melodiesoflife | Rukia's Excellent Mysidian Adventure

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Rukia's Excellent Mysidian Adventure

WHO: Rukia Kuchiki, OPEN!
WHAT: After the New Year's Eve party, Rukia disembarks in the city of Mysidia, as she has some work to do here while waiting for the Sage to invite them back for a second audience.
WHEN: January 1st - Checking into her room / January 2nd-4th - Meditating in the Hall of Prayers / January 5th - Testing her zanpakutou's powers on the Plains of Sorrow / January 6th - Venturing to the Temple of Heroes to find a raptor, or a dragon. She's not picky.
WHERE: The Continent of Ruin
NOTE: Anyone accompanying her on her DinoQuest will also encounter a Feathered Raptor, so if you're eligible for bonus experience, come get some.

January 1st

After saying her farewells to those who intended to return to Aqures Ixen, Rukia led her chocobo down the gangplank, a backpack stuffed with her belongings slung over her shoulders. She really wished she could have brought the giant rabbit plushie along with her, but she had too much equipment for her to cart the big fluffy thing around. What a pity. At least she still had the rabbit-shaped earmuffs that Yuri got her. Those were absolutely staying. Besides, they kept her ears warm. The Mysidians could be jealous of their cuteness.

It was very late when she arrived at the inn, but given the holiday, there were still many people still wide awake and celebrating, so it wasn't difficult for her to secure a room for herself and anyone else who saw fit to travel with her. She didn't mind sharing her room either, if it came to that, as it was economically practical. Her roommate in Aqures Ixen was a man, and she'd had no problems with him thus far.

But while it was only just an hour past midnight in Mysidia, Rukia had been awake for much longer on the Enterprise. Once Yuki was properly stabled, she was more than ready to change out of her party dress and into her pajamas to crawl under the covers. With little more than a weary good night, and a sincere expression of gratitude to her travel companion (if any), Rukia rolled onto her back, and folded her arms behind her head. She thought she would fall asleep immediately, but her head was still full of thoughts and plans for what she would do while she was here. Doubtless she would need to prepare another military report for her superiors in Esdham. There was much to accomplish until the audience with the Sage as well. Boredom was the least of her concerns.

And what of the Calamity? When would it begin to move? Where should she be when that started to happen? She lay in the darkness, quiet and thoughtful for many minutes. "...Are you awake?" she ventured in half a whisper, just in case the other person had drifted off to sleep.

January 2nd - 4th

The last time Rukia had gone to the Hall of Prayers, she'd spent many hours trying to make contact with the Eidolon known as Hades. The dealings with the Reaper still haunted her...albeit in a metaphorical sense...and left her filled with questions. By now she had a better idea of what Narayana was, but not how he'd fallen under the curse in the first place. For something that powerful to become twisted and turned against the planet did not sit well with her. In November, she'd tried the meditations that the other summoners had urged her to try, though they'd warned that it would take her a long time to become proficient in such a thing. After the week was up, she still hadn't been able to do it.

This time, she was determined to make it work. Hades wasn't a shinigami in the same way that she was, she knew. It was possible that he served as a literal reaper of souls, but she didn't know enough about this planet's afterlife to know for sure. Still, she hoped that they maintained that shared connection. Now that she had undertaken the Beastmaster job, he could be called as one of her companions. Perhaps this time, with that particular job equipped, she might garner a little more success.

And so it was in the next three days that Rukia was the most boring travel companion ever. She would eat a large breakfast to give her all the energy and stamina she would need to remain still and pensive for several hours, then return at night for a late supper and a little conversation before turning in for bed, and repeating the process each day. She found it hard to focus during these mealtimes, as if she were unaccustomed to carrying on a normal conversation. A little persistence might bring her out of her daze, but for the most part, she was fairly distant.

If she could at least speak with him, even for a little bit...

January 5th

Tomorrow, Rukia would seek out her second monster companion. She would be going up against some extremely powerful creatures in that area, so it was essential to make sure that her best weapon, her zanpakutou, was still synchronized with its user. Honestly she'd wanted to keep the Santa Claus job equipped a little longer, but until she had her monster companion, she would have been relatively weak on the battlefield. So she took up the Red Mage job with the aim of finishing it off in the next couple of months. She didn't know what the next month would bring, and as the Red Mage offered the most versatility, it would allow her to adapt to whatever the new year threw at her.

Though she wore both jobs, she opted for the garb of the Beastmaster, as the thick furs and tough leather armor provided the best protection against the solemn winter of the Continent of Ruin. She stood on the vast stretch of barren plains, the wind in her hair and ruffling the fur collar of hood, which she left down. Rather than the rapier or the whip, Rukia loosened a katana at her hip, sliding it free from its sheath. The weight of the blade was familiar in her hand, and she felt a faint tickle at her senses. Good... Being made mortal had not severed the connection she shared with her weapon.

