soul_mods: (Default)
Soul Campaign Moderation Journal ([personal profile] soul_mods) wrote in [community profile] soul_logs2012-03-27 09:08 pm

Phase 3: Mission 153

Characters: Grand Canyon mission goers, victims, medics
Location: Grand Canyon
Rating: R
Time: Feb 5, 2009, mission starts at dawn
Description: Event links list.


The scouts had done their jobs well and the mirror deposits its travelers just at the end of the area Shibusen has closed off as their mission target. It's still dawn, the sun barely visible over the horizon. The witches hasn't noticed them there yet, the scouts say, so it's still possible to take them by surprise.

This is what the agents are told: In the rock face of the Grand Canyon is a cavern system made up of many small caves and three large ones. The large caves contain a kishin egg pit, the kidnapped agents and civilians, and what appears to be a machine at one end. There are about five dozen zombies crawling the area, and an equal number of ants, spiders, and ravens on top of it.

Worst of all, the scouts report that they had sighted a few of the agents patrolling for the Witches. The scouts hadn't been certain if these ones had soul perception or other abilities, and had given the area as much space as they could in order to avoid an early confrontation. Still, it's bad news and it looks like a fight with some of the kidnappees themselves is inevitable.

Not much time is given to the agents after the briefing before they're being ushered into place. A few scouts are going to be causing a commotion some distance away to distract the familiars and zombies, clearing a path for the agents. After that, it's all up to them.


[ooc: Just put up your own threads with the subject line [Characters][Feeding Cave/MMM Cave/Kishin Egg Pit/Elsewhere][Open/Close]
Kidnappees can go thread in the caves while waiting for the rescuers, too.
For those who want to thread with a witch, please add it in the subject line so we know where to go!
This day change will be one week irl.
The mirror will stay open for anyone who needs to be rushed back to the medics.
For those handwaving, please put your summaries here for the meister points and soul tally record.]

forhispeople: (wait what?)

Re: lol same voice

[personal profile] forhispeople 2012-03-30 12:22 am (UTC)(link)
"Takuto?!" Ling gasps, in surprise. He flinches, his ears are certainly his most ticklish spot. He lets his friend go, squinting to see him in the dim light. Yes, that hair is unmistakable. He keeps his voice in a whisper to avoid being overheard. "Oh thank god, it's you! I've been so worried about you... Are you okay? I'm here to rescue you. And Ran Fan, and the others."
tauborn: (takuto posesses interest)

[personal profile] tauborn 2012-03-30 01:00 am (UTC)(link)
Ling may have let go, but Takuto doesn't bother moving too far away. He puts both his swords into one hand so he can place the other onto Ling's shoulder. He leans in to reply in a whisper.

"You've been worried about me? How touching. And you've come to rescue Ran Fan?" His voice turns a note darker, but it's still laced with a sing-song sweetness. "You shouldn't have."
forhispeople: (shh i'm thinking in xingese)

[personal profile] forhispeople 2012-03-30 01:46 am (UTC)(link)
Okay, Takuto was acting a little strange. Drunk? Ling eyed him curiously. He couldn't smell alcohol on the other boy. "You're talking funny," he pointed out, feeling the hairs at the back of his neck prickle.

"I worried about you because you're my friend. And of course I came to rescue her! Ran Fan's my precious retainer, and my last remaining subject. I can't let anything happen to her."
tauborn: (takuto evil smirk)

[personal profile] tauborn 2012-03-30 02:53 am (UTC)(link)
Takuto laughs quietly, almost inaudibly. But he's standing directly in front of the other boy, so his amusement is hard to miss, even if he drops his eyes. He trails his fingertips lightly from Ling's shoulder to his collarbone, and then deftly unbuttons a button near Ling's throat as he replies. "I'm not talking funny, Ling."

He smiles as he looks Ling directly in the eye.

"I'm mocking you."

