[Log] Sailor Mercury Does Something Ill Advised
Who: Traski, Sailor Mercury
What: Traski vs. Senshi, part 673
Where: Tzsharis Mountain - Pine Forest
Watch For: Local Musical Culture, The Nay-sayers In The OOC Lounge Being Absolutely... Right
The battles between the Sailor Senshi and the last Hashalim of Islmaad are quickly becoming the stuff of tales in this plane. Rumors about the mysterious girls that throw around fire and light and lightning are spreading across the cities, towns, and villages of the Kingdom of Light. People speak particularly highly of the enigmatic Sailor Venus, whom is not only fair to look upon, but wields light in the manner of the Priests and Paladins. But for hope to bloom, there must be fear for it to take root in. While the presence of these strange warriors from a world unlike their own gives the people of the Kingdom hope, they are still fearful. Afraid of this one woman, this last survivor of a race of demons that managed to slip through the fingers of the Paladins and Priests five years ago. And continues to elude, evade, and foil not only them but their IPA allies as well, time and time again.
Traski's exploits are passing from reality into legend.
But she is yet mortal and many continue to hunt her. Meliadoul Tenguille of the IPA has sworn to stop the woman. Renard, one of the local Paladins, has sworn an oath before God and King to see justice done. He has ridden a horse to death chasing her, then continued on foot in full plate mail after the beast of burdon collapsed. With each strike, the Sailor Senshi have become more and more unified in their efforts to stop Traski... or... have they...
The mountain rises up before Sailor Mercury, silent and forboding. The Kingdom never named the mountain formally. After the demons were discovered, the local Lightheim took to calling it the 'Dark Mountain' or the 'Cursed Mountain'. But the Islmaadi called it 'Tsharzaris', the 'Pillar of the Night Sky' in their old tounge.
It is steep. It is cold. It is inhospitable and treacherous. The locals fear it and shun it in the wake of the war five years ago. It stands before you as a monolithic challenge to be overcome.
Somewhere, on that mountain, Traski awaits.
The first, and most important point.. is that Ami should not be here. The skirt that she generally wears was ripped not two days ago, and with a bit of sewing, reattached. Her wounds were taken care of .. but she can still feel them to a point.
If she let that get in the way of anything.. Traski would be right. Perhaps going against common sense, Sailor Mercury had arrived at the foot of the mountain, her walk slowing as she approached the first step onto the cold.. and tall, mountain. The cold she would deal with... it would be colder than what she would normally deal with as Sailor Mercury.. but perhaps she could mitigate it better than the rest. Her boots would help her with the treacherous environment.. but it seems even to reach Traski, Sailor Mercury would have to push herself against something she normally would have trouble with with the other Senshi.
But she takes the first step onto this mountain, the name she learned to be 'Dark Mountain'.. a fitting place for a woman who deals with such darkness, as Traski tends to.
Going alone, without even warning one of the other scouts, Ami begins her ascent onto the mountain, boots treading carefully over the stones, loose or not, as well as the icy patches that would probably await her. "I ... I have to do this.." She tells herself, taking another step of many. "Otherwise I should have just let go.." That's what she said, right? Useless.. the others so much better.
It's a shame Ami actually listens to these words.. and takes them to heart. You'd think she'd have learned.
The foot of the mountain is not difficult, the slope is not horrible. The forest of tall, old fir trees helps keep what slopes there are easily surmountable. The massive roots make natural hand and foot holds, even if they are rather nasty tripping hazard across the patches of level ground. The forest is fairly thick; the canopy is not so terribly forboding, the pine needles allowing light to filter down through the treeline in places. It is almost pleasant, if not for the ever present reality that this is Traski's mountain, the woman is a master of stealth kills, and has a personal disliking to you.
But Ami is not harassed by anything larger then the occasional fox; she's bigger then they are, those flee from her. But at the edges of her hearing, somewhere above her, Ami will start to hear a voice. A singing voice. It grows louder with each passing line. It doesn't take long before it is recognisable.
"Take heed of that lit-tle bird and see which way it flies..."
"Follow not it's cur-sed path for that is most un-wise."
"Follow not the little bird to the tall and pine-y trees..."
"For demons creep with-in the bows..."
"And do what ill they please..."
"Walk not to the ill hewn stone..."
"And never go alone...."
"For dark things creep...
"And do not sleep..."
"And will keep you from your home..."
"So turn back my lit-tle bird and heed moma's bid-ding to staaaaay..."
"For evil lurks upon the mount to take children a-way..."
"Turn away your head-strong venture and watch which way you fly..."
"For if you go to the mou... oun... tain."
The voice is close. Very close, somewhere up above.
"Then you... will sure... ly... ... ..."
There is a heavy rustle of leaves behind Ami's position as Traski lands on a branch, face as hard as stone but voice as soft as new satin sheets as she finishes the last line of the song."
".../diiiieeeeeeeeeee/."
She makes her way up fast enough.. Sailor Mercury talking her time, her somewhat wounded right leg still giving her a bit of trouble.. but she presses on. The forest, fairy thick, is much nicer than an empty, barren wasteland of ice where she remembers this feeling from.
This feeling that your best might not just be enough .. that your best might only be enough to help another.. and she's alone. It would be worth nothing, her best, if that's true. But the Sailor of Intelligence and Water keeps her path, higher up.. the light a sign that maybe things will be alright.. she isn't dead yet, and with the animals.. it's almost serene.
Almost. Something.. she can hear something.
Looking left and right, the scout's mercury goggles slide over her eyes, allowing her some slight extra visibility. There's nothing she can see.. but the voice is growing closer.
And then the first verse she can fully understand. Ami speeds up her pace a bit, glancing about ever few lines or so, but moving from a walk to a bit of a run as the voice grows closer. Running .. where though? It never crosses her mind why. While not looking, a tree's root grasps her foot, the scout stumbling, and only slowing her down.
