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 Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 12:40 pm
It had taken forever for Xavier to convince his father that he would just walk home. Damian had been kind enough to drive him there that morning, sticking around as his arm was finally freed from it's fiberglass prison. After nearly a month and an half of not having a dominant hand at his disposal, the blonde was more than a little excited for the little things that he'd missed - being able to write legibly, being able to mix again, having two hands at his disposal, being able to work again.
And... something else.
He'd nearly emptied his prepared excuses before his beloved father finally got the hint, made sure he had enough clothing on his back not to become an ice cube (which he did - it was really, really damn cold. He felt bad for most of his teammates who had to patrol in <******** miniskirts in this weather.) and then went on his way, reminiding his son that he still had yet to meet his girlfriend.
Drat.
This would be thought about later - as soon as he could, Xavier ducked to the nearest alley, and it was Sailor Themis that came out of it, leaping his way to the rooftops to begin his patrol. He hadn't completely stopped, having made the scarce appearance mostly as backup, but it was good to be back - to truly be back in action and in mostly full-capacity. A senshi without his attack wasn't a very good senshi.
This wouldn't be a problem anymore, and so he hoped.
He'd also missed the action, the feel of the cold air against him, the thrill of the hunt, so to speak - the rush of adrenaline that came with fighting youma. He hadn't noticed that he liked it until he no longer had it.
A part of him hoped the negaverse wouldn't humor him, if only on a matter of principle, but he was on the lookout, as he leaped from rooftop to rooftop with ease, and went unnoticed to most of the people down below.
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Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 1:56 pm
Tony was sitting at his desk, taking it easy as closing drew nearer. He watched the last of the patrons filter out of the library, waving as they bid him good night, then rising to finish the last of his tasks before he got to go home, as well.
About an hour later, with cleaning done, one last round through the library to pick up any books out of place, and a few other menial nightly tasks completed, Tony put on his jacket and went to the front door.
He hadn't brought his car today, as the old-new thing had been snowed in, and he didn't have the time to attempt to dig it out before his shift. Also, he doubted it would have started, anyway. He locked the doors and made sure the lights were all shutting off as they were meant to before he headed for home, leaning leisurely on his cane.
He had managed to get out of the house early enough to prevent Nate from stealing it again.
The snow was pretty, and Tony admired it as he walked, noting any new snowmen or other creations that had popped up along the way. Maybe it should have been second nature to assume something bad was going to happen, but Tony, as ever, tried to be optimistic and hoped that tonight he wouldn't be attacked by anything.
Which, of course, only tempted fate.
He heard something clatter behind him, but when he turned he could see nothing. Heart climbing its way into his throat, he cast another wary look around before hurrying down the street. He really hated this area. It was like a den, or something, for bad guys. Not just youma, but thugs as well. He really needed to move.
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Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 2:18 pm
Sailor Themis continued with his jumping, not only keeping his eyes on the street below, but also using his newest, unseen sense - his ability to sense energy. As a senshi, the blonde depended on it more than he depended on most of his actual senses. His sight could be deceiving, but energy rarely ever lied.
Hey, was that... ? Oh, that was the librarian, wasn't he ? He'd actually done pretty good on that paper - he really ought to drop by to say thanks, shouldn't he ?
Well.
For now, however, Themis slowed down, trailing Tony for awhile - he figured he should probably see it that the man got home before continuing his patrol proper. This didn't last long, however - they'd only managed a few meters before the youma bleeped on Themis' 'radar'.
It was when he leaped down, ending up in between Tony and the youma just as it charged to strike - his left arm rose on reflex, and so this was what the large, hellhound-like youma chomped on rather than, you know, Anthony's face. Unfortunately for Themis, there wasn't enough fabric to protect him completely from the bite.
Ow.
"I got this !" Usually, dark colors on a powered individual was Bad News, but it make no sense a monster would attack one of it's own, wouldn't it ? The boy did a backflip, kicking the beast away - the white of his sleeves under the ripped coat was already staining red. "Take cover !"
