|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 2:10 pm
Shalott never gave much thought to her name, content that it matched with her husband's. Maybe it was the universe trying to tell her something. With what they'd experienced at their wonders, jolts of memories she'd never experienced in this life, it was hard to discount things like fate. She remembered him, clear as day. Their lives had coincided once upon a time but all she saw was a kiss in the dark when they were alone. Nothing more, nothing less and it wasn't a lot to go on. Still, it proved something Kyn had suspected for a long time.
They belonged together.
Right now, though, she was on her own and in trouble. Three very large youma were coming toward her and though she was meeting Camelot for patrol the library was still across the park. At first she'd tried to outrun them but they gave chase and she knew she'd be winded before she reached the library leaving her in dire straights. As it was she wasn't very well off. The smallest and least intimidating of the youma was the size of a large dog - the largest the size of a small cow. All three seemed to think she was on the menu for their dinner tonight.
Shalott screamed, once, high pitched and long and at least one of the monsters cringed. She did it again. When they kept advancing in spite she resorted to magic. She put her hands on either end of the garland she wore and concentrated, vines growing out of the Earth to ensnare the beasts and slow them down. She doubted it would come close to stopping them entirely.
Shalott screamed again. This plan would not work forever or even very well.
"CAMELOT!"
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 7:24 pm
Since discovering her usual haunts could claim a Negaverse General as a fellow ghost, she'd decided she was going to pointedly not go there until she could assure herself that Howlite, General of Chaos, was nowhere around. This didn't mean she stopped patrolling, it just meant she patrolled near work, or on campus, or even near the DC public library's central branch--it was more of a vague saunter, actually. (She'd been a bit hopeful that she'd run into Camelot and get some kind of status update, but it hadn't panned out just yet.) It would give her a way to meet more people, too. She was beginning to realize that while she, as Tate, knew (past tense, many seemed to have vanished) plenty of senshi, Avalon the Knight (well, squire) was more familiar with the Negaverse than she was with her supposed teammates. She could tick off the members of both sides she was familiar with on two hands, really, but that wasn't that impressive. This brought her to the park. Well, sort of it brought her to the park, the patrolling did. She ran for the fun of it--for the hell of it, really--and she only stopped when she heard someone scream. Once, and then again, and then a name: Camelot. What? She peeled off from her run along the gravel path, crashing through the bushes towards the shout. What was she even planning to do? She didn't know for sure; she'd figure it out once she saw the situation at hand. The situation at hand involved three youma and a knight of some kind--Earth definitely, but Avalon couldn't make heads or tails of the rank. Magic indicated not a page, anyway. And really, that meant she had to lend a hand, didn't she? Earth knights together. Or something. Anyway, she ran forward and kicked out at one of the youma; she didn't bring out her weapon because she didn't even know what it did. "Hey, are you okay," she demanded of the green-haired knight, circling around as quickly as she could to cover the other knight's blind spot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 11:15 am
Camelot felt the aura of another Knight and assumed it was Shalott. He was already walking to meet her on her path to meet him. He ran when he felt another aura in the area and heard a scream on the air.
There was trouble.
The Knight of Earth, shield on his arm and cape billowing behind him, ran to the park, toward the Order signatures. He quickly recognized the two sources, one being his wife, Shalott, and the other a friend he had not seen in a little while, Avalon.
Then he saw the three youma.
He joined the duo, turning their back to back stance into a triangle. He held his shield up, and watched as the youma circled around them.
"I didn't know we were having a party," he said, glancing over his shoulder toward Shalott, then Avalon. He smiled, though he couldn't hide that he looked nervous. Even though he was at the top of his power, he still didn't want to let himself start underestimating fights. "Is anyone hurt?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 1:37 pm
"I'm fine for now."
It was no small amount of relief that flooded her when another knight arrived. She couldn't place what rank she was but it didn't really matter. Another body was nice to add to their odds. Two on three still wasn't what she'd call fair but she hoped, prayed, that they could manage. She also silently damned her husband for being late. Or had she been early? She couldn't tell but she wished he was there.
She felt Avalon's back to her own and nodded. "I'm Shalott."
That was all the time for introduction they had as one of the yuma snapped at them, drawing closer. Shalott was determined not to shriek anymore mainly because it wouldn't do any good and was embarrassing. The monsters stopped as yet another player joined the team. This was not the ambush the youma had originally had.
There was another smile of relief as her husband came dashing up. Even odds and a knight among them made her feel a bit better.
No, she wasn't hurt she was just scared. She looked at the youma a lot of concern. What did they do? Start roaming around in packs to make themselves more efficient? That thought made her shudder but that fear was lessened a little now that Camelot finally made an appearance.
"Yes, a party." she agreed sarcastically. "Your invitation must have gotten lost in the mail, darling."
Though the sarcasm was just to mask her fear and she'd apologize for it later if there was a later in which to apologize. She looked from one knight to the other in their trio and tried to form a plan. Defensive positioning would only hold them off, it wouldn't conquer.
