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Post by The Sidhe on Mar 16, 2013 1:52:47 GMT -5
The weather was determined to be as juxtaposed with the current demeanor of the townspeople as possible. The sun shone brightly down upon the town, illuminating it in the shimmering golden light that came with spring time. The usually dark looking forest seemed almost pleasant and far less ominous than it did during the colder times of the year. The sun and recent rains made everything vibrantly green, giving the entire place a lively feel. The houses consisted of several stories for the most part, looking more like old apartments made of a stone ground floor and wooden upper stories. Every shutter was closed, even in the case of the shops. Cobblestones paved the roads and pathways, not that there were many cars. For most part everyone was walking although it would be a sight indeed to spy a child. There weren’t many left anymore, not in Zeil anyway. Several of the adults were huddled outside the town’s only bar, whispering to each other of the missing little ones that had been snatched right from under their noses. Some expected an old myth, other believed there were dealing with someone from within the town, but none of them could really know for sure and that had everyone on edge. It could be their neighbor, their brother, their best friend. They had no way of knowing who or indeed what was taking their children from them. A good number of people were dressed in black. Many a child had turned up as little more than a withered corpse over the last few weeks. Gretel’s mother was no different, having donned a black dress for several days to show her grief for her children being taken from her. There was no sign of her son Hansel, but she could only assume the worst. Gretel hadn’t seen her brother in quite some time. She tugged gently on her mother’s skirts only to be ignored. She was too busy weeping at the window she’d shared with Hansel to notice her apparently. Fine then, she’d walk to the square by herself. Hugging the melancholy woman around the shoulders, Gretel tried to give her hope, “Mach dir keine sorgen, mama, hilfe ist auf dem weg. Sie werden die anderen finden, du wirst sehen.“((Don’t worry, mama, help is on the way. They’ll find the others, you’ll see.)) She earned no response from her mother. Gretel sighed and spared her one last glance before wandering silently out of the house. She never seemed to be able to get her attention anymore no matter how hard she tried. Outside she was glad it was so bright. It would make the upcoming trek through the woods easier. She hoped those students that were supposed to be on their way didn’t mind a bit of a walk. Gretel had seen the bad thing a ways in amongst the trees so they would need to search pretty hard. She was sure she remembered where it was, though! There was a marker, she’d been smart and placed it there! With any luck, the rains hadn’t washed it away. Despite the sun, the little girl still felt cold. It wasn't as though she wasn't dressed properly for the early spring. A red dress with a skirt that puffed out around her with traditional town detailing about the hem. Her coat was just heavy enough and the black boots were more to be sure that she didn't stain her white tights running through the mud. Rubbing her hands together, Gretel tried to breathe into them to warm herself a bit but to no avail. Pouting, she made her way towards the middle of the square at a fairly brisk pace. She didn’t want to be late after all! Blonde hair flying behind her in the form of two long braids, her blue eyes kept an eye out for anyone she didn’t know. The town was small so she would recognize anyone who could be the students just by not recognizing them. She found that ironic in a humorous sort of way and giggled a bit, kicking up her heels as she ran. Gretel couldn’t help but be excited. The situation may have been dire, but with their help she could find her brother and her mother would stop crying! She knew he was alive, she just needed to find him! Reaching the square, Zeil really wasn’t much in terms of interesting things to look at. There were a few vendors selling tourist items from old wooden carts and there was a small fountain in the middle of brightly colored tiles, all with a different design for each family that had lived or still inhabited Zeil. Gretel skipped over them in twos, pausing by the fountain’s side and seating herself promptly. Looking around, she didn’t see anybody yet that she hadn’t seen almost every day since she was born. Rummaging through her coat pocket, she could have sworn she had change to toss into the water to make a wish. Maybe she’d dropped it running away the other day. No matter, Hansel would be safe no matter what. He was her little brother, and with the help of these students she could save him! Looking out, the forest was in very plain view. The Black Forest was vast and at times treacherous, but Gretel had played in it since she was old enough to walk. She knew the paths like the back of her hand. The sun that shone down and illuminated the vast expanses of green made the looming trees several stories high seem not so intimidating at all. A small smile ghosted over her lips. They’d find Hansel for sure.
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Lavender Pratchett
Weapon
Demon Queen Anne Pistol
Because I'm a Lady, that's why!
