Hunters and Prey [Closed]

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Hunters and Prey [Closed] Jun 18, 2021 3:24:24 GMT via mobile

Post by Annasiel on Jun 18, 2021 3:24:24 GMT

The waves broke against the hull of the Storm Queen, each one barely able to shift the ship in its otherwise stoic drift. In the distance, a chain of islands rose out of the water. Wildlands. So untouched by the Guild, all they had on record was its name - Greenspine - no doubt named by the research team for the long, sinuous trail the archipelago made through the clear water. It was lush and vibrant, but also dangerous.

The research team hadn't reported back in weeks. Not since their last message saying they'd found a place to land and set up camp.

It made Satori anxious. Even more anxious that the people under her, the people the Guild had deemed competent enough to pull a rescue mission in uncharted territory, were complete and total strangers.

She'd handle. She'd dealt with new teams - far more times than she could count on her fingers. Hunters came and went. Times were far more dangerous, back then, but even as mankind rebuilt, staying off the terrible, beautiful forces of nature that threatened to rip them apart, the mission stayed the same.

Keep them safe.

For now, all she could do was stare out at the water, at the wingdrakes swooping above the Greenspine's lush canopies, and hope everything would turn out for the better.

Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there!
He wasn't there again today,
Oh how I wish he'd go away!

Taiska
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Hunters and Prey [Closed] Jun 18, 2021 4:54:59 GMT

Post by Taiska on Jun 18, 2021 4:54:59 GMT

The bright, harsh sun bore down upon the mighty vessel, its enormous white sails taught against the wild wind. A salty torrent of water assaulted whoever dared approach the bow, spraying the deck with the slick ocean water. From below the deck, metal met wood with a solid thumping sound, that resounded through the open space. A moment of silence hung in the air before the door gently swung open, revealing a man clad head to toe in vicious looking ebony black plate armor. Slowly, he made his way out onto the deck, the imposing figure raising an arm to block the first rays of the unforgiving sun.

He looked around, the softly glowing purple visor scanning his surroundings before ultimately walking fully out onto the deck. It had been quite some time since he'd been on a boat, the last time being... Seven years ago? He ran a gloved hand across the jagged surface of his horned helmet before his eyes landed on their handler for this mission. She was near the edge of the boat, staring out into the distance, seemingly lost in thought. She must be stressed about this whole endeavor, handlers shoulder more responsibility than most realize.

He nodded curtly before approaching the lone woman, his gait wide and purposeful. He stopped about five feet away, to her left, crossing his arms and speaking in a low tone of voice. "Difficult mission, eh? Why else would they gather so many renowned hunters?" He chuckled, his voice deep and gravelly. "Name's Eryk. I won't see you in the field, but I know how important your role is. Nice to meet 'ya." He extended his gauntleted hand, genuinely hoping that this would ease her mind at least somewhat.

Last Edit: Jun 19, 2021 4:28:16 GMT by Taiska

illirica
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Hunters and Prey [Closed] Jun 18, 2021 12:49:45 GMT

Post by illirica on Jun 18, 2021 12:49:45 GMT

The islands were finally visible, way off in the distance. Krys had been watching them since the moment one of the ship's crew members had first sighted them, from a perch up high in the rigging. At this point in the trip, the crew had gotten used to Krys climbing all over the ship "like a hyperactive squirrel," as one of them had put it. Krys had made sure to stay out of the way, though, and even learn a thing or two about knots, and they were pretty sure at this point that the crew regarded them as some sort of weird mascot. Possibly a hyperactive squirrel.

That was fine, as far as they were concerned. The rest of the team hadn't been very talkative, mostly keeping to their respective selves through the journey, so Krys had expended their own considerable energy in climbing around the rigging. They were watching the ship as much as the distant islands, though, and so when one of the other fighters came out to introduce himself to the handler, Krys slipped down the rigging with a complete lack of concern for falling to their doom, and hit the ground running despite the motion of the ship, making it to where the others were congregating in a few hyperactive heartbeats, jumping up on the railing and holding on to one of the ropes for security.

"Hi, guys! Mr. Davies said we'll be there soon! I saw a seagull! It was way off in the distance, but I still saw it. My uncle told me that my grandma got eaten by seagulls, but I think we'll be okay, because we're all supposed to be pretty strong, right? Don't worry! It's all going to be just fine. I'll be here to help keep you guys safe. We're going to make the best team! Oh! I'm Krys, by the way. I'm the best monster bait in the whole guild, my uncle says. What do you think is going to be out there? Other than the seagulls, I mean. Do you think we'll find a new monster? I wonder what it'll be like? Hey, you're the handler, right? Do you know anything more about all of this? I just signed up because it sounded like fun. It's going to be great! I'm really looking forward to it!"

