All the different shapes and sizes they came in. The varying levels of difficulty. Their simple, seemingly single minded, quest for food and energy. And most importantly, their valor and willingness to fight to the death. They did not run away and retreat like the weak human opponents. No.. when one started a fight with a youma it ended. Either in dust or a pool of blood. And in a way Juno admired that, related to that even. Pure animal instinct. Fight to the death. Internally her ego cried out a similar battle cry - she had nothing to live for anymore anyway. Nothing more glorious than the triumph of battle. The sheer satisfaction and adreneline that came with punching something until it ceased to exist.
She was actually on her second youma of the night, though this one was disappointingly weak compared to the first. She wasn't even trying that hard to keep the thing at bay. In fact, she was downright playing with it.
A tanned hand drew back, before driving her volleyball downward at the youma with force. How many times could she hit the thing before it exploded? She was guessing three. Unless she managed a really cool double fisted spike.
Strickenized
Randomly vague alleyway anywhere in DC, so if there is a specific section of the town that is best for Umber that's totally cool with me.
Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 7:57 am
Patrolling started to fluster him.
Umber's goals shifted from the complex perspective to the simple in an effort to lessen his burdens. Having no specific lieutenants assigned to him meant that he could not farm out work, and all starseed gathers fell to him personally. This had, so far, not been a terrible endeavor - civilians had starseeds just the same - but he had not yet collected a starseed of the powered variety. Umber surmised that the secrets learned from one of their own would likely shed more light than the simpleton starseeds that walked the street, and could certainly withstand chaos to a greater degree, but their capture proved exponentially more difficult.
So when Umber felt a keen Super aura alongside the familiar youma presence, he knew he discovered one of the enemy in some state of weariness. Already this person had battled where he still remained fresh (somewhat - he seemed incapable of making enough time for sleep) so his steps quickened while he bounded across converted row houses. Nigh simultaneous shrieks erupted from both fighters while he approached, and Umber's pace grew quicker still.
Umber skid into a crouch at the very edge of a building without a parapet. Both hands clutched the rim of the building while he peered down into the alley, between thick tufts of hair that eternally hung in his face. There, a White Moon senshi fought against one of their weaker feral youmas with... Some kind of a ball? She didn't look terribly winded either.
This might be a significantly more trying experience than he planned.
In hopes that she had not yet diverted attention from the youma, Umber dropped off the roof at such an angle that he aimed to land behind her. If he could do so, then her back remained open for starseed attempts - much like his first stab at it with Ploutonion. If he could manage it and carry on, then that starseed might just find use for him.
The ball hit and bounced off the small panther-like youma, illiciting an angry snarl and sound of pain as the shadowy creature pulled instinctively backwards. It was sheer luck that the trajectory of the bounce sent the battered volleyball back in her direction, and she didn't have to move more than a step sideways to go after it. Lifting her hand up she spiked it immediately back down at the youma, trying to deny any chance it might have to go after her. The ball blazed again directly at the youma, sure to hit given the speed and close proximity.
So lost in her own world and bizarre game Juno was oblivious to the hunter stalking her and the potentially dire situation she was in. Swinging green braids and the slight movement of her body the only thing covering her otherwise wide-open back.
Strickenized
Juno, you should probably relearn to properly pay attention to auras.
Attempt to grab away Umber! biggrin
Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 7:44 pm
The lack of notice proved fortuitous, and Umber wasted little time in taking advantage. Pivoting on toes, the officer lunged toward her back with hand outstretched and laden with chaos to penetrate the meat and bone to starseed cavity. Braids whipped, her body tilting and swaying in athletic motive, and Umber remained low to the ground to avoid detection by resistance alone. The youma seemed a worthwhile distraction with how she focused on it, volleyball assaulting the creature while he acted on his own motivations.
So much of the moment reminded him of Ploutonion, and he hoped that the rest of his hunt remained so smooth and easy.
