melodiesoflife | Keep calm and carrion

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Keep calm and carrion

WHO: Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki, K'pandolu Tohka and open to anyone else who'd like to talk turkey
WHAT: Arriving at Flence to find a giant killer bloodthirsty chicken--Colossal Cockatrice
WHEN: February 10th
WHERE: Heading just outside of Flence

The good news was that since the weird vision with the Sage, Ichigo had no shortage of things to do and it suited him just fine; it was easier to be busy lately. Learning about Jobs that helped people access their powers from home, moving to another house and now trying to help a city out with a monster problem. He was still trying to work out the details about the latter.

There was something about heading to fight a giant lizard bird that didn't sit quite right with Ichigo. First of all, it was a giant lizard bird that breathed fire if he read the reference right. He wasn't an idiot not to know at this point that magic wasn't his strongest point. At all. It wasn't as if he could simply cut his way through it and continue on his way. Not that he had... to learn that lesson the hard way a few times on his own weeks prior.

But despite that fact there was still a job to do. No matter how powerful the bird would be it was putting people in danger. As per Rukia's cautioning he had managed to find a Soft potion or two before they had left Aqures Ixen and she had been right; they were not cheap. Personally, Ichigo had no inclination to find out what being petrified felt like and shelling out some extra money for the items were better than risking the alternative.

Equipped with the Shikai form of his sword--finding it only fair that he started with that as he worked to get stronger--he spared a glance at some of the people and buildings they passed.

"A lot of the people here seem pretty calm considering there's a giant monster somewhere around here."

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"We did say we'd take care of it," Rukia responded, her head turning to follow the wild gesticulations of a merchant trying to catch her attention. It probably would have worked, if she weren't focused on the mission at hand. "Prophesied heroes are generally trusted to get the job done. The fight will be a difficult one, however," she noted, furrowing her brow seriously as they made their way to the gates of town and the island countryside beyond. "Enemies that can turn a person to stone are not to be treated lightly. As long as we prioritize the healing of each other's petrification then we should expect success."

She had her Esuna spells, and a couple of extra Soft potions just in case Ichigo ran out. There was little she could do about the firebreathing, however, except be prepared to cast her healing spells.

"Which jobs do you have equipped? We should develop some form of strategy before we seek out the beast."

She'd seen the quest posted, and set out without any notice of anything else that might have been attached, trusting that she'd make the best of it somehow and more concerned for Flence. Still, it was a relief to hear voices she recognised as those belonging to the other Heroes, and she turned her steps that way, faltering only slightly when her gaze alighted on Ichigo.

…but. They had the same aim here, didn't they? She squared her shoulders, glancing at Rukia. "You're on the hunt as well, then?" she asked, voice calm, though her tail flicked concern behind her.

Ichigo spared Rukia a side-glance. She was seriously making it sound like they were going to be petrified a lot. There weren't too many times he doubted her experience and this quest was no different. She had traveled more of the world than he had and if she was cautious then as long as they worked together they would be fine.

"Just the Warrior one for now. I was thinking of trying out for one of those Custom Jobs or whatever but I want to get a handle on this one first."

It was nowhere near as impressive as most people's Job classes but it suited him alright so far. He wasn't too interested in being able to cast magic, more about facing someone properly in battle.

When they were approached, he glanced at the newer arrival for a moment, not entirely recalling who she was. She seemed a little nervous for some reason. Had he seen her before? Maybe it was just about the giant bird lizard monster that was somewhere outside of town.

Rukia frowned slightly, but nodded. "We should try to flank it, then. It can't look at both of us at the same time so long as we remain on opposite sides. If you can keep its attention focused on you, it'll be easier to cast spells. As a Warrior with no secondary Job attached, you will be stronger and more adept at your Job than someone who has Warrior and something else. On the other hand, your skills won't be quite as versatile. So there are benefits and disadvantages."

So intent was Rukia on her lecture that she almost missed the fact that someone was speaking to them. When she saw Ichigo's head turned, she followed his gaze, and blinked. Then she smiled.

"Oi, K'pandolu!" she greeted her. "If you're here about the giant cockatrice, then we share the same mission indeed. Would you like to join us?" Surely the woman hadn't intended to go after this thing on her own.

That… rather underestimates how ready she can be to throw herself in the line of danger.

She nodded, finding a smile for Rukia as K'pandolu turned towards her, still keeping some of her attention on Ichigo. Matters were different now than in that vision, but she still felt a certain sense of responsibility. "The more hands, the better the chance we have to bring the beast to heel," she agreed. "And- you were talking strategy, correct? I can grant us a burst of speed, or slow it down with Time Mage, or else try to weaken it." She laid a hand on her blade for a moment, to certify that.

