Who: Karin Koenig & various When: Octeuril Where: Aefenglom, the Wilde What: Various quests and closed threads for throughout the month. Warnings: Potential for violence, will edit as needed.
[It's been quite a walk to get as deep into the Wilde as they are now. The ground has thawed, the snow that has been present in the Wilde ever since Karin's arrival having melted away to little more than patches, although the weather isn't quite spring-like just yet. Still, it makes for a more pleasant venture than some past, and Karin is grateful that the milder weather means it's easier to dress for maneuverability than she has been in recent months.
She casts Lightning a sidelong glance as not for the first time, an orb of light crosses their path, and unlike those before, it lingers, as though attempting to grab their attention.
She exhales, frown quirking to one side even as she reaches to rest her hand over the pommel of her sword at her hip. She has a feeling she'll be needing her blade sooner rather than later.]
It seems like it wants us to follow it.
[It could be exactly the clue they're looking for in their pursuit of the missing Wilders, but they should absolutely proceed with caution.]
[Lightning eyes the orb with unmistakable skepticism, almost tempted to shoo it away with her sword when Karin's voice tugs that thought away from her. The missing Wilders are the reason they're here, and her own mind follows the same train of thought as Karin's when she points it out—that perhaps this thing has sought them out for a reason.
Doesn't mean she's going to trust it, though.]
Of course it does. We should still be careful.
[She's quick to pull her sword out to keep at her side in case they come across any surprises. The orb moves away just as Lightning takes a step towards it, and then again as she takes another, and another, and pauses when she does.
Yep. It definitely wants them to follow. Pesky thing.]
[Caution is important, regardless of whether this is linked to what they're here for or not, and so Karin only nods in response to Lightning's warning. She, too, draws her sword just to ensure she has it at the ready. They're deep enough in the Wilde now that it's only a matter of time until they come across something.
She presses her lips together for a moment as the orb leads Lightning forward one step at a time, watching the way it immediately stops whenever she does, as though it has a mind of its own, as though it's waiting.]
The fact that I don't trust it in the least makes me think that it just might.
[Maybe it was meant to lure?]
Someone who wasn't aware of the danger could have followed it somewhere and lost their way?
I'm thinking so. I'm betting this is how it started.
[Lightning eyes Karin through the corner of her eye, making sure she isn't far behind. She's almost worried to let the other woman out of her sight, in case she vanishes because of the orb's magic, like the other Wilders who seem to have disappeared. The way it beckons them forward with it makes her uncomfortable in so many different ways...]
Someone spotted it, maybe wondering the same thing we are. Followed it, and got lost, or worse... [Just upped and disappeared completely.] Guess we'll find out.
[The further into the trees they follow it, the darker it seems to get as the branches and leaves over their head begin to grow thicker. It's chillier out here, so far from the city... that must be why she feels goosebumps rising on the back of her neck.
[She keeps up easily, falling into step beside her friend when she slows down a touch. She can feel something prickling at the back of her neck, between her shoulderblades— a sense of unease that reminds her of countless unpleasant memories from back home, moments when something just didn't feel right, before the other shoe dropped.
She presses her lips together, eyes narrowed as she looks ahead. It is getting darker, but her vision has become much sharper in recent months than it once was.]
I'll stay close, I promise.
[Off in the distance, she sees a few more lights blink into existence. The one they're following is far from the only one.]
[Lightning only nods in silence, not wanting to disturb the quiet that they've found themselves in, too afraid that if she speaks, it'll scare off the lights. She does see it though, and that feeling of unease only deepens.
And when they arrive at the other orbs, they don't seem to react to their presence. The one they followed joins them, and they float amongst themselves in front of and around a single giant tree, its trunk large enough to fit at least three people inside.
She wanders up, brows pressing into a scowl, as she raises a hand to touch one of the orbs, and just as she does, something rumbles under her feet. Slow beneath the dirt like a snake, the roots begin to come alive, crawling around her ankles like the tree is trying to grab her.]
