[open]

[doestheickyjobs]

Who: Axel (doestheickyjobs) and you!
What: He's been hanging out on the Near Shore on his own, trying to get a taste of this world. Turns out the world... or, at least, the ayakashi... sometimes want a taste of him back.
When: March 24 /25, evenings - each different thread will be a different ayakashi encounter.
Where: In and around Tokyo.
Warnings: Violence, possible injury.

[And it had started out as such a nice, quiet day.

He'd been hanging out here, on a bridge over a set of rushing train tracks, watching the sun slip behind the artificial horizon of the buildings and light them with red and purple that glinted off the facets of every mirrored window. He likes sunsets: if there's a reason for it, buried somewhere back in the past he can't remember, he'll leave it forgotten, but he still likes sunsets. He's been coming down to the Near Shore to watch them when he can.

Mostly it hasn't been a problem. Today, as the last bits of light started to fade into blue shadow, something grabbed his foot.

At least this ayakashi wasn't giving him trouble by going after mortals: Axel still wasn't totally sure how he'd deal with that, what with the humans not noticing him there unless he actually punched them, and forgetting about it even if he did. No, this one wants him. It's all whippy legs and tiny claws, and three times his size with a bloated body that's broken out in sickly yellow and red eyes like the horror movie version of a teenage acne attack, and it keeps mumbling about how nice he smells, in this high, cracking voice.]

Get out of here!

[A sizzling line of flame springs up, but the ayakashi steps through it like it's not there, and Axel scrambles backwards, swearing. There are humans around, coming home from work or crawling the bars, and they're scattering from the flames as shouts start to go up.

Well, fuck. Axel flings another handful of fire at the ayakashi, hitting it on an eye. It blinks away redness with a weird vertical eyelid, and stretches out a leg, crooning, "Tasty...."

This just isn't his night.]

Comments

[disciplineking]

[Shouts of fire don't go necessarily unnoticed, and while Hibari usually came to the Near Shore to avoid people and stalk the town, he'd been itching for a fight. He had new weapons and at some normal humans cries of trouble, he wondered if an ayakashi was causing it.

Arriving on the scene, he was all too right, though not in a way Hibari expected. There was some tall red-haired idiot being attacked by the thing, and while he's not exactly a charitable soul, he knew a fight when he saw one.

All he needed was another instant of movement and Hibari was in the air, falling towards the ayakashi, one foot landing and crushing on an arm as it reached out towards the stranger. He hit the ground perfectly, not looking up at either of them.]

Ugly things should disappear.

[doestheickyjobs]

Nice, kid. I like your style.

[Axel dodges another leg, lashing it with flame, and hops back as the ayakashi's weird mandibles snap in his direction.]

I don't think we're gonna have a lot of luck convincing it to lie down and play dead, though!

[Not without a god on their side, anyway. Axel managed with the bird-things that came out of that chocolate, but the other ones -- the ones he's starting to think of as "normal" -- just don't go down without a god on hand.

Too bad. This is going to be a pain.]

Hey, you. God or shinki?

[disciplineking]

[Hibari gave him something of a look that said he thought Axel was one of those ugly things, but instead straightened himself up to as about tall as he could.]

If that is your way of asking I can turn you into a weapon, I can't.

[Not that he'd want to work with this guy in the first place. Probably. Though right now he didn't have much of a choice. Something metal glinted in Hibari's hands as he pulled out his tonfas, raising them up to in front of his face.]

I'm going to bite this to death the old fashioned way.

[doestheickyjobs]

Just checking! You're not my god anyway.

[Axel clenches his fists, pulling together the energy to send flames soaring out of the ground around the ayakashi. Its spindly legs still broke through, groping blindly towards him and the new shinki.]

Bite that and you'll just end up with a stomachache. If you're a shinki, we need to get out.

[disciplineking]

[Hibari gave an almost animalistic growl as the thing grabbed at him. He may not remember much, but Hakkai and Ren had both told him not to touch these creatures. His tonfas of course, spun around and hit the legs away, crumpling off a few of the smaller ones.]

I don't run from a fight.

[doestheickyjobs]

That's a great strategy for winding up dead. You do you.

[Axel dodges back as the ayakashi heaves its bulbous body through the flames. It's hurt -- he can see it's hurting, the fire singing its clear skin -- but it's not dying, and he swears it's actually growing back those legs the kid just whacked off.

He guesses it's true. You really do need a god and a shinki weapon to take these assholes out.]

Me, I'm thinking discretion is sometimes the better part.

[disciplineking]

[A lot of split second decisions were running through his head, as he stepped backwards from one of the flailing arms. It pissed him off that this guy was right, and not running away would get him killed, and he didn't want that humiliation again, especially against such a base creature.

But he couldn't run away. He needed a god. And there was almost something of a sinking feeling inside of him that made him realize what he had to do, but...somewhere, buried down in the confusing talks he'd had with Ren, he knew that eventually this was the conclusion he'd have to come to.

