[LM 13] Seeking Destiny (Open)

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

Ryoko scrabbled at her belt, and then felt the claws of the creature tear into her, drawing a gasp of agony as the monster... did... whatever it did to her. There wasn't any open wound, yet somehow, beneath the skin, it burned. Coughing, and surprised to find blood on her lips, she staggered back a few steps, whimpering, but dug in her heels, sinking into a defensive crouch, guarding herself with her left arm, her right hand grabbing the second tonfa as she held her ground, expression grim.

The attack came and for just a moment, she knew she was dead.

And then...

She wasn't.

Sinking to her knees, dazed, she stared at where the thing had been, expression blank. Was it over?

[Nanzi]

Nanzi sheathed his weapon and said, "Fierce, Yamadono-san. I was honored to fight at your side."

He knelt next to the horned girl and said, "We need to get her to a healer."

[Jin]

(Assuming this reopens when combat ends)

Jin had been moving towards the scene since noise and the sound of combat began. He was too late to help against the beast but not too late to help patch up the wounded... the ogress being the first and most obvious of them.

A quick slash to his arm sending a rush of water that seemed to soothe wounds even within not just without.

(46 healed to Ryoko, no taint)

[Jiyo Sora]

"At least someone was able to hit the damned thing."

[Shinjo]

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Suddenly, a graceful creature wreathed in flame barreled through the camp before coming to a sudden stop, a crow with it and two people on its back.

[Crow]

Karasu lands immediately on Yamadono's shoulder, fixes him with a knowing stare, and nods approvingly.

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

As the soothing magic worked through her system, Ryoko blinked, coughed, and then took a slow, steadying breath.

She was... fine?

Rising to her feet, she flexed her fingers, experimentally, and then blinked.

She was fine.

Had it all been in her head? Glancing at the others, blushing pink, she hoped they hadn't thought she was just carrying on... how embarassing...

A nagging through made her turn, grasping Matsu by the shoulders, asking, "Are you ok? It didn't get you, right?" At the grand entrance of the new creature, Ryoko felt her grasp on the situation completely falling away, and she just mutely stared at it. Was this another monster?

What had just happened!? Her knees gave way, and she sat down hard, expression now just one of utter confusion.

[Ninube]

Ninube heard the chaos and ran over, but was too late. Hey, it's Phi again.

[Nozomi]

Phi dropped to the Earth from the Ki-Rin's back. Her hood was pulled back and the veil removed from her face as she did so. She looked at all the devastation, at the blood on Ryoko and Sora's bodies from the attacks, Matsu standing there very much alive and she swallowed before breathing out. Her feet were shaky as she stood there next to Shinjo, but she saw no corpses. No bodies.

Her eyes turned upwards to the other individual on the back of Shinjo and she moved to help him down. For the moment, she was keeping quiet, though one hand clutched a finger of jade where it could be very visibly seen.

[Jin]

"Is anyone else hurt..." Jin was busy looking for the next person to heal when Shinjo made her appearance and briefly brought everything to a standstill.

[Shinsei]

Shinsei took his time getting down, leaning heavily on Phi as his feet gingerly touched the ground. His robes were in tatters, and among the many cuts and bruises across his body, there were three very fresh looking bruises, as if he'd been struck by a very massive club.

[Nozomi]

"Is anyone else hurt..." Jin was busy looking for the next person to heal when Shinjo made her appearance and briefly brought everything to a standstill.

Shinsei took his time getting down, leaning heavily on Phi as his feet gingerly touched the ground. His robes were in tatters, and among the many cuts and bruises across his body, there were three very fresh looking bruises, as if he'd been struck by a very massive club.

Phi looked at Jin when he made the offer, putting her shoulder up against Shinsei very carefully, biting her lip. Another look at everyone present, and she seemed concerned about something. She looked to him and then to Sora and breathed in and out. "Please, Jin... Shinsei needs healing badly," she breathed out, the lack of sureness in her voice very much apparent.

I don't know how we're about to be received...

[Jin]

Though it was not as efficient as with Ryoko Jin once more called upon the elements after seeing the battered monk.

(17 healed to Shinsei, just realized the TN for taint check is 10 and Jade gives +10 so autopass for now)

[Nanzi]

Nanzi was quiet for now as he waited to see what would happen now, he rose to his full height.

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

Ryoko pointed, in a dazed way.

"Is that shinsei also a floaty monster? Or is he the real one? I brought his rock."

Then she took a deep breath, and added, more saliently, "What the hell just happened?"

[Noriaki no Yamadono]

When the thing disapparated, Yamadono roared a battlecry of vicious blood thirst and victory, poundijg his chest with the hand that held the tetsubo. "Coward!" He cried out to the air, before turning around.

Matsu was safe.

Ryoko was healed.

"The honor was mine, Nanzi...-san." He practiced the honorific, before setting the club down. Running over to Matsu and Ryoko. Combing a hand through her hair, before embracing the two tightly. He couldn't help it. His arms ached from the exertion of battle, but he squeezed Ryoko and Matsu close to himself.

[Ninube]

Ninube gives Ryoko a confused look. Floaty monster? While Jin treated Shinsei, she moves over and gives Phi the jade greeting, touching her jade in return if offer.

Welcome back. Ninube only tried to hide a little of the relief in her voice.

[Shinsei]

As if to demonstrate, Shinsei lifted an arm which, despite Jin's healing, was still very much bleeding, something the spirit hadn't done once. He also touched some jade to his lips just to be sure.

"It is a difficult explanation, but what you just faced was a manifestation of my own hubris. A subconscious desire that somehow broke free and became dangerous."

[Nozomi]

She returned the gesture to Ninube and gave her a small smile. There was a lot less of her usual confidence there. She was looking at everyone, Yamadono, Matsu and Sora in particular before looking back and whispering softly as she stayed close to Shinsei, keeping up the support as long as he needed it. "It... is for them to explain," she breathed out, letting them do the talking for the moment.

[Shinjo]

Shinjo resumed her human shape. She touched the jade to herself and to Shinsei as she looked to Ryoko. "No... this is the real one." she looked to the monk. "Floaty monster... That was the being you told us about, yes? It seems we were too late to catch it."

She turned and bowed deeply to those present. "Thank you... I'm grateful for everything you've done."