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Hunters and Prey [Closed] Jun 18, 2021 13:47:48 GMT

Post by Reyn on Jun 18, 2021 13:47:48 GMT

"Oh, good Gog, I was not blessed with sea-legs."

The wooden doors swung open with a thunderous crack as Dorian strode onto the ship's deck, one hand steadying himself against the (rather gentle) sway of the ship, and the other placed quite firmly on his hat. These things were easy to lose, you know. He didn't want to ruin his costume any more than it had already been ruined; his previous venture around the exposed areas of the ship had already taken their toll. Note to self, he thought, salt-spray and eyeliner do not mix. Thankfully, he wasn't too busy to reapply... this time. Either he was going to have to find a new setting powder, or he was going to be extra particular about never getting his face wet.

Even the hot springs of Kamura were better than this.

Dorian squinted against the sun, pulling his hat down further to block out the harsh light. Spending the whole journey in his personal cabin probably wasn't the brightest idea, given that the slightest hint of brightness was like a flash bomb to him, but he had his reasons. Now, he wasn't shy, by any means—heavens no—but he was aware of how tetchy he could get if left without something to do. There wasn't a training dummy aboard the boat (admittedly for good reason- nobody wants a ship-wide blaze thanks to a misplaced true charge), which meant that Dorian had been alone with his thoughts for a long time. Which was, like, fine. Great, even- the man was a Gog-forsaken genius, as Rondine would tell you. There were no better thoughts than his! Ah yes, the Bard of Kamura- accomplished hunter, worldwide heartthrob, and a musical prodigy, in every sense of the word. He had made great use of his time working on his setlist, I'll have you know, and he would most likely have to spend even more time doing so later to make it exactly as wonderful as he envisioned it. Of course, it would be finished by the time they made landfall. He wouldn't want to work on it when there were other things to be doing.

Speaking of other things, the other people in his party were most likely looking at him right now. He had certainly made an entrance, as he is wont to do, and, as long as he hadn't cracked the wood with that slam, their stares should be fairly benign. He... well, he admittedly couldn't tell. In order to avoid being blinded by that wretched flashfly in the clouds, he had pulled his hat down so far that the comically wide brim completely blocked his vision of the other party. All he could see of them were their boots and the wooden deck beneath them- and that was if he chose to bow his head, which he was absolutely not going to do here, even if one pair seemed to be a bit... well, they seemed a little... almost...

"Dorian." He said, slamming his own boot down on a low wooden bench and extending a hand to his handler, "You must ignore my whining, dear- it really is a pleasure to be aboard this vessel, in spite of my own... well, my own land-locked tendencies. The water around Kamura is awfully shallow, you know..."

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Hunters and Prey [Closed] Jun 18, 2021 22:24:01 GMT

Post by Quirbles on Jun 18, 2021 22:24:01 GMT

A GLIMMER UPON THE SHORE

Tetsuo knew that this wasn't even worth his time.

It was always the same procedure with these things. "Oh, a researcher fell in a fuckin' lake and now you gotta fish 'em out!", or "Oh, great and strong hunter, please push this cart through the Wildspire Wastes while we do absolutely fuckin' nothing. Oh, did we mention that there's a Rathian in heat here?". Same shit, different day. Some little balding Wyverian wanted you to go help his brother-sister-father-nephew-cousin-in-law or whatever that accidentally fell into an herbivore nest, and only Tetsuo was capable of going out and doing it. Nevermind the fledgling hunters that barely have a Jagras under their belt-- no, we need the Fatalis killer to go out and get some mushrooms for the chef's stew tonight. God.

He was betting an entire batch of melding tickets that these researchers accidentally knocked over a tree or something and found out that it could walk. They were incompetent, like that. God forbid he ever get a chance to relax and take off a week or two of vacation, right? Had him running around like a Kula-Ya-Ku with its fuckin' plume cut off. Hunters had to do everything around here, and the missing amenities of the New World did not help remedy that. At least the Meowscular Chef listened to his tirades.

But there weren't any Lynians here. Only hunters-- go figure. Contrary to all the others getting soaked on the deck, Tetsuo had relaxed for a good portion of the journey in the common room. He'd opted to bring a sketchbook with him and draw, finding that being alone with his thoughts was a hell of a lot more unbearable when there wasn't anything to channel his boredom. So he drew-- charcoal stubs washed off easily, after all, and he'd gotten worse on his armor before. Brachydios slime was not fun to scrape off after it'd blown up and hardened, that much was sure. Neither was whatever gunk Namielle spewed out, though that encounter had been entirely on accident. That was the last time he went into the Coral Highlands while it was raining.

