soul_logs | Phase 3: Mission 153

Entry tags:

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.]

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[Once again he has to use his wings in order to get himself into a better position. His tail lashes forward at the same time as he leans back, desperately trying to counter that slash.

It still hits, leaving a nasty gash that runs over his left shoulder and a new cut in his long ears that bleeds profusely. BAcking off, Aion ignores the wet feeling of blood that is trickling from his tail as well where Takuto's blade had found one of the blind spots between the joints that made it up. It hurt but it's not enough to count as any heavy damage, so he just grins and wipes the blood away from his face where it had gotten into it.

He has yet to draw his sword.]

I never turned against anybody who hasn't forfeited me first. But it's funny that you out of all people should call me out on that. What happened to your promise to accept me as I am?

[Takuto laughs again.]

Oh, I still accept you, Aion. [He walks backwards, keeping his eyes trained on his bleeding opponent. He'll need another sword if he wants to do more than give the demon paper cuts. He cocks his head to the side as he considers his partner.] I don't even think I really want to kill you.

[He'd make such a better toy if left alive.]

But even if I don't kill you, I can't really have you flying around and causing me trouble~

[Joining the laughter he straightens up and slips into a proper sword fighting stance. He hasn't transformed one of his arms just yet, but it is obvious that he is going to do it soon.]

I'll have to disagree with that. Well then... Let's see what a hatchling who can't even fight without having to hold onto a broom so that he won't fall flat on his face can do to me, shall we?

[He makes a gesture with his head to show that he isn't going to attack Takuto while he's searching for a second weapon.] Go and get your second crutch.

[He grinds his teeth together at Aion's words. If he hadn't been close enough to his second sword, he would have abandoned the attempt just to spite the demon.]

Still hung up about being no better than a broom, are you?

[But he hates the feeling that he gets when he finally takes hold of that other sword. And now he's angry at Aion again, because he's supposed to feel triumphant and more powerful when he's dual wielding, and instead he feels like he's weak for it.

He takes his stance as well, eyes narrowing. Maybe he does want to watch the demon die....]

Cats and kings, Takuto. Cats and kings. Maybe I have spoiled you too much lending my blades to you again and again.

[Beneath the smiling facade he is angry; angry and hurt. Clip his wings? It's the one thing he would never ever let happen again! Having his greatest desire made fun of by somebody he has started to trust is both insult and injury in one and the more emotional part of him wants to punish Takuto for it the same way that he had punished Chrono - just that the puny human had no horns that he could tear off. Well, maybe he should go with one ear or two so that he couldn't hear his beloved 'voice of the world' anymore instead.

Pushing the thought out of his head, he signs Takuto to come at him.]

Youth before experience.

[Takuto hardly waits for the gesture, stepping forward quickly to close the distance between them so Aion is in range of his swords. He'll show the demon whether he was spoiled or not--Takuto has been fighting without Aion for years and he doesn't need some kind of fancy weapon with a mind of its own trying to disagree with him.]

I'm better off without your dull edge! [He aims high and low at the same time, his right sword aiming straight for a horizontal slash across Aion's eyes while his left jabs towards his legs. And he's still moving in closer, trying to push Aion back towards the wall.]

It's true that Takuto has been fighting for long and it shows in his skills as he rushes the demon. The way he is coming at Aion is leaving him no way to properly dodge; but that's not the demons intention.

Takuto may be used to fighting battles, but so is Aion. There is only one difference between their fighting styles: what is an exception for Takuto is the norm for Aion and so the demon doesn't hesitate when he reaches behind his back and pulls out the revolver (a gratuitous gift from a MMM'ed Shibusen citizen who would never need it again after crossing the Sinner's path) that he had hid in a makeshift holster beneath his wings. His eyesight has still not properly recovered, but there is little to worry about with how close the human has come within the few moments getting the weapon had taken him.

Aiming for Takuto's chest, Aion pulls the trigger.

