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Post by The Sidhe on Feb 21, 2013 16:16:43 GMT -5
Annabel Lee returned Fritz’s grin and nodded, also looking up at Xenix with those big blue eyes of hers. The excitement of these two finding her missing friends overlapped any worry she had completely. It helped that she was so young. Eight years old was terribly early to have to have gone to four funerals already. Hopefully with their help, she wouldn’t be attending any more for quite some time. Where to start though? Annabel did adopt a rather pensive look that was unbefitting of her. It was a bit too exaggerated to appear serious, but after a moment, she returned to having a smile on her face,
“First I saw of anybody was Laurie. I was comin’ home from school with Sammy Vernier and Tara Bouillon. They saw her too! We was walkin’ along just a little ways away from where I met you two when we seen her. She was just standin’ there like a stick in the mud. We waved and called to her, but she didn’t move ‘r nothin’! Sammy ran ahead and got his mama, but when she got close Laurie just up and took off right up into the trees.”
The little girl paused if only for a moment to think. Was it Troy or Marie she’d seen next? No wait, maybe it’d been Jimmy. Or had it been Maudette? Ah yes, she remembered now!
“I seen Marie doin’ the exact same thing not long after. I was playin’ with a bullfrog I’d caught out on the front porch. She was closer, though, and wavin’ to me. My mama came out to tell me to put the frog down and she disappeared like Laurie. Jimmy did that too, but he was further off and dove into the water instead, crazy kid.”
Another pause, but only to breathe,
“Maudette showed up ‘bout a week ago. She was followin’ me though! I was walkin’ with Tara and Sammy first like I always do, but after they went off towards their houses she kept followin’ me! I’d turn ‘round and she’d be closer and closer. I got inside the house, but when I told mama and we looked outside she wasn’t nowhere.”
Adrienne was growing more and more worried as her daughter spoke. She’d heard these stories already, it was true, but hearing them again made her highly uneasy about the whole thing. Maybe she would keep Annabel inside for a while until the students returned with news. She didn’t interrupt, though, and her daughter kept on talking,
“Troy only started showin’ his face ‘round here again a few days ago. I seen ‘im while I was out playin’ with Sammy the other day. We was lookin’ at tadpoles when we saw ‘im out by one o’ the bigger cyprus trees. He was hangin’ off the edge of it starin’ at us. When we looked at ‘im he started wavin’. We were hollerin ’for ‘im to quit bein’ chicken and come over so Sammy’s mama heard us and came out. He ducked behind the tree quick like a snake and hid.”
The last story was entirely unsettling. It didn’t seem to bother the little girl, but Adrienne’s hair stood on end hearing her speak,
“I seen ‘im again last night. I was fixin’ to go to sleep when I saw ‘im on the walkways from my window. He was walkin’ along real slow like and kinda draggin’ feet. He had his head down like he was thinkin’ real hard ‘bout somethin’. Thing is, he was still wavin’ to me even though all he could see was his shoes! I closed the curtains and went to sleep figurin’ his mama would see ‘im and drag ‘im on home.”
Adrienne ran a hand through her daughter’s hair looked down at her after she cast a worried glance that bordered on frantic at the two students,
“You never told me that, sugar.”
Annabel hunched her shoulders and rolled her eyes,
“Why would I? So’s you can tell me I got the crazies like old man Pritchard?”
Annabel Lee’s sass was not uncalled for in the slightest. The girl’s mother cast her gaze to the floor. That stung, but she was right. That was essentially what she’d been doing all this time. Still, knowing that one the missing children had been so close to her little girl was highly unsettling. With both hands now firmly placed on Annabel Lee’s shoulders, she tried to keep her voice steady,
“Is that all?”
The eight year old nodded,
“Yup!”
Annabel Lee looked expectantly at the two big kids, blinking up at Xenix once again before looking at Fritz and smiling brightly at the blonde. She hoped she’d been of help. She sure wanted to see her friends again something awful.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2013 4:13:45 GMT -5
A wave of information just flashed through Xenix's mind as Annabel shared all these incidents and encounters. It was a lot to take in at once, but nothing she wasn't uncomfortable or unfamiliar with. The main piece of information was a starting point, back where the first ran into their little friend, and this was what she wanted since they started this conversation. Yet Xenix could feel herself silently cuss at the thought of going back out into that mosquito infested bog. Let alone it was night. Could this get to be any more of a pain in the ass?
However, she looked forward to the challenge. They were here to help and solve this dilemma and nothing was going to stop them. Well almost nothing at least. This was more than likely a Kishin from what she could gather, but if there was the slightest chance of it being a witch...she knew they were not ready for that. It even made her shiver at the thought. Such a strange feeling to her but she had felt it before long ago; all it was now was a faint feeling that the meister suppressed.
Getting out of her analysis zone, Xenix returned Annabel's gaze and gave a soft smile. Placing her hand on the child's head she ruffled her hair a little bit. "You been a great help Annabel. We appreciate it. Now I have to ask, do you guys have a map of the bayou at all? We could use it to make sure we didn't get lost. After all we were kind of sent here with no idea of all the bugs and the muddy terrain."