Rukia closed her eyes, and held the sword out in front of her, before slowly allowing it to spin in her agile fingers.

"Dance," she spoke a single command, "Sode no Shirayuki!"

Her sword's name meant 'Sleeves of the White Snow' and what an accurate name it was. Her zanpakutou had been described as one of the most beautiful in all of Soul Society, and as her weapon awakened from its long slumber, it was clear to see why. From blade to guard, the katana was a pure, pristine white. A long ribbon unfurled from the base of the katana, curling into a wide arc as her sword spun.

Rukia spread her feet apart as she changed her stance. The familiar tingling chill of the sword's ice affinity did not cause her any discomfort. It was cool and pleasant. Refreshing. It was as if the cold purified her soul of doubt and fear, anxiety and weakness. Her steps were elegant, for she and the blade were one entity. The snow that swirled on the windswept plains circled her, dusting the tips of her dark hair, and lighting on her lashes.

The tip of the katana dipped four times into the earth, leaving a soft glow. Shards of ice began to flow upward into the air.

"Tsugi no mai... Hakuren."

The flowing shards were swept up into a hailstorm of cold air. There was no creature for the attack to flash freeze, but Rukia relaxed, pleased that her blade could still dance, and that Rukia remembered the steps. She would be able to fight tomorrow when they traveled to the Temple of Heroes, and she was satisfied.

January 6th

She supposed she could have settled for one of the more common monsters encountered on the Continent of Balance, but she had a desire to be strong, and capable. As a Beastmaster, she would rely more on the strength of her companions than her own combat abilities, so that meant finding a powerful ally. Thus, she had her heart set on one of four special creatures. Narrowing it down had been obscenely difficult. If she had more time, and if she were less reluctant to expose her other companions to danger, then she might have suggested they hunt for a dragon or a tyrannosaurus rex. Riding on either of these would have made her a formidable warrior on any battlefield. She would have taken a zombie dragon as well, but given that she had access to Hades, having an additional death monster would have been somewhat redundant.

So she would settle for the smaller velociraptor. ...Unless a tyrannosaurus rex came along and they had no choice but to fight and defeat it, of course. She wouldn't seek it out intentionally, but she couldn't pass up the opportunity if it came to her.

What was even better was the fact that velociraptors could be found near the Temple of Heroes. Rukia didn't have her Scholar job advanced enough that she could read the language of the Ancients, but she knew some who could, and her expedition could double as exploration as well. Maybe they'd find some answers about their past while indulging Rukia's need to have a dinosaur friend in her life.

"Watch your step," she warned, her gloved hand clutching a cluster of half-frozen vines as she made her way down the steep, craggy drop that led further into the valley of Ancient Ruins.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Fighting dinosaurs isn't exactly Levy's idea of a good time - that's more Natsu's speed - but the allure of exploring old ruins and finding more Ancient writing to translate is too attractive a lure. Besides, she has the utmost confidence in Rukia as a member of Fairy Tail to keep her and the rest of the group safe if and when it comes down to it. And so, she keeps close to the back of whatever group has assembled, book in hand and tool belt at the ready just in case.

"I wonder what sorts of things we'll find down here..."

[OOC: I think it's just us, so a raptor it is! And if someone else does want to join, uh...they were lagging behind to check out a cool rock or something.]

"Who can say? But if you can translate, I'd be far more interested in what you can read than seeking out a dinosaur to tame." After all, she did have Hades, Yuki, and Chappopo to fight beside her. The avatar of death alone would make her rather formidable, especially once she managed to get in enough training.

But she was still going to get a dinosaur before this month was up.

Rukia waited with her hand loosely resting on the handle of her katana until Levy had made her way down, then relaxed as they proceeded across the ice-crusted marshy ground. There was a wet, wild smell to the Mysidian continent's air, particularly this far out. Her dark eyes shifted as she remained on high alert. So far, so good.

[OOC: Any preference on which thing they do first? Friendly monster, velociraptor, or investigating the temple?]

"I'm more interested in the inscriptions than I am in fighting dinosaurs, too. I'm honestly not sure how much help I'd be if something like that attacked."

Levy smiles a bit sheepishly, rubbing at the back of her head.

(OOC: If it's just us, my preferences are: investigating temple -> velociraptor -> friendly monster. Levy's pretty well set for XP this month since she's got an orb and will master Blacksmith without any extra levels.)

(OoC: Room for one more? If it's cool, I'm cool with all of those paths [do want to have Ruby capture a Raptor, too!])

"Don't worry, I've got your back!" And right behind Levy is Ruby, proudly carrying her corgi Zwei...and trying to find a spot for her bow and arrow set to go along with all of her other gear. "Besides, fighting dinosaurs? Sounds awesome! Man, Weiss is going to be so jealous if she ever shows up here... or even if I go home!"

