thenearshore | So love me mother, and love me father

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So love me mother, and love me father

Who: Mordred

yoshinocherry
When: January 27th, evening.
Where: The Near Shore, in a neighborhood with a fairly sizable foster-child population.
What: A few scattered ayakashi around the world with the appearance of would-be parents have been preying on orphans longing for someplace to belong. Yuna and Mordred are here to try and put a stop to it.

[When the pleas begin to roll in, Yuna isn't entirely sure how easy resolving the issue at hand will be. Even in theory, there's only so much she might be able to do in order to connect children with potential families, or even just give them a sense of belonging somewhere. A protector of mankind should be able to protect all sorts of aspects of mankind's lives, after all, so throwing some divine intervention into this problem is, if nothing else, worth taking a stab at.

The problem becomes a good deal more complicated upon further inspection, and she knows she'll need some help from her trusted partner in untangling some of the hairier parts of this situation.

The two of them, after warping to the Near Shore, will find themselves near a building that holds many children who are in between foster homes.] Around here, a few of the kids have been wandering off and not coming back. [It's troubling, even if it only amounts to them running away of their own volition. The chances of that being the case seem pretty slim, and the odds of it being something a little more sinister feel a lot more real. Hence, the extra muscle Mordred will bring to the table.] Something's gotta be happening to them.

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Kids go missing all the time.

[ Some kids wandered off? That definitely falls into the realm of "not my problem" for Mordred. It's no secret that the shinki isn't very fond of children; in fact, she finds them incredibly annoying most of the time. But if someone is doing something nefarious to these kids it's not something she could just ignore.

Plus this is way better than sitting around the temple doing nothing for the rest of the night.

Mordred saunters up to the entrance of the building, trying to get a peek at the interior through any windows as she does. ]

I can't deny that it's kinda fishy for so many of 'em to disappear in this area but are you sure this is our kind of problem?

[ As in something a god should be looking into instead of the police? ]

Edited 2018-09-28 21:27 (UTC)

That much alone is really fishy, and the fact that it keeps happening... it makes me wonder if the police can do something about it.

[What she is trying to imply, here, is that there's something a little more supernatural at play.]

Besides that, I heard a couple of the kids talking, and it sounds like everyone who goes missing insists they've found someone to take them home right before they disappear. The head of the house never hears anything about it beforehand, either... [It just strikes her all as incredibly suspicious, and if there turns out to be something actually preying on these children, incredibly heartbreaking as well.] It just doesn't feel normal at all, you know?

[ It's difficult to tell if Mordred is listening since her attention seems to be focused on her surroundings rather than the conversation. But after Yuna is done she gives a nod. ]

Yeah, I guess when you put it like that it doesn't seem like it could be run-of-the-mill kidnappings.

[ It's suspicious enough to check out at least. If it turns out that a human is responsible, Mordred intends to give them an idea of what "divine punishment" feels like. ]

So did it sound like any of the kids were excited about leaving tonight? Makes our job easier if we know the bastard is definitely coming.

[Even if she looks like her attention might be somewhere else, Yuna trusts Mordred enough to catch on to the important information. And, of course, her expectations are met.]

I overheard one girl mentioning following someone who plans on taking off tonight, so that should give us at least two kids to watch out for.

[Just as long as they can find them when they make their escape...] I think the two of us should be able to stake out the building well enough to see when they leave, wherever they end up leaving from.

[ Mordred spins on her heel, apparently satisfied with her assessment of the area. ]

Simple enough. But the second kid might get in the way if she tries to stop the first one.

[ Mordred steps past Yuna, gives her a quick whack on the shoulder and indicates the rooftop of the building next door— Some higher ground to better watch over the place. ]

And if this turns out to be an Ayakashi, what are we going to do about the kids? It'd be dangerous for them to stick around.

[ There's a faint trace of concern in her tone but mostly Mordred feels like having bystanders would be troublesome if the enemy decides to target them. ]

[That is, if the girl is planning on stopping the other kid, or simply joining them... That much remains unclear, but it's probably a good thing to be planning for either way. She jumps a tiny bit at the sudden contact, but follows what Mordred is implying easily enough from it.]

Mmh, good plan. [High vantage point - nice. That'll do them good to spot any runaways nice and quickly.] If it is an Ayakashi... do you think you could make a borderline to cut between it and the kids?

[Big enough, strong enough, precise enough... Yuna, as always, is more than confident in her shinki's abilities, just as long as Mordred herself believes she can pull it off. If not, then they'll need a plan B, but that much sounds like the most obvious solution to start with.]

Of course, I can. What kind of shinki would I be if I couldn't do something so simple?

[ She gives Yuna a smirk brimming with confidence before she deftly leaps to the top of the building. Mordred may have little experience using borderline against real Ayakashi but she's spent hours practicing in the dead of night for the moment she'd have to use it. It's been frustrating trying to learn such an indirect combat technique but she's finally gotten to the point where she can add it to her regular combat repertoire.

