Several bones to pick

[bejustorbedead]

Who Ky Kiske (bejustorbedead), Ekkehardt Gehring (spelleton), Maya Matlin (lastexit), Tyzias Entykk (tiredcharmer), Killua Zoldyck (kill_ua), Alisaie Leveiller (adelphoi), Kris (lostcrystal)
What Hunting in Parisian sewers and ossuaries
When January 23 for actual hunt, 22nd for briefing
Where Paris, France
Warnings: Violence against vitally challenged, Paris is a dirty city, more will be added as needed



When the sign up was finalized, everyone was given a suggestion to pack clothes they would not mind having to throw away and sturdy shoes, boots preferably.

On the morning they were scheduled to leave, Ky gathered the students who signed up, with files on his desk.

"This would be a standard urban hunt - the ideal is to slip in, take down the monster and get back without a civilian getting in harm's way or taking notice." He started, voice firm and clipped - booking no argument or backtalk.

"Miss Leveiller will be our guide for the Catacombs of the Parisian Underground where we are likely to find it, and I can serve as the guide for the more ancient parts if it flees there. Miss Matlin will assist in detecting the creature - she is a non-combatant, so please keep that in mind, and one of us will keep an eye out for her at all times."

"And this is important: There will be NO splitting up unless I give the order - I do not care if you believe it will let you get the drop on the monster, or you found a 'shortcut', You do not want to get lost in the sewer system, believe me. I will reiterate and update the briefing before we actually enter the catacombs as we may have more accurate information on our target by then."

Once that was finished, he relaxes somewhat. "We'll be be hunting the day after, but once we arrive at our hotel, you are free to relax and tour - dinner will be at 8, and you must return to the hotel at 10 so that I know you are still there, I will not enforce bedtime, since I trust you understand your own body's need for sleep than I would. We'll then enter the Catacombs at 8 in the morning.

Any questions before we leave?"

Comments

[tiredcharmer]

Tyzias waves away both the vapor rub and the light. "Don't worry. I got this." She blinks, and... her eyes are suddenly glowing solid teal. Rolling her neck and shoulders, Tyzias steps forward ahead of the rest of the group and turns to face them. "Aight. Briefing time. I'm packing some pretty heavy artillery that should be able to really fuck up this bone thing, but I need to get a clean shot at it or I could cause some big damage to this whole place. Either me or one of you guys is gonna have to get up close and hold it still while I line up the shot. I'm open to other ideas, though."

[lastexit]

Maya scoffs at Tyzias not wanting the vapor rub, unsurprised at that. "Not sure why you needed so many loud magics on you for this. Especially the ones that could kill us if you hit the walls, and collapsing part of the Catacombs on our heads."

Maya doesn't put her headlamp on and just pockets it for now. She'll be closing her eyes to try and sense out a direction for the monster anyway. Not seeing makes it easier to help her hear a bit further. "I thought we'd just let the scary kid kill it," Maya gestures at Killua as the 'scary kid,' "Re-kill it? What's the term for killing a skeleton monster thing?"

[spelleton]

"I think 'killing it' works quite well, personally," Ekkehardt comments, from somewhere in the darkness. (The irony of him being on this hunt is not lost on him.) "And personally, I'd suggest not using anything that could cause a structural collapse until you're absolutely certain it won't miss. You know very little about the creature at present, aside from its tendency to collect corpses, so it would be prudent to try and find it first before you decide on a course of action."

Compared to some of his living targets, this would be an easy hunt if he was by himself. But since he's not on his own, and this is a learning experience, he's strictly limiting himself to a support role. They need to learn to work as a team, after all.

[tiredcharmer]

Tyzias gives both Ekkehardt and Maya a withering glare. Really? She wasn't an amateur. "Do you guys think I'm a fuckin' idiot or something? That's why I'm gonna need somebody to hold it in one place so I can get a target lock on it. Trust me, I'm planning on getting this thing's number before fuckin' it up." She pauses. "Also, I have plenty of other ways to throw down if it comes to it."

[spelleton]

"Far from it, but let's just say the mission might be severely compromised if we were to collapse any part of the city by accident?" Ekkehardt is one of those people who likes much, much quieter weapons and methods. Leaving little trace of their presence should be encouraged, especially with civilians. "I'd advise quieter methods."

He holds his hands up in obvious surrender, though. "But that's something you should discuss with your fellow students, and your teacher, of course. I'm merely here as support."