Edited 2016-01-13 22:21 (UTC)

"I'm sure you could manage something. I wouldn't bring you all the way here if I believed you to be a burden," Rukia reassured Levy as they approached the temple doors. It appeared that they were sealed shut, but she wouldn't know until she got close enough to examine.

She gave a nod to Ruby, before glancing at Zwei. He was quite cute, but she was still uneasy about bringing a pet to such a savage place. But perhaps Ruby had the Beastmaster job as well, in which case the dog could be a valuable ally after all. "Be prepared, then. You may want to have your weapon at the ready, in the event that we are ambushed."

Stepping closer to the temple, Rukia gave the doors a tentative push, but the stone slabs refused to yield. Pulling on the doors gave the same results. Investigating the walls, she pulled off some of the clinging vines to get a better look at the inscriptions, but she couldn't read the language of the Ancients.

[OOC: This is what they find as far as investigating the temple goes, so the velociraptor will likely show up next round.]

"All right," Levy confirms with a nod. "I'll see if I can make out the symbols while you watch from behind."

Stepping up to the doors in Rukia's place, Levy pulls the vines aside, slowly going over the writing and sounding it out loud as she reads.

"The door to this temple awaits the arrival of the Four Heroes of Light, those who have attained true mastery of the power of the crystals."

Levy frowns, shaking her head as she looks around for any other clues. Eventually spying something down by her feet, she kicks some dust around to uncover four symbols on the floor as well.

"...These symbols refer to the Onion Knight. That must be what the inscriptions on the door mean. I don't think we'll be able to get in here unless we master enough Jobs first."

"Master more jobs? Like how many more jobs?" Ruby asked, curious. "I mean, I'm only 15, isn't having just one job illegal or something?"

...wrong jobs, Ruby.

"Hard to say," Rukia mused, suddenly very interested in this temple. Did the Four Heroes represent the original Warriors of Light, or would current Heroes be allowed access if they arrived in this place? "I just barely unlocked the Onion Knight job. I could equip it, but there are only three of us."

She looked at Ruby, then shook her head. "Ah, my apologies. The Onion Knight is a special advanced Job gained after someone has acquired all of the skills from one of the jobs attached to their crystals. It is gifted automatically. But in order to maximize the Onion Knight job, you have to acquire all of the skills from ten separate Jobs."

A sudden curious chirping interrupted Rukia's lecture. She turned her head, and saw a lone velociraptor picking its way across the mossy stones. One particularly long claw clicked and tapped at the rocks, and it regarded them with a huff of breath, tilting its head in quick curious birdlike motions. Rukia smiled and drew her zanpakuto. Now to freeze the creature and capture it.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Something about this situation didn't quite sit right with her. Velociraptors were supposed to be dangerous predators. This one acted more like a puzzled pet.

A faint dusting of rubble landed on Levy's shoulder. If she looked up, she'd see a second raptor poised on the rooftop, just about to spring down on them. They had only seconds. And where there were two, there was likely to be a third or even a fourth lurking close by.

"I have it too, but we'd still need at least one more person even if-"

Levy stops short as she hears the approach of their new reptilian friends, freezing in place. It's a short-lived silence, though, as she lets out a loud and sudden scream as the rubble tumbles down on top of her. Tumbling to the ground, she just barely rolls out of the way as it jumps down, scrambling behind Rukia for cover.

"Where the heck did that come from!"

"Woah!"

Ruby would admit that she's a good fighter, but even she's not perfect in anything. The moment Levy scrambled out of the way, the huntress-in-training's hands shot for Crescent Rose, snapping out and extending into its scythe mode.

"Zwei, get ready! We're dealing with our first real fight... and we're gonna capture one of our own!"

The little corgi yapped defiantly.

Edited 2016-01-27 04:53 (UTC)

The Barkeep didn't like the looks of the ruins when he first stepped in, and this proved that he should have listened to his bad feeling about this and stayed back in Mysidia. Fortunately, he stood back in the cover of the trees with his Seer robes and newly-bought coat to keep him warm as he watched the three investigate. As the velociraptor stepped into the exposed rocky ground, the Barkeep whipped out his staff and began focusing his energies on the molecules in the air. He didn't have the observing powers of the Force Galactic with him, but with the power of the crystal, he could sense the velociraptor's material composition in his mind and focused on vibrating as fast as possible.

The dinosaur was distracted by the nearby targets and the loud dog, for it did not notice the older man standing a distance away with his arm outstretch.

"Combustion!"

The air by the velociraptor's body exploded, and the monster was violently thrown onto the ground.

It was hurt.

It was angry.

While the others would be able to attack it while recovering from the sneak attack, another pokes its head out from behind a bush, upset that its partner had been injured.