The laugh becomes clearly audible now, as he steps back. "I really meant it--you shouldn't have. Because you're just going to be disappointed, Ling. Your precious retainer isn't your subject, and I am not your friend."
forhispeople: (fighting - unsheathing sword in shadow)

[personal profile] forhispeople 2012-03-30 04:23 am (UTC)(link)
This reminded him far too much of Envy. Ling didn't hesitate, but pointed his sword at Takuto's Adam's apple, on the defensive now. "What are you doing borrowing Takuto's appearance," he demanded. "Where is Ran Fan. Tell me quickly what you're on about or I'll slit your throat, monster."
tauborn: (takuto evil narrow eyes)

[personal profile] tauborn 2012-03-30 11:30 pm (UTC)(link)
He steps back slowly, sourly, away from the sword at his throat. Ling is quicker to jump to his weapon than he had thought. "I'm not borrowing anyone else's appearance, Ling. If you slit my throat, you'll still have your own conscience to answer to."

Not that Takuto does, of course. He's as free as a bird in that regard, and the only reason he hasn't tried to kill Ling already is because he doesn't want to. Not yet.

Not when he can still tug on the poor little princeling's heartstrings. It's incredibly obvious, really, after meeting Ran Fan and now seeing Ling's adorable tunnel vision. (It's kind of disappointing as well, though, because unless he can get Ling strapped to that chair-machine, he'll never get to see the boy with his long hair down.)

"You want to hear about Ran Fan? Because I can tell you what they've done to her...." He quickly passes one of his swords to his other hand, using the same movement to lift them upwards in a cross to push Ling's sword away from his throat.

"No, wait." He grins at Ling, knowing that he's going to piss off the boy even more with his next words. He just wants to see a little desperation. "I lied. I can only tell you what I've done to her."
forhispeople: (fighting - rip my bandaid off?!)

[personal profile] forhispeople 2012-03-31 06:38 am (UTC)(link)
It was in that moment that Ling Yao snapped.

Whenever Ling lost his temper, it wasn't an explosion or a fiery rage-- that was more Ed and Ran Fan's style. This was something frigid, devoid of any of the prince's usual sunny candor. Dark eyes opened wide and narrowed to a fierce glimmer, hands flashed out faster than should be possible for the idiot boy he played himself off as day in and day out. It didn't feel as if Ling's self-control had suddenly been turned off and now there was no one home upstairs. Rather, it was much more as if suddenly the lights had been turned on and the Xingese prince was all that he was supposed to be the rest of the time: strategy, precision, and ruthless killing intent.

In a split second, his hand flicked his dao sword out by the tassel, hand slipping through the loop even as he lunged forward to try to shove the other boy back against the cave wall. Ling was going to aim a knee at the solar plexus to crush the wind out of him and make him hurt and then get his heavy hands right around Takuto's neck in a stranglehold.
tauborn: (takuto ohooo~?)

[personal profile] tauborn 2012-04-01 03:42 am (UTC)(link)
Takuto keeps his swords in front, blocking Ling's knee attack and ready to defend against that dao sword. He dances backwards, turning away from the wall so he won't get pinned, and laughs.

"Hit a nerve, did I?"

Even though the sudden change in Ling's demeanor is so complete, Takuto is still oddly unsatisfied with it. He'd never seen the prince so ruthless before, and it gave their battle an added thrill, but... he doesn't just want to see Ling ruthless. He wants to see him desperate. Broken. Why he wants this, he's not terribly sure--maybe because he can't picture it at all.

"You mad that I ruined your precious subject's innocence?"
forhispeople: (shock anger horror)

ah, excuse my fail, the present tense is hard to do right!

[personal profile] forhispeople 2012-04-01 04:15 am (UTC)(link)
His stomach turns over and he breaks into a cold sweat at the insinuation behind Takuto's words. Please, by all the gods, no, don't let that be true. The thought of anyone harming Ran Fan is painful... but battle wounds are one thing, and what Takuto is suggesting is quite another. With her guarded behavior, her naivete, her discomfort with males and with being seen... the thought of someone harming her in that way tears his heart in pieces on her behalf.

