Author Topic: (Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 9) (Read 48080 times)

Oldmansour · « **Reply #390 on:** April 13, 2012, 06:23:56 AM »

>Perhaps we'd best do both.
>Bring our sword parallel to our body in front of us to parry her slash, and then dodge to the left and forwards.
>While performing this lateral move, turn as mucha s we can to face her head on.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #391 on:** April 13, 2012, 07:03:36 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang, the Falling Star on April 13, 2012, 06:23:56 AM

>Perhaps we'd best do both.
>Bring our sword parallel to our body in front of us to parry her slash, and then dodge to the left and forwards.
>While performing this lateral move, turn as mucha s we can to face her head on.

>You bring your sword out to parry, while stepping aside from the slash and turning to face it. You have very little room to maneuver, this close to the strut, but you still manage to connect steel with steel before it finds your flesh instead. The face of your opponent comes into view... and it does not look happy. Large splinters of wood pepper one side of it and a trails of blood from them have masked an eye entirely. The expression she wears is less of smug cruelty than simple rage, now. She wants to hurt you. Well, she probably always wanted to hurt you, but your position in her esteem has certainly not improved over the last minute.
>As you face her, she pulls her sword swiftly back and slashes again. There is great force behind the blow, but a surprising lack of technique. You intercept the strike with only a slight repositioning of your weapon, though it nearly gets battered aside in the process. And then she moves for a third slash almost before you can react from the second, leaping lightly aside and sweeping in to strike at the opening she exposed.
>Her precise burst of flight is suddenly knocked off-kilter as fiery ball of bedhead leaps awkwardly off the ground and grabs hold of a wing. Gravity does the rest.
>As Sotsu staggers, Ishi pulls the gag away from her mouth and shouts. "Ready, boss!"

Oldmansour · « **Reply #392 on:** April 13, 2012, 07:38:58 AM »

>Whatever she's ready for, that doesn't mean Sotsu's dealt with entirely.
>While the tengu's off-balance, curl our fingers and give the pirate a solid jab in the windpipe.
>And be prepared to sidestep if it looks like she'd run us over.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #393 on:** April 13, 2012, 07:41:09 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang, the Falling Star on April 13, 2012, 07:38:58 AM

>Whatever she's ready for, that doesn't mean Sotsu's dealt with entirely.
>While the tengu's off-balance, curl our fingers and give the pirate a solid jab in the windpipe.
>And be prepared to sidestep if it looks like she'd run us over.

>You can't do this without stepping forward a little, and whether Sotsu's off-balance or not, she's still got a sword held between the two of you. Do you still wish to attempt this?

Oldmansour · « **Reply #394 on:** April 13, 2012, 07:46:26 AM »

>Accursed hostile pointy bits.
>Change of plans. Step forward and swing our katana to get her sword out of our path, THEN give her a solid shot in the throat.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #395 on:** April 13, 2012, 08:28:22 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang, the Falling Star on April 13, 2012, 07:46:26 AM

>Accursed hostile pointy bits.
>Change of plans. Step forward and swing our katana to get her sword out of our path, THEN give her a solid shot in the throat.

>You step forward and swing Kumokirimaru to push Sotsu's weapon aside. With a growl, she backhands the kappa clinging to her wing and sends Ishi tumbling off, but isn't quick enough to prevent you from easily deflecting her sword. As you create an opening, you move in and take advantage of it, launching a sharp jab at the tengu's throat. It's a hit! You feel your knuckles connect solidly with rigid flesh and push it backward, but before either of you can do anything to respond to this, a sudden gust from beneath your feet flings the pair of you up into the air and tosses you apart.
>As you tumble backwards, you see Murasa hovering in the air a few feet from the strut she had been clinging to a moment earlier. Her form is hazy and leeched of color, and indistinct echoes of her shape flicker briefly in the surrounding air, like afterimages. Her gaze grows vacant and hollow and a palid green glow suffuses her, growing steadily stronger without seeming to cast any light on its surroundings. You feel a damp chill in the air.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #396 on:** April 13, 2012, 09:14:42 AM »

>Are we on our back now? If we are not on our feet, regain our footing.
>Where did Ishi and that pirate go?
>Watch whatever Murasa's up to and, if Sotsu seems at least temporarily diasbled, make our way back towards Chisato.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #397 on:** April 14, 2012, 05:24:55 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang, the Falling Star on April 13, 2012, 09:14:42 AM

>Are we on our back now? If we are not on our feet, regain our footing.
>Where did Ishi and that pirate go?
>Watch whatever Murasa's up to and, if Sotsu seems at least temporarily diasbled, make our way back towards Chisato.

