giggle.*

"Wish me luck." *He bent down to the edge of the water, speaking with a stern tone. Kaele was worried that he'd seen her face, which was always an open book to her emotions.* "Don't worry, I don't need to breathe, so I'll be fine."

*Kaele exhaled, relieved that it was Masque just being dramatic. He stuck his hand in the water, smiling. Not a moment later, a vortex of water enveloped his hand. Figures arose from the moat surrounding the town; the figures seemed to consist of water forming human shapes, and a familar akuma's as well as other Level 2's. Kaele gasped and backed away from the edge of town, closer to the well.*

*She heard Masque say something, and just regarded it as something he was saying to himself. The figures walked out of the water, towards them. As they got closer, Kaele could hear her heart beating faster and louder with fear and mostly adrenaline. In the rush, her Innocence began to flare along with her emotions. Kaele was surprised to realize that she was enjoying the fear, but she didn't want to have anything to do with the forms coming towards them.*

Masque... *Kaele mumbled, trying to hide her unexplained excitement.* ... Could you try taking your hand out of the water..? To see if they only appear when you're reaching for the Innocence? *She glanced over at him, still putting energy in her attempt to not look eager.*

*He took his hand back out of the water, but they continued moving forward. Some of the villager shaped forms seemed to make water pitchforks and axes appear from their bodies, while the other figures prepared readied themselves for combat as though they were all one entity. It, however, appeared that they couldn't stand firm like the real versions of themselves because of their water forms.*

"I think its the Innocence's defense." spoke Masque as he picked up his staff.

*This was definitely one reason he never enjoyed meddling with Innocence. It always seemed to want to be left alone. He then placed his cape on his naked back.*

"Please tell me your flames work under water." spoke Masque, almost desperate because of the numbers of aquatic forms they'd have to face.

*The figures kept coming, even though she'd watched as Masque lifted his hand out of the water. In some ways, Kaele was relieved that the forms were still coming, and in others, she was scared out of her mind.*

*Masque picked up his staff and said,* "I think its the Innocence's defense."

*Kaele knew it was already, and slipped her boots off of her feet. She used her flames to enhance the nerve endings in her feet, and could feel every move the water figures made. She noticed through the ground that there were even more coming out of the water, behind the mass of forms. She flared her Innocence, spreading the flames over the remainders of her arms and calves.*

"Please tell me your flames work under water." *Masque said to her in a worried tone, clipping the cape back on his shoulders.*

*Kaele smirked at the mob coming at them with a feisty smile.* "My flames are water-proof. Don't worry."

*She lunged forward, letting the adrenaline rush take her. She sliced through a full line of the figures with a graceful sweep of her legs, leaving a trail of flame behind her swiftly-moving body. She paused for a moment for two reasons. One, she was curious to if the slice would actually work on the water. Two, she felt slightly off. She'd never fought before, and letting her instincts take her was like letting a warrior use her skin. Sadly, the kick didn't work. She swept her legs through their torsos again and again, but they never worked.*

Why won't you..! *Kaele groaned, stumped. She knew that training her Innocence to go along with specific things she imagined took days, and she couldn't think of anything she could do that would make the figures 'die'.*

*Masque held his staff in the middle, and soon the stone began glowing brightly. Masque twilred the staff, causing a whirlwind of air to be blasted at a group of villager figures, whisking them away as they were hurled into buildings and the cave walls. As they hit the surfaces, they seemed to splash into water, but as soon as that happened, more water beings arose from the moat. Soon, the water version of the gatling gun Akuma readied itself as it fired large drops of water at them ((they would hit just like rubber bullets though)), but Masque had already turned in that direction, throwing it and the bullets elsewhere. Despite this, however, the moat once again re-formed the Akuma.*

"Damn! Any ideas on how to stop them from coming back?" shouted Masque to Kaele and Oliver as a giant Water Serpent grew from the "puddle" behind them.

