Who the hell came up with moving cacti? Worst idea EVER. [Open]

[buriedmemory]

Characters: Isako and whoever wants to log some good ol' cacti killin'
Content: Cactuar are attacking the ships!
Setting: 4423 and Winding Way. (They're in the same area since they were both doing repairs)
Time: Daytime. Sometime.
Warnings: Isako's got a gun. I'd be careful.

Comments

[holdon2yourhat]

Maxim had already swung from the deck onto solid ground and was charging at the first wave of monsters, blade in his left hand. Long ago he'd taught himself to be ambidextrous but it had been a while. A long while. Like, twenty years. Still, like Jenka had reassured him, he was a better fighter with his left hand than the majority of the population of Reial in prime condition.

Besides, these things went down pretty easy. One slice clean through the middle sent them tumbling. And as long as he kept moving he managed to avoid most of the flying cactus needles. There were a couple embedded in his arms and shoulders and they only hurt a little, at least for him. He had no idea how they'd feel to his human crewmates.

It didn't matter that he was the only one out here taking these things head on. Maxim was enjoying himself thoroughly as the huge grin on his face suggested.

[theschmotone]

Dimo didn't have a sword, but then, he didn't really think that it mattered that much, either. He was nimble enough that, in his own mind at least, he should be able to avoid whatever these cactus-things threw at him. Right now, he just wanted to go out and tear something apart, and these things were a damned good excuse.

With a happy growl, he moved through the cactuar, claws dripping juice, until he ended up right beside Maxim. "Feels goot, doezn't it?" he shouted, eager to join the fray even more.

[holdon2yourhat]

The needles were flying faster and Maxim had to stay on his toes to keep from getting turned into a pin cushion holding a sword. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of movement from something that wasn't a cactuar. Taking a quick glance he was more than a little grateful to see Dimo had joined the fight. Not that he didn't think he could take out every single one of these things by himself, but the fewer cactus spines he had sticking out of him later, the better.

Speaking of which, a sudden sharp pain just above one eye caused him to flinch and yelp. "AUGH! Gott demn it!"

Okay, the needles were easy to handle as long as they were hitting fleshy parts of his body, but that one right on his brow line HURT. After quickly rubbing at the needle with his stump of a right arm, he spun and dealt a long slash across the middles of several cactuars coming right for him.

"No, aktually, it dun feel very good at all! Dun let dem shoot hyu in de eye!"

[theschmotone]

"Right!" Dimo growled, narrowly ducking out of the way of a barrage of needles that were all aimed squarely for him face. After slashing a good-sized chunk off of the offending cactuar, he yanked the goggles that sat on the brim of his hat down and over his eyes. It was satisfying to have them come in handy for more things than just looking sharp every now and then.

"I vill be fine!" he called out to Maxim, ripping another of the creatures into neat chunks. Dimo brought one hand to his mouth while the other stayed out, claws extended, and curiously licked a claw. "Zay, dese tings doezn't taste half bad!" he laughed while tearing into another one.

[causink_trouble]

If they weren't supposed to let these things touch the ship, they better start before they get any closer, right? Not that the ship or the pay actually mattered. After all these weeks of enforced good behavior, Jenka just really wanted a fight.

A nice, big, heavy sword was good in situations like this. She could cut several of the creatures apart with one swing, and was doing just that, relishing the feeling of her weapon tearing through flesh. Or plant matter. Or something. They... smelled strange. Jenka would've preferred blood - but there was plenty of her own before long. She had been enjoying herself far too much to actually dodge any of the spikes.

[alastinglight]

Takasugi enjoyed wielding a blade just as much as any batshit crazy fighter did. He had, however, more than enough reason to want to stay alive, and as such, he MAY have had better survival instincts than most berserkers on the field.

...That much as obvious, in how he spotted one of his crew mates hacking away, with little regard for her own safety. The man chuckled to himself, and moved to assist her.

"You won't be able to enjoy what we can reap from this battle if you die from blood loss, I think," he murmured, after he had deflected a wave of spikes from them both.

[causink_trouble]

Jenka had managed to stay alive for 380 years, berserker or not, and today wasn't likely to be any different. She gave the man a sideways glance and smiled dangerously, the expression accentuated by a spike through her right cheek. "Ho, ve'z not dot easy to kill! I'z goot for anodder day ov dis, at least." It was true, although she'd pay for it later. The Jägers were made for battle, and made extremely well.

Still, some shielding wasn't a bad thing, so she didn't move away, even though having a virtual stranger this close to her and on her side in a fight was a disconcerting feeling. His presence made Jenka more careful, not less - Takasugi was clearly more of a danger than the cactuars, if he decided to be. It made for an interesting fight, and she did enjoy seeing him kill.

[alastinglight]

"Forgive my impudence then."

There was deep amusement in Takasugi's voice as he cut a whole section of the critters down with one slice, and cut down another group with another. He may not have been as old, and, perhaps, only human, but it was only on the battlefield that he felt alive.

They used to call him a demon for a reason, after all.