So he sat and drew, inevitably drawing up the aspects of whatever his imagination put forward at the time. Wing sketches, body sketches, drawings of palicoes he'd seen at Seliana that were decidedly stupid, and then an eye. It was at that point that the boat rocked with enough force to jar him from his routine, and he closed his hunter's journal after studying the drawing for a few moments and deciding to take a break. He closed the front face of his helm-- never knew when a monster could strike, after all-- and stood, collecting his things and retrieving his hybrid sword from the corner of the room he'd claimed as his guy zone.

The weapon he used was a cross between a Greatsword and Longsword, with the functionality and size of the blade falling somewhere in between the two categories; while not as hard-hitting as a Greatsword, the blade still retained heft and compromised immediate lethality for maneuverability and speed. The biggest difference from a Greatsword was the fact that it didn't feel like he was lugging around a monster carcass on his back every time he went out on an expedition. Did wonders for his back pain.

The door to the lower decks opened, and a moment later, Tetsuo stepped out onto the deck and stretched his arms and back for a moment before observing the crowd that was gathering at the sides of the boat. There were two hunters, a wyverian handler-- cuter than the other girl by her side-- and a... God-dammit, another one of those midget researchers that were always bothering him about fucking ecology reports. Great. Two hunters, a handler, and a short wyverian. Well-- he could work with this. Probably. Instead of joining the group, Tetsuo opted to move up the steps towards the bow of the ship, leaning over the edge with one foot placed on the railing as he observed the passing wingdrakes.

"Are we even close yet?" He stated to nobody in particular, looking back over to the group and locking his gaze onto the handler.

"HEY, HOT STUFF!" Tetsuo waved an arm, shouting to cut over the crash of the ocean. "WHAT'S YOUR MAP SAY? WE CLOSE?" Then, while waiting for a response, he glanced back out over to the sea, attention once again taken by the wingdrakes that were flying close to the ship. Hell, they were so close, he could practically touch them--

-- huh.

"ACTUALLY-- NEVERMIND." The Azure-clad hunter shouted, not even bothering to look the way of his group. He only gave them a dismissive wave of his hand, reaching for his grapple hook with the other. He took it out and began swinging it in an arc, steadying himself with one foot against the railing to counteract the swaying of the ship. "I GOT IT! NO WORRIES. YOU'LL JUST MEET ME THERE, YEAH? SET UP CAMP ONCE YOU TOUCH DOWN. I'LL HAVE THE RESEARCHERS IN NO TIME!"

Tetsuo jumped before he'd even finished speaking, kicking off the railing of the boat and leaping out over the open water as he hurled his hook towards a particularly close wingdrake that'd swept down for some fish. It curled around the leg, cinched taut at the claws, and he quickly swung up and into the air at the end of his rope, wrapping one hand around the line to make sure he didn't fall into the water if it snapped. He gave one last look towards the boat, offered a two-finger salute, and stared back towards the predictable direction of land.

Somebody had to take charge, after all. They were probably just waiting for him to go.

Last Edit: Jun 18, 2021 22:24:55 GMT by Quirbles

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Hunters and Prey [Closed] Jun 18, 2021 23:35:21 GMT via mobile

Post by Annasiel on Jun 18, 2021 23:35:21 GMT

Try as she might to swallow her fears, the group of hunters she'd been saddled with didn't exactly - assuage her fears. She wasn't sure if the Guild had simply made an error in judgement, if it trusted her more than she trusted herself, or if they really didn't care about the missing researchers at all, but the team she'd been assigned seemed like a haphazard collection of the least trustworthy hunters she'd ever had the chance to encounter.

First, there was Krys. While his - her? - his notes seemed to indicate a long record of successful hunts, his age - and his excitability at the prospect of danger - made Satori wary. Falsified information, maybe. If a greenhorn hunter had managed to lie his way into a dangerous mission, she wasn't ready to take on the responsibility of keeping him alive.

Then, there was Dorian. A relative enigma, he was regarded as a hero in Kamura, though much of his life before that was uncertain. There was definite talent there, but the lack of information around his origins and his carefree, sometimes manic demeanor wasn't particularly appealing.

After that, Tetsuo. The lone survivor of a fight against a Fatalis, and its killer, by his word. A proud man, and arrogant, at that, with a proclivity for rushing into situations headstrong.