She hated not having much to go on when it came to a new area. Trying to pre-research for this mission after their last had ended up dry. But this wasn't surprising. They went into their last mission without much either and they came back wounded and battered. Xen really wanted to avoid that again if possible. If it couldn't be avoided then Fritz and herself would have to adapt, which they are well known for regardless.
All thoughts aside, the raven haired meister was ready to begin their search for the missing children. It was time to end this terror in Slidel.
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Fritz Ingram
Weapon
Demon Key
My soul's a battleground
Posts: 25
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Post by Fritz Ingram on Feb 26, 2013 15:54:15 GMT -5
After lowering himself down to Annabel’s level to give her the smile Fritz didn’t bother returning to a standing position. Falling into a sitting position against the wall Fritz was ready to hear the story. They didn’t appear to be in any real danger here so he could afford to relax a little bit before the mission kicked up. Running his hands over his new mission outfit Fritz still wasn’t used to wearing clothes like these but they had come in handy with the climate. If he had his normal clothes he would just be one big mosquito bite by now. When Annabel started talking however he stopped and focused his attention on her.
Other kids had seen the missing people so it wasn’t an isolated thing. With the way the whole subject was talked about Fritz wasn’t sure if others had seen the people or not. Knowing this did at least add some more credibility to the story. Hearing about them following Annabel was more disconcerting. Was she tied into this somehow or just really unlucky? Either way she was certainly their best source on the subject. So far it seemed like the missing peoples had attempted to interact with the children around the area for some reason. Fritz still wasn’t sure why or what happened in the first place.
Whatever the cause the missing children were avoiding the adults. Why was that? Assuming there was a kishin in the area and not a witch were they targeting the children and avoiding the adults? That seemed pretty stupid from his perspective. There shouldn’t be any difference between the soul of an adult and that of a child. These thoughts did bring up a point that sat on Fritz’s mind after appearing, assuming he was correct in all this then what was the age that the kishin stopped at? So far it seemed really young children were its prey but where did it stop?
Her last story was terribly unsettling. Fritz kept from expressing any noticeable emotion as to not worry the others. The kishin, if that was what was out there, was moving in. If they didn’t act fast it might take more aggressive measures in getting children, souls, or both. They couldn’t allow this thing to roam free and pose a threat to the people living around the area. Having to be afraid of a monster like this wasn’t something anyone deserved to live with. It was hard to imagine that the kishin had at one time been a human like them.
Giving a reassuring grin to Annabel before standing up Fritz tried to make sure she didn’t worry about the ensuing mission. Xenix had most of the other details under control so after that they could head out and find this thing. Fritz wasn’t sure how useful he would be but quickly pushed away his negative thoughts, now was not the time for that! If they needed to the kishin would be bludgeoned to death multiple times!
”Thanks Annabel! We’ll figure out what’s going on so you don’t have to worry about it.”
The last thing he wanted was for Annabel or any of the other kids around here to worry or be scared. They would fight the kishin quick and put any worry they may have to rest!
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Post by The Sidhe on Feb 27, 2013 0:28:11 GMT -5
Annabel Lee giggled as Xenix ruffled her hair, shaking her head a bit afterwards so the dark locks would fall back into place of their own accord. Adopted a rather bashful expression she gave the two a rather theatrical bow and then grinned up at the two students,
“Yer welcome! Just bring ‘em all back safe, okay?”
Adrienne looked a might concerned at that sentence but said nothing. With four funerals under their belts already, she had her doubts as to whether or not Annabel Lee’s friend would be brought home alive. She held out hope for the more recently missing, but for those like Troy and Laurie who’d been missing for weeks? No. She’d given up hope for those poor children long ago. Her attention was back on Xenix as she asked about a map. Nodding she waved for the students to follow her into the little living room if they wanted. It was small, barely big enough for even the family of three to avoid bumping into each other if they all inhabited it at the same time,
“Y’all can take my husband’s fishin’ map so you dun get lost. I’ve got some bug spray if y’all want it, too.”
Adrienne wandered to a rather rickety looking cupboard, pulling open the doors and rummaging through stacks of papers before letting gout an ‘Aha!’ once she found what she was after. Turning to them, she handed the map over to Xenix,
“Slidel is marked with the houses and walkways on the very bottom. The compass is in the lower right corner and any X’s are place you’ll wanna steer clear of. The tangled lines are Cyprus trees which you’ll not wanna get too close to or else you’ll get the propeller tangled up in the roots. You can take our boat out on the water; it’s down at the very end o’ the walkway you took to get ‘ere. That bug spray is out on the porch still if y’all wanna spray yerselves before headin’ out. Be sure and watch fer gators, but there’s a radio in there in case you get lost or need help. Tune it in to channel four if there’s trouble. Someone here’ll hear you and come runnin’.”