Posts: 47
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Post by Lavender Pratchett on Mar 20, 2013 1:25:49 GMT -5
Lavender was not happy. First, they had stuck her in coach on the airplane. Coach!! Economy class! Sitting very close to other people! Lavender spent the entirety of the plane flight feeling cramped and violated by the person in front of her who moved his chair back in reality imperceptibly, but to Lavender it was basically in her lap and she was ready to call it a day. She was used to riding First Class and was no resolved to never ride anything but First Class for the rest of her natural life. She didn't care if Cyrus was sick of her complaining. She had felt the need to scrub everything and was incredibly wary of the in-flight food they served even though it was really not much different than the food they served in First Class. In any case, the pinkette was more than ready to get away from the airport and onto the mission, where poor people didn't serve her cheap soda. Her high heels clacked on the cobblestone roads of Zeil as she strode confidently toward the meeting area. She would have loved a car to shuttle them directly, but apparently everyone walked here. Usually, Lavender would have made a fuss, but today they were not here to sight-see. They were on a mission - in fact, the first Lavender had ever been on. She often glanced over at her partner, smug look on her face as she re-applied lip gloss, pocket mirror at the ready, expertly making up her face as she walked. This was going to be a peice of cake. She capped the gloss and snapped her compact shut with a flick of her wrist. "I can't believe we have to follow the command of a little kid," She said, a bit dismissively. Lavender couldn't quite get used to the fact that their only source of information was a young girl. It seemed like an inaccurate way to go about finding a Kishin, but she supposed she'd put up with it for now. It seemed too dangerous to be bringing a kid into such a dangerous situation, but Lavender held in her complaints - for once. Almost at the fountain, she turned to her meister, one hand on her hip and the other stifling a yawn. "So, where are we meeting the contact?"
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Post by Cyrus Owen on Mar 22, 2013 9:45:43 GMT -5
Anxious was the most fitting description of how Cyrus felt. He had tried to remain calm and downplay any worry he had. Donning a pair of camouflage pants tucked into combat boots, a simple black t-shirt, and a Shibusen jacket over that for the weather in Zeil he was as prepared as he was going to be. After meeting with Lavender they were to get on a plane and head out. Cyrus did find her choice in outfit a tad unfitting but figured it wouldn’t be a problem, especially after she transformed into her weapon form. As long as she was in her gun form the outfit didn’t really matter.
He had noticed the beginning of her mood shift as they were preparing to get on the plane. This only progressed once they were actually on board and headed for Germany. After learning that the cause was the plane that had been prepared for them Cyrus relaxed some. He remained impassive for the majority of the trip and allowed Lavender to complain without comment. The class of the plane didn’t bother him any but he could see how it could be an annoyance to someone like Lavender. Cyrus used his time on the flight to think about the mission at hand and try to come up with a plan.
Landing in Zeil Cyrus was glad to get off the plane. Even without Lavender’s complaints he wasn’t overly fond of being cramp up in a small space like that for too long. Walking out alongside his weapon the clacking of her heels was joined by the thumping of his boots. Hopefully they could deal with this in a more direct manner, stealth wasn’t his strongest point and even more so in heavy combat boots. If it did come down to that he hoped the dirt of the woods would muffle any noise he made.
Glancing over at Lavender he saw her applying makeup and apparently without worry. Maybe a tad overconfident all things considered. He understood how she could be at the least confident in their own abilities but Cyrus was still worried if only because this was their first mission. Regardless of how well he shot he had never gone up against some crazy soul eating monster before. Repressing his worry he took on a more confident look and continued on, if his partner was confident he should be too. Besides, they wouldn’t know how things went until they were out there.
When Lavender spoke Cyrus had to agree. The fact that they had to follow a child did bother him more than he would have liked. Wasn’t there someone else who could help them, preferable someone with some useful skill to offer? Apparently this girl had escaped the kishin they were after so she did have the most useful information but it still sat wrong with him. ”I agree on that, it’d be much more convenient without someone so…vulnerable as our aid.” Having to protect a child and kill a monster were a lot to ask for but Cyrus would make sure he was up for the task. Protecting others was what he was supposed to do.
As Lavender turned to face him Cyrus did the same to face her. Where were they supposed to meet their contact? That was a good question indeed. Looking up Cyrus thought for a moment to try and remember what the mission flyer had said. Remembering he looked back down at Lavender. ”The sheet said they would be waiting by the edge of the woods for us.”Well at least it was close to where they had to go anyway to fight the thing. With any luck the kishin might even be near the edge of the woods and easy to find, but somehow he doubted that.
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Post by The Sidhe on Mar 22, 2013 19:35:20 GMT -5
A cloud blocked out the sun for a brief period, making Gretel shiver. Rubbing her arms, she swore it was just her acting like it was freezing, but then maybe the adults were more resilient. After all it was still spring. Winter had gone for the most part, but Zeil seemed to cling to that crisp air that was barely cold enough to be noticeable. Stuffing her hands into her pockets, the girl kicked her feet and gazed about. Everyone looked so gloomy, not that she could blame them. By her count, there were at least twenty missing children, her little brother being among those more recently taken. That was the only reason she held out hope that Hansel was still alive was that he’d only disappeared a week ago at most.