She stops afterwards, the lyrics getting to her already .. yet now, they come from somewhere close. The goggles vanish as she stands, looking to the canopy, Mercury gazing over the light spotted scenery, darkness like a veil.. almost as if it was a physical thing.
And then there it is, the final line coming from the area behind her, the scout nearly leaping. Traski would see the fear easily.. but she's still here. And moments later, Ami turns, unconfident eyes looking upon Traski and her perch. But she's still here. "I .. Was hoping I'd find you." Sailor Mercury gets out, almost in one sentence. Before she points to Traski.. she doesn't go through her usual stuff. "I've been thinking alot about what you said .. and you're wrong... I'm not useless.. I'm not just being babysat by the group.... I'm capable by myself." The finger has long since stopped pointing, hand balling into a fist against her chest. "I'm sure.. I can help them against you." By herself.
What flawed logic, has Traski born?
Traski remains in place, squatting down on the balls of her heels. Her position, precariously balanced on that too thin branch of wood that is not of a particularly strong variety. It just looks like an uncomfortable position. Anyone that's had to 'sit' like that in gym class will tell you, it's murderous, you just want to keep shifting the weight from one foot to the other. But Traski stays rock still, one hand liesurely resting on top of a knee, the other resting solidly on the hilt of a dagger. Perched up in that tree, she looks very much the hawk, poised to swoop down on a foolishly brave mouse.
"Go home, child." Traski commands.
Traski staying there, in that position.. it's not one that's welcoming.. nor did she expect it to be. It's certainly something she'd avoid .. in any other situation, or circumstance. But she came here. She came here for a reason. And with Traski sitting in that rather .. uncomfortable looking position, Sailor Mercury is issued a simple command.
Part of her wants to follow it. to just go home and act like nothing else is wrong. Haven't all of the scouts wanted to do that at some point? To live a normal life like they had expected... expect maybe for Mina.
Uncommon for Sailor Mercury, Ami stands, looking back up to Traski.. and her only answer isn't what she's probably looking for, and far too short. "No." Ami Protests. It might be a bit foolish.
"Fine." Traski says simply, as if conversing about the weather.
The Hashalim stands and begins to scale the tree, heading back up in the direction she decended from. She is taking her time about it; her movements, while graceful, are not the quick and brutal movements that she has become infamous for. She is not taking this seriously.
"If you are that foolish, then go ahead and climb. Die on the mountain, for all I care, she who aids the kinslayers." Traski casually flings the words down towards the ground, she honestly does not care. Is she just... walking away?
Traski .. doesn't care.
The frustration behind this all peaks. She's been second guessing herself... she's been going over these words from Traski for too long over the last couple of days since the last encounter.. and now Traski is just .. climbing .. away.. Ami stands there, blank.. face just following her movements.. before something cracks. Sailor Mercury isn't without her flaws. Everyone has a dark side.. but the scouts generally tend to have a limited one. Mercury's is just larger than the rest. Maybe Traski will notice it..
But without provocation, beyond being a murderer and all that, Sailor Mercury raises her hands upwards, crossing them, bubbles being formed infront of her tiara before she extends her hands. "Shabon Spray .. FREEEZING!" There's no actual words beyond those to phrase the attack. The bubbles fly towards the top of the tree, and the tree's branches immediately become brittle, icy, and slippery.. and that's not telling what it might do to Traski. The ice chills to the bone.. even if it doesn't burn or leave a ringing pain like the rest do.
Ami Mizuno misses Traski with her Traski is SUCH a bully attack.
Traski is not sensitive to the ephemeral or the metaphysical. She can not 'feel' magic, nor unnatural energies, be they demonic or angelic. Such falls under the perview of the Shaman. And there are no more Shamans; there have been none for five years. It is not something that Traski has any chance of noticing.
But the blast of ice no one could mistake. Traski's inhuman reflexes kick in; the Hashalim launches herself in a backflip off of the tree truck as the ic smashes into the tree, stripping away bark and needle alike. Traski gives peasents and other such non-combatants the benefit of the doubt. She kills no commoner that does not raise sword to her; Ami has wasted with one and only grace that Traski has extended to her. The woman lands in a three point crouch, unstaggered by the height of her fall. "So be it... /warrior/." With the speed no normal human can match the demon-woman launches herself forward, pulling a dagger to each hand as she leaps at the Sailor Scout.
You critically strike Ami Mizuno with your Dance of Blades attack.
It's true. And in the end, as Traski launches herself off the tree trunk, Sailor Mercury readies herself.. but is far, far too late to ever ready for Traski, whom comes barreling towards her, daggers a bit away from herself suddenly growing much closer.. and then she can feel them bite into her, ripping into her .. some of the wounds she had gotten over re-opening.
The Sailor Scout pulls away.. some of the crimson lines of the open wounds trailing down her.. already, such a bad start. Could what Traski have said be true? .. No she can't let thoughts like that creep into her head. Just as fast as she slides out, she heads back in, around those daggers.. and instead, swinging a rather heavy( for her) and high kick towards Traski's upper body.
Just how pointless this must be, for Ami to start a battle solely to prove she's not weak.. just how obscene it is.. hasn't began to sink in. "Someone has to stop you... Anyone."
This of course opens her up pretty badly.
Ami Mizuno misses Traski with her Kicking High attack.
Traski flows like the water, rippling backwards after her opening assault and sheathing both of the daggers with a smooth motion. Her face remains hard, dispassionate. This is not something that she enjoys partaking it; it is merely something that must be done. "Why?" Traski utters the single word; far more words then she typically spares an opponent in leathal combat.
One hand reaches up, grabbing at the outstretched leg and catching it with a practiced ease. Traski's body follows through without guidance, muscle memory gained from years of constant training and practice. Traski's other hand, open palmed, lashes at Sailor Mercury's knee as her grip hand pulls towards. Between the pressure going in two different directions on Ami's joints, a sprain is likely. A break is possible.