Annabel Lee stood in the doorway still, somewhat bored now that she had finished her part in aiding Xenix and Fritz. Still, the little girl was smiling as she traced the cracks in the old, creaky floorboards with her toes. Her friends would be back soon! A thought struck her as to how she could still help, though, and she snuck off down the hall back to her room. She had a flash light she could lend them under her bed! There was a floodlight attached to the front of their boat that they’d be taking, but that didn’t matte to her. What if they needed to wander out onto one of the mud banks? They’d need it then if that happened!
Being ever so quiet, Annabel Lee was sure that none of them heard her as she crept back. The night was hot and muggy, so she’d opened her window earlier before she’d run out to meet the students. The air was cooler now, and the mosquitos had relented if only a little. The curtains covered in pink butterflies billowed gently in, the sound of crickets and frogs pouring in from outside as Annabel Lee dove under her bed to look for her flashlight. She knew it was around somewhere, she just had to find it. A determined look set on her face, she didn’t hear the faint sound of string over the croaking of the frogs and the cricket song. Something of ample weight landed itself on her windowsill and paused, watching the little girl’s legs kick as she searched under her bed.
Annabel Lee’s hands landed upon the familiar handle and she grinned, scooted backwards along her belly before sitting up and holding it triumphantly in the air. The thing on her windowsill slipped and shuffled to regain the position it had held before falling still again. Annabel Lee turned her head and a scream caught in her throat. She was frozen, she couldn’t move. She was too scared. It was Troy. It was Troy, he was there standing on her windowsill, still waving, but staring with eyes that were not his. Troy had brown eyes that matched his skin and hair. This Troy’s eyes were bright blue and made of glass, staring lifelessly at her as string separate from the one controlling his waving hand pulled his head back and caused the boy’s jaw to draw open.
The eight year old finally found her voice, opening her mouth to scream but only a whimper left her before more silver strings shot through the open window and wound themselves around her, pulling her clear out of the room and out into the night. The flashlight clattered to the floor and rolled to a stop before the doorway. The noise alerted Adrienne who immediately noticed her daughter’s absence from the hallway,
“Annabel Lee?”
The dark haired woman hurried down the hallway after not hearing an answer. Panic was rising in her chest, nearly stumbling over the floorboards as she went,
“Annabel? Sweetheart?”
The room was empty. The room was empty, but there was that awful, horrid smell that hung in the air that she recognized from the morgue. But there was nothing dead to accompany it and her little girl was missing. Adrienne couldn’t breathe. She ran to the window and looked outside, left, right, Annabel Lee was nowhere. She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled,
“Annabel! Anna!”
The only response was the croaking of frogs and the cricket song, only the scattering fireflies being disturbed by her frantic screams for her daughter. Tears formed before she even had time to register that they were there streaming down her face as her hands went to try and stop them,
“No! No, no ,no, not her, not my lil’ Anna!”
Her eyes went to the students, frantic and pleading,
“Find her! Please promise me you’ll find her, I’m beggin’ you!”
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2013 3:26:41 GMT -5
In the back of her mind Xen could feel a soft spot for little Anna. The kid was so innocent and caught up in all this mess. What was more is that she felt like she needed to protect this kid. After all when they first met, Annabel had already left an impact on her. Now it was even more apparent. Especially as the cheery girl grinned up at the pair. "Yeah we will bring all your friends back safe once we find them." The tone in her voice was soft and gentle. Much like earlier in their conversation, she wanted to make sure Annabel kept up her hopeful and positive attitude.
From the corner of her eye, Xenix noticed that Annabel's mother was showing signs of concern. Again, nothing unusual but they all had to hope for the best right now. But that was hard considering how much the place had gone through already. Upon Adrienne's news about the map, a wave of relief went through her mind. Not only that but they could use their boat? That was a major bonus. Taking the map carefully after an explanation of map markings and other dangers, the meister pocketed it into her baggy trip cargos. "Thank you so much. All this will be very useful." Now they had most of any other preparation work done in a few minutes. Could this be any better?
Then it happened. A scream came from inside the house. Suddenly, all her instincts and serious kicked in. Looking around with a focused gaze, Xenix noticed that Anna's mother ran down the hallway. It all came swiftly as she realized too than Annabel was missing. This wasn't good.It felt like a wave of deja vu. They just finish getting information and were about to head out when something happens right under their noses. A slight cuss left Xenix's lips, barely audiable, as she looked at Fritz. He could tell from her silver-sapphire blue irises that something very unfortunate occurred. Not only that but it was time to focus and get moving as soon as possible.
Before she could even move, Xenix caught sight of Adrienne running back towards them. Signs of panic and worry were written all over the woman's body. Hearing her request, a serious nod and gaze met her own. "We will. I promise."
A purely serious and normal cold-like tone back in Xen's voice. Looking back at her partner again, she waved and moved towards the home's main entrance. There was no time to waste if they were to keep their promise to Annabel's mother."Fritz, let's go spray ourselves with the bug spray and then get the boat. We need to move fast." With that said Xenix headed outside.
