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Post by Harbringer of Insanity on Jan 26, 2016 19:13:37 GMT
I smirk as the damned bat falls, and I see that the others have managed to down the rest of them. I also see Sara managing to shoot sparkles out of Final Say. "Sara, what exactly were you trying to do? Only physical objects, no plasma, no liquids, no gasses, understood?"
I raise an eyebrow at the message from the construct. "How exactly are we raide-" I glance at Kotone, who's glowing with a shadowy aura and stop talking for a moment. "How exactly am I a raider?"
I brush off my coat and nod to the masked lady. "I'm fine, dealt with worse, believe me." That raises the question: How did that single bat manage to hurt me as much as it did? I've dealt with creatures hundred times it size and walked out without a scratch. Fricking hell, has whoever the frick pulled me into this messed powered me down somehow? Fricking hell, that's just fricking fricking fricking... Whatever, little I can do about it at the moment.
While the others are talking, I walk over to the downed bats, trying to pull out their fangs one by one. It'd be a waste to just leave these beasts here without taking something useful. Besides, vampire teeth are used in all sorts of things, and these bats seemed to be sucking vitality through their bites. Must be part vampire at least.
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Post by Revimpx on Jan 26, 2016 22:10:48 GMT
Sara glances around, her attempt at a lightning attack failing, the battle was ending, thank the gods. She would wander over to Brinn and the golett, awaiting a response from latter. Sara's calming aura slowly rebuilds as she relaxes.
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Post by haybalebarn on Jan 27, 2016 10:01:32 GMT
As Anthony questions its judgements, the small golem just stares at him with its robotic gaze. When he turns his back to it and begins to pluck the teeth out of the zubats with sickening snaps, it does something it has never done before. It speaks. "You are a bandit; you do not respect life. Zubat teeth; don't regrow. Zubats; will starve without care. Disregard for life; shows bandit-tude." It then turns back to Brinn and reverts to its previous manner of speaking through projections. "New Directive: Protect Hero and Innocent. Layout ahead: Unknown. Continue?"
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Post by Bowyer on Jan 27, 2016 11:53:44 GMT
Brinn tries to ignore the macabre harvest but is startled when the Golett begins to scold Anthony. No one had said anything about this robot talking. The bats weren't dead? They'd already taken a harder beating than any bird might have. What were these strange creatures?
Brinn bristles as the golem returns to the floating words, "I do not need to be protected. Watch over the Innocent." Why did this creature only seem to talk to her? A pity that it didn't know how to navigate this cursed place but perhaps another set of eyes would be good. Almost reluctantly she agrees with it, "We need to move on. Find a way out." Hopefully the Golett wouldn't betray them...
That just left the bats that Anthony was ravaging. "You ought to finish them off. It's right about that. Don't make them starve," Brinn states to him in a low voice. "Just...try and make sure the girl isn't around for it." What would fate have in store for these bats?
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jan 27, 2016 16:17:21 GMT
Kotone decides she's not going to enter the debate regarding "Zubat" teeth, in whatever way Zubats are different from the regular sort. Even if she wasn't exactly under control, she did beat one of them up rather severely. She's not thrilled about apparently being a raider, but she supposes she can't blame the robot - or whatever it is - for making the assumption based on her appearance. The shadows and swords are more than a bit sinister... and the bite marks really don't improve matters.
"She's right. We need to get moving. I have a pressing need for a... conversation with whoever traps people in dungeons and tries to kill them with bats." She glances down at the "Golett". "... Sorry about tripping over you."
After all, it can make - or at least fake making - moral judgments. It's probably self-aware enough to deserve an apology.
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Post by Harbringer of Insanity on Jan 27, 2016 16:24:49 GMT
I rise as the construct speaks. I turn toward it, towering over the small golem, rage building inside me. "Disrespect for life?" I say, softly, before snapping, "DISRESPECT FOR F**KING LIFE?! What do you think those goddamned bats would have done if they had managed to beat us, ey? Think they would have patched us up, made us better, CARE FOR US?! Cause that's F**KING BULLSHIT! They would have f**king killed us, sucked every last f**king drop of blood out of our body and left the remains to ROT! I do not disrespect life, I'm following nature's intention. It was killed or be killed, and I gave just as hard as they would have. They gave up any right at my mercy when they ATTACKED us, underestood?! They gambled with their lifes, and lost. To the victor go the spoils. If defending myself against assailants is banditry, than you really need to rework your f**king standards."
