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Post by The Sidhe on May 27, 2014 21:29:57 GMT -5
The smell of rain hung in the air. The earlier downpour had ended after three days of obscuring tracks and making searches difficult, leaving puddles and mud in its wake. The lunch rush in the little town was in full swing, though the citizens hurrying here and there carried a heavy amount of tension with them. Mothers kept their children close to their sides, friends linked arms, all of them walking with great purpose past quaint Victorian style buildings with more modern siding to their destinations. Wary glances were given to the dark, thick woods looming close to the outskirts of the town, beyond pastures and mud-slicked fields. Several were clad all in black, evidently fresh from a funeral. More looked somber, making their way dully with distant looks on their faces, having yet to fully process that someone they loved had been killed. The police station was a squat little building that looked more like a cabin save for the emblem beside the door that marked it as otherwise. At the end of the main street, it looked remarkably small to the shops and cafes, granted they were fairly compact as well, few being more than a single story tall. The eaves still dripped from the rain and curtains were drawn over the only two windows, located on the side of the building facing out towards farmland and open fields. The heavy wooden door opened and three people stepped outside into the spring chill. The police captain of L’Etape was a tall, lean looking man in his mid-thirties. His hair was cut close to his head and looked a might ragged, pointed jaw sporting just enough stubble to indicate that he hadn’t been home in a few days. Grey eyes stood out starkly against his darker complexion, accented by clear evidence of sleep deprivation. He wore a long overcoat over his uniform, badge on his lapel identifying him as Captain Marcel Desrosiers. <<Everything will be fine,>> Marcel insisted to the blonde woman next to him, <<I won’t even be going with them, I’m entirely aware that this is well out of my hands, Marie.>> His wife didn’t look convinced. Dark eyes narrowed, her lips forming a thin line in concern. <<Do you promise? You’ll really stay here at the station with Lili, you’ll not set one foot outside?>> Marcel barely held back a tired grin and shrugged. <<To be fair, I’m already outside. But yes, I promise.>> He was too exhausted to look anything but sincere. Marie looked to be very apparently considering hitting him for the unneeded sass, but that was rather difficult with their daughter squirming around in her arms. The two year old was trying to reach for the strands of blonde that had fallen loose from her mother’s ponytail. The little girl’s dark hair was pulled into small pigtails, clear eyes squinting as Marie adjusted her hold on her. The little one looked just like her father. Convinced, Marie gave a curt nod, <<Alright. But you come straight home as soon as it’s all over, you hear me?>> Her voice was hushed, but her tone was stern enough to get the toddler’s attention at least. Marcel’s initial response was little more than a weary smile and a quick kiss planted on Marie’s lips. <<I hear you, I’ll be home as soon as I can and we can all start to move on.>> He paused, bending slightly to ruffle his daughter’s hair and kiss her cheek. <<And you be good for mama, okay Camille?>> Camille only stared before breaking into a grin. Marie gave one last smile to her husband before taking her leave, turning slowly and heading down the sidewalk towards home. Their daughter waved as the blonde woman did so and Marcel waved back before returning to the police station. The smile vanished from his face all too quickly, the exhaustion becoming more apparent as his entire demeanor seemed to sag. He hadn’t slept in three days. Leaning back beside the police insignia on the outer wall, he dragged both hands over his face. No, he wasn’t going out in the field, but at this point he was having a hard time being optimistic. It was a monster they were hunting and what did they send? Teenagers? Marcel told himself they had to be trained, that they had to be up for the task if they were coming at all, that Shibusen could handle this but…after everything that had taken place he was too tired to force himself to leave suspicion and uncertainty behind. Ten people in seven days. In a town as small as theirs, that was a serious cut to the population. Everyone knew everyone else. If one family was grieving, several other friends and relations were as well. The whole town was mourning someone. Marcel had buried a dear friend only two days prior. The crime scene photos would never leave his mind, he knew for certain. Blood sprayed out across the main road out of town, gore hanging from the trees, the upper half of Emma’s torso strewn over the metal railing. Marcel shut his eyes, but that only made the outlines clearer. Sighing, he opened them again and stared up at the looming clouds, shoving his hands into his pockets. The team couldn’t arrive fast enough.
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Post by Stella Riordan on May 28, 2014 15:49:12 GMT -5
”Oooooh. This town is so pretty!” Excitedly said a girl dressed completely in green. Said green outfit and her bright red hair made her stand out quite a bit amongst the crowd. However, this was not the only thing that stood out about her. Her excited disposition was in great contrast to the people who lived in the tiny village of L’Etape. For L’Etape was a rather dreary town. Nothing about it seemed bright in the slightest. To further add to the negative mood of the whole place, it appeared to have rained quite a bit as of late. The air was cold, making Stella’s thick trenchcoat look normal for a change. Many puddles had been formed around the roads and sidewalks, and anywhere not paved was particularly muddy. The girl made particular caution to avoid any puddles as she walked, despite the fact she was wearing boots that could easily handle a tiny and shallow puddle.
For Stella was not a fan of water. Not at all, infact. She downright hated the substance, not even being a fan of drinking it (despite such an act being unavoidable). Her focus had caused her to not pay much attention to any given person clad in black. Nor did she notice the obvious tension in the air. So, her chipperness was not strained by the negative aura the town gave off. Whether her partner felt the same way was a different story entirely, of course. It was already a tad out of character for Stella to be acting in such a way. Normally she was a tad more reserved, smug, etcetera. Again, whether her partner noticed this or not was anyone’s guess, though it was likely he did.
After quite a while of walking, the redhead’s thoughts returned to the reason she had arrived in Quebec. ”Mustn’t get distracted, even if this place reminds me of home. It’s not like it’s even the same continent or anything...” Stella thought, trying to look a tad more serious as she (finally) noted all of the odd looks she had been receiving from the townspeople. ”Sooooo... According to the outline, a lot of people have been mauled to death in the forests near the town, I believe. I dunno why that’s a concern to Shibusen, though. Wouldn’t it make sense to infer an animal had done it? Whatever...”
Stella and her weapon partner were headed to the police station. In a town so small, it was surprisingly hard to locate where the station exactly was, for it just looked like a simple cabin. Thankfully, the blue marking stating boldly the cabin’s significance was rather bright, and therefore rather eye catching in contrast to the rest of the dreary scenery around it. A woman with blonde hair and a young girl who was most likely her daughter looked to be departing from the building. A man stood in front of the building, resting against a wall. He looked absolutely exhausted.