Iris_virus
feel free to intercept or braidsmack him or whatnot~
"Die already!" The Amazonian laughed, when the youma survived the second direct hit of the ball. Despite the fact that it was out classed and sure to die soon enough, she couldn't help but like the youma's stamina and tenacity. It reminded her of herself in certain fights. Always pushing even when the obstacle seemed impossible. Maybe she should actually give it the benefit of the doubt, because how many times had she overcome something that seemed damn near impossible?
It was a lucky accident that she shifted in position as he made his lunge, trying to decide if she wanted to go after her ball or just finish the youma off with her hands. But as his hand entered her back it was a little too far to the side. It was something that should be easily fixable, a little momentary digging could possibly get him on track. However the element of surprise was gone, her back and body tensing from the entirely awkward sensation and pain. But it was a pain she knew.
Deep in the foggest parts of her brain there was a part of her that remembered. A life that was hers in a time that wasn't. Nehelenia... Circus... Most of the details did not matter, swimming in that fog of uncertainty. But there was one that did matter, one that was very clear. Juno had been corrupted once before. And it was not something she was going to let happen again.
As her body tried to stiffen from the intrusion she fought against it, a guttural and primal scream escaping her as she whipped around, her arms swinging - hopefully like a battering ram.
Strickenized
Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2015 1:41 am
The immediate reversal and lunge should've been expected; Umber relied on his experience with Ploutonion to dictate reaction, which left him at a disadvantage. The captain could only react defensively and withdraw his hand with urgency. Backing up helped somewhat, and he took a strike to the shoulder that smarted painfully. Still, he loosed nothing more than a grunt while he backpedaled, looking for opportunity.
While the second swing came about, Umber sought an opening toward her midriff. Provided she did not block him, a well-aimed punch to the midsection might jar her organs or limit her momentum. He spared no chance where he could; this one seemed dangerous in spite of his previous encounters.
And the youma, he reminded himself. I could use it here, if it's not incapacitated. I see no dust, but I can't take my eyes off her.
Secondly, he needed to get to higher ground. The problem pending his ascent was that as a senshi, she likely manifested magics that would affect him nonetheless. If she utilized a blinding or a binding spell, then he may as well fall to his own doom. And what about some kind of gravity augmentation? Or a simple lightning strike? Nothing about her outfit indicated power source, and Umber wasn't about to take the chance.
Finally he decided upon circling her back toward the youma, and hoped her berserker rage might last long enough to carry her in that direction. In the interim, he would need to duck what swings he could avoid and deflect the rest to nonessential body parts. Her punches struck well, he noted, and he didn't want to take more than one.
"Coward." She growled as she went on the assault, fists trying to find a suitable target though for the most part each punch was blocked or dulled by a less favorable hit. To think he'd try and sneak up and attack her from behind.. What kind of a person did that? "Afraid you are not strong enough to fight me head to head?"
His plan was working, Juno having forgotten about the weakened but still quite living youma, and when she had been nudged close enough backwards into it, it attacked, sending a paw full of nails down Juno's back. Five thick lines of red covered her back, her pained yell accompanied by the sound of shredding fabric.
It had missed her spine or any set of veins and arteries that would immediately cause her to bleed out, thankfully, but as the pain burned through her back and the blood trickled and flowed another angry yell escaped Juno. If he thought she was in a berserker rage before he was in for an unpleasant surprise.
His worries about her pulling out some fancy magic were unwarranted, she couldn't have used her power if she wanted to, with no other senshi around to leach off of. Nor would it have caused him any concern as it was nothing more than a shield for her teammates. But she didn't need any fancy powers.
Juno leaned back, a motion that sent a screaming pain through the torn skin and muscles of her back, her hands grasping the forearms of the youma. And with a yell and all her might she lifted it up and over her, swinging the the flailing youma to hit Umber with. Let the ******** try and dodge that.
At the very least, in Umber's favor, the youma would inevitably puff to dust after it impacted him.