It was annoying.

So instead of running, Hibari pulled out his cellphone, jumping up and over another arm before he could take a good shot-that was still somewhat blurry-and send it along to Ren, along with his location, and a message that read

It's time for you to prove if you truly do want to stop being useless.

]

I never said I was going to die either. If I have to fight this thing by calling him, I'd rather that than be a coward.

[He blocked the next blow from the ayakashi, perfectly content to hold the thing off until Ren got here.] So? Are you content with running?

[doestheickyjobs]

You're bringing your god in? Oh, good.

Then let's get this party started.

[Axel'd call Pippa, but -- well, she'd already said she didn't know how to fight. Illusions could be pretty effective in battle, but nothing beat actually being able to use your shinki to chop the head off your opponent, and Axel'd rather give her some time to work on her aim first.

If this kid was calling in his, they'd be okay.]

What's your name?

[He sends another lash of flame roaring up from the ground at the ayakashi's feet. There's one thing to say for the fire: it might not be doing as much damage as he'd like it to, but it's sure cleared out the human spectators. No worries about collateral damage.]

[shadowrevenger]

[So his thought process when he received that text went about like:
1) Wow, Hibari is actually texting him for a change, that's exciting.
2) Oh and he sent a picture too--and that sure is an ayakashi, why is he taking a picture of that--
3) --Holy crap, Hibari actually reached out to him for help instead of trying to stick it out--
4) Oh yes, Hibari is calling him for help and he'd better get going instead of getting excited about it.

All in all, it's maybe a minute before he's running out of the house to head down to the Near Shore and not much longer before he's teleported to their location--although maybe not with the best aim. He doesn't quite end up right next to them and has to run over to where they are. Good thing they're pretty noticeable with all that fire.]

Hibari!

[disciplineking]

[Hibari was mostly busy dodging the flames and the ayakashi's attacks, hitting some of the arms that came too close and forcing the ugly thing back. It wasn't hard, per se, but it was definitely annoying, when all he wanted to do was leap headlong at the monster-that had gotten him a couple stings already.]

Took you long enough.

[He shot Ren a filthy glare, completely ignoring anything Axel had to say-besides, Ren pretty much just answered the name question.] Make me able to kill this thing, now.

[Well, now he finally payed attention to the fact that Axel was still there.] I don't need you. Go away.

[doestheickyjobs]

Oh, I think you could use a distraction. [Axel glances over Hibari's head at his god, unimpressed. At least he'd showed up fast. Now they'll see if he can fight.]

Your shinki's got a real friendly nature, doesn't he?

[shadowrevenger]

[Good grief, Hibari, you only called him like two minutes ago. But he's happy enough that Hibari reached out to him at all that it's easy enough to ignore it, and to even smile at the other red-heads spot on observation.]

He definitely makes sure I'm never bored~! And I think we could use a distraction too, if you're willing to provide one.

[Then he turns to Hibari and his smile fades away. This is the first time they'll be doing this since Hibari died and forgot everything, but Ren still clearly remembers his original reaction to it. No doubt a lot of it had been because he hadn't known it was coming, but he didn't think that had been all of it.

And there's a lot he would say if it was only the two of them standing here. But Hibari would hate hearing any of it even then, much less in front of someone else. So he finally just nods and holds his hands open.]

I'll turn you back the second we're done. Kumoki!

[disciplineking]

[He'd read up on what exactly a shinki was, and heard about being a weapon from both Hakkai and Ren, but he still wasn't completely prepared for what happened next. There was a tug on his body and all of a sudden the world was strange and he was in Ren's hands in the shape of...

He was a pair of tonfas, wasn't he? And that had been his vessel name. And now he couldn't move, and was in someone else's hands and it-Ren would probably feel a sharp rise in panic, only to be suddenly curbed as the ayakashi made a roar and reached its hands out for the god.

He'd have to deal with this to kill this stupid thing, and as much as he hated it, he was practically pulling Ren forwards towards the monster.]

Well? Don't tell me you suddenly got cold feet.

[kagenonadeshiko]

[It's rare for Ayumu to be out this late, especially now with Satoshi under her care and Susano'o on her mind but to her knowledge, her charge is safe at home. She's slowly starting to adjust and her shinki's gradually gaining her trust. So surely she could step out for while, breathe the night air, and walk the city a bit without incident.

The peace of her evening stroll is quickly shattered by the shouts of scattering salarymen fleeing from a scene up ahead. Even so, Ayumu approaches with calm care, easily weaving in and out of people's paths. Once she draws closer, she recognizes a familiar head of red hair fighting some sort of grotesque beast.

Another ayakashi? This one looks worse than the previous ones Ayumu's seen but rather than join those fleeing, she hastens toward Axel instead, gathering a firebolt in her hand as she runs. As soon she's within range, she throws it at the ayakashi's leg, igniting it further into an intense flame spreading up the limb.