"Well done!" Rukia flashed a confident grin in Barkeep's direction. It seemed his strategy had paid off. With an explosion like that, it was surely weakened enough to be captured for the arena. That had to be the first priority before she caught her own, she'd decided. Wielding the capture device the old man had given to her for the mission, Rukia pulled in the injured velociraptor. Now there were only three left--

Wait, three? This appeared to be a fairly sizable pack, she'd thought most came in trios.

It seemed she would have to step up her attack power, if she was going to keep pace with the Barkeep's skills and keep Levy safe. She slid her katana free of its sheath and turned her wrist, spinning the blade in a circle. "Mai, Sode no Shirayuki!" As she spoke, the sword transformed, paling to a pure white as a matching ribbon unfurled from the pommel. "First Dance... White Moon!"

Poised on the balls of her feet, Rukia bent at the knees and sprang forward. Her opponent bared its needle-like teeth, preparing to pounce as it hunkered to meet her. Her zanpakutou cut through the air, the temperature around the two dropping sharply before a column of ice speared upward and encased the raptor, then shattered. It fell back, badly damaged from the attack. Its previously hidden partner leaped at Rukia's exposed back, forcing the shinigami to turn and force her blade up to block the hooked talons of its feet from piercing her small body.

"Rukia, be careful!"

By this point, Levy has managed to recover, scrambling to her feet and taking out the book she uses with the Scholar Job. It's still the most powerful attacking option she really has, since she hasn't quite mastered Blacksmith yet. Flipping it open and stopping on a particular page, she focuses her energy and lets loose with a pinpoint burst of magical energy aimed at the raptor that attacked her friend's back.

"Flare!"

The spell explodes around the raptor, knocking it away from Rukia for the time being as it's blasted into a nearby wall. It's not down for the count just yet, though, hopping up to its feet and hissing angrily. Something will need to be done quickly before it redoubles its assault.

"Rukia! Zwei, FIRA!"

Now, imagine this sight: there's a little corgi puppy, no taller than to your ankles. It barks twice, then opens its mouth... before a large fireball joins Levy's Flare spell in striking the raptor. And once it hits, Ruby's on the move.

"This one's mine! Going to capture it!"

And she does that by shifting her scythe back into its sniper form, firing a magical burst at it with the intent on making it her own. "Get the other one if you can!"

While the other two velociraptors attacked Rukia, only to be struck down with the help of Levy and Ruby, the fourth spotted the Barkeep standing a ways from the group. It paused as it realized that this one was an easier target and clicked to himself in through before dashing off directly to him.

There wouldn't be enough time to set up another explosion, and without a second thought, he held out a hand above him, palm parallel to the sky.

"Vanish!"

He managed to disappear just as it neared him and reappeared ten feet behind it.

Rukia heaved a short breath of relief as Levy managed to prevent Rukia from fighting two dinosaurs at once. (And oh, what she wouldn't give for a cute dog that could breathe that much fire!) And with Ruby moving in to keep the other from rejoining the fight, that allowed Rukia to focus her efforts on the one she'd just frozen. It was starting to recover, so if she acted swiftly, she could strike it down and weaken it enough to capture for her own.

...Or she could keep her promise to Barkeep, since it looked like there was another raptor she hadn't seen trying to go after him. That wasn't part of the plan! Who could have expected that his hiding place would coincidentally be right next to the fourth raptor's hiding place?

Using her zanpakutou was too risky. Barkeep and the velociraptor were only ten feet apart, and she suspected that distance would be quickly closed once it realized where he'd gone. It was already sniffing the air and turning in his direction. Using either one of her sword's dances ran the risk of catching her ally in her freezing attacks. Maybe it was time to try out her own Beastmaster abilities.

"Come forth, Hades!" Rukia lifted her hand into the air, glowering at the hissing creature. Darkness spilled from her fingertips, pooling into the dark robes that billowed and swirled into the skeletal Eidolon's familiar form. Would that she could communicate with him this way, but to no avail. At the very least, he could use his Life Drain attack, inhaling deeply to stagger the creature. The raptor stumbled a little as if dizzy, and shook his wedge-shaped head with an unhappy clicking trill. Rukia hadn't taken much more than a light strain on her muscles as far as damage went, thanks to Levy's quick thinking, so the Life Drain didn't have much to offer as far as healing went. But it did pull the creature's attention away from Barkeep, so there was that.

Suddenly the world pitched violently as something heavy thudded into Rukia's back. The raptor she'd tried to frost over bore her down with the weight of its body, long claws raking into her back as it bent down and bit into her shoulder. The shinigami gasped with pain. If it had moved a little further to the left, it would have torn open her throat to be sure. As it was, it tore into her shoulder, pulling a sharp cry from Rukia. These things were rated with multiple stars for a good reason.