Eryk, the grizzled veteran, a man who looked far older than his report belied, was the one outlier. He'd slain a Gore Magala alone when the rest of his team had perished, a sad parallel to Tetsuo, but he had the caution that came with such an experience that the other man didn't.

At least there's one I can rely on.

She smiled at the three hunters who'd approached her, shaking each offered hand in turn, then returned her gaze to the Greenspine.

"I'm Satori. It's beautiful, isn't it? An untouched land positively brimming with life. I've never seen the New World, but I can imagine it looks much like -"

Tetsuo's call cut her off, and she jumped, glancing his way. Before she had a chance to reply - an indignant reply, most likely, by the way his attitude left her bristling - he was gone, hooking onto a wingdrake and heading for the shore. She leaned against the railing, craning her neck to follow his flight.

"And that is the perfect example of how not to act in a team," she said sharply, bristling a little. She glanced at the others, then reached into her bag, pulling out a pair of telescopes and handing them to Eryk and Dorian. None for the child - she didn't trust him not to break it, with all his jumping around. "Try and spot a good place on the shoreline to set up a camp. We want shade, access to the coast, and, if you can see it from here, an outlet stream. When we make landfall, we can find Tetsuo and drag him back, if he doesn't - end up injured in a hole somewhere. Oh, I cannot believe that just happened. We are supposed to be an organized team, a well-oiled machine, and -"

Again, she was interrupted, this time by the helmsman shouting a warning. Her eyes flitted to him, then to where he pointed.

A row of bubbles were breaching the nearby surface of the water - growing in intensity as they watched.

Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there!
He wasn't there again today,
Oh how I wish he'd go away!

Taiska
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Posts: 20

Hunters and Prey [Closed] Jun 19, 2021 3:27:14 GMT

Post by Taiska on Jun 19, 2021 3:27:14 GMT

A firm, confident grip. She's definitely seen action before.

He nodded, almost absentmindedly to himself before a sudden flash of movement caught his eye. With blinding speed, his hand shot out toward the child, studded metal stopping mere inches in front of him- her? A long sigh hissed through the visor while he slowly shook his head, the onyx armor clinking softly as his muscles relax after the sudden burst of movement.

"Hey, girlie, you're gonna get yourself killed, acting like that. Speaking of renowned- you know where Kris is? He's supposed to be on this expedition, right?" Quickly, he scanned the faces of the two in front of him before a loud crack cut through the air, a peculiar figure stepping out into the sunlight.

Not this fool again... They'd only met in passing on the ship, but every damn morning he had to listen to this bard's infernal melodies at the crack of dawn. For. Three. God-forsaken days. His personal cabin shared a wall with the self-proclaimed genius and frankly, his patience was already thinning. His head slowly turned to the unexpected disturbance, cold eyes boring holes through both his helm and the would-be entertainer. What a waste of talent, all they do is chase the next high. Kinda reminds me of someone... He watched the stumbling mess of a hunter present themselves with a deep bow, then wistfully make their way toward him - well, more likely the handler.

"Name's Eryk, Conqueror of the Black Eclipse." He replied, crossing his arms and standing tall. Eryk had to show that he wasn't someone to be trifled with. Even though they carried the title of 'hero', something was inherently off about their mannerisms, the look in their eye - he knew it all too well. They composed themselves well enough, but he couldn't help feeling an odd aura about them, almost as if their very presence was an omen. Before he could get another word in, shouting bellowed from the bow of the ship. The last hunter was currently in the process of jumping off of the deck, toward the vast cerulean ocean. His already waning patience was now reaching a breaking point. Heavy black boots impacted the slick wooden deck as he stormed toward the reckless excuse of a professional. What am I, a fucking babysitter?

"Hey! Get your ass back here before you-"

The warning cry of the helmsman reached his ears a moment before he had finished his thought. With an uncanny explosion of movement, he swung the dark hammer off of his back and into both of his hands before running over to the side of the gently rocking vessel to investigate the source of the distress. The once calm surface of the ocean was now roiling, bubbles angrily rising to the surface.

"Fuck, just what we need. Hey! Musician! Get over here, we have a problem!"

Last Edit: Jun 19, 2021 4:29:07 GMT by Taiska

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Hunters and Prey [Closed] Jun 19, 2021 12:59:09 GMT

Post by illirica on Jun 19, 2021 12:59:09 GMT

Oh, everyone really was getting together, weren't they? Krys looked up from the group as a fashionably dressed individual made their way towards the rest of them, looking... well, the person would have looked pretty dapper, if they hadn't also looked somewhat greenish. Krys supposed that explained why this person hadn't been socializing - at least, not with anything other than a bucket. Well, if they needed to have another round, the railing was right there and the fish probably wouldn't mind. Krys gave them a nod, but also some space, just in case they needed it. Something moved, in Krys' vision, and their hands tightened on the ropes, nimbly leaning back and tucking their legs up to brace them sideways on the rope as an armored hand came pretty close to where their chest had been.