The man was most likely who the duo was supposed to report to. He looked to be waiting for someone, after all. Why else stay standing outside like that on such a dreary day? Stella increased her pace slightly and tensed up as she noted the man’s body language. He seemed stressed, so if she and Cecil were the ones who were supposed to relieve said stress, by vanquishing whatever beast it was that was harming the townspeople so, she best report to him with the utmost haste.
Upon arrival, Stella stood before the man, her back straight. ”Ahem.” She began, clearing her throat. ”Are you, perchance, waiting on a team from Shibusen to assist in finding the culprit responsible for the deaths around your town? If so, that’d be us. I’m Stella Riordan, and he’s Cecil Amier.” After she had finished speaking, Stella stuck a hand towards the man, expecting it to be shook.
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Cecil Amier
Weapon
Demon Butterfly Swords
All the world's a stage, and I the leading actor
Posts: 46
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Post by Cecil Amier on May 30, 2014 2:33:36 GMT -5
"Uuuugh. This town is so dreadful." Irately said a boy with a blue scarf, in response to his partner's remark. "What on Earth is there to like about this dreary place, Stella?" The boy held his arms crossed against his chest, partly out of smug dismissal of the locale and partly out of trying to keep his hands extra warm. It certainly wasn't as cold as it could be, but being this far up north was not something Cecil was fond of. He had grown to like the warm Nevada climate back at Shibusen, a pleasant departure from what he knew back home in New York. In fact, back in New York, the weather could be rather like this weather in Quebec. He felt a pang of homesickness at making that connection, but shrugged it off nonchalantly.
The boy was wearing a comfy red sweater over a white cotton shirt. He kept his black loafers clear away from any puddles; he rather should have taken a cue from his meister and worn boots, but Cecil had never found such footwear to fit his style. He observed the townspeople as they went on about, and decided to bring his hand away from his chest and rested then upon his black trousers. There was a very gloomy atmosphere about the place, and not simply from the fact that it had recently rained. No, there was clear mourning and dread on every face he passed by, and it was putting a severe damper on his own mood. The same thing could not be said for the girl he was walking with, however; she seemed positively chipper. Unusually, so, not only given the general atmosphere of the town they were in but also the fact that Stella frequently seemed rather reserved, from Cecil's experience.
"She's rather weirder than I first expected; between her inappropriate mood right now, and some other oddities I've discerned, perhaps I was a bit hasty in allowing her to partner with me." Cecil thought to himself, regarding his meister. "Ah well... now would certainly not be the most opportune time to doubt her, now would it? I can worry about such things after we return to Shibusen. I should focus on the mission for now." Cecil recalled the mission outline; mauling, dismemberment, and missing souls. Evidently, not going to be a pleasant hunt for the two; he would've much preferred a mission with a less monstrous kishin, but he allowed his partner the courtesy of deciding which they should take. Why she took this one, up against a savage, in a dour and unpleasant region of the world, was beyond him. He was half convinced at this point that she had only skimmed the actual mission briefing and made her decision based entirely on the locale.
The cocky boy certainly wasn't scared of fighting this monster, but he certainly would've preferred an alternative who wasn't quite as uncouth. He kept his eyes gazing about the town as he and Stella walked towards their destination. Eventually, he payed attention to what was ahead, at what he inferred to be the town's police station. A man, clearly ran ragged from the events that led to Shibusen's interference, was standing outside it. Likely, the Captain Marcel Desrosiers mentioned in the briefing as their contact.
He stopped a step beside his meister; he wouldn't want to have her simply upfront, after all. He was a bit irritated that she introduced himself for him; he managed what he could of his customary introduction and bowed politely. "Yes, monsieur Desrosiers, you can rest easier now that we have arrived; on our honor as representatives of Shibusen, this menace will be dealt with as quickly and efficiently as possible." Cecil said; he didn't place much value on things like honor, personally, but he figured such to be a trait that could inspire confidence; and, of course, made him sound all the more impressive and heroic. Frankly, were he not such a deluded boy, he would realize that such a tone was likely not what the gruff and experienced man wanted to hear from a teenager sent to do his job.
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Post by The Sidhe on May 30, 2014 19:15:21 GMT -5
The two that approached him were…not was Marcel expecting. He knew they would be young, but somehow he imagined them looking harder, more seasoned. The girl at least seemed confident, standing straight and not hesitating to introduce herself. Hopefully that confidence was something she fought with as well. Casting a curt nod towards each, he removed his right hand from his pocket and firmly shook the girl’s offered hand. “Captain Marcel Desrosiers, but you probably already know that,” he said gruffly, the French-Canadian accent hanging obviously off his words, “I wish we were meeting under better circumstances.”
Apparently the pretty boy that was with Stella shared her confidence, though Marcel caught no shortage of cockiness as well, the youthful sort of feeling as though one could do anything. That could be dangerous. Glancing over the boy in a way that was clearly sizing him up, he managed to keep any doubt out of his features. “I certainly hope so.” Looking them both over, he seemed neither disappointed nor impressed. Just tired.
Pointing a thumb over his shoulder towards the door to the police station, Marcel turned slowly for it. “It will be easier to explain things without shivering out here in the chill,” he began, moving to open the door and hold it open for the team, “There’s also the matter of showing you two what this thing is capable of. Description is one thing. Seeing it is another. I won’t send you in before you know the potential harm you’re facing.”
Marcel wanted to believe they were capable, but given how young they were he couldn’t help but worry. If he sent two kids into the woods without better knowledge of what they were up against and they came back in shreds, he would never forgive himself. He’d seen too many corpses torn up and thrown about like ragdolls. He didn’t need to see any of two so young. Once they’d wandered inside, he followed after them and shut the door to block the cold from followed them.
The interior of the police station was about as impressive as the exterior. Fit more for function than appearance, recessed overhead lights illuminated the room in a cold, grey tone. The walls were an unfortunate shade of blue, the curtains drawn over the window facing outwards on the right wall looked to have seen better days. At a desk shoved in the corner was another, much younger officer, no older than twenty five. The name plate skewed from the front of his workplace next to his detached badge read ‘D. Lili Bernard’. The young detective looked just as haggard Marcel, dark eyes staring distantly at the laptop in front of him as he typed away looking at records and filling out paperwork for the investigation that would hopefully come to a halt soon. He blonde hair was sticking up at odd angles from hos often he’d paused to run his hands through it, uniform coat shrugged off to hang loosely from the back of his chair and his tie left forgotten with it. A cigarette hung from his lips, but he didn’t seem to be aware that it had gone out almost an hour ago. He glanced at the entering team, gave them a dull nod, and went right back to work.
