> it called for help! [ota]

[crosslaced]

Who: Laurent, about eight hungry centipuppies, and you!
What: Laurent goes predator-hunting on the beach, and gets more predators than he bargained for.
When: September 5th
Where: Beaches of E4 / E5: ie. right outside the ruins
Warnings: Some strong language? Animal slaughter?

a | the beach;

[From the modest shade of the Ruins one has a great view of the beach. The brilliant sea, the pristine sand, the furry shapes of the centipuppy pack in the distance. Looks like they're on the hunt today, chasing a larger creature towards the ruins. A person on horseback.

Looks like someone's fucked up. That someone is Laurent.

He set out to fight a different creature- a questionable decision in itself, but there are no spoils without war- but then there were the dogs, swarming over the beach like a bone-white mirage, and at the back of his mind he wonders if Taako will trade for fur. But right now nothing is more pressing than the restrained race over the sand, pushing his horse as much as he dares on the slippery terrain. If Maribelle stumbles, they're screwed.

(So she won't. He won't let that happen again.)

Her restraint means they're not fast enough. Laurent realises by now- with a hiss of frustration- that the dogs are pursuit predators, and may not tire for hours yet. He does not have hours. He's enough of a hunter himself to know what it means when one can afford to let you run, run, bleeding out slowly.

Alright, then.

He's close enough to the ruins for there to be others nearby- but too bad, he has no habit of seeking help. Laurent wheels his horse around- and as the point hound leaps to snap at Maribelle’s flanks, spears its throat.

thmp-

The glittering weapon seems to come from thin air. Before blood even spills it rips itself out of of the centipuppy and flies at another, shattering against the creature’s snout- all on its own, somehow, in the bizarre way that might baffle anyone with no knowledge of telekinesis. The pack reels; snarling, confused.

He's not going to roll over for the dogs. But he could really use help. ]


b| the ruins;

[Dingalingaling, a rattling up the slopes to the Ruins. What's that smell in the air? No, it's not the ice cream man. It's Laurent's horse, scratched up somewhat but otherwise fine, towing the carcass of a long long dog.

Oh, and her human. Who all but slides off the saddle, blinking stars from his vision, and spends the next five minutes failing to untie the rope that connects the dead centipuppy to his horse. The gem on his wrist is no longer its iridescent blue but a cloudy, gross slate color.

If you're part of the Ignis-Prompto boyband, he might call you over for help. Otherwise, you'll have to approach him yourself if you want to ask if he's found lots of alcohol or something. ]

Comments

a, here comes a kid

[builditstrong]

Kid saw the horse first and came to investigate. If there are horses on the island, that could be incredibly useful, at least to those who know how to handle them. Kid is not one of them, so he's thinking maybe he'll just try to get a closer look. It's then that he notices the rider--and the centipuppies chasing them.

He's not a man to turn away from a fight just because it doesn't technically involve him. He hasn't seen Laurent in awhile, but you form a sort of bond with your raftmates--or something like that.

The dogs are like the unholy union of dogs and Bootlickers from back in the Wilds, and Kid knows how to handle Bootlickers. Grenades would be helpful, but if wishes were fishes.

So he just rushes in with his hammer, right as some kind of glittering weapon appears out of nowhere and kills two of the hounds in one go. There's no point in thinking too hard about it right now, and it's not like the Kid has never seen strange things. These centipuppies, they're pretty strange.

They're long enough that even one of them can practially flank you, but that's why you go for the head. The hounds don't see him coming--until his hammer is colliding with one of the hounds' head. The creature goes down instantly.

Kid doesn't say a word to Laurent, just whirls and holds up his hammer as the hounds try to swarm them.

[crosslaced]

He's so going to feel this later.

Laurent is glad to hear the solid thunk of another canine being taken out. Those that are left reel back, still aggressive but growing uncertain; the second centipuppy he's sent his spear at is staggering away in a wounded fashion.

He has a sword in hand now, since his spears are far from infinite. In fact, he's down to one. Kid’s presence, truly, makes the difference between 'very difficult' and 'doable'.