"I don't suppose anyone has a bright idea?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:22 pm
Oh, god. Introductions during battle? Just a terrible idea. She cautiously reached down to adjust her boot--why was it she never thought to put anything with a pointy end in her boot? Heroines in books did it all the damn time, and she liked to think she was smarter than your average helpless princess type of character. But no! She thought, wow, I'm powerful enough to twist the arm of anyone who dares get bigger than me, as long as they're human, and left the knives at home.That would be Avalon's greatest regret if she died here: outsmarted by Keladry of Mindelan. (Her second greatest regret: reading that book series at all. For ******** sake she was twenty-one years old. She was far too old for knight tales.) Bright ideas, though, those were her theoretical strong point. Camelot could probably crush the smallest youma if he jumped on it, using the shield for protection; sure, it wouldn't be comfortable, and he'd probably have to jump at just the right moment to be able to break bone and crush the monster's brain, but it was better than waiting to die. Shalott could foul up one of the monsters' sets of feet with her garland, maybe; knights' weapons tended to by supernaturally sturdy. Avalon could… What could Avalon do? Good question. Not one she knew the answer to. Maybe… She remembered caving in the side of a youma's head with a well-placed apple throw. She couldn't know if her wand or Shalott's garland had that same enhancement, but it was worth a try! Still, it was worth a try. "Shalott, throw your garland at the feet of the middle one," she said. "Camelot, you're a knight and that shield has blunt edges, see if you can bludgeon one of them to death or dusting." As for herself… she sized up the biggest youma, and summoned her wand to hand. All she had to do was wait for it to snap at her next.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 7:53 pm
"I can do you one better," Camelot said, turning to the nearest youma. He waited for a good moment, then lifted his shield and aimed it. He was getting more used to where the beam emerged from now, and his frame of reference and scope was improving his aim.
"Terra Viridis Crystal Power!"
A bright, green beam of energy emerged from the smaller shield that emblazoned Camelot's weapon. It came from the eye of the dragon and expanded, cutting through the air and hitting the youma nearest him, and grazing a second one nearby. Where ever it touched it left pain, though no visible wound and it couldn't dust a youma in its own right. Still, it was certainly a distraction.
He moved to follow instruction after that, targeting the youma he was designated by Avalon. It was a good strategy, and he was more than willing to take the beasts out as efficiently and quickly as possible. There was no nerves to be had. He was with two knights he had a lot of faith in, for various and differing reasons.
And he finally had confidence in himself, which helped as well. Plus, bashing youma to death with his shield was something he knew how to do!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 12:37 pm
Shalott was given her assignment and was almost chagrined by the fact that she needed to be ordered around by someone younger than she. But, after all, she had asked for ideas and one was given. She nodded her head and moved into a position where she could obey and have it be even somewhat effective. She was interrupted, however, by her husband working first.
She watched as the crystal flashed. She knew it was on his shield, of course, but hadn't known what it was for. She'd never seen him use it and as the two youma it effected started to squeal and roar in pain she could see why. It was not a power to be taken or used lightly. To say she was surprised by this little gem was putting it mildly.
But then she remembered that she, too, could do one better and concentrated with an end of her garland in each hand. The vines rose up again and overcame the youma she was set to target, hindering its ability to move or attack. She hoped someone would take this opportunity to bash it over the head because she didn't think she could summon the vines a third time. She was already feeling it wear on her, making her weary with the concentrated effort.
"Oh, someone hit the damn thing!" she muttered. "I can't keep this up very long!"
To prove her point the vines were more easily broken, the creature worming its way out of them as they spoke. It was slow going but he would in about fifteen seconds, she imagined. Time could go by quickly when it wanted to.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 5:47 am
It definitely was a distraction. Avalon gaped at the beam of light, at the crystal on Camelot's shield. Well then, she thought. Was that just something that happened when you became a Knight? Damn. She should put more effort into discovering her true potential and trying to ascend to the final stage of whatever she was. Well… assumed final stage, anyway, she didn't actually know and wasn't that trouble enough to be going on with? Especially since there were, oh, massive screeching monsters flailing around about three feet from her face. She had to do her own thing before worrying over what everyone else was doing. The theory was simple, basically. If a clarinet could be reliably used to puncture the roof of a mouth in a human being, severing arteries and popping eyeballs, a wand should theoretically do the same for a youma. There were a lot of flaws in that logic, but Avalon wasn't considering them right then; she thrust the wand into the mouth of the monster and yanked it out before its jaws could close, to squeals of pain and a ridiculous gout of sticky-hot black blood. "******** gross!" But her enemy was on the ground, clawing at its own mouth with ever-weakening struggles, and that meant that Avalon was free to answer Shalott's… somewhat exasperating demand. Granted, maybe that wasn't fair to say. Maybe Shalott couldn't move while using her powers? Avalon had no idea. Still, she was more than willing to kick the youma in the side. If the youma had ribs, which she wasn't convinced it did, they would probably have broken. Avalon really did have to work on her technique, no question. "Camelot, how're you doing," she asked, pitching her voice loud to carry over the cries from the youma she'd stabbed in the mouth. But with one down, and evidently bleeding out, and Shalott's youma still tangled in the vines (for now) there wasn't really much urgency to be found in Avalon Squire.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 12:12 pm
Camelot glanced at Shalott, then saw Avalon moving to fight directly as well. The beam of light faded from his shield and he knew the pain the youma felt would fade shortly, but it was time enough for him to follow up, as well.
