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Spira
Citadel Mastermind
160 posts
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last online Nov 23, 2024 13:53:45 GMT
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Apr 21, 2024 11:37:53 GMT
Post by Spira on Apr 21, 2024 11:37:53 GMT
Mission statement
We here at the Feral Futility Peer Group - pending a better name. (Previously known as Feral Cohort) are a group of individuals brought together by two and a half familiar factors: our love of the hunt, want for adventure and less than squeaky clean reputations.
Overseen by Eviax Origui
Coordinated by Evans Origui
Rostered team leaders and positions are as follows
Loic Fovey - leader of Unit named Pursue
Le'eroy Lun - leader of Unit named Delve
Najya Contus - leader of Unit named Muster
Our mission is to hunt down meddlesome realmic beasts and capture/secure dangerous inmates-claimants on the loose from their cells
Members of this initiative change teams based off the needs of the leaders and what the mission brief requires.
This is a mandatory cooperative exercise, no murdering, maiming or sabotaging is allowed. However, if disputes are to break out and are considered unsalvageable then it is up to the leaders to find a solution. Failing that, all pay, prizes and trophies will be confiscated until further notice and held by Eviax.
Named individuals expected to attend include the following, no excuses and no manner or matter of reason will exempt these individuals from fulfilling their obligations.
Unless circumstances or the individual status has changed on a house-to-house basis. Potential additions are subject to the discretion of the ancients.
Nica Desvoy
Nuvat Excia
Hellfire Rhihon
Vivian Qwidu
Verin Dimea
Haden Widweim
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Spira
Citadel Mastermind
160 posts
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last online Nov 23, 2024 13:53:45 GMT
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Apr 21, 2024 15:35:09 GMT
Post by Spira on Apr 21, 2024 15:35:09 GMT
Appetite
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN.”
The high-pitched squeal-scream broke what was an otherwise decent silence in the Invoa-Dimea household. Rensai had learnt long ago to tune out her wife. Especially since a lot of things seemed to set off the Darkness claimant.
Nevertheless, the treasure decided to take a measured step into the living room, still not listening as she watched Verin Noba pacing furiously, spitting half sentences of japanese, swedish and english. Verin hadn’t noticed Rensai standing there until the call - Stasia was on the other side of the line, was cut abruptly. Evidently the elder Noba was not in the mood to entertain one of their younger siblings temper tantrum. Verin clenched her fist and Rensai barely had a moment to react before two hammers seem to rip out from beneath her shadow and towards Verin.
“Welcome! Everyone! Please, sit.”
The room - no building they had been told to come to, was a dilapidated abandoned school building. There was nowhere to sit but the floor, of if one was feeling brave, a rotten fixture that might have once been a chair, table or some such item. Yet, there was no escape besides the door which was now being guarded by a tall man shuffling a deck of cards.
Eviax looked incredibly out of place. Standing there in a flowery cotton sun-dress, sandals and a large sun hat that hid half her face. Yet she stood in front of the wall that had a broken black-board, her posture relaxed. She had anticipated more of a fight, well one did somewhat break out between Haden and Hellfire. They were now on opposite sides of the apocalyptic scene, having been pinned in place - curtesy of the cards that Evans had produced and was now shuffling the remainder of.
“Now. The first mission.”
Eviax produced a large clipboard and several thick folders. They looked rather familiar - in that anyone who’d ever been near Nivan’s desk, could recognise the organisational scheme.
“Pursue. Your mission is to hunt a… school of koi. They… left the poles and recently caused the sinking of several mortal vessels. At least three-hundred or so deaths attributed to them.”
After a long drawn out discussion of who was going and who was not - Eviax could feel the anger seeping out of Haden’s individual pores.
“Muster, you’ll be supporting Pursue. The last known spotting was just off the bay of… Danube river. Though they could be in any of the major waterways in that part of the globe. There’s a total of 80 koi, all of them varying in size from a small street cat to one of those planes meant to carry mail.”
“So then what about us?”
Eviax was too consumed to figure out who had asked.
“Delve, you’ll be off to Turkmenistan. We think that’s where a particular set of inmates who go by the moniker ‘the pit vipers’ are. Please bring them back alive. If you can.”
“What house?”
“Mucmoi, Rhihon.”
“Huh. Odd pairing.”
“You all have a week to capture, seek… hunt or do what needs to be done. Avoid drawing attention to yourselves. The territories and the subsequent Aikekunai who you’ll be crossing paths with. Have been notified to help with keeping the mortals unaware.”
“Wait, so my sister is in on this?”
“No. Yes. But you won’t be seeing them. As I think from the looks of it. You’ll be going with Delve.”
“Fuck that.” Verin seethed
“I’m sorry?” Eviax looked perplexed
“I want to go beat some sense into my sister for nominating me.”
“Well actually it was your ancient. You’re here to atone for your… particular brand of nastiness towards your son.”
“Augh.”
“If that’s all. Here’s the information packets. It details pay arrangements and other things. Please read them and return them before you go off on your missions.”
With that Eviax handed out the large folders and moved to stand by Evans. She had to stand on her toes, and he stooped just a little to listen to her whisper.
“I really hope this is a good idea…”
“Fucking hell.”
“Language.”
“FUCKING HELL.”
As if to emphasise the point, thankfully no one was in the vicinity who wasn’t supposed to be there already. Perks of being able to utilise the services of other claimants to keep the mortals away. Though in this case, the group designated as Delve. Stood in a broken line. They had arrived and had been greeted by the Aikekunai who was supposedly in charge of this sphere of influence Thyra.
“So you’re the crew whose meant to clean this up. Good luck. Don’t bother me unless one of you is about to die.”
For someone who was supposedly acquainted with Stasia, Verin couldn’t help but glare at the water Aikekunai - despite Thyra outranking most of them and feeling particularly pissed she was also forced to be somewhere that wasn’t in Stasia’s sphere of influence.
“The two assholes you’re looking for are somewhere in this country.”
With that Thyra turned and leapt off into the sunset. Leaving Verin, some chick who was being carried by a whole swarm of bees and other flying insects, Le’eroy - the hybrid no less and Hellfire who had said something about only arriving to fight once they’d sorted out a plan.
“How the fuck are we supposed to do this?”
“We presume, you are bait. We am trap. He is… target.”
“I do hope the other two teams are having an easier time of this. Shame we couldn’t use Vivian.”
“You mean to say that we’re not allowed to eat them?”
Vivian looked at Haden, then at Loic and Najya. For the last two days they had made no progress because of Haden’s stark refusal to allow them to kill the school of koi running amuck. To be fair, Haden was probably only opposed because the beasts were supposed to be designated to his house.
“I’m sure it would be better for all concern that they die. I’m sure Daenu agrees. Otherwise it wouldn’t have happened and we wouldn’t be here.”
“Can we just kill the damn things so we can shove our superiority in Delve’s face.”
“We’re all on the same side.”
Stasia looked at each of the individuals in turn, finding it somewhat suspect that Haden wasn’t with the third team hunting people down. Granted Hellfire had straight up decided he wanted to kill claimants rather than bother with fish. Loic and Najya seemed far too excited at the thought of hunting in the water. Vivian was presumably acting as scout and Haden probably was only there because he was going to try and keep as many of the troublesome fish alive.
“I’ll send Jillian as backup. If that helps. If not. Just find a way to eliminate or relocate them elsewhere.”