"You can keep the ones you kill."

His horse’s breathing is steady; she can handle this. The blonde shifts his weight and spurs her forward into the pack, scattering them in surprise.

[builditstrong]

Kid lunches at another centipuppy and it darts away. It's always easier to drive an enemy off than keep fighting, and usually wiser as well. Another hound tries its luck and Kid whirls with his hammer, catching it in the flank. It gives a sort of hissing yelp and darts out of reach as well.

Laurent has a sword now, and his horse seems to be the sturdy kind that doesn't spook easily. They've got this well in hand, and the hounds already look like they're having doubts.

"Alrigh'."

The fur is probably usable, the meat...might be edible? He'll have to ask around. The bones will be very useful.

A hound snaps at him again, narrowly missing his leg, and Kid swings his hammer downward, smashing the creature between the shoulder blades. It hits the sand hard.

[crosslaced]

These things have a great many legs.

Laurent cuts across a dog’s snout as it jumps at him, and again until it retreats. His sword isn't long enough to actually kill the hounds, and his horse is not as nimble as they are- but he leaves gashes, a great many of them, and keep them at bay for long enough to discourage them. The Kid is clearly holding his own, and between the damage they do to the pack the dogs finally begin to flee.

Once the predators thin he immediately steers Maribelle back towards the ruins. Out of danger. Are you coming?

A

[prettypurpleparlor]

[Another creature tries to leap up, only for a long line of purple to lash out, catching it around the neck and dragging it back down with a yelp. The source can be traced clearly back to the spider-like woman walking out of the ruins.]

[She looks sternly at the pack, and prepares another line of purple magic, clearly ready to throw it.]

Bad dog.

[crosslaced]

[That's a spider.

You know what, she's a) attacking the dogs and b) just spoke. He's going to assume she's on his side.

Laurent is doing a passable job keeping the dogs at a distance, having summoned a sword from Meguca Hammerspace, but they're annoyingly good at penning prey in. The dogs, equally annoyed at their inability to close in, eventually start turning their heads toward the smaller spider-lady.

Easier prey. They're cautious in their approach, seeing what she's done to one of them, but Laurent's hoping she has something more lethal.]

Careful!

[prettypurpleparlor]

[Oh good, it would have been terribly awkward to be attacked by someone she was trying to save.]

[As it is, the dogs are happy to pick up the slack on the hostility front, although they aren't having much luck: her purple magic keeps binding them up and pulling them away, forcing them further away from the Ruins and the two of them.]

[She sends the occasional bullet their way, too, small white circles that seem to hurt the dogs when they hit them, but she's putting her main focus on keeping them away with purple magic, not attacking directly.]

Would it help if I herded them in any particular direction, or kept them bunched up somewhere? I can hold them in place if there's an attack you want to try.

[crosslaced]

[The dogs are getting tired of this obstruction. After some gruff barks and signaling they begin to spread out, hoping to get past Muffet’s magic. They'd go back to trying for a horse, but said horse’s human has smartened the hell up and ridden away from the predators a long time ago.

Now in the shade of the trees close to where Muffet is Laurent dismounts, and immediately checks the condition of his steed. ]

I can't kill so many at once-

[Wounds shallow, breathing not abnormal, nothing sprained. Given his record it's almost a miracle.]

We could crowd them together and both attack, but I have one projectile left. What about your bullets?

b| the ruins;

[shatteredlenses]

Laurent?

[There is concern in Ignis' voice as he carefully makes his way across the ruins. The blonde sounds extremely tired and his horse doesn't seem much better, her breathing giving away her exhaustion as the advisor draws nearer to them.]

Are you two injured? Did I hear Maribelle dragging something?

[Ignis hardly waits for a response, already gathering his magic for casting. The healing energy flows gently below the surface, patiently awaiting an answer before being put to use.]

[crosslaced]

[i will give you a real response soon......]