[The root's movement escapes her notice in the darkness at first, but she draws her blade and darts forward all the same, eyes searching for whatever it is that had caught Lightning's attention.
It's only after another root begins to coil around her own ankles that she realizes; she glances down and struggles to pull one foot free even as she attempts to slice through the root that's grabbed hold of her partner, the attack slowing its progress without cutting through cleanly.]
The trees are moving?!
[Wasn't the fact that they were stationary one of their primary features?!]
[They've been walking along in near-silence for some time now, the stillness of the Wilde around them only serving to contribute to the unease that Karin has felt building in past weeks. She doesn't regret her decision to bond with Jasper in the least, but it has given her an opportunity to feel firsthand just how disconnected he is from other people.
It's gone from a well-educated suspicion that something might be amiss, as it was before their bond had been set, to something that is growing more and more glaringly obvious as days pass, but it doesn't seem the sort of thing she could just ask him about, as much as she might want to. She's always been the proactive sort, but asking him outright was a sure way to get shut out— she was certain of that now more than ever. If it happened to come up while they were otherwise engaged, that might be a different story, but that isn't really why she'd asked him to accompany her on this particular quest.
This venture was listed as being particularly high-risk, one best taken on by those with a great deal of experience. They both certainly fit the bill, and it seemed like as good an opportunity as ever to test the power that their newly-formed bond would offer them.
She briefly glances his way as they continue on, her gaze otherwise surveying their surroundings for any sign of the rumored wisps that had been posted along with the request. Small talk isn't his favorite thing, she's gathered, but the awkward silence is beginning to eat at her.]
[Jasper ignores all curiosity and caution as his feet trudge and tread over earth. There is nothing to be curious about in their current mission; that would be the caution. His usual caution of others now turned towards the environment and what lurks beyond his sight. Danger that does little to shatter his confidence. Danger that makes him remember her urge to shelter and protect.
It leads him to frown and grimace in equal measure. Her curiosity? That's a trait he can appreciate - but less so when turned on him. But he cannot complain.
If anything, it all serves to help him ignore her more.]
Think nothing of it.
[He doesn't glance her way and keeps his eyes on what lies around.]
It should be poor form to permit a acquaintance to wander into mortal peril, so I heard.
[The barest hint of a smile pulls at one corner of her mouth, but it doesn't last. They walk deeper into the dark of the wilde without hesitation; there are faint glimmers of light that flicker and vanish in the distance, but nothing close enough to be identifiable just yet.
The tension is near palpable, especially thanks to the link between them now. He's not cautious of their surroundings, or what may lie ahead, but there's a different sort of care and reserve beneath the surface, a forced distance that she had picked up on early in their acquaintance and that has only become more and more noticeable as time has gone on.
He always chooses his words with care, and so she does the same, keeping her gaze fixed on the way ahead rather than letting it linger on him.]
Acquaintances— is that what we are?
[There's a light note at the end of that question; it borders on teasing, and she clearly considers them to be more. The bond makes them partners of a sort, even if he isn't necessarily willing to call it a kind of friendship.]
[Though slight by anyone's standards, there is a change in his demeanour. A little more reserved, a little more cold. In fact, he stands in opposition to the weather that rustles the trees and grass with a warming breeze. Leaves shine and flowers bloom in a pattern of colours that causes his face to frown. Everything about the warmth of the season resonates with what echoes from her half of their bond. The kind of friendly teasing that happens between friends.
He tosses his hair over his shoulder and marches on. His boot cracks on the ground - almost like he's stamping it out.]
Indeed. The description bothers you, evidently.
[It certainly seems to be bothering his face. Or perhaps that's just the weather.]
[She huffs softly, followed by a short peal of laughter as she tosses her own hair over her shoulder after the breeze dares to blow some of it forward. Her own steps are steady and purposeful, though she's being far kinder to the ground beneath them than he is.]
No, I wouldn't say it bothers me— but it's an interesting choice of words, considering our partnership. If that's what you're comfortable with calling it, then I suppose that's what we are.