The only one of the group who wasn’t glared at, was Nuvat who Stasia had gladly embraced and explained that DeVian and themselves were currently fighting over stock division and whether or not to buy a vineyard or not.
“If you need me. Please tell Nuvat to contact me. She knows how.” |
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Dobu
Ilnonta's Husband
163 posts
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last online Nov 28, 2024 5:19:38 GMT
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Apr 28, 2024 22:53:24 GMT
Post by Dobu on Apr 28, 2024 22:53:24 GMT
Revitalizing, yet stressful. A proper composite description of what it felt like to lie in their bed. Sadly, however, her partner was currently too stubborn to join her. That was the stressful part of it all. He sat on the edge of the large mattress, shirt removed but gloves still in place, every gap in his skin which refused to heal seething with flames. Having him there in general was the revitalizing essence of the moment, but she felt partially distressed for having been the perceived cause of his foul mood.
“Come on. You can’t be upset like this forever.”
“I ain’t laughin’. You all love to treat me like some sorta joke, but I wonder just how much y’all think I’m willin’ to take?”
“No one thinks you’re a joke.”
“Yet here I am being assigned an over-glorified babysitter among a group of incompetents. And you were the one who signed me up for it.”
“That’s not fair, Hellfire. You know why I had to do this.”
“What I know is that I’ve spent more time panderin’ to others than I have doing what I actually want. My brother still lives, my enemies exist without my blade down their throats, and I haven’t burned away the weak trash consistently surroundin’ me with a single wave of the hand! Now I’m to be treated like a child?”
A part of her knew this would be a nearly impossible thing to quell. The primary defining factor of his life had always been his hate. Hate for almost everyone he encountered, hate for his allies; even his own family was well placed on the list of people he outright hated. If given the opportunity or the leeway it was almost assured, he would do exactly as he had made multiple promises of in the past and start seeking out his enemies. The greater issue was that some of those enemies, normally avoided for the average claimant, weren’t far-fetched targets for someone as driven and capable as him. That was why aikekunai and treasures held proper positions on that list.
Thankfully Evyette had a plethora of methods for keeping him well under control... for the most part. He wasn’t the type of claimant to turn back on his decisions and he could easily be classified as the most stubborn thing to ever exist. Too stubborn to even die apparently. But with a few steps around the bed, she positioned herself at his front. With a soft shove to his chest, he’d relent and fall on his back. And when her hands fell at both sides of his head and her legs straddling his waist, the black fire would subside and with it the cold it brought. Unwavering, unrelenting, fearless, and yet she held the key to his heart. Its sole owner.
“Do you trust me?” Her words like a lyric in his ears.
“That’s not fair.”
“And just like that I have my answer. You don’t need to believe in anyone else, but you must believe in me. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you or insult you.”
“I know that... I know.”
“Then continue to trust in me just like you always have. I know you’re frustrated, but don’t let it get to you. This is necessary for your reputation.”
His brow furrowed, a scowl forcing itself onto his face before subsiding with a deep breath. He could feel her hands pressed against the sides of his face, the tips of her fingers over his ears. Serenity. Calm. Certainties he never took for granted. Of course, he’d remain frustrated but that didn’t change the things he refused to let slip away from him. This warmth, this love.
“Alright. I can’t win against you anyway. I’ve always trusted you and that’s never going to change, no need to back me into a corner. You’re still my perfect fire so I’ll do as you ask.”
“Thank you, Myha. My softie of a warrior.”
“Now you’re just teasin’ me lovebird.”
Le’eroy wasn’t nearly as interested in the work as he was with the attendees themselves. When Lunia had told him about this group he expected to find a room full of likeminded individuals with a common goal. Claimants with a hunger for the hunt and the thrill which came with it... Instead, he found himself in a room full of claimants who didn’t look like they even wanted to be present. Eviax barely looked like she wanted to be there, but at least Evans was there for her support. Personally, he had decided not to interfere with anyone’s squabbles unless they had turned particularly violent. Most of the attendees weren't particularly known for being outright violent on all cylinders except for a certain few. That was why, in all his judgement, he kept his eyes on three specific individuals.
Verin. Hellfire. Haden.
Verin was clearly displeased to even be present, but it didn’t take long for Haden and Hellfire to clash before anyone else could even get the opportunity. Le’eroy didn’t see a problem with their argument, but Evans acted to keep them separated before things could escalate to burning or freezing levels. His ears perked up with the expectation of a following disaster, but he was surprised to see them both holding back. No doubt due to their respective ancients. That didn’t, however, keep them from speaking. Now the hope was that they'd manage to not insult anyone else with their words alone outside of one another. However, neither of them were particularly good at not offending everyone within earshot the moment insults began to fly.
“Look at ya now! Oh, how disappointed Evyette would be to see ya hangin’ from a feckin wall!”
“I’d like you to remember how many times I’ve almost killed you in the past. It’d do you a service to remember that, while I am Rhihon, I ain’t your boy toy, faggot... No offense to anyone else.”
That offends everyone else. Le'eroy could feel his chest throbbing.
“What’d ya just call me, bitch-ass? Watch yerself before I have to drag ya to the nearest tree.”
“My fault. I thought we were insultin’ one another. I forgot you take insults just as well as you take a punch... or with equally the same grace Daenu chooses her partners.” The insults flowed out like aged wine. "You make this too easy you dickless piece of shit."
“I’ll shatter ya t’pieces and scatter ya across the feckin Poles!”
"Oh please. I'd expect that type of initiative from someone who ain't a bottom, but you're welcome to try. I've been dyin' to see what it is that Shinzo sees in you. Then again I suppose I'd have to start lookin' down to even begin figurin' it out."
The steadily devolving room of claimants only found any partial form of order when Eviax started talking. The first thing she did was greet them and invite everyone to sit, but that was no doubt a reactionary thing to say possibly brought on by nervousness from the lunar claimant’s perspective. While he personally didn’t care, he knew no one else was going to sit on the floor. Haden looked at the treasure as if she were brainless. Hellfire, in all his confidence, simply raised his brow before closing his eyes and outright ignoring her. Or at least ignoring the parts he deemed unnecessary. At least everyone else seemed more interested to say the very least.
At least I can rely on Najya and Loic. Or so Le’eroy convinced himself, but then the folders were handed out and the details were quickly ironed out.
Hearing that the group he’d oversee would handle hunting down some escapees served to please the zealot more than anticipated, and it was also the moment he and Hellfire both shared an equally distinct glare. They weren’t friends, and since Le’eroy avoided alcohol they weren’t even really acquaintances, but if they had anything in common it would be their distinct affinity for combat. While they both also expected Haden to be on the same page, regardless of how little they cared for one another, the mentioning of the koi was more than enough to tell them both who he would be joining. Thankfully, Eviax was thoughtful enough to place two groups together for their search. It was almost an assurance at this point that Haden would actively oppose everyone around grouped him unless they were on his side.
“I can only hope this won’t be as annoyin’ as it might seem,” Hellfire muttered before spectating Eviax and Verin’s conversation. If it could be called that. “Hah! I like this one. Reminds me of myself when I was a kid.”
“You realize Verin is one of your brother’s favorites, right?”
“And you realize I could have this room on fire before you could blink? We can both point out the obvious here, but it ain’t gonna change nothin’.”
“You’ll get nowhere with him, Eviax. He already doesn’t like you.”
“Don’t assume. I don’t even know her! Although, I do have a bad history with treasures. Nothin’ to worry yourself with though. I already promised I wouldn’t cause any problems, so we’re on standard terms. I’ll even make you a drink if you ask nicely.”
