[closed]

[brynwieldr]

Who: Leo and his shinki
What: Answering prayer 19. All three of them. May the gods have mercy on Leo's soul.
When: May 26th (because Leo's hungover the 25th)
Where: Near Shore, tracking down one of the big ayakashi
Summary: Leo and Saix handled finding the puppy a while back. Time to handle the ayakashi causing puppy disappearances.

[Leo looks at the four or five (and counting) dogs milling about the area where the ayakashi had last been seen. None of them looked happy, but none of them looked scared, either. Most of them looked ready to fight something, going of what very little Leo knew of dogs.

This could be interesting.]

Well, it looks like one of them recognizes us. That might make this easier. Saix, are you able to speak to dogs shifted? Niles, can you find any tracks of the ayakashi?

Comments

[saikusu]

I'm not entirely sure. I didn't try when we were looking for the lost dog.

[He hadn't wanted to draw attention to himself and scare them off, but maybe he needn't have worried about that?]

I was more focused on what I could smell than what I was hearing. The only way to find out is to try, I suppose.

[Saïx hasn't gone out of his way to acknowledge Niles since they left the temple, but he hasn't really said much of anything to either of them on the way until now.]

[deniles]

I'll start looking.

[He breaks off from the trio and walks past the dogs. He grabs his bow and arrow from underneath his cape.

He seems to be completely avoiding the dogs, don't come near him, so he'll leave those for Saix.]

[brynwieldr]

Okamiki.

[Leo turns Saix into a wolf and lets him do his thing while Leo begins to look for signs of the ayakashi himself. He needs to do something.]

[saikusu]

[After changing, Saïx approaches the dogs, doing his best to appear non-threatening to them as he does so. He can hear them barking, but with some focus, he can kind of get the gist of what they're saying. It's not like they're speaking in any language that can be easily translated into human speech, but he's able to read their tones, able to figure out what sort of sounds signify what. After a few minutes of listening, he speaks to Leo.]

They seem to be rallying together and a couple of them keep looking off to the Northwest. I think that may be where our ayakashi is. They don't sound like they can be talked out of staying put, either.

[deniles]

[Sorry, he's not getting upstaged by a mutt so better step back.]

Definitely northwest.

[He turns back to Leo, pointing his arrow in the direction.]

We've got a bit of distance to go to get there.

[brynwieldr]

Well, northwest it is then. Saix, if the dogs follow us can you try to...I don't know, keep them under control? When we fight the ayakashi, I plan to have you--and now the dogs--corral it against Niles's barrier as I crush it.

[saikusu]

I'll see what I can do about getting them on board.

[He turns his attention back to the dogs and does his best to convey the plan to them. A couple of them seem angry and he's not sure if it's because they don't like the plan or if it's because they don't like the newcomer barging in and giving orders. Regardless, they follow him as he heads in the direction of the ayakashi.]

I think they got the plan. We'll see if that's true when we get there.

[deniles]

Any backup plans?

[Because he's not exactly fond of relying on Saix and his potential dogs as part of a working plan, especially when his own part of the plan is on the line.]

It's not exactly a good idea to leave it to chance.

[brynwieldr]

Let you shoot it while I crush it and Saix is a distraction. I desperately need to find a sword....

[saikusu]

Maybe one will show up randomly for you like the one I received. Otherwise, I'm not certain where you could get a real sword.

[He'd offer to loan it to him, but he's not sure he can access it while in his wolf form. That and even if he could, he's not sure Leo could wield it without a lot of practice first, if at all.]

[deniles]

When you're done talking, Saix, we should start heading out.

[He has plans to find Leo a sword one day. And frankly, this is already distracting them from their prayer.]

Come on.

[brynwieldr]

[Leo just gives Niles a look before gesturing for them to head out. Hopefully it won't take long to find the ayakashi.

It doesn't. This one leaves a strange, sickly sweet odor as it passes by, driving the dogs mad and making Leo a little green.]

I have smelled many rancid things but dear gods this is something else. We must be close.

[saikusu]

[Saïx's nose curls at the smell. He's not sure how much stronger the smell is to him than it is to Leo, but it's making him feel ill. However, he continues onward as much as he wants to turn tail and get away from the horrible scent.]

We're close. The scent is emanating from around that corner up ahead.

[A corner his nose is not keen on meeting.]

[deniles]

[If Leo's going to keep giving him looks, he's just going to do his own thing. Letting out a heavy sigh, he starts to move ahead, dashing towards the corner. Whatever the smell is, and no matter how rancid it is, he doesn't seem to be covering his nose. Instead, he gets into battle position.]

Come on!

[Guess it's time for work. Because he's no longer in the mood for chat.]