[But that warm note in her voice remains, lighthearted and knowing in a way that has the potential to border on being insufferable.]
You don't have to consider me a friend for me to think of you as one.
[She'll just test the waters by casually dropping that 'f' word in there. He seems to not be a fan of it.]
[The focus Jasper is directing to his left switches immediately to his right. That side of the environment receives the cold shoulder - along with his unwanted guest.]
I give my hearty consent for you considering me whatever you like.
[His gaze directs forward. Whether he trusts her or not have his back is beside the question. They are acquaitances and not friends.]
Now, should we not return to the business at hand?
[Though the urges had initially been met with some resistance, Karin is finally letting some of her newly-developed harpy instincts inform how she spends her time. This was largely evident in the changes she'd made in her room at home, having given up using the bed most nights for the hammock she'd rigged to hang from the ceiling, but with the rapid development of her wings, it seems like it's time to do more than simply re-learn how to balance and find a way to work around them.
They aren't going anywhere. It's better if she learns to use them sooner rather than later.
Flight, at least in any significant sense, is still outside of the realm of possibility. Her muscles haven't quite adapted enough for something so rigorous yet, and while her wings are becoming larger and unwieldy, they're not quite strong enough to support her for an extended length of time. Gliding, however, is more than doable, and in the interest of quite literally spreading her wings and giving them some exercise, she's chosen to spend part of an afternoon gliding between rooftops— high enough to test her limits, but not so dangerously high that if she were to fall, it would be disastrous.
For the most part, it's successful, though she finds herself tiring quickly. She lands on the roof of a vaguely familiar house in the Haven, and stretches both arms high over her head before she lets her wings fold inward for a rest, exhaling as she takes a seat just beneath the eaves, letting one foot dangle over the edge as she draws her other knee up to her chest.
Really, the view up here is lovely. For all that she struggles with the changes she's already seen and those yet to come, there are some parts of this that she can certainly get used to.]
[Styx is having a pretty good afternoon himself! having finished drum practice for the day he's been unwinding for the past twenty minutes or so by playing with his cat; the little guy's still pretty mischievous despite having grown a bit larger by now, and he gives his owner endless amusement with the way he paws and bats at the dangle toys being rustled over his head. he's chuckling to himself, letting him chew a little on the feathers for a moment as a victory prize, when some strange flicker of movement outside the window catches his attention.
oh, never mind. it's just a foot.
what?
Yasha gets to chew on those feathers a lot longer than intended because his master's focus is now completely on the foot that is? just? literally hanging out in front of his window?? there's absolutely no balcony above them, he knows that for a fact, so then..?
after giving himself a good pinch to make sure that he wasn't dreaming or otherwise impaired (no, alas) Styx scoops his kitty up and carefully brings him into another room for safekeeping. someone's pet has the ability to teleport, so it's vital to keep a closed door between Yasha and this investigation. having done so he proceeds over, a little concerned that the appendage hasn't disappeared in the time it took to accomplish this, and rolls the window open.]
Uh...hello?
[was it safe to be sticking your entire head out an open window to look up and try to find the owner of a strange foot? probably not. but that's what Styx was doing without a second thought, some of his hair cascading right into his line of sight from the odd angle. nice.]
[Initially, she startles— almost immediately reminding herself that there's no reason to, and that the owner of the voice has every right to be concerned that there's someone on his roof. She hadn't considered that she might be spotted and found to be an unwanted intruder, and she only meant to stay a few minutes, but...
Oh.
Wait a minute.
She definitely knows that voice.
Shifting her weight, she braces both hands against the ledge she's seated on and leans forward, finding herself looking straight at— well, it's Styx underneath the hair, at least.]
Uh... hi.
[She gives him a sheepish smile, raising one hand to wave at him by wiggling her fingers.]