Marcel continued further back towards the captain’s office. The other desks were arranged in four small rooms that looked more like boxes, wood paneling lining the walls. The left had paperwork strewn everywhere. The one to the right as they passed looked like it was in the process of being packed up. On the desk was a vase full of flowers surrounded by what looked to be sympathy cards. A photograph mostly blocked by somber looking envelopes and scrawled signatures showed the partial image of a man around Marcel’s age smiling, blue eyes twinkling with his hair hidden under the hat that went with the standard police uniform. Marcel made a point not to look in at it as they passed.
The captain’s office was larger though just as simple. A desk, two filing cabinets, a laptop, and a chair. Not much else. Folders sat on his desk, one open with the records of medical examiner reports on the victims. The other was closed, but not for long. Shrugging off his overcoat to toss over the back of his chair, Marcel pulled the folder from its resting place and flicked it open. “You probably already know this thing kills messy, but I’ll warn you it’s gruesome anyway. Hope you two have strong stomachs. If you don’t, bathroom’s back down the hall by Lili.” He laid the open folder down on the desk and spread out the crime scene photos. No horror movie could begin to compare.
All of the victims lay torn open across the images. Ribcages bent back like wings, limbs ripped clean off, ragged flesh hanging, and blood spattered everywhere. Jaws missing, deep claw marks marring each of the bodies, and very apparent teeth marks where the creature had bitten through flesh and gnawed on bones. Some hung from trees, some spread out across a field, draped out the railing of the main road out of town. Marcel looked away, leaning on the desk and focused on the team with a hard stare. “I won’t waste time with long-winded sentences. Whatever this thing is likes to claw and maul worse than any other thing that calls these woods home. It’s also apparently very, very hungry. There pieces of people missing we never expect to find,” he paused for a moment, blinking in a way that told how hard it was for him to keep his composure and appear calm.
Bringing up a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, he continued on to tell them, “A group of local hunters tracked it to where it’s been hiding when it isn’t hunting. Thank God it wasn’t there when they were. There are two officers stationed at the edge of the woods to more accurately mark which path you should followed, as there are several.” Managing to look up at the team again, his voice seemed rougher than when he started. “Head to the back of the police station and keep straight through the field towards the tree line. You’ll find them, they’ll point you in the right direction,” he pushed lightly off the desk to stand up straight, crossing his arms and leaning slightly on one foot more than the other, “unless there’s anything else you need to ask me?”
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Post by Stella Riordan on May 30, 2014 22:48:00 GMT -5
Stella didn’t bother to speak another word as she and Cecil were led into the station. She had focused her attention on yet another thing that was unrelated to what she should have been focusing on, and that was Cecil’s tone when he had talked. While nothing was wrong with how he spoke, infact it was perfectly in character, she had realized she had dropped the whole pride charade since coming here. One couldn’t blame the girl, of course. Stella was rather excited, and the only person she would be seeing again past this was Cecil, who was her partner. He most certainly would not be too bothered by such a thing as how she had just acted. But if he was...
Any shred of doubt in how she portrayed herself were swept from the girl’s mind as she entered the cabin. Why, this place was absolutely horrid looking! Clearly it was set up to be as functional as possible as opposed to actually having a working environment that didn’t give you eyesores all day. The blue that coloured all of the walls most definitely could not be helping the eye strain Marcel, and the other man who sat at a desk shoved in the corner, were obviously experiencing. That most likely came from tiredness, so the fact there wasn’t all that much light in the room wasn’t great either. Good thing Stella didn’t work here. She’d have gone crazy and left if she had to look at the wall colour for too much longer.
And that looked to be what one of the people stationed at the desks had done, or at least was in the process of doing. Though that was most likely not for the wall colour and more so due to the events occurring. One wouldn’t wish to be working at a job like this when a potential kishin was ripping apart the locals. A vase had also been placed on the desk, as well as a bunch of envelopes. Though Stella didn’t get much time to look at them as she walked by, they looked to be... sympathy cards? Odd. Perhaps that person who normally sat at that desk had been injured or something. Hopefully nothing worse, but who knows. Perhaps she would have deduced more should she have looked at the desk for a bit longer, but Stella didn’t wish to keep both Cecil and the officer waiting, or anything. Plus, Marcel had turned his head in the opposite direction as they had passed, so such an action would also be intrusive.
As the group entered the captain’s office, Marcel began to speak again. He had remained quiet for the most part, and didn’t say much now either. He was either a man of few words or the fatigue was just getting to him a little too much. He had said something about weak stomachs, alluding to the fact he was about to show them something in regards to the killings. Fortunately, Stella’s stomach wasn’t too weak. She could take looking at gruesome images or descriptions fine. What got to her was descriptions on how something felt. Like drowning, for example. The thought of such a thing happening to someone made her skin crawl, but she could stand looking at an already destroyed person, funnily enough.
However, the pictures Marcel had spread on the table were a bit worse than Stella had imagined. They were rather grotesque. The figures in them were almost hard to define as human, bent out of shape and absolutely coated in blood. They had been gnawed on heavily as well. Stella’s best attempts to keep a calm composure weren’t awful, but weren’t flawless either. Her breathing was suddenly stopped, as she held it. Stella also brought her left hand to her back, and was squeezing a handful of her coat’s cloth. She tried her best to not avert her gaze from the images, but that was proving rather difficult.
Stella had basically zoned out from most of what Marcel said next, as well as anything Cecil might have said. She did manage to hear his last few words, however. His voice had changed, which demanded Stella’s attention. Marcel then told them where they’d have to be going, and furthermore asked if they had any questions. ”Ah! No! I think we’re good...” The girl said, glancing at Cecil from the corner of her eye. She quite wanted to leave the station now, but best wait to make sure Cecil was ready as well.
((If Cecil intends to leave in your next post, just infer Stella followed.))