>You push yourself back off the deck and onto your feet.
>Ishi seems to have tumbled back towards the strut by some combination of the wind and Sotsu's fist, but hasn't traveled far. Sotsu has been thrown somewhat further and in the opposite direction. You see her flick her wings out to catch herself as she spins away from you, wincing visibly.
>You think enough room has been opened between the two of you to buy a moment's time, and the wind has tossed you in Chisato's direction in any case. Keeping an eye on both Murasa and the pirate, you quickly move over to the collapsed redhead.

>Whatever the captain is doing, she looks less a fiery-eyed sailor and more a haunting spectre with each passing moment. You feel a strange sense of unease and the weight of the air around you grows subtly oppressive, like a cold and heavy fog. Then your eyes flare open as your next breath draws in something cold and wet and completely unlike air! Your body reacts instinctively but nothing is expelled as you cough violently and you feel another rush of liquid sucked into your lungs in its wake. You can't breathe!

Kilgamayan · « **Reply #398 on:** April 14, 2012, 05:40:32 AM »

> Can we feel the air around us actually feel like we're underwater, as opposed to heavy fog?
> Given our eyes our open, what do we see? Anyone of interest?

DracoOmega · « **Reply #399 on:** April 14, 2012, 06:40:23 AM »

Quote from: Kilgamayan on April 14, 2012, 05:40:32 AM

> Can we feel the air around us actually feel like we're underwater, as opposed to heavy fog?
> Given our eyes our open, what do we see? Anyone of interest?

>The air around you still feels like air to the rest of your body, but you're still somehow managing to drown in it!
>Through the haze of instinctual panic, you quickly glance around you. Sotsu is nearly doubled-over, and wearing a startled expression that you imagine isn't far from your own. Miyuki's eyes also look distressed, though there's an oddly determined stoicism on her face. Ishi, on the other hand, is back on her feet and sprinting off somewhere.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #400 on:** April 14, 2012, 06:56:39 AM »

>Bloody kappa can breathe underwater?
>Do we know if they can do that, or is this some kinda Ishi-specific thing?
>Does there appear to be any 'clear' areas around, like we had when facing the spider youkai's deadly cloud?

DracoOmega · « **Reply #401 on:** April 14, 2012, 07:07:38 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang, the Falling Star on April 14, 2012, 06:56:39 AM

>Bloody kappa can breathe underwater?
>Do we know if they can do that, or is this some kinda Ishi-specific thing?
>Does there appear to be any 'clear' areas around, like we had when facing the spider youkai's deadly cloud?

>You think so!
>You're pretty sure this is a kappa thing, and not an Ishi thing.
>It all looks clear! Except you're breathing in water regardless, or at least something that damn near feels like it. You can hear your heart hammering in your chest as your lungs scream at you to seek out air. A very primal fear grips you and your consciousness narrows in the face of it. You need to breathe!

Oldmansour · « **Reply #402 on:** April 14, 2012, 07:29:53 AM »

>Try slashing the air in front of our face with Kumokirimaru.
>Hey, it worked before!

DracoOmega · « **Reply #403 on:** April 14, 2012, 07:39:22 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang, the Falling Star on April 14, 2012, 07:29:53 AM

>Try slashing the air in front of our face with Kumokirimaru.
>Hey, it worked before!

>Grasping at any idea that springs to mind, you slash wildly at the air in front of with Kumokirimaru. Unfortunately, you neither neither see nor feel any change because of it. How the hell can you be drowning in air?!
>"Try not to panic!" Ishi adds helpfully as she dashes past you.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #404 on:** April 14, 2012, 07:57:41 AM »

>"Easy for you to say!"

DracoOmega · « **Reply #405 on:** April 14, 2012, 08:38:20 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang, the Falling Star on April 14, 2012, 07:57:41 AM

>"Easy for you to say!"

