[OPEN] Mission 156

[soul_mods]

Characters: Open to participants who signed up here.
Location: Lake Tahoe, CA
Rating: Various.
Time: March 27th, late morning.
Description: The second of the three Madness emitters outside Death City is the target for this mission. Bundle up, everyone -- it's gonna be a cold one.

The mission begins late in the morning, to allow the mission-goers as much sunlight as possible in the warmest part of the day. Not that it'll help much… Temperatures are well below freezing already -- unnatural even for early Spring in the mountains -- and a howling snowstorm threatens to blot out the sun, beginning up the mountain where the slope just begins to rise sharply.

The slopes themselves are fairly barren: a windswept-looking tree here, a cabin that may have once belonged to the snow patrol there, maybe a Madness-crazed bear or mountain lion. Those braving the storm are lucky enough to see five feet in front of their face in these conditions!

Those brave few who manage to make it to the top (enduring falling temperatures and defeating the corrupted fauna and hulking kishin yeti along the way) may come across their goal at the very summit of the half-mile-high mountain: the Madness emitter itself, in the eye of the storm… And one last obstacle: the Witch guarding it.



OOC NOTES.
- The event summary post containing all relevant links is located here.
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- If you have any further questions, the mod thread on the coordination post is here!

Comments

[grab_my_bells]

I'd like that, yeah.

[Clearly Gai wasn't entirely ok. Kakashi was not sure what sort of bargaining he could do with Gai anymore. Gai had to understand that this scared him and that it was important--not just as a rival, lover, or Meister, but ...it was just important--to him that Gai didn't endanger himself if it wasn't necessary. And bleeding out right now wasn't necessary.]

[He needed to come up with reasoning that would appeal to and get through to Gai. 'I'm worried about your health' and 'I don't want you to die' clearly wasn't cutting it.]

Mm, alright. If you're sure. But if you're not healing properly by the time we get home, I refuse to fuck you until you're well again...no matter how much warming up I might need.

[spandexisyouth]

[If Kakashi actually came out and said he was worried for Gai, Gai would stop and think. That just wasn't a very Kakashi-like thing to say. But as the wounds weren't serious and Kakashi was threatening in a teasing way, Gai wasn't so worried.]

I will be well. And I do not think you could keep to that refusal even if I was not well. But I will not test that, because I do not want to test it. We will finish this mission and I will be fine and we will get wa--

[He cut off his youthful declarations as another shape moved in the snow. Another Kishin, likely. They'd been told the mountain would be full of them.]

Ahead.

[And then, as his hand was already in Kakashi's, Gai was transforming back into the kusarigama, ready for battle, hoping that Kakashi didn't hold back out of fear for him.]

[grab_my_bells]

[I could, Kakashi wanted to say, but he was cut off by Gai's sudden silence. Sometimes he and Gai made the best team and sometimes, probably because they knew each other so well, they were each others worst distractions.]

[It was indeed a Kishin. The creature sensed their arrival as Kakashi tried to approach slowly. The crunch of snow didn't help to disguise his approach, either, and the kishin barreled towards him, full-tilt. Kakashi sidestepped and spun the chain hastily and caught one of the creature's legs as it passed. Tethered to it now, he could pull the creature off balance as it came closer, avoiding another passing slash as it stumbled to his left, shook off the detour, and came for him again. He raised the shaft as the kishin moved forward; it lunged, teeth briefly grazing his own knuckles and the shaft of the weapon before he sliced across its muzzle. Staggering back, it howled, injured and dazed and recoiling, and Kakashi moved in for the kill.]

[spandexisyouth]

[Gai focused. He might not be able to swing himself, but he could give Kakashi a good burst of speed, and speed in everything, which always helped them to outpace the Kishin. Or often helped.

The Kishin clearly didn't know what to do, with the shinobi moving in for the kill so quickly, torn between attacking back and fleeing. It tried to do both at once, claw frantically while backing up, catching them both a little more with its claws as the blade came down.

For a moment, as the blade sank into the Kishin's body, Gai felt very satisfied. But it wasn't entirely done yet. In its death it flailed, drawing its claws completely down the shaft of the kusarigama. The damage felt distant, but even then Gai could tell it wasn't good. The Kishin slumped, unable to fight any more, and Gai was left with the sinking realization that they couldn't continue any further. He might not actually be losing blood in this form, but he'd still weaken, and it would be worse when he shifted back.]

I...

[It was hard to apologize for failing, for not being tough enough.]

We need to fall back, my Eternal Rival.

[There was regret in his mental voice.]

I am sorry.

[grab_my_bells]

[Looking at the scratches along his weapon, it was clear to Kakashi that Gai had taken too many hits. But for Gai to admit that was doubly worrying. Gai would never give up on a mission unless he absolutely had to.]

No, it's fine.

[He looked down at the creature and then nudged it with his shoe. It remained where it was, dead. At least they took out two. Next time they would do more. But he wasn't going to risk Gai's well-being just to press onward.]

Do you want to stay in this form until we reach a medic? [Gai would be easier to carry this way, and his condition might not worsen as quickly, but practicality aside, Kakashi would let him make this decision. Even if it meant carrying Gai back the old-fashioned way. As he started the slow trek back down the way they came, he ran his fingers over the flat part of the blade and then down the shaft, feeling the splinters and nicks and other wounds Gai's weapon form had taken. How bad was it?]

[spandexisyouth]

[He didn't want to be in this form, weakening, but at the same time he also didn't want to be heavy and dragging down Kakashi.]

I should. Stay, I mean. It will be better for you, easier, and I will not be making a trail.

[There wasn't blood dripping, after all, as long as he was a kusarigama. Kakashi's hands feel soothing, as if maybe their movements could push away the pain.]

Can you keep doing that? With your fingers? I know it does not actually help, but it feels like it does.

[grab_my_bells]

Alright.

[Kakashi paused as Gai voiced the request, then he continued the action. It was almost soothing to Kakashi as well, even though he knew it didn't do anything for Gai...it was a little contact, a reminder (albeit a guilt-filled one), like hearing his comrade's breathing and feeling his heartbeat.]

Promise me that you'll stay with the medic to get bandaged up. I won't force you to stay overnight, but I'd prefer a real medic [as opposed to what limited skills Kakashi had] look at your wounds.