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Cecil Amier
Weapon
Demon Butterfly Swords
All the world's a stage, and I the leading actor
Posts: 46
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Post by Cecil Amier on Jun 1, 2014 16:47:46 GMT -5
Cecil nodded as the police chief turned to lead the two into the station. Whatever further intel they could receive on their mission could prove useful. He kept his mind firmly on the mission ahead, as his mind was already trying to think of how to go about fighting this thing. Under the assumption that the kishin was far removed from an anthropomorphic form, he attempted to discern what precautions he and Stella could take. He knew that his partner wasn't exactly sturdy; if that creature could pin her down, there wouldn't be much that could be done to stop it from outright eviscerating her. Unfortunately, keeping their distance wasn't exactly an option either, if they wanted to land a hit. Even then, with tooth and nail, the kishin could fend off any blows relatively easily. Clearly, the best course of action would be to limit the kishin's maneuverability, to restrain it in some way. Given the rural environment, they would most likely face the beast in a wooded area; perhaps they could set up some traps before confronting the monster.
How effective would such traps be, however? Cecil had only a cursory, second hand knowledge of the capabilities and strength of kishin eggs. Could it just rip apart the strongest rope? Could it just jump or climb out of any pitfall? Further deliberation would be required.
As his mind raced, trying to find a tactic that would give them the necessary upper hand, he gazed haphazardly about the interior of the police station while Marcel led the two further in. It wasn't a pleasant place; how could one work in such an environment? Surely the stress would hamper their efficiency. The sole deputy inside was certainly not in a state to be working. The boy also took note of a vase of flowers, along with a photo and a number of letters. Mourning: a police officer likely lost their life recently. Unfortunate, and a reminder to the boy of how pressing their mission was. Inside the captain's office, Cecil bore witness to the photos of the kishin egg's victims. The briefing did not do these scenes justice; Cecil's heart accelerated as looked upon the gore, and the disfigured cadavers. The sight made him light headed, and his planning stopped for a moment before he could regain his composure.
His muscles tensed, and he steadied his breath, listening carefully to the captain's directions. Cecil had to make sure that he and his meister avoided such a fate; he and Stella would have to plan very carefully, together, if they wanted to succeed. He brought his right hand up to his neck, and tugged at his scarf in a final fit of nervousness. "We should be able to take care of it from here, Captain. We'll make our way to woods post-haste." He turned to his partner, and patted her on the shoulder as he passed her on the way out. After he took a step out, he exhaled a sigh; he had to keep a calm head, any unnecessary adrenaline expended before the fight could prove fatal. He turned back as his meister followed him out of the station. "So, Stella, what do you make of the situation?" He asked, wanting to hear what her plans were before divulging his own; if he simply told her what he was thinking, after all, she might simply affirm such thoughts, rather than bring up her own, perhaps unique, insight to the matter.
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Post by The Sidhe on Jun 1, 2014 21:43:47 GMT -5
Seeing the team react to the crime scene photos was about what Marcel expected. Not unfazed but definitely not stone-faced. Somehow know that they were likely as upset as he was comforting in a way, but not nearly enough. With assurance that he was no longer needed, Marcel slowly gathered the photos back into their folder, trying very hard to be quick as not to dwell on them. Tossed the folder back over the records displayed over the desk, he turned haggard looking eyes on Stella and Cecil. “Best of luck to you,” he said somberly. He told himself he should sound more encouraging. Unfortunately the feeling of exhaustion coupled with tightly held back grief wouldn’t permit it. He watched the team go and sank heavily into his chair, dragging a hand over his face. He really hoped they wouldn’t find the bodies of two teenagers dragged through the fields tomorrow morning. The chill that lingered outside hadn’t relented at all, though the clouds looming overhead had grown vaguely darker. No rain fell yet, but it certainly threatened as much. Around the police station in the back as Marcel has said, the view for quite a ways was nothing but open fields. Knee-high grass looked to have been bent and blown by the wind accompanying the recent rains, wild flowers soaked with petals blown off and scattered. A thing layer of mist hung above them close to the vegetation, pale grey shifting slowly and growing thin as the day progressed. The ground was firm for the most part, but just wet enough for the dirt beneath to be slick. The chance of slipping was unlikely, but not out of the question. The trees looming ahead were dark and imposing. Old and several stories tall, the bark of the pines was dark with moisture, the needles a deep green, not having starting to grow again yet to appear more vibrant. They only looked somber, threatening, scraggly branches reaching across to one another and blocking a great deal of light from penetrating down into the underbrush. Shadows overtook the view only feet past the tree line, visibility still clear but feeling as though one were looking through a black and white filter. At the edge of the woods near the path nearest to the creature’s stomping ground was where Marcel said the two officers would be, acting as markers for their entrance into the unknown. Keeping straight they would certainly find the path, but a distinct lack of officers. One rifle lay forgotten on the ground, cocked in a way that told it was ready to fire, but that telling in that the wielder hadn’t gotten the chance to get a round off. Another lay nearby in two pieces, deep claw marks marring the edges and the metal snapped cleanly from where it had been struck. Blood stuck to the moistened dirt and ran down where it had spattered over bark, pooling among roots and stray spots of grass. More blood led inwards, steady lines marking the way and drag marks making it clearer. It would give the team an idea of how quickly their adversary worked. No screams had been heard, and the trees weren’t far enough from town for them to not at least sound distant, not even a mile out. It had slain them quickly and with ease, or at least made it impossible for them to cry out for help. That was the sort of speed to be wary of, and the stealth required to pull off such a bold move even more threatening still.
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Post by Stella Riordan on Jun 2, 2014 8:02:01 GMT -5
”Well, let’s go outside first.” Stella said. Her voice sounded a tad calmer now, though it was obvious she was forcing the calmness onto her words as opposed to actually being calm. Cecil didn’t have much choice in the manner, as not only did Marcel seem like he was expecting them to exit, but Stella had grabbed his arm and begun to walk outside herself. Of course, the likelihood of Cecil wishing to stay in the building was minimal anyway. Stella believed Cecil’s opinions on interior design would have to be just decent enough to appreciate the cold more than the horrid wall colours and the like.
Once the two had arrived outside, Stella brought a hand to her chin as she relayed what plans of attack might prove useful. ”Well... Let’s see... I’m guessing it’s canine or feline or something similar, judging by the claw and teeth marks. Though it looked to completely rip apart the bodies, I’d suggest that it would go for the neck. If I’m right saying it’s not human in the slightest, it can’t be sadistic and therefore wish to kill something slowly, so if it does get me I’m dead... However it only seems to attack with it’s claws or teeth.” Stella said. She had not really studied up too much on how to fight animals, but knew of self defense from them, at least slightly. ”That said... we should probably just attempt to stay in the creature’s blind spot. I try to do that anyway, but there’s an issue with such a plan. I’d imagine the kishin is fast. So...”