It wasn't the first time that his battle skills weren't as versatile but Ichigo had pushed through that before. Here was no different and he was determined to work on getting his original powers back. It was just taking a while to make sure he had a good handle on this Job first.

...But that name was definitely a mouthful.

"Time Mage, huh? Having a boost in speed could be pretty useful to keep that thing's attention divided."

"That's an excellent suggestion," Rukia agreed with a proud smile. "If you slow it down, I can summon Yuki to cast Haste upon us. This will give us a significant advantage."

Her head swiveled to Ichigo as they walked, her arms folded. "What about you? Any strategies to suggest?"

Hopefully it wouldn't be the same strategy he tried to employ against the Menos Grande.

More of a mouthful than 'Kurosaki'?

"The spell needn't be maintained the same way a song is," she protested, but mildly. She'd seen chocobos in battle before, but the thought of one casting Haste intrigued her- and another in the fight would help.

She turned her head towards Ichigo as well, eyebrows raised.

Absolutely more. There was no way he could remember a name like that right off the bat if asked.

...And would Rukia be mad if that was the first strategy he thought of? Because he was just thinking that before they both looked to him for input. As for not cutting the giant bird down to size...

"I don't know too much about magic but that bird's probably going to use it to try to petrify us, right? It might need to concentrate for that and if we keep hitting it from different directions it should distract it enough for all of us to take it down. It's probably has a few blind spots."

But he didn't look very enthusiastic with that last note. He always liked to fight his opponents from the front and to suggest something like that felt a little... wrong, unfair even. It didn't matter if it was human, beast or spirit--they deserved that much.

"I can't move as fast as you guys so I can stay in front of it."

She wouldn't be mad.

She would be gravely disappointed.

"I'm not sure how much concentration it requires, but let us assume as much," Rukia agreed. "K'pandolu, I suggest you flank it from behind. I have the best chance of curing petrification with my spells, so I'll keep to the side in order to see the both of you clearly." Otherwise if someone got turned to stone and she couldn't see it happen, it wasn't as if that person could shout out and ask for a little help.

They left the city borders and traveled through the island countryside. Once they came into the cockatrice's domain, it became painfully obvious. Stone birds lay on the ground, tiny stone prairie dogs kept a silent still vigil out of their holes, and there was even a stone Touch Me lying there. So even other monsters weren't immune to this thing.

Given its propensity to breathe fire, Rukia made sure her ice spells were at the forefront of her mind. Cresting a hilltop, it didn't take long for them to spot the thing. Like a giant scaly mutated chicken, the super-sized cockatrice was gnawing on the stony shards of what was previously an elemental. Its powerful beak crunched and tore, so far unaware of the heroes sneaking up on it.

"Assume your places," Rukia said in a hushed voice, not summoning Yuki quite yet, but prepared to do so the moment K'pandolu's spell went off.

K'pandolu let out a slight hiss at the sight, ears flattening back. That an elemental could be affected like that was unexpected, and an unpleasant reminder of what could happen if they weren't paying attention.

Still- she had faith in the others, and she nodded, moving into place. "On my mark," she said, preparing the spell. "Five… four… three… two… one."

She cast the Slow spell, her other hand ready to draw her blade, watching the cockatrice's movements.

Ichigo grimaced slightly at the sight of the bird as he quietly moved into position, his eyes not leaving it. It was big all right and looked deadly to boot. No wonder Flence had asked for help to remove it. Still, the other two were confident in their abilities and that was enough for him. He wouldn't back out and put them in danger.

When K'pandolu cast her spell, Ichigo waited for a brief moment to see how the monster reacted before moving in to keep in front of it, his sword grasped at his side. It would take more than a few strikes to bring it down but the more they kept the thing's attention divided the better. He just had to watch out for those spells though as his sword wouldn't protect him from their effects.

Rukia snapped her whip to the side, a flash of bright light heralding the appearance of her now-green chocobo. Yuki spun around and leaped with a happy trill, casting Haste first on Ichigo, then on Rukia, then on K'pandolu.

The cockatrice slowly heaved itself upward with a low-pitched squawking roar, its eyes burning with malevolence. It was starting to turn in Rukia's direction, so she skirted to the opposite side, following its flank so she wouldn't have to directly meet its gaze.

...Also, was she mistaking its plumage for a moustache? Because she could swear it was sporting a fluffy moustache just above its beak.

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Keep calm and carrion

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Argh sorry guys this is so late

NO FORGIVENESS