She'll wait for Yuna to follow her up, watching for movement in the area with mild disinterest. Mordred's thoughts drift to the reason they're here and a few minutes pass in silence before she pipes up again. ]

Hey, about the kids that disappeared already...

[ Mordred hesitates, wondering if she should even bring this up. She understands that Yuna is a hero to the core and her desire to protect the innocent is sometimes too idealistic in Mordred's eyes. Sometimes, through no fault of their own, the hero is too late to save the day. It's a harsh reality, something she wants Yuna to acknowledge so it doesn't affect her judgment during the fight. ]

If it was an Ayakashi, you know they're probably dead, right?

[She'd expect no less than such a confident answer from Mordred, and with that expectation met, she offers up a prideful grin.]

I'll count on you for that, then.

[Up to the top of the roof with her as well, then! The high vantage point really is a good idea, and quietly watching for any unusual activity is easy enough. Perhaps a little tense, a little unexciting, but that much is pretty expected from a task like this.

When Mordred speaks up with that question, it squeezes at her heart. To think that those kids, so hopeful to find a home to call their own, would be taken advantage of like that, and to wind up dead for it... Yuna herself can only be at so many places at once, she knows that even the advantages of her deity and hero statuses can only do so much to prevent something so senselessly tragic from happening, but it still hurts to think about.]

I know. [Her voice is soft, but steady. It's a grim reality to acknowledge, but it isn't something she can't just pretend isn't the case. If anything, it just steels her resolve in getting to the bottom of this.] That means we have to take care of it before it can feed off any more kids, if that is what it going after them.

[And if it's some malicious person instead, well, they'll cross that bridge when they get to it.]

Yeah...

[ Her gut says she should do or say something reassuring but Mordred is at a loss when it comes to comforting others. What could she even say in this situation that would make Yuna feel better? ]

Well, don't worry about the other two brats tonight, I'll take care of 'em.

Edited 2018-11-29 18:48 (UTC)

[Whether or not something can be said to ease the kind of sadness brought forth of a situation they can't change is honestly up in the air, but for an assurance that things will be different going forward, Mordred's vote of confidence is as good of a way as any to soothe her worries.]

Of course. [She smiles, somewhat subdued in the wake of the heavy acknowledgement, but confident in their ability to keep things under control for the rest of the night.

It's at this point that a small commotion, muffled by attempts to remain quiet, starts up as one of the windows of the building slides open. 'You'll wake someone up! Keep it down!' can be heard faintly in the quiet of the night, along with a short, almost whimpered response that is likely an apology. 'Remember what I told you, okay? It's over if we're caught.']

That has to be them.

Finally.

[ They've barely been here for twenty minutes but she was already growing impatient. Now that it's time to act Mordred gladly shakes off the seriousness of the conversation they were having. ]

Almost feels like we should make 'em go back inside, but then we'd miss our shot at taking out whatever's luring them off.

[ These kids are, essentially, bait. That doesn't bother Mordred much since it's simply the most practical way of finding out what's happened to the other kids. That and she's confident that she and Yuna can protect them when things start getting ugly. ]

Since they're kids we should follow them from up here or they might notice us.

It'd really be nice if we could just send them back inside and find whatever's after them anyway...

[It feels pretty heartless to treat a couple of kids like bait, but for all intents and purposes... that's what they're serving as. They'll just have to make sure to protect them well enough to keep them from becoming an easy ayakashi snack.]

Good plan. [They're a lot more likely to realize they're being followed than an adult might, after all.

The pair, equipped with nothing more than a backpack each, manages to squeeze their way out of the open window and replace it without drawing any attention from the rest of the residents in the building. With as much quiet speed as a couple of kids can gather, they set off.

'Are you sure this is the right way?' one asks, with the other responding with a confident, 'Of course!' as they hastily make their way toward a nearby, narrow alleyway.]

Time to go.

[ Mordred gives Yuna one last reassuring nod before taking off across the rooftops. The shinki follows the kids, trying to stay out of sight as best she can. There's a dull thump each time her feet hit concrete or roof shingles but it's still far more stealthy than if she'd been wearing her full suit of armor.

She mutters under her breath as she watches the pair. ]

Walking into a dark alley in the dead of night? Man, how dumb can you get?

[Occasional distant thuds from the rooftops are much less concerning than something like footsteps following them, so the pair of children don't seem inclined to pay attention to whatever might be causing the sounds.

When Mordred takes off after them, Yuna follows suit, switching quickly to hero mode in order to more easily keep up, and in anticipation of needing it for whatever may be coming.] It doesn't look like it ends in a dead end, though... [So they aren't trapping themselves in a difficult to escape situation just yet.] I'll go ahead and see if there's something or someone waiting for them.

Shouldn't I—

[ Oh wait, she said she'd protect the brats. Nevermind then. ]

Okay. Give me a signal if you see something.