"Rukia! Hold on...!"

Turning now to the skills of her Alchemist Advanced Job, Levy digs around in the small item pouch at her side, drawing out two potions. After several hurried seconds of pouring liquid back and forth, she pours the resulting mixture into a third empty glass bottle before hurriedly splashing the contents onto her friend. The Mega-Potion she managed to create should deal with most of the wounds Rukia had just taken from the raptor. But if the others aren't dealt with soon, Levy won't have enough potions to keep everyone healed.

"We have to get rid of the others somehow! Is everyone okay?"

"I'm good!" Ruby cried out. With Zwei continuously firing Fira at the Raptor they were facing, it did relieve a little bit of pressure, but this stupid thing refused to stay still and just get caught!

"AUGH! STAY STILL!" Frustrated, Ruby sets Crescent Rose back into scythe mode, clobbering her attacking raptor over the head with it.

"Dangit!" He hated fights like these; too bloody and messy, and he didn't have his healing magic today. The Raptor beside him was stunned for a short while, and that was his chance to attack. But...

There were two closer by the others. Rukia was hurt, and he couldn't tell if Levy and Ruby would stay safe. He held two fingers to his temple and focused on the dizzy monster in front of him until he got a decent telekinetic grip on it. Tighten. Toss.

The confused raptor clicked in alarm as it lost its grip on the ground and flew upwards, thrashing around. The Barkeep stepped back, careful to put all his attention on drawing into the power of the Seer job, and strike with an attack that would target all of the raptors. As long as nothing ran at him while he prepared his spell, of course.

It seemed the group was safe from raptor attacks for the moment. With one captured, one being soundly clobbered by Ruby, one flipping around and hissing angrily in midair, and one eating Rukia, there would likely be no interruptions to Barkeep's spell.

Rukia gasped as her wounds sealed nearly all the way. It gave her a moment to catch her breath, but just as quickly, it was stolen from her again as the raptor dug its large blade-like talon down her back, ripping a large gash into her body. Rukia's eyes went wide as she stiffened from the paralyzing pain. Her eyes started to go glassy, just before a strange glow began to pulse from beneath her where her crystal lay secured in her furs.

The temperature started to drop. Breath turned to frosted plumes as the grass beneath Rukia's hands crusted over with tiny crystals of ice.

It seemed she'd hit her limit break for the very first time.

A circle of cold suddenly snapped out, a shock of absolute zero temperature freezing the raptor on top of her completely solid. Even the blood Rukia had spilled was a frozen pool of dark crimson upon the ground.

Two down, two to go.

"No!"

Levy cries out as she once again witnesses Rukia being torn into by the raptors. She needs to do something to drive them off - healing is only going to provide a stopgap for so long. Putting away her book and picking up her hammer, Levy raises it into the air, focusing her energy before pointing it at the remaining two raptors.

"Tool Blast!"

The attack seems to do the trick, momentarily stunning the raptors but not succeeding at dealing a whole lot of damage. And while Levy has managed to get them off of Rukia's back for the time being, now the two are stalking toward her, nostrils flaring as they release deep guttural growling sounds.

"Ah... u-um..."

Ruby looked back to see the trouble going on. Rukia was badly wounded. Levy pinned down by two raptors, the Barkeep trying to cast his spell. Oh, she wished she had used her Dragoon job instead.

Slamming her boot on the downed Raptor's head, Crescent Rose went back into sniper mode and she took aim.

"Got your back!" Ruby called out before taking aim and firing. She was already amazingly gifted with the weapon. The Archer job made her even better.

Why can't this go any faster? he chided himself and this time-consuming magic. Two steps closer to the Raptors and the others, but the dinosaurs were still focused on the three. Ruby's attack was the only thing buying time for him, and if this didn't work...

Well, he hoped it did.

The air around the two remaining raptors began to heat up, though not yet enough to heat the cold, frozen ground. The Barkeep smiled as his Phantasm reached its peak. Two targets. Two powerful attacks.

"Rukia! Levy! Get outta there!" There was little time before his Combustion spell hit both Raptors, knocking one to the ground and severely injuring the other.

Rukia panted for breath. She could hear the shouts of her companions, but couldn't decipher the words. Were things going well? Poorly? She couldn't allow herself to rest until she knew for sure.

Desperately she pushed back against the darkness encroaching on her consciousness. Her wounds were bad, but not the worst she'd received. So why did she--?

Ah, right. She was mortal. That probably made a big difference.

Gritting her teeth, her nails scraped against the ground as her fingers curled toward her palm. She forced herself to rise and recall Hades, and in the Eidolon's place a white chocobo shimmered into reality. Ducking its head, it spread its wings with a feminine trill, casting healing magic over the fallen shinigami. The effects were immediate. It was easier to breathe, and strength flowed into her shaking arms. Rukia raised her head. The healing wasn't complete, but it was enough. She activated her second Capture, sealing away the velociraptor that had been knocked to the ground.