You miss Ami Mizuno with your Either Way, It Will Hurt, But... feint.
Her leg is grabbed. Ami isn't ready for it, but as Traski lashes for her leg, aiming to sprain or break.. the Sailor slides out, spinning, pulling herself before any damage is done. "Because of what you've done.. even if it has been for something you care about ... you've hurt so many. They all want you dead.. you've told me before."
Black and white, maybe? Far from it perhaps.. but she knows that Traski's said simply to not get in the way.. and she's been doing that quite alot.
"Shining Aqua... Illusion!" Rings of water begin to encircle the scout, spinning faster, before they congregate, merging as they erupt towards Traski, to smash her into one of the trees on pure force alone! And water the plants. "And I guess... to prove .. to the others I'm not helpless...!"
.. By doing something dangerous, on her own? Maybe not helpless.. but reckless?
Ami Mizuno critically strikes Traski with her Girl's still going at it, watch out for stray geysers attack.
You take 30 damage.
"That they certainly do. It grows tiresome." Traski says, slowing down to talk. As she talks, she focuses on her words, choosing them carefully. "I would gladly give them what they want and die in one last, glorious battle... to make such an end for myself with the bodies of those I hate piled high at my feet. A fitting end for the last Hashalim, to die to avenge those that have fallen." Traski focuses on her words and not her movements.
The blast of water slams her into a tree; the Hashalim's impact shakes a shower of dead winter needles from the tree. Traski rises to one knee as she picks herself up off of the ground. "But duty dictates otherwise. My desires come second to the demands of my service." As Traski rises, she starts throwing knives in quick succession. Four of them, all told, sharp as razors and balanced for throwing.
You critically strike Ami Mizuno with your Dagger Storm attack.
She wants to kill them. To fight to the death... and yet she doesn't. She's mentioned it before, and now again, as Traski talks slowly.. and even when struck.. hardly like before. Ami lets her guard down .. the daggers slamming onto her, the knives sticking out at every point, the red liquid again easily noticeable, despite Mercury's attempt to avoid them.
"You keep mentioning your service.. but you've only ever made a slight mention of it.. It isn't just to remove those who keep going against you .. why do you need the child?" She asks, and for a moment.. but doesn't halt the offensive.. though her strikes are far less powerful as she gets in closer, and there are a few knives sticking about.
A single center strike with a kick to knock her away, although far less powerful than she tried before... ".. How you've continually stalked me .. I came here to have that end.. why are you doing it?... It's like those guards and you." She mentions.
Ami Mizuno misses Traski with her Hi.. yah? feint.
Traski closes the distance quickly, not letting up on her assault. She is unyielding and relentless. She comes into melee range, lashing out with a series of cyclic punches, the pinwheeling of her arm both acting to attack and defend. As Sailor Mercury kicks, her leg is battered away under Traski's far more aggressive assault. Traski moves forwards, trying to keep Ami off of her balance. She talks as she attacks, tight, clipped sentences. "You are my enemy. You have made yourself so. Thus... in order to defend myself and destory you, I must know you. One can not truely kill someone unless they know them. As for the children... you are the smart one. Figure it out."
You critically strike Ami Mizuno with your Hashalim Combat Arts - Night Breeze Style attack.
With Traski assaulting her faster, Ami again has her assault turned on her, the woman lashing out with a series of punches.. each of them striking in succession. There's not much she can do. battered, Sailor Mercury stumbles backwards.. looking far worse for wear than she'd like to show Traski.
"Of course.. when I spoke with you before..." And she's made herself this target? The gears begin to turn.. to click. It's ... been a bit more problematic than Ami's realized, and half of her own trouble was caused by herself.
"A hostage... maybe training... " She'd think much better when there's not more than a few streaks of red trailing down her.. but she has to focus. She has to fight back! .. To be destroyed.. it wasn't enjoyable the first time.
Kicking up, against the tree, Ami launches herself towards Traski, boots leading, intent on an aerial kick.. it's never failed her before! "But .. my shoes?" She doesn't know that was her. A common baiting to just try and see the response.
Ami Mizuno hits Traski with her Maybe I just need a bit more momentum! attack.
You take 12 damage.
"That was a warning." Traski manages to get out mere moments before both of Ami's feet are planted into her chest. The Hashalim flips backwards with the blow, rolling with the impact and lessening the hit as much as she can manage. She lands cleanly on her feet again, pure black eyes narrowing. "And also... because I just don't like you." Traski can feel it; this one is on the brink. Just a little hard of a push will send her over and end this fight. Traski places her hands on the chakrams at her hips, and then utters two words.
"Darkness, darkness."
A wave of pure midnight rolls forward from behind the Hashalim, sweeping over root and tree, rock and bramble alike. It sweeps over and that cold, unnatural sensation returns from before. Light is snuffed out, vision is choked, and sound is dampened. But to Traski, it is as if nothing in the area is out of the ordinary; her eyes lose no acuity, her ears retain their sharpness. She bolts forwards, leaping at the Sailor Senshi in a pouncing tackle, trying to drag her along. In the roll, Traski shoves her feet up into Sailor Mercury's gut and forces the girl upwards.
If things have gone well, Sailor Mercury will find herself airborn. Traski kips up to her feet, hurling her chained chakrams upwards in succession, one after the other. She repeats this several times, trying to air juggle the Sailor Scout several times before she leaps up into the air after her, stabbing with both bladed disks, and hurling Sailor Mercury (or, quite possibly at this point, what is left of her) to the ground in a final hit.
You juggle Ami Mizuno with your Darkness Falls combo.
Ami Mizuno breaks your combo.