[ Hesitating. ]

And...um... Keep your guard up.

[That's as good of a 'be careful' sentiment as anything, so she gives Mordred a confident thumbs-up.]

Mhm, I'll trust you to do the same! [Signalling, staying safe, all of it.] We'll meet up again shortly, I'm sure.

[With the pace the kids are keeping, and the remaining length of the alleyway, it really shouldn't take too long for them to reach the end. Yuna manages to sprint out there with a burst of speed while keeping herself as quiet as she can manage, overtaking their targets easily before slowing to a stop where the alley opens up.

There's a chain-link fence separating the passage from a small park area, nothing that can't be climbed over easily by a pair of children with energy to spare, so... surely, what they're headed toward is still ahead of that, considering a lack of any other presences laying in wait for a couple of kids. Still, pursuing them without the advantage of high ground will be trickier, but perhaps something can be spotted if she crosses the width of the roof...

Ah!] There! [Turning on her heel, she throws an arm up, hailing for her partner to join her as quickly as she can!]

[ Mordred watches Yuna dart off before returning her gaze to the children. As she watches them make their way forward the shinki can't help but wonder what would make them undertake such a potentially dangerous trip as this. Is finding a would-be parent really worth it?

Before she can dwell on that any further her attention is called back to Yuna a little ways ahead. Sparing one last glance at the kids Mordred takes off across the roof toward her goddess. ]

What is it? You see something?

[With any luck, the kids will simply continue the path leading them up here, rather than lose their nerve and turn around... though, that would work out in everyone's favor, at this point. For now, having her partner by her side brings a bit of relief with it, though they weren't even that terribly far away in the first place.]

I do. [She points off into the park where, should Mordred follow her line of sight, she'll be able to spot... well, something. There's definitely something that looks human enough about it, a figure the right height and shape to pass itself off pretty convincingly as a person, simply wearing a long cloak to fend off the chill of the weather. What's immediately strange, however, is it's behavior, as it waits, perfectly still, facing the direction that the kids should be coming from. No observing its surroundings, no idle motions of someone expecting a meet-up, just a simple, solid, fixation on the outlet of the alleyway, from the relative safety of the park's landscaping.]

That can't possibly be someone out for a night-time stroll.

[She frowns, turning to Mordred.]

Let's investigate, and fast.

What's there to investigate? You said it yourself, that couldn't possibly be someone just wandering around.

[ In contrast to Yuna's frown Mordred grins excitedly, a halo of crimson light surrounding her. Where the shinki had been standing a moment ago there's now an imposing figure clad head-to-toe in a suit of brilliant silver and crimson armor. ]

We should attack it now before it even suspects we're here.

Edited 2019-04-18 10:39 (UTC)

[If it were something that was more obviously not human, Yuna wouldn't have any qualms about jumping right in and going on the offensive. With the potential for her to be mistaken, for this to just be a normal person, it makes her feel a little uneasy.

But Mordred is so assured, and that confidence proves to be infections enough for her to let go of any trepidation she may still be holding. Even better, if they manage to beat the ayakashi before the kids get there, that'd be even better, she thinks.]

Yeah... yeah, okay. Let's go!

[She'll eventually need to call Mordred into her vessel form eventually, but it should be faster to let the two of them go under their own power to start with...! Let's hop off this building and head down into the park!!]

[ Mordred blinks, an argument for ambushing the creature quickly dying in her throat. Did Yuna just unconditionally agree with her plan of attack? ]

Heh, that's the spirit!

[ Mordred leaps from the building, rocketing toward the park like a falling star. She moves quickly but she's confident Yuna can keep up. Time to put all that combat training to use. ]

[Yuna's always worked better in a group, rather than taking up the leadership position anyway. No reason to bring friction to their dynamic if she can help it, and besides that, she's confident that she'd be able to stop any attack Mordred may make if it turns out they were mistaken.

For as much speed and power her shinki is capable of, Yuna has no trouble keeping pace! More importantly, Mordred's intuition to jump right in to combat proves to be a smart move, and the figure in the park turns in reaction to their sudden appearance and goes from waiting silently to taking on the offensive. With a shout, the ayakashi lunges straight toward Mordred with a sudden, surprising burst of speed.]

[ Seeing the creature move to attack just gets Mordred more excited— it confirms that their enemy is indeed inhuman. It moves a little faster than she'd been expecting, but Mordred is able to bring her sword down in time to meet the incoming blow. Everything she knows about Ayakashi tells her that her weapon can hurt this monster but can't slay it. It's disappointing but it'll do for now. ]

Hope you're ready for hell asshole!

[ Mordred's mind is already racing, taking in the environment and trying to judge the Ayakashi's capabilities so she can determine the most efficient to kill it. She aims a series of brutal cuts at the elbows and knees, intent on crippling the creature. If she can slow it, then it might make Yuna's job simpler. ]

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So love me mother, and love me father

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