*Masque heard the splash of the water and turned to see that the puddle had turned into a giant creature, with the Innocence where its brain would be. In addition, the numbers of Akuma-like creatures grew steadily from the moat.*

*Masque attacked the water-forms from behind Kaele, causing them to hit the side of the cavern. She was about to cheer, but the water crashed back into the moat, spawning more of the annoying enemies. Angered, she kicked and swiped at the figures uselessly, trying to ease her frustration. Until an idea came to her, she knew she would have to protect the helpless Oliver.*

*While Kaele fought hopelessly, she was becoming aware of the fact that Masque was battling with the water-form of the akuma they'd destroyed only a half an hour or so before. The same thing happened as before, and the akuma reformed from the moat.*

"Damn! Any ideas on how to stop them from coming back?" *Masque yelled towards them. Kaele was completely focused on the enemies, and was trying to piece together any weaknesses she observed. She felt the presence of an especially large figure form out of the small puddle behind her.*

*Kaele turned around, but as soon as she saw the large, growing water snake, she lost her battle stance. Consciousness stroke her, and she panicked. The Innocence was in it's head, she could see it. Aware of the growing number of akuma forms around her, she jumped into the air, using her Innocence to make footholds out of the air. Trying to reach the head in a last-ditch effort, she reached up with her hands as she seemingly-flew up. However, the snake hissed at her and snapped its mouth over her. The mouth, completely made up of water, didn't hurt her at all or her Innocence. She swam up near the head, almost reaching it...*

*One of the water-akumas flew up and swiped her out of the neck before she could even see it coming. She kicked the akuma against the wall of the cavern with a furious rage, even though she was aware it wouldn't actually die.*

THIS IS HOPELESS! I was so freaking close..! *Kaele screeched with fury. Oliver was disturbed by her emotional behavior, but sort of agreed. While fuming, Kaele unconciously kept the water-forms off of Oliver and herself.*

*With his staff blowing fierce winds he seemed to easily slam the water forms down as they arose, but as he was about to attack the serpent with the same force, he had seen Kaele attempt to get the Innocence. He, however also saw a winged Akuma prevent her from doing so. He then blew a blast of wind at the sea serpent, but it looked as though he had just moved the water within it. This wasn't working. The Sea Serpent lunged at Masque, but Masque used his staff to leap into the air, inches below the cavern ceiling. The Serpents collided with multiple buildings, smashing them into splinters. We can't stop these things! thought Masque to himself. Just then, he hatched an idea as he jumped toward Kaele and Oliver.*

Masque blew the water creatures away from Kaele, just before yelling to her, "Keep Oliver warm!"

*The Serpent began to rise again as Masque dashed toward it. Just as the Serpent lunged at him, Masque once again flew into the air. This time, however, the Serpent didn't stop and instead headed toward Kaele and Oliver. When Masque landed, he slammed his staff down onto the ground, causing a pulse of icyness to spread across the cavern. All the water-like creatures slowly froze into ice statues, and the sea serpent soon slowed to a crawl, but it continued to move, attempting to break the ice containing it. Masque, however, was slowly freezing as well, the staff's imbued protection was weakening, his hands being forcibly bound to his staff which was in turn attatched to the ground. He had been unable to get anything from his hat to prepare for the cold, but it was the only option he could think of. Soon we would be like the rest of the frozen cavern, nothing more than a statue.*

*Kaele kept the water-forms off of herself and Oliver, kicking one or swiping one away almost every single moment. Masque came up and blew them all away with one swish of his cape. Kaele had a moment's rest, but not for long.*

"Keep Oliver warm!" *Masque yelled before he lunged towards the daunting Water Serpent.*

*She didn't know what he meant, but she continued to protect Oliver while still watching Masque's attacks. The snake moved swiftly towards him. Masque jumped, but the snake kept coming towards her. Kaele quickly created a water-proof dome of fire around herself and Oliver. Kaele laughed, a little surprised at the defense attack that she never even had to practice. Meanwhile, Masque landed back on the ground, and with him a wave of ice spread across the town and the cave. Inside her water-repellent defense, Kaele was unharmed by the ice. The figures around her were all still, except for the snake which was moving so slow it was pitiful. She grabbed Oliver by his collar and walked through the icy statues, worried for Masque. She came across him, almost covered with the ice. He couldn't see her, and the ice was spreading.*