[you'd think that there had never been the possibility of danger from the way that Styx's face lights up almost immediately upon recognizing his friend. what a cool coincidence! he waves back at her cheerfully, nearly smashing his face into the windowsill thanks to the massive support beam he's removed by raising his arm up like that. the big guy laughs easily, unperturbed by his close brush with head trauma, and blows some of the hair from his face in order to speak a bit more clearly.]
's no problem or nothing! Just didn't expect to see you today, 's all. [she's on your roof, Styx???] You hanging out?
[Well... he certainly doesn't seem to think there's anything strange about this situation, and that's reason enough for Karin to feel a little less embarrassed, if only slightly. At least he's happy to see her?]
I— you know, somehow I didn't even realize this was your house!
[She probably should have? Maybe some part of her did recognize it, but she honestly didn't give it too much thought while looking for a place to rest between gliding attempts.]
I guess I am? For a few minutes, at least. Is— that okay?
Haha, you don't gotta feel bad about that or nothing - 's not really my house. 'm just staying here.
[he didn't own it or anything. or pay rent. or do...a goddamn thing, really, to justify his being here...
Eren was a pretty cool friend, all things considered.]
You can chill as long as you want, though! View must be pretty killer up there, yeah? [oh, wait. courtesy! he's a host!!] You want a cup of coffee or something, though? Shouldn't take too long.
[ Getting through the maze was a challenge but not impossible. He didn't want to risk Saori's safety by going through that maze so he went alone, and while the moons made things incredibly difficult however he managed to soldier through to reach his goal. Drummond. He figured she was going to be a problem when he first heard her name but for her to escalate things the way she did, it was unforgivable. She needs to die, but not before he picked her brain clean of everything she knows.
Although it looks like she didn't have any intention of making that easy for anyone.
Her little clay toy soldiers certainly cut an intimidating figure but, being the underdog in the fight is exactly what he was trained to do. Their towering size only proved to work against them as he shifted forms, human to owl, and weaved between the swipes of their lumbering arms. Their weaknesses were also far too easy to figure out and he was quick to exploit them, and that's when things started to get more difficult.
Each golem started to fuse with an element of earth, fire and earth, water and earth, wind - his own primary element - and earth, and used those combinations to really back him into a corner. Escaping to his domain in the skies was no longer an option after fighting wave after wave of fused golems, and he's left on the ground projecting a shield with one hand and his magitech gun in the other. This was starting to be a really bad idea. ]
[Even without the added challenge of the moons and their influence on the monsters beneath them, this entire situation was pure chaos— Karin had thrown herself into the midst of it without a second thought all the same, willing and eager to offer all that she could to be of assistance. Standing by and watching had never been her idea of a good time, and her conscience would never have allowed for it either way.
She was getting closer now, along with other Mirrorbound who had pledged their aid, but of course, the maze was hardly the only obstacle that stood between them and Drummond herself. While she has no intention of engaging any of the golems on her lonesome if she can help it, spotting a familiar face being crowded by Drummond's clay soldiers causes her to quickly correct course, taking wing just long enough to give herself the advantage in swooping downward with her sword drawn, striking one of the golems where the material seems unstable at the back of its neck.
It doesn't fell it immediately, but the golem is crippled, stumbling and falling forward to land just a few inches to Bishop's left as Karin shoves her blade in deeper, one foot propped against the back of its head as she rides it to the ground. There are more nearby, but hopefully, it's enough to buy Bishop a moment to breathe.]
[ The golem pounded on his shield, teeth grit as he endured the assault that numbed his arm with each heavy blow.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
That was the sound that filled his ears, unsure if it was a stone fist against his shield or the sound of his heartbeat, not that it mattered at this point. He was backed into the proverbial corner and he wishes it was the kind of situation where his enemies would be wary of how desperate he could become, but it wasn't. This fight had, by his experience, gone completely FUBAR.