Just .. doesn't like her? That's a reason as any .. and the warning is certainly heard. Ami didn't realize these things.. and then a wave of pure midnight rolls forward. Sailor Mercury clenches a hand to her, before light is snuffed out.. her vision is gone, and the sound about her is .. silent. Vanished... no more.
Breathing quickly, Ami's breathes are ragged. This only speeds them up, as Ami cries out, screaming as she's pounced onto, dragged into the roll.. and Traski shoving her feet up into her gut, forcing her upwards..
But as she's sent skywards.. the Sailor Scout is already grasping for things to do.. actions. Her mind doesn't simply gear up .. it goes into a full blown churning, cranking up. She has to stop it all.. Wait. The disks.. the chakrams... if she can freeze them and..
"Shine .. Aqua Illusion FREEZING!"
Erupting from the scout, spiralling outwards, is a single burst of water, the spinning trails of liquid skipped.. instead traveling down, towards Traski and her disks, the sudden blast of water freezing whatever it touches in the air.. which happens to be the disks and the chains, preventing them from reaching her.. and then it goes towards Traski.
But it spirals about her.. four different lines circling.. before an eruption of water comes from under her and then flash freezing.. she'll be able to break out, if it strikes..
But it gives Mercury some time. Landing, she tries to gain a sense of balance.. trying to figure where what is, beyond simply where 'up' and down is.. she's not having much luck.
Ami Mizuno misses Traski with her Icy cool flavor, Icy cool blast super.
The ice decends dowards, disappearing into the swirling edges of the darkness below. The sound of ice shattering pieces the muffling veil, but Traski does not scream in pain.
But Traski never cries out.
The edges of the inky blackness slow in their serpentine movements as the sunlight starts to burn away at the unnatural blackness. Could it be that Ami has done it, that she has brought the demon down, at long last, and all on her own?
No. Traski comes streaking out of the inky blackness, merely biding her time to strike. Her twin chakrams orbit her body at high velocities as Traski hurls herself at Sailor Mercury. The bladed rings move almost eratically as they fly, while Traski uses her arms and legs to create sudden impacts against the chains tethering the weapons to her hands and thereby cause alterations in her flight. To do this with just one ring would be dangerous for an unskilled wielder... but Traski can keep up two at once.
You critically strike Ami Mizuno with your Chakram Blade Dance attack.
.. That's not a good sign. At all. But Ami can't hear.. perhaps that's just what happens while she's stuck inside. She can only hope for the best. Landing, the edges of the inky blackness begin to burn away... and that's it? .. Could it be?
No. .. She would have had to done better.
Traski erupts from what blackness is left.. and the bladed rings orbit about her. The chains and rings aren't frozen.. and the impacts cause them to swing this way and that differently than before.. and as they fly, they rip into Sailor Mercury. Red stains her blue and white outfit, and old wounds are lost in the new ones. She cries out, and then hits the ground hard.
But she pushes up.. or at least tries to .. hands failing to keep her up, despite her wish to. It .. doesn't work. Not immediately. Through persistence.. Sailor Mercury staggers to her feet. "Hah... I'll never give up .. or stop fighting... then." She explains, despite her situations, before the water filled ground rises, spikes of ice poking from the ground, raising about Traki's legs.. and perhaps spearing into them.
It's .. not bubbles, or plain freezing this time. Notably.. it's also sharp.
Ami Mizuno critically strikes Traski with her Sudden spiked floors!? attack.
You take 21 damage.
This is new.
New, and exceedingly painful. Traski's legs develop several blood red patches around the cloth bands. She stops moving forward as the ice roots her in place; she does not want to risk needless damage by ripping her legs free in a less then optimal fashion. Traski twirls one chakram over her head like a lariat...
And then snap throws the other one, first, before hurling the twirled one second. The chains strain, extend, and snap taught.
You critically strike Ami Mizuno with your Chakram Hurl attack.
Ami Mizuno has been knocked out!
Sailor Mercury does her best to move.. diving down.. before both of the chakram's bite into her.. her back, and her front.. And then that's it.
Sailor Mercury goes down, a rather loud scream echoing as she grasps her heavily bleeding front.. wincing.. "Ah... I .. Tried... " But it wasn't enough.. it's never enough. .. Traski was right. Though she gives her all, Ami just .. isn't strong enough on her lonesome to take care of Traski.
It's easy to locate where she falls. The ice melting about Traski a bit faster, where as blood spreads about her form, slowly moving down the mountain, or disappearing into the ground where the trees root.
But she's down. Helpless, at this moment.. energy having left her legs and her arms, leaving her only with consciousness and limited mobility.. she finally understands how obscene this was .. to prove she wasn't weak.
She's not scared however.. just sad. She failed the group again.. and this time, a failure they'll have to deal with. She doesn't think she'll see them again.
Traski tests out her legs as the spikes melt as suddenly as they arrived. She exhales. Another dance with death, another time she has stayed one step ahead of him. Just a little while longer... she must hold out against the Kingdom and their allies a little while longer. Two down... six remain.
Traski walks over to the fallen Sailor Mercury and clearns the blood off of her chakrams on the girl's tattered skirt then hangs the deadly instruments on her belt. Her left hand falls to the hilt of her kris as she kneels down beside Ami's unconcious and dying body. The precepts run through the back of Traski's mind as she draws the poisoned dagger. A Hashalim must kill quickly, not cruelly.
But the young woman, not much older then Ami herself, hesitates as she stares down at the Sailor Scout's face in preperation of plunging the dagger inter her throat and ending her pain. She sheaths the knife and hauls Sailor Mercury up and over her shoulder. "You are fortunate that you are still a child, girl." Traski complains to Ami's unhearing ears. There is a Gate to the Hub that only Traski knows of little more then a mile from here. If she hurries, she can get the girl to the IPA's hospitol. Broken, bleeding, and dying... but still alove. Traski is certain that she will regret this later, but can not stop herself from doing this anyway.