[Reacting purely on instinct and shock, he uses his upper sword to shove the revolver to the side, knowing it's too late to move his body out of the way. His sword connects with the gun at the same moment the bullet leaves it, sending the shot to the side.

It's deflected enough to spare Takuto's life and lungs, but not enough to miss. The bullet sinks into his shoulder just underneath his collarbone, a sharp pain streaking through the entire area with a short spray of blood. Breathing heavily and gritting his teeth, he forces himself to refrain from pressing a hand to the slowly leaking wound.

He'll just have to hurry up and kill Aion.

An instant later, he's continuing his attack with his other sword, swinging it upwards and trying to drive the blade into one of the gaps in Aion's chest armor.]

[They are close enough that some of the blood hits him as well and Aion grins wildly at the feeling of it, revealing his full demonic nature and baring his fangs in a display of passion.

The distraction was enough to block Takuto's attack successfully and the demon uses the chance to change his stance, just enough to turn the new attack into a shallow cut rather than a deadly blow. The Sinner lets out a low laugh as his blood starts to stain the ground of the cave once more, mingling with that of his Meister.]

Not bad. For a human, that's not bad at all. [Under normal circumstances the wounds that Takuto had given him would have healed already but here he is left with their unpleasant stinging and a pain he forces himself to ignore. It's another sign of his weakness.] But now it's my turn, little one!

[He raises his right arm brings it down as if he means to backhand Takuto with it, only to change it into a deadly blade that is coming down with a crushing force that is aimed for Takuto's chest once more. At the same time he moves forward, shifting one of his wings as if he were meaning to land a follow-up blow with it when in reality his tail is coming from below his left side, aiming for any careless opening Takuto might give himself if he tries to block or evade.]

[He hates being called "little one" but the pain in his shoulder keeps him from making any kind of reply. It's sharp and piercing, and it's only made worse because he can still feel that there's something--a bullet, actually--lodged in there.

He raises a sword to defend against Aion's hand, eyes widening a moment later when the hand becomes a blade and he's defending a little too high. He shoves the sword forward to meet Aion's before it can reach his chest, adrenaline hitting his system as their swords clash together and he can feel the ringing clang all the way up through his arm and into the bullet wound in his shoulder. His other sword is moving to protect against the wing, and he only manages to see the sharp tail at the last moment. He attempts to kick it away, slicing his leg in the process.

He's panting heavily now that he's wounded, but the pain is starting to be drowned out in a strange concentration. He's focused on attacking Aion, on beating him down and winning this fight. It's... not quite as fun now that he's been shot, but he can deal with it. He'll show Aion how tough he is by pinning the demon down despite having a bullet in him.

His next move is to go after the demon's gun--to remove his long-range advantage. He slashes at the tail, sweeping upward with the strike to slice at the demon's wings and perhaps his torso as well if it gets in the way. With his other sword, he aims straight for the hand with the revolver.]

[He jerks his tail back immediately, evading the strike that would have otherwise cleanly chopped off it's deadly end and lashing it wildly in the other direction. It looks as if his wing is going to take the hit but then it suddenly lit up and transformed into the blade-shape of Aion's Weapon form, catching the blow and blocking it despite the odd angle it was coming from. At the same moment his hand had turned back and he quickly withdraws it.

Taking a step back and turning with the blow, he is forced to move along with it, letting Takuto push him closer towards the wall for an instance. With the revolver out of his grasp and their both sight, it looked as if the tides of the battle had turned.

Despite this the Sinner was still smirking.] Do you know what your problem is, Takuto?

[Takuto moves in to press his advantage. Aion has no place to retreat to, and he knows he can't continue too much longer with his shoulder in the state it's in. He's got to at least cripple Aion, and quickly.

He keeps his sword pressed against the bladed wing, keeping it occupied while he aims a zig-zagging slash that starts with Aion's eyes and, if all goes well, will end with horizontal gashes just above Aion's knees.]