Strickenized
Oh Juno, you're such a hypocrite. XD
Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 7:56 am
If this senshi intended to confuse cowardice with opportunity, then Umber found no reason to engage her verbally. Doing so only invited further distraction from his goals.
While he concentrated on defensive momentum, Umber watched the youma in his periphery. The creeping shadow hauled itself upright, solidified its stance, and sent himself hurtling forward to strike at the fetid creature that so pained it. With claws brandished and a howl bared, the youma's claws found perfect contact with the senshi's barely protected skin. The momentum alone sent her toward the captain, which forced him to back up at great lengths to avoid bodily contact, and set him at a disadvantage for her coming response.
In his handful of engagements with senshi, he never knew them to fight quite as offensively as this one. The veritable warrior seized her own attack her and swung the creature about as a weapon all its own, which struck Umber squarely in the side. The captain stumbled, failed to catch himself on a nearby guardrail, and struck the ground in a thick burst of powdered ash. His jacket came out a sooty grey and some of the youma's remains peppered over his face in a thin smear. He cared little to remedy the damage; if he didn't recover to his feet soon, the senshi he chose to eliminate would press her advantage. however, the youma's last stand pushed the air from his lungs, and reacquainting himself with vertical status demanded more time to fight through the pain of it. If he survived, sore ribs would remind him of the encounter for days.
In the interim, the captain seized a handful of his fallen comrade's ash to sling at the senshi's face - if he could blind her, he might buy himself some time. Afterward, he intended to pull an ankle out from under her to even the playing field.
There were few, if any, verbal sparring matches that Juno could win. So it was lucky enough that the captain refrained from engaging in one. Grunts and yells were all the conversation the Amazonian needed, especially now as pain pulsed and seared down her wounds with each breath.
Blood dripped down her back, splattering small droplets onto the ground below her when it ran out of skin and fabric to cling to. If she stayed too long in one place it would soon become a slick mess and obstacle of it's own, but it mattered not, because as the captain fell backward Juno lumbered forward after him.
The ash of the dusted youma was tossed towards her, causing her to cough and sputter as she breathed in a little, her eyes stinging as some of the magical dust wound up there as well, but it didn't deter her as much as he might have hoped. Unless he was really quick, he was still on the ground in front of her. "I prefer blood to ashes for my war paint."
Squinting through burning and watery eyes she took the 'not so calculated' risk, aiming where he had been with her elbows as she threw her whole body his way. There was definitely the risk that he could move and she'd be injuring herself instead. Or even, like the trained hunter that he appeared to be, that he might just be lying in wait, ready to let her gut herself on his own cleverly placed hunting knife. But it didn't matter now. There were a hundred tales of hunters who had come home with their prizes. And nearly as many of the hunter who had unfortunately became the hunted himself.
Strickenized
No worries, I know you're busy busy, no rush. heart
I am the terrible-ness and can't remember if we had a predetermined outcome for this or were just winging it?
Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 6:40 pm
Umber didn't pause to think about war paint - and he would not, at least for many days. To do so invited a homesickness that would not relent.
She fell upon him in a quick motion, which left the captain severely disadvantaged. One of her elbows struck his stomach, causing great pain and concern for those organs affected. He could not pause to consider them. Instead, he bit back his reaction into a wince; he knew if he allowed more than that, then he risked another comment or courageous assault. She hadn't stopped to wipe the youma dust from her eyes, so he expected she couldn't see.
Umber retaliated in the most efficient manner for himself - lying there on the ground with the senshi practically on top of him, he did not have many moves at his disposal. However, a punch to the throat often earned enough stagger or pause from even the most brazen opponents to buy himself time. If she avoided it, then he'd have to think fast on a separate option, and beyond the trash can lid lying somewhat close to the both of them, he didn't have many to wager. As a hunter, his deadliness stemmed from surprise attacks and first assaults - actual engagements hardly ever panned out in his favor.