The clouds receded and the sun illuminated the square once more. Her blonde hair seemed not unlike she had a halo about the top of her head, though she when looked up again it didn’t last. Blue eyes scanning the square, she spotted two people who were most definitely not from Zeil. A smile gracing her lips, the girl figured that had to be them, but there was only one way to know for sure that they weren’t just some tourists. Waiting for them to get a bit closer, Gretel scrambled to her feet to stand on the side o the fountain. A mother passing with her child saw her reflection in the rippling water and pointed to it only to be told to hush.
Placing her hands on her hips, Gretel squinted at the pair. Oh yes, they were definitely not from around here. That dress the girl wore was fan iced than she’d ever seen anyone in town wear, and Zeil wasn’t exactly full of military types like the boy. Letting her smile turn into a full on grin, she let out a giggle and jumped up and down, waving her arms,
“Hallo! Over here!”
She would only wait until they noticed her. Oh she hoped they noticed her! It was so difficult to get any attention these days with everyone either in mourning or a state of near frantic paranoia. Once their eyes found her Gretel would hop down off the fountain and take off towards the woods. That was their real meeting place; really, she just wanted a better viewpoint to find them with, ergo the fountain.
Gretel went dashing through the square, weaving in and around people expertly. Even though she certainly managed to avoid running into anyone, the townspeople didn’t even seem to really notice her. The same little girl that had pointed to her reflection seemed to notice her just fine, giggling and clapping her hands at how fast the blonde was going. Still, she would be easy to follow and catch up with. Even if the team did somehow manage to lose her in the complete lack of a crowd, she would be easy to spot with her blonde braids and bright red dress. She would also pause every now and again before turning corners and passing by houses,
"This vay, this vay! Follow me!"
Once she reached the end of the cobblestones, she came to a screeching halt. Where the cobblestones ended was where the dirt path began, and just beyond fifteen feet were the woods. Up close, they appeared far more imposing, even in the glittering light of spring. The vibrant green was swallowed up by shadow, and only ten feet in was far darker with the higher boughs blocking most of the sunshine. It was still perfectly visible, though, so they wouldn’t have a problem traversing the terrain, especially with Gretel at their side.
Still, now that she was so close she seemed nervous. The forest no longer belonged to Zeil, it belonged to her. Fidgeting, Gretel felt another chill go through her and closed her eyes. She wished her mother would have agreed to come with her, but she didn’t seem to hear her daughter when she’d asked. She was so busy crying her sobbing drowned out everything else. That just meant Gretel would have to bring back Hansel for sure! Opening her eyes with a look of new determination in them, she turned and held her arms behind her back. Clicking her heels together, she stood at mock attention and waited for the students to catch up to her with a playful smile upon her face.
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Lavender Pratchett
Weapon
Demon Queen Anne Pistol
Because I'm a Lady, that's why!
Posts: 47
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Post by Lavender Pratchett on Mar 26, 2013 23:50:12 GMT -5
Hearing the piping cry of a young child, Lavender glanced toward the fountain. There was a small girl there, dressed in bright red, easily identifiable. Everyone around was wearing dark, dull colors, and the vibrant red stood out boldly against the gloom of the day as the sun went behind a cloud. Lavender raised a hand to greet her, but the little girl turned and ran, speeding off towards the woods.
"H-hey!" Lavender nearly squealed, balling her hands into fists. "It's not polite to run away from people you need to talk to!" The last words were almost a shout, and as the little girl ran further away, Lavender's gaze became determined. "Come on, Cy," she said, and with very little more said, she began sprinting after the young girl.
Lavender had learned early on that if she wanted a few extra inches of height, she had to wear heels. She was more comfortable in them than anything else, wearing them constantly, doing everything but actual boxing in them, so it was only natural that running in them would be no large feat for the pinkette. She ran in heels like they were running shoes. It helped that the bright red cloak of Gretel was an easy landmark to follow, if that was who she was following - it could just be a village child being obnoxious.
Then again, what other child would so purposefully lead them to the woods?
Lavender threaded through the crowd, sprinting around people with relative ease, running around corners, checking every so often to see if Cyrus had followed her. If he couldn't keep up with a little girl and a lady in heels, then Lavender had no sympathy for his slowness.