I'd say you're the one with a problem right now. [Despite his words, he's gritting his teeth and practically hissing through the pain in his shoulder and now his leg is becoming drenched in a wet heat that can only be blood.]

[He ignores the jibe and brings his tail forward once more to block the blow. He can't transform his arm into a blade as well because that would undo the transformation of his wings (and he would like to keep that one in a piece, thank you very much) so he improvises - and catches the edge shortly after it cuts his cheek with his arm after he reinforced it by winding his tail around it. his tail who has grasped the revolver like an awkward tentacle. He smirks as metal hits metal once more. Licking the blood from the corner of his lips, he continues his tiny lecture.]

You keep thinking of me as you would of a human.

[With that he starts his counterattack. Using his free hand to try and catch Takuto by his collar (right next to the bullet wound), he aims a kick at his already injured leg. At the same time he uses his free wing as a lever against the wall in his back and pushes them both forward.]

[Takuto's entire arm goes weak when Aion's hand presses against it for a sheer fraction of a second when he grabs him by the collar. A wave of dizziness passes over him, and it's all he can do to keep both hands gripping both swords--even though one's been ensnared by Aion's stupid tail thing.]

You're a monster. [Takuto gasps out the words with disgust and pain, his feet skidding across the floor of the cave as he tries to find purchase and keep Aion from pushing him back further.]

That I am. [He grins even though the expression has a sad undertone to it.

Trying to hook his foot under Takuto's and make him trip, he breaks their hold and transforms his wing back.] I'm a monster and a dreamer and a sinner as well as your Weapon. AND YOU- [Rushing forward he raises his arm which has transformed into a blade once more as if to run though Takuto's face.] HAVE NO RIGHT TO LOOK DOWN ON ME FOR THAT!!

[With that he brings his arm down at the human, turning it back into a fist at the very last moment. Despite all he doesn't really mean to kill Takuto. During this moment his defense is wde opens. He doesn't care if Takuto uses the chance to injure him or not.]

[The punch hits him squarely, sending him straight to the ground with Aion's words still ringing in his skull.

For a moment, he had truly expected to die. And at that moment, he had wondered how he had ever managed to convince Aion to be his partner in the first place. Through a well-placed punch, designed to snap him to his senses, to concede that being alone wasn't worth it, that everyone--everyone--needs someone at their side.

That punch had been a message: don't look down on me.

But also, that whole encounter on the rooftop had meant something more to Takuto. I need you beside me.

Aion had come all the way here to find him, to bring him back home from the clutches of the witches. His weapon--his weapon--had come straight inside the witches' lair to reclaim his meister, to battle him and punch some sense back into him.

You have no right to look down on me, Aion had said. If one of them is a monster or a dreamer or a sinner, it's Takuto. He releases his swords slowly, closing his eyes.

I need you beside me.

When he opens his eyes, he can feel all the pain from his wounds again, and the tortuous knowledge that comes with a conscience. It hurts. It hurts everywhere, and it's too much to bear.]

A-aion... [His voice is small, and frail.] Take me home. P-please...

[He stares wildly at Takuto for a moment, half-expecting to feel the sharp pain of one or even two swords burrowing their way into him. After the fist hit they both had went down and now he is half crouching, half lying on top of his Meister, panting hard and trying to ignore the various stings of pain and wetness all over his body that their battle had earned him. It had been a lot closer than he would ever admit and he is pretty sure that it's just due to his latest cut in his face that his cheeks feel wet.

When Takuto starts moving again he tears his fist back, ready to hit him again until he realizes the words that are being said.]

Takuto... [Oh screw this. He hits him once more, hoping to be able to knock him out in the process. If his last punch had really woken Takuto up he would be better off not knowing any more than he already did.] That's for trying to get rid of me, you idiot.

[Takuto only has a brief moment of alarm as Aion's fist is heading for him again. But he doesn't struggle, or try to evade it at all. He falls unconscious to Aion's words.]

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Phase 3: Mission 153

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I think that's it for this log?