Well, he hoped he had this. Or that another senshi would show up. It was too late to call for backup - and, well, Sailor Themis had never defeated a youma by his lonesome.
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Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 6:26 pm
Tony yelped when he saw the dog-like youma behind him, not sure where the beast had come from and not really caring. Did anyone care where something that was attacking them had come from in the moment? Maybe after, but right now all he was worried about was not getting eaten.
When a senshi dropped down in front of him to save him from what would have been a very painful encounter with some vicious looking teeth, he almost whooped for joy and seriously considered hugging the boy. Instead, he shook his head.
"No, no, I can help you!" he said, gripping his cane like it was a weapon. The boy backflipped, which Tony could certainly not do without hurting himself, and perhaps people around him, but he hoped that wouldn't be needed.
"I can distract it for you!"
Tony's goal in life these days, it seemed, was to help senshi as best he could. He wanted to keep them safe, knowing as he did that they were young, that they were people he could know, that his friends and people he cared about could be off saving the city every day and all he did for them each time they met was obliviously offer them books. He had to do more, and if someone was going to save his life, he was going to at least make it as easy as he could.
Or mess things up trying. Either way.
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Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 4:54 pm
...This wasn't how things were supposed to go. Usually civilians, when confronted with youma, did the smart thing and ran. It was what he did back in the day. (...back in the day ? s**t, why was he thinking about this like if it was years ago ?!)
And this could be bad. Themis wasn't exactly the best multitasker in the world - and now he had to kick the youma and make sure Tony didn't get hurt. On his lonesome, like a big boy.
He didn't get to argue back - the youma wasn't going to just stand idly while they were doing chit-chat. In fact, it was running right for the two again, visbly more than a little upset at the welcome comity it had gathered.
It got a trash can lid straight in the face, which did little to improve it's mood. He probably should pull off his attack, but what good would that do ? He had to be immobile for the duration, and there was no way he was letting the librarian anywhere near the youma willingly.
Tony probably had a different idea on this matter, through.
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Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2010 12:35 am
Tony watched the youma as it charged, seeing the senshi hit it with the trash can lid. He jumped in quickly to smack the youma soundly on the head with his metal cane before retreating as quickly as possible to avoid being a monster-dog treat.
The adrenaline was already pumping. He wasn't feeling a twinge from his leg, just focused on not dying and, maybe, thrillingly, being useful to the senshi.
He didn't care that he was just a human with a limp and a cane, he could still help. Maybe it was a false sense of security in himself, having seen youma so many times and it making him think he had some sort of upper hand now. Of course, none had ever looked or acted the same, so it was no real advantage to have been bait for so many.
But at least this time he could do it willingly.
"Do you have an attack?" he knew every senshi he had met so far had, though some hadn't exactly been designed for offense.
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Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2010 9:27 pm
The adrenaline was also doing wonders at making Themis ignore the wounds on his left arm for the time being - such an amazing body function, that.
The youma snapped it's teeth at Tony's direction, but was stopped in it's tracks by the other half of the previously-thrown lid. That was enough time to make sure the man got away, but Themis was inwardly cursing that he shouldn't have gotten this close in the first place.
Then the question came, and the blonde-haired senshi was a bit taken aback by it. Not that it should have been surprising - he'd already gathered that he knew a whole lot about senshi. Not that Tony was aware that his new found war buddy had been the teen with a broken arm that had come in the library a few weeks ago.
"It's not going to dust it." Themis admitted. "Ill't stun, but if I move the effect will go away." One word - useless in current circumstances. Because like hell would the senshi willingly let Tony do the hitting. That was far, far, FAR too dangerous !
Maybe he should just sling the other man over his shoulder and drop him on a roof... The youma didn't give him time to think this further - it was going straight for the librarian again. Forgoing weaponry for the time being, Themis rushed in, arming for a punch right in the beast's eye. Blinding it would help. Maybe.