Krys looked at it for a moment, then freed one of their own hands and reached out to shake the presumptive appendage. Had that been what was offered? They weren't entirely sure. The name this person - Eryk - spoke, that received a slightly indignant scowl, the sort only a teen could really pull off to its full extent. "I'm Krys." The scowl didn't last long, because apparently Eryk had heard of them? Well, that was awesome - they were already famous! Great!

Or... Eryk had looked at the party list and remembered their names. That was also a possibility. Conquerer of the Black Eclipse sounded cool, definitely one of the better titles that Krys had heard. They didn't even know if they had a title. Well, their uncle mostly called them "Newbie," but they weren't sure if that counted or not - and it wasn't exactly the sort of thing that they wanted to bring up. Fortunately, they were spared trying to think up an impressive sounding title by the arrival of the last member of the group. Unlike the others, this man wasn't much interested in exchanging pleasantries. He asked about the island, but didn't wait for an answer, distracted by the swooping wingdrakes. Krys watched as the guy pulled out a grappling hook, shot one of the creatures, and disappeared into the distance.

"...Wow."

After a moment, Krys remembered to close their mouth. Of course, being Krys, this didn't last for long. "Wow! Did you guys see that? That was the coolest thing ever! HEY MISTER WAIT! I WANT TO COME TOO!" They could do it, right? How hard could it be? Krys was eying up one of the other wingdrakes while their handler was saying - blah blah something about teams, Krys wasn't actually listening, because they were too busy trying to figure out how to pull off that trick themselves and go hang out on the island with the other guy. That was what being a monster hunter was all about!

The helmsman's yell, though, did manage to break through Krys's unabashed awe, and a glance out into the water showed bubbles and a rising cascade of water where moments ago the water had been only small waves. "Oh, hey, is that a monster? Cool! Let's go get it! Wait, how do we get over there? HEY! COME OVER HERE WHERE I CAN REACH YOU! COME ON, LET'S GO! HUNTER MONSTER TIME!!""

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Hunters and Prey [Closed] Jun 20, 2021 22:42:59 GMT

Post by Reyn on Jun 20, 2021 22:42:59 GMT

Satori. Nice. Dorian hadn't heard much about Satori before. Well, maybe he had- Yomogi seemed very excited to tell him all she had learned about his new team when they were out collecting herbivore meat, but that was the thing, really: they were doing something. Dorian was such a passionate hunter that even fighting herbivores was enough to earn his absolute focus, and all he remembered from the outing was his own half-hearted nods of approval. Ah, well. What did he have to listen to? These things were best experienced with a fresh mind, you know! Can't let past biases hold you back when you're trying to put a team together, eh? Exactly- exactly! It was for the best that he hadn't heard her! After all, the only sound this party needed to hear was his own invigorating harmonies- as he was sure his shipmates would be falling over themselves to critique already.

"Ah, Satori, Satori!" He smiled, "Yes, it is quite beautiful, isn't it? The verdant hills, the sapphire waves... why, they're almost as beautiful as..."

His voice trailed off. Dorian really wasn't good at holding attention, was he? That man, the Conqueror of the Black Eclipse... he said something to the group that made him... well, he wasn't quite sure. You know when the body reacts before the mind, right? Or, ah... the tune before the lyric. The feeling before the thought. The... the point was, something had thrown him off balance- and, for the first time that trip, it hadn't been the miniscule waves.

"...I."

He laughed, but he seemed a little distracted.

"And you... Eryk, was it?" He said, "Well, it's a pleasure to be working with you- with all of you."

There. That seemed polite enough. Somewhat content with his fractured introduction, Dorian moved to sit down on the wooden bench, before his plan was interrupted by... oh my, was the adventure starting this early? The swordsman had practically thrown himself off the edge of the boat, hooking onto one of those... well, they couldn't be Remobra, considering they didn't immediately poison him, but they certainly looked like something along those likes. Was this a new world thing he hadn't heard of? A new-new world thing, even? Fuck- that Eryk didn't need to say a single word. As soon as he noticed the leap to action, Dorian was quick to follow, rushing to the ship's bow and bringing the telescope up to his eye, not quite sure what he was searching for.