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Fritz Ingram
Weapon
Demon Key
My soul's a battleground
Posts: 25
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Post by Fritz Ingram on Feb 28, 2013 12:20:01 GMT -5
Sitting where he had been Fritz waited as his meister dealt with the details of the map. Him knowing would be useful but he would have a better chance of remembering specifics if he knew less. Considering the words of Adrienne to be enough he listened to them and would try to keep a mental note. Avoid the Cyprus trees, channel four for trouble yeah he had it! Seeing as they would probably be heading out soon Fritz got to his feet and gave a stretch, time for his least favorite part of missions to start up. Looking around he noticed the missing child but didn’t think much of it.
Closing his eyes Fritz relaxed and tried to ready himself for the fighting to come. He would much rather talk things out but that wasn’t going to happen with anything that was taking children. No, this was a monster that had to be stopped by any means available. At least it seemed to be somewhat passive in its kidnappings so the people could have some semblance of safety. Hopefully his weapon form wouldn’t cause Xenix too many problems when they reached the thing and they could take it out easily.
The scream instantly broke him from his thoughts. Eyes shooting open he was right behind Adrienne as she ran down the hall. Staring into the empty room Fritz’s eyes were wide with fear. The window, it had taken her through the window! A sensation of anger rose in him but was quickly extinguished into a sense of dread. They were right here and the kishin still managed to capture someone. Spotting the flashlight on the floor he picked it up and looked it over. Annabel was probably going to get this, she was gone because she tried to help them. Clutching the light he placed it in one of his pockets, he would give this back to her.
Heading back to the front where Xenix was Fritz was in a horrid mood. Any anger he may have felt was replaced with sadness and guilt. He wasn’t about to let it end like this though, they had a girl to find and a kishin to kill. Not looking at Adrienne directly Fritz kept his eyes on the floor as she spoke. This was their fault, this was his fault. Everything was his fault in some way and he knew as much.
”We’ll make sure to bring her back, promise.”
Attempting to give Adrienne a reassuring smile Fritz ended up giving her a sad attempt instead. Following Xenix Fritz wasted no time heading outside and applying a generous amount of bug spray to himself before handing it to his meister. Next was to reach the boat, Xenix had the map so he would wait for her to lead the way.
”Annabel wouldn’t be gone if you weren’t here. Maybe some competent weapon would be here instead and have protected her. Your own uselessness is to blame for this.”
Not responding to the voice that had sprung up in his head Fritz simply remained silent and waited for his meister. There was no point trying to argue with the voice, especially when it was saying the truth.
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Post by The Sidhe on Feb 28, 2013 17:00:08 GMT -5
It was cold. Annabel Lee thought that was strange. The bayou was so humid that the air still remained muggy and at the very least lukewarm even in winter. Hadn’t she been inside? No that couldn’t be right, there was wind on her face. Her clothes were wet, that was why she was so cold. Her clothes were wet and the breeze that hit them were what sent chills through her small body. Opening her eyes was a chore. Her eyelids felt heavy, but after a few tries she managed to open them. Blinking away the bleariness, she wondered how she could have been so rude as to have fallen asleep when her mama had guests over. She hoped Fritz and Xenix wouldn’t be too ma- Wait…Annabel Lee was bound to the base of a cypress tree by what appeared to be a very strong thread. Hit by panic instantly at the darkness surrounding her, the little girl shifted and pulled and wiggled to try and free herself, but the thread was tough as iron. Still, eight year old tried anyway. That thing may have taken her, she remembered now, but she wouldn’t let it hurt her! It would have to drag her down kicking and screaming first. A low, rasping groan from nearby made her fall still instantly. It was dark. The only light came from the fireflies that inhabited the area, casting brief glowing light on the area that faded in and out of focus. Annabel Lee craned her neck around to try and find where the sound was coming from, her eyes widening when they landed on the source, “Belle? Belle Roux, is that you over there?”The groaning stilled and she heard something shift in the dark. Then, “Anna?”Belle had been missing for nearly a week. She and her brother both had vanished on their way home from school, the only trace left being one of the girl’s shoes left floating in the water. Because of the placement the original thought was that Belle had fallen into the water and been eaten by the alligators, and that her brother had suffered the same fate in diving in to save her. Annabel Lee had to turn her head at one hell of an angle to see her friend, but it wasn’t a pretty site. She was tied up in a similar manner to another cypress tree. She was thin and filthy, her clothes and skin smeared with mud and algae from being dragged through the water. She sounded exhausted. Annabel Lee would have tried to smile at her if she wasn’t shaking like a leaf, “Don’t worry, Belle! There’s people out lookin’ fer us, they’ll be here soon, I just know it!”She did not respond, her head falling forward onto her chest. Annabel kept silent until she heard her friend breathing still before letting out a relieved sigh. She was still alive, but she couldn’t just sit there and do nothing. She had to try and escape. Looking around didn’t give her much idea as to where they were, but if Belle was there then the other missing children had to be nearby. The main difference was the silence. No crickets or frogs could be heard. The only sound was the soft breeze and the gentle sound