[crosslaced]

[For several heart-stopping moments it had seemed like it had been fate, coming to reclaim the forfeit life of his horse. A part of him had been waiting for it- the stuttering of breath, the sweat, the symptoms of poison.

But let's not go into that now. Maribelle is warm and alive under his fingertips, good girl, good girl. Laurent gives up on the knot, slicing the rope free with his knife. He pulled this off. Good girl.]

I- My horse is hurt. Do you have- medicine? We also- took down some kind of- wild dog, do you have medicine?

[shatteredlenses]

Easy, Laurent. Breathe. You're both safe now.

[Ignis' voice is calm and soothing. It's the same tone he always used whenever Noctis woke up from a nightmare and needed reassuring.]

I don't have medicine, but I do have healing magic. Don't fight it. It will help.

[He raises his hands and lets the magic flow outward from him. Regroup doesn't work exactly the same way it did back home, but as long as he considers a person or animal part of his group, it still imparts the healing and the motivational boost. Hopefully, the second part will help the shaken blonde relax.]

[crosslaced]

[Who does this man think he is, Diarmuid??????

Laurent doesn't respond; he has more pressing things to spend his energy on, like trying to focus through the headache of magic depletion. He knows this feeling well. Healing won't help it.]

How long does it take?

[Regeneration magic isn't like the healing he's used to. He's worried about Maribelle; it seems like it's working slower than usual.]

the ruins

[souris_keteer]

[Mickey blinks at the noise of hoofbeats - he thought after leaving the kingdom he wouldn't hear that sound again for some time He walks out to see the horse, all smiles - and then the smile vanishes when he sees a person dizzily riding it. If you can call that riding.]

H-Hey! You all right?

[crosslaced]

[Unfortunately he's nursing a hell of a headache, and has also outgrown his juvenile fascination with the idea of talking animals.

Sorry Mickey. He's not the nicest.]

Do you have medicine?

[souris_keteer]

N-No... but I've got a spell! Marcille taught me a healing spell!

[granted, he's never had to use it except the first time... Mickey's running over anyway.]

[crosslaced]

[He dismounts- unsteadily- and hesitates.

I mean, that's a talking mouse who's now supposedly magic- and that's not abnormal for him, his main gripe is would this three foot rodent have an ulterior motive for his horse.]

Does it work on animals?

the beach

[hyperlit]

[A bright purple blur soon cuts across his field of vision. Buried in the stripe of bright blue skin - the only visible part of the Drifter's person - is a pair of beetle-black eyes that regard the centipuppies with something approaching curiosity. The Drifter's blade emerges from the folds of their cloak with a soft hum of hard light, the blue blade cleaving one of the white-furred beasts swiftly in two with one strategically timed slash.]

[The Drifter skids, sending out a plume of pale sand. They stop only to glance significantly in Laurent's direction to affirm that they're about to help him before their hands wings up once more. This time, it has a weapon in it. The Zaliska fires once, twice, and the first shot impacts another of the creature's on the snout.]

[The second only scatters the pack.]

[crosslaced]

[He is immediately jealous. Look at the keenness of that sword, and that gun isn't half bad either. Bonnie Hood’s machine gun nonsense had been more dangerous, but frankly Laurent expects a magic uzi to cost a soul in this economy; and he's already sold his.

Would a sword like theirs cost as much? Probably, damn it.

As the Centipuppies scatter he turns his horse around and rides hard for the ruins. A straggler of a hound tries to pursue- a short distance from the Drifter, the blonde finally deems it practical enough to dismount and engage.

Laurent's sword isn't fancy like that other one. The canine bites down on it without immediately vaporizing, trying to rip it away, but it's simple enough now to twist its head grossly sideways. It's simple enough, after that.

With that done, how is the Drifter doing? Does he have enough time to check over his horse?]

[hyperlit]

[The Drifter is fast, make no mistake, though it is largely in compensation for the fact that their constitution cannot weather many hits before they're bleeding quite liberally all over the sand. The best strategy is simply to never let them get a hit in - and for now, the centipuppies haven't.]