"Yes... yes, I see." He lied, "My my, I wasn't expecting tha-"

It was a monster. The kid said it was a monster. Was he going to listen to them? Did he really have a choice? As soon as he heard the call, he had already put the telescope away, instead unhooking the instrument from his back and getting it into position. No notes were played just yet. They didn't have to be. Just yet.

"Looks like something wants to crash the rehearsal."

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Hunters and Prey [Closed] Jun 21, 2021 3:39:46 GMT

Post by Annasiel on Jun 21, 2021 3:39:46 GMT

Though the drake wrestled with the line a bit more than the more docile species of its kind, it did bring Tetsuo safely to the shore, letting him land on the edge of an alabaster beach. The sand beneath his feet was coarse, crunching with every step, and littered with a variety of shells that had washed up from the sea. Nearby, the edge of a vast forest loomed, mist hanging about the canopy. To his north, along the beach, the path grew more vertical, smooth sands broken by rising crags of rock and jagged protrusions that built upward into a cliff face. To his south, the beach sloped downwards, eventually dipping into the water in a long, narrow sandbar before disappearing beneath the waves entirely. As he took his new surroundings in, a small blue carapaceon with stalk eyes darted across the sand, claws raised menacingly to engage the new threat.

--

Satori watched the bubbles grow in intensity, a dark shape shifting beneath the surface of the ocean.

"Whatever it is, it's big," she said to her team, narrowing her eyes. "Long, too. I think - I think that's the tail, which means it's facing the ship. It's probably - look out!"

The shape shot for the boat, going from still to bullet speed in an instant, striking the side with a heavy crack. Satori leapt back from the railing. The ship itself seemed to take the hit relatively well, tilting slightly before correcting itself, but just a moment later, a group of smaller shadows streaked towards the hull, each striking it in turn. Satori leaned over the edge, hands tightening again around the railing, knuckles white.

"Five more, maybe six. Smaller. It looks like they're working together," she relayed to the others. "I lost sight of them. I think they're under the ship!"

Pushing away, she ran for the other side of the deck, leaning to look. A dark shape stirred - then grew, and grew, and grew. The surface of the water bulged, then broke, and a green and yellow shape flew out of the water, landing just a few feet beside her. She scrambled away, quickly, putting distance between her and the monster before it had a chance to notice her - then regained her composure, pushing her glasses up her nose and frowning, staring from the sharp frills on the monster's head, to the inflated, sponge-like sacs around its neck and back, to the sharp, thick tail.

"A royal ludroth -"

Another series of cracking sounds from this side of the ship, and the vessel tilted, this time taking a little bit longer to correct the lean.

"And he's brought friends."

Last Edit: Jun 21, 2021 3:41:03 GMT by Annasiel

Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there!
He wasn't there again today,
Oh how I wish he'd go away!

Quirbles
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Manchurian Candidate

Not to be confused with Annasiel, site owner and head administrator

Posts: 324

Hunters and Prey [Closed] Jun 21, 2021 4:11:20 GMT

Post by Quirbles on Jun 21, 2021 4:11:20 GMT

Riding the wingdrake wasn't as smooth as his trips in the New World, but that was to be expected. Those things in the Wildspire Waste and Ancient Forest had been dragged down by hunters so many damn times, it was practically an evolutionary trait for them to have a rope snapped around their ankles any time somebody wanted a ride anywhere. Tetsuo retained an iron grip on the rope as he flew, keeping his foot firmly entrenched in the stirrup as his free hand flipped open the journal to observe the notes he'd taken on the region. He had been given a slight briefing before leaving Seliana, thankfully, and the trip hadn't been taken without a small bit of intel. It was written on the most recent page of the booklet, sharp and neat.

- Deserted as shit
- Tropical (?)
- Bunch of dumbfuck researchers got stuck.
- I have to get them out, because of course I do, blah fuckin blah
- "Serious Handler" has a cute ass.

Tetsuo reviewed his findings a moment longer and flipped the book shut, eyes narrowing in on the distant shoreline the wingdrake approached. A glance back towards the ship confirmed his initial suspicions-- that it would have taken way too fuckin' long to sail the rest of the way. He couldn't even see the boat now, try as he might. Well, he didn't exactly try to see it, but a passing glance returned nothing but vapor trails and misty clouds. The island itself was a secluded mess, with mountainous outcroppings and a forest that breathed to and fro with every passing gust of wind. Tetsuo landed softly upon the sand into a roll, quietly congratulating himself on the flawless execution and standing to his feet to stretch out his legs after riding on the drake for God only knew how long.