What: Traski vs. Senshi, part 673
Where: Tzsharis Mountain - Pine Forest
Watch For: Local Musical Culture, The Nay-sayers In The OOC Lounge Being Absolutely... Right
The battles between the Sailor Senshi and the last Hashalim of Islmaad are quickly becoming the stuff of tales in this plane. Rumors about the mysterious girls that throw around fire and light and lightning are spreading across the cities, towns, and villages of the Kingdom of Light. People speak particularly highly of the enigmatic Sailor Venus, whom is not only fair to look upon, but wields light in the manner of the Priests and Paladins. But for hope to bloom, there must be fear for it to take root in. While the presence of these strange warriors from a world unlike their own gives the people of the Kingdom hope, they are still fearful. Afraid of this one woman, this last survivor of a race of demons that managed to slip through the fingers of the Paladins and Priests five years ago. And continues to elude, evade, and foil not only them but their IPA allies as well, time and time again.
Traski's exploits are passing from reality into legend.
But she is yet mortal and many continue to hunt her. Meliadoul Tenguille of the IPA has sworn to stop the woman. Renard, one of the local Paladins, has sworn an oath before God and King to see justice done. He has ridden a horse to death chasing her, then continued on foot in full plate mail after the beast of burdon collapsed. With each strike, the Sailor Senshi have become more and more unified in their efforts to stop Traski... or... have they...
The mountain rises up before Sailor Mercury, silent and forboding. The Kingdom never named the mountain formally. After the demons were discovered, the local Lightheim took to calling it the 'Dark Mountain' or the 'Cursed Mountain'. But the Islmaadi called it 'Tsharzaris', the 'Pillar of the Night Sky' in their old tounge.
It is steep. It is cold. It is inhospitable and treacherous. The locals fear it and shun it in the wake of the war five years ago. It stands before you as a monolithic challenge to be overcome.
Somewhere, on that mountain, Traski awaits.
The first, and most important point.. is that Ami should not be here. The skirt that she generally wears was ripped not two days ago, and with a bit of sewing, reattached. Her wounds were taken care of .. but she can still feel them to a point.
If she let that get in the way of anything.. Traski would be right. Perhaps going against common sense, Sailor Mercury had arrived at the foot of the mountain, her walk slowing as she approached the first step onto the cold.. and tall, mountain. The cold she would deal with... it would be colder than what she would normally deal with as Sailor Mercury.. but perhaps she could mitigate it better than the rest. Her boots would help her with the treacherous environment.. but it seems even to reach Traski, Sailor Mercury would have to push herself against something she normally would have trouble with with the other Senshi.
But she takes the first step onto this mountain, the name she learned to be 'Dark Mountain'.. a fitting place for a woman who deals with such darkness, as Traski tends to.
Going alone, without even warning one of the other scouts, Ami begins her ascent onto the mountain, boots treading carefully over the stones, loose or not, as well as the icy patches that would probably await her. "I ... I have to do this.." She tells herself, taking another step of many. "Otherwise I should have just let go.." That's what she said, right? Useless.. the others so much better.
It's a shame Ami actually listens to these words.. and takes them to heart. You'd think she'd have learned.
The foot of the mountain is not difficult, the slope is not horrible. The forest of tall, old fir trees helps keep what slopes there are easily surmountable. The massive roots make natural hand and foot holds, even if they are rather nasty tripping hazard across the patches of level ground. The forest is fairly thick; the canopy is not so terribly forboding, the pine needles allowing light to filter down through the treeline in places. It is almost pleasant, if not for the ever present reality that this is Traski's mountain, the woman is a master of stealth kills, and has a personal disliking to you.
But Ami is not harassed by anything larger then the occasional fox; she's bigger then they are, those flee from her. But at the edges of her hearing, somewhere above her, Ami will start to hear a voice. A singing voice. It grows louder with each passing line. It doesn't take long before it is recognisable.
"Take heed of that lit-tle bird and see which way it flies..."
"Follow not it's cur-sed path for that is most un-wise."
"Follow not the little bird to the tall and pine-y trees..."
"For demons creep with-in the bows..."
"And do what ill they please..."
"Walk not to the ill hewn stone..."
"And never go alone...."
"For dark things creep...
"And do not sleep..."
"And will keep you from your home..."
"So turn back my lit-tle bird and heed moma's bid-ding to staaaaay..."
"For evil lurks upon the mount to take children a-way..."
"Turn away your head-strong venture and watch which way you fly..."
"For if you go to the mou... oun... tain."
The voice is close. Very close, somewhere up above.
"Then you... will sure... ly... ... ..."
There is a heavy rustle of leaves behind Ami's position as Traski lands on a branch, face as hard as stone but voice as soft as new satin sheets as she finishes the last line of the song."
".../diiiieeeeeeeeeee/."
She makes her way up fast enough.. Sailor Mercury talking her time, her somewhat wounded right leg still giving her a bit of trouble.. but she presses on. The forest, fairy thick, is much nicer than an empty, barren wasteland of ice where she remembers this feeling from.
This feeling that your best might not just be enough .. that your best might only be enough to help another.. and she's alone. It would be worth nothing, her best, if that's true. But the Sailor of Intelligence and Water keeps her path, higher up.. the light a sign that maybe things will be alright.. she isn't dead yet, and with the animals.. it's almost serene.
Almost. Something.. she can hear something.
Looking left and right, the scout's mercury goggles slide over her eyes, allowing her some slight extra visibility. There's nothing she can see.. but the voice is growing closer.
And then the first verse she can fully understand. Ami speeds up her pace a bit, glancing about ever few lines or so, but moving from a walk to a bit of a run as the voice grows closer. Running .. where though? It never crosses her mind why. While not looking, a tree's root grasps her foot, the scout stumbling, and only slowing her down.