He was shaken out of his grim contemplating when the sight of a harpy crashing down on one of the golems caught his eye. Reinforcements, great. It was Karin, even better. The diversion allowed him to take flight as well, dodging to the side then leaping and changing form in midair into an eagle owl. He didn't fly very high and instead glided and weaved, moving with the dexterity that suggests he's mastered his feathery form, through the golems onslaught as they swiped at him.
He changed back and landed, drew his gun, and started firing. Each shot was of a different element, exploding half a second after contact, and after six shots there's a two second pause before he starts firing again. He picked off golem after golem, clearing a path for her to get to him. ]
[Well, how's that for a neat trick? Karin is relieved to see him get out out of the path of the golem's assault, even able to take a brief moment to be impressed by his fancy flying, though there's not much time to dwell on anything beyond the situation at hand.
His gun takes care of the golems between them without pause, and she takes the opportunity to rush through the path he's made, her sword drawn and ready to deflect any incoming blows as yet more golems close in where those before them had collapsed. The numbers do seem to be thinning, but she'd rather she and Bishop be on the same side of the battlefield before she starts swinging— getting herself surrounded on her own wouldn't be very conducive to their coming out on top.
She skids to a stop as she nears him, quickly turning so that her back is angled towards his. He's made short work of a number of the golems already, but the lull is momentary at best.]
If I still had any of my abilities from back home, this would be a hell of a lot easier! How are you on ammo?
[She knows it's not the only thing he has to rely on, but it would be good to know what they're working with before she starts strategizing.]
[ He continued to fire even as she descended and positioned herself at his six o'clock. It was a small comfort to be alongside someone with some actual combat training, almost reminds him of home. ]
Good, if stick to just using my gun. I can probably use around five big spells if the need arises.
[ But after that he'll be spent in terms of magic. ]
These golems aren't tough individually, but their numbers are endless as long as Drummond is alive. To make matters worse they've merged with earth element, which means they have an edge over me.
Well then, we ought to save those for when they'll pack the most punch!
[If the golems aren't so tough on their own, then they should be able to outsmart them.]
They have numbers on us, but we have free will— minds of our own. We can definitely outsmart them— makes me wish I had some of my own magic from back home still, though.
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lightning.
She casts Lightning a sidelong glance as not for the first time, an orb of light crosses their path, and unlike those before, it lingers, as though attempting to grab their attention.
She exhales, frown quirking to one side even as she reaches to rest her hand over the pommel of her sword at her hip. She has a feeling she'll be needing her blade sooner rather than later.]
It seems like it wants us to follow it.
[It could be exactly the clue they're looking for in their pursuit of the missing Wilders, but they should absolutely proceed with caution.]
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Doesn't mean she's going to trust it, though.]
Of course it does. We should still be careful.
[She's quick to pull her sword out to keep at her side in case they come across any surprises. The orb moves away just as Lightning takes a step towards it, and then again as she takes another, and another, and pauses when she does.
Yep. It definitely wants them to follow. Pesky thing.]
Think this has anything to do with the job?
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She presses her lips together for a moment as the orb leads Lightning forward one step at a time, watching the way it immediately stops whenever she does, as though it has a mind of its own, as though it's waiting.]
The fact that I don't trust it in the least makes me think that it just might.
[Maybe it was meant to lure?]
Someone who wasn't aware of the danger could have followed it somewhere and lost their way?
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[Lightning eyes Karin through the corner of her eye, making sure she isn't far behind. She's almost worried to let the other woman out of her sight, in case she vanishes because of the orb's magic, like the other Wilders who seem to have disappeared. The way it beckons them forward with it makes her uncomfortable in so many different ways...]
Someone spotted it, maybe wondering the same thing we are. Followed it, and got lost, or worse... [Just upped and disappeared completely.] Guess we'll find out.
[The further into the trees they follow it, the darker it seems to get as the branches and leaves over their head begin to grow thicker. It's chillier out here, so far from the city... that must be why she feels goosebumps rising on the back of her neck.
She slows down so that Karin is now at her side.]
Don't leave my sight.
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She presses her lips together, eyes narrowed as she looks ahead. It is getting darker, but her vision has become much sharper in recent months than it once was.]