His scoutflies, of course, ventured out of the cage by his side, colored a soft green that reflected off of the pristine ivory of the beach. A moment later, they promptly turned red and flew back to his hip; Tetsuo reacted to this by crossing his arms and looking around to find the source of whatever had immediately spooked them.

A moment later, his eyes found the culprit, and he stared at its approach.

"Gotta be kidding me."

Hadn't he eaten these things with a gourmet voucher at the canteen a few months ago? This one was blue, though. Bigger, too. Tetsuo knew what blue potentially meant-- people called him reckless, yeah, but he wasn't a fuckin' moron-- so he took a step back from the thing, kicking up sand at it to try and scare it off. Then, if that didn't work, he quickly unsheathed his sword and slammed it down on the sand in front of it as an intimidation tactic.

If it persisted, well-- crab for dinner, then.

Taiska
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Hunters and Prey [Closed] Jun 21, 2021 5:49:12 GMT

Post by Taiska on Jun 21, 2021 5:49:12 GMT

Gods, this was going absolutely awfully. First, one of the team was already halfway to the damn shore, while three were left to deal with the actual problem. Fantastic. He took a deep breath, the metallic plates shifting to accommodate the change. This was fine, he just needed to make sure that this went smoothly. He was here, after all, even after everything he had been through. His gauntleted fist clenched the ebony hammer, the heft grounding him back to reality. His head clear, he looked around to see his companions rushing to meet his side.

The child arrived first, shouting as the bubbles continued to increase in intensity. Was she suicidal? He had to get her - wait, were those blades on her hips? You've got to be kidding me. "Hey, girlie - Krys. You know how to use those blades?" He shook his head, he didn't have time for this, there was just no way that she was a hunter. Right? Dorian arrived quickly after, but something was slightly off about him, like he'd just seen a ghost. Eryk clapped the man on the back, trying to give him some sort of reassurance; this could be his first hunt in a while, he might be nervous. "It's alright, you can rely on me." His voice was softer, sympathetic in the tone before a sudden, loud impact caught his attention. Finally showing yourself, huh?

Quickly shifting his weight, Eryk leapt to the left, toward the starboard side of the vessel before leaning over the railing to get a better look. He was almost immediately met with a cascade of water quickly swelling, before bursting, spilling a yellow-green mass onto the ship. He stood stalwart in the face of the monster, his grip tightening on his weapon before he shouted to the others, "Prioritize the crew! I can deal with it, for now, just make sure everyone is safe!"

Breathe - you need to concentrate. He planted his feet squarely, right-hand grasping the shaft near the head of the hammer. He needed to get the beast's attention somehow, he'd much rather be the target of its fury than any of the unarmed crew. He nodded, a grunt bellowing from him as he swung the hammer back, his black plate clinking as he bowed deeply. He held the pose for a moment before lunging forward, swinging the large weapon up at the Royal Ludroth's chin.

That ought to do it.

illirica
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Posts: 1,388

Hunters and Prey [Closed] Jun 22, 2021 1:58:21 GMT

Post by illirica on Jun 22, 2021 1:58:21 GMT

There was a noise, and an impact, and something crashed into the side of the ship. Krys hooked a leg around the rigging they were holding onto, riding the impact out like a spider in a web - or like something caught in a spider's web, anyway. The ship managed to ride out the impact as well, righting itself after a moment. Krys bounced off the rigging and back onto the railing of the ship, excited. "That was amazing! Did you see that? It was just -WHAM- and then we're back up again and - oh, are you okay, Ms. Satori, ma'am?"

She wasn't a hunter like the rest of them, after all. Krys had to remember that and make sure she was taken care of. Satori - probably judiciously - had more important things on her mind right now, leaning over the railing to try to count the monsters below. Krys leaned out as well, then abruptly backflipped off the railing while drawing their blades in a rapid motion, landing on the deck of the ship as the shadow leapt out of the water and landed on the deck. Satori backed off, and Eryk was already taking a stance in front of the monster, hammer at the ready.

Krys knew how to use an opening when someone else was kindly making one. If Eryk was attacking the Ludroth from the front, that gave Krys the opportunity to attack the rear. They rushed in without bothering to think about it, dual blades whirling in and slicing for the place where the monster's tail met its body. Krys might have been excitable, but they weren't entirely stupid. For an aquatic monster, or one that spent a lot of time in the water, the tail was probably really important for propulsion and balance. Rendering it useless would mean the creature couldn't get up enough speed to jump out of the water or ram the boat again if they managed to shove it overboard - plus it would make it harder for it to steady itself while it tried to eat Eryk.