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Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 11:45 am
Tony frowned at the Senshi's response, though it was cut off before it became a statement by a quick yelp when he saw the youma trying to come for him. He brandished his cane, but was very relieved to see that Themis had things handled.
"Oh, nice hit! Ah, well!" he said, about to offer exactly what Themis didn't want him to. Hell, he and Perry had killed a youma with a car! There had to be some way to kill it, even if the Senshi's attack couldn't do it outright.
Maybe Tony was still a little puffed up from that encounter in the gas station. He had gotten it into his head that it was possible to kill these things, without magic powers, but that didn't mean he should take the risk and try it every time. What if that had been a fluke? He wasn't concerning himself with those thoughts, however.
He just wanted to help.
"If you can immobilize it, maybe I can hit it hard enough to hurt it? And then you could kill it? Or I can just keep it's attention? Or... what do you mean, can't move? At all?" He was trying to work out a plan, but the adrenaline and fear coursing through him, and the thrill of being able to do something, the sheer amount of want to do something, was making it difficult for him to be reasonable.
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Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 5:32 pm
And, of course, Anthony Darrow offered exactly the one thing Sailor Themis was completely against.
Didn't they say adults were the rational ones ?
"This thing." He started, but had to stop to dodge a claw swipe. "Could rip off your head in a second. Are we clear on this ?" Of course, the youma could very well rip his own head off in a second, but he had faster reflexes working in his favor.
Most of the time.
Themis picked a glass shard that had fallen out of the trash can, and another well-aimed shot hit right in the eye - the beast snarled. One eye down, one more to do. "If I move, it... cancels the effect." He wasn't sure how to explain it in easy terms. "My attack amplifies ambient noise. Confuses youma." He turned to his again, but missed - hit the top of it's head instead. No matter, as long as he was hitting it.
Inwardly, he was still praying for another senshi to come along.
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Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 1:30 pm
"I am very aware of it's ability to part me from my head," Tony said feebly, watching the youma with some concern. He hesitated a moment, thinking that he really was fond of his head and he didn't want it to become a youma play toy. He could easily see the thing batting his head around like a ball.
Swallowing hard, he shook his head.
"N-no, it's okay. We can do this!" He said, his voice a bit higher out of fear and his effort to hide it. He cleared his throat, gripping his cane so tightly that his knuckles were going white and his arms were shaking. Or maybe that was the fear and adrenaline.
"Ambient... right. Okay," Tony said, not understanding it that well, but trusting the senshi, "do that, then! I know this will work," he didn't, "just trust me, and in yourself! You have your attack for a reason." He nodded his head eagerly, watching the youma as it growled viciously and considered the two of them with its one eye. Why were its snacks having a conversation? It was pissed at Themis, though, and seemed to be keeping its lopsided attention on the senshi.
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Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 1:52 pm
It was a little ridiculous. Well, okay, this was very ridiculous. Not so much the pep-talk, but the whole situation in general. He was supposed to save civilians, not have them hit s**t for him.
Seriously.
What the hell.
As if the youma wasn't pissed enough at him to begin with, Themis decided to poke the hornet's nest a little more by throwing a rock at it's valid eye - it missed the eye itself, but still nicked the side of it's head. Good. Better for it to be pissed at him.
...Through...
Tony wanted to help ? Fine, he'd let him help.
"You get behind me." He wasn't going to relent on this. "And you cover your ears." Okay, what ? "And then do me a favor and just... scream as high as you can." Seriously, what ? However, Themis seemed very assured of what he was talking about. He wanted for the man's acknowledgment, and then, finally, rose his arm in the air.
"Themis Noise Amplification."
Tony was about to understand this 'noise amplification" business in very short order. The air around the two shimmered, and then, nothing happened.
"Now." It was low, and soft, akin to a whisper, but he carried just as if Themis had been speaking normally - and it was at that moment that the youma went apeshit - looked left, right, looking for something that very visibly wasn't there, looking for something only it truly heard.