of water lapping against the roots of the cypress trees. Still, they couldn’t be far from Slidel. Trying not to panic so much, Annabel Lee looked up. She could barely see the sky, only a few streaks of brilliant purple remaining. It would be completely dark soon. Knowing that those big kids had to be looking for her, Annabel Lee decided she had to try her best to get to them. Back in Slidel, the students would indeed find the Herveaux family’s boat tethered to a rather rickety looking dock at the very end of the walkways. The motor was operated by pulling the string twice until it stuttered and started to hum. The handle controlled the rudder. If it broke, there were also two oars fastened securely to the sides. It was small, perhaps big enough to fit maybe four people if they huddled together, but it would have to do. The end of the walkways marked only dark water dotted with cypress trees and alligators. The reptiles wouldn’t bother them unless they got too close, but a few were already watching them closely. In amongst the cypress trees was where they would want to look for Annabel Lee and the other children that still lived. She would hear the motor of the boat when they reached the thicker area s where the trees were closer together and the water was slightly deeper. Annabel Lee was not one to take being captured lightly. The eight year old could not see far enough in the dim light to tell where any other children were being held, nor could she see the trees well enough to be able to tell where she was exactly. Huffing, she looked down to the strings that bound her to the cypress tree and had an idea. It was silly and may not work, but she had to try. Taking as deep of a breath as she could, Annabel Lee then held it, puffing out her chest. The strings protested with a dull whining, digging into her skin but she ignored them. If she could manage to stretch them, then maybe she could slip out and try to help Belle and the others that had to be nearby.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2013 2:53:23 GMT -5
Taking the bug spray from her partner, Xenix covered herself in a decent amount before setting it back on the porch where it had once been. Now the issue at hand...the boat. Even though they were told where it was docked, near the walk way Annabel took them to their current position, Xen pulled out the map to double check her memory. After a brief glance, she knew where to head off to. Looking at her weapon partner, Xenix nodded slightly at him indicating it was time to go. "Let's go find the boat we are allowed to use."
With a swift walk, she headed back down the walkway. It took a minute or two for her to notice the boat docked against the rickety old dock. It was the only boat currently there, so she could only assumed it belonged to the Herveauxs. Cautiously, Xen walked onto the dock. It creaked and moaned a bit under her boots. This made the meister uneasy but they really didn't have the time to worry about such things.
Casting a glance on the path, she wanted to make sure Fritz wasn't too far behind. Seeing his familiar shadow, she knew her partner was keeping pace. Now looking back at their transportation through the swamp. It wasn't too complex to figure out. At least not for her. Her family used to go on fishing trips with various types of boats; this type was no exception.
Stepping into the boat lightly, Xenix took the back seating near the motor. She wasn't sure what Fritz knew about controlling boats, so it was better to have her at the helm for precaution. Let alone she had feeling that he would need to be her eyes and ears in this terrain; despite it being fairly close to the normal Alaskan terrain. She pulled the motor string twice before it roared and hummed to life. It was after getting it started and herself situated, Xen noticed the oars on the boat. It was good to note just in case the motor stalled or died. Also would help in the case of being stuck amongst the Cyprus trees.
Now waiting for Fritz to join her in the boat, she started to think about where to search. Once her partner joined her they could discuss it together. At the moment she could only think of two options; close to the Cyprus trees and pray they didn't get stuck or on open water, where the could seeing the edges of any form of land. Her instincts were leaning more towards the trees instead of open water.
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Fritz Ingram
Weapon
Demon Key
My soul's a battleground
Posts: 25
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Post by Fritz Ingram on Mar 11, 2013 16:54:55 GMT -5
Silently Fritz waited as Xenix looked over the map. He wanted to get going soon but wouldn’t press his meister to hurry. She was probably just as eager as he was so there was no point in needlessly bothering her. It was best that she looked over the map now and got a good grasp of the area before hand in case they ended up in a dire situation later. When Xenix spoke Fritz only nodded in response and followed her. She knew the way supposedly so they should be all set at least as far as finding the boat went.
It wasn’t too long of a walk and there was only one boat there to greet them. At the least that made things easier to start. Having to look for the correct boat would have been a pain and a waste of what little time they had. It was smaller than the boats Fritz was used to but should work fine enough for their situation. Xenix was the first to step in and Fritz followed her. The rocking of the boat not that unfamiliar to him he didn’t bother worrying about the boat itself, Annabel was the prime focus of his worry at the moment.
Seeing that Xenix had taken it upon herself to take the motor Fritz was relieved. He had been in boats before but not usually in control of them. Most of his boating experience involved being behind the boat in a tube tied to it. Not wanting to be useless he took up the rudder so they both could do something for the searching part. Steering shouldn’t be too bad as he had seen others do such before. Taking his seat in the boat Fritz was ready to set off and find Annabel and the other children.