"Ruby...last one is yours," she wheezed, but flashed a confident smile. Once this one was taken, then she could finally breathe easy.

"You got it!" Ruby said, giving the recovering Rukia a thumbs up. "Just rest up, I'll take it from here!"

With everything settled, Ruby gave the remaining raptor a few shots before activating Capture, making the catch.

"Goodbye raptor, hello... um... good raptor!"

"That's... that's all of them, right?"

Levy lets out a loud and long sigh of relief, her legs wobbling under her. With the adrenaline from the combat steadily draining away, she eventually falls to her knees, trying to catch her breath. But she does eventually force herself back into a standing position, walking over to Rukia with another healing mixture.

"Here... have another one, Rukia. You need to take care of your wounds."

The Barkeep slowly moved his shaking arm back by his side and let out a sign of relief. "Now that is why I ain't as adventuresome as I was before," he said to himself. Rukia was still in pain, but Levy was taking care of her. Good.

He stepped around the icy patches on the ground and made his way to the rest of the group.

"Rukia, you feelin' better?" He held out a hand. " We should turn back if you're hurtin' bad."

"You have my gratitude," Rukia said, still somewhat breathless as she accepted Levy's potion. Drinking it took away more of the burning pains embedded in her back, and when the flask was empty, she let it dangle from her fingers as her head drooped forward, shoulders hitching with a sigh of relief. That was indeed much better.

She couldn't help but chuckle at Barkeep's remark. Did that mean he was accustomed to wrangling dinosaurs where he came from? "Nonetheless, your presence was remarkably valuable to us. I thank you." She took his hand to get herself back onto her feet. Suddenly Yuki was there, thrusting her head against Rukia's chest and nearly bowling her over with a trill of affection. The shinigami blinked in surprise, then stroked the bird's feathers.

"I'm better," she reassured them. "But there's little more we can learn here, and we've accomplished our objective. It would probably be wise not to linger here any longer than necessary." She cast a smile at Ruby, then pulled herself onto Yuki's back. As long as her chocobo was here, why not ride it back? "What are you going to name your new companion?"

"Name it?" Ruby asked, blinking a bit before taking a thoughtful look. "Gee, I never really thought of that, though..."

She chuckled a bit as she continued. "I feel like it's a 'Monty'. I don't know why, but it feels like it fits."

"We should get back to the city. You need to rest, Rukia."

Levy stands up, slinging an arm around her friend's shoulders and letting her lean on her for support. They're both shorties, so it should work out.

"Mm-hm, name your new dangerous pet, that's right," he muttered while watching the conversation between Rukia and Ruby. Clearly, the best thing to do with a killer dinosaur is to name it and keep it around the house.

He waved a hand in the direction towards Mysidia. "Best we get on our way before it gets dark. Don't wanna run into any more trouble if there ain't a thing we can do here."

Rukia nodded thoughtfully. She hadn't even thought as to what she would name hers. Perhaps 'Fuji.' Yes, that would do. She allowed Levy to help her to Yuki's side and mounted her chocobo, allowing the mage to ride behind her if she so chose.

"Agreed. I owe you all my thanks for your assistance." Rukia smiled. She was tired, but proud. "I am glad to consider you my allies."

[OOC: Wrap up around here?]

This was why Mordecai didn't drink heavily too often. Two days had passed since the New Year's party and yet his hangover hadn't completely left. Mysidia was a loud place, always bustling with shops and games and streets of people, and all he wanted was peace and quiet.

Which was why he finally decided on visiting the Hall of Prayers. He was amazed at the beautiful interior and the sense of calm he felt inside. It was more agreeable than the temple in Aqures Ixen. Seal of approval.

As he made his way up to the Hall of Prayers, he scheduled the rest of his day: sit up here until dinner, go out to eat at a local pub, then try to sleep off the rest of his headache. He wasn't sure if anyone else was up at the top, but either way, Rukia came as a surprise. Assuming she came for the same purpose as he did, the Barkeep found another place to sit and closed his eyes.

This would do for now.

For the duration of her meditation, and Barkeep's recovery, she remained completely unaware of his presence. Occasionally she would shift a little, as kneeling in the same spot wasn't comfortable for her legs when she did it for hours at a time, but for the most part her head remained diligently bowed, her eyes closed as she focused her thoughts and her spirit on making the connection she so dearly desired. She called to mind that strangely angular face, remembering the crimson color of his dark robes. In her mind, she spoke the name, over and over. If his name was as important to remember as it was for her zanpakutou, then it couldn't be neglected.