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Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 2:30 pm
Tony watched the senshi, unsure if his words had helped or hindered. He hesitated, then looked at the youma. It was busy at the moment, and Tony took a breath and hurried over to Themis and hoped the youma didn't spot him and chase him for the movement.
Soon enough he was hidden behind Themis.
"Ah... so... uhmm..." he frowned. Wait. He wanted him to... scream? Usually when people were in the process of saving him, or anyone else he imagined, it was usually good manners to not scream. Screaming tended to make things worse, or certainly didn't help.
But if the Senshi asked him, he imagined he knew what he was doing.
Covering his ears, looking at Themis to make sure this wasn't some kind of strangely timed prank, as it was not funny, he nodded. He heard the boy speak to him, giving him his cue, and he yelled as loudly as he could.
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Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:35 pm
Either Themis had one hell of a poker face, or this wasn't an elaborate prank.
Turn out this wasn't an elaborate prank - the youma snarled at the result of Tony's scream, ears pinning in a futile attempt to block it all out.
Themis knew that the second he moved, the effect would be gone as if it had never happened. But with some luck, the youma wouldn't have time to react. It was a risk that he had no choice but to take, and so he did. Either way, he probably only would get one good shot, and he knew it. He dashed forward, graping a broken piece of concrete on the way, and rushed straight for the youma, who was already starting to recover.
It still didn't get time to react. Fist and concrete went right though, and it exploded in a puff of smoke.
Typical.
Themis coughed, and stumbled almost blindly out of the cloud as it dispersed, before he finally reached his glasses and managed to pull them away from his face.
Okay, Better.
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Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:51 pm
Tony watched, surprised when Themis moved. He thought for sure that the youma would recover suddenly and rip the senshi's face off, and was very worried for him, but then the thing burst into dust and Tony inhaled a healthy dose of dead youma.
He coughed, then looked at Themis, grinning broadly as he tried to force himself to stop coughing.
"That was amazing!" he whooped, moving over to the young man who had saved his life and clapping him heartily on the shoulder. He laughed, relief flooding through him, a different thrill of adrenaline pumping through his veins. He was just very glad to have gotten out of that alive, unharmed, and to see such a cool skill.
"I've never seen an attack that! Good thing the youma didn't have any time to get its senses back! Did you amplify my yell? That was so cool," he laughed again, shaking his head and then taking a very deep breath, to calm himself and act more his age. He offered him his hand.
"Thank you for that. I was worried for a bit there! But man," he shook his head, looking down at where the youma had been. He grinned, chuckling again.
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Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:13 pm
"Yeah, good thing." Or else he probably would be lacking a face. He quite liked his face.
"Yeah, I amplified it. It's... a little useless if I don't have someone else with me." He admited. Tony might think his attack was the next best thing since the invention of sliced bread, but he'd seen more useful things.
The black-clad senshi pondered what kind of face Tony would make if he went on to say that he had seen a kraken burst out of the pavement only a few days ago, but he decided against it.
He went for the man's hand, but he stopped, and winced.
Oh, right. Left arm. Got munched on. With nothing else to focus on, and with the librarian's life no longer in danger, his focus went to his wound quickly enough. It didn't look like the bites got in too deep - he'd bled a little, the snow tinted crimson there and there following his movement. Not enough to be truly worrying, but enough for him to frown. This was certainly the first time he'd bled all over the place, so to speak.
"You don't make an habit out of this." Themis tried to look as much as an autority figure as he could - which wasn't much, given that the man right next to him might very well be twice his age. "Or next time, im dumping you on the roof." He pointed up, almost comically. And oh, he would ! Seriously. Even if he didn't look like he would even be able to lift the librarian, even less jump his way to the roof.
See monster. Run from monster. Keep starseed. This was how things should be.
"...I should probably go bandage that." At least he didn't look like he would need to go back to the hospital. He had disinfectant at his apartment, right... ? ********, he wasn't sure. Probably would need to power down and raid a pharmacy just in case.
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