[Open] August Catch-All

[long_live_the_queen]

Who: Kaede, others, you!
When: August in general
Where: Within the city, Smugha Cave, others to be added
What: Thread holder for the month. Feel free to hit up my plotting post here or my plurk at blueraven if you'd like to hash something out!
Warnings: Potential violence, others to be added as needed


I. Any District

[When Kaede crossed the city, it was usually in direct ways—or more aimless meanderings. But the city was busy and crowded and there was only so much the promise of free clothing could do to smooth over the prospect of dealing with that many people for so long. So, the former it was.

This also meant casually trespassing in people's yards. Empty yards—or at least ones that seemed empty on first glance, she wasn't stupid. Where possible, the Chimera walked along courtyard walls instead of actually straying in them, but sometimes that wasn't exactly feasible. She didn't take anything while she was pacing with purpose between rows of flowers, a garden, or otherwise—but the antlered Chimera was highly visible, her hair dark pink and her arms covered in bright scarlet feathers.

...well, okay. She did linger sometimes. Those flowers were pretty.

Or perhaps she's hovering near a patch of trailing honeysuckle, or perched conspicuously atop a wall with her head tilted—did she hear a dog barking?]

II. Caught in the rain

[Of course it'd be raining on the day Kaede had to return these books. Of course it'd do so while she was mid-transit. And of course she'd find that this newly purchased cloak leaked.

The worst of it seemed to be on her head, where the hood had been rather hastily modified to fit around her antlers. It looked nice in the store, and in cooler (not rainy) weather. But it let water in through those gaps, and the left shoulder seam had started to leak, too.

So Kaede slouched, under an awning outside a shop, a home, anywhere with a roof, the books tucked into the one dry spot still under the cloak.

Let this storm pass soon. Let this storm pass soon...]

Comments

[whomthebelltolls]

[Can never say the Chimera doesn't make a good tank in this situation. Maria shifts again, this time closer, staying as far out of reach of the spindly little legs as she can, though it's more focused on Kaede than her, it doesn't mean she doesn't feel the thud and bruise of one of the back ones catching her across the thigh and hip and gut, but it doesn't matter, because that tail is curling to strike - again - and Maria needs to be faster.

And she is, arcing her swords toward the base of the tail, where the range of motion is at its least and her swords strike true. The thick cords of muscle and tissue, even between the bits of chitin, are difficult to cut through, but her motion, her strength, and the fire helps, as the blades sizzle and hiss with the ichor-blood of the scorpion spilling all over them.

And that's when Maria whispers another word, and, like oil, the blood ignites, flaring yellow-white and swiftly right up into the scorpion's body. Use blood to enhance the fire? Psh. Light the blood on fire.]

[long_live_the_queen]

[The Shade screeched, bucking madly on its many legs as Maria's blades bite deep--and again, with a louder and more desperate note as its very blood ignited like oil. Shambling undead horror it might have been, but being set on fire from the inside out was hard for even a dead thing to ignore. Its pincers sprang free from Kaede's arm, and the Chimera sprang for the chance despite her arm responding slower than before. Both clawed hands cracked through its chitin plating this time, anchoring into the fissures and digging through the flesh beneath.

The Shade's barbed tail lashes at Maria, though its movements steadily weaken as the sinews powering it sever and burn. It was the only part of the creature that could effectively move, with the Chimera pulling its torso down. She couldn't quite turn it onto its side yet, but like a predator throttling its prey she didn't let up or let go. It could stay right there and burn.]

[whomthebelltolls]

[It's almost a good thing Maria's sword can split into two, as she yanks the smaller blade free, turning to the side where the scorpion's stinger has a harder time reaching, and deflecting the blows with the parrying dagger half of the Rakuyo, and it works just fine, even as the feet continue to lash out, with ever-weakening strikes against Maria's side. She'll be pretty bruised up after this, but it'll be fine.

Just gotta keep burning this thing until it stops moving.]