Finally, long after sunset, Rukia tipped her head back and opened her eyes. Even the soft light of the hall seemed a little too bright. She exhaled, slowly coming back to herself. Nothing... How disappointing. She would have to try again tomorrow, it seemed. She winced a little as the invisible pins prickled over her legs while hoisting herself back to her feet. She stretched out her arms, arched her back, and--didn't she know that man?

She did indeed. It looked as if he were locked into a deep meditation as well, so she decided not to disturb him. But once she saw his eyes open too, she met his gaze with a smile from where she reclined against the wall with her arms folded. "I didn't expect to see you here. Finished?"

It was more of a state of being half-asleep than a meditative state, but to the Barkeep, they were practically the same. With his hands resting on his knees for support and his head tilted forward and jerking upwards and his eyes cracking open every few seconds, it was clear that he was close to falling asleep if Rukia hadn't spoken up.

"Whuh?" He sat up straight and blinked his tired eyes a few times. He gripped the cloth on his legs tightly and his mouth turned into a nervous flat line. If he had fallen asleep in a temple, he was sure to have some sort of reprimand from those who oversaw it.

"I-I wasn't meditatin' like you were, ma'am, jus' restin'. You know, after all that partyin', I need a quiet place like this," he waved a hand at her.

"Oh? Hmm..." She gave the temple floor one more glance. He had a point. This was easily the quietest and most restful place in the city. Her gaze drifted toward the long stairway, knowing fully well who dwelled at the top. More than once she'd been tempted to tackle that arduous trek to gain the answers she sought, but if she was disrespectful, he might refuse them altogether. She would have to be patient and wait to be invited.

"You've chosen the right spot, it seems. I believe I came here as well after attempting friendly relations with the Bangaa," she smirked. It was the one time she'd actually got drunk in this world. Never again.

"Shall I leave you to it, then?"

The Barkeep, slightly embarrassed from being caught attempting to nap, twirled his moustache nervously. "N-no, it's fine. One person talkin' is quiet enough for me." Though his head might disagree, the Barkeep needed conversation and socializing to make it through the day. A few minutes with Rukia wouldn't hurt his chances at his nap.

"You do this often?" He dropped his hand and nodded his head in the direction of where she was sitting earlier.

"No. Not as of yet, in any case," she said, lowering herself to the floor to relax beside him. "I was attempting to communicate with Hades, the cleansed form of the Reaper we fought." Rukia's wrist rested upon her right knee, her left knee turned to the side as she leaned her head back against the wall. "I wished to discover the identity of the one responsible for his twisted state. He claimed that it was due to Narayana's Curse. Narayana is another name for the Calamity, as we learned, but even so..."

Her brow furrowed further, and her frown deepened. "It doesn't sit well with me. I was informed that it would take a long time to establish communication, but as we must wait regardless before we receive another audience, it seems a productive way to pass the days in the meantime."

Rukia turned her head to look at Barkeep once more. "What of yourself? Have you decided to renew your training efforts after all?"

The Barkeep shuffled his legs from beneath him and resting with them flat on the floor with his back leaning on the wall, head turned to watch Rukia as she spoke. He didn't understand all this spiritual talk, but he could tell that Rukia wanted to talk to one of the major spiritual beings in this world, only she had to make herself worth.

"Well, most bein's of that caliber don't take kindly to chattin' with normal folk, even if they saved their lives or not." He has not heard of a member of the Galaxium divulging his secrets or powers to a mortal that showed it kindness, and he assumed it impossible. "Even if you're a Soul Reaper person, you're like any of us in this universe. Sad thing about bein' dragged to an alternate dimension: you don't got none of the credentials that would make it easier for you back home."

He rolled his shoulders back and sat up straighter. He might come here to do some morning exercises for the rest of his stay. "Trainin'? Trainin' for me consists of levitatin' to reach the top shelf and visitin' the sewers; I ain't the fightin' type, even if my powers let me blow up things with just one thought." Judging from his elaborate, white gown he wore, he was equipping the Job Crystals that would lead to the Seer Job. "But I am thinkin' of explorin' a bit more to test out my abilities, as I can't practice jus' by healin' customers and workin' at the Saloon."

The staff he brought everywhere lay beside him: while it was helpful in casting spells, it made for a very effective cane when walking up stairs in the middle of a hangover. It floated upwards and to his hand, and he grabbed it without even looking at it. "Used to be that I could only do things like this. Now I can actually fight.

"...Sudden use of the Force Galactic nonwithstanding."

"I suppose this is true..." Rukia reluctantly replied. She had hoped that at least some part of her soul remained unchanged, that it would resonate with Hades and open up the barriers between them. She hadn't even had a chance to speak with him when he addressed the Heroes as a whole, on account of being unconscious. And poisoned. And a ridiculously small frog. And all other ailments. Seriously, not one of her finer moments.