She stops afterwards, the lyrics getting to her already .. yet now, they come from somewhere close. The goggles vanish as she stands, looking to the canopy, Mercury gazing over the light spotted scenery, darkness like a veil.. almost as if it was a physical thing.
And then there it is, the final line coming from the area behind her, the scout nearly leaping. Traski would see the fear easily.. but she's still here. And moments later, Ami turns, unconfident eyes looking upon Traski and her perch. But she's still here. "I .. Was hoping I'd find you." Sailor Mercury gets out, almost in one sentence. Before she points to Traski.. she doesn't go through her usual stuff. "I've been thinking alot about what you said .. and you're wrong... I'm not useless.. I'm not just being babysat by the group.... I'm capable by myself." The finger has long since stopped pointing, hand balling into a fist against her chest. "I'm sure.. I can help them against you." By herself.
What flawed logic, has Traski born?
Traski remains in place, squatting down on the balls of her heels. Her position, precariously balanced on that too thin branch of wood that is not of a particularly strong variety. It just looks like an uncomfortable position. Anyone that's had to 'sit' like that in gym class will tell you, it's murderous, you just want to keep shifting the weight from one foot to the other. But Traski stays rock still, one hand liesurely resting on top of a knee, the other resting solidly on the hilt of a dagger. Perched up in that tree, she looks very much the hawk, poised to swoop down on a foolishly brave mouse.
"Go home, child." Traski commands.
Traski staying there, in that position.. it's not one that's welcoming.. nor did she expect it to be. It's certainly something she'd avoid .. in any other situation, or circumstance. But she came here. She came here for a reason. And with Traski sitting in that rather .. uncomfortable looking position, Sailor Mercury is issued a simple command.
Part of her wants to follow it. to just go home and act like nothing else is wrong. Haven't all of the scouts wanted to do that at some point? To live a normal life like they had expected... expect maybe for Mina.
Uncommon for Sailor Mercury, Ami stands, looking back up to Traski.. and her only answer isn't what she's probably looking for, and far too short. "No." Ami Protests. It might be a bit foolish.
"Fine." Traski says simply, as if conversing about the weather.
The Hashalim stands and begins to scale the tree, heading back up in the direction she decended from. She is taking her time about it; her movements, while graceful, are not the quick and brutal movements that she has become infamous for. She is not taking this seriously.
"If you are that foolish, then go ahead and climb. Die on the mountain, for all I care, she who aids the kinslayers." Traski casually flings the words down towards the ground, she honestly does not care. Is she just... walking away?
Traski .. doesn't care.
The frustration behind this all peaks. She's been second guessing herself... she's been going over these words from Traski for too long over the last couple of days since the last encounter.. and now Traski is just .. climbing .. away.. Ami stands there, blank.. face just following her movements.. before something cracks. Sailor Mercury isn't without her flaws. Everyone has a dark side.. but the scouts generally tend to have a limited one. Mercury's is just larger than the rest. Maybe Traski will notice it..
But without provocation, beyond being a murderer and all that, Sailor Mercury raises her hands upwards, crossing them, bubbles being formed infront of her tiara before she extends her hands. "Shabon Spray .. FREEEZING!" There's no actual words beyond those to phrase the attack. The bubbles fly towards the top of the tree, and the tree's branches immediately become brittle, icy, and slippery.. and that's not telling what it might do to Traski. The ice chills to the bone.. even if it doesn't burn or leave a ringing pain like the rest do.
Ami Mizuno misses Traski with her Traski is SUCH a bully attack.
Traski is not sensitive to the ephemeral or the metaphysical. She can not 'feel' magic, nor unnatural energies, be they demonic or angelic. Such falls under the perview of the Shaman. And there are no more Shamans; there have been none for five years. It is not something that Traski has any chance of noticing.
But the blast of ice no one could mistake. Traski's inhuman reflexes kick in; the Hashalim launches herself in a backflip off of the tree truck as the ic smashes into the tree, stripping away bark and needle alike. Traski gives peasents and other such non-combatants the benefit of the doubt. She kills no commoner that does not raise sword to her; Ami has wasted with one and only grace that Traski has extended to her. The woman lands in a three point crouch, unstaggered by the height of her fall. "So be it... /warrior/." With the speed no normal human can match the demon-woman launches herself forward, pulling a dagger to each hand as she leaps at the Sailor Scout.
You critically strike Ami Mizuno with your Dance of Blades attack.
It's true. And in the end, as Traski launches herself off the tree trunk, Sailor Mercury readies herself.. but is far, far too late to ever ready for Traski, whom comes barreling towards her, daggers a bit away from herself suddenly growing much closer.. and then she can feel them bite into her, ripping into her .. some of the wounds she had gotten over re-opening.
The Sailor Scout pulls away.. some of the crimson lines of the open wounds trailing down her.. already, such a bad start. Could what Traski have said be true? .. No she can't let thoughts like that creep into her head. Just as fast as she slides out, she heads back in, around those daggers.. and instead, swinging a rather heavy( for her) and high kick towards Traski's upper body.
Just how pointless this must be, for Ami to start a battle solely to prove she's not weak.. just how obscene it is.. hasn't began to sink in. "Someone has to stop you... Anyone."
This of course opens her up pretty badly.
Ami Mizuno misses Traski with her Kicking High attack.
Traski flows like the water, rippling backwards after her opening assault and sheathing both of the daggers with a smooth motion. Her face remains hard, dispassionate. This is not something that she enjoys partaking it; it is merely something that must be done. "Why?" Traski utters the single word; far more words then she typically spares an opponent in leathal combat.
One hand reaches up, grabbing at the outstretched leg and catching it with a practiced ease. Traski's body follows through without guidance, muscle memory gained from years of constant training and practice. Traski's other hand, open palmed, lashes at Sailor Mercury's knee as her grip hand pulls towards. Between the pressure going in two different directions on Ami's joints, a sprain is likely. A break is possible.