Luckily for Juno when she landed it was not on asphalt or a knife but instead on the firm softness of his body. It had been a gamble that had paid off, but fighting blind wasn't going to be a great strategy in the long run. The world was a blurred mess with dust and the moisture her eyes were over producing to try and rid themselves of the dust.
With one hand pressed against the ground for balance the senshi attempted to dig and grind her knees into the body she could feel beneath her. She hoped the pitiful assault would be enough to keep him busy while her free hand lifted to her eyes finally, trying to rid herself of the burning distraction. She had not made very much progress however by the time a blow landed unhindered to her throat. There was a noise like a high pitched gasp as the air escaped her by force, an explosion of pain to the delicate organ. And for a moment she paused, frozen in time by surprise, pain, and the lack of oxygen. Her next response was to reel backwards a little, unintentionally freeing him a bit.
The attempt to bring oxygen back through the throbbing throat muscles was painful, she might have teared up in fact had it not been for the fact that her eyes were already watering from the dust. A normal senshi would have picked up and retreated by now. But Juno often acted more like an animal then a normal senshi. And like many a wounded animal she lashed out once more.
One hand clutched her throat, the other fist pounding in his direction. She didn't really care what she hit as long as she hit something. As clarity started to settle upon her she had the presence of mind to throw a few more knees in his direction.
Strickenized
A couple more hits before I bring in the sparkly calvary?
Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2015 9:36 pm
She reeled, which allowed him the movement to try and slip out from beneath her. Her body did not relent fully, however, which left Umber in a precarious position for escape. Struggles meant he upheaved her own weight somewhat, and normally he found no objection to upsetting an enemy's balance, but her direct presence upon him proved dangerous.
And perhaps more imminently dangerous, the throat punch that struck her squarely did not force her into a retreat. This animal kept fighting, kept attacking where she found no further room to be effective, and tried to incapacitate him in a series of punches that struck their mark only a third of the time. Unable to see, she occasionally struck the ground as well - or dead air. And while he was trapped beneath her, Umber knew no other option but to reach for her starseed a second time. In this altered state, he wagered that he could retrieve it without terrible damage to his person. So he reached, and received a fair amount of punches to the face and chest.
He could not say that her strikes did not deter him somewhat. They hurt, brutally so, and he expected bruises down to the bones over certain parts of his body. His face especially - he needed to turn away and reach blindly for her chest if he expected to retrieve that seed. Doing so while looking jeopardized his vision in a manner that he was unwilling to afford.
But he made the reach, and hoped his chaos-laden hand would find his mark.
She was wheezing loudly as she tried to recover, each breath painful, especially with as hard and quick her panted breaths were coming. Perhaps the only benefit was the fact that she wasn't paying so much attention to her back, or the horrible tear and stinging feeling that pulsed with the contraction and pull of her shoulder blade muscles with every punch. Her left hand had fallen, no longer concerned with the watery burn of her eyes as she felt shifting below her, Umber successful pulling himself free for the most part.
A howl of pain escaped her when her fist found pavement instead of flesh at one point, knuckles torn and bloody - pain shooting all the way up her elbow. She couldn't afford to do that again and so the injured hand reached up to try and grab a fistful of fabric, both to hold him in place and to confirm exactly where she should be beating. It was her left hand now that took up the fight, aiming slightly slower and more deliberate blows in his direction, though they were still far from accurate or well placed.
It was only a matter of time before his strategy would work and if he could actually get his fingers around it this time... It was highly unlikely she'd be able to do anything in her state of exhaustion and blood loss.
Strickenized
Now actually sounds good since I don't think she's be able to successfully thwart a second starseed attempt. XD heart
Sorry for the double quote - realized I called Umber a General bahhhh
Even without the aura's he would have been able to find them. The noise of their scuffle had filled the still night air and carried for blocks.
Had it just been the Captian's aura he would have avoided it. For as much as he didn't want to be, the squire Bimini was a coward. Or maybe... maybe he just knew his limitations and his self preservation instinct outweighed his desire for bravery and honor. But he hadn't only felt a chaotic energy, he'd felt a senshi one too, and while they were even in strength the desire to check in sent the squire in the direction of the tussle. Maybe he'd even be able to help for once effectively - with his magic - instead of his paltry attempts to use his bowl as a shield and occasional belugeoning device.