I turn to the masked lady when she speaks. "The eff are you talking about?" I kick the corpse I had been scavaging. "They are dead. I highly doubt those bats could survive several hammer blows, or swords strikes, or ..." I wave my hand over to Kotone, "What she did to the last one."
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jan 27, 2016 16:33:05 GMT
Kotone's cheeks turn a little red. "Leave me out of this one, all right?" she snaps defensively. "It's... something to do with this black stuff. It's in my head somehow. Some sort of... rage."
She shakes her head, trying to focus. She's well aware that she's not making a whole lot of sense and is probably just going to make everyone else think she's crazy. Never mind that they just saw her transform, but she's willing to put survival over the worry that these three are working for Hive Co or one of the others.
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Post by Revimpx on Jan 27, 2016 17:30:19 GMT
Sara would take a few cautious steps back towards Brinn, trying to keep her distance from the other two, 'Would he do this to me if he knew what i was?' she would think to herself, black stuff? That cant be good. She's safest with the sane one and the golett. "Pokemon are much more resilient than you might think, it would seem. A few hits wont kill it, unless you are extremely powerful." Sara hugs her book, the gun still stuck to her hand.
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Post by Harbringer of Insanity on Jan 27, 2016 18:58:05 GMT
I look at Sara when she pipes up. "What? So you mean these bats are probably still alive?" I look back to the apparently still living bat, rubbing my face. "Shit. Fricking hell, this makes no fricking sense. Goddammit, how the hell was I supposed to know that? I wouldn't have start harvesting something vital if it was still alive, I'm not a monster, dammit" Fricking hell, why am I feeling this fricking guilty over a bat of all things? I've killed more intelligent creatures for lesser reasons. Goddammit, I've let that damned clay doll really get to my head. "What the hell am I supposed to do about that now though. Not exactly like I can set the fangs back, can I?" I look at the others, uncertain what to do.
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Post by Bowyer on Jan 27, 2016 20:02:23 GMT
Brinn finds that Anthony's explanation isn't without merit. She'd had to kill to survive. It was an ever present risk when you stole for a living. But these 'Zubat' weren't dead. They were just mindless creatures surely? His lashing out at Kotone was uncalled for, "The heat of battle can cloud anyone's mind. No need to bring it up."
Sara had confirmed the bats were still alive as well. Anthony had already crippled one, there was no helping it. Brinn gives the man a pointed glare, "You made a mistake. Deal with it." She'd already said what he ought to do but the man seemed unsure if he ought to carry it out. "I doubt you could nurse it back to health anyway. Teeth don't grow back," Brinn says repeating the Golett's pronouncement. In truth she's uneasy about leaving them alive, who knew if they could hold a grudge and come after them? But the Golett seemed intent on keeping them alive.
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Post by Harbringer of Insanity on Jan 27, 2016 20:29:07 GMT
I look at the masked lady, confused. "What are you talking about? Ugh, whatever."
I look down at the defanged bat, shaking my head a bit. "Well, I'm sure as hell not fixing up something that just tried to kill me. Squeemish people avert your eyes please." Waiting for a moment for people to actually do so, I bring my hammer down on the bat's body, crushing it. I stand back up, leaving the other bats for what they are. "So, now it at least won't starve to death, 'kay?"
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jan 27, 2016 20:49:55 GMT
Kotone doesn't turn away conspicuously, but she does make a rather displeased face and try to step between Sara and the carnage. She's seen her fair share of brutality, but that doesn't mean she likes watching things get crushed, and it certainly doesn't mean the kid should have to see it.
"Are we done here?" she asks, working hard at not giving a guilty glance back toward the Zubat she battered against the wall. She's certainly not going to cart around an injured bat, either, especially one that's already had a taste of her blood, no matter how out of control she was at the time. Or whatever else might be lurking around here.
... Oh, what the heck. She's not heartless. She mutters something unpleasant under her breath and stoops down to pick it up with a sigh. "If this thing bites me again I'm leaving it." She cradles it as gently as she can, unsure of how to hold an injured bat to keep from making things worse.
