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 Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2024 8:38 pm
Quote: The Gargoyles (3) : Even when you thought you’d seen the last of them, it seems like you’re never really in the clear. A while back, there was an infestation of awful gargoyle creatures–and while every Star Festival had its fair share of oddities, this one seems to have introduced a permanent infestation upon the city. Maybe you see them perched on the roof, or hiding in the shadows, but not all of these grotesque creatures are satisfied with just escaping their interdimensional prison–some of them still have a bone to pick. They seem stony; some of them will watch with a penetrative gaze and never strike to attack, but some of them will dive down to target anyone who gets too close. The monsters come in an array of sizes and shapes, but they are no more than half the size of their target. Their goal is uncertain, but they will crumble into a pile of rocks and dust if struck hard enough. This RP can be used as a battle requirement as long as there are at least two powered characters involved; you must be interacting with another player’s powered character and cannot solo this with two of your own characters. This does not count as the ‘one youma battle’ per stage for growth. This can only be used as a battle requirement once per character, but there is no limitation for how many times a player can use this prompt.
While he’d been checking out at the store he’d mentioned going out later that night to look into things, and if the other wanted to join him he was more than free to do so. He had left a location for where he’d be starting his evening, one of the older churches in the city, and he’d go from there hunting for gargoyles. Once he’d gotten home he’d gotten side tracked, Omen had demanded dinner, and it wasn’t until he was heading out that he’d gotten to look at his phone. It seemed he had company for tonight.
Hands in his pockets as he stepped out of an alleyway where he’d parked his car, it was a wider alleyway where some people parked during the daytime to get into shops. His pace was slow, casual even, as he came to a stop by the church's front doors, tucking himself neatly in a corner so the shadows hid him well. Tucked into the corner he powered up and from subspace started to occupy himself with his hair, he’d turned up earlier than he’d told Lorcan so he had time for this. He wanted his hair from his face so he could see better, and not have it blowing into his line of sight.
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Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2024 8:41 pm
More than once already he’d had to treat one of his patients for lacerations and bruises from some sort of creature attacking them. Most of them thought it was some sort of bird or maybe a wild dog of some sort, mundane things to explain away what actually happened. Kioshi had warned him, and told him that they were going to look into things tonight. If it was anything like the last time they had tried looking into one of the rumors that people were getting harmed then he was going to go with them to make sure they were alright.
Making sure he had one of his small med kits in his coat pocket, he drove to the nearest park and ride lot before walking the rest of the way to the church they had mentioned. Coming up on the church, he looked up at it and remembered all the times his family had gone to mass for each holiday when he was young. Things weren’t as common with his family but he still attended like clockwork even if he was probably more grounded than some of his other family members were. It wasn’t a secret per se but few knew about that, maybe here and there a bit slipped out around the holidays.
“I think I’ve been to this one, for my brother’s wedding.” Walking up the stone steps he noticed Kioshi half hidden by the shadows cast by the archway. “So the gargoyles, I don’t believe this church had any last time I was here.” Raising an eyebrow, he leaned back to look up towards the roof to see some of them. They looked different than the other stones that made up the church’s structure.
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Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2024 8:43 pm
“And yet they are here now.” He spoke softly, stepping out of the darkness he’d tucked himself into, he’d figured the shadows might just hide him from any prying human eyes but also the gargoyles as well. It certainly made him harder to aim for at any rate, as he wasn’t looking to paint a target on his back just yet.
“Some seem to just observe while others have been attacking people, I can’t imagine the injuries are all that pleasant given the weight behind these things. Not to mention how solid and rough they are.” Coming down the steps slowly, his steps measured, his hair was pinned up for now with a few hair sticks which he’d bought online. The weight was…a lot but he was managing it well enough for now. Having had long hair in the past, even if he didn’t remember beyond changing sides and cutting most of it off, it seemed that the length didn’t bother him now did the use of hair pins and how they tended to be a female thing.
Though if one were to ask him he might comment on feeling like a Chinese concubine from one of those damn Chinese historical dramas. The pins he had were rather feminine, flowers and such, and in shades of blue which matched his uniform and perhaps that was why he’d purchased them and kept them in subspace. They served a purpose and the only one he wore as a civilian was a silver sword he’d use to pin his hair out of his way. But to hold all this hair up…he had several pins in use - they were all needed.