You miss Ami Mizuno with your Either Way, It Will Hurt, But... feint.
Her leg is grabbed. Ami isn't ready for it, but as Traski lashes for her leg, aiming to sprain or break.. the Sailor slides out, spinning, pulling herself before any damage is done. "Because of what you've done.. even if it has been for something you care about ... you've hurt so many. They all want you dead.. you've told me before."
Black and white, maybe? Far from it perhaps.. but she knows that Traski's said simply to not get in the way.. and she's been doing that quite alot.
"Shining Aqua... Illusion!" Rings of water begin to encircle the scout, spinning faster, before they congregate, merging as they erupt towards Traski, to smash her into one of the trees on pure force alone! And water the plants. "And I guess... to prove .. to the others I'm not helpless...!"
.. By doing something dangerous, on her own? Maybe not helpless.. but reckless?
Ami Mizuno critically strikes Traski with her Girl's still going at it, watch out for stray geysers attack.
You take 30 damage.
"That they certainly do. It grows tiresome." Traski says, slowing down to talk. As she talks, she focuses on her words, choosing them carefully. "I would gladly give them what they want and die in one last, glorious battle... to make such an end for myself with the bodies of those I hate piled high at my feet. A fitting end for the last Hashalim, to die to avenge those that have fallen." Traski focuses on her words and not her movements.
The blast of water slams her into a tree; the Hashalim's impact shakes a shower of dead winter needles from the tree. Traski rises to one knee as she picks herself up off of the ground. "But duty dictates otherwise. My desires come second to the demands of my service." As Traski rises, she starts throwing knives in quick succession. Four of them, all told, sharp as razors and balanced for throwing.
You critically strike Ami Mizuno with your Dagger Storm attack.
She wants to kill them. To fight to the death... and yet she doesn't. She's mentioned it before, and now again, as Traski talks slowly.. and even when struck.. hardly like before. Ami lets her guard down .. the daggers slamming onto her, the knives sticking out at every point, the red liquid again easily noticeable, despite Mercury's attempt to avoid them.
"You keep mentioning your service.. but you've only ever made a slight mention of it.. It isn't just to remove those who keep going against you .. why do you need the child?" She asks, and for a moment.. but doesn't halt the offensive.. though her strikes are far less powerful as she gets in closer, and there are a few knives sticking about.
A single center strike with a kick to knock her away, although far less powerful than she tried before... ".. How you've continually stalked me .. I came here to have that end.. why are you doing it?... It's like those guards and you." She mentions.
Ami Mizuno misses Traski with her Hi.. yah? feint.
Traski closes the distance quickly, not letting up on her assault. She is unyielding and relentless. She comes into melee range, lashing out with a series of cyclic punches, the pinwheeling of her arm both acting to attack and defend. As Sailor Mercury kicks, her leg is battered away under Traski's far more aggressive assault. Traski moves forwards, trying to keep Ami off of her balance. She talks as she attacks, tight, clipped sentences. "You are my enemy. You have made yourself so. Thus... in order to defend myself and destory you, I must know you. One can not truely kill someone unless they know them. As for the children... you are the smart one. Figure it out."
You critically strike Ami Mizuno with your Hashalim Combat Arts - Night Breeze Style attack.
With Traski assaulting her faster, Ami again has her assault turned on her, the woman lashing out with a series of punches.. each of them striking in succession. There's not much she can do. battered, Sailor Mercury stumbles backwards.. looking far worse for wear than she'd like to show Traski.
"Of course.. when I spoke with you before..." And she's made herself this target? The gears begin to turn.. to click. It's ... been a bit more problematic than Ami's realized, and half of her own trouble was caused by herself.
"A hostage... maybe training... " She'd think much better when there's not more than a few streaks of red trailing down her.. but she has to focus. She has to fight back! .. To be destroyed.. it wasn't enjoyable the first time.
Kicking up, against the tree, Ami launches herself towards Traski, boots leading, intent on an aerial kick.. it's never failed her before! "But .. my shoes?" She doesn't know that was her. A common baiting to just try and see the response.
Ami Mizuno hits Traski with her Maybe I just need a bit more momentum! attack.
You take 12 damage.
"That was a warning." Traski manages to get out mere moments before both of Ami's feet are planted into her chest. The Hashalim flips backwards with the blow, rolling with the impact and lessening the hit as much as she can manage. She lands cleanly on her feet again, pure black eyes narrowing. "And also... because I just don't like you." Traski can feel it; this one is on the brink. Just a little hard of a push will send her over and end this fight. Traski places her hands on the chakrams at her hips, and then utters two words.
"Darkness, darkness."
A wave of pure midnight rolls forward from behind the Hashalim, sweeping over root and tree, rock and bramble alike. It sweeps over and that cold, unnatural sensation returns from before. Light is snuffed out, vision is choked, and sound is dampened. But to Traski, it is as if nothing in the area is out of the ordinary; her eyes lose no acuity, her ears retain their sharpness. She bolts forwards, leaping at the Sailor Senshi in a pouncing tackle, trying to drag her along. In the roll, Traski shoves her feet up into Sailor Mercury's gut and forces the girl upwards.
If things have gone well, Sailor Mercury will find herself airborn. Traski kips up to her feet, hurling her chained chakrams upwards in succession, one after the other. She repeats this several times, trying to air juggle the Sailor Scout several times before she leaps up into the air after her, stabbing with both bladed disks, and hurling Sailor Mercury (or, quite possibly at this point, what is left of her) to the ground in a final hit.
You juggle Ami Mizuno with your Darkness Falls combo.
Ami Mizuno breaks your combo.