Before they started Fritz reached into his pocket and produced the flashlight he had found in Annabel’s room. Reaching out he handed it to his meister so she had a more reliable source of light to navigate by and read the map if necessary. He wouldn’t need the light at the moment so they might as well make the best use of it before he gave it back. Now just to find where the kishin was and take care of it.
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Post by The Sidhe on Mar 11, 2013 22:03:08 GMT -5
A wind blew out a cloud, chilling, my beautiful Annabel Lee The Meister’s instincts would serve her well. Were they to head towards the cypress trees, it would not be long before they found the missing children. Annabel Lee would hear the motor, not that she wouldn’t be calling to them regardless. The waters among the cypress trees was not as shallow, ranging from eight to ten feet deep. The alligators were fewer here, tending to stick to the muddy banks and shallow waters as their hunting grounds. Still, as they shined the flashlight they would undoubtedly see several pairs of reptilian eyes reflect back, watching them closely for any signs of error that may earn the old creatures a meal. Going out towards open water would do them no good. They would end up in the middle of Lake Ponchartrain and only need to turn back to the trees. The evening breeze was gentle and slightly cooler than the rest of the muggy air. Water gently lapped at the sides of the boat, dark and murky. The cypress trees themselves appeared tall, thin, imposing things. Algae and moss clung to the back where it could and the leaves hanging down created curtains of dark green that would slightly obscure the team’s path, though they were easy to duck under. The root shot down into the water and muck at awkward angles, created massive tangles invisible beneath the dark water. The spaces in between the trees were narrow, but the team would be able to pass through with relative ease with a bit of tact. Annabel Lee held her breath until her lungs were burning before letting the air rush out of her chest. The strings sagged a bit and she smiled, proud of herself. It had worked! Getting untangled from them would still prove to be a chore. Fidgeting to try and loosen them all the more, she leaned forward and twisted around, “Belle? Belle can you hear me?”A soft groan, raspy and weak, but it was at least a response, “Just hang on a minute; I’m gettin’ us outta here!”The eight year old thought herself quite the escape artist at the moment. Throwing caution to the wind so long as she appeared able to free herself, Annabel Lee slowly wormed her arms free from the elbows down. Shoving the string up over her head so her torso was no longer bound, she quickly went about freeing up her legs. The more she worked, the more Belle appeared to become conscious. As she tried to make the string quit digging into her kneecaps, she heard her speak again, “Anna wait…don’t…”The clattering of gears could be heard overhead. It was soft, muffled, and somewhat distant. Annabel Lee paid it no mind as she struggled to get the string to release her ankles, “What’re you talkin’ about? I gotta get us outta here, it ain’t safe!”She saw Belle lean forward out of the corner of her eye, firefly light illuminated her dirty face for just long enough so that the exhaustion and fear came through clear as day, “Anna please…it’ll catch you like…it caught Laurie. She tried…to escape too…”The dark haired girl did not pause, determination set on her face, “Well it ain’t getting’ me, that’s fer sure. Dun worry, I’ll be quick as a cottonmouth!”The last of the string fell around her feet and Annabel Lee straightened up, looking out at the darkened enclave of trees. She didn’t know where to go or which way would provide the best results, but before she did anything she cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled for her friends, “FRITZ! XENIX! HELP US!”The team would not be able to distinguish her words, but they would hear her. Muffled and distant, the little girl’s voice would be recognizable only barely. They were still a ways off from where she and the others were being kept, but they would at the very least know where to go and know that it was her.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2013 0:25:49 GMT -5
The boat rocked a bit as Fritz followed her into the small craft. She watched him move to the spot next to her and take a hold of the rudder attached to the motor. She had a slight concern about him steering the boat, but at the same time Xen did have faith in her partner since seeing as he too wasn't foreign with boats; considering he came from California and that place had plenty of shoreline and other reasons for vessels of the sea. Casting a quick glance with her silvery gaze at Fritz, she spoke. "I'm thinking our best bet is to go to the Cyprus trees. It doesn't make much sense for our kishin friend to be in open water. At least not unless it wanted to hide in the most obvious place. Regardless, do you feel we should go that way? We were warned to be careful around them."
After her "short" question, more like a brief run down of the situation, the raven-haired female noticed the flashlight being handed to her. She took it since it would prove more mobile and reliable than the floodlight welded to the front of the boat. Xenix, did however wonder where it came from, but that was a question for later. There was no time to waste with those questions. Not with the fact they didn't know how much time they had to spare.
Flicking on the flashlight, Xen made sure it was working. There was no other method to really test it. Not only that, but it would really suck if it didn't work and they were just stuck with that frontal light. She turned it off and just as they seemed ready, something hit her ears. It was faint and far away. Barely audible, but still familiar. It sounded like Anna was yelling so they could find her. Yet, being so hard to hear over the motor, she couldn't tell if it was her mind playing games or the real thing. "Did you hear that? Sounded like Annabel and it's coming from the Cyprus trees if I recall the map right."