The disgust on Haden’s face was enough to affect the air around him. It certainly didn’t change when detailed folders were handed around to everyone.
“Yer such a cocky bastard. That’s why I feckin hate ya. And yer drinks aren’t even that good!”
“Your boyfriend seems to like em just fine. Don't get pissy with me because Daenu decided to let her current fling massacre your house’s little pet fishes. Between you, Daenu and the rest of your house the brainpower is already at an all-time-”
“Okay!” Le’eroy interrupted before their conversation could go any further. “Let us all enjoy a most marvelous hunt and claim trophies worthy of our titles!”
“The fuck? Calm down, Little Moon. The last thing I need is you, as one of our designated leaders, actin’ like a child. At least try to make me feel like coming here wasn’t a massive mistake on my part.”
“You can’t be fuckin’ serious...”
A part of him was prepared to cut his losses and walk away right then and there. Not only was Le’eroy, one of the claimants he trusted the least, leading the personal group he was in, but the squad also consisted of two others he did not have an ounce of faith in. An aikekunai he would normally attempt to kill was their greeter, some would-be greater title for someone belonging to a house with a treasure which actively avoided him, and then there was Verin and Nica. Nica seemed almost useless to him, but that was natural when she relied on insects and he relied on setting entire areas ablaze. Verin seemed capable but, just as Gahbreal does, Hellfire also couldn’t see her as more than a child. The major difference being that he wouldn’t spoil her. Perhaps it was the strictness of his father's teachings or the mentality his mother paved into his mind, but there wasn't a part of him which could bring himself to even give any input.
“Yeeeeaaaah, fuck this. Y’all can talk this out. I’ll step in once things are sorted and clean up the mess.”
Things only managed to get worse as Verin and Nica began to discuss how to go about finding their targets. With Thyra being less than helpful it would leave most of the busy work to them. Most notably was the absolute travesty of having Le’eroy as their team leader. His plan was simple and effective... at least for him.
“The plan! We sniff them out, we hunt them down, and we KILL the heretics!”
“They wanted them alive.”
“...We sniff them out, we hunt them down, and we BEAT them into submission!”
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Haden was entirely at his wits end. It’s not like it was hard to really locate the koi themselves as their habits were something he knew well enough, but the teams he was made to work with was something he’d personally best describe as minor capable, majority neanderthal. There was no doubt in his mind that Daenu had only allowed this blatant disrespect of their house only because Najya was involved. Meanwhile, he was personally of the mind that his house should handle the issue themselves. Anything less than that was more than a means to start a war, but Daenu only proved to piss him off with her choices more by the day.
“Daenu agrees? Daenu doesn’t give a solitary shite. Daenu don’t even care about her own feckin house! More concerned with entertainin’ playthings and showerin’ her favorites! Her own claimants be damned in the feckin process.”
While certainly not the calmest claimant in history, Haden had not been this peeved in quite some time. Considering Loic and Najya’s consistently less than modern personalities, Vivian’s nominal disposition and Nuvat simply being herself, it was more than easy to say the group in general wasn’t the most compatible overall. Sure, they could get the job done without issue, but they wouldn’t manage it without their fair share of problems.
Then there was Haden specifically. He didn’t care for Najya at all, he didn’t much care for Vivian outside of how much alcohol she could handle, and he disliked Nuvat simply for her connection to Stasia. In fact, he disliked Nuvat almost as much if not more than he did both Loic and Stasia. That was why the aikekunai’s glare was returned in kind. It had nothing to do with any personal choices, but rather entirely with how much he hated when anyone chose favorites. And in his mind every aikekunai was simply an over glorified favorite to their ancient. The only exception was Shinzo, and their relationship was the epitome of unstable on a regular day. Regardless of the reason now the entire exercise and existence of the group itself had only turned out to be a practice in how far he could be pushed before bursting. Each koi killed acting as an additional ice shard to the encroaching blizzard. As if he could personally hear their individual screams.
Nothing he, hopefully, couldn't temporarily solve with a drink. |
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last online Jul 1, 2024 12:45:50 GMT
New Member
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Post by Stoopdo on May 8, 2024 10:33:54 GMT
It had been some time since anything of excitement would have happened. Things were at pace wherever the shifter known as Loic travelled, he who now had a home and a love to return to after his meandering ventures. It was only once an invitation was given via word of mouth about gathering a whole entire group oriented around hunting – A concept very near and dear to his wild heart – and adventure, dubbed The Feral Cohort. And he got to be a unit leader! Like a child on Christmas, Loic immediately flew off to convene with the Origui on the matter, yet as the group had grown, this commonality they claimed to have seemed to have been stated a lot more liberally. The first thing to change was the group’s name, despite his objections, into something that did not nearly ring so pleasant. Feral Futility Peer Group was an unworthy name, for it brought to mind not a group of fellow hunters whose allegiances were beyond house boundaries, but a controlled experiment, something artificial. While he did agree to be a leader of this crazy bunch, being the babysitter of those who could not have the discipline certainly was not what he initially agreed to. Still, “Failing means yer playing.”, as his father would say, and he wasn’t gonna just let an opportunity for a thrilling hunt and exotic meals be passed up – He was going to show this motley crew how it was done! It also helped that each respective leader happened to be an individual he could get along with, one being a fellow hunter of house Lun, and the other a Contius he very much had respect for. Maybe it would not be nearly as bad as he thought. Yet just as he thought so, Loic's sharp ears caught another questionable decision: Meeting in an abandoned school. He appreciated the gesture of not exactly being in the middle of civilization, but at the same time, they really had to choose the leftovers of humanity’s progress. At least he had solace in the fact the concrete would be carved into in time, replaced by nature’s splendor till someone decided to remember it existed. Not willing to even bother adapting into modern clothes, the hunter flew into the front as a raven, before finally manifesting in all of his old-fashioned, hand-crafted, fur-clad glory, both arms outstretched like they were still wings.
“Och aye, tha’ was a good flight! Good ta see all o’ye on this dreich day.”, he exclaimed amidst the crowd, then promptly sat down, legs crossed as he adjusted the bow and spear slinged over his shoulder. His ears were sharp, just about ready to hear what the big boss treasure lady was going to deliver to them while his hands twitched with the prospect of the hunt, accompanied by a grin.The grin disappeared once the bickering began between the conflicting elements of fire and ice. Normally, such a combination simply made perfectly drinkable water, but they were instead letting the place fill with thick steam, so think in fact he could stab his spear through. And then they dragged the Le’eroy the moon laddie into it. On one hand, he wanted to get up and grab all involved by the throat, but on the other, the group was already not in the best place. Le’eroy happened to be one of the only folks whom he could trust strongly, beside Najya and Nica.
“Dunnae ken ‘bout y’three, bu’ I hope yer as eager to hunt as ye blether.”, Loic retorted with a wide smirk across his beard, before finally, the entire matter settled down to listen to Eviax’s words. Though personally clueless about the organizational scheme, the hunter’s eyes set ablaze with green at the mention of his team’s name. Pursue, what a powerful phrase, and it just about described his favored approach to things. His smile only widened at the mention of those special koi – He always wondered what they tasted like – But beyond their hypothetical rare nutritional value, by ridding of them, they rid of more incidents, a win for both sides.