The metallic smell of blood hit his nose first, but it didn't take him long to see it as well. His heart began to beat faster, uncertain of what he'd walked into, trying to fight the immediate feeling that he should run and run away fast. What exactly had he walked into? The pavement was covered with blood, a trail leading to dust and eventually the struggling pair on the ground.
He thought it was the senshi on top and that she was the one doused in blood. But in the dark of the night and the chaos of the tussle he couldn't be sure. And he was even less sure of what he could do to help without knowing what was going on. His hands were actually shaking as he fiddled with his ring, letting the silvery sheen of his aspect cover his body.
"Hey.. Hey!" He yelled out when he was able to force out a noise finally. Sounding more like a grumpy old man trying to shoo children off his lawn then anything else.
Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 9:56 am
Her emphatic punching broke down resistance through persistence, if nothing else. She hit, and she hit with a potency he hadn't experienced in a long time, and only the increased endurance of captaincy assisted him in weathering it. Still, he knew he couldn't put up with such fury for long - for every time she struck the same spot, he knew it caused far more trauma (and felt it too). She managed to seize his shirt, at which point Umber knew he needed to commit to this action, and steal her starseed before she could manage more damage. Broken bones became a possibility when struck enough in the same location. Hairline cracks might've already occurred. He couldn't be certain past the general miasma of pain that settled within his torso.
Another attempted reach found no success - his fingertips trailed from her sternum, and the best he managed was a brush against the swells of her chest. Her punches came at such a rapid fire rate that he found difficulty reaching around them, or otherwise found his arm struck off-course before he could find potency in the attempt. This angle proved useless in neutralizing his attacker.
However, further problems presented themselves with the appearance of a squire somewhere to his left. He spared as much of a glance in the direction of the aura as his enemy allowed, which offered him little recognition beyond a shimmering starlight lit atop a parapet. Someone called - likely the swirl of stars that recently arrived - and that very someone felt all too familiar to the super senshi's aura. A second attacker complicated matters beyond his tactical prowess, and he anticipated a fight too risky to attempt. Winning offered glory, certainly, but living offered more chances for it. He could stay and continue to attempt the starseed, or leave to nurse the wounds and incurred hairline fractures that he quickly suspected.
Sheer pain became the deciding factor. Shirking jacket and shirt demanded but a moment, though the super senshi would be hard-pressed to discourage it with eyes so loaded with youma dust. Slipping out from beneath her, however, demanded further consideration - to teleport meant a surfeit of energy lost in moving her mass, too. And how did one disentangle oneself when pinned to the ground? With a pained groan, Umber tried to haul his weight from beneath her, which left his chest exposed to further punches, but he had little choice in the matter.
It was luckily not as hard as he might have worried it would be. Between fatigue and the sudden surprise of his jacket coming loose in her hand Juno fell backwards a little, pulled by the force she'd been using to try and keep him close despite his weight and/or struggling. Her a** landed on his legs, before sliding off to the pavement beside him, and as she fumbled with the sudden fabric in her hands, she could do little more then offer a clumsy kick or two, which only further helped to get her off of him.
At the very least however, the shirt provided her a perfect opportunity, raising it suddenly to her face to try and wipe away the dirt and youma dust in her eyes and one her face.
As the two seperated a little it became easier to confirm what he'd thought before. A senshi and a captain. Both looking pretty awful. He didn't see a visible weapon present, which at a later time would make him wonder where all the blood had come from, but currently it was just a blessing. Hesitation slowly breaking down he padded across the distance that remained with a jog, reaching to try and drag Juno away from Umber, and hopefully out of the line of fire.
Strickenized
Sorry for the crummy post - I'm exhausted/brain dead. If you next post is your last one - thanks for the rp heartheart