The little girl stopped at the end of the cobblestones, and Lavender slowed to a halt nearby, barely panting. Her boxing workouts kept her in good shape, so a sprint through the town wasn't too difficult, although she was breathing a little hard. She put her hands on her hips and wheezed slightly. "Kid," she said, "What's with all the running? And are you Gretal? The contact, that's supposed to lead us into the woods?" She managed, finally gaining her second wind as she stretched her back out. "But seriously, what's with the running?"
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Post by Cyrus Owen on Apr 2, 2013 18:21:50 GMT -5
Cyrus wasn’t sure exactly what they should be looking for to identify their contact but a little girl yelling was not a first choice. After hearing the shouts it was pretty unlikely that they were for anyone other than the team. If someone else was the target of the shouts there probably would have been a name thrown out at some point. Cyrus turned in the direction of the voice to see some small girl wearing easily noticeable red attire. Well at the least they knew who they were supposed to be meeting up with. That was until she went running off for some reason.
Lavender’s reaction was essentially what Cyrus thought. Why get their attention and then run away? It didn’t make any sense to him but there wasn’t much Cyrus could do about it except catch up to the girl and figure out why she bolted. Hearing the same idea from Lavender before she went off after the girl Cyrus followed . His boots more suitable for running it was easy to keep up with Lavender as well as all the numerous laps he had to run under his father’s training. At least the mission was familiar enough to him so far.
If anything Cyrus did have to give Lavender some credit. He was used to running but she was doing just fine even in her not so common choice in footwear. At least she wasn’t having difficulty following the girl, but he would expect no less from his weapon. She did have at least one advantage on him and that was weaving through the people. Most were aware enough to give him room but he wasn’t nearly as nimble as Lavender and slipping through the crowds of people slowed him down ever so slightly, staying as close as he could to Lavender even with this difficulty.
At the end of the cobblestone path everyone came to a halt. First the girl then Lavender followed shortly by Cyrus himself. Like Lavender the run wasn’t too rough on Cyrus and after stopping a few moments to catch his breath and he was good to go. Anything that needed to be said was spoken by Lavender so Cyrus waited for a response. Glancing behind the girl he eyed up the forest that they would be heading into. Apparently there was a monster in there for them to hunt down and the forest certainly looked menacing enough.
”Really now, hard to help if you’re running away.”
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Post by The Sidhe on Apr 2, 2013 20:20:29 GMT -5
They’d followed her well, that was a good sign! Their speed may very well come in handy within the woods, although Gretel couldn’t be certain of that. Sureness of their footing would be of greater assistance to them once they were in amongst the trees, but the blonde could worry about that later. For now it seemed that the students were a bit peeved with her for running off. Totally understandable, entirely her fault. If Gretel was regretful of her actions she certainly didn’t show it. She may have pouted in shame if only for a split second before the mischievous grin reappeared.
In response to the pink haired girl’s line of questioning, she first let out a giggle. It seemed that out of the two she was perhaps a bit past peeved, more a little bit displeased with her behavior. Again, Gretel’s fault entirely but at the moment she wasn’t concerned with being on her best behavior. She was to lead them into the woods, but she would answer their questions first of course. It was only polite. Shrugging her shoulders, she merely responded,
“I had to be sure it vas you two I vas looking for. After all, who else but two Shibusen students vould follow me to the edge of the voods? Nobody in this town, not by a long shot vith so many children missing.”
She paused then, curtsying and smiling up a the too,
“I am Gretel, you are correct! I vill be your guide through Der Schwarzwald. A good thing too! It’s easy to become lost once the paths disappear.”
It was true. Many a hiker had gotten lost in the woods near Zeil. Most were smart enough to carry flares or emergency radios. An unfortunate few had not or had lost their footing with others having misjudged where they were and taking a tumble off a cliff or drop off. The Black Forest was treacherous terrain to be certain, but Gretel knew it like the back of her hand. It was a favorite play area for the kids in the village, or at least it had been. It wasn’t so much anymore. Too many funerals and too many missing for the forest to be frequented anymore.
At the young man’s words, Gretel did adopt a more sheepish posture to at least show she was apologetic. Her blue eyes darted briefly to the ground and she fiddled with the end of one of her braids before glancing up at the two,
“I know, and there vas probably a better vay to get your attention, but I vanted to find and lead you here and into the voods as fast as possible. Many of my friends are missing, and my little brother too. I only vish to find them, and vith your help I know it is possible!”
Regaining her confidence, Gretel clasped her hands behind her back and gazed up at the two students with nothing but hope and determination in her eyes,
“Is there anything specific you’d like to know before ve head in or shall I lead on?”