They were moving like a team, though it was a little haphazard. Still, the Earth knights shared a bond that Camelot was certain he could not just be imagining. They were all from the same place in history, their wonders connected. It made fighting alongside them more potent, in some way.
His thoughts were interrupted by the shouting from both women, and he hurried to help.
He reached a youma and swung his large, heavy shield as hard as he could. It smashed into the side of the creature's head and successfully caved it in, letting out a howl to rival its friend's, though it was much shorter than the ones coming from the mouth-stabbed youma. It burst into dust and Camelot gave a triumphant 'ha!' followed by a series of disgusted coughs as he breathed in youma dust.
"I'm doing just fine!" he gagged, sputtering.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 12:31 pm
It seemed shouting did the trick, the three knights working in tandem to get these youma defeated. The howls of the mouth stabbed youma were quieting as it began to break away into dust, dying just to be scattered in the wind as if it had never been at all. It seemed like such a waste to the green haired woman. But then her husband made his power play and defeated his own, though immediately he breathed in youma remains and she saw him coughing.
And then there was one.
Shalott knew this one was all on her own and released the ends of her garland, the wines withering nearly immediately. The only one left was the one that was quickly breaking free of its bonds and was previously damaged by the Earth Squire. She moved to the things hurt side and lashed out, landing a combination of hits she'd learned in her martial arts studies. Two of them hit, one was blocked by the beast swiping its claws. Luckily that hit her boot and the leather and shin guards absorbed a majority of the damage.
Shalott took advantage and stomped down on its neck. She was satisfied with the loud crack she heard and the impotent squealing that commenced when the beast found it could not move. She stomped down again onto its head and there was another crack as it hit pavement. The whole body thrashed but then started to disintegrate before her eyes. She carefully took two steps back as silence fell around them.
"Well, I hope never to do that again." she commented softly. "Though I must say working as a team is a heck of a lot easier than going alone."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 1:34 pm
The monsters died without much dignity, which made sense, as they were monsters. Camelot forsaking all dignity to choke on a mouthful of monster dust did not make sense, but Avalon was willing to give it a pass. After all, they'd managed to wipe out three very angry, very snarly-toothed monsters. Which… shouldn't really be an accomplishment, since, there were kind of three of them and they were all fairly advanced on any basic scale (except Avalon and how she had no idea what her magic even was). It still felt like one. "Makes sense," she said. "We can shore up each other's weaknesses." And not be huge losers, Avalon. "So… I'm Avalon, Squire of Earth. Looks like it's all Arthurian up in here, today." Man, what else were you even supposed to say? "Nice hustle," said Avalon lamely. "Good… beating youma head in with shoes and shields, et cetera. High fives all around." High fives cost her nothing and they'd be good for morale, right? Nevertheless, Avalon didn't raise her hand for them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2012 10:51 am
Camelot cleared his throat and smiled, shaking his head. He was glad the battle was over, and he looked at Shalott and moved to her side, offering her his hand.
Maybe he would just stick to patrolling with her. Leaving her alone had not gone so well, and he did not much like the panic he felt when he thought she was in real trouble. It was good that the youma had been just that, but if she ran into a team of Negas or some other Chaos soldier that she could not handle he didn't want to abandon her to it.
He looked at Avalon and smiled reassuringly.
"I think it's a good time to call it a night. And you look well, Avalon," he couldn't help the pride in his voice, though he tried his best to hide it because he didn't think she would really understand where he was coming from. He'd helped her a few times, and took her to Camelot, but she'd come a long way since he first met her whether she noticed it or not.
He tugged Shalott's hand and bowed to Avalon. They would meet up again soon enough, he was sure. For now, he just wanted to go home with his wife.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2012 9:11 pm
Hustle? Were they high school footballers now? Shalott blinked but managed to stifle a laugh. That would be rude. She looked lovingly at her husband as Camelot took her hand. It was comforting to her and after that battle she needed comforting. All she wanted to do was go home and cuddle on the couch with him and let the evening dwindle with old movies and a glass of wine.
"It was good to meet you, Avalon." The Arthurian trio. There would never be another in their mythos, she didn't think."Don't be a stranger."
She kissed Camelot's cheek, signalling her readiness to go home and rest. To Shalott that was the best part of the night. There was a sense of accomplishment, sure, from helping defeat the three youma but that sort of paled to the joy of knowing her family and the love of her life was safe.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 10:54 pm
Avalon met the bow with a kind of embarrassed wave. Wow, what was it, the turn of the century?
…Dumb question.
"Later," she said. They'd already turned to leave, though, and Avalon took that as her cue to head home and write some essays. Maybe.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