“Och this’ll be great!”, the hunter shouted in excitement, face briefly resembling that of a starving hyena as he leaned forward. Once it was revealed Najya would be helping, however, his head swiveled to the Light claimant’s general direction, giving her a swift wink. This hunt ought to be something they’d enjoy bragging about, shame Le’eroy had to miss out on the fun, though. With that gathered, Loic was ready to head out, awaiting a hunt for a lifetime…
… Like so, Loic and Najya’s respective teams found themselves in the beautiful river of Danube, nestled between rolling verdant hills that gave them a prim and proper bird’s-eye-view of the rushing waters below. In any case, much to the disappointment of his excitement, the actual hunt was delayed by attempts at Haden’s part to resort to nonlethal methods of containing the koi— To the chagrin of pretty much everyone else – Followed by a much needed discussion. He stood there, looming over the ice claimant, both arms hoisting his trusty thorn-filled spear over his broad shoulders as his brow furrowed at the rightfully earned disrespect, prompting a sigh. He wasn't much an enjoyer of Daenu either.
“Haden, roight? I think ye jus’ proved the point. She wouldn’t care if we skinned them alive, let alone killed'em. Now, I hunt, huntin’ is my life. In this case, what are we if nae predators?", the hunter questioned, pacing around the ice claimant as his eyes pulsated with light, mimicking the texture of greenery around him. That same light gathered around his six foot body, shimmering as he slowly paced his boots around the group's outlier, for only he seemed to show hesitance. With a pondering look, his torso swayed from left to right. Regardless of the answer, Loic then halted right in front of him leaning his head forward.
"Now, unless y’got a better idea than jus’ dilly-dallying hoping the fishes don’t flood anyone and flop over into our laps, we ought to start makin’ haste. I know it’s painful, y’must hear’em too. I speak with the beasts as well, y’ken? Ye’ll hafta grit those teeth if y'want out, laddie, maybe ye gunnae learn a lesson or two.”, advised the shifter, a friendly smirk gently stretching itself across his thick bush of a beard while his fingers erratically tapped against the length of the spear. Then, his back straightened, allowing him to turn about in Najya's general direction. One of his hands loosened their grip, so it could make a relaxed gesture towards one of his more trustworthy companions.
“If nothin' else, ye and I can do it roight. I can spear’em from the river with ease, even brought a sturdy net to rein the wee’uns in. Fer the big’uns, I’m afraid it’s either me skelpin' them where it hurts least, or we find anotha’ way. If any get killed, we’ll gather them up and distribute them to be done with as folks please, but tha’s the price between predators and prey. We dun’ want anyone pure scunnered now, do we?”, he proposed, while the spear-hand rose his weapon of choice upwards to the bright daylight sky. The arm then tensed and lowered, the blunt end of the spear bashing and against a nearby stone with a resounding thud that let a crack upon its surface, followed by a drawn out roar from behind him. The source of it all was a hulking beast of a grizzly bear, its eyes carrying the same verdant hue as its master, sitting nearby. It then got up, lumbering its way towards him to reveal that it almost matched Loic's height from the shoulder downwards. In addition to the moss that clung to its side and snout, various brambles and bushes grew out from its back, making it almost resemble an oversized arboreal hedgehog.
[I'm hungry!], was what the bear actually said in its impatience, causing the hunter to smile ever-wider at the bear with affection. To comfort the beast, his hand vigorously patted on be bear's hunched back, then began caressing the top of the beast's head as if it were a hound, rather than a dangerous wild animal.
“Well bloody yaldy, even Ollie agrees!”, he excitedly yelled out, his seriousness cracking as he erupted in sudden laughter. If it weren’t for the
fact he knew beastspeech by instinct, one would think the hunter to be a madman instead. Once the spike of excitement died down, he awaited the others’
input. They needed a plan, here and now, lest he take the matter of improvising some proper fishing. The longer he waited, the more his inquisitive gaze turned towards Haden, his frigid demeanor being challenged by his predatory determination to see the hunt concluded without trouble.
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kaiju
Sigmutt's Wife
109 posts
1 like
are you passing the vibe check?
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last online Nov 8, 2024 16:07:12 GMT
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Post by kaiju on May 20, 2024 4:20:22 GMT
It was cute to see Eviax nervous. There wasn't much that could take her out of her element since she was so confident in her abilities and duties. This was something of a treat for the red-headed Life claimant. He liked being able to help her. She seemed almost sheepish when she told him she'd been selected to spearhead this little experiment, like she was afraid he'd feel embarrassed he wasn't considered. But truth be told, Evans was no leader. He didn't want to be in charge of anything. He liked taking his orders much better than he'd like telling claimants what to do.
Evans had never gotten as close to some of his fellow claimants as they had gotten to each other. It was no one's fault, he supposed; they were just different. Evans didn't fancy himself much of a murderer, for example, and plenty of them didn't mind it. He didn't particularly have much interest in house wars and plenty of them didn't mind it. He respected them for their ambition but just couldn't find as much of it in himself. Not for the darker things in life, anyway. Why surround himself with dark things when he could instead drink in Eviax's presence and all the light accompanied by it?
The tall man couldn't help the smirk that pulled at his lips as Eviax got ready to address the room. Given the list of people they'd be working with, Evans had predicted Hellfire as someone likely to get into plenty of arguments, so it happening was more of a funny prophecy coming true than an honest bother. Haden, Le'eroy and Verin were also on his list to look out for, though he figured Le'eroy might be mostly harmless if no one paid attention to his rants. Haden and Hellfire were harmless in their respective positions pinned to the wall. The room was quieter that way too.
Evans shuffled his cards aimlessly, halfway wondering what the King of Clubs would think of all this. He'd probably want to see where the end of Hellfire and Haden's argument would be. The Jack of Spades would probably want to watch too. Those guys just liked senseless violence sometimes. He liked to bring his regular deck to functions like this because they preferred events with the claimants. The tarot decks were always a little bit uncomfortable in large groups because there were too many possibilities and too many factors... At least, that's what he told himself. He had a few decks that didn't mind such events as much but that he wasn't as comfortable bringing. (He thought his Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering decks were pretty damn cool, and Eviax reassured him they were very cool, but he didn't want to run the risk of defending his card choices against someone like Hellfire or Verin.)
Everyone seemed to receive their assignments well. Evans wondered if they knew what a diverse group they were. It was almost inconceivable. He tried not to attempt wrapping his mind around it because he knew it was much too big of a concept to adequately grasp. He was just a street magician from New Orleans.
Eviax did her best informing everyone what was going on. It seemed to go well except for when Verin decided she didn't like the arrangements. Evans knew he did not like Verin and would never like her. The reason she'd been entered into the experiment was because she was the worst mother on the face of the Earth. There was little Evans could stand less than a shitty mother and child abuser. Yet he figured she probably didn't even know who he was.
"I really hope this is a good idea..." Eviax muttered as she tilted her head toward her redheaded lover for him to kiss the top of it. He brought her closer to him, enveloping her body in his.
"I'm sure it'll be fine," he assured her. She loved his accent; the lilt of the words made her smile every time it had been a while since she heard him speak. "It ain't like we're expectin' some people who have a track record of fucking up not to fuck up, right?" He smiled and planted another kiss on her head as he put his arm gently around her shoulder.
Nuvat was annoyed to have been volunteered into this peer group thing or whatever the hell it was, but she supposed it could be worse: She could be home defending her every wayward glance from Vetani. Then again, she could be halfway around the world digging up annoying layers of dirt in search of something cool. Well... this was kind of like free treasure hunting, right? She didn't have to do most of the reconnaissance legwork; it was straight to the trophies. Of course, wrestling them out of the hands of her counterparts was going to be a problem. Most of them seemed crazy. Was she the most normal person there? She shivered at the thought.