If it was real, Xen only grew more anxious. When they got here innocent children had only been found dead or missing. She wasn't even sure how long all the other kids had been missing or if they were even still alive. It left her with a grim feeling. However, this was their chance to make sure it happened no more. One less Kishin in the world. She could feel a small "growl" build up in her throat, but then slowly let it go. The past had no place at this time, she needed to focus as she always did.
She took a breath before looking at Fritz again hoping her composure was still the same. She usually did pretty good with hiding her other emotions when it was necessary; like it was now. She didn't want to worry him or cause him to be anymore freaked out than he normally was. " We need to go. We have already spent enough time here preparing and the sooner we find this kishin, the sooner this all ends."
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Fritz Ingram
Weapon
Demon Key
My soul's a battleground
Posts: 25
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Post by Fritz Ingram on Mar 15, 2013 8:29:15 GMT -5
The boat felt like it would be fine for what they were doing. Not exactly like the boats he had been on but it should be able to take them where they needed to go without any problem. Where they needed to go however was the question currently. Xenix voiced her ideas after he had gotten on the boat and he agreed with her, the trees did seem like a good place for a monster to be hiding. At the least it seemed like a more likely place for the kids to be even if the kishin egg was out on open water for some reason.
”Yeah, the trees seem like a better place to hide the children at least. Probably where a kishin could hide without being found. We should be careful still but checking it out sounds best.”
Xenix took Annabel’s flashlight from him so they would at the very least have that as a source of light during their search. It worked so that was good, it would have been even worse if Annabel had been taken while searching for a dead flashlight. Fritz’s momentary period of calm was broken however at a faint sound that washed over him. It could have been something out there in nature but it sounded too human for that. Xenix echoed his fears after and did state that it was probably coming from the trees, all the more reason to go check them out.
Fritz only nodded in answer to her. He wasn’t feeling the best with all this happening but would keep it together for the sake of the others. They needed to head out fast and find Annabel along with any other children that were still out there. It shouldn’t take them too long to reach the trees so they still had a chance. His attention more on the darkness around them instead of his meister Fritz looked out to where he thought the trees may be. ”We need to hurry and check it out.”
Moving from the rudder Fritz did what was necessary and kicked out to the land. His effort pushing the boat out into the water more and letting the motor take them away. Returning to his position Fritz waited for the trees to come into sigh and get the chance to land and save Annabel and the others who were stuck in her same position.
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Post by The Sidhe on Mar 15, 2013 16:36:41 GMT -5
The angels, not half so happy in heaven, went envying her and me The team had indeed spent more than enough time. Time was not something they had on their side, and each second that ticked by was one that Annabel Lee and the remaining children grew closer and closer to being the next corpse to wash ashore out of the murky waters. West would provide them the quickest route to the children, flanked by cypress trees on all side, the eyes of alligators glinting back at them from the shallower waters. The boat was quick despite its relatively rickety appearance, covering several feet in only brief moments. To be in very much in a hurry would serve them well, the gears above the children’s heads that resounded in soft clicks and shifts from above becoming steadily louder. Annabel Lee turned her eyes up to the higher branches, straining in the darkness to try and see but to no avail. Whatever was up there, she couldn’t see it. Swallowing her fear, she turned in the direction of her friend Belle and went about scheming how to get to her. There was a sizable gap between their trees that they’d been secured to. The girl kept close to the trunk of the cypress tree, careful not to get her toes tangled in the fallen string hat hung limp beneath her now. The feel of the moist bark beneath her feet was not unknown to her. The close cypress trees were a great source of enjoyment to climb on, but this was different. If she slipped, she did not know how deep the water was. Even if she could swim, her thrashing would attract alligators or worse: the monster that had taken her. Inch by inch, she made her way around. Her toes gripped the grooves that splayed out and formed that roots hat shot down into the water. She ignored the slimey feel of wet moss that greeted her occasional footstep. She couldn’t afford to be squeamish now. Being in a position to see Bell better now, Annabel Lee could hardly look at her. Her blonde hair was tangled and caked in mud. Her skin was smeared and stained with the water and she was shivering something awful, or at least she had been earlier. Her friend was still now. The dark haired girl felt something like fear clamp down on her heart, but it was more potent than that, “Belle?”The lack of response made her hurry. Reluctantly letting for of her iron hold on the trunk of the tree, she wobbled a bit before gaining her balance. She had one shot, she needed to be precise. Bending her knees and took a deep breath and jumped to the next bunch of roots over. She landed horrendously, her feet slipping out from under her on the damp roots and banging up her knees. Wincing, she paused a moment to not only steady herself but also to bite back tears. Her knees stung and her fingers protested her hanging onto the roots so tight, but she slowly stood and made her way over to her friend. She was thin, something else Annabel Lee hadn’t noticed. She looked like a bag of bones, her joints knobby and protruding and her skin starting to hang off of her. The fear in her voice audible as it shook, Annabel took Belle by the shoulders and jostled her a bit, “Belle! Belle come on, wake up!”Her friend’s head wobbled