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Lavender Pratchett
Weapon
Demon Queen Anne Pistol
Because I'm a Lady, that's why!
Posts: 47
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Post by Lavender Pratchett on Apr 6, 2013 14:18:52 GMT -5
Well, at least the kid looked like she was sorry for bolting like she did. Lavender crossed her arms, looking (if it was possible) both annoyed and thoughtful. It wasn't ideal that they'd have to rely on such a young girl for guidance, but she looked like she was genuinely worried for her friends and brother. Lavender put her fists on her hips and exhaled, thinking if there was anything they needed to know before heading into the woods.
Gretel had only seen a glimpse of a Kishin, so asking about that would be pointless, and in any case knowing what it looked like would only tell them how ugly it was. There was nothing to gain from that. Lavender gave Cyrus a look, shrugging at him to let him know she had no ideas, but as soon as she had turned back she thought of something very important - perhaps the most important question of all.
"Are there going to be spiders in the forest?? Or - ugh - those tangly vine things that drop down and get that nasty moss all over you? And if there's mud I'll be severely put out, I just got these shoes-"
Leave it to Lavender to be primarily concerned with her clothing, but her qualms belied actual worry. If the terrain was difficult, it could make running after a Kishin or even finding one at all more arduous, especially if it was familiar with the area. If there were a lot of branches and vines, there could be things that blocked an accurate shot of the pistol. Of course, Lavender wasn't quite thinking of things in this vein, as she was more concerned with brambles ripping her dress, but they rose to her mind as she complained. Vain as she might have been, Lavender wasn't completely blinded by her fashion. She simmered down, patting her hair into place, before going on.
"Oh, yeah. I guess the last place you saw your brother would be a good place to start, too."
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Post by Cyrus Owen on Apr 11, 2013 14:30:13 GMT -5
It was good that they had managed to catch up to the girl but she didn’t seem terribly off put at causing them additional problems. Cyrus didn’t press the issue though; they had more important matters to attend to. Perhaps they would have a chat with Gretel’s parents after but that was the least of his concerns. At the moment the woods it front of them were the more menacing then the bad behavior of a little girl. At least she had some logical reason for her actions but that didn’t excuse her from them. He was too used to his strict upbringing to fully tolerate Gretel’s unruly actions.
Listening to Gretel’s introduction Cyrus was trying to pick up on anything useful. The constant worry of messing up was in the back of his mind but he would do all he could to avoid it. Hearing the remark about how the paths vanished did nothing to reassure him. If things did come down to that he could hopefully use his soul perception to find the others. With any luck they could get through the forest and find the kishin quickly. Cyrus wasn’t sure how actually fighting the thing would be but he was more positive on that front. If there was one thing he was sure of it was his ability to shoot.
At the invitation to ask about what they would be going into Cyrus wasn’t sure what would be important. Lavender shrugged at him so it looked like nothing was immediately jumping to her mind. Apparently not as she began to ask about spiders and the other inconveniences the forest may hold. Not the most important thing in his mind Cyrus did think it over while Lavender talked. The mud question was somewhat relevant but with his boots Cyrus was only slightly worried.
Lavender did ask another good question in where she had last seen her brother. That would probably be a good place to start looking for the target. It didn’t seem that Gretel was that informed about the kishin so he was hesitant to ask her but that was the only obstacle he could see. After Lavender had finished Cyrus chimed in his own concerns.
”Well if you can tell us anything about the monster in there it might come in handy. Otherwise it might be best for us to get a feel of the forest first hand.”
Learning what they were dealing with while in the forest seemed better than going off of one girl’s word. They wouldn’t know how bad it really was until they went through it themselves. Just like how they wouldn’t know the specifics about the kishin until they encountered it.
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Post by The Sidhe on Apr 11, 2013 22:04:55 GMT -5
The two still looked generally displeased with her antics, but Gretel didn’t seem to pay any mind to what they thought of her. The blonde was focused if not ready and raring to go. The pink haired girl did make her pause though. Spiders? Why ask about the spiders? Gretel had seen a few, but there never seem to be too many. She’d asked her mother once why there were so few. The answer she’d been given was because the sort of tree that favored growing in the black forest was inhospitable to them. Gretel didn’t get it, but she responded once the girl’s tangent seemed to pause,
“I haven’t seen too many spiders in the forest. There are a few, but for the most part they’re higher up. You needn’t vorry about stepping on them. There are no vines that I’ve seen, but there’s lots of moss on the rocks and the trees. It shouldn’t be muddy, though! It hasn’t rained enough yet for the mud to get bad.”