“Shall we take a walk and see if any feel like making a move? I’m rather certain we can handle them.” At least he hoped they were…he doubted his magic would do a thing to them.
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Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2024 8:44 pm
Stepping into the patch of shadows they’d stood in just a moment before, Lorcan powered up as well before stepping back down the steps to rejoin them. The fur lining of his coat helped with the cool night air as he stood near them while keeping an eye on the gargoyles above.
“Of course, I have a feeling we can manage. I never considered that I would be fighting monsters, youma aside.” Since those things were aligned with agents even if he was still a bit unsure of his opinion on the matter. He’d seen a few by now but nothing swayed him either way towards having an opinion on if he liked the things or not.
Looking over the other, he noticed the new hair sticks, they were more delicate than he was used to seeing on them though he thought they fit along with their fuku and all its drapery. They reminded him a bit of the draping lace and piercings he’d seen before, something he really never quite got out of the back of his mind even if he’d managed well enough. It was all still new territory but things were going smoothly so far in his opinion.
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Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2024 8:44 pm
“I’ve always figured monsters were on the table, I’ve seen a fair share of them. It doesn’t help matters that youma don’t like my kind, even if we serve the same faction.” Shrugging as he spoke with an ease that said such things didn’t bother him; that he was used to it. He knew his sort was disliked by youma, that one might decide to try and fight him one night, he would handle it if it ever happened. “At least now you can teleport so it’ll help in this instance.” Making avoiding attacks easier, because this was one thing you wouldn’t want to get hit by, the weight alone would make an attack bad. Add to it the speed and height to it and things got worse.
Noticing the others gaze on his hair he sighed. “I don’t have a way to remove the hair and I’d rather my line of sight be clear. With the breeze tonight it’ll just risk my hair being in my face. I can’t afford that. I’ve been keeping these in subspace…even if I feel like some Chinese concubine.” Rolling his eyes as he spoke, a bit of a smile tugging at his lips.
“Think you’re ready to see what these gargoyles can do?”
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Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2024 8:45 pm
“I guess I haven’t really crossed any aside from those trees if we’re being honest.” Keeping one of his daggers out but slightly hidden just in case any civilians came up, he watched the rooftop and noticed that the things moved their heads to follow along as he walked with the other.
The mention of teleporting made him sigh because he still didn't like it but he knew it was an important skill for keeping out of harm's way. “I’d like to avoid that if I can but yes it would help if they catch us off guard.” With how many there were, any one or multiple of the things could swoop down.
That comment got just the slightest smile out of him as he pat their shoulder. “Japanese would mean Geisha, not concubine correct? I’m still not well-informed with things but I’m learning. Also, we both know that you’re not that way really.” It probably wouldn’t have worked out if they were the type to sleep around, if either of them were that type if he was really being honest. “I do like them though, they fit this style of yours well but not when you’re a civilian.” So a thing he could look for while they were powered up only.
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Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2024 8:45 pm
“Yes and no, but it is close enough.” Glancing at the other’s hand on his shoulder. He could have mentioned the differences, how talented and well trained geisha were, but he also suspected the other knew? Concubines were also well taught, they had to be, but their job was to have children for the emperor unlike geisha. “But no, I’m certainly not loose like that.” Though he wouldn’t call a geisha loose he would with a concubine but that was due to the nature of their position in the world - their duties.
“Thank you, I did get them because they work with the outfit, unlike the single one I sometimes wear.” Though that one was mostly worn at work; again to keep his hair from his face. He could trim his hair, cut it shorter, but he liked the length. It just meant working with it when he needed it out of the way.
Hearing a grinding sound, like stone grinding on stone, he let his eyes move up towards the gargoyles to see which was making the noise - it had to be one of them. There! One was moving on its perch and was stretching its wings before leaping, not falling, down and coming for them. “s**t.” And things began…because another followed suit, like a game of follow the leader unleashed upon them. “Time to get moving.” And he broke away from the other’s side in order to avoid being stuck, hoping the other would move as well.