[brynwieldr]

[Before Leo can send one of the dogs or Saix ahead to draw the ayakashi out, it comes around the corner and--

Leo has to press a hand to his mouth so he doesn't hurl because gods that smell. The ayakashi itself isn't anything particularly horrific, it just reeks.]

Augh. Sa--Okamiki, bring it closer! Niles, shoot it in whatever passes for it's eyes!

[saikusu]

[He is going to spend a week forgetting this stench. Or at least trying to. It might haunt him longer than that.

Saïx starts growling at the ayakashi, the other dogs stepping up from where they'd been following, yapping and barking for its attention. It doesn't take long for him to get them to circle the ayakashi and start herding it toward Leo and Niles.]

[deniles]

[Niles prepares his bow and without word, begins to shoot arrow after arrow to where it's eyes should be. He bites his lip, grunting. His arrows can only do so much, especially as it keeps moving closer and he has to keep moving back.]

Long distance!

[brynwieldr]

[Leo throws out a hand, attempting to pull the ayakashi closer while also slowing it down with his gravity magic]

Can anyone spot any weak points on this thing?!

[saikusu]

[He slows down to take a closer look, sweeping from side to side. Nothing was sticking out to him as a weak spot, until...]

The stench seems to be coming from a rotten sore on the left. Could be a weak spot.

[deniles]

On it.

[He's the fastest one of the bunch at this point. Plus, he's far more accurate than magic. He pulls out his arrows, and pulls one back, launching it into the rotten sore, which causes the stench to further fill the air. He keeps launching them towards that spot, refusing to let up.]

[brynwieldr]

[Leo retches, nearly losing his last meal and control of the gravity around the ayakashi, but manages to keep himself from getting sick. A few of the dogs aren't so lucky, however, and they turn tail.

He really can't blame them.]

Good one, Niles! Not much longer before we can rend it and be done with this mess.

[He hopes. Dear sweet merciful gods, does he hope.]

[saikusu]

[Leo isn't the only one retching. The smell only gets worse with each arrow pumped into the nasty sore. Saïx doesn't let it stop him from trying to help, however.

He pounces on its back and rakes his claws down the flesh before falling back as even more stench fills the air. He retches again and scrubs his paws on the ground to clean them off.]

Can we rend it yet?

[deniles]

[Honestly. He shakes his head watching them. The smell is awful, but if it stops you from doing work, there are other concerns.

He blasts with another arrow.]

You two do it then.

[He's busy, thanks!

[brynwieldr]

To me, then! Niles, keep it occupied while I cast this.

[He holds a hand out for Saix.]

[saikusu]

[Sorry your nose sucks, Niles. This smell is way worse than you're making it out to be.

Saïx loops around the ayakashi and heads over to Leo.]

Ready when you are.

[deniles]

[Sorry your entire life and being sucks, Saix.

He pulls another arrow and blasts it into the sore.]

Two arrows left!

[brynwieldr]

[Leo drops the gravity control to run a hand down Saix's back for rend. Once that's done, he puts it back up and gestures for Saix to kill that thing]

Stand back, Niles!

[saikusu]

[One thing Saïx will never admit to is that when Leo runs his hand down his back to imbue him with the spell for rending ayakashi, it feels good. But admitting that means he'd have to admit that other things dogs enjoy might also be things he enjoys while in this wolf form and that's never happening.

Once it's cast, he wags his tail and then pounces on the ayakashi again, clawing at it over and over until the spell takes effect on it and it explodes into black smoke and disappears.]

[deniles]

[Niles will find a way to torment him forever. Just you wait.

With his work done, and needing to save his arrows in case something happens, he flips backwards and grabs onto a tree branch.

Well, out of his hands now.]

[brynwieldr]

[Leo stands ready to call Niles should something happen to Saix, but there's no need. The ayakashi is defeated, the stench finally fades, and Leo--

Leo falls to his knees and empties his stomach, finally able to after dealing with that godawful stench for so long.]

Oh, gods. Saix, Saix you can turn back now. Niles?

[saikusu]

[Leo wasn't the only one emptying his stomach. Unfortunately for Niles, Saïx does so right on top of the arrows that fell from the ayakashi's side after they defeated it. It wasn't intentional, they just happened to be right in front of him and he couldn't hold it in long enough to turn away from them. Sorry.

Saïx stand and brushes himself off once he returns to his human form.]

That was disgusting.

[Understatement of the year.]

[deniles]

[Saix is lucky he had no plans to use those arrows ever again. He pulls himself from the tree, sighing.

This is disgusting. Worse than the ayakashi.]

Well. We're done.

[And thank god.]

[brynwieldr]

And thank the gods for that.

[Leo stands, brushing himself off as the dogs disperse]

Thank you both.