Oh she did hope that would help a bit. Gretel didn’t want to judge, but this girl seemed awfully prissy. While the terrain wouldn’t pose too much of an issue, she did hope she wouldn’t mind a bit of a walk. The place where the bad thing had occurred wasn’t very near the village. Gretel wondered why she even ventured in if she could just lure them out, but the blonde stopped herself. A brief shiver went through her just thinking of the thing, and so her mind turned elsewhere. Unfortunately it was brought right back by another question: where was the last place she saw her brother? The blonde pursed her lips, appearing to become very serious. Guilt hung heavy on her features, a sadness that didn’t suit one so young seeming to overpower her. Her voice was soft but steady,
“I saw Hansel for the last time in a clearing. It is a little vays into the forest. There’s a giant ash tree that grows in the middle. Ve have played there since ve vere very little, so ve thought it vould still be safe but…”
Her small hands clutched at the red fabric of her skirt, her knuckles turning white,
“Ve heard her humming. It vas soft and sveet and it lured us towards the tree. That’s vhere she vas vaiting.”
Then seemed as good a time as any to tell what she’d seen of the monster. Glancing up at the proper looking boy, Gretel still appeared very sullen,
“She doesn’t look like a monster at all, but that is exactly vhat she is. I don’t remember much, but I remember the humming and I remember her smile. It vas so varm and gentle. I remember that her skin vas green and her hair vas a strange silver color. She looked like she’d been grown from the earth, and vhen ve got close enough her smile changed and she reminded me of a hungry volf. I do not remember more than that, though.”
Sighing softly, the blonde hung her head a releasing the fabric of her skirt from her grip and stuffing her hands into the pockets of her coat,
“I am a bad big sister. I let her take Hansel vithout even trying to stop her. I vas so scared, I didn’t know vhat else to do. I just stood there.”
The cold was getting to her again. Maybe she was outgrowing her coat and that was the reason the chill kept creeping up on her. Taking her hands from her pockets, she rubbed her arms a few times to try and warm herself but to no avail. Shaking the memories away by rocking back on her heels a bit, she lifted her gaze to show that a bit of a smile had managed to work its way onto her face. They would save Hansel, she was sure of it! These two weren’t exactly what she’d been expecting but she was sure they had to be tough. Remembering the last thing the proper looking boy had said, Gretel took a small step back and nodded to the forest,
“As you said, though, better to get a feel for Der Schwarzwald first hand, ja? Follow me!”
The blonde turned and began wandering towards the woods, braids bouncing lightly against her back as she went with the ribbons that held them shining in the sunlight. Gretel did not run this time around, she kept a leisurely but quick pace. She wanted to be quick but was not about to hurry lest she lose track of her would be rescuers.
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Lavender Pratchett
Weapon
Demon Queen Anne Pistol
Because I'm a Lady, that's why!
Posts: 47
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Post by Lavender Pratchett on Apr 26, 2013 17:25:57 GMT -5
Shifting uncomfortably, Lavender listened as best she could. She hadn't expected the young girl to have actually seen the Kishin egg, but the description gave her chills. Gretel looked so scared! For the first time, Lavender really understood how dangerous this mission was, and she turned slightly pale. The monster looked like a beautiful woman that looked like she'd been grown from the earth? Kishin eggs could really take any form. Lavender wondered if the monster was really wood, or simply looked like it. She shuddered slightly, sympathizing with the younger girl about the cold. Was it the climate or fear? Lavender couldn't tell.
She shook herself, putting on a brave face before anyone could see her having doubts. "You aren't a bad big sister," she said emphatically. "You're trying to stop her now. I'm sure your bother is fine. We're going to save him," she said, braver than she felt. Hands on her hips, she pointed into the forest. "Let's go kill the monster!" She said. With that, she tromped after Gretel, following her into the forest after making sure her meister was with them.
Lavender immediately regretted the high heels - sure, she was comfortable in them, but they really weren't good for walking around a forest. The spongy earth and roots made her usually quick walking pace slower, although she managed to keep up with the young guide. Her small shrieks of frustration at the branches and brambles did nothing to help the mood of the party, though - every so often, she would pause to detach herself from a creeping tree limb or a bush. In this way, she soon fell behind Cyrus and Gretel, bringing up the rear. After a good five minutes, she gave up trying to save her dress - there were several rips and holes in it, not to mention her nice pumps were covered in dirt! She had stumbled a few times, so her knees were a disaster. If anything, Lavender was eager to get to the Kishin, so she could kick her butt at destroying her clothing. If that Kishin didn't exist, her dress wouldn't be ruined. So, sullen, she trod after the other two, occasionally complaining about the darkness or the trees, but for the walk she was unusually silent as her thoughts went back, time and time again, to the Kishin. A beautiful lady who steals children, and is made out of plants? It was certainly strange, but then again, most things in the world were.