Ling advances slowly on Takuto after the redhead slips away teasingly, like he thinks this is a game. This is no game at all to Ling, it's his life and Ran Fan's slipping right through his fingers and going straight down the toilet. In his mind's eye he can see Wrath, calling her useless baggage, and debasing her. Now here he has let it all happen again-- she's been victimized and he wasn't able to protect her.

"You piece of shit, filth," he hisses in his own language, before lapsing back into the common language they all use here. Each syllable rises in volume and intensity, until his words are a harsh shout. "What the hell have you done to Ran Fan!"
tauborn: (takuto evil smirk)

[personal profile] tauborn 2012-04-04 12:15 am (UTC)(link)
Takuto laughs, because finally he's getting a good reaction from the other boy. Which means, of course, that Takuto is winning.

"What haven't I done to her might be a better question, Ling." Although he really hadn't done as much to her body as he'd like, Ling doesn't know that and his taunts are obviously making the prince's insides churn.

"Let me put it this way, though: I've didn't do anything to her that you'd be able to see." He shrugs lightly, the blades in each of his hands gleaming in the soft cavelight with the movement. "Maybe if she puts on her mask, you won't even notice a difference at all."

He looks Ling directly in the eyes as a smile twists its way across his lips.

"Besides the fact that she doesn't want to follow you around anymore, of course."
forhispeople: (serious eyes open 2)

[personal profile] forhispeople 2012-04-04 01:28 am (UTC)(link)
"She doesn't need to follow me around," Ling says. "She chooses to-- and she's free to stop anytime she pleases, as far as I am concerned. I want her to have that freedom. So that does not bother me. But what does is you talking as if you've made advances on her. I swear that if you have done anything lecherous to Ran Fan, if you've violated her. I will make you pay dearly."

"Even if this is the fault of that black blood," Ling adds, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and preparing to attack, as he moves forward. "I won't excuse it. She's innocent. She's terrified of anyone getting near her, and she hates being touched. If you've done anything to her, she'd have suffered greatly."
Edited 2012-04-04 01:32 (UTC)
tauborn: (takuto evil smile)

[personal profile] tauborn 2012-04-04 10:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Takuto slides a foot forward, readying his stance for Ling's attack. One sword is ready to block, the other ready for a swift counterattack.

"She's not so innocent anymore, Ling. I personally saw to that." The best part is that Takuto is not even lying. Even though he doesn't know exactly what Ran Fan has been up to since he put her through the morality machine, he doubts it's something so innocent as reading a book or braiding her hair.

"And you say you 'won't excuse it'?" He grins before assuming a mockingly condescending tone. "Ling, your double standards surprise me. Unless, of course, you plan to make her pay just as dearly?"

He's just told the prince that Ran Fan isn't as innocent as he thinks she is. Furthermore, black blood has nothing to do with it. The morality machine has only given them a freedom from those pesky impulses to do or not do certain things.

"Ran Fan's just as guilty as I am, you know."
forhispeople: (wait what?)

[personal profile] forhispeople 2012-04-04 11:04 pm (UTC)(link)
"What are you saying," Ling asks, confused. "Speak directly, I'm losing my patience. You were sounding a moment ago as if you... raped her. A woman isn't guilty of a man taking advantage of her. That's a disgustingly old-age way of thinking."
tauborn: (takuto evil narrow eyes)

[personal profile] tauborn 2012-04-05 12:20 am (UTC)(link)
He looks at Ling as if he's stupid, because frankly, it's boring speaking directly and Ling is stupid if he can't figure out what Takuto is talking about.

"I really didn't expect you to be curious about the details. And the details are private."

He rolls his shoulders lightly, loosening up and giving Ling a little bit of warning that he wants to start fighting soon. He's ready to show the other boy how he fights when he can go all out--when he's not considering the safety of whatever might end up on the edge of his blade. He grins in excitement.

"But, just for you to consider while we get going here.... Do you think it counts as rape if you strap a woman down and strip her of her morals?"
forhispeople: (fighting - rip my bandaid off?!)