I'll stay close, I promise.
[Off in the distance, she sees a few more lights blink into existence. The one they're following is far from the only one.]
Hey— do you see that?
[And is it getting colder out here?]
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And when they arrive at the other orbs, they don't seem to react to their presence. The one they followed joins them, and they float amongst themselves in front of and around a single giant tree, its trunk large enough to fit at least three people inside.
She wanders up, brows pressing into a scowl, as she raises a hand to touch one of the orbs, and just as she does, something rumbles under her feet. Slow beneath the dirt like a snake, the roots begin to come alive, crawling around her ankles like the tree is trying to grab her.]
The hell—
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[The root's movement escapes her notice in the darkness at first, but she draws her blade and darts forward all the same, eyes searching for whatever it is that had caught Lightning's attention.
It's only after another root begins to coil around her own ankles that she realizes; she glances down and struggles to pull one foot free even as she attempts to slice through the root that's grabbed hold of her partner, the attack slowing its progress without cutting through cleanly.]
The trees are moving?!
[Wasn't the fact that they were stationary one of their primary features?!]
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jasper.
It's gone from a well-educated suspicion that something might be amiss, as it was before their bond had been set, to something that is growing more and more glaringly obvious as days pass, but it doesn't seem the sort of thing she could just ask him about, as much as she might want to. She's always been the proactive sort, but asking him outright was a sure way to get shut out— she was certain of that now more than ever. If it happened to come up while they were otherwise engaged, that might be a different story, but that isn't really why she'd asked him to accompany her on this particular quest.
This venture was listed as being particularly high-risk, one best taken on by those with a great deal of experience. They both certainly fit the bill, and it seemed like as good an opportunity as ever to test the power that their newly-formed bond would offer them.
She briefly glances his way as they continue on, her gaze otherwise surveying their surroundings for any sign of the rumored wisps that had been posted along with the request. Small talk isn't his favorite thing, she's gathered, but the awkward silence is beginning to eat at her.]
Thank you— for coming with me.
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It leads him to frown and grimace in equal measure. Her curiosity? That's a trait he can appreciate - but less so when turned on him. But he cannot complain.
If anything, it all serves to help him ignore her more.]
Think nothing of it.
[He doesn't glance her way and keeps his eyes on what lies around.]
It should be poor form to permit a acquaintance to wander into mortal peril, so I heard.
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[The barest hint of a smile pulls at one corner of her mouth, but it doesn't last. They walk deeper into the dark of the wilde without hesitation; there are faint glimmers of light that flicker and vanish in the distance, but nothing close enough to be identifiable just yet.
The tension is near palpable, especially thanks to the link between them now. He's not cautious of their surroundings, or what may lie ahead, but there's a different sort of care and reserve beneath the surface, a forced distance that she had picked up on early in their acquaintance and that has only become more and more noticeable as time has gone on.
He always chooses his words with care, and so she does the same, keeping her gaze fixed on the way ahead rather than letting it linger on him.]
Acquaintances— is that what we are?
[There's a light note at the end of that question; it borders on teasing, and she clearly considers them to be more. The bond makes them partners of a sort, even if he isn't necessarily willing to call it a kind of friendship.]
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He tosses his hair over his shoulder and marches on. His boot cracks on the ground - almost like he's stamping it out.]
Indeed. The description bothers you, evidently.
[It certainly seems to be bothering his face. Or perhaps that's just the weather.]
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No, I wouldn't say it bothers me— but it's an interesting choice of words, considering our partnership. If that's what you're comfortable with calling it, then I suppose that's what we are.
[But that warm note in her voice remains, lighthearted and knowing in a way that has the potential to border on being insufferable.]
You don't have to consider me a friend for me to think of you as one.
[She'll just test the waters by casually dropping that 'f' word in there. He seems to not be a fan of it.]
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I give my hearty consent for you considering me whatever you like.