[They swing around with the hum of their blade slashing at one of the creatures. The stroke misses, but it fends the pack back somewhat regardless. A number of them seem to deem them unworthy prey, or perhaps simply more trouble than they're worth, and start to retreat.]

[It's a poor moment for things to transpire as they do - namely, the Drifter's shoulders spasming, and a hot dribble of pinkish blood erupting from behind the mantle wrapped about their mouth.]

[One of the centipuppies takes advantage and clamps powerful jaws about the Drifter's side.]

[crosslaced]

[oh no The Drifter is doing badly.

Laurent doesn't connect the spasm to trouble right away, but the dog loping up is trouble enough. he has to- he throws his last spear- aiming for the flank, by reflex, and watches it bury itself in the Centipuppy’s side.

Removed the threat. Now-he'd move the Drifter out of danger, but moving someone injured is itself dangerous. Of his various options, a compromise is the most practical- the spear-shaft snaps itself off, telekinetically, and is flung blindly into the crowd of dogs to disperse them. It'll buy a few seconds. ]

Hey-

[Are you alright? Do you need an airlift?]

a, strolls in late with starbucks

[achievementhunter]

[How troublesome.

If not for the horse, Laurent would find himself dealing with this alone. They have no interest in assisting an unknown human who'd bitten off more than he could chew. His horse, however...

Well. The poor beast certainly hadn't decided to be directed in such a manner, had it.

Sand isn't their friend. Chara races across it, spy enough, but stumbling here and there in the dips and ridges left by the wind, quietly mouthing off curses to themself the close they get to the frenzied pack. Their approach doesn't go unnoticed, either- before they're even close enough to put themself between the dog-like creatures and the horse, two of them are veering away from the throng, circling round the child and forcing them to come to a halt.

Both eyes need to be on these beasts, waiting for the moment one decides to strike. At the least, it leaves Laurent with slightly less in number to do away with for himself.]

[crosslaced]

[Later he might remember the expression, the calm readiness of their posture. But he's busy with four other dogs- now three, as one Centipuppy comes too close and get its face sliced up- and there is this kid, alone, and statistically speaking they're probably going to die.

…

He sweeps his sword out again to keep the dogs back, and throws his last spear at one of the creatures surrounding Chara.

It's the one with its back turned to him, who doesn't see death coming, a clean clean kill. But before Laurent can deal with the other one, check on the child, something-

He doesn't see another Centipuppy come for him, either. It sinks canines into his arm.]

Hrk-

[Pain is so inconvenient.]

[achievementhunter]

[They can't afford to be distracted, right now. Not even at the sound of pain in the distance, remaining still as the scent of freshly spilled blood aggravates the creatures further. One of the two circling Chara becomes a little more brave- waiting until it's at the very corner of the child's vision before making a leap.

One that is met by a child ducking low to the ground, knife thrusting upwards into the center of what Chara can only assume is it's chest. Amidst the yips and snarls of an almost dog-like nature comes something much more shrill; a shrieking animal in the midst of it's death throes.

That's one.]

[crosslaced]

[Ah-

hell- hhhhhh-

(That makes both Chara’s immediate threats down, at least.)

It takes all his years of horseriding to avoid falling off- don't grab the reins, don't grab the reins- but it'll have to take more than that to shake the Centipuppy off. (get off-) It stretches like a spring to reach, uncoiling an underbelly of so many writhing legs- ah- get off-

Laurent's Soul Gem flares with light, rips the Centipuppy off, so forcefully his vision fuzzes out from the magic use. It slams into the sand with a wet crunch, spasming, and its surviving packmates reel back for a second. Oh fuck it hurts. What now? What next? He's not out of the woods yet-]

Hey-

[He turns the horse around to look for the child. There's enough blood that his horse shies, but- oh. There's the child, alright (?). There're the two Centipuppies, and the one he didn't get is down too (...?).

Get out of here. Go. He spurs his horse, hoping Chara gets the same idea.]