And that was just about where Stella’s ideas stopped. She didn’t know how to immobilize such a target. Plus, she was operating under assumption. The last time she had done that, it meant she underestimated her foe, and had no plan of attack until she had already been hurt. Best not do that again. Stella had no idea what kishins were like, of course. So, strategizing was difficult. She didn’t really fancy the idea of she or Cecil being ripped to shreds. Infact, the very thought made her shudder.
”Ah!” After a rather long pause, Stella spoke up again. ”Do you have any ideas, Cecil? Because honestly I should have studied up a bit more on kishins.”
With her last words, Stella gave a nervous giggle. Such was not a laughing matter, but her words were intended as a jest of sorts. Such a thing was a bit needed to calm herself down and attempt to remove the thoughts of impending doom from her head. If she overlooked something, she was dead. Not just her, Cecil would be dead too. She couldn’t let someone get killed due to her own error. Furthermore, more of the townspeople would be killed until Shibusen sent a much more powerful and experience team. Stella let out a soft sigh and turned her head from Cecil.
The two best head to the woods as soon as possible. When they did so, they’d have to be ready for combat at a moment’s notice. Actually, that was another problem. To use soul perception, Stella must enter a state of meditation. Ignore all of one’s senses. Though only lasting for a few seconds, she was completely vulnerable during that time. And the range was small too, so it wasn’t like she could do it far enough away that she could turn all her senses on again and be able to block any given attack. That was... troublesome.
Once Cecil had said his piece, Stella had thought some things over and realized that the best course of action would be actually knowing the terrain in the woods. Perhaps there was some clues there as well pertaining to possible methods of attack. ”How about we go check out the area?” She asked Cecil. His response, if any, was not warranted, however, for Stella was a bit too wrapped up in her own thoughts, and began to walk the direction of the forest, with or without Cecil.
Upon arrival to the entrance to the forest, Stella froze and tensed up slightly. There was quite a bit of blood on the ground. It was a bright red, meaning it was fresh, not yet mixed in with the mud and greenery. A rifle also lay down. Why was that there? And, wait, wasn’t there supposed to be officers here? As her mind began to connect the dots, the girl began to shake slightly. She looked as though she was saying something, as her lips moved, but no sound came out. After a pause, she suddenly yelled. ”Cecil! Be on your guard! It might have sensed us already!”
Perhaps is her soul perception had a wider range, Stella might have found it to be useful here. But, no. Eight feet was not enough. There were drag marks. She and Cecil would have to go into the woods further. Stella let out a deep breath to calm her nerves, then turned her attention to Cecil. ”Let’s go.” She said, almost at a whisper.
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Cecil Amier
Weapon
Demon Butterfly Swords
All the world's a stage, and I the leading actor
Posts: 46
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Post by Cecil Amier on Jun 8, 2014 5:30:15 GMT -5
Cecil nodded nonchalantly as Stella echoed his concerns that the kishin egg they were hunting would be of a primal and animalistic disposition. Such a beast would likely be better suited hunted by a team with a ranged weapon; like a fire arm. Regardless, they were here, and it was their task. Cecil was never one to fall to envy or bemoan his weapon form. Better to concentrate on how his twin butterfly swords form could be utilized in this scenario than dwell on hypothetical alternatives.
"I have a few ideas, yes." The boy affirmed his meister. "If we can, we should try to set up some traps. I have had some instruction in the skill of rigging up some simple ones. Though, that might take too much time and we might not have adequate resources. Further, if we assume this kishin has acute bestial traits, we can consider over stimulating its more sensitive senses. As unpleasant as it would be, assaulting it with a repugnant smell could prove a useful means of disorientating it or otherwise incapacitating it. Again, we are rather strapped on resources for that, but it may be feasible for us to scavenge some materials for an impromptu stink-bomb." Cecil had no assurance that any of that would be effective, but it was the best he could work off of with the information he had. "Further, a fear of fire might be taken advantage of. The kishin might not truly be harmed much by a torch or blaze, but it might still have an adverse reaction to it. This thing is mad, insane. If it thinks itself an animal than it might very well be cowed in such a manner."
There was too many variables, too many unknowns. They had to be both investigators and executioners. But, could Cecil count on his partner being able to stalk and hunt down such an experienced, and elusive predator? He feared that their chances of getting the drop on the kishin was slim; the monster had the home field advantage, and, though he'd never admit it, they had no experience of their own to work off of. He had to consider more possibilities, had to make contingency plans. He had to; he wasn't going to accept a death by so lowly a beast, and he would not allow that fate to fall onto Stella, either. What if they are caught flat-footed? What if their mark is cunning; an intelligent and calculating foe who sees the inevitability of being hunted down, and has made effort to prepare for such? Simply because the evidence has been brutal, doesn't necessarily mean the perpetrator is of a degenerate intelligence.
Before he could start to address those possibilities, Stella had turned and pressed on. Cecil did not wish to leave her unattended, almost as much as he wished to not be left alone in this harsh happen-stance, and so he followed along with a pace to match hers. He tried to realign his thoughts to what he was thinking, what others possibilities he had yet to consider. He couldn't get too attached to any one plan; he may have stated the most plausible ones he could think of to Stella, and he'd willingly follow through on those, but he couldn't help but be on alert. One fell raking is all that would be required to loosen his head from his shoulders, and the same could be said for his partner. That dreadful image was only cemented into Cecil's mind as he looked upon the fresh trail of blood, and the undeniable evidence of the swift and fearsome kills that were wrought in the scene before him. No body, no screams. In a moment he and Stella could disappear into the ether, never to be seen from again.
That thought paralyzed the boy; he wouldn't even be granted a final utterance? He would leave this world, not only young, but also pitifully silent? No survivors would even bear witness to his demise? His ruminations, his focused desire to claim an upper hand, were stalled, brought to a complete dead end. He stared absent minded for an uncharacteristically drawn out amount of time. Then, he heard a voice. Right! He... he couldn't let this kishin get the best of him! There was some one watching, after all! His senses snapped back to reality at Stella's call, and his muscles briefly convulsed as he tensed into a more alert state. "Right, stay close." He replied in a faint whisper, ready to follow her further.