>You try to answer the kappa, but the only thing that comes out of your mouth is a muffled gurgle. You gasp in yet more water and stagger as your body rails against the unnatural presence in your lungs. Need air. Need air!
>Ishi scampers another step or two and then a violent gust of wind sends her toppling backwards with a startled "Gyaaah!"

Oldmansour · « **Reply #406 on:** April 14, 2012, 08:50:19 AM »

>Okay, if our lungs are full of water, or the ghostly equivilent thereof, try to spit it out.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #407 on:** April 14, 2012, 09:27:34 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang, the Falling Star on April 14, 2012, 08:50:19 AM

>Okay, if our lungs are full of water, or the ghostly equivilent thereof, try to spit it out.

>You again try to spit out the fluid in your lungs, but it's useless. Nothing comes out. Your lungs feel just as cold and inundated as they did before. Nothing changes. You are drowning and the whole world has been emptied of air. You rapidly grow dizzy and weak as your breath is held from you by the enveloping depths.

>Dimly, you see Ishi come to a sliding stop against the deck as the fan-wielding tengu swoops down towards her.
>"How the hell are you breathing?" the kappa says in an impatient tone as she scrambles back to her feet.
>The tengu flashes her a small smile. "You don't think we came here without being prepared for a little drowning?"
>At this point, several more figures emerge from the stairs at the other end of the deck: another tengu, the parrot youkai, and... a human?
>"Okay, what the hell is going on?!" Ishi yells irately.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #408 on:** April 14, 2012, 10:00:36 AM »

>Whatever it is, it better stop soon.
>Wave our arms at Murasa, and point at Chisato.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #409 on:** April 14, 2012, 10:51:36 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang, the Falling Star on April 14, 2012, 10:00:36 AM

>Whatever it is, it better stop soon.
>Wave our arms at Murasa, and point at Chisato.

>Soon as in now! You can feel your consciousness dimming steadily and you're not sure how much longer you can even manage to stand.
>You frantically wave your arms at Murasa and point at the apparently unconscious sailor at your feet. You're not sure the former even sees you. In fact, she barely looks aware of her surroundings at all but simply stares vacantly, her eyes pale and hollow. You dimly hear voices, though they seem to come from a great distance.
>"Hurry, Karu," someone says. "We have affected."
>"Watch her," comes another voice.
>"Stop not explaining yourselves, you turkeyheads!"

>You see the human start running towards the other end of the deck, but then the fan-wielding tengu swoops towards her and scoops her up in her arms, ferrying her towards the palid ghost in only a couple seconds. The human produces some strips of paper from her robes and releases them into the air; they seem to take flight with a life of their own and spiral down into a circular pattern on the deck. Then she forms a series of seals with her hands and starts chanting something. The words don't make sense to you; you're no longer sure if they're even supposed to. You feel sleepy. You've been fighting so long and you're exhausted and it would be good to just rest. You feel yourself sagging.
>A bright flash of light startles you from your slip into darkness and you feel a weight in your chest suddenly lifted. Air!

Kilgamayan · « **Reply #410 on:** April 14, 2012, 11:00:29 AM »

> Take a breath.
> How close are we to Sotsu, and how is she faring?

Oldmansour · « **Reply #411 on:** April 14, 2012, 11:09:17 AM »

>Take a deep breath. Several. Air is good.
>Assess the other tengu, as well as the good guys present, see who was and was not affected by that funky event.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #412 on:** April 14, 2012, 11:38:53 AM »

Quote from: Kilgamayan on April 14, 2012, 11:00:29 AM

> Take a breath.

Quote from: Sourfang, the Falling Star on April 14, 2012, 11:09:17 AM

>Take a deep breath. Several. Air is good.

>You take a breath and your lungs rejoice as they taste it. Air! Fresh, clean, delicious air! Water-free! You breathe in rapidly and deeply as your lungs grasp greedily at it to make up for lost time.
>Then you hear a strangled groan from above followed by a thud as Murasa falls heavily onto the deck, now apparently quite solid.

Quote from: Kilgamayan on April 14, 2012, 11:00:29 AM

> How close are we to Sotsu, and how is she faring?

Quote from: Sourfang, the Falling Star on April 14, 2012, 11:09:17 AM

>Assess the other tengu, as well as the good guys present, see who was and was not affected by that funky event.