back and forth on her shoulders, her eyes half lidded and empty. Annabel Lee started to panic, her heart rate spiking as she shook her friend harder, “Belle Roux this ain’t funny, wake up, you gotta wake up!”Still no response, Belle’s hair falling over her face and covering the blank stare she held now as a corpse. Annabel pursed her lips as her shoulders began to shake, a hiccup caught in her throat. The gears above were louder now. Hearings something above her shift, she remembered it wasn’t a good idea to be still. Flattening herself against the trunk beside her deceased friend, Annabel Lee tucked her hands under the strings to appear bound at the very least and then hung her head, tears escaping and chasing gravity down her chin as she did so. Two long mechanical spikes reached down from the canopy, each pausing jerkily as they moved. For a moment they almost seemed to observe the two girls, completely still in a way that was highly unnatural. Then, one expectantly shot out towards her friend, coming to a halt just under her chin and curling up to tilt Belle’s head up. A red light shone down from above and illuminated her filthy face. Annabel Lee couldn’t look at her and shut her eyes tight, barely holding back a whimper as the light disappeared as suddenly as it had arrived. Hearing the spines retract, Annabel lifted her head out of sheer curiosity. Was it leaving? No, no it was not. Jerkily retracted once again, the opposite spike that had remained still rocketed forward and impaled Belle as the other cut her loose from the strings. A scream caught in Annabel’s throat as she stared in wide eyed terror as it drew her friend away and up into the canopy before Belle and the spines both disappeared from sight. Knees knocking together she was shaking so bad, she waited mere seconds before letting out the a garbled sound of pure terror before turning and scrambling over the cypress tree roots as quickly as possible. She needed to get away and find Fritz and Xenix, and she needed to do it fast.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2013 20:41:45 GMT -5
As Fritz kicked the boat from the dock, it roared and zoomed off much faster than Xenix had expected. Still, if it could go faster without overheating it would prove very well from them. Looking back at her partner she pointed to the west. ”Head to the west, that will be our fastest route. We will be surrounded by the trees and alligators, but as long as we are cautious going through should be fine. Also, not sure how much speed this boat has got, but if it has more, kick it into high gear.” She hoped she didn’t sound too demanding. The ticking of time never ceased to flow through her mind; as annoying as it was. The trees were zooming past as thoughts ran through the meister’s mind. It was at that moment, she thought she heard the sound of a scream. Once again, it sounded like Annabel. She muttered under her breath as she tried to decipher which direction. Taking a breath, she realized they were already heading the right way. She really needed to get her emotions in check, after all they were starting to cloud her thoughts and that wouldn’t help the team in this environment.
Getting her composure once again, Xenix kept her eyes and ears open. She shined the flash light through the trees, hoping to find a glimpse of something not right. Some sign they were near Annabel. She was also keeping an eye out for a landing place like Fritz. Sadly, being surrounded by trees and their roots as only landing spots was looking like their only choice.
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Fritz Ingram
Weapon
Demon Key
My soul's a battleground
Posts: 25
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Post by Fritz Ingram on May 10, 2013 9:29:24 GMT -5
Following the instructions of his meister Fritz steered the boat in the direction and had it go as fast as they could safely travel. Caught up in his own thoughts Fritz was intent on saving Annabelle and doing so fast. He still retained the idea that whatever was stealing children was keeping them alive for a time so they just had to get to her in that time. His emotions had receded and left him in a mostly impassive state, unable to experience anything strongly other than worry and growing fear. He would prove his madness wrong and save her.
Hearing the faintest bit of a scream Fritz instantly made the boat head toward it. If any more speed could be gained he was going to push it to reach that. Safety was less of a concern for him at the moment as Annabelle’s safety was too much in question. Heading toward a thick expanse of trees he looked for a place to dock the boat as haphazardly as it may be. Xenix could handle herself and his own well-being wasn’t even a concern until Annabelle was safe. Spotting a place they could land Fritz went for it, aiming to dock the boat between some of the tree roots.
It was hardly an ideal way to dock a boat but at the least it would get them to where they needed to be. Cutting the engine he let them drift in between two large roots and come to a stop before hopping out of the boat and attaching the rope to one. There, the boat should stay put until they were done so they could focus on saving Annabelle. Now the question was where was she and where was the kishin? As risky as he was feeling at the moment he didn’t want to endanger Annabelle in the process.
Standing on a root he waited for his meister and stared into the trees around them. He needed to do something to get the kishin away from Annabelle and hopefully reassure her in the process. Coming up with an idea he stared out and tilted his body to the side. He looked completely ridiculous, right arm straight in the air and his torso tilted to allow this. Transforming his arm he let the bright golden light of his soul radiate out in the hope that one of the things he was looking for would see it. As the light dimmed he stayed where he was and shouted.
”We’re coming for you!”
That should work, not too incriminating but should get him attention. Transforming his arm back he stood next to Xenix in case the kishin was close. Annabelle would hopefully stay safe on her own so he had to make sure his partner was as well. While unaware of it himself he hoped the kishin would pick up on his soul and target him instead of going after Annabelle. With any luck this would be the case and Xenix and him could defeat it.
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