It was frustrating, but she wasn't discouraged. Not yet. Unless she was required to pray here for hours every day for years, she was determined to keep trying.

But that was another matter, and it didn't need much more discussion given that neither of them knew what to do to improve the problem. "Exploring? What sort of exploration did you have in mind?" There were many places she hadn't yet visited, so if he wished for company or backup, she might be able to provide.

"Oh, you know, checkin' out the forest, maybe join in on seein' one of those mysterious caves or cities, nothin' too stressful. Don't got anythin' in mind lately, apart from returnin' to the sewers eventually."

He viewed adventuring more as a hobby rather than as a way of living on Crystallis. Sure, he had the power to send out balls of exploding holy light, but he'd rather work in his saloon and use those powers to defend himself than to go out and actively save people. That was more Sparks Nevada's style.

"Iffen you got somethin' in mind, I'd be happy to oblige. You can always use a few more healers, am I right?"

"You're going back?" Rukia didn't think she would, on account of having her uniform smeared with feces by a wily spirit. ~~Thanks, Poopbama.~~ "Why? I thought we canvassed the area rather thoroughly." Enough to set his mind at ease, at least. Was she wrong?

As for needing more healers, she nodded. "I had planned to travel south in the next couple of days to capture a pair of velociraptors. I also wanted to take a look at the temple in the area, so there may be some exploration involved."

Or the doors would be sealed tight, and they'd just fight some dinosaurs.

"Sure I am. The system's a lot bigger than I thought it was, and there's a heck lot more that we still have to explore. Those traps and mazes and stuff? They're all ways to keep us from gettin' to the secret base in one go, obviously." He was certain that something was waiting there underneath the city, ready for whenever troublemakers (or Palitutu, same thing) wanted it to rise.

Velociraptors? The Barkeep gave Rukia a concerned look. "Really?" Not his idea of a fun time. "Well, if that's what you wanna do, you can go on ahead. I might join in if we got a good number of strong folks with us." Oh, protagonists and their love of fighting impossible odds.

"But for today, I'm planning on catching the next flight back to Aqures Ixen. Gotta check up on the newest arrivals this month."

"I'm not so sure the mazes were an intentional structural design. I believe that's just the way sewers are built. But you say you encountered traps...?"

Reluctantly, she had to agree that this was rather suspicious. They'd run into some ghosts, and unusual cycles of endless floating wood, but they hadn't found anything truly significant.

As for the velociraptors, Rukia sighed. "So far, I've only managed to coax Levy and Ruby into joining me. I'm not sure you'd find our numbers reassuring." He was welcome to join, of course, but she wasn't going to twist his arm about it.

"Sure did. Some twisty passages, this one tunnel where we had to move around conveniently placed boxes to cross the stream, it's like someone had the time and manpower to make travelin' through the sewers one huge puzzle." Hopefully, when the old sections were in use, the workers didn't have to deal with that every day.

"Well..." Levy and Ruby were strong, but it still was a small group. "Depends on what the plan is with fightin'. Getting a sneak attack on one's a good idea, but chargin' head-on?" He shook his head. "I can use the powers of my mind to throw things around, maybe I can do that with you guys if you got a good plan cooked up."

"That's a good point," Rukia said thoughtfully in response to both of his notes. She supposed she'd have to sign up for the sewer expedition once again. Maybe she could requisition some sort of helmet to filter out the smell, and a repellent for any filthy attacks. Maybe if she equips that custom job she got a letter about...

"I'm sorry, I don't know the animals well enough to formulate any strategies. All I know is that we receive a key for bringing one to the Monster Arena, and that it would be a powerful asset to me as a Beastmaster." Her fingertips brushed the handle of her sword. "I had thought using my zanpakuto's ice attacks to freeze them might be of help."

So if he wanted to bow out, that was certainly understandable.

Talk of the hypothetical battle only made the appeal stronger.

"You might not have your ice powers from home, but we got ice magic, right? And I got my time stoppin' powers, too. While I got that goin', you and Levy can work on attackin' it from a distance!" He clasped his hands together in excitement. "Then, if I'm far enough, I can try blowin' it up! You know, I think we might just be able to do this!"

Actually, she might have her sword's abilities unlocked. It would require a field test of some sort, and the link between them could only be felt faintly, but it was a possibility. Perhaps it made little difference what form her body took -- they were partners, after all.

She found herself smiling as his enthusiasm only continued to grow with each opportunity she gave him to gracefully bow out. Perhaps the heart of an adventurer still beat inside his chest after all.

"Turn their strategy against them? I'm certain they won't be expecting that," Rukia chuckled. "Very well. We would be very glad to have you."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Rukia's Excellent Mysidian Adventure

January 6th

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/jumps in late

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January 2rd

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