twenty-sixth form; fighting blind {video/text} (dated to 16th Jul)

[used_glare]

 //video

{To anyone who's paying attention, it will immediately apparent that something is very much not right with this feed. For one, the 'Gear is at a weird angle, and it seems to be resting in a tuft of grass.}

Shinrai? Where are you - I can't see - Shinrai! {Two, Nanao is in the centre of a clearing, surrounded on all sides by forest. Her eyes are still blindfolded, and she's turning about, hands clenched white-knuckle tight around her staff.}

Shinrai!! {Three, her Riolu is nowhere near her - in fact, he seems to be somewhere to the right, out of sight of the camera - and by the noises he's making, something is very much not well. And then he falls silent suddenly, almost as if something had scared him silent. Slowly, Nanao rotates around, until she's facing in roughly his direction - the camera's direction. It's far too silent - and then there's a faint rustle, and a quiet thud, and she snaps her head over to the left of the screen.}

{Something's there with them. Three guesses as to whether or not it's friendly, and the first two don't count.}

{And then Nanao does the worst thing possible, and opens her mouth.}

. . . who's there?

{There's a hiss, low and predatory, and Shinrai starts shrieking in fear, in a tone that obviously triggers some flood of adrenaline within her because she takes two steps forward, but, unfortunately, so does the thing off to the left side of the camera, and it stalks towards the literally helpless Riolu, heavy footsteps thudding over the speakers of the 'Gear}

SHINRAI!! {He's screaming now, and large green feet tipped with wicked looking spikes tread right in front of the camera. They pause, and they shift weight, one moving past the camera, as if whatever the creature is was raising an arm up high - before it comes thudding down, and the terrified screams of the baby Riolu cut off with a horrid, fleshy wet thump.}

N-no.... {The foot pivots again, and whatever just... attacked Shinrai is now facing Nanao. Her face is white, and her jaws slack in shock - to her ears, it must sound like someone - or something - has just murdered her Riolu.} No.

{And you know what they say. Don't get mad, get even. Her face twists into a snarl - and she snarls, bestial.}

You son OF A WHORE! {Adrenaline and rage-filled, she moves into a fighting stance, shifting her grip on her staff.}

Fight me. {And the creature hisses satisfactorily, and moves forward, exposing more and more of a dull green carapace, segmented armour, and twin wicked scythes with every step. There seems to be something dark and wet on one of the scythes - and as the Scyther moves out of the shadows and into the summer sun, a fat droplet of dark red blood rolls down the edge and plops wetly onto the grass.}

{In a blur of motion, it moves, streaking in, blood-wet scythe raised high, expecting to end this with a single stroke. What it doesn't expect is for her to raise the staff, blocking the diagonal cut, or then to parry it - breaking open it's defense, and then to deal it a blow to the thorax, sending it stumbling back.}

{It sways, stunned, for a few moments, and Nanao brings the staff up back into a guard stance. This bug is about to learn the hard way as to why you just do not fuck with a Shinigami's family.}

{The Scyther shakes it's head, and screams in rage, a rasping sound like a burnt Meowth being dragged over broken glass and rusty nails, and then the dance is on. It is quicker than her, and taller and heavier (but that isn't hard, she weighs just over one hundred pounds soaking wet), but Nanao hasn't survived a hundred years as a Shinigami for nothing, and gives as good as she gets, redirecting and dodging them where she can, outright blocking them if she can't - all with a look of ferocious concentration on her face, because she still has to do this blind.}

{No matter how hard it tries, it simply cannot find an opening - the long, strong staff is always in the way. Had Nanao been using her customary wakizashi, there is no doubt that she wouldn't have been able to block two of the slashing attacks, let alone all of them. Frustrated, the Scyther leaps back, and raises both scythes above it's head - Nanao backpedals, sensing something is happening, but she isn't fast enough, and when it brings the scythes hurtling down, she's pulled forward by the irresistable force of Vacuum Wave, feet dragging, tripping over the ground, right into the reach of those deadly weapons.}

{She scrambles to try and get back up, but she only gets as far as one knee before one scythe rakes upward across her stomach, and crimson blood rolls out of the wound. She lets out a choked scream, and the second strike bisects the staff, sending part of it flying into the air as the scythes buries itself deep into her shoulder - }

{And then the piece of staff connects with the 'Gear, and transmission ceases}

//text, about five hours later

Can someone please come and pick me up from the Goldenrod Pokemon Centre? I can't get home by myself.

{{ooc: You cannot help Nanao at the National Park! She's in the middle of the Bug Catching Competition, and wandered off into the forest. Hey. Seeing-Eye Riolu aren't always really reliable, don't blame Shinrai. She will, however be chilling in the foyer of the Goldenrod PKMN Centre, if you want face-to-face interactions. Other than that, video and text replies will come after he text is sent out!}}