[lostcrystal]

Having dutifully applied her vapor rub, strapped on the light, and glanced impassively between the others throughout this exchange, Kris settles her gaze on Tyzias and speaks up.

"Well, if it does come to that, I think I can provide."

[lastexit]

"I don't trust you," Maya said, there wasn't any animosity, she just didn't. It was a fact. Nothing more. "And your plan could get one of us hurt, or worse."

Maya wasn't a fighter, she was an amateur at hunting. But she was definitely sure watching the monster kill someone, a cave-in kill someone, or Tyzias's plan backfiring and hitting someone else was the last thing she wanted to do in Paris. "What can..." Maya's words drifted off as she turned to Kris, filtering through the noise to find what Kris's magic sounded like, "You do? I don't recognize the sound of that magic."

[bejustorbedead]

Ky can feel a headache coming on.

He gives Ekkehardt a quiet nod. "I would not bring along someone I did not feel would work with this mission," he'd prefer more low-key methods, but you work with what you're given.

"However, clear it with me before anything on that level is used - the old underground is especially unstable."

At that moment Maya would start to hear what sounds like the faint echo of a vibraphone, after it had been tossed down a flight of stairs and haphazardly reassembled in the distance and down further into the darkness.

[lostcrystal]

Kris answers Maya's query by taking a small orb affixed to her belt and throwing it into the air behind her. As soon as it hits the ground, it releases a burst of light that quickly settles into the shape of a huge bipedal alligator thing.

"It's familiar magic. I train monsters."

[lastexit]

Maya's quietly indexing the various sounds of the magic. The little alligator, the sphere itself, Kris's own magic. The sound of ringing from down the dark corridor.

Wait...

It wasn't as dangerous a sound as she'd thought given what they were going after. She wanted to say xylophone but that wasn't it, it was a longer sound, more complicated and uneven than that. Maya stepped past the group and put their sound behind her so she could focus on what else was there. "Everyone quiet."

[kill_ua]

Killua's been tagging along the whole time, but drawing very little attention to himself. The kind of invisibility that comes not from just being quiet, but from consciously and actively working to make sure that you blend into the background of people's senses. If you're not looking for him specifically, you might forget he's there at all.

He does stop at Maya's command, though. He doesn't know much about Maya's abilities, and is curious enough to see what she can do.

[tiredcharmer]

At least Tyzias gives some respect to Ky. "Got it, chief. You're the expert here." This is technically her first hunt, but she's... surprisingly professional, despite her incredible unprofessionalness at times. She knows when somebody's more competent than her, at least.

Tyzias also makes it her business to always keep Killua in her line of sight. He said he wouldn't kill her, but it would be incredibly stupid to just take a professional assassin at his word.

She stops in her tracks when Maya gives the order, only moving to flip her goggles on and scan for any ambient magic.

[bejustorbedead]

Ky went quiet, his expression going as stern as stone - the only sound he had made was the soft sigh of his sword being drawn from his sheath, the weapon was rather unremarkable save for the red Crusader's cross on the pommel.

"Change of plans. I take lead, if you have familiars, bring them out now." the man ordered. "Gehring up with me and the familiars - Entykk, Zoldyck fan out towards the rear. Leveiller, Kris, Matlin stay towards the center."

With that, Ky starts to head towards the direction Maya was peering at - the sound continues to persist, and seems to somehow grow louder despite not moving at all, as a discordant, distressed wail of some reed instrument starts threading into the broken off-key plinking. Tyzias would that the area had a faint fog of lingering magic, with a wavering mass several meters down, just barely present.

[lostcrystal]

Kris, too, had gone still when Maya spoke up. She listens carefully as Ky gives the orders, and once he's done, she nods. "Understood."

She turns back to address her familiar, and tilts her head in the teacher's direction. "Anata, up front." she commands, and the monster complies, stomping forth to join with the adults while Kris herself follows behind.

[lastexit]

Maya didn't move from the front. As much as she needed to be in the middle for her own safety, it'd be too chaotic there to hear. What good was she if she couldn't keep track of the thing.

So Maya ignored her order and stayed at the front.

"It isn't moving. It is growing louder." Maya glances up, "I'll know when it moves before you do, I'll hide behind you then. The sound is stronger."

[bejustorbedead]

He turns to look at Maya, his expression hard before slowly it relaxes and he nods, conceding to her point.