[His gaze directs forward. Whether he trusts her or not have his back is beside the question. They are acquaitances and not friends.]
Now, should we not return to the business at hand?
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styx.
They aren't going anywhere. It's better if she learns to use them sooner rather than later.
Flight, at least in any significant sense, is still outside of the realm of possibility. Her muscles haven't quite adapted enough for something so rigorous yet, and while her wings are becoming larger and unwieldy, they're not quite strong enough to support her for an extended length of time. Gliding, however, is more than doable, and in the interest of quite literally spreading her wings and giving them some exercise, she's chosen to spend part of an afternoon gliding between rooftops— high enough to test her limits, but not so dangerously high that if she were to fall, it would be disastrous.
For the most part, it's successful, though she finds herself tiring quickly. She lands on the roof of a vaguely familiar house in the Haven, and stretches both arms high over her head before she lets her wings fold inward for a rest, exhaling as she takes a seat just beneath the eaves, letting one foot dangle over the edge as she draws her other knee up to her chest.
Really, the view up here is lovely. For all that she struggles with the changes she's already seen and those yet to come, there are some parts of this that she can certainly get used to.]
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oh, never mind. it's just a foot.
what?
Yasha gets to chew on those feathers a lot longer than intended because his master's focus is now completely on the foot that is? just? literally hanging out in front of his window?? there's absolutely no balcony above them, he knows that for a fact, so then..?
after giving himself a good pinch to make sure that he wasn't dreaming or otherwise impaired (no, alas) Styx scoops his kitty up and carefully brings him into another room for safekeeping. someone's pet has the ability to teleport, so it's vital to keep a closed door between Yasha and this investigation. having done so he proceeds over, a little concerned that the appendage hasn't disappeared in the time it took to accomplish this, and rolls the window open.]
Uh...hello?
[was it safe to be sticking your entire head out an open window to look up and try to find the owner of a strange foot? probably not. but that's what Styx was doing without a second thought, some of his hair cascading right into his line of sight from the odd angle. nice.]
I'm so glad he's like this
Oh.
Wait a minute.
She definitely knows that voice.
Shifting her weight, she braces both hands against the ledge she's seated on and leans forward, finding herself looking straight at— well, it's Styx underneath the hair, at least.]
Uh... hi.
[She gives him a sheepish smile, raising one hand to wave at him by wiggling her fingers.]
Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you!
you mean big and stupid? me too, tbh.
[you'd think that there had never been the possibility of danger from the way that Styx's face lights up almost immediately upon recognizing his friend. what a cool coincidence! he waves back at her cheerfully, nearly smashing his face into the windowsill thanks to the massive support beam he's removed by raising his arm up like that. the big guy laughs easily, unperturbed by his close brush with head trauma, and blows some of the hair from his face in order to speak a bit more clearly.]
's no problem or nothing! Just didn't expect to see you today, 's all. [she's on your roof, Styx???] You hanging out?
yes it's charming
I— you know, somehow I didn't even realize this was your house!
[She probably should have? Maybe some part of her did recognize it, but she honestly didn't give it too much thought while looking for a place to rest between gliding attempts.]
I guess I am? For a few minutes, at least. Is— that okay?
[She'll get off your roof if you want!!]
he's quite the heartbreaker, it's true
[he didn't own it or anything. or pay rent. or do...a goddamn thing, really, to justify his being here...
Eren was a pretty cool friend, all things considered.]
You can chill as long as you want, though! View must be pretty killer up there, yeah? [oh, wait. courtesy! he's a host!!] You want a cup of coffee or something, though? Shouldn't take too long.
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styx is sensitive about being huge but i'm not
I'm dying
so might he
that seems legit
the coven's probably surprised he's made it this long tbh
maybe he should wear a helmet
his head is the least vulnerable body part he has
you're right
i know ;_;
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this tag was put on pause because i had to check for goldfish pictures, i hope you're happy
it's entirely possible that I've never been happier
it IS a really cute fish tbf
I love how much he wants to find new friends for his fish
he's just really worried his social needs aren't being met ok
an excellent pet dad honestly
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As promised!