Nuvat wasn't as comfortable looking for the koi fish as she would've been doing her regular job. To be fair, she didn't consider herself much of a wildlife hunter. She hadn't ever taken any of the wildlife bounties for a reason: the realmic beasts were too unpredictable. And now, working with three glorified domesticated realmic beasts, she knew her decision was sound. Except Haden's glares were worse than any monster she had met.
"Any of you guys have mosquito spray?" the sun claimant asked, swatting at something flying around her ear. The area was pretty but she was not the biggest fan of creepy-crawlies. She mostly liked beetles, though.
"If nothin' else, ye and I can do it roight," Loic was explaining to Najya. Two of the three domesticated realmic beasts, along with Le'eroy. Jeez, if all of them could work together, why were the rest of them here hunting for fish? At least the three of them probably already liked it!
You could be home getting nailed to a wall, the woman reminded herself with a shiver. And she knew the way she'd be getting nailed would not be favorable. Vetani had actually bought a box of industrial nails the month prior... Not knowing what they were for drove Nuvat a little bit more mad with each passing day. Now that she thought about it... what about her reputation was so bad that she deserved this knockoff group therapy thing? Surely someone casually murderous like Vetani or DeVian deserved to be here more. Wasn't Jaffe like a claimant human trafficker? Was anyone going to say something about that? She was surprised they had managed to nab Hellfire and Haden. Those guys were the definition of Angry Diva.
"It should be a challenge!" Najya the wildwoman exclaimed. There were few people with such inconsistent volume control... Loic and Arthur were up there, too. Najya was throwing her arm over Haden's shoulder, who didn't exactly look happy about it. "We will see who can capture the most koi. Haden wants them to live, so he will capture them alive. Yes?" the Contus woman continued. "And we can spear!" She made the motion of throwing a spear with the biggest grin her lips could muster. "I must see how you do it. If Le'eroy were here, we would have a real hunting party. We will make do."
"Hey," Nuvat complained halfheartedly.
"It is no worry! This is good! We will teach spearfishing!"
"I mean.... I can probably work the net. No big deal."
"Oh! You have fished before?"
"Not exactly..."
"Oh! I would like to watch your net technique. Loic, we should watch!"
"Nah, watching Haden make little fishsicles to save his friends would be much better, right?" She tried to save herself by throwing him under the bus. "Yeah, Haden loves fishing, you can just tell from the look of him."
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Spira
Citadel Mastermind
160 posts
2 likes
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last online Nov 23, 2024 13:53:45 GMT
Administrator
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May 24, 2024 16:02:15 GMT
Post by Spira on May 24, 2024 16:02:15 GMT
This situation was only ever going to get more asinine.
The plans went astray immediately, after the departure of the only Rhihon among them. It hadn’t helped that the Aikekunai responsible for the territory was less than helpful, even cold. Perhaps if the Aikekunai had bothered with the problem to begin with; none of them would be here slaving away as a free solution.
Nica found that clenching her fists barely help. Especially seeing as the only other female in this hodge-podge ensemble was a right bitch. Nica wanted to turn Verin Noba-Dimea into bloody worm food. Refraining only as a result of Vetani asking her not to make anymore trouble for Nuvat who was off making fish food out of realmic beasts.
“Well. Shall we at least see where this duo is?”
“What do you propose?”
At least Nica felt like she could trust Le’eroy. As she let the environment around her melt away until all that was left were the near silent rush of millions, no billions - trillions of tiny six-legged creatures, winged or not. All holding within a collective signal of impatience and anxiety; the kind that would rot her spirit if she let it dwell.
~ Come to me ~ ~ Come to me ~ ~ Leave your duties behind ~ ~ Come to me ~ ~ Fate calls ~ ~ Come meet it ~
Verin - if it were possible, for a claimant outside of the one heralded as air, nearly collided with the nearest inhospitable surface. Her jaw slack and her stomach rolling about like a pre-tsunami. She’d heard some… rumours about Nica Desvoy. One of the few claimants privileged enough to serve under a Sytagen. They did not play by the same rules. Nica’s horns seemed to glint ominously in the hot heat of afternoon sun. It was disturbing and disgusting in Verin’s eyes as ants, spiders, flies, wasps, bees, butterflies… centipedes and cockroaches circled Nica. All humming and buzzing. It was going to give Verin a migraine.
~ Seek those like me ~ ~ Tell me where they are ~ ~ Take care not to be caught ~
Nica shared an impression of the duo they were looking for. One a hot-headed pyromaniacal Rhihon - well, she supposed most of them were pyromaniacs but this one wasn’t trying to hide it. Based off the whole suburb they had past that had been burnt asunder. Claimants and human authorities rushing to and from trying to repair and assess.
Whereas the other half of the duo was… more subtle in the impact they were making. That is if one could say that turning metallic objects into monstrous appendages and branding all living beings with horrendous marks; all of them as slaves, chattel, things to be bent and broken until a monogamous submissive dystopia was left.
Nica felt certain the person was a fan of that mortal author, who was it again? Their name started with ‘O’, they went onto become an Order claimant. Jayhe honouring them, bestowing a blessing. Now living their life as an auditor of claimant crimes. Pretty sure it was the exact same individual who was now waiting for their group to collect the duo and return them to shackles.
The answer came less than five minutes later. All of the many insects and arachnids wanting praise as Nica spoke. Not as herself. But as them.
“We have found them. We are sure they do not know where it is we are. Nor what we are here to do. We are certain tonight will be the right moment to strike. It would be best to prepare.”
“Hell’s wrong with your voice?”
“We do not comprehend.”
“Whatever. Least we have some time to kill. I’m gonna go find somewhere that isn’t crawling to fuck with… these things.”
Verin had to push several mounds of the twitching, clicking, swarming mass. Stepping into her own shadow and descending into the abyss of the Vortex.
Vivian was fairly certain that the job of culling the koi was never going to commence. Well, Haden seemed hellbent on getting in the way of progress, and seeing her boss’s uhhh partner, had soured all thought of this trip being fun. Vivian was still yet to determine any means of removing the fucking ankle-bracelet device that made sure she didn’t go off and make trouble for DeVian Law.
Then the bloody bear had shown up. It was impressive in its mass, especially with all the growth that sprouted every which way. So this was how the house of nature always seemed to be rebounding; despite the foul mistreatment of the mortal realm’s many ecosystems. Vivian did have to admit that the person who was in charge - Loic? Was a terribly scary individual. She did not trust him to not turn them into food if they messed up enough. But the man also seemed to be the one Haden was constantly pestering.
Then there had been the arrival of the other beasts. Her own, looked more like a cloud with some semblance of self-directed action. It swayed to and from, doing its damned best not to be whisked away by the breeze which was picking up. Vivian had been rather impressed by the cheetah Najya brought along - it had leapt out of a bloody neon sign. The Komodo dragon had been a bit of a ghastly surprise: mostly because it was dragging a fucking dead gazelle in its dripping maws. Of course, it dropped the dead animal at Nuvat’s feet.
Haden’s own Koi, marked out as a non-target by it’s rather eerie eyes, shaded in the same kind of opaque beauty that followed most of the now no longer incapacitated ice claimants. Suppose Najya was to thank for that. This Koi was also larger than the wild one reported to be the biggest danger and most suitable bounty for any keen hunter.