Anata? Interesting name, he thought idly - sizing up the creature, before leading the group.

As they got closer, the sounds got louder, and the aura Tyzias is picking up becomes more vivid in color. Rounding a corner into a crossroads - there was their target.

Bone Horror was hunched over, almost cleaning against the tail end of the ossuary, a giant hand made of too many fingerbones reaches up, and forcibly wrenches a skull from the wall with an audible crack - and to Maya almost a screech of a mangled oboe, as if the dead bones are protesting the violation.

It suddenly stops, the moth-eaten shroud swaying as it made motions, as if sniffing, every rattle of bone accompanied by a hollow, off-key plink as it slowly turns to the group, jaws opening in a wordless hiss, and it swipes at the group, Ky immediately blocking the strike with his sword, and it then pulls back, seeming to notice the rest of the group - and deciding it was outnumbered, the blighted monster climbs up and onto the ceiling, going to skitter away into the darkness.

Of course it wouldn't make it easy.

sorry i didn't tag in, was waiting for prof

[tiredcharmer]

Tyzias had, according to Ky's instructions, moved towards the rear of the formation. Her entire body is tense, like a coiled spring ready to uncoil. When the bone horror is sighted, Tyzias leans forward, hand outstretched to place the tracking rune on it, but she fails to complete the runespell before it disappears. "God fuckin'-- professor, permission to pursue creature ahead of the group?" Tyzias asks, teeth grinding.

ugh SO SORRY FOR TAKING FOREVER, life happened so much

[adelphoi]

Alisaie has, for her part, been more or less quietly following orders and leading as best as she can (don't ask why she has a decent mental map of this area) and shutting her ears as best as she can to the bickering of her comrades. It bothers her little enough. When at last it seems that they have come upon their target she takes her place at center, and calls forth her ever trusty topaz carbuncle; aside from being a combat pet, he's also very bright, lighting up the area around him. Handy.

When the bone beast skitters away in an attempt to escape she lifts a hand, ready to command topaz at a moment's notice.

"Allow me to accompany you," she says quickly, to Tyzias behind her. "Topaz can keep its attention." It's specialty is provoking and tanking enemies, after all!

[kill_ua]

At some point, Killua quietly vanished into the darkness of the catacombs.

Daybreak protocol says stay together, but he knows perfectly well that he works best alone.

[lastexit]

Maya was distracted by the horrible noise she heard. Not of the monster, while that was bad. The corpse. She didn't know bodies still contained- essence, of who they were. And that they could hurt.

It was distracting enough that it took her a few moments to notice the hairs on the back of her neck weren't standing up anymore. Killua's sound was much softer (and more terrifying) than that of the entire group. "...I think we shouldn't split up anymore than we have. Unless we're looking for the scary one."

[bejustorbedead]

And he cursed in old french the moment he realized Killua had disappeared - Saints preserve him, if that boy gets injured...

He holds the thought as Tyzias speaks out, his eyes darting, brows narrowing before slowly exhaling.

"Gehring, please go with them," He can trust the man to make sure they will pull back. "We'll need to find Zoldyck before something happens - we still need to destroy the Horror, but everyone's safety is the top priority."

The Bone horror's sound was muted as it seems to have gone into hiding... or is lying in wait.

[tiredcharmer]

Tyzias nods. If she was partial to dramatic oneliners, she'd say something like, "showtime," but she finds that kind of thing ridiculous. So without any fanfare, teleports in the direction where the faint aura of the Bone Horror can be seen. Then again. Then again. This thing wasn't getting away again on her watch.

[adelphoi]

Thankfully Alisaie is light and quick on her feet, her eyes sharp enough even in the dimness to be able to make out the shape of Tyzias as she blinks forward again and again. Still - "Not too fast!" she calls, while she and Topaz dart forward to keep up. She could transition forms to fly beside her more quickly, but.. that is quite taxing, and always a last resort when she is on this side of the veil, so that, she thinks, is best left for the bone monstrosity itself, if needed.

[spelleton]

Ekkehardt has little to say; he just gives Ky a curt nod before following the students. He'll let them take the initiative - it's not his mission, after all, it's theirs - and just make sure they're acting as a team, not splintering into individuals.

"Listen to miss Leveilleur - all of you, stick together," he instructs. "If you get lost or separated, that's one more thing we have to worry about, so don't rush ahead."