[gypsymothdance]

This was utterly heartbreaking. Of all the things she would ever fight, the last she ever expected to go up against was cactii. She had a strange fondness for plants of the desert, known for being both beautiful and deadly, much like herself. It was like fighting a piece of herself, which horrified her in more ways than one, and a little part of her wanted to run and hide in her room until it was all over

[seventh_hero]

As Cloud emerged from the relative safety of the inside of the ship, his boots loudly clanging as he scaled the metal steps, the shipwright was, in every sense of the word, ready to repel the assault. His wrists thickly girded with a pair of bolted-metal bands, waist and back steadied by a broad leather belt, and his shoulders padded with steel covers, the left one thicker and more pronounced than the other, he emerged with eyes as sharp and wits as keen as the large, crushing blade he bore

[d_luffymonkey]

As asked by Zeetha, Luffy was staying right before the Winding Way, a monstrous barrel of water beside him as the powder monkey stayed crouching behind a wooden crate that he took down himself personally as a shield as he cast a look at the cactuars. The boatswain had told him to be careful and only act if the defences were breached - said defences held up rather nicely for the moment as the teenager kept his eye on the cactuars.

He wasn't really sure what Zeetha was up to, but... well she said it'd help, and Luffy trusted her. Besides what harm would water do anyway? Maybe they were scared of it or something... well, whatever the case. The powder was sure he'd do it anyway.

The cactuars fell prey to Jean's dancing (which Luffy never noticed), only seeing a few of the living plants slipping from Cloud's reach and immediately acted at once. He grabbed a pail and dunked it with water before stretching iy over and without so much as a warning, dumped a bucket of freezing ice water right onto the cactaii.

[gypsymothdance]

That was enough dancing. They were getting too close. The first ones were closing in range. Her final spin slowed to a stop and flowed straight into a fighting stance, fans held at the ready. It was time for some real action

[phytotoxin]

Marluxia made his way up onto the deck, wanting to get a closer look at the Cactuars and see how numerous they were. He walked with a swift, earnest gait and took in a deep breath as he got outside. He couldn't smell fire just yet and he hadn't heard or felt the tell-tale explosions that came with a cannon being fired, but he had a feeling that it was to come, much to his dismay.

He gripped the railing and looked down at their massing foes, his eyes going wide at the sight of the sheer number of them. Unlike a good number of the crew members, he didn't swing himself down over the rail onto the solid ground below and he didn't pull out a projectile weapon to attack from a distance like his Captain. Instead, he observed. He was a calculating fighter and there was no sense in going into a fight with an unknown quantity, all guns blazing, without knowing quite what you're up against and why.

Well, they were definitely Cactuars and they were definitely out of their natural environment, there was no arguing with that. They didn't seem to

[fuhenteki]

Considering this is probably the first time that the old samurai ever saw such creatures, Kambei's first instinct was to get ready for combat. These mobile cacti already proved they were hostile by attacking them first but as the resident botanist told him, these cactuars are outside of their natural habitat. It is unlikely to into an entire tribe of cactuars in the middle of the forest, so what could have lured them here all the way towards the woodland areas of Bydan

[phytotoxin]

Marluxia looked over at Kambei, an eye narrowed.

"A disaster? With enough swords and guns we should be able to cut them down. There are certainly enough of us, though their speed will make it difficult for those on the front line." He said, not looking as worried about it as he should. "Are you still hell bent on trying to burn them to cinders?"

He didn't think it would work, but trial and error was something he was prepared to step back and allow to happen. He had to admit, even though it was difficult to do so even to himself, that he hadn't studied Cactuars as extensively as he had Ochus or Malboros, so although he did remember reading that fire wasn't as effective as everybody believed it should be, he couldn't quite recall what effect it did have.

He adjusted the hold on his scythe shaft and scowled down at the horde of Cactuars below.

[fuhenteki]

A faint chuckle came from Kambei once Marlaxia asked about his daring fire ploy. Despite the fact, using fire would be a quicker way to get rid of the cactuar menace; he was now having second doubts about that idea. Considering the fact that Bydan is a heavily forested area, the old samurai figured it would be stupid at best to set fire to this region.

He did suggest his idea to sailors of the Winding Way but Kambei was quick to retract his suggestion. However, the old samurai had a bad feeling that the crew of the WW might just go along with the fire idea after all. If that happens, the 4423 certainly will be blamed for burning down this port city and the lush green forests nearby it.

“Luck isn’t exactly our strongest asset but I am hoping others will abandon that plan.” Kambei replied quickly just as he unsheathed his katana.

[flight_15]

Ichigo paused only to sling his sword over his shoulder as he stomped out of the cabin. Damn that idiot -- he was going to haul him back onto the ship, dammit, until they heard what the plan was. He'd fought these cactuars before, but he'd had a fire-mage with him then.

At any rate, Gintoki wasn't going to get anywhere attacking wildly. Ichigo climbed up onto the deck, eyes blazing. "YOU!" he yelled, pointing at the silver-haired idiot. "With the stupid perm! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

[flight_15]

"DAMMIT, WE NEED A PLAN! DON'T GO CHARGING OUT THERE WAVING THAT STICK AROUND!" Ichigo roared. "THOSE THINGS THROW NEEDLES! YOU'LL JUST GET TURNED INTO A PINCUSHION OUT HERE!" He had to talk to Zeetha -- she'd have a plan. While Ichigo could operate on his own, and operate well, he'd spent the last six years on a mercenary ship, and could take orders and work as part of a unit.

And in his experience, units got more done than people just rushing in on their own.