“Is… your… why the fuck is there a cannon attached to your koi? Is that normal?”
Vivian had only ever seen the kind of cannon atop the koi’s mid-section in museums and thought that there had to be prohibitions against such modifications. Granted, her own beast, when not being blown to and from was also lethal in its dives and when in battle, became solid with sharpened flight feathers.
Just as another argument could break out. A silence swept over the group. Rushing water, scales, ice smashing into the shore. The whole school of koi were headed their way. |
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Dobu
Ilnonta's Husband
163 posts
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last online Nov 28, 2024 5:19:38 GMT
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May 30, 2024 21:04:19 GMT
Post by Dobu on May 30, 2024 21:04:19 GMT
There weren’t many things which could go as far as to impress Le’eroy, but he was certainly pleased to find Nica as capable of tracking as she was. Insects had always been something he found easily crushed underfoot, disregarding their usefulness to the ecosystem… that viewpoint did not change and yet he at least showed proper care for the ones she had called upon. It was odd moving around while also attempting not to crush them underfoot. That was the least he could do as thanks for their aid.
“This is good!” he exclaimed with a large smile. “You were the one who found them, so you will lead the way to the heretical claimants! I will signal the fire man!”
He thought about what would be best. Sending a clone would be best for letting their displaced subordinate find his way back to them, if he let the clone lead the way, but there was no telling of Hellfire would be willing to even listen. Then there was Verin who had already begun to make her move. While he wanted to hope she would be capable of handling things on her own, Le’eroy wasn’t dumb enough to let one of Gahbreal’s pack get hurt while in his care. Not even if it were by mistake.
A decision was made, although quite last minute, and it would no doubt bother the creature in his care. A rather deep breath followed by an almost unnatural howl. Moments later a pool of water formed at his side from which a rather large wolf emerged.
“Tor!”
The wolf did not look pleased.
“I require your aid! In return… I offer you… a chicken’s leg.”
Tor did not respond to his offer.
“A zebra's leg?”
Tor once again did not respond to his offer.
“Being stubborn, I see! Then what about a human’s leg?”
This caught the creature’s attention, but it only growled slightly. Altering the deal. Le’eroy laughed in response.
“Then it is settled! Sniff out Hellfire. Find him! Lead him to the rest of us but stay out of trouble! The sooner the better and the quicker you get your reward.”
The wolf howled before sniffing around the air, leaping to the roads, and running off into the distance. There were multiple ways to get Hellfire’s attention, but none he felt would go as far as to keep their presence concealed from their targets. He wasn’t particularly keen on sneaking around and his entire mentality when doing this type of thing was based on pack hunts and active chases, but this was a good change of pace.
“We depart now, Nica! Lead us to our degenerate marks! We will carve the flesh from their bones, but I will require the left leg of one. It will be Tor’s reward! We shall kill these damned heretics and offer their souls to Novevu! Dedicate this hunt to your ancient!”
A flame raging on, flickering beneath the evening sky as if to signal how beautifully it could blend with the world around itself. How poetic. How symbolic. O how magnificent! Or at least that was what Hellfire might have thought if he wasn’t out here slaving away with the tedious job of dealing with the one who caused it. His response? Crafting a flame, black as the coldest star, and tossed it into the inferno where it engulfed the existing heat until all which remained was itself. Then, as quickly as it consumed, it disappeared.
I should have just burned the building down.
He continued the same routine for several buildings, controlling the situation in a normative and discreet manner. Worst case scenario he kills someone by mistake while putting out these flames with his own. Best case scenario he comes across the dick who started all these fires in the first place… and burns them alive with blackest black. The very idea brought the slightest smile to his face.
Occasionally, he’d come across something interesting. The metal sculptures, if he could even call them that, almost reminded him of implements for torture. It brought a half smile, half frown to his face. A part of him was pleased to see that some claimants were still capable of causing a sensibly wonderful degree of pain and suffering. Meanwhile the more dominant part of him wanted to find them and spear them atop the most decorative and dangerous one he could find.
The pattering of claws against concrete was the only thing which distracted him from his work.
“A wolf? No doubt one of Little Moon’s...”
The creature growled in response.
“Oh, my apologies. I suppose I should have said dog since you lack the manners of a decent pet. Not to mention how much I hate you creatures. Don’t make me bury you.”
Tor was none too pleased to even have to interact with Hellfire. He was prepared to show his discontent with a louder growl or a nip at his ankles, but that thought was chased away with a simple glance. Or perhaps a glare. Even without being on fire the wolf could see its fur engulfed in flames within Hellfire’s eyes. It was clear how dangerous he was. So, it simply did as it was told by Le’eroy.
A tilt of the head before turning away and pointing its nose in a specific direction.
“Oh? I was wonderin’ when they’d figure somethin’ out. Go on, dog. Lead the way.”
Tor was prepared to ignore him… until he looked to pull his sword directly from within his own flesh. Dripping with what seemed like black magma and revealing a finely serrated edge.
“Go on. I ain’t gonna kill you… yet. Besides, I’d like to see how the two kids hold up in a fight. Should make for decent entertainment.”
Now, as per his own words, he was making his way back to the others. The wolf seemed impatient and wanting to run, but Hellfire’s pace was as measured and calm as ever. Evyette made sure to have him promise to play nice, but that didn’t mean he’d abandon all his principles. And so, just like his mother, he wouldn’t mind it if his subordinates gained a few scars from this. However, it was his personal belief that pain would drag out the best in a person during a fight. It was all a growing experience based on his own experience, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t remaining cautious of his own surroundings. He was still, as always, waiting for the opportunity to put someone in a coffin.
I wonder if Evy is sleeping now...
On the other hand, with the other group, Haden’s mind raced. Perhaps it was due to the differences in their personal growing environments, but nothing anyone said made any proper sense. The sloshing of water on the shore wasn’t helping. Water was a domain he rarely had the opportunity to tread without causing a mass panic, no matter how close their house was to his own in pure nature. It wasn’t his fault it always froze when he touched the stuff Handling a job like this would be relatively easy so long as the creatures themselves cooperated… however, it was almost as if there were a strange buzzing in the back of his head with every word spoken. Especially when it came to Loic.
“Ya realize I hunt people for a livin’! Aye? The relationship between prey and predator is as simple as separatin the weak from the strong, and even that barely holds up. Daenu’s too stupid to realize when she’s feckin us over, and the rest o the lads in the house are more concerned with survivin’ another day after the feckin catastrophe that is existin’ in this shite fest of an element! So, forgive me if it feels like I’m doin me own ancient’s job for em and protectin’ what’s ours!”
His flask, always in arms reach, was quickly retrieved from his coat and put to proper use. “A Better idea”. His first thought was to just respond by killing them all and going home, but that would only cause more problems for Shinzo, not to mention also needing to deal with Najya who was, in his unruly opinion, as dumb as bricks but a boon for his kin. At least until Daenu was somehow replaced. An idea which was becoming more worthwhile by the day.
Another response had almost formulated itself in his head for Loic, but that was before the appearance of the large bear. Even the sight of it made his fingers twitch. All it would take was a single exhale and he could have the things frozen solid, ready to shatter, just to prove a door point. A wave of the hand and he could have spite of ice erupt from the ground beneath its feet and skewer it into the air like a trophy worth nothing to him… but instead he could feel the burden of Najya bearing down on him. Seeing her lean down low enough to even wrap her arm around his shoulders pissed him off. As if she were implying he was short without saying it!