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Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2024 8:46 pm
“Of course, you’re not, but still I like it.” Nodding a bit before looking up towards the sound, he only had a moment to duck and start moving. At this point, he pulled out his other dagger just in case because the idea of punching stone wasn’t attractive in the slightest. Moving out of the way as one swooped down, he slashed at one and cringed at the sound of metal hitting stone but the force from it had cracked the thing. It didn’t quite manage to get back up into the sky so the next best idea was to kick it. He was thankful for the sturdy military boots he had because even as the toe of his boot connected with it, it didn’t hurt him much. Probably magical steel toes but he never had thought about unlacing the boots and taking them off to check.
“One down, be careful! More are coming.” He yelled as he moved to avoid more of them, and he also tried to keep an eye on the other since they didn’t have a weapon. It wasn’t easy, but at least he knew magic wasn’t on the table from these things, they didn’t seem smart enough or sturdy enough to cast magic he hoped.
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Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2024 8:47 pm
“Yeah, no worries here.” He had magic but he knew it wasn’t likely to work, considering it was emotion based magic, it was one of those times he wished his magic was something different - more damage causing. Normally, against a person, his magic was just fine as a weapon but in this case it had no use. Ducking another gargoyle, which had hit the ground and turned and launched itself at him, he took a moment to consider just how stupid he dared to be tonight.
Taking a breath, because he knew this was going to hurt, and kicked it. He didn’t have boots, not blessed with such, and rather had slippers on his own feet. He tried to keep his toes as away from the stone as he could, trying to use the flat part of his foot and the heel, he winced and hissed in pain. Not smart, really not smart, but it was better than risking his toes. “This city has a serious problem with infestations of various sorts.”
From large bats which attacked people to these then there were the one of creatures like the supposed bigfoot which had been about the city last year. There was also a supposed werewolf…right? He really couldn’t keep up with the various things this city seemed to conjure up, though he did wish he knew just how this all happened. From subspace he pulled the one thing he figured might help - a flashlight, and swung it as another came his way - shattering a wing and an arm with the impact.
“And this is why real estate values are low and I can afford a new place soon. It’s a wonder people still move here from elsewhere.”
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Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2024 8:47 pm
“Normally I enjoy finding the cause of visits to my very useful but I think I preferred the mundane excuses.” It felt odd knowing that things like this were about when he was someone very grounded in the normal causes and effects of things. He didn’t like it but at the same time if he ignored it then it could lead to treatments being delayed or not even offered. It wasn’t good if he wanted to keep taking care of his patients and these things didn’t really pick a side.
Running over, he kicked the next one and watched as it cracked and slowly fell apart. He’d heard the other hiss in pain and worried if they’d broken their foot in the process. He didn’t really know what shoes were under their outfit with how long it was but it couldn’t have been something as functional as what he had. “You alright?” Looking down towards their feet for a moment before turning and slashing at another of the things. That sound came again, and he could feel the grinding vibration through his dagger. It wasn’t great and he winced slightly in discomfort.
“Two down is good enough I think, do you need me to check if you broke something? Can you put weight on it?” Keeping an eye out as the gargoyles circled, the fact that two were gone had made them a bit wary of diving back into the fray.
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Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2024 8:48 pm
“I can see where knowing what’s behind a person's injuries would be good, it would help in looking for injuries they may not feel or be presenting with.” Like seeing a car accident and then having a better idea of what sorts of injuries you may need to look for, things they don’t show at first glance. It would mean faster help and better quality care as well.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine, my foot hurts from that.” Shrugging as he took a moment to lift up the bottom of his uniform to show his slippered feet. “I’ll have to figure something out for next time. I’ve not had to go kicking stones like this before.” And while he had more strength behind his hits…he still had nothing keeping his feet safe. “I avoided using my toes at least.” Even if weight on his foot hurt, as he knew it would, he also knew the other would figure that much out after seeing what passed as foot wear for him.
“We can go home if you’d like, before more attack, and you can take a look if it helps.” As it might help the others concern, as he was sure the other would be feeling something over him kicking a stone statue with essentially a bare foot. “Next time we come with proper tools for this…” He should have, since this was his idea, but all he’d had was a flashlight…which he was still willing to wield against these things.
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