She hoped Cyrus was having a better time than she was.
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Post by Cyrus Owen on May 10, 2013 8:27:38 GMT -5
Listening to Gretel answer Lavender’s question Cyrus kept his attention on other things. He supposed it was a good thing there weren’t many spiders but as far as the mission went arachnids were the least of his worries. What he did gleam from their guide was that the terrain shouldn’t be too treacherous for…him at least. Obviously he wasn’t sure how Lavender would fare with her choice in clothing but if things got bad he could always carry her. That might be for the best anyway; holding a gun in his hand would mean he could shoot at the kishin faster once they found it.
The next thing Gretel said left Cyrus with mixed feelings. A clearing would certainly make it easier to find the monster but it also meant they wouldn’t have the luxury of taking cover. If they were lucky the thing wouldn’t have any long ranged attacks and they could pick it off from afar in safety. Hearing that the monster apparently looked human and was luring people in was another bag of mixed feelings for Cyrus. It could be long range focused or not have any attacks at all, it would be impossible to tell until they were fighting it.
His attempts at forming a strategy failing with every attempt Cyrus decided to just see what happened when they found the monster. Like Lavender had said earlier, he just had to be confident in his own abilities and go from there. Lavender attempted to comfort Gretel so Cyrus let her do so while not adding his own words of encouragement. Lavender seemed to be ready after her words to Gretel so into the forest they went. Cyrus kept his attention between the two so none of them would get lost in the unfamiliar forest.
Inside the forest Cyrus was having a much better time than his weapon. Sticks were crunched underneath his combat boots without any problem. Any soft material was easily pulled out of and his pace remained constant. After a while Lavender seemed to get a better hang of walking through the wilderness so he didn’t think he would need to carry her. With his weapon doing better Cyrus made sure to keep his attention constantly switching between both of his companions to make sure they stuck together. Nerves calming as they walked Cyrus relaxed as best he could in preparation for the upcoming aspects of the mission.
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Post by The Sidhe on May 10, 2013 16:37:19 GMT -5
Lavender’s enthusiasm certainly only seemed to entice Gretel’s need to lead the team through the forest. The little girl didn’t seem at all terrified of the woods, dark and looming though they were. The path itself was narrow, organized dirt forming a trail for them to follow. However not a hundred feet in it abruptly disappeared. Gretel continued onwards, anyways, glancing over her shoulder frequently to be sure the students were following her still. It would be a shame to lose track of them, though she knew this forest like the back of her hand. If they did become separated, she would have no trouble finding them. Ferns sprung up from around the bases of the many trees surrounding them. The tall pines were closer together than Gretel would have like, perhaps three to five feet between each. Fallen branches stuck up at odd angles, some old and dried out, others new and starting to sport a layer of moss. The twigs and points and pine needles appeared to be bothering the pink haired girl, but the proper looking boy appeared to be faring just fine. Gretel smiled as she glanced back at them continuing swiftly on her way. The blonde seemed to remain completely untouched by the forest. The lower branches that stuck out didn’t seem to catch in her hair and the thorns and brambles of the occasional blackberry bush refused to cling to her or tear her clothing. She looked no different from when they’d entered. Reaching a small drop off, Gretel paused and held a hand out to the two more as a warning than anything else, “Be careful here. It’s just a little jump, but I vouldn’t vant you to fall and hurt yourselves.”Hansel had done much the same many a time. Gretel bent her knees and hopped down, landing on her feet on a crouch before turning back and waiting for the students to follow her. Once sure that they were right behind her, Gretel continued on, though her pace appeared to be slower. Weaving between the trees, the forest seemed to disperse very suddenly. The gaps between the trees became larger, and there wasn’t as much underbrush. Ferns and fallen needles still were visible, but grass began replacing the dirt of the forest floor and wild flowers replaced the brambles. Gretel paused, looking up through the trees. The sun may have been shining, but the light was far dimmer, almost hazy. The higher boughs blocked most of the light. Again she felt cold and rubbed her arms even though the temperature within the forest was perfectly fine. Continuing on, the girl spotted one of several markers she and Hansel would use whilst navigating the forest. Trotting over to a rather large rock beside the stump of a long since fallen tree, she crouched and moved around it. Finding the side with her initials scraped onto it with chalk, she got a little smile on her face and again waved to the students, “This vay! It isn’t too far now.”While the start of the trek had been more difficult, the openness of where the group now was didn’t feel at all welcoming. Shafts of sunlight broke through and cast glittering beams of golden light. Wild flowers of blue and white appeared in patches in amongst vibrantly green grass. It seemed such a peaceful place, yet something felt inherently wrong with it. Gretel seemed on vaguely aware of it, pale eyes darting about at the nearest trees as though she expected something to leap out from behind them. It was far too quiet, with no birds chirping and not even insects daring to buzz through the air. Even now she was watching them, Gretel could feel it. The forest didn’t belong to the blonde and her friends anymore. It was hers. She only hoped that the students would change that so she could bring Hansel home safe and sound.