“Capture em if ya like, kill em if ya want. I can’t be bothered to explain the possibility of ya gettin’ hurt by these things to Daenu.” Watching Najya, Nuvat and Loic begin discussing their plans and choices was irritating to say the very least. Like children excited over a field trip. He found no point in chiming in until Nuvat managed to bring him up by name. “You want me t’freeze the ice fish? And don’t assume ya know me. I much prefer throwin’ spears at people.”
Or so he said, but his father was a fisherman. So, in terms of actually knowing how to fish, he had gained more than enough knowledge in the short time he had with the man to know what to do and how to do it.
It wasn’t until everyone else’s beast had begun to appear that he made his way to shore where he would greet his own. For the most part Loic was incorrect about him hearing the koi’s voices. Haden was particularly far removed from nature and the koi were the only creatures he did get along with. He couldn’t hear them at all, but he could certainly see them. The way they moved, the way their eyes focused or shifted, he could tell what they were thinking and none more than his own. That was why it was the creature’s eye he approached before placing his hand on the scaled surface of its skin. Irritable, uncomfortable, but overall calm in this situation.
“Is… your… why the fuck is there a cannon attached to your koi? Is that normal?”
Vivian’s question was valid to anyone… anyone except Haden. “What do ya mean why? Niamh and I found it, so I had it repaired. It’s cute! Like a wee hat! Isn’t that right sweetie?” His fingers rubbed over it, leaving a thin layer of ice behind which crumbled off. Then he realized Vivian might have been attempting to insult his koi! A realization which was, thankfully, interrupted by the arrival of their targets.
Perhaps it might have been in their favor before, but Haden was not so kind as to allow anything belonging to his house to make such a commotion or act in such an unruly way as he currently saw them behaving… excluding himself. That was why he raised his flask once more, a final swig of the concoction within before placing it back in his coat and making his way out onto the water.
He did not use his koi as transportation as some might believe he would. Instead, he walked alongside her. Each step causing the water beneath his feet to solidify into a cool surface while his hand continued to rest on the creature as if leading it along. It was only when they reached the center of the river, he gave the koi a glare which caused it to make space between the two of them. From his position the water steadily icing over until he knelt and placed his fingers beneath the surface; spirals of ice protruding outward from where he stood until a wall of spears had been formed to separate himself from the koi. Or perhaps a wall wasn’t as accurate a description as a mound of gnarled protrusions.
“If yer dumb enough t’run into it then yer dumb enough t’die!” His words sounded merciless, but in his heart the mercy he had to offer was harshly earned. Call it his closest similarity with Daenu. He couldn’t help those lacking the intelligence to heed his warnings. But it wasn’t until he drew his gun that Niamh’s sloshing behind him grabbed his attention. A single glance into its eye was enough to make him reconsider. “For fecks sake. Ya think like the sun girl.”
He placed the handgun back into its holster beneath his coat before removing the coat itself and wrapping it around his waist. Anyone close enough could almost make out the incoherent mumbling of insults and slurs as he placed a band between his teeth and pulled his hair back into a short ponytail. With the band securing his hair from his eyes and his arms able to move freely he raised his hand to his side where a spear of ice formed in his palm.
“Feckin fishsicles,” he muttered with a glare towards his beast. “If this starts to annoy me, I’ll just freeze the whole damned river over and let these savages eat the lot of em. Useless ass Stasia couldn’t have done this shite themself?” |
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last online Jul 1, 2024 12:45:50 GMT
New Member
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Post by Stoopdo on Jul 1, 2024 12:29:16 GMT
Loic’s face shifted and mirrored the light claimant’s excitement, though this time the stripes of a tiger began to artistically curve across his face. The hunter looked almost as if he could let loose a bloodcurdling roar, yet instead only let loose something that sounded like a chuckle and a growl all in one. In a swift motion, his hand spun the thorn-riddled spear about, showcasing its immaculate craftsmanship as ethereal vines jumped from one indentation to the next. He then nestled the metallic sharp bit right into his very palm. With both fangs now elongated, he looked at Najya with a thrilled gleam in his brown eyes.
“Och the bloke will wish he didnae miss out. Been practicin’ a new method too, ye’ll feast yer eyes soon enough.”, he claimed with excitement, only for his markings to fade off and eyes to turn to the complaining ‘Hey’ of Nuvat. With no further prompt needed, Loic’s hand yanked the crumpled net right out of the girdle, a few of his fingers then elongated, digging into what looked like a satchel nestled just under the fur around his hip. They then pulled back, retrieving a small box of gnarled and swiftly-crafted wood. He did not even wait a single second before the hand slowly arched back and tossed them over to the sun girl.
“Here’s yer net in case any slip away. Tha’ box is a balm o’ peppermint, jus’ rub it on ye and the bugs’ll sod off—Nae too much, though, or ye'll turn green!”, Loic claimed with a jovial snicker. Clearly she was a city girl out of her element, so a bit of help and fun ought to help break the ice. Speaking of which, there was still a veritable mental wall that he wished to break down, only added onto by the cloud-girl being as lost as always. The hunter’s brow quirked a tad at the fact Haden happened to be a hunter– Albeit more of the bounty-seeking kind. Loic’s lips tensed at what to him was an oversimplification of the process, but he cannot blame someone of such a misguided house. Instead of a rebuttal, his lips caved in to a coarse and hearty chuckle at the insistence of Daenu’s ineptitude, causing the wild man to raise a finger vaguely in the lad’s direction.
“Well, I dunnae like her either, tha's somethin' we share. Let’s make it a contest, then. Ye go an' secure the fishies, and the ones tha’ slip by… They’re dinner, simple as.”, he challenged with a glare that dared him to lash out and ruin what to Loic was a friendly offer of hospitality, from one hunter to another. Haden had that same heartless and callous spark that he had witnessed in others of the ice lad’s kin. Once the matter was seemingly settled, the hunter gently paced along behind Haden, ready to enact his own methods of getting the fish home. Once at the shore, Loic swiftly began to discard any of the fur he had on him, slowly unveiling the tattooed upper body that was thrumming with nature’s energies. The only thing kept on him were his girdle and worn leather leggings. Among the things discarded was a crumpled old sack, which he then grabbed, hoisted upwards, and began to inhale deep till his cheeks looked about to pop. He then hurled his head into the bag’s entrance, and the exhale ballooned it till it matched the hunter’s height, probably able to fit a good handful of the slippery little prey. When the ice claimant began to commune with the koi, though, the nature claimant smiled.
“Looks like yer not all as prickly as ye sound. Best o’ luck, boyo!”, he shouted with a friendly wave, then fixated upon the flowing river itself. If he was to traverse it and capture with ease, this time without a net to assist him, then he needed to be able to traverse the waters—Hopefully with Haden too distracted to consider freezing him over in turn. In a matter of moments, the skin over his back began to gain a silvery-blue hue, developing gills upon the throat. The shoulder blades expanded, only to then unfurl into translucent fins akin to wings. The change in pigmentation continued downward, and the leather on his legs vanishes. Now they were just powerfully scaly legs, almost looking like a fin had been split in twain. With that done, the fish-man that was Loic crouched down, about to dive in— And then the sound of erupting ice caught his attention, as he beheld the crudest ice-statue of a porcupine ever conceived by claimantkind. He grinned, and his verdant companion ‘Ollie’ lumbered forth, only to thwump his colossal rump at the riverbank.