Just .. doesn't like her? That's a reason as any .. and the warning is certainly heard. Ami didn't realize these things.. and then a wave of pure midnight rolls forward. Sailor Mercury clenches a hand to her, before light is snuffed out.. her vision is gone, and the sound about her is .. silent. Vanished... no more.
Breathing quickly, Ami's breathes are ragged. This only speeds them up, as Ami cries out, screaming as she's pounced onto, dragged into the roll.. and Traski shoving her feet up into her gut, forcing her upwards..
But as she's sent skywards.. the Sailor Scout is already grasping for things to do.. actions. Her mind doesn't simply gear up .. it goes into a full blown churning, cranking up. She has to stop it all.. Wait. The disks.. the chakrams... if she can freeze them and..
"Shine .. Aqua Illusion FREEZING!"
Erupting from the scout, spiralling outwards, is a single burst of water, the spinning trails of liquid skipped.. instead traveling down, towards Traski and her disks, the sudden blast of water freezing whatever it touches in the air.. which happens to be the disks and the chains, preventing them from reaching her.. and then it goes towards Traski.
But it spirals about her.. four different lines circling.. before an eruption of water comes from under her and then flash freezing.. she'll be able to break out, if it strikes..
But it gives Mercury some time. Landing, she tries to gain a sense of balance.. trying to figure where what is, beyond simply where 'up' and down is.. she's not having much luck.
Ami Mizuno misses Traski with her Icy cool flavor, Icy cool blast super.
The ice decends dowards, disappearing into the swirling edges of the darkness below. The sound of ice shattering pieces the muffling veil, but Traski does not scream in pain.
But Traski never cries out.
The edges of the inky blackness slow in their serpentine movements as the sunlight starts to burn away at the unnatural blackness. Could it be that Ami has done it, that she has brought the demon down, at long last, and all on her own?
No. Traski comes streaking out of the inky blackness, merely biding her time to strike. Her twin chakrams orbit her body at high velocities as Traski hurls herself at Sailor Mercury. The bladed rings move almost eratically as they fly, while Traski uses her arms and legs to create sudden impacts against the chains tethering the weapons to her hands and thereby cause alterations in her flight. To do this with just one ring would be dangerous for an unskilled wielder... but Traski can keep up two at once.
You critically strike Ami Mizuno with your Chakram Blade Dance attack.
.. That's not a good sign. At all. But Ami can't hear.. perhaps that's just what happens while she's stuck inside. She can only hope for the best. Landing, the edges of the inky blackness begin to burn away... and that's it? .. Could it be?
No. .. She would have had to done better.
Traski erupts from what blackness is left.. and the bladed rings orbit about her. The chains and rings aren't frozen.. and the impacts cause them to swing this way and that differently than before.. and as they fly, they rip into Sailor Mercury. Red stains her blue and white outfit, and old wounds are lost in the new ones. She cries out, and then hits the ground hard.
But she pushes up.. or at least tries to .. hands failing to keep her up, despite her wish to. It .. doesn't work. Not immediately. Through persistence.. Sailor Mercury staggers to her feet. "Hah... I'll never give up .. or stop fighting... then." She explains, despite her situations, before the water filled ground rises, spikes of ice poking from the ground, raising about Traki's legs.. and perhaps spearing into them.
It's .. not bubbles, or plain freezing this time. Notably.. it's also sharp.
Ami Mizuno critically strikes Traski with her Sudden spiked floors!? attack.
You take 21 damage.
This is new.
New, and exceedingly painful. Traski's legs develop several blood red patches around the cloth bands. She stops moving forward as the ice roots her in place; she does not want to risk needless damage by ripping her legs free in a less then optimal fashion. Traski twirls one chakram over her head like a lariat...
And then snap throws the other one, first, before hurling the twirled one second. The chains strain, extend, and snap taught.
You critically strike Ami Mizuno with your Chakram Hurl attack.
Ami Mizuno has been knocked out!
Sailor Mercury does her best to move.. diving down.. before both of the chakram's bite into her.. her back, and her front.. And then that's it.
Sailor Mercury goes down, a rather loud scream echoing as she grasps her heavily bleeding front.. wincing.. "Ah... I .. Tried... " But it wasn't enough.. it's never enough. .. Traski was right. Though she gives her all, Ami just .. isn't strong enough on her lonesome to take care of Traski.
It's easy to locate where she falls. The ice melting about Traski a bit faster, where as blood spreads about her form, slowly moving down the mountain, or disappearing into the ground where the trees root.
But she's down. Helpless, at this moment.. energy having left her legs and her arms, leaving her only with consciousness and limited mobility.. she finally understands how obscene this was .. to prove she wasn't weak.
She's not scared however.. just sad. She failed the group again.. and this time, a failure they'll have to deal with. She doesn't think she'll see them again.
Traski tests out her legs as the spikes melt as suddenly as they arrived. She exhales. Another dance with death, another time she has stayed one step ahead of him. Just a little while longer... she must hold out against the Kingdom and their allies a little while longer. Two down... six remain.
Traski walks over to the fallen Sailor Mercury and clearns the blood off of her chakrams on the girl's tattered skirt then hangs the deadly instruments on her belt. Her left hand falls to the hilt of her kris as she kneels down beside Ami's unconcious and dying body. The precepts run through the back of Traski's mind as she draws the poisoned dagger. A Hashalim must kill quickly, not cruelly.
But the young woman, not much older then Ami herself, hesitates as she stares down at the Sailor Scout's face in preperation of plunging the dagger inter her throat and ending her pain. She sheaths the knife and hauls Sailor Mercury up and over her shoulder. "You are fortunate that you are still a child, girl." Traski complains to Ami's unhearing ears. There is a Gate to the Hub that only Traski knows of little more then a mile from here. If she hurries, she can get the girl to the IPA's hospitol. Broken, bleeding, and dying... but still alove. Traski is certain that she will regret this later, but can not stop herself from doing this anyway.