Hopefully it didn't eat Eryk. Krys was starting to think Eryk was almost cool. Not quite as cool as the other guy, but... a solid second place, that was for sure.

Last Edit: Jun 22, 2021 2:02:34 GMT by illirica

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Reyn
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Beatmania IIDX 16: Empress is the 16th game in the Beatmania IIDX series of music video games. It wa

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Hunters and Prey [Closed] Jun 24, 2021 17:22:05 GMT

Post by Reyn on Jun 24, 2021 17:22:05 GMT

Dorian flinched as Eryk hit his back, regarding his statement with a flippant chuckle as he got into position.

"Ah, heads up!"

He swung the weapon violently to the side, aiming at nothing in particular and hopefully missing the human targets around him. After that, he seemed a little lost for what to do, but almost as quickly regained his focus. After a quick roll to the left to ensure his brief moment of stillness would go uninterrupted, he brought his hand up to the weapon, playing a short, sharp chord that only he could benefit from. Self-improvement. Never hunt without it.

Once the brief opening notes were out of the way, Dorian seemed a lot more chipper- as if he hadn't been chipper before. The lumbering mass of steel and gold he was carrying suddenly appeared to weigh nothing at all, and there was a certain spring in his step that would even put dual blades to shame... well, maybe not that fast, but it might as well have been, given the size of that thing he was carrying. There was no time to worry about introductions anymore. No time to dwell on what had been said, what hadn't been said, and the fact that monsters were readily attacking a ship that posed them no threat. With that one, heavenly chord still ringing in his ears, Dorian felt electrified, and he was going to make one hell of a performance out of it.

He ran to the side of the leviathan, careful to avoid the hits of his companions, and raised the hunting horn above his head. A strike from the side, swift yet heavy, aiming to strike the skull and cause a right royal pain. Regardless of whether the hit connected, a note would sound- and would quickly be followed up by another, as he went for another smash around the front. Though he made no moves towards one, a third strike would be all it took for the song to be complete, and all he would need after that is another momentary pause to play his notes, and their party of three would find their attacks to be far more potent.

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Annasiel
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Hunters and Prey [Closed] Jun 27, 2021 3:37:48 GMT

Post by Annasiel on Jun 27, 2021 3:37:48 GMT

Sensing Tetsuo's hesitation as a chance to gain the upper hand, the little crab lashed out, hopping into the air and grabbing the blade of his greatsword. It dangled there, legs flailing, other claw swinging back in forth in the air in a menacing display of dominance. Who did this intruder think he was, intruding on its turf? No, this odd beast wouldn't leave the beach alive.

It began to chitter. A high-pitched tutting noise formed by air pushed through its clicking mandibles.

All around, other chitters rose in reply. The sands shifted. The beach, once smooth and unbroken, was soon covered in ten - no, twenty - no, thirty collapsing holes as similar crabs dug their way up from below. One grabbed at Tetsuo's ankle from behind with a claw, pinching the armor. Another tried to climb up his leg. Yet another, in a feat of confidence and acrobatic skill, hopped from standing and managed to grab onto the back of his helmet's visor.

--

The first swing of Eryk's hammer rang out like a clap of thunder, sending the royal ludroth reeling. Sputtering, the leviathan rose on its haunches and plodded back several steps before finally falling back down on its front legs.

"Nice one!" Satori called as she moved to the crew - glancing over her shoulder every second - and began ushering people to the far end of the ship. Krys - in a show that undermined his apparent naivete - rushed straight for the tail, blades spinning in a murderous blur that struck against scales and flesh. Then, another smack like Eryk's, but a very different sound entirely followed - three notes in quick succession, followed by a melody that left Satori feeling invigorated.

"Everyone up to sternside!" Satori shouted, helping one of the crewmates, an old man with balding white hair, up after he tripped on the stairs. "I think the ludroths below are trying to capsize the ship, we've gotta get ready to swim! Helmsman, can you get us closer to the island?"

"We get too close, we run aground," the tan man with the scar over his eye replied. Satori grimaced, then looked back at the fight.

"Do it. If they can't hold them off, I want to be as close to the shore as possible."

The royal ludroth didn't seem to expect this level of resistance, but it quickly adjusted, letting out a deafening roar that left anyone in earshot staggering. Then, shifting to one shoulder, it spun violently, trying to simultaneously hit the two hunters by its head and the one by its tail at the same time. Its eyes focused on Eryk - and narrowed. Rearing up, its frill shuddered, and it spat a fat glob of water from its mouth directly at the man.

Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there!
He wasn't there again today,
Oh how I wish he'd go away!