[Don’t like this cold. I hunt from here.], the bear rumbled out, and his master nodded with understanding. There was always a risk that the bastard would decide he suddenly didn’t have a heart again, yet the goosebumps of excitement still kept the claimant ready. Rather than dive in immediately, Loic scampered over to a rock and crouches, spread pointed upwards in search of any wayward fishies that could be easily speared and then flung back into the bag. He wasn’t just hunting for himself, after all, he had a lassie to feed, so he hoped there would be more than any mere morcel. |
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kaiju
Sigmutt's Wife
109 posts
1 like
are you passing the vibe check?
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last online Nov 8, 2024 16:07:12 GMT
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Sept 21, 2024 22:07:25 GMT
Post by kaiju on Sept 21, 2024 22:07:25 GMT
Nuvat Excia was not having fun. Treasure hunting was her name and coming home with the bacon was her game, but this assignment felt trivial in comparison to something she would've chosen for herself. Sure, Najya was nice, Loic was helpful, Vivian was as useless as one could predict, and Haden was his... usual self, but she felt they could definitely have a better mission. Were they the second string?! Given the stupid assignments because they couldn't handle bigger ones? The conspiracy of it all gave her much to complain to Stasia about when she saw them again. Vetani probably wouldn't care.
“Here’s yer net in case any slip away," Loic was saying as he handed Nuvat the net she definitely did not know how to use. How hard could it be? Surely it was like throwing a comforter over a bed... No way was she going to make herself seem even more imcompetent by letting any of them watch her try, though. Loic surprised her with the box of peppermint; she had mostly been grumbling under her breath when she complained about the mosquitos! A light blush of embarrassment colored her cheeks when she caught it. He was nice... Honestly, if she was honest, being around him and Najya was nice. She hardly got to interact with such people that seemed so naturally happy.
"No matter what anyone else says, I like you Loic," the sun claimant said with a smile. "You're pretty alright."
Nuvat hadn't expected their realmic companions to be making an appearance, but her komodo dragon's gift did bring a smile to her lips. The huge lizard held a dead gazelle within its jaws - no doubt still warm - and placed it at Nuvat's feet excitedly. He was happy to see her! It had been a while since they had had something to do together. Of course, Nuvat wished Tea Leaf hadn't dragged the corpse it in front of everyone, but that was of no consequence.
Haden started rattling off on a tangent so Nuvat took the opportunity to go off with Tea Leaf and fiddle with the net and box of peppermint. The net was definitely at least as big as a comforter... She decided to start with the peppermint. He said too much would turn her green. The thought of trying to spook Vetani crossed her mind but was quickly replaced with the fear that her girlfriend would suddenly be inspired to turn her into a new plant. The thought sent a shiver down Nuvat's spine. The auburn-haired sun claimant took a modest amount of the peppermint, rubbing the balm lightly over her wrists, neck, and ankles to start. Now turning green had managed to become a genuine fear.
Then she had an idea. "Tea Leaf!" the woman exclaimed, turning to her companion and getting down on his level. His tongue slithered out briefly as if to acknowledge he was listening. "I just had the best idea. You can help me get these fish!" He blinked slowly. "It's free food, man!"
Najya was beyond excited to work with Loic. She had never met anyone who personified nature in such a way. She had met her fair share of nature and earth claimants alike in her village since she was the ambassador and highest-ranked claimant in the area, but none of them had ever impressed her like this. She was almost jealous! He could feel what it was like to swim with gills among the most beautiful fish or soar in the air with the freest birds - she could do nothing like that! She loved nature but hadn't quite realized how much more there was to experience if one had abilities like Loic's. It was certainly going to make the challenge of seeing who caught the most koi fun!
The group began splitting off to make their respective approaches to the task. Najya had to tear her eyes away from Loic's transformation. Haden began moving up the river as the koi began rushing toward the shore. It was a good idea to trap them as he had done - she would have to commend him for that later. Nuvat had walked further down the shore, almost out of view, but if Najya really tried she could hear the sun claimant cursing the net she had been given. Vivian was busy fiddling with some kind of bracelet around her ankle. Everyone's realmic beasts were by their sides, from the interesting komodo dragon and its gift, to the great bear that Najya would love to hunt with. All seemed to be going relatively well. She wondered what the other group could be up to. She couldn't wait to get home to Daenu and tell her about all the fun she had! They would lay in their furs and Daenu would stroke her hair as she excitedly rattled off every moment of the day... she couldn't wait!
The tan light claimant shed the furs covering her shoulders, glad she had dressed lightly and barefoot today. There was a slight breeze making its way through the leaves, making all the trees seem like they were shimmering. It was blissful.
Najya made her way to the shore and carefully crept into the water, watching as the koi were slowly being funneled toward them and taking it into account. Surely Nuvat's clambering in the water further down the shore would only work in their favor to further trap the koi. This was going to be a piece of cake.
Spear in hand and focus intact, Najya slowed her breathing as the water rippled around her. Koi sped around her legs, going as fast as they could to try to get away from this foreign body. It made her laugh. Looking up, she could see Loic had turned into a kind of fish-thing himself - she would have to be sure she didn't make a mistake and hurt him. Haden was stationed in the deeper waters and she was in the shallows with Loic between them. It should be relatively easy to catch all the koi unless they were truly as big as 'planes that carry mail' - whatever that was - as Eviax had said. Those might have to be a group effort. This task was as good as done.
There - Najya's arm moved faster than could be seen as her hand darted into the water, catching the tail of one of the koi and snatching it up just as fast. It fought as hard as it could, flailing in protest at having been caught.
"Haden!" she called to the ice claimant. "Do you think Daenu would like one as a trophy?" She wasn't sure how the Widweim household would react to the fish being caught and didn't want to step on any toes. Of course, Haden's ire toward her went completely unnoticed; she figured he was the best authority on what Daenu would like in such a case.
Evans pulled at the Three of Clubs that he'd lodged in the dartboard. He had to pull a bit harder than with the Ace of Spades he'd just thrown - did he need to sharpen these? He was a bit anxious since it had been getting steadily darker and there were no updates from the team captains.
"Should I reach out to 'em?" he asked Eviax lightly, halfheartedly not wanting her to answer. He didn't want to stress her out more than she already was. While she had done a lot of the work for the peer group, he was the one who had decided how the teams would be divided. In his opinion, that would be what made or broke the whole thing. His red hair did not lay on his forehead as usual; rather, had been pushed back so many times in anxious strokes it now looked like a new style. He was confident in the team leaders; it was their subordinates that gave the cardfighter the runs.
Evans couldn't take not knowing anymore. He threw a card on the floor and muttered a few words in Ancient tongue, leading to a coyote the size of a dirtbike to crawl out of it. The coyote walked in a quick circle and shook its fur before finding a spot to sit and directing its gaze back at Evans. The sandy-coated animal dropped its jaw as if to smile, causing Evans to grin back at it.
"What you so happy about?" he asked the animal, approaching and stooping down to pet it. "I need a favor from ya. I need ya to go check on the teams and get a status report." The coyote opened its eyes at that, seeming interested in the task. "Think ya can do that, bossman?" His name was Spade, after Evans' favorite card suit. The coyote yipped excitedly, raising onto its back legs to jump on Evans and get even more pets. "Good boy! Go check on 'em!" With that, the beast jumped back into the card and was on its way. |
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