[personal profile] forhispeople 2012-04-05 02:32 am (UTC)(link)
Ling's answer was in his sword swinging directly at Takuto's right shoulder, aiming to cut off the limb at the joint. Timed to start just after that motion was underway, his left fist snapped out to aim for the other boy's jaw with the hardest punch he could muster.

Apparently that was a resounding yes. Ling didn't even try to silence the growl of rage that came rumbling out of his gut with his punch.
tauborn: (ginga fighting grin)

[personal profile] tauborn 2012-04-05 02:49 am (UTC)(link)
Takuto raises his left sword to block Ling's, shoving both blades above their heads. In the same instant, he's sliding his right foot backwards and pivoting around his left to get out of range of the punch--and with the spin he get an extra moment to bring his right sword slicing towards Ling's unguarded right side.
forhispeople: (suspicious)

[personal profile] forhispeople 2012-04-05 02:54 am (UTC)(link)
Ling only has enough time to jerk his right elbow down to catch Takuto's blade with his flesh instead of letting it slice through his ribs. He grits his teeth at the pain, and launches a kick with his left knee at the other boy to break the lock he's got on him. He'll try to follow the knee with a kick to push him back.
tauborn: (takuto posessed)

[personal profile] tauborn 2012-04-05 02:59 am (UTC)(link)
He gets thrown off balance with the knee, instinctively pulling both swords in a defensive cross in front of him that manages to keep the follow-up kick from actually connecting. But the legwork manages to drive him back quite a few steps.
forhispeople: (serious business- eyes open)

[personal profile] forhispeople 2012-04-05 03:03 am (UTC)(link)
Ling doesn't let the opportunity go. He pounces and drives headlong into the other boy when he's successfully driven back, sword flashing this way and that to try and break up his defense, hands pounding out a flurry of punches. He's keeping knees bent deep, his head tucked and low to minimize the attack zone Takuto has available.
tauborn: (ginga never fall for it twice)

wow, missed this tag somehow...

[personal profile] tauborn 2012-04-07 05:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Takuto grits his teeth. This is like trying to attack a hedgehog! He keeps his distance, knowing that he's got two swords against Ling's one, and can benefit from staying back from Ling's punches while being close enough to use his swords.

If he can play Ling's sword out wide, he's going to dart in like a lightning bolt with his other sword, and he'll be aiming a stab just under the other boy's tucked chin.
forhispeople: (fighting - unsheathing sword in shadow)

np <3

[personal profile] forhispeople 2012-04-07 07:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Ling feints out wide with his sword to goad Takuto into doing something precisely like that. Then he drops slightly, and twists. The sword slices deep into the side of his neck, but Ling has the chance while Takuto's doing that to launch a hard kick with his shin to the other boy's knees. Ling's legs are long and heavy, if he lands the kick right he just may break something.
tauborn: (takuto posessed by a vengeance)

[personal profile] tauborn 2012-04-10 03:15 am (UTC)(link)
The kick knocks Takuto back, the hit making it impossible to bear weight on the limb for more than a few stumbling steps. But he did get a nice slice into Ling--almost a mortal blow considering the blade's proximity to the boy's jugular vein.

But the leg hurts, and he's lost a good part of his mobility. He places a sword-clenching fist against a wall--and the kick had sent him falling back towards one--to steady himself. He doesn't like the position he's in, though.

So he's going to change tactics. He's already goaded Ling into the fight--the words about Ran Fan did the trick quite well--so perhaps it's time to lead the boy on a merry chase. There's no way Ling knows the dark tunnels like Takuto does, and he's confident that with his knowledge he can outmaneuver Ling even with a hurting leg.

He grins as he continues his limping retreat.
forhispeople: (clutching head i can't take it)

[personal profile] forhispeople 2012-04-10 05:48 am (UTC)(link)
Ling falters and falls to one knee and his sword, clutching his neck. Shit, this is too much, with his shoulder ruined by Kenshin. Ed, he needs to get out and get to Ed! If he doesn't bandage this, he's going to lose too much blood for sure.

He pushes himself up and scrambles back towards the tunnel entrance, beating a hasty retreat.