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Post by Revimpx on Jan 27, 2016 21:02:05 GMT
Sara's view is blocked by Kotone stepping between her and the carnage, and then watches as she retrieves the fallen bat. "Everything needs to eat, so you cant blame them for attacking you if they're that desperate. If i had any form of material i could maybe make something for them without having to go through this." Sara wanders over to another fallen zubat and lifts it into her arms, holding it carefully, folding its wings as to not hurt it, keep it more compact and easier to carry. She would look ahead, hoping whatever they would come across next wont immediately attack without warning, now she has something to protect.
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Post by Bowyer on Jan 27, 2016 21:31:02 GMT
Better it was out of it's misery than have to suffer a slow death, Brinn muses. "Let's head out then before these others recov..." Brinn hardly can get the words out before two of their number grab one of the remaining Zubats and claim them. The Zubats had attacked them, why would they think to bring one along at all? "These aren't pets," she says sternly, "They're wild beasts. They could turn on you in a moment." Honestly she thought Kotone had a bit more common sense than that. She gives an exasperated sigh, "Just keep an eye on them. We don't want a repeat."
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Post by Revimpx on Jan 27, 2016 21:55:13 GMT
Sara glares at Brinn, if she was a Hex Maniac it might have actually done something, she was clearly displeased at her comment. "Wild beasts? We are not wild beasts, we do not attack for no reason, we have basic needs. Who knows how long they have been stuck here without any form of food? They are in the same situation." Sara seems to regain her calm demeanor after taking a deep breath. She would not stand for that kind of thing, to refer to her kind as simple beasts? Pets even? How disrespectful can you be. She starts moving ahead grumpily.
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Post by Bowyer on Jan 27, 2016 22:50:45 GMT
Brinn hadn't expected an outburst from Sara. She hadn't been sure that the girl had been telling the truth before. Sara didn't look or act like the Golett or the Zubat. How was she to know? "I.." But she can't find anything to say after that. Sentient animals were not something real. And the Zubats had acted much the same as she had. Brinn would fight before she starved. "We have nothing but our lives. That's all they could have taken. A beast doesn't have to be an animal," she says darkly.
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jan 28, 2016 3:27:45 GMT
Kotone frowns defensively when the other woman questions her rescuing the Zubat she'd beaten up, but Sara's tirade about... Pokémon, whatever those are... beat her to it. When that argument quiets down, at least for a moment, she says quietly, "Let's say I know what it's like to be taken down by someone stronger and not be able to do anything. The least I can do is try to make up for it."
She tries to mimic how Sara is carrying her bat, folding its wings as carefully as she can. At first she thinks it probably won't recognize her when it wakes up, but... on the other hand, it doesn't appear to actually have eyes. It'll probably recognize her voice. She'll just have to be quick on the draw with apologies and hope it's an understanding vampire bat thing.
Because she has such a great track record with first impressions.
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Post by Bowyer on Jan 28, 2016 8:01:22 GMT
Kotone's comment draws a response from Brinn. It brought to mind Tristan and his plots for power. She grits her teeth, trying to not overflow, with the memories. "I know much and more about being helpless." She doesn't elaborate, caught up for the moment in thoughts of revenge. Though it still depended on getting out of this dungeon.
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Post by Harbringer of Insanity on Jan 29, 2016 14:35:23 GMT
I merely shake my head at Kotone and Sara picking up those murderous bastards, though I'm somewhat surprised at Sara's outburst. Ugh, the Mask can get herself out of that hole.
I move to the next hallway, figuring forward is the only way to go. "Moving on people, let's not waste time dallying around any longer. Don't want to keep our host waiting, now, do we? Rocks might fall if we do..." I mutter the last under my breath, unwilling to risk the fates.
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jan 30, 2016 3:22:37 GMT
"Fine by me." Kotone isn't sure what to make of the masked woman's remarks, but they can swap personal stories later. She's guessing everybody else feels the same way, since no one even asked about her transforming yet. Besides, Anthony has a point about keeping moving. She falls into step behind him, letting him take point this time. He's a big, strong man who can take care of himself; he doesn't need her to stumble into every trap for him.
... Or so she thinks, until she realizes Sara's already stalked off ahead. She picks up the pace a little, edging around Anthony if he doesn't do the same. "We should catch up with her. I'd rather not leave her on her own if something dangerous is up there."
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