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Post by The Sidhe on Jun 8, 2014 20:46:28 GMT -5
The grooves in the damp dirt were slight but clearly visible. Even the smallest of all stayed in view by the blood beginning to darken and congeal within them. The path was straight forward, easy to follow. A signpost perhaps twenty feet in bore a map of where it led and the area surrounding it, one in French and then again in English, protected from the elements by glass. The path they stood upon was marked in red, reaching through the stretch of forest that separated the main town from the farmland beyond. It split off perhaps five miles in, branching into blue that led towards the main road but then stopped. Green fork only a mile ahead of them, leading deeper into the woods to the point where it vanished off the side of the image.
The drag marks continued on past it, blood leading the way as well as clear finger marks. Thin lines marked them in the earth, desperately clawing as the officers had tried to free themselves from whatever had captured them. Visibility was surprisingly good. Though cold and grey, the gaps between trees held a similar glow to the clouds, reflecting the light dimly but well. The old pines seemed impossibly tall, their bases surrounded by ferns and moss. The marked turn off from the map appeared shortly, splitting off. But the tracks led past it.
Blankets of ivy appeared intermittently, small purple flowers filling any gaps between pointed leaves as they crept upwards on anything they could find to cling to. No animal highways appeared to be broken through the underbrush; no blood appeared to drench them. However, there wasn’t much sign of anything. No birdsong, not small footsteps from rabbits, not chattering from squirrels. Everything was eerily quiet in a way not at all natural of a forest, not matter how close to town it was. Even so, the path was at least clear. No fallen branches lie in their way.
But there was a gap. The drag marks came to a sudden stop along the way, reappearing five feet but not without leaving a large red stain to darken the dirt. A steady, slow drip could be heard as well off to the left. A steady stream of blood oozed along the bark of one of the thicker pines, pooling at the bottom in a substantial amount and coloring the flora red. Had the team the courage to look up, they would discover its gruesome source. The first officer stationed at the beginning of the trail awaited their eyes as he stared at nothing in particular through his.
He was hung from a branch that pierced through the bottom of his jaw and out through the top of his skull. Gutted from hips to sternum, the worst of the gore at least faced towards the tree and away from them aside from the entrails hidden beneath the underbrush, stinking of blood and with heat still rising to color the air in thin vapor. His legs had been torn off at the knees but were nowhere immediately in sight. Deep claw marks were visible on his back, and something had chewed at one stump of a leg.
The marks also appeared on the trunk of the tree, deep and catching. Whatever the creature was, the team now had even more reason to be wary. Not only did it tear and gnaw, I could also climb. If that didn’t put them on edge, then something nearby would. Distant enough to still be barely audible, the wet tearing of flesh and loud chewing drifted towards them. Wherever their target was, it had remained nearby to feast.
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Post by Stella Riordan on Jun 9, 2014 16:52:05 GMT -5
Though Cecil had given his ready for the two to press on, it took Stella quite a bit of time to turn her head away from him and back to where the grooves led. It took even longer for her to muster up the courage to continue to walk. Stella just knew that the guards would be messily ripped apart later in the path. Furthermore, she knew she wouldn’t be able to take such a sight. Her heart was pounding, her mind was racing, and her legs felt as though they might cave in any second now. These clear signs of fear weren’t too visible, fortunately, but what was was that of her grim expression, as well as the few beads of sweat that had formed on her forehead.
What was perhaps even more odd was how she was walking so close to her partner. Not something Stella normally did, but she felt as though she was about to fall over. The ground was muddy, and therefore not something one would wish to fall into. But, should she tremble, it was more probable for Cecil to catch her. Such a silly thought eased Stella’s mind, if only slightly. She was about to close her eyes, but then remembered that she must keep her guard up, even if she didn’t wish too. Besides, it was also probable she’d walk into a tree or something if she did so.
Stella didn’t note any of the scenery around her, nor did she note the lack of sounds. What she did note, however, was a rather strong scent. Such a scent made her head feel even lighter. At first, she couldn’t determine what the smell was precisely. All she knew was that it was strong. Determining the smell wasn’t necessary, of course, as the answer was just about to be given. Stella’s eyes had been doing nothing else but trace the drag marks, which had suddenly stopped, causing her to halt. ”...Huh?” The girl muttered to herself, before un-gluing her eyes from the ground and looking around a bit more. The marks began again a few feet afterwards the stop, with quite a bit of blood mixed into the earth around it.
There was also a sound that came immediately to attention, and that was a dripping sound. It might have just been water, but that didn’t seem right. Such sounds had not been present before. As Stella turned her head, she discovered that the dripping was not caused by water, but instead another substance. Blood, to be precise. Her whole body tensed up and froze, but her curiosity would not simply allow her to not inquire further to the source of the blood. The girl quickly darted her eyes up the tree to be met by another pair of eyes, though they didn’t look at her. No, they gazed off beyond her. The rest of the body had been completely ripped apart, and impaled.
The girl was unable to do anything as she stared at the dead officer. Even though she had braced her mind as much as she possibly could for such a sight, it was far worse seeing it in person. She wanted to scream, but not only were her lips been glued shut, but her throat felt dry and swollen. The rest of her body felt numb, most especially her head. She felt as though she was about to faint, but instead stumbled backwards, and into Cecil.
The contact caused a quick rush of energy through Stella’s body as her adrenaline kicked in, causing her to spin around, then quickly jumped backwards. Once she had finally realized it was Cecil she had bumped into, the girl brought her arms over her chest. ”...Sorry.” She said quickly, averting her eyes to the ground. Stella then brought a hand up to her face, trying to calm her nerves slightly by pinching the bridge of her nose.
Stella’s racing heart had blocked out all other faint sounds she could have possibly heard. Now would be an optimum time for using soul perception, as the kishin might just be within it’s range. Stella had not really polished her soul perception ability, so the fact it was only eight feet in range meant it might be a bit of a stretch to suggest the kishin was within that range, but she might as well try. No, wait. That wasn’t possible with the state her mind currently was. She’d have to calm down somehow.
The girl then closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. The only thing she could take refuge in was the fact she wasn’t alone. The fact was only somewhat comforting, but it was enough to allow Stella to slow her breathing and heartbeat enough for her to hear another new sound. The sound of tearing. But not tearing, like paper, or anything. No, whatever was being teared sounded wet. The first thing that came to Stella’s mind was flesh, causing her head to grow dizzy again. That was obviously where the kishin was, so the two of them best get moving if they wished for the upper hand. ”Alright... Cecil, let’s go.” Stella said softly, extending a hand and waiting for Cecil to transform into his weapon form. They’d head towards the sound as soon as possible.