She doesn't waste time on greetings or pleasantries, instead pouring her concentration into making the flames spread. But much like Axel's, it doesn't seem to be having much effect. Ayumu can feel the flames struggling to catch hold and burn through the enemy.

If nothing else, she's managed to divert its attention away from Axel to her instead. ]

[doestheickyjobs]

Yumi! Watch it!

[Axel darts forward as the ayakashi rounds on her, legs lifting in a ripple to strike at her with tiny, sharp claws. He clenches his hands, pouring power into the sparks that shower from its burning leg to spring up as a line of flame between her and the creature.]

If that thing touches you it'll blight you. Stay back.

[kagenonadeshiko]

[The sudden line of flame flaring up between her and the ayakashi takes her by surprise. What is this creature? The ayakashi the other day hadn't been this tough to kill, even if it had taken both of them working together.

Ayumu leaps back from the ayakashi, dropping her flame once she sees that Axel's barrier seems to be holding it at bay for the moment, at least. Last time, they exhausted themselves too quickly. Best not to make the same mistake until they had a solid strategy.]

Did it get you? It'll blight you, too.

[Ayumu doesn't take her eyes off the ayakashi or the barrier and starts crafting a fire shuriken in each hand. If it breaks, she'll be able to distract it and buy Axel time to escape]

[doestheickyjobs]

I've been dodging. You don't have the kid with you, do you?

[The ayakashi isn't really being held at bay by Axel's wall, even though he maintains it. It sways forward, spindly legs piercing the flames as it hauls its pendulous body over.]

Oh, shit. [Keeping that fire up takes too much out of him when it's not doing any good; Axel drops it and dodges to the side, scrabbling hastily for pebbles at the side of the road.]

I heard these things only really go down if you've got a shinki in their other form.

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Ayumu throws her shurikens in rapid succession at the ayakashi's eye, but doesn't have time to detonate them properly. The explosions are much more feeble than they usually are. She has to put some distance between herself and this thing fast. Good thing she's not wearing a kimono today. Without thinking, Ayumu reflexively launches into a series of rapid backward handsprings.

Once she's managed to get sufficiently out of range, she answers a little breathlessly.]

No, I left him at home. He's too young to fight.

[But the mention of shinki reminds her of her encounter with Bakugou and the barrier he'd created.]

Can you draw a line? You're a shinki. The others can. It'll buy us time to figure out a plan.

[doestheickyjobs]

Draw a line? -- Bad news, Yumi, no one's given me that lesson yet.

[He jumps back from a flailing leg, and then stomps at it, the heel of his shoe breaking the creature's skin and sending goo spattering on the ground. It still isn't enough. They can't beat it like this. He dashes after Ayumu as three more legs slam down in the spot where he'd been a moment ago.]

Pippa's not much of a fighter with me. Can you get other gods' shinki to transform?

[Boy, he hopes so. Yumi throws her fire darts like a champ. She'd probably be great with a chakram.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Damn it. Of course. That'd be too easy. Ayumu turns to throw another dart at the ayakashi trailing them, this time managing to pull off a full detonation... to very little visible effect.

This really is not their night.]

I don't know but I can try if you tell me your name.

[She knows Satoshi's vessel name, but not his. Ayumu hurls another dart. It may not be injuring it much but it'd probably be coming much faster otherwise.]

[doestheickyjobs]

Houki. [Axel darts her a slightly uncertain glance -- so is it going to work? He has no idea. He guesses he'll just stand here and... see.

In the meantime, he slices his hand down in the ayakashi's direction, lashing it with a tongue of flame. It at least slows down when he or Ayumu tries to burn it. It's staying respectfully back. The fire may not permanently injure or disable, but it's got to hurt.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

'Kay.

[Well, she's not going to waste time not trying a possible solution.]

Houki!

[Ayumu has no idea what Axel's vessel form is but hopefully, this will do something.]

[doestheickyjobs]

[Axel's half expecting the twisting change that took hold of him when Pippa had called that name, but no. Nothing happens at all. His boots stay solidly on the ground, and he has to turn and fling another handful of fire at the ayakashi as it gets brave again and swipes some feet their way.]

Shit. Uh --

[So the name Pippa uses for him won't work for any other god. What's the obvious solution?

Get a new one.]

Give me another name?

[kagenonadeshiko]

[It is an obvious solution and practical way of dealing with their present predicament. Eventually, the ayakashi is going to decide a full on charge is worth the risk of being burned. They need to take it out.

Without hesitation, Ayumu nods in agreement.]

Have one in mind?

[Maybe it's not really the best time to be polite but it doesn't seem right to not ask him for his input. She follows up his fireball with one of her own to buy a little more time.]

[doestheickyjobs]

Pick your favorite!

[Axel raises one finger in caution, pauses to toss a fireball of his own at the ayakashi, and then glances back at Yumi.]

... Nothing embarrassing, though.

[Look, he has priorities.]