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Lavender Pratchett
Weapon
Demon Queen Anne Pistol
Because I'm a Lady, that's why!
Posts: 47
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Post by Lavender Pratchett on May 12, 2013 14:12:26 GMT -5
Lavender heaved a huge sigh, catching up to Cyrus and tugging on his coat. "I'm really tired," she complained. "Can you give me a piggy-back ride or something?" She asked, shooting a glare at Gretel, who looked as fresh as when they had come in. To be young and careless, Lavender thought, being over-dramatic as always. Or, at least, to be military, she muttered in her head, pursing her lips at how unfazed Cyrus seemed to be.
The party stopped momentarily, Gretel pointing out a drop off to the Shibusen students. Lavender brushed past Cyrus, nose in the air as she jumped gracefully and landed in a crouch similar to Gretel. "A drop off like that isn't going to scare a member of the Pratchett familEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-"
Predictably, Lavender's first step caught a root and she was sent sprawling on her face. She lay there a moment before pushing herself up, flames in her eyes and a sour look on her face as well as a nice scratch over her nose. She very nearly swore. The front of her dress was caked in a solid layer of mud, and Lavender didn't even bother wiping it off. She got to her feet, face as dark as thunder, and stomped after Gretel, her pride obviously the thing that took the hardest beating. Next mission, I'm dressing like Rambo, she thought angrily.
When they stopped at the clearing, Lavender heaved a sigh of relief. "FINally, an open place to walk," she muttered, but even through her frustration and ruined vanity she could tell there was something wrong. The forest before had been a pain to walk through, but the only danger she had felt was to her clothing. Here, there was a sinister air, and she felt her skin crawl. It was too quiet. Instinctively, Lavender stepped closer to Cyrus, bringing her arms up to her chest in a protective manner.
She could feel that something was going to happen soon, and she wasn't sure if she was entirely ready.
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Post by Cyrus Owen on May 17, 2013 8:56:30 GMT -5
Trekking through the forest wasn’t too hard for Cyrus but he did wonder how Lavender was holding up. Protesting aside she seemed to at least be keeping up with Gretel and himself. Feeling a tug on his coat Cyrus assumed he had gotten snagged on a branch until he heard Lavender speak. He couldn’t blame her for being tired even if they hadn’t gotten to the hard part of the mission yet. Cyrus doubted she had spent much time hiking or travelling through forest in general. At the request for a piggyback Cyrus withheld a sigh but did crouch down somewhat.
”Sure, it shouldn’t be too difficult to.”
Well Cyrus didn’t think it would be too much of a hassle to carry Lavender even if the terrain was far from ideal. The whole situation wasn’t ideal but at the least this would keep her from having much difficulty keeping up with them. He would have preferred to carry her in her weapon form just in case things took a sharp turn for the worst. Gretel came to a stop nearly right after and Lavender seemed forget about the piggyback ride in favor of walking ahead of him. Cyrus was a tad concerned about how she would fare with the upcoming jump but Lavender seemed confident enough to handle it without aid.
Luckily she did land the jump fine but lost her footing right after. Cyrus took the jump himself and landed with just a bit of wobbling. Going to his fallen partner Cyrus crouched down and looked at her with concern. ”Are you alright? I-” Before he could offer to carry her now Lavender rose up and he saw her face. Deciding it was best to give her some space for now Cyrus backed off and let her walk off on her own.
Following Gretel and his weapon Cyrus looked around as the forest began to change. It was becoming clearer so hopefully Lavender wouldn’t have such a hard time walking now, aside from that though Cyrus didn’t feel like this part of the forest was at all welcoming. Perhaps they were growing nearer to the kishin egg and that was what was causing this effect, possible but not comforting. Keeping close to the others Cyrus wasn’t sure what to do if immediate danger appeared but he would do his best if it did. Lavender was within grasping distance so she could transform and they could jump into action if the need arose.
Looking around Cyrus made sure his glasses were aligned properly on his face before looking straight ahead and activating his soul perception. He would never get better with it if he didn’t use it and now was his best chance. Even if nothing was revealed the practice was a plus.
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