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Cecil Amier
Weapon
Demon Butterfly Swords
All the world's a stage, and I the leading actor
Posts: 46
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Post by Cecil Amier on Jun 25, 2014 5:04:35 GMT -5
A, seemingly, long pause of silence and inactivity greeted Cecil when he had affirmed to his partner to stay close as they moved onward. He couldn't be sure that wasn't just his perception, however. All around them was quiet; no external activity to make reference to. Just the boy and his young meister standing, knowing they had to press on but with an ever growing dread gnawing at them. The prideful boy couldn't let such show, for he had already convinced himself that he would not disappear into this remote forest and never be seen again by the outside world. If only his nerves would so easily be steeled.
It was getting awkward, just standing there at the start of a gruesome trail, staring t one another. But it was her, the meister, that was supposed to lead, right? Or maybe not; is it not the weapon's job to protect, to guard and escort their meister? At least, that's what Cecil's mother had tried to teach him. Shibusen didn't seem to promote any one type of dynamic between partners, from what the at-times lackadaisical student had gleamed.
Before he could ponder further into this quandary, Stella turned away, the sudden, fluid movement catching Cecil's eyes and snapping him out of his reverie. Now was not the time to worry about such things; they were hot on the trail of a beast that required their undivided attention.
After a moment, Stella proceeded forward, her focus seemingly upon the trail. So long as he kept close to her, Cecil figured he could pay more attention to the wider picture of the setting as a whole. Cecil didn't have too much experience in the 'great outdoors' as it were. He grew up in a big city, and held little interest in such activities as a hobby; however, his family inevitably dragged him along on a few camping trips, and if there was one thing imprinted upon him by those trips, it would be that there was always the sounds of life filling the air, a white noise that fluctuated between periods of comfortable rustlings and caw-ings and any number of individual sounds he, an inexperienced woodsman, couldn't attribute to anything in particular, and irritating buzzing, courtesy of highly inconsiderate arthropods.
There was no such white noise. It was as if though the woods were a ghost town, or whatever the equivalent would be for wild-life. Was this kishin so crazed as to have savaged the local fauna to extinction? No, more likely the sheer presence of such a tainted soul drove away anything with a method of locomotion. All that was left were the sedentary trees; the only indication any other life was ever here, serving their remaining days standing to the cause of being monuments to the loss suffered, here amongst the grass and back in the rain soaked streets of L’Etape.
Cecil allowed his eyes to drift downward, his expression as grim as to be expected of the melancholy situation and his gloomy ruminations. He only barely registered that Stella halted, and in a moment the girl stumbled backwards and into him. Startled, she spun around and stepped jumped away. "It's fine..." he assured her, quietly, trying his best to feign a smile to help comfort her. The best he could manage was to appear more neutral than solemn; though, something apparently had to have taken her aback in the first place. That's when he finally paid attention to his sense of smell. He never had the most sensitive of olfactory receptors, and often blocked out such information as useless whilst thinking or intently watching or listening. It was a blind spot of his, in a sense. Typically didn't matter so much; however, there were times such as these where a keener nose would've alerted him sooner.
It was a pungent smell. He quickly tried to focus on anything else to disregard it; which is when he heard faint dripping. He looked towards where the liquid was coalescing; and stopped his sight from moving further. That certainly wasn't water, and if it was dripping down, that could only mean one thing. He rationalized that he had no need to bear witness to the origin of that 'leak'. He knew what it was. Truly, he didn't have the nerve to do so. If it got Stella shaken already, it would not be wise of him to follow suit. For all he knew, he wouldn't be able to take it in any better than she did.
Cecil instead chose to focus on Stella. She was trying to calm herself, to level her head as well as her breathing. The boy had to admire such attempts at composure, for he was bearing little better himself. For what it was worth, the two of them were at least in each other's company for this. He took some solace in that, but it too laid a layer of further concern to him. He had to be perfect here, he could truly afford no error. To err on one's own stakes held nothing as weighty in comparison to this, the shared responsibility. He heard the distant evisceration, and logically knew that there was no more time for idle dallying. The girl before him seemed to have braced herself for the next act. "On we go then, Stella," Cecil echoed, clasping her offered hand with his. After a moment or two, his figure was nowhere to be seen; in Stella's hands, a pair of single edged swords took said figure's place in the world. "Keep your guard up," the weapon communicated. He thought it pertinent to address that specifically; her habit of leaving holes in her defense had proved a troublesome attribute in the past, and now was not the time to bar such concerns from discussion.
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Post by The Sidhe on Jun 26, 2014 14:33:47 GMT -5
The drag marks and messy red lines led straight on, keeping to the path the team had traversed since entering the forest. Blood seemed to stick to the damp earth rather than spatter, but then there was no reason for it. Ferns and leaves were barren of random splotches only because the other officer had been very, very dead. The creature had no need to harm him any further to make him lie still and quiet in its grasp. Every now and again, the marks would shift and pause, leaving imprints that suggested that grip was adjusted. There were also vague footprints obscured by blood and haphazardly disturbed dirt. They were no bigger than an average human man’s. The unsettling part were the points dug in beyond the toes. Claws that likely added traction to boost speed. Big ones. From where they started, the Meister would be unable to spot their target with her perception. It was greater than eight feet from them, the sounds of it feasting close but not quite close enough. But as they progress the wet sound of ripping flesh and loud chewing grew more audible. With how silent the forest was of the usual ambient noise, it traveled easily. A decent way further down the path, the drag marks veered off to the right and disturbed a clear path of red through bent flora towards a break in the trees. The creature was still beyond eight feet, but from between the trees the team hardly needed it to see what they were looking for. Through tall pines and leaning ferns, there was a dip in the earth clearer than the rest of the forest floor perhaps one hundred feet in, blank from a lack of sun exposure. Dried patches of blood colored the dampened dirt darker than it really was, something vile growing along them. Gnawed bones littered the site and chunks of forgotten or undesired flesh lay scattered about to create a putrid smell at they decayed. In the center of the clearing lay the other missing officer, head lulled to the side facing thankfully away from them, his throat ripped out to the spine. Any other gore was hidden from view for the moment by the creature crouched and leading off of his currently biting into the missing leg belonging to the other officer, head jerking sharply as it ripped through flesh. It was thin, appearing emaciated yet somehow retaining muscle, the mechanics of which showed clearly as it moved. Its skin was so deathly pale it was near translucent, greying and sick looking. Each point along its spine could be seen, and its shoulder blades jutted out sharply as though trying to leave their owner’s body. Even from the back, it was easy to count each rib one by one. It had no hair to speak off. Whether it had fallen out or been torn out was a mystery. On either side of its head near the front were two stag antlers, each at least two feet in length. The prongs gleamed with old blood, sharp points used to assist in the goring of its victims. From that back, this was all that was visible. As the team grew closer, it would pause, becoming eerily still. It lifted its head, leaning it jerkily to one side, listening. It inhaled, sharp and shallow breaths, trying to catch a scent, but with the overwhelming amount of blood present and with hunger tearing at its stomach even now, it was too difficult. Its shoulders hunched and its head lowered as it bit into its meal, the sound of tearing meat and ravenous chewing clear as day. For now, it had not noticed the team’s presence behind it. Yet.