Masque! *Kaele called, dragging Oliver and her protective shield with her. She walked close enough for one of his hands to be unfrozen, and tried to get as close as possible to unfreeze him. However, Kaele couldn't figure out how to grow her shielf larger, so the closer she got the more awkward she felt. It's nessessary, it's nessessary, it's nessessary! Kaele told herself. Don't be such a perv! She could only get close enough so that his head and his left side was thawed.*

*When Kaele had come close to him, his head and some of his body began to thaw, but with the rest of his body continuing to freeze, it wouldn't be any use. The Sea Serpent had now frozen completely into an icicle statue, its head near the ground as though it had tried to make one last effort to break itself from the cold.*

"....get.....the....Inno....cence...."spoke Masque, his breathing getting heavier as the coldness continue to sink into his body.

*Kaele became frantic as she heard all of the ice begin to get harder and harder. She realized that thawing only half of his body would be hopeless, but she didn't know what to do otherwise. She didn't know if it was Masque or Oliver or maybe even the chilly breeze in the cavern, but something told her to go after the Innocence in a heavy yet weak voice. She obeyed.*

"Kaele...?" *Oliver asked. She threw him over her shoulder as she flew swiftly over the figures and sharp icicles.*

*She reached the snake, and snatched the Innocence out of it's skull in one swipe of her flame-engrossed arm. She looked down at the small cube and felt horrible that so many people had become victims to such a godly substance. She hoped that Masque hadn't become a casualty and quickly went to see his welfare.*

*Masque gave one weak smile before letting go of his staff, stopping the icyness that came from it. The water statues soon melted away, leaving only mud where they had stood. The ice on Masque thawed shortly after, allowing him to collapse on the ground, his mask still smiling. He was no longer conscious, but he was still alive and appeared to be breathing despite having no way to do so.

As this happened, the water level of the cave began fill very slowly. Within the hour it would be up to their waists.*

Oh no! Masque...! *Kaele ran over to him, dropping Oliver once the inside of the cave wasn't icy anymore. Masque had collapsed onto the ground. With the floor being covered with about a foot of water, she quickly rose his head out of the water. She could hear him breathing, and sighed with relief that she hadn't lost her new comrade.*

"Kaele!" *Oliver called over to her, walking through the water.* "Kaele, the water is rising! We need to get out of here!"

*She nodded, and invoked her flames. After using the new dome for so long, she was sort of tired. She tried not to let it bother her as she used her flames to make herself stronger to pick up the unconcious Masque. Oliver walked over slowly as the water rose to his mid-calf.*

*Kaele held Masque's legs as she carried him in the awkward 'crotch to back' way. Even with her Innocence, he was tough to carry. She quickly snatched the comparibly-light Oliver and slowly jumped up on air-footholds to the opening of the well.*

*Just before getting snatched up, Oliver managed to grab Masque's things and hold onto him. Masque was still knocked out by the time they had gotten to the well's entrance.*

"We need to get him to the Order. It'll be difficult to explain him to a normal hospital." spoke Oliver.

*Kaele nodded hesitantly, rechecking her grips on Masque's legs and making sure Oliver was holding on. She grabbed the suitcases on the ground outside of the well with her remaining 4 fingers.*

I think... *Kaele started to say.* I think I'm going to go as fast as I can to get to a train station. Hold on tight, kay?

*Oliver didn't have time to say anything before Kaele shot it through the forest. Kaele began feeling more and more tired as she dogded trees with all of the weight on her back, plus their suitcases that she'd picked up. They got to the station in less than two minutes, covering four miles. Kaele was beat, but she paid for the train tickets. As soon as they sat down in the seat, she passed out. Oliver called the Order and had a medical carriage come to the station where they were getting off to heal Masque and check Kaele for any wounds she might've had.*

((continued in https://dgm-rp.darkbb.com/infirmary-f18/medical-wing-1-main-lobby-t51-30.htm ))