>You glance around and assess people's conditions. Sotsu is about two dozen feet away from you, towards the other side of the strut. She is partially collapsed on the deck, and also breathing rapidly. You can hear as much from Miyuki and Neu as well, and even a little from Chisato, though hers are shallow and weaker in comparison. The tengu with the broken wing is rising shakily to her feet with a pained expression on her face, and though her breathing sounds labored, you're not certain it's rapid enough to suggest she just spent the last while deprived of it entirely. Murasa looks... out of it. She is tangible and her old coloration has returned, but her expression looks deeply troubled and her eyes stare distantly as though she were regarding something only she could see. There is a faint aura of white and blue light surrounding her, quite unlike the sickly glow she was displaying a few moments back, and you're not certain she's breathing at all. Though, on reflection, you realize she probably doesn't need to. Ishi, on the other hand, mostly looks indignant.

>"Dammit!" she yells. "You guys are cheating!"
>"And being a kappa isn't?" she adds in a more playful tone. Check that: you're pretty sure those words came from a few feet to her side.
>You hear Ishi grumble in irritation. "You... technicolor feather duster!" she cries.

>"Are you... okay?" you hear Neu ask her neighbor softly beneath breaths.
>Miyuki nods slowly. Her expression looks distressed, though it is bravely masked. As much as it irritates you to acknowledge, you may not look dissimilar.

Kilgamayan · « **Reply #413 on:** April 14, 2012, 11:49:28 AM »

You want this one? I suspect my preferred course of action will not allow us to return to things as they were.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #414 on:** April 14, 2012, 12:09:18 PM »

Which would be what? Trying to take a hostage?

Oldmansour · « **Reply #415 on:** April 14, 2012, 12:36:51 PM »

I don't think will get you too far, either.

Frankly, Kilga, at this point, I think that anything we good guys can do, we've done. What I think we should do is hope that Aya's good on her word, and helps us patch up Chisato. And try and get some information on the dingus from Aya. If she's as much a pirate as the normal kind, she'll love to boast about her plunder. Including how it got on this boat in the first place. SOMEONE had to get it here.

Actually, that's a lie. There is one thing we might able to do beyong get our friend some medical help. Get Sotsu in trouble for excesive force. That's gotta be worth something.

Kilgamayan · « **Reply #416 on:** April 14, 2012, 12:38:53 PM »

Then go ahead and do whatever. I think getting Sotsu in trouble is the exact opposite of what we should be doing with her, but frankly this entire sequence of events is leaving a bad taste in my mouth in general.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #417 on:** April 14, 2012, 01:11:03 PM »

At this point, I think we should just try to make the best of a bad situation. Gather what information we can, and try and be content that we at least did some damage to a few pirates. Hopefully, that will make the skies a little bit safer, for a little while.

>Sheathe our sword, fighting's over.
>Make our way to Chisato's side, check her pulse, and apply presure to any wound that seems to be bleeding. If more than one present, pick the one that's bleeding the most and apply pressure to it.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #418 on:** April 14, 2012, 08:40:49 PM »

Quote from: Sourfang, the Falling Star on April 14, 2012, 01:11:03 PM

>Sheathe our sword, fighting's over.
>Make our way to Chisato's side, check her pulse, and apply presure to any wound that seems to be bleeding. If more than one present, pick the one that's bleeding the most and apply pressure to it.

>You sheathe Kumokirimaru and kneel down at Chisato's side.
>You gently take her arm and feel for her pulse. Still clear and steady, thankfully. You appraise her visible wounds. The gash and her back and arm are both still bleeding, though the latter seems more serious than the former. You hold your hands together and press them against the wound, feeling the warm blood squish wetly between your fingers are you do so. Chisato groans and stirs a little.

>"Have her wounds tended to," you hear the fan-wielding tengu say. "And you should get that wing set, too," she adds in a more concerned tone.
>"...sorry," the injured tengu rasp out.

>"Let go of me, dangnabit!" Ishi cries.
>"Just stop struggling!" a new voice counters. "It's over."

>The parrot youkai walks over to you, her weapons stowed and a neutral expression on her face. She gives you an appraising look.
>"Move off," she says. "Let me take care of her."

Kilgamayan · « **Reply #419 on:** April 14, 2012, 08:50:28 PM »

> The injured tengu spoke up? What of Sotsu?