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Post by Stella Riordan on Jun 27, 2014 12:54:55 GMT -5
Though Stella had the comfort of now being armed, she was still rather nervous. The girl was pretty sure she stood no chance. It would have been good to know she was taking on a fast foe before she decided this mission would be the ideal one. Sure, she had mostly chosen it because she had always wished to travel to Quebec, but regardless. She was done for, unless she could pull off some kind of miracle. Unlikely, as Stella wasn’t really the lucky sort.
The second officer would have to be the one the kishin was gnawing on right now. Such a thing was problematic. The sight of another torn up body might distract her from the kishin itself, and errors would be something she couldn’t afford. As she walked, she tried to note everything on the ground. Not much of interest, other than footprints. The thing had long nails, as expected, which meant she had probably been right to assume it canine or similar.
Any thoughts further about the footprints were silenced by a dizzy feeling. The smell of rotting flesh and blood had only gotten stronger. It was obvious they approached the creature. The tracks eventually led to a clearing. It was absolutely littered with bones and flesh, but none of that was really in Stella’s immediate attention. She froze and tensed up, for the kishin was right there. Fortunately, it had it’s back turned.
Though the second officer was just as much of a horrid sight, it didn’t cause Stella to lose her mind quite as much as the first one. She was not only focusing more of her attention on the kishin, but the scene itself looked as though it came from a horror movie. Stella took a deep breath, and began to walk forward again. The action had caused the kishin to freeze. The kishin then turned it’s head, looking to be listening for further movement. Stella froze yet again, and quieted her breathing. Fortunately, it didn’t seem to notice her. ”Odd... It should have seen me. Perhaps it’s blind, then? If so, it’s basing everything of of what it hears, and what it smells.” The girl thought to herself as she studied the creature. It was certainly ugly looking, having most physical traits of what a human would consider diseased. Balding, thin, pale, etc. The antlers also looked like they could do her some harm. ”I doubt it can smell well right now, so everything is based on sound. So long as I stay quiet, I’ll be fine. I’ll just need to watch out for those bones on the ground...”
Stella’s original plan was to simply run up to the thing and try to slice it’s neck open. It was obvious, with the kishin’s back turned and all. She would be staying in it’s blind spot, and attacking what was generally a weak point. However, such an action seemed far too easy. If it really was blind, like she suspected, the fact it’s back was turned meant nothing. It’d be good to keep it in the clearing, as the thing could climb and possibly get the upperhand if there were too many trees around. However, Stella would be charging right into danger. Not a good call. She definitely couldn’t overpower this thing, though she might be able to outsmart it.
”If all it can do is hear what actions I take, I can probably confuse it to thinking I’m somewhere I not. The question is how to go about doing that. There’s no animals around I could possibly scare, so...” As the girl thought, she let her eyes drift around the surrounding area. Not much to work with. The only things she could do anything with were the bones and flesh scattered about. That’d have to do. ”A bit grotesque, but it’s not like I have any better ideas...”
Carefully holding both of Cecil’s blades in her left hand as to allow her to use her right hand, Stella began to walk over to where one of the gnawed at bones were. She then picked it up, trying to hold as little of it as possible. All the while trying to remain as quiet as humanly possible. The girl barely even breathed as to not make noise that could be heard over the kishin ripping apart the second officer. She then backed up to stand at the edge of the clearing, right beside one of the pine trees. The idea was not to be hidden from view, as the girl needed to see the kishin. However, she could duck behind it if the kishin were to charge at her.
”Okay... Now to just...” Stella brought the hand holding the bone up, then attempted to throw it at the side of the clearing opposite her. It landed with a soft sound. ”Ah... I doubt that was loud enough. Well, guess we’ll see...”
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Cecil Amier
Weapon
Demon Butterfly Swords
All the world's a stage, and I the leading actor
Posts: 46
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Post by Cecil Amier on Jul 2, 2014 16:02:37 GMT -5
As a weapon, Cecil had steadily grown accustomed to the idea that often it would be his meister calling the shots. It was to be safely assumed that they would take some sort of action before his input. But, just because it was to be expected, didn't make it any less irksome to the peculiar boy to be so hands-off. And so it was, that as Stella hid behind a tree, Cecil was bothered. The monster, who he only had a vague sense of, would not so easily be deterred by it, and drawing it into the trees would only give it an advantage.
It was still a bit difficult for him to observe things carefully, especially things at a distance, whilst in his weapon form, and that only further drew his ire. At least in a spar or similarly controlled environment, he could focus more easily on the combatants. But, in this case, and future missions, there was so many other variables he had to divide his attention to. This would have to be something he would have to work on; he wasn't so arrogant as to ignore where he needed growth. He hoped that absorbing kishin souls would expedite such expertise, but for the moment he had to work as is.
"Stella, what are you doing? Stay away from the trees! Our odds, should it come to us, would be better in the clearing." Cecil communicated to his meister, "we already know it's quick and agile, an adept climber. We'd be stuck in two dimensions of movement whilst giving it a third." Even considering that, however, Cecil wasn't too keen on the alternative either. It really seemed that they were outclassed in most every capability by this kishin.
The meister threw a small object, apparently trying to draw he attention of the kishin away. Cecil wasn't sure how Stella was planning to even follow that up; putting it more on alert to then try and launch an attack didn't seem to have any advantages over the more straightforward tactic of simply rushing at it at the first opportunity. Unless they were gonna use the window of time it's distracted to set themselves up for an assault, somehow. They didn't exactly have much to work with, after all, "what are you planning, Stella?"
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