annivurtstag, princess lazuli! (20th-21st)

[powergamer]

The strange energy felt at midnight last night was from from your imagination. It takes a while for them to make their way out, but the city is filled with low ranked creatures, sending many to hide in their homes. But stranger than that, the city is also filled with stranger residents. They're ghostly apparitions, all of people that seem to be speaking a language that's difficult to understand, and they seem panicked. They're focused around the Castle, but fan outwards as time goes on.

On the second day, stronger monsters will start to come out of the castle too, providing some added difficulty and likely a need to team up.

When tagging in, please note whether it's on the 20th or the 21st!

Comments

[rebonding]

Nah, I should be good! Mages are good at fighting those elemental monsters.

[She folds her arms, still grinning.]

Mind sticking around so I can head downtown to get something for my magic?

[Just in case something nastier comes along... Something that isn't a Fire element.]

[someonetocarry]

Don't mind at all. Rather you not get stomped on by 'nother one of these, or somethin' worse.

[Zoe motions with her chin for Korra to lead the way.]

What is it y'need, 'xactly?

[rebonding]

Well, there are a bunch of different items, like potions and stuff, that will replenish my vikrafte. That's what lets me do magic.

[She doesn't quite get how or why it works, but that's par for the course with this magic stuff, anyway.

Korra starts down the street, toward the more central areas of the city where a vendor or two might be brave enough to venture out in this mess.]

think we can have another monster to run into? I wanna get her gun to shapechange finally :D

[someonetocarry]

Well, that's handy. Don't gotta sleep it off or nothin' then?

[Zoe, obviously, knows very little about magic. And is not exactly video-game-genre savvy, heh. She follows close at Korra's heels, gun at the ready with another round in the barrel, and eyes moving around them more than focusing on where they're going. Korra can handle that part.]

Yeah, sure! Feel free to pick out whatever what you like

[rebonding]

I could if I wanted, or if I didn't have any money, but with what's been going on...

[Korra glances back over her shoulder, frowning like she just heard something. Maybe she's just jumpy, but...]

You hear that?

[someonetocarry]

[Zoe's even more jumpy, though in a more controlled manner, and she heard it, too. She turns quickly, looking around for the source.

Snuffling among some fallen foodstuffs from an abandoned market stand is a zwezard, one head nosing among the food for something it can eat, and the other looking around. It shrieks at the sight of them.]

[rebonding]

[Korra cringes. Why does that thing have two... heads...?!]

...Any clue what type he is?

[And that shriek... Man, this thing is nasty. At least it's not on fire.]

[someonetocarry]

Ain't seen that one b'fore. 'Spect it'll go down like anythin' else. Behind me, now, Korra.

[And she makes good on that by taking a step between the monster and the mage, shouldering the gun again-- just in time, as it's charging for them both. Zoe's shotgun blast goes wide, the creature not close enough yet for precise shot.]

[rebonding]

[Korra shoots Zoe a perturbed look at her mention to get behind her. Even if it does make more sense, Korra's pride won't let her just hide out behind someone else. She moves with Zoe, keeping her eyes on the creature.]

I might be able to-

[She holds out a hand to try another Evoke, but it brings nothing but a pathetic puff of smoke.]

...Ooookay [So much for that.] Looks like it's all you.

[Much as she hates to admit it.]

[someonetocarry]

Yeah.

[And in that time, the monster is almost on them, and Zoe hardly has time for a proper shotgun blast. She swears once, in Chinese, and is about to grab Korra with her free hand and yank them both out of the way, when the gun-- now held only one-handed and still pointed at the zwezard-- suddenly shudders, clacks, and reforms itself into a smaller, compact revolver.

Not about to ask questions, Zoe shoos again, this time more prepared for close range. One sprays blood, and the creature backpedals in a flailing sort of fashion.]

[rebonding]

[Korra is starting to get frustrated at her own uselessness. She should be able to blast it with fire, or bend the earth out from under it, but she can't. These stupid people and their stupid world took her bending away, and now that she's exhausted her vikrafte, she's completely useless.

Then Zoe's gun does that weird change-o thing, and Korra forgets that she's supposed to be annoyed.]

Hey, it switched!

[Always one to state the obvious, she jumps slightly at the gunshot, her eyes darting back and forth between the lizard and the now smaller gun.]

Come onnnn...

[someonetocarry]

Took it long 'nuff.

[That's all the time Zoe has for talking. The lizard skitters sideways, disoriented and in pain, and Zoe tracks it with the gun. A revolver gives her more versatility with aim and faster repeated shots, so she squeezes off two more bullets, one a grazing shot and the second lodging nicely in the creature's ribcage.

It falls over, scrabbling at the ground, and Zoe paces over, pulling out a short knife. Best put the thing out of its misery. If she can figure out where best to cut....]

[rebonding]

Yeah...

[Guns, Korra is quickly deciding, are pretty gruesome. Sure, she's caused her fair share of damage with her fire evocations, but... This is just painful to watch. She cringes, slightly, when Zoe pulls out a knife. She wants to tell her to just hurry up, already!

But at the same time, she doesn't want to appear squeamish.]

[someonetocarry]

[Really, Zoe hasn't had to deal with too many animals before her stay here, not killing them. But between trips to the castle and working with the rangers she bunks with, she's gotten more comfortably with it. The lizard thing gets two quick slices, once across each throat, and then the thing's lying still.

Zoe sighs just a little, and pushes to her feet after wiping the knife off on the monster's body as best she can.]

We'd best get a move on. I don't know how well ammo for a shotgun's gonna work for a revolver, goin' forward, or if it changed too, or what.

[rebonding]

[It takes Korra a moment to register Zoe's words. She's still in something of a trance. She jumps, suddenly, back to attention.]

Yeah! Let's get going.

[She turns to face down the street once again, hoping against hope that nothing nasty pops up.]

[someonetocarry]

((looks like a good wrapping point right there :) good to end or you got anything else you'd like to do?))

[rebonding]

((Nope, that was my plan, too! Thanks for the thread!))

[someonetocarry]

((very welcome, as always :) ))