Although it looks like she didn't have any intention of making that easy for anyone.
Her little clay toy soldiers certainly cut an intimidating figure but, being the underdog in the fight is exactly what he was trained to do. Their towering size only proved to work against them as he shifted forms, human to owl, and weaved between the swipes of their lumbering arms. Their weaknesses were also far too easy to figure out and he was quick to exploit them, and that's when things started to get more difficult.
Each golem started to fuse with an element of earth, fire and earth, water and earth, wind - his own primary element - and earth, and used those combinations to really back him into a corner. Escaping to his domain in the skies was no longer an option after fighting wave after wave of fused golems, and he's left on the ground projecting a shield with one hand and his magitech gun in the other. This was starting to be a really bad idea. ]
❤️
She was getting closer now, along with other Mirrorbound who had pledged their aid, but of course, the maze was hardly the only obstacle that stood between them and Drummond herself. While she has no intention of engaging any of the golems on her lonesome if she can help it, spotting a familiar face being crowded by Drummond's clay soldiers causes her to quickly correct course, taking wing just long enough to give herself the advantage in swooping downward with her sword drawn, striking one of the golems where the material seems unstable at the back of its neck.
It doesn't fell it immediately, but the golem is crippled, stumbling and falling forward to land just a few inches to Bishop's left as Karin shoves her blade in deeper, one foot propped against the back of its head as she rides it to the ground. There are more nearby, but hopefully, it's enough to buy Bishop a moment to breathe.]
Come on, we'll take them out together!
Sorry for the delay!
Boom. Boom. Boom.
That was the sound that filled his ears, unsure if it was a stone fist against his shield or the sound of his heartbeat, not that it mattered at this point. He was backed into the proverbial corner and he wishes it was the kind of situation where his enemies would be wary of how desperate he could become, but it wasn't. This fight had, by his experience, gone completely FUBAR.
He was shaken out of his grim contemplating when the sight of a harpy crashing down on one of the golems caught his eye. Reinforcements, great. It was Karin, even better. The diversion allowed him to take flight as well, dodging to the side then leaping and changing form in midair into an eagle owl. He didn't fly very high and instead glided and weaved, moving with the dexterity that suggests he's mastered his feathery form, through the golems onslaught as they swiped at him.
He changed back and landed, drew his gun, and started firing. Each shot was of a different element, exploding half a second after contact, and after six shots there's a two second pause before he starts firing again. He picked off golem after golem, clearing a path for her to get to him. ]
no worries, it is I who am the latest!
His gun takes care of the golems between them without pause, and she takes the opportunity to rush through the path he's made, her sword drawn and ready to deflect any incoming blows as yet more golems close in where those before them had collapsed. The numbers do seem to be thinning, but she'd rather she and Bishop be on the same side of the battlefield before she starts swinging— getting herself surrounded on her own wouldn't be very conducive to their coming out on top.
She skids to a stop as she nears him, quickly turning so that her back is angled towards his. He's made short work of a number of the golems already, but the lull is momentary at best.]
If I still had any of my abilities from back home, this would be a hell of a lot easier! How are you on ammo?
[She knows it's not the only thing he has to rely on, but it would be good to know what they're working with before she starts strategizing.]
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[ He continued to fire even as she descended and positioned herself at his six o'clock. It was a small comfort to be alongside someone with some actual combat training, almost reminds him of home. ]
Good, if stick to just using my gun. I can probably use around five big spells if the need arises.
[ But after that he'll be spent in terms of magic. ]
These golems aren't tough individually, but their numbers are endless as long as Drummond is alive. To make matters worse they've merged with earth element, which means they have an edge over me.
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[If the golems aren't so tough on their own, then they should be able to outsmart them.]
They have numbers on us, but we have free will— minds of our own. We can definitely outsmart them— makes me wish I had some of my